Sweet Home Montana (The McKaslin Clan)

by Hart, Jillian

  “I hope so. My expectations are pretty high.”

  “Don’t worry. There’s nothing like riding a horse. The experience will surpass your every expectation.”

  Wouldn’t that be a new trend in her life? Lauren was close enough to the mare that she could breathe in her warm, friendly scent. “Hi, girl.”

  The mare eyed her with what Lauren hoped was a friendly look. She gave a snort and tried to grab the hem of Lauren’s shirt with her big teeth.

  “Uh, she won’t bite me, right?”

  “She’s just friendly. Give her nose a stroke or two. I’ll leave you two to get acquainted. I’ll be right back.”

  “Wait.” But he was already moving away, releasing his hold on the leather bridle.

  Tasha looked even more gigantic as she stepped forward with hooves that suddenly looked able to crush Lauren’s feet. “Uh, how do I get acquainted with a horse?”

  “You talk to her.” He said that as if it was perfectly natural to have a one-sided conversation.

  The trouble was, Tasha seemed to be expecting something. She took a harder grip with her teeth on Lauren’s hem and shook her head. When the mare stomped her front foot, the earth gave a tiny tremble.

  “Hi, pretty girl.” Lauren ran her fingertips down the white stripe on the mare’s long nose and the sun-warmed velvet feel surprised her. Tasha was so sleek. “You’re going to go easy on me, right, since I’m a beginner?”

  Tasha released her hold on the shirt and raised her head so high, she easily snorted the crown of Lauren’s head. That’s when Lauren realized that Tasha had spied the pink barrette in her hair. And Tasha wasn’t the only one. Horses were approaching from every side, corralling her in and nibbling at her hair. “Uh, Caleb. Help!”

  “They sure seem to like you,” came his amused grin, which, fortunately, accompanied the approaching crunch of his boots in the grass. “Girls, stop that. It’s not candy. Move back, now. Lauren, this’ll help.”

  A gray cowboy hat plopped onto her head, shading her eyes from the sun and hiding the pink barrette from sight. Caleb, at her side, seemed to make this new adventure feel just right. Comfortable. Safe.

  How about that? She actually felt at ease with a man. Probably because her grandmother had sung his praises all evening. The great things he did for her, without any thought of compensation. How responsible he was. How good.

  There was good in everyone, she reminded herself. But lessons learned had taught her there was bad, too, and that’s what hurt a person. She had to keep up her guard.

  Still, it was hard to keep up her guard when the man in question had just come to her rescue. A few of the horses backed off and there was Caleb, weaving his fingers together to offer her a step up.

  “You ready?” Not only was there a light challenge in the crook of his grin but also a steady burning reassurance that made it seem as if everything would turn out perfect.

  “As ready as I’ll ever be.” She eyed Tasha’s back, which looked much wider and higher than she’d ever imagined a horse’s back to be. “Are you sure I don’t need a saddle?”

  “I’m sure, city girl. Put your foot in my hand—no, the other one. That’s right. Grab hold of her mane. And you’re gonna swing your leg over. Take care not to give her a kick in the backside. Lift your foot all the way over.”

  Tasha seemed to be worried about that, too, as she swung her head around to keep an eye on the goings-on. She really did seem like a nice horse, Lauren thought. Just the kind of horse she’d always wanted as a little girl.

  “Don’t worry,” she told the mare. “I won’t kick you for the world.”

  Caleb lifted her and up she went. Just like that she was on Tasha’s back. She was careful not to bump her shoe against Tasha’s side, either, as she tried to adjust to the rather strange sensation.

  “This isn’t like sitting on a chair.” For one thing, the mare felt so alive. Lauren felt the ripple of muscle and strength, and she had to adjust her balance when the horse shifted a little and tossed her head. Definitely a weird sensation. Probably something similar to standing on the top pole of a sailboat in mid ocean. Plus, the ground seemed a mile away down there. And the grass, which was soft when she’d been earthbound, looked as hard as brick.

