Montana Love Letter

by Charlotte Carter

  “He’s a monster, Daddy. I know he is.”

  “A record breaker. Here we go.” He scooped up the fish and dropped it into the cockpit. “Good job! Looks like at least fourteen inches long. Your personal best, squirt.”

  A rainbow stripe of color glistened on the side of the wet fish.

  Before Adam could get the flopping fish off the hook, Raeanne announced, “My bobber jiggled.”

  “Hey, all right!”

  He went to help her bring in the fish, but it had gotten off the hook, along with the bait. So he reeled it in to put more eggs on her hook and then cast the line out again.

  “Watch it good this time. When it bobs, yank real hard.”

  He returned to the fish Hailey had caught, took care of it and checked her line.

  Coming back to Janelle, he untangled her line and set the bait. “Okay, let’s try this again.”

  “At the rate we’re going, you’re not going to have time to do any fishing yourself,” she pointed out.

  “I just have to get everyone organized.” He stood with his arms around her, guiding her hands. She swung the pole back and then started the forward motion, determined to get it right this time.

  “Ouch! Ow! Stop!”

  “What’s wrong?” She turned quickly. The pole slipped from her grasp.

  “Grab the—”

  The pole splashed into the water.

  “Daddy, what’s wrong?”

  “My bobber jiggled again!”

  He clamped his hand over his shoulder. “The hook. It caught me in the shoulder. Hailey, help Rae.” He gritted his teeth.

  “Let me see.” He turned so Janelle could take a look. Janelle gasped. “How in the world—” The hook had gone through his shirt right into his flesh. Her stomach clenched.

  “See if you can haul the pole back up before we lose it.”

  “I need to get that hook out of you.”

  “It’ll wait.”

  “Rae caught a fish! It’s a rainbow.”

  “Get the net.”

  Torn between helping Adam, seeing her grinning daughter catch her first fish or retrieving the fishing pole, Janelle opted to do as she’d been told. The boat didn’t ride very high out of the water. She leaned over the side to snare the line to pull up the pole. Just as she gripped it, the boat rocked in the wake of a passing boat. She lost her balance. And fell into the lake. Headfirst.

  The icy-cold water stunned her. She gasped, swallowing a mouthful of the lake water before she popped to the surface. She shook the water from her eyes and coughed.

  Adam leaned over the side toward her. “You okay?”

  “The water’s really, really cold.”

  “Yeah, I know. Grab my hand and I’ll pull you up.”

  “Oh, no, Rae’s fish got away,” Hailey cried.

  With amazing arm strength, Adam lifted Janelle out of the water and helped her into the boat. He held her for a moment, steadying her. Looking into her eyes, he brushed a wet strand of hair away from her face. He warmed her cheek with his palm.

  “You know what? I think I just caught the best-looking fish in the lake.”

  As the warmth of his look and words heated her from the inside out, she smiled up at him. Her heart fluttered. “Seems to me I hooked a pretty handsome fish myself.”

  “Dad, what happened to Janelle?” Hailey asked, finally noticing what was going on in the bow of the boat.

  Adam held Janelle a moment longer before releasing her. “She decided to take a swim. Can you bring me my tackle box and the first-aid kit?”

  Looking puzzled, Hailey brought him what he’d asked for. He cut the line to the pole Janelle had dropped in the water, making it a total loss, then she used a pair of long-nose pliers to work the hook out of his shoulder.

  “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

  “Don’t worry about it. This has to be the most memorable fishing trip I’ve ever taken.”

  She began to shiver as she dabbed some antibiotic cream from his first-aid kit on his wound and covered it with a bandage.

  Adam put away the fishing gear, and they headed home. As he’d said, Janelle’s first fishing adventure was one she wouldn’t soon forget. Nor would her heart.

  * * *

  Adam convinced Hailey to freeze her fish until they had enough to feed everyone.

  While Janelle was taking a shower to warm up, he found a couple of cans of chili con carne in the cupboard and dumped them in a pan to heat. With a little grated cheese on top, that would do for dinner.

  Once they’d all been seated at the table and said grace, Rae looked him in the eye, her expression grave.

  “I lost my fish,” she said.

  “Yeah, I know. That happens sometimes.” When her head dipped in defeat, he lifted her chin. “I promise we’ll go back one day soon to catch him again.”

  “We will?”

  He leaned over to kiss her on the top of her head. “You bet, Buttercup. He won’t get away next time.”

  As he resumed eating his chili, he smiled to himself. As outgoing as Hailey was, Raeanne was the complete opposite, yet he knew he could love them both equally. If he were given the chance.

  They’d almost finished eating when there was a knock on the door.

  Frowning, and wondering who’d be at his door this time of night, Adam shoved back his chair. “I’ll get it.”

  He found three of his Rotary friends standing on the front porch.

  “Uh-oh. Looks like I’m outnumbered.” He opened the door wider. “Come on in. We’re just finishing up dinner.”

  As he started to introduce his friends, he noticed Janelle had already scooped up the dirty bowls and put them in the sink. His friends appeared more than a little interested to find a strange woman making herself at home in his house.

