Somewhere Montana (9 page)

“I believe I can manage,” the man answered.

“We’re all headed in the same direction,” added Jim. “No need for you to have to come out.”

When they had the children bundled into their outerwear and the men had donned their jackets, goodnights were offered all around. Sage stood on the porch and watched until she saw the lights go on in the cabins.

“Well, what do you think?” asked Mac, closing the door and turning Sage toward the stairs.

“It should be an interesting week. At least you’ll have Two Feathers with you if any problems arise. I think you could depend on Jim and Dave in a crisis. Buck and Alan seem eager to learn and they’re not total scatterbrains. I can’t figure out why Graham is here. This is not his element. I finally recognized him. He’s connected to a couple of the charity organizations my parents support. I’ve met him at some of their functions.”

“Any chance of him truly recognizing you? He kept looking at you as if he were trying to place you.”

“I doubt it. He saw me with long hair, make
-
up, and dressed to the nines. Now it’s short hair, yoked shirt and jeans, plus a scar he couldn’t miss. No chance of him making the connection.” She smiled at him as they stopped in front of the open door to her bedroom.

He cupped her face in his hands, his head slowly lowering, staring at her as if asking permission. She knew he would kiss her. She wanted him to. His lips touching hers were
,
soft, pliable, like being stroked by velvet. She latched onto his wrists, trembling in anticipation. He tilted her head and she opened her lips in an invitation for deeper exploration.

With a groan he lifted his head, and then brushed another kiss across her lips.

“You’d better get some sleep. I have a feeling those two urchins will be up and rearing to go the minute their eyes open.” He turned her into the room.

“Good night,” she whispered, closing the door. She waited, hoping he would knock. It was a few seconds before she heard him walk away.

In the morning, Sage stood with the children on the porch, waving to the men walking out on the first day of their new adventure. GG stood silently, tears threatening to overflow. JJ held himself stiffly erect, although there was doubt in his big brown eyes. Sage knelt between them and wrapped an arm around each one.

“What say we see what we can find to do this morning,” said Sage, herding the munchkins in the front door. “Maybe Little Mouse knows where there are toys and games.” She helped them out of their jackets.

“In my backpack there’s coloring books and crayons,” offered JJ.

“Sounds like a good place to start,” agreed Sage. “Bring it into the kitchen.”

JJ scooped it up and ran ahead, GG right behind him. When Sage caught up to them, they were both kneeling in chairs at the table, JJ hauling everything out of the backpack. He placed the coloring books and crayons carefully on the table. Then he yanked out a small blanket, which GG immediately grabbed and stuffed her thumb in her mouth. The small cars that got pulled out with the blanket bounced across the table and onto the floor. JJ looked down at the cars, and then up at Sage.

“Get ’em,” he ordered.

“Who dropped them?” asked Sage.

“I did.”

“So who’s going to pick them up?”

“Me?” he asked, astonished. “But Angela—”

“Angela’s not here,” stated Sage with a shrug. “So you will need to pick them up.”

JJ got down and picked up the cars, tossing Sage an embarrassed look. She didn’t say anything to him, simply placed a coloring book in front of each of them. “Little Mouse, did Mrs. MacLain keep any of the early toys, games, puzzles, that sort of thing?”

“I’m sure she did,” answered the lady wiping down the counter. “They’d be in the closet by the fireplace in the den.”

“Want to keep an eye on these two while I go look?”

Soon Sage returned with an armload of boxes. She stacked them on the end of the table according to their contents. Both children eyed them with curiosity.

“What are they?” JJ was the first to break the silence.

“Those for us?” chimed in GG.

“They belong to Mr. Mac, but we can use them, if we’re careful,” Sage said. “A couple easy board games and some starter picture puzzles.”

“I want that one,” stated GG, reaching for the biggest box.

“We’ll try that one first then, after you finish your pictures,” said Sage, placing her hand on top of it.

“Don’t wanna color. All done,” said GG with a mutinous expression.

“I see some areas you haven’t colored and you were doing such a good job. You need some green grass for your purple bunny to sit on.”

“Wanna play with those,” declared GG, arms crossed across her chest, bottom lip in a pout, eyes narrowed.

“You know, it’s always wise to finish something you started before going on to something else,” advised Sage. “Otherwise, nothing would get done. Suppose it snowed and I went out to shovel the walk. After I was half finished, I decided I didn’t want to do that. Instead I came in the house to watch TV or read a book. There sits the walk, not cleared of snow.”

