Drawn to Vail Mountain (Vail Mountain Trilogy Book 3) Read online

  As her words left her mouth, Connie didn’t regret them. It felt wonderful to get them off her chest instead of just hiding from the truth herself, burying her head in the sand and pretending that everything was okay in their so-called marriage.

  Before he could say more or she could unleash on him, the door opened, and his mother walked in.

  Their intent was clear. They were ganging up on her, attacking from all sides, and her eyes narrowed on them both.

  “Oh, Connie dear. This is ridiculous! Adam misses you. It’s about time for you to come home and resume your duties as his wife. Everyone makes mistakes, and my son has said he is sorry. Now stop this, pack your bags, and let’s get off this godforsaken mountain and back to the city!”

  Connie stared at her in shock, not able to believe the words that had hit her just then. Did the woman think she was such a timid creature who would listen to her?

  And that is exactly what she thought because a year ago, Connie would have bowed her head and did as she was told as she often did. But she was done being anyone’s doormat. Connie was sick and tired of being that puppy the two of them kicked and made to listen, not really having a life of her own.

  “Get out.”

  Karen stiffened, and her eyes widened. “What?”

  “I know you heard me. Get the fuck out and leave me alone. It’s over between your son and me. And it’s over between you and me. I’m done. Finished. Leave me the fuck alone!”

  She swirled toward Adam next, leaving his mother’s gapping mouth aimed at her. Adam was just as pale and shocked as his mother. “Just sign the papers. Keep everything—the house, the cars. Everything. I’m not coming back. I don’t care. You were always a greedy bastard anyway. Just sign the damn papers and leave me the hell alone!”

  Connie didn’t wait around for their next attack. She left her room and crashed into what felt like a brick wall but was a warm solid wall of flesh.

  Jacob caught her before she fell back. “Whoa there, darling,” he said, taking a step back to give her room.

  She saw him open his mouth, but then his eyes narrowed, and she knew what he was seeing.

  The two behind her.

  “Connie, this isn’t—”

  She turned around before Karen could finish, flushing as Jacob stood behind her witnessing her embarrassment. Damn it all to hell and back. “Yes, it is over. Leave me the fuck alone! I don’t want to see or talk to you again. We. Are. Done.” She stressed the last of the words, and she didn’t care if they got the point or not.

  Adam went to step around his mother but stopped suddenly, staring at Jacob over her shoulder.

  “Don’t even think about it,” Jacob said softly, the threat quiet but no less evident. “Connie said she was done. I would suggest you both pack your bags and leave.”

  Karen gasped. “You can’t kick us out! We paid for the week!”

  “Yes, he can,” someone said from behind him.

  Connie turned and wanted to die, spying Rob and Nina behind Jacob.

  Now her humiliation was complete. She really wished she could redo the morning, hell, the time before she had met her asshole ex and his mother. That would have made her life a lot easier to choke down.

  “My wife will give you a partial refund. I want you both gone by seven tomorrow morning, and if you bother Connie anymore today, it will be this afternoon. Do I make myself clear?”

  Karen sputtered in shock, and Connie couldn’t remember anyone ever talking to the woman the way Rob had.

  It was a sight to see.

  “One word and you leave now. You even look at Connie, you leave right now,” Rob growled, glaring at the two behind her.

  God, she wanted to die from the embarrassment.

  Chapter 6

  “Now what the fuck are we going to do?” Adam whispered as they left the small group behind in the hallway. A panicked tinge coated his voice as he shot a quick look over his shoulder, heading to their room to pack. They couldn’t leave yet!

  Fuck, fuck, fuck. He had royally screwed up big time. And he didn’t know how to fix it, but he knew his mother would. There was a lot of money riding on Connie coming back to him. She had always come back before. In fact, she had usually done anything he had asked. What the fuck had happened to his timid little wife?

  “Watch your language!” his mother snapped, closing the door behind them. “And if you had managed to keep your damn dick in your pants long enough for me to figure out a plan to get rid of her like we had discussed, this wouldn’t be an issue now, and we wouldn’t be in this situation in the first place!”

