Montana Wrangler (4 page)

“Don't you own any shoes without high heels?”

“I have running shoes but I left them at home. I didn't expect to be gone but a few days.”

He glanced at her sideways. “You run?”

“Every morning unless I'm working an early shift. I joined a twenty-four-hour gym so I wouldn't have any excuse to miss my workouts. Not even bad weather.”

That news surprised Jay. Given her sophistication, he hadn't expected her to do anything more athletic than polishing her fingernails.

He glanced at her hand on his arm. Slender fingers, soft hands and nails that were cut fancy and shiny with a clear polish. Not showy but nice.

She released her grip on his arm as they reached the double-door entrance of the church. Ward Cummings, a former marine who could arm wrestle and beat anybody in town, Jay included, greeted them.

Ward handed Paige a program, then extended one to Jay. “Good to see you, Jay. Sorry to hear about Krissy.”

“Yeah. Pretty tragic.” Not only for Krissy and her son, but for the horse she rode, as well. “This is her sister, Paige. Came in from Seattle for the funeral. Ward Cummings.”

“I'm sorry for your loss, miss.”

Paige thanked him politely before moving farther into the sanctuary.

Jay and Ward did a mock arm wrestle before shaking hands. “She's one nice-looking lady,” Ward said. “How long is she going to be around?”

Jay frowned, watching Paige walk ahead of him. “Not long.”

“Too bad. She'd add a little class to Bear Lake.”

Yeah, maybe, he thought as he caught up with her. But classy Paige had made it clear she wasn't about to hang around Bear Lake any longer than necessary, and she sure wasn't the kind who'd have any interest in a horse wrangler who smelled of sweat and leather more times than not.

He followed her into a pew wondering what she'd meant when she'd said joining a church was the first time that she'd felt loved. What about her folks? Hadn't they loved her?

Right! They sent their other daughter away just because she got pregnant.
That didn't sound like love to him.

He sat down and reached for a hymnal.

“This is a lovely little church. Very peaceful feeling.” She spoke in a soft whisper than made him lean toward her, and he caught a whiff of her sweet perfume.

“I suppose it is. But sometimes if I've got a serious problem to work out, I go to a special place I found in the forest. I think of it as God's natural cathedral. Towering pines. A waterfall that ribbons down the mountain like threads of silver.”

She studied him a minute, her expression intent, before she spoke. “That sounds lovely.”

“If you stick around long enough, I'll take you there.”

She held his gaze, her eyes a deep, warm brown. “I think I'd like that.”

The organ switched from the prelude, introducing the first notes of the opening hymn. The congregation stood as Pastor Walker walked on stage and held his arms up in welcome.

Jay mentally kicked himself as he searched through the hymnal to find the right page. Why had he offered to take Paige to the spot where he went when he needed to pray? His private place of contemplation. A place where he felt closer to Annie.

He didn't want to take someone like Paige there, a woman who didn't want anything to do with him or his beloved horses.

As he held out the open hymnal to Paige, he realized he didn't have to worry. She would turn down the invitation the instant she learned the only way to get to his cathedral was on horseback.

* * *

Grandpa had been right about a storm coming.

By afternoon, clouds had filled the sky, bringing with them an early twilight. Rain spattered on the roof and dimpled the worn path from the barn to the house. Inside, a cozy fire snapped and crackled in the natural-stone fireplace.

Grandpa was reading a newspaper. Bryan lay sprawled on the floor in front of the fire playing a game on an electronic device.

Pondering how she could break through Bryan's reticence and make a connection with him, Paige sat down at the upright piano. She ran her fingers over the keys, running up and down the scales. She'd taken lessons and played all through high school, often accompanying the choir or student musicals.

“Hey, Bryan,” she said. “Remember when we used to play ‘Chopsticks' together?”

He turned to look at her. “Uh-uh.”

“Don't you remember this?” Using two fingers, she tapped out the familiar tune. “You got pretty good at it.”

She had his attention enough that he took the ear buds out of his ears.
A tiny bit of progress.

“You played the melody and I played the accompaniment.” She struck the appropriate chords, improvising a few swirling runs. “Come on. Let's try it together.”

“I don't remember how.”

“I'll show you again.”

Grandpa folded his newspaper. “Go on, boy. Give it a try.”

