She looked at him as the wheel swept them under before sending them back up to the top again. Anything can be overcome. Montana wasn’t so sure.
The first of three Mule Hollow Homecoming Rodeos was a success. On both nights, they’d introduced all former residents who’d come home for the event. There had been several families who’d moved away, children all grown-up, some single and some with families of their own, coming back to show their kids where they’d once lived.
They all enjoyed remembering the town when it was a thriving oil town. They’d been sad when their parents had moved away to find work after the oil boom busted and all the work had dried up in Mule Hollow.
Sunday morning, the church lawn was filled with talk of the weekend. It was a roaring success.
Esther Mae and Norma Sue looked like they could fly they were so happy. Esther Mae especially, since the summer hat that she wore was covered in feathers. Feathers that fluttered with every bob her head made as she talked nonstop about the festival.
Everyone was in an exceptionally good mood. Montana listened and took all the congratulations on her win. Everyone wanted to know what she was going to do next, and she told them she was going to hit the road for more rodeos the following week.
It seemed strange to her that she would actually be starting her lifelong dream. She was going to find another part-time job in addition to her helping out with Tate, and then she would just pray that she’d start winning. The money would help pay her way, or she wouldn’t be able to make it. There was a lot of wear and tear that went along with hauling. There would be travel expenses, and then upkeep expenses on the truck and trailer, which Clint was lending her, and of course vet bills and entry fees. The list went on and on. It wasn’t cheap shooting for the National Rodeo Finals in Las Vegas. Being one of the top fifteen in money and points was no easy feat. It was one thing to dream about it and another to take it on.
But that was exactly what Montana planned to do.
And if she was committing, she was committing one hundred percent.
She and Luke had talked a little about it the day before. After they’d gotten off the Ferris wheel, they’d hung out together some and talked about her riding. She’d told him of her decision to find another part-time job, and he’d told her he thought that was a good idea—until she started winning the big money and went full-time. She still smiled at the conviction in his voice. He hadn’t been saying that to make her feel better; he’d been saying it because he really did think she would do well. The very idea had her waiting anxiously to see his smiling face come striding across the parking lot.
He didn’t make it until the last song was being sung, just before Chance got up to preach. When the door opened, Montana glanced over her shoulder and her heart did the now familiar happy thump. As if their eyes were connected by a beacon, he zeroed in on her instantly, and strode straight up the aisle and scooted into the seat beside her.
Adela’s piano playing seemed to pick up the pace, drawing Montana’s gaze to find the delicate lady’s blue eyes beaming from around the corner of the music sheet. And up in the choir loft, Esther Mae’s and Norma Sue’s smiles seemed to merge together, they were so huge.
Whether she wanted it or not, there was no denying that they had a successful match on the mind. Montana tried not to think about it. She tried to think only of enjoying his company. No strings attached. There had been nothing said, no indication that things were any different with her than with any of the other women he’d dated.
And she was fine with it. They were going out to dinner that evening and she’d teased him. Funny, she wondered if these butterflies and sick stomach were what all the others had felt.
As they sat beside each other, he closed the hymnal and placed it in the holder on the back of the pew in front of them. “You doing good this morning?” he asked as he leaned back beside her.
“Good,” she said, listening to Pastor Chance’s opening statement about the rodeo and festival. “How about you?”
He grinned. “I’m great. I’ve got a date tonight with a beautiful woman. What’s not to be happy about?” His smile was as dazzling as his words, and it felt crazy wonderful, knowing he was talking about her.
Looking at him, Montana was very aware that Luke made her feel like a woman…and she loved it. It caused her to long for things she hadn’t thought about in a long time.
Whistling a happy tune, Luke jogged down the steps and over to his truck. Tossing the keys into the air, he caught them on a flip and grinned. He was feeling good. He had a date with Montana Brown.
