Saved by the Montana Hero

by Vella Munn

  She wasn’t sure what she was thinking so how could she guess what was on his mind? Now that the brace had been in place for several minutes, she felt trapped by it. This wasn’t the way she’d felt when she’d gotten the news about Brian, but the similarities gnawed at her composure.

  “What?” she finally said.

  “That you deserve ice cream.”

  “Ice cream?”

  “You remember, cold stuff. Melts in the heat. Sweet. Comes in lots of flavors.”

  They’d reached his truck—his father’s truck that was—but she couldn’t care less about getting into it. Just like that a day filled with tension and other unwanted emotions had brightened. She slipped her good arm around Terron’s waist and hugged him as best she could.

  “Mint chocolate chip. Two scoops in a sugar cone.”

  He wrapped both arms around her. “Your wish is my command.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Maybe she should have insisted on going Dutch but he’d offered. All she’d done was accept his generosity. They ate in the truck because the ice cream parlor was full of teenagers. It wasn’t that she minded the kids’ energy, but the noise got to her. Between dealing with traffic, being in the doctor’s office, and briefly standing in a brightly decorated establishment, she was more than ready to head home. However, that would have to wait.

  “How does it feel?” Terron indicated her arm. “Has the anti-inflammatory shot started to take effect?”

  “I don’t think so. Terron?”

  “You don’t need to ask. Of course we’ll stop at a pharmacy.”

  “That’s not what I’m thinking about.” Her throat dried, forcing her to swallow several times. “Alisha told me where her office is. If you don’t mind, I think I should go there.”

  After a moment, he nodded. “Yeah, you probably should. It’s good she has a position you can walk into now that you’re going to have to change careers.”

  Was it really that simple for him? If so, she envied him. She’d always gone where the work was but Lake Serene was different. It had a hold on her. Somehow she’d have to free herself from the forest’s spell since commuting was out of the question. Instead of sharing her thoughts, she admitted that her office skills were limited. He kept his hand on her while she was talking which made things both easier and harder. If she wasn’t careful, she might tell him about Brian. At least he hadn’t asked.

  *

  Alisha Hearne’s office was in Kalispell’s commercial core with an upscale restaurant nearby and several legal offices across the street. Terron had to twice circle the block before he found a place to park that was large enough for his truck. As they exited—he obviously assumed he had a right to check things out with her—she noticed a nearby clothing store that specialized in professional outfits for women. She was in serious trouble if she was expected to dress like the expressionless manikins. The phrase out of my element kept going through her mind. She wanted to run away.

  Alisha was in and happy to see them, all except for hearing about the reason for the brace. Unfortunately, Alisha had to go to the planning department about something Kolina didn’t understand so only had a few minutes in which to show them around. Seeing Alisha in slacks and a tailored blouse surprised Kolina. She was used to seeing her friend in jeans and tennis shoes.

  “I spend as little time as possible in here,” Alisha said as they stood in her office which faced the street. “I’d prefer to be outside the city limits or working full-time from my cabin. These days I swear I spend half of my working hours with the planning department. That’s a big part of what I hope to turn over to you.”

  “I don’t know anything about zoning laws and whatever else planning is about.”

  Terron was standing off to one side but listening to everything the two women were saying. He was her connection to where she wished she was, a mountain man sharing a foreign space with a mountain woman.

  Only that would soon change for her. She had no choice but to wrap her mind around reality. Adapt and adjust. Get a grip.

  “I’ll teach you,” Alisha said. “If I can figure it out, anyone can. I respect the planners and in turn they help me jump through the hoops.” She glanced at the clock on her neat desk. “Speaking of, I’m going to be late. How about I call you tomorrow. We’ll start working on the details.”

  In other words, the details of her future employment. No more concerns about blowing through the money she’d saved for reliable transportation followed by becoming homeless.

