Sweet Home Montana (The McKaslin Clan)

by Hart, Jillian

  “Oh, no. It’s a free country. Everyone’s got the right to their opinions. The thing is, that sometimes people surprise you.”

  “You’re a cop and you say this?”

  “Hey, I see the worst side of humanity, hands down. Absolutely. But I’ve seen the best side, too.”

  “The best side?”

  “Sure. People stopping to help find a missing child or joining a search for an Alzheimer’s patient who’d wandered off from home. Every day, I see a lot of good people who care about others. Not just the harm done, but the goodness.”

  “What do you mean?” He intrigued her, she couldn’t deny it.

  “Have you met your stepsister Danielle yet? No? Well, her husband’s a state trooper who was shot in the line of duty. You never saw such an outpouring of prayer and casseroles and generosity. Folks who’d never met him donated money and time, held car washes and other fundraisers across the county. That’s just one example.”

  “Sure, people can be charitable.”

  This was an argument he wasn’t gonna win, Caleb could see it. But that was okay. Like he’d said, everyone had a right to their take on things. He wondered about Lauren’s life. It didn’t look as though she got the best end of things, growing up with the parent who couldn’t handle responsibility. And he had to agree when he looked at her side. “It can get tricky. People letting you down, why, that takes on a private hurt in a way that nothing else can.”

  She didn’t say anything as she tidied up the work area from fallen bits of husk and silk. He got to his feet and hefted the loaded dishpan. They were done with the husking, but he wasn’t ready for this moment between them to end.

  The fall of early evening light seemed to gild her and frame her with a rich, sepia glow. She was timelessly lovely. He wanted to tell himself not to notice, but it was too late for that. He was already captivated by the goodness he saw shining through her at that moment.

  A smarter man would look away.

  He wasn’t a smart man, apparently. He was in serious danger of going from neutral-liking her to serious-liking her. Wasn’t that something to avoid?

  He broke away, heading toward the kitchen door.

  “Caleb?”

  He ought to keep going, but he stopped. If he looked at her his heart would tangle right up, wanting something he couldn’t have, not with this woman, anyhow. She was dead set against marriage and he was ready. Finding the right woman was the problem. So he waited, his back turned to her.

  “You were right. Everything turned out well with meeting my family. Thank you.”

  “Not a problem.”

  “Are you staying tonight?”

  “No, it’s your homecoming supper.” The invincible line of his shoulders tensed. “I just stopped by to help out Mary, is all. I’ll just set these inside and be on my way.”

  “That doesn’t seem right. I—”

  “I’ll be over tomorrow night for your nephew’s fifth birthday party. And there’s always tomorrow morning, if you’re up to it.” He nodded once in the direction. “There’s your dad now. I’ll leave you two alone.”

  Dad? Her entire being froze at that word. She turned toward the driveway at the gray SUV pulling to a stop. If she hadn’t been sitting, her legs would have failed her. She gripped the lip of the step and held on, her heart lifting at the sight of her dad.

  Sunlight glinted on the windshield as the driver’s door swung open. She saw an older image of the man she’d studied in the family photographs. She recognized the hawk-like nose and the square jaw, that dependable look. This was the man she feared hadn’t wanted her. But there was no chance of that. She knew it in an instant.

  “Lauren. Well, now. Howdy. It’s good to see you here.” He held out his arms, eyes glistening behind his glasses. “Come give your old dad a hug.”

  “Hi, Dad.” She shot off the step. Her bones felt like water and her knees like rubber, but she made it into his arms, felt her Dad’s love for her as he gave her a sweet, fatherly hug. She held on with all her might. She had a lot of questions, but the answers didn’t really matter. Her father wanted her. That was all she needed.

  Chapter Seven

  Caleb climbed out of his truck and into the soft golden-rose hush of the morning. Was it his fault that Lauren was on his mind? He’d done everything he could to distract himself from thoughts of her, but still he wondered how her evening was. Crossword puzzles, prime-time news shows and reading. The most those things had done was temporarily distract him. He couldn’t explain why he was powerfully interested in her. Just like he didn’t know what to do about it.