He had a surprise for her tonight, and he hoped she’d take him up on it. He had thought all afternoon about it, and felt like this was the perfect solution to her problem. Dinner was the perfect place to tell her, but he was a little worried about how she’d handle it.
He couldn’t get to her house quick enough. He felt like a schoolboy on his first date. He’d been smiling all afternoon and was still smiling when he knocked on her door.
“Come in, come in,” Lacy said, opening the door wide when she saw him. She was holding Tate as she beckoned him in. “I’ve been pacing the floors, waiting for the clock to hit six and for you to drive up. Yep, it’s true, I think I may be more excited about you two going out than y’all.”
“I hope not. I was kind of hoping Montana was excited. I know I am.”
Lacy chuckled. “That’s exactly the answer I wanted to hear. If you weren’t excited, I’d think something was wrong with you. Clint had a call from one of his ranch hands that a cow was down so he had to go check on it, or he’d be here to see y’all off.”
“Hey,” Montana said, coming into the room. Her glistening dark hair was down around her shoulders tempting him to touch it. She wore a frilly white blouse with dressy jeans, and with the sparkle in her eye, she took his breath away. “Has Lacy given you the third degree? Has she made sure you understand that my curfew is ten sharp, and I must be home then or I’ll be grounded for life, and never ever get to go out with you again?”
“Ha!” Lacy said. “I was just about to.”
Luke chuckled. “I’m game for whatever Lacy throws at me. Whatever it takes to get this dinner date, I’ll do.”
Montana smiled. Her big eyes were bright with what he hoped was excitement about him being there. His heart was pounding in his chest, looking at her. And it was like nothing he’d ever experienced before. Everything had faded away and all he saw was her.
“I don’t have any questions. You two crazy kids need to just get on out of here.” Lacy’s teasing words broke the moment, reminding Luke that he’d spoken to her before he’d gotten caught up in the unchartered feelings Montana evoked inside of him.
He’d had his hat in his hand ever since he’d rung the doorbell, and now tapped it lightly to his hip. “Then are you ready?” he asked.
“Yes she is,” Lacy said, giving Montana a little nudge.
A few minutes later they were trucking down the road toward Ranger. He couldn’t explain how happy he was as they drove the seventy miles to the closest large town near Mule Hollow. On the way they talked about various aspects of the festival and rodeo. He’d made reservations at a restaurant that overlooked a lake. He’d never been there before, but had heard it was nice, and he’d decided that he wanted to take Montana somewhere he’d never been before. He thought Montana was special, and he wanted this date to be special, too. He wanted Montana not to feel like just one of many women he took to dinner.
“This is beautiful,” she said as the hostess led them to a table on the deck beside the water. A swan was floating in the water as Luke held Montana’s chair out for her. She looked over her shoulder at him and smiled. Luke froze. He could live forever with that smile directed at him.
The idea was a sobering one.
“Luke, are you all right?” she asked, when he didn’t scoot the chair up for her to sit in.
“Yeah,” he said, jolted by the thoughts racing through his mind and
the sudden longing tugging at his heart. What was happening with him? “Yeah, I’m good. Just thinking—Montana, you have the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen.”
She laughed as she sat down. “I’m sure you say that to all the girls.”
He shook his head. “No, Montana, I don’t. I’m telling you that your smile is the most beautiful I’ve ever seen.” It was important for her to understand he was serious, and not just saying the words.
Her smile was genuine as he sat down across from her. “Thank you. I like that,” she said quietly. “Whew, I’m a little nervous.”
He reached across the table and laid his hand over hers, where she was picking at the edge of her napkin. “I’m nervous too.” He held her unconvinced gaze. “Why don’t we both take a breath and relax.”
She nodded and breathed in. “Sounds like a good idea. I wasn’t expecting to feel like a girl on her first date.”
“I like the idea of that. I feel like a boy on his first date.”
