Montana Match

As Brittany walked across the parking lot, her mind spun with the information. His daughters? How totally wrong her thoughts had been. “But you said he’s a bachelor.”

“He is. He adopted the girls when they were babies after their mother died.” Heather pulled her keys from her pocket. “She was killed by her stepfather while trying to protect her mother.”

“Oh, how terrible.” Brittany placed a hand over her heart. She didn’t know what else to say, though her mind was full of questions. Did Parker have some connection to the deceased woman? Why didn’t her family take the children? Why would a bachelor adopt two little girls? But surely it would be rude to ask.

Finally gathering her thoughts, Brittany looked at Heather over the top of the car. “Your uncle certainly has a compassionate heart.”

“Yeah, he does, and it’s caused him nothing but trouble.”

After that, Brittany couldn’t contain her curiosity. “What kind of trouble?”

“It’s a long story. And a sad one.” Heather opened the door to her car.

Brittany slid into the passenger seat.

The hum of the motor filled the silence while Heather drove toward the main road. She glanced at Brittany, who waited as patiently as she could for her friend to collect her thoughts. “I think you should know the story. Then you’ll understand why Parker has become a recluse.”

“Are you sure he wants you talking about him? After all, it’s his life, and I’m a stranger. You don’t have to make explanations to me.”

Heather shrugged. “But I want you to understand Parker and like him.”

Brittany knit her eyebrows. “You aren’t trying to push the two of us together, are you?”

Heather chuckled. “That would be rather presumptuous of me, wouldn’t it?”

“Yeah, it would.” Brittany took in the little smile that curved Heather’s mouth. Her expression didn’t ease Brittany’s suspicions. “So what were you going to tell me?”

“Sydney, Rose and Jasmine’s mother, was one of Parker’s students.”

“He’s a teacher?”

“He was a teacher, but he’s not now because of what happened.” Heather was quiet for a few seconds, then glanced Brittany’s way. “Parker was a very dedicated teacher. He spent lots of extra time helping students. Sydney was one of those kids. He was helping her study for her college-entrance exams, so they spent a lot of time together after school.”

“Was that a problem?”

“Not until Sydney turned up pregnant. Once her pregnancy was evident, someone started a rumor that Parker was the father. It spread through the school like a cattle stampede and wound up in the ears of the school board and the superintendent. Despite Parker’s and Sydney’s adamant denials, he was suspended from his teaching job. The woman he was dating ended their relationship. People in the community condemned him—even people from his church.”

“How terrible for him! Why didn’t people believe him?” Brittany frowned.

“Good question, especially after the girls were born and paternity tests proved that Parker wasn’t the father.” Heather shook her head. “After that, he moved out to the ranch, and he’s never been the same.”

“What did your family think?”

“We never doubted Parker. Not for a minute. We couldn’t believe he was being accused of such a thing.” Heather shook her head. “It was really hard on Grandma and Grandpa Watson. They were in the process of moving to Arizona and almost decided not to go, but Parker insisted that they not change their plans. He always thought about others and not himself. Because he was that kind of person, no one in the family could fathom the reaction of the community.”

“Me, either, and I barely know him.”

“I’m glad you feel that way.” Heather smiled.

After listening to Heather’s explanation, Brittany tried to process the information about Parker and reconcile it with the man she’d gotten to know this afternoon. No wonder he’d seemed so distant at first, so reluctant to talk about himself. Later on the ski slopes, he’d seemed more comfortable. Had he started to trust her not to judge him?

A few minutes later, Heather parked her car in front of a huge, two-story house, surrounded by snowy pastureland and hillsides covered with Ponderosa pine. Brittany followed Heather up the walk with snow piled high on either side. As she stepped onto the covered front porch, she took in the view. “The Beartooth Mountains are spectacular.”

“You’re right, and so is the house. Wait till you see the inside. Parker rents this place every year. His housekeeper, Delia, will be here, so the house should be unlocked.” As Heather opened the door, a short, rotund woman with graying dark brown hair greeted them. Heather set her suitcase down and hugged the woman. “Delia, it’s so good to see you. I want you to meet my friend, Brittany Gorman.”

After the introductions, Brittany surveyed the spacious living room filled with leather sofas and chairs, a rustic coffee table and end tables. A Native American rug covered the plank flooring. The waning light streamed through a bank of windows on one wall that looked out on a deck and a nearby creek cutting a path through the snow-covered acreage.

“You’re the first guests to arrive. Your parents called and said they’d be here by supper.” Delia moseyed toward the open stairway that led to the second floor. “I’ll show you your room.”

“Good.” Heather picked up her bag and followed Delia. “We’ll have a chance to clean up before supper.”

Hauling her suitcase, Brittany tagged along and marveled at the vaulted ceiling and loft overlooking the first floor. This place must have cost a mint to secure for the long holiday weekend. More questions popped into Brittany’s mind. He lived on a ranch where he didn’t do any ranching. So what did Parker do that allowed him to rent this enormous house and pay for a large group of his relatives to go skiing? She’d discovered a few more pieces that needed to find their places in the puzzle making up Parker Watson.

After Brittany showered and put on a pair of tan corduroys and a green wool sweater, she looked at Heather, who was still blow-drying her hair. “Is it okay if I wander around the house?”

“Sure. I’ll be done in a minute and join you.”

Brittany strolled into the loft area overlooking the front room and leaned her forearms on the railing. Gazing out at the magnificent view of the snow-covered mountains, she wished life didn’t have to be so complicated.

As Brittany continued to take in the fabulous view, she couldn’t help thinking of the scripture she’d memorized as a child. She whispered it softly to herself. “I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Did God have the answers?

Lately, she’d let her spiritual life slide. Was God trying to get her attention by filling her life with one problem after another? She should make everything a matter of prayer, but she didn’t understand why God had allowed her to lose her job. Now this thing with Max didn’t make matters easier.

Brittany closed her eyes and let a silent prayer form in her mind. Lord, please forgive me for forgetting to rely on You. Please help me understand about losing my job, and help me deal with Max in a loving way. I need to know where to go from here. Please guide my decisions.

High-pitched giggles caused Brittany to open her eyes. Entering the front door, Parker held a little girl under each arm, their dark braided pigtails hanging like ropes. “Hmm, where should I dump these sacks of potatoes?”

“Daddy, we’re not potatoes,” one of the little girls said through her laughter.

“You’re not? I thought I had two sacks of potatoes.” They wriggled to get down, and he set them on the floor.

“Daddy, you’re too silly,” the other child said as she stared up at him.

The scene stirred a myriad of emotions in Brittany as she remembered the way her dad used to play that same game with her and her brothers when they were kids. She tried to tamp down her reaction to Parker. She was letting emotions rule—not a good sign.

“Daddy, who’s the lady?” One of the little girls pointed toward the loft.

“Hello, Brittany.” Parker’s gaze met hers. “Come on down, and I’ll introduce you to Rose and Jasmine.”

Embarrassed that she’d been caught eavesdropping, Brittany nodded and trotted down the stairs. The trio met her at the bottom. Eager curiosity painted the little girls’ faces as they looked up at Brittany, yet they clung to Parker’s arms with shyness.

“This is Rose.” Parker tapped the top of the girl’s head on his left, then tapped the one on his right. “And this is Jasmine.”

“Hi, Rose and Jasmine. I’m Brittany.” Brittany glanced from one child to the other and wondered how she would ever tell them apart. Heather had failed to mention that Parker’s daughters were identical twins.

“I like your hair. It’s pretty.” Rose smiled shyly.

“Thanks.” Brittany returned the smile. “I like your pigtails. Did you braid your own hair?”