I love you, too.
I know Mom and Dad would want you to do this.
Kristine
Paige gulped down a whole bucket of guilt.
Mom and Dad would want you to do this.
She blew her nose and wiped her eyes. She slipped the letter back into the envelope, which also contained a copy of Krissy’s handwritten will, Bryan’s birth certificate and a record of his vaccinations up to three years ago.
She’d failed her sister. Like their parents, she’d ignored Krissy’s efforts to fit in, to be loved despite the fact she sometimes messed up.
Leaving the envelope on the daybed, she stepped outside onto the side porch from the sewing room.
Her grandfather owned sixty or seventy acres of land, most of it undeveloped. Paige had only explored a small portion as a child.
In the late afternoon rays of sunlight, the new needles on the pine and fir trees glistened bright green. Aspen trees down by the lake, which had shed their leaves for the winter, with the arrival of spring shimmered iridescent flashes of green in the light breeze. Not far away, Paige could hear Moccasin Creek flowing with snowmelt from the mountains that rose above Bear Lake.
Springtime was a wonderful time to be alive and a lousy time to die.
Tears sprang to her eyes again, and her vision blurred. “Why didn’t you tell me all this when you were alive?”
Paige would have tried harder to get to know Krissy. Understand her.
A painful laugh broke from her throat. What a joke! Krissy had recently celebrated her twenty-seventh birthday. Paige had had all that time to help her little sister and she’d done squat.
Now she had a second chance. With Bryan. If he’d let her try.
* * *
It was nearly dark and Grandpa was sleeping in his recliner when Bryan finally came in the house. He marched right past Paige, who was sitting on the couch reading, and went to his room. He slammed the door.
Patience, Paige. The youngster was facing a big change in his life. Little wonder he was upset.
Grandpa mumbled something and went right back to sleep.
Sighing, Paige got up and walked down the hall. She knocked softly on Bryan’s door. “It’s me. Can I come in?”
“Go away!”
“I think we ought to talk, Bryan. This is all new to me, too.”
Her plea was met with silence.
“Could I at least give you a hug? I know you miss your mother.” She’d hugged Bryan when she had arrived yesterday, but his response had felt more perfunctory than loving. Understandable given the situation and the fact that she hadn’t seen him in months.
She heard what sounded like a boot dropping to the floor in Bryan’s room. A moment later, the other boot followed the first.
“Your mother loved you very much,” she said to the closed door. “When she picked me to be your guardian, she thought it was the right thing to do.” Paige intended to follow her sister’s wishes as best she could. “Please, it won’t hurt to talk, will it? I’m sure we can work things out together.” That, at least, was her prayer.
The knotty-pine door remained firmly closed, the boy’s displeasure radiating through the wooden barrier without the need for words.
Paige hated confrontations. She had since she’d been a child. Although she’d learned how to deal with difficult situations in her position at the hotel, she didn’t think now was the time to push her luck. She’d let Bryan sleep tonight. Hopefully he’d be better able to listen and understand the situation in the morning.
Returning to the living room, she stood looking at her grandfather. There were definite signs of aging. He didn’t move as fast as he used to and she’d noticed he’d become breathless walking into the church for the funeral service. She feared the difficulty was more than the stress of losing his granddaughter.
Maybe Krissy had been right not to rely on their grandfather to see Bryan into adulthood. As much as Grandpa loved the boy, and Bryan loved him, the court might not even accept Grandpa as a viable candidate for guardian.
Too restless to read, and with no interest in checking what might be on the television, Paige decided to step outside for a breath of air and clear her head.
She retrieved her jacket from the sewing room and went out onto the front porch.
The spring air had a snap to it. She stepped off the porch and wrapped her arms around herself. The stars in the darkening sky twinkled in the clear air, a view rarely seen in Seattle. As she watched, more and more stars began to appear, each one filling its special place in the heavens.
Where was her special place? She’d dreamed of living in European capitals, caught up in their history and culture. In college she’d taken both French and German to help her achieve her goal. For the past three years, she’d used her vacation time to visit Elite Hotel properties overseas, immersing herself in the ambience, making contacts, planning her future.
In the course of one day, her future had taken a sharp turn and now included the welfare of a twelve-year-old boy.
* * *
As he headed to the barn for his last check on the horses for the night, Jay spotted Paige gazing at the stars. Cast in the faint rays of starlight, she looked vulnerable. Not the corporate executive who had shown up for her sister’s funeral yesterday. More approachable. More appealing and not so standoffish.
Even though he knew it wasn’t wise to test how welcoming she might be, he strolled toward her.
“How about a nickel for your thoughts?” he asked.
She started then glanced in his direction. “Is it part of your Native American thing to be able to sneak up on people?”
“Nope. My Scottish ancestors used to slip into English castles and make off with barrels of whiskey without making a sound.”
The trill of her soft laughter tickled down Jay’s spine. He hadn’t responded to a woman’s voice so strongly for a very long time.
“I gather they were well motivated,” she said.
“According to the stories my great-grandfather told, fooling the British was a mark of honor in the old days.”
She nodded before looking up at the sky again.
