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“And as a reward, you can let me buy takeout.” He placed his hand on her upper arm. “What’s mine is yours. We’re a team now.”

  “Buck, I can’t just…” Haley let the sentence hang there between them.

  “Why not?” How could he dispel all her arguments? How could he tell her he would give her everything he owned, even the shirt off his back, if it was what she or her children needed?

  “I don’t know,” she finally admitted. “But I’ve fought so hard...” Her voice broke, and a small sob erupted from her throat.

  “Hey, come on, this is a happy day.” He pulled her into his arms and Marie and Alicia, who had stood by silently, crowded in on her.

  “It’s okay, we don’t have to have pizza,” Marie said quietly.

  Haley sniffed and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “Yes. Yes, we do.” She looked at Buck through her tears. “We’re partners.” She looked at the girls. “All of us.”

  “We are.” Buck leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “Forever.”

  “So let’s go look at this land and then get pizza.” Haley forced a smile onto her face and opened the front door. With one last look at the interior of her house, she shut the door as if saying goodbye.

  “Are you okay?” Buck asked as they walked to his truck, the girls had already gone on in front, talking happily and texting on their phones.

  “I am.” She gave a short, apologetic laugh. “It was easier to quit my job than to let you buy pizza.”

  “I didn’t mean to upset you.” He slipped his arm around her shoulder, wanting her to believe he only meant the best for them.

  “I know. It’s my own stupid pride that gets in my way. I want to commit to this relationship fully.” Buck’s love for her grew with each moment he was with her and each obstacle they overcame. Real or imagined.

  “But when you’ve been on your own so long, it’s hard.” He gave her a knowing smile. “I’ve been on my own for a long time so I do understand.”

  “And yet you’ve embraced us.”

  He arched one eyebrow and nodded. “Because I’ve been on my own for so long. For me, it’s like I want to grab ahold of you all and not let go. I can reverse that feeling and see how it’s hard for you to let go of your independence.”

  “Which is crazy since I already quit my job.” Haley sighed. “We’ll get there. As long as we pull in the same direction.”

  Buck opened the passenger door of the truck and Marie and Alicia got in first. “This is an exciting time, let’s all agree to enjoy it. We’re going to make mistakes, we’re going to feel uncomfortable about some things. Things we hold dear now won’t matter so much in six months or a year.”

  “You are a wise man.” She kissed his lips and then got in the truck.

  Buck went around to the driver’s side, checking the street for any sign of Harrison. It was quickly becoming a habit. But life experience told him they had not seen the last of the man.

  “Let’s go.” Buck started the engine and pulled out onto the road, heading toward the mountains with the windows rolled down and music on the radio. He inhaled deeply and let out a long sigh of contentment. When he left home on the long journey to Bear Creek, he could never have guessed where his life would end up. In such a short space of time, he’d gone from a confirmed bachelor to being the mate of a wonderful woman.

  If he could hold a tune he’d sing at the top of his voice and tell the world how wonderful life was. But he didn’t want to chase away his new family with his tuneless warbling. He was good at many things, but along with reading, singing was not one of them. But he’d learned to accept himself and his faults.

  “Is this it?” Marie asked, leaning forward as they came to a stop next to a smart black Mercedes.

  Buck leaned forward and looked through the windshield. “I think it must be.” He grinned at them. “It’s a big plot, right under the mountain.” He raised his eyes and looked at the peaks towering above them. “What do you think? Better than pizza?”

  Alicia nodded. “Better than pizza. We could camp out here in the summer.”

  “You liked camping with Rhett, didn’t you?” Haley asked.

  “We liked it a lot. It would be great to have our friends over.” Alicia waited for Haley to get out of the car and then jumped down beside her mom. “Do you like it?”

  “I do.” She hugged Alicia and then reached for Buck’s hand just as Mike Adelson approached.

  “Hi there.” Mike waved and beckoned them through the wooden gate that had seen better years. “Good to meet you.” He shook everyone’s hands, including Alicia’s and Marie’s, and smiled broadly. “So this is it. Four acres of mountain.”

