Montana Love Letter

by Charlotte Carter

  Hailey piped up. “Dad, they could stay in our cottage.”

  Janelle frowned and so did Adam.

  “I don’t know, kiddo,” Adam said. “I’m not sure—”

  “Grandma put fresh sheets on the bed last time she was here,” Hailey interjected, ignoring her father’s objection and directing her attention to Janelle. “It’s got a big bed where you could both sleep.”

  “That’s very generous of you, but—”

  “You don’t want to drive all the way to Missoula, do you?” Hailey’s enthusiasm was hard to squelch. “Besides, we’ve got our own dock and a boat we can ride in. Raeanne, would you like to stay at our house?”

  Rae nodded with the same enthusiasm as Hailey, and her dark eyes glowed with excitement, the chance for a boat ride tempting her.

  During the past seven months, Janelle had denied her daughter little that she wanted. But this was going too far.

  “It’s very sweet of you to invite us to stay, but we really can’t impose on you and your father’s hospitality. If your dad will loan me a car, we’ll be fine.”

  Sliding his hands in his pockets, Adam met Hailey’s pleading gaze.

  “Dad, tell her it would be best if she stayed. You don’t want her to drive to Missoula and have to drive back here to get her car. That would waste a lot of gas, and she’s probably already tired after her accident.”

  Sighing, he ruffled Hailey’s damp hair. “She’s right. It would be a waste of time and gasoline to go to Missoula when we’ve got a perfectly good cottage that you can use. My dad built it for my grandmother after Grandpa died. It’s small but comfortable. The kitchen’s not much, but you could eat with us in the big house.”

  Hailey cheered. Not waiting for further conversation, she grabbed Raeanne’s hand. “Come on, Rae. I’ll show you where you’re going to sleep.”

  They both went racing off, Raeanne willingly, which surprised Janelle. In the past seven months, Rae had become unusually clingy, rarely leaving Janelle’s side.

  “I told you Hailey has never met a stranger,” Adam said, although he didn’t look entirely happy about that attribute.

  “You’re sure it’s all right?”

  “Yeah, I’m sure. Let’s get your gear. The big house is a few hundred feet behind the garage, and the cottage is right close to it. Dad built a boardwalk between them so Grandma wouldn’t have to walk in the mud when it rained. It gave her her own private space, which she liked. I think my mother appreciated that distance, too.”

  Janelle imagined that too much togetherness between a woman and her mother-in-law could create a strain. Not that she’d experienced the problem firsthand. Raymond’s mother had passed away before they were married. For that matter, so had her own mother, whom she still missed.

  Adam popped the trunk of her car and gathered up a couple of suitcases. Janelle had no choice but to follow suit, despite feeling uncomfortable about accepting his hospitality. Especially since she found Adam attractive in an unpolished, macho kind of way. Yet he was gentle and loving with his daughter. A very engaging combination.

  She had no interest in developing a relationship with a man anytime soon, attractive or not. Fortunately, one night in a separate cottage did not make a relationship. Surely there would be motel rooms available tomorrow.

  She shouldered a duffel and her laptop and picked up a bag of toys and games she’d brought along for Raeanne. With the two suitcases Adam carried, they’d have plenty for a one-night stay.

  Please, Lord, let this be the right thing to do.

  Chapter Two

  Janelle followed Adam out of the garage and down a driveway that led toward the lake. Pine, fir and cedar trees lined the gravel drive. Ferns filled low-lying spots where water collected, and there were signs of late-blooming wildflowers.

  Off to the side of the driveway and visible from the garage was a swing set. Sturdily constructed yet not commercially made, the set included a slide and an exercise bar in addition to the swing. Beyond that sat a cute little playhouse no doubt designed for Hailey when she was a bit younger.

  After a hundred paces, the forest thinned, revealing an extended log cabin with a sharply sloped roof. More than a vacation house, it was set so far back from the road that the traffic noise couldn’t snake its way through the trees. The rustic log construction created an aura of permanence, as though the house had always been hidden there in the woods waiting to be discovered.

