Montana Wild (7 page)

He knelt next to her looking at Tommy’s angelic face and kissed his forehead. Then Rick looked at Jamie.

“This could have been a horrific day. Thank you for making it one of the luckiest days of my life.” He kissed Jamie’s cheek and squeezed her hand. Lifting Tommy up carefully, he held the boy close and walked toward their tent.

Jamie watched father and son until they faded into the darkness. She felt sheepish for all the credit and praise everyone was bestowing on her because she knew another entity had been in control of the whole situation. Still she was thankful for the part she did play and oh so grateful for the happy ending.

“How are you doing?” Kevin whispered, his lips close to her ear.

“I’m good, but tired.”

“Ready to pack it in?”

“I think so.” Kevin stood up first and extended his hand to help her up. “Is your side sore?”

“Only if I move.” She stood and steadied herself before they started walking. The farther they moved from the fire, the darker it got.

“Man, I can hardly see.” Her eyes strained to see the path.

“Let your eyes adjust to the darkness for a minute. Don’t trip.” He held her arm to guide her as they made their way to the tents. Kevin unzipped her tent, opened her sleeping bag for her and made sure everything was just so. He stood up outside her tent next to Jamie.

“Thanks, you didn’t need to do that.” She was touched by his attentiveness.

“I know. I’m close by if you need anything. Just holler.” They looked at each other for an awkward moment.

“Can I do something that I’ve wanted to do since we fished you out of the water?” Kevin asked.

“Sure, what?”

He reached for her and hugged her. “I’m so relieved that you’re safe.” He held her for a long time.

The intensity of his embrace took her by surprise but she returned it. She reminded herself of how he’d risked his life for her and she hugged him back, resting her face against his chest. Hearing and feeling the beat of his heart against her cheek combined with the security of his arms circling her, time stopped and she wished she could stay there forever. A branch cracked underfoot as another camper walked by, disrupting their moment. They pulled apart and Kevin brushed back some loose hair from her face. Leaning in, he kissed her cheek. Suddenly shy, Jamie felt her face flush and ducked into her tent. Kevin zipped her tent closed and she could hear him lingering outside before his footsteps faded away.

What a day!
Even though she was exhausted, her thoughts drifted back to Roseanne. Feeling an internal bond with her spirit comforted Jamie in a way she could not express, as if Roseanne’s essence filled part of the loneliness in Jamie’s being. Jamie smiled as she turned over in her sleeping bag. They would’ve been great friends.

As Kevin settled into his tent, he had a sensation of physical, mental, and emotional peace. It had been a hell of a day but it had ended well, everyone was safe. Just a few moments ago, Jamie had been lying against him, wrapped in his arms. It scared him to death to think he’d almost lost her. Having met her in person only four days ago, he struggled to comprehend his strong feelings for her.

Now that they had spent some time together, he wasn’t ready to let her walk out of his life connected only by late-night telephone conversations. That wasn’t going to be enough anymore. On the phone she had told him that she’d recently ended a serious relationship and he didn’t want to scare her off, but he couldn’t let her go. Not yet.

Chapter 10

Jamie delayed getting up because she knew she would have to face the fact that her trip was over. It meant she had to put closure on one of the best overall adventures of her life. Instead, she lay there motionless, staring at the minute drops of moisture nesting on the nylon ceiling of her humble tent. But as she did so, she heard more and more campers stirring and knew she could not put off the inevitable any longer.

God, I must look awful
.
When was the last time I washed my hair? Hell, when was the last time I brushed my hair?
She searched around the tent for her brush and gave her hair a good stroking, swept it into a low ponytail, then covered it with her baseball cap. Grabbing her toothbrush, she unzipped her tent and made off toward the latrine. On her way back she met Kevin.

“Morning. How’s your side?” His face full of concern.

“Good morning. Not too bad, surprisingly.”

“You look pretty in the morning. Want to grab a cup of tea and go for a walk?”

“You’re too kind, but yes, I’d love to. Good idea on the tea.”

They grabbed their morning caffeine, and Kevin led her toward a trail. As they left the crowd near the mess tent, Tommy and Rick strode toward them.

