KallypsoCon 2020 Boxset Giveaway

The Colemans of Heart Falls Series

Vivian Arend

Contents

Author Note

The Cowgirl’s Forever Love

The Cowgirl’s Forever Love

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Epilogue

The Cowgirl’s Secret Love

The Cowgirl’s Secret Love

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Epilogue

The Cowgirl’s Chosen Love

The Cowgirl’s Chosen Love

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Epilogue

About the Author

Author Note

Hey, all.

I'm sad we couldn't be together in Calgary as we'd hoped, but I'm sending you a lot of romance and happily-ever-afters. I've put together this exclusive box set just for you!

This set of stories is also special because it's all about sisters—the ones you grew up with, and the ones you pick up along the journey. Kind of like the friends you've made over the years at KallypsoCon!

Which means it doesn't matter how far apart we are physically, our hearts are close.

May you always have sisters and women in your world who speak into your life and give you joy.

With love,

Viv

The Colemans of Heart Falls

The Cowgirl’s Forever Love

The Cowgirl’s Secret Love

The Cowgirl’s Chosen Love

If you’d like to know what new books I have coming, and stay up to date with releases, please sign up for my newsletter!

The Cowgirl’s Forever Love

The Colemans of Heart Falls, Book 1

Copyright

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

The Cowgirl’s Forever Love

Copyright © 2019 by Arend Publishing Inc.

ISBN: 9781941456989

Edited by Anne Scott

Cover Design © Damonza

Proofed by Angie Ramey, Linda Levy, & Manuela Velasco

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations.

First electronic publication: May 2019

www.vivianarend.com

The Cowgirl’s Forever Love

He wants to settle down. she’s still dreaming about the future.

Lisa Coleman committed to stay in Heart Falls until her sister’s baby arrives, but after that she’s not returning home. She’s not sure exactly what is on the agenda, so it’s good there’s still a few months to figure her dreams. Meanwhile, there’s no reason she can’t enjoy herself with the very sexy local veterinarian. A naughty interlude with a man who knows all the right moves is the perfect distraction from Coleman chaos: newborn baby! New dog! New found family?!

Josiah Ryder is beginning to feel women only want him for one thing. Okay, fine, playing fast and loose was fun for a while, but it’s time for a change. He’s ready to prove he’s the type who’s in it for the long haul, but the one woman he truly wants insists she’s in town for six months and not a moment longer. He’ll have to pull out all the stops to make Lisa realize nothing out there can compete with finding forever right under her nose.

In Memoriam

Unlike the father in this story (who thankfully does get his head on straight eventually) my dad was someone I looked up to my entire life. I always had his encouragement, always knew that he was there for me. Always felt his love. He was my first hero, and he left behind a legacy that I can only dream of following.

I miss you, Papa.

1

Silver Stone Ranch, early March

A cry echoed off the barn walls, sliding from a deep moan to a bloodcurdling screech that made goose bumps shoot across her skin. If Lisa Coleman believed in ghosts, she’d be running for the hills. Instead, curiosity tugged her forward as she followed the sound farther into the warm building.

This wasn’t what she’d expected when she’d stolen away from the house, trying to give her sister and brother-in-law some privacy. A moment to be quiet and alone was a good thing.

Alone time—maybe. Lisa couldn’t see a soul around, but the quiet part was going to be difficult. It seemed the ghosts of winters past had taken voice and were doing their best to shake the dust from the rafters.

Lisa went in search of the eerie sound.

She’d been in Heart Falls since mid-December to help her sister Tamara deal with a difficult first pregnancy. Which meant Lisa cooked and cleaned and helped care for Tamara’s two adopted daughters who were eight and nearly eleven, while juggling all the chores involved in keeping a ranch house running.

Add in that Silver Stone ranch had hosted a family wedding the day before—a quiet one, mind you, but still—Lisa’s days had been filled to the brim.

She paced past two long rows of stalls. The horses in them lifted their heads, muzzles turned to the south. Their ears twitched and skin rippled as if chasing away flies. The horse equivalent of asking, What the heck?

Luckily, none of the beasts seemed upset. Lisa hoped it wasn’t because the caterwauling was a regular occurrence at the Silver Stone ranch.

She inched forward, slow but steady, as the sound changed in pitch and timbre, no longer at the intense volume it had been when she’d first entered the building.

Her quest for the source of the noise brought her outside the door leading into the oldest surviving building on the ranch. The massive horse barn where she stood was one of two additions that had been constructed on either side of the historic building.

The wood before her was weathered dark by time and the floorboards dipped underfoot where millions of boot-clad steps had left their impact over the years.

The voice echoing off the walls—because it was most definitely a voice, and a male one at that—was growing fainter and hoarser. As if he’d reached the end of his rope.

She’d finally recognized the noisemaker and as Lisa cautiously unbolted the door and peeked into the gloom of the windowless passageway, she wasn’t sure what to expect.

Not only because of tonight’s strange game of hide and go seek, but because the owner of the voice, Josiah Ryder, local veterinarian, had turned out to be the biggest enigma she’d ever met.

She’d bumped into the man a couple times in the previous year while visiting Tamara and at least a dozen more over the past months, but she simply couldn’t get a bead on him. It was annoying as heck. Lisa didn’t often find herself at a loss when it came to judging people.

Or managing people, if she was honest.

Lisa pushed the door in front of her, the heavy wood swinging away. She laid a hand on the wall in the hopes of shedding a little light on the situation, but even after flicking the switch upward, gloom filled the narrow passageway between two well-lit spaces.

“Josiah?” She spoke into the darkness.

“Hey.” His voice was deep, scratchy, and sexy as sin, dammit. As if he’d just rolled out of bed and hadn’t had a chance to do anything more than blink in her direction after an all-nighter that had left them both sated.

Gee, Lis, seems your imagination is working, no matter what else you’re failing to exercise.

Josiah was clearly somewhere in the room, but she couldn’t see him. Or at least, not right away.

At first glance, it seemed as if a fleece-lined jacket hung from a high hook on the wall. A second later it was apparent the coat was not empty but held a body. Josiah’s jean-clad legs hung toward the ground, leaving well-worn boots suspended a foot above the floor.

She stepped toward him. “What the heck?”

The fingers of one hand twitched in greeting. “Lisa. How’s your evening going?”

She was close enough to see his jacket was twisted awkwardly, rising under his chin and forcing his arms horizontal as if he were lashed to a post like a scarecrow. His handsome face seemed darker in colour than looked healthy.

Lisa answered as nonchalantly as he’d asked. “Good. The kids have gone to bed, and Tamara and Caleb are having some quiet time, so I decided to go for a walk. You?”

“Just hanging out.”

She shoved down the outright laugh that wanted to escape. “Can I give you a hand?”

“Please. My arms went numb five minutes ago. I’m losing circulation in my feet.”

Lisa glanced around the small room, but there was nothing that could help her. She stepped over a couple of broken wooden slats that lay on the ground and headed back into the horse stables.

“Don’t go anywhere,” she tossed over her shoulder.

He snorted.

She found a tall barrel in the horse barn, rolling it in and placing it under his feet. She had to physically position his boots on the surface, then climb up next to him, reaching behind his back to detach the hook that sliced through his coat before coming to a stop at the thick collar.

“You’re lucky you didn’t get skewered,” she said worriedly as they made their way to solid ground.

“I’m very lucky. I’ve been offering thanks the entire time I’ve been hanging there.” Josiah shrugged, grimacing in pain as he flexed his biceps to get the blood flowing. “No idea how long I’ve been stuck.”

The man probably ached from head to toe. “Take off your coat,” she ordered. “I’ll give you a rubdown.”

She expected him to ignore her offer. Possibly excuse himself then stomp away in a manly fashion as if he’d planned the whole thing.

Instead, he wiggled his shoulders from side to side, grunting in pain as his jacket slid down. “I have zero objections, but first? I’ve got an itch between my shoulder blades, and while everything else went numb, that spot refused to do anything except get more intense.”

Lisa laughed, putting her nails to the middle of his back and scratching firmly, higher, then lower until she found the spot that made him groan. “Any particular reason you turned yourself into a wall ornament? I have no idea how you got up there.”

“Comedy of errors.” Josiah pulled an arm across his chest to stretch his shoulders as she switched to massaging. “Barn cats have a terrible sense of humour.”

“Barn cats. Ahhh, yes. That explains so much. I take it you crawled up on something to try and catch one?”

“Those slats were attached to the wall when I started. Things were going perfectly well until—”

He stopped dead, then cleared his throat and changed arms. The move made his shoulders bulge, the already-firm bundles thickening to rocks under her fingers.

Josiah Ryder was built. There was no denying that the man was in excellent shape, from top to bottom. Not only was the body pleasant to look at, his face was the kind that made a person take a second look. With high cheekbones and a firm jawline, the structure was appealing, and the layer of scruff on his cheeks, chin and upper lip did it for Lisa.

That, and his piercing blue eyes that looked directly at her as she came around and forced her thumbs into his right biceps, working out the knots that had developed while he was trapped.

His body was hot, but it wasn’t only physical attraction that hit her hot buttons. It was the slow, stealth-like smile spreading across his pretty face. The mischievous expression she’d seen during her visits had raised her curiosity and her interest, especially when he’d deliver the occasional snarky comment or out-of-the-blue anecdote with perfect comedic timing.

Intriguing. Sexy. The man had an awful lot going for him, yet every time she’d so much as cracked open a window and tried to flirt, he’d shut her down.

She forced that puzzle aside because he was being evasive, which meant she simply had to dig for details.

“Things were going perfectly well until…what?” Lisa prompted, dropping her gaze as she rubbed past his elbow and toward his wrist. Lean, muscular arms dusted with just the right amount of wiry hair.

Damn the man. He even had sexy forearms.

“Maybe I don’t want to tell you.” The words held an unexpected lilt. “You’d find some way to torment me about it from now till eternity.”

“Dude, I found you imitating a fur pelt somebody hung to dry. I’m already going to tease.” Lisa switched to his left arm, starting at his shoulder and working her way down. “Besides, I’m only here for another couple of months, so it’s not as if you’re giving me lifetime ammunition.”

His easygoing drawl vanished and he spoke sharply. Far more intensely. “You’re leaving that soon? I thought you were here to help Tamara.”

“Just until the baby arrives and Tamara is back on her feet,” Lisa explained. “The kid’s due late April. I’ve been here since December. I figure six months is long enough to spend living in her basement. By the time May rolls around, I’ll be ready to do the next thing.”

“What’s the next thing look like?”

She shrugged. “Don’t really know. It’s probably a terrible thing to confess, but I finally decided that I’m not going back to Rocky Mountain House. The rest of the details are fuzzy, but I’ll figure it out.”

“You could stick around Heart Falls,” Josiah pointed out. “There are other places to live than under your sister’s roof.”

“Maybe. I’ve got this wild urge to get on a plane and fly off to somewhere I’ve only read about in a book. But I’ve got a bit of time to decide. I only told my family my decision a couple of days ago.”

“It’s a big change.”

“It’s an exciting change,” Lisa said with conviction before eyeing him. “Nice try at distracting me, by the way. I’m not letting you off the hook until you tell me how you got on the hook.”

“Such a comedian.” He took a step away, picking up his coat and sticking a finger through the hole. He eyed it, deliberately not looking at her as he confessed, “The cat wasn’t the trouble, but there was this spider…”

As his voice faded, Lisa slammed her lips together. She tossed away the smart-ass comments she’d been planning to make.

She would not make fun of anyone’s fears. No matter how amusing it was at first to picture such a fine example of manhood running scared from something the size of his fingernail.

“There will be no tormenting about anything except finding you doing a scarecrow imitation,” she assured him quietly.

That gorgeous blue gaze of his swept over her face as if judging to see how serious she was. He nodded, pulling his coat back on. “Appreciate that.”

The thick layers settled over the broad width of his shoulders. It wasn’t right how much her fingers itched to touch him again.

Then again, what wasn’t right was failing to take advantage of a perfect opportunity to move ahead on something she’d been thinking about pretty hard.

She was leaving town sooner than later, but there was nothing to say she and Josiah couldn’t have fun while she was around.

Lisa reached up to arrange his collar, smoothing the fabric into position before letting her hands linger on his chest, stroking the warm lambskin of his coat as she focused on his face. “I’m glad you didn’t get hurt.”

Josiah was looking down at her as if he wanted to consume her—which, hey, okay by her—the bright blue in his eyes hot and needy. His gaze fell to her mouth, stalling as if debating his next move.

The motion was trite, perhaps, but impossible to stop—Lisa licked her lips, and his eyes dilated a little further.

Anticipation hung in the air. A sense of not what, but when, and she found herself leaning forward, adding pressure to her touch. Closing the gap between them.

Josiah shifted position, his breathing grew ragged, then he—

He left.

He turned on his heel and slid past her, gliding like a western gunslinger into the hallway, then past the row of horses. His perfect ass moving away from her as he made a measured yet hasty retreat.

The hole in his jacket was already fraying, strands spilling outward as a visible sign that something had gone wrong.

Something messy like her getting shot down again, because unless she wanted to chase after him, Lisa had little choice other than to watch Josiah vanish in the distance.

She hated not knowing what a person would do next. Especially someone like Josiah Ryder who was intriguing and sexy and a man she would be very willing to get to know better during her remaining interlude in Heart Falls.

It appeared her love life was on hiatus, the same way the rest of her life teetered on…

Nothing. She had no idea what the future should look like. Sadly, it appeared she was going to wallow in loneliness while she figured it out.

Lisa took a deep breath and kicked her own butt. Enough moping.

While her future was out there, somewhere, her present was waiting in the house. Back where her sister needed help. And if Lisa had learned anything over the past years, it was how to take care of her sisters.

She gave the nearest horse a pat on the nose then headed through the snowy winter night to the ranch house. Her night’s agenda now involved hiding out in the basement guest room to give her sister and brother-in-law some privacy.

The sad truth was no matter where she ended up she was going to daydream about Josiah Ryder. About how she wished the two of them were together in the barn. Maybe in the hayloft, generating heat and getting to know each other far more intimately.

* * *

Walking away from the temptation of Lisa Coleman had been hellishly difficult.

Josiah closed the final gate behind him and headed up the long driveway to his spread overlooking the Alberta Rocky Mountains. He lived far enough out of town to have some privacy. Close enough to be able to enjoy the few luxuries a small town could offer.

His phone rang, and he put it on speaker even as he aimed his truck into the darkness. “Josiah. What’s your emergency?”

“What’s yours?” Caleb Stone’s deep drawl echoed over the line, and in spite of the twitch of irritation in his belly, Josiah had to smile.

“I thought you were having a quiet evening with your wife.”

“That was you I saw parked by the barn. Why didn’t you stop by the house?”

Josiah made a rude noise. “What kind of a friend interrupts a date? Especially since Tamara’s not feeling one hundred percent that often these days. Speaking of which—why the hell are you on the line with me?”

“Stop worrying. I intend to enjoy my evening, but I wanted to know how your weekend went.”

Anyone else Josiah would’ve accused of wanting the dirt simply for curiosity’s sake, but Caleb was a good friend and had been for a number of years. He knew what was going on.

Which meant he would know the instant Josiah started lying.

He tried anyway. Or at least attempted to skip the details. “It was good. I always enjoy going back to Rosebud and visiting my parents. They have a production of Oliver they’re getting ready for the summer and I got to make suggestions for set design.”

“And…?”

Josiah sighed. “The wedding was great. Darlene and her husband are head over heels. He seems a decent fellow.”

Caleb offered a low rumble, something between sympathy and annoyance. “I can’t believe your ex-girlfriend asked you to give her away.”

“Hey, what can I say? I’m an awesome guy. Everybody likes me.”

“Of course, they do. She still shouldn’t have done it,” Caleb complained.

“It’s okay, really. We mutually called it off well over two years ago. It’s not as if I’ve been pining away with a broken heart.” Josiah chuckled. “My ego’s not broken. Although I’m starting to understand that always a bridesmaid, never the bride joke a whole lot more.”

Because that’s what made this annoying. This was the third time. Not the actual giving-away-the-bride part—this wedding had been a first for that oddity.

With Josiah’s college girlfriend, they’d both been clear what they were looking for. Companionship, some fun. Basically, a great time.

When she called it off, it was far from the end of the world. They were friends and liked each other, but it wasn’t going anywhere else, yada, yada. Josiah hadn’t been hurt, not even when she started dating someone else by the end of the week.

Within a month his ex and her new beau were engaged.

Josiah had laughed. He was happy for her—because even if he’d been considering getting more serious, which he hadn’t, no way he’d have been ready for marriage that quickly. He’d attended her wedding and shared amusing stories, and it hadn’t seemed strange at all.

Not until the same thing happened with his next girlfriend.

The third time? Yeah, it was no longer funny.

“Josiah?”

Damn. He’d been so busy in his head he hadn’t heard his friend’s question. “Sorry. Woolgathering. What’s up?”

“Wanted to know if you’re interested in a poker night. Tamara insists I take the chance before the baby arrives. Of course, that means I’m volunteering your house.”

Caleb sounded apologetic, which was just wrong.

“Yes to poker. Of course, we can use my house. Stop sounding as if you’re imposing. I know you love your family, but Tamara’s right. Especially if she has a girl. You’re going to need an extra boost of testosterone just to balance the scales.”

“As it’s been pointed out more than once, with my four brothers, all the ranch hands, and how often you stop by, there’s a decided testosterone overload around Silver Stone.”

Josiah wasn’t sure he agreed. “Between your two little girls, your wife, and your brothers’ women—I think every one of them is worth at least four of us. Which means you’re coming over Tuesday night, yes?”

“Yes,” Caleb answered decisively. “Want me to extend the invite to my brothers?”

“Definitely.”

“Wait—how did you know I was hanging out with Tamara?”

Confession time. Although Josiah wasn’t sure how much to admit. “Chatted with Lisa in the barn.”

“Ahh. She make a bet with you? Swear that woman gets more pleasure out of plotting mischief than anyone I’ve ever met.”

That was not what Josiah wanted to hear. He would love to be making mischief with Lisa. Hot, sweaty, dirty mischief.

Not a comment he should make to her brother-in-law, no matter that Caleb was his best friend.

He must have hesitated too long again because Caleb jumped in. “Dammit, Josiah. Something’s wrong. The weekend hit you harder than you’re saying,” Caleb guessed.

“No, I mean yes—it’s given me lots to think about,” Josiah admitted. “But I’m not upset. Why should I be? Both Darlene and I moved on with our lives and are perfectly happy. It’s good for people to grow and do the next thing.”

“I guess. Except sometimes people move on to the next thing because they don’t know how good they’ve already got it.”

That comment was way too cryptic for this time of night.

Josiah made the final turn into his driveway, shocked to discover two dually trucks with horse trailers behind them already parked outside his barn. “Looks as if my new roommates have shown up a day early.”

“Two more sets of pockets to win money from. Gotta like that.”

“Let’s hope they’re not ringers.”

“I’m glad they’re there. It’ll be good for you not to be rambling around that big house on your own. And next time, stop in. Jackass,” Caleb muttered with affection.

“I will,” Josiah promised before he hung up.

He parked in front of the ranch house, bundling up his coat tightly against the crisp night air as he marched across the snowy ground toward the barn.

The call from his friend had been a good distraction, but it didn’t change the annoyance in his belly.

He hadn’t lied to Caleb. The past weekend had hit him with some basic truths, and the trip home from Rosebud had been long enough to mull over an idea hard enough to make a decision.

It was time to stop messing around. He was ready to do the next thing. He was ready to settle down and put down roots, and all of the things that involved home and hearth.

He even had the perfect woman in mind. Lisa Coleman.

Josiah had spent the entire time he’d been trapped on the wall plotting how to convince Lisa to start dating him. Yet the first thing she’d shared was that she was going away.

Her comment had thrown him for a loop.

No more. No more was he playing fast and loose and just being with a woman for a good time—although Lisa had never been on the one-night-stand list for so many reasons.

Still, there nothing wrong with his past sex life—and he obviously hadn’t left a trail of broken hearts in his wake.

But what chance did he have at forever with someone who was already planning to leave?

Except…

Lisa hadn’t been positive what she wanted to do, and he regretted racing away so quickly. He’d never been good at coming up with last-minute changes, and this time it had kicked him in the butt.

No more living from day-to-day for momentary pleasures. He wanted it all. He wanted a future with someone who considered him valuable enough to stick with, and he was willing to do whatever it took to make that happen.

If he could figure out exactly why Lisa planned to leave Heart Falls, maybe he could offer convincing reasons for her to stay. Since it seemed she didn’t know what she was looking for, this could end up being a perfect opportunity for them to build a solid relationship.

It was a brilliant idea. It was an idea that was totally going to work.

Now he just had to convince Lisa to get on board.

2

Josiah stepped into the warmth of the barn. His gaze slid to the left where a yellow glow fell over the hay bales stacked along the inner wall.

Two men rose from where they’d been sprawled comfortably, hitting their feet as he approached.

“I’m Josiah. Sorry I wasn’t home when you got here.”

“We made better time than expected. We figured you wouldn’t mind if we got our animals under shelter.” The first man shook his hand firmly. He wore his reddish hair cut short, and his neatly trimmed facial hair framed a serious expression. “Finn Marlette. This is Zachary Sorenson.”

“I go by Zach.” The dark-haired man stepped forward, his bright smile spreading from ear-to-ear. In spite of the lateness of the hour, he looked as if he’d just begun his day. “We’ve got our horses tied up out of the way in your training arena. Where do you want them?”

“Over here.” Josiah guided them to the end of the barn and the stalls he’d prepared. “I board extra horses, mostly in the summer for visitors to the community. The stalls are empty right now.”

“These will work great.”

Josiah joined them in the arena where a half-dozen animals waited patiently. Finn brought forward a beautiful black stallion, pausing to glance back over his shoulder as another animal made a noise of distress.

Josiah hurried forward to help, catching hold of the stallion’s lead rope.

The beast stomped his feet uneasily before eyeing Josiah closer. He tilted his head almost like a puppy, nostrils flaring.

This never failed to give Josiah a thrill. He eased forward, eyes drifting over the animal’s withers. He kept his body twisted to one side, completely relaxed. Breathing deep, he focused on absolute calm inside.

The next moment the stallion sniffed him, muzzle rising until he could bat his head against the side of Josiah’s face.

Josiah moved slowly, but he firmly patted the animal on the neck. “Nice to meet you too.”

He tangled his fingers in the animal’s halter, twisting to discover Finn and Zach staring.

Zach’s jaw hung open. “How’d you do that? Mywaye gets cranky with anyone but Finn.”

Josiah shrugged. “We all have talents. Animals like me. I thought we could put him in the first pen. It’s one of the larger ones, so he shouldn’t feel as if we’re slighting him.”

He gestured to the side.

Finn finally found his tongue. “That’s great.”

They worked together easily as Josiah showed them around the barn, pointing out where the feed was and where they could put their tack. All three men were used to working with horses and by the time the animals were settled, Josiah felt as if he’d had a wonderful introduction to his new roommates.

Finn was the more serious of the two, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have a sense of humour. Zach would set up the perfect straight line and Finn would step in to drop a great response. Josiah appreciated the teamwork involved and the deep-seated affection between the two men was clear.

They closed the barn door behind them, continuing to chat as Josiah led them toward the house. “I can tell you’ve been friends for a long time.”

“Us? Friends?” Zach paused. “Oh, right. Finn paid up until the end of the month, so we’re good until then.”

Finn snorted then ignored Zach, focusing on Josiah as he guided them into the warm house. “You’re a veterinarian?”

“Yes.”

Finn settled on the bench by the door to tug off his boots. “Good. Means you recognize bullshit.”

A soft chuckle escaped Zach as he grinned at his friend. “By the way, thanks again for the lodging. Finn bought a house, but it’s going to need a lot of work before it’s livable.”

“So you said. You never told me what you bought, though,” Josiah pointed out.

“Local gossip chain hasn’t let you know yet?” A smile, small but intense, teased Finn’s lips.

“That answers my second question. You obviously understand the dynamics of small-town living. No, I didn’t hear any rumours about you. Expect that to be over and done with by seven a.m. or earlier if you show up at the coffee shop. Buns and Roses is the best place in town and they open their doors at six.”

“We’ve got no reason to keep being here secret, right, Finn?” The way Zach said it implied the exact opposite.

“No reason at all,” Finn drawled. “But maybe we can discuss this over some food. If you don’t mind us helping ourselves to the kitchen.”

“I’ll grab the food out of the truck,” Zach offered.

In the end all three of them helped get the supplies, then Josiah offered a quick tour of where all the important appliances were, like the coffee maker and the frying pan.

They had a simple supper on the table in less than thirty minutes. They loaded their plates then fell silent, concentrating more on shoveling in food than chatting.

Josiah hadn’t realized how huge the empty pit in his stomach had been. He’d forgone dinner until after stopping at Silver Stone, but getting caught on the wall had knocked everything else from his brain.

They all finished around the same time, sliding back in their chairs and refilling their cups as they settled in for more conversation.

“I know you said you bought property, but I’m not clear what you’ve got planned in Heart Falls. It’s a pretty small place for new ventures to take off.” Josiah focused on Finn. “And I can’t figure out why your name sounds so familiar.”

“I bought land at the north boundary of town. There’s a few old buildings and a ranch house that’s ready to fall apart, but the views are amazing, and I don’t mind putting money into a new structure,” Finn said.

“Finn is the money man,” Zach said. “Likes to invest in all sorts of things and see what sticks. Property, dude ranches, oil and gas—”

That was it. “You’re the one doing the oil exploration on my friend’s ranch. Now I remember.”

Finn glanced up from where he was repetitively rotating a fork on the table. “Been disappointing not to be able to give Caleb better news, but sometimes that’s how it goes. If you’re interested, we can do some testing at your place as well, but you’re not in the right geological zone.”

Josiah waved off the suggestion. “I knew when I bought the place there were no mineral rights to utilize. But it’s interesting you’ve decided to come out here. To Heart Falls, I mean. Seems as if you’ve got your choice of locations to settle.”

“Not really settling down,” Finn said. “It’s always good to have more than one pot on the stove. Gives you lots of options.”

A chair scratched against the tile floor as Zach pushed back from the table to grab the coffee pot, lifting it in the air in question.

Josiah shook his head. Zach refilled Finn’s cup and his own then sat. “Speaking of options, what can you tell me about downtown? I understand it’s small, but do you know anything about the old Brewster building?”

“The old bank? I’d guess it’s one step away from a historic site. It’s been empty for as long as I’ve lived in the area.”

For some reason that answer brought a pleased smile to Zach’s face. “You know who owns it?”

Josiah thought for a moment. “I could ask around. What do you need a building downtown for?”

“Zach is the idea man,” Finn offered quietly. “Of course, all his ideas seem to require some of my money…”

“You’re not required to participate in any of them. You just know a good investment when you hear one,” Zach tossed back.

Josiah laughed. It was going to be good to have these two around for the next while. Caleb had been right—it was too big of a house to be rambling around in by himself. While he fought to figure out what to do about the Lisa situation, getting to know these two would help pass the time.

“What’s your idea?” he asked Zach.

“Microbrewery. I did some research, and there’re none in the immediate area. Depending on how we market it, something like Heart Falls Hops could end up being a lot of fun.”

“And fun is his middle name,” Finn drawled.

“Nothing wrong with that,” Josiah said with a nod. “You might do just fine setting up a brewery. Honestly, the only business I wouldn’t suggest is another coffee shop, because supporters of the Fields family would find some way to bury you.”

For a second Zach looked as if he wouldn’t mind a challenge. Then he shrugged. He gathered their plates and headed to the counter to start washing up. “I’m not looking to make trouble. At least not at first. I need a little time to discover the lay of the land and figure out exactly what I want to do. In the meanwhile, I’ll be swinging a hammer and using a crowbar over at the money pit Finn bought.”

“You need time swinging a hammer to come up with a better name than Heart Falls Hops. That sounds like a grade two jump rope team.” Finn stood and offered Josiah a brief grin. “Zach’s got his usual twenty-four-seven energy, but I need to hit the sack before I fall over. Thanks for opening your home.”

“My pleasure.”

As Josiah helped them clean up and put things away then showed them their rooms, he realized it was the truth.

He liked having people around. He’d grown up in a big family and being on his own was no longer what he wanted. It was far better to have conversation to occupy his mind rather than cold, empty walls echoing back nonsense when he spoke out loud.

When he woke in the morning to dreams that involved female hands running over his torso, damned if the illusion didn’t bring up another reason why he was tired of being alone.

Lisa Coleman was smart and sexy, and both descriptors turned him on.

In that restless space between sleep and awake, he pictured her perfectly, her dark hair curling softly around her shoulders. He’d only seen it down a few times instead of pulled up into a ponytail as she rushed after her nieces or gave her extended family a hand doing tasks around the barn.

Slim body, smaller up top, but with more than enough curves. He’d be happy exploring every one of them for a hell of a long time.

He had far too good of an imagination, which was both a weakness and strength. Josiah forced himself into his morning routine instead of lingering in bed and dealing with his hard-on.

This impulse he had to press Lisa up against the nearest surface and kiss the grin off her face until she was screaming his name with pleasure—that was only part of it.

Although that was the part he’d been dreaming about with great regularity.

Enough. The day was young. Somehow, he was going to move forward and find out more. Find out what needed to happen to make both their dreams come true.

If he had to do some ahead of time planning to make sure he didn’t once again get caught unawares—

Oh.

Oh, yes.

Josiah found himself grinning as an idea bloomed from seed to actionable. He had plenty of past experience following a script.

Maybe it was time he wrote one for himself.

* * *

Lisa stood on the back porch and stared at the snowy morning landscape in appreciation. The recent warm snap was over, and the huge dump of snow the previous night had turned everything pristine again. Crisp white covered all the spots where dirt had worked its way to the surface along well-trod routes.

The world was a wintry wonderland, the air crackling with a fresh clean scent. A perfect beginning to the day, yet Lisa itched for more.

A truck pulled up the long drive, slowing as it approached Caleb Stone and his two little girls, en route to the school bus stop.

Josiah Ryder rolled down his window and chatted with Caleb for a moment. Sasha and Emma ran in circles, kicking up snow as the big, shaggy dog, Demon, barked his fool head off. Billows of white escaped as the girls shouted and laughed, and the whole scene was full of life and happiness.

And annoyance, as Lisa realized she’d been staring at Josiah’s firm jawline, imagining what his scruff would feel like against her naked skin.

He lifted his gaze to hers, eyes crinkling at the corners as his grin widened.

When he tipped his hat and winked, her cheeks grew hot. No way could he have read her mind, but from the pleased expression he wore? She could have sworn he had.

She shoved away the thought and turned from the blue Alberta sky and sunlight reflecting off the frozen surface of the lake.

Sliding into the cozy home Tamara had made with Caleb Stone sent a wave of different emotions through her. First and foremost, though, deep satisfaction. Lisa was so happy for her sister.

There’d always been something missing in the house where they’d grown up, or at least it had felt that way to Lisa. Her mom had died shortly after Lisa was born and while she couldn’t fault Dad in providing for their physical needs, her childhood home had lacked the little touches.

Her gaze drifted to the living room. To the soft cushions and throw blankets. The pictures on the wall, and everything else that screamed family—

No, that was totally unfair to her dad because they’d had pictures on the wall. They’d had artwork from school on the refrigerator, and between them, the three sisters from the Whiskey Creek ranch had developed a deep sense of family and friendship. A far deeper connection than a lot of siblings experienced.

But something had been lacking. As her gaze settled on a portrait of Tamara and Caleb with their two little girls, the only thing Lisa could think of was unconditional acceptance.

George Coleman had been a man alone with three girls to raise. Extended family had stepped in to help, but at the end of each day, it had been the four of them. Dad wasn’t the touchy-feely type, and he’d had definite opinions about what occupations were appropriate for a woman.

That last point had been a major roadblock for three active young girls who had minds of their own and dreams that seemed completely contradictory to everything he wanted them to do.

Caleb Stone, with Tamara’s help, was creating an entirely different world for his two daughters to grow up in. Lisa was fiercely glad and determined not to be jealous of their good luck.

As she finished hanging up her coat and putting away her things, Tamara, heavily pregnant and nauseous most of the time, looked up from where she sat at the kitchen island. Her belly seemed noticeably bigger than the day before, and her hand nestled over the top portion of the swell.

“You ready yet?” Tamara asked, gesturing to the seat beside her. “Karen can chat if you’ve got the time.”

“Of course, I’ve got the time.” Lisa had too much time. That was part of the problem.

She slid into position and leaned forward, adjusting the laptop to get both of them into the picture before she hit the call button.

Karen Coleman appeared a moment later, her dark hair pulled back, a cup of coffee on the table in front of her. “Look at you two slackers. I guess this is how the lady rancher organizes her day.”

Tamara made a rude noise. “If you expect me to apologize for sleeping in, nice try. I’m stocking up for down the road when I’ve got a newborn.”

“Were you out already this morning?” Lisa asked Karen. “I feel like I’ve been gone for half of forever. I’m totally out of touch with what’s going on at the ranch.”

“Uncle Randy asked me to come check their horses and the best time was first thing before they needed them.” Karen glanced at Tamara, concern forming a crease between her eyes. “Lisa is supposed to be making your life easier. You look tired, T.”

“I’d be tipping over into a hole in the ground if it weren’t for Lisa,” Tamara insisted. “Women who glow during pregnancy must have made a deal with the devil.”

Lisa tilted her head to the side as if cutting Tamara out of the conversation. She lowered her voice in a mock whisper. “You should’ve seen her last week. She looks way better today. Ouch—”

She rubbed her shoulder, grinning good-naturedly at her very pregnant sister.

“Enough smart-ass comments. Karen and I have something serious to talk to you about.” Tamara glanced toward the computer and then back at Lisa. “And we have something for you.”

Lisa straightened in surprise. “I didn’t do it. It wasn’t me. I swear those chickens were born pink. I have no idea how the snowballs ended up balanced on the top of that doorframe.”

On the monitor before them, Karen’s jaw dropped. “Lisa Marjorie Coleman. You did do something to those poor baby chicks.”

Oops. She hadn’t meant to confess to something she was actually responsible for. “You said you had something serious to discuss?”

Beside her, Tamara rocked softly with laughter. “You’re lucky we love you. Dad was so pissed when he found that entire clutch was dyed red. He was ready to ground us for an eternity.”

“In my defence, I did use a natural dye. It was just beet juice.” Lisa tapped her hand on the countertop and tried to get back on track. “What’s happening, ladies? Get to it before I end up confessing all my childhood sins.”

Karen leaned on her elbows. “When you first announced you weren’t coming back to Whiskey Creek after staying with Tamara, I was upset. Now that I’ve had a chance to think about it, you’re right. It’s time to do the next thing, and for you that doesn’t mean returning north. I’m sad you won’t be here, but I’m glad you’re taking the next step. I hope you figure out something that will make you happy.”

“But I’m grateful you’re willing to hold off until the baby arrives,” Tamara added. “I never thought I’d be the type of person who needed this much help. It’s humbling to have to ask for it, but it’s a lot easier because it’s you. So, thanks.”

Lisa offered Tamara a smile. “Glad to do it. I’m not putting my plans aside, just delaying them. And who knows, Karen? Maybe someday I’ll come back to Whiskey Creek.”

“Still, we both appreciate it. So while you’re having to wait another couple of months before you can take off, we figured we’d do something to help you plan that shiny future.” Karen gestured to Tamara.

At her side, Tamara reached under a stack of books and pulled out a slim package that had been wrapped in a world map.

“Love it,” Lisa slid her nail under the masking tape and undid the wrapping, putting the map aside and lifting a hardcover journal.

Inside the first page, Tamara had attached a picture of Lisa as a young girl. She’d dressed up like an adventurer that day, with a rope hanging at her hip and one of their dad’s old hats on her head, making her into a miniature Indiana Jones.

“Get out.” She turned and wrapped her arms around Tamara, hugging her carefully. She turned to the computer screen to blow Karen a kiss. “It’s perfect. I’ll make notes about all the places I’d like to travel to and all the interesting jobs I might want to try. And if I go away, I can use it as a diary. I’ll write down stories to tell you when I get back.”

“Glad you like it,” Karen said. “And I’m taking that as a promise—that you’ll come back.”

“To Rocky Mountain House or Heart Falls,” Tamara added.

“Right.” Karen nodded. She looked as if she was going to say something else, then forced her smile to widen. “Sorry to keep this short, but I’ve gotta run. A certain person will assume I’m slow because I’m female if I don’t get the cattle moved before dinner.”

All three of them sighed massively. A synchronized, wordless complaint about their father.

“Take care,” Tamara offered, pushing her glasses into place before waving at the monitor. “I have to run as well.”

“Well, not literally.” Lisa said it loud enough to be overheard even as she winked at Karen then said goodbye, shutting down the call.

“Make one comment about waddling, and you will start your world tour in a body cast,” Tamara warned as she made her way from the room.

Lisa snickered as she dealt with the breakfast dishes, waving briefly when Caleb stepped back into the house.

Tamara returned to the room and settled on the couch. Caleb joined her, sliding behind her back. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head as she leaned against his chest, trusting completely. Her eyes closed, and her breathing settled out.

In spite of it being barely eight a.m., she slipped off into a nap right there and then.

Caleb’s eyes met Lisa’s. “Thanks again for all your help,” her brother-in-law said, his low grumble of a voice modulated even softer to avoid waking Tamara.

“I’m glad to be here,” Lisa said honestly.

“You offered to help Tamara with her pregnancy, not to be our servant with everything else. And I never meant for you to be trapped in the house twenty-four seven.” Caleb’s solemn face brightened as his lips twisted into a smile. “But I’m not going to deny how much I appreciate you stepping in. There’s no way we would’ve been able to get her to slow down otherwise. She needs to take it extra easy these last couple of months.”

Everything inside Lisa tightened. “She didn’t tell me anything was wrong.”

Caleb gestured for her to lower her voice. “It isn’t anything specific to worry about. With how sick she’s been the entire pregnancy, though, the doctor warned about overdoing it. So, thanks. Not just for today, but for your promise to stick around.”

“She’s my sister.” It was the only explanation necessary.

Lisa would do anything for her sisters and always had.

She took another look at Tamara’s face, at the dark circles under her eyes and the weariness visible even as she slept against her husband’s chest.

It was too easy to worry.

“I’ve got the day off,” Caleb reminded Lisa. “Go. Take some time to yourself and recharge your batteries. And if there are other times you need off, make sure you ask. We’ll get everything important done around here, one way or another. You need to enjoy yourself as well.”

She didn’t expect her time in Heart Falls to be a holiday, but Lisa didn’t bother to argue because number one, fighting with Caleb was like going a round with a brick wall. And two, he was right about part of it. She needed to get out of the house for a while.

She slipped a lunch and her new journal into a backpack and headed outside. Shoving aside the temptation to look for Josiah, she marched through the barn until she found the foreman, Ashton Stewart.

The older man nodded at her request for a ride. He pointed toward the end of the long walkway. “I’ll saddle Licorice for you.”

“I can do it,” Lisa offered. “I’ve been around for a couple months, and I know where everything is. You don’t need to babysit me.”

“Treating a lady right isn’t babysitting,” Ashton said, completely deadpan, but then he smiled. “Go ahead. Have a good ride.”

Lisa was still smiling when she stepped into the tack room. She lifted off the saddle she’d used before, the weight heavy in her arms as she turned…

And smacked straight into Josiah.

3

Josiah caught the saddle, twisting to the side as he let the weight fall in front of him. With his other hand he caught Lisa’s shoulders and stabilized her, keeping both of them from ending up on their rears.

Her expression flipped from shock to amusement. “Talented. He can juggle as well as Doctor Dolittle-ing. Sorry for running into you.”

“I’m glad you did.” Her face twisted in confusion until he laughed softly. “Well, I’d prefer the running to not involve leather objects, but whatever.”

Lisa recovered quickly. “Not into kink?”

The flash of heat her comment triggered was way out of line. For a moment, he couldn’t bring himself to respond.

Her eyes widened, and even in the less than optimal lighting, a sweet flush raced across her cheeks.

There wasn’t a moment to lose. “Heading out for a ride?”

“Caleb’s off today, so I’m off as well.”

“Great. Can I take you to dinner?”

Lisa’s brow rose. Slowly. Deliberately. Only the right one, without any other part of her face moving.

Impressive. “Wow. Can you do that again? My brother has amazing facial control, but I think you’re better.”

“I’m just shocked at the invitation. I figured you’d be heading for the hills in about five seconds,” Lisa folded her arms over her chest. “You seem to have a self-destruct sequence that kicks in the minute we start talking.”

Josiah thought it through. “Nope. Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“The fact you’ve hightailed it away from me every time we’ve interacted during the last couple of months never registered?”

More like he’d hoped she hadn’t noticed, but he wasn’t about to confess to that. What he needed to do was make it clear his new path didn’t involve running away.

He lowered the saddle to his feet so he could grab his proof. “I make it a point of not arguing with the woman I hope to spend more time with.”

The skepticism on her face kept growing. She swayed from side to side, as if looking behind him. “Is this an alien kidnapping situation? Because you’re confusing the heck out of me, which is a talent all in itself, to be honest.”

Josiah finally fished the note cards he’d prepared out of his back pocket. “Hang on, this will help.” He handed her one of the cards. “You begin.”

Lisa eyed him, eyed the card, then glanced back at him, a grimace on her face. “Seriously?”

“You don’t have to read the setting,” he suggested. “Just start with the dialogue line.”

“Oh, I’d hate to waste any of your hard work. I’ll start at the top of the page and work my way down.” Lisa cleared her throat before she started. “Setting: interior of a barn.” She glanced around, shrugged lightly. “Okay, pretty good figuring that one out ahead of time.”

“I have a second set of cards for at the house,” he admitted. “I was prepared.”

Her lips twitched before she continued. “Characters. Female lead: a young woman in town helping her family. Hard-working, loyal, sexy as sin.” Lisa’s tone became more dramatic as she went along, as if she were a radio-show announcer. “After months of hard work, she’s in desperate need of some R and R.”

She stopped, looking up at him. That single brow perfectly arched.

He waited.

Happily, her amusement grew. “I have no idea what you’re doing, Josiah, but I’ll play along.” She lifted the card again. “Male lead: local veterinarian. A man with a gift for dealing with animals, but also someone who knows how to make a woman happy.”

A sharp snicker escaped her.

“Hey, that’s not the punch line,” Josiah complained.

Lisa held up a hand, raising the card to show she was getting into character. “Josiah. It’s been a long time.”

He adjusted his cowboy hat, checking her out and enjoying what he saw immensely. “Seems like just yesterday to me.”

“Not yesterday, or the day before that. It’s been weeks since you came around. I’ve been pining for your company.” She seemed to have a hard time deciding whether she was going to smile, smirk or outright laugh.

“We’ve both been caught up in our work. We need to make time for us.” Josiah met her gaze. “Dinner tonight. I won’t take no for an answer.”

Lisa opened her mouth, gaze dropping to the words he’d written. “Okay. Your house. We can make dinner together.”

He ignored the temptation to lean forward and peek at what she was reading, because he knew damn well that wasn’t what it said on her card. “You’re improvising.”

“Yep. Because I don’t want to dress up and go out. It’s my first day off in a long while, and I want to spend it in comfy clothes, eating comfort food.” Lisa wiggled the card at him. “And if I read this line about us going to Longhorn’s Steakhouse, that means not being in comfy clothes and eating comfort foods. Although I do like steak, don’t get me wrong.”

He admitted defeat. “Comfort food, comfy clothes. My house—sounds like a date to me. I accept your revisions.”

“You still didn’t tell me why the sudden change of heart,” Lisa pointed out.

“I figured I’d need to clarify.” Josiah pointed to the card and motioned for her to turn it around. “Get back on script.”

Lisa flipped the card over, and her eyes widened as she read her line. “Am I supposed to keep this date a secret from my brother-in-law? Because I don’t feel comfortable with that idea.”

“This isn’t a secret,” Josiah assured her. “Although I will have to do some fast talking to make sure none of your extended family think I plan to take advantage of you.”

Lisa looked him over, her gaze trickling over him from top to bottom. A slow, thorough evaluation as her strong fingers took the note card and folded it decisively in two. “I’m not reading the rest of this. Is that why you haven’t made a move? Because you were worried what Caleb might do?”

“It’s not about being worried because of some male-ownership thing. I didn’t want to get involved with you as a one-night stand, or just to scratch an itch. I didn’t see that going over well with anyone related to you. To be honest, I’m more afraid of Tamara than anyone else, no matter how sick she is.”

“My family doesn’t run my life,” Lisa pointed out firmly.

“I’m glad, but they’re still my friends. Close friends, who mean the world to me. Their opinions and friendship are important. No matter how much you and I agree we’re adults and what we do is our decision, it’s not going to sit well with your family if the two of us mess around.”

“So why’re you asking me out now?” Lisa shook her head. “Nothing’s changed. You’re still the local veterinarian and I’m still the woman who’s visiting for a while.”

“But until a few days ago you were headed back to Rocky Mountain House.” He couldn’t admit that until the day before it hadn’t soaked through his thick skull that he was ready for more than casual.

“Leaving is leaving.”

“Nope. Heading home is one thing. Deciding you want a change is completely different. I want a chance to show you exactly how perfect a change to Heart Falls could be for you, long term.” This was probably the stupidest thing he had ever done, yet it seemed jumping in with both feet was going to be the only way. Josiah caught hold of her hand. “Hell, maybe we’re totally incompatible. Maybe none of this will work out because there’s something crazy wrong between us, like you’re one of those types who forget to put the cap on the toothpaste on a regular basis. But I’d like us to start dating and see what happens.”

“But I’m only here for six months total,” she reminded him. “I’m leaving after that.”

“Maybe you won’t. You said you wanted to move out of your sister’s house after six months. You don’t really have anything else on your agenda, or anything that you’ve had on a bucket list forever. Or at least, it didn’t sound like that to me when we talked yesterday.”

“I don’t know what I want to do,” she admitted. “It might involve leaving Heart Falls.”

“But it might not. Since you’re not sure, it seems stupid not to take a chance.” He had hold of her hand, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles in a slow circular motion. “My whole argument sounded a lot better on the script, but can you give it a shot? I mean, worst-case scenario, we enjoy some amazing comfort food and get to know each other a little better, in a way that might build something good into our lives.”

He refused to think about how much it was going to hurt if yet another woman decided he wasn’t a good enough reason to stay.

Lisa was shaking her head from side to side, but the words out of her mouth were positive. “There is something to be said for not knowing what the heck a guy is going to do next. Josiah Ryder, you intrigue me. You’re right. Not going to hurt anything in the short term to call your bluff.”

A shot of warmth that could only be called happiness bubbled in his gut. He was also shocked that his quirky idea had worked. “Damn. That’s awesome. I should get money down on this somehow.”

A soft laughter escaped her. “Hundred bucks if I’m still here in the spring?”

Anything to make her keep thinking about staying. “Deal.”

“What time do you want me to come over for dinner? I can help cook.”

He thought through his schedule. “Any time after four, and unless your comfort foods are really off the wall, I should be able to handle it.”

Lisa reeled off her top three favourites, stealing her fingers from his, amusement written all over her. “May I have my saddle back? Please?”

Josiah lofted it to his shoulder level. “Since I interrupted you in the first place, it’s only right I help you get ready.”

He escorted her to Licorice, approving of the sturdy ride Ashton had assigned. They laid everything in place: blanket, saddle, reins. He offered his hand for her to hold as she slipped her foot into the stirrup then mounted in one smooth, fluid motion.

Lisa adjusted her hat, closing her coat around her as she looked down, face shining as she examined him again.

She shook her head. “Definitely entertaining.”

“See you at my place,” he said, letting his fingers drift over her thigh as he walked forward. He caught the lead rope, guiding Licorice then pushing open the door to let her into the outdoors.

He watched them walk away, horse and rider.

Lisa glanced over her shoulder, the strangest expression on her face. As if she wasn’t sure if she should be laughing or running from him in terror.

This was the first time he’d ever headed into a relationship straight up admitting he was hoping for something beyond a good time. Maybe that would be enough to change his luck.

Maybe facing the truth head-on would be the thing that helped him move past not being good enough for forever.

* * *

Lisa was still laughing when Licorice stepped onto the trail that headed past the town’s namesake waterfall.

She hadn’t expected her encounter with Josiah at all. The entire conversation had been uncomfortable, yet oddly pleasurable at the same time. As long as he stuck to his promise and didn’t push her to make any firm commitments, she couldn’t see any downside to his offer.

She’d wanted to get involved with him, and it seemed that was about to happen. Or would be happening in a few hours.

For now, she had a different agenda. Lisa took a deep breath and looked around at the pristine white, soaking in the newness of the territory.

The land where she’d grown up, hours to the north, had been thoroughly explored. Some favourite places she went to find solitude, other spots were inspiring with their beauty.

As she headed over the Silver Stone ranch, it was fascinating how she felt inside.

The restless and not knowing where she was going sensation eased and became something more satisfying. More like the spirit of adventure that she hoped would eventually guide her through whatever steps came next. That same spirit was present as Licorice rocked under her.

After directing the grey mare toward the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Lisa allowed the animal to set her own pace. The horse meandered along trails she knew better than Lisa. The sun played peekaboo between wisps of white clouds, thin trails like jet streams against the blue sky.

It didn’t take long until all the tension inside her was utterly gone. It was impossible to stay wound up in the face of such relentless beauty.

The mare turned into the forest, setting Lisa swaying in a comfortable rhythm. Dappled sunlight broke through the trees, and up ahead, sunlight shone blindingly off a shimmer of ice. Lisa took a deep breath, her glove-clad hands grasping the saddle horn as she sucked in cold air, sharp enough to make her throat tingle.

Licorice swung her head an instant before a branch snapped. Lisa glanced to her right as a cream-coloured mare broke through the trees.

Sonora Fallen sat easily in the saddle. Her grey-white ponytail lay over her shoulder, the rest of her head covered by a well-worn black cowboy hat. As she rode forward, faint lines at the corners of her eyes and mouth became visible. Laugh lines as well, as her lips curled upward in a greeting.

“Well, hello again,” the older woman said. “You recovered from the wedding hijinks?”

Caleb’s middle brother had tied the knot two days ago with Sonora’s granddaughter.

“It was a pretty laid-back event,” Lisa pointed out. Walker and Ivy had been married by Ivy’s father in a private ceremony at Heart Falls, followed by cake and coffee with the two families at the Silver Stone house. The couple hadn’t gone off on a honeymoon yet because Ivy was working. “Still, it was special to be able to share the day with them.”

“I agree.” Sonora was looking her over carefully. “At first glance, I thought you were Tamara, and I couldn’t figure out how you snuck past Caleb and got on a horse.”

Lisa laughed. “Oh boy. Yeah, Tamara riding right now—not about to happen.”

The older woman winked. “You’re not identical, but all you Colemans look as if you popped from the same mould.”

Lisa laughed. “There’ve been a few jokes about that over the years, but you’re right. I think the only ones truly identical are my twin cousins in the Six Pack family. Mind you, they haven’t always acted alike.”

Sonora nodded. “Your family is only a part of who you are. The choices you make build the rest of what makes you unique.”

Lisa had never thought of it that way. “That’s perfect.”

Sonora tugged the reins to one side and gestured down the trail. “If you’d like some company, I’d love to join you.”

It was always better to ride with another person, especially in the winter. She was competent enough, but Lisa was thinking more of Sonora’s safety. “Anywhere interesting you want to show me?”

“Depends. How long do you have?”

“All day.” Then she remembered. “Wait. I have a dinner date at four.”

She must’ve said it with a lot more enthusiasm than expected, because Sonora laughed then clicked her tongue at her horse, Rainbow. She tugged the mare back onto the path as she pointed to the south. “I know just the place then.”

Which is how Lisa made a new friend. Didn’t matter that Sonora was twice her age, conversation between them was easy and comfortable from that first moment. They hadn’t had much time to just sit and chat during the wedding, but Lisa found that Sonora was definitely her kind of person.

“So, my granddaughter is married to your sister’s brother-in-law.” They rode side by side along an abandoned railway track as Sonora puzzled it out. “Which means in some convoluted manner, we’re related.”

It took a second to unwrap the tangled relationship before Lisa nodded. “It’s easiest to think of you as Ivy’s grandma. And Rose’s and Tansy’s.”

She’d spent time with all three women during the past months.

“And Fern. Although I don’t know that I want to take the blame for Tansy.” It was clear Sonora’s words were a tease. “All my granddaughters are wonderful.”

“Your granddaughters have made me very welcome in Heart Falls,” Lisa told her.

“Good. It’s nice to occasionally do something right.”

“Tansy’s baking at Buns and Roses has made me put on at least ten pounds since I got here in December.” Lisa thought for a moment. “There’s one thing I haven’t done yet. Visited the local book store—that’s named after you, isn’t it?”

Sonora brightened. “Fallen Books. It was too adorable of a pun to pass up.”

“I can see why. But you don’t work at the store yourself? Or not anymore?”

“I help out from time to time, but it’s my daughter and son-in-law’s responsibility.” Sonora made a face.

“Something wrong?” Lisa asked.

The older woman pulled herself together. “No. Of course not.”

Lisa eyed her with curiosity.

Sonora shrugged. “To be honest, retirement is a challenge. It’s good to let them take care of the shop, but sometimes I miss having a clock to punch.”

There hadn’t been an appropriate moment before to comment. “You seem too young to have retired. Or to have granddaughters as old as me, if you don’t mind me saying so.”

Sonora grinned. “You really think I’m about to complain you think I’m aging well?”

“I guess not, but I’m fairly sure it’s more than that.” Lisa paused. “Unless you have a magic pond on your property that offers eternal youth.”

She got a laugh at that suggestion. “Ivy suspects I use wild magic, but no, the truth is much simpler. I’m sixty, and my daughter is fifty-one. Amazing things happen when you’re eighteen and fall in love with a man who has a nine-year-old daughter.”

“That does make sense.” Lisa smiled. “You’re still a very young sixty.”

Sonora preened for a moment then gestured toward a low set of buildings in the near distance. “My place. Can I offer you a cup of coffee and some of my brownies? The ones I refuse to give Tansy the recipe for?”

“You’re offering me secret recipe chocolate? I accept.”

They tucked the horses into the warm barn. Lisa helped unsaddle Sonora’s ride, wondering how the woman managed the heavy equipment when she was alone.

She removed the saddle from Licorice, covering the mare with a blanket before following Sonora into the cozy cabin.

Ten minutes later Lisa had her fingers wrapped around a cup of steaming hot coffee, and a chocolate brownie was melting in her mouth. “Oh my God, what do I need to do to convince you to adopt me?”

Sonora laughed. “Honey, that’s exactly how everybody gets into the Fields family. You’re welcome to join us, although I think you probably have a few people who’d be sad if you stopped being a Coleman.”

“I’ll be an honorary Fields, then.” Lisa took another bite and fought to keep from moaning in ecstasy. “You need to give Tansy the recipe for this. Sales at the coffee shop will triple.”

“Life is not all about the money,” Sonora teased. Her gaze softened. “But you understand that, considering you’re here helping your sister instead of off somewhere adding cash to your pocket.”

Lisa hesitated.

“Oh, you’re just trying to find some way to not be boastful, but obviously, I’m right. You’re here.”

“Caleb offered to pay me,” Lisa said. “But that’s not what family is about, you know?”

Sonora sipped her coffee, dipping her chin rapidly like a bird approving the arrival of spring. “So tell me, what are your plans after the baby arrives? Are you going to find a job in Heart Falls?”

Lisa thought about the journal waiting for her in the backpack. She thought about the date she had with Josiah lined up for that evening.

She thought about all of the unanswered questions she had and boiled it down to one truth. “I’m not sure what I want. I only know what I don’t want, which is not a bad place to start. Plus, I have a bunch of things on the maybe that sounds interesting list.”

“Tell me about some of those, then,” Sonora encouraged. “Even if you never do them, it’s fun to let your imagination go wild.”

“I think I’d like to travel,” Lisa said. “I definitely want to go farther away than four hours from the place I was born. I have money saved if I decide to do that. Not enough to do things up fancy, but enough to be a tourist with a backpack. Maybe I’ll even get work along the way.”

“That would be a big adventure.” Sonora nodded in approval. “A lot of good comes from travelling. I did volunteer work with the Peace Corps, myself.”

It was Lisa’s turn to be surprised. “Really? Where did you travel to?”

“Uganda. That’s where I met Mr. Fallen and my daughter, Sophia.” Sonora looked out the window as if glancing back in time. “Falling in love in a foreign country was not at all what I imagined was going to happen during my time away, but it was the right thing in the end.”

Travelling as a volunteer hadn’t even been on Lisa’s radar until that moment, and as Sonora shared a few more stories about her years in Africa, ideas spun in Lisa’s brain.

A beeper went off.

Sonora stopped in the middle of her sentence, blinking in surprise before rolling her eyes and shaking her head in disgust. “It’s a good thing I set an alarm. I’m sorry, I need to go to town. I promised to meet someone, and if I don’t show up, he’ll probably send out a search crew.”

“Good trouble to avoid.” Lisa eyed Sonora, tempted to ask for more specifics of who he was, considering the older woman’s cheeks had suddenly flushed red.

She didn’t have to wait long to satisfy her curiosity. As she and Sonora cleaned the table, the woman snorted in indignation as she worked.

“That man needs to get it through his head that I’m not helpless,” Sonora complained before whirling on Lisa, fists planted on her hips. “I suppose that’s part of what makes a man feel important. Bossing around a woman who already knows what she needs to do.”

“Sometimes,” Lisa said, thinking about her father. Then Josiah’s blunt honesty regarding not wanting to mess things up with his friends offered a different possibility. “Sometimes guys get protective for reasons other than my way or the highway. Maybe he likes you?”

The woman all but sputtered, her mouth opening and closing as she fought for words. “Ashton Stewart does not like me. We’re not twelve-year-olds, poking each other in the side because… Well, just because.”

Lisa fought to keep her expression blank. The foreman at Tamara’s ranch had steely grey eyes, silvering hair, and was a very fit and attractive sixty-three-year old.

He was also stubborn enough to give Caleb a run for his money. “Oh, you’re talking about Ashton. No, you’re right. He’s just bossy.”

“Exactly.” Sonora got herself back under control quickly, but it was clearly an act as she straightened up primly. “But we’re neighbours, so I do my best to try and get along.”

“As is proper,” Lisa commended Sonora, keeping her amusement hidden as she made her way to the door. “Thank you for the treats, and for the company on the ride today. I enjoyed spending time with you.”

“So did I. I hope we can do it again, soon.” She looked flustered for a moment, then handed Lisa her phone. “Put your number in. I’ll send you a text so we can touch base in the future.”

Lisa did as commanded. “I want to hear more about your time in Africa.”

But Sonora wasn’t paying attention. Instead, the older woman was staring into the mirror and fussing with her hair. The upcoming meeting had obviously distracted her more than she was willing to admit.

Lisa slipped outside and headed to the barn, thoroughly amused.

The break had been good, just as Caleb had suggested. She ate her lunch sitting in the saddle as Licorice meandered lazily, both of them enjoying the winter day. But with grey clouds gathering on the horizon, Lisa decided to not push her luck. She headed back to Silver Stone and into the warmth of the barns.

She took care of the mare, patting her nose fondly before returning to the house.

A quick shower later, Lisa pulled on the prescribed comfy clothes—worn blue jeans that were soft and faded, and a favourite shirt she couldn’t bear to throw away even though it had recently developed a hole in one elbow. She dragged a brush through her hair then used the hair dryer until the long, dark strands lay smoothly over her shoulders.

Lisa was putting on a layer of lip balm when she finally admitted to herself she was primping as much as Sonora had earlier that day.

Nothing wrong with that. There was nothing wrong with liking Josiah, and as Lisa stepped up the stairs from her temporary room and her sister’s basement, which was the truth she focused on.

Because Josiah’s little script asking what she was going to tell Caleb and Tamara was also buzzing in her brain. Did she admit where her destination was tonight?

The question became a nonissue when she stepped into the kitchen and found a note waiting for her on the counter.

Lisa,

I’m feeling an eight out of ten for the first time in days, so we’re headed over to Brad and Hanna’s for dinner. The girls are over the moon at getting to see little Crissy and the kittens. We won’t be late, but Caleb says you’re off duty until the morning, no matter what.

I won’t even pretend to know what is in the fridge for supper because you’ve been taking care of all of that. (I love you. I don’t say it enough!) Here’s some cash if you feel like going into town, though, our treat.

Enjoy your peace and quiet.

Tamara

Lisa tucked the note away then slipped most of the money back into Tamara’s purse. She kept just enough to stop at the grocery store to pick up her contribution to the comfort-food smorgasbord Josiah had promised.

At precisely four o’clock she stood on the front steps of Josiah’s house, shopping bag in hand and a flutter of excitement in her belly.

4

He’d rushed through most of his day, eager for this moment to arrive. Josiah opened the door to the most tempting sight he’d seen in forever.

Lisa’s dark gaze met his, amusement and happiness shining on her pretty face. There was a brush of pale red on her lips and a brighter colour on her cheeks from the cooling temperatures outside. Her dark hair swung over her shoulders, every inch in order, sleek and beautiful.

She held forward a fabric grocery bag. “I brought dessert.”

Josiah stepped aside far enough to let her in then closed the door behind her. He caught her by the hand, removing the bag from her grasp then moving in closer to press a kiss to her knuckles. Staring into her face as his lips made contact.

She outright snickered. He gave her fingers a squeeze before straightening and motioning her farther into the house. “Come in and make yourself at home.”

Lisa paused to take off her shoes. “You want to put that bag in the freezer,” she warned.

Josiah glanced into the sack. “Ice cream. Three containers?”

“I didn’t know your favourite, so I made a few guesses. Don’t peek.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” He headed to the kitchen and shoved the entire bag into the freezer compartment without unpacking it. He turned to watch Lisa explore.

It was interesting to watch someone else experience a place that was familiar to him for the first time. The open inquisitiveness in her expression and the clear delight at the comfortable home he’d created made him happy.

His house was built on an open-room concept. The corner of the great room held an airtight fireplace framed by floor-to-ceiling windows that faced south and west. The hallway to the bedrooms was at the north end of the building, and between them was the kitchen and dining room.

Leaning back against the counter, Josiah watched her stroll past his sofa and easy chairs, trailing her fingers over the soft leather as she looked around.

Her gaze landed on his favourite painting and her eyes widened. It was a ranching scene painted from a snapshot of him at work. The sun had been scorching hot that day, and simply looking at the image was enough to bring back memories. The sweat on his brow and the ache in his muscles from a full day inoculating calves. A solid wood fence around an arena held the animals still needing attention, but in the picture, they had just opened the gate to let out the animals that were done.

The little creatures had immediately run to their mamas, bleating the entire time. The cows had filled the air with worried noises as well, but somehow in the midst of all that confusion, the animals reconnected. A crazy miracle every time it happened.

There’d been dust in the air, a mass of sound, and the heady scent of life.

“Very sweet.” She glanced over at him. “I’m impressed.”

“The artist is a friend of the family,” he admitted. “As payment for being a model, she gave me one of the limited-edition prints.”

Lisa crooked her finger at him and he willingly stepped to her side. She glanced between him and the painting a couple of times. “I like it.”

“Me too.”

“You look very competent and very happy.”

“That’s good, because I’m both,” he teased with a wink. “I enjoy being a vet. It’s hard work, but the animals like me, and at the end of the day, being able to help keep them comfortable and healthy—I figure it’s a worthwhile endeavor.”

“I have a cousin-in-law who’s a veterinarian. She says pretty much the same thing.” Lisa took a deep breath, and her eyes closed for a moment, smile widening. “The house smells fabulous, by the way.”

“Comfort foods always smell good.” Thank goodness his abilities in the kitchen were enough to meet her requests. “It’s my brother’s meatloaf recipe. Or more accurately, his wife’s recipe, and considering she runs a Michelin-ranked restaurant in New York, it should meet with your approval.”

“Am I allowed to slather it with ketchup?” Lisa asked. “That might be wrong, you know. A bad thing to do to New York meatloaf.”

“Then we can be wrong together. I have the industrial-sized bottle,” he confessed.

She smiled, leaning casually against his side as she looked around the room again. The warmth of her body set off pinpricks of excitement all over his skin. Heck, he was having a hard time keeping his breathing under control with her so close. The scent of her shampoo, something fruity, twisted around him as tightly as a rope, encouraging him to get closer.

“Where’s—?” She interrupted herself, twisting on the spot and tilting her head to smile up at him. “Oh, you’re tricky.”

She grabbed the control from beside his chair, glancing at the buttons briefly before aiming at the ceiling above the painting. The hidden screen rolled down, and Lisa grinned happily at having unearthed one of his secrets.

“Family rule of no TV in the living room is kind of silly for a single guy who lives alone. This was a compromise my mind could accept. Plus, when my mom comes over, I can hide the evidence that I’m a heathen and eat dinner while watching a show.”

Lisa made herself at home, settling on the couch and curling her legs underneath her. “I like it. I like that you’ve still got the view outside. You don’t have to twist the chairs when you want to use them or have your furniture aimed in a weird direction.”

Josiah ignored his chair and sat next to her. Just far enough away to leave some space between them, but when he stretched his arm along the back of the couch, he could tangle his fingers in her hair if he wanted.

He resisted. For now.

“Have you lived here long?” Lisa asked.

“Been in Heart Falls for over five years. I bought the house a year after I arrived from a couple who were retiring to Calgary. Made a few changes like that projection screen, but it’s pretty much their design.”

“It’s beautiful. And comfortable.” She leaned back on the high armrest which slid her farther from him. He was disappointed about that until she shocked the hell out of him and planted her wool-socked feet in his lap. “Tell me about your family. You’ve mentioned a brother, and your mom. I take it they’re around, somewhere.”

“Around here, only occasionally. They still manage to be up in my business often, though, some of them from five hundred miles away.” He picked up her foot and started massaging it, digging his fingers into her arches, because that’s what any smart man did when a woman was clearly looking for a foot rub. He pointed briefly at a picture on the side table. “That is the mess of people I call family. Mom and Dad live in Rosebud, Alberta, where I grew up. I have an older brother and two older sisters. They’re in New York, Hollywood, and, temporarily, the UK. Specifically, London.”

He wasn’t sure if that expression on her face was from the pressure on her feet or if she was impressed with the list of his siblings’ hometowns.

“That’s a lot of distance between you,” she said, wiggling her foot closer. “Oh. Right there. Yes.”

Josiah swallowed hard and ordered his cock to behave. Because that last phrase had sounded far too sexual. Everything in him had gone hard, so he focused down at where he was rubbing the ball of her foot.

He had to concentrate to remember what the last sensible comment was that she’d made.

Right. Distance.

“I don’t know if you’ve heard this, but Rosebud is the hotspot for dramatic development in rural Alberta. My parents run the boarding house and theatre school, and all three of my siblings are very successful graduates of the program.”

“Ha.” She pulled her foot away from him and offered the other one, demanding the same treatment. “That’s where your cue-card setup came from. You’re a graduate of the theatre school too.”

“More like a dropout,” he confessed. “It’s a bit of a stretch from the stage to pulling calves. When I hit my teens I realized, while I don’t mind being in the spotlight, I didn’t love it the way the rest of them did. I wanted to work with animals, so I went in a different direction.”

She folded her arms over her chest and looked at him thoughtfully. “That must’ve been tough to do in a family full of performers.”

“It wasn’t too bad.”

He focused down on her foot, applying extra pressure in the hopes of possibly changing the topic.

Everyone in his family had known that he didn’t have the talent. They’d made that clear. Not necessarily in a cruel way, but there wasn’t much beating around the bush when everyone had roles to play except him.

Lisa was eyeing the photo again. “You get along with your Mom and Dad? I mean, other than having to hide the sin of keeping your wicked bachelor television in the living room?”

“We get along fine. They’re good people. Don’t always understand what makes me tick, but I don’t understand why they do some of the things they do. It works.”

The buzzer went off on the stove, and they got to their feet and headed to the kitchen. Josiah paused to wash his hands before they worked together, dancing around each other a bit as he piled everything from the oven onto the island.

Lisa followed his orders and grabbed supplies from the fridge before filling glasses with cold water.

“We can sit on the couch,” Josiah offered. “This is your comfort-food meal. Put your feet up if you want.”

Lisa considered, her nose wrinkling adorably. “I don’t want to have to juggle anything. That would be more work.”

They settled at the solid oak table, sitting kitty-corner to each other with plates full of steaming hot food. Lisa took a deep inhale and made another one of those noises that set his body on fire.

“You are a prince among men,” she proclaimed boldly. “Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and macaroni and cheese. It’s the trifecta of perfection.”

Josiah brought forward one more dish, pulling off the lid and scooping up a large serving. “Two of your comfort foods are also mine, but you forgot the veggie. Witness true perfection—creamed corn.”

He dropped a hearty serving into the narrow space he’d left between his meatloaf and mashed potatoes, wiggling the spoon to get the proportions just right.

His fork was already in the air, aimed at the meatloaf when he paused and glanced up.

Lisa’s grin was enormous. Without a word she scooped up a hearty portion of corn as well and deposited it directly on top of her meatloaf.

When she proceeded to break the slice apart and mix it with her mashed potatoes, Josiah knew he was in big trouble. That was the right way to eat this meal, as far as he was concerned. He’d been planning on a politer approach out of consideration for those poor souls who weren’t in the know.

Lisa finished with a flourish, half of her plate a mixed combination of meatloaf, mashed potatoes and corn, the other half macaroni and cheese. She grabbed the ketchup and proceeded to add a spiral of red to the entire surface of her plate, and Josiah was one second away from proposing marriage.

Not that the idea was extreme or anything.

Instead he inflicted the food on his plate to the same treatment. “My mom calls this Canadian hash. On the days rehearsals went too late, there would inevitably be three pots on the stove. We’d eat whenever we made it home. I would take a scoop of each and mix them together.”

“Food memories are amazing things,” Lisa agreed.

“Tastes like happiness.” Josiah lifted his water in the air. “To comfort foods.”

“To comfort dates,” Lisa replied, clinking her glass against his.

Comfortable, yet not, because he wanted to know more. Not the least of which was how soft her skin was. How she tasted. What other noises she made beyond the ones that were currently driving him wild as she casually licked mashed potatoes from her fork.

Time to concentrate. “Your turn. You can hear more about my family some other time. Yours— I know Tamara because she’s been the best thing that’s happened to Caleb in a long time. And I know you have another sister, Karen, because she brought those hellion goats to the Silver Stone ranch.”

“Josiah Ryder. Those goats are practically family.” She sounded suitably scandalized. “For a man who supposedly loves animals, I’m disappointed.”

“Hellion goats,” he repeated. “I do love animals, but one of those jerks ate my hat. I haven’t figured out which one to blame, so they’re all in my bad boy book.”

Lisa laughed. “And here I thought my friends and I were the only ones who kept lists of bad boys.”

* * *

The food and the company were more delightful than she’d anticipated.

“Why does that sound as if it’s a good list to be on?” He winked. “So, two sisters and a whole lot of cousins. Just your dad, right?”

Lisa poked at her macaroni and cheese a little more forcefully than necessary. “Yeah. Karen, Tamara and I are tight. Dad? Not so much.”

His expression lost all teasing and flipped to concern. “Didn’t mean to hit a hot button.”

“It’s okay—he’s not a terrible, horrible person or anything. But he’s definitely part of the reason I don’t want to go back to Rocky Mountain House. He’s not an easy man to work with. Not as a woman.”

Understanding struck, and Josiah nodded sharply. “Oh. Old-time rancher?”

“Very old school. Plus small-town, plus three daughters.” She stabbed a chunk of meatloaf viciously before offering a wry smile. “I guess you should congratulate yourself because I don’t bitch about him to many people.”

“Venting about a shitty situation makes total sense. Don’t worry about it.” He reached over and caught her fingers in his. “And knowing what you don’t want is a huge part of making your future better.”

What she wanted? She’d been doing a great job figuring out what everybody else needed. Heck, that’s all she’d done for years and years. Where she needed a lot more practice was in the what’s good for Lisa decision-making department.

She glanced at their joint hands for a moment. Josiah gave a gentle squeeze, then let go and they went back to their supper.

Lisa told him a little more about the Whiskey Creek ranch where she’d grown up and how it had recently reconnected to the rest of the Coleman family spreads. She didn’t say anything about her part in the deal because it wasn’t necessary. The important thing was change had happened.

Josiah told her a couple of stories about growing up in the theatre world, which was something completely outside of her realm of experience.

The food went down easy as the light outside began to change. Sunset mode slipped into play as six o’clock passed.

It was a tough choice, what to look at. The sharp, sexy lines of the man’s face beside her, or the clear lines of the Rocky Mountains as reds and golds edged the craggy peaks in the distance.

The corners of Josiah’s eyes crinkled as he spoke, lips curling in a smile as he shared another story. Sunlight reflected off his hair, a glint in his eyes as he passed her the bowl of macaroni and cheese and she helped herself to another scoop.

Eventually her stomach could hold no more. “I’m done. So very done.”

Josiah leaned back with a sigh of satisfaction. “For now.”

She groaned. “Oh God. Mercy.”

He snorted. “You’re the one who brought ice cream. Three types.”

They stacked the dishes into the machine, Josiah moving easily as he put things away. He was obviously a man comfortable in his own skin and his own place.

A place that continued to impress the heck out of her. “I know you said you bought this from someone else, but the house is gorgeous. Show me the rest?”

“Sure. Let me put on my tour director hat.”

Before she could ask any more questions, he caught her by the fingers and tugged her across the floor. He paced, pointing toward collectible knickknacks hanging on the walls or arranged on side tables.

“My oldest sister, Kelsey, grabbed that picture for me from England the last time she was there. She said it made her think of the veterinarian stories we used to read back on rainy days when we were trapped in the house. And Lenora gave me that statue for my birthday. She and Micah are taking turns giving me horses. At this rate, I’ll eventually have an entire herd around the place.”

“That’s a nice tradition to start.” She peeked her head into the next room to find an office with sleek leather upholstery and solid wood furniture everywhere. “This place is over the top for a single guy.”

“Which is why I’ve got a couple of roommates joining me. I’ve done this over the years, whenever we’ve had veterinary students doing time at the clinic. Couple of guys moving into town were looking for a place to stay, and I offered.” He cursed softly, pausing in the middle of the hallway to stand close to her. “Which is good, and bad. We’re only alone tonight until they get back, which they guessed would be around nine.”

“Plenty of time for a private tour,” she said as deadpan as possible.

The heat in his eyes was not just her imagination. It was there, it really was. The same bubbling curiosity that lived inside her. Simmering, yet ready at a moment’s notice to slide into something far more delicious.

Josiah stared at her lips. “Next two doors are the rooms I gave the guys. Door after that on the right is a guest bathroom. Door at the end of the hallway leads to the master bedroom.”

“I bet you’ve got some amazing views from that vantage point.” How she kept from leaning into him, she had no idea. The attraction between them was rock solid and growing.

If he walked them into his bedroom, she would be more than happy to take a thorough tour, wherever that led.

Only he surprised her again, tipping his head toward the only door he hadn’t labelled. “Talking about amazing views, I’ve got just the thing.”

The door opened onto a spiral staircase rising upward in a tall, round building. “Is this what I think it is?”

“If you think it’s an old grain silo, yes. The homestead was originally a barn. They renovated and added on the kitchen and living room section. I call this part the castle.”

“Prince Josiah. There’s a bit of gossip I didn’t expect.”

He laughed, gesturing her up the steep staircase. “I thought dukes were all the rage. Hurry, before we lose the light.”

A moment later, she understood why he’d rushed her. The staircase opened into a large, open space, and the entire wall dormer facing the mountains was made up of windows.

The room was lit with a thousand red, yellow and gold lights shining off reflective surfaces and turning the space into a true fairytale setting.

“Wow.” Lisa turned in a slow circle, taking in the room and all the gleaming bits and pieces around the walls before stopping at the feature event—the view to the west.

They were much higher now, and the fences and fields that had looked like a rolling carpet from the living room stretched out for miles. The nearby foothills rose and fell in a series of asymmetrical bumps and hollows. Snow that appeared cream white in the daylight was lit with the setting sun as everything turned to rose and blush.

Lisa stared in fascination. Again, that sense of being in an unfamiliar place sent a thrill through her. She’d seen beautiful sunsets before. She’d made a point of enjoying them, but this one seemed more miraculous.

More impactful, especially as Josiah stepped to her side and slipped his arm around her waist.

The goose bumps she’d felt when she’d spotted the view spread rapidly as his strong fingers pressed against her lower back.

“Wait until the sun reaches the notch.” Josiah’s voice was a deep, sexy rumble. He spoke softly, and the words caressed her skin.

Lisa shivered.

His response was to step behind her, wrapping his arms around her body and gently tugging them together. Warming her with his embrace.

No way was she going to tell him she wasn’t cold. In fact, she was hot. Scalding hot and heading toward a meltdown, as if all the heat of the sun was being stored up in her. Pressure building as the colours turned a shade darker.

He leaned forward, and his cheek brushed hers. He lifted a hand to point into the distance.

Temptation stroked her. She twisted her head enough to feel the light tug of the scruff on his cheek against her skin. “What are we looking for?” she whispered.

“You know how they say there’s a green flash at sunset when you watch the sun go down over the ocean? If you see it, you’re supposed to make a wish.”

“I’ve heard the story.” Her lips were inches from his. His arms were around her again, his hand caressing softly up and down her biceps.

“The couple I bought the place from insisted they’d seen the green flash, and that every time they did, something wonderful happened.”

“I like stories like this.” Lisa leaned against him and away from temptation to follow the line of his pointing finger to where two mountain passes met and formed a sharp vee. From their location up on the second story, it looked as if a giant hand had chiseled out a perfect square. A glint of light shone at the bottom, a golden pool. “Did they say what wonderful things? How many times did they see it?”

“They told me many times, but no other details.”

The sun was nearly behind the mountains, the glittering red ball nowhere near the notch. “We’re not in the right month for it to line up properly,” Lisa said sadly.

“Spring solstice,” Josiah told her. “But that’s just to see the standing stone effect with the sun slipping perfectly into the notch. The green flash can happen at any time. Or so they said.”

Half of the sun had disappeared. Josiah stepped to one side and turned her toward him. Their bodies rubbed as he moved, and Lisa’s heart rate kicked up a notch.

There was no time to wait in anticipation. Josiah tucked his fingers under her chin, tilted her head up and brought their lips together.

She closed her eyes, but the light in the room was bright enough to make her world glow as his mouth enticed her. Soft at first. A brief contact before he pulled away. He came back in a second time, and a third, pressure increasing as urgency rose.

Sunset heat lit a fire between them.

His tongue slid against her lips and Lisa opened to him. As their tongues explored each other for the first time, she threaded her fingers into his hair. Stroking, sliding as close as possible. Josiah’s hands skimmed down her back, pushing their torsos tighter, reaching farther until his hands cupped her butt and a tortured groan escaped his lips.

Sometime soon she was going to need air, which was too bad. Breathing was overrated compared to his kisses.

Josiah scooped her off the floor. Her legs wrapped around him instinctively, the thick length of his hardness pressing against her.

Lisa broke the contact between their mouths and slid back just far enough to stare into his face. “We missed the green flash.”

His lips curled. “We’ll have to watch for it next time.”

There would definitely be a next time. But she was more concerned about this moment. “Kiss me again,” she demanded.

He laughed, twirled suddenly, and the next moment she was flying helplessly through the air.

5

Letting go of Lisa was worth it just to see the expression on her face. Not panic, but definitely surprise. She bounced off the mattress he’d aimed her at, rolling to a stop against a pile of pillows. He paced closer, waiting for her reaction.

She didn’t disappoint. A peal of laughter rang out followed immediately by one of the pillows.

The projectile caught him full-on in the face before falling into his arms.

“You’re a dangerous man, Josiah Ryder,” she said as she scrambled to her knees.

He dropped beside her at the very edge of the mattress, pleased to see her looking so relaxed in spite of him changing the rules. “You scored the first point,” he protested.

Lisa snagged a second pillow from the pile, holding it at the ready. “Are we waging war?”

“That all depends. If tonight is all about comfort and what makes us happy, what’s your favourite game?”

The room was still bathed in sunset colours, and as she settled back on her heels and pressed the pillow against her belly, everything about her softened, head tilting down and eyes heating up. “Well, I kind of thought we were getting started on it a few moments ago.”

Josiah chuckled. “Your favourite childhood game,” he clarified.

She adjusted position, looking thoughtful as she glanced around the room. “We weren’t much for board games. Cards or maybe Yahtzee.”

“Younger,” Josiah encouraged. “What games did you want to play over and over again that drove your older sisters mad?”

He had her attention. “Hungry Hungry Hippos. Kerplunk. Twister. You got any of those lying around?”

“Do I have any of those? What kind of a comfort date would this be without a rousing game of Hungry Hippos?” He stood and went to the cupboard built into the side wall. He opened both doors wide then turned to watch as Lisa pressed both hands to her face, mouth falling open.

“Oh my God. You’re not serious.” She scrambled across the mattress on her hands and knees, swinging her legs around and all but throwing herself to the floor so she could pop up and examine his treasure trove of classic children’s games more thoroughly. “This is incredible. Where did you get them all?”

“Some are from when I was growing up. Some from garage sales or thrift shops. Every time I spot a game, I grab it.”

Lisa ran a hand along the shelves, glancing back at him with delight dancing in her eyes.

Her reaction was a total kick. The tension in his shoulders eased away.

Diving into sex was a temptation, especially after how hot a simple kiss had been. Going the right speed was going to be brutal. He liked his pleasures, and he liked making a woman feel good. Lisa seemed to run her life at that happy to give, happy to receive pace as well.

But he hadn’t lied when he’d talked about how them being a couple was complicated. Falling into bed tonight would be the simplest thing in the world.

He was also convinced it would be the biggest mistake ever.

“This one. I haven’t played Operation in ages.” Lisa twisted toward him with a box in her hands. “Tamara always thought she was the best, but I am unbeatable.”

“We’ll see about that,” Josiah returned.

She crawled back onto the mattress, opened the box and set the game squarely in the middle of the space. “Interesting place for a bed, Joe.”

He settled at an angle beside her, slapping down the shot of annoyance that rushed out of nowhere. “This big space is a nice place to just hang out and read, or for extra overnight guests. And I’m not particularly fond of Joe as a name.”

He said it casually, but Lisa’s head snapped up. She examined him thoroughly before nodding. “No problem. So, you want to go first?”

“Rules say the youngest goes first.” Josiah glanced at her. “Which means for the first time in my life, I don’t think I start.”

“We’re going to play by the rules? Shocking.” Lisa relaxed on her elbow, smiling up at him. “My birthday is June twenty-third, and I’ll be turning twenty-seven.”

“September thirteenth, and I blew by thirty over five years ago.” He couldn’t resist. He leaned in close enough to brush his lips against hers. A brief, almost chaste, touch. “Looks as if you start.”

She let out a slow, uneven breath. “You sure this is the game you want to play?”

No, but the game they both wanted was off the table for the night. “I think it’s safer if we keep something between us,” he said softly. “Let’s not rush, although I’ll admit I’m looking forward to our next date very much.”

Her gaze drifted down his body before returning to his eyes. She nodded firmly. “You’re right, on both counts.” Lisa pulled a card. “Let me deal with your funny bone.”

She leaned over the board, her hair falling in a curtain over her cheek. As she reached the tweezers toward the narrow opening, he stroked his fingers through the long, satiny length.

The buzzer went off the instant he touched her, and Lisa swore softly before lifting her face to him. A mock scowl scalded him. “You’re playing dirty.”

“This surprises you?”

That got him a snicker. “Not at all. Just wanted to point it out so that you know everything I do going forward is in simple retaliation.”

“Bring it,” he encouraged.

She handed over the tweezers. “And your card says…broken heart.”

Figures. He pasted on a grin. “Not my favourite piece.”

“Then let’s get rid of it,” she encouraged, complete innocence in her tone as she waited for him to take his turn.

He had the tweezers on the edge of the plastic, concentrating hard to keep his hand from twitching because—

Sure enough, she’d leaned in, adjusting carefully so the mattress didn’t wiggle too much. The new position let her press against him. Her long hair brushed his forearm, then up over his biceps. Her cheek slid past his, a slow exhale hot against his skin.

He lifted the piece past the edge of the buzzer, but didn’t say anything as he waited for her next move. From her position, she couldn’t see the board. Had to be waiting for a clue from the buzzer or him to announce his success.

Her tongue flicked against his earlobe briefly, a low murmur of approval as her lips ghosted over his ear. “Good job.”

“I have good hands,” he assured her.

“Tease.” Lisa swung back to a sitting position, cheeks bright with colour. She grabbed the next card, and for the next fifteen minutes they took turns playing a child’s game with a very adult twist.

Gentle touches, barely there caresses. Butterfly kisses and slow, sultry glances.

He set off the buzzer trying to remove the charley horse piece. He’d lost control because she’d angled up on her knees to reach him, her hand drifting along his thigh.

Lisa pulled the card for the wishbone and, in spite of him leaning over and undoing two of her shirt buttons, his fingers caressing the skin he bared, she got the piece out without a problem.

She lifted it in the air, her lips wet from where she’d just licked them. “I think this means I get a wish granted.”

He was asking for so much trouble. “I guess you do.”

She pushed the box aside. “You were right to slow us down. But as much fun as it is to play childish games, the other comfort thing I want tonight is totally grown up.”

She laid a hand on his chest and pushed him to the mattress.

All his willpower seemed to have pooled around his toes and at that moment, he couldn’t have denied her anything.

“Lisa?” He didn’t know if he wanted her to break another set of rules or if he was begging her to show restraint.

She stretched out beside him, their bodies touching. Heat flashed through him, setting off all sorts of warning signals.

“I want to cuddle. We’ll keep all our clothes on, but I want to fool around and kiss you and just know that…” Her words trailed off. “Maybe that’s silly.”

“Not silly at all.” Hell yes, he could do this.

Wanted to do this.

He wrapped one arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to reach her lips. Teasing against her, tongues tangling briefly. Hot and needy, yet controlled. As if they knew they didn’t need to push too hard. Knew at some point they’d move beyond this, and it would be very good.

His fingers were back in her hair, stroking. Silky smoothness drifted over his wrist. His body was achingly hard, and his heart pounded, but a sense of peace blanketed it all.

Lisa ran her hands over his shoulders, down his arms. Linking fingers briefly. He liked that.

So much so that he caught her hand again then pressed their joint fingers against the mattress, rolling partly over her. Keeping the pressure light but enough that she had to be utterly aware of his interest. Of what kissing her did to his body.

He lifted off and she took an unsteady breath. Her gaze drifted to his face, lips curling into a smile as she slipped one hand free to stroke his cheek then back over his chin and lips. A single finger traced the shape of his mouth.

She curled toward him and he let her guide him to the mattress again, and when she laid her head on his chest, it was utterly natural to wrap his arms around her and hold her close.

They lay in the quiet stillness as the colours of sunset faded to darkness. The small overhead lights he’d turned on barely broke through the gathering night.

Their breathing synchronized, and though he ached, there was something spectacularly perfect about the nonsexual moment.

Comfort dates. Who knew?

* * *

The morning chaos in the Stone family ranch house made it easy to not go into details about how she’d spent her evening. But once the girls were off to school and breakfast dishes had been dealt with, Lisa knew she had to say something.

Although she wasn’t sure exactly how she was going to explain what she and Josiah were doing.

Tamara sat upright at the table, a cup of tea beside her and a stack of bills and paperwork in front of her.

“I thought you had an accountant taking care of that for you,” Lisa said.

“We do. She needs me to double check a couple of the files that are mixed up from Caleb’s creative accounting days.” Tamara tilted her head. “Did you have a nice day off?”

Oh boy. Here it came. “It was a very relaxing day, and interesting.” Tamara’s eyes widened, and Lisa laughed. “Oh my God, all of us have such similar expressions. I swear that’s exactly what Karen looked like the last time she wanted to kill me.”

“This is not my ‘I’m about to kill you’ expression, though. It’s a ‘satisfy my curiosity quickly’ expression. What on earth was so interesting?”

Lisa opened her mouth then closed it.

Tamara no longer looked amused. Concern slid in far too quickly. “Honey, what’s wrong? Because I don’t think I’ve ever seen you at a loss for words.”

“It’s nothing wrong. Not really. It’s just difficult to explain.” It had seemed simple enough last night, curled up against Josiah’s chest. Listening to his heartbeat as warmth tangled around them.

A session of screaming hot sex would’ve provided a certain kind of pleasure. A satisfaction that would’ve left her sleeping easy…yet unsettled at the same time.

What they’d shared had been so far out of her ballpark she wasn’t sure how to categorize it. Maybe as “cuddling,” and “comfort,” and “pretty amazing.”

She got the easy part out of the way first. “I went for a ride. Met Sonora Fallen and got the most amazing chocolate brownies. I think Ashton might have a crush on her.”

Tamara grinned. “I think you’re right. That would explain an awful lot.” She eyed Lisa. “Spill. What’s the real thing you’re trying to avoid telling me?”

“Josiah Ryder asked me out,” Lisa admitted. “I went to his place for supper last night. He made me meatloaf and macaroni and cheese, then we played kids’ games and chatted. It was a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to seeing him again.”

It was Tamara’s turn to open her mouth and then shut it. She pulled a face. “Huh.”

“Right?” Lisa settled in the chair beside her sister. “He said he didn’t ask me out before this because he assumed I was heading back to Rocky, and he didn’t want to start anything short-term and potentially cause problems.”

“But you’re leaving in a couple of months. This is starting something short-term, isn’t it?” Tamara shook her head. “Never mind that, it’s not important. I had no idea you were interested in Josiah.”

“Well, you haven’t been around the barns the few times I’ve bumped into him there. Trust me, you would’ve seen me flirting because I was interested. I am interested, but back up. What do you mean it’s not important this might be short-term?”

Tamara shrugged. “According to Caleb, Josiah is a diamond in the rough. He’s had a few steady girlfriends, but mostly he sees women who are short-term fun. I’ve never seen you with anybody for more than the same thing. I’m not about to try and run your life if the two of you want to spend time together.”

Which was pretty much the response Lisa had expected from her sister. “Yeah, but you’re awesome, and you don’t have hang-ups about the proper way things are done. Josiah mentioned he’s worried Caleb won’t approve.”

“Oh.” Tamara wrinkled her nose. “Frankly, I think Caleb’s going to be more worried about you breaking his friend’s heart than anything else.”

“It’s not like that,” Lisa insisted. “I mean, we’re getting to know each other. That’s all.”

“I get it, and I’ll run interference for you with Caleb as best I can.” Tamara rested an elbow on the table, holding her head up as if she was running out of energy. “So. You had a good time?”

Lisa grinned. “I beat him at Operation. He’s as bad at the ankle bone connected to the knee bone as you were.”

Her sister rolled her eyes. “I can’t believe you got a grown man to play kids games with you on a date.”

“There might’ve been a little bit of kissing involved,” Lisa admitted. “He’s a good kisser.”

Tamara pushed herself upright until she could lay her hand on Lisa’s and give it squeeze. “I’m glad you’ve got someone to have some fun with, but take care of yourself, okay? You’ve done so much for everyone over the past years, including me. But it’s more than that. When you’re done here, I want you to spread your wings and experience everything you’ve put off.”

“Spending time with Josiah doesn’t mean I’m giving up on my dreams,” Lisa assured her. “He’s fun and…he’s right— He pointed out I don’t know exactly what my dreams are. That’s what I need to spend time on over the next few weeks. Figuring that out.”

Tamara nodded, but it was obvious she’d reached the end of her rope. She’d grown pale, and Lisa helped her back to the bedroom to lie down for a rest.

Lisa got things planned for supper, loaded the machine with the never-ending laundry a family produced, and put on some soup for lunch.

Then she broke out the new notebook her sisters had given her and went playing online. She hit Pinterest and Instagram, and surfed from one site to the next, writing down all sorts of ideas that intrigued her and caught her attention. Places, and menu items, and unusual jobs. Some of which were impossible, because she wasn’t about to go become a marine biologist no matter how intrigued she was by the picture of sunfish against crystal blue water and pristine white sand.

Time and again she caught herself, though, staring off into space, daydreaming as she remembered the sensation of Josiah’s strong fingers stroking her skin. Thinking of his kisses and the heat they had stirred deep in her core.

She wanted to see the Grand Canyon. She wanted to visit Paris. She wanted to go to New York just once, and the idea of taking a trail ride into a desert intrigued her.

But all those adventures were fuzzy on the details. They were located somewhere in the future, far enough away they were hard to focus on. Not like the vivid memory of Josiah’s touch. His taste. His laughter and the deep-seated heat she’d seen in his eyes.

She wanted to finish the tour of his house and explore his bedroom. Oh, yeah, she wanted that a whole lot.

Lisa abandoned her research and decided the best thing was to face one of her issues straight on. She dressed warmly and headed out onto the ranch, hoping to find her brother-in-law.

The last thing she expected to find in the barn was Josiah in a pen, jacket off and sleeves pushed up, helping a horse in labour.

All of Caleb’s brothers were crowded into the space. Luke Stone held the mare’s head steady as Walker assisted Josiah. Dustin stood next to Caleb, the youngest and the oldest Stone boys trying to stay out of the way while obviously unwilling to completely abandon the other men to their jobs.

None of them saw her, which gave her plenty of opportunity to ogle the vision of perfection revealed in front of her. Josiah’s shoulders and back bulged with muscles as he moved, guiding a set of perfectly formed little feet out of the mare. “There we go. Things should go quickly now,” Josiah assured them.

He’d barely finished speaking when the mare must have sensed a change, completing the job of delivery in an orderly fashion. A moment later, a black-and-white foal lay in Josiah’s arms, wet and gangly, head moving shakily.

“Damn. Never ceases to amaze me.” Caleb stepped forward with a cloth.

Josiah took it from him to rub the little creature down. Lisa drifted forward, staring in admiration at man and beast. “Pretty little thing. Nice job, Josiah.”

He glanced up at her, surprise in his eyes and a slow rush of red rising to his cheeks. “Thanks.”

She peeled her gaze off his body, forcing herself to remember that they weren’t alone.

“Everything okay in the house?” Caleb asked.

“Tamara’s resting,” she assured him.

He glanced at her with concern, stepping closer. “Did you need something?”

Beyond them, things were getting straightened out with the mare and foal. Josiah had wiped himself clean and was doing up his shirt again. It wasn’t the private setting that she’d hoped for.

She motioned a few feet away where it would be a little quieter. “I wanted to talk to you for a minute.”

Caleb stepped aside with her. “What’s up?”

She wasn’t going to beat around the bush like she had with her sister. “I just wanted to let you know…”

Josiah was making his way toward them. Beelining, in fact, as if it was vitally important that he reach her side before she said something, only his lips were turned up in amusement. “Lisa. Didn’t expect to see you today.”

Caleb glanced over his shoulder, frowning for a moment. “Everything okay with the foal?”

“Everything’s fine. Luke’s got it under control. I figured I should be here for this.”

Caleb grew more confused. “Here for what?”

Josiah stepped around until he ended beside Lisa. He looked down at her. “I planned to have this conversation earlier, but Cherry Blossom decided to take priority.”

Uncertain if she should roll her eyes or huff at him in annoyance, Lisa kept her tone steady as she responded. “I didn’t think it was your responsibility to do this. That’s why I came out to the barn.”

A low rumble of annoyance slid from Caleb. “You two mind? What the hell is going on?”

Josiah slid an arm around Lisa before turning to face his friend head on. “Lisa and I are seeing each other, that’s all.”

He’d spoken no louder than usual, but the words seemed to echo in the unexpected silence that had fallen in the barn.

This was definitely not the way Lisa did things. So much for her calm, cool, and very much under-the-radar method.

She debated goosing Josiah on the butt but went with slipping a finger into a belt loop instead, tugging gently to let him know she was at least moderately annoyed.

It meant she was close enough she could stomp on his feet if necessary. She took a deep breath and smiled as brightly as possible at her brother-in-law.

6

It was on par with being thrown on the stage with an improv item. Josiah had never expected to see his best friend looking at him with something like betrayal in his eyes.

“Josiah?”

Before Josiah could dive into any kind of explanation, Kelli James marched forward. The woman, whose five-foot-nothing frame was clad from top to bottom in jeans, wore a stone-cold expression. Not her typical attitude by a long shot and with her narrow face framed by her long ponytails, she looked like a pissed-off Pippi Longstocking.

She was a long-time Silver Stone employee, recently engaged to Luke Stone, which made her Tamara’s future sister-in-law. More importantly, though, over the months that Lisa had been in town, it seemed the two women had hit it off.

As the petite ranch hand stomped past the shocked males in attendance, Josiah kept an eye on Kelli in case he needed to protect any body parts.

Only she ignored him, marching straight up to Lisa. Kelli folded her arms as she glared at her friend. “You’re dating him?”

“Seems that way,” Lisa drawled.

Kelli made a face, shaking her head before she shrugged. “Fine.” She grinned hard and slapped out a hand, palm up. “You owe me twenty bucks.”

Lisa rolled her eyes. “You’re such a jerk.”

“Hey, you’re the one who loves making bets. Just so happens this time I won.” Kelli grinned at Josiah. “Good job, man. She swore she wasn’t going to see anyone while she was in town. I was beginning to think I’d have to bribe one of the ranch hands to ask her out if I wanted to win.”

“I did it just for you,” Josiah said, sincerely as possible.

Kelli snickered before turning her attention back on Lisa with a warning glance. “Catch you later.”

Josiah assumed that meant she planned to get all the details out of Lisa some other time.

“Stop by the house when you’re on your break. I’ll make apple turnovers,” Lisa said.

“Is that offer open to everyone or only Kelli? Because damn, I could use an apple turnover.” Dustin declared as Kelli planted her hands against his back and shoved her youngest future brother-in-law toward the door. “I’m just saying.”

“Your taste buds are fine with frozen popovers,” Kelli teased. “Come on, kiddo. Ashton said he had a job for us. Standing around gossiping like old women—we’ll leave it to the old men.”

“Who you calling kid? You’re barely older than me.” But Dustin snickered as the two of them disappeared out the door.

Josiah glanced back at the foal and mare, but Luke was taking care of them. His friend glanced up, though, a warning in his gaze, and Josiah offered a stage-worthy sigh. “If any of you three have something to say, save it.”

Lisa shook her head. “I thought you were supposed to be charming,” she muttered, amusement in her voice.

“He’s having a rough day,” Luke suggested. “Lisa, you’re old enough to know your own mind. That said—”

“Is this where you insert some kind of warning about impending physical doom if he steps out of line?” She was leaning against Josiah’s side, the warmth of her body like a comfortable blanket. “Because if you are, I’m going to side-eye you really hard.”

“It’s a time-honoured tradition,” Walker offered as an excuse. He patted the mare’s nose, then eased past her. “You don’t have any brothers of your own, and all your cousins are a couple-of-hours’ drive away.” He turned to Luke. “What do you need?”

Luke responded, and the two of them dove into their own conversation while continuing to care for the newborn and its mama.

Leaving just Caleb.

He stared at Josiah, his face unreadable.

Then, slap him silly with shock, Caleb turned to Lisa. “Treat him right.”

He turned on his heel and rejoined his brothers. The three of them went about their business as if Josiah and Lisa weren’t standing there.

It took a moment before Lisa managed to haul her jaw back into place, and she looked up at Josiah, blinking hard. “Okay, then.”

“Best friends,” he offered with a shrug before continuing, “I have no idea what the hell he meant.”

Her lips curled. “It seems the world is determined to make sure anything involving you is convoluted enough to keep me on my toes.”

“We wouldn’t want life to get boring, would we?”

“Heaven forbid.”

They grinned at each other. Josiah glanced toward where the others were peeling off to different tasks. He stole one more moment, tugging Lisa to the side of the hall and twisting them until his body hid her from view. “You going to make enough apple turnovers that you can save one for me?”

“Maybe.” She leaned sideways, peeking past his shoulder. Then she quickly caught hold of his lapels and tugged him down as she lifted her lips in offering.

He really needed to get back to work, but he really needed to accept this small moment of pleasure even more. He slid his arms around her and pressed their mouths together for a brief, intense connection that left him breathing hard when they broke apart only a few seconds later.

Lisa patted his shirt then tucked her hair behind her ear as she took off with a wave. “Call me.”

“I will.”

He watched until she’d left the barn, then turned back to discover Caleb only a few feet away.

His friend eyed him wordlessly.

“I know. I know,” Josiah said quickly. “It seems as if I was keeping something from you, but this whole thing came up kind of quickly.”

“Obviously.”

“It wasn’t as if I knew on Sunday, because I didn’t.”

Caleb didn’t answer. He was wearing his stone face again.

Great. The complete and utter lack of words coming to mind right then would have made his family, all masters of the stage, tease him mercilessly. Josiah had to find the right thing to say. “I like her. And she does need a chance to unwind.”

Nothing. Not a single reaction beyond the death stare.

“Come on,” Josiah begged. “Say something. I swear I have nothing but her best interests at heart.”

Then damn if Caleb’s lips didn’t twitch once before he ran a hand over his face, twisting away to hide his expression.

Curses rose in Josiah’s mind as he realized his friend was a second away from breaking into serious amusement, if not outright laughter.

“You’re a bastard,” Josiah muttered.

Caleb clapped a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “Not often I get to pull one over on you. Had to grab the opportunity when it happened. I’m not upset. You’re right—Lisa needs time to relax, and you’re my best friend. If you’re not good enough for her, no one is.”

He hesitated, walking at Josiah’s side toward the mare.

“But…?” Josiah prompted. Because there was obviously more to this conversation.

Caleb shrugged. “I mean it. You’re my friend, and I want what’s best for you. I don’t want to see you hurt. Last I heard there were no guarantees Lisa planned to stick around.”

“There’s no ticket in her pocket yet that says she’s leaving, either,” Josiah pointed out.

“I know. I’m still worried.” They stopped just outside the pen, and before Josiah could get back to work, Caleb looked him straight in the eye. “Take care of yourself.”

Josiah could hardly complain about his friend having his back. “I will, and I’ll take care of her. You’ll see.” Because too much potential was tied up in the situation to retreat without trying one hundred percent.

He slipped into the pen and got back to work, thoughts of dates and friends and futures mixing together.

Life was good. It could get even better.

* * *

Of course, now that she and Josiah had outed their relationship, his week got complicated. An emergency call hauled him into the wilderness of Highwood Pass.

Lisa found her time vanished in work and outings, compounded when the family realized Sasha and Emma had events over the weekend that required them to go in totally separate directions.

The solution to that strange setup was completely orchestrated by little Emma.

“You need to keep close to home to keep the baby safe,” Emma told Tamara. She caught Lisa and Tamara in the kitchen while Sasha was out of sight. Emma leaned forward, curly blonde hair bobbing as her bright blue eyes turned serious. “Sasha wants Papa to come see her play. Can you take me to 4-H camp, Auntie Lisa? So Mama and Papa can stay with Sasha?”

Tamara gave Lisa a nod of approval, and Lisa hurried to agree. “You’re a very good sister,” Lisa told her quietly, pressing a kiss to the little girl’s cheek. “I would love to come with you.”

So rather than finding time to get together with Josiah, Lisa took her younger niece to the 4-H event being held in Crowsnest Pass over the weekend, while Caleb and Tamara stayed closer to home with Sasha.

Which meant it was Monday again before getting together with Josiah was even a possibility. Oh, they’d texted a few times, but the conversation stayed very generic and very surface, and very much not how Lisa wanted.

Finding people to chat with online was far simpler than having real-life connections to enjoy.

The girls were off to school, and she was diving into the household chores when Caleb marched back into the house and looked at her in surprise. “What’re you doing?”

Her hands were buried in a sink full of soapy dishes. “Is this a trick question?”

Caleb glanced around the room. “Tamara didn’t tell you? Never mind. You’re off again today.”

She leaned a hip against the counter as she looked at him in confusion. “I need to find the Modern Way to Be a Rancher book you’ve been reading and send my father a copy. A day off, two weeks in a row? I think that’s illegal.”

She finally got a chuckle out of him.

“Spent far too many years working twenty-four seven. The work never goes away—you know that. Since things are running a lot smoother at Silver Stone, all of us committed to making some changes.” He placed his boots on the rack by the door and hung up his hat. A soft smile unfurled. “This isn’t about you taking a day off, honestly. It’s me getting extra time with my wife and family.”

“My time off is a bonus? Sweet.” She offered a wink. “I’m glad you’re spending time with the people who are important to you.”

What she couldn’t bring herself to say was how much she’d wished that had been the circumstance while she was growing up, but she figured he knew. Tamara must’ve shared with him what it was like over the years with George Coleman as a father.

Never terrible, never good. That strange, swampy middle where she felt bad for complaining because the man had never hurt them or outright neglected them, but she wished they’d gotten through to him how much more they needed.

“I’ll finish my chores then get out of your hair,” Lisa said, getting back to work.

“Josiah’s back in town,” Caleb offered.

She stared into the dishwater as she scrubbed vigorously at a frying pan. “That’s nice.”

“In case you wanted to get in touch with him.”

Lisa worked hard to not give away her amusement. “I think I’ll go for a ride.”

“He might want to go with you.”

Lisa rolled her eyes but made sure her face was set to innocent when she turned toward him. She dried her hands on a cloth as she looked him over. “Do you know what you want? I mean, the other day it sounded as if you were warning me off dating your friend, but now it seems you’re trying to shove us together. Which is it?”

“I warned you off hurting him, but I’d love to see you guys get together.”

That was an unexpected twist after his comment the other day in the barn. “Really?”

Caleb shrugged. “If he’s good enough to be my friend for all these years, he’s good enough to be with you.”

She didn’t know what to say to that. “Thank you. I think.”

He lifted his phone in the air. “Want me to call him?”

A laugh rolled across the room as Tamara made her way forward and settled in one of the kitchen chairs. The swell of her belly was covered by a bright pink sweater that matched the frames of her glasses. “Caleb? Are you setting up a date for my sister?”

“She doesn’t seem to be doing it on her own,” he grumbled.

“She barely has her hands out of the dirty dishwater,” Tamara pointed out. She glanced at Lisa. “Of course, I could call him instead.”

Lisa snorted. This was hysterical. “You know what? I would hate to take your fun away, so why don’t we all text him? See who can get a response faster. Ten dollars to the person who—”

Tamara already had her phone out. Caleb patted his pockets, looking for his, which was really funny until Lisa realized she’d left her phone downstairs.

She raced away, taking the stairs two at a time, listening to their laughter.

Her phone lay beside the bed, and she sat on the mattress as she typed in a quick note.

Lisa: Got the day off. What are you up to?

She headed upstairs, announcing her return with a cackle of laughter as her phone vibrated before she hit the top landing.

“Take that, suckers,” she said with glee.

Only when she glanced down at the phone, the message wasn’t from Josiah.

Sonora: I need to talk to you.

Lisa strolled forward, typing in a response: Phone me?

Sonora: I don’t have good enough reception. Remember the big maple tree? How soon could you be there?

Lisa was thoroughly intrigued and a touch worried. Her phone buzzed as a message came in from Josiah, but she ignored it, stepping into the kitchen to discover both Caleb and Tamara holding their phones in the air toward her. “Hold that thought, guys. I’ve got another hot date on the line.”

She typed in a quick message to Sonora: Thirty minutes if I grab a horse. Fifteen if I use an ATV.

Sonora: I think you should bring the horse. Don’t rush, but please get here as fast as you can.

Well, there was a contradiction. Lisa sent a final acknowledgement then lifted her face to Tamara and Caleb. “I gotta go.”

“Something wrong?” Tamara asked, the amusement on her face slipping away.

Lisa shrugged uncomfortably. “I don’t know. Sonora Fallen asked to meet me, and it sounds as if she’s out on the trail. Something’s off.”

Caleb moved toward the door. “Want me to come with you?”

“I don’t think so. Could be she just comes across a lot more abrupt in text than in person, know what I mean? I’d hate for us to show up and have her think we overreacted.”

Caleb pulled on his coat anyway. “Tell you what. Grab what you need. I’ll saddle Licorice for you.”

“Thanks.”

She spun on her heel and headed back downstairs, changing quickly into warmer clothing. As she rushed through the kitchen, Tamara handed her a bag. “Not much more than granola bars. Sorry.”

Lisa gave her a quick hug and a kiss. “Tell me later who I owe ten bucks. But in the meantime, can you text Josiah? I’m meeting Sonora by the maple tree along the far south border. The one next to where the trail splits three ways. I’ll get in touch with him as soon as I can.”

“No problem.”

She headed out to the barn and found Caleb leading Licorice out to meet her. He held the horse steady while she mounted, passing the reins to her and nodding in approval. “Don’t rush. Sonora’s got a good head on her shoulders. I expect she’s just looking for a little company.”

“I hope you’re right. If that’s the case, then I’ll carry on and enjoy my day off. You and Tamara have a good time. I’ll text as soon as I know anything.”

The sensation hovering over her wasn’t the same as a week ago. The sky wasn’t quite as clear, and the temperature was a little sharper. The bite of winter was hanging on hard, with no chance of a warming pattern anywhere in the forecast. Add in she wasn’t sauntering out for a casual exploration, and suddenly the day seemed fraught with danger.

Lisa moved Licorice forward at a steady pace. Not too fast, and always careful to stick to well-set trails for safer footing.

It was close to twenty-five minutes after Sonora’s first text when Lisa spotted Rainbow tied to a tree at the side of the trail. She dismounted and ground tethered Licorice, following footprints that led deeper into the trees.

“Mrs. Fallen? I’m here.”

A soft hiss carried on the air, and Lisa hurried forward to discover Sonora peeking over a log pile, shaking her head as she held a finger pressed to her lips. “Keep it down, honey.”

She gestured Lisa closer.

Just past a pile of fallen trees was a small clearing. An oversized work shed with two side-wings was positioned at the western edge. A delivery van was driving down the bumpy road, disappearing into the trees almost immediately.

“What’s going on?” Lisa asked in a whisper.

“I thought I saw something the other day and came back because I was curious.” Sonora pointed a finger at the shed. “That is supposed to be empty. It was part of Doc Carter’s property, and his kids have been fighting over the inheritance for years. Somebody’s renting the main house, but none of the out-buildings were being used, or least they weren’t the last time I talked to anyone. There’s no reason for a vehicle like that to be back here. Not in the dead of winter.”

Lisa glanced around, but there were no other people or vehicles anywhere in sight. “You think somebody’s storing things in the shed?”

“That’s exactly what I think,” Sonora said. “I don’t recognize the vehicle, and I can’t think of a single reason why someone should take a van out here in the first place.”

Lisa’s mind went immediately to stolen goods. It was a little far into the country to be convenient for thieves, but that also meant the hiding spot was a lot harder to find in the first place.

A moment later, everything changed.

They both heard it. In the quiet that settled after the loud buzz of the van engine faded, a noise that was far too familiar shattered the icy stillness.

Sharp barks. Shrill yelps. Mournful howls.

Lisa and Sonora glanced at each other, dismay rising as they spoke at the same time. “Dogs.”

7

What a pickle. Lisa needed to convince Sonora to stay safely in the trees before hurrying forward to find out exactly what was going on.

The older woman seemed to read her mind because she frowned and shook a finger in Lisa’s face. “Don’t you dare think about going off on your own. No heroics.”

Sneaking in by herself was an entirely different thing than dragging someone’s grandma into potential danger. “I won’t do anything more than peek in the window,” Lisa promised.

“Then I’ll come with you to give you a boost.”

Not the answer Lisa was looking for. “I’m just going to look. If something illegal is going on, we’re not poking into it without backup.”

Sonora wrinkled her nose. “Who’re we going to call? I mean, we don’t even know if there’s something there to bother the RCMP over.”

Lisa held up a hand as her phone vibrated. She checked to find a message from Josiah.

Josiah: I see your horses. Where are you?

A huge sense of relief rushed in. “I don’t know how he made it this fast, but we have backup. Josiah Ryder is just around the corner.” She stuck her finger in Sonora’s face and gave a retaliatory warning wiggle. “Stay here. No heroics.”

She said it forcefully. The older woman’s lips twitched into a smile before she nodded her agreement. “Josiah is a good man.”

Lisa stumbled back through the deep snow, figuring it was easier than responding.

She was just about out of the trees when she reached him, the worry on his face softening as he spotted her. “It’s a little cold to be playing hide-and-go-seek, isn’t it?”

“It’s a bit of a treasure hunt, but not necessarily the good kind. Sonora found something,” she explained, motioning with her head to where the older woman waited. “She swears the barn up ahead should be empty, but we watched a truck leave just five minutes ago.”

A crease formed between his brows. “She’s right. Come on, let’s see what’s going on.”

They inched through the snow at the very edge of the tree line, keeping the visible snow undisturbed until they could follow a deer track to the packed-down ruts left by the van.

The area was clearly abandoned. The quiet stillness of the remote winter wilderness was only broken by the sound of dogs barking.

Lisa and Sonora stayed back for the first moment as Josiah peered in the window.

He shook his head in disgust and motioned them forward. “We’re not going to get shot, but this is an unpleasant surprise.”

He picked up a piece of metal that was propped against one wall and used it to pry open the lock. As the door opened and light poured in, the barking and whining got louder.

Lisa gingerly followed Josiah into the building, the waft of putrid scents in the air hitting like a slap of mud to the face.

The barking got more frantic.

Sonora made a noise of distress herself as she stepped beside Lisa. “My word, how many dogs? Oh, the poor things.”

Pens had been formed out of wood nailed into rough squares. In addition, crates and baby playpens were jammed together in tight rows with barely enough room for a person to walk between. Each space held three or more puppies, some with bitches that showed their teeth, but didn’t have the energy to do more than growl menacingly as they moved past.

“It’s a puppy mill,” Josiah said softly. “A poorly run, mismanaged, fucking abusive puppy mill.”

He stopped beside the nearest pen. The mama dog was lying on her side nursing a couple of pups who were whining piteously. The bitch didn’t move as Josiah drew his hand down the back of her head, petting her carefully.

“She’s so dehydrated she doesn’t have any milk left to give.” His voice was an angry rumble.

Sonora had her phone out. “Who do I call?” she asked Josiah. “The RCMP?”

“Yes. I’ll call the clinic.” Josiah stood, furious tension in his body as he looked around the building. “What a mess.”

Lisa stepped to his side and caught his arm. “What can I do to help?”

The whimpering around her was breaking her heart, but she steeled her spine and searched for strength until she could meet his gaze as evenly as possible.

He glanced quickly at Sonora before twisting, pulling Lisa closer so he could speak in low tones. “There’s plenty of things you can help with, but when it’s time, can you make sure Sonora leaves? She doesn’t need to be here while…”

His grip on her arms tightened, and Lisa swallowed hard. “Some of them aren’t going to make it, are they?”

Josiah hesitated, then shook his head. “Truth is, finding this many animals at one time creates a hell of a situation.”

He excused himself, calling in to the Heart Falls veterinary clinic. He turned his back and spoke softly.

Lisa didn’t want to make him say it, but she’d already figured out the trouble. She’d dealt with it often enough when one of the cats or dogs on the Whiskey Creek ranch had an unexpected litter. Placing four or five animals in new homes when you knew the animal’s lineage was one thing.

This was an entire building full of pups, indeterminate breeds, none of them with shots or basic inoculations—

There weren’t a lot of people who would take that kind of risk, introducing unknown animals to their own well-cared-for pets.

Sonora finished giving directions to the RCMP. She put her phone away and walked straight up to where Lisa stood. The place stunk of wet dog, feces, and piss. Somewhere, something was rotting.

Ignoring the echoing volume of complaints around them was hard. It was constant, soaking into their ears and vibrating through their bodies.

In the future, whenever Lisa thought about hopelessness, this sound would be what she remembered.

“Come on,” Lisa said. “Let’s see if there’s a water supply anywhere.”

It was over an hour before anyone else showed up to help, but eventually there was a veritable crowd in the building. Lisa had called Caleb, and he had contacted their foreman.

Ashton walked in the door moments after Josiah’s staff arrived.

Josiah clipped out orders. “Any of the dogs coming out of here need to stay in quarantine. We have room in the kennels at the clinic, but I can’t take more than a dozen between there and my place.”

Ashton looked apologetic as he spoke. “The men and I can give you a hand moving the animals, but we can’t bring any of them to Silver Stone. I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize,” Josiah assured him. “We’ll just need to—”

“You can move them all to my place.” The proclamation came with shocking clarity, cutting through the wailing chaos.

Everyone turned to look at Sonora. She was staring defiantly at Ashton, of all people. As if daring him to protest.

Josiah glanced at Lisa briefly before taking a deep breath. “Sonora, that’s a generous offer. But while you’ve got the room, there’s no way you can take care of this many animals. Not without help.”

“Then I’ll hire some,” she said. “I’m no wide-eyed child. I know what’s going to happen to the animals I don’t take in.”

“It’s going to cost money as well as time,” he warned. “I’m hugely grateful you want to make a difference, but you need to know what you’re getting yourself into.”

“It’s too much,” Ashton grumbled. “You’ll work yourself into an early grave.”

Sonora stiffened her spine. “I think I’m the best judge of how I spend my time and energy. It’ll be good for me. And I don’t mind that it’s going to cost money.” The last comment was directed at Josiah. “In fact, I’ve been thinking about ways to use my property more effectively. I don’t want actual livestock anymore, but it’s kind of lonely without more critters around. I was thinking about setting up an animal rescue.”

“An animal rescue—?”

Ashton’s protest cut off sharply as Sonora glared ice daggers at him.

Lisa stepped forward to wrap an arm around the woman. “I can’t commit long term, but if this is something you’d like to do, I’ll help however I can while I’m here.”

The tension that eased out of Sonora’s body made it clear Lisa’s support was appreciated, unexpected as it had been.

Sonora lifted her chin defiantly at Ashton. “So.”

He didn’t say anything, but he nodded.

She turned to Josiah. “It’s up to your people to decide which animals are in good enough shape you think they’ll make it. I don’t envy your task, so I’ll let you get on with your job and I’ll get on with mine. I’ll head home to start getting things ready.”

“Thank you,” Josiah said softly. He looked around the barn, motioning to one of the staff from the clinic to join them. “Pam will go with you. With her help, and maybe a couple of the hands from Silver Stone, you should be able to get things set up for the first arrivals.”

Lisa squeezed Sonora’s arm. “I want to stay to help Josiah so someone else will need to ride Licorice back to Silver Stone. I’d appreciate it if you’d go with them.”

Because no way did she want Sonora heading off on her own. But no way could she leave Josiah, either. The man looked as if he was turning to granite.

Sonora nodded, then huffed in annoyance. “Then I may as well take the biggest pain in the behind with me. Ashton Stewart,” she called loudly. “You’re taking me home. Get a move on, buster. I don’t have all day.”

She patted Lisa firmly on the arm, took one more look around the barn and shook her head sadly. She adjusted her hat and headed for the door, leaving Ashton to scramble through pens until he could catch up.

Lisa turned to Josiah. “Put me to work.”

* * *

It was the worst sort of hell. As they stood in the midst of the barn, Josiah remembered all the reasons why he’d gone in for veterinary training. It was good to be able to reach down and find a healthy little pup squirming with excitement, tongue lashing out to bathe Josiah’s fingers enthusiastically.

Josiah’s job was to help make animals feel better. Not to have to save them from pain that should never have happened in the first place.

They ended up with two different teams working different sections of the barn. The healthy puppies were all sorts of ages, from newborn to weeks old and already weaned. With the bitches that were in good enough shape, Josiah made sure to move carefully, letting them sniff him and feel his gentle touch before he moved them or their puppies.

Fifty percent of the time, he could shift them into one of the blanket-lined crates that had been brought forward. Lisa would offer some of the high concentrated liquid packs—kind of like an energy drink for dogs. Meanwhile, Josiah would concentrate on the puppies, separating out the ones that were too weak to survive from those that had a fighting chance.

He passed over the healthy ones, working side-by-side with Lisa. Her soft voice wrapped around him as she spoke quietly to the animals, calming them before placing them beside their moms.

The gentleness in her tone helped him stay calm and in control as he dealt with the sorry task of easing dying pups on their way.

Inside, though, he was swearing, furious at the people who had set up this horrific situation. This wasn’t why he’d become a veterinarian. He hated putting animals down, but it was better than letting them suffer.

Every time he had to push the plunger, it was as if another rope tightened around him. He grew colder, and it was hard to breathe. So many innocent creatures were suffering because of someone’s greed and stupidity.

The chaotic noises in the barn faded as the healthy animals were carried out the door and taken to Sonora’s ranch.

The hands from Silver Stone had brought a truck, the back bed lined with a heavy tarp. They would bury the poor beasts that hadn’t made it where they could use a backhoe to dig a hole in the frozen ground.

Lisa returned from handing over the last of the puppies that would never bark again. The building was finally empty.

She settled beside him, and Josiah paused, leaning their bodies together. “You didn’t have to stay,” he said softly. “I know this was hard.”

“I’ve had to do it before,” she said, sadness clinging to her words like icicles. “Not to this degree, but everyone who grows up in the country has dealt with death at some time.”

He put an arm around her and pulled her close. They both stunk, their bodies were tight with anger and sorrow, but it had been easier because she was there. “Thank you.”

She looked up, her lashes wet with held-back tears. She didn’t say anything. Just tipped her chin briefly, swallowing hard.

They sat there for a moment, holding each other, using the wall at their backs to stay vertical.

Suddenly, a scratching noise behind them interrupted the near quiet. And then another, followed by a soft whimper.

Lisa blinked. “There’s another dog somewhere.”

She scrambled to her knees and pushed on the wooden surface at their backs. It creaked but didn’t move.

Josiah began looking as well. It didn’t take long. “Here. Hinges.”

“It doesn’t look like a door,” Lisa complained, but her gaze darted rapidly over the surface. She pointed. “There. Someone stacked those cages in front of the doorknob.”

They moved everything out of the way as quickly as possible. With all the animals gone, the sniffing and small yipping sounds clearly declared, Don’t forget about me.

Josiah grabbed a board to wedge in front of the base of the door so he could open it carefully without the animal escaping.

Turned out he didn’t have to worry, because while the scratching and barking continued, nothing rushed out to greet them.

Lisa poked her head around the corner. “Oh my God.”

She pushed past him before he could say anything. Josiah grabbed her arm to slow her, which meant they both arrived at the same moment in front of the source of the noise.

It was a cream-coloured terrier, eyes bright, ears upright. Definitely not one of the puppy-mill animals. The animal had a collar around its neck.

As Lisa knelt and held a hand forward, the little creature sat on its hind legs and tilted its head. Looking between the two of them as if waiting.

A sharp bark rang out and then silence. As if to say, Hello, could you get me out of here a whole lot faster, please?

The dog didn’t move forward, though, and that’s when Josiah saw it. “Back leg. It’s caught in something.” He placed an arm on Lisa’s shoulder to make sure she didn’t move as he inched closer. “Seems like a good-natured creature, but if it’s in pain, there’s no telling how it might react. Give me a second.”

He pulled on his thick pair of leather gloves, squatting on his haunches as he met the creature’s eyes. He glanced over its body. Ribs were a little more pronounced than they should be, but the animal was in far better shape than a lot of what they’d just dealt with.

“Boy or girl?” Lisa asked from her position at his back.

“Looks like a girl,” Josiah told her. “Hey, darlin’. Give me a chance to come help you out.”

He reached forward a hand, and the terrier sniffed it. Her stubby tail thumped a couple of times before she reached back and grabbed with her teeth at her ankle, worrying at whatever had her trapped.

Josiah slid closer, moving cautiously, but when the dog did nothing more than glance at him, then go back to work to free herself, he relaxed.

He ran a hand over her head and caught hold of her scruff. “My turn to try and get that off you.” He examined it for a minute, the terrier eyeing him but staying remarkably still. “Lisa, come closer. I need another set of hands.”

She bent around him, making soft noises. “Hey, pretty girl. What’d you get yourself into?”

“Looks like a stupid accident. That’s a mole trap.”

Lisa was pulling on her gloves. “How’d you get tangled up in this mess?” she cooed at the dog before glancing at Josiah quickly. “You got a good hold on her? Because she’s probably not going to like it when I get this off.”

Josiah stretched an arm across the terrier, pinning her against his body so that she couldn’t struggle while Lisa went to work. “I got you, little one. Hang on. Lisa’s going to help.”

It only took a moment for Lisa to detach the trap, laying it aside. “Her leg doesn’t look broken, but I’m not the vet.”

He adjusted his grip and rearranged the dog to examine her paw. Lisa took over scratching the dog’s ears and holding her for Josiah’s examination.

“Nothing’s broken, but she’s been trapped for a while. She’s been trying to gnaw herself free.” Josiah turned over the nametag on the collar. “Ollie. Okay.”

The dog wiggled, and Lisa loosened her grip enough that Ollie could adjust position and lick her back paw.

“She’s not the same breed as the others,” Lisa said.

“No. She looks like a purebred terrier, and she definitely wasn’t in here for breeding. Thank God, because I don’t think she’s more than a year old.”

“She seems well-trained for a dog that young. She must belong to someone.” Lisa stroked a hand over Ollie’s head. She sat up, nuzzling closer until she was nearly sitting on top of Lisa and Josiah. Her tail thumped as she looked between the two of them.

“They’re a smart breed, but yes. She’s definitely someone’s pet.”

He scooped Ollie up, rising to his feet and bringing Lisa with him. “Come on. It’s time to get out of here.”

“Will you send Ollie to Sonora’s as well?” Lisa asked.

That was probably the smartest thing to do, but as he held the dog against him, and she laid her head on his biceps, it was too easy to give in to temptation. “I think I should bring her home with me. I’ll put out some inquiries to find who’s missing a purebred. She looks the type to have been on the show circuit. I’ll probably only have her for a week or so before her owners show up.”

Lisa swore softly as they walked back into the main shed, the smell barely diminished even though the animals were all removed. “I think we were in an office. I hope there’s something in there that identifies who did this. I hope they get caught and punished.”

He felt the same way, yet that was no longer where he needed to focus his energy. “Let’s do what we can to get Sonora up and running. I think she’s bitten off more than she can chew. If she can make the rescue center a reality, though, it will mean the world not just to these animals, but to the entire community.”

They were nearly at the door when Lisa smacked her hand against her forehead. “I didn’t think this through.” She turned and grimaced as their eyes met. “I sent Ashton home with Sonora on my ride. I figured I’d go home with you, but you rode as well. And we have Ollie to deal with.”

He grabbed an additional blanket left by one of the Silver Stone hands, then wrapped Ollie up tightly. “We’ll make it. Do up your coat,” he ordered. “It’s going to be cold out there.”

He waited until she was bundled up then passed over the swaddled dog. Ollie took complete advantage and slid her tongue along Lisa’s face from jaw to forehead.

Lisa turned her face away, laughing as she made a sound of disgust. “No. No kisses,” she said firmly.

“Damn. That’s not what I wanted to hear.” Josiah put an arm around her shoulders and guided her outside.

“I didn’t expect you to be able to tease,” Lisa said.

“There are moments when if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry,” Josiah admitted. “Come on. There’s room for all of us on my horse.”

8

Lisa climbed into the saddle. Josiah handed up Ollie, then mounted behind her.

They didn’t talk much during the first part of the ride to his place. Both of them were lost in their own thoughts, she guessed. The terrible situation they’d had to deal with wasn’t something she wanted to spend a lot more time talking about, either.

In her arms, Ollie wiggled until the blanket was free from her head, the little dog glancing around with curiosity before resting her chin on Lisa’s arm. Her position created the perfect vantage point to be able to stare at both her and Josiah.

Ollie took a deep breath and let it out. A perfect puppy sigh.

Josiah chuckled softly, one hand coming off the reins to tease a finger between the dog’s ears. “She’s a cutie.”

“Good-natured too,” Lisa pointed out. “Her back leg has got to be hurting, but she’s not fussing at all.”

“Sadly, she might not have a lot of energy left to fuss. But we’ll get it fixed up when we get home.” He turned down a side path Lisa hadn’t taken before. “I’ve got enough stuff at the house. I can patch her up, no problem.”

Lisa watched as they headed cross-country, cutting behind the hillside and toward the river. “You do know a secret route. Either that, or we’re going to be swimming in a minute.”

“Very secret. It travels through the Haunted Woods, though. You might have to hold on tight.”

She twisted to examine his face. His comment had to have something to do with his dramatic background. “Haunted Woods? As in Anne of Green Gables?”

“It’s a classic.”

“Tell me you’ve played Gilbert and some young woman got to hit you over the head with a school slate.”

His face twisted before his smile returned. “Never Gilbert, but one time I was the stand-in for Diana. It was my crowning glory.”

Oh my God. She grinned, then felt terrible for being amused considering what they’d just dealt with.

“Hey. None of that,” he ordered. “It’s okay to smile.”

“Are you reading my mind?”

“Possibly, but only because the expression on your face is familiar. It’s pretty much what I feel in my gut.” He adjusted his grip, pulling her closer to rest his chin on her shoulder. “Whenever I have to deal with death, whether it’s a tragedy on the job or having to put an animal down at the end of a long life, this happens. An incredible sadness sinks in, for good reason. Then something will come along that makes me laugh, and I’ll feel like shit, at least until I remember staying sad and unhappy isn’t healthy. And it sure the hell isn’t what a good friend like a dog, or a cat, or whatever animal that’s been a part of your family for years would want.”

Ollie’s eyes were closed. Her breathing even. Perfectly content, it seemed.

Josiah continued. “Do you really think something we call ‘man’s best friend’ would want us to spend even a single day crying? Heck, most dogs would be jumping over themselves to try and put a smile on your face. They’d want you to be thinking about all the fun times you’d had together.”

He was right. “We had an old dog at Whiskey Creek ranch. We called him Grampa because every time a new litter, cats or dogs arrived, he would end up in the middle of them. Sniffing and giving them a tongue bath if he had half a chance. Any time we lost one of them, he would come and put his head on your knee and look real sad for a while. But then he’d go off and find one of his ‘grandkids’ to pin them down and clean them up whether they wanted it or not.”

Another laugh escaped Josiah, this one a little brighter. A little hardier, as though he was giving himself permission and in doing so, proving he meant what he said. It was okay to feel joy. “Yeah, that’s dogs.”

“Cats, however…” She felt the rumble of laughter in his chest this time, deep and intense. “You know their minds work completely different.”

“True. Cats would prefer for us to set up effigies to them and spend the rest of our lives worshiping their memory. Probably how those Egyptian beliefs started in the first place.”

They were in the middle of a nearly overgrown path, the tree branches connecting over their heads in a perfect arch.

Lisa glanced up, looking around in amazement. Under the horse’s hooves, the ground was nearly free of snow because the trees were so thick overhead. The dry brown grass poked through a few inches of ground cover instead of the feet that lay everywhere else. “Is this the Haunted Wood?”

“It is. And up ahead there’s a Lake of Shining Water.” This time he paused as she laughed softly. “I can’t take credit for all the names. My sisters were up here shortly after I bought the place, and they had a heyday naming everything in sight. I think they drew a map—it’s probably up in the great room.”

They fell quiet again as the trees opened up. The trail grew steeper, cutting behind the mountainside, with the huge rise of the Rocky Mountains on the right-hand side. It was beautiful and Lisa stared, secure with Josiah’s arms around her.

“Before Sonora contacted me, I had sent you a message. I wanted to get together with you today.” Kind of a shitty date, yet at the same time, she was glad that she’d been there to help.

“We’ll just consider this the start of our date,” he said. “By the way, I got a message from you, and Caleb, and Tamara. Any idea what was going on?”

Oops. “I might have suggested a slight challenge.”

“Aha. The infamous Lisa-betting-spree continues.” His house was quickly approaching, and he headed toward the barns.

“I don’t make that many bets.”

“How about Kelli demanding payment just a week ago? Or the fact Caleb complained you got money out of him for being clueless about one of his brothers falling in love?” He brushed his cheek against hers, humming gently. “People talk to me, darlin’. I hear all sorts of things.”

He stopped beside the barn doors, sliding them open. Lisa guided the horse forward using her knees. Once inside, Josiah took Ollie from her, then Lisa slid to the ground.

Josiah sent her off to the house. “I want to take care of Ollie’s paw and feed her. There’s no reason you have to stay and plenty of reasons for you to go hop in the shower.”

They both sniffed involuntarily.

Lisa nodded briskly. “If you’re sure. I don’t mind helping.”

He pointed at the door. “Use the shower in my bedroom. There are clean clothes in the dresser. Bottom drawer has some stuff that my sisters left behind once, if any of it fits you.” He paused. “Or if you want, you can use my truck and go home. I shouldn’t be too bold and assume.”

Lisa looked him over, slow and steady. “I’m just fine hopping in your shower. If it’s not too bold, I’m fine with you joining me once you’re finished here.”

His cheeks flushed before he turned away, talking to Ollie in that sweet, even tone.

She was still grinning as she made her way into the main house to ditch her boots in the mudroom. It only took a second to strip down to nothing and leave her clothes in a somewhat orderly pile next to them. No way was she putting any of those things back on until they’d been thoroughly sterilized.

Naked, she walked quickly through the living space to the bedroom hallway. She slowed once she was in the master bedroom and then she was too cold to take more than a brief glimpse around the room. It was neat and tidy, with lots of blues and browns, but the space she was currently interested in lay to the west.

Lisa pushed past the heavy door to find a shower big enough to host a party. She cranked on the tap and stepped in before the water had a chance to warm.

A second later, welcome heat rushed over her skin, and she sighed with relief. Rotating toward the window, she shook her head in amazement. The master bathroom had a view of the mountains nearly as impressive as the one from the great room.

She used Josiah’s shampoo and soap, the thought of having invaded his space so intimately sending pulses of heat deep into her core that had nothing to do with the refreshing water. The woodsy-scented suds washed away the smell of the barn, replacing it with a far better one. And while she lingered for a while in the hopes he might join her, she didn’t feel comfortable staying there forever in case he was waiting to take a separate turn.

The bottom drawer held some women’s sweatpants and T-shirts. Lisa pulled on a pair of thick woolen socks and bright red sweats, but she ignored the ladies’ shirts. Instead, she stole into Josiah’s T-shirt drawer to grab one of them for a top. She held the fabric against her nose and took a deep breath, the scent she was coming to associate with him sliding from the fabric and through her system. The clean, crisp aroma chased away a few more of the lingering blues from the work they’d faced that day.

She blinked guiltily then quickly pulled the shirt over her head. Josiah was going to think she was some kind of psycho stalker if she wasn’t careful.

Lisa stepped back into the main part of the house, totally surprised to find Josiah had beat her to the kitchen and was standing at the stove. His hair was wet and he’d pulled on clean clothes as well. He was wearing worn jeans and a red-and-white checked flannel shirt.

He twisted to check her out, a smile creasing his cheeks. “You look good in my shirt.”

“Thank you, sir.” Lisa did a little twirl, spinning on the spot, pleased to see his eyes lingering on her body. Go for broke. Be honest. “I’m glad you got a chance to get cleaned up already, but I meant it, Josiah. You could’ve joined me.”

He closed the distance between them, hands falling to her hips to pull her against him. “I heard you. Next time.”

Josiah lowered his head, and the next thing she knew, their mouths were connected. He was kissing her again—

God, the man could kiss.

It wasn’t something he did halfheartedly. Unlike guys who seemed to have a checklist to work down—not that Lisa tended to spend much time with those guys once she’d realized they were shitty lovers, but there were men out there who acted as if each activity was something to get out of the way so they could get to the main event.

Josiah kissed like it was the main event. His tongue teased, his teeth nipped, and by the time he picked her up and turned her in the air, she was far enough gone to not care where he was taking her.

Not far. Her hips landed on something solid, and she opened her eyes to find she was sitting on the island in the kitchen.

Josiah ran a finger down the edge of the T-shirt neckline, caressing her skin. “I wasn’t staying away because you aren’t attractive. You’re exactly my type.”

It took a moment for her to remember what they’d been talking about. Or that they’d been talking in the first place.

“Just saying you’ve got a go-ahead from me.” Lisa undid the top button on his shirt. “I find you very attractive too.”

“Fantastic—” The word vanished into a breathless moan.

She’d leaned forward and kissed his jaw. It would have been a shame to pull back too quickly, so she moved to the side of his neck and nipped then kissed the spot. Then again, this time just above his collar bone.

Lisa worked at his buttons until she could slide her fingers over his chest. A light tangle of hair scratched her knuckles and another breathless groan escaped him as she pushed the fabric aside far enough to press her palms against his torso.

“Do you have something cooking on the stove?” she whispered, staring down at her hands, loving the texture of his skin under her fingertips. “Something that’s going to burn?”

“Who the hell cares?” Josiah grumbled.

He caught the bottom of her borrowed T-shirt and jerked it off over her head. A second later, the fabric was scrunched into a ball and thrown mindlessly to one side, the material catching on the lampshade beside the couch before dropping to the floor.

His gaze locked on her naked torso. Blue eyes swept over her as a smile grew on his lips. “I’m hungry,” he muttered. “Excuse me while I enjoy my appetizer.”

* * *

Josiah had been trying to be patient. Dealing with Ollie’s paw, then giving the animal a quick wash and a meal had taken less time than expected, and he’d been two seconds away from joining Lisa in the shower when the old reluctance kicked in. Unwelcome, unwanted, but undeniable.

He knew the reasons behind this particular hesitation were unfounded—he was now fit, and in shape, and Lisa had made it clear she was interested in a more physical relationship.

Demons from the past were tough to defeat, no matter how strong the current motivation.

Instead, he’d scrubbed down quickly in the guest bath and gotten supper started.

Seeing Lisa turn up in his shirt? He’d gone so fucking hard he didn’t think his brain was firing on all cylinders anymore. And when she touched him—that gentle tease had melted every remaining concern, and he was cursing his past self for being stupid and missing out on naked and wet time with her.

Thankfully, one swift move had corrected part of his mistake, and she sat in front of him, dusky red nipples and sweet rounded curves, and any chance he’d had of thinking fled entirely.

“Yes?” he asked. His voice trembled. He wasn’t even sure what he was asking, except she had to say yes.

Lisa leaned back, arching as she placed her hands behind her on the countertop. Her gaze met his, bold and unwavering. “Oh, yes.”

He slid one hand around her back, palm flaring with heat as he touched her, pressing her knees apart with his other hand so he could slide her to the very edge of the counter, he stepped in close, drawing her against his body to take her lips again. He feasted on her mouth as heat passed between them. Naked skin caressed briefly with each rub. Josiah eased back far enough to slip his hand up and cup her breast. Teasing his thumb over her nipple as it peaked.

Somewhere in the distance, a long, sorrowful howl sounded.

Lisa tensed. “Ollie?”

It had to be. They both sat motionless for a moment, hearts racing fast enough her pulse vibrated against his chest.

A second later the sound cut off.

They listened, hard.

Silence.

Lisa grabbed him by the head, leaning in as if to resume where they’d stopped—when the howl rang again. A heartbreaking sound full of gloom and utter despair. If this had been a performance, his parents would have called the actor out for overplaying their role.

She swore. He swore.

Neither of them could ignore the plea. Not after what the poor creature had experienced.

“Stay here,” Josiah ordered. “Please.”

He sprinted across the room and down the hall, sliding into the garage that had been made over as a clinic room.

The instant he opened the door, Ollie rose to her feet, tail wagging a million miles an hour as she approached the front of the penned area he’d left her in.

“You’re a great mood killer,” Josiah muttered. “But whatever. I’ll forgive you this time. Just try not to do it again.”

He opened the door to the dog kennel, and Ollie stepped out, balancing daintily on three legs. He grabbed a blanket from the shelf, following after the dog that seemed intent on making herself at home.

She headed unerringly to the kitchen, stopping at Lisa’s dangling feet and staring up adoringly as her tail thumped the side of the cupboard, butt shaking hard enough she nearly tipped over.

Lisa had folded her arms over her chest, naked from the waist up. Leaning over, she reached down as far as possible to offer her fingers for Ollie to sniff. “You’re safe, sweetie. Go lie down.”

Josiah took the blanket and headed to the corner of the room. Ollie followed after him, crawling onto the soft surface then scratching to form a nest.

He backed away, hoping that was going to be enough to satisfy the little creature.

“She okay?” Lisa asked.

“She’s fine. Bruised, and a little on the thin side, but healthy. Also, damn, she’s well behaved.”

Lisa laughed. “Except for the howling loud enough to be impossible to ignore.”

“Yeah, except for that.” He glanced over to discover Ollie had snuck off the blanket for long enough to grab his T-shirt—the one that Lisa had been wearing. The dog dragged it back to her blanket, turned in a circle and settled with her chin buried under her tail.

Firmly on top of the stolen T-shirt.

“Oh my God, she’s adorable,” Lisa whispered.

They both watched for a moment, but it was clear that Ollie had nothing more on her agenda except sleep.

“She’s a family dog.” Josiah glanced over at Lisa. “Is it going to bother you to have her in the room?”

Lisa’s expression turned into a dirty, sexy smirk. “As long as she doesn’t post any pictures to Doggie Instagram, I’m good.”

Thank God.

Josiah took hold of her wrists, pulling her arms away from her torso. It was like unwrapping the sexiest present ever. “Where were we?”

Lisa opened her knees, inhaling deeply. The movement lifted her breasts, and he moved without hesitation. He kissed her again, moving against her. His hand rose instinctively, teasing her nipple back to hardness. Dragging his lips away from hers, he shifted position to cover the tight tip with his mouth, sucking hard for a moment before licking.

She wiggled, pressing toward him. Wrapping her legs around his hips even as she arched against his mouth. “Yes. Oh yes. God, that feels good.”

Tormenting her was tormenting him. Josiah reached down and adjusted his aching cock best he could while multitasking. Then, he slid both hands up her back, moving closer until she was arched back and he hovered over her. His erection pressed tight to her hot core as he alternated nipping one breast and then the other.

Impossible to stop. He scraped his teeth along the edge of her ribs, heading downward. Kisses pressed along her navel, a brief dip with his tongue into her belly button.

He lowered her fully to the granite countertop, and she shivered. “These goose bumps are impossible. I’m so hot I’m about to melt,” she murmured.

“I’ll finish warming you up,” he promised. He tucked his fingers into the edge of her sweatpants and stripped them away.

Such a glorious sight. A completely naked woman lay spread like a feast. Soft and beautiful, her eyes glazed with passion as he adjusted until he could see her fully and make sure she was still on board with being ravished.

Lisa propped her heels up on the edge of the island, and her knees fell apart. An invitation if he’d ever seen one—a golden, emblazed, illustrated invitation.

He put his mouth over her. With one hand he separated her curls to lick lazily. The sweet scent of her drifted up, filling his nostrils and soaking into his system. Her pleasure coated his tongue as he greedily tasted one side of her folds, then the other, followed by lots of attention to the most sensitive spot in the middle.

A low rattle of pleasure began, escaping her lips as if he were heating up a kettle—the old-fashioned type that whistled when it was ready. She wasn’t whistling, but she was damn noisy. Perfectly noisy, the kind of sounds that brought a man to the brink.

He slid a finger into her, and this time, a pulse of need raced over his skin. Wet heat that promised perfect pleasure was waiting for him. But this was all about Lisa. He moved his hand slowly, gliding in and out, stroking his fingertips against the front of her body. He used every trick in the book to make sure those amazing sounds kept escalating in volume.

“Josiah,” she gasped.

A series of breathless little pants followed as he sped up his strokes, using fingers and tongue until she was trembling. He used his free arm to pin her down, one hand spread across her warm belly that quivered under his touch.

He curled his lips around her clit and sucked.

She went off like a firecracker, exploding as she jerked against him. Body tightening, core shaking. Wordless noises bursting free.

A gust of icy wind shot through the room as the front door opened, and his houseguests called out a greeting. “Hey, Josiah. We’re back. You around?”

Lisa curled up partway, panic in her eyes as she clutched the arm that stretched over her belly.

Josiah pulled his hand free from paradise, swung her into his arms, and stepped toward the only place he could think of that was safe.

He had the door open to the pantry and both of them inside before Finn’s voice finished echoing through the house.

They stood there for just a brief second, utterly motionless.

Lisa’s look of panic rapidly changed into astonished shock. “My clothes are out there,” she whispered.

He was already shrugging out of his shirt. “If I’d taken you anywhere else, they would’ve seen you. Damn open-room concept.”

Lisa snickered, covering her mouth with both hands as she waited for him to finish.

He held out the shirt, and she slid her arms into it, doing up the buttons before motioning to the door. “You need to get rid of them. Oh my God, or at least go pick up my sweatpants.”

She snickered softly, and Josiah found he was grinning far too hard.

“I’ll tell you when it’s safe to come out,” he promised, leaning in and pressing a quick kiss to her smiling lips. “I should be able to distract them for a little while.”

“Josiah?” Finn’s voice was louder, and closer.

Josiah held a finger to his mouth in warning to Lisa, then stepped backward, slipping from the pantry and closing the door firmly behind him as he pulled on his best performer’s smile. “Hey, guys. I didn’t expect to see you this early.”

Finn and Zachary stood in the kitchen. Both of them eyed him with confusion as they took a calculated glance around.

Yeah, it wasn’t going to take long for them to figure this out. Josiah stood there wearing nothing but jeans, after coming out of the pantry. There wasn’t a good explanation, so he didn’t even bother to try.

Zachary poked his elbow into Finn’s side, both of their gazes falling to the sweatpants strewn on the floor.

Distraction arrived from an unexpected corner. Ollie had gotten up and approached, although her tail was doing its usual metronome imitation.

Both of Josiah’s new roommates turned to say hello, the lady’s sweatpants temporarily ignored. Thank God for dogs.

“Careful,” Josiah warned. “She seems like a good-natured animal, but we rescued her from a backyard breeder pit today. I don’t know much about her.”

Zach squatted and offered a hand for Ollie to sniff. “Someone down at the coffee shop told us about the puppy mill. You got it all straightened out?”

“Started to.” He glanced at both of them. “If you guys want to grab a shower, I’ll work on getting dinner on the table,” he offered in a desperate attempt to get them out of the room so he could help Lisa escape.

Finn stooped, picking up the sweatpants on the floor, his amusement showing. “Sounds like a plan. Right, Zach? We can totally get out of Josiah’s hair for—what half an hour? An hour?”

Josiah could put up with teasing. Half naked, clearly interrupted— “Great. Whatever. Yeah, great.”

“Always glad to be of help.” Finn winked.

Just when Josiah thought they were going to get away with it, the pantry door jerked open behind him, and Lisa stepped out, pushing him aside with her shoulder.

She stared at the two men who gawked unashamedly at the woman dressed in nothing but a man’s flannel shirt.

“Finn Marlette?” Shock coloured her voice. “Oh my God, it is you.”

9

Any embarrassment she might’ve felt had totally fled at the sound of the familiar voice. It’d taken a moment to place it—five years had passed since she’d last seen the man.

It barely registered when Josiah slipped an arm around her and tugged her against his body protectively. Lisa was too busy checking Finn over with complete astonishment.

He recovered quicker than she did, a lazy smile spreading across his handsome face. “Lisa Coleman. Fancy meeting you here.”

She wasn’t sure if she should poke him or laugh for leaving that comment so open ended. Here in Heart Falls? Or here, mostly naked, in Josiah Ryder’s kitchen?

But she didn’t get a chance to decide which because Finn stepped forward, hand outstretched—

The next thing she knew, Ollie was between them. The beast crowded at her feet, front paws spread wide. The little thing tucked her head down and bared her teeth. A protective growl worthy of a creature five times her size rattled at Finn.

He pulled his hand back immediately. “Easy girl. Just saying hello.” He glanced at Josiah. “You never said she was an attack rat.”

The third man in the room laughed softly, tipping his head at Lisa, his amusement clear. He kept his eyes firmly focused on her face as she offered him a quick wave.

Considering the possessive hold Josiah had on her, this newcomer obviously had good survival skills. “So you’re Lisa Coleman. I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Zach. Finn and I are staying with Josiah. Which means we might be seeing a lot of you. Ahem.”

