He huffed. “You think being in this wheelchair suddenly makes me a regular churchgoer?” Despite his gruff reply, there was a smile on his face.
“Well, we can only hope,” came her teasing reply.
Annie and Pete Cumberland were some of her favorite people. They’d lived here in Thunder Mountain for as long as Charlie Grace could remember. Pete and Annie owned and ran the Rustic Pine Tavern, shelling out beer mugs on Saturday nights along with the best-grilled hamburgers this side of the Tetons. On Sunday mornings, Pete pastored a small congregation at Moose Chapel. Their black Lab, Bartender, was her daughter, Jewel’s, favorite dog in the whole wide world—Jewel’s words, not her own.
“So, when is the big opening?” Annie asked.
“Two weeks from yesterday,” Charlie Grace told her. “I’m pretty nervous.”
Her father gave another of his signature huffs.
“You should be proud of your daughter, Clancy. Not many women have what it takes to pivot in a whole new direction when needed.”
“Well, not a whole new direction. The ranch operation will continue,” Charlie Grace clarified.
“Just the same, it’s a big thing. The whole town is proud of you.” Annie checked her watch. “Well, I need to get.”
“Thanks again for dropping off Jewel.”
“My pleasure.”
Charlie Grace walked Annie out to her car.
“So, how is Clancy?”
“Ornery as ever,” Charlie Grace told her, kicking her stocking feet against the ground. “As you can tell, he’s not happy with me right now.”
Annie gave her a sympathetic look. “He’ll come around. He loves you, you know.”
She nodded. “Yeah, I do know.”
“Don’t try to do everything yourself. The good Lord never designed us with shoulders broad enough to carry it all without help. We’re here…all of us.”
Charlie Grace nodded. “Well, I am going to have to hire more ranch help.” She told her about the unfortunate morning and how her new ranch hire failed to show up. “Know of anyone looking for work?”
Annie shook her head. “Not off hand. But I’ll put the word out.” She placed her palm on Charlie Grace’s shoulder. “In the meantime, I can send Pete out if you need.”
“What? In his spare time? Between the bar and the church, I think he has his work basket plenty full.”
“He’d make time,” Annie assured. “Funny how the Lord multiples our hours when we’re willing to use them to serve others.”
“Well, ask him to multiply a few of mine, would you?”
Annie laughed and climbed inside her truck. “I sure will.”
Charlie Grace waved at Annie as she drove from the yard. She turned for the house and looked to the sky. “And multiply our bank account, too, while you’re at it.”
5
Reva wandered onto her deck wearing a plush robe tied at the waist and carrying a steaming cup of French press coffee. Just because she was in a remote area of Wyoming didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy a flavorful brew.
The beans, sourced from a small roastery in the heart of Columbia, were expertly blended with spices from India and a touch of cocoa from Ghana. She had them shipped to her regularly despite the fact they often reminded her of Merritt Hardwick, the man she thought she was meant to spend her life with. Sadly, the relationship ended over seven years ago when she refused to move to Washington, D.C., and support his political aspirations.
Reva settled onto a cushioned deck chair and looked across the vista at the river below. This was her home. These mountains, these people. Thunder Mountain was where she belonged. Had she left with Merritt, she was convinced she might grow to hate him for enticing her to leave her heart behind.
Besides, she was needed here. The people of Thunder Mountain weren’t only clients and constituents; they were her friends. She supported them, and they had championed her in her worst struggles.
Still, she hadn’t been prepared for the loneliness. Especially in the evenings when she and Merritt had often cuddled on the sofa and talked the nights away.
