The Bluff (Calamity Montana)

“THAT WENT WELL,” I deadpanned, blowing out a deep breath. “Wow.”

Hux had overestimated Katie’s willingness to take on a coworker. Or her supportiveness for his new wife.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

I blinked. “What do I mean? Uh, you were in the room.”

“Yeah. She said congratulations. Said she’d show you around the gallery.”

Seriously? That’s what he’d heard?

Men.

Yes, Katie had said congratulations. She’d said it with her nostrils flaring and a glare aimed my way from behind those damn glasses. And her offer to show me around the gallery had been a bold-faced lie, muttered through clenched teeth.

“Hux. Honey. Your girl Katie hates me.”

“She’s not like that.”

My husband was as clueless to the subtleties of women as his fellow males. “Yes, she is. All women are like that. I’m the new lioness in the pride and she’s not happy to share the den.”

“Huh?” His forehead furrowed.

“Forget it.” I waved him off and went to the couch in his office and moved some blank canvases away to make a space for me to plop down. “We’ll figure it out.”

Eventually, Katie would come around, right? If I were in her position, I’d be irritated if my space were invaded too. Except this didn’t seem much like an overprotective friendship or a claim to the gallery.

This seemed a lot like jealousy.

Katie appeared so meek and mild. Sweet. But the attitude she’d sent my way had been ugly and green.

I’d bet the last dollars to my name that she was in love with him.

And my dear Hux was oblivious.

“Has anything ever happened between you two?” I’d tiptoed around their relationship when I’d asked about her on Friday. But Hux liked blunt so I might as well dive into the deep end.

“No.” He scowled and took the chair behind his desk. “I told you that already.”

“I just want to know what I’m getting into here. She’s clearly got feelings for you and—”

“Katie doesn’t have feelings for me. It’s not like that.”

“Oh, I think it is.”

“Don’t.” Hux pounded a fist on his desk. The move was so angry, so startling, I gasped. “Don’t do this jealous woman bullshit.”

“I’m just—”

“Just don’t,” he barked. “Katie has been my friend for years. Since we were kids. She was one of the only people in the world who didn’t turn their back on me when I got put away. She loves this gallery as much as I do, maybe more, and she’s given it her all. When I need her, she’s there. When my life blew up, she was there. Give her some fucking slack, yeah?”

“Okay.” I held up my hands in surrender. The urge to scream, or maybe cry, clogged my throat.

Of the women in this gallery, his loyalty was to Katie. That cut. Deep.

“I should have told her.” Hux sighed. “It wasn’t fair for her to find out from anyone but me. If she’s pissed, she has every right. If she’d gone out and gotten married, I would be angry too.”

So he hadn’t completely missed the ice in Katie’s voice. He’d just misinterpreted it.

“This isn’t her fault.” His jaw clenched as he shoved some papers aside.

“I’m going to go.” I stood. “We can do this a different day.”

“How are you going to get home?”

“I’ll walk.” It was only ten blocks or so and the weather wasn’t all that miserable today.

Last night, a chinook had blown in with the first of March and melted some snow.

“I thought you were going to help me here.” Hux crumpled a receipt and threw it toward the trash can.

He was angry with me. Katie was angry at my existence. On a normal day, I’d call Lucy. But I hadn’t talked to her since the basketball game on Friday. I wasn’t sure what to say after my announcement.

Which made me the asshole this time.

I’d find the words, and a really big apology, but at the moment, it was too daunting. Dealing with a grumpy Hux was the lesser of two evils.

“Where do these canvases go?” I flung my hand at the piles. There were double the number he had scattered around at home.

“Ask Katie.”

I held back a smartass retort and plastered on a smile. “With pleasure.”

Then I marched from his office, slamming the door behind me, and took a fortifying breath before making my way down the hallway to her desk in the showroom.

“Hey, Katie.”

Her eyes shifted away from the laptop screen but not another muscle moved in her body.

Oh, Katie. She wasn’t going to make it easy, was she? “I’d like to clean out Hux’s office of the extra canvases. He said you could show me where to put them.”

She blinked.

I smiled wider. Katie was important to Hux so if I had to bulldoze my way into her heart, then so be it.

Katie’s gaze returned to her screen as her fingers flew across the keyboard. “Storage.”

“Storage,” I repeated. “Which is . . .”

Nothing.

“You’re busy.” My voice dripped with sugar. “Sorry to bother you. I’m sure I can poke around here and find storage on my own.”

I was sure she’d stop me, either because she knew she was acting like a child or because she didn’t want me sniffing around her territory. But as I walked away, Katie kept on typing, the sound growing distant as I approached Hux’s office.

