She’d set him back on his heels, but he’d get over it. She wouldn’t be here for very long if she stuck to her pattern. A few days and she’d be flying home to New York. Then he could push her out of his mind again and all would be well.

  She stopped at George’s Garage to drop off the tire and he waited in the parking lot. Eagle’s Nest had one major street, which someone lacking in originality had labeled Main Street. Any business of importance had a storefront there, including George’s. Zane watched until she climbed back into the red car and then they were off to her mom’s place.

  He turned down the familiar dirt road. How many more times would he take this route now that Aunt Jo was selling? She wasn’t technically his aunt, but that’s what he’d called her since he was a little kid. In the years since then he’d discovered that you didn’t have to be blood kin to feel related to somebody. Thanks to Aunt Jo living right down the road from Wild Creek Ranch, he had two moms.

  Luckily she was only moving into town, a mere ten miles away, so she’d continue to stable her horse with the McGavins. Although Zane would see her about as much as before, it wouldn’t be the same. Having somebody else own what he considered a second home would be weird.

  He hoped whoever bought it wouldn’t renovate because the house was perfect the way it was. Dark brown shingles and a forest green pitched roof blended in with the woods that surrounded the building on three sides. The interior was paneled in knotty pine. After spending hours there as a kid, he associated knotty pine with playing games and eating cookies.

  In the summer months, the back deck was great for watching whatever wild critters wandered by. That happened a lot because the area was chock full of elk and deer, not to mention eagles, hawks and owls.

  He’d miss sitting out on the deck this summer. If Aunt Jo put it on the market soon as she’d planned, it’d likely be sold before June. It was chilly out there now but he might suggest they spend an evening on her deck while they still could. She had a metal fire pit that would keep them warm.

  The house came into sight through the velvet green of tall pines. He tried to imagine someone else living there and couldn’t. But Aunt Jo was tired of maintaining it and that was valid.

  Since her divorce she’d learned her way around a toolbox and Zane had helped whenever she’d run into a problem she couldn’t handle. Because he’d served as her handyman, he had a sense of ownership about the place. But she was an independent lady who worried about imposing on him even though he’d been more than willing.

  She came running out of the house without her coat when they drove up. Zane stayed in his truck for a few seconds to let Mandy and her mom have a moment. Aunt Jo missed her daughter a hell of a lot.

  Seeing them together, laughing and hugging, no one would doubt they were mother and daughter. They were about the same height and both slender and fit. Zane remembered when Aunt Jo’s hair was the same color as Mandy’s, but she’d decided to let it go gray and she wore it super short because she didn’t like messing with it.

  Once the two women stopped hugging, Zane left his truck so he could help with Mandy’s suitcase. Aunt Jo fussed over him and showered him with thanks for keeping Mandy safe. He couldn’t take credit for a random rescue but Aunt Jo was determined to reward him in some way. Apparently, furniture was an appropriate gift.

  “You need to take that sofa.” She gestured to it as they walked through the front door and into the living room. “You’ve always liked it and you need one for your cabin.”

  He smiled at her. “Thanks, but don’t go giving away your sofa. You might need it in your new place.” The house smelled great. Her condo in town would, too, if she kept up her baking habit.

  “I think that sofa’s too big for the condo. Besides, I have a strong urge to get rid of everything and start fresh with new stuff. I’ll have the money once I sell this house.”

  “That’s the spirit, Mom.” Mandy chimed in with enthusiasm. “New beginnings.”

  While Zane wouldn’t mind having the sofa, he didn’t want Aunt Jo giving up every stick of furniture in this house. The dining table and chairs had sat in front of the picture window ever since he could remember. He hoped she would keep them.

  He offered to take Mandy’s suitcase to her room but she wouldn’t hear of it so he left the suitcase in the hall. They hooked their coats on the coat tree beside the door and he hung his hat there, too. At home, he tended to leave it on. It was a ranch thing.

