The Construction of Cheer - Liz Isaacson Page 0,21
realized she’d closed her eyes.
She quickly snapped them open, because they were not her personal feelings. She pulled her hand away from the wood, and her mind cleared. Turning away from what was surely a magnificent place to be for any meal, Montana drank in the family room. Bishop had said his family was big, and this room looked like it could house them all.
Beside the fireplace sat a closed door, and she assumed wherever it led filled the rest of the first floor. The wing where she’d slept last night was directly above her head, and when she looked out the windows at the back of the house, she saw the deck went all the way around.
“This is an incredible house,” she said aloud. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever be able to design anything like this, and she once again could appreciate Micah’s talent. “You just need to think bigger.”
She went into the kitchen, that thought in her mind, and started making coffee. She could at least do that while she waited for Bishop to wake up. She’d signed his contract last night, and she couldn’t wait to get started here at Shiloh Ridge. She’d texted her crew at the college and said she’d be late that day, due to the fire, and her boss had told her to get there when she could.
She let herself imagine the way her bank account would benefit from the work here. Soon, she and Aurora would be able to move into their own place, and finally, Montana would be able to start living her own life.
She’d felt in limbo for so long, and she’d been praying for something like this that would help her achieve her goals. “Thank you, Lord,” she whispered as she measured grounds and poured water into the coffee maker.
“Bishop doesn’t like it when other people cook in his kitchen.”
Montana gave a startled cry and turned around. Arizona stood there, fully dressed and ready for the day. She wore jeans and a belt, just like most cowboys. Her shirt was pink and yellow flowers, though, and Montana had never seen a man wear a shirt like that.
It went all the way to her wrists, and Arizona had taken her hair and pulled it all up on top of her head. How she’d put a hat over that, Montana didn’t know.
“Sorry, I was just making coffee.” She tried on a smile and added, “Good morning.”
Arizona folded her arms and cocked her hip. After several long seconds of appraisal, she said, “Good morning.”
Montana didn’t want awkwardness between them. Not today, and not tomorrow, and not in a month when she was still here working on the ranch. “I sincerely apologize about Duke,” Montana said. “I realize I shouldn’t have approached you at dinner, but….” She paused for a moment, because she wasn’t sure how to admit this. She just had to say it. She’d marched up to the door and knocked on it. She’d looked into a gorgeous man’s face, and asked him if he needed help on his ranch.
She could tell Arizona anything.
“I needed a job,” she said. “Desperately. The Rhinehart’s had put a listing on the Three Rivers Classifieds, and Duke did text me to say he’d be in town that night at Double Spurs. I thought….” She sighed. “I honestly don’t know what I thought. I thought maybe he’d take a minute with me, and that he’d told you, and I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”
“I know,” Arizona said, finally holding up one palm toward Montana. “I called him last night. He said all the same things you just said.” She rolled her eyes. “Men can be so dense sometimes.” She walked over to the nearest barstool and sat on it, the inkling of a smile forming on her face. “I literally had to tell him that a heads-up about a job interview during our dinner date was warranted.”
Montana giggled with Arizona as the first drips of coffee started to scent the air.
“There are eggs and bacon in the fridge,” she said, nodding toward the huge, industrial-sized fridge.
“Yeah?” Montana’s eyebrows went up. “You’re going to get me in trouble.”
“Bishop needs to know he’s not the only one who knows how to fry an egg.” Arizona grinned again and shrugged one shoulder. “Plus, I’m hungry.”
“Mm hm.” Montana retrieved the eggs and bacon from the fridge and took a pan from the rack hanging over the built-in stovetop in the middle of the island. She set it over the flame