A few months ago, she started noticing a lone motorcycle parked in the upper lot, the rider always staring in her direction. It happened so often, she began to look for him at each visit. His presence hadn’t alarmed her—too many people frequented the stretch of sand where she preferred to throw down her towel. Now she realized the rider had been Kade.
At the time, he’d kept his distance, thinking her guilty of assisting Paco Bujazan and his family. A couple of times she’d thought about walking up the path and introducing herself, asking why he didn’t come down and enjoy the view up close. In the end, she’d always talked herself out of it, suspecting he’d think her a crazy blonde.
She tossed her towel on the sand and lowered herself to face the crashing waves. The sky had turned dark and the ocean rough this evening, and she wondered if Kade ever came out and watched as he used to. Foolish thoughts, yet the wish to see him again hadn’t lessened. Instead, her thoughts turned to him more often rather than less. If his words hadn’t been so firm, so final, if he’d given any hint he’d wanted to see her in San Diego, she would’ve agreed. No one touched her heart the way Kade Taylor did.
Brooke removed her sweatshirt and took off down the beach, keeping a steady pace. The run would be long tonight. She needed to find a way to push him from her thoughts for good—perhaps sweating him out of her mind would be the key. Tonight would be for saying goodbye to the beach, the sunsets, San Diego, and all it encompassed, including Kade.
******
“Took you long enough,” Kade said as he clasped Nesto’s hand and pulled him into a quick hug.
“Got a late start. Almost had to postpone the entire trip, but got a reprieve at the last minute.” Nesto looked at the cabin and surrounding view. “Quite a setup you have here.”
Kade reached into the truck to grab Nesto’s bag. “Come on, I’ll show you the inside.”
Heath and Jace had built six identical two bedroom cabins within a few miles of the main ranch house. All were private, located within a short distance of each other.
“This is great,” Nesto said as he laid his cap and keys on a table. “Fireplace, full kitchen, the works. And a view that goes on for miles. Going back to city life may be pretty hard after this, bro.”
Kade walked down the wood-paneled hallway. “I’m lucky they offered it to me at no charge. Heath and Jace insisted on paying me for the work I do, but I told them not to bother—I’d send the money back. They haven’t brought it up since. Oh yeah, and I kicked the smoking habit. Guess being here has had several benefits.” He set Nesto’s bag on the bed. “How about a beer?”
“Sounds good. What do you hear about your cases?” Nesto asked.
“Clive Nelson called. He’s heard rumors members of Satan’s Brethren are asking about me. I’m surprised it took them this long.”
“Maybe they thought the charges against those arrested wouldn’t stick. Word on the street is it’s a pretty tight case—as long as you testify.” Nesto took a long swallow of his beer and followed Kade out onto the deck. “Damn nice view.” He settled into a wooden lounge chair and propped up his feet.
“I sit out here most nights. A few times I’ve taken one of the horses out or ridden the bike with Eric Sinclair, Brooke’s brother. Usually, though, it’s just me and a bottle of Dos Equis.”
“And what about Miss Sinclair. Ever hear from her?”
“She’s out of it—the Bujazan case and my life. No longer my responsibility to keep tabs on or babysit her.”
“That’s one baby I’d be glad to keep tabs on.” Nesto smirked when Kade shot him a venomous look. “Hey, you had your chance, man, and you blew it.”
“We both walked before it went anywhere. Leave it, bro. It’s for the best.” Kade finished his beer and tossed it in a nearby can, not at all believing walking away from Brooke had been the best decision for him. “Come on. You can help me barbeque the steaks.”
******
Heath heard the noise before the front door opened and a crowd of six adults and one little boy paraded inside. Spotting his grandfather, Trevor MacLaren ran and jumped into Heath’s waiting arms.
“Glad to see you all made it,” Heath said as Trevor began to squirm. He set the boy down and hugged his son, Trey, then his wife, Jesse.
“It’s the first time in months we’ve all been able to get together, what with deployments, and transfers.” Trey walked toward his stepmother, Annie, who’d walked through the door with Trevor in her arms. “Looks like he found you.”
