Suspicions and Offers
Because Maria had stayed up late wondering about the Montana Rider, she was tired the next morning.
Why had she gone so crazy thinking about this guy?
She didn’t need to get involved with any guys, especially ones she didn’t even know.
Here she was again, doing the same thing she had done with Seth—getting excited and daydreaming about some guy who wouldn’t be interested in her anyway. She’d just get hurt again.
But somehow she kept feeling this wasn’t like the Seth situation.
How could a masked rider protecting the ranch be untrustworthy?
Well, of course he could. Just because Maria had been obsessed with the Lone Ranger and Zorro growing up, that didn’t mean every guy who chose to put on a mask and waltz around the state of Montana was a good guy.
As usual, it was still dark when Maria arrived at work. Jessie and Rob were there already, cheerfully making pancakes and bacon. And they’d been up late with Savannah last night! Those two seemed indefatigable.
“We’re supposed to get in a lot of supplies this afternoon,” Jessie said. “Good thing, because we’re running out of a lot of stuff.”
“In the old days, before our time, it didn’t matter so much,” Rob said. “You’d stock up for months at a time—dried beans, flour, canned fruits and vegetables. But nowadays, everybody wants fresh foods.”
“There you go again, talking about the old days,” Jessie said. “You oughtta write a book.”
“I’d read it,” Maria said. “It seems like modern ranch cooking is a lot like any other large-volume cooking, except you guys eat a lot more cornbread and chili and biscuits. I’d be interested to see what it was like in the old days.”
“Too bad you weren’t here for roundup this year, when we took the chuck wagon up to the boys,” Rob said, chuckling. “I’ve got an old wood stove, and we really do take it around on a wagon.”
“Wow,” Maria said. “That’s really cool.”
The phone rang. They hardly ever got phone calls in the kitchen. “I’ll take it,” Jessie said, stripping off her gloves. “It’s probably Pat or something.”
She took the phone. “Oh, no,” she replied to the person on the other end. “How long will that take?”
Off the phone, she threw up her hands. “We’ve got a problem. That was Russell. He was doing budgeting. And apparently our last food shipment order never got submitted.”
“Dang,” Rob said.
“We’ll have to submit the order again,” Jessie said. “I blame the computer. It probably messed it up. Now somebody’s gonna have to go into town today. We’ve got enough food for dinner, but we’re about out of eggs.”
“Make a list and send it with me,” Rob said.
“Nonsense, I need you here. I’ve got an idea.” Jessie picked up the phone again and dialed.
Maria wasn’t trying to listen in, but she heard Jessie’s half of the conversation clearly. Jessie was suggesting Maria could go into town—but with whom?
Jessie hung up the phone, satisfied. “Maria, you and Tim are going into town. I’ll give you a shopping list.”
“I could go by myself,” Maria protested. “Doesn’t Tim have things to do around the ranch? Do people always send him on errands?”
“He says he has to go into town anyway,” Jessie said. “He’s picking up some ranch supplies.”
“Oh, all right,” Maria said. “Do you have the list?”
“I’ll make one,” Jessie said. “After breakfast. Let’s hurry—everybody will be here to eat any minute.”
§
Around noon, Jessie gave Maria the list of supplies. It was a staggering list. Maria hadn’t done the ordering at the Virginian, so she wasn’t used to seeing grocery lists in this volume.
A tall blond figure appeared in the kitchen doorway, cowboy hat in hand. “Howdy, Maria,” Tim said. “Howdy, Jessie. Do we have a list?”
Maria waved the list. “I’ve got it. Are you ready?”
“As I’ll ever be,” Tim said. “Come on, the truck’s out front.”
She followed him and hopped into the passenger seat. Why did they make trucks this tall?
They drove out of the ranch, past the ruined gateway. “Is there any way for you guys to fix the sign?” Maria asked.
“Somebody’s working on it,” Tim said. “Pat wants it back up as soon as possible. More to show the vandal we aren’t afraid of him than because we really need a sign.”
“Ah, I see,” Maria said. “Has anything else happened since then?”
Tim looked out the window, a muscle working in his jaw. “Nothing to mention,” he said at last. “I’ve told my guys to look out for any strange activity on the ranch.”
Strange activity made Maria think of the Montana Rider. She felt silly mentioning him, like a girl who couldn’t stop talking about her crush. But of all the people on the ranch, Tim was most likely to know about the Montana Rider, wasn’t he?
“Speaking of strange activity,” Maria said, “do you know anything about a guy called the Montana Rider?”
Tim raised an eyebrow. “How do you know about the Montana Rider?”
“I saw him last night,” Maria said. “I was riding around after dark. Wait, so you do know about him? Do you know who he is?”
“I know of him,” Tim said slowly. “I think he’s harmless. He’s just trying to protect the ranch.”
