Match Made in Montana Series, Book 3
Sweet Contemporary Western Romance
Date Published: 09-17-2024
Publisher: Rowan Prose Publishing
Middle school teacher and amateur historian, Joe Staunch, likes everyone in
smalltown, Herd, Montana. Except for Abby Whit. He can’t quite
pinpoint what annoys him so much, besides the unnerving feeling she is lying
to him and everyone in their close-knit community.
Food truck owner, Abby Whit has a secret. The descendant of the infamous
Whittier family, she never meant to settle in town under an alias, but she
can’t imagine living anywhere else. Time is running out to claim her
property, and she is unsure how to do so without upsetting everyone and
ruining her life.
How does she come clean without destroying her newfound love? And can love
survive a lie?
EXCERPT
CHAPTER 1
Some days, Abby Whit forgot she was hiding behind an alias. After two years and change of living in Herd, Montana, she fully embraced her cover story as a food truck chef, passing through town. To anyone who asked, she was working for herself after stints being the sous chef for chefs from Kansas City to Las Vegas. Her family didn’t put down roots. Those were the kernels of truth. But she’d arrived with a plan.
Determine the public’s perception of her family and assess the feasibility of taking back her land.
On the frosty March morning, she parked her food truck in the gravel lot behind the bright red barn on the Kincaid ranch. Against a snowy backdrop and overcast sky, the new construction building popped amidst the open land that had been owned by one family for over a century. Credited with saving the local economy by modernizing their ranch into a cowboy spa, Hank and grandson Ryan Kincaid were undisputed winners in the town’s founding families’ feud. Her family, the Whittiers, were the first losers. The good citizens of Herd considered her ancestors the villains in the town’s history. If she had given her full name on arrival, she’d have been kicked out of the state.
Hating the Kincaids on principle, given her history, would have been expected. Prejudice hadn’t suited her. They had never questioned her sudden appearance and purpose in the tight knit community. They’d supported and encouraged her. Their kindness was the reason she continued to debate finally making her legal claim to the small patch of land near the church where she parked her food truck. The deadline approached.
The hum of the idling truck wasn’t loud enough to silence her whirring thoughts. Helping out others in the community had been equally about establishing good karma for herself and treating others with the kindness she valued. No one had been better to her than the Kincaids. She didn’t think she’d done nearly enough to redeem herself in their eyes once they learned the truth.
Joe would be sure to highlight her villainy.
She shuddered. Joe Staunch, middle school teacher and ranch tour guide, was her very vocal critic. She was careful to never cause anyone offense and yet she’d somehow made an enemy of him.
He either ignored her or complained about her—often within her earshot. Some people rubbed each other wrong. She accepted that fact. The trouble was that she liked him. Her heart wouldn’t be reasoned into submission.
She cut the engine and exited the truck, leaving the vehicle unlocked.
An icy breeze whipped past her, burning her ears, and carrying the scent of a nearby fire. She crunched the gravel under her feet as she made her way to the barn.
While she agonized over the decision, she only had two choices. Either she claimed her inheritance, or she gave up on it forever. Security lingered so near she could almost smell the roasting meat in proper ovens and feel the stability of the solid walls and roof from her own restaurant on her land. She couldn’t stall much longer. But she didn’t want the town to feel she’d betrayed them. She hadn’t told bald-faced lies. Neither had she shared the complete truth.
The side door stood slightly ajar. Muffled, deep voices carried out.
She slipped inside and rubbed her hands together. “Hello?” she called, her teeth chattering, from nerves and the low temperature.
“We’re here,” Hank Kincaid replied.
She blew on her icy figures and approached the men standing in the center of the room.
“Sorry, the new furnace arrives by the end of the week,” Ryan Kincaid said. He stood next to several toolboxes and a stack of drywall.
“No bother,” she said, waving off any concern like she didn’t notice the unfinished walls with wires poking out and gaps visible in the boards. A little spray foam insulation and a working system would solve the heating problem. “I hope the first week in June is warm enough and we won’t have to be concerned with turning on the heat. I don’t want to add fix furnace to either Hank’s ninetieth birthday extravaganza or the wedding budget.” She plastered on a smile to stop her teeth from chattering.
“Bad luck to replace the furnace twice in one year.” Hank Kincaid shook his head. “Makes me worried what the third calamity will be.”
“Doesn’t the fire count as the first strike of poor luck?” Ted Stirling frowned. “Rebuilding this barn from the ground up is at the top of my list of bad things.”
She darted her gaze between the three cowboys.
As the oldest, white-haired, and permanently tan, Hank Kincaid often touted tired cliches and old wives’ tales as guiding life principles. “No, that was last year’s number two after my trip to the hospital.”
