Читать книгу Montana Match - Merrillee Whren - Страница 10

Chapter Two

Thirty minutes later, Brittany held her ski poles with a death grip. She felt as though she was headed for some other world in her helmet and goggles. Her stomach churned as she followed Parker to the chairlift. Thankfully, she’d left most of her lunch on the plate. The thought of skiing down a real hill, not the bunny hill where she’d practiced earlier, terrified her.

“Why so grim? You look like you’re headed to the electric chair.” Chuckling, Parker stopped next to the chairlift.

She squared her shoulders and looked up at him. Should she let him know how scared she was, or should she tough it out? Who was she kidding? He probably already knew she was quaking in her ski boots. “I’ve never been on a lift before.”

“You’ll do fine. There’s nothing to it. You hop on and hop off.”

“Easy for you to say. You can probably do it with your eyes closed.”

“Not quite.” He chuckled again. “Remember. I’m here to help you.”

Somehow that didn’t seem reassuring at all. The whole scenario intimidated her. “So what do I do?”

“Just follow my lead. You step out here and wait for the chair to come to you.” He moved closer to the lift.

“Okay.” Brittany followed, holding her breath until she was seated beside Parker in the chair.

“Now that wasn’t so hard, was it?”

She let her breath out in a big whoosh when they swung out over the snow-covered hillside, awash in sunshine and glistening snow. Pressing herself back against the chair, she hoped she wouldn’t fall out. She didn’t think she had a fear of heights, but she was beginning to wonder about that as they dangled on a cable far above the ground. She tried not to look down.

“When we get to the top, put the tips of your skis down and push out of the chair.” Parker’s voice cut through the fear clouding her mind for a moment, but anxiety quickly returned.

“Okay.” Her pulse pounded in her head.

“Ready. Here we go.”

Brittany tried to put her skis on the ground. In the next instant, she sprawled face-first in the snow as the lift ground to a halt.

“Are you all right?” Parker rushed to her side.

Mortified, she scrambled to her feet with the help of Parker and several bystanders. When she was standing upright, she wished she had somewhere to hide. Did she dare look at him? He was probably wishing Heather hadn’t suggested he spend the afternoon giving ski instructions, especially with a klutz for a student. Finally, Brittany drummed up enough courage to glance up. A little smile played at the edges of Parker’s mouth. She supposed he was trying not to laugh.

“I’m okay.” Brushing snow off herself, Brittany wished everyone would quit fussing over her. She hated being the center of attention, especially this kind of attention. “Let’s go.”

“If you’re sure everything’s okay.”

“It is.”

“Good. Follow me.” Parker slowly skied ahead of her to the beginning of a trail.

Brittany followed and tried to remember what she’d learned in her lesson. “Are you going first?”

“No. You go, and I’ll ski behind and watch.” Parker stopped at the top of the trail and glanced her way as he pulled his goggles into place.

Oh, great. He was going to watch her. Just what she didn’t need. She couldn’t see his eyes behind the goggles, but she feared they were probably still full of laughter. Letting out a harsh breath, she put on her goggles.

“Okay. Here I go.” Her voice sounded strained even to her own ears. She pushed off with her ski poles and glided across the packed snow. She skied from side to side on the trail so she wouldn’t pick up too much speed.

“Hey, you’re doing great!” Parker’s voice sounded over the shush, shush, shush sound the skis made on the snow.

Brittany tried to ignore the way his praise made her pulse quicken. She tried to convince herself that her reaction had nothing to do with the fact that he was a handsome man. After all, her experience with Max had taught her that planning her life around a man had been a mistake. His inattention had broken her heart. She’d had it with men. So why did her first encounter with another handsome man have her feeling this way?

She shook away the question and focused her mind on her technique. If she wasn’t careful, she’d wind up face-first in the snow again. She had to give her full attention to skiing and forget about men.

When she reached the bottom of the trail, a true sense of accomplishment brightened her thoughts. Parker joined her and smiled. His smile took her breath away. Or was it the sudden gust of wind?

“Hey, that was a good job. Ready to go again?”

“Sure.” The triumph of her first downhill trip had made her forget the embarrassment at the ski lift. Now another ride loomed before her. She wasn’t going to let a ski lift intimidate her, and she certainly wasn’t going to let Parker sense any of her fear. Straightening her shoulders, she headed back to the ski lift, determined to get in and out of the chair without falling.

“Hey, wait up.” Parker skied up beside her. “You’ve taken to skiing very well.”

Brittany basked in his praise, then wondered why. She shouldn’t need his approval. Moving closer to the lift, she tried not to think about it. “That was fun.”