  After Alisha left, she and Terron stepped outside. Vehicles were backed up at the traffic light, the building across the street blocked much of the sky, and the air smelled of exhaust fumes. A couple of women wearing power suits and carrying briefcases were heading their way. Kolina heard one of them say something about binding arbitration. She doubted it had anything to do with the way her brace was binding her arm.

  “Well,” Terron said. “What do you think?”

  “Shadow won’t like it.”

  “I’m not asking about Shadow.”

  She knew he wasn’t, but she was too overwhelmed to reply beyond evasion. Overwhelmed and trapped in ways that had gone beyond her injured shoulder. Much as she wanted to tell him what she was thinking, and she did more than she’d thought possible, she didn’t know how to start. Once Alisha had filled her in on her responsibilities, she’d point her mind in a new direction.

  She’d done so enough times in her life.

  “The deer will be on the move when it starts getting dark,” she said. “Don’t you think we should get our groceries and try to get back before then?”

  He was quiet just long enough that she had no doubt he understood why she’d changed the subject. Then he nodded. Their footsteps echoed on the sidewalk as they headed back to his vehicle. The dirt on her shoes had fallen off but she’d start picking up more as soon as she reached Lake Serene.

  Lake Serene.

  Terron.

  Two complications.

  *

  After buying groceries, dog food, and getting her prescription filled, Terron gassed up and they headed for the mountains. Despite the ache in her shoulder, she relaxed. As her eyes closed, she wondered if there was a muscle relaxer in the shot. She didn’t think she fell asleep. It was more a case of having had enough of reality for one day and needing to think of things like rut season for deer, when the herds would head for lower elevations, whether the wolf would follow them, and where jays and camp robbers departed for when it started to snow. Simple concerns.

  When they reached Lake Serene, Terron told her he’d come to a momentous decision. He’d unload her groceries and put them away while she looked in on Shadow. Then he’d take his purchases to his place followed by treating her to dinner at the restaurant.

  “You don’t have to do that. I could cook something for—”

  “So can I, but I like my suggestion better. Let Melinda see you with that harness on. She’ll get it that she has to find your replacement ASAP.”

  There it was again, proof that changes were being forced on her. She’d changed jobs and housing before and could do it again. It had never been a big deal. She’d find a rental in Kalispell that allowed her to keep Shadow and learn how to do her job. Maybe she’d return to Lake Serene on the occasional weekend until it lost its allure. She’d see Terron then and he’d sometimes come to the valley but probably—certainly—eventually their friendship would fade away.

  She didn’t want that.

  Didn’t want anything about today except being back home.

  *

  “There you are,” Kolina crooned as she approached the dog house. “Hi, big boy. Did you miss me? No, don’t go back in there. Stay out here with me. Let me touch you.”

  Kolina sounded more at peace than she had since Terron had picked her up this morning. Although he wanted to join her, he stayed where he was so he could study the interplay between woman and dog. Kolina had insisted on filling the new dog food bowl without assis
tance and had carried it outside by holding it against her middle. His intention had been to bring in the last of her groceries while she tended to the dog. However, he was watching her and by default, Shadow.

  Given how the day had played out between them, he had no business trying to look beneath the surface, but knowing and doing were two vastly different things. Not long ago his life had revolved around his parents’ health. Sad as he was to have them gone, he’d needed to rediscover himself. A change of scenery had been part of the process. He certainly hadn’t expected to be sucked into someone else’s health issues, but it had happened.

  Now what?

  “I’m so glad to be home,” Kolina told Shadow. “It wasn’t the kind of day I’d wish on anyone, but it could have been worse. That’s right. Stick out that black nose of yours. Give dinner a good sniff. What do you think of my choice? Nothing fancy but—oh, yes.”

  From what he could tell, all Shadow had done was take a bite but obviously that pleased her. Once again she was kneeling, oblivious to the cold and wet. From the looks of things, it had rained off and on today. It wasn’t raining now, but the ground was saturated. Would she need help getting out of her muddy jeans and could he manage the task without risking things going too far?