Hank’s grandson and heir, Ryan, rolled his eyes. Standing well over six feet and with a perpetual scowl, he was the town’s stalwart visionary. Practical and forward thinking, he had revitalized his family’s legacy and the entire community through a clear and unexpected plan. He didn’t waste time looking for signs of divine intervention.
The third, Ted Stirling, was the thoughtful ranch hand turned trusted confidant. Often found stroking his jaw in consideration, the slim man with thin streaks of silver threading his dark hair didn’t jump to conclusions. He’d been hired to work cattle and, over the past decade, switched direction to managing people.
Abby had overheard the stories enough from Joe. She almost imagined a first-hand recollection despite only living in town for two years. For the past decade plus, the three men guided the town to an unprecedented economic recovery thanks to their varying character qualities, forming a strong pyramid. If one side wobbled, the other two assumed the weight of the struggles and balanced the load.
What would they do when her revelation rocked them all?
“Was there a number three last year?” she asked.
Hank tapped a finger against the deep cleft in his chin. “I don’t think there was unless you count Colby’s trip to the vet after she ate that pan of brownies.”
Colby, a rescue mutt, was arguably more human than dog. She hadn’t been shaken by her life-or-death accident over Thanksgiving weekend. Meg, her owner, and Ryan’s fiancé, however had been an emotional wreck.
“No more of this talk.” Ryan held up his hands. “Don’t even put the energy out into the universe. We have too much going on in the next few months for anyone to go looking for a curse or believing in superstition.”
Hank nodded and turned, flashing crossed fingers behind his back.
Abby glanced at Hank’s crossed fingers and snorted. She rubbed a hand over her face. “Sorry. Must be allergies.”
“Why did you need us to stop by today?” Joe Staunch asked, his voice carrying from the sliding glass doors in the center of the back wall overlooking the deck behind the building. “Couldn’t this be a phone call or email?” he asked as he approached.
Abby gaped. She was well-versed in his curt words but had never heard him so short with his friends and bosses. In the summer, Joe served as a tour guide for groups interested in historical excursions on the ranch.
“Yes, keep us on task. Thanks, Joe,” Ryan said, glaring. “I wanted you both to get a sense of the space. Abby, we have added a small prep station but besides the sink, dishwasher, and single oven, it’s not a fully functioning kitchen.”
She nodded, pleased for the prep area. “Can I park the truck close to that space?”
“Yes, we have a service door leading to a spot for you with hook-ups,” Ted said. “The plan for Hank’s ninetieth birthday and the wedding has expanded.”
She widened her gaze and met Joe’s. As reluctant partners, she hoped for a second of commiseration to thaw his icy demeanor.
He shook his head and glanced away. He wore his disapproval and doubt like a pair of well-worn jeans. Whether he liked it or not, they were tied to each other.
They were stuck together in planning the event. For the better part of ten months, she had been working on her contribution, catering, and communicating mostly by email to Joe. She trusted him to carry his weight, not that he shared much of his progress.
“Meg and I have decided since we are only getting married once, we need to do it right,” Ryan said. “No more simple ceremony. We want a full weekend of events.”
“Oh.” Abby tipped her head to the side unsure she followed what that meant. Ryan’s fiancé, Meg, wasn’t the sort to make a big fuss. A full weekend could include multiple events on each day. She’d have to carefully plan the menus if she was expected to cater everything. She wouldn’t want to repeat any meals.
“The birthday celebration remains on Friday night. Saturday will be the rehearsal dinner. Sunday will be the wedding,” Ryan said.
Abby nodded. Including one more event, the rehearsal dinner, wouldn’t zap her creative spirit. Her worst-case scenario had been avoided but didn’t alleviate all of her concerns. She would be doing a lot of cooking in a short amount of time. She couldn’t turn down the opportunity. To stay in town, she needed to expand her business. She’d started a catering side-hustle on the ranch to pad her bottom line.
With more events, she needed more space and capacity. Her truck didn’t have the refrigerator space to store enough food for three-days of events. She’d have to use what space she could find at the Kincaid’s house and ask her friend James Rabbitt at The Golden Crown saloon, the only full-service restaurant in town. She knew he’d agree for the special, one-time-only weekend. If she wanted to be the go-to caterer for the ranch’s new wedding and events business, she needed a better plan.
I have one. But it’ll make everyone hate me.
“Let me see what I can do.” She smiled until her cheek twitched. She hated the chicken and egg predicament she’d landed herself in but neither could she turn her back on the easiest solution. Claim her inheritance and build. Of course, if she was black-listed in town for being a Whittier, kitchen space wouldn’t matter. “Do you have any ideas about the food for the rehearsal dinner and wedding? I can cook whatever you like. Ian is almost finished with my new traveling smoker. Depending on the wedding start time, I could be out here all-day roasting meat.”