Reluctantly, Bryan got up. He walked to piano and sat on the bench next to her. She caught a whiff of wood smoke and little boy sweat, and smiled.

“Watch the keys I play, and you play the same ones an octave higher. Like this.” She demonstrated slowly, then asked him to try. He came close to getting it right and they practiced again.

When she thought he was ready, she let him set the beat and added the accompaniment.

They made it all the way through the song. “Magnificent!” she cheered. She held up her hand for a high five.

He looked startled, then grinned and slapped her hand.

A beginning,
she thought.
From little things, big things can grow.

Glancing toward Grandpa, she discovered Jay leaning one shoulder against the kitchen doorway watching her. His brows were lowered in disapproval, his lips a straight line.

Jay didn't believe she could make a good life for Bryan. She did. For Krissy's sake, and with God's help, she would.

Chapter Four

“Y
ou don't have to walk me to the bus.”

Walk?
Paige was having to run to keep up with Bryan, who charged ahead of her to catch the school bus.

“I thought it would be fun to see how you got to school.” Of all the things she hadn't brought with her, the absence of her running shoes was, at minimum, going to cost her a broken ankle.

“What fun?” He increased his pace, his backpack slung over his shoulder. “It's a yellow bus. Big deal.”

“Bryan, slow down.” This was not the way she had envisioned starting her first Monday morning as Bryan's sort-of guardian. “Let's walk together.”

He halted and whirled toward her, scowling. “Aunt Paige, don't you know the guys are gonna rag on me if they see you walking me to the bus like I was a little kid?”

“Oh.” She stopped. Swallowed hard. “I guess I wasn't thinking.”

“Yeah, I guess you weren't.” He turned and continued down the dirt road.

She didn't follow him. Thoroughly chastised, she called after him. “Have a nice day.”

He didn't bother to acknowledge her good wishes.

Sighing, she turned back toward Grandpa Henry's house. She strolled along the side of the road, in no hurry now.

It's not like anyone had prepared her to be Bryan's guardian. They hadn't given her a how-to book either. This trial-and-error business was going to be painful for both of them.

As soon as she got Bryan settled in Seattle, she'd have to arrange for family counseling. The two of them needed to learn to communicate better. Bryan would probably need some help dealing with his grief and the changes in his life.

The storm had passed through last night, leaving only a few puffy clouds in the early morning sky. Residual rainwater puddled the dirt road and oozed into the depressions left by her high heels. Jay Red Elk wouldn't have any trouble tracking her, if he was interested. Which was unlikely.

She'd have to call her boss in Seattle, Mr. Armstrong, and tell him about the newest life-changing event since the death of her sister. Then she'd drive to Kalispell and try to deal with the guardianship arrangement.

Pausing, she watched a bee flitting around a cluster of blue lupine in a sunny area. She remembered Grandma Lisbeth knew the names of all the wildflowers in the area but Paige hadn't bothered to remember them. Now she wished she'd paid more attention.

She looked up and her breath caught. Off to the side of the road in the shade of a stand of pine trees stood two white-tail does and their fawns, who couldn't be more than a few weeks old. They still had their spots like two young Bambi look-alikes. The does eyed Paige suspiciously then moved farther into the woods with their precious babies.

Their beauty and dignity, their natural mothering instincts, touched something in Paige's heart. Could she learn to be that good a mother for Bryan?

She could only pray she would, in time, learn how to give him all the love he needed.

As she approached the corral, she saw Jay saddling a horse.

He tipped his hat to her. “So you saw Bryan to the school bus?”

“Not exactly.”

He quirked his lips in what had to be an I-told-you-so grin. “He wasn't too pleased to have his buddies see you playing mama?”

“Something like that.” She cringed, realizing he'd seen her trailing after Bryan like a stray dog.

“Kids can be sort of touchy about adults hanging around them,” he said.

Paige should have known that. But with her parents, she'd always done exactly what they had asked of her. If they came to a performance of the sixth grade class, she was thrilled. And that only happened if the hardware store could close early. She'd longed for her parents' attention almost as much as Krissy had. The only way Paige could gain their praise was to excel at the hardware store.

A black-and-white dog with floppy ears trotted over to greet Paige. Noticing the dog was a bit plump, she knelt to pet him.

“Oh, aren't you a good boy.” His tail wagged enthusiastically. “What's his name?”

