Montana Maverick

by Debra Salonen

  He looked her over as she shrugged out of her puffy jacket. He couldn’t detect an extra ounce on her small but well-built frame. “Well, I’m about a pot and a half low on caffeine, so I’m going to make coffee. I’ll heat up some water for cocoa, too, in case you change your mind. We got some fancy packages in a holiday basket from the neighbors.”

  “Fancy?” she repeated. “Dark? Or milk?”

  Hank couldn’t decide if she was serious or joking, so he ignored the question and led her to the main floor bedroom.

  “Your sister is in here. Still sleeping, I’d guess. We haven’t been here that long.”

  She glanced around but made no effort to go into the room. “Cool. I’ll check on her before I leave…from a safe distance,” she added with a laugh.

  “I don’t blame you. Virulent thing. Took out my helicopter.”

  He motioned for her to follow him into the kitchen.

  “So I heard. That must have been scary for all involved.”

  She sat at the table where JJ had been earlier. Hank didn’t know where his grandson went, but he hoped the older boy was keeping on eye on his younger siblings.

  After he had the coffee going and the water heating, he took two mugs from the cupboard and turned to face her. “Yup. Could have been a very different outcome if not for Meg.”

  She nodded but didn’t comment. Instead, she looked around the big, open kitchen, nodding. “Nice place. I love the colors.”

  “My daughter picked them.”

  He chuckled, remembering Laurel’s dismay at the sterile white he’d chosen to paint the room.

  “She wasn’t even done unpacking when she grabbed three pieces of clothing from the kids’ bags and brought them to the table.” A pair of JJ’s board shorts, Annie’s sundress, and Bravo’s tie-dyed T-shirt. “She pointed to one glob of color on each piece and said, ‘Take these to the paint store and have them match the colors as closely as possible. For me, Daddy. Please. I can’t live in a colorless house.’”

  Mia looked around, nodding. “I like this. A lot. Your daughter has good taste. Wait…” She thought a moment. “This is the daughter who passed away recently?”

  “My only daughter. Only child, actually. She died four months ago.”

  “Meg told me. I’m so sorry.” He saw her fiddle with a sparkly ring on her engagement ring finger.

  “Christmas present?” he asked, nodding toward her hand.

  “Christmas Eve. When I think about Ryker proposing to me in front of the fire, all cozy and romantic with the storm outside making us feel like we were all alone in the world…and there you were in a helicopter and Meg was tracking you in the worst blizzard in history…” She shuddered. “Do you have anything stronger than cocoa?”

  He reached into the uppermost cupboard and pulled out a bottle. He’d planned to add a shot to his coffee anyway. “Neat?”

  “Why not?”

  He took the chair across from her and they clicked their glasses. “To a less dramatic New Year.”

  “I’ll drink to that.”

  They visited in a comfortable, get-to-know-you sort of way. Hank had a million questions about the Zabrinski family, but he tried to pace them.

  He learned that their younger brother, Paul, and his new wife were still stranded in New Mexico with Meg’s parents because the same storm that hit Montana had pushed south making travel problematic, even in the air.

  Next, Mia filled him in on her twin, another lawyer who also had a new love interest.

  “I saw those cute cows in your pasture when I drove in and immediately thought of Serena. She breeds alpacas. I bet she’d go nuts over your little woolies.”

  He’d just poured them both a second glass of whiskey when she said, “As long as I’m here, why don’t you tell me about your custody issues? As I’m sure Meg told you, I’m a lawyer, but family law is not my forte.

  “I am happy to represent you, but I won’t charge for my time because I’m not one hundred percent up to speed on custody issues in Montana. If I need help, I have a colleague by the name of Ren Fletcher who can step in. But, you’ll be on the hook for his hours. Does that sound fair?”

  “Very.”

  “Cool. I can’t guarantee the final outcome, but I can make sure nobody leaves the state with your grandchildren without due process. Okay?”

  He couldn’t ask for more.

  As they got into the details, it struck him that a woman with the last name Zabrinski was rescuing him for the second time in under a week.

  What were the chances?

