by R. C. Ryan
Willow caught his hand in hers, her eyes revealing her shock. “No, Brady. You wouldn’t have…”
He placed a finger over her mouth to still her words. “It’s no good denying the truth. At that time, I had nothing more to live for.”
She knelt up, wrapping her arms around him. Against his temple she whispered fiercely, “I refuse to believe you would have gone through with it. You’re too good, too strong willed, no matter how painful your life had become.”
He went very still, then allowed himself to gather her close. With one hand he stroked her hair. “When I saw what was about to happen to Bear, I decided I’d do one last good deed before leaving this world. I never dreamed that decision would change everything.” He looked at her, his eyes hot and fierce, even though his words were barely a husky whisper. “When I learned that Bear was so crazy in love with someone he’d just lost, I could understand that and sympathize. But with every day I stayed on at his ranch, I heard more and more about the amazing, lovely, talented Willow Martin.” His eyes gentled. “I think I was half in love with that mystery woman, too. And then you came back to him and admitted that you wanted a life with him more than you wanted a glamorous career as a model, and I understood why any man would fall under your spell. I did. Instantly. After meeting you, I knew that no other woman would ever measure up to you. Not the Willow of my imagination, but the real Willow, who was everything I’d ever dreamed of and more.”
She was so stunned, all she could do was stare wide-eyed at him. “Brady, what are you saying?”
“I’m saying that I completely understand why Bear loved you more than his own life. I feel the same way. And through all these years, the only reason I’ve been able to admire you from afar and keep a steady hand on my feelings is because of my loyalty to Bear. Everything I have—my life, my satisfying years here on this ranch—I owe to Bear MacKenzie. I would never do anything to dishonor his memory. But I have to admit, Willow, the temptation to act on my feelings right now is almost more than I can fight.” He touched one rough finger to her lips. “I can see by the look in your eyes that I’ve completely blindsided you, and for that I’m truly sorry.”
He lowered his hands and turned away from her, arranging his saddle as a pillow before folding over his bedroll.
“Brady…” She twisted her hands together, unable to form a simple sentence.
She hadn’t seen this coming. Hadn’t had a clue.
On the one hand, she couldn’t help but be moved by his admission. What woman wouldn’t relish being admired and loved from afar? On the other hand, she had no doubt that it would be impossible to behave with him as she had in the past. There had been a level of comfort in her ignorance. Now she would be aware of him in a whole new light. As a man. A man who…loved her. Who desired her.
Brady Storm was her dearest friend.
Could she possibly think of him as more? And even if she could, was she ready for such a step?
Beside her, the object of her thoughts rolled to his side without another word. And though she agonized over this latest change in her life, she knew she could no longer seek the comfort of her best friend’s arms. Because to do so would invite a storm of another kind.
Whit stared down at Cara, curled up against him.
It had been an amazing night. They’d had the freedom to love loudly, lustily. And to talk. She had a way of listening, really listening, that caused him to open up to her as he rarely opened to anyone. He’d told her about his childhood here on the ranch and the hurt and anger he’d felt when his brother Ash had left in a blind rage after another fight with their father. And the pain when he’d learned of his father’s murder. And then the shock of learning that their father had discovered he had a son by a woman he’d known before his marriage to Willow.
All that talk had left him feeling somehow cleansed. As though just sharing it with someone else had forced him to take a hard look at his family and realize that, despite all they’d gone through, they were doing fine. They were all surviving. And he loved them. All of them. Ash, who had once left him feeling abandoned. Griff, the stranger with his father’s face and voice and mannerisms. Brady, who had always felt like his second father. Mad, who, despite suffering a crippling injury, refused to be held back. Willow, who continued to be the heart and soul of their family. And even old Myrna, the closest thing he’d ever had to a grandmother, who had fussed over him and made his favorite foods during his growing-up years, as though trying to make up for the loss of his brother.
Cara had opened up, too. About her painful childhood and about the dream she’d nurtured all these years. No wonder she’d carried all her old notes and drawings with her throughout the years. They weren’t just childhood treasures. They were a lifeline from her past to her dreams of the future.
She not only opened up about herself and listened, but she made him laugh as well. He couldn’t recall the last time he’d laughed so hard. And all because of that quirky, silly sense of humor that always caught him by surprise. How could someone with so many painful memories have such a wonderful sense of humor?
She was such a surprise. Everything about her was new and fresh and wonderful.
When he’d found her in that range shack, he’d considered her simply an annoyance in his life. When he’d brought her here, he’d expected her to last a few days at the most before she figured out where she wanted to go next.
And now?
He studied the curve of her eyebrow, barely visible beneath the veil of hair that spilled over half of her face.
He’d thought he could enjoy her company, indulge in some casual sex, and watch her ride off to her next adventure. But something had happened to him along the way. Something that wasn’t at all planned.
He found himself worrying about her. Caring about her safety and more, about where she would go and what she would do with her life going forward.
He lov—
He resisted permitting the very word to form in his mind. As long as he didn’t think it, it wasn’t so.
Hadn’t he ridiculed his brothers for getting all mushy and gooey over their women?
Their women.
His woman.
