Rough Terrain (Vista Falls #1) Read online

  “Wow, that’s amazing.”

  “Oh, I think I hear the school bus now. Yup, there it is. If you want to wait a minute, I’ll step outside and have a word with him. See if he might be up to talking to you now?”

  Wes wanted nothing more than to hear his son’s voice for the first time, but he didn’t want the kid to feel as if he’d been ambushed. “Do you think that’s a good idea? I mean, if you’d rather talk to him first, I can leave my number. If he wants to talk, he can call me.”

  “Trust me, that boy knows his own mind. If he doesn’t want to talk to you, he won’t. It’s as simple as that. So do you want to wait?”

  “Sure. Thanks.” Wes heard her put the phone down, and he held his breath, wondering if she’d return to tell him his dream of meeting his son was never going to happen.

  “Hello.”

  Wes immediately recognized the sound of a boy on the verge of becoming a man trying to sound older and more mature than he was. He realized he should have taken more time to rehearse what he wanted to say because now that he had Nick’s undivided attention, he was at a loss. “Hey, Nick. I hope you don’t mind that I called.”

  “No, it’s cool.”

  “Okay, um…” There were so many things he wanted to say, so many questions he wanted to ask, but none seemed appropriate over the phone. “I was wondering if it would be possible for us to meet sometime. We’d love to talk to you, get to know you better.”

  “We?”

  “Me and Sage.” Your mom. He’d stopped just short of saying that, knowing the kid could argue he already had a mom and it wasn’t some woman he’d never met. “Your mom said you don’t live too far from Vista Falls…?”

  “No, we’re in Brock.”

  Less than an hour away. Wes couldn’t believe he’d been so close yet so far away.

  “Do you have any plans for this weekend?” Nick hadn’t even expressed an interest in seeing them yet, and he could still shoot him down, but Wes prayed for the best.

  “I have a football game on Friday night. You guys can come if you want. Maybe after we can go grab a burger or something?”

  “Yeah, sure. We’d love that.” Wes didn’t even have to ask Sage first. He knew nothing in her life would take priority over this meeting. “Why don’t I give you my cell number? If there’s a change of plans or if you change your mind, you can call or text to let me know.” He didn’t want to believe Nick would have a change of heart after he’d had time to think about it, but it was a possibility.

  “Sure, hold on. Let me grab my phone. I’ll put you in my contacts.”

  Wes couldn’t believe how casual he sounded. Meanwhile, his heart was beating so fast he could feel it through his black Henley. As he rhymed off the numbers, he debated whether to ask Nick for his cell number. Before he could ask, Nick said he’d text him in a few with the time and place of the game.

  “Your mom told me you’re really into the outdoors,” Wes said, not ready for the conversation to end. “Anything you need, you know, in terms of gear?” It was the least he could do given how much he owed him.

  “No, thanks. I’m good.”

  Wes tried not to be hurt or offended. He didn’t know many fourteen- or fifteen-year-old outdoor enthusiasts who would turn down the offer of free gear. Baby steps, he told himself. He’d never given Nick any reason to trust him or his word. “Okay then, I guess we’ll see you on Friday night.”

  “How do you know she’ll want to come? Don’t you have to ask her first?”

  She. Her. It pained Wes to think Nick didn’t know what to call Sage. Friday would no doubt be awkward for all of them at first, but he hoped it would be the first of many meetings. “No, I have no doubt she’ll want to be there.”

  “Okay, whatever you say…?”

  “Wes, call me Wes.” He didn’t want there to be any confusion about what he thought his role was in Nick’s life. Nick had had a father. Now he had a stepfather. The most Wes could hope for was to be his friend.

  “Okay, later.”

  ***

  Sage was sipping a glass of wine when the doorbell rang. She’d been on pins and needles all day, waiting to hear how Wes’s call had gone, so she was relieved to see him standing outside her door.

  “Thank God,” she said, pulling him inside. “Why didn’t you call me? I was dying to hear how it went. What did she say? Was she mad that you called?”

