Caught in the Act: Book Two: Independence Falls

by Sara Jane Stone

  “And more tequila?”

  Katie looked up at her brother. “Maybe. But it probably won’t help me make life-changing decisions.”

  “Probably not.” Brody released her and picked up the bottle. “But you don’t have to decide anything today. Take your time. Figure out what is in your heart.”

  Liam.

  His name felt as if it had been tattooed on her soul. But how many times could she choose him knowing that when she offered her love, he might hand her back heartbreak?

  Chapter 21

  LIAM REACHED INTO the bed of his truck for his chainsaw and safety gear. Tossing the chaps over his shoulder, he turned to his Saturday afternoon project—limbing Marvin’s trees. After all that happened in the past week, it felt a helluva lot like penance.

  “There you are!”

  Liam turned and spotted his sister marching toward him.

  “I didn’t realize you were looking for me.” He set the chainsaw down. “Everything OK?”

  “Josh Summers was working with Craig’s crew today,” Georgia began, struggling to catch her breath. It sounded as if she’d run down from the main house on the property to the wooded area.

  “That’s right. I saw him on the list I handed off to Craig yesterday.” Without the three-million-dollar payday, the Summers brothers still needed extra work. Liam felt guilty about that, running the deal into the ground. But he’d talked to Eric about getting the brothers back to the negotiating table—this time without Liam involved.

  Knowing he’d failed—that stung. But handing his freaking heart over to Katie, and let her walk away with it, hurt a helluva lot worse.

  “Josh had an accident,” Georgia said, ripping him from his thoughts.

  “What kind?” Liam picked up his equipment and headed for his truck. “Shit, I knew the kid was pushing hard, driving trucks five days a week and working with our crews on weekends.”

  Georgia rushed to keep up. “It wasn’t his fault. They were helicopter logging on the site. The pilot got sloppy and that big metal hook, the one that hangs down to carry the trees?”

  “Yeah, I know the hook,” he said, tossing his gear in the back. “Get in and I’ll drive you back to your car.”

  “That hook hit Josh in the head.” His sister opened the passenger door and slipped inside. “He’s at the hospital now in critical condition. Eric went over to meet Brody and Chad there. But no one has seen Katie.”

  Liam had witnessed his share of logging accidents. But a large metal hook to the head sounded pretty damn serious. He turned the truck around and drove as fast as he dared over the dirt path to the house. “Have you tried her barn? The horse trails?”

  “Her car was parked at the house and I checked the barn. Sugar was missing, but I didn’t have time to search the trails. I came looking for you, figuring I’d reach Katie on her cell. But she’s not picking up. Have you heard from her?”

  “I haven’t spoken to her in days. Last I heard of her, Eric said she was passed out drunk at your place following Monday’s meeting. She hasn’t returned my calls. And her brothers sure as hell won’t let me near her.”

  He pulled up to a stop beside her truck and Georgia hopped out. “I have to go pick up Nate, but then I’ll keep looking.”

  “I’ll find her,” he said. “Keep calling her cell. I have an idea where she might have gone if she was on horseback.”

  Liam hightailed it down the driveway. If her brother was in critical condition, Katie needed to get to Josh’s side. She already beat herself up over not being there for her father. If she didn’t get a chance to say good-bye to Josh—if it came to that—she’d never forgive herself. And she’d probably run as fast as she could away from Independence Falls. As much as he wanted her to follow her dreams, he didn’t want her to leave for the wrong reasons. Heartbreak held tight—and it was a lot easier to face surrounded by friends and family.

  “KATIE!”

  She heard his voice and opened her eyes, staring up at the tree branches. Sugar, who’d been tied to the tree happily grazing, glanced over at her.

  “Katie!”

  This time, she sat up, reaching behind her and brushing the leaves out of her long, straight ponytail. About twenty feet away, she spotted Liam racing toward her. He’d called every day since she’d walked out of his office. But she hadn’t called him back yet. Her big brother had been right, she needed time to think.

  She’d taken a long, hard look at her goals, setting aside her stubborn determination and focusing on what was in her heart. Saving animals, but also this place, this town, her family—and Liam.

  Katie ran through her checklist of L-words every day while staring up at the twin fir trees.

  Like? Check.

  Lust? Check.

  Love—

  “Katie, you need to come with me. Now,” Liam said, bursting into her quiet bubble under the trees.

  She frowned, crossing her arms in front of her chest. This man might be the love of her life, but that did not give him the right to make demands after he’d walked out on her.

  “Josh was in an accident,” he continued. And just like that her frustration slipped away. Liam offered more details, but all she heard were the words “Josh” and “accident” over and over. “He’s in critical condition. We’ll know more when we get to the hospital.”

  “Critical condition,” she repeated. Those words tied to her brother . . . no, this couldn’t be happening. She couldn’t lose him.

  “Ride Sugar back to the barn,” Liam ordered. “Fast as you can safely go. I’ll drive my truck around and meet you there.”

  She nodded, numbly mounting Sugar. Liam placed a hand on her calf before she steered the mare to the path.

  “Are you OK to ride?” he asked.

  She nodded.

  “Just get Sugar into her stall. Georgia will stop by with Nate later and take care of the animals.”

  He’d made arrangements, thought ahead when all she could think was Josh and accident. “Thank you.”

  “I’ll get you there,” he said. “I promise. Focus on riding.”

