Montana Hearts

by Charlotte Carter

  “I made you a chicken salad for lunch,” Beth announced. “There’s walnuts and dried cranberries in it.”

  “Sounds delicious.”

  “Nana and me made whole-wheat rolls,” Toby added.

  “They’re supposed to be healthy for you but they taste good anyway.”

  She chuckled, ruffled Toby’s hair and sent Grace a grateful smile. “Thank you for being so thoughtful.”

  “It’s time we took care of you for a while, instead of you taking care of the children,” Grace said.

  “Which means she needs to rest.” Kurt squeezed her shoulder. “I don’t want her to overtax herself. She should take a nap and then have—”

  Sarah stepped away from him. “Folks, I have an announcement to make. As much as I’m grateful for your concern, and as much as I appreciate the trouble you’ve gone to, I’m not sick and I haven’t turned into the mental equivalent of a turnip.” She eyed Kurt. “What I’d really like to do right now is fix myself a glass of iced tea—”

  “I’ve already made up a pitcher for us,” Grace said.

  “—and take it out on the porch, sit down and enjoy the great outdoors before lunch. After lunch, I may take a nap…or go for a horseback ride,” she added by way of jerking Kurt’s overprotective chain.

  “No!” he sputtered. “You’ll do not such thing. You can’t go riding.”

  “All right. If you insist, Dr. Ryder, I’ll put that off for a day or two. But I will go riding—outside the corral—one day very soon.”

  Sarah left one very stunned, openmouthed cowboy gawking after her as she went to the kitchen to pour her own iced tea. She grinned to herself. A long time ago she’d learned how to handle well-intentioned people who wanted to turn her into a chronically dependent invalid.

  Sarah did take a long nap that afternoon, glad to be away from the hustle and bustle of the hospital, and all the pokes and prods and needle stabs that went with being a patient.

  As promised, she skipped the horseback ride, al though she did walk out to the corral to feed Peaches an apple she’d cut up. Getting used to being around the horse would pay off later. She hoped.

  Sunday morning there was no question about what she’d do. She was going to church.

  To her surprise, Kurt announced he planned to attend church as well and so did his children.

  “Grace will be there, too,” he assured her.

  Had Kurt truly found the Lord again? she wondered. Or was he going to church only because he knew she’d insist on attending?

  So they climbed into his truck dressed in their Sunday best and drove into town. The parking lot seemed quite full. Sarah rolled her eyes when he pulled into a Handicapped spot.

  “You can’t park here,” she said. “You don’t have a placard for your truck. You’ll get a ticket.”

  “Don’t worry about a thing. I’ve already cleared it with Pastor Hoffman.”

  Sarah hadn’t heard that ministers had been granted the legal right to make decisions about who was or wasn’t handicapped. She felt sure that was solely a doctor’s prerogative.

  “Well, don’t ask me to pay for the ticket if you get one,” she said.

  He simply grinned at her before climbing down out of the truck. She made it a point to exit on her own.

  As the four of them walked down the side aisle to join Grace in a pew, Sarah began to hear a small ripple of applause. The sound increased as they drew near Grace, and members of the congregation began to stand and clap.

  The organist switched from the quiet prelude she’d been playing to a booming rendition of the “Hallelujah” chorus.

  Sarah tugged on Kurt’s sleeve. “What’s going on?”

  He leaned close to her ear. “I think everybody’s glad to see you back and on your feet.”

  “Oh, dear…” Blushing furiously, she ducked into the pew and scooted across to sit next to Grace.

  Beth came in after Sarah, followed by Toby and then Kurt. As they sat down, Sarah was struck by how much they looked like a family sitting together. Her heart did a little ratta-tat-tat, and she put her hand to her chest.

  “Are you all right, dear?” Grace asked, concern in her eyes.

  “I’m fine. I just didn’t expect so much attention.”

  Grace patted her arm. “Everyone is simply glad you’re feeling better.”

  To Sarah’s relief, the pastor walked onto the stage, drawing the congregation’s attention, and raised his arms high. “All rise and give thanks unto the Lord.”