  Aunt Jo brought out the coffee and his favorite cookies, chocolate chip. But this time she’d baked them for Mandy, who was also partial to that kind. He didn’t care who she’d baked them for. After wrestling with those lug nuts, he was hungry.

  They settled at the table with Aunt Jo on the end and Zane and Mandy flanking her. Zane waited for one of the women to start in on the cookies.

  Instead Mandy ignored them and turned to her mom, her expression animated. “Now I can finally tell you my fabulous idea!”

  “What’s that, sweetie?”

  “Well.” Mandy paused dramatically. “We’ve talked about you coming for a longer visit once the house sells.”

  “Absolutely. We’ll celebrate.” Aunt Jo picked up a cookie.

  Zane picked up two.

  Mandy took none. Whatever was on her mind must occupy all of it if she wasn’t eating cookies. “So I’ve been thinking, why just visit? Since you’re leaving this house, why not move back East and live with me?”

  Zane damn near choked on his cookie. A quick swallow of coffee saved him.

  “Live in New York?” Aunt Jo stared at her daughter.

  “Exactly! You can’t fully appreciate the city with short visits. Even a week is not enough. But if you lived there we could explore at our leisure. The Metropolitan Museum of Art alone would take –”

  “Mandy, slow down. Let me get my bearings. You’re talking about a major change, here. I know the city has attractions galore, but –”

  “And even though you’ve been there several times, you haven’t even scratched the surface!”

  “I hope you’re not suggesting I should retire, because I –”

  “Heavens, no. You’re too young to retire.”

  “And I need the money. Even if I didn’t, I like working.”

  “Gotcha covered, Mom. Considering all the banks there and the contacts I’ve made over the years, you’d have a job in no time.”

  Zane couldn’t believe the words coming out of Mandy’s mouth. Aunt Jo had seniority at the Eagles Nest bank and she was beloved by customers and co-workers alike. Surely she wouldn’t give that up to start over in some huge establishment in the heart of a big city where her daughter was the only person she knew.

  “Even if the job’s not an issue,” Aunt Jo said, “I’ve already made a deposit on the condo.”

  That should put a lid on it. Zane was relieved. Aunt Jo wasn’t fixing to leave Montana, especially not to live in one of the biggest cities in the world.

  But Mandy didn’t seem the least discouraged by news of the condo deposit. “I’m sure you can get it back. You’re too savvy about money to give someone a nonrefundable deposit. Mom, think about the fun we could have.” Her face glowed with excitement. “There’s so much to do there. We’d have a blast.”

  “I’m sure we would, sweetie.” Aunt Jo reached over and gave her daughter’s arm a squeeze. “I just need some time to think about it.”

  “That’s why I wanted to tell you right away, so we can talk it through while I’m here.” Mandy turned to Zane. “Can’t you just see the two of us kicking up our heels in the Big Apple?”

  If she was asking for his support for this crazy idea she wouldn’t get it, but he didn’t want to come out with a negative comment, either. “It’s quite a concept, all right.”

  Aunt Jo sent him a look. “Sure is.”

  Mandy appeared to take Zane’s remark as a sign of approval. “It’s a great concept and this is the perfect time to do it now that the house is going up for sale.”

  “Mm.” Zane drank coffee and ate cookies while Mandy raved on about the benefits of a move to New York. She talked about plays they would see and concerts they’d attend while her mother smiled and said very little.

  Eventually Mandy paused for breath and looked across the table at him. “Pretty cool, huh?”

  “Like a said, quite a concept.”

  “I know! I have a friend who might be able to sublet his two-bedroom apartment for a reasonable price. My lease is up next month, which is perfect timing. Oh, and I have frequent flier miles up the wazoo.” She turned to her mother. “Think of it – Paris, London, Venice – the opportunities are endless.”

  “Sure sounds like it.”

  Zane couldn’t get a bead on Aunt Jo’s mindset. She’d mentioned the job and the deposit as if she wanted to put an end to this nonsense. Now he wasn’t so sure. Maybe with those barriers removed she was considering the move. She hadn’t traveled other than her trips to New York, and living with her daughter might make them both very happy. He didn’t think she’d like a big city as a steady diet, but maybe she would.

