Montana Cowboy

by Jillian Hart

  He hauled out his cell phone, needing to hear Honor’s voice, and decided against dialing her. That would make him feel better. Odd he hadn’t heard from her today. He missed her. He hadn’t mentioned his birthday to her, mostly out of shyness. It wasn’t as if she could be here, anyway, since she had Jerrod to tutor. He wished he could see her.

  That would be the best birthday present of all.

  * * *

  “Olive?” Honor peered around the archway leading into the family room. The spacious area felt cavernous, echoing the slightest sound. The space had been built for a family, but a lone figure sat in the corner, rigidly, so self-contained she could have turned to stone. “Are you okay?”

  “I’ll be fine.” The woman’s thick voice said otherwise. She gave a sniff. “How did Jerrod do on the practice test? His essay writing could see improvement.”

  “He’s improved greatly. If he writes like this on his entrance exam, he’ll be a shoo-in.”

  “That’s a comfort. I want the best for him.” Olive’s chin went up as she squared her shoulders and launched off the sectional. Sunlight streamed over her, showing the trace of tears on her cheeks she’d clearly tried to swipe away. “How is his math coming along?”

  “Better. I’m leaving him a set of problems to finish while I’m gone. That will keep him busy until suppertime.”

  “Fine. The exam is almost a week away.”

  “Thirteen days. And he’d doing fine.” She could say that with confidence. “Just wanted you to know I’m on my way out.”

  “That’s right. You’re leaving early today.”

  “It’s a friend’s birthday.”

  “I didn’t know you had any friends around here.” Olive looked surprised and not exactly approving.

  “I’ve made some good ones recently. A great blessing. I’ve got to get going if I’m going to make it on time. Have a good afternoon.”

  The instant she breezed out the door and into the blaze of the summer sun, her phone chimed with a text message. Eager to read what her friends were up to, she plucked it out of her bag and squinted at the screen.

  R U on the way? Colbie wrote.

  She juggled her keys, freeing up her thumbs to answer. Yes!

  Awesome.

  Another message arrived with a chime. This time from Bree. I’ve got the cake. YUM.

  Don’t nibble on it during the drive, Honor tapped in as she absently dropped behind her steering wheel.

  Tempting! Bree answered. No guarantees.

  Do U need directions? Colbie’s message interrupted.

  Already got ’em, she answered back. Thanks to the internet and an excellent map program. Thinking of the present she’d decided to buy, she typed. I’ll see you at the bookstore first.

  Meet ya there! Call if U get lost, Colbie responded. OK?

  Promise. Honor hit send and another message popped on from Bree.

  Can’t wait. Ooh, this will B fun!

  Totally, Honor sent back, tucked her phone in her bag and started the car. All she could think about was Luke. It was going to be so, so good to surprise him.

  * * *

  “Are you about ready?” Hunter knocked on the screen door frame.

  “I’m just finishing up an email.” Seated at his kitchen table, he frowned at his computer. Funny he hadn’t heard from Honor yet today. That bummed him. He knew exactly why he couldn’t stop missing her.

  With his hair still a little damp from his shower, he reached down to pet Nell. Sleek and dark, she perked her ears and offered a toothy smile, his old friend. “Hey, good girl. Are you ready for a party?”

  She rested her gray muzzle in his hands and let him stroke her real good. He looked up when he heard the screen door hinges creak.

  “You look way too happy.” Hunter gazed in at him, frowning. “Guess you’re still writing that California girl?”

  “Considering your opinion on the matter, I’d rather not say.” He grinned. He couldn’t help it. He liked irritating his brother.

  “Which means, yes. You know she’s leaving soon, and she won’t be coming back.”

  “How many times do you have to say it?” He gave Nell a final pat and shoved away from the table. “We’re just friends.”

  “Tell that to someone who believes it.” Hunter shook his head. “Women are trouble. That’s why I’m smart enough to stay away from them.”

  “You mean they’re smart enough to stay away from you,” he quipped as he followed his brother out of the house.

