Sleepless in Montana (39 page)

“He’s really a lot stronger than he looks. I
mean, physically. He was just letting me toss him all those times.
I think it was to boost my confidence.”

“Men have so many delicate little
hang-ups.”

*** ***

In the setting sun, the four men were
grim.

“Something set him off,” Hogan said.

Aaron’s voice was dark and deadly. “I had to
take Artie Moore behind the clinic yesterday and sort things out.
He came after Savanna for helping his wife. I got in trouble, too,
with Savanna. She said she could handle it herself and blistered my
backside. She had his grubby hand prints on her white uniform, and
he’d torn away one sleeve, and she still expected me to stay out of
it. If it’s Artie who sent these—”

He flopped the envelope onto the dirt, and
glossy pictures of Carley slithered out. “It could have been any
photo shop in Seattle.... He just had them forwarded here. He
probably gave them an alias that can’t be traced.”

“I thought we’d have to draw him out, but now
I don’t think so,” Ben noted.

“Jackson Reeves is on the list, but he’s
obvious. He hasn’t been out of town, but he could have had someone
do it for him in Seattle.” Hogan’s stomach churned at the thought
of Jackson touching Carley, then he looked up to meet the fury in
Mitch’s taut expression. “We’ll get him, Mitch. It’s just a waiting
game now. He’ll make a mistake and we’ll be there.”

Ben had locked onto Mitch and his expression
wasn’t sweet.

Hogan knew that Mitch was in real danger of
being taken down, rawhide style. “Supper will be ready soon. Ben,
how about looking at that yearling I just bought?”

Ben eyed Mitch, who wasn’t looking away. “I
suppose you’ve got the wedding ring all picked out and haven’t even
asked her old man.”

Mitch came up straight and tall, facing the
man who had saved and raised him, whom he respected and loved.
“We’ll do that together, Carley and me, if she’ll have me. But I’d
like your blessing, Dad, because it means a lot to both of us.”

“Huh,” Ben said, his hard face shifting into
emotion. “You’ll be taking my little girl away from me.”

“Think of it this way, Ben,” Aaron said, and
rose to his feet. “It’s not like we’re getting a stranger who can’t
handle his share of castrating calves.”

Ben frowned at Mitch. “Castrating gets to be
a real art.”

“Ouch,” Aaron said. “I’m going to see if I
can find something to eat.”

“You wash up,” Ben said out of habit, though
Aaron was long past the reminder age. Then Ben looked at Mitch,
keeping the father-to-son relationship the same as always. “You,
too.”

*** ***

In the pasture with Hogan, Ben watched the
Appaloosa yearling race along the fence, tail high. “You’re all
leaving me. All grown up and not needing whatever little I could
give you.”

“Carley will always be yours, and I have a
hunch Aaron might stay. Savanna isn’t going anywhere.”

Ben turned to Hogan. “But not you. You’ll
pick up when this is done and go your own way. You’re a hard ride,
son. Like me. I suppose you’re taking Jemma, if she’ll have
you.”

“She hasn’t made up her mind. I’m working on
that; but she’ll come back here. She won’t forget you.”

Ben swallowed harshly. “Skinny little thing,
all eyes and jumping if you reached toward her too fast.”

“I know. But you gave her something. She
loves you, too.” Hogan knew too well the fear leaping in Jemma’s
eyes. Her background led her to other fears, that of not having
enough, never enough. He wondered if he could hold wind and fire
and the heart of a woman badly scarred by other men.

Ben nodded slowly. “Well, the yearling is a
good choice. That old barn cat had her kittens. You may as well
take one home for your barn— for Jemma. Women like little things
like that.... Your opinions matter. The other children listen to
you. When did you become so wise, Hogan? When did you become a man
that holds this family together? Did I take so much away from you?
Your childhood?”

“I’m working through it, Ben.” Hogan wondered
at the changing relationship between his father and himself; they
both loved the same people. Jemma had made a difference; she’d made
him see Ben as a man who loved a woman and wanted the best for her—
But Ben didn’t consider a one-legged man the best. “You ought to
take Dinah dancing. She used to love that.”

“Hell, I can’t—” Ben hit his leg.

“All you have to do is to hold her, and
you’ve been doing a bit of that lately. Take it easy with her, Ben.
She’s got stars in her eyes and a tender heart.”