  Or was it too far? He was a man and she was a woman and there was some kind of chemistry between them.

  Some kind? Pure physical chemistry, plain and simple.

  Maybe not so simple since she was wearing a brace and there was the matter of a dead fiancé.

  “You don’t need to be afraid,” she continued, her tone melodic, “not ever again. I’m going to take care of you. We’ll be partners, companions.”

  Shadow straightened. The mutt’s head was now higher than Kolina’s. Terron noted nothing aggressive about the dog’s stance but that could change in an instant. However, much as he wanted to point that out to her, he remained silent. His decision was a mix of trusting her instinct about the dog and the fact that he wasn’t her keeper. She was going to get better, not die like his parents had.

  More to the point, soon she’d no longer be living at Lake Serene.

  How had things gotten so complicated?

  Couldn’t it just be a fall evening? Spending time with this woman.

  Kolina kept talking to Shadow while the dog emptied the bowl. After swallowing the last bite, Shadow went to the back of the dog house and lifted his leg.

  “Hey,” Terron said. “Didn’t anyone teach you manners?”

  Shadow’s ears flattened and he bared his teeth. Even in the fading light, Terron noted that the hairs on his back were standing up.

  “What did you do that for?” Kolina demanded. “You scared him.”

  The dog looked more pissed than afraid. After briefly staring at Terron, Shadow turned his back on the humans and walked into the night. Using the dog house for support, Kolina got to her feet.

  “I’m sorry,” he said even though he wasn’t sure he was. “I guess I’m a little proprietary about my creation. Educating him about how gratitude should and shouldn’t be expressed needs to wait until he’s used to me.”

  “Did you see that?” she asked as she joined him. “He ate everything and he let me get close.”

  “That he did.” Her smile warmed him. Kept things simple and good. “Speaking of eating, I can wait until after dinner to unload my groceries. I don’t know about you, but the ice cream didn’t hold me.”

  Looking up at him, she pressed her hand to her stomach. He wished that was where his hand was. Maybe she did, too.

  *

  The moment they entered the restaurant, the smell of something frying made Kolina’s mouth water. She no longer cared about her chilled and muddy knees. She couldn’t say the same about her reaction to having Terron so close. After everything she’d gone through today, it felt good to just be in his presence. Okay, more than good. At least she thought to thank him for removing her coat. As he was hanging it and his up, she headed for one of the tables near the windows. Thanks to several outside lights, she had a decent view of the mist-shrouded lake. Looking at it settled her. Wanting Terron to experience what she was, she pointed. Instead of sitting down as she had, he stood facing the windows. His hands went into his back pockets, and he tilted his head. He’d been her rock today—and before.

  “Beautiful,” he muttered. “A little otherworldly but beautiful. I wonder when the lake’s going to freeze over.”

  She could have pointed out the temperature needed to get and remain colder than it was for solid ice to form, but he knew that. Besides if she said anything, she might inadvertently admit she envied him since he would be around when the transformation took place. By then she’d be living in Kalispell.

  Away from him.

  I don’t want that.

  “Are you going to say hello?”

  Almost as one, Terron and she turned toward where the feminine voice had come from. Echo, Rey, and Henry were sitting nearby. Echo had on her Fish and Wildlife uniform but if her closeness to Rey was any indication, she was off the clock. Henry sat across from the young couple. The semi-retired Fish and Wildlife employee was typing something on a laptop on the table.

  “Sorry.” Kolina smiled at Echo. “I didn’t see you.”

  Echo’s gaze went to Terron. The corners of her mouth lifted. “Guess you had other things on your mind. You want to explain that lovely brace you’re sporting?”

  Now that she had a diagnosis, Kolina regretted not telling Echo about having aggravated her injury. Determined to not make a big deal of things, she explained what had happened. The telling got a little disjointed because the waitress came by to ask what they wanted. Terron and she opted for hamburgers. He’d been a vital part of her day. No wonder they wanted the same thing for dinner.

