Montana Wrangler (10 page)

“Is he...” Worry puckered his forehead. “Is he okay?”

“He has to take some medications, but the doctor thinks he'll be fine if he does as he's been told.”

“I'll make sure he does,” Bryan said in a determined, grown-up voice.

Smiling, she skimmed her hand over the boy's sweaty head. “Me, too.”

He eased away from her. “Can I see him?”

“I don't want you to wake him if he's still asleep.”

“I'll be quiet.” He hurried down the hall.

Paige appreciated Bryan's obvious love and concern for his great-grandfather. Grandpa had always been like a father to the boy. A steady influence who gave his love unconditionally.

Her stomach knotted, imagining how Bryan would feel to leave Grandpa. But maybe that wouldn't happen. If her idea worked and she could convince Grandpa to sell the outfitting business and move to Seattle with her, they could all be together.

Then what would happen to Jay? She couldn't picture him living anywhere but right here with mountains and streams and wilderness in his backyard. Could he buy the outfitting business? Or find another job nearby?

She heard Grandpa and Bryan talking in the bedroom, Grandpa insisting he was as fit as he'd ever been, Bryan not quite buying his story.

She decided this was a good time to pose a compromise position that she could live with. Putting her boots on in the mudroom, she headed for the barn.

* * *

Jay picked up a bridle and started to polish it. He and Nathan were scheduled for an afternoon trail ride tomorrow. Just as well he made sure the tack was in order.

Footsteps on the gravel walkway preceded Paige's arrival. She stopped at the open barn door, her feminine figure silhouetted by the afternoon sun.

Jay swallowed hard. He squeezed the polishing rag harder. Just seeing her there gave him an urge to pull her into his arms and hold her.

Knowing that he had to stop Paige from taking Bryan away,
for Bryan's sake,
prevented him from giving into the impulse.

“There you are.” Paige strolled toward him, her hips swaying gently with each step. “Bryan said you'd given him a ride home from the bus stop.”

He cleared his throat. “I had to make a quick run into town for some electrical tape. I was just pulling into the road when I saw the school bus coming. Figured I'd save him a few steps.”

“He went right in to see Grandpa. Poor kid is so worried about him.” She snared a bridle from its peg and picked up a polishing rag. “Cleaning tack seems to be a full-time job around here.”

“Pretty much. We've got a trail ride scheduled for tomorrow. Figured I'd better check the tack. Is Henry okay?”

“He was tired. I fed him soup and then he went to his room for a nap. The doctor seemed to think he'll be fine.”

“For an eighty-five-year-old.”

“That's true.” Paige pursed her lips, understanding what Jay was trying to say. She had no way to refute the truth, only to ignore it. For the moment. “You didn't come in for lunch. If you're hungry, I can fix something for you.”

“It's okay. I grabbed a burger at the Peewee Drive-In when I was in town.” He hooked the bridle back in place. “I'm going to take Thunder Boy for a ride. He hasn't been out for two days and needs the exercise.”

Focusing on the bridle she was cleaning, Paige searched for the right words to broach her idea. “I've been thinking about your compromise suggestion.”

His head snapped up. “You have?” He looked far more eager than she liked.

“I have a countersuggestion. Clearly Grandpa is getting on in years. He's going to be needing help soon. I thought I'd talk to him about selling the business and moving to Seattle with me and Bryan.”

Jay's jaw dropped open. “Are you kidding me?

“Not a bit.” His reaction surprised her. After all, coming up with a compromise was his idea. “Living with Grandpa would help Bryan to adjust to his new home in Seattle. They'd be together, and I could take care of them both.”

“Think of this for a minute.” His voice was patient but his brows were about as low as they could go, shadowing his eyes. “How well do you think Henry is going to adjust to living in a condo? He's lived here all of his life. He's got acres of land he can roam. His closest neighbor is a half mile away.”

“That's exactly the point.” She matched his reasonable tone with her own argument. “He needs to be around people who can check on him. Look after him.”

Jay tossed his cleaning rag aside. “I can look out for Henry. And Bryan. Right here where they have lived all of their lives. You can talk to Henry if you want to. But I guarantee he won't agree to move to Seattle. The best thing for everyone concerned is to let Bryan stay here where he belongs.”

“I guess we'll see, won't we?”