Her cheeks flashed at the second tease in under a minute, but she grinned back. “Nice one. If you don’t mind, though, I’ll take those.” She plucked her borrowed sweatpants from Finn’s hand, easing toward the hallway even as she shook a finger at him. “Don’t even think about running away before I get a chance to interrogate you.”

“We’ll be a minute,” Josiah added. Then his hand was on her lower back, and he was escorting her from the kitchen, down the hallway to the master bedroom.

He waited until the door closed behind them before whirling on her. “You know Finn?”

She was undoing shirt buttons as she headed back to the drawer to grab another one of his T-shirts. “He and his brothers came out to Whiskey Creek to help one summer. He was a pain in the ass, but a good-natured, good-intentioned one. What’s he doing in Heart Falls?”

Josiah was at her back, hands on her shoulders and turning her to face him before she could strip off his shirt and make an exchange. “We’ll figure that out in a minute, but first—”

He slid a hand along her cheek to the back of her neck, and an instant later he was kissing her intensely. Not a “we’re starting something” type of kiss, but a sweet, spicy, “thank you and I can’t wait until the next time” kind of deal.

She gasped for air when he opened space between them, just far enough to look in her eyes, tipping their foreheads together as he spoke quietly. “I didn’t get nearly enough time to play but thank you.”

Lisa’s lips twitched. “You’re saying thank you for giving me an orgasm? You’re welcome. Anytime, honestly.”

Josiah’s smile was sincere, the heat in his eyes unmistakable. “I had fun, and I will take you up on that offer. But also, thank you for not freaking the hell out when we got invaded.”

“You reacted a lot faster than I did,” Lisa admitted. She eyed him. “Do we really need to go out there?”

“Don’t tempt me.” He aimed her back toward the cupboard, slipping his shirt from her shoulders and pressing a kiss to the top of her shoulder. “Grab a T-shirt and sweats. Then put this back on.”

“Your house isn’t that cold,” she said, even as she followed his instructions.

He rummaged in the closet. “I don’t want them to be able to see through the T-shirt that you don’t have a bra on,” he admitted.

“No panty lines, either,” she teased, jerking on another set of clothes as she smiled at his tortured groan. She twisted to find he’d pulled on a flannel shirt, this one with faint red lines crossing the black.

He gave her a dirty look. “Careful or I’ll make you wear a pair of mine.”

Lisa grinned and offered her hand. She glanced over at the side of the room where Ollie had settled after following them. The pup had curled up, but was watching both of them intently. “Seems strange she decided to defend me like that.”

“Protective breed. Obviously thinks you need looking after,” he taunted.

“Says the man who had me laid out on the island like a smorgasbord without remembering his roommates would be arriving any minute,” she murmured softly as they walked down the hall. Ollie trotted after them, right on their heels.

Josiah glared at her as he spoke quietly. “Behave.”

“You don’t mean that,” she teased again.

He shook his head. “No, you’re probably right. Come on. I’ll let you cross-examine him first.”

Lisa tangled her fingers with Josiah’s as they returned to the kitchen, the connection very right.

What felt weird, though, was seeing Finn Marlette. It was like slipping back in time to when he and his brothers, Levi and Duncan, had come out to the Whiskey Creek ranch.

Catching up on what had happened since the last time they’d met was not a conversation she’d ever imagined having sans underwear.

Ollie walked underfoot, close enough to defend, far enough away to not be tripped over. She got along amazingly well for limping on three legs. Only once Lisa was sitting on a stool at the island did Ollie go back to her blanket and settle with another of those enormous sighs.

Finn and Zach had been working while she and Josiah were getting dressed, and a pot of water boiled on the stove. Zach was chopping vegetables into a huge bowl and the scent of garlic hung heavy in the air.

Finn looked up from where he was crushing the fragrant cloves under his knife. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re looking good.” He didn’t crack a smile as he said it.

Lisa laughed. “Thank you. How’s your family?”

He shrugged. “As good as can be expected. Duncan is working with a transport company, and Levi took over the ranch when Mere and Papa decided they’d had enough.”

“And you?” Lisa had heard part of it through the grapevine and from Tamara, but she wondered what Finn would say when asked.

“A little bit of this. A little bit of that.”

“If you break into song, I will hit you,” Zach warned.

Finn glanced at him, his expression going stone blank.

Zach snorted.

Finn faced Lisa. “I speculate in oil prospects, among other things. I’m looking into some different moneymaking opportunities in the Heart Falls area. What about you? Josiah didn’t mention your name the other day.”

She could’ve sworn he tossed a reprimanding glance at Josiah.

“You didn’t need to know,” Josiah said. “Besides, you two have been running all over the countryside for most of the past week.”

“Successfully, I might add,” Zach offered. “And the only reason we’re wondering about you two is so that we can avoid any embarrassing situations in the future.” He grinned unashamedly.

Lisa wasn’t ready to give up grilling Finn yet. “I thought you were supposed to take over your home ranch. Wasn’t that what you were headed to when you left Whiskey Creek?”

“Change of plans.” That was all Finn said as he stirred a mass of finely chopped garlic into a pad of butter and began methodically slathering it on huge chunks of a French loaf.

“Obviously.”

She stared at him. He was handsome, but he’d always been too serious for her taste. She’d had a lot more fun with Levi, although nothing of a sexual nature. It had been like instantly having three brothers tossed into the mix. Ones who hadn’t been nearly as protective as her Coleman cousins, mostly because they hadn’t all grown up and gone to school together for years.

She’d enjoyed Finn’s company, but sometime that summer, something had happened between him and Karen, and she’d never been able to figure out what.

All of her protective instincts were running on high, but this wasn’t the time or place to push for more information.

She glanced at Josiah. “I should probably head home.”

“You don’t have to. Stay for supper and a visit,” he offered. “I’ll drive you home later tonight.”

Zach pulled the entire contents of a box of spaghetti out and broke it in two before dumping the mess into the bubbling water. “Just a reminder, Josiah. You left a message a few days ago to say there’s a crew coming over for poker tonight.”

A soft swear escaped Josiah. “You’re right. From when I had to reschedule last week.” He lifted hopeful eyes to hers. “Your choice. There’s time after supper to escape before more people invade.”

She stayed.

In no time, she was filling her plate with the savoury sauce and potent garlic bread. Enjoying the discussion very much as Finn and Zach bantered back and forth the way old friends do.

At her side, Josiah had slipped a hand onto her leg, resting it there while he ate one-handed. His thumb rubbed softly against her thigh, as if he wasn’t aware of the motion.

She was aware. Every inch of her skin was lit up even through the layer of heavy cotton. The day had been such a roller coaster, and while the bad moments were beginning to fade, they laid a bit of a pall over the amazing shining times.

Ollie sat at her feet.

Josiah had warned the dog off from begging, but she wasn’t there to misbehave. She’d settled at the start of the meal, torso solidly on Lisa’s foot, butt on Josiah’s, but she’d tilted her head back to rest her chin against Lisa’s knee, eyes closed as she breathed in an even pace.

What a strangely comforting yet outrageously not typical evening.

The guys turned down her offer to help wash the dishes, so Josiah bundled her up, her dirty clothes helpfully loaded into a tightly tied garbage bag.

He drove her back to Silver Stone, heat blasting from the vents. “Looks like temperatures are going to drop hard. We won’t be riding any time in the next couple of days.”

“You want to come over to Silver Stone sometime this week?” Lisa thought it through and made a face. “You’ll get attacked by mini people, though.”

“I don’t mind,” he said. “I know you’re busy helping Tamara, and we’ve both committed to help Sonora, so that might be where we end up spending a lot of our spare time.”

She was glad she made the promise to help, yet felt a little saddened. “I want to spend time with you. Alone, if that’s not too forward.”

“Trust me. We’ll find a way.” He lifted her hand to his mouth, kissing her fingers gently. His tongue snuck out and traced the line between two knuckles, and a shiver rolled over her so hard there was no way he could miss it. “Oh, yeah, we’ll find a way.”

* * *

There were five at the table that night. Finn and Caleb both wore impossible-to-read poker faces. Zach looked as if he planned to spend the entire evening with an ear-to-ear grin, which was as good a way to hide information as any, Josiah supposed.

Luke, Caleb’s brother, had also made it. Both of them had been good friends to Josiah for a lot of years.

Finn and Zach were welcome additions, although their presence added a twist in the air, now that a certain tidbit of information had been revealed that Josiah hadn’t known before.

“So, you know the Coleman family.” He dealt the cards around the table, staring at Finn as he spoke.

Luke and Caleb both straightened.

“We knew that,” Luke said. “Friends of the family or something like that.” He glanced at Finn then back at Josiah. “Is that not what we know?”

“If you say so.” Josiah picked up his cards and stared at them intently.

Zach broke the silence with a long, low, chuckle. “The gig is up, Finn. To tell the truth, it lasted almost a week. I’m impressed.”

Caleb had his hand of cards tucked away carefully as he placed his elbows on the table, leaning toward Finn in a manner that most people would find immensely intimidating. “Why is Josiah making a big deal over the fact you know the Colemans?”

“You should ask him.” Finn adjusted the toothpick in his mouth as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

“I will.” Caleb glanced at Josiah. “Why are you being a shithead?”

Zach and Luke both snorted, Zach trailing off into gasping coughs as he tried to swallow the beer he had just put in his mouth.

Josiah shrugged. “Something Lisa said when she saw Finn this afternoon made me curious.”

“Why don’t you tell us more about Lisa and this afternoon,” Finn suggested dryly.

Oops. Damn, not a road he wanted to travel down. “I just meant it sounds as if there’s previous business between the Marlette family and the Colemans. That’s all. Seemed a little strange that you’re here all of a sudden, planning on investing in their new community.”

“Whose new community? As far as I know, Tamara is the only Coleman who’s moved to Heart Falls full-time.” Caleb put his cards down on the table and folded his arms over his chest, his annoyance only partly faked. “Why is it that you always do this, Josiah? How’s a man supposed to concentrate on the game when you keep yammering?”

“Have another drink,” Luke suggested, switching out Caleb’s beer bottle for full one. “I think this is entertaining. Finn definitely knows the Colemans. If I remember correctly, it was Karen who got us in touch with you.”

It was nice to have backup, whether they knew that’s what they were or not. Because suddenly Caleb, Luke, and himself were all staring at Finn.

The man’s expression went blank. “Not that it’s any of your business…”

Zach pointed at Caleb. “Married to Tamara.” He swung his finger toward Josiah. “Appears to be involved with Lisa.”

Finn leaned back in his chair. “Fine. Not that I expected to have to declare my intentions this soon, but because someone’s a blabbermouth and more gossipy than any old woman…” He offered his friend an intense glare.

If anything, Zach’s grin got wider.

“I plan to convince Karen Coleman it’s about time she came to her senses and agreed to be with me.” Finn said it straight up yet simple, as if announcing he was going to plow the road in the morning.

Blunt, and completely not what Josiah had expected. “She doesn’t live here, you know,” he pointed out.

“And Lisa’s just visiting,” Luke added, glancing at Josiah with a shrug. “At least that’s what I heard from Kelli. Sorry.”

“I’m working on it,” Josiah muttered softly.

Finn dipped his chin decisively. “I know Karen doesn’t live here. But I know she’s going to visit, often. It seems as good a place as any to make a move. I’m not planning on staying here forever, just as long as it takes.”

“Having lots of options is at the top of Finn’s to-do list.” Zach shared that tidbit blankly, without any inflection. It was impossible to tell if he was being judgmental or simply stating a fact.

“Damn right.”

Caleb eyed Finn, his usually unreadable expression gone dangerous. “You watch how you go about that convincing. Understood?”

Finn didn’t say anything for a moment before nodding decisively. Then he picked up his cards and shook them in the air. “Anyone who’s interested in giving up some money, I’m ready to play.”

By the time they’d played a few hands, the remaining questions on anyone’s minds had been brushed aside by the need for full concentration to keep from getting fleeced by the grinning Zach. The man had way too much luck—he had to be counting cards.

Laughter and companionship grew stronger as the evening passed, and when they called it a night, Josiah headed off to bed far more content than he’d ever dreamed possible after the roller-coaster events of the day.

* * *

It was interesting how much a small change in information could adjust a man’s mindset.

Josiah worked like usual the next days, nightly juggling space with Finn and Zach. The fact Finn had publicly declared his intentions to pursue Lisa’s sister—it added a twist to Josiah’s growing relationship with the two men in his home. It wasn’t necessarily more stressful, but considering Finn was not just a temporary roommate but a potential brother-in-law down the road…

Because him and Lisa—they weren’t just temporary and wasn’t that an enormous change in the grand scheme of things? Thinking about the future in solid, concrete terms, not just “someday I’ll settle down.”

Which led to thinking about how to persuade Lisa over the coming days and weeks to look at permanent things to do in the Heart Falls area.

She was busy caring for her nieces and working with Tamara, who continued to grow more uncomfortable yet not any less nauseous as her pregnancy lingered.

In the times when they could get away, he and Lisa headed over to Sonora’s where the rest of the puppies had been transported. It was good to see the little creatures they’d saved begin to bloom. What had been piteously matted messes were now bundles of fluff. The group was predominantly Bichons, all of them finding their feet and their voices.

Sonora’s ranch was a trifle loud at times.

Another change that grew more right as days passed—Ollie.

Josiah had kept her that first night. She’d spent the entire evening sitting on his feet, sighing often as she got up to walk to the door as if waiting for the moment Lisa would return.

He’d taken her out to Silver Stone a few days later after making sure her shots were all up to date. Ever since, they’d been alternating. A few days with Lisa, a few days with him.

There’d been no response to any of the inquiries he’d posted on the lost-and-found sites across the province and through his contacts.

Weeks later, when he’d finally gotten away from a long day’s work, he stole over to Silver Stone. It was already after eight, and the sun had set a couple hours before he arrived. The wind was picking up, and the chill in the air was shoving the temperature back below freezing. March was going out like a lion.

He didn’t care. He wanted to see Lisa, and the only way to get privacy at Silver Stone was to be creative.

So they bundled up and sat out on the porch swing, kissing and fooling around as much as they could with two winter coats and a thick blanket covering every inch.

The only redeeming feature was the porch swing was a double wide, padded enough that Josiah finally tossed the back cushions to the ground and stretched out on the wider base. Lisa’s eyes lit up, and she crawled beside him, tugging the blanket over top of them as they proceeded to heat up the outdoors a few degrees.

When they took a break from necking to catch their breath, Lisa stroked her knuckles over his jaw, staring into his eyes. “It’s like being back in high school and having to sneak around corners. I don’t think there’s anywhere on the ranch we can go to be alone. Not without someone coming to check on us.”

They could be alone at his place. No one was going to interrupt them if he closed the door to his bedroom, but he still didn’t feel right pushing to the next stage.

“It’s okay. I like kissing you.” He was leaning in to prove his point when it finally registered. The howling just on the other side of the wall.

The porch door swung open, and Caleb’s dry tones echoed into the darkness. “I know you’re out there because this demon creature insists it needs you.”

“We’ve got her,” Lisa called as Ollie appeared around the corner, tentatively using her fourth limb. “Thanks, Caleb.”

“It’s cold enough you could get frostbite. You two are insane,” Caleb said. “But you’re welcome.”

Ollie arrived next to the swing, her front paws resting on the edge as she peered hopefully at them. Not only were kids and adults determined to interrupt, but the dog was as well—more than once.

“You really think you get to come up here?” Josiah asked.

Lisa was already in motion, rolling over to pick Ollie up.

“Lisa,” Josiah scolded. A moment later he had a chest ornament in the form of a cream-coloured, furry water bottle.

“She likes us,” Lisa said apologetically, snuggling against him but keeping one hand free to stroke Ollie’s back. “She likes us maybe a little bit too much.”

“It’s kind of like hero worship,” he agreed.

“Last night I’m sure she understood every word I said when I told her you weren’t coming over. We should send in a picture of her face and get Merriam-Webster to make her an example of what puppy dog eyes means. It was as if she desperately wanted to tell me something, and I just couldn’t understand.”

“Did she let you sleep?” he asked. “That’s what I want to know, because the days I’ve had her, the only way I could get her to stop pacing was to give her that T-shirt you wore. I put it on the foot of the bed, because otherwise she kept getting up and going to the door, as if waiting for you to appear.”

Lisa laughed, twisting toward him. “Get out. I had to pull on that second shirt you lent me before she’d quiet down last night.”

Wonderful. They had a stalker dog to deal with on top of the lack-of-privacy issue. “How are you doing otherwise? You get any more ideas added to your adventure book?”

“I should’ve added ‘fool around on a porch swing.’ And would’ve, if I’d known how much fun it was.”

Josiah moved cautiously, giving Ollie time to rearrange herself at the foot of the swing. He tugged Lisa on top of him, groaning softly as her weight settled on his aching cock. “It’s even more fun in the summertime. Fewer clothes—”

“More mosquitoes, same number of snoopy visitors.”

She cupped her hands around his face and kissed him. Long and luscious, tongues tangling, and while it wasn’t what he’d been craving, it was nice to realize what they were doing was unique.

He’d had his share of love affairs, one-night stands, and short-term flings. He’d always treated the ladies right and he’d always tried to go whatever speed they were comfortable with.

For the first time in his life, it seemed both he and Lisa would’ve been comfortable going a whole hell of a lot faster if time and circumstance weren’t getting in their way.

He reached down and squeezed her ass, the weight of her on top of him giving him a head rush.

Both heads.

“I like this,” he admitted reluctantly.

Lisa snickered. “That’s good, ’cause I’m fairly firmly attached to it.”

“Not your butt, mischief.” He lifted his hand under the blanket and gave her ass cheek a sharp rap, kissing her pouting lips briefly before he explained. “I’m enjoying this. Spending time with you, as chaotic and hit-and-miss as it’s been. Taking our time. Are you having fun?”

She put her elbows against the middle of his chest and rested her chin on her hands, thinking seriously for a moment.

“Yeah. I am.” She leaned in and her voice got quieter and huskier. “Although, I have to admit I’m having an awful lot of very dirty dreams.”

Jeez. “Me too. I keep picturing you in my shower and wondering what the hell I was thinking to leave you alone in there.”

Her eyes brightened. “So it would be mean to tell you I really liked your movable showerhead?”

She lost him for a moment until understanding hit. The mental image of her holding that showerhead with the water directed at her sex sent a lightning bolt down his spine. “Evil creature.”

“I think I have another day off this week.” She stared at his lips. “Are your roommates going to be locked out of the house at some time?”

“It doesn’t matter if they’re there,” he pointed out.

She made a face. “Yeah, no. Sorry, I just can’t get into the idea of screaming during sex knowing that Finn Marlette, who plans on making a play for my sister, is in the next room.”

His brain had gone foggy. “Sorry, I kind of lost track of the conversation when you announced you scream during sex.”

“Doesn’t everybody?” The words were said in a low, sultry tone and he wrapped his hand around the back of her head and brought their lips together just to stop her from talking because he already had enough dirty pictures in his head tormenting him.

One way or another, though, it was very clear. His roommates would be out on Very Important Tasks whatever day Lisa happened to get off next.

If he had to invent things for them to do, so be it.

10

“I left a lasagna for you to pop into the oven. It’s in the fridge, and the directions are on the top.” Lisa edged closer to the door. “If that’s everything?”

Caleb eyed her with curiosity. “In a rush?”

Tamara snickered. Didn’t say anything. Just snickered.

Lisa was about to make some sort of scathing remark when Caleb’s phone went off. He turned his back to answer it, and Lisa stepped closer to her sister. “I do not need a peanut gallery.”

“Just giving back what you gave me,” Tamara pointed out. She squeezed her eyes tight for a moment then stuck out her tongue. “My God. How is it possible that I can have nausea and wicked heartburn? I swear I haven’t had anything to eat that would make me gassy.”

“I hear pregnancy is way better with your second kid,” Lisa said sweetly. “Or your third. Or maybe you could have twins the next time.”

She made sure she was standing far away from her sister when she said it. Taunting a bear would be less stupid, but there were moments that simply called for sisterly love.

Caleb laid a hand on Tamara’s shoulder, his face gone serious. “I’m sorry. Lisa, I have to go. Ashton says one of the trailers broke an axle, and the whole thing is hanging halfway off the bridge down by Black Diamond.”

Oh my God. Any plans of sneaking away and turning Josiah’s house into a pleasure-pit vanished.

Lisa pushed Caleb toward the door. “Go. Go. We’ll figure this out.”

Caleb headed out at a dead run.

They both watched silently through the window, lost in their own thoughts, as he sprinted to his truck and raced away. Silence fell in the room as the sound of the truck’s motor faded.

“How far away is he headed?” Lisa asked.

“Thirty minutes, depending on the roads.” Tamara struggled off the chair. “Don’t worry about me. Go have your day with Josiah. I’ll go back to bed.”

“I wasn’t worried how long it would take for Caleb to get back,” Lisa insisted. “I want to know the truck’s okay. And the driver. And the horses.”

“Of course. I know that. Sorry, I’m just cranky.” Tamara pointed at the door. “Now go. I insist.”

Lisa was torn. It wasn’t as if Tamara couldn’t take care of herself, but there was no reason she had to go today.

She and Josiah had been teasing each other for nearly a month and the texts and phone conversations were getting more interesting, but not only in a sexual way.

It was a different kind of relationship than she’d ever had before.

“Tell you what. I’ll give Josiah a call, and we’ll arrange to go out for lunch, okay?”

Tamara looked as if she was going to get pissed, but she nodded. “Okay. But how about you—” She cut off, the words turning into a low rumble in her chest. “Oh, shit.”

Moisture pooled at her feet.

Lisa’s heart flipped into high gear. “Is that what I think it is?”

Tamara looked up at her. “Call the ambulance. This is way too early for my water to have broken.”

“Caleb—”

“Oh…” Tamara wavered on her feet, and Lisa rushed forward to catch her. Her sister swore like a fishwife before closing her eyes and moaning out a complaint. “I do not need to be throwing-up nauseous right now, thank you, universe.”

“You want to sit or lie down?” Lisa asked, one arm wrapped around her sister, phone clutched in her free hand.

Tamara laid her head on Lisa’s shoulder. “Oh my God, I feel horrible. I just want to stand here.”

Which is how Lisa ended up propping her sister in place and dialing emergency services with one hand.

“We’ll get a team out there as quick as we can,” the woman told her. “Stay on the line. Can you tell me if she’s feeling any contractions?”

Lisa shoved the phone at Tamara. “Sorry, sis. She’s got a bunch of questions and I don’t know how to answer them.”

As Tamara took over that phone, Lisa stole Tamara’s out of her pocket. She shuffled through contacts until she found the number she needed.

The very efficient front desk staff that Lisa had been introduced to answered. “Heart Falls veterinary clinic. How can I help you?”

“Sharon, this is Lisa Coleman. Can you connect me directly to Josiah’s cell phone?”

“Sure. One second.”

When he answered, it was with a touch of hesitation. “Tamara? What’s going on?”

“It’s Lisa—there’s an emergency. Tamara’s on my phone, so I took hers. We have a slight change in date activity. Again.”

“No problem. What’s up?”

“Tamara’s water just broke. Caleb is out on the road, and I just realized that the emergency crew might not be able to get here for a while because—well, never mind that. More importantly, can you come over to the house?”

“I’ll be there in ten.”

“Thanks, Josiah.”

She switched her attention to her sister.

Tamara had just hung up as well, grimacing as she handed Lisa her phone back. “I convinced her it’s not that kind of emergency. I don’t even feel as if I’m in labour. Maybe we should get in the truck and head to Black Diamond.”

Nope. Lisa shook her head vehemently. “I’ve seen too many shows. The instant we get in that vehicle and out on the highway, you’re going to go into full-blown labour, and I am not catching my niece or nephew at the side of the highway in a snowstorm.”

“Good. It’s not snowing.” Tamara pressed one hand to the island top, knuckles going white. “I’m scared,” she admitted softly.

“I know. But we’ll get through this,” Lisa promised, sliding in to offer a hug.

“We will.” Tamara sounded ruthlessly determined to make it true.

They stood for a moment, clasping each other tightly, staying quiet as the stillness in the house grew thicker. Not in a scary way, but peaceful. When they finally took a perfectly synchronized deep breath, gentle laughter followed.

Tamara rubbed a hand over her belly. “Kid, you’ve been an awful lot of work, but I’m okay with that. Just hang in there a little longer.”

Lisa squeezed her shoulders. “Tell me when you want to switch positions. Oh, and we need to decide when to call Caleb.”

Tamara tilted her head toward the kitchen table. “I think I can sit down, and I’d really like to get out of these wet pants. Sorry.”

Of all the things to be worried about. “Honey, depending on how things go, we might be dealing with a whole lot more than a bit of amniotic fluid. For a nurse, you’re far too squeamish.”

“I’m not squeamish about dealing with it myself. I just don’t want to make you deal with it.” Tamara picked up her phone. “I’ll call Caleb. He won’t get the message until he stops, but that way he can decide if he can turn around and come right back or not.”

Lisa threw a towel over the chair before helping Tamara strip off her pants and sit.

She hurried away to grab a washcloth and a warm blanket to cover her sister with instead of messing with pants. It took under three minutes, but obviously something had changed. Tamara had her eyes closed, hands clutching the edges of the chair as she pursed her lips and blew.

“Tamara?”

Her sister’s eyes popped open and she shook her head. “Trust the woman with medical training to have the weirdest pregnancy and delivery in the history of humanity. I swear I am not having contractions, but oh my God, I want to push. I took a feel and I think the kid is crowning.”

A harsh bang struck the back door an instant before it swung open and Josiah stepped in. “House call.”

Tamara glanced at him in confusion before rolling her eyes at Lisa. “Sure. Call in the veterinarian as a baby catcher.”

“I’m just here for moral support,” Josiah insisted, kicking off his boots then marching over. “Hey, Tamara. How’re you doing?”

“Peachy. I want a puke bucket, and I really, really want to push.”

She had Lisa’s hand squeezed in a death grip.

Josiah laid a hand on Lisa’s arm. “You do plan more exciting dates than me,” he muttered. “Catch me up.”

They updated him quickly, including who they’d called, but Tamara was breaking off into clenched teeth and painful noises as she squirmed on the spot. “All modesty is out the window. Please tell me I can push.”

Josiah worked gently as he arranged her at the front edge of her chair, a serious expression on his face as he moved aside the blanket Lisa had draped over her sister’s knees.

His eyes widened. “Well, I guess you’ve managed to not have labour and still get to the baby-arrival part. You’re definitely presenting. Lisa, I dropped a pile of blankets outside the door. Grab them.”

Heart pounding, she was back in under a minute. Josiah pushed aside the chairs and covered the ground before manoeuvering Tamara to a position on the floor.

“This. Is. Not. Going. As planned,” Tamara complained. She tucked her chin down, digging her fingers into Lisa’s forearm.

“Breathe. Breathe,” Lisa ordered.

“You’ve got to slow down,” Josiah warned. He was kneeling in front of her, her free hand resting on his shoulder. “You know this. You can do it.”

Tamara ground her teeth together before panting hard.

For the second time that day, loud banging rang from the back door seconds before it swung open. Icy cold air floated in with the arrival of two people. First came the oversized Fire Chief—the real local emergency backup—Brad Ford.

The second person—

“Karen? What’re you doing?” Lisa demanded.

Tamara jerked her head up, interrupted from her task. “Oh my God. You’re here.”

Brad rushed forward with a medical kit in his hand. “Not Karen. This is Julia. You messing with our baby pool, Tamara?”

Josiah willingly stepped back, squeezing Lisa’s shoulder for a moment as he gave up his position to Brad and…Julia?

Lisa couldn’t stop staring. The woman who had entered the house at Brad’s side—it was like looking into a mirror. She wasn’t identical to Lisa because her hair had a reddish tinge, but the face was one hundred percent Coleman.

She knelt by Tamara, talking the entire time she worked. “Sorry this is our first introduction, but your baby is top of the agenda for the day. I’m Julia Blushing. I’ve just started my practicum here in Heart Falls as an EMT. Brad and I will take good care of you.”

Competent, confident.

“My God, it’s like watching Tamara take care of Tamara,” Lisa muttered.

A low moan escaped her sister. “I’d prefer if she was the one pushing the watermelon out instead of me.”

“Sorry. I have no training on that side of the arena,” Julia offered dryly.

“Me neither, it seems,” Tamara gasped. She stared up at the new woman between grimaces. “Apologies if I throw up on you.”

Both the EMTs chuckled. “It’s okay. We’re wash and wear.”

“I know,” she panted. “Better than seventy percent chance, though, so I’m sorry in advance.”

Josiah leaned in, his face close to Lisa’s. “Like I said, your dates are definitely way more exciting than mine.”

Lisa stared down at the incredible scene in front of her, fingers meshed with Tamara’s as she tried to offer support while a stranger with a Coleman face worked at Brad’s side…

Yeah. Josiah was right.

* * *

In the tangled, mixed-up minutes that followed, Josiah was glad he wasn’t going to miss any of it.

While there was stress involved, he knew everyone in the room was competent, far more than him having to be a human baby catcher. Plus, there was something very special about getting to watch the miracle of birth without being the guide.

It took longer than he’d expected, considering he’d figured the baby was pretty much ready to pop.

But Brad and Julia talked Tamara through breathing exercises and slowed everything down enough to keep the delivery safe. Instead of the room being filled with a sense of panic, a strange peacefulness shifted in.

Heck, Lisa untangled her fingers from her sister’s for long enough to punch up a music mix on her phone.

“Ha.” Tamara managed a smile. “Now you can tell me I told you so for having that ready early.”

“Music always helps,” Julia said.

The door swung open, and Lisa jolted upright. “Caleb.”

Josiah’s friend looked a little wild around the eyes. His gaze went straight to Tamara as he hurried out of his winter gear. “Figured you’d do something to shake up the place. Hey, darlin’.”

Tamara burst into tears. “Oh my God, you’re here.”

“Hey. Deep breaths,” Brad reminded her. “Ditch your boots then get over here, Caleb. Slide in behind your wife and act as a backrest. We’re ready to roll.”

Lisa moved aside for Caleb as he followed Brad’s directions.

An instant later Caleb had Tamara between his legs, resting against his chest, his cheeks pressed to hers. He held on as if he were holding his heart in his arms. “I’ve got you. You can do this.”

Lisa stepped away, tugging Josiah closer to the living room which put them still in the middle of the event, but offered the illusion of privacy. She slipped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest, and when he curled his arms around her, something perfect turned inside her.

There wasn’t time to talk. There wasn’t time to do anything except watch with wonder as new life came into the world.

Fifteen minutes later, a brand-new baby boy was bundled up in a soft cotton blanket, lying in his mama’s arms as she stared at him in awe.

Caleb looked shocked. Happy, but totally blown away. He pressed a kiss to Tamara’s cheek, his arms cradling the two of them, before leaning in to kiss his son. “Hey, Tyler. Thanks for showing up safely.”

Tamara took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “His name fits him perfectly.”

“Of course, it does,” Caleb teased. “You chose it.”

They smiled at each other and the room was filled with a kind of magic Josiah had never dreamed of getting to share.

He waited until the moment was interrupted by the cleanup taking place beside the new parents before speaking.

“Congratulations,” Josiah offered softly. “He’s beautiful.”

Two faces swung toward him—tired satisfaction on Tamara’s, pride and worry on Caleb’s.

“Thanks. Thanks for being our emergency backup,” Caleb said.

“Thank you for getting back so fast,” Lisa added. Her gaze drifted again to Julia.

This wasn’t the time or place to dig for that story, but oh boy, something was going on.

Julia kept glancing at the other two women as well. Discreetly, in between sessions of working briskly with Brad, but it was obvious she’d seen the same thing.

Finally satisfied everything was done, Brad rose to his feet. “I know according to the calendar Tyler arrived early, but I swear your dates were off. As far as I can tell he’s a healthy, full-term newborn. I don’t see any reason why you need to hit the hospital today. Not unless you want to. Agreed, Julia?”

She nodded. “Make an appointment to see your physician this week. You have to go in for Tyler’s initial shots, but there’s no reason for you to trek anywhere today on icy roads.” She glanced at Lisa. “As long as you have some help for the next couple of days.”

“That’s great news, and yes, I have help. My sister is here.” Tamara closed her eyes briefly before whispering something to Caleb.

He hesitated. “If you’re sure…”

“Caleb.” She peeled one eye open to scold him. “Two highly trained medical experts just told you their professional opinions, and this medical expert is telling you the same. I feel fine. We’ll go see the doctor later this week.”

Caleb looked concerned. “Okay, I guess.”

Tamara kissed his cheek before turning to Lisa. “Auntie Lisa, can you take Tyler while Caleb helps me get cleaned up?”

“You bet.” Lisa came forward to take the baby.

She cooed over him, cradling the bundle in her arms as she brought him back to where Josiah had settled on the couch.

Lisa bumped her foot against his knee. “Shove over.”

He wiggled until there was more than enough room between him and the armrest, then damn if she didn’t sit closer than necessary. Legs touching his, arms draped over his as well while she arranged the baby to stare at his face. “Hello, Tyler. Welcome to the family.”

“He’s a cutie,” Josiah said, stroking a finger down the baby’s cheek.

Tyler’s face wrinkled, lips quivering.

Lisa shushed the baby softly before responding. “He’s too squishy-faced to tell if he looks like a Coleman or a Stone.”

Unable to stop themselves, both he and Lisa pivoted to look at Julia.

She was staring as well, but the instant she caught their gazes, she snapped back to her task.

Brad gestured to the blankets. “I recognize these. Want me to take them to your shop, Josiah?”

“Drop them in the back of the truck. I figured I’d save Tamara from ruining quilts. I always have an emergency stash with me.”

Brad and Julia gathered up the mess and the rest of their equipment, working efficiently.

It was the strangest day ever. Especially when Brad and Julia let themselves out and the familiar Silver Stone ranch house was back to the way he’d always remembered it. Or at least the way it had been since Tamara came on the scene.

Warm, comfortable. A home.

The urge to have all those things in his life struck so hard he could barely breathe. Maybe he was feeling lightheaded from proximity to some very unusual events, but there was a baby damn near lying in his lap and he didn’t feel the slightest urge to escape.

Something welled up inside that was huge and important. An acknowledgement of an internal change that only sharpened his earlier decisions about home and hearth and finding forever.

Maybe that was part of the reason he’d never stuck with anyone before. He hadn’t been ready and they’d known.

His earlier girlfriends—with their mysterious womanly intuition—had known.

It was an intriguing thought, but he pushed it aside to ponder later because the sensation twirling around him and Lisa and little Tyler needed his full attention. He wanted to appreciate it and wallow in it, in how strangely uncomfortable it was to feel…comfortable.

“I’m a few seconds away from freaking out,” he shared. “Because I’m not freaking out, if you know what I mean.”

A soft laugh escaped Lisa. “Trust me, I’m right there with you.”

They sat in the quiet, Imagine Dragons playing in the background, a newborn resting between them. He didn’t want to say anything for fear he might disturb whatever weird magic had entangled itself around them.

Silence reigned, at least until Lisa spoke. “That EMT, Julia. I wasn’t imagining things, was I?”

He knew exactly what she was wondering. “That she looks like a dead ringer for one of your family? No, we all saw it.”

“Something weird is going on. I know Tamara’s going to be curious, and I don’t want her worried about anything.” She lifted big brown eyes toward him. “Help me set up a meeting?”

“Sure.”

Caleb marched back into the room, head swiveling toward them. He let out a deep breath. “God.”

“Tamara’s okay?”

“She’s fine. She’s better than fine.” His lips twisted. “She told me, and I quote, ‘I can damn well wash my own ass, get the hell out of here.’ She suggested I go bond with our baby.”

Lisa rocked to her feet, Josiah placing a hand on her butt to help her hit vertical. She snickered as she gave him a dirty look, but she walked toward her brother-in-law. “Bonding with Tyler is a wonderful idea. Sit down.”

Caleb offered a deadpan stare. “I have done this before.”

“No, you haven’t,” Lisa said. “Doesn’t matter how many babies you’ve taken care of, this is your first time with this sweet thing. Sit down and relax. I’ll take care of everything else.”

“But your day off—”

Lisa snapped up a finger and pointed at Caleb’s easy chair.

He quick-marched over and sat as ordered, glancing at Josiah with amusement. “I hope you have better luck getting her to listen than I do.”

“Not a chance,” Josiah offered. “Face it. Sometimes it’s fun to be bossed around.”

Both Caleb and Lisa missed his joke because Tyler was being transferred between loving arms.

An instant later his friend was totally mindless, lost in staring at his son, untangling the blankets to examine fingers and toes, the baby squirming and complaining until Caleb swaddled him up again. Competent as he’d said.

Obviously head over heels in love.

Josiah slipped into the kitchen. Lisa was turning on the kettle and putting a pot on the stove. He stepped behind her, wrapping his arms around her and pressing a kiss to the side of her neck. “Unless you need me for anything, I’m going to take a rain check on our date. I’ll rearrange things and line up some work so I can take time off in a couple of days.”

She pivoted in his arms, grinning up at him. “I’d like that. Sorry for the messed-up date.”

“It’s been a good day.” He pressed a quick kiss to her lips because he couldn’t help himself. “I’ll talk to Brad and get contact information for Julia. I’ll let you know what we organize.”

Tamara called from the back bedroom.

“Coming, sis.” Lisa gave him a quick hug before vanishing around the corner.

He took one last look at Caleb sitting with the baby in his lap. His best friend was cooing and making baby noises.

Then Josiah took that aching need in his belly, slipped on his coat and boots, and quietly snuck out the door.

11

The next hours were a blur.

Lisa helped Tamara into clean clothes then brought her out into the living room to join Caleb. She left the two of them to bond with their newborn, moving as quietly as she could in the background, making phone calls and sending texts. Tamara travelled between the living room and the bedroom, Caleb hovering like a mother hen.

Caleb met Sasha and Emma at the bus stop before bringing them in to meet their new brother. They were thoroughly impressed, at least until Tyler screwed up his face and began crying.

Lisa got dinner on the table then prepared for a steady stream of visitors. Each one of Caleb’s brothers stopped by, offering congratulations and hearty pats on the back.

Tamara snuck off to bed after nursing Tyler, leaving Lisa to field the remaining phone calls from family, including one from their sister.

Karen wasn’t able to come for a few days and she was annoyed as heck. “I was trying to make sure I had nothing dire on the agenda for a month from now. Figures Tamara would do this.”

Amusement snuck in. “While the silent labour part was a nice surprise, I doubt she would’ve picked April first as Tyler’s birthday if she had a choice.”

“You’re probably right. Anyway, I’m stuck here in Grand Prairie, but as soon as I can get away, I’ll be over.”

“Whenever you can get here. Tamara might be caught up on her sleep if you put it off for a bit.” Lisa held her tongue about the EMT with a similar face to theirs. If Karen wasn’t going to be around for a few days, that might give Lisa a chance to at least touch base with the woman. “He’s a cute kid. Barely even squished.”

Karen laughed. “You’re so maternal.”

Lisa chatted for a little longer, then hung up before she was tempted to poke Karen for details regarding Finn Marlette.

Amazing how seemingly overnight there were all sorts of secrets she was keeping.

Which meant when Josiah texted her the next morning to ask if she wanted to get together with Julia for coffee, Lisa was even more eager to make it happen.

She’d had her years of juggling a million balls in the air at once. She was looking for simple, but she needed to figure out the mystery of the doppelgänger. Figure out the mystery of Finn and Karen.

And drat—somewhere in there, figure out what the heck she was doing next with her life, and where Josiah fit in.

Lisa approached Caleb at the breakfast table. Tamara and Tyler were still sleeping. Sasha and Emma were flying around the room gathering last-minute items for their backpacks. “I know this is short notice, but you mind if I step out for an hour or so this morning?”

Caleb shrugged. “Of course not. I might send you with a shopping list, if you don’t mind. But I’m taking some downtime, so there’s no reason for you to be here every minute of the day. Other than Tamara loves your company.”

“Shopping, no problem. And I’m glad you get to enjoy time with Tyler.”

She hurriedly made her way to the Buns and Roses coffee shop where Josiah had set up the meeting.

He met her outside the doors, tugging her next to the building to offer a sweet kiss.

She slid her fingers into his. “This is really weird,” she said.

“It’s weirder than you think. You asked me to set this up, but Brad Ford phoned me about thirty seconds before I could dial him. Said his trainee was completely floored after meeting you guys and both of them are curious as heck.”

Lisa nodded. “It’s probably just one of those weird coincidences. The type of thing when people keep saying ‘I know somebody who looks exactly like you. Do you have any family in Ontario?’”

Josiah grinned. “I had somebody swear they saw me on a mountainside in Germany.”

She snickered before forcing an innocent expression. “Billy goats run in your family?”

“Jackasses, I was told.” He squeezed her fingers. “Come on. I’ll buy you a coffee.”

It was a quarter past nine, so the early-morning rush was done. Buns and Roses wasn’t a typical hangout for the older crowd. Most farmers who took a morning break went to Connie’s where they could get bottomless cups of simple brewed. Or at least that’s what Lisa had been told by Kelli and heard mutterings about during the girls-night-out evenings she’d enjoyed with the owners of Buns and Roses.

So the place was only a quarter full, which meant a dozen people were seated at small tables. Still, the instant they walked in the room, questioning gazes started darting back and forth between Julia and Lisa.

She and Josiah stepped up to the counter to order their coffees, the question in her friend Tansy’s eyes clear.

Tansy did a quick little finger twitch between the two women, hiding the motion behind her other hand.

“Two shot sixteen-ounce latte, and I have no idea,” Lisa admitted.

“Brad ordered breakfast croissants, so unless you’re stuffed, I’ll make you and Josiah some as well,” Tansy informed them.

“You don’t really expect me to turn down food, do you?” Lisa asked.

“Always good to check. Josiah rarely raids the goodies counter.” She turned to Josiah. “Coffee, black?”

He nodded, sliding cash across the counter before Lisa could break out her wallet.

And then there was no more procrastinating. Josiah marched them over to the table where Brad and Julia were waiting.

Brad rose to his feet, gesturing Lisa to the free spot at his side. The position put her directly across from the other woman who was eyeing her with great curiosity.

They all settled, and then, thank goodness, Brad took charge of the conversation.

He ran a hand over his shaved head, smiling easily at Josiah. “You did a good job pinch-hitting yesterday.”

“Hey, delivering newborns is a job perk. Some times are messier than others, but it was kind of fun setting up for a delivery where I wasn’t too worried about accidentally being kicked halfway across the room.”

“Was that your first human delivery?” Julia asked. “Because it was nice to come in and not have people freaking out.”

“First time. And I don’t know that I get the actual baby count since you guys came in for the finish.” He snuck his fingers under the table and grabbed Lisa’s hand. “I’ve lost count of how many other creatures I’ve help bring into this world.”

“I’m glad you were willing to come.” Lisa turned to Brad. “I was worried the ambulance wasn’t going to make it past the block on the bridge.”

“Good thinking, because it wouldn’t have. But for the next six months, Julia is apprenticing with the Heart Falls emergency services. Not as extensive as an ambulance, but definitely first-responder. It’s a trial program we hope will improve rural coverage without huge costs.”

Julia spoke up and it was the strangest thing, like listening to a familiar voice from a familiar face, but with a fraction-of-a-second pause in the wrong places. “I have to do a practicum for my EMT and I’ve wanted to live in rural Alberta for a while.” She glanced at Brad and her cheeks flushed before she straightened and went all professional. “Brad was one of my trainers during my first year and he always spoke about Heart Falls like it was a magical place.”

That sounded like a good opening. “Where are you from? I mean, if you don’t mind me asking.”

Julia smiled. “It’s kind of like the elephant in the room, isn’t it? Trying to figure out why we look so much alike? I’m from Calgary originally, but Mom and I moved to Vancouver when I was five. She always joked that the Alberta skies were calling me home every time I got restless.”

Brad’s phone went off. He grinned as he pulled it out. “Sorry, guys, I’ve got to take this.”

“Emergency?” Julia asked, straightening as if ready to leap out the door.

“My fiancée.” He rolled to his feet, happiness clear and present. “I’ll be back.”

As he left the table, Josiah leaned toward Lisa. “I’ll stay if you want, but if you’re okay on your own…?”

She squeezed his fingers. “We’re fine. Thank you, though. For everything.”

Josiah tucked his fingers under her chin and lifted her face for a kiss. PDA-level heat, but sweet enough to make a chill run up her spine.

He tapped her on the nose. “Call me.”

She watched him walk away before turning back to Julia. “We’ve been abandoned.”

The other woman was examining her closely. “Are you okay with us chatting by ourselves? Because, I’ll admit, I’m curious like crazy, but I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable or on the spot. If you want to wait until—”

“I have no problem talking with you alone,” Lisa assured her. Although it was very thoughtful that Julia was worried. “I’m from Rocky Mountain House, a smaller community north and west of Calgary. My mom passed away over twenty years ago, but if there’s any family connection between us, I doubt it’s from her side. You look an awful lot like a Coleman.”

Julia’s expression went sorrowful. “My mom passed away a year ago.”

Lisa was struck with the urge to reach across the table to offer a sympathetic hand squeeze. “I’m sorry.”

Julia shook her head. “It was quick—breast cancer. She’d beat it once, but the second time, nothing helped.”

“Fuck cancer.”

The other woman nodded her agreement firmly, her eyes bright with tears she blinked away. “I miss her like crazy. But I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to derail our conversation.”

Screw it. Lisa leaned forward and caught Julia’s hand, squeezing it briefly before letting go. “It’s never a bad time to talk about the people we’ve lost. Honestly, I don’t mind one bit.”

Julia nodded again. “Thanks. In the meantime, I don’t want to take up your whole day but I am curious. You live in Rocky Mountain House and you mentioned you’ve got other family… You and your sister look a lot alike.”

“There’s Tamara, me, and our older sister, Karen. But there’s also extended family, which means a lot of people wearing a face very similar to this.” Lisa drew a circle in the air in front of her head.

The other woman lifted her eyes toward the ceiling, thinking hard. “It was just me and my mom. She was a single child, and her family was from Ontario. I never met them.”

“What about your dad?”

That earned a twisted expression. “Didn’t have one. Well, obviously there was a sperm donor, but he wasn’t in the picture.”

There had to be Coleman blood involved, because no way was she looking at someone who could double as a mirror without genetics having a say.

Julia took a sip of her coffee and smiled. “Just to assure you, while I want to figure this out, I’m not trying to shove my way in anywhere I’m not welcome. My mom wanted me. I know that, and she made it really clear. Being a mom was important to her and she loved me very much.”

Lisa waved a hand at the first part of her comment. “Honey, if we’re somehow related by blood, which I figure we have to be, it isn’t going to be a case of you trying to shove your way in. You might have to run and hide to not be overwhelmed by masses of Coleman clan who want to haul you in for assimilation.”

Julia offered an instant response. “Resistance is futile.”

A snort escaped Lisa. “Oh my God, you can quote TNG. You truly are a Coleman.”

The other woman leaned forward on her elbows. “Okay, we don’t need to sleuth this all out today and I certainly don’t want to cause any stress in your family. Because I can’t imagine having someone show up on your doorstep uninvited being anything but stressful.”

Lisa agreed, yet she didn’t. “There’s an uncle who moved away years ago. I mean, way before most of us were born. He’s been out of the picture for a long time. Maybe he’s your dad, but if he is, there’s not much I can tell you about him.”

“Then don’t worry about it. Tell me about you and your home,” Julia suggested. “I’m only in Heart Falls for six months, but I’ve been looking forward to this for years. Maybe longer, if I’m honest. I meant it earlier. My mom used to tell me I was possessed by some spirit of the foothills that was longing to go back. This just feels so much like home, even after a few days.”

“It is a pretty place,” Lisa agreed. “But I don’t live here.”

Julia’s expression slid through a range of emotions. Confusion, brightening, then right back into confusion. “Your sister lives here, and you’re here to help with the baby. And Brad said your boyfriend is one of the local veterinarians.”

“Wow, you’re pretty good, Sherlock Holmes,” Lisa said in admiration. “I came out to help Tamara in December. When she’s got her feet under her, I’m not sure what I’m doing.”

“But that was your boyfriend?”

It felt strange to be saying this. “He is, I guess.”

Julia laughed, the sound breaking over them brightly. “Sorry, but that’s the most reluctant acknowledgement I can imagine for such a good-looking guy.”

“It’s complicated,” Lisa drawled.

“Usually is,” Julia returned with a smile. “Want to walk while we talk?”

“Sounds good.”

Lisa waved goodbye to Tansy, who was still making highly inquisitive hand motions. Then she and Julia headed outside, strolling in the brisk air and talking at random about anything that came to mind.

Strangely comfortable, all things considered.

Plus, Julia was right. No matter who her father ended up being, someone in the Coleman family was about to get an enormous surprise.

* * *

Sliding into his day’s tasks took Josiah’s full concentration, since what he wanted to be doing was sticking to Lisa’s side in case she needed him.

Although “need” seemed too strong a term when it came to Lisa. The more he got to know her, the more he admired her. She was bright, and capable, and enticing, and nothing they did together seemed to turn out normal.

He had to accept that.

Somewhere in the next couple of days she would need a distraction, so as he made his rounds and dealt with animals and ranchers, he plotted as best he could.

When she did have free time, he was going to be ready.

Meanwhile, Josiah had enough going on. Not only with his regular work, but he’d been out a number of times to the newly organized animal rescue, working with Sonora.

The woman had somehow managed to get all fifty of the surviving fuzzy creatures not just penned and doctored but groomed as well. The improvement in smell alone was astonishing.

Sonora might be small, but she was a force of nature.

She planted her fists on her hips and glared at him. Josiah stiffened his spine to stop from caving instantly to her request.

“That’s the best I can do,” he said as kindly as possible but in a tone that brooked no argument. “Not because I don’t want to help, but it’s one of the things they gave us a special class on in school. Donating our time to a good cause—that’s up to us. Donating supplies, though, is the quickest way to kill a business. No business means none of the animals in the area get the care they deserve. I can’t lower the price of the medical supplies any farther.”

She rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t asking you to bankrupt your business for the sake of the animals. I do understand—I’ve worked the land for many years, and robbing Peter to pay Paul never ends well.”

Josiah shook his head. “Then I don’t understand.”

“I need help figuring out how to afford to run this place, and don’t you dare repeat that to Ashton.” She glanced over his shoulder as if the older man was going to pop out of the woodwork. “I have money, but the truth is if I want this to work properly, even as these animals get adopted, I’m going to end up with more. At some point my family is going to protest. Even though it’s my savings I’m digging into, I want to do this the smart way.”

That made a whole lot of sense. Josiah nodded. “I don’t have any answers for you right now, but let me do some brainstorming, and we’ll see what we come up with.”

“I’d appreciate that.” Sonora stooped to offer Ollie a scratch behind her ears. “This one seems to be doing well.”

“Other than she’s pouty whenever she’s not near Lisa,” Josiah said with a tolerant grin. “I posted her information on all the boards I know, but I haven’t heard back from anyone yet.”

“You needed a dog,” Sonora said easily.

He chuckled, but there wasn’t much to say to that.

They headed home, Josiah’s head filled with half-baked plans to help Sonora, but nothing that was brilliant or long-term. Ollie jumped into the cab with him as if the height was nothing, running from board to floor to seat. She stood on the passenger side, peering with interest out the windows.

Back at home, Finn was in the living room, feet on the coffee table, fingers moving rapidly over a laptop.

“How goes the war?” he asked without looking away from the screen.

“Won another battle.” Josiah settled into his easy chair and flipped up the foot rest. “If you consider it a battle when you have to convince a sow you’re not actually taking her piglets away forever.”

Finn nodded. “Protective.”

“I’m thankful they don’t have horns like bulls.”

The other man grinned, then pressed his laptop closed. “What’s on your mind?”

“Am I that transparent?”

Finn shrugged. “I’ve been here for a month. You’re not that hard to read.”

Josiah folded his hands behind his head. “Zach said you’re the money man. That you front other people’s ideas with cash.”

“He’s not lying.” Finn examined Josiah. “Looking to expand your clinic?”

Josiah waved off the suggestion. “Not me. Thinking about the new animal rescue Sonora Fallen wants to set up. She’s in a good location, and she can probably get some grants, but it’s not going to be enough. Not at the beginning.”

“Most startups fail within the first year,” Finn agreed. “What makes this one different?”

It was an honest question. “Not sure. Might be one of a hundred places out there trying to do the right thing. Picking up the animals that have been abused or abandoned, hoping to give them a chance to enjoy life.”

“Ahh, so you’re appealing to the kindhearted animal lover in me,” Finn said.

Josiah eyed the other man. “Is there one?”

“Hell, yes. I have ranching in my bones. I love the land, and I love the creatures that live in the country, the four-legged ones a lot more than most two-legged to be honest.” He put his computer aside and leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Again. What makes this shelter different?”

Josiah went a little deeper. “Community involvement? Training programs in conjunction with the schools? Integrated programs?”

Finn nodded. “You’re getting the idea. Those things mean being able to run the shelter year-to-year for a long time.”

“If it can last long enough to get any of them into place,” Josiah pointed out.

The other man tapped his finger against his lips. “I’m working on a couple of things myself that might tie in nicely with this. Tell you what. Let me ask a couple of questions before I commit to anything. It should only take a few days.”

An answer in the future was better than no ideas at all. “Appreciate that.”

“Have you seen Lisa lately?” Finn asked.

There was another tangle to unwind. “This morning.”

Finn’s grin flashed for the briefest second before it vanished. “You were quiet.”

Josiah picked up the nearest pillow and casually flung it into Finn’s face.

The man laughed. “You know when Karen’s coming to town?”

“I imagine she’ll show up soon to see the new baby.” He eyed Finn, curiosity and protectiveness battling. “You plan on dropping in?”

“Nope. Not in the middle of ‘meet the nephew’ time.” Finn shook his head. “I was upfront about my plans to pursue her, but I’m not going to steamroll in. First off, because it won’t do any good.”

“I don’t think you can keep it quiet that you’re in the area,” Josiah said. “It’s not the kind of secret Lisa would stay mum on, even if you asked her to.”

“I’ll let fate decide what gets said. I’m not worried about that.” Finn stared out the window. “I need to get everything in place before I make my move. As it was pointed out, Karen doesn’t actually live here. She can avoid me for as long as she likes until I’m ready.”

Josiah looked the man over. “You get too creepy and I promise the evidence will be gone before anyone notices you’re missing.”

“First Caleb, now you?” Finn snorted, but he raised a hand. “I solemnly swear I won’t harm a hair on the woman’s head. We just need to clear up some old misunderstandings and get our feet under us so we can head down the right trail.”

Mostly satisfied, Josiah offered a final warning: “Still going to keep an eye on you.”

The other man cracked another brief grin. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

12

She must have rushed her trip, because only two days later, Karen arrived at Heart Falls. She slipped into the Silver Stone ranch house and wrapped her arms around Tamara, squeezing tight.

A second later she stepped back and glanced around. “Okay, enough of that. Where’s my nephew?”

Laughter danced through the room as she swooped down and stole Tyler straight out of Caleb’s arms.

“Hello to you, too, Karen.” It was said dryly, without any true censure. Caleb rolled to his feet and embraced her, kissing her cheek.

“What? You know you’ve slid way down the list for greetings.” But she snagged an arm around his neck and squeezed tight. “Congrats, favourite brother-in-law. You done good.”

“I’m your only brother-in-law. And Tamara did it all.” He took the few steps across the room to his wife’s side to pull her into his arms. “I’m so thankful they’re both safe.”

“Plus, no more puking my guts out,” Tamara added. “Bonus.”

Caleb kissed her before heading toward the door.

Karen caught him by the sleeve. “Dad should arrive sometime within the hour. I convinced him to stay overnight, but he wanted to bring his own truck. Said something about picking up supplies in Calgary on the way home.”

“I’ll keep an eye out for him, then.” He examined Tamara again, his gaze drifting over her. “If you need anything, call.”

“I’m fine,” Tamara insisted. “I have both my sisters with me in case I want to order them around, which I won’t need to because I feel fine.”

Caleb smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Call me.”

He slid out the door.

Tamara all but growled at him after it clicked closed. “Frustrating, stubborn, caring jackass of a man.”

Karen carried Tyler into the living room and settled on the couch, stroking a finger down his cheek as she examined him. “It’s good to see everything is well in Tamara-land. Pretty baby you made. Good job, sis.”

Lisa settled next to Karen, resisting the urge to steal her nephew away. She’d already had a couple of days to cuddle him, but it hadn’t been nearly enough. “He is pretty. Although, don’t get too sucked in. In spite of the act he’s pulling of adorable, quiet baby, he’s got a set of lungs on him that would make a fire alarm proud.”

Tamara sat next to them, tucking her legs beneath her and leaning back against the cushions. “After nine months, you’d think I’d be tired of sitting in this corner, but it’s gotten pretty comfy.” She sighed. “I’m glad you came.”

“Of course, silly. Where else would I be?” Karen was unwrapping Tyler enough to grab his fingers, sliding a pinkie into his little fist. “What’s up with Caleb?”

“You mean his hyper-paranoia?”

Lisa snorted. “Is that an official analysis?”

“Doesn’t have to be. God, I love the man, and I want to simultaneously string him up in a corner and tell him to calm the fuck down.” Tamara snorted. “You should see your expressions. It’s not as if you haven’t heard me swear before.”

“Why’s he paranoid?” Karen asked.

“Because his first wife suffered from postpartum depression, twice, so he keeps wondering when Tamara’s going to tip over into gloom and doom.” Lisa glanced up to find both of them staring at her. “What? It wasn’t some huge secret. You told me your suspicions at one point, and that’s gotta be a god-awful thing to have to deal with. The fact she wasn’t a nice person doesn’t mean I can’t feel sympathetic. The woman had a legitimate chemical and emotional issue caused by a highly traumatic experience.”

“The traumatic experience being childbirth,” Tamara deadpanned to Karen. “Thank you, Dr. Lisa, for that wonderful layman’s diagnosis. But you’re right. Caleb is walking on eggshells as if one wrong move could blow the whole thing up. It would be sweet if it weren’t so annoying.”

“He’s just worried about you,” Karen said.

“Of course he is, but this is the best I’ve felt in a long time. I’m going to develop a psychosomatic illness from watching him watch me while he waits for something to go wrong.”

Tyler began to fuss, going from nose and mouth wiggling to a full-on baby shriek in under thirty seconds.

“Pass the baton,” Lisa ordered. “That’s a hungry cry.”

“Damn, you’ve already got it all figured out.” Karen lifted Tyler, passing him to Tamara who squirmed until she got him to latch on.

They all went quiet for a minute as Tyler drank noisily.

Lisa pushed down the tingling in her gut that was far too obvious for her to ignore. It seemed there were a few lines she needed to add to her journal. Items she’d like to experience sometime in the future.

Maybe the wish-list items weren’t about faraway adventures or classical architecture, but they were definitely about building into the future.

The three of them chatted quietly for a while about nothing and everything. Comfortable, the way they’d always been.

Tamara brought it up. “We didn’t get a chance to mention this to you before, Karen. The EMT who showed up to help with Tyler’s delivery looks so much like a Coleman, it’s frightening.”

“I met her for a coffee,” Lisa offered. “Already told Tamara, but she’s nice. She’s definitely not some scary wacko. Her mom lived in Calgary when she was born. We were wondering if she might be a daughter from Uncle Mark.”

It made sense.

Six brothers had originally lived on the Coleman land. One had passed away, four had established homes in the community, the sixth had left town, and as far as Lisa knew, lived somewhere in Southern Alberta. He’d been mentioned a few times in the past couple of years, but Uncle Mark had never come around Rocky Mountain House to meet the new generation.

Karen looked confused. “There’s someone out there who looks like a Coleman, but you’re not sure if she’s related to us? How did she end up here in Heart Falls? That’s some kind of wild coincidence.”

“Yes, and no,” Lisa admitted. “She’s doing her EMT practicum, which like for teachers and nurses tends to happen in the rural areas. One of her trainers lives locally and I guess she applied to come here specifically to mentor under him.”

“Weird.” Karen rocked to her feet, pacing momentarily. “Well, if we do have some sort of long-lost cousin showing up, we’ll deal with that. In the meantime, Dad will be here in a couple of hours. He’s actually been pretty decent the last few days. Although he nearly bit my head off when you went into labour early, for some reason.”

“Yeah, because I could totally see that being your fault,” Tamara said. She took a deep breath, then sighed. “Sorry you had to put up with him.”

“Yeah, whatever. Par for the course. I’m just glad you and Tyler are okay.” Karen slipped back onto the couch as Tamara unlatched Tyler who had fallen asleep mid-meal. “He sure is tiny. They don’t think he was premature?”

“Doctor figured we had a mix-up calculating his due date. It’s possible he was a couple weeks early and perfectly within normal range.” Tamara patted him on the back gently, working out a burp. “I no longer feel as if I’m in a chemical haze.”

“I called it,” Lisa said. “I said you were having a boy because it’s always the testosterone that’s to blame.”

Tamara laughed. “Well, I’ve heard just as often of people being sick when they had girls. I’ll tell you though, I’m thinking long and hard if I want to go through that ever again. The only redeeming feature was labour didn’t suck too much. If only we could choose what kind of pregnancy we have.”

“Nine months of nausea versus twenty-four hours or more of pain.” Karen made a face. “Difficult decision.”

“Shut up.”

“I was being serious,” Karen insisted.

The afternoon passed quickly. The little girls arrived home from school and joined the mix. Lisa soaked in every minute of the time with her sisters, pausing supper preparation when there was scratching at the back door.

Emma raced across the room and peered out the glass. “It’s Ollie.”

What? Lisa dried her hands on a towel and headed to the door. “What’s she doing here?”

“Maybe Josiah’s on the ranch,” Tamara suggested. “I thought you said he was taking care of her.”

“I didn’t think he’d bring her along if he was working,” Lisa said.

She glanced out the door to check for Josiah’s truck. When she didn’t see anything, she sent him a message.

Lisa: Where are you?

Josiah: Steven’s. What’s up?

Lisa: Ollie just arrived. I’ve got her in the house, but I didn’t want you to worry about her.

Josiah. Damn it. How the hell did she do that?

Josiah: Never mind. I’m nearly done. I’ll swing by and grab her.

Lisa: Want to stay for supper?

Josiah: Sure. Or I can take you out.

Which is when Lisa realized she’d just dropped Josiah into the middle of a “meet the parent” event. Did she want to do that? It was kind of impossible to retract her invitation at this point, but there was no way she could not be there when her dad arrived.

It seemed she was going over the waterfall in the barrel, and there was no changing direction.

She’d let him decide.

Lisa: No can do. Dad is arriving to meet Tyler, and if I’m not here I’ll be on the naughty-daughter list.

She expected him to take a moment to respond, but seconds later he was already writing back.

Josiah: That doesn’t surprise me. I fully expect you to be at the top of any naughty list. I’d love to stay. I’ll swing by Buns and Roses after I shower and grab something for dessert.

She bent and offered Ollie a firm rub on the back. “I don’t know how you found me, but I’m glad you’re not lost out there somewhere in the snow. Silly creature.”

Lisa filled a bowl with water, grabbed some food, and then tucked Ollie into the laundry room. She left the door partly open so Ollie could see out without actually being underfoot. Caleb was in the dogs don’t belong in the house camp and Lisa didn’t want to push it. Not when her dad was going to be here soon and was very firmly of the same opinion.

And then she chased down the little girls and made them haul out their homework. The same things she’d been helping with over the past months. But as a pair of big brown eyes watched her intently from where Ollie had settled down on the nest Lisa made for her, it felt different.

Not only was there a brand-new little life in the house, but Lisa stood at a split in the road. She wasn’t planning on running off and leaving Tamara that minute, but change was close. Very close. She’d have to make a decision about what to do next.

She was nowhere near ready.

* * *

Mealtimes at Silver Stone ranch were never awkward. They were noisy, they were loud. There was usually enough tempting food to make Josiah want to overindulge until he had to adjust his belt—something he tried extremely hard not to do.

The two things he wasn’t used to experiencing when he joined the Stone family for dinner were babies and parents, and tonight he was getting both.

At all of four days old, Tyler Stone was making ample impact on the dozen or so family members gathered together. For something not much bigger than a Kleenex box, the kid had everyone jumping when he so much as squeaked.

In other words, he was a typical baby—the world revolved around him, and Josiah had zero problems with it.

The parent bit of the equation, aka, Lisa’s dad, took up a whole lot more mental room and, unlike Tyler, nobody seemed to quite know how to deal with the man.

He’d already been in the house when Josiah arrived, and Lisa hurried to introduce them.

George Coleman stepped forward, hand stretched forward in greeting. “Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, and congratulations on becoming a grandpa. Again,” Josiah added quickly, in light of the girls Tamara had adopted.

George stuttered for a second, as if not quite believing it. A small smile crossed his face. “Appreciate it.”

“Grampa George has already been shortened to Geegee,” Lisa informed him. “I won twenty bucks calling that, by the way.”

“Of course you did.”

She grinned as she relieved him of the bag he held in his left hand. “Hi.”

“Hi.” He glanced at George then at her sisters and brother-in-law, who were milling around the room, not quite certain if he was brave enough to kiss her in front of them all.

Her lips twitched. “Go rescue Ollie. She’s been complaining ever since we closed the door.”

He followed her pointing finger to the laundry room. “Was she acting up?”

Lisa shook her head. “I’ll explain later.”

He gave Ollie a hello and a treat from his pocket before warning her to be good and closing the door again.

Josiah washed his hands, then joined the family, and after they’d all settled at the table, he waited for his friend to follow tradition and serve up the meal.

The little girls chattered, grown-ups shared stories. Tyler got passed around like the football in a rugby match to give everyone a chance to eat.

Josiah found himself frequently being stared at by George Coleman. He couldn’t remember exactly what Lisa had said when she’d introduced him, and now that the moment passed, it seemed awkward to back up and formally announce they were dating.

Awkward. Very awkward.

“Julia wants to know if she can come over tomorrow. She’s got the afternoon off.” Lisa glanced at Karen who had Tyler braced against her chest and was eating one-handed like a pro. “You plan to stick around for a couple of days?”

“Yes.” Karen faced their father. “As long as that’s okay with you.”

George waved a hand. “Of course it’s fine. I’ll take care of things. The Moonshine boys offered to come out and help deal with that pole shed that needs to be shored up.”

Karen’s face tightened, but she nodded firmly. “Good. Then I’m definitely here until the seventh. I can’t wait to see this Julia. I figure the odds of someone like her being here in Heart Falls are like winning the lottery.”

Their father frowned sternly. “Who is this person? Tamara, you’re not letting some total stranger into your home, are you?”

“Yes, Dad. I’ve been taking out advertisements, asking anyone who possibly wanted to come and invade—”

“Julia is part of the emergency team that helped deliver Tyler,” Lisa interjected. It was a smooth move to try to ease the tension that was clearly there between George and his daughters.

Not that Josiah blamed Tamara for getting snarky.

George was bristling, eyeing Caleb as if sitting in judgment. “Well, I guess that’s fine.”

Lisa’s dad was a bit of an ass, but at the same time, it wouldn’t hurt to do whatever Josiah could to try to help ease the situation. “She looks a lot like your family. That’s why the girls find it so interesting.”

“We’re wondering if Uncle Mark has kids he’s never told us about,” Karen said.

George shook his head. “He’s been away for a long time, but we’ve gotten back in touch recently. As far as I know he’s been single his whole life.”

“Julia’s mom was in Calgary for a while. It’s possible she was seeing him at one point. Or maybe the other uncle before he passed away—John?”

Another headshake of denial. “John didn’t go anywhere outside of Rocky Mountain House. Definitely not without Mark.”

“It’ll take some digging, but we’ll figure it out, if Julia is interested,” Tamara said. “I had to do DNA testing back while I was in university. If she wants, we can release the privacy on it to see if we’re actually related before we worry about anything else.”

Lisa nodded, then pulled a face. “It’s too bad we can’t ask her mom, but Sharon Blushing passed away a year ago.”

George’s fork fell from his fingers and clattered on the table, the potatoes and gravy he’d been about to put in his mouth splattering half on, half off his plate.

He grabbed a napkin and dabbed at his mouth, but his face had gone white.

“Dad?” Tamara was on her feet, pushing back from the table. “You okay?”

George shook his head, reaching for his water glass. “I’m fine. I’m fine.”

But the man was not fine. Josiah laid a hand on Lisa’s leg to keep her in place before turning to catch George’s eye.

He’d gone white right down to the bone, as if shock was settling in. Something in the last moment had hit hard enough to send him nearly over the edge.

“Deep breath,” Josiah ordered. “Hold it for second then let it out as slowly as you can.”

Tamara was there, pushing her dad’s chair back. “He’s right. Focus on your breathing. Do you feel any pain? Is it your heart?”

“No. Just stop.” George had pressed his hand against his chest, but he glanced quickly across the table at Sasha and Emma, who were both watching with wide-eyed horror. “Geegee is okay,” he told them. “Just swallowed wrong. Go back to your dinner. All of you.” Their father said it forcefully, twisting away from his daughter and back to the table. If he had been having a heart attack, he was hiding it well.

When he deliberately picked up his fork and pushed it into his meatloaf, everyone started to move again.

“Lisa. My brother found a spare guitar for you. You were talking about wanting to practice.” Caleb deliberately kept his gaze off his father-in-law, but he wasn’t fooling any of the grown-ups. They were all doing their best to get to the end of the meal when the little girls could be dismissed.

At that point, George Coleman would have to either fess up or lie his ass off. Because it was all too clear when he’d reacted.

Fight or flight? From what Lisa had shared earlier about her father, and the tension in the room before everything had blown up—Josiah wasn’t sure which way it was going to go.

He stayed at Lisa’s side, stealing her fingers into his and holding on. Offering himself as an anchor.

He had no idea that getting involved with her would involve so much drama. So be it—he was the king of dramatic families, when it came right down to it. None of this could scare him away. And if he could somehow make the night a little less traumatic for her, he was on board.

They finally finished the meal, and with impeccable timing, Kelli James showed up at the door. “Knock, knock. I have two little girls I need out in the barn, stat.”

Sasha and Emma eyed their grown-ups suspiciously, but Kelli was a big temptation. “Why?” Sasha demanded.

Kelli grinned. “I’ll give you a hint. What has twenty legs and purrs?”

“Kittens,” the girls shouted, racing for their coats and boots.

“That was convenient,” Josiah whispered toward Lisa.

She pushed her phone toward him and let him read her messages.

Lisa: Family emergency. Nothing wrong with Tamara or baby, but we need you to kidnap the girls in fifteen minutes.

Kelli: I’m on it.

While they were waiting for the girls to leave the room, Lisa stood and put on the kettle for coffee, but other than that there was no pretense of clearing away dishes and moving to the living room.

Tamara stared at her father. “Now that the girls are gone, what’s wrong?”

George opened his mouth then snapped it closed. “I don’t like being interrogated by my daughters in front of my son-in-law and a total stranger.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” Caleb leaned back in his chair then did a good imitation of a rock. “Seems as if you’ve got something big on your plate you need to clear and if it’s going to affect Tamara, I’m not leaving her alone. Not now. Not ever.”

George glanced briefly at Josiah.

“You can pretend I’m not here, but Lisa’s going to tell me everything anyway,” Josiah said blandly. Taking a clue from Caleb, he leaned back and folded his arms across his chest. He wasn’t about to announce the not leaving her alone part, although he was sorely tempted to.

Karen spoke softly. “Dad. What’s wrong? Do you know Julia?”

“No.” Instant denial. Sincere and strong, and a little—hurt?

George pushed up from the table and marched toward the kitchen, jerking back and pacing toward the living room as if his tangled thoughts wouldn’t let him stay in one place.

“Do you know the name Sharon Blushing?” Lisa didn’t demand, she didn’t roar. She was squeezing Josiah’s fingers as if she was about to explode.

George twisted toward them, misery on his face. He nodded. A sharp, blunt motion, as if that’s all he could get out.

Then he took a deep breath, just like Josiah had told him to. He let it out slowly, his gaze meeting each of his daughters in turn. He paused on his son-in-law and once more on Josiah. Clearly confused why he was there.

George squared his shoulders. “I don’t know Julia. I’ve never heard of her, but a long time ago I had a brief—” He swallowed. “Ah, hell. I was with this woman for about a week. Her name was Sharon Blushing, and when I said goodbye, I never heard from her again. Swear to God.”

A pin drop could’ve been heard in the room as the three women registered exactly what their father’s confession meant.

Caleb rose from his chair and met his father-in-law in the middle of the room. He placed a hand on his shoulder, and Josiah wasn’t quite sure what was going to happen.

Then like the rock he was, Caleb cut through the tension and took control.

“You’ve had a shock. We don’t know exactly what’s going on, but you deserve some time to process before anyone asks you more questions.” Caleb glanced back at the table, warning in his eyes. But Tamara nodded in response, cradling Tyler against her chest.

Caleb pushed his father-in-law toward the door. “Come on. I’ll walk you to your room.”

None of the women protested as the two of them pulled on coats and boots and left the house.

It was the strangest situation. Outside of reality, yet most definitely happening and real, and life-changing in ways no one could yet understand. A small part of Josiah wished at that moment that he too was out in the barn, innocently chasing down kittens.

The bigger part of him was so very glad he was there as Lisa squeezed his fingers and held on as if she was never letting go.

13

“Does that mean—?” Karen shook her head. “Of course, it means Julia’s probably our sister. That’s not what I’m asking.”

“How old is Julia?” Tamara asked.

“That’s my actual question,” Karen said.

“Twenty-five.” Lisa was tapping her fingers on the countertop. Counting. When she glanced up there was relief in her eyes. “Young enough that our mom was already dead when Julia was conceived.”

All three of them relaxed like wilting balloons.

At her side, Josiah shifted until his hand could slide around her waist. “Are you guys okay? I mean, as okay as you can be? And if you want me to leave, let me know.”

Karen waved off that suggestion. “Forget it. It’s not as if you’re getting information that won’t be out on the street in a short while. Seriously, Dad had an affair?”

“Not that my brain wants to go there at all, but he is a guy. Mom would’ve been dead for at least a year.” Lisa glanced at Josiah. “Mom rolled a tractor. I was about one, so I don’t really remember her.”

“Neither of us remember her that well, either,” Tamara said. “I mean, things we think are memories might just be our imagination, or stories we were told by others.”

Silence fell again, all of them staring at the table, lost in thought.

Josiah shot to his feet. “You’ve had a shock, which means you need to do the next thing. I’ll clean the table, but someone should probably help me or your leftovers will end up in strange places.”

Lisa was beside him, punching him lightly on the shoulder as she led him toward the kitchen. “You’re right. This isn’t life-and-death. Julia seems like a nice enough person.”

“A nice enough person who’s about to get her mind blown,” Tamara said, moving to the couch as Tyler chose that moment to begin to fuss. “You need to warn her,” she told Lisa.

“Agreed.” Karen joined them, working easily as they let Tamara deal with the baby. They cleaned up the mess in the kitchen and dining room. “I know it’s fast and we should ask Dad how he feels about it, but if he can handle it, it might be good to get us all in a room together.”

Josiah stayed quiet while the girls continued to talk. He kept an eye on all of them, checking expressions, but especially watching Lisa.

Other than being completely perplexed at times, she seemed to have bounced back. As the girls had said, it wasn’t a terrible thing. Possibly not even as shocking for them as it would be for Julia. The other woman had admitted she didn’t have a lot of family. Being thrust into a new mix might be more than she wanted.

Lisa was quieter than usual.

Ollie had snuck into the room and was ricocheting between him and Lisa, side-eyeing them as if to complain about the shut door she’d had to put up with for the last couple of hours.

When Caleb came back into the room, Josiah prepared to make his escape.

It didn’t work. Lisa caught hold of him and held on tight as they all waited.

“Your dad’s pretty shook up, but he’s okay,” Caleb assured Tamara. “I put him in one of the empty rooms in the bunkhouse. We’ll tell the girls they can go visit for a bedtime story, but this way Geegee gets some peace and quiet instead of having to listen to a baby cry at night.”

It made sense. Lisa relaxed, leaning into Josiah as if using his strength to stay vertical. He slipped an arm around her shoulders.

Caleb noticed, but when his gaze met Josiah’s, he simply dipped his chin a fraction of an inch in approval before moving on to check Karen, then his wife.

His gaze lingered on Tamara. He went to say something a half dozen times, each time choking back words, his expression going blank even as he sat on the coffee table in front of her and watched her finish nursing Tyler.

It seemed Tamara knew exactly what was going on. She sighed heavily. “I’m going to send you ass over teakettle if you don’t stop waiting for me to fall apart. Please, Caleb.”

“It’s just, this has been a shock,” he began.

“It has been, but it’s not necessarily a bad one. I need a shower, and somebody needs a diaper change.” She glanced at Karen and Lisa. “I’m calling time out. No more talking or thinking about this tonight. You guys okay with that?”

Karen nodded as she came forward to take Tyler in the continuing game of pass the baby. “I plan to stick around, so if you want to head out with Josiah, Lisa, I’ll take care of things. Just let us know if you touch base with Julia.”

“Will do.” Lisa tugged Josiah toward the door. “Give me a minute to grab some stuff, okay?”

“No problem.” He glanced out the window to find snow had begun to fall sometime in the last hour. “I’ll clear off the truck. You can ride with me, and I’ll bring you back later.”

Lisa headed away. Ollie glanced at Josiah then took off after Lisa. The dog nearly walked into a wall, though, shoulder-checking as if trying to keep an eye on Josiah even as she followed Lisa.

Josiah chuckled. Crazy dog.

He was headed for the door, hat firmly in place, when Karen tugged on his sleeve. She had a hand on Tyler’s belly, holding him securely on the changing area set up at the side of the room. “Thanks for being a voice of reason in the midst of the Coleman madness.”

“No problem,” he repeated. “None of you were out of control, you know that.”

Caleb and Tamara had both left the room, so it was just him and Karen. She wrinkled her nose then shrugged, reaching one handed under the counter and pulling out a brightly wrapped package. “I suppose this is probably strange timing considering how this evening turned out, but Tamara said she wanted Lisa to have this. I assume it’s some sort of thank-you for having taken care of things up until now.”

“I can give it to her.” He wasn’t quite sure why he was being involved.

Karen grabbed a second package. “And this one is for you. Same thing. Thanks for showing up and helping Tyler arrive safely.”

Josiah chuckled. “I have zero objections to receiving presents. You don’t need to look so worried.”

She went back to the diaper change, working quickly and efficiently. “Just don’t shoot the messenger. Tamara can have a twisted sense of humour. I have no idea if those are real or gag gifts.”

“Twisted sense of humour? Sounds like Lisa.”

Karen wrinkled her nose, not just at the task at hand, as she ditched the messy diaper and got Tyler suited up in a clean one. “I guess we’re going to find out if these family traits truly run from genetics or if it’s more based on how you were raised.”

The needy tone in her voice was too clear to miss.

He waited until she’d scooped Tyler up then held his arms out. “Not to jump the gun or anything, but if you need a hug from a big brother…”

Josiah left the offer open, not wanting to push, but to his surprise she accepted immediately. Karen shuffled Tyler to one side and stepped in to squeeze Josiah tight. Even with just one free hand, she patted him on the back nearly as hard as his brother did on a regular basis. “You’re a good guy, Josiah. Welcome to the chaos.”

There was a warm spot glowing inside as they pulled apart. Something completely family-like and caring in her words…and it felt good.

Josiah tipped his hat, tapped Tyler on the nose, and snuck out the door.

He barely had the truck ready by the time Lisa showed up.

She threw a gym bag into the back seat of the crew cab, lifted Ollie to the floorboards, then climbed up and slid into the middle next to him. “I’m running away tonight. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Of course not.” He headed carefully down the snowy drive. “My roommates will be home,” he warned.

“I don’t think I’m in the mood for screaming,” she said quietly.

“No assumptions.” He slid his arm around her shoulders. “You want to wait until we get home to call Julia?”

“Part of me wants to wait until forever to make that call, but that’s not fair to anyone.”

Ollie whined softly before hopping up on the passenger seat. She stepped daintily across Lisa’s lap to deposit herself in the narrow space between their thighs.

Nope. Josiah slowed to a stop before pulling out onto the highway. He snapped his fingers and pointed to the other side of Lisa. “You’re already pushing it riding in the cab, dog. Get over there.”

Ollie rose, a disgruntled look on her face, but she obeyed. She settled with her chin on Lisa’s thigh and proceeded to stare piteously at Josiah.

“You offended her,” Lisa scolded as he resumed driving. “She simply can’t get comfortable unless she’s sitting on both of us.”

“I noticed. She might need to adjust her standards because that’s not going to fly with the veterinarian.”

Lisa pulled out her phone and stared at it for a moment before letting out a huge sigh. “Here goes nothing.”

As difficult it was for Lisa to make the call, in some ways Josiah thought it was even harder to be on the listening end. To have no control—

But wasn’t that the problem? None of the people who’d been thrust into this situation had control. The only option they had was to face the future.

* * *

The evening had been over-the-top crazy, yet through it all, Lisa clung to two facts.

One, the mysterious woman who had shown up and might be family seemed a decent individual. It wasn’t her fault any of this had happened. All Lisa could do was to try to mitigate the shock that was about to arrive.

The other? How much she appreciated that Josiah had been beside her. Lisa couldn’t remember a single time in the past when she’d been the one who had someone looking out for her.

But no one else could do this. It was on her shoulders.

She made the call.

“Hey, Lisa,” Julia said. “I didn’t expect to hear from you this soon.”

“I’ve been thinking about you lots, and there’s been an interesting development I need to mention. It’s kind of big,” Lisa warned. “Are you sitting down?”

A moment’s silence came from the line. “I’m not driving or doing anything dangerous. What’s wrong?”

“Not necessarily wrong, just a bit of a surprise. Remember I mentioned there might be an uncle who lived in Calgary around the time you would’ve been conceived?” Lisa made a face as she watched the gate in front of them open. Way to go beating around the bush. She wasn’t about to win any awards for charm, not picking such a stupid way to approach this.

“Do you think he might be my dad?” Julie asked. Nothing in her tone said she was freaking out or excited. She just was.

“From the conversation we had tonight around the dinner table with my sisters and my dad, it appears you might be a little more related than we first guessed. I’m not positive, but my dad seems to know your mom.”

The silence stretched on a lot longer this time. “Wait. That’s— Are you saying—?”

“He was shaken up when I mentioned your mom’s name, and we didn’t want to push, but he pretty much came out and admitted he had an affair with her.”

“Wow.” More silence.

Josiah was driving cautiously, both hands on the wheel as the headlights shone forward, dancing off the falling snowflakes. Everything seemed hushed, as if speaking the wrong words would somehow make the world vanish.

“Julia?” Lisa asked. “Are you okay?”

“Are you guys okay? I already knew my mom had been with someone, even though she refused to tell me who. This has got to be a huge shock for you.” Her quick inhale was audible over the line. “I’m not trying to mess anything up for your family, I swear. Or push myself in where I don’t belong.”

“It’s not that at all. If you’re family, you’re family. We just need to find out for sure.” Lisa stared out the side window at the growing darkness. “Either way, I’m not trying to run away from getting to know you.”

“Thanks.”

Lisa decided it was better to just cut it short. “I’ll let you go, but if you need to call me tonight, don’t hesitate. Dad’s around tomorrow. If you want, you can come by to meet him.”

“This is all a little over the top, but yes, that’s a good idea. I’m on call tonight until noon tomorrow, so if it’s possible to meet after that, I’d appreciate it.”

“No problem. Take care of yourself tonight, okay? And I mean it. Call if you need to,” Lisa reminded her.

“I will. But I’ll be fine.” Julia actually laughed softly. “I’m always fine.”

Which made Lisa feel even worse as she hung up.

Josiah had parked the truck in front of his house. He pulled her out the door after him, pausing to make sure Ollie made it to the ground safely. He tugged Lisa tight. “That sounded as if it went well. As well as it could.”

“I guess.” Lisa laid her head against his chest and squeezed tight, closing her eyes and leaning into him. “I feel like I should call someone to make sure they keep an eye on Julia.”

“Good idea. No reason why we can’t give Brad a call.”

“What if he’s not working?”

“He’s probably not, but he’ll know who is.” Josiah pulled out his phone and called right then and there, giving their friend the quick-and-dirty update. He nodded as he hung up. “Brad’s got it under control.”

“Okay, that helps.”

Josiah whistled for Ollie, who had taken off to do her business and explore the hedges beside the house. “Come on. Let’s go inside where it’s warm.”

Walking into the house was like stepping into comfort. The memory of their first date swept in powerful and strong as she took off her boots. Josiah took her coat and hung it in the closet.

She headed straight for the fireplace, ready to add a couple of logs to the coals that were still burning.

“Let’s get the one in my room going,” Josiah suggested. “Unless you want to spend the evening with my roommates, which if you do, fine. They might be a good distraction.”

That wasn’t the kind of distraction she was looking for. “Brilliant reminder.”

She caught Josiah by the hand and tugged him down the hallway.

They were at his bedroom door before she realized she’d basically been running. From the way he was grinning, he was aware.

“You make one comment about me being eager to get into your bedroom…” she warned, unable to keep a smile from flickering across her face.

Josiah twisted the doorknob, letting the door swing away from them as he gestured her in. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

But he smiled back and stirred more dizzying emotions inside her than she’d like to admit.

Josiah headed to the side of the room and got the fire going as promised. Lisa stared out the window for a moment, the clouds gathering behind the mountains shining with yellows and reds. “Will we get another chance to see the green flash?”

“We can try if you’d like. We’d need to sneak upstairs in an hour.”

He was stacking wood carefully on top of kindling, teeny flames crawling up the wood like eager fingers.

“Maybe not.” Lisa slid in close and placed her hands on his shoulders, running her palms along his arms and over his chest as she leaned into his back. Resting her weight against him. Soaking in the heat of his torso.

He closed the airtight door. “You need some more cuddles?”

She moved with him as he settled on the floor, landing in his lap with her arms around his shoulders. “I don’t know what I need, to be honest.”

He tucked his fingers under her chin and adjusted her head to brush his lips over hers. Brief, almost chaste. “This might sound off the wall, but let’s go with it.” He wiggled, pulling something from his back pocket.

A set of note cards. Familiar looking—

Lisa laughed. “You have another scene for us to play out?”

His cheeks had gone red, but he kept a happy expression in place. “Only if you want to.”

She pressed her palms against his face and stared into his blue eyes intently. “That would be perfect. I want to get out of my head, and what better way than to get into somebody else’s? What kind of classical entertainment are we duplicating tonight? Another historical Western?”

This time Josiah’s smile reached his eyes. “You pick. I didn’t give us a script this time. We’re going to improvise.”

“Sounds interesting. You have any props?”

A burst of laughter escaped him. “Damn. When you do a thing, you get into it one hundred percent, don’t you?”

He lifted her, bracing until she found her balance and sliding back on the floor with the cards he handed her. The fire was beginning to take, heat sliding past the glass front to create an oasis of warmth.

Lisa glanced at the first card and read out loud. “Setting: a castle in France. Mid-eighteenth century. Female lead: housekeeper. Male lead: Lord of the Manor.” She snickered, not even trying to hide it. “Josiah Ryder, you have French maid fantasies.”

He grinned. Unashamed and totally amused. “You’d look damn good in a short skirt.”

She tucked the card behind the others. “Setting: high school gymnasium. Female lead: head cheerleader. Male lead: captain of the football team.”

Across from her, Josiah leaned back on his elbows, the long length of him stretched out before her. His thigh muscles pressed against his jeans and a prominent bulge rose behind the worn spot at the center of his groin.

“Short skirt. That’s all I’m saying.”

Another card got tucked behind, not because she wasn’t interested in potentially playing out that situation, but because this entire setup was far enough out of the norm to delight her. It wasn’t every guy who could put down their fragile male egos long enough to truly have fun in the bedroom.

After all his short-skirt comments and the scenarios he’d set out—this was definitely ending in bed. There’d been way too many days of dirty thoughts and getting herself off.

“Setting: a doctor’s office.” She tucked the card behind the others. “Sorry, no. Maybe if I hadn’t just seen a kid pop out from my sister.”

“In my defence, I set these cards up a couple of days ago,” Josiah admitted.

His gaze drifted over her, lingering on her breasts, then rising up to take in her face. Slow enough to be an actual caress, it slid over her shoulders. Over her skin and deeper.

It wasn’t just sexual, this attraction between them.

He was right. The past weeks had built a tie stronger than she’d expected. But the sexual part? Oh, hell yes, it was there.

It was time to do something about it.

Lisa glanced at the next card. “Setting: a remote hotel room. Two strangers—” She looked up with a grin. “I’m going to burst your bubble, but this is kind of how my cousin met your best friend’s sister.”

Josiah’s eyes widened as he scrambled forward to see which card she had. “Damn. You’re right. I never thought about it that way.” He tossed the card over her shoulder. “I mean, I’m glad it turned out well for them, but I’m not looking to reenact that.”

Considering the one-night stand had resulted in a baby—neither was Lisa. Not yet, at least.

“Setting. A lonely stretch of highway in the English countryside. A young lady’s carriage is beset by highwaymen.” She whistled, glancing up. “Are you the hero coming to rescue me or one of the highwaymen?”

He was no longer sitting a few feet away, but beside her. Smoothing his fingers over her thigh. “I can go with either.”

“Definitely the hero. I always assumed highwaymen had questionable hygiene.”

Josiah burst out laughing. He rolled to his back to gaze at the ceiling. “God. This is more difficult than I imagined.”

“But a lot of fun, right?” Lisa swung carefully over him, thighs resting on either side of his hips as she stared down. She leaned forward and pressed her hands to his chest. “Scottish countryside.”

He slid a hand into her hair, tangling the length around his fingers. “Why the revision?”

“With a heroic Scotsman coming to my rescue? You’ve got to have a kilt somewhere. You’re not the only one who likes skirts.”

He wrapped a hand around the back of her neck and tugged. She let him guide her down until their lips met.

Stretched out in front of the fire, creating their own type of heat, the scenarios on random cards vanished.

Josiah had one hand on her hip, holding her steady. He slipped his fingers just high enough to separate her T-shirt from her jeans, then his thumb made contact with skin, rubbing back-and-forth at the edge of her waistline. A barely there touch, yet big enough her entire body felt as if he were petting her.

And the kisses. Long, slow, drugging exchanges. His tongue slipping against hers just long enough that when he pulled back she couldn’t help but follow, stretching more fully over him, his solid muscular body a gloriously hard cushion.

Josiah rolled, bringing her under him onto the soft woven carpet in front of the fireplace. He held himself up on one elbow, the weight of his torso barely brushing hers. His hips firmly nestled between her thighs, and when he rocked, the hard length of his cock brushed her aching sex, and she moaned.

“Do you actually want me to go find a kilt?” he muttered between kisses that drifted across her cheek and down her throat. “Do you want to stop and go look for the green flash?”

Lisa lifted her legs and wrapped them tightly around his hips, locking him in place even as she regretted the layers between them. “Later. Right now if you want to ravish me, I’m fully on board.”

“You have no idea what you’re doing to me,” Josiah said, pulling up her T-shirt. He shoved down the cup of her bra. An instant later, his mouth covered her nipple and he sucked.

Lisa arched, the response jolting from her body. A pulsing need began deep in her core, as if he’d tipped the top of a metronome and the heavy pulse was echoing off the walls to land solidly between her thighs.

She caught hold of his shirt, fingers twisting in the fabric as she tugged with a faint hope it would magically disappear and she could make contact with skin.

No magic. Words were required. “Not that I want you to stop, but take this off,” she whispered.

Josiah slid farther down her body, nipping at her waist. “I’m busy.”

“Josiah,” she complained with an exasperated moan.

A clatter of doggie nails rattled across the floor as Ollie came running from her bed in the corner of the room to see what was wrong.

Josiah laid his forehead against Lisa’s belly and laughed as Ollie stuck her head over them both, whining in concern. When he lifted his head, laughter danced in his eyes. “This overprotective dog does not like you making that noise,” he pointed out.

Lisa struggled upright, pushing Ollie aside and shoving down her shirt. Cock-blocked by the dog. Again.

“Ollie. Go, sit.” She pointed at the dog bed as she put every bit of command into her words.

The dog glanced at Josiah, blinking piteously. It was clear she hoped for an overrule of Lisa’s order.

He lifted his arm and pointed as well. “Go.”

Ollie snorted as if she’d been cruelly abandoned, shuffling back to her bed. She turned in three increasingly slow circles before collapsing with a loud huff of air.

Josiah and Lisa glanced at each other for a moment in sheer amusement before he scooped her up, spinning her in a circle then tossing her toward his bed. “We might be safe up there.”

Lisa slid higher on the mattress, patting the spot beside her. “There’s no time like the present.”

His eyes flashed, and he held up a hand. “You’re right. I’ll be back.”

Josiah turned on his heel and left the room.

14

Josiah left the door to the bedroom open, so Lisa assumed he was coming back. She curled her legs up and wrapped her arms around them, laughing inside.

His unpredictability scored another point.

He jetted back into the room then slowed, as if he hadn’t been sprinting a moment earlier. “I forgot these.”

He held up two brightly wrapped packages. He closed the door firmly and locked it before marching to the bed and climbing on the mattress beside her.

The smaller of the two packages was offered to her. “It’s not from me. It’s from your sister. Some sort of thank-you for us being there the other day.”

Her curiosity kicked into high gear. “Instant proof Tamara’s feeling better, because a week ago she would’ve had to ask me to do the wrapping.” She picked up her box and held it by her ear as she shook it.

A low sliding rattle echoed back.

Josiah was unwrapping the other gift, a beautiful leather belt slipping from the box onto the mattress between them.

“That’s nice.” Lisa wiggled closer. “And observant. You could use an upgrade.”

She tugged on the end of the belt he wore. It wrapped far around his waist until it nearly reached his back.

Lisa glanced up at his face to discover his pretend smile was in place. “What’s wrong?”

Josiah blinked, then put his thoughts aside. “I’m picturing you wearing my belt and nothing else.”

A shiver of anticipation struck. “We can totally do that. We just won’t tell my sisters, okay?”

His smile was back. The real one that lit up his eyes as he mimed putting a key to his lips, locking it, then throwing the key over his shoulder.

Lisa scrambled at the wrapping paper on her present, watching his face. She’d let him get away with keeping his secret for the moment, but there was definitely something more to discover. “If Tamara gave me a wooden spoon, we know she’s going with a theme.”

“It’s too short to be a wooden spoon,” Josiah pointed out.

That was true. The box turned out to be a shiny metallic tin with a brightly coloured image of a mountain scene. “Pretty.”

Josiah took it from her fingers. “What’s inside? Chocolates? Tea?”

“Something decadent, I hope.”

He popped the lid off, and the tin slipped from his fingers. A rainbow of colourful condom wrappers showered onto the mattress.

Lisa couldn’t help it. She burst into laughter at the expression on Josiah’s face. “Oh my God, I’m going to kill her.”

“Do I even want to know?” Josiah asked.

He was picking up the condoms, putting them back into the tin two and three at a time. Lisa grabbed one, waving it in the air like a baton. “Long-standing joke. I might have given Tamara a box of these once upon a time.”

He reached for the one in her fingers, but she tucked it away with sleight-of-hand.

Josiah paused as she showed him empty palms. “Good trick. You Coleman girls are dangerous.”

Lisa glanced toward the corner of the room to make sure that Ollie was settled in place. “I’m sure a heroic Scotsman like yourself has no problem dealing with danger.”

His demeanor changed. Josiah put the tin down beside his present on the side table. “I don’t need to role-play tonight, and I don’t want to wait any longer. I want you, Lisa.”

Oh my God. “Yes. Definitely yes.”

He reached for her, and this time the T-shirt didn’t just go up partway. It was over her head and tossed to the floor in mere seconds. Josiah undid her bra, pressing a kiss to her shoulder before slipping the straps off one at a time. The cool air mixed with the heat from the fireplace and brushed her skin as he got her naked.

Jeans undone and stripped away. Panties vanishing.

He caught her wool socks by the toes and dragged them off so slowly her skin lit up. Every inch was so sensitive that when he wrapped a hand around her ankle and caressed his way up, Lisa quivered.

“So beautiful,” he whispered before pressing his lips to her calf. To the inside of her knee. Barely moving before licking and nipping all the way up to her inner thigh.

Josiah pressed her knees apart, staring at her sex. Just looking, as Lisa watched.

His eyes—so expressive when he was being himself. When he showed what he was actually feeling and it was clear there was no pretending going on. This wasn’t acting. It was simple need and want and desire.

Josiah glanced up and their gazes met

“You’re making me nervous,” she admitted. “And I don’t get nervous.”

“Let’s just call it anticipation then,” he suggested. “Trust me. I’ll make you feel good.”

She wanted to complain that he wasn’t getting naked, but she already knew he had the mouth of a god. Interrupting his plans seemed like a sin.

He leaned in and put his lips to her sex, and she closed her eyes and just felt.

Felt each teasing stroke as he worked either side of her sex, circling her clit before giving it the briefest bit of attention. Again, and again, each move slightly different, so she couldn’t anticipate where he would touch next. Each time adding a little twist until the ache inside was so big she could barely breathe.

He’d slid a finger into her, stroking softly. He switched to two fingers, barely there, barely moving, yet most definitely present. Especially in contrast to the rapid motion of his tongue.

The next time he withdrew, a shudder shook her as he raised three fingers to his mouth and licked.

Oh. My. God.

He pressed the thick mass into her, and she slapped a hand over her mouth to trap the wordless whimper that wanted to escape.

His grin flashed. “Good thinking. Don’t disturb the puppy.”

His fingers moved with infinite patience. A deep tingle radiated everywhere, as if he were attaching electrodes to her body.

“Josiah. Please.” The words were as close to a whisper as she could manage at that moment.

His smile only widened. “Yes, ma’am.”

He put that magical mouth to her again, and she could’ve started a countdown timer. Three, two, one—

She was gone. Waves of pleasure rolled over her as if a rock had been dropped into a basin. Impact shot to the edge then back, ripples smashing into each other, creating a hard pulse that went on and on. Every time he moved his fingers, her body lit up again.

When he finally slipped his hand free, Lisa wanted to catch him by the shoulders and drag him over her, but she couldn’t move. “I’m boneless.”

Josiah shoved off his jeans, reaching for the condom she’d laid on the pillow beside her. “I’m not.”

She glanced down in the hopes of getting to finally see him naked, but the instant he covered himself, he was back between her thighs. Kissing her senseless before aligning his cock with her sex.

He rocked, groaning against her cheek. “Not going to last,” he warned.

“It’s okay—”

Josiah pressed deep. A single motion that buried him completely.

Air rushed from her lungs. Lisa clutched his shoulders, fighting to remember how to breathe. He felt so perfect inside her. Stretching her, filling her.

Moving in her as he slowly withdrew before thrusting forward.

His expression—one hundred percent real. His eyes closed and his jaw slid open as he moaned in pleasure. The next second his eyes snapped open and his gaze caught hers as his lips twisted upward. “Better than I dreamed.”

“Me too.” She tugged at his shirt. “Except for this.”

Josiah hesitated, then leaned on one arm and reached over his head. He jerked the fabric forward and she helped gather it up and off as he rocked onto the other arm to free the last sleeve.

Finally.

Lisa curled herself around him, savouring the heat of his naked skin touching hers. Josiah adjusted their position until they ended up sitting on the bed. His legs dangled off the side as she sat in his lap, fully embedded on his cock.

His torso quivered as she stroked her fingers over the muscular planes of his chest. “Now it’s perfect,” she said.

His fingers pulsed on her butt and he put his lips to hers as he lifted her. Effortlessly sliding her up before bringing her down carefully. Lisa used her thighs and helped, and they picked up speed.

Josiah groaned. “So fucking good.”

Harder, now. He brought her down rapidly, thrusting upward to connect them forcefully. As she rocked over him, he slid one hand against her back, drawing them closer until their bodies rubbed.

Sex slicked and wet. The scent in the air—decadent. The sounds—enough to make the spiral of heat inside her flare all over again.

Lisa felt the tremor before he clutched her, hips pulsing erratically as he came, his shaft thick within her.

She was so close. She ground down, bumping her clit against his body in a desperate search for the final pressure she needed.

Josiah snuck a hand between their bodies, his thumb going unerringly to her clit. He circled a couple of times and then pressed down, hard. Pinching and rolling between thumb and forefinger, and it was enough.

More than enough. It was a stick of dynamite when a match would’ve worked, but she wasn’t about to complain.

“Josiah.” The word escaped somewhere between a cry of pleasure and a wheeze.

He laughed as he caught the back of her head and brought her mouth to his. Kissing her. Both of them gasping for air between tongue-tangling demands. As if they couldn’t get enough of each other.

It took a long time for their breathing to return to normal, the fire between them having heated the room to perfection.

Lisa peeled back just far enough to stare into his eyes. Her fingers caressed the back of his head as she stroked his hair. “Not bad considering you weren’t wearing a kilt.”

Josiah’s face lit up. “It’s good to have something to look forward to.”

Oh, she had plenty to look forward to. They were just beginning—

She had no idea what they were beginning. She had no idea what the next days or weeks were going to bring.

He caught her against him, pressing her head against his chest as he stroked her back.

Thank God, because her face would’ve given her away. He was inside her, joined as intimately as two people could be. It seemed so right. It seemed like exactly where she was supposed to be.

Lisa put aside the worries about what was coming tomorrow and concentrated on the present.

“You are a screamer,” Josiah teased softly.

“Only when necessary,” she assured him. Lisa tilted her head back to watch his expression as she ran a hand over his stubble-roughened cheek. “Although we might have to test that theory a few more times tonight.”

“A scientific experiment. I like that idea.” He nodded firmly.

Then he brought them apart just for long enough to clean up before dimming the lights and curling his arms around her. It was too early to go to bed, but this was the perfect place to be.

“Get some sleep,” he ordered. “You’re going to need it.”

* * *

Whatever crazy kind of dream he was having, Josiah Ryder didn’t want it to end.

Lisa Coleman was in his bed. A warm, generous woman who, when he’d woken her in the night, hadn’t gotten all cranky on him but enthusiastically offered herself up to his hands and mouth and cock.

Although when he pressed a kiss to her neck at five thirty in the morning, she sighed heavily and burrowed herself farther into her pillow.

Josiah forced himself to stay quiet as he rolled out of bed. Some solitary time wasn’t a bad thing—he had his morning routine to follow. He pulled on a pair of briefs, sweatpants, and a muscle shirt before dropping to the floor to begin his workout.

He was on his third round of push-ups and sit-ups when he felt two sets of eyes staring at him. Ollie’s head hung over the foot of the bed where the creature had magically landed sometime right before dawn.

A foot or two higher, Lisa had her chin resting in her hand as she stared at him.

He focused on the ceiling and counted sit-ups, trying to ignore that her eyes were on him, drifting over his body.

It shouldn’t feel so uncomfortable, but it did.

“Energy to burn?” She sounded well-fucked, and a pulse of satisfaction hit.

“Morning routine. Being done with far less energy than normal, thanks to you.” He teasingly flashed a grin even as he cranked out another couple of crunches.

She examined him closely. “Nearly done?”

“Nearly.”

He rolled to his stomach, placed his hands on the floor and swung into the final set of push-ups. Lisa’s feet hit the ground beside him, bare toes with pale pink on the nails circling around.

“Join me in the shower when you’re done,” she said.

His cock reacted, hardening to the point of pain.

Josiah pushed up again.

She squatted so their eyes met on the same level. “I mean it,” she said. “Please?”

His arms quivered, so he focused down and continued without answering her.

She stepped away.

Ollie jumped down from the bed and paced over to Josiah’s side, nose slipping against his neck briefly. The dog stretched lazily then curled up on the floor outside the closed bathroom door, stalking Lisa again.

In the distance, the water turned on. Josiah stopped his workout, collapsed to the ground, and stared at the door with less than a dozen push-ups to go.

Last night had changed things, yes. But what had gone on in the days before had changed things even more. Now that Tamara’s baby had arrived, Lisa was narrowing in on the final weeks of needing to be around. Even having her in his bed last night had been a happy coincidence because of Karen being in town. Lisa had needed company after too many shocks.

For him, it was so much more. He didn’t want this to end.

God, he wanted this to be the beginning, but there was no way he could expect her to keep herself open to all the possibilities for them if he wasn’t willing to be one hundred percent transparent.

No matter how frightening it would be. No matter how vulnerable he had to make himself.

Josiah pushed to his feet, stepped over Ollie, and marched himself to the shower.

Lisa stood naked under the water, and while he knew he had to do the next thing, that in itself was a reward. Sweet curves, her brown hair turned darker as she lifted her face to the shower and let the water stream over her skin.

As she lifted her arms and the motion lifted her breasts, Josiah took a deep breath and peeled off his muscle shirt. He pushed down his sweats and underwear in one motion, his erection so thick it thumped upward toward his belly.

He knew what he looked like. The image in the mirror lied, though. No matter how often he looked at it, it was still difficult to believe.

But he was working on it. Working on having the confidence to do what was necessary, which currently was toss a spare towel onto the rack and pull the door open.

Lisa twisted toward him, eyes widening as they danced over his body. He stepped under the water and pulled her against him.

Her soft skin was a present that helped chase away his fears.

She pressed a kiss to his chest, fingers playing in the light dusting of hair there. “Hello, gorgeous.”

A rush of pleasure struck. “That’s my line.”

“We can have a mutual admiration society. Founding members.” She leaned back, stroking her fingers over his waistline and toward his hip. Admiration on her face, and something more.

Heat.

She glanced up and her tongue snuck over her lips.

“You’re killing me,” he warned her. “This is killing me.”

“I want to touch you everywhere. I want to kiss you everywhere.” She slid her fingers toward his groin and wrapped strong fingers around his erection. “Everywhere.”

The windows were not fogging up because of the hot water.

Josiah closed his eyes as she stroked softly, with barely enough pressure. He reached down and wrapped his fingers over hers, increasing the tightness of their joint grip until it was right. Until each stroke of their hands was like a row of thumbtacks being applied along his spine. Pleasure and pain wrapped up and forced upon him until far too soon, he lost control.

Semen spurted over their hands. He eased his grip and slowed their motion. Lisa followed his guidance. Touching him. Rolling her hands over his body until the shaking stopped. Until he wasn’t sure what force was holding him vertical, because neither his leg muscles nor his brain seemed to be functioning.

Lisa draped her arms around his neck, and he leaned back on the tiled wall behind him, adjusting the showerhead to pour over them while they stood together. Perfectly naked.

She stroked his cheek. “I liked that.”

He hummed happily. “Obviously, I did too.”

His attempt to lighten the situation failed as Lisa examined him closely. “Something on your mind?”

Josiah took a deep breath and considered his revelation that in this moment it was important—vitally important—to be honest. “I don’t do this. Not with anyone.”

Lisa tilted her head, considering. “Have sleepovers? Have showers together?”

“Get naked,” he admitted.

Her brows went up.

“Don’t give me that look. Yes, I have sex. I make women feel good, but I usually do it with as many clothes on as possible or in the dark. I’m not always comfortable stripping down.”

Lisa opened her mouth then gave a very firm nod. “Gotcha. That’s why…” She glanced down for a moment and back at his face, a little curiosity but mostly caring in her expression. “You’re naked right now. Which, I have to say, makes me very happy.”

“Making you happy is why I’m here. It’s why I’m doing it, even though I’m uncomfortable.” He caught her fingers in his hand and nibbled on her knuckles, finally letting his amusement show through. “I refuse to be stupid again and miss this opportunity, and figured you’d probably notice if I walked in with all my clothes on.”

“I might’ve,” Lisa agreed, lips curled upward.

She stroked the back of his neck with her free hand, almost as if she were petting him. Whether she was waiting for him to say something more or she was thinking about what to say herself, it didn’t feel uncomfortable.

It felt like an inhale. A moment to get ready to do the next thing.

Which made it easier for him to continue. “Growing up, I was a pretty pudgy kid. That affected a lot of my early years, what with being on the stage so much. Or more like not on the stage. I always got the understudy roles. Or the sidekick, not the star.”

Lisa made a face. “The best friend in Anne of Green Gables?”

He snorted. “Guys playing girls is traditional in theater. That part wasn’t what hurt, but the fact far too many people pointed out how perfect I was for the role since I was on the ‘dumpling’ side of the scale. My family weren’t mean about it, but between my weak acting talents—and yes, my skills truly are three or four levels below the rest of them—and being heavy, I was always less than acceptable. Never quite what they were looking for.”

She watched him closely, her words a gentle tease. “Well, five hundred points to Gryffindor, because you grew up rather spectacularly.”

It was easy to laugh at that and it helped lighten his mood. “Thanks, but I didn’t lose the weight until I went away to veterinary school, and it took a heck of a lot of work. Still does.”

“Thus, the morning routine.” Lisa stroked him again, hands running along his forearm and between his fingers. “Thus, the old, worn belt?”

Damn, she was good. “There’s a sense of power when you move a notch on a belt. It’s a warning sign, as well, if you have to go the opposite direction. I took a hammer and a nail to make new holes when I needed to.”

“Thank you for sharing with me.” She had meshed her fingers with his and she squeezed, glancing up. “You need to do what you’re comfortable with, but, Josiah? I do like how you look. Very much. I appreciate the muscles you’ve gained, but I also like you. The man who is caring and smart and funny. You don’t have to worry that I’m judging you.”

“I know.” He tipped her chin and moved in for a slow kiss. “It’s me judging myself, but I’m working on it. But pigs would fly before I’d strip down and go Magic Mike in front of a gathering.”

She caught him by the back of the neck and tugged their lips together. Their tongues brushed leisurely before she nibbled on his bottom lip. “I’m not much for sharing publicly,” she admitted between kisses. “But if you want to put on a private floor show at some point, I won’t say no.”

He turned her in his arms, grabbing the soap and proceeding to have a wonderful time getting her squeaky clean. If he left a trail of water across the floor to grab a condom from her present, he’d deal with it later.

He was taking one more step on the road toward forever and a few puddles were totally worth it.

15

Lisa pulled on clean clothes, catching herself grinning as she headed back to the bathroom to finish getting ready for the day.

Josiah had already left the room after giving her a peppermint-fresh, tooth-brushed kiss that sent her toes wiggling.

It had been a magical night. No doubts about it, and despite everything she needed to decide and the huge things her family had to deal with, the spot of happiness inside her was real.

She mentally shoved everything aside and laid that happiness down like a foundation. There were going to be tough things to face, even that day, but deep inside where it mattered? She was happy.

Lisa stepped down the hallway to the kitchen with Ollie at her heels. The scent of bacon in the air mingled with rich coffee. Finn and Zachary were poring over the maps spread across the entire kitchen island.

Finn glanced at her before smiling into his coffee cup without saying a word.

Zachary’s appreciation was a little more blatant. “Morning, sunshine.”

It only took two steps for Josiah to walk past the other man, “accidentally” nudging him backward so Zach had to catch his balance or flail into a wall.

“Sorry about that,” Josiah claimed bluntly. “Two eggs or three?”

Finn chuckled. “Don’t give the man a reason to hate you,” he warned Zach. “It’s a little cold to sleep in the barn.”

“I wasn’t going to touch,” Zachary muttered.

He was just charming enough to not be annoying. “Good thing,” Lisa offered. “I have Wookie in my background.”

At the stove, Josiah broke another set of eggs into the pan. “That explains so much.”

“Hey,” Lisa complained, whirling on him, but she matched him grin for grin.

“In other news, I have a question for you.” Finn grabbed a couple of maps and dropped them on the table. He pushed aside the chair beside him and patted it. “Come here. I need your opinion.”

She made her way forward, sliding into the chair and looking over the maps as Ollie settled on her feet. “I don’t know the area that well. If you have specific questions, I can find someone else to answer them.”

“Awesome, and if I need it, I’ll ask. I’m wondering which looks like a better view.” Finn tapped two different areas of the map where there were red circles at different elevations. “Existing buildings are here and here.”

Lisa eyed the roads and mountains and considered what she’d learned from her short time in the region. She tapped one of them. “This one would have the view, but I don’t think you’d want to live there unless you’re a kite-flying enthusiast.”

Josiah glancing at them, nodding in agreement. “My place is pretty protected because of the crown land to the west of us. Those tall trees absorb the wind when it gets roaring, but the farther south you go, the higher the gusts.”

“And by gusts, think hurricane-force. Last fall, Caleb said a big rig flipped. It was headed north and the winds from the west were strong enough to shove it right over.” Lisa pointed at a circle. “Where is this on your land?”

He drew a rectangular-shaped box around the circle. A big one.

She slid her fingers slightly north and west. “Unless the house is in really good shape, you’d be better off building here.”

“What if this was a place for people to visit, not live all the time?”

“That could work, but it’s still going to be windy.” She glanced at him, curiosity rising. “Karen’s in town,” she told him.

“That’s nice. Arenas on this side of the barn?”

He was going to play it like that, was he? Lisa pointed again. “Here. I bet you twenty bucks you end up running into her sometime in the next week.”

“With or without you interfering?”

“I don’t cheat,” Lisa declared indignantly.

Finn grinned and held out a hand. “It’s a bet.”

Well, that was easy. “Want to lose some more money?”

“How about making me spend money, period?” Finn offered. “Josiah says the new animal rescue could use some cash. Whatever you help raise, I’ll match.”

Lisa stopped dead in her tracks. The suggestion had come out of the blue and it took her a moment to realign her brain.

“Really.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “What do you get out of it?”

“Personal satisfaction at having contributed to a worthy cause.”

In the background, Zachary made a gagging noise.

Lisa snickered. Yeah, it had sounded like bullshit to her as well. “Really?”

Finn met her gaze straight on. “I’ve got a project I’d like to start in town that will take off better if the animal rescue is already in place. I don’t want to say more because until it’s a done deal, I can’t. But mostly, the personal satisfaction, on more than one front, isn’t a lie.”

Lisa thought about it. She was still in that nebulous “not sure what to do with herself” place, no matter that her family was facing interesting chaos. Tamara would be settled into a routine with Tyler soon enough, and that was her main deadline for doing the next thing.

For all Lisa knew, this was going to be her last free night in a long time. “I like the idea, but I can’t do it by myself.”

In the background, Josiah dropped something. A lid, rattling on the counter as he swore softly.

Oh.

Oh.

There was an idea. Lisa glanced over to examine him for a moment. It might be another strange kind of date, but maybe this was what she needed. One final project to help other people, and then she could move on and do something for herself.

She made her way over to him at the counter, Ollie contentedly leaning against them both. “What do you think?”

“About what?” Josiah pushed aside the pans and turned the heat down to give her his full attention.

As he watched her, the strangest sensation struck. Lisa stood there, completely unable to say anything for a moment.

She’d just realized she very rarely asked other people for help.

Oh, she ordered people around. She cajoled, she wheedled, and when it came to working behind the scenes to get done what she thought needed to happen, she was invincible.

In her world, though, standing in front of someone and straight up asking for a favour never happened. She knew she could have with her sisters, but she hadn’t. And this wasn’t them.

It seemed both she and Josiah were having to stretch some new muscles today. “Would you help me? The two of us could set up some kind of fundraiser for the rescue center.”

He examined her carefully. “That kind of project would take a while to organize, you know. It’s not something we can have happen in a week’s time. Not if we want it to be successful.”

“May Long Weekend is a good time for a special event,” Zach offered. “By that time of year, people are looking for something to do, yet it’s far enough away from the holiday season so you might be able to get them to open their pocketbooks.”

“There you go. Third week of May and the long weekend.” Lisa nodded firmly. “Work for you?”

His lips twitched before unfurling into a beautiful smile. “Love to help you. By the way, you owe me a hundred bucks.”

She blinked. Damn, he was right. She was going to be here past her original estimate of spring. “It’s a double or nothing kind of day. Want to let it ride?”

“If you’re here by the end of summer, I get two hundred dollars?” Josiah thought for a moment then nodded. “Deal.”

He stuck out his hand, and they shook briefly before he ignored the fact there were two others in the area and a dog at their feet. Josiah tugged her against his body and stole a kiss hot and demanding enough to leave her breathless before he offered a wink then moved to load food onto plates.

The day was just beginning, but it seemed at least one of her questions had been answered. How long was she staying in Heart Falls?

At least until the end of May.

* * *

Josiah dropped Lisa off at Silver Stone and headed straight into his day. He left Ollie at the veterinary clinic where she obediently settled on the dog bed beside his receptionist’s feet, but sadly lowered her head to her paws as if she were being betrayed.

“Poor doggie.” Sharon bent down to rub Ollie’s head. “You’re stuck without your favourite people.”

Ollie whimpered, milking sympathy with everything in her, weepy eyes fixed on Josiah.

“Sorry, pup, but I have places to go today, and you can’t come,” Josiah explained as he hid his amusement. Lisa’s day at Silver Stone was going to be unusual enough without tossing a love-sick dog into the mix.

The last thing he heard as he left the office was a long, heartbroken sigh.

Josiah wasn’t surprised when Finn and Zach both answered his request to join him at Buns and Roses midmorning.

Zach stood in the doorway between the coffee shop and the flower/knickknack store. He leaned a shoulder against the doorjamb as he chatted with Rose Fields, owner of said flower emporium.

The dark-haired beauty was nodding vigorously, gesturing back into her shop. The two of them disappeared from sight around the corner.

Josiah dropped into the seat opposite Finn. Curiosity and a wild streak of protectiveness struck out of nowhere. “What’s Zach up to?”

“He’s still playing with that local craft-brew idea. Getting some of the local businesses onboard might help when he wants to apply for permits.” Finn pushed a plate of doughnuts toward Josiah. “Help yourself.”

Automatically, Josiah waved off the offer. “More importantly, what are you up to? I thought you were thinking on it when it came to fundraising for the rescue.”

“I did think on it. I thought it would be good to get some local people involved.”

Josiah glared at him briefly. “You pretty much steamrolled Lisa into agreeing to run a fundraiser.”

“With you. Remember that part—” Finn cracked a rare smile. “You’re welcome, by the way.”

Yeah, Josiah had noticed that part. “Thanks. I guess. She’s not sure if she’s planning to stick around, so I was hoping to spend quality time sweet-talking her and making Heart Falls seem like a destination. Not using that time in meetings and shop talk.”

“Then delegate. You don’t have to do everything. Any successful event needs a good, strong figurehead at the top, though. Having the local veterinarian offer support goes a long way toward the community pitching in.” Only then did Finn wrinkle his nose in a modest apology. “Didn’t know her timeline was so tight. Sorry about that.”

“That’s fine. Just means when I ask for a favour at some point in the next six weeks, I hope you’ll open up your schedule.”

“I wouldn’t miss it.” Finn picked up one of the doughnuts and took an appreciative bite, glancing around the Buns and Roses shop. “This place is nice.”

“They don’t need any backing,” Josiah drawled.

“Everyone can use backing to get to the next level,” Finn corrected.

“Not everyone wants to get to the next level.”

The other man winked. “I like your style, Josiah Ryder. Don’t worry, I’m not planning on stirring up Heart Falls too much. I just have a tendency to see things that could be done. I’m working on the part where I remember to decide if they should be done.”

Conversation changed to a discussion of menu ideas for the following week. Finn promised to hit the grocery store and stock up, which left Josiah with one less thing on his to-do list.

Which was good, because the day exploded after that, with the office calling to tell him to kiss his afternoon and evening goodbye.

He headed out to the first farm to take care of a project, following the farmer in his tractor as he pushed the snow aside to make a route to the old barn where Josiah’s patient waited.

His phone rang with the distinctive tone he’d assigned his brother. Josiah answered it. Distracted driving rules didn’t apply when you were going five kilometres an hour and one of two vehicles headed across the field.

Also, calling Micah back was always hit and miss. If he could get him on the line the first time, it was a miracle. Same with his sisters, Kelsey and Lenora.

“Micah. How’s it going?”

“Great. Sold-out shows lined up until midsummer. I’m hoping my understudy can take a few weeks in August, though. Kelsey’s new London show opens August tenth. Wanted to touch base with you in case you can wrangle it.”

“I saw she mentioned the date in the last family post. I’ve got it on the calendar, but I’ll have to see. It’s a tough time to get away.” Although going to London could be amazing, Josiah wasn’t sure he would enjoy the big family event. His parents would be there, and inevitably them and his three siblings would do nothing but talk shop and reminisce about past performances.

He loved his family, he truly did, but there was a point where the world they lived in and the world he did simply didn’t mesh anymore.

Micah coughed. “If you need me to spot you plane fare, it’s no problem—”

“Stop it,” Josiah snapped. “You know damn well I’ve got the money.”

“Correction, you had money. Just because all of us get a hefty annual dividend doesn’t mean you have any left. It’s got to be expensive running your own business. I don’t imagine veterinary equipment grows on trees.”

The longer his brother talked, the more lecture-y his tone became. Josiah glanced around and wondered if he could fake a reception problem to explain why he’d hung up.

“Just think about it. Kelsey would love to have you there,” Micah said.

Which was true. None of his siblings actively avoided him, and they all got along. They were just…different. “I’ll make sure I figure it out with enough time we don’t have to scramble.”

“That’s the spirit. Okay, so the other thing I needed to tell you was Mom and Dad are joining me for Easter. Kelsey is swamped and Lenora is busy shooting in L.A., so the folks said they’d come out to New York and take in some Broadway shows.”

Again, fine by Josiah. “Spring’s a busy season around here, Micah. It’s probably best I don’t have to head to Rosebud.”

“Always so busy,” Micah teased. “Miss Muffet really needs to find some time to sit on her tuffet and enjoy life.”

Annoyance shot through Josiah, hard and fast, and his temper flared. Only family knew all your secrets, like a fear of spiders, and felt no remorse in poking.

He clamped his lips together to stop from snapping something rude, instead counting to five so he could respond calmly. “I’m enjoying life plenty. But I have to get to work. I’ll talk to you later. Break a leg.”

“Thanks, let me know what you decide.” Micah hung up, seemingly unaware of exactly how pissed off Josiah was.

Again Josiah considered the stupidity of it all. His family didn’t consider him talented, but he was obviously a good enough actor to fake it during conversations. Micah had no idea how close he’d been to receiving a verbal lashing.

Josiah pulled to a stop outside the barn and reached for his work kit. He stomped through the snow in an effort to get his annoyance out of his system before the animals sensed it.

He took a deep breath and then another, before stepping into the sweet-scented barn.

It wasn’t the animals’ fault that his family was a half step out of sync with him. Or he with them. Either way, his wasn’t a horrible lot and they weren’t terrible people. They did learn and change—only a little at a time, though. Like at least Micah had finally got it through his thick skull that calling him Joe was off the table.

Unwelcome nicknames and offering financial aid when there was no damn reason for it were more like reflections of the problem than the problem itself.

They didn’t think he was enough and for too many years he’d wondered the same thing.

As he slipped forward to deal with the task, he wished that he could call up Lisa right then just to hear her sweet voice. That he could track her down and pull her against him and hear her laugh. Have her listen to him, watching closely with those bright eyes and quick wits that seemed to see right into him.

Into the true Josiah Ryder. The guy no one in his family seemed to know. And none of them seemed to care about getting to know.

The guy who was more than enough.

Josiah snorted at himself. Goddamn emotional baggage. Just because he was a grown-ass man didn’t mean his family and flashes from the past couldn’t swing in and knock his feet out from under him at times.

Being with Lisa was different. It wasn’t as if he was using her to help him move on, but she brought clarity. Being with her helped him see he had changed. He was strong and competent and enough to make her happy.

He needed to tell her that so they could talk about the future in more specific terms, and soon.

But with Lisa dealing with her own family crisis, he wouldn’t put any more on her load. Heck, he wouldn’t blame her one bit if she decided as soon as the fundraiser was over that it was time to move on.

Josiah wouldn’t blame her, but he was going to do everything he could to be worthy to keep her by his side.

16

After Josiah dropped her off, Lisa hurried back into the house at Silver Stone and dove immediately into tasks and conversation.

First off, though, she slipped to Tamara’s side and offered her a light poke in the side in retaliation for the gift of condoms. “Brat.”

Tamara looked up from where she’d been contentedly staring at Tyler, a grin spreading across her face. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

It was a tough choice, but Lisa went with the most mature move she could think of. She stuck out her tongue.

Karen was sitting at the table, notebook in front of her, phone beside her as she scrolled and scribbled. She glanced up in time to see the exchange and shook her head as only an oldest sister could. “You two never change.”

“You wouldn’t want us to,” Tamara pointed out. “What are you working on?”

She blinked. “Ideas for diversifying.”

Suspicion rose. Lisa slid over, glancing at the table casually in an attempt to read Karen’s notes. “You think the amalgamated Coleman holdings aren’t diverse enough?”

Karen snapped her notebook closed before glaring at Lisa. “There’s always room for new ideas.”

Lisa dropped it. Whatever Karen was keeping from them would come out eventually. More important to deal with the current situation.

“How was Dad this morning? Did he say anything?” Damn. Guilt shot in hard. She hadn’t thought this through. She should’ve been there. Should’ve been there to support her sisters, and—

“Relax, Lisa. It was fine you weren’t here,” Tamara assured her.

“How—?”

“Your expression just changed like you got caught with your hand in the cookie jar.” Karen eased her chair back. “But honestly, you didn’t miss anything. None of us have talked to him yet. Caleb decided to take Dad out for breakfast. Said it had been a long time since they got to have some guy time.”

“Convenient, but brilliant.” Lisa glanced at Tamara. “He’s a good man, your husband.”

“One of the best,” Tamara agreed. She adjusted Tyler, awkwardly wiggling for a moment to get her bra back into place before laying a cloth over her shoulder and lining up the baby to be burped. “It was a good idea all of us got some space last night. I admit I was pretty shocked at first, but at the same time, I don’t see how this changes things that much for us.”

Karen made a face. “That’s the truth. I came to the same conclusion. We’ve always had each other. We don’t even know if Julia wants to spend time with us. I’m willing to get to know her, but it’s got to be up to her.”

Lisa could gladly ease a few concerns. “She’s more worried about making trouble in our lives than anything else. I guess we’ll just take it as it comes.”

“What time is she getting here?”

“One o’clock.” The three of them headed into different tasks, tag-teaming on baby Tyler. He was little enough to not be very much work.

After a couple hours, though, Lisa began to wonder if Tamara was pushing too hard. Her sister had gotten it into her head to organize something in the living room and Lisa didn’t remember the last time she’d seen Tamara sit down.

She eyed Tamara closely until her sister glared at her. “Stop it.”

“I haven’t seen you move this quickly in months,” Lisa pointed out. “You’re making me nervous.”

Her sister grinned. “I feel amazing. I’m obviously one of those people who do not do well with parasitic creatures growing in their belly. Now that he’s out, I feel wonderful.”

“After nine months of nausea, you deserve a break,” Karen said, stealing the baby from Lisa again.

Tamara lifted a finger at Lisa. “Please don’t do anything to get Caleb more worried.”

“I won’t,” Lisa assured her.

Time passed quickly. Tamara got a message from Caleb that they finished with breakfast, but he was taking her dad on a tour around the ranch. He said they’d be back by the time Julia arrived.

When a well-used Ford truck pulled into the yard two minutes before the top of the hour, all three sisters were ready or, more truthfully, almost quivering with anticipation as they stood by the backdoor.

Lisa turned to her sisters with a smile. “Pretend you’re nice.”

Karen snickered. “You’re such a brat.”

“But no longer the youngest brat,” Lisa pointed out. “Julia has that privilege.”

“Oh my God, that’s right. That means I have two little sisters to torment me,” Tamara said dramatically.

Lisa pulled the door open before Julia had a chance to knock just as Karen made a mock gagging noise.

The newcomer on the porch eyed her suspiciously. “Can you speak?”

Tamara snickered. “Airway is open. She’s breathing and she’s got good circulation.”

Julia stepped in and pulled off her toque and gloves, glancing around the room at both Karen and Lisa before returning her gaze to Tamara. “I see why you did the double take the first time you spotted me. How’s that sweet baby doing?”

Tamara’s smile bloomed. She pointed to the bassinet on the kitchen table. “He’s amazing. Gorgeous and perfect, and I couldn’t be happier.”

“Thanks for helping him arrive safely.” Karen stepped forward and held out her hand. “Hi, Julia. I’m Karen. It’s nice to meet you.”

Julia moved instinctively before stuttering to a stop. “This is a little overwhelming,” she admitted.

Screw it. Lisa went with her gut, opening her arms and drawing Julia into an enormous hug. “Get used to it. There’s a whole lot more of us, but we Whiskeyteers are of course the best part of the Coleman clan.”

Tamara made a rude noise. “I can’t believe you’re still trying to make that nickname stick.”

Her decision had been a good one. Julia had been stiff as a board as she leaned into the hug, but by the time they let go, both of them were more relaxed.

The other woman smiled at her. “Thanks.” Then she frowned. “What’s a Whiskeyteer?”

As the other girls laughed, Lisa led Julia into the living room. “Remember I told you all the Coleman ranches have different names? We’re Whiskey Creek.”

Understanding lit Julia’s face. “That’s cute.”

“See? See?” Lisa jumped on the faint praise. “Someone who shows true appreciation for my genius.”

“How much did she pay you to say that?” Karen grumbled. “Never mind. Just a heads-up, Lisa may be smart, but she’s also dangerous. Do not get in a betting war with her.”

“I’ll try to remember that,” Julia said with a smile as she settled onto the couch. She glanced around again. “And just to be upfront, I’m a little nervous about meeting your dad.”

“Our dad,” Lisa corrected softly. “He’s not…scary.”

It seemed the softest word she could use that wasn’t an outright lie.

“I think he’s probably more nervous about meeting you than you are of him,” Karen admitted. Her lips tugged sideways for a moment. “He had no idea you existed. And I think he’s embarrassed his daughters know he was fooling around at some point.”

“Intellectually we get that our parents have sex, but it’s nothing that we ever truly want to look at straight on.” Tamara went to the bassinet and lifted the baby into her arms. “I mean, ick.”

It was a valid point and as they continued to talk about other things, like Julia’s apprenticeship, the tension eased out of the room.

Lisa watched the others closely, but it was pretty much as she’d expected. They weren’t pushing too hard, to avoid overwhelming the woman, but Julia was clearly welcome at whatever speed she wanted. It seemed to be hesitant friendship at the moment, which made perfect sense.

Lisa wondered what Josiah would suggest to help ease these early growing pains.

And then she caught herself because she wondered what he was doing, and whether he’d be free later, because what she actually wanted was to be able to sit down with him and just talk it all through.

It was a new sensation.

It was a good sensation.

The one thing all three of them were avoiding was speaking too closely about their father. The fact he had definite rules and thoughts about women in the workplace—it didn’t seem like the thing to up and warn a newfound family member about.

Heck, maybe it wouldn’t make any difference. Julia was grown and not living at the Whiskey Creek ranch.

Still, there was a flutter in Lisa’s belly as the door swung open and Caleb walked in, followed by George Coleman.

Their father’s hair had gone silvery white over the past couple years, lines of tension radiating from the corners of his eyes and leaving a permanent furrow between his brows, yet he retained the sharp good looks of the Coleman clan, with a square jawline and strong features.

His gaze darted around the room, pausing on each of them before settling on Julia.

Caleb took his coat and George muttered thanks before taking a deep breath and walking across the room. He stopped beside her chair, staring down.

Julia rose to her feet. “Hi. I’m Julia Blushing.”

His voice was a whisper. “You’ve got your mom’s hair.”

Lisa found she’d been holding her breath. It spilled out of her in one sudden gasp as her father wrapped his arms around Julia and squeezed tight.

Julia’s arms rose hesitantly, then she buried her face against his chest and wholeheartedly embraced him.

They all sat in silence, watching. Caleb strode across the living room to join Tamara, his arm curling around her and his son.

“How’re you doing?” he asked Tamara quietly.

“Great. Looks as if the family expanded again.”

Caleb’s shoulders shifted. “Never a bad thing.”

Their dad let Julia go and then, wiping at his eyes, settled on the couch next to Karen.

George Coleman’s stern face grew softer. “I guess I’ve got a story to tell. Not much, though. I spent last night racking my brain for any details I missed, but for the life of me I can’t think of any.” He looked across at Julia. “Your mom and I knew each other for a short time. I liked her plenty, but she said she wasn’t looking for anything long term. She’d been with someone for nearly ten years, but they’d broken up recently. I gave her all my contact information and asked her to call when she could, but she never did.”

Julia nodded. “Mom told me she’d been engaged to someone for a number of years when he decided he didn’t want kids. She called it off because of that.”

George’s face tightened before he deliberately relaxed. “The girls told me she passed away recently. I’m sorry.”

Julia pulled out a tissue, fighting tears. “Thanks. I miss her. And her being gone makes things that much harder because this is definitely one thing I wish she’d told me more about. I’m sorry she didn’t get in touch with you. She should have.”

“It’s done and it’s not your fault.” George took a deep breath and looked around the room, his gaze pausing on Lisa. “I don’t know that I would’ve been a very good father if she had contacted me.”

Lisa’s throat tightened.

It only got worse when he continued, making eye contact with each of them in turn. “I’m not the easiest man to get along with. I suppose I’ve got my reasons, but that doesn’t mean they’re the right ones.”

They were all going to be watering pots if this continued. This had to be the first time Lisa had ever heard her dad admit the tension between them wasn’t necessarily one of their faults.

George cleared his throat, glancing at Caleb before continuing. “But sometime what’s in the past has to stay there. We don’t know what I would’ve done, but I can tell you what I’m going to do. You want to be a part of this family, you are.” Their dad snorted softly. “Forget that. Truth is, we’re Colemans. You’re part of this family whether you want to be or not. What’s up to you is how much you let us interfere in your life.”

Tears were running down Julia’s face. “Thank you.” The words came out choked and soft.

Lisa shot to her feet. She grabbed a tissue box and marched around quickly, tossing a bunch at Tamara, dropping a few by Karen, and then plopping the box on the arm of Julia’s chair.

The next few minutes were composed of everyone getting themselves back together.

Karen pressed her hands to her thighs. “Well, I know you’re busy with your apprenticeship, but we need to take a look at the calendar and find a date for you to come to Rocky. You need to see the ranch and a visit will give us time to get acquainted.”

“And you’re going to be over here when you can,” Tamara insisted. “We’ve got lots of room and lots of people who want to get to know you.”

The soft sound of Caleb’s chuckle drifted on the air. “God, I love women. You go from soft and weepy to getting it done.”

“Definition of a woman,” Tamara murmured.

George cleared his throat. “I know I wasn’t there when you were little, Julia. Heck, in some ways I wasn’t there for the three of you who grew up under my roof. But I’m going to do better.” He smiled at Julia. “You definitely come for a visit, but I plan to come down more often to Heart Falls, anyway. Got a brand-new grandbaby I need to watch grow up, along with a couple of granddaughters who are growing way too quick.”

Lisa glanced at Caleb in wonder. What twisted magic had he worked on her father?

But then again, it didn’t need to be talked about now. Like her dad said, maybe it was time to put the past behind and focus on the future.

George got to his feet, awkwardly rubbing his hands on his thighs. “I need to go for a walk.”

“That’s a great idea,” Caleb said.

Her dad hesitated, then glanced around the room. “Any of my girls want to join me?”

Karen took a deep breath. “Julia? Want to come?”

She dipped her chin. “Okay.”

It felt as if the room was suddenly filled to overflowing, emotion ready to spill everywhere.

“I’ll skip this time,” Tamara said.

“You guys go ahead, but Julia, we’ll be getting together soon.” Lisa felt her father’s gaze on her. “Dad?”

He waited.

“Thanks. That must have been hard, but…” She smiled and, for the first time in a long time, truly felt there was a connection between them. “Thanks.”

The three of them left. Lisa leaned against the wall, her eyes closed, letting go as the weight of the day rolled away.

Tamara’s voice carried clearly in the quiet. “Caleb Stone, you’re one hell of a man. I love you.”

Caleb hummed thoughtfully. “I love you too. And I’m sorry for being a jerk earlier. Seems it takes spotting someone else being an ass for me to recognize I’m doing the same thing. So I’m sorry. Not for being worried about you, but for not admitting I was being overprotective because I was worried.”

Lisa shifted position in the hopes she could leave them in private, but when she turned, it was to discover Caleb looking straight at her. A serious expression on his face and something on his mind.

“Yes?”

He glanced between the two sisters. “Since I was an ass in front of you, I figured you should hear my confession as well. I should’ve known better, just like your father should’ve. This is nothing to do with Julia, but everything to do with the way he’s treated you guys over the years. I’ll let him tell you more when he’s ready. I think he’s pretty overwhelmed at the moment, but I believe him. That he’s going to try and do better.”

“That’s all we ask. That’s all anyone can ever ask,” Tamara said. She leaned her forehead against Caleb’s, the baby cradled between them. Tyler squirmed in protest, waking up and beginning to make noises, but not enough to drown out her “I love you.”

Lisa turned away and left them, her heart and head full.

Itching to call Josiah.

17

Josiah stared at the words for a second before rolling his eyes in amusement. It had been three days since he’d gotten a chance to see Lisa in person. It seemed when the animal kingdom decided to go wild, they all went at once.

Other than messages on his phone, and the very sweet handwritten note he’d found tucked under his windshield wiper, he’d been home too late and too exhausted to talk in the evening. It wasn’t nearly enough.

It appeared someone else was determined to ensure they connected.

Lisa: Ollie is here again

Lisa: I can drop her off at your place

Lisa: How on earth is she finding her way over to Silver Stone?

Josiah wasn’t sure, either. When he had more time, he would love to follow the creature just to figure it out, but he was still behind because of the emergencies piling up on his plate.

The opportunity to get together with Lisa was too strong to miss.

Josiah: If I swing by the house, can you come with me to Sonora’s for a while?

Lisa: YES. Tamara is ready to kick me out of the house. Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope.

He laughed and messaged back quickly: Han shot first

Lisa: Of course he did

She and Ollie were waiting for him on the porch as he drove up. A Chinook wind had arrived and the warmer air had turned the deep snow into messy clumps of slush everywhere.

Ollie reached him first, tail wagging so violently her back legs slid out from under her before she recovered, tongue at the ready for a sneak-attack lick when he bent to ruffle her fur.

“I don’t know why I’m petting you, brat,” he grumbled before lowering his voice and quietly telling her “thanks.”

He rose to his feet in time to catch Lisa and spin her feet off the ground, holding her against his body as he gave her a welcome kiss that got his blood boiling.

Lisa stepped away and jammed her hat back into position, whistling happily as she crawled into the truck cab. “Well, now. That was pretty awesome. Ready to go? Sounds as if you don’t have much time.”

She sat next to him, thigh tight against his as Ollie reluctantly sat on the floor, staring at them pleadingly.

“I’ve been busy,” he admitted, “but it pays the bills.”

Although that wasn’t really a worry. His trust fund was more than enough, but he was trying hard not to touch the principal. Heck, he was stubborn enough to try to save the interest as well.

Lisa tugged off his glove and slid their palms together, linking their fingers as she stared up at him, all big brown eyes and contented smile.

“So, to catch you up. Tamara has decided being postpartum is the greatest thing since sliced bread. She barely needs any help—you’d think she’d take advantage of me being around, but she’s up doing laundry before I can get out of bed. Said she’s got nine months’ worth of cooking she wants to catch up on as well.”

“If she needs a challenge, she’s welcome to come over to my place to cook,” Josiah offered. “If it would help, of course.”

Lisa grinned. “You’re all heart.”

He stroked his thumb over her knuckles. “I’ve missed you. Texts are all good and well, but not the same.”

She wet her lips. “Me too. Missed you, that is.” She twisted until she could rest her head against his shoulder. “On the other hand, I have gotten a whole bunch done on the fundraiser, since Tamara is busy doing my work and hers. I’ve seen Sonora a couple of times and we’ve talked about a May twenty-fourth event. If you like the ideas we’ve collected, we can get things rolling.”

A deep shot of guilt hit. “I’m sorry. I was supposed to help you with that.”

She shrugged. “There’s plenty to help with. We only started. It’s not as if you can guess when you’re going to be busy.”

No, but him being busy right when she had tons of time on her hands wasn’t a great way to make it clear there were good reasons for her to stick around. He kicked himself for screwing up again.

Especially when she continued cheerfully, “Ended up having lots of time to research, so my travel notebook is getting full. It’s kind of fun to write down a whole bunch of ideas that lead from one to the other. I know most of them are impossible, but it’s a great exercise.”

He was turning in the driveway to Sonora’s, so he squeezed her fingers before putting both hands back on the wheel. “Who’s to say anything is impossible? Dream big. You’re an amazing woman—I bet there’s nothing you couldn’t do if you put your mind to it.”

“You have to take a look at my ideas. Some of them are pretty over the top.”

He pulled the truck to a stop outside the barn at Sonora’s. Before he could move, she leaned up and tipped his hat off so she could press a kiss to his cheek.

“By the way. You’re pretty amazing too,” she whispered.

Screw it. Josiah reached over and undid her seatbelt, hauling her into his lap. He tossed aside her hat to thread his fingers into the hair at the back of her head and hold her close. Then he took her mouth hard.

She caught him by the collar, diving right in, their tongues sliding together and sending jolts of pleasure all over his body.

He had no idea how long they sat there, kissing and touching. She unbuttoned the top of his shirt so she could rub her palms over his skin. His fingers dug into her hips and he wished he’d had the presence of mind to drape her over him instead of having her sidesaddle.

Dragging her over his cock at this angle wasn’t nearly enough. Not for either of them.

A sharp knock struck the window next to them and they broke apart rapidly. Through the steamy glass, Sonora Fallen stared at them in exasperation.

“Oops,” Lisa muttered, waving quickly as she cautiously crawled off him.

Josiah couldn’t keep the grin off his face as he opened the door. “Afternoon, Sonora.”

“Would’ve been evening before you knew it if I hadn’t interrupted you,” the woman said grumpily, but she tipped her head, directing them toward the barns that had been partially renovated. “Come on. I’ve got the office area set up since you were last here.”

First, though, Sonora marched them all around the barn. Josiah noted with approval the new pens and holding areas that had been constructed. “How deep are you digging into your own pocket to pay for this?” he asked.

“I’m not poking holes in the bottom yet,” she assured him. “Besides, it’s just temporary. That’s what this fundraiser is all about.”

Lisa took a deep breath, then launched into an explanation of the event she and Sonora had envisioned. “Think of it as a community barn party. We’ll have entertainment and auction tables with donations from businesses like Buns and Roses. We’ll make it a family-orientated gathering, so add in a petting zoo, and a pet photography station, and maybe fort-building in the hayloft, or horse rides. But the kicker is we combine the day with an adoption celebration. People who want any of these rescue animals can get all the paperwork done ahead of time, but that’s the day they’ll get to pick up their new family member.”

Sonora listened with an approving smile while Lisa spoke, then added her two bits. “If there are dogs that go out in the next while, before the week of the auction, well, we’ll have them back as special guests. We figure it’ll just be a few adoptions that week to work out the timing, and we’ll already have the money and vaccination shots done. But won’t it be a motivator to see someone picking up their puppy? Seeing the ones that already found good homes?”

It was brilliant. Big enough to make some money and build a ton of community spirit, yet small enough to be managed by a modest crew.

Josiah checked the paperwork that Sonora had already begun to fill in for permits to host the event. “One suggestion. Anyone who falls in love with an animal still needs to complete the usual wait-and-approval period. We don’t want anybody moved on the spur of the moment to take a dog home and then realize they can’t keep it.”

Sonora and Lisa nodded in agreement.

“We figured they could put down a deposit, so they get to feel like a part of the party and celebration,” Lisa said.

Of course they’d already thought of that issue. Josiah caught himself staring at Lisa in admiration as he shook his head. “Doesn’t look as if you needed my help at all.”

Lisa’s expression had suddenly gone all mischievous. “We have a very specific task in mind for you.”

Sonora patted him on the arm. “I know you’re not interested in acting with the community players and I don’t blame you. You’ve got enough on your plate. But you’re comfortable in front of a crowd, so will you agree to work with Lisa as emcees for the event?”

He glanced at Lisa. At the brightness in her eyes and the happiness on her face about everything she’d been able to accomplish in such a short time.

No way was he saying anything to take that expression away. “It would be my honour.”

They worked a little longer on the details. At one point during their discussion, when Lisa and Sonora slipped outside to check something, Ollie following like a shadow, Josiah took Lisa’s earlier offer to snoop at face value. He flipped through a few pages of her idea notebook, taking mental notes on some of her shiny “someday in the future” ideas.

She was right. Some of them were pretty dramatic and out there. But some…

Ideas were brewing in his brain. He moved quickly, grinning at the bit of mischief he accomplished before the women returned.

Sonora was beaming hard by the time they were done. When they got back into the truck to drive away, Lisa leaning against his arm, Josiah was happy to be able to pronounce it a successful meeting.

Now to turn it into a very successful night—

He turned to face her. “What’re the chances of you and me stealing away for the rest of the evening?”

Lisa’s eyes lit up. “I’m betting one hundred percent.”

He headed toward the grocery store while Lisa busied herself sending a text to Tamara.

There was only one issue. Josiah eyed Ollie.

To hell with it. She’d just have to come along for the ride.

* * *

Lisa had been sent into the liquor store with orders to buy a bottle of red or white, whichever she wanted—with one caveat. Screw top only.

To be contrary, she bought both. If he was able to constantly surprise her, she figured it was fair to reciprocate.

As soon as she was back in the truck, Josiah disappeared into the store, coming back ten minutes later with two full grocery bags he placed in the back seat. “Ready for an adventure?”

She eyed him carefully. “I don’t see any cue cards.”

“You’re not looking close enough,” he teased. “Open your notebook.”

What? She pulled it out of her bag to find a thin strip of burlap being used as a bookmark. “Creative.”

“Desperation,” he countered. “Sonora is way too tidy. In any other office, I would have been able to find a scrap of paper.”

Lisa laughed as she opened to the designated page and saw her notes on France. Or that’s what it had turned into. On the left side of the page she’d drawn a rough sketch of the Eiffel Tower with a list of bullet points opposite to it. Below she had written visit the Eiffel Tower or some other huge landmark and enjoy a delicious meal.

Josiah turned off the highway and train tracks rattled under the truck wheels. “You know a shortcut to France? Because that’s gotta be one heck of a tunnel,” she said.

He grinned. “I don’t have the time to fly you to France, but I can certainly take you to an important landmark for a delicious meal.” He pulled to a stop outside the old Heart Falls grain elevators.

She shuffled out the door after him, staring up at the paint-worn buildings. “They’re in slightly better shape than the ones outside of Rocky.”

Which wasn’t saying much.

Ollie took off ahead of them to explore. Josiah grabbed the groceries in one hand and her fingers in the other, bringing her with him to the door at the base of one of the towering structures. “She’s sound inside. And I happen to have a key and permission to go in anytime I want.”

She wasn’t quite sure why anybody would want this privilege, but his enthusiasm was huge and that alone was attractive. She took the bags from him so he could open the door. When he flicked the switch, a set of LED lights came on in the passageway and they waited for Ollie to join them before shutting the door.

Lisa glanced around, but he hadn’t been exaggerating. She thumped her knuckles against the sturdy posts rising upward in the three-story building. “Wow.”

“There’s not much to offer wear and tear in this neck of the woods. They’re built to withstand the snow and wind. The outside looks terrible because of the sun and weathering, but in here, there’s the potential for so much more.” He glanced at the dog. “Wait here. We need one more thing.”

He was outside and back in no time flat, another grocery bag stuffed to the brim with what looked to be a blanket tossed over his shoulder.

“This way.”

Josiah grabbed a flashlight off the shelf and handed it to her. He took a second one for himself and then, leading the way, headed up a set of worn wooden stairs.

He stepped briskly, causing an occasional groan from the wood, but with him marching so confidently, Lisa had no reason to hesitate. They rounded a corner for the sixth time, the space to her left once again opening up into a wide room with wooden flooring.

She paused, suddenly uncertain. “I’ll just stay here until I can see where I’m going. Or at least more than two feet ahead of me.”

Josiah put his bags down and returned to her side, grabbing her hands and examining her face closely in the dim light reflecting through the window. “Is this okay?”

She nodded. “Just a teeny bit wary of heights when I’m not certain of the floor stability.”