The way Tim talked, it sounded like this Montana Rider was a crazy Don Quixote, trying to protect the ranch from imaginary enemies. “Do you know who he is?” Maria asked again.
“He says he wants to remain anonymous.” Tim’s hands shifted on the steering wheel. “Did you talk to him?”
“Only a little, last night,” Maria said. “I was just curious, since Savannah’s seen him a bunch of times. He reminded me of Zorro, in all black with the hat and mask.”
Tim laughed. “Did Savannah rope you into watching movies with her?” he asked. “Zorro’s her favorite. She got me to watch it with her.”
“She told me that.”
“Savannah doesn’t have anybody to spend time with,” Tim said. “That poor kid really needs a friend. I’m glad you’ve been doing things with her. The others act like she doesn’t exist.”
“I noticed,” Maria said. “I’ve been trying to hang out with her when I can.”
“Uh-huh. I wonder why Russell and Steph don’t arrange more hangouts for her with her friends from school,” Tim said. “Maybe they figure she can talk to her friends on the internet. But the internet is no substitute for real-life interaction.”
“I agree,” Maria said. “They ought to find more friends for her. Better yet, they could hang out with her more themselves. But I don’t know how to tell them that.”
Tim looked at her. “Why is it that none of the other Austins can see this problem? Why just you?”
“Maybe because I’m an outsider,” Maria said. “I still don’t know what to make of most of them. Especially Grandma Austin.”
Tim chuckled. “She’s a hard nut to crack. Stubborn and cantankerous, but underneath that exterior she’s a teddy bear.”
Maria stared at him. “You mean a porcupine? I can’t imagine Grandma Austin as any kind of teddy bear. She didn’t even give me a hug when she met me, and she literally hadn’t seen me since I was a baby.”
“That’s where the stubborn and cantankerous come in.”
Maria weighed what she wanted to say. “I mean, I don’t want to sit around and complain about my family.
But let’s just say it’s been tough. My dad and Grandma Austin have been estranged for the last twenty-plus years, and now she wants us to pay back all that money I told you about.
The biggest reason I had for coming out here was to try to reconcile the two halves of the family, but how am I supposed to do that when Grandma Austin is the way she is? ”
Tim looked at her, his blue gaze serious. “I know you two could get along. It’ll just take a little time, that’s all. You’re friendly and helpful—what’s not to like?”
Maria flushed. He was kind. “Thanks,” she said. “Well, I hope so. The whole family dynamic is a lot to get used to. But at least I haven’t gotten in the middle of any loud family arguments.”
Tim chuckled. “You don’t want to get into one of those. Unless you’ve got earplugs and an overdeveloped sense of stubbornness.”
Maria laughed. “I guess I didn’t grow up with that. My dad’s very cheerful, and my other grandma is very mild.”
“Sound like nice people,” Tim said.
“Yeah. I miss them.” Maria looked out the window.
“Are you glad you came?” Tim’s voice was kind.
“I think so,” Maria said. “I mean, I like this job a lot better than making pizzas at a gross place that didn’t keep things clean. And I get to see the ranch where my mom grew up. And the ranch hands seem friendly enough.”
“But you’re not really hitting it off with any of the family, are you? It’s not only Patricia and the noise.”
Maria’s lips pressed together. “Not really.”
“I think they’ll come around,” Tim said. “It’s not just you. I’ve known them long enough—some of those Austins would scare anybody away.”
Maria laughed. “I’m glad to know I’m not the only one.”
His mouth quirked. “Just keep showing up and being your friendly self, and you’ll bridge that gap eventually.”
Maria certainly hoped so. Friendly and persistent—she could do that, right?
§
At the store, Maria was glad for Tim’s help as she followed Jessie’s list to get enormous quantities of food, taking up two carts. “Is this all going to fit in the truck?” she asked.
Tim grinned over a gigantic container of eggs. “Yep. I brought the truck with the extended bed.”
“It’s a good thing they’ve got a wholesale store in town,” Maria said. “Can you imagine what a bad deal we’d have gotten if we had to buy everything at a regular store?”
Tim laughed. “Those stores aren’t made for ranchers. I think we’re gonna need a third cart.”
“How are we going to push three carts?” Maria asked.
“I’ll push one and pull one behind me,” Tim said promptly. “No problem.”
Maria watched as Tim handled two carts effortlessly.
“Thanks,” she told him.
Tim grinned. “Not quite as bad as handling an ornery steer.”
“Do you have to do that often?” He must do a lot of tough work around the ranch. Nobody had arm muscles like that from just riding around.
“Yeah, the other guys and I do—Will, Danny, Blaise, Luke,” Tim spread out the credit modestly. “Just part of taking care of the ranch.”