Czytaj książkę: «The Maverick & the Manhattanite»

Chapter One

My suitcase is packed and I’m ready for my assignment as a lead coordinator for Bootstraps, a charitable organization based in New York City. I’m getting ready to travel from my world to a totally different one. I’m trading subways, theater, high fashion and rush hour crowds for a small town in Montana that’s been nearly destroyed by a flood. No more cushy apartment or paved sidewalks for me. I’ll be facing mud—a lot of it. I expect I won’t find a lot of Wall Street types in a town called Rust Creek. But there will be cowboys—and I’ve always been curious about cowboys....

— Lissa Roarke

Lissa’s roommate, Chelsea, swirled her glass of red wine as she picked up one of the boots from Lissa’s suitcase. Chelsea eyed it with disgust. “I can’t believe you’re actually going to wear something with the label John Deere.”

“Hey, these are great,” Lissa said. “They’re weather resistant and the lining is moisture wicking and breathable. They’ve got removable orthotics, a tempered-steel shank and a rubber outsole.”

“But they’re ugly,” Chelsea said and dropped the boot back into Lissa’s open suitcase. She took a deep sip of wine. “I know you’re into your job and you want to help people, but are you sure this is a good idea? There must be plenty you can still do here.”

“This is a huge opportunity for me. I’ll be the lead coordinator. Besides, my rent will be covered and you’ll get to rule our little roost,” Lissa said, giving her roommate a hug.

“But I’ll miss you,” Chelsea admitted. “And I’ve worked so hard to improve your style quotient.”

Chelsea worked for a women’s fashion magazine and believed one of her missions in life was to help everyone dress with more style and flair. She glanced in Lissa’s suitcase again and gave a disapproving sniff. “Couldn’t you at least include a Givenchy or Hermès scarf? A Burberry sweater? Remember what I’ve told you. Just a few stand-out pieces can really make a difference.”

Lissa smothered a chuckle. “Chelsea, I need to be ready to work. I need to give these people a strong impression that I’m there to help them if they’re going to take me seriously. They haven’t received enough national attention or help. No rock stars are holding concerts for them, and most of their town was practically wiped out, from what I’ve heard.”

Chelsea sighed. “True, I suppose,” she said and took another sip of wine. “You’re such a good soul. I really will miss you.”

“You won’t have to share the bathroom,” Lissa reminded her.

“Well, when you put it that way,” Chelsea said. “Ciao. I’m putting a little prezzie in your suitcase for a time you may need it. Probably tomorrow night,” she muttered under her breath. “No peeking.”

“You don’t need to give me any presents,” Lissa said.

“Oh, I do. I have very little conscience, but I can’t ignore true north on this one.”

While Chelsea moved through the small apartment wearing a morose expression, Lissa double-checked her list and made last-minute preparations for her trip. She was halfnervous and totally excited. Her first assignment as lead coordinator. She’d never be able to explain it to Chelsea, or her family of high achievers, for that matter, but Lissa had grown weary of life in the city and she was looking forward to being in a totally different environment. Her daily journal entries had grown stale and depressing. Her parents had always cautioned her not to put too much energy into her passion for writing. They thought she should focus on something more practical. Working for Bootstraps had offered her the unique opportunity to help people and also blog about her experiences on their website.

Although she knew her temporary stay in Montana would be challenging, she was looking forward to fresh air, big blue skies and wide-open spaces.

And cowboys. She wouldn’t admit it to anyone else, but she’d had a fascination with cowboys for a long time. She wanted to know more about the real kind of cowboy, and apparently Montana was full of them. Lissa felt a twinge of guilt when she thought that Chelsea believed Lissa was being so self-sacrificing by going to Montana.

Lissa closed her eyes and brushed the unwelcome feeling aside. Her first duty was to help the community of Rust Creek Falls, and she was determined to make a difference. Cowboys were just the cherry on top of the assignment.

* * *

In his office, Sheriff Gage Christensen took another sip of coffee as he prowled the small area and listened to Charlene Shelton, a volunteer senior deputy, give her weekly report on how the elderly in his jurisdiction were faring. As soon as he’d begun serving as sheriff, Gage had learned it was a lot easier to appoint a volunteer to check on folks than wait for calls. “I’ve made all my calls. Everyone is mostly fine. Teresa Gilbert may need a ride to the doctor next week, so we’ll need a volunteer driver for that. The only one who didn’t answer or call me back was Harry Jones, but you know he’s a stubborn one. Always has been. Ever since his wife died last year, he’s just gotten worse.”

