The Man from Montana

by Julianna Morris

  “You’d really like Clay. He’s a good man.”

  Melanie leaned closer to the computer camera. “And you’re in love with him.”

  Tessa sighed. “Is it that obvious?”

  Melanie sniffed and smiled. “Yes. Is he in love with you?”

  “We haven’t talked about it, but I think he feels the same. He has trouble opening up, and that’s a challenge in any relationship. It’s complicated even more because my entire life is in the Southwest, and his entire life is here in Montana.”

  Tessa saw her mother and father give each other a long look.

  “I don’t believe a woman should always be the one to give up her career and home,” her mom said finally, “but I have to point out that if you’re in love with Clay Carson, then your entire life isn’t in Arizona.”

  “I hate to agree on this particular issue, but your mother is right,” Chuck added. “As usual.”

  Tessa struggled to hold on to her composure, knowing how difficult it must have been for them to say something like that—in essence, that they would understand if she decided to stay in Montana.

  “I’ve been researching Elk Point,” Melanie said, looking thoughtful. “It sounds like a pleasant town. I doubt they need a pool construction company, but I also couldn’t find a single business that installs systems to harvest rainwater.”

  “And thanks to Tessa, we know quite a bit about the subject,” Chuck added. “A company that operates just a few months out of the year would be a nice change for folks within ten or so years of retirement. A few months in Montana, the rest in Arizona. That could work. Not that we’d let you interfere too much with our daily lives, Tessa. We need time for ourselves.”

  “Now, Chuck, we could babysit once in a while,” Melanie interjected. “That would be all right. And maybe have a Sunday dinner now and then.”

  Tessa started laughing. “Promise you won’t decide anything unless I have a ring on my finger,” she said.

  Her mother blew a kiss into the screen. “Promise. We’re leaving in a couple of days to drive up there. Maybe see a few sights along the way. We wanted it to be a surprise, but after all this, I thought you should know.”

  “If you get here by Independence Day, there’s going to be a huge barn dance at Carson Double C,” Tessa explained. “It’s an engagement party for Clay’s brother. Kind of a town shindig. I’m sure you’d be welcome.”

  Chuck rubbed his hands together. “A barn dance? That sounds great. I’ll make hotel reservations. We can always sightsee on the way home.”

  “I don’t know if we should go to the party, dear,” Melanie said. “It might be awkward for the Carsons.”

  He nodded. “True. Well, we don’t have to decide now.”

  They talked another few minutes before saying good-night. Then Tessa sat for a long time, absorbing the calming atmosphere of the ranch. Her parents’ generosity in affirming whatever choice she made was incredible, but a life with Clay in Montana was still a huge step.

  Even if her parents started a business and lived in Elk Point part of the year—which was a big if—the rest of her family still lived in the Southwest. She loved the desert and would have to learn a lot in order to practice her profession in Montana. And winters in the north would be radically different. Supposedly Elk Point wasn’t snowed in for months at a time, but there was plenty of snow at the higher elevations. It would be hard watching Clay take groups out in freezing weather, and even harder to watch him go out by himself.

  Then she thought about his gentleness while telling her about Renee’s accident. The concern in his eyes that he hadn’t tried to conceal, the anger on her sister’s behalf at how Neil had responded to his ex-wife’s overtures. The way Clay had offered to have someone take over the trip, so he could be there in whatever way she needed. And there had been other moments when he’d revealed something deep within his soul.

  Clay wasn’t sentimental and he had trouble opening his heart, but he would do anything for the people he loved.

  Couples had started out with a whole lot less going for them.

  * * *

  ANDREW FINISHED TALKING to his lawyer and couldn’t resist pumping his fist in triumph as he ended the call. Mallory was gone, or soon would be. And she wasn’t likely to return.

  He went to the playroom and gave his son a grateful hug. Despite the stress Mallory had caused, he couldn’t regret having known her. Because without his ex-wife, he wouldn’t have Derry.

