Forever in Love (Montana Brides)

by Leeanna Morgan

  Amy didn’t move. She’d come here thinking her mom wanted to take Catherine back to Chicago. But she didn’t live in Chicago and she didn’t want her baby back. She didn’t want either of her daughters.

  “Are you okay?” Jackie looked just as shell-shocked as Amy felt.

  “Can mom do that?”

  Jackie leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. “It’s more common than you might think. When I spoke to Carmen she didn’t give me any indication that she wanted to sign away her parental rights. Do you know what happens next?”

  Amy closed the lid of the ring box and shook her head. “I suppose I go to the hearing, but apart from that I’ve got no idea.”

  “I’ll email you a form that outlines the process when I get back to my office. You have to know that the courts don’t generally favor dissolving a biological parent’s rights. But in this case I can’t see them turning down Carmen’s application, especially if you’re happy to care for Catherine.”

  Amy rubbed her temples, easing the tension that was fast building into a headache. “Do I need a lawyer?”

  “Probably not. The judge will talk with me and Catherine’s previous case worker. They’ll call in any other social workers that have been involved with Carmen and your sister. If you think of anyone that would strengthen your case to look after Catherine then send me their names in the next couple of days.”

  “Why do you think she did it?”

  Jackie shrugged her shoulders as she gathered her papers and files together. “Your mom wants to give Catherine a better life. The way she’s doing it is either incredibly noble or the worst decision she’ll ever make. That’s something she’s going to have to live with if the judge agrees to her petition.”

  Amy reached for her coat, slipping the ring box into the side pocket. “I’ll go and pick Catherine up from daycare. We’ll carry on as normal until we hear from you or the court.”

  Jackie held the door open, flicking the light switch off as they left the room. “I know what happened today has come as a shock, but try not to think about it too much. It could be weeks before your mom’s case is heard and in the meantime you’ve got a little girl to look after and a busy life to organize. It will all work out how it’s supposed to.”

  Amy didn’t disagree. Sometimes it was easier not too. Sometimes safer. She’d never taken much notice of fate and letting life take its own course. If she’d been a different person it would have been all too easy to repeat the same mistakes her mom had made. She expected more from herself. More from the people around her. More from her mom.

  After she’d picked up Catherine from daycare, Amy rang Nathan’s mom and told her what had happened. Jenny invited them out to the ranch for dinner and some much needed support. At the time it seemed like a good idea, but as soon as she had Catherine bundled up in her car seat it began to snow. It looked pretty, but it was hopeless thinking they’d get anywhere in a hurry. She drove slowly, watching the blanket of white ice hit the windscreen quicker than the wipers could brush it away.

  Amy stopped her truck outside the Gray family home and smiled at the scene in front of her. From the front yard the house looked like a Christmas tree. Light shone from every room, glistening off the thick layer of snow on the ground outside. Around the edge of the downstairs windows she could see the glow of orange pumpkins, hinting at the Thanksgiving decorations she couldn’t wait to see.

  Amy shivered as she threw open her door and ran around the truck to get Catherine. They’d wrapped up warmly for the trip, with heavy-duty snow jackets and wooly hats taking the worst of the cold away. But the late afternoon temperature was bitter and the sooner they got inside, the happier she’d be.

  Before she’d made it to the house the front door flew open and Matthew pounded down the steps.

  “You need to come with me. We can’t get hold of Nathan.”

  She frowned as Matthew lifted Catherine out of her arms and headed toward the house. She ran to keep up with his long-legged stride. “What do you mean, you can’t get hold of Nathan?”

  Jenny waited at door, pulling Catherine into her arms as soon as Matthew’s feet hit the hallway. Her face was pale and she looked worried. More worried than Amy had seen her in a long time.

  “Thank goodness you’re here, Amy. Matthew’s already loaded the first aid kit onto the back of the four-wheeler. Paul’s taken his truck to where we think Nathan went, but he may not get far with all the snow on the ground.”

  Matthew tossed Amy a pair of ski pants. “Put these on. They’ll keep you warm. I’ll meet you at the back door in a couple of minutes.”