Their confessions made them laugh as the waitress came. By the time she left to fill their order, they’d both relaxed somewhat. Luke knew in his heart that this was a life-changing experience. Looking across the candlelit table at her, he knew he was feeling happy. And he liked it. Three weeks ago he wouldn’t have believed it was possible. But that was before Montana Brown had ridden into his life.
Chapter Nineteen
The meal had been the most romantic meal Montana had ever had. The gentle lapping of the water against the deck, the soft moonlight that seemed to hover over the lake just for them. The swan gliding about on the water beside them added to the romance, along with the music that drifted lightly on the breeze to them. There was so much that made the night special, but it was the look in Luke’s eyes that had her heart fluttering from moment to moment. The light touch of his hand when he’d grasped hers. And his words left her feeling like she was floating on cloud nine.
This was what falling in love was like…would be like, if it was happening to her.
When they were leaving the restaurant, Luke took her hand in his. “Would you like to walk along the lake path for a little while?”
The warmth of his hand felt so nice. She nodded. “I’d like that.”
They headed to the side of the restaurant and down to the pier. There was a sidewalk that led along the edge for a distance, past benches that had been placed along the way, and they followed it. Ahead of them, several yards away, an older couple strolled hand in hand, enjoying the night. They paused in a shadow and the woman placed her hand on the man’s cheek. He bent and kissed her. A tug of emotions washed through Montana as she watched them. How many years had they been together? They could easily be newlyweds, or they could have been married for fifty years. Either way, just the sweetness of the gesture inspired her.
Looking up, she found Luke watching her. “I love that,” she said, waving toward the couple as they disappeared.
His expression was thoughtful. “Makes you wonder what their story is, doesn’t it?” He pulled her toward him.
Still holding his hand, Montana went willingly, her heart stopping, then it started racing. She felt off-balance. Luke Holden did that, set her world tilting.
“Yes, it does.” She forced her voice to work as her gaze rested on his lips.
He lowered his head slightly, looking into her eyes as he paused mere inches from her. “You shake my world up, Montana,” he murmured, and then kissed her.
The night was still, peaceful, easy. The instant his lips met hers, everything stopped, and she knew she was in danger. So many emotions she’d never experienced came into play in his arms. Her heart sighed and she felt as if she could stay there forever. As if God were smiling down on her.
Was this love?
There were so many reasons why she didn’t want to fall in love. But she had.
How had this happened? In his arms, the walls she’d built around her heart seemed to crumble. She pushed gently on his chest and he pulled away, looking as stunned as she felt. Letting go of her, he walked a few feet, studying the moonlit water. “Montana, I…”
Neither of them had been looking for anything serious, and yet they seemed on a collision course toward it. Was he feeling the same? Was that what had him turning his back on her?
“Montana, I’ve fallen in love with you.”
His words took her breath away, even though she’d been wondering if it was possible that he could be feeling what she was feeling.
“No,” she said, saying the first thing that came to her. “No, Luke.” She paced to the water’s edge, and it was her turn to stare out across it, with everything inside of her clashing. “I don’t want to fall in love and neither do you. Remember, this was all just an infatuation and a friendship. It’s not love. You don’t want that. You want to get your ranch up and successful before you think about a marriage and a family. And I—” She slapped a hand to her chest. “I’m going on the rodeo circuit. I don’t have time to think about being in love—”
That slow smile of his spread with maddening beauty across his face, lighting his eyes with humor. “Montana, it’s true I wasn’t looking for this. But it’s also true that it’s happened. Are you telling me that what I’m feeling from you isn’t true?”
She glared at him. “You…you’ve taken a perfectly good evening and ruined it.”
His eyes were twinkling with mirth. “Montana, it’s going to be okay. I wasn’t expecting this any more than you were, but I love you, and there isn’t anything I can do about it but tell you.”
“Well, don’t sound so enthusiastic.” She tried to think. Tried to figure this out.
He laughed. “Hey, I’m just being honest.” He pulled her into his arms again.