  “Guys, I’d like you to meet Janelle Townsend and her daughter, Raeanne. I think you all know Hailey.” He put his hand on Charlie’s shoulder. “This is Charlie Brooks, Owen Marcus and Ed Downey. They’re all Rotary Club members, probably here to kidnap me as some kind of a fundraising stunt.”

  Charlie laughed. “Not this time, buddy.”

  “I’m glad to meet you,” Janelle said. “I’m sorry I can’t offer you anything for dinner, but I can put a pot of coffee on and there are some cookies.”

  “No, we’re fine,” Ed said. “Very sorry we interrupted your dinner, ma’am. We came by to talk to Adam about Rotary business.”

  “Go right ahead.” Janelle rested her hand on Rae’s shoulder. “Why don’t you girls go play in Hailey’s room for a bit? We’ll let these gentlemen take care of their business.”

  The girls left, and Janelle continued to clean up the dishes.

  Adam ushered the men into the living room, where they all sat down. Adam crossed his ankle over his opposite knee. His gaze hopped between his friends. “What’s up?”

  “I guess you know,” Ed began. “We’re the nominating committee. We’ve come to recruit you.”

  Adam shot a look at Charlie. “Your idea?”

  “We’re all in agreement, Adam. You’re our choice for our next president.”

  Adam’s hand tightened on his ankle. The chili threatened a rebellion. “You’ve wasted your time, fellas. The answer is no.”

  “Your excuse of being too busy isn’t good enough,” Charlie said.

  “The job isn’t as big and demanding as you might think.” Owen had served two terms as president. He’d done a fine job, but he’d been having health problems lately.

  “I don’t know how else to say it. No. No, I won’t serve as president.” He dropped his foot to the floor. “If that’s all you had on your minds...” He stood to signal the end of the conversation.

  Ed came to his feet, too. “
Could you at least think about it for a day or two?”

  “I don’t need to think about it. My answer isn’t going to change.”

  Owen tried another approach, trying to guilt him into serving, reminding him how long he’d been a member. How everyone had to do their share. Adam remained firm. For good reason. If he couldn’t read, he couldn’t handle the job no matter how much he might want to.

  Worse, sooner or later, they’d all realize their high-and-not-so-mighty leader was illiterate. Wouldn’t that be a surprise?

  He escorted them out. When he shut the door behind them, he exhaled in relief. He ran his palm along the back of his neck to ease his tension. His shame had escaped detection. This time.

  “You should have told them why you don’t want to be president.”

  His head snapped around. Janelle stood at the edge of the entryway.

  “That’s not going to happen.”

  “They’d understand if you told them the truth, Adam. Just as Hailey did. They aren’t going to respect you any less when they find out you’re dyslexic. You should tell them.”

  “I can’t.” He walked past her into the living room. It was one thing to have told Hailey. She had to love him; he was her father.

  But his friends? They’d laugh themselves sick at his expense. A grown man unable to read a children’s book, much less the minutes of the last meeting?

  Lisa had been right. No way was he going to reveal the secret he’d kept so long.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Late Friday afternoon, Janelle’s cell phone rang while she was mopping up a juice spill on the kitchen floor. A spurt of anxiety zipped through her when she read the local number. Not the Realtor. It had to be the bank.

  “Hello, Ms. Townsend,” a firm male voice said. “I’m Paul Muskie from Montana Federal. Our loan department has made a decision on your loan application.”

  “Yes?” She licked her lips and inhaled a deep breath to brace herself.

  “If you’d like, you can come down to pick up the approved application. Or I can give you the basics over the phone and you can drop by anytime at your convenience.”

  “I guess I’d like to know now.” She’d like to be able to make some concrete plans.

  He ran through a whole string of numbers, which she jotted down as fast as she could. Then came the bottom line. The amount the bank would be willing to loan her.

  The number stunned her. She sat down hard on a kitchen chair. “Why is it so low? I’m sure I have a good credit rating.” She hadn’t had time to default on her credit cards, which she’d switched to her name after Raymond’s death.

  “I’m afraid much of your credit rating is related to your late husband’s record, not yours.”

  “But I was the one who paid the bills for him and handled the accounts.” Except for those bills he’d run up courting his various paramours, which he’d taken care of through a separate account unknown to her until after his death.

  “I’m sure that’s true, Ms. Townsend. I talked with Adam this morning. He had very high praise for you as his bookkeeper. But the truth is, you also don’t have a steady income.”

  “I receive my husband’s monthly death benefits and Social Security for my child. I know I’ll be able to get a regular job after I’m settled in a new place. If not, I may run a bookkeeping service of my own.” The threat of panic raised her voice.

  “I know this result is disappointing for you.”

  “To say the least!” She ran her fingers through her hair. The Jackson house was now out of the question. What would that leave her with?

  “If I may suggest, you could temporarily rent a place in the area. This time of year, there are a good many excellent rentals available. Then, as you continue to establish your own credit and find employment, you could look forward to buying a house in a few months. Perhaps by next summer.”

