Callie Endicott - The Rancher's Prospect

His dad got up and gave him a fierce, silent hug; Parker’s embrace alone would have told Josh, if he hadn’t already known, how serious the situation was.

Sarah McGregor also stood and put her arms around him. “I’m so glad you’re here, son,” she murmured. “You can see them next.”

Josh understood the drill at ICUs. Only two visitors, at limited intervals.

Ten minutes later an aide came into the room. His father nodded, and Josh went with her through a wide door. His grandmother lay in the first cubicle.

Agony shot through him as he saw the bandages on Evelyn Nelson’s head and left shoulder.

He leaned over the bed, took her right hand and whispered, “It’s Josh, Grandma.”

Her fingers tightened for a moment.

“She squeezed my hand,” he whispered to the nurse who was adjusting an IV.

The woman gave him a kind, sad look. “It’s likely just a reflex,” she said gently, but Josh didn’t believe it.

He turned back to his grandmother. “I’m going to see Grandpa now,” he whispered and felt her thumb press against his palm. “I love you.”

If possible, the nightmare got worse when Josh saw his grandfather. Walt’s face was bruised and swollen, and a machine was breathing for him. His leg was swathed with bandages, blood staining through, and Josh wondered how extensive the damage might be. Lord, Grandpa would hate to be disabled; running his ranch was everything to Walt Nelson.

“Hey, Grandpa, it’s Josh,” he said, slipping his hand around the slack fingers. But this time there wasn’t any response, not even something his imagination could build upon. “I...I just saw Grandma. She sent her love.” It was possible to say that much, given the pressure of her thumb when he’d spoken about seeing her husband.

A moment later the aide nodded toward the door and Josh reluctantly left the ICU.

Back in the waiting room, Trent silently stood and gave Josh his place beside their mother. No one was talking. His sister-in-law Kayla lay on the floor with her feet elevated, probably related to her being seven months pregnant. But she seemed all right otherwise. Jackson sat next to her, holding her hand.

Sitting and waiting was hard for Josh; he was used to long days of vigorous activity, the same as the rest of the family. But it was good to be together at a time like this, even though all they could do was wait and pray.

CHAPTER ONE

TARA LIVINGSTON LOOKED through the taxi’s window at Notre Dame and other familiar Parisian landmarks as they headed for the airport. She would miss France, and it seemed especially hard to leave as spring approached, though Paris was wonderful in every season, despite its ever-growing traffic problems.

In a rare email exchange a few months before, an old college roommate had claimed Tara was living the dream life. Maybe she was—her Facebook album contained photos of everything from Stonehenge, the Bavarian countryside and her climb up Mount Fuji to scuba diving off the Australian coast. She’d lived in five countries over the past ten years, with visits to others, and had thoroughly enjoyed each of them.

But now she was headed back to the United States...to Montana, of all places. Her few belongings had already been shipped to the temporary apartment she’d asked Lauren to find for her, though there was no telling when they would arrive.

The butterflies in Tara’s stomach had nothing to do with returning to the States, and she kept telling herself there was nothing overly significant about seeing Lauren again. Their initial meeting had been awkward, but that was to be expected when twin sisters were reunited for the first time since they were babies.

If they couldn’t find a way to connect...?

Well, Tara had always managed by herself, and the world wouldn’t fall to pieces if she continued that way. Things would be simpler, at any rate. It had often seemed that family complicated the lives of her coworkers and tied them down. She wanted to be free to live different places and do all the traveling she wanted to do.

At the airport she checked her suitcases and settled in to the first-class seat paid for by her employer—a reminder that they wanted her to sign another contract as soon as possible. They’d even given her a choice of countries. She tucked her purse under the seat while wondering if she should pick somewhere new or go back to one of the places she’d loved so much.

A decision could wait until she began negotiating with her company about a new contract. She planned to be in Montana for three months. Lauren had invited her to stay in her spare bedroom, but Tara had wanted her own place. Lauren Spencer might be her twin, but she was still a stranger, and Tara wasn’t ready to live with another stranger. Her entire childhood had been spent living with strangers, being shuttled from one foster home to another.

The trip went well, albeit with a few layovers and transfers, but Tara was used to travel and made the connections to Helena without a problem.

“Tara,” called a voice as she arrived at the baggage claim area after landing. It was her sister, smiling tentatively, and their alikeness surprised Tara all over again. They had the same long blond hair, the same blue eyes with tiny flecks of gold, and the same height and build.

“I thought you weren’t coming,” she said. “I have to get a rental car, anyway.”

“I caught a ride with someone so we could travel back together—I couldn’t let you fly in without being met.”

“That’s nice.” Tara was far more accustomed to disembarking alone than she was to having someone greet her. Still, it was a nice gesture from her sister, and the effort was appreciated.

“Is this all you brought?” Lauren asked, looking at Tara’s two bags when they arrived on the carousel.

“I mailed a few boxes, but I travel light. I’ll buy anything the apartment lacks and leave it behind when I go.”

“Hopefully the apartment will be all right. It’s just a block from where I live and fully furnished the way you wanted, but the landlord said he’d understand if you decide to find somewhere else. He was surprised you didn’t want to choose your own place.”

“I’m used to it,” Tara explained. “The company I work for makes my living arrangements, which saves time. Besides, I’m not fussy. It’s just a place to sleep.”

After picking up the vehicle she’d reserved, Tara set the GPS and headed for Schuyler, a small town a couple of hours away.

“How was the flight?” Lauren asked after they’d passed the Helena city limits.

“I slept part of the way, which made it shorter.”

“Even so, you must be exhausted. The jet lag got me pretty bad when I flew back to California after visiting you in Paris.”

“Right. I’ll probably go to bed almost as soon as we get to the apartment.”

It was a good excuse to cut the day short. They ate supper on the way, and there was a second hug after they arrived at the furnished apartment, which was much nicer than Tara had expected in a small town in the wilds of Montana.

“I’ll come to the clinic tomorrow and take you out to lunch,” Tara promised. She didn’t want things to be uncomfortable with Lauren, but she didn’t know how else to act. Her twin was obviously better with people than she’d ever learned to be.

Lauren brightened. “That would be great.”

So Tara had the evening to regroup and unpack her bags, and she could sleep late the next morning. She reminded herself that nobody could expect to build a sisterly relationship overnight. After all, anybody who believed twins automatically connected had never spent more than thirty years apart from their sibling.

* * *

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN the order was canceled?” Josh barked into the phone. “I was expecting it to arrive this week. I’ve got heifers ready to breed.”