  *

  Mia?

  Meg rolled over and opened her eyes. Was it the fever, which seemed better, or had she been dreaming? Meg could have sworn she heard her sister’s voice.

  A moment later, a chorus of children’s voices penetrated the early evening darkness of her room. She reached around, hoping to find her phone or a lamp. Once the bedside lamp illuminated the room, she realized she had an urgent need to pee.

  She pulled back the covers and padded in stocking feet to the door through which she recalled Henry carrying her. She flung it open and blinked, trying to focus.

  A high-pitched screech that could only belong to one small person pierced the air. “Meg.”

  “Bravo?” Meg grabbed the doorjamb for support.

  She braced herself for the bullet headed her way, but a big hand snatched Bravo’s squealing, wiggling body into the air and threw him over one shoulder. “Not yet, goofball. Give her a minute to get her bearings. How are you feeling, Meg?”

  “Like I need to use the bathroom.”

  “I’ll show her the way,” a familiar voice said, walking into Meg’s line of sight.

  “Mia. What are you doing here?”

  “Checking on you. Drumming up business. It’s all good.”

  Mia walked past her with a follow-me motion.

  “Have you been drinking?”

  “I’m of age.”

  Meg looked at Henry, who grinned sheepishly.

  Good grief. I collapse in a fever-induced coma for one afternoon and the whole world turns upside down.

  The call of nature made Meg table the thought as she hurried after her sister.

  She looked around as she relieved herself. The bathroom was huge and very beautiful. The walls behind the sink were white and gray subway tile. Mia sat perched on a gorgeous marble countertop.

  Against the outside wall was a two-person steam shower, if she wasn’t mistaken.

  “I wasn’t expecting this.”

  “I know, right? Hank has good taste and he knows when to hire experts. He told me he renovated the first floor as part of a plan to convert the house into a vacation rental. It was one piece of his agro-tourism scheme. Wait till you see his mini cows.”

  “You’re drunk.”

  “No, I’m not. I had one…maybe two…whiskies. I’ve been drinking tea for an hour while Hank and I discussed the legal ramifications of the crash.”

  “His name is Henry.”

  Mia studied her a moment then went on with what she was saying. “Yes, the crash was a close call. Possibly, he made a mistake by panicking. But the argument can be made that Ha…Henry did what he had to do to try to save the life of his grandbaby. I can win that argument.”

  Meg didn’t doubt that for a minute. “You took his case.”

  “Of course. I’d do anything for you.”

  The simple truth rattled Meg. An idea that had appeared in her fever dream drifted close to consciousness, but she couldn’t quite grab on to it.

  Meg finished her business then washed her hands. Mia handed her a pristine white towel.

  She didn’t let go until Meg looked at her. “You love him, don’t you?”

  Meg’s heart started pounding and she felt a little light-headed.

  “Yes. But we both know a couple of days in a snowbound cabin after a traumatic experience isn’t the best basis for a relationship.”

  Mia gave a long sigh. “Now, that sounds like the
Meg I know. Brilliant, reductive reasoning with a healthy dose of know-it-all. But, for the record, that’s total bullshit. Love makes its own rules. Did I have any intention of falling for a younger man used to traveling the world at the drop of a hat? Me? The most grounded, rule-oriented person you know?”

  Meg ran a washcloth under the tap and pressed it to her face. Was the fever coming back or was something else going on inside her? Like a hot flash? Or maybe a panic attack?

  Mia held up her hand and wiggled her fingers so Meg couldn’t miss the flash of the half-carat diamond.

  Meg’s jaw dropped. “You’re engaged. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  When Meg reached out to hug her, Mia shrank back. “Germaphobe. No hugging.”

  “Sorry. You don’t want what I have. I feel like someone ran over me with a tank.”

  “Or a helicopter?”

  Meg couldn’t help but smile. She loved her sister’s quick mind. But Mia also saw too much and couldn’t keep her opinions to herself. Ever.

  As if to prove the point, she said, “So, Lone Wolf, let me guess. You’ve decided to stick to your original plan, right? Instead of joining up with an existing pack? One that could really use an alpha female.”