  Falling off would definitely be a very bad idea. She gripped Tasha’s mane with both hands and wished she’d talked Caleb into saddling the horse. Tasha’s coat was like expensive velvet and it wouldn’t take much to go sliding right off.

  But Caleb had a steadying hold on her ankle. “It’s a whole different perspective from up there, isn’t it?”

  “Yes.” She let out a breath and realized once the initial panic was over, being horseback was very pleasant. Like touching a little dream.

  Caleb released his grip on her ankle and she was really doing it, really on the back of a beautiful mare. With the wide meadow fenced in and the morning wind bathing her face, it felt like anything was possible.

  Caleb had hopped up onto Leo’s back and came to gather up Tasha’s reins. With quiet competence, he handed them to Lauren, and she noticed, this close, that his eyes weren’t as dark as she’d first thought. His brown irises were threaded with bronze and green. She could also see the freshly shaven angle of his jaw.

  Not that she should be noticing those things. It wasn’t as if she could possibly be interested, right?

  But as he showed her how to hold the reins in one hand, she noticed more about him than what he was saying about riding. His nose was very straight and not too big, just right for his strongly angled face. And while he was a big man, he was athletic and moved easily. He laid his gloved hand over hers, showing her how to hold on to Tasha’s coarse mane. He seemed so self-assured, Lauren didn’t want to point out that she didn’t know how a handful of horse hair was going to keep her from toppling right off.

  “That’s it, now gentle pressure against her sides with your heel,” he instructed. “Not like they show in the movies with a kick. You do that and she’ll either take off at a dead gallop or turn around and bite your ankle.”

  “You said she didn’t bite.”

  “Mostly she doesn’t.” He winked.

  Yeah, he thought he was so charming. Refusing to encourage such behavior, even if it was warranted, she lifted her chin a notch and carefully pressed the heels of her sneakers to Tasha’s sides.

  The mare moved forward into a smooth walk. Yikes, it was not what she expected. It was a little like whiplash, but after a few of Tasha’s steps, Lauren started to get the horse’s rocking motion.

  Wow, it wasn’t so hard. She threw Caleb a grin, ready to say “Look at the city girl now,” but she slipped to the side. Okay, maybe she was getting a little ahead of herself. She kept sliding and Caleb was there, taking her by the elbow to steady her.

  “That’s right.” His grip was an unyielding support. “I won’t let you fall.”

  She believed him. Of course, he was talking about her falling off the horse. But what surprised her was the part that wanted to believe in a man. That there was a man in existence who would never let her fall. In any way, in any circumstance, ever. A surprise? Definitely. She didn’t know how that wish could have survived her childhood, but it had—just a little bit.

  “See? You’re riding.” Caleb released her, although he kept Leo at Tasha’s side. “It took a few minutes and you’re doing great. What do you think of riding?”

  “Fantastic.” She still felt as if she were going to topple off any second, but it was getting better. Her sense of balance was improving and if she relaxed instead of sitting board stiff, then Tasha’s rolling gait moved through her and they were in sync. Sure, it wasn’t championship riding, but hey, she hadn’t fallen yet.

  Caleb, of course, sat astride like a pro. “Look at that sunrise. It heartens a pers
on.”

  Maybe that’s exactly what she needed. When she looked up—still trying to keep her balance and slipping a little—she’d never seen anything as breathtaking as the purple mountains rimming the horizon in every direction, polished with the sheen of the golden sunrise. It felt as if she’d landed in a completely different world. Gone were the crowded streets and the search for a parking spot, the standing in line, the people, the noise and the traffic congestion everywhere.

  Her troubles seemed just as far away, a distant memory. Working long hours on her feet. Studying late into the night. The thousand things to do she could never keep up on. Making her rent. Stretching every penny. Keeping up her grades for the scholarship she was on. She loved her life; but she hadn’t realized how good a vacation—a break away—could be.