  Off to the right, a smaller cottage of log construction appeared. It fit so well into the environment, it made her think of Little Red Riding Hood en route to Grandmother’s house. Without the wolf, she hoped.

  Best of all, through a break in the trees, Janelle caught a glimpse of Bear Lake streaked gold in the late-afternoon sun.

  If location was everything in the real-estate business, Adam’s house served as a prime example of perfect placement.

  His arms loaded with suitcases, Adam pushed open the cottage door. “I warned you it was small.”

  “It’s perfect.” Grandma’s cottage featured a queen-size bed the two girls were already testing for springiness, to the disadvantage of a lovely quilt appliqued with alternating pine trees and birds. A maple chest of drawers sat against the pinewood wall and a matching rocking chair sat by the window with a reading light above it. The cushion covering matched the quilt. A medium-size fan was mounted near the ceiling in one corner.

  He was right about the kitchen, though. It held little more than a hot plate and a coffeepot. “I’m sure we’ll be very comfortable here.” Much more comfortable than a motel on a busy highway.

  With a touch of her hand and shake of her head, Janelle stopped Raeanne from jumping on the bed. Hailey slowed her bouncing, as well.

  “Come on, Peanut,” Adam said. “Let’s let Mrs. Townsend—”

  “Janelle, please.”

  Hopping off the bed, Hailey gave the quilt a quick swipe to remove the wrinkles the girls had created.

  Adam held Janelle’s gaze for a moment, his gray eyes assessing her before looking back to this daughter. “Let Janelle and her daughter get unpacked. Then they can come on over to the big house.” He turned to Janelle. “I’m going to grab a sandwich and get back to work. You can help yourself to whatever’s in the cupboard or fridge.”

  “Thank you again, Adam. We really appreciate—”

  He waved off her thanks, hooked his arm around Hailey’s shoulders and walked out of the cottage.

  She watched him go for a moment, thinking of the day she’d had, close encounters first with a sturdy tree and then with a man who seemed just as solid.

  Since she only planned to stay one night, she hung a few things in the closet but didn’t unpack the suitcases all the way. Raeanne put her backpack of games on the dresser and then sat on the edge of the bed to watch her.

  “You ready to go see where Hailey lives?” Janelle asked.

  Nodding, Raeanne headed out the door and ran down the boardwalk to the deck at the back of the main house. As though Hailey had been waiting for them, she opened the sliding glass door wide to admit them.

  “Come on. Let me show you my room,” Hailey said. The two girls ran off down a hallway.

  The moment Janelle stepped inside, she was struck by the open floor plan. The entire living room and formal dining area filled the lake side of this wing of the house. The sliding glass door to the deck provided a panoramic view of the lake and the opposite shore. A comfortable leather couch and chairs were arranged to take advantage of the view, and the flat-screen TV was mounted between the dining and living areas. Two large wagon-wheel chandeliers hung from the high ceiling.

  A coffee mug had been left on an end table, and some of Hailey’s toys and books were scattered about. A lived-in room. A room where friends would be welcomed.

  Adam was st
anding at the kitchen counter eating the last few bites of his sandwich.

  “What a beautiful place you have.” The space oozed potent masculinity and solid dependability, and Janelle had to remind herself that appearances could be deceiving. She’d learned that lesson too late to save herself from heartbreak. “Have you lived here long?”

  He leaned against the counter. “All my life. My dad built the basic house pretty much by himself. Later, when my brother and I were older, we helped him add on another bedroom and upgrade the kitchen.”

  “Are your parents still living?”

  “Yep. Living the good life in Arizona. Dad was having some breathing problems and arthritis. They thought the drier climate might help. Now he’s playing golf, though he says his handicap is about twenty and that’s for nine holes.”

  She chuckled. “Not quite ready for the senior pro tour yet, huh?”

  “Not likely. My mother has stuck with bridge and water aerobics. They seem to keep pretty busy.”

  “Does your brother still live here in Montana?”