“So have you decided what to do about Bryan?” he asked.
“Krissy wanted me to be his guardian. I owe her that and more. I have to respect my sister’s last wish.”
Jay balled his hands into fists. That might have been Krissy’s wish, but it sure wasn’t Bryan’s. “You’re going to move him to Seattle?”
“That’s where I live. Where my job is.”
“Just curious, but how many horses do you own there in Seattle?”
“None, thank goodness! I live in a condo.”
He pictured shoulder-to-shoulder apartments with no room to breathe, and he shuddered as much for himself as for the boy. “So there’s a stable nearby where Bryan can board his horse?”
“Not that I know of. But Bryan won’t need a horse in Seattle.”
Jay moved a little closer and lowered his voice in frustration. “Miss Barclay, horses are that boy’s life. He lives and breathes for the chance to ride the trails in the mountains. Spot a bear. Or a mountain lion. Being able to see to a horizon that’s farther away than the building across the street.”
She straightened her shoulders. “The city has all kinds of advantages he doesn’t have here. He’ll be able to go to museums, art galleries, hear a symphony orchestra. He can learn to sail on the Sound. Play any sport he likes. It’s a wonderful place to live.”
His jaw was going to crack, he was biting down so hard not to tell Miss Barclay exactly what he thought of that kind of life for Bryan. “You don’t know a thing about raising a boy, do you?”
She backed up a step. “No, but I’m perfectly capable of learning.”
Pacing away
from her, Jay struggled to keep calm. Krissy might have been reckless, but her sister was downright stubborn.
He circled back to her and got inside her personal space. “You’re going to take Bryan away from all that he knows and loves and stick him in some condo with neighbors close enough to hear them brush their teeth?” Jay couldn’t imagine any worse way to live, cooped up inside a building where he couldn’t smell the sweet scent of spring or the biting cold of a real winter.
Not budging an inch, she planted her fists on her hips, showing more spunk than Jay thought she had. If she were a couple inches taller, she’d be right in his face. In this case, that would be a bad thing. He might just kiss her, and wouldn’t that fry her beans?
“I know there will be adjustments we’ll both have to make, but that’s what Krissy wanted.”
“And precisely what adjustments are you going make? Take weekends off so you can be home with Bryan?” He was guessing. He didn’t know what her schedule was but he figured working at a hotel she had to work some crazy shifts.
Hooking her hand around the back of her neck, she hesitated. “I can’t do that. I’m the conference manager for the hotel. Most of the conferences are scheduled for—”
“Fine. Then Bryan’ll stay home alone. He’s old enough. Of course, he won’t know anyone except you. Hope you’ve got a lot of video games for him to play.”
She folded her arms across her chest. “All right, I haven’t worked out all the details yet. I just found out today—”
His jaw muscle twitched. “How big is your condo, Miss Barclay?”
“Will you stop calling me Miss Barclay?” she snapped. “My name is Paige, and I’m dealing with this guardian business the best I can.”
“Okay, Paige.” He shouldn’t be pressing her, but the thought of her dragging Bryan off to Seattle really stuck in his craw. “You didn’t answer my question about your condo.”
“It’s small, all right?”
“How small?” he demanded.
“One bedroom plus a home office,” she admitted grudgingly. “It will do until I can sell and buy a bigger one.”
“That ought to be cozy.” He snatched off his old work hat and speared his fingers through his hair. She seemed to honestly believe she could take on the responsibility for a twelve-year-old, move him hundreds of miles away from the only home he’d known and everything would work itself out. Not likely!
“It’s getting late.” She glanced over her shoulder toward the house. “I think I’ll go back inside. Good night.”
“Wait!” He didn’t want to stop sparring with her. Challenging her to think things through. He hadn’t yet convinced her taking on parental responsibilities for Bryan wasn’t such an easy thing to do. “When are you planning to leave?”
“Early Monday morning. I have to be at work Tuesday.” She took a few steps toward the porch.
“You’re taking Bryan with you?”
“I, um, I suppose so. I might not be able to get time off to come back.”
That was crazy. Jay had to stop her. “No, you can’t do that. You’re not officially his guardian until a court says so.”
She cocked her head. “I have Krissy’s letter. That gives me the authority—”
“He only has two more weeks of school before summer vacation. You can’t pull him out now. That would break his heart.”
“I can’t stay here for two more weeks. My boss would have a fit.” Her voice tightened. “We’ve got a big medical conference scheduled for next weekend.”
“If your boss is the right kind of guy, he’ll understand. Besides, two weeks will give Bryan time to get to know you and you to get to know him.” The lowered slope of her shoulders suggested he was finally getting through to her.
Hat in hand, he approached her slowly. “I understand you cared about your sister. And you care about Bryan, too. Give the boy a chance to know you, and yourself time to work out whatever steps you have to take to be his official legal guardian.”
She held his gaze in the starlight for a long moment as though she wanted to say something important. Instead, her jaw tightened. “I’ll think about it.” Whirling, she hurried up the steps and into the house.