With my shoulders squared, I pushed through the door, refusing to look at him as I gathered up five canvases. Then I walked out and took a right to explore the corners of the gallery I hadn’t been in yet.

There was a small, windowless room beside Hux’s office. When I flipped on the light, the dusty, bare lightbulb in the ceiling caught streams of dust mites floating through the air. Paintings were all stacked against the walls, some covered with canvases, others leaning at odd angles. In one corner, the spiders were building an empire of webs.

“Oh my.”

This place was a disaster.

Katie looked like a stuffy librarian, complete with Mary Janes beneath the cuffs of her jeans and the white collared shirt poking out from beneath her gray sweater. But those clothes might be hiding her true colors.

She was as disorganized as my husband.

The showroom was spotless and her own desk clear of clutter. But behind closed doors, this place was a masterpiece of disarray.

“Not exactly how I’d keep track of inventory,” I muttered, setting the blank canvases down. “But it has potential.”

I left the door open to chase out some of the mustiness and continued on my self-guided tour.

Beside the storage room was a bathroom. It didn’t shine but it wasn’t filthy. Beyond it was a narrow staircase that led to an open loft above the gallery. If the storage room had been dusty, this was downright dirty. I crossed the floor, my footsteps leaving trails in my wake.

But like the storage room, this space had potential. It was unfinished but spacious. A perfect rectangle, the entire size of the building. On the walls, puffy pink insulation had been stuffed in between the studs.

Much like my apartment had been above Kerrigan’s gym space, the wall facing First was full of windows. The glass had been covered with translucent white plastic to stop anyone from looking inside. They weren’t nearly the size of the windows Kerrigan had put into her building, but they let in plenty of natural light.

This could be a studio apartment, much like the one Kerrigan had finished above her upcoming gym. Though it would require an exterior exit be added to the building. I couldn’t see Hux agreeing to either.

The space would be great for a new office too. Or he could even put another painting studio up here. He could paint me head to toe here if it came with an orgasm.

I took a slow lap around the room, imagining possibilities and sexual positions, then shelved it all because today was not the day to pitch a renovation to Hux.

And the storage room was calling my name.

I stood on the threshold, hands on my hips, cataloging the disorder. Shelves. We needed shelves. So I marched back to Hux’s office. “I want to order some shelves.”

He raised his eyebrows, then went back to the papers on his desk. “Talk to Katie.”

Katie. I swallowed a groan.

Husbands and wives shouldn’t work together.

The grocery store was looking better by the minute.

Steeling my spine for another encounter with Katie, I plastered on my wide smile again as I emerged from the hallway. The front door to the gallery chimed and I looked over in time to see not a customer, but a familiar face storm inside.

By some miracle my smile held. If it lasted the day, I should get a goddamn medal for employee of the year.

I changed my direction, heading for our guest. “Hi, April.”

Her lip curled as she looked me up and down. “Where is Hux?”

“He’s working. Sorry. Is there something I can help you with?”

April’s glare traveled past me to Katie. “Call him. Now.”

Katie didn’t move. In this, we were united. And because of it, I’d give her some—what had Hux yelled at me?—fucking slack.

April sneered and crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m not leaving until I talk to him.”

“Actually, you don’t get to talk to Hux.” I crossed my arms, mirroring her stance. “You can send all correspondence through our attorney.” Saying our attorney instead of his attorney felt like a necessary reminder. To both women in the room.

If April wanted to get to Hux, she could go through Aiden. And me.

“You can tell Hux he will never get what he wants. Full-time residence with him? He’s dreaming. He will never take my daughter.”

“His daughter,” I corrected. “Savannah is his daughter. And he has every right to be her father.”

News really did travel fast in Calamity. Aiden had just texted Hux around nine this morning that he’d sent in the paperwork to the courthouse. It wasn’t even ten.

“He’ll never win.” April gave me a smug grin. “I’ll make sure everyone in this town knows what a deadbeat criminal he is.”

This woman wasn’t afraid to toss out the threats, was she? I guess this time, we’d see if she had the moxie to back them up.

“As you can see, we really are busy here today.” I gestured around the empty room. “Lovely to see you again, April. Please do send any of your concerns along to our attorney.”

The color rose in her cheeks as she huffed, then whipped around and flew out the door.

I sighed as the chime faded, wishing for a redo on this day. But I wasn’t going to get one. Nor was I going to catch a break. Because when I turned around, Katie’s dead stare was waiting.

Not even a little camaraderie, Katie? Damn. She hadn’t thawed to me in the slightest.