He linked their fingers together. “I’ve got you,” he promised, his voice quiet yet intense, telling a whole story in one sentence as he brushed their lips together briefly. “You can protect me from the spiders.”

Something inside her tumbled hard. “I can do that.”

He took the flashlight from her gingerly, placing it on the floor by the window sill and aiming it toward the ceiling. He took his a few steps farther and did the same thing before going to his secret bag, shaking out a blanket, and laying it on the ground.

Ollie immediately took possession. She settled herself right smack-dab in the middle, grinning happily as only a dog could.

Lisa laughed. “That backfired.”

“It worked perfectly,” he corrected. “Stay where you are. I have one more thing to do.”

There was another chunk of fabric in the bag and he shook it out, metallic sounds ringing as oversized hooks hit the floor. A third time he reached into the bag, pulling out ropes, but before she could make some kind of smart remark, he was peering up and tossing the ends over the open beams directly overhead.

In a few minutes, he had a hammock suspended directly in front of the window that faced the mountains.

“That’s a neat trick,” she said.

“Thanks. Your chariot awaits, my lady.”

He held the edge for her to climb in, discarding her shoes to the floor. It was a double-sized or bigger hammock, and when he grabbed a pole from the corner of the room and inserted it into a hidden sleeve at one end, there was suddenly a space being held wide open.

He brought the grocery bags closer and attached them to straps she hadn’t noticed before.

“You’ve got the most luxurious hammock of anyone I’ve ever met,” Lisa noted.

“I’ve slept in this,” he admitted. “Basically lived in it one summer. The bunkhouse I was assigned to had a few too many snorers and earplugs didn’t cut it. So I hung this in a quiet spot in the barn and roughed it out a whole lot more restfully than the other guys. I keep it in the truck as an emergency backup”

He’d leaned back, lying somewhat crosswise over the fabric. His legs were stretched out comfortably with his feet hanging over the edge. When she matched his position, facing the other way, she found it was like having a built-in backrest, bottom support and everything else.

He pointed beside her elbow. “There’s a cup holder there for you.” He reached into the first bag and pulled out one bottle of wine, twisting open the top and handing it to her. “Welcome, Mademoiselle, to Chez Heart Falls Granary. I hope you enjoy your visit.”

He was a goofball, but he was a darling.

“Thank you. I hope I do as well.”

She raised the bottle in the air before taking a drink. She passed it to him and Josiah took a sip before popping it into the cup holder beside him.

Then he brought out a collection of meats, cheeses, dips, and an already sliced French loaf, spreading all of it over a large cardboard plate.

They took turns stealing slices of food from each other and talking easily while the sun sank behind the mountains.

Lisa pointed toward the south ridge. “Is that your green flash pass?”

Josiah paused. “Could be.”

“I have to come back and try to see it from your house again.”

“You’re always welcome.” He paused, gaze drifting over her face. “You’ve got a lot of neat ideas written down in your book. Could keep you busy for a long time.”

“Yeah.”

He spoke softly. “Are you excited to start exploring?”

There was more he was asking than the simple question. So much more, and she knew it. Things were changing, slowly. Her family, her needs…

Her dreams.

Even though the time they’d had together had passed in fits and starts, being with Josiah had become important. It meant not tossing out some glib answer. It meant being truthful in a way that she’d rarely been with anyone.

Lisa spoke quietly. “It’s funny. When I started thinking about all the places I could go and all the things I wanted to do, it seemed like such an incredible and important goal. But with Tyler’s arrival and Julia being here, I’m not sure I want to go away. Plus, Finn showing up— I don’t think Karen knows he’s here, by the way. I haven’t told her. Totally got distracted.”

She didn’t mention him specifically as one of her distractions, but her gaze was glued to his face. On his almost too pretty jawline and those blue eyes that held the captured joy of a summer sky.

Josiah let her get away with it. “You’ve had a lot of big things happening at once.”

“True,” she agreed. “But not more than I’m used to. Not when I consider what I used to juggle. Why am I being utterly floored when it comes to deciding what happens next?”

She played with the bread crust in her fingers, looking up to find Josiah watching intently.

“I did a lot of stuff behind the scenes,” she admitted. Some of the family had finally figured it out—but only a few while she was orchestrating it. “Most ranches divide up when they reach a certain size, or as sons grow up. That’s what happened to our family too, but in the end, the Coleman land wasn’t distributed right. Not after more kids were born, and died, and left. Add in that the Whiskey Creek part of the ranch only had girls and my dad was not easy to work with, it meant things got tough. Tamara rebelled and left, deciding to become a nurse. Karen just fought with our dad on a daily basis but kept working with him. I didn’t want to fight or leave.”

Josiah was slipping the leftover food into the bag, listening intently. “But you did something.”

“I organized. Dropped hints and made suggestions in times and places where eventually it all sank in yet never seemed like it was my idea. Now all four ranches are back together, sharing operations and making the workload easier for everyone. I don’t need to be there anymore. I don’t need to be there to run interference between Karen and my dad.” She looked up at Josiah. “This is great news, and yet I’m panicking now that Tamara doesn’t need me anymore. I always thought the next thing I would do was something for me, but it seems I really like running other people’s lives for them.”

“I don’t doubt that you did a lot of behind-the-scenes work, but I’ve come to know Tamara,” Josiah said. “Trust me. She needs you. Maybe not in the same way she needed you a month ago, but you girls have got some pretty strong bonds between you. That’s important.”

“It is,” she agreed. “But warm familial feelings aren’t enough for me to base my life direction on, or so my brain says.”

He kept listening intently, rubbing a hand over her thigh in a comforting motion.

Lisa shrugged. “I’m a tiger who’s spent too much time in an undersized cage. The walls are suddenly gone, yet I don’t know how to step out any farther than I’ve gone all my life.”

Josiah nodded as he stared out the window at the sunset. “Your drive to go away and do something different makes sense. It’s not necessarily the away, it’s the doing that you love.”

“But I’m almost always doing for other people,” Lisa said. “At some point in my life, aren’t I supposed to do things for me?”

He caught her fingers in his. He raised them to his lips and kissed them. “If you’re doing what makes you happy, why define it more than that? It’s okay to have the kind of heart that thrives on giving to others.”

Lisa had to think about that more. In the meantime—

She swung her legs over the edge of the hammock, stealing away the wine bottle and tucking it safely against the wall.

Josiah folded his hands behind his head, smiling at her. He looked completely at home in the swinging contraption. “I take it I’ve had enough to drink?”

She grabbed the food bag and hung it from a nail beside the window, high enough Ollie couldn’t get at it, although she probably didn’t need to worry. The dog was curled up and snoring happily. Ollie had gathered their footwear into a pile and was sleeping on top of the lumpy mass, completely content.

Lisa stepped in front of the window, undoing the buttons on her shirt one by one. She shimmied the fabric off, then reached behind her to undo her bra.

Josiah squirmed.

She paused. “Troubles?”

He eased his legs a little. “You’re blocking the sunset.”

Lisa threw back her head and laughed.

A second later he was out of the hammock, stripping off his shirt and tossing it aside. Hands flew to the button of his jeans. He pushed off the fabric and his briefs at the same time.

Lisa rushed to catch up. A second later they were both naked.

Cool air brushed past her and her nipples tightened, but she wasn’t sure if she should blame that on the temperature or the way he was looking at her. Hungry. Needy. His cock hard and waiting.

“Oops.” She scrambled for her jeans, pulling a condom out of the pocket the instant before he picked her up. Heated skin met heated skin, then their hands were stroking, lips connecting. He held her off the ground in his strong arms, walking to the hammock as they kissed.

Lisa wiggled so when he sat, she was straddling him, the condom tucked between the firm muscle of his thigh and the hammock material.

Hands once again free, she pressed her hands to his chest, caressing her way up, leaning over until her breasts touched his torso. His fingers skimmed her butt, adjusting so he could rock her sex over his hard length.

Kisses. Caresses. When he cupped her breasts and teased, she sat upright and let her head fall back, sounds of pleasure escaping her lips without fear of being overheard.

When he covered himself and lifted her, carefully lining them up, Lisa sank onto his thick length with a contented sigh.

It was a precarious thing, having sex in a hammock, but as they moved together, she gave herself over to his protection. As his slow languid touches drifted over her breasts and between her thighs, she let the pleasure rise.

Josiah took a deep breath, lifting her just slightly before beginning a hip motion that heated the fire between them to blazing hot. Pleasure teased from her clit outward and when he pressed his thumb, rubbing hard, she broke. Squeezing tight around his cock.

“C’était putain incroyable.” Josiah breathed the words in one long exclamation as his head arched back and he came.

The hammock shook and rocked, and when Lisa’s arms quivered, Josiah pulled her against his chest. His heart was pounding and she was definitely not cold anymore.

“Okay. That was a lovely adventure.” Outside the window, the sky had gone dark, the sun fully set behind the range. “We missed the green flash,” she complained.

Under her ear, his heart raced, and his chest shook with a rumble of amusement. “Trust me, darlin’. There were plenty of flashes, and the earth moved, and all the rest of it for me. If it didn’t happen that way for you, I’ll just have to try harder next time.”

“Trying harder might just kill me,” she admitted.

Still, not a bad way to die.

18

Tamara smirked at Lisa then crooked a finger to motion her forward. “We seem to have had a visit from snow pixies last night.”

Lisa rubbed her eyes and blinked hard, waking herself up enough to figure out what Tamara was talking about. Last night—

Right. In one of a long line of amazing dates over the past weeks, it had been nearly two o’clock in the morning when Josiah had dropped her off after dancing at the local pub, Rough Cut. “Okay.”

She stepped beside her sister, following her pointing finger to the gentle slope leading up to the small cottage across the yard. It had been snowing when they got home, the gently falling flakes trailing off as she’d kissed Josiah on the porch.

It had taken a little while to finish saying good night.

But it seemed after she’d gone in the house to dream happy thoughts, Josiah had taken to the hillside.

He’d stomped the snow down in a series of strange twisting patterns that Lisa recognized from history books. “That’s hysterical. He turned Silver Stone into a second Nazca site.”

Tamara leaned on the counter, looking her over. “Having fun?”

She didn’t have to think about it for long before being able to offer an enthusiastic answer. “So much fun.”

It was true. Not only the dates and the dancing, but the fact Josiah was great at texting when they couldn’t get together, which was often between his work and her helping at the ranch.

But even their message exchanges made something inside her warm and fuzzy.

She scrolled back to reread an exchange from a couple nights earlier simply because it made her smile.

Lisa: If you could go anywhere in the world to watch a sunset, where would you go?

Josiah: Upstairs, and about 5 feet to the north

Lisa: Seriously

Josiah: I am serious. But if you demand more, then I’d watch the sun set over an ocean. I also like to watch the sun rise over an ocean—I’ve never been to the East Coast.

Lisa: I’d like to watch the sun not set. Summer solstice north of the Arctic Circle

Josiah: Cool

Little tidbits. Sharing slivers of their hopes and dreams. It was good.

It scared her to pieces at times, but mostly it was amazing.

She still didn’t know what she was doing, but as she’d told Tamara, she was having fun despite her confusion.

The first of May arrived. This night was not about time with the delectable Josiah, but a moment to sink deep into happiness with her friends and sisters.

She glanced around the room and noticed with pleasure all of her gal pals had arrived, except for Kelli. Time to get things rolling,

Lisa stood on the bolster by Caleb’s chair and raised her voice. “Hear ye, hear ye. Tonight’s gathering of HFH has officially begun,” she announced.

Tansy Fields enthusiastically offered help by knocking a spoon against the side of her glass, changing to gentle taps when baby Tyler’s arms shot out at the loud burst of noise. “Oops. Apologies to the youngest attendee. Enjoy it, kid, while you’re still allowed into this sacred women-only territory.”

Tamara held Tyler comfortably with one arm as she stole a cookie off the tray Tansy had brought as her contribution to the evening. “I appreciate you bringing the evening to me. I’ve missed you.” She glanced around the room, gaze landing on Julia. “I’m glad you get to meet all my friends. They’re pretty awesome.”

“I think I’ve met everyone over the last couple of weeks. And I’m always game for a gathering.” Julia had a drink in one hand and a fistful of chips in the other. “Is there a particular agenda for the evening or is it just to visit?”

Lisa was the official host for the evening which meant according to the girls’ night out rules, she was in charge. She’d had all sorts of ideas, yet couldn’t seem to settle on one—

She snorted. Seemed a familiar recent predicament.

She offered a partial answer. “Mostly chatter and food, but since I’m too wishy-washy to come up with a new project to learn, we’re headed back to grade school and making collages.”

Rose flipped her long black hair over her shoulder. “Nice. Honestly, collaging is getting popular again. I was thinking about setting up a class at the shop. One of those wine and art evenings.”

“There you go, Lisa,” Tamara teased with a smile. “Once again on the cutting edge of fashion.”

Hanna Lane, the petite, brunette woman with a soft smile and a very sparkly ring on her left hand, got to her feet. “Let me help. I swung by the library and picked up the discarded magazines you asked for.”

“I will continue to pour drinks, although most of your drink preferences are far from challenging,” Brooke Silver offered. Her long, brunette ponytail swung as she swooped in to grab Tamara’s empty water glass to refill.

Lisa sat next to Julia, enjoying the easy conversation that flowed between them. She’d been officially meeting with the local girls for the last couple of months, but it was neat to suddenly have Julia there. It was also entertaining to observe the interaction among some of the women, like Rose, Tansy, and Brooke, who had been friends for years.

“By the way.” Tansy’s tone was full satisfaction. “Heard through the grapevine the police made a couple of arrests over the puppy mill business.”

A sharp stab of pain struck Lisa at the remembrance of that day. “Good,” she growled. “I hope they get locked up without food or water or heat.”

“There’s the bloodthirsty sister I know and love,” Tamara drawled.

Lisa glanced at her.

Tamara showed her teeth. “Notice I didn’t say there was a single thing wrong with your suggestion.”

“Anyone we know?” Brooke demanded.

“A couple guys out of Okotoks.” Hanna offered the tidbit. “Brad told me they were with a pet store and it’s been shut down. There will be more in the news this coming week.”

It didn’t change the past, but maybe it meant a few more animals would be safe in the future.

Kelli James slipped into the room, shaking the snow off her cowboy hat before hanging it and her coat up. “Hey, guys, sorry I’m late. I was helping Uncle Luke figure out how to make a pillow fort for the girls.”

Laughter drifted among the group. Lisa’s nieces had been in heaven at the idea of having a sleepover at their uncle’s house, no matter that it was just across the lake and only five minutes away.

“I thought Dustin was helping Luke take care of the girls tonight. And thank you for sweet-talking your guy into that, by the way,” Tamara said.

Kelli blew a raspberry. “Luke loves your kids. And Dustin is there. Between the two of them, they were debating the merits of building a reenactment of Stonehenge.”

Tamara shook her head. “As long as they don’t plan to make any sacrifices.”

“Caleb was walking in the door as I slipped out, so I’m pretty sure the girls are safe.” Kelli slapped high-fives with Tansy and Rose en route to stealing Tyler from Tamara and planting a kiss on his cheek. “Hey, cutie. Did you miss your Auntie Kelli? Of course you did. She’s the bestest cowgirl auntie in town since Auntie Karen’s not here…” Kelli paused, glancing at Julia and making a face. “Damn. Lisa’s still here. And you—you’re not a cowgirl, are you?”

Julia wiggled her fingers. “Maybe? EMT by training, but I grew up on a dude ranch. You could probably call me a cowgirl.”

Kelli sighed dramatically. “Well, I can’t go around handing out false advertising.” She rearranged Tyler to shake a finger in his face. “I’m your favourite auntie under five-foot-five. Lisa’s your favourite funny auntie. Julia can be your favourite red-haired auntie.”

“Does that make you Auntie Shorty?” Tamara asked with a snicker.

Kelli gave her the evil eye as she accepted a drink from Brooke. “Tell me what we’re doing, because it looks like it might burn off a little frustration.”

She gestured with her free hand at the piles of paper waiting on the table.

Lisa gave Rose the go-ahead to explain, settling back beside Kelli and watching Tyler attempt to focus.

“Pick a theme if you’d like,” Rose said. “An emotion, a place. A word. Let’s go with a word. Pencil that on your page, then flip through the magazines and find pictures and sentences that you like. Rip them out or cut them out, and pop them on the paper however you want—no perfectionists allowed.” She glanced at Brooke. “If I see you get out a ruler, I will spank you with it.”

“Promises, promises,” Brooke answered with a grin.

Rose made sure everybody had glue sticks and solid pieces of cardboard to use as a base.

Lisa rearranged herself, sitting on the floor with her frame on the coffee table. Her brain flitted everywhere—butterflies with ADHD would be calmer.

She forced herself to put her pencil to the paper and, with clear block letters, wrote the word ADVENTURE across her page.

Maybe this would help get some of her jitters to settle.

“Toss me that National Geographic,” she told Tansy.

It took a while, but as they ate and drank and chattered, all the while ripping pictures out of magazines and gluing them on their pages, a sweet sort of peacefulness snuck in. Lisa let her mind wander, halfway paying attention to the conversation, barely paying attention to the pictures she was selecting.

“What does HFH stand for?” Julia asked out of the blue. “You know, when Lisa said the HFH was officially open?”

Rose opened her mouth and then paused. “Hang on. We’ve never had a title to these meetings before. Lisa?”

Oops. “Twenty questions time,” Lisa said perkily. “I bet—”

“Don’t do it,” six voices said in unison to Julia, who Lisa just happened to be looking at.

Everyone laughed.

Lisa tried her hardest to look indignant. “I wasn’t actually setting up a bet,” she insisted.

“With you, it’s hard to tell,” Tamara flashed back. “HFH. If you followed any kind of logic it should be Heart Falls something, but this is you. It’s probably a spin on the whole Canadian tradition of using Her Royal Majesty’s etc. etc., which would make it Her Finest…Hussies?”

Brooke snorted. “I know. Heart Falls Heartbreakers.” She breathed on her nails and buffed them against her shirt. “Although two of you are no longer solo—oh wait. I miscounted. Tamara, Hanna, and Kelli. That makes three permanently out of circulation.”

“I hear you’re seeing a certain firefighter,” Hanna teased. “Either that, or he’s having an awful lot of engine troubles. Brad swears that his partner’s truck is constantly at your mechanic shop.”

“So that’s who you are,” Julia said eagerly before slapping a hand over her mouth. “Oops.”

All eyes pivoted. Brooke put down the magazine she was glancing through, leaning on an elbow toward Julia. “Who said what? And there is no lying or evasion allowed amongst us Heart Falls Hooligans.”

Another snicker sounded.

Julia shrugged. “I hang out down at the Fire Hall when I’m not out on a call. Seems there’s a certain tall, built firefighter who burnt supper three days in a row because he was distracted by texting with his mechanic.”

Brooke’s grin widened. “Good to know.”

“Lisa, you have to tell us when we guess the answer.” Rose said sternly. “Or are you just making this up as you go along?”

“Yes.” Lisa ducked as glue sticks flew across the room from all directions, smacking into her. “Hey. I should make you pay a penalty to get them back.”

Conversation continued, all of them taking turns holding Tyler when he fussed, wandering the room with that rocking motion that kicked in out of nowhere when holding a baby.

Finally it was time to display their projects, holding them up to accept both friendly banter and admiration. Eight different projects, eight different messages.

Tamara had filled the word LOVE with pictures of family and sunsets and food. She grinned as they teased about that last one.

“I’m going to put on so much weight if I’m not careful,” she said. “It’s nice to not get nauseous at just the thought of food.”

“Considering you lost weight with your pregnancy, I don’t think putting on a few pounds is a bad thing,” Lisa pointed out.

Rose and Tansy held up their pictures side by side.

“There’s a theme,” Tansy announced. She looked straight at Lisa. “Five bucks says you can’t figure it out.”

“What you mean there’s a theme?” Rose asked indignantly. “I didn’t agree to that.”

“Trust me,” her sister insisted. “Heck, there’re two themes.”

Lisa examined the two poster boards closer. Rose had written the word BEAUTY across her page in all sorts of fonts, with a dozen different markers. Some italics, some block—all of them floating at different angles. Between each she’d glued pictures of knickknacks, flowers, and what looked like beautiful earrings and jewellery.

“Very pretty,” Julia said.

“And now mine.” Tansy wiggled her board from side to side. “Guess if you can.”

Kelli made a face. “You’re a cheater. You didn’t put any words on your page.”

“Didn’t need to.”

Lisa took a closer look. Tansy had been snatching up all the pictures of good-looking guys she could find, or at least their bodies. Not all of them had heads, but all were fit, muscular, and in some way, partially presenting their backsides.

Lisa’s laughter emerged and she squeezed the baby in her arms a little tighter. “Oh, you’re bad. You’re good, but you’re very bad,” she chastised Tansy.

Tansy looked disappointed. “You figured it out already?”

“You can give me my five bucks tomorrow morning in the form of a latte.” Lisa didn’t bother to keep the gloating out of her voice.

Tyler went from sleeping to screeching in his usual three point five seven seconds. Tamara hauled him away, settling him to eat as quickly as possible. “Don’t make us keep guessing. Or at least give us a hint.”

“I just did.” Lisa could not stop gloating.

Tamara grumbled for a moment before tilting her head at Julia. “See what you you’re in for? Years of being annoyed by this woman.”

Julia was focusing hard, glancing between Tansy and Lisa. Her lips moved as if she was reciting the words that had just been said and then her lips twitched up. “I get it.”

“You can tell us,” Brooke said, staring into the glass as she swirled the liquid. “I’ve had three of these and I’m not thinking very straight anymore.”

Julia pointed at Rose’s board. “Flowers, knickknacks—that’s what Rose sells in her shop.” She swung her finger toward Tansy’s bevy of beefcake.

“That’s not what Tansy sells,” Hanna said with a soft snicker.

“I would if I could, but laws and yada, yada, yada.”

“Oh my God, it’s buns. You two did a collage of Buns and Roses,” Kelli said in the midst of a hearty giggle.

Lisa made a motion for Rose and Tansy to exchange places. “And there’s the second theme. Beauty and the Beast.”

They were all thoroughly amused. As they looked through the poster boards that Hanna, Brooke and Kelli had made, laughter stayed present. Especially since Kelli’s was ninety percent horses and ten percent boots.

Lisa wasn’t even sure she’d picked up the right board when they all teased it was her turn. There were some appropriate things on there, like a picture of New York and the Sydney Opera House. There were guitars and cowboy hats, and tents on a remote mountainside wilderness.

But right in the middle, almost underlining the word that she’d determinedly written down as inspiration—a pair of masculine eyes stared off the page. Nothing else. She didn’t remember doing it, but the paper had been ripped to remove almost all of the man’s features leaving nothing but clear blue eyes staring intently her.

Familiar eyes looking directly at her as if to demand he be a part of her adventure.

19

The fundraiser was less than a week away and while everything about the event seemed to be going well, Josiah wasn’t sure what was going on in Lisa’s head regarding her plans for after.

Anytime he tried to steer the conversation in that direction, she evaded his question or went to the other extreme and shared a mass of information from some of the pages in her notebook.

It was getting annoying, but he was fighting to keep things positive. Keep them fun. Holding on to his optimism was taking too much energy. Combined with springtime emergencies going into overdrive, getting a good night’s sleep was becoming nearly impossible.

Josiah stumbled into the kitchen, heading straight for the coffee maker. He stood over the sink and drank a cup before going back and filling it to the brim a second time.

When he finally realized he wasn’t alone, it was too late to be embarrassed. “Gentlemen.”

Zach’s grin flashed. “I like how you managed to say that with just a hint of a British accent. Makes me feel like I’ve been tossed into some sort of Downton Abbey remake.”

“Having a classical education is always entertaining,” Josiah agreed. He dropped into a chair beside them at the kitchen table.

Finn and Zach exchanged glances before Finn pushed aside his coffee cup, leaned his hands on the table and cleared his throat, waiting until Josiah looked him in the eye. “You look like hell.”

“Thanks.”

“You shouldn’t look like hell,” Zach offered. “You’ve got a great job, an amazing house, and a set of wonderful roommates.”

“More importantly, a wonderful woman. You’re not letting that get away without locking it up, are you?” Finn asked. Blunt. Unwavering and hammer-on-the-nail-head direct.

Josiah played it casual. “We’re good together, but it could be we want different things.”

Finn’s response was immediate. “Bullshit. You want each other. The other stuff can be juggled.”

Zach didn’t say anything, just jerked a thumb toward Finn and tipped his head in agreement.

“Do you guys expect a reduction in rent for offering love-life advice? Because I don’t think I can swing that,” Josiah drawled.

“Consider this an early Christmas present.” Finn said.

“A very early Christmas present, but whatever.” Finn and Josiah both glared at Zach, and he lifted his hands in surrender as he leaned back in his chair. “Shutting up.”

Finn looked Josiah over with that impossible-to-evade assessment. “Look, we are stepping over the line, but it’s tough to watch you stumble around waiting for something to happen when you need to act. I’ve missed out on five years with Karen because I was too stupid to see there were more than one or two solutions to a problem. You need to get creative and find some options, but for God’s sake, man, don’t do what I did and let the woman walk away.”

“You think I should tie a rope around Lisa so I can reel her back?”

Finn didn’t look at all upset by the suggestion. “Why not?”

“Is this the time to mention I’m currently sponsoring an independent rope-maker?” Zach didn’t move as both Josiah and Finn tossed utensils at him.

“You’re so annoying,” Finn stated blandly.

“I love you too. Speaking of which. You mentioned Karen.” Zach glanced pointedly at Finn. “Five years and counting, bro…”

Finn took another considered sip of his coffee. “Working on it. Soon.”

The guys were right, though, Josiah realized. Exasperating, but right.

It had been good to have other people in the house. The evenings when Lisa was busy and he had time off, Finn and Zach had been excellent company. They’d worked together caring for the animals, but also willingly put up their feet and relaxed with him. Watched TV or chatted about what was going on in Heart Falls.

And apparently, offered romance therapy.

He hadn’t figured out what to do with the call to action before his afternoon blew up and he ended up having to contact Lisa to warn her their date that night would have to be postponed.

“I promised to stop by Sonora’s and I’m over an hour out from finishing here.” A calf bawled in the background. Somewhere an animal kicked boards of the barn in frustration, dust rising in the air.

“Anything I can help with at Sonora’s?” she asked. “Actually, why don’t I meet you there? There’re a couple last-minute things I need to make sure she finished so we’re ready to go on Saturday.”

“I won’t be dressed to head out afterward or anything,” he warned. “I’m coming straight from work.”

“That’s fine. I’m a cowgirl. I know exactly what working with animals smells like,” she teased. “It doesn’t have to be a late night or anything. I just want to see you.”

Her words warmed his heart way more than they should have. He hung up feeling moderately optimistic.

Of course, when it was nearly two hours before he made it to Sonora’s, some of those warm, bubbly feelings had escaped. Great way to make a good impression, Ryder. He’d had to stop for a shower and fresh clothes or no one would have wanted to spend time with him.

Thankfully, Lisa hadn’t given up. The two women were sitting in the main reception room and their laughter was the first thing he heard as he opened the door and entered the cozy building.

The room had undergone a huge change over the past months. It was painted in bright, clean colours, with playful animal pictures on the walls and plenty of room for pictures of adopted animals to go up on the corkboard.

Two heads pivoted his direction, one with grey-white hair, the other with beautiful brown waves that tumbled over her shoulders. Brown eyes that met his with warmth and affection.

Three heads—Ollie appeared from under Lisa’s chair and headed straight for him, mouth open in her best doggie smile.

“Hello, ladies.”

Ollie stopped next to him, her tail thumping into his shins.

Sonora rose to her feet and came over, offering him a quick hug before shaking a finger. “You’re not supposed to work that hard,” she chastised him. “You need to take more days off.”

“I promise I’ll take as many days off as I see you take,” he offered.

Lisa whistled in amusement. “Oh, good one.” She slid in beside him and caught his hand in hers, squeezing tightly.

Sonora glanced between the two of them and rolled her eyes. “I’m taking myself off to my comfortable living room for a cup of tea. Casey will be here after midnight to make the rounds and check the animals. Lock up when you’re done smooching.”

She disappeared, obviously happy to have gotten the last word.

Lisa leaned against Josiah, arms wrapped around his waist. “I think this whole animal rescue has been good for her. She’s enjoying herself.”

“And she’s especially enjoying that the animal shelter annoys Ashton,” Josiah said with a grin.

Ollie barked once, scratching at the side door. It led to the large indoor arena that would be used for the auction events that coming weekend and animal training the rest of the time.

Lisa freed herself enough to head toward the door, tugging Josiah after her. “Come on. Ollie obviously has something on her mind.”

What the dog wanted was to make the rounds along the edge of the building, sniffing and scratching and examining everything, which was fine by Josiah because it meant he got to walk hand-in-hand with Lisa, planning out the final details of the auction.

It was natural; it was easy.

It was so damn perfect, especially when they paused at the end of the arena and Lisa leaned back against the wall, tugging him over her.

It was natural to lean in and put their lips together, teasing as he took in her taste.

It was comfortable in a way that didn’t mean taking that comfort for granted. She fit—against his body, her fingers sliding through his hair. Little moans sounded as she pressed up against him, giving generously. A thoroughly sensual, beautiful woman.

They fit.

So damn perfectly that he put his forearms on the wall by her head, just far enough back to look into her eyes. “Sonora said we should lock up when we’re done.”

Lisa grinned. “Was that a mistake?”

He couldn’t stop himself. “I never want to be done,” he whispered.

Her smile faded. “Josiah?”

“I want to kiss you today, tomorrow, and every day from now till forever.” There was no holding back.

Maybe he’d made the decision one snowy March night, driving home alone and realizing that wasn’t what he wanted from life. Back then, getting involved with Lisa had been some nebulous good idea. He’d been attracted to her, and intrigued, and a whole lot of things that made going after her seem right.

All of that had changed to so much more and the words spilled off his tongue. It seemed impossible to hold back what was the biggest truth in his world.

“I love you.”

Lisa’s hands fisted the front of his shirt, her eyes wide. She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times, and then—

She ducked under his arm and took off, racing across the room.

“Lisa.” He turned to follow her, but Ollie got underfoot and Josiah ended up sprawled on the ground. He rolled to his feet just in time to see Lisa slip out the exit.

Well, shit.

He strode across the arena, shoving open the door just in time to see her red taillights disappearing down the road.

It was interesting, the sensation he felt inside. He was shocked and a little disgruntled that she’d reacted to his spontaneous confession by bolting. But…

Things had changed. He had changed, and a lot of that had to do with Lisa.

Josiah knew the truth. He wasn’t the man he’d been even a few months ago. If this had happened back then, he would have felt utterly rejected. Like he’d once again judged unworthy. But there was something different going on.

He’d seen the flash of panic in Lisa’s eyes, but he’d also seen the longing.

Finn’s comment about there being more than one solution—it seemed Lisa Coleman hadn’t quite gotten that figured out yet. She was usually so good at coming up with a solution and moving with everything in her toward it.

He was pretty sure he wasn’t the only one with deep feelings. Ones that would be a shock to a certain woman’s system because it turned out falling in love wasn’t manageable. It was wild and extreme—and perfect.

Over the years Josiah had learned there were a lot of ways to work with a skittish beast. When he’d first started at veterinary school he’d been too out of shape to physically intimidate the animals, so he’d learned to schmooze. To cajole. To convince them he was worthy of trust.

It had taken a lot of effort, but it had been worth it.

It’d taken a lot of work to get in shape, pushing his muscles to the limit. He’d done it—

Hell, he still did it. Every single damn day he put in the energy because it was worth it.

Josiah stood there in the cold, staring into the evening sky until no doubt remained.

Lisa loved him. Maybe she wasn’t ready to say it yet, but that didn’t matter. He was going to do the hard work. He was going to hang in there, and be there, and listen to her until she couldn’t help but say it back.

Because he knew she wasn’t leaving Heart Falls. Not without them finding a way to be together.

He hauled out his phone and made a call.

Lisa Coleman, no matter where you run, I’ve got a rope tied on you, he thought. It’s called love and there’s nothing stronger.

* * *

It felt as if she’d driven for hours and Lisa wasn’t sure her head had reattached itself to her shoulders.

So. That’s what a panic attack felt like. Interesting.

It was strange how it’d come completely out of the blue. Feeling warm and cozy inside one minute to being a second away from freaking out the next.

She wasn’t proud that she’d run, but the fact it’d taken over half an hour for her hands to stop shaking said at least part of her reaction had been right.

Josiah wasn’t supposed to have said that. Not yet. She wasn’t ready.

It was the only thought that kept going through her brain. I’m not ready.

When her phone went off, she considered ignoring it, but it was her dad. He’d come to visit Tamara and Caleb and the kids, and to attend the fundraiser. The open communication line between her and her father was still new and she didn’t want to do anything to mess it up.

“Hi, Dad. What’s up?”

“I was wondering where you were,” he said quietly.

“On a date. You knew that.”

A gentle sigh sounded on the other end of the line. “You’re not with him, so come and get me,” he ordered. “I want to talk to you.”

Great. First she ran out on a date and now she had to deal with her father.

There seemed to be no good reason to turn him down, so she swung past the bunkhouse where he was staying. Tamara and Caleb had offered him space in the house, but he’d insisted he’d be more comfortable letting them have their own space.

George Coleman climbed into the passenger side of her truck and sat there wordlessly.

This just got better and better. “Anywhere in particular we’re going?”

“Yeah. Your boyfriend’s,” he said sternly.

Oh hell, no. “Did Josiah call you?” she demanded.

“He’s called me a couple of times because we both have a lot of interest in horses and Caleb has spoken highly of Josiah’s skills,” her dad admitted. “Or are you talking about tonight?”

She wasn’t putting the truck in gear until she knew what was going on. “Tonight.”

George looked out the window as if sitting in a truck was a perfectly fine place to have a conversation. “He didn’t call me. I have a standing invitation to see his place. I thought I should take advantage of the opportunity before I head home.”

Dammit. First she didn’t know from one minute to the next what Josiah was going to do and now her dad was surprising her? She was losing her touch.

There seemed to be no plausible excuse she could make to not take him to Josiah’s house without having to offer up a confession she wasn’t ready for.

She kept her foot as light on the gas as possible, but they still made it to Josiah’s house faster than legally possible. And miracle of miracles, her father restrained himself from making any comments about women drivers. Huh.

There were no trucks parked outside—small mercies. She wasn’t ready to face Josiah yet.

Oh my God, he’d said I love you and she’d walked out on him. What the hell had she been thinking?

Right. She hadn’t been thinking, she’d been panicking.

Her dad got out of the truck and completely ignored her, letting himself into the house and wandering around quietly.

Lisa had to admit she was totally lost.

Her dad even found the door to the silo stairs on his own and Lisa followed him up, trying not to look at all of the things and places that were already full of memories.

How could she have made so many memories in such a short time?

“I know how much you did to get the Coleman ranches back together.” Her father’s words came out of the blue. He was standing beside the bookcase, running his finger along the shelf, pausing on one of the spines.

Lisa blinked. She was tempted to pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming things up. “What did you say?”

He turned to face her. “The amalgamation. I didn’t see it at the time, but over the past while, every time someone made a comment, it hit home a little harder. You orchestrated that, didn’t you?”

Wow. This was not the conversation she expected to have with her father. Not tonight. Not any night, truthfully.

Maybe because her emotions had been stretched to the edge already, she simply confessed. “Yeah. I don’t get all the credit because I wasn’t the only one who saw that things needed to change. Lee did, as well, but considering he’s as young as I am, nobody was ever going to listen to the two of us.”

Her father had gone motionless. He was staring out the window, the sun drawing closer to the top of the mountains. “You’re probably right, but then again, not all my brothers are as stubborn or as stupid as I am.”

“Dad—” she chastised.

“What, I’m not supposed to call myself stupid? I mean, when the boot fits.” He took a deep breath. “I wish I’d been smart enough to see it, but I wish a whole hell of a lot more that I’d been the kind of father that you felt you could come to. So I could’ve…”

His words trailed off and a rush of frustration hit. “So you could’ve been proud?”

His gaze snapped to hers “Oh, don’t you do that. I have always been proud of you. You and both of your sisters. It’s never been about your skills.”

“But it sure as hell felt like it, Dad. And I don’t want to flog a dead horse, but it sure felt that if we’d been sons, things would’ve been a whole lot different.”

“Of course it would’ve been.”

Her stomach fell. Of all the things—he wasn’t supposed to say that.

But then he went on and exploded her world into a million pieces.

“Do you remember how your mother died? The stories you were told?” He stepped forward and grabbed her hands, trapping her so she couldn’t escape. “She wasn’t supposed to be on that tractor, I was. But I was late, and she knew she could do it. She’d done it a million times before, but the axle broke and the angle of the hill was wrong and all the things the investigators told us. Doesn’t matter, though, that they figured out how it happened. In the end, she was dead, and I didn’t have her and neither did you girls. She was gone and it was my fault.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Lisa began, but he cut her off.

“Is it? They said if there’d been more weight in the seat, the tractor would’ve stayed upright, but she was too light. If your mom hadn’t gone out to do my job that day, she’d still be alive.”

The guilt in his voice nearly took Lisa’s knees out. “You don’t know that.”

“I know it in my gut,” he insisted. “And it changed the way I treated you girls down the road when you started to want to help around the ranch. I felt so terribly guilty that your mom was gone and so afraid. I didn’t see that until Caleb told me he was doing the same damn thing to Tamara.”

Lisa jerked upright. So that’s what had triggered the apology the other day. “Caleb’s a good man.”

Her father nodded. “He is. But when he told me what he’d caught himself doing, overprotecting Tamara, my first instinct was to smack him upside the head because none of you girls deserve to be treated like that. Not by the men who care about you and love you. But I was doing the same damn thing. I was so scared every time you girls walked outside, I would do anything to keep you safe. And after a while, it was just easier to try and box you in and keep you where nothing could hurt you.”

His confession explained so many things. “You can’t protect somebody like that,” she said softly.

His laugh was brittle. “I sure tried. And when ordering you not to do it didn’t work, I tried to humiliate you into stopping. That backfired in other ways. Tamara left the ranch and got her training as a nurse—and didn’t that give me just as many nightmares.”

Lisa stood silently, watching the sun closing in on the top of the mountains.

“I wanted to keep you safe. I figured if you weren’t doing tasks out on the ranch, but working in the house, nothing could harm you.” Her father squeezed her fingers to let her go, pacing toward the wall of windows and staring out. “Caleb was the one who put it into words, but the fact I was so scared when we heard Tamara had gone into labour—hell, that’s as womanly a task as you can get and I still couldn’t protect her.”

Oh my God. The hurt and sadness in his voice wrapped around Lisa, knocking away any smart-ass comments she might have regarding womanly tasks.

She stepped up and wrapped her arm around her father, leaning her head against his shoulder. “We don’t need you to protect us, Dad. We need you to love us.”

He nodded. “I know that now. Like I said, I’m working on being how you need me to be.” He turned to face her, smiling. “Which is why I’m about to give you some fatherly advice, and I hope you don’t just dismiss it because of all the stupid mistakes I’ve made in the past.”

“I’m listening.”

“Whatever spooked you today with Josiah—” He held up his hand when she would’ve spoken. “I didn’t lie earlier. He didn’t call me, he called the house, trying to track you down. And yes, I finagled this get-together to force you over here. But, sweetheart, the years I had with your mom were the best. You never actually got a chance to know her, but she was wonderful and I miss her every single day. Except, and now I sound like a fool, but the week I had with Julia’s mom had that same kind of perfection to it. It wasn’t long enough and it wasn’t deep enough, and if I could have another minute with either of them, I would jump on that opportunity and grab it with both hands.”

Lisa stayed motionless for a moment, staring up at his earnest expression. “I don’t know what I want,” she admitted.

“Truly? Or are you not certain of all you want?” he asked softly. “Because there’s nothing wrong with grabbing the part you do know while you’re figuring out the rest of it.”

And then, stubborn man, he pressed a kiss to her forehead and walked away.

She stood and stared out the window, watching as the sun slid into the distant notch.

No matter how much it pained her to admit it, her father was right. She totally knew part of what she wanted. She just didn’t see how she could have Josiah and everything else.

After all her years of coordinating behind the scenes sneaking and teasing people into doing things her way—the way that was best for the most people—she had no idea what came next.

She kept staring at the sky. At the sky’s pinks and purples, streaks of dark clouds gathering as the wind moved the clouds like in quick-motion reel.

What do I really want?

I want to be with Josiah. I want to experience life. I want a family, yet I want to stretch my mind in new ways.

It still seemed far too tangled and impossible. Like throwing darts at a map and then trying to arrive at all four destinations on different continents at the same time.

I want everything.

Even as she made the wish, the sun dipped lower, sliding from a quarter of an arc showing to vanishing behind the brim and for one brief second, she could have sworn—

A flash. Not neon green like she’d been imagining, but a rich, growing colour that matched a forest of mature spruce trees.

“Oh my God.”

She pressed her palms to the window, staring, but it was gone.

Had she imagined the entire thing?

She wasn’t sure how long she stood there when a warm body moved in at her back. The familiar voice and familiar touch of Josiah as he placed his hands over hers, cheeks brushing, and the bristles on his jaw scratching lightly. “You okay, darlin’?”

Lisa took a deep breath and turned. “I think my father abandoned me here.”

Josiah looked thoughtful. “Seems you’re right.”

She didn’t know what to do long term, but she knew what needed to happen today. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have run away.”

He tucked his fingers under her chin, stroking his thumb across her cheek. “Apology accepted, if you accept mine as well. I moved too fast.”

She shrugged. “Not really. You kind of started this whole thing by being pretty blunt and normally, that would have been okay. I am capable of telling you to slow down. I’m not sure why I got so scared.”

But her father’s story was maybe giving her a few hints.

George Coleman had been trying to protect them because he was worried about losing something precious, but in the process he’d still lost something.

How terrible would it be for Lisa to not learn from his mistake?

Lisa stroked Josiah’s cheek. “Can I have a couple of days?”

His smile remained, but his eyes no longer glowed. “Of course.”

Oh no. No. That was not what she wanted. Hurting Josiah any further was not on the agenda. “I love you.”

His eyes widened.

“I really do and that’s not up for debate. That’s not what my problem is.” She caught his collar in her fists and held on tight. “Just a couple of days, okay?”

He hesitated, then nodded. “Stay with me tonight?”

She curled her arms around his waist. “I’d like that. I want that.” She leaned up on her toes and lifted her lips to his. “I want you.”

They stole down the stairs hand-in-hand, then into his bedroom where he pushed open the curtains to let the sunset hues fill the room. Josiah proceeded to strip everything off her one piece at a time, pressing kisses on her skin, making her feel adored and cherished.

Right around the time her legs gave out, he scooped her up and carried her to the bed where he kissed her senseless, stroking and caressing until she was quivering with need before he pressed her legs open and slid home.

A quiet lovemaking. A joining together that was so right and so them. Unexpectedly tender, gloriously passionate. Honest…

Real.

Josiah cupped a hand to her cheek, their bodies twined and connected. “No expectations, no promises. But I love you. Stubborn, mischievous, drives-me-wild you.”

Lisa wrapped her legs around him and pulled him deeper. Closer. Meshed together as they rose over and over until they both fell into pleasure.

20

When Lisa woke in his arms, she wondered briefly if it was going to be awkward, but the only notable part was how very undemanding Josiah was. He didn’t push or prod or demand explanations.

He just held her.

In fact, he insisted they not talk about what had happened beyond generalities. “Your brain is figuring it out,” he insisted. “And I don’t want to toss something at you that later makes you feel as if you were coerced. Like you asked, we’ll give it a couple of days. But in the meantime, you need to know that I’m not going away. Extra time isn’t going to change the way I feel about you and you can count on that.”

He’d silenced her in one of the most fun ways possible before stealing out of bed and heading to work.

Over the next two days, she thought and poked at her problem from a million angles. Lisa spent all her free time with Josiah, Ollie curled up contentedly on their laps as they sat together on the couch or lay quietly in front of the fire in his room.

She loved Josiah. She truly did, so the idea of leaving him behind to travel for a few years to satisfy her wanderlust held little appeal. But giving up the travel to just stay home seemed like cheating herself out of a promise she’d made.

While Lisa thought, Josiah watched silently, his closest hand constantly stroking her arm, or back, or hair, as if reminding her he planned to always be there.

Ollie just loved on both of them as much as possible.

Lisa had almost figured out a solution she felt comfortable with, maybe, when suddenly the day of the fundraiser arrived and she didn’t want to do anything to distract from the event.

But as soon as the day was over, she was ready to do the next thing.

The truth was, at the core, while she wanted to do something for herself, Josiah had been right. Doing things for other people also made her happy.

She didn’t need to leave to find herself. She didn’t need to run away from the wonderful things happening right there in Heart Falls. But she also didn’t need to give up her dreams of adventure. Somewhere out there was a way to have it all.

The best part, though, was she didn’t have to figure out how on her own.

What she did need to decide was a way to absolutely and completely blow Josiah’s socks off when she told him. Because, hey, telling a guy that she wanted him forever should be big and bold and memorable, right?

But first, the fundraiser.

Positive energy and excited people milled around the new Heart Falls Animal Rescue. They’d hauled in a good number of media reps and the local community members had come out in full force.

Lisa and Josiah stood at the side of the modest stage that had been built in the arena, preparing to go up on the platform to run through their spiel to convince people to open up their pocketbooks, and possibly their homes, to one of the healthy, happy, and ready-to-be-adopted dogs.

Lisa held Ollie’s leash even though there was little chance of the dog wandering off.

Decorations were everywhere, including helium balloons in the shape of farm animals, cats, and dogs.

Josiah laid a hand on her arm, then poked a set of cue cards toward her. “I made some changes. Here’s your script.”

She’d already taken them from him before she realized what he was saying. “But I thought we had it all figured out already.”

“This script is better,” Josiah insisted. He stuck a finger in her face. “No improvising.”

Lisa folded her arms over her chest. “Me? You’re the one who—”

“Be right back,” Josiah tossed over his shoulder as he hurried behind the left-wing barrier.

She glanced down at the stack of cue cards to discover he’d wrapped a dozen or more elastic bands around the pile. He’d twisted some and changed direction, so removing them wasn’t going to be easy. She began peeling them off one by one when Sonora slipped an arm around her waist and tugged her toward the stage.

“Come on, Lisa. Time to shine.”

Drat, Josiah, changing the rules at the last minute. Lisa followed Sonora, smiling at the faces turning toward them while frantically pulling elastic bands free and juggling Ollie’s leash. She didn’t want to drop the elastics to the ground where some animal would find them, so she slid them onto her wrist one after the other.

While she worked, Sonora had stepped up to the microphone.

“Welcome. We’re so glad you could come out today. You know like anything we do here in Heart Falls, we like to do it up right. A lot of you put in time to help make this happen and we sure appreciate it. But it’s not about us, is it? It’s about those sweet puppies we rescued. And all the other animals we plan to help over the years to come with your support.”

There was a smattering of applause from the crowd standing in the arena. Some of them had pets on leashes as well and the entire group moved constantly as the animals explored.

Sonora smiled down at the kids in the front row. “I think we need to hear straight from the dog’s mouth, so to speak. What do you think of that?”

A far more enthusiastic cry went up, the kids jumping up and down.

Lisa had finally removed the last elastic, the cards moving freely through her fingers. Thank God. She stepped toward Sonora because it was time for her and Josiah to begin, when a cry went up, laughter following hard on the heels of delighted squeals.

Lisa spun to discover a human-sized dog was joining them on the stage. With long, floppy brown ears and big brown eyes, the person in a dog costume waved their arms in the air and then clapped overhead as the crowd got excited.

When the dog rotated on the stage and wagged his tail, the walls echoed with laughter.

Lisa blinked in confusion. This was not on the agenda.

The dog wiggled its way over to her side, poking her gently in the arm with one big, furry mitten. “Your turn, darlin’,” he whispered.

Oh. My. God. “Josiah?”

He did an exaggerated stage bow before standing and nodding his head vigorously.

She should have known. No way would Ollie have let anyone else get that close to her without reacting.

She would’ve gaped at him for a little longer, but Josiah tilted his head in a move so reminiscent of Ollie, she slapped a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing out loud.

Instead, she turned toward the crowd and lifted the first of the cue cards, trusting they would help get her through without making a mess of the event. “We’re here to fundraise for the shelter, which is going to help a lot of animals over the years. We’re also here to talk about how pets make things better right here at home. Let’s see what’s up with this very adventurous puppy…”

She gestured toward Josiah as the card instructed her to, watching with amusement as he raced around the stairs pretending to sniff everything. He stomped back to her side and pretended to sniff her as the kids at the foot of the stage squealed with delight.

When he pretended to run his tongue up the side of her face, Lisa squeezed her eyes together and grimaced, and giggles raced in from the crowd.

She lifted the next cue card. “He doesn’t need bright lights or faraway places to be happy. There’s tons to explore right here in his own backyard.” Lisa kept smiling, but she turned toward Josiah, lowering her voice in the hopes it wouldn’t get picked up on the microphone. “I am so getting even with you for this.”

Out of nowhere, Josiah pulled out a fake microphone of his own. He lifted it deliberately until it was right in front of his oversized canine mouth.

All the kids leaned forward in anticipation.

“Woof.”

Lisa had checked the next card. “If any of you don’t speak dog, I’ll interpret for you. He said this puppy hopes to stay right here in Heart Falls. But more importantly, he wants to stay with the people he loves. That’s what every dog wants most.”

Josiah had lowered the mic and was pacing along the front of the stage. He peered here, and there, as if trying to spot the perfect person.

With one paw held over his brows, he twisted. Looking, looking—

Kids were waving and pointing and making suggestions, but it wasn’t until he was once again facing Lisa that anything happened.

Josiah threw his arms in the air and jumped before rushing to her side to poke his head against her, tail waggling the entire time.

She was laughing so hard it was difficult to read the card. “Every puppy has to decide what’s important to them and that’s a lot easier to do when you’re with someone you love.”

Josiah barked. Not just once, but a dozen times.

Ollie barked back.

The entire room exploded with laughter.

“What did he say?” the kids shouted.

“Josiah or Ollie?” some joker quipped.

Lisa flipped to the next card. She read the whole thing quickly before glancing up at Josiah. “He asked if I loved him. Because if I did, he’d be willing to go anywhere with me.”

A collective awwww rose from the audience.

“So, do you?” It was her niece Sasha, of course. Front and center, Emma by her side, their fingers tangled together. “Do you love him, Auntie Lisa?”

Lisa folded her arms over her chest. The next cue card had been blank, with nothing but ???? over the entire surface.

She knew what she was going to do, but Josiah deserved to suffer a teeny bit for surprising her. Or more, for once again surprising her and stealing her thunder, because talk about getting her socks blown off.

If she’d thought of it first, she totally would have done this. Maybe without the dog costume, though.

Lisa turned to face the audience. “Do you really think I should admit something like that to a man dressed in a dog suit?”

Sasha and Emma weren’t the only ones who nodded their heads vigorously.

Beside her, Josiah pulled off the head of his costume, sneaking over to wrap a furry paw around her waist. “The dog suit is what made this perfect for you and me. I know you’re a sucker for big brown eyes and a perky tail.”

The microphone was on, but Lisa didn’t care. “You goof.”

“I am a goof. I’m also adaptable and brave enough to stand here in a dog costume and announce that I love you, Lisa Coleman. No matter where that takes us or what we end up doing, I want to be with you.”

“Is this part of the auction?” someone called from the back of the room.

The crowd turned toward him, fingers pressed to their lips. “Shhhhhhhh.”

Lisa glanced at Josiah. She glanced at the patiently waiting, before turning back and nodding. “Fine. You win. I love you too.”

Josiah picked her up and kissed her, right there in front of everyone, as Ollie barked enthusiastically. Catcalls and whistles rang out, and when Josiah put her back down, it felt as if her feet were still floating above the stage.

He winked. “I believe this means you owe me at least four hundred dollars because you will definitely be around by the end of the summer.”

“Double or nothing?” Lisa offered.

A laugh escaped. “We’ll donate it to the fund. And with that—” He twisted toward the audience. “Time to get down to business. We have all sorts of exciting things to auction off and once we’re done, I get to take my new owner home and celebrate, so let’s get to it.”

Another rumble of laughter echoed back and as they slid into the real portion of the event, Lisa realized she felt very much at home.

Still uncertain, but somehow that was okay.

If Josiah was willing to get up on a stage looking like the Big Red Dog and admit he loved her, she figured there was pretty much nothing he wouldn’t do to make her happy.

Somehow this relationship would work because she’d be doing her best to make him happy too.

Lisa leaned down and cut the strings on a batch of the balloons fastened to the front of the stage and watched as cats, dogs, pigs, and horses floated over the crowd to the sound of loud cheering.

* * *

It was late by the time the auction was over and the last piece of cake had been consumed. Sonora gave them both huge hugs before she left. The shelter went quiet with just the night watchman remaining when Josiah finally took Lisa and Ollie home.

Home. Which was going to be wherever the two of them were.

The three of them, he corrected himself, because it appeared Ollie was going to be a permanent part of their world.

Neither of them spoke much until they reached his room, satisfaction at their successful completion of the auction offering enough adrenaline to get them there. There was anticipation as well because it was time to make some things very clear.

But first…

Josiah pointed firmly at the bathroom. “Shower. Get comfy. Meet me back here when you’re done.”

Lisa went willingly, smiling over her shoulder at him as she carried her gym bag into the master en suite bathroom.

He hurried to get cleaned up in the guest bath, then grabbed the food he’d asked Zach to prepare for him earlier in the day. By the time Lisa appeared, decked out in soft flannel pyjamas and smelling like a spring day, Josiah was waiting for her in front of the fire he’d started.

Lisa pressed herself against him briefly in a full-body hug before slipping from his arms and attacking the sandwich tray. “Sorry, but I’m starving.”

Josiah chuckled as he all but inhaled his own sandwich. “We earned these.”

Ollie had finished inhaling her own food only moments earlier and was batting puppy eyes at both of them, desperately hoping for crumbs, no doubt.

Ten minutes later, they reclined against the pillows Josiah had arranged and Lisa let out a huge sigh of satisfaction. “God, that was delicious.”

Joshua offered her the plate of cookies. “Eat. You’ll need your strength for later,” he warned.

Lisa nibbled on a chocolate chip cookie, eyeing him with amusement. “I love you, Josiah Ryder, but you confuse the heck out of me.”

“I love you too, and I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

She leaned toward him. “When I asked for a couple of days to think, you said you weren’t going to toss anything at me that might make me feel coerced.”

“Ah, now I know what you’re talking about.” Josiah rested his arm along the couch seat to play with her hair.

“I’ll say it again to make sure you hear it. I love you, but explain to me how getting me to confess that up on stage in front of the entire town isn’t at least a teeny bit coercive.”

“If you hadn’t already figured out that you wanted to stay with me in Heart Falls, I wouldn’t have done it,” Josiah promised earnestly.

Her jaw dropped. “Really? I mean, wait— I mean, how did you know? I hadn’t said anything yet. I mean I was going to, so you’re right, but how?”

Josiah cupped her chin in his hand so he could stroke his thumb over her lower lip. “You didn’t say it with words, Lisa, but you’ve been saying some variation of it over the past few weeks. And the past couple of days, it’s been in your eyes…”

He touched his fingers to the corner of her temple, her skin silky soft under his caress.

“You have this expression that shines so brightly when you’re content and happy. I’ve seen it when you’re with your sisters. When you’re helping with your nieces or holding Tyler.”

“You’ve been watching me that closely?” She was whispering, turning her face to his hand and cuddling against his palm. “I like that.”

“I know, because you get that same light in your eyes when you look at me. When you’re here at my side. Not plotting or planning or working at something, but just being.” He leaned in and stroked his lips over hers. “We belong together. We’ll figure out the rest of it, I promise.”

Lisa caught his hand and pressed a kiss to the palm before wiggling back. “I was going to tell you tonight. That I want to be with you and that I want to stay in Heart Falls. But I also want to travel, so yeah, I kind of want it all.”

“Then that’s what we’ll do,” Josiah assured her. “We’ll start here in this house, if that’s okay with you, then we just need to figure out what trips we want to take. It doesn’t mean we have to be gone for long periods of time. Heck, we can start by visiting my family. They’re conveniently tossed around the world.”

She nodded. “I’d like to meet them, and that sounds like an awfully good idea. The being away for little periods of time and exploring new things while having a home base here. I don’t actually want to be gone for too long. Not with Tyler so little and I don’t want to miss the chance to get to know Julia while she’s in Heart Falls. We have no idea where she might end up.” She wrinkled her nose. “It could be expensive, but we can figure that out. Travel cheap, save up for trips.”

“We can afford it.” Josiah tugged her closer. “In the category of things that we didn’t talk about yet because there wasn’t a reason to, I have a trust fund that drops money into an account every year. Not millions, but enough.”

Utter shock slid over her face. “A trust fund? Get out. From who?”

“My great-great-aunt was a very successful stage actress with no immediate family of her own. She left her money to her brother’s descendants in trust. We’ve reached the stage where my brother, sisters, and I are the only ones receiving money and it looks like it will last for quite a long time. So we don’t need to worry about funds.”

Lisa looked as if she was fighting to wrap her brain around that one. “Really.”

He nodded earnestly.

She frowned. “But you’re making Sonora pay for supplies. She told me.”

Josiah understood where this was coming from. “The clinic runs as a business. It needs to pay its own way and run on its own merit or it doesn’t run. That was a decision I made when I started it, not because the clinic isn’t worth putting effort into, but because it is worth the effort. I don’t ever want to let my work ethic slacken because we don’t need the cash flow.”

She thought about it for a minute, then agreed.

“But just to reassure you, I always planned to match Finn’s donation to the rescue center, anonymously.” He had her in his lap. “I like to be generous. You’ll get to be as well, but there’s something to be said for working for your accomplishments.”

“Makes sense.”

Just as he was reaching for her to begin the most interesting and hands-on part of the evening, Lisa took her turn to mystify the heck out of him.

She snuck off his lap and into the chair in front of the window. Legs curled under her, she offered him a blinding smile. “Oh, wait. Let me get something ready for you.”

An instant later she’d pulled out her phone and started playing music, looking up at him expectantly.

Josiah eyed her in confusion. “Yes?”

“I’m waiting,” she said.

“I noticed. For what?”

“Your Magic Mike strip routine. You said the only way that would happen is if pigs flew.”

Hysterical. “Pigs flew today? I think I missed it.”

She cued something on her phone and then passed it over.

He swore. She’d taken a shot of the balloons drifting over the crowd before he’d begun the actual auction. There amidst the other animals…

Floating pigs.

“You cheated,” he said. “That’s why you volunteered to be in charge of picking decorations.

She pressed a hand against her chest, jaw dropping as if in shock. “Moi? Cheat?” Her expression softened. “You don’t have to, but I’m just saying, if it’s something you’d like to do, you’re not going to find a more appreciative audience anywhere.”

Josiah faked a long-suffering sigh. Seems she had a dramatic streak as wide as his. Still, the joy in her eyes wasn’t something he could deny and there were parts of his background he did enjoy.

So…

He turned up the music and placed her phone on the table at her elbow, slowly stepping away.

Lisa clasped her hands and laughed, her smile growing wider as he swung his hips and attempted to make taking off his T-shirt sexy. Her gaze drifted over his torso, her tongue slipping past her lips. Lips glistening, pulse beating at the base of her throat.

When she popped up on her knees and tossed aside her pyjama top, suddenly the whole stripping idea got a lot hotter.

Josiah took his time, enjoying the show he was getting in return, because when he finally dropped his pants, Lisa had also lost her clothes.

She joined him, completely comfortable as she swayed naked in his arms.

“You’re going to miss my best moves, watching from so close,” Josiah teased.

“Trust me,” she offered back with a gasp as he cupped her breast, then stole down to suck her nipple into his mouth. “I don’t need to see them to appreciate them.”

They made love, slow and sweet at first, until neither of them could hold back. Hands and teeth and touch and pressure increasing until red-hot pleasure melted his spine and they finished in a panting tangle in front of the fire.

Lisa adjusted position to rest her head on his still rocking chest. “Love you. So much.”

“Good,” he got out with the limited energy he had remaining. Debating if they really needed to move all the way to the bed.

She laughed softly. “Yeah, I suppose it is.”

21

Dinner at Silver Stone felt different. Not just because Lisa hadn’t cooked the meal by herself and not because there was more family around than before.

Beside her, Josiah’s fingers meshed with hers as he chatted comfortably with Caleb and that was what made the difference.

Without pausing his discussion, Josiah leaned over and picked up another fresh biscuit and popped it onto her plate before she could interrupt him to ask for one.

Lisa squeezed his fingers, then stole her hand free to butter and demolish the flaky treat. The fact the man had learned how to read her mind was equal parts creepy and delightful.

Karen and Julia were both at the table and their father hadn’t yet left town. George Coleman seemed to be taking advantage of every opportunity to spend time with his grandchildren and his girls.

No longer did Caleb look worried, either, because Tamara glowed with health. She’d chased Lisa out of the kitchen the last time she tried to help, and only caved when all three of her sisters—astonishing to think that…three sisters—had demanded they wanted to spend time together.

Julia was learning there was no use being hesitant when it came to dealing with siblings.

In a different direction, Sasha and Emma beamed as they boasted about how wonderful their baby brother was. At nearly two months old, Tyler was changing rapidly, but while Lisa thought he was adorable, he didn’t have much personality yet.

Not according to his sisters, though.

“Tyler is really smart. He wants me to read to him tonight again. Uncle Walker says Tyler is going to be a great rodeo star someday and Uncle Luke says he’s going to be a great horseman. Uncle Dustin says Tyler will be a great singer—Kelli says that’s because he can cry really loud.” Sasha got that all out without taking a breath.

“Although he does get stinky,” Emma admitted softly, leaning closer to Josiah as she spoke. “Can I play with Ollie after supper, Uncle Josiah?”

Lisa froze, wondering what he was going to do with that oops of a title. She didn’t blame Emma for making a mistake when all the other men around them were uncle.

Only Josiah just leaned closer like a co-conspirator, speaking so softly Lisa couldn’t hear, but whatever he said sent her niece giggling.

Across the table Tamara beamed as she glanced between Lisa and Josiah.

It had to be done. Lisa stuck out her tongue.

When Julia spotted her and snickered, Karen sighed as only an older sister could, then the four of them burst out laughing.

George shook his head, but he offered Caleb a wink.

After supper while they were clearing the table, Karen took a deep breath, then oh-so-casually dropped a bomb. “I started work on my application for equine therapist training today.”

“Get out.” Josiah was the first to react with his usual enthusiasm. “I didn’t know you were interested in that.”

“I love working with horses and the program is worthwhile. It seems as if I should get some official training, so…” She glanced at their father. “Dad and I were talking and he thought it was a good idea.”

Lisa opened her mouth to ask what the hell was going on when she caught herself barely in time.

Slamming her mouth shut didn’t go unnoticed, though. Josiah placed his hand on her waist and squeezed, promising attention later.

George spoke up. “Karen’s worked hard for Whiskey Creek, and if she wants to try something new, she deserves the chance.”

“There’s no guarantee I’ll get in this year,” Karen shared. “Deadline to apply is the end of this week and they’re announcing the final positions within the next two weeks. So the good part is I don’t have long to brood.”

“You’ll make it,” Julia said eagerly before glancing around with a hesitant smile. “I mean, you seem to know what you want and I hear you’re great with horses, so… Good luck?”

Karen laid a hand on Julia’s shoulder. “Thanks. I appreciate that, more than you know.”

Everyone hurried to offer their good wishes, including Lisa, but something inside still burned.

Josiah didn’t say anything until later, but once the conversation broke up a little and they were speaking more in small groups, he tugged her back against him. He arranged his lips close by her ear to whisper, “What’s wrong?”

She turned, pretending to be indulging in a public display of affection, but she caught herself one step away from growling the words. “Everything I did to orchestrate the Coleman ranch amalgamation? I did it so Karen could be happy there. And now she’s going to leave?”

“Ahhh.” Josiah stroked a finger over Lisa’s cheek. His love shone so clearly it soothed the ache inside her. “The good thing is your work went into making a better future for your entire family. The better thing is your sister is doing something to make herself happy. Right?”

Yes. A hundred, thousand times yes as Lisa realized that was exactly what was happening.

She kissed him quickly, shoving aside the rapidly fading bit of annoyance. “You’re so smart.”

“Your brilliance is wearing off on me. Want to make a bet that in fifty years I’ve almost caught up?”

Her eyes opened wide for a moment. She’d caught it. His reference to forever, and she wasn’t running scared. “Ha, as if I’d make another bet with you. You’d figure out some way to make it double or nothing and I’d have to live to three hundred to get paid.”

“Good by me,” Josiah teased, kissing her quickly.

A delicate cough rang in front of them.

Emma, waiting patiently impatiently and squirming on the spot like a typical eight-year-old. She glanced briefly at Josiah before turning her pleading gaze on Lisa. “Auntie Lisa, can I play with Ollie? I promise I’ll take good care of her.”

“Of course you can, sweetie, but you’ll have to keep her in the laundry room, okay?” Lisa said. Temptation flared and she leaned in close to whisper her question. “What did Josiah tell you earlier?”

Emma covered her mouth, then slipped her fingers open to giggle her answer. Softly, but loud enough Josiah easily overheard. “He said Ollie loves you almost as much as he does, so I need to be extra sweet to her.”

Something melted inside Lisa’s chest. Her throat was tight as she rubbed Emma on the head, then sent her off to the back of the house to cuddle with Ollie.

Then she lifted her eyes to Josiah. “You are…”

She swallowed hard, unable to finish.

Josiah’s grin widened. “I know.”

A laugh burst free. “Trouble.”

“That too,” he said. Then he picked her up and dropped her into his lap where he proceeded to kiss her silly, in spite of the teasing comments that instantly rang out from the rest of the family.

Love made the difference. Love, and Josiah.

* * *

End of May, Heart Falls, a remote dead-end road…

Josiah opened the text he’d received from Lisa, laughing for a moment at how smoothly she’d transitioned into their new world. They weren’t travelling yet, but they were having fun. For the time being, this suited them and they were fully embracing that it worked. Lisa had moved in with him at the same time that Finn and Zach had moved out and suddenly he had a home where friends and family stopped by and filled the place with noise and laughter.

But today was just him and Lisa.

He opened the message from her and grinned.

Lisa: All I need is an estimated time to count down. Read and enjoy!

Setting: a lonely stretch of Alberta Highway. Specifically, the dead-end road past the Mitchell’s corner. If you don’t know where this is, please call because I don’t want to be out here by myself! :)

Female lead: she’s an up-and-coming country singer headed to a gig when her truck breaks down.

Male lead: he’s a local reclusive billionaire eccentric who finds her walking down the road. It’s instant attraction and neither of them can keep their hands off each other.

He approved one hundred percent with all of it. Her scene, her characters…the mischief they were about to enjoy.

Josiah: I hear this director is very demanding

Lisa: She is. You’d better be on your best behaviour

Josiah: Yes, ma’am. Leaving now. Should be able to make it on stage in ten minutes.

Lisa: Break a leg.

“You are one amazing woman,” he announced out loud, tucking away his phone. Josiah scrambled under the seat for the one prop he had with him. Considering the odds, he’d hidden it away for just such a moment and after slipping it on, he gunned the engine, then peeled out of the parking lot and headed down the highway.

It was a gorgeous day. While it was possible they’d still get snow, it looked as if they had one of those years when spring arrived early and planned on staying.

The grass at the side of the road had barely begun to green up, but it was warm—springtime warm, with the sun painting the sky with pastel hues that screamed happiness.

Josiah turned down the dead-end off Mitchell’s road. Lisa’s truck was parked to the side, out of sight from curious drivers. As the road dipped to the north, then curved to the west, he slowed to enjoy the scenario Lisa had created.

She was strolling down the middle of the road—strutting, really—and a thrill raced through him.

The closer he got, the more his amusement rose. Lisa looked every inch a country rock star. A guitar hung over her shoulder and she wore a cowboy hat and boots with a barely-there skirt—damn, he liked that she remembered things.

But the laugh that burst free was because she’d brought Ollie and the instant the dog heard Josiah’s truck, she’d stopped moving right there on the road. The dog glanced at him, then toward Lisa, then back to him as if utterly torn which direction to go.

Josiah pulled over to the side of the road behind Lisa’s truck.

Lisa twisted, waiting for him with a wide grin in place as he marched forward.

She eyed him up and down, gaze lingering on his chest and the formal tie he’d quickly knotted into place before leaving the cab.

If anything, the happiness in her expression increased. “Hey, stranger. Have you come to save me?”

“If you need it. Maybe you’ve come to save me.” He stopped a foot away from her and looked down in admiration. “Been a long time since anybody serenaded me.”

“And you think I’m willing to do some…serenading?”

He grinned. “Yes, please.”

She laughed, sliding toward him and tucking the guitar behind her back so he could pick her up, kissing heatedly before returning to his truck.

Lisa whispered as she tapped on his shoulder. “Sorry to break character, but I have to put the guitar away because if something happens to it, Walker Stone will have my head.”

Too funny.

He lowered her so she could head to her truck. She pulled out a guitar case, tucking everything away carefully and laying the case across the front seat of her truck. Meanwhile, Josiah grabbed Ollie and put her in the back of his truck bed so she’d not be underfoot or wandering unsupervised.

They finished their tasks at the same time, Lisa turning to him, wiping her hands clean.

Josiah paused. “Are we ready for the next act?” he whispered.

“I think so,” she whispered back. “Nice outfit, by the way.”

She gestured at his tie.

“I figure it’s what all the best-dressed reclusive billionaire eccentrics are wearing this year.”

Lisa wrapped her fist around the fabric and used it to tug him toward her. Lifting her voice back to full volume with a sexy lilt, she stepped back into character. “You’ll have to take me back to your place later so I can play for you. But I’m feeling a little shy and lonely.”

“I can cheer you up,” he promised. Josiah pressed her against his truck and, as always, passion flared.

At least it did until a wet tongue slid up the side of his face. Josiah pulled back in shock to discover Ollie frantically attempting to give Lisa a tongue bath as well. “Ollie. Down.”

Dejectedly, Ollie jumped off the raised truck bed where she’d been balancing precariously and made her way to the back of the flat bed, wagging her tail furiously until Josiah came to grab her.

“We can’t have you running all over the countryside while we’re busy,” he explained, opening the truck door and dropping the dog inside. He cracked open the window then snatched up a set of blankets. A moment later, he had closed the door firmly and tossed the pile of material into the back of the truck.

“Are we going to be busy?” Lisa asked innocently.

“It’s a good way to not be lonely,” he said.

Josiah loosened his tie before picking her up and easing them onto the tailgate.

Soon they had the blankets spread out and he was looking down at the prettiest cowgirl he’d ever seen. “I love you,” he said past a throat that had gone tight.

She grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him over her, kissing him intently. Her hands roamed down his buttons until she could skim over skin. “I love you too, you eccentric billionaire recluse.”

Josiah laughed. “It’s a little fast to fall in love, isn’t it?” he teased.

That got an immediate response. Lisa shook her head. “When it’s right, it’s never too fast. When you’re looking at spending forever together, it’s important to get started right away.”

She was right.

He leaned down to kiss her again when a sudden scratching at the back glass of the truck cab was followed immediately by a long, drawn-out howl.

Ollie, heartbroken at being separated from her people.

Josiah kept going, kissing Lisa enthusiastically until she planted her palms against his chest and pressed him away.

She looked apologetic, “I’m sorry. I can’t do this when she’s doing that.”

Josiah gave a mock sigh before spinning them around until Lisa was sitting upright. “Softie,” he teased before sneaking away. He jumped down to go rescue the dog.

Lisa leaned her arms over the edge of the truck bed, smiling sweetly at him. “I love you,” she repeated.

He scooped Ollie up and tossed her in the back, separating out one blanket and firmly ordering the dog to sit and stay.

Then he grabbed Lisa and slid her into his lap, leaning against the outer edge of the cab and bringing Lisa close enough they could concentrate on the next thing. “I’ve never kissed a cowgirl rock star before. I don’t know if I’m any good at it.”

Lisa ran a hand along his cheek. “You never know until you try. And besides, we’ve got forever to practice.”

Epilogue

End of May, Rocky Mountain House. Whiskey Creek ranch.

Karen Coleman stared at the letter from the Department of Education. No matter how long she looked, the words didn’t vanish. “I got in.”

Her father looked up from the newspaper in his lap. “Got in where?”

She waved the envelope but kept reading. “Helton. Therapeutic training. Oh my God, I start in October.”

“Good for you.” George Coleman cleared his throat as he closed the paper to give her his full attention. “Glad you get to spread your wings and try something new.”

“I’m glad you’ve got a lot of people who can help you here on the ranch.” She was about to put the letter aside when a name caught her eye and she stopped to read the comment again more thoroughly. And then just once more, because she wasn’t sure what she was seeing.

Of all the things she could have imagined, this was not on the list of possibilities.

She looked up. “You sent in a recommendation?”

Her father’s lips twisted. “You had the papers lying all over the table. They said you were supposed to send in recommendations, right?”

“Yes, but that’s usually from teachers and employers, not family.”

George shrugged. “Not your fault you’ve worked for family all your life. You’re good at what you do, honey. Just sorry it took so long to get my head on straight and say it without making it into a backhanded compliment. This equine training is something you want, so I need to help you succeed. I wrote up a note and slipped it into the envelope before you sealed it.”

Her throat was closing up. They still had their moments when they butted heads, but ever since Julia had come on the scene, George Coleman was acting a lot more like a father than he ever had over the thirty-two years previous.

“I appreciate it. A lot,” Karen said sincerely. “But I want you to know, I wouldn’t be doing this if Whiskey Creek didn’t have the help she needs to run.”

He waved a hand. “I know that. If you ever want to come home, there’ll always be work here for you.” He made a face. “I’m going to catch so much shit from my brothers and nephews for letting the best horsewoman in Alberta slip away.”

She stepped to his side, meeting in the middle as he rose to embrace her in a hearty hug, patting her on the back as if she was one of the guys.

He stepped back and eyed her. “Here’s something else I think. Go spend some time with your sisters.”

“Now?”

Her father shrugged. “Why not? You’ve never taken any holidays, and when you start the program in October, you’re not going to get any then. Not for a long while. Go to Heart Falls. Spend the summer. It’ll give you a chance to spend time with Julia while she’s around.”

The next hug was impulsive and perfect, building a more positive connection between them than ever before. “That sounds like a fantastic idea. Thanks, Dad.”

Suggestion turned into action.

The next week was a whirlwind as she talked to all her sisters about the incredible plan. Karen lined up some work to do in the Heart Falls area because she couldn’t imagine having four months without doing anything. She arranged to board her horse with Josiah and she packed up things that would be in the way for her father if she left them at Whiskey Creek.

The hardest part to organize was a space to live.

She didn’t want to bunk at Silver Stone, and Lisa had just moved in with Josiah. No way was she harshing that buzz.

Julia offered for Karen to join her, but she was in a bachelor suite near the fire hall and that was a little too intense of a “get to know you” situation.

The next offer that came through was too tempting to resist.

Josiah and Lisa got her on speakerphone to tell her the details.

“It’s a little cabin behind the main house. It was an in-law suite until recently, but the property has new owners. They plan on renovating everything, starting with the house. The cabin isn’t that big, but the owners would appreciate having somebody in it,” Josiah said. “The price is right and I can vouch for them.”

“I think you’re supposed to vouch for me,” Karen teased.

“That too. Should I tell them you’ll take it?”

She’d jumped on the opportunity and only three days later, she was settling in and looking forward to her upcoming adventure.

It was only four months. That was all the time she had before she’d be moving on, but a short stop in Heart Falls was exactly what she needed before getting started on her new life.

The house was perfect—fully furnished. All Karen had to do was drive up and bring in her suitcase.

The place was small but cozy and as she tucked her things away in the bedroom and came back into the kitchen, it was with a brand-new sensation wrapping around her like a ribbon and a bow.

When had she ever had a place to herself?

Exactly never. Somewhat pathetic for a thirty-two-year-old woman, yet her dad had been right. She’d always worked for family. Always lived at Whiskey Creek ranch.

It was time to do something new.

She meandered for a while, picking up things and putting them down just because she could. With a squeal of happiness, she threw herself on the couch and stared at the ceiling.

Time off. Time with her sisters. Time alone. God, this was going to be glorious.

A solid knock sounded on the door and Karen bounced to her feet happily. She peeked through the side glass window to see a tall masculine figure wearing a cowboy hat, looking back over his shoulder as if examining the land.

Probably Josiah. He’d said he’d come to check up on her and make sure she’d settled in okay.

She swung open the door. “Hey, what’s up?”

The next second her heart leapt into her throat and adrenaline flooded her system because it wasn’t Josiah or one of the Stone brothers. It was a memory from her past.

Finn Marlette, larger-than-life. His muscular frame was covered head to toe in brand-new black denim, a cowboy hat on his head, and a familiar serious expression on his face. Same chiseled jaw, same bright eyes.

Same tempting, oh-so-kissable lips.

He had a bouquet of her favourite wild flowers that he extended toward her. “Welcome to Heart Falls.”

Karen stepped back and slammed the door in his face.

The Cowgirl’s Secret Love

The Colemans of Heart Falls, Book 2

Copyright

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

The Cowgirl’s Secret Love

Copyright © 2020 by Arend Publishing Inc.

ISBN: 9781941456972

Edited by Anne Scott & Manuela Velasco

Cover Design © Damonza

Proofed by Angie Ramey & Linda Levy

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations.

First electronic publication: April 2020

www.vivianarend.com

The Cowgirl’s Secret Love

Wealthy rancher Finn Marlette’s move to Heart Falls to fix what went wrong between him and Karen Coleman just got complicated. Suddenly he’s got five months to get his new dude ranch up and running, or lose the place to a hated rival.

New agenda: Show up on Karen’s porch, tell her they belong together, and offer her a job.

After a lifetime of following the rules and others’ dreams, Karen’s determined to find her own path. The last thing she needs is to get involved with Finn again—it was only a secret fling, and she still fell hard.

But the summer job he offers is tempting—it’s a chance to work with men who truly appreciate her ranching skills. Finn’s determined to tempt her into remembering all the delicious sexual appreciation between them as well.

Wild horses can’t keep them apart, but sabotage and too many secrets might…

1

April, five years ago. Rocky Mountain House, Alberta

After a full day attempting a job that was still well beyond her, every part of Karen Coleman’s body ached. She glared at the wooden exterior of Traders Pub and debated going home.

Only there was nothing back at the ranch that would improve her mood. She brushed her hands against her jeans, cringing as the palm of her left hand connected too vigorously with the solid thigh-to-ankle cast encasing her leg.

It wasn’t the reminder she needed at that moment.

Neither was the piercing whistle that rang across the parking lot. Her cousin’s taunt echoed in the quiet outside the pub.

“Damn, that’s pathetic. You look like something the cat dragged in.”

Jesse, one of the more annoying male cousins in the horde Karen faced almost daily, wore far too happy an expression as he jogged forward.

She was ready to cut him down to size when someone tall and muscular stepped from the shadows and intercepted Jesse.

“Watch your mouth.” The dark-haired stranger folded his arms over his chest, biceps pressing against the cotton of his shirt. He eyed Jesse with disdain.

Jesse stopped in his tracks, completely thrown by the call down.

“Don’t bother,” the stranger said when Jesse recovered from his shock enough to open his mouth, probably to offer another wisecrack. “Keep walking.”

Karen had many reasons to be cranky, not the least because her deep-seated annoyance at being below full physical strength was not going away any time soon.

But when for once in his life Jesse actually took the smart route and left with nothing more than an exaggerated eye roll, she had to admit to being slightly charmed by her well-meaning protector.

Charmed turned to something heated when her nameless defender rotated toward her.

She’d caught a glimpse of his firm jawline in profile, but the strength of his face combined very nicely with dark brown eyes that held the possibility of a dangerous smolder. He checked her over quickly, his gaze lingering on her cast and the crutches she’d finally caved and agreed to use.

It seemed only right that while he was occupied, she should return the favour.

Yes, his face was very pleasant, without any sort of fanfare. He looked the type to be silent except when he had something important to say.

She examined his mouth, amused by the solemn set of his lips. He’d obviously thought Jesse was a lot more of a threat than the turkey truly was.

A moment’s glance over the rest of her champion allowed her to admire the entire cowboy. He wasn’t wearing a hat, but his boots were real, freshly polished and worn in the right pattern to be more than window dressing.

“You okay?” His voice was a soft rumble that teased her senses.

Karen’s gaze shot up to meet his. Those eyes were serious, and yet a hint of a twinkle appeared momentarily. It might be fun to try and trigger other kinds of reactions in the man.

He’d come to her rescue, unneeded as it was.

“I’m good. Name’s Karen.” She thrust a hand forward, teetering as she fought to keep her balance and control the crutch trying to escape.

Her hero moved instantly, his firm grip sliding around her waist and bringing her back to vertical before she could tumble to the ground in an inglorious heap. “Careful. Looks as if you’re still a little shaky on those colt legs of yours.”

A laugh burst free. “Oh, honey, a colt is the last thing I should be compared to right now.” She gave her thigh a careful pat, not hard enough to hurt. “I’ve seen newborns get to their feet with far more grace than I’m capable of with this contraption.”

He was so close his scent wrapped around her and made interesting responses flash through her body. Ones she hadn’t expected tonight, let alone while doing her best elephant limbed imitation.

Dammit, the warmth of his body teased in a million tempting ways, and Karen considered leaning in a little harder rather than moving away.

Somehow she did the right thing, finding her equilibrium then meeting his gaze again. “Thanks for standing up for me, but Jesse didn’t mean any harm.”

The stranger examined her face before tilting his chin slowly. “I’m sure you could’ve taken care of him, but I didn’t mind stepping in. It’s only right.”

“He’s family. I guess they get to be a little more asshole-ish than your everyday stranger.”

“Chérie.” He spoke softly. “Family should support instead of push.”

That was a mouthful. In light of all the other annoying things in her world, broken leg notwithstanding, Karen didn’t want to spend a lot of time thinking about family and their lack of support.

What she did want was to enjoy flirting with this intriguing man.

She offered him a smile and a bit of a raised brow. “I didn’t catch your name.”

His lips curled at the corners. Just enough to turn his rugged expression dangerously sexy. “Finn. Can I buy you a drink?”

Considering she’d debated going home, the idea of staying was more attractive than expected. “If you don’t mind that I left my dancing shoes at home.”

“We’ll see about that. Drink first.”

The nearest door led onto the dance floor, which was a bad idea, all things considered. The closest parking space Karen had been able to find meant she planned to walk through the noisy side of the bar and head into the quieter section to meet up with her sisters. While the Coleman clan tended to gather on Fridays at Traders Pub, there were enough of them that even though it was Tuesday, more than Lisa and Tamara were bound to be around somewhere.

Only, Finn had an agenda on this side of the pub. He guided her to the side of the room where tall chairs were placed around high-top tables. “Let’s see if I can get you comfortable.”

The innuendo in his tone sent shivers along her skin. To hell with it. The only deadline she had in the morning was a meeting she wasn’t looking forward to. No chores beyond the basics, so having a little fun with a stranger who would be gone by tomorrow sounded like the perfect distraction.

Finn had tucked his arm around her, their bodies close enough for them to hear each other over the music and the din of voices. Karen turned toward him, cheek brushing his. “Comfortable is not a word I’m familiar with at the moment.”

He rocked slightly, heat rising. He twisted behind her, lips ghosting her earlobe as he answered, “Let’s see if I can do something about that.”

There was something delicious about doing this here. On her home turf, where she knew everyone except the man settling onto the chair behind her. He opened his legs wide then leaned her against his strong thigh.

“Ease back against me, chérie. That’s it. That’s got to be more comfortable than a minute ago.”

He stroked her hair back over her neck. She wondered what weird magic he possessed that made her feel free to do this. Not to mention that no one from her family had come rushing forward to give her hell or ruin the moment.

Because it was a moment. She was enveloped in heat. At her back, along her side. His arm supported her, his thigh as well, and the faintest smile on his lips said he knew all too well exactly how relaxed she was.

Except for deciding how far she wanted to let this go, everything was absolutely perfect.

“What can I get you to drink?” Finn asked. A deep rumble that tickled in her ears.

“Pepsi,” Karen said dryly. “With ice.”

He hesitated for a moment before understanding spread across his face. “You’re on painkillers.”

“Bingo.” She adjusted her arm to get more comfortable, which happened to mean sliding it around his torso. “This okay?”

“Just fine.” Finn waved over one of the waitresses, ordering Karen’s soda and a beer for himself.

Tiffany eyed Karen, then Finn, then Karen again.

One of the downfalls of small-town living. Everyone knew everyone.

When the girl walked off without making a comment, Karen wondered if she’d actually fallen into some sort of alternate reality. First Jesse, now Tiffany, leaving without teasing or digging for dirt?

If this was an alternate universe, how long did she get to stay?

“How bad is your leg?” Finn asked.

His hand around her waist was warm and strong and very distracting. His thumb slid back and forth along the line where her waistband ended.

Karen made a face and for once told the truth. “Pretty bad. I had a bit of a run-in with a horse trailer, which makes being hurt damn annoying as well as physical bullshit. I don’t have problems with horses,” she informed him briskly. Then she made a face. “Except this time. I don’t blame him, it was an equipment failure, but it messed me up pretty good. I want to get back to work, but the pain’s bad enough I have to take the meds.”

“And then the meds mess you up more?”

“Damn annoying,” she repeated.

“I get that. It’s tough to not be able to do the things you’re used to doing.” Her T-shirt had come untucked on one side, and his thumb was now sliding against bare skin, an evilly distracting touch that made her think about other things she wasn’t able to do right now.

Then again…

Their drinks appeared on the table.

Finn lifted his beer bottle in a salute, that hint of mischief dancing in the corner of his eyes. “Here’s to learning new ways to have fun.”

Was the man reading her mind?

Screw it. It was time to flirt and have as much fun as she decided she wanted. Or as much as her leg would allow before she had to call things off because of pain or awkwardness.

Karen offered him a wink as her glass and his bottle clinked. He smiled before tipping his head back, throat moving rhythmically as he drank. That hand of his stayed firmly in place on her waist. If anything, he tucked her tighter against him.

Oh, yeah, the pain in her leg was the last thing on her mind. The tingle rising between her legs had feature billing at the moment.

The music blaring around them changed to a soft ballad, and Finn put his glass down. “Give me that.”

Her barely sipped Pepsi vanished to the high-top, and the next thing she knew, he’d tugged her a foot to the left into an open space on the dance floor.

“Oh, no, this won’t work,” Karen protested.

“Trust me,” Finn said as he tucked her body against his.

Okay. Not at all what she’d expected tonight, but dear sweet foals in the field, this was what she’d been craving.

He held her firmly, barely swaying. Just enough motion that their bodies made contact as she balanced on her good leg. They were close in height, and her cheek rested against his, the slight scruff of his five o’clock shadow doing dangerous things to her libido.

“You’re not getting much of a dance partner,” Karen told him a little breathlessly.

He adjusted position, and her breasts pressed more firmly against his rock-solid chest. “Hear me complaining?”

Nope. They were so close the other changes in his body were apparent as well. It wasn’t just his torso that was firm, and all things considered, the fact Finn had reacted and wasn’t afraid to let her know…

It might’ve been the most juvenile thing ever, but knowing that in spite of the unwieldy cast someone found her attractive? It was a powerful thing.

“You in town for long, Finn?”

“Don’t like to talk when I dance,” he said quietly a second before his lips brushed her neck. Right where there was some sort of magical control button, because goose bumps arrived, a heat wave hit between her legs, and her nipples reacted—all at the same time.

Okay. Silence worked for her.

She wrapped her arms tighter around him, swaying to make it clear every bit of his attention was very much appreciated.

The music went on for long enough that Karen’s cheeks were hot, her body was hot, and most of her annoyance had washed away in their truly delectable, somehow secretive, corner of the dance floor.

The tune changed to something far too upbeat, and she eased away reluctantly, offering what had to be a slightly stunned smile. “You’re a good dancer, Finn. Even if you don’t like to talk.”

“I can think of better uses for my mouth.” The comment fanned the flames even higher as he brought her back to the table. “You good here?”

A loud crash sounded across the room, followed by raised voices and laughter. An entire group rushed in from the opposite side of the bar, including the familiar faces of the Coleman clan. Karen’s short-lived magical flirtation was about to be discovered.

But when she turned back to prepare him for the onslaught of her family, Finn was gone.

A second later her younger sisters, Lisa and Tamara, were at her table, looking her over as if she were some sort of hospital specimen.

“What’re you doing over here by yourself?” Tamara demanded. “We’ve been waiting for you. You totally ignored our texts.”

Karen had been enjoying some sort of lovely delirium and had been too busy to answer texts, which wasn’t anything she was about to share.

Instead, she shrugged. “Came in the west door and didn’t want to mess with manoeuvering all the way to the other side. I figured you’d show up eventually.”

“I’m glad you came out for the night,” Tamara said. “You need to get your mind off the fact you’re out of commission for a while.”

Their youngest sister, Lisa, smacked Tamara on the arm. “Brilliant way to keep her from thinking about that. You know, mentioning it and all.”

“I’m only pointing out the obvious. She needs to be off the work list and let her leg heal.” Tamara put on her medical professional face, shaking her finger at Karen. “You’ve got a serious break, sis. If you push it too hard, you could end up hurting yourself permanently.”

“Save me the lectures,” Karen told her sharply. “I’m the oldest, and not only is what you’re saying old news, you don’t get to boss me around.”

“Nice try on that one,” Lisa said with a snicker. “Birth order has nothing to do with sisters giving unwanted advice. We all do it, me less than you two because I’m smart like that.”

That comment got her pokes in the side from both Karen and Tamara, setting off giggles that had the entire area of the dance floor glancing in their direction.

No matter which way she looked, Karen spotted no signs of her mysterious knight in shining armour. Which was probably a good thing, because she hadn’t planned on going much further.

The distraction had been enjoyable, though.

An hour later Tamara glanced at her watch. “I need to go. Want me to drive you home?” she asked Karen. “I have time to take you out to the ranch. Lisa can bring your car home later.”

Karen hated to accept the help, but she nodded. “Don’t stay up too late, or you’ll regret it in the morning,” she warned Lisa, who had briefly returned to their corner of the dance room after kicking up a storm with one of her buddies.

“Energy to burn,” Lisa said. “Don’t worry. I won’t miss chores. Plus, I’ll be there as support after whatever Dad throws at you.”

And she would. The same way Karen knew that Tamara would do what she could. They were solid—three sisters who had stuck together through thick and thin, which was the only reason Karen had made it this far dealing with their father.

“It’ll be okay,” Tamara assured her twenty minutes later as they headed down the final long, quiet gravel road that led to Whiskey Creek. “You do need to take care of yourself for a bit, though. And I know that’s hard. To think about taking some time off.”

Karen chuckled, staring at the springtime fields. The first flush of growth popping up through the rich ground was barely visible in the pale moonlight. “I take off as much time as you do, Miss Work-Your-Ass-off.”

“I know how to relax,” Tamara insisted.

“So do I.” A rush of warmth stole over her as she thought of Finn and the sensation of his strong arm around her. And a whole lot of other parts of him she wished to get to know a little better.

That kind of relaxation she could totally go for. If it were possible. If he hadn’t vanished.

If she didn’t have a thick cast from thigh to ankle impeding all the deliciously dirty thoughts whirling through her brain, taunting her with what she couldn’t have.

Still, she didn’t regret the momentary flirtation.

She said goodbye to Tamara and took off into the house where she’d grown up. The same room where she’d slept for twenty-seven years.

Throughout the house, an eerie quietness lingered, one that had been there for untold evenings since their mother had died.

Karen pushed aside the sad memories and frustrations. She ignored the thin line of light shining from under her father’s door and instead concentrated on the warm fuzzies still humming in her system as she remembered the sweet interlude at the bar.

Her dreams that night were rather spectacular.

Maybe it was the painkillers as well as her fevered imagination, but the next morning it was difficult to pull herself together and head to the kitchen.

The coffee pot was cold. Karen panicked for a moment when she glanced at the old cuckoo clock on the wall. The pendulum swung slower than usual, and thankfully the time on the ancient face was nothing near the one on her watch.

Unfortunately, even her watch said she normally would have been outside thirty minutes ago.

She hurriedly pulled on a coat and a single boot. The bottom of her cast got wrapped in a protective layer of padding followed by a garbage bag to keep out the dirt.

Swinging across the yard on her crutches at breakneck speed to where her dad always held their morning chore briefings, she took the final corner a little too fast and barely caught her balance. “Dammit.”

George Coleman turned toward her, his disapproval clear. “Watch your language.”

Karen held her tongue. Wasn’t as if her male cousins didn’t swear around the ranch all the time. But she was a lady. She wasn’t supposed to know such words.

She stuck to apologizing for her real sin. “Sorry I’m late.”

Her father grumbled something before shaking his head. “You’re fine. Couple minutes early, in fact.”

Which was good because after that wild dash, she needed to find a comfortable position and take the weight off her leg. Only she had to make it inconspicuous so her father had no idea exactly how much pain she was in. If he knew, no way on earth would she convince him of the line she was about to feed him.

She eased against the wall. Unbidden, the memory rose of being in a similar position the night before, leaning against a firm, masculine body.

Damn it, Finn, why’d you disappear?

Distractions shoved aside, Karen cleared her throat. “I’ve been thinking. I know we need some extra help around here. You mentioned getting the cousins to lend a hand. I think that’s a great idea, but in the meantime, I could go to the Six Pack and Moonshine spreads and give them a hand with their horses.”

George Coleman was having none of it. “Bad enough you got hurt dropping off that horse for Mike. You don’t need to be messing around with new animals when you’re in this condition.”

Karen shrugged nonchalantly. “The accident at Uncle Mike’s was a one-off. That kind of situation happens once in a blue moon, and it was less the horse’s fault and more the trailer’s.”

Shit. Probably not a good thing to mention because she was in charge of horses, but her father was in charge of the equipment.

Sure enough, his expression folded into an even deeper frown before he shook his head vigorously. “No, I’ve given this a lot of thought. We need help, but none of the rest of the Coleman clan has hands to spare. So I contacted a buddy of mine.”

All the air rushed from her lungs. Number one because her father had asked for assistance. But the fact he’d actually gone outside the family? “You asked someone to come and help us?”

“Yep. Richard Marlette. Met him years ago, and we’ve kept in touch. His spread is out in Manitoba.”

Okay. The shock was beginning to ease, but Karen was still confused. Bringing in one extra man her father’s age to replace her seemed a bit of an insult. The bigger trouble was Whiskey Creek ranch had been shorthanded for a long time, ever since Tamara left to go into nursing. Extra shorthanded, since her father was reluctant to let his daughters work all the tasks required for a full operation.

In the distance, a cloud of dust rose along the approach road to where they stood. A good indication someone was about to arrive at the ranch. “That him?”

Her dad turned as not one, but two, oversized crew-cab Fords pulled into the yard. “One step better. Richard said he’s in transition. Doing some shift over which means letting sections of land lie fallow, so his sons are at loose ends for the summer.” George Coleman glanced over his shoulder, pride in his expression as he dipped his chin firmly. “The Marlette boys will help take care of things for us.”

Karen already didn’t like them, these Manitoba intruders on her land. Some wet-behind-the-ears kids who, just because they were male, were already considered bigger assets than she and her sisters.

She somehow kept from growling. “I can’t believe you didn’t talk to me about this, Dad.”

“Nothing to talk about.”

Anger crashed in her gut as truck doors swung open, and well-worn boots and jeans and cowboy hats appeared. A moment later, three men—not boys—were walking toward them with a lazy cowboy saunter.

Karen only saw one face—

Finn.

Her flirtatious fantasy man from the previous night was front and center. He stopped before her father and held out his hand.

“Finn Marlette. Good to meet you, sir.”

“George Coleman. Glad it worked for you boys to come on out.”

Even as he greeted George, Finn’s gaze drifted to Karen. “We’ll do what we can to make this a memorable summer.”

Dear God, she wasn’t going to survive.

2

June. Present day, Heart Falls, Alberta

Anticipation rose as Finn Marlette slipped on his boots.

“Sure you don’t want backup?” His best friend, Zach Sorenson, sat in one of the only two functioning chairs they had in the dilapidated ranch house kitchen. The brown-haired man leaned back, balancing the chair on two legs like a teenage boy instead of the thirty-three-year old he was. A wide grin split his face and laughter danced in his blue eyes. “I could come along to make sure Karen doesn’t kill you then hide your body somewhere in the back forty.”

“Dramatic, much?” Finn drawled as he put his hat in place.

Zach swung forward, the legs of the chair hitting the unfinished wooden floor with a loud clatter. “Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m curious as hell how you plan to swing this. It’s been years, yet you seem to think she’ll let you waltz in and start romancing her.”

“Worked the first time,” Finn said dryly. He pointed at his friend. “Stay.”

“Promise you’ll tell me everything,” Zach teased before offering a wink as he rose to his feet. “Okay, I’ll stop being an ass. I am interested to see how this plays out, but you know I only want the best for you. And for her, because with all the plans I’ve got in Heart Falls, if you make enemies of the Stone family or any of Karen’s other relatives, you’ll really screw things up for me.”

Finn knew most of that last part was bullshit. Still, he appreciated Zach lightening the mood more than he was willing to admit. “I’ll try not to cause anybody to come after us with pitchforks and torches.”

Zach rubbed his hands together. “That’s all I can ask. Go for it. Break a leg.”

Dear God.

Finn ignored the snorts of amusement drifting from his friend and headed out the door.

It was a glorious day to be on the Alberta foothills. The land he’d bought north of the small town of Heart Falls had a bit of a mess when it came to buildings, but the landscape was amazing.

The rolling hills spread around him and extended to the west, rising higher and higher until they blended into the feet of the Rocky Mountains. The distant peaks were still snowclad, but the rest of the terrain was bright green with spring’s rich tones. These early days of June were beautiful as the brown of winter transformed to glorious verdant summer.

He took a slightly longer path than necessary from the disreputable ranch house where he and Zach were now bunking. He wandered along a trail over the peak of the hillside, pausing to pick some of the spring wildflowers poking their heads through the tall grass.

Coming to Heart Falls was part of a plan, and the small building ahead of him was where the next part of that plan would take place.

He and Karen Coleman had unfinished business.

Finn felt a bit of regret, but also anticipation, as he made his way toward the small cottage tucked into a wind-protected dip in the landscape.

Karen had needed a place to stay, and it had made perfect sense to offer her the furnished building. Having her close would give them a chance to get reacquainted even as she spent time visiting her sisters in Heart Falls.

It’d been five years since he first laid eyes on her, and he found his feet moving quicker as the front porch came into view.

Four and half years that they hadn’t spent together, some of that because he hadn’t been smart enough to see there was more than one solution to their problem.

He’d gotten better at problem-solving. Thirty-five years old, and finally getting his act together in this area.

It was time to let Karen know they had options, and he would do whatever it took to make sure this summer didn’t end like the last one they’d shared.

Humbled by how hard his heart pounded as he stepped onto the porch, Finn gave a firm knock and pretended he wasn’t nervous.

Somewhere behind him, the grass rustled, and he twisted to make sure he wasn’t about to get pounced on by one of the feral cats he’d discovered running wild all over the place.

Two glittering green eyes shined at him through the tall, dry grass. A mama cat, keeping a close eye on him, still unsure if he was trouble or not.

Then the door swung open and a familiar voice slipped around him like a caress. “Hey, what’s up?”

Damn. He’d seen Karen at a distance a few times over the past months. Seen pictures of her around the Stone homestead on a friend’s phone. Seen her in his dreams every night.

Nothing beat the real thing.

His gaze drifted down briefly, amusement flashing as he realized she was wearing Daisy Duke shorts that showcased her limbs. A far cry from the first time they’d met when she had that enormous cast covering one of her gorgeous legs.

All that passed in an instant because it was her face he was intent on. Her eyes, the deep brown pools he’d spent hours staring into. Her lips that were slightly open in shock but so red and delicious he could damn near taste her.

Instead of doing what he wanted, which was to kiss the living daylights out of her, he held forward the wildflowers. “Welcome to Heart Falls.”

A second passed—maybe three, while shock lingered—before her eyes flashed and she stepped back.

The door slammed in his face.

Laughter threatened to burst free, but he hesitated in silence to make sure he wasn’t mistaken.

The very clear sound of a window opening echoed across the quiet morning air, and that’s when Finn let his grin rise.

Clever woman. Beautiful, wonderful, clever woman.

He trotted around to where the back porch faced to the west. The window off the dining area was open, but so was the sliding glass on the porch door. He took the easy route this time, stepping up to the doorway and easing back the screen.

Karen stood in the teeny kitchen area with her arms crossed over her chest. Dark brown hair hung over her shoulders, loose and sexy. Her chin was high, and her expression was anything but welcoming.

But she’d let him in. She’d opened a window and unlocked the door, the same way she had all those summers ago. Finn would take that as a good sign.

He paused. “Permission to enter?”

Karen let out a muffled growl. “Should have made you climb in the window, but yes. Now that you’re standing outside my door, I suppose there’s no use pretending you’re not around.”

“Is that what you’ve been doing?” Finn stepped in, stopping with his boots on the welcome mat just inside the door.

He knew better than to go walking across a ranchwoman’s floor with his outdoor boots on. But he wasn’t sure he’d be staying for long enough to take them off.

Karen rolled her eyes and gestured toward the living space. “Come all the way in. It’s not as if you’re a vampire and need permission to cross my threshold.”

He used the bootjack tucked against the sidewall, placing his boots carefully aside before stepping toward her, the rough bouquet outstretched again. “Nope. Not a vampire, but a real life, flesh and blood cowboy hoping to make a good impression on a certain cowgirl. That means minding my manners.”

Karen rummaged through the cupboards. She found a plastic pitcher, filling it with water before taking the flowers from him. She carried the bouquet into the small living space and put it on the coffee table.

Then she deliberately sat in one of the single-seat armchairs on the far side from where he stood. All of it without saying a single word, just turning her attention on him when she was ready, her gaze firm and noncommittal.

Finn joined her, settling in the middle of the couch opposite her. He had expected it wouldn’t be easy—not at first, anyway—but it would be worth it.

He just had to out-silence her to begin with.

Which gave him time to look her over, and it was time well spent. That initial flash had been like glimpsing a sweet memory. The thorough examination was about appreciating changes.

She was older, obviously, yet three years younger than him at thirty-two. Her long hair was loose for once, lying over her shoulders to midway down her chest. Her curves were pronounced, the buttons of the flannel shirt undone far enough to reveal the edge of one of the sexy camisoles she liked wearing.

Contrast. Karen had always been about the contrast. Rugged jeans and working boots with silky camisoles and brightly painted toes.

Tough as nails as she’d fought to work in the fields, even with her broken leg. Soft inside, caring too much about what other people thought.

There was a bit of tightness in her eyes, and a sense of wariness around her that was understandable, all things considered.

He leaned forward, elbows on his knees and hands clasped. “How do you like the place? Got everything you need?”

She opened her mouth to respond, but then her jaw dropped.

What followed was one of those exasperated glances. The ones that all the Whiskey Creek women were really good at delivering. “Let me guess. You own this place.”

No use in denying it. “I own the cottage, the main house, the outbuildings, and about five thousand acres between Heart Falls and the edge of the wilderness reserve to the west.”

“Excuse me while I make a note to kill my sister the next time I see her. Her and her conniving boyfriend, Josiah.”

Finn shrugged. “Well, my buddy Zach just reminded me we’ve got enough land to hide the bodies if you really think that’s the best way to deal with this. I’ve got a backhoe as well, if that will help.”

He got a snicker for that comment, and some of the tension left her as she leaned back in her chair and lifted the footrest. She eyed him as intently as he’d examined her earlier.

Karen shook her head. “I’ve been had, but I can’t say I’m too annoyed. I wanted a place to stay for four months, and the fact that you own it is not the worst thing in the world. But I really hoped you’d gotten that out of your system. The whole bit about not telling me what your plans are or who you are. It was annoying enough the first time we met.”

He offered a head tilt but didn’t say anything.

They stared at each other for a moment, eyes connected as memories flashed through Finn’s brain.

They’d had good times, but they’d also had misunderstandings, and while he’d pulled some strings to get them to where they were, here and now, maybe laying all his cards on the table was the best idea.

At least then she couldn’t claim she’d been caught unaware.

“You’re right. You need to know my plans. Got more than one—”

“Imagine that,” Karen said with a bite.

This time he did chuckle but carried on. “First on my list was a place for you to stay. A home base so you can enjoy time with your sisters and your new nephew.”

Karen dipped her chin slowly. “Not sure why that was on your list, but thank you. This place is exactly what I need. No matter how twisted it is that you’re the one providing it, I’m not about to turn down the offer.”

“The second thing on my current to-do list is to get this place up and running as soon as possible.”

This time she lost it. The controlled expression vanished into one of distrust and confusion. “This place? What’s it going to be, and why aren’t you out east in Manitoba running your family’s spread?”

It wasn’t time to talk about that issue yet, so Finn pushed down the anger that even thinking about his family home generated and focused on the most important part. “That’s a long story. Levi is running the Marlette homestead, and I’ll explain more later, but here and now, I bought this place to turn it into a dude ranch.”

This time her mouth hung open for a good ten seconds. “Get out.”

He raised a hand in the air. “Honest.”

Her expression was back to slightly amused. “Really. I hope you’ve got good people working with you, because, buttercup? Just being honest, you don’t have the charisma to pull off the ‘hey, city folks, of course I’m happy to help you ride these doggies, yeehaw and yippee-ki-yay’ gig without someone ending up pissed at you.”

Finn raised a brow. He was, however, charmed that she’d slipped and called him by the old nickname she’d teased him with.

She adjusted position to match him, her arms crossed and elbows on her thighs as she examined Finn intently. “All right, for the sake of brevity, let’s pretend I totally believe you on the running a dude ranch BS. What’s the next part of your unending plan?”

“Finish what we started, only the right way.”

He was jerking her around emotionally, and he knew it. Yet it was the only way to be upfront and honest.

Karen took a deep breath, focusing on the floor before she lifted her eyes to his and spoke with a great intensity. “We did finish what we started, Finn. When you came to Whiskey Creek ranch and we discovered there was something between us, we said it was a fling. Nothing else. One and done for the summer, and that’s what we did. September came. You went back to Manitoba, and I stayed in Rocky Mountain House, and that was it.”

“But it shouldn’t have been the end,” Finn insisted.

“You lived two provinces away. You had work to do. I had work to do, and that was just the way it was.”

Exasperation rolled for a moment before he decided to take a different tack. “Okay, fine. It was the end—of that summer. But, ma chérie, this is another summer. We’re here in a new place, with new plans. So, I’ve got a couple propositions for you.”

* * *

Karen Coleman was doing her best human imitation of a yo-yo ever. One moment up, unable to hide her amusement because Finn knew exactly how to poke her funny bone. Then he’d turned and tossed a grenade in front of her, and damn if she didn’t want to—

That was the problem. She didn’t know what she wanted or didn’t want at that point. Her thoughts whirled in confusion.

No, wait.

There was one thing that she was positive on. She had to keep Finn Marlette from finding out how much it had hurt when their summer fling had ended.

Because as much fun as it had been, she’d made a mistake, and her heart had gotten involved.

She focused on the man across from her, who had the ability to make her body sing with pleasure—or at least he had years ago. She doubted that was a skill set he’d let get rusty, damn him anyway.

Instead of running and hiding, though, Karen braced herself and pushed forward. “What are these propositions, Finn? Don’t beat around the bush.”

“I want you to help me get things prepped for the dude ranch. The areas where you’re an expert, like purchasing horses and helping hire the stock crew. I know you’re here for four months before you take off for school. I doubt we’ll be fully operational by the fall, so I don’t expect you to have everything in place. But I’d like to hire you to do what you can.”

She had not seen that one coming. “Okay. I’ll have to think about it for a little bit because I already made some commitments for my time here.”

“Working at the grocery store is not really your forte,” Finn drawled.

“Stalking me?” Karen inquired even as she shook her head. “Forget I said that. I get it. Small town. You probably asked two questions and got all the information you needed.”

“I’ve been living with Josiah Ryder since March,” Finn confessed. “I pretty much know everything that’s been going on in the Heart Falls area.”

She was so killing her sister. Sisters, because Lisa was now living with Josiah, but there was no way Tamara wasn’t in on the news as well.

The only one who would maybe get away without a tongue-lashing was their newly discovered youngest sister, Julia.

“You are a sneaky devil, aren’t you?” Karen said.

“Only because I had a reason. I wanted to buy this place, and I needed time.”

Right. Seemed fair enough. “Give me your number, and I’ll call tomorrow about working for you, June to September.”

“Number’s the same as it’s always been. You know that.”

Yeah, she supposed she did. Had stared at it enough times over the years, to boot.

He rose and closed the short distance between them, grasping her hand and pulling her to vertical. “The other thing I want? While you’re here—we pick up where we left off.”

Heart pounding. Throat tightening. “Finn.”

He stared at her with that intense look that sent shivers over her. “We had something special, and it didn’t finish the way it should’ve. I think we should try again, and this time we change it up just enough to give us a real shot.”

Dear God, temptation was being handed to her on a silver platter.

But she was finally getting to spread her wings. Not to mention, how would she bear it if after four months of spending time with this man he turned around and walked away, and so did she?

Having him leave her a second time just might put her six feet under.

“All the reasons we had before for not being together permanently—none of that has changed, Finn. If anything, it’s gotten more complicated.” Karen had to explain, maybe a little to herself as well. “I’m only here for a short time to visit with my family before I head to school. I’m doing something that’s important to me, plus it’s the first time in my life I get to experience a world outside of Whiskey Creek and the Coleman spread.”

“We spend the summer together here, and at the end of it, if you want to go to school, then you go. It doesn’t mean we can’t be together.” His grip on her fingers was gentle enough she could pull away if she wanted to, but tight enough to make it clear he didn't want to let her go. “I’m not who I was five years ago, chérie. We have more options, but first we need to get on firm footing.”

“And what does that look like? Do we start another fling? Fooling around in corners of the barn again and you crawling in my bedroom window?”

His lips curled upward. “While I’m very willing to crawl in your bedroom window, the hiding part needs to change. We do this the right way. We spend the summer together, but it’s not going to be secret. It will be you and me out there, giving the world hell and doing everything we want. Everything that makes you happy—because you’re right. You’ve had a rough time of it, and you deserve to spread your wings. I’m all for helping you. But not in the dark.” He lowered his tone a notch, the words coming out a deep rumble that caressed her skin. “Except when you want it dark.”

Dear God. This wasn’t just temptation; this was temptation wrapped in shiny paper with a Godiva chocolate on top, waiting for her to take a bite.

So she did the only thing she could. Karen pulled her hand free, planted her palms on his shoulders, and turned him on the spot. “Go home, Finn. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

He walked toward his boots with less complaining than she’d expected. It was only after he’d pulled them on and adjusted his hat that he looked her up and down. “Call me early. I want to get started as soon as possible.”

“Cocky bastard,” Karen called after him as he slipped out the porch door and disappeared without a backward glance.

She followed onto the wooden decking, watching his strong body as he paced into the distance.

What a wild, mixed-up situation.

It only took a couple minutes to grab a glass of juice and position a chair toward the rolling hills in the hopes that from somewhere out there, wisdom would come fluttering toward her.

A few butterflies did, maybe, but wisdom seemed to be hiding, because Karen was far too tempted to accept Finn’s proposition.

It would be a terrible mistake. Broken heart? She’d survived it once, but enough jagged edges remained that stabbed deep at the most inopportune moments.

Was it worth getting tangled up with the man who was her personal addiction when she had a time limit on staying here? What’s more, at least at this point, unless something major had changed in Finn Marlette’s life recently, she doubted he planned to stay in Heart Falls for any longer than it took to make a success of his latest venture.

She wanted her education, true, but more than that? She wanted to set roots. Deep and firm, established in family and friends. She couldn’t do that with a man who had temporary written on the soles of his boots.

The sun moved slowly. Nothing but a few wispy clouds drifted through a blue sky toward the distant mountains. It was beautiful and peaceful and exactly what she needed to make a decision.

She raised her nearly empty glass toward the fields. “I’m here for my family. I’m here to find me, and that means I don’t have time for a fling. This is the summer of celibacy. More importantly, it means I concentrate on the task at hand.”

The first of which required getting together with her sisters, and not when there was a horde of others around. Because it was not the time for group discussion; it was time for a gathering of the Whiskey Creek Coleman women where the oldest of them—namely her—explained exactly how this worked.

Aka, Karen was going to lay down the law and make sure everyone knew exactly where her priorities were. That there would be zero tolerance of any further messing with her personal life.

She pulled out her phone and sent a couple of text messages to arrange an afternoon meeting of the minds.

3

I wasn’t trying to be mysterious when we met at Traders, but honest to God, I was more distracted than I want to admit. Your attitude is sexy as hell.

Please accept this flower as a peace offering. Look forward to getting to know you better this summer.

~Note from Finn to Karen, found on her second-storey windowsill the morning after he started work at Whiskey Creek ranch~

* * *

His visit with Karen hadn’t been long enough. While Finn was disappointed she hadn’t immediately jumped to accept his plan, asking for a little time was reasonable.

He’d also figured her answer to them getting back together would be no, probably for at least a couple of weeks.

That was pretty much what had happened five years ago. Back then they’d been determined to go as slowly as possible until the fire between them had ignited and become impossible to ignore.

Still, to anyone looking on, he’d pretty much blown it. Finn was tempted to take the long route back to the ranch house. Maybe if he walked slow enough, Zach would have found something new to entertain himself and left the house.

No such luck. Not only was the bastard still hanging around, another visitor had joined him in the kitchen.

Josiah Ryder, local veterinarian and, until recently, Finn’s landlord and roommate, glanced up. A mess of paperwork was spread over the surface of the roughhewn table, and he and Zach had been poking through the pile.

“I don’t see any missing limbs or severed arteries,” Josiah offered cheerily.

“Did you really assume a positive feminine response from the lack of mutilated appendages?” Zach asked dryly. “If I didn’t know you managed to land a woman, I’d be worried about your dating techniques.”

“Hey, I’m just being hopeful here for our man Finn.”

Finn sauntered to the table and glanced at the papers, discovering blueprints, timelines, and shopping lists all mixed together. “We need to get going on the accommodations sooner than later. Plus, someone needs to overhaul this main house layout because the kitchen and dining area need to feel homey yet still meet health and safety standards. Right now it’s a pit.”

Zach folded his arms over his chest and nodded slowly as if taking in every single word. Then he dashed Finn’s hopes that they had moved on to the next topic. “Struck out, didn’t you?”

Josiah checked his watch. “How long was he there?”

“Twenty minutes, max.”

A soft whistle escaped Josiah. “Struck out, magnificently.”

“Jackasses,” Finn muttered. “She’s thinking about it.”

Two identical expressions stared back. One brow raised in speculation, lips twisted into a smirk. Then Josiah and Zach turned toward each other and completely ignored Finn as they carried on their conversation.

“Thinking about it isn’t a no,” Josiah pointed out.

“How long does she get to think before it’s a no? Is this an open-ended thing where she gets to hit start anytime she wants?” Zach asked.

Josiah considered for a moment. “That’s kind of how women work, Zach. The last time I looked, I wasn’t calling the shots in my relationship with Lisa. Not when it came to where we go, when we go, or what we do.”

“If you two are finished, I do have an update.” Finn waited until his friends turned back to face him, smirks and all. “One thing I’m sure Karen will say yes to in the morning will be helping to prep this place. Horse purchases and livestock staffing.”

Zach swore softly. “You offered her a job? I mean, not that she won’t be brilliant at it, but when she says no to dating you, won’t that make things a little complicated?”

“If she says yes to dating you, that’s gonna make things even more complicated,” Josiah pointed out.

“Not really. Zach, you’re foreman on the project, so you’d be her boss. Contract work. Means she’ll have a lot of autonomy. You plan to second-guess any of the purchases she makes for this place?”

“Of course not.” His friend shrugged. “Would’ve been nice to have talked about this before, but it’s a good twist. I approve.”

“Thanks.” The word dripped with sarcasm.

Then Zach lit up. He smacked a hand on Finn’s shoulder. “In other news, I tracked down contacts at those restoration sites you mentioned. Got leads on at least a dozen old barns within the radius you were hoping for. You’ll have to work your magic to purchase them for a decent price, but when you do, I know exactly who to bring in to make them into the best guesthouses any dude ranch ever had.”

Which is why at the end of the day, when the bullshitting was done, Finn appreciated Zach so much.

They both brought skills to the business they’d been building ever since Finn officially left the homestead where he grew up. Zach had the magic touch when it came to tracking down one-of-a-kind items and the eye to choose the perfect spot for new businesses. He also had freaky good timing.

Finn knew how to work the numbers.

While they’d both had some good luck at key moments, like falling in with their mentor, Bruce Travers, they’d worked damn hard as well, and that’s what had made them successful in the end.

Finn gave Zach an approving nod. “Knew I could count on you.”

“Of course you can, because I’m so count-on-able.” Zach turned to the other man in the room. “So, the spaces I pointed out for the horses. Approval from the veterinarian, or do we need to make changes?”

“Looks good on paper. I want to see a few more measurements for your main barn. Also, if you can double the size of the arena now, you’ll appreciate it down the road.” Josiah pulled some of the papers forward, and he and Zach fell into a discussion that Finn only partially listened to.

He’d come to Heart Falls with one real goal—to get back together with Karen.

Making a success of the dude ranch was important in a totally different way. Business achievements were a way of keeping track of the progress in one’s life. It was too easy to get stuck in one spot. To watch life pass by as you did the same old thing, time and again.

Finn’s mentor, Bruce Travers, had been all about attempting the new and reaching beyond what was possible before. It was part of the reason he’d taken Finn and Zach on as apprentices.

He’d changed their lives in ways they could never have imagined.

Being in Heart Falls with enough money in his pocket to make dreams come true was very much a legacy Finn had received from the man. But the true gift wasn’t the cash. It was the sense of adventure and the striving for freshness. Those were newer attitudes Finn never wanted to lose.

He pulled out his phone, intending to check his emails, but his screensaver distracted him, pulling him into the stash of photos he’d gathered of Karen.

The ones Karen had posed for five years ago once they’d agreed to let the passion between them flare.

He found himself staring at her face again, a confident woman on horseback. Her hands rested easily on the saddle horn as she stared at him with a bright smile on her face, cool self-assurance shining through in the way she sat.

If he remembered correctly, that horse had been a hellion, yet for her the beast had all but purred. That was one of the many things he admired about her.

“Finn.”

He glanced up, tucking his phone into his back pocket. “What?”

Once again, the two men before him exchanged amused glances before Zach shrugged. “It’s so much fun to see you besotted. I wanted to remind you we’ve got a meeting at the bank in an hour. If you want to go now, we can grab lunch beforehand.”

Finn had no idea what his friend was talking about. “Who the fuck uses a word like besotted these days? And why are we meeting at the bank?”

A long-suffering sigh drifted from Zach. “Because I’m purchasing the old Brewster building on Main Street.”

Finn thought it over. Still made no sense. “Why do we need to go to a bank for that?”

“Because I’m buying it. You’re my backup collateral to organize the loan.”

“Well, that’s a waste of time. There’s more than enough money in the corporation. Buy it out of there,” Finn said distractedly.

“Nope. I’m buying this one with my own money.”

“I’m with Zach on this one,” Josiah offered.

Okay, that was weird. “Since when did you start to develop opinions about how we spend our money?” Finn demanded of the veterinarian.

Josiah shrugged. “Since we got drunk the other night and had a deep heart-to-heart about how having all the money in the world doesn’t mean a thing without the women we love. And since Zach is still looking for his one and only, we should at least let him enjoy the daily struggles of paying a mortgage without the backing of a fat bankroll.”

This conversation got weirder and weirder. Finn gave Josiah a dirty look. “Number one, we did not get drunk the other night, and we didn’t have a deep heart-to-heart. Fairly certain I’ve never used the words ‘woman I love’ in any recent conversation. But if Zach wants to offer up his classic cruiser as collateral for that rotting eyesore in the middle of town, I’m okay with it.”

“Hey. I never said a word about Delilah being involved in this deal,” Zach protested.

“The 1955, powder-blue corvette convertible he rebuilt,” Finn told a curious Josiah. “Zero to sixty in eleven point two, and I’ve only been allowed to drive her once.”

“And you tricked me into that time,” Zach informed him staunchly. “She is not my collateral.”

This might actually be fun. Zach had provided the perfect distraction for Finn in the way only best friends who’d been together forever could. “Good luck at the bank without me.”

A furl creased between Zach’s brows. “You’re a bastard, and you don’t actually get to drive her unless I fail on my loan.”

“I’m a one-woman man,” Finn said in all seriousness. “Delilah is safe unless you screw up. Although, if you do screw up, I’ll let Josiah have her.”

Shock raced across Josiah’s face. “What? Don’t get me involved in this.”

“I couldn’t take his car and then drive it. That would be too much like gloating. This way, like a true best friend, I will sit with him and feed him whiskey while he curses your name.”

A burst of laughter broke free from Zach, followed quickly by one from Josiah.

The vet shook his head. “You two are impossible. You’re also both invited to dinner on Saturday night. Lisa wants to do something with a bunch of her friends and needs guys to balance the numbers. Show up. Six o’clock. And dear Lord—I can’t believe I’m saying this—you are instructed to wear sandals.”

After a day filled with interesting twists, Finn wasn’t sure where that one came from. “Thank God it’s June. I would guess we’re having a pool party, but you don’t have a pool.”

“We’re having a spa day?” Zach guessed. “I don’t think that’s gonna fly.”

“I have no idea, and that’s the truth.” Josiah made a horrified face. “I never should’ve introduced her to drama and my acting past, because Lisa gets these ideas in her head that are pretty banana cakes.”

It was entertaining, but Finn could reassure his friend on this one. “Trust me, it wasn’t you who led her astray. She’s always been creative. The summer we lived at Whiskey Creek, she and my youngest brother got up to all sorts of wild shit.”

A solid thump echoed—Zach’s fist meeting Finn’s chest. “Dude. Do not talk about the young lady’s past to her current squeeze.”

Shit. “Nothing like that. The two of them were like twelve-year-olds overdosed on orange crush and Twizzlers. We caught them painting a mural on the side of the barn with paintball guns once. That girl has got more imagination than is healthy.”

“She’s got just the right amount of imagination, and she’s all mine.” Josiah looked decidedly content after sharing that definitive statement. “I’ll see you two on Saturday. Give me a shout if you need anything sooner.”

Zach managed to restrain himself until the door closed before turning to Finn, his concern written on his expression. “Are you okay? Are you sure you know what you’re doing with Karen? Do we really have to wear sandals to a party, and is that even legal on a ranch in Alberta?”

“I’m fine. Karen is fine. And I have no idea what the hell Lisa’s up to, but it will be entertaining to find out.”

* * *

With beautiful June weather pouring through the open window of her truck, Karen had herself in a far better mood than she’d expected by the time she arrived at her sister Tamara’s house.

The yard outside the Silver Stone ranch house held a collection of vehicles, as usual. Some from the coming and going of the active ranch, but the three she was particularly interested in sat side by side, wildly different.

Tamara was now driving the mom mobile. With two adopted daughters, one nine and one eleven, and her newborn son who was all of two months old, the sister closest in age to Karen had given up her truck and chosen convenience for hauling her family around.

Her younger sister, Lisa, was still driving her beat-up old truck, an ancient hand-me-down that went through a mess of cousins before she got it. Karen was surprised Lisa’s boyfriend hadn’t insisted on her getting an upgrade. But then again, at twenty-seven now, Lisa was nearly as obstinate as Karen, so convincing her to do anything she didn’t want was an unlikely scenario.

The third vehicle was the one that made Karen still for a moment and take stock of her new reality. She didn’t have two younger sisters, she had three.

Julia Blushing might have come into their lives out of the blue only a few months ago, but she was most definitely a Whiskey Creek Coleman at heart. At least where it came to the stubbornness—the twenty-five-year-old EMT was now driving a teeny hybrid vehicle that didn’t look as if it could handle the highways around Heart Falls, let alone the back roads.

Karen parked her own well-used Chevy in an open space then headed for the back porch.

Music and laughter greeted her as she pulled open the door. A moment later, three heads pivoted, identical dark brown eyes set in similar faces. Only Tamara’s glasses—pink today—and their hairstyles set the three of them apart. Tamara had her hair pulled back in a ponytail. Lisa wore hers in two braids as if she were sixteen.

Julia’s deeper reddish-toned hair lay around her shoulders in a riot of curls that hadn’t been there a couple days ago.

Karen took her boots off in the mud room and hung up her coat even as she joined in the conversation. “Hey, guys. Julia, your hair is amazing.”

“Thanks.” Julia swooped the mass up to the top of her head and offered a sultry look with an exaggerated pout. A second later she burst out laughing and let it fall. “I’m afraid that’s as dramatic as I get.”

“It does look good,” Tamara said. “It also means we aren’t identical quadruplets anymore. That should make it a little easier for the poor people in town who insist they’ve seen me out and about without Tyler and ask when I got back into the medical profession.”

Lisa looked thoughtful. “It’s funny. In Rocky Mountain House, the cousins used to always complain how everyone thought they were interchangeable. If you spotted one Coleman, it didn’t matter what you called him, he’d answer. And then be expected to pass on a message to whichever of them you really did want.”

“One of the curses of a big family,” Tamara said. “It didn’t happen to us because even though we look similar, Karen would’ve had to have been dead to be spotted in the hospital.”

It was too easy to roll her eyes. Karen slipped onto the high stool next to Julia. “You remember what I said? About only believing half the bullshit they tell you?”

“Hey,” Lisa complained.

“Don’t worry. I was leaning toward twenty percent, max.” Julia winked then picked up her coffee cup. “I will admit it’s been mostly fun figuring out this family thing. A little scary, but you guys make it moderately easy.” She hesitated. “So, thanks.”

A chorus of awwwws rose from the rest of them. Karen tucked an arm around Julia and gave her a squeeze. “I’m glad you feel that way. Although you might want to cover your ears for the next little bit, because another part of being family is giving each other hell when it’s deserved.”

Julia’s eyes widened, her lips squeezing tight.

She wasn’t the one Karen focused on, though. She turned her gaze on the other two troublemakers.

Tamara looked inquisitive. Lisa looked bored.

Which was all the hint Karen needed. She stared Lisa down. “Bingo. I know exactly who to shout at.”

A firm woof sounded from the floor, and everybody’s attention dropped to the small terrier hovering at Lisa’s feet. The cream-coloured dog seemed more like a rat to Karen than an actual canine, but Ollie was one hundred percent dedicated to Lisa.

At the moment, the beast seemed intent on warning Karen off from doing anything to her people.

Oh, hell no. Karen spoke firmly to the dog. “You. Hush. Sit.”

Ollie instantly settled on her butt but kept her gaze fixed on Karen, head slowly tilting to one side as if trying to distract the big, bad human from her mission.

Good grief. “I have no idea how you trained that creature, but puppy-dog eyes or not, you’re still in trouble.” Karen pointed at Lisa. “Finn Marlette. Start talking.”

Tamara snickered then wiped a hand over her mouth as she patted Tyler’s butt with the other. He wiggled in her chest carrier.

Karen shifted her finger to point in a new direction. “You’re next on the hit list. Both of you knew he was in town. Why didn’t you say something?”

“Because there was no reason to tell you at first,” Lisa said. She lifted one brow high. “Are you seriously telling me you never heard a word about him being around?”

Tamara leaned forward toward Julia, who was obviously at a loss. “Finn and his two brothers came to Whiskey Creek ranch a number of years ago to help out. Something intriguing went on between Finn and Karen during that time that they managed to keep all of us from finding out about until recently.” She glanced at Lisa.

“Could have knocked me over with a feather.” Lisa laid a hand over her chest with dramatic flair. Then she leaned forward as well, speaking softer as if Karen weren’t right there listening to the whole thing. “Obviously secret shenanigans were taking place. And so, when one part of the shenanigarians decided he wanted to move to our fair town and then began asking questions about the other part of the shenanigarian duo, it piqued our interest.”

Julia frowned. She turned to Karen. “We’ll just push aside the fact that Lisa makes up strange words way too easily. Is this Finn guy creeping on you? Because if he is, I will put a stop to it like, yesterday.”

A rush of emotion shot upward, and Karen threw caution to the wind. She wrapped her arms around her newfound sister and squeezed tight. “I like you. You’re good people.”

Julia patted her on the back. “Thanks. But I mean it.”

Karen let her go and stared at Lisa and Tamara, who were watching closely. “You guys are turkeys. And you’re both kind of assholes for not warning me, but no” —Karen faced Julia— “he’s not a stalker. It’s just really complicated, and as much as I love my sisters, they like to meddle.”

“We learned from the best.” Lisa leaned against the counter and folded her arms over her chest. “I’m sorry if Finn being around makes things tough. That wasn’t our intention.”

“What was your intention?” Karen asked. “Because right now I’m living in his house, and he offered me a job, and he says he wants to get back together. A whole bunch of decisions and situations I was not expecting when I made the move here. This was supposed to be four months to spend time with you guys and with Tyler and my nieces. And maybe go for horseback rides and daydream about the future.”

“You’re living in his house?” Julia blinked. “Huh.”

“He offered you a job? That’s unexpected.” Lisa glanced at Ollie, who offered a sympathetic woof.

But it was Tamara who caught Karen’s eye, her sister who had discovered how deep some of Karen’s frustrations had gone and had always found time to listen. “He wants to get back together?”

It was the part Karen didn’t want to discuss, even while she was longing to.

Quiet hovered for a moment before Lisa spoke. “What do you want?”

A snort escaped. “About which part?”

“I don’t think living in his house is a big deal. You’ve got the place to yourself, and it’s private. That’s why I didn’t say anything when Lisa and Josiah brought it up. But if it bothers you, we have room here, or you can move into one of the bunkhouses,” Tamara offered. “I do want you to be comfortable. More than that, I want you to have a good time while you’re visiting.”

“It’s not a big deal,” Karen admitted. She offered Lisa a glare. “I still don’t appreciate you pulling a fast one. ‘We know someone who needs a body in their cottage. They’d really appreciate it…’ Bah, humbug.”

Lisa held her hand in the air. “I solemnly swear to think a little harder before I do anything tricky to you in the future.”

“Or to me,” Julia popped in, laying a hand on Karen’s arm for a moment. “Sorry for butting in, but I thought this might be a good opportunity to strike while the iron was hot. No messing in my life, either. This sister thing is new, and parts of it are cool, but…” She pointed a finger back and forth between Karen and Lisa. “Meddling isn’t what I signed on for, okay?”

Baby Tyler woke, his cry ringing across the kitchen. Tamara moved easily to untangle him and start nursing. “There you go, Lisa. Julia’s already got your number.”

“You guys spoil all my fun,” Lisa said with a mock pout. She nodded agreement. “I promise to be nice, even though this is the first time in my life I’ve ever had a little sister to tease.”

“What about the job?” Julia turned the question to Karen. “Did you want to work while you were here?”

“What does he want you to do?” Tamara asked.

“Help him prep his dude ranch. The animal side of things, that is,” Karen confessed.

Julia’s eyes lit up.

“Say yes.” She popped a hand over her mouth briefly before apologizing. “Oops. It’s just that I grew up on a dude ranch, and they are all kinds of wonderful if they’re done right. That’s really where I would love to work someday.”

“I’d forgotten you said that’s where you and your mom lived.” Karen hesitated before admitting the rest. “It’s not a bad gig, to be honest. I’d get to buy horses and hire good staff. I don’t know if it’s a good idea to spend that much time around Finn, though. Not if I don’t want to get involved.”

“So that’s the real question.” Lisa raised a brow. “You don’t have to tell us why, but if you don’t want to get involved, then we will back your play. It’s up to you.”

“And if you don’t want to talk in front of me, I’m okay with that,” Julia said. “You don’t have to run your life by committee. Not even if you do have sisters.”

“Why, thank you. Although you will find having sisters means parts of your life run by committee whether you want them to or not,” Karen drawled.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, palms pressed flat to the solid surface of the kitchen island as she tried to articulate what was going through her head.

“I’d like to take the job. After spending so many years not in charge even though I had the skills, it’s like being offered the keys to a candy store.”

She opened her eyes. They all stayed quiet, which was a minor miracle when it came to sisterhood. Curiosity and concern weighed heavy in their eyes. Even Lisa’s usually lighthearted expression seemed restrained.

Karen went for it again. “I like that little cottage. It already feels a lot like home, so I will stay there. But thank you for the offer, Tamara.”

Tamara adjusted her glasses. When she spoke, her voice came out clear and soft, but cautious. As if she knew this was stepping into dangerous territory. “From everything I’ve heard, Finn is a good man.”

That wasn’t the problem. The real issue was how hard would Karen fall if she gave in to the longings inside her? Was this something that might lead to forever or another interlude on the way to further heartbreak?

The door tore open, and another familiar face appeared. Kelli Stone, sister-in-law on Tamara’s side, stood in the opening, breathing hard. The petite woman glanced around the room before her gaze fixed on Lisa and Karen. “I need your help. That damn wild stallion broke one of the fences, and he’s taken off with a bunch of our mares. It’s all hands on deck.”

Karen shot to her feet, love affairs and questions shoved aside. She and Lisa hurried out the door, Julia hard on their heels.

4

The bank took less time than Finn expected.

He eyed his friend, honest admiration sneaking out. “I don’t know why you took me along. You had that thing sewn up within five minutes of entering the office.”

Zach grinned as he downshifted and took the corner hard enough to send gravel spraying. “You noticed.”

“You just wanted an audience. Damn extrovert.”

“Not at all,” Zach protested. “I wanted you to see how much I’ve learned from the master.”

Finn gagged as he was obviously expected to.

When Zach offered a scathing curse in response, Finn hesitated. “What?”

Zach slowed his truck to something close to the legal speed limit then pointed to the vehicles waiting outside their current home base, a derelict ranch house.

One vehicle was familiar. Every time he came around, something interesting happened, so the arrival of the representative from Burly, Evans, and Ives merely raised Finn’s curiosity.

The other one, though. It wasn’t the car that caught his attention and started his blood boiling but the man leaning against it, arms folded over his chest, glaring as they approached.

“Goddamn fucking bastard.”

“That about sums it up,” Zach said in agreement. He shifted into a slower gear as if trying to prolong the moment so it would be safer for Finn to open the door. “Remember, if you lay a hand on him, he’s more than willing to sue your ass. Keep your temper.”

“I don’t remember inviting him here. Maybe I can sue his ass for trespassing,” Finn growled as he eyed Brandon Travers with disgust.

He reached for the door, ready to get out there and shred arms from a certain asshole if required.

The door lock clicked shut, trapping him in place.

“Keep. Your. Temper.” The words were said softly, but it wasn’t much of a deterrent considering how little Finn liked Brandon and how much he would enjoy putting a hurt on the man.

Still, points to Zach for trying.

Then the bastard uttered the only words that could convince Finn to get his head on straight.

“What’s your endgame?” Zach asked quietly.

Not getting thrown in jail was a good place to start. Finn took a deep breath and let it out slowly before offering Zach a chin dip. “Appreciate it. Let’s go encourage our visitor to leave.”

“One visitor is leaving. The other one is bound to stick around for a while.” Zach glanced with curiosity at the older man sitting patiently inside his vehicle, seemingly ignoring everything going on outside.

The truck doors shut behind them with solid slams. Brandon straightened from where he’d been leaning, shaking his hands as if preparing for battle.

“We’re not open for business yet,” Zach offered cheerily as if greeting some lost cowboy-wannabe. “Happy to add you to our mailing list.”

His sarcasm hit. Brandon glared harder. “Still spending my money, I see. Or should I say tossing it in the shitter?”

“What do you want?” Finn snapped. He was trying to be nice. Honestly, he was. He stopped a good foot away from Brandon then casually folded his arms across his chest.

See? Totally no aggressive posturing.

Brandon stepped back slightly as if even Finn’s words were powerful enough to knock him off balance. “Same thing as always. I want my inheritance. I don’t know what the hell you guys did to my dad, but it’s just not right.”

“We’re not going through this again. You’ve taken it up with lawyers, and you’ve been told that your father was of sound mind when he rearranged his finances.” Zach stepped beside Finn. “You want to do another round in the law courts, it’s your pocketbook that will end up hurting. Again.”

The other man wore a sour expression, as if assessing the value of everything in front of him and finding it lacking. “What a pile of shit.”

Finn wasn’t about to argue. He didn’t give a damn what Brandon thought. If he couldn’t disregard the broken-down buildings and see the value in the land, that was his problem, not Finn’s.

Bruce Travers’s biggest complaint about his son had been that Brandon refused to see beyond the surface to the true possibilities.

Well, that and the fact Brandon had pissed away the money his father provided him for years. Instead of using it for investments and to get ahead, he’d blown it on frivolous or borderline legal activities, yet still kept running back to the family coffers to try again.

The well had dried up. Bruce Travers had gone looking for new protégés to train. He’d found Finn. He’d found Zach. Both of them willing to learn and work damn hard, and in the end, they’d profited a hundredfold.

Brandon had not been thrilled when he discovered he’d been cut out of the will. Or more specifically, Bruce Travers had brought on Finn and Zach as partners. Shortly after discovering he had terminal cancer, Bruce had removed himself from the corporation entirely and left it under their control.

Finn had paid all of Bruce’s living expenses for the last year of his life, spending time with the man as he slowly lost his battle. Brandon had never been in the picture. Not more than a couple quick visits during the four years Finn and Zach had spent with Bruce, during which Brandon managed to insult everyone and make himself obnoxious.

Yet he had still thought he should collect his daddy’s money.

“You need to leave.” Finn got the words out without snarling. He was pretty proud of himself for that. “If you want to talk, use a lawyer.”

“Hey, this is all because of him. As soon as he tells me I can leave, I’ll be happy to wipe the shit off my shoes and get the hell out of here.”

Brandon pointed to the vehicle where the representative from the law firm Bruce had used was finally opening the door and rising to join them.

Alan Cwedwick looked every part the legislator in a made-for-TV movie with the faint tracing of silver at his temples and his well-shined leather shoes and high-class suit.

He stepped forward, black leather case held firmly in one hand even as he shook his head, lips twisted in amusement. “Okay, boys. Head to your separate corners.”

“Alan,” Finn said in acknowledgement. “It’s good to see you, but I don’t remember giving you permission to bring trash onto my property.”

“You shut your goddamn mouth,” Brandon said once he reached a safe position one step behind the lawyer’s back. “I didn’t come here to be insulted—”

“Brandon, perhaps you should wait in your vehicle until Mr. Marlette, Mr. Sorenson, and I finish discussing business.”

“How about I just go and wait at the hotel? I’ve seen everything I need to see here.” Brandon stomped away before getting an answer. He lifted a hand as he walked, jabbing a finger at Finn as if he were poking a voodoo doll. “You’re hiding something. I will find out, and in the end, you’ll pay.”

“Always pleasant to see you, Brandon,” Zach called after him before lowering his voice. “Watch out for that pile of dog shit you’re about to—well, damn. Too late.”

Finn pinched the bridge of his nose, but in spite of his frustration, he couldn’t stop his snort of amusement. “Is it possible for you to not be you for just a few moments?”

Alan wrapped an arm around Finn’s shoulders and squeezed. “Good to see you guys again. Although I do apologize for having to haul Brandon along. He really is a rat bastard, isn’t he?”

“If you know that, why did you inflict him on us?” Finn asked.

They headed up the porch stairs and into the main house. Alan looked around, his assessing glance a lot more like the one Finn was sure had been on his face when he’d first seen the disaster.

Then the lawyer refocused his attention and answered the question. “It wasn’t my idea. Bruce put a number of stipulations in his will that triggered a couple weeks ago, and unfortunately, bringing Brandon here was one of them.”

“Since Bruce had no idea before he died that we would buy property in Alberta, that seems a bit of a stretch,” Zach said dryly. He offered Alan a chair, taking over one of the stumps they’d been using as a footrest.

The three of them settled. Alan opened his briefcase and brought out a set of papers for both of them.

“You know Bruce had a tendency to do things outside the norm, and in this case I hope it won’t be too detrimental.” Alan adjusted his reading glasses. “I like you two. Always have. I think you’re decent, outstanding young men worth way more than that jackass pouting his way back to town. However, since it’s not my money but Bruce’s that we’re talking about, we need to follow his orders.”

“He made us partners. Then he removed himself from the company. How does he have any say in what we do anymore?” Finn was ready to brace himself.

Alan waved a hand, tilting it from side to side. “He still had some controlling power. Silent partner, if you want to call it that. And until now, it’s made no difference. But at this point, knowing Bruce as we did, I would assume this is a final lesson or a kick in the pants for you two.”

Zach groaned as he dropped his head into his hands. “Dear God. I can see him now, cackling as he dreamed up some horrible challenge to drop on us.”

“You’re not far off, I’m afraid.” Alan glanced through the paperwork in his lap.

“Just tell us,” Finn demanded. “I’m up for one of Bruce’s challenges. If it involves working with Brandon, though, it becomes a lot less entertaining.”

The lawyer went into action. “Couple questions to clarify what I’ve discovered then I will lay it all out for you. Finn. Last financial investment you made through the corporation? I assume it’s this land?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Zachary? How about you? What are you spending money on these days?”

“I just purchased a building in downtown Heart Falls, but the money didn’t come from the corporation,” Zach informed him. “I don’t usually deal with the money side. Finn does that part. I deal with other areas.”

“But this property belongs to you both? Fifty-fifty?”

A bad feeling was growing in the pit of Finn’s stomach. “It was purchased by the corporation, yes. And since we share that fifty-fifty, this is also both of ours.”

Alan nodded as he scrawled notes across a piece of paper. “Okay. Well, this makes things a little simpler. Before I go on, I want to note that your private bank accounts are exempt. I know you both have regular dividends that go from the corporation into personal savings. Those are protected and not a part of this challenge.”

Finn and Zach exchanged glances. “I suspect Bruce was feeling very creative one day and that we’re going to hate the hell out of this.” Zach made a face. “Damn if I don’t miss the bastard.”

“I hear you,” Finn agreed.

Alan laid down his pen and pulled off his glasses, looking Finn and Zach over solemnly. “Bruce was a wily old bastard, but he was a good man, so let’s hope he planned a way for you to win the challenge. What’s the idea for this place?”

No use in lying because it was impossible to know what was the best answer to give. And if he’d had learned anything from Bruce, straight-up and straightforward would serve Finn better in the long run. “It’s a dude ranch. Catering to tourists, especially from Calgary, but from around the world, to come and have a western experience. Small cabins, high-caliber service, with a small town and family vibe.”

He’d never seen the lawyer light up like that before. Alan didn’t try to hide his grin or his headshake of amazement. “Damn. You boys get this going, and I will bring out my family, guaranteed. I’ve always wanted to do it.”

“Live in a cabin? Ride a horse?” Zach asked.

“Be a cowboy,” Alan offered before getting back on track. “What’s your timeline? When did you plan to have her up and running?”

That sneaky suspicion was back. “At this point I’d like to say about five years from now,” Finn drawled.

Alan laughed. “Yeah, you figured it out. Or part of it, anyway. I will have to back up your estimate with a few others in the industry, so give me your best guess.”

Zach sighed. “Dear God, not again?”

It’d been one of Bruce’s favourite tricks to teach them to think smarter and move faster. Deadlines that shifted unexpectedly. Budgets that got drastically cut but the project still had to be finished.

They hadn’t been fun lessons, but they’d been effective.

“Realistically, we would get things set up this year and begin bookings for next spring. That would be the smart way to do it if you had the funds to put operations on hold that long. Which we do.”

“And people who didn’t have the funds? Who had to start making money as quickly as possible?” Alan asked.

“Hell, you would do the whole thing in stages, and start something in a month’ s time, but that wouldn’t be the kind of experience we’re looking to establish,” Zach said firmly. “And in this day and age, it’s damn near impossible to break a reputation of being a low-caliber operation because social media sticks around forever.”

Alan nodded. “Understood. Okay, here’s the deal. You have made a financial decision and set a goal. It is now Bruce’s intention to encourage you to up your game. With the timing to be clarified, you do not have until next spring to open your doors. Your deadline will be sometime prior to Christmas of this year. If you are successful, and reviews for the first month of people who come to your doors are high-caliber, five-star results, there is a second arm of the corporation that has, up until now, been operating silently. Meet the challenge, and you’ll find your net worth doubled.”

Blood rushed to Finn’s head. The amount of money Bruce had left them in the company was already jaw-dropping. There were a hell of a lot of zeros behind the digits at the start, more than Finn needed.

He glanced at Alan. The solution couldn’t be this simple. “It sounds like an interesting challenge, and I’m always game to try and do things smarter and better, but to be honest, I don’t think I need more money.”

Perched upon his log, his best friend grinned broadly. “Yeah, I’m not feeling the pinch,” Zach said. “I agree. Alan, if we can hit your deadline, great. But if we can’t because we want to make this project a success without burning the candle at both ends, I’m not looking to be a multibillionaire.”

Alan offered a wry smile. “I knew you’d say that. Hate to do this to you, so I’ll make Bruce do it himself. I’ll read this verbatim from the message he left.”

He cleared his throat.

My ever-cautious lawyer has asked what the alternative is if you turn down the challenge because you don’t want to be that rich. Which you young pups will probably do, and good for you.

But having strong moral fiber and your head on straight is not what the challenge is about. So as much as I hate to do this, I figure it might be the only way to light a fire under your asses to meet the deadline, boys.

Make me proud, because if you don’t succeed, it’s not only the money you won’t get. If you fail to meet your deadline, then this project becomes the inheritance I leave to my worthless son, Brandon. I figure he’s probably giving you hell about not getting my money. While I know he can’t do a better job of whatever project you’re attempting, maybe winning it off you will be enough to get him off your back.

Although, I really hope you stick it to him one more time. Get off your asses and meet that challenge.

Bruce.

P.S. Wish to hell I was there to see it.

5

At the head of the pack marching across to the barn, Kelli glanced over her shoulder briefly to shout a warning. “Don’t come if you can’t jump fences,” she said sternly. “Last time, the stallion took us up into the foothills.”

“If you’re looking at me, I’ll be fine.” Julia followed them into the arena and began saddling one of the horses with confidence. Karen watched her for a moment before concentrating on her own mount. She caught Kelli making the same sly assessments, and in spite of the urgency, had to grin.

She liked the young woman who was her sister by marriage, once removed. She liked Kelli’s easy way around horses and sensed a kindred spirit beyond what she’d had in this area with even Lisa.

Quicker than Karen expected, they were in the saddle and following Kelli as she led them past Big Sky Lake and to the north.

They moved at a trot, the wide-open path allowing them to travel in a tight group as Kelli caught them up.

“Luke took a group of the hands, and Ashton—that’s our foreman,” she reminded Julia briefly, “took off with another group. But they both headed in different directions, and that’s when I spotted Thor running the north fence line. Thor, because Luke forbid me to call him Black Beauty.”

“I still can’t believe you’ve got wild horses this far south.” Lisa held her reins confidently in one hand, jamming her hat down a little more firmly. “There’re a couple of herds in the Sundre district, and they occasionally come up toward Rocky Mountain House, but I didn’t think their territory extended this far south.”

“It didn’t until a year or two ago,” Kelli informed them. “Close as we can figure it, one of the stallions got chased off when he was still young, but if the wildies make it to adulthood, they get smart. They get devious.”

“And they get looking for ladies?” Julia patted the flank of the mare she was riding, moving comfortably in the saddle.

Kelli snorted. “Thor pulled a few horses at a time into his own herd, including a younger gelding who isn’t a challenge but seems damn loyal to Thor.”

“So now there’s a group of them in our foothills?” Lisa asked. “Which means he’s trying to expand his harem.”

“Which he is not allowed to do. Not with our ladies,” Kelli said firmly.

