The Best Little Joeville

“—so we left him in the bottom of the well to drown,” Savannah said, and stopped talking.

“Uh-huh.”

“Jenny Moon...you haven’t been listening to a word I’ve said.”

There was a loud knock on the door and they both turned toward it.

“Room service. You two decent in there?”

“It’s Shane,” Jenny whispered, fussing with her uncombed hair.

“I know,” Savannah whispered back and started giggling. “You look fine.” She slapped at Jenny’s hands and called out, “Come on in.”

Shane pushed the door open with his back, carrying a full tray in front of him. “Hannah said this one’s on her, but that you two better not get spoiled. Lots to do for Thursday’s feast.” He set the tray sideways between them and started to leave.

“Want to join us?” Savannah asked. “Looks like there’s plenty.”

“I think I’ll leave you two alone with your girl talk.” He smiled politely as he stepped backward and left the room, closing the door between them.

Jenny sat cross-legged under the covers and studied the contents of the tray, not commenting on Shane’s surprise visit. “Umm...look at this! Belgian waffles and strawberries. Hannah is such a dear. I can’t wait to go down and see her.”

Savannah attacked one of the waffles. “You can pretend you’re not interested all you want, Jenny, but I saw the way you looked at Shane when you were here last year. Don’t tell me you aren’t attracted to him.” She bobbed her eyebrows a couple of times before stabbing more waffle.

Jenny pictured his stubbled chin and for a second she let herself imagine how it would feel against her cheek. Then she washed down her waffle with some black coffee and met Savannah’s questioning stare. “Look, I know you mean well, girlfriend, but don’t go getting any ideas about an instant replay of you and Ryder. Shane and I are two totally different people.” She pointed her empty fork at her friend and punctuated the air with it. “It isn’t gonna happen. I’m here to enjoy the holidays with my best friend and then I’m back to Michigan where I belong.” She held Savannah’s gaze a moment and could see the disappointment before she looked away.

What she said was true, wasn’t it? Michigan had always been her home. But when was the last time she’d been truly happy there? Especially since her mother’s death and Savannah’s move to this...this paradise. She wanted to think of it as a godforsaken place, but it didn’t ring true. Every time she thought of Montana it was a magical portrait, unspoiled by man, still populated by magnificent beasts—Shane not the least of them. If only she had Savannah’s gentle and trusting heart....

“Where did you go?” Savannah sipped her coffee and eyed her over the rim of the china cup.

Jenny averted her gaze. “Just enjoying the moment... being here with you.”

“I meant to ask you before, but how did you manage so much time off around the holidays? I would have thought you’d be swamped with parties.”

“We are, but there’s loads of college kids looking for holiday jobs. Besides, I’ve been working extra hours and freezing like mad. And I haven’t taken a day’s vacation since I left here.” She sipped more coffee and added, “The boss wasn’t exactly thrilled, but I didn’t give him much choice.” He could have asked her to leave permanently—an idea that had crossed her mind, anyway—but he hadn’t.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t get back for your mom’s funeral. The doctor thought it best I didn’t fly—”

Jenny reached out and touched Savannah’s hand. “Not another word. I totally understand.”

“You must really miss her.” Savannah squeezed Jenny’s fingers.

Did she? A wave of guilt passed through her. Of course she did. Sometimes. But in truth, most of the time she felt relieved. “You know what a bitter woman Mom was.” Savannah nodded, still holding onto Jenny’s hand. “She spent her whole life being angry with my father for deserting us. I wish she could have found some happiness before—” She heard the catch in her voice and let the words die on her lips. Savannah knew the story. There was no need to explain. And it was for this reason she had come to Montana—a friend who knew her like no other, who cared. There was a soft tap on the door and Jenny turned toward it, swiping at the moisture that teetered on her lower lashes.

“It’s Billy,” the timid voice said. “Can I come in?”

“You sure can,” Jenny called out, glad for the distraction.

Billy opened the door a crack and popped his head in, shyly assessing the situation.

Jenny turned to Savannah. “Who’s that handsome young man with all the pearly white teeth?” She winked and Billy stepped inside, moving slowly toward the foot of the bed.