  “Nope. Marc’s a big-gun contractor in Phoenix. He’s close enough to the folks to pop over to see them if there’s a problem.”

  Rae and Hailey came running back into the living room. Rae wrapped her arms around Janelle’s hips.

  “I’ve got some video games. Is it okay for Rae to play them with me?” Hailey asked.

  “As long as they’re not violent games, it’s fine with me,” Janelle said.

  “Trust me, they’re age appropriate, though they still might be a little old for Rae,” Adam assured her. “I make it a point to check ratings and ask other parents before I buy any game.” He dusted the bread crumbs off his hands. “Hailey, you can offer them a snack if they’re hungry, but remember, no going out on the boat on your own. You have to wait for me.”

  “I can drive the boat by myself,” she protested.

  “You can, but only when I’m with you.” He hooked his arm around his daughter and gave her a squeeze. “I’ll see you all about dinnertime. Bathroom’s down the hall, and there are fresh towels in the cupboard.”

  “Thanks. You’ve been more than generous, letting us stay in the cottage and have the run of your home. We’ll be fine,” Janelle said. It really was incredibly kind of him. Trusting, too, since she was as much a stranger to him as Adam was to her.

  He turned to leave, and she immediately sensed the vacuum he left behind, almost as though his leaving caused the vibrancy in the air to dim and the oxygen to be pulled from the room.

  With a shake of her head, Janelle thrust such fanciful notions away.

  * * *

  His head filled with thoughts of Janelle, Adam went directly to his office. Something about her stirred in him a desire to protect her, keep her from harm, although he didn’t think she’d appreciate his concern. She appeared perfectly competent, even calm despite her

  run-in with a tree.

  Even so, he’d seen a hint of sadness in the depths of her brown eyes. He’d felt a connection with her, an undefined link that echoed his own sense of loneliness.

  Her elemental feminine mystique called to him, as did her quiet sophistication. Chances were good she wouldn’t feel the same way about him—a guitar-playing mechanic with grease stains on his hands and lube oil in his veins.

  She wasn’t wearing a wedding ring. Which didn’t always mean a woman wasn’t married. Still, he couldn’t help but wonder.

  Scratching the back of his head, he forcefully set aside any thought of Janelle Townsend. He had to find out what glitch had kept him from paying on credit.

  Sitting at his desk, he punched in the number of Devin McCain at the auto-parts store in Missoula. While he waited for an answer, he looked out the window above his desk, past the play yard to his house, and wondered what Janelle was doing.

  “McCain,” his friend answered.

  “It’s me, Adam. What’s going on, Devin? What’s this about your delivery guy asking for cash only?” Adam strummed his fingers against the edge of his desk in an agitated beat.

  “You tell me, Adam. I ran your credit-card number through the system like I always do, and it was declined. You overextended on your limit?”

  “Not likely.” He stared at the pile of invoices that needed to be paid. No more than usual, he was pretty sure. “There’s gotta be some kind of glitch in the system. Did you try it a second time?”

  “Three times, man. Rejected every time. You’ve never had trouble with credit before.”

  “No, I haven’t.” Since Lisa died, he’d barely kept up with the paperwork that she used to do so easily. But he hadn’t overdrawn his account, he was sure. “Wish you’d given me the benefit of the doubt and called me. Kind of embarrassing to be told by some kid my credit’s no good.”

  “Sorry, man. I really am. But I’ve got a business to run.”

  “Right.” So did Adam. If a mix-up cut him off from his line of credit, it would be tough to keep things going smoothly. There was always a lag between buying parts for a job and getting paid by the customer. He had to find out what was going on.

  “Look, Devin, we’ve known each other a long time. You know I’ll work out whatever misunderstanding has happened. But I need you to cover me while I get things back to normal.”

  “I don’t know...”

  “A woman came in a bit ago. Her front end collided with a tree. Lots of damage. I’ve got most of the parts I’ll need on hand, but I’m going to need a new radiator for her, a headlight and an air bag for a three-year-old Honda. Run a tab for me, will you? You know I’m good for it.”