“I’m trying. That’s all I can do. Oh, hell,
there’s Jemma shaking her finger at Aaron and laying him out and,
God help us, she’s just spotted us.” Ben turned, braced his arms on
the corral, and rested his chin on them. “Make her go away. That
look always means trouble. She just digs in and keeps
hammering.”

“Are you asking?” Hogan couldn’t help smiling
at Ben, who had the drawn-in, hunkered-down look of a man about to
be jumped and fried.

“I’m begging,” Ben admitted roughly.
“Please.”

Hogan turned and leaned back against the
corral and watched Jemma stalk toward him. Her wild red hair flew
out from her face; her breasts were outlined in the T-shirt, her
hips swaying in her tight jeans. Her long legs, decked out in
knee-high red boots, were eating the space between them.

“I think I’m going for Appaloosas. Just a
small herd, and maybe a few sheep,” he said to Ben.

“Willow wanted sheep— she wanted to weave.
Rambouillet, I think. Sheep would be practical in that stretch of
high ground. Old Aaron wouldn’t allow them, but they’re practical.
They keep down the weeds. You can run them on my land.... You’re
wanting to grow things, boy. Could be you’re in a family mood. That
fireball won’t make life easy—”

Ben closed his eyes and shuddered as Jemma
called, “You can’t hide out here. I want to talk with the both of
you.”

In the distance, Aaron took off his Stetson.
He slapped it on his thigh, a gesture that said he was simmering
after Jemma’s attack on him. He stalked off into the house, and
Hogan tipped back his hat to watch Jemma come to stand in front of
him.

She tapped Ben on the shoulder. “You can turn
around. I want to talk to you.”

“I’m busy. The boy and I are talking about
important things, cattle and such.” But he turned and slid a silent
plea to Hogan.

“What’s on your mind, sweetheart? Did you
come after your present?” Hogan asked, enjoying the thunder and
lightning in Jemma’s glare. He reached out to trail a finger down
her cheek, then bent to steal a quick kiss.

For a moment, she stared blankly at him, her
mouth still open. He placed a fingertip beneath her chin and lifted
it, closing her lips. Clearly struggling to get back to her current
warpath, Jemma asked, “What present?”

Hogan slipped the buttons made from horn into
her hand and bent to pluck a daisy, tucking it in her hair. Pleased
that she wore his earrings, Hogan eased her hair back from her ears
and studied her. “Well? No, I didn’t kill Bambi’s daddy. Deer
naturally lose their antlers.”

She looked at the six horn buttons in her
hand, thin layers of horn, each with four tiny holes. “I... thank
you.”

“I thought when you had time, we might drive
down to Big Timber and check out the health-food stores. You could
help me stock my kitchen. By the way, when are you making that next
batch of carrot juice? Could you make extra for me?”

She continued staring blankly at him, and
Hogan smiled innocently. “What did you want to talk to us about,
honey?”

Jemma shook her head as if clearing it and
rewinding herself. “Ben. Hogan. I want to make certain that you
won’t jump Mitch. He’s asked Carley to marry him. He loves her, and
she loves him. I don’t want any trouble. No feuding, no tempers, no
brawls or threats. He’ll take care of her, and you won’t be losing
a daughter, Ben. You’ll be gaining a son you already have.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve
been expecting that for years. Why would we want to jump him?”
Hogan stealthily nudged Ben.

“Mitch is a fine boy. I couldn’t have picked
a better match,” Ben said firmly.

Jemma looked from father to son and back
again. “You’re sure? After what happened to Hogan, I—”

“Fine with me,” Hogan said, looping his arm
around her shoulders and starting to walk toward the house.

“We ought to have the wedding right here.
Dinah would like all the hoopla,” Ben said.

“Don’t say anything about a wedding. That
would terrorize Carley, right now. She’s just adjusting to the idea
that Mitch has always loved her. I’ll handle any wedding
plans—”

“That’s what I’m afraid of. You’ll kill us
all,” Ben muttered.

“What was that?” Jemma frowned at Hogan and
then at Ben. “I don’t know about you two. I’m not certain I trust
you.”

“Everything is going to be just fine,” Hogan
said. He drew her closer to enjoy the pleasant bump of her breast
and hip against him as they walked. “Why don’t you put your arm
around my waist, or is this an unequal man-woman sort of
thing?”

*** ***

“What’s Carley doing?” Mitch asked after
supper. His mind wasn’t on winning the arm wrestling with Hogan,
but rather on the woman he loved.

