“Let’s go and get Lucy and Ethan.”
Erin was nervous about meeting Jake’s sister and nephew. He hadn’t talked much about them, apart from the fact that Lucy’s husband had died a few years ago.
Twenty minutes out of town, Jake turned down a dirt driveway. “Welcome to the Williams’ Ranch.”
Acres of alfalfa swayed in the afternoon breeze, creating a living ocean of green around them. Further toward the mountains a plume of white rose high in the air, scattering dust and debris into the clear blue Montana sky.
“Does your sister manage the ranch on her own?”
Jake shook his head. “Our neighbor leases most of the land.” He hesitated, then carried on. “I’d just started working in Los Angeles when dad died. I couldn’t come back and manage the ranch, so Mom sold our cattle and worked out an arrangement with the Taylor’s.”
“That must have been a hard time.” From the look on his face she’d say it had been more than a hard time.
“Mom and dad always thought I’d take over the ranch, but I couldn’t see myself living in Montana for the rest of my life.”
“What made you come back?”
“Scott and mom.”
Erin’s heart plummeted. She wondered if this was his way of telling her he didn’t plan on sticking around. That his stay in Bozeman would last about as long as it took him to sort out his family problems.
“Are you planning on staying?”
Jake glanced across the cab, a smile replacing the frown she’d seen earlier. “I’m not planning on going anywhere. Besides, I’m getting used to the slower pace, and it beats commuting between Los Angeles and Bozeman.”
It wasn’t the most romantic thing Erin had ever heard, but she’d take what she could get. At least he didn’t plan on leaving in the next few months.
“And I’ve heard the public library’s one of the best in Montana.”
She smiled. “It must have something to do with our preschool program. Superheroes are lining up to conquer the world from our parking lot.”
“Lucky you. Who’s visiting next?”
“The Incredible Hulk.” Some not so subtle arm twisting had been needed to get Dan Carter, the Deputy of Police, into the costume. Between a children’s librarian who wouldn’t take no for an answer and more than one box of muffins, he’d finally relented.
Erin sat a little taller in her seat when Lucy’s home became more than a blur at the end of the driveway. The two story ranch house looked as though it had been built more than a few generations ago. A wide porch wrapped around the wooden building and flowers cascaded over the top of large tubs set either side of the front door.
Sitting on the grass in front of the house were three bright purple cases and a little boy with a big grin on his face. He had a mop of dark hair, and bright blue eyes that were shining with excitement.
As soon as the truck came to a standstill, the little boy raced to the driver’s door, jumping up and down so fast that Erin got giddy watching him.
“I’m ready, Uncle Jake. Time to go to camp.”
Jake opened his door and lifted Ethan into his arms. “Where’s mom?”
“She took Mad Max to the barn. The Taylor’s are going to take him back to their place. They’re going to feed him and make sure he gets plenty of exercise while we’re away.”
“Did you warn them about the slobber?”
Ethan nodded. “Mrs. Taylor said that Mr. Taylor slobbers, too. And that if she can look after one man with bad habits, then a little dog won’t worry her.”
Jake ruffled Ethan’s hair. “It sounds like Mrs. Taylor knows what she’s talking about.” He turned toward his truck. “Ethan, this is my friend, Erin. She’s coming to Camp Discovery with us.”
Ethan lifted his hand in a friendly wave. “Do you have a dog?”
Erin shook her head. “No dog. But my neighbor’s cat visits me nearly every day. Her name’s Tinka and she has white and orange stripes like a tiger.”
Ethan’s eyes popped
Erin was nervous about meeting Jake’s sister and nephew. He hadn’t talked much about them, apart from the fact that Lucy’s husband had died a few years ago.
Twenty minutes out of town, Jake turned down a dirt driveway. “Welcome to the Williams’ Ranch.”
Acres of alfalfa swayed in the afternoon breeze, creating a living ocean of green around them. Further toward the mountains a plume of white rose high in the air, scattering dust and debris into the clear blue Montana sky.
“Does your sister manage the ranch on her own?”
Jake shook his head. “Our neighbor leases most of the land.” He hesitated, then carried on. “I’d just started working in Los Angeles when dad died. I couldn’t come back and manage the ranch, so Mom sold our cattle and worked out an arrangement with the Taylor’s.”
“That must have been a hard time.” From the look on his face she’d say it had been more than a hard time.
“Mom and dad always thought I’d take over the ranch, but I couldn’t see myself living in Montana for the rest of my life.”
“What made you come back?”
“Scott and mom.”
Erin’s heart plummeted. She wondered if this was his way of telling her he didn’t plan on sticking around. That his stay in Bozeman would last about as long as it took him to sort out his family problems.
“Are you planning on staying?”
Jake glanced across the cab, a smile replacing the frown she’d seen earlier. “I’m not planning on going anywhere. Besides, I’m getting used to the slower pace, and it beats commuting between Los Angeles and Bozeman.”
It wasn’t the most romantic thing Erin had ever heard, but she’d take what she could get. At least he didn’t plan on leaving in the next few months.
“And I’ve heard the public library’s one of the best in Montana.”
She smiled. “It must have something to do with our preschool program. Superheroes are lining up to conquer the world from our parking lot.”
“Lucky you. Who’s visiting next?”
“The Incredible Hulk.” Some not so subtle arm twisting had been needed to get Dan Carter, the Deputy of Police, into the costume. Between a children’s librarian who wouldn’t take no for an answer and more than one box of muffins, he’d finally relented.
Erin sat a little taller in her seat when Lucy’s home became more than a blur at the end of the driveway. The two story ranch house looked as though it had been built more than a few generations ago. A wide porch wrapped around the wooden building and flowers cascaded over the top of large tubs set either side of the front door.
Sitting on the grass in front of the house were three bright purple cases and a little boy with a big grin on his face. He had a mop of dark hair, and bright blue eyes that were shining with excitement.
As soon as the truck came to a standstill, the little boy raced to the driver’s door, jumping up and down so fast that Erin got giddy watching him.
“I’m ready, Uncle Jake. Time to go to camp.”
Jake opened his door and lifted Ethan into his arms. “Where’s mom?”
“She took Mad Max to the barn. The Taylor’s are going to take him back to their place. They’re going to feed him and make sure he gets plenty of exercise while we’re away.”
“Did you warn them about the slobber?”
Ethan nodded. “Mrs. Taylor said that Mr. Taylor slobbers, too. And that if she can look after one man with bad habits, then a little dog won’t worry her.”
Jake ruffled Ethan’s hair. “It sounds like Mrs. Taylor knows what she’s talking about.” He turned toward his truck. “Ethan, this is my friend, Erin. She’s coming to Camp Discovery with us.”
Ethan lifted his hand in a friendly wave. “Do you have a dog?”
Erin shook her head. “No dog. But my neighbor’s cat visits me nearly every day. Her name’s Tinka and she has white and orange stripes like a tiger.”
Ethan’s eyes popped
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