Yeah, but Im already here. She grabbed hold of the ladder and fit her sneaker onto the weathered rung.
Hope, Im not kidding. Youre going to break your neck. But he didnt sound too upset with her.
When she looked over her shoulder, she saw that he was holding the ladder steady for her and shaking his head as if to say women didnt belong on ladders. Well, she wouldnt be on for long. I appreciate this, Matthew.
If you werent helping me out with my mom, Id let go of this ladder.
Sure you would. Youre too nice of a guy.
Thats only according to rumor. You cant trust everything you hear.
Nanna says a man who can raise three small boys at the same time has to have the patience of Job and the temperament of an angel.
Either that or hes on psychiatric medication.
Hope stumbled onto the roof, laughing, but Matthew hadnt fooled her. Sure, he was joking, but there was no way he could disguise the patience and good humor lighting him up from within, not quite chasing away his sadness. It touched her somewhere deep inside her well-defended heart. How was it that this man could affect her so much and so quickly?
Be careful up there. The ladder rubbed against the weathered eaves with each step Matthew took as he climbed higher. I dont want to have to explain to Nora how I let her only granddaughter tumble off a barn roof. Id never get work from her again.
Repeat business is all that matters, is it?
Sure. He hopped onto the roof with an athletic prowess that drew Hopes gaze, and a slow smile tugged at the left corner of his mouth. Now before you start running around up here, some of the shingles arent tacked down yet.
I noticed that. Really. Wisps had escaped from her ponytail, and she swept them back with one hand. Between you and Nanna, I feel like an awkward kid again. Stop worrying about me, okay? Im not going to take a nosedive off the barn. Ive been on a roof before.
Not as often as I have, I bet. He curved his hand around her elbow, holding her secure. Just in case.
Im not afraid of heights.
I am.
You? Manhattans best carpenter?
My roof jobs would dry up if word like that got around. Youll keep my secret, right? His grip on her arm remained, sure and steady, keeping her safe.
I dont know, she teased in turn, heading toward the roofs peak. Seems to me keeping a secret like that could be worth some money.
He chuckled, rich and deep, and it somehow moved through her even though they hardly touched. Like a vibration of warmth and sunlight, she felt it, and when her sneaker hit a loose shingle, his grip on her arm held her steady even before she could stumble.
His touch remained, branding her with his skins heat, and she almost stumbled again. Why was her heart beating as if shed run a mile? With every step she took, she was aware of the way he moved beside herthe easy, athletic movements as he escorted her safely to the peak of the sloped roof.
No, she wasnt attracted to him. He was simply being a gentleman, as hed been when hed carried her luggage and driven her home on the night of the storm. A gentleman, nothing more and nothing less, and even if that was attractive to her, she didnt need to panic. He was no threat to her heart. No threat at all.
She faced the wind, and the sweet country breezes lifted the hair from her brow and whirred in her ears. Sunlight slanted in ragged, luminous fingers from the wide blue sky to the rich green earth.
I should have brought my camera. Look at the cloud shadow on those hills.
The Tobacco Roots. He nodded toward the wrinkled hills in the distance, rugged and rocky, in contrast to the regal Rockies to the West. Kathy and I used to hike there before the boys were born. We tried it once afterward, carting the three of them in backpacks, but they were hot and miserable and, unfortunately, teething. We decided not to make that mistake again.
Scared away the wildlife, did they?
I still think half the deer never did return to their natural habitat. The park ranger threatened to ticket us. He shrugged one capable shoulder but his grin didnt reach all the way to his eyes.
I remember Kathy. She was two years behind us in school, wasnt she?
Yes. A muscle worked in his jaw as he towered over her, his back to the sun, his face shadowed.
Hope sat on the hot shingles, emotions tangled into a knot in her stomach. She didnt want to say anything more that would make sadness shade his eyes. How old are your boys?
Three, almost four. Their birthday is in July.
Triplets. That must be a handful.
When Kathy was alive, it was almost manageable. When we finally got them on the same sleeping schedule, that is. The sadness crept into his eyes anyway as he sat down beside her, leaving a deliberate space between them. Right now Im between housekeepers. Its hard to find someone with the right temperament.
I bet it isnt easy keeping up with triplets.
Its not impossible. They are something, Ill tell you that, always going in different directions at once, but I wouldnt trade em for the world.
The wind tossed dark shocks of hair over his brow as he looked everywhere but at her. I havent seen the world like you have, heck, I havent even been out of Montana, but I have everything I want right now. I have my boys and thats all I need.
Then youre a lucky man.
Im not going to argue with you about that.
His voice dipped and he turned away from her to study the valley spread out before them. As the silence lengthened, Hope tried to pretend she wasnt touched by what shed seen in Matthews eyes and heard unspoken in his words, but she failed. She was touched. Anyone could see a fathers steadfast love in him as certain as the warm sun overhead.
