by Vivian Arend
“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 th
e 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.”