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20 years later

𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐔𝐓 as Montana Lawrence and her best friends, Makayl and Nicki Brown, briskly walked down the busy street of Austin, Texas.

Montana's delicately gloved hand clutched the strap of her purse, while Makayl walked beside her. "You know the ladies of the New York art society are coming to the socialite club tonight. Are you going?" the brunette asked as she adjusted her purse strap on her shoulder

Montana turned to her best friends, and answered softly, "Unfortunately, are you two?"

"With mother and aunts Lori and Kara as always. Although, I don't see what the big fuss about the social club is all about. Everyone is always in your business." Nicki stated.

The beautiful blonde laughed, as she adjusted her purse strap on her shoulder. "Not to mention, they're narrow minded people having narrow minded conversations. It's always the same story."

"You've got that right." Makayl chuckled, as the three reached the library, where Nicki and Makayl worked as the librarians. "So, we'll see you later?"

Montana smiled and embraced her best friends. "Of course. Have a great day."

"You too!" Makayl smiled as she unlocked the library and walked inside

Montana continued her brisk walk down the busy streets of Austin, waving at the residents and business owners alike, who always waved hello back. "Morning Montana!" The Merchantile owner, named Ree smiled

Ree was a kind middle aged woman, who had red hair, and was a widow, with two young sons in college, who had always secretly had a crush on Montana.

The beautiful blonde turned her head to find Ree opening her doors to the Merchantile. "Good morning, Ree!" Montana smiled and waved as she continued walking toward her mother's clinic.

As she continued with her brisk walk, and enjoyed the beautiful spring breeze in her beautiful blonde hair, which was that of her grandmother Ava's, she heard the bell of the one room school house ring out.

Turning her head, she saw her aunt, Sam LaRusso—Walker, ringing the bell, and announcing to the children to come inside. "Recess is over, everyone come back inside. Darren, Deacon, Wyatt, come on."

Montana smiled as she walked to greet her aunt, but that smile fell, when she heard a little girl crying. As the blonde sat down beside her, Sam sat down in front of her. "Lilly, what happened?" Sam asked in concern.

"I fell off the swing and broke my arm." Lilly cried as she wiped her tears

"Those silly swings. I fell off the swings a lot when I was little." Montana said

Looking at the beautiful blonde, Lilly asked, "Did you hurt your arm?"

"My arm, my leg my finger..." Montana said

"Twice." Sam interjected with a chuckle

"Touching the little girl on the nose, Montana chuckled. "Even my nose. That's why I was never skilled in karate, even though my daddy, brother, and uncle were all champions. Even Mrs. Walker here was a karate champion."

Lilly laughed as she wiped her tears. "You fell a lot."

"She sure did." Sam chuckled

"Can you wiggle your fingers, little one?" Montana asked as she gently held the little girl's arm in her hand, and she was able to wiggle her fingers. "You know something beautiful, you didn't break your arm, you just bruised it a little."

"So, I can go back to school?" Lilly asked

"Of course you can. Just wash your wound okay?" Montana smiled

As Lilly ran back inside, Montana and Sam stood up. "You are a natural born caretaker Montana Blue." Sam smiled as she embraced her niece. "You can make people feel better when they're hurt and scared."

"Thanks aunt Sam. I'll see you later." Montana smiled, then kissed her cheek. "Love you."

"Love you too, darling." Sam smiled. "Have a great day."

Continuing her brisk walk in town, she saw her father unlocking the doors to his dojo, Eagle Fang Karate. Looking down at her watch, she saw she had a few minutes to spare, so she walked over to greet her father.

"Morning daddy!" Montana smiled as she embraced her father

"Morning sweetheart." Johnny smiled as he embraced his daughter. "Thought you had to be at work?"

"Well, I don't think mom will mind, especially if she knows I stopped by to say hello to the world's best daddy." Montana smiled as the blonde and her father walked into the dojo. "Sorry I wasn't there to say good morning to you and mom, the girls called and we had breakfast at auntie Amy's and uncle Bobby's."

