Cooper's Lake

By Melody Hill-Campanelli

When Amy Cooper inherits a fortune and buys a ranch in Montana, she thinks she has gotten away from her past in Savannah, Georgia for good. Focusing on her business and her horses, she all but forgets about her ex as she cultivates a new life with new friendships deep in the Montana country. Her life seems too good to be true until the day that Grace shows up, sending the ranch into a tailspin.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Melody Hill-Campanelli
• Release date: Feb 23, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311320667

Melody Hill-Campanelli

Melody Hill-Campanelli was born and raised on a North Georgia chicken farm at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Growing up steeped in Civil War history, surrounded by battlefields and Appalachian folklore, history and storytelling became her passion at a very early age. She lives in Rock Hill, SC where she shares a home with her wife and their dogs and cats. Melody Hill-Campanelli is working on several novels and spends her free time photographing the surrounding areas and historical sites.

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Cooper's Lake

By Melody Hill-Campanelli

Copyright 2014 Melody Hill-Campanelli

Smashwords Edition

Cover Image and Design Copyright 2020 Melody Hill-Campanelli

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work of this author.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locations, or people, living or dead, is coincidental

Part One

The truck bounced on a rut and Grace thought her teeth might shatter from the impact. She thought about turning back; after all, she was only four miles off the main road and no one knew she was there. Main road, she scoffed, nothing in this state can be called a 'main' anything. It's like Satan's last outpost.

She shook her head and thought about the man at the airport, That ranch is four hours away from town, ma'am. You best hire someone to take you out there like most people do.

Well, I can't afford that. I've already rented a truck, she had explained.

He shrugged nonchalantly, Have it your way.

She even had a feeling that the pimply faced boy at Missoula Rent-A-Car would have tried to talk her out of his own commission if it had been refundable. Grace sneered and turned the radio up, trying to forget about the reception she had received in what she considered no man's land.

As she drove, she had to wonder if the time it took to get to Cooper's Lake could have been cut down to half of what it was if the roads were better maintained. She was able to coax the truck up to about 25 mph, but anything faster instantly felt as if it would fracture her spine.

When she finally pulled up to the gate of the place, she leaned back in the seat and breathed a sigh of relief. Her body was tense and it felt good to finally relax. It was obvious that Amy took better care of her ranch roads than the county took care of the roads outside of it.

She looked up at the wooden sign as she drove underneath it and felt a little wave of pride course through her, You did it, Amy. Good for you. I'll never really get it, but I'm glad you did it. She parked the truck next to a large Dodge Ram and jumped out, feeling the blood return to the rest of her body.

As she stretched, she had to take a moment to appreciate the scenery despite herself. The rolling fields of the ranch spread out on all sides of her, dotted here and there with horses. There looked to be about seven cabins on the left edge of the property and a large house that sat near the barn. As she looked over the vista, she saw a large lake in the middle of one of the fields that perfectly reflected the mountains and sky, obviously the landmark that had given the ranch its name. Suddenly, it seemed a little more like God's last outpost, rather than Satan's and it nearly took her breath away.

Once she was finally able to shake off the spell of the scenery, she walked up the wooden steps of the large log cabin and knocked loudly on the door. There was no sign of movement after the third knock so she walked back to the edge of the porch and scanned the property, seeing if she could see anyone.

A muscular man walked out of the barn carrying a sack of feed. He was so stereotypical of a ranch hand that Grace couldn't stop herself from smirking. He had on a Stetson, cowboy boots, a nice fitting pair of jeans, and a button up plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Raising her hand in the air, she hollered out, OH! Hello there!

The man looked shocked, but it was fleeting. He put the feed down and walked over to her, Can I help you?

Grace tried to smile, I'm here to see Amy Cooper. She did not think she needed to explain further than that. She was from a place where if you told someone something, they took it at face value and led you straight inside.

The man was not from where she was from, obviously, Hmm. I'm sorry, we don't have any reservations for today. Next people scheduled to arrive are the Bishops and they've been coming here for several years now. You are not a Bishop.