“Hey, Tommy. Good morning, Rick.” Jamie hugged Tommy affectionately. The four exchanged morning pleasantries then Rick took on a serious look.

“Jamie, I know we’ll all be packing and scurrying around to leave soon. I wanted to catch up with you before the madness of breaking camp. I will never
ever
forget what you did for Tommy and for me.”

Jamie started to protest but Rick firmly shushed her.

“Let me finish. You saved my son’s life. Please don’t ever minimize what you did here. You had help and I do believe that. But still, you played a major part in all of this and I want you to know that I’m indebted to you for the rest of my life. Whatever you need, whenever you need it, I’ll be there for you. I could never repay you for what you did.”

“Thank you, Rick. That means a lot.” Rick reached for her and they hugged. She felt so tiny in his brawny arms.

Tommy had been on his knees toying with a dried snakeskin but now stood beside Rick. He looked at Jamie and his dad with a quizzical look but quickly got on to more important matters. “Are you going to eat now, Jamie? We are.”

“No, not right now, but you better not eat all the pancakes.” She tousled his hair.

Tommy laughed. “C’mon, Dad, let’s get to those pancakes!” and he pulled his father’s arm.

Rick waved at Kevin and Jamie as he was being pulled away. “See you later.”

Kevin led Jamie toward the path and they began an upward climb. “If this trek gets too rough for you, let me know.” To steady her, he took hold of her hand as they climbed.

“I’m good,” Jamie answered. She followed Kevin on a gentle uphill path for about ten minutes until they reached a narrow clearing on one side. Shoulders touching, they stood looking through the tree-framed opening that delivered a breathtaking view of infinity. The sky was bright blue and cloudless. The morning dew painted a glistening coating on Mother Nature’s picture perfect forestry and Jamie could hear the symphony of wildlife playing in the background. Regal mountains completed the backdrop and Jamie stared in awe.

“I hope you never take these views for granted.” She could not take her eyes off the vista, a slight breeze twirling her stray tendrils of hair.

“Never,” Kevin answered firmly.

Jamie wanted to etch all the details in her memory and take it back with her to New York. Once home, she wanted to be able to close her eyes and draw this image vividly on command, but she knew that was impossible. There was no way to capture the sight, sounds and fragrance that were so vibrant at this moment. Kevin broke the silence.

“I’m not ready.”

“Pardon me?” She turned to look at him.

“I’m not ready for you to go back. It seems like you just got here.” Leaning on a large bolder, he focused on her.

“In some ways the time went by so fast, but in other ways it seems like I’ve been in Montana longer. It’s like I’ve known everyone forever, like old friends.”

“I know, it seems like I’ve known you longer than a few days.” He paused, his brows furrowed, then spoke again. “I don’t want you to leave. Please stay.” The sun’s warming rays were peeking through the pine branches, spotlighting them.

“Stay? The trip’s over.” Looking down at her dusty sneakers, she rolled a pinecone under the sole of her shoe, trying to distract herself from an awkward conversation. She hated good-byes.

“It’s true, the rafting’s over, but your time doesn’t have to be. My home’s only a few hours from here. Come with me.”

“What?” Jerking her head up, she looked at him, stunned.

“Come with me. You’ve come this far, come see my home. If you think this scenery is beautiful, wait until you see my neighborhood.” Eyes wide with hope, he took a step toward her.

“Oh, Kevin, my flight’s tonight. I need to get back.” Looking at him against the majestic backdrop, she had to admit that the idea was tempting, so why was her voice betraying her?
Because I’m on hiatus, that’s why.

His face sobered. “Why? Why do you have to get back so quickly? You’re off work. What’s the rush?” Kevin grabbed her hand with both of his. “Jamie, I mean it. I’m not ready for you to go back. It’s been so great having you here. We’re just getting to know each other, and to be honest, I’d like to get to know you better.”

“I-I need to get back, but thank you. For everything.”
I don’t want to leave him. Why am I saying this?
Turning to him, she encircled him with her arms, whispering into his ear, “Thank you.”

