On Blackstone Mountain: Chapter 9
Did Uncle Gregor seriously believe she was just going to sign away her grandfather’s legacy?
The banging on the front door jarred Josie into wakefulness the following morning and she groaned, holding her head lest it split in two. Wine always hit her hard and like an idiot she’d drunk the entire bottle on her own.
Most of the time she could handle the pressures of her existence—the farm with the unending chores and isolation, Gramp’s passing, the marriage ultimatum… But yesterday it had all been too much and she’d made an ass of herself by allowing a panic attack to get the best of her. Sending her running from the Danforth’s ranch like a scared little rabbit.
This is a type of romance novel which I call “farm-smut” and features sex and love on the homestead, farm, or off-grid Maine location. To follow along with the story, receiving new chapters directly to your inbox, I invite you to subscribe below.
*****Please note that the version of this story you read here is a first-draft, subject to change in it’s final revised and published (into a book) format.*****
Previously on Blackstone Mountain…
Following the incident at Sunday supper, Ben learns the truth about Josie’s inheritance and the conditions attached to it. Determined to prevent Josie from marrying some shmuck, he takes himself off to Blackstone Mountain where he proposes to a very drunken Josie….
Chapter 9: All In
After Ben’s visit, she’d polished off the rest of the bottle before crashing on the couch in the living room.
Again came the banging on the front door and Josie could hear someone calling, “Hallo!? Anybody home?”
“Fuck.” Recognizing her Uncle’s voice Josie lurched to her feet. “Just a minute, Uncle!”
Still wearing the sundress from her outing yesterday, Josie caught a look at herself in the hallway mirror. Her face was a mess. Eyes puffy from crying herself to sleep, cheeks blotchy, with her hair all over the place and the dress hanging off her wrinkled and disheveled.
Snatching a flannel shirt from one of the pegs behind the door she pulled it on over the sundress and finally opened the door.
Uncle Gregor stood there looking distinctly perturbed, “Having a bit of a late start, are we?”
Unable to think of a response as her head pounded and her stomach churned, Josie merely stared at her uncle.
“Aren’t you going to invite me in?” his eyes bored into hers and her insides squirmed with anxiety. She did not want him there, but neither could she deny the man access to his childhood home. Gregor had always come and gone from the farm while Gramp lived, checking in on his ailing father and ensuring his needs were met.
He’d always kept a sharp eye on Josie, too, though she’d pretended not to notice.
Reluctantly stepping aside, she held the door and allowed Uncle Gregor to step through into the house.
“What is this about, Uncle?” she asked. “I’ve got to get outside to tend the livestock.”
Though Josie had made no changes to the house since Gramp’s passing, Uncle Gregor surveyed the front rooms like a potential buyer.
“I’ve brought the paperwork for the Deed transfer with me for us to go over and sign.”
Without waiting for an invitation he moved into the kitchen and dining room, and took a seat at the table. She watched as he pulled an envelope from his inner breast-pocket, proceeding to spread the paperwork out on the table.
“We can sign the documents and then you’ll be free to do whatever you wish with your fortune—go wherever you like.”
Josie froze, her blood running cold. It felt as if all of the air had suddenly been sucked from the room and she wanted to be sick. Did Uncle Gregor seriously believe she was just going to sign away her grandfather’s legacy?
Swallowing, she forced herself to breathe slowly in and out, staving off the surging anxiety that threatened to consume her. She had to be strong—for the farm. For Gramp. All of the livestock depended upon Josie to protect them. All of the thousands of acres and the wildlife living therein depended upon Josie. If this was the moment of truth, so be it.
“Uncle.” She said soberly. “I’m not selling.”
He laughed absently, “Don’t be absurd, girl. Of course you are.”
“No. I’m not.” Josie said firmly.
Her tone drew his scathing gaze and he sneered, “Are you really stupid enough to think I don’t know all about my father’s foolish ‘marriage clause’? You’re here on borrow time, why not put yourself out of this misery? Take the deal, Josie. If you make me wait, I won’t be so generous in another five months.”
Trembling now, her blood like treacle in liquefied limbs, Josie fought the urge to run and in a voice that shook, choked out, “Is it really so impossible to believe that I might fulfill the terms of the inheritance?”
“You’re not going to find a man who’ll sign up for this kind of life. No electricity. No plumbing. I don’t know what my father was thinking…” Gregor said scathingly, sitting back in his chair to look her over. “And look at you. You’re a fucking mess. My sister screwed you up good. No man in his right mind would take you on.”