Paige carefully put down her cleaning rag and hung up the bridle. Jay Red Elk didn't know the meaning of the word compromise. He wanted the world on his terms; no one else's mattered.

She wasn't going to
compromise
if it meant giving up her guardianship rights. She was doing what Krissy had wanted. She had to. Because it was the
right
thing to do.

And she'd always been the
good
sister.

* * *

After Paige left the barn, Jay worried some saddle soap into one of the older saddles.

He didn't know what he was going to do if Paige didn't give some ground on the guardian business. Moving Henry to Seattle sure wasn't the answer.

Jay knew he had to do something. Deep down he felt Bryan would make good on his threat to run away. Outside of tying the kid up and stuffing him in Paige's trunk, he didn't know how to stop the boy.

Obviously Paige thought otherwise.

Maybe he needed another approach if he was going to change her mind.

* * *

Paige served everyone their dinner and sat down at her place. After a silent grace, she picked up her fork.

“Grandpa, do you want some more mashed potatoes?” Bryan asked. Instead of his usual place at the dinner table, he'd moved closer to his great-grandfather.

“I'm good, son. Got more on my plate than I can handle already.”

Paige cut a bite of oven-baked chicken breast, forked it into her mouth and chewed thoughtfully. No question, Bryan wasn't going to let Grandpa more than a few feet away from him until he was back to good health. He hadn't even checked on Bright Star since he'd come home from school. Sweet boy.

Yet that very sweetness and concern made it harder than ever for Bryan to agree to move to Seattle. At least, not without Grandpa.

“Maybe after dinner we can play a game,” Bryan suggested to Grandpa.

“Not one of your video games.” Shaking his head, Grandpa pushed his plate away. He had left half of what he'd been served. “My reflexes aren't as good as yours.”

“How about checkers? Or we could all play Monopoly.” He shot a pleading look toward both Paige and Jay, who had been unusually quiet throughout dinner.

“Are you up to it, Grandpa?” Paige asked.

“You know what I'd like, girl? I'd like to sit in my chair peaceful as can be and listen to you play the piano like your grandmother did.” He gave a sharp nod. “That's what I'd like.”

The eager spark in Bryan's eyes dimmed.

Paige wished Grandpa had accepted the boy's invitation to play a game. Bryan was trying so hard to take care of him.

“If it's music you want,” she said, “we can start off with Bryan's and my ‘Chopsticks' duet. How does that sound?”

“That'd be fine.” Grandpa shoved his chair back and stood.

Bryan immediately jumped up beside him. “I'll help you to your chair, Grandpa. Put your arm around my shoulder.”

Instead of doing as Bryan asked, Grandpa ruffled the boy's hair. “I'm not a cripple yet, youngster. I still got two good feet and the will to use 'em.” He gave the boy a one-armed hug, and they walked together into the living room.

Pursing her lips together, Paige fought the impulse to tell Bryan he could stay with his grandpa forever and ever. But if she was to be his guardian, she needed to work. Her job was in Seattle. Therefore, she had to return to the city with Bryan. And maybe Grandpa, as well.

Picking up his plate and glass, Jay stood. “I'll take care of the dishes. You go ahead, play the piano with Bryan and entertain Henry.”

“We can get the dishes done faster with two of us.”

“I've got this. Go on and do your thing.” He turned on the water to rinse his plate, then ran the garbage disposal.

The racket made it impossible for him to hear her. His silent dinner suggested he didn't want to talk to her at all. He wanted to avoid her.

Because he didn't like her idea of compromise.

A troubled sigh escaped her lungs.

In the living room, she enticed Bryan to join her at the piano. They ran through “Chopsticks” several times before he got bored. Then he plopped himself in the upholstered chair next to Grandpa in his recliner. Being physically close to Grandpa seemed to give Bryan comfort, so Paige didn't complain. As he saw Grandpa's health improving, surely his fears would ease.

In the bookcase near the piano, she found some sheet music of old familiar tunes: “Beautiful Dreamer” and “Oh, Susanna!” and “Home on the Range.” Tunes Grandma Lisbeth had played.

At one point as she was playing, she glanced toward the kitchen doorway. Jay was standing there watching her, his expression unreadable. Their eyes met for a moment. When she smiled, he walked slowly toward her, his dark eyes never leaving hers.

