Read Under the Open Sky (Montana Heritage Series) for Free Online Page A

in disbelief. She knew her figure hadn’t changed but the combination of items Angela had chosen played up what features she did have. Her hair hung down hair back in a solid sheet and Angela had skillfully applied make up, true to her word she had kept it light having Amanda finish it off with clear, cherry scented gloss. Amanda couldn’t believe how her eyes popped as she leaned nearer the mirror.
                  “Wow, thanks,” Amanda breathed as she stepped back from the mirror. She let her gaze drop to her legs. She had always considered their long gangly length a detriment, tonight they seemed an asset.
                  “You have a cute figure; just more lithe than curvy. You simply need to dress to your best advantage,” Angela slapped a cowboy hat on Amanda’s head, “Let’s go cowgirl.”
                  Amanda and Angela exited the room to find Trent waiting impatiently.
                  “It’s about time, I was…” Trent stopped short and frowned as he surveyed his sister.
                  “Doesn’t your sister look great?” Angela asked enthusiastically.
                  “I don’t know,” Trent hesitated, “it’s a little…grown up.”
                  “The jeans and snap up western shirts are becoming clear. Your sister isn’t a little girl anymore, deal with it,” Angela laughed as she kissed Trent’s cheek. “Let’s go, Mandy, you look great.”
                  The trio started down the stairs; Amanda paused in the living room door way.
                  “I’m going to the drive in diner with Trent,” she announced. She watched her Aunt Naomi gape in disbelief as she surveyed her.
                  “Have fun,” her father nodded without ever glancing up from his magazine. Amanda wasted no time in following her brother and Angela from the house and into the yard where Cade waited, arms crossed across his chest as he leaned against the truck.
                  “Took you long enough,” Cade grumbled as he pushed off the side of the truck. He surveyed Amanda, a frown skittering across his face before his expression became blank. “We ready?” Cade opened the cab door and waited.
                  Amanda frowned as she surveyed the truck. “Will we fit?”
                  “’Course we will, it’s called squeezing in,” Trent answered her. It was all Amanda could do not to protest when Angela crawled in to sit next to Trent, of course the dating couple would want to sit next to each other, she realized belatedly.  She hesitated briefly before climbing in behind Angela and sliding as close to the other young woman as she could. Cade filed in last and closed the door.
                  “Scoot over, Mandy, Cade isn’t going to bite and we need some room,” Trent scolded her. Amanda scooted over obediently but held herself rigid. Beside her, Cade sat at an angle against the door to offer more room. Trent reached over to turn on his radio finally settling on the local country station. He pitched his voice low to sing along with Johnny Cash as he promised to walk the line; Amanda smiled. A glance at Cade showed he was amused at her brother’s antics as well. She felt the tension slowly draining from her shoulders and leaned back against the seat.  The windows of the truck were rolled down to let the cooling evening air rush over them as they sped down the highway toward town. Amanda somehow knew that after her brother left for college in a few weeks this would be one of those occasions she looked back on fondly. Every time she thought of her brother leaving her stomach tightened and her throat wanted to close up. She was going to be lost without him.
                  “What do you say we claim a table on the patio?” Trent suggested. It was that or eat in the truck and Amanda knew with four of them that