When Lissa awakened the next morning, she was eager to check her email. Surely her supervisor would have made a decision. Hopefully Lissa would be staying another month. She couldn’t imagine anything different.
Lissa met with her volunteers and worked with them for a while. By midafternoon, she was pooped and stretched out on her bed at Melba’s.
Lissa checked her email again and this time she saw a message from her boss in her inbox. Mentally crossing her fingers, she held her breath and read the email.
Dear Lissa,
We’re very impressed with all you have accomplished in Montana. You have far exceeded our expectations and we believe the people of Rust Creek Falls have benefitted greatly from your service there. Because of the progress you’ve made and also because Bootstraps plans to make a cash donation to the fund for the new school in Rust Creek Falls, we believe it’s time to turn our attention and resources to other areas.
That means we will want you to return to New York within the next week as originally planned. Again, thank you for your service in Montana. We look forward to placing you in a position as lead coordinator for another project very soon.
Lissa couldn’t believe her eyes. Her supervisor had turned her down flat. She wouldn’t even have an extra week. How could she wrap everything up so quickly? How could she leave these people she’d come to love? How could she leave Gage?
Her hands shook with emotion and a knot of misery formed in her throat. What was she going to do?
She was so upset she couldn’t imagine talking to anyone, especially Gage. Suddenly the room felt too small so she put on a jacket and took a walk. Her mind swirling with confusion, she tried to think of a solution. Perhaps she could go back to New York and visit Gage occasionally. Even as she considered the possibility, she knew it wouldn’t work. She couldn’t help wondering if Gage would lose interest if she left. He was so busy. It was a challenge for him to maintain a relationship with her when she was in town let alone when she was on the other side of the country.
She wondered if she should quit her job and start over here in Rust Creek Falls. The trouble was the lack of positions. Plus, she wasn’t totally sure Gage would want her to stay. He’d said from the beginning that their relationship was temporary. He’d seemed to accept that fact a lot more easily that she had.
Her cell phone rang, distracting her from her thoughts. She glanced at the caller ID. Gage. She couldn’t talk to him. Not yet. She had to figure this out.
Lissa successfully dodged him by going to the church and helping to serve the evening meal for the volunteers. Both they and the pastor were excited with their progress. It was all she could do to hold herself together and praise them for their work and contributions. The pastor hovered over her, encouraging her to go rest. She dragged out the cleanup, but couldn’t delay returning to the rooming house after that.
Entering from the back door, she climbed the steps to her room. Thank goodness she’d successfully avoided both Melba and Gage. She opened her door to find Gage sitting in the chair in her room.
She gaped at him in surprise.
“Where the hell have you been, darlin’?” Gage asked. “I’ve been worried about you.”
All her emotions converged on her at once and she burst into tears. “I have terrible news,” she said. “Terrible, terrible news.”
Immediately on his feet, Gage pulled her into his arms. “Whoa. What’s wrong? Did you hear something bad from the doctor? Did you faint or get sick?”
Lissa shook her head. “No, no. Nothing like that.” She swallowed hard over her tight throat. “I heard from my boss. I asked her if I could extend my stay here in Rust Creek Falls. She said no,” she said, her voice betraying how upset she felt. “I have to leave in a week.”
Gage gave a slow nod. He looked away and sighed. “We knew this was coming.”
“Yes, but I wanted to stop it,” she said. “Or at least delay it.”
“I don’t like it, either, but we both knew it from the start. Maybe it’s for the best,” he said. “Not to drag it out and quit while things are good.”
She stared at him in surprise. “For the best. How could it possibly be for the best? I’ve fallen in love with you. I thought you had strong feelings for me. Was I wrong?”
“No,” he said, squeezing her arm then backing away. He raked his hand through his hair. “Lissa, I love the way you look at me right now, but what’s going to happen if you stick around for a while? I’m not the cowboy hero you think I am. Life is not like an old Western. I’m not perfect. I’m just a man and I’m bound to screw up sometimes. What’s going to happen then?”
Confused, she shook her head. “We’ll work it out.”
“I’ll tell you what’s going to happen. We won’t be working it out. You’ll be walking out,” he said with grim confidence. “Maybe it’s better for us to split while we still have good memories.”
Lissa head was spinning from his words. “Is that all I am to you? A fond memory for your scrapbook?”
Gage rested his hands on his hips and glanced away then back at her. “Listen, you need to know that I saw what you wrote about me. I wasn’t snooping. I’d brought your iPad back in the house and you were on the phone. The document came right up.” He shook his head. “That man you wrote about. He isn’t me. You don’t really know me at all.”
Anger rushed through her. “Maybe I just know you better than you think you know yourself.”
“Lissa—”
The threat of tears too great, she lifted her hands and shook her head. “Stop. I think you’ve said enough.”
Gage sighed and looked at her for a long moment. “I guess I’d better go.”
“I guess you’d better,” she said.
Chapter Eleven
It was all Lissa could do not to leave town right away. Her heart felt as if it had been ripped from her chest. She felt so deceived. But maybe she had deceived herself. Maybe Gage hadn’t felt nearly as strongly about her as she had about him. The realization wounded her in such a way that she knew she’d never completely heal from it.