  “Enough room for a horse,” Buck said, glancing at Marie and then giving Haley an apologetic look. “Sorry, I should have mentioned that before. It was supposed to be a surprise, but…”

  “You mean it?” Marie asked excitedly.

  He looked again at Haley who nodded, leaving him relieved he hadn’t offended her. “It’s a wonderful idea.” She turned to her daughter. “As long as you look after it. I am not mucking out a horse stall every morning.”

  “I will.” Marie promptly burst into tears. “I can’t believe it.”

  “Looks as if you’re sold on the plot before I even show you around,” Mike said happily. “But let’s go take a look anyway.”

  They spent an hour walking the plot through knee-high grass, planning where the house would sit and where Marie’s horse would live. The plot had a planning permit in place, so they were a step closer to building the house of their dreams than if they were starting from scratch.

  “All we have to do is agree on a price, and it’s yours.” Mike inhaled deeply. “Good mountain air. I don’t charge extra for that.” Mike chuckled at his own joke.

  “Can I ask why you are selling, Mike?” Haley turned away from the view and focused on the man before her.

  “I always thought I’d move up here and build a house.” He smiled warmly and cast his eyes over the girls who were playing under the shade of the trees at the top end of the plot. “And then I met my mate, she has kids and a beautiful house. I slipped into their lives. No upheaval, no drama.”

  “Lucky you,” Haley said and glanced at Buck.

  “Things not so easy for you two?” Mike asked and turned to look at Alicia and Marie. “Your girls look happy. Which is the most important thing.”

  “They are. We just had a couple of bumps along the way.” Haley didn’t say more. “But I think it’s behind us. We just have to find a rhythm to live by. A new rhythm.”

  “This is the place to do it,” Mike said. “The mountain has a rhythm all of its own.”

  “It does.” Haley nodded. “I’ll leave you two to talk business while I go and check on the girls.”

  “You’re a lucky man,” Mike said. “And I know you’ll build a wonderful property here and have a great life.”

  “We will,” Buck agreed as he watched his mate walk away. The need to have her near had lessened, the bond between them no longer stretched taut. They were slipping into their own rhythm. Buck had to make sure they didn’t slip into a rut.

  His life with Haley was going to be full of wonderful memories and moments they would look back on forever.

  Chapter Fifteen – Haley

  “This pizza smells wonderful.” Haley inhaled deeply as she balanced the pizza boxes on her lap. They were nearly home after a perfect afternoon exploring the area around their new home.

  Okay, so the house wasn’t built yet, but Buck reckoned they would be living there by Christmas.

  Marie lifted her own pizza box to her nose and breathed in the smell of cheese and pepperoni. “I don’t think I can wait until we get home. My mouth is watering.”

  “Stop drooling. We’re like two minutes away,” Alicia told her.

  “Two minutes is too long,” Marie moaned.

  Haley laughed. “You can wait. It’ll be too hot anyway. And I’d like us to all eat together.”
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  “Okay,” Marie agreed with a sigh of resignation.

  “Good girl.” Haley smiled as her daughter sat staring at the box. “I bet it’ll taste even better when you get to eat it.”

  “It’s going to taste just wonderful.” Marie looked up and watched the road, eagerly waiting for them to reach home.

  As Buck parked the truck outside, they all spilled out onto the sidewalk, buzzing with excitement. The girls went ahead, and Haley waited for Buck. “This has been the best day ever.”

  Buck slipped his arm around her shoulders. “I agree.”

  “Are you happy with the price you paid for the land?” Haley asked.

  “I am, yes. Mike could have driven a harder bargain, but I think he was happy someone else was going to live his dream.” Buck looked over his shoulder as they reached the front door and Haley got her key out of her pocket and unlocked it.

  “Is everything okay?” Haley asked, looking back toward the street, but she couldn’t see anything suspicious.

  Buck rubbed the back of his neck. “Paranoid, that’s all.”

  “About Harrison?” Haley went to the kitchen, where she put the pizza boxes on the counter.

