Montana Wrangler (6 page)

Jay slid into his chair. He would agree with her except she was going to take Bryan to Seattle.

He spread some mustard on the sandwich and piled on the tomato and lettuce. “I still think it'll work out best for Bryan if you two spend some time getting to know each other. And the best way for you to do that is to understand how he feels about horses.”

“I'd say my attempt at doing that was an abject failure, wouldn't you?”

“That wasn't your fault. I let you get in over your head. I should've started you off easier. Something simple, so you wouldn't be afraid.”

“I'm a grown woman. I shouldn't be terrorized by a horse.”

“No, you shouldn't, but the fact is, you are. So we'll start again. You can get over your fear if we work at it.” When she shook her head, Jay figured he'd lost the argument. Angry at himself, he bit into the sandwich.

Sighing audibly, she said, “What did you have in mind?”

Smiling around his mouthful, he nodded and swallowed. “Attagirl. I knew you weren't a quitter.”

She cocked an eyebrow, a cute expression that said she was wary but willing to listen. He appreciated a woman who was open to hearing his opinion. Idly he wondered if anyone had kissed that clever eyebrow and how she had reacted.

“I want you to get to know Peaches,” he said.

Both of her brows jumped up. “Your girlfriend?”

He chuckled. “No, but she is the sweetest thing around here on four legs. Peaches is a pinto. Wonderful disposition. You'll like her.”

“Another horse? Jay, I'm simply not sure—”

“Remember, you're doing this for Bryan's sake.”

“I'd just as soon he not see me making a fool of myself again.”

“Which is why, as soon as I finish this sandwich, we're going to go meet Peaches.”

Her enthusiasm for the idea was equal to that of someone about to be hanged from the nearest tree.

* * *

Paige stood back from Peaches's stall wondering why it was so important for her to learn anything about horses. It wasn't like she ever intended to own one, or even go for a ride on one. She understood Bryan would miss his horse after he moved to Seattle, but he'd find other activities to enjoy. She hoped.

Jay stepped into the stall with Peaches, patted her neck and rubbed his hand over her nose.

“Pretty thing, isn't she?”

Paige had to admit she was a pretty horse, as horses went. And not as tall as Bright Star or as imposing as Jay's horse Thunder Boy.

“Come on in and get acquainted,” he urged, his eyes pleading. “I'll be right here with you.”

An anxious flutter in her stomach warned of oncoming panic. She said a quick prayer and stepped into the straw-covered stall.

“Good. Now say hello to Peaches.”

“Hi.” The word stuck in her throat.

Archie, the barn dog, chose that moment to enter Peaches's stall. The horse and dog touched noses and sniffed.

“They're friends,” Paige said in surprise.

“Yeah. Archie is pretty much friends with all the horses.”

Unable to resist, Paige reached down to pat Archie. “How are you doing, girl? Those puppies are getting big, aren't they?”

Peaches stuck her nose right by her hand, and Paige found herself petting the horse. “Is she doing this because she doesn't want Archie to get all the attention?”

“I'd say so. We kind of spoil her around here.”

She smiled at that. It had never occurred to her a horse could be spoiled. Peaches assessed her with patient eyes, inviting Paige to continue petting her.

“Try stroking her along her neck,” Jay suggested.

Paige did and felt Peaches's muscles ripple beneath her skin.

“You're doing fine,” Jay said. “Are you feeling comfortable?”

She considered that for a moment and nodded. “I'm okay.”

“Excellent. Would you like to brush her mane? She really likes that.”

Paige's hand froze. Would it be just like brushing Krissy's hair when they were young? Both she and her sister had enjoyed those moments together.

“Okay, I'll try.”

Jay handed her a stiff brush, which she pulled through Peaches's dusky-brown mane. The strands straightened to rest smoothly on the horse's sturdy neck. “Pretty girl,” Paige crooned.

She was also increasingly aware of Jay's closeness. Although he wasn't touching her, she imagined she could feel the heat of his body. That if she leaned back, he'd wrap his strong arms around her. Hold her tight. Safe.

Somewhere in the barn, a phone rang. Automatically Paige stiffened, halting her wayward thoughts.

A few minutes later, Grandpa came from the house to talk to them. A deep frown creased his forehead.

