Page 5 of Hiding in Montana

He withdrew his cell and handed it to her. “Why don’t you put your number in and call yourself?”

“Efficient. I like it.” She flashed him a grin and tapped her digits into a new contact and then dialed her cell so caller ID would register his number too. Once that was accomplished, she handed him his phone. “Alright, well, I’m gonna head home. It’s been a busy day.”

He took a step back from her truck and tapped the open window. “Drive carefully.”

His heart-melting smile made her insides tingle. She fluttered her fingertips in a wave before she put the truck back into drive and pulled away from him. Looking in her rearview mirror, she could see him watching her leave, and he lifted his hand in one last wave before she went around the bend in the long driveway.

Once Clint was out of sight, she exhaled and then squealed with delight. She had a date and she couldn’t wait. She glanced at the clock. In fifty hours, he’d be picking her up. The first thing she had to do when she got home was check her closet for the perfect outfit.

Polly looked in the mirror again. After trying on four different outfits, she settled on a Boho turquoise floral dress and brown cowboy boots. She added a heart-shaped turquoise necklace and large hoop earrings. The question she had was whether to leave her hair down or pull it back in a clip. Then she thought of the faint scars on her neck from a tube inserted after her accident and left it down. Better camouflage. Tonight was not the night to reveal her accident, which would only lead to more questions. That could cause this budding friendship to wither and die before it even had time to take root.

A sharp rap on her door snapped her out of the oppressive secret. She put a smile on her face and called out, “Coming!”

Clint was standing on her wide porch dressed in snug dark blue jeans, a crisp butter-colored shirt, and he held his hat in his hand. His gaze roamed from her eyes to her toes and he smiled appreciatively. “Evening, Polly. You look beautiful.”

By the sparkle in his eyes, he thought she looked pretty good. “Other than the wedding, this is probably the only time you’ve seen me in a dress.”

“It looks real nice, too.”

“I’ll just get my bag and we can leave.”

He held out a brown paper sack. “I brought this for you. I know flowers are traditional for a date, but since you take care of the gardens, I thought you might have some here.” He glanced at her yard. “I was right. I hope you like ice cream.”

She opened the top of the bag and saw, in fact, there was ice cream and more. With a soft laugh, she asked, “What all is in here?”

“Fixings for banana splits, complete with nuts and whipped cream.”

He beamed. She couldn’t help it, so she took a step toward him and barely brushed her lips against his cheek. “Thank you. This was very thoughtful and completely unexpected.” She bopped her head in the kitchen's direction. “Let me put this away and we can go.”

Clint stood on the porch and never crossed the threshold while she hurried into the other room. In record time, she put everything in the freezer and refrigerator. When she came back out, he was still standing on the porch.

“Why didn’t you come in?”

He looked her directly in the eye. “You didn’t invite me.”

Clint stated the reason so simply she was taken aback. “I’m sorry; that was rude of me.”

He gave her that smile again and said, “Don’t worry. When you do invite me in, you won’t have to ask me twice.”

That made her heart race with all that his statement could imply. But she was sure by the smile that filled his face and warmed his eyes she would be perfectly safe.

The door opened and Clint waited until she stepped onto the porch before he pulled the heavy wooden door closed tight. She put the key in the lock and made sure it was secured.

“I’m ready if you are?”

With his hand placed lightly in the curve of the small of her back, they walked to his truck and once again he held the door and offered his hand to help her inside. She never realized he was such a gentleman, a far cry from her ex who said unless she had a broken limb, he was never holding a door for her. His logic. No one had ever held a door for him.

Her smile dipped and Clint said, “Is everything okay? I only have one vehicle.”

Now she felt like a jerk. This was their night, not for her to relive another unpleasant memory. “No, the truck is fine. I was just remembering something I had forgotten about.”

Doubt remained on his face.

“Really, Clint. I will never lie to you, so when I tell you something, you can trust it.”

He closed the passenger door and jogged around to the driver’s side. “I’m hoping the Bucket won’t be too busy tonight.”

She appreciated his attempt to lighten the mood. The last thing she wanted was her past to intrude again. The ghosts were supposed to be vanquished. She had certainly spent enough time with the psychologist when she was in rehab after her discharge from the hospital.

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