“You could pay somebody to do it for you,” JJ spoke up.

“That’s not the point,” said Sage. “I chose to do the job, therefore I should finish it. Just like you two chose to color those pictures.” JJ and GG looked at each other and began coloring. Sage placed her hand over GG’s to stop her scribbling. “Also, any job is worth doing right and to the best of your ability.”

After the children finished their pictures, they played one of the games. Then she tried them on small, simple picture puzzles until lunchtime. When lunch was over, she bundled them into their jackets, snow pants, boots, hats, and mittens and took them out on the back lawn off the kitchen. There she showed them how to make snow angels and to walk on snowshoes.

GG was all giggles and smiles as she made her snow angel. The activity even drew a smile from JJ. When GG fell while using the snowshoes, JJ tried to rush over to help her and tripped himself up.

“Oops, that was an accident,” said Sage. JJ immediately froze, a look of horror on his face. Sage helped GG to stand. “It’s okay, JJ. GG is fine. No harm done. When something happens you don’t plan on, it’s called an accident. People don’t always get hurt. You don’t have to be afraid of the word.”

“But it was an accident that took my mommy away,” he stated, the pain of that loss evident in his sad brown eyes.

“It was the action of the accident that did that, not the word itself. You are only six, and I understand you not knowing the idea of the difference. We can work on that if you like.” JJ shrugged a whatever, and Sage chose to drop it for the present.

It was quite cold, so Sage kept them outside for only an hour or so. She led them into the kitchen and served them hot chocolate and cookies. Then she took them into the office, settling them on the sofa, and offering a selection of stories she could read to them. After each one had picked a book, she sat between them so both could see the pictures. Before she finished the first story, both children were fast asleep. She made them comfortable and covered them with a blanket. Then she went to the desk to try to get as much work done as she could before they awoke.

* * * *

Darkness was fast taking over the day when Mac and Two Feathers walked in the kitchen door, dropping their backpacks to the floor. Mac flexed his shoulders and winced at the sore spots he felt along his back.

“I was about ready to send the boys out looking for you,” said Little Mouse, pouring them each a mug of coffee. “You’re never this late the first day.”

“A little problem,” said Mac, wrapping his cold fingers around the hot piece of china. “We had finished teaching them how to make emergency snowshoes. When Alan tried his, one came apart and he twisted his ankle. Took us a little longer to get back.”

“Nothing broken?” asked Little Mouse.

“Just a sprain,” said Two Feathers. “Gave us a chance to get in some first aid training early on. Doubt if it will keep him from continuing tomorrow. He’s tougher than he looks.”

“How did Sage make out with the two mischief makers?” asked Mac.

“Don’t you go finding fault with those two angels,” Little Mouse reprimanded him. “They were as good as gold. I think she’s having as much fun as they are. She’s got them in the den. Set it up as a playroom for them.”

Mac walked quietly down the hall toward the sound of happy voices interspersed with giggles and joyful differences of opinions. He stood in the doorway watching the three on the floor building a farm with Lincoln Logs. It brought back memories of his childhood, his dad helping him build a cabin or barn from those same wooden pieces. A pensive feeling settled in his chest as he envisioned himself and Sage there with their own children. His chest tightened and warmth spread through him.

Sage looked toward the doorway as if she sensed him there. He strode over and sat beside her, his hand stroking lightly over her hair and down her back to rest at the base of her spine. His smile at the children drew wary smiles in return.

“Looks like you two had a busy day,” commented Mac, surveying the room; cars and trucks and other toys were scattered about the floor, a partially done picture puzzle on the table, and books were piled haphazardly on the end table by the couch, like it should look if a young family lived there. “The men are down at their cabins getting cleaned up. They should be up shortly.”

“Oh no!” exclaimed Sage, ready to jump up. “I was supposed to help Little Mouse with supper.”

“Not to worry,” soothed Mac, his hand holding her in place. “She has everything under control. I would say you were better occupied elsewhere.”

“Well, we’d better pick up everything so I can get these two ready for supper,” said Sage. Mac took her hand to help her up and wouldn’t let it go.

“Guess you need to get busy,” said Mac, looking at JJ. “The toys have to go back in the toy box.”

“Us?” asked JJ, pointing to GG and himself. “But Angela always does that.”

“Do you see Angela here?” asked Sage gently.

“No,” answered JJ contritely.

“Who took them out of the box to play with?” asked Mac.

“We did.”

