Finding Love In Big Sky, Montana (Resort to Love--Finding Love line Book 2)

by Angela Ruth Strong

  How did he not know? “You’re on the rebound.”

  “So are you.”

  She wasn’t. Not at all. But that wasn’t a story she wanted to explain. “Well then you should stay away from me, too.”

  Josh’s mouth twisted to one side in contemplation. “Or . . .”

  She chuckled at his persistence. Rather than get carried away with emotion, they were having a logical debate about the pros and cons of kissing. She could win this one. And if not, there was still an island between them. Plus, he was injured. The only way he could kiss her was if she let him. Which would never happen again.

  “There is no ‘or.’”

  “Or we get over our exes together.”

  The buzzer interrupted that tempting idea. Problem was, she had more trouble getting over Josh than anyone. She grabbed a couple of hot pads to pull the mouth-watering main course from the oven. After arranging the steaks on Grandpa’s brown, pinecone-embossed plates, she slid one dish across the butcher block to Josh while staying safely on the other side. She’d stand while she ate.

  She looked Josh in the eye and gave a small shake of her head. “Aren’t you going to get back together with your fiancée?”

  Josh reached for the salad between them. “No. Bree was a mistake. I got engaged because I was tired of looking for the perfect girl, and she made it really easy for me to settle.”

  Paisley frowned. He was looking for the perfect girl? Was that why he dated so much in high school? Obviously she hadn’t been perfect enough for him. At least he hadn’t strung her along and proposed before breaking her heart.

  She grabbed a potato to slice while it was still hot enough to melt the butter she stuffed inside. “But you’re going back to Chicago.”

  Josh shrugged then reached for a potato of his own. “For sure.”

  There it was. He planned to get his job back. But in the meantime he felt like a nobody. Kissing her was only a way to make himself feel wanted again.

  He was hurting. Which could lead him to hurt others. It made her want to protect herself all the more. But it also made her feel sorry for him. Could she love him platonically like she loved his brother Sam?

  She reached across the counter and grasped his warm hands.

  His gaze jumped to hers. Surprised. Aware. Hopeful.

  The Bible said to put their hope in the Lord. “Shall we pray you get your job back?”

  His eyes softened for a moment before flashing to life. “You need God’s help to get rid of me, huh?”

  “Pretty much.”

  Chapter Eight

  Josh had offered to ride with her into town. He’d said he should know what kind of design the architects were planning so he could use it for promotional purposes. She would have let him if she didn’t also have a diabetes checkup. But she couldn’t tell him that. She didn’t like to remind anyone of her weakness and give them the chance to pity her . . . or worse, scorn her. So she asked him to shovel the snow off the pond in preparation for the ice skating rink instead. Even though he was still sore from his rough ride yesterday. But she’d known he wouldn’t protest, since he was as self-conscious about falling off a horse as she was about having diabetes.

  Paisley shifted on the crinkly paper of the table in the doctor’s office and tried not to kick Dr. Ratzloff in the face when he accidentally tickled her. Though ticklish feet were not the worst part of an exam.

  “Circulation seems pretty good. Have you had your eyes checked lately?”

  “I will,” she responded automatically. She would if she ever had trouble seeing.

  “And you’re staying current on teeth cleanings with your dentist?”

  She sighed. Dad used to stress the importance of her oral hygiene almost as much as he worried about his horse’s teeth. “Yes.”

  “Good, good.” Ratzloff rolled away on his stool and made a couple of notes in her file.

  Yes, those things were good. They were also things she took for granted. Other Type 1 diabetics probably dreamed of good vision and dental health the way she’d longed to be non-diabetic. But nobody could have it all. She needed to focus more on gratitude.

  “I know it’s hard to regulate your blood sugar when you’re active on the ranch, so make sure to take breaks and check it regularly.” The doctor snapped his folder closed. “And if there’s nothing else I can do for you today, I’ll plan to see you in the summer.”

  She wouldn’t ask Ratzloff any more questions. She wouldn’t think about the things that troubled her. There was nothing he could do about it. “Sounds good. Thank you.”