  “Relax,” Wes said, smiling. “It went great. She seems like a really nice lady. In fact, she seemed happy that I called.”

  “Really?” Sage took a deep breath, tipping her head back. “I’m so relieved. I didn’t want her to think that we were trying to move in and reclaim him or something.”

  “Even better than that. I got to talk to Nick and—”

  “Nick? That’s his name?”

  “Yeah. Nicholas Barrett.”

  Wes smiled when her lip trembled as she tried to keep her emotions in check. She’d always imagined what his given name might be. It was so nice to finally know for sure. She cleared her throat. “That’s nice. I like it.”

  “Yeah, me too. Anyways, he invited us to come to Brock to watch his football game on Friday night. He said we could grab a burger afterward and…” Wes frowned when Sage set her wine glass on the hall table because her hand was shaking. “That’s okay, isn’t it? You still want to meet him, don’t you?”

  “More than anything.” She walked away when she couldn’t hold the tears back any longer. “But I can’t believe he wants to meet us. Me. I can’t believe he wants to meet me.”

  She walked into the living room and picked up the photo of Nick she’d brought home from her office. She’d stopped at a little shop on Main Street that specialized in handmade local crafts and selected a small mother-of-pearl frame for her most treasured possession.

  Wes came up behind her, resting his hands on her shoulders. “I know it’s a lot to take in, but I honestly think we’ll be more nervous than he will. He sounded really cool, like a normal, well-adjusted teenager.”

  “I’m glad.” She ran her hand over the chubby cheeks that she’d only had the chance to kiss one time before her baby had been whisked away. She couldn’t help but wonder if she’d have the chance to kiss or hug him again.

  “It turns out he lives on a hobby farm.” Wes chuckled. “And he’s not only into the outdoors but sports too.”

  She smiled at the pride in his voice as she tipped her head back to look at him. “Hmm, sounds a lot like someone else I know.” Being with Wes again, feeling his hands on her, felt so good, even if he was only a supportive friend who wanted to see her through a tough time.

  “I didn’t know how I’d feel,” he admitted, dropping his hands to his sides when she stepped aside. “Talking to him for the first time. I was nervous as hell the first few minutes, but after that, it felt really natural.”

  “Then he didn’t give you a hard time?” Sage reclaimed her wine glass and took a healthy sip.

  “Not at all. I’m sure he was surprised to hear from me, but he didn’t let on.”

  “Can I get you anything? A beer, maybe? Have you eaten?” When he didn’t respond, she said, “I was just about to throw a steak on the grill. Care to join me?”

  “You haven’t eaten yet either?” he asked, checking his watch. “It’s almost seven thirty.”

  “I was too nervous to eat,” she admitted, knowing he would understand.

  “Then why don’t we go out and grab something? Save you from having to cook.”

  Vista Falls was a small town, and tongues would no doubt wag if people saw them around town together. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather stay in tonight. I’m pretty tired.”

  “You didn’t sleep well last night?”

  “Not really.” She drained her wine glass, thinking she’d had more to drink in the last two nights than she’d had in the past month. Not that the alcohol had helped to settle her nerves. The only thing that would put her mind at ease was seeing and talking to
Nick.

  “In that case, let me do the honors. Just lead the way, and I’ll fire up the grill.”

  Sage led him through the dining area to the kitchen, which led to the back patio. She gestured to the stainless steel barbeque in the corner of the large, semi-circular stone patio. “Have at it. I’ll just toss the salad. Baked potatoes okay with it?”

  “Sure, whatever. I’m easy.” He went outside, turned the gas grill on, and reached for the grill brush to clean it.

  Sage got a flash of what their life might have been like if they’d been a real couple, a real family. Would every summer night have been like this—barbeques on the patio while they talked about their day?

  “What’re you thinking?” he asked through the screen door, smiling when he caught her staring. “And don’t say nothing. I can practically see the wheels turning.”

