Rebecca Winters - A Valentine For The Cowboy

“Don’t be silly. I love you to death and promise to fly home soon.” The nearest airport was in Missoula, a half hour away from Stevensville. An hour if the roads in midwinter were bad. According to her uncle, this winter hadn’t hit them too hard and business had been good. Today was a beautiful day with a lot of sun that had brought in the customers.

Four or five times a year since she was a little girl, Brianna had come to Montana with her family to visit her aunt and uncle. They often took in a rodeo because her father and uncle once did bull riding themselves and Brianna loved it. In fact the three of them were going to the Stevensville rodeo tonight. While she stood there swamped by sweet memories, she heard the front door open. It was closing time, but she hadn’t locked up yet.

“Doug? I’ve got a customer. I promise to phone you next week and we’ll have a good talk after I’m off work. Give my love to Carol.”

“Will do. Talk to you later, sis.”

Brianna hung up. An attractive male, probably in his late twenties, had just come into Frosts’ Western Saddlery, one of Stevensville’s oldest and most well-known stores. They sold everything cowboys and cowgirls could possibly need. A lot of men young and old came in all the time, but she’d never seen this guy before. He had light brown hair and wore a gray North Face half-dome hoodie and jeans.

His hazel eyes twinkled as they fastened on her. “I can see you’re new here. Where’s Clark?”

“He left for home ten minutes ago.” Their ranch house was only a mile away. “What’s your name? If it’s an important matter, I’ll call him and tell him you’re here.”

“I’m Roce Clayton, but please don’t bother him.”

That name caught her attention in a hurry. “One of the legendary Claytons?” The Clayton Ranch was one of the oldest and most famous ranches in the Bitterroot Valley. It lay between the Bitterroot and Sapphire Mountains outside Stevensville. What a coincidence! Brianna was planning to drive there later to visit the Sapphire Mine Gem Shop owned by the Clayton family.

“Well, now, that all depends.” His smile made her chuckle. “What’s your name?”

“Brianna Frost.”

She could hear his mind working. “You’re Clark’s niece!”

“Yes. How did you know?”

“I’m a vet. I’ve taken care of their dog, Taffy, for the last year.”

“Aha. So that’s where I’ve heard your name.”

“He just called me to take a look at her. I’m afraid her hip is bad.”

Brianna loved that dog. “She’s getting worse.”

“It’s a shame. You know, whenever I make a visit, all he talks about is you and your brother.”

“You poor man.”

“Not at all. I heard about your parents’ death. Clark took losing his brother very hard. I can only imagine the pain you’ve suffered. I’m so sorry.”

His sincerity touched her. “Thank you.” She cleared her throat. “I understand your father passed a little while ago, too. My uncle really misses him. It couldn’t have been an easy time for your family, either.”

“You’re right about that. He died thirteen months ago. Thank Heaven my mother is still alive. My older brother Wymon is head of the ranch now, but, between you and me, we’d all fall apart without her.”

Tears stung her eyes. “I know what you mean. You’re lucky to have her.”

“That’s for sure, but I don’t see her often enough.”

“Why is that?”

“I work at an animal hospital in Missoula and only come home when I can take an odd weekend off.” He gave her a half smile. “Anyway, I just thought I’d drop in to buy a pair of driving gloves while I’m on my way to the ranch.”

“For yourself or someone else?”

“For me.” He gave her the size. “My old ones are falling apart. Maybe I’ll pick up a pair for my mom, too.”

“We’ve got some great gloves.” She walked him over to a display case and showed him several styles. He found the gloves he wanted and went back to the counter to pay for them.

After handing him the bag she said, “If you’re going to the ranch, could I follow you? I’ve never been there and I want to visit your family’s gem shop. Uncle Clark wants to give my aunt a gift for their wedding anniversary coming up next week. I told him she’d love a ring. I’d like to see what’s available.”

“Then you’re welcome to trail me.”

“Thank you so much. Let me just grab my jacket and purse from the back, then I’ll meet you in front.”

After she’d locked up, Brianna stepped outside and was greeted by clear blue skies, the temperature hovering around a chilly thirty-four degrees. She climbed into the Ford pickup her uncle let her drive. It helped that the sun had melted the ice on the windshield. Roce Clayton waved to her from his black Escalade and she followed him down the snow-packed road in the direction of the ranch.

He seemed like a great guy—it was too bad she wasn’t attracted to him. While Roce had been buying his gloves, she’d noticed he didn’t wear a ring. With a smile like his and his classic good looks, she figured he wouldn’t be single much longer. Her brother had been like that. Attractive and sweet. Carol had fallen for him in high school. Brianna hadn’t found that kind of connection with anyone yet.

She’d had a series of boyfriends in college, but she’d never been in love before. Not really. Her feelings toward the guys she’d dated had never been that strong. Brianna’s mom had told her, “When you meet the right one, you won’t have to wonder. You’ll know it in every atom of your body.”

She let out a sigh and followed the car in front of her around a curve in the road. Light glinted off the magnificent snow-capped mountains studded with pines. It really was a spectacular drive. Five more miles and they reached the entrance to the Clayton Ranch with its tall arch of antlers. Somewhere on their property was the entrance to an old sapphire mine.

Her uncle had told her stories about the first two Clayton brothers, who’d hailed from Lancashire, England. In the late l800s they worked and slaved to bring a big herd of Texan longhorn cattle to Montana, where they bought land and built their business into one of the most successful ranches on the western side of the state. They also bought mining rights as sapphires had been discovered throughout these mountains. Apparently Elias, the elder of the two brothers, neither married nor had children, so the legacy came through Wymon. The present-day Clayton brothers all had old English names to preserve their heritage, Roce being one of them.

She tried to remember the other brothers’ names but failed. She thought she would ask Roce when they arrived at the ranch. The Sapphire Mountains were looming closer, and she figured they mustn’t be far now.

* * *

THE SECTION OF the Sapphire Mountains known as Gem Mountain was also called the “Quiet Giant” because it had produced over l80 million carats of sapphires over 120 years, yet it didn’t receive a lot of publicity. According to Brianna’s uncle, people in the early part of the twentieth century used to dig for larger sapphires that could be polished and sold for a lot of money. The fractured stones were sold for industrial purposes and many of them were shipped to Switzerland to be turned into watch bearings.

After World War II the rock hounds came. The Claytons had sapphire gravel brought out of their mine and they opened their own gem shop. People would sift through the material and often find a special sapphire to buy. Today you could still visit the mine, but it was much easier to shop at the store owned and run by Roce’s mother, where you could see the sapphires on display.

Brianna’s thoughts were still concentrated on finding the perfect sapphire for her aunt when the large, two-story ranch house sitting at the base of one of the foothills came into view. When the Escalade pulled up in front, Brianna slowed to a stop and waited for Roce. He got out and walked over to her.