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“Oh I thought I would have a cabin by myself,” Lena said warily, looking at the large man being loaded into the van. “I’m not sure about…”
“Everyone has a partner. My husband and his friend talk it out, discuss things to make sure this works for everyone, and when those two get going? Well…” Jill laughed easily, looking completely unphased and that was helping to put Lena’s fears at ease. “I’m always just amazed at the stories I’ve heard over the years and how well it’s worked out. Everyone needs a best friend, and they have a gift at partnering you with someone who will be just that. Trust us. It might be a little bumpy, but we’ll figure it all out, right?”
“So they’ve done something like this before – helping people?”
“Something like it,” Jill smiled and nodded. “A little different but with the same results.”
As the man lumbered into the van with a grunt, he looked at her for about a second before snapping.
“What are you lookin’ at?”
“Gideon – be nice!” Jill snapped protectively. “I don’t care what you did in the Army, but unless you want that other leg snapped in several places you’ll keep your mouth shut. Lena, this is Gideon Beck – and he’ll be in the furthest cabin from any of us because of that mouth of his.”
“Hey!” he protested. “I should be in the closest – I mean, look at my dang leg. Do you expect me to hobble around and…”
“Yes,” Jill interrupted. “Yes, I do, and maybe next time you will be nicer to the other people volunteering at the Reserve Ranch.”
“This is the stupidest idea my sister has ever come up with,” Gideon muttered. “What exactly am I supposed to do on a ranch? I can hardly walk because of these crutches, my knee itches something terrible, and my blasted armpits are freakin’ raw from being rubbed…”
“Look, when you bunk up with Chris – whine there, okay? As for me, I really don’t want to hear it unless you are cooking for all eight of us and doing the dishes.”
“I can help cook and do the dishes,” Lena volunteered – as Jill smiled approvingly.
Houghton climbed into the front seat beside Jill.
“Two bites, one winner and one loser this round.”
“Can I tell Giselle you said that?” Houghton laughed easily.
“HEY!” Gideon snapped hotly. “This was her foolish idea and…”
“You’ll be thanking her in a month.”
“Late January in Wyoming? I think not…”
“Are we ready?” Jill asked openly. “Is everyone buckled?”
“I am,” Lena volunteered and heard Gideon mutter something under his breath – only for her to unbuckle, pull his latch forward, fastening him into place as he glared at her.
“I don’t want Jill to break your other leg,” she said sweetly. “You are sour enough as it is.”
“Oh, I like her!” Houghton laughed. “Let’s get out of here, Jill. Round two is tomorrow.”
“We’re fishing again?”
“Two more bites…”
“You’re on, handsome,” Jill said happily and met Lena’s eyes in the rearview mirror as they drove forward, leaving the runway behind just as the plane Gideon arrived on was taking off in the distance.
Looking out the window, she stared silently at the landscape around them. It was nearly dusk, and the snow was starting to blow along the empty roads, with the city of Laramie glittering in the distance on the horizon. The mountains looked larger than life, with small bits of greenery that looked almost black in the darkening shadows while the tops glowed a pale pink, reflecting the sunset.
It was lovely, barren, and almost otherworldly.
“There is no place like this in the world,” Jill said openly, filling the silence and was obviously the ‘talker’ out of the couple. Even Gideon was silent as they stared at this new environment around them. “I love the rugged wildness of the area but there is also the comforts of knowing that thirty minutes away you can get your supplies or things you might need. The first time you see the sun rise over the mountains or watch a herd of deer grazing in the morning mists… you are hooked. There is just a beauty here that looks touched by God – and you find yourself centered in a way you never expected.”
“Oh, I hope that’s true,” Lena whispered painfully – and felt Gideon’s eyes on her for a moment, but he didn’t say anything. Not an ‘I’m sorry’ or ‘can we start over’… yeah, she would be staying away from this grumpy person and hoped his cabin was indeed the furthest from hers.
“You know, all I can tell you both is to be open to new things that will change your life, your outlook, and your very soul. Change is scary and sometimes very intense, but when your path takes a detour? Sometimes the scenery can be incredible, and you wouldn’t imagine never taking the chance – and here we are…”