  “It is heartening,” she agreed. “It’s so grand, it makes you feel as if anything is possible. As if you’re a whole new person.”

  “True. It’s a refreshing way to start the day.”

  “I can see why you live here, even if there aren’t any malls close by.” She didn’t say more, but studied the roll of land and the amber, grass-scented air and the peace of the morning, as if she could find an answer there.

  She felt how different she would have been if she’d grown up here, in this place of wide-open spaces and horse pastures and Mary’s loving kindness. Caleb seemed so rooted, steady and confident and honest, all in a way that said he was at peace with himself and with his place in this little corner of the world.

  She could not say the same, nor why this revelation made her sad on such a sweet, bright morning.

  They approached the river winding through the meadow. Cottonwoods had dug into the bank and the horses stopped in their sparse shade.

  She drank in the serenity. She’d never been near such stillness. It wasn’t the ocean on a clear morning, but this was grand in its own way. A sense of hope began to whisper in her soul like the breeze through the wild grasses. Yes, she definitely needed this trip, for more reasons than she could count.

  “A week ago, I never would have imagined being in this beautiful place riding a horse. A horse.”

  “It’s my kind of fun, but then I’m not a symphony-going, young-urban-professional kind of a guy.”

  “There’s a lot to be said for cowboys.” She tugged the brim of her hat a little higher. “Thanks for this, Caleb.”

  “No problem. I don’t mind sharing my morning with a city slicker. As long as you don’t mind sharing yours with a country guy.”

  That made her smile. “Not at all. Of course, maybe the real draw for me is the horse.” She flashed him a smile, gently teasing—something she never did. One of the reins slipped from her fingers.

  “Let me.” He leaned in his saddle to rescue the leather strap. “You know, Tasha has taught more than one McKaslin sister how to ride.”

  “Really?” Worry crept across her forehead and dug in along her rosebud mouth as she took the recovered rein from him. She was careful not to brush her fingers against his. “Which sisters?”

  “Katherine, I know for sure. Aubrey, I think. I’m not sure about Ava. She didn’t have the best luck when it came to horses. And Rebecca, she’s the stepsister.”

  “Because my dad remarried.” Shadows crept into her eyes and she bowed her head, the wide brim of the Stetson hiding the expression on her face.

  “He married a nice lady with two girls of her own. The youngest is about your age, I think. You’ll probably meet them today.”

  “Probably.” The knuckles on her hand turned white.

  It had to be hard coming back, not knowing for sure if you were welcome. “It’ll be okay. I know it.”

  Her hands remained tight on the reins. “From your lips to God’s ears. I’ve always wanted a sister in my life.”

  “Now you have five of them, counting the steps.”

  “I hope I like them. I want them to like me.”

  His throat lodged tight. He couldn’t say why or what he was feeling, but he could read her earnestness. Maybe it was time for a change in subject to get her mind off her worries. “You see that house way over there on that rise?”

  “You mean the only house I can see for what looks like miles?”

  He chuckled. “It must seem that way to someone used to folks every which way you look, but my spread is about a quarter of a mile away.”

  “You call that next door?” Gentle amusement brightened her violet-blue eyes. “It must have been nice growing up around here. Quiet, but nice.”

  “There isn’t a better way in my opinion. All this open space. Lots to do. I was never bored.”

  “Really?” Lauren tried to imagine what a person could do in all these grassy fields and forested foothills. No shopping, no theaters, no centers of learning. “I caught a glimpse of the city from the freeway and it didn’t look very big. What do you do for fun, besides ride horses?”

  “Oh, like I needed to go into town to find something to do? Is that what you mean?” He quirked one brow in a challenge.

  Goodness, had she offended him? “I was just wondering. I grew up with kids everywhere. There was always something to do, jumping rope or hopscotch or, when I was older, playing basketball or going down the street to the youth center. That’s all. If you grew up here, it would be hard to step outside your front door and find enough kids to play a game of baseball.”

