Wildest Dreams: A Small Town, Single Dad Romance (The Wilds of Montana Book 3)
Chapter 1

It’s the first day of glorious summer.

Stepping out of the front door of my shop, Pocket Full of Polly, I take in a long, deep breath. I can smell new leaves and grass in the air, and the birds are chirping with excitement, as if they know it’s summer, too. The sun is out, and I don’t have to try to remember my damn winter jacket anymore.

In this part of Montana, the seasons literally change like clockwork. We had a small snowstorm just last week, and now it’s a warm summer day with just a hint of a cool breeze, and I’m walking down the sidewalk in Bitterroot Valley toward the coffee shop that my friend, Millie Wild, owns.

“Good morning,” I announce with a smile as I sashay into Bitterroot Valley Coffee Co. “It’s summer!”

“Hell to the yes,” Millie returns as she smiles back at me from where she’s making magic at her ginormous coffee-making contraption behind the counter. “And it’s a pretty day. I’ve had enough gloom and cloud cover to last until…well, next winter.”

I laugh and walk to the counter. Every hair on my body stands up as the door opens behind me, and in walks Millie’s older brother, Ryan.

The man I’ve had a crush on since I was old enough to know what that means.

The man who rocked my world last September for an entire night.

The same man who never called me afterward.

“Polly,” Ryan says with a wide, happy grin. “It’s good to see you.”

“Hey, Ryan.” He hugs me, and my damn nipples betray me by going instantly hard. “How are you?”

“I’m great.” He smiles down at me as he pulls away and stuffs his hands into his pockets. He looks fucking delicious in a simple black T-shirt and jeans, and he’s wearing his signature baseball cap, backward. “And yourself? Your brother tells me that you’ve closed the shop for the week.”

“I have.” I nod and then smile at Millie when she passes me my favorite coffee. I don’t even have to order; she just whips it up and keeps a tab for me. “I’m doing some rearranging, replacing old stock with new, and cleaning. I do it every spring before the summer rush starts.”

And I freaking love it. Touching all the clothes and styling them to look trendy and attractive is my favorite. But freshening the place up, deep cleaning, and showing my business love is also rewarding.

“Mac also mentioned that he’ll be helping you today?” Ryan asks as Millie passes him a cup of coffee.

As more customers shuffle in behind us, Ryan and I move off to the side to get out of their way.

“He is,” I confirm with a nod. “I have some heavy things that need to be moved, built, and all that good stuff, and Mac’s coming to do most of that for me.”

“I can help,” Ryan offers immediately, and I want to say no. When I’m around him, which isn’t often, all I can think about is how good it felt when he gave me some of the best orgasms of my damn life. But I’m sure Mac could use an extra pair of hands, and I know from experience that Ryan has the muscles. “I’ll bring Jake, too.”

“Are you sure?” I shift on my feet, thinking it over. “I can bring in lunch for everyone as a thank-you.”

“Are you kidding? Jake will do just about anything for a sandwich. The kid eats anything that isn’t tied down.”

That makes me laugh. Last winter, Ryan took Jake in after Jake had been brutalized by his foster dad. Earlier this year, Ryan officially adopted the teenager, and I am so happy for the two of them. From what I hear, they get along great, and Jake loves working out on Ryan’s ranch with the horses and other animals.

“Jake is absolutely welcome to come help. Are you sure you’re not too busy? I know you must have your own business to see to.”

His lips tip up on one side, and he shrugs a shoulder. “The best part about being the boss is I can make my own hours.”

“Well, that’s true. I’ll be at the shop all day, if you and Jake want to pop in for a while. I’d really appreciate it.”

Ryan nods and walks with me to the door. “I’ll go kick the kid out of bed. Since school let out for the summer, all he wants to do is sleep after he does his morning chores.”

“That sounds pretty normal to me. I’ll see you later.”

With a wave, I head back to the shop. Is it a bad idea to have Ryan around to help out today? Probably. But I could use the extra hands, and I’m an adult. I can curb my lustful thoughts when it comes to the sexy billionaire cowboy.

Probably.

While Mac loads boxes of new product onto a dolly to bring into the newly cleaned showroom, I’m shifting older stock to clearance racks in the back of the store. Loaded down with about fifty pounds of clothes, I try to lift the hangers onto the tall rack, but I’m just not tall enough.

“It sucks when you’re a tiny leprechaun,” I mutter to myself.

“Prettiest leprechaun I’ve ever seen,” Ryan says from behind me, startling me. He reaches around me to take the hangers out of my hands and easily lifts them onto the rack. His body presses against mine, and the spicy, woodsy scent of him surrounds me.

I could eat him with a spoon.

“Thanks.” I smile up at him as he steps back. “I was too impatient to grab the step stool.”

“Now you don’t have to.” He gestures over to Jake with his head. “The kid and I are here to help. Are you filling these racks with clearance?”