Kevin sighed heavily as she embraced him. Initially he hugged her back with both arms but then he grabbed her shoulders and gently pushed her to arm’s length, not letting go.

Shaking his head, he stated firmly, “No. You don’t have to go. Stay. Stay for a while.”

They stood face to face. The chatter of birds seemed to mimic their disagreement.

“I appreciate the offer, but . . .”

Challenging her, he cut her off, “Why? Why can’t you?”

She looked at him, then looked away and remained silent.
Yeah, why can’t I?

He waited patiently. “Jamie?”

She looked at him, but still could not answer. Finally she admitted “I don’t have a reason. It just doesn’t seem . . .” She stopped, and he waited.

“It just doesn’t seem . . . I don’t know. I told you, I’m not ready for another relationship, if that’s where you think this could be leading.” She heard the words coming out of her own mouth but she was not convincing herself. Turning away from him, she hardly noticed the ongoing show Mother Nature was providing as doubt now clouded her vision, dulling the bright sun.

“Truth is, I don’t know where this is leading. Maybe we’re destined to be friends, maybe something more. I just know that we need more time together. Come back with me. Come to my home. There’s plenty of room. Your first reaction was to say no to this trip and look how much you’ve enjoyed it.”

Not feeling so firm in her rejection of the initial idea now, this conversation seemed like déjà vu
. He was so right last time . . .

Kevin interrupted her thoughts. “There are workers at the ranch that live in guest cabins on the property. There’s some that are vacant, and you could stay in one of those, if you’d be more comfortable with that. You’d have your own space. I have horses, I could teach you to ride. We could spend some time together, stay a week, two weeks or longer. You decide. Please.”

He looked at her again, his kind blue eyes pleading under long eyelashes.

“Don’t you think it would be kind of weird if I went home with you?”

“No. I’m inviting you, I am asking you to come with me. Friend to friend. Why is that weird?” His eyes searched hers. She met his gaze and her willpower melted.

“Well, how would we do this? I’d just go home with you today?”

“Yes.” Kevin’s whole face lit up. “Yes! Come with me today. You can go home whenever you want. You decide.”

Again she searched his eyes and her gut told her he was the real deal. “Okay.” She exhaled as her stomach tightened, hoping she was making the right call.

“Yes!” He picked her up, twirled her around once and set her down. “You won’t regret this, I promise. Now that we’re leaving together, let’s go!” The elation in his voice was obvious.

Once back at camp, Rick heard the news and looked at Kevin, grinning. “She’s a real catch, Kevin.”

“We’re friends, Rick, just friends.”

“Sure, Kev.” Rick’s grin grew.

“No really, we’re just friends. I want her to come back and see the ranch, since she’s already in Montana.”

“So, nothing else? Just friends? No sparks?” Rick’s gaze did not waver.

Kevin grinned. “I’m not ruling anything out at this point. Let’s see where this goes.” And with this Rick slapped him on the back.

“Though, I must say, she’s quite different from your usuals. She’s in a different class.”

“What do you mean, my usuals?” Kevin asked, annoyed.

“You know what I mean. Admit it, she’s different. I’m going to have to warn you, I’m going to be looking out for her. I am indebted to her now, you know that. I’ll be her protector, so don’t mess with her if you don’t have honorable intentions,” Rick said quietly.

Kevin almost chuckled until he realized his friend was dead serious.

Chapter 11

The outfitters had transported everyone’s vehicles to the final camp this morning. Handshakes, slaps on the back, and good-byes were exchanged. Kevin and Jamie collected their gear and loaded it into the back of his truck where Ben was waiting for Kevin.

“Change in plans, Ben. Jamie’s coming home with us.” Kevin winked at Jamie. “I’ve talked so much about the ranch, she begged me to see it.” She punched Kevin’s arm.

“I didn’t beg, that sounds bad. I pleaded. Does that sound less desperate?” Wide-eyed, she looked at Ben.

“No, that sounds just as bad.” Ben laughed. “But I know Kevin, and he was probably the one doing the begging.”