"That's alright kiddo. Besides, your mom and I understand that." Johnny said as he grabbed his karate gi from the closet and a black headband that Stella gave to him, when he opened the dojo

"Yeah, well anyway, good luck today, and I'll see you later. Love you daddy." Montana smiled as she embraced her father and kissed his cheek

"Love you too honey." Johnny smiled as he embraced his daughter

Montana opened the door to the dojo and walked down the street to the clinic. Walking up the steps, she opened the door, and found her mother sitting at the desk looking over the schedule of patients.

"Morning mama." Montana smiled as she took off her shawl and hung it on the coat rack along with her purse.

"Morning sweetheart." Stella smiled. "I was beginning to wonder if I needed to call your uncle August to see if we needed to call for a search party."

Montana softly chuckled as she took off her gloves and placed them in her purse. "No, I'm sorry I was late ma, I was just saying hello to auntie Sam as well as dad."

"It's quite alright sweetheart. I understand." Stella smiled. "Now, if doc Jackson would have been here, that's a different story."

"I don't think he likes us women working for him." Montana said as she walked to the supply cabinet to make sure they had the supplies they needed

"Sweetheart, I don't think that's it, I think the man is just set in his ways. Besides it's about time for him to retire anyway. Maybe once he comes back from New York, he'll decide to retire huh?"

"One can only dream, mother dear." Montana said

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At the Merchantile, Ree and her sister Claudine, who had brunette hair, in opposite of her sister, stocked the shelves for the daily purchases to be made. Just as Claudine, who was just a tad bit taller than Ree, stocked the last jar of strawberry and peach jam on the shelves, heard the door open.

"Hey Ree, hey Claudine." Nathan smiled as he August, and August and Sam's son, Maverick entered the mercantile.  

Ree smiled as she walked from behind the counter and wiped her hands on her gigham apron, and brought the two into an embrace. "Morning you three. What brings you in?"

"Samantha wants another jar of the strawberry jam." August smiled

"And I want another box of your delicious pastries." Nathan smiled

"Coming right up, and Claudine will have those pastries right out for you Nathan." Ree smiled as she walked back behind the counter and reached towards the middle shelf and grabbed a jar of strawberry jam, while. "Here you are August. Would you like me to put it on your tab?"

"Of course, and we will be in to pay it next week." August smiled.

"Maverick, is there anything you would like dear?" Ree smiled

"No thank you, Ms. Ree. I appreciate it though." Maverick smiled

Just as Ree was about to walk back behind the counter, and Claudine went to take the pastries out of the oven for Nathan, the door to the Merchantile opened, to a young man in his 20s, around Montana's age. He had beautiful blue eyes, brow hair, and was muscular build

"Hi! Welcome to Drummond's Merchantile, how can I help you?" Ree smiled

"Hello, I'm Jack Lockhart, I was wondering if the boarding house has a vacancy?" Jack said

Ree's hazel eyes lit up like she had seen a turquoise necklace on sale. No one had even offered to stay in the boarding house for months. "Of course! I'll get you registered right away! Now, would you like a square view, or a forest view?" she said as she opened her log

"Square is fine." Jack said.

"You've got it. Here's your room key." Ree said as she gave Jack his room key, then continued. "Just go up these stairs, your room will be the first door on the left."

"Thank you." Jack smiled

"After walking away from the counter, August spoke. "Welcome to Austin, I'm August Walker, Texas Ranger, this is my son, Maverick, and my father, Nathan."

"Pleasure meeting you, I'm Jack Lockhart." Jack said. "My uncle was Drew Lockhart."

"He was a fine man." August said. "My place is next to Drew's. He was a good neighbor."

"Unfortunately I didn't have the oportunity to say a proper goodbye, as I was finishing law school, but from what I do remember, he was always kind." Jack said

"Where are you from?" Maverick asked

"New York City." Jack smiled

"New York City. How about that? I bet it's a sight different than Texas." Nathan said

"Yes sir." Jack said. "Anyway, Ms. Ree, they said down at the post office that I should ask you for directions to my uncle's place."