The hair on her nape reacted as though lightning was about to strike. Her fingers missed the keys. She stopped playing. In the silence, she heard her blood pulsing through her ears.

“How about you and me playing a duet?” he asked.

She swallowed and licked her lips. “You play the piano?”

“Sort of.” He slid onto the piano bench beside her. His thigh pressed against hers. “Mom has a piano. All us kids tinkered at it. In junior high I took up the guitar, so I can read music.”

“You play the guitar?”

“Not anymore. It was a rite of passage for twelve-year-olds back then. After that got old, we all took up rodeo riding in the junior division.”

He shuffled through the stack of sheet music. “How 'bout this one.” He put the music in place.

It was “Moon River.” Slow and romantic.

“Looks good to me.” Her fingers trembled slightly as she placed them on the keys.

“One, two, three.” He nodded and they began, Jay playing the melody an octave higher than the written notes.

As they played along together, Paige became aware of the slow beat of her heart, matching the music, and the heat of Jay's thigh next to hers. She pictured a big Montana moon on the lake. The water glistening gold. Jay's arm around her.

Thoughts of guardianship and Bryan slipped from her mind, replaced by dreams of happily ever after. A dream she knew couldn't come true.

Chapter Ten

B
reakfast was a quiet affair the following morning.

Paige lingered over her coffee. Jay had eaten early with Bryan, then Jay went out to take care of his business. Grandpa had drifted into the kitchen later. He'd had some cereal before assuming his position in front of the television for the morning news.

Paige knew she should check in with her boss. There was a midweek conference at the hotel for two hundred science and math teachers. Somehow she couldn't build up the energy to worry about the meeting. The teachers would surely behave themselves. Mr. Armstrong knew how to reach her if they didn't.

Picking up Grandpa's dirty cereal bowl, she went to the sink to rinse it and put it in the dishwasher along with her coffee mug. She turned on the water. All she got was a hiss of air.

“Well, that's strange.” She'd had plenty of water when she brushed her teeth. What in the world...

She checked the bathroom off the mudroom. No water there, either. None in the master bathroom. She wandered back into the living room.

“Grandpa, I'm going to check something outside. Do you need anything?”

“Not unless you could straighten out those politicians back east.” He tilted his head up to her. He was dressed in his jeans and a blue work shirt, but he hadn't shaved yet. “Something wrong?”

“I'm not sure. I'll be back in a minute.”

She checked for water pressure in the hose that was hooked up at the back of the house. Barely a drop dripped out. She checked the faucet on the side of the barn.

Still no water.

Jay stepped out of the barn, his long legs encased in tight jeans, his hat tipped back on his head. “What's going on? You planning to water something?”

“Evidently you haven't noticed yet. We don't have any water pressure.”

His brows scrolled downward. “Why not? We had pressure earlier.”

“You're welcome to try.” She gestured to the faucet she'd just worked. Strange he wouldn't take her word for it. That must be a guy thing.

He gave the faucet a twist. “No water in the house, either?”

“Not a drop.”

“Guess we'll have to call Roy Taylor. He's the local plumber.”

“Don't call him yet. Let me see if I can figure out what's wrong.”

His grin turned incredulous. “Don't tell me you're a licensed plumber?”

With her hand, she flipped the tips of her hair. If only he knew she had all sorts of untapped talents. “My parents ran a hardware store. You'd be surprised how good I am with a screwdriver or a pair of pliers, and how many things I know how to fix.”

“This I've gotta see.”

“Watch and learn,” she said with smug confidence. She glanced around. While working with her parents, she'd certainly learned a lot about wells that stopped pumping and how to fix them. The first thing was to check the power to the pump. “Do you know where the fuse box is?”

Archie trotted over to greet them, her tail wagging.

“Hi, little lady, how's your delicate condition today?” Paige asked, reaching down to pet the dog.

Archie sat and peered up at her, her brown eyes pleading for more attention.

“Fuse box is by the kitchen window,” Jay said.

“Great.” She strode off toward the house. She might not be great with horses, but there had been more than one occasion at the hotel when she'd had to turn into a handyman.

Jay and Archie followed her. “I hope your plan doesn't include burning down the house. Or flooding the place.”

