A Hot Montana Summer

by Karen Foley

  He loved watching her laugh, and thought he could easily spend the rest of his life coaxing that smile from her. Making love to her last night had just cemented the deal. It might take time before she finally realized he was the right guy for her—the only guy for her—but he had nothing but time on his hands right now. However long it took, he’d wait for her. Did he want to marry her? Oh, yeah.

  He saw goose bumps rise on Rachel’s skin, and squinted at the setting sun, which was almost completely gone now. The air was quickly growing chilly. Reaching out, he gently shook her awake.

  “Hey, it’s getting cold out here,” he said, when she opened her eyes and looked at him in bemusement. “Let’s go inside before you catch a cold.”

  She sat up and rubbed her hands over her arms. “You’re right; I can’t believe I fell asleep.”

  Jamie couldn’t help feeling a little smug. “Well, you didn’t get much sleep last night.”

  She actually blushed. “What time is it?”

  “Almost seven. Getting hungry?”

  “A little. What about you?”

  “I’m always hungry.” He laughed. “What if we head into town and grab a bite to eat at Red’s? I could go for some home cooking.”

  Red’s Diner had been a fixture in Glacier Creek for as long as Jamie could remember, and he had a sudden hankering for their meat loaf and gravy. Rachel was fishing under the chair for her sandals and deliberately not looking at him.

  “It’s dinner, Rachel,” he said, “not a marriage proposal. We both have to eat, and if I didn’t have this goddamned cast on my leg, I’d drive myself into town. But I can’t.”

  Rachel did look at him then, and he saw the apology in her eyes. “Right. Sorry. Red’s sounds great.”

  “Why don’t you go change into something warmer, and I’ll do the same and meet you back here in fifteen minutes?”

  “Do you, uh, need any help?”

  Jamie grinned. “Sweetheart, I will never turn down an offer like that, but I should warn you—if you come anywhere near my bedroom, I guarantee we will not be heading into town for dinner.”

  Even in the fading light, Jamie didn’t miss the warm color that crept into her face. She stood up reluctantly.

  “In that case, I’ll see you in a few minutes,” she said.

  Jamie watched her leave. She had regrets about sleeping with him, but he couldn’t bring himself to sympathize. He had a short window of opportunity to prove to her just how perfect they were together, and he wasn’t going to blow it.

  *

  Red’s Diner was comfortably busy, but they were seated at a booth near the windows right away. Rachel hadn’t eaten at the diner in years, but it seemed nothing had changed in the time she’d been gone, except some of the wait staff were different. From where they sat, Rachel could see the length of Main Street all the way to the pier that extended out over the lake. Lights from the nearby homes and businesses reflected on the surface of the dark water. The shops on Main Street were still open, and the lights from the windows spilled onto the sidewalks as people strolled past. The scene was so different from New York City—with its congestion and overload of brilliant lights—that Rachel might have been on a different planet. She’d actually forgotten how beautiful Glacier Creek was at night, when she could see billions of stars glittering against the black velvet of the sky.

  Everything was exactly the same as she remembered, and yet everything was completely different. Rachel turned her attention to the man who sat across the table, disconcerted to find him watching her over his menu.

  “What are you thinking?” he asked.

  “That Glacier Creek is more beautiful than I remembered,” she replied. “Growing up, I couldn’t wait to leave, and now I can’t recall why.”

  “I get it.” He peered out the window at the street. “There were times when I was over in Afghanistan or Syria, when thinking about Glacier Creek was what kept me going. When it was so freaking hot that your dog tags burned your skin, and the air inside the compound smelled like rotten onions, I’d think about the cool waters of the lake, and the snow on the mountains.”

  “If your leg prevents you from rejoining your unit, will you stay here?” she asked.

  “Will you?” he countered.

  She was prevented from answering by the approach of a waitress, and then the moment was gone. Jamie ordered a beer and a plate of meat loaf with mashed potatoes and gravy, while Rachel opted for a glass of white wine, and fresh lake trout with a green salad.