  Mia’s use of Meg’s Big Sky Mavericks call sign made Meg remember part of her dream. Pregnant and in labor, Meg had been walking around the flight deck of a Navy aircraft carrier because her midwife, a beautiful woman with long blond hair, told Meg that walking would make the baby come faster.

  But people were shooting past her, shouting and waving. Her family was all around, too, trying to help because one of the jets was having trouble landing.

  As the plane drew closer, she could see Henry at the controls. She was terrified for him, but excited, too, because he was coming to be with her, to help her. She knew everything would be okay once he got to her side.

  “I think I need to lie down again.”

  Mia hopped down. “I’m taking off, too. The roads are clear but black ice has been an issue on the pass. Hank invited me to stay.” She made a heart thumping gesture. “Annie told me I could have her bed. Is she not the sweetest little girl on the planet?”

  Meg nodded in agreement.

  “And JJ!” Mia exclaimed. “Heartbreaker in the making. I don’t want Emilee to meet him until they’re both through college.”

  “Like you can control that,” Meg said, following her down the hall.

  As she looked around, she noticed a rogue’s gallery of a dozen or more framed photographs. One image in particular caught Meg’s eye.

  Her heart rate sped up and her mouth went dry. When she pointed, her finger shook as if she had palsy.

  Mia backtracked. “What?”

  She followed Meg’s gesture. “Yeah. That’s Laurel. Hank’s daughter. She was lovely, wasn’t she?”

  Meg’s bottom lip began to quiver, her eyes filled with tears and her nose started to run. The pressure on her chest made it almost impossible to say, “She was my…my midwife.”

  Mia’s eyes grew huge. “What are you talking about?”

  “In my dream. She helped deliver my baby.” Emotion built in Meg’s chest as the memory washed over her. Meg saw herself being supported by Henry. Her mother was there, and Mia and Ryker. They encouraged her, coached her, but Meg’s gaze stayed locked on the empathetic gray eyes of the midwife. She caught the baby on the final push.

  The cheers of joy felt so real. Meg knew she would treasure that memory forever.

  But, then, as the cheering faded, Meg watched as the midwife handed the baby to Mia and Ryker.

  “Meg?” Mia cried. “What’s wrong? You’re white as a ghost. Tell me.”

  Meg sensed Henry and the children nearby.

  She took a deep, halting breath. “I’m okay. Sorry about that. It just felt so real.”

  “Your dream?”

  Meg nodded.

  “You had a baby?” Mia asked.

  “I had…your baby. Yours and Ryker’s.”

  Mia looked confused for a second, but Meg knew the instant she understood because Mia’s eyes filled with tears. “My baby. And Ryker’s. As in a surrogacy?” Her voice broke. “Oh, my God, Meg. You’d do that for me? For us? The thought never crossed my mind. In fact, lately, we’ve started talking about adopting. The whole process of finding someone we could trust…” Her words gave out.

  Meg knew exactly what her sister and future brother-in-law agonized over because she’d wrestled with the same fears. What if her sperm donor came looking for his child at some future point? What if her child wanted answers beyond Meg’s explanation that IVF had been the only way she could fulfill her dream?

  “Oh, Meg, I don’t know what to say.”

  Neither did Meg. In fact, suddenly, the room began to tilt and her knees wobbled as if she’d crossed the finish line of a race she hadn’t trained for. She might have collapsed in the hallway right below his daughter’s photo, if Henry hadn’t swooped in and caught her.

  “Are we done here?”

  She nodded, tears she couldn’t explain spilling from her eyes.

  “Oh, honey, it’ll be okay,” he said, as he tucked her back into bed and handed her a box of tissues so she could wipe her face and blow her nose. “You need more rest, sweetheart. Sleep. Things will look better in the morning.”

  She nodded. “Okay. I’m sorry. That came out of nowhere, but—”

  He touched his finger to her lips. “Shhh. I’ll bring you some soup when you wake up.”

  She watched him leave. Mia popped her head in. “Are you okay?”