“I'll try not to let that happen.” She smiled at the sound of Jay's footsteps behind her and the relative peace and quiet of the forest as compared to the always present ambient noise in Seattle. When she searched for a new condo, she'd look for one that had a large patio. And she'd think about getting a small dog, both for herself and to keep Bryan company.

Or if Grandpa agreed to come along, she could buy a small house.

She lifted the cover on the fuse box. “Looks like someone planned ahead. They marked the fuse that relates to the well pump.”

“Lots of smart people around here.” Jay's teasing voice sent a tickle down her spine.

She threw the switch to cut off the power. “Now, do you know where the well is?”

“I think I can find it all right.”

He headed off toward the back of the house.

“Here you are. One well house with a very quiet pump. Maybe if you turn the power back on, it'll start working again.”

“Hmm. Maybe.” She eyed the pressure gauge, an old one which was stuck at zero. She gave it a flick with her finger. It didn't budge. Thus, the most likely source of the problem.

She looked up at Jay, who was standing so close she caught the scent of hay and horses. “I don't suppose you have a spare pressure gauge around, do you?”

He went back to scowling. “What makes you so sure the problem is the pressure gauge?”

“My father used to tell customers that replacing a pressure gauge was the simplest thing they could do and to do that first before they hauled the motor out of the well, which can be a major project.”

“Okay.” He pulled out his cell phone. “I'll call Roy. See when he can get over here. He's the local well guy, too.”

“No, don't do that. If he's like most plumbers I've known, it'll take him a day or two before he gets around to coming over here, and we'll be without water until then.” She closed the well house door. “It will be quicker and cheaper if I run into town and get one myself. They're not hard to replace.”

“You're going to
replace
the pressure gauge
yourself?
”

She gave him a sweet smile. “Unless you'd like to do it and have the time.”

His brows dropped down again. “I have to mail a package anyway. I'll take you into town.”

“You don't have to. I can mail your package for you while you stay here and keep an eye on Grandpa. I shouldn't be gone long.”

“Nathan will watch Henry.”

She wondered why he was so keen on driving her into town. Maybe he didn't think she knew what she was talking about when it came to well pumps. “If you insist. I'll get my purse and tell Grandpa where we're going.”

She went into the house, feeling pretty smug. Men were always surprised when they realized she knew a lot about repairing stuff around the house. It did something to their macho image.

At least the thousands of hours she'd worked at the hardware store had given her that.

She checked on her grandfather. He seemed quite content watching TV.

“Grandpa, it looks like the well gauge is broken and we don't have any water. Do you think you'd be okay on your own if I ran into town with Jay to get a replacement gauge? We won't be gone long.”

“We got a well man that does that kind of work.”

“So I understand. But I think it'd be easier and quicker and cheaper if I can fix it myself.”

Grandpa lowered his brows in a skeptical frown. “Go ahead, girl, if that's what you want. After this show is over, I thought I'd go sit out on the porch. Beginning to feel like I've been cooped up too long.”

That was a good sign. Restlessness meant he was feeling stronger. He seemed to be breathing more comfortably, too, so the medication was working.

“All right. But I want you to stay close to home. Nathan's out in the barn if you need anything. I don't want you wandering off by yourself. And don't try to fix the well on your own. It won't run at all until I replace the broken part.“

He grunted in what she took to be an affirmative answer.

* * *

Jay climbed into his pickup, sat behind the wheel and placed the package to his mother on the dash. Who would have guessed a tiny little thing like Paige could replace a pressure gauge?

No matter what she said, he wasn't convinced she could. There was a lot of rust on the screws that held the gauge in place. It would take some arm strength to twist those screws out. It'd be easy to break one off. Then she'd have to drill the screw out, not an easy job and seriously frustrating. He knew that from experience.

He'd rather pay someone like Roy to do the job.

Paige climbed into the truck cab with a jaunty air and buckled her seat belt. “I'm ready to go.”

He started the truck. “You sure you're not being a little overconfident? Replacing a pressure gauge can be harder than it looks. Particularly one that's been corroded over the years.”

“We can get some Rust-Oleum while we're at the store. Unless you have some in your tool shop.”

“I've got some around someplace,” he grumbled. At least she knew what to do with rusty stuff. He'd have to give her that. But a woman like Paige, getting her hands dirty and wrestling with rusted screws? He was going to have to rethink his impression of her.