  “True. But then, I’m not much of a baseball player. Besides, what could be more fun than this?” He grinned.

  He did have a point. Horses were pretty cool. “Why do I get the feeling that you aren’t as small town as you want me to believe?”

  He knuckled back his Stetson. “I spent a few years out of state. Thought there weren’t enough opportunities here and, like most of the kids I’d grown up with, thought I’d find them in a bigger place.”

  “Where did you go?”

  “Seattle. It’s a nice city, don’t get me wrong, but the opportunities aren’t better, just different. You’ve got to decide what your priorities are and what you want. For me, I figured out that I liked this lifestyle. I didn’t want to trade it for better pay and more choices. Besides, if I want culture, all I’ve got to do is sit down with my volume of Shakespeare.”

  “I can’t picture it. Maybe it’s the cowboy hat.”

  “Maybe. What do you do to make a living?”

  “I have an internship at a financial investment company. Of course that’s for no pay, just school credit. I also have a job to pay the rent. I have a roommate and that helps cut some of the costs.”

  “Sounds like you have a pretty busy life.”

  “Sometimes too busy, but I manage to keep everything together, mostly. Until I get through my master’s program I’m just taking one day at a time and being glad for that.”

  “That’s pretty much what I do, too.” Caleb reined Leo around. His chest felt all wadded up and troubled, but he couldn’t say why. The morning was pure serenity and sharing it with a nice pretty lady was no hardship.

  Maybe it was the lady. Maybe it was from trying to picture her student lifestyle. He knew it wasn’t an easy row to hoe. She was nice and that made the tangle in his chest ache a little.

  As they headed back, he kept her in his sight. She looked lovely with the wind tousling her hair and the mellow golden sheen of the light falling across her. Beneath the Stetson’s wide brim, her face shone with wonder and delight as she leaned forward to whisper something to Tasha. Apparently pleased with the affection, the mare preened, and that knot in him yanked a little tighter.

  The trouble was, he didn’t want to like Lauren. Not even a little bit.

  She turned to him when they reached the white rail fencing, where they’d first started out. “This might be the best morning I’ve ever had.
”

  “Surely not the best.”

  “At least that I can remember.” Lauren hated that the ride was over, but she knew Caleb had a work day ahead and she had—oh, thinking of it made her stomach clench into a hard fist, an equal mix of excitement and abject terror. Meeting her family. So much could go wrong, so much could go right. She was equally scared of both. One would make her mother right and the other, it was the unknown. She wanted a family. She also didn’t want to get hurt.

  So far, so good, right? Maybe this morning was a good sign. Maybe the meeting will go so well, she would be glad she’d come.

  Maybe, just maybe, it would change her life.

  “I’m glad that you had such a good time. You did a pretty good job for a city girl.” Caleb had slid down to the ground and was unbuckling Leo’s bridle.

  “I didn’t fall once.”

  “Better than I did my first time out. It would be my pleasure to give you another lesson tomorrow, if you’re up for it.”

  “Are you sure? I’d love it.”

  “Are you an early riser by nature?” Caleb hung the bridle on the top rail and came toward her.

  “Mornings are my favorite time of day.”

  “Mine, too. Good. Then we’ll meet thirty minutes earlier and go for a longer ride. How about it?”

  “Sounds perfect.”

  Caleb held out his hands and she placed her palms against his. So warm and unyielding. He helped her slide safely to the ground. Her feet hit the earth and she felt the jolt in her soul. In that moment, she saw understanding in Caleb’s dark eyes and sensed it in the air between them.

  “You’re worried about these people you’re about to meet,” he said. “You’re afraid that they’ll let you down, too. That they won’t want you, the way your mom didn’t really want you.”

  “H-how did you know?”

  “I lost my mom when I was eight. My grandparents raised me. And I know how there’s a place that’s always missing the love you should have been given. But it’ll be all right. Trust me.”