  “Is Daddy happy?” Derry asked, hugging him back.

  “Daddy is very happy.”

  Derry let out an exaggerated sigh. “I don’t like when you be sad.”

  “I know. I’m sorry I’ve been acting funny lately.”

  “Not funny. Sad.”

  Andrew laughed and hugged him again. Derry understood more nuances than many children his age, but “acting funny” was a concept that might take longer.

  “Okay,” he said. “I’m going out to talk to Jillian.”

  Derry instantly stood up. “I wanna go.”

  “Not right now. Daddy and Jillian need to have a grownup talk,” he told his son. “But I’m sure she’ll come to see you soon.”

  “Goody. I love Jilly this much!” His son opened his arms as wide as he could get them, his small fingers stretching out.

  Andrew smiled broadly. “So do I. Now give Daddy a kiss and I’ll see you later.”

  His son’s kiss was noisy and accompanied by another hug.

  Andrew winked at his aunt as he left the house and gave her a thumbs-up. She’d known he was calling the lawyer, so she’d guess that he’d gotten positive news.

  Jillian was in the pasture, working with her weaned fillies and colts. He climbed the fence and walked out to her.

  “You seem pleased,” she called.

  “More than pleased.” He pulled her into his arms for a long kiss, his pulse surging with hope and pleasure.

  * * *

  JILLIAN HAD SEEN the embrace coming and she reveled in the moment; it was the first time they’d kissed without someone watching or as a show for their fake engagement.

  Finally, Andrew lifted his head a few inches, keeping her tightly held against his chest.

  “Mallory is no longer a problem,” he said. “It turns out that she married me without getting a divorce from two prior husbands, so she’s committed bigamy twice. She’s also done time for fraud and blackmail. All under various names. There are several warrants out for her arrest.”

  “Then we don’t have to worry about her any longer.”

  “Not until Derry starts asking about his biological mother, then I’ll have to do some careful explaining. But maybe he’ll be so happy about his new mommy, he won’t get curious for a while.”

  “New mommy? Who would that be?” Jillian teased. They hadn’t talked about the future, but she was certain where they both wanted it to lead.

  “The woman I’ve been in love with forever and didn’t know it. The woman who doesn’t hesitate to tell me what she thinks and when I’ve messed up. Who backs me up, even when I do something stupid, and then helps me fix my mistake. A woman who’s so beautiful she takes my breath away.”

  “Oh. That’s a relief. For a minute I thought you were talking about me.”

  Andrew laughed and the rumbling sensation against her made Jillian shiver with anticipation. “You know who I’m talking about.”

  “Yeah.” She kissed the tip of his nose. “I’m in love with you, too. Surprised the heck out of me.”

  He tipped her chin upward to gaze intently into her sparkling green eyes. “I know how much you cared for Michael and dreamed of a life with him. He was a terrific guy and he would have become a great friend of mine, as well. But we can have our own dreams. Just as big. Just as wonderful.”

  “No argument here. And at least I won’t have to teach
you how to ride a horse or split a piece of firewood.”

  Andy stared for an instant, then laughed. “That’s right, I’m not a city feller. I can already ride a horse, build a fire, chop wood and repair a roof.”

  “Uh-uh.” Jillian shook her head. “No more roofs for this family. We call in a roofing company, or the deal is off.”

  “Okay, if that’s your last word on the subject.”

  “It is.”

  “Then you’ll marry me?”

  Jillian lifted her left hand and admired the engagement ring she wore. “Of course. After all, we’ve already done most the work of being engaged. It’s been announced in the newspaper. People have congratulated us. We even have an engagement party scheduled for next week.”

  “It would be a shame to waste all of that effort,” Andy said solemnly.

  “Waste not, want not, as my grandmother always says.” Jillian smiled and kissed him again, pleased he’d been confident enough not to ask if she loved him the way she’d loved Michael.