Karen had been out numerous times to deal with the wild horses when they’d come close to Whiskey Creek land. Her goal had always been to keep their borders intact and let the wild horses return to government land, but she knew that wasn’t always the chosen method.

The gun lashed to the side of Kelli’s saddle had to be discussed.

“What’s the plan?” Karen asked.

They were nearing a clearing, and Kelli slowed, the horses shuffling forward, hooves quiet on the new grass. She spoke in hushed tone. “Some of the locals want to cull the wildies before they can grow any bigger or get more aggressive. I think it’s worth trying to rescue most of the ones he’s taken then encouraging Thor to be satisfied with a smaller following while he stays on Crown land.”

Kelli’s goals were right in line with how Karen felt about the situation. The wild horses had every right to live, but that didn’t mean they got to poach new blood from the local ranchers.

Kelli continued, “The stallion will stand out when we see them. He’s at least eighteen hands at the shoulder and shaggy instead of sleek. Then there’s a grey gelding with him that came from a local ranch. Thor’s got Silver Stone mares, but the rest of the females belong to people scattered between here and Highway 1. If we find the herd, cut off as many as possible and drive them toward the nearest fenced area you can find. We’ll deal with whoever owns the land later.” She glanced over at Karen. “How are your roping skills?”

“I’m good.”

“If you get a chance, nab the gelding. Don’t try for the stallion. If we find them, my job is to drive Thor off while you deal with the others.”

It was a quick and dirty plan, but pretty much what would’ve been offered in any situation Karen had dealt with before.

They spread out, moving slowly through the trees toward the waterfall. The source of water for the town namesake rushed from higher in the foothills until it gathered on the heights at the very edge of Silver Stone ranch. The pool at the base was a lopsided oval with an indent at the top.

Thus, heart-shaped.

The water cascading down the jagged granite cliffs on the far side crashed into the pool with a spectacular rush because of high spring runoff.

The near side of the pool was where the exit creek lay, sliding to the east before meandering its way across the Silver Stone property with stops at Big Sky and Little Sky lakes.

The mouth of the creek was shallow enough that water bubbled over the smooth river rocks.

A herd of horses was gathered, their heads down and drinking, ears pricked up even as others kept watch.

At the far edge stood the biggest, shaggiest stallion Karen had seen in a long time. She pulled her horse to a halt well within the tree line, glancing to the side to see her sisters had done the same.

By some chance she was closest to the wild stallion. Kelli was at the far end of the lineup, impossibly close to what had to be the gelding that was tempted away from his home ranch.

Karen’s gaze met Kelli’s. The other woman lifted her hand to slowly point at herself then at the gelding.

Karen silently nodded her agreement. She repeated the motion, pointing at herself then the stallion. The roles were now reversed. It only made sense, and she was comfortable taking on the challenge.

A soft snicker rose from the herd, and movement started. A shuffle of hips and a swaying. Heads rose as one of their sentries sensed the newcomers in the trees. Karen wrapped her fingers tighter around her reins, sitting motionless until it was time—

The stallion nickered loudly then charged toward the trees as if about to attack.

Kelli was already in forward motion, rope twirling as she headed straight at the gelding. Lisa and Julia moved as well, but that was the last Karen saw as she focused on her task.

It was time to cut Prince Charming off from his ladies.

She urged her horse forward, shifting to the right as soon as possible to intersect the stallion’s path.

He saw her coming and whirled, storming toward the river ford hard on the heels of his stolen mares. Karen went straight into the river as well, water rising up in arcs on either side of Starlight’s pounding hooves.

On the other side, the chase began in earnest.

The stallion no longer watched behind him. All his attention was on forcing his mares farther from civilization. They moved quickly, rushing down one gorge and up the other side. Karen held tight, gripping the saddle with her thighs and trusting Starlight to keep them upright.

It was humbling to have the riderless horses slowly pull farther away from her. Karen did her best to keep up, but though she could go over and around obstacles with the best of them, the wild stallion began cutting through low hanging trees and under widow-makers.

She had to keep adjusting her path to avoid being swept off Starlight’s back.

By the time they broke into the open, the stallion and his reduced herd of females were far enough ahead that Karen didn’t have any hope of catching them.

Still, she stayed on their heels, driving them farther to the west as they returned to their home territory and away from Silver Stone.

No longer at a hard run, Karen followed until she’d travelled for an hour before pulling out her phone and touching base with Lisa. “Hey, I’m good but definitely do not have any horses to bring back. How did you guys do?”

“Kelli’s got the gelding. Damn, he’s a mean one. We got back the Silver Stone mares—they came easily once you chased off the pretty boy tempting them with wild nights of passion. What about you?”

Karen glanced around, amused to discover she was nearly back to her temporary home. “I chased them farther into the foothills, so it seems I might’ve turned them into Finn’s problem instead of Silver Stone’s.”

A snort sounded from the other end of the line. “Way to go, sis. Although I think that is closer to the stallion’s new regular territory.”

An unfamiliar vehicle was parked in front of Finn and Zach’s temporary house. Another expensive white car was just pulling out of the driveway, turn indicator on even without another soul around.

Karen stifled her grin as she turned Starlight’s head toward the shelter behind her cottage. “Well, I’m home, so I may as well stay here. It wasn’t exactly how I thought I’d get my horse moved, but it works. You want to drive my truck out and join me for dinner?”

“Drat. I can’t. Josiah and I are getting together with Sonora at the animal shelter. I can bring your truck in the morning,” Lisa offered.

Karen could also ride back and then use the horse trailer to get Starlight home. Or…

Finn and Zach were visible on the platform behind the house. Some kind of serious conversation was taking place.

While she still wasn’t sure exactly how the summer would go, her sisters were right about one thing. It would be silly to not take the job Finn had offered.

“Don’t worry about it,” Karen told Lisa. “I’ll find another way to grab it. Have a good evening.”

“Don’t forget you’re coming over Saturday night,” Lisa said.

“I won’t forget,” she promised.

Getting Starlight settled in his new temporary digs felt comfortable and right. The lean-to had recently been repaired, and there was a sturdy, protective area to hang all her gear.

She’d bet anything that Finn had prepared the place for her. It was no less than she’d expected, though, once he’d said he’d bought the place with purpose. Finn Marlette was a thorough man.

It was something to put on the positive side of the ledger: his attention to detail and stubborn determination. Attention to detail had all sorts of wonderful consequences as it came to comfort for her animal.

That thoroughness in the bedroom? It had to be said. Karen had never had a man like Finn before or after.

She took her time caring for her horse, letting the warm wind rush over her with comfort and invigorating freshness. Then she slid into the cottage and got freshened up. It only took a moment before she was crossing the distance between her place and the beat-up ranch house.

She had a place to stay, and she was about to have a job to do.

If only she could decide how to deal with her third dilemma.

* * *

Alan left shortly after dropping his bomb with a promise to get the paperwork and the actual deadline decided before the end of the week.

Zach glared after the departing car, pivoted on his heel, then stomped into the house.

Finn followed a little slower, attempting to put this twist into perspective. While he appreciated what his mentor had intended with the inspiration from beyond the grave, the all-or-nothing situation was complicating matters beyond the cut-and-dried setup he’d hoped for in Heart Falls.

So be it. It wouldn’t be the first time they’d buckled down to get a task done.

Zach dropped into one of the beat-up Adirondack chairs on the deck and stared forlornly at the foothills.

“Well, that was entertaining,” Finn offered dryly as he settled beside his friend.

An enormous sigh bubbled from Zach, and he spoke without meeting Finn’s eyes. “I’m so sorry.”

“Not your damn fault.”

Zach made a face. “If I’d bought the Brewster building with corporation money like you told me to, that would’ve been the project we had a deadline on.”

Of all the mixed-up, irrational leaps of logic…

Finn leaned forward and examined his friend intently. “You think I’m mad at you for that? Hell, if anything, I think we’re in a better position having to deal with the dude ranch than convincing a bunch of beer-drinking fanatics we’ve come up with the be-all and end-all of small craft brew.”

“It’s something that might be accomplished in a short period of time. And it’s also something that doesn’t require good weather to bring in clients.” Zach shook his head. “You always tease that I’ve got magic timing, but I wish this time I hadn’t.”

“Drop it,” Finn ordered. “I’m the one who needs to apologize because you have to put your idea on the slow track until we get this place operational.”

“Up and running before Christmas?” Zach looked doubtful. “You really think we can do it?”

“We’re damn well going to do it. No way in hell is that bastard Brandon invading Heart Falls. He’s the last thing I’d inflict on her friends and family.”

“Who’s invading?”

Finn and Zach jerked upright, glancing over their shoulders to discover Karen at the foot of the rickety stairs from the ground level to the deck.

Finn hit his feet, holding out a hand to stop her before she took another step. “Hold on. I haven’t checked those yet.”

Karen paused with one foot on the bottom riser. She moved back and glanced underneath before pointing toward the house. “If you don’t mind, I’ll take the stable route.”

“Front door’s open,” Zach said. He waited until Karen strode out of sight before turning to Finn. “Quick. Are we taking this challenge?”

“Absolutely. I mean it, I don’t want Brandon anywhere near our friends.” Only Finn didn’t want to complicate matters any more than they already were. “No mention of the deadline or consequences unless we need to. Agreed?”

“Agreed.” Zach raised his voice and waved a hand. “Karen. Nice to meet you. I’m Zach Sorenson.”

“I’ve heard about you,” Karen said with a smile as she stepped through the sliding door onto the deck.

“Only good things, I hope.”

She arched a brow. “I hear you’ve got a poker face that my brother-in-law can’t read. That’s a good trait in a man.”

Finn stepped closer. She was dressed in casual cowboy, and he wanted to pick her up and eat her in one bite. “Didn’t expect to see you so soon. Hope it’s for a good reason.”

“Might be,” she said before her head tilted to one side and she stared him down intently. “Whose plans to invade had you sounding so thrilled?”

Damn. He’d hoped she would let that one slide. Finn opened his mouth to come up with a story that was the truth without spilling all the beans, but Zach interrupted.

“You saw the car that just left? Had to deal with some legal stuff for getting the ranch up and running. There’s somebody who wants to be involved we don’t like very much. We were just chatting about making sure he won’t be in the picture.”

Her gaze danced between the two of them before she nodded. “Sounds like a good thing.”

Zach gestured to the chairs on the deck. “Want to sit for a while? I can grab some drinks.”

She eyed the chairs, and the railless platform. “Is this part structurally sound?”

“Mostly. We think,” Zach admitted.

A snort escaped her, and her gaze met Finn’s. Their eyes stayed locked for a moment before she dipped her chin again. “If you’ve got a beer, I’ll take one. We should talk.”

Zach took off into the house. Finn pulled the chairs so they were close enough to have a discussion while still looking over the land.

Karen rested a hand on his forearm to get his attention. “How much does Zach know about us?”

She spoke softly, with a quick glance toward the house as if checking his friend was still out of earshot.

Finn straightened. “I would guess he knows about as much as your sisters do.”

He got an epic eye roll for that one before she shook her head and settled in the chair on the far right. “Didn’t take you for the type to kiss and tell.”

“Trust me. Or more to the point, trust Zach. He’s not going to say a word out of line, and he’s already your biggest supporter.”

That one made her start with surprise.

It was his turn to glance toward the house, thankful that Zach was taking the longest time ever to grab and open three beers.

“Karen?” He waited until she glanced up. He maintained eye contact as he settled in the farthest chair from her. “Zach is like family, but he is first and foremost a hell of a good guy. You need anything, you trust him.”

She took a moment as if letting that soak in. Her expression softened. “Thanks for that. I appreciate it, and I’ll remember it.”

“Do I need to bring a notepad?” Zach poked his head out the door.

“Just get out here with the damn drinks,” Finn muttered.

Karen snickered, pulling her expression back into a warm smile as she accepted a longneck with thanks. “Now it feels as if I’m on holiday. Day drinking and all.”

Zach lowered a bag to the ground beside his chair then examined his beer label briefly before raising the bottle in a toast. “To our last time day drinking in a long while.”

They all lifted their bottles.

Finn got down two and a half swallows before he stuttered to a stop, coughing while beer dribbled from his mouth to splash over the deck. “Dear God, what the hell is that?”

Karen was eyeing her bottle with disgust.

Zach alternated between sniffing the contents while swilling liquid around in his mouth. He lifted a finger, got to his feet, and walked to the edge of the deck to spit the liquid out of sight.

He turned back as he wiped his mouth. “Sorry about that. I take it yours were no better than mine?”

“Is this from that microbrewery outside Fort Macleod?” Karen made a horrified face. “I wondered what their beer was like.”

“And now we know,” Finn said dryly. He glared at his friend. “Zach, I thought we agreed you would warn people before you use them as guinea pigs.”

Zach reached into the mystery bag he’d dropped beside his chair and pulled out three new longnecks. A familiar, national brand. He popped the tops like a pro, handing them over immediately with a wink. “I forgot.”

They drank deeply. Finn was hoping to wash the god-awful taste out of his mouth, but he was amused.

Laughter danced in Karen’s eyes as well. She leaned forward in her chair. “So. You mentioned a contract job here at your nameless dude ranch. Want to tell me more?”

Hallelujah. She was going to do it.

What before had been an offer so she could use her talents had now become a very serious asset to winning the challenge.

Finn pointed toward Zach. “He’ll be your boss. We’d be working together to brainstorm and figure out exactly what we need, by when. Some of the dates are still up in the air, but we’ll nail them down as soon as possible.”

“You need trail ride guides? Horses? Barn staff or anything else?”

Zach coughed apologetically. “All of it. We’ve got leads on some, but once Finn mentioned your name as a possible coordinator, I figured we’d wait to see how you wanted to deal with it. If you knew people who are good to work with. That sort of thing.”

She looked thoughtful. “Depending on when you open, I might have a couple of very experienced guides available. I don’t know if you remember, Finn, but the summer you were out at Whiskey Creek, I was setting up a side gig. Wilderness trail rides in the Willmore area outside of Jasper.”

It had been one of the things she’d been so proud of. “I checked out your most recent website update. You’re doing great.”

Her smile lit her face. “The camp leaders, Dani and James, have a lot to do with that, but Willmore is definitely a seasonal camp. They’ve been wintering at a different ranch, but I might be able to talk them into coming here if there’s a salary involved.”

Zach actually rubbed his hands together. “That’s what I like. Problem-solving before problems even present themselves.” He glanced at Finn. “I think Karen would work great as a member of this team, and if you’re okay with it, I’ll set up a job description and compensation package then go over it with her.”

Sounded brilliant to Finn. He tossed the question to Karen. “Does that sound like something you’d like to do while you’re here? I know you want to spend time with your family, and we’ll make sure that happens, but this will be a real job.”

She glanced over the fallen buildings and unkempt fields. “It looks like enough work to be a real job, but you know, that’s okay.” She nodded slowly as she brought her gaze back to meet both of theirs in turn. “I don’t think I really get the concept of this holiday thing. I like to work, and I like to spend time with horses, so it sounds a lot like a working vacation.”

In spite of his uncertainty about the twisted challenge presented to him and Zach earlier that day, the knot of tension inside Finn eased.

She’d said yes to part of it. It meant she was staying, which meant he had longer to make his case.

They belonged together. Now he had time to prove it.

Zach rose to his feet, holding out his hand to Karen, who gave it a firm pump. “Welcome to Nameless Dude-town. Glad to have you.”

“From me as well. You’re going to be a huge help,” Finn assured her.

Karen accepted Finn’s outstretched hand. Her handshake was firm, but the expression in her eyes was soft and slightly teasing. “Let’s see what we can do to make this a memorable summer.”

6

I’m not sure if I’m even madder after reading your note or if it worked a little. A flower and an apology—awesome.

Left on my windowsill? That’s a little stalkerish, dude.

I blame the painkillers because I’m slightly charmed by your handsome face and cocky attitude.

What are we doing to make this a memorable summer? Does it involve dancing? Naked dancing? Because being in your arms was not a hardship.

(Maybe blame that last bit on the painkillers as well, k?)

~Note from Karen to Finn, summer at Whiskey Creek ranch~

* * *

She didn’t know what had come over her. She was still not sure she wanted to dive into the deep end with Finn, but the temptation was strong.

Repeating his words from so long ago—ones she knew he remembered because they’d become a part of their mantra that summer—was her mouth making promises she wasn’t sure she wanted to keep.

Thankfully, the distraction factor kicked into high gear.

Distraction otherwise known as Zach Sorenson.

He hauled her off the deck and into the living room and proceeded to nail down a job description. Then he offered up a compensation package that made her blink and started a to-do list that would keep her busy for the next three weeks.

In spite of the excitement all the work-related details caused, it was Finn’s expression that returned to her mind over and over again.

A flash of remembrance, a whole lot of hopefulness, and then that sexy smolder had arrived. The one she couldn’t get enough of.

Somehow she left without doing anything foolish like throwing herself at him. She had a temporary contract in her pocket and a whole lot of questions bubbling in her brain as to the best way to get started.

Karen was already walking in the door of her cottage before she realized she hadn’t solved her transportation issue.

An answer arrived a moment later in the form of a phone call.

“Hey. I was leaving Silver Stone when I noticed your truck is still here. Want me to swing by and grab you so you can get it home?” Julia paused then added, “I’m also free for dinner if you’d like some company.”

Exactly what Karen needed. A little ongoing distraction so she didn’t up and race back to the ranch house to tell Finn she wanted to sign on for the rest of his offer.

“Perfect, on both counts. Come get me, then we can take both vehicles out. I’ll splurge for a steak if you want to go to Longhorn’s.”

“Deal.”

Twenty minutes later Julia’s out-of-place-looking neon-blue Lotus pulled up in front of the cottage. Karen grabbed a jacket and her purse then wedged herself into the tiny vehicle.

“Is there an expansion button if somebody over six feet wants to get in?” she teased.

“You have fun last time you parallel parked on Main Street?” Julia returned dryly.

Karen laughed. “Point taken. It means I get my exercise, parking a street over then walking to where I’m going. Thank goodness Longhorn’s parking lot is the size of a football field.”

“I haven’t been yet,” Julia confessed. “We can go Dutch, because I intend to get the biggest steak possible and all the sides. Despite how hard I work as an EMT, chasing after the horses gave me an appetite like I haven’t had since the last time I went chasing horses.”

“It was good to have you join us,” Karen admitted. She eyed her new sister who had only been found for all of two months. They’d been slowly getting to know each other better, but there were a lot of years to catch up. “And to make it clear, I am buying. You go ahead and get anything you want, but this is a celebration. I have a new job.”

“You took it. It sounded as if you wanted to,” Julia said. She glanced sideways briefly. “Did you make a decision on the other matter? Because I meant it. If you need backup, I’m there for you. Nothing worse than a guy who won’t accept no.”

A comment which brought up a whole lot more questions Karen wanted answers to.

She answered quickly, not wanting Julia to get the wrong idea. “Finn is a good guy, and I mean that. And yes, he’s kind of possessive and a this is the way I want things type guy at times, but he’s not an asshole. If I tell him I’m not interested, he’ll drop it.”

“Some guys interpret no as one step away from maybe which to them is practically yes.” Julia nodded firmly. “Your call. If anything changes, you give me a shout. Anytime, day or night.”

“I will,” Karen promised.

They talked about the wild horses until Julia pulled in next to Karen’s truck.

“I need to gas up,” Karen said. “Meet you at Longhorn’s?”

“No problem. I’ll grab us a table.”

Only by the time Karen got there, not having a reservation had turned out to be a problem. Julia was standing outside the door—

Chatting with Zach.

Karen glanced around to see where Finn was because she was pretty sure the two men were like bookends. Find one, you’d find the other.

Julia spotted her. “Hey. We’ve got about forty minutes before they can sneak us in.”

Zach flashed her a bright grin. “I hear you’re celebrating getting this really fantastic job. Oh, and I hear your supervising boss is one hell of a guy.”

“I didn’t say anything about that.” Julia sounded confused.

“He’s my boss,” Karen offered dryly.

Julia nodded slowly. “Ahh. Let’s hope the man isn’t delusional.”

A sharp snort sounded behind her, and Finn appeared. “She’s already got your number, Zach.”

The powerfully built man in front of them laid a hand over his chest with as much dramatic flair as Karen’s little sister would have. “Not a word of it was a lie.”

Finn lifted his chin toward the restaurant doors. “You ladies want to join us?”

Confusion hit first, then cautious curiosity. “You just happened to have a reservation for four?”

“Sort of?” Zach hesitated, glancing at Finn as if looking for direction.

Julia offered Karen some serious wide-eyed ‘you need to call the shots on this one’ signals.

She took a deep breath. This was about enjoying a good steak. She didn’t have to make a decision about forever. “We would love to join you.”

“Back in a minute.” Zach disappeared through the front door.

Finn turned to Karen. “I know this is your sister, but we’ve never been introduced.”

Julia thrust forward her hand. “Julia Blushing. EMT trainee, former dude ranch resident, and youngest Whiskeymouse.”

A laugh bubbled up before Karen could stop it. “Dear God, we need to deal with Lisa.”

But Finn grinned. “Well, there’re lots of lovely things to unwrap in that introduction. I think I like your version of the nickname better than the one I heard before.”

Julia looked confused for a moment as if going over what she’d said.

She smacked a hand against her forehead. “Whiskeyteer. I mean it’s a cute name, but damn if it’s not a mouthful.”

The door opened and Zach poked his head out, gesturing inside. “Come on. They’re adding a couple of place settings for us.”

Longhorn Steakhouse was one of the best places to go for a meal if you had a little money to spend. Karen had been there a couple of times since Tamara moved to the Heart Falls region.

She’d never been up the tall staircase at the far end of the room.

Never knew the private room at the top of the stairs existed. A decent-sized table rested in front of a massive picture window that faced west toward the Rockies.

Four place settings waited, one at either end and two along one side. Zach pulled out the chair for Julia at one end then made his way to the far side, which left Karen next to Finn.

“You obviously have an inside track with management,” Julia said as she looked around with appreciation. “Thanks for the invite. This is amazing.”

“We know a few people,” Zach admitted. “Same menu as downstairs. Since the kitchen at the ranch house isn’t operational right now, I’ll admit to eating here more often than I should.”

“He doesn’t like my mac and cheese,” Finn said.

“You don’t use blue box,” Zach complained.

A mocking gasp rose from Julia. “No. Does he also use no-name ketchup?”

Zach straightened and gestured firmly at Finn. “See? See? This is exactly what I’m talking about. Everyone knows from the first moment I mention it what a travesty your cooking habits are.”

It was all too amusing. Karen found herself grinning as she relaxed back in her seat. Zach kept teasing, and Finn dryly took it, a lot of grace and amusement in his tone with every response.

By the time their appetizers were devoured and she’d nearly finished a glass of wine, Karen was feeling pretty damn mellow.

Finn topped up her glass. “The day go differently than you expected?”

Jeez. “This day has been about five days long, considering everything that’s gone on.” Karen sipped the wine, watching as the sun slowly dipped toward the distant mountains.

Zach and Julia continued to talk across the length of the table. Zach was picking her brain for all the details she could remember from the ranch where she’d grown up.

In the middle, Karen and Finn sat in a bubble of quiet. It was a familiar feeling, reminiscent of the time she’d spent years ago with him. In the room with others around, yet feeling that sensation of being utterly alone and completely connected.

His leg bumped hers. An innocent act as he reached across the table. Karen took a steadying breath then faced him with a smile. “Sometimes surprises work out. Thanks for the job. I would’ve gone out of my mind with boredom working at the grocery store,” she admitted.

“Thanks for accepting it. I really am glad you’re helping us with this.” Utter truth in the sentence. His gaze fixed on hers as he lifted his glass in a salute.

Crystal clinked together softly.

“I’m not sure about the other matter,” she said quickly.

He dipped his chin. “It’s not tomorrow yet.”

Laughter rose again. “You’re right. Remember my previous comment about how this day has gone on forever.”

“Sleep on it,” he encouraged. “I find a good night’s sleep answers all sorts of questions. Sometimes in my dreams I come up with solutions. Thinking over old memories, good times from the past. That sort of thing.”

He was bad.

And good, because sweet dreams were a part of their past. Good memories had been rushing in all day between the other busy parts of her adventure.

The steaks arrived and the conversation went wide again. Between the delicious food and the company, Karen got to put a hold on the last question she needed to answer.

Her dreams that night were far too dirty.

* * *

Finn made himself scarce for the next couple of days and let Zach take Karen around the place. He figured it was the best way to make it clear he really did want her opinions.

It was also the easiest way to stop from fawning over her or groveling to be put out of his misery.

He had enough to keep himself busy. The to-do list had blown up by epic proportions. His previous casual contacts with people for work down the road required updates. A kind of “put me on your list now because I need you as soon as humanly possible” update.

But he caught enough glimpses of Karen to mean she was constantly on his mind. She’d pulled her hair back into a familiar ponytail, and her grin flashed sharply whenever Zach was his usual amusing self.

She moved differently. Not only because she was no longer hampered by her full-length cast, but she seemed more at ease in her own skin.

Finn was pretty sure she’d put up with a lot of grief at the Whiskey Creek ranch over the years. Hell, he’d worked that long-ago summer with George Coleman and knew exactly the type of man Karen’s father was.

Old-school. Clueless and unintentionally unkind.

Karen had stayed soft.

Not as in strength, because damn, the woman might outwork him at the rate she was going. No, it was that she hadn’t grown bitter in spite of all the barriers tossed in front of her.

He reflected on the changes in himself and wasn’t able to make the same claim. Yes, he’d learned a lot from Bruce Travers, and he counted all of that as good.

His bitterness—fallout from family disappointments—was the part Finn didn’t quite know how to deal with.

After three days of keeping his distance, it was time to remind Karen he expected an answer. He headed into town after lunch, coming back to meet up with Zach, who had left Karen and Josiah chatting in what would be the main horse barn.

Zach flashed Finn a thumbs-up. “You’re brilliant. She’s got exactly the right ideas and the contacts we need to get this done. Between her and some of the comments Julia made the other night, I feel a lot more optimistic about meeting the challenge.”

“She’s the brilliant one.” Finn glanced at his watch. “What time did you tell her to knock it off?”

His friend frowned. “I didn’t. She’s a private contractor, so she can work whatever hours she wants to.”

Perfect. “Meet you at Josiah’s at six.”

Zach paused. “Okay. We’re not going together? I just had Delilah shipped in. Thought I’d take her for a spin beforehand.”

Finn thought about the shopping he’d just done, and a small smile snuck out. “Tell you what. I’ll call you if I need a backup plan.”

That got him a confused look for a second before Zach clued in. His friend grinned. “Break a leg.”

“You need to stop saying that,” Finn muttered even as he chuckled under his breath.

He waited until four-thirty, then with his afternoon purchases in hand, made his way to Karen’s cottage.

His brisk knock on the front door was answered with a yell. “On the back deck.”

A five-second stroll brought him around the edge of the small building. Karen reclined in the comfortable lawn furniture he’d made sure to purchase. Stuff that was a hell of a lot nicer than what was currently up at the main house.

She eyed him with confusion and a sweet hint of approval in her eyes. “Why are you all dressed up and ready to roll? Party’s not until six,” she pointed out.

“Brought you a present,” he said. He placed the basket in her lap then stepped back to admire her trim body. He didn’t care one bit that her T-shirt and jeans were dirty after tramping around the ranch all day.

“Finn. You shouldn’t have done that.” Indignation drifted in her tone until she started poking through the bottles and tubes he’d shoved into the wicker container. She gasped and held one up. “Oh my God, this is wintergreen foot cream.”

“You got the word about tonight’s footwear?”

Karen made a face. “I tried to get Lisa to tell me why we have to wear sandals, but sometimes my sister is just plain mean.”

Finn sat on the footstool in front of her and lifted her bare foot into his lap.

She tensed.

He sat there, motionless. Well, mostly motionless. Her skin was so damn soft he had to trace circles with his thumb against the inside of her arch.

“You want to grab a shower? Or get a massage first?”

The expressions dancing across her face just might kill him. She clearly wanted him to touch her, but indecision was there as well.

Finn squeezed her foot. “Just a rub, I swear. Let me take care of you.”

Karen swallowed hard. “Give me a minute.”

She leapt up and damn near ran into the house.

Finn sat back on the stool and concentrated on taking long, slow breaths, lowering his heart rate and shoving aside the need drilling through his system.

If it took a while for her to make up her mind, so be it. He was not some Neanderthal who couldn’t control himself.

But dear God, he needed to touch her. He needed it as much as he needed his next breath.

Less than ten minutes passed before she was back. Her hair lay tousled over her shoulders, the strands wet and somewhat tangled from where she’d rubbed at them with a towel.

She wore sweatpants and an oversized T-shirt, and she was so gorgeous he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

“You bring your brush?” His voice rasped past vocal cords tight with desire. Probably sounded like the grumpy asshole she expected, though, because all she did was reach into her pocket and haul out a brush.

He grabbed it and gestured to the chair. “Lean forward.”

Karen settled, placing her hands on her knees. Finn stood and slipped behind her to hide the erection pressing the front of his jeans in silent demand.

Then he tormented himself by running his fingers through her hair and untangling the knots. Working the brush through from her scalp to the ends of the long layers until her hair lay in smooth strands over the pale blue of her T-shirt.

If there were any justice in the world, he’d be able to finish this by pressing a kiss to where her pulse pounded in her neck. He’d be able to lick her earlobe and suck it into his mouth. He’d follow that by kissing his way along her jaw before taking her mouth as hungrily as he wanted.

To consume her and taste her all over for the first time in almost five years.

Instead, he laid the brush aside and moved back into position at her feet. After lifting them into his lap, he covered his hands with wintergreen and rubbed the thick cream against the pads of her toes and heels then pressed his thumb against the arch of her foot.

He gritted his teeth when she moaned in pleasure. Only a sick bastard would ask for this kind of punishment, but hell if he wanted to stop.

Finn pushed the elastic at the base of her sweats past her knees to work the muscles in her calves. One foot, then the other, as she leaned back against the thick cushions. Her eyes closed and her mouth slid open, except for the moments he hit a sweet spot. Then her lips would purse slightly as if in preparation for his kiss.

“You have the hands of a god,” Karen whispered. “You always have.”

“I like touching you,” he confessed.

Then he shut up, because this wasn’t about browbeating her but waiting for the confession of her need.

They fell quiet for a while, or as quiet as it could be outdoors at five o’clock on a June day in Alberta. In the distance a tractor motor rumbled. Birds sang enthusiastically, and somewhere over the nearest rise, a whole bunch of dogs were barking their fool heads off. Even the trees in the nearby coulee added to the music as the wind rubbed their branches together.

A wilderness symphony.

“I’ve been thinking about what you said.” Karen’s eyes were still closed, but she tensed slightly at the confession.

Finn dug his fingers into the back of her legs more firmly, and whatever she was about to say vanished into a moan that just about took the top of his head off.

Somehow, he held his tongue.

“I have a lot of good memories from our summer together. And we’ve got chemistry—or we did.” She popped one eye open and glanced at him from under the arm she’d laid across her face. “I somehow think we still do.”

So far, she wasn’t saying anything he hadn’t been thinking.

She took a deep breath. “I still need more time.”

“It’s just a foot rub,” he repeated.

She made a face. “You’re driving me wild, and you know it.”

“I blasted in here a couple of days ago and threw a lot at you.” Finn worked her toes for a while. “Chérie, as much as I want you, if you asked me to jump you right now, I’d say no.”

That got a response. She sat upright, eyes no longer clouded, the cutest crease between her brows. “Really?”

He slipped his finger between her toes and teased, getting her squirming. “Didn’t jump your bones right off the bat all those years ago. Even when you begged me to. Sometimes you’ve got to work up to it so it’s even more worthwhile.”

She cursed softly, but her lips twisted into a smile. “You’re an asshole.”

He gave her foot a final squeeze but hesitated. “Got any nail polish?”

Karen raised a brow, but she was smiling again. “Maybe I should do your nails. You want green? Blue?”

“Not a chance.” He tilted his head toward the house. “Hurry up before I rescind the offer.”

When she got back with the polish, she’d slipped into jeans and soft blue shirt, ready for the party except for her bare feet.

Things remained surprisingly chill. It was as if doing the out-of-the-blue activity allowed her to stop worrying about the sexual tension flaring between them. Instead, while he painted her toes, she chatted about the ideas she and Zach had discussed. All the plans she would put into action over the coming weeks.

She even mentioned a couple of tasks she and Finn could work on together.

By the time they were ready to leave, Karen offered him a smile with honest-to-God openness.

“Thank you. That was…” She shrugged. “Just thanks.”

He extended an arm. “Come on. Let’s go see what your sister has dreamed up this time.”

7

The house Lisa had moved into with Josiah sat at the top of a long rise, with views that would rival the place Finn and Zach were working on.

The biggest difference, though, was while Finn’s place was a classic long, low rancher, at some point in the past, an abandoned silo had been attached to Josiah’s, as if the house had castle delusions.

It was unique, which Karen had to admit suited both her sister Lisa and the bighearted veterinarian. With two massive barns within easy walking distance and a parking area that rivaled the one at Silver Stone ranch, the whole place was practical and yet pretty.

It was also full of people.

“Did Lisa invite the entire town?” Karen peeked in the window before tilting her head and tugging Finn around the side. She didn’t want to step into the living room before figuring out what was going on.

With Lisa, it was better to be forewarned than to assume.

Finn stayed close, peering in the windows as they passed. A soft chuckle escaped him. “For someone who has only been in town for a short time, she’s definitely made herself at home.”

Which again sounded very much like her little sister—the life of the party. A momentary jab of discomfort was followed immediately by a rush of guilt for the jealousy.

She forced as much enthusiasm and pride into her voice as possible. “You can toss Lisa into just about any situation, and she’ll come out smelling like roses.”

Karen stopped at the edge of the back deck. Finn crowded against her back. A solid, safe, very warm, presence.

His cheek briefly brushed hers as he whispered in her ear. “Good thing it takes all types to make this world. Life of the party and those of us who are quiet or grumpy.”

Karen pivoted on the spot, outraged on his behalf. “You’re not grumpy.” She paused. “Not usually.” Honesty prevailed. “Okay, you’re somewhat grumpy, but it suits you.”

The corners of his lips twitched. “Like I said, it takes all types.”

He was right. Besides, she had long ago come to grips with her position in their trio of sisters—now quartet. She was not the fun one, but that was okay. Lisa created enough fun for the rest of them with ease and charm, just like she would tonight.

“Okay, everybody. I think we’re all here. It’s time to get the evening rolling.” Lisa rattled the dinner bell, clanging the long metal rod enthusiastically off the triangle hanging by the back door.

People settled in chairs on the massive deck, others poking their head out from the house before joining in.

Karen counted at least twenty people, including herself and Finn. Maybe two dozen.

“First up, we’ve got food and lots of it. Before you grab a plate and load up, there are three baskets on the table. Pull one slip of paper from each and keep them hidden. I’ll explain the game as soon as we’re all eating. The only rule at this point is you can’t pull your own name.”

The rich scent of barbecue and what looked to be a massive tray of macaroni and cheese hauled Karen out of the shadows eagerly. She grabbed her slips of paper and shoved them in her pocket without even looking, then accepted the empty plate Finn handed her and stepped into line at his side.

They had settled in chairs next to each other before she realized how comfortable it was to keep doing things with him.

The rich creamy taste of her sister’s homemade mac and cheese exploded in her mouth, and she moaned happily. “This”—she jabbed her fork toward the pile she’d heaped on her plate—“this is what it’s supposed to taste like.”

Finn shrugged. “If you say so. It’s good to know you have a few flaws.”

Karen gasped. She glanced at his plate to discover he hadn’t taken any of the pasta. “You’re not even trying it?”

“Didn’t want to take any and leave less for you,” he said magnanimously.

“You don’t know what you’re missing. Here.” She scooped up a mouthful—a small one, mind you—then held out her fork. “Try it.”

Finn leaned forward obediently, one hand settling on her thigh to stabilize himself. His lips closed around the tines of the fork, but his gaze fixed on her face. He pulled back slowly, the palm of his hand scalding hot on her leg.

They stared at each other.

Karen somehow remembered how to breathe.

Then he dipped his chin. “Not bad. The seasoning is good.”

She was about to tell him…something, except he was still staring at her mouth, and she was about to self-combust.

“Okay, everybody, listen up. Here’s the rules for the game.”

Thank goodness for little sisters. Lisa stood on a milk crate so she was tall enough to be seen.

“The three slips of paper you have are the name of somebody here, a location, and an easily found household item. Between now and ten p.m., your goal is to give your chosen person that item, in that location. If you manage it, they’re dead. You take over their three papers and keep playing.”

Karen thought it through. “It’s like the game Clue, only with real people.”

Lisa snickered. “And we’re doing the killing, instead of the solving. Last person standing wins.”

There was a flurry as people checked their slips of paper, and a whole lot of laughing ensued.

“You sure you wrote down common household items?” Mack, one of the local firefighters, looked skeptical.

Josiah nodded. “Common around this place. It’ll make sense when we start dropping like flies. Once you’re told you’re out, go ahead and have fun with your death scene.”

“Because discovering that Mr. Greene did it on the garden swing with the castrator isn’t hysterical enough?” Zach’s quip got more laughs from the gathering.

“That game is ongoing,” Lisa said. “For now, enjoy the food. There will be other activities to try later. If you want to know why, it’s because I’m in charge of the kids’ games at the Canada Day party, and you’re test driving them for me tonight.”

Which turned the evening into something resembling one massive birthday party setting with twenty and thirty-year-olds fully getting into Lisa’s brand of mischief.

Karen peeked at her papers as she wandered through the house, but she was more interested in enjoying the good food and the buzz of happiness filling her soul. Lisa was in all her glory, laughing like a kid one minute and the next, snuggling against Josiah. Her thirty-five year old partner looked at her as if she hung the moon.

Tamara and Caleb were there as well, baby Tyler held easily in Caleb’s muscular arm. Or more realistically, Caleb had control of his son when the kid wasn’t being passed through the ranks like a ball in a rugby scrimmage.

Even Finn took a turn. He had settled in Josiah’s massive easy chair when someone placed Tyler in his lap. For a moment Karen thought she would have to rescue him, but instead he shocked the hell out of her. Finn comfortably rotated the baby, holding him competently with one hand as he looked Tyler in the eye. He tapped his finger on Tyler’s nose, chuckling when the little tyke’s arms flailed outward, grasping for Finn’s hand.

Something inside her flared, and it wasn’t sexual this time, but still centered low in her gut. Avoidance seemed the easiest way to deal with the rush of emotions striking out of nowhere.

She turned and spotted Julia making her way over, mischief in her eyes. “Why do you look like a cat who found the cream?” Karen asked.

“I just saw the setup for the next game Lisa’s running. Look.” Julia leaned in conspiratorially and held forward the strangest rubber duck Karen had ever seen.

“What the heck?” She took it from Julia to examine it more closely. It was a rubber duck all right, but this one had a little cowboy hat and a holster and a mighty fine moustache. Laughter bubbled up and Karen glanced at her sister. “That’s cute.”

Julia grinned. “It also means that I got you. Karen, in the living room, with a rubber duck. Go ahead and hand over your targets before you die.”

Well, drat. Karen pulled out her clues and slapped them into Julia’s hand. “That was far too cheesy. And I should’ve known better than to take anything from you.”

“It is true, though. We are having duck races,” Julia said consolingly. Then she wiggled her fingers. “Have a nice death.”

She turned and walked off, head down as she examined Karen’s slips of paper.

Karen wasn’t much for the dramatic, but she owed it to Lisa to give it some effort. She pulled out her phone and set an alarm, choosing the classic duck ringtone.

Then she sat on the couch next to Josiah. “I’m so glad you’re in charge of that one now, because she is more trouble than a barrel of monkeys.”

Josiah blinked. “Come again?”

“Lisa. She’s your problem, sweetie, and it couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.”

Karen leaned back on the couch, placed the duck on her chest, then set off the alarm. She closed her eyes and gave her best gasping, gurgling, death knell as an insistent quacking echoed through the room.

* * *

Finn wandered, watching with interest the various games that had been pulled out of nowhere.

On one corner of the deck, a group was bouncing ping-pong balls into cups. But unlike the classic pong version, no beer was involved. The red cups were lined up on the back of a Roomba that was constantly changing position, and the shrieks of laughter rising from the group rivaled any drunken revelry.

“You’re not joining in.” Zach stepped beside him. “There’s a wicked game of pin the tentacles on the octopus going on in the kitchen.”

Dear God. “I’m saving my strength for whatever twisted masterpiece Lisa has for the grand finale.” He glanced over his shoulder and unerringly found Karen.

She hadn’t been out of his thoughts all evening. And damn it if she hadn’t been within eyesight the entire time. He was trying to give her space, but it was as if after all those years of being apart, they instinctively kept rotating into each other’s gravitational force.

When she glanced up and looked directly at him, he hummed contentedly. She was as bad as him.

Her cheeks flushed, and she returned to the conversation she was having with the Fields sisters, Tansy and Rose. They were joint owners of a coffee and knickknack shop in Heart Falls that was doing well enough it had caught Zach’s attention.

Although Finn wasn’t one hundred percent certain it wasn’t the dark-haired beauty, Rose, that Zach was keen on studying.

Finn tilted his head toward where the women stood chatting. “Saw you had a meeting on the books with Ms. Fields. What tangled webs are you weaving?”

Zach managed to look surprised and shockingly innocent at the same time. “I was playing with ideas for future adventures of the brewhouse, but that’s on hold for now. After tonight, it’s full-on concentration until the ranch is ready.”

“No need for you to swear off all entertainment while we’re working. Bruce would never have approved of you acting the saint.” Their mentor had enjoyed an amiable divorce from his first wife followed by a stream of women who all left his company contented. The man had been a miracle worker in more than just the business field.

Zach glanced around at the partygoers, but his gaze kept returning to where Karen stood, now with Rose, Tansy, and Julia. “You just go on with your bad self and let me worry about my sources of entertainment.”

“Hey, Zach.” It was Julia, calling across the distance.

Zach glanced at Finn and spoke softly. “She’s murdered at least seven people I know of. This has got to be a setup.” He raised his voice and offered a cocky grin. “What’s up?”

“Toss me that ball beside you?” she asked sweetly.

Zach folded his arms across his chest and gave her his patented poker grin. “Sorry. I don’t play with my balls in public.”

Finn pinched the bridge of his nose and attempted to not die laughing. “Bad wording, man.”

Feminine laughter agreed with him, drifting on the air and becoming louder as Karen and Julia closed in on them.

A small hiccup escaped Julia, and she covered her mouth briefly before eyeing Zach boldly. “That suspicious nature doesn’t look good on you, baby.”

“You have proven to be a load of trouble,” Karen pointed out.

Julia released a hefty sigh. “I’m so misunderstood.” She tipped her head in farewell and went to step around Zach. She staggered, stumbling toward him, her nearly full glass teetering precariously.

Zach caught her and her drink before they all crashed to the floor. “Watch it. You might want to go lighter on the liquor, darling.”

She popped to her feet and grinned, completely sober and obviously pleased as punch. “And you might want to practice your death throes, because I got you. Zach, by a table, with a glass.”

Zach stood motionless for a second before rolling his eyes. “Well, damn.”

The expression on his friend’s face was priceless, and Finn twisted away slightly to hide his smile. Karen was beside him, and the two of them ended up grinning at each other.

“Pass over your clues,” Julia mock whispered.

“Eager to make your next kill?” Zach dug into the threadbare pocket of his jeans, Julia watching intently.

She accepted the strips of paper, a brilliant smile crossing her face. “It’s safe to play with your balls if you want.”

Finn had always been proud of his ability to keep a straight face, but that line was too much for him to bear. He twisted even farther away. Karen leaned her forehead against his chest, and the two of them shook as they attempted to contain their laughter.

Behind them, Zach groaned dramatically. “Yeah, yeah, I fell into that one. I’m drowning my sorrows. Either of you want anything? Karen? Finn?”

Karen snickered helplessly, so Finn answered for both of them. “We’re good.”

He wrapped his arms around her, gently guiding her toward the railing. They both rested their elbows on the sturdy wood beam and concentrated on their breathing. The view was beautiful, and the woman beside him was as full of life and energy as he remembered. And even though there was a hell of a challenge ahead of him, Finn was completely content.

They stared over the spring green landscape, enjoying a quiet moment of companionship.

When she did speak, it was in her usual tone of voice. Back in control and sweetly intense. “Well, that was fun.”

“Zach will complain about this for the rest of the summer.” Finn twisted position and placed his elbows on the railing as he gazed at her face. “It’s good to see you with your sisters. Julia fits in so damn well it’s like watching a case study for nature versus nurture.”

“It has been interesting to see what character traits might be genetic and what sprang up from the way we were raised. I think we’ve still got a lot to learn about each other, though.” She looked thoughtful at that. She shook it off and met his gaze. “Hey, I wanted to ask. When did you get so comfortable around babies?”

Finn had known at some point he would have to share some sensitive information. He’d been racking his brain for the best way to do it. Everything that had shaken down over the past five years wasn’t the stuff to shove at a person all at once.

Thank goodness fate had been on his side because this was about the most perfect opening he could’ve asked for.

“Remember Levi?”

“Your youngest brother and Lisa’s cohort for raising hell that summer you all invaded? It would’ve taken therapy to forget,” Karen offered dryly.

Finn stifled his amusement. “He had such a crush on you. Hero worship, really.”

“And that was the other part I’ve been working hard on forgetting.” But she said it with a smile. “Don’t tell me that boy’s got babies in his life.”

“Three of them.” His announcement received a satisfyingly enthusiastic gasp. “The first one was a bit of a surprise—we got home at the end of that summer, and the girl he’d been seeing before we left had a profound announcement to share.”

Karen whistled softly. “Is it terrible to say I’m glad he and Lisa never hooked up?”

“Levi was completely gone on Chelsea. Still is. We got home, they got married. Baby number one, Andrew, arrived before Christmas. My nieces showed up over the next two years.” They were amazing kids. His brother and sister-in-law were absolutely content with their family and their home situation. Even though it had taken shaking the Marlette family apart at the roots to make sure the right parts would survive.

“Good for them.” Karen examined him closer. “Why do you tell me this as if there’s something wrong with the news?”

“Because I figured you’d think it a little strange.” He shrugged. “They’re running the ranch instead of me. They’re doing the job I left you to go home to.”

“Ahhh.” She dipped her head slowly, still watching him carefully. “There’s more to the story, isn’t there?”

Should’ve known he couldn’t pull a fast one on her. “There is, but it’s not something to share in the middle of a party. And it’s settled. I’m happy for Levi and Chelsea, and they’re in the right place. It’s exactly what I want for them, and really, the ranch can only support one family. I’m glad it’s them.”

She looked as if she would ask something else, but then the damn dinner bell went off again, and Josiah was calling them all down the stairway to where a series of kiddie pools were connected by what looked like miniature creeks.

It was enough. Finn had broken the ice on one secret in his world. It would have to do for now.

He held out a hand. “Come on. It looks as if the reason you needed pretty pink toenails has arrived.”

She went with him willingly enough, and they made their way down the stairs hand in hand.

Zach stood amongst those gathered below, his gaze making note of the connection between them. His friend tilted his head slightly and gave Finn an approving wink.

“I hope you’re all ready for this.” Josiah glanced around the gathering. “And don’t worry, there was only one death by duck in the game today. You’re safe while you’re playing.”

“Who is even still alive?” Tansy asked.

A whole group pointed at Julia. Another group pointed at Lisa. Both of them had made some fairly spectacular and sneaky moves. There were only four people still playing, the other two being the big local Fire Chief, Brad Ford, and his fiancée, Hanna.

Petite Hanna blushed at the cheers she got.

Finn leaned in against Karen. “Don’t buy that innocent look from her. The little minx took me out of the game by pretending to be terrified by a spider. She was pinned to the wall in the hallway, gasping as if she would faint right away. Turns out she carried the spider with her and held on to it until I came around the corner.”

Karen burst out laughing and gave Hanna a high five. “You go, girl.”

Lisa and Josiah exchanged glances, a soft smile on her lips. He shuddered violently.

Then they buckled down to explain the rules, which were one step short of ultimate chaos.

What followed involved a great deal of splashing as everyone was assigned numbers and a trio of rubber ducks. Soon there were grown adults frolicking in the water, creating waves to guide their miniature flocks from the start to the finish line without touching them.

The straightaways were fine, but the kiddie pools were like vast black holes. Finn couldn’t get his plastic targets to head in the same direction for the life of him.

He was racing Lisa, and she was a good five feet ahead of him when a circular Frisbee sailed through the air and hooked around the neck of one of Lisa’s ducks.

She caught hold of the ring to remove it, jerked to a stop far too late, and tripped over her own feet. She crashed into the pool and a wave of water arched skyward.

A loud hoot and holler rose from the crowd as she crawled out of the water, soaked but grinning happily.

She glanced around to discover Hanna coming forward. “Tricky woman. I should’ve known better—I’m the one who wrote Frisbee on the murder weapon list.”

Hanna held out a towel. “It will be hard to finish this considering there’s only three of us left and we all know who to watch for.”

Lisa stepped from the pool and rubbed the towel over her hair and clothes. “That’s fine. We’ll make it work.”

She dug in her pocket and handed over three soggy strips of paper.

Hanna read them and laughed, eyeing her fiancé as if making evil plans.

Brad raised his hands in protest. “You are dangerous.”

The petite woman pressed a hand to her chest. “Me? I’m innocent. You can totally trust me.”

Julia snickered.

It was only a minute later, after the next set of ducks were being dealt with in the kiddie pools, that Julia sent up a loud cry. “Nooooooo. I’ve been fatally done in by a piece of strawberry pie.”

Finn was mostly dry by this time, once again standing at Karen’s side as she pressed closer in an attempt to see what was going on at the edge of the deck.

He slid his hand around her waist and tugged her in front of him so she had a better view. Having her in his arms, leaning back on him as if that was exactly where she was supposed to be? Perfection.

Julia was shaking her finger at Hanna, but she handed over her clues with a wink. “Good luck. We all know who you’re gunning for.”

Brad stepped forward and swept Hanna into his arms. “She’s already knocked me off my feet and stole my heart,” he informed the gathering. “She’s welcome to win the game by knocking me off, period.”

A chorus of awwwww rose from the crowd.

Sweet Hanna caught him around the neck and kissed him, right then and there, triggering more laughter.

A slow clap started. Julia turned to all of them and beamed as she made an announcement. “We have a winner. I declare Hanna the last one standing now that she’s caught Brad with a kiss, outside the house.”

Hanna blushed. People cheered. Brad threw back his head and laughed the loudest.

In the circle of Finn’s arms, Karen sighed happily.

It was comfortable, and contentment at being in Heart Falls, in this community, grew in a way that Finn hadn’t expected. Not here.

Really, not anywhere.

For most of his life, home had meant one location… Now the word conjured up not a place but people.

More specifically, a person. Karen had come to represent home, so this other sensation was interesting.

But it wasn’t something he needed to spend a lot of time dwelling on. His priorities were clear. Do what it took to be with Karen, and make sure Brandon never got to have a piece of this pie.

8

How are you getting your tasks done for my father and still finding time to pick me flowers? It’s not working, by the way. Not making me soften up and forgive you for tricking me into that kiss behind the barn the other day.

That’s a total lie. There’s nothing to forgive because I was a full participant in that kiss, and we both know it.

Painkillers talking right now, but I’m having dirty dreams about kissing you. Maybe more. Trying to figure out where and when is taking up way too much brain time, damn you, Finn Marlette.

Don’t you dare follow me into the chicken coop later today. I swear I won’t have any inclination to kiss you again.

~Note from Karen to Finn, summer at Whiskey Creek ranch~

* * *

The next week passed in a blur. It was pretty much sunup when Karen got out of bed, and then the day would explode into activity.

She went for regular rides on Starlight. Some with Zach, some with her sisters. All the while looking for routes that would satisfy everyone from the rawest beginner to the most experienced riders.

She made phone call after phone call, not only to her contacts at Willmore Wilderness camp, but also to people she’d talked to over the years while working at Whiskey Creek.

Mealtimes when she stopped for a break, there’d be a knock on her door, and someone would show up with blueprints that needed her opinion or her ideas. Her phone buzzed with messages from her sisters and regular pictures at crazy intervals as Tamara gushed over her baby boy.

It was the busiest Karen remembered being in a long time, and it was good.

The only part missing was Finn.

After his talk about wanting to get back together and wanting to be with her, it seemed he had absolutely meant the bit about leaving the timing up to her. He was scarce. Or more correctly, he was always around, but never close enough to chat with. It became impossible to get her fix in a casual way like she had at Lisa’s party.

She’d admit it. She liked spending time with Finn, and the urge to say yes continued to grow.

He left wildflowers on her back porch every morning.

While her body was very willing, she still didn’t know if it was the best idea. She wished she could stop being wishy-washy, yet taking this time felt right. Felt necessary.

It’s not as if she had a ton of time to get lonely. Not with popping over to Tamara’s, or over to Lisa’s, or even to Julia’s teeny studio apartment. Spending time with her sisters was a great distraction.

They’d finished another dinner at Julia’s when Lisa spoke up from her place at the sink. “Hey, Karen. Okay if I come spend the day with you at the soon-to-be dude ranch?” She placed a clean plate in the drying rack and reached for another dirty dish. She gestured with her head toward Julia, who was putting away the rest of the leftovers into her tiny refrigerator. “Jules is on day shift, Josiah’s got a full workday, and I’m at loose ends.”

“I don’t mind, but I’m putting you to work,” Karen warned. “There’s a heck of a lot of buildings to go through and see if there’s anything we can salvage.”

“I thought you were in charge of the horse side of things, not construction.” Julia started putting away the dry items Karen had stacked to the side.

“My job description got expanded. I don’t mind,” Karen said. “I have a lot of people I’m waiting to hear back from, so I may as well give Zach a hand.”

Lisa and Julia exchanged glances. “Giving Zach a hand. Sure you’re not giving Finn a hand?” Lisa asked.

“Haven’t seen him for days.” The words came out sharp and annoyed.

Silence shouted back at her.

Yeah, she had kind of stepped into that one. “Okay, yes, I’m a little grumbly I haven’t seen him for a while. I thought he was interested in me.”

“Did you tell him you want to see him again? Because I think he might need a written invitation.” Lisa wrinkled her nose. “Which is not what I expected when you first mentioned this, so you’re right. I get why you’re snappy. When a dude makes a play, he should keep on it.”

“Disagree with you on that one,” Julia said bluntly. “He’s waiting for her answer. Keeping in her face would be an asshole move. This is not being an asshole.”

Lisa paused then dipped her head. “I hear what you’re saying.”

“I mean, if he vanished completely, that would be one thing. But you said he’s still around. Sort of.” Julia eyeballed the flowers Karen had brought because her still-expanding bouquets had filled the teeny cottage to the brim.

Karen pressed her palms against her temples and let out a tired breath. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I need to make a decision and not keep dragging this out. You’re right, Julia. He’s not being a jerk. I am.”

“Maybe you need to make this not so enormous in your head. I mean, start dating and see what happens. It’s not as if beginning something means you’re making a lifetime commitment.” Julia shrugged.

The topic got dropped until the next morning when Lisa showed up on Karen’s doorstep bright and early. The cream-coloured terrier, Ollie, danced around her sister’s feet, but more importantly, Lisa had cups of coffee from Buns and Roses and two enormous boxes to boot.

Karen accepted the coffee, ignored the fact a dog was in her house, and took an appreciative sniff of Lisa’s burden. “Don’t tell me those are cinnamon buns.”

The box was opened a moment later, and Lisa dug in, gooey white icing dripping down the side of the baseball-sized treat. “Okay, I won’t tell you.”

Mouthwatering goodness was inhaled in a flash. Karen licked her fingers and gazed at her sister happily. “I brought you up right. Even though you forgot the rule about dogs belonging outside.”

Lisa snorted. She gestured to the glass on the counter that held a single crocus flower. “Finn?”

He was being persistent in a very sweet way. “Do you think I’m terrible for not giving him a straight answer yet?”

Lisa shrugged, eyeing the remaining cinnamon buns as if the weight of the world hung in the balance. “I think you have good reason to not leap. But I also think Julia was right last night. Maybe it’s time to stop worrying about how much it might hurt if it doesn’t work out and put a little more hope toward things going right.”

A flutter of something wild and untamable went off in Karen’s gut. “You have a point.”

Lisa grabbed another cinnamon bun and arched a brow. “Share?”

“Forget it. I want another whole one to myself.”

Cinnamon buns devoured and sticky hands washed, they headed out the door and into the workday.

Another reason why being in Heart Falls was right—

Lisa had only been gone from Whiskey Creek since December, helping Tamara while she had trouble with her pregnancy. But that meant it had been over six months since she and Karen worked together on a regular basis. Yet they fell back into it with a smooth rhythm, and it was good.

Finn had hired a group of guys to help with demolition and salvage. Brawny fellows with loud laughs and a few with gazes that lingered a little too long. Nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing either of them hadn’t faced before.

Lisa just rolled her eyes, smiling sweetly as she dropped things on the toes of anyone who got too close. After she’d accidentally canned a second guy while rapidly swinging floorboards, the group of them backed off slightly.

“You ladies want to come see what you think of the boards we found? Finn had some idea of using them to do feature walls in the cabins.” Zach gestured them toward one of the taller buildings near the barn.

“Kind of a rustic feel. Is that what you’re going for?” Lisa asked.

“Pretty much.” This from Finn, to Karen’s utter amazement. He finished signing something then handed the clipboard back to the construction foreman who was dealing with final barn renovations. “You got room for another on that tour?”

Ollie stepped in front of him, braced her legs, and barked enthusiastically.

Karen was just about to excuse the dog when Finn dropped to a crouch and slipped a hand over the pup’s head. “Yeah, you’re invited too.”

Lisa’s eyes widened, and she made one of those faces. The ones where she was trying to get a whole message across without words, but Karen wasn’t sure if what she was saying was “dude likes dogs, so he’s got to be okay,” or if she was acknowledging the man knew exactly how to score points.

What was unfolding made Karen happy, though, and that was a convincing factor. She had enjoyed her time with Finn immensely. It had been the hurt later that had soured the experience, and that hadn’t been either of their faults but a matter of time and circumstance.

Like Julia had said, dating Finn was not a commitment to forever. It was something for here and now.

Outside a narrow, two-storey building, Zach paused. The door opened in front of them with a tormented creaking sound. “We’re not sure what this building will be used for. Anything you think that’s worth salvaging, make a note or stick a pin in it.”

“What was this place?” Karen asked as they paced through the rooms. “Definitely not a house. Not a barn.”

A soft cough of amusement rose from Lisa as she riffled through some papers in the corner. “It looks as if somebody might have lived here.”

Karen slipped over to join her and glanced down at a bunch of flyers and ancient newspapers. One announced baths for an astonishingly low price.

It was the one that showed a dance hall poster that made her hesitate. And the one under that.

“Dance hall? Ladies for hire?” She turned to the others, amusement rising. “Finn Marlette, you bought yourself a house of ill repute.”

* * *

Finn had been trying his best to give her space, but with Karen’s eyes laughing at him, he gave in to temptation.

He stepped forward, closing the gap between them. “You’ve no idea how bad Zach has been teasing me about saving wood from this place.”

Something close to a donkey bray escaped his best friend, but it really was too funny. In the midst of a shit ton of work they had to get done, it was good to have some things to lighten the mood.

Zach clapped his hands to get their attention and force them back to work. “Let’s keep moving. Those papers are in the pile of things we’re saving, because yes, I think it’s hysterical we managed to grab the one place in the area that has a very—ahem—rich history.”

They headed down the hallway, peeking into what must’ve been individual rooms. Not much was left except the structure itself, but Karen ran a hand down the dark walnut paneling with approval. “These would be beautiful reused.”

They’d made it through about a half dozen rooms, picking out things that were worth saving, when Ollie took off. She barked loudly as she headed up the stairs to the second floor.

Lisa apologized quickly, slipping after her pet. “Sorry. Don’t know what’s gotten into her.”

Karen stepped toward the next room, sliding past Finn close enough that their bodies touched. Warm and soft and sneakily intimate. The hallway was narrow enough to explain having bumped together, but that didn’t answer why she had that look in her eyes. Her hips swayed just enough to brush against him a second time.

He stared, hunger aching in his gut.

Reality returned in a rush when Zach nudged his side. His friend’s concern shone clearly as he pointed upward. “I don’t know that anyone should be running around on the second level.”

Shit. “Lisa, hold up. It might not be stable up there.”

That got everybody’s attention.

Karen was on the move as well, calling after her sister. “Lisa. Slow down and call Ollie back.”

“It’s okay. The stairs are solid, and she’s right here.” Lisa stopped at the top of the landing then bent and wiggled her fingers. “Come on, sweetie. Come show me what you found.”

Finn slipped up the stairs and past Lisa, assessing the boards between him and the dog. “I’ll grab her.”

He moved slowly, trying to guess where the support beams were beneath the floorboards.

Ollie was sitting now, nose pointed intently at a small hole in the corner of the room. Finn got down on his hands and knees and peered inside to discover a pair of diamond-shaped eyes staring back at him.

The teeniest meow triggered a series of barks from Ollie, and suddenly the kitten was gone, back into the wall.

“I’ll grab this one for you, then I’ve got someone else to deal with.” Finn had Ollie by the scruff a second later, transporting the squirming beast back to her owner.

Lisa tucked Ollie under her arm and slipped down the stairs.

“Need a hand?” Zach asked.

“Careful,” Karen said. The two of them stood at the top of the stairs. Karen’s gaze snapped over the floorboards with growing horror. “Finn? I think you’d better get back here.”

The meow sounded again.

To hell with it. Finn dropped to his knees, reaching into the hole and hoping nobody had set rat traps in the building in the past.

A swear burst from Zach. “Finn. Leave it. Something’s coming apart. That section of the floor is going to—”

“Get out. Now,” Finn ordered as his hand brushed fur. It was enough to allow him to hook a finger around a limb and haul the creature forward.

As he lifted the kitten in the air, a cloud of sawdust exploded in his face. The wall in front of him deconstructed like a mummy being hit with a cyclone wind. A loud crash echoed in his ears.

He fell.

Finn scrambled at the floorboards with his free hand, but the wooden slats pulled apart like toothpicks, flying from his grasp as he plummeted downwards. He hoped like hell Karen and the others had retreated down the stairs far enough—

He hoped his feet would touch first so he could roll with the momentum, but something swung into him from the side, pushing his legs to the right and propelling him into a solid object.

The space above him dropped, and he landed hard as something stabbed through his lower leg.

His teeth jammed together, trapping a shout inside even as his body screamed silently in protest.

Searing pain shot through his right leg, and something soft but extremely pokey jabbed his left hand. Finn pushed through the waves of pain radiating from his shin and sucked in a breath. Adrenaline rushed his system.

Clouds of dust were settling around him, and shouts sounded from a distance. Zach and Karen. Familiar voices that made him tense for a moment until he realized they were calling his name.

Good. They were safe.

He held it together long enough to lift his hand in front of his face to discover he held a snow-white kitten. The little thing had its claws sunk in deep, and it was quivering but not trying to escape.

He saw stars. Then nothing.

9

Karen finally knew what that phrase heart in your throat actually felt like.

It wasn’t something she’d been hoping to experience.

After they rushed down the stairs, the deafening noise that exploded behind them had ripped her apart in so many ways.

All she could picture was that second before escaping, where Finn had stared back at her, concern in his eyes as he ordered her to safety. Then everything had crumpled like a house of cards collapsing in on itself.

“Finn. Dammit, answer me,” Zach shouted, scrambling forward before the timbers had finished settling.

Karen caught the back of his collar with both hands, jerking him to a stop so he didn’t rush into danger. “Finn won’t thank you if you get hurt going after him. Wait.”

Although, she was quivering on the spot as well. Everything in her wanted to push past Zach that second and find out what had happened.

Thankfully, the crashing soon died down, and the instant the air quieted, both she and Zach were on the move, shouting Finn’s name. The air was full of dust, sunlight turning the motes into cloudy spotlights.

A muted groan sounded, and both she and Zach veered to the right. They stepped over fallen debris, moving toward the spot where a pile of timbers crisscrossed over Finn’s body.

Fear coated her tongue. She hurried as quickly as possible to his side.

“I called 9-1-1,” Lisa shouted from somewhere behind them. “And a bunch of the crew members are on their way over.”

Which was a good thing because Finn was buried under heavy beams, his tanned face shockingly pale in the shadowy corner where he lay.

Karen held her breath as she pressed her fingers to his neck. A second later she exhaled sharply. “He’s got a strong pulse. Hey, Finn. You’re going to be okay.”

He had to be okay. That was all there was to it.

“Dammit, Finn. What the hell were you thinking?” Zach shifted a piece of wood away then cursed. “Lisa. We need some help in here.”

The next timeframe passed in an eerie combination of slow-motion and high-speed chaos. Half a dozen guys were in the space, lifting things off Finn. A tiny kitten opened its mouth, its little pink tongue drawing Karen’s attention. She scooped it up from where it had nestled in the crook of Finn’s arm and settled it inside her outer shirt.

Zach had his hands clamped around Finn’s leg, rich red smearing his fingers. Karen held Finn’s hand, and as a log beam was lifted off, his eyes fluttered open, and he groaned loudly.

“Hang in there, buddy,” Zach said. “Don’t try to move.”

“You guys good?” Finn’s stunned gaze danced over Karen’s face. “You get hurt?”

“Dumbass.” Zach responded before Karen. “You’re the one who went surfing. The rest of us took the stairs like normal human beings.”

“Wasn’t my idea.” Finn’s face contorted for a moment. “Hurts like hell.”

Karen squeezed his fingers, leaning in a little closer so he didn’t have to strain to see her. “We’ll take care of you.”

In spite of the pain on his face, hopefulness flashed in his eyes. “Promise?”

It was good to be able to answer honestly and instantly. “Promise.”

As if her answer was as good as a shot of morphine, the tension drained out of him. Finn’s eyes closed, but the grip of his hand in hers increased as he held on tightly.

His thumb started that back-and-forth motion again. The one that was so familiar and so right.

“Do we get him out?” asked one of the crew, staring in horrid fascination.

Zach met Karen’s gaze. “Everything else seems solid enough. I think it’s safer to keep him here.”

“Then we won’t move him,” she agreed. She looked up and offered a few orders. “Grab some blankets. And send someone to the gate so the emergency crew knows where to come.”

“What can I do?” Lisa asked.

Karen reached into her shirt for the kitten that had been kneading its claws against her stomach. “Take this. Wait—first, we need something to help Zach apply pressure.”

Zach motioned Lisa over. “Take off my belt. I need to get the bleeding slowed, but I’m not about to go near that bone.”

The one that was poking through sturdy jean fabric, and God, Karen knew Finn had to be in a ton of pain, but he just lay there, breath ragged, his fingers linked iron-tight with hers.

They stabilized him as best they could. Lisa helped Zach tighten the belt around Finn’s upper thigh then took control of the kitten. Karen ignored the blood on Zach’s hands and soaking through Finn’s jeans. Instead, she offered Finn a steady stream of reassuring words.

The local emergency crew arrived before the ambulance did, which meant Julia was there, sliding in next to Karen, while Brad Ford took his place on the other side.

“You with us, Finn?” Julia asked, all business after giving Karen a quick shoulder squeeze.

“Don’t want to be.” The words came out rumbling and low. “Hurts.”

“We’ll get you fixed up, then you’re taking a trip to Black Diamond.” Brad motioned to Julia, and they worked quickly, stabilizing him even more and offering a painkiller to help until the ambulance arrived.

“Much better,” Finn said, his grip on Karen’s hand loosening slightly. Then he opened his eyes, heavy-lidded, and unerringly met her gaze. “Come with me.”

“You got it.” He wasn’t going anywhere without her.

In the end, Zach drove and Karen rode with him, following the ambulance to the hospital where Finn was taken into surgery almost immediately.

Karen’s skin crawled as she sat there in the white-walled emergency waiting room, hands clenched, staring at the clock as they waited for news.

God, she hated hospitals.

Beside her, Zach seemed just as miserable. He alternated between sitting forward, head supported in his hands, and bouncing to his feet and pacing. His boots scuffed heavily on the linoleum floor.

He dropped into the seat next to her for what had to be the twentieth time before he finally spoke. “So damn stupid. We checked all the buildings. Somehow I fucked up.”

“It’s not your fault,” Karen began.

“It’s got to be my fault. I’m the one who okayed the building. I could’ve sworn it was structurally sound enough to be in. I never would’ve taken any of you in if it was close to collapsing.”

Karen laid a hand on his arm. “Of course you wouldn’t have. There must’ve been some flaw that showed up in the past while. The big rainstorm we had the other day—maybe it messed with the footing.”

Zach threw himself back in the chair, legs stretched out in front of him, utter dejection on his face. “Doesn’t make sense.”

“Doesn’t help anything for you to beat yourself up over something we can’t change,” Karen said dryly. “And you tell me. You think Finn will give you hell for this?”

He hesitated. “Probably not, but we’ve already established that he’s kind of a dumbass.”

A snort of amusement escaped her before she could stop it. The next thing to arrive was a wave of emotion that overwhelmed her. Tears rushed upward, and the next thing she knew, Zach pulled her against his chest and patted her back as she cried her eyes out.

“Hey. It’s okay. It’s going to be okay. That stubborn bastard will be bossing us around in no time. Hell, he’s probably telling the doctor how to fix his leg right now. Opinions? He’s always got a few.”

It had to be partly from memories as well as the current tension, because Karen wasn’t the type to lose it like this. Hospitals were not somewhere she enjoyed, and she would admit that to anybody who asked.

But her loss of control was humbling, nevertheless. Slowly letting the tension go, her breathing evened out. Zach patted her back the same way Tamara would’ve. His hug was comforting, like having family to hold.

Finn’s words came back to mind. How he trusted Zach implicitly.

While Karen wasn’t certain what exactly she was signing on for, she knew her future involved being with Finn, at least for the summer.

She gave Zach a final squeeze then pulled herself together, accepting the tissues he handed her to wipe her face dry.

The smile she put on was a little on the watery side, but it was an attempt. “Thanks. It will be okay, but you know he’s stubborn.”

“As the day is long,” Zach offered.

Karen ran through options quickly. “I don’t know what they’re fixing, but I know how it felt when I broke my leg. What can we do to make the time when he gets out of here easier?”

Zach considered. “Depending on what type of cast he gets, he might not be able to drive.”

“Skip that part for now,” Karen suggested. “How are you guys set up at the house? Will he be able to get around safely?”

“We can set up a bed in the living room. There’s no way he’ll be able to do stairs.” Zach hesitated. “Or put it this way, he’d probably insist on doing the stairs, but we should try to set it up so that he avoids them.”

She refused to beat around the bush. “There’s a second bedroom in the cottage. I think he should move in with me.”

Her determined announcement seemed to knock the wind out of Zach’s sails for a moment. Then he examined her carefully. “You don’t have to do that.”

Ride or die.

“I want to,” she admitted. She met his gaze straight on. “I’ve been waffling for too long. Finn says you know about our past, so you’ll get that me having to help him with anything personal won’t be an issue.”

She didn’t expect the soft chuckle in response. He reached down and tucked his fingers under her chin. “Sugar, Finn wanting to be in a relationship with you again wasn’t him looking for a nurse.”

“Yeah, but we don’t always get what we want, do we?” She waved a hand. “Look, first off, I meant it about the two bedrooms. This is about him having a place to sleep that’s comfortable and safe. Secondly, you know Finn. The amount of nursing I’ll get to do will be slim to none after he gets his feet under him, so to speak. I’m just saying…” She hesitated, because it was still so fresh and new, this idea of taking the chance. “I need to be there for him. Does that make sense?”

A slow smile spread over Zach’s face. “It makes sense. And if you need anything, like help holding the bastard down because he’s doing something he shouldn’t, you call me. You got that?”

“It’s a deal. We’re a team.”

The entry door opened, and Karen’s sisters piled into the room.

“What’s the latest word?” Tamara demanded.

“How are you doing?” Lisa echoed in the same tone.

Julia tilted her head toward the nurse’s station and went to run interference. “I’ll grab an update.”

It was like having a whirlwind join them, and it was perfect. It was family wrapping themselves around her and Zach in the way her sisters always had.

Which made waiting that much easier. She wasn’t alone.

She didn’t have to be alone.

* * *

Bright light stabbed through the window. A pulse set off at the back of his skull, the same tempo as the blood drilling through his veins. Finn closed his eyes briefly then tried opening them again, but everything refused to focus.

“Slow down, pal. You’ve got nowhere to go and a long time to get there.”

Finn swiveled toward the voice, and a sharp pain struck. “Shit.”

Raising a hand to rub his neck ended with his arm jerking to a stop after not even an inch.

“Finn. Chill.” A hand settled on his arm, and Zach’s familiar voice buzzed on, a low lilt of laughter in the tone. “Figured you’d wake up swinging. You’re okay. You’re in a hospital bed, and you probably feel like you got hit by a Mack truck. Stop jerking yourself around and ease into it.”

It sounded like good advice, so as tough as it was, Finn took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Relaxing even as he did a quick assessment of what hurt and what didn’t.

The first list was a hell of a lot longer than the second one.

When he finally opened his eyes and blinked the world into focus, Zach was sitting beside him, his cocky grin noticeably missing.

“Who died?” Finn asked, his throat raspy and dry.

Zach’s lips twisted for an instant. “Bastard.”

“Can’t get rid of me that easily.” Finn glanced down to take a closer stock of the situation. “Hell, that’s going to make it difficult to finish my dance lessons.”

The bed was bent into a vee, pillows behind Finn propping him until he was almost upright. His left leg stretched under the blankets, but his right one was raised in the air, a half dozen pulleys and ropes propping it into a convoluted position.

His left arm was strapped to the guard rail, IV tubes disappearing to the left of the bed.

A curtain to his right, a window to the left, and a clock on the wall that said nine. “It’s a little bright out for that to be nine p.m.”

“You lost a night,” Zach told him. “You were awake earlier but pretty doped up from the surgery. I’m sure the nurses will be in here to explain stuff, but other than head-to-toe bruising, most of you survived a building collapse really well.”

Finn reached up and ran a hand over his thigh. “And the part of me that didn’t hold up well? Looks like crap.”

“I have been up close and personal with more of your bones in the last twenty-four hours than I ever want to see again.” Zach undid the strap holding Finn’s arm in place then leaned back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest. “There was some fancy medical term for it, but basically you smashed your tibia hard enough that it decided to try and crawl out of your body. Congratulations. You will now set off TSA security. They installed two metal rods while putting you back together.”

Finn examined his leg again. “Hell of a thing.”

He was obviously doped up enough the pain was a low-level buzz, but the sight of the cast made it pretty clear this was nothing he could walk off.

He glanced back at Zach to find his friend staring morosely at the cast. “Everybody else okay? Karen?”

“The rest of us were fine. So is the kitten you rescued.”

“Kitten?” It had to be the drugs. Finn worried for a moment until the memory trickled back in. “Ollie. She found a kitten trapped in the wall.”

“Karen’s got the creature back at her cottage. It’s too little to be alone yet. She said she’d take care of it.”

The mention of Karen’s name washed the lingering question of how the hell did a kitten get trapped in the wall and replaced it with an image of her face. “How is she? This probably set off some bad memories.”

Finally, his friend smiled. “Maybe, but you can ask her yourself. She was here last night until it became clear you weren’t alert enough to remember a thing. I took her back to the ranch for some shut-eye, and the only reason she agreed was I promised to bring her back for visiting hours.”

“She’s here?”

“Got waylaid doing a task for her sister. She’ll be here in a few minutes.” Zach leaned forward, his gaze intent. “You don’t worry about anything, okay? I’ll keep things rolling at the ranch, but if it comes down to it, screw the challenge. We both know Brandon doesn’t really want to have anything to do with the dude ranch. He just wants money. I bet we can work out some deal to convince him to take funds and leave everything to us.”

There weren’t enough drugs in Finn’s system to make that an okay idea. “You know something I don’t? Like, am I stuck in this bed for the next six months or something? Because I don’t see how me breaking my leg means we can’t meet the challenge.”

“Alan called with a deadline. He didn’t know you’d been hurt, but that doesn’t change things.” Zach shook his head. “You’re still not hearing my point. The most important thing is for you to heal, not for you to hurt yourself more trying to stick it to Brandon.”

Finn snorted. “Trust me. I am a fantastic multitasker. I can heal and stick it to the bastard.”

“Just saying. We keep our priorities straight.”

“They are straight. I’ll heal, we’ll get the ranch running, Brandon will go and cry.” He managed to get a laugh out of his friend, but the effort made Finn happy to relax back against the pillow. “Stop holding out. What’s the deadline?”

“Alan insists he did his research, but I’m suspicious he’s also planning to enjoy this. First guests arrive Thanksgiving weekend.” Zach rolled his eyes like a teenager. “I’ll give you one guess who the first guests are. Go on, you’ll never guess it’s a hotshot lawyer who told us he’s a cowboy wannabe. Him and his entire family.”

Finn laughed, choking it off quickly when he realized his ribs hurt too much to follow through. “Fine. Third week of October. That’s not impossible.”

Zach inclined his head. “You’re right, it’s not. But back to that priority thing, we’re adjusting lists. You’ll be pleased to know you’re now stuck on the computer. Plus, you can deal with contract calls and phone orders. I’ll work the front line.”

It was instinct to protest. “Fine. But as soon as I’m up and mobile, we’ll talk about this again.”

His friend rose to his feet, reaching behind him to grab his hat. “Oh, and just to warn you, that whole priority thing means you’ll take the time to heal and to be with important people.”

What the hell was he talking about? “You headed back to the ranch already?”

“Grabbing a coffee.” Zach strode to the door and pulled it open, greeting someone just out of Finn’s sight. “He’s awake and in his right mind. Or at least as close as he gets.”

Karen slipped into the room, and some of Zach’s teasing messages suddenly made sense. Somewhere in there his friend left, but Finn’s attention was focused on the dark-haired woman stepping hesitantly to the side of his bed.

She stopped too far away for him to catch hold of her the way he wanted. She barely glanced at his leg before fixing her gaze on his face.

He crooked a finger, gesturing her closer. “Go on. Check me out. You know you want to.”

Something close to a hiccup escaped as she closed the gap, brushing her fingers over his cheek. “You look like hell.”

“Say something else sweet to me,” he answered softly.

That hiccup happened again, and she swallowed hard. She laid her fingers on top of his and held on. “This is a trip down memory lane I really didn’t want to take.”

“I have a new appreciation of what you went through,” Finn told her. “I’ll be fine. You showed me how.”

Her gaze drifted along his leg, and when she met his eyes again, it was as if she were preparing for battle. “Since you know I’m experienced in these things, you won’t be foolish and fight with me over some little suggestions I have.”

“Zach’s already told me he’s babysitting me at work,” he informed her.

“Knew I liked him for a reason.”

Finn stayed quiet because laughing would hurt.

That determination in her expression showed up again. “The doctor talked to you yet?”

“Nobody but you and Zach that I remember at this point.”

Her chin dipped. “They’ll give you the details, but it looks as if you’re here for a few days. Once they release you, you’re moving into the cottage with me.”

That phrase should have triggered a rush of satisfaction. Instead, he eyed his leg then her. “You damn well better not be planning on babysitting me as well.”

Finally, finally, the Karen he’d been looking for stepped forward and showed herself.

She picked up his hand and lifted it to her mouth. Pressing a kiss to his knuckles, she frowned slightly at the bruises and scratches she found there. But even though she took a deep breath as if bracing herself for battle, when she spoke, it was soft and sweet. “I want to be with you. While I have no idea how that will look, and I have no idea how long it will last, I want to give it a shot.”

It wasn’t everything he’d hoped for, but he was smart enough to take it. Smart enough to relieve the tension shaping her shoulders, making them sit high and rigid.

He lifted one brow. “This isn’t a pity fuck, is it?”

A sharp burst of laughter escaped her before she covered her mouth, glancing toward the hallway to make sure the door was still closed. She twisted back to offer him a classic Whiskey Creek expression. The one halfway between serious and what the hell?

“Who said anything about fucking?” she deadpanned.

He still had hold of her hand and used it to tug her closer, sliding his free hand up her arm to wrap his fingers around the back of her neck.

She came forward willingly, thank God, because an instant later her lips were inches away from his.

He stared into her deep brown eyes. “We’ll take our time. There’s no rush, but I will be there for you. Going to make you remember every little thing that was so fucking fantastic about us. Need to taste every inch of you, talk with you for hours, stare into your eyes as I drive you wild with my fingers and my tongue. And when the time is right, when you tell me that it’s time, that’s when I’ll sink my cock deep into your body where I belong. Where we belong, ma chérie. Exactly how we belong. Connected. Together.”

She barely blinked. Hadn’t swallowed.

Finn lowered his voice and growled out his final point. “And we won’t be fucking.”

He closed the distance between their lips. Or maybe she did, because his hand wasn’t around her neck anymore but cupping her cheek. Lips moving together, tongues exploring gently as if for the first time.

Dear God, every inch of his body ached, but he was still one step shy of heaven. That’s what being with her was. What it meant.

Karen trembled slightly, but her mouth was on his, a willing and eager participant. Soft murmurs of pleasure teased his ears as her taste swirled into his system.

When they pulled apart, she was panting heavily. Her eyes glowed with heat and something else.

Hope.

10

With an unknown amount of hospital time ahead of Finn, everyone agreed it made more sense to save the visiting for the end of the day and keep work on track as best as possible.

Karen rose early and got into her tasks. When her meetings with contractors and potential employees were done, she joined the work crew, swinging a hammer to put up stalls and finish tasks in the barn.

She rode Starlight and found a new trail, and all of that was as perfect as a workday could be.

Then she and Zach made the hour-plus trip to Black Diamond. That part wasn’t as perfect, because seeing Finn in pain and clearly struggling to stay alert wasn’t good for anyone. Karen held his hand because he demanded it, but other than that, it was a wearying evening.

Zach was the one to suggest a change after the second trip out. “Would you think I was an asshole if we skipped the visits for the next couple of days? If us being there lifted his spirits, I’d be all for it. But I think we’re wearing him out.”

Karen thought back to the first days after her injury and how sometimes company had been more of a pain than pleasure. “We should let him rest and get better. If he wants company, though, I want to go.”

The following morning, Zach followed up, and an official pause was called. Confirmed by a call from Finn to Karen only a few minutes later.

“Hey, you.”

Karen stared over the windswept field beside her, the kitten rubbing past her ankles. “Hey. How’s your day?”

His voice rumbled over the phone, softer than usual and slightly strained. “I might have a second nap after I finish waking up from my first nap. My to-do list is hell right now.”

The ache inside her was rock-hard. “You’re also healing, Finn. That’s on your to-do list in three-foot-tall letters, got it?”

“Got it. Hey, chatted with Zach. I think it’s smart for you to skip the trip out for the next couple of days. I’m still loopy most of the time from the drugs. I have no idea when I’ll be coherent. I’d prefer you spend time with your sisters than my comatose body.”

“I don’t want you to be alone.” Admitting it was hard but good.

Then he knocked her knees out from under her, his voice gone soft. Laced with pain but even more with kindness. “Chérie, I know how much you hate hospitals. I don’t want you hurting yourself coming to see me. I mean it. Stay home.”

She spoke around a throat gone tight. “Okay. But when you’re coherent and bored, call. Or text. You’re not alone, okay?” The need for him to know that was vital.

“I hear you.” Finn’s words faded toward the end. “Now go get in Zach’s way since I’m not there to bother him.”

Not having Finn around placed Karen in a strange sort of limbo, and strangely, it was the time at home that seemed the most off.

What had started as such a treat—a place to call her own and to do whatever she wanted without anyone else’s dictates—wasn’t a treat anymore.

It was lonely.

The kitten Finn had rescued helped fill some of that space. Karen named the little creature Dandelion, and the fluffball slowly took control of his territory. This seemed to involve lots of pouncing, especially on Karen and any parts of her anatomy that happened to be moving.

Her toes. Her feet. Her finger on the table. Her head, first thing in the morning when the hellion decided her nose needed biting.

“He hasn’t had any problems after being trapped in that wall,” Julia pointed out while visiting a couple days after the accident.

“Ollie thinks Dandy is the cutest thing she’s ever seen.” Lisa glanced over her shoulder to where the two animals were circling each other. Or more precisely, Ollie was moving slowly, her tail wagging enthusiastically while the kitten stalked, preparing to pounce. “I have never seen Ollie like this. She chases away all of the ranch cats.”

“By the way, Kelli told me there’s a new batch of kittens in the loft,” Tamara mentioned. “I can take Dandelion back with me whenever you want. I’m sure the mother cat will take him in. I know you’re not keen on animals in the house.”

“He’s okay here for now,” Karen said quickly.

That was the other reason Karen wasn’t completely lonely. Her sisters kept invading, in ones or twos. Or all three. Today Tamara was along as well, having brought supper for the four of them to Karen’s.

“You hear any more information about school in the fall?” Tamara asked.

She and Karen were still at the table as Lisa and Julia worked at the sink, cleaning up from their meal.

Karen thought about the envelope sitting unopened on her desk. “I did, but I’m not worried about it right now. Until Finn’s back, we’re all buckling down extra hard. I’ve been trying to step it up a little to make sure I’m doing my share.”

“I doubt that’s a problem,” Tamara said dryly. “You doing anything for fun? I mean, not that I expect you to go out dancing or anything, because I get that you’re still kind of shocked from the accident and all.”

Currently she was more shocked about what she’d proposed in terms of Finn’s living arrangements—a small detail she hadn’t yet shared with her sisters.

Karen redirected the question. “I went riding a few times. Spotted that wild stallion in the area. He’s definitely set up base in the foothills to the west of here. We’ll have to make sure he’s contained before we bring in a lot of more horses, or he’ll constantly try to steal them away.”

Tamara looked concerned. “That is a problem. I’ll mention it to Caleb and see if Silver Stone can work with the ranch here to deal with them. Also, did you know that Kelli’s been working with that gelding she cut out of the pack? The owners didn’t want him back—said he was too wild to begin with and they don’t want him teaching the rest of their herd any bad habits.”

Karen would never cast off an animal like that. The gelding wasn’t doing anything except what came naturally.

She shook her head. “Good for Kelli. Once things settle down around here, I’d love to come and give her hand.”

“She’d love to see you.” Tamara grinned. “It’s been kind of fun having Kelli hero-worship you every time she comes around.”

Karen was shocked. “She does not.”

“It’s like listening to my daughter go on and on about, ‘Kelli says this’ and ‘Kelli says that.’ Only now it’s Kelli talking and she’s all, ‘Karen says the best way to deal with that is…’ All the Silver Stone ranch hands think it’s hysterical.”

Obviously, Lisa wasn’t the only one of her sisters with an overabundant imagination. Karen reached for Tyler and put him into burping position. “In other news, what’s happening the next couple of weeks? I kind of lost track of time.”

“Canada Day on Saturday. There’re the events down at the park during the day, including the potluck supper and the bachelor auction.” Tamara finished adjusting herself after nursing and glanced up with concern in her eyes. “When is Finn home from the hospital?”

“Hoping for two days from now. That’s Wednesday, right?”

Tamara made a face. “I wonder if whoever is coordinating the bachelor auction heard that Finn’s out of commission.”

Karen’s spine stiffened. “Bachelor auction?”

Her sister frowned. “Remember, I told you about Ivy buying Walker a couple years ago? Zach and Finn got signed up this year because they made a bet with Lisa, and they lost.”

“Finn needs to cancel.”

“Oh, hell no.” Tamara paused. “Let me rephrase that. The one thing I learned when you were busted up was to not assume. Yes, it makes sense for him to cancel, but think how pissed you would’ve been if we had cancelled plans without consulting you first.”

“You did cancel my plans, and I just about—”

Shit. The memory rushed in. Five years ago, in the situation of being broken and bent, she’d blown up hard at her sisters for taking over her calendar even though they’d meant well.

Because having another thing ripped out of her control had only exacerbated the problem.

Karen hated having a hard truth handed to her so neatly. “You’re right. I’ll remind Zach at our morning meeting that it’s coming up, and they can decide what they want to do.”

She didn’t go out to the hospital that night either, staying home and chatting quietly with Julia and Lisa even after Tamara had taken Tyler home to be with her family.

The only message that day from Finn had been a short update.

Doing okay. They took me out of traction and gave me a cast. It’s hugely awkward, but at least I’m not tied to the bed anymore. Hope you’re enjoying the sunshine. Sorry I missed getting your flowers these past days.

Midmorning Tuesday, Karen went riding on one of the back paths at the very edge of Finn’s property. A soft nicker caught her attention, and she slowed, pulling Starlight to a standstill.

The wild herd moved slowly through the trees. They angled toward a gully that led up a nearby ravine. Karen followed cautiously, not wanting to spook the horses into a panic.

By some chance she hit the very edge of the cliff as they moved into a clearing. Counting quickly, she observed the herd covertly.

The stallion was clear. Hands taller than the rest of them, he moved like the cocky bastard he was, adjusting position to crowd parts of his herd and ensure none of his followers loitered behind.

One of the mares in the group was heavily pregnant. She popped in and out of view at the outskirts of the group as they grazed on the fresh grasses of the clearing.

The mare moved slower than expected, and Karen examined her gait closely, wondering why.

It was her hind leg. She barely used it when she moved. With the added weight of the baby, the mare was having a hard time keeping up.

The escape from Silver Stone the other day probably hadn’t helped matters, and guilt rushed in.

Wild animals always had difficult challenges to face. If Karen hadn’t chased them, cougars or a pack of coyotes looking for dinner were always in the area. Injured beasts were culled by others in the animal kingdom all the time.

Karen tugged the reins to the side and slowly led Starlight far enough away to avoid spooking the herd before she increased tempo and returned to the cottage by a different route.

She kept herself busy because waiting for Finn was easier while distracted.

Tuesday night there was a thing down at the elementary school with her nieces, although listening to grade threes play recorders was more like torture than distraction.

Still, it meant that when Wednesday came around, it’d been more than a couple of days since she’d seen Finn.

Zach stopped by the house before she’d finished her first cup of coffee. “Finn sent a text. The doctor’s in after lunch, so Finn won’t get parole this morning. I’m headed to Calgary to do some shopping until he calls to say he’s ready. Don’t count on his arrival until maybe suppertime.”

“Not a problem,” she said. “Why don’t you stay when you drop him off?” She offered him a wry grin. “Maybe he’ll be on his best behaviour if we gang up on him.”

“Are you ever delusional.” Still, he gave her a wink. “You know he’s probably going to be a bear to deal with.”

She paused, wrapping one arm around herself as she cradled her coffee mug in the palm of her other hand. “You ever break a limb, Zach?”

“Nope.”

Karen tilted her head at him. “He gets to growl all he wants. At least at first. Later we’ll get him to behave, but speaking from experience? I bet he’ll get here and pretend like everything is hunky-dory. Heck, I bet he asks for a coffee at some point, when what he really wants is to go lay down and not move for a good twenty-four hours. I love my sisters to pieces, but nurses are assholes. Every single time I’d fall asleep, someone would come by to take my temperature or draw blood. Or they’d take my blood pressure and then tell me I needed to relax.”

She got a full-on laugh out of Zach at that one. “I bet you’re right. Okay, how about this? I’ll be in town anyway. Why don’t I grab whatever we need for supper before I pick up Mister Bear?”

“Sounds like a plan.” They tossed a couple of menu ideas back and forth before Zach took off and Karen headed to work.

If she spent some of the day distracted by thoughts of Finn Marlette lying in the bedroom next to her that night, she’d write it off to the overactive imagination gene that obviously ran rampant in the Coleman family.

* * *

Finn was itching to leave by the time he’d gotten the doctor’s approval.

Conditional approval. She stared him down, this teeny thing who didn’t look old enough to have finished high school let alone gotten her residency.

Dr. Sydney Jerimiah stood behind her clipboard and gifted him with a high-voltage stare. “No pressure on the leg whatsoever. That means no accidentally walking on it for the next six weeks. You understand that’s not a suggestion?”

He shook one of his crutches at her. “Pretty sure that’s why you gave me two of these. Also, with the angle you set my leg, I have zero chance of walking.”

“Imagine that.” Her firm expression slid into the barest hint of a smile. “While it’s the correct angle to fix your particular kind of break, you’ll thank me later that your foot is that far off the ground. I figure I have zero chance of keeping you out of barns, and casts don’t shake off manure quite as easily as cowboy boots.”

“Thank you.” The words came out gruff, but he meant them. He extended his hand and offered a firm handshake.

It was almost another forty minutes before Zach got there, which barely gave Finn enough time to get dressed, considering the damn cast.

He’d forgotten that even though he’d mutilated a pair of his jeans by cutting them off at the thigh, he still had to get the waistband over his foot in the first place. With the immovable cast in place, he was barely flexible enough to bend that far. Some fairly complicated wrangling ensued, and by the time he did up his zipper, he was sweating. Not to mention pain had flared hard enough that he didn’t plan to do any more moving than necessary.

“Ready to blow this Popsicle stand?” Zach slid into the room, pushing a wheelchair. He eyed the abandoned jean fabric sticking out of the garbage can. “Looks like you’re ready to roll. Literally.”

“You’d never make it on the comedy circuit,” Finn informed him bluntly.

Zach tossed Finn’s bag over his shoulder, gesturing him toward the wheelchair. “Don’t argue. I swear you can abandon the wheels at the exit door.”

“Not arguing,” Finn snapped.

His friend tossed him a sympathetic glance then shrugged. “I’m guessing you’re in a lot more pain than you’ll ever admit. Tell me to shut up if I start getting on your nerves.”

Finn sighed. Great way to show his appreciation by biting Zach’s head off over nothing. “You haven’t done a thing. I’m just…”

“I get it. Honest. No reason to apologize.”

There was a reason the man was his best friend.

Somehow Zach got him up on the truck seat and into a position that didn’t make Finn feel as if there were ice daggers driving into his skull or his leg. When Zach turned the music on quietly then didn’t say a word for a good half hour, Finn closed his eyes and let the painkillers wash through his system.

His phone went off.

Zach spoke up quickly. “It’s your brother. You’re set to Bluetooth through the truck, if you don’t mind me listening in.”

“Answer it. You’ll get all the dirt later anyway.”

A moment later, Finn’s middle brother was on the line. “Sounds as if you picked a bad time to go kitten hunting.”

“The ferocious beast is doing fine from what I’ve heard,” Finn said. “Hey, Duncan. I’ve got you on speaker. Zach’s here as well.”

“Hey, Zach. You need me to send you a box of duct tape to slow my brother down for the next while?”

Zach laughed. “I think we’ll be okay. The doctor has him wrapped up plenty tight.”

“Full-length cast,” Finn offered. “I’m not riding anything but shotgun for a long time.”

“Like what Karen Coleman had that summer we were at Whiskey Creek?” Duncan offered a soft whistle. “Damn. Sorry to hear that.”

“I’ll be fine.” Finn glanced at his friend in the driver seat. “How’d you hear I got hurt?”

“Not from you the way I should’ve, dumbass.”

“That’s what I told him,” Zach informed Duncan as an aside.

Duncan snorted. “Yeah, he probably didn’t want me to worry. But I am worried. You take care of yourself, Finn. Let people take care of you. I know it goes against our stubborn nature to be anything less than self-sufficient, but when you need it, help’s the best thing in the world.”

Tangled emotions whirled in Finn’s gut. It was good to hear his brother talking about help as a positive thing, but the fact Duncan had dealt with enough bullshit in his life to need help still infuriated Finn. “I’ll do my manly best to accept help when it’s offered.”

“I’ll hold you to that. I hear differently and I’ll be pissed.” A rumbling sound echoed in the background. “Heading into a weigh station, so I’d better make this short. Next time don’t leave it up to Levi to let me know when something happens. And I mean it about taking care of yourself.”

“I hear you,” Finn told him.

“Good. And Zach, always nice to hear your voice. If my brother’s a dumbass again in the future, I expect you’ll let me know.”

Zach outright chuckled. “I’ll put you on speed dial. Keep your wheels turning.”

“Ten-four that,” Duncan signed off.

Finn stared at the ceiling of the truck and attempted to recalibrate his world. This wasn’t what he’d hoped to be dealing with at the moment, but there’d been a lot of unexpected things over the years.

In the big scheme, breaking his leg was only a temporary glitch.

He glanced at Zach. “Don’t you go gossiping to my brothers without asking first.”

“Are you kidding me? Of course I told them. Duncan’s the size of a brick shithouse, and Levi’s kids are so adorable they can sweet-talk me into anything. You’re only my best friend. You carry way less clout.”

Finn snorted, the noise grinding into a groan. “Don’t make me laugh. It hurts.”

“Speaking of which.” Zach tossed a bag on the dash. “I filled your prescription. Keep ahead of the pain or you’ll regret it.”

Something other than pain snuck in. “You think I made a mistake agreeing to move into Karen’s cottage?”

“You worried about that? Nah, it makes perfect sense.” Zach shrugged. “I know you have a goal in mind when it comes to this thing with her, but for right now, take your brother’s advice to worry about yourself and healing. That’s all this is about, really. Moving into the cottage will make things easier for you.”

“Going to make it harder for Karen,” Finn grumbled.

“Only if you’re a grumpy bastard,” Zach retorted. “Look, I know you’ll want to go full speed ahead as soon as you can. I’m okay with you helping with whatever tasks fit in between taking time to heal. And if you need me to come over to help pull on your pants every morning and take them off at night, I’m there. Zero obligation on Karen’s part.”

“Don’t be too sure I won’t take you up on that. It’s a bloody nightmare trying to get dressed.”

“I wondered about that. Skip the jeans and wear sweats—we’ll buy some big enough to fit over the cast. Also, there’s this grabbing tool I saw when I did a search online, so I ordered you one. Should be here tomorrow.” Zach flashed him a grin. “Just because I offered to help you get dressed doesn’t mean I actually want to see your ugly mug that early every morning.”

Whether it was the painkillers or the whole experience, Finn found himself a little shaky as the truth escaped. “Glad you’re my friend.”

Zach coughed into his hand. “Damn. I need to try some of your drugs.”

“Asshole.”

Beside him, his friend was all but chuckling. “Love you too. Now, shut up.”

They passed the final part of the ride in companionable silence.

Zach parked with the passenger door as close as possible to the cottage path. He let Finn handle his crutches and getting out of the truck on his own, instead storming up the walkway, bags in hand as he rapped his knuckles on the front door. “Uber Eats.”

The face of an angel appeared as Karen slid the door open and gestured them in. “Thank goodness. I was about to eat dessert first.”

Finn made it through the door and into the living room without falling flat on his face, which was a pretty damn good first accomplishment. “I see nothing wrong with starting with sweets. You going to kiss me hello?”

Zach snorted but kept walking into the kitchen area.

Karen blocked Finn’s path, fists balanced on her hips and her brow raised. “You’re either loopy or you’re feeling better than expected.”

“Let’s go with I’d feel even better if I got a kiss.”

Yeah, he was pushing it, but—

Shit. He was pushing it.

He met her gaze. “Probably should blame that one on the drugs.”

But she stepped closer, their bodies right in contact, and lifted her lips to his. “Welcome home.”

The connection was over too fast and not nearly as intimate as he craved, but it was sweet. Both the kiss and the sentiment, and he’d be happy to take it for now.

She stepped aside and gestured him forward. “Come on. We’ll get some food into you, and then you can crash. If you’ll forgive the expression.”

A kitten dashed across the floor, ducking under a chair to stare at him. He smiled but left the creature alone for now.

Finn settled at the table when he realized the cottage wasn’t the same as it had been the last time he’d seen it. Even as Zach put the take-out bags on the table, Finn glanced around the room to categorize the changes.

He turned back to Karen. “You took out furniture.”

She nodded. “And an area rug. It was extra stuff that wasn’t really needed. I remember it being a pain in the butt to manoeuvre in our crowded living room when I had my cast. Kept banging into things, and not only is that hell on the furniture, it doesn’t feel so good.”

But her living room had stayed exactly the same the entire time she’d worn the cast because none of them had thought to fix the situation for her.

Regret rose, but he pushed the emotion aside because the only way to make it up to her was here and now. “Thanks.”

The food didn’t taste like much. He did the best he could, but after pushing things around on his plate, Finn was two steps away from nodding off right there at the table.

“Head to bed for a while,” Zach suggested.

Finn attempted to snap himself awake. “I’m fine. Maybe a cup of coffee.”

It didn’t seem the kind of comment that should’ve set Zach and Karen off laughing the way it did.

She came close enough to place a hand on his shoulder. “Just like I know it will be easier without the extra furniture, I know what you need right now is not a cup of coffee.” Her voice got softer, her gaze gentle yet still insistent. “Stop fighting, buttercup, and do the right thing. Come lie down.”

For a fiercely independent individual like Finn, accepting help to rise out of the chair and head down the hallway kicked hard in the ego.

When Karen went to lead him into the master bedroom, he paused, some weird mixture of hope and confusion working through his brain.

“That’s your bed.” Which was exactly where he wanted to be, but not in his current condition.

“Not now, it isn’t,” she said. “His stuff is on the chair in the corner, Zach. Give me a shout if you need a hand.”

“Will do.” His friend’s cheerful answer ricocheted through Finn’s brain like an out-of-control ping-pong ball. “Come on, man. You look like the walking dead. Give it up, and I’ll help you get ready for bed.”

Between hitting the bathroom and ending up flat on the mattress, a whole lot of details vanished. He heard Zach and Karen talking, but it was much easier to close his eyes and listen to the whoosh of blood rushing past his ears.

He felt like crap, and he hated that he was messing up Karen’s clean sheets, but getting any kind of words out was a fail.

The edge of the bed dipped slightly, and Karen’s sweet scent surrounded him. He breathed deep to take in as much of her as possible, because if this was a dream, it was a pretty good place to begin.

“No idea…” He forced the words, fighting to stay awake.

Fingers against his face. “Relax. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

It seemed vital to get this out. “No idea what you dealt with. Thought I knew. Hell if I did. Going to make it up to you, chérie. Every little bit.”

“Shhhhh. Go to sleep.”

Another soft stroke along his jaw then down his neck. Her hand landed on his chest. He caught her fingers in his and gave a gentle squeeze, just holding on.

Keeping her close, right where he needed her.

11

Finn: How are you feeling this morning? Hated to leave you last night.

Karen: I’m amazingly well-rested. Someone worked me over hard, and I slept like a log.

Finn: It was my pleasure.

Karen: Oh, I totally meant the other guy who crawled in my window after you left.

Finn: Careful…next time I’ll refuse to leave your bed.

Karen: You getting caught in my room would make it tough to keep this fling a secret. I don’t need sleepovers. I’m just glad you didn’t give up because of my stupid broken leg.

Finn: You have no idea. Having tasted you, touched you—fucked you—you think a damn cast can stop me from enjoying every minute we can find?

Karen: That’s dirty. And hot. And you dealt just fine. I wish you didn’t have to deal, that’s all.

Finn: Ma chérie, for the privilege of unwrapping you, I will do more than deal with a simple cast.

~late summer, Whiskey Creek ranch~

* * *

She had an appointment the next morning. It was probably a good thing, though, because being babied was the last thing Finn would want.

Although, she did stand in the doorway of the master bedroom for too long, staring at his scruff-covered jaw. His body was relaxed, one arm thrown over his head. The sheets were tangled over the mass of his cast, his naked chest partially exposed.

He didn’t look completely comfortable, but that was to be expected.

She snuck in and straightened the blankets as best she could without disturbing him then headed out.

The three interviews she’d arranged for that morning were barely done when her phone went off with an alert.

Julia: you have time for lunch?

Karen: I’m already in town.

Julia: buns and roses?

Karen: can be there in ten minutes

She didn’t bother moving her truck, walking from the library where she’d been using their video conferencing equipment to the cozy coffee shop.

Karen gave a quick wave to Tansy, who was behind the counter working, then settled next to Julia at one of the small tables.

“You finish an early shift or getting ready to start a late one?” Karen asked.

Julia looked intrigued. “It’s rather fascinating you know to ask that question. I’m headed into a night shift. I woke up earlier than I wanted.”

“Then we’d better get you some coffee. Breakfast for you, lunch for me.”

“Since pizza is the perfect food for any time of day, we won’t quibble about what we call it.” Julia tilted her head toward the board listing the daily special. “My treat. Whatever you want. I’m having a pizza bagel.”

“Let me order. I need to talk to Tansy for a minute.”

They were early enough the lunch crowd hadn’t arrived yet, which gave Karen time to put in their order then make a special request. “Girls’ night out next month. How do you think everybody would react to the idea of doing a moonlight trail ride?”

Tansy’s eyes widened before she pressed a finger over her lips. “Keep it quiet, or we’ll have Rose squealing for the next month.”

That sounded positive. “I take it you don’t think it’s a terrible idea.”

“Hell no. It’s a fantastic idea. Even though some of you spend a lot of time in the saddle, I don’t think you’ll hear anyone complain.”

Karen nodded. “It’ll take me some time to get the details into place, but we can test run a route we might use at Finn’s ranch.”

“Let’s talk about it this coming month—which is a week from Monday, by the way. I don’t think anyone will have a problem with it.” Tansy started on their coffees. “How are things going at the ranch? Is Finn back and overdoing it yet?”

“Just back. He hasn’t had time to start overdoing it.”

“He will,” Tansy said confidently. “Bet you Zach has to sit on him to slow him down.”

That wasn’t a bet any of them would be willing to take. “You’ve been hanging around Lisa too much,” Karen told her.

She waited until the coffees were ready, carrying them back to the table where they’d been joined by Julia’s boss, Brad.

“I won’t interrupt for long,” he said.

Karen waved the comment off. “It’s okay. No use standing by the door and pretending you don’t know us while you wait for your order to be done.”

A big sheepish grin crossed his face. “Well, I don’t know that I’d be pretending. I mean, you haven’t been in town that long. And Julia and I’ve only been working together since April. We hadn’t seen each other for a year before that.”

Julia rolled her eyes, and she leaned forward and spoke in a conspiratorial tone. “We do so know each other. I’ll prove it. That little game of Clue we played the other day. Remember that?”

Brad stiffened.

Karen’s sister forged ahead in spite of his uncomfortable body language. “You remember where your sweet fiancée killed you with a kiss?”

He didn’t say anything, and for a moment Karen worried this might head in some weird direction, but Julia was smiling too hard for it to be anything terrible. “Tell us, Brad. How many people did you actually take out before you ended up with Hanna as your target?”

It took a moment for Karen to figure out what Julia was suggesting. “Wait. I don’t remember anybody saying Brad knocked them out. That means—”

“Exactly. It means Brad had Hanna’s name from the first minute of the game and never even tried to get her gone.” Julia leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest. “And that’s exactly what I would’ve expected from you, Mister Knight in Shining Armour.”

He looked uncomfortable, glancing around to make sure nobody was listening to their conversation. “It’s not that I didn’t want to win the game, but I was having a good time being with my friends and kind of lost track of time. Besides, it was seriously entertaining to watch Hanna sneak around and surprise everybody.”

Karen might die from the sickening sweetness of that comment. “You’re terrible,” she informed Brad.

“I’m in love,” he tossed back. “Makes you do all sorts of things.”

The sincerity with which he said it rattled her down to her toes. Watching Julia gloat over being right helped keep Karen’s thoughts from sliding down a dangerous path.

Brad visited for a few more minutes before Tansy called out that his order was ready. He glanced between the two of them. “Julia, I’ll see you at the start of your shift. Karen, hope you have a great day.”

He took off to grab two large bags from Tansy, pushing the door open with a shoulder and heading into the beautiful sunny day.

Julia watched him go, a curious expression on her face.

Karen paused. “What’s that about?”

Her sister shook her head as if tossing away thoughts. “Oh, nothing. Just shoving away a few memories that need to behave.”

Which was more intriguing than an answer.

They enjoyed their meal together, then Karen headed back to the ranch as Julia took off in the direction of the fire hall to prepare for work.

During the month Karen had been around the ranch, huge changes had already taken place. All of the outbuildings that were beyond saving had been taken apart. The usable pieces had been salvaged and stockpiled in an area behind the main barn. The rest were stacked in heaps, ready to be burned.

A group was gathered near where the house of ill repute stood. Karen made her way across the yard to find not only Finn and Zach, but a half dozen of the work crew, including the foreman who’d been hired to oversee actual construction.

Cody Gabrielle spotted her and offered a tip of his head even as he kept talking to his crew. The motion was enough to get Finn’s attention, and he pivoted on the spot, crutches under his arms and a weary expression on his face.

Zach waved her over. “Definitely need your help.”

The crew passed her, headed in the opposite direction. One of the new guys razzed her, low enough his voice didn’t carry but loud enough she couldn’t miss the dirty comment.

Another joy of working with mostly male crews.

Nipping it in the bud was the best way. She pivoted on the spot and offered a sharp whistle. “Hey.”

The entire crew paused, glancing over their shoulders.

“You make another comment about my sweet ass, or you try and touch it, and you’ll be wearing my boot where the sun don’t shine. We clear?” She glared down the one who had spoken.

His leering expression vanished, his gaze darting beyond her to where his foreman stood.

Shit. Both Cody and Zach had witnessed the scene.

And Finn.

Karen turned and walked away without waiting for a response because continuing to diffuse the situation was the next step.

“Hey, guys. Zach, what’s the question?” She deliberately kept her tone light.

Cody wiped his mouth with his hand, glancing at the crew that had suddenly grown wings and was moving rapidly to get started on whatever task had been assigned.

Zach squeezed the hand he had resting on Finn’s shoulder then offered Karen his full attention. “We’ve got an idea but wanted to run it by you. Looks as if the brothel—for lack of a better term—is mostly structurally sound. Just the one part had an issue. Cody suggested we take the building down to the bones then refurbish it as a kind of a row-house dwelling. It could go over really big with singles who want to come out to the ranch.”

“Their own room in a cowboy bunkhouse,” Cody added.

It sounded like a great idea. She paused. “If you can do it with structural integrity, it sounds like a plan. What do you need my opinion for?”

“You don’t think there’s a problem rebuilding where we had an accident?” Cody said bluntly.

Karen glanced at Finn. He was still glaring at the work crew industriously pounding nails into new cabin platforms. “Finn. You have a problem with it? I don’t think there’s any residual bad luck hanging around.”

He met her eyes. “As long as you’re okay with it.”

She would give him a break because he’d been injured and all. “If there’s any ghostly residual energy hanging around an old brothel, it would be sexual in nature. Maybe we focus on that part,” she teased.

Zach’s face underwent a series of contortions, and for a moment Karen thought he was having a seizure.

Instead, he grabbed her hand and pumped it enthusiastically. “You are a genius.”

“Ummm, thank you?” Karen pulled her hand free and slipped closer to Finn. Some of his rigidity slipped away as she leaned in close and mock whispered, “What’s up with Zach?”

“It’s the question of the ages.” Finn’s voice was a rasp, threaded with pain.

“The answer to what we should call this place,” Zach inserted. “I mean, really. You’ve been giving me grief over all the fantastic names I’ve tossed at you, but now I get it. You were waiting for this perfect moment to arrive.”

Finn eased back against the support pillar in a position Karen recognized all too well as the one she used to take when her entire body throbbed.

Still he folded his arms and gave his friend his full attention. “We’re listening. I don’t know why, but we’re listening.”

“We’ve got to use something from the past of this place when we name it. Scarlet Station. Red-Light Ranch. Dance Hall Gertie’s.”

“Dear God, not Gertie,” Cody said quickly. “I had an Aunt Gertie. She had one eyebrow.”

Karen paused. “One…eyebrow?”

Cody held one finger above both eyes. He shook his head before looking thoughtful. “And maybe not something quite so blatant as red-light, but I like the idea of scarlet or red in the name.”

“Red Boot ranch?” Finn asked.

“That’s it. That’s what we need,” Zach said with hyper enthusiasm. He glanced at Karen. “What do you think? It’s genius for branding, but it’s not really dirty unless people want to dig into the history.”

She caught his excitement, wrapping her fingers around Finn’s. “I think it’s a great name. Let’s run a search first to make sure we’re not setting up within a hundred miles of some other Red Boot ranch. But if we’re not, I think it’s cute.”

A sigh of exasperation escaped Finn, but he winked at her. “Okay. If it works, we have a name. Welcome to the Red Boot ranch.”

* * *

It was barely two o’clock, and he was done.

As Finn made his way slowly across the yard and up to the cottage, parts of his body screamed in pain that he hadn’t expected.

He made it as far as the living room before a little ball of white fluff attacked the sock covering his uninjured foot. The next moment, the demonic creature had all four claws dug into the thick knit fabric, limbs splayed wide to keep his balance as Finn’s leg swung freely.

It was like an elephant getting attacked by a mouse, and in spite of his pain and exhaustion, Finn discovered laughter bubbling up.

“Beast.”

He pulled out a kitchen chair and leveraged himself into it. Once his foot was resting on the ground, the kitten made his way upward, climbing Finn like a scratching post.

“Oh, hell no. None of that.” Finn grabbed the thing by the scruff of the neck before he could dig his claws into Finn’s crotch. He held the kitten in the air in front of his face.

The beast swung teeny paws and offered adorable growling meows.

Finn snickered. “Should’ve called you Marshmallow Fluff. You’re sweet enough to make a man go into shock.”

He scratched the little thing under his furry chin then tucked the kitten against his chest. He kept one hand over Dandy’s body, cradling him close, and the next thing Finn knew, the kitten was purring, nuzzling his shirt.

“Now there’s a sight.” Karen stood in the doorway, a soft smile on her lips. “I wondered where you’d gotten to, but now it all makes sense. You knew Dandy needed cuddles.”

“Can’t have him getting lonely,” Finn said gruffly.

Her head tilted as she examined him, obviously reading the signs of pain in his body. But she didn’t say anything as she moved into the kitchen.

“Want a drink?”

God, did he want a drink. “Since I assume alcohol is out of the question, you got any kind of juice?”

“No problem.” She put two glasses on the counter then dug in the refrigerator as she changed the topic completely. “You know as a woman I put up with rude comments pretty much all the time, yes?”

Finn knew, but didn’t like it one bit. “You shouldn’t have to.”

“I agree one hundred percent, but this is my reality, and I don’t see it changing overnight. What does help, though, is me shutting it down real fast. That’s all I was doing, and nine times out of ten, that’s all it takes. At least in this kind of a setting where we work together on a regular basis.”

“What about the one in ten who doesn’t know when enough is enough?” Finn took the glass she handed him. “I won’t have assholes working around here who don’t know how to read no as no.”

“And if we get any of that type around here, I swear I will tell Cody, and he’ll do his job and take care of it. But I’m not about to have you fire someone for a rude comment that didn’t even register on his asshole meter because it was mild compared to what he could get away with on another ranch.” Karen was in the chair across from him now, her expression softening. “Do I like having to deal with it? No. But changes are coming. Slowly, damn slowly in the agricultural world, but it is happening.”

Finn stared into the glass of orange juice she’d handed him. “I don’t like bullies or harassers. Never have.”

She slipped a hand onto his good knee. “I knew that about you from the first minute when you warned my cousin off for being nothing more than a minor annoyance. You’re one of the good ones, Finn Marlette.”

If he didn’t have both hands full, he would’ve covered her hand with his own. Instead, he watched a twinkle of amusement rise in her eyes.

She scooped the kitten off Finn’s chest and moved Dandy to a box in the corner of the room. “If I’m breaking all the rules and temporarily having an animal in the house, you will learn to behave,” she informed the little beast.

Three times Dandy tried to get out, and three times she patiently put him back in the same position. Each time she offered a little pet, and once he relaxed, she gave him a treat.

He opened his mouth in a tiny yawn then laid his head down on his tail and fell asleep.

Karen settled opposite Finn. The room grew quiet for a moment before curiosity rose in her eyes. “Tell me something about the time you were gone.”

The whole situation with his family flashed to mind, but no way in hell was he was up to that conversation right now.

But Bruce?

He leaned back in his chair and stared out the window as he considered. “One of the biggest things that happened was meeting the man who mentored Zach and I. Bruce Travers. Damn good man, creative and innovative. A bit of a risk-taker, but very down-to-earth and kind.”

She leaned on her elbows. “Mentored you how?”

“He taught us about business. How to invest, what chances were worth taking, when it was better to fold and try something new.” Finn sipped his drink as he considered. “Imagine someone who knows pretty much everything about horses offering you a chance to come work with them for a few years. You don’t even know what you don’t know, but as time passes, you start to understand that it’s more than a list of dos and don’ts. It’s like a poem or a song, with a rhythm and a rhyme, when you’re making a business better or convincing others that what you have in mind is brilliant.”

“Sounds as if he was more than a business teacher.”

Finn nodded. “He was a friend. Helped me deal with a lot. Taught me a lot. Zach too.”

He could talk about Bruce for hours and never finish singing the man’s praises, but that would have to happen another time. As sweet as it was to just sit and share with her, he had reached his limit.

“Karen? Do me a favour?”

“Hmmm?”

Stupid how hard this was. “Can you grab me a painkiller?”

“No problem.” She slipped past him and headed to the back of the house, trailing her fingers over his shoulder as she went.

She was back a minute later, the pill in the palm of her hand and a bottle of baby oil in the other.

“I don’t think that’s a good combination,” Finn drawled.

Laughter trickled from her as he took the pill and washed it down with the rest of his juice. “You need a rubdown, and I don’t have any massage oil. Not unless you want wintergreen foot cream on your chest and arms.”

His brain was too numb to think straight. Did this mean what he thought it meant? Dear God, to have her hands on his body—

He went for casual. “Skip the wintergreen. I’ll take the baby oil.”

She grabbed the towel off her shoulder, motioning him forward in his chair. “Take off your shirt. I’ll put this behind you so when you want to lean back, you’ve got something soft between you and the wood.”

Just the thought of her touching him was creating other kinds of wood.

Slowly adjusting position so he didn’t cut off blood flow to his groin meant he wasn’t undoing the buttons fast enough for her. Either that or she was eager to get him partly naked, because she pushed his hands away. A moment later, competent fingers moved down the placket of his shirt.

He moved obediently as she pushed the flannel off his shoulders, peeling it off his arms. He reached over his head to grab the shirt he had on underneath, pulling it forward and off in one motion.

“Dammit, Finn.” She pulled her chair closer, fingers drifting over the bruises on his torso. Over the long line where a jagged board had scratched through everything and left an angry welt, red edges flaring into mottled green and blue.

It was heaven and hell, her touching him with slow, cautious strokes. She put oil on the palms of her hands, rubbed them together, then placed them on his biceps.

Softly at first then with more pressure as she found the knots, Karen massaged his arms, his shoulders, his neck. Long whisper-light drags of skin-to-skin contact followed by pleasure-pain sensations as she dug her thumbs into his abused muscles.

All of it felt spectacular, even the bits that hurt. And how fucked up was that? He didn’t care that he was groaning nonstop, he just wanted her to keep touching him.

“You’re killing me,” he whispered.

“You’ve had a hard week,” Karen informed him. “It’s okay to let someone take care of you.”

He didn’t want to screw this up, but he wanted to be honest. “I want to take care of you. In every way. Makes me feel as if I’m falling down on the job to need so much help.”

“We went over this before. If you’re still lazing around on your ass three weeks from now, we’ll have a talk. Right now, the bruises are still there, and you’re doped up to the gills. Give yourself a break,” she said sternly.

“Not enough,” he repeated. He needed to stop arguing because obviously Karen and Zach had gone to the same school of stubbornness. “Three weeks from now, if I’m still a broken-down mess, kick my ass out of here.”

She moved behind him, sliding her hands down his spine and setting goose bumps dancing. “Deal.”

He braced one arm on his thigh and the other on the table and let her hands drift over his torso in that haunting, sensual manner. It was gentle and kind, like a friend. Caring for his aches. But it was a flashback to moments in that long-ago summer when they’d stripped each other naked, frantic to come together.

Or the rare times when sex had gone slowly. Those had been few and far between, stolen moments when they’d been sure no one else would be around. Long intimate situations where they’d touched and kissed and connected until they were panting and thoroughly stated.

“Three weeks from now when your hands are on me, it damn well better be mutual.” The words rasped past a throat tight with need. He tilted his head down enough to meet her gaze. “I want to slide my fingers up your naked spine so I can pull you tight against me. Glide them over your hips right before I slide my hand between your legs. Or I’ll cup your breasts so I can put my mouth on your nipples and tongue you until you’re squirming. I want to…”

Awareness broke through the heat flooding his veins. Hell, he was doing it again.

Finn sat up a little straighter. “Dammit. Those painkillers seem to loosen my tongue more than they should. Sorry.”

He forced his gaze to meet hers.

Her cheeks were red, and her neck and the upper part of her chest flushed.

She licked her lips and seemed to fight to find words. “Yeah. You and painkillers are a dangerous mix. I have to get back to work for a while. Need anything before I head out?”

He shook his head, watching as she damn near stumbled over her own feet racing for the doorway.

But before he could finish kicking his own ass, she stopped, squared her shoulders as if readying for battle, then faced him. “Just to be clear, I’m not offended by what you said. It’s just a little early in your recovery for me to jump your bones.”

Then she vanished, boots clattering at the front entrance briefly before the front screen door slammed shut.

Finn blinked, working through her comment with his slightly muddled brain.

Well, okay then.

It took a while to manoeuvre down the hallway and get himself onto the bed for a nap, but the entire time, amusement and hope mingled to ease the edges of his pain.

His dreams were perfectly dirty.

12

The next couple of days passed in an uneven rhythm. Karen never knew when she got up in the morning whether Finn would be awake or not. It was easier to leave food in the fridge than plan on meals at the same time—Finn crashing when he needed to was a surprising development.

She got into her work, the ongoing evolution of her job stretching to anything Zach decided he needed help with.

Or Finn, as he took over a lot of the office jobs with barely any complaining.

Ha on that one.

The man never actually complained, but the way he sat and glared at the stack of papers attached to the clipboard in front of him made it clear he wished he was on the back of a horse instead.

“It’s not going to jump up and bite you,” Karen teased as she joined him at the table.

“Don’t need anything else biting me. I’ve already got one varmint who thinks I’m his glorified chew toy.” Finn winked before gesturing her closer.

In his lap, the snow-white kitten gnawed on Finn’s thumb, tail snaking back and forth happily.

“He’s terrible. Don’t let him boss you around,” Karen warned.

Finn shrugged. “I figure he’s had a bit of a hard go. I don’t mind giving him extra loving right now.” He pushed the clipboard toward her. “Save me.”

Karen twisted the mess of papers toward her. “What the heck does Zach have you doing?”

“He wants me to make design decisions, which is not my line of expertise.”

On top was a sketch of the footprint for the new cottages being erected around the ranch. Mostly one room, with a couple of two- to three-bedroom setups for families. Included was a stack of cutout squares and rectangles, each carefully labelled with dresser or queen-size bed.

“You should get my nieces to help you with this one. They’d love to play paper dolls and arrange the furniture.” Karen took a peek at the inch-deep mass of paper underneath. “What’s all this? Did Zach print the entire stock list for Bed, Bath & Beyond?”

“Maybe.” Finn offered his most pleading expression. “I said I would deal with the paperwork, but dear God, this is not something I should be in charge of. He wants me to pick colour schemes.”

The noise he made brought a laugh to Karen’s lips.

“I’m not a good one to help, either. My sisters would probably enjoy it, but…isn’t it early to be making these kinds of decisions?”

“We’ll be hiring someone as a ranch house mom, as well as a head cook, but probably not until late September. They’ll have a say in how much we buy and the supplies we’ll need, but it would be good to have at least the styles decided.”

Karen nodded. “It’ll take me all of three seconds to give you my totally biased opinion. Whatever you decide will fit in each cabin, my cousin Daniel runs a side business for the Colemans building custom furniture.”

Some of Finn’s desperation faded, replaced by an incredulous smile. “Shit. I am off my game because I totally forgot that. And when it comes to quilts and pillows, you’ve got a couple cousins who can help with those as well, don’t you?”

“If you’re willing to splurge for handmade designs. Those you need order from Hope and Becky sooner rather than later, or you won’t have them on time. Although they sometimes have a stockpile.” A spot of happiness flared inside at solving Finn’s problem while helping her extended family.

“I’ve seen their work. It would be no hardship to feature their handicrafts around the place.” Finn pointed to the wad of paper under her hands. “Toss that out. I’ll give your family a shout and see what they suggest.”

“How about if I give them a call and introduce you? Or reintroduce you—I’m pretty sure both Daniel and Hope will remember your name.”

He lost a little of his smile. “Is that a good thing?”

Karen examined his face and the shadows under his eyes as she thought back to five years ago. “I think only one of my many cousins wasn’t sure about you. Ashley is now a busy mom of two, so once I give you the all clear, you shouldn’t have any problems.”

“It’s not your guy cousins I’m worried about,” Finn said bluntly. “Frankly, the fact your sisters haven’t ganged up and offered a death-and-dismemberment warning surprises the hell out of me.”

“I’m sure they were planning on it but put it on hold after your accident.” She tapped his fingers lightly. “It’s no fun threatening somebody who can’t run.”

To her utter shock and amusement, he stuck out his tongue.

She was still giggling as she called her cousin Hope, owner of the Stitching Post quilt shop in Rocky Mountain House.

Little things like that made her daily work unique and a whole lot more fun than what it had been recently at the Whiskey Creek ranch.

Every moment was different. Like being called to help decide exactly what angle to set the base of a new cottage. Or having to moderate a discussion between Cody and Zach over what colour stain to use on the outside of the individual cabins.

They’d painted one wall with the two different choices and still couldn’t decide which they wanted. Not even after hauling her into their conversation to proclaim the merits of one choice over the other.

They seemed intent on being a dog with a bone on this one.

Finn swung past on his crutches, eyeing the men as he stopped beside her. “They been arguing like sputtering hens for long?”

“Define long.” Karen smirked at Zach, who planted his fists on his hips at her comment. “I told them I already knew the answer, but they won’t stop cackling for long enough to listen.”

That got a sharp nod out of Finn. “I think I know where you’re headed. The barn trick?”

“Of course. Want to help?”

“Glad to.”

He waited as she bent and scooped up a couple of dirt clods from the yard, dropping one into his outstretched hand. His eyes flashed with amusement, then without warning, he whipped the dirt directly at Zach.

“The hell?” Zach ducked.

The dirt slammed into the side wall of the cabin, breaking apart and drifting into dust particles that clung to the rough boards.

At the same moment, Karen tossed the second chunk at Cody, deliberately missing so it smashed against the wall about three feet from Finn’s.

“You’ve got a strange way of helping,” Cody complained before Zach bumped him on the chest with a fist, pointing at the wall behind them.

The dirt on the left was a vivid round blotch, while the one on the right was barely visible since the lighter brown tone was a near match for the local soil. “And we have a winner. Told you my choice was the right one,” Zach gloated.

“Yeah, but you made a lucky pick. You weren’t all scientific like Karen.” Cody offered her and Finn a thumbs-up. “Good trick.”

“Next time, listen,” Finn suggested before giving Karen a wink.

The only things wrong in her world were continuing to see Finn in pain and saying goodbye to Dandelion. With her leaving in the fall for school, it was smarter to get the kitten set up with the barn cats, but dropping him off at Silver Stone ranch left her strangely empty inside.

Saturday morning, she rose early to get in a horseback ride before the Canada Day celebrations began. Faint snores drifted through the closed master bedroom door as she passed it.

Yet another batch of wildflowers waited in a glass on the kitchen counter. Just like every morning since Finn had returned from the hospital.

She had no idea when, or how, he was sneaking out of the house to find them, but as she picked up the sturdy stalked bundle with pale purple petals at the top, she had to admit to being charmed.

She slipped the flowers into a bouquet already on the table, discarding a couple of drooping stems. She filled a thermos with coffee, and after leaving a note that she’d meet Finn at the fairgrounds, headed into the fresh July first morning air.

Morning chores had started. An easy sway of voices and animal noises floated over the ranch as hired help headed to the makeshift mess tent to get their own coffee and breakfast. Horses shifted slowly in the arena. Only a dozen still, mostly ones that belonged to the men bunking in trailers all around the wide work area.

Men waved in her direction as she saddled up Starlight, but no one interrupted her as she tucked the thermos into a saddlebag then mounted and headed to the west.

She hadn’t believed her sister Tamara when she’d repeatedly said how different Heart Falls terrain was compared to the land around Rocky Mountain House. Only three hours to the south shouldn’t make so huge of a difference.

But it did. The longer she was in the area, the more Karen understood what Tamara had been trying to say.

Here they were already in the foothills, with the Rockies racing skyward and seeming close enough to touch. And while the foothills had some of the characteristic dips into valleys and rolls to heights that were so common around Rocky Mountain House, here the alpine forest had begun to encroach. Pine and spruce trees stood tall, scattered over the nearby hills.

The gullies were no gentle coulees with mudbank slopes. They were granite and sharp, erosion taking the canyon sides down to the bare rock and creating a wilder landscape.

Raw, fresh, dangerous.

Karen rode in the noisy silence of the outdoors. Saddlebags creaked, and her jean-clad thighs rubbed against Starlight’s flanks with a soft, shimmering whoosh. Birds, wind, and trees all contributed to the music around her.

She let her horse take the lead, wandering where he wanted. He’d found an old game trail, looping out of the ravine and to the north. One impossible puzzle twist later, Karen found herself at the top of a ridge, staring back at what would soon be Red Boot ranch. The town of Heart Falls lay in the distance beyond it with Silver Stone ranch along the extreme southwest corner.

It was a beautiful place, and she took a deep breath and let peace roll over her. What a privilege to be here.

Then why are you so eager to get away?

The thought came unbidden, and she pulled Starlight away from the view, moving up the trail as if that would distance her from the question.

She twisted the reins around her fingers, pausing for long enough to double-check her directions, because getting lost would hardly enhance her reputation when it came to her job.

A soft scuffling came from the right, and Karen froze. Starlight’s ears shot up, rotating as he tried to identify the danger.

When her horse relaxed, Karen did as well. Something was in the bush, but it wasn’t about to leap out and attack. She slipped from the saddle and tethered Starlight.

Then she moved cautiously through the thicket toward where a brighter patch of light indicated there should be a clearing of some sort.

A small opening between massive pine trees created a little oasis. The mare she’d seen the other day was there. On her side, panting heavily, her belly full of foal.

“Shit.”

Karen went back and grabbed Starlight’s reins, leading him a little farther until she found a wide enough trail that let them into the clearing.

The only helpful thing in her saddlebags was an emergency kit, and it was soon clear she needed it. The mare was far enough gone that when Karen dropped by her head, she barely moved.

“It’s okay, beautiful. I’ll help you,” Karen reassured her, but at this point, there wasn’t much to do.

She took a check, cursing as she discovered the foal was breech. A difficult delivery at the best of times. The mare was small, and the foal—probably from the wild stallion—was full-term and on the large side.

Before she got into anything too drastic, Karen made one attempt at making a call, but as expected, got zero reception. She did the next best thing, which was to write a quick text so it would go through as soon as she did hit cell phone range.

All the while she stroked the mare’s flank, calming her. Reassuring her. Praying like hell.

Karen leaned down and pressed her forehead to the mare’s. “You and me, we’ll see what we can do, okay? Let’s give it everything we’ve got.”

She took a deep breath and got started.

* * *

Hanging out at the community hall was the last thing Finn wanted.

He’d been pretty much hog-tied and hauled to the Canada Day celebration with the reminder this was a community event, and they needed to play nice. Living in Heart Falls and setting up a business and all that.

At least that was the warning Zach gave him.

“I thought having a broken leg meant I was allowed to be a grumpy ass and recluse for a while,” Finn offered dryly.

“Did I say that? I’m sure I never said that.” Zach pulled into an open parking space right outside the community hall. “If I said anything, it would’ve been that you’re a grumpy ass, period.”

Finn laid a hand on the wheel before Zach shut off the ignition. “You did not just park in the handicap stall.”

“I’m dropping you off.”

“Move the damn truck.”

His friend sighed hugely then moved to a different spot.

They’d barely even entered the hall before being surrounded by a bevy of women.

“We saved you a seat,” a particularly fine brunette said to Zach as she batted lashes in his direction. She glanced over at Finn. “You poor baby. You come too.”

Finn kept his expression blank as Zach attempted to wave off the encouragement to move in three different directions.

“Ahem.”

Finn glanced to the right to discover Julia Blushing standing a little ways off.

He looked for mercy. “Dear God, tell me you have somewhere for us to sit.”

She winked. “My sisters saved spots for you, Zach, and Karen.” She glanced over his shoulder. “She didn’t come with you?”

Well, shit. He shook his head. “Said she’d meet us here.”

Julia hesitated then shrugged. “Come on. We’ll leave Zach to fend for himself while we track Karen down.”

Long rows of tables stretched from one side of the community hall room to the other. Typical metal chairs were lined up at regular intervals, and the whole room was full of laughing, chatting people.

The Stone family had control of a corner. Caleb and Tamara were there with their two girls and baby Tyler. Luke and Kelli chatted with Walker, while the youngest brother, Dustin, nervously adjusted his collar, glancing over at a group of young ladies who eyed him speculatively.

“Still can’t believe they do a bachelor auction at a family event,” Finn said to Julia as she led him toward three empty chairs beside Lisa and Josiah.

“If it raises money, anything goes,” Julia quipped. “It’s okay. You’re off the hook for this year.”

An entertaining thought struck. “I get to see Zach go up on stage, yes?”

She snickered. “This is a best friend thing, isn’t it? Gloating over each other’s suffering?”

“It couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.” Finn adjusted his crutches and eased himself into the chair at the very edge of the table.

Josiah immediately shifted position to join him. “I won’t ask how you’re doing, but it’s good to see you.”

“A little like death warmed over, and it’s good to see you as well. I expected you out at the ranch this past week,” Finn admitted.

“Ended up with a bunch of emergencies, including a middle-of-the-night call that went for nearly twenty-four hours.” Josiah fought a yawn before giving in to it. He covered his mouth, eyes screwed tight before blinking hard. He gestured to the coffee cup in front of him. “I might last maybe two more hours before all I’ll be seeing are the inside of my eyelids.”

They chatted as Finn waited for Karen’s arrival. Julia was on the phone, but when he caught her eye, she offered a thumbs-up, so he tried to relax and enjoy the outing.

The potluck started. That’s when Finn realized again how much being injured sucked. He couldn’t handle his crutches and a plate.

Tamara took pity on him. She dropped baby Tyler into his arms as an excuse. “Here. You take the babe, and I’ll grab you food.”

“Thanks.”

At three months old, Tyler already had more personality than he’d had a few weeks ago. Finn looked the kid in the eye and straight up told him the truth. “You got yourself a good woman there. Make sure you appreciate it.”

A feminine giggle rose behind him, followed by another. Part of Zach’s bevy strolled by with plates in their hands, checking him out carefully.

“Too bad you’re off the docket.” Zach settled into the chair across from Finn. “With the way the women are eyeing you right now, you’d bring in a lot of money. Babies are like magnets.”

“I’m surprised you came up for air,” Finn said, settling Tyler more comfortably and giving the kid his finger to gnaw on.

“It’s all for fun,” Zach said, but he grinned.

Julia paused on her way past. She grabbed Zach’s cheek, scrubbing red lipstick marks off before offering an epic eye roll and continuing back to her spot.

People returned with full plates, musical chairs ensued, and other than no sign of Karen, it was a perfectly straightforward meal.

Finn kept glancing at his watch.

The microphone clicked on, and Malachi Fields stepped to the podium. “If you’ll stack up your dishes and pass them to the end of the table, we’ll gather them and get ready for the next portion of our celebration. Nearly time, gentlemen. I need all of our brave bachelors to make their way to the side stairs and onto the stage in the next fifteen minutes.”

Good-natured ribbing sounded around the room along with the clinking of plates and utensils.

Somewhere nearby a phone went off, and while it should’ve been just another part of the background noise, Finn’s attention swiveled.

Kelli Stone blinked hard as she scrolled through something on her phone screen. She leaned toward her husband and whispered in his ear before rising and heading straight for Josiah.

She spoke softly into the veterinarian’s ear, but Finn caught mention of Karen’s name. Damn if he would stay quiet while his curiosity and worry simmered.

He laid a hand on Josiah’s arm before he rose from the table. “Karen?”

Josiah glanced at Kelli then tilted his head toward the exit door. “Go. See if you get her on the line.”

Kelli took off, hitting buttons rapidly. Concern was written all over her expression.

Only a second passed before Josiah leaned in, but long enough Finn had pictured all sorts of terrible scenarios. “Karen found one of the wild mares in labour. It was a quick message sent before she started trying to help. The fact it arrived now probably means she’s on the move. You want to come along and see what’s happening?”

No way in hell he was doing anything less.

Josiah led them to the emergency exit rather than trying to manoeuvre through the crowds of people.

Zach caught his eye right before they pushed through the door and held a hand to his ear like a phone. Finn dipped his chin. Soon as they found out what was going on, he’d let his friend know.

Kelli was hanging up the phone and scrambling in her pockets for keys. “Karen’s on her way to the ranch. She’s got the foal but says it’s not breathing very well. You mind coming out?”

“Of course I don’t mind.” Josiah glanced at Finn before giving Kelli a brisk nod. “Go back in and spend time with your family. Finn and I have this.”

“But—” Kelli slammed her lips together. “Yeah. You’re right. She messaged me because she didn’t want to haul you out if neither of the horses made it. But there’s not much I can do more than what Karen’s already done.”

Josiah squeezed her arm. “It’s good to know people trust you that much. And it’s well deserved—but for now, go enjoy the event. And make sure you get all the details so we can tease Zach later.”

“Deal.” Kelli marched off as if she were a twelve-foot-tall Amazon and not a five-foot-nothing, denim-clad whirlwind.

Finn worked his crutches wildly to keep up as they raced across the playground soccer field to Josiah’s truck.

“You want to try to call her?” Josiah suggested once Finn had hauled his ass up into the high truck seat.

“Great idea.”

Karen answered on the second ring. “Finn?”

“Josiah and I are on our way,” he told her. “Where are you?”

“Almost at the west boundary. It’ll take me another twenty minutes because I can’t move too fast.”

Tears coated her voice, which was enough to make all his protective instincts flare. “You okay?”

“I’m not hurt. It’s just been a hell of a day.”

“Hang in there, chérie. Take trail route one, and Josiah and I will meet you as soon as we can.”

But by the time they’d covered the distance to the ranch, Karen was nearly at the barn. Josiah swung down and grabbed his kit, moving rapidly to where Karen was getting ready to dismount.

It took Finn too much time to get out of the truck and over to the barn, and by then Josiah had the foal on the ground and was working it over. He snapped orders at Karen, hands moving rapidly as he did something with the creature’s neck.

Nothing to do but watch and wait.

When the little foal finally did that instinctive jolt, legs moving as if compelled to try and rise, Finn took a deep breath.

“Okay. Now it’s okay.” Karen staggered to her feet, wiping her hands on her jeans, her face ashen.

Finn opened his arms. “Come here.”

She shook her head. “I’m a mess—”

“Karen.” He waited until she looked at him. “Come. Here.”

Her stepping into his arms was a type of surrender. He didn’t care that she was coated with mud and smelled as if she’d helped deliver a foal. Her cheek pressed against his chest, and she wrapped her arms around his torso and held on tight, squeezing as if he was the only reason she was able to stay vertical.

He just held her. He didn’t stroke her hair or pat her back or any of those things. Partly because he was trying his damnedest to keep his balance, but mostly because this wasn’t about reassuring her. It was about being there for her.

Whatever she’d faced, she’d done it with her usual strength. And whatever it was she needed from him right now, he would give it.

Just outside the small circle of two, Josiah shifted back as the foal struggled upright and took its first shaky steps. A miracle, like so many miracles that came before and would come again.

But the real miracle was having Karen in his arms.

13

Karen: I miss you

* * *

Finn: I would give anything to be with you.

~Unsent messages, fall, after Whiskey Creek ranch~

* * *

Karen was a mess, not just on the outside. She was tired, and dirty, and had a headache from hell. But the most frustrating part was not being able to dissect the tangled emotions inside enough to be able to push them off.

Finn was there, and that part was wonderful.

Once Karen had recovered enough to be able to stand on her own, Josiah gave her an approving nod. “Looks as if this little tyke should be okay. A bit of work in terms of feeding him, but if you want, I can take him over to Sonora’s animal shelter. They’re bottle-feeding some calves right now, so adding him shouldn’t be a big deal.”

The supportive arm wrapped around her shoulders squeezed momentarily. “Might be a good idea,” Finn said.

It was a great idea. “I don’t have time to take care of him right now,” Karen said. “If you don’t think Sonora would mind.”

The veterinarian packed up his tools, even as he shook his head. “She’ll probably thank you for the distraction. She’s got a lot of regular volunteers coming in now, and this will give them something to do.”

“Thank you.” Karen paused. “Wish I’d been able to say that the mare was okay, but she was still down when I decided I’d better leave and bring him in.”

Josiah looked a little grim at her announcement and sympathy filled his eyes as he responded, “You know we can’t save them all, not even under perfect conditions. You brought the little one in, and that’s a wonderful thing.”

“Still wish I could’ve done more.” Inside, she ached.

Josiah took off one way, and she and Finn headed the other to the cottage.

He pointed her down the hallway. “Grab a shower. I’ll make you lunch.”

She drained the entire hot water heater and still couldn’t get rid of the chill in her bones. The sensation had nothing to do with the heat of her skin and everything to do with the coyote cries that had echoed around the cottage over the past weeks.

Karen leaned her forehead against the wall of the shower. Predators taking down an injured animal—it was part of life. Chances were the coyotes would put the mare out of her misery if anything.

Still, the idea that she probably left the mare to die didn’t sit well.

When she made it to the kitchen, there was a plate of food on the table. Finn was stretched out in a nearby chair with his arms folded over his chest. His eyes were closed, and his head nodded slightly. Fast asleep, sitting upright, waiting for her.

The poor man. He was still in pain and would be for weeks. The last thing he needed was her to weep all over him, and yet that was exactly what she’d done.

She sat down quietly and went to work on the food. Tasteless—no fault of Finn’s, she just had no appetite—yet necessary.

All the while she watched him. The slow rise and fall of his chest. The way his lashes laid dark against his cheekbones. Head slowly shifting until his eyelids eased open and his dark gaze met hers.

Instantly alert, he examined her face. “How’re you feeling?”

“Annoyed that I dragged you away from time with your friends.”

Finn leaned forward, disapproval rising. “Really?”

“Hey, just telling the truth.” Karen pushed back her plate, struggling to find an even keel. “It wasn’t the best morning I’ve ever had, so maybe we should let it go for now. Thanks for being there. I appreciate it,” she told him sincerely.

He examined her face, breathing out hard as if trying to blow away his own frustration, but he left it alone. Which was exactly what she wanted, even though it meant that mess of emotions was still there and out of whack.

To hell with it. No use in trying to pick apart the ache inside when the truth was sometimes life sucked.

She cleaned up the kitchen, then when Finn slipped out the back door, she headed into the living room to distract herself by going through the mail that had piled up over the past couple weeks. The things she’d had forwarded to her sister’s then brought over to the cottage and promptly ignored.

She was in the middle of paying bills when her sister called.

“Hey, Tamara.”

“Hey, sis. Heard about the colt. Sounds like you had a hell of a day.” Noise rattled in the background behind Tamara’s voice. Children and a deeper rumble as Caleb answered one of them. “I won’t keep you but wanted to let you know Dad’s coming out tomorrow. Come for supper. Julia will be here for sure. Maybe even Lisa.”

Since the discovery of Julia’s existence, George Coleman was now making an effort to be more involved in his daughters’ lives.

Karen’s relationship with her dad had never been what she would call close, but the last couple months had been the nearest thing she’d felt to having a true father.

Heck, she was here in Heart Falls because he’d insisted she take the time. He’d even written her a glowing recommendation that had contributed to her getting accepted into the training program she was headed for in the fall.

Still, there wasn’t a lot of dancing going on at the thought of a meal with him, and wasn’t that shitty?

He was trying, so she would too. “I’ll be there.”

Tamara shared a few stories of what had happened at the Canada Day celebrations, including the tidbit that Zach had come close to being purchased by two women. At least until Malachi Fields had reminded everyone that, according to the rules, that wasn’t allowed. No matter that the women insisted they were willing to share—although not at the same time.

Amusement broke through the shell wrapped around Karen. “That would’ve been entertaining to see. How on earth did Malachi explain that in a child-friendly manner?”

“Very, very carefully,” Tamara said with a snicker. “Don’t bother bringing anything tomorrow but come over early if you can. The girls are off school for summer, and they’re eager for time with their Auntie Karen.”

“I love spending time with them too.” Karen’s gaze drifted to the thick yellow envelope that was next in her pile.

Department of Education. Equine Therapy.

Tamara said goodbye, and Karen mindlessly hung up, pulling the envelope toward her. It was a hefty package, a good half inch thick— Probably not the thing she should dig into in her current mood. She pushed it aside and finished the rest of her tasks.

Finn returned from whatever he’d been doing out back, motioning her toward him. “Come on.”

He’d started a fire in the circular pit at the base of the deck. Finn lowered himself gingerly into an Adirondack chair. He stretched out his legs and leaned back with a sigh of relief.

Karen grabbed them both drinks then joined him. The arrangement provided a great view of both the fire pit and the mountains in the distance.

“It’s too early to see the flames properly, but sitting by a fire is always relaxing.” His all-too-knowing gaze drifted over her. “We both need a little relaxing.”

It was exactly what she needed. To sit, in silence, staring at the dancing flames as small white clouds drifted across the sky. The quiet passage of time didn’t answer any questions or solve any problems, but it was soothing and low demand because Finn made it that way.

Zach showed up with supper just when the rumbling in her stomach had been about to force her to deal with dinner.

“I’ve got takeout. Neither of you answered your phone, so you’re stuck with what I selected from the East Indian menu.” Zach rested his elbows on the railing as he examined them. “If you haven’t grown roots over there, come to the table.”

Karen got to her feet, stepping over to extend a hand to Finn and help him wrangle his way out of the chair.

His strong grasp wrapped around her wrist, and one sharp tug later he was vertical, smiling down with that unreadable expression. They stared at each other for a moment, the quiet that had surrounded them for the past couple of hours a nearly tangible thing.

She reached up to push away the lock of hair that had fallen across his forehead. “Thanks. Again.”

“No problem.” He caught her fingers and gently pressed them against his lips.

Her stomach tumbled.

They made their way inside where for the next hour Zach Sorenson provided comic relief by replaying every moment of the bachelor auction with dramatic voices and everything.

Even with the lighthearted entertainment, Karen was ready to call it a night when Zach laid a hand on her arm. “You’ve had a rough day. I’ll help Finn with anything he needs to hit the sack.”

“You just want to gloat more about these two women who were fighting over you,” Finn grumbled, but he looked Karen in the eye. “I’ll be fine. Go get some shut-eye.”

Her eyes may have closed, but her sleep was anything but restful. Still, she got out of bed at the regular time to discover someone had woken before her.

There was a new wildflower in a glass on the counter.

The tight knot inside her belly was still there, but a whisper of something sweet drifted in as well. Enough to let her shoulders loosen slightly before she grabbed a cup of coffee and got on with her day.

She put in a solid morning’s work before tracking down Finn to let him know she would be out for the evening.

He nodded, frowning distractedly at the receipts he had spread all over her kitchen table. “Zach promised he’d bring food over again, so don’t worry about me.” He glanced up, focus suddenly intent. “Have a good time with your family. Say hello to your dad from me.”

Of all the stupid things… “Shoot. I should’ve told Tamara you’d come with me. I know Dad would love to see you again.”

This time, though, Finn shook his head. “Not yet. Right now you girls are still getting reacquainted with him, and I’m not about to interrupt that. But if you find out when he plans to come down again, we can take him out to dinner.”

“I can do that.” Karen stood awkwardly in the doorway, uncertain whether she should kiss him goodbye or just leave.

Finn solved the problem by crooking a finger at her. “I know I’m a little distracted, but think of this as a necessary evil.”