  She sipped her wine and watched the other patrons in the diner, recognizing several of the faces, but not recalling their names.

  “We could take a stroll onto the pier after dinner,” Jamie suggested, pulling her out of her thoughts.

  “That sounds nice,” Rachel agreed. “Your chair is in the back of the van.”

  Jamie made a groaning sound and tipped back in his chair. “I can’t wait to get this damned cast off. At least get one that lets me bend my leg.”

  “That’s happening next week, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah, at my appointment with the surgeon at the VA in Kalispell.” He gave her a lopsided smile. “You still going to drive me there?”

  “Of course! That’s what I’m getting paid for.”

  There was an uncomfortable silence as Jamie regarded her quizzically, and Rachel realized how insensitive her words sounded. “I mean, I would drive you regardless,” she amended.

  “Sure.” Jamie sounded unconvinced, and then their food arrived.

  Rachel watched as he dug into his meal, but he didn’t seem to relish his food, and there were none of the usual sounds of appreciation as he ate. Feeling as if someone had just stepped on her heart, Rachel picked at her trout, her appetite gone.

  “Ms. Narducci?”

  Rachel looked up to see a man standing by their table. He wore the uniform of a Glacier Creek firefighter, and her heart did a quick double-beat.

  “Yes?”

  “Uh, hello ma’am. I’m Scott Ross, and I work over at the Glacier Creek firefighting base.” He was young, probably no older than Rachel, with dark hair and eyes, but she didn’t recognize him. He looked both uncomfortable and distressed. “I’m sorry to disturb your dinner, but I thought you’d want to know—”

  “Is it Dylan? Is he okay?”

  Rachel saw by the expression in the man’s eyes she was right, and he confirmed it when he gave a curt nod of his head.

  “Yes, ma’am. He was injured during a jump, and was airlifted to a trauma center in Bozeman this afternoon. We tried to call your parents, but there was no answer so we left a voicemail message.”

  “What are his injuries?” This from Jamie, whose entire demeanor had undergone a drastic change when Scott Ross began to talk. He was on full alert and looked more serious than Rachel had ever seen him. Just seeing his somber expression made her aware of the severity of the situation.

  “I don’t have the details on his condition,” Scott replied. “I only know he’s busted up pretty good.” He handed Rachel a slip of paper. “Here’s the name and address of the hospital where they brought him, and that’s the name and number of our captain. He’s still on the front line of the blaze, but I think he’s planning to get over to the hospital as soon as he can.”

  A wave of fear washed over her. She hadn’t seen Dylan in over a year, but she loved her brother and dreaded the thought of anything happening to him.

  “How did you find me?” she asked.

  Now the firefighter looked embarrassed, and his gaze flicked uncomfortably between her and Jamie. “Some folks have seen you out together, and—well, it’s a small town. I saw the van parked in the handicapped spot outside, so I figured you might be in here.”

  “Yes, well,” Rachel didn’t look at Jamie, “Mrs. Colter hired me to help Jamie—drive him around and do errands for him—while she and her husband are on a cruise with my parents.”

  Rachel knew she sounded prudish, but she suddenly couldn’t bear the thou
ght of the townspeople thinking she and Jamie were an item, not when most people didn’t know about the divorce and likely thought she was cheating on her husband. Sleeping with Jamie was one thing, but she hadn’t counted on their relationship becoming public knowledge. They’d only come into town together once, yet that had been enough for people to take notice and draw assumptions. Never mind they had been correct. The last thing she wanted was for people to think she’d found herself a boy-toy.

  “Ah.” Scott Ross rocked back on his heels and looked thoughtful. “That must be why we couldn’t reach your folks. Sometimes those cruise ships don’t get good wireless reception.”

  Rachel focused on the slip of paper he’d handed her. “Thank you. I’ll call the hospital now and find out what’s going on.” She rose to her feet and glanced at Jamie, whose expression was inscrutable. “I’ll be right back.”

  When she returned ten minutes later, the table had been cleared and Jamie had paid the bill.