“Sure did. He’s grown so much,” Annie said as she gave her grandson a gentle squeeze.
Ryan “Reb” Cantrell and Paul “Growler” Henshaw, both fellow Navy pilots and past visitors to the ranch, walked into the great room with their girlfriends.
“You remember Shelly and Connie,” Trey said as the women walked forward. Ryan and Shelly met while he’d been stationed at the large central California naval air base. Paul had met Connie when she’d traveled to visit Trevor, her unofficial godson. Trey, Ryan, and Paul had been roommates at the time.
“Of course we remember them,” Annie said. “We’re going to have a full house this weekend. I hope some of you don’t mind using a couple of the cabins.”
“A cabin works great for us.” Paul wrapped an arm around Connie’s shoulders. He lived in California while she’d flown in from Florida.
“Perfect, because you and Connie have one cabin while Ryan and Shelly have another. Trey, you and Jesse have your old room.”
“What about Cassie and Brooke?” Trey asked.
“Cassie drives up tonight. I doubt Brooke will make it. In fact, we haven’t heard anything about whether she still plans to stay in San Diego or come out here.” Everyone could hear the disappointment in Annie’s voice. “All right. Let’s get you all settled before supper.”
“Ryan and Paul, let’s transfer your bags into a couple of trucks. You’ll need them to get back and forth from the cabins this weekend.” Heath led the way outside while Trey and Jesse stayed behind, following Annie into the kitchen.
“We heard bits and pieces of what went on with Brooke. How’s she doing?” Jesse asked.
“Good as far as I know. You already know she finished her doctoral program and they arrested Perry.” Annie set an ice tea in front of Jesse, who’d waved off the beer Trey offered.
“I thought she might accept the offer from Dad and Jace to work for MacLaren Cattle.” Trey took a long swallow of his beer and sat down next to his wife while keeping an eye on Trevor.
“She still might,” Annie said. “Guess we’ll have to wait and see. I’d better finish getting dinner ready. Cam and Lainey will be here anytime, along with Eric. Plus we invited a couple of others who are staying at the ranch.”
“Who are they?” Trey asked.
“Kade Taylor,” Heath said as he walked into the kitchen. “He’s the DEA agent who followed Brooke for a couple of months, and his friend, Ernesto Salgado, who’s with the Marshal Service. We offered Kade a cabin when Brooke mentioned he’d be taking a leave from his work.”
“So he’s hanging at the ranch for a while?” Jesse asked.
“He’s got another few weeks before he reports back. In the meantime, he’s helping with the horses. Taylor and Salgado worked on a ranch during high school and we can always use the extra help.” Heath grabbed a beer to match Trey’s and leaned against the counter. “I’ll be interested to get your opinion of them, especially Taylor.”
******
“Come on in,” Eric said and held out his hand to Kade and Nesto as they walked in the front door. “Didn’t get enough MacLaren abuse on Friday night?” He smiled at the two as they all walked to where everyone sat around talking.
“You’ve got a long way to go to scare us away.” Kade nodded to everyone.
The two had met the rest of the family and friends at dinner a couple nights before. They’d had a great time, learning quickly that no one was spared from the jokes and jabs thrown out.
&n
bsp; “Perhaps today’s the day,” Heath said. “We’re assembling teams for our flag football game. You’re on my team, Kade, and Nesto’s on Jace’s. By the way, these are Jace’s sons, Blake and Brett. Blake’s in college and Brett starts in the fall.”
“Nice meeting you,” Kade said and shook hands. “When do we start?”
“We’re just waiting for a few more—three friends from Cam and Lainey’s Search and Rescue team.”
Within an hour, the two teams assembled in an open field next to the house, flags hanging from their back pockets, determined looks on each face. Annie flipped a coin and handed the ball to Jace.
“Good luck everyone,” she called over her shoulder as she dashed to the sidelines.
