She nodded. “I’d like that. It was great to see your family at Griff’s engagement party last fall, but it’s been a long time since I visited the ranch.”
“I haven’t been home in a while, either.” He squinted then pointed. “See the white sign up ahead? I think that’s Pasquale’s. The woman at the front desk said it was a few miles out of town.”
“Perched up on the hill like that, the place will definitely have the view she promised.”
He made a quick call to his dad after the server took their order, then they ate stuffed cannelloni and Caesar salad with a bottle of Chianti. By the time they’d finished dinner, Hannah was feeling so mellow she was willing to forgive Tripp just about anything.
“Wow, the meal was excellent.”
He twirled the stem of his wineglass and smiled. “Tiramisu and coffee sounds good.”
“I’m too full, but go ahead.”
He shook his head. “In that case, I’ll pass on dessert…or postpone it until later.”
Beneath his heated gaze, Hannah nearly melted like the candle sputtering in the holder on the table. “Shall we go?”
He glanced around the virtually empty room. “Where’d our server disappear to? We need to pay our bill.”
“She’s over by the door talking to someone.” Hannah frowned. “That guy looks familiar.”
“What guy?” Tripp turned in his chair.
“He just walked out.” She shrugged. “I couldn’t place him, and I don’t know anyone around here.” Her brow creased again. “I guess it doesn’t matter.”
“Here comes our server.” Tripp raised his voice. “Can we get the check, please?”
“Of course.” The woman smiled and picked up the empty wine bottle. “I’ll be right back.”
Tripp dropped his napkin on the table and grinned. “That empty bottle is probably why you’re feeling a little fuzzy.”
“Me? I didn’t finish my second glass. You drank the lion’s share, not to mention the beers you had earlier. I’d better drive back to the lodge.”
“You’re probably right.” He pulled the keys out of the jacket he’d hung over the back of his chair and handed them to her. Once he paid the bill, they left the fragrant warmth of the restaurant to step out into the frigid night.
“Wow, the temps really dropped.” Hannah shivered as she crossed the parking lot. “Why did I think wearing a dress and heels was a good idea?”
“Because you look hot in them.” He bent to drop a kiss on the back of her neck, exposed by her upswept hair, as she paused to unlock the car doors with the key fob.
A tremor that had nothing to do with the freezing air swept through her. Her breath caught. “I bet you say that to all the women you date.”
“Not anymore. Only you.” He opened her door. By the time she’d gathered her wits enough to put the key in the ignition, he’d taken his seat and regarded her with a steady gaze. “I can’t believe you don’t know how gorgeous you are. Sexy. Very sexy.”
Her cheeks heated. “Hyperbole isn’t going to get you laid any faster.”
“I love it when you use words I don’t understand.” He leaned back in the seat and closed his eyes. “I’ll focus on the two I do know. Laid faster. The gas is on the right. Let’s go.”
Hannah rolled her eyes as she accelerated down the short access road, braking when she neared the highway. The car didn’t slow. Swerving out onto the road with a screech of tires, she pumped the brakes. Nothing.
“What the hell!”
“Jesus, slow down, Hannah.” Tripp straightened in the seat. “I’m not in that big a rush.”
“I can’t. The brakes don’t work!”
The car gathered speed on the descent toward the village. Gripping the wheel hard, she took the first corner.
“Shit! Hang on, you’re doing great. Hold the car steady on these corners.”
Her heart raced as the next curve approached. The tires squealed when they rounded the bend.
“Should I pull the emergency brake?” Her voice rose, high and filled with panic.
“No! It’ll send us into a spin on these corners. I’m pretty certain there are only two more big ones to go before we level out. You’ve got this.”
If they didn’t hit the guardrail and plunge over the side of the cliff, she’d surely have a heart attack. Her knuckles whitened on the wheel as they started into the next curve. Headlights shone in her eyes, and a horn blared, but she missed the oncoming car by a good foot.
“Triiiiiipp!”