  “How is he?”

  “He’s in surgery right now. He shattered a kneecap and he has a ruptured spleen.”

  “But he’ll be okay?”

  Rachel nodded. “Yes, thank goodness.”

  “That’s good news,” he said. “He’s in good hands, and there isn’t anything you can do for him right now, so try not to worry. Why don’t we go home and pack a bag?”

  Rachel nodded. “Yes, okay.”

  In the van, on the way home, Rachel risked a glance at him in the rearview mirror, unsettled by his silence.

  “Are you okay?” she ventured.

  “Oh, are you talking to me?” he asked, and she heard the mild sarcasm in his voice. “I mean, I’m surprised, since you’re only here to drive me around and run errands for me.”

  Rachel gave him a tolerant look. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it. But I was hardly going to let him assume we’re—that we’re dating or something. I mean, how would that look?”

  Jamie didn’t answer.

  “You have to admit if people knew we were hooking up, they would look at us with raised eyebrows,” she persisted. “Most people have no idea Deke and I are divorced. There would be talk.”

  Jamie made a scoffing sound. “Those would be your own insecurities talking. I doubt anyone thinks long enough about either of us to even give it a second thought.”

  Rachel had her doubts, but she didn’t want to argue with him. “I have to get a call through to my parents,” she said, changing the subject. “I have an emergency number my mother gave me, then I’ll head down to Bozeman. If I leave within the next hour, I can probably be there by midnight.”

  “I’m coming with you.”

  Rachel glanced at him in the mirror, surprised. “You don’t have to do that.”

  “Dylan is my best friend,” Jamie reminded her. “You don’t think I’m going to let you go down there alone, do you?”

  Rachel had been so wrapped up in her own thoughts and fears that for a moment she’d completely forgotten Jamie and Dylan were buds. Of course he would want to go down to Bozeman with her.

  “But your leg—”

  “I’ll be fine. The van is comfortable, and I’d feel better if I went with you.” He snorted. “At least then I won’t lie awake wondering if you’re okay, or if you fell asleep and drove off the road.”

  “I will not drive off the road.”

  “No, you won’t, because I’ll be with you to keep you awake.”

  Rachel refocused her attention on the road, refusing to admit even to herself how much she liked the sound of that.

  Chapter Eleven

  The drive to Bozeman went faster than Rachel had anticipated, and it all had to do with Jamie. As the van swallowed up the miles and the dark road flew beneath the wheels, he kept up a steady, humorous dialogue, so she was hardly aware they had been driving for over three hours until suddenly, there was the sign indicating they had crossed into Bozeman.

  “We’re here!” she exclaimed in surprise.

  “You did good,” Jamie replied from the back row. “It’s just past midnight. What do you want to do first—head over to the hospital, or grab a room somewhere and catch some sleep?”

  That made Rachel pause. Just the thought of spending the night with Jamie caused heat to pool in her center. She decided she really was a terrible person, because she was already looking forward to spending time with him in Bozeman, where nobody knew either of them, and nobody would judge them.

  “I’d feel better if we could check in on Dylan first,” she said, glancing at Jamie in the mirror. “I told my parents I would call them as soon as I had talked with the doctor. Hawaii is four hours behind us, so they’ll still be up and waiting to hear from me.”

  “The hospital it is, then,” Jamie said.

  They pulled into the dark parking lot fifteen minutes later, and Jamie eased himself into his wheelchair. They made their way to the patient information desk, where a nurse asked them to wait in a nearby lobby for Doctor Hartmann.

  The hospital was eerily quiet, but there was one other occupant in the small waiting area. A man sat on the opposite side of the room, his head bent into his hands. He wore a heavy yellow shirt and a pair of military fatigue pants, both of which were dark with dirt and soot. On the floor beside him was a red backpack and a firefighter’s hard hat. Rachel exchanged a meaningful look with Jamie.

  “Excuse me, sir?” she ventured.

  The man raised his head, and Rachel was momentarily taken aback by the red-rimmed, bloodshot eyes in the soot-darkened face.