  Love couldn’t be compared, because each person was different. She loved Andy and his son completely and wholly, and that love would just keep growing and growing. And maybe with time, they’d have more children to share it with. There was no question about it—she was the luckiest woman in the world.

  * * *

  TESSA SAT BY Bull Moose Lake enjoying the late afternoon sun and quiet.

  The past several days had been frantically busy between the work to get everything ready for the engagement party and still cover the trips during the Fourth of July week. Then Clay’s parents had arrived. From what she’d gleaned, they normally came up the first of July and stayed into August, but had decided to get there a few days early to take a larger role in preparing for Andrew’s engagement party.

  Tessa liked the elder Carsons, though she’d had little opportunity to speak with them. Laura Carson looked younger than her years and had a warm, energetic nature. Russell Carson was an older edition of his two sons and his manner reminded Tessa so much of Clay that her jaw had dropped. Clay’s sister was also there, on a break from her postgraduate studies.

  But with their arrival had come another concern—how would they feel about her?

  The family had been eating their evening meals at the ranch barbecue, but tonight they were having a gathering at Andrew’s house. Clay had asked her to join them, but she hadn’t felt comfortable about it, too aware that Renee had been responsible for Clay being seriously injured.

  Nonetheless, warm satisfaction filled Tessa. Clay had hired three new guides on a provisional basis and was looking for more, so he’d asked her to lead as many of the short day hikes as possible while he observed how the new employees handled trips. In turn, it gave Andrew more freedom to take groups on overnight excursions.

  Doing the day hikes meant spending less time with Clay, but his trust meant a huge amount to her.

  Tessa sighed.

  She wondered about fate and what her life might have been like if she had never met Clay Carson. It made her feel odd, but if she believed in fate, then maybe they would have met another way, regardless. It was a nice thought, one she would hold on to.

  Her parents were on the road, leaving Javier in charge at Alderman Pools. Her own team was often called on to help clean up after a storm in the monsoon season and they’d been in contact a couple of times, just to touch base.

  She closed her eyes and filled her lungs, drawing on memories of the stunning storms that crashed over the Sonoran Desert. The feel of the air, the wind blowing, water gushing down normally dry washes, lightning cracking across the sky...

  The sound of footsteps jerked her into the present and she twisted to see Clay coming up the trail with Molly at his side.

  “I see you’re ready to repel unwelcome visitors,” he said, his tone light as he gestured to her hand.

  Tessa made a face and released her grip on the can of bear spray to give Molly a proper greeting. “I just don’t want to be somebody’s dinner. Speaking of which, I thought there was a big Carson gathering tonight.”

  “It doesn’t start for a couple of hours. Were you thinking about the desert? You had a homesick look on your face.”

  Tessa shrugged noncommittally. “It’s odd to think monsoon season has started down in the Southwest. The weather is so different here.”

  Clay sat next to her and Molly plopped down near the edge of the lake, plainly happy that life was getting back to normal. For the first time in weeks, she’d been going on trips with Clay, and she loved it.

  “We may not have monsoons,” Clay said, “but our dry thunderstorms over the mountains have their exciting moments, especially when they start fires.”

  “Ugh.”

  He grinned. “You’ll probably prefer the Northern Lights. We start seeing them more often in August. My mom says they look as if someone is spraying liquid light across the sky.”

  “I’m looking forward to it.”

  A breeze ruffled the surface of the lake, blurring the reflection of hills and trees.

  “How many new guides do you expect to need?” she asked. “I thought you were just going to replace Nadia and Grace, but you’ve hired three guides and are looking for more. Oliver is getting nervous—he doesn’t want to work in the office for any longer than necessary.”

  “I expect to need all of them, along with Oliver. Gunther Computer Systems called a few days ago. They want a contract. We’ve been hammering out the details.”

  Tessa was thrilled with the news. “That’s wonderful. What prompted it?”

