The Construction of Cheer - Liz Isaacson Page 0,31

Willa Knowlton. His pulse pounced against his ribcage just looking at the letters in her name.

Now, he just had to figure out why he’d need to talk to her again, and how he’d get her number to do that.

“There you are,” Ace said, and Cactus turned around. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” He glanced down at the phone in Cactus’s hand. “Why didn’t you answer when I called?”

“I didn’t get a call,” Cactus said. “There’s no service in this corner.”

Ace looked in Cactus’s cart. “Did you get what you needed?”

“Yes,” he said. “Are they really busy up front?”

“No one,” Ace said. “I almost had them page you.”

Cactus stared at him, horror moving through him.

Ace laughed and shook his head. “Relax. I didn’t. But I’m ready to go.”

“Yeah?” Cactus asked. “Did you get back in Holly Ann’s good graces?”

“I—you—she just happened to be here.”

Cactus grinned at him and grabbed onto his cart. “Right. You’re a really bad liar.” He led the way toward the front of the store to check out. “How did you know she’d be here?”

“She works here,” Ace said. “So keep your voice down. I’ll tell you once we’re in the truck.”

“Great,” Cactus said. “I have something to tell you too. We’ll get Bishop on speaker, because I’m going to need all the help I can get.”

Chapter Nine

Montana scrubbed the smoke and the last couple of days out of her hair and off her skin. Once she finished showering and had gotten dressed, she went into the kitchen to get another cup of coffee.

“Morning, Aunt Jackie,” she said to her aunt, working over a journal at the kitchen table.

She glanced up, her perpetual happiness radiating from her bright, dark brown eyes. “Morning, darling.” She got up and hugged Montana, who smiled and laughed as she put her arm around her aunt’s waist. “I’m glad you made it home okay.”

“Me too,” Montana said, reaching for a mug as her aunt went back to the table. “Thanks for taking care of Aurora.”

“Oh, we love having her here,” Aunt Jackie said. “Both of you.” She picked up her pencil again and got back to work.

“Doing the scheduling?”

“Yes,” she said with a sigh. “No matter what I do, someone will be upset.” She scratched in a couple more names. She struggled with the scheduling every month, but she was the one who’d taught Montana that everything worked out in the end.

So when Montana said it this time, Aunt Jackie laughed with her. She put sugar and cream in her coffee and sat down across from her aunt and stirred her spoon through the dark light brown liquid.

“I signed a contract at Shiloh Ridge Ranch,” she said. “Doing remodeling and rebuilds.”

Aunt Jackie looked up, her eyes wide and sparkling. Joy filled them as she said, “Montana, dear, that’s wonderful.”

“It’s a long commute.”

“We’ll get Aurora off to school,” she said. “As I’m sure you’ll get up there early, especially as the summer months approach.”

“I’m sure that’s true.” Montana started worrying about summer already, and not only because of the heat. Aurora would be fifteen by then, and there was nothing more dangerous than a teenager without something to keep her busy. Very, very busy.

At the current moment, Montana didn’t have anything to keep Aurora busy in the summer. She also might not have a job then, either. She had no idea how long it would take to get the remodeling and rebuilding done at Shiloh Ridge, and a second pit opened in her stomach.

She took a sip of her coffee, unsurprised when Aunt Jackie said, “It’ll do you no good to worry about it now.”

Montana opened her mouth to deny she was worried about anything, but she’d protested in the past, and Aunt Jackie hadn’t believed her. She had a gift for knowing how someone felt; it was one of the reasons she was such a good nurse.

“I can’t help it,” Montana finally said. “Aurora is a good girl, but she needs a lot of attention or she’ll veer down the wrong path.”

“Oh, she has a heart of gold.” Aunt Jackie smiled and looked down at her journal again. “I don’t worry about her at all.”

“Who do you worry about?” Montana asked.

“Tracey,” Aunt Jackie said instantly. “She never sleeps, and I worry about that. Uncle Bob, because his blood pressure is too high, and he works too much at that store. You.” She gave Montana a faint smile.

“Why me?” Montana said.

Aunt Jackie kept her pencil moving as she said, “You’re a wonderful person,