  “Nothing. I should get the steaks for you. Be right back.”

  She tried to collect herself, to focus on why they were spending so much time together. Nick. It had nothing to do with residual feelings from a lifetime ago. He was just trying to be a good guy, to keep her in the loop about their son. She had to remember that.

  “Is it weird for you, being with me again?”

  She nearly squealed when she realized he was standing behind her. He’d let the door close without the telltale slam, and she’d been so caught up in her own thoughts she hadn’t heard him come in.

  Considering the best way to answer his question, she repeated, “Is it weird for me? I don’t know. Is it weird for you?”

  “It’s…” He chuckled. “Hell yeah, it’s weird. But it feels right somehow. After the way we left things, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I came back, but seeing you again has been like catching up with an old friend. You know how it is. Sometimes you can go twenty years without seeing someone and feel like you just saw them yesterday. That’s how it is with you.”

  He saw her as an old friend? An old friend he’d conceived a child with!

  “I’m glad we’ve been able to put the past to rest,” she said, faking a smile as she passed him a plastic container of her favorite steak seasoning and a small platter containing two rib eyes. “It’ll make things a lot easier, especially since we’ll be running into each other all over town, I’m sure.”

  “If I have my way, we will,” he said, smirking. He walked outside, this time letting the door slam shut behind him.

  Sage braced her hands on the granite countertop, taking a few deep breaths before she refilled her wine glass and retrieved a beer from the fridge for him. She took a pair of tongs from the cupboard and returned to the patio to find him seasoning the steaks before he used the tongs to set them on the grill.

  “Here you go,” she said, passing him the beer.

  “Thanks.” He tipped it back, his eyes never leaving hers as she sipped her wine.

  She should have gone inside to nuke the potatoes and toss the salad, but she was having trouble tearing herself away from him. “So tell me more about Nick.”

  “His dad died a while back,” he said, resting the tongs on the platter. “His mother remarried, but she said he gets along well with his stepfather. Like I said, he’s into the outdoors and loves sports. That’s really all I know.” He opened the lid of the barbeque to flip the steaks. “I didn’t think it would be right to pump either of them for information at this stage of the game. If it feels right to him, I’m sure he’ll open up to us about his life.”

  “I guess you’re right.” Sage was glad Wes would be there to help her break the ice with their son. She knew nothing about teenage boys. But since Wes had been one not too long ago, she assumed it would be easier for him to relate to Nick.

  “It seems your neighbor has got her eye on us, by the way,” he said, winking. “She told my mother that my truck was parked at your house for a long while last night.”

  “Oh God,” Sage said, covering her face with her hands. “You must mean Mrs. Banks. She’s a sweet old lady but a real busybody. She knows everyone’s business.”

  Wes laughed. “Yeah, I remember her. We went to school with her grandson, Jimmy, right?”

  “Mmmhmm.” She took a sip of wine. “Every time I have someone spend the night, the whole town knows about it by morning.” Sage stifled a gasp as she realized who she was talking to. She couldn’t have a conversation with her ex-boyfriend about the men she’d slept with. She groaned. “God, I’m sorry. That was a really stupid thing to say.”

  He shrugged, obviously trying to play it off. “You’re a beautiful woman, Sage. It’s not like I don’t know you’ve had other lovers since we broke up. Does it make me feel good to think about it? Hell no. But it is what it is. We both moved on with our lives.”

  “Yet we’re back here again. Together. What does that mean?” She wouldn’t have asked if she hadn’t seen how tense he’d gotten when she mentioned other men.

  “I don’t know.” His gaze strayed to hers. “It doesn’t have to mean anything… unless you want it to?”

  She had no idea what she wanted right now. The only thing she could think about was the fact that she’d be meeting her only child in just a few short days. “I should prepare that salad now. It looks like the steaks are almost ready.”

  “Way to dodge a bullet, Sage.”

  She could hear the laughter in his voice. He was undoubtedly calling her a coward, and maybe she was, but she knew she couldn’t go on pretending forever. Eventually she would have to acknowledge there was definitely something still between them.

