Montana Hearts by Darlene Panzera Read Free Book Online

her.
    â€œI don’t date the guests, no matter how important they are.”
    â€œBummer,” Jace teased, undeterred, and let out a dramatic sigh for her benefit. “I guess I was hoping in my particular case you’d make an exception. How about it?”
    She paused, then sidestepped his question with one of her own. “When can we expect to see you?”
    Okay, he’d play her little game her way. “The vet said to give Rio a ­couple more days before I relocate him. How about Thursday?”
    â€œThursday is perfect.”
    â€œAll right, then. I’ll be there around four o’clock. I just hope I can get Rio into the trailer without too much strain to his leg.”
    â€œDo you need help?”
    Jace didn’t think he and the vet would need assistance, but because she offered, he wasn’t going to refuse. “Yeah, I could use your help. I’m sure Rio would appreciate it, too.”
    â€œOkay, I’ll meet you at the veterinary hospital at three p.m.,” she said cheerfully. Then she gave him her phone number. Her personal cell phone number. “In case you have to change the time,” she told him.
    Jace grinned, proud of himself for the mini-­victory. Hopefully tomorrow he’d win one more.

 
    Chapter Three
    E A R L Y T H E N E X T morning, the phone rang and the first thought that ran through Jace’s mind was that Delaney had changed her mind and was going to retract her incredible offer. He hoped not. He’d spent half the night thinking about what it would be like to get to know her better.
    A knot formed in the pit of his stomach when he rolled out of bed and glanced at the caller ID, but the call wasn’t from Delaney. It was from Bozeman Health, the hospital nearest his mother.
    â€œJace, you should come quick. Mom’s in the emergency room,” his older sister said, her voice strained. “She clutched her chest and collapsed in the hallway right in front of me. I thought she was having a heart attack but the doctor says it was just a bad case of anxiety.”
    â€œAnxiety from what?” Jace asked. “Running for governor?”
    â€œNo, of course not,” Natalie scoffed. “You know she can handle that.”
    Their tough-­as-­nails, persevering mother had overcome many hurdles in the past, including raising two children on her own after their father passed away. Jace didn’t remember him—­he’d only been a toddler—­but he did remember how resourceful his mom had been to get the money they needed to put food on the table. Grace Aldridge worked two jobs—­one at the bank, which taught her how to invest, and another typing transcripts for a lawyer, which opened her eyes to the justice system and inspired her to pursue a political career.
    â€œWhat’s wrong, then? Why is she stressed?” Jace held his breath as he waited for his older sister to answer. Was someone trying to blackmail her? Or threatening a new ploy to convince Democrats to vote for the Republican candidate? Did she have a stalker?
    â€œWe’ll tell you when you get here,” Nat replied.
    Women! Why won’t they ever say exactly what they mean?
    Jace scowled. Arguing and trying to pull the information out of his sister over the phone would only waste time. Instead, he told her he’d be there as soon as he could, grabbed his belongings, and checked out of the hotel room. But before he started his truck, his sister called a second time with news the hospital had released their mom and he was to meet them at their house.
    A few minutes later, just before nine a.m., Jace made his way up the slate steps of the two-­story Victorian and found he had to whip out his driver’s license for the armed security guard stationed outside her door before the guy would let him in. Since when did his mother need a security detail? His pulse quickened as he continued forward and found his mother