Somewhere Montana

by Platt, MJ

  “Of course she will. Why do you ask?” said Mac.

  “When Mommy and Daddy had an argument, it always ended with Daddy hitting Mommy.” His bottom lip quivered even though he continued to stare angrily at Mac.

  “First of all, we will not be arguing,” stated Mac, squatting down in front of the boy, bringing them eye to eye. “Secondly, I would never hit Sa—Miss Susan. A gentleman never hit’s a lady—ever! Remember that. Now enjoy your cocoa and cookies.”

  He straightened to his full height and looked across the kitchen to Little Mouse. “Hold off on the cookie making.”

  Sage slowly followed him to the office where he held the door open for her. When she sidled past him to stand by the window, he silently closed the door and turned to her.

  “What’s wrong, Sage?” he asked quietly, staring at the top of her down-bent head. “Won’t you even look at me?” He took a step toward her and she backed away from him, her arms crossed over her chest and her head coming up to regard him warily. She reminded him of a skittish colt. It bothered him to know he put that look in her eyes.

  “What could be wrong?” she asked stiffly.

  “I would say it goes back to that kiss the other night,” he said. He could see the truth in her expression.

  “That kiss,” she answered coolly. “That kiss I was also into until you pushed me away and slammed from the room like the hounds of Hell were after you and angrier than a bull that stepped in a hornet’s nest? That kiss?” She turned away toward the window. “You keep telling me I have to stay. Those actions clearly told me to go. If you want me gone, I can walk out that door right now. My bags are already packed.”

  The reflection in the window in front of Sage showed Mac’s pale face, wide eyes, mouth agape, his hands shaking as he reached toward her. It took a few seconds for him to regain his composure. Then he stepped in behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders and pulled her back against him.

  “No, Sage,” he said, his voice husky, “I don’t want you to leave. I wasn’t angry with you. I was angry with me. For everything moving too fast. For losing control. I was ready to make love to you right there on the living room floor. Luckily I came to my senses. You don’t deserve to be treated that way. It would have been no better than the way Diego wanted to treat you. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to let you down easier. I vowed I would never hurt you, Sage, but I did. How many ways do I need to prove how sorry I am?”

  Turning to him, Sage met his eyes straight on. The concern and discomfort in the bourbon gaze also contained passion. He wanted to repeat that kiss. Would he be willing to take it to the next step? No. He would be sure to maintain control this time. Mac put his hands around her waist to steady her.

  “I am such a full-blown nitwit. Stupid to the nth degree. I should never have doubted you.”

  “But with the track record your life has dealt you, it seemed to be the only answer. You sure you’re okay?”

  He allowed the fleeting look of vulnerability. She could only nod her response. When he looked into her eyes, she held nothing back.

  He swooped in to kiss her, pulling her in close, but at the last second kept it light. He planted quick kisses to her nose, forehead and cheek, coming back for a more sustained joining of their lips. He refrained from deepening it, although he would have liked to explore all options.

  “We’d better get back to the kitchen,” said Mac, his breathing slightly ragged. “Assure JJ nothing bad has happened to you. I wouldn’t be surprised to find him standing outside the door ready to rush in if he thought you needed him. Your little knight in shining armor.”

  “I’ve always been able to attract the under six and over sixty crowd,” she quipped, smiling up at him.

  “You’ll need to add at least one of the in-betweens,” he came back. He opened the door and walked down the hall with his arm around her shoulders.

  When they entered the kitchen, JJ swiveled around with a narrow-eyed, tight-lipped expression. His glance went to Mac, to the arm over Sage’s shoulders, back to Mac. Mac stared back at him until it finally sunk in. The boy was jealous! Oh, great! If it were a man, he’d know what to do. What do you say to an impressionable six-year-old? He eased his arm away from Sage and caught Little Mouse’s smile. She held up two mugs.

  “That hot cocoa looks and smells good. Mind if I join you?” said Mac.

  “It’s your house,” replied JJ sullenly.

  “JJ!” scolded GG, standing in her chair, hands fisted on her hips. “That a no-no. Manners.” The two children glared at each other.

