Page 43 of Her Silver Fox Mountain Men

“About ten years,” Janice says. “The first year was the hardest. I had to learn to do all the things around the house that Spence used to handle, the upkeep.”

“I thought you had a couple of kids.”

She nods slowly. “Two. But they’re both stationed overseas. Navy commanders.”

“You must be so proud.”

“I am proud. But also lonely,” she confesses. “They come home once a year, and that’s when I feel the burden fall off my shoulders. First thing that Liam and Junior do is get to work. The lawn, the yard, all the shrubs. Anything that needs repairing, they get it fixed. But then their leave expires, and I’m on my own again, simply grateful that I was able to sit down with them for a few dinners.”

“You’re a strong lady, I’ll give you that, Janice. Managing a house like yours up here on Rocky Ridge takes some real guts.”

“More than once, Liam has suggested that I might be better off at a retirement community in Florida. And I tell him every damn time that I’m not old enough for that.” She laughs. “The day I can’t clean up after myself, the day I can’t rake the leaves or prune my trees on my own anymore, that’s when I’ll call my boys and tell them they can ship me off to Florida. Until then—”

“You’re the mistress of your own domain. Yeah, I get it. My dad used to say the same thing.” Bitterness instantly floods the back of my throat. “My adoptive dad.”

“That’s right; you were adopted. You mentioned something about that somewhere along the way. You lost your parentswhen you were a little girl.”

“Getting older can be troubling at times, I suppose,” I mutter, steering the conversation away from me again.

“Not as troubling as a life spent keeping secrets,” Janice shoots back with a warm smile. “Don’t you ever get tired, Elise?”

I give her a confused look. “What do you mean?”

“Oh, come on. I may not say anything out of respect for your privacy but let’s get something straight here. James, Oliver, Roman, the girls… I love them as though they were my own. And I can tell you’re getting closer to them, which is why I think it’s time you sit down and have a talk with yourself, Elise. Figure out a way to tell the fellas whatever it is you’ve been holding back.”

“Wow, I’m a topic of conversation around these parts, eh?” I mutter.

“Not at all. James has never said a word. Neither has Oliver or Roman. I’m an old fox, you seem to forget that part. I can see things clearly written all over you, Elise. You’re running from something, something you want to stop running from. But you’re never going to be able to do that if you don’t start trusting these men the way they’ve clearly come to trust you.”

“Janice…”

“I’ve known them for a long time. I know what they’re like. It’s obvious that there’s something beautiful brewing between the four of you. The heart wants what it wants, honey. But you can’t have a happy ending nor the peace you so desire if you don’t put a little bit more faith in them. They’re here for you.”

I cross my arms, close to pouting the way Tricia and Ainsley do when James chides them over mischief. “I suddenly feel like myback is against the wall.”

“I mean no harm, I promise. I want to see you happy. I want to see the guys happy. The girls adore you.”

“I can appreciate that,” I tell her.

“Set your fears aside. Whatever’s troubling you, you need to share it with them. You know they’ll move heaven and earth for you.”

“I’m not so sure about that. I mean, we don’t even know what this is yet. I don’t know where I stand, what the future holds, or what place it has for me. The world wouldn’t understand.”

“Who gives a hoot about the rest of the world? Up here in the Rockies, it’s different, Elise. You’ve seen it for yourself. To each their own, but they all come together in kindness, loving their neighbors, looking out for one another. Small town, big hearts. Whatever you want, it can be yours if you open yourself up to it.”

“What can you tell me about Shauna?”

“Oh, Shauna.” Janice rolls her eyes and grabs a cookie from the platter, chewing slowly while she searches for the right words to express what is such a clear disdain for that woman. “Shauna is one hell of a character. Moody and selfish. She’ll do anything to get what she wants. I’m surprised none of her flowers wilt in her presence, she’s such a shrew.”

“To be honest, I harbor similar feelings toward her.”

“What Shauna had with the boys was a lie. They thought it was genuine, but all Shauna really ever wanted was James. She’s still pining for him. Once it was over, she tried to weasel back into their lives. She’s still trying.”

“But they’re not interested.”

Janice shakes her head, giving me a stern look. “You get her out of your mind, honey. She’s a thing of the past. It’s where they left her, no matter what she tells you.”

“Do you think she’d do something to, I don’t know, scare me or try to get me away from them?”

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