“Focus on the next corner. Steady. Steady.”
The tires shrieked and skidded then caught.
“That was perfect! Nothing but straight road ahead.”
In the distance, a faint wail grew louder.
“We can’t fly into town at this speed! Oh, my God, is that a cop? I hear a siren.”
“That car we passed must have called 9-1-1. In a few hundred yards we hit open tundra. I want you to head off the shoulder of the road and keep the car straight while I apply the emergency brake. A piece of cake after what you just managed to pull off.”
Hannah gritted her teeth and nodded. “Tell me when.”
“Coming right up. Three, two, one, now!”
She steered right and held the wheel in a death grip as the car bounced and jolted over the uneven ground. When Tripp jerked up the emergency brake, an awful squeal and the scent of hot metal assaulted her senses, but the car lost speed. Taking hold of the gearshift, he lowered it into second then dropped it into first as they flew over a hump and hit bottom. Endless seconds later, the car rolled to a stop. With a shaking hand, she turned off the engine.
“We did it.” A harsh sob broke free. “We did it.”
Unfastening his seatbelt, he reached over to pull her into his arms. “Shhhh, don’t cry. Unbelievable! You were amazing.”
Moments later, a light flashed across the interior of the car. When a knock sounded on the window near her head, Hannah nearly jumped out of her skin. She reached for the button to lower the window, but it clicked uselessly.
“You turned off the engine. Open your door, babe.” Tripp’s steady voice calmed her clamoring nerves.
A man in a tan jacket with a badge pinned to the lapel stepped back from the car, the light held firmly on her as she pushed the door open. “Are you okay, ma’am?” He bent to peer inside. “How about you, sir?”
“We’re fine.” Tripp opened his door and stepped out.
“I’m Deputy LaGrange with the Teton County sheriff’s office. Ma’am, you’re bleeding.”
Hannah raised a hand to her mouth. When she swallowed, a metallic taste sent a shudder through her. “I must have bit my lip.”
“You didn’t hit your face?” The deputy’s blue eyes registered concern in the glow from the headlights.
“No.” She let loose a long breath as she released her seatbelt and climbed out of the car. Her legs shook, and she gripped the door for support.
“What happened?”
“No brakes.” Her voice cracked. “I couldn’t slow the car.”
“I’m going to need to see your ID and registration and take a statement, but you can both come with me to my vehicle. There’s no point in standing in the cold.”
“It’s a rental car, so I’m not sure about the registration.” Tripp rounded the front bumper and slipped an arm around her. “Lean on me. You’re shaking.”
“My purse…”
Bending, he reached into the car to grab the bag off the passenger side floorboard. “Got it.”
“Bring anything else you need. I’ll call for a tow truck to retrieve your car.”
“Nothing else to get.” Tripp pulled her close to his side as they headed back toward the highway beside Deputy LaGrange, who spoke quietly into his radio as they walked.
Once they were seated in the rear of the white utility vehicle with the officer standing outside, he checked their ID’s then pulled
out a notebook. “You’re both from Tahoe?”
Tripp nodded. “We’re here with the Extreme High production crew, filming for the movie.”
LaGrange eyed Hannah steadily. “Where exactly were you when your brakes gave out?”
“We had dinner at Pasquale’s Ristorante. After we left, I tried to slow before turning onto the highway, but nothing happened.” She took a breath and tightened her grip on Tripp’s hand. “After I pumped the brakes a few times with no results, I focused on getting to the bottom of that hill without crashing.”
“Why didn’t you turn uphill out of the restaurant if your brakes didn’t work?”
“In hindsight, that would have been the smart move, but at the time, I was so surprised I didn’t think. We were headed back to the lodge, so that’s the direction I went. It wasn’t until we were on the highway that the gravity of the situation registered.”
“I’m amazed you made it down safely.” The deputy’s voice held a hint of admiration. “If the road had been at all icy, the ending would have been very different.”