"I can do better than that. Got my truck right outside. We can take you there ourselves." Nathan said

"That's very kind of you, Mr. Walker." Jack said

"No problem." August said. "Go ahead and get your bags and get settled in."

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"All right George you're all set." Stella said as she and Montana helped him set up, then Stella walked to the medicine cabinet. "Doc should be back in a week, but if you get a fever, or if the pain gets considerably worse, come back and see us, even if it's in the middle of the night.

"Thanks Stella." George said.

"No problem." Stella said as she gave him some medicine from the medicine cabinet. "Here, take a teaspoon of this, three times a day, until the pain goes away. But in the mean time, stay out of that candy jar."

"Yes ma'am. Much obliged." George said then nodded to Montana, and left.

"Some men never learn." Stella chuckled as she shook her head.

"Yeah." Montana laughed

The mother and daughter closed the clinic at 5 pm. Montana walked to the desk to coat rack to collect her gloves, barret, button shawl, and her purse. After putting them on, she walked outside, embraced her mother, and the two locked up the clinic and walked in opposite directions: Stella to meet Johnny at the dojo, and Montana to meet Makayl and Nicki at the library.

Montana clutched her purse strap with her delicately gloves hand, while her left hand held on to the beret that was perched atop her blonde hair. As she continued her brisk walk to the library, she felt someone bump into her, making the other person fall to the ground.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! Are you hurt?" Montana asked as she bent down to help the person she had bumped in to

"No, I'm alright." A masculine voice spoke as he took her hand, which fit perfectly in her's, almost like it was made for him to hold.

When the beautiful blonde looked up, and focused on the person in front of her, it seemed as though the air had been shot right out of her lungs. Her beautiful violet blue eyes were unblinking as they twinkled. She had bumped into Jack.

"Hi. I'm Jack. Jack Lockhart." Jack smiled as he extended his hand for a handshake

"I'm Montana Lawrence." Montana smiled as she shook his hand. "I haven't seen you around here before, are you new?"

"Oh, my uncle was Drew Lockhart, I'm just in town to settle some of his affairs." Jack said

Montana gave him a look of sympathy, and even though she didn't know the stranger, she pulled him in for a quick, gentle hug, and he ignored the jolt of electricity he felt when she embraced him. "I'm so sorry. My condolences, Jack. Your uncle was a good man. He was neighbors with my grandpa for as long as I can remember."

"Thank you, Montana." Jack smiled

The beautiful blonde gave him a warm, compassionate smile, one so bright, he thought he would go blind from the shine. "Well, welcome to our small town." Montana smiled

"Thank you." Jack smiled, as the two walked down the street.

"There you are!" Makayl said as she and Nicki locked up the library. "You ready to walk home—oh, who's this?" Nicki added with a kind, friendly smile."

"Oh, Makayl, Nicki, this is Jack Lockhart, Jack Lockhart, these are my best friends, Makayl and Nicki Brown, our parents are best friends as well." Montana introduced

"Pleasure meeting you." Makayl smiled. "You know what, we'll wait for you, up here." Nicki smiled as she and her sister walked up to the Merchantile and sat on the steps to wait for Montana

"I really am sorry about bumping in to you." Montana smiled

"Don't worry about it." Jack said. "I should have been watching where I was going."

The beautiful blonde chuckled. "Well, are you staying at the boarding house?"

"Yes." Jack said

"You should eat at the Merchantile. Ree makes the best food in town." Montana smiled. "Her strawberry and cherry pies are to die for. But, I've gotta get going. I'll see you around. Bye Jack."

"See you around, Montana." Jack smiled as he admired the beautiful blonde, who had captured his heart, forever

Montana gave him one last vibrant smile, which was that of her grandmother Ava's, then walked to her best friends who were waiting for her on the steps of the Merchantile. "You two ready?"

"Of course." Makayl smiled as she stood up and the two began their walk home. "So, tell us about Prince Charming." Nicki smirked

The beautiful blonde blushed as she clutched the strap of her purse with her delicately gloved hand. "We accidentally bumped into each other. He's Mr. Lockhart's nephew. What are the odds?"