“I want to order some shelves,” I said. “Should I put them on a company credit card? Or buy them and save the receipt for reimbursement?”

“Hux has a company credit card.”

Of course he did. But my darling lover wasn’t doing me any favors today either. “And Hux is busy working.”

Katie’s mouth pursed as she ripped open a drawer at her side and pulled out a credit card.

“Thanks.” I took it from her and shoved it in my jeans pocket. Then I started for the hallway, only to get stopped by a pair of blue eyes.

Had he been there the whole time?

“I assume you heard all of that with April.”

He nodded.

“Good. Then I don’t need to catch you up.” I walked past him for his office. The sound of his bootsteps followed as I pulled on my coat.

“Where are you going?”

“The hardware store.” I snatched up my purse.

“For shelves.”

I nodded. “Yes, I’m buying shelves.”

Before I could storm past him and get some much-needed air, he walked closer, taking the keys from his pocket. “Take the truck. Have the guys at the hardware store load up whatever you buy. I’ll haul it all inside when you get back.”

“Thanks,” I muttered, swiping the keys. Even if he offered, I wasn’t letting him tag along. I needed air and space. I wouldn’t be responsible for my actions if he pissed me off while I was in the vicinity of hammers and nail guns.

“Want me to come with you?” he asked.

“You know I don’t.”

The corner of his mouth twitched. The bastard.

I made my break for the hallway, ready to get out of this place, when the gallery’s front door chimed again.

“Welcome,” Katie greeted.

“Hi. I’m looking for Everly. Is she here?”

That voice stopped me in my tracks.

The hits just kept on coming. So much for gathering my wits before facing off with my best friend. I emerged from the hallway, finding Lucy in the middle of the showroom.

“I’m sorry.” It didn’t matter that Katie was watching us like a hawk. I owed Lucy an apology and my pride wasn’t more important than my friend. “I didn’t handle Friday very well.”

“You’re forgiven.”

People should be so lucky to have her in their life. I knew I was lucky to have her in mine. “I have to go shopping.”

“I like shopping.”

I smiled. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

Lucy gave Katie a finger wave, one that was met with a kind smile. So Katie could smile, just not at me.

I waited until we were outside and the door was closed behind us before I handed over the keys to Hux’s truck. “Here. You’d better drive. I haven’t been behind the wheel in months and if I crash his truck, he might divorce me.”

Lucy took the keys but didn’t move. “You got married.”

The pain and betrayal in her voice made me feel an inch tall. I wanted to tell her the truth. That it was just a sham and she hadn’t missed anything. That when I got married for real, she’d be my matron of honor and sign as my witness.

But I couldn’t tell Lucy the truth. Not yet.

And the guilt of lying to my best friend began to sink deep. For the first time since Friday, I regretted this decision.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

“Why?” She blinked a sheen of tears from her emerald-green eyes. “Why didn’t you?”

“It happened fast. Maybe I was worried that you wouldn’t understand.”

“I don’t understand.”

Yeah, me neither. “You would have tried to talk me out of it.”

“Hell yes, I would have. Are you pregnant? Is that why it was a rush?”

It would be easier if the answer were yes. A lot easier. But there were enough lies to keep up with and I wasn’t going to add that one to the mix.

“No. I’m not pregnant.” And I wouldn’t get pregnant. Hux kept up with his condoms. Meanwhile, I was taking my pill like clockwork every morning.

“Oh.” She dropped her gaze to her feet. “Is this a real thing? Do you love him?”

If Lucy was questioning the authenticity of our marriage, others would too. A jolt of panic raced through my veins but I pushed forward, because if I was going to convince the town and a judge, I’d better be able to convince my best friend.

“It’s real,” I told her. No, it wasn’t love. But there were lots of married couples who weren’t in love. “I met Hux a while ago. I went to Jane’s one night and he was there. We hooked up and hit it off.” Which wasn’t entirely a lie. When it came to our physical relationship, we’d hit a home run.

“Couldn’t you have dated for a while? How well do you know him?”

“You didn’t date Duke for very long.”

She frowned. “I knew you were going to say that.”

“Sorry?”

“What is going on with you, Ev? You’re not the type to rush into a relationship. I mean, you’re the pickiest woman I’ve ever met.”

She wasn’t wrong. When it came to my dating past, I’d kicked plenty of men to the curb for superficial reasons. That, and because most had been assholes.

There’d been the investment broker with not enough muscle. The physical therapist with too much muscle. Cal Stark, the professional football player who had the body of a Greek god and a face made for billboards. But Cal’s arrogance had killed any chance of a relationship an hour into our first date.

“I know it’s rushed and out of the ordinary, but it feels right with Hux.”