“The school called. Bryan got into a fight while he was waiting for the bus to come home. He's being detained in the principal's office.”

Paige's heart squeezed. “Was he hurt?”

“Didn't sound like it. But somebody will have to go pick him up.”

“I'll go.” She handed Jay the brush.

“I'm coming with you,” he said, passing the brush to Grandpa.

Taking Paige's arm, he escorted her to his truck and helped her climb in.

When they were underway, she asked, “Does Bryan get into a lot of fights?” Being the guardian of a boy who often got into trouble wouldn't be easy.

“Don't think so. He's pretty easygoing and well liked by the other kids.”

Paige could only wonder what had happened this afternoon to change that and if it had anything to do with Krissy's death.

Chapter Six

B
ear Lake Grammar School, home of the Grizzlies according to the sign outside, was a one-story brick building about three blocks from the town's main street. There were still cars parked in the lot, presumably belonging to the teachers. Only a handful of students were hanging around in front of the school waiting to be picked up.

Paige hurried in through the double-door entrance, Jay right with her.

“Principal's office is on the left,” he said.

She wheeled in that direction and pushed open the door without knocking. Sitting on a nearby chair, Bryan had his elbows on his thighs and his chin resting on his fists.

Paige knelt down in front of him. “Are you all right?”

He lifted his head. “I'm okay.”

Leaning in closer, Jay lifted the boy's chin. “Looks like a cut lip. We ought to get some ice on that.”

Bryan's gaze slid up to meet Jay's. A faint smile lifted his lips. “Other guy has a black eye.”

Jay's reaction was to bump fists with Bryan, as though he condoned giving another boy a black eye.

Far more worried about her young charge's behavior, Paige asked, “Why were you fighting? Did the other boy start it?”

“Yeah, he did.” His gaze slid away from hers.

“He hit you first?” Outraged, Paige looked around to see if the other boy was also being detained.

“Not exactly,” Bryan admitted. “He sort of said something I didn't like.”

“So you hit him?” She couldn't imagine why Bryan would strike out at someone just because he'd said something unpleasant. “Surely you know you were in the wrong to do that.”

A woman in her mid-forties with brown hair graying at the temples stepped out of the office behind the counter. “I assume you're here for Bryan,” she said. “I'm Mrs. Waterfield, the school principal.”

Paige got to her feet and extended her hand. “I'm Bryan's aunt, Paige Barclay, his mother's sister. And this is Jay Red Elk, my grandfather's wrangler.”

Jay acknowledged the principal with a nod.

“I was so sorry to hear about Bryan's mother having such a terrible accident,” the principal said. “You have my condolences.”

“Thank you. I'm sorry Bryan started a fight. I know he's upset about losing his mother, but—”

“As I understand the situation from Bryan,” Mrs. Waterfield said, “the fight was about something the other boy said about you, Miss Barclay.”

Paige's mouth dropped open. Her brows lowering into a frown, she turned to Bryan. “What in the world did the boy say?”

Bryan fidgeted, shuffling his feet back and forth. He didn't meet her eyes. “He'd heard about you trying to saddle Bright Star. He was making fun of you in front of all the guys.”

“How in the world did he hear about that?” Paige couldn't imagine Jay had spread the word. Or Grandpa.

Bryan scrunched up his face. “He's Nathan's little brother.”

She knelt again, placing her hand on his knee. “You hit the other boy because of me?”

“I guess.” He glanced up at Jay. “People shouldn't laugh at stuff like that.”

“You're right, son,” Jay agreed in a tone that was both tender and loving. To Paige he said quietly, “I'll have a talk with Nathan later.”

She nodded her thanks to Jay.

“Oh, Bryan...” A strange sense of joy filled Paige's chest and tightened her throat. Instinctively, she reached out to him, pulling him into an embrace. He'd been trying to
defend
her. However misguided the impulse might have been, she cherished the knowledge that he cared. “I'm so sorry you felt you had to hit him. It's never right to fight, you know.”

“Yeah, well, you're my aunt and stuff.”

“Yes, I am.” Leaning back, she brushed his blond hair away from his forehead. “And I love you. But no more fighting, okay? Not about me or anything else.”

His shrug was an acknowledgment of her words, but not a promise.