  “Now she’s a miniature Emily Post?” Mac whispered to Sage, hiding a smile behind his hand.

  “Okay, you two,” said Sage. “Do I need to put you in opposite corners for a time out? Or maybe you need a nap instead of doing what we planned?”

  The children dutifully subsided and Mac took the chair next to GG as Little Mouse brought over the cocoa for him and Sage.

  “So, what’s planned for this afternoon?” asked Mac.

  “We’re helping Gramma Mouse make cookies. Oatmeal raisin. Oatmeal’s for breakfast,” GG informed him.

  “Yep. Good hot oatmeal is a great way to start the day. Sticks to your ribs,” said Mac, tickling GG and making her giggle. “But it’s even better in a cookie. Add some plump, juicy raisins and it’s mm, mm good.”

  “Do you like it in a cookie?” asked GG.

  “Sure do. But how about we put off making cookies until after supper? I figured since I was able to get back early and the weather is holding, you might like to ride that horse.” GG looked at him, astonished, then launched herself at him with a shriek and wrapped her arms around his neck. Mac winced, setting her back in her chair. Looking at Sage he said, “Say something. I think I’ve suddenly gone deaf in that ear.”

  Her throaty laugh had a fist clenching in his belly. He couldn’t remember ever hearing her laugh. It sent a bolt of heat through him. The warmth in her gaze, accompanied by her smile, had him taking a quick swallow of the hot chocolate. His eyes watered as the too hot liquid burned a path across his tongue and down his throat.

  “You ’posed to blow on it, Mr. Mac,” said GG. “Like this.” She proceeded to demonstrate, making major waves across the top of the liquid in her cup.

  Mac looked at a grinning Sage as she dipped her finger into her cup and lifted a couple miniature marshmallows into her mouth where she commenced to suck the stickiness from her finger. He barely suppressed a groan as he felt a twitch in his jeans. He figured they’d better head for the barn soon. A dose of frigid air was sorely needed. Leaving his cup on the table, he beat a hasty retreat through the kitchen door, after informing them he would saddle the horse and meet them in the arena.

  Sage stood in the center of the arena firmly holding the children’s hands when he turned with the saddle horse. GG bounced on her toes while JJ was more placid as Mac led the filly into the closed-off area.

  “This is Belle,” said Mac. “We use her to start new riders. GG, come on over.”

  GG dashed forward, under the horse’s belly, to stand expectantly beside him. Sage gasped and Mac made a quick grab for the child’s arm, pulling her away from the horse. Looking at GG with resignation, he knew this outing would be lectures first.

  “GG, first of all, you don’t run around or at a horse. Sometimes that will frighten them. Secondly, you never run under the belly. If your head rubbed against her, she might think you were an animal attacking her and she would flick her hind foot up to chase it away. You could be kicked and be hurt. Lucky for us, Belle is used to anything and will stand still.”

  He stood with a hand on GG’s shoulder, keeping his look intent but not threatening. She stared back at him with an okay-got-it-what’s-next gleam in her eye. Mac had to stifle the smile that wanted to break loose. If he had a daughter, he would want her to have the same intrepid nature. Now, that was a thought that hadn’t surfaced for several years. He glanced at Sage. Not the time for that thought to take center stage.
Stuff it back into its cubbyhole until a later date.

  “GG, let’s start out by doing things correctly. I want you to go back to Miss Susan and walk to me, around the front of the horse.”

  She nodded to him and darted under the horse’s belly toward Sage, then turned and walked slowly around the front. Mac rolled his eyes in hopelessness and picked her up, setting her in the saddle. He placed her hands on the strap hooked to the front of the saddle, simulating the holding of reins. No way would he risk damaging the horse’s mouth.

  “Sit up straight. No slouching. We need to draw a straight line from your ear to your shoulder and from your hip to your heel,” he explained, positioning her as he spoke. “Toes to the sky, heels to the ground. Ready? Now to make her go, lightly tap with your heels and say walk, Belle.”

  GG followed his instructions, and as the horse began to move she squealed in excitement. Mac stopped the horse and explained to her quietly that was not acceptable. Loud noises could scare an animal. She had to speak quietly, in a normal speaking voice. She nodded agreement and they proceeded to walk the perimeter of the arena, Mac beside her, ready to steady her if necessary.