“Upstairs. For some reason, she wants to be
alone. She’s avoiding Jemma, who wants to know everything.” Aware
of the blush on Carley’s cheeks, of the shy, warm way she looked at
Mitch, Hogan met Mitch’s look as their hands locked and muscles
strained against each other, elbows on the kitchen table.

“I thought artists were supposed to be weak,
and beg for mercy,” Mitch said, grunting as Hogan pinned his hand
to the table. Mitch tossed a quarter onto the table. “Two out of
three.”

Hogan glanced at Jemma and Dinah, who were
preparing carrots for the great juicing. Maxi was taking sugar
cookies out of the oven, and Aaron grabbed several.

“I thought you might want to go driving with
Savanna and me tomorrow,” Aaron was saying to Maxi.

She elbowed him aside and placed the cookie
sheet on the counter. “You’re not sidling up to me, Mr. Aaron. My
daughter can make up her own mind about you.”

“But Maxi, you’ve always been my girl,” Aaron
said. He snatched another cookie and tossed it to Ben, who leaned
against the doorframe, watching the arm-wrestling contests.

Ben ate the cookie slowly and studied the
match as Hogan took Mitch, two out of three.

“You’ve been working on something other than
your jewelry, Hogan. I’ll take some of that,” Ben said quietly as
Mitch rose from the table. Ben replaced him. “Unless you think
you’re not up to it.”

“Bet,” Hogan said, testing his grip against
Ben’s. The lock of their hands was unfamiliar, grown son to a
hardworking father, the lock of their eyes said their lives were
changing, a river of hard times lay between them, and both had
terms to be met.

“Dollar.” Ben pushed Hogan’s hand enough to
let him know he wasn’t easy.

“I win, and you take back the ownership of
those cattle.”

By the kitchen counter, Aaron and Mitch
turned to look at the two men.

“Like I said, you’re a hard man. You’re going
to make me eat those years and a bit of my pride, aren’t you, boy?”
Ben asked, as they gripped in earnest now, broad callused palms
meeting squarely, free hands locked on their thighs for
leverage.

“Uh-huh. Seems fair to me.” Hogan increased
the pressure, and Ben met it.

Dinah and Jemma came to watch.

“Stop it,” Jemma ordered coldly, her eyes
slashing at him. “Hogan, you stop it now.”

“Hush!” Ben shot back, sweating now with the
effort of keeping his hand upright and not pinned to the table.

“Back off,” Hogan said, finding that Ben
wasn’t an easy man to take down. Years of ranch work had earned him
more muscle than a man of his age.

“This isn’t a game, it’s a duel,” Jemma
muttered, folding her arms in front of her, her nails digging into
her arms.

“Stop it, Ben. She’s right. It’s too
serious,” Dinah said.

“Leave it,” Ben ordered curtly and Dinah’s
expression hardened.

“I’m done taking your orders to leave you
alone, Ben Kodiak.” Then without warning, Dinah grabbed Ben’s face
and kissed him hard. She kissed his ear and then stood behind him,
her hands resting on his chest. She winked at Hogan.

While Ben was dealing with his head resting
against Dinah’s breasts, Hogan immediately pinned Ben’s hand. “I’ll
have the sale papers to you in the morning.”

“He wants to do this, Ben,” Dinah said
quietly, stroking Ben’s hair. “I think you should let this go.”

“Women think different. Two out of three?”
Ben asked.

Hogan nodded. He realized that Ben’s pride
wouldn’t go down easy, but there was something in Ben’s eyes now
that caught Hogan, disarming him. The pride in Ben’s expression was
for his son.

After Hogan won the next match, Ben sat back
in the kitchen chair and nodded. Then he stood and took Dinah’s
hand. “Hogan tells me that I should be dancing with you. Why don’t
we put on those old Glenn Miller records in the living room and do
that now?”

“Where’s Carley?” Mitch asked again as Ben
held Dinah close and they swayed to the big band sounds.

A thundering blast from upstairs answered the
question. Carley was already halfway down the stairway before Hogan
took the first step. She pushed his chest with her hand. “Get out
of my way.”

“Are you all right?” The shot had terrified
him. If he’d missed any security upstairs and—

Carley pushed him aside and tromped down the
stairs. “Someone will have to fix the roof before the next rain. I
shot that old buffalo gun straight through it, because I didn’t
want to shoot any liars down here.”