  The doctor headed out, and Paisley glanced at her watch. If she dressed quickly, she’d have time to make it back to the ranch before the sun set and take Butch and Cassidy out wearing their jingle bells once more before Friday’s sleigh ride. Grandpa had conditioned them gradually, first with a single bell then by wearing the bells himself when grooming and feeding them. But she still wanted another trial run before attaching them to a sleigh full of people for the first holiday ride of the year. Especially after Josh’s last ride on Butch.

  Paisley grabbed her socks. If she took the sleigh out tonight, would it be safe for her to go alone? Normally she’d want to take a ranch hand, but Josh was her only ranch hand at the moment. Gliding through a winter wonderland with him would probably be riskier than riding by herself. Especially after the way they’d talked about kissing—or more accurately, the way they’d talked about not kissing—the night before.

  She stopped to fan her face before tugging on her boots. What was she going to do? Josh wanted to kiss her to get over his ex. And she wanted not to kiss him so she wouldn’t have to get over him again.

  It was tough when they were working so closely together. Even taking the sketches of her cabins into the office would have her working side by side with him. They’d both be leaning over the same table. Sharing the same vision for the ranch. Laughing at jokes. Making eye contact. Smelling his musk.

  Then there was breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Three meals a day. When had she ever shared three meals a day with a man? Not even Nick had eaten three meals a day with her. He’d come out for breakfast on weekends, but Dad had always been there, sipping coffee and clearing his throat if Nick so much as played footsies with her.

  If Josh tried to play footsies . . .

  Oh boy. She’d have to kick him.

  Her heartbeat sped up like she was ready to go into fight or flight mode even though nothing had even happened. What was she going to do?

  She was going to have to send him to Sun Valley. That would leave her alone on the ranch until she could hire someone new, which could be a problem since she hadn’t even gotten any calls on her flyers yet. Hopefully after the loan went through, she could afford to pay employees a little more, and she’d have a better selection of cowboys to choose from.

  The room grew darker as the sun ducked behind a cloud. Or maybe that was her mood growing dim at the thought of saying goodbye to Josh, but it was for the best. Even if his presence made her insides shiver like an unexpected cold front sweeping in—snowmageddon in her soul.

  Sliding her arms through the sleeves of her parka, Paisley headed out to Big Red. She wouldn’t think about Josh. She’d think about the blueprints being designed for the four cabins to be built on her property that spring. That was her future. That’s what she had to look forward to.

  But she still wanted to show them to Josh. She wanted him to be excited for her. The best part of joy was sharing it.

  She slid behind the wheel of her truck and turned the key to let the old boy warm up a second before asking him to do any heavy lifting. She checked her phone to see if the bank had called. Nothing. Except another message from Dad.

  Did she listen to it now and let him ruin her enthusiasm by telling her she’d never be able to handle the ranch without Nick? Or should she wait until a time when she was already feeling down? She’d wait. Maybe after Josh left.

  She wouldn’t be all alone when Josh lef
t. She had Dot and Annabel as cheerleaders. She had her horses. She’d have lots of kids come summer—thanks to Josh and his marketing skills. Could she really kick him out after all he’d done for her?

  She considered banging her head onto the steering wheel, but she’d save her agonizing indecision for later. At the moment she needed to get home to take Butch and Cassidy for a sleigh ride.

  She shifted into reverse and backed out of her parking spot to head home. Big Red whined and jolted a few times, but like a tamed mustang, he finally obeyed. She waved to the concerned faces peeking through the window of the doctor’s office, before pulling onto the highway.

  The roads were clear, though with the ocean of grey clouds on the horizon, it looked like they might have another snowstorm headed their way. Customers would enjoy the snow as part of the sleigh ride experience, but Josh wouldn’t be happy about having to shovel off the pond again. She laughed at the look he might give her. It would be a mixture of frustration and disbelief. Exactly the way she probably looked at him when he appeared in the door of The Coffee Cottage that first time.