  “Our rescue of Aiden and Skeeter. Andrew sent the owner copies of the newspaper articles that Ruby Jenkins wrote. Trask Gunther is a dog lover, too.”

  “I knew that interview would raise your company profile,” she teased.

  “Getting publicity from a rescue makes me uncomfortable,” Clay admitted. “That isn’t why I’m a member of the ECSR. I would have told Andrew not to send the articles, which he knew, so he didn’t ask.”

  “I’m glad he took the initiative. I wish I’d thought of it.” Tessa stretched out her legs and wiggled her toes, thinking how strange it was to be enjoying herself so much. After her sister’s death, it had seemed impossible that she’d ever be happy again. Yet she’d found peace. And somehow, she was certain that wherever Renee was, she was at peace, too.

  “How are your folks doing?” Clay asked after a moment.

  “Better. Actually, they’ll be in Elk Point tomorrow. They left a few days ago to drive up here. It’s the first time Mom and Dad have taken a summer vacation since I was a small kid. Summers are a busy time in the pool business.”

  “I hope they’re coming to the barn dance. It’s turning into an even bigger deal than we expected.”

  Tessa scrunched her nose. “I told them about it, but Mom isn’t sure they should attend. I’m not sure about me, either.”

  “I don’t see why not.”

  “My sister nearly got you killed,” she reminded him. “Your parents won’t forgive that quickly.”

  Clay lifted her hand and laced their fingers together. “My parents aren’t holding anything against you or your family. In fact, they’re unhappy with me for not insisting you spend more time with us.”

  Tessa drew a quick breath. “Why would that make them unhappy? I’m just a contractor.”

  Clay gave her a long glance, filled with humor. “You know that isn’t true. They’re hoping the party on Wednesday will be a double-engagement celebration. They firmly believe you’re the only woman on the planet who could convince me to get married and have a family. And they’re right, of course. It’s amazing how wise parents become at a certain point.”

  Tessa swallowed, trepidation and hope and a thousand other emotions flooding her heart. “I don’t want to convince you to do anything you don’t want to do.”

  *
* *

  CLAY LEANED OVER and kissed the curve of Tessa’s neck. Her scent filled his senses.

  “Bad choice of words,” he murmured. “How about this? They know you’re the only woman I would ever want to marry.”

  “Better. Not a lot, but a little.”

  “You’re going to be tough to please. I like that. Maybe this will do it—my entire family knows that you’re the only woman for me period. Full-stop. And I agree. There’s no one else I would give up Montana and move to the desert to make happy.”

  Tessa’s eyes widened. “You aren’t serious.”

  “Completely and utterly. I love you, Tessa. Before you came, I’d forgotten how to dream, or even what having an imagination felt like. So I’ll leave Andrew in charge here, and move to Tucson to start a new branch of Carson Outdoor Adventures. One that specializes in taking people into the desert and up into the mountain ranges around the city.”

  “No.”

  Clay shook his head. “I’m following you, no matter what. I’m too much in love to ever live without you again. I’ll read and study and you can teach me about desert ecology while you create sustainable landscapes. We’ll wow the world together.”

  “That isn’t what I meant.” Tessa threw herself against him and they tumbled backward, kissing and laughing.

  When he could finally get his breath, he looked up at her. “Then what did you mean?”

  “I’m staying in Montana. I love it here, too. It will take some adjustment, especially in the winter, but I have a few ideas about how to fit in. First off, I’m going to make Carson Outdoor Adventures a showcase for my abilities as a landscape architect.”

  “You are?”

  “That’s right. You’re going to love my ideas. Everyone will want to hire me. We’ll also have the best system to harvest rainwater in the entire country.”

  “So I’m losing a terrific outdoor guide, and gaining a prizewinning landscape architect.” Clay threaded his fingers through her thick, silky hair and pulled her head down for another lingering kiss. Loving Tessa was like being set free and he would be grateful for every moment they had together.