Wounded or not, she had a job to finish. The volunteers would be here for a few more days and Lissa was determined to maximize the time she had left to help as many residents as possible. Deciding she had fully recovered from her minor concussion, Lissa threw herself into repair work and avoided the sheriff’s office. The good thing about hard work was that she was too tired by evening to think about how miserable she was.
The night before the volunteers were to leave town, a thank-you banquet was held for them. Lissa gave her last speech of gratitude and had to tamp down her emotions. It began to hit her hard that she would be leaving in just two days. Blinking back the tears, she gave a special thank-you to the pastor of the church and his congregation for all their assistance.
As she sat down, she noticed some familiar faces standing in the back of the room. Will, the deputy sheriff, nodded toward her. Vickie, the dispatcher waved. Gage helped Thelma McGee into a chair. The sight of Gage made her heart twist so hard she had to look away. What were they doing here? From her peripheral vision, she saw several other citizens she’d met during the past month. What was going on—
The pastor stood in front of the group. “We want to thank the volunteers for traveling from their homes and sleeping on cots, when you got to sleep,” he added and several people laughed. Everyone knew they spent more time working than sleeping, and everyone was okay with it. “Our community is grateful for your service, and we pray that God will bless you from this experience.”
He paused. “There is another person we want to thank and honor tonight, and that is Lissa Roarke.”
Lissa stared in shock. She’d had no idea that she was going to be the focus of the community’s gratitude.
“She blew into town like a fast-moving
train and inspired everyone around her. With her help, we accomplished much more for people here in Rust Creek who’ve been hurting and doing without for months. It has been my privilege to work by your side. And now, Mrs. Thelma McGee will make a special presentation,” the pastor said.
Gage assisted Thelma to her feet and escorted her to the front of the room. Lissa forced herself not to look at Gage. If she even looked at him, she feared she would burst into tears. Instead she focused on Thelma and noticed that the woman was carrying a box.
“Hello, everyone,” Thelma said.
“Hello,” several in the crowd said in return.
Thelma smiled. “As most of you know, my son Hunter McGee was mayor for Rust Creek Falls for many years. He was a man devoted to the people and to our future, and we all miss him terribly. After the flood, I think some of us went into shock and we lost something. Something that Hunter always tried to instill in us, and that was hope. Lissa Roarke has not only facilitated repairs for dozens of people, she gave us something more important. Hope. Now I wish I could find a way to make her stay here in Rust Creek Falls, but I know she has to go back to New York.”
Thelma opened the box and produced a large key. “Before you leave, I’ve been given the honor by the town council to give Lissa Roarke the key to our town, Rust Creek Falls. You’ve won our hearts, Lissa. We’ll never forget you.”
Lissa’s eyes filled with tears. Walking to the front where Thelma stood, Lissa swallowed hard to gain control, but she didn’t know how she was going to do it. She embraced the woman and whispered, “Thank you.”
“No,” Thelma said and handed Lissa the key. “Thank you.”
After that, people came to her in a blur, shaking her hand, offering words of gratitude and hugs. She noticed Gage standing behind the crowd, but she couldn’t talk to him. She was still too hurt.
More than anything, she wanted to focus on the outpouring of love she was receiving. She wanted to save up the memory of all the wonderful people who thought she had done so much for them, but in truth, she had become so much richer by being with them for the past several weeks.
The crowd finally dwindled and Lissa grabbed her coat to leave. Gage walked toward her, but she put up her hand. “You take care of yourself,” she said and quickly walked out the door.
She returned to the rooming house to pack. The day had been so busy she should have fallen asleep, but her mind was too full. Giving up on sleep, Lissa turned on the light and opened her iPad and began to write.
She wrote about the wonderful people of Rust Creek Falls and how they sacrificed for each other. She wrote about Buddy buying the bunny for the little girl he didn’t know. She wrote about the courage she’d seen and the determination to keep going even after the devastation they’d suffered. She wrote about Thelma and her devotion, along with that of Deputy Will. And yes, she also wrote about Gage. How could she not? She wrote for hours, and finally she felt as if she’d expressed at least some of her overwhelming thoughts and feelings about the people of Rust Creek Falls.
After that, it was as if at least part of her was a little more at peace, and she fell asleep for a couple hours. Her subconscious must have known she was leaving even though she was sleeping, because for once she was up before dawn. She made a copy of her revised article, put it into an envelope and ran to the sheriff’s office and left it with the evening dispatcher.
Lissa returned to the rooming house and the last big breakfast that Melba would be making for her. She could hardly eat a thing.
“You haven’t touched your food,” Melba chided her.
“I don’t eat as much when I travel,” Lissa said. “Nerves, I guess. I appreciate you offering to take me to the airport.”
“Well, of course I’ll take you,” Melba said. “Although all of us wish you were staying.”
Lissa just pressed her lips together and remained silent. She didn’t know what else could be said at this point, so she went upstairs to close her suitcase. Lissa loaded her luggage into Melba’s big Buick and they headed for the airport in Livingston.
“Well, you’ve got a pretty day for travel,” Melba said. “That’s a good thing. Have you checked the weather in New York?”