  While she got glasses from the cupboard and took a bottle of ice-cold lemonade from the fridge, Buck opened the boxes and took a piece of pizza out. “This is so good.”

  “Come on, you can bring the pizza and I’ll bring the drinks.” They left the kitchen and went to the living room where Alicia had switched on the TV and was idly flicking through channels while she ate a slice of pizza. Marie was stretched out on the floor with her pizza box next to her.

  “What do you want to watch?” Alicia asked. Not a question asked very often, usually, most arguments were over who got to watch what on TV.

  “I don’t know. What kind of things do you like, Buck?” Haley asked as she placed the glasses on a small table and then sat down on the sofa next to her mate. She smiled a secret smile, she liked that word. Mate.

  “Stranger Things?” Marie offered when Buck didn’t answer.

  “I’ve never watched it,” Buck admitted.

  Two faces swung around and looked at him. “You haven’t?”

  “I don’t watch a lot of TV.” Buck shrugged as Alicia flicked the remote and the show started.

  “We need to educate you in the best TV shows,” Marie said evenly as she took a big bite of pizza.

  Haley chuckled as she ate her pizza. “It seems you are going to be brought right up to date with all the delights of our modern world.”

  “Hey, I’m not that old,” Buck protested with a smile. “But I am outnumbered.”

  Haley leaned closer to him and whispered, “So when we have a baby, you’ll be hoping for a boy?”

  His eyes darkened with longing as he searched her face to see if she was joking. “I don’t care, boy or girl.” He swallowed hard, the emotion in his soft brown eyes brought tears to her eyes.

  “I don’t know if I’m too old.” She shrugged. “But I’m willing to try.”

  He leaned forward and kissed her lips. He tasted of peppers and onion, with a hint of garlic. “I love you, Haley.”

  She gave him a crooked smile. “I suppose we can say that now that we’ve known each other more than twenty-four hours.”

  “Does that mean I can propose now, too?” Buck murmured against her lips.

  “Maybe we should finish our pizza first,” Haley suggested, although her appetite was in danger of disappearing. The look in Buck’s eyes signaled a hunger that food would never satisfy.

  But that would have to wait. This was family time.

  ***

  “Could a bear fight a Demogorgon?” Marie asked. The girls were about to go up to bed and her question was aimed at Buck as he collected the pizza boxes and carried them out to the kitchen.

  “Of course not,” Alicia answered. “Did you see that thing?”

  “Since when did you know everything about bears?” Marie asked. “Could your bear defeat one?”

  “He’d try,” Buck answered.

  “Okay, Demogorgons aren’t real. Bears are. So let’s not argue about it,” Haley said as she ushered the girls upstairs.

  “Are you okay?” Buck asked as Haley walked into the kitchen and began cleaning up.

  “Yes, I’m tired. And I don’t like to think of you and your bear getting hurt trying to protect us.” Haley unlocked the back door and took out a bag of trash.

  When she came back in he held his arms open for her and she went to him. “The ceiling looks good.”

  Haley looked up. “Is that your not so subtle way of changing the subject?”

  “You saw right through me,” Buck said as she lifted her head and he kissed her lips.

  He tasted of pizza and lemonade, an intoxicating mix. As soon as the girls were settled in bed, she would suggest an early night. However, before she could ask, a knock at the door made her jump.

  “Who’s that?” It was a ridiculous question since Buck had no way of knowing. But fear gripped her. “What if it’s about the baby? What if Tiana has gone into labor?”

  She pulled away from Buck and went to the door, with him close behind her. As she reached to open it, his hand covered hers. “Why don’t I answer it?”

  She stepped back. He was right, if it was Harrison come looking for trouble, it was better if he met Buck face to face. With a nod of agreement, Buck opened the door. “Hello?”

  “Hello.” There was a long silence. “I was looking for Haley.”

  “What are you doing here?” Buck asked roughly.

  “I came to…” Another pause.

  Haley stepped out from behind Buck. “I’m Haley.”

