Cardwell Ranch Trespasser(2)

“We knew expanding the shop was going to be time-consuming,” Dana said. “I’m not blaming you. But it is one reason I’m so excited my cousin is coming. Her name is Dee Anna Justice. She’s just a little younger than me—and guess what?” Dana didn’t give Hilde a chance to guess. “She didn’t know about us, either. I can’t wait to find out what my uncle Walter and the woman he married were like. You know there is more to the story.”

“I’m sure there is, but let’s not ask her as she gets off the plane, all right?”

Dana laughed. “You know me so well. That’s why you have to come along. Dee Anna is in between jobs, so that’s good. There was no reason she couldn’t come and stay for a while. I offered to help pay her way since she is out of work. I couldn’t ask her to come all the way from New York City to the wilds of Montana without helping her.”

“Of course not,” Hilde said, trying to tamp down her concern. She was a natural worrier, though—unlike Dana. It was amazing that they’d become such close friends. Hilde thought things out before she acted. Dana, who wasn’t afraid of anything, jumped right in feetfirst without a second thought. Not to mention her insatiable curiosity. Both her impulsiveness and her curiosity had gotten Dana into trouble, so it was good her husband was the local marshal.

For so long Dana had had the entire responsibility of running Cardwell Ranch on her shoulders. Not that she couldn’t handle it and two kids. But now with the twins, it was good that Jordan was taking over more of the actual day-to-day operations. Dana could really start to enjoy her family.

“I’ll get Ronnie to come in,” Hilde said. “She won’t mind watching the shop while I’m gone with you to pick up your cousin.”

“I have another favor,” Dana said, and looked sheepish. “Please say you’ll help show my cousin a good time while she’s here. Being from New York City, she’ll be bored to tears hanging around the ranch with me and four little kids.”

“How long is she staying?” Hilde asked.

Dana shrugged. “As long as she wants to, I guess.”

Hilde wondered if it was wise to leave something like this open-ended, but she kept her concerns to herself. It was good to see Dana so excited and getting a break from the kids that she said, “Don’t worry, you can count on me, but I’m sure your cousin will love being on the ranch. Did she say whether or not she rides?”

“She’s a true city girl, but Hud can teach anyone to ride if she’s up for it.”

“I’m sure she will be. Did she tell you anything about her family?”

Dana shook her head. “I still can’t believe my grandparents had a son they never mentioned. Or, for that matter, that my mother kept it a secret. It all seems very odd.”

“I’m sure you’ll get to the bottom of it. When is she arriving?” Hilde asked, as she picked up the phone to call Ronnie.

“In an hour. I thought we could have lunch in Bozeman, after we pick her up.”

Fortunately, Ronnie didn’t mind coming in with only a few minutes’ notice, Hilde thought as she hung up. Hilde suddenly couldn’t wait to meet this mysterious Justice cousin.

* * *

DEPUTY MARSHAL COLT DAWSON watched Hilde Jacobson and Dana Savage come out of the sewing shop from his spot by the window of the deli across the street. Hilde, he noticed, was dressed in tan khakis and a coral print top she’d probably sewn herself. Her long golden hair was bound up in some kind of twist. Silver shone at her throat and ears.

Colt couldn’t have put into words what it was about the woman that had him sitting in the coffee shop across the street, just hoping to get a glimpse of her. Most of the time, it made him angry with himself to be this besotted with the darned woman since the feeling was far from mutual.

As she glanced in his direction, he quickly pretended more interest in his untouched coffee. He’d begun taking his breaks and even having lunch at the new deli across from Needles and Pins. It was something he was going to have to stop doing since Hilde had apparently started to notice.

“She’s going to think you’re stalking her,” he said under his breath, and took a sip of his coffee. When he looked again she and Dana had driven away.

“I figured I’d find you here,” Marshal Hud Savage said, as he joined him. Colt saw Hud glance across the street and then try to hide a grin as he pulled up a chair and sat down.

He realized it was no secret that he’d asked Hilde out—and that she’d turned him down. Of course Hilde told her best friend, Dana, and Dana told her husband. Great—by now everyone in the canyon probably knew.

The “canyon,” as it was known, ran from the mouth just south of Gallatin Gateway almost to West Yellowstone, miles of winding road along the Gallatin River that cut deep through the mountains.

Forty miles from Bozeman was the relatively new town of Big Sky. It had sprung up when Chet Huntley and a group of men started Big Sky Ski Resort up on Lone Mountain.

Hud ordered coffee, then seemed to study him. Colt bristled at the thought of his boss feeling sorry for him, even though he was definitely pitiful. He just hoped the marshal didn’t bring up Hilde. Or mention the word crush.

Hilde had laughed when he’d asked her out as if she thought he was joking. Realizing that he wasn’t, she’d said, “Colt, I’m flattered, but I’m not your type.”

“What type is that?” he’d asked, even though he had a feeling he knew.

She’d studied him for a moment as if again trying to decide if he was serious. “Let’s just say I’m a little too old, too serious, too...not fun for you.”

He knew he had a reputation around the canyon because when he’d taken the job, he’d found there were a lot of young women who were definitely looking for a good time. He’d been blessed with his Native American father’s black hair and his Irish mother’s blue eyes. Also, he’d sowed more than a few oats after his divorce. But he was tired of that lifestyle. More than that, he was tired of the kind of women he’d been dating.

Not to mention the fact that he’d become fascinated with Hilde.

Hilde was different, no doubt about it. He’d run into her a few times at gatherings at Hud and Dana’s house. She was serious. Serious about her business, serious about the life she’d made for herself. He’d heard that she had been in corporate America for a while, then her father had died and she’d realized she wasn’t happy. That was when she’d opened her small sewing shop in Big Sky, Montana.

Other than that, he knew little about her. She was Dana’s best friend, and they had started out as partners in the shop. Now Dana was a silent investor. Hilde also had her own house. Not one of the ostentatious ones dotting the mountainsides, but a small two-bedroom with a view of Lone Mountain. She’d dated some in the area, but had never been serious about anyone. At least that’s what he’d heard.

Some people talked behind her back, saying that she thought she was too good for most of the men around the area. Colt would agree she probably was too good for most of them.

“Maybe I’ve changed,” he’d suggested the day he’d asked her out.

Hilde had smiled at that.

It had been three weeks since she’d turned him down. He’d had numerous opportunities to date other women, but he hadn’t. He was starting to worry about himself. He figured Hud probably was, too, since the canyon was such a small community, everyone knew everyone else’s business.

“I thought I’d let you know I might be taking off some more time,” Hud said after the waitress brought him a cup of coffee. Neither of them had gotten into the fancy coffees that so many places served now in Big Sky. Hud had taken off some time when the twins were born and a few days now and then to help Dana.

“Things are still plenty slow,” Colt said, glad his boss wanted to talk about work. He and Hud had gotten close since he took the job last fall, but they weren’t so close that they could talk about anything as personal as women.

“Dana discovered she has a cousin she’s never met. She and Hilde have gone to pick her up. Stacy’s babysitting all the kids right now, so I have to get back. I’ll be in and out of the office, but available if needed. Dana wants me to teach her cousin to ride a horse. She’s going to try to talk Hilde into taking her cousin on one of the river raft trips down through the Mad Mile. I told her I’d do whatever she wants. As long as Dana is happy, I’m happy to go along with it,” he added with a grin.

“Wait, Hilde is going on a raft trip?” Colt couldn’t help but laugh. “Good luck with that.”

“I think there’s a side to Hilde you haven’t seen yet. You might be surprised.” Hud finished his coffee and stood. “Might be a good idea for you to go along on that raft trip,” he added with a grin.

* * *