“Yes.” I turn to Jake with a smile. “Thanks for this. I know it’s probably not how you planned to spend summer vacation.”

“It’s one day,” the handsome teenager says. “And I hear I get a sandwich out of the deal, so it’s all good.”

With a laugh, I turn back to Ryan. “Mac’s in the back, loading up new product to be unboxed. I’ll have Jake help me with the rest of the clearance.”

“I have my marching orders,” Ryan says with a wink, and off he goes to help out my brother.

“I’m so glad you’re tall,” I say to Jake as I lead him to the racks of clothes that I have sorted by size. “In fact, I think you’ve grown about six inches in the past year.”

“About that…” he confirms. “Ry says it’s because of all the food I eat and claims I’m eating him out of house and home, but he can afford it.” His grin is a happy one, and that makes me happy. It was just last year that I found the boys he was hanging out with shoplifting from my store. I’m so glad that he’s turned his life around.

“Things at Ryan’s are good, then?”

“The best.” He sighs, props his hands on his hips, and looks out the window. “Sometimes I don’t know if I deserve everything that he’s done for me, you know? It’s a lot. Just letting me live with him is enough, but I have the horses, and he bought me a truck for Christmas. Shit, he adopted me. Oops, sorry for the shit.”

“No problem. I’ve said it myself.” I pass him some more clothes to move. “These can go right behind the others up there. You know, I don’t think that a man like Ryan does much of anything that he doesn’t want to do. And he absolutely wouldn’t do it for someone who doesn’t deserve it. Powerful men like that are successful for a reason.”

Jake turns back to me after placing the clothes on the rack, and we walk back to gather more. “I know. It’s so weird to think about how much money he has. Especially because he’s just a regular guy. Mostly normal.”

I laugh and pass him more clothes and then follow him, loaded down with more of my own, and before long, we’ve transferred everything to where they need to go.

I’m pleased to realize that there’s less left over from last season than I planned for, so I can use more racks for the new stuff.

Ryan and Mac come strolling in, pushing dollies loaded with big boxes of clothes that I can’t wait to get my hands on.

“Jesus, clothes are heavy,” Mac says with a scowl. “I thought summer clothes were supposed to weigh less.”

“I can just get more in the boxes,” I reply. “I have hangers set up over there, with my steamer. I’ll get going on that if the three of you want to start putting my new shelves together.”

“Power tools,” Jake says with a grin. “Manly stuff.”

Ryan laughs, and the three of them return to the back, where my big storage room is, to start assembling the furniture. I unlock my phone and turn on my favorite playlist, pairing it to the Bluetooth speakers in the shop, and then set it aside. As Harry Styles starts to sing about watermelon sugar, I dive into boxes, slicing them open with my box cutter, and then I start to hang them on hangers, sort by size, and then steam.

It’s a long, laborious process, but I love it. I have four employees who all offered to come in and help today, but they’ve been here all week, cleaning and sorting, and they’ve put in long days. So, I told them to take today off, and I’d work on this part alone. It’ll take me through the weekend to get it all unpacked, pressed, and set out, but it’ll be worth it.

I’ve just moved on to my fifth box, and Ed Sheeran is crooning about dancing in the dark when I’m suddenly swept up in Ryan’s arms, and he dances me around the mostly empty showroom.

I’m laughing when, still singing along, he dips me back and then brings me back up and hugs me.

“I couldn’t resist,” he says and kisses me on the cheek before pulling away. “We’re about ready for the furniture.”

“That was fast.”

“It’s good furniture,” he says. “Not particle board that you have to put together piece by piece. Do you want to show me where you want it?”

“Sure.” Pleased that he approves of what I chose, I show Ryan where I want each piece, and then he disappears into the back again, and I have to take a deep breath.

Being around that man is…well, it does things to me. And he doesn’t seem to be affected at all. Which is a bit of a blow to the ego, but oh, well. Before long, the men have everything placed exactly where I want it, and the four of us stand back, admiring it.

“I like the colors,” Jake offers. “They’re not boring brown.”

“I wanted to brighten the space up,” I agree. “The only windows are the ones in the front, and dark furniture would make it feel like a cave in here. So, I got pieces that were painted in bright colors. I think it looks great, guys. Thanks. I’ll go order those sandwiches.”

I take their order and call it in to the deli down the street.

“They’ll be here in about twenty minutes.”

“What can we do in the meantime?” Ryan asks.

“I have to hang some mirrors in the dressing rooms,” Mac says. “You can help me with those heavy fuckers.”

“Mac!” I gesture to Jake. “Really? There’s a kid here.”

“Oh, I’ve heard it all,” Jake assures me. “It’s fine. I can help lift a mirror.”

“He’s a good kid,” I say to Ryan when the other two are in the back, measuring for the mirrors.