His words echoed similar sentiments from long ago: “worthless” and “useless” ringing in her ears. The world seemed to fall from beneath her feet and all of the blood drained from Josie, leaving her feeling cold and numb. She stared at her Uncle with dead eyes.
“Get out.”
“Now, you listen here, girl—” her Uncle stood and pounded a finger on the papers on the table. “This is a good deal more than you deserve!”
“I’m not selling!” Josie shrieked at him.
His lips firmed into a contemptuous line as his black eyes pinned her, “I mean it when I say I won’t make this same offer again, Josephine.”
Trembling all over, Josie met his deadly gaze and, though her voice shook, she stated, “By everything that is holy, I swear that I will never sell this land—I’d rather die first! Now, get out of my house!”
He stood there a long moment, as though he expected her to capitulate. When she did not, he gathered the papers, shaking his head as he stuffed them back into the envelope, saying, “You’re going to regret this, girl.”
Josie stood rooted to the spot until she heard his Rover making it’s way out of the basin and down the mountain. Then she dashed out the front door, barely making it to the railing before losing the contents of her stomach into the flower bed below.
Uncertain how long she’d been standing there, Josie stared at the door of the cabin unable to bring herself to knock.
It was still early—barely eight o’clock—and there was no sign or sound of activity from inside. She didn’t want to wake him, but she needed to face Ben with her answer and get it over with. Like ripping off a band-aid.
She’d been in a heightened state of anxiety these last 3 days, sick to her stomach and hardly sleeping. Josie desperately needed this behind her. She didn’t know how it would all turn out, but she did know that of all the men she’d ever met, it was Ben that she trusted the most. Both with the farm—and with herself.
She hated having to draw the Danforths into her mess, yet there was no denying the fact that a better offer was unlikely to come her way.
At length, Josie raised a fist to knock just as the door opened.
“Josie!” Ben blinked in surprise and then chuckled at his own reaction, “Good morning!”
The black v-neck t-shirt stretched across his broad shoulders and wide chest. He still had not shaved and he had a roguish look that sent heat flooding through Josie’s body.
Just breathe, she told herself.
“Good morning, Ben” she said, meeting his eyes even as her insides squirmed. “I—I wondered if I might have a minute of your time?”
“Of course!” he beamed, opening the door wide for her. “I was just about to run to town, but I’ve got all day, really.”
Taking a breath, Josie stepped through into the close confines of the cabin.
“Would you like a cup of coffee?” he asked, “It’s fresh and still hot.”
“Only if you’re having one, too.” she murmured, “I don’t want to be a bother.”
“No bother.” he said, pulling a second mug down to join the one already sitting on the table. “I’m guessing you want to talk about my proposal the other night? You have some questions?”
Twisting her hands together, Josie bit her lower lip and sucked in a breath, fighting the urge to run. Her heart raced and her blood flowed hotly through her veins so that her limbs felt like jelly.
She nodded and managed, “Yes.”
He nodded in agreement as he poured the coffee, “Have a seat. Let’s talk about it.”
Her jellied limbs uncoordinated, Josie’s movements were jerky as she pulled a chair out and sank into it. She felt awkward and it only served to amplify her distress.
“How do you like your coffee?” he asked, bringing sugar and a half-gallon jug of milk from the newly installed gas-powered ice box.
“I-um—” she faltered. No man had ever asked her that before and it struck Josie, sending a shiver down through her body. “Two sugars and a splash of milk, please.”
Mesmerized, Josie watched his big hands as they fixed her coffee. She imagined what it might be like to have those hands on her body and shifted on the chair as heat pooled at the very center of her.
There was no denying that she wanted him. She’d always wanted Ben.
And yet—it terrified her, too.
What would happen to Josie when he inevitably lost interest in her? When he tired of playing farmer? When he realized he wanted someone more feminine or elegant than Josie could ever hope to be?
Could she endure the pain of losing him? After finally giving in to her feelings, could she go on existing after loving Ben?
If it meant saving the farm and the land, though, Josie knew she had no choice but to endure it.
“So—what is it you’d like to know?” he asked once he’d settled himself across from her, coffees in front of each of them.
Josie quailed inwardly, struggling to find the words now that it was come to the point. Forcing herself to meet his eyes and finding only gentle concern there, Josie cleared her throat.
