Page 21 of Choosing the Montana Cowboy

“While I’m sure Miss Natalie would love that, you’ll have to have her come back during the daytime for introductions, before the animals burrow into their stalls for the night.”

“Yeah, they aren’t much fun when they’re all sleepy like they will be after dinner.” Madison’s features brightened. “Next time, you’ll just have to get here earlier in the day. Oh, and the horses—we have lots of those. I can show you those while we’re out, too.”

Next time. Sam liked the thought of that more than he should. Hell, maybe it was time to stop fighting this damned attraction and just roll with it. Tonight, that idea didn’t seem nearly as treacherous as before.

Except he still didn’t have a clue as to how Natalie felt about him. Sure, she teased him back when he teased her, and she seemed extra smiley this evening. But they all did—even Gramps and Gran. So, how to know?

“Earlier would probably be better,” Natalie said. “I’m not used to seeing that many different animals in one place. In fact, I’m not used to seeing a lot of things you have out here. Speaking of which, is there a story behind the place on the other side of the Nelson property? When I drove past earlier, I swear I saw a big purple riding mower covered in goats.”

Eli nodded. “That would be the Dixon Ego1375.”

“The what?” Natalie asked.

Gran rose from the table, chuckling.

“The Dixon,” Sam said. “It’s a brand of mower. We had a traveling salesman roll through town a number of years back, claiming they had the best mower for yards like ours. Old man Jenkins was the only person in town who bought into the salesman’s claim and forked out a small fortune for one. Guy said if it ever needed so much as a tune-up to call the number on his card. Guess it worked great for a year, but when it started bellowing smoke, Ben Jenkins called that number. Disconnected. Tried calling the company. Sold.”

“Oh no.” Natalie grimaced.

Sam nodded. “Ben kept at it, though, and eventually found someone still connected to the company. Since it was still under warranty, they offered to send him a replacement. Figuring it would end up like the first one did, he asked for his money back instead. They only ever gave him a partial credit.”

“So, Ben drove that pile of junk out to the middle of his goat pen and left it there for all to see,” Eli continued. “It’s a reminder for us all to stick to the brands—and the people—we know and trust.”

Natalie shook her head. “Wow.”

“It gets better.” Madison leaned forward, grinning. “At Christmas? He decorates it with lights. And on Independence Day, he rigs it to shoot glitter bombs into the air.”

“You’re kidding me.”

Madison laughed. “Nope. The goats love it. Hang on, let me find the video of it. I’m pretty sure I saved the snap from last year.”

“That’s… unreal,” Natalie said. “And sort of explains your general distrust for outsiders.”

She leaned closer to Madison and watched the video she’d queued up on her phone. It wasn’t lost on Sam the way those two had instantly hit it off. If his daughter hadn’t been fond of Natalie, he’d know that she was faking interest. But there was nothing phony about their laughter now as the glitter bombs were erupting on-screen.

“We’re not opposed to outsiders,” Gran corrected as she returned and began passing around plates of her famous sheet cake. “But we’ve learned to do our homework when people roll into town with news that sounds too good to be true.”

A light pink tinted Natalie’s cheeks. She made to respond, but then something on Madison’s phone screen caught her attention. “Wait—was that a ferret? You have those in your petting zoo? I had a friend who had ferrets growing up. Her first one was so sweet, but man, the second one she bought bit just about everyone.”

“Yeah, that’s why Dad said I couldn’t have one, either. Because they can be mean.” She threw him an annoyed look. “But these aren’t pets. I took this video last fall, over by the fencerow that separates our ranch from Mr. Nelson’s.”

Natalie leaned closer to the screen. “So, there are wild ferrets in Montana?”

“Yeah, they’re, like,wayendangered, though. Right Dad?”

Natalie’s smile dimmed. “Endangered?”

Sam nodded, his thoughts going back to the first time they’d seen the ferrets and the Google searches that had transpired afterward. “Yeah, I guess disease nearly wiped them out a while back. They were reintroduced in Montana back in the nineties, so it was kinda cool to see them on our land.”

“But you only saw them that once?” Natalie asked.

Why was she suddenly looking so dazed and confused?

“No, we’ve seen them a few times now,” Madison answered. “This is the only video I have, but I have pictures from other times. They’re kinda grainy, though, because usually if we get too close, they duck into their holes and hide. Did you know they eat prairie dogs and then basically take over their burrows? Isn’t that wild?”

“Yeah,” Natalie said, leaning back in her seat, the earlier excitement about ferrets gone from her eyes. “Have… other people seen them on their land, too?”

Madison nodded, reaching for her plate of cake. “A bunch of my friends have. And Dad and Norah and Howie.”

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