“Yeah, he is. We’ve had a few bumps here and there, but he’ll be sixteen, and I suspect that’s normal.”

“I would guess so,” I agree with a nod. “Well, I’d better get back to hanging these clothes.”

“You know,” he continues, not taking the hint at all, “you do a lot of avoiding me these days.”

I frown down at the pair of white jeans I’m holding. “I don’t think that’s true.”

“At Summer and Chase’s wedding last month, you didn’t even look at me.”

“I was busy,” I remind him. “I was the maid of honor, and I had a long list of duties.”

“Polly.”

I stop at the sound of his voice and turn to look at him, raising an eyebrow.

“I don’t want things to be weird between us.” He reaches out and tucks a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

“You didn’t call.” I feel my eyes widen. I did not mean to say that out loud. “Uh, never mind. That was⁠—”

“You left,” he says, interrupting me. “If you wanted me to call, you sent me a mixed message with that move.”

I bite my lip, thinking it over, and then let out a gusty sigh, but the other guys return to us, looking smug.

“All done,” Mac says and high-fives Jake. The door opens, and Jeannie, the manager of Mama’s Deli, walks in, carrying two big brown bags full of food.

“Delivery,” she calls out with a smile. “Oh, it’s already so different in here, Polly. I can’t wait to see it when you’ve finished.”

“I reopen Monday morning,” I inform her as Mac takes the bags off her hands, and I pass her the cash to cover the order. “I have some new things that I think you’re going to love.”

“Now I really can’t wait. I’m so grateful that you carry inclusive sizes for us curvier girls,” Jeannie says with a happy smile.

“Every woman is gorgeous and deserves to wear clothes that make her feel confident,” I reply. “No matter her size. Definitely come see me next week, and I’ll help you shop.”

“I can’t wait. Have a good day, all of you. I’d better get back.”

She hustles out the door, and I turn to replace Ryan watching me intently.

“What? Do I have something on my face?”

“No.” He shakes his head and takes a bite of his sandwich. “You’re a good businesswoman.”

Coming from the likes of Ryan Wild, the owner and CEO of Wild Enterprises, a multi-billion-dollar company, that’s a huge compliment.

“Thanks.” I raise my sandwich to tap to his in cheers.

God, I’m tired. Down-to-the-marrow-of-my-bones tired.

But I’m also incredibly satisfied with all the work that I got done today.

It’s past dark when I get home and shuffle into the bedroom, strip out of the yoga pants and tank that I wore to work today, and put on a loose T-shirt and sweats. Then I pad into the kitchen and pour myself a glass of crisp white wine before walking out back to my little patio.

Mac was here earlier this week and power-washed the patio for me, cleaned up my little patio swing, and got the gas fireplace ready to fire up.

So, I start the fire and sit in the swing, gently rocking back and forth as I take in the fragrant spring air.

The birds have settled down, and now I can hear the buzz of a few insects and the engine of a car as they drive past on the road out front. I can smell someone’s grill and the burgers or steak they cooked on it, and it makes my empty stomach grumble.

I haven’t eaten anything since the sandwich this afternoon, and that was long ago and far away.

But I’m too tired to put anything together, and the stove in the kitchen isn’t working anyway. Who has time for house repairs when they have a business to run? Mac would probably fix it for me, but I keep forgetting to mention it.

I’m hardly ever here, so it seems silly to put that at the top of the priority list.

My phone pings with a text, and I grin when I see Summer’s name. She’s my best friend and owns Paula’s Poseys, the floral shop just across from my own. Someone set her business on fire last fall, and she’ll be reopening in a couple of weeks, just in time for wedding season.

Summer: I’m coming to help you tomorrow. You can’t say no.

I laugh and sip my wine. As much as I love touching each piece of clothing myself, with as tired as I am tonight, I know that I need the extra hands if I’m going to open by Monday.

Me: Not saying no! I can use your help, and we can gossip and eat chocolate. Win-win. Come in anytime. I’ll be there by 8.

I check the time. Shit, eight o’clock is in roughly seven hours, so I’d better to go bed.

But I love it out here on my little patio. I like the sounds and smells of the neighborhood. It feels good to know that although my house is old and small and has so much that needs to be fixed up, it’s mine. I worked hard for it. This little piece of the world belongs to me, and I love it here.

My eyes have started to droop, so I finish my wine and go inside, locking the door behind me, then rinse my wineglass out before setting it on the drainer. I need a shower, so I head off for the bathroom. My bathroom is tiny, and it’s the only one in the two-bedroom house. The tub always looks dirty, even though I scrub it weekly. The sink needs to be caulked, and the mirror is cracked in the corner.

I didn’t do that, so I didn’t get the seven years of bad luck from it.

By the time I’m clean, lotioned, and dry, I feel like I’m going to fall over, so I do just that. I’m face down on my pillow, ready to drift off to sleep.

But I’m already excited for tomorrow.