Her Alaskan Cowboy

by Belle Calhoune

  Litigation! This could seriously affect both of them financially. He didn’t have money to defend lawsuits!

  “I can’t believe Boone would go to those lengths,” Joshua muttered. He was well aware of the sheriff’s ill will toward him, but he’d never imagined Boone would resort to filing legal papers to impede them. This situation had truly spiraled out of control.

  “It wasn’t Boone. Matter of fact it wasn’t any of the Prescott men. Or the O’Rourkes.” Theo chewed on the inside of his lip. “It was none other than your ex-fiancée, Honor Prescott.”

  Honor? Theo must have gotten his information wrong. There was no way Honor would go the route of filing an injunction against them.

  “No. That doesn’t sound right,” Joshua said, shaking his head in disbelief. Sweet, kind Honor. “She wouldn’t do such a thing.”

  Theo twisted his mouth. “Yes, actually she would. And she did! That’s exactly what Eric told me. She filed legal paperwork to impede our sale of the ranch. She’s citing imminent harm to the animals at the wildlife preserve.”

  A fierce anger raced through Joshua’s veins. She had used the information he had given her the other day regarding selling the ranch to try to undermine them. Who did Honor think she was to tie their hands in such a manner? This was a spiteful act. Honor had never been a vindictive person. Was this payback for the past? Bitterness over the will? Or just a way to let him know he had no business here in town. If so, he wasn’t just going to roll over and play dead.

  “Can you let Winnie know I need her to watch Violet for another hour or so?” Joshua asked.

  Theo frowned at him. “Where are you going?”

  “To the wildlife center. It’s about time I got a few things straight with Honor.”

  Theo called out after him, imploring him to come back. Joshua didn’t heed his brother’s pleas. He strode off toward the direction of Bud’s truck, feeling grateful the keys were in the ignition. He didn’t want to have to go back inside the house and allow Violet to see him like this.

  His youthful years had been full of swagger and rage. As a grown man he had made a conscious effort to be even-tempered and calm. In many ways, his past troubles had been a result of his inability to control his temper.

  Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. In his estimation, it was one of the most powerful Bible verses. It had always resonated with him.

  At this very moment, Joshua knew his anger was beyond anything he’d experienced in adulthood. A part of him felt like the wild, reckless boy of his youth. The feelings surprised him. He’d been of the belief that he had gotten rid of that boy a long time ago. But Honor had pressed every last one of his buttons by embroiling him and Theo in a legal battle. He felt like a volcano that was about to blow sky-high.

  * * *

  Honor held a baby lynx in her arms and firmly placed the bottle in her mouth. She grinned as Glory greedily guzzled the milk. The baby lynx was finally showing signs of thriving. She had rejected food for days, raising alarm bells with Honor. Seeing Glory eating caused a feeling of triumph to surge up inside her. For all intents and purposes, Honor was serving the role of mother. Honor wrinkled her nose. Some might find it silly, but she loved her ability to mother and nurture the animals. It filled up an emotional void in her life.

  It filled, she realized, her own yearning for motherhood. Ever since laying eyes on Violet, her own loss had been pressing on her heart. She still mourned the loss of her child. Sometimes, in the still hours between darkness and dawn, she thought about what might have been.

  The quiet of the center settled around her like a warm, cozy blanket. It was such an idyllic setting. It was a great place to listen to her own thoughts as they rambled around her brain. It was important, especially in the past few days.

  As someone who had grown up in a big, bustling family like her own, it was a wonder she didn’t mind the isolation of the wildlife center. There was something calm and peaceful about being out here with all of the animals. She loved what she did for a living. It had been worth all the years of being in Michigan away from her loved ones. Running the wildlife center was a dream come true. She still wasn’t sure what she had done in this lifetime to receive such a blessing.

  Heavy footsteps sounded in the distance. Perhaps it was Clay Mathers, one of the workers. He didn’t usually stomp around the place though. She turned toward the door, watching as it swung open with a loud crashing sound.