“That's Archie,” Jay said. “He's actually a she. Bryan sort of misnamed her, but it stuck anyway. She keeps the horses company, the coyotes away and lets us know if there's a bear around.”

She popped to her feet. “There are bears here?”

“Not right now. If there were, Archie would be barking her head off.”

Taking a quick look up the hillside, Paige felt only marginally reassured by Jay's comment.

“Archie's also pregnant,” Jay said.

“Really? I did think he...
she
was getting plenty to eat.” She'd never owned a dog. Too much trouble, her mother had insisted. She imagined seeing newborn puppies would be quite a treat.

She edged closer to the corral, Jay and his horse, feeling safe with the sturdy fence between her and the animal. The way the horse watched her with those big brown eyes unsettled her. When he raised his head and nodded twice, she wondered what he was thinking and how far away she should stand from those big teeth of his.

“What kind of a horse is that?” She had to admit his chestnut coat was the reddish-brown shade of hair color many women spent big bucks to achieve.

“A quarter horse.” Jay flipped the stirrup up onto the saddle and reached for the cinch. “Best all-around riding horse there is.” Pride lifted his words.

“Does he have a name?”

“Thunder Boy.”

“That sounds ominous.”

Resting his arm across the saddle, Jay chuckled. “He's harmless. The way he's nodding at you means he wants you to say hello and pat his nose.”

She took a step back. “That's okay. No need for introductions.”

His smile recast itself into a scowl. “Paige, if you want to get to know Bryan better, you're going to have to make friends with horses. They aren't going to hurt you.”

She folded her arms across her chest. “One of them killed my sister.”

“Krissy did that to herself.”

If Jay's comment was meant to make her feel more comfortable around Thunder Boy, or any other horse, it wasn't working.

He patted the horse's neck, pulled something from his shirt pocket and stepped up to the fence. “Here.” He held out his hand. “Thunder really likes apples. Why don't you feed him a piece?”

Paige gaped at the quartered apple. “I don't think so.”

As agilely as a gymnast, Jay boosted himself over the corral and landed beside Paige. “We'll feed him together. Come on.” Taking her hand, he opened her fingers and placed the apple on her palm. “Thunder will be your friend forever. I promise.”

Ripples of panic swam through her midsection. “No, really.”

Despite her refusal, he put her open hand on his palm. His warmth, the feel of his wide callused hand beneath hers, seemed to transmit a dose of the courage she'd always lacked. The sensation spread up her arm, blocking out her fears and her good sense.

Thunder bent his head over the top railing toward her hand.

“Steady now,” Jay crooned, either to Thunder or Paige, she wasn't sure which.

Thunder's big lips parted, revealing huge teeth. Paige almost bolted. But the horse kissed her palm with those lips in the gentlest of touches, testing the apple, then lifting it into his mouth.

Paige blinked, studied her palm, which was still intact and looked small in Jay's much larger hand. She met his blue-green gaze. “His lips are so soft.”

Jay's mouth tilted at the corners. “Soft as...” His thumb caressed her palm. “As soft as your hand.” He'd lowered his voice to a deep, masculine timbre that rolled through his broad chest.

Still gazing into his eyes, she slowly withdrew her hand.

“I've got another piece of apple if you want to try it again,” he said, his voice tempting her.

“I, um, I have to call my boss.” As if Jay were a magnet holding her close, it took all of Paige's mental concentration to move away from him.

“Another time, then.” He touched the brim of his cowboy hat.

“Yes. Maybe. We'll see.” Breathless, her heart racing, she hurried toward the main house. It had to be the altitude that made her feel off-kilter. The cool, crisp mountain air. Clearly, as soon as possible, she needed to return to Seattle and sea level where she'd be able to catch her breath again.

* * *

Thunder Boy nudged Jay's shoulder looking for another treat. He rubbed the horse's velvety nose.

“Okay, boy, you earned it.” Chuckling a bit, Jay palmed his last piece of apple. “Thanks for not biting her.”

Thunder lipped the apple into his mouth and nodded his appreciation.

Jay had met few people who were as afraid of horses as Paige Barclay was. Even fewer who had softer hands or who smelled so sweet. Like a bunch of honeysuckle growing alongside the trail. Impossible not to miss the perfume after you'd ridden on by.

He'd felt her tremble when he had taken her hand. Was that from fear? Or from something else?