  Part of the problem was his conscience. He’d agreed to Spence’s request but didn’t feel comfortable with it. He’d called a friend who owed him a favor, a private investigator. He’d meant to help a lifelong friend, but instead, he’d promised to invade Lauren’s privacy. There was nothing—not so much as an unpaid parking ticket—in her past. She was squeaky clean and paid her bills on time. It troubled him that he had done this, but he had a bigger problem. The truth was simple: He’d never looked forward to his morning ride this much.

  He spread the grain out, keeping one eye on the north-facing side of the carriage house. He could just see it through the tangle of the flower garden. All seemed quiet. The horses shoved, trying to get the most grain, but did he notice? Not really.

  Lauren. He’d seen past her words. Past the tidbits about her mother. About her childhood. About not being able to trust people. She’d been let down in life, but she didn’t strike him as being beaten by it.

  “Hey, cowboy.”

  The bucket slipped from his fingertips and clattered on the truck bed. There she was, wading through the knee-high grass in worn jeans and a UCLA T-shirt. His senses were attuned to the pad of her shoes against the path, the whisper of her movements, the shy way she smiled at him. Her heart-shaped face was shaded by his gray Stetson. It looked good on her, the light color complementing her golden hair, her violet-blue eyes and her peaches-and-cream complexion.

  It made her look like the Montana girl he’d always hoped he could find.

  The trouble was, she wasn’t a Montana girl.

  She held up a small brown sack she was carrying. “How about a barter? A riding lesson for a chocolate muffin?”

  “Is it one of Ava’s? She’s the best baker in the county, you know.”

  “It’s one of her chocolate chocolate-chip muffins. It sounds like way too much sugar, but I bet it’s the best muffin in the entire state.”

  “You’ve got that right. Ava’s bakery has a discount for police- and firemen. She has a rush every morning. We stand in long lines for these.” He hauled the bridles out of the storage box and tried to act like he wasn’t seriously glad to see her. Not an easy thing to do. “You have a good family dinner?”

  “It was very nice. Normal. Spence refuses to talk to me, but that’s okay. Other than that, we had a barbecued dinner with all that fresh corn, which was wonderful. We sat around looking through photo albums that Dorrie was thoughtful enough to bring so I could see the years I missed. There were even pictures from before Mom took off with me that she’d found and put into an album.”

  “Did it help you with your missing memories?”

  “No. But it’s the present that matters and everyone was so kind. And funny. I laughed until my sides hurt.”

  With that joy sparkling through her, he was starting to get the notion that he could really like her. He cleared his throat. “Did Danielle come?”

  “No, but I’ll meet her and her kids tonight.” Lauren turned back to gaze thoughtfully at Mary’s house. Last night, she’d been part of the family, but she still felt like an outsider. Everyone tried to include her, but she’d never realized exactly how much history and love could tie people togethe
r. She didn’t have those ties with them. She hoped one day that she would.

  “How did things go meeting your dad?”

  She thought of the father who’d impressed her so much. “He was convinced I didn’t want to know him. He’s been sending money to help with my school, even though he’s no longer responsible for child support, of course. But he was sending it to my mom.”

  “That doesn’t put your mom in a good light.”

  “No, but some people are like that. It’s sad, but true.”

  “It’s gotta be a relief to know what really happened.”

  “It makes all the difference. I thought I was all alone but I’m not. I have this extended family who have just swept me into their circle.” She didn’t know how to say what she meant. Besides, it was too personal.

  Caleb had lowered the tailgate and was reaching for a thermos. “I guess this means you’ll be coming home for the holidays. Vacations. That kind of thing.”

  Was it her imagination or did he seem glad about that? Well, maybe she was, too. “Beyond all doubt.”