“I’ll get Will to check on Harry,” he said, speaking of his deputy. “He won’t mind.”

“I’m still worried about all the people still stuck in trailers since the flood,” she clucked. “Winter is coming and I can’t believe those cheap trailers will withstand our blizzards.”

Gage felt his neck tighten with tension. He didn’t disagree with Charlene, but it would take time to put the rural town back together after the flash flood they’d experienced. “We’re all working on it, Charlene. In fact, we’ve got a charity-relief woman coming in from the East. She should arrive this afternoon.”

“From the East?” Charlene echoed, clearly enjoying receiving this bit of news. Gage figured she would be burning up the phone wires as soon as they finished the call. “How is someone from the East going to know what to do here? Where’s she from?”

Gage hesitated. “New York.”

Silence followed. “Well, I suppose they have experience with flooding, but we don’t have subways or high-rises.”

“I know, but we’re not in a position to turn down help. I’ve been tapping every connection I can find. Some people are responding. Others are already booked. We need to get as much done as possible since winter will hit early.”

“Yes, we’re in hard times. If only Hunter McGee was still with us,” she said.

The mention of the former mayor’s name stabbed him. There was never a day that passed that he didn’t think about the mayor’s death during the storm. Gage blamed himself. His parents had talked him into taking a quick trip to a rodeo out of town and Hunter had agreed to cover for Gage. The flood hit and Hunter had rushed out in response to a call. A tree had fallen on his car and he’d died of a heart attack.

“No one can replace Hunter,” Gage said.

“That’s true, but we’re lucky we have you as sheriff, Gage. You’ve been working nonstop to help us,” Charlene said.

“There’s always more to do,” he said.

“Well, I’ll bring you a pie the next time I come into town. A single man needs a pie every now and then,” she said.

Gage looked at the baked goods piled on a table next to the dispatcher’s desk. “You don’t have to do that, Charlene. We all appreciate the work you do with the calls you make each week.”

“Oh, it’s nothing,” she said. “I can bake a pie in my sleep.”

Gage swallowed a sigh. “Thanks for making those calls. Take care, now.”

At that moment, he heard the sound of a husky, feminine laugh and wondered who it was. It was a sexy sound that distracted him.

Gage glanced outside his office and saw his twenty-one-year-old deputy, Will Baker, walk into the office with a slim redhead by his side. The woman was a head-snapper with her fiery hair, long legs and confident air.

“Hey, uh, Gage, this is Lissa Roarke, the relief worker you told me to pick up from the airport. She needs someone to show her around town. I can do it.”

Gage tore his gaze from the woman’s eyes and bit back a smile. He wasn’t at all surprised that Will was volunteering to show the pretty New Yorker around. He was practically drooling all over the woman. “That’s okay. Vickie,” he said, referring to this dispatcher, “needs to leave early, so I’d like you to fill in at the dispatcher desk for a couple hours.”

Disappointment shadowed Will’s face. “Oh, well, if you need me for anything, Lissa, give me a call. I wrote down my cell number for you. Call me anytime.”

“Thank you, Will, and thank you for picking me up from the airport and taking me to the rooming house before bringing me here. You’re a much better driver than most of the ones I deal with in the city.”

Will stood a little taller. “We take our driving seriously out here.”

Gage cleared his throat. “Will, thank you for picking up Miss Roarke. Vickie’s waiting, okay.” He moved toward the New Yorker and extended his hand. “I’m the sheriff, Gage Christensen. We appreciate your help.”

“Please, call me Lissa,” she said in a voice that held a hint of a sexy rasp. She returned his handshake. Her hand was small and soft. He had a hard time imagining her smooth, uncallused hand doing hard labor. Her long red hair fell in a mass of curls to her shoulders and he liked the fact that she didn’t seem to care about taming it. Maybe she wasn’t as high maintenance as he feared. He’d met a few city women and most of them had seemed obsessed with their hair and nails. Her blue eyes glinted with curiosity and intelligence.

“Call me Gage,” he said. “Do you need something to eat before I show you around?” He cocked his head toward the table near the dispatcher’s desk. “People are always dropping off food for us. It’s generous, but if I ate everything they bring in, I’d be as big as a barn. Sometimes I wonder if they’re secretly trying to kill me,” he joked in a low voice.

