Six Months in Montana (Montana Sweet Western Romance Series, Book 1) (5 page)

Her mother and Aunt Betty had chosen their own dresses. Her mother's was a soft blue-gray shimmery fabric, and her aunt's a brighter silvery shade. They both looked terrific, and had glistening eyes as they walked beside Molly.

Christian and Travis, his best man, were waiting for them, and they both looked so distinguished and serious. But as they got closer, Christian smiled and his eyes lit up. The whole moment felt surreal to Molly, as she said her vows and agreed to love, honor, and cherish the man standing in front of her: her friend.

The chaplain pronounced them man and wife, and told Christian to kiss his bride. He did, and though it was a quick peck in front of a crowd of people, Molly was surprised by how much she liked the feel of his lips on hers. It shook her for a moment; she hadn’t been expecting to feel anything remotely like attraction. She dismissed the feeling immediately though, chalking it up to the excitement of the moment.

Christian took her hand and led the way through the crowd and to the waiting limousine outside. Travis, Meghan, and her mother and Aunt Betty joined them, and they rode a few miles down the road to the reception. It was to be held at the Beauville country club and the buffet catered by a local company that Christian had recommended.

The food was wonderful. They had decided to go with several stations, so people could have a selection of options. There was a carving station with several meats, a pasta station and a hot station with stuffed shrimp, sautéed chicken and wild salmon. Everyone raved about the food, and seemed to have a good time.

Molly barely ate a thing. She was too busy going from table to table, greeting her guests and, in many cases, meeting them for the first time too. Her Uncle Richard was there, of course, and she'd made her mother promise not to tell him the truth, especially as he still worked for Christian. She felt a little guilty about that, as she did about the fact that everyone was so nice and seemed so happy for Christian and for her. She sensed that they approved of his choice, which both flattered her and made her feel a little sad at the same time.

Aunt Betty was the belle of the ball. She was having a blast and reveling in all the attention. Her mother seemed to be enjoying herself as well, as she relaxed at her table and took it all in, as was her way.

Once everyone was fed and the cake was cut, the entertainment started. The band they'd found on such short notice was excellent and soon had the crowd up and on the dance floor. Meghan stayed out there almost the entire time and made sure Molly was dancing up a storm as well. Molly loved to dance, too, and even succeeded in dragging her mother up for a few songs. Aunt Betty was the first one on the dance floor and the last to leave. It seemed as though a good time was certainly had by all.

Christian wasn't much of a dancer. He joined Molly for the official first dance, and then danced once with her mother and then her aunt. After that, he mostly sat out and visited with various friends and family members. Molly noticed that Travis danced quite a bit, though, especially with Meghan, who seemed to be really enjoying herself, which Molly was glad to see.

By the time the music stopped, Molly was exhausted. She and Christian said their goodbyes to everyone as they all walked out. The limo was still out front waiting for them, but this time just Molly and Christian got in and, less than ten minutes later, they arrived at Christian's house and Molly's new home for the next six months.

Christian had come by the day before to pick up Molly's things, so her suitcases were waiting for her in the guest room. Molly had admired this room when she’d first seen it the day she'd visited, and Christian had shown her around. The guest room was almost as large as the master bedroom. It was decorated in soft peach and cream tones, and while it didn't have a walk-in closet, it did have plenty of hanging space and, like the master bedroom, a beautiful, large bathroom with heated marble tile floors, a glassed-in shower and an oversized soaking tub. The bathroom closet was also stocked with plenty of thick towels, shampoo and conditioner. It was almost like being in a hotel, Molly thought to herself. She had everything she needed.

Christian walked her upstairs and stopped outside her door.

"Well, goodnight Mrs. Ford. Get a good night's sleep, we have to be up early tomorrow for our flight to New York."

"Mrs. Ford. That's going to take a little getting used to."

"You have to admit, it has a nice ring to it."