  “I think so. If I’m still alive tomorrow, I’ll come see you.”

  “Good. I’m going home, now. We have a lot to talk about. No worries, though. Just get better.”

  A lot to talk about? An understatement if Meg were to seriously consider the surrogacy option. Something she couldn’t bring herself to think about at the moment.

  But as Meg relaxed into the deliciously soft mattress and stared at the ceiling, the dream she’d shared with her sister and the Firestone family came back to her.

  How was it possible she’d dreamed of a woman whose picture she’d never seen? The scientist in her was tempted to search for a logical explanation, but her mind was too drained by the rollercoaster ride of emotions to give the whole thing any more thought.

  She couldn’t explain the how or the why of her dream, but she knew what she took away from it. Who said she had to give birth to a baby of her own to have children of her own?

  *

  Meg felt him beside her even before she was fully awake.

  “You shouldn’t be here. You’ll catch my germs.”

  “I brought you those germs, remember? Are you hungry?”

  “No. Just thirsty.”

  He helped her sit up and drink from a water bottle. That was when she realized he wasn’t under the blankets. “You’re not staying.”

  “If Bravo has a bad dream, he’ll come looking for me. I don’t want to risk him falling down the stairs. But…I can’t spend the whole night trying to make sense of what happened.

  “Was that a sister thing? My sister died when I was really young. She only lived a few months. Her lungs didn’t form right or something. Mom never talked about it.”

  Meg’s heart ached for him. “I couldn’t imagine a life without my brothers and sister. We were the Big Sky Mavericks. I swear I wouldn’t be a teacher if I hadn’t had them to boss around. Power trip. Grows on you.”

  His chuckle warmed her better than the mound of covers that he tucked around her.

  “What happened tonight with Mia? I felt like you two were talking a different language. Shorthand or something.”

  She pictured her breakdown in the hallway. “I’m sorry about that. Were the kids freaked out?”

  “A little. We talked about it. Bravo said it was like the two sisters in Frozen trying to help each other.”

  “Wow. That’s profound. I had no idea he was actually getting something from that mov
ie.”

  He stroked her brow and waited patiently.

  “I don’t remember if I told you, but Mia was diagnosed with breast cancer about…hmm…going on three years, now. I think.”

  She was so distracted by the loving comfort of his touch she had a hard time focusing on her story.

  “She’s really young to have breast cancer.”

  “Yes. Luckily, it was a tiny spot and they caught it early. But Mia does nothing halfway. She researched all her options and treatments. Because there’s a history of cancer in our mother’s side of the family, Mia decided to have genetic testing done.”

  Meg shuddered, remembering Mom’s call.

  “Mia has the BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation. Or both. Why is my brain so foggy? Do you think I suffered brain damage from the fever?”

  He chuckled and kissed her brow. “You need a good night’s sleep. You’ll be fine in the morning. I’ll go—”

  “No. Let me finish. Mia got tested…”

  “Did you, also?”

  Longest wait of my life. “Yes. Turns out I dodged that bullet. I got lucky.”

  He gave her a quick squeeze. “We all did.”

  Meg remembered feeling both relieved and guilty when her test results came back.

  “Anyway, Mia chose to have a double mastectomy…and a complete hysterectomy because women with the BRCA1 and the BRCA2 have a greater tendency for uterine cancer, too.”

  “Wow. I had no idea. She looks great.”

  “She’s in love.”

  “So I gathered.”

  Meg turned on her side. His profile was clearly visible from the hallway light.

  “His name is Ryker Bensen. He’s a really great guy. A few years younger than Mia. Never been married. Came close but the woman he loved was hit by a car. He lost their unborn baby, too.”

  She watched his expressive face as he put together the pieces of what happened tonight.

  “Ryker and Mia sort of breathed life back into each other. Their love affair was unexpected, and my family was…on edge, but Mia’s her own person. Nobody tells Mia what not to do.”

  “He gave her a ring on Christmas Eve.”

  “I saw it.

  “If I understand this correctly, Mia can’t have any more children and she doesn’t want to deprive Ryker of a child.”