  Lifting her heart up to the Lord, Sarah’s prayer of thanksgiving spilled out from the depth of her soul. Starting with her renewed good health and the love and friendship she’d found here in Sweet Grass Valley, she had much to give thanks for. Her cup indeed runneth over and she praised God for all He had given her.

  When the service was over, Sarah turned to Grace. “Would you like to come to the house? We can have a light lunch.”

  “No, dear.” She patted Sarah’s hand. “You go on with Kurt. I have some things I need to do.”

  “Come by another day, then.”

  Standing, Sarah edged toward the aisle. Kurt had let the children go on ahead and waited for Sarah to join him. In a proprietary gesture, he slipped his arm around her waist.

  “Did you hear the pastor mention the New Member Class that’s going to start next week for folks who want to join the church?” Kurt eased her through the crowd to a side door and they stepped out into the bright sun and the heat of midday.

  “I wasn’t paying too much attention.” She glanced up at him.

  “I’m going to sign up. This whole business of you being so sick and everyone praying for you made me realize I not only turned my back on God. Even before that, I’d let my faith slide, not giving it any thought. I’m going to do something about that.”

  Goose bumps of pleasure and excitement rose on the back of her neck. “That’s wonderful, Kurt. I’m thrilled you’re rediscovering your faith.”

  “You could say I’m highly motivated.” He winked and gave her waist a little squeeze that sent a shimmer of awareness through Sarah, warming her heart.

  They’d started toward the truck when Kurt came to an abrupt halt. “Uh-oh.”

  She glanced around. “What’s wrong?”

  “Beth and Caroline are talking to a couple of guys.” He gestured toward the far side of the parking lot.

  She spied the youngsters laughing, the boys throwing mock punches at each other. “Oh, yes, those are the two boys they were talking to that time I brought Beth to church.”

  Kurt started off at a fast clip across the parking lot toward the preteens.

  Sarah hurried to catch up with him. “What are you going to do?”

  “I’m going to talk to my daughter, that’s what.”

  Grabbing his arm, Sarah pulled him to a stop. “You go over there now and talk to Beth in front of those boys, you’ll embarrass her and her friends. She’ll be madder than one of your cows who has been separated from her calf.”

  “I’m her father.”

  “Which is exactly why you need to talk to her in private, not in a public place. I know I would have been mortified if my father confronted me in front of my friends.” Not that Sarah had had many occasions to talk with boys at that age. Which didn’t change the fact that she would have been embarrassed beyond reason.

  Tightening his jaw, Kurt pulled a pouty face like one Toby would make. “I should still stop her.”

  “No, you shouldn’t. She’s not doing anything wrong.” Tugging gently, she urged him back toward the truck.

  “She’ll come on her own when she sees we’re ready to go home.”

  Once back home, Kurt went out to the barn to work on some tack that needed repair—and to think.

  He knew what he wanted to do. Had to do. He’d even gone shopping in Shelby while Sarah was in the hospital. That had been an act of faith that she would recover.

  Now it was time for action.

  The very thought
turned his mouth dry and caused his hands to sweat on the broken harness he was trying to stitch back together. He wiped his palm on his jeans.

  A man didn’t just pop something like this on a woman out of the clear blue. He had to lead up to the big moment. Get her in a receptive mood.

  With Zoe it had been easy. Almost from the beginning, they’d known where their relationship was going.

  He and Sarah hadn’t even gone on a date yet. Going to the county commissioners’ meeting with him didn’t count. Although their kiss after the hearing certainly got him thinking about the future.

  For him, the future without Sarah looked bleak.

  How could he ask her to give up her home in Seattle and her business to live on a ranch in Montana with him?

  He had to be crazy to even think she’d stay.

  After lunch, Sarah rested for a while. She was still weaker than she liked and knew the best way to recover was to let nature and the Lord do their work.

  When she woke, the house seemed unnaturally quiet. She freshened up and brushed her hair, then strolled through the house. The kitchen was spotless. So was the living room. No work left for the housekeeper to do, for which she was grateful.