“So-um—does your offer still stand?” When he nodded patiently she charged on before she could lose her nerve. Stammering, “And do you—are you wanting it to be—for us to be—? I mean—I know I’m not your type and I would totally understand if-if you didn’t want to—”
He stared at her for a long, drawn out moment and everything inside Josie screamed. Anxiety choked her, squeezing the air from her lungs until she thought her head would explode.
But she did not run.
Josie waited, not moving, not breathing as realization dawned in Ben’s eyes and he gazed at her slack jawed, “You really think I wouldn’t want you?”
Not daring to meet his gaze, Josie shrugged.
“Honey—you’re fucking hot as hell. I’m having all I can do to keep my hands off you. Why would you think I might not want you that way?”
There was a long drawn out pause as Josie struggled to voice the words, eventually mumbling, “It’s happened before.”
Another long pause as he studied her.
“I thought I made it pretty plain the other night that I want you, Josie,” he said slowly. “But if you need to hear it in words, I understand.”
He reached across the table to take her small hand in his larger one and Josie felt the heat in her cheeks.
“Look at me, Josie,” he murmured, his thumb rubbing the back of her hand reassuringly.
She hesitated, but eventually obeyed, meeting his brown gaze fearfully. To her surprise there was only gentleness there.
“Cards on the table, Josie—” he said soberly. “I’ve wanted you from the instant I saw you on the pond. Even before I knew the terms of your inheritance I was trying to get close to you—that’s what renovating the cabin was all about…”
Not daring to believe him, Josie held her breath as she listened.
“I know it’s all very sudden—” he continued. “It is for me, too. But when Amie told me about Gramp’s Will, I knew right then that I wanted it to be me. I want to be your husband and live up there on Blackstone Mountain with you. To take care of you, work with you—have babies with you…”
“B-babies?” Josie whispered, her eyes wide and round in her face. She’d never dared hope for a family or happiness in a marriage.
“Don’t you want a family, sweetheart?”
He asked so tenderly that it drew tears to her eyes and Josie looked down at her hand in his.
“I want it all with you, Josephine Greene.” he said earnestly. “Till death do we part.”
Dumbfounded, Josie could only sit there for several long moments as she sought to come to terms with this new reality. Never in a million years would she have guessed at this turn of events and she still didn’t quite dare to believe it.
Still, Uncle Gregor’s most recent visit loomed in her mind and whether Ben’s interest waned or grew, Josie needed to seal the deal if she had any hope of protecting her grandfather’s legacy.
“Ben…” Extracting her hand from his so that she could think without the distraction of his touch, she told him, “There’s something you should know before you—before we-um—”
“What is it, Josie?”
“Um-well—” she began. “Uncle Gregor came to see me again the other day. He had a contract drawn up for the Deed transfer and sale of the farm—and he—he was pretty upset when I refused to sign...”
“Amie mentioned he’d been giving you a hard time,” Ben murmured thoughtfully.
“Well-I—” Josie hedged, embarrasssed and ashamed. “He said some pretty terrible things and I-I lost my temper. I kicked him out of the house and told him he’s not welcome there anymore…”
“You pissed him off good, then, huh?”
Nodding, Josie continued, “But there’s more—over on the eastern borders of the property, someone has been illegally harvesting trees and poaching wildlife. I reported it to the warden service, but haven’t heard anything about it yet. That was 2 weeks ago.”
Ben looked thoughtful, but said nothing.
“I just want to be up front about what you’re getting yourself into,” she said quietly. “It could be dangerous.”
“Sweetheart, your Uncle ain’t got nuthin’ on the guys I was dealing with overseas. This only affirms to me that I’m the right man for the job. You can’t protect that place by yourself. You need someone who can fight for you. Fortunately, I’ve got plenty of combat experience.”
She fell silent then, processing his words as she took a sip of the coffee he’d prepared for her.
“So…” she hedged. “You’re in?”
He laughed and took both her hands in his. “All in, baby.”
Coloring vividly, Josie reveled in the feel of his big hands on hers, while at the same time wondering: how long would it last?
Thank you for reading and following along with my debut novel: On Blackstone Mountain. Please feel free to leave your questions and feedback in the comments. Also, consider subscribing to my farm-blog to follow along with the story of this lady-farmer and conservationist in Maine!
Much love to you and yours, my friends!