  Was she glad he appeared now? Yeah. He’d designed a great logo for her ranch. His eyebrow wiggle the night before made her feel desirable again, which was always a nice feeling. Even if it couldn’t last, she’d have the satisfaction of knowing she wasn’t completely invisible to men like him. Though this was probably where she should remind herself he was a player. It wasn’t about her at all. It was about him wanting to be liked.

  If they kissed, he’d forget about her the very next day the way he had in high school. She’d feel like he’d taken a little piece of her heart with him, and she couldn’t be whole without it. Yeah, she needed to send him packing.

  She slowed at the sign for the turnoff to her ranch. It was a little sign. Something Grandpa used to tie balloons to so it would be visible for birthday parties. But once she got her loan, she’d put up a large sign that couldn’t be missed. Everyone would know how to get to Bright Star Ranch. And they’d all talk about the ice skating and the sleigh rides. Maybe next year she’d run extension cords out and decorate a few pine trees with twinkle lights.

  She pressed the brakes and turned onto her private gravel road. She might consider getting it paved eventually, too. Then city slickers in Mercedes sports coups could experience ranch life for themselves without needing her to shuttle them back and forth from the coffee shop.

  Yes, she was thinking about Josh again. She let herself smile since he wasn’t around to witness it.

  She stepped on the gas. Big Red jerked but didn’t speed up. She pressed down harder. The engine sputtered. She checked the gas gauge. Half tank. She frowned as the speed slowed to a stop. Did she have another faulty fuel line or seal problem in her engine block? She’d been laughing about Josh’s car, but at least his wouldn’t die in the middle of nowhere.

  She rolled to the side of the road and shifted into park to try the engine again. Nothing. Now was a good time to bang her head on the steering wheel. Because she’d either have to call Josh to pick her up on a horse or hike the two-plus miles home. If she chose Plan A, she’d have to make sure to specify he bring Cassidy for her. It would be like him to expect her to ride behind his saddle with her arms wrapped around his waist.

  She willed her heartbeat to slow down as she picked up her phone. No signal. Looks like she was stuck with Plan B. Which was just as well. You know exactly what I need, right Lord?

  She pulled her fur-trimmed hood over her head and zipped up her jacket before opening the door and dropping down into a snowdrift. She reached inside the cab to retrieve her purse with her blood testing supplies. She felt fine at the moment, but she hadn’t had anything to eat or drink for a while. Hopefully her sugar levels wouldn’t drop too low during her trek.

  A low, electric hum sounded in the distance. She slammed Big Red’s door and looked for the sound. There. A snowmobile. Maybe she could hitch a ride.

  She stepped around the truck and waved both hands overhead. Did the rider see her? It bounced over the snow in her direction, but that didn’t mean the driver had noticed her yet.

  The snowmobile grew larger. The buzzing louder. It roared toward the truck then turned to come to a smooth stop parallel to her park job, shooting snow across the road. The driver took off his helmet, though shaggy dark hair covered his eyes.

  “Paisley. I can’t believe you’re still driving this old thing.”

  Paisley took a step backward. Of course she was still driving Big Red. The whole town knew she drove Big Red. So who was she dealing with here?

  He flipped the hair out of his face and his smile flashed. Registered.

  Her jaw dropped. “Sam?” He’d grown out his buzz cut required in the military.

  “Sam I am.” The joke had started the week of Dr. Seuss’s birthday when Mrs. Hodges read Green Eggs and Ham to the first grade class. That’s how far back they went.

  What was he doing there? Did it matter? Because not only could he give her a ride to the ranch, he’d be there with her and Josh. A chaperone. If Sam stayed, she wouldn’t have to send Josh away, and she wouldn’t have to worry about him getting too close.

  She bounced a couple times before leaping to wrap her arms around her old friend. She’d seen him when he returned from serving in the Army, but she still wasn’t used to his bulk. She squeezed as tightly as she could though he probably barely even felt the pressure. “It’s so good to see you.”

  Sam slapped her on the back hard enough to knock the wind out of her, if she hadn’t been wearing the protection of a thick coat. “I’ll bet. Big Red having trouble?”

  “Always.” She surveyed his mode of transportation. “Are you on vacation? Are you staying for the holidays?”