Jay jammed his hat on his head. He wasn’t anything to Bryan except his friend. Grandpa Henry should be fighting on the boy’s side. Not going along with Krissy’s cockamamy idea of letting Paige raise her son.
So why was the idea of the boy moving away bugging him so much?
He thought of the son he’d lost, the tiny baby who had never drawn his first breath. The boy he’d dreamed of having. He’d planned to teach him how to ride. How to raise the best-bred quarter horses in the West. To live and work on the ranch he’d sold after Annie and the baby had died.
He’d wanted to teach his son to track animals through the woods. To hunt and fish.
But he’d never had the chance.
He scrubbed his face with his hand, remembering all of his dreams that had never come to pass. He hadn’t been able to bear the thought of remaining on the ranch after he’d lost Annie. Not with all the memories that haunted him.
Bryan wasn’t his own flesh and blood. But there were times, he admitted, when the kid looked at him with such—was it hero worship? Or could it be love? Despite himself, Jay had relished those moments.
However well-meaning Paige might be, he didn’t want her to take Bryan away.
And he had no idea how to stop her.
Chapter Three
Jay had given Paige plenty to think about, which resulted in a restless night. Her head was still spinning with all that she had to do when she woke the next morning.
She dressed in a black wool skirt and fitted yellow sweater with three-quarter-length sleeves, and headed for the kitchen. She planned to attend church this morning. To thank the pastor again for presiding over Krissy’s funeral.
Plus, she hoped with some concentrated prayer, the Lord would provide the guidance she needed.
The smell of rich coffee and the sound of male voices drew her. She stopped at the kitchen doorway and gawked. Bryan and Grandpa were sitting at the table. Jay, wearing a frilly pink apron that had to have been Grandma Lisbeth’s, was cooking pancakes on the griddle. He flipped one in the air. It landed smack in the middle of the plate he was holding in his hand.
“Very impressive.” She had no recollection of Jay preparing meals during any of her prior visits. Yesterday he’d already left to see to the horses when she’d come in for coffee. “You have an unexpected talent.”
He shot her a grin that crinkled the corners of his eyes and sped gooseflesh down her skin. A man had to be seriously macho to carry off a pink apron with such aplomb.
“When I lead a trail ride into the wilderness, the clients expect good eats and plenty of it.” He flipped a second pancake onto the plate and handed it to Bryan.
The boy grabbed the butter, slathered the pancakes, then reached for the syrup.
“Sit yourself down,” Jay said. “I’ll cook up a couple for you.”
“No, that’s not necessary. I only have coffee for breakfast.”
“You’re too skinny, girl.” Grandpa forked a bite of pancake into his mouth. “Jay’s pancakes will put some meat on your bones.”
She put an affectionate hand on her grandfather’s shoulder. “A woman my age has to be careful not to put too much meat on her bones.”
He harrumphed and ate another bite of his breakfast.
“You look like you’re dressed to go somewhere fancy,” Jay said, pouring two more circles of batter on the griddle.
She got a mug from the cupboard and poured herself some coffee. “I thought I’d go to church this morning. Anyone like to come with me?” When no one responded, she turned to Bryan. “How about you? We could hang out.”
He looked up at her with hooded eyes and shook his head.
The prick of rejection hurt. She shrugged it off. Bryan was asserting his independence. Understandable under the circumstances. Eventually he’d come around. She hoped. “How about you, Grandpa?”
“My arthritis is acting up bad this morning.” He downed a gulp of coffee. “There must be a storm coming.”
So far the day looked as sunny as yesterday had. But Paige knew not to challenge her grandfather’s weather predictions. She remembered all too well a picnic down by the dock at the lake with her mother, grandmother and Krissy with baby Bryan. They’d ignored Grandpa’s warning about the weather and he’d been right. Their picnic had been rained out.
Jay slid another plate of pancakes onto the table and sat down. “I’ll drive you.”
Her mouth gaped open. She hadn’t expected him to volunteer to take her to church. She wasn’t sure she wanted to spend time with him alone after the animosity he’d shown her last night. Besides, she was perfectly capable of driving herself.
She sat at the table opposite him. “That’s all right. There’s no need. I drove my car here.”
He crooked a single dark brow. “No sense to take two vehicles.”
“Don’t you have a trail ride this morning?”
Jay swallowed his bite of pancake. “Nope. Sundays are a day of rest for us and our horses. So it’s all settled. We’ll go to church together.”
Bossy cowboy! She closed her hands around her coffee mug, letting the heat seep in. “Fine. As long as you promise not to wear Grandma Lisbeth’s apron.”
He looked down at himself. Color darkened his ruddy cheeks. “Yeah, I think that’s a promise I can make.”
Suppressing a smile, Paige lowered her gaze. Sometimes a little teasing went a long way to smooth troubled waters. Or to gain the upper hand.
As soon as Bryan finished his pancakes, he was out the door heading for the stable and his horse.
With a grimace, Grandpa gathered himself and stood. “Think I’ll go have a sit-down in the living room.”
“Can I get you something for the pain?” Worried, Paige hopped up to take his elbow and walked with him into the living room.
Montana Wrangler Page 3
