Much of the struggle between men and women comes down to one thing, I believe—communication. Our methods and modes of communicating are vastly different. Women may say one thing, but men hear another. The same is true in reverse. Many times I have listened to men clearly state their point only to be misunderstood by women. Ladies, the time has come to say what we mean and mean what we say. The time has also come to hear what’s been spoken to us and not overreact. Our impulsive reactions can land us in a lot of hot water if we’re not careful. Many of us are known by our passion but not our moderation. May our kindness be known to all.
—Ellie Cannady, editor of The Modern Suffragette
* * * * *
ALANNA DID HER BEST NOT to sigh aloud as Tanner went on about their surroundings. He seemed nervous today, which she found very odd. Perhaps it had something to do with the ever-present jingling of all those bells. Still, she had to wonder if he ever talked about anything other than the landscape. Glancing his way seemed to open the Pandora’s box once again. Off he went on another tangent.
“It’s too cold to fish now, of course, or to swim, but if you stay through the spring, you can take a boat down the Blackfoot or the Bitterroot. Both rivers converge in the valley.” He flashed a boyish smile. “Do you like to swim?”
“Well, yes, but I certainly won’t be staying through the spring. We will be headed out on the first train once the snows melt. We’re just here long enough to…” To talk some sense into my sister and to bring her home where she belongs. “Anyway, we’re only here through the winter.”
“Then I’m praying for a long winter.”
Her breath caught in her throat as she heard his words.
“The idea of you leaving makes me…” He paused, and for a moment she thought she saw a hint of pain in his eyes as he pulled the horse to a stop in front of the house.
“Happy?” she tried.
“No.” The pain in his eyes was palpable.
“C’mon, admit it,” she teased, fighting off the shivers that caused her teeth to chatter. “You’ll miss our sparring.”
“Well, yes, I’ll definitely miss sparring with you.” He reached to take her hand, as she relished the warm feelings that washed over her at his protective touch. “But it’s more than that, Lana.”
She resisted the urge to correct her name. Her heart now fluttered in her throat.
“I don’t mind admitting that I’m a little jealous of those gentlemanly types in Savannah. They’ve captured your heart and your imagination.”
Heat crept up her neck and into her face. “Heavens, you make it sound as if I’ve known dozens of beaux. I’ve only ever had my eye on one, and it wasn’t serious. More of a passing fancy, really. Besides, despite my former thoughts on the matter, men in the South aren’t really that different from the fellas up here.”
“Likely you’re right about that,” he said. “From what I’ve figured out, men are men, no matter where they live. Sure, you can dress ’em in fancy duds and parade ’em around a room in a prissy waltz, but inside they’re still aching to be sitting by a river with a fishing pole in hand.”
“I daresay Daniel wouldn’t even know how to bait his hook.” Alanna clamped her free hand over her mouth and groaned inwardly.
A spark of jealousy flashed in Tanner’s eyes. “Daniel? Who’s that?”
Why in the world had she mentioned Daniel’s name? “Oh, just a young man I know from school.” She shifted her gaze to the mountains. “Nobody important.”
“If he’s nobody important, why are you red in the face talking about him?”
“Am I?” Her hands went to her cheeks at once. “Strange. Maybe I’m just warm.”
“It’s thirty degrees outside.”
“Is it?” She fussed with the quilt, determined to stay focused. “Well, in that case, I must be cold. And to respond to your original statement, I truly don’t think the men up here are all that different from our gentlemen back home, in spite of my earlier predictions.”
“So, this Daniel…is he your beau?”
She fought to come up with the right words so as not to make this any more awkward than necessary. “I wouldn’t say that, though many a person has told me that we make a handsome couple.” Her nervous giggle echoed through the air. “It’s just silly, isn’t it? Anyway, he would never be the sort to go fishing. He’s far more settled into his life in law school.”
“Still. You said he doesn’t know how to bait a hook? I’d say, based on the color of your face when you mention his name, that he’s more skilled at it than you know.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, he’s snagged you. Grabbed you with the hook and held on tight. He’s reeled you in closer to shore than you realize.”
“Oh, posh. He doesn’t interest me.”
“Doesn’t he?”
“No.” Alanna shivered. “Don’t be silly.”
“Well, then, I can stop worrying about Daniel.” Tanner teased her with his twinkling eyes. “But let’s say you were looking for a beau. What traits would you be watching for?”
“Oh, that’s easy.” She calmed down a bit. “Any future beau would have to be polite and charming.”
“I always say please and thank you.”
“And, of course, it wouldn’t hurt if he happened to be moderately handsome.”
“Just moderately?” Tanner squared his shoulders and puffed out his chest.
