Montana Actually Read Online Free PDF Page B

vanilla-frosted layer cake.
    “Ty Garver’s bought the adjoining ranch across the west coulee,” her father said when there was finally a break in the conversation.
    She gave a silent sigh. Her dad had a large soft spot for Ty, who was the only cowboy she’d ever dated. They’d broken up when she was twenty-two because she’d wanted to leave Montana and experience the East Coast frenzy and have some exciting adventures—live somewhere bigger than Great Falls where she’d gone to college. Ty would have shriveled up and died if he’d left the land, so their parting was inevitable and without rancor. That had been years ago, but the fact that they were both still single seemed to give her father hope.
    “I think we should all go visit and welcome him. Katrina, you can take some of those cinnamon cookies you like to bake.”
    She opened her mouth to tell her father that he made a better cowboy than a matchmaker but she closed it. Perhaps she should consider her dad’s suggestion. After all, choosing her own partners had hardly been a success.
    Are you listening to yourself? You’re an adult and you make your own life choices.
    “Dad, I’m sure Ty’s capable of baking his own cookies or he can buy them from the diner. Shannon’s baking them fresh every day.”
    Her father’s sky blue eyes met hers, backlit with disapproval. “Have you been in the city so long you’ve forgotten how to be neighborly?”
    Crap.
So much for being an adult. “Of course not but—”
    “Good. While you’re baking cookies for Ty you can also make some for the new doctor who I met today when I was moving cows.”
    No way in hell.
Only this time Katrina wisely kept her thoughts to herself to avoid five sets of eyes zeroing in on her. Eyes filled with what and why; two questions she didn’t want to answer.
    “Female?” her mother asked as she stood up to clear the table.
    “Sit down, Mom, we’ve got this.” Katrina put her hand on her mother’s shoulder and gently pressed her back into her chair, wondering why her mother seemed hopeful that the doctor was a woman. To her knowledge, Bear Paw had never had a female doctor.
    All evening, her mom had been quiet and she looked tired, which was unusual because Bonnie McCade was always brimming with energy. “Are you okay?”
    Her mother looked up at her with a smile. “How could I be anything else with everyone home for my birthday this year? You cooked a beautiful meal, honey. Thank you.”
    “You’re welcome.” Reassured all was well, she kissed her mom on the cheek before turning to face her younger siblings. She gave both of them her “big sister” death stare. “We’re cleaning up as part of Mom’s birthday treat, right, Dillon, Megan?”
    An hour ago, the two of them had rushed into the kitchen asking, “What can we do to help?” Their arrival was perfectly timed to coincide with every task being completed, and the only thing left for them to do was call their parents and sit down to eat the meal. She didn’t know how they managed to do this every single time, but they had domestic avoidance down to an art form.
    “You forgot Beau,” Megan said, sounding fourteen instead of twenty-one. “He never helps with the dishes.”
    Beau leaned back in his chair and gave his quiet trademark smile. “I butchered the meat,” he said slowly and carefully as was his style. “I carved it”—he took in a breath—“and I set the table, so . . . by my reckoning . . . that gets me out of dish detail.”
    Katrina threw dish towels at Megan and Dillon and turned on the hot water faucet.
    “The doctor looks to be in his thirties,” her father said as if his conversation hadn’t been truncated by squabbling adult children. “I swear they’re getting younger.”
    Bonnie laughed. “I think that means we’re getting older, Kirk.”
    “Never.” He leaned across the table and kissed her. “We’ve got years ahead of us still.”
    Katrina smiled. She remembered at