Montana Hearts (14 page)

Grace closed the drawer and looked up. “No need to be sorry, child. I'm a silly old woman who had trouble letting go of Zoe. I've made my peace with the Lord now.” She glanced at Kurt. “I think we all have.”

Kurt hooked his arm around his mother-in-law's shoulders. “We're getting there, aren't we kids?”

Tears of gratitude flooded Sarah's eyes, and she wiped them away.

Kurt visibly took a breath and cleared his throat. He pulled her cell phone from his shirt pocket and put it on the bed table beside the flowers. “So when does the doctor say you can escape this place?”

“Tomorrow, assuming I continue to do well.”

“You will.” Coming from Kurt, the words sounded like an order. “I'll be here first thing in the morning.”

“Not too early.” She laughed at his determined expression. “Dr. Trevor will have to sign my discharge papers before they'll release me.”

“No problem. If he doesn't show up by noon, I'll just kidnap you.”

Toby cheered. Beth and Grace seemed delighted with his plan, too.

But what would happen next? The end of summer was quickly approaching, the time for her to return to Seattle. How could Sarah ever leave this family that she'd come to know and love? How could she leave Kurt?

She squeezed her eyes shut. Somehow she'd have to trust the Lord and leave the answer up to Him.

After they all left to go back to the ranch, Sarah
checked her cell phone and discovered she'd had several messages from Tricia in Seattle. She punched in her business number.

Tricia answered on the second ring. “Puget Sound Business Services.”

“Hi, Tricia. It's me.”

“Sarah! Thank goodness you called.” Her voice rose in excitement. “I've been worried about you.”

“Sorry to be so out of touch.” Sarah had been checking in with Tricia at least once a week until she'd fallen ill, though she had complete confidence her friend wouldn't have any problem handling the workload. “I did have a small setback, but I'm fine now. How's it going with you?”

“Great. Everything is under control here. I'm getting to know some of your clients pretty well, and they're really nice people. They always ask about you and how you're doing.”

Thinking of the small-business clients she'd worked with for so many years, she smiled. “Tell them ‘hi' from me.”

“Will do. And the best news of all…” Tricia paused for effect. “I passed the CPA exam!”

“Whoo-hoo! Congratulations! I never doubted for minute that you'd nail that exam.”

“Then you were more confident than I was. What a monster.”

“So what are your plans?” Sarah asked.

“I'd sent my resume to a bunch of places and had a few interviews. I got a really good offer, too.” She named one of the most prestigious accounting firms in the city.

“Wow, you're going big-time. Did you accept?”

“I did but I told them I couldn't start until September first.”

The date Sarah was supposed to be back in Seattle for her three-month doctor's appointment and to take over her business again. “Were they okay with that?”

“They said fine, although earlier would be better. It's a great opportunity for me.” Tricia laughed. “But it's a huge company with offices all across the country. I'll be just one of about a dozen junior CPAs in the Seattle office trying to scramble up the promotion ladder, and that could mean transfers to other cities as time goes on.”

“I'm betting you'll be the smartest and work the hardest of all of them.” Sarah wanted the best for Tricia. Raised by a single mother, she'd put herself through school and achieved outstanding grades.

“It does seem like a dream come true, and the money is great. Anyone would be dumb to pass up a chance like that, wouldn't they?”

Not wanting to unduly influence her friend, Sarah hedged her answer. “You're the only one who can answer that, Tricia.”

“Great. Now you're sounding like my mother.”

They chatted for a few more minutes, then Sarah hung up. She'd had a dream when she came to Sweet Grass Valley—to find a way to help the donor family whose courage and compassion had given her a new heart. She'd failed that mission.

And somewhere along the way, her dream had changed.

She didn't know yet if her new dream would come true.

Or what would happen to her business clients if her new dream came true and she didn't return to Seattle. Her conscience wouldn't allow her to leave them totally in the lurch.

T
he hot summer day and the scent of sage drifting in from the prairie mixing with car exhaust in the hospital parking lot spelled freedom for Sarah.