  “That may be.” Hunter’s boots hit grass, he patted a cow’s rump as the animal looked up from grazing on the tasty dandelions. “Hey, there, Betty.”

  Betty mooed and swished her tail in answer.

  “See? Some girls like me.” Hunter winked.

  “Dude, they’re cows.”

  “Sure, but it’s the principle. I’m not entirely unlikable.”

  “That’s a matter of opinion.” Actually, Hunter was a good guy, but he wasn’t about to admit it.

  Nell trotted along companionably, keeping one eye on the grazing cattle. Several cows glanced up to moo with interest when Luke unlatched the gate that blocked the driveway. Time to get them into a pasture before his sisters started driving up. He’d almost asked Honor if she could come, although he knew she was tied up with her tutoring job. In the end, he’d decided against it. It was best this way. No sense getting more attached. Days were ticking by fast and at this rate she would be gone in a blink.

  The purr of an engine grabbed his attention. Tires crunched on the gravel on the sunny side of the barn as a luxury car idled in the driveway. The door swung open and a tall, willowy blonde climbed out. His jaw dropped. His pulse stalled.

  “Hi, cowboy.” She shaded her eyes with one slender hand. “Guess you’re pretty surprised to see me.”

  “A little.” Had he dreamed her up? He blinked a couple of times, but she was still there as real as could be. “What are you doing here? I mean, you came. I—”

  “It’s a surprise.” Honor whipped on a floppy brimmed hat and a pair of round sunglasses. “It was Colbie’s idea.”

  Colbie. He should have known.

  “It looks like I’ve caught you at a bad time. You’re busy.” She tipped her head back to get a better view of him. Her long blond hair tumbled over her shoulder.

  She was the prettiest sight. His throat ached just looking at her.

  “Did you know there’s a cow chewing on your shirt collar?” She tilted her head to one side, making her hat brim flap.

  “That’s Betty.” He shrugged, dislodging the animal’s grip. “She’s friendly but too curious for her own good, and sometimes mine. Aren’t ya, girl?”

  The big white cow with big black spots pricked her bovine ears, studied Honor with curious brown eyes and stretched her neck across the gate with a friendly moo.

  “Uh, hello, Betty,” Honor greeted, amused.

  “What do you think of your first cow encounter?”

  “She’s bigger than I expected and much more forthright.”

  “She loves hats. My guess is she’s taken a shine to yours. Out of the way, Miss Trouble.” He shouldered the animal gently away from the gate. “Honor, sorry about this. Hunter and I were about to move the cows back into their pasture.”

  “I don’t mind.”

  “Really? I thought you weren’t an outdoors type.”

  “That doesn’t mean I don’t like animals. Hi, girl.” She leaned over the gate to pet the friendly cow’s nose.

  Betty’s chocolate-brown eyes softened with glints of adoration. She batted her long curly lashes.

  “I like her. She’s so sweet.” Honor flashed a perfect smile his way.

  It was hard not to adore her more. The delight on her face and t
he kindness of her touch. The effect on his heart was monumental. He’d never pictured her here, like this, taking delight in his simple farm life.

  “Oh, and happy birthday to you. I’m a little early for the party, I think. Colbie had to swing home and pick up Lil, so I came out on my own.”

  “You didn’t get lost?”

  “I figured I might. That’s why I allowed myself extra time fearing there might be some other road disaster. There wasn’t, yay, and now I’m the first one here. I caught you in the middle of your work.” She glanced up the hill where Hunter stood, frowning with impatience.

  “No problem.” Luke blinked, still not quite believing she was here. Talk about a welcome surprise. “We’ll get Betty and her friends moved out and you can drive up to the house and park. It’ll take a second.”

  “Okay.” She gave Betty one final nose pet before waltzing away from the gate. Elegant. That was the perfect word to describe her. Long and lean, standing against the background of wildflowers and meadow, in a tailored blouse and slim tan shorts. Her golden hair danced in the wind.

  You’re from two different worlds, he told himself, hiking up the driveway. It wasn’t as if she belonged here. She wasn’t going to stay.