"Goodnight Christian." He gave her a warm hug and a kiss on the forehead. Oddly, Molly felt a little disappointed, surprised to admit she'd been wishing he'd aimed for her lips instead.

M
olly and Christian
got up early the next morning, and flew into LaGuardia that afternoon to begin their honeymoon. Christian had booked them into an upscale bed and breakfast in Manhattan. He'd explained that he thought it would give Molly some ideas to keep in mind as they renovated Rose Cottage. The property was lovely, and their suite had two bedrooms with a cozy living room in the middle and a pretty gas fireplace. Each bedroom had its own bathroom, and they were elegant, mostly contemporary, though with old-fashioned touches such as claw-foot tubs. Several candles rested on a shelf by the tub, and Molly was looking forward to a soaking session and a chance to catch up on her stack of to-be-read novels.

Their suite also had high speed internet hook up, and shortly after they arrived Christian plugged in his laptop to check email and return any emergency calls, of which there were several.

"Didn't you tell them you were on vacation?" Molly asked, as his phone had rung non-stop since they got off the plane.

"Yes, this is slow, believe it or not." He grinned as his phone rang again. "Sorry, I'll forward all calls to Tricia in the office, and she can just put through the ones that are true emergencies."

Molly left him alone for a bit to deal with his flurry of calls, and retreated to her bedroom to start unpacking and getting organized for the week. They had a busy schedule and there was a lot to fit in. Christian's office manager, Tricia, had done a great job of getting them tickets to shows and events that were known to be sold out months in advance, such as The Book of Mormon, which Molly had been dying to see. Many of the guests at the Clarendon had raved about it, but Molly had never been able to get seats. With her schedule, she could never plan far in advance for things like that, and though she'd tried several times on her nights off, there were never last-minute tickets available. 

An hour later, Christian tapped on her door, and they ventured out for this first night together in Manhattan. Tricia had worked a true miracle for this evening, somehow managing to score them a table at Per Se, the famous Thomas Keller restaurant that was usually booked out at least a month in advance. Molly had never been here before, though she had dreamed of it. Per Se was a special occasion restaurant, and even if she could have managed to get a reservation, it was way out of her budget. Per Se was famous for its exquisite food and its nine-course tasting menu, and had made every top restaurant list in the world.

They started with the restaurant's famous
oysters and pearls
, an unusual pairing of tapioca and fresh Duxbury oysters. It sounded like an odd combination, but was one of the only dishes that never came off the menu, due to customer demand. After one bite, Molly could see why. The unique flavors swirled and combined to bring out the best of each ingredient.

They sipped champagne to start, and moved on to a half bottle of white wine to complement the poached lobster and then, later on, a half bottle of Pinot Noir selected by the sommelier to perfectly match the pressed duck.

One course flowed into the next and, over the next few hours, Molly and Christian fully caught up on each other’s lives.

"When I graduated college, I worked for a construction company in Billings for a few years, learned the ropes and then moved home to Beauville at my grandfather's urging. He always wanted me to take over the ranch and we agreed to expand into construction and development, once I had the experience."

"How was it, working with your grandfather?"

"It was great." Christian smiled, thinking of his grandfather. Molly knew he must be missing him often. It had only been a few weeks since he passed. "I learned a ton from him."

"So, have you always been a confirmed bachelor?" Molly teased him, as she took another bite of the refreshing raspberry sorbet that had just been served.

"Actually, no. I was engaged years ago, when I was living in Billings. It didn't work out."

Molly was surprised to hear this, but didn't say anything in response, figuring he'd say more if he wanted to. She continued eating her sorbet in silence, and after a few minutes, Christian continued.

"We went to college together. I was head over heels for Heather and thought she felt the same. I guess I was just too young to see the signs." He glanced up from his chocolate cheesecake and met Molly's eyes. She saw something dark and raw reflected there.

"She broke up with me two weeks before the wedding. I was crushed. Never saw it coming. She said she just didn't love me enough." He smiled bitterly and a muscle in his jaw flickered. It was clear to Molly that Christian didn't like to dredge up this particular memory.