Grace peered at him and fought the urge to shout at him, No. I am not a Bishop. I am a friend of Amy's and she did not know I was coming. It's a surprise. I wanted to surprise her. Can you please tell me where I can find her, or take me to her? Grace could not believe the rudeness of the man. She hoped he didn't talk to the actual paying guests that way.

The man spit tobacco juice on the ground, Stay right there.

Grace put her hands on her hips as he disappeared back into the barn. She could hear the sound of muffled voices and then he returned with a woman who looked just as stereotypical as him, except she didn't have a hat on and she appeared to be a little dirtier. Grace eyed her up and down, finally letting her eyes rest on a line of dirt on her cheek, You're not Amy.

She rubbed her hand on a cloth and then extended it to Grace, No, I'm Lee. Actually, it's Cleo Lee, but people just call me Lee. I'm the vet. Patrick says you are here to surprise Amy, but Amy isn't here, Miss.....?

The vet? Grace whispered. So that explained the state of the woman's clothing. She did not shake her hand, What do you mean, she isn't here? When it was obvious that Lee wasn't going to answer her she continued, I'm Grace. Grace Forster.

The woman's eyes went wide and it looked like Grace had just punched her in the gut, Grace?

Grace raised an eyebrow, suspicious of the woman for the first time, Yes. I see my reputation has proceeded me all the way to Montana. Don't believe everything Amy has told you. She took stock of the woman again and noticed that behind the dirt and cotton shirt, she might actually have been pretty. Her green eyes matched her chestnut colored hair which was up in a ponytail, but had a hint of wave in it that would have looked very nice if she took time with it. She glanced at her hands and noticed that they also would have been pretty, if not for the layers of dirt under them. A little wave of jealousy bit at her as it suddenly occurred to her that the woman might be Amy's girlfriend.

Although she tried to compose herself, Lee was visibly paler and looked as if she might vomit as Grace searched her body with her eyes. Patrick shifted nervously at her side and spit again as Lee looked around for help that wasn't coming, Well, Amy isn't here.

Yes, you've said that. Where is she? Grace asked, losing patience.

She's out there. Amy pointed towards the fields and mountains, She's riding the property line looking for damage. We had some bad weather last week. I am sure you're already aware of that judging from how bad the road must have been coming in.

Patrick spit again, She drove a foreign truck in here.

Grace peered at him, noting the sarcastic tone in his voice. Lee cut him off with a look as well, She should be back tonight, late, or tomorrow morning sometime. The Bishops are checking in in a couple of days, and she always gets back before guests arrive.

Well, Grace said, I guess I'll just have to wait on her. The house is locked up though so I can't get anything inside. Can you unlock it for me or do I have to sleep on the porch?

Patrick glanced at Lee and cleared his throat. Lee shook her head, I can't do that, ma'am. Amy wouldn't like that at all. But no, you don't have to sleep on the porch. She chewed on her bottom lip for a minute. There was no possible way she was letting Grace Forster sleep in the cabin with her. Frowning, she looked around the ranch and then said, Patrick, go get cabin four ready....

Patrick shook his head and interrupted, Cabin four is reserved for the Bishops. You know that. They always stay there.

I know, Lee said, exasperated, but it's only til Amy gets back and can make arrangements. What else am I supposed to do? I can't let her into the big house. It'll be cleared out by the time the Bishops get here. Now get Ms. Forster's things and show her to the cabin, Pat.

Grace raised an eyebrow, I am sorry I have intruded, but I am sure Amy will be happy to see me.

Lee looked sick again and shook her head, Don't worry about it. I... I have to go now. Sweetlips is in labor and I have to be there. She turned and walked away quickly, head down.

Grace started to say something but there was no one to speak to. Patrick was getting her bags out of the bed of the truck and grumbling about the poor quality of foreign made pickups. He did not stop to wait for her as he walked towards a cabin that sat at the edge of a field overlooking the lake. The number 4 was carefully engraved on a stump that was sitting next to the two steps leading up to the low porch.

He took a large key ring from his