Forever And A Day (Montana Brides, Book #7) Read online

  “The scones tasted good yesterday.”

  Sarah nearly leaped out of her skin. The grin on Jordan’s face did nothing to calm her nerves. Today he was wearing a pale blue denim shirt. The kind that had been washed so many times that it looked as soft as silk. It made his eyes look even bluer than yesterday. Twice as blue and twice as dangerous.

  “What are you baking?” Jordan nodded toward the oven. “It smells like chocolate.”

  Sarah pulled a loaf of bread out of the freezer, determined to ignore the dimple in Jordan’s cheek. “It’s a triple batch of chocolate brownies. I thought the Buchanans might like something to eat when they arrive. I’ll put the rest of the brownies in containers for the ranch hands.”

  He nodded, then looked at the bread. “Mrs. Davies left a tray of sliced beef in the freezer. She said to use it for sandwiches.”

  Sarah opened the freezer and pulled out the tray. “I wondered what was on here. After the brownies are cooked, I’ll roast more meat for the next few lunches. Are you going into Bozeman today?”

  “Hadn’t planned on it. What do you need?”

  “Some groceries. But don’t worry, I can easily make a detour when I head back to Alex’s ranch. I want to see Tess, anyway.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Sarah nodded. “It’s no problem. After lunch I’ll make the salads for dinner. I’ll leave them in the fridge with the meat for tonight’s barbecue.”

  Jordan glanced around the kitchen. “There’s not one dish out of place.” He sounded impressed, maybe even a little worried.

  Sarah shrugged her shoulders. “I like to keep things tidy.”

  “I guess that’s a bonus when you’re a housekeeper.” Jordan didn’t sound convinced.

  “You don’t agree?”

  He smiled. “Sometimes a little spontaneity makes life more interesting. Have you ever done anything for the hell of it? Let loose and not worried about the consequences?”

  Sarah thought about her life. From as far back as she could remember, her daily routine had been an endless list of carefully considered plans. Spontaneity hadn’t made it onto any list she’d had, until now.

  “I’ve been impulsive.” She was proud of the last year of her life. If what she’d done didn’t count as spontaneous, then she didn’t know what would.

  Jordan leaned against the counter. “Let me guess. You ran off with a biker from Maine and didn’t tell your parents.”

  “Not quite,” she mumbled. The gleam in Jordan’s eyes got her thinking about all of the other spontaneous things she’d missed out on. Things that had no place popping into her head in the middle of a conversation with her boss.

  “Did you need me for something?”

  Jordan smiled in that slow, easy way he had. “I wanted to let you know that I’ll be taking the Buchanans on a tour of the ranch. You’re welcome to join us.”

  Sarah thought about the dirty laundry waiting for her on Alex’s ranch. As long as she left the Triple L by two o’clock, she’d be able to throw a couple of loads in the washing machine before she met Tess in town. She just needed to find out what time Jordan intended leaving, then she could factor in…

  Jordan’s grin got wider.

  She stuck her nose in the air and switched off her brain. “I’ll come.” There, she’d done it. She’d been spontaneous and it was only ten o’clock in the morning.

  Jordan didn’t say a word about her reckless streak. “I’ll meet the Buchanans when they arrive and show them around the ranch at eleven. Have you done much riding before?”

  “Riding?” Sarah’s voice rose a couple of notches. “As in horses?”

  He stared at her face and frowned. “You’ve been living in Montana for a whole year and you haven’t ridden a horse?”

  “I was bucked off when I was little and I haven’t ridden since then.”

  “How old were you?”

  “Ten.”

  Jordan shook his head. “Looks as though we’ve got some work to do on the spontaneous side of life, Legs. I’ll see you back here in half an hour.” He started walking toward the front door.

  “It’s Sarah, not Legs,” she yelled at his back.

  Jordan turned and grinned at her before disappearing into the early morning sunshine.

  “Legs,” she muttered. Jordan McKenzie had another thing coming if he thought he could distract her with such a crazy word.