“Montana, I’ve been feeling something inside myself, since knowing you, that I’ve never felt before. I feel joy every time I see you. And it runs deep and strong. I’m praying you’ll see it, too.”
“We haven’t even finished our first date,” she protested.
His grin widened. “I know a good thing when I see it, and you’re the best thing I’ve ever seen. Montana, the first time I saw you racing around that barrel at Lacy’s, I felt drawn to you. I wasn’t expecting it to be more than a passing attraction, but there was no shaking it. One date, two, fifty. It doesn’t matter, I’m in love with you.”
She backed away from him. “I’m going on the rodeo circuit, Luke.”
He stepped toward her and cupped her face. “Yes, you are. Nothing I’m saying is changing that. I’m just telling you that I love you, and I want a life with you. I want to raise babies with you and watch them grow up on the ranch.”
Montana felt dazed. He was trying to sweep her off her feet. There couldn’t be any sweeping going on right now. She had to focus. And she had to focus now.
And not on Luke. No. The only male she needed in her life right now was Murdock…. “I need to go home,” she said. “I need to go home now.”
Heart pounding, she ran back to Luke’s truck.
Monday came bright and early. Montana woke up and saw Lacy and Tate sitting on the bed looking at her.
“So, how was it?” Lacy asked, grinning like a sly cat.
Montana rolled away from her and covered her head with her pillow. She hadn’t slept at all, or at least she hadn’t felt like she did until Lacy woke her. The last time she’d remembered staring at the clock, it had been 4:30 a.m. “What time is it?” she asked from beneath the pillow.
“Six. Me and Tate couldn’t wait for you to get up. The little fella is just a Curious George when it comes to knowing what’s going on in his aunt Monty’s love life.”
Montana groaned. “It was a disaster.”
“What happened?”
Montana yanked the pillow from her head and sat up, staring at Lacy in disbelief. “He told me he loved me! That’s what.”
“Woo-hoo!” Lacy exclaimed, clapping Tate’s hands between hers and bouncing him on her lap. “We knew it! We knew it, didn�
��t we, Tater!” Tate was grinning, his little mouth wide-open and his eyes bright. “Hold it.” Lacy stopped midexclamation point. “What did you tell him?”
Montana was still reeling. “I told him we hadn’t even finished our first date.”
Lacy gasped while making an are-you-crazy face. “Montana, y’all have too been on dates. Maybe not technically, but you’ve had dinner here. And then there was the barbecue. And all that time at the arena. Oh, and going to put the fire out. Y’all have spent lots of time getting to know each other—”
“None of those were dates.”
“You’re being technical again. You’ve spent time with him. Don’t forget all the time in the arena and the festival. You know there is something special there. I see those blue-green eyes of yours go dreamy when he enters the room.”
Montana’s stomach did somersaults. She’d thought about her feelings all night. It had been a quiet trip home, both of them tangled up in their own thoughts. She’d wondered what he was thinking of her reactions. There was no denying that she was crazy about him and that she had never felt with anyone the way she felt when she was around him.
Love. Yes, the emotion had actually entered her thoughts last night, too. But she couldn’t believe it. It was irresponsible—she actually heard her father saying the words in her head, as she’d gone over and over her feelings toward Luke.
“How could he love me so soon?”
Lacy’s expression was still stuck in a smile. “God has a way of letting hearts speak to each other. Don’t get me wrong, I believe in knowing what you’re doing. Yep, there is nothing worse than a woman letting a man sweet-talk her into making a bad mistake. But I do believe that some love happens quickly and some love grows slowly. To each his own love journey. You aren’t denying your feelings because of your dad, are you?”
“Maybe in a way,” Montana said. “I loved my daddy. Trusted him. Lacy, have you ever found out that the one person in all the world who you thought was most honorable and upright was a liar? That’s what I did. And worse, I gave up my dreams for him.” Her stomach lurched.
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