Status Updates From Montana Cowboy (Big Sky Mav...

Whoa...great

After she closed the lid, she said, "If you do decide to run, you've got my vote—as soon as I get registered in this county. I always go for the scrappy underdog." Austen's heart widened another few inches. He'd been in politics so long he'd forgotten genuine, positive people really existed.

Mom said she had some paperwork to file to reactivate her license in Montana. She's been practicing law in Wyoming for the past nine years. Paul is at Big Z's. As usual."

He took her hand and led her to the spectacularly landscaped backyard. The pool had a retractable dome. At the moment, it was open wide and the blue sky sparkled like a million or so diamonds dancing on the water. "Wow. This is great.

Captivated but not enthralled

For Mia, everything is a battle." He shook his head, trying to get a better read on her expression. "Take my advice. Never play Battleship with her. Or Monopoly. Or any board game, for that matter." Her shoulders lifted and fell a tiny bit. "My brother is the same, but he traded board games for computers. He plays on a level somewhere in the stratosphere."

I am a mite bit confused..
"Yes," Mia agreed. " Copper Mountain Chocolates is my new go-to ice breaker. Sage Carrigan is amazing. Have you met her?" Serena shook her head. "She's wonderful," Bailey said. "A strong, resourceful, independent businesswoman. Marietta seems to be the new Mecca

The best thing he could do for Serena James would be to leave her the hell alone. "You're not thinking about leaving Marietta, are you?" "I have fifty sweet souls under my care, not counting Gandhi and Dolly. Plus, Beau, and Brutus, my barn cat. My life is like a poorly financed circus—it doesn't turn on a dime." Her frustrated tone made his gut churn. Shit.

"Aren't California girls supposed to be into wine?" "You may not have heard, but there's a county north of where I grew up that wants to secede from California and create a new state of Jefferson."

"I liked the political life. The power. I made a name for myself as Crandy's Chief of Staff. I was an integral part of some important legislation. But every three years the circus comes to town—elections."

"My last year of law school I clerked for a judge. A man I'd admired for many years. Unfortunately, clerking exposes you to a side of the law most people never see. The underbelly, so to speak." He'd discovered his idol wasn't immune to influence peddling, corruption, and the arm-twisting pressures of the good ol' boy network. "I learned a lot.

unpredictable brother who could go from happy to hostile in ten seconds or less was not fun. I'd have loved to have had a sister, but our parents were in their forties when they adopted us and they decided they simply didn't have the time—or energy—to add another baby to the family." "You were adopted. Interesting. Do you know anything about your birth parents?"

"And all of us kids—even Paul—knew we'd learn to fly someday because our grandpa was a sort of one-man Pony Express in the sky. He got a special exemption from the government to deliver mail and groceries all over the northwest."

A faint arc of smile touched the corner of his mouth and her heart did a silly somersault. The man was sexy, with a hint of woebegone—her weakness. "I know. It's stupid, but the thing I remember about that day is nobody in the entire church contradicted him. Even my mother. She put her finger to her lips to shush Paul, but I could tell she was trying not to laugh—a fact she fervently denies."

loudly in church, "Austen isn't nice." "Pretty much summed me up in one sentence. Before God, the priest, and the whole congregation." She'd tried not to laugh but his sigh did her in. As if his eleven-year old self actually accepted his brother's edict.

She'd never spent three hours dining. If asked, she couldn't explain how the evening went by so fast when all they did was taste, talk, and laugh. His mind reminded her of her father's—filled with silly trivia, smart factoids, and funny, oddly endearing family anecdotes. Her favorite, by far, was when his younger brother proclaimed loudly in church, "Austen isn't nice."

she watched Austen peel off a stack of bills to tuck discreetly in the black leather binder that held their bill. She would remember this meal forever. So many firsts. First private table in an ornate alcove filled with fresh flowers and soft music. Champagne, cheeses, and fruit that seemed to explode with flavor. Austen had called ahead to request two special entrees.

She walked to the door, opened it and whistled for Beau. Although she loved the dog's companionship, he always remained outside at night. His toenails clicked on the plank flooring of the old farmhouse as he hurried to her side. She gave him a loving pat on the head on his way outside. "Protect the fuzzies." To Austen she explained, "Beau takes his job very seriously....

Would she tell him her horror story tonight at dinner? Maybe. Maybe, not. She still got chills when she verbalized the possibility that someone tracked her down from the Internet, invaded her space, and compromised her privacy. Could someone with a high profile career even begin to understand how violated something like that made a private, ordinary person feel? She doubted it.

The barking ended once Beau sniffed Austen's outstretched hand. Serena never scolded Beau too much. After all, she'd wanted a big dog once she realized the menace she'd considered an online nuisance became a physical presence that went through her garbage to procure information she'd been scrupulous about keeping private. "That's a good watchdog you have."

From everything she'd read and discussed over the phone with other Montana alpaca breeders, winter was going to be far different from the snow and cold of northern California. Her parents raised her to practice responsible animal husbandry. But even if they hadn't, her soft heart broke any time any of her 'pacas were hurt or in pain.