“Thank God it hasn’t snowed in a couple of days, and they sanded the hell out of the highway. Hannah was steady as a rock on those corners.” Tripp hugged her close. “I couldn’t have done a better job.”
“Why weren’t you driving?” LaGrange’s gaze turned on him.
“I’d had a lot more to drink.”
“How many drinks did you consume, ma’am?”
Hannah’s pulse fluttered. “A glass and a half of wine.”
He nodded. “Based on your responses and reactions, I’ve no reason to test you for driving under the influence. I’d say the fact that you took the wheel tonight saved your lives.”
She leaned back against the seat as a tremor shook her. “I don’t understand what went wrong. Why would the brakes fail?”
“You had no problem on the drive to the restaurant?”
Tripp shook his head in answer to the deputy’s question. “I was driving, and the brakes responded perfectly.”
“We’ll have a mechanic check your vehicle. You said it’s a rental?”
“Yes. We picked it up at the airport after our flight into Jackson yesterday.” Tripp frowned. “I can’t believe they gave us a car that had faulty brakes.”
“You’ll want to contact the rental agency when they open in the morning.”
“We need to get a new vehicle, anyway. We were planning to leave early.”
LaGrange glanced up from his notes. “Are you flying back to Tahoe?”
“No, we’re driving to my parents’ ranch near Cody to spend a couple of days.”
“I’ll need your contact information so I can get in touch with you if need be after the report from the mechanic comes in.” As the deputy jotted down their cell numbers, flashing lights approached. “That’ll be the tow truck. Can I get the keys to the vehicle, please?”
Hannah sighed. “I left them in the ignition.”
“Perfect. I’ll be right back to give you a lift into town.” He shut the door and turned away.
“I can’t believe what started out as such a terrific evening ended in near disaster.” Tripp slid an arm around her to tug her close against him.
“Or that another accident nearly killed us. First I fell on the ice and wound up in the hospital, and then this. I feel like Bad Luck Schleprock.”
“I agree the coincidence is odd, but this wasn’t an accident. The brake failure was a mechanical issue with the car. We should sue the rental company for almost killing us.”
“Maybe not an accident, but it still happened.” Hannah leaned her head against his shoulder. “I’m exhausted. The adrenaline rush seems to have worn off.”
“I sure sobered up quickly.” He grimaced. “Seeing your life flash before your eyes does that to a person. Second time recently for me, too. That avalanche buried me alive, so maybe I’m the bad luck magnet. If you hadn’t taken Winnie outside the morning you fell, I might have been the first one down those steps.”
“And don’t forget the power line in the snow. We both could have been electrocuted. That day karma was on our side since we took an alternate route back to the cabin.”
He pressed his lips to her hair. “Where the hell was karma today when we needed her?”
“Obviously napping.” Hannah blinked. “Here comes Deputy LaGrange. I hope we can go back to the lodge now.”
The officer opened the door and slid onto the driver’s seat before turning to face them through the mesh barrier. “The driver will tow your car to a local garage. Where would you like me to take you?”
“We’re staying at the Grand Teton Lodge. Thanks for helping us out.”
“That’s what I’m here for.”
Tripp leaned forward as LaGrange started the engine. “You’ll contact us once you know what went wrong with those brakes? A few strange things have happened lately, and I’m beginning to wonder…”
The deputy glanced back through the rearview mirror. “Wonder what?”
“If someone is trying to kill me.”
Chapter 15
Tripp drove the new rental car—upgraded at no cost to a sporty convertible by the apologetic agency manager who was probably afraid of a lawsuit—beneath the arched gateway with the Flying W on top and parked in front of the huge, old-fashioned barn. To his critical eye, the bright red looked a little faded since his last visit. Time to spruce up the barn with a new paint job. Not that he was going to volunteer…
“The ranch looks exactly the way I remember.” Hannah peered through the windshield toward the rambling log house. When the door flew open and Eden hurried onto the wide front porch followed by a pair of border collies, Hannah’s smile grew into a broad grin. “There’s Eden.” She unsnapped her seatbelt and climbed out of the car. Running around the front of the convertible, she met his sister halfway in a tight hug.