  “I didn’t think Josh should be without family on Christmas. Especially with the mess he’s in. Do you mind if I stay?”

  Was he kidding? “You’re like my family, too. The brother I never had. I’d love it if you stayed.”

  Sam’s cheeks flushed. Or had they already been that way from his ride? “Josh also mentioned you need ranch hands, and I’m between jobs right now, so I figured I could help out. I’ll start by giving you a ride.” He patted the seat.

  It had been a long time since Paisley had ridden a snowmobile. She grinned and swung a leg behind him, clutching his sides for balance. “You couldn’t have ridden this thing all the way from Idaho.”

  “Oh, I could have.” That mischievous grin erased any embarrassment she thought she’d spotted a moment ago. “But I flew in and took a shuttle to the resort then decided to rent this baby instead of a car. Thought I’d surprise you.”

  What a great surprise. “Does Josh know?”

  Sam cranked the ignition. “He will when he sees us.”

  Josh scraped the shovel across the ice covering the pond one last time, his shoulder stinging where it had been pierced with a twig the night before. He leaned his weight on his good leg to give his injured knee a break while finishing up. Had Paisley really needed the ice shoveled today, or had she simply been trying to keep distance between them since he’d talked about kissing her? Frustration brewed within like the grey clouds bunching up over the mountains.

  Why had he even mentioned kissing? He should have just done it. Then she wouldn’t have had time to reason herself out of it.

  Of course, Mom had taught him and his brothers that a gentleman asked for permission first. Josh had always abided by such an ideal, but with Paisley, he knew she’d say no. And he also knew with as much certainty that she’d like it if she tried it. Last night, when she’d been adjusting his overalls, it was like they were two puzzle pieces that would fit perfectly together.

  What would it have hurt to step closer and wrap his arms around her and dip his lips to hers? All right, she’d mentioned the whole rebound thing, and she had a point, but if he could go back in time and not propose to Bree, so he could romance Paisley, he would.

  The thought stopped him. He propped his shovel
in the snowbank and leaned on it as he looked across the field toward the lodge. Did he simply want to kiss her, or did he want something more? He’d been planning to marry Bree. And now his feelings for her didn’t even compare to his adoration of Paisley. That was weird.

  The hum of a snowmobile in the distance broke through the silence. He used to snowmobile with his brothers a lot as a kid. Now he rode the L to work in Chicago. Not quite the same.

  Maybe Paisley would join him if he rented one before he left. Except that took money. And well, he was out of the green stuff. So it was a nice idea, but they’d have to stick to sleigh rides.

  The buzzing grew louder. Why would somebody be riding on Paisley’s land? If he saw the snowmobilers, he’d ask them to leave. If they didn’t, he’d suggest she hang up NO TRESPASSING signs. There were enough snow parks and trails in the area that people with time for recreation could respect her boundaries.

  There. Riding along the snow packed road. Two riders. Maybe they weren’t trespassing. Maybe they were coming to the ranch for a visit. Josh stepped forward, using the shovel like a walking stick.

  The snowmobile turned to pass him then slowed. Josh stopped. Because the second rider looked familiar. Wasn’t that Paisley’s plum-colored coat?

  The machine stopped. Paisley dismounted and removed a helmet. A full smile lit up her face.

  His gut itched. Why was she riding on the back of a snowmobile? Who was the guy with her? Nick, the former fiancé she refused to talk about? Or someone new?

  Josh eyed the intruder. He looked familiar for some reason. Had Josh met Nick back in Sun Valley and not known it?

  The man removed his helmet. The man wasn’t a man at all. He was Josh’s little brother. Okay, he was in his twenties now, too, and he’d filled out when serving the military, but still, Josh thought of him as a kid. And he loved that kid.

  “Sammy.” He held out his good arm to welcome his brother into a hug as soon as they got close enough. “What are you doing here?”

  Sam made it down the hill faster than he could make it up. But he didn’t stop there. He leaped from a distance, and it was seeing the kid mid-flight that told Josh he was being tackled. Though he should have expected such a greeting.