  Joshua stood there, all six feet of him, bristling with a ferocious anger. It radiated from him in waves. His blue eyes glittered with animosity. Honor shuddered. She had never in her life seen Joshua look at her with such condemnation in his eyes. Even at his worst, he had always gazed at her with love radiating from his eyes. It was a bit unsettling to see this version of Joshua.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” Joshua demanded.

  “You need to lower your voice. I’m trying to get her to sleep,” Honor said, placing her finger to her lips in a shushing motion.

  Joshua’s face hardened. “I need to talk to you. Now!”

  “I know why you’re here,” she said in a loud whisper. “And I’m very sorry if you’re upset with me, but I had to take action before you sold the ranch.”

  “No, you didn’t,” he said in a low voice. “You could have just let things be instead of meddling. This doesn’t concern you.”

  She glared at him. “Meddling? I’m doing my civic duty for this town.”

  “It’s not your business!” he spit out. “It’s Ransom land.”

  She sat up straight. “It is my business. I’m from this town. Love flows in my veins. I could no sooner turn my back on the fate of this town than I could forsake my own family. And Bud wouldn’t want this. Someone needs to speak for him! It’s his legacy you’re keen on destroying.”

  Joshua scoffed. “So now that you’re a wildlife biologist you’re suddenly saving the world from developers? Riding to the rescue? Is that it?”

  “I have principles that guide me,” she said. “I always have.”

  He threw his hands in the air. “You’re affecting my future by what you’re doing. And Violet’s. How could you do that?”

  “It’s not about you, Joshua. It’s about this town. The people. We deserve better than to have developers come in and twist Love into something it isn’t and can never be. Doesn’t that bother you?” she asked in a voice choked with emotion. “Don’t you feel sad about the idea of Bud’s beautiful ranch being turned into something ridiculous and frivolous? A dude ranch,” she sneered. “It’s utter nonsense.”

  “When did you become so judgmental?” he asked. “When did you appoint yourself as judge, jury and executioner?”

  She jutted out her chin. “Probably around the same time you became so money hungry. Let’s face it, there’s only one reason you’re considering this offer from the Alloy Corporation. And it has to do with you and Theo fattening up your bank balances. You’re selling out for cold, hard cash.”

  “Do you know what I think?” Joshua asked, taking a step closer to her. “I think you’ve been spending too much time around your brothers and Jasper. They’ve rubbed off on you. You never used to be cynical. Or coldhearted.”

  “I wonder why?” She asked. “You made me more jaded than all my family members combined.”

  He frowned at her. “So is that what this is about? Settling old scores? Getting even with me?”

  “Clearly you think I have no integrity. I’m not doing this for personal reasons.”

  Joshua narrowed his gaze as he studied her. “So it has nothing to do with any lingering feelings you might have for me?”

  Honor sucked in a shocked breath. She couldn’t believe what Joshua was insinuating. What had she done to make him believe she was harboring residual feelings for him? She met his gaze head-on. “Everything I ever felt for you died the moment yo
u lit the church on fire.”

  She could see the hurt in his eyes. He tried to shake it off, but she had seen the glint of pain before it disappeared and he shuttered his expression.

  “We’re going to fight you on this, Honor. And we’ll win. You don’t have a leg to stand on. If you really love this town, you might want to think about it before you drag it through a very expensive legal case.” Joshua’s words hung in the air like a thinly veiled threat.

  He turned on his booted heels and left the building. Moments later she heard the engine of a vehicle revving up. She let out a shudder. Going head-to-head with Joshua had been painful. But she had no one to blame but herself. She had served the first volley by going to Jasper and working with him and Lee to get papers filed against the sale of the Diamond R.

  She felt bad about the animosity between them, but she wasn’t going to crumble into dust. Years ago she had been defenseless against Joshua. She’d been so naive and trusting. His actions had made a fool of her after all the lengths she’d gone to in order to defend him to her family and the townsfolk. He had shattered her belief in him with one horrific act. All of her dreams of marrying him and building a life together had evaporated. She had been left with nothing but pain and regret. Discovering she had been pregnant with their child and then losing the baby had been devastating.