Lissa gave a light laugh. “I’m sure they’re just showing their appreciation. I’m not hungry, though, because I ate during my layover. I’m anxious to see Rust Creek Falls. I visited Thunder Canyon when one of my cousins got married and it was beautiful.”

“I better warn you that Rust Creek is a lot different from Thunder Canyon. Thunder Canyon has a first-class resort and a lot of shops. We have the minimum requirements here. For everything else, we have to head out of town. Things aren’t nearly as picturesque since the flood here, either.”

“That’s okay,” she said. “I have some experience with floods myself after living in New York City.”

“I can’t deny you that. You’ve had some natural disasters that looked like real messes on the news,” he said and led her outside to his patrol car.

“Trust me. They were worse in person,” she said and slid into the passenger seat.

Even though he wasn’t all that confident that a lady from Manhattan was going to be able to help Rust Creek much, Gage was determined to be gracious. He had a hard time believing this city girl would really understand the needs of a small town. He drove down the street, pointing out the businesses that had mostly survived the flood. “We got lucky that some of our important buildings didn’t get hit by the flood. The Masonic Hall,” he said, gesturing to the structure as he turned onto North Main Street. “And thank goodness Crawford’s General Store dodged that bullet. We get everything from feed to groceries there. And the church is still intact. By the way, the reverend is a good man and he’ll be a good resource for you.”

“That’s good to know,” Lissa said. “I’ll try to meet him as soon as I can.”

Taking a turn, he headed in a different direction. “One of the biggest losses was the elementary school. Teachers are holding classes in their homes. The town just doesn’t have the money to rebuild.”

“That’s terrible,” she said, making notes in a small notebook. “I’d like to make that a priority in terms of raising funds.”

“This is the flood zone. Most of the houses were lost or damaged on these streets, including my sister’s house.”

“Can we stop so I can take a look inside the homes?”

“Sure,” he said, pulling his car to the side of the road. He took her inside an unlocked house.

“Wow, the door isn’t locked. Have you had trouble with looting?” she asked.

“Not so much. People took their valuables when they moved in with family or into the area where most of the trailers are,” he said.

She nodded as she stepped inside and looked around. She tapped on the wooden floor with her foot. “This is good,” she said as she looked around the bare room. “They’ve pulled out most of the sources for mold. Furniture, draperies. Even pulled out the dry wall and insulation.”

“Some people cooperated and others just took off. We moved out the furniture next door, but the owners haven’t touched the drywall.”

She bit her lip. “That makes things more challenging, but I have some mold specialists coming in during the next few days. They’ll make assessments and start work on our top priority places.”

“I was wondering how you were going to get any professionals here since we’re in the middle of nowhere. We’ve taxed our contacts in Thunder Canyon and Kalispell to the max, but those folks need to make a living, too. They can’t work for free forever,” he said.

She looked at him and nodded. “That’s why I’m here—to fill in those gaps. I remember reading about the trailer village. I’ve been able to get a few more for the specialists to share since they’ll be around for a while. I’m going to have weekly volunteer groups staying at the church. Can you show me more of the damaged areas?”

“Sure,” he said as she walked past him to leave the house. Despite her work boots, he noticed she had a nice little wiggle in her walk and she smelled more like a woman than a girl. Her dark and spicy scent was at odds with her fresh face and natural hair. She was more practical than he’d expected, Gage thought. She could be distracting and he didn’t need that.

Gage drove out toward several ranches that had been damaged and had lost animals and he noticed Lissa continued to take notes. “Such a shame, but we’re here to make it better. It’s amazing how this seemed to happen in an instant. When New York flooded, at least we got some notice. Did you have any damage at your ranch?”

“My first floor was pretty much ruined. I lost a lot of personal papers and some photographs. I’m living in a temporary trailer at the moment,” he said.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” she said, sympathy sliding through her voice like cool water on hot skin. “That must have been horrible.”

Gage thought of the mayor who’d died in the flood and everything inside him refused her kindness. “I got off easy,” he snapped. “Some people lost their lives.”

“Yes, of course,” she said in an apologetic tone. “I didn’t mean to—”

“I think you’ve probably seen enough to get you started. I’ll take you back to the rooming house,” he said tersely. As much as Gage wanted help for Rust Creek, he hadn’t expected that being around the relief worker would remind him of all he’d been unable to do to help the people stranded by the flood because he’d been out of town. He’d spent every spare minute since the flood trying to help citizens get back on their feet, but the process was slow. Too slow for him.

