Montana Hearts Read Online Free PDF Page A

glared at the screen as if he could, by force of will, make the device do what he wanted it to do.
    â€œWould you like me to try?” Fortunately, her computer skills were considerably better than her cooking prowess.
    He moved out of his dark leather chair, and she took his place. A few quick clicks of the mouse and a spreadsheet appeared.
    â€œIs this what you were looking for?”
    As he bent over to peer at the screen, she caught thescent of sage and wild grass on the prairie. The essential perfume of both Kurt and his land.
    â€œThat’s incredible. How did you do that?”
    â€œYou must have accidentally hidden the whole work sheet. All I did was unhide it. You should be fine now.”
    They traded places again.
    â€œDid you want something?” he asked, his attention back on the computer screen.
    â€œI was looking for a broiling pan to cook the steaks. I couldn’t find one.”
    â€œGrace grills them.”
    â€œOh.” His answer wasn’t very helpful. She guessed he was referring to a barbecue grill she’d spotted on the back porch.
    It took a couple of tries to light the propane but finally Sarah dropped the steaks on the grill.
    Back in the kitchen, she set the table and poured milk for Toby and Beth and water for herself. She wasn’t sure what Kurt would want to drink with his dinner, so she held off on that.
    Beth came stalking into the kitchen, a cell phone in her hand. “Isn’t dinner ready yet? I’m starved.” She plucked a cookie out of a rooster-shaped cookie jar with one hand while the thumb of her other hand nimbly sent a text to someone.
    â€œThe steaks should be ready any minute.”
    Beth glanced at the stove, then toward the back door.
    â€œSomething’s on fire!”
    Sarah’s head snapped around. “The steaks!” She grabbed a plate, a long-handled fork and raced out the door.
    Flames leaped up around the steaks. Grease sizzled and sputtered. The rank air smelled of burned meat.
    Sarah stabbed a blackened steak and dragged it onto the plate. She speared the next steak, singeing her wrist in the process. She jerked back and the steak slid off the fork onto the porch.
    â€œTurn off the propane!” Beth screamed. “You’re gonna catch the whole house on fire.”
    Sarah ceased her efforts to rescue the steaks. Burning down the house was a real possibility. She turned the knob on the propane bottle, but that didn’t immediately extinguish the flames.
    Beth’s shouting had rousted Toby away from the TV.
    â€œHey, a bonfire on our porch. That’s cool.”
    Kurt shoved past his son. “I’ll get it.” He twisted the propane knob again, starving the flames of fuel. They sputtered one more time before vanishing.
    In the silence that followed, Sarah took a deep breath. Her heart was rata-tat-tatting so fast she thought it might leap out of her chest.
    â€œI am so sorry,” she said.
    Kurt took the plate from her and piled the rest of the steaks on it. “No real harm done except to these steaks.”
    The poor things looked like lumps of charcoal. “I’ve never barbecued before. I didn’t know how long—”
    â€œTalk about being stupid,” Beth complained.
    Kurt nailed her with a look that would have terrified anyone else. It didn’t seem to faze Beth.
    â€œOne more word out of you, young lady, and you’ll do without dinner altogether.”
    â€œFine,” she snapped. “Nobody can eat that stuff anyway.” Head held high, ponytail swinging, she stomped back into the house.
    Sarah suspected Beth’s attitude was more self-defense than rebellion.
    Dear Lord, show me a way to help this child, who is so desperately crying out for love and understanding .
    Â 
    They’d all survived dinner, barely, by scraping off the charred layer on the steaks. Even so, Sarah thought eating the meat was like chewing hardtack.
    With Kurt’s