A woman in her sixties who wore a royal-blue hospital volunteer jacket had brought her downstairs in a wheelchair while Kurt went to get the truck. Sarah carried her vase of flowers in her lap.

The volunteer stood beside her, one hand resting on the back of the wheelchair. “Now, you take your time getting your strength back before bringing Dr. Zoom in to see the children again.”

“I will.” She'd walked down the corridor to pediatrics yesterday afternoon, peeking inside the rooms, and was very much looking forward to getting back to entertaining them again.

“The youngsters surely have enjoyed having you come visit.”

“I'll be back as soon as I'm able,” she said as Kurt pulled the truck up next to the curb.

He hopped out of the truck and came around to the
passenger side. “I tried to rent a chariot with six white horses but they were all out of them today.”

“Your truck will be just fine.” Chuckling, she handed the flowers to the volunteer and started to stand up. Before she knew what was happening, Kurt had scooped her up into his arms.

She squealed. “You don't have to carry me.”

“You may have entered the hospital on a gurney, but the least I can do is carry you out.” With the ease of a man who was used to bulldogging calves for a living, he placed her on the passenger seat. He reached back to retrieve the flowers from the volunteer and gave them to Sarah.

“I'm not an invalid, you know.”

“Maybe not. But I intend to take very good care of you.”

She mentally groaned. Kurt was going to be more overprotective than her mother had been. Sarah would have to do something about that. She hated being coddled.

He drove away from the front of the hospital building, went about fifty feet and stopped, shifting the truck into Park.

“What's wrong?” she asked.

“Nothing.” He turned toward her, cupped her face with his calloused hand and brought his lips down on hers. He tasted of the warmth of Montana, the heat that had been trapped in the cab of his truck.

Her heart responded with a heavy beat and she ached for him to hold her, not just for this kiss but forever.

With her hand, she caressed his smooth-shaven cheek,
his square jaw, memorizing the rugged angles and planes of his face, features she would always remember.

He broke the kiss. His eyes had darkened almost to black. “I don't know about you, but I feel a whole lot better now.”

She wasn't sure
better
was how she felt. But she certainly felt more alive than at any other time in her life.

Thank You, Lord.

 

A half hour later, they drove beneath the arch announcing they had arrived at the Rocking R Ranch. A feeling of homecoming soothed Sarah and she welcomed the sense of relief that she had survived the threat of organ rejection. She knew that her situation had, at one point, been touch and go, though she wouldn't reveal that to Kurt and his family.

Not for a moment did she doubt the many prayers that had been said for her, including Kurt's, had tipped the balance toward recovery.

Buds on the climbing rosebushes she and Beth had planted by the gazebo had blossomed and the sunflowers looked like they'd grown a foot in the week she'd been gone. The heads of brightly colored zinnias beckoned in a light breeze.

Kurt stopped the truck near the front porch, which surprised Sarah. Usually he parked by the barn.

Rather than risk having him carry her inside, she got out of the truck as quickly as she could. She didn't want the children to think of her as an invalid anymore than she wanted Kurt to.

His eyebrows shot up when he discovered she had
gotten out on her own. He took the vase of flowers from her. “You're going to be stubborn, aren't you?”

“It's one of my finest attributes.” Chiding him with a smile, she fluffed the tips of her hair in a flirtatious gesture.

“Impish today, are we?” Scowling, he took her elbow to help her up the steps. He had a stubborn streak, too.

Opening the door, he let her step inside first.

Beth, Toby and Grace greeted her with a shout. “Welcome home!” A homemade WELCOME HOME, SARAH! banner in red letters on white butcher paper was strung across the living room. A dozen red-and-white balloons bobbed above two baskets filled with matching carnations.

“Oh, my!” Her eyes widened and she covered her mouth in surprise. Heat burned her cheeks. She turned to Kurt. “Look what they've done.”

He rested his hand on her shoulder. “Guess you could say they're glad to have you back. We all are.”

“I'm glad, too. More than you could possibly know.” She gave the children hugs, Grace, too. “Thank you. All of you.”

“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.