Which made her laugh. She tangled her fingers around his then leaned in to press their lips together. Brief, chaste.

He caught her around the back of the neck and held her in place, staring into her eyes and then dropping his gaze to her mouth. “I don’t think so. Let’s try that again.”

This time when their lips met, she wasn’t in charge. He was. This wasn’t the type of kiss that would be approved of in public. It was hot, deep, and dirty, and when he let her go, Karen was breathing hard. Her heart was pounding, and her head was spinning, and—

“You are a dangerous man, Finn Marlette,” she said when she finally found enough air to speak.

He winked. “Have a nice dinner.”

The time with her nieces was wonderful. Sasha was full of lists of everything she planned to do over the summer. It was amusing as heck to hear “and Kelli says—” repeated a good half dozen times over the course of the recitation.

But what was even funnier was when little sister Emma leaned hard against Karen’s side, speaking softly but utterly clear and with confidence. “Mama says sometimes Sasha’s Kelli-isms give her conniptions.”

Karen stifled her laughter. “Really? And what are conniptions?” she asked seriously.

Emma paused for a moment before smiling brightly. “That fuzzy feeling you get when you pet a kitten.”

Which was pretty much the best definition Karen had ever heard. “That sounds perfect,” she assured Emma even as she met Julia’s gaze and the two of them grinned brightly.

George Coleman arrived. Caleb ushered him in, and both Emma and Sasha went wild greeting their grandpa.

Family chaos ensued, the warmth of Tamara and Caleb’s home a welcoming hug. The scent of a home-cooked meal and the music of laughter filled the space from top to bottom.

Caleb had served dinner in the Stone tradition when the conversation took a twist. Nothing really terrible, but it brought an uneasy tone.

“You must be excited to head off to school,” her father said to Karen. Then he turned to Caleb as he added, “Some of the Coleman boys have stepped in to take her place. They aren’t doing badly at all…”

“Have you found out any more about your classes?” Lisa asked while she helped Emma with her dinner.

“I got a package of information,” Karen admitted. “I’ll dig through it soon, but it’s been pretty busy with the ranch work I committed to. Especially now that Finn’s in recovery mode.”

George Coleman raised a brow. “You’re working at a ranch? I thought you left early to spend time with your sisters.”

“I am. I mean, we are. But…” A stutter escaped, and she thought quickly. “I’m sure I mentioned this. Finn Marlette is here setting up a dude ranch. I’m helping them with the horses they need. That sort of thing.”

Her father’s expression grew tighter as she spoke, and he shook his head as if she had just confessed to some shameful crime.

Then he changed the topic. “What’s that boy doing out here? Last I heard he was out in Manitoba.”

Karen wasn’t about to go into a long explanation when she didn’t know all the details herself.

“He’s been around for a while.” Tamara leapt in with the answer, smiling sympathetically at Karen. “Got his hand in all sorts of ventures these days, not just ranching. He’s done well for himself.”

It was on the tip of Karen’s tongue to mention Finn was doing great, except for breaking his leg, when her father spoke.

“He always was a go-getter. It’s good to catch up with people. I should give his father a call. You say hi to Finn for me,” her father said pointedly to Karen.

“He said the next time you’re in town, he’d love to get together.”

Conversation drifted after that, but the uneasy sensation in her stomach remained.

It was still with her when she made it back to the cottage. Neither Finn nor Zach was around. They’d probably headed over to the main house where there was at least a TV to entertain them.

Some strange force of nature pulled her toward that manila envelope. She picked it up again, the heavy weight in her hand triggering zero excitement.

Great, considering you gave up everything for this.

She wanted to growl at the thought.

She pulled out the papers and began reading through them. A course syllabus, with lists of books they’d be covering, and the hands-on activities of working with experienced trainers.

The tight feeling in the pit of her stomach just got sharper and sharper until she shoved the pile together haphazardly, not even trying to replace the papers in the envelope.

She must’ve eaten something that didn’t agree with her. Or maybe she’d caught a bug, because she was definitely not feeling herself.

She put the whole mess on the bookshelf in the far corner of the room, shoving an old rock that was there for some reason on top of the stack to keep it in place in case—

Hell, she didn’t know why. Maybe a windstorm would sweep into the living room and the rock would be the only thing that kept everything from tearing apart.

She stomped across the room and headed to bed because there was no way anyone needed to be inflicted with her cranky self.

* * *

Something was wrong.

Finn miscalculated a step between the crutches and his good leg, accidentally knocking his cast into the corner of the hallway.

“Goddamn—”

He jammed his mouth closed and stifled his curses.

“Fuck, that one hurt,” Zach offered on his behalf. Only he said it in a sotto whisper, which amused Finn enough to mostly forget the pain throbbing up his leg.

Okay, that was a lie. Nothing made him forget the pain, but he was capable of more than one thought at a time, and the second one was the business of something being wrong.

“You don’t need to babysit my ass,” he whispered back at Zach once they’d made their way into the master bedroom.

“But it’s such a fine ass, or so I’ve been told.” Zach stepped out of swinging range, holding his hands in the air in surrender. “You know I’m just joking. If we swung that way, we would’ve done the deed a long time ago.”

“I don’t know how many times I have to tell you, your chances for a career in comedy are nil.”

Finn debated. Drop trou and then crash? Or muster up enough energy to at least brush his teeth before he collapsed into bed?

Zach sat on the mattress, and as patiently as if he were dealing with a two-year-old, he shoved Finn’s hands out of the way and helped peel off his pants. “You’re about to fall over. Stop fighting and let me help.”

“I kind of hate you right now,” Finn told his best friend.

“That’s okay. I’m big enough to handle mean words.” Zach rose from where he’d bent to pull off Finn’s socks. “Need any more help?”

“Piss off.” Finn paused then sucked in a breath through his teeth. “Thanks.”

There was nothing but an amused glint in his friend’s eyes. “I’ll grab your painkillers.”

He was back in the room a moment later, a tall glass of cold water and the requisite drugs in the palm of his hand.

Finn barely had a chance to swallow the pills when, to his shock, he was dragged close and given a brief but thorough back pounding.

Zach stepped back, his grin firmly in position. “Never said it before, but I’m glad you’re okay. I mean, you’re hurting like hell, drugged up to your eyeballs, and totally confused about what you’re doing with your love life. Set on vengeance and trying to meet an impossible challenge, but you’re alive, and that’s what matters.”

Finn pinched the bridge of his nose. “You done?”

He glanced up in time to see Zach glance off into the distance as if considering before he nodded firmly. “Pretty much.”

The two of them stared at each other for a moment before they burst into snorts of laughter.

“Get the hell out of here,” Finn ordered as he made his way to the bed, amusement still bubbling inside.

The suspicion that something was wrong remained, though. There were still mysteries to be solved, and yes, as Zach had mentioned, there was a challenge to be won.

But there were also things that were right. He had friends—good friends. He would heal and be stronger than before.

And he had Karen. A relationship that had so much hope and potential, he was determined neither of them would give up. That was the challenge he was determined to win. That was the most important thing in his world.

Even as the painkillers took him under, his thoughts swirled around finding a way to put a smile back on her face.

To put stars back into her eyes.

To put her back at his side. Forever.

14

Something had come over Finn, and Karen didn’t know if she should explain it away as a side effect of the drugs or her current mopey nature making her oversensitive.

He was constantly in her space. Every time she turned around, he was right freaking there.

Handing her a cup of coffee. Poking his head around the corner when she came back to the cottage or to the main house for a break. Asking if she needed him to answer any questions.

In the barn.

Waving at her from the deck as she rode past on Starlight.

Hell, she was beginning to think if she crawled into the hayloft of the barn, she would find him there, sprawled out on the bales and ready to ask if there was anything he could do for her.

She stopped outside the horse stalls, trying to regain her equilibrium.

Starlight offered her a hello, nickering to entice her to come and give him a treat.

“You’re such a flirt,” she told him, but she obediently opened the gate and joined him in the stall. She fed him some lumps of carrot she’d brought along then stepped to the side and laid her head against his warm flank.

She stroked him a few times, feeling muscles twitch under his skin and soaking in his peaceful demeanor in a way that would’ve surprised a lot of people who weren’t comfortable around horses.

He whinnied, lifting his head and adjusting his front hooves softly, as if sensing her mood.

Karen stepped toward his head and wrapped her arms around his neck, breathing in his scent while trying to breathe out some of the frustrations she’d been drowning in for the last couple of days.

Pretty pathetic when even the horses know you’re out of sorts.

Knew and knew how to offer support.

So be it. Right now, it was either accept the comfort of the big beast or simply find a corner of the barn to sit in and cry. She hadn’t been so damn emo since she was a teenager.

There was no such thing as early thirties puberty, though, so this?

Annoying as hell.

“Karen?”

She snorted. It was Finn. She thought he’d been headed to the far side of the construction site where, for some ungodly reason, he checked on the work crew four to five times a day.

“In with Starlight,” she called. Because hiding in the stall without saying anything was just childish. Tempting, but childish.

He stepped into view, and she instantly went on alert. “Holy shit, what happened?”

Finn tucked his crutches under his arms to unbutton his shirt. The flannel dripped, and water ran off the brim of his hat and down his whisker-clad cheeks. “Water main malfunction. I need your help to get cleaned up.”

She gave Starlight a quick kiss on his nose and a farewell pat before shutting the gate behind her and joining Finn. “Come. Let’s head to the cottage. We’ll strip you down on the back deck.”

Finn growled his frustration as they made their way outside and across the yard toward the cottage.

“I don’t even have to ask where the problem is,” Karen said. The entire work crew scrambled frantically in the mud, a tall plume of water spraying skyward like their own homegrown geyser.

“That’s a brand-new system,” Finn complained. “No way in hell it should’ve blown like that.”

“Super frustrating,” Karen agreed before pointing out the positive. “It’s still better to find a flaw now instead of a month after you have paying customers around the place.”

“Stop being optimistic. I’m cranky,” Finn told her.

Gee, that made two of them. A wry grin arrived without warning. “I thought the operative word was grumpy.”

“That too.”

Undressing the man was pleasantly distracting. Some of the annoyance that had been lingering for the last couple of days began to ease as she helped get Finn naked. He pulled off his upper layers, and she helped him take off his boot, which required him to sit on the tall stool they’d put on the deck just for that purpose.

She peeled his filthy sweatpants over his cast, and by the time he stood there in nothing but underwear—those were wet as well—Karen had gotten a good long reminder of what an amazing physical specimen he was.

There were streaks of mud across his face, the back of his neck, and his arms. Flecks had fallen on the rest of his torso as they’d undressed him, layering on the beautiful pallet of his skin. Not just muscle and sinew, not just the mesmerizing rise and fall of his chest. Her gaze drifted over the curls of hair on his torso and down that dangerous line leading from his belly button toward the elastic at his waist.

“You keep looking at me like that and I won’t be in the shower by myself,” Finn warned.

Karen snapped her gaze up from where she’d been admiring the long line of his cock under his underwear. The thick ridge had been growing thicker, probably because she’d been staring in the first place.

And he’d caught her in the act.

She met his gaze. “I should be ashamed, but that’s not what I’m feeling right now.”

A low rumble rose from his chest as he grabbed the crutches. “Get inside the damn house,” he ordered.

She pulled the door open and stepped inside, Finn right behind her. “You know you can’t take a shower yet,” she warned. “Your cast is waterproof on the outside, though, so it should be okay if we wipe it down.”

Then they were in the bathroom. He turned on the taps, grabbed a facecloth and ran it over his hands and upper body before the water had time to warm.

The layer of hair on his arms and forearms rose slightly as the cool water hit his skin. Nipples taut, abdomen muscles forming firm ridges. Karen watched mesmerized for the first moment before realizing that as amazing as the show was, she wasn’t helping.

She grabbed another washcloth, dipped it in the sink, and proceeded to wash his back, his shoulders. The dip where his waist went in before flaring to his taut buttocks. She stood behind him in the bathroom and caught hold of his waistband, peeling the underwear down over his rigid fiberglass cast.

His butt was a thing of beauty.

She skimmed her fingers over the indent in one cheek and lower to where it met the firm foundation of his standing leg. Wiry hair brushed her palms as she washed lower, swooped higher.

The upper ridge of his lower back, the taut muscles along his Adonis line.

Finn groaned, and she glanced up to discover he had the edge of the bathroom counter in a death grip. Head hanging down, staring in the mirror at her as she touched him.

She hadn’t actually been washing him for a good ten minutes. The continued motion of the cloth over his skin was an excuse, and as their gazes met, something in his darkened. Grew heavy and demanding.

He reached back and caught her wrist in his strong fingers. Guided her hand forward, over his abdomen and to where his cock stood upright and thick, moisture spilling from the slit at the top.

Moisture that painted her fingertips when he wrapped her hand around his length and slowly pumped.

Down, then up, rolling her palm over the head where heat and moisture grew.

Again, his fingers wrapped tighter over hers until she knew she never would’ve gripped him that firmly, but this was good. A sweet and oh-so-dirty connection as he used her hand to bring pleasure to the foreground.

Karen regretted every inch of clothing covering her body because when she stepped closer, heat passing between them, it wasn’t enough.

It would have to be, though, because she wasn’t stopping what she was doing. Not when the reflection in the mirror showed Finn’s eyes closed, pleasure rolling over his expression as he gave in to her touch.

His hand slid backward from over hers until he caught hold of her hips. Fingers dug into her ass cheek as he pulled her against him. Layers of fabric separated them, yet sexual tension joined them together in an utterly different way.

And that view—

The mirror image in front of her was every dirty memory and every sweaty dream she’d had since first meeting Finn Marlette. It wasn’t as much the perfection of his body as how he let go.

His face. Eyes squeezed tight then relaxing. Lips slightly open as he panted, release edging closer. Muscles of his torso tight, abdomen curling in as she kept the rhythm going.

Karen licked the skin of his shoulder, his arm. Nipping lightly, her gaze fixed on the mirror to enjoy his response.

His eyes—open now and speaking the words that weren’t coming from his lips. Need, urgent need. He gasped, hips rocking against her hand in a final desperate surge.

Coming then in long hard spurts that flew across the countertop and her fist as he stared into the mirror and her eyes and let her see everything.

* * *

He was still reeling when the truth hit hard. As good as his release had been, and as necessary as it had been, it wasn’t the end of what was absolutely vital right now.

Finn twisted on the spot, awkward because of his cast and unsteady on his lone supportive foot because all his damn blood was still centered in his cock.

Still he found the energy to tangle his fingers in Karen’s hair to access her lips.

He kissed her as if he were possessed.

He took her deep and he took her hard, and if he weren’t hindered by the cast, he would’ve had her up against the back of the door only a few seconds later.

Maybe the cast was a good thing, because he shouldn’t move too fast.

The heat between them flared like a bright flame under a pitch-dark summer sky. Finn fed the passion, licking and biting, holding her against him as her soft curves met the rigid planes of his body.

They fit. They fit so damn well. They were both panting when he let their lips separate.

He grabbed a towel off the rack and dragged it around his neck, tilting his head toward the bedroom. “In there. Now.”

Karen backed up slowly, mischief rising in her eyes. “You’re supposed to be all relaxed and happy right now.”

“I’m very relaxed, and extremely happy, and if you’re not naked in about ten seconds, I hope you’re not too fond of those jeans.”

He crowded after her, fighting to keep from growling when she demurely glanced up from under her lashes.

Then she laughed, reaching for the bottom of her shirt and peeling it up and over her head an instant later.

She went to work on the button of her jeans, but Finn was more interested in ditching the crutches and doing more than admire from a distance.

Only that strip show? Already she was blowing his mind. “Dammit, Karen.”

Karen paused in the middle of shoving the denim off her hips, examining him closely.

He hopped forward the half step it took to close the gap, balancing on one crutch as he brushed his knuckles along the edge of her shimmering red camisole. “You walk by in the arena, your hips swaying like the sweetest temptation. I get so freaking hard because you’re wearing these sexy things underneath, and I’m the only one who knows. Satin and silk, soft to touch, but nowhere near as soft as the skin you’re covering up. And I want to strip you bare and touch you everywhere until you’re ready to scream my fucking name.”

He slipped a finger under the thin silk strap of her camisole and the thicker supporting one of her bra. He slowly brushed his fingertip over her shoulder and down her arm so that the camisole dipped to reveal the smooth creamy swell of her breast, rising and falling more rapidly as the pace of her breathing picked up.

“And this bra should be illegal.” The camisole fell away enough the edge of her nipple was visible, peeking out from the supportive bra cup.

Finn dipped his head and slowly licked along the line between her breasts. Up along the curve until he stopped directly over her nipple. Closing his lips, he pulled it into his mouth and pulsed.

Fingers dragged through his hair as Karen moaned, arching toward him.

He didn’t have the ability to hold himself on one leg for as long as he needed to enjoy this the way he wanted. Time to get creative. He worked his way up the side of her neck and to her lips, crowding her backward to the edge of the bed.

Easing off just enough to look her in the eye, he spoke hungrily. “Need to take some weight off, but as soon as I do, you’re going to give me what I want. I’m not done checking out that pretty bra, and I’m definitely not done making you feel good. Won’t be done until you’re sitting on my face and my tongue is deep inside, fucking you until you come so hard you forget everyone but me.”

Karen moved out of his way, her cheeks red and a flush covering her chest. “Those painkillers make you very dirty mouthed.”

He got on the bed, all the while grinning. “I didn’t take any today yet, so let’s just say you inspire me. Take off your panties then get up here.”

Finn lay flat on his back, legs stretched out. his gaze fixed on Karen. She reached behind her—

“Leave the bra,” he ordered. “That’s my job. You ditch the panties and come straddle me.”

He didn’t think it was possible for her to blush any harder, but she did, which set something inside him boiling. Or maybe it was the way she hooked her thumbs into the thin line of fabric covering each hip and wiggled with a natural grace. The silky scrap slid out of sight to the floor, the dark curls covering her sex a bit of nirvana in the bedroom.

Placing one knee then the other on the mattress, Karen carefully centered herself over his abdomen. “Don’t you do anything to hurt yourself,” she warned.

“When the shoe was on the other foot, I trusted you to let me know if something didn’t feel good,” he reminded her. “Not going to try anything yet that’s too hard and too fast, although the day I get to sink my cock into your sweet pussy can’t come soon enough.”

She licked her lips, breathing heavily.

He gestured her forward. “Closer. I’m not done playing.”

The confusion on her face vanished as soon as she adjusted position. He ran his palms slowly up her torso until his hands cupped her beautiful breasts. A slow circular sweep over the fabric followed by teasing touches of the exposed skin playing peekaboo with his senses.

“Damn if I can figure out how this can be comfortable, but it’s one of the sexiest things I’ve ever seen,” Finn confessed.

“The bra gives me a lot of support.” Her words slid into a soft moan as he rolled her nipples between his thumbs and forefingers.

“Bet it feels good,” Finn prompted. “When you’re out riding and that silky camisole is rubbing your bare nipples, you ever think about me? About my mouth on you? Sucking and biting until you squirm?”

Karen leaned forward, her breasts all but spilling out of the cups. Inches away from his mouth as if offering them like a sacrifice. “Sometimes. Sometimes I come back home and get myself off in the shower. Just let the water slick over me and dream that it’s you.”

The image was the last straw. Finn undid her bra and stripped it away even as he surrounded one taut peak with his mouth and sucked.

He used his tongue, circling the tender skin until she pushed harder against him. Then it was time to use his teeth, alternating gentle nips with increasing suction. The taste of her was perfect, and he used both hands to press her breasts close enough to alternate from one sensitive tip to the other. She held herself over him, eyes closed, pleasure streaking over her face.

And then it was enough, because it wasn’t nearly enough. Finn reached down and caught her hips, dragging her upward.

Karen grabbed hold of the headboard to balance herself, but he held her tight enough she wasn’t going anywhere.

He pressed a kiss to the apex of her sex. “Damn, I’ve missed this.”

“Me too.” The words were whisper-soft, with a bit of a laughing lilt to them.

Finn met her smiling eyes. “My tongue missed you.”

She opened her mouth to say something, but he wasn’t waiting any longer. He licked through her curls, opening her. Her flavor rushed him, and he lifted her higher to work greedily. Teasing the bundle of nerves that set her hips wiggling.

He dug his fingers into her ass muscles to grind her down on his face. Stabbing his tongue deep, driving her pleasure higher from the sounds escaping her lips.

He slipped his fingers into her sex and concentrated on her clit with his tongue. Moisture bathed his hand as he teased her entrance. Fucking her slowly with his fingers, she rocked against him, drawing closer to the pinnacle.

The only thing he didn’t like about this position was he couldn’t see her face, but for here and now, he would take it. Take the sounds spilling from her lips, the moisture coating his fingers, and then as she came, her body clamping tight and squeezing even as he continued to fuck her through the aftershocks.

He left his fingers buried deep, licking slowly over her folds to feel her quiver. The headboard shook as she clenched down again, every motion of his tongue setting her off again.

“Oh my God, Finn. Slow. Slow.” She breathed out another long gasp, lifting her hips high enough to break contact with his mouth.

He glanced up. Pulled his fingers out partway.

Slowly slid them back in.

Her face contorted as another pulse rocked her. “Oh my God. Oh my God.”

He did it again, and this time she cursed softly. “I’m going to die.”

Finn stilled his hand. Twisted his head enough to press a kiss to the inside of her thigh. She quivered and sighed.

“Want some more?” he asked.

“No. Yes.” She laughed. “Later?”

Curling his fingers inside her gently set off another scream. This time he took pity and slid his hand all the way free. “Later,” he agreed.

She carefully lifted herself then grabbed the spare blanket off the chair. She spread it over him before crawling onto the mattress by his side.

Flat on his back, there weren’t many options for holding her. But Finn opened his arm, and she curled up next to him, head resting on his shoulder, her arm draped over his torso. Both of them naked except for the hugely present cast.

They lay quietly for a moment. Finn pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “You okay with this?”

“The being naked in bed with you or the part where we got each other off in the middle of the afternoon?”

He went for honest. “Both. The orgasms are fun, but the being with you part is pretty damn important to me. Naked or not.”

“Yeah, right. Because I’ve been so much fun to be around lately.” Karen rumbled a little before sighing heavily. “Sorry I’ve been so damn grumpy.”

“Isn’t that my line?”

She laughed, but it wasn’t bright and clear the way he wanted to hear it.

“I don’t know. It’s just—” She took another deep breath then shook her head, her hair sliding over his chest and biceps. “We have a goal. To get the ranch up and running, and it’s a good goal. I’m glad to be able to help you with it.”

Her words said one thing, her tone another. For some reason it sounded as if working with him was an item she was determined to succeed at even though it wasn’t really what she wanted.

Not being able to look into her eyes sucked. Not knowing a way to reassure her he’d give up the entire damn ranch if there was something else she wanted.

But something told him to wait. He tightened the arm around her briefly. “I’m glad you’re here. Not because of the ranch, but because you’re here.”

She softened a little at that, twisting her head to press a kiss to his chest. “Are naps legal on this particular ranch?”

“Definitely. Especially after a good workout.”

That got a soft snicker and then quiet. Finn held on as her breathing slowed and they both relaxed.

How the hell would he survive waiting another four weeks until the cast came off to take their relationship to the next level?

But as distracting as thoughts of sex were, he wondered what else he was missing and how to fix it. The miracle of having her trust him again had hit hard.

He still needed to up his game.

15

It wasn’t as if they’d hit a turning point and it was now all naked fun and full-on dive into a relationship time.

Finn wouldn’t have minded, but he figured reality wouldn’t work that way. And even as he took the time to enjoy the brief nap cuddled up together, he thought she’d likely wake up and find a way to put distance between them again.

Frustrating as that was, Finn didn’t fight it. Not as if he could chase her down and demand she stop running from what was between them.

Still, he took the fact that she kissed him sweetly before getting out of bed and pulling her clothes on as a win.

Karen gave him a wink. “One of us has to get to work. My boss’s boss is a real hard-ass.”

Finn folded his arms behind his head and grinned. “You go on and tell Zach I’m his boss. I want to hear what he says.”

She took off with a wave.

He took his sweet time finishing getting ready to restart his day. Thank God for the strange extended clamp tool Zach had bought him that allowed him to get dressed in less than an hour.

Karen had grabbed his wet clothes and popped them in the washer, so he puttered around the kitchen for a bit, getting things ready for the evening. By the time he made it over to the house to catch up with Zach, it was nearly four o’clock.

His friend was looking over lists of something with an atypical frown creasing his brows.

“What’s up?” Finn asked as he made his way across the floor, crutches solid on the new wood sheeting being used as a base for the future hardwood floors.

Zach blinked before focusing, answering with a wave of the papers in his hand. “I was checking to see what was on our recent order list, because we’re missing a hell of a lot of things. Cody informed me they had to stop the plumbing installations on the cabins because they’re short nearly all the elbows they need.”

That didn’t make any sense. “The contractors wrote up quotes for everything we required. Did a box get stored somewhere it shouldn’t?”

“That was my first thought as well. Got some of the guys out looking,” Zach told him. “In the meantime, I was double-checking I hadn’t screwed up.”

“Or me, considering I’ve been the one doing the paperwork,” Finn said bluntly. “Don’t spare my feelings. Who knows what I did while higher than a kite?”

“I don’t think it’s either of us. That’s the problem.” Zach glared at the paperwork again as if his disgust would scare the truth out.

Finn eased back on the tall stool waiting for him. “Put that down for now. Catch me up on how things are really going. I’ve been easing off the painkillers. I want to make sure I didn’t miss anything important the past couple weeks.”

It didn’t take long. Partly because Zach knew how to get to the point, and partly because they had a pretty straightforward way of working together. If it was good, that’s all Zach said.

If there was a problem—like the missing parts—the issue got put into priority according to the effect it would have on their deadline. Which so far didn’t seem to be a problem.

“I think we should narrow down our focus a little, though,” Zach admitted. “Alan already told us he’s bringing his extended family. That means we need six cabins completed to beat the challenge. Karen said she’ll have enough animals and staff to deal with the trail rides. At least the exterior of the row housing will be done—that’s more for looks and the fun of it than anything. Once we have everything we need to install, at least.”

Finn considered. “Are you suggesting we don’t finish this main house?”

Zach shrugged. “We need a place for a cook and to serve up meals. Karen and I were talking about that. As sweet as it sounds to have that in the house, it involves a whole lot more changes than I think we can do in our timeframe. All things considered.”

“Probably should’ve figured that out sooner,” Finn said with a grumble.

“Probably would’ve, but life happened,” Zach said brightly. His face lit up as he smiled toward the doorway. “Karen. Awesome. Come tell Finn about your cookhouse idea.”

She slipped across the floor, completely professional. It was his own damn fault that he kept picturing that silky red fabric moving under her flannel shirt.

“You want to talk about that?” Karen asked. “It was just an idea.”

“It was a good idea,” Zach insisted. “Spill.”

She shrugged as if not wanting the attention. “Just got to thinking about some of the comments we had at Willmore Wilderness Park. We had a mess hall set up. Nice big building at the opposite end of the parking lot from the horses—cuts down on the scent of the country.”

Finn’s lips twitched. “Always a good thing at a dude ranch.”

She nodded slowly. “What ended up happening was people started asking to hire out the hall for weddings and anniversary parties. And while the Willmore setup is a little different because we run full weeklong camps which don’t leave a lot of downtime, if you made a cookhouse with two rooms for dining, you could rent out one for private parties and still provide for your guests.”

“You don’t think it would be a problem catering to two groups?”

“Depends on how you set it up, but the people who come out here for a wedding or an anniversary will be horse people, or love the country, or have some reason to pick Red Boot ranch. Heck, they might be interested in a one or two-hour trail ride without staying the night. With how close we are to Calgary, it’s a definite possibility. And I hear the rental price on wedding venues has gone through the roof.”

Zach pulled out the map of the ranch and pointed to a level spot to the west of the space currently earmarked for the parking lot. “Wouldn’t ruin any of the sight lines for the cottages. If we build a nice size deck off a basic building, that would only enhance the experience. I think it would be great.”

He was catching the vision of it. Finn considered it from another couple of angles, including how much money it would take to get it done PDQ.

He nodded at Karen. “Great idea. We’ll double-check a couple things, but I think you’re right. New sources of revenue are always good to include. Zach, see what we have to line up to get it started. Permits, design stamps, etc. We’ve got that architect who owes us a favour if we need blueprints stat.”

Karen hadn’t moved. “Really?”

He wasn’t sure how to answer that. “Really…what?”

“You’re just taking my idea and running with it?” Karen shook her head. “I hope I didn’t give you a shitty idea. Don’t go wasting money—”

Zach held up a hand. “We just told you it was a really good idea.”

“And we will check the money part before we start, but that won’t take long,” Finn told her.

She shrugged again as if they were both slightly confused. “Oh, by the way. Cody wanted me to tell you guys he found one box of plumbing elbows, but the whole case looks as if it was driven over a few times by a tractor. We’ll have to reorder those.”

Finn stifled his curse.

“Hey, Zach.” Karen changed the topic. Happiness shoved into her tone. “Someone was teasing you earlier about the bachelor auction. I never did hear the details about your winning date. Who bought you? Where are you taking her?”

“Rose Fields,” he said with a smile. He raised a hand at the soft whistle that arrived with his announcement. “Don’t go getting all excited. She already told me this is not a date date. Brad and Hanna’s wedding is next week, and Rose wants a date who promises to dance with her as much as she wants. She put that into the auction contract.”

“Like that’s a hardship,” Finn drawled.

Zach laid a hand on his chest and attempted to look long-suffering. “Don’t know how I’ll survive. A pretty woman wants to spend the evening in my arms? Sheer torture.”

They chatted for a few more minutes, then Karen headed one way and Zach another. Finn made his way slowly back to the cottage because he’d had enough.

But Karen’s strange reaction kept coming back to mind over and over again. Why would she be all excited to share an idea yet be shocked when they moved on it?

* * *

If Finn had been tracking her down before, he would’ve had to work doubly hard now. Karen caught herself actively hiding from him.

From going into her bedroom early to getting up while it was still dark—which meant hellishly early at this time of year when by five a.m. the sun had already cracked over the horizon.

Of course, if she knew why she was hiding from him, it would make things easier.

The little touch of sex had only whet her appetite, so it wasn’t that. She couldn’t wait until he lost the cast, or at least wasn’t popping painkillers on a regular basis, because she knew from experience there were ways to get creative even while he still wore the awkward contraption.

She just felt shitty.

He certainly didn’t need somebody with a rotten attitude stomping into his world and making life more difficult.

She took herself off to Silver Stone to chat with her sister and visit with Kelli.

The cool sweet scent of the Silver Stone barn made the tension inside ease slightly. Karen found her step slowing as she wandered through the barn in search of her friend.

One of the barn cats paced slowly on the ridge of a stall. It paused to stare at her with glittering green eyes, slowly twitching its tail.

Some of the peacefulness inside Karen slipped away.

“Hey. Didn’t expect to see you today.” The voice drifted from above. Kelli stood at the edge of the hayloft, her arms folded on the railing. “Come to visit Dandelion Fluff?”

It was as good an excuse as any. “Partly. Partly to see you.”

Kelli gestured toward the ladder attached to the nearby wall. “Come on up. You can kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.”

The top of the ladder opened into a loft like any other, with neat rows of sweet-scented hay arranged with military precision. Kelli sat on a low section, and as Karen approached, a mess of kittens came into sight, all crawling around the natural playpen formed by one slightly lower bale.

“You’ve been the Pied Piper,” Karen teased.

“I had early chores. This is one of the treats I give myself when I finish,” Kelli said. “Sasha and Emma always want to know where the babies are. That’s my excuse for why I track them down.”

Kelli caught one of the tabbies, lifted it to her face, and rubbed noses.

“It wouldn’t at all be because you’re a soft touch for a cuddly creature, because, of course not.” Karen scooped up Dandelion. “Hello, sweetie. Did you miss me?”

She got the most satisfying meow as he opened his little pink mouth. She pressed him against her chest, and he nuzzled her throat, little paws digging in.

The tightness inside returned with a vengeance, and now it was at the back of her throat, making it difficult to swallow.

“Hey. You okay?” Worry painted Kelli’s expression.

Karen shook it off and forced a smile. “Wanted to know if you’ve heard anything more about the wild horses. How’s the gelding you pulled from the pack?”

“Marmalade. He’s doing okay. Still a little willful, but he’s behaving better since we started giving him jobs to do.” Kelli leaned back, absently piling more kittens onto her lap as she spoke. “I was hoping to get out and check on Thor and his harem sometime next week. You want to come? Love to have you along.”

“If it works,” Karen said slowly. “It’ll be busy during the next couple of months. I swear Finn and Zach hired all the seasonal workers in the community, and they all want my opinion on things.”

“No problem. I’ll let you know when I end up with a free day to go exploring, and if it works for you to join me, great.” Kelli cursed softly, peeling a kitten off her arm that had started using her as a climber.

Dandelion was sound asleep in Karen’s arm.

She stared down at him, the little bundle of warmth. So trusting. So fragile.

At some point she had to stop avoiding the day. She carefully placed him back with his adoptive siblings, the mama cat meowing as she adjusted position to let another kitten latch on for a meal.

Peaceful. Sweet and content.

A million miles away from the sensations swirling inside Karen.

“Well, I guess I should get going. I haven’t finished my chores,” she said brightly as she got to her feet.

“Anytime. If you get a break in the afternoon, I’ll probably be working with Marmalade. You’re always welcome.”

Karen was just about to vanish below the level of the loft when Kelli called after her again.

“Oh. And I’ll see you at Tansy’s.”

Her pause was just long enough to feel uncomfortable, at least on Karen’s end. “That’s right. Girls’ night out is tonight, isn’t it? I can’t make it. Something came up.”

“That’s too bad. We’ll miss you,” Kelli assured her. “I’ll see you around soon. Tell Finn to heal up fast.”

“Will do.”

Karen kept moving, slipping into her day and forcing herself to work extra hard because when she was working, she wasn’t thinking.

And when she wasn’t thinking, that tight knot of frustration inside didn’t hurt as much.

Incredibly, she avoided Finn the entire day. It helped that at some point he and Zach took off to the bank to deal with paperwork regarding an error in charges that had to be dealt with in person.

Around five she got a text from Finn, but even that was easy to push off.

Finn: headed to Longhorn’s for dinner. Will swing by and grab you.

Karen stared at her phone for a minute before responding: not really hungry. You guys have fun.

She wandered around the house aimlessly for a good fifteen minutes before getting angry. That damn envelope was haunting her from the shelf. She felt like crying for no good reason, and she’d deliberately made it so that she was all alone instead of spending time with her friends or with the man who said he wanted nothing better than to be with her.

Foolish, irresponsible, and certainly deserving of having a shitty evening.

Something drove her outside to the fire pit. Finn had set it up with kindling, so it was a one match job to make things light. She sat in her chair, staring into the flames while the sun inched its way toward the mountains.

The stillness in the air felt unnatural. No birds chirped, and even the long grass beside the road seemed to be silent, the wind so light the strands were barely moving. Overhead, a hawk cried out. A lonely, eerie sound that brought goose bumps to her arms.

The predator on his own, looking for dinner.

Karen stared at the sky, one step away from crying.

Nearly an hour later, the familiar sound of crutches and a solo footstep carried across the deck then to the grass that led to the fire pit. The chair beside her creaked, and she opened her eyes but still avoided looking at him, staring instead over the distant mountains dusted with orange and pink.

Finn stayed silent for a bit, and then he held out a hand over the edge of his armrest. The chairs were far enough apart she had to be willing to reach the other direction and meet him in the middle.

She lifted her fingers to his.

A second later, she was tangled up tight in his firm grip, and the warning signs about imminent tears grew sharper. Dammit, this had to be hormonal, because she wasn’t this weepy and out of control.

When he didn’t say anything for a bit, Karen slowly relaxed.

A different kind of tension rose. The kind where she realized he’d been honest about what he wanted, and while she wasn’t sure what the hell was going on, if she was going to give more than lip service to this relationship, she had to be honest as well.

“I feel as if there’s this big black cloud hanging over me.” The words came out through an aching throat.

She glanced to her left to find Finn still staring into the fire. Nodding slowly.

“That’s not typical. Or it wasn’t, not five years ago. You got any idea why?” he asked.

She shook her head before realizing he couldn’t see her. “No. I don’t.” Frustration struck as well. “Okay, I know one thing that’s upset me, but I just need to get over it.”

He lifted his head and met her gaze. “Want to talk about it? You know I can keep a secret.”

His comment hadn’t been meant to make her laugh, but it did. “You definitely can keep a secret.” She grew serious. “I know my dad’s trying, but every time I’m around him, I keep expecting the same old responses I’ve had for the past umpteen years. I don’t enjoy spending time with him, and that’s absolutely shitty.”

His grip on her fingers tightened. “It’s not shitty. It’s real.”

“I feel so guilty. I mean, Julia wants to get to know her dad, and to her, this earnest guy is the only one she’s ever had to deal with. Tamara focuses on him being grandpa, and that seems to help. Lisa is like a duck and water just runs right off her back. But I don’t like him.” The admission nearly caught in her throat. “I worked with him for too many years. I know he’s done some really nice things lately, but…”

The understanding on his face didn’t wash away any of the guilt but at least didn’t add to it.

“A little while back he explained to Lisa he was trying, in some twisted way, to protect us. He figured being chased off the ranch would keep us from being hurt or killed, like the accident that took Mom. Which is fucked up and not right. It hurts to think of the time and energy I spent trying to make the ranch better, and all the while, he never wanted me there.”

Silence echoed for a moment. The fire crackled while her heart pounded after the harsh confession.

Then Finn tossed a grenade of his own. “I’m angry—so very angry—at the thought of how you were treated. And while your father did some things right, I don’t respect how he treated you. It makes it tough to think about doing anything with him, and I’m only feeling this secondhanded. I didn’t have to put up with the bullshit you did for so many years.”

Karen pulled her hand free to dig in her pocket for some tissue. This was no longer a no-crying zone, although—for now at least—her eyes were only leaking instead of her having full-out sobs.

Finn’s expression went stone-cold. “Don’t answer if you don’t want to. Did he ever do anything sexually wrong to any of you girls?”

Shock slammed her system. She shook her head vigorously. “Never. We’ve talked about it, too. My sisters and our cousin Anna. A no-holds-barred type of conversation when the whole Me Too topic started, so I know that’s not a secret hiding in the Coleman family past.”

The hard ridges of his expression softened slightly. “I’m glad. But don’t go thinking just because you didn’t have to deal with that issue that it means what you did put up with is minor. Because it’s not.”

His warning came at the exact moment she’d already been heading down that path.

He was right.

Didn’t make it any easier to ignore the rush of guilt. She’d had a roof overhead, food on the table, and a job to do. There’d been plenty of good things in her world—

She still hurt inside.

Karen spoke slowly, trying to put into words her biggest issue. “I spent a lot of years being told I wasn’t good enough, and that sinks in, no matter how much I didn’t want it to. And it doesn’t matter why he did it, it was wrong.”

“It was totally wrong. You didn’t deserve it then, and you don’t deserve this now.” Finn leaned forward, looking to catch her gaze again. “This isn’t something that will change overnight.”

“I know.”

He dipped his chin. “Your dad’s not the only person I’m angry at,” he admitted. “I have to be careful to not let the anger inside come out at the wrong moments. It’s something I’ve been working on over the last couple of years.”

Karen waited, but he didn’t say anything more about the source of his anger. She figured he would when he was ready. The more important point now was the other part. “How do you work on it? Punching bags? Ballroom dancing?”

He snorted. “I do a mean tango.”

“Especially now.” She glanced at his cast.

Finn leaned back, staring toward the sun as it dipped behind the rise, disappearing from sight. “I went to a therapist for a bit. We came up with some questions I run through when I hit the issues that set me off.”

“Go on.”

“Might sound basic, but it helps. I ask what’s my endgame? Usually that offers some different paths to head down instead of just blowing up.”

Karen thought about it. “When I get asked to go over for dinner with my dad, my end goal is to be a good daughter, so I should suck it up and go.”

He shook his head. “Fuck that. You are a good daughter. The endgame is for you to be happy and healthy, which means sometimes you’ll say no to dinner because you don’t have the energy to deal with him right then. Sometimes that means you might tell your sister you’ll come over but you’re leaving right when the meal is done. Or that you want to sit with your nieces.”

“But I should—”

“Be miserable?” Finn shook his head. “Ma chérie, it’s not your job to teach him how to be a good father.”

The words hit with the weight of an anvil.

Finn carried on softly. “You say he’s trying to do things differently, but he’s had so many years of being another way—he’ll fuck up at times and instinctively fall back into bad habits. You don’t need to volunteer to be in range while he practices not being an asshole.”

The tears that had been hovering were no longer willing to wait, and the floodgates opened. Because it was true. Every word scalded her soul and wrung her hard.

Curses drifted from him, then the sound of his stern voice broke through her misery as she wept, face in her hands.

“I can’t do this,” Finn growled with a rasp. “I can’t fucking watch you cry without holding you. And I can’t get up and scoop you into my arms, so chérie, you gotta come here. Come sit with me and let me hold you. We’ll get through this. We’ll find a way.”

A million and one excuses why it was a terrible idea shot to the surface, all of them knocked away with a firm memory of how gentle he’d been with her when she’d been the injured one. Karen rose from her chair, crossed the short distance between them, and eyed him with concern.

He caught hold of her, dragging her into his lap. Her hips settled on his good leg, and her body twisted toward him until she was cradled in his arms.

In his arms, her world adjusted. The darkness was still around her, but there was a protective layer as well.

Finn Marlette, lighting a candle in her heart that sent out thin tendrils of hope into the aching night.

16

What Finn wanted most was to be her hero. An impossible task considering his injured leg and the utter inability to change the past.

Regret struck at having fucked up five years ago and not coming back sooner to change her world.

Yet he knew those choices were not only in the past, they were impossible as well. He was the man he was today because of the past five years. And dear God, he hoped what he’d learned was enough to make their tomorrows what she deserved.

She was still crying, but softer now, hands clutching his shoulders, face buried against his neck. The sound of a broken heart.

He nuzzled his lips against her temple. “Cry all you want, ma chérie. Get it out so when you’re ready, we can look to the future.”

Finn stroked her hair over her shoulders and down her back. Soft, sweet petting until she relaxed. Tension slowly drained away and left her pliable in his arms.

She tilted her head until their gazes met. “I’m not like this. I’m strong, and I get shit done and move forward.”

Her voice was a whisper, sorrow and dust.

“Crying is strong,” he insisted. “It’s your body saying enough pretending you aren’t hurt. Admitting you’re not Teflon takes a lot of strength.”

Sadness lived deep in her eyes. “I don’t want to feel like this.”

“No one wants to feel as if they’ll never measure up. And I get that you had that told to you an awful lot. Either in words or deeds.” He stroked his fingers under her chin. “It wasn’t true. It’s time you stop telling yourself that you’re not enough. That’s a good place to begin.”

Karen looked shocked. “I’m very competent at what I do.”

“Damn right you are,” Finn agreed. “I think you tell yourself that sometimes. But after observing for the past month, I’ve noticed you don’t always let other people say the same thing. And it’s not modesty but denial.”

Her mouth opened then closed as she considered. She stroked his arm, absently caressing him as if the touch helped center her. “So, my endgame is to admit I’m awesome?”

“That’s a good goal. But let’s talk for a minute. I use that question about endgame when I face a situation where my temper’s taking off. It works even better if I think ahead of time about what I’m working toward. You said you’re stuck in a cloud of darkness. I know you want to get rid of it. Aiming at a target makes it easier to step away from negative emotional distractions. It’s one of the first lessons our mentor taught me and Zach.”

Karen paused and glanced into the sky for a moment before speaking firmly. “I’m going away to school in the fall. Right now, I’m here in Heart Falls, spending time with my sisters and helping you guys get the dude ranch going.” She took a shaky breath. “I’m spending time with friends and going for horseback rides, which means I have zero reason to complain about anything because all of those things are fantastic.”

How the hell to make this clear? “Those aren’t goals, that’s a laundry list of what you’re doing. What do you want? When you look deep inside yourself, what do you see yourself doing five years from now? Or if that’s too far off, think about a month from now or tomorrow. What are you doing to put a smile on your face? I don’t mean a shits-and-giggles smile like life is a constant party. Work isn’t always fun, but even when Zach and I are dealing with the knottiest problem, there’s a satisfaction to getting it done if it’s a step toward the real goal I want to achieve.”

“I can’t declare my long-term goals that easily,” Karen complained, pushing away from him slightly. “I mean, I have to analyze what I’ve done in the past, then—”

“Screw being systematic, go with your gut,” Finn ordered. “Close your eyes.”

She gave him a dirty look but followed his instructions.

Her slightly damp lashes rested against her cheeks. A crease lay between her brows, and tension gripped her body.

Finn wanted to fix it all.

He gently caressed her cheek. “Take a deep breath then picture yourself waking up tomorrow morning. What’s the first thing you think of that would make you happy, deep down in your gut? What are you looking forward to?”

“Dandelion Fluff jumping on me.”

The words shot out of her as if jet-propelled. Her eyes popped open. The expression of shock that followed made Finn’s lips twitch into a smile.

“Why don’t you have him anymore?” Finn asked gently.

“Because animals don’t belong in the house,” she said automatically.

“Some don’t,” he agreed. “Some do. Why can’t Dandy be your in the house to cuddle with pet?”

Her lower lip trembled. “I’m going away to school in the fall,” she repeated. “I can’t take a kitten to college.”

“Maybe not, but that’s a problem for down the road. If you want, we can go out and grab the furry beast tonight. I’m sure he’d love to jump on you first thing in the morning.”

Damn. The expression in her eyes was tearing him apart. As if she couldn’t believe she was allowed the simple pleasure of a cat in her house.

He pushed his luck. “What else do you want when you wake up tomorrow? Don’t think about if it’s on your current to-do list, because you didn’t make that list when you were thinking about yourself.”

Her gaze dropped to his lips. “I want to be in your arms.”

Hell yeah.

She straightened slightly, hand rising to cup his face. “I want to wake up in the morning in bed with you, but even as I say that, I know it’s a crazy idea considering you’re still hip deep in a cast, and there’s—”

“Yes.” His fingers tightened on her chin. “The thing you want. I’m saying yes to that. Screw the excuses that instantly popped to mind saying you can’t have it, or you shouldn’t have it, or you need to do something before you get to have it. That’s the stuff you need to say fuck it to.”

“But—” She slammed her lips together. Breathed in slow and deep then tried again. “What I want is you, Finn. Period. It’s what I’ve wanted since forever. I’ve done a shitty job showing that. I don’t know what I’m doing going forward, but if this is teach Karen new tricks night, I will absolutely say that when I picture tomorrow morning and the morning after that, what would make me smile is to have you beside me. And Dandy.”

Finn had zero problem ranking up there with a handful of fur, especially considering exactly how big a change it was for her to admit that particular desire.

“Then you’ve got me. I’ll worry about how to deal with my damn broken leg. Now wiggle up here a little more and give me your lips because someone just set an outstandingly clear goal. She needs a reward.”

Karen pushed up on the arms of his chair, still trying her best to keep her weight off him. But when she tilted her head and leaned in close, it was all warm breath and sweet offering, no holding back. Their lips pressed together slowly. Softly. Tentatively, not because they weren’t certain they should be doing this but because it was a moment to savour.

Finn threaded his fingers into the hair at the back of her head and cradled her close. Tasting and teasing, slowly bringing up the heat until she squirmed so hard he caught hold of her hips.

He broke them apart only to look into her eyes. “Time to take this inside.”

“Your leg—” Karen paused. Her expression firmed. “I’m not going to be a pushover, even though I’m now second-guessing every one of my comments. I want to be with you, which means I want you to hold me. And I want to hold you, but I do not want you to hurt yourself.”

“You plan on hogging the entire bed or pushing me onto the floor in the middle of the night?” He lifted her in the right direction for her feet to hit the ground.

“Only if you deserve it,” she said with barely a hint of amusement in her tone. He accepted her outstretched hand, making it to his feet in one moderately smooth motion.

He gestured her toward the house. “Inside. We have unfinished business.”

* * *

She’d been living in the cottage for over a month, sharing it with Finn for over two weeks, and this was the first time she’d felt awkward. At least until he crowded behind her, pressed his lips to the side of her neck, and nuzzled softly.

“Need to turn off that busy brain of yours,” he whispered. “Anything dire you need to take care of tonight?”

There were messages from her sisters on her phone, considering she hadn’t told any of them she wasn’t coming to girls’ night out. She considered the possibility of continuing to ignore them but decided that wasn’t a smart idea. “Give me a minute to head my sisters off at the pass before they all show up here.”

“You want to pick up Dandy?”

She had her phone out, opening a group message instead of responding to everyone individually. “I still can’t believe you’re encouraging me to get a pet.”

He leaned around and got in her face. “I figure he picked you. We can go grab him, no problem.”

Her thumbs moved over the keypad even as she shook her head. “I doubt Silver Stone security would enjoy finding us the barn in the middle of the night trying to track down an errant kitten.”

She double checked her message then hit send. Hopefully it was enough to keep her sisters at bay.

Had a rough day, but I’m okay. Hitting the sack—I’ll see you all tomorrow. XOX

She stabbed the send button then laid the phone aside, twisting on the spot to cup Finn’s face in her hands. “Tomorrow we will go and get Dandy, because as awkward as it feels to admit it, I really want him around.”

“Then you get to have him.” Finn kissed her softly. The corner of her mouth. Her cheek. A long slow tease along her jaw until he reached her ear. “Tonight, I get you.”

A shiver struck.

“Is that a yes?” His hands moved to her hips, busily untucking her shirt.

“I think so,” Karen answered. “You don’t plan to just cuddle, do you?”

His lips tugged on her ear briefly before his mouth latched onto the tender spot on her neck that always drove her wild. He sucked lightly, his tongue doing dangerous things to her blood pressure.

His fingers slipped beneath her shirt, calloused fingertips skimming gently over her skin before one heated palm pressed against her lower back. He tugged her toward him, and their torsos met. His firm muscles rubbed her shirt, which in turn teased skin that was far too sensitive.

“We might have to get creative,” Finn warned her. “But I don’t mind starting with a repeat of where I finished last time.”

“Where was that?”

“Between your thighs with my tongue on your pussy.”

“Oh. There.” It wasn’t that she didn’t remember, but that words were beginning to lose all meaning. “Okay.”

Finn chuckled, scooping his hand between her shoulder blades. He hummed happily. “No bra.”

“Woman home alone, having a pity party? Trust me. No bra.”

His amusement rippled over her skin along with the goose bumps formed because his hand slid forward and he cupped her. Her breast rested in the palm of his hand, and his thumb teased circles over her nipple.

“Are we doing this here?” she asked.

“Doing what?” Finn murmured.

He was going to make her say it. “Having sex.”

“Right now I’m playing with your tits. Which is part of having sex, I suppose.” His grin grew wicked.

She was tempted to grab his ears and shake him. “You’re enjoying this.”

“Yep. I hope you are too.” He stared down at the fabric moving over his thumb. “I suppose we should either go to the bedroom or close a few curtains.”

“Great idea.” She made sure he was balanced before she stepped away. “I vote we stay here. One second.”

It only took a moment to shut the curtain over the sink, and when she’d locked the two doors, front and back, she returned to the kitchen to find Finn leaning on the counter, grinning at her.

“I like it when you take charge,” he told her.

She whipped her shirt off over her head and tossed it on the chair.

A low growl escaped him. “Come here.”

Instead of joining him, she slipped off her sweatpants, stripping down to her underwear.

Then she hopped up on the sturdy kitchen table, opening her legs wide as she reached up to cup her own breasts. “I thought you liked it when I took charge. This might work best for our purposes.”

Finn lost his shirt even as he crossed the short distance between them. With one hand braced on either side of her hips, he leaned their bodies together as he took her lips.

The next minutes vanished in a haze of rising sexual heat. His big palms were all over her, teasing and caressing. He kissed her as if it had been years and she was saving his life.

Karen gave in to temptation and let her fingers explore as well. Ridges and dips called to her, teased her senses, and made her heart pound.

He kissed her mouth. Kissed her breasts. Dragged over a chair and sat, hauling her hips forward. “You didn’t think this through,” he growled.

An instant later, her underwear was on the floor, the elastic snapped at the hips. Then his mouth was on her, licking and sucking and biting, and watching only made the sensations that much more intense.

Pleasure streaked upward, whirling around her. She dug her fingers into his hair and dragged him even closer.

He lifted her, and Karen fell back onto her elbows. The bristles of his beard dragged against her inner thighs as his tongue on her clit went wild.

“Finn.”

The orgasm started in the usual place, but it seemed to develop tendrils, wrapping around her body in increasingly thick waves. Her entire body tingled, pulsed.

Finn lowered her hips then stood to shove down his pants and underwear. His thick cock rose toward her, and Karen curled up enough to wrap a hand around him and stroke.

He swore, grabbing for his pants to pull out a condom. It was one of the speediest suit ups she’d ever seen, but she didn’t care. She was so ready.

Her feet on the tabletop, thighs spread wide. He notched his cock against her sex, rubbing up and over her clit. And again, aftershocks made her gasp.

“Dammit, Finn. Do it already.”

His expression grew darker. Serious. “You want this?”

She wanted to scream in exasperation, and yet she knew what he was asking. “Yes. I want you. All of you.”

His hips eased forward slowly, the thick length of his cock pressing in an inch at a time. Mesmerizing, sensitive. Perfect.

When he was fully buried, Finn caught hold of her hips and tugged her even tighter. Pleasure flared again. His gaze slid up her body from where he’d been watching his cock disappear into her, paused on her breasts, and slid higher until he met her eyes.

The rocking motion continued. This was so much more than just a connection of his body and hers. Karen grabbed hold of his wrists and held on as ecstasy spiraled.

For a man balancing on one leg, Finn was doing a damn good job of blowing her mind. It was everything in combination. His expression, the caress of his fingers now sliding to rub against her clit.

His words.

“Come on my cock. I want to feel you grab me tight.”

She didn’t need to come for this to be perfect, but she did. The explosion was unstoppable and inevitable because of the way he looked at her, the way he teased her exactly right. Because he knew her, he wanted her.

He cared for her.

Maybe even loved her.

Karen gave in to the demand, arching her back and calling out his name.

Finn grimaced, pushing her thighs apart farther, speeding up again. He pumped into her, thrusting madly. Every drive set off another aftershock, and she cried out over and over.

He stilled with his cock buried deep, his cry echoing off the walls. The ironclad grip he had on her thighs eased slightly. A little more. Finn gasped, drawing back slowly, pressing forward so she felt every inch.

He collapsed over her, elbows resting on the table, forehead against her body as he breathed heavily.

Quiet. Peaceful. Connected.

He pulled out, dealt with the condom, and was right back over her a second later before she’d had a chance to get cold.

“I missed you.” Finn spoke against her belly, kissing her softly, and for a moment, she was headed toward being a weepy mess again.

Then he blew a raspberry, and all bets were off.

She reached down to tug on his ears, and he wiggled out of her grasp. Karen curled her way upward, wrapped her arms around him, and squeezed tight.

She kissed him. Long and lingering before moving far enough away so they could stare at each other. No words, because they didn’t need any.

What followed was laughter and kisses and a sweet time together until they ended up in the master bed. No more serious words, just two people getting to know each other all over again. Comfortable, quiet.

Intimate silence.

Karen woke in the middle of the night, the stillness broken only by Finn’s gentle snore. She leaned up on one elbow, the moonlight sneaking in the window just bright enough to let her examine him closely.

That night had not been what she’d expected. And yet, Finn had been the catalyst for change—that part she could have guessed.

Five years ago, they’d been together because they’d gotten along and they’d both had an itch to scratch. But the reason she’d fallen so hard in the end was because of more than chemistry and charm.

Finn Marlette was a good man.

A good man for her, she corrected mentally, because even as he’d been gentle tonight, he’d been blunt.

As she replayed conversations in her head, it became far too clear that he was right. Not much use in arguing about the fact horses liked her. She was good with them—damn good. If anything, she was overconfident in that area.

But even with that talent, she still didn’t expect people to take her suggestions seriously. That first day working with Zach—each time she’d offered up an idea, he’d nodded and moved to the next point.

She’d been floored to discover he’d actually taken her ideas and run with them.

Counterpoint to that, she didn’t always follow through when she did have a good idea—didn’t fight for what she really wanted.

She didn’t want to wake Finn while she pondered, but not touching him was impossible. She brushed the back of her fingers whisper-soft along his shoulder, sliding up to push back the hair on his forehead.

He smiled, still sound asleep.

Tonight’s discussion might have been a turning point, but she felt a little as if she’d gotten off the main thoroughfare and suddenly her GPS had gone silent.

What were her goals?

She’d done goal setting on a regular basis, but perhaps the truth was she needed to emphasize that question slightly differently. Because everything up to now had been based on expectations of others and working toward the common good of the Whiskey Creek ranch and the Coleman clan.

What were her goals?

She snuggled against Finn’s side, stretching her legs away from his to be sure she didn’t bump him when she moved.

His arm curled around her, drawing her to his body. Even asleep, it was clear he wanted her as close as possible.

What do I want?

What makes me happy?

When I wake up in the morning, what do I want to aim at that will bring me joy?

A snort escaped. She stilled instantly.

Finn didn’t move, which was good.

The amusing thought remained.

All she could think of was that show her cousins-in-law were obsessed with. The one about downsizing possessions where this incredibly smart woman kept asking the people she worked with, ‘does this spark joy’?

Karen had never quite understood the purpose of the question before—but then she’d never had a problem with possessions. What it seemed she did have a problem with was picking activities, daily and ongoing, that were truly important to her.

She was already half-asleep as the questions tumbled in her brain and images mixed with them.

The last thing she remembered on the edge of falling asleep was a dream where the tight knot in her belly was gone. She wandered through her day, picking items up one at a time and watching as some lit up hard enough to make the entire room shine.

So be it. It wasn’t quite as original as Finn’s question about endgames, but it just might work.

Tomorrow, she would start looking for sparks of joy.

17

It was like watching springtime come to the prairies. That slow change of seasons when the snow would keep trying to hang on a little longer but determined green growth insisted it was time to move on.

That’s what Finn saw as Karen slipped into the day.

She seemed slightly distracted, and she hadn’t wanted to talk about anything too serious that morning. He knew how that was. Once he’d made up his mind to try something new, he needed some time to do it before analyzing all over again.

Waking up next to her hadn’t sucked. It made it impossible for him to sneak out and grab her flowers, but she didn’t seem to mind that they weren’t there.

When they chatted over coffee, the one thing she did want to talk about was the kitten.

“We’re definitely picking up Dandelion today, but I promised to give Zach a hand this morning. Do you want to come to Silver Stone with me later? We’re not getting a lot of horses from them since you don’t need racing stock, but there’re a couple of retirees that might work well.”

Finn placed his coffee mug aside as he leaned back against the counter. “You know I trust your decisions. But if you want some company, I’d love to join you.” He tapped the cast on his thigh. “I’ll be assessing them from a distance, though.”

She slid into his arms, smiling. “No riding. Not this time. But having you with me would make me happy.”

“Good girl,” he whispered as he kissed the tip of her nose.

She swatted him lightly on the butt, winking at him as he turned to walk away.

It was a bit of a scramble, but he found time to pick her a flower so it was there when she showed up for lunch.

He was working at the table, giving his leg a rest, when she came in. She glanced at the kitchen counter and the small white offering he’d scrounged up.

Wildflowers near the cottage were in short supply.

“Thank you for my bit of wilderness,” she said. “It’s really sweet you’ve picked that up again. Bringing me flowers.”

She settled into his lap, hands on his collar.

“I still remember you telling me how not being able to ride meant not getting to see some of your favourite parts of the ranch as they went into bloom.” He pulled her closer and nuzzled against her neck.

“The first morning, when I found that crocus on my second-storey windowsill, I thought the pixies had come to visit.” She breathed in slowly, eyes closed as she brushed their lips together. “I’m not prone to flights of fancy.”

“Damn near needed to fly to get up there,” Finn told her. “That apple tree still outside the window at Whiskey Creek?”

“Don’t think you’d be paying me any visits the way you are right now, Hopalong.”

He stared at her lips, hunger for more than lunch rising. “You’d be surprised what a motivated man can accomplish.”

She laughed before giving him the sweetest kiss for his labours. Sweet that turned into a full-out, enthusiastic Karen kiss which involved full body contact between her breasts and his chest, distracting him hard.

Dear God. That wasn’t the only thing that was hard.

“I’m game to retest this kitchen table for stability,” he offered.

She skipped out of reach, digging into the refrigerator and placing items on the counter for lunch. “Hold that thought. I’m starving.”

“Me too,” he growled with as much innuendo as possible.

That triggered a laugh. They fell into the rest of the meal with an easy companionship. Karen seemed a lot more lighthearted than she had been lately, and he was glad.

They headed to Silver Stone, and she caught him up on what he’d missed that morning in the yard and gave an update on one discovery. “You know the supplies we were short on when the last shipment arrived? The stuff the construction crew has been complaining about?”

“Did they show up?”

She shook her head. “Not the missing stuff. The replacement order came in. Zach and I got to chatting with the delivery guy. He was trying to figure out what on earth we were doing that required so many support joists and toilet seals. He swears he dropped them all off. Said someone would’ve signed for them.”

Finn nodded. “We already checked that. That’s one problem with having so much going on at the same time. Somebody did sign, but we can’t read the signature. What the heck would they have done with all that stuff, anyway?”

A gentle shrug lifted her shoulders. “I don’t know. Sell it on the black market?”

“I never knew there was such a call for toilet seals,” Finn said dryly. “I suppose it’s possible we got somebody with sticky fingers with the rapid hiring we did. We’ll get Cody to keep a closer eye on things.”

She turned down the driveway at Silver Stone, parking expertly in a space right outside the barn. “In the meantime, Zach estimates we’re closing in on a third of the way done. Most of the outbuildings are to lock up, which means the entire place looks like some bad Western B movie, without the false fronts on the plain-board buildings.”

“Somebody else gets to decide how to make them pretty,” he reminded her as he pushed open his door and gingerly lowered himself to the ground.

“Zach said he got some good ideas when he talked to Julia a while ago.” She motioned him toward the arena. “I’ll go grab Ashton and tell them we’re ready. Oh, and I’ll find Dandelion.”

She took off with a skip in her step.

He tried not to dwell on the fact he was tottering along at a snail’s pace. By now the whole crutch thing should be getting easier, and it was, in terms of balance and his muscles not aching like crazy.

Having to use them in the first place was getting old, and he still had three weeks left before the doctor said he might be set free.

Finn looked around the yard for a while, activity in all the nooks and corners like any well-run operation. Voices echoed along with the sounds of animals, and over it all lay a thick sense of peace. The familiar noises soothed something inside him.

He missed having a working ranch.

“You look ready for a drink.” Josiah Ryder stepped from the barn, a small white bundle of fluff cradled in his arms. He leaned on the railing beside Finn as he looked him over. “Maybe a double.”

“Feeling better than I have in a while.” Finn motioned for Josiah to pass over the kitten. “What are you doing here?”

Josiah gestured toward the three horses being led from the barn. “A bunch of tasks for Ashton. Then Lisa and I are staying for dinner. Her dad’s in town tonight.”

A detail Finn had not heard earlier. He glanced at Karen, who was leading one of the horses into the arena.

He wondered if she knew.

He ignored the question and instead enjoyed the time chatting with Josiah. He and Zach had only recently moved out. While the three of them had been roommates for only a few months, it had been enough for Finn to realize how much he enjoyed Josiah’s company.

And since Josiah and Lisa were most definitely an item, and Finn planned on being with Karen long-term, the relationship between him and the veterinarian would be around for a long time. He wanted it to be a positive one.

The women laughed as they worked, putting the horses through their paces as he and Josiah, and eventually Ashton, watched.

The older man was head foreman at the Silver Stone ranch, and probably as much a fixture as the worn boards on the side of the building.

He offered Finn a firm nod before all his attention turned to the animals. “I hear you might want some of our old-timers.”

“If Karen says so.”

That got a grin out of Josiah. “She trained you fast.”

It was tempting to grin back, but Finn knew nothing was officially settled, so nothing was guaranteed yet. “She built a good foundation. Easy to get the ones who are well-trained back into behaving when you start them off right.”

A bright laugh sounded from inside the arena. Lisa wore a smirk that stretched from ear to ear as she led a grey mare up to the railing. “Always good to hear you know the true way the world operates.”

“You say jump, and I say your bones?” Josiah offered.

The older man beside them snorted, attempting to turn it into a cough. Ashton straightened, eyes twinkling as he shook his head. “I think this conversation is a little over my head.”

Finn gave Josiah a wink, turning to Ashton as Lisa moved out of earshot. “I’m sure Karen will have a list of exactly what kind of animals we’ll need from you. Been wondering something—you heard how Sonora is doing with the animal rescue? She got a decent turnover rate happening yet, or she struggling?”

“That woman’s a damn miracle worker. I swear she puts a spell on anyone who comes in her door, because ninety percent of them leave with an animal.” Ashton lifted a hand and got into lecture mode. “She needs to not be so stubborn, though. Plenty of people around here would give her a hand with the hardest parts of the business, yet she’s all determined to do it on her own. Makes no damn sense.”

“She’s independent, all right.” Josiah was grinning now, elbows leaning on the railing.

“Best kind of woman there is,” Finn agreed. He and Josiah exchanged another glance, because over the past while, it had become all too clear that Ashton had a major crush on sweet Sonora Fallen.

It was equally clear the man would swear up one side of the barn and down the other that no such thing was true.

Teasing on the sly to make the sixty-year-old admit the sheer amount of time he spent with her—or thinking about her—had become an amusing pastime.

Ashton headed off to give Kelli a hand. She offered Finn a wave from across the yard before leading the animals back into the barn.

Karen came to join him. Contentment on her face, she stepped in close and wrapped an arm around Finn’s waist. With a happy sigh, she cradled the top of Dandelion’s head and pressed a kiss to his furry little nose.

“Public display of affection. I like this,” Finn told her, tipping her hat back to turn it into a true PDA.

“Icky.” This from Lisa, laughter in her voice as she climbed over the railing and all but threw herself at Josiah. “Cover my virgin eyes, they’re kissing.”

Josiah swung her in a circle, a laugh booming out over the landscape. “I don’t think that word means what you think it means.”

“Hey. You’re supposed to be on my side.” Lisa wrapped her legs around him and kissed him thoroughly. “There. Now I have boy cooties as well.”

Karen laughed softly as she stood beside Finn, arm still around his waist, head leaning against his shoulder, and Dandelion cradled against her chest. “We should get going.”

“Talk to you tomorrow. We’ll pass on a hello to dad from you,” Lisa said cheerfully before she grabbed Josiah’s hand and tugged him toward the house. Josiah waved over her shoulder.

Which left a very confused and yet content Finn standing at the railing with Karen.

She reached for his crutches, extending them to him. “I’ve been plotting about what would make me happy tonight, and it involves you taking me out to dinner. Think that’s possible?”

He followed her to the truck. “I think that’s very possible. Anything in particular you’re hungry for?”

She didn’t answer until they were on the road heading north. Dandelion was curled up in Finn’s lap, a small warm puddle of fur. “Steak would be good. We can drive to Calgary if you want some good Italian or something other than East Indian.” She glanced at him, a wry smile twisting her lips. “I’m sure you caught that bit. About Dad being in town.”

“Josiah told me.”

She stared at the road for a minute and then blew long and hard. “I actually practiced that one this morning while I was working because I figured it would happen sooner than later. I thought of what it would feel like the next time I got an invite to dinner. That knot in my stomach got tight again, and instead of feeling happy about getting to spend time with my family, I was dreading it. So, for right now, my answer was no. But then I figured out what I wanted to do instead.”

She reached across the space between them and caught his fingers in hers. Smiling shyly. “Imagining a nice dinner with you made the knot go away.”

He squeezed her hand. “Good for you.”

“Imagining coming home with you afterwards made fireflies dance in my belly, so there’s that as well.”

The image made him laugh. “Is that a good thing? Fireflies in your belly?”

She hummed. “A very good thing. You interested?”

He lifted her fingers and pressed them to his lips. “Let me wine and dine you, and we’ll see about finding some fireflies later.”

* * *

Karen stared at the clothes hanging in her closet and hesitated. It wasn’t as if the wedding was a highfalutin affair. For their mid-July vows, Hanna Lane and Brad Ford had decided to get married up at his family ranch, outdoors, with a potluck dinner. The number of people invited was probably under fifty, and they were either Hanna’s friends or the people Brad worked with, which meant the guest list was made up of farmers, ranchers, firefighters, and other blue-collar workers.

People would dress up nice, but it wouldn’t be fancy.

She still didn’t see anything in her closet that made her happy. Definitely nothing that sparked joy, not for this event.

If she was brutally honest, part of the reason why she wanted a special outfit was to keep in line with that looking for things she loved attitude.

It hadn’t been easy, but over the last week, Karen had practiced pausing before making a choice and before responding to a comment or question. She was pretty sure sometimes it looked as if she’d been frozen.

But it was getting easier to make a quick decision about yes or no on the path to what she truly wanted.

That morning, she had finally taken the step to deal with the biggest source of stress in her world. She still alternated between being absolutely sick to her stomach that she’d done it and being ecstatic she’d been brave enough to take charge in a decisive way.

Surely after all that she could find an outfit for tonight.

“Is there something hiding in your closet?” Finn stepped through the doorway and swung his way to her side.

“Looking for an outfit that’s dressy without dressing up.” She patted him on the arm. “Even those of us who are content to spend our lives in jeans have these moments.”

“Sounds as if you have the same problem as me,” Finn told her.

“Closet full of clothes and nothing to wear?”

He tapped his leg. Lips twisting at the corners. “Pretty much. Don’t think I should show up in sweatpants.”

She snickered. “You could set a new fashion trend. I’m pretty sure as long as they’re made out of flannel, it’ll go over big time.”

He glanced at his watch. “What about we go into town and see what we can come up with?”

“Really?”

His nod was slow and teasing. “I know it’s a small town, but they do have a few things. Let’s check out that new consignment shop.”

“You’re taking me on a shopping date? Cool.”

Finn made a face. “Let’s just say I’m taking you on a date, and we’ll see what happens.”

Which is how they ended up on Main Street not even half an hour later, strolling, such as Finn’s crutches would allow, side by side down the old-fashioned boardwalk. They peeked in windows, discussed the merits of the fishing and tackle shop’s location, and made a pit stop at the candy store.

That meant they had to stop and sit for a moment at one of the tiny tables against the building wall.

“Crutches and ice cream are a dangerous mix.” He licked his ice cream cone and made a noise that ought to be illegal. “This stop alone was worth the trip.”

“Yeah. For me too.”

Was it terrible that she couldn’t take her eyes off his tongue? Probably not, considering she knew exactly how talented it was.

Envious of an ice cream cone. Awesome.

He must have caught her drooling, because his gaze grew heated and that dangerous smolder was back. Totally distracted, the next thing she knew, her ice cream was running down the side of the cone and over her fingers.

“Let me help.” Finn grabbed her wrist and tugged her hand close to run his tongue over her skin.

News alert. Spontaneous combustion outside ice cream shop in small-town Alberta. Yep. That would be the feature headline in tomorrow’s news stories.

Eventually, she and Finn ended up at the consignment store where, to Karen’s absolute delight, something special was waiting at the far end of the store.

She stopped dead in her tracks, lifted a hand, and pointed. “Finn?”

“Coming. Narrow aisles are a little bit hell on—oh, hello. Do they fit?”

She took the pair of red cowboy boots off the shelf, snooping around until she found a place to sit. And when her foot slipped in, there weren’t only joyful lights going off around her but an entire stage with spotlights.

She stood and gave a little twirl, her feet cradled in sheer comfort.

Finn cleared his throat then tilted his head behind her to the far wall. “Is that your size?”

The dress displayed on the wall had enough frills to make it swing as she moved, and it fit her perfectly.

The man in front of her was quieter. But his eyes… Oh, his eyes said a whole hell of a lot.

Two days later, outside the main house at Lone Pine ranch, Finn sat beside her, their fingers linked as they waited for the wedding to start. He’d found a pair of black pants that fit over his cast, a dark shirt, and a red vest.

How he’d found a vest that exactly matched her boots in so short a time, she didn’t know.

But they looked like a couple, and they felt like a couple. The sensation in her belly was a lot more like fireflies than anything else.

The usual chitchat and discussion drifted around them as they waited for the event to begin. Eventually Brad made it to the front of the area where the chairs were arranged as an outdoor sanctuary. He stood under the apple tree with Malachi Fields at his side. The older man looked slightly amused about something.

Hanna’s little girl, Crissy, came down the aisle, a silver bucket in her hands full of all sorts of flowers from the masses blooming around the house.

“Hanna has the same good taste in flowers as you,” Finn whispered in Karen’s ear.

She squeezed his fingers as Hanna walked past. Little white flowers dotted the braid on top of her head. She wore a simple white dress and an expression of utter adoration on her face as she stared at Brad.

Then Brad and Hanna were promising to love each other into the future. The vows included a whole bunch of other sweet words, but Karen was too busy trying to deal with the image of her and Finn doing the same thing to focus on the actual details.

Something inside burst like a dam that had received its final blow.

Screw it. Finn had said he wanted more. If she wanted to hunt fireflies, then she should look for the biggest, brightest, most incredible fireflies in the entire world.

Which meant telling him what she truly wanted and then making it happen.

The wedding moved from orderly to chaotic. There were more than enough people willing to direct the crowd from the ceremony to the party. Karen caught up with her friends, chatting with the girls she’d so naively cut herself off from the last time they’d gathered.

There were no hard feelings, though. It was clear that when she stepped into a conversation, she was welcome.

Once the meal was over, they all headed outside to where music had begun playing.

Rose all but bounced in place with excitement. “Excuse me. Now is when my bachelor pays his dues.”

Her sister, Tansy, rolled her eyes. Karen laughed.

“You know what she did?” Tansy asked.

Karen nodded. “Come on. I’m pretty sure there’re guys willing to dance even if you didn’t purchase them.”

The crowd gathered around the far side of the yard. Karen went to where Finn stood talking with a beaming Brad. The newlywed had his arm banded tight around Hanna as if he had no intention of letting her go any time soon.

“Brad and Hanna.” Brad’s father, Patrick, weaved across the distance where he stood next to a set of speakers. “It’s time for you to break in the new dance floor.”

The newlyweds stepped onto the low wooden platform constructed outdoors. Brad led Hanna to the middle. He caught her fingers and kissed them before pulling her into his arms as the beginning strains of music drifted over the air.

Finn tucked an arm around Karen, bringing her close as his heat slid against her.

Brad and Hanna danced slowly, eyes fixed on each other as if there weren’t another person for miles around. Sheer love in their expressions.

Little Crissy came running from the side. She threw herself at the two of them and clung on tight like a kitten.

With a huge laugh, Brad lifted the child into the air. He gave her a kiss before adjusting position to hold Crissy as well as Hanna.

The three of them danced, officially starting their life together.

The music changed, and Finn twisted Karen against him, swaying slightly while more people made their way onto the dance floor to join Brad and Hanna.

“Finn.”

“I’d love this dance.” He held her perfectly, that connection rising like always. Far from the crowd and in their own private world.

Why on earth would she complain when this was exactly what she needed? The tension in her belly wasn’t the type she got from wanting to run away. It was a knot like a person got when they wanted to say words that were big and important. Words that were true down to the core of her soul.

Like love. Like forever. She held those back, mostly.

“This dance and all the rest you want.” It wasn’t a confession of how she felt, but it was close.

His grip tightened, then his lips were on her temple, kissing her sweet and light. “I’m holding you to that.”

She was ready to let go and trust. Maybe it wouldn’t work in the end, but like he’d said, if they didn’t aim at what they wanted, they’d never find out.

18

Finn and Karen abandoned the party just after midnight.

Zach was still on the dance floor with Rose, along with a half dozen other diehards who looked ready to dance the night away.

Karen was quiet on the drive home, which in a way was good because Finn’s brain was whirling in a million different directions.

His leg had healed enough that dealing with the cast was the worst part. He was no longer popping painkillers like jellybeans, which meant what was rattling in his brain couldn’t be explained away by confusion or chemicals.

He’d started the summer with the intention of being with Karen no matter what it took, wherever the journey led. The way she’d leaned against him this evening, giving every indication she was ready to get fully on board—

He actually hadn’t expected that miracle to take place until sometime in the fall. They were both stubborn, and they had baggage. Their time years ago had been sweet, but more like a solid base than a settling of roots.

Fuck it, did he even know how to grow roots? All he knew was he wanted to be with her. It was time to tell her that again.

Karen turned off well before the road to what eventually would be Red Boot ranch. She glanced toward him. “I have something to show you. If you haven’t been there already, that is.”

He mentally calculated where they were and figured it out pretty quick. “The lookout over Heart Falls pool?”

She nodded. “This time of year, it’s pretty. It’s only a short walk to the bench.”

“Not a problem.”

They walked the well-worn trail in silence, the moonlight overhead shining a clear path. The sound of the falls grew louder, from a faint trickle to a rumbling laugh as water burst over the top of the cliff and descended to the heart-shaped pool at its base.

When they reached the bench, Finn glanced into the valley, surprised to see more than moonlight shining on the water. “Somebody put up spotlights?”

Karen sat on the bench, and he settled beside her, grabbing her fingers and holding on tight.

She leaned her head on his shoulder and laughed softly, gazing out over the glittering reflections on the water’s surface. “Tamara said her youngest brother-in-law, Dustin, was mucking around out here a while ago. He said he was doing something to enhance the natural ambience. She thinks he was setting it up for skinny dipping.”

Finn laughed. “That’s usually done in the dark, but I can see why putting a little light on the subject would be entertaining. We’ll have to come back here once I get my cast off and give it a try.”

“Two weeks left?”

He squeezed her fingers. “Counting the days.”

“Me too.” She twisted slightly, careful of his leg but adjusting to make full eye contact. “I’ve got something to tell you.”

His breath caught, but he did his best to act as nonchalant as possible. “Shoot.”

“I’ve been thinking lots about what things I want, and you were right. I set a lot of goals over the years, and I’ve been successful in getting stuff done, but many times, I don’t know that what I accomplished was the right thing. I mean, you said that as well. Work’s not always fun, but it should be valuable. Doing something because it’s another person’s priority can’t be how you run your life, can it?”

He stared into her big brown eyes. “Whose goals have you been aiming at that you think need changing?”

“Karen’s.” She snorted. “I know, that makes no sense. But it’s like there’s this part of me with a set of rules and ideas that are so built-in that they dictate everything. Every choice I make and every target I set.”

“Those aren’t the choices you want to make?”

She made a face. “That Karen wouldn’t have Dandelion in the house. New Karen thinks he’s the sweetest thing, and I’m so glad he’s around.”

The whole conversation began to make sense. It wasn’t the confession he’d hoped for, but he was still pleased. This would make a huge difference in her world.

“Good for you.” He rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. “What other changes is New Karen planning?”

“You.” Her voice was husky and low.

It seemed those fireflies she’d mentioned before were an epidemic, because his damn belly flip-flopped as if he were full of them. “Go on.”

She took a deep breath then handed him her heart.

“I want to be with you. I want to give us a real chance and not sit here with Old Karen. She’s worried about how hard it will hurt if we have to walk away from each other again. I want to work full-out to make sure we stick.”

Hell. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into a tight embrace. “I want that too. And I’m so damn sorry you were hurt when I left.”

She clung to him, but her head shook gently. “It wasn’t your fault. It was no one’s fault. Not really. It was a matter of place and time and there was not much we could do about it.”

A deep flash of anger rose inside him because that was true, but it was also easy to point a finger at one of the reasons he hadn’t returned to get her after he’d realized walking away was wrong.

But that confession was for another time. Here and now he was hearing the words he’d hoped for since he’d made his way to Heart Falls, and damn if he wasn’t eager to accept every bit of it.

Time to flip her world upside down as well. He met her eyes before he spoke. “I’m all in. Everything you said about striving to make us work… hell yes. If you need space as you figure out what you really want, I can give you that, but I will not leave you. I swear I will not walk away again.”

Her fist bumped against his chest with about as much impact as Dandelion with his little furry paw.

“I did not want to cry tonight,” Karen complained.

He placed his fingers under her chin and lifted her face. Kissed her eyelids. Tasted the salt in the tears streaking down her cheeks. “You have to cry for us both.”

She wiped her cheeks, pushing the corners of her lips into a smile.

He leaned their foreheads together. “I love you. I have for a very long time.”

Lightning danced in her eyes. She took a shaky breath. “I love you too.”

The hug was spontaneous. Karen twisted on the bench so she was once again as close as possible even with his leg sticking out awkwardly like some mannequin they’d had to haul along.

But the cast faded to nothing because what she’d just said outweighed all the frustrations and all the anger.

She loved him. He would move mountains to make sure that stayed true.

But for now, he kissed her. One hand cradled the back of her head as he took her lips. He nibbled until she gasped, then he slid his tongue deeper. Tasting her and sending his own senses reeling.

Her hands were busy at the front of his shirt, opening buttons until her palms pressed against his chest. Fingernails teased, sending his skin dancing.

He teased her earlobe into his mouth. “I want you. Right now.”

She leaned back slightly, her eyes wide. Her first glance went up the trail toward where the truck was parked, but it was brief, and the next thing he knew, she’d pulled herself to vertical. She slid her hands under the skirt of her dress and wiggled her way out of her underwear.

All of that done with a slightly shy, innocent attitude.

The effect was completely undone when she took her underwear and swung it saucily before offering them to him.

“Ma chérie, you’re killing me.” He didn’t fucking care where they were. “Come here.”

He adjusted his position and spread his legs wider. More than enough room for Karen to step between them, staring down with a definitely naughty expression.

He ran his hands up her hips, her waist, over the sweep of her breasts. “First we get you ready.”

“I’m ready,” Karen insisted.

“Prove it.” Finn undid the row of buttons down the front of her dress. He pushed aside the fabric to reveal skin and a pretty bra sheer enough that her nipples showed even in the moonlight.

He undid the front snap—best damn invention ever—and cupped her breasts. Eagerly, he leaned in, sucking and lapping and biting from one side to the other while she ran her fingers through his hair and moaned.

“I’m ready.”

He was past ready but nowhere near done. “Put your fingers in your pussy and show me how wet you are.”

A gasp escaped, but she slid a hand down her thigh, crumpling her skirt as she raised it.

“Finn.”

Her complaint came as he once again placed his mouth on her, enjoying the lush beauty of her breasts. His hum of amusement danced against her skin. “Didn’t say I was done. You touching yourself yet?”

That got him something between a growl and a groan. Finn slid a hand down her hip and hit bare skin.

It was nearly his undoing, because a bare hip meant a bare ass and a bare sex, and he was inches away from being able to pull her forward and sink into her wet heat.

Karen straightened, a vision of sensual debauchery. Her hair lay tousled around her shoulders, naked breasts framed by her open dress. Her bare thighs were pale as she clutched one side of her skirt. The other hand she held out, fingers glistening in the moonlight.

He couldn’t get any harder. “Good girl. Let me double-check.”

Her head fell back as he pulled her fingers to his mouth, licking them clean. Then he moved them down again, pressing against her sex. Rubbing firmly over her sensitive clit.

His fingers were wet now as well, and together they built her pleasure. Just a little more was needed.

“You keep doing that,” he ordered. “Rub your clit. I’m going to fuck you with my fingers. And once you come, hard, you climb on board and I’ll sink into you so deep there’ll be no you or me, just us.”

Her eyes went huge. Her fingers faltered for a moment then picked up speed. He slid a hand lower, careful not to interfere with her motion as he teased her entrance. Small circles until she squirmed on the spot, and only then did he slide his fingers deep.

* * *

Moonlight magic was the only thing keeping her vertical. No way was she still standing under her own strength, not with Finn staring at her with that look in his eyes.

They’d moved beyond smolder. It was pure sex.

His hands drove her to the pinnacle so quickly. Should she complain that it would be over too soon or be excited because the next thing was sure to be just as wonderful?

Even more intimate. Although, having his hand on her—and his fingers in her, and his gaze burning through her—was as intimate as they could get.

His voice thrummed in her ears. “That’s it, ma chérie. Squeeze me. So fucking good, but it’ll be even better when it’s my cock inside you. I’ll make you see stars.”

She tilted her head to the clear night sky, grinning as galaxies twinkled down on them. “So good.”

It was right to be there. To finally have admitted part of what she needed to tell him. The most important part. The rest were minor details, and they’d figure it out as they went along, but now with his hands driving her onward, Karen dug a little deeper, increasing the speed of her fingers over her clit as sparks flew.

“Finn.”

The hand on her hip tightened, and the fingers inside her slowed. Which was good, because her body attempted to trap him in place, and the slight motion was just enough to drive her orgasm even higher.

His fingers slid out. The next bit got a little messy between dragging a condom out of his pocket and opening his jeans enough to free his cock and get it covered.

Then she was up on the bench, straddling him, gazing into his passion-filled eyes.

He pressed a kiss between her breasts.

Her skirt hung over his thighs, and if it weren’t for the pornographic view of the open bodice of her dress, no one would’ve known what they were doing. Maybe they could guess as she rose and fell over his thick length, rubbing the wetness of her sex over the rock-solid temptation rising skyward.

Finn caught her hips and stilled her, adjusting until his tip pressed between her folds.

Then he kissed her, wild and hungry, fire flaring. She was sure he would drive himself deep, but he waited, teasing with just enough pressure that she knew he was there. Impossible to ignore, perfect anticipation rising.

She was breathless when he finally let her pull her lips away, panting as she met his gaze, and it was then that he pressed her down. A slow, inevitable joining that finished with her soft sigh of satisfaction.

The last bit of Old Karen vanished in a baptism of new hope.

Finn brushed a hand over her cheek, wiping away a lingering tear. “I love you,” he said again. “I know I’m broken still, but I plan to do everything I have to so you’ll know it’s true. Inside and out.”

Her heart sparkled. “You’re doing pretty good for a broken guy. Just saying.”

That rare grin of his appeared. “I’d better live up to your expectations.”

She didn’t know how he did it, considering he wasn’t the most mobile at that moment, but it only took a few minutes for him to begin to blow her mind.

His grip on her hips provided the pulse of motion that set her strumming again.

“Put your fingers back on your pussy, ma chérie. I want to feel you with me again.”

She didn’t care if she came again or not, but with him looking at her as if she’d actually hung the stars, the whirl of sensation inside was inevitable.

She’d talked about fireflies, but this was sensual pleasure mixed with the light in her heart, and all of it together meant, as she teetered toward the edge, the physical and the emotional mixed solidly.

As her body gave in, it was only an echo of what was in her heart. Pleasure—connection. To this man.

Finn made a noise as she clamped down on his cock. A happy, grunting, laughing sound.

Amusement rushed in. She snickered in response, and suddenly there they were, an orgasm still rippling through her body but laughter surrounding them as well.

His hands on her hips eased, sliding around to her back, caressing now. Lips coming together as they kissed with smiles on their faces. Slowing, still connected physically, and definitely connected on an even more intimate level.

When she pressed her cheek to his and squeezed her arms tight, it felt right. Coming back to earth after having visited the stars.

Cleaning up and heading back to the truck brought a little more laughter because she made him bring the condom rather than bury it somewhere in the bushes.

She put the truck in gear, heading back to the cottage. “My sister brings my nieces up here, and none of us want to explain why there’s funny deflated balloons tucked in the trees.”

Finn snickered. “If you think we’re the ones who broke in that bench, you’re delusional.”

She gave him a tap on the arm. “Let me keep my innocence.”

“Ma chérie, you just debauched me on a park bench. Your brand of innocence rocks my socks off.”

They held hands and listened to the radio on the short trip home.

They weren’t done talking yet—she still needed to tell him the rest of her news. She grabbed them drinks while Finn went outside and got the fire pit burning. This time instead of side by side in Adirondack chairs, she settled on the bench across from him so she could see his face.

The sun was well and truly gone behind the mountains, and the stars glittered overhead. To the north, the lights of Black Diamond made the distant horizon glow faintly.

In the barn and arena beyond main house, the horses and animals they’d started to assemble moved quietly. Nighttime noises that fit so perfectly with this location.

Karen fell a little bit more in love with Heart Falls.

Or maybe it was the man across from her. Flames from the fire between them flickered, highlighting his satisfied expression.

“You look content,” she teased.

He leaned back, breathing slowly as his eyes flashed. “Building a good memory is a fine thing.”

She raised her glass lightly. “Here’s to building many more.”

He offered her a toast in return. “I can’t get this cast off soon enough. I don’t want you sitting way the hell over there. I want you in my arms where you belong.”

“We have plenty of time for that,” she reassured him.

Concern drifted into his face. “No more working so hard,” he said. “We’re taking the time we need for us. Especially since you’re only around until the end of September. At that point, you’ll get busy with school, and all, but I will be there with you. The first few weeks it’ll be a little touch and go as I get things tidied up around here—”

Oh my God. Karen held out a hand as if stopping traffic. “Wait. What?”

Determination flashed. “I told you I wasn’t ever walking away again. Since you’ve got to go somewhere for your training, I’m going with you. I’ll give you your space, but—”

“Finn. Stop.” She shook her head hard. “This is what I had to tell you. I’m not going to school.”

He didn’t say anything, just sat there staring at her, shocked.

“This is what started this whole thing. I think the program is a fantastic one, and, yeah, I was excited at first. It’s a good job, and maybe it’s something I want to do down the road. But I think Old Karen latched on to going away to school because it was something people would approve of as a good enough reason to abandon the Coleman clan.”

He wasn’t laid-back anymore but leaning forward, listening intently.

And now she had to run off at the mouth, but whatever. It wouldn’t be the last time she had to explain.

She stared at the fire. “I liked working for the family to some degree. But because it was tough to deal with my dad, even the family who appreciated my skills had to walk on eggshells to make sure they weren’t stepping over boundaries with him or with the other old-timers in the community. Whiskey Creek ranch was filled with so many bad memories that I wanted out. Applying for equine therapy hit all the right buttons to get everybody’s approval. It was horses, and giving, and a fantastic service to others. Part of me feels horrible for not following through, but every time I imagine going, I nearly get sick. And not nervous sick, like a thing that I haven’t experienced before, but physically sick in that I know it’s not right for me.”

“Not right for you now, and maybe not right for you ever. That’s not something you need to apologize for.” Finn said it softly but firmly.

She met his gaze. “New Karen knows that. Old Karen is kind of shaking in her boots and wants to apologize left, right, and center.” She straightened. “But more to the point, I’m not going away. I’m staying here. So you don’t have to drop everything or give up your work for my sake. Because I don’t want you to do that either.”

“Oh, ma chérie. You amaze me. And you humble me, and I’m so glad I don’t have to live without you.” A whisper, but so, so sweet. He held open his arms. “You know the routine.”

She crossed the distance between them quickly, carefully resuming her position in his lap.

Finn curled his arms around her, tilting her head to kiss her. Gently this time. Sweet, like a sugary icing on the top of the cake. Then he pressed her head against his chest and sighed softly. Just holding her.

Another thought struck. “By the way. I plan to get the wild foal back from Sonora as soon as possible.”

A small sound of amusement escaped him. “You plan on keeping him in the house along with Dandelion?”

“Maybe.” She tilted her head back to smile up at him. “Nahh. I’ve already got one awkwardly limbed creature in my house. I don’t need two.”

A sharp pinch nipped her butt.

She laughed softly then snuggled in tight again.

In front of her, the fire danced, yellows and golds reaching skyward toward the twinkling stars overhead. There were still decisions to be made, and her not-so-secret school news to share with others, but right now, she’d told the most important person and made it clear what her priorities were going forward.

The most important people—Old Karen had been given her walking papers that night.

It was time to take a leap of faith and push all the secrets aside.

19

It seemed a queen-size bed wasn’t big enough for him, Karen, his cast, and a two-pound bundle of fur.

Finn knew exactly which of the four he wanted gone. He was counting down the days until he could roll over in bed and pull Karen into his arms the way he wanted to, no awkwardness or fiberglass involved.

Still, waking up to see happiness shining on her face was amazing. Karen giggled as she shifted her fingers slowly under the quilt while Dandelion Fluff stalked the moving bump. Outright laughing when the kitten pounced.

It was a bit of perfection, and Finn soaked it in.

Her gaze slid upward. Her happiness grew brighter. “Morning.”

“Morning, ma chérie.” He crooked his finger. “I’m afraid you’ll have to come to the mountain.”

The evil woman grinned. The next thing he knew, a hand was sliding across his hip, and fingers rested oh-so-teasingly on his morning wood. “Definitely a mountain.”

One thing led to another in the best way possible, after the kitten had been put firmly on the floor.

They were sitting across each other at the breakfast table an hour later, Karen’s expression still something sweet enough to make everything in him vibrate with happiness.

“I asked Zach to come over this morning,” Finn told her.

Shock flew across her features. “Okaaaaay.”

A chuckle escaped. “Don’t worry, I’m not sharing bedroom secrets, but there are a few other secrets I do want to spill.”

“And Zach’s part of them?” Karen looked thoughtful at his nod. “Just so you know, he truly is a good friend. He’s never once talked out of school about you. He thinks you’re amazing.”

“Of course he does.” Finn poured himself a top-up on his coffee and leaned back in his chair without saying anything else.

Across the table from him, she snickered. “I love you.”

He knew he was grinning, which wasn’t usual for him, but the fact she got his sense of humour and would still admit she loved him made her even more perfect. “I know.”

The comment earned an epic eye roll as she rose. “Excuse me while I go buy you some new cheesy lines.”

“There’s no cheese like old cheese.”

She stripped off the shirt she wore, tossing the balled-up fabric at his face before turning and heading to the bedroom.

“If you’re starting a floor show, you’re walking the wrong way…”

“Zach’s coming over,” she called over her shoulder. “I’m not greeting him in my pyjamas, aka, your shirt.”

He leaned forward to enjoy the view of her hips swaying the entire way down the hall.

Damn, he was a lucky bastard.

She showed up, fully dressed, right as Zach arrived.

The doorbell buzzed. Karen opened the door, her amusement clear. “What? Are you not feeling well?”

Zach paused on the welcome mat, carefully removing his boots. “Not sure what you’re talking about.”

She made her way back to the chair Finn had dragged to his side, settling next to him like a dream even as she teased his friend. “That’s the first time I’ve actually heard you use the doorbell. Oh, wait. You knocked once but opened the door and walked in before anybody answered.”

“You told me to make myself at home,” he reminded her. He spun the nearest chair around and sat on it backwards. He folded his arms along the top rail and tossed them a broad grin. “You two have fun at the wedding last night?”

“Shut up,” Finn rumbled softly. “What about you, twinkle toes? What time did you roll in last night?”

“And you better have treated Rose right,” Karen said, smiling with bared teeth. “Otherwise her girl posse will get you.”

Zach’s hands shot in the air. “I did my as-per-purchase duty and danced the girl’s night away. Then I took her home and dropped her off.” He leaned forward as if about to tell a terrible secret. “The instant I parked Delilah, Rose turned and said she’d had the best time, and I was a great dancer, and if I ever wanted to let her drive my car, she was fully on board.”

Finn offered Karen the head tilt. “Girl’s got good taste in cars.”

A deep ha! burst from Zach. “And then she said there was no need for me to get out of the car, because her sister was right there, and this wasn’t the kind of date that ended with a kiss.”

“Awwww. That’s sad,” Karen said.

Zach looked startled. “You wanted me to kiss her?”

“Well, I can’t see you ever allowing her to drive Delilah, so she should’ve gotten some bonus out of the evening.” Karen wiggled away from Finn’s fingers. “Stop tickling. Just calling them as I see them.”

Considering how important Zach was in Finn’s life, it was good to see his people bonding.

Now for a test of how quick Zach was on his feet. Finn deliberately linked his fingers with Karen’s.

His friend’s gaze flickered down then back to Finn’s face. A slow smile curled Zach’s lips, but he didn’t say anything. Just waited.

“Been a few changes around here, but this one affects you,” Finn said. “Karen’s all in on the dude ranch. She’s sticking around permanently, which means adjusting plans for hiring once she figures out exactly which job she wants full time.”

His friend’s pleased grin said it all. He knew this announcement wasn’t just to do with Karen staying at the ranch but staying in Finn’s life.

Zach’s gaze shifted to hers, and he dipped his head. “Never been happier to hear any news in my life. Welcome aboard.”

Karen looked a little wild-eyed. “Thanks.” She glanced at Finn. “That wasn’t what I expected.”

“That’s just the start, because now we get to the meat and potatoes. Remember I told you about Bruce Travers?”

She nodded instantly, looking at them both. “Your mentor.”

Zach’s face brightened with understanding. “Is this about that thing we weren’t talking about?” he asked

A snort escaped. “I damn well hope so, because if it wasn’t, that was a dumbass thing to say.”

Karen’s fingers tightened in his. “Secrets?”

There were still a few to spill, and Finn was determined to get them out. “Remember that fancy-schmancy car that was here at the start of summer? The lawyer from Bruce’s estate gets in touch with us every now and then. He’s a good guy, Alan, but this time something in the will triggered, and it turns out we have a deadline to get Red Boot ranch up and running.”

Confusion was trickling in, but she still held his arm in a possessive grip. “I thought Bruce passed away a couple years ago. How can he do that?”

“Lawyers are brilliant at finding ways to make their billing charges last longer,” Zach drawled. “The whole deadline is not that huge a deal. Not if we keep things rolling.”

“When do we have to be operational?” Karen asked.

That was nice, the way she so easily accepted she was part of this.

“Thanksgiving.”

She uttered a particularly foul curse, and both he and Zach blinked.

“Seriously, guys? You’ve heard me swear before.”

Zach leaned forward and spoke softly. “I was just admiring the complete conviction with which you said it.”

She folded her arms over her chest and glared. “Back to the point, why on earth would you agree to that kind of a deadline? I mean, it’s not impossible, but rushing doesn’t seem the way you guys like to do things.”

The little tidbit about losing everything to Brandon got another burst of sailor-worthy salty language.

Zach’s grin grew bigger by the minute. “I really like you,” he told Karen.

“Stop flirting with my woman and get your own,” Finn grumbled, but he agreed one hundred percent.

“No way in hell is Brandon getting our ranch,” Karen said.

“That’s what I said.” Finn squeezed her fingers. “So. Load the cannons and full speed ahead. Nobody else knows about the deadline, but by Thanksgiving, we need to be ready to impress the socks off Alan and his family.”

“Nothing we can’t handle.” Karen’s phone went off, and she wrinkled her nose. “Sorry. That’s my dad. After skipping dinner the other night, I should take it.”

She slid from the table and went out on the deck, leaving Finn and Zach alone.

His best friend let out a heavy sigh. “It’s always so emotional when the fledglings leave the nest.”

“Shut up,” Finn muttered.

Zach leaned forward, honest pleasure spilling across his face. “I’m happy for you. I mean, I’m happy for what I think you’re telling me, which hopefully is that you finally fessed up and told the woman you couldn’t live without her.”

“Something like that,” Finn said.

Zach paused, looking thoughtful. “I thought Red Boot ranch was just another step along the way. Another project before you moved on again. I mean, I’m glad it’s not, but it seems like a big change. Sounds as if you’re planning to make this home.”

Well, hell. Finn’s brain had been so full of everything else that this little detail hadn’t quite registered. Yet, damn if Zach wasn’t right.

But when Finn thought about it, really thought about it, that sense of belonging in this community had been growing over the past months.

It wasn’t just about finding a place for Karen but a place where he felt at home as well. A place for the two of them to grow together. That was kind of—unexpected.

Perfect, really.

“It’s been building for a while,” Finn admitted.

“It’s been clear you missed the ranch,” Zach shared. “Finding a new home makes sense. Where you grew up isn’t a place you can ever go back to.”

“It’s not the idyllic, safe place I thought it was,” Finn added in agreement. He glanced out over the land, all the way to where the Rockies rose to the heavens. The summer day was full of beauty and happiness. “I need to build some new memories, and this place has got the potential.”

That got a laugh out of his friend. “And Bruce would tell you that potential is the most important thing to see.” Zach spoke softer, gesturing toward Karen standing out on the deck, one hand driven into her hair. “That’s a memory that needed to become more. I’m glad you’ve got her back.”

Finn watched Karen carefully, the feeling in his heart big enough to push against his ribs. “She’s the very top of my list,” he told Zach. “Everything else got moved down.”

“Including me,” Zach returned firmly. “I’ve got zero problem with that. It’s exactly how it should be.”

Damn if Finn didn’t have everything he needed in his world. A beautiful woman who said she loved him, and a best friend who understood him to his core.

Finn wordlessly reached a hand across the table toward Zach.

Zach ignored it. Instead, he rounded the table then pulled Finn to vertical to give him a bro hug and a back pounding. “Me too, buddy. Me too.”

* * *

As far as conversations went, chatting with her dad went smoother than expected. He caught her up on a few of the goings-on at Whiskey Creek, including a shocking second of praise regarding her past work with some of their herd. That part was nice, and the part where she heard some of the family gossip.

But then he began bellyaching about his oldest brother, Uncle Mike, giving more and more responsibility and decision-making over to the next generation…

That’s the point where Karen reached her enough.

“Hey, Dad. It’s been great, but I was just finishing lunch, and I’ve got an appointment in fifteen minutes. Let me know the next time you plan to be in Heart Falls. Finn and I will take you out for dinner.”

Her dad grumbled for a moment then latched on to the topic change. “That reminds me. I tried to get hold of Richard Marlette the other day. The phone number I’ve got for him is out of service. Ask Finn for some new contact info, will you?”

“Sure. I’ll send it to you. Gotta run. Love you.”

The last bit of the conversation made her brain stumble for a moment. It only took a second to shove her phone back in her pocket and return to the kitchen, scooping up Dandelion to use him as her own personal touchstone. Stroking the little creature’s soft fur eased the tension while she leaned back against the door, eyes closed, searching for peace.

The truth was she did love her dad. She just didn’t like him very much, not right now.

And that was okay.

Unexpected sounds caught her attention. The loudest noise was Dandelion purring against her chest. Karen opened her eyes, suddenly aware the kitchen was unoccupied. Finn and Zach were nowhere to be seen.

Shouts echoed from the front of the house, and she carefully put the kitten down before hurrying to the front door.

Smoke billowed from the roof of one of the newly constructed cabins. She jammed her feet into her boots and headed out at a full-out run.

The work crew poured into the yard from various places around the ranch. Karen caught up with Finn as he swung forward on his crutches at an alarming rate.

“I hope you don’t think you’re going in there,” she informed him briskly.

He gave her a quick glance before pulling to a stop. A sheepish expression slid over his face. “Of course not.”

She wrapped her arm around his biceps to make sure. “Someone call the fire department?”

“Might not need them.” Two or three men had hoses out and were soaking both the corner of the burning building and the nearest cabins. Smoke billowed up thicker, a greyish tinge forming like thunderstorm clouds.

Meanwhile, Zach stepped from the cabin. He raised a fire extinguisher in the air as he shouted reassurances. “It’s okay. It’s out.”

He made his way over to where Finn and Karen waited. Karen had never seen Zach look so serious as when he stepped in close, speaking softly. “Are the security cameras up and running yet?”

Finn stilled. “Some. Why?”

Zach glanced over his shoulder before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a partially burned chunk of cardboard. About two inches high, the unburned section had a familiar image on it.

“That’s a fire starter box. Was someone already lighting the woodstove?” Karen asked.

“Doubtful, considering the stove wasn’t hooked up. That’s the only reason we spotted this before everything inside the cabin went up in flames—the smoke escaped through the partially open chimney.” Zach’s expression grew darker. “The fire started under a worktable. I found the piece of box and the remains of way too big a pile of sawdust.”

“You’re saying it’s arson.” Finn stared hard at his friend.

“It’s possible it was an accident. If someone swept up a lit cigarette butt with the sawdust, it would’ve smoldered for a while before catching fire.” Zach glanced at Karen then back at Finn. “Want to call the cops?”

“Check the security footage first,” Finn said.

Karen shook inside at the idea somebody had deliberately lit a fire in a brand-new construction. “Catching somebody red-handed on the security tape would be great, but why wouldn’t we call the police right away?”

Zach wrinkled his nose. “We want to keep moving forward,” he reminded her. “Arson investigations can take a while, which means shutting down construction for an unknown period of time.”

She hadn’t thought of that. “You really think somebody deliberately set the fire?”

“I don’t know. I honestly don’t know,” Zach said.

Beside her, Finn’s unreadable expression was firmly back in place. “Let’s check the cameras first and see what we find. I don’t want to jump the gun and assume.” He laid his fingers over Karen’s. “We’ll make sure you’re safe. Just in case something is going on.”

“Not just me. Everybody, including you guys.” Another concern she hadn’t even considered until this moment. “What about getting some guard dogs for the property?”

“Security personnel as well.” Finn glanced at Zach. “First priority. Right now.”

His friend nodded. “I’ll tell Cody about this so he knows to be on his guard, but beyond that, let’s keep it quiet. I’ll meet you at the house ASAP to check the video feed.”

But the cameras were a bust.

Finn sat back in his chair, disgruntled after having pulled all the stored data from the cloud. “Had to be a dozen guys in and out of the cabins along that row, and with no clear shot at the front door of that particular unit, I’m not ready to start an interrogation.”

“Then start where you can,” Karen said. “I agree. I don’t think we should call everyone in and start asking questions. Get some security in place, and that should discourage any more of this kind of thing.”

“Hopefully it’s enough.” He met her gaze. “You feel worried about anything, any time, you let me know.”

“I will.”

The rush of adrenaline slowly faded as Karen and Zach worked together on the cleanup for the rest of that morning. The task turned out to be reassuring. Nothing seemed super suspicious inside the cabin. Plus, other than it smelling like the inside of a smokehouse, there hadn’t been enough time for structural damage to occur.

When they were finished, they carried their supplies and the couple of bags of wood scraps and sawdust onto the porch then propped the door open to let it air out.

“It all seems pretty clear-cut.” Zach shook his head. “I’m just a suspicious bastard. I shouldn’t have said anything in the first place.”

Karen shrugged. “Bringing in security isn’t a bad idea. We need it up and running before Thanksgiving, anyway. We think living in a small town means nothing exciting ever happens, but people get desperate here as well.”

“And desperation leads to mistakes and bad decisions.” Zach nodded, offering her a sly smile. “By the way, how did you manage to convince Finn to leave the cleanup to us?”

“Me, convince him? He volunteered to cook lunch after he dealt with contacting your usual security guys.” When Zach’s jaw dropped dramatically, she raised a hand as if swearing an oath. “I know. I will take cleanup duty any day if means I get to go back to a home-cooked meal.”

“As long as he’s not making mac and cheese,” Zach teased.

She punched him in the arm good-naturedly then headed home to her man.

The house smelled wonderful. The bit inside her that said this was a strange thing fought against the part that said it was a perfect thing and she should appreciate every moment.

“Hi, honey, I’m home,” she called as she kicked off her boots and marched toward the kitchen.

“Perfect timing.”

After stepping through the doorway, Karen paused to take a good look in light of that full appreciation thing.

He’d set the table with placemats, pretty plates, and an actual vase with fresh flowers. Tall glasses waited by each setting, but thankfully a very solid hint this wasn’t anything too far out of her wheelhouse was there as well—an industrial-size bottle of ketchup sat on the table.

“You get to work for your lunch,” Finn informed her as he turned away from the counter. “It’s ready, but I didn’t want to juggle bowls and my crutches.

“I have zero problem being your waitstaff.” She gestured him toward the table then hurried to grab the food.

A moment later they were both seated at the table with steaming bowls of tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches with crisp, perfectly browned surfaces in front of them.

The smell alone made her stomach growl in anticipation. “It looks awesome,” she said.

“It’s a comfort meal.” Finn grabbed the ketchup and put a healthy portion on his plate. “Usually I keep soup to wintertime, but it felt like a good thing to serve today.”

Karen laid a hand on his arm. “It’s been a good day when it comes down to it. There wasn’t much we had to do to fix the damage. Zach now thinks it was just an accident after all.”

“That’s good. I still have a call coming in from the security company, though. Should have them in place in the next couple of days.” He twisted until he could squeeze her fingers. “Eat.”

The food was delicious, which got Karen to wondering. “We never did get a chance to do things like cook together. I mean, back at Whiskey Creek.”

“I was too busy trying to figure out how to crawl in your bedroom window without being caught,” Finn reminded her.

She laughed. “We got up to mischief in so many places other than my bedroom, Finn Marlette.”

“If by mischief you mean fooling around and sex, you’re right. And that doesn’t count all the places I thought about taking you.” He caught her fingers and brought them to his lips. Kissing them before turning the tease into a nibble. “I’ve got a list of all the things we’re doing once I get this cast off.”

“I can’t wait,” she told him honestly. “But I’m serious about the cooking part too. It’s nice that we both like to cook. We’re not going starve.”

“Is this when I’m supposed to say something cheesy like ‘we can live on love’?”

“I would snicker, but I’m too busy enjoying my grilled cheese—what did you put on here? It’s delicious. Some kind of jam?”

He pressed a finger to his lips. “I’m not giving you my secret grilled cheese recipe.”

Karen leaned forward on her elbows. “Which means that you get to make them any time I get a craving.”

Finn stuck out his hand. “Deal.”

With a snicker, she linked their fingers and gave his hand a firm pump. The instant he let go, she snatched the final sandwich triangle off his plate, scooting from the table to where he couldn’t reach her.

“Hey, give that back.” Amusement danced in his eyes.

“No way.” A little sad that she didn’t have any ketchup to dip it in, she gobbled the section down, moaning as her taste buds lit up.

Finn folded his arms over his chest and gave her a pretty good mock glare. “I ought to paddle your butt for that.”

“Promises, promises.” She swung back to his side and wrapped her arms around him. The next step was to press a noisy kiss to his cheek. “That was yummy. Thank you.”

He dipped his chin. “Thanks for the work you did this morning.”

“Not a problem. It interrupted my—” Which brought back to mind another interruption from earlier in the day. “Shoot. Hey, when my dad called this morning, he said he’s been trying to get hold of your dad. You got a phone number I can pass on? Seems the one he’s got is no longer current.”

Amusement drained from Finn’s expression, leaving his face grey under his tan.

Karen pulled back with concern. “Finn?”

He shook his head. “Last night you said something pretty powerful. About you and me and making this stick, and I’m with you all the way on that. Which means there’re no secrets between us. No real secrets, anyway.”

Worry raced through her belly. “What’s wrong?”

“There’s something I need to tell you.”

20

Karen pulled her chair closer and grabbed his fingers. “You’re kind of scaring me, Finn. Are you in trouble?”

“What? No. This isn’t actually about me.” He made a face. “Okay, it is, but the trouble is the secret isn’t mine, so I had to get permission to tell you.”

No way would she untangle that one, so she just sat and waited. She knew well enough that sometimes tough stories didn’t progress forward in a linear manner.

Finn looked pensive. “The instant I left Whiskey Creek, I knew it wasn’t right. But you couldn’t leave either, so I had to go figure things out at home before I returned.”

This wasn’t where she’d expected the conversation to go. “I don’t hold anything against you from back then, Finn. You made a promise to your parents. Kind of like I made a promise to the Coleman clan. Neither of us could up and leave.”

Uncomfortable in a way she’d rarely seen, he took a deep breath and met her gaze straight on. “We went home. Me, Levi, and Duncan. Levi, as you heard, discovered he was soon to be a daddy, which has been nothing but a blessing in his and Chelsea’s life. But Duncan—the closer we got to being back at the ranch, the quieter he got, which is saying something.”

Karen nodded. While she and Finn had been tangled up tight with each other that summer, and Levi and Lisa had run wild like colts, Duncan had been a quiet ghost who seemed content to be alone.

Finn tore his gaze away and stared at his cast. “Levi and Chelsea got together. It was decided they would move into the ranch house with my parents until the baby arrived. There was plenty of room for them to stay. Then Duncan came to me and said he couldn’t keep quiet anymore.” Finn paused. “He said dad had sexually abused him. He didn’t trust the man to leave Chelsea alone or, down the road, to be around Levi’s kids.”

An aching rock pit opened inside Karen. “Oh my God. Poor Duncan.”

Finn met her eyes again. “I talked to him this morning, by the way. He gave me permission to tell you. Told me you needed to know as well, and he hoped you would try to understand.”

She lost the thread at that one. “I don’t— Understand what?”

The expression in Finn’s eyes reflected both red-hot anger and icy frustration. “Duncan refuses to press charges. He doesn’t want the attention or the media circus that sharing the information would involve. He said he couldn’t take it, but with Levi and Chelsea in the picture, he wouldn’t risk not saying something and potentially allowing it to happen again.”

The entire situation was a tangled web. Being thrust into it the way Finn had must have been hell. And brave Duncan, struggling between hurting as a victim yet trying to save others.

Karen squeezed Finn’s fingers hard. “I am so sorry Duncan had to deal with that. It’s just not right.”

“It was a fucking mess,” Finn admitted. “Duncan was close to the edge. We almost lost him. I was so scared he would do something drastic, no way would I push him to be hurt any further. Levi had no idea, and as far as Duncan knew, neither did Mama.”

Karen cupped Finn’s cheek, willing strength into him. “Your parents aren’t on the ranch anymore.”

A single shake of his head as his expression hardened. “I only saw one solution that didn’t involve hurting Duncan more or leaving anyone vulnerable. I got my father alone and told him that I knew. He didn’t even bother to deny it. I told him he had one choice. He needed to leave the ranch immediately but make it seem as if it was his idea. I didn’t care how thick he had to spread the lies, he would convince Mama that they needed to move far enough to have a good excuse for never visiting.”

The answer to Karen’s question was clear, but she asked it anyway. “And if he hadn’t agreed?”

Finn didn’t hesitate. “Then he’d be dead, and I’d be in jail for murder.”

The confession should’ve horrified her, but a rush of unexpected fire struck. “I’m glad you’re not in jail, but it’s no loss that he’s still alive. Which may sound heartless, but I keep picturing sweet Duncan. He didn’t deserve that. No one deserves that.”

Once again, Finn hauled her into his lap, but this time instead of offering her comfort, it was her arms that curled around him. It was her murmuring soothing words and pressing kisses against his tear-dampened face.

They sat together for a couple of quiet minutes before he gave a shaky breath. Easing back slightly.

He pressed a kiss against the side of her mouth then dipped his head firmly. “It was the right thing to do, but following through was hell for all the reasons you can imagine. On top of it, I had intended on cutting ties as quickly as possible to get back to you, but the situation made it impossible.”

“I’m so glad you were there,” Karen insisted. “I mean, what if you had stayed at Whiskey Creek? Oh my God—”

“We can’t ask ‘what if,’ but I needed to tell you. I wanted to be back at your side not even an hour after I left.”

She was a mess inside, and yet the pulse of love just beat stronger and stronger. Karen ran her fingers through his hair and stared at his face, memorizing the lines that hadn’t been there years ago. Understanding better where they’d come from, that they were the marks he’d earned doing a task no one could honour him for.

“I love you. And we’re together now. Everything you did just makes you more you,” she insisted.

He curled a hand around her nape. “Only a few people know Duncan’s story. You, me, Zach. One other person—Alan, actually. Bruce knew as well, because I got started with him while I was dealing with the legal details of removing my father from the ranch. I spent a lot of time keeping an eye on my father in those days until my parents officially moved, and Bruce needed to know why. Hell, in the end he helped me set up things via Alan to be airtight from a legal standpoint.”

She wasn’t really curious other than wanting to know for certain that Levi’s babies were safe. Yet… What about other kids? “Where did your parents move to?”

“Québec City. They’re in an adult-only condo where Mama is completely happy. She enjoys city life and getting to socialize anytime she wants. Three or four times a year, she flies to Winnipeg where my brother picks her up to stay at the ranch for a week or so. My father is always too busy to join those visits. Mama believes it’s too difficult for him to go back to the ranch because of the memories. And my father is not allowed to work with children or be in a private setting with anyone but Mama. I have someone watching him—that’s part of what Bruce helped me arrange.”

His words faded as if he had run out of energy to continue. His palms pressed against her back and pulled them closer together, not with physical hunger but a desperate, urgent need for connection.

Karen held on as tightly as possible, giving with her touch, offering what she could with her words.

“No more secrets. Just one step at a time toward our future.” She leaned back slightly, pressing both palms to his cheeks. “We’ll build a safe, happy place right here, together. Red Boot ranch will be our home. Levi and Chelsea and the kids will come and visit. You’ll tell Duncan he’s welcome to drive his eighteen-wheeler into the yard and stay anytime he wants. We’ll be all the family they need.”

He dipped his chin firmly. The breath he took was still slightly shaky, but the love in his eyes was solid. “You’re all I need. All I’ve ever wanted.”

Exhaustion rolled in as if she’d been working chores for hours instead of sitting in the kitchen having a conversation. She gave Finn a brief kiss then tilted her head toward the door. “Come on. I need some fresh air, and I want you with me.”

They walked in silence for a while, following the path that headed toward the river at the bottom of the pasture. It was wide and smooth, which meant Finn’s crutches worked fine.

He grumbled his disgust, though. “I want to hold your hand and not deal with this nonsense of being close by but not touching.”

“Newsflash, cowboy. Even when you do get your cast off, we’re not going to spend twenty-four seven attached at the hip.”

It was good to hear a soft chuckle, and Karen glanced to the side to find he was smoldering at her again. “I plan to do my best. Oh, wait. It’s not quite hips I’m thinking of.”

“Bad boy.” She raised a brow. “I thought you liked cowgirl position.”

“Love it,” he agreed. “Anytime you want, I give you the go-ahead. But more variety will be fun.”

The conversation drifted then, deliberately becoming lighter as they avoided talk of the serious matters that had blown up their day. There were plenty of other things to discuss, between ongoing plans for the ranch and Karen tentatively exploring possibilities for the future.

Those ideas needed to be talked through with more than just Finn, which is how a couple days later she finally built up the courage to share her news with her sisters.

They’d gathered at the cottage, supposedly to introduce one of their favourite family traditions to Julia. Karen figured the interactive, hands-on meal would be a good distraction after she’d dropped her bomb.

It also meant cooking and cleanup would be a snap, and with the long days they were putting in at the ranch to keep things moving at an accelerated rate, right now Karen was all about easy.

Julia stepped through the door. “Sorry I’m late. Where do you want these?”

She held out a block of Swiss cheese and a carton of eggs.

Lisa grabbed them then headed to the kitchen. “That’s the last we need. I’ll get the omelet mix together. Karen, slice the cheese.”

It was like old times. Karen exchanged a glance with Tamara. “I’m not in charge of my own home.”

“Get used to it. I have.” Tamara admired Tyler, who was conveniently eating before they started their meal. “Auntie Lisa is a bossy pants, isn’t she? Yes, she totally is a bossy pants and we love her for it.”

Karen snickered as she joined the other girls in the kitchen and obediently cut up the cheese as per Lisa’s instructions. Ollie wander under Lisa’s feet, sweetly begging for treats until ordered to the pillow Karen had placed in the corner.

As soon as the dog settled, Dandy crawled from under the couch like a wild tiger, intent on stalking Ollie’s tail.

By the time they gathered around the table, Tamara had finished feeding the baby, burped him, and put him down to sleep. She rubbed her hands together. “I’m starving. After nine months of not eating, I’m still playing catch-up.”

“I can’t believe you were actually nauseous your entire pregnancy.” Julia hesitated. “Okay, technically and scientifically, I believe it. I just mean that was a pretty shitty hand to be dealt.”

“I hope it doesn’t run in the family,” Tamara said dryly.

“I nominate Karen to be the next guinea pig to get pregnant,” Lisa said instantly.

Karen gasped. “What? No. I just got into a serious relationship. It’s obvious you’re the next to fall.”

Tamara gently tapped her fingers against the side of her glass, just enough to get their attention and not loud enough to wake the baby. “Instructions for Julia so she knows what we’re doing. This is a raclette.”

“Raw food meets hot surface, cook till it’s done.” Karen pulled one of the little pans from underneath the top broiler plate. “You can cook little omelets in here or melt cheese to pour over top of your food. Eat until you’re ready to burst.”

Lisa lifted a pair of chopsticks. “The only other family rule you need to know is even if you put a piece of food on the top surface, it might not be there when you go back for it. It’s kind of a free-for-all when we get rolling.”

The newcomer watched for a while as the three of them started eagerly. They passed around sauces and dips, and easy conversation drifted while tidbits were consumed and laughter danced in the air. The animals made the occasional forage attempt before being sent back to their no begging zone.

It was comfortable, and it was family. Karen’s concerns about sharing her change of plans eased when confronted by how sweet the connection between them felt.

Still, the deed had to be done.

She waited until everybody had food in motion then laid her utensils down and sat up a little straighter. “Got a couple things to let you know. All of it good, and I hope you’ll be happy for me.”

Three sets of eyes turned on her, filled with curiosity.

And eagerness. “Are you and Finn engaged?” Lisa asked.

Karen restrained from rolling her eyes. “Jump the gun a little? It’s way too soon. We’re—” What the hell did she call this? He was more than her boyfriend. More than a lover.

He was…hers.

“You’re together.” Julia dipped her chin firmly. “You guys fit. And I understand there’s history, but you seem pretty solid in the here and now. Good for you.”

“What will happen when you head out in the fall?” Tamara looked uncertain. “Long-term relationships do better when you’re in the same postal code area.”

Karen put both feet forward and jumped.

“There’s the other thing I want to let you know. Ever since I got here, I’ve been considering my options. Thinking about what would make me happy not just down the road, but right now. And that might sound a little backwards, but it’s been pointed out that it’s okay to do things that make me happy. I’ve decided school is not on my short-term list. Instead, I’m staying and working the ranch with Finn and Zach.” She wondered if she would have to fend off a mass of questions, so she hurried to finish. “It’s what I want. I’m excited to stay in Heart Falls.”

The entire time Karen had been talking, her sisters’ expressions had grown more surprised, eyes widening.

Lisa pressed her fingers over her mouth. Then damn if she didn’t burst into tears. Tamara followed, and suddenly Karen’s eyes filled as well.

It was far too easy to get a group of grown women to end up watery messes.

Julia was the one who finally voiced her discomfort. “I don’t even know why I’m crying. I mean, I’m happy for you. Sounds as if you gave it a lot of thought. Besides”—she jerked a thumb toward Lisa and Tamara—“getting to set up here in Heart Falls with these two is pretty perfect.”

“I’m crying because she’s crying,” Tamara insisted as she pointed at Lisa. “Dammit. Pregnancy and nursing hormones are hell. I’m really happy for you, Karen. And not only because it will be so much easier to hold family get-togethers.”

The little cream-coloured terrier, Ollie, was up on her hind legs, scratching lightly at Lisa’s leg, trying to figure out what had gone wrong so she could fix it.

Lisa soothed her, slowly petting the puppy’s head. “It’s okay, sweetie. This is one of those weird things humans do when they’re happy.” She held her hand out to Karen and gave her fingers a big squeeze. “That’s a hell of a destination change, but I’m hardly one to talk. I’m so glad you’re sticking around.”

“Now we need to find Julia a full-time job in the area so we’ll have all the Whiskey Creek women in one place,” Tamara pointed out.

Julia shrugged even as she wiped away tears. “I wouldn’t mind, but right now the job only lasts until the end of October. But no matter what, this will make it a whole lot simpler when I come visit. I’ll find all three of you in one spot.”

They returned to their meal while questions and teasing about every other topic under the sun continued. Laughter rose and love and support surrounded Karen like a warm blanket on a cold day.

It might be a different story when she had to explain to extended family, but really, at the core, did that matter?

The women around her right now—they were the ones in her heart. They were the ones whose opinions mattered, and with them by her side, she could do anything.

21

Things smoothed out after that in a way that made the momentary upheavals seem like distant memories. Finn was fine with that.

Security teams were hired, and there were no more unexpected losses or fires. Which meant as the end of July rolled around, things continued to progress at double-quick pace.

Karen drove him to the hospital for his appointment to get the cast removed. He was antsy. It was a couple days later than he’d hoped, plus he was so done being chauffeured everywhere.

In the driver’s seat beside him, his woman didn’t even try to hide her amusement.

“Stop smirking,” Finn grumbled. “Admit it. You’re just as eager for me to get this cast off as I am.”

“Oh, I don’t think that’s possible.” She offered him a sweet smile before turning her focus back on the highway. “I’m absolutely amazed you didn’t take a hacksaw to it yourself yesterday. You’re to be commended for your restraint.”

“Damn doctor shouldn’t have said August first when she knew she wasn’t coming back from holidays until the third,” Finn complained. “And putting on my chart that no one else was allowed to take the cast off without her approval was just nasty.”

“I know. It was a terribly mean thing to do.” Karen patted his hand with mock sympathy. “Shall we go for a celebratory horseback ride when we get home?”

He kept hold of her fingers, tugging them to his lips. “Maybe second thing.”

If anything, her smile got wider. “You’re right. You really should go on a full inspection tour of everything that’s been accomplished over the past couple of months before we try anything fun.”

“You just carry on like that. See how well fucked it gets you.”

She gasped. “Language.”

He shifted as much as possible in his seat, turning toward her and playing with a strand of hair that had fallen loose from her ponytail. “I can’t wait to get you home and strip you naked. After I use my mouth and fingers to make you scream a couple of times, we’ll move on to something totally wild.”

“Really? And that would be?” The question came out a little breathless.

He leaned forward to get in her line of sight. “Missionary position.”

As hoped, he got a loud laugh, but the twinkle in her eyes said she was just as eager to mix it up.

Having her in his arms each night had been a bit of a miracle. Yet since rolling over required his full concentration and the equivalent of a damn workout, their sex life had remained limited.

The doctor took pity on him, pushing through the X-ray results quickly, which put him back in the waiting room in double-quick time. Being stared down by that minuscule woman with the attitude of an Amazon would’ve been highly amusing if there wasn’t so much on the line.

“You’ve healed well,” Dr. Jerimiah told him. “Congratulations. You graduate to walking on two legs.”

Finn grinned over the doctor’s shoulder at Karen. “Ready to go dancing, ma chérie?”

“Good idea,” the doctor told him. “In moderation. You need to build up your strength again. I’ll give you a set of exercises and a prescription for physiotherapy if you need it. I have a feeling your biggest issue will be not overdoing it.” She glanced over her shoulder at Karen. “Keep him off his feet when you can.”

“She already promised to.” Finn caught Karen’s gaze, and when he spoke again, his voice had gone lower. Needy, full of anticipation. “Frequently and enthusiastically.”

That might’ve come out a little dirtier than he intended. In front of the doc and all.

The young woman laughed. “That’s pretty much what I figured. If you have any troubles, come back and see me. Otherwise, stay out of collapsing buildings, and I hope the rest of your summer goes well.”

He pumped her hand with real gratitude. “Thanks.”

Finn and Karen took a slow stroll to the parking lot, but when he pulled open the passenger door for her, she shook her head and pointed at the seat. “One last time as passenger. I insist. You have presents to open.”

It wasn’t worth grumbling about because—damn. Without the cast, he felt fifty pounds lighter and yet slightly out of kilter. “Okay. But tomorrow I drive.”

She hadn’t been kidding about the presents. A pile of them rested on the seat.

He waited until she’d pulled out of the hospital parking lot and had them on the highway headed home to Heart Falls. “What’s all this?”

“Everybody wanted to celebrate your getting-out-of-jail moment.” She pointed to random packages. “Zach, Cody, Josiah. Those two are from Tamara and Lisa. Tansy sent over a black forest cheesecake, and Julia and the crew at the fire hall picked up some ribeye steaks for us to enjoy sometime this week.”

A strange knot developed in his throat. He stared at the boxes, all brightly wrapped, and wondered at the weird sensation in his belly.

Karen glanced over. “Finn? You okay?”

He picked up one of the packages, opening the tag on it to see it was from his brother Levi and family. “I’m a little choked up right now, to tell the truth.”

“Because people are happy you’re feeling better?”

He shrugged. “Hell. I figured they would be happy knowing I won’t be begging favours anymore. I’m just not used to— I don’t know.”

She threaded their fingers together. “Not used to having visible signs that people appreciate you show up on your doorstep? Or in this case, truck seat?”

He nodded. “Pretty much, yeah.”

“Well, they do appreciate you. And they’re happy for you, and I need you to start opening presents because I’m dying of curiosity.”

Even as he worked the wrapping paper on the one in his hands, he lowered his tone a notch. “Thank you for what you got me. It’s exactly what I wanted.”

She snickered. “My present isn’t even here.”

“Oh. I was talking about your promise to sex me to death.”

“Oh. That. You’re welcome.” She gave him a love tap on the shoulder. “You’re a terrible present opener. Get going.”

The box from Levi and Chelsea contained cards from the kids— typical small people productions made of crayon scrawls and hearts—and a picture frame.

Levi and Chelsea sat on the front porch of the house Finn had grown up in, surrounded by their family. The kids wore matching outfits with cowboy hats and boots. The three little tykes looked happy and well loved. His brother had an arm wrapped around Chelsea’s shoulders, the smile on his face sheer perfection.

The house itself had a new paint job, and somehow it looked a lot shinier than the last time Finn remembered being there.

He carefully put the frame aside, soaking it in as a new memory to help wash away some of the bitterness of the past.

Then he worked on the next present, warmth growing in his chest.

“Zach got me a new deck of playing cards. Probably figured the other set we use is marked, considering how bad he’s been losing lately.”

“You shouldn’t be so mean to your best friend.”

“Hey, if he wants to help finance our next vacation, I have no problem taking money from him.” He opened the bag from Josiah and laughed. “The man gave me a jar of Bag Balm.”

“That should help with all the chafing you plan to get,” she teased.

They grinned at each other.

He picked up the package from Tamara and gave it a shake. Something slid inside. “You want to wait and open this when we get home?”

They were still a good forty-five minutes from the ranch. “Keep going. This is entertaining,” Karen told him.

Inside the paper was an old-fashioned tobacco tin. “She wants me to take up bad habits,” he informed Karen. He wiggled off the lid, and laughed out loud. “Scratch that. Your sister just gave me a couple dozen condoms.”

“Get out.” She glanced over quickly as he tilted the container toward her. “She’s terrible.”

“She’s brilliant,” Finn said. “Now I can be prepared for the days ahead.”

Only when the present from Lisa also made the same suspicious sliding noise, Finn started laughing even as he tore the paper off. “Oh, look. Another tin. I wonder what’s inside?”

“I’m going to kill my sisters.” But her laughter joined his, and when he poured the contents into his open palm, the colourful packets like a rainbow, she tossed him a dirty grin.

When she pulled off the road and headed down a gravel path toward who knew where, Finn sent up a thank-you to the heavens.

“Tell me you have some ulterior motive in taking me for a ride.”

She pulled the truck to a stop on a narrow path hidden between tall trees. “You think you can handle that missionary stuff in the back of the truck?”

He met her at the tailgate in under three seconds.

* * *

She hoped this wasn’t going against everything the doctor had warned Finn about, but they were both too eager to wait.

He took the blanket she’d grabbed from the back cab and, with one firm snap, spread it out in the truck bed. Then he caught hold of her and pulled them together, lips meeting eagerly, hands moving freely as they gave in to desire.

He got her jeans undone, pushing them and her panties off her hips seconds before he lifted her to the surface of the open tailgate.

Hands on either side of her legs, Finn leaned in. “Hold on tight. I’m about to take you to church.”

Which meant it wouldn’t be long before she started singing with the choir. The thought made her giggle, the sound turning into a moan as Finn opened her knees and pressed a kiss to her inner thigh. Another one, higher, hands stroking in advance of his mouth until his thumbs teased against her core.

Soft, slow strokes that ignited her senses and built a spiral of need deep within her.

The warmth in her heart was rock-solid—the connection to this caring, giving man had grown steadily over the past couple of months. It seemed a mere whisper of time but was compounded by their earlier summer and all the moments over the past five years when she’d thought of him. Hoped for him.

Wished for him to be with her—and now it was real.

A nip against her thigh made her gasp.

He leaned over her. “Someone’s daydreaming.”

Her fingers drifted through his hair. Stroked the crest of his cheekbone. “Dreaming about you. Always about you,” she confessed.

He twisted his head to drop a kiss on her fingers. “I love you, ma chérie.”

Her heart welled with happiness. “I know.”

The usually stoic and quiet man who owned her heart laughed so loud his joy echoed off the trees around them.

Then he put his energy back between her legs. Teasing and touching until the spiral inside her tightened then uncoiled in a rush. Pleasure streaked from her core outward as he climbed over her, his jeans pushed aside, a colourful condom wrapper abandoned beside them.

He crawled between her thighs, and the broad head of his cock nudged against her sex.

He paused, notched against her, powerful arms holding their torsos apart as he hovered over her. Staring into her eyes and letting her see everything in him. “You’re mine.”

“Always.” Forever echoed in her head as he slid deeper. Impossibly slow. Wicked sensations built between them as he touched her perfectly.

The blue sky ranged above them, tall trees waving slightly in the wind. The scent of summertime and the hazy heat coming off the asphalt mixed into a symphony of countryside experiences.

As Finn drew his hips back, cock teasing over sensitive skin, Karen breathed out, “Home.”

The corners of his lips curled, and he pressed in faster. Harder on the next thrust, catching hold of her hip and changing the angle to drive deeper still.

Each time the word echoed in her mind and from her lips. This was coming home.

He was her home.

The pulses sped up, and she reached around him, fingernails digging into the soft fabric of his flannel shirt. The rough scratch of his jeans played against her inner thighs, and where they connected, it was heat and fire and perfection.

“Finn.” She lifted her legs around his hips, digging her heels into his ass as he made a final thrust and threw his head back, calling her name to the sky.

Then he was kissing her. Nuzzling his lips along her neck. Pressing sweet endearments against her mouth. Lowering his torso over hers until she felt him along every inch.

Over her and in her. A part of her forever.

“I like my present so far,” Finn told her as he licked her earlobe delicately. “We might need to stop a couple more times along the way to make sure, though.”

Happiness welled. “You goof. We’ll never get home.”

Joy lit his face. “From what you just said, we’re already there.”

Now that Finn was a hundred percent mobile, Karen never knew when he would show up, eager for her. Eager to be together. Delight danced every time she stole away with him—something far beyond what she’d felt that long ago summer during their fling.

This wasn’t a temporary thing, and the mere idea of that sparked a massive amount of joy.

As the week moved forward, work fell into a smooth routine. The guys barreled ahead on the construction parts of the ranch while Karen concentrated on staffing.

They still took time to spend with their friends and family. Finn insisted on it, which Karen appreciated because it would’ve been too easy to go overboard striving to meet the deadline.

She did her own share of wrangling to make sure everyone important in Finn’s life was included. Like the day when Finn’s phone rang while he and Karen had stopped for lunch.

Duncan ended up on speakerphone.

They chatted with him the entire meal. Duncan caught Karen up on the latest and greatest innovations in trucking. Told them all about the online games he played in the evening with friends from around the world.

“Right now I’m doing a run from Toronto to Detroit, but I asked to get moved to a more western route,” he told them. “If it happens, I hope you don’t mind me dropping by more often.”

The expression on Finn’s face was worth the effort it had taken to track down his brother.

“You’re always welcome,” Finn assured Duncan. The words came out a little rough.

After Duncan hung up, Finn came around the table and scooped Karen into his arms, squeezing her tight. “Mischief-maker. You did something, didn’t you?”

No use in pretending. “I got hold of Levi. I wanted Chelsea’s number to update my birthday calendar with the kids’ information. He was really excited to talk to me and instantly invited us to come out for Christmas. I told him we weren’t sure of our plans this year, but we would definitely find a way to get together at some point.”

He nodded slowly. “I think I’d be okay to go visit them. They’re making the ranch theirs and filling it with new memories. It might be good to see that in person.”

She agreed. “And I called Duncan. Didn’t bring up any specific topic but let him know we’ve got lots of nice, quiet places around here, and we’d love to see him. Anytime. It seemed to be all he needed.”

Finn kissed her then, and what with one thing and another, they didn’t get back to their work list for over an hour.

Zach wore a constant smirk any time he came around. Which Karen figured they probably deserved.

The only bad part hanging over their heads was the deadline. Construction progressed at its own pace. If they wanted to hire quality people for permanent positions in and around the ranch, that required giving them time to organize their lives.

Karen muttered her frustration at Finn as they stood side by side in the little cottage kitchen, washing dishes after dinner. “I know exactly who I want to hire as a house mom, but until we have a place for her to stay, there’s no use in getting her to start work. All she needs is two weeks’ notice, though, and she’s willing to join us.”

“This is the hard part that always comes into play with Bruce’s challenges,” Finn told her. “If it was just us, we can turn on a dime. Tossing other people into the mix makes it tougher. We’ll figure it out,” he promised. “Tonight, don’t worry about it. You enjoy your outing with your girls, you hear me?”

Warmth scooped into her belly again.

What a difference a month had made. Barely thirty days ago, she’d skipped out on her friends and been moping around the house, confused about her future and where to go to find happiness.

Impulsively, she wrapped Finn up in a hug, wet hands from the dishwater pressed against his back. “You remember that day I told you I felt all gloomy inside and didn’t know why?”

He held her tight. “That night is etched in my memory.”

She bumped her nose against his. “I don’t feel like that anymore,” she assured him. “Thank you for being a good listener and for giving me some pretty damn good advice.”

“You’re welcome. Now get your ass in gear. Your sisters will beat us to the barn if we don’t get a move on.”

He was partially right. Kelli was already there, carefully coaching Tansy, Rose, and Brooke in the fine art of patting a horse’s nose. Hanna was the only one of their friends not joining in. Brad had stolen her away for a birthday weekend in the mountains.

Kelli spotted Karen first. “Getting our greenhorns warmed up,” she informed them. “Your sisters are about ten minutes out.”

“Perfect. Now we need a few more horses, a bit of moonlight, and a touch of magic, and we’ll be ready to go.” Karen twisted to go finish preparing the horses and spotted Finn already coordinating the task with some of the hands. Zach showed up as well, chatting easily with her friends, his handsome face lit up with his usual smile.

As Lisa, Julia, and Tamara joined them, it was clear the one thing Karen already had in her life was magic.

22

With Starlight nickering happily under her, Karen led her friends into the fading light. Twilight fell as the animals moved at a steady gait along the wide access trail toward their first destination.

Her sisters were competent riders, and she’d made sure to give the less experienced friends bombproof horses. With Kelli bringing up the rear, Karen was confident they’d have no problems on the trail.

Julia nudged her horse forward enough to be able to chat easily at Karen’s side.

“I’ve missed this,” Julia confessed. “I mean, I like being a paramedic, but after growing up constantly around horses, not having access twenty-four seven kind of sucks.”

Karen knew exactly what she was talking about. “You’re welcome to come over any time you need a fix.”

Julia nodded. Sitting easily in the saddle, she stared at the mountains looming over them. “I’ll take you up on that offer, as long as I get to ride with you at least some of the time.” Her smile was a little cheeky. “I do want to get to know my sisters, not just take advantage of their awesome access to horseback riding.”

It had been a good thing, getting to know Julia better. “You fit in with us,” Karen assured her. “I hope you’ve been enjoying yourself and not feeling too overwhelmed.”

“It’s been okay,” Julia assured her. “Except for the learning how to deal with diapers. I could’ve done without that part. So gross.”

Karen laughed. “Are you sure you’re a paramedic? I thought that meant you had an iron stomach.”

“Blood and guts? No problem. Toxic baby poop? That stuff requires an entire hazmat training level I haven’t aspired to yet.”

They rode on the gentle trail for about forty-five minutes before reaching the lookout spot Karen had found. With the fire pit ready to be lit and the stash of supplies for s’mores and thermoses of hot chocolate in her saddlebags, her girl gang gathered around.

Soon they were all happily roasting marshmallows as they waited for moonrise. The conversation went in a dozen different directions at one time, chatter looping and overlapping in a way that only made sense in a close-knit community.

Karen sat in the middle and soaked it all in.

“No, I’m not going on another date with him,” Rose repeated in response to Tansy’s teasing. “Zach was nice enough, but I’m not looking for a steady boyfriend. I told you I wanted to dance, and he delivered. That doesn’t mean I have to see him anymore.”

“Wait. That’s right. I had a question about this,” Brooke spoke up. She reached back and tightened her dark ponytail before turning an inquisitive gaze on Rose. “I was totally shocked when I saw you with Zach at Hanna’s wedding. I thought you were dating Alex, the ranch hand from Silver Stone and volunteer firefighter. You know, another tall, dark, sexy dude.”

“I did. For a while. We had fun, but we’re just friends. We didn’t want to get serious.”

“Heaven forbid you get serious,” Tansy muttered.

Rose glared at her sister. “Don’t you go making any comments about my sex life.”

A chorus of snickers went around the campfire.

Brooke deliberately placed another marshmallow on her stick, grinning as she held it toward the fire. “Didn’t hear anybody mention sex until you brought it up.”

“It’s Tansy’s fault.” Rose said through her teeth.

A slow chin dip from Brooke, along with another sly smile. “Probably. Usually is.”

“Hey,” Tansy protested.

Which brought another round of laughter from the collected group. Ties were being built; friendships strengthened.

“Speaking of sexy…” Tamara leaned toward Brooke. “How’s that firefighter of yours these days?”

“We’re good. Slow and steady, but that’s fine. I was thinking—”

Julia shot to her feet, hand pointed toward the east. “Sorry, Brooke. What’s that?”

The group quieted as they peered in the direction of Julia’s pointed finger. The moon had risen, the full circle overhead shining like a spotlight toward the meadow between them and Red Boot ranch.

By ones and twos, wild horses slipped out of the trees toward the broad expanse of river. Silver sparkled on the water’s surface as the herd of a dozen and a half made their way through the meadow.

“There’s the stallion, far left at the lead,” Karen said. “What a beauty.”

“He’s huge,” Rose said. “Is he dangerous?”

“If you got directly in his path, possibly. Otherwise, I’d prefer to face him over a cougar,” Kelli said quietly.

The herd wasn’t going anywhere at any great speed, so the group of women stood in silence, admiring the animals as they grazed across the meadow to the water’s edge.

That’s when Karen saw her. The mare with the off-kilter gait. The one whose foal she had rescued.

Instinctively, she caught Lisa’s fingers and squeezed, her throat tight with emotion.

Lisa made eye contact. “You okay?”

Nodding gave her a moment to pull herself together. “I just spotted Moonbeam’s mom.”

Lisa wrapped an arm around her, comfort in the touch. “She made it. I’m glad.”

Lightness rushed through Karen’s body, washing away the final bit of sadness that had been nestled against her core in spite of all the good things that had happened. She leaned her head on her sister’s shoulder. “I was so tangled up at having to leave her there.”

The arm around her waist tightened. “Oh, sweetie, I get it. Just because you knew it was the right thing to do, that didn’t make it any easier.”

That magic Karen had thought about earlier—it was out in full force right now. Seeing the wild horses in their element filled her soul with a peacefulness and beauty that couldn’t be defined.

The stallion jerked alert, pawing at the ground and shaking his mane before letting out a shrill call.

“What’s going on?” Rose asked. “He sounds upset.”

“I’d say he was serenading some new ladies, but that shouldn’t be possible.” Karen moved to the side to get a better look at the overall area.

Julia swore softly, pointing in a new direction. “Unless someone left the barn door open after we left.”

Karen dug in her saddlebag and grabbed a set of binoculars. With only moonlight shining down, it was hard to pick out the individual animals as they crossed the field toward the river, but some of them were familiar beasts she’d brought from Whiskey Creek. She’d recognize them their movements anywhere.

And then—

“Son of a bitch.”

Literally. Someone was down there, standing beside a gate that wasn’t supposed to be open.

She pressed the binoculars against Lisa’s chest then dug in her pocket for her phone. “Give me a second.”

“Those horses aren’t supposed to be there, are they?” Tansy straightened. “What do you need us to do?”

Karen lifted a finger in the air. “Finn? We’ve got trouble. Someone just let out a bunch of our mares. They’re headed straight toward the wild stallion.”

* * *

It had been a perfectly laid-back evening. Finn and the guys had pulled out a card table and a deck of cards with a plan to play once they finished shooting the breeze. They’d hauled in Cody as their fourth, and the man turned out to be a great addition. Easy going, entertaining.

An hour and a half after the girls had taken off, they still hadn’t dealt the first hand.

It felt good, though, to catch up. Not just a what the hell do we need to get done next? type of conversation, but relaxed. No agenda. Guys who truly enjoyed each other’s company.

The only thing missing was a good glass of scotch, which Finn planned to enjoy once Karen returned.

“Every time they have a girls’ night out, we should get together.” Josiah leaned his chair back far enough he was nearly horizontal, boots propped up on a hay bale.

Cody lifted his beer in the air in agreement. “You’ve got my vote.”

“Boys’ night in,” Zach suggested.

“What is it with you and this irresistible urge to name things?” Finn asked his friend. “Can you not find your way to a place unless you label it? Somewhere down the road, you’ll have a house called Green Gables, and I will gag every time I visit.”

“You’re just jealous because—” Zach paused as Finn’s phone went off. “You’re just jealous. That’s all.”

“A superior naming ability is a highly sought-after skill,” Josiah offered.

“Everybody shut up for a minute,” Finn ordered so he could hear Karen. “Say that again.”

“Somebody’s got at least eight of our horses out in the far west field. This isn’t the animals breaking away from the rest of the herd and wandering off. I see a person as well, waving their arms and shouting to get the horses to head outside our fences.”

“Shit.”

Three sets of eyes were on him now, all amusement vanished as everyone went on alert, probably freaking out that something had gone wrong with the girls.

Karen continued, “In a stroke of bad luck, the wild stallion is in the area.” Even as Finn swore, she moved to reassure him, confidence in her tone. “Yeah, that’s what I said. Don’t worry, we’re close enough to head down and make sure he doesn’t grab our girls. But you need to go deal with the jerk who let them out in the first place. Bastard’s got some explaining to do.”

“Don’t take any chances,” he ordered.

“We’ll be careful. You watch out—that person isn’t where they should be. Who knows what they’re up to or if they’re alone.”

That issue hadn’t even occurred to him.

The instant she hung up, Finn headed toward where he and Zach stabled their horses. “Someone is trespassing and stealing our horses. Is it still called horse thievery if you’re shoving them toward the wilderness instead of the back of a trailer?”

Cody started getting his horse saddled in double-quick time. “If it’s one of our crew, I swear I’ll skin the bastard.”

“You’ll have to get in line. Sounds as if Karen is ready to do that with her bare teeth.” Finn told them what little she’d shared before looking at his best friend. “If I remember correctly, there are two ways to get to that field.”

Zach tightened the cinch on his horse. “You want me and Cody to come in along the north fence line?”

He considered the route, even as he placed the bridle over Mywaye’s head. “Josiah goes with Cody. You and I will approach from the south. If by some chance the guy tries to escape straight east, we’ll have security waiting.”

“I’ll give the guards a shout as soon as we’re riding,” Cody promised.

“Are the girls okay?” Josiah asked. He sounded more concerned than expected. “I mean, this was supposed to be a fun moonlight ride, not a roundup.”

Finn thought over the list of women who had headed out that evening. “They’ve got three newbies but also five highly-skilled horsewomen. They can handle it.”

It seemed to take forever, but he knew they were out of the barn faster than usual. He led Zach to the same path he and Karen had walked only days before. They moved cautiously, but the sense of urgency was there. And it wasn’t about the horses, and it wasn’t even about whatever the hell was going on at the ranch.

It was about making sure Karen was safe.

Hoofbeats rang loudly against the hard-packed dirt.

* * *

The instant Karen got off the phone with Finn, she started handing out orders. “Finn’s taking care of our mystery man. We need to make sure Thor doesn’t take off with our mares. Tamara, are you good to stay here with Tansy and Rose and make sure everything’s dealt with?”

Tamara nodded. “We can head back to the ranch the same way we came once the fire’s out. You’ve got the trail well marked. I’m okay if we go slowly.”

“Someone will come back to meet you as soon as possible,” Karen promised. She turned to her other sisters and Kelli. “We’ll deal with the herd.”

Three heads nodded, all of them moving toward their horses without any questions.