Lissa shook her head, not really in the mood for small talk. But she should be polite. “I haven’t,” she said. “It’s usually pleasant at this time of year, though.”
“You’ll have all those pretty fall colors from the leaves changing. We get the colors, but we also get the snow.”
“That’s true. I hadn’t even thought about that,” she said.
“Well, you’ve been so busy coordinating all those volunteers,” Melba said. “We sure do appreciate you coming to Rust Creek Falls. I know we all hope you’ll come back and visit.”
Lissa’s heart felt sore at the thought. “I don’t know,” she said. “I’ll never forget Rust Creek Falls, but maybe it’s best that I keep it as a memory.” She thought about what she’d just said and smiled grimly. She sounded like Gage. That couldn’t be good.
“You’re thinking about a certain cowboy, aren’t you?” Melba asked.
“Maybe,” Lissa said softly, but remained quiet for the rest of the trip to the airport. Gage was a lost cause. There was nothing she could do. It was a ridiculous situation. She knew they were meant for each other, but Gage just wouldn’t admit it.
* * *
Gage awoke early and couldn’t get back to sleep, so he hauled himself out of bed, thinking he might as well get something done. Of course, maybe the reason he couldn’t sleep was that he imagined he was smelling Lissa’s sweet scent. He knew he couldn’t be. The sheets on the bed had been changed and she hadn’t been in his house for over a week. That was the way it was supposed to be, he told himself. That was the way it had to be.
He pulled on his clothes and took care of some early-morning chores. When he returned to the house, he saw a lone carton of yogurt in the fridge. The sight of it made him feel sad. Gage rolled his eyes. A yogurt carton was making him sad? He was losing his mind. Grabbing a frozen biscuit from the freezer, he tossed it in the microwave and told himself that it was time to get back to normal. Lissa Roarke was leaving this afternoon and she wasn’t coming back. He’d helped make sure of it.
He drove into town, glancing at Strickland’s Boardinghouse. He wondered if Lissa was up eating breakfast. He wondered what she would do before she left town. Gage was pretty sure she wouldn’t stop by the office to say goodbye. The thought put him in even more of a dark mood.
Parking his car, he entered the office. Will wasn’t there yet, but Vickie was at her desk. “Hey, the night dispatcher left this for you.”
“What is it?” Gage asked, curious about the contents of the envelope with his name scrawled across the front of it.
“I don’t know,“ Vickie said. “I’m nosy, but I don’t open other people’s correspondence.”
Gage chuckled. “Okay. Anything I need to address first thing?”
“Nope. Everything’s quiet so far,” she said.
“Thanks,” he said and went to grab a cup of coffee before he went into his office. Shrugging out of his coat, he pulled off his hat and sat down at his desk. He opened the envelope and read the top of the page. An Essay on True Heroism by Lissa Roarke. His gut tightened at the title, but he had to read it. He couldn’t have torn his gaze from the page if he’d tried.
She wrote about the townspeople and how they sacrificed for each other. She wrote about the children and the teachers who had opened their homes in order to teach classes. She mentioned all sorts of details about the town that proved she had been watching very closely, and not with rose-colored glasses.
The more Gage read, the tighter his chest felt. His throat felt as if were tightening up, too. He rubbed his neck and chest. Lissa had poured her heart and soul into Rust Creek Falls. She’d handed him her h
eart and soul on a platter.
He continued reading and saw that the subject of the piece had turned to him. He felt a rush of discomfort.
The truth is that Sheriff Gage Christensen is one of the most important foundations of the Rust Creek Falls community. Everyone needs to be able to count on someone, and everyone counts on the sheriff. He shows up for everything from unexpected labor to helping with repairs and arresting a drug manufacturer trying to hide in the safe haven of his community. He’s on call 24-7. He is a man dedicated to his people and his people are grateful for that dedication.
Some people might call the writer of this article biased when it comes to the subject of Gage Christensen, and they would be quite correct. I’ve had an opportunity to get to know him on a personal level, and he has taken care of me when I needed help. I’d like to end this essay with a thank-you to the cowboy who stole my heart. I don’t want it back.
Overwhelmed by the depth of feeling in her words, Gage leaned back in the chair. Maybe Lissa had more insight than he’d believed. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing that she thought he was a hero. Maybe she saw past his walls to the man he wanted to be.
How often does a man meet a woman like that? he wondered. How often would a woman like Lissa Roarke come into his life?
The answer hung over him like the blade of a guillotine. Never, he realized. He would never meet another woman like Lissa. Besides, he wouldn’t want another woman like Lissa.
He would want Lissa.
The truth slapped him across the face. He’d lost her. Was there any way he could get her back? His mind started spinning. Maybe he could talk to her before she left. Maybe he could convince her.... Maybe.
Gage knew he was going to have to make a strong case for himself after the way he’d told her off. Rising from his desk, he called a friend in the next county who ran a business out of his home. His heart pounding in his chest, he was determined to get out there and back to Rust Creek Falls before Lissa left town.
The Maverick & the Manhattanite (Montana Mavericks: Rust Creek Cowboys) Page 14