“Ha. There! Ben, you’re obviously a very insightful man.” Jamie squeezed his arm. He opened the truck door and Jamie climbed inside between the two
. I hope I know what I’m doing.
Jamie unconsciously held her breath as her impromptu adventure went into overtime.

Not wanting to miss any details of the beauty that surrounded her, Jamie was reluctant to even blink. The views from the river were picturesque, but the truck ride provided her with vistas from a different perspective. At times the road was covered by a canopy of trees, but then the ceiling would break open and they were only feet away from a mountain cliff which provided spectacular panoramas. The conversation flowed naturally and she felt at ease as they replayed the past four days, with Ben and Kevin interjecting details of the different players to spice up the trip’s events.

The conversation led to Rick and Roseanne.

“She was the best. I’ve never seen two people more in love.” Ben started laughing. “And a tough cookie too. She let Rick know all decisions were 50/50.”

The conversation took a somber turn as Kevin reminisced.

“Until she got sick. Then she called the shots. Roseanne made him promise not to mourn her but to celebrate life with their son. Rick’s been strong, but sometimes when Tommy’s not around, he breaks down. They are as close as any father and son I’ve ever seen and if there was any silver lining to this story, that's it.” The drive continued in silence for a few miles.

Sitting in the front seat between the two, Jamie savored the closeness of Kevin. Without being obvious, she studied the details of his sinewy forearms and hands while he drove. Sitting so near, his strength, his manliness was undeniable, yet he had a gentle side. She had witnessed this when he interacted with Tommy.
Hiatus,
she reminded herself, but sitting so close sure wasn’t making it easy.
The three-hour ride flew by, and soon Kevin told her that they were getting close.

“Home sweet home.” He turned into a private drive lined on both sides with rows of majestic pines. An open, thick-log gate announced the entrance to his ranch.

A rustic two-story log cabin with a fieldstone chimney and wraparound covered porch captured Jamie’s attention. Nestled between mature pines that seemed to stand guard, the stately home looked to be fairly new construction. The gravel drive passed the main house and led to a large open area bordered on one side by eight small cabins and a variety of out buildings on the other. At the far end were several barns and stables, all facing the open courtyard.

As the truck drove in, a few men appeared out of the nearest barn to greet them. Ben informed Jamie that these were Kevin’s ranch hands who kept the ranch running while he was away. Kevin introduced Jamie and after a few moments they returned to their work.

“C’mon, Jamie, I’ll show you around.”

She followed Kevin into the main house that opened into the kitchen/dining area of a great room with vaulted ceilings supported by huge wood beams. On the far side of the room, a stone fireplace from floor to ceiling invited her to sit in to the warm-brown leather furniture. To the right of the kitchen, a baby grand piano beckoned her into a side entertainment area that housed a sound system with hundreds of CDs against the wall. The décor was rustic and uncluttered but exuded warmth and a masculine hominess. Jamie found herself pleasantly surprised as she toured the great room, taking it all in.

He guided her through the master bedroom suite and the two guest bedrooms upstairs. Proudly he mentioned that he’d personally made his king-size rustic bed out of hand-sawn timber from his own land. The décor and warmth was the same throughout the whole house.

“You can stay in one of the upstairs bedrooms, or you can stay in one of the guest cabins. I’ll show you one.”

Jamie followed Kevin outside and past the main house. The individual guest cabins along the main drive were not much bigger than a single room. Kevin opened the door of the third one.

“Most of these are occupied by the ranch hands that stay here. But I have a couple of empty ones. They’re pretty modest, as you can see.”

Jamie entered an intimate one-room cabin that housed an old iron double bed, dresser, and small table with two chairs. At the back of the room a doorway led to a small bathroom with an old-fashioned claw-foot tub.

“This is perfect! I’m not used to much space, you know. This is so cute and cozy, Kevin. I’ll stay here if you don’t mind. This way I’ll stay out of your hair.”

“Don’t worry about being in my way, honest. But wherever you’re most comfortable, the choice is yours. Let’s get your things.” They went out to the truck and unloaded her single bag. As they did so, Jamie remembered that she hadn’t packed much for everyday living.

“Kevin, is there a town nearby? I need to get a few things, I packed pretty light. And maybe a laundry?”