  Being vulnerable to Joshua had never served her well. She had vowed to herself a long time ago to never allow herself such weakness again. Dealing with her ex-fiancé meant hardening her heart against him. Joshua Ransom knew how to worm his way into her good graces like no one else.

  She couldn’t afford to let that happen. Loving and losing Joshua had already torn her world apart once before. Honor was going to focus on making sure the Diamond R wasn’t turned into a tacky dude ranch. She couldn’t afford to consider Joshua’s feelings or picture Violet’s angelic little face. If she did, Honor knew she would be in a world of trouble.

  Chapter Seven

  Joshua sat back in the leather love seat in the living room and sighed in contentment. His hands were resting behind his head while his feet were perched on the matching ottoman. The only sounds were coming from Violet, who was happily playing with her toys. He had set out a large blanket and scattered her favorite playthings around so she could explore them to her heart’s content. He got a kick out of watching her scoot around.

  They had the house all to themselves this evening. Theo was reconnecting with an old friend here in town while Winnie was spending the evening with her own family. Joshua enjoyed the silence. Quiet moments with his daughter meant the world to him. He had never imagined fatherhood would be his most sacred role. Violet had given his life a true purpose. He was no longer searching for meaning. God had been good to him.

  And it hardly ever crossed his mind that his blood didn’t flow in Violet’s veins. It simply didn’t matter. The love he felt for her came straight from the deepest parts of his soul.

  The lights began to flicker for the third time this evening. Joshua frowned. He needed to locate the lanterns and flashlights in case they lost power. Although he had looked around earlier, he’d been unsuccessful in finding anything. He had a vague memory of Bud going down to the basement after a power outage and coming back with an armful of supplies. He unfolded himself from his comfy chair and stretched.

  “I’ll be right back, Vi. I need to make sure we have some flashlights and supplies in case the lights go out.” His daughter just looked at him and gurgled, then went back to playing with her doll. Joshua quickly moved toward the hallway and yanked open the basement door. He flipped the light switch, bathing the darkened basement in light. He walked down the steps and began poking around in bins and drawers. Bingo! A whole drawer full of flashlights! The lanterns had to be around here somewhere.

  Suddenly, the silence in the basement was broken. He heard a succession of loud thumps as if something had fallen. For a moment, he completely froze. Fear grabbed him by the throat. When he heard the loud cries, he pivoted toward the steps. Violet was lying at the bottom, her features contorted in pain. Her loud wails pierced his heart. He raced to her side, murmuring words of comfort.

  Joshua gently scooped his daughter up in his arms and brought her back upstairs. With his free hand he reached for his car keys, wallet and cell phone. There was no question in his mind that she needed immediate medical attention. All could he do at the moment was pray that Violet wasn’t too seriously injured.

  * * *

  As far as Saturday nights in Love, Alaska, went, hot chocolate and s’mores before a roaring fire at the Moose Café was a rip-roaring good time. Honor sighed. She truly loved her hometown, but every now and again she yearned to kick up her heels. For the most part, Honor worked at the wildlife center and watched as everyone else in town settled down to domestic bliss. With each couple that paired off, it became harder and harder to tell herself she was fine being single and unattached.

  Dear Lord, one of these days, I would like to find someone who’ll sweep me off my feet. I haven’t been ready to plunge into the dating world, but with every day that passes by, I think I’m getting closer. Could you please make him tall and handsome and a good dancer? And this time around, could you let my brothers approve of him and not give him a hard time?

  Was she ready for God to point someone in her direction? She believed so. It had been so long since she’d had romantic feelings for someone or even gone out on a romantic date. Being burned in the past by love wasn’t a strong enough reason anymore to stay single. And after seeing how thoroughly Joshua had moved on with his own life, she was determined to follow suit.