Jenny opened her arms wide. “Come over here and give me a big ol’ bear hug.”

His grin spread from ear to ear as he ran the rest of the way. “I’m so glad you came back, Jenny Moon.”

She held him tight and rocked him side to side. “I’m so glad I came back, too, Billy Malone.” Then she set him away from her and studied him from head to toe. “You must have grown a foot since I was here.” She looked at his tousled blond hair that was so much like his mother’s, and she ached again for the loss this young boy must have felt eighteen months ago—a loss she knew he’d always feel. “And look at those teeth. Lucky you. No braces for those perfect choppers.”

He laughed and sat down on the side of the bed.

“Billy?” Savannah eyed him from the side of her face. “Did you miss your bus again?”

“No, ma’am. The furnace is busted at school so we got a longer holiday. Ain’t that great?”

“Isn’t it.”

“Yep. I think it is.” He looked from one to the other, then giggled, enjoying his own joke. “I gotta go help Dad snowplow.” He sprang off the bed with youthful enthusiasm and then stopped halfway out the door. “Wanna make a snowman with me later, Jenny?”

“It’s a date,” she said with a smile.

He started to blush and quickly shut the door between them. As soon as he was out of earshot, Jenny asked, “Does he talk much about Maddy?”

Savannah wiped whipped cream from her mouth with a napkin and looked suddenly quite serious. “He says a prayer for her every night at bedtime, but other than that he never mentions her name.”

“Poor little guy.”

“Sometimes Ryder takes him over to the Purple Palace for lunch. The same girls are still working the place since Maddy left them the business. He loves seeing them all and they’re so good to him, but he’s too smart for his own good. He has a pretty good idea what kind of monkey business goes on there, so we’ve limited his visits.” Savannah looked down at her bulging belly, then stroked it lovingly.

“As hard as we try to assure him that this is now his home and that he has a special place in our family, I think he still worries how this baby might change things for him. He idolizes Ryder so. I think the idea of sharing him might be scary.”

“But he’ll see in time that his place is secure.” Jenny rubbed her friend’s arm. “His concerns are only natural, don’t you think?”

Savannah nodded her head slowly. “I suppose.”

Shane had checked on a sick foal in the stables, gone back to the cabin and shaved, and was now standing in the kitchen making small talk with Hannah, wondering if it were a mistake lurking around for another glimpse of that troublesome woman upstairs.

Hannah took a loaf of bread from the oven and glanced up at him. “If yer hangin’ round fer some of this here bread, ya gotta long wait till it cools off.” She let her gaze dart between him and the task in front of her. “Or might there be a tother reason yer taking up my counter space, heh?” She wiped her hands on her apron, then stood with her hands on her hips waiting for him to deny the obvious.

The two women bounding down the back stairs to the kitchen saved him from sparring with the all-too-wise housekeeper.

Jenny set the empty tray on the counter, then flew into Hannah’s embrace. The old woman looked embarrassed but didn’t push her away, thumping her heartily on the back instead. “Good golly, girl. Ya ain’t nothing but skin and bones. How do ya manage to cook so good and weigh so little?” She stepped back, threw her arms out to her sides and laughed. “Looka me. Obvious I like m‘own cookin’, wouldn’t ya say?” She let out a husky chortle, then turned back to her bread. “So, ya gonna help me with Thanksgivin’ dinner, ain’t ya?”

Shane enjoyed the exchange and watched Jenny lean her elbows on the chopping block and smile across at Hannah. “Now what do you think?” There was a cockeyed grin on the older woman’s face. “It would be pretty hard to keep me out of here, but thanks for the invitation just the same. What can I do to help today?”

Hannah waved her hand then brushed a loose gray hair behind her ear. “Not a thing. I never start on Tuesday, so go have some fun while ya kin. Tomorrow we’ll be busier than flies on cow flops.”

Jenny laughed and turned to Savannah who was nodding her head toward Shane, her light brown ponytail swinging like a pendulum behind her

Behind them Shane said, “I got some free time if you’re interested in taking out a couple horses.”