  Chapter Eight

  Even though it was just supposed to be a casual dinner with an old friend, Wes couldn’t remember the last time he’d had more fun with a woman. They talked and laughed, teased each other about old times, reminisced, and talked about their dreams—the ones they’d made come true and those they hadn’t. He normally took months to open up to a woman like this… on the rare occasion when a relationship progressed to that point. But this was Sage. The girl he’d built his world around for years.

  “So any regrets?” she asked as he refilled her coffee cup. “You’ve done what you set out to do. Made a fortune in an industry that you’re passionate about. That’s got to feel pretty good, right?”

  “It feels amazing.” He poured himself a second cup of coffee since there was no chance he’d sleep tonight. He’d be too busy thinking about what he would say to Nick when they finally met and whether he and Sage would still have an excuse to get together like this after they met their son.

  He wanted more nights like this with her. As many as possible, in fact. But he didn’t know if she had any recurring overnight guests. If so, that took him out of the running. He wouldn’t share her with anyone. Ever. Assuming she was still interested in him romantically.

  “I love that I’m able to work with my best friend and build a brand that we both believe in. Professionally, I can’t imagine doing anything else,” he said.

  “And personally?”

  “Now that’s a different story.” He had to be honest with her if they had a shot of taking their relationship beyond the friend stage, so he said, “I’d like to get married someday, have a family. How about you?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe. The dealership keeps me too busy for much of a social life, to be honest.”

  “But you must date some, or Mrs. Banks wouldn’t have anything to gossip about.” He couldn’t let her earlier reference go, though he knew he should. Who she was sleeping with was none of his business, but if he had competition, he wanted to know.

  She laughed, shaking her head. “I still can’t believe I said that. I’m such an idiot sometimes.”

  He leaned forward, his eyes falling to her lips. “Tell me about all the guys who haven’t been able to make you forget about me.” He’d intended to make light of it, to tease her, but he saw there was a ring of truth to his words when the sparkle left her eyes.

  “When you go through what we did, it changes you. At least it changed me. Ge
tting into a casual relationship with someone without considering the possible consequences is hard. We may have been young and stupid, but we were careful, Wes. We always used protection. I still don’t understand how I got pregnant.”

  “Does it really matter now?” Even though he hadn’t been able to raise Nick, he’d never regretted for a single second that he’d been born. And he was beyond excited that he was going to get a chance to be his son’s friend. “All that matters is that we have a child together.”

  She closed her eyes. The sounds of the crickets and their shallow breathing filled the thick, fragrant night air as they both processed their thoughts.

  “Have you ever told any of the guys you’ve dated about the adoption?”

  “Most of them knew after I wrote the book. That’s the thing about living in a small town, right? There are no secrets.”

  “So you’ve dated a lot of local boys, huh?” Wes hated the idea of her sleeping with someone he knew, maybe even someone he’d once considered a friend. Though in a town the size of Vista Falls, that was inevitable.

  “A few,” she said, slipping the light wrap she’d left on the back of her chair around her shoulders.

  “Anyone I know?”

  She looked at him for a long time before she said, “I don’t think I’d want to hear about the women you’ve dated. Do you really want to hear about the guys I’ve been with?”

  “No, I guess not,” he said with a rueful shake of his head. But he didn’t want to run into an old buddy downtown and have to listen to him go on and on about how he’d fallen for Sage and she’d broken his heart.

  She covered his hand with hers. “Suffice it to say life hasn’t stood still for either one of us over the past fifteen years. I’m sure we’ve both dated, maybe even fallen in love—”

  “Have you?” He brought her hand up to his mouth, curling his fingers around hers. “Fallen in love?”

  “I thought I was once. He asked me to marry him, but I couldn’t say yes. That’s when I knew it wasn’t love. I was with him because it was easy, convenient. He was a great guy, a good friend, but he wasn’t the love of my life, you know?”