They played hard for a friendly Sunday afternoon game. After about thirty minutes, they called halftime, grabbing water, beers, and sodas before digging into the chips, dip, and salsa the women had set out.
“How are you holding up?” Heath asked Kade as both finished their bottles of water.
“Great. I don’t know why I thought this would be some wimpy game. These guys are out to win.”
“It’s the only way we play.” Health clasped Kade on the back and turned to the others. “Everyone ready for round two?”
Within a few minutes, the men were back on the field, yelling and laughing as the ball moved back and forth between teams. The intensity increased during the second half.
“All right. This one goes to Kade. See if you can outrun your partner,” Heath said, referring to Nesto’s ability to catch up to receivers and pull their flag. Kade nodded, aware his friend’s bulk belied his agility and quick feet.
“Yeah, the big guy’s like a deer dashing around obstacles. Get me the ball and I’ll get us some points.” Kade’s mouth turned up at the corners.
They lined up, Heath called the play, and everyone took off, Kade running toward the end zone while looking behind him for the pass. Heath let go of the ball, but just as Kade’s hands claimed it and he turned toward the goal, he spotted a bright red car coming up the drive. The momentary loss of concentration was all Nesto needed to reach him and his flag, tripping Kade in the process. He landed face first with a thud.
“What the hell was that?” Heath mumbled before he too saw the familiar SUV coming into sight. Brooke.
“Appears we got here at just the right time.” Brooke smiled at the sight of the familiar Sunday afternoon game. “The guys try to play football each weekend. Looks like more guys than usual.”
She glanced at the road, then back at the game, in time to see Heath raise his hand. Brooke tapped the horn twice, drawing the attention of everyone who hadn’t already turned to watch her pull to a stop.
Kade stayed on the ground in a sitting position, knees bent with this arms resting on them. The second he’d spotted the car, he knew who was in it. The very person he didn’t want to show up and yet the one woman he most wanted to see. He’d have to steel his resolve and stay away from her, for more reasons than she could understand.
Using their jobs as a barrier had been an excuse even if the reasons were sound. The critical obstacle, the one she wouldn’t understand, had to remain locked within him, not to be shared with Brooke ever.
Kade watched from a distance as relatives and friends greeted Brooke and another woman he didn’t recognize. From this distance, she looked enough like Brooke to be her sister, and Kade noticed, with amusement, Nesto strolling up to them.
“Miss Sinclair. You might not recognize me—”
“Of course I recognize you, Marshal Salgado,” Brooke said, holding out her hand.
“Please, it’s Ernesto or Nesto when I’m not on duty.” He clasped her hand and turned to the other woman. “And you are?”
“Paige Wallace.” She turned as a shriek came from the house. Her cousin, Shelly Wallace, ran up and threw her arms around Paige.
“It’s so good to see you. I had no idea you’d be here,” Shelly said as she dropped her arms and stepped back.
“I didn’t know any of you would be here either. This is great.”
“Brooke, what’s with the trailer?” Cam asked.
Annie stood next to him and Lainey. She didn’t dare hope what the trailer might mean.
“I’ve decided to move here, to the ranch” She glanced at her mother. “If there’s room.”
Annie threw her arms around her daughter and laughed. “There’s always room for you. Heath,” she called over her shoulder, “Brooke’s come to stay.”
He walked over and pulled Brooke into a hug. “I suspected as much when I saw the trailer. Your decision couldn’t have come at a better time.”
Brooke glanced up at him. “What do you mean?”
“Just a lot going on. Jace and I will explain, but not now. It’s time to celebrate, not talk business.”
Paige continued to greet the others, all the while keeping watch on the striking man who’d said hello to Brooke. Her breath had caught the moment she’d seen him saunter up to her friend. Even though they had just been introduced, she knew from Brooke’s recounting of her ordeal who he was, and his friendship with Kade Taylor. Her gaze traveled toward Brooke, who’d disengaged from the group and appeared to be frozen in place at the back of her car.