  “I’m…”

  “Krella.” Buck looked at Haley with uncertainty.

  Haley’s face paled. “What do you want?” It was bad enough Harrison was stirring up trouble, but now this woman, who had tried to ruin Buck all those years ago, was here on her doorstep.

  “Can I come in?” she asked, searching Buck’s face and then Haley’s. For what? “I’d rather not stand out here.”

  Haley nodded, and a reluctant Buck moved to the side. Krella, five feet six, with dyed black hair, and a face that looked as if it had more cosmetic surgery than it needed, stepped inside. Haley looked up the stairs, she could hear the girls talking and didn’t want them to see their visitor. Or for their visitor to see them.

  “In here.” She indicated the living room and walked behind Krella as she entered and then sat down on the sofa.

  “I will be brief. Your ex-husband has been to see me. He wants me to go to the press about the incident.” Krella crossed her legs nervously.

  “You mean the incident where you told the police that I beat you?” Buck asked savagely.

  Krella ignored his attitude and nodded. “Yes.” Her voice had a hint of a foreign accent that Haley could not place.

  “And what was your answer?” Haley asked, her stomach hollow. Was Krella here to demand money to keep quiet?

  “I want you to stop him from asking such questions.” Her face was set firm.

  “He’s not a dog on a leash,” Buck replied.

  “He will be beaten like a dog if he does not stop.” Her threat carried a resolute tone.

  “You’re threatening him?” Buck asked.

  Krella stood up abruptly. “I am not the same person I was back then. It was a long time ago and I will not have the past raked up for all to see. If Harrison comes to see me again or speaks to anyone about what happened, he will be dealt with.”

  “Why did you do it?” Haley asked suddenly. “Why did you lie about Buck?”

  “I was paid to,” she admitted with a tilt of her chin that said she had no remorse for what she did.

  “And now you want me to help you?” Buck asked.

  She sighed and walked the length of the room. “I have a good marriage to a powerful man. A man who will crush your ex-husband with the heel of his shoe.” She ground her four-inch heel into th
e floor to make the point. “Whatever is between you and him, it does not concern me.”

  “Then go to the police and tell them it wasn’t me.” Buck went to Krella. “I’ll go with you now, you tell the local sheriff you made a mistake and this all goes away.”

  “You want me to admit I lied?” Krella asked in disgust.

  “I want you to tell them you made a mistake. There is a difference.” Buck stood over Krella, but she was not intimidated by him. “You will free us both from the past.”

  If only it could be that simple to free herself from the past, Haley thought as Krella nodded in agreement.

  “I’ll be back soon.” Buck kissed Haley’s cheek and left the room, with Krella behind him.

  As the front door closed, Haley reached out for the arm of the chair and sat down stiffly. What did Harrison think he was gaining by raking this all back up?

  With a sigh, she got up and went to the kitchen. She needed to busy herself with something, anything to take her mind off Harrison and Krella.

  “I didn’t expect her to come here.” Harrison stood in the middle of her kitchen, but he didn’t look as at home as he did before. Haley berated herself for not locking the back door, but perhaps it was good that Harrison had heard the conversation.

  “She’s upset you went to see her.” Haley folded her arms and stood in the doorway, ready to fight him off if she had to. “You should watch yourself, Harrison. You might think you are a big man, but you aren’t.”

  “I could take on that man of yours. I could beat him and take you back.” His fists clenched, and her heart rate quickened.

  “Go away, Harrison.” She pointed to the door. “Go and get a life and leave us alone. Get yourself together, build a relationship with your kids. Before it’s too late. We’ve moved on. So should you.”

  He took a step toward her, his face, the same face she had once been so scared of, a mask of seething anger. “Are you telling me what to do?”

  “Mom, is everything okay?” Alicia appeared in the doorway. “Dad?”

  “Hi, Alicia.” He put his hand up in a halfhearted wave. “You’ve grown up.”

  “That’s what kids do,” Haley told him.

  “If you’d been around you might know that,” Alicia said, her voice caught in her throat.