He climbed back over the fence and untied Thunder's reins. His job was to check out the trail to Arrowhead Cove, see if it was clear of winter debris, fallen trees or washed-out areas. He wasn't supposed to lollygag around thinking about a woman with soft hands and a fear of horses.

It would be better if he could come up with a way to make her realize she wasn't a suitable guardian for a twelve-year-old boy who loved horses.

Not suitable for Jay, either. Every inch of Paige Barclay shouted she wanted to return to the city. She belonged there.

Mounting, he turned Thunder toward the corral gate.

As he walked his horse past the big house, he spied Paige's footprints in the soft ground leading up onto the front porch.

That woman really ought to get down to the general store and buy a pair of boots suitable for walking around the grounds and stable at Bear Lake Outfitters. Those high heels she wore might look fine on her and were okay for traipsing around on plush carpet in a fancy hotel, but not out here on the ranch.

But mountain country was different. She needed to learn that. Or go back home.

* * *

She'd tracked mud clear across the front room.

Leaning against a wall, she took off her heels and stood in her stocking feet. Mud caked her shoes, ruining them.

At the very least she'd have to start using the mudroom. And find some more appropriate shoes—and clothes—for whatever length of time she'd be here at Bear Lake.

She walked down the hallway to Krissy's room. Guilt and regret, mixed with a trace of anger, assailed Paige as she reached the closed-off bedroom. Sisters should be close. Best friends. Someone with whom to share hopes and dreams.

That had never been the case between Paige and her sister.

Had it been Paige's fault? Or Krissy's? Or both to some degree?

Perhaps it was the five-year difference in age that had made it so difficult for them to communicate.

Taking a deep breath, Paige opened the bedroom door. She imagined Krissy was there, playing a game of hide-and-seek as she'd loved to do as a child. Any moment she'd jump out trying to frighten Paige.

The fact that wasn't going to happen ever again stoked an ache in Paige's chest that felt like a red-hot poker.

She drew a painful breath and looked around. The room shouted that a determined tomboy lived here. One who was far from being neat and tidy.

A black-and-white striped quilt had been carelessly thrown across the double bed. Photos of horses, cowboys and western scenes covered the walls. Clothes had been tossed unmindfully on a maple rocking chair; shoes and boots were left where they had fallen.

Paige shuddered, comparing her pristine and orderly condo where she rarely left anything out of place with her sister's living space. One thing was clear, they would have driven each other crazy if they had been roommates.

A few years ago when Paige had been visiting, she and her sister had gone shopping together in Missoula, the largest town around, two hours south of Bear Lake. Their taste in clothes was so opposite, the trip was pretty much a disaster.

Feeling like she was snooping, Paige opened the walk-in closet door. Granted she and her sister were built differently—Krissy with a far more feminine figure than Paige's almost nonexistent curves. Still, there might be a pair of jeans that would fit and maybe boots.

The thought of wearing her sister's clothes made Paige feel ghoulish, but she wasn't going to be here long. Her finances were such that she didn't want to waste a lot of money buying new clothes she'd probably never wear after she returned to Seattle.

The closet wasn't any better organized than the room. Clothes were hung in random order, jeans next to silk blouses, sundresses stuck in wherever there was room. The closet floor was a jumble of shoes and boots and fallen garments.

Kneeling, she pawed through the pile of shoes. She found one red tennis shoe, only a half size bigger than Paige wore. Now, if she could only find the matching one.

When she uncovered that, she dug in to find a pair of boots that might work for her. After that she searched for jeans. The ones she tried on were a bit baggy, but they would do for the next few days.

Taking a deep breath, she looked around Krissy's room. The thought of clearing out and disposing of all of her sister's things knotted in her stomach. She'd have to talk to Grandpa. And Bryan, she realized. It might be better to leave things as they were until the shock of losing Krissy had faded.

Surely there was no rush, and for Bryan's sake, Paige didn't want to erase the memory of his mother.

Returning to her room, Paige got the paperwork together that she needed to file for Bryan's guardianship.

Then she called her boss. As she expected, Mr. Armstrong was not thrilled with the news that her return to Seattle would be delayed.

* * *

After the eighty-mile round trip to Kalispell, plus an hour dealing with the court clerk and filing her request to be Bryan's guardian, Paige was tired and hungry.