Chapter Eleven
Brooke shaded her eyes from the bright sun, wondering about the presence of Ernesto Salgado. She scanned the area, not seeing who she hoped, then walked to the back of her SUV and opened the back. She’d pulled one bag out before a movement to her right caught her attention. She turned, then all further movement stopped as she gazed at the man who’d haunted her thoughts for weeks. His skin held a deeper tan than she remembered and he’d cut his hair, no longer wearing the queue. Dirt covered his face and arms, not at all changing the fact he was still the most compelling man she’d ever met. His torn jeans and snug t-shirt accentuated his achingly perfect body as he continued to move toward her.
“Hello, Brooke.”
Had his voice changed? It sounded deeper and rough.
“Kade.” Her own voice trembled even as she tried to control it. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Heath invited me out when he learned about my leave. I’m staying in one of the cabins, along with Nesto Salgado who’s taking a two week vacation. I heard you planned to stay in San Diego and not move back. Seems I heard wrong.”
Realization dawned. “I see. So you accepted Heath’s invitation knowing I wouldn’t be around. Makes sense.” She turned and grabbed another bag from the car. Deciding to let the rest wait for later, she began to roll the bags toward the house.
“I’ll take that.” Kade placed a hand next to hers and drew one bag toward him, keeping pace alongside her.
She felt a jolt at the brief touch of his hand. A memory of their kiss the night they’d said goodbye radiated through her. Brooke found she wanted to turn back time and change what she’d told him. She’d tell him the differences between them didn’t matter—nothing mattered except learning more about each other and exploring a relationship. She reminded herself he’d been clear it wouldn’t work. Brooke ignored the wave of regret and focused on how she’d be able to deal with his presence during the rest of his stay.
“Congratulations, by the way. I should have called or …” He shrugged, unsure of what else to say.
She glanced over at him. “Thank you. I’m just glad it’s over.”
“I guess you’ll be staying in the house.” Kade knew he should let the conversation die, take the bag inside, and let her visit with family, but an odd feeling of possessiveness took hold at the realization he didn’t want to share her time. He wanted Brooke to himself. If he couldn’t have her the way he wanted, they might be able to become friends.
“For a while. Heath offered me one of the cabins if I moved to Fire Mountain. As much as I love my family, I think the privacy would be best.”
“There she is. We thought you’d already gotten lost.” Eric took the bag from Kade, placed it at the
bottom of the stairs, then rejoined the others. “Mom’s about ready to set out the food. You arrived just in time.”
Kade watched the two walk away. The sense of loss he felt at her departure was new and unwelcome. He turned in the opposite direction and walked toward the bar in Heath’s study, grabbed the bottle of whiskey and poured a shot. He held it up a moment before tossing it back and letting the warm, amber liquid slide down his throat.
“I thought I saw you disappear in here.”
Kade turned at the sound of Heath’s voice. “I hope it’s okay.” He held up the whiskey bottle before pouring one more shot.
“Only if you pour me one.” Heath studied Kade. His demeanor had changed the moment he’d spotted Brooke’s car. “It’s good to have Brooke back, don’t you think?”
“Uh, yes. I’m sure you and Annie are happy to have her here.”
“We knew whatever decision she made would be the right one, although her mother and I privately hoped Fire Mountain would be her choice.” Heath took the glass Kade offered and saluted him with it before taking a sip. “Seems like something’s on your mind. You know you’re welcome to use me as a sounding board.”
Kade hesitated, almost taking Heath up on his offer. Unfortunately, the two problems foremost in his mind were concerns he couldn’t discuss with this man, or anyone in the MacLaren family. He had to deal with them himself, in his own way and on his own terms.
“I appreciate the offer, but I’m doing fine.”
“Dad, Annie needs your help.” Trey stood in the doorway, holding Trevor’s hand.
“Appears I’ve been summoned. Remember, my offer stands if you ever want to unload.”
Kade nodded as Heath left and Trey closed the distance between them.
All Your Nights (MacLarens of Fire Mountain Contemporary series Book 4) Page 12