  “We could head south, too,” Mandy said. “I’ve never been on an Amazon River cruise, and we –” She paused as a phone played Frank Sinatra’s New York, New York. “That’s mine. I should get it. My friend said he’d call if he got all the details worked out on the lease.” She left the table and grabbed her phone from the purse she’d left on the sofa. “I’ll take it in my bedroom.”

  After she’d dashed down the hall, Zane glanced at Aunt Jo. “A lot to absorb, huh?”

  She grimaced. “You said it.”

  “You don’t want to move?” That cheered him up considerably.

  She lowered her voice. “I can’t imagine living in New York, but I can’t say that yet. I want to dig into this a little more and find out what’s behind this brainstorm of hers. She caught me by surprise.”

  “Then she’s never mentioned the possibility before?”

  “Never. She’s gone out of her way to demonstrate how happy she is and how much she loves the place, but she’s never hinted that – oops, here she comes.” Aunt Jo smiled at him. “So the golden release went well?”

  “Fantastic.” He gave her a quick overview but he could tell Mandy had info she was eager to share so he cut the story short.

  The minute he did, she delivered her news. ““We can sublet the apartment! You’ll love it, Mom.”

  Zane couldn’t picture Aunt Jo moving into an apartment. She’d lived in this house a long time. But Mandy might not have taken that into consideration, or else she’d decided that the excitement of being with her in the big city outweighed everything.

  But it wasn’t his place to butt in, at least not yet. If he stayed much longer his opinion on the matter was liable to come out, so he pushed his chair away from the table. “I should probably head on back to the ranch and help Mom feed. Thanks for the coffee and cookies, Aunt Jo.”

  “Thank you for changing Mandy’s tire.” Aunt Jo stood.

  “Yes, thank you so much.” Mandy gave him a big smile as she and her mom walked him to the front door. “If you hadn’t come along, I might still be out there trying to get those stupid lug nuts loose.”

  He shuddered to think about what could have happened to her. “Glad I was in the vicinity.” He put on his coat and hat. “Let me know if there’s anything else I can do while you’re here.” Like help you get your head on straight.

  “Actually, there is. I’d love to see your raptor setup whenever you have time.”

  Now that was more like the Mandy he used to know, someone fascinated by Montana wildlife and eager to learn more. “You bet.” Because tomorrow was a weekday, he didn’t have any trail rides going out and no one had a riding lesson, either. “Would tomorrow morning work?”

  Mandy glanced at her mother. “Did you have anything planned for us in the morning?”

  “Nothing specific. If you go over there, I’ll see if I can get in for a haircut in the morning. Nicole was sick last week or I would have done it then.”

  Zane laughed. “You don’t need a haircut, Aunt Jo.” It was their running joke because he wore his hair longer than hers.

  “Yes, I do. Look at this.” She tugged at the back of her hair. “I hate it when it brushes my collar.”

  Mandy glanced at him. “Looks like I need to let Mom head to the salon before she turns into her version of Rapunzel. What time should I be at the ranch?”

  “I’m usually finished at the barn around ten.”

  “Perfect. I’ll have time to pick up the tire and be at the ranch a little after that. Will your mom be around?”

  “She’ll make a point of it if I tell her you’re coming over. I’ll meet you at the house.” He hesitated. “I don’t know if you want to consider riding up to the lookout, but I spotted two eggs in one of the nests the other day.”

  “Yeah?” Her eyes took on the excited sparkle that made them look more green than gold. “I would love to see that.”

  “Then I’ll saddle Eeyore for you.” Things were on the upswing. The lookout used to be one of their favorite places to escape their chores and talk about stuff. Between now and then he’d figure out a diplomatic way to tell her that Aunt Jo would be miserable in New York.

  Chapter Three

  After Zane left, Mandy glanced at her mother. “He really is a great guy.”