  “Then I guess I’ll be seeing more of you. Too bad.”

  The way he said it, with a wink and a grin, made Lauren wonder if he was looking forward to being with her. Who was she kidding? She was starting to really like him.

  “It is too bad,” she quipped. “I’ll just have to suffer. That’s how much I want to go on another horse ride.”

  “I figured as much.” He gave her his lopsided smile with just one dimple. “Good thing my teaching you to ride isn’t a time-limited offer.”

  Plus, Caleb has a serious wow factor. He is a definite Mr. Wishable. Why was she remembering Ava’s words?

  Maybe because she was in total agreement. The trouble was that Caleb wasn’t her Mr. Wishable. But there was nothing wrong with being friends. It might be a unique experience for her.

  The horses had finished devouring their oats and had lined up along the fence, heads up to sniff the wind, gazes glued to the little treat bag she carried.

  Caleb patted the tailgate. “Hop up. I brought tea for two.”

  Nice. She eased onto the tailgate, letting her feet swing in the seed-tufted grasses and unwrapped the sack.

  When he handed over the steaming cup he’d poured for her, their fingers brushed. A jolt of emotion zinged through her like lightning out of a clear blue sky. Hot tea sloshed over the rim and onto her fingers. What was that about?

  It was just wishful thinking, she realized. How could she not like him? He was a ten out of ten. It was in his manner, the steadiness of him and the easygoing way he accepted people with trust and faith. Especially her.

  Yup, he was a definite wow. She was glad she’d taken the risk of opening up to him instead of pushing him away.

  Caleb handed her one paper-wrapped muffin. She’d never seen anything so cute. The enormous muffins had monster faces decorated across the top with colorful icing. How fun. It put a smile on her face and she felt lighthearted as she took a bite.

  Delicious. Major sugar rush ahead, Lauren thought, but what a nice addition to an already perfect morning.

  Caleb hopped from the tailgate with a two-footed thud. “Are you up for a new challenge?”

  “It’s the right morning for it, don’t you think?”

  “Then don’t say I didn’t warn ya. C’mon, city girl, I’ll teach you how to trot. You’ll like it. Eventually.”

  It was the sparkle in his eye that caught her and she found herself following him. Thinking about the man and not the horses. Caleb made it even harder as he cozied up to his gelding, talking low to him.

  Wow. She really had to stop using that word to describe the man. What else would fit? Awesome. Inspiring. Perfect. He rubbed Leo’s nose and it was hard not to admire the man’s quiet command.

  She had grit, he had to give her that. Caleb pulled Leo to a stop and when he saw Lauren fall slid to the ground to offer her a hand up. There was that shot of emotion again, straight to his heart. Her hand was small tucked in his own and her fingers were slim and long, like an artist’s. He tried to act as if he hadn’t been affected as he pulled her to her feet.

  “You okay?” he asked. So he cared. It wasn’t a crime, right?

  She nodded but not even her first fall had seemed to dim her enthusiasm. “That was kind of fun. Except I don’t think I like trotting.”

  “No one does. But you’ve got to master it if you want to gallop.”

  “I’m definitely up for the sacrifice. I’m having the best time, Caleb.”

  “I can see that. You’re beaming.” Instead of moving away, he leaned closer. “Wait. You have a streak of dirt on your cheek.”

  Breathless, she waited while he leaned closer still. The brush of his thumb across her sun-warmed face came as softly as a promise kept. He towered over her, so near she could smell the rain-fresh scent of the fabric softener he’d used on his T-shirt, see the thrum of his heartbeat in the base of his throat and hear the rasp of his step as he backed away.

  “Let’s get you on that horse—” he gathered Tasha’s reins “—the morning is slipping away.”

  Already the sun was completely above the mountains. He was right. He’d have to leave for work soon and she had a full day planned with family. Family. Her heart punched with the word. Wasn’t that a change for the better?

  Careful, Lauren. Be careful. Your hopes are getting way too high.