I spoke the truth.

Maybe because I knew our arrangement had an expiration date—Savannah’s eighteenth birthday—but I hadn’t needed to search for imperfections with Hux. He let his show. I didn’t try to hide mine. There were no pretenses.

“You stopped singing,” she said. “Now this.”

My beautiful friend could not understand why I’d quit something she so loved. “I don’t want to sing.”

“Are you sure? Because—”

“I’m not like you, Lucy. It’s not part of me.”

“It was your dream,” she whispered.

“No.” I gave her a sad smile. “It was your dream. And it was time for me to let it go.”

“But you’re so talented.” Her eyes pleaded for me not to quit. “You are an incredible singer. Take the label up on their offer. Do an album.”

“I don’t want an album.” I searched for the words to articulate this better than I had since Nashville. To say the right thing so she’d understand. “I liked the excitement. I liked the thrill of the stage. I liked that it was a fun job and paid the bills. But then everything changed. I don’t want the excitement or the thrill anymore. I never loved the music like you do, so the rest is . . . empty.”

Her shoulders slumped but understanding crossed her face. “I didn’t know you felt like that. I thought it was your big dream and it was your fears holding you back.”

“No. I don’t need a big dream. I’d rather accomplish a small one,” I admitted. “I want a happy life. A simple home. I want to be around people who aren’t afraid to belly laugh and tell me they love me.”

“I don’t think that’s a small dream. Sounds about perfect to me.”

I closed the distance to my friend and pulled her in for a hug. “I’m sorry.”

“I feel like I’m losing you,” she confessed. “We live in the same town but . . .”

Everything had changed since that fateful day at the farmhouse. If we were being honest, everything had changed when Lucy had left Nashville. “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere. I’m just . . . I don’t know. Trying to find my safe place.”

“Isn’t marrying a stranger a bit of an extreme solution?”

“Yes.” I laughed, letting her go. “But Hux makes me feel safe.”

Saying the words out loud made me realize exactly how true they were. I didn’t fear the doorbell. I didn’t fear a restaurant or going to a basketball game. Not with him by my side. “I’ve been scared. It was easier to hide in that apartment and shut out the world than face it. But we both know that couldn’t last forever.”

“Okay.” Lucy blew out a long breath. “I hope you two know what you’re doing.”

So do I. “Can we go shopping now?”

She nodded and walked to the driver’s side, climbing into the truck.

I went to the passenger side and clicked on my seat belt. “How did you know I was at the gallery?”

“I didn’t.” She turned the key in the ignition. “But since you didn’t call me all weekend, I gave it a few days to sink in, then I decided to come and find you. I went to Hux’s place first, then your apartment. Here was the next best guess.”

“Thanks for hunting me down.”

She leveled me with a glare. “Don’t make me do it again.”

“Yes, ma’am.” I laughed. “I’m sorry for avoiding you all weekend.”

“Please don’t be scared to talk to me.”

“To you? Never.” I stretched across the cab, pulling her into another hug. Lucy was my confidant, my sister of the heart. I might have worried about this conversation, but I wasn’t scared to confide in her. There were simply times when I needed a minute to prepare. Not for her. For myself. “Love you.”

“Love you too.” She squeezed me tighter before letting me go to back out of our parking spot. “What are we shopping for?”

“Shelves. I’m organizing the gallery.”

“Ahh. Making your mark.”

I nodded. “Yep.”

We spent an hour at the hardware store buying shelves. There weren’t many options, but we made do and when we returned to the gallery, Hux emerged from the alley door as we parked.

“Where is all this going?” he asked, surveying the boards and brackets in the back.

“The storage room.”

Lucy and I left Hux to haul everything inside and I escorted her through the gallery and out the front door to her car. I gave her another hug and promised to meet her and Kerrigan for lunch soon.

Kerrigan hadn’t been like Lucy, leaving me to myself after the basketball game. She’d texted relentlessly yesterday while Hux had been in his studio and I’d finally given in and texted her back.

I waited on the sidewalk, waving as Lucy reversed away. Then I blew out a breath and went inside.

Katie’s frigid expression did its best to ruin my mood.

I bit my tongue and gave her another fake smile, passing through the showroom for the hallway. Hux had just hauled the last load into the storage room.

“I need a drill and a level so I can hang these,” I said. Not that I’d ever hung a shelf before but I knew how to YouTube. Worst case, I’d call my DIY lifeline, Kerrigan.

Hux opened his mouth but before he could respond, I held up a hand.

“If you tell me to ask Katie, I’ll smother you in your sleep.”

He chuckled. “How about you tell me where you want these and I’ll hang them for you?”

