Her Cowboy Reunion

by Debbi Rawlins

  “Twin Creeks?”

  “Good starting point. It’s Sunday, but there should be a place to eat that’s open.”

  “Oh, I was up early and hit the lobby breakfast and had the most amazing cinnamon roll.”

  Mike nodded. “I’ve had those before. From the diner. Many, many times, in fact.” He waited until a trailer truck passed then drove onto Main Street, heading toward the highway. “I assume you have our itinerary planned out?”

  “Yes. But I’m completely open to changes. You’re much more knowledgeable about the area than I am.”

  “Not as much as you’d think. I know more about the route to Billings than I do the local towns. If you can even call some of them towns. So we’ll discover them together.”

  “Great. And just so you know, I plan to buy souvenirs and any other kind of tchotchkes that I find on the way.”

  “Are you telling me I should’ve brought a trailer?”

  “I’m not that bad,” she said, laughing. “I haven’t asked you about your morning. I saw there was a wind advisory on the news.”

  She’d noticed that? He was already in trouble with Savannah, knowing she loved her job and that she was most definitely going back to Denver soon, and she kept making things worse. In the entire time he and Ellen had been married, she’d never mentioned anything about the weather unless it affected her directly.

  Rounding up calves in the dead of winter, wind howling and frostbite an imminent threat for man and beast? Nothing. Rain on a spring outing to a baseball game? Tragedy.

  He drove on, stealing glances at Savannah every chance he could. Half the time, he caught her looking his way. He felt like a damn kid.

  When she still seemed concerned about how the calves would fare with the bad weather, he ended up telling her about the precautions he’d taken.

  “But they’ll be okay with us away for the afternoon?”

  “Oh, yeah. No worries there.”

  “I never thought I’d find cows so interesting. Do you have to replace the bedding every day?”

  “Not at this stage. You don’t have to, but I like to, especially when we don’t have a full house. But when the majority of the heifers give birth, which is normally a little later in the season, not only do you need to change the straw every day but everything else, including whoever is assisting the birth. You get soaking wet, sometimes for hours, and there’s no place to wash the slime off in the shed. Even if you can wash outside, it won’t be with hot water.”

  She sat with that for a minute, drawing little thumb circles on her thigh. He forced himself to watch the traffic.

  “You really do love ranching. You’d have to, to go through that year after year.”

  “Except for the mess, calving is the best time of year. It depends on the weather, of course, and how healthy the herd is, but if it’s nice out, cutting the calves is one of the most cowboy things we do. Always on horseback, not using ATVs like some.”

  “Cutting the calves?”

  “It’s separating them out of the main herd so we can take care of them better.”

  “Exactly what I thought.”

  “Of course you did,” he said. “We’re coming into Twin Creeks now.”

  “There’s nothing out there,” she said. “Except that house up on the hill.”

  “Can’t say I didn’t warn you. But at least it’s pretty this time of year.”

  “It is. I live in the downtown area of Denver. It’s nice, and I do love the access to everything so close by...”

  “For instance?”

  “Restaurants. We’ve got a thriving culinary scene. Great chefs, outstanding farmers’ markets. We’ve got the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, the Colorado Symphony, terrific museums. Then there’s skiing and hiking. It’s really a nice place.”

  “Sounds like it,” he said, trying to be earnest. Naturally she’d like it there. Denver was a real city with things to do, places to go.

  His experience of the world at large was like a postage stamp on an atlas. Billings was the metropolis of Montana, but he’d never had enough money or time to take advantage of it. And while he’d visited Denver, Las Vegas and central Florida, those had all been for auctions or quick trips to visit family that didn’t include any sightseeing. When he’d played college ball, he’d traveled to other cities. But there again, he’d gone with the team and only for the games.

  Yep, she’d been born in Blackfoot Falls, but they were from totally different worlds. She might be curious about the ranch, but he couldn’t imagine her wanting to live on one. Listening to her questions, knowing she was genuinely interested in his answers made it easy to forget that not-so-small detail. He couldn’t think about that, though, and ruin their last day together.

  “In about twenty minutes, you’re going to have a decision to make.”

  “What’s that?” She folded her left leg underneath her right, squirming a little to adjust the seat belt so she could look at him more easily.

  “Do we go to the diner, which amounts to a few seats at the drugstore counter and a very limited menu, the new barbecue joint or the drive-through?”

  “Wow. What a selection.”

  “Consider wisely. There’s every chance a wrong decision could color your entire experience of northwestern Montana.”

  She laughed, But his own attempt at a smile wasn’t nearly as successful.

  * * *

  SAVANNAH FINISHED HER lunch at Uncle Walt’s Barbecue, and Mike pushed away his plate, too. The restaurant was reasonably crowded, and it appeared that at least two tables were hosting tourists. He’d said hello to a couple of cowboys he recognized.

  Although she’d spent a decent amount of time observing the people, the place and even the state of the restroom, all she’d wanted to do was talk to Mike. Everything about him drew her in. It was as if they’d known each other all their lives. It was kind of crazy, the way they got along.

  “Are you going to get some dessert?” he asked.