  Adam flinched, but he ignored her like usual.

  “I know you have a plan. What is it?” he asked. He knew his mother. She didn’t give up without a fight, whether that fight was dirty or clean. And his mother usually fought dirty.

  A calculating gleam entered her eyes as she began to pace the small space. For being a popular resort, the rooms had a lot to be desired. They were small and cramped, not his usual style of traveling. He looked around in disgust and disbelief that Connie had ended up in this place. It was pathetic and insane.

  “Well, we know we can’t commit to our original plan since we are in the damn mountains but…” Suddenly, she stopped talking, and she stared at a spot over his shoulder. He could see her thoughts racing and waited impatiently for her to finish. If anyone could figure it out, it was his manipulative mother. He had fallen out of love with Connie years before and on the verge of leaving her when his mother had stepped in with her brilliant plan of the life insurance policy and Connie’s so-called accident. It had been perfect. He had been all set to cut her break lines when the bitch had left him.

  “We may have to take drastic measures,” she said softly, finally focusing and drawing her dark gaze back over at him.

  “Drastic?” he repeated before her meaning hit him, and his eyes widened. They had planned drastic before. What could be more drastic than murder?

  “Yes. It must look like an accident and be ruled an accident, but where better than a dangerous mountain and the unpredictable environment? This will be even more perfect. Just leave it to your mother.”

  He could almost feel sorry for his wife.

  Almost.

  Saturday: 6:32 a.m.

  Early the next morning, Connie stood at the window, watching as her ex and his mother loaded their suitcases in the back and got into their vehicle for the trip down the mountain.

  Free. I’m finally free.

  Well, not totally. The bastard didn’t leave the papers for her to sign, but as soon as she got back to the city, she was going to hire a lawyer, and then she would technically be free. For the time being, she was taking a break from everything and just relaxing, regardless of the past.

  It was only six in the morning, but she was thrilled to see them leave, especially without seeing their asses before they left. As far as she was concerned, it was hopefully the last time she had anything to do with them.

  A knock sounded on her door, and she turned just as Nina poked her head around the door frame with a smile. “They just left, honey. You can come out of hiding.”

  “I wasn’t exactly hiding,” Connie muttered.

  Nina raised her eyebrow and opened the door wider when it was clear that Connie was already up and dressed. “Was too,” she said, chuckling.

  Connie flushed. Nina was right. She had been hiding, but now that was at an end. She was finally free, and that feeling was amazing! An emotion she hadn’t felt in years spiked through her: joy—a renewed sense of living without the shadow of Adam and his mother hovering over her. Grinning, she left the room with Nina, heading downstairs.

  “What’s everyone doing?”

  “It’s still early, so Emily isn’t up yet, but Jacob, Rob, and I are having coffee if you would like to join us.”

  Connie almost stumbled hearing Jacob’s name. It wasn’t that she didn’t like him. She honestly didn’t know what she felt toward him and really wasn’t i
n the place in her life to explore that direction, but a coffee couldn’t hurt.

  They entered the kitchen where the men sat around the table, and as soon as she walked in, she felt his eyes, his interest. Avoiding his gaze, she smiled at Rob. “Good morning,” she said cheerfully, walking over to the coffee pot steaming on the counter. She loved her coffee, didn’t feel human without it, and she poured herself a generous cup with creamer from the fridge before turning back to the small group.

  “Good morning, Connie. No more distractions or stress. We just want you to relax as long as you want to stay here,” Rob said before sipping his own coffee.

  She smiled at him. “Thank you for this. I really appreciate you putting me up for a bit until I figure out what I’m going to do.”

  “Do?” Jacob questioned, his eyes still on her.

  It would be rude to respond and not look at him, so she turned and met his stare for the first time since entering the room, her smile still in place as she nodded, leaning back against the counter with her hands wrapped around her cup.

  “Yes. I don’t care much for the city, so I’m keeping my options open.”