  “C’mon, Mildred and Louise.” He whistled. “What do you girls think you’re doing?”

  Two sets of unrepentant brown eyes met his. With a tail swish, both old ladies backed down the steps and swung around to join him. The back of his neck tingled. Sure enough, Honor was watching him. She slid off her sunglasses, meeting his gaze.

  You have to fight it, he told himself. Keep control of your heart.

  That was going to be a losing battle. He gave Betty a pat on the shoulder as she ambled through the gate Hunter held open. A distant toot of a car horn told him the partygoers had arrived. Colbie’s SUV turned off the county road and onto the driveway. Lil waved at him from the passenger seat as his sister hung out her open window, calling to Honor.

  Honor. Sure, he was touched she’d come all this way for his birthday. Just remember not to read too much into it. This was just another social event. Just a way for her to spend time while she was here. No amount of his wishing would change that.

  * * *

  One thing for sure, the McKaslins knew how to laugh. Honor’s sides hurt as she watched Luke carry the platter from the barbecue grill to the patio picnic table. His tall good looks, the strength of his silhouette against the stunning blue sky and the way his gaze found hers stole her breath.

  She didn’t want it to.

  “He’s such a sweetheart.” Lil leaned in, eyes twinkling. “He comes all the way into town a few nights a month just to stay with me so Colbie can go out on the town.”

  “Go out on the town? Mother.” Colbie rolled her eyes. “Usually it’s Bible study. There’s no handsome men to wink at.”

  “I’m just saying.” Lil reached for her glass of lemonade. “Luke’s a good man. They don’t make many like him these days.”

  “Are you talking about me again?” Luke slid onto the end of the picnic table bench and set the platter on the table. Smoke rose from the charred burgers. “Lil has a terrible habit of telling lies about me.”

  “I do not tell lies!” Lil gasped. “I hardly even exaggerate.”

  “The problem is you, Luke.” Honor grabbed a French fry and dragged it through a puddle of tartar sauce.

  “Yes, it’s totally Luke’s fault,” Brandi leaned in to grab the ketchup bottle.

  “If he wasn’t so wonderful—” Bree started to say.

  “He’s not that wonderful,” Brooke interrupted with a mischievous grin. “You didn’t grow up with him.”

  “The stories we could tell.” Hunter took a hamburger patty off the platter. “That would change everybody’s opinion of him real fast.”

  “We don’t need to go digging up the past.” Luke flushed, good-natured, cracking open a fresh hamburger bun. “I say, forgive and forget. Honor doesn’t need to hear about my misspent youth.”

  “Sure I do. Think of all the emails he sent me.” She dragged another fry through the puddle of tartar. “How did I know he was telling the truth? He could have been fibbing. How did I know he was as good as he seemed?”

  “That’s what we’re for.” Colbie reached for the potato salad bowl and spooned a second helping onto her mom’s plate. “We’ll give you the low-down. We’ll tell you what the real Luke McKaslin is like.”

  “No more just getting Luke’s side of things,” Bree chimed in.

  “We’ll tell it like it is,” Brooke added.

  “So prepare yourself.” Brandi squeezed the ketchup bottle, aiming it over her pile of fries. “It’s a sordid story.”

  “I’m prepared for the truth,” Honor admitted, watching as Hunter offered the platter to Colbie, who shook her head no.

  “First off, he would sneak through the house at Christmas time and find every present Mom had hidden away.” Brooke glanced at her brother with a sister’s gentle love.

  “You didn’t.” Honor went for another fry. “I’m shocked.”

  “I can be shocking,” Luke admitted.

  “Then he would carefully peel off the tape, press back the paper to see what it was.”

  “Keep in mind, it wasn’t necessarily his gift,” Hunter chimed in and nudged the platter in Honor’s direction.

  She shook her head and gathered her half-eaten burger. Hunter held the platter to Luke.

  “Hey, I was curious.” Luke forked a patty onto his plate and reached for the mayo. “I was seven.”

