Page 31 of A Surprise Wedding for the Cowboy

Dad shot a glare at his ex-wife then at his father. “Didn’t we talk about putting in an elevator?”

“Yes, but there hasn’t been time. I can manage all right so long as it’s only once or twice a day.”

It was on the tip of Tate’s tongue to offer to escort his mother, but somehow he bit off the words. Grandfather was obviously up to something, pushing Tate’s parents together. Far be it from Tate to interfere, though what good could come of it? They’d been divorced for nearly twenty years. Surely they’d have gotten back together a long time ago if there were any hope.

“I appreciate it, James.” Mom set her fingers on Dad’s arm.

He flinched away from her touch. “I’ll get your bags.” He strode to the entry where he’d set them down a few minutes ago then indicated the left staircase. “Up this way.”

Tate watched them mount the broad steps, one on either side.

“Two stubborn people,” Grandfather muttered.

“Are you trying to get them back together?”

“They can’t seem to admit what they threw away in a fit of anger. At least, they won’t concede at the same time. And not to each other.”

Tate studied his grandfather. “I can’t believe you see a chance of restoration.”

“Where there is life, there is hope.” Grandfather’s shrewd gaze took in Tate. “No matter how in love a couple is, there will be challenges. There will be times either or both of you want to give up. The key is to keep praying together. Keep talking. Keep forgiving.”

“You and Grandmother had challenges?” Tate couldn’t recall anything but smiles on his grandma’s face.

“Are we human?”

“Well, yes. Of course.”

“We had challenges. Many of them. That I spent too much time at the office was only one of her valid complaints. I missed my sons’ ball games. Sometimes I missed their birthday parties. I was selfish. I felt the weight of the world sat upon my shoulders.”

Tate nodded slowly. He’d worked for Sullivan Enterprises for more than a decade himself. The family patriarch was definitely a driven man.

“But God,” Grandfather said firmly. “God guarded our hearts and minds because we asked Him to. I was very aware of that need after Eleanor.”

“Did Grandmother know about her?”

Grandfather’s gaze drifted out the expansive windows to the lake beyond. “She did,” he said finally. “Not at first, but when we hit a rough patch, and God grabbed my attention and demanded my repentance. She forgave me.”

“I see.” And Tate could. There was only so long a couple could keep things hidden before those secrets drove a wedge between them. Did he have anything Stephanie needed to know? He hadn’t been promiscuous, but was there anything else?

What about her? She’d talked of how she felt being a good girl had backfired on her. Did that mean she’d done things she regretted in her desire to shed that cloak?

Tate checked his watch. “I’ve got time to make a few more phone calls before lunch.”

“How many of Sweet River’s former employees have agreed to come back?”

“We have about a dozen, so far. Not nearly as many as we need.”

Grandfather pursed his lips. “Can we set up a job fair in the next few days? Would that be best in Missoula or in Jewel Lake?”

“Jewel Lake, I think. Not a bad idea.I’ll get my mom to make that happen, unless you’ve got every minute of her time here booked up.”

“I think she’d be an asset. We’d want to have that fair very soon, so we’d still have time to search farther afield if not all positions are filled.”

“I’ll get right on it. Stephanie will be a good guide for how to handle the local end of it.”

Was Grandfather trying to hide a smile?

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