  She’d show him. She’d get back on a horse and ride like she’d never been thrown. But first she needed to get the steak out of the freezer and make three salads.

  She opened her laptop, consulted her menu, and got to work.

  ***

  Sarah stood eye to eye with the horse Jordan had picked out for her. Daisy didn’t look the least bit worried about being ridden by a scaredy-cat. Her big brown eyes melted some of the nerves crashing through Sarah’s body. It hadn’t seemed a big deal back at the barn. But out in the open air, surrounded by the Buchanan family, eight horses, and Frank, she wasn’t sure she’d make it out of the corral.

  Sarah leaned in close for some female bonding time with her horse. Daisy’s breath tickled her face. “You know, I haven’t ridden a horse in a long time. You’re going to be a good girl, aren’t you?”

  Daisy snickered. If Sarah didn’t know better, she’d have sworn her horse just laughed at her.

  Jordan walked toward her. “Are you ready?”

  Sarah glanced at him. She tightened the strap on her riding helmet and wiped her hands on the seat of her jeans. Abby and Jennifer, the Buchanans’ ten-year-old twins, had already pulled themselves onto the backs of their horses.

  “You’ll be okay,” he said. “The hardest part is getting on and off.”

  Jordan’s words didn’t comfort her. She scratched the top of Daisy’s head then moved around to the stirrups. She took a deep breath and lifted her foot.

  “There’s no rush. Find your balance then swing up and over.” Jordan’s voice had dipped to a whisper. His words resonated deep in her belly, untangled some of the nerves making her palms hot and sweaty.

  She placed her foot in the stirrup, frowned when Daisy moved. It was now or never. If she didn’t mount Daisy, she’d chicken out and never give riding another try. She took a deep breath and hoisted herself up. She swung her leg over Daisy’s back and settled her bottom against the saddle.

  “Good job, Legs. We’ll make a cowgirl out of you yet.”

  The wobbly smile on Sarah’s face had nothing to do with the cowboy standing at her feet. It was the surge of adrenaline, the sheer terror of being six foot in the air when she never thought she’d be there again.

  Jordan walked across to his own horse, mounting the black beast as easily as Sarah might have sat in a chair. “Is everybody ready?”

  The four Buchanans moved forward like a mini wave of enthusiasm. No one looking at them would have thought they’d just arrived from Vancouver. After they’d unpacked their bags, they’d devoured a big plate of chocolate brownies, drunk lemonade until there was none left, then headed over to the corral.

  Sarah hung back, worried that too much excitement might spook Daisy. She adjusted her feet in the stirrups and slowly followed Abby and Jennifer.

  “I’m right here,” Frank said from beside her.

  “I’ll be okay,” Sarah said bravely.

  “Of course you will. Loosen your hands on the reins…that’s it. You’re doing great.”

  Sarah watched the two ten-year-olds in front of her. They moved in time with their horses, as comfortable in the saddle as Jordan. “How long will we be gone for, Frank?”

  “No more than an hour and a half.”

  Sarah almost groaned. Ninety minutes in the saddle equaled about a year’s worth of stress and worry. Jordan might think she wanted to make the grade as a cowgirl, but it had never been one of her ambitions. But then neither had being a housekeeper on a ranch in Montana. Or in her case, two ranches.

  Jordan had moved into the center of the Buchanans. He was
telling them about his family. Four generations of McKenzie’s had lived on this same parcel of land. They’d worked their way through more droughts and storms than any family had a need to, and all for one purpose. They wanted to leave the land better than they’d found it.

  He pointed to some of the trails the Buchanans would be riding on over the next few days. From all of the chatter going on around her, Sarah assumed they were horse crazy. The more difficult the ride, the more excited they were about going on it.

  As she plodded along behind the Buchanans, she was happy to listen to Abby and her sister. Daisy’s gentle personality made her feel safe. She started thinking about what she needed to do once they got back to the ranch.

  “You’re thinking too much, Legs. Live for the moment.”