  Stepping outside, she found Kurt sitting in the shade of the porch, his chair tipped back, his booted feet propped on the porch railing, and his Stetson pulled down, hiding his eyes. An empty iced-tea glass sat beside his chair.

  For a moment, she simply took in the sight of Kurt in a relaxed state. Between running the ranch and seeing to his children, he rarely had a chance to stop and catch his breath.

  What he needed was a woman to look out for him for a change.

  He snorted and coughed, shifted his position.

  “Ah, the master of the house is alive after all,” she said.

  Startled, his feet dropped to the porch with a bang and he righted the chair. Pushing his hat back up on his head, he said, “I didn’t hear you come outside.”

  “You were pretty well gone.”

  “Just resting my eyes.”

  Right! She leaned back on the railing. “Where are the children?”

  “They’re both doing sleepovers at a friend’s house.”

  “Oh.” A prick of disappointment needled Sarah. While she was in the hospital, she’d missed the children almost as much as she’d missed Kurt.

  “I asked them to arrange the sleepovers,” Kurt continued, “because I’m going to take you out to dinner.”

  “Oh,” she said again, thinking the children could just as easily have come with them to the diner in town, the only place to eat in Sweet Grass Valley. “I could’ve fixed them something here.”

  “Nope. Not this time.” He stood, forcing Sarah to look up at him. “There’s an old farmhouse this side of Chester that a couple have remodeled and turned into a B and B. They serve dinners, too. Nice white tablecloths, fancy silverware, the whole big-city thing. That’s where I’d like to take you on a date tonight.”

  Her jaw went slack. “A date?”

  “Yep. Assuming you feel up to going, of course.”

  “I feel fine. I’m surprised, that’s all. I didn’t expect—”

  His brown-eyed gaze snared hers with its intensity. “A lot of things have surprised me lately. Will you go out to dinner with me? I made reservations for us.”

  She moistened her lips with her tongue. A quiver of joy arrowed into her heart. “That sounds wonderful. Thank you for inviting me.”

  The corners of his lips hooked up in a self-satisfied smile that made Sarah wonder what besides a fancy dinner might be on the menu tonight.

  Kurt had not exaggerated. The interior of the Old Yellow Farmhouse B and B was tastefully decorated with antiques displayed on bookshelves and in glass-fronted cabinets. Each cozy room had a theme—Victorian, Federalist or Civil War era with furniture to match the time period.

  Evelyn Couch, the gracious owner of the B and B, ushered them into a private dining room with a single table set for two. The walnut chairs were upholstered in red velvet. Framed period prints decorated the walls and silver serving pieces lined a walnut buffet, and there was a delicate porcelain vase of pink roses on the table. A single window covered with sheer curtains provided a view of the prairie north of the town of Chester as the sun slanted toward evening shadows.

  Kurt held the chair for Sarah, then seated himself.

  “May I bring you both some iced tea?” the hostess asked.

  “Yes, please,” Sarah said. Kurt nodded in agreement.

  When Mrs. Couch left them with their menus and a promise their server would be there shortly, Sarah leaned forward, and whispered, “How many cows did you have to sell to afford dinner here?”

  Kurt chuckled. “Don’t worry about it. I want this to be a special evening for you.”

  “It already is.” She’d never seen Kurt look so handsome or so commanding. He wore a beige silk Western shirt with white trim and a brown-and-gold tigereye bolo tie that matched his eyes. His height and muscular physique seemed to dwarf the delicate Victorian furniture. In this setting, with this man, Sarah felt like a storybook pampered princess.

  A young waitress wearing a long skirt and white blouse brought them their iced tea and a basket of warm rolls. “Do you need a little more time to study the menu?”

  “Yes, please.” Sarah hadn’t even glanced at the menu, she’d been too enthralled by Kurt.