  “He knew what we got before we did.” Brooke smiled when her husband scooted closer on the bench and settled his arm around her shoulder. Happiness touched her like the golden sunlight. “He let us know it, too.”

  “He told you what you were getting? Before Christmas?” Honor pretended to be shocked.

  “No, he teased us about it. ‘I know what you’re getting,’ he used to say.” Brooke snuggled against her husband. “Over and over again, like he knew this great big secret.”

  “Drove us nuts,” Hunter added.

  “Luke? Did you really used to do that, honey?” Lil, who looked a little pale, feigned disapproval. “I can’t believe it. And here I assumed you’d been a sweet little boy.”

  “Me, too,” Bree agreed, seated beside her fiancé, looking just as blissful as Brooke did. She shook her head, scattering her long blond hair over her shoulders. “I’m totally disappointed in you.”

  “Ditto.” Brandi nodded, an exact duplicate of her twin. “So glad we didn’t grow up in the same family.”

  “Exactly,” Bree added, struggling not to laugh.

  “I’m appalled,” Colbie piped in, biting her lip to keep from laughing. “I’ll never look at you the same way again.”

  “Justly deserved.” Hunter took the mayo bottle from Luke and gave it a squeeze. “Right before we opened the presents, when we were sitting on the living room floor untying the bow—”

  “Would he blurt it out?” Honor asked.

  “Guilty.” Dimples flashed as Luke bowed his head sheepishly. “I know, I know. I couldn’t help myself. I was a kid.”

  “Still don’t know why I put up with him,” Hunter teased gruffly.

  Hard to miss the brotherly affection. Harder to miss the enduring ties that bound the family together as one, in spite of their different pasts and experiences. Love held that power.

  “What can I say?” Luke shrugged. “I’ve reformed.”

  “Not entirely,” Hunter argued. “I have one word for you. M&Ms.”

  “Fine, I have no self-control with those things. Do you have to bring that up? This is my birthday.” Luke’s laughter led the way. Honor found herself laughing, too, along with everyone else.

  For this moment in time, this was
exactly the place she wanted to be.

  Chapter Ten

  “Your family is so fun.” Honor carried the stack of dessert plates to Luke’s kitchen sink. “I can’t remember the last time I laughed so much.”

  “They are easy on the funny bone, that’s for sure.” Towering over her, he took the dishes and lowered them into the sink.

  “So are you.”

  “I’m glad you think I’m funny. Plenty of women don’t.”

  “Wait. I meant funny-looking.”

  “Ha ha.” He reached down to scratch Nell’s ears, who had awoken at the sound of their voices. The old dog panted drowsily before slipping back to sleep on her bed in the corner. “It’s time to feed the calves. Did you want to come? You could meet Faith.”

  “The calf I named? Count me in.” She glanced at the luminous clock. She really should head back, it was a long drive. But how could she resist?

  “Thanks again for the book.” He opened the front door for her, where sunshine led the way onto a roomy covered porch.

  “I knew just the one you wanted, since it’s the next book for discussion on Good Books.” She liked the porch swing. Wouldn’t that be a great place to stretch out and read in the evenings? “Next time maybe we can actually make it to the discussion instead of chatting at each other for two hours.”

  “Next time? No way. You’ll be busy packing up to head home.”

  “I didn’t bring much. Just what would fit in my car. So not a lot of packing time.” She hopped down the porch steps. “Instead, I’ll have lots of chatting with you time.”

  “Good to know. I’ll take advantage of it while I can.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Once you get back to your life, you won’t have as much free time. Admit it.”

  “I’m trying not to.” She’d rather stay fixed in the here and now and not think about what lay ahead. She savored the warm puff of wind dancing through her hair and breathed in the crisp green scent of ripening wild grasses and freely blooming roses. They grew in a big clump, taking over the fence by the road, as if they’d been growing for decades. Wildflowers danced in the sun, nodding their faces and the grassy hillsides. Rolling fields, amber hills and craggy mountains rimming the horizon of the wide-open sky. Breathtaking. The kind of scenery that grew on you. “You have a beautiful place. And the view? Incredible. You must never get tired of it.”