  He raised an eyebrow, a slight smile on his scruffy face. “Sounds familiar to my own line of thinking. I just took the sheriff’s job in town.”

  Her eyes widened. “The sheriff’s job?”

  Well, damn it. If she stayed on the mountain, then she was bound to run into Jacob. The town was small and close, and unless he lived on the mountain, contact was bound to happen.

  He nodded, watching her. “The sheriff retired. I was sick of the city anyway. I start next week after the retirement party for the old man.”

  Her smile faltered, not sure how she felt about that.

  Well, that was interesting, Jacob thought, watching her smile dim as she realized the implication of his decision. He didn’t know why his presence bothered her. It was one of two things, and one of those options didn’t thrill him, while the other sent an excited shiver through him. She either didn’t like him or she did and didn’t want to. For some reason, he was betting it was the latter, at least he hoped that was the case. His suspicions also meant that she was considering moving to the mountain as he did, and Lord, he hoped so. That would make his sudden feelings for her much easier to handle and digest.

  He was still shocked at his growing feelings for a woman he barely knew. It had never hit him that fast before. He didn’t believe in love at first sight, and yet…there was something about her…something he didn’t understand. He just knew he really wanted to get to know her, to pursue what he was feeling. He wanted a chance to see if something was there, but from her expression, he was going to have a battle on his hands.

  A small smile curved his lips as he watched her talk to Nina about the town and mountain. He was looking forward to convincing her. He knew she felt his gaze on her, but she didn’t turn. She was avoiding him, and he chuckled, drawing everyone’s eyes toward him, even Connie’s.

  “What’s so funny?” Rob asked.

  “Just thinking about life.” He finished his coffee and stood up. “I’m heading to town to get a few things. I’ll be back later.”

  “I’ll walk you out. Want to talk for a second,” Rob said, standing as well.

  Jacob was curious but didn’t say anything as they left. Rob waited until they were outside, and he stopped on the porch, looking over at Jacob with his dark eyes.

  “It’s not a passing thing, is it?” he asked quietly.

  Jacob almost didn’t answer. It was none of the other man’s business, and yet it was a general caring question, and Jacob met Rob’s eyes as he shook his head. He would answer, this once. “I’ll be honest. I don’t know what it is, but I want the chance to find out, without hurting her,” he added.

  Rob smiled, holding out his hand, and Jacob shook it. “Well then, I’ll wish you luck and tell you that you can stay here as long as you need to.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate that.”

  With a wave, he was gone.

  Chapter 7

  After coffee and throughout the afternoon, Connie wandered around the resort and took a stroll on the grounds, making sure to stay close and not get lost. It was beautiful and so peaceful that it felt like a heavy weight was lifted from her shoulders, a weight that she really hadn’t known she carried. Rob and Nina were somewhere getting ready for the bookings for the following week, and Emily was running around somewhere and for once wasn’t talking her ear off. She hoped Nina didn’t have something to do with that. Connie generally adored the little girl and didn’t mind her talking or hanging around.

  The downfall to the peace was too much time to think. Her mind was full of what ifs of the past and the unstable direction of her future. On top of that, she couldn’t seem to get Jacob out of her mind. His dark eyes mesmerized her, and he was so hot he took her breath away. Considering what she was struggling to get out of, she was in no position to start anything or even think of someone else, but try telling that to her heart or the thrill of his devouring gaze that always seemed to find her wherever she was. It was crazy, and yet she couldn’t seem to mind.

  They didn’t even know each other! Standing on the outskirts of the resort where trees lined the yard, she stared up at the mountains, at the beauty of the landscape, and sighed, a feeling of peace and joy overcoming anything that could bring her down. Hours passed, and yet she couldn’t bring herself to go inside and eat. She was enjoying herself too much, staying close, and yet her mind drifted, trying to come up with a plan for what she wanted to do. Did she want to move to Vail Mountain? Leave the city completely or move somewhere else? She didn’t really have skills beyond accounting. She hadn’t done much in her life, and she figured it was going to be hard to find a job here, which depressed her because a part of her, a large part, wanted to stay.