  She’d only had a salad, so she technically could, but after that huge cinnamon roll, she shouldn’t. “Do you think those pies in the cooler are fresh or frozen?”

  He leaned closer to her. “I have a surefire way of telling.” He scooted his chair over. “You see the way the crust is crimped?”

  She nodded, wondering if this was something his mother had taught him. “Yes?”

  “It’s nice,” he said, then turned to look at the waitress who was standing behind Savannah. “Those pies fresh?”

  Savannah gave him an evil look but was glad when the waitress, who had the highest little voice, said, “Yep. Made fresh every morning. In my opinion, the huckleberry is the best, although some folks really like the apple.”

  “I’ll have a slice of the berry,” Savannah said. “A small one, please.” She turned to Mike. “Unless you want to share.”

  Mike grinned. “How about making it big and à la mode?”

  The waitress nodded. “Sure thing.”

  Savannah kicked the heel of his boot. “That was sneaky. After we have the pie, which you have to eat most of, I’d like to walk down the street—go in, if anything’s open.”

  “The only place open will be the gas-station shop.”

  “At least we can look in the windows. I’ve been meaning to ask. Are all the towns around here football crazy? I saw the banners and memorabilia for the Blackfoot Falls Bisons. And now it’s the Twin Creeks Falcons. I should get a sweatshirt from both teams...for my collection.”

  “You’re that into football?”

  “Nope. Winters are freezing in Denver.”

  “It’s a pity you couldn’t be here for the big game.”

  “Big game? Gee, I’m not sure what you mean. Not like there’s a giant billboard advertising it on the way into town. Or fightin’ words painted on half the windows and
cars cheering on the Falcons. Or banners down the main drag or a big sign right behind you.”

  “Yeah,” he said, grinning. “That game.”

  “Yesterday I noticed a few Bisons banners had replaced some Halloween decorations. Is this the end of the season or something?”

  “Nope. See, any time the Bisons or Falcons go up against another town, it’s a big hoopla. But playing each other? That’s the worst.”

  “How so?”

  “Some folks take the rivalry too far. I wouldn’t be caught dead at the Watering Hole or the Full Moon during the week leading up to those games.”

  “That bad, huh?”

  “After a little too much booze? You bet. Good thing everyone is afraid of Sadie.”

  Savannah grinned. “As well they should be.”

  “Amen to that.”

  “What about baseball? Same enthusiasm?”

  “Not quite. Spring and summer are busy seasons for ranchers. But yeah, sports gets people out of the house. They tailgate a lot and gossip, of course, and more than a little betting goes on.”

  “Ah, right,” she said, nodding. “I can see local sports would be popular.”

  “And don’t forget rodeo. After all, this is cowboy country,” he said, pitching his voice so low it broke on the end of the word.

  Savannah laughed. She liked this man. So much. Too much.

  “So, where to next?” he asked. “Greenville? Then swing by Munson?”

  “You’re the tour guide.”

  “Yeah, well, the whole thing should take us all of ten minutes. You think this town is small. Greenville has about eight hundred people. Half that for Munson.”

  “Greenville is much more spread out, though. Lots of medium-size ranches, and I read they also have a sizable wind farm.”

  “That wasn’t there the last time I drove through town.”

  The pie arrived and it was delicious. When it was time to go, Mike wanted to pay, but she stopped that with a glare and her corporate credit card.

  The walk turned out to be informative. The market was actually open, although it was smaller by half than the one in Blackfoot Falls and not very appealing. The hardware store was closed but had a lot of feed and lumber stacked outside. There was a pawnshop that mostly sold guns and fishing supplies and a thrift shop that opened three days a week.

  Mike held the door open for her once they got back to the truck. “Feel like you’ve learned something?”

  “Actually, yes.” She waited until he climbed in before she continued. “They could do a lot more. Tourists love pawnshops and thrift stores. I wonder who owns the storefronts that are closed. Do you think they belong to the city?”

  He started them on their way to Greenville. “Hard to say. I know of at least one private owner—Lawrence Peabody. He bought up quite a few properties. Grabbed them a few years back when prices hit rock bottom.”

  “Huh. Was he at the presentation?”

  “Not that I noticed, but I heard he bought the old drive-through in Blackfoot Falls. Wants to turn it into a casual restaurant.”

  “That’s excellent. I would’ve thought he’d be interested in hearing our recommendations.”

  “Sadie might not have mentioned it to him. Lawrence lives east of Twin Creeks.” Mike paused. “He’s not everyone’s favorite person. And that’s all I’ll say.”

  “Ah.” Savannah could tell Mike didn’t care for the man either. “Anyway, one billboard on the highway could increase both Twin Creeks’s and Blackfoot Falls’s business significantly. And Lord knows the people around here don’t seem to object to them,” she said as they passed yet another billboard rallying the Falcons to obliterate the Bisons.

  “Uncle Walt’s should be advertising. I’m not saying it’s the best barbecue I’ve ever eaten, but having another restaurant is a big improvement.”