"He's cute. Did you not see the way he looked at you?" Makayl said as the three continued continued their brisk walk home.

"I wasn't really paying attention Kayl." Montana laughed.

"Well, this is us." Nicki said as the two reached her house. We'll see you tonight."

"Bye." Montana smiled as she continued her brisk walk home.

After walking for about 20 more minutes, she arrived at the ranch, and walked up the steps to her two story house, grabbed her keys, unlocked the door and walked inside. "Mom, dad, are you two home yet?" she called

"In here sweetheart." Stella smiled

Montana smiled as she hung her shawl, purse, and barret on the coat rack, then walked into the kitchen, where she found Stella opening a strawberry pie from the Merchantile.

"Hey you two." Montana smiled. "Daddy, how was the dojo?"

"It was good." Johnny said as he ate his pie, then sipped his coffee. "The students did good."

Montana sat down as Stella cut her a piece of pie. "Did you guys know that Mr. Lockhart's nephew is in town?" the blonde asked

"Your grandfather said something about it." Stella said as she set the saucer plate in front of her daughter, then joined her husband and daughter at the table. "But he didn't go into details."

"He said he was here to settle Mr. Lockhart's affairs." Montana said as she ate her pie

"Maverick came into the dojo this afternoon and said that when they took him out there, the kid wanted to hire someone to fix the place up, because he didn't want to do the work himself." Johnny said then scoffed. "Nathan and August said they would help him fix the place up."

"Now, my sweet husband, when you scoff there's usually a reason. What is it?" Stella questioned as she sipped her coffee.

"Maverick said he just graduated from law school and doesn't know the first thing about hard work." Johnny said. "He's probably privileged and entitled."

"John, what makes you think—" Stella said, but was cut off by her husband

"Because, Stella, I used to be privileged and entitled." Johnny said then he rolled his eyes in disgust.

"Daddy, you can't judge someone based on someone else's opinion." Montana said then ate her pie. "Anyway, are you two going to the dinner at the socialite club?"

"No." Stella said. "Are you and the girls going?"

Montana nodded as she swallowed a piece of her pie she was chewing. "Besides, even if I said no, I think the girls would beg me to go, so to answer your question, yes, I'm going."

"What do you plan on wearing?" Stella asked

"I was thinking grandma Laura's pink velvet dress." Montana smiled as she sipped her coffee

"Oh that dress looks so beautiful on you sweetheart." Stella smiled.

"Thanks mama." Montana smiled

"Yeah, make sure there's no boys looking at you." Johnny said

"Johnny." Stella softly chuckled

After finishing her delicious strawberry rhubarb pie, Montana kissed her parents' cheeks and walked upstairs. Turning on the radio, which played Dawn (Go Away) by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, she sat down at her vanity, as she began her makeup, when her phone began to ring.

"Lawrence residence. Montana speaking." Montana answered as she began her makeup

"Please tell me you have a back up plan in case those snobby girls from uptown decide to come." Makayl said on the other line as she applied her powder

Montana laughed, then applied her blush, as she was not one for a lot of makeup. "Of course I do. We'll just tell the aunties we have a stomach ache, and we can sneak out to the diner and go to the diner for some cherry malts and fries."

"You and your cherry malts. What if Christie French comes? You know that snake loves making everyone's lives miserable, especially since all of the boys in town have eyes for you and not her." Nicki stated as she applied her blush

"Nicki, Christie is miserable, and we have to just treat her with kindness, as she has no idea how to treat others with kindness." Montana said as she applied her mascara

"Why do you always have to be right? Fine. But We're sitting in the back." Makayl said as she applied her mascara

"I'll see you there." Montana smiled as she applied her favorite L'Oréal lipstick

"See you there." the sisters said

After placing the phone on the reciever, the beautiful blonde stood up, and grabbed her black clutch wallet, which once belonged to Ava and walked down the stairs. While she and her best friend might have been going to a prestigious socialite club, her thoughts were on the handsome Lockhart boy she met.