Page 7 of Montana Silence

Daniel approached and reached past me for a soda from one of the ice bowls on the bar. “That was interesting.”

“You could have been more subtle,” I said with a sigh.

He grinned. “Coming from you? The least subtle member of our family?”

“I can be subtle,” I said, glad to be on more familiar ground finally. “I have my clothes picked out for next week, and I thought highlighter yellow was a good choice. No?”

They laughed, and I took the chance to escape and stand at the other end of the bar, closer to the edge of the tent. I wasn’t quite ready to leave yet, but I was done being interrogated.

Jude walked up the side of the tent toward me, and I rolled my eyes. “Fuck,” I said under my breath and took another sip of my drink. “Is it really that bad that I asked a woman to dance? I swear you all are worse than meddling grandmothers.”

He held up his hands like he was surrendering. “I get that, but unlike the others, you and I both know it’s not just asking her to dance.”

It was true. Jude had figured out my attraction to Mara a while ago. Of the guys, he was the one who most understood the situation. “Was this what it was like for you and Lena? Eyes on you all the time like you’re in a fishbowl?”

Jude shrugged. “Yes. But I think it’s a little different, because neither of us was actually trying to hide our interest. I just had my head up my own ass.”

I smiled at that.

“But don’t worry about the stares. Everyone here loves you and is rooting for you, and the same for Mara. If you and Mara are meant to be, they’ll be rooting for the both of you together. Don’t be discouraged by it.”

“I’ll try not to. I’m just not used to being monitored like there’s a spotlight on me. It’s not going to make anything easier.”

Jude choked on a laugh. “No, it’s absolutely not. But you’ll still be okay.”

“Do me a favor and tell Grant and Noah they can skip coming over to check on me.”

“Will do,” he smirked. “But don’t blame me if it doesn’t work.”

If everyone thought this was some kind of fling or passing interest, they couldn’t be more wrong. I’d started to get to know Mara because I was interested in drawing out the quiet woman I always saw around the ranch. It didn’t sit right with me that we had an employee whom I didn’t know.

It was her sweet, gentle kindness that pulled me in the rest of the way. She always did more than was required, and she loved to help. Like tonight, gathering dishes at the reception though no one expected her to.

She was stunning, and whenever she chose to speak, my whole being perked up and listened.

I didn’t know if I deserved someone like her. But tonight gave me hope. I would never push her or make her uncomfortable. But if she gave me a chance?

No doubt in my mind. I would take it.

Chapter3

Liam

A tangleof rust and dust stared back at me from the truck’s engine. I was no mechanic, but I still wanted to look. Working on a ranch meant being around enough machines to know when something was glaringly out of place, even if I didn’t know the ins and outs of engines.

Still, the truck had sounded weird last night when Mara left, and when I started it today, it was off. A loud squeaking when it accelerated that shouldn’t be there. These things were built to last, and we didn’t work them nearly as hard as those who had a traditionally functioning ranch. But this was one of the older trucks, and it was definitely on its last legs.

The crunch of dirt alerted me to a presence, but I didn’t move. They’d tell me who they were. Right now, I only saw boots next to the truck, and that didn’t give me any kind of clue.

A foot tapped my leg.

I scooted out from beneath the truck just enough to see that I was surrounded. Lucas, Jude, and Noah were standing there, looking down at me, and all of them looked serious.

Glancing around, I sat up and brushed the dust off my clothes. “You know, I’ve been expecting this,” I said with an exaggerated sigh. “And I’ll come clean with you. Ihavebeen eating the last Deja Brew cookies every week for years without telling anyone. It’s okay, I’m ready for my intervention.”

Jude snorted. “I knew it was you. And I knew it was you trying to get me to go back to the store early just to see Lena.”

I shrugged. No way was I admitting to that, but I also wasn’t going to deny it either. The man had needed a push.

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