“Ready for another ride on the lift?”

Brittany joined Parker in the line that waited to take the lift to the top of the ski run. “Yeah, I think I’ll get it right this time.”

While they waited, Parker made very little attempt at conversation. She worried that he was bored silly being with her and skiing on these easy slopes when he could readily conquer the difficult runs. She wanted to tell him that he didn’t need to hang around with her, but she feared he would take it the wrong way.

So she spent the rest of the afternoon skiing on the easiest trails, either following Parker’s lead as he showed her something or having him follow as he watched her. Occasionally, he gave her a simple tip or complimented her on her progress. She had to admit that he managed to keep a perfect balance between instruction and praise. Heather was right. He was a good teacher.

At the end of one of their runs, Parker stopped her as she headed for the lift. “You’re going to wear yourself out. Don’t be surprised if every muscle in your body is sore tomorrow.”

“Really?”

Smiling, he nodded. “You’ll discover muscles you didn’t know you had.”

“That doesn’t sound very encouraging.”

“Just letting you know what to expect.” He glanced toward the lift. “It’s almost four o’clock. They close the trails on the mountain at four, so we ought to head back to the lodge.”

“Sure.” Despite her worries, Brittany had enjoyed herself.

When they reached the lodge, Brittany began removing her skis and boots, all the while keeping an eye out for Heather. As Brittany unbuckled her boots, her cell phone buzzed, indicating a text message. She pulled it out and glanced at it. Max. She’d completely forgotten about him. Heather’s plan was working.

Max wanted to know where she was. Too bad he hadn’t been that concerned these past couple of years while they’d been dating. He’d been too engrossed in his studies to bother with her. Now he didn’t seem to get the message that their relationship was over. Maybe he’d finally figure it out if she didn’t respond. Frowning, she shoved the phone into her pocket.

When she glanced up, Parker was staring at her. “Problems?”

Brittany sighed, wishing Parker hadn’t noticed. “Yeah. Someone I didn’t want to talk to.”

Parker’s brown eyes studied her face. “That old boyfriend?”

Brittany nodded and lowered her gaze, hoping to avoid any other questions about Max.

“I didn’t mean to pry. It’s none of my business, but I couldn’t help noticing your frown.”

“That’s okay.” Brittany shrugged. “Thanks so much for spending your afternoon with me. I appreciate your help.”

Parker gave her a wry grin. “You’re welcome. I enjoyed our afternoon together. You have the makings of a good skier.”

“Thanks, but I don’t plan to take up skiing, especially since I don’t have a regular job.” Brittany wondered whether Parker was just being polite, or whether he’d really enjoyed her company. What difference did it make? After this weekend, she’d probably never see him again. For some reason that thought made her sad.

“You can head to the lodge to meet Heather, while I pick up Rose and Jasmine.” Parker gathered his boots and skis. “Tell Heather that you guys can go ahead to the house. I’ll see you there.”

“Okay, thanks again.” Brittany made her way to the lodge while she contemplated meeting the mysterious female duo.

When Brittany arrived, Heather was already waiting. She hopped up from her chair. “Did you and Parker have a good time?”

Brittany shrugged. “We survived.”

“What’s that mean?”

“It means that I managed to stay upright most of the afternoon, and Parker tolerated boredom while skiing on the easy trails.”

“I’m sure he had a good time. He loves to teach.” Heather gave Brittany a cheesy grin.

“You’re right. He was very patient with a bumbling beginner.” Brittany tried to ignore Heather’s speculative grin. “He told me we should go ahead to the house while he picks up Rose and Jasmine.”

“Okay.” Heather opened the door and headed toward the parking lot. “You’re going to adore them.”

As Brittany followed, she decided the time had come to ask Heather about them. “You keep talking about them, but you’ve never told me who they are.”

Stopping, Heather looked at Brittany. “I haven’t?”

“No.”

“I’m sorry.” Heather shook her head. “I don’t know why I thought you knew. They’re Parker’s six-year-old twin daughters. To tell you the truth, those little girls are all that keeps him from completely turning his back on the outside world.”

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?”

The girls shook their heads in unison, their braids swinging. “Daddy did.”

“Your daddy did a good job.”

“Thanks.” Parker’s eyes twinkled as he hugged his girls and looked at Brittany. “I’ve had lots of practice.”

Brittany took in the way Parker related to his little girls. Heather had been right. Their presence obviously brightened his life. Another piece of the puzzle fell into place, and Brittany had to admit that she was more intrigued than ever with Parker. Probably not a good thing when she suspected that Heather was trying to push her and Parker together. No matter how intriguing the man, the last thing she needed was a rebound romance.