  Her experience with high hopes was that eventually they’d pop like a too-full balloon and then where would she be? She’d be home, in her tiny apartment near campus, that’s where. Caleb knew it, too. She could visit here, but this was not her life.

  And it could have been, she thought with regret. The ghost of a memory whispered, but she couldn’t see it. She couldn’t make out the voice or the words.

  “Lauren? Are you hurt? You fell pretty hard.”

  She shook her head clear, not sure if she was disoriented by the hint of an almost-memory or by Caleb’s caring. His hand settled on her shoulder, bridging more than the distance between them.

  “I’m fine. Just thinking about the past, is all.” She shrugged away the last vestiges of the memory and let him give her a boost onto Tasha’s back.

  He kept a protective hold on her ankle. “Just want to make sure you keep your seat. You hit that ground hard.”

  She meant to tell him that she wasn’t rattled, but realization hit her harder than the ground had. She was rattled, but not by the fall.

  By him.

  It was easy to see the care that he took with her. If only she’d grown up here. If only she could be the kind of girl who could believe in happy endings and real love. If she could trust people the way he could, then so much of her life would be different. Would it be like this?

  Maybe. But the truth was, the past couldn’t be changed. She could not be the girl who had that much belief in people. So she took over the reins, straightened her spine and accepted the gray hat he’d rescued from the ground.

  “I’m going to keep at this until I master it,” she told him. “Any more suggestions?”

  “Saddling up is too much trouble during the week, but come this weekend, how about I saddle the horses up. You’ll be here come Saturday?”

  “Yes.” How could she have forgotten? The days were ticking by already. She had to savor her time here, this friendship. And if she wanted to get reasonably better at riding, she had to do it now.

  Was it her imagination or did the ground seem even farther away? And she knew exactly how hard it was. She still ached from it. Caleb mounted up and brought Leo alongside Tasha and she didn’t notice her hurting muscles quite so much.

  “Ready, city girl?”

  “I’m ready, cowboy.” She pressed Tasha into a walk then straight into a
bumpy trot. Her teeth rattled, her vertebrae knocked together. A jackhammer was smoother than this.

  “C’mon, stick with it,” Caleb encouraged.

  She bounced a little to the left, then to the right and started to slide toward the ground. She muscled herself back into place.

  “That’s it!” Caleb called out.

  Suddenly the hard jarring stopped and melted into pure motion. Tasha was galloping and the smooth roll of it was like flying low over the field. Not even sailing was this fun! Laughing out loud, she held on tight to the mare’s mane as they glided together on endless waves of green grass. She savored the sensation, the rhythmic beat of Tasha’s hooves on the ground, the whistle of the wind in her ears and the sting as the coarse ends of Tasha’s mane whipped her in the face. The ground blurred beneath her as Tasha stretched out and they went even faster.

  Maybe too fast. She slipped a little to the left. She gripped with all her strength, from fingers to toes, gritted her teeth and held on.

  “That’s it!” Caleb called out. “Hold tight! She’s gonna hit a trot when she slows. Be ready for it.”

  The end of the pasture was coming up. The white fence flashed ahead. Lauren could feel the change in Tasha’s muscles and she tried to brace herself. But did it work? No, because there wasn’t a whole lot to hold on to. The horse slowed, she lost her center of balance. The awful jolting started again, rattling her to the bone marrow, tossing her straight up and straight down.

  Oh no, she was slipping. Lauren clung more tightly to the horse but she kept sliding right. She tried to correct and slid left.

  “Don’t worry.” Caleb’s shadow fell across her. His hand banded her elbow, holding her up, keeping her from falling. “I got ya.”

  His presence was a balm to her spirit. His grip was rock-solid. He held her steady and safe, so why did she feel as if she were still falling?

  Too much sugar for breakfast, that’s what. Lauren righted herself on Tasha’s broad back. “Thanks. I appreciate the rescue.”