But knowing and doing were two different things. He was pretty sure he'd have to give her a hand. If nothing else, he'd have to make sure she didn't cross up the electrical wires when she put the new gauge in.

* * *

Jay angled into a parking spot in front of Carson's General Store and Paige climbed out, following him inside.

The narrow aisles made pushing a shopping cart a challenge. Periodic displays of canned goods or cereal boxes crowding into the aisles didn't help. But Paige had to admit the store carried a wide range of products, including a whole section devoted to fishing gear.

As she followed Jay toward the back, she noticed the postal annex in the far corner. Years ago, when Krissy had needed stamps, Paige had come with her to buy them. Not a particularly exciting outing.

She lingered back while he went up to the counter.

“Hello there, young man.” A short, stout woman who could barely see over the postal counter greeted Jay. “They must be keeping you busy with those horses.”

“Most days, Valrie.” He slid the package toward the clerk.

She checked the address. “Oh, how nice. Sending a present to your mother?”

“Her birthday's coming. I'd be in deep trouble if I didn't remember her.”

“You surely would.” Laughing, Valrie weighed the package. “Heavy for its size. What's she getting?”

“I spent a few evenings carving an eagle out of a chunk of wood.”

“Oh, Jay,” she cooed. “Aren't you the sweetest boy.”

“If you say so, ma'am.”

Paige noticed him turn his head away, embarrassed by the woman's fawning attention. For her part, Paige was impressed that he had the talent for carving. And he was thoughtful enough to give his mother a handmade gift. He got double points for that.

They finished their transaction and Jay stepped away from the counter.

Valrie spotted Paige. “Hello, dearie. Need any stamps today?”

“Not really. Thanks.” Paige realized she was the same woman who had been the postmistress years ago.

“Oh, you're Krissy's sister, aren't you? Such a shame what happened to her.” The woman tut-tutted and fussed with her graying, upswept hairdo. “I recall simply shivering with fear when she'd drive down the street in her pickup. A million miles an hour and with all those people around. Poor dear, I thought she'd probably die in a car crash. You know, hit a deer and go off the road. But I'd never imagined her falling off a horse. Terrible.”

Shuddering at the reminder of how Krissy had died, Paige glanced around for a means of escape.

“We had a car accident like that not too long ago,” the postmistress continued. “Woman hit a tree when a deer jumped in front of her. Wrecked the car, but the woman and her daughter weren't hurt. That was a blessing.”

“Valrie.” Paige spoke her name in the hope she'd stop talking. “Can you tell me where I'd find the hardware section?”

“Of course. It's straight across.” Valrie pointed to the opposite side of the store. “You can't miss it, dearie.”

“Thank you so much.” With a wave, Paige scurried away, ducking behind the bread display and out of Valrie's sight.

“What's the matter?” Jay joined her. “You didn't want to visit with Valrie for a while? You'd know everything about every resident of Bear Lake if you gave her a chance.”

“I'm sure that's true. That woman could talk the glue off stamps if she had a mind to.”

Jay laughed, a wonderfully infectious sound, and took her arm. The gesture sent a pleasurable ache wrapping around her heart.

They searched for a pressure gauge in the hardware section but found nothing that came close.

“Looks like we'll have to go over to Roy Taylor's after all. See if he's got what you need.”

* * *

Pine Lane was only a few blocks from Main Street, the shop easy to find, Paige thought with amusement. A big yellow backhoe sat right in the front yard with a sign perched in its seat: Wells Dug Cheap.

Another sign hung on the open door to the shop: Gone Fishing. Take What You Need and Leave Me a Note.

Chuckling, Paige strolled into what turned out to be an oversize garage lined with shelves stuffed with various plumbing parts and supplies.

“Is Mr. Taylor always this trusting?” she asked.

Jay picked up a copper elbow pipe, weighed it in his hand, then returned it to the shelf. “I think it's more his devotion to fishing than his trust in humankind that makes him run his business this way.”

“Apparently he doesn't get ripped off or he would have gone out of business a long time ago.”

“The joy of living in a small town.”

Aware of Jay watching her, Paige checked through various pressure gauges for the type she needed.

“Here it is.” She held up the gauge to show him.

He peered at the device. “You sure it's the right kind?”

“Same brand as the old one. Nice big face to read the dial and the right size male connector.”

The corner of his lips hitched up. “Maybe you do know what you're doing.”