Forever And A Day (Montana Brides, Book #7) Read Online Free PDF Page A

beside her.
    “I’ll be okay,” Sarah said bravely.
    “Of course you will. Loosen your hands on the reins…that’s it. You’re doing great.”
    Sarah watched the two ten-year-olds in front of her. They moved in time with their horses, as comfortable in the saddle as Jordan. “How long will we be gone for, Frank?”
    “No more than an hour and a half.”
    Sarah almost groaned. Ninety minutes in the saddle equaled about a year’s worth of stress and worry. Jordan might think she wanted to make the grade as a cowgirl, but it had never been one of her ambitions. But then neither had being a housekeeper on a ranch in Montana. Or in her case, two ranches.
    Jordan had moved into the center of the Buchanans. He was telling them about his family. Four generations of McKenzie’s had lived on this same parcel of land. They’d worked their way through more droughts and storms than any family had a need to, and all for one purpose. They wanted to leave the land better than they’d found it.
    He pointed to some of the trails the Buchanans would be riding on over the next few days. From all of the chatter going on around her, Sarah assumed they were horse crazy. The more difficult the ride, the more excited they were about going on it.
    As she plodded along behind the Buchanans, she was happy to listen to Abby and her sister. Daisy’s gentle personality made her feel safe. She started thinking about what she needed to do once they got back to the ranch.
    “You’re thinking too much, Legs. Live for the moment.”
    Sarah jerked Daisy’s reins. If it had been any other horse, she might have ended up butt first on the ground. But Daisy simply stopped and flicked her head to the side, wondering what the dopey rider on her back was doing.
    “That’s the second time you’ve scared the living daylights out of me,” Sarah muttered.
    Jordan moved close to Daisy and patted her neck. “Coming up to third time lucky.” He pulled the brim of his hat over his eyes and pointed toward a low-lying mountain range. “We’re going halfway up that mountain. You won’t want to miss the view.”
    Sarah wasn’t so sure about the view or going up a mountain to see it. As if she’d read her mind, Daisy gave a gentle snort and started following Jordan.
    “She’s got a remote control attached to the boss,” Frank said from beside her. “Gracie, Jordan’s sister-in-law, usually rides Daisy. Since they’ve been on vacation, Daisy’s missed Gracie’s company, so she’s attached herself to Jordan.”
    “Isn’t that a bit strange?”
    “No stranger than most. We do things differently out here in Big Sky country. A horse can keep a man alive. Daisy’s part of our family and frets when we’re not here.”
    Sarah tried to imagine what that must feel like. Fretting over someone who wasn’t around had never been part of her parents’ way of life.
    Her mom and dad had called her four times in the last year. When she’d called them, they were usually on their way to a charity event or one of her dad’s endless conference engagements. Being one of the most respected cardiologist’s in North America might be good for his career, but it hadn’t done much for their relationship.
    As Daisy followed Jordan, Sarah wondered what it must feel like to be part of something bigger than what she knew. In some twisted way, she was trying to do what Jordan’s family had been doing for generations. She was making a life for herself that was better than the one she’d left behind.
    And sometimes, on days like today, the thought of going back to the person she used to be was about as scary as falling off Daisy.
     
    ***
    Jordan had seen the view from the plateau so many times that it was etched into his brain. But each visit brought new colors, new movement to the land that hadn’t been there before. The ranch was breathtaking in its simplicity, a patchwork of pasture that changed with each season. Today was one of those rare fall days when you