Montana Hearts

Montana Hearts
Charlotte Carter

Sarah Barkley has come to Sweet Grass Valley, Montana, with a mission in mind. Ever since her heart transplant, she's wanted to secretly help the family of the woman whose heart saved her life.And with two motherless children and a sprawling ranch to care for, Kurt Ryder could sure use some support. Falling for the rugged rancher is an unexpected complication. Does Kurt want Sarah for herself–or for her connection to the past? Her heart brought her to Sweet Grass Valley, but only love–and a leap of faith–will make it her home.

“I need some help,” Kurt said.

“My whole family does. I’d pay you a decent wage, plus room and board. I’d also understand if you turned tail and got out of here as fast as that puny car of yours would take you.”

Oxygen seemed to escape Sarah’s brain, leaving her dizzy, with bells ringing in her head. Bells of excitement? Or bells of warning?

Had the Lord placed her in the diner at just the right time this afternoon to meet Kurt? Was it the Lord’s plan for her to help her heart donor’s family by working as a nanny for them for the summer?

There was no way to know for sure. Unless she took a leap of faith.

She drew a shaky breath and lifted her chin. “My car is not puny and I’ve never in my life turned tail when faced with a challenge. Mr. Ryder, I accept your job offer.”

CHARLOTTE CARTER

A multipublished author of more than fifty romances, cozy mysteries and inspirational titles, Charlotte Carter lives in Southern California with her husband of forty-nine years and their cat, Mittens. They have two married daughters and five grandchildren. When she’s not writing, Charlotte does a little stand-up comedy, “G-Rated Humor for Grownups,” and teaches workshops on the craft of writing.

Montana Hearts

Charlotte Carter

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.

But the greatest of these is love.

—1 Corinthians 13:13

Special thanks to my agent, Pam Strickler, for her hard work, dedication and guidance.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Epilogue

Letter to Reader

Questions for Discussion

Chapter One

Was she on a fool’s errand?

Sarah Barkley’s stomach knotted and her chest ached on a whole raft of second thoughts. She just had driven two-and-a-half days from Seattle to reach Sweet Grass Valley, Montana.

Now, sitting at the counter of an old-fashioned diner in the small rural town, the only place she could find to eat, she wondered if she’d be smart to turn around and go back home.

Unsure what to do, she mindlessly rubbed the nine-inch scar hidden beneath her cotton blouse. Her doctor had warned her against trying to locate the family that had lost a loved one—and had generously saved Sarah’s life. “Unless they specifically request contact, organ donors and their family should remain anonymous,” the doctor had told her. “You can cause a grieving family to relive their pain and loss.”

She had written the family a letter of thanks, but that seemed like paltry appreciation for the extraordinary gift she had received.

The heart that beat steadily in Sarah’s chest had once belonged to someone’s loved one. The gratitude she felt was as big as the Montana sky. She wanted to find some way to thank the family.

But how?

There’d be no need for them to know that the heart that beat so strongly for her now had once known this town, the streets and sidewalks, very likely even this diner.

If her research had identified the right heart donor.

Sarah looked up as the waitress arrived with her order of a turkey sandwich on wheat bread, no mayonnaise, and fruit. The lunch rush had apparently passed and there were only a couple of older men lingering over their coffee in a booth by the wall.

“Here you go, hon. I’ll freshen that iced tea for you.” A brassy-blonde in her forties with short hair and a great smile, she refilled Sarah’s glass. Her name tag read Bonnie Sue. “You just passin’ through?”

“I’m not quite sure,” she admitted, adding a packet of sweetener to her tea.

“We don’t get many tourists.”

“It is a bit off the beaten path.” So far off the beaten path, she’d almost missed the turn off from Highway 2 in the northern part of the state.