  Thanks to Jasper, her brothers, as well as Declan and Finn, had been apprised of the injunction she had filed against the Ransom brothers. They had invited her to a little celebration at the Moose Café. Although she felt a little bit guilty about celebrating Joshua’s misfortune, Honor was now being hailed as a conquering hero. The niggling sensation in the pit of her stomach sure didn’t feel like victory.

  “Let’s raise a mug of hot chocolate to Honor!” Cameron said in a triumphant voice as he raised his drink high in the air.

  Everyone joined in, shouting her name and offering her congratulations. She looked around the table. Her nephew, Aidan—Liam and Ruby’s son—had a whipped cream mustache that made her grin. He was sitting next to his best friend, Oliver, Finn’s stepson from his marriage to Maggie Richards. Finn had recently adopted Oliver, so he was now Oliver O’Rourke. Grace was giving baby Eva a bottle as Boone sat beside her, while Liam was sitting back in his chair as Ruby rested her head against his shoulder. Even Jasper and Hazel looked peaceful and content. As much as they fussed and feuded with one another, Honor knew their love story was epic. Cameron’s wife, Paige, was gently blowing on her daughter Emma’s hot cocoa, making sure it wasn’t too hot for the toddler.

  Honor felt a sense of pride as she gazed upon the members of her family. Finn and Declan O’Rourke and their wives, Maggie and Annie, were honorary members of the Prescott brood. And Sophie was also, along with her husband, Noah Catalano. This should be enough, she realized. A fantastic family and great friends who showered her with love and affection. She was an auntie several times over. If she never met the man of her dreams, she would still be loved. Always.

  Liam began to loudly clink his mug with a spoon. “Attention! Attention!” he called out. “Since we’re all gathered here celebrating Honor’s brilliant move to protect this town, Ruby and I wanted to make an announcement.” There was a feeling of expectation hovering in the air. Everything stilled and hushed.

  Ruby smiled at her husband, then swung her gaze around the table. “We’re expecting a baby!” she announced.

  A deafening roar erupted at the table. Everyone began hooting and hollering. Jasper was yelling louder than anyone. Grace made a point to cover baby Eva’s ears.

  Honor got up from her seat and made her way to her b
rother’s side. She threw her arms around his neck. “Oh, Liam, I’m so happy for all of you. You must be over the moon about it.”

  Liam grinned, making him look even more handsome. “I’m thrilled. We’ve been blessed with such abundance. I didn’t dare to hope for more.” He shrugged. “But the good Lord saw fit to add to our family.”

  “He sure did,” Honor said. “No two people deserve it more than you and Ruby. You’re wonderful parents.” After everything the couple had endured when Ruby was presumed dead in an avalanche, Honor couldn’t be more overjoyed for their incredible news. It had taken them years to find their way back to one another, but their love had endured adversity.

  “I can’t wait till it happens for you,” Liam said, squeezing her hand. “You’re so supportive of everyone else’s happy news.”

  “From your lips to God’s ears,” she said in a teasing voice. “I think I’m ready to move forward in that area.”

  “Good,” Liam said. “It’s about time.”

  Boone stood up and raised his mug. “Now, let’s make a toast to Ruby and Liam. And big-brother-to-be, Aidan. May your new addition be healthy and happy.” Aidan was grinning from ear-to-ear.

  The café was filled with joy and euphoria. It had turned into the perfect family night. A cell phone rang out amidst the chaos.

  “Sorry, I’m on call at the clinic,” Liam said, holding up his phone and walking away from the table.

  “I can’t believe I’m going to be a great-grandfather again,” Jasper said, rubbing his grizzled jaw. “It seems like just yesterday I was sledding with Boone, Liam and Cameron on Cupid’s Hill when they were little tykes.”

  “I want to go sledding!” Aidan cried out. “Can you take me, Jasper?”

  Hazel shook her head. “Aidan. Jasper might break a hip if he takes you sledding.” She leaned in toward him and said in a loud whisper, “He’s not as young as he thinks he is.”