"So that's why you don't want to get too serious with anyone." Molly could understand.

"No, that's not it. Well, maybe partly. I guess it just made me think. Maybe Heather was on to something. How do you know when you love someone 'enough'? Easier to just not go there. To just take things one day at a time and enjoy life. Never let it get too messy, you know?"

"I get it." Molly raised her glass, and Christian did the same. "To clean living, no mess!" she said, as they clinked glasses. Molly was smiling, but inside she felt a little sad for Christian. He was still young to be so cynical about love.

"So what's your story? Are you as screwed up romantically as I am?" His tone was light and teasing, but Molly could sense an underlying seriousness too. It was a fair question.

"I suppose I probably am," she admitted. "I really haven't seriously dated anyone in years. I've just been so focused on work, and my schedule doesn't make it easy either. I'm always filling in at the last minute, working holidays and nights. Not quite as glamorous as it seems."

"But you love it." It was a statement, not a question, and Molly was glad to see that Christian understood how she felt about her work.

"Yeah, I do love it. I started there when I was sixteen, at the front desk, and worked part-time all through high school and college, and fell in love with the business. I'm lucky in that I really love what I do for work; it's not just a job."

C
hristian kept
his phone under control for the rest of the week, and Molly was surprised at what a great time they had, and how fast the week went by. She'd been a little nervous that so much time together might produce more than one of those awkward stretches of silence, when you run out of things to say and each person is desperately trying to think of something to keep the conversation alive. It wasn't like that for them, though, and for that Molly was grateful. They had plenty of quiet stretches, but it felt like the comfortable silence between friends and family, when you could enjoy each other's company without saying anything at all.

Molly had loved showing Christian all around her beloved Manhattan. Each time she showed someone all of her favorite places, it was like seeing them again for the first time. They even took in a Knicks’ game, which was a first for Molly, as well. She'd been to several Yankees and Mets’ games over the years, but hadn't followed basketball much, so hadn't bothered with the Knicks. Christian loved it though, and he was pleased to be able to introduce her to something new. She was surprised by how much she enjoyed it. They had good seats and it was a close game, with a last second win by the Knicks.

Before she knew it, they were back in Beauville. The week in New York had been fun and familiar, as they'd been in what felt like her home town. Now that they were in Beauville, Molly was feeling less comfortable and a bit nervous about how the next six months would unfold. It was somewhat unsettling to be living in someone else's home. They'd never actually discussed the details of what their day-to-day living arrangements would be like. Her room was lovely, but she didn't really feel at home here, not yet.

Her first day at the ranch ended up being a bit of a disaster too. Molly spent a good twenty minutes searching every cabinet in the kitchen for coffee, before finally finding it around the corner in a small pantry. She'd just settled on a stool at the kitchen island with the newspaper and a mug of coffee when Christian came through the door. It was a few minutes past seven and he looked like he'd been out working for several hours already.

"What time did you get up today?" She asked.

"About five, same as always. I make the rounds on the ranch, jump in the shower, grab a bite to eat, and then head to the office for the rest of the day." He proceeded to do exactly that, while Molly helped herself to a second cup of coffee and thought about the lazy day ahead that she had planned. She was still tired from their trip; flying always did that to her, and was actually looking forward to just settling in and maybe visiting with her mom and aunt later in the afternoon.

She was just about done with her coffee and about to head upstairs to shower and change, when a fifty-something year old woman strolled into the kitchen and then stopped short when she saw Molly.

"You must be Molly," the woman stated. She didn't look too pleased about it.

"Mrs. O'Brien?" Christian had given Molly the heads-up that he had a housekeeper, who came by several times a week. Mrs. O'Brien was in her late fifties, a grandmother of three, and had worked for Christian and his grandfather before him for over twenty years. She had two married daughters, and thought of Christian and his younger brother Dan as the sons she never had. He'd actually invited her to the wedding, but she'd been unable to attend as she was on vacation that week, on a cruise that her children had booked for her many months ago, as a Christmas gift. Molly hadn't yet had a chance to meet her until today.  "That would be me." She said, and set her purse down in the corner of the room before turning her attention back to Molly. "Did you need something?" 