  When the waitress returned a few minutes later, Sarah selected a Cornish game hen with new potatoes and fresh vegetables on the side, knowing full well she wouldn’t be able to eat a full dinner. Kurt chose a T-bone steak, baked potato and dinner salad. She smiled, suspecting before she had started preparing his meals, he would never have chosen a salad with his meal.

  They spoke of inconsequential things as they ate. Bonnie Sue’s daughter was visiting from Chicago. Kurt needed to order some new parts for his tractor. He’d be moving the mother herd closer to the ranch house soon. Beth wanted to pierce her ears, which troubled Kurt and endeared Sarah for his concern.

  By the time they’d finished dinner and the waitress cleared the table, Sarah was totally stuffed. She wouldn’t be able to eat another bite for days.

  Kurt cleared his throat and straightened his napkin as though he was suddenly nervous. “A couple of weeks ago, I said we should be a couple and you turned me down. That was the right thing for you to do.”

  Her meal suddenly turned into a rock in her stomach. Was he telling her goodbye? Sending her back to Seattle? Did he no longer want a heart-transplant recipient around to remind him of Zoe? She felt like a prisoner who’d just eaten a last meal before being led to the guillotine.

  “When I told you that I’d come to care for you, I didn’t know the right words to say how I felt about you. And my faith in the Lord wasn’t strong enough.” He produced a small blue velvet box and placed it on the table between them. “I think I’ve found the words now, and I’m working hard on the faith part.”

  Barely able to breathe, her heart pounding hard, she stared at the velvet box, then lifted her gaze to his.

  “I love you, Sarah. I never thought I’d feel this way about any woman. When you were so sick, I thought I was going to lose you. That made me realize that I want you to be my wife. To stand beside me for the rest of my life.” His eyes filled with his plea. “Will you marry me, Sarah?”

  Her heart soared. Her head spun. Although she’d dreamed of this moment, she’d never let herself believe it would happen. She wanted this man as her husband more than anything else in the world.

  “I know there are some things about living on a ranch that might bother you,” he added. “The isolation of living so far from a city. The winters here can be killers.”

  She extended her hand across the table to stop his babbling, and he took it.

  “I love you, Kurt. More than I can possibly say. But there are some things you need to know.”

  He frowned as he rubbed his thumb back and forth over her knuckles. “I know all
I need to know about you.”

  “I’m not guaranteed tomorrow. My heart could fail at any moment or I could go into rejection again.”

  “One day with you as my wife would be worth a thousand days without you.”

  Self-consciously, she glanced away. “The transplant operation left me with a gigantic scar on my chest. It’s…ugly,” she admitted, hating that she’d been so scarred while still grateful to be alive.

  “It doesn’t matter. You’re beautiful on the inside, where it counts.”

  She squeezed his hand, ready to make the most difficult admission of all. “Because I’m on anti-rejection drugs, I can’t have any babies. I couldn’t carry them to term.”

  “Sarah, honey, I’ve got two kids who are already a handful. I don’t need any more.”

  For years, Sarah had longed to have children of her own with a man she loved. A man like Kurt. The trans-plant had made that virtually impossible, and she had grieved for that loss.

  “Besides,” Kurt said, grinning. “If you marry me, then you could talk to Beth about all that boy-’n-girl stuff that scares me spitless.”

  She laughed and tears sprang to her eyes. “Coward!”

  “You know I am about stuff like that.”

  “There’s one other small hitch. Tricia, who’s been running my business, has gotten a job offer she can’t pass up. I’ll have to go back to Seattle and try to arrange something for my clients. I can’t just leave them in the lurch.”

  “Does that mean you’re going to say yes?”

  She nodded and the tears began to flow. “What about Beth and Toby? How will they feel? Beth isn’t over losing her mother yet and I don’t want—”

  “They’re great with us getting married. In fact, Beth told me that if I blew the proposal she was never going to speak to me again.”

  Sarah gasped. “You told them you were going to propose to me?”

  He shifted in his chair as though suddenly uncomfortable. “I had to, Sarah. I was pretty sure they’d both be okay with it. And they are. But the three of us sort of come as a package, and I didn’t want to put you in an awkward position.”