  “We have to remember to tell Chip his ribs were much better,” she said, and Mike smiled. “I just hope that Greenville and Munson have at least one unique attraction each. That’s all they’d need to get things moving. And anything that draws people to the area will help Blackfoot Falls.”

  “I’m glad it was worth your while.”

  “Lunch with you was worth it all by itself. I wouldn’t have minded if we did nothing else.”

  He smiled at her. “Me, too,” he said, and reached for her hand.

  It seemed like the most natural thing in the world for her to thread her fingers through his. “I really appreciate you spending your day chauffeuring me around.”

  “There’s no place I’d rather be but right here.”

  Savannah bit her lip. “Will we have enough time to go to the cabin?”

  “If that’s what you want, absolutely.”

  “I wasn’t sure this morning,” she said. “But I want to see it now. Not sure I’m going to enjoy the visit, mind you.”

  Mike squeezed her hand. “You’re an amazing woman, Savannah.” Her breath caught as she realized it was because of him that she was willing to go see the cabin. Mike made her feel safe, strong, empowered. In fact, Mike made her a feel a lot of things.

  Things she’d never felt before.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Mike was surprised at the growth of Greenville. Main Street had a couple new shops, replacing stores that had been closed up for years. A taxidermist with plenty of samples on display, an auto-parts store and a small café that wasn’t open on Sunday and when it was, they only served breakfast and lunch. It looked nice and modern, at least from the window. Evidently, it was a good omen, and Savannah was enthusiastic about it.

  The gas station had become more of a mini travel stop since Mike had last seen it. A small addition had expanded the little shop that offered snacks and souvenirs, mostly to do with Glacier National Park. But what made it a fun place to shop, according to Savannah, were the local goods, such as leather purses and jackets, handwoven rugs and baskets, even children’s toys.

  She bought a suede purse and a wooden train for her neighbor’s son. She also spoke to the guy running the place. He told her they did a decent business, but there wasn’t much of a push to get tourists. Which was a shame, in his opinion, because the area had some of the best trout fishing in the state, and great camping facilities.

  Munson was just a step above the sleepy town Mike remembered from years ago. The gas station was smaller than the one in Greenville, though it boasted a shelf of local honey and homemade jams.

  The conversation with the young fellow behind the register wasn’t terribly illuminating, given that he was far more interested in the game on his tablet than in his customers.

  As they drove out of town, Savannah remembered the dinosaur tracks. “Did you even see a sign for them?” she asked. “I didn’t.”

  “No, I didn’t either.” He’d been a kid, but he was fairly certain they’d come to Munson on their field trip. “There’s a campground up ahead. Let’s stop.”

  “It looks new,” she said as they got closer.

  “I don’t remember it being here before.”

  There were a surprising number of RVs parked, with more hookups available, and the grounds were well maintained. Mike drove toward a woman carrying a basket of clothes out of a building marked Laundry, passing a tower of signs pointing to local fishing spots and scenic lookouts.

  “Well, damn, they sure don’t have anything against signage. Maybe I’m wrong about the dinosaur tracks. Could be in Minersville.”

  “We’ll just ask,” Savannah said, already letting down her window.

  The woman, who turned out to be the manager, greeted them with a friendly smile, and was more than happy to answer all their questions. Mike hadn’t been wrong; the dinosaur tracks were located on the other side of town. But a strong gust of wind had brought the sign down last spring, and no one had put it back up.

  Sava
nnah thanked the woman then wrote down a few notes as Mike got them back on the highway. They had one more stop to make before they headed to her family’s old cabin.

  Turned out the movie people hadn’t built a ghost town like Mike had thought. Minersville was the ghost town. The place had been abandoned along with the boarded-up gold mine located to the east. It wasn’t specifically for tourists, but since it had been used as a movie set the buildings were safe to walk through. Other than that, there were a few homes and small ranches in the area.

  “How far is Minersville from Blackfoot Falls? Not your place but the town itself?” Savannah asked as they got under way.

  “About fifty miles—an hour’s drive on the highway.”

  “How about between Greensville and Minersville? Maybe forty minutes?”

  “Yep, that’s a fair estimate.”

  Savannah jotted down more notes. “If all the towns got together, I don’t think it would take much work to turn Minersville into something touristy. It could be a nice day trip.”

  “If the county owns the buildings, I’m sure they’d be all for turning the place into a moneymaker.”

  “Hopefully,” she said, closing the notebook and turning to stare out the window.

  She was quiet after that. Not surprising. Seeing the cabin was sure to bring up a lot of old memories. He put some music on low, hoping it would make Savannah more comfortable.

  “I’m sorry,” she said fifteen minutes later.

  “For what?”

  “Being so moody. I thought this would be easier.”

  “I didn’t imagine it would be. If nothing else, it’s going to remind you of the day you left. Not a simple thing to process.”

  “No. But, you’d think after all the work I’ve done, turning my life into something I’m proud of...” Sighing, she laid her head back. “I don’t know. I’m probably overthinking this. Getting through college while working full-time was hard. This will be a piece of cake.”

  “Hey, give yourself a break. If you’re feeling too edgy, maybe this isn’t a good idea.”

  She just shrugged. “My mom would think I’m nuts coming back here.”