  “Yes?”

  “Did you come in with Dylan McCafferty?” Rachel asked.

  He straightened. “I did, yeah. And you are—?”

  Rachel extended her hand. “I’m his sister, Rachel, and this is his good friend, James Colter. We came as soon as we got the news.”

  The man stood up and shook both of their hands. He was tall and lean, and beneath the dust and grime, very good-looking. “I’m Tyler Dodson.”

  “How is he?” Jamie asked.

  Tyler’s eyes swept over Jamie, taking in the wheelchair and extended cast on his leg. “He got caught in a crosswind during a jump and came down in a copse of trees. His leg is busted up pretty good, and he was impaled on one of the tree branches.”

  Rachel gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. “Oh my God,” she breathed. “I didn’t know…”

  Tyler looked grim. “The doc said they’ll need to remove his spleen, and he’ll be laid up here for a week, at least.”

  “Have you seen him?” Rachel asked. Jamie had rolled his chair closer to her side, and now he reached out and took her hand in his. Rachel didn’t pull away, drawing strength from his presence.

  “No, he’s still in surgery. I’m just waiting for the doc to come out and give me an update.” His bleary gaze shifted beyond them. “There he is now.”

  Both Rachel and Jamie turned to see a surgeon, still wearing his scrubs, walking toward them. His face was somber, but he gave them a weary smile.

  “You’re Mr. McCafferty’s sister?” he asked, extending his hand. “I’m Peter Hartmann.”

  “How is he doing?”

  “Your brother is strong. He came in with an open fracture of the kneecap. Essentially, the patella shattered and we had to perform surgery immediately since he had bone fragments that perforated the skin. We also removed his spleen, but I expect him to make a full recovery.”

  “Can I see him?”

  The doctor hesitated. “He’s still in recovery and pretty groggy. You can see him, but only for a moment.”

  Rachel nodded. “I’ll be quick.”

  “I’ll stay here,” Jamie said, releasing her hand. “I’ll have a chance to see him tomorrow, when he’s a little more lucid.”

  “Do you mind if I tag along?” Tyler asked. “I’d like to be able to tell the captain he looks better than he did when we pulled him out of that tree.”

  Leaving Jamie in the waiting area, Rachel followed Doctor Hartmann through
the corridors, as Tyler Dodson walked quietly alongside.

  “Are you going back to the wildfire?” she asked him.

  He nodded. “Yeah. I’ll head back to the base camp tonight. The captain will likely come by in the next day or so to check on him.” He slanted her a questioning look. “How long are you planning to stay in Bozeman?”

  “My parents are on a cruise in Hawaii, and I’m not sure when they’ll be able to make it back here. We’ll stay here until they arrive.”

  “You and James.”

  He said it as a statement, and although she didn’t detect any judgment in his tone, Rachel couldn’t help but feel defensive. “Yes. Jamie grew up across the street from us. He’s Dylan’s best friend.”

  “Yeah, I got that,” he said. “I just thought you two were—” He broke off. “Never mind, I haven’t gotten more than four hours of sleep in the past three days, so I’m a little out of touch with reality.”

  “No, tell me,” Rachel urged. “What did you think?”

  Beneath the soot and dirt, Rachel thought she saw a flush darken his cheekbones. “It’s none of my business, but I thought maybe you were a couple.” He shrugged. “If you’re not, my mistake.”

  Before Rachel could respond, they reached a set of swinging doors, and Doctor Hartmann held them open. “He’s through here,” he said, indicating a room filled with medical monitors, and beds partitioned by curtains. He stopped at the end of one bed, and Rachel couldn’t contain her soft gasp when she saw her brother.

  One leg lay cushioned on a foam pad, with ice packs on either side of the knee. The knee itself had ballooned to three times its normal size, and a long incision ran over the top, closed with surgical staples. To Rachel, it looked like something out of a horror movie. The leg itself was swollen and discolored, and several other wounds had also been closed with staples.