“Nope.” I shook my head. “My project. Now go away.”

He grinned and walked closer but didn’t pass me for the door. Instead, he snaked his hands around me, pulling up the back of my coat so his hands could dive into my jean pockets. One fantastically firm ass squeeze and I was pressed into his chest, leaning into his strong lines. “Tools are at home. We’ll bring them in tomorrow.”

“Fine.” I wiggled out of his hold, then pointed for the door. “I’m going to organize for an hour. Then we’re going to the café for lunch.”

“They deliver.”

“Yes, but you need to be seen around town with your new, loving wife.” I rolled my eyes. “Buh-bye.”

And I needed that hour to remember I was his new, loving wife.

This bluff was harder at moments than I’d thought it would be.

It would be easier to have a late lunch in a nearly deserted restaurant and tease Nelson about his eating habits, but forcing Hux out in public was important. I’d have to catch Nelson next time.

Hux chuckled again, shaking his head as he disappeared into his office. He was supposed to be organizing today so I could start on the bookkeeping tomorrow, but given the piles upon piles of paperwork, I doubted he’d finish in a day.

So while he attempted to make sense of that mess, I tackled the one before me, shuffling paintings into piles and sorting them by size. Finally, with them quasi-arranged into the genesis of an inventory system, I went in search of cleaning supplies. There was no way in hell I was asking Katie.

By the time lunch rolled around, sweat beaded at my temples and I suspected this room was as clean as it had been in years. The spiders would have to find a new home. Hux hadn’t come to collect me yet, so I stayed in the safety of my storage room and made the call I’d been dreading.

The phone rang three times before she answered. “Hi, Everly.”

“Hi, Mom. How are you today?”

“It’s March.” Meaning she was busy and I was interrupting her workday.

Deep breath. One. Two. Three . . . “I got married.” Ouch. Yeah, that announcement wasn’t getting easier.

“What did you say?”

“I got married.” I held my breath, cringing at the squeal that had leaked into my voice. “Just wanted to let you know.”

“Married.”

“Um . . . yes. His name is Reese Huxley.”

“Congratulations to you and Reese.” Was that sarcasm? I wasn’t aware Mom knew how it worked.

“Thanks?”

“You’re welcome.” Okay, that was a new tone. And whatever it was, there wasn’t an ounce of excitement included. There also wasn’t any shock or censure or any other emotion for that matter.

She just . . . didn’t care.

I’d gotten married, and my mother didn’t care.

Tears welled in my eyes. What had I expected? This was the mother I knew. Distant. Numb. Cold. I was a distraction. A disappointment.

Who cares that I’d dropped out of college? Lots of kids chose not to pursue higher education. And hadn’t I been a good kid in high school?

I hadn’t rebelled. I’d kept good grades. I’d treated the Buick they’d bought me like a gold-plated Cadillac. The one and only time they’d grounded me was when I’d snuck out after dark to kiss a boy in my driveway.

Why was it so hard for her to give me some fucking slack?

“Why don’t you love me?” The words weren’t supposed to come out of my mouth. Luckily, they were so quiet I barely registered them myself.

“What?” she asked.

“Nothing.” I dried my eyes. “Please pass along the news to Dad.”

Without waiting for her to hang up on me, I ended the call and stared at one of the blank walls. Assholes. I was surrounded by assholes today. Except for Lucy. And the hardware store guys.

But everyone else was on my shit list.

I sucked in a breath, willing the hurt to go away. I had a lunch to attend and a community to bluff. But the tears blurred my vision until one of them fell. I caught it quickly with my fingers.

Mascara streaks would give Katie something to smirk about today. She’d probably think they were her doing.

It was the desire to prove her wrong that made me pull my shit together. I could have a pity party later when I was alone at home. In this gallery, I was Hux’s happy wife.

I sniffled and swiped under my eyes. Except before I could straighten my spine and go about my work, two strong arms wrapped around me.

“Your parents?”

I glanced over my shoulder and scowled. “Were you spying?”

“Maybe.”

“Then you should know your in-laws suck and I doubt they’ll send us a wedding gift.”

His arms banded tighter. “Your in-laws suck too.”

“Good to know.”

One of these days, we’d have to swap childhood stories, but today was not that day.

I stepped out of his arms, expecting him to be the gruff and grouchy man from earlier. But his expression was soft. His eyes were so full of concern that it melted any frustration that lingered from our argument earlier.

The change was surprising. Care was a good look on Hux.

“Come on, honey.” I grabbed his hand and dragged him toward the door. “I’ve got the company credit card. I’ll buy you lunch.”