“Sure, we have plenty of washer/dryers here you can use. Tomorrow we can go into town for shopping. In fact, we should get you in to see the town doc to check out that nasty bruise on your back and make sure you don’t have any broken ribs.”

“No need for that. It looks worse than it feels. Most of the pain has subsided. If I had cracked some ribs, I’d be feeling it,” Jamie reassured him.

“I don’t know about that. Doc wanted you to get it checked out. Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, for now, but if anything changes with that, let me know.”

“I will.”

“Consuelo oversees all the housekeeping chores around here and I’ll ask her to make sure you have everything you need. She cooks for the ranch hands, three meals a day, Monday thru Friday, in the mess hall. On the weekends they’re on their own, but there’s always food and leftovers in the fridge and they’re there for the taking. You’re welcome to help yourself to any food anytime, or any of Consuelo’s meals. She’s an amazing cook, especially if you like Tex-Mex. Not to mention she’s a real sweetheart. All the guys love her. C’mon, I’ll show you the mess hall and introduce you.”

They exited Jamie’s cabin and made their way across the open dirt yard to another outbuilding, resembling a small pole barn. But make no mistake, this was no barn. As soon as she neared the building she could smell aromas of something wonderful cooking.

The door opened into a single, sizable room which was all kitchen, again rustic but homey. It consisted of a commercial sized stove, two refrigerators, one freezer, two dishwashers, and large sink. Two long wood harvest tables surrounded by benches were on the other side of the room. At the oversized sink with her back to them, a pleasantly plump Hispanic woman with salt-and-pepper hair washed vegetables. Turning toward the door, her weathered face broke into a huge grin.

“Kevin!” She opened her arms, and Kevin walked into her welcoming embrace, planting a big kiss on her cheek.

“Consuelo, how are you? I trust the boys haven’t given you too much trouble since I’ve been gone?”

“No, no, the boys have been good.” Speaking with a thick Hispanic accent, she smiled warmly as she caught sight of Jamie.

“Consuelo, I want you to meet Jamie. She’s going to stay with us for a while. Jamie, this is Consuelo, the one who holds all us men together.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Consuelo.” Jamie made her way toward her with her arm outstretched to shake her hand but was surprised when Consuelo hugged her instead. She enveloped Jamie into her soft outstretched arms and pulled her in close. Jamie caught the smell of garlic and onions as she hugged her but it was not unpleasant.

“Jamie, so good to meet you. I see I need to fatten her up a bit, huh, Kevin?”

“Yeah, make sure she eats, Consuelo. Okay? Also could you see that Jamie has everything she needs in the Little Pine Cabin?”

“
Sí
, I’ll take care of her. It’ll be nice to have a lady around here for a change.” She smiled again, eyes bright and twinkling.

Jamie found it easy to see why everyone loved her. She could feel the love in this lady. They left Consuelo to her cooking and exited the mess hall.

“If you don’t mind, I think I’d like to take a hot bath, now that I’ve seen that beautiful old tub. It’s been a while since I’ve touched hot water. Not that I’m complaining, mind you. The mountain streams were pretty refreshing!” She laughed.

“Good idea. Take a hot bath, get settled. We’ll eat in the mess hall today with the guys, if you don’t mind.”

“Are you kidding? With the aromas coming out of that kitchen? You couldn’t drag me anywhere else.”

“I’ll knock on your door in a couple of hours or so. Get some rest.” Kevin walked her back to her cabin and then headed off.

Jamie loved her comfy little cabin and headed straight into the bathroom to run the water for a hot bath.
Oh, this is going to feel so good
. There were a couple of fluffy towels already waiting so she closed the door to the bath and climbed into the hot tub.

Rewarming the water a couple of times to extend her soak, she became drowsy and lost track of time. Scrubbing herself squeaky clean, she reluctantly emerged from the tub.

As she re-entered the bedroom, there was evidence that someone had been there. Across the bed was a beautiful handmade quilt, a fluffy long terry-cloth robe and a basket with soaps, lotions, and a hairdryer. On the small table sat a pot of hot tea and cookies. Touched by the kindness after she had barely been here an hour, her eyes misted. It had been a long time since she had been pampered.