  “So it’s official?” Echo asked. “Your waitressing days are over.”

  “It looks like it.”

  “How do you feel about that?”

  “I’m still trying to get used to it. I never anticipated my life taking such an abrupt turn.”

  “Tell me about it.” Echo pointed at her reconstructed ankle. “Yeah, well, at least Alisha has work for you, if that’s what you want.”

  Want and need didn’t always go hand in hand but she would make the most of it. She just didn’t have to think about it tonight.

  “Don’t let us interrupt you.” Echo nodded at Terron. “Enjoy your dinner. Oh, Terron, a question for you. What kind of a patient is she? She’s an independent cuss so you might have to—I was going to say lock the bedroom door to keep her in it but maybe I shouldn’t.”

  If Terron was taken aback, he gave no indication. She hoped she hadn’t given the impression of taking him for granted today. That was far from what she’d been feeling. He hadn’t invaded her space or tried to do her thinking for her. He’d simply been there, and his presence had helped in ways she was still trying to wrap her mind around.

  She needed to thank him, express her gratitude, look into his eyes, acknowledge his warmth just inches away, maybe invite him to spend the night. Let her body say what she didn’t have words for.

  The logistics of how they’d manage lovemaking, and she wanted to, brought her back to the here and now. Thank goodness no one in the room could guess what she was thinking although maybe Terron…

  “What’s that?” Hoping to get her mind back in safe territory, she indicated Henry’s laptop. “Are you having to work overtime?”

  “Not have, want to,” Henry explained. “This is our wish list for the educational center. Right now Echo and I are throwing out every remotely possible possibility.”

  “We’re greedy,” Echo continued, her eyes sparkling. “We want the center to be all things for all people. Covering everything from the Flathead Forest’s geological history to the impact of fire and logging to—”

  “Listen to them,” Rey interrupted. “If they can snag enough grants, we’ll have to build a facility nearly as big as the lodge.”

  Echo sho
t Rey a mock frown. “Look who’s getting carried away. Just because we refuse to settle for small—”

  “Terron, please back me up,” Rey said. “Tell this woman she has to be realistic. I can’t spend all my time building the mega-building she has in mind.”

  “Sorry.” Terron held up his hand. “I’m not getting in the middle of this.”

  “Oh, yes, you are. You were hired to do construction, remember. The center will be different from the luxury rental, hopefully more in tune with the surroundings.”

  Terron nodded and leaned toward the other table. Obviously the possibility of being involved with the center intrigued him. Maybe he’d follow through with his thoughts about becoming an electrician. If that happened, he’d have a rock-solid career he enjoyed. Feel fulfilled in important ways. She’d been responsible for her life for more years than most people her age and what did she have to show for it? She could take meal orders and drive big rigs but neither of those skills as well as the other jobs she’d held were what she had any desire to build a career from. She’d taken several online college courses but wasn’t close to having a degree. One day she’d be an old woman with a body that could no longer do physical labor. How would she support herself then?

  It was time to start making changes, to settle on a plan, and work toward a goal.

  On her own.

  But not tonight.

  Please, not tonight.

  *

  “You were pretty quiet,” Terron said as they were walking to her place. It was so cold she clutched her coat to her throat. Her legs were numb, her jeans stiff from dried mud. Otherwise she would have been moving faster than she was. “Shoulder hurting?”

  “Better than this morning. It’s been a long day.” A lot to think about.

  He matched his stride to hers as they went around to the dog house. She spotted Shadow. The dog lifted his head and regarded them, his ears alert but showing no sign of nervousness or aggression.

  Terron touched her arm. “How about we leave him? It doesn’t look as if he needs you tonight.”

  Her, not them. Obviously, Terron still wasn’t interested in assuming responsibility for the dog, not that he should since she was the one who’d named him. That sealed her decision. No matter what she had to do to make it happen, she’d take Shadow with her. She wasn’t sure how well Shadow would adapt to city life but together they’d do the best they could.