  “Next—” The word stuck in her throat. “That would mean moving my daughter three times within one year. I need for her to be in a place where’s she’s comfortable and secure. I can’t willy-nilly jump from house to house when she’s still emotionally fragile as a result of her father’s death.”

  “I am terribly sorry, Ms. Townsend. As you know, the mortgage market has changed considerably in the past few years. Things are much tighter now than they once were. We’re very cautious about making loans these days.”

  “I see.” She bit her lip. Now they decided to be cautious after the mess of the housing crash. A crash that had already cost her when she hadn’t been able to get top dollar for the house in Seattle.

  “If you’d like to come into the bank, I’d be happy to discuss this with you at length.”

  But he wouldn’t change his mind. That was obvious by his tone.

  “Thank you for calling, Mr. Muskie. I’ll be in touch.” She snapped the phone shut and put her head in her hands. Tears burned in her eyes. Dear God, what am I going to do? I need Your help.

  She felt a tug on her sleeve.

  “Mommy? Why are you crying?”

  “Oh, sweetie.” She tugged Raeanne into her arms and hugged her hard. “Mommy’s not really crying. I just got something in my eyes that made them sting. I’m all right.” She blinked away her tears but not her worries.

  She’d badly overestimated the amount of money a bank would loan her. The only thing left to do was downsize her expectations. Look for something smaller, less expensive, most likely not located in as good a neighborhood as she had hoped.

  Her determination to own her own home, to have a settled place for Raeanne, hadn’t changed. Her last choice would be to rent.

  She prayed it wouldn’t come to that.

  As soon as she could, Janelle called Sharon to tell her she’d have to start over, looking at homes with a much lower price tag. Unfortunately, Sharon was booked all weekend with an out-of-town couple looking for a vacation home in the area. Janelle’s house hunting would have to wait until Monday.

  Later in the day, Adam found her working at her laptop at the kitchen table.

  “What’s up?” He grabbed a soda from the refrigerator and popped the top.

  “I’m looking at real-estate listings, the cheaper the better.”

  “Muskie couldn’t get you a decent loan? I talked to him this morning. He promised to try.”

  She lifted her gaze to meet his. “I know. I appreciate your effort, but apparently you don’t have as much pull with the bank as you thought you did. Rules for making loans have tightened up, according to Mr. Muskie.”

  “Yeah, he said something about that.” He slid onto the chair next to her. “So what are you going to do? Put

  Sharon back to work showing you properties?”

  “She’s not available this weekend. Which is why I’m checking the listings myself. At least I can do a drive-by and eliminate those that don’t come close to what I’m looking for.”

  “Tell you what.” He downed a gulp of soda then set the can on the table. “I can’t take off work tomorrow. But if you can wait until Sunday, we can do the drive-bys after church. How does that sound?” He reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze.

  She held on tight. “I like the idea of you being with me. It’s hard to make these decisions by myself.”

  “I’ll help you. You won’t be alone.” His low, raspy voice wrapped around her, giving her a sense of comfort and security she desperately needed. But was that only an illusion? After she moved, would he still be there for her when she needed him?

  * * *

  That evening, Janelle settled down with a book while Adam worked on his reading lessons on the computer. She had to admire his effort. The past couple of nights, he’d worked his way through two lessons, not just one. Admirable.

  A frown tugged at her forehead. Was he doing all that because of her?
Or had he come to realize he needed to do it for himself? She knew he was still hiding his dyslexia from his friends.

  If she were the only reason he was hurrying through the lessons, he’d come to resent her. Deep down he’d blame her for trying to change him instead of letting him be himself.

  Before Raymond’s death, her husband had hinted that it was her fault he spent so much time on the road visiting other universities. Was that just his excuse for having affairs with young coeds?

  Or had she really failed him as a wife? Pressured him too hard? Tried to change his behavior?

  She closed the book and rubbed her temple with her fingertips.

  Raeanne’s therapist in Seattle had told Janelle that both parties in a marriage carried some of the responsibility for its failure. Hurt as Janelle had been by the revelations of Raymond’s infidelity, she hadn’t given any credence to the therapist’s comment.

  Now she did.

  What part of the failure of their marriage had been hers? And how could she avoid damaging a future relationship in the same way?

  No easy answers came to her.

  * * *

  After church on Sunday, they picked up some lunch at the Pee Wee Drive-In, which the girls loved. Despite clouds that threatened rain, they took their lunches to the municipal park, where they found a table and enjoyed their impromptu picnic. After giving the girls a chance to run off some of their pent-up energy, they were off to check out the houses for sale that Janelle thought were worth seeing.

  Sitting in the front seat of the truck, she got out her notes. “I tried to organize things so we weren’t running back and forth all over the county.”

  “Good idea.” He turned the key in the ignition. “Where to first?”

  “There are two houses in a small residential tract north of Main Street off of Pine. One of them is bank owned. Guess it was foreclosed.” She hated that she had a chance to take advantage of someone else’s loss, but this was no time for her social conscience to click on. If she didn’t buy the house, someone else would.

  “We’re on our way.” He pulled out of the parking lot onto Main Street. “What’s the place like?”