Tripp climbed out more slowly and swung the door shut. Sauntering toward the two women through the snow-dusted yard, he paused to scratch Cookie and Cracker behind their ears. The dogs whined and jumped on him, apparently thrilled with the attention.
“Down.” He gave them a push before greeting Eden with a brief hug. “Hi, Sis.”
“Hi, yourself.”
His eyes narrowed beneath her steady regard. “Should I be worried you’ll cut a hunk out of my hair while I’m asleep, the way you did when we were kids after I broke the head off your favorite Barbie?”
Her smile beneath glittering blue eyes reminded him of a crocodile, deceptive and dangerous. She pushed long, wavy dark hair behind her shoulder and took her time answering. “As long as my BFF doesn’t wind up broken, I’ll control my urge to scalp you.”
“Good to know.”
Hannah laughed and squeezed her arm. “Relax, Eden. I’m fully capable of taking care of myself. Anyway, Tripp’s mellowed with age. Turning thirty transformed him into a pussycat.”
He snorted then choked and nearly strangled during a coughing fit. Eyes watering, he gave both women a withering glance. “You make me sound like a girl.”
Hannah’s sweeping gaze lingered as it lowered, restoring his sagging confidence.
“Definitely not girly.”
“Why don’t you go find Dad and Grandpa? I think they’re doing something in the barn.” Eden smiled. “Hannah and I have some catching up to do.”
“See you both later.” Tripp practically ran back toward the corral. Since he was pretty sure he’d figure prominently in their little heart-to-heart, he wanted to get as far away as possible.
The side door scraped across the icy ground as he stepped into the dusky interior of the barn. He inhaled the scent of hay and horses and sighed. As always, being home filled him with a sense of comfort he hadn’t found anywhere else…except maybe cuddled up with Hannah on her couch.
“Hello, Son, how was your drive?”
His father’s voice jerked him out of his thoughts. Hurrying forward, he cla
sped his dad in a hard embrace. “Quick. We whizzed through Yellowstone without stopping. Maybe next time we’ll have a chance to enjoy the scenery.”
“Oh? I figured you must have taken a break since you were late getting here.”
“Or the boy just forgot how to drive.” The gravelly voice was filled with humor.
A grin formed as Tripp’s grandpa headed down the row of stalls toward him, his cane tapping against the wooden floor. “Did you call me slow, Gramps?”
“After lazing around for a month, it could happen.” His grandpa chuckled then clapped him on the back as he drew him close for a hug. “I thought maybe that avalanche took the starch out of you. You sure gave us a scare.”
“It takes more than a wall of snow to knock me off my game. I’m like that cat over there with nine lives.” Tripp dragged his attention away from the calico barn cat stalking something in the shadows to focus on his grandpa. “The way I’ve been going through them lately, though, I might want to slow down.”
His dad frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Tripp fisted his hands on his hips to glance around the main area of the barn stacked halfway to the rafters with alfalfa. Fond memories of launching off the bales into the loose straw below surfaced. “Huh? Oh, we had car trouble last night. The brakes went out, which was why Hannah and I were late getting here. We had to wait for them to bring us a new car.”
“Sounds like a liability suit to me. I hope you were somewhere safe when it happened.”
Glancing from his father’s concerned expression to the worry lines creasing his grandpa’s brow, Tripp decided to keep the tale of their hair-raising mountain descent to himself. “We dinged the bumper up a bit coming to a stop. No big deal. What are you two working on in here?”
“We’re trying to decide what to do with the area in the back where Sawyer had his workshop.” His dad turned to head toward the rear of the barn. “After your brother and Devin bought their new house, he cleared out all his carving tools and took the workbench, as well.”
“Sawyer bought a house?”
His grandpa’s cane tapped steadily behind him. “Didn’t you hear the news?”
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