That simple phrase had him feeling a rush of tenderness.
He felt a band begin to tighten around his heart. He had never meant for this to happen. Though he didn’t want it, wasn’t ready for it, it had happened anyway.
God, he loved her.
She sighed in her sleep and he used that moment to roll aside and head toward the ladder.
He needed coffee.
He needed air.
He needed…Cara. Needed her desperately. And that realization terrified him.
“Do I smell coffee?” Cara opened her eyes to find Whit kneeling beside her, holding out a steaming mug.
She sat up and took a deep drink before handing it back to him. “Oh, that’s heavenly. Have you been to the house?”
“I have.” He settled in beside her and held out a bagel and cream cheese. “I thought you might like this, too.”
“Thanks.” She took a bite before passing it to him. “Was Myrna up?”
“Not yet. But soon, I suppose.” He motioned toward the window. “The rain’s gone. How did you like sleeping up here?”
“Not that we got much sleep,” she said with a laugh. “But I see why you enjoy hearing the rain up here. It’s really soothing. Everything about your life is soothing.” She stretched and reached for her shirt. “I’d better get moving.”
“Why? There’s nobody here except you and me and Myrna. And she’s used to getting her chores started before breakfast.”
Cara gave a shake of her head. “I can’t remember the last time I had nothing at all to do. I’m not sure I’ll know what to do with all this time on my hands. I feel like I need to get up and get busy.”
Whit set aside his coffee and bagel and reached for the buttons of her shirt. “Oh, I’m sure we’ll think of something to do.”
She was laugh
ing. “I don’t believe you. Didn’t you get enough of this last night?”
“Goldilocks.” He drew her close and covered her mouth with his. “I don’t think I’ll ever have enough of you.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
By late morning, the entire MacKenzie family had returned to the house.
Mad was the first to arrive, with Griff and Juliet and their boys, who’d flown in with Mad at the controls. Though Griff was prepared in case his grandfather needed help, the old man brought the little Cessna in for a perfect landing.
Willow and Brady were in the barn, unsaddling their mounts and turning them into the corral before joining the others.
Willow seemed surprised to see them. “You’re just coming home now?”
“Spent the night with Griff and Juliet.” The old man kissed his daughter-in-law’s cheek as she bent down to his scooter to greet him. “That was some storm,” Mad muttered. “It was probably worse up in the hills.”
Brady nodded. “It was a doozy.”
Juliet studied Willow and Brady. “Since your hair’s not wet, I’m guessing you two found some shelter before it hit.”
“Just barely.” Willow strode along beside Brady, averting her gaze. Their morning routine had been awkward, since neither of them knew quite how to broach the subject of the previous night.
She turned to Mad. “That range shack up on the middle ridge will have to be rebuilt. We managed to stay in the lean-to with the horses, but the rest of the building has been destroyed by the weather. If the wind had grown any stronger, I doubt even the last wall would have survived.”
“I’m not surprised. That was one of my original shelters, built when Bear was a lad.” With the two little boys on his lap along for the ride, Mad maneuvered his scooter along the wooden ramp that had been built for him. “I’m sure you’ll take a crew and get on it in a few weeks, Griff—that is, if you can spare them, Brady?”
The foreman nodded. “As soon as calving season is over, I’ll pull a few wranglers from the herd. With an experienced builder like Griff to guide them, they’ll have it as good as new in no time.”
Griff was all smiles. “I’m always happy to be working with my hands. Maybe you ought to check out the rest of the cabins once the weather clears, Brady. No sense wasting spring and summer without making necessary repairs.”
“I’m with you on that, Griff.” The foreman held the back door for the others.
They trooped into the house, pausing to remove wide-brimmed hats and mud-caked boots before washing at the sink.
Inside, Ash and Brenna were already drinking coffee and chatting with Whit and Cara and Myrna. The minute Casey and Ethan caught sight of Sammy, the chase was on and they raced into the great room looking for the pup’s favorite ball to toss.
“There’s lemonade,” Cara called to their retreating backs, but the two little boys were beyond caring, as long as they had the puppy in their sights.
Willow and Brady hurried off to their separate suites for a quick shower.
By the time a very late breakfast was served, the entire family had gathered around the table. While they filled their plates with omelets and country potatoes, along with thick slabs of ham, the talk centered on the storm and the havoc it had wreaked before blowing over.
After hearing about the range shack, Griff reported on the line of trees he’d spotted from the air. “A mile or more just flattened like matchsticks.”
Willow glanced at Cara. “I hope you weren’t too frightened by it. The storms always seem so much worse out here, far from civilization.”
Cara was busy passing around a basket of rolls she’d just retrieved from the oven. “I guess I was just so mesmerized by the sound of all that lovely rain on the tin roof…”
She stopped and felt the heat burning her cheeks as she realized what she’d just blurted.
The conversation came to a grinding halt as everyone turned to stare at Whit.
“Busted.” He lifted his hands in a sign of surrender. “I figured the storm was the perfect opportunity for Cara to hear what rain sounds like under the roof of the barn.”
“That was really thoughtful of you, bro.”
