Nadia Nichols - Montana Standoff

“It’s a long drive.”

“You said I have a lot to learn. I’d better get started, hadn’t I? When can we go?” Molly knew she was being blatantly forward, but she also knew she wanted to see this man again, very much, and he wasn’t trying to make that happen. No doubt he thought she was as incompetent as the rest of them did. Well, she wasn’t, and somehow she had to create the chance to prove that to him.

“You should see the pit on a weekday, while they’re working it.”

“All right. How about this Wednesday?”

Steven hesitated. “You don’t really need me along. Your credentials will get you through the gate.”

“Yes, that’s true. I could go alone, or I could ask Brad to take me. Brad’s already shown me two sites and both were very interesting. He pointed out what he wanted me to see, told me what he wanted me to know. If you really want me to understand this issue from your point of view, you need to do the same. I really want to see both sides of this coin, Steven. It’s important to me, and it should be equally important to you. Thursday?”

“I don’t know,” he hedged. “I’ll have to see what’s on the books.”

“Tomorrow, then…?”

“Tomorrow’s Sunday. You wouldn’t get the full effect.”

“I have an incredible imagination.”

He hesitated again, obviously reluctant to commit.

“If we leave here by 9:00 a.m., we should be in good shape, time-wise. I’ll pack the lunch, buy the gas, and drive.” She tossed her purse onto the passenger’s seat and climbed into the Mercedes. “I live at 244 Prospect Street, apartment four. Brick building, second-floor walk-up,” she said, turning the key in the ignition. The engine purred smoothly to life. Steven stood watching her, hands shoved in his jacket pockets, wearing the same inscrutable expression. She eased out on the clutch and the Mercedes moved forward. “Thanks again for everything, counselor,” she said, hoping he’d respond with something like, “See you tomorrow.”

But he didn’t. He just stood in silence and watched her drive away.

THAT AFTERNOON, as soon as she arrived back in Helena, Molly arranged to meet her best friend at their favorite café. Though the wait wasn’t long, she’d already shredded four paper cocktail napkins into confetti before she spotted Dani breezing through the door. “Thanks for coming so quickly,” she said as her friend dropped into a chair across from her.

“No problem at all. I happen to be starving, I didn’t eat breakfast this morning, so this works out well for me. What’s up?” She leaned forward suddenly, eyes widening. “My God, what happened to your face? Did John hit you?”

“If you’re referring to my cheek, it’s just a bee sting. Waiter? Another mai tai cocktail, please.”

“They don’t serve mai tais here,” Dani said with an exasperated shake of her head. “Are you all right? When did you get stung?”

“Yes, I’m fine, and they serve mai tais here now. I just taught the bartender how to make one, and it’s delicious.” Molly glanced around to make sure no one was listening and lowered her voice. “Dani, I need to ask you a big favor.”

Dani’s eyes narrowed. “From the telltale glow, I have a feeling this favor has something to do with a man, but if the man is Stradivarius John, the answer is no.”

Molly was startled that her agenda was so obvious. “This isn’t about John.”

“Good. Who, then?”

“I met someone last night, at a public hearing,” Molly said.

Dani shrugged out of her blazer and draped it over the back of her chair. “Was this before or after the bee sting?”

“Almost simultaneously.”

“What’s the favor?”

“Could you please lend me your emerald earrings?”

Dani laughed and looked around for the waiter. “Hurry with that drink.”

“This is serious, Dani. With any luck, I’ll be spending the day with Steven tomorrow and I want to look especially nice, so any advice you have on what I should wear would be most appreciated. Fashion is definitely my failing.”

“Yes, I know that, but you’ve never taken my advice before, especially regarding fashion.”

“I always listen to what you have to say.”

Dani nodded her thanks to the waiter who delivered her drink. “No, you don’t. I advised you not to date John, remember? He was just one month divorced from his third victim when he asked you out.”

“Well, yes, you did warn me,” Molly admitted, beginning on another cocktail napkin, “but he seemed nice, and it’s not like there was anything serious between us. We went out once in a while, that’s all. It was better than eating dinner out alone, and I wasn’t looking for anything more serious than that. At least, not until yesterday.”

“Okay, so John’s history. That’s a relief. You got stung by a bee and met an incredible man at the same moment, and you’re thinking you may have just experienced love at first sight. Am I right?” Dani’s voice was as cynical as her expression.

Molly sat back in her chair, exasperated. “Are you going to help me or not?”

“Are you going to tell me the whole story from the beginning?”

Molly did, speaking bluntly and not sparing herself in the least. “So you see,” she concluded, “I had no idea that Steven was the attorney representing the citizens of Moose Horn, and I made a complete idiot of myself in front of him…and in front of everyone else, too, for that matter.”

“Moose Horn?” Dani raised her drink for a taste and grimaced. “Uck. What on earth did you tell the bartender to put in this concoction?”

“Skelton will probably fire me after this.”

“It isn’t your fault that Tom gave you the wrong file. What a rotten thing for him to do! I warned you about that guy, too, remember?” As Dani spoke, she held her glass up to the light to study the contents. “He used to work with the Downing firm, but they dismissed him after several clerks complained of sexual harassment.”

“He’s asked me out a couple of times,” Molly admitted. “I think giving me the wrong file was his way of getting back at me for not saying yes.”

“Slimy creep,” Dani said, trying another sip, making another face. “He’s the one who should be fired.”

“Actually, he’s being transferred, but I really don’t want to talk about Tom.”

“No, of course not. You want to talk about the wonderful man you met last night. Steven. Continue. You made an idiot of yourself, and then what happened?” Dani looked around again and waved to the waiter. “I’ll have my usual,” she called across the small room. “The avocado, vegetable and sprouts wrap, no mayo.” The waiter waved back, acknowledging the order from across the small room.

“He rescued me from the hostile citizens after the meeting and gave me a ride to his place…”

“Hold on. Do I really need to hear how he had his way with you on your first unofficial date?”

“…because my car was stuck in a very deep ditch, which I drove into after being stung by the bee, and it was late, so he thought it would be better to pull it out in the morning, after…”

“After he seduced you,” Dani finished.

“He fixed me a drink, fed me dinner, let me sleep in his guest room, cooked me a delicious breakfast in the morning, and pulled my car out of the ditch. He wouldn’t even take gas money from me. I thought all the knights in shining armor died in King Arthur’s time, but I was so wrong.”

“Hmmmm.” Dani frowned. “This sounds serious. And you’re spending the day with him tomorrow?”

“Well, maybe. It’s not exactly a date. More like a professional courtesy. He might take me to see what an open pit mine looks like.”