“What about me?” Brooke asked.

She’d been the most competent of the three inexperienced riders on the trip up, and Karen needed one more set of hands. “You okay coming with us? You’ll ride with me to the bottom of the hill and then work as a backup.”

“No problem.”

The smooth grace with which everyone responded made Karen proud.

Starlight had done the trail enough times that he moved confidently even in the darkness. It gave time for Karen to talk to Brooke about what her task would be.

Once they hit the bottom of the hill, Karen helped Brooke to the ground then directed Lisa and Kelli to the trail leading north. “Julia and I will go south for ten minutes then head toward the river. I’m hoping with the fuss over by Red Boot ranch, the stallion won’t be interested in moving in that direction. He’ll wait for the mares to come to him. We should be able to cut them off before they join his herd.”

Brooke held up her phone. “And if the wildies head in this direction, I set off my alarm so they don’t take the trail up past the fire pit and spook the rest of our group.”

“Just don’t set the alarm off unless you have to, because none of the horses are going to like that sound.”

The five of them headed in different directions. Karen was amazed at how quickly the group had gone from laughing and joking to dead serious and a competent team.

But then again, she’d worked with some of these women most of her life. She knew what they were capable of.

Maybe that was part of what had called her to Heart Falls. Called her to make this home, because even in the midst of not knowing what the hell was going on, it seemed she was in the right place and with the right people.

As she and Julia moved quietly along the trail, Karen took the time to loosen the straps holding her shotgun in place.

Julia noticed. “You think that’s necessary?”

“Hope not, but I don’t want to have to scramble if I need it.”

“Understood.”

They rode across a new section of land, the low brush backlit with moonlight that turned the edges of green leaves into shimmering silver where the dew had begun to gather. It was beautiful and surreal considering they were currently sneaking up on a herd of wild horses.

The murmur of the water grew louder as they moved in.

“How deep is the river here?” Julia asked quietly enough to not carry farther than Karen’s ears.

“We can ford it if we have to.” Karen strained to make out details as the moon played peekaboo behind clouds. She lifted a hand. “The stallion.”

“Your herd.” Julia pointed farther to the east. “That’s good. They haven’t moved very much. They’re still close to the fence line.”

“Your eyes are better than mine,” Karen said, hauling out her binoculars to check.

She’d just got them in view when the quick crack of a gunshot went off. Instantly, the mares panicked, turning to run. They left behind the fence and headed toward where Julia and Karen stood on the far side of the water.

“It’s that idiot again,” Karen said even as she urged Starlight forward. “Come on. Let’s stop them before they hit the river.”

Water sprayed upward as she and Julia ran their horses across the shallows then up and across the land toward the panicked mares. To the east, the fence line was clear except where a batch of trees blocked her sight line.

There was no sign of the shooter. After checking to be sure they were far enough away to not be a target without a person visibly moving toward them, Karen concentrated on the horses.

Julia pivoted to the left, Karen to the right. The mares instinctively moved together, slowing their motion and circling back toward the familiarity of their new home.

Another circle, and the horses slowed again, heads and ears twitching as they tried to figure out what to do next.

Across the river, Kelli and Lisa eased toward the wild herd to push them back toward government land and the wilderness where they belonged.

* * *

Finn and Zach left their horses in the shelter of the trees and made their way to the fence line, sneaking up on the man who just stood there, shouting every now and then at the horses who weren’t doing what he wanted.

“Tackle him?” Zach murmured softly.

“Take him down.”

Then the bastard pulled out a gun and shot into the sky, and everything went sideways. Zach grabbed Finn, hauled him to the ground, and settled into one of the low-lying dips not even thirty feet from where the man stood.

They both lay motionless, expecting to be discovered at any moment. When nothing happened, Finn cautiously poked his head up to discover the man still had his back toward them, staring at the horses.

Zach took a peek as well, and when he laid back down, his friend pointed toward the mountains. “Horses to the west,” he whispered. “And the girls.”

Ice-cold terror ran through Finn’s veins. “How close?”

“Far enough for now.” Zach tilted his head toward the man. “Rush him?”

It was agony to lie there, making a plan instead of getting it done. “Can he shoot the girls?”

Zach shook his head. “Too far. Not even a lucky shot.”

Then that was the answer. “We wait. He moves, we move. He shoots, we move.”

His friend dipped his chin in agreement.

They sat in silence. One minute. Two.

Time inched like slow-melting water down the side of an icicle.

* * *

Another crack went off, only this time the horses didn’t bolt. Just shuddered as if they really wished Julia and Karen would make this night go away.

“What the hell is going on?” Julia asked. She glanced back toward the fence line. Pointing again. “Over there.”

It was the briefest moment where a single form was silhouetted by moonlight. A second man came running out of nowhere, tackling the first to the ground, while again gunshot echoed.

Karen glanced at the herd, but they were milling around Julia as if she were the holy grail. “Stay here,” Karen ordered before turning Starlight and heading at a run toward the batch of trees closest to the fence line.

“What the hell?” Julia’s voice faded in the distance.

Maybe this was a stupid move, but every instinct Karen had told her to do it. She put her head down and rode.

* * *

Finn hit the ground with a stranger under him, pain streaking along his weak right leg. Fists pounded against his ribs as the man attempted to throw him off.

Zach cursed in the background, a gasping sound, and Finn was distracted for just long enough that the man under him kicked him off. The stranger scrambled for the gun that had been knocked from his hands.

He lifted it, pointing directly at Finn’s midsection.

Goddamn it.

Finn slowly raised his hands in the air. “Careful.”

More curses sounded, but this time they were from the man in front of him. A familiar voice, completely unexpected.

Anger flared. “Brandon?”

His mentor’s son pushed back his hoodie and glared. “What the hell are you doing out here?”

“Talking to a piece of shit horse thief.” He turned his back on Brandon and hurried to see what was wrong with Zach. He knelt beside his friend. “You okay?”

Zach was on the ground, clutching his shoulder. “I dove the wrong direction,” he said, his voice shaky. “Fuck.”

Finn moved Zach’s torn jacket aside to see enough to infuriate him. The shot hadn’t gone through his friend, but it was a bad enough graze it probably hurt like hell.

He put Zach’s hand back over the wound and pushed down hard. “Pressure. We’ll get someone to fix you up right away.”

He pulled out his phone to call Josiah while Brandon kept shouting random bullshit in the background.

Rising to his feet, Finn snapped at Brandon, “Shut up, right now. I don’t know what the hell’s going on, but we’ll figure it out after Zach’s been fixed up. Put that damn gun on the ground and get your ass over here.”

Brandon just stood there, hand shaking, gun still pointed in Finn’s direction. “Did I shoot him? I didn’t mean to shoot him.”

He was on the edge of tears, definitely not coherent.

“You don’t pull out a gun and point it at a person unless you intend to shoot them.” Finn roared the words. “Put the damn gun down now.”

Nothing changed. If anything, the gun wiggled even more.

“I didn’t mean it,” Brandon cried again. “It was an accident.”

Hell. Finn raised a hand, trying to calm the man, but it was no use. Brandon grew more hysterical, the shotgun waving in the air with zero finesse as he shouted accident over and over.

“Of course, it was an accident. He’s fine,” Finn said loudly, trying to break through the panic.

“It’s your fault, you know.” Brandon raised his gaze to Finn, and the damn gun rose again.

In spite of the man being an absolute chickenshit, at that moment Finn was convinced he was about to be shot anyway. When a loud crack rang out, he even flinched, waiting for pain to rip through his body.

Instead, Brandon screamed. He fell to the ground and clutched his lower leg.

All the breath whooshed out of Finn.

He glanced at Zach.

His friend shook his head, pointing toward the river. “I’ll be damned.”

Out from the nearby cluster of trees, Karen Coleman stepped cautiously toward them, a rifle in her hand and a steely look in her eyes as she made her way forward.

Finn met her at the fence line, stopping en route to remove the gun from Brandon’s proximity.

“Good shot,” he told her.

She raised a brow and answered without a trace of irony. “He looked like he needed shooting.”

A comment which for some reason struck Finn as absolutely hysterical.

Behind him were two men in need of medical help, but in front of him was the woman he loved, who had been willing, and able, to put a bullet in someone for his sake.

He brought her over the fence and into his arms.

23

The next hours passed in a blur, and Finn’s hand in hers was the only thing that kept Karen centered.

It wasn’t even the shock of having shot a man. There had been a gun pointed at Finn, and Brandon’s obviously increasing stress had made that move a given.

It was everything else. The interrupted trail ride, chasing down the wildies. Finding out Zach had been shot—

Thankfully, it was only a surface wound. It had only taken a couple minutes for Julia to bandage him up. “You’ll have a nice scar, but it shouldn’t affect your range of motion.”

She took care of Brandon’s calf wound as well, and the EMT had been perhaps not quite as gentle in her caregiving as Karen had seen her with other patients.

Now Brandon sat on a chair in Cody’s office, being watched closely by their foreman as they waited the arrival of yet another visitor.

Another visitor who wasn’t the RCMP, which added more confusion on top of the rest of it.

“You sure we don’t have to call the police?” Not that Karen wanted a record or any of the rest of it, but contacting the authorities just seemed the thing to do after shooting a man.

Well, technically two men, since Brandon had shot Zach as well.

“Alan said not to, and considering who did what to whom, we’ll just wait until we hear what he has to say for right now.” Finn pressed a kiss to her temple and poured more tea in her cup. “Relax.”

It wasn’t as if everybody knew, either. Right now, Julia, Zach, and Finn knew she’d taken the shot. The rest of them assumed Brandon had been injured with his own gun during the wrestling match. Finn had not gone out of his way to correct the assumption.

Karen’s friends and family had gone home after everyone had returned from the wilderness and the mares had been led back to the barn.

Now she, Finn, and Zach waited in her living room for their bigshot lawyer to arrive.

“You know this is weird, right?” Karen told the two of them pointedly. “Most people don’t have this kind of relationship with a lawyer.”

“You mean the type where the man hops on a private plane in the middle of the night to come deal with dicey situations?” Zach lifted his glass in the air, the bandage on his shoulder pushing against the fabric of his T-shirt. “Welcome to the family.”

“I should be drinking what you’re having and not this tea,” Karen muttered.

Finn offered his glass. “All yours if you want.”

“I need my head about me in case this lawyer of yours expects me to be coherent.” She stole a sip before she handed the glass back, though.

Once the burn of liquor faded, she cuddled up against him. The room went slightly hazy as her eyes drooped. Finn and Zach continued to talk softly while the fire crackled in the stove.

She must’ve fallen asleep, dropping after the adrenaline rush, because the next thing she knew, there was light on the horizon and someone rattling around in the kitchen.

She was still on the couch and in Finn’s arms, which struck her as pretty much perfect.

Karen glanced up to find him gazing at her contentedly. “Hey.”

He bumped their noses together. “Hey. Want to go get freshened up? Alan’s about two minutes out. He’ll talk to Brandon first, then we’ll get this dealt with so we can move on. Okay?”

Which is how half an hour later she ended up at her kitchen table with a stranger in a five-thousand-dollar suit to her right and the man she’d shot directly across from her.

There had to be a better way to phrase that. Because really, she’d only shot him a little.

Alan’s expression screamed disapproval as he stared at Brandon before focusing his attention on Zach and Finn. “Here’s what it comes down to. Brandon’s been trying to sabotage your plans to be operational in time to win the challenge.”

Zach mock gasped. “Colour me shocked. Brandon? Deceitful and underhanded?”

The lawyer continued. “He paid someone else for the first while, and then when you increased security and his hired help ran, he decided he had to come out and mess with you himself.”

“You rat bastard,” Zach said softly, his amusement vanishing. “You had someone light the fire and steal supplies, didn’t you?”

Brandon stared at the floor.

Alan spoke firmly. “He also personally booby-trapped the building that fell in on Finn.”

The entire situation had been unreal, but that comment broke through her incredulousness. Karen’s palms hit the table. “What? What did you just say?”

“It was only supposed to make you fail the challenge so I could get what I deserved.” There was zero trace of repentance in Brandon’s voice.

The numbness inside flared to fury. Karen found herself on her feet, staring at the man who’d caused Finn so much pain. “I should have shot you three feet higher. You might have killed Finn.”

“It was supposed to collapse when no one was around,” Brandon insisted. “It was an accident.”

“Just like you accidentally shot Zach?” The fury inside her wasn’t healthy. “We’re pressing charges.”

“Wait, you can’t do that. You deliberately shot me,” Brandon whined, his gaze darting around the room as if hoping someone would take his side. “You’ll be charged too.”

She leaned in, staring into his frightened eyes.

This asshole had caused Finn to be hurt, and while the man she loved had recovered, he’d suffered needlessly.

She was beyond pissed.

Every bit of the protective anger roiling through her rang out as she snapped her response. “Bring it. No jury on earth would convict me.”

Finn caught her fingers in his, tugging her into his lap. “Let’s hear what Alan has to say.”

His grip was less of a restraint and more a claiming. Holding himself in a circle around her, yet allowing her power to remain visible—and she had to be vibrating at the moment. She was ready to reach over and pull Brandon’s head from his shoulders with her bare hands.

Finn’s arms were possessive in a way that made it clear he was proud to have her there with him.

That they were together.

Alan straightened, dipping his chin toward her and Finn before returning his attention to the bastard on the far side of the table.

“Obviously, there will be consequences. But when we spoke privately a few minutes ago, Brandon agreed that he will not press charges for the incident that caused him to be accidentally injured if you will not get the police involved regarding his actions, including horse thievery and sabotage.”

Finn stroked his hand over her thigh, soothing her. It took everything in her to not shout at Brandon a little longer.

What she did manage was a fairly reasonable tone as she directed a question at the lawyer. “And those consequences you mentioned?”

Because hiding the body was on her list.

Alan met her gaze. “Brandon will get a very small monthly stipend from his father’s estate under the condition that he never contact any of you again. If he breaks that rule, or interferes in your lives in anyway, he will lose all future income and at that time will be charged with every crime we can lay at his feet, which I promise will involve jail time.”

Zach cleared his throat, his expression not so cool and collected as she’d come to expect from the man. He was as pissed as she was. “So he gets a reward for having tried to ruin us.”

“There are reasons,” Alan said blandly.

At that comment, Finn straightened slightly. He leaned forward to whisper in her ear. “That means we’ll get the real story soon. Stop sharpening your knives—I think Alan has a plan in our favour.”

Karen glanced at Zach. The man had leaned back in his chair and was now eyeing Brandon as if he were an interesting bug on a pin. No more fury. As if the strong prairie wind outside had wiped it clean.

“We need your approval before this is a done deal.” Alan met her gaze straight on. “Are you willing to trust me?”

Clearly Finn and Zach did, so as hard as it was to let her urge for more punishment go, she nodded.

“I’d suggest Mr. Travers avoid accidentally crossing paths with us. I’m sure your justice would be thorough.” She stared the man in his pasty white face and let her anger shine bright. “Mine would be quick.”

“Bloodthirsty woman,” Finn whispered again. He tightened the arm around her waist and eased back enough to let the heat of his body wrap around her.

“I’ll be back.” Alan escorted a limping Brandon to the door. Zach rose to his feet to accompany them.

The instant they left the room, Finn had her turned, hand controlling her nape as he stared into her eyes with amusement. “You are one seriously sexy hellion. I’m tempted to haul you into the bedroom right now and fuck you boneless.”

“He hurt you,” Karen said firmly. “He deserves to suffer.”

“Hmmm, there we go again. Bloodthirsty looks good on you.” Finn covered her mouth with his own before she could laugh, and then fire and heat rushed them.

Bedroom? If she didn’t know they’d have returning company in a few minutes, she’d have taken him right there in the kitchen.

The kiss would have to be enough for now. Possessive and wildly intimate, he stroked his tongue along hers and set her nerve endings tingling. She thrust her fingers into his hair and pressed their torsos together.

“Jeez, guys. Give me a break.” Zach said as he came back in, amusement in his teasing tone. “I’d tell you to get a room, but Alan is just sending off the Asshole Achievement Winner of the Decade and then he’ll be back.”

Finn separated them slowly. “We will finish this. Soon.”

“Definitely,” Karen agreed before sliding off his lap and retaking her own chair. Without a blush, she met Zach’s laughing eyes. What burned between her and Finn was undeniable. “So. This whole ‘operating outside the law’ is part and parcel for you guys?”

Finn shook his head even as he pulled her chair closer to tangle their fingers together more easily. As if willing to give her some distance, but only so much. “Usually we’re very legal-minded. Alan, you’ve got some explaining to do.” He turned to the door as Alan returned to the kitchen.

Lawyer man leaned back on the counter and folded his arms over his chest in a surprisingly relaxed pose considering everything that had just happened. He looked the three of them over before nodding firmly. “I suppose I do. And then we need to talk about you, young lady.”

His gaze settled on her.

Yeah. That’s what Karen had figured. At some point, the shit had to hit the fan.

Only Finn was smiling, and Zach’s eyes had widened, and the tension seemed to fade from everyone else, only to pool in her toes.

She lifted her chin and braced.

* * *

It had never been boring. The time spent with Bruce and the ensuing years of lessons had meant Finn was kept on his toes, but this night had been one bizarre twist after the other.

Still, when he glanced at Zach, his best friend waited patiently, a broad smile on his face and absolute chill in his body language. No concern from that quarter.

Of course, the man was hell at the poker table…

Taking charge of the room as if it were his office, Alan got their attention then dove in.

“I’ll put you out of your misery quickly and get this list out of the way. First, the challenge is off. You no longer have to have the ranch up and running by Thanksgiving, although I still plan to bring my family out to be your first guests, whenever you feel is a reasonable time-frame to open.” Alan held up a hand to stop Zach’s sputtering. “Whether you want to go double time or not is up to you. At this point, you’ve already satisfied the conditions of Bruce’s challenge. If I may?”

He pulled a long envelope out of his pocket and handed it to Karen. “Would you read this, please?”

She looked spooked, and rightly so considering Alan’s earlier pointed comment about her, but she went ahead. Glancing over the words quickly before reading in a clear, firm voice.

“Once again, I can picture you boys, and the thought makes me smile. Of course, right now you’re probably cursing me a little, but you’ll see reason in a minute.

I wrote up three letters this time, but I bet you’re reading this one. The second was a letter congratulating you on completing the challenge (I know you could do it if you had to). The third was commiserating that you hadn’t, and to be honest, I didn’t put any effort into that note because it was a one in a hundred chance that you’d fail.

Does it make it easier if I say this challenge wasn’t for you?

I know my son. After all the chances I gave him, he’s probably been making your life hell since I died, demanding “what he deserves.” Which is a swift kick in the pants, but at this point he’s made his choices and it’s hard to change when he doesn’t think there’s a need.

Now that he’s got steady money on the line, he should leave you alone. If he doesn’t, he loses that portion of his easy life. I hope he’ll make the smart decision this go-round.

Alan will tell you the rest of the details, but know that I’m proud of you. I’m counting on you to use your inheritance to build up your community, not just enjoy the easy life.

Raise a glass for me, boys. You’re my arrows shot into the future. Make them count.”

Karen folded the paper back up slowly. “The challenge wasn’t for Finn and Zach. It was for…Brandon?”

Alan nodded as he took back the envelope. “That’s why I brought him here when we started. He knew exactly what was going on and what you were dealing with. If he’d left you alone and you’d succeeded, he would have gotten a settlement as well, but twice as big. Now, he should be out of your hair, and mine, hopefully forever.” Alan made a face as he met Finn’s gaze. “I’m sorry about the accident, though, and that stupid incident with the gun. Totally out of character for the man.”

“It was an accident,” Finn acknowledged, hoping to keep Karen from flaring into protective mode again. “I agree. Brandon was not his usual wishy-washy self. No way you could have known, and frankly, if we go forward without ever having to see him again, I’m good with it.”

Zach leaned forward. “To clarify—the challenge was to see if Brandon would be an inferring asshole. He was, and we have proof, so the deadline is over.”

“Correct.”

Zach shook his head. “Wild.”

“Next detail,” Alan continued. “You will find that your holdings have now doubled as the side funds drop into the corporate accounts.”

Holy hell. Finn and Zach gaped at each other. “That part is real?”

Alan nodded. “Now that we’re fairly certain Brandon will never be an issue, Bruce felt it appropriate to expand your control.”

Karen looked confused, so Finn went for the simplest explanation. “The corporation has different branches. Bruce just added one we didn’t know about, which increases the value by a lot.”

“Wow. Okay.”

“We’ll go over that in more detail later.” Alan’s attention turned fully on Karen. “I haven’t had the pleasure of a formal introduction.”

Alan’s comment made her blink. Finn cleared his throat. “Karen, this is Alan, our touchstone in the world of mysterious finance and all things from beyond the grave. Alan, this is Karen Coleman.”

She held out her hand.

Alan shook it briefly then dipped his chin. “So. You’re here, listening to this entire conversation, which I assume means you’re involved in more than simply shooting Brandon. Thank you for that, by the way. I’ve had dreams about shooting the bastard myself.”

Karen’s lips twitched. “You’re welcome?”

The expression in Alan’s eyes warned Finn a split second too late to leap in.

“Karen. What are your intentions regarding Finn?”

For fuck’s sake.

She opened and shut her mouth a couple of times before narrowing her gaze. “Don’t know how that’s any of your business.”

“Humour me. Would you say you’re in a long-term relationship with Mr. Marlette?”

Finn eased forward in his chair. “In the interest of not scaring my woman off just when we’ve made some progress, yes, we’re together. Get on with it.”

Alan grinned as he reached into his pocket. “Good thing I came prepared.”

He held another white envelope toward Karen

She eyed it as if it were a snake. “Do I even want to know? Dead or not, this mentor of yours seems to enjoy meddling in people’s lives.”

“It’ll be okay. Take the envelope.” The reassurance came from Zach. All trace of his grin was gone, just a big-brotherly concern and comfort offered as he tilted his head toward the letter. “If it’s something terrible, Finn’s got your back. Which means I’ve got your back as well. Just like you had ours.”

He really was the best friend a man could have.

Finn waited in silence as Karen turned her gaze on him. Her mouth quirked. “Never a dull moment, buttercup.”

Her smile lasted until she unfolded the message and a slim slip of paper floated toward the floor. She caught it in midair and glanced at the face.

She froze, shock painting her features.

She blinked.

A second later she grabbed for the letter and lifted it, reading rapidly.

The three men sat in silence. Finn wasn’t sure if this would be the start of something wonderful or if she would grab her shotgun and use it on Alan.

Karen shook her head. “This doesn’t happen to people.”

“I assure you, Ms. Coleman, it’s real,” Alan said. “Do you have any questions?”

“Give me a minute.” She poked the letter at Finn. “What the hell?”

Bruce’s familiar script covered the page, the sight hitting Finn hard.

The message hit harder.

Sadly, I’m unable to greet you in person. I know you’re an amazing woman, though, because Finn would never get involved with anyone who wasn’t as smart, talented, and driven as himself.

Which isn’t always a good thing. That driven part. It means priorities sometimes get blurred. A good partner in a man’s life encourages him to take time to appreciate what’s important.

That doesn’t mean you get to ignore your dreams while convincing the stubborn ass to smell the roses. So this is yours. No guidelines, no expectations. If you leave tomorrow, this is still yours. Ironclad and irrevocable—Alan will make sure of that.

But I hope that you’ll stay, not only for Finn’s sake but your own. He’s a good man. I want the best for him, and since he picked you as a partner, that’s all the recommendation I need.

Welcome to the family,

Bruce

Finn barely finished reading when she laid the cheque across the letter.

He counted zeroes to make sure he wasn’t mistaken. That was a hell of a big number.

Karen’s breathing was slightly out of kilter. “What’s going on?”

It was impossible to sit two feet away from her when all he wanted was her in his arms. Finn gave in to temptation and scooped her back onto his lap, ignoring Zach’s chuckle and Alan’s outright laugh.

The fact she didn’t fight him said more about how unsettled she was than anything.

Finn stroked a hand up her back, petting and soothing even as happiness warmed inside him. His mentor’s blessing was a powerful thing, even postscript as it was.

He hurried to answer her question. “What’s going on is that it appears you have joined the ranks of Bruce’s select protégés. That comes with financial blessings. Congrats.”

She lifted a shaky finger to point at the cheque Zach was now examining. “That’s for a million dollars, Finn. I can’t take that. That’s…impossible.”

“Are you saying you don’t want it?” Alan eyed her sternly.

“I didn’t do anything for—” Karen screeched to a stop as she turned to Finn. “Do you need the money?”

“Nope,” he assured her. “Zach and I are good.”

Determination straightened her spine as Karen met Alan’s eyes. “I don’t want it. It’s not mine.”

“So you want me to give it to Brandon and—”

A very off-colour curse rang out before she clapped a hand over her mouth. She glared at Alan hard enough it should have lit his hair on fire. “You’d better be kidding.”

“Actually, I am.” Alan ducked to avoid the Kleenex box Zach launched at his head. “Just trying to lighten the mood. I mean, it’s only money. Give it away if you don’t want it.”

Her gaze narrowed. “Fine. Do your lawyer thing, then. We’ll give it to some charities.” Karen wrinkled her nose and turned to Finn. “The animal shelter that Lisa helped set up. It could probably use some money, right?”

“Yup.” Finn nodded.

She paused. “And the equine therapy school I was going to attend. They fund scholarships.”

The happiness inside was growing. “You can set up a few of those. Alan will help. There are ways to set them up where the income reinvests and keeps producing more money.”

A slow nod followed. Karen accepted the cheque back from Zach, shaking her head slightly as she stared at it again in disbelief. “Impossible.”

“You keep using that word. I don’t think it means what—” Finn found his mouth covered by her hand.

“Hush. You’re impossible.” She blew out a hard breath, as if trying to put out a candle all the way on the other side of the room. But when she raised her gaze to meet Alan’s, all confusion was gone. “Thank you. I don’t understand what’s going on, but I’ll accept this money and follow the advice Bruce gave the guys. We’ll use it to make our community better, although, God, I have no idea how to do this.”

Finn pressed his lips to her temple, holding her tightly in his arms where she belonged.

It wasn’t about the money they had in their pockets. It was about moving into the future side by side. Building a future right here in Heart Falls.

Her fingers around his tightened. Connected.

Together. Finally.

24

With the challenge deadline gone, Finn and Zach both insisted they needed to slow down and get their lives back on an even keel.

“I have a lot of brew-pub beer to try before I get my place up and running next year.” Zach eyed the still-incomplete interior of the ranch house they’d relocated to after Alan left. “I probably should pick one of the cabins and finish it before the snow flies so I can live in it comfortably this winter.”

“You’re not fixing this place up?” Karen asked.

Finn slid in beside her, one strong hand coming to rest on her hip as he twisted her toward the tall windows facing the west. “Zach suggested, and I agreed, that we figure out the remodel for this house. Since we’re staying in Heart Falls for good, we need a home where we can have family over without bumping into each other. What do you think?”

Another bit of information tossed on top of her already overloaded brain. Yet Finn’s grip was firm, but not controlling, and his question was sincere.

She took a deep breath. What would spark joy?

The mountains outside were brightening with the morning sun, late summer green mixing with the golden shades of grasses and crops. Karen pictured living there full time, enjoying the view as the changing seasons brought fall colours before snow would blanket the entire landscape in pristine white.

She turned toward Finn and then eyed Zach, thought of the laughter and discussions that would be held in the evenings by the massive fireplace. Imagined the floors not as plywood, but rich oak. The walls painted with sunlight and pictures of family and friends.

Rooms down the hall with space for family to visit…and children to grow up in.

Happiness welled. “I have so many questions right now, but that one I can answer. I would love to make this our home.”

Finn captured her fingers and lifted them to his mouth, kissing her knuckles.

“I’ll be back.” Zach was already marching out the door, hat firmly in place. “Need to talk to Cody and make some plans. See you guys at lunch.”

He winked before firmly shutting the door.

In front of her, Finn still held her hand trapped in his. “I thought he’d never leave.”

She chuckled. “He’s a good friend. I’m glad he wasn’t hurt any worse.”

“Me too. Now shut up about Zach.” Finn stroked his fingers along her jaw, finishing with his palm cradling her cheek. “I want to build a home with you, and I want it all.”

Her throat tightened. “Me too.”

“All of it. Every morning, every night. Fights and laughter, family and friends. Kittens in the house, colts in the barn, and children underfoot.”

Karen sucked in a breath. “Okay.”

He chuckled, leaning in to brush his lips over hers. “You willing to take my name as well?”

“Maybe.” She eased her arms around his hips, nestling against him. “You plan to ask? Because if I ask, you’d have to take my name, and there’s already a lot of Colemans in the world.”

Finn paused. “Wait a second.” He dipped, scooping up Dandelion Fluff. “No idea how you got over here, but fine…”

He nestled the kitten between them.

“Kittens in the house we’ve got covered,” Karen teased, her heart brimming with joy.

“Marry me, ma chérie. I’ll do everything I can to make you happy.”

She held on tight. “Yes, I’ll marry you, and you already do.”

The kiss was brief because the furry creature between them wiggled, seeking his freedom.

Before Finn moved away, Karen caught him by the arm. “I want a prenup, though.” Surprise flashed on his face as she hurried to explain. “Just in case there’s more beyond-the-grave mischief left by your mentor.”

Her solid, even-tempered man threw back his head and laughed loud enough the sound bounced off the walls of their future home. When he got it back under control, he kissed her tenderly, a grin on his lips. “Brilliant woman. Brilliant idea.”

Karen was still smiling from ear to ear that afternoon when they headed over to Silver Stone to catch up with her sisters and let them know the news.

She paused on the stoop outside the kitchen and peeked through the back window. Inside the house, people moved in an easy rhythm, voices raised in laughter. Her sister’s faces showed contentment. Children’s voices danced along with the low rumble of masculine tones.

A hand slipped over her hip as Finn pressed tight to her side. Waiting for her to move. Waiting, patiently as always. “Happy?”

She took a deep breath then turned.

Sunlight shone on his face, his eyes bright with love. Finn Marlette was a perfect fit against the background of rolling hills and ranch buildings.

He was the perfect fit for her world.

Karen pressed a hand to his cheek, warmth spreading against her palm. “I’ve found what sparks joy in my world, and I’m ready to make sure everyone knows. You’re not a secret, Finn Marlette. There’s too much love inside me for you to ever be a secret again.”

Finn leaned in close. “Dammit, woman. Now I’ve got to kiss you until I don’t look one step away from weeping my fool head off.”

Amusement rose. “Tears are okay,” she reminded him.

“Kisses are better,” he insisted.

His demonstration of that fact left her breathless and one hundred percent in agreement.

Secrets were over. Now was the time for joy.

Epilogue

Rough Cut pub was that perfect mix of local watering hole and nightclub. With the music turned up to eleven, the full-to-the-rafters crowd seemed determined to enjoy the final night of August with a vengeance.

Over the past five months, Julia had gotten to know a number of people around Heart Falls, including her newfound sisters and some great friends from their girls’ night out events. But tonight wasn’t about family time.

With two entire days off ahead of her, Julia was ready to kick up her heels and enjoy herself by dancing the night away. No commitments, no relationship building. Just an old old-fashioned dance ‘til you drop evening.

She left her most recent partner, grinning as she spotted Brad and Hanna Ford huddled at a high-top table.

They were so cute. It was rare to see her boss and his wife out on the town like this, what with basically being newly-weds and having a preteen kid.

Julia swung by the table and placed a hand on Brad’s shoulder. “Hey, boss man. Hanna. Night on the town without the kiddo?”

Hanna offered a smile. “She’s at a friend’s. We came to dance for a while.”

Julia gestured toward the floor. “It’s high-speed out there right now.”

The night had been busy enough to offer her a wide variety of partners to two-step with, but every now and then, even she had to catch her breath.

Karen and Finn flashed past. He had her tight against him as he spun her quickly. Her head fell back and laughter rang out over the toe-tapping music.

“We’re waiting for a little slower song before we join in,” Brad confessed, his kind smile taking her in. “You’ve been working up a sweat.”

“It’s easier training than hauling hoses up the stairs of doom,” Julia told him. “But yeah, I need to catch my breath. I’ll see you guys later.”

In the corner of the room, Lisa and Josiah were talking quietly while he stared at her like she was the only woman in the world.

Julia’s sisters had good solid guys in their lives, and she was glad for them. She had zero desire to follow in their footsteps, though. Not right now, that was for sure.

She headed to the bathroom, pausing to wash her face and hands first. Her cheeks were flushed and beads of sweat clung to the back of her neck, but so far the evening had been a blast.

Pit stop, then a cold drink. Then she’d keep finding guys to dance with until they shut the place down.

The door to her bathroom stall had barely closed when a rush of voices filled the women’s bathroom. Julia ignored the chatter, going about her business—

“I swear it’s true. It’s disgusting, really. They haven’t even been married two months.”

This was said at a far, far lower volume. Julia froze.

Another woman spoke up, also barely above a whisper. “He should know better, though. He’s been such a good person up until now—coming back to town to care for his dad.”

“Guys don’t think with anything but their dicks at times.”

“Right? I bet everyone will notice before too long. Cheating once is bad enough. Ongoing? Not even Brad can survive that.”

Anger flared. Of all the contemptible ideas. For anyone to assume that Brad was cheating on Hanna? Outrageous.

“She seems so nice, but I guess that’s how cheaters get away with it.” The second woman spoke a little louder, as if feeling more confident.

It had to be a misunderstanding because no way in hell would Brad ever—

“She’s only here for a couple more months. That’s what I heard.”

“She’ll come back to visit her sisters, though. It’s a terrible thing. I wouldn’t want this for anyone, let alone sweet Hanna. Poor thing’s gone through so much.” Firmer. Getting bolder. “I feel like I should tell that Julia Blushing we don’t want her kind around here. She needs to…”

The rush of blood in Julia’s ears drowned out the rest of the righteous declaration.

Her? They thought she and Brad were having an affair?

Oh. My. God.

She sat on the toilet seat in silence, the room spinning slightly.

By the time she pulled herself together, the bathroom had gone quiet.

No. This was not happening. For people to think her and Brad’s friendship was anything other than—

Well, if she were absolutely honest it was more than friendship on her part, but not romantic interest. And definitely not sexual.

She had to fix this, and now.

Somehow.

Julia snuck out of the washroom and cautiously slipped into the relative darkness of the bar. Sliding along in the shadows until she found a place to observe while she figured out what the hell her next move should be.

How did she prove she and Brad weren’t having an affair without ever mentioning the absurd idea? The last things she wanted were to hurt Hanna or ruin Brad’s reputation…

Karen and Finn spun past again, the lock between them so tight a crowbar couldn’t have pried them apart.

The next moment they were gone, and for a split second a clear path opened all the way across the dance floor to the far side of the room.

There, Zach Sorenson leaned on a pillar, beer in hand and heel tapping as he scanned the room, keeping a watchful eye on his surroundings.

Zach, with his dark good looks and cheeky grin. The man who had made her laugh so hard at a party earlier this year that she’d been tempted to get involved even though she knew from experience short-term relationships weren’t a good idea.

Still…

Zach—who was most definitely single and therefore a possible solution to her immediate problem.

If she was already involved with someone, that would reduce the odds she was fooling around with anyone else. Yes?

Julia didn’t think twice. Heck, she didn’t really even think once. Just let her feet start moving as soon as the idea was partially formed in her brain. If she went too deep into details, somewhere there’d be a flaw, and this moment was for action, not doubts.

Twenty seconds later she was closing in on the man. Eyeing him in the hopes of spotting a clue of how he’d take her demand.

Suggestion?

Nope, she would demand. It had to be done for Hanna’s sake, and Brad’s, and now, before the rumour mill got out of hand and things were unfixable.

She stopped in front of tall, dark, and sexy.

His lazy smile beamed down on her. “Hey, Jules.”

“Hey.” Julia took a deep breath.

One dark brow rose. “Problem?”

She shook her head. “Nope.”

One hand on his arm, Julia leaned in while she went up on her toes, pushing her torso against his so it looked as if she was about to steal a kiss.

His eyes widened.

“Favour, stat. Kiss me,” she whispered before he ruined it by pushing her away.

Zach had his hands on her hips now. Eyes narrowing. “You playing a game again, Blushing?”

She laughed softly, forcing a smile because there were people watching. She brushed her cheek past his then spoke as quietly as possible. “I swear I will explain, but you’ve got to kiss me, now. Like I’m your girlfriend. Please.”

Maybe it was the desperation in her tone, or maybe he just wanted to tease her brain into meltdown mode.

Because the next thing she knew, Zach had wrapped one big hand around her nape. He slid the other around to palm her lower back. A slight bit of pressure tugged her against him, nice and firm, and then he dipped his head in close.

“No idea what you’re up to, but I’m game.”

His lips hit hers, and the slow, teasing touch she expected flared into a white-hot blaze as he took control.

The Cowgirl’s Chosen Love

The Colemans of Heart Falls: Book 3

Copyright

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

The Cowgirl’s Chosen Love

Copyright © 2020 by Arend Publishing Inc.

ISBN: 9781941456965

Edited by Manuela Velasco

Cover Design © Damonza

Proofed by Angie Ramey & Linda Levy

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations.

First electronic publication: June 2020

www.vivianarend.com

The Cowgirl’s Chosen Love

Return to Heart Falls—a place to find new friends and a true family.

This is the final novel in The Colemans of Heart Falls trilogy by New York Times bestselling author Vivian Arend..

When his best friend’s sister-in-law approaches him with an urgent plea for help, Zach Sorenson goes with his gut. Kiss the woman? Of course. Pretend to be her short-term boyfriend? No problem.

Accidentally end up married? Problem.

Julia Blushing is still reeling after discovering the family she never knew existed. Trusting anyone right now isn’t easy. Allowing tall, dark, and tempting Zach into her life for more than a few weeks?

Huge problem.

But when their marriage triggers a legal complication, sticking together is the only option. Still, this impossible situation needs some clear guidelines. No unnecessary public displays of affection. Absolutely no sex. For 365 days. While they live together…

Good luck on that one.

1

Zach Sorenson sat on the porch outside his best friend’s home, pretending to enjoy a cold one while laughter echoed behind him.

The deeper rumble of Finn’s chuckle meshed with his fiancée’s lighter voice. Maybe Zach should switch to something stronger. Whiskey, or gin, or hell—maybe even tequila. Although that last one could be dangerous.

He leaned back on the porch swing, legs stretched in front of him as he crossed one boot-clad foot over the other and stared over the landscape toward the Rocky Mountains.

It wasn’t that he begrudged anyone their good luck.

Begrudge? No. Be slightly jealous? Hell, he would admit to that one.

His name sounded. The door swung open beside him, and he twisted toward one of his new favourite people.

“Sorry it’s taken so long,” Karen Coleman offered. “Lisa and I will stop tormenting you. We’re finally ready.”

He rose to his feet as the rest of the party slipped out the door and headed to their waiting trucks. “Not a problem,” Zach insisted. “Trust me. I know better than to tell a woman to hurry up.”

He dodged to avoid being poked by Lisa. “You know it wasn’t only us,” she insisted. “Josiah takes forever to get ready.”

Laughter rumbled again as the girls slipped into their seats.

Finn turned to Zach after settling Karen in place. “Glad you’re coming to Rough Cut tonight. Sure you won’t join us for the weekend?”

Oh, hell no. Best friends or not, the last thing Zach wanted was to spend the next forty-eight hours as a fifth wheel. “Thanks for the offer, but I’ve already made plans.”

Finn’s brow arched skyward. “Really?”

On his other side, Josiah stepped forward as well, curiosity written on the veterinarian’s face. “First time I’ve heard this news. You keeping secrets?”

“Minding my own business,” Zach drawled. He offered a wink to soften the words as he turned on his heel and headed toward the shed he’d commandeered to house Delilah, his 1955 powder-blue Corvette convertible “Catch you all at the pub.”

He left the top up for the short drive from the still-in-development Red Boot ranch into the small town of Heart Falls. The trip was barely long enough for an attitude adjustment. He was pleased that his oldest best friend and his newest best friend had both found women who appreciated them and filled their lives with everything good.

The hint of green-eyed jealousy in Zach’s gut got a quick, short blast of reality to knock its scaly claws out from under it. Someday he’d have that kind of relationship. Sure, life came with no guarantees, but he’d had enough good examples in his world to counterbalance the shitty situations.

When the time was right, he’d find someone. Someone who would be what he needed.

A soft snicker escaped. Thank God his friends couldn’t stroll through his brain right then, or he’d be teased mercilessly for the hearts-and-flowers turn his thoughts had taken.

Zach parked at the very edge of the lot and made his way into the pub, a blast of country music echoing over the wooden boardwalk as he pulled the heavy oak door open.

Inside, the strategically set lights were just bright enough to make everybody look good, and the rapid beat of boots against the dance floor set his fingers tapping.

And although they’d all arrived at the same time, his friends were thankfully focusing on enjoying themselves and not attempting to pull him into the mix. Lisa and Josiah hit the dance floor not even three seconds before Finn pulled Karen into his arms and twirled her against his body.

Zach lifted a finger at the bartender and ordered a beer.

The place was full of cheerful people, flirtatious glances, and a heck of a lot of sexual tension on the rise. He spotted a couple of the women he’d dated a few times over the past months, dipped his chin and offered a wink without any further promises.

Nice enough ladies, but there hadn’t been the spark he was looking for. Which, again, probably made him a bit of a diva, as Finn had teased at one point.

He liked a good time as much as any guy. He’d enjoyed some wild one-night stands and a few longer relationships over the years that had been very physically satisfying, but now he wanted something different.

Hell if he knew how to define it, but at some point, he figured with his good luck, whatever he was looking for would jump up and smack him in the face hard enough he couldn’t miss it.

He’d just drained his first beer when Finn danced Karen over to him.

Her expression was nothing but innocent as she held out a hand. “Dance with me?”

“Is the old man tired already? You should’ve picked me instead of him,” Zach said as he put down his empty beer and accepted her offer. “I’ve got way more stamina.”

Beside him, Finn thumped an elbow into Zach’s ribs before responding, “Go on and tell yourself more lies if it makes you feel good.”

Zach guided Karen to the dance floor, twirling her away from her man even as laughter drifted.

They moved together easily, a space between them as if they were brother and sister dancing—which was kind of how Zach considered both of these women in his life.

Amusement rose. As if he needed more sisters…

“What are you snickering about?” Karen asked.

He guided them past other dancers as he answered. “Figured you and Lisa would offer me sympathy dances. Just didn’t think you would start this soon.”

She hummed, following his lead as they moved past a tangle of less-coordinated two-steppers. “Heard some nonsense about you having big plans for this weekend. Considering Lisa and I were just talking about how you’ve been avoiding most of the local female population, you’re either a lying liar, or you’re a much better secret keeper than we imagined.”

The woman was razor-sharp, which meant she was potentially dangerous to his plans. Avoiding a weekend’s worth of watching his friends make goo-goo eyes at their ladies was high on his priority list.

But because she was so sharp, he felt safe offering a tidbit to tide her over and get her off his back. “Trust me. My plans for the weekend will make me happy.”

Karen sighed dramatically even as he twirled her past where Finn was now chatting with Lisa and Josiah at a table in the corner. “Those were the magic words to get me to mind my own business.” She gave him a stern stare, though. “As long as you’re happy. That’s all we want for you.”

“I know,” he said easily, slowing as the music segued into a new song.

He took a turn around the dance floor with Lisa next. Amusingly, almost the identical conversation escaped her lips the instant they started dancing.

“What’s this nonsense about you having plans for this weekend? You should come with us. You don’t need to stay here alone.”

“Honestly, I have been taking care of myself for over thirty years,” he assured her. “Go to the resort with Josiah. You all need a break before life gets busy again.”

Lisa dipped her chin, but she still looked as if she wanted to interfere.

Luckily Zach had lots of experience dealing with interfering women—with five sisters, he’d learned at an early age how to handle feminine wiles. “I mean it. Go have a good time. I have plenty of things planned to keep me out of mischief.”

She snickered. “Where’s the fun in that?”

When the song finished, he guided her back to Josiah. A moment later, Zach slipped away to grab another beer and let them have time on their own. The bar was full enough it was easy to find other people to talk with, although he avoided making too much eye contact with any of his previous female companions.

Again, it wasn’t them. It was all him.

He appreciated what his friends were trying to do. And by extension, their women. A kick of something warm struck his heart. It was good to know they cared.

Only—good friends weren’t quite what he was wishing for at the moment.

Standing quietly to one side of the dance floor offered a great opportunity to observe. Zach sipped his drink and considered his options. Some companionship this weekend would be nice, but none of the ladies in the room—

Julia Blushing spun past on the arm of one of the local farmers, and all of Zach’s mental ramblings stilled in an instant.

She wore faded jeans so white, he bet they were infinitely soft to the touch. She’d been dancing hard, and whatever jacket or overshirt she’d come in had been abandoned to leave her in a formfitting navy-blue tank top that caressed her curves in a dangerous way.

Her hair hung in waves, layers of red and gold shining under the lights as she twirled in the arms of a man Zach would give anything to change places with.

A green-eyed monster was back, but this one had a whole different set of teeth and claws that snagged his soul.

Here was the reason none of the other women in town had caught his attention in recent days. Zach had to admit the truth. He’d spent months trying to ignore the draw he felt toward Julia.

Talk about a complicated relationship, though. She was the recently discovered younger sister to Lisa and Karen. Definitely not someone to mess around with unless a guy wasn’t fond of keeping his balls attached to his body.

Only…

He wasn’t looking for someone to mess around with. Not anymore.

Zach wasn’t quite sure when his change of heart had taken place. All he knew for sure was when he’d come to Heart Falls with Finn, it had been situation normal, everybody in for a good time.

Now he was ready for the next thing.

She’s perfect.

His internal sidekick commented about the same moment Zach noticed Julia slide her dance partner’s hand off her ass and back onto her hip.

I could break every bone in that man’s hand without blinking.

Truth was truth, but the possessive streak wasn’t something he was proud of.

She twirled her way off the floor at the end of the song, escaping from her handsy partner with a laugh. Zach memorized the man’s face even as he forced his shoulders to remain against the wall, staying put instead of tracking the bastard down and offering a lesson in etiquette he’d not soon forget.

The beer in his hand wasn’t enough. He’d wait until his friends left and he got home before starting a little more serious drinking, though.

The catchy music continued, and for the next few minutes, he entertained himself checking out the people in the pub. Making a few bets as to who would be going home with whom after last call.

It was only a few minutes later when the woman he’d been fantasizing about taking home himself reappeared. Not in some other guy’s arms, thankfully.

Nope. Aimed at him and marching as if on a mission.

The tickle in his gut flared. That sixth sense he had set off alarms loud enough the place could’ve been on fire. It wasn’t a warning to be careful, but a heads-up to stay alert and be ready to leap.

Was she in trouble? He scanned the room even as he braced for whatever it was she was about to lay on his doorstep.

He couldn’t fucking wait.

Casual. Stay casual.

He worked to keep his smile low-key. “Hey, Jules.”

“Hey.” She was nearly his height, yet the breath she took was shaky enough to make him want to pick her up and protect her from whatever had hurt her.

He knew better than to offer that card right off the bat. Instead, he forced mild curiosity into his tone. “Problem?”

Even as she shook her head and offered a quick “nope,” she messed with his mind by laying a hand on his arm and sliding in close enough that as she went up on her toes, their bodies made contact.

That rush in his belly lit up to DEFCON 1.

“Favour, stat. Kiss me.” She whispered the words, but they rang in his head as loudly as if she’d shouted.

He caught hold of her hips to stop her from wiggling because his body had reacted far too quickly. Everything about having her in his arms was perfect…

And far too easy. He hesitated. “You playing a game again, Blushing?”

Her lips curled into what he recognized as a fake smile, her unnatural laughter scratching his nerves.

But her softness melted against him as she stroked her cheek past his until her lips met his earlobe.

Goose bumps rose on his skin.

“I swear I’ll explain, but you’ve got to kiss me, now. Like a girlfriend. Please.”

Desperation rang in her tone, and the urge to protect roared to the surface. Whatever the hell was going on, he could fix this. The fact it was exactly what he’d been hoping for, wishing for—

Call it the luck of the Irish, but he knew a gift when he saw one.

Zach slid his hand around her nape, cradling the back of her head. The other hand moved instinctively off her hip to her lower back, pressing her closer against him. Lifting slightly so they were lined up and body to body.

“No idea what you’re up to, but I’m game.”

A little gasp escaped her before their lips made contact. And yeah, maybe a gentle peck on the cheek or slow, soft kiss would’ve been a good place to start.

His instincts told him otherwise. He kissed her with everything in him, desire laid bare in his touch as he gave to her.

She needed his help—she had it.

She also had all of him, because his gut said she was who he’d been waiting for all this time.

He jumped with both feet.

* * *

There was a fine line between being out of control and scared to death, and out of control and thrilled. Being kissed senseless by Zach Sorenson fell into the second category.

Thrilling wasn’t always a good thing.

Still, Julia buried her hands in his hair and felt the bubbling rush of heat in her veins for just another moment. Because, damn, the man could kiss. His lips against hers were firm and demanding. His taste rushed through her. Her cheek tingled from where his five o’clock shadow had scuffed.

By the time he let her up for air, her face wasn’t the only part tingling.

Still, she reined in her libido best she could even as she savoured the hard muscles under her.

Their gazes met. His pupils were wide, his breathing slightly out of kilter, although nowhere near as erratic as her own gasping inhalations. People were watching—murmured words swirled as people swung lips close to ears to share secrets. A slow examination of the way their bodies aligned.

His hand at her back slid downwards. It stopped before it went into dangerous territory, but now it rested on the swell of her ass.

A shiver rippled over her.

A soft chuckle danced against her skin as he twisted her head just enough to hide her face against his chest while he spoke in her ear.

“Come on.”

An instant later, cool air filled the space between them. With strong fingers tangled around hers, he guided her toward the side of the hall and the emergency exit door.

She hesitated before he could tug her from the pub. It took a sharp squeeze on his fingers to get his attention.

He curled himself around her so he could hear her words.

“People need to see us,” she insisted.

“Some people need to not see us until I know what the hell is going on,” Zach insisted. “Talk first.”

She let him lead her, glancing over her shoulder to try to see if any of the key gossips of the community had spotted them.

Her gaze fell on her sister’s fiancée. Finn Marlette’s alert gaze followed her and Zach, and a rush of oh shit arrived.

She had damn good reasons for what she’d started, but she hadn’t thought this through before acting.

At this point the only choice was to go forward. She ducked her chin and slipped out the door at Zach’s side.

The ice-cold wind stole her breath and sent goose bumps rising over her heated skin. A second later a warm, soft jacket settled around her shoulders, right before Zach grabbed the lapels of the coat—his coat that she now wore like a shawl—and tugged her to face him.

“Why?”

A man of few words. She could work with that. Only when laughter rang from the front entrance barely fifteen feet to their right, Julia paused before diving into her explanation.

A group of three women were staring at them, gazes darting up and down. Were they the ones Julia had overheard? She supposed it didn’t matter, except for the fact she had to sell this bit of bullshit with everything in her.

She turned her focus on Zach, draping her arms over his shoulders and pressing their torsos together again. “I swear I will explain, but right now you need to lose that frown.”

“It’s hard to look like everything’s peachy keen when I don’t know what’s going on,” Zach said, but his lips curled upward, and his hands wound around her waist again.

Big hands, strong and controlling—

A shiver that had nothing to do with the cold evening air shook her from top to bottom. Julia fought the fear inside her and nodded briskly even as she let her fingers drift up to play with the curl of brown hair that had fallen over his forehead.

“Someone was gossiping. Really mean shit. Maybe even those women, and I guarantee you will agree to help when you hear the whole story. But for now, trust me?”

He didn’t answer. Then she couldn’t ask again, because his lips were on hers once more, the kiss making teeny electric zaps fly up and down her spine.

Her body liked this man. Which was a weird thing for her to acknowledge, all things considered.

At her back, footsteps echoed on the boardwalk. Feminine giggles rang as the group of ladies passed by.

Zach teased his tongue against hers, and a moan escaped. Honestly escaped, because the last thing she wanted him to know was how much being pressed against him affected her. Although—hello—the thick length of a healthy erection pressed against her belly.

So. She wasn’t the only one reacting to their little tête-à-tête.

Julia broke the connection between them this time, pressing a hand to his chest to open up enough room so she could gasp for air.

Under her fingers, his heart pounded.

His bare biceps flexed as he caught hold of her elbows. “Enough. We need to talk.”

“My place?” Having him come under her roof had the added benefit of adding fuel to the rumour mill if anyone saw them. Which, considering where she lived, chances were high.

He didn’t argue. Just wrapped that big hand around hers again and guided her down the boardwalk to the corner where they turned to the west.

They moved quickly. Zach remained quiet and didn’t ask any more questions, which was good, because although she intended to make everything clear…

Her brain whirled. How had this evening gone from amazing to hell and then to being kissed senseless by Zach Sorenson in such a short period of time?

He stopped at the front door of her apartment building before swearing softly. He turned on her almost accusingly. “Why is there no security?”

Her snort wasn’t very ladylike. “Gee. Not sure. Maybe because this is the cheapest place in town, and things like a doorman or a security system are low on their priority list?”

Zach’s blue eyes flashed for a moment, but he opened the exterior door and gestured her past him.

Across the street on the bench outside Connie’s Café, a couple of young guys whistled and shouted rude suggestions. Julia ignored them like usual.

She took the stairs to the second floor, automatically stepping around the worst of the stains on the carpet. It was impossible to tell which were old and which were new, and after one misstep into a fresh pile of vomit, she’d learned avoidance was simpler.

Key already in hand, she had her door open in seconds, this time waiting for Zach to enter first.

He put a hand on her back and guided her ahead of him, his silence growing louder. Which was fine, because all the voices in her head were shouting at the same time. What she really wanted was to make a cup of tea and sit in the dark for a while to let her world settle down.

What she wanted would have to wait.

She twisted toward him instead. “Explanation. Okay.”

He folded his arms over his chest, biceps bulging in that position. He examined her from top to bottom then shook his head. “Dammit, Jules, you look like shit. What the hell?”

There was no anger in his tone, just very controlled annoyance, but on top of everything else, it was the last straw.

Tears arrived as a sob burst from her lips.

2

Great move, asshole.

Zach stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Julia. He cradled her carefully, so he wasn’t smothering her but at the same time offering as much support as possible.

Tears poured out of her as if he’d somehow turned on a tap with his words, and, dammit, he wished like hell he could take them back.

And yet he was floored to see her react like this considering what he’d learned about her over the past months. He’d expected a snarky comment or, worst-case scenario, for her to kick him out of her place for being an ass.

Her shoulders shook as she buried her face harder against his chest, arms squeezing tight around his torso.

Zach stroked the top of her head for a moment before realizing if she did snap out of it, petting her like a puppy was probably not a wise move. Instead, he rubbed her back and took horrified stock of her apartment.

It was clean. Empty to the point of a monk’s cell sparseness, the few personal touches were limited to some bright throw cushions and a couple of pictures on the wall.

The place was also extremely small. Four walls and one other opening that led to a tiny bathroom. A couch sat across from an old travel case. The kitchen ran the length of one wall. That was it. No bookcases, no frilly curtains or plants. Austere to the extreme.

It didn’t make him think of Julia at all.

Behind him, the doorknob rattled before the hinges creaked and a man stepped into view. The stranger wore a dirty T-shirt half tucked into his pants, half stretching over the round of his beer belly. He drew back with a curse upon spotting Zach, hands rising as he retreated to the landing. His sprint down the stairs was impressive considering his loose paunch.

When the door opened, Julia had jerked to attention. She stepped in front of Zach to shout at the vanishing intruder. “I told you to never do that again.”

Fire flared inside, and the only things that stopped Zach from running after the man were Julia’s fingers now tangled in his T-shirt.

“What the hell is going on?” he demanded again.

She pressed her free hand to her head as if trying to keep her brains from spilling out. “One thing at a time. Just…sit down and I swear I’ll explain.”

It took everything in him to ease away. Two steps brought him to the small dining table, and he settled into the wooden chair on one side.

He fought down a growl as she took the second chair and jammed it under the front doorknob.

Unbelievable fury roiled in Zach’s gut.

Somehow, he kept his cool as she turned to face him. Tear lines streaked her cheeks, but she straightened her spine. “I was in the bathroom at Rough Cut and overheard some women gossiping. There’s a rumour going around Heart Falls that I’m having an affair with Brad Ford.”

Even as pissed off and in hyperprotective mode from everything that had happened over the last few minutes, her words floored Zach. “Someone thinks you’re having an affair with your boss? The guy who just got married a month ago and who is obviously and stupidly in love with Hanna?”

His disbelief must’ve rang clear because Julia nodded. “Isn’t it absurd? But you know what small town rumours are like. Somebody’s going to find something to prove it—the fact I came to Heart Falls to mentor under him because we met each other a couple years ago at the EMT training center could be enough to get some people to believe.”

Okay, Zach hadn’t known that part. It added a layer of concern to the situation. Not that he thought she and Brad were doing anything wrong, but it would give the mean-spirited gossips something to chew on. “So you kissed me…?”

A little bit of her bravado faded. “I kind of panicked. I heard them talking, and the only thing in my brain was to make sure the rumours don’t continue. And maybe if I had a boyfriend already, that would stop the stupidity in its tracks.”

He wasn’t sure if the fact she picked him for this honour was a good thing or an insult.

Being a glass half-full kinda guy, he went with it being a good thing. “You’re saying I’m a convenient boyfriend?”

She hurried to explain, stepping forward to finish even as she wiped her eyes and tried to pull herself together. “Temporary boyfriend. It’s just for a short time. My trainee position is done at the end of October, and then I’ll be gone. But yeah, if people think we’re together, they won’t think I’m fooling around on the side with Brad.”

This was getting messy. “Yeah, I can see how all that works. Great. Fine.” He met her gaze straight on. “What about your sisters? And my friends? What are we going to tell them?”

She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times, and in spite of the tension in the room, he had to admit to being slightly charmed. She was damn cute.

The impulsive thing had caught him off guard, but her heart was in the right place and considering his long-term goals, being offered guaranteed time with the woman had to be counted as a win.

Julia’s nose twitched. “Umm. I haven’t thought about that. Like I said, I didn’t really think any of it through. I just reacted. I was doing triage before the situation bled out.”

“Yeah, I can see that. But we have to come up with a different spin to the story. Because as much as my friends love me, if they think I screwed around then dumped you, I’m the one who’ll be bleeding.”

She looked confused. “You won’t be dumping me. And I won’t be dumping you. It’s just a little… I don’t know, a short-term thing.”

“Short-term?” He eyed her, making sure he didn’t let his gaze linger too long where it shouldn’t. “Yeah. You mean like a one-night stand? Because I can see your sisters hanging me by my nuts if I had the crassness to try.”

Her cheeks flushed. “We’re not having a one-night stand. The whole point of this is to make it look as if we’re involved enough that Brad is clearly out of the question.”

“Great. We’ll fool around from now until the end of October when you leave. Then your sisters, who will still be here, will kick my butt every time they see me. Which, considering one of them is deep in cahoots with my best friend, means every damn day.”

Julia shook her head, the crease between her brows forcing him to fight to keep from smiling. “They won’t be mad at you. We’ll explain. Just to them, and Finn and Josiah, of course.” She paused. “And maybe Tamara as well.”

That last part wasn’t said with as much confidence.

“So what you’re asking me to do is either lie to my friends or lie to some of my friends.”

She looked a little more uncomfortable but stuck to her guns. “Please. We have to find a way to make this work because Brad is a good friend and I can’t let him be hurt. Not him or Hanna. I owe him too much.”

Another layer of mystery added to the situation. What had happened at that training school to connect the two of them so tightly?

She headed to the counter and plugged in the kettle, glancing over her shoulder. “I need a cup of tea. Want one?”

It wasn’t the whiskey he was looking forward to, but it would have to do. “Sure.”

He waited and let her fuss at the counter for a few minutes. Meanwhile, his gaze kept returning to the chair blocking her doorway. This entire mess would take some time to untangle, but the one thing he knew for certain?

She was not staying one more night in this damn apartment. It clearly had major security issues. Zach kicked his own ass for not finding this out sooner because the thought of her being in the apartment alone while someone marched in on her—

He took a deep breath and concentrated on pulling his temper back to normal levels.

A couple minutes later, she placed two cups on the table along with cream and sugar before settling across from him.

The three-legged stool under her was shorter than the chair he sat in. It put her chin about four inches above the surface of the table, and she looked like a little kid having a tea party.

Anger returned. “You want to discuss why you’ve got a chair in front of your door?”

A soft sigh escaped. Julia lifted her gaze but didn’t meet his eyes. “The locks don’t work very well. I drag the trunk in front of the door before I sleep.”

That comment only strengthened his resolve. “I see.”

He drank the tea without tasting a thing. He returned the cup to the table surface then placed both palms on either side of it. “We have some problem-solving to do. Pack a bag. You’re coming home with me.”

Her eyes widened. “I can’t do that.”

“My place or one of your sisters,” he offered. “But considering we need to talk about the dating thing…” Zach kept as still as possible, but his usual easygoing nonchalance had vanished sometime in the last minute. “I swear nothing will happen that you don’t want, but I need to get you somewhere safe before another person comes through the door and I hurt them.”

He said it calmly. Peacefully, even, but Julia’s eyes widened.

He had to assume that it’d been a hell of an evening. Julia was a caring, kind woman, and even though she was tough enough to be a damn good EMT, everything that happened tonight was breaking down the barriers.

And as good as his control was these days? He wasn’t kidding about the need to protect.

Julia took a final swallow of her tea before placing her cup beside his. She rose to her feet, pressed a hand on top of his briefly, then moved to pack as ordered.

* * *

There wasn’t a whole lot of talking going on. Zach had grabbed the duffel bag she’d filled, thrown it over his shoulder, and then firmly taken her hand in his as he guided her back toward the parking lot outside Rough Cut.

His strong fingers wrapped around hers were comforting after the chaos of the evening.

The start of the trip between town and the dude ranch Zach and Finn were setting up passed in silence. Julia barely registered she was getting a ride in Zach’s famous convertible, her brain scrambling to find a solution for what came next.

Impulsively tossing Zach into the mix had been brilliant and yet totally wrong. Annoyance crawled up her spine. Trying to do the right thing and still having things backfire was exasperating.

The cold stone in the pit of her stomach that she hated with everything in her grew heavier again. Fear didn’t always make sense. What triggered it, what caused the memories to return.

This wasn’t going to be the same, she told herself. She knew better what to watch for, and she had a whole lot of support in the form of her newfound sisters.

Sisters who would wonder what the heck was going on when they heard through the grapevine that she was seeing Zach.

Shoot. She rested her head in her hands and listened to the tires bump against the uneven highway asphalt.

“Stop tormenting yourself.” Zach’s deep rumbling voice slipped over her like a warm blanket. “We’ll figure this out. I mean that.”

His strong features were clearly visible in the light from the dashboard. His expression was a lot harder than usual. As if all the easygoing fun that she’d seen in him over the past months was boxed up and contained.

“I’m sorry.” She said it sincerely, even as she knew the apology wouldn’t change anything.

The honest truth—if she had to temporarily screw up her life and somebody else’s to save Brad Ford a world of hurt?

She’d do it in an instant.

That wasn’t something that she could up and say, though, without complicating the situation even more than it already was. But considering she owed Brad her life, a little emotional upheaval, even within her newfound family—

Just the thought of that truth made her pause. She had family again.

Lots and lots of family, and while on one level she was thrilled, there was another part of her that remained in denial.

Zach once again caught her fingers in his, squeezing them tight. Which was nice and reassuring, but when he didn’t let go and let their linked hands rest on the seat between them, Julia’s pulse kicked up a notch.

She liked the man.

When she’d come out of that bathroom, struggling to come up with a solution, seeing him had felt as if she’d rounded a corner into an ocean inlet and left behind the rough waves. Calmness had wrapped around her and let her take a full breath.

Holding hands seemed far too natural considering how unnatural it was. Up until now they had always been a part of a group. Activities with her sisters, dancing at the pub, that kind of thing.

Still, she had stitched him up about a month ago when he’d accidentally been shot. The feel of his firm muscles under her fingers—

It was a little creepy how often that scene replayed itself in her head. Considering her issue with stalkers, the last thing she wanted was to be one herself.

Zach slowed as they entered the gate to the Red Boot ranch. Julia peered out the window at the outbuildings around them.

The guys had been working on the place since the spring, rapidly at first but with a slowdown recently. Although it was getting closer to winter, so she figured that made sense. They just didn’t seem to have the same urgency to get the place up and running that she’d noticed in the beginning.

The buildings and grounds had changed since the last time she’d been there, though, and Julia was fascinated. “Where are you staying these days?” she asked.

He pointed to the far end of the row of small cabins facing the Rocky Mountains. “I’ve got the biggest one. Two bedrooms—you’ll have space to yourself.”

His words came out a little more clipped than usual, his body tight as he parked his classic car in an old wooden shed on the far side of the cabin. His truck sat outside the makeshift garage.

They both got out and met at the trunk.

Zach took a deep breath before turning to face her. “I’ll let you in and you can get settled. I promised Finn I’d take care of a few chores tonight. I’ll be back in about an hour.”

She glanced at the small cottage beside them, a cozy glow shining out the window. The temptation to run away for at least a short time was strong, but something told her it wasn’t the right move. With where her head was at, she’d do nothing but fidget and worry the entire time he was gone.

Julia shook her head. “I’ll drop my things, but let me come and help you.”

He hesitated. “This whole situation we need to talk through—I don’t think that should be done while we’re wandering around the barns.”

“I agree. But honestly, I wouldn’t mind a bit of labour while I’m thinking. It’s how I figure stuff out.”

His big shoulders lifted in a lazy shrug. “Okay. I’ll get your help mucking out a few stalls.” He took her bag again. “As long as you remember which end of the shovel is the working bit.”

The soft snicker that escaped her felt good. “Trust me. I’ve got that part down pat.”

They crossed to the cabin. She slipped into his bathroom to change out of her good jeans. It was too short a pit stop to do much more than admire the concrete vanity and the pinewood trim on the mirror and cabinetry. She caught a brief glimpse of blue and brown tiles, but the rest she’d take a closer look at when they returned.

She tucked her bag beside the corduroy-covered couch in the living room and met Zach at the door.

He had also changed into work clothes. He examined her before giving a brief nod. “You’ll be happy to know we have rubber boots you can borrow.”

“Any good dude ranch has extra rubber boots,” she said cheerfully.

He strode toward the main barn. “Not sure this is a good dude ranch quite yet,” he admitted. “We’ll get there, but right now it’s a bit of a reach.”

Zach got her situated with footwear and a shovel, pointed to the three stalls he wanted her to take care of, then left her alone.

He stepped farther into the barn and got to work, so she followed his example and got down to it.

The physical labour of lifting pellets into the wheelbarrow calmed her racing thoughts.

It had always been like that. The repetitive motion helped her step away from her brain fluttering on repeat. By the time she went through the final motions, her leg and back muscles ached in different places than from the earlier dancing.

Plus, she’d figured out some possible bartering chips to toss toward the upcoming conversation.

Zach paced past, nodding his approval. “Good job. And thanks—you saved me a bunch of time.”

Julia shrugged. “Caused a bunch of trouble already, so it’s the least I could do.”

He tilted his chin toward his cabin. “Grab a shower. I’ll finish up and join you in about half an hour.”

This time as she let herself into his place, Julia allowed herself the luxury of taking a long, slow look around.

For some reason, Zachary had moved into what would eventually be a family bungalow. It wasn’t decked out yet like it would be down the road. She knew that from talking to Karen about the level of clientele they hoped to attract to Red Boot ranch.

This looked more bachelor chic. A comfortable couch sat opposite a sturdy coffee table, the surface well-scuffed from where countless feet had rested. A couple of scorch marks marred the wooden surface, one large enough to proclaim a pizza pan had gone straight from the oven to the tabletop.

She hurried into the bathroom, this time able to appreciate the high-quality tile around her. The rain shower fixture overhead delivered a heck of a lot more water pressure than she’d had in her admittedly disgusting apartment.

Between the chores, the shower, and the bit of time to breathe, Julia had come up with a plan.

It would still be awkward, but she felt a whole lot more in control as she met Zach in his living room, settling in the easy chair to the side of the couch.

Settling might’ve been the wrong word—she perched at the front, hands folded in her lap to keep from fidgeting.

Zach had returned to being the poster child for relaxation. He leaned back on the couch and propped his woolen-sock-covered feet up on the coffee table.

His gaze drifted over her, examining her before nodding decisively. “Okay. It’s problem-solving time. You need a temporary boyfriend to stop some nasty rumours. I get that, and I can agree, because wiggling lips don’t stop once things get rolling.” He lifted his chin and looked her straight in the eye. “But first you need to come clean. Why the hell did you come here? To Heart Falls, and to this job? Because it sounds as if there was something between you and Brad in the past. While I don’t believe for one second that you’re fooling around with him now, I don’t want to get blindsided in the future.”

Thank goodness she was dealing with an intelligent man. “We didn’t have that kind of a relationship.”

“Great. What kind of a relationship did you have?”

So much for keeping the truth a secret. “He rescued me.”

Zach’s casual relaxation vanished. He rocked forward on the couch, blinking hard. “Excuse me?”

It was Julia’s turn to raise a brow and relax a little. “He saved my life. If I feel anything for Brad, it’s a bit of hero worship, because without him, I’d be dead.”

3

Julia’s unexpected confession simultaneously relieved a few fears while driving Zach’s protective instincts back into high gear.

“You’re going to need to explain that a little more.” Zach sat upright, giving her his full attention. He made sure he kept his voice gentle, though, because the last thing she needed while talking about bullshit would be for him to go ape shit on her.

Julia took a moment as if getting her thoughts together before meeting his gaze full on. “The short story is while I was at the training center for EMTs, one of my classmates mistook me being friendly as encouragement far beyond what it really was. I don’t want to go into the details, but he kidnapped me. He was very gentle about it. I thought he was just kidding around until I was tied up and trapped with no way to escape.”

The curse that slipped from Zach’s lips made her lips twitch.

“Yeah. Pretty much what went through my head when I realized Dwayne hadn’t been kidding about the keeping part of keeping me safe. Brad was one of the trainers at the school, and we’d developed a good relationship—very much a big brother thing as he mentored me through my first semesters of extended schooling. Brad noticed right away when I went missing.”

Zach was going to buy the man a bottle of anything he wanted. “How long were you missing?”

“Five days. It would’ve been longer, or forever, if Brad hadn’t figured it out. But it comes down to this. Brad nearly lost his job for doing what he needed to find me, mostly on a hunch. There’s no way I could repay that by allowing him and Hanna to be hurt.”

Zach rested his elbows on his knees even as he nodded. “I’m fully on board. We’ll make sure everybody knows you’re taken. It shouldn’t take long to knock the knees out from under this rumour.”

She deflated slightly, the worry in her eyes slipping to relief. “Thank you.”

His own concern rose. Talk about complications.

He wanted to be with this woman and give dating a try. What he’d wanted to say was he’d take care of her going forward, but a take-over, take-charge approach was out of the question. No way did he want to cause the slightest hint of a reminder of her past trauma.

Yet his gut rarely steered him wrong, and his first impulse was to tell her a partial truth.

To hell with it. He leaned back again, getting comfortable. “Couple more things to talk about.”

Julia nodded. “I’ll tell my sisters, and Finn and Josiah, but I think that’s as far as we can share that us dating is not real. I mean, I trust Tamara as well, but as soon as I tell her, Caleb will know. He’s got so much close family underfoot—it’s kind of hard to know where the story will stop.”

“What if we don’t tell anyone it’s not real?”

She snapped upright at his comment. “You said your friends would be upset. And that my sisters would break out the ball busters.”

“That’s if we were just fooling around.” He let his gaze drift over her, appreciating the firm muscles and soft curves. “I have zero problem actually going out with you.”

The little frown between her brows was back. “Stop kidding around.”

“Oh, honey, this isn’t my kidding around face.” He offered a wink. “You’re a beautiful woman with a great sense of humour and a very giving heart. You intrigue me.”

She looked as if she was struggling for words. Then she shook her head. “Remember the bit where I’m leaving at the end of October?”

“You said your internship was done at the end of October. Doesn’t mean that you’ll be leaving. Lots more jobs available in the Heart Falls area. But that’s not something to worry about at the moment.” He checked her over again, gaze lingering on her cheeks that had flushed red at his bold appraisal. “Julia Blushing, would you go out with me? Breakfast tomorrow morning?”

Her head shook from side to side.

“Is that a no, you’d prefer lunch or dinner? You know, we both like to dance. I’d love to take you back to Rough Cut.”

“Will you be serious?” Julia had her hands in her lap, tangling her fingers together over and over.

Zach took a step back, figuratively. He lowered his tone and spoke softer. “I’m not trying to trap you into anything, but I’m telling you the honest to God truth. I like you. I would very much like to get to know you better. If you don’t think I’m a terrible bet, this would solve things on all sorts of levels. My friends won’t think anything of us dating, and your sisters won’t freak out as long as we’re upfront and honest from the beginning.”

“Finn saw us,” she confessed. “When we were getting ready to leave the pub. I think he saw us kiss, and he definitely saw us slip out the door.”

Which was something that could play in his favour. Still, Zach took the cautious route. “And if you absolutely want this to be nothing but pretend, then we will deal with the four of them. But I’d be honoured if you’d consider dating me for real.”

Her expression grew bemused. “I don’t think I’d be a very good girlfriend,” she cautioned.

“Maybe you need some practice,” he offered dryly. “We’ll grade on a curve.”

Her gaze snapped to his, a whole lot of what-the-hell attitude back in that moment, and something inside him clicked.

This was the real Julia. This was the intriguing woman he’d seen glimpses of off and on. He wanted to get to know her better, wanted to spend time with her.

And while it sounded as if she had some pretty major events in her background, he was a patient man. He’d be able to help if she needed him to. Otherwise, having a good time together would not be a hardship.

Julia rubbed her eyes as a huge yawn escaped. “I’m sorry. I can’t think about this anymore tonight.”

“Sleep on it. We’ll talk more in the morning when I take you to breakfast.”

Her glare could’ve cut diamonds. He winked in approval.

They stood at the same time.

He gestured toward the back of the cottage. “You take the bed. I’ve got an air mattress somewhere I’ll toss in the second room.”

“I don’t mind sleeping on the floor.”

He turned her by the shoulders and pushed her toward his room. “You’re too tired to argue with me. Save it. We can have a really good, knock-down verbal spat about who sleeps where. Tomorrow.”

She held on to the door for a moment, staring back with eyes that were exhausted and slightly haunted, but a smile twisted her lips. A real smile instead of the awkward fake one that had shown up before. “Zach?”

“Yeah?” He deliberately walked past her, heading into the chaos of the room he’d used to toss his shit.

“Good night.” A gentle whisper that slipped over his skin like a caress.

He found a spot to place the air mattress, stretching out in the middle of a mishmash of boxes and other possessions. Her voice continued to drift through his ears as he fell asleep.

He was awakened by strange sounds coming from his bedroom. Zach rose, caution tossed aside as he cracked open the bedroom door.

In the middle of his king-size bed, Julia’s head flipped back and forth on the pillow, the sheets tangled around her.

A moan of fear slipped from her lips, and her hands scrambled at the covers. That’s when he noticed that the quilt was pinned under her body, trapping her in place.

Poor girl. “Julia. Wake up, sweetheart. You’re having a bad dream.”

She continued to move frantically. He spoke again, sliding closer to the bed. Her eyes were squeezed shut as her fingers plucked at the material pinning her in place.

Hell if he wanted to scare her more, but the sounds escaping her lips were breaking his heart.

Zach spoke louder. “Julia. Wake up. Everything’s going to be okay.”

When she kept rocking in place, Zach took a chance. He laid a hand on her shoulder then quickly removed it. “Julia.”

The third time he made contact, her eyes popped open, gaze snapping to meet his. The fear on her face was stark, and something went brittle inside him.

She opened her mouth. He expected to be screamed at, but what escaped was his name.

“Zach?” A hushed whisper. Barely there and very much a plea.

“You’re all tangled up. Okay if I give you a hand?”

Her chin quivered as she nodded. He rearranged the blankets until she had full range of motion once again. “There you go. That should be better.”

Before he could pull back from the bed, her fingers wrapped around his wrist. Her big eyes locked on him, and she looked uncommonly like a deer caught in bright headlights. “Thank you.”

He cautiously settled a hip on the edge of the bed, smoothing the sheet over the quilt. She settled back, and he stroked her hair from her face.

The entire time, she watched him.

She didn’t say anything. Just stared with that pleading expression. As if she wanted something but couldn’t say the words.

No way in hell would he make too broad an assumption right now. Not after what she’d shared earlier.

So he sat where he was, gently stroking his fingers through her hair.

Her eyes closed to half-mast before popping open, as if desperately fighting sleep.

He couldn’t help it. She was so timid at that moment, like one of his little sister’s rabbits. Really wanting to believe it was safe, yet uncertain of moving closer.

Zach made a judgment call and went with it. If he was wrong, they could get their heads straightened out later. “Go to sleep,” he told her. “I’ll stay and keep you safe.”

For second a flash of fearlessness crossed her expression. “I can take care of myself,” she insisted.

He kept his smile in place. “Of course you can. But tonight, I’ll help.”

* * *

From the dryness of her mouth and the ache at the back of her skull, Julia knew she’d had a nightmare.

The fact she wasn’t curled up in a ball on the floor or stuck in a corner of the room freezing to death with her arms tangled around her thighs made her less certain, though.

Part of the night came back to her. The bit that involved a pair of blue eyes, steady and kind, watching as sleep returned. Zach’s voice as a thread of calm that had slipped into her ears and tangled around her nervous system, soothing away her tension from the inside.

She sat up and glanced around, almost certain she would find him stretched out beside her on the king-size bed. When she discovered she was alone, it was with equal parts of sadness and contentment.

She didn’t need the complication of a real boyfriend. She definitely had appreciated his warm presence by her side last night.

Knowing it was impossible to balance the two parts of that equation, or decide which was more important, Julia threw back the blankets and got out of bed.

A quick glance at her watch said it was well past eight. She was used to working all sorts of shifts, and throwing herself out of a solid sleep into work mode was already second nature. But working in emergency services meant she also knew how to thoroughly enjoy her sleep when she could, such as going without a morning alarm and waking once her body was rested.

She walked into the kitchen, the scent of coffee pulling her to the side counter even as she had to ruefully admit she was a very good sleeper most of the time.

Damn nightmares.

She squared her shoulders and poured herself a cup, sniffing the liquid before taking a sip.

It wasn’t fresh fresh, but it also wasn’t tar. After working at the fire hall around people who didn’t know two things about what a good brew was supposed to taste like, Julia was very happy to discover Zach’s coffee was drinkable.

There was no sign of him. At least not until she opened the fridge to discover a note taped to the side of the milk carton.

If you’re starving, help yourself. But if you can wait, I’ve got that breakfast date to take you on. Give me a call or come find me in the barn.

—Zach, your boyfriend

That final word sent a shiver over her skin, but this time she didn’t think it was concern so much as simple shock.

She stood in front of the picture window and stared at the mountains as she drank her coffee. She systematically went through every step of what had happened the previous day, analyzing where she could’ve done something different.

But by the time she reached the bottom of her cup, the only thing she’d change was to not have a nightmare, and it wasn’t as if she had any control over that. Talking about her kidnapping usually triggered a bad night or two.

For the rest of it, she would give Zach all the points in the world for being a gentleman and extremely understanding.

She still wasn’t going to date him for real.

Oh, she was tempted. During that first kiss at Rough Cut, there’d been a very real physical draw, albeit unexpected.

Yet all the reasons she had for keeping to herself were still valid. Top it off with the fact he was her sister’s fiancé’s best friend. Coming back and seeing him every time she visited? It would be much simpler to pretend. In six weeks she’d be gone, and this whole mess could be put behind her.

With that decided, she pulled on her boots and made her way to the barn. A man stood in the distance currying a horse, his broad shoulders moving easily as he worked the brush over the horse’s withers.

Only when Julia stepped close enough to realize it was Finn and not Zach, it was too late to change direction.

Finn stopped what he was doing, a slow smile barely disturbing his lips. “Julia.”

She hadn’t spent that much time around the man, and to be honest, she found him a little too solemn. Every time she’d been with Karen and Finn, Zach had been along as well, and it had been his lighthearted humour she’d been drawn to.

Still, she knew Finn was rock-solid when it came to taking care of her sister Karen. Plus, he and Zach had been friends forever. There had to be something to him that made everyone trust him that hard.

Julia tangled her hands behind her back and waited, figuring he’d say something about spotting them the day before. Then something out of place struck her, and the question blurted free. “What’s wrong?”

He raised a brow.

“You guys were supposed to be gone this weekend. Karen and Lisa told me at Rough Cut that they’d see me on Monday morning, but you’re still here.”

“Small change of plans.” Shockingly, his always modest smile broadened until it was a full-out grin. “Karen and I are getting married.”

She knew that. Maybe the man was drunk and not quite in his right mind. “Right. You’re engaged.”

His soft snort echoed in the small space, and one of the horse’s ears flicked in surprise. Finn soothed the animal before turning toward Julia again. “Last night we got to talking and realized neither of us wants any kind of big shindig. Then Josiah got some tickets to a show in Vegas from his brother for Sunday night. One thing led to another, and we’ve decided we’re heading out this afternoon.”

Holy cow. “You’re getting married in Vegas?”

He dipped his chin.

All of the tension that had been weighing her down vanished in an instant. As distractions went, this was tip-top. She clapped her hands in excitement. “That is very cool. Congrats.”

“I’m glad you think so. You can save the well-wishes until we make it official. Go pack a bag, because you’re coming with us.”

Oh my God. “Really? I mean, why would I come?”

That brow of his shot up again.

“Julia.” This time his tone was full of disappointment, as if scolding her for doubting her place in the family.

Okay, she was a sister to Karen, but it still seemed kind of sudden. Wasn’t going to hurt to roll with the situation, though.

She offered her own grin. “I’m happy to come and support you. Thanks for the invite.”

“Karen said you had the weekend off already. If you can get an extra day, we’ll all fly back on Monday. If you can’t, we’ll put you on a plane Sunday afternoon so you can make your Monday shift.”

Julia nodded. “I’ll give Brad a shout. One of the guys owes me a favour, so I bet I can flip my first shift to later in the week. I’ll let you know as soon as I can.”

“Sounds good.” He paused, suddenly very serious. “So. You and Zach?”

Oops. “I kind of hoped you’d already talked to Zach.”

“Haven’t seen him yet. Left a message so he knows when we leave.”

Right. Because Zach would be at the wedding as well. A teeny knot of concern slipped in before she shoved it aside.

The man had been a knight in shining armor last night. They were going to make this thing work between them. Besides, the last thing she wanted was to get Finn all riled up and concerned before heading to his own wedding.

She faced the music. “Zach and I are just good friends. Last night we had a situation to deal with. Gossips were saying some nasty things, so he and I decided to pretend date for a bit. That’s all.”

Finn’s lips didn’t budge, but the lines at the corners of his eyes tightened. “He’s a good man, Julia. The best. Whatever you’ve got going on is your business, but you need to know you can trust him. He’d never do anything to hurt you.”

“I know that,” she assured him. “It’s part of what makes him so perfect for this. I’ll let Karen know, and Lisa, but other than that, we’re keeping this quiet, okay?”

He dipped his chin. “Secrets have a way of eventually getting out,” he warned.

“It’s only until I leave at the end of October.”

A slow frown spread on his face. Finn took a deep breath. Seemed to consider speaking, paused, then shook his head. “Don’t hurt him.”

She blinked. “Of course not.”

Finn examined her face steadily before turning back to the horse to finish his job. “He’s got a heart of gold. I imagine he’d do anything for you. Don’t take advantage of that.”

The twist in the conversation was beyond her, so Julia stepped away in search of Zach.

She found her sisters first.

She’d looked all over the barns and arenas before heading toward the ranch house Finn and Karen were renovating for their personal use. When she spotted the women on the back deck, she slowed her pace. That gave her time to examine Karen and Lisa—two of the three unexpected additions in her life.

What was she saying? Three additions? Try three sisters, one father, and a whole mess of cousins she hadn’t a hope of untangling without a roadmap and a who’s who of the Coleman clan.

After spending her life as a single child with just her mom, then losing her mom a couple years earlier, being thrust into the noisy, curious mob was invigorating and terrifying.

The thin thread of anger that rose up and tangled around the thought of her mother was ignored for now, because staring at two people who wore her face was enough to focus on here and now.

Lisa was only a couple of years older. She’d recently cut her hair to shoulder length, and blond highlights shimmered in the loose strands. She was a live wire, constantly coming up with some kind of mischief, and Julia was drawn to her in a way that felt all sorts of uncomfortable.

She wasn’t used to having confidants. Her few friends over the years had proven to be more fair-weather opportunists than real soulmates.

Lisa’s completely out-there and honest personality was a little daunting at times, but Julia was smart enough to know it was the change in circumstance that made the interaction feel wrong, not her sister’s open and honest caring.

At seven years older, Karen was less bubbly and enthusiastic, but her eyes were kind, and she definitely had that big-sister vibe going on.

All three of them did, as Julia included Tamara Stone in the mental gathering. The other three women also seemed to have a tangible connection. Roots that were so deeply meshed together, Julia both craved being a part of it and worried how she could keep following her own goals without being overwhelmed.

Yeah. Being grafted into the juggernaut called family would take some work.

Julia was about to announce her presence when Lisa spotted her. The true delight on her sister’s face helped ease more of the tension about having forced herself in where she wasn’t wanted.

Lisa opened her arms as Julia hit the top of the stairs. “Glad you’re here. Have we got a surprise for you.”

The hug Julia got felt good, and so did the flash of inspiration. “I bet you want to tell me we’re going to Vegas.”

A snicker slipped from Karen as Lisa rolled her eyes then offered a glare. “Someone told you.”

“The imminent groom-to-be,” Julia admitted before turning to Karen. “I’m really excited for you. Is there anything I can do to help?”

Her sister pulled her hair back into a ponytail, tightening the scrunchie to hold it in place. “Not much we need to do. Josiah’s brother has taken care of most of the details for us—he’s already in Vegas. We’ve got accommodations, the wedding chapel, and reservations for dinner at the Paris.”

“And there’s the show on Sunday night, if you can stick around.” Mischief rose in Lisa’s eyes. “Of course, if you want to go dancing, we can work that into the schedule.”

“I need to make a couple of phone calls,” Julia assured her, ignoring the dig about dancing. Had Karen also seen her with Zach? “I’ll let you know as soon as I can if I have to come back early.”

“Hey, ladies, flight is confirmed. Two o’clock, so we need to leave by noon at the latest.” Josiah marched onto the deck, a small, tan-coloured terrier at his heels. They both strode to Lisa’s side where Josiah picked her up and spun her in a circle, Ollie barking enthusiastically the entire time.

“Put me down,” Lisa said with a laugh.

“I’m hoping if I spin you hard enough, you might agree to a spontaneous wedding as well.”

Julia blinked at his comment, but Lisa only laughed as she tapped her fingers against his shoulders. She shook her head.

“Stop that. I already said no. This is Karen and Finn’s party. We’ll just have to continue shacking up.”

He shrugged. “Can’t blame a guy for trying.” His gaze shifted to take in Julia. “And you. Ready for a little time in sin city?”

“I’ve never been. I’m pretty excited,” she admitted.

Strong hands caressed over her shoulder, fingers squeezing briefly. Zach slid into position beside her. Close enough the heat of his body meshed with hers.

Staying there was tempting—far too tempting—but for her own peace of mind, Julia took a half step away.

Karen was too distracted by Finn’s arrival, and Josiah only had eyes for Lisa. But Lisa?

She didn’t miss a thing. Her smile kicked up a notch as she examined Zach and Julia. “I think it’s going to be a very interesting trip.”

4

Zach was doing his damnedest to try and give Julia some room, but it was the hardest thing ever.

It seemed every time he turned around, she was right there, chatting with her sisters with boundless enthusiasm. She projected so much life and energy, he was constantly drawn to her side.

It took far too much effort to stop reaching for her hand every chance he got.

Piling into the extreme back seat of the Coleman minivan put him right next to her, though. An accident of fate he was happy to enjoy as the Coleman girls continued to chatter.

Behind the wheel, Tamara glanced in the rearview mirror, her laughing eyes taking in the six of them. “You guys are all a load of trouble, but I hope you have a wonderful time. You deserve it. I mean that, sis.”

The last said directly to Karen, who was seated beside her in the front passenger seat.

Karen twisted so she could see everyone in the back better. “We’ll make sure we get a video of the wedding for you and anyone else in the family who wants a copy.”

Tamara waved a hand. “We’ll be there in spirit. I agree with the concept of keeping it small and fun, considering I never invited any of you to my wedding.”

A snicker escaped Lisa. “You set a bad example.”

“I set the best example,” she corrected, gaze once again fixed on the highway. “I proved the most important thing you need for a good marriage is the right partner.”

“Amen to that.” Finn leaned forward from where he was seated behind Karen to lay a hand on her shoulder.

She pivoted and offered Finn such a blinding I’m in love with you smile, it damn near filled the van with sparkling unicorns and rainbow dust.

Which was exactly what Zach hoped to see. His friend deserved every bit of happiness headed his way.

Beside him, Julia listened intently, but her expression wavered between excitement and concern. “Are you sure we’ll make it to the airport on time? If our flight’s at two o’clock, don’t we have all sorts of security we have to get through first? How far is the airport from us now?”

To hell with it. Zach pressed his fingers over hers where her hand lay on the seat between them, squeezing gently. “The plane won’t leave without us,” he assured her.

In front of them, Josiah twisted. His quick glance took in both Julia’s face and their linked fingers, but he blinked back his surprise and addressed her. “Have you flown before?”

“Once. Well, I suppose twice. Vancouver to LA and back when I was about twelve.”

“Disneyland trip?” Lisa asked.

“Just the beach and some winter sunshine,” Julia told her. “That’s all we could afford, but I loved it. The flight was pretty much all the Disney rides wrapped up into one. Someday I’ll go officially.”

She glanced at Zach, that crease back between her brows. Her gaze shifted to their hands.

Dammit. He had unconsciously began rubbing his thumb over the back of her knuckles. When she didn’t pull away, though, he decided to keep her anchored. He knew the bomb Josiah was about to drop.

“We’re not flying commercial,” Josiah said casually. “Finn and Zach have access to a private plane, so you’re in for a special treat.”

Julia stiffened. “A private plane?”

“It belongs to the corporation.” Zach squeezed her hand. “Remember you met Alan Cwedwick, our lawyer, that one time.”

The time she’d had to stitch him up after he’d been sort of shot—which wasn’t something he wanted to spend a lot of time talking about. Although it had to be said. Having a woman who could deal with a little blood without panicking was a good thing.

Not that he planned to get shot again anytime soon.

In front of them, Lisa pivoted until she could lay her arms over the backrest and speak to Julia. “The fact they have their own plane is out of this world. I can’t tangle my brain around it either. But I will say, after Josiah and I flew first class to London a month ago, I’m very willing to be spoiled.”

“Spoiling is good,” Julia said, smile fixed in place.

But she tugged her fingers free a moment later, staring out the window as the conversation continued around them.

Screw this. Zach slid his arm along the back of the passenger seat then angled to whisper in her ear. “You okay?”

She glanced toward the front of the van before meeting his gaze. “It’s a little overwhelming.”

“The fact our corporation owns a plane? Or that we can use it to make two people who are very important to us extremely happy by letting them get married on their own terms?”

“When you put it that way…” That cute little nose wrinkle was back. “It’s still overwhelming. How many other people do you know who own a private plane?”

“Julia, let it go.”

She offered him a heated glare but changed the topic. “I didn’t have a chance to tell anyone about our fake dating. Except Finn. I caught him in the barn before I met up with you. But my sisters don’t know, and neither does Josiah.”

“Is that really something to worry about right now?” Zach asked. “This is a fun, celebratory getaway. Nobody in Vegas knows us, so it’s not as if we have to put on an act.”

“Right. So there’s no reason for you to hold my hand.”

There was every reason he needed to hold her hand. Also on the necessary list: he needed to stroke her skin and lean in close while he breathed deep enough to send her scent ricocheting through his system.

Give her some damn space.

Easier said than done. He pulled back far enough to offer her a wink. “I like showing my affection. Everyone knows this. Hugs, holding hands…”

“Then you go right ahead and hold Finn’s hand all you want,” she said with a smirk for a second before her jaw dropped. She leaned past him, gaping out the side window. “Holy crap. Is that our plane?”

Tamara had turned down the drive at the small airstrip where the company plane was stored.

“We’ll definitely be taking off on time,” he assured Julia.

She stared in fascination, unaware her entire body was pressed up against his side. She might have been trying to put more physical distance between them when she was alert, but it was clear she was just as comfortable around him as he was around her.

Still, he didn’t want her to realize where she was and panic. He eased back to give her a better view, describing what he knew of the plane and what would happen over the next few minutes so she wouldn’t be taken by surprise.

Julia nodded as he spoke, offering him a real smile as the car came to a stop. “That sounds a lot simpler than the security I remember going through before.”

“Stick by me. If you have any questions, I’ll help.”

Only the instant they poured out of the car, it was clear he had no chance of being the one by her side as they headed onto the plane.

Tamara gave everyone final hugs and kisses, including Julia, who was looking a little wide-eyed.

At least until Tamara stuck a finger in her face. “These two are terrible at taking pictures,” she said, gesturing toward their sisters. “It’s your job to do better. And don’t forget, we want lots of selfies so you’re in the shot as well.”

Brilliant. The tension in Julia’s body vanished as she accepted her walking orders. “I can do that.”

Then she was off, Lisa and Karen sweeping her with them toward the freestanding stairs.

Finn met Zach at the back of the van, passing bags to the crew coming forward to handle them.

His best friend eyed him for a moment.

Josiah stood waiting to one side, arms folded over his chest. The veterinarian had only been a part of their group for the past six months or so, but it was clear he knew how to read a situation.

His lips twisted into a smile as he met Zach’s gaze. “So. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas?”

“I doubt that’s what Karen had in mind, considering she plans to marry this jackass,” Zach drawled.

His best friend walked past him, shoulder-checking him and accidentally shoving him off balance.

Zach laughed as he scrambled to keep his feet.

Josiah placed a finger against his lips. “I will swear I see nothing until somebody tells me that I’m allowed to see something.”

He winked then marched after the women, leaving Zach and Finn alone.

Finn paused in the middle of the tarmac, a far enough distance between them and the rest of their party that they couldn’t be overheard.

“Had the strangest conversation with Julia this morning,” Finn said.

“Really?”

“Yeah. Something about you two being in a fake relationship.” He hesitated. “Doesn’t sound like something you’d be keen on. Especially considering…”

Zach waited in silence.

He wasn’t going to make it easy on Finn. They’d been best friends for enough years and gone through hell together. They’d also gone through some of the best times of their lives, and he considered it a privilege to be invited to witness this momentous next step in Finn’s life.

Still wasn’t going to spill the beans unless Finn outright called him on it.

“Considering I know you think marriage is a pretty important relationship.” Finn raised a brow. “Adding in how you already feel about the woman, this fake thing sounds like a bad idea.”

Damn the man for being able to read him too well. “Are we going to write poetry and braid each other’s hair now?”

Finn’s solemn expression flared into a wide smile. “Julia’s a good woman.”

“Damn right she is.” Zach lowered his voice. “Still to be seen if she’s the good woman who wants to be with me. Don’t worry about us—this trip is about you and Karen. No matter what, we’re going to have a hell of a good time.”

Finn pounded him on the back then headed to the plane. “Sounds like a plan to me. To Vegas, and to forever.”

His best friend’s plans for forever were slightly ahead of Zach’s, but he agreed with the sentiment. They marched forward, ready to chill and enjoy the weekend.

When they got back to Heart Falls, there would be time enough to have a good, long talk with Julia about their future and how to make both their dreams come true.

* * *

Julia wasn’t sure where to look, and she most definitely didn’t know where to put her hands.

The looking part—that was because she was enthralled. The private plane wasn’t some gigantic boat with luxurious overstuffed leather couches like she’d seen in movies.

It was a smaller, seemingly more practical plane. Although the fact that Zach and Finn owned the damn thing still knocked it off the practical shelf and onto the oh my God list.

Who owned a plane?

Well, obviously they did, but no matter how many times she tried to wrap her brain around it, the details refused to compute.

The chairs were cushy, and there was a lot of legroom. The plane was set up with seats that faced each other, front and back. After they’d gone through the necessary security, the guys settled on one side and Karen and Lisa pulled her into their conversation.

Takeoff was fascinating. Julia stared out the window the entire time, shocked to discover she’d grabbed hold of Lisa’s fingers at some point.

She thought back over the past months and the time she’d spent with her sisters. It had been good to slowly get to know them, and her father, although George Coleman was usually only around for short periods on the weekends.

That worked out fine as well because she wasn’t really looking to have a dad figure jump in too fast.

But they’d done so much normal stuff. There’d been a lot of hamburgers and homemade meals. Comfortable evenings around the fire.

There’d been no sign during the wiener roasts in Lisa’s backyard that any of them were casually jetting off on a regular basis to wherever people with private planes went.

A soft giggle broke through her mental ramblings. Julia glanced to the side to find Lisa shaking her head.

“You need to take a deep breath. Then, either pretend you’re in the middle of a make-believe story or find some way to balance your brain.” Lisa tilted her head. “You kind of look like Ollie when she’s desperately trying to decide whether she should spend the day under my feet or follow Josiah.”

“Great. I remind you of your dog,” Julia drawled.

Karen laughed. “Considering Lisa loves that dog like a human, it’s not a bad thing.”

“Where is Ollie for the weekend?” Julia asked before including Karen in the question. “And your fur baby. Unless you brought Dandelion Fluff with you.”

“We did discuss the possibility,” Lisa admitted. “But this is an adults-only trip. We didn’t want to have to worry about puppy potty breaks or the rest of it.”

“Tansy and Rose are taking care of our pets,” Karen said. “They’re having some work done at their place, so they’ll stay at the ranch for a few days.”

For a moment, Julia’s thoughts went sideways in a different direction. The Fields sisters had become good friends over the short period of time Julia had been in town. Partly because they had a monthly girls’ night out event with a number of women, including Julia’s mob of sisters.

Rose Fields was a beautiful Black woman with long dark hair that always seemed to fall to perfectly frame her face. Her effortless beauty made Julia feel ruffled.

Julia glanced across to where the guys were chatting together, elbows resting on knees, happy contentment pouring out.

“Do you think—?” Oops. She slammed her lips shut before the question could reveal the direction of her thoughts.

Dammit. Not fast enough. Two pairs of eyes stared at her intently.

Karen lifted a brow. “Sister rule number twenty-seven. Start any kind of sentence with do you think then stall out, and I can guarantee we will poke until we figure out what you were about to ask.”

Lisa nodded briskly. “Uh-huh. You may as well spill right now and save yourself some time.”

Damn her mouth for getting away from her. “Zach took Rose dancing. That’s all.”

Her sisters exchanged a glance before Karen took charge. “Considering that sentence didn’t start with do you think, now is when we start guessing.”

“Do you think…Rose would mind if I took Zach dancing?” Lisa asked sweetly, before qualifying. “The I in that statement being Julia, of course.”

Karen responded instantly. “Rose wouldn’t mind at all. She insisted she was done with him.”

Lisa snorted. “That just sounds so wrong. But you’re right, she did say that.”

As embarrassed as Julia was at the twist in the conversation, the teasing from her sisters was gentle-hearted. Julia’s cheeks heated, though. “That’s not what I was going to ask.”

Lisa ignored her, speaking to Karen. “Do you think…Zach wants to take Julia dancing?”

“Is that what they’re calling it these days?” Karen quipped.

A snort escaped Julia, and her sisters turned happy faces toward her, leaning in to speak in conspiratorial tones.

“You like him, don’t you?” Lisa asked.

“Of course I like him.” Julia was shocked at the question. “He’s Finn’s best friend, which means he has to be awesome or else that wouldn’t have happened. Plus, he’s really nice to Karen.”

“Pshaw.” Karen waved a hand. “He’s nice to everybody. He’s just plain nice.”

A mischievous smile slid over Lisa’s face. “You know, the nice ones are usually the dirtiest in the bedroom.”

“Lisa.” Both Julia and Karen spoke in a scandalized tone at the same moment, and suddenly the guys glanced over as if very interested in their conversation.

Karen stuck out her tongue at Finn. “Never mind. Nothing interesting happening over here.”

Julia met Zach’s gaze and wondered what she’d gotten herself into. Between the pretend boyfriend business that could wait until after this weekend, and the way he’d taken charge and refused to let her stay in the apartment—

All things she would deal with come Monday.

Now she needed to focus on not getting distracted by a man with sparkling blue eyes. A man whose gaze seemed intent on stroking her skin and making bits of her tingle that hadn’t for a long time.

Would she like to do a little…dancing with the man? Dancing never seemed to turn out the way she wanted it to. Sadly, she was enough of an optimist that she still hoped at some point to be able to experience more than what she’d had in past relationships.

Cold drifted over her skin. A memory she hated, that refused to leave her be. Tied up and alone, not sure what was going to happen the next time her kidnapper returned.

A shiver escaped, rocking her briefly.

The next thing she knew, Zach was out of his seat and kneeling beside her. “You okay?”

He said it quietly, but he settled his hand on her knee, the warmth of his palm stealing over her skin. Her sisters had barely registered something had gone wrong, but he’d already known.

Equal parts wonderful and creepy, if she were honest.

She ignored the questioning gazes from Karen and Lisa and focused on Zach.

“It’s fine.” She leaned closer to whisper in his ear. “You’re complicating matters.”

His slow, lazy chuckle drifted over her. Then he squeezed her knee and stood, his smile back to a just-friends level of intimacy. “Julia says she wants a drink. I think that’s a great idea.”

Whether or not they believed him, they all accepted his excuse.

Finn got to his feet as well. “While I plan to be sober when we exchange our vows, I do have a few bottles of champagne with us. No reason why we can’t open one now.”

What followed was a great reshuffling, because of course Karen had to sit next to Finn, which meant Lisa had to sit next to Josiah.

Which left Zach and Julia snuggled up beside each other.

The comfortable seats had no armrest between them, which placed her thigh against his. Hip to hip, their elbows bumped briefly as she accepted a glass from Josiah, who had claimed maître d’ status.

Zach tapped a finger against the crystal, the clear sound ringing through the plane cabin. “Within my responsibilities as best man and the closest thing to a male relative of the bride—”

“Since when?” Karen demanded.

“Don’t interrupt the man when he’s pontificating,” Lisa whispered. “That’s when they give away all their secrets.”

Julia hadn’t even had a sip of her champagne, and she already felt slightly drunk. “Is that how it works? Now I know exactly how to execute my evil master plan.”

Beside her Zach winked before raising his glass a little higher. “As I was saying, the real best man toast will come once you’ve done the deed—”

“You might want to rephrase that one as well,” Josiah drawled.

A chorus of snickers rose from the entire group.

Zach waited even as his grin grew wider. “To two of my favourite people. We watched you fall, and fall hard, and now we look forward to celebrating the next chapter in your life.”

“Awwww, that was totally sweet,” Karen said.

“Nobody diabetic should hang around the man for long,” Finn muttered, but even he cracked a smile. “To good friends and a memorable weekend.”

Crystal clinked. Shining eyes reflected all around before Julia lifted the glass to her lips. The champagne slipped down her throat, bubbles rising to hit her nose. She sneezed. Zach held out a tissue, taking her glass from her even as conversation rose again and laughter surrounded them.

It was not at all what she had expected at this stage of her life. Being surrounded with people—family, dear God, some of them were family—had never been a part of her dream.

She stared over at Zach and considered the upheaval of the past couple of days. He was a good man, sweet and yet strong enough to be protective, and she did another round of debating whether it was worthwhile to take a chance.

Not at falling in love—she didn’t have nearly enough imagination to think about that impossibility.

But a short-term real boyfriend? The way Zach had suggested?

You’ll just disappoint him.

The thought dashed into the moment of happiness, and she grabbed it with both hands and flung it away like a disc. It might be true, but it didn’t have to come into this place and time.

The man was positivity and happiness. If she was smart, she’d simply enjoy having some of that in her world for a weekend. She didn’t need to think about the long-term.

It took a split second to make a decision. Pretty much the way it had in the bar the night she’d gone looking for a way to save Brad’s reputation.

No long internal debate, no weighing the positive and negative. There was just taking one little thing that felt good and letting it ride.

Julia eased against Zach’s side so she could enjoy the heat of his body as she nestled into him.

Nobody noticed.

Nobody, that is, except Zach.

He cautiously slid a hand around her back and let the strength of his arm cradle her. Gentle, but most definitely surrounding her and letting her know he was there.

To hell with it. They were headed to Vegas. What could possibly go wrong if she let down her guard just a little?

A hell of a lot.

Once again, she pushed away the negative thought. She would have to be completely unlucky for this to turn out badly. And really, at this point in her life, she deserved for something to be unexpectedly wonderful instead of an unmitigated disaster.

It was time to take a brief, but hopefully memorable, break from reality.

5

A freight train was running beside his bed. It was so damn loud, and so damn close, the entire bed vibrated, but still, Zach’s eyelids remained glued shut.

He really hoped nothing fell out of the train cars, because at that moment, he couldn’t have rolled over to save his life.

There also seemed to be a furry sock in his mouth.

Something warm and soft moved against his side, and if he had any muscles left in his body, the surprise would’ve made him flinch. As it was, he lay still enough that whatever was nuzzling against him began tickling his ribs.

A loud and very enthusiastic yawn broke the silence, which struck Zach as one of the funniest things he’d ever heard.

“Damn wild freight train,” he muttered.

“Where?”

Something other than insensibility slipped in. That had been a female voice. Zach peeled one eye open far enough to glance down.

Long red-highlighted hair lay tousled over his naked chest…

And that’s when he realized there was a whole lot of naked going on.

He stilled, because he didn’t want to freak anybody out. Easing up on one elbow, he blinked against the bright light stealing in through the narrow slit in the curtains. That was enough to offer a vision that set his heart pounding along with his head.

He lay on a massive king-size bed. The quilt was who knows where, leaving nothing but a sinfully soft sheet draped over his and Julia’s bodies.

Naked bodies—had he already thought that? The naked part.

He kept staring, but it didn’t matter how often his gaze drifted over her, he couldn’t put together the bits and pieces that had led to this moment. Which—

Christ on a cracker, not good.

She moaned as she rolled, making full body contact with his entire torso. “Where’s the train?”

The fact that she still sounded three sheets to the wind wasn’t a good thing. Damn it all to hell.

Zach lay back, careful not to disturb her, because the last thing he needed at that moment was both of them in panic mode.

Thinking. Thinking.

They were in Vegas. That much he remembered. He ignored the warm skin pressed against his side and frantically attempted to replay the last twelve hours.

He made it as far as remembering the post-wedding dinner at the Paris Hotel. Memories were just sneaking to the next point, which involved waving off Karen and Finn, who, rightly enough, had other things planned for the rest of the evening.

Then the four of them, Josiah and Lisa, he and Julia, had slipped out…

Somewhere?

To do something?

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Julia said.

It took about twelve syllables to get the words out. Her intonation was classic pissed-off, hungover, regret-filled partier. Fifty percent what the hell have I done? and fifty percent I’m going to kill whoever did this to me.

Amusement began in his gut then rumbled its way up until his chest shook. The sound made his own head ache, but it was impossible to stop. The fact that he might end up in her crosshairs in the next thirty seconds didn’t do anything to reduce the amusement factor.

When she snickered as well, that was it.

Laughter filled the room, surrounding them and tickling hard until he gasped for air. He clutched his stomach as he rolled away.

Even with a headache from hell, he laughed.

When he caught himself under control enough to be able to glance across the bed at her, Julia snorted.

That was it. They were both gone for another five minutes.

They ended up flat on their backs on the king-size bed. Julia had wrapped herself up toga-like in the bedsheet. Somehow in the midst of their giggle-fest, Zach had found a pair of sweatpants, so at least his junk wasn’t hanging out in all its glory.

They glanced at each other another few times before it seemed safe enough to speak. “I’m so sorry.” Zach said it as sincerely as possible.

“For what?” Julia asked.

He hesitated then decided what the hell. “I have no idea. I was hoping you would tell me.”

She shook her head then instantly squeezed her eyes shut and slammed a hand up to her forehead. “Ouch. Okay, note to Julia. Do not make any sudden moves.”

He snickered.

Her face contorted. “Dear God, please let’s not start that again.”

“Agreed.” He cautiously curled upright, waiting on the edge of the bed until the room stopped spinning. “Drinking was obviously involved.”

Behind him, she moved slowly, the mattress adjusting as she sat up. “I have no clothes on.”

She stated the fact as if it were a weather report.

“I noticed.” Dammit, there still had to be alcohol in his system. “I mean, I noticed because I also had no clothes on, not because I currently have the ability to do anything whatsoever regarding said nakedness.”

The bed creaked just the slightest bit. Zach twisted to watch Julia pace toward the window.

It was a nice enough hotel room. Spacious, luxurious. All the things he’d really like when he actually got a chance to take Julia somewhere. The hangover pounding at his temples? Not so much.

She had her nose pressed against the window, the sheet draped around her dipping low in the back. The long line of skin becoming visible tempted him to follow after her and check out exactly how soft it was.

Which meant at least some of the alcohol had evaporated out of his system.

“It’s pretty.” She turned toward him, her eyes squeezed shut. “It’s very bright. You know what time it is?”

Zach checked his watch. “Ten a.m.”

She lifted a hand in the air and swung it as if cheering. “Yay. I slept in.”

Their eyes met, and he stared into her face as the reality of what might have happened struck. “I really do have no idea what happened. But I’m sorry. I promise to take care of you, no matter what.”

Because while he very much wanted to be involved with Julia, being naked with not much memory of what had happened the previous evening was not a good way to begin.

Add in the fact that a quick glance around the room showed two closed suitcases still stacked against the wall, which meant if they had done something that they didn’t remember, dear God he hoped not, they would’ve done it without protection.

Julia blinked a few more times, gaze fixed on his. Her nose wrinkled as she considered his words.

Her lips curled into a perfect circle as understanding fluttered in. “Oh. Oh.”

She glanced to the side for a moment, her body tightening from top to bottom. Unexpectedly, she relaxed, releasing a breath hard enough it made her long hair wave.

A very decisive headshake followed. “It’s okay. Whatever we did get up to last night, we didn’t have sex.”

Oh, really? “And you know this how?”

Her lips twitched. “Wait. I suppose we might’ve had sex, but it’s very unlikely. Tell me, Zach. How big is your penis?”

The unexpected question floored him. “Uh…”

Her smile widened. “And on that note, I’m taking a shower. And finding some clothes. Then I want bacon. Lots and lots and lots of bacon.”

He was still reeling from the penis question.

Room service was a thing he could handle even while discombobulated. “The shower’s yours. Want me to bring your bag into the bathroom or put it on the bed?”

She considered for a second. One arm shot out to grab the wall for balance as she involuntarily swayed.

When she refocused on him, an endearing hiccup escaped her lips. “Excuse me. The bed would be fine. You can have the shower when I’m done.”

“Okay.”

Julia bent to scoop up the mass of material gathered at her feet, the swath of fabric barely draped over her body as she regally marched past him into the bathroom.

The lock clicked shut.

Zach was left standing with a rising semi, a full-on violent hangover, and a wicked level of respect for the woman who teased and tempted him to his core.

* * *

After a scorching hot shower that left the mirrors so steamy, teeny rivulets streaked down the surface, Julia was only a half step toward feeling better.

She had zero idea how long she’d spent soaking herself, alternating between hot enough to turn her skin lobster red and ice-cold in the hopes the combination would drive the remaining alcohol out of her body.

It hadn’t worked.

Or, it hadn’t worked completely. She was now sober enough to be able to look around the massive bathroom and appreciate the layout and conveniences. The shampoo smelled heavenly, the soap as well, and when she cracked open the body lotion, that’s when she knew for certain they were staying somewhere very expensive.

Even the body lotion smelled good.

With the fluffiest towel she’d ever used in her life wrapped around her body, and another twisted around her hair, Julia sat on the padded bench in front of the vanity and stared at the steamy surface in front of her.

Way to go, Blushing. One night in Vegas, and you’ve already gotten naked in bed with the man.

She squeezed her internal muscles again, ninety-nine point nine percent positive she was right. They hadn’t had sex. If they had, she would’ve felt it. Her muscles, unused for a long time, would have been sore.

Sex had been off the table for Julia for a while. Vaginal intercourse, to be precise, because she knew sex was so much more than just penis in vagina action.

Actually… Any kind of sex other than masturbation had been missing for a long stretch of time. Solo fun times? She was a champion.

She leaned forward and smeared a hand across the fog, wiping a section of the mirror clean. Her haunted eyes were visible for only a second. Being able to reassure Zach was a good thing, but as her brain started to clear, the other realization slid in.

He wouldn’t let her declare her truth without more explanation. He would be the type to dig for more.

She liked that about him, except now when it would lead to a very blunt and embarrassing conversation.

The fan was doing its best to clear the steam from the air, and her face came into sharper focus. Her eyes seemed far too wide and innocent considering the way she’d boldly pretended waking up naked with him hadn’t thrown her for a loop.

The bits and pieces she did remember needed to be seamed together with his.

Before she left the bathroom, she gave herself a stern warning, finger pointed at the mirror. “He’s a friend first. We shouldn’t try anything more, especially considering our luck doesn’t seem to be very strong at the moment. It’s too bad, but the fates have spoken. Zach will be a fantastic friend.”

She dipped her chin decisively, wincing at the move. “Owww.”

Her time in the bathroom had been long enough for Zach to work magic. Her suitcase rested on the bed, but more importantly, the entire room was filled with the scent of bacon.

“You are a god among men,” she told him as she made her way to the table in front of the window.

Zach pretended to tip his imaginary hat then pulled out a chair for her in front of the feast. “It was a bit of a rush order, but there’s plenty of protein and fat. And orange juice,” he added. “Help yourself. I need the shower.”

Julia barely noticed him leave, the crisp bacon breaking off in her mouth and sending a mini food orgasm through her system. At the last second, she remembered her manners and called after him. “Thank you.”

He lifted a hand, strolling through the bathroom door, his amazing butt vanishing from sight.

She glared at the piece of bacon in front of her and told herself sternly, “Noticing his butt is not a thing that friends do.”

A quick snap of her teeth, and the bacon shattered into deliciousness on her tongue.

Zach wasn’t gone for long, but by the time the bathroom door opened, Julia had enough food and juice and coffee into her system that the room was no longer spinning.

She’d also taken breaks from her feast to dig into her suitcase and pull on underwear and clothing. Nothing fancy, but tidy enough they could leave the room without looking as if they’d spent the night in drunken debauchery.

Her phone was absolutely dead. She plugged it into the wall and went back to the bacon as quickly as possible.

“Just a second. Forgot my stuff.” Zach strolled across the room to his suitcase. The towel wrapped around his waist hung precariously low. The ends were tucked in to hold it in position as he used both hands to pull things out of his suitcase.

He stood close enough his iliac crest was visible, the long lines leading down to his groin standing out in firm relief. Abdominal muscles flexed as he picked up a T-shirt and jeans, pivoting to head back into the bathroom.

Dear God.

Julia wiped at her lips, not certain if it was bacon grease or drool at the sides of her mouth. She filled her cup of coffee again and tried not to think about it too hard.

A moment later Zach marched out and joined her at the table. His hands moved decisively, piling bacon, a fried egg, and at least three slices of ham onto a piece of toast. He slathered the entire thing with ketchup and lifted it to his mouth and took a giant bite.

“I’m really glad I’m not nauseous,” Julia said.

“It’s always like this after I drink,” Zach informed her. “I’m starving.”

She gestured magnanimously to her leftovers. “Have at ‘er.”

He was too busy eating to answer, but his eyes flashed with amusement.

She sipped her coffee and waited until he finished his ravening beast imitation.

The pause gave her time to look around the room. The view from the window had been spectacular. They were directly across from the fountain she’d seen so many times on television and in movies. Inside the room, it was decadent and relaxing, and obviously not a standard double room.

From the king-size bed to the sitting area, this was nowhere she would’ve expected in her wildest dreams.

“We’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto,” she whispered.

Zach gave a snort of amusement. “In other news, now that my head seems to have decided to remain attached to my shoulders, maybe we should talk.”

“Talking would be good. I remember Karen’s wedding.”

“Dinner at the Paris. I had a massive steak.” Zach frowned. “You had pasta, Karen and Lisa had some kind of seafood, and Finn had ribs.”

“Josiah had the vegetarian lasagna.”

Zach grinned. “Lisa told him he was committing veggie-cide, eating all of those poor earthborn creatures.”

So they both remembered dinner. They remembered going out dancing afterward with Josiah and Lisa. Only when her sister and her beau had started making goo-goo eyes at each other far too often…

“We went drinking,” she told Zach. “Josiah and Lisa wanted to go off on their own, but they also didn’t want to leave us alone, so you and I said we wanted to explore.”

He nodded, waving a hand excitedly. “That’s right. We found that private club on the twenty-seventh floor.”

“Really? You can’t remember what we did, but you can remember what floor it was on?”

Zach looked shocked. “Of course I remember what floor it was on. How else am I going to go back if I don’t know where it is?”

A snicker escaped, and she curled her arms around her stomach. “Don’t make me laugh. My stomach hurts.”

Zach’s lips twisted in a wry smile. “We did tequila shooters, didn’t we?”

A second later, the memory was back. “You said they were your favourites.”

He cursed. “When I’m already drunk, they’re my favourites. You know that song ‘Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off’?”

Julia was finding this far too entertaining considering she was still partly hungover herself. “That’s you?”

“Obviously.”

“Way to warn me, baby.”

He offered her a mock glare. “I don’t know where you found that high horse to ride in on.”

“Guilty as charged,” she said, raising a hand in the air. “Tequila and I get along real good.”

Zach frowned. “Where’s my phone? I bet we probably have pictures of our drunken revelry.”

“Mine was dead. I put it over there to charge.” Julia glanced around. “I haven’t seen yours.”

What followed was a very time-consuming game of hide-and-go-seek, which involved picking things up and putting them back down.

In a fancy hotel room like this, there were an awful lot of things to pick up and examine, from magazines on the long rosewood bureau to a fancy box filled with tea on the side counter. Julia moved cautiously to not reawaken the hangover that threatened to leap back at any moment.

“Found it,” Zach announced from his position half buried under the bed.

Watching him wiggle out meant she was once again staring at his Very Fine Ass.

In self-defense, she turned back to the desk and spotted a bottle of champagne with the silver ribbon around its neck. Seriously, this was one fancy-schmancy room. A closer glance and she noticed it said Wedding Congratulations on a tag hanging from the ribbon.

“Hey, Zach. We must’ve bought a present for Karen and Finn.” She picked up the bottle and twisted toward the table, pausing when the writing on the folder on the desk under the bottle finally sank in.

Your Wedding.

That part wasn’t the bit that got her heart pounding and her stomach churning far too hard considering her current delicate post-hangover condition.

It was the large words at the top of the folder that were the troublesome bit. The uber-fancy, written in silver with glittering sparkles, two-inch-high letters that read:

Jules & Zach 4ever

6

“Damn, my battery is dead as well.” Zach got to his feet and headed to his suitcase for a charging cable. He glanced at Julia. “You have enough juice to be able to text Lisa?”

Julia didn’t move. She just kept staring at the bottle of champagne as if it were a snake about to strike.

“Sorry. You said something about a wedding gift?” He moved toward her at about half his regular speed. He was no longer about to fall over but far from recovered.

“Oh, shit. Shit, shit, shit.” Julia picked a shiny black file folder off the desk, flipping it open.

Curious what could produce that kind of a reaction after she’d faced the rest of their weird morning so calmly, he slid in behind her, reading over her shoulder.

Congratulations as you begin the rest of your life together. Here at Mile-High Memories, we believe that moment that you said “I do” is one to be treasured forever. With that in mind, remember you can access your entire ceremony online by using the case-sensitive code YeHaWeDIDit!!! on our website.

“How come we brought home Karen and Finn’s wedding mementos?” Zach asked in confusion. The name of the wedding chapel seemed wrong, but at that moment, who knew?

Julia let out a stuttering breath. She firmly closed the brochure and turned to face him. “Because it’s not Karen and Finn’s. Not according to this.”

She violently shook the file from side to side.

He still had to be intoxicated because two and two were currently adding up to something way different than four. “How come that’s got our names on it?”

She pressed the file against his chest, shoving past him and heading to her phone. He twisted and followed hard on her heels, glancing into the file folder again for further clues.

Behind the page with the access code was a picture.

“Oh, shit,” he echoed her sentiment.

It wasn’t a bad picture as far as that went. Actually, it was kind of cute, but it didn’t look as if they were hanging out at a high-class bar doing shooters. He had his arm around her, huge smiles on their faces. Julia wore a sparkly tiara with a massive wad of white fluffy stuff sticking out the back. He supposed that was the equivalent of a wedding veil.

For his concession to formalwear, a lopsided bowtie had been placed around his neck. It looked extra ridiculous considering he wore a plain black T-shirt with the word GROOM across the chest.

It matched her white one that said RIDE.

RIDE? The hell?

“What’s that access code again?” Julia demanded before cursing softly. “My phone is charging at the speed of a drunken gnat.”

He passed her the piece of paper without taking his eyes off the picture. “It seems we had a hell of a good time.”

“I’m still hoping this is some sort of elaborate hoax Lisa concocted,” Julia confessed. “Here. I got it lined up.”

They huddled together on the bed in order to keep the charging cable plugged in. Julia held out the phone, and Zach placed his hand under hers to tilt the screen so he could see the images beginning to roll.

A bright-red loveseat held centre stage, small end tables on either side filled with massive bouquets of white roses.

“This way, mademoiselle, monsieur.” The man’s far too cheesy and very fake French accent sounded against the delicate background of piano music.

The next moment, it was them, Julia and Zach, sliding into view.

Video Zach sat, and the couch made a distinctly rude noise.

Julia snickered, seating herself beside him and crossing her ankles demurely. “Excuse you.”

He scooped her up—him, Zach on the screen—ignoring Julia’s giggles as he settled her in his lap. “Be nice,” he warned.

“I’m always nice.” The sexual innuendo in the words was strong, especially when combined with the sultry glance she tossed him.

Beside him on the mattress, real-time Julia shuddered. “Dear God, I do not do sex kitten very well.”

Zach wasn’t about to argue because he liked his anatomy where it was currently located. She didn’t need to know how instantly he’d just reacted to her tone. “I hope this isn’t a sex tape.”

Julia stabbed at the phone screen, hitting the pause button. She twisted toward him, one fist landing on her hip as her jaw dropped. “You did not just say that.”

Holy hell, the places his mind leapt to. “Why? Because you hope it is?”

“Of course not!” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Be quiet.”

A snicker escaped before he could control himself. “Yes, ma’am.”

Ignoring him, she put the phone back into position and hit play.

That voice echoing in the background began again. “Before we get to the official ceremony, we like to start with something we call the True Love Test. I’m going to ask you questions, and you get a chance to show how much you truly know about your dear soon-to-be-wedded partner.”

“This part should be good,” Zach muttered.

On the screen, Julia laid her head against Zach’s shoulder, one hand patting him on the chest. “Smoochy Bear and I are ready.”

The groan from here-and-now Julia was loud and sincere.

“What is Zach’s favourite food?”

Julia answered instantly. “Ice cream!”

“And Julia’s?”

“Meatballs and sausage.” Online Zach said it with a straight face, staring at the camera as if his life depended on it.

Beside him on the bed, Julia snickered harder than the drunk version of her did. But then again, only one of them was alert enough to have caught the joke.

“And what is your partner’s favourite thing to drink?”

The unanimous response came back with such perfect synchronization they might’ve practiced for a month. “Tequila!”

“There’s our confirmation of how we got into this mess,” Zach said.

Another half dozen questions and answers followed, interrupted when last-night Julia got an attack of hiccups. Online Zach tried to help by patting her violently on the back. Fortunately, that ended only a few seconds later when he slid off the couch.

Both of them vanished onto the floor and out of sight.

The video cut off briefly, returning to a new location. The Mile-High Wedding chapel had a distinctively western theme. The man standing at the front with Zach at his side wore a ten-gallon hat in a less than pristine white tone.

A few folding chairs were arranged on either side of the room to make a path to the altar. There were actual people waiting to watch the ceremony. All turned toward the camera, waiting for Julia to arrive.

Zach tilted the phone toward himself a little more because what he was seeing couldn’t really be real. “How did you convince Dolly Parton to come to our wedding?”

“I’m very proud she’s there. Dolly is awesomeness to the extreme.” Julia lowered her voice. “I’d like to confess that I would also kill to have a set of tatas like hers.”

A sharp burst of laughter escaped him. “Your tatas are just fine. It looks as if we also got Roy Rogers, but I don’t know who the rest of them are.”

“I’m bitterly disappointed in you, Zach Sorenson.”

She said it with such an absolute conviction he hit the pause button, stopping the wedding march that had just begun to play. “What?”

Julia folded her arms over her chest and blinked hard, annoyance dripping from her expression. “You did not ask a single Elvis impersonator to attend our wedding.”

Dear God, he was going to die. His grin was so wide his face hurt, but the back of his head ached, and his brain swirled with unanswered questions. “What the hell did we do, Julia?”

She let out a big sigh, the phone resting in her lap. “We got drunk. That much is obvious.”

“I guess the good part is, my mentor always said if you’re going to do a thing, do it to the best of your abilities.”

“Well, then. In our Wild Adventures for Beginners class, we just scored a hundred percent.” Julia held a hand in the air, and he gave her a high five.

They both groaned as the shock of impact vibrated through them. “No quick moves,” Julia reminded him as she pressed a hand to her forehead.

“Got it.” He pointed to the phone. “You want to watch the rest of it?”

This time when she hit play, they managed to sit quietly and let the travesty unfold before their eyes.

Part of it was Zach didn’t feel like making any smart comments anymore, because there was something about watching Julia walk toward him and take his hand, and the expression on his face that seemed too real to tease about.

The vows were short and to the point, but the instant the I do’s were exchanged and the faux French speaking administrator asked about rings, the solemnity of the occasion fell apart.

“Dammit—no rings.” Last-night Zach glanced around the room. “One second.”

He stepped to the wall and grabbed down a decoration. One of the lariats that had been draped on a hook.

Online Julia squealed, ducking behind Dolly Parton as Zach twirled the lasso. Chaos ensued. Chairs tipped, the witnesses scattered…

When Julia made a break for it, headed back down the aisle toward the camera, Zach neatly roped her, pulling the loop tight around her arms and bringing her laughing self back against him.

The instant he released her, she lifted her hands to his face, leaning in.

There on the bed, Zach’s heart pounded. Dammit, he was turned on and waiting with breathless anticipation for online Julia to kiss him.

At the last second, she twisted his head and pressed her lips against his cheek, blowing a solid raspberry that echoed over the recording equipment.

The half dozen witnesses returned to the screen, cheering loudly. Rose petals flew in the air, then Julia and Zach were being marched down the aisle toward the camera. Huge grins in place.

Julia jerked to a stop. She glanced down at her shirt and caught hold of the B in BRIDE. One solid tug ripped the cheaply fastened letter from her chest. She twisted and handed it daintily to Dolly before coming back and grabbing Zach by the hand again.

His head tilted to one side. “RIDE?”

Her cheeky grin flashed. “Hello, cowboy. You’re the one who lassoed me.”

Fortunately, the video ended at that moment, except for continued music and credits.

Julia let it keep playing, but she placed her phone on the end table beside the bed and shot to her feet. “Well. That was exciting.”

Yeah. That was one word for it. “Still don’t think we had sex?”

Strangely, that was the trigger that made her cheeks bloom with colour. “Yes. I mean no, we did not have sex. More to the point, what do we do now?”

It was the wrong answer. Zach knew it before he said it, but he could no more hold back than stop the seasons returning. “I suppose we should go on a honeymoon.”

* * *

Julia nearly pulled a muscle rolling her eyes as she headed back to the table. “There’s got to be some bacon left.”

There was no correct follow-up to that video they’d just witnessed. Married? The whole idea was complete bullshit, and they both knew it.

But his teasing suggestion of a honeymoon hit her interest buttons way harder than she’d have ever imagined possible.

Stick to facts. Stick to friends.

“We’ll figure out something,” Zach said in a far more serious tone of voice. “Sorry, but this has just been one ridiculous thing after another. We should find out if there’s actually a wedding chapel called Mile-High Memories.”

That was somewhat reassuring. “What time are we supposed to get together with the others?”

Zach frowned as if thinking was still hard. “Lunch.”

She nibbled on the lone piece of bacon she’d discovered hidden under a lettuce leaf. “Okay. We have time to do some research and formulate a plan before we get together with anyone.”

He joined her at the table and poured a new cup of coffee. He lifted the carafe in a silent ask.

More caffeine? Desperation shoved her mug forward. “Okay, since our phones need a few more minutes to recharge, let’s make a list.”

Her purse was within reach—thank goodness she hadn’t lost that along with her mind last night. It only took a second to pull out her journal and open it to a fresh page.

Zach’s lazy smirk was back. “That’s awesome.”

“What?” Julia demanded.

He wiggled a finger at the open journal. “Boy scouts got nothing on you.”

An enormous sigh escaped before she could stop it. She put down her pen and folded her arms over her chest. “Okay, get out all the teasing at once so we can be done with it.”

Shock slipped into his expression. “Umm—”

“Carrying your spare brain, Julia? What’s on the agenda today, Julia? Want some gold stars for your notebook, Julia?”

Zach held up a hand. “Whoa. I hit a sore spot. Didn’t mean to. I mean, I’m impressed. And thankful.”

She paused, the anger inside wavering with uncertainty. “Thankful?”

“We need ideas. The way my brain feels at the moment, we could come up with the solution to world peace, and I’d forget it three seconds later. I’m glad you’re taking notes.”

It was her turn for sheepish discomfort to sweep in. “Sorry I overreacted. Journaling helps me focus, and I’ve done it for as long as I can remember. But people can be shits.”

He laid his hand on her arm and squeezed. “Nothing but respect here. Honestly.”

She picked up her pen and wrote a simple To-Do at the top of the page. Even with his reassurance he didn’t think her journaling was silly, she didn’t bother to try and make things fancy. “Check for the wedding chapel—although I’m pretty certain it exists. Having an online portal is a bit far for an elaborate hoax.”

“You’re right. I was being hopeful.” Zach reached for the file and reopened it, digging a little deeper and pulling out pictures and papers. “…and it looks as if we have an official marriage certificate. Drat.”

He placed it on the table between them.

“Gah. Okay, so if it’s not filled out correctly, are we off the hook?” She leaned in, suddenly hopeful. “The cover of the file has my name as Jules, and I’m definitely Julia.”

He groaned, running a finger under the spot with their names. “Julia Gigi Blushing.” A blink of surprise then amusement arrived as his gaze lifted to hers. “Gigi?”

“No idea why Mom inflicted me with that, other than to cause me unending torment during junior high.”

“I hear you on that.” He pointed to the next line.

She snickered as she read his full name. “Zachary Beauregard Damien Sorenson? Seriously?”

“I know. The whole thing is so pretentious.

“Beauregard is different, but Damien as well?”

He sighed mightily. “I was named for my father and both grandfathers.”

“That’s…a mouthful.” Julia grabbed a glass of water, suddenly needing something to do with her hands. She knew so little about Zach, really, that this moment of cracking the door seemed important.

Seemed intimate.

He leaned back and nodded. “After having four girls, I think my parents wanted to make sure they used all the masculine familial names possible while they had a chance.”

“Four girls…” She gaped. “You have four sisters?”

“Five. My little sister turns thirty this year.”

Recalibrating. The urge to up and apologize struck all over again, and Julia went for it. “I am so sorry for mixing you up in my nonsense.”

“What are you talking about? This isn’t your fault.” Zach shrugged. “Well, it’s both our faults for drinking too much, if we’re honest, but otherwise, don’t go blaming yourself for the midnight-marriage thing.”

“I meant for hooking you into the whole fake-girlfriend thing in the first place.” It wasn’t easy to continue, but she had to. “I didn’t think very hard, and now I realize I don’t know you very well. It was wrong to tangle you in something without being aware of what dragging you into my mess could mean.”

His body was still relaxed, but that lazy expression slipped into something more solemn and forthright. “It’s okay, Julia. I mean it. I’m glad I can help you deal with the rumours, and we’re going to deal with this as well. Trust me.”

The problem was—she did. Far too much, all things considered.

Still, she met his gaze head on. “Thank you.”

His chin dipped decisively. “Okay, problem-solving time.”

“How old are you?”

Another question that slipped out, but Zach took it in stride, pointing to the paperwork before them. “Thirty-three. Thirty-four on December twenty-seventh. And this says you’re…damn. You’re just a baby.”

That earned him another eye roll. “Stop that. I’m twenty-five.”

“A perfectly good age for a bottle of scotch.”

“Don’t be annoying, Beauregard.” His lips twitched at her comment. “No? You like Beau better, baby?”

“I like baby, better,” he confessed. “Okay, to-do list. As far as I can tell from looking at this certificate, it could be totally legit or bonfire kindling. I think we need to contact a real lawyer.”

She wrote down lawyer. “You have someone on speed dial, if I remember correctly.”

“Yeah.” Zach shook his head. “Alan’s going to be far too entertained by this.”

“If it’s real, will he be able to help us cancel it? Or annul it, or whatever it is you do to bogus marriages. I mean it’s not as if we need a divorce.”

He stretched again, drinking his coffee thoughtfully. “That’s one part we can relax about. Alan will know what to do. You want me to call him now?”

A quick glance at the clock on the wall and Julia said, “Before noon on Sunday? That’s just mean.”

Zach waved off her protest. “He gets paid to deal with the nonsense we fall into, but I’ll send him a message instead. That way he can respond when he wants. We probably can’t do anything about this until we get home anyway.”

Which meant they had to tell her sisters. “My sisters are going to laugh themselves silly when they hear what we did.”

Zach made a face. “We could skip sharing the ‘imagine our shock when we woke up naked’ part of the experience.”

That was an easy answer. “Agreed.” Julia nodded vigorously before remembering that wasn’t a smart move. “Owwww.”

He hummed in sympathy. “We’re both a little delicate right now. For the to-do list—want me to find us a spa to help work out some of the kinks?”

“If we’re supposed to meet the others at noon, it would have to be after.” She tapped her pen on the notebook. “Problem-solving, first. All we have is contact lawyer.”

“Which is pretty much all we need.” Zach stroked his fingers against his shadowed jaw. His gaze fixed on her, growing more intent. “Except I need to be utterly serious here and embarrass the hell out of both of us. Regarding that waking-up-naked business.”

Julia braced. “You’re really going to ask this again?”

“The problem is, I’m not one hundred percent certain we didn’t have sex. And while there is nothing wrong with us having sex at some point, the fact I can’t remember is terrifying me. I’m not the kind of guy who sleeps with a woman after she’s been drinking, Julia. The fact you were three sheets to the wind should have meant sex was off the agenda.”

He really was one of the good ones. Which made it easier to pony up the details that would reassure him even as she hated having to share something so personal.

She lay down her pen and leaned forward. “We were both drunk. But I believe you, absolutely, that you wouldn’t have taken advantage. The way I was acting all handsy in that wedding video, it’s possible you had to call me off. Not probable, but possible.” This was kind of like tearing off a bandage—easier if she just spat it out. “I haven’t had sex in a couple of years. If we’d had sex last night, I’m pretty sure I would feel it today.”

“Oh.” Zach lifted a hand as if he was going to say something else, but he closed his mouth and his brow furrowed. He nodded slowly, eyeing her with curiosity. “That’s a long dry spell.”

“Self-inflicted. Don’t worry, I’m not about to combust or anything.”

She could tell he was itching to ask more but wasn’t sure where the line between them stood and how far politeness would extend. And while there was more she could share, it wasn’t necessary.

Instead, Julia went back to her notebook and wrote down physical. “Well, if anything sexual did happen, I’m due for one of my regular checkups sometime this coming month. Which means I’ll be tested for everything anyway, what with my position as an EMT. Any possible social diseases I need to be aware of?”

His lips twitched again. “This is like having a conversation with my RN mother. Far too blunt, and yet I know better than to try to avoid the interrogation. No, I’m not carrying any communicable diseases.”

“Your mom’s a nurse?”

“Retired now, but yeah.” His grin widened. “I begged my dad to give me the birds-and-the-bees talk, but no. By the time he got around to it, my mother and older sisters had already traumatized me.”

She could imagine. “My mom—”

The memory stalled before she could even share it. Her mom had shared about the mechanics of sex at the appropriate time. Looking back, the very dry and clinical descriptions hadn’t been the best introduction.

Realizing that sent another sharp jab through already painful memories.

Then damn if Zach wasn’t there again. Kneeling beside her and looking up with concern written all over him. “You okay?”

She forced a smile. “I guess I’ve developed a little baggage when it comes to my mom. Sorry. Didn’t mean to go off on a tangent.”

He winked. “No problem. I’ll grab my phone and send off that message to Alan. You want to touch base with Lisa? Maybe set up a meeting spot. We can share the dreadful details in person. Together.”

“That sounds fine.”

He squeezed her knee then headed to where his phone was charging.

Julia watched him for a moment before purposely rising and opening her own device. This was all just a momentary glitch. After they’d dealt with the teasing, it would be easily solved.

Yet this royal screwup made it much easier for her to reaffirm her conviction that it would be best to strictly play pretend once they went back to Heart Falls.

Zach was a good man, and he didn’t need to get tangled up more than she’d already got him. She would keep them on the friend side of the page. Honestly, that would be special all on its own.

She opened her messages and clicked through to her sister.

7

Zach found them a corner booth in the restaurant where the six of them met. Private enough that his and Julia’s bomb could be presented without too many others overhearing. Public enough that he knew he wasn’t about to be skewered by anyone—especially by the most dangerous members of any family: sisters.

As they settled, he examined his friends, looking for clues as to how they might react. Josiah wore the same gloating expression as Finn. Karen and Lisa looked relaxed yet deliciously content.

For a moment Zach fought his first instinct, which was to grab Julia by the hand and haul her back to his suite to put that same expression on her face.

The idea was tempting, but it wasn’t his right, dammit.

With the two other couples seated on the inside of the circular bench, he and Julia sat on the outside edges opposite each other.

He was just about to bring up the funny thing that happened the previous night when Julia beat him to the punch.

“Hey, Lisa. Bet you twenty bucks I’ve done something in Vegas that you haven’t.”

Which was the perfect way to get all their attention. Lisa and her bets were notorious.

Lisa lifted a brow. “Really? What did you get up to after Josiah and I left you on the dance floor?”

“So many cool things. Like, Zach found us a private club on the twenty-seventh floor and somehow got us access.”

Josiah looked impressed, dipping his chin at Zach. “Room with a view? Nice. You must’ve really sweet-talked somebody to get access without an invitation.”

Considering Zach didn’t remember what strings he’d pulled, he simply grinned as if he was a magician. “When you’ve got it, you’ve got it.”

“That was only part of our adventure,” Julia said. “I also met a Dolly Parton impersonator, tried some really good tequila, Zach and I got married, and I discovered that room service bacon is—”

“Hold your horses.” Karen shot up a hand, fingers spread wide. “Did you say you got married?”

Julia nodded then winced. “Excuse me. Slight headache. Yeah, it was kind of one of those one thing led to another deals, ending in an oops. It’s okay, though. Zach’s already contacted his lawyer dude, so we’ll get it fixed up in no time.”

The entire time she shared, her tone remained light. She was so obviously amused it was impossible for anyone at the table to get upset.

Only Finn was examining him with that impenetrable gaze that said he knew exactly how fucked up this was.

Thankfully, his best friend didn’t speak. On the practical side, Finn wouldn’t have been able to get a word in edgewise because Lisa, Karen, and Josiah all spoke at once.

“Are you kidding?” Josiah said with a laugh.

“I can’t believe you did that.”

“Was there an Elvis impersonator as well?” That last one from Lisa, which made Julia snort.

“No. I’m so disappointed.” She turned her attention across the table to Zach. “See? If we were going to have an impromptu marriage in Vegas, Elvis was supposed to be involved.”

“I’ll remember that for next time,” Zach drawled. “You may as well show them the video.”

“There’s video?” Lisa reached for the phone Julia had all queued up, and a moment later the four of them had all leaned into watch the travesty.

Zach met Julia’s gaze across the table. She smiled and offered a wink. Everything about her said she was relaxed and happy…

Except it was a complete lie.

A repeat of the moment when it seemed she had been about to share her amusing birds-and-bees story. A veil had fallen, bringing in something heavy and sad.

Now? She was putting on a great show to make light of the situation for their friends and family, but inside, she was hurting bad.

The insight struck him on so many levels. First and foremost because he wanted to fix her pain. She didn’t deserve to be sad, and this hurt seemed to go beyond the mixed-up mess of here and now.

Second truth that hit him—

He could read her like a book.

Julia Blushing was a very good liar, but he was even better at spotting her tells. And while laughter swelled at the table as the video continued, Zach struggled to keep his new awareness from showing on his face.

What a tangled web.

He’d always been lucky. His gut instinct had always told him when it was time to take a chance. When the time was right.

Everything in him said Julia was hiding something deep, maybe even keeping truths from herself. But more than that, his gut told him that they belonged together. Sham marriage, fake boyfriend, none of that mattered.

He and Julia were meant to be.

Hell of a thing to discover, though, considering everyone at the table was now highly entertained at the idea of them as a couple.

His phone buzzed with an incoming message, and he pulled it out to discover a response from Alan to his what do we do next? query.

Alan: well, I can honestly say you boys keep me entertained. Plus, you keep me in business. I’ll do more research, but at first glance this isn’t going to have a cut-and-dried solution. Just a heads-up. This might end up more complicated than you hope.

Zach put his head down and typed under the edge of the table where nobody could see him: aren’t you a ray of fucking sunshine?

Alan: you don’t pay me to blow smoke up your skirt.

Zach: thank goodness. A kilt in Alberta would get mighty chilly at times.

Alan: ha ha. You want me to rush down to Vegas or wait until you’re back at the ranch on Monday?

Zach: the ranch. This is supposed to be Karen and Finn’s gig. Julia and I will meet you at the house Monday evening and we’ll get the mess straightened out.

Alan: pass on my congratulations to the newlyweds. I mean, the couple who intended to get married this weekend.

Zach: will do

Now he understood why Finn always teased that Zach’s jokes weren’t that funny. Alan had the same issue.

Zach tucked his phone away before the rest of them noticed, which was good. He didn’t want to share the whole it’s going to be more complicated than you hoped revelation. Monday would be soon enough to start fixing their mistake.

A cheer rang out and then wild applause as the video came to an end.

Lisa met his eyes. “I’ve got to give up my Most Mischievous Whiskeyteer badge after that bit of shenanigans. Well done, Julia and Zach.”

Zach laid a hand over his chest. “Don’t disappoint me. Tell me you actually have a badge to give Julia.”

“Oh, no, Lisa doesn’t need any encouragement to produce strange membership paraphernalia,” Karen said. “One year she tried to make a set of ears for us all à la Mickey Mouse.”

“They were really good ears,” Lisa insisted.

Karen raised a brow. “You stuck a set on Tamara’s head before the glue was dry. I had to cut the damn thing out of her hair.”

Lisa’s nose wrinkled in a move that was strangely reminiscent of Julia’s favourite expression. “Oh. You’re right. I forgot about that part.”

“I’m pretty sure Tamara hasn’t. In fact, she already told me about that event, so I think it was very memorable,” Julia shared.

“Memorable is one way of saying traumatic.” Karen gestured toward where the waitstaff was bringing their lunch. “Clear the runway. Food’s about to arrive.”

And that was it. Zach had to admit that while he had a way with people, Julia took it to the next level. No one other than Finn seemed to have any concerns whatsoever about the current situation.

Well, no one other than Finn and himself, of course. Because the layers of questions were getting deeper instead of falling away. Still, Zach focused on enjoying the meal and the company of friends instead of worrying about the situation.

It wasn’t until they hustled the women off to enjoy a luxury spa package for the afternoon and it was down to just the three of them that things got complicated again.

Zach settled with a contented sigh into the high-back leather chair in the whiskey bar, the scent of cigar smoke drifting on the air just enough to be pleasant. The waitress brought glasses of heavenly scented amber liquid then vanished as if she’d never been there.

To his left, Finn raised his glass and peered into the whiskey. “One hell of an oops, my friend.”

Josiah didn’t even pretend to be casual. He leaned forward on his elbows, drink ignored. “Top it off with the gossip I just got from my receptionist back home, can I ask what the hell you’re doing?”

Drat. “What’s the gossip?”

“Word is you and Julia are a hot item.” Josiah’s usual easygoing expression had gone blank.

So. The small-town rumour mill had done its job. Man, they would have a field day when the updated news hit.

“You’re my best friend,” Finn began. Paused. His gaze lasered in. “What’s the plan? Is this a mistake to be solved or an opportunity to take hold of?”

Josiah blinked. “Whoa. Did not see that one coming.”

Zach could appreciate their newer friend’s confusion. “Our mentor, Bruce. It was one of his sayings. One of the lessons he taught us—too many times people see what they think is a disaster headed their way and do everything they can to avoid it or get out of the path.”

“When what they should be doing is figuring out how to harness the energy and aim the river in the direction they need it to go,” Finn finished.

Josiah hesitated. “Accidentally getting married might be a good thing?”

Finn shrugged. “Nothing to panic over, that’s for sure.” He met Zach’s gaze again. “You know you’ve got my support. The whole situation is a little twisted because Julia is Karen’s sister, but since I don’t think you would want anything that’s not in Julia’s best interest, I see no potential conflict.”

He held out his hand, and Zach took it gratefully. “You’re the best.”

The three of them all sat back a lot more comfortably now that Finn had stated where he stood, which put Zach in a better position.

Taking advantage of the moment’s pause while they all sipped their drinks let Zach run through what he wanted to say. Both of the men beside him were trustworthy. As partners to Karen and Lisa, both of them had high-stakes interest in how his and Julia’s relationship turned out.

It wasn’t reasoning that made him speak. His gut made him do it.

“I want this,” he admitted. “Not sure why or how to get to the point where this is more than a messed-up-yet-good idea between two people, but no matter how we got here, me and Julia being hitched is not a mistake.”

The corners of Finn’s lips twitched upward. He made eye contact with Josiah. “Looks as if we’re backup for what might be the strangest reverse-courtship ever. Marry first, fall in love later.”

Josiah lifted his glass in the air in a toast. “To brothers-in-arms and the brave women who love us. When the dust settles, may Julia be counted among that number.”

A shiver slid up Zach’s back. He raised his glass in silent agreement.

He’d always loved a challenge. Finding a way to forever with Julia would be worth every bit of the struggle.

He just hoped she’d agree sooner rather than later.

* * *

Pushing aside the unreal situation with her and Zach, Julia was discovering a whole lot of things to appreciate about Vegas.

Like now. She rested her head on the soft towel rolled up at the edge of the pool and let the warm bubbles of the spa bath break around her like hundreds of heated kisses against her skin. “This is heavenly.”

“I could use one of these in my backyard,” Karen said. “Just think. After you finish chores or a long hard ride, you could soak in one of these until you’re good as new.”

“Speaking of long hard rides…” Lisa let her sentence trail off, but the innuendo was there all the same.

Julia wasn’t touching that one unless she had to. Redirecting… “How was the wedding night, Karen?”

“You tell us,” Lisa said with a snicker.

“You’re terrible,” Karen scolded before speaking in a softer tone. “Okay, I avoided the topic for an entire hour, but I’m at the limit of my patience. Julia, what gives?”

Julia went for the best wide-eyed doe look she could manage. “Isn’t it just the wildest thing? Accidentally getting married. Blows my mind, but it’ll be okay—”

It was obvious the two people staring back at her were not buying her innocent act.