At Ash’s sarcastic comment, he was forced to duck when Whit tossed a hot roll at his head. Catching it one-handed, Ash tossed it back. It whizzed past Whit’s shoulder and landed on the floor behind him.
Willow shot both her sons the famous hairy eyeball that every mother has mastered from the time her children are toddlers. “What a fine example you’re setting for little Casey and Ethan.”
“Can you teach me to throw Sammy a roll, too?” Casey asked in all innocence.
Everyone turned to see the puppy devouring the roll that had fallen to the floor.
“That’ll be enough of that.” Mad glowered at the two men as though they were children.
Then, turning to Cara with a deceptively innocent smile, he said, “Go on now, lass. You were saying that Whit took you up to the hayloft to hear the rain. How did you like it?”
Her face was flaming. “I loved it. It’s something I could listen to forever.” Then she busied herself at the stove while knowing looks were exchanged around the table.
The sound of an arriving text on Brady’s cell phone broke the silence.
The foreman read the words before typing in his response.
He returned his phone to his shirt pocket and glanced around at the others. “Carter needs help with the calving. I’m heading up to the highlands. Anybody care to join me?” He turned to Willow. “Sorry I can’t be here to lend a hand with your business meeting with Lance McMillan.”
Willow plucked up her own phone and spoke in low tones. “Lance, this is Willow MacKenzie. I’m sorry to mess with your schedule, but I’m needed in the hills today. Call tomorrow and we’ll schedule another meeting.”
She was smiling. “I’d rather spend an afternoon with the herd any time than be stuck in my office with Lance going over more of those tedious documents. And since he didn’t pick up his phone, I was able to avoid talking to him and left a voice mail instead.”
“Okay, then.” Brady turned back to Whit. “With that storm, we never made it to the west meadow. Want to join us?”
“Yeah. Sure.” Whit glanced at the rigid line of Cara’s back, hoping he could find a way to ease her embarrassment before he left.
Brady turned to Ash and Griff. “I could use your help, too. I’d guess, from Carter’s text, those calves are being born in record numbers.”
“I’m in,” Ash said.
Whit nodded. “Count me in.”
Mad turned to Juliet. “I’ll fly you and the wee lads home.”
“Thanks, Mad. But I promised the boys a little time at Brenna’s studio.”
“That’s okay.” Brenna winked at the two little boys. “Casey and Ethan can hang with me, and you can go home and do your thing. Then we’ll meet back here for supper. Does that work?”
Juliet nodded. “Perfect. But I’d like to stay long enough to give Cara a hand with this cleanup.”
Cara turned, relieved at the change of topic but unwilling to be the center of attention. “That’s not necessary.”
“It is.” Brenna picked up Sammy to keep him from eating any more of the scraps being dropped by the two little boys. “Since you cooked this marvelous brunch, the least Juliet and I can do is pitch in to help with the dishes.”
Myrna smiled at them. “That will free me to do some of my chores.” She flushed. “The house was so quiet this morning, I overslept. Now I need to catch up.”
Cara shot a quick glance at Whit and felt the heat creeping up her neck again.
He winked, and she turned away, afraid everyone could read her guilty feelings.
Within half an hour, Willow, Brady, Whit, Ash, and Griff were gathering their gear in preparation to head out.
Mad and the two little boys rode off toward the great room in Mad’s scooter, with Sammy trailing behind.
During all the commotio
n, Whit managed to pause beside Cara, who was setting dirty dishes in the sink.
He tugged a lock of her hair. “Don’t make too much of all that.”
“Really? What should I do? Just make a joke of it, like you do? Is that what I am, Whit? A joke to you and your brothers?”
His tone was rough with impatience. “You can’t believe that.”
“And why not? I could feel what everyone around the table was thinking. You told me you and Ash used to sneak girls up to the hayloft. Why should I be any different than the others?”
“You are different, Cara. You’re special. You’re—”
“Come on, bro.” Ash stood in the doorway, bulging saddlebags tossed over his shoulder. “Let’s get a move on.”
“I’ll be right there.” Whit struggled to keep the frustration from his voice as he turned back to Cara. “When I come back, we’ll talk. I promise. Okay?”
She hissed out a breath. “Sure.”
“I want to kiss you.”
She turned to peer at all the activity around them, her face bright pink. “Don’t you dare. I feel silly enough already.”
He pressed two fingers to his mouth, then touched them to hers. “Okay. This will have to do until I get back. Then I’ll give you a proper kiss. And we’ll talk.”
She stood perfectly still, absorbing the tiny thrill of his touch along her spine. Then, with her hands still filled with dirty dishes, she turned to watch him stride from the room.
Minutes later came the sound of a convoy of trucks, some hauling loaded horse trailers, and deep, masculine voices calling out orders.
Brenna carried a stack of dishes to the counter while Juliet wiped down the table. Cara opened the dishwasher and began filling it with dirty dishes.
“So, Cara.” Brenna reached for plastic wrap before storing the remaining ham in the refrigerator. “What do you think about Whit?”
And there it was.
Cara swallowed. “He’s been really nice to me. Considering the circumstances of our first meeting, he would have been justified in calling the police chief and filing a complaint about me.”