  “Keep in contact with your father,” Jenny yelled after him. “And don’t do anything foolish.”

  “Nathan’s hurt?” Amy took off her boots and pulled the pants over her jeans, fumbling with the tie around the waist. Her hands shook as she yanked her boots back on and zipped the leg of the pants tight.

  Jenny kissed Catherine’s cheek and held her close. “He went out on his horse this afternoon. He told Sean he’d be back over an hour ago, but he hasn’t arrived home and the weather’s closing in fast.”

  “Have you called the search and rescue team?”

  Jenny shook her head. “We were going to wait until we’d had a look first.”

  “Ring them now,” Amy said as she opened the front door. “I’m going to grab my medical bag out of the truck. I’ll be back soon.”

  She ran down the stairs, nearly slipping on the icy steps. She opened the passenger door and lifted out a black bag, heading back to the house before Matthew came looking for her.

  As soon as she walked inside, Jenny passed her a full face helmet and a pair of gloves. “I’ll give Catherine her dinner and put her to bed when she’s ready.”

  “Thank you, and don’t worry. We’ll find Nathan.” Amy pulled the helmet over her head and walked quickly toward the kitchen. She glanced at Jenny before the back door closed. They both knew time was against them. A lot could go wrong in the mountains and unless they found Nathan soon, it could get a whole lot worse.

  Matthew met her at the door and strapped her bag onto the first aid kit. He revved the four-wheeler as she hopped on the back. “You ready?” he yelled over the noise of the engine.

  Amy nodded and snapped her visor into place. She pulled herself against Matthew and they roared across the ranch, blasting their way through ice and snow to find his brother.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Amy watched the glow of Paul’s headlights ignite the pine trees around his truck like flaming beacons. The four-wheeler slowed and she loosened her grip on Matthew’s waist. Paul opened the door of his truck and came around to meet them.

  Amy flipped her visor up, waiting to hear what he had to say.

  “I can’t go any further. Alex Green was helping with the decorations when Sean told us Nathan was late getting home. They’ve headed up the mountain on four-wheelers with a trailer in case Nathan can’t make it down.” He reached across and gave Amy a hug. “Thanks for coming.”

  The fear in his eyes caught at Amy’s heart. “Have you heard from them since they left?”

  Paul shook his head. “No cell phone coverage. They’ve got flares, so if you see one go off head straight toward it. There’s a plateau about half-way up the mountain that Nathan likes visiting. Damn kid nearly gave me a heart attack the first time he went missing. I just hope he went there this afternoon.”

  “We’ll find him, dad. Let’s go, Amy.” Matthew maneuvered around the pickup, then followed the track up the side of the mountain. “Watch out for the flare,” Matthew yelled. “I’ll follow Sean’s trail.”

  They worked their way along the track, heading closer to the trees when there was no way around the snowdrifts blocking their path. The higher they climbed, the thicker the snow fell and the more worried Amy became. They hadn’t seen Sean or Alex. She didn’t even know if they were on the right path or if they’d veered off toward another trail on one of the detours they’d had to
make.

  She glanced up at the sky. Angry steel-grey clouds blocked what was left of the late afternoon sun, casting menacing shadows over the mountain. And then she saw it. A flash of orange high above them. A flickering tail of light followed the main burst, arcing across the sky until the clouds swallowed it whole.

  Amy tapped Matthew’s shoulder, pointing to the right. He nodded and turned around, dodging dead branches and fallen trees that blocked their way.

  They skidded to a stop at the top of a ridge. Two four-wheelers were parked under the trees, the trailer on one of them covered in fresh snow. Chan stood quietly under another tree, watching their arrival with big, brown, sorrowful eyes.

  Matthew took his helmet off, looking for any sign of Alex or Sean. He pulled a green woolen hat out of his jacket pocket. “There’s a spare hat on the back of the bike if you didn’t bring yours. Let’s go.”