  After fifteen minutes, he stopped in front of Sage and JJ. “Time to dismount, GG,” he said, reaching for her. “It’s JJ’s turn.”

  “No. Don’ wanna! I ride!” Tears threatening, GG held tightly to the saddle horn.

  “GG, we agreed you could both ride, but you have to take turns. There’s only one horse here and JJ needs the helmet you’re wearing.”

  “No!” The tears flowed freely now. She slid forward in the saddle and patted the seat behind her. “Put him there.”

  It was all Mac could do to keep from bursting out laughing. How to get her off? No sense getting angry and yanking her off. He remembered how eager he was to ride as a youngster. How did his dad handle it?

  He gently pried her fingers loose and lifted her off to hold her close. He whispered to her as she sobbed into his shoulder. Gradually she settled to an occasional hiccup. Standing her on the ground, he pulled out his handkerchief to wipe her face and blow her nose. Then he sent her to Sage and beckoned JJ forward.

  He buckled the helmet on the boy and lifted him into the saddle, repeating the same instructions he had given his sister. JJ was more reserved, listening intently, determined to do everything right. He wanted Miss Susan’s approval.

  * * * *

  Sage’s eyes were glued to Mac. He was so good with the children. He would be a great father. Did he want children of his own? Family was important to him. She wanted to be the one to give him that son or daughter.

  Whoa! Back up, Sage. He wouldn’t want to father a child outside of marriage. And what type of marriage would we have? He doesn’t love you. For him it would only be sex. Can’t let your heart become any more involved. Maybe it would be best to leave when this week is over. He stopped in front of her, lifted the boy off, removed the child saddle from the horse, and then vaulted astride. He motioned for Sage to pass the girl up to him. She did as he silently asked and watched as he sat her easily in front of him. Wrapping an arm around GG, he picked up the reins with his other hand and urged the horse into a slow trot. From that he went into an easy lope, keeping the child firmly seated in front of him. GG’s laughter carried throughout the arena.

  Sage watched them circle the ring. What would it be like to ride with him like that? His thighs around her. Pressed back against his muscular chest. The heat rising in her belly made her squirm. Better to squelch those ideas. Something that would never be.

  But what about the discussion we had in the office? It seemed he wanted me to stay for more than simple protection. What did he mean by ‘Are we okay’? I think he’s going to be looking for a longer conversation. One I’m not ready for. Exposing thoughts and feelings had never been easy. Not when the opposite had been drummed into her all her life.

  Voices coming closer had Sage’s gaze swinging toward the entrance to the arena where it collided with Swindon’s angry glare. He marched into the ring to Sage and his son and started to rail at her about endangering his children. Mac rode Belle between Swindon and Sage, forcing the man to back away. The other men stayed on the other side of the fence.

  “You have a problem?” Mac asked him, maintaining a calm voice and appearance with difficulty

  “Mac, it’s okay.” She could hear the distrust in his voice. It seemed whenever the man came anywhere near her it bothered him for some reason. “It’s okay.”

  “I didn’t give you permission to put my children on a dangerous animal!”

  “No danger here,” stated Mac. “This isn’t bareback bronc riding in a rodeo. The children are safer here than riding in a car.”

  “Daddy, Belle is good. I had nice ride. By myself. In a saddle. But Mr. Mac only let me walk. JJ did, too. Then Mr. Mac ride with me so I go faster. It fun,” said GG.

  “You could have fallen off, been injured,” scolded her father. Belle reached her nose toward him and snorted. He jumped back.

  “No. Mr. Mac not let happen. Belle not either,” answered the tyke, scowling at her father.

  “Well, it needs to end right now. There will be no more of this foolishness,” ordered Swindon.

  Mac slid off the horse’s back and held his hands out to the child. “Your dad has the final word, GG. Best to get off now.” She allowed him to lift her off.

  “Thank you. You bestest,” she said, wrapping her little arms around his neck and kissing his cheek. JJ approached him with hand outstretched.