  She heard an engine and turned, spying Jacob’s Jeep coming to a stop in front of the main building. She watched, standing still, as he climbed out and started to head inside. Suddenly, he stopped and turned, scanning the yard until he found her.

  Her heart hammering against her ribs, he began walking her way, coming to a stop a few feet from her.

  “How are you?” he said with a smile, his eyes scanning her face with a caress that she felt all the way down to her toes. She shivered, and he must have caught it because his smile turned into a grin, and his dark eyes brightened.

  “I’m good. Just relaxing,” she responded, struggling to hide the mesmerizing effect he was having on her.

  It must be a lack of sex, she thought, coming up with excuses to explain how she felt when he looked at her like that. It had almost been two years since the last time she had had sex. That must be it.

  It wasn’t, but she was willing to think of anything beyond what she refused to admit. She wasn’t even divorced yet, for crying out loud!

  Their gazes locked, a silent battle of lust and denial zigzagging between them. He took a step toward her, and she held her breath. If he took that last step, she didn’t think she would have the strength to stop him. It wasn’t a force issue. She knew instinctively that he would never hurt her. No, she wouldn’t want to, and that could be very bad. Or very good depending on the thought process behind it.

  “Dinner is ready!” Nina called from the porch, breaking the spell and moment.

  At the yell, Connie jerked, startled, but she was grateful for the interruption. She didn’t want to do something she might regret or that she wasn’t ready for.

  “D-dinner,” she stuttered, taking a quick step back. She turned and jogged toward the porch and away from the man behind her, running from what she didn’t know. Yes, she did know. She was running from the kiss that had almost happened, and she wasn’t too much of a coward to admit it.

  She said hello to everyone at the table and tried to smile, but she didn’t doubt that she was flushed. She prayed everyone would believe that it was just the mountain air, but from Rob and Nina’s smiles, she didn’t think they believed th
at. At least Emily’s smile was innocent as she bounced around in her seat. It was fall break, and the little girl was everywhere it seemed. It was weird that she hadn’t been around that day, but then again, Connie had walked around a lot outside, just lost in the surrounding beauty and the joy of not having to deal with anything stressful or life in general. It almost felt like a fairytale, unlike reality, and in a way, it was. After a year of that stress, this wasn’t normal, but she was loving it.

  I better stop questioning it or I’ll jinx myself, she thought, taking a seat across from Nina.

  Jacob sat beside her even though there were two more chairs open, and she flushed again, hating her fair skin that showed the pink hue so clearly.

  “I don’t bite,” he whispered as everyone started talking and filling their plates.

  She shot him a glance and couldn’t help smiling at his charming grin or twinkling eyes that gleamed.

  “I never thought you did,” she whispered back. She quickly filled her plate and then turned toward Emily, who was thankfully sitting on the other side of her and never stopped talking through the whole dinner. She looked around when the child took a breath. “Where are Stephen and Joan?” she asked curiously. The couple worked at the resort and always seemed to be around, and yet they were strangely absent and have been for a while.

  “They finally took their honeymoon,” Rob answered. “They didn’t get one because of the busyness of the season when they got married, and it seemed that it was one thing after another. With it finally being calm around here, they jumped at the chance. They’ll be gone for the next few weeks.”

  Connie smiled thinking of the couple’s obvious love and affection for each other. They deserved it. According to Nina, Joan, too, had been in a bad marriage when she had met Stephen on the mountain. But unlike her, Joan’s husband had died out there, taken down by the elements. After discovering her husband’s affair, Joan had stormed off, right into a blizzard. Even though it had no doubt been dangerous, Connie could just see Stephan going after Joan and then falling in love on the mountain. The husband, however… It’s assumed he had braved the blizzard to find Joan after his girlfriend, also Joan’s best friend, had shown up at the resort. It took time, but the two women had found their way back to each other after she had admitted to Joan she had terminal cancer. She was gone within the year.