  Sarah jerked Daisy’s reins. If it had been any other horse, she might have ended up butt first on the ground. But Daisy simply stopped and flicked her head to the side, wondering what the dopey rider on her back was doing.

  “That’s the second time you’ve scared the living daylights out of me,” Sarah muttered.

  Jordan moved close to Daisy and patted her neck. “Coming up to third time lucky.” He pulled the brim of his hat over his eyes and pointed toward a low-lying mountain range. “We’re going halfway up that mountain. You won’t want to miss the view.”

  Sarah wasn’t so sure about the view or going up a mountain to see it. As if she’d read her mind, Daisy gave a gentle snort and started following Jordan.

  “She’s got a remote control attached to the boss,” Frank said from beside her. “Gracie, Jordan’s sister-in-law, usually rides Daisy. Since they’ve been on vacation, Daisy’s missed Gracie’s company, so she’s attached herself to Jordan.”

  “Isn’t that a bit strange?”

  “No stranger than most. We do things differently out here in Big Sky country. A horse can keep a man alive. Daisy’s part of our family and frets when we’re not here.”

  Sarah tried to imagine what that must feel like. Fretting over someone who wasn’t around had never been part of her parents’ way of life.

  Her mom and dad had called her four times in the last year. When she’d called them, they were usually on their way to a charity event or one of her dad’s endless conference engagements. Being one of the most respected cardiologist’s in North America might be good for his career, but it hadn’t done much for their relationship.

  As Daisy followed Jordan, Sarah wondered what it must feel like to be part of something bigger than what she knew. In some twisted way, she was trying to do what Jordan’s family had been doing for generations. She was making a life for herself that was better than the one she’d left behind.

  And sometimes, on days like today, the thought of going back to the person she used to be was about as scary as falling off Daisy.

  ***

  Jordan had seen the view from the plateau so many times that it was etched into his brain. But each visit brought new colors, new movement to the land that hadn’t been there before. The ranch was breathtaking in its simplicity, a patchwork of pasture that changed with each season. Today was one of those rare fall days when you could almost turn back the clock and believe it was summer. But a cool breeze stirred through the trees, reminding him that Christmas wasn’t far away.

  He glanced at Sarah. She’d taken her hat off and was standing a few feet away from the edge of the mountain. She pulled the hair tie out of her ponytail and for a few seconds her head was surrounded by a curtain of blonde silk. With more speed than finesse, she pulled the long golden strands off her face, bunching her hair in one hand while twisting the tie back in place.

  Abby spoke to her and she leaned sideways, listening to what the little girl said. They laughed and something inside of him clenched, left him hanging in mid-air, wondering what was going on.

  Sarah got under his skin. Two days ago he hadn’t known she existed. Now he looked forward to seeing her. He hadn’t needed to check in with her this morning, didn’t need to invite her on the ride. But he wanted to show her something of himself, and the ranch was as real as she’d ever get.

  He moved through the Buchanans, stopped to answer a few questions. Sarah stood to one side, absorbing what he tried not to take for granted.

  “What do you think?” He stood silently beside her, waiting while she thought about her answer.

  She turned toward him. Her eyes misted over and an understanding, a feeling that went beyond time itself settled in her gaze. “It’s beautiful.”

  He nodded, gathering everything inside himself. He held back the emotion running through his body, the relief that Sarah felt some of what he did.

  The connection he had with the land was stronger than anything he’d ever felt. It was as important as the family and friends that worked together to make the ranch something special.

  “This is where I belong.” He searched Sarah’s face looking for something to hold onto. Something that told him she understood what he was trying to tell her.

  She lifted her arm and pushed a stray strand of hair off her face. “You’re sharing your world with us. Thank you.”

  Abby walked over to him and pulled the edge of his shirt. “Where are the cows?”

  Jordan frowned, readjusted his thinking, then stared down at Abby’s excited face. “They’re further away. In the winter, we bring them down from the mountains to stay closer to the ranch.”

  “Do you think we’ll see some baby cows when we go on a horse ride tomorrow?”