  “You don’t have to tell me.” Her mom gathered up the mugs and the empty cookie plate. “I’ve always been a fan of that boy. I love all of the McGavin brothers, but since Zane and Ryker were over more than the younger ones, I’m partial to those two.”

  “Is Ryker still in the Air Force?” Mandy followed her mom into the kitchen.

  “Not for long. He’s coming out in August. Kendra’s counting the days.”

  “I’ll bet. It’ll be good to see her tomorrow.” The chance meeting with Zane had given her a graceful way to reconnect with the woman who’d been like a second mom. She dumped out the coffee grounds and rinsed out the pot. “If I’m going to goof off for a good part of tomorrow, maybe I should get started on that box you wanted me to sort through.”

  “It’s in your room and it’s stuffed to the brim. In fact, let me get a second box so you can put whatever you want to keep in that.”

  “Make it a small box. Apartment living has taught me to pare down. I used to be quite the packrat.”

  “Do tell.” Her mother grinned. “Can I watch? It’ll do my heart good to see a reformed packrat at work.”

  “I guarantee I’ll be pitching nearly all of it.”

  By the time her mom returned with a smaller box, Mandy had emptied the big one into a pile on the floor. This job would be easier if she moved quickly and didn’t pause to let memories swamp her.

  She didn’t dread the bad memories as much as the good ones. As a kid and a preteen, she’d been oblivious to any strain in her parents’ marriage. She’d lived the privileged life of an only child of doting parents. In her early teens, an undercurrent of tension in the house had made her uneasy. Her mom and dad had started fighting openly during her junior year.

  She hadn’t saved much from that year or the next, when the word got out that her dad’s affair with his secretary had resulted in a pregnancy. Her mom had filed for divorce and Mandy’s senior year had been buried under family drama. Collecting souvenirs hadn’t been a priority.

  But stuff from the earlier years could set off little bombs of misery if she didn’t go through them fast. She tucked the Ouija board and the Magic 8 ball back in the box without looking at them. Old t-shirts imprinted with favorite cartoon characters went right in, along with friendship bracelets and action figures and a pair of jeans she’d decorated with iron-on designs.

  “You’re doing well.” Her mom sat on the bed. “At this rate you’ll be done in no time.”

  “That’s the idea.” She found a hair clip that the McGavin twins had given her one Christmas and set that aside. It was small and she might wear it sometimes. “What’s going on with Bryce and Trevor?”

  “They’re both in Texas working on a big cattle ranch. The owner had a beer at the Guzzling Grizzly one night about two weeks ago when Bryce was tending bar and Trevor was waiting tables. He hired them both on the spot. Kendra says they’re having the time of their lives down there.”

  “Huh.” They’d been scrawny teenagers but judging from the way Zane had filled out they probably weren’t scrawny anymore. “And Cody?”

  “Wrangling greenhorns at a dude ranch. I forget the name but it’s up near Glacier National Park.”

  “I have a vivid memory of him as an adorable toddler. That kid charmed everybody. Never met a stranger.”

  “He’s still like that.”

  “Then he’s perfect for a dude ranch.” Mandy dropped several teen romances into the box along with beaded purses she and her friends had made one year. Then she picked up the only Breyer horse she’d saved out of the collection she used to have.

  This one had been a palomino originally. She’d painted it gray with a black mane and tail to match Eeyore, the gelding her parents had given her when she’d turned twelve. It wasn’t the greatest paint job in the world, which was one reason she’d kept the statue. The others had been in good condition and would likely have ended up on some kid’s shelf, but this one might have gone into a landfill and she hadn’t wanted that to happen.

  She glanced up at her mom, who was watching her. “Is Eeyore doing okay?”

  “Very well for twenty-four. I ride him as often as I can, and Kendra gives me a discount on the boarding fee because they’ve started using him as a trail horse. He’s perfect for inexperienced riders.”

  “Thank you for taking him on.” She’d avoided talking about Eeyore whenever she’d come home. If she’d mentioned him she would have been obliged to go visit him and she hadn’t been ready to face the McGavins. “Do you think he’ll remember me?”