JJ and GG looked at each other as Sage regarded them with raised eyebrows. They reluctantly started picking up the toys. When they finished, JJ looked at the picture puzzle and the log buildings. “Do we have to take them apart and put them away, too?” asked JJ, sadly eyeing the miniature ranch in progress.

“Do you want to work on it tomorrow?” asked Sage.

JJ and GG both nodded enthusiastically.

“Well, if you were building a house to live in, would you take it apart at the end of the day because it wasn’t finished?”

JJ thought about that for a minute and it was like a light came on. “Of course not.”

“Then we’ll leave it and the puzzle because it isn’t finished either.”

“JJ, may I suggest something I was taught when I was your age?” asked Mac. “When I was done playing with a toy, I put it back before taking out another one. Then I didn’t have a big mess to pick up at the end of the day. Want to try it while you’re here this week?”

JJ gave him an odd look, and then broke into a big grin.

“Okay, down to the bathroom. Time to wash your face and hands for supper,” said Sage, shooing them out the door. Mac followed and helped her oversee the washing and drying. Then he sent them to the kitchen, keeping Sage there with a hand on her arm.

“Be careful,” he warned her. “Swindon was asking a lot of questions about you today. I don’t know if he’s placed you or if he was fishing. He made it sound like he was only interested in finding out about a pretty woman. I’m glad the other guys were there. They got in some good-natured teasing until they saw I had enough. Two Feathers stepped in and redirected the conversation to what they were fixing for lunch and what we had covered this morning. So, watch what you say in front of him or his kids. I don’t think he has finished his interrogation.”

“Don’t worry,” said Sage, cupping his cheek. “I’ve been in Seattle often enough I know the city fairly well. Besides, if he did find out the truth, what could happen? I’m sure Graham and Marcos don’t run in the same circles.”

“I can’t have anything jeopardize your safety!” he replied gruffly, pulling her close. His head descended to capture her lips in a tender kiss. He kept it brief, although he wanted to deepen it, take it further. Standing in the bathroom with the shower handy, his mind conjured ideas he needed to suppress.

“Supper,” he said, his voice husky, as he led her down the hall to the kitchen.

After the meal they all gathered in the parlor to go over the day’s events.

“Alan, how’s the ankle feel?” asked Mac.

“Not as bad as I thought it would,” he answered. “I doubt if I could perform with Riverdance, but I should be good to go in the morning.”

“Your boots lace tightly enough to give it support,” stated Two Feathers. “You start having any problems, be sure to let us know. Part of your survival is not being a martyr. Good training for all of you.”

The other man nodded agreement.

“I’m always interested in new areas,” spoke up Jim. “Your town has a quaint setting and name. Care to give us the story behind it?”

“In 1835,” Mac started, “two mountain men, Jacques Deveaux and Riordan Murphy, saw the end of the fur trade coming and decided they wanted to settle down. Both men were in their mid-to-late thirties when they discovered the valley. They decided to build a town there. But they had to figure how to entice more people to settle it. In order to do that, they had to secure a deed to the area and decide on a name for the town. So they applied for twenty-five square miles, which incorporated the whole valley. When Murphy was making out the papers, it asked for the location. Deveaux said they were somewhere in the Montana Territory. And Murphy replied that that was as good a name as any and their town would be Somewhere, Montana.

“Over the years, some people wanted to change the name, but they got voted down real quick,” he added. “The original settlers and their descendants liked the unique name. It set deep roots. Now nobody could change it anyway. The original town site is on the National Historical Register.”

“Interesting,” said Dave. “Were your ancestors some of the original settlers?”

“No. This ranch has been in existence only about a hundred years. We have three thousand acres, considered small by some ranching standards. It’s plenty big enough for us and what we want to do.”

“That mountain out there part of it?” asked Buck.

“Yes, and you’ll get to meet quite a bit of it this week.” said Mac with a smile.

GG climbed down off the couch where she had been sitting with her father, who wasn’t paying any attention to the children, and marched up to Mac. “I ride? Me and JJ been really, really good for Miss Susan,” she stated solemnly. “We picked up the toys like she said.”

Her father sent a condemning scowl at Sage. Mac also saw it.

“Not tonight, GG,” refused Mac. “We got back late and everybody’s tired.” The disappointment on her face got to him and he picked her up and sat her on his lap. He realized she wasn’t going to pull a spoiled brat tantrum. “Maybe in the next couple days, if we get back early enough and the weather holds. Besides, the horses have all gone to bed for the night.”