Forever Dreams (Montana Brides, Book 1)

Chapter One

"I'm the man you're looking for."

Gracie dropped her map of Bozeman Airport and stared into a pair of smoky gray eyes. If she hadn't been so tired, she might have smiled. But after twenty-three hours of nonstop traveling over two continents and countless time zones, her sense of humor had disappeared along with most of her worldly possessions.

With wide shoulders and a battered cowboy hat pulled low on his head, the man in front of her definitely wasn't who she was looking for. "I'm sorry. You've got the wrong person."

Bending down, he picked up her map and handed it to her. "Your name's Gracie Donnelly and you're a teacher from New Zealand. Gerald asked me to meet you. His mother had an accident and he's staying in California with her."

At least that explained why she hadn't found Gerald. After spending too much time waiting for her suitcases, then realizing they weren't going to arrive, she'd thought he'd left without her. Gracie moved her carry-on onto her other arm, glad to relieve the weight digging into her shoulder.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She took a deep breath, wondering what else could go wrong. "I've been looking everywhere for Gerald. I was worried that he thought I'd missed my flight. Is his mom all right?"

"She fell down some stairs and broke her leg. The school wants to wait until he gets back before you start teaching. Check your cell phone. He said he'd leave you a message."

Hunting through her carry-on, Gracie pulled out her phone. Two missed calls were waiting to be cleared. As she listened to Gerald's messages, her heart sank. Before she'd left New Zealand, everything had seemed so easy. For two weeks she'd work with Gerald, teaching at Bozeman Elementary School and living with his family. The next six weeks would be spent on a Montana cattle ranch. In between feeding chickens and looking after cows, she'd try to find her father.

Gracie was excited, her students were excited, and Gerald's class was excited. So she'd packed her suitcases, all four of them, and traveled thousands of miles to be met by a handsome cowboy, no luggage and no Gerald.

She wasn't so excited now.

"I'm Trent McKenzie, Ms. Donnelly."

A slow grin tugged at the corner of her rescuer's mouth. At any other time, Gracie would have taken a few minutes to appreciate the man behind the sexy grin. But not today, and not while she was in Montana.

"Nice to meet you, Trent. Thanks for telling me Gerald won't be picking me up. I can make other arrangements until he returns to Bozeman."

"It's my ranch you were coming to in a couple of weeks. You might as well start your visit now and we'll sort something out once he gets home."

"Your ranch?"

"Mine and the banks."

"But I thought you'd be a lot older...not that you have to be old to own a cattle ranch. I spoke with your wife and I imagined you'd be..." Gracie closed her mouth before it landed her on a plane heading back home.

"I don't have a wife."

Gracie stared at Trent and tried to figure out why nothing was making sense.

He stared right on back, hands on hips and looking almost as tired as she felt.

"But I spoke to Mrs. McKenzie. She told me all about the ranch and what clothes to pack. She even invited me to her craft group...what?"

At the mention of the craft group some of the tension left Trent's face. "You must have been speaking to my mom. Where are your suitcases?"

"Budapest."