  Amy helped him unclip her bag and the box of first aid gear. They trudged toward Sean’s four-wheeler, pulling their feet through at least six inches of snow. The light from Matthew’s flashlight danced through the trees, picking out a man running toward them.

  “Over this way,” Sean yelled. “Amy? Thank God you’re here.”

  She heard the urgency in his voice, the relief and the worry. “How’s Nathan?”

  “It looks as though Chan bucked him clean off his back further down the ridge. He hit his head when he went down and thinks he lost consciousness for a while. He’s as sore as hell, but still growling at me so he can’t be that bad. I’ll help Matthew with the boxes, you go and see Nathan.”

  Sean passed her his flashlight and she hurried toward a beam of light at the bottom of a steep bank. She looked either side of the drop, trying to find an another way down.

  “It’s the safest way we could find. Slide down on your backside,” Sean said from behind her. “It flattens out at the bottom so you won’t keep going. Just dig your heels in to slow yourself down otherwise you could end up on top of Nathan.”

  And that was so not going to happen, Amy thought. Nathan wouldn’t have the pleasure of any part of her body lying on top of him, ever again. After she got him home he’d be lucky if she even kissed him she was so angry. He’d gone out riding. On his own, for cripes sake. At the beginning of winter when most sane people knew how fast the weather could change.

  She sat on the ground and pushed off. Fresh snow sprayed either side of her feet as she slid down the bank. By tomorrow morning the snow would be iced solid, a death trap for anyone stupid enough to try what she was doing now.

  A beam of light followed her progress down the bank. She skidded to a halt not far from a pair of legs covered in brown ski pants.

  “You must be Amy.”

  She blinked at the deep voice, wiping snow out of her eyes so she could see who was talking to her. A face handsome enough to make a single woman swoon smiled down at her. “Alex?”

  “That’s me.” He held out his hand and pulled her upright. “Nathan’s over there.” He nodded toward a clump of trees.

  Alex kept hold of her hand as they moved along the ridge. Amy tried tugging her fingers free but he wasn’t letting go.

  “About fifteen feet away there’s a forty foot drop to the next level. I’m not letting you go until we get off this ridge.”

  Amy spun her flashlight past Alex. A great big hole of yawning nothingness absorbed the beam of light.

  “You wouldn’t have gone over the top,” he assured her with confidence, reading her mind. “I’ve wrestled bulls that are ten times bigger than you and lived to tell the tale. No one in their right mind would want me on the rodeo circuit if I couldn’t catch you.”

  Amy blinked a few times to adjust her thinking away from bulls and rodeo circuits and back to Nathan lying in the snow. “Thank you...I think.”

  “You’re welcome, ma’am. Here’s our man of the moment.”

  Amy kept the direct beam of her flashlight away from Nathan’s face. Sean and Alex had wrapped a silver survival blanket around him, keeping some of the bone crushing cold off his body. A tall pine tree had stopped his fall and given him shelter from the worst of the snow. She knelt beside him, listening to his shallow breathing. The side of his riding helmet had shattered during his fall. His nose was a bloody mess and he’d split his bottom lip open.

  “Hi, Nathan. Don’t worry about anything. We’ll get you back home in no time.” Relief flickered in his eyes. “Where does it hurt the most?”

  “Shoulder,” he whispered. “Glad...here.”

  A rush of tears stung Amy’s eyes. “I’m glad I’m here too.” She took a deep breath and looked back at Alex. “Did you or Sean move him?”

  “No, but I think he must have moved at some stage. There’s a pool of blood beside his head.”

  Amy glanced down, frowning at the red stained snow. “Do you know where you are, Nathan?”

  “Ranch,” he muttered.

  “I know it must hurt to speak, but try your best. Do you know what day of the week it is?”

  Nathan frowned, mulling over the question before answering. “Wednesday.”

  “That’s good. Do you know what happened?”

  “Fell...horse.”

  Matthew and Sean put the first aid kits beside her and she moved to the top of Nathan’s head. She pulled her gloves off and felt the bite of cold air against her skin. “Nathan, I’m going to put my hands either side of your neck to keep it still. Matthew, can you see if there’s a neck brace in your parent’s first aid kit?”