She shrugged and went with honest. “Okay. This time with a little less enthusiasm. It’s not a big deal. Zach is a great guy, and the whole thing was just an evening fueled by too much liquor.” She hurried to explain because both their expressions had changed enough to cause concern. “Nothing happened between us other than the sham wedding. Nothing’s going to happen other than being friends. His lawyer will help take care of the mistake. Other than that—” Oops. Good time to get the fake boyfriend thing into the open. “Well, there is this one other thing.”

“The part about how you and him were burning up the sheets back in Heart Falls?”

Unexpectedly, the comment came from Karen, not Lisa.

Lisa gaped. “They are?” She somehow looked horrified and offended at the same time. “You are? I can’t believe you didn’t tell me!”

“Because there’s nothing to tell,” Julia insisted. “We just…it’s complicated.”

“It’s also the rumour de jour back home. Tamara texted me this morning that she heard it from at least five different people in the span of an hour.” Karen poked her toes out of the water and examined her polish critically. “So…what gives? Sisters share secrets.”

The words triggered an awkward sensation, but Julia was trying to embrace the changes in her life. Add in the two women with her now were some of the best she’d ever met, blood-related or not.

Julia gathered her courage, sitting a little straighter. “Okay, here’s the scoop.”

By the time she’d explained the situation with the gossip, somehow the events of the entire evening had flown from her lips. The only thing she didn’t explain fully was the situation with her stalker-slash-kidnapper. The less time spent on that topic, the better.

Her sisters listened without comment but with great concentration.

When she finished, Karen nodded. “One of the first things Finn shared when we were getting involved again was how much he trusted Zach. He considers the man a brother—and I sort of do as well. Already.”

The slight hesitation from Lisa was only noticeable because of how she usually leapt before looking. Concern lingered in her eyes. “I have no way to say this without being blunt. You’ve been in our lives for nearly six months. In all that time you’ve never talked about past boyfriends or girlfriends. Tell me to butt out if you want, but even pretending to be with Zach will require some physical contact. Will that be a problem?”

Julia wasn’t about to lay out all her issues, but this much she should share. “I’m not looking for a long-term relationship. If I was, it would be with a guy, I guess. Then again, my turn to be blunt, I don’t miss penis time.”

A soft cough sounded.

The three of them glanced up to discover a young man with flushed red cheeks standing at the edge of the hot tub, a tray of snacks in his hand. “I’ll just put this here.”

He vanished before Julia could sink under the water to hide her embarrassment. Of course, both Karen and Lisa were smirking and not even trying to hide it.

“Thanks for the warning,” Julia muttered.

“Poor guy.” Lisa ducked away from Karen’s swing. “Hey.”

“Poor guy? Poor Julia,” Karen corrected. She smiled softer now. “Teasing aside, we’ve got your back. I can see why you want to make things better for Brad. The rumours you and Zach are together should help, but beyond that, you’re not required to do anything that makes you uncomfortable. You can do what you need to with Zach just as a friend. Okay?”

“I know that. And…” Maybe it was stupid, but she believed the best of Zach, confirmed by how horrified he was at the possibility he might have taken advantage of her. “I don’t think Zach is the type to push. He’ll tease, but he’s not an Alphahole wannabe.”

“Agreed.” Lisa wrinkled her nose, her eyes flashing with mischief. “Although, if we’re talking about sex appeal factor, for all that he’s not a ‘my way or the highway’ kind of guy, Josiah is very demanding in the bedroom. Truth. Sexy sex appeal isn’t only granted to the guys who growl mine, mine, mine.”

“I do like it when Finn growls, though,” Karen admitted before shaking a finger at Julia. “You tell us if you need us. Call—day or night. You’re our sister, but you’re also our friend. We’re here for you. If all you want to be with Zach is friends, then that’s it.”

Her throat was tight. “Thanks.”

Lisa stood to offer a hug but slipped, vanishing from sight for a second. When she popped up, dripping wet and laughing, the seriousness melted away into a warm fuzzy feeling that lasted the rest of the evening.

The guys grabbed them from the spa, and while Julia ended up sitting next to Zach during dinner and the show, his company was comfortable and easy.

He leaned close a few times during the performance, whispering comments. She did the same, and with the sweet thought of friend wrapped around them, their connection was natural and fell into the just right category.

“Thank goodness my headache is gone,” she murmured in his ear after a particularly boisterous stage number.

“I hear you.” His smile flashed. “No more tequila for us?”

“No more tequila.” She held out her pinkie.

His snort was loud enough to draw attention from her sisters. Lisa shushed him with a wink.

Zach pressed a finger to his lips, but as soon as Lisa looked away, he leaned in again, his lips brushing Julia’s ear. “Wait until you meet my sister, Petra. She pinkie swears all the time.”

That’s a meeting that will never take place.

The thought sent Julia’s mind wandering for the rest of the show.

The pack of them finished the night with one final drink in Karen and Finn’s suite before Lisa and Josiah walked them down the hall to where Julia’s private room was, a few doors away from Zach’s.

“Sleep in if you want,” Josiah reminded her. “Our flight home isn’t until the afternoon, so I booked brunch for eleven-thirty, after checkout.”

“Sounds good. Night, all.” Julia offered a quick wave before slipping into the cool darkness. Their voices sounded in the hallway for a couple more minutes before fading away.

She wandered across to the window, staring out at the sparkling lights. It had turned out to be a fantastic day, and now she was ending it with a king-size bed all to herself and no alarm to wake her in the morning. What a treat.

The nightmare seemed to arrive only seconds after she’d turned out the lights and pulled the covers to her chin.

Waves rocked her, knocking her feet out from under her every time she attempted to escape. When her back hit the sand, the water rose rapidly and covered her head as the current swept her away from shore. Long strands of seaweed tangled around her body, dragging her relentlessly to the bottom of the ocean.

Julia woke, cutting off a cry of fear in mid-shout.

Heart pounding, she swallowed hard and tried to tell if her throat was dry or rough. How long had she been screaming? Or could she at least hope she’d been whimpering this time?

The sheets were tangled around her, the pillows shoved to the floor. A glance at the bedside clock said only two hours had passed since she’d entered the room.

She eyed the mattress and wondered if she risked trying to get more sleep.

Call us if you need us. Day or night.

Karen’s offer from earlier that day whispered through her head. It had been honestly given, and Julia was tempted to reach out. Except…

No way was she interrupting either of her sisters’ getaway nights with their guys. Which meant she had two options. No, three.

Suck it up and try to sleep again.

Give up and stay awake. She’d be exhausted tomorrow, but at least she didn’t have to work.

Or…

Julia pulled out her phone. Put it down. Picked it up. Put it down.

Dammit. Decide already.

She let fate decide and sent Zach a text. If he’d shut off his phone for the night, so be it.

Julia: if you’re up…can I come sleep on your couch? I had a nightmare.

She stared at the phone for a minute, not sure if she wanted an answer or hoped she’d have to wave it off as a lark in the morning.

A soft knock on her door sent a rush of adrenaline through her. Julia leapt up and peeked through the spyhole.

Zach.

She let him in right away. “I’m so sorry—”

“Don’t apologize.” He slipped past her into the room, his words whisper-soft as if they weren’t alone. “Get back in bed and go to sleep. I’ll use your couch.”

The idea was all kinds of wrong. “That’s ridiculous. I’ll take the couch. I insist.”

“Julia Gigi Blushing, get your ass into bed this minute.” He caught her by the shoulders and gave her a gentle shove toward the bed. “Come on. Compromise. I’ll sleep on top of the covers, then.”

Her body still quivered from the nightmare, and she was exhausted after the previous night and all the activities of the day. Crawling under the covers felt good, and the way the mattress tilted slightly as Zach lay down beside her was like the slow, comforting sway of a porch swing.

She curled on her side like usual and ended up staring straight at his face. He’d closed his eyes, long lashes resting on his cheeks. His chest rose and fell in an even rhythm that mesmerized and calmed her.

His breath washed over her, sweet and reassuring, and just having him there warmed her.

Relaxation slowly slipped in. Julia caught herself reaching out to brush back the lock of hair that had fallen over his forehead.

His lips curled, and he caught her fingers in his, guiding them to the bed between them. Cupping her hand loosely, he whispered again, “Sleep.”

She did. A solid, comfortable rest that lasted until the sun streaking across the bed woke her.

Zach was gone, and his side of the mattress was cool to the touch.

8

The trip home Monday morning had been a blast. Julia had to admit that was mostly because Zach and Josiah kept up a running commentary worthy of any comedy routine.

Between the comfortable accommodations in the plane and their pickup at the airport in Alberta being Red Boot ranch’s foreman, Cody, they were back outside Karen and Finn’s future home without spending more time and energy discussing her and Zach’s accidental wedding.

Julia was thankful Tamara hadn’t been their pickup ride, though. One less person to explain things to would make moving on from here that much easier.

They sat in what would eventually be a grand living room with tall floor-to-ceiling windows facing the Rocky Mountains. Now it was still filled with construction materials and a set of folding lawn chairs.

Zach’s lawyer sat across from her, his expression unreadable. He kept picking up his pen and flipping it over, point down, clicker down, point down—

The entire time staring at her face as if waiting for her to confess to some dire crime.

“Are you charging by the hour for this trip, Alan?” Zach drawled.

Alan Cwedwick didn’t even blink. “Just figuring out the best way to proceed.”

“Don’t give me that. You’ve already got a checklist and a timeline, and you just need to explain what you need from us.” Zach propped one foot up on his knee, tapping his fingers on his thigh. “Unless you’re saying you don’t know what to do this time, which would disappoint me.”

“Oh, I know exactly what is on the books in this kind of circumstance. Just don’t think you’ll like it much.” Alan’s focus sharpened, and his gaze snapped to Julia. “Have you been married before?”

Julia blinked. Instinctively, one hand rose to point at her chest. “Who, me?”

“Engaged to be married?”

What the heck was going on? “I don’t see how that relates to Zach and I getting this mistake annulled.”

The clipboard in Alan’s hands dipped, his pen moved rapidly over the papers. “Would you say you’ve had a difficult time maintaining long-term relationships, Miss Blushing?”

Zach was no longer relaxed or lighthearted. He leaned forward and glared hard at his lawyer. “I don’t know where you think you’re going with this, but watch yourself, Alan.”

“I’m doing my job.” The man tossed the clipboard on the table and folded his arms across his chest. “Julia, if I gave you a lump sum of money, would you agree to leave Heart Falls immediately and never come back?”

Julia had thought waking up naked in bed with Zach had been mind-bogglingly unreal, but this conversation topped even the bizarre video of their wedding. “Excuse me? I have a job. I’m not leaving Heart Falls until after my internship is done, and even then, I have family here. Of course, I’m going to come back. Why are you asking such ridiculous questions? Zach and I just want this wedding thing to go away. It was an accident, okay? And both of us were involved in making that mistake, so I don’t appreciate the implication I did something immoral.”

“Were you aware that your sister Karen received a large sum of money once she became involved with Finn Marlette?”

Zach was on his feet. “Enough, Alan. Get to the point. Also, you talk to me and leave Julia out of this since you seem to have lost all trace of professionalism.”

Being ignored felt as unreal as having Alan’s intense attention.

But the lawyer turned his gaze on Zach as requested, pointing him back to his chair. “Unfortunately, you will remember that Bruce liked to consider possible situations that might arise. One of those involved you and Finn eventually finding relationship partners. Certain criteria were flagged as potentially dangerous, not just to yourselves, but to the inheritance he passed down to you.”

“You think Julia and I drunkenly getting married is dangerous?”

Alan sighed, some of his rigid tension slipping away. “Zach, it doesn’t matter what I think. What matters is what’s required by the contract both you and Finn signed when you took over Bruce’s holdings. You got married without a prenup, and also without any kind of previous interaction between your new partner and myself as the representation of Burly, Evans, and Ives. Those two items have now triggered certain consequences.”

“We’ve had a previous interaction,” Julia reminded him. “I met you the night I stitched up Zach and another of your clients after they got shot.” Julia offered her best so there glare.

“While that was a charming interaction, and I can speak highly of your caregiving skills, I was thinking more of social interaction than emergency medical procedures.” Alan tipped his head in her direction. “I will acknowledge you seem to have the ability to keep your mouth shut when required. That doesn’t change what happens next.”

Zach perched at the front edge of his lawn chair. “Still think it’s absolutely ridiculous, but fine. Tell us the damn consequences.”

“If you’d like, we can discuss this privately,” Alan began.

Zach waved the suggestion off. “Julia’s involved, accidentally, but still. She deserves to be here while you get to the damn point.”

For an instant Alan looked borderline apologetic as he glanced her way, then he went all businesslike and pulled the clipboard toward himself. “Very well. The policy in question states that if either partner participates in an activity that could cause potential financial detriment to the—”

“In English,” Zach commanded. “And for God sake, the Coles Notes version.”

“You have to stay married for one year.” Alan slammed his lips together.

Her reaction was utterly wrong considering how serious the man looked, but Julia couldn’t help it. She snickered.

Both heads swiveled toward her. Alan was shocked, Zach looked puzzled.

“I’m sorry, but you just said we have to stay married for one year. There is no way that could possibly be the legal advice you want to give. Especially considering you asked me a bunch of questions that implied I’m some kind of moneygrubbing gold digger looking for a sugar daddy.”

“I’m glad you find this amusing,” Mr. Cwedwick said dryly. “But rest assured, as convoluted as Bruce’s thinking was, this is what’s on the books. You are to remain married for one year. At that point if you’d like to have the marriage dissolved, I will be happy to put the papers through ASAP.”

“And if we do what I think is more prudent and go to another lawyer to deal with this?” Julia asked.

The man glanced at Zach. “I wouldn’t suggest that idea. Your finances are tied up with your partner’s, and under these circumstances, your choice also affects him. I believe Bruce thought that limitation would be a good way to stop your friendship from causing you to make an unwise move, followed by Finn simply bailing you out.”

Zach’s confusion hadn’t faded one bit. He looked as tangled as her brain felt. “So, we have to stay married?”

“Yes.”

Zach shook his head, his gaze meeting Julia’s. “I agree with you. This is pure bullshit. This can’t possibly be true.”

Finally, someone else in the room who wasn’t talking nonsense. “Thank you.”

“That said, I have never known Alan to bullshit before in his life.” Zach made a face. “Mind if I talk to him for a minute by myself? He can throw legal jargon at me, and I can swear in his face easier if you’re not in the room.”

Shoving to her feet felt good as restless energy returned with a vengeance. “Fine. I’ll be outside, communing with nature and discussing with any birds that happen to land within listening distance about how criminally stupid the legal system appears to be.”

Outside, the cool fall air wrapped around her, bringing a certain calm to her fevered thoughts. She wandered to the nearest arena and leaned her elbows on the wooden railing, her gaze drifting over the horses herded together at the far end.

Stay married for a year? Laughable that she’d even heard that come out of the lawyer’s mouth. Zach would figure something out.

She didn’t even know what she was going to do past a month from now. And while she planned to come back to Heart Falls for visits, it was beyond time to accept a position for the coming winter. There’d been one in High River she could take. The town wasn’t that far away, so she could continue to spend time with her sisters.

A soft nudge against her fingers brought her attention back to the arena. The little colt Karen had rescued stood on the other side of the railing, his nostrils flaring as he sniffed Julia’s hands.

“Hey, little guy.” She reached through the fence and caressed the white spot on his brow. Scratching lightly, she eyed him thoughtfully. “You’re looking better than the last time I saw you. Putting on a little weight. Good for you.”

Moonbeam dipped his head then pranced back, almost like a puppy, dancing his front hooves on the ground then spinning away before returning.

Another amazing moment to add to all the others she’d had while in Heart Falls. She would miss it when she was gone.

Julia glanced back at the house where Zach and Alan Cwedwick were visible through the window. Zach must’ve just dragged a hand through his hair because the ends stood tousled in every direction.

This ridiculous situation would be solved, and then she’d be able to move on to her next thing.

Although the teasing thought remained—life’s never that simple.

* * *

The instant Julia left the room, Zach thrust out a hand toward Alan. “Okay. Give me the letter.”

Alan shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The urge to snap his fingers was strong. “Bruce always did this. He would come up with these farfetched situations, and then he would write us a damn letter explaining what he was trying to accomplish. It’s exactly what happened with the whole challenge to get the dude ranch running. Hell, he wrote a letter to Karen before he even knew she existed. You can’t tell me there’s no letter from Bruce this time.”

“Oh, there was a letter from Bruce,” Alan agreed.

“Ha.”

“But not for you.”

Zach paused, his hand still hovering in the air. He jerked it back. “For Finn?”

“For me.” Alan shoved his hands in his pockets and shook his head. “Look. I don’t like this either. I apologize for sounding like a shit back there with those questions for Julia. But I have to do my job.”

“Which right now would be figuring out how to get Julia and I a quick and dirty divorce.” Even as he said it, Zach hated the words.

“I can’t. And you can’t. This is serious, Zach. If you go ahead and make that decision, it will trigger a dissolution of your entire holdings. Yours and Finn’s.”

Ridiculous had just gone into impossible territory. “You’re telling me that Bruce Travers, himself a divorced man, had such a negative reaction to myself or Finn needing to call off our potential future marriages that the entire corporation is on the line?”

“Oh, Finn can get a divorce if he wants. You can’t. Not for one year.”

And impossible went into fairytale land. “Now that’s just silly.”

“Agreed. Yet it’s one hundred percent legal—I double-checked all the loopholes myself.” Alan made a face. “And I’m a damn good loophole closer. Sorry about that.”

The urge to go get a bottle of tequila made zero sense, but it was there. Zach pinched the bridge of his nose. “Alan, we’ve enjoyed a long relationship, so I hope you take this the right way. Right now, I hate your fucking guts.”

“I’m sorry,” Alan repeated. “Hate me all you want, just don’t go getting a divorce from someone else.”

Zach met his gaze. “The kicker is, I wasn’t planning on it,” he confessed. “But this whole bullshit situation is going to make it a lot harder to convince Julia that my interest isn’t just financially motivated.”

The first entertaining part of the last hour arrived. He’d managed to shock his lawyer. Alan stood there, his mouth opening and closing a few times before blinking back to alertness. “You—want to stay married?”

“You are not to repeat that, especially not to Julia. Not at this point. But yes, getting married was an accident, but it wasn’t a mistake.” Zach dragged a hand through his hair. “Okay. Somehow I have to figure out a way to make this work.”

Alan had lost a lot of his attitude in the last five seconds. “Well, then. That’s interesting.”

It was too much to hope for. “Does that mean you’re changing your legal stance?”

“Oh, hell no. Just…interesting.” Alan grinned. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. “Not the letter you were hoping for, but the ground rules regarding your marriage. Again, if you want to complain, take it up with Bruce.”

Zach snatched the envelope from him. “Have a good trip home. I suggest you leave before Julia decides to practice her autopsy skills or something.”

“Let me know if you need me for anything. As always, it’s been a pleasure working with you,” Alan said with zero hesitation.

“Everybody’s a comedian,” Zach grumbled, following Alan out the door.

He waited until the other man left the yard before joining Julia beside the horse arena. This wasn’t going to be easy. A juggling act between convincing Julia to do what was right because it was necessary and because it was what he wanted—

It wasn’t often that he tossed curses his mentor’s way, but this time? Bruce Travers had fucked up royally.

Julia folded her arms over her chest. “The fact that Alan left without paperwork for us to sign does not seem like a positive thing.”

Zach shook his head. “I’m sorry. I don’t even know how to explain how they managed it, but it’s a completely legal convoluted mess. Us getting a divorce means both Finn and I lose financial control of our corporate holdings. Like, they’re gone. That’s it.”

“A corporation that’s big enough to own a private plane.” She seemed rightly dumbfounded. “It was one drunken night. We can't stay married after getting hitched while under the influence.”

“Not staying married could cost a lot of people everything. Me. Finn, which would also mean changing Karen’s life radically.”

Her face twisted. “I’m supposed to complete my trainee status in October. Then I’m gone from Heart Falls.”

“You can find a new job.”

“That easy? Plus, I only have a place to stay until the end of the month.”

Zach wasn’t about to let that one go. “You’re not staying at that deathtrap any longer, remember? Also, look around you. Dude ranch. Multiple buildings with your name on them. Although I feel as if there might be a line in here that says we have to share. To make the marriage legit. Alan said these are the rules.”

He pulled out the envelope and shook it in the air.

She reached for it. “Mister Cwedwick has been oh-so-helpful. I’m definitely putting him on my Christmas card list.”

“Can we send him a letter bomb?”

She paused before sliding the envelope open. “I need to be sitting down before we open this.”

“Your idea is much smarter than mine. I was going to suggest tequila, but all things considered, that might not be wise. Don’t worry. We’ll figure this out.”

Julia marched ahead of him, headed to the cabin he’d claimed for his own.

“Everything is simple, isn’t it?” She glared so hard he could have sworn his hair sizzled. “I could tell you I was betrothed to a vampire, and you’d wave it off and offer to be our third.”

A snort escaped. “Sorry, no. The fooling around with a guy thing doesn’t cut it for me. Unless your vampirical arranged marriage is with a lady. Then we can talk.”

Her glare broke from annoyance to amusement as she paused on his front porch. “It’s the grouping of the sexes in the ménage that makes you hesitate, not the actual threesome?”

“My biggest complaint is the whole sucking-blood thing, but yeah…whatever. When it comes to sex, I have zero beef with whatever turns a person’s crank. My engine is attuned to ladies, though, like sexy emergency rescue chicks with feisty attitudes.”

He opened the door, but she detoured instead to the hardback chairs he’d placed to one side of the porch—the ones with a great view over the panoramic scenery.

She stilled even as she took a seat. Her gaze met his, and she seemed to calm herself before ignoring his last comment and speaking with complete seriousness. “I get that this is important. I’m not about to run away or do something to hurt my new sisters. Or Finn.”

Zach ignored her complete failure to mention not hurting him.

Julia stared over the landscape. “This is uncomfortable for many reasons, so let’s say we agree to do this thing.”

“Stay married?”

“Stay pretend married,” she clarified. “If we’re going to be roomies, we need ground rules.”

Made perfect sense. Also, his gut told him to stop worrying about the wild situation and roll with it. Enjoy it, even. “What kind of ground rules?

She shook the envelope in the air. “We check what your meany-pants lawyer tossed at us and find out how close we have to live. Sharing a house, I can work with. Sharing a bed is out.”

Zach pulled himself upright even as he laughed at her assessment of Alan. “I am perfectly capable of sharing a bed without anything happening you don’t want to happen.”

“I like my space,” Julia drawled. “Sharing a bed is on the no list.”

“Fine, but may I point out that we’ve already sort of shared a bed a couple of times and nothing terrible happened.”

Her jaw swung open. “We. Got. Married.”

Oh. Right. The jury was still out on whether that was the most brilliant mistake he’d ever made or the worst.

“Fine. No shared beds.” He hid his sigh—she was far too fine to be living celibate for a year…

Wait.

He stiffened. “I have an item for this list.”

9

Julia tugged the stool beside her closer to use as a table as she pulled her ever-present notebook from her purse. “Go ahead. I’ll make notes. We can run them by Alan later to make sure they’re kosher.”

Brilliant idea as well, but he was too focused on the rule he wanted to emphasize to tell her that. “This year, if you want to fool around with anyone, it will be with me.”

Her expressions were priceless. This time it was a raised brow and an are you kidding me? look.

“Trust me, I am not interested in finding anyone to fool around with, and that includes you.” She jabbed a finger at his chest. “You will not cheat on me during the year, though. Because if you’re off fooling around with someone else, people will think I might be cheating, and considering this entire mess started from trying to stop rumours involving my sex life—nope.”

Considering the only person he wanted to fool around with was sitting two feet away from him? “Agreed. Which brings me back to my point—you want to have some fun, let me know.”

“Thanks, but I’ve got it covered,” she said dryly as she wrote RULES at the top of the page. “Number one. No cheating. Number two on the list, so it’s clear. No sex.”

He hesitated. “For a year?”

That brow went back up. “Balls really don’t explode or turn blue, you know. Also, there’s this fantastic thing called masturbation. It feels good and only requires you, yourself, and… Well, the saying is me, myself and I, so I’m not sure what the last part is when I change it to third person.”

“Third person? That’s the trouble. You’ve got way less than three in this picture.” She rolled her eyes big enough he laughed. “Look at us talking about masturbation like it’s a thing I’d be willing to do for an entire year.”

“You don’t like it, you don’t have to do it,” she pointed out. “I don’t want to be married to you for a year, but I will suck it up and make the best of it.”

Not remotely the same thing in his books, especially considering he liked her. Wanted her.

Wanted more than this sham relationship they’d begun.

Still, seemed the best thing to agree for now and deal with changing her mind over the months to come—

Dear God, a year of no sex?

Screw that. He wasn’t some hound dog who couldn’t keep it in his pants, but he liked sex, and he liked Julia, and he wanted…

Right. At the moment what he wanted and what he was negotiating for were two different things.

“If we’re spending a year together, I want this to be something we enjoy.” He tapped the No Sex line in her book. “I hear you on that rule, but seriously, you’ve had some shitty boyfriends if the only thing you’re negotiating on is sex. We have a lot of time to get through while we make this look real enough people don’t figure it out. We should write down things we want to spend time doing together.”

Other than sex, dammit.

Julia nodded then on the opposite side of the page added a new heading. Activities to Do Together. “That’s a good idea. How about you think of three things you want, and I’ll think of three. We can start there.”

Finally a place he could lay a few ground rules in his favour. He considered before nodding. “Got my three.”

She dragged the pen against the surface of her notebook, doodles of flowers appearing on the page. “Hang on. Give me a minute.”

Zach sat back. With her frowning at her notes in the most adorable way, it was too easy to slip into admiration mode.

The twist of her lips right before she bit down on the bottom one…

Fuck it. Zach twisted in his chair and prayed that she didn’t glance his way until his erection no longer threatened to burst from his jeans.

Her eyes lit up, and she wrote something down only to scratch it out a second later, her frown growing deeper.

“Having troubles?” Zach asked.

Julia nodded then shrugged. “You start. I bet that’ll give me some ideas.”

Okay by him. “First. We go dancing once a week.”

She blinked. “Really?”

He nodded vigorously. “I like dancing. It’s great exercise, I love the music, and it’s a good way to make sure people see us together.”

It would also put her in his arms on a regular basis.

“I guess.”

“Don’t try to tell me you don’t like dancing, either. Rose and Tansy and Karen and…damn, all of your girl posse pulled me aside at some time over the past four months to tell me how much you like it and wished you could go more often.” He held up his hands in a modest shrug. “And I am a fantastic partner.”

Her nose wrinkled up in the most adorable way before she wrote down a number one followed by Go Dancing. “Okay…but we dance. We don’t need to make out in the corners of the dancehall or anything to have people think this is real.” An evil smile crossed her lips. “I know.”

This time she wrote decisively in her book on the rules side of the page.

Zach slipped over to read over her shoulder. “No public displays of affection.” Screw that. “I agree.”

Shock flashed. “Really?” she repeated.

Hell no. “With one addendum.”

He stole her pen and inserted the key word in his favour.

Julia sighed. “No unnecessary public displays of affection?”

“You said it before. People need to believe we’re a couple. If we never hold hands or anything, people will wonder what the hell is wrong.” He gave her his best puppy dog grin. “The local women I dated have kind of gotten used to me being…affectionate.”

“You mean handsy,” she drawled.

He didn’t want to grin, but it was impossible to stop.

“None of their business what we’re…” she trailed off. “Fine. My thing I want us to do is ride. Since, as you said, dude ranch and all. Is that possible?”

“Definitely.” And an activity he’d enjoy as well. “My second—I need you to come with me when I do research for my brewpub.”

Suspicious Julia was back. “Research?” Her head tilted, and she eyed him as if he were bug on a pin. “You’re going to make me drink beer?”

“You don’t like beer?”

Her head wavered. “I like some beers, but I’ve been warned by Karen what your experiments involve.”

“Trust me. I’ll only give you the good ones to try.” The research would require her to travel with him to as-yet-undisclosed locations, but he’d work up to that. Getting the opportunity to spoil her a little would go a long way to finessing them into the relationship he wanted.

Julia’s lips twisted into the barest hint of smirk, but she wrote it down before adding another of her own. “My second…I want us to do yoga.”

“Wow, really? That was going to be my third thing,” he said as seriously as possible.

She glared. “You’re not funny.”

“I’m hilarious. Okay, we do the pretzel business on a regular basis. You are totally in charge of that, by the way. I know nothing more than it’s fun to watch.”

The sound that escaped her was mostly a laugh, but she choked it down fast. “That’s terrible.”

“I’m a guy. For my final request, once a week we have supper together. Homemade, home-cooked, clean up together, no TV.”

That request made her stop harder than his other two. When she lifted her gaze, her expression was a mixture of confusion and suspicion. “That’s very domestic.”

“My parents do it. Family night. It’s…”

He paused, not wanting to freak her out. He skipped his first choice of words which were something about important family traditions because he figured that would make her run for the hills.

Zach went for the safe route. “It’s cheaper than taking you out once a week, but it’s the kind of thing everyone will eat up. Make this seem more real.”

She sighed again, but it was obviously for dramatic effect.

A moment later, a yawn escaped her. “Sorry. I’m still beat from our night turning our world upside down.” She glanced around the yard before turning back. “I start work tomorrow at noon. You mentioned me not staying in my apartment anymore. I’m not willing to argue because I know the truth—staying there was a crisis waiting to happen.”

“We’ll set you up here. We need to go through Alan’s rules then grab your stuff, including your car.”

Julia nodded, but something was still on her mind. It took about three attempts for her to start, but when she got rolling, it came out decisively. “I don’t want Karen to know the details. The part about if we don’t follow through on this, she and Finn lose their stuff.”

He hesitated. “Okay?”

She met his gaze square on. “My sisters had a lot thrown at them when I appeared. For me to suddenly have that much control over them would be horrifying. I mean, I sort of do, but I don’t want her to know. Please, I expect you need to tell Finn something, but that specific part needs to stay secret. I mean, can we just tell them that there’s some complication and because we don’t have a prenup, we have to stay married so you don’t lose out? I don’t want to involve Karen. I don’t want our growing relationship burdened by something that’s not her responsibility.”

The fact she’d thought of it before he had was humbling. But then again, he wasn’t looking for ways this might fail.

He hadn’t kept a secret from Finn since…

Well, frankly, ever.

Still, he saw the wisdom in it and slowly nodded his approval. “I’ll get in touch with Alan as soon as I can to make sure he knows to keep the details quiet.”

Julia examined him before offering a faint smile. “Thank you. Really. Thanks for understanding.”

“Hey, these are unknown waters for me. The whole year-long relationship business. I figure we’re going to have to keep the lines of communication open so we don’t end up killing each other over senseless shit, and what you just brought up is far from senseless.”

“Yeah.” She tapped her notebook, changing the topic. “I don’t have a third thing right now.”

“Don’t worry about it. You figure out something later, and we’ll add it.” They still had to read the damn envelope, but he figured it was time for action instead of letting her brood over what couldn’t be changed. “Tell you what. I’m sure you want to update your sisters about what’s going on, and we need to grab your stuff from your apartment. Why don’t you give them a shout and ask them to meet you there? I’ll drive you over, and between our three trucks, we can get you settled out here at the ranch pretty quick.”

Julia made another face, this one a little uncomfortable. “I don’t think it’s going to take three trucks.”

“It’ll take whatever it takes.” He pushed the envelope back at her. “Give them a call, then you can read this to me on the drive to your apartment.”

* * *

It was the calm before the storm. Julia glanced around her silent apartment and wondered when she’d lost control of her own life.

Zach had escorted her upstairs and waited until she’d barricaded herself in before leaving to find extra packing boxes.

Her sisters were both on their way, the promise of a full explanation once they got there probably even now sending them over double-quick.

Julia shoved a hand in her pocket, and paper crinkled. The damn note from the lawyer with more inexplicable demands. Thankfully the list had been short, but the three requirements had been more than enough to make it clear there was no wiggle room to simply live separate lives.

You shall reside under one roof.

You will not be apart for more than two days/nights during any month, barring medical emergencies.

Once a month you will write and exchange a letter listing any concerns you are currently facing. While there is no specific word count required, anything less than one page will be deemed unacceptable. [Contents of these letters will not be read by anyone else, but you need to inform me that you have complied.]

Zach had growled at that last one and made a comment about bloody homework.

Her lips twitched into a smile before she could stop it. At least the man was keeping his sense of humour.

At least the man had a sense of humour—God, she couldn’t imagine being trapped in this situation with some stick-in-the-mud who didn’t know how to laugh.

And the ability to laugh was going to come in handy, considering starting any minute now she was going to have to bullshit her way through the biggest lie of her life.

The door banged against the trunk blocking the path, and she shook herself alert. “Coming.”

“Dammit, Julia.” Karen stood on the other side, peering in through the slight crack she’d managed to open. Julia dragged the trunk aside and found herself caught up in an ironclad hug a moment later. “Hey, kiddo. You’re having one hell of a weekend.”

The concern in her sister’s voice just about did Julia in. “Oh, it’s been exciting, all right.”

“Coming through. Box delivery.” Lisa arrived, a stack of cardboard in her arms as she pushed into the bachelor suite. Her nose wrinkled. “Okay, I can finally admit how much I hate this place. Let’s get you packed.”

“Only if you can pack and talk at the same time,” Karen said, letting Julia go with a final squeeze.

“I’ll do the kitchen. Karen will do the living room. Julia, start with your clothes. And yes, talk while you pack.” Lisa handed out boxes along with the orders.

“She likes to run everybody’s life,” Julia said dryly.

“I still hope to break her of that habit,” Karen offered. “Of course, now that she’s got Josiah to boss around, we should get less of it.”

Lisa stuck out her tongue before turning to the tiny kitchen and opening the cupboard doors. “What’s the news, Julia?”

Maybe with a little more practice it wouldn’t feel so weird to say. “Zach and I are married.”

“We heard that part already,” Karen scolded.

“We’re married and staying that way for one year. There’re complications with the estate-slash-inheritance Zach was given. Us getting married without a prenup messes him up financially. So, I don’t know exactly how everything’s going to work, but I agreed I would stick around for the year.”

She’d been placing clothing out of her chest of drawers into a box, straightening the edges of each article carefully as she spoke.

The room went quiet.

She glanced up to discover both her sisters blinking hard.

“You’re staying married.” Karen frowned. “This is something to do with their mentor and the whole inheritance business?”

“Yeah. If I leave, Zach loses everything.”

Karen cursed. “I know the guys think the world of Bruce, but the man is a bit of an asshole at times. Was an asshole? Apologies for speaking ill of the dead.”

“Oh, I agree,” Julia offered. “Was one, is one—and I don’t like their lawyer very much, either.”

“You two have the weirdest lives.” Lisa shook her head and folded her arms over her chest. “Are you sure you want to do this, Julia?”

Julia shrugged. “It’s not that bad. Zach and I were already going to pretend to be together for the next couple of months.”

“Two months and twelve months are slightly different, in case you’re not mathematically inclined,” Karen pointed out.

“We’ll figure it out.” Jeez. Now she sounded like Zach. She gave both of them her best pitch. “We set down some ground rules, and I believe we’ll get along quite comfortably. I think by the time we’re done, we’ll be good friends.” She held a finger in the air. “But since I won’t be leaving town, we need the rumours about me and Brad to die fast. People need to believe that Zach and I are really a couple.”

Lisa was staring at the ceiling, thinking hard. “I wonder…”

“Whatever you decide to tell people, I think the less elaborate, the better.” Karen swirled a finger around the room. “You’re moving in with him, yes?”

Nodding felt strange. “Well, not moving in, but sharing a place. Yes. Which isn’t a hardship, considering this place isn’t very homey and he’s got a cabin with two rooms.”

“You’ll need rings,” Karen said.

A sharp zap ripped through Julia’s gut. “Okay, I’ll mention it to him. Something simple.”

“Simple is fine,” Karen assured her.

“Karen’s right.” Lisa’s expression had turned downright gleeful. “Not just about the ring. I think the simpler and the closer to the truth you keep this, the better. No one will believe you two are so madly in love you spontaneously decided to get married. People will believe you went on a bender and, while under the influence, did something you secretly wanted to do. And now you’ve decided there’s no reason to get a divorce since you were dating anyway.”

“That’s absurd.”

“Yep.” Lisa’s grin grew wider. “Everybody everywhere will be talking about you and Zach, two wild and impulsive kids, accidentally tying themselves down and now being too stubborn, or too cheap, to bother getting a divorce.”

Karen’s eyes lit up. “Oh, that’s good.”

It was brilliant. “Everybody will be talking about me and Zach.”

Which was exactly what Julia wanted. Exactly what was needed—because frankly, who cared what people said about her and Zach? As long as it was the two of them in the rumour mill.

Only one question remained. “You guys know the truth, and Zach will tell Finn and Josiah. But what do I tell Tamara?”

Confusion spilled into Karen’s eyes. “That’s up to you.”

“I’m asking what you think is best,” Julia insisted. “The three of you have been a unit for years. I don’t want one of the first major things I do to be tossing a secret between you.”

At that, Lisa marched across the room, grabbed her by the wrist and hauled her to her feet. The next moment a finger was shaking in her face. “Julia Blushing, not even sisters tell each other everything. This isn’t some kind of a sorority we’ll kick you out of because you didn’t do the secret handshake right.”

“If you want to tell Tamara that you’re okay, and you’ll come to her if you need advice, that’s more than enough.” Karen’s shoulders rose then fell in a soft shrug. “It’s all you need to tell any of us. Your secrets are your own. We just want you to be happy. Honestly.”

She must’ve hesitated too long because the next thing she knew, Julia was wrapped in a two-person hug.

The tightness inside eased, and her voice came out muffled against Karen’s shoulder. “You guys are good people.”

“Oh, hey, a group hug.”

“Can I get in on this?”

Two familiar masculine voices broke apart the impulsive support hug, but not before Lisa gave Julia’s arm a final squeeze.

“Too late,” Karen responded to Finn’s question airily. “But I do see some furniture that’s calling your name. Desperate to be cradled in your arms.”

Zach snickered. “Desperate wood. That’s depressing to hear from a newlywed.”

“I thought that was the name of your new rock band, Zach,” Julia quipped.

An amused hiss rose from Lisa and Karen, and then everybody headed back to their tasks, heaviness pushed aside, worry as well.

Julia folded the top of the nearest box and handed it to Zach the next time he entered the room. He hesitated for long enough that she caught his full-on smile. “You okay?” he asked.

“I’ll explain the details later. I have very smart sisters,” she informed him.

“Smart runs in your gene pool.” He winked and slipped from the room.

It didn’t take that long to empty her apartment, but by the time they were done, a crowd of interested onlookers had gathered. A few pretended to rest on the bench across the street. More peered out the windows of Connie’s restaurant as Julia’s belongings were stacked in the back of the trucks.

“I need to get my car from the fire hall,” she told Zach after the final boxes were removed.

“I’ll drop you off before I head back to the ranch.” He made a face. “It’ll take me a bit to get my things out of your way.”

“Just stack my stuff on the porch or in one of the empty cabins for now,” Julia suggested. “I have what I need for tonight in my suitcase. And I have some work clothes stashed in my car I’ll grab for tomorrow.”

“Sounds good.”

A second later all the air shot from her lungs. He’d stepped in close. So close their torsos touched. But that didn’t seem to be enough because suddenly his hand slipped around her, pressed to her lower back. Contact between them increased as he dipped his head.

Julia pressed her palms against his chest to pause his forward motion. “What are you doing?” she whispered.

“We have an audience,” he whispered back. “Sorry.”

His lips brushed hers. Whisper-soft. Barely there. Just enough of a tease to set her heart pounding.

Her fingers curled involuntarily, caught in the soft brushed cotton of his T-shirt. The hard planes of his muscular chest rose under her palms. His breath ghosted over her skin.

Zach swept in again, his tongue teasing her lips. Tracing their outline until she opened, and he took total advantage. Between them, heat rose, a fire unfurling in her belly. His taste slid in, overwhelming her senses and filling her head.

He adjusted position, easing their bodies until they clicked like two pieces of Lego lined up just right. His hardness pressed against her, and she was shocked to discover her hands had moved of their own accord. Fingers now gliding through his hair as she leaned in and hungrily participated in the kiss. In the contact.

In the…very public display of affection that was even now bringing the catcalls and whistles from their rapt audience.

Zach eased the pressure between them, but he didn’t stop. Not right away. He took his damn time. So slow, in fact, that before his lips left hers, she felt them curl into a smile.

His pupils were dark and mesmerizing as he stared down, breathing heavily. “You good?”

“You’re bad,” she whispered.

“So are you,” he teased. “But since the point is that we’re supposed to be bad together, mission accomplished.” He let her go only long enough to link their hands as he led her to the passenger door of the truck. “Come on. Let’s get you home.”

10

Zach didn’t push it when they both finally made it back to the ranch. In fact, he made sure to stay as out of the way as possible after helping move in the boxes Julia needed to organize her room.

She caught him up on the idea her sisters had shared regarding being too stubborn to get a divorce, which made it easier to share their news. It also meant he had a guaranteed one-year timeframe to work within, which all things considered, he wasn’t going to complain about.

After she mentioned their need for rings and he promised to take care of it, it seemed appropriate to give her a little space to adjust to everything that had shaken down over the past forty-eight plus hours.

“Got some chores I need to do,” he informed her. “There’s leftover pizza in the freezer we can have for supper if that sounds okay.”

She didn’t pause her task of putting sheets on the bed. “I’ve got a bunch of stuff I rescued out of my fridge to make a salad. What time do you want to eat?”

“Six-thirty sound okay? I mean, I’ll be back so I can get things started. We can eat a bit later.”

“Okay. I might be organized by then, as well.” She waved him off and dove into a stack of pillows.

He walked away slowly, the whole ordinariness of the situation striking him as extremely bizarre.

Outside, the air had grown cooler, the fall wind sliding in from the mountains to the west. Still, he didn’t have much to complain about as he headed to the barn to track down Finn.

He found their foreman first. Cody Gabrielle did a double take, dropping the hoof he was cleaning to the ground before patting the mare on the back side and closing the pen door after himself. “Hey.”

Zach offered a quick smile. “Have you seen Finn?”

Cody pointed farther into the barn. “I hear congratulations are in order.”

News had spread fast. Zach decided to play dumb, just to see which particular part Cody was the most interested in. “For what?”

“Oh, come on, now.” Cody’s chin dipped disapprovingly. “If nothing else, you should have warned me off. I was considering making my own move on Julia,” he confessed.

The flare of possessiveness that struck Zach—it wasn’t good.

She’s my wife…

Zach stopped in his tracks and let the actual words sweep over him. He had a wife. Julia was his wife.

Dear Lord, he was married, to Julia. Which made him a—

“Your face is priceless,” Cody said dryly. “I don’t know if I should hose you down or punch you in the gut for gloating.”

Zach flashed a grin and pulled his act together. “Save the gut jabs. You should offer me a toast.”

Cody nodded, but a trace of concern snuck in. “Cheers. But, damn, man. That’s one hell of a dating method.”

The casual shrug came easy. “When it’s right, no use in waiting.”

“Please.” The man snorted. “Don’t try to pretend you’ve fallen in love this fast. I mean, you two might fit like oil and vinegar, but it’s still ridiculous. You’re up to something.”

Curiosity struck. Cody wasn’t giving him grief over the “married in Vegas” deal. “Yeah? You figure out our deep, dark secret?”

Cody flashed him a grin. “Got to be money on the line, somehow.”

That was an understatement. However, the least said, the better. “Weather’s looking decent over the next few days.”

That earned him a soft snicker and a wink. “In the meantime, you’ve got Julia in your bed—not a punishment, man. Not in the least.”

Except for the damn No Sex rule. Zach kept his smile in place. “Watch how you talk about my woman,” he warned.

The foreman laughed. “Anyway, we’ve got things to discuss. Come on. Work first, then you can get back to the honeymoon.”

Didn’t Zach just wish that were the truth?

Still, the hour spent with Cody going over the list of tasks to be completed on the dude ranch gave Zach a good chance to rest his brain.

He had a year. No use pushing too hard and fast and getting Julia’s hackles up. Although he liked her when she was feisty just as much as he liked her sense of humour.

The only mood he didn’t like was when fear rose in her eyes.

After saying goodbye to Cody a few minutes before six-thirty, Zach paced back toward the cabin, concern rising.

She’d mentioned the kidnapping business so casually, and yet it had to have been hell. Maybe still was. Crowding her was definitely off the agenda.

Luckily, he had all sorts of other options when it came to edging the fake into real.

He marched up the front steps of their cabin, noting with interest the small stack of boxes and random furniture gathered in a neat pile. One step farther, and he pushed through the door.

“Hi, honey, I’m home,” he called cheekily.

The living room-slash-kitchen area was empty. Voices sounded from the back of the cabin, and he followed the noise, curiosity rising as Julia’s laugh drifted over a deep masculine tone.

“You’re probably right,” Julia said as Zach cautiously poked his head through the open doorway to the guest room.

“Of course, I’m right.” The voice seemed to rise out of nowhere before Zach noticed her phone propped up against a stack of books. “Oh, hello. You must be Zach.”

Julia twisted on the edge of the bed, gesturing him closer. “Hey. I thought I’d be done by now. Come and meet Tony.”

Zach settled beside her as ordered, hoping for a clue as to if this was a person to outright lie to or what. Should he kiss her? Ignore her?

He stuck with simple for now. “Hi, Tony.”

Thank God, Julia offered a grin and put Zach out of his misery. “Tony’s my therapist. He knows everything. Sorry, I should have asked first, but he called unexpectedly.”

“It’s both our secret. Also, therapists get a lot of slack,” Zach offered even as he examined her face. She seemed a little calmer than usual. “You okay?”

She nodded, gesturing toward her phone. “With the weekend excitement, I forgot to reschedule my next appointment. Tony called to see what was up.”

On the teeny screen, the man was eyeing him hard. Decent-looking fellow, maybe late forties. “Hell of a situation, you two,” Tony drawled.

“It is,” Zach admitted readily. “But Julia’s got lots of family here keeping an eye out for her, and I’m going to help her get through this as easily as possible.”

“Good to know,” Tony said. “She said you’re trustworthy. Like to hear that. I’m also willing to chat with you anytime. Or the two of you. You know, as you deal with this setup over the next year.”

Zach opened his mouth to deny he would ever be interested then hesitated. In terms of the whole doing whatever it took to make this work, why not? “If Julia wants, sure.”

The man nodded approvingly, but his gaze stayed sharp and assessing before he turned back to Julia. His expression softened.

“I should go,” Tony said. “Give me a shout in a week, and we’ll catch up, okay?”

“Definitely,” Julia said.

Tony raised a finger to stop her from slipping away. “Oh, and think about what I suggested.”

For some reason, the comment made her cheeks flush red. “Goodbye, Tony.”

“Bye, J.”

She retrieved her phone, gaze skipping away from Zach’s face a lot less comfortably than a moment earlier. “Sorry about that.”

“No problem. Glad I got to meet him.” Zach turned away to give her space, heading to the kitchen. “Shall I get supper started, or do you need help with anything first?”

Julia beat him to the fridge and began hauling out vegetables. “Supper first. I’m starving already.” They worked in silence for all of thirty seconds before she spoke again. “Tony is pretty cool.”

It was the biggest opening Zach was likely to get. “Seemed the easygoing type.”

She paused in the middle of unwrapping a head of lettuce. “Yes and no. When he’s trying to make a point, he’s like a rat terrier with its teeth set. I started seeing him after the kidnapping mess with Dwayne. Talking to Tony helped.”

“Good for you,” Zach said sincerely as he laid frozen pizza slices on cookie sheets. “Nothing better than getting help to put our heads on straight.”

Julia eyed him for a moment. “True, but that’s not what everyone believes. I mean, some people think you should just suck it up and deal. Or that talking with a buddy should be enough.”

“If it’s enough for them, great. What’s wrong with having a trained friend who’s a little smarter in a particular area point out a smoother path?”

He threw the two full trays in the oven and set the timer.

When he stood, she was looking at him as if he’d grown a third eye.

“What?”

She shook her head. “You want tomatoes in your salad?”

“Yes. Now, don’t bullshit me, Jules. There a problem?”

Under her fingers, the knife moved swiftly through the tender flesh of the salad fixings. She hesitated twice before letting out a long, hard sigh. “You’re saying all the right things, Zach. Like, don’t worry, this year will be a breeze. Don’t worry about your job or the fact we have to live together. And now you don’t sound like the people who think having a therapist means I'm broken.”

It was wrong, but he couldn’t stop a chuckle from escaping. “It won’t be a breeze, but we can have fun. Worrying doesn’t change things, actions do. Therapy is a tool to use when we need it—all things my mother has said many times over the years, by the way. If that makes me right, thanks. Glad you noticed.”

He finally got a laugh out of her. “That’s one healthy ego you’ve got there, Beau.”

Zach shuddered. “Hey, I thought we agreed to use the far less offensive nickname baby.”

A smile danced over her lips as she scooped salad into two bowls. “That’s going to be fun in front of Karen and Finn.”

“Have a ball,” he encouraged.

A minute later they were seated at the table, digging into the salad while the pizza finished warming.

Julia did a slow, considered pause again, fork lifted in the air as if gathering her thoughts before pushing the words out. “Tony reminded me to warn you about my nightmares. Although you kind of already know.”

Zach nodded, his mouth too full to respond otherwise.

She forged ahead. “I don’t get them often anymore, honestly. They’re just sort of once in a while, a lingering pain in the ass to deal with and an annoyance. The best thing to do is talk to me. You can turn on the lights or just tell me to wake up.”

“Okay. I can do that.”

“Sorry in advance for being a difficult roommate.” Her nose wrinkled.

“Stop apologizing.” Zach grabbed a deck of cards off the side counter. “The only real question now is how badly I can beat you at rummy.”

“Gin or regular?” Stress slipped off her at the change in topic.

“I guess we have to try both. Or multiple variations thereof.”

Cards were dealt, pizza devoured. By the time they’d washed the dishes, wrote up their schedules for the week, and posted the agenda on the fridge, Zach’s cheeks were good-tired from his constant grin.

The contrast between his list and hers was night and day.

His—simple line by line in his happy-go-lucky scrawl, although he had managed to make it decipherable. Julia’s perfect script was embellished with small stars and moons at the edge of the page, and she’d included two side sections, one with a space for meals and one for a grocery list.

As she finished rearranging the fridge magnets, Zach grabbed another blank page and took his best shot at creating a fancy-dancy formal title.

“What’s that?” she asked, peering over his shoulder.

He held it out. “Fun Stuff Schedule. You know, the things to make time fly.”

Between her shifts and the commitments on his calendar, it took a bit of juggling, but they finally nailed it down.

Julia’s approval was clear as she pinned it beside the others. “Wednesday night riding, Thursday morning yoga, Saturday dancing, Sunday dinner.”

“At least this week. Your shifts change constantly, right?”

“For the next couple of months, I’m on two days, two nights, four days off.”

He nodded. Her job situation beyond the end of next month was on his to-do list for the next day. Not that he was telling her that.

A yawn escaped her, then she shook it off. “Sorry. It’s been a big day.”

“Big days,” he agreed as she slid toward her room.

He paused to put away the dry dishes, surprised to see her reflection in the window as he worked. Instead of vanishing, she lingered in the doorway. She stared at him, gaze drifting up and down as he moved. Assessing? Worried? Was being under one roof going to be too much?

Then her tongue slipped out, moisture painting her lips. His body hardened even as her expression turned hungry. He was one second away from turning and asking what else she wanted to add to their to-do list—he’d like to start with tasting that sweet mouth of hers all over again—when she shook her head and escaped into her room.

Damn it. Two steps forward, one step back. Zach debated grabbing a shower and dealing with his issue…

No debate. Lying in the room next to hers with a hard-on was his idea of torture.

One dirty shower, coming up.

* * *

Morning dawned clear and bright as sunshine streaked across her bed and past the curtain Julia had failed to close the night before. The sunshine was a gift, but an even greater joy was the sense of peace stealing over her.

No thumping footsteps in the hall, no listening anxiously for someone to try her door.

She’d slept like a rock—which was a miracle in itself considering how tangled her brain had been the previous night when she hit the pillow. Every step in the process had been logical by itself, but looking back, it was all so impossible.

She was married and staying that way, for a year.

Nope. Still not possible.

Moving around her room continued to make both those emotions grow stronger. Gratefulness washed in at having a clean, great-smelling, and safe place to hang her hat. Incredulous disbelief flooded in equally hard that she was here, and this was real.

No matter how easy the time had been with Zach the night before, discovering she had an empty kitchen to herself this morning let her relax once again as she dug in the fridge for breakfast. A quick glance at the schedule showed he’d been out of the cabin for a couple hours already. She hadn’t heard a peep when he left. Considerate man—just like she’d told Tony the day before.

Julia caught herself growling. Damn him, anyway.

Tony, not Zach, because the current number one source of her whirling emotions was her therapist. Good man, total hard-ass when it came to making Julia admit difficult truths.

Falling asleep, Tony’s voice had kept ringing in her head.

He’d asked how much she trusted Zach, and that question had been easier to answer than expected. They’d spent enough time together over the past months that he was comfortable to be around. With her sisters' added good opinions and the knowledge Finn would never let anything bad happen, Zach was safe.

It had been a great revelation, but then Tony had to go and push it one step further. His suggestions regarding sex and Zach…

Nope. Not even going to repeat those ideas to herself, considering that thinking about thinking about them made her cheeks heat.

And thinking about them in the night had made for some very interesting dreams.

Nope. Roommates. Focus on that, Blushing, and stick to friends.

Besides, Zach was the least of her worries for today. Back to work meant facing the firing squad. By the time she pulled her car to a stop outside the fire hall, Julia still didn’t have her story set.

Time to fake it.

Of course, this would be one of the days the entire building seemed full to the brim with every damn volunteer in town. Which maybe was a good thing. She’d only have to do this once.

The cheering and laughter started the instant her feet hit the second floor of the hall. That’s where the large kitchen was, and a table big enough to seat twenty spanned the length of the room.

There was no warm-up, just straight to the point.

“Vegas wedding? Really?” Alex, a local cowboy and one of the shift supervisors, stepped in front of her.

“You never heard of someone winning the jackpot in sin city?” Julia asked cheerfully, stepping around him and deciding to do this the biggest way possible.

She climbed on the nearest table and gave a sharp whistle.

Only once all eyes were on her did she continue. “I’m sure you’ve all heard by now, but yes, it’s true. Zach and I have been seeing each other on the sly for a bit, and it appears that while under the influence of Jose Cuervo, we accidentally tied the knot. Being as we were already planning on moving in together, we’ve decided to just let it ride. I’ll take questions from the peanut gallery now—”

A few hands shot into the air as some people called out dirty suggestions.

Julia eyed the rude ones with disapproval then pointed at the other volunteer supervisor, Ryan Zhao, who stood with fingers raised.

His dark eyes twinkled. “Jumping in with two feet—that’s one way to do it. You want us to take up a divorce fund? Or start a baby pool?”

The nearest volunteer smacked him on the arm before raising her voice. “Congrats, Jules. Zach’s a hottie.”

“Agreed, Crystal. Also makes him an appropriate match for me, working at the fire hall and all.” Julia’s cheeks had to be beet red.

Because Zach was a hottie, and damn if Tony's suggestions didn’t flood into her mind again, detailed and dirty.

“Blushing?”

Julia shook herself from her naughty daydream. “Yes?”

Alex again, with a snicker this time. “We noticed.”

She rolled her eyes then folded her arms over her chest as she offered a mock glare. “Comedian. So, anyway, just to get the dirty truth out there. Yup, I’m married, yup, he’s a hottie, and nope, you can’t get any more details.” Laughter rolled around the room, and suddenly a brilliant idea struck. She raised a hand one final time. “We’ll be out at Rough Cut on Saturday night if any of you want to help us celebrate. No presents, but bring something for the food bank. We’ll top up the collection as a reverse wedding gift to the community.”

More cheers rang out. Julia crawled off the table as the crowd dissipated into groups for training and rest shifts.

Alex and Ryan waved farewell before heading out with their crews, which meant in a shockingly short time, she was alone in the room with her shift mates.

Which included Brad.

She’d avoided eye contact during her little impromptu speech, but there was no escaping the next few minutes.

Oscar winning acting engage now…

She marched forward and once again went for the bold approach. “Didn’t see that one coming, did you?”

Brad didn’t move from where he’d leaned against the kitchen counter, big arms folded over his chest. He didn’t speak for a moment either, just looked her over with that assessing big-brother gaze she’d come to know so well over the past couple years.

The others in the room were busy at the table a few feet away, making this a totally public discussion. Yet his answer when it came was quiet enough to not be overheard.

“Didn’t see the wedding part coming, nope.” Brad’s gaze stayed steady on her. She was about to make a smart-ass quip back when he spoke again. “Glad to know it happened, though.”

It was Julia’s turn to stay silent. Thoughts whirled as she struggled to keep her smile from twisting with shock. “Really?”

Brad nodded. “He’s a good guy. You deserve someone who thinks the world of you—and he does.”

This was getting interesting and weird. “Um, thank you?”

He laughed. “You thought you were going to shock me with this? I mean, the wedding was obviously an accident, but the two of you? I’ve had my suspicions for a while.”

Another dose of weird, but at this moment, Julia would take it. “Can’t get anything past you, I guess.”

He grinned harder then lowered his voice more. “I’m happy for you. Both Hanna and I are. If we can ever help with anything, you just have to ask.”

“Thanks. I will.”

He straightened and headed to the table, leaving her slightly bemused at how simple it had been.

Except for the bit where he’d read more into her and Zach’s pre-liquor Vegas relationship, it seemed she had the blessing of the one guy whose good opinion she needed the most.

She pulled out her phone and sent a quick update to Zach before heading into alert mode for her shift.

Julia: the crew has been informed, and other than a few raunchy suggestions, they fell for it. Brad as well, so we’re good.

Julia: also, I might have told them we're hosting a party on Saturday night at Rough Cut. Oops.

Zach got back to her almost instantly: party is a great idea. And hell, oops is how we’re running this show. Will discuss details at supper. I’m cooking.

That was it. There were enough whispers and sneaky glances over the remainder of the day to make it clear stories were flying, hard and fast, but they were all about her and Zach. Not a word about her and Brad.

Julia couldn’t have been happier as she strode through her day, dealing with callouts to various seniors in the community and a kindergarten class where a boy had decided nap time was a great opportunity to shove a marble up his nose.

And if she happened to drift into remembering Tony's suggestions regarding Zach far too often, she’d blame it on the nonstop sexual teasing that went hand in hand with the successful deception.

She wasn’t going to act on the ideas. No sir.

No matter how much the devil on her shoulder insisted she should at least consider it.

11

Zach wasn’t even sure why he noticed, but he did. The toilet paper roll was on backwards.

Okay, he probably noticed because he wasn’t an animal. He’d been well-trained by his sisters and mother that leaving an empty or even nearly empty roll was a punishable-by-death level of crime.

He’d used the last of the previous roll, so he’d replaced it. Simple.

Only it was now facing the opposite way to how it should, and instead of the tissue rolling out with ease at his first tug, he had to slap the roll a number of times to get the end to show up. And then when he did give it a tug, it broke off after only four squares.

Pain in the ass, no pun intended.

He hauled the holder off the wall, reversed the tissue, and replaced.

Satisfied by a job well done, he washed up then finished putting the final touches on dinner as he waited for Julia to get home.

Day three of being roommates, and so far, so good. He’d kept their interactions lighthearted and simple, and she’d done the same.

One truth was already clear—Julia was a neat freak. His haphazard approach to tossing his things over every surface as he entered the cabin had already been noted and eyed with disapproval.

Tough habit to break, though.

In fact, he spotted his discarded jean jacket draped over the arm of the couch, and the sweatshirt he wore in the afternoon on the knob of a kitchen chair. Guilt moved his feet, and a moment later, he’d hung them both on the hooks beside the door that had magically shown up the previous night while he’d been doing chores.

A firm knock echoed through the building.

“Come in.”

An instant later, Finn was in the doorway, his expression the unreadable stone face he wore when he had evil plans.

Zach knew the warning signs far too well. Still, he didn’t let it show, just let his friend pace past him into the cabin. “What’s up?”

Finn paused by the table, eyeing the collection of packages scattered everywhere. “Running away from home?”

“Hardly. Picnic supper.”

“With Julia?”

“No, with Dandelion Fluff. I figured Karen's cat would like to explore the trail system in style.”

Finn held back all but a split second of amusement. “Update me. How’s it going?”

“Your guess is as good as mine at this point,” Zach admitted. “It’s too soon for a breakthrough. I didn’t expect Julia to fall into my bed the instant we got home.”

His friend’s grin flashed. “Too bad.”

“I will hurt you,” Zach warned. “Lucky bastard.”

Finn winked then grew serious again. “Heads-up. Karen said there’s something brewing in terms of a gathering next week.”

“As long as it’s not the weekend. I’ll need Julia to come to Nelson with me.”

“The gathering is for family.” Finn paused for emphasis. “Extended family.”

“Okay.” The way Finn kept staring meant Zach was missing something important, but for the life of him he couldn’t think of—

Oh.

Oh, damn.

“Family, as in Julia’s dad will be here?”

“Correct.”

Well, then. Nothing like an old-fashioned panic attack to get a man’s heart pumping. “Did George Coleman mention he was bringing a shotgun? I figure Karen learned to shoot from someone, but I was hoping to avoid being a target again for a good long time.”

Finn grinned. “You’ll be fine. Just wanted to warn you so you can be prepared when Julia springs the news on you.”

“You’re the best.” Zach held up a fist, and Finn bumped it firmly.

The door swung open, and Julia rushed in, talking as she moved. “Zach, you here? Sorry I’m—”

She full-on collided with his body.

He wrapped his arms around Julia to catch her before she bounced to the floor. “Steady there, gorgeous.”

The weight of her in his arms was perfect in so many ways, but the instant she wiggled for freedom, he let her go.

“Sorry, again. Didn’t mean to rush in like a pinball. Hey, Finn. You sticking around?”

“Hey, Julia. And nope. Karen and I have plans.” Finn tilted his chin at Zach. “See you tomorrow.”

The whirlwind continued. Julia's excitement had her nearly bouncing as she rushed off to change. “We eating before or after we ride?” she called over her shoulder.

“During,” he responded. “Change first, details later.”

Half an hour later, they were on the trail. Julia’s grin stretched from ear to ear. She leaned forward and patted the dun-coloured gelding, Corncob, on the neck. “What a perfect way to end the day.”

It was, although Zach could think of a dozen other things he’d also like to do with Julia that wouldn’t involve leaving the cabin. “Trail rides are on the Fun Things list.”

She straightened suddenly, examining him. “You do like riding, don’t you?”

“Yup.”

Julia sighed in relief. “Thank goodness. For a minute there, I thought I might be tormenting you instead of doing something we both enjoy.”

“That’s the yoga tomorrow.” He said it with a wink but quickly reassured her. “I’m teasing. I don’t mind trying it one bit. My sisters rave all the time about how much it’s improved their flexibility and helped with concentration.”

“It does,” Julia agreed. She paused, and her tone went utterly casual. “Which of your five sisters?”

Talking about his family was a nice, safe topic. “At least half of them at any given moment. Don’t try to memorize their names, because I’ll remind you as needed. Lindsey, Mattie, Rachelle, and Quinn are older than me. Petra is younger.”

“She’s the one who pinkie swears,” Julia said with a smile.

“She does. She also stole my toys, broke my bike, and once got us locked in the crawlspace of the house. She was my playmate growing up.”

Which moved the conversation into stories of living with that many females under one roof. He talked, and she asked questions, the flow interrupted over and over when one of them spotted something in the field, or a hawk flew overhead, or when the trees in the distance moved to reveal a deer staring at them with interest and caution.

The fall evening was warm enough that when he spread the blanket on the ground by the river, Julia relaxed onto it with a contented sigh.

She rolled onto her back and stared skyward. “It’s so peaceful and quiet. This is exactly what I needed.”

Zach lowered himself beside her, the food basket off to one side. Her expression was pure contentment.

His gaze drifted over her curves with appreciation. “Me too.”

Somehow the words didn’t come out too lust-filled.

Julia took a deep breath, and for an instant their gazes met. He wanted to cover her slowly. Stretch his body over hers and take those pouting lips that she’d just licked in a kiss that would heat up the air around them to a spring day.

The moment vanished as Julia laughed, reaching for the picnic basket. “I’m starved.”

Him too. Not just for food.

Zach pushed down his lust and forced a carefree smile. “Let’s eat.”

She steered the conversation back to his family, which meant by the time they’d eaten, she knew how many of his sisters were married (three), how many nieces and nephews he had (seven, with one on the way), and how often he saw them all (often, but in small doses).

They were riding back, and her chatterbox conversation had trickled to nothing. It didn’t seem awkward, though. Just two people sharing a companionable silence, thinking their own thoughts.

His were about how right spending time with her was. Also, to be honest, more than a few thoughts focused on how soon he could convince her there was no use waiting to get intimate—

The heat between them was undeniable.

“I’m not used to having family around.”

Her words interrupted a very steamy daydream. Zach blinked to attention. “What brought that up?”

She shrugged. “My sisters have had each other forever. You’ve had lots of people as well.”

“The more to torment me, you mean.”

Julia laughed. “Torment, tease, play with, bounce ideas off… It was only me and my mom forever. Sometimes it feels as if you’re all speaking a foreign language I don’t understand.”

Interesting point. “You’re right. Although, the best kind of family is the type you pick for yourself. Sometimes that means the one you’re born into, and sometimes it means the people you choose to have in your life. Finn is my brother in every way except blood.”

Her eyes brightened. “That’s sweet.”

“Don’t tell him I said that,” Zach insisted. “I don’t need him hitting me up for a family loan.”

She snickered. “Please. From the sounds of it, you two have all the money you need…”

Her words trailed off.

He didn’t make her clarify. He felt it. The reason why they were going through with this whole farce was to keep the money intact. He wanted to rant that it was more than that already, but it was far too soon for those kinds of reassurances.

Instead, Zach grinned. “Enough money to have splurged for dessert. There are two kinds of pie in the fridge. Since I didn’t know your favourite.”

“Pie is my favourite pie,” she joked back, and the awkward moment vanished.

But it was a reminder that he had to work for this. The roots of a relationship were there, but it wasn’t going to be a slam dunk moving forward.

He had to be very patient and deliberate to make it clear their relationship was of far more value than any bank bottom line.

* * *

It was a nice enough cabin, and until now, Julia had considered it roomy. She had her space, he had his, and the shared bathroom between their rooms was massive and comfortable.

But even moving the coffee table aside hadn’t created enough open space in the living room to allow them to stretch out on their yoga mats without being very close.

Intimately close, as in bumping limbs occasionally.

More annoying was the fact every breath he took echoed through her as if she had sonar and was picking up his frequency.

They’d only been at it for ten minutes, and she was already flushed.

She glanced to the side. Zach remained in the twisted seated position she’d guided them into. His eyes were shut, and while his flexibility wasn’t anything to scream about, he was trying. Inhale. Exhale and twist farther, just the way she’d told him.

While he was occupied, it was too tempting to resist a leisurely look. He wore a loose pair of sweats and a grey T-shirt that stretched over his chest and biceps. As he twisted, the shirt rode up, coming untucked far enough to show a thin sliver of tanned skin.

Bare feet. Nice bare feet—which was a weird thing to notice, but she’d been around enough guys in shower houses and medical situations to know some people had good, solid, but ugly, support systems.

His feet were…sexy.

Dammit, brain, stop taking me there.

“Okay, let’s move to the next thing.” Julia tore her gaze off his body, toes and all, and stood.

Zach copied her. “So far, so good,” he teased. “I haven’t gotten stuck once.”

She laughed. “No pretzel moves, I promise.”

“You go right ahead. I don’t mind watching.” His gaze drifted over her, and she felt it like a caress. He adjusted position, feet braced on the mat. Those sweatpants didn’t look nearly as loose anymore…

Shit. Staring at his junk and trying to figure out if he was really getting turned on from looking at her was not a good idea.

Stick to the program, Blushing. “We’re going to do a basic move now, repeating it on both sides.”

“Lead on,” he murmured, copying her position at the top of the mat.

One move after another, she guided him through a sun salutation routine. He didn’t tease or make any more comments. In fact, anytime she glanced his way, he seemed to be fully concentrated on keeping his balance.

She fell into the rhythm and ignored him as best she could. It was a strange exercise, considering how much space he took up. How close he seemed at every moment. How much less oxygen was available in the room than usual as she grew light-headed from having him beside her.

As she twisted into a new position, she could have sworn his gaze lingered on her body.

She’d pulled on a pair of yoga pants and a sports bra. Nothing fancy, but comfortable. Something she’d worn during training a million times around her workmates.

This felt…different. Hotter, more intimate.

Dangerous?

No, not that. Not with Zach.

Then why not give him a try? The little devil was back on her shoulder.

She dropped into her lunge position too vigorously, attempting to shake sense into herself. The too-quick move tipped her balance point and she fell sideways, contorting to try and catch herself.

“Got you.” Zach’s strong arms curled around her, pulling her close as they headed toward the floor. The landing was a lot softer than it could have been, yet still firm as she settled into his lap.

“Sorry.” Julia remained motionless, not wanting to damage him in her rush to get away.

His grin said it all. “Nothing to be sorry for. I figured this was some new, interactive yoga move, and I’m one hundred percent on board.”

Her shoulders were perpendicular to his, one hand pressed to his chest. One of his arms cradled her back, and other than embarrassment, heat was the fastest-growing sensation.

“You’re terrible,” she said as calmly as possible.

His gaze had fallen to her lips, blue eyes fixed in position. “I’d heard of hot yoga before, but never thought I’d get to experience it.”

She snorted. “Dear God, that sounded like the start of a really bad Penthouse letter.”

“Are there any really good Penthouse letters?” He was still staring, hunger on his face.

It was far too tempting to lean in and close the distance between them. Press their lips together and once again enjoy a taste of the man and his wonderful kisses.

But they had twelve damn months to get through, and this was not going to make it easier.

She was about to find a way to break away when he rolled. A squeal escaped her, and he laughed, continuing the motion to his feet and leaving her behind on the yoga mat.

He held a hand down, his sexy smolder replaced with jovial amusement. “Come on. I have an idea.”

His idea involved slipping on their shoes, yoga mats under their arms as they paced to the next cabin over.

“Our own private yoga studio,” he said with a flourish as he gestured her in the door.

The cabin was smaller than Zach’s, but the living room and dining area lacked furniture, leaving an open hardwood floor for them to spread out with plenty of room to move.

Julia shook her head. “Great. Why didn’t we start in here?”

“I forgot.” He stepped into the middle of his mat and eyed her expectantly. “Ready when you are.”

The quick shutdown of her libido was a good thing. At least that’s what she tried to tell herself as they finished the session. All traces of sexy-talking Zach vanished, and when they headed back to their shared living space, it was as if she’d imagined the entire thing.

“Great yoga session,” Zach told her, hand raised in the air until she connected with his palm in a firm high five. “Dibs on the shower, though. I’ve got to meet with Cody in half an hour.”

“No problem.”

He vanished into his room, and she was left with a jumble of thoughts that made her want to squirm.

Imagining Zach in the shower, strong hands moving over his torso. Down his body…

Over his firm—

Nope. There be dragons.

* * *

The next two days passed in a blur as she transitioned into her two night shifts in a row. Working six p.m. to eight a.m. meant she left the house before Zach was back from whatever he was working on that day, falling into bed without seeing him the next morning.

She was grateful for the soft bed and the safe room to come home to. No denying that.

Saturday morning, though, when she stumbled back to the cabin after a heavier number of callouts than usual, she discovered Zach waiting for her.

“Hey. You headed out?” She barely covered her mouth before blasting a yawn in his face.

He chuckled. “Nope. Day off.”

“Me too. After I sleep. Shower. Shower first.” She sniffed then groaned. “Don’t come near. Mr. Heller decided to walk off the edge of his hayloft.”

“Sounds exciting. And dangerous.”

“Luckily, he landed in the manure pile he’s been building right outside the barn.” Zach had taken her coat off and…her shoes? “Unfortunately, he landed in the manure pile. Not the nicest place to sit with a broken leg.”

“It’ll make a great story,” Zach assured her.

They were standing in the bathroom. When had that happened? “Shower.”

She tugged off her shirt, focused on getting clean enough to collapse onto her bed.

A soft groan echoed in the space, but the water was pouring down, calling her name. She shoved off her pants and undies, ditched her bra, and eased under the heavenly downpour.

Julia woke six hours later with no memory of leaving the shower, just the dire need to pee like a racehorse and her stomach growling as if she’d fasted for days instead of hours.

She finished her business as soon as possible then made a beeline for food.

Inside the fridge was a covered plate and a note.

I made lasagna last night. Saved you a piece. Remember we're at Rough Cut tonight for our wedding party. Should be a blast.

Julia had the lasagna in the microwave in three seconds flat, the scent as it warmed making her drool.

The party tonight was going to be something, although blast wasn’t necessarily her choice of words. Still, it was another nail in the rumour coffin, and it wasn’t going to hurt to enjoy some dancing and time with her sisters.

A valid excuse to be in Zach’s arms won’t suck, either. The damn devil on her shoulder got the words out before vanishing.

Yeah. There were far too many good reasons to stick with the status quo, but the temptation to open that side door continued to grow. Julia dug into the food with a determined focus, because at least while she was eating, she wouldn’t be planning big mistakes.

The rest of the hours stretching forward would be enough trouble to manage.

12

Zach pulled into an open space outside Rough Cut and turned to Julia with a smile. “It’s party time. Ready?”

She glared momentarily. “You don’t have to sound so happy.”

“What?” he demanded, slightly confused. “We're going to dance and have a few drinks and raise a little for the food bank. Plenty to be happy about.”

Her nose wrinkled. “I guess. Only, no tequila, agreed?”

Zach solemnly drew an X over his heart.

Julia’s concerned expression wavered. “You’re impossible,” she complained. “I’m trying to be borderline serious before we head in there, and you’re still all fluff and nonsense.”

He shrugged. “No use in pretending this is more than it is. People are probably hoping we tie one on too hard again and give up some juicy details. I figure the best response to that is to smile lots and baffle them with bullshit.”

After the damn yoga session that had sent him into cold-shower mode, and the innocent striptease Julia had given him that morning, Zach had been one step away from simply reaching for what he wanted.

Yet the absolute trust she’d shown while ninety percent out of it wasn’t a gift he could bear to throw away.

He’d given the question every bit of his waking hours, deliberating until coming to the conclusion there was only one way to win her over.

Make her ask for more.

This had to be all about her choices. While he could roll in and make demands as boldly as the next guy, she needed a delicate touch.

Which meant he’d say yes to absolutely everything she wanted from him. He’d back off and give her all the room she claimed to need. Instead of pushing, he’d do yoga, and take her on trail rides, and whatever else she requested, because spending time together would allow him to put part two of his plan in place.

The chemistry between them was combustible. Given enough time, the banked heat would flare, and she’d demand he—

“Kiss me.”

Zach blinked, turning to Julia. Was his subconscious talking out loud now?

“Too slow,” she complained. She crawled into his lap, curled a hand around his neck, and brought their lips together.

His brain was still catching up, but instinct kicked in. Zach cupped her hips, pulled her flush with his body, and took over, a hallelujah chorus ringing in his ears.

Her taste drilled through him—peppermint and pleasure. Her torso pressed warm against his, soft breasts waking hunger and need. He nipped at her lip, soaking in her gasp as—

A sharp clatter rang from the driver’s side window. They snapped apart, or at least broke the lip-lock. Zach maintained his grip on her hips.

He wasn’t silly enough to let go prematurely.

“The party’s inside.” Josiah stepped away from the truck, heading to the top of the stairs with Lisa tucked under his arm.

Behind them, a duo of women sauntered past, tossing quick glances over their shoulders as they moved slowly so as not to miss a single second.

Zach grinned but spoke quietly to Julia. “I take it you saw something?”

“Two of the biggest gossips in town, according to Tamara. I bet they try to outdo each other spreading the word we can’t keep our hands off each other.”

Now there was a good lead-in for a very entertaining evening. “Anytime. We should hit the dance floor and give them other things to flap their gums about.”

He lifted her off carefully—still a little worked up in spite of how brief the connection.

His friend and Julia’s sister were grinning like fools as Zach led Julia up the stairs.

“You two seem to be getting along okay,” Josiah murmured to Zach as the women slipped through the door ahead of them.

“Shut up,” Zach retorted, but he smiled as well.

Yup, he was going to yes, yes, yes every single request Julia made. And if karma continued to be kind, there might be some very enjoyable results sooner than later.

The dark, wooden walls shone with golden spotlights, and the scent of beer and pub food floated on the air. Music blared, but louder still were the voices calling out greetings and cheerful good wishes.

Zach hurried to Julia's side, slipping their hands together.

She jerked in surprise for a second before deliberately leaning in closer as she waved at friends.

Her head tilted back, lips brushing his ear. “Straight to the dance floor? We can avoid questions for a while that way.”

No arguments from him. He helped her with her coat, shrugged out of his jean jacket, and hung them both on a hook at the side of the dance floor.

He tucked her fingers into his and led her into the fray. A moment later, she was in his arms, and the world clicked a notch to the right.

This was perfect.

Her face tilted toward him, broad smile shining up. “You’re a goof,” she said.

He pulled her tighter, twirling her away from the masses around them. “Not going to argue, but you got a specific theme for that comment?”

She broke the contact between their front hands so she could tap his chest. “You wore your GROOM shirt.”

“I’m proud of this shirt,” he insisted. “Even while drunk, I managed to get out of the wedding chapel without you turning me into a GROO, or a ROOM, or the worst possible, a G OO.”

Laughter danced loudly at that, amusement written clear through down to her toes. “Good point. And I’ll have you know, I did consider wearing my RIDE shirt, but I decided I didn’t have the stamina to put up with the ongoing teasing that would trigger from the fire hall teams.”

She’d pulled on a pale-yellow blouse that shimmered under the dance lights, paired with a jean skirt that ended above her knees. “I like what you’ve got on. It’s cute.”

And sexy. Definitely sexy with the long line of her toned legs visible every time she moved, but in the interest of seeing her expression continue to shine like he’d just handed her a trophy, he’d keep the good enough to eat comments to himself.

He contented himself with pulling her against him and twirling hard. Julia clung close, tucked in tight as possible as she allowed him to take control. Her hands were strong, and her warm breath fanned over his skin.

It wasn’t just the dancing that made his heart race.

When the music finally changed tempo, dropping to a slow ballad, Zach was more than eager to switch his grip. He pressed one palm against Julia’s back, their other fingers tangled together at chest level. Holding hands, swaying back and forth as her eyes shone.

Yup. He could take this, and much, much more.

Her gaze flickered away then back, a secret poised on her lips.

Zach pressed their cheeks together. “What?”

She slid her hands up his chest, curling them around his neck. Her voice rose barely loud enough for his ears. “We have a lot of whispering and gawking going on.”

“It’s my dance moves.” Zach arched her back, cradling her over his arm. Hips together, legs intertwined.

Julia rolled her eyes as he pulled her to vertical. “Well, of course. That has to be it.”

“Shhh. Don’t mess up my concentration.” Cheek to cheek again, Zach rocked and enjoyed the contact between their bodies far more than was wise. “I have to focus on my Dancing with the Stars moves or we’ll be in trouble.”

Julia breathed deep, relaxing into him. Heat and fire licked up his spine, and the temptation to turn his face and nuzzle her lips grew stronger.

The fact she moved against him in a wholly sensual way would have to be enough for now, no matter how much more he wanted.

The song ended, and Julia curled into his side, pulling him toward the chairs at the side of the dance floor. “Come on. I need to hydrate.”

Her sisters were there. All three of them, which meant Tamara Stone as well. Her sharp gaze snapped over Zach in a way that said she wasn’t certain if she should shake his hand or kick out his knees.

Julia had no qualms, rushing into her sister’s embrace for a quick hug. “Sorry I didn’t make it over to Silver Stone this week to talk to you. I’m glad you and Caleb could make it tonight.”

“Of course, we could make it. It’s not every day we get to celebrate someone in the family getting married.” Her gaze darted up to Zach. “I mean, two new brothers in one weekend. That’s special.”

She looked dangerous. Zach was happy to allow Julia to tug him farther away from Tamara and her oversized husband, Caleb.

The small table had barely room for eight, especially since enough glasses for them all waited on the surface.

Finn caught hold of a glass and raised it in the air. “Never dreamed I’d be doing this so soon after my own wedding, but when fate speaks, we listen. To Julia and Zach. It’s not what’s in the past that matters, but the future. May you enjoy the coming days. Find a path that’s right for you and follow where it leads.”

Caleb lifted his glass. “And if I can add, you got family beside you all the way. Don’t ever think you’re alone.”

Zach glanced at Julia. She’d picked up a glass as well, but her eyes were suspiciously bright. He tucked his arm around her and cradled her close. “On behalf of Julia and myself, thank you. That means everything.”

Julia cleared her throat, but her voice was still shaky when she spoke. “To the future.”

The entire table raised their glasses in a toast. “To the future!”

The cheer echoed across the room, followed hard by screams of laughter.

Julia’s gaze slipped past him toward the front door. An instant later she slapped a hand over her mouth.

Lisa turned to check the action, and her eyes widened. “Oh. My. God.”

One slow twist later, as he made sure to keep Julia in his arms, the source of everyone’s amusement grew clear.

His surprise had arrived.

* * *

The man entering the bar was dressed from head to toe in shiny metallic fabric. His dark hair was elaborately combed back in a style that was far too familiar.

Elvis was in the building.

He went straight toward their table, light glistening off the sequins on his broad lapels.

Inside, the laughter welled up hard and fast until Julia was gasping so hard she found it difficult to breathe. With one arm draped around Zach’s neck, she leaned in close and rubbed her knuckles against his head. “You are an absolute goofball.”

He flashed a grin. “Hey, you were very upset I didn’t get him to our wedding. I figured this was the next best thing.”

It had been the strangest of evenings already, but just when the solemnness of it had been about to overwhelm her, Zach had played a winning card.

Elvis stood in front of them, bowing formally in greeting. “I hear there’s a couple of newlyweds who need a little serenading.”

Zach caught her by the hand and pulled her back onto the dance floor.

In the background, the regular music faded as Elvis got his guitar into position and strummed a couple of wild chords.

Music started from the overhead speakers, and a second later the performer in front of them joined in, smashing out “Blue Suede Shoes” on his guitar and singing loudly—and quite well—as the entire crowd in the Rough Cut pub joined in.

Zach twirled her out and then back into his arms, his smile beyond pleased.

The moment with her family had been almost too much. Karen and Lisa might’ve known part of the truth, but keeping a big part of why she and Zach were sticking together a secret from them and the whole thing a mystery from Tamara and Caleb—

They’d still offered unconditional support.

That kind of connection wasn’t easy to accept. Not with her previous lack of family. Not with the unsettled guilt simmering in her gut over being angry at the only family member she’d had.

Family was a damn complicated thing. She never expected that.

Which was why the bit of impossible happening right now made it easier to continue and not feel as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders.

“Earth to Julia.” Zach tilted his head to bring her gaze in line with his. “Got a favourite request for Elvis?”

The performer did all the classics, or at least all the upbeat and happy ones. And while she did have a favourite love song or two, she wasn’t about to request them.

The level of temptation had been growing over the past week, and Julia was very close to caving in and opening up an interesting conversation with the man currently holding her in his arms.

But she wasn’t about to pretend this thing between them was about anything more than friendship and heat.

Still, it was rather appropriate to be dancing with Zach as the words to “Fever” filled the pub halls.

They danced, and drank, and then danced some more. Everyone exchanged partners for at least one song.

It seemed all of Zach’s friends were determined to give her advice.

“I know he seems easygoing,” Finn offered, “but he has a tender heart. I think it has something to do with growing up around so many girls.”

“You mean he’s got cooties?” Julia asked with the cheeriest expression she could pull off.

Finn’s lips twitched the barest bit. “Something like that.”

Josiah waited until almost the end of the dance before he switched his lighthearted conversation to a more serious track. “I know I’ve only met Zach fairly recently, but one thing I can tell you is that the man knows how to work. It seems as if he’s playing all the time, but he’s getting a shit ton done in the meanwhile. That’s something I respect.”

“Good work ethic?” Julia asked with curiosity.

“More the part where he’s not looking for a pat on the back. If it needs to be done, he’s going to do it.” Josiah winked then whirled her into Zach’s arms.

“I take it they’re all talking about me?” Zach moved them gracefully around the dance floor. “The reason I’m saying that is because I’ve been getting an earful about you from all your sisters.”

“What are they saying?” Julia asked with honest curiosity.

Zach paused for a moment. “Well, there were the usual threats against my person if I do anything to hurt you.”

Her jaw dropped, but she managed to pull it back into line. “Get out.”

“Dead serious, but I kind of expected that.” He twirled her close for an instant before moving far enough back so she could see his face clearly. “They all told me how much they wanted you to be happy, and how that was now my responsibility.”

She couldn’t help it. She rolled her eyes. “Well, that’s a load of bullshit.”

He blinked in surprise. “I’m not supposed to make you happy?”

“Well, I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t make me sad. But as for it being your responsibility? Hell no. We’re both grown-ass adults. We’re going to do our best to get along and have some fun, but if I’m being a shithead and grumbly about stuff? That’s not your fault. I expect you to tell me to get my shit together.”

Zach nodded briskly. “Exactly what I thought. Don’t worry, none of them actually threatened me with immediate death. Although, you tell me. Does Tamara strike you as a little more bloodthirsty than the other two? And that’s saying something, considering I saw Karen shoot a man without blinking.”

Julia made her own assessment regarding Tamara and had to agree. “I think it has something to do with being a mom. Protective and all.”

Pain rolled through her, unexpected and unwelcome. Moms were supposed to be protective and well…while that had proven to be true, Julia was now learning there was such a thing as overprotective.

Her own mother—the only bit of family she’d ever known—had kept Julia’s origins a secret. Back in the day, it hadn’t been something she’d ever pushed to find out more about. Mom loved her, wanted her. End of story.

Only with the proof of what having an extended family was like slapping her in the face every damn day…

Once again, Julia pushed away the hurt. Now was not the time to poke at the ball of discomfort in her belly. At some point, though, she needed to spill her frustration and anger on Tony and talk it through.

A few more dances, and slowly the party broke up. She laughed the entire way home to their small cabin as Zach regaled her with a dramatic review of the evening.

When they hit the front door and slipped into the warmth of the living room, Julia teetered on the edge.

It was only the lingering uneasiness from thinking about her mom that made her choose to hold off for yet another day. She had no idea what was going to happen between her and Zach, but it wasn’t going to start when she was stewing in her brain about uncomfortable family choices. About things in her past that annoyed her immensely.

Still, something had to be said.

She turned to Zach and stepped close enough to be able to rest her hands on his chest.

He went motionless.

Julia stared up at his face. At his kind and eager expression. “Thank you for making this evening a lot more fun than expected.”

“You’re welcome.”

Before she lost her nerve, she shifted closer and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, retreating before he could tangle his arms around her or tangle up the evening with more complications.

“Good night.” Julia escaped to her bedroom. There was no other way to phrase it.

Heck, she’d probably been one step shy of a sprint, but at the same time, as she pulled off her party clothes and got ready for bed, it was with the strangest and most wonderful sensation surrounding her. Like a warm blanket around her shoulders.

Like something hovered on the horizon with the potential to be wonderful and good.

Curling up in her own bed, close to but not with Zach, increased her sense of anticipation in a good way. Like looking forward to a holiday or the presents waiting under a Christmas tree.

Some wonderful gifts that could be unwrapped very, very soon.

Waking the next morning to the scent of bacon just added to that delicious anticipation.

The dinner bell rang, and Zach called out cheerfully, “Breakfast time, sleepyhead.”

“I’m up,” she returned, shoving back the quilt. She pulled on a robe and slippers and joined him in the wonderful-smelling kitchen.

He’d made breakfast consisting of four different types of protein accompanied by a stack of perfectly buttered toast.

“You are a god,” Julia informed him, stacking bacon on a piece of bread and slathering the pile with mustard. “Thank you.”

“You are a heathen,” he retorted with a grin. “That’s supposed to be ketchup. But you’re welcome.”

She waited until her mouth was empty, savouring the flavours as she eyed him closely. “What’re you doing today?”

“Not much. Finn is taking the whole slowdown of getting the dude ranch running seriously. Since we don’t need things up and at ’um until the spring, both of us have time to deal with other tasks.”

“I never did understand why you guys switched from going hell-bent for leather to a Sunday stroll.”

Which is how, for the next umpteen minutes, Zach went over the details of what had happened regarding Red Boot ranch. About the challenge for Finn and Zach that turned out not to have been a challenge in the end.

It all seemed very far-fetched, or at least it did until Julia considered their own strange predicament.

“Now I understand better why Karen said your mentor isn’t necessarily her best friend.” Julia stacked their empty plates and took them to the counter, preparing to do the dishes and cleanup.

“Bruce meant well,” Zach offered. “He was an amazing man, but he definitely didn’t do things by the book.” He glanced at her. “I am sorry again that you got caught up in his wrangling. I’ll do everything I can to make the time go as smoothly as possible.”

Julia nodded, dipping her hands into the hot water and getting started. “I think we’re getting along okay—so far, so good.” She ignored the big topic that would need to be discussed at some point soon but not when she was elbow-deep in bacon grease. “We need to talk about my employment possibilities. What are the chances you’re willing to move farther north for a while?”

It appeared she’d managed to shock him. He gaped at her. “Why do you want to move away from your family?”

“Because my internship is done at the end of October. There’s a job available in High River, but I’d hate to have to drive two hours every day for my shifts.”

Zach moved to her side to dry and put away the dishes. “Now that you brought it up, I kind of have a job for you already.”

It was her turn to freeze. “What kind of job?”

“Medical officer here at Red Boot ranch.” Zach lifted a hand. “Hear me out. This is not me making up a job out of charity because of the situation we’re in. This is an honest-to-goodness position that needs to be filled. I can even show you—it’s been on the books since day one.”

“You want me to be the medical officer for a dude ranch.” Julia heard herself say the words, but it didn’t seem possible.

There was that word again. It seemed possible might not mean what she thought it meant…

“We’ll have to go over the exact requirements, and of course the salary needs to be set—”

“I accept. Oh, hell yes, I accept.” She threw her arms around him, ignoring the wet spots she left behind as she squeezed him tight. “I have wanted to work on a dude ranch since the minute I left. I adored growing up on one, and hated that I had to leave to go to school. And I know this is a real position—you have to have somebody, and I would be perfect for it, I swear.”

Zach patted her back gently. “I’ve already offered you the job. You don’t need to show me your resume.”

She was grinning from ear to ear. It was irregular in some ways, but the entire situation they were in was—yeah, not typical. “I’m sure we can work out the details, but thank you. That is a load off my mind.”

He winked. “You’re welcome.”

They’d just finished cleanup, and Julia was about to head to the bathroom to get ready for the day when loud knocking shook the front door.

Zach rolled his eyes. “This is what happens when Finn says he’s going to take the day off.” He marched to the front door, speaking loudly as he went as if hoping Finn would hear. “Wouldn’t hurt if you spent one day on your ass and let the rest of us do the same.”

He jerked the door open.

It wasn’t Finn. It was Julia’s father, George Coleman, standing there larger than life with a very unwelcoming expression on his face as he stared Zach down.

“Don’t usually spend a lot of time on my ass, especially when one of my girls gets married without letting me know. There’s a family dinner on Monday. Figured this might be a good time to come and get to know my new son-in-law a little better.”

13

Unexpected was a mild word for it. Zach held his ground, even as Julia jerked her robe tighter around herself. She inched her way out of the center of the room.

“Hey,” she said. “Give me a minute to get dressed, and I’ll come say hi.”

She slid out of sight, disappearing into the bathroom.

Being alone with her father set a twitch rolling at the back of Zach’s neck. Still, he kept it together enough to gesture the man farther into the room. “Can I get you a coffee?”

George Coleman nodded briskly, slipping his boots off by the door and making his way across to the table. “I made better time than I expected. Figured it would take until at least midmorning to get here.”

Zach worked the coffee machine. “You got somebody covering chores while you’re gone?”

The other man settled in the hardback chair where a short time ago Zach had been happily staring across the table at a sleep-tousled Julia. In fact, he’d had all sorts of delicious plans for the day percolating through his brain.

And while the information about the job had snuck out a little sooner than planned, her impulsive hug had meant a lot.

He liked making her happy.

Zach put the coffeepot on the table along with a cup and cream and sugar. Settling into his chair made him realize the other man hadn’t answered his question. He just sat there, glaring.

Zach raised a brow. “Something wrong?”

George folded his arms over his chest. “You think I’d come out here without having someone taking care of things back home?”

Dammit. Zach prided himself on being able to talk to just about anybody about anything. Usually he could sweet-talk them into profitable ventures for him and Finn to boot.

It seemed he had met his Achilles’ heel.

He was about to launch into his defense, when Julia reappeared, slipping back into the kitchen area now dressed in jeans and a T-shirt.

Zach blinked. She’d reentered the room by walking out of his bedroom.

“Hey, Dad. This is an unexpected surprise.” Julia snuck in close enough to give the older man a quick peck on the cheek before she settled in the chair closest to Zach.

When she tangled her fingers with his, Zach finally found his smile. A true smile, because she was putting them out there as a real couple.

It felt good.

George eyed them both before filling his cup and adding a dash of milk. He stared into the liquid as he stirred. “Tamara told me to come for dinner Monday night, but I figured I’d come a little early to spend some time with you.” He lifted a finger toward Zach, not meeting his eyes. “I’d like to have a chat with this one.”

Julia’s expression tightened. “I hope you don’t intend to try some ‘what are your intentions with my daughter?’ thing with Zach. Our relationship is our business.”

George dipped his chin, seemingly fascinated with his cup of coffee. “So Tamara told me. Nothing wrong in a man wanting to make sure his girls are being treated right, though.”

Beside him, Julia nearly vibrated. While Zach understood some of her frustration, he understood a whole hell of a lot more where George Coleman was coming from. “Of course you’re concerned. But I assure you, Julia and I are doing just fine. We’ve got things figured out.”

“Still be good to have some time to chat,” George said briskly. He glanced at Julia. “The other girls told me you’ve got a spare room here in the cabin. Thought I’d bunk with you guys this trip. Make it easier to shoot the breeze while I’m here.”

Zach’s first response was the fervent wish he could swear out loud and profusely. Having a houseguest was going to complicate things. The second thing to race through his mind, though?

Having a houseguest could make things very interesting indeed.

Julia hesitated before managing a shaky smile. “Sure. Just have to give me a few minutes to tidy up. I’ve kind of spread out all over the place.”

Utter bull hockey. The woman never left a single thing out of place, and her room looked like a military unit had bunked down with him. Still, Zach figured he knew what she was planning.

“Why don’t I take your dad for a tour of the ranch while you deal with that, sweetie?” Zach squeezed the arm he’d wrapped around her waist.

Julia’s expression as she stared up at him was halfway between amusement and terror. “Sounds like a great idea, baby.”

He shoved down a snort of amusement, finishing the rest of his coffee before tilting his head at George. “Ready to go?”

It was rather surreal wandering Red Boot ranch with Julia’s dad. The man asked a few generic questions, but mostly just marched at Zach’s side, peering into nooks and crannies as if they were of vital interest.

They’d just entered the main barn where the horses were stabled when Finn appeared. Thank goodness for small mercies.

George’s expression lightened the slightest bit. “Finn.”

It seemed the arrival of their father-in-law—there was a strange realization. Father-in-law!—had also come as a shock to Zach’s best friend.

Finn recovered quickly though, marching forward to offer his hand. “Didn’t expect to see you here this early. Dinner’s not till tomorrow night.”

“Took some time off.” George folded his arms over his chest again, glancing between Finn and Zach. “Now which one of you is going to tell me what the hell is up?”

Even as Zach prepared for battle, Finn chuckled, easing the tension.

His best friend had experience dealing with the older man. If Finn could find a way to make this go smoother, Zach would back his play all day long.

A gentle shift of Finn’s shoulders followed. “Don’t know if you’ve seen this in action yourself, but what I figure is this one here”—Finn jerked a thumb at Zach—“saw what a good thing Karen and I had going on and decided he was ready for it himself.”

George’s frown remained in place. “It’s a little quick.”

Zach followed Finn’s lead. “Not really. Julia and I met last spring. It’s true we didn’t officially start dating until the summer, but as Finn said, there’s a lot to like about Julia.”

George Coleman’s expression hardly budged. “Don’t try tossing me a line, boy. Whatever’s happening, it isn’t because you’re head over heels in love.”

Lie, or go for the truth?

He never got a chance to decide which route to try because feminine laughter rang behind them. Karen and Julia appeared, as if they’d just happened to end up in the same place at the same time.

“Hey, Dad. Julia told me you’d shown up. Glad you made it early.” Karen came and gave him a quick hug before stepping back with a seemingly excited smile. “In fact, this is perfect timing. Finn and I have been wanting to take you for a ride with some of the new stock we purchased.”

George’s expression grew conflicted. “Wanted to spend some time with Julia. And him.” The flick of his finger was pretty much as if he was knocking an unwanted fly away.

Zach rubbed his hand across his lips to hide a smile.

Julia was at his side, hand slipping into his again. “We’d love to go for a ride. No reason why the five of us can’t head out.”

It seemed that was all it took. Finn gestured the older man farther into the barn. “Come on. I’ll show you a couple to take your pick from.”

The temptation was obviously too much. Julia’s dad cracked a smile and paced after Finn. “Karen told me you’ve made some fine purchases.”

At Zach’s side, annoyance zinged across Julia’s face. “Karen was the one who made those purchases,” she murmured, leaning into him.

The expected error from her father wasn’t the first thing on Zach’s mind. “I thought you were cleaning up your room so your dad can use it tonight.”

“I started, but then realized no way I should leave you alone with him for any length of time. I called Karen, and we figured since we’re here, we were the quickest rescue squad. Lisa is coming over. She’ll sneak into the cabin and move my stuff into your room.”

Teamwork at its finest. Zach nodded. “That means we don’t have much to do except enjoy another horseback ride. Your dad’s not gonna get out of line with Finn around. He respects him too much.”

Which meant the next couple of hours passed in a comfortable haze. George Coleman was suitably entertained by Finn pointing out the latest developments around the ranch.

Also, Karen periodically asked her father’s opinion about various animals. Advice she didn’t need, but the questions stroked the man’s ego just enough to keep him off-kilter.

Zach was forced to contrast this with his last interaction with his own parents. Zachary Senior and Pamela Sorenson did demand their children live up to their potential—but said potential was always based on what made each of them personally happy, not on kowtowing to parental expectations.

It seemed what he had was less common. His family had always been there for him. Even now he knew they would be supportive and help him reach his goals—once he got around to mentioning his current situation, however much he decided to share.

That wasn’t the case with Finn. Zach had also caught bits and pieces over the past months that suggested the Whiskey Creek girls hadn’t always felt supported.

Watching George Coleman move through the morning with his daughters and Finn—and admittedly a plus-one unexpected son-in-law—Zach wondered if the older man had the ability to change enough to be what Julia needed.

That old sensation of possessiveness struck, but this time with a twist. Zach didn’t really care what the man thought about him, but he cared immensely how Julia felt at the end of the day.

It gave Zach an additional reason to be watchful. Perhaps his recent resolution had been to say yes to all of Julia’s requests, spoken and unspoken, but it was equally important to say no to anything that would hurt her.

Somehow, he needed to do it in a way that made it clear she would be provided for but also listened to. If George Coleman had a problem with Zach being that person in her life, the sooner they found out, the better.

* * *

Family to the rescue.

Even the thought of that seemed strange, but also sweetly welcoming. Julia inched closer against Zach’s side, partly as a pretence to stay out of the conversation on the other side of the fire where her father was regaling them all with a tale of something big and supposedly important.

While the official family dinner wasn’t until tomorrow evening, Lisa had offered up an impromptu barbecue at her and Josiah’s place.

Barbecue meant less time sitting at the table and more spent relaxing beside Zach.

Thinking of Zach—the entire day he’d been wonderful and terrible all at the same time. Always within reach, yet never overwhelming. When it was appropriate, he’d held her hand or draped an arm over her shoulders.

Julia had to face the truth. This pretend thing between them wasn’t enough anymore. Barely a week in, and she was ready to toss good sense to the wind. Which made her the worst possible fake girlfriend—oops, worst possible fake wife ever.

Because wanting more was just going to get them both in trouble.

As the night grew later and the sun dipped behind the Rocky Mountains, Julia decided she may as well take the chance. Zach could be trusted. He wasn’t going to run off and spout her business to all and sundry.

Still didn’t mean he would say yes to her proposition.

The fire crackled, and a yawn escaped her.

Zach took that as his cue to squeeze her waist. “Ready to head home?”

She glanced across at where her father was still involved in a vigorous conversation with Finn and Josiah. “He doesn’t look ready to leave yet.”

Zach shrugged. “He’s got legs. If he insists on bunking with us, he can get a ride back with Finn and Karen, then march over to the cabin and let himself in.”

On her other side, Lisa tapped a hand on her leg to get her attention. She crooked a finger, waiting until Julia leaned over far enough to hear her quietly spoken words.

“Go home. Dad surprised you in the first place, but we’ve got it under control. You’ll spend all day tomorrow dealing with him.” Her eyes widened, then mischief painted her features. “Although, I meant to remind you. You and I said we would meet at Buns and Roses at ten.”

“We did?”

Lisa nodded solemnly.

Understanding flooded Julia. “Oh, right. We did.”

Her sister’s grin flashed brightly. “Bring him along. We’ll divide and conquer.”

Impulsively, Julia caught Lisa’s fingers and squeezed them tight. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. For everything.”

Julia wasn’t exactly sure what that last bit meant, but as she pressed her shoulder against Zach’s, Julia winked then raised her voice to be heard across the fire. “Zach and I are heading home. Do you want to come with us now, Dad? Or get a ride with Karen?”

George Coleman glanced toward them briefly before dipping his chin. “You kids go on ahead. Finn will take care of me.”

Julia caught Karen’s gaze for a moment. So much shared emotion passed between them. It took effort to pull herself back together to offer a lighthearted response. “Okay. We’ll see you in the morning.”

Escaping wasn’t quite as simple as that. Everyone offered hugs, including her dad. Sort of. He laid a hand on both her shoulder and Zach’s and squeezed. “Just leave the door open. I’ll be sure to be quiet.”

Slipping in the door of the cabin was like taking a deep inhalation. Trembling on the edge of a decision, Julia knew she had to make a choice. It was either time to move ahead or stop tormenting the two of them for good.

Zach turned in the middle of the kitchen area, giving her plenty of room as his expression turned apologetic. “I guess we’re back to being literal roomies.”

She nodded. “Don’t try and give me some half-cocked idea about sleeping on the floor. Hardwood is nice, but not as a mattress.”

He hesitated. “Well, why don’t you get ready for bed? Hopefully you can find everything from where Lisa hid it.”

“You go ahead,” she insisted. “I need to make a few notes for tomorrow while I remember.” She picked up her journal and wiggled it in the air. “I won’t be long.”

He glanced at the book in her hands then turned obediently. “See you when you’re ready.”

The sound of water coming on in the bathroom mixed with her pen moving slowly across the page. If she was going to do this, she may as well make it official.

It took thirty seconds to write the actual words, but it seemed she’d barely finished when ten minutes later, Zach cracked open the bedroom door. “Bathroom is all yours.”

Chin up, she stepped boldly across the room and across the threshold, closing the door firmly behind her.

At first glance, there weren’t many of her things around the room. But then again, she didn’t tend to have a lot of knickknacks to spread out.

Zach pointed at the dresser. “I’ll say this for her, she’s efficient. Lisa amalgamated my stuff into the drawers on the left. Your things are on the right.”

She made a face. “Sorry. I didn’t realize she would crash your privacy while helping me.”

A snort escaped him. “I am devastated that she discovered I have mismatched socks in my sock drawer.”

Julia folded her arms over her chest then stared at him.

His brow rose. “What?”

“You’re being far too reasonable again.”

“Reasonableness is my downfall,” he confessed. “Sometime you’ll have to take it up with my sisters. I’m sure it’s their fault.”

“I’m sure.”

Still laughing, Julia grabbed what she needed from the drawers on the right then disappeared into the bathroom.

Five minutes later she gave herself a stern pep talk, staring into the mirror. “This is a no harm, no foul situation. Either he says yes or he says no, and either way, we’ll know how to proceed.”

A firm chin dip later, she opened the door and marched to the side of the bed.

Zach was tucked under the covers. He wore a pale-grey T-shirt, his broad shoulders and muscular chest visible as he sat upright, leaning on a stack of pillows. He had a reader in his hand, and—

Holy crap, that was sexy. “You wear glasses?”

The most adorable flush covered his cheeks. “Sometimes?”

She made sure her expression matched her approval. “I like them.”

“I like them too, since they help me see and all.” Still, he slipped them off, placing them on the side table. “They’re special glasses with a tint to them. They help me track better on digital devices. I don’t have much of a problem when it comes to paperwork, but screens are a different matter. My mom figured out that’s why I was getting wicked headaches back in high school.”

“Go, Mom.” Julia took a deep breath and settled on top of the covers of what she guessed was her side of the bed. “Can we talk about something?”

His expression turned inquisitive, his full attention on her.

She held out her journal. “Since I figured we’ll be all awkward sharing a bed because of not letting my dad find out the truth, I decided we may as well go for full-out embarrassment.”

Zach took the notebook from her. “What’s this?”

“I decided my third thing for us to do together.” She said it as drily as possible.

His expression changed just the slightest bit. A hint of disappointment, which was brutally satisfying, considering what he was about to read.

He opened the book to the page she had bookmarked. His gaze skimmed the page, and she knew the moment he hit the addition.

Zach glanced up, his blue eyes wide. “You’re kidding.”

“Nope.”

His expression remained hesitant for about three more seconds before his smile bloomed into sheer satisfaction. “Sweetheart, I have zero problems agreeing to your third request. It’s a bit of a challenge, but it’s one that I’m more than willing to make the sacrifice to achieve.”

Julia laughed. “So glad you’re willing to throw yourself on the altar of fooling around. But let’s talk about that for a minute, before you get too excited.”

He wiggled his brows. “Very funny.”

Another jolt of amusement escaped her, but they still needed to discuss the matter. She leaned forward on her elbows. “We need to define fooling around.”

14

If karma were an actual person with a home address, Zach would’ve mailed her an entire box of cream-filled doughnuts. Chocolate-coated, maybe with sprinkles as well.

This was not the way he’d expected the evening to end.

Oh, he’d been hopeful, considering the whole jammed-into-one-room situation, but not in his wildest dreams had he imagined Julia handing over her notebook with the request they start fooling around down there in black-and-white.

Although he wasn’t as keen on having to define terms, he was willing. He patted the empty space closer to him. “Let’s talk.”

Julia’s lips twisted wryly. “I think I’ll stay here for now, thanks.” Her head tilted as she examined him. “First off, I trust you. Which is why we’re even having this discussion in the first place.”

“Thank you.” He folded his hands behind his head, getting comfortable for however long the process took.

Now that the evening would end with Julia not just in the bed with him but in the bed with him, he suddenly found he had a bucketload of patience.

She opened and closed her mouth a couple times. Her nose wrinkled—damn, why did he find that so adorable?

Words poured out of her as if she had decided her confession had to happen in the shortest time possible. “I don’t like sex. I mean the actual part where the guy’s penis goes inside my vagina. I do like a bunch of other things. Kissing is great—kissing you was pretty spectacular the other day. And I like being naked and touching, but when it comes to actual…well, coming, one is better than two.”

He’d been trying to keep up, but to be truthful, his brain had kind of stuttered to a stop as soon as she’d started speaking. “You might have to go through that a few times so I can catch all the nuances. You don’t like sex?”

A decisive head shake. “Nope.”

That was what he’d heard. Next— “But you do like kissing, and touching, and…that’s where I get a little confused again.”

Interestingly, she no longer looked at all embarrassed but a whole lot of determined and perhaps a touch angry. “I have no problem enjoying an orgasm when I masturbate. I rarely have one when someone else is involved.”

“That sucks.”

The words were the first thing that popped into his brain, so he said them. Only, by the expression on her face, maybe he should’ve been a little more diplomatic.

She stared him down for a moment then shrugged. “Sort of. Definitely frustrating, so I just want to make something clear. I’m not looking to be fixed or anything. I know exactly how to get myself off, but it is more fun getting worked up with a guy than without.”

Zach’s brain was going a million miles an hour, while the fact he’d grown hard just being part of the conversation made it clear even if she wasn’t putting sex on the table right now, he was still interested.

“Okay. We’ll need to discuss what this means as we go along, but I’m game.”

Air rushed out of her as if he’d agree to keep some life-altering secret. “Thank you.”

“So.” May as well get some of the nitty-gritty details right out on the table. Or bed, even better. “You said touching is okay. Does that mean full-body contact? My mouth anywhere I want it? My fingers?”

A shiver shook her, which he really liked. “Yes, but within reason. There’s nothing more annoying than a guy who is so insistent he can get me off, he keeps pushing. If you’re having fun touching me, do it. But don’t keep doing it just because you think that at some point, bada boom, bada bing, you’ll manage to rock my universe.”

The conversation was fascinating, but Zach had to wonder… “Not arguing with you, but can I ask? How many guys have you been with? Full-on sex, or otherwise?”

She raised a brow. “Are you gonna give me your sexual history as well?”

Zach shrugged. “If you want it. I’ve hard-core or otherwise fooled around with probably two dozen women over the years, give or take. Had actual full-on penetrative sex with four.”

She blinked. Julia had obviously not expected him to take her literally and answer the question. “Really?

He laughed. “Which part don’t you believe?”

Her cheeks flushed. “OK, I’ve had sex with three guys. I’ve fooled around with about ten.”

“And how many of the guys you fooled around with did you enjoy, instead of getting frustrated?”

She sighed heavily. “Three.”

Damn. Probably the three she attempted actual sex with. “You’re twenty-five, right?”

Her lips twitched. “Just like it said on our marriage certificate.”

It was too easy to grin in return. “Okay, I promise I’m not trying to fix you, but at the same time, that’s not a ton of experience. It’s possible you might enjoy sex someday.”

“It’s possible, yes, but I’m not signing up for extra frustration right now. I do like fingers. The G-spot isn’t a myth, but unless you can demonstrate you have a very unusual penis, you’re not gonna hit that spot with it the same way that fingers can.”

It was a good thing he wasn’t drinking because he would’ve spewed everywhere. “A very unusual penis?”

Julia sniffed. “VUP for short, if you’d like.”

He snorted. “I thought short penises were a problem.”

Instead of laughing, she looked thoughtful. “Actually, the best part about any kind of touch down there is right at the start. So maybe a small, stubby penis would work better. The whole bang, bang, bang like a piston is a waste of energy on me. It’s uncomfortable, to be honest.”

The conversation shouldn’t be so damn amusing, but it totally was. “Honest is best. No jackhammering for Jules, I got it.”

“No sex for us,” Julia reminded him. “That last part was an entirely fictitious conversation. I’m not broken, and I’m not looking for a magic penis.”

“Fooling around only. Fine by me.” Zach decided to go for absolute bluntness since that seemed to be what she wanted. “You have any objections with me jacking off at the appropriate moment?”

“Be my guest. Plus, I have zero objections to helping you sometimes.”

This had to be the weirdest conversation he’d had in his entire life. Considering some of the doozies he’d been forced to face, between his nursing-trained mother and his oversharing sisters, that was saying something.

Julia sat motionless on her side of the bed, him on his, his e-reader still in his lap.

He picked it up and put it safely on the side table then twisted back. “Do we need to schedule your fooling around request on the Fun Stuff calendar, or are you okay with us kind of winging it?”

Some of her confidence faded, as her cheeks rose to a flush. “I think there’s a connection between us that’s pretty hot. I’m not wrong, am I?”

Holy shit. “On a scale of one to ten for your three requests, and my interest in them, yoga is a seven, riding is a ten, and fooling around is a solid twenty-nine.”

She remained motionless, staring at him. Her oversize T-shirt lay flush against her body, rising over her breasts. She’d tangled a hand in the extra fabric over her belly and pulled the material taut.

It seemed the next move was up to him.

Zach crooked a finger. “You said you trusted me.”

Her eyes were huge. She nodded.

“Then trust me with this as well.”

He said it softly, but it seemed to be enough. Julia crawled across the bed to settle beside him, space between them, her expression bold one moment yet needy the next. Like a kitten that was not quite sure if it was safe to make the final approach.

Zach could work with this.

He scooped her up, ignoring her little gasp of surprise as he settled her in his lap. Her knees rested on either side of his hips, their noses level with each other.

He stared at her as he lifted a hand to stroke her cheek gently, fingertips brushing forward until he could cradle her chin and tilt her face to the perfect angle.

Such soft skin. Such enormous eyes. Such trust, as if waiting for him to make magic.

With pleasure.

He slid his fingers around her nape and into her hair. The other hand went to her lower back, the position already as familiar as breathing. Bodies close, he moved in and pressed their lips together.

His intent was to tease for a bit. To stir up the ashes around the coals slowly enough so the connection between them would be undeniable.

It seemed Julia had other ideas. The instant their lips met, she ripped into high gear. Arching against him, pressing their mouths closer. Her tongue darted out to tangle with his, and he groaned with the perfection of it.

She caught his head, stroking her fingers through his hair as she kissed him eagerly. Hungrily. Hips moving as if possessed over his now very hard cock.

Christ, she was fire and heat and all sorts of trouble. Because right now they were on a trajectory course off into the stratosphere, which was not at all his objective for their first time.

He tightened his grip in her hair and tugged. The motion was sharp enough to draw a gasp from her as their lips separated.

Zach grinned, pleased at her response, yet desperately looking to get back in control.

At least of himself.

“Slow down, sweetheart. There’s no need to rush. I promise the buffet table will be open all year.”

She flushed and bit her lower lip. “Sorry.”

Amusement rippled, escaping in a soft chuckle. “Not looking for an apology. But back to the trusting thing—let’s take our time and enjoy ourselves. We’ll do the fast thing as well down the road, but I’ve been dreaming about touching you. Kissing you. It’s not something I want to rush.”

She blinked. “You’ve been dreaming about it?”

“Oh, hell yes. Daydreams, dirty dreams.” He winked. “Wet dreams. Waking up with my cock in my hand and you on my mind has pretty much been the status quo for the last month.”

The words were barely out of his mouth before he realized his mistake.

Her eyes widened. “I only kissed you in the bar ten days ago.”

He shrugged. “Told you I was interested in dating you for real.”

* * *

Julia’s senses reeled. Knowing that Zach had been thinking dirty thoughts about her for longer than expected? Interesting twist.

But with need strumming through her, the information wasn’t the most important thing.

“Kiss me,” she demanded.

He looked far too amused. More than that, the grip he had on her hair didn’t budge, which meant she had zero wiggle room. “Slow down,” he repeated.

She bit off the growl that had escaped involuntarily, closing her eyes and picturing herself in the middle of a yoga session to try and find some control.

With the front of her body pressed against his, his hands slid further around until she was wrapped in a tight hug.

The big breath of air she’d taken escaped slowly as, one vertebrae at a time, she relaxed against him. No use in fighting, not with the ironclad clasp he had around her.

To tell the truth, the immovable hug felt good.

Her cheek pressed against his, Julia allowed herself to embrace him as well. Bodies meshing tighter as she relaxed against his muscular torso.

He held on, and for the next however many minutes, she sat there. Her blood still pounded, tingling sensations zipped over delicate portions of her anatomy, but the largest sensation was—comfort.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the hug gentled. Julia remained relaxed, curious now for his next step.

Zach twisted his face the slightest bit, nuzzling against her neck. His lips moved against her skin in a teasing caress. Nibbling, nipping.

The shivers had returned, but this time instead of grabbing hold with both hands and trying to steer the boat, Julia allowed Zach to lead.

Which turned out to be a wonderful decision because those kisses she’d enjoyed from him before? They’d only been the beginning. Now that he had the go-ahead, he wasn’t content with simply putting their lips together. He explored her jawline, teased and licked his way around her earlobe, and found a magical spot at the base of her neck that seemed to have a direct connection all the way down between her legs.

She let her hands roam where she wanted, matching the speed he’d set. Fingertips traced slowly over his shoulders and down his back. Palms circling over firm muscle as his biceps curled.

Reaching down his torso caused a thrill as his six-pack flexed against her exploring touch.

At some point she went airborne, and suddenly she was flat on her back on the bed, looking up into bright blue eyes.

His fingers teased along her collarbone. “You said naked was on the books.”

Most definitely. “For you as well, I hope.”

His teeth flashed white for a moment then he reached over his head. An instant later he’d peeled off his T-shirt and tossed it to the floor. “I’m all about equal opportunity.”

When she would’ve helped him take off her own clothes, she found one hand pinned to the bed. He caught her by the other wrist then firmly planted her palm just over his right nipple.

Wordlessly, he slid his hand under the base of her shirt at her waist and spread his fingers over her belly button.

The flash of heat was instant. “You have big hands,” she told him seriously.

Zach grinned. “Thanks.”

Dear God. His reaction was off the charts. “Did I just make some sort of sexual reference I failed to understand? Like, are guys with big hands supposed to have big penises?”

His gaze was fixed on her breasts, but amusement crinkled the corners of his eyes. “Since we’ve established that very large penises are not necessarily better than small ones, no.” His fingertips were in motion now, teasing her skin and slowly making her T-shirt ride higher, higher, until he exposed her breast. “Just warning you that I do have big hands, which includes big fingers, so if I do anything you don’t like, let me know.”

Those fingertips were now skimming in concentric circles that grew closer and closer to her nipple as it tightened into an aching peak. “Okay. I’ll also let you know what I like.”

“Please do.”

His gaze rose to her lips, and he leaned in and kissed her again. His body pressed tight against hers, hand teasing along her rib cage before fluttering back to where she needed him. The small tweaks he gave her nipple weren’t enough, but it wasn’t the same kind of frustration as when she knew somebody was trying to get her off and getting bored.

She glanced down, but nothing about him said anything except to reaffirm what seemed to be happening. Zach was one hundred percent enthralled with touching her.

Julia closed her eyes, tugging slightly to pull him over her. His weight pressed down, pinning her in place for barely a second. He was gone before any fear had time to kick in.

And then he was kissing her, and any thoughts about past traumas had no place in the here and now.

He shoved the fabric of her T-shirt up to her neck and lowered his mouth to suck and bite her breasts. One hand caressed even as his mouth teased.

She slid a hand between her legs and into her panties, barely touching her clit. A gentle wake-up call because everything else going on right now was so spectacular there was a good chance that when she did start teasing herself for real?

Tonight might be quick.

It was better to not think about it. It was better to just feel, and oh, there was so much to enjoy. So much to be distracted by.

Somewhere in the background she swore she heard a door open and close, but Zach was murmuring words against her skin. Swearing, actually. Also, groans and moans and a noise as if he’d just consumed something absolutely delicious.

Her T-shirt had vanished, her panties as well. Her fingers where she played between her legs were wet. Her own touch wasn’t going to be enough, though.

“One minute.” She rolled away. Zach grasped after her, cursing in dismay.

She went instantly to her underwear drawer, pulling out the bag where she kept her toys. Tonight wasn’t about prolonging anything. Tonight was about getting down to business. She grabbed a straight, no-nonsense vibrator and rejoined him on the bed.

She wiggled under his body, refusing to feel embarrassed. “Sorry. Next time I’ll be better prepared.”

He had one brow raised in a fine Vulcan imitation. Zach held out a hand. “May I?”

She passed him the vibrator. “I’m going to drive tonight,” she warned.

That got another soft chuckle even as he twisted the end of the device and set it rumbling. “Don’t worry. I understand how possessive people can get with their toys. I don’t let just anybody drive Delilah, either.”

His classic convertible. Julia snorted. “Exactly the same thing.”

Zach put the vibrator against his lips, licking slowly.

The pulse of heat that struck between her legs was on level with a mini orgasm. Then he lowered the toy between her legs, slipping his fingers out of the way as she took hold.

The instant she put the business end against her clit, a loud groan sounded from beside her. She glanced to the side to see Zach’s face contorted as if he were in pain.

He was staring between her legs, his mouth hanging slightly open as he panted. “Fuck. That is so goddamn sexy.”

He slid a hand into his boxer briefs and curled a fist around his cock.

Another shudder took her. “Let me see.”

It seemed tonight would be one of the rare times she came quickly. It didn’t happen often, but this was a good night for it. Julia rejoiced in the quick and dirty release barreling toward her at freight-train speed. Between the vibrator strategically placed where she needed it most, and Zach very willingly shoving down his briefs—

His knuckles had gone white, his grip tight as he pumped over his length. He was up on his knees, close enough he could drag the fingers of his unoccupied hand over her thigh. Knuckles stroking her belly and up to her breasts.

His gaze fixated on her fingers as she brought herself to the edge.

Tension coiled inside, and Julia ignored everything that was strange about the setup. Focused instead on the pleasure streaking in like lightning. She gasped, hips pulsing upward. Switching her gaze between his face and the steady beat of his hand.

Muscles tensed, his abs were a work of art, but it was the sight of his cock peeking out between his fingers over and over combined with the relentless pressure of the vibrator that sent her over. “Oh my God. Zach.”

Zach’s rapid pace faltered. Curling tighter toward her, a steam-whistle type gasp of her name escaped his throat as he came. He was close enough the shot hit them both. Semen splashed in lines over her belly and his arm and fingers where they splayed against her skin.

He collapsed onto his back beside her, chest still heaving. They lay there silently for a few minutes.

That had been unexpectedly hot, and decidedly dirty. Exactly what she’d been hoping for.

Julia felt every inch of the smile stretching her face, and it was impossible to keep the gloating tone out of her voice. “Well. That was fun.”

He twisted his head far enough she could see him wink. “I sure thought so.”

Enough endorphins were floating in her system that Julia was tempted to just grab a sheet and pull it over her body, but that obviously wasn’t going to happen. Not without some cleanup first.

Reluctantly, she rolled to a seated position, grabbed her toy and made a beeline for the bathroom. “Back in a minute.”

“Hang on.” Zach was on his feet and at the door before she could reach it. “Let me make sure it’s safe.”

Heat flashed on her cheeks. Oh. My. God. She hadn’t given a single thought to the fact that her father was bunking down on the other side of the wall.

Standing there with semen dripping down her belly was not the most embarrassing thing about this current moment. Not when she considered the kind of noises they’d made as they came.

Zach finished checking the bathroom. He returned with a washcloth in his hand. “I locked the other bathroom door. You’re safe.”

Even standing there naked, dripping and all, she had to ask. “How loud were we?”

His lips twitched. “I’d like to lie and tell you we were as quiet as a mouse.”

Oh, dear. She shook her head. “Great.”

He snickered. “Well, on the bright side, it’s pretty much a given your dad believes we’re truly a couple now.”

Julia vanished into the bathroom because there really was no answer to that. She took a brief shower, exiting the bathroom wrapped in a towel. She put away her now-clean vibrator and turned toward the bed.

Zach was waiting. His cleanup had taken less work than hers. He was bare-chested, leaning against the pillows again. “Just so you know I am wearing briefs. Whatever you’re comfortable wearing, go for it. I am, however, hoping to do a little spooning. If you’re agreeable.”

Which told her what she needed. She pulled on a clean pair of panties and rescued his abandoned T-shirt off the floor. “You really are a messy roommate,” she informed him briskly as she climbed into the bed next to him.

He surrounded her. One strong arm pulled her back against his body, cradling her head on his other arm. “Yeah, sorry about the messy part.”

He said it with such amusement, she wasn’t sure he was talking about the T-shirt or the far more intimate mess. “Go to sleep, brat.”

Zach hummed, burying his nose against her hair. He took a deep breath then sighed contentedly.

Julia’s brain raced a million miles an hour for all of three minutes. Then the heat of his body and the even pace of his breath lulled her to sleep.

When she woke, he was no longer curled around her. Instead, they’d both rolled, and she was pressed against his back, arm tucked under his as if she were allowing him to give her a piggyback ride.

It was nowhere she had expected to be, but it was somehow the right place at the same time. It wasn’t even awkward getting out of bed, although they both grinned far too much.

No way could she look her dad in the eye during coffee, though. Thank goodness for the excuse of a visit with Lisa that morning.

George Coleman was the one who brought it up. “Hear you’re supposed to get together with your sister today.”

“This morning,” Julia agreed. “You’re welcome to come.”

Her father shook his head. “You go on without me. Josiah invited me to ride along on his veterinarian visits. He’s picking me up in about forty-five minutes.”

Once again, she’d been saved by family.

It wasn’t until breakfast had been cleared away and Zach walked her to the door that she realized they’d turned a corner she hadn’t expected. He helped her into her coat, keeping hold of the material to tug her in close. His gaze examined her closely, and he must’ve liked what he saw, because he nodded firmly.

“Have fun with your girls. Don’t talk about me too much,” he whispered right before pressing his lips to hers and sending her heart into acceleration mode.

She was out on the front porch, the door closed behind her when she realized—

What on earth was she going to tell her sisters?

15

Something weird was going on. Not that Zach wanted to complain, only considering George Coleman had expressly come out to Heart Falls early supposedly to give Zach what for—

Julia left the house and…nothing happened.

Zach cleared the table then ended up following the other man out the front door where he’d vanished.

It was tempting to stay hidden, but at some point Zach figured they had to get this out between them.

But instead of laying into him hard, Julia’s dad seemed more interested in examining their surroundings. “It’s a pretty piece of property Finn bought,” George stated.

Finn and Zach, but pointing that out wasn’t really necessary. “Finn’s a good judge of ranch lands. I can see Red Boot ranch pulling a tidy profit in just a short time.”

It was the perfect opportunity for George to start the grilling, and he finally took it. “You grow up on a ranch?”

“Grew up in rural Manitoba, but my parents rented the land out to other locals for crops and grazing. They wanted wide-open spaces for us kids to roam and enough room for my dad to work on his experiments without blowing up the neighbourhood.”

The other man blinked for a second.

Zach was all ready to dive into an explanation, because that was normally what happened after he mentioned his father’s work habits.

But it was as if the other man had zero curiosity about the bits that made most people wonder. Instead, George leaned back in the chair he’d settled in on the porch as they waited for Josiah to arrive. “Your parents still live there?”

Go with the flow. “Mom is retired from nursing, but Dad still tinkers. He said as long as he’s got the shop and space to experiment, he’ll always be entertained. And my sisters have all settled close by, so my parents get lots of time being grandma and grandpa.”

“Never expected that bit to be so much fun,” George confessed out of the blue. “Scary too. Never sure what those girls of Tamara’s are going to get up to when I’m around. Emma decided to throw herself off the swing set at me the other day. My heart damn near burst out of my chest when I barely had time to catch her.”

It was too easy to imagine it. Zach laughed softly. “I’ve seen those girls in action. I guess the good part is you successfully raised three girls while living on a ranch. All of them are smart and capable of anything they put their mind to. Julia as well.”

The conversation paused for a second. Zach glanced up to discover George staring at him intently.

Zach should have held his tongue, but he simply couldn’t resist. “Is this when you ask me what my intentions are?”

“Little late for that, considering you’ve already married her,” George drawled. He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. “Like I said yesterday, I know something’s going on that neither of you are sharing. While I’d like to demand answers, I was reminded again last night I don’t have that right. I still need to learn how to be Julia’s dad. The only thing I know for sure is she deserves good people in her life.”

Zach could agree with both parts of that, especially the bit about learning what Julia needed. “That’s what I want to be to her. That’s who I plan to be,” he assured the other man.

Dust rose in the distance as Josiah’s vehicle came closer.

George Coleman picked up his hat off the side table and put it in place, rising to his feet.

He turned toward Zach one more time. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m keeping an eye on you.”

“No offense taken.” Zach folded his arms over his chest. “I’m doing the same to you.”

Julia’s dad stiffened.

Zach had made sure to say it as politely as possible, but the truth was, this road went two ways.

The truck stopped in front of the porch and Josiah got out, offering a quick chin dip in greeting. His dog, Ollie, raced around the back of the truck and beelined for Zach, wagging her tail rapidly.

A pet for the dog, a wave for Josiah, then Zach stood there grinning as widely as possible as George Coleman glared out the window as if trying to light his hair on fire by thought alone.

Yep. Not a lot of cuddly feelings zinging back and forth between him and Papa Coleman. Zach did a quick run through of their conversation in his head but still didn’t think he’d been out of line.

He didn’t want George Coleman to hate his guts, but no matter that the man said he was trying, Zach didn’t think he was trying hard enough. Julia had gone twenty-five years without a father, and he got the feeling that while she didn’t mind some of the new family interactions she’d been tossed into, there was a fine line. She had opinions, and she had worries.

Finding out what made her tick on a more intimate level was something Zach was very much looking forward to exploring.

He got to work on a few tasks on his list even as his brain continued to problem-solve. Last night had been amazing in terms of getting physical, but they had a long way to go. He didn’t just want her in his bed. He wanted a partner who talked to him, and shared goals and dreams, and all the things he’d watched play out in his parents’ relationship over the many years.

When his phone rang not even an hour later, Zach had to grin. If he had instinctive good luck and often had that sense that it was time to take a leap, his parents had a different talent.

If he thought about them too hard, they would phone.

He opened up the call to discover his mom and dad grinning back at him, both of them on their own phones with different backgrounds behind them.

“How come you two aren’t off making mischief?” Zach demanded.

His mom rolled her eyes. “Please. Your father is totally causing trouble. I, on the other hand, am a perfect saint as usual. I just finished making three batches of sugar cookies.”

Amusement rumbled in Zach’s gut, not only at her pleased grin but his father’s ability to keep from laughing. “Let me guess. Quinn is coming over with the girls to visit you tonight.”

“I told you he’d figure it out,” Zachary Senior said with a little nod. “You want to tell us when you’re coming over next so she can make your favourite cookies?”

“Since my favourite cookies are also your favourite cookies, I sense there’s just a hint of self-interest in that request,” Zach drawled.

His father winked.

His mom waved a hand at both of them. “Serious question, though. When are you coming for a visit?”

That was the question. “Soon. Maybe.”

He definitely wanted to introduce Julia to his family, but he didn’t want to push it too far, too fast. The last thing she needed was even more people being thrown in her direction.

Then he wondered what her favourite type of cookie was. She definitely had a sweet tooth, but in all the time they’d talked, had she ever mentioned a preference?

A little too slowly, he realized he’d been lost in his own thoughts and missed part of the conversation while he’d been daydreaming. That much was obvious, because as he glanced back at his screen, his parents both had brows raised and questioning expressions.

“What?”

His mom folded her arms over her chest. “Zachary Beauregard Damien. What are you not telling us?”

His dad pulled a face. “Wow, Pam. Triple naming him right off the bat?”

“He’s keeping a secret,” she insisted. “Don’t you think he’s keeping a secret?”

“Of course he’s keeping a secret, which is why we called in the first place. But you’re supposed to sneak up on these things, not charge right in.”

“Pshaw. Upfront is the best way.” Somehow it was clear her attention was now more on her husband than on her son. “We don’t keep secrets in this family. Right?”

His father managed to look indignant and guilty at the same time. “The new contract I accepted wasn’t a secret. I just hadn’t gotten around to telling you yet.”

The whole conversation was so exactly his parents, Zach couldn’t stop from snickering. “I love you two.”

They both stopped their conversation to beam at him. With perfect synchronization, they said back, “Ditto, kiddo.”

To hell with it. “I’m seeing someone,” he announced.

His father blinked, but a slow smile curled his lips.

His mom’s eyes widened. “Julia,” she pronounced sharply. “I approve. When do we get to meet her?”

They were impossible.

“How do you do that?” Zach demanded. “I should totally tell you that it’s not Julia. That it’s somebody I met last weekend in Vegas, and I’ve decided to run away with her and join the circus.”

His father shrugged. “You already did the circus thing back when you were eight. Plus, Zach, you are not that subtle. Every time we’ve talked over the past four months, you’ve been telling us about what’s going on out there in Heart Falls.”

“And inevitably you talk about Julia. And Karen and Lisa, but considering they’re both taken, Julia was a pretty safe bet,” his mom pointed out.

“Fine. It’s Julia.” He was very tempted to spill the beans about being married, but since the whole idea was to try and break the news to them slowly, he resisted going for the shock value.

“Question still stands. When do we get to meet her?” His father leaned toward his phone. “Wait. If she’s an EMT, her schedule must suck. You let us know what works, and if you want us to come out there instead, we’ll make the time.”

“And if you want us to hold off for a little while, we will.” His mother made a face. “If we must.”

“Right now, I think she’s a little overwhelmed by family,” Zach admitted. “And you’re right, Dad, her schedule is pretty wild. But I’m enjoying spending time with her. There’s something very comfortable about being with her, but not worn-out-couch comfortable. Like, interesting comfortable.”

His parents beamed again, and his dad was just about to say something when all of a sudden, an explosion went off in the background, billows of smoke rising behind him.

Zachary Senior gave a quick wave goodbye, then his screen went blank.

Pamela Sorenson barely blinked, minor disasters being part and parcel of her husband’s work over the years. “Well, I won’t grill you too much more, but I’m glad to hear your news. I hope things go well for you and Julia.”

“Me too. And I know, if I ever want to talk, yada, yada, yada.”

“Please,” his mother rolled her eyes. “If you haven’t figured out the sex thing by now, I’m not sure I even want to try—”

“Mom,” Zach said with a complaining laugh.

She grinned. “You’re so easy to tease. If you want to talk about gushy, emotional things, call your father. He’s the romantic. But let us know if you need anything. We do love you.”

“Give Quinn and her family a hug from me,” he said before hanging up.

He was in his car and headed for town before he thought it through. There probably weren’t too many more days to enjoy taking Delilah out. A little time driving on the gorgeous fall day, top-down and fresh air all around him, just affirmed what was already a solid part of this day.

He and Julia had something good going on. Maybe George Coleman wasn’t a fan, but Julia had said she trusted him. That was enough to make the road forward a lot smoother.

He pulled into an empty parking space outside of the Buns and Roses coffee shop, whistling as he stepped in the doorway.

It was way too soon to be thinking thoughts like: How would he and Julia act forty years from now? But as he spotted her at the table, laughing with her sister, he couldn’t stop the daydream from coming.

* * *

The morning had been a sweet bit of comfort, in more ways than one. Lisa had loaded Julia and Karen up with fancy coffees and some of the best baking in town, then they’d talked quietly about nothing.

It was a momentary bit of ordinary that Julia had desperately needed. It also helped tangle the threads of connection between her and the two women at the table even further. They understood that talking about calendars or hobbies or their favourite pair of sandals that they’d miss once the snow started to fly was important.

It wasn’t until Lisa got up to chat with Tansy Fields at the counter that Karen laid a hand on Julia’s arm. “How did it go having Dad around last night?”

Julia’s cheeks probably flamed bright red, thinking about her and Zach being overheard while they fooled around. “Kind of forgot he was there,” she confessed.

Her oldest sister’s brows rose. “That’s…good?”

No. Not really, but Julia wasn’t ready to explain the change in her and Zach’s physical relationship.

There was a different topic she wanted to touch on. “He’s kind of oblivious at times, isn’t he?”

“Dad?” Karen snorted, a very unladylike sound. “Um, yeah.”

Julia took a big breath. “I’m sorry my presence means he’s visiting more often. It seems as if it’s tough for you to have him around.”

Karen stared at her for a long time before letting out a sigh. “I don’t want to mess up your relationship with him by dragging in my baggage. You need to figure out on your own what you want in all your interactions with the Coleman clan. I like spending time with you, and I want you to enjoy yourself. That’s kind of where my thoughts begin and end.”

“But you deliberately went out of your way yesterday to help make things go smoother. I saw that,” Julia said softly. “And I know it wasn’t easy. So, thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Karen winked. “One thing you need to understand is we girls in the Whiskey Creek clan learned the hard way we needed to support each other. It doesn’t matter that I’ve only known about you for a short while, you are my sister. I will always be there for you.”

Dammit. Tears were just around the corner. Julia had tangled thoughts regarding her mom and all the secrets that hadn’t been shared over the years. Now there were also mixed-up emotions regarding George Coleman and his attempts at getting involved in her life.

Still, in spite of how confused her emotions were regarding her parents, one thing was crystal clear.

Julia caught Karen by the hand. “What you’ve got as sisters is strong and real. I feel as if I’m cheating, being allowed to step into the middle of it, but no way will I turn it down. I feel very lucky to be your sister.”

Karen blinked hard, her eyes as watery as Julia’s. When she scooted her chair over and wrapped Julia in a big hug, the sensation was amazing.

The squeeze lasted for a good minute. When they finally separated just far enough to give each other a faint smile, Karen spoke. “There are things about Dad I don’t enjoy. I’m learning to be okay with that. I’m learning it’s okay to be angry about the past, but also that I’m allowed to control my future. I want good things going forward. That’s what Finn keeps reminding me.”

Lisa returned to the chair on the other side of the table, glancing between the two of them with a knowing expression.

“You guys need more chocolate,” she said decisively, placing a plate in front of them with three massive chocolate-covered, cream-filled doughnuts.

Karen raised a brow. “Thanks. Did you bring a knife to divide the third one?”

Instantly, Lisa claimed the extra doughnut. “Are you kidding? I need chocolate as well. Serious conversations linger on the air and can only be dissipated by the consumption of massive amounts of calories.”

Julia couldn’t agree more. Their laughter was still ringing as she sank her teeth into the gooey treat. Chocolate and sweet whipped custard exploded onto her tongue right as a hand landed on her shoulder.

Zach slipped into the chair beside her. “Looks delicious.”

Her mouth was far too full to answer. He stared at her lips, which just made chewing and swallowing that much more difficult.

“You picking up stuff for the ranch?” Lisa asked when she finally had an empty mouth.

“Doubtful, considering Finn and Cody went to Calgary this morning,” Karen said, licking chocolate off her fingers as she eyed him.

“Just looking out for my girls,” Zach offered slyly. “Need me to buy you another round?”

“Maybe.” Lisa leaned forward, mercenary smile in place. “None of us are silly enough to turn down extra chocolate doughnuts.”

He stretched his arm along the back of Julia’s chair. “Take your time. Maybe when you’re done, I can take you for a ride.”

That last bit had been directed at her. Julia finally emptied her mouth and licked her lips clean. “I drove into town.”

He shrugged. “We’ll come back and get your ride when we’re done. It’s a pretty day out there, and since Josiah’s entertaining your dad until dinnertime, we should enjoy your time off.”

“You could always go do some yoga,” Lisa suggested.

Zach’s grin flashed. “Maybe later. Hard to do a downward dog in Delilah.”

By the time they’d finished the teasing and chatting, Lisa and Karen were both carrying boxes of doughnuts, with an extra one put aside to take to Tamara.

Julia tucked herself into the passenger seat of Zach’s convertible, and a moment later, they were out on the highway, headed toward Highwood Pass.

With the top down on the custom Corvette, the air temperature was perfect. The breeze through her hair made Julia feel alive. They didn’t talk or listen to the radio, just drove the highway as it rose and dipped, passing tall pine trees looming like towers, their dark-green needles contrasting against the blue sky.

Here and there larch trees were turning colours, the needles brightening to yellow and orange. A few of the deciduous trees had begun to change as well, the occasional flash of red a bright contrast against a sea of green.

Thirty minutes later Zach pulled into a lookout over the Rocky Mountains. Julia’s heart pounded with sheer joy at being alive, and her cheeks were sore from smiling.

She twisted toward him. “It’s gorgeous out here.”

His gaze darted over her face, lingering on her mouth. “Totally gorgeous.”

She flushed.

Her cheeks got even hotter when his thumb brushed the corner of her mouth. And when he leaned in whispering the word chocolate, she wasn’t sure if her heart was pounding from the adrenaline of the ride or the knowledge he was about to kiss her.

His kisses were to die for. Shiver-inducing, tempting, and addictive.

There was so much to enjoy in that moment, as she twisted toward him and tangled her fingers in his hair. Mindful of the previous night, she didn’t try to speed up, just enjoyed where they were right here and now.

He was the one who took it up a notch, hunger rising. One hand stroking the side of her neck until he cupped her breast intimately. Simply holding her while his lips moved, as if he were attempting to memorize every inch of her mouth.

When he separated them, she gasped for air, head spinning slightly.

Zach opened his door, reaching back to extend a hand to her. “Come on. Let’s go for a walk.”

He led her down a wide path, the sound of birds rising over their heads along with a low rush of wind in the treetops. Neither of them spoke, just enjoyed the views and the rising sound of rushing water.

Only five minutes later, they popped out of the trees. Over by the river, a small bench sat along the ridge, strategically placed behind a safety railing.

Julia leaned forward until the waterfall below them came into view. “I didn’t know this was here.”

Zach rested his elbows on the railing, gaze fixed ahead. “Most people in town head to Heart Falls instead of this one. This is just a little drop and tumble compared to how spectacular the falls are right by Silver Stone ranch.”

“They are pretty amazing,” Julia agreed. She took a deep breath, the faint mist of the water washing her senses with the rich scent of moss and moisture. “But I like this type of waterfall as well. It’s wild and alive, dancing over the rocks.”

Zach pointed upstream. “Definitely wild.”

She followed the aim of his finger and watched with joy as a deer poked her head out of the trees. Sliding forward slowly, a pair of fawns followed cautiously.

Julia glanced back at Zach. “You think they were born this year?”

He dipped his chin, his gaze fixed on the trio as they made their way to the water to steal a drink. The happiness on his face was so clear, Julia was mesmerized.

She’d rarely seen guys so open with their emotions. Well, okay, they tended to show anger readily, or frustration. But with Zach, he seemed to have no problem letting others see that things were okay. That he was having a good day, and wouldn’t you like to have a good day along with him?

Kind of Mister Rogers in a western setting. She snickered in amusement, unable to stop herself.

Zach bumped his shoulder into hers. “What?”

He probably wouldn’t be pleased to know she was comparing him to the children’s performer, but then again—

Maybe he would.

All she knew for certain was spending time with Zach was a whole lot easier than she’d ever expected.

They walked, and they drove, enjoying easy conversation, and the afternoon passed too quickly. He took her back to grab her car, and they headed over to Tamara and Caleb’s for dinner.

The evening passed smoothly with all of her sisters working in unison, tag teaming on George Coleman when needed, but even that seemed natural. And it wasn’t necessary very often, because Grandpa George, or Geegee, was in a great mood. He had stories to share about his day with Josiah, and the little girls ate it up.

With Zach at her side, and her sisters guiding the evening, the only thing really on Julia’s mind now was what would happen later when they got home.

As much as she wanted to fool around again, being far too aware that her dad was on the other side of the wall was a great deterrent to rushing forward.

When it was finally her and Zach in the bedroom, Julia found herself blushing madly. Folding her clothes as if putting them away as neatly as possible was vital before she joined him.

He was tucked in on his side of the bed already, book in hand, glasses in place. Julia snuck glance after glance his way before he snorted, gaze still fixed on his book.

“No matter how hard you look at me, I’m not going to disappear,” he warned.

“Not sure if I want you to disappear, or my dad,” she confessed.

Zach met her gaze, reaching over to pat the bed beside him. “Sweetheart, relax. Tonight is a cuddle night, nothing else.”

She paused in the middle of pulling back the quilt. Frowned. “Oh, really?”

“Uh-huh.” He flicked a finger at her journal resting on the side table. “Check your to-do list.”

Confused, Julia settled, her back toward him. She flipped open her journal to where a brand-new bookmark had been inserted. It had a shiny surface, with a pastoral scene displaying a ranch and mountains and deer in the middle of a field. The shiny golden tassel pooled across her fingers.

She turned it over to see what was becoming a familiar messy font. Zach’s handwriting.

One day at a time. Look for the special moments.

She was about to turn and thank him when she realized he’d put the bookmark in on the RULES page. He’d made adjustments and added some notes.

The no sex rule had an asterisk beside it. Below, the note said *Unlimited hugs. Unlimited kisses.

Her third point on the opposite page had two asterisks added, and the defining note below that said: **once a week until further notice.

The hell? Julia twisted instantly. “What kind of rule is that?”

Zach glanced over the top of his glasses. “What’s that?”

Suddenly aware she’d spoken rather loudly, she lowered to a whisper. “Once a week? I thought we said last night we didn’t need to add fooling around to the schedule.”

His expression remained bright, but a more serious undertone slipped into his eyes. “I was wrong.”

16

Somewhere between the conversation with his parents and watching the entire Whiskey Creek clan band together to make the evening go smoother, Zach had come to an astonishing conclusion.

His decision to say yes to absolutely everything Julia wanted required an addendum.

The only way they could build something lasting was if they put down a firm foundation, and while the fire between them was damn hot, he wanted so much more. A little bit of anticipation would only make things better as far as he was concerned.

In the meantime, he needed to do his best to convince her they were together for far more reasons than to save his finances or because they were having fun in the bedroom.

Although last night had been fantastic, and he couldn’t wait for round two, however and wherever that happened.

But now Julia was staring at him, two spots of red on her cheeks, a crease folded between her brows. “Go on.”

He shrugged. “I got to thinking. While there are some things that are fun to do every day—and yes, sex every day at some point in our relationship would be fun—right now I enjoy having something to look forward to. Also, we’re going to be around each other a lot, especially once you start working on the ranch. We’re still figuring out expectations and how to spend time together. Knowing pretty clearly that nothing will happen tonight means we can both relax and not start what if questions in our heads.”

She twisted completely to face him, notebook abandoned. “Like, what if we get too noisy again tonight? Am I going to feel absolutely embarrassed, and then what if I want to tell you to stop, but then worry that you think I’m telling you to stop because I don’t like what you’re doing, and then what if that worry makes it so I can’t have a good time?”

Wow. He blinked. “Okay, that was a far more on-the-nose description than I could’ve possibly come up with.”

Julia smiled wryly. “Vivid imagination. I spend a lot of time wondering what if.”

He waited as she put aside the notebook, carefully arranging it to be even with the edge of her side table. She dragged a finger over the ribbon then crawled under the covers and twisted until she was looking up at him. Big brown eyes, hair loose against the pillow shining in the light from the side tables.

She wore another one of his T-shirts. Not the same one as the previous night, which meant she’d stolen into his drawers and taken what she wanted.

He smiled at her. “You headed straight to sleep?”

“I can’t read before bed in case I get caught up in the story. I’ve spent far too many potential sleeping times reading. Not a good thing with my line of work.”

Zach put his own book away, and his reading glasses, before turning out his light. That left them bathed in the moonlight shining through the window.

He twisted to face her, reaching for her fingers where they rested on top of the covers. “Are you mad?”

“No.” There was enough light to see her frown. “A little confused, but honestly? Mostly relieved. I was pretty embarrassed this morning and any time I remembered George Coleman probably overheard us last night.”

“I hear you.” He smiled. “Your situation is a bit different, but I will say my parents live to embarrass me and my sisters. I think they keep score, and at the end of each year, they compare notes to see who has managed to be the most obnoxious in each of our lives.”

“Like what?”

“Let me think.” Zach rolled slightly, hands under his head as he stared at the ceiling. His legs stretched all the way to the base of the bed, and as he adjusted position, he bumped knees with her.

Julia shifted, but instead of moving away, she curled around him a little tighter. She’d done it almost instinctively, but suddenly stilled. “Is this okay?”

No way was he letting her move from his side. Zach stretched one arm, lifting her slightly until her head rested on his chest and he could cradle her easier. “There. Now it’s perfect.”

Cuddled together, intimate and warm and yet completely chaste.

Definitely story time. “Oh, here’s a good one. Older sister number two had a steady boyfriend in high school. Family rule was no entertaining the opposite sex in our bedrooms. Which simply meant when they wanted to neck, they had to do it in the TV room, which meant grossing out all of us other kids.”

Julia snickered. “Even not having grown up around my older siblings, I imagine that was probably part of the fun.”