Molly took that as her cue to leave. "No, I was just going."

"Okay then." She watched as Molly rinsed out her cup, placed it in the dishwasher and then walked quickly down the hall. Molly wondered exactly what Christian had told her about their marriage, because this woman wasn't exactly welcoming.

M
olly got ready
, and then went off to spend the day visiting with her mother and aunt. They were having their morning coffee when she arrived. She accepted another cup, joined them at the kitchen table and told them about her first meeting with Mrs. O'Brien.

"So, I don't think she likes me."

"Linda's a nice person," her mother said. "A little stiff until you get to know her, but don't forget, she's been taking care of that family for over twenty years. She's not used to having another woman around."

"I didn't think of that." Molly hoped Mrs. O'Brien would warm up to her; it would be a bit rocky if she didn't.

She spent the rest of the day with her mom and Aunt Betty in Bozeman. They drove out there and had a great lunch at a local café, and spent the afternoon roaming around the shops, mostly window-shopping, but Molly did pick up a few cute tops and a new pair of cowboy boots. She'd noticed that people dressed more casually out here compared to New York, and just about everyone liked to wear boots. Molly found a buttery-soft caramel- colored pair that were the most comfortable she'd ever owned. 

She returned to the ranch at a few minutes past four, and called out hello to Mrs. O'Brien who was vacuuming the front hallway when she walked in. Mrs. O’Brien turned the vacuum off for a moment, muttered hello back and then raised an eyebrow at the armful of bags Molly was carrying.

"Bargain shopping in Bozeman." Molly said apologetically, and then slunk upstairs to put her things away. Why did she feel guilty about enjoying an afternoon and doing a little shopping? Probably because it was something she so rarely did. She glanced at the clock in her room: Christian had said he'd be home around five. She had just under an hour and she needed to keep busy. She decided to venture down to the kitchen to make something delicious. Puttering around the kitchen always relaxed her.

Mrs. O'Brien was nowhere to be found when Molly entered the kitchen, and then she heard footsteps directly above her. Good, she was on a different floor entirely, so she'd have the kitchen to herself for a bit. So, what to make? She opened the refrigerator and just stared inside it for a solid minute, contemplating her options. There was a package of ground beef, some eggs, parmesan cheese. She checked the cabinets in the pantry and found a large can of crushed tomatoes, onions, garlic, plenty of pasta and a loaf of bread. Perfect, she'd make her famous meatballs and sauce. It was one of her favorite meals and something that always came out great.

She got the sauce started first, finding a large saucepan and a sharp knife and cutting board, and quickly peeled and chopped a large onion and a few cloves of garlic, then added them into the saucepan with a bit of olive oil, just enough to coat the bottom of the pan. She turned the heat on medium and then found a large mixing bowl to make the meatballs in.

For the meatballs, she just dumped in the ground beef, cracked in an egg, tore up a few slices of bread and added a few shakes of Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. She formed the meat into balls and baked them on a cookie sheet in the oven for twenty minutes, and then plopped them all into the saucepan to simmer for another twenty. She cooked up a box of spaghetti and was just pouring the pasta into a colander to drain, when Mrs. O'Brien and Christian walked into the kitchen together at the same time.

"What are you doing?" Mrs. O'Brien's voice was oddly calm, and Molly suddenly felt nervous.

"Just making dinner."

"That's my job." She flung open the refrigerator and then turned back to Molly. "You used the ground beef," she accused.

"I made meatballs."

"I was going to make American Chop Suey. I was just about to start it so it would be ready for when Christian wants dinner." She glared at Molly and then glanced at Christian.

"That's my fault. I don't think I told Molly that you usually do the cooking for me."

"I
always
do the cooking," Mrs. O’Brien corrected.