Alanna stifled a laugh. “Most of all, though, he would have to have a soft spot in his heart for my family and a firm walk with the Lord. I can’t imagine giving my heart to a fella who hasn’t already given his to the Lord.”
This time his expression grew more serious than she expected. “I walked the aisle of the church at age eight and meant it with my whole heart. And you can see that I have a soft spot for family. Why else would I have let Katie talk me into making these bells?”
“Tanner, stop.” She smacked him in the arm. “When are you going to stop flirting with me?”
“As soon as you see that I don’t need to transform into anything—or anyone—other than myself to be eligible.”
“E–eligible?”
He reached over to take her hand and gave it a squeeze. “For a place in your affections.”
He might as well have squeezed her heart. Alanna flinched and pulled her hand away. “Tanner, I…” In spite of her feelings to the contrary, she wanted to explain that she couldn’t possibly give her heart to someone who lived so far away from her home. A little harmless flirtation might be fun, but in the end they both had to acknowledge the truth—they were worlds apart in every conceivable way.
Still, how did one go about letting someone down without hurting him, especially someone this ideal?
“You’re a wonderful fella,” she managed. “Probably one of the most wonderful I’ve ever known.” The horse stamped his foot and let out a whinny, likely unhappy with standing still in the cold for so long. The bells jingled merrily as a rush of cold air blew by, but the familiar sound did nothing to ease the strange gripping sensation around her heart.
His eyes narrowed. “But?”
She hesitated, tears suddenly covering her lashes as she thought about her words. “But you’re from Montana, and I’m from Savannah.” Her words came out as a hoarse whisper.
He stepped down from the sleigh and gestured for her to join him. She rose and leaned forward, allowing him to encircle her waist with his hands. Tanner lifted her from the sleigh and they stood in silence, face-to-face.
His voice now lowered to a whisper as his lips brushed across the wisps of hair framing her cheek. “I don’t know about you, but I think that has a lovely ring to it. It rhymes and everything.”
Her breath caught in her throat, and she could hardly speak. “Y–yes, but a rhyme doesn’t make for a romance.”
“Want to bet?” There were touches of humor around his eyes. He paused and appeared to be thinking and then blurted out, “There once was a guy from Montana, who fell for a girl named Alanna. They wed in the spring, their hearts on a string, and named their first offspring…” He paused then snapped his fingers. “Banana?”
She would have laughed, but the serious expression on his face, coupled with the finger he ran down her cheek, caused her to think twice.
Unfortunately—or perhaps fortunately—the moment ended there. Brett approached from a distance with a wide smile on his face. He patted the horse on the neck and grinned. “We could hear you two coming from miles away. That’s what I call making an entrance.”
Tanner took a step back from Alanna and turned to his brother. “I know it’s annoying, but Katie would have a fit if I removed those bells. And with Christmas coming, it didn’t make much sense to take them off anyway.” He raked his fingers through his hair, looking like a cat caught with its nose in the cream.
And Alanna? Well, she felt more like a mouse caught in a trap. With her heart in her throat, she turned and sprinted across the snow.
* * * * *
TANNER WATCHED AS ALANNA TOOK off toward the house. He didn’t even try to hide the sigh that arose. Brett slapped him on the back. “Tanner, I can see you’re in a world of trouble.”
“Trouble?”
“Yep. She’s snagged a piece of your heart, hasn’t she?”
He glanced after Alanna once more, watching as she disappeared into the house. “Mm-hmm.”
“Watch yourself, my boy.” Brett chuckled. “Southern women thrive on being snagged. Once a gentleman takes an interest, it is the woman’s role to drag him along and make him think he stands a chance, even if he doesn’t. And trust me when I say that she’s aching for more attention from you even if she’s not voicing it. You can take it to the bank. Now, what she’ll do with that attention, I’m not sure. But she’s enjoying every bit of it.”
“Sounds cruel. You think she’s going to break my heart in the end?”
“I’m not saying that. I’m just cautioning you. She’s only here for a season. How do you plan to court her from afar once she’s gone?”
“You told me that God could use this to shape and mold me.”
“But I didn’t say you would come out with a girl on your arm.” Brett’s brow furrowed. “I’m not saying God can’t work a miracle here, Tanner. Just that these ladies—Ma included—are setting you up. So take the good and toss the bad. Give Alanna the attention and see how she responds, but don’t be surprised if it’s just a ploy to string you along.”
“I’ve given her attention, but she’s acting skittish.”
“Playing hard to get, likely. It’s part of their strategy.”
“Strategy?”
“Yep. But they always want the attention, regardless.”
Tanner didn’t have an answer to that, but he was certainly willing to give it some thought. In the meantime, it looked as if he needed to come up with a solid plan where Alanna was concerned. Either she cared for him or she didn’t. Either she wanted his attentions or she didn’t. Time would tell, in either case.