She struggled to her feet again. “May we take him home now, Mrs. Waterfield?”

“Of course, but I would like a moment to talk with you alone, if you have the time.”

Jay got the hint. “Come on, buddy.” He snared Bryan's arm. “We'll meet you out at the truck.” As they went out the door, Jay slung his arm around the boy's shoulders.

Paige turned expectantly to Mrs. Waterfield. “Is there another problem?”

“No, not a problem.” She clasped her hands in front of herself. “Bryan tells me you're to be his guardian and you'll be taking Bryan to Seattle. He'll be living there with you.”

“Yes, that's the plan. My job is there and I own a small condo.” Did the principal not approve? Was that what she had on her mind?

“I just wanted you to know we'll miss Bryan. He's been a fine student and a leader. I hope he'll be happy living in Seattle.”

Paige heard an echo of doubt in the principal's voice. “I'm hoping for that, too, Mrs. Waterfield. Very much so.”

As Paige left the office, she wondered if the principal had intentionally tried to get her to question the decision she'd made. But what other choice did she have? Paige couldn't very well live here in Bear Lake. Her career was in the hospitality business. Not wrangling horses. Or working in a small-town diner or fast-food joint.

And that was about the only future a town like Bear Lake had to offer someone like her.

Krissy had to have known that when she appointed Paige as Bryan's guardian.

* * *

The next afternoon, while Bryan was still in school, Paige groomed Peaches under Jay's encouraging supervision.

“How'd you get into the hotel business?” he asked, handing her a brush for Peaches's mane.

Paige suspected the question was meant to take her mind off horses and onto something else. She supposed it was his way of being kind. Sweet of him, even if it didn't entirely work. But in fact she was mostly thinking about Jay and the easy way he had with horses. And wondering, if they weren't at odds over Bryan, if something more than merely being polite might develop.

“Growing up in Lewiston, I kept dreaming of visiting faraway places. I knew I'd never have enough money of my own to travel very far, so I decided to major in the hospitality business.”

“Makes sense, I guess.”

“Trust me, it does.” Peaches turned her head to listen to the conversation. Idly, Paige petted her nose. “Particularly since I landed a job with Elite Hotels. They have properties all over England and Europe. I've already managed to visit a couple. It's wonderful to see the countryside and learn about different customs and cultures. Someday, with a lot of hard work, I'll be managing one of those hotels.”

“That's a pretty ambitious goal. I've never felt the need to travel myself.”

“Not everyone does.” Jay seemed so content in his own skin. He knew his place in the world while Paige had struggled to find that sense of belonging that came so easily to him.

Which was one more reason she and Jay were so different. Just as she'd had different dreams than her own sister. And their parents.

* * *

Thursday afternoon, after she had finished brushing Peaches's coat, she led the horse out of her stall and into the corral. A mild case of nerves caused her hand to shake. But the horse followed her just like a well-trained dog on a leash. Except Peaches was much bigger.

Jay grinned at her as she walked the horse back into her stall. “You're looking like an old pro.”

“I don't feel like one.” She gave Peaches one quarter of an apple and unsnapped the lead rope.

“I think you'll be up on Peaches's back any day now.”

She laughed, feeling good about her progress. “In your dreams, cowboy.”

* * *

Friday morning, Jay, Grandpa and Paige all climbed in Jay's truck and left in time to be at Bryan's school at ten o'clock for Game Day. It was beautiful and sunny with only a cloud or two in the blue sky. A light breeze moved the tops of pine trees, making their needles shimmer. Days like this didn't often happen in Seattle, Paige mused.

Adults and children swarmed the playing field adjacent to the school. Babies in strollers and toddlers perched on their fathers' shoulders watched the passing crowd in fascination.

This was the kind of event Paige had so wished her parents had attended when she was in school. Now here she was with Jay acting as parents should, taking an interest in the their child's activities.

Except she and Jay weren't a couple, and she was doing her best to be a good guardian for Bryan.

On the field, chalked lines designated running races, and a temporary stage had been set up for the presentation of awards.

Standing on tiptoe, Paige tried to spot Bryan in the crowd. “How will we know when Bryan is going to race?”

“They'll announce the races over the loudspeakers,” Grandpa said. He looked flushed with excitement. Paige knew her cheeks were pink, too.