* * *

Lissa climbed the creaky wooden steps to her room, feeling as if someone had taken the wind out of her sails. She’d started out the day filled with hope and determination, and even though the lingering devastation from the flood tugged at her, she’d felt optimistic as the sheriff showed her around.

Of course, it didn’t hurt that he was tall and lean with muscles in all the right places, and he walked with a sexy, confident stroll that she suspected could turn into a fast run at the right moment. She liked his deep voice. Everything about him seemed sure. He might have his doubts and regrets about a few things, but Lissa sensed that Gage was okay in his own skin and didn’t waste time wondering what people thought of him.

At the same time, his brooding gaze suggested a bit of sadness. She could tell he felt the burden of helping his community since the flood. She just wished she hadn’t set him off with her sympathy for his own property loss. She should have known better. Rust Creek Falls had been suffering for months and Gage had a firsthand view of most of it.

Opening the door to the bedroom that would be her home for the next month, she glanced at the comfy-looking bed, chest of drawers, minifridge and coffeemaker. She was surprised to see a sandwich, chips and water on a tray for her with a note. “Thought you could use this after your long day. Let us know how we can help. Melba.”

Lissa smiled. The thoughtfulness of Melba Strickland, the boardinghouse’s owner, soothed her. This never would have happened to her in Manhattan. That was for sure. She tugged off her boots and went to the tiny bathroom to wash her hands and splash her face. All she wanted was to jump into her pj’s, gobble down that sandwich and hit the sack. She opened her suitcase on the luggage rack and decided she’d unpack some other time. Digging down into the bottom, she found a box she couldn’t remember packing. She pulled it out and opened it: two bottles of red wine. Lissa laughed. This must have been her roommate’s gift.

Shaking her head, she put the box in her suitcase and pulled out her pj’s. She didn’t need wine. She needed a good night of sleep and the shot of optimism she hoped it would bring.

* * *

Gage didn’t pull into his dirt driveway until after eleven o’clock. He stopped by the Martins’ ranch, where he was helping Bob Martin redo the kitchen floor. The family hoped to be back in the house by Thanksgiving, but it was going to be close. Gage wasn’t a certified plumber or electrician, but growing up with his dad had provided him with a lot of practical do-it-yourself knowledge.

He would ask Lissa Roarke if she could send her mold specialists over to the Martins. He thought of her and her long, curly hair and upbeat attitude. Inhaling deeply, he could almost smell her perfume.

Gage scowled at himself. What was he thinking? He’d just met Lissa and he could tell she was city through and through. Not at all his type. He’d dated a couple city girls during his early twenties who’d visited relatives in Rust Creek Falls, and he’d quickly learned that the women didn’t have any staying power and needed more amusements than this small town could offer.

Stepping out of his car, he felt a chilly wind sweep through him. He shivered and hustled to the trailer he was living in now. If Gage had devoted himself to repairing his own home, he could have been in it a month ago, but it just didn’t seem right to him. Entire families had been uprooted by the flood, so he spent most evenings trying to give those most affected a hand. Even though people were in need, they were more than willing to help their neighbors. That was a fact of life in Rust Creek and it was one of the reasons he’d allowed himself to be talked into running for sheriff.

There may have been times when he’d thought about leaving Montana, but his roots here ran deep. His family and the people were important to him. Ranching was in his blood. Gage stepped inside the trailer and felt the wind shake and rattle through his metal home. Chuckling to himself, he rubbed his hands together before he turned on his coffeemaker. Sometimes he felt like he was living in a tin can. He would get around to fixing his own home after he’d helped more of the families who were suffering.

Gage pulled off his hat and grabbed a pair of pajamas out of one of the few drawers in the trailer. Still cold, he stood over the coffeemaker until the brown liquid made its way to the carafe. Even with the long hours he was pulling he still sometimes had a hard time falling asleep, so he’d started drinking decaf at night. He sure as hell didn’t need one more reason to keep him awake.

He poured a cup of the hot coffee then sank onto the sofa that sat across from his television. Turning on the TV, he prepared to lose himself in a ballgame. For a few minutes before he fell asleep, he would think about something besides the way so many of his people were suffering. He watched for several moments before his eyes started to drift closed. He blinked, realizing he was more tired than he’d thought.