“I could get used to this,” she giggled. Melting into the velvety soft robe, she helped herself to the thoughtful snack. This all made her feel a tad too drowsy so she made her way to the bed, pulled the colorful quilt over her and drifted off to sleep. Ever present on her mind, she dreamt of her interaction with Roseanne. According to her, Jamie had a full life awaiting her and she woke in a tranquil state.
I hope you’re right, Roseanne.

Hearing horses outside, she got up from the feather bed and dressed. On the rafting trips, cell phone reception had been non-existent and she had not spoken to her best friend, Noah, in days. Neither had much family and they’d vowed long ago to keep track of each other. Wanting to fill him in on the impulsive extension of her trip, she called him. He was elated to hear about her visit to the ranch and wanted more details. Like a big brother he wasn’t crazy about her being in New York by herself and he worried about her. Voicing frustration about his road trip to advance his singing career, things were going okay, but nothing spectacular. Hearing his voice was like chicken soup for her soul. He was all she had now. Jamie’s other friends had left her because of Derrick’s antics but Noah was the one faithful ally that Derrick couldn’t bully away. Leaving Derrick would have been impossible without him. He’d been her backbone when she had none. He was her rock.
I miss him.

There was a knock on the door and she opened it to find Kevin, looking clean-shaven and smelling of aftershave. Trying to be subtle, she inhaled his scent to appreciate the total package. She’d thought he was hot from day one but now . . .
whoa
!

“Ready to eat?” he asked, and escorted her across the yard.

Kevin opened the door to the mess hall, which was alive with conversation and laughter. Feeling a little shy as she entered the room full of men who obviously knew each other well, she felt like the odd man out, but the feeling did not last long.

“Everyone, this is Jamie, if you haven’t met her already. Jamie, this is everybody.” And he waved his hand around the room.

In unison, the crowd greeted Jamie. Consuelo came over and hugged her.

“Consuelo, thank you so much for the tea and basket of bath goodies. You’re too kind.” Jamie hugged her back.

“You can thank Kevin, it was all his idea.” Consuelo nodded her head toward Kevin who blushed at her tattling.

“Come, eat.” She urged her and gently pushed Jamie toward the food. “It’s buffet-style here. Help yourself.” She handed Jamie a plate.

Ben appeared out of nowhere and put the squeeze on Jamie’s shoulders. “Don’t feel you have to hang with that guy.” Ben jerked his head toward Kevin and winked at Jamie. “You can sit with me.”

Kevin fixed his plate and followed them as Ben made more introductions around the table. He told humorous stories about the different characters sitting there and the guys all pitched in to make the stories a little juicier, making her laugh until her belly ached. As Kevin had mentioned previously, Ben was known for his wit, and she now understood why. Kevin caught her eye across the table and winked which set off Jamie's spinal tremors.
Stop!
The guys lingered at the table longer than usual, probably because of all the hilarious stories that Ben was dragging up for Jamie.

After dinner, Jamie and Kevin joined the ranch hands around the campfire, but it wasn’t long until Jamie felt the effects of the lengthy day and fatigue set in. The feather bed called to her and she was anxious to answer. As she readied for bed, she noticed three missed calls on her cell. A sickening wave of nausea washed over her and her stomach dropped as she recognized the number.
Chill, you’re in Montana
. Still, dread filled her and her hand shook as she released the phone.
Oh God
. . .
it’s starting again
.
When he can’t find me, maybe he’ll let it go
. . . maybe. She could only hope.

The little cabin was lit with bright morning sunlight when Jamie opened her eyes. As she peeked through the curtains she saw men already at work, leading horses from the one area to another, driving tractors laden with hay. Everyone was on task. Jamie looked at the clock. Not even 9 a.m. She got up, changed, and followed the culinary-scented trail to the mess hall. To her surprise, the building was empty of ranch hands but full of wonderful aromas — bacon frying, coffee brewing, and flapjacks on the grill. In the midst of it all stood Consuelo, who turned and greeted her.