  “Thank you, sir. I had a good time, too,” he said.

  “Sorry you didn’t get your chance to ride fast,” apologized Mac, shaking the boy’s hand.

  “Maybe some other time,” mumbled JJ, glancing warily at his father.

  Swindon grabbed the children by the hand and set off for their cabin, the children having to run to keep up. Mac started after him. Jim stepped into his path.

  “Kinda need to leave this one, Boss,” said Jim.

  Sage saw Mac’s anger subsided slowly. He took off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair.

  “Yeah, you’re right,” he admitted. “Swindon’s been a burr under my saddle since the day he arrived. Just because he’s afraid of horses, the kids shouldn’t suffer for it. They were looking forward to riding and they enjoyed it. I hope they’ll be okay.”

  “He’s been a jackass from the git-go,” said Jim. “Why did he come? He doesn’t seem the type for survival stuff. He’s more five star hotel and gourmet restaurants.”

  “Maybe he’s planning on taking the kids to—say, Yellowstone and wants to be prepared for any emergency,” added Dave.

  “Leave it to you to find something nice to say about him,” spoke up Buck. “I’ve been a bartender long enough to learn to read people. I wouldn’t trust him as far as I could spit. And he has it in for Susan.”

  “Probably because I’m teaching them there’s more to life than sitting around being waited on hand and foot,” said Sage.

  “He’s the sort to want to keep them under his thumb till they’re old and gray,” said Mac. “JJ probably won’t be a problem, but GG is going to give him a run for his money. Well, supper shortly. We better get ready.”

  At the supper table later that night the children were very subdued, like their vitality had been sucked out of them. JJ occasionally cast a questioning glance at Sage. She mouthed the word ‘later’ to him when she knew his father was otherwise engaged. GG never raised her eyes from her plate. Her little shoulders sagged in utter defeat. Gone was the vivaciousness that had endeared her to all of them.

  What had their father said or done to them? Would they tell her if she asked? She would find out during the cookie making after supper while the men were occupied elsewhere. She could see the concern on the faces of the other men. Mac seemed to be deep in thought. Two Feathers and Little Mouse didn’t show anything of what they were thinking.

  As soon as the meal was finished, Mac herded the men into th
e living room to go over the next day’s agenda. The last day of instruction culminated by camping out overnight. That usually meant sink or swim for the participants. She didn’t remember Mac ever losing anyone or anyone needing medical attention by the time they returned.

  Sage and Little Mouse began clearing the table. The children sat looking sadly at each other.

  “We still going ahead with the cookie making?” asked Little Mouse quietly.

  “Darn right we are!” Sage stated. “We promised them. And I think we don’t stop with oatmeal. Let’s do gingerbread men, too. They may never get another chance for that fun experience. I know how much I enjoyed being in the kitchen with Cook each Christmas. We don’t need to make a big batch.”

  While Little Mouse loaded the dishwasher, Sage took a seat between the two children. “Okay, kiddos, why the long faces?”

  “Daddy takes the fun out of everything,” stated JJ.

  “Only if you let him,” offered Sage.

  “How can we stop him? We’re only little kids.”

  “Let him have his say. Then you remember,” Sage tapped his temple with her finger, “what you did and how much fun it was. Nobody can take your memories away from you. When you share it with someone else, you get to have that happy time all over again. As you get older, you can write them down in a notebook and put in pictures you took. Then you’ll always have something to remember the fun times.”

  “We didn’t take any pictures of stuff we did here,” said GG.

  “Well, how about tomorrow we make it photo day? We’ll do all the things you did this week and I’ll snap the pictures.”

  “We ride again?” GG’s eyes lit up with glee.

  “No. Mr. Mac won’t be here.”

  “Then how we get pictures?”

  “I’ll take a picture of Belle in the barn, you two standing beside her. Now, you still want to make those cookies?”

  “Yes!” They shouted in unison. Sage let them help gather the utensils and ingredients. Their eyes grew big and round at all that was necessary. Then Little Mouse produced aprons and tied them up around their chests. JJ wasn’t sure about wearing a ‘dress’, but consented when he saw everyone would be wearing one to protect their clothes.