Hank licked his lips. “Sounds good to me. Now I regret asking you to cook all those fancy little things for my birthday.”
She chuckled. “I can switch. I haven’t put in the order yet. You let me know what you want. Canapes and small plates or a sit-down dinner. Or buffet. I can do barbeque or Tex Mex or steak.”
“Could you send me a few sample menus for both options?” Ryan asked. “I’m in charge of the food.”
She pulled her phone out of her back pocket. The lock screen flashed with a reminder. Meeting with lawyer. She’d hoped for some sense of moral clarity before facing the attorney in the next town over, but wasn’t likely to discover it here while the Kincaids were being so considerate and kind. She unlocked the screen and typed in the note. “All set, I’ll send you a mock-up in the next day or so. How many guests are you thinking?”
“We’ve set aside enough rooms for a hundred guests to stay on property,” Ted said. “Give or take. Would you mind including Stephanie in the email exchange? She’s taken up the wedding planning. She can coordinate with you and Joe.”
“Of course.” Abby smiled. The simple project was twisting and turning into a complicated knot with each additional person. Maybe that was a good thing. She could work closely with Stephanie, a kindergarten teacher and one of Joe’s colleagues, at the local public K-12 school. Stephanie knew how to handle Joe and the bubbly woman remained nonplussed by anyone’s moods. “I’d better head into town and discuss the changes with James.”
“If you say so,” Joe muttered.
Abby spun and faced her partner slash nemesis. “What does that mean?”
“Nothing. If you think you can’t handle a big event, you need to get help. Sounds like you already know your limits. At least in this instance.” Joe folded his arms over his chest and stared her down.
Her cheeks flamed and red-hot anger bubbled up inside her.
She’d been careful to be overly nice to him. He was an interesting person, rattling off more facts about the town than anyone else alive, including walking encyclopedia Hank Kincaid. If anyone could uncover her secret, it was him. While pursuing her own research about her family, she’d often bumped into him at the library. Despite the need for self-preservation, she was curious about his work and asked questions.
History wasn’t immune to bias. Joe’s outspoken search for truth heartened her. Whatever happened with her position in town, perhaps he would save her family’s reputation. But she’d never won his friendship or even a bare level of grudging respect. Trying to make a success of her business on her own, she was plenty used to naysayers. She prided herself on her thick skin. His comments were typical of his conversation with her. But the cumulative effect meant each word cut her a little deeper. Death by a thousand papercuts.
“I know what I’m doing. I’m very good at making things happen. In case you hadn’t noticed?” she asked.
Joe dropped his arms to his sides and turned his gaze away.
His response wasn’t a victory, as far as she was concerned. He’d needled her into a verbal spat in front of people she respected and counted on. With any luck, she hadn’t disgraced herself too much. Yet. She faced the trio of cowboys once more, blocking Joe from her line of sight as best she could. “If you don’t need anything else from me?”
“Thanks for coming out on such short notice,” Hank said.
“Yes, we really do appreciate you and all your help with the ranch.” Ryan’s smile crinkled the corners of his eyes. “We’re here for you, too.”
“If you need any assistance with loading or unloading your truck, you can always call,” Ted added.
She glanced between the three and saw pity in their pinched expressions. They felt bad for her because of Joe’s poor treatment. She prayed her one-sided crush wasn’t public knowledge. As long as these men didn’t pity her ill-fated attraction, she could walk away with her head held high.
She rubbed a hand over her tickling nose. She’d pretend she hadn’t noticed their solemn expressions. “Thank you for…” Tears stung her eyes for a different reason. Guilt and shame for her secret. “Thanks for everything. I’ll start menu planning immediately.” Spinning on her heel, she crossed through the barn, her snow boots leaving a slushy trail behind her on the thick pine boards. As she slid the door open a crack and slipped through the opening, she heard Hank berate Joe.
“What is wrong with you, boy?” The old cowboy’s gravelly voice carried through the opening as she carefully shut the door.
Stuffing her hands in her pockets, she dropped her chin into the collar of her coat. With each step, she crunched gravel and snow under her boots. Maybe she just imagined what she wanted Hank to say. She spent enough time lost in her thoughts, preparing herself for the worst. Before long, she’d have to face facts and she wasn’t sure she was creative enough to prepare mentally for the town’s reaction to her real identity.
If I don’t take the land, nothing will change.
Without the land, she couldn’t move forward in a meaningful way, and she’d have to leave. Life didn’t stand still. Whether she liked it or not, everything was changed by the mere passage of time.
She wished her goal wasn’t so tightly wrapped around her secret. But if Joe hadn’t figured it out by now, she was in the clear. Probably.
About the Author
Rachelle Paige Campbell writes contemporary romance novels filled with
heart and hope. She believes love and laughter can change lives, and every
story needs a happily ever after.
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