  “Our baby calves are about five months old. They’re not so little any more, but we might be able to find a few for you.”

  Abbey grinned and bounced back to her family.

  “You’ve made her day.” Sarah’s voice was soft and gentle. She watched Abbey talk to her sister, then both of them wander further up the trail.

  “Making our guests happy is what our business is all about,” Jordan said. “What’s the best vacation you’ve been on with your family?”

  A soft blush filled Sarah’s cheeks. She looked down at the ground and scuffed the toe of her sneakers against the hard packed soil. “We didn’t go on many vacations. Dad always had work to do. But we did go to Lake Tahoe once. We stayed in a house on the edge of the lake.”

  “Summer or winter?

  “Summer. I went kayaking with a group of kids. Dad hired a boat and we all went fishing.” A sad smile touched her face. “Most of our vacations were spent at home in Portland. It was easier.”

  “Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

  “Not that I know of.” She grinned and pushed whatever memories were running through her head away. “Even though there was just me at home, mom and dad were determined I’d have other kids to play with. They enrolled me in so many programs that I had a schedule each week of where I needed to go.”

  “Not much spontaneity then, Legs?”

  Sarah squinted at him. “It’s Sarah. And no, I guess not.”

  Jordan ignored the spurt of irritation in her voice. He found it sexy, in an employer-employee kind of way. “It’s just as well you’re working on the Triple L. By the time you’re ready to leave you’ll be used to living by the seat of your pants. You won’t want to see another schedule again.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with being organized.”

  “Didn’t say there was.” Jordan grinned. “But a little ruffling of the feathers is good for the soul.” He glanced down at his watch and turned to the Buchanans. “Five minutes, folks, then we’re heading back to the barn.”

  Sarah hadn’t moved from beside him. “If you need a hand mounting Daisy, let me know.” He winked at her and left her standing on the plateau.

  From the expression on her face, he’d say she wasn’t too interested in having her feathers ruffled. He’d leave her to think things through, maybe do a little scheduling of his own.

  ***

  “We’ve got a problem, boss.”

  Jordan lifted his horse’s saddle onto a rack in the barn a
nd turned to Pete. “What’s happened?”

  “Steve called. They’ve come across what looks like a wolf attack on his ranch. Three heifers were killed and the herd’s scattered across half the pasture below Devil’s Ridge.”

  “Shit.” Jordan picked up his jacket and headed toward the main house. “Ask Jeremy to give Tim a hand to look after the horses. Has Steve called the Forest Service?”

  “They’re on their way. Steve’s taken his helicopter into the mountains to see if there are more dead cattle anywhere. All of the cowboys he’s seen so far are okay. He’s called the other ranchers in the area to let them know what’s happened.”

  “Have any of our cowboys seen anything?”

  “They’re too high for cell phone coverage. I’ve sent Frank and Alistair to see what’s going on, but they won’t be back until later tonight.”

  Jordan opened the front door of Trent and Gracie’s home and left his boots on the porch. “The Buchanans have gone back to the barn. They’re heading into Yellowstone to go white water rafting after lunch. Make sure everyone knows they’re not to take the horses anywhere when they get back.”

  “Sure, boss. What about tomorrow? They were supposed to ride the northern trail.”

  Jordan looked at the schedule he’d pinned to the wall, then walked across to a map. “Where did Steve say the attack happened?”

  Pete pointed to an area not far from the Triple L’s boundary. “Here. You were damn lucky you didn’t come across the wolves this morning.”

  “We weren’t up high enough,” Jordan muttered. But they’d been close. The last wolf attack had been about two years ago. Jeb, one of their ranch hands, had ended up with a track of stitches in his leg. After a few months of rest he’d been okay, ready to head into the mountains as fast as his horse could take him.

  Jordan ran his hand down the list of things his guests were scheduled to do. “I’ll give Chris Tucker a call. The Buchanans were booked on a hike to Old Faithful in a couple of days. If he can switch dates, I’ll change their booking to tomorrow. That’ll give us a couple of extra days to see what’s happening with the wolves.”