  “Sure.” He lifted the lid off and rummaged around. “I’ve found one. Where do you want it?”

  Amy glanced at the plastic and velcro brace. “Undo the straps and open it out so that the two halves can slip around Nathan’s neck. I’m going to keep my hands where they are. Sean, I want you to slowly take off Nathan’s helmet so that Matthew can put the brace on as soon as the helmet’s off.”

  “No problem.”

  “Nathan, I want you to stay as still as you can until we get the brace on. Are you ready, Sean?”

  Sean knelt by his brother’s shoulder and slowly unbuckled the chin strap, pulling the helmet back toward Amy.

  “That’s it. Not too fast. We need that neck brace now, Matthew.”

  Sean moved away, and Matthew knelt beside his brother.

  With the brace secure, Amy crawled across to her medical bag, twisting the combination lock until the clasp flicked open. She reached inside and pulled out a small flashlight. When she got back to Nathan, he’d closed his eyes.

  “I want you to open your eyes for me, Nathan. That’s it.” She moved the torch left and right, checking to see if his pupils responded to the thin beam of light. “Alex, can you come a little closer with your flashlight? I need to have a good look at Nathan’s head.”

  Alex stood behind her. Apart from the mother of all bumps where his helmet had shattered, there didn’t appear to be any open wounds on his skull. “Okay, Nathan. Now it’s time to check the rest of your body.”

  He started to smile, but ended up moaning as soon as his mouth moved.

  “You’ve cut your bottom lip. That’s why it hurts. Matthew, while I’m doing this, can you see if there’s something we can use as a stretcher?”

  “Already got it covered. Dad bought a foldaway stretcher years ago when Sally fell off her horse. We tied it to the back of the trailer before we left. I’ll go and get it.”

  Sean followed Matthew, their flashlights darting across the snow as they walked toward the bank.

  Amy pushed back the survival blanket and unzipped Nathan’s jacket.

  “He’s wearing a rib and chest protector,” Alex said from beside her.

  She nodded and undid the velcro fastenings, moving her hands over Nathan’s chest, paying close attention to his left shoulder when he let out a groan of pain. She moved further down his body, checking for broken bones and any other injuries.

  As soon as she’d finished she wrapped the survival blanket around him and
stood up, moving across to her medical kit. “You’re doing great, Nathan. I’m going to give you an injection to take some of the pain away.”

  Nathan grunted a reply and within a few seconds she had everything she needed. “You’re going to feel a small pinprick on the top of your right hand.” Amy worked quickly, inserting a small plastic tube into Nathan’s vein and taping it in place. “Well done. We’re half way there.” She injected morphine into the line and sat back on her heels, waiting for the drug to take effect. “How are you feeling?”

  “Better.”

  “That’s good. The pain relief should last until we get to the hospital. But if you start to feel sore let me know and I’ll give you something to help.”

  Alex paced backward and forward, every few minutes flicking his flashlight toward the bank. “I’m going to see what’s taking Sean and Matthew so long. Will you be okay?”

  “We’ll be fine,” Amy said. “All I need is some light.”

  Alex looked through the first aid kit and pulled out another flashlight. He switched it on and handed it to Amy. “Yell if you need me.”

  Amy left the light on the ground, shining it toward Nathan’s head. She held his hand, watching Alex disappear into the night. Nathan squeezed her fingers and she rubbed the side of his hand, trying to comfort him, to let him know that everything would be alright. Reaching inside her jacket pocket, she pulled out a tissue, wiping her eyes and nose. He didn’t need to see her falling apart. He’d already been through enough in the last few hours without having to cope with her crazy emotions.

  He squeezed her fingers again and made a grunting sound.

  She let go of his hand and crouched beside his head. “What is it?”

  “Be...okay.”

  Amy blinked hard, trying to wash away the tears gathering in her eyes. Nathan’s gaze bound her to him with the same strength that had kept him alive. The same courage that had made him never give up on her, to always see the best in what they could be together.