  Devin sighed into the phone. “Okay. But get this credit thing straightened out fast. In this economy, my sales are way off.”

  “Don’t worry. Just ship that stuff to me next week.” Adam gave Devin the model number he needed. With a sense of relief, Adam hung up and immediately called the president of the bank in town, a man he’d known most of his life.

  Paul Muskie gave him an answer he didn’t want to hear. “The IRS put a lien on all your bank accounts.”

  That news drove Adam back in his chair. “You’re kidding me.” A joke, that’s what it was. The Rotary guys were always pulling stunts on each other. Adam had done his share of leg-pulling over the years. “Come on, Paul. Tell me the truth. What’s going on?”

  Muskie was quiet for a moment. “Didn’t the IRS send you a notice of the lien?”

  “I don’t—” He grabbed the pile of paperwork in the in-basket. His hand trembled as he sorted through the papers. He squinted trying to make out the names of companies, the return addresses. How could he have missed a letter from the IRS? Lisa never would have.

  There. A government return address. This had to be—

  “You still there, Adam?”

  “Yeah, I’m here.” Nausea roiled his stomach. “Look, I’ll get back to you. Okay?”

  “Sure. Hope you can straighten out whatever’s gone wrong. The IRS can sure make a mess of a man’s life.”

  Yeah. Some guys didn’t need the help of the IRS. Some guys could make a mess all on their own.

  Hanging up the phone, he ripped opened the envelope and spread the letter flat on his desk. He remembered he’d had to sign for the letter when Billy Martin delivered it but he hadn’t had a chance to open it right away. He’d been busy. Two customers had just arrived, one to pick up his car and the other with a fuel-pump problem and a squealing water pump. Adam must have put the IRS letter aside. Somehow it had gotten buried under the pile of invoices. And he’d never given it another thought.

  Fool! He should have asked Hailey to tell him what the letter said. A reading lesson, he should have said.

  Staring down at the typed words, the letters swam before his eyes. He rubbed his forehead. Slowly. Laboriously, his finger moving from one word to th
e next, he read. NOTICE. UNPAID. TAXES. LIEN.

  But he’d paid his taxes. It had taken him days, but he’d filled out the forms. Every one of them. Just like Lisa had always done.

  You filled ’em out wrong, guitar boy!

  Panic gripped him and sweat beaded his forehead. A lien on his bank accounts could mean he’d lose his business. The business his dad started forty years ago and had trusted Adam to run.

  He’d have to talk to the IRS in Missoula. Figure out the mistake he’d made on the tax forms.

  Admit that he’d messed up because he couldn’t read. A secret that shamed him. A secret that he’d never shared with anyone outside of his parents, except for Lisa, his wife. She’d understood. And had loved him anyway.

  All these years he’d been an expert at covering up his problem. Making adjustments. Working around the words he couldn’t read. Joking to get past the awkward moments. Keeping his secret.

  Now they’d all learn the truth.

  Memories of his childhood, his humiliating school experiences, the jeers of his classmates washed over him in a hot lava flow of pain.

  Adam Hunter is stupid!

  He balled his hands into fists. He wasn’t stupid!

  He could tell by the sound of an engine if a valve tappet was about to go bad. With one press of a throttle he knew if the fuel mixture was off or the fan belt was too dry and ready to crack. The guys who had given him such a hard time in school now brought their cars to him. He could run rings around any other mechanic in western Montana and Idaho combined.

  But he couldn’t run rings around the IRS.

  * * *

  Sitting on the dock beneath the shade of a cedar tree, Janelle watched Hailey teach Raeanne to skip stones across the water. Most plopped into the lake with a splash. But now and then a stone flew across the surface in two or three skips, and Raeanne lit up as if she’d won an Olympic medal. She’d been so engaged in rock skipping, she’d even left her beloved Ruff in Janelle’s care.

  The air was so pleasant and filled with the scent of the woods, Janelle hated to move. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt this relaxed.