She did worry that Grandpa was breathing harder than he should be after such a short walk.

“I wish we could see him. I want to make sure he knows we're here.” She remembered anxiously searching the audience to find her parents when she was playing for the student musicals in high school. More often than not, she was disappointed. She had tried hard to understand her parents were busy with the hardware store, but that did little to assuage the letdown she always felt in their absence.

The hardware store was their life. And their livelihood, she admitted.

“There he is.” Jay's shrill whistle nearly pierced Paige's eardrums.

She looked where he was pointing, spotted Bryan waving and waved back to him. Once she and Brian were in Seattle, she vowed to attend every event Bryan was in, no matter how inconvenient it might be for her. Then she remembered how annoyed her boss had been that she hadn't returned to Seattle for the doctors' conference.

This is way more important, Mr. Armstrong.

The loudspeaker sputtered. A male voice announced, “Fifth grade boys. Line up for the forty-yard dash.”

“That'll be Bryan's race,” Grandpa said.

“Follow me.” Using his size, Jay led them through the crowd to get closer to the starting line. Once there, he stepped behind Paige and Grandpa to give them the best view.

“Good luck, Bryan!” she shouted.

He gave her a cute little grin then put on his determined face again.

There was lots of jostling on the starting line as more boys joined the group.

Acting as the starter, Mrs. Waterfield raised her starting gun. “Ready. Set. Go!” The gun went off and away the boys went.

Bryan had a good start, but he was neck and neck with another boy.

Jumping up and down, Paige's cheers mixed with Jay's big booming voice and those of the other parents in the crowd.

The race was over too fast. The crowd near the finish line cheered.

“Did he win?” Paige asked.

“Couldn't see,” Jay answered, stepping out into the first lane and craning his neck to get a better look.

She went right with him. “We should've stood near the end.”

But that hadn't been necessary. Bryan broke away from the gaggle of boys and trotted back to them with a big grin on his face. He held up one finger. “I told you I'd beat Toby this year.”

“Way to go, kid.” Jay gave him a big high five. So did Grandpa.

Paige started to do the same. Instead, she wrapped her arms around her nephew and hugged him tight. “Congratulations, Bryan. I'm so proud of you.” For a moment, her eyes misted as she realized all that Krissy would miss not being here to watch her son grow up.
I'll take good care of him, Krissy. I promise.

As the games went on, Bryan won the baseball toss but he ran out of steam on the longer race that took the runners all the way around the playing field. Toby won that one. Bryan didn't seem to mind too much.

The grand finale of the games was the tug-of-war between the fifth and sixth graders, boys and girls included.

Jay and Paige were maneuvering to find a good place to watch when she looked around for Grandpa. She'd lost track of him.

“What happened to Grandpa?” An uneasy feeling raised the hair on her nape.

“I don't know.” Jay glanced over the crowd behind them. “He was right with us a minute ago.”

“Maybe he felt like he was getting too much sun and needed to find some shade.” She looked toward the narrow ribbon of shadows the school building cast, but didn't see him. The temperature wasn't all that hot, maybe seventy degrees. Unlike Paige, Grandpa was wearing a hat, as was Jay.

“I'll go look for him.” Jay strode off toward the brick building.

Torn, Paige peered through the crowd. She'd really like to see the tug-of-war but was worried about Grandpa. For the moment, he'd have to be her priority. She jogged after Jay.

He checked the restroom while she stuck her head in the empty classroom nearest the playing field. He was sitting at one of the low desks, his head resting on the desktop.

“Are you all right?” Worry had her heart beating fast, and she sat down at the desk beside him.

He lifted his head. His face looked pale, his forehead beaded with sweat. “I'm fine, girl. Little too much excitement for these old bones is all.”

“Are you sure?” He didn't look fine. Thinking he might be running a fever, she touched his forehead with the back of her hand. Despite the sweat, he didn't seem too hot. “Do you need to go home? We can take you.”

“The games aren't over, are they?”

Jay had come into the room. “Almost over. The tug-of-war is finishing up and then come the awards.”

“Well, then...” Grandpa straightened. “You two better get out there to see Bryan get his medals. I'll wait here for you. The boy can show me when it's all over.”

“I'll stay with you, Grandpa. Jay can—”