Not that what lived in Matthews heart was any of her business.
Maybe this jumpy, skittery feeling wasnt an attraction to Matthew at all. Maybe she was itching to start working again. Thats it. Id better get back before Nanna misses me.
Matthew stood, not meeting her gaze, and offered his hand.
She straightened on her own, not certain if she could touch him one more time. She wasnt attracted to himand she didnt want her physical reaction to him proving her wrong.
Looks like were in trouble. Without looking at her, he nodded across the field toward the dirt road, where a dust plume rose behind a sedate burgundy sedan. Its my mom. No, theres no time to run. There she is. Were busted.
The look of dismay on Hopes face told Matthew she didnt like the prospect of being caught alone with him, and he couldnt blame her. Mom would jump to conclusions and only take seeing them together as encouragement. He held the ladder for Hope so she could climb down safely.
She knelt and carefully placed her designer sneakers on the top rung. Sure, send me down first into enemy territory.
Better you than me. Mom will show you mercy.
Not if shes anything like Nanna.
Her attempt at humor touched him because she couldnt like this situation. It was absurd that anyone would think that a small-town carpenter belonged anywhere near a millionaires daughter.
Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! The words rang on the air the instant the passenger door of Moms car swung open. As Hope finished descending, Matthew watched his sons race full out toward the fence until Mom shouted at them to wait and not touch the barbed wire.
Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! The words rang on the air the instant the passenger door of Moms car swung open. As Hope finished descending, Matthew watched his sons race full out toward the fence until Mom shouted at them to wait and not touch the barbed wire.
Hope lighted on the ground and tilted her head back to look at him. I didnt know they were identical.
Keeps things interesting.
I bet it does. She covered her eyes with her free hand and squinted through the glaring sun to watch the triplets tumble into the field.
He started down the ladder, descending quickly. Already Mom was helping the boys through the fence and there was no mistaking the look of delight in that grin of hers, which he could see plainly from across the field. This wasnt what he needed. Mom would think she was on the right track and start really pushing.
Daddy, Daddy, Daddy! The triplets plowed through the sweet-smelling alfalfa and scrambled to him, arms flung open.
Matthew barely had time to brace himself before the boys threw their arms around his knees and held on tight, bouncing and shouting. Did you three give your gramma so much trouble she decided to give you back?
It was tempting, Mom teased over the racket of the boys talking at once. He heard the words fire, fireman and big truck. Agnes had a small kitchen fire and wanted you to give her an estimate on the damage.
You could have called, Mom. Matthew lifted Josh onto his hip.
Yes, but you know I hate talking to that beeper thing of yours. Hope, what a pleasure to see you again. Mom practically beamed as she approached the slim woman who stood off by herself, as if not sure what to think of them all. I heard from Nora you were in town.
She finally figured out a way to get me back here. Hope took Moms hand, her manner warm, as if she wasnt upset in the slightest. Its good to see you again, Patsy.
The boys demanded Matthews attention, telling him everything about the sirens and the big red truck, but his gaze kept straying to the woman talking with his mother, whose girl-next-door freshness was at odds with everything he remembered about Hope Ashton from high school.
Is that lady gonna take us? Josh asked, both fists tight in Matthews T-shirt.
The other boys turned to frown at Hope, and before Matthew could answer, she did.
No, but I did bring you boys something. Hope swirled away from his mother and snatched the paper bag from the blanket.
Of course, his mother took one look at the blanket, not an item he usually took to work with him, and lifted one curiousor was that accusing?eyebrow.
Ian took one step forward, interested in Hopes paper bag. Cookies?
Candy? Kale looked tempted.
Josh buried his face in Matthews shoulder and held on tight.
Matthew watched as Hope shook her head, dark wisps tangling in the wind, and knelt down, opening the sack. If you boys dont like cinnamon rolls, I could eat them all by myself
Cinnamon rolls? Kale shot forward, not caring if this woman was a stranger. Like the kind Gramma makes? With frosting?
With frosting.
Ian scrambled closer. Does it got raisins? Dont like raisins.
No raisins, but they do have icing. Go ahead and try one. Hope shook the bag, as if she were trying to coax them closer.
Huge mistake. Matthew set out to rescue her as both boys plunged their hands into the sack, fighting for the biggest roll. But Hope only laughed, a warm gentle sound that made him stop and really look at her, at this outsider who had never quite belonged in their small Montana town.
She didnt look like an outsider now. Her faded denims hugged her slender legs with an easy casualness, and her T-shirt was probably a big-label brand, but the cherry-red color brought out the bronzed hue of her skin and the gleam of laughter in her eyes. She didnt look like a millionaires daughter and an established photographer.