“Definitely. But remember, this was the TV room, which meant if we wanted to watch something, that’s where we had to stay. After a while we learned to ignore them. Only mom wandered in one day and decided for some reason it was a great time for an additional sex ed class. She pulled out a condom and a banana, and the next thing we knew, Mattie’s boyfriend had vanished.”

“Oh my God.” The light danced in Julia’s eyes. “That’s terrible.”

Zach shrugged. He liked the way the weight of her against his body felt. He liked the way she was tucked up tight, and he had no desire to escape to a new position. “I suppose in the end, it wasn’t that bad. Ronan and Mattie have been married for over ten years now.”

That got another laugh out of her. “I guess he knew what he was signing up for.”

They lay quietly for a while. Julia trickled her fingers over his chest, almost as if she weren’t aware she was doing it at first. Then a little more boldly. “This all right?”

He caught her fingers and brought them up to his lips. “You do whatever makes you happy. You take whatever you need to take.”

“And what do you get out of this?” she asked, once again a note of disbelief in her tone.

Hopefully forever.

Zach hummed thoughtfully. “Unlimited kisses, unlimited hugs. That’s not a bad place to start. And we are going to fool around a whole hell of a lot. Don’t get me wrong, Julia. I didn’t permanently turn off the sex button—”

He paused as she snickered.

“Okay, bad wording. We’ll deal with the whole whatever sex feels good thing as it comes, but everything else happened quickly as well.”

“It really has,” Julia agreed thoughtfully. “I’ll admit today was the first day I’ve finally felt as if I was able to take a deep breath after racing through the past week and a half.” She tilted her head and looked up at him, sliding one hand to brush her palm over the scruff on his chin and cheeks. “You are a very complicated individual, Zachary Beauregard Damien Sorenson.”

He was about to deny it, but then remembered something from the years of watching his father the inventor. “Sometimes the simplest solution comes once you’ve removed all the complicated setup beneath the surface. I’m pretty much a what you see is what you get kinda guy, but I’ve learned a lot over the years to get to be at the point where I’ve peeled away what’s not important to me.”

“And taking our time is important?”

Another shrug. “It’s more that we’re important. What we need to make it through, here and now, isn’t what we’ll need next week, or next month, etcetera. No use rushing.”

Julia stayed silent until her head rocked the slightest bit, as if she’d thought it through and was willing to acknowledge the truth.

She fell asleep in his arms not even five minutes later. A bundle of warmth and soft, feminine skin, the scent of her filling his nostrils. The feel of her in his arms soaked into his very core and changed him from the inside out.

That sensation in his gut that had told him this mix-up between them was right kept getting more and more certain.

He would build the foundation they needed, beginning with unlimited hugs and unlimited kisses plus whatever she asked for that would make them strong.

George Coleman took off in the morning with only a few comments that could be construed as warnings. Julia missed most of them in the busyness of greeting Karen and Finn, who had come over to send off the older man.

Finn folded his arms over his chest as his father-in-law disappeared down the highway. Their father-in-law, Zach corrected himself.

“What’re your plans for the week?” Finn asked.

Zach tilted his head toward where Karen and Julia were slipping into the nearest arena. A half dozen horses came forward, including Karen’s rescued wild foal, Moonbeam.

Zach and Finn moved to join them. “Julia’s shifts this week are Wednesday through Saturday. I figured I’d help with whatever you need around here during that time. Sunday, I’m taking her on a road trip to Nelson.”

“She know that yet?”

“Nope,” Zach confessed.

His best friend snickered before wiping at his mouth to hide his amusement. “Bit of advice. You might want to start involving Julia in your planning a little more. The whole fly by the seat of your pants thing you do is entertaining, but at some point, it’s going to bite you.”

Possibly. “Not all of us run our lives by having three layers deep of plans ready to implement.”

“Nope,” Finn echoed his word from moments earlier. He paused beside the gate before opening it to let Zach in. “You think Julia is more like me or more like you in this area?”

Drat. “I hate it when you’re right,” Zach complained.

As they joined the girls, it was clear that Karen had overheard his last comment. “Is Finn giving you advice?”

“Always,” Zach said dryly. “Good thing I only occasionally need to listen.”

Julia laughed, the sound turning into a squeal as Moonbeam put his nose in the middle of her back and pushed.

A moment later, she was in Zach’s arms, pressed against his body as he caught her safely against him.

Julia draped her arms around him instinctively, and it felt easy to have her smiling up at him, amusement on her face and gratitude on her lips. “Thanks for catching me.”

“No problem,” he returned. “So, about this coming week…”

* * *

“Julia. Wait up.”

She’d hit the time clock at the end of her final night shift and was now looking forward to a glorious four days in a row off that Zach had promised would involve good food, good beer, and a chance to fool around in private.

Getting home as soon as possible to start the madcap adventure was high on her priority list.

Still, she twisted back toward the fire hall and waited as Brad left his truck and made his way toward her. “Hey. Good morning. Didn’t expect to see you before I headed home.”

He stopped beside her car. “I came in early. Need to update you on something.”

Julia hesitated. “Is there a problem?”

Brad made a face. “Not with your work or your internship. And congrats, by the way, on getting hired out at Red Boot ranch once you’re done here. I’m only sorry we couldn’t hire you on full-time past October.”

“Thanks. I have to admit I’m pretty excited about the job. If I can’t work for you, working at a dude ranch is pretty much my dream job.”

He nodded, but concern had drifted in. “I know you’re headed off for the next few days. Debated whether I should mention this now, but you have a right to know. Dwayne has been released from his halfway house.”

An icy chill swept over her even though she’d known this was coming. The reaction was even more annoying because she truly wasn’t worried about him coming after her or anything.

Her kidnapper clearly had mental issues, so instead of being incarcerated in the regular prison system, he’d rightly received therapy and guidance while being in custody. “That’s right. I didn’t have it on my calendar or anything, but I knew it was sometime soon.”

She could tell from how closely Brad was watching her reaction that he hadn’t been happy to share the update. Julia kept her spine straight and her expression as neutral as possible.

“The restraining order is still in place, so you should have nothing to worry about.” Brad hesitated for a moment then sighed heavily. “He got in touch with me.”

“What?” The word came out a whole lot sharper than intended. “Why would he do that? What did he want?”

Brad made a face. “He apologized to me again. Said that he’d tried to apologize to you, but you’d never responded.”

“Because I didn’t have to. It’s not my job to try and make him feel better,” Julia snapped before taking a deep breath. “Sorry, not your fault.”

“No, I’m glad you said that,” Brad insisted. “Even better, I’m glad you feel that way.”

“Lots of therapy,” Julia admitted dryly. “Tony finally got through to me that I don’t have to forgive Dwayne for what he did to me.”

“Good.” Brad said it very decisively. He cleared his throat, slightly embarrassed. “I told him off. Also told him if he ever tried to make contact with you again, through me or any other source, there would be dire consequences.”

Julia caught herself before she gave Brad a hug and nodded instead. “Thanks.”

“You have a good getaway, and if you need anything, give me a shout.” He made as if to turn away then stopped, meeting her gaze straight on. “You’ll tell Zach about this, right?”

She opened her mouth to assure him she’d be all right and didn’t need anyone babysitting her, when she realized she’d already planned on spilling her frustration on Zach as soon as possible.

That truth felt very strange.

She dipped her chin. “Don’t worry. Zach’s got my back.”

“I’m glad.” Brad offered a quick farewell wave before making his way into the fire hall.

The ride back to Red Boot ranch passed quickly enough as confusing thoughts and memories tangled together in Julia’s brain. She slid into the cottage, prepping for bed and the nap she needed before she and Zach took off that afternoon as planned.

She’d gone back to sleeping in the guest room after her father had left. It had felt right to take that step of slowing down seriously. Plus, with Zach’s plans to take them out of town for a getaway, she figured the fooling around part was coming soon enough.

Falling asleep as the morning progressed just got harder and harder, but at some point, she must have closed her eyes for long enough to ignore the tumbling memories, because suddenly she heard her name being repeated loudly.

“Julia. Wake up,” Zach said, worry in his tone.

She shot upright in her bed, twisting toward his voice. Her heart pounded, and she stuck to the sheets as if she’d been sweating profusely.

She could still feel the heavy weight of being trapped. The icy cold of water dragging her down.

“Nightmare.” The word whispered past her lips. “Zach?”

The bed tipped slightly as he sat beside her. “Right here, sugar.”

A moment later, she’d latched onto him, curled up in his lap, arms knotted around his waist.

He held on tight, rubbing her back. Whispering soothing words. Her shaking slowed, until she finally got to the point she could take a deep breath and let it out in teeny increments.

Zach’s lips pressed against her temple. “There we go. That’s better.”

She leaned back far enough to look into his face. “I fucking hate that nightmare.”

“I know you do.”

He didn’t offer any pat words about how she’d get better someday. Or about how much better she was now than before. Which was good, because while she did feel so much stronger about her current reactions to the whole kidnapping situation, nightmares aside, Tony had been clear—the goal was not to be over it.

There were some things a person just never got over.

She managed a smile, patting Zach on the cheek. “I need a shower, and then I’ll be ready to head out.”

“Okay.” Zach backed up slightly. “You need anything? Want me to pack a picnic lunch for when we’re in the car?”

“You’d let me eat in Delilah?” Julia put as much astonishment into her tone as possible.

“Sure. What’s a few crumbs between friends?” He paused. “I’m bringing the dustbuster. You can use it when you’re done.”

Julia giggled her way into the shower, totally distracted, just as Zach had intended.

The road trip between Heart Falls and Nelson took a total of four hours driving. It had been cool enough that Zach left the top up. Julia used Bluetooth to hook up her music list to the stereo, and time flew.

Once again conversation was easy. Zach had a list of great topics he introduced every time there was a lull, but it wasn’t needed very often. They pretty much flowed naturally from one conversation to the next, words sometimes running on top of each other as each story they shared reminded the other person of something else they wanted to talk about.

The only thing Julia didn’t bring up was the information Brad had shared that morning.

It wasn’t that she was trying to avoid the discussion, but the story wasn’t something she wanted to share with Zach while he was driving.

And then the closer they got to their destination, the less she felt as if she should bring up a big topic before what was supposed to be a fun and easy getaway.

The twisting road they’d been on for the last hour and a half unexpectedly opened into a wide parking space at the edge of an enormous lake.

Julia leaned forward with interest. “Where’s the road?”

“We take a ferry at this point. There’s another route to Nelson that goes over the pass, but I thought you’d enjoy going this direction first.”

“Cool. How long is the ride?” Julia peered out the window toward the lake. “Ohhh. Is that the ferry there?”

Zach put Delilah into park, gesturing across the smooth surface of the water to where a strangely shaped barge approached slowly. “That’s it. It’s only a forty-five minute ride once we’re on board. It’s not like the massive ferries that go out to Vancouver Island, just a basic transport vehicle. We drive on board, then you can either sit in your car or walk to one of the observation decks.”

Fifteen minutes later they were on the wide, flat-decked boat.

Zach caught her by the hand and tugged her toward the stairwell. “Come on. I’ll show you my favourite view.”

He led her to an area on the second floor with sturdy seating that let them stare out over the wide expanse of Kootenay Lake as the engines rumbled and steadily pushed them across to the other side.

The wind was crisp. Julia stared at the mountains rising all around the lake, some of them tipped with white. “It’s colder here than in Heart Falls.”

“There are glaciers in the area. The wind sweeping over them means the breezes are always crisp.” He wrapped an arm around her, snuggling close to protect her with his body.

A forty-five-minute ride. Julia watched the water stream out in expanding waves behind the ship and considered her options. She didn’t want to put a damper on his outing, not considering how excited Zach was about getting away.

But he’d said to be honest, and he’d said she should do what would make her happy, and while talking about the past wouldn’t make her happy, per say, it would be good to get it out in the open.

Julia twisted toward him, sliding back far enough to grab his hands and meet his gaze straight on. “I have something I need to tell you.”

His head tilted slightly, but he stayed silent.

“Just so you know, the reason I’m telling you this isn’t because it’s big and scary, or because it changes anything about what we’re doing the next couple of days. We’re going to Nelson to do research for your future brew thing magic. I still want to do that. That’s important to me.”

His grin wasn’t quite as solid anymore. “Jules, if this opener is meant to be reassuring? You’re missing the mark.”

“Dammit. It’s just… Brad told me this morning that the guy who kidnapped me got released. I knew it was coming, but I had kind of deliberately forgotten. It’s not freaking me out, and I’m not worried about him, but I realized I needed to say something to you because—well, I think you need to know.”

Zach nodded slowly. “That’s why you were having a nightmare, wasn’t it?”

Julia let out a huff of air. “Yeah. Someday I’ll be able to mention what happened, or have somebody else bring it up, without having that reaction. But for now, Tony says physical manifestations to triggers are one of the things our brains do while dealing with unhappy memories. But since it’s not hurting me, other than being a pain in the ass, I shouldn’t worry about it.”

“Okay.” Zach looked a little uncomfortable. “I mean, okay, I hear you, but there’s a part of me that’s not okay with you having nightmares.”

He was such a sweetie.

Julia cupped his face with her palms. “I know. But you were good help today, waking me up.”

She pressed a quick kiss against his lips, partly to give her a moment to gather her thoughts before she sat back. The water around them reflected blue sky with white clouds. No one else was sitting outside, leaving them with more than enough privacy.

Also, telling Zach what had happened while here on the ferry meant she could talk about it and then walk away, which she really liked.

“It’s not that long of a story. EMT training—I stayed on campus, and as usual, there was a group of us that kind of hung out together. I didn’t date anybody. It was overwhelming enough to deal with school, living in a new city, and not being at home with Mom for the first time.”

She adjusted the grip between their hands, Zach’s big fingers giving her something solid to hang on to.

“We did lots in groups. Fun activities like movie nights, plus school activities that involved group projects. Dwayne and I were assigned into a group of four where one of our teammates quit and the other got sick. The two of us worked really hard to get everything accomplished without them. I was really proud that we handed in the assignment on time.”

“Only Dwayne thought that you were more than just classmates?”

Julia shook her head. “That’s the weird part. It wasn’t about us being together, like romantically involved. Dwayne had some undiagnosed mental problems, and for some reason, he got it into his head that I was in danger.”

Zach’s hand squeezed around hers briefly. “Okay.”

“He thought the other two people on our project had vanished because somebody had taken them out. He started talking about how we needed to be careful and stay safe.”

She’d thought back over that time so often, she sometimes wondered where her memories failed and if she might have invented things to explain what had happened. It wasn’t her fault for not having recognized that Dwayne’s mental illness had flared to the danger level, but there were times she still wished she would’ve been able to do more.

“I tried to convince him that was just his imagination, and I thought I’d gotten through. I came out from buying groceries, and he was there. He offered me a ride home, which of course I took.”

A soft swear word escaped Zach’s lips. “He didn’t take you home.”

“Nope. He insisted he needed to keep me safe, so he took me to a cabin with a boathouse out on a nearby lake. I figured out pretty fast Dwayne wasn’t thinking straight at that moment, but he was bigger than me, and stronger, and even though I tried to get away, I ended up tied to a chair.”

An instant later, Julia was lifted off the bench and resettled in Zach’s lap. He squeezed her tight, head buried against her neck, damn near vibrating under her fingers.

“Sorry. Give me a minute.” His words came out tight and clipped.

She wasn’t sure if patting Zach on the back was appropriate, so she just held on. She’d told the story a number of times now, but this was the first time anyone had reacted like this.

As if he’d been there the entire time and was even now experiencing exactly what she’d gone through.

17

Fury whipped through his veins even as Zach fought to control his anger. Losing his shit was not what Julia needed.

He was so damn proud she’d been willing to open up about this to him, which made his reaction that much more important. She did not need to know that right now, if he had Dwayne in front of him, he’d slowly turn the other man inside out.

It wasn’t possessiveness. It wasn’t because he thought Julia hadn’t been able to take care of herself or that she hadn’t done an amazing job of moving beyond what had happened to her.

But goddammit, he wanted to protect her from ever feeling that kind of fear again, whether in a nightmare or in real life.

He gave her a squeeze then let go, pushing back to meet her gaze again. “Okay.”

Julia raised a brow. “We need to talk about your vocabulary problems. I don’t think okay means what you think it means.”

Involuntarily, he snorted. “You’re right. I’m not using the dictionary definition. More like I’ve pulled myself together enough, please go on.”

It was a good thing he had faked his control as well as he did. Because Julia went on to briefly describe being left in the cabin over the next four days. Each time Dwayne returned to give her food and water and a bathroom break before leaving her tied up tight.

Julia took a deep breath. “Dwayne started ranting about how we had to escape and that the safest thing would be to paddle out to an island he knew about.” She stared down at where her fingers meshed with Zach’s. “He would only be gone for a little while, he said. So, he tied me up again and carried me to the rowboat in the boathouse. He’d barely left when I realized the boat’s keel was broken and the entire thing was slowly sinking.”

No wonder she had nightmares. Hell, Zach was going to have nightmares just from thinking about her being helpless in that situation.

Julia squeezed his hands. “Brad showed up about half an hour after Dwayne left. I have never been so grateful to see anyone in my entire life.”

Zach shook his head. “I don’t even know what to say.”

“You don’t really have to say anything. I mean, it was terrible, I know that. But none of it was my fault. Dwayne is supposed to be better now that he got treatment, so I can’t even really blame him because the guy who did it doesn’t exist anymore.” She made a face. “No. It was his fault, and it was his choice, but I also understand how mental illness means people do things they wouldn’t do if they didn’t have that chemical imbalance in the first place.”

“You’re far more understanding than I am.” Zach slipped his fingers under her chin. “Thank you for sharing that with me. And if there is anything I can do, or anything you need me to follow up on, let me know.”

“Thanks. I told Brad that I would let you know about Dwayne. About him being released and me getting the news.”

Something inside him stilled. Zach examined her face carefully, fighting to keep the worry that had sprung up from showing.

Was Brad’s influence the only reason she’d told him?

He wasn’t used to the fingers of doubt shifting through his brain, but they were there, at least briefly, before he focused on the most important thing.

Zach shoved aside everything except making Julia know that she could rely on him, even when the ground under his feet felt shaky.

He lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles, meeting her gaze. Trying to figure out what needed to be said.

Julia took control, swinging across his lap so her knees rested on the metal bench under his hips. Straddling him, her ass warm on his thighs as she caught hold of his collar and meticulously straightened it. “Not to change the topic or anything, but it’s time to change the topic. You said this was a research trip.”

Amusement drifted in. Of course the woman would be not only strong enough to tell him what had happened, but strong enough to then push the events aside as if they weren’t life-altering on so many levels.

Still, he took his cue from her. “It is a research trip,” he agreed. “It’s a double research trip. No, it’s triple research.”

Julia’s lips curled upward. “Not quadruple? How disappointing.”

“Sorry, couldn’t find a fourth topic to dig into this go-round, but maybe the next time we go away.” He rested his hands on her hips, thoroughly entertained as she groomed him back into a state of neatness. Adjusting his collar, stroking her fingers through his hair, patting the wrinkles out of his sleeves.

“Let me guess. First research topic is to do with beer. I did a Google search, and there is a really good brewery in Nelson. I assume we’ll do some taste testing.”

“Definitely. A couple of the restaurants put together menus with recommended local beverage pairings. We’ve got tapas and samples lined up from three different places.”

“We should’ve asked Karen and Finn to join us. And Lisa and Josiah. They like trying new things.”

It took everything in him to not gape at her in wonder. He forced himself to respond all cool and collected. “Good idea. We’ll have to do that sometime.”

“What’s the second research? And the third?” The engines rumbled slightly, and they both glanced over the water. “We’re getting close to the other side of the lake.”

Zach helped her off his lap and brought her to the railing. He tucked his arm around her and held her against his side as they watched the ferry manoeuvre through the narrows toward the docking station. “Second research involves hitting one of the coffee shops tomorrow morning. Tansy wants me to bring back a selection of their baked goods. She heard good things about the place and wants to try to expand the repertoire at Buns and Roses.”

Julia pressed against his side. “That’s very nice of you to do that for her.”

He laughed heartily. “Oh, yeah, it’s totally a hardship to be asked to go to a bakery and bring back a dozen of everything sweet.”

She twisted until he had to look at her. “See, that’s the thing. You make it sound as if you’re totally on the winning end of all these things you volunteer to do, but you’re also putting yourself out.” She leaned in closer, staring him in the eye. “I’m onto you, baby. I’m totally onto your tricks.”

She tapped him on the nose, but before he could catch hold and tickle her, she ducked under his arm and scurried away.

He held out his hand and waited until she linked their fingers together so he could guide her back to Delilah. “Still say I’m getting the good end of that deal. The one that involves breakfast goodies.”

Julia waited until they had disembarked from the ferry and were once again on the final stretch of highway before she asked, “Where are we staying?”

“An Airbnb. Not that we’ll need the kitchen, but I like having enough room to spread out.”

She nodded then played with her phone for a minute. He waited politely, except it was apparent she had mischief on her mind when the playlist that started up was all Elvis.

When she queued up “A Little Less Conversation,” Zach outright laughed. He reached across the stick and caught her fingers in his. “What an interesting sentiment. Are you getting tired of talking to me?”

She winked. “Actually, no. Tell me another story about your sisters.”

Which kept her entertained for the final half hour until they pulled into the driveway of the house in uphill Nelson.

Julia stared at the house in confusion. “Exactly how far do you need to spread out? Holy moly, this place is ginormous.”

He hurried around to open her door. “It all depends how noisy your neighbours are.”

“Maybe. But your neighbours could be a marching band and the symphony orchestra, and you probably still wouldn’t hear them inside this monstrosity.”

Zach pushed open the door and gestured her in. “Yeah, I suppose. But then, I don’t think you’ve ever heard how noisy Finn gets when he’s involved in a rousing game of Pictionary.”

Julia stuttered to a stop just inside the door. “What are you talking about Finn— What?”

“Surprise.” Sprawled on the couch in the middle of the open living room, Karen and Lisa lifted glasses in the air.

Lisa waved hers a little. “I made Mojitos, but Josiah has taken over pouring. He seems to think I had a slight rum-to-mix ratio problem in the first batch.”

Josiah drifted into view, a blender in one hand and a full glass in the other that he held toward the front door. “I hope you realize none of us qualify as a designated driver for this evening’s outing.”

“Good thing the food is being delivered,” Zach told him, loving the expression dancing across Julia’s face.

Surprise, yet delight, and when she whirled back toward him and threw herself into his arms to squeeze him so tight he could barely breathe, Zach figured he had probably done something right. “This okay?”

“Okay, as in the I can’t believe you pulled this off and hell yes, it’s wonderful definition of the word.” Only when she pulled away, her cheeks were flushed.

Zach held on to her, loving the way it felt to have her body pressed against his. “What’s that look mean?”

Julia’s voice dropped to a mere whisper. “You’re going to think I’m being silly, but having them overhear us fool around would be just as embarrassing as my dad.”

Too funny.

He dropped his tone to match hers in volume. “Then we won’t fool around until they leave. We have three nights, and I didn’t invite them to stay the whole time.”

They grinned at each other, an unspoken pact witnessed in that moment, before Julia turned and accepted the drink from Josiah with grateful thanks before joining her sisters in the living room.

“What can I get you to drink?” Josiah asked as Finn wandered into the room, pausing to give his wife a kiss then striding across the room toward them.

Zach glanced around at his friends with growing contentment. “I should pour a drink for you. Happy belated birthday, by the way.”

Josiah dipped his chin. “Thanks for setting up the impromptu party. Appreciate it.”

“Thanks for having a birthday. Always good to have a reason to get together for a night or two.”

But not three. That third night was just for him and Julia.

Because while he was an awesome friend, he was also smart enough to know there were some things that would be far more enjoyable once the family bonding time was over.

* * *

Two days later, Julia felt as if she had a permanent smile on her face.

They’d not only had the research dinner Zach had promised and the breakfast trip with multiple types of baking, they’d done it all over again the next day.

This morning they’d all gone paddling on the lake in tandem kayaks, followed by lunch out. The others were due to head home early afternoon, and Julia couldn’t decide if she was sad that they were leaving or eager to discover what mischief Zach had planned for them after they had the house to themselves.

Sleeping in his arms had been a brutal form of torture. She’d considered reaching for him and turning up the heat, because she doubted her sisters would even notice anything going on in their far-off section of the house.

Yet Zach had been right last week when he said waiting had its perks. Anticipation now pumped through her veins as strongly as any drug.

Lust was tempered only by how full her stomach was.

She collapsed onto the couch, sinking into the lush leather. “I could not eat another bite.”

“There are some chocolate eclairs left from dessert.” Lisa appeared out of nowhere to stand over her, wiggling one of the million-calorie parcels of perfection in her fingers. “Oops, to be exact, there are three left. Considering there are six of us, you might want to move sooner than later.”

Lisa popped the one she held into her mouth and moaned enthusiastically.

From where the guys were setting up to play one final card game at the kitchen table, Josiah swore.

“Excuse me, gentlemen.” He pushed back from the table and strode over to Lisa, swinging her over his shoulder and ignoring her squeal of protest. “Sweetheart, you make that kind of noise, you’re just asking to be removed from the room.”

“Either that or she’s auditioning for a porno flick. Either way,” Karen said teasingly before warning, “we’re leaving in an hour.”

Lisa pushed up, arms braced on Josiah’s back so she could offer a wink to the room as he carried her off. “Don’t worry. We won’t be late.”

Josiah’s laughter rumbled then shut off behind the door leading to their room. Julia’s cheeks went red hot, and the need in her body jumped up another notch when she met Zach’s gaze.

He was staring at her with all sorts of dirty intention in his eyes.

An hour later when their friends and family had finally left the house, Julia’s entire body felt as if she’d been attached to a giant vibrator and teased for hours.

Zach’s hands rested on her hips. He’d stood behind her as they waved goodbye, and he slid one palm over her belly as his lips dropped to her neck. “I’m glad they came, but I’m glad they’re gone,” he admitted.

She arched her neck to the side, goose bumps rising everywhere. “You know that whole anticipation thing?”

Pressed against her back, his muscular body wasn’t the only thing that was hard. “Yeah?”

The word came out deep and breathless. Thank goodness, because she didn’t want to be the only one feeling this way. “I am extremely filled with anticipation.”

She twisted in his arms, stroking her palms up his chest. The soft cotton of his pale-green T-shirt tickled her skin. Tactile seduction, but it wasn’t enough. Julia dipped her hands to his waist and untucked the fabric so she could slip her hands beneath the material and find bare skin.

His abs flexed against her fingers. “I need to warn you my anticipation is high enough my control is iffy. On the other hand, my recovery time will also be off the charts, so do your worst.”

“Anything I want?” Julia hummed happily as she shoved his T-shirt upward. It turned into a contented sigh when he rapidly moved to help strip away the barrier. “I want lots of things.”

“Yeah? Like what?” His smile shone down even as he groaned. “I really hope one of them is your hands on my cock. That would be a good thing to add to your list.”

“Maybe.” She leaned in close and pressed a kiss to his chest. Licking his skin and breathing in his sexy scent “Hmmmm.”

He stood motionless as she slowly drifted around him, teasing with her fingertips and her lips. She watched closely for every reaction because it was clear how much he was enjoying every second.

Here too he was honest. This was the part of being with a guy she’d missed. Not just being touched herself, but making another person feel wonderful.

And when she laid her fingers under the waistline of his jeans, she hit the jackpot. The muscles of his neck stood out in stark relief as his head fell backward and he moaned loudly.

The sound turned into a gasp when she wrapped her fingers around his rigid length. Julia stroked the best she could while trapped under the sturdy fabric.

Reading her mind, Zach rapidly undid his button and zipper, shoving the top of his jeans open—

The doorbell rang, and someone knocked vigorously.

They both cursed. Zach caught hold of her and twirled them toward the front door. He had her pressed against the sturdy wood an instant later before leaning to peer through the side window.

“For fuck’s sake.” He jerked the door open barely an inch. “What?”

“Sorry.” Josiah sounded very apologetic, although also slightly amused. “Lisa forgot her purse.”

There was nowhere to hide. Considering she wasn’t the one half-naked, Julia wasn’t sure why she was so flushed. Josiah strode over to the couch, grabbed Lisa’s purse off the cushion, then hurried back toward where Zach stood holding the door wide open for a rapid escape.

He hadn’t bothered to do up his jeans. Maybe as a warning to not bother with any small talk. It worked, because Josiah took off without another word. Although he did wink as he went past.

The instant Zach closed the door, the two of them pressed their noses against the side windows, watching intently until the truck vanished down the street.

Lisa and Karen waved from the back seat as if they knew they were being watched.

Julia snickered, and as Zach caught hold of her fingers and led her back toward their room, laughter swirled around them.

“Should’ve known they couldn’t bear to leave without messing with us,” Zach complained, but there was amusement in his tone.

“With friends like that, who needs enemies?” Julia drawled. She caught hold of the back belt loop on his jeans and tugged him to a stop. “Not so fast. I was doing something interesting.”

Zach raised his hands out of her way, his eyelids growing heavy. “Okay.”

“Which this time means go ahead and have your wicked way with me, yes?”

“Hell yes,” he growled.

She learned from her mistake last time and dealt with his pants before moving ahead. She shoved his jeans and briefs all the way to his ankles before helping him step out of the fabric.

Rising to her feet, Julia took a deep breath as she admired the long muscular legs supporting the rest of his naked perfection. “Wow.”

Zach flashed a smile even as he caught hold of her hands, pressing them against his torso. “Wow as much as you want but tell me you can do it while you’re touching me.”

“Touching is good. Kissing.” She stepped against him, sliding her hands around to the small of his back. She tilted her head until their lips met, the kiss growing deeper and hotter by the second.

Her being fully clothed and him being completely naked turned her on in an unexpected way. She felt powerful and utterly in control. She slipped one hand between their bodies to wrap her fingers around his erection.

“Julia.” Not a warning, but definitely a plea, and one she very much wanted to answer. She put her free hand against his chest and backed him up until he was against the wall. Then she took her time, stroking firmly, watching the thick head of his cock peek out between her fingers again and again. Glancing up to examine his face as pleasure drifted in.

When she bent over and licked, air hissed through his teeth. “Jesus.”

While there were a whole lot of things on her list, suddenly the most important one was to blow Zach’s mind. Which now meant blowing something else entirely.

She laughed as she slid to her knees in front of him, fingers moving teasingly over his length as she got her mouth in position. She was no expert, but his excitement, the quivering in his legs, and the unsteady touch of his fingers as he dragged them through her hair were enough of an aphrodisiac that she couldn’t resist.

Julia placed her mouth over the head of his cock then slowly sucked.

A stream of soft curses drifted from his lips, and the muscles under her fingers flexed where she clutched his thighs.

Zach’s hips jerked toward her, his fingers in her hair tightening in warning. “Coming.”

He instantly let go, and she could’ve backed away if she wanted, but she chose to stay where she was. She wanted to taste him, to continue to move around him as his cock jerked between her lips. Powerful? Undoubtedly. Happy? She swallowed then licked and smiled as he slapped his hands against the wall and fought to keep vertical.

“Holy fuck.” Zach said it on an exhale, reaching down to grab her arm and help her to her feet. Then he tugged her against him, blanketing his naked body with her clothed one. “Lean on me for a bit until my head stops spinning.”

Julia found herself grinning. “Okay.”

He snickered. “Cocky wench.”

“One of us has to be. I think you’ve been de-cockified for a little bit.”

Laughter bloomed, and he cradled her tighter against his body. “De-cockified? You’ve been hanging out around Lisa far too much.”

“Hey, don’t put down my sister’s amazing talent for wordifying.” She gasped as he swung her off her feet and carried her back toward their bedroom.

“You’ve still got enough energy to be sassy. I should do something about it.”

“You totally should,” she said encouragingly. Julia pointed at her duffel bag that sat on the nearest dresser. “Toys in the right pouch.”

He laid her on the bed and crawled over her, ignoring her directions. “Toys later. Me first.”

The statement would have set off warning buzzers in the past. Every guy she’d fooled around with seemed to think they had the magic touch.

But this was Zach, and as he stripped away her clothing, enough electric energy hung in the air she could’ve sworn there was already a vibrator strapped between her legs.

“Promise me you’ll only do what makes you happy,” Julia warned. “I want an orgasm, but I don’t want to—”

He whispered “shhhh” against her skin, soft and reassuring. “Trust me.”

She could do that this once, but the instant frustration began to slip in? She was totally nabbing her bag of tricks. “Okay, which this time means touch me.”

Zach was more than on board with that. He was also more than capable of setting her pulse pounding. Maybe it had something to do with that whole anticipation thing, but as he kissed and teased, her skin seemed to come alive.

He slid between her thighs, fingertips caressing from her ankles to her knees. His thumbs made small circles, moving ever closer to her core as he slowly pressed her knees into the air. Staring at her sex, hunger rising in his eyes. “Yes?”

The sooner the better.

Julia curled upright and caught him by the arms. “Touch me,” she insisted as she tugged him closer. “Everywhere.”

He willingly slid closer, fingers opening her, mouth covering her sex. His tongue teased, and his lips moved against her, a gentle touch but one she felt everywhere.

When his tongue hit her clit, her back involuntarily arched, pressing tighter to his mouth. Needing more. “I like that. You don’t need to be gentle,” she told him.

The words came out in a rush, because right now this felt good, and pressure was building, but there was no guarantee it would continue.

Zach was a quick learner. The gentle touch grew firmer. His tongue no longer teasing but flicking against her in a demanding rhythm that made her gasp. And when he closed his mouth and sucked, the hair on the back of her neck stood upright. “Oh. My. God.”

A soft chuckle sounded from between her legs, but he didn’t stop. Suddenly fingers ghosted the edge of her sex. Teasing, slipping in no farther than maybe his second knuckle.

When he continued to tease at that same depth, the tension that had shot in that he would break her concentration vanished and she focused down on all the good things happening.

His fingers rocked in and out of her even as he upped the pressure on her clit, sucking hard.

She came. Unexpected, hard and fast. Pleasure broke over her, and she drove her heels into the bed, hips grinding against his face.

Zach chuckled, but kept going, at least until she tangled her fingers in his hair and jerked hard enough to break the seal of his mouth.

“Slowly,” she gasped. “Slowly.”

He hummed, sliding back to kiss her folds delicately. Easing his tongue against her swollen flesh as endorphins continued to scream through her body.

When she’d stopped jerking with aftershocks, he crawled up on the mattress next to her, wiping his mouth before offering a huge grin. “That was fun. Round two in a few minutes?”

Dear God. “That just might kill me,” she warned him.

“We’ll go slow. But you brought all sorts of toys that we haven’t used yet. Plus, I bought you a new one. I can’t wait to try it.”

Julia jerked onto her elbows and stared at him in astonishment. Her previous boyfriends had all hated when she’d grabbed a vibrator. “You bought me a toy?”

He nodded, eagerness joining the happiness in his expression. “It’s called a Womanizer, and it’s supposed to be incredible. I need your take on it before I believe the advertising. Research is important, you know.”

Amusement struck in a flash. “Really? Checking out sex toys is your third research topic?”

“Of course.” He rolled over her, their naked bodies slicking with heat and the promise of some very fine memories. “I’m a thorough researcher,” he warned. “I hope you took your vitamins this morning.”

18

Julia was on her way out the door, headed to work, when Zach popped up beside her. “Here you go.”

She took the envelope he extended toward her. “What’s this?”

“My homework. I sent Alan an email to let him know that I have delivered the first of our monthly letters as required.” He rolled his eyes dramatically, in a fair impression of an angsty teenager. “I’ll give you his email so you can do the same later.”

She’d nearly forgotten that part of the rules. “I don’t have mine done yet.”

Zach waved a hand. “We got married on the thirty-first, so it’s not as if we’re late. I figured it was easier to remember to do it by the end of the month rather than the start. Either way, there’s mine.”

Julia shook it. “How long is yours?”

He snickered.

It was her turn to eye roll. “You’re such a goof. I meant the letter.”

“I’m still laughing, darlin’. Doesn’t matter how long mine is, your letter is your letter.”

She pretended to pout. “Does that mean I’m not allowed to read yours first?”

“Do what makes you happy.” He pressed a quick kiss to her cheek then took the stairs off the porch two at a time, whistling as he headed farther onto the ranch. “See you later. It’s Cooking Adventures with Zach tonight. We’ll attempt to not burn Asian noodle bowls.”

“Sounds great.”

She tossed the envelope on the dash where it haunted her the entire drive into town.

Pulling into the parking lot at the fire hall the same moment the doors went up on the fire engine exit meant everything vanished from her brain except joining the rest of her team as quickly as possible.

It wasn’t until after lunch when they were finally back at the hall after putting out a bushfire that Julia had time to deal with her dilemma.

Do her homework first, or read Zach’s to see how upfront and open he’d been?

She tapped the envelope on the table in front of her, the mental debate raging loudly before she sighed and dropped his letter, pulling one of her ever-present notepads toward herself. Truth was, she was in the very wonderful position of being able to have her cake and eat it too. She could write a note, then read Zach’s, and if necessary, rewrite to match his tone. It was only kind of cheating.

Since she was going to rewrite no matter what, she didn’t bother to make it fancy. Just tossed out what needed to be said.

September 30.

After falling into an impossible situation, I can look back on this first month and say it has not been terrible. I still can’t believe that we ended up here, and just to be clear, tequila shooters are out of the question ever again.

This is the part of the letter where I’m rambling so that it’s at least one page long. In case you couldn’t tell.

Positive things: our to-do list has been entertaining. All three of my activities have been enjoyable.

Yoga is a solid eight for me, because it’s physically challenging, but also entertaining to watch you. Thank you for being a good sport. If you want to start wearing tighter clothing, or less clothing, yoga might even make it up to a nine.

Riding on a regular basis has been so wonderful. I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed it. Karen also said that she would let me help train Moonbeam when the time comes, so that’s something to look forward to.

Fooling around— this has been far more interesting than I expected. That’s about all I want to say about that topic for now. Yes, I’m blushing even as I write this.

She went on a little more, mentioning his three items, but when she was done rereading what she’d put down, it was more than a page and—to be honest—pretty dry.

What she’d shared was a very factual report with the tiniest touches of the truth dashed into the mix.

Did she want to say anything more? Did she want to talk about how the times they’d spent with his friends and her sisters had felt bigger than just random gatherings?

That somehow for the first time in her life she was beginning to understand a never-before experienced level of family. That it both thrilled and terrified her, and she wasn’t sure why.

Julia pushed aside the trembling in her gut and decisively reached for Zach’s letter. She all but ripped it from its envelope, slapped it out on the table in front of her and dove in.

Zach’s familiar messy writing covered two sheets of paper.

September 30.

One month ago, minus a few days, you agreed to make a big sacrifice to save my butt. I’m very thankful.

I know this whole setup is a lot. You have to write a letter on top of putting up with my stupid ass on a daily basis. That’s just evil—the letter part, I mean. My ass isn’t evil, it’s just annoying.

I was thinking about what to write. I figured you’d probably do a detailed analysis of our past month based on notes from your journal, maybe with numbers or bullet points. Therefore, this month, I’ll try to speak your language.

THE RULES

• no further addendums at this time.

I do think you should still date that original page and make a new one that’s a little less messy. Really, Julia, I don’t know how you can keep track of things when you keep changing your mind :-)

(note—I am very glad you changed your mind.)

THE ACTIVITIES

• Yoga: I would like to request a few less of those moves where we’re on our stomach. Especially if you insist on wearing those pale-pink yoga pants. Ahem. Too blunt?

• Dancing: zero changes to our dance card.

Wait—scratch that. I will warn you that if Trevor Daniels tries to cut in on me again, there will be hell to pay. It’s not so much that I don’t want you to ever dance with other guys, it’s that he’s absolute shit at it. Chances of you getting smashed into another couple go up exponentially every time the dickhead tries. Don’t make me stage an intervention where I have to dive across the dance floor to save you.

• Horseback riding: no changes.

Getting a deeper appreciation of Red Boot ranch every time we go. Damn, it’s pretty out here.

• Cooking: sorry about the meatloaf. It was truly gross, but in my defense, the recipe called for oats. I didn’t realize the package I had was peaches-and-cream flavoured.

• Research: heads-up. I’d like to go to the States at some point. You want to wait until November? Once you’re done with your EMT shifts? Discuss. Other than that, I really appreciated having you along. You’re good company, and your comments about the brew and food are helping.

Regarding the other kind of research? Heh-heh. See next note.

• Fooling around: definitely a complaint to register.

I have yet to see the blue or the neon-yellow vibrator in action, and frankly, that’s a bit of a travesty.

Onward to October. I hope you enjoy the final month working with the team down at the fire hall. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to make things easier for you, whether it’s in the transition for work or anything else.

You’re a rockin’ fake wife, and a really good egg.

Julia stared down at the paper then her own letter.

He’d hit the nail on the head with her making her comments in an orderly fashion, although he’d one-upped her by using actual bullet points.

She folded his letter small enough that it would fit in the expandable pouch at the back of her journal

Then she rewrote her own note simply to make it neater then reused his envelope. Only she hesitated, pulling out her coloured pens. She proceeded to decorate the outside with tiny little images and words.

When she was done, from a distance the entire surface looked as if it had brightly coloured confetti sprinkled on it. It was only from close-up that the tiny words in capitals became clear. YOGA and RIDING and the rest of them, including the one that made her giggle—RESEARCH.

And the images? Her yoga mats were clear, although some of her miniature horses looked like dogs. The tiny little vibrators, however, were perfectly identifiable.

Julia made sure to stay as casual as possible when she handed the envelope to him at the dinner table that night. “Back at you, baby.”

Zach paused in the middle of picking up his soup spoon. He raised a brow but accepted the envelope, his smile growing wider as he brought the envelope in for a closer look. “That’s hysterical.”

She grinned back, focusing on the savoury broth and the bowl in front of her as he carefully brought out the paper and gave it a quick read.

With a quick nod of his head, he tucked the letter back in the envelope and rose, placing it carefully on top of the fridge before returning. “I’m having fun too. But obviously, you read that in my letter.”

“I thought your bullet points were very well executed,” Julia said primly.

“Why, thank you.” He leaned forward, staring into her eyes with mischief written all over him. “I think your vibrators are a little bit disproportionate in size, though. Maybe our next research session we should break out a ruler and—”

“Oh my God,” Julia said with a laugh. “What is it with guys and rulers and dicks? And that’s not even really a rhetorical question, because you would not believe how many times down at the fire hall this topic comes up.”

A hearty laugh burst from him. “I don’t think I want to know.”

Julia changed the topic, but only slightly. “Speaking of research…”

Zach’s expression turned lusty.

She leaned forward as well, lowering her voice. “When’s our next scheduled outing? I have a craving for some lager.”

His chest rocked with silent laughter, and he shifted back to fold his arms over his chest. “Now that was just mean. Getting a guy’s hopes up and then casting him off into a cruel vat of hops and mash.”

“Sounds kinky. Also, messy. I think if we’re going to fool around when there’s liquid involved, it should be in the shower.”

“Deal.” He said it instantly, nabbing the barely started October calendar off the fridge and adding RESEARCH to the next Tuesday. Right between Monday’s RIDING and Wednesday’s YOGA. “You bring the toys, and I’ll bring a ruler. We’ll meet in the shower—don’t be late.”

It was easy to be with him. To enjoy a touch of silliness, even as she knew damn well waiting for Tuesday to roll around would be another opportunity for the whole anticipation thing to prove, once again, the right kind of tension did wonders for her libido.

One month down, eleven to go. It wasn’t going to be boring.

* * *

By this point in the game, Zach no longer thought he was simply imagining things. Nope. Somewhere around the middle of October, it had become clear that no matter how often he fixed the toilet paper roll, it always ended up facing the opposite direction.

Considering the cabin occupants who would be messing with said toilet paper amounted to only two people, he knew exactly who his opponent was. Although why Julia had decided to wage war on this particular topic, he wasn’t sure.

It was more fun not asking her the specifics, though, and blithely battling forward.

The last time he had adjusted the roll to face the proper direction, he’d used one of the really thick elastics off of a bunch of broccoli and lashed the edge of the holder in place so that when Julia went to turn it, it would take her more than a few moments.

The next time, he’d come back to discover she’d removed his elastic, flipped the roll, and somehow glued the center cardboard ring in position so there was no way he could flip it around without trashing the entire thing, which he was too cheap to do. So he left it and grumbled in amusement every time he had to face proof that she was currently ahead in the TP war standings.

It was a small amusement added to all the other positive things they were involved in. Not just their weekly activities, but when he went to put Delilah into storage, he had Julia help him. He brought her into the conversation regarding his future plans for the Brewster building in downtown Heart Falls. Picking her brain and getting her fresh ideas was a ton of fun.

Hopefulness rose that they were off to a good start, all things considered.

As the end of October approached, Zach began to plan his next letter. He figured every month he would slowly up the ante and share more about how he was feeling, although taking small steps still seemed important.

Plus, he had decided that this month he would decorate the edges of his letter with little pictures, just the way Julia did.

The house was quiet after supper, with Julia working for the night. Zach wandered outside, a warm jacket in place against the cool evening temperatures. This was one of the rare years that it hadn’t snowed yet, although it was clear winter could arrive at any time.

Across the yard, Finn waved him over. His best friend looked amazingly content these days, as he and Karen continued to work together to build their home and prepare Red Boot ranch for next year’s planned spring opening.

Zach took his time meandering across the yard, pleased to realize that in just a few days Julia would also be working full-time at the ranch. It would mean more opportunities to be together, and he was looking forward to it immensely.

“You look like a cat that’s gotten into the cream,” Finn offered dryly.

“Julia’s farewell party is tomorrow evening. She’s got only one more night shift before she’s all mine.” Zach paused. “I mean ours, since she’ll be medic for the whole ranch starting next week.”

His friend chuckled, tilting his head toward his truck. “I think you said it right the first time. You’ve definitely claimed ownership.”

Zach matched Finn’s pace without questioning until they were in the truck and headed into town. “Did you tell me where we’re going?”

“Nope.” Finn stared ahead at the road.

Zach hesitated. “Am I supposed to know where we’re going?”

Finn snorted. “This time, nope. Your concentration has absolutely sucked for the last couple of months, but this time I can’t blame your confusion on being Julia-obsessed.”

Not much he could say in defense to that, so Zach sat back and enjoyed the ride, smiling as they pulled into the yard at Josiah’s house. “Does he have a need for free labour?”

“Definitely. His sister sent a case of liquor from Ireland. I volunteered us to help sample.”

Zach gave his friend’s shoulder a squeeze before hopping out of the truck and joining him on the path up to the house. “Have I thanked you lately for being my second-best friend?”

“Second?”

Zach let them into Josiah’s house without knocking then let out a loud whistle. “Hey, best buddy. Where are you? And where’s the hooch?”

Laughter sounded a second before Finn smacked him in the arm with a fist. “Jerk.”

They grinned at each other as Josiah called to them from the kitchen. “You two are trouble. Come on. We have some catching up to do. Not to mention some drinking.”

Hours later the area around the fire pit was strewn with empty imported beer carcasses and a fine collection of open whiskey bottles.

“I’m not saying you should just straight-up tell her, but at the same time, why don’t you just straight-up tell her?” Josiah swirled his most recent refill as he stared into the depths and repeated himself for the third or fourth time that evening.

A very dramatic sigh, even for him, escaped Zach. “I did tell her right at the start that I wanted to date her for real. Things just got a whole hell of a lot more complicated a whole hell of a lot faster than I expected.”

“Uncomplicate them.” Finn shook his head. “Never mind us. You’re the one with the eerily accurate gut instinct. If you think slow and steady is still the way to go after two months of being married, then so be it.”

“Slow and steady. Sounds like you’re out in the field breaking pasture instead of spending every spare moment in and out of the bedroom convincing her you’re a good deal.” Josiah shook his head sadly.

Zach must’ve made a noise, or maybe he’d sighed again, because suddenly he was being stared at intently by both of the other men.

A very calculated expression narrowed Finn’s gaze. “Every spare moment…”

“…in and out of the bedroom?” Josiah’s jaw dropped. “You just cringed when I mentioned the bedroom. Please tell me you and Julia are not still sleeping in different rooms.”

“We’re not having this conversation,” Zach said as firmly as possible. A second later he reached down to find some random wood chips so he could throw one at each of his grinning friends. “Buzz off. I’m not talking about my sex life with you.”

“Obviously, because you don’t have one,” Finn offered dryly. “I thought the idea was to be your usual irresistible self. How come you guys aren’t hitting the sheets?”

“We’re fooling around,” Zach admitted. “We’re having fun. Now drop it, unless you want me to discuss how often over the past five years I had to listen to you moon about Karen.”

They were good enough friends that they listened, or at least pretended to for a moment.

Many hours later, Lisa and Karen, both clearly amused, appeared beside them at the fire.

Lisa laid a hand on Josiah’s shoulder. “Hey, honey. You and the boys tying one on?”

Josiah waved his empty glass in the air before catching hold of her fingers and toppling her into his lap. “No rope involved. We could do something about that, if you’d like.”

She pressed a finger over his lips, laughing as she chastised him. “Don’t embarrass me in front of my big sister. She doesn’t need to know what kinky games we play.”

“And on that note, before somebody says something I’ll regret hearing, let me take this tipsy one home. Or these tipsy two,” Karen corrected herself as she tugged Finn to his feet and crooked a finger at Zach. “Come on, you wild men. I’ll drive, and we’ll pick up your truck later. You’d better get some sleep, Zach. Julia’s going to want you in tip-top shape for her party tomorrow night.”

“He doesn’t get to party. He’s partiless. Which is sadly not the same as pantie-less.” Josiah’s words were barely audible, his lips buried against Lisa’s neck.

She giggled. “What?”

Zach considered slapping a hand over his friend’s mouth but decided he was just tipsy enough it was possible he would miss and give Josiah a black eye instead. It would probably hurt.

Ha. Maybe it wasn’t a bad idea after all.

Zach didn’t remember the details, but he was still in bed when Julia made it home from her shift. That part was crystal clear because she came flying into his room and bounced excitedly on the mattress.

“I’m done. I’m done. I had a good time, and I’m glad I had the apprenticeship, but I am so looking forward to working at Red Boot ranch.” She paused, perched on her hands and knees beside him as she examined him closer. Her amusement rose. “Do you have a hangover?”

“Don’t be cruel,” Zach whispered.

Sheer mischief flashed across her face. She knelt upright and pretended to hold a microphone to her mouth. “To a heart that’s blue.”

When she continued to sing Elvis at him, rather poorly and with increasing volume, Zach gave up. He enveloped her in an enormous hug and rolled her under him. Nibbling on her neck and tickling until she screamed with laughter.

He finally let her go, rolling away and pulling her to her feet. He kissed her forehead then turned her firmly toward the bathroom. “Congratulations on your final day. Now go get some sleep. I hear there’s a party tonight in your honour.”

It took a whole lot of coffee and a couple of Tylenols, but by the time he escorted Julia in the door of Rough Cut, Zach was back to one hundred percent.

It was a bit of a low-level party, with people generally showing up whenever it worked for them and coming to offer Julia a handshake or hug as appropriate.

In between, Zach and his friends took turns dancing with their ladies, music and energy rising as the evening wore on.

When Brad arrived with his wife, Hanna, Julia squeezed Zach tight and hauled him across the floor to where they stood waiting.

“Good to see you guys,” Zach offered. “Thanks for training my new employee of the month.”

Hanna winked then turned to Julia. “I’m glad you’ll still be nearby. It’s my turn to host girls’ night out next month. I wondered if you’d help me.”

“That would be great. I’ll get in touch this week,” Julia said with a smile.

Brad offered his hand. “It’s been a privilege working with you. And ditto, I’m glad you’ll still be nearby.” He shook her hand then offered a squeeze when Julia went in for a hug. He stared over her shoulder at Zach. “It’s good to see you settling into the community.”

“Heart Falls really feels like home,” Julia said as she backed up.

Zach glanced around, but no one seemed to be paying any negative attention. Still, being proactive wasn’t a bad thing.

He gave Brad his own hand clasp and hearty pat on the back. “Thanks for being such a good mentor to Julia. It’s made a difference.”

He wanted to say something about everything else he was thankful for, but it wasn’t the place or time.

As Zach guided her back onto the dance floor, he realized he agreed completely with Julia. Any of the sacrifices they were making to keep Brad’s reputation intact—it was worth it. On every single level.

Although it wasn’t much of a sacrifice to have Julia in his arms.

They danced a quick two-step then ended up near the edge of the room when the music shifted to a slow ballad. Zach rearranged her in his arms, hand against her lower back so he could push their bodies together tight enough to be at the very edge of public decency.

“Somebody’s feeling perky,” Julia murmured, her hands linked around his neck. “I take it you’re over your slight indisposition from this morning?”

He didn’t answer. Just took a chance and stepped one leg between hers, nestling even closer. His thigh brushed her core with every step, and it didn’t take long before her breathing went erratic.

Julia’s cheeks glowed, and her eyes shone as if she were debating either murder or mayhem. “Zach. What are you doing?”

He whirled her in place then raised her up his body. The following slow glide down his thigh forced a moan from her lips. “If you can’t tell what I’m doing, I’m not doing it very well.”

Half a song later, her breath rushed against his cheek in rapid puffs. “You’re killing me, baby.”

He was doing a good job of torturing himself. Zach glanced around the room and spotted the service corridor that led toward the back storage rooms. He slow danced with her into the shadows and out of sight.

The music was still audible, so he kept up the pretense of the dance, but this was one dirty round that promised to have a spectacular finish.

Julia ground down harder against his leg, sounds sneaking from her lips that pushed him closer and closer to the edge. Zach gritted his teeth to keep from cursing. To keep from stripping them both down right there and then laying her out flat and thrusting into her hard.

She caught him by the ears, damn near ripping them off as she pulled their mouths together. She kissed him frantically, hips pulsing in a rhythm that said in no uncertain terms the end was near. He put all his focus on being there for her. Being what she needed. Tightening his grip on her ass so he could offer a little more leverage.

Her gasp rushed past his lips. He separated them far enough to stare into her wide eyes as her expression tightened and her lips opened in a perfect circle.

Her swaying rhythm faltered, but he kept her tight, dragging her higher.

That was it.

“Zach.” She moaned his name before the word turned into a long drawn out quivering noise that released the cover on his safety latch. He came while staring into her face, loving how pleasure continued to grow until she relaxed bonelessly against him.

Relaxed a little bit too much, considering he had no blood left in any part of his body except his cock. His legs quivered, and he barely managed to rearrange them before sliding to the floor. Back braced against the wall, they landed with Julia in his lap, his legs stretched all the way out into the corridor.

Her breath quivered now, not just with passion as tiny chuckles slipped into the mix. “We’re terrible,” she whispered. “We’re in public.”

“At least it’s not the middle of the dance floor,” Zach pointed out.

She snorted, tapping her fingers against his chest. “At least it’s not that.”

The music played in the distance while they sat there in the shadows. Secret and yet not. Zach took a deep breath and pressed a kiss to her temple. “Happy retirement. Welcome to the ranch.”

She laughed before slapping a hand over her mouth then staring back onto the dance floor as if certain somebody would spot them at any moment.

When she turned back to meet his gaze, she still looked far too amused. “Thank you. Now I think we’d better sneak out of my own party.”

No arguments from him. And as uncomfortable as he was at that moment, he wouldn’t change a thing about the evening.

19

The snow arrived with a vengeance not even two days into November. Zach got a huge kick out of how excited Julia was as she peered out the cabin window, coffee cup in hand.

Her happiness lit up the room, and he stepped beside her to see what she was quivering on the spot about. “What’s got you all perky?”

“It’s just so pretty,” she said. “This is why I love being in Alberta. Winter means pristine fields of white as far as the eye can see instead of grey skies and rain.”

“I love it too, but remember there’s a price to pay. We’ll have a cold snap at some point. And they’re already talking about El Niño, which means a huge snowfall around Christmas.”

Julia shook her head decisively. “Nope. You can’t harsh my buzz on this one. In fact…” She put her coffee cup down and stole his from his fingers, grabbing his empty hand and pulling him toward where their boots and coats hung neatly by the door. “Come on. Let’s go for a walk.”

Her excitement was not only contagious, it was delicious. The urge to grab hold of her fingers while they walked was nearly impossible to ignore. Instead, he shoved his hands in his pockets and strolled at her side as they wandered into the crisp morning air.

She pointed toward the building that was earmarked as the general gathering point for the ranch. “As part of my first official week here at the ranch, I’ll be setting up the first-aid station. Cody said there’s already a bunch of boxes waiting. You want to help me later today?”

Zach thought through his to-do list and trashed the ones that would have interfered with being able to help. “Love to. You’re pretty excited about getting started.”

“Hopefully the job stays pretty boring, even after the paying guests arrive, but yeah.” She kicked up some of the snow underfoot, laughing as the horses in the arena beside them hurried over, hoping for treats.

“Boring is good. I hope you’re not going to be too underworked.”

Julia paused, resting her arms on the railing and looking over the horses. “The thing is, I know the work’s not the same as being on an emergency callout. What I remember from growing up on a dude ranch was our medic focused more on the whole person for the full-time staff. She kept an eye on everyone, and made sure they were healthy and happy, which is different than simply dealing with dangerous cuts or broken legs.”

Zach nodded. “That’s a big, important responsibility.”

“I’ve got a lot of resources to help me,” Julia pointed out. “Including Tony, if it comes down to that.” She grinned, twisting to the side. “I’m also on the emergency backup list with the fire hall still. If there is a disaster in the community, I’ll be called out.”

“I didn’t know that. Good for you. If anything needs to be adjusted for your job here at Heart Falls to make that happen, let me know.” Zach watched as she stepped a couple of paces away from the railing.

“Everything should be good. Although there is one thing I should warn you about.” Her expression went solemn.

“What?”

Icy cold snow smacked into the side of his face, showering down on him as shock zipped up his spine.

Julia laughed as she ducked away. “Incoming snowball.”

Zach twisted barely in time to duck away from a second volley of snowballs, flying through the air from where Finn and Karen peeked up behind the truck bed.

It was the first of many snowball fights over the coming weeks. Julia got her medic station set up. They continued to enjoy their horseback rides and yoga sessions, and all the other things on their to-do list.

Mid-November, Julia came back from her girls’ night out looking as if she desperately wanted to tell him something but couldn’t.

A few days later, when he kept catching her staring at him, a little smirk on her lips, he’d finally had enough. “What the hell are you up to?”

Julia shrugged. Only a noise somewhere between a giggle and a snort escaped her, and she rubbed a hand over her lips as if trying to hide her smile.

It was now cold enough for them to use the wood-burning stove in the cabin, and the comfortable chairs he’d bought were placed strategically in front of it for them to relax by the warmth.

Zach closed the distance between them, catching her by the hand and pulling her out of the chair. An instant later he’d settled in her place, dragging her into his lap. “You have gotten into mischief of some sort,” he accused.

“Uh-huh.” This time she met his gaze, only along with the laughter, there was heat in her eyes. “Want to know my secret?”

Her expression alone was enough to make him agree to anything. “Yes. Is it a good secret? Is it a dirty secret?”

“Very good.” She stared at his mouth, her tongue slipping out for an instant, leaving her lips wet. “Dirty? Not so much as fun.”

“Go on.”

“You know the other day when I was with my friends and sisters? We have a tradition during girls’ night out, taking turns organizing the evening.”

Zach rubbed his hand against her thigh, the soft cotton pyjama pants she wore teasing his palm. “Ohhhh, do I get to hear girls’ night out stories?”

“Sort of? This time there were only married ladies in attendance, and Lisa, because she said she and Josiah are officially permanently shacked up, which is as good as being married. And what Hanna wanted to set up with my help was a boudoir shoot.”

“A who done what?” Memory filtered in before she could answer. “Oh, hang on. My sisters did something like that once. Like a glamour shoot? All dressed up and sexy—although not my sisters. Not the sexy part. The sexy part I meant about you. Also not your sisters.”

Julia laughed. “Yes. A glamour shoot. It was all about loving ourselves and feeling good about how we look, and it was fun. I also heard about this interesting website, but more on that in a minute. It was good to spend time with them, plus, we talked about you guys while we were together.”

Zach put his fingers over his mouth as if he were shocked. “Say it ain’t so.”

She tapped him with the edge of her fist. “But here’s my point—and I do have one.” Her expression went serious. “All of them were talking about things that made their guys happy. And I got to thinking that while we’re not a real couple, we’ve become really good friends. And I think there’s something we could do that would make you extra happy.”

His brain had stalled out on her statement about them not being a real couple. Dammit. It seemed she was still moving the opposite direction he wanted this to go.

Her fingers touched his face and pulled him back from his thoughts. “Zach?”

Time to focus. “Just going to repeat what I’ve always said. You need to do what makes you happy.”

Decisively, she nodded then reached beside her chair for something that she pressed into his palm.

He glanced down. She’d handed him a soft rubber contraption in the shape of a squished C. “Thank you. It’s what I’ve always wanted.” He gave her a wink. “What is it?”

“It’s a vibrator we can use during sex. Because I want to have sex. With you,” she clarified as if the first part hadn’t been enough to make him blink in surprise.

Holy shit. Zach told his body to behave even as he tried to find the right way to respond. “Ummmm…”

“I know I told you I don’t really like sex, but I have really liked fooling around with you. And that website I mentioned? It’s called WowYes, and it’s all about orgasms and sexuality. We can look at it sometime if you’d like, but there were a few good ideas, like this vibrator. I got to thinking, considering everything else we’ve done, and all the toys we’ve used, I should be willing to experiment. So I ordered that. And it arrived today.”

Everything in him wanted to jump up and down, but he stuck to his guns. “I don’t want you doing anything you don’t want.”

Julia trickled her fingers down the front of his body. “Hear my words. I want. To have sex. With you.”

“Okay.” He grinned. “Which this time means hell yes, but you have to tell me if something isn’t working because we have been having sex and it’s all been fucking fantastic and—”

She covered his mouth with hers and stopped his rambling. Which totally worked.

It wasn’t as if getting the green light for sex sex was that much of a deal changer. He hadn’t lied. Every time he’d gotten to touch her and be with her had fulfilled something inside him. She needed to know that.

But as she kissed him, fingers drifting over his chest and teasing his sides, Zach figured that was a conversation for another time.

He picked her up and carried her blindly back to the bedroom, kissing the entire way. He only bounced off the kitchen counter. And the doorframe into the room.

Julia had wrapped her legs around his hips, clinging tight. He squeezed the fingers cupping her ass, sliding her against him and firing up every neuron in his body.

Lowering her to the bed made him that much hotter.

His fingers damn near trembled as he worked to take off her clothes. Pausing when each new section of skin was revealed, he used his lips and his tongue and his teeth until her nipples were pebbled tight and she was squirming.

And then he did it some more because Julia moaning as he brought her pleasure? Was the sexiest fucking thing on the planet.

She caught his arm. “More. I want more.”

He handed her the new vibrator. “Let’s see how this works.”

She showed him where the on-off button was, and together they clicked through the first couple settings on the remote control.

“Looks like fun. Shall we try it?” He slipped the flatter part of the C into her sex, which meant the top rounded portion landed squarely over her clit. “Oh, yeah. This is going to be epic.”

Julia gasped as he flipped through different settings. When the rhythm slowed to a vibration that pulsed higher then lower, she clutched his wrist. “That one.”

Zach leaned in and used his tongue. Listening to her hums and moans as she got closer to the edge made him harder and harder in anticipation. His grip on her hips let him feel when the trembling began, and that’s when he eased between her thighs, his condom-covered cock lined up with her sex.

Teasing into her made tingles start at the back of his spine. Easing the head of his cock between her folds pressed his sweet spot against her body over and over. It also meant the vibrator on the other side moved against him in a bizarrely erotic fashion.

He caught her gaze, cupping her cheek. “Yes?”

She swallowed hard, but her chin dipped rapidly. “You?”

“Hell yes.” Still watching, he slid deeper. Slowly, pausing to check if anything caused a problem.

Her eyes damn near rolled back in her head. “Oh my God.”

“Good?” Please say it’s good, because he felt fan-fucking-tastic.

She clutched his shoulders and dragged their bodies together. “Kiss me.”

He took that as a go-ahead to start a steady rhythm. Even as their lips tangled, he alternated between dragging his hips back and pressing forward. Slowly at first, their tongues dancing in the same rhythm. At least until she lifted her legs and jammed her heels into the small of his back. Strong thigh muscles drove their bodies together with an increasingly hard rhythm. She scratched her fingernails down his back, and every inch of him was fully alive and so damn happy.

“Oh my God, yes.”

The leglock around his hips combined with the tight pressure around his cock that signaled her orgasm jerked a response from him. There was no more holding back as pressure exploded from the base of his spine in a rush of pleasure that left stars bouncing in front of his eyes. Maybe it was the addition of the vibrator that sent his experience into outer space as well.

Somehow he had the presence of mind to remember that post-orgasm, Julia grew more sensitive. He twisted his hips and sadly pulled free, reaching down to nab the vibrator and shut it off.

He collapsed halfway on her, one elbow barely keeping his weight from squishing her into the mattress.

She pressed a kiss to his neck, his cheek, her rapid exhalations puffing past his sweaty skin but doing nothing to cool him.

Before they ended up with a mess to clean up, Zach slipped away to deal with the condom. When he came back and wrapped her in his arms, Julia snuggled in tight, tangling around him again, completely unashamed.

When he glanced down, her lips were curled in a contented smile.

Her head shifted from side to side on the pillow in disbelief. “I had no idea.”

“Fun, right?”

“Better than I ever remember,” she admitted wryly. “Does this mean you do have a magic penis?”

Zach laughed boldly before leaning down to kiss the tip of her nose. “It means you like a lot of clitoral stimulation. It doesn’t have anything to do with my cock being magic.”

Only she looked thoughtful. “But sex isn’t just about our bodies, Zach. It’s about our brains. You’ve never seemed to mind us using toys, and that’s made it easier. Thanks. I really enjoyed that.”

“I really look forward to doing it again,” Zach said. “And exploring your website.” A yawn escaped. “Shit. Sorry.”

She laughed, resting her forehead against his chest as she took a deep breath and yawned back.

* * *

After working shifts for so long, Julia found the transition to being ranch medic fascinating. Part of it was as she’d shared with Zach—she wanted a different kind of vibe to her daily routine. Getting to know all of the regular crew on the ranch meant some of her work involved sitting down with different groups and drinking too much coffee while shooting the breeze.

Not a bad gig.

In early December, Karen stopped by with a heads-up.

She brushed off the snow that had accumulated on her shoulders during the short trip between her house and their cabin then hung up her coat and joined Julia by the fire. “Thanks for inviting me over.”

“Want a drink, Karen?” Zach asked from where he was on dish duty that night. “With or without a kick, your choice.”

“Hot chocolate?” Karen suggested. “Without a kick, though. We’re heading into the holiday season, and heaven knows there will be enough opportunities to drink.”

“Two hot chocolates, coming right up.”

Karen winked at Julia. “I notice he didn’t bother asking you if you wanted some.”

“You invoked the word chocolate. There’s never a time I say no to that,” Julia confessed.

Karen leaned forward in her chair and held her hands toward the glowing fireplace. “Holiday planning. Since this is the first year none of us girls are in Rocky, we’ve been talking about what we want to set up for traditions. The Coleman clans usually gather in their family units on Christmas Day and then have a massive free-for-all on Boxing Day.”

It was an unexpected topic, but one that she should’ve seen coming. “I’ve got nothing, so lay it on me.”

Her sister nodded, glancing toward the kitchen briefly but then focusing back on Julia’s face immediately. “Tamara has rightly said she wants to keep up what they do in the Stone family. Finn and I have talked, and we want to have Christmas Eve for ourselves, but Christmas Day could be for more extended family. Lisa says at some point she and Josiah might be travelling during the holidays, so what it comes down to, is if we want to visit the family from Rocky, we’ve got to do it early.”

A trickle of guilt slithered in. “Does that mean Dad will be alone on Christmas Day?”

Karen shook her head. “Tamara said he’s always welcome at Silver Stone. Dad’s also told Finn that my uncles have invited him to join them, and so have a bunch of the guys he hangs out with on a regular basis. The ones who don’t have kids in the area anymore either.”

Unfortunately, it was pretty much the answer she’d expected. The uneasiness in her gut continued, and Julia hesitated. “This Christmas is going to be really weird,” she said. “I mean with the whole situation between me and Zach. I don’t know that I want to go to a big Coleman thing.”

The noises from the kitchen vanished. Suddenly, Zach was there, handing over two cups of hot cocoa piled a mile high with whipped cream.

He cleared his throat. “Sorry for eavesdropping, but I have to admit I have a holiday situation we need to discuss as well.”

Again, Julia should’ve seen this one coming. “Shoot. Do your parents expect you to join them in Manitoba?”

Zach looked astonishingly like a little kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “Sort of? If you change that to my parents are expecting us to join them, and then change Manitoba to Hawaii. Yeah.”

Karen snickered. “Awww. Julia, what a sacrifice. A trip to palm trees and sand instead of snowy fields forever?”

“Are you kidding me?” Julia finally found words, staring at Zach in disbelief.

“Sorry. I kept meaning to bring it up, but it kind of slipped my mind.”

More laughter from Karen. “Well, you two can discuss that teeny oversight once I’m gone, but here’s the plan. The Whiskey Creek girls and partners plan to head to Rocky next weekend. If you want to join us, you’re welcome. Drive out Friday, return on Sunday.”

“We’ll talk about it,” Julia promised before the conversation slipped to gift ideas for Tamara and Caleb’s children.

Sitting in the quiet by the fire once Karen was gone, a million thoughts raced in Julia’s mind.

Zach joined her, adjusting his chair until he could give her hand a squeeze. “You okay?”

She nodded, smiling as best she could. “Tell me more about the get-together in Hawaii.”

“Finn is going to laugh his ass off because he warned me to tell you this sooner. My parents have a house in Hawaii. Everybody gets to use it whenever they want to, but for about ten days around the holidays, my parents open up the place and everybody tries to join them.”

The idea was staggering. “Five sisters, four brothers-in-law, two parents, and seven kids. And they just happen to have a place that can fit that many people?”

“You remember the bit where my dad’s an inventor?”

“What did he invent? A money press?” But there were more important questions to focus on. “I thought you didn’t tell your parents that we got married.”

“I didn’t. I—” He jerked to a stop so fast she thought he’d choked on his tongue. He looked downright embarrassed before meeting her gaze again. “I told them we were dating.”

Butterflies lit in her belly for some strange reason. Julia paused for a moment and got her head on straight.

She could deal with this. It was only right that if he had to go to Rocky with her and deal with everyone who thought they were married, she could go to Hawaii, suffer through sand and sun, and pretend to be his girlfriend.

She nodded decisively, deciding to deal with the simpler problem first. “Yes, I’ll go with you. Not just because it’s Hawaii, but because I think I’d like to meet them. And because it’s Hawaii,” she admitted.

His grin flashed, familiar happiness filling his eyes. “Thank goodness, because I already booked our flights.”

She threw a pillow at him.

Then she stared at the fire and pondered the other problem for a while until Zach poked her gently. “I don’t think you’re here.”

“I’m not.” She was lost in a swirl of anger and regret.

“You want to talk about it?” he offered.

“Not sure I can explain the maze I’ve gotten myself into.” She turned toward him, curling her arms around her legs. “I’ve met bits and pieces of the extended Coleman clan before. I’m very grateful that I found my sisters. I’m learning more about my dad, and that’s sometimes good and sometimes bad. But the whole family thing gets overwhelming.”

Zach made a face. “And then I threw all of my family at you as well, which I’m sure didn’t make it any easier. I’m sorry.”

Julia blinked. “You know what? Honestly, when I think about meeting your family, it doesn’t fill me with the same sense of— I don’t know. That’s—that’s where I get stuck. It’s as if something dark and negative is hovering over one side of that equation that’s not there on the other, so it’s not just about the unknown people.”

He considered for a minute before going into solution mode. “Tossing out ideas. Do you want to go by yourself? Do you want to go a different weekend and not bother with the big Coleman event? Do you want to just go for a single day?”

“That one,” Julia said. “But not by myself. Will you come with me?”

“Of course I will. There’s no reason why we can’t head out in the morning, spend the day in Rocky Mountain House, and then come home.”

The sheer and utter relief that washed in told her that was the right decision. The peace she felt while sharing when she talked with Tony the next time confirmed it again.

Which was why early Saturday morning, she woke with a lighter heart than expected. Something still nagged at her that she couldn’t put a finger on, but with Zach’s entertaining stories to distract her on the drive, Julia pushed the worries aside.

They made it into Rocky Mountain House shortly after sunrise, driving a little distance farther into the country to where the Whiskey Creek ranch sat.

Her father came out to greet them wearing a huge smile, offering Julia a big hug.

He shook Zach’s hand and gave him a quick pat on the shoulder. “Want a tour of the place?”

“Breakfast first, Dad,” Tamara said firmly from the front porch, waving for them to come into the house.

The little girls rushed forward to grab Julia by the hand. “We got to have a sleepover,” little Emma informed her seriously. “Do you want to see our rooms or the kittens first?”

Tamara laughed, herding everyone toward the table. “Breakfast first,” she repeated.

Julia settled at the old farm table, a mixed collection of chairs assembled around the sturdy surface. Plenty of food, including lots of bacon, appeared on the table, and with Zach by her side, the room was comfortable and warm.

That’s where she kept him for the rest of the morning. Zach didn’t say anything, but she caught him hiding his smile a few times as she kept hold of his hand and refused to let him be dragged away by her father.

When Zach took to wrapping an arm around her shoulders and affectionately pressing kisses to her temples every time her dad looked, Julia found herself hiding her own amusement.

Lisa stared harder than usual, though.

In a brief moment when Zach had taken off to help Sasha and Emma capture a mama cat, her sister took the opportunity to bump their shoulders together. “You and Zach are looking pretty cozy.”

A warm sensation bloomed inside. “He’s running interference,” Julia confessed. “He’s a good friend.”

“Friend. Well, that’s good. I guess.” Lisa nodded sagely then vanished before Julia could poke her for being mysterious.

After lunch, the Whiskey Creek clan made their way to the main gathering, which turned out to be split between the two houses on the original homestead. The men disappeared into what was called the Peter’s house, while the women gathered in what was currently Jaxi and Blake’s home. Children were divvied up like packages between the two groups.

Julia instantly felt the loss of Zach by her side. She was certain the Colemans were good people, but there were just so many of them.

She stuck close to Lisa and let her sister run interference.

After a while, though, a few members of the massive crowd slipped over, pulling her into conversations in a way that Julia appreciated very much. Beth and Becky especially, one older and one younger. Becky was just noticeably pregnant, one hand resting on the soft swell of her belly as she spoke to Julia. Both women wore a quiet dignity that made it easy to relax in their company.

The ringleaders of the current generation were clearly Jaxi and Dare. Although…

Julia glanced at Lisa and the way she almost invisibly guided the conversation when necessary. Her sister, Julia decided, was a dangerous force of nature, and she was very glad to have her on her side.

For the rest, it was a little like dropping in on season seven of a TV show. The hours she spent with them offered hints of people’s characters and made Julia wonder what the individual stories were that had brought them to this place.

But they were good people, and in spite of not knowing more than that, Julia enjoyed herself.

That lingering sensation remained. The one Julia couldn’t put a name to. Which meant when Zach came to get her to take her home, she took the quick escape eagerly.

20

Zach had to catch Julia by the hand and tug her in the right direction to keep her feet moving. “Walk and gawk,” he teased.

“There are palm trees in the parking lot,” she said excitedly. She took a deep breath and nearly squealed. “The air tastes tropical.”

He herded her toward their rental car. “It doesn’t suck.”

When he stopped beside the vehicle waiting in the preferred customer pickup area, he got an appreciative grin and then a smirk out of her. “A Jeep. I totally would’ve expected you to book us a convertible.”

“And cheat on Delilah? Never.” He lifted their suitcases into the back then opened the door for her. “Besides, some of my favourite beaches require a little off-roading to access.”

The half-hour drive to his parents’ house north of the airport passed quickly with Julia all but hanging out the window as she commented nonstop on the passing scenery.

Zach poked her in the arm with a water bottle. “Rehydrate. You’re going to fall over if you don’t take a breath soon.”

She leaned forward far enough to catch his eye, delight dancing over her features. “Thank you for bringing me to Hawaii for Christmas. I’m very excited.”

“You’re welcome. And I hadn’t noticed,” he deadpanned.

The final approach to the house included a pause at the large security gate.

Julia whistled as the massive wrought-iron feature slowly swung back. “That is beautiful. It’s an entire underwater scene. Fish and coral and dolphins. Wow.”

“This is walking distance from the house. We can come back and take a closer look. It really is spectacular—there’s a ton of things hidden in the details.”

“I definitely want to do that. And I want to walk on the beach. And I want to explore tidal pools.” Her jaw dropped. “Zach. These are really big houses.”

“It’s not the size that counts, remember?”

Her snicker seemed to knock her back into balance. She pulled one foot onto the seat and wrapped an arm around her knee. “I’m just a tiny bit impressed—holy shit.”

Yeah. That was pretty much what he’d said the first time he’d seen the place. “Come on. I’ll show you around, and then we’ll come back for suitcases.”

He’d parked in the middle of the driveway since no one else was supposed to show up for a few days. He’d deliberately gotten Julia out of town early enough so she could settle in and maybe get over her shell shock before his family arrived.

She waited hesitantly at the path leading behind the tall lava stone wall that surrounded the housing complex. Her nose wrinkled—damn, adorable to the core.

He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed tight until the tension in her began to fade.

Zach tucked his lips against her cheek and nuzzled against her softly. “Feel better?”

“Still a little nervous,” she confessed. “Please tell me there’s nothing hugely valuable that I might accidentally break.”

He curled his arm around her, keeping her tight against his side as he went toward the main doors. “Remember I said my parents have the entire family here over the holidays? That includes children from toddlers to age nine, and the house is very childproof. I promise there’s nothing you can break that I haven’t broken at least once before.”

Punching in the security code for the front door, he pushed it open then gestured her ahead of him.

Julia stepped inside slowly, a quivering wow escaping her lips.

There was no getting around the fact the place was impressive. The open-area family and living rooms stretched the length of the main house. Two kitchens, a main one that faced toward the island and the second for the bar closer to the pool and ocean.

“Those windows are incredible.” She gasped and twirled toward him. “They slide, don’t they?”

“Come and help me. You may as well get the full effect.”

It took about fifteen minutes to unlock and slide all of the floor to ceiling partitions aside. With the front door wide open, and the windows facing the water parted, the entire house felt one step off the beach.

Julia poked her head around corners but came back to him, shyly slipping their hands together. She smiled. “I am very overwhelmed, but to hell with it. Lisa told me before to pretend I’d walked in on some kind of fairy tale, and that’s exactly what I’m doing.”

“Good for you.” Zach pointed toward the section she hadn’t yet explored. “Those two hallways lead to the north and east wing of the house. My parents’ master bedroom is down one, plus there are a couple of two-bedroom suites with bathrooms that my sisters’ families take over. Yes, it’s a big house, but it’s very nice that when so many people get together, everybody has their own space.”

She nodded, then to his surprise, she stepped into him and wrapped her hands around his waist. “Does that mean we have space to ourselves?”

“Right now? The entire house. And I always stay in the guest house. This way.” He walked them past the edge of the swimming pool, headed toward the cabana that was quite a bit smaller than the cabin they shared in Heart Falls. “There’s no kitchen, and the bathroom’s tiny,” he warned. “But there’s nothing wrong with that view.”

He turned to take in Julia’s expression as she stepped into the place for the first time. The sense of awe was there, but the biggest thing he saw in her expression was happiness.

“Oh my God.” She pulled him through the door and to the opposite wall of the cabana. “These open, don’t they?”

“Just like the house,” he agreed.

Minutes later the entire front of the cabana was open. A low-level wall that provided privacy without blocking their view divided the property from the public walking path. Beyond that lay lava rocks and a coral reef, the ocean waves rolling in a steady rhythm as if Mother Nature herself were breathing peace into the room.

Julia quivered on the spot then threw herself into his arms, kissing his face. She crawled up him, as if desperate to hug him even tighter. “I love it. It’s gorgeous.”

His heart pounded, and that gut feeling that something wonderful was very close by struck all over again. “Bonus, for the next ten days, you don’t have to worry about it snowing.”

She pressed her lips to his, softer now. Running her fingers through his hair. “I feel very spoiled.”

“Good.” He nibbled on her bottom lip. “Hungry?”

Julia shook her head. “I want to go for a walk on the beach. And hop in the swimming pool. If you can wait.”

“Whatever makes you happy.”

She slipped on her swimsuit in the bathroom, but before she could cover up with shorts and a T-shirt, Zach crooked a finger. “You need sunscreen.”

Which led to Zach being both very happy and very turned on. Teasing his fingers along the edge of her bikini top and sliding over her belly as he pulled her back against his front.

Board shorts did nothing to hide his body’s reaction to having her mostly naked in his arms.

She wiggled away, winking mischievously. “We can add that to the to-do list, but…beach first?”

Enjoy paradise now, and later—exactly what he’d hoped for.

Dinner was at a restaurant a few minutes’ walk down the beach. Zach twisted his chair so it sat directly beside Julia’s, with both of them looking over the sand and water toward the setting sun. He settled his arm on the edge of the chair and tangled their fingers together.

Comfortable. Natural. Dear God, please let her feel the enormity of this thing between us.

Julia lifted her wineglass in the air, touching it lightly to his. “To wonderful memories.”

Their glasses clinked. The toast was exactly what Zach wanted. Memories that they would look back on years from now, together.

He ordered a half dozen different appetizers so she could try a bit of everything. Every time she moaned in appreciation at one of the different flavours, he cursed his brilliant idea.

“This is my favourite.” She scooped up some of the crab dip and offered it to him.

Zach took the bite, catching hold of her fingers and licking them clean.

The setting sun lit her face with rose and gold, enhancing the colour on her cheeks. But the heat—

That was all them.

As the sun headed toward the horizon, Julia grew quieter. The sound of Hawaiian music drifted on the air along with the scent of kerosene from the tiki torches.

She’d curled up beside him in the loveseat, fingers clasped together as she leaned into his side while staring over the water. “I’ve been to the ocean before, but never like this.”

“Me too.” Because even though he’d visited the island many times, and even sat in that exact chair before, he’d never watched the sun set with a woman he loved.

Damn.

Zach held on to the thought for a moment. Savoured it the way they’d allowed the flavour of the wine and the good food to fill their senses before sharing the experience.

He loved her. It wasn’t just a possibility anymore. It wasn’t a good thing that might happen someday.

He honest-to-God loved her.

As colours filled the sky from the horizon to the heavens, Zach curled his arms around Julia and held on tight.

Somehow, over the next few days in paradise, he needed to find a way to let her know.

* * *

He woke her early, the sunlight pouring into the cabana an extra encouragement to get the day started on time. And when his kisses and caresses moved into something more heated, Julia was right on board.

Although she laughed when he took a small bag from his suitcase and shook it out onto the bed, three brand-new vibrators bouncing on the surface.

“I was a little worried one of them would turn on while we were going through TSA,” Zach confessed.

“I took the batteries out of the one I brought.”

He grinned as he held one in the air and wiggled it, a low buzz emitting from the device. “Rechargeable.”

Zach then proceeded to give them both what they needed to start the day off very relaxed.

Sex was followed by beach time, pool time, food, and more fooling around. Julia was totally immersed in the experience. By the afternoon of day two, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to leave when the trip was over.

Her phone went off, and she reached lazily across the side table. When she discovered it was a FaceTime call from her sisters, she nabbed it eagerly. “Hey.”

Lisa and Karen popped up in different boxes.

“Are you naked?” Lisa attempted to sound scandalized, but she was laughing too hard for it to work.

“Oh, please. That’s not a question we need answered, as long as she keeps the phone angled the right way,” Karen said dryly. “Hey, chica. Tell me you’re drinking something sweet and sitting by a pool.”

“Zach went in to make margaritas, and I can definitely give you the pool.” She twisted so her back was toward the pool with the ocean shining behind it. Her sisters’ response was highly entertaining. Julia turned the camera back on herself, propping it up on the side table so she could recline with her hands behind her head. “I’m pretty sure this is all a dream, but nobody’s doing any pinching because I’m enjoying myself far too much.”

“I hope so. This is our view.” Karen flipped the camera and held it toward the mountains. “I mean, still beautiful, but considering this is a break in the storm, there’s probably a whole lot more snow where that came from.”

The Rocky Mountains were not just clad in white, they were buried in it. Even looking through a phone screen, the icy coldness and the vast loneliness of winter fields rang out loud and clear.

Karen twisted the phone to offer an exaggeratedly pouty face. “I would take a beach right now. And the pool.”

“And the margarita, although I’d like to bring my own man. Sexy as yours is and all.” Lisa ducked as something flew past her head. “Hey, I was defending you.”

Josiah’s answer was garbled, but whatever he said made her laugh.

Karen rolled her eyes then focused on Julia. “We won’t keep you long, but we wanted you to know we had a big snowstorm. Don’t feel guilty about having abandoned your sisters to the return of an Ice Age.”

A glass appeared on Julia’s left. She took it gratefully, smiling up at Zach. “Thank you, baby.”

He leaned in and kissed her. She didn’t think anything of it, responding in kind. A brief but intense interaction that left her heart pounding.

When he pulled back, it was to offer her a wink before heading to his own recliner and stretching out.

Damn the man was fine. All muscly and lean and already turning a delicious golden colour from the sun.

A soft cough brought her back from her ogling.

Shit.

She snapped her head toward where she’d propped up her phone. “Nothing to see here,” she murmured innocently.

Karen pressed a finger to her lips, but she snickered.

Lisa just grinned.

It had to be done. Julia stuck out her tongue and then hung up to the sound of her older sisters’ laughter.

The third day, the hoard—as Zach affectionately called them—arrived.

Julia had expected to feel at least some level of discomfort, but from the minute Pamela and Zachary Senior walked in the door, there was too much chaos to feel anything except amusement.

“Zach, sweetheart. Help your father. I have no idea why he insisted on bringing all those things, because this is supposed to be a holiday,” she called the final words over her shoulder at the silver-haired gentleman struggling to pull oversize suitcases out of the back of an SUV. “You must be Julia. Come, if you’re a hugger, give me a hug. If you’re not—high fives.”

A second later, Julia found herself enveloped by two sturdy arms that squeezed briefly then set her free.

Pamela immediately filled Julia’s hands with packages to be carried to the kitchen or the coffee table or to be stacked in hallway one or two for when the rest of the family arrived.

Once his parents’ vehicle was empty, the next set of family arrived. Mattie and Ronan with their six-, seven-, and nine-year-old boys were followed by Quinn and her husband, Drew.

By lunchtime, every room in the house had been filled with Zach’s sisters, brothers-in-law, and nieces and nephews.

Julia got placed in the lineup slicing cheese for grilled sandwich production. To her left, seven-year-old Rita was explaining surfing rules as she carefully spread mayonnaise on an unending stack of bread slices.

On the other side, Zach’s sister Petra was cutting up mango for an enormous fruit salad.

“Do you want to go surfing after lunch, Miss Julia?” Rita asked eagerly.

“I don’t know how to surf,” Julia confessed. “Somebody will have to teach me.”

Rita nodded decisively. “Uncle Zach will lend you his surfboard. Auntie Petra, do you want to surf?”

“Maybe, short stuff. We have to check with your mom first, remember?” Petra offered Julia a secret wink. “Beach rules in effect. Nobody goes out alone without an adult, and nobody goes out without checking with mom and dad.”

With a very firm grip on the bottom of Julia’s T-shirt, Rita tugged. “You’re an adult.”

“I am. But your Auntie Petra’s right. Family rules—check with your mom. If it’s okay, maybe your auntie and I can come with you, and you can show me a few tricks.”

All but bouncing, Rita went back to her task, her tongue continuing to move a million miles an hour.

The entire family gathered at the massive table. Petra rose and held a bag in the air before reaching in and pulling out a stone. She glanced at the name written on the surface. “Jason. You get to start.”

The nine-year-old pushed back his chair and stood, cheeks flushed as he glanced down the table toward Julia. But he refocused across the table on his dad and spoke clearly. “I’m thankful for being here where it’s nice and warm. I’m happy to see my cousins. I hope we get to see turtles.”

He sat down instantly, but there was firm applause and appreciation as the food moved down the table.

Zach pressed his fingers onto Julia’s thigh. “Our version of saying grace. Everybody’s name is in the bag. When it’s your turn, you say something you’re thankful for, happy about, and a hope. Pretty simple.”

Pretty sweet, Julia thought. “That’s a beautiful tradition.”

Across the table, Petra helped herself to the bowl of fruit salad before passing it to Julia.

“Do you want to try surfing this afternoon?” the woman asked.

“If that works, I’d love to.”

Petra pointed a little ways from the house. “We don’t have to go far, and it’s a pretty good spot for beginners.”

The crowd of them hit the beach, umbrellas and lawn chairs set up strategically to keep the littlest ones out of the full sun.

Zach leaned in close to whisper in her ear. “You okay if I abandon you? Or do you want me to give you lessons?”

Petra put both hands on him and shoved him toward where the brothers-in-law were waiting. “Go away. I’m teaching her.”

It was too easy to laugh. Julia wiggled her fingers at Zach then gestured him off. “I already have two expert teachers,” she pointed out, because Rita was bouncing up and down beside them, eager to begin. “Go play with the boys.”

He winked and strode off with his surfboard tucked under his arm. Legs flexing with each step, board shorts nicely hugging his body.

Damn. That was one fine ass—

A snort sounded from beside her. “Okay, Rita. Once Julia is done drooling, we can teach her how to stand up on the board.”

Julia blushed but took the teasing in stride.

As the afternoon passed, it was clear there was some kind of magic involved in the day. Zach’s family welcomed her in as easily and comfortably as she could’ve hoped for. Beach time and surfing lessons slid into dinner preparation, which involved salads and carbs and preparing a whole lot of meat for the barbecue.

Everything paused right before six, though, when three-year-old Beau was handed a dinner bell that he shook vigorously. His eyes widened at the loud sound ringing from his fingertips, but he didn’t let go.

Zach caught Julia by the hand and tugged her onto the deck. “Sunset. We don’t have a lot of rituals, but this one is sacred.”

The entire family gathered, sitting in little clusters with drinks in their hands as the sun moved steadily toward the horizon. A ship with triangular sails drifted toward the giant ball of light, and even the kids seem to find stillness in that moment.

She leaned into Zach’s side. “This is astonishing.”

He stared down, the laughter in his eyes turning serious. “I’m really glad you’re here. Glad you’re having fun.”

She was having a wonderful time, and yet…

Something wasn’t right. Because as they moved back into the house and finished dinner prep, the scent of barbecue burgers and honey-glazed salmon making her mouth water, there should’ve been nothing but joy in this moment.

This time she was placed farther down the table. The closest people to her were Quinn and Mattie, and while the conversation was enjoyable, her uneasiness grew the longer the meal went on.

“Once the dude ranch is operational, where are you and Zach going to live?” Quinn scooped a little more macaroni onto her daughter’s plate before turning her attention back on Julia.

“For now, we’ll just stay in the cabin.” She glanced down the table to where Zach was laughing with his father and his oldest nephews.

“There’s land coming up for sale in the spring on the other side of our property,” Mattie said. “Zach always talked about wanting to build. I can tell them to get in touch if you’d like to check it out ahead of time.”

The sense of dread grew stronger. “I’ll mention it to Zach.”

Julia kept it together until the meal was over, but the instant plates began to be gathered, she couldn’t take it anymore.

She sprinted across the room and caught hold of Zach, tugging him with her toward their cabana. “We’ll be back in a minute.”

Zach went willingly, deep concern on his face as she closed the door behind them. “What happened? What’s wrong?”

“Everything,” Julia said. “Nothing. Oh my God, your family is wonderful. And your sisters are trying to help us buy property so we can build a house next to them.”

His brow rose, but he waited patiently. “And…?”

“And we’re lying to them.” She barely got the words out.

Everything snapped into crystal clarity. What she wanted was to sit down and have a really good cry, but that wouldn’t change anything.

The ony thing that could fix this was the truth.

Julia took a deep breath and went for it. “When we went to Whiskey Creek, I enjoyed seeing the ranch. And the Colemans are good people, really kind and caring. I couldn’t understand why I was so glad to get out of there. Why the entire time we were driving home, I was so angry inside.”

Zach closed the distance between them, wrapping her up in a hug and holding her against his body. “I had no idea.”

“They hadn’t done anything wrong. In fact, they did everything right. It wasn’t them I was angry at.” She pushed back far enough so she could look into his face. “I’m so angry at my mom. I love her immensely for everything she did for me over the years and all the sacrifices she made. But she deliberately chose to keep the truth from me—and it was wrong.”

“Oh, Jules. I’m sorry.”

Emotions continued to flood in, understanding rising. Julia needed to put into words why this was so important, here and now.

“Mom didn’t just keep the truth from me, she kept it from my dad. She kept it from my sisters. I’m not pretending that we would’ve all had some magical happily ever after, because we don’t know if she and dad could’ve made it as a couple.

“But she stole a future where I would’ve gotten to know my sisters. Where my dad could’ve had a chance to have different people in his world, and the trickle-down to that would’ve been huge for the Whiskey Creek girls.”

She rested her head against Zach’s chest, listening to his heartbeat under her ear.

He rubbed her back slowly. “You’re right. And I’m sorry,” he repeated.

The next thing had to be said. “She lied, and I really wish she hadn’t. I have to do better.”

Zach went still. “Go on.”

“I don’t want us to lie anymore.” She wiped at her eyes but stepped back, standing firmly as she met his gaze. “Okay, that doesn’t mean I want to share every detail, but I really think we need to tell your family part of what’s going on.”

He swallowed hard. “And what’s going on, Julia?”

“That we accidentally got married. That we’ve agreed as friends to make this work.” She frowned. “Does your family know about Bruce?”

Zach’s lips twitched. “Yes. Bruce was one of my dad’s best friends, so they pretty much understand he was a wild card.”

The tight knot in her chest began to ease. “Are you okay if we do this? I feel as if I need to take charge of at least one little corner of my world. And while it doesn’t change what my mom did, or how it affected the Whiskey Creek world, it means your family won’t be imagining things that aren’t real.”

He smiled, although his eyes didn’t light up the same as usual. “If it makes you happy, of course we can go tell them. Although I think we may want to continue to call what we’re doing dating. I don’t think Mom and Dad would be comfortable with the concept of friends with benefits.”

Damn. She hadn’t thought of that. Julia supposed there were layers to truth-telling.

“As long as it slows them down from making wedding plans for us in the spring.” Even with the dating twist added, her sense of relief continued to grow. “Can we start with your parents? And not do a big general announcement?”

Zach curled his arms around her, squeezing tight before pushing her toward the bathroom with a pat on the butt. “My parents will be suitably shocked, amused, and horrified on our behalf. And my sisters as well, once we tell them. I’ll grab Mom and Dad and light the fire pit. You wash up, and I’ll meet you there.”

Which is how, not even fifteen minutes later, she and Zach sat across the fire pit from his very curious parents.

Julia caught Zach’s hand in a death grip as she stiffened her spine and took a deep breath before admitting the truth. “We accidentally got married this past fall.”

21

Julia’s words triggered a response in Zach’s parents that was pretty much what he’d expected. Shock, naturally, followed immediately by amusement mixed with equal parts of concern.

“Interesting. Care to elaborate?” His mother leaned back in her chair, gaze darting between him and Julia. “Wait. First, Julia? Are you okay, sweetheart?”

A little gasp escaped Julia’s lips at the obvious concern in Pamela’s tone, but she nodded. “Just a little nervous.”

“There’s no need to be. Since I doubt this was a secret from Zach, and he brought you here, it means he trusts you. Which means we trust you,” Zachary Senior insisted. He eased in close enough to pat his son on the shoulder. “Although I do admit I always figured Petra would be the one to do something like this.”

“Just wait,” Zach offered. “This means she gets to do something even more off-the-wall.”

“Heaven forbid. Okay, tell us the details.” His mother sipped her mai tai as if she didn’t have a care in the world.

Zach kept the explanation simple, skipping the parts that involved nudity and playing down the drunken bit as much as possible.

Julia sat quietly, fingers squeezing his as he spoke.

When he hit the kicker about the financial obligation to stay married for a year, his father let out an exasperated groan. “That was Bruce for you. He could never resist interfering.”

Pamela shook her head then focused once again on Julia. She opened her mouth and then closed it. A second time she started, but this time spinning her attention to Zach. “Well. All right, then. You can move into the spare room off the house, and Julia can have the cabana to herself.”

Shit. As expected. “It’s okay, Mom. We’re dating now.” Zach leapt in, hoping Julia wouldn’t change her mind and cave to the suggestion.

“We just didn’t want you to get the idea that this is anything—” Julia hesitated. Tried again. “Zach and I are friends. But…” She sighed, an enormous tired sound. “It’s complicated.”

Zachary Senior nodded slowly before clapping his hands together and looking at them brightly. “Well, as long as things are okay with you, then things are okay with us. But for heaven’s sake. If you need someone to talk to—”

“That’s okay,” Zach hurried to assure him, because while he and his father could have this discussion, he did not need his mother getting involved. His mother would somehow make the conversation revolve around sex, and that was utterly out of the question. “We’ve got it covered.”

Zach gave Julia a break and gathered his sisters together for a quick and dirty rundown of the situation. He did not offer any of them the code to their wedding ceremony video.

Petra was the first to haul Julia into a hug, and when the rest of them followed suit, smiles and support obvious in their actions, Zach took the opportunity to slip out of the house and head to the beach.

His soul hurt.

His brisk walk faded to a shuffle then to nothing at all as he stared at the lights shining off the water from the houses bending around the bay.

Zach found a rock to settle on, stretching his legs in front of him as he tried to find his internal balance.

Julia wanted to tell the truth. He had honoured that request in the same way he’d tried to for the past months of doing what made her happy.

But the fact she didn’t see them as more than friends yet cut him to the core. Because that was the truth he wanted. The truth he needed desperately.

He picked up rocks, mindlessly tossing them into the waves.

Behind him, stone clinking on stone warned of someone’s approach. When his father settled beside him, Zach wasn’t too surprised.

Still, he tried to deflect. “Nice night for stargazing.”

Zachary Senior laughed. “You are a shitty liar, son.”

“I’m a very good liar,” Zach insisted before sighing out a complaint. “You just happen to have all my same tells, so you get to cheat and see what I’m trying to hide.”

“Yeah, well. Sorry about that.” His dad matched his position, staring up and nodding. “It is a good night for stargazing. Might even spot the ISS later.”

They sat for another few minutes before his father spoke again. “You really like this woman, don’t you?”

“Yup.”

A warm hand landed on his shoulder. “Bruce messed things up for you, didn’t he?”

“Maybe. Maybe this time with Julia is the best thing I’ve got going for me.” Zach glanced sideways. “I’m not that terrible a bet. This means I’ve got time to prove it.”

“Have you told her how you feel?”

“How can I?” The complaint snapped out. Zach shoved to his feet and started pacing again. “She’s trapped, Dad. Can you just imagine how terrible it would be for me to announce that I’m in love with her when she can’t escape for another nine months? And I can’t complain because she’s doing this to save me. And to save…”

He slammed his lips shut before he gave away the detail about the impact on Finn as well.

It didn’t work. Either his father could read him like a book, or he knew his former friend too well. “Bruce did something else, didn’t he?”

Zach sighed. “It’s not just my finances but the entire corporation that will be affected.”

“Ahh.” His dad stood as well, staring over the water with his problem-solving face on. He turned to Zach with a grin. “So. What are you going to do about it?”

Zach shrugged. “Nothing to do. Wait, and try to convince Julia to fall in love over the upcoming months.”

“Great plan A. What’s plan B?”

He eyed his father. “This isn’t an experiment where you try twelve dozen different ways to invent a gizmo.”

“No, it’s your life, and if there’s a chance you can be happy tomorrow instead of waiting nine months, I think a little experimentation is a valuable thing.” Zachary Senior clicked his tongue disappointedly. “You’re better at brainstorming than this. You’ve been discombobulated by the woman, that’s for certain.”

“Thanks, Dad. I take it that’s the official verdict for me not knowing what the hell to do?”

His father shrugged. “She’s a nice girl. You’re a nice boy. I like symmetry in my world.”

Amusement drifted in despite his frustration. “Love you, Dad. I’ll think about other plans, but please, don’t interfere. And do me a favour and don’t let Mom start lecturing us on safe sex.”

Zachary Senior pulled a face. “You might want to get to your bathroom before Julia does. I think your mother mentioned she planned to leave a box of condoms on the counter with some literature about the best ways for Julia to avoid urinary tract infections.”

“Dad.” Dear God. Zach headed back to the house in hopes he could cut that one off at the pass.

“Sorry, but you’ll discover the good part about loving a strong woman is they have a mind of their own. You never can tell what they’re going to do next. Other than try to embarrass their children. That’s a given.”

Christmas Eve arrived, then Christmas Day. Holidays in Hawaii meant the sound of the ocean mixed with Christmas carols. With his family involved, there was always someone around to chat with.

Julia bloomed. It was the only way to describe it.

She played with his nieces and nephews, chatted with his sisters, and teased his brothers-in-law. Together they beat his parents so badly at cribbage, they’d refused to play anymore.

Surrounding their time together was laughter. The delight shining out of her filled every available space until she was damn near glowing with it.

Zach held on to every precious memory as if they were diamonds pulled from the hidden depths of a mine. Every day he thought about his father’s question of what could be done to make happiness arrive today instead of months from now.

He hadn’t found the answer yet, but he was getting closer.

In the meantime, getting to watch Julia shine, getting to hold her in his arms at night, getting to see her find her place in his family—because that was totally what she was doing—filled him with peace.

Sunset on Christmas Day, she curled up at his side, rested her head on his shoulder, and sighed contentedly.

It was impossible to resist. He pressed a kiss to her temple and curled his arm around her tighter. “Hawaii looks good on you.”

“It’s been an amazing experience.” Her fingers traced lines on his thigh almost unconsciously. “I can’t believe we still have another five days.”

“That might give them time to dig everything out in Heart Falls,” he teased. “Finn says the next time we take off for a long period of time at Christmas, he’s going to take it as a warning that another snow-pocalypse is nigh.”

She laughed then fell silent. The contentment pouring off her was easy to sense. Her gaze stayed fixed on the sunset as she spoke. “I’m glad you got to talk to Finn.”

He was as well. They’d had a long overdue conversation that would be discussed in more detail in a couple days. Once Finn and Karen had a chance to discuss matters. “How was Christmas for your sisters?”

Julia smiled. “Ollie got a new squeaky toy, and Dandelion Fluff stole it. Karen said she and Lisa wandered into the kitchen an hour later and discovered the cat and the dog curled up together in the dog bed, each with one paw around the stuffed sheep.”

“Awww. Besties.”

“Yup.” She glanced up at him, staring at his lips as she tangled her fingers around the blue larimar necklace he’d bought her a couple days earlier at the wharf. “Merry Christmas. It’s been another good day. Thank you for my present.”

“You’re welcome.” He took the opening she was clearly offering and kissed her.

Then he directed his attention back to the sunset, and his family, and the plans B, C, and D that he’d begun to put in place. Mostly to keep from grabbing the matching blue larimar ring he had also bought, dropping to one knee, and asking her to make it real.

His time was coming. Not yet, but soon…

Very soon.

* * *

For the first time since they’d arrived in Hawaii, the sky was grey in the morning. Julia’s walk along the shore that day was with Mattie and Quinn, both of them trying to outdo each other with stories about Zach growing up that made her laugh.

She reentered the house with them, and three tall, handsome men broke off from where they’d been taking care of children and breakfast prep to offer their women a hug and a kiss.

The six- and seven-year-olds groaned and rolled their eyes, but the nine-year-old offered a kissy noise in his parents’ direction. Ronan growled then sprinted after him, and the room burst into laughter and screams and family connection.

Zach’s arm around her tightened, but it was the motion of his chest revealing his laughter that made her lean in and turn to cup his face. “You’re a goof, but I see now it runs in the family.”

“Yup.” He tapped her nose. “The kids want to make giant sandcastles this morning. Want to come or hang out with my sisters?”

Quinn wandered past, speaking softly. “Ahem. No kid time. The guys have them allllll morning, and we’re having a ladies-only pool party.”

Across the room, Petra mock whispered. “We have really good C-H-O-C-O-L-A-T-E stashed away.”

Julia turned toward Zach and fluttered her lashes. “Thank you for the invite, but I think I need to stay and supervise. Act as lifeguard and make sure no one has a melting incident.”

He laughed, leaning in to speak for her ears only “You’re getting along with everyone?”

“They’re lovely. Go. Have fun.”

He waggled his brows. “I’ll need help washing off the sand later. Just a heads-up.”

Her cheeks heated, but with the fresh tan she’d been building, maybe no one noticed.

The noise of grown men herding children faded in the distance. Grandma and Grandpa had gone along to help, and suddenly it was Julia with Zach’s five sisters.

Petra lifted her hands in the air and did some crazy dance moves. “Okay, girls. I’m bartender. Name your poison. If I remember from last year, though, two drinks off the top, then we’ll switch to fruity cocktails.” She glanced at Julia. “The kids might be gone, but they’ll be back. We don’t tend to tie one on too hard when children are liable to start screaming at any moment.”

“Good plan,” Julia said with a nod. “I’ll help you serve. Everyone else, go relax.”

It wasn’t too much later that they were all floating in the pool or sprawled in reclining lounges, telling stories about the kids, sharing memories from growing up, and enjoying the sunshine that had arrived as the sky cleared.

Maybe the past months of spending ample time with her own sisters had changed things. Julia felt not just comfortable but welcome in their midst. The same way that Lisa, Karen, and Tamara had opened their hearts and homes to her.

Just like Zach, even from that first moment.

Mattie had just finished a story about Ronan coming to her defense in high school, and she turned an inquisitive gaze on Julia. “You look ready to burst. What did our brother save you from?”

“What’s that?”

Quinn pointed a finger. “Your turn to dish. Come on. We never get to hear how well our little brother turned out. That’s really not fair after we spent so much time and energy training him.”

“Exactly,” Mattie said. “You’re welcome for him never leaving the toilet seat up.”

Which was something to be thankful for, although Julia smirked at the memory of the other little battle they were still engaging in over the toilet paper roll.

“Zach’s a great guy.” She considered how to phrase this, her newfound determination to stick to the truth battling with the knowledge that not everything needed to be said. “He’s also bossy. The first time he saw the bachelor pad where I was living, he refused to let me stay there any longer. He found me another place where it was safer.”

“Was it that bad?” Quinn asked.

“Maybe worse. I was grateful to have one less thing to worry about.” Although it was interesting how fast things had escalated after that point. She never had left his cabin.

Mattie nodded thoughtfully. “He is protective. Learned it from Dad, I imagine.”

“Definitely,” Quinn agreed. “Dad somehow found the balance between letting us explore the world and yet always being there the instant we needed backup.”

Thinking back, it was easy for Julia to see that trait in Zach. “It’s nice to have someone who’s got your back without mowing you down at the same time.” She thought of something amusing to share. “He’s sneaky bossy, but in a totally sweet way. Like, he let me drive his car once—the day we put it into storage for the winter. Then he made me ride shotgun in my own car on the way home.”

The pool area went utterly still at her laughing comment. Five sets of jaws dropped.

Petra blinked. “He let you drive Delilah?”

“Once,” Julia pointed out with a laugh. Thinking back to how sweet it had been to handle the classic car made her smile, though. “Short lived success, I guess.”

Another story followed, and the feeling of connection continued to grow. The older women got caught up in a discussion about kids’ activities for the new year. Julia found her recliner floating farther from them toward the opposite side of the pool.

Petra laughed, letting go of the rope she’d used to bring Julia to her side. “I’m so glad you’re here. When they start in on the mom talk, my eyes start to cross after the first hour.”

“I think it’s pretty natural when you get a big group together. With my sisters, only one has kids so far. The kid focus tends to be a sprinkling instead of an onslaught.”

“Good description,” Petra said dryly. “Tell me more about your job. I work in IT, where it’s all desk jockeys and keyboards. What exactly do you do at the ranch?”

Getting to talk about one of her favourite things was no hardship. Although it was telling to notice how often Zach’s name came up during their conversation. Julia kept mentioning him and everything that he’d done over the past months while they’d spent time together.

His little sister began smiling every time Julia said his name. Finally, she outright laughed. “Are you sure he’s not working in the office with you?”

Guilty. “We do end up around each other a lot. I hadn’t realized how much until now,” Julia admitted. “I like him. He’s a pretty special guy.”

“He is. I approve of him as a big brother.” Petra glanced slyly at Julia. “I know you guys explained about the whole accidentally-married thing, but it seems as if there’s more to the story.”

The parts they were keeping secret were going to stay that way, as far as Julia was concerned.

She shrugged. “I guess you can say that we’re good friends now. Zach’s always doing things for his friends. I like being able to do things in return for him.”

The other woman eyed her, curiosity rising. “Friends. Well, that’s good. I guess.”

Julia laughed. “You sound like my sister, Lisa.”

“She’s a very smart woman.” Petra leaned forward on her elbows, the inflatable chair under her rocking slightly from side to side. “Just so you know? I’ve seen my brother with his friends. And yes, he’s a very giving man, but I’ve never heard of him letting anyone drive Delilah other than his bestie. I’ve never seen Zach look at another woman the way he looks at you.”

“Probably because nobody else has ever had the power to take away everything he’s worked for.” Julia tried to say it as if it were a joke, but her throat had grown tight.

When Petra just stared at her steadily for a moment, that knot slid into her chest and grew tighter.

Finally, Petra shook her head. “Honey, you might need to do a reassessment. Because I don’t think my brother’s worried about his pocketbook. If you want to talk about having the power to take something away, you might start by focusing on something in this area.” She tapped a hand against her chest.

Julia wanted to protest. She wanted to explain how important it was for not just Zach but the rest of her family for them to survive this year. How if it was only the two of them on the line, maybe they would’ve been able to give up by now, but not when Finn and Karen would also be affected.

The rest of the family returned as lunchtime approached. The quiet conversation was over, but Petra’s words kept drilling through her brain.

He’s never looked at another woman the way he looks at you.

That night, as Zach caught her fingers in his and tugged her toward the edge of the deck so they could get into prime sunset viewing position, Julia couldn’t keep the truth hidden from herself anymore.

She didn’t want Zach to have to act as if she were important to him just to keep her family from being rightly upset at the tangled mess they were in. She didn’t want this to be pretend. She wanted the kisses and the cuddles to mean something. She wanted the time that they spent in bed exploring new ways to make each other happy to be the beginning of forever, not a short-term, temporary distraction.

Beside her, Zach adjusted position so he could curl his arm around her. His lips pressed briefly to her temple, a tender move that nevertheless drove a stake into her soul.

She wanted this to be real. Because for her, it already was.

Julia Blushing had fallen in love with her husband, and that realization just might break her.

The sun took its time gathering colours this evening. Feminine laughter swirled around them along with childish voices.

Little Beau came stumbling over on his sturdy toddler legs, eyes blinking hard as if desperately trying to stay awake even as he held pudgy fingers up to his uncle.

As easy as breathing, Zach leaned over and picked up his nephew, settling the little guy in his lap with one arm wrapped around him to keep him in place before he reached back for Julia’s fingers and held on tight.

She caught herself staring at the sunlight reflected over the little boy and the man at her side. Beau rested his cheek on Zach’s chest, thumb in his mouth as he stared back, eyes drooping in spite of his determination.

This. She wanted this as well—a family. From the interfering parental units to the sisters on both sides who would never stop asking the hard questions or making her see what was right there in front of her face. She wanted children with Zach’s blue eyes, and she wanted to be able to see him guide them with laughter and kindness and truth.

No lies. Nothing but a firm foundation and a home built on love.

Her breath caught in her throat, because for one moment she had a perfect vision of what she wanted, and what could be—

Except that foundation could tumble away at any moment because it wasn’t built on truth. It was built on Zach and her trying to do the right thing for others, and that’s where the whole thing was going to tip over and break into a million pieces.

That’s where her mom had gone wrong. Making a decision that forced others’ hands and didn’t let them decide for themselves. She couldn’t do it.

Zach glanced at her, concern slipping in. “You okay?”

She forced a smile. Fortunately, before she had to say something that would be an outright lie or to explain that in this case okay meant one step away from breaking apart because everything in my world is no longer real, Beau jolted halfway awake, his arms flailing.

It took a second for Zach to soothe him, adjusting position so the toddler lay cradled against his chest. Long enough for Julia to slide her worries into a box and seal it up firmly to be dealt with in the morning.

She wanted one more night before facing the truth that in this fairy tale, the happily ever after wasn’t real.

Much, much later, after dinner and games and family time were done, starlight glittered overhead as the final good-nights of the evening were said. She and Zach were the last ones left outside, sitting on the edge of the pool with their feet dangling in the water.

Zach’s hand reached around her, fingers gently cupping her hip as he pressed his lips to the back of her neck. “I like it when you wear your hair up. I get to touch all the sweet, soft parts of you.”

She tilted her head to expose more skin. “We could take this to our cabana. I wouldn’t mind finding some sweet, soft spots either.”

“Hard. There’s an awful lot of hard spots you might need to discover first,” Zach growled.

Stealing away as if someone was about to stop them, they slid into the room, hands reaching for each other. Touching, stroking.

Memorizing. This might be the last time, and it wasn’t about how well they had fit together or all the things that she’d learned about physical pleasure from him.

No. As he pressed his lips against her skin, teasing each intimate spot that he found, as she stroked her fingers down the muscular lines of his torso. As they kissed deeply, bodies meshing together—

It wasn’t just physical.

Moonlight and starshine poured over the bed, shining in the open doors facing the ocean. Zach rolled her under him, his hips pulsing slowly as he pushed his cock deep into her sex, the sound of the ocean filling the small room.

There was magic, Julia could’ve sworn there was. But just like the fairy tales where in the morning everything was back to normal, this too was fleeting.

It was perfect. It was broken.

Zach caught their fingers together, pinning their hands to the mattress. Julia stared into his face, at the pleasure there, the sweet caring and understanding.

Her body betrayed her, and for once in her life an orgasm rushed in far too quickly when she would’ve liked this to have gone on forever.

“Julia.” Zach stilled over her, hips pulsing as he came.

She cupped his cheek and kept her smile in place. Let the physical satisfaction be enough, even though inside, her heart was breaking.

An hour later, after they’d cleaned up and returned to the bed, Zach wrapped his arms around her and almost instantly fell asleep. She wasn’t so lucky.

She lay there, examining his features. Wishing desperately she’d been brave enough to tell him the truth. But as he breathed evenly, chest rising and falling, the faintest hint of a smile still curling his lips, it was all she could do to stay in one place and not shout it out to the heavens.

“I love you.” The words were a bare whisper off her lips, but they shouted so loud inside her that it felt as if her entire body vibrated with the echo. “I love you so much.”

It was the truth, rising from the core of her being.

Which was why she had to let him go.

22

Zach had been hoping for an early-morning birthday present, but when he rolled over, Julia wasn’t in the bed. The sliding doors were still open to the ocean, though, and contentment pooled in his limbs as he stretched then made his way to vertical.

She’d gotten into the habit of walking the beach every morning. He couldn’t blame her, and considering he hoped today would end up being extra special, he could give her the space to wander and enjoy her time off.

Last night had been spectacular, and he could only hope that today would be even better.

He went to grab some coffee from the kitchen. His mom rose from where she’d been settled at the table to come and give him a hug and a kiss. “Happy birthday, little man.”

“Mom,” he complained, squeezing her extra hard before stepping out of her embrace. “Please.”

She smiled smugly. “Sorry, darling. You’re always going to be my little man.”

“Be thankful your nickname wasn’t something dreadful like snookums.” Petra appeared to offer her own rib-rattling hug. “Happy birthday, big brother.”

“Hopefully,” he said with a wink.

That earned him a massive eye roll. “Is your better half sleeping in?”

“Think she hit the beach already,” Zach said as he filled a cup and headed toward the deck, debating if he should pour a second one for her and have it ready when she returned.

His father drifted into the room, papers in his hand that he was staring at with utter confusion. “Zach? Can I see you for a minute?”

Zach glanced at his mom to make sure she hadn’t noticed. He put an arm around his father and guided him from the room. “If Mom sees you working, there’ll be hell to pay,” he said.

Zachary Senior looked up and blinked. “I’m not working. These came through on the fax. They’re for you, but they make no sense.”

“For me?”

His father tugged the papers out of his reach. “Put your coffee down.”

Shit. Zach all but threw his cup at the nearest side table. “I don’t like the sounds of this,” he warned.

His father held the papers forward. “I don’t think you’re going to like how it reads, either.”

Zach glanced at the cover page only for long enough to read the from part. Alan Cwedwick.

Why would his lawyer be sending three full pages of a small enough print to require a magnifying glass? Zach peered at the opening paragraphs to find tons of legalese. “I wonder if my birthday triggered something in Bruce’s files.”

His dad pushed aside the papers so he could point to the last page. “I’m not sure, but this part seems pretty easy to interpret.”

Still legalese, but part of the sentence was easy to interpret.

—granting divorce proceedings to terminate the marriage—

What? What?

His gaze snapped up to meet his father’s. “These are divorce papers. For me and Julia?”

“That’s how I read it. Umm, apologies for reading your mail, but I didn’t—”

Zach marched away from his father, all but sprinting back to the cabana to grab his phone. Waiting for the call to go through to Alan was painful.

“Good morning. How’s the birthday boy today?”

Zach was all but vibrating, but shouting obscenities at the other man wouldn’t get him answers. “You sent me divorce papers.”

“Oh. You got them already.” Alan clicked his tongue a couple of times. “I suppose you want an explanation.”

“You think?” Zach stepped out onto the small porch, glancing up and down the path to see if he could spot Julia anywhere. “Did Finn talk to you? Does this mean—”

“Finn? No, I haven’t heard from him recently.” It was Alan’s turn to sound confused. “Julia got in touch with me this morning.”

Everything inside Zach went still. “Julia did.”

“Yes. She wanted to double-check again if there was some way that you could be released from the one-year requirement. We worked something out.”

Over the past forty-eight hours, Zach had finally triggered plans that he thought would break the stalemate between them. Finally move him and Julia toward the relationship he’d always wanted.

Inside, hope died. “This is real. We’re not married anymore.”

“It’s real. You and Julia are no longer married.”

He looked down to discover his fingers trembling as he held the papers. “And you haven’t talked to Finn. Or Karen.”

“Just Julia. And now you.” Alan’s voice turned soothing. “Breathe, Zach. Trust me.”

The urge to burst into hysterical laughter was so damn high. Only he spotted Julia’s flame-tinted hair in the distance. “Don’t do me any more favours for a while,” he warned. “I need to go.”

“Talk to Julia,” was the last thing Zach heard as he hung up.

He was out on the path an instant later, marching toward her. Jumbled emotions bounced with every step. He was so angry. So sad. So confused, and frustrated, and furious.

Zach stepped off the path into a small clearing where the more rugged rocks had been levelled to leave a big enough space to place lawn chairs or tripods for viewing the sunsets. That gave him a place to stand as Julia made her way closer.

Her gaze was down, watching her footing, and it gave him time to just stare at her, the long length of her legs and her strong arms kissed golden by the sun over the past days. Her hair hung loose around her shoulders, the highlights all but sparkling.

The papers in his hand couldn’t be real.

She glanced up and spotted him. She smiled briefly before her expression faded, and she hurried forward, concern rising. “What’s wrong?”

He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

Julia stood before him, gripping his arms and all but shaking him. “Zach. Are you okay?”

He shoved the papers at her. “Alan sent these.”

She froze. “Oh. Already?”

Zach stood there with his hand stretched out. He shook them. “Is this what you wanted? Because I’ve been telling you all along that you needed to do what makes you happy. Is this what you want?”

She peeled the papers from his grasp. “I don’t know what these say. I called Alan this morning—”

“So I heard. And that’s what he sent.”

She lifted them, squinting at the small print. “What—”

His patience was at an end. Truth was, he didn’t care what the papers said.

“I contacted Finn on Christmas Day,” Zach admitted. “Told him the whole thing about us having to be together for a year wasn’t just about me losing the company but him too.”

Julia stiffened, the papers in her hand forgotten. “We agreed we wouldn’t tell them.”

Zach shook his head. “I agreed I wouldn’t tell Karen, but you reminded me that the truth makes a difference. While it’s not fair our actions could impact them, they have the right to know. They have the right to make their own choices and have their thoughts heard.”

He stepped closer, catching hold of her fingers.

Her eyes were wide as her gaze snapped up to his.

“Just like your mom should’ve told you the truth. It would’ve been hard, and it would’ve been messy, but a different kind of relationship would’ve come after you’d dealt the messy. I realized that, even while I kept my promise to you. I told Finn and left it up to him what he wanted to do about telling Karen.”

She wiggled the papers in the air. “Did you lose everything?”

Only the most important thing ever. Her.

Except, Julia wasn’t acting like somebody who had been desperate to get divorced. Zach took a deep breath and decided to lay it all out.

“It’s never been about the money. I want you. I’ve always wanted you, and the money can go to hell. I’d rather work a minimum wage nine-to-five somewhere with you beside me than have all the money in the bank.”

She blinked as if he were speaking a foreign language and she had to translate. “But you had no choice.”

“About what part? The bit where you kissed me and asked for me to be your pretend boyfriend? The part where I refused to let you stay somewhere unsafe? The part where I did yoga every fucking week? Julia, I’ve always had a choice. Even in the have to stay married for one year or else bullshit—if it hadn’t been something I wanted to do, I damn well wouldn’t have done it.”

Her cheeks had grown rosy and her fingers tightened around the papers, clutching them hard enough that they would be impossible to lay out flat.

“Why?” The word came out soft and broken. She straightened her shoulders and took a deep breath, meeting his gaze straight on, and this time when she spoke, it was a demand. “Why?”

“The reason I let it stand is because I thought it would give me time to convince you to choose me for yourself.”

A hint of a smile curled her lips. “Choose you for what?”

For fuck’s sake. He pretty much shouted the words. “Your husband, dammit. Your partner. Your lover and your forever.”

The furrow between her brows wasn’t the same as usual. This time it looked as if her expression was being contorted between contrasting emotions. Not even the hint of moisture gathering in her eyes was enough to make him stop.

“So, choose, Julia Gigi Blushing, because this is it. What the hell is going to make you happy?”

She jerked her hand from his, and for a split second—

“You.” Julia threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and squeezing like an octopus. “I want you.”

* * *

Julia’s heart was ready to burst from her chest. The papers he’d passed her had escaped her grip and were now being consumed by the ocean.

She’d spent the past forty-five minutes alternating between despair and hope, and the last five in utter confusion all the way up until Zach had gotten angry.

She held on tight, his grip around her body an ironclad reminder of the words he just demanded. “What just happened?” she whispered.

A soft chuckle escaped him, but he simply adjusted his grip, bouncing her higher so he could look her in the face. “I think we sort of just had our first fight.”

“You’re a shitty fighter,” she said. “And I totally won.”

“Not much of a victory considering I’m a shitty fighter and all,” he teased back. He took a deep breath as he rested their foreheads together. “You scared me. I thought you had asked Alan for a way out.”

She wiggled until he let her go. “I kind of did, to be honest, but for good reasons.”

They settled on the rocks at the edge of the clearing, fingers still tangled, knees bumping.

Zach caught her chin in his fingers, gazing into her eyes. “First things first. I love you.”

Oh my God. She swallowed hard. “Me too.”

She caught the briefest flash of his grin before he leaned in and kissed her, putting action to the words that only he had actually said—good fumble, Blushing.

When they separated, she fixed her mistake. “I’ve been in love with you for a while, but it sank in clearly yesterday.”

He brushed his thumb over her bottom lip. “So why did you get in touch with Alan?”

“Why did you get in touch with Finn? Because you needed to tell him the truth. Because you wanted him to make decisions based on the truth. That’s what you just said, right?”

Zach nodded.

“Me too. I want to be with you, and I’m so glad you want to be with me. But, Zach, you didn’t have a choice. I know you say you did, but you didn’t. I called Alan to see if he could help me find a way to set you free to do what would make you happy.”

It had been one of the most awkward conversations of her life, but staring into Zach’s love-filled expression, it had been worth every embarrassing moment.

Zach’s grin got wider. “So, let me get this straight. You phoned Alan and told him that you love me.”

No use in feeling embarrassed about it now. “Pretty much.”

He leaned in. “Good for you.”

She supposed. She glanced over her shoulder to where the papers were now ocean litter. “We’re not married anymore.”

The sweet sound of his laughter rumbled around her. “We could do something about that. And I mean something that doesn’t require tequila or BRIDE and GROOM T-shirts.”

Her heart rate kicked up again. “Do you want to get married for real?”

The smile she received flashed sunlight bright. “I do. Thank you for asking. I am so going to gloat to everyone that you proposed to me.”

“Did I just—?” Oh my God, she had. Julia slapped a hand over her mouth for a second before grabbing hold of his shoulders and going in for a hug. “Okay, fine. We’re going to get married for real.”

But first she was going to savour the sensation. The complete rightness of being in his arms. Of being held tight and knowing that this was exactly where he wanted to be.

Knowing that they belonged with each other not because of some accident or twist of fate. Not because of liquor and circumstance.

Because of choice.

Speaking of which. Julia pushed back. “What do you think about a fall wedding?”

He lost some of his smile. “Um, really? I was kind of thinking beach wedding, this afternoon.”

She shook her head. “We did the fast and oops type of wedding once. Maybe it would be good to take our time this go-round. Have our friends and family involved. Besides, that will give us something to look forward to.”

“Then we can make it the fall. We need a memorable day—since there’s not much about the first time we actually remember,” he teased. His expression brightened. “But I do have one thing to make right now unforgettable.”

He reached into his pocket and to her utter surprise, pulled out a shining blue ring that made her heart sing with happiness.

“It’s gorgeous.”

“Which means it’s perfect for you.” He slipped onto her finger.

She kissed him again, mostly because she could. Falling into his love and his caresses and caring.

A small cough sounded beside them, and they broke apart to discover Rita standing a few inches away. “Excuse me, Uncle Zachary. Grandpa wants to know if you’re okay. I told him I thought you were because you were kissing Julia, and you shouldn’t kiss somebody if you’re not feeling well.” She turned her gaze on Julia and added very earnestly, “Germs.”

“Very true,” Julia whispered back. “Kissing is a dangerous business.”

Rita shrugged then glanced back at her uncle. “If everything’s okay, can you come back to the house? Everybody’s waiting for your birthday breakfast, and Mom says I can’t have whipped cream until you’re there.”

Zach tangled his fingers around Julia’s. Both of them stood as he nodded seriously to his niece. “I’m very sorry we held up breakfast and the whipped cream. Everything is wonderful, so we’d better go get my birthday party started.”

Only two steps down the path, Julia spotted the rest of the family. Their heads poked out of windows and around corners, a sea of worried expressions as they waited for their return.

Rita danced on ahead, leaving them a little privacy. Julia tugged on Zach’s fingers. “Does your whole family know? About the divorce?”

“Just my dad, unless he told everybody.”

Up ahead of them, Zachary Senior had taken a very visible position. He’d climbed on top of the fence and stood like a sentinel. But he had his finger pressed over his lips and offered them a wink.

“I think we’re safe for now,” Julia informed Zach. “Let’s deal with your birthday first. We can let everybody know the rest of the plans in a couple days.”

“Good idea.”

A table full of people who loved him had gathered to sing “Happy Birthday.” There were plates stacked high with pancakes and more than one bowlful of whipped cream and peaches waiting.

This time the bag full of names was left on the counter. Zach remained on his feet as the birthday song concluded.

“Since it’s my birthday, it’s my turn to share.” He glanced down the table, making eye contact with each person there. “This year, I am thankful as always for my family. For how much each one of you means to me and how much you challenge me to be a better brother, son, uncle, and friend.”

His gaze twisted to spotlight Julia. He caught her fingers and pulled her to her feet. “I am happy this year to be able to add another title to that list. We won’t worry about the specific name, but it comes down to this—I am happy to be Julia’s.”

His sisters were awwwing. Petra wiped her eyes.

Not good. Julia felt her own eyes fill with moisture as Zach lifted her hands and kissed her knuckles. “I hope to spend the next fifty years learning what that means and how to do it better.”

Family at the table or not, there was no way to resist. Julia leaned in and kissed him.

Hers. Because he made her happy.

Epilogue

Red Boot ranch, September 5th

Zach took the stairs two at a time, glancing left and right to make sure no one spotted him. Everything went well until he hit the second-floor landing and came face-to-face with Karen.

He jerked to a stop. “Oh, hey.”

Karen raised a brow. “Hey.”

They stared at each other for a moment. Zach rocked on his toes. “Great day, right? Weather is totally cooperating.”

“Zach.” She put so much disappointment into her tone. “Are you trying to pretend you’re here to talk about the weather? Or are you going to admit you’re trying to sneak in to chat with Julia when you know that’s against the rules?”

“Fuck the rules,” Zach murmured before offering a huge grin. “Come on. You just snickered. You don’t care if I bend the rules just a teeny, tiny bit.”

“No, I don’t mind at all,” Karen agreed. Then she leaned forward and lowered her voice. “But if you think I am going against your mother and sisters on this one? Hell no. I might’ve grown up with Lisa and Tamara tormenting me, but those hellions you’re related to scare the bejesus out of me.”

Figures. He was on his own for this one. Zach pressed a hand on Karen’s shoulder and squeezed. “I give up. I’ll wait to see Julia until later.”

He turned and walked slowly down the stairs as if defeated, the heat of Karen’s gaze boring between his shoulder blades.

Okay, he hadn’t really given up. He took the first corner and rushed back out onto the porch, examining the back of the house.

Waiting nine months to get married had been weird at first, but as time passed, the delay had grown to be kind of special. His family had gotten into it, Julia’s as well, and now that the day had finally arrived, it promised to truly be the celebration they’d hoped for.

Except, dammit, he wanted to see her now before meeting her at the altar to say I do. Only his sisters had decided tormenting him one more time was vital. Julia had vanished from their cabin early that morning. That was nearly five hours ago, and he was tired of waiting.

He examined the roofline of Finn and Karen’s house more closely than he had over the past year.

“Don’t you have somewhere you need to be?” Finn laid a hand on his shoulder. He leaned in and peered up at the house as well. “Or were you thinking about cleaning my eaves troughs?”

“Trying to figure out the easiest way to break into the second bedroom,” Zach confessed. “I want to see Julia.”

A snort escaped his best friend. “You just can’t leave it alone, can you?”

“All the girls are set on us not spotting each other until the big moment. A true friend would help me find a way.”

“A true friend would make sure you didn’t break your neck before you officially get hitched.” Only Finn lifted a finger and pointed. “Maintenance hatch to the attic. Access code is 3542. If you follow the ridgeline past the chimney, there’s a ceiling hatch from the attic into the hall bathroom.”

Zach grabbed him by the hand and pumped hard. “You’re the best. I won’t be long,” he promised, already heading for the side of the house where the massive maple tree would give him a climbing base to get to the roof.

“If you’re not in the guest house in thirty minutes, Josiah and I are coming to get you,” Finn warned.

Thirty minutes should be more than enough time. Zach scrambled up the tree and onto the roof, sliding into the dusty attic space with zero hesitation.

Dusty, hot, and dark enough that he fished out his phone and turned on the flashlight. That let him pace the narrow wooden slats covering the length of the roof to where, as promised, the hatch to the second-floor ceiling waited.

He paused and listened. Feminine voices and laughter carried up to his ears, but they were far enough away he figured he was safe.

Zach was just about to lift the hatch when his phone vibrated in his fingers. Julia was calling him.

He sat back and answered. “Hey, love. What’s up?”

“Why are you whispering?” she asked.

“I’m afraid somebody will take my phone away because I’m not allowed to talk to you until the wedding, or some such superstitious nonsense.”

She snickered. “You need to get your phone checked. There’s some sort of weird echo going on. And I’m sorry about the no seeing each other business. That’s all Petra’s fault, by the way. Your little sister is a bossy fart.”

“This we knew. Have she and Lisa decided to take over the world yet?”

“Never mind that. Where are you?”

He glanced around at the darkness. “A little out of reach at the moment.”

“I need to know,” she insisted. “Or I will in about ten minutes. Keep your phone on.”

And then she hung up.

Well. That was weird. Zach pushed away the questions he had and focused on the task at hand. He listened again then carefully lifted the board out of the way, revealing the bathroom at the end of the second-floor hall.

A moment later he had manoeuvred his way to the ground and closed the attic access.

He cracked open the bathroom door the slightest bit, peeking into the hallway.

Motion zipped back and forth between bedroom two and three at the top of the stairs, his mom and Karen traipsing back and forth with armfuls of flowers.

The room he wanted was situated three paces to the left…

He waited until the hall was clear then made his move. Rapidly darting to door number one, he slipped inside and turned—

The room was empty. Julia’s wedding dress lay on the bed, all shiny white with tons of buttons. He’d seen a picture of it earlier and was already dreaming about undoing said buttons later that evening.

Which reminded him of the picture she’d given him last New Year’s Eve. The one from her boudoir shoot—although the only similarity was she’d been wearing a nearly see-through white tank top…

Bad memory to think about if he didn’t want to get all heated up with no time to do anything about it.

There were flowers, and a veil, and her shoes, but definitely no Julia.

He pulled out his phone, dialing her up and hoping his whisper wouldn’t be overheard. “Where are you?”

This time she laughed. “I was looking for this sexy guy I met in Vegas, hoping I could get him to show me a good time. Only he seems to have vanished.”

What the hell?

Before he could demand an answer to what was going on, Josiah’s deep rumble took over Julia’s phone. “I’d suggest you get down to the cottage ASAP. Take the direct route, though. Finn and the other guys can only distract the ladies for so long.”

He hung up.

Zach shook his head. Sneaking out to give Julia a final I love you message had become far more complicated than expected.

A cheer went up from outside, and he glanced out the window to discover Cody had brought up a horse-drawn carriage. All the ladies had rushed out and were doing something with flowers—

He moved. Peeking into the hallway once before sprinting for freedom. Down the hall, leaping stairs. Dashing through the kitchen and out the sliding doors so he could race to the cottage next door.

He didn’t stop until he was in the living room, where a pair of arms wrapped around him, Julia’s laughter filling the space.

He caught her by the waist and lifted her, squeezing tight as her eyes sparkled at him. “You sneaky woman. What are you doing out of lockdown?”

“Look, baby. I’m not the one acting like a stealth agent. I sashayed down the stairs like a lady. When no one was looking,” she admitted.

They grinned at each other, and then her hands were cupping his face. Sweet emotion was written all over her. The sweetest of emotions—because what they felt for each other had grown stronger over the past months.

“I wanted to see you one more time before we got married,” Julia said. “I wanted to tell you how amazing you are. How good you’ve been to me, and how every single day, I’m so grateful you agreed to be my pretend boyfriend.”

Laughter swelled inside him, but Zach had to share his own truth. He gave her a quick kiss, though, because he couldn’t resist. He damn near spoke against her lips because he almost couldn’t pull away. “I’m so glad you chose me. No matter what, I’m going to make sure you know how much we belong together. How much you mean to me. Even if you are kind of sex-crazed.”

A sharp snort escaped her, and she covered her mouth with her fingers before grinning hard. “Your fault.”

“I couldn’t be prouder,” he admitted before softening his voice. “But it’s never just sex. Not with you. It’s love.”

She licked her lips, and he went in for a serious kiss. A wholehearted promise of what would come later. Not just that day, but next week, next month.

Next year, until the end of eternity.

Somebody coughed. Finn. “Time to get ready. I’m afraid your mom’s waiting outside,” he warned with a sheepish grin.

Julia stepped back, giving Zach’s fingers a final squeeze. “It’s okay. I’ll sweet-talk her into not scolding you until after the honeymoon.”

“Just don’t let her start giving you advice of what to do while on our honeymoon,” Zach warned as the door closed behind her.

He turned back to face his friends as Josiah walked into the room to join them.

“Are you ready for this?” Josiah asked.

Ready for Julia to become his officially, albeit for the second time? This time he was going to remember every moment of it. “I can’t wait.”

* * *

What a difference. By now they’d watched the video of their Vegas wedding enough times that contrasting that event with what waited before her was natural. Part of the entertainment tonight would be showing that video to all their friends and family who had gathered.

That had been wild and impulsive. A mistake that turned out to be everything she’d ever wanted. Today was planned and solid. Yet equally sweet and infinitely more memorable because of the people joining them.

Julia rested her arms on the railing of the deck, stealing peeks toward where the chairs and wedding bower waited. “Soon?”

“Don’t worry. Zach is not running away. Josiah has firm orders to keep his feet nailed to the front of the stage until it’s official.” A noticeably pregnant Lisa slipped beside her, curling an arm around Julia’s waist. “A couple more cars showed up, so we figured we’d let everyone find seats before starting the processional music.”

There was already a big crowd. Not only everyone she and Zach worked with at the Red Boot ranch, which started official operations in the spring, but all the people Julia had worked with at the fire hall the previous year.

Add in all the family members, between the Colemans and the Sorensons—Julia had never expected to have this many people in her life who all wanted to celebrate with her.

Karen appeared on her other side, adjusting the short veil attached to the tiara resting in Julia’s hair. “You look happy,” she said.

Julia straightened, twisting until she could see her sisters at the same time, Tamara as well, coming up the stairs to join them. “I have something to tell you.”

The three of them tucked in close. Mirror images of each other and yet so unique. Karen had softened over the past year, and Julia was sure it was because Finn had been her constant champion. Karen had learned to take what she needed to be happy, and Julia had learned a lot from watching her older sister deal with past hurts.

Tamara’s sturdy love had been offered and accepted in so many ways over the past months. Julia had spent tons of time with the Stone family, discovering they had their own strengths and weaknesses, but at the root of it, rejoicing that they were always there for each other.

And Lisa? Lisa had become the best friend Julia hadn’t known she needed. Although her sister’s mischief was a trifle more curtailed these days. Even now Lisa adjusted her stance, hand falling to the round swell of her seven-months pregnant belly.

Suddenly Julia wondered: what would her sisters see while looking back at her? Hopefully a woman who was learning the ultimate truth. Acceptance started within. Joy spread outward, and love expanded like multiplication tables gone wild.

Julia had spent nine months accepting the truth that Zach loved her unconditionally. That no matter what they needed to learn, they could do it together.

That family was a miracle.

She held her hands forward, her fingers instantly caught by her sisters. “People say being in the right place at the right time is all about luck. And I suppose one thing did lead to another, in a way. But walking into Silver Stone the day that Tyler was born was more than luck. It was breath into lungs and blood into veins. That was the day I was born into this family, as well, and I can never explain to you how sweet that is.”

Dammit. She should’ve done this yesterday, because her eyes were getting wet.

“You don’t need to explain,” Tamara said softly.

Karen and Lisa nodded in agreement. “Nope. We pretty much know what you’re talking about.” Karen squeezed her fingers.

Lisa’s hand was back on her belly, where even now another new life had begun. “We can never replace the years we missed, but we’re going to enjoy every single day going forward.”

Another truth. Julia took a deep breath. “Thank you for being my big sisters. I love you.”

Arms surrounded her, squeezing her tight. Holding still in that sisterly bond formed not just by blood but by choice. They hadn’t needed to welcome her in, but they had, and their decision had changed her world.

The music picked up in the background, and suddenly Petra was there. “Okay, darlin’. It’s time to get my brother his just rewards.”

Another favourite person in her world. Julia stepped back and accepted the tissue her almost sister-in-law offered. “You realize I’m going to find somebody from the ranch for you to fall in love with,” she warned. “You need to move closer to Heart Falls.”

“Ohhh, now there’s a good idea.” Lisa stepped away from Tamara. “Hey. No hitting the pregnant lady.”

“No matchmaking,” Tamara scolded.

“One wedding at a time,” Karen said as she winked at Julia. “At least this year.”

Her sisters led her down the stairs to the sturdy boardwalk path. Red Boot ranch now had a dedicated area to host weddings, and while this wasn’t the first to be held there, it was the first for their family.

Julia glanced down the long row past all of the waiting guests. Past her future mother- and father-in-law, who were equal parts wonderful and embarrassingly terrible, just as Zach had warned. Past all of Zach’s sisters, brothers-in-law, nieces, and nephews.

Past where Tamara slipped ahead to rejoin Caleb and the rest of the Stone family who had come to be a part of the celebration.

Julia’s gaze stuttered to a stop, her feet as well, as she spotted the Elvis impersonator at the edge of one row. He lifted a hand and dipped his chin, and she outright giggled.

Her gaze snapped forward to where Zach stood at the front waiting for her with Finn at his side, Josiah as well.

Zach grinned. He knew why she was laughing.

“You got this?” Karen made a few final adjustments to Julia’s dress.

“I do. I really do,” Julia said firmly, focusing back on her sisters. She squeezed Lisa’s and Karen’s fingers one last time.

As her sisters started slowly down the aisle, Julia turned to where George Coleman stood waiting.

Another adjustment over the past months. She and her father were learning what kind of relationship they wanted. She didn’t need someone to protect her, and she didn’t need someone who treated her like a little girl. None of the Whiskeyteers did.

It hadn’t always been easy, but between her and her sisters insisting he listen as well as speak, George Coleman had begun to change. His growth had been encouraged and influenced by Finn, Josiah, and Zach as well.

But what that meant here and now was that when her father held out his arm, she willingly slipped her fingers around his elbow. Joy was truly present in being able to have her father as a part of this day.

Tamara’s daughter Emma and Zach’s niece Rita walked ahead of them, tossing leaves instead of flowers. It was pretty and perfect. There was more than a bit of laughter when little Beau shook the pillow he was holding, the one with two rings tied to its surface, complaining loudly when he couldn’t figure out how to make them fall.

It was family—oh, so much family.

But when they reached the front, it was all Zach. Everyone else could have vanished as far as she knew. Julia stared into his blue eyes and saw nothing but love.

They must’ve had the wedding ceremony, but it passed in a blink. Thank goodness somebody was recording it, because she would have really hated having her only memories be the ones from the Mile-High Chapel video.

They stood side by side on the deck post-wedding, Zach’s fingers tangled around hers, firm and sure. He dipped his head and brushed his cheek against hers, murmuring in her ear, “I love you.”

The instant shiver felt wonderful. She turned, linking her fingers behind his neck. “I love you too.” She glanced out at the crowd preparing for them to open gifts. “I don’t see Tony. I thought he was going to be here.”

“He sent his regrets.” Zach lifted her fingers and kissed them. “When I talked to him yesterday, he said his kids are down with the flu. He offered his congratulations and reminded me we have an appointment in two weeks.”

“Okay.” She curled against his side a little tighter. Therapy continued, with Zach joining her every other time. The fact that he’d begun meeting one-on-one with Tony every now and then had just been one more confirmation that Zach truly was perfect for her.

Pamela Sorenson clapped her hands and gestured people forward. “Bride and groom, come sit in your seats of honour.”

It felt a little strange to spend time on presents, but considering the number of people who had travelled a fair distance to be there, at the last minute they’d decided to accept gifts while everyone was still around.

A lot of the presents were pictures, which thrilled Julia. Images from Zach’s years growing up. Ones of her sisters during their Whiskey Creek days. A beautifully framed image of her mother that made Julia smile.

Pamela and Zachary presented her with a soft cotton sack.

Julia blinked for a moment before reaching in and pulling out two smooth stones etched with ZACH and JULIA. “Our own blessings bag. Thank you.”

“That’s the starter set,” Pamela teased. “When you start having kids, we’ll add their names. Now, since conception and pregnancy—”

“And we have the extended version for you, as well.” Zachary Senior interrupted his wife, with a wink for his son and another much larger sack in his hand. “My etching tool got quite a workout. You know how many people are in our family now?”

A quick glance around the room said so, so many.

Not having wrapping paper on the gifts made everything go quicker as friends and family continued to come forward with small tokens. Hanna offered Julia a hug as Brad shook Zach’s hand, then they passed over a ceramic cookie jar. Brad’s big arm cradled his and Hanna’s three-month-old baby boy easily.

As they neared the end, Petra came forward, arms loaded with three fancy metallic tins. “That’s a bit overboard, isn’t it?” Zach teased his sister.

“Not from me, bro. I found them over by the music station. There are no names.” She popped them all on the table in front of Julia. “Maybe someone had to leave early?”

Julia picked one up, examining it carefully. A pretty rural scene in pastoral colours graced the side. “Maybe.”

Zach picked up another, and something rattled. “Cookies? I like cookies.” He popped off the lid and peeked inside. An instant later he slammed the lid shut, grinning up at the crowd. “No cookies. We’ll just put these aside. Thank you, whoever the gift is from.”

Julia couldn’t resist. She lifted the lid on her container to discover it was full of brightly-coloured condoms. Amusement filtered upward like bubbles in her belly. She leaned toward Zach. “Your mother?”

For a moment he paused.

Laughter swelled suddenly. Zach pointed across the lawn to where Lisa, Tamara, and Karen were hanging on each other and laughing themselves silly.

One, two, three tins…

Oh, dear. “Um, yeah. I’m not sure what’s up, but there’s probably a good explanation.” Julia winked at Zach. “We’re well stocked, that’s for sure.”

He grinned.

“That’s it,” Petra announced. “Time for the dance.”

“Wait, one last present,” Julia said, reaching under the table and pulling out one more picture frame. “For you.”

She offered it to Zach facedown.

He took it with a grin, flipped it over and burst out laughing.

She’d framed a how-to image for “How to Replace a Roll of Toilet Paper.” It included the clear instructions for the roll to go under, not over, because “the more economical usage of tissue is encouraged.”

Zach placed the frame on the table then pulled her to vertical, guiding her to the middle of the dance floor. “You win. After a year of battling it out, TP style, I admit defeat. Henceforth, all our rolls shall be loaded your way.”

Julia wrapped her arms around him as the first strains of music rose on the air. Elvis strummed his guitar and sang softly, as if just for them.

“Love Me Tender?” Julia sang in Zach’s ear.

Her husband, her heart, swirled them in a circle as he hummed along to the music. They fit, and after a year together, it wasn’t random chance or even solid determination making this thing between them work.

They’d chosen each other, and that’s why they would never let go.

“Love you true.” Zach nuzzled his lips along her neck for a brief moment, shivers of delight filling her as he sang along, for her ears only. “And I always will.”

* * *

I hope you enjoyed The Colemans of Heart Falls series. Thanks so much for reading, and if you do have a few minutes to leave a review for others, I’d appreciate it.

While this is the end of this mini-series, more shenanigans in Heart Falls are on the way!

The next thing to read in chronological order is THREE WEDDINGS AND A BABY, the Heart Falls Vignette Collection Vol 1. This includes the three wedding scenes for the Stone family (A Rancher’s Heart, etc) and a BRAND NEW short story for Lisa and Josiah and Ollie.

A cute puppy, a wedding, and a baby. that’s it. That’s the blurb.

There’s also audio for this series.

Make sure you’re on my mailing list to stay up to date on these and future cowboy stories. (I’ve got plans! Oh, boy, do I have plans!! Rocky Mountain House plans! More Heart Falls plans!)

The mailing list really is the best way to get information because I’m not super active on any social media.

If this is one of the first Vivian Arend books you’ve read, check out my Newbies Guide to Viv’s Contemporary Romances!

If you would like to find my books in print, please check my website for links to your preferred vendor!

About the Author

With over 2.5 million books sold, Vivian Arend is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over 60 contemporary and paranormal romance books, including the Six Pack Ranch and Granite Lake Wolves.

Her books are all standalone reads with no cliffhangers. They’re humorous yet emotional, with sexy-times and happily-ever-afters. Vivian pretty much thinks she’s got the best job in the world, and she’s looking forward to giving readers more HEAs. She lives in B.C. Canada with her husband of many years and a fluffy attack Shih-tzu named Luna who ignores everyone except when treats are deployed.

www.vivianarend.com

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