Gage brushed his teeth and washed his face, then pulled out the sleep sofa and sank onto the bed. It wasn’t the best bed, but it felt good at the moment. He listened to the game with his eyes closed for a few moments then turned off the TV. Sighing, he forced himself not to think about what he had on his plate tomorrow. Instead, a vision of a red-haired woman sneaked into his mind like smoke under a door.

Gage shook his head, willing the image away.

* * *

Lissa dragged herself out of bed, started the coffeemaker in the room and stumbled into the shower. It would take a few days for her to get used to the time zone change. It might only be two hours different from New York, and she might be an early riser, but five-thirty a.m. was a little too early for her. Inhaling a cup of coffee, she pulled on a set of long underwear, jeans and a sweater, as she ran through a mental list of what she wanted to accomplish today. Hoping she would succeed after riling the good sheriff, she brushed her teeth and put on a little lip gloss, then headed out of her room.

She smelled the scent of fresh coffee brewing along with something cinnamony baking in the oven and bacon frying. Lissa drooled. She’d planned to grab some yogurt from the local store.

A woman’s voice called out to her. “Breakfast is almost ready. Come on in to the kitchen.”

Lissa stepped into the warm room, catching sight of Melba Strickland, the eighty-something-year-old owner of the rooming house, removing crispy bacon from a cast iron skillet. “How do you like your eggs, honey?”

“Oh, you don’t need to do that,” Lissa said, noticing a couple of men at the breakfast table. “I planned to grab a bite on my way to the sheriff’s office.”

“No need for that when you can eat the best breakfast in town,” Melba said, then shot Lissa an assessing glance from behind her glasses. “Besides, you look like you could use a little fattening up, and breakfast is included with your room. Sunny-side up or scrambled?”

“Scrambled, thank you,” Lissa said, smiling at the take-charge woman.

“Go ahead and get yourself some coffee,” Melba said, nodding toward the coffeemaker with mugs beside it. “There’s orange juice, too, if you like. What do you have up your sleeve today?”

“Getting more information about the damage from the flood and trying to get a better feel for the layout of the county. I have a mold specialist coming in tomorrow. I’m hoping that since Montana is usually dry that it won’t be the kind of problem we had with Hurricane Sandy.”

Melba shook her head. “Trouble is, not everyone was willing to give up their furniture. If I said it once, I said it a hundred times—you have to get all the wet stuff out of the house, or you’re just asking for more trouble. But I’m an old woman. I don’t know anything.” Melba plopped the scrambled eggs onto a plate along with a large portion of bacon and a huge cinnamon roll. “There you go. Eat up.”

“Oh, that’s entirely too—” Lissa stopped at the hard glance Melba threw at her. “Looks delicious. Thank you,” she said, wondering if there was a hungry dog close by with whom she could share all the food.

She sat down next to an older man who had cleaned his plate. “Hello. I’m Lissa Roarke.”

The man nodded. “Nice to meet you. I’m Gene Strickland, Melba’s husband.”

“I don’t suppose you’re still hungry,” she said in a low voice.

He shook his head and chuckled. “No chance. But I’ll distract her when you’re done. You might wanna fix your own plate from now on. Melba thinks women are too skinny these days and she’s on a mission to change that.”

“Thanks for the tip,” Lissa said. She hadn’t wanted to offend the rooming house owner the second day she’d arrived in the state.

While Gene drank his coffee, Lissa finished her eggs, a slice of bacon and a few bites of the delicious cinnamon roll. When she could eat no more, she nodded in Gene’s direction.

He nodded in return. “Hey Melba, I think we might have a leak in the roof. You want me to fix it?”

Melba frowned. “We don’t have a leak in the roof. We better not have a leak in the roof,” she said, putting her hands on her hips. “Even if we did, I wouldn’t let you go climbing on top of the house at your age. Have you gone crazy? You show me what you’re talking about, Gene.”

Gene smiled and rose from the table. “I think it’s on the northeast side,” he said. “Let’s take a look.”

“Bless you, bless you,” Lissa whispered and quickly rose and wrapped the rest of her cinnamon roll to eat later.

Walking out of the rooming house, she felt a hint of moisture in the cold air. She glanced up at the sky. She hadn’t checked the weather, but she supposed that with those clouds, anything was possible. Shrugging, she headed down the street to the sheriff’s office. The weather wasn’t going to stop her today.

As she stepped into the building that housed the sheriff’s office, she saw Gage putting on his Stetson and looking as if he were preparing to leave.