  Katie followed his instructions, racing off toward her property, pushing Sugar as fast as she dared. How long had Josh been at the hospital? When did the accident happen?

  The questions she’d forgotten to ask swirled in her mind as she steered the mare home. When the barn came into view, she spotted Liam jumping down from his truck. He rushed to meet her, helping her remove the tack and close Sugar in her stall.

  Liam took her hand, leading her to the truck. “Georgia will be here soon. I spoke to her on my way over. Do you have your phone? She has been trying to reach you.”

  “I left it in my room.” She’d been worried she would be tempted to make a call before she’d thought things through. She turned away from the truck, but Liam caught her hand, pulling her back.

  “If anyone needs to reach you, they can call me,” he said, helping her into the truck and fastening her seat belt. “I’m not leaving you, Katie.”

  DAYS LATER AS fall started to take hold, Josh had still not opened his eyes. He was breathing on his own. They ran tests that showed signs of brain activity. The doctors debated how to classify his vegetative state. Sometimes he responded to stimulus, but most of the time he didn’t move. By day seven, it became clear that the doctors here did not have all the answers. And there was nothing to do but wait.

  Staring out the window of the cafeteria, Katie realized she’d spent twelve to sixteen hours a day at the hospital since Liam rushed her over. He cared for her all week, managing her animals and her life so that she could be here with Josh. He’d stepped up and helped her brothers, finding drivers to cover shifts and speaking with the mills regarding deliveries.

  For the last week, Liam had put her family first. She’d never needed someone so much. And he’d been there, every step of
the way.

  “Katie? Can we join you?”

  She turned away from the window at the sound of her oldest brother’s voice. Brody and Chad carried a tray with three cups of coffee and a selection of cellophane-wrapped muffins.

  “Here.” Chad set a muffin in front of her. “You need to eat.”

  Katie reached for a cup of coffee. “Have the doctors finished their rounds yet? Liam dropped me off this morning, but when I went to Josh’s room, they kicked me out for rounds.”

  “Yeah, they’re done. I spoke with them. There is no change,” Brody said. “But they are talking about bringing in a specialist from either New York City or Dallas. Someone more experienced with traumatic brain injuries. They said that could take weeks.”

  “Weeks. But won’t he be awake by then?”

  “Maybe,” Chad said. “They don’t know. The doctors are labeling Josh’s condition a persistent vegetative state. There is no timeline. Trust me, I’ve asked every nurse for more information. No one seems to know a damn thing.”

  “What do we do?” she asked. “Just go back to our lives and wait?”

  “Yes.” Chad said. “We can take shifts here, but staying at his bedside 24/7 is not helping anyone. You look like you haven’t eaten a real meal since the accident, sis.”

  “We also need to discuss the deal with Moore Timber.” Brody sipped his coffee and nodded to the pile of papers to her right. “Eric is pushing for an answer. Frankly, I think it is because he knows we need money to cover Josh’s expenses. Insurance doesn’t cover everything. Not even close.”

  “Sign the contracts,” Katie said firmly. She pushed the pile of papers across the table and offered her brothers a pen. “I want to work for Moore Timber. I’ve already called Carol at Montana’s Safe Haven and let her know I can’t take the job. I’m not leaving Independence Falls.”

  Her goals had shifted and changed. Josh’s accident was part of it, but she’d made the choice before that, while lying under the fir trees. She’d chosen to rewrite her future. Sitting here, staring out the hospital window, she’d realized that Liam had been right. She couldn’t escape her memories by moving to another state. Her life was here. Her family was here. Life was too short to waste chasing dreams somewhere else when happiness and love were right in front of her.

  “And Liam?” Brody asked.

  “I’m not leaving him either.” She stood, taking the cellophane-wrapped muffin with her. “Call me if anything changes?”

  Brody nodded. “Go get him.”

  “We’ll stay away,” Chad added. “Promise.”

  Katie drove to the Moore Timber offices and marched past reception down to Liam’s undecorated office, clutching the signed papers. She found him staring at his computer.

  “Hey,” she said.

  He looked up. “Hi. Everything OK? How’s Josh?”

  “No changes.” She stepped into the office and closed the door. “But I brought you these.”

  “The contracts?” he said, pushing back from his desk and taking the documents.

  Katie nodded as he rose from his chair, tossing the papers on his mostly cleared desk.

  “You’re staying?”

  “I am,” she said. “But not because we need the money or for my brothers. I’m not giving up on us. Not this time.”

  “Honey, that doesn’t mean we need to stay here. If you want to move and take your dream job, we’ll go.”

  She shook her head. “My dream is right here. My animals, my family, and you. I love you, Liam. I’ve loved you for a long time. Even when you ran from it, even when I was too stubborn to admit that maybe handing over my heart wasn’t such a bad thing. And I have faith that you’re not going to walk away from this.”

  “Never going to happen again. I was a fool to go the first time, thinking that success meant land and a fancy office job. None of that matters without you. My parents did it right, Katie. Love comes first. I’m in this forever. You’re mine, Katie.”

  “Yes.” She brushed her lips over his in a sweet, gentle kiss.

  “And I’m yours, honey.”

  Epilogue

  KATIE CARRIED THE last of the empty platters inside. They’d gone through all the hotdogs and burgers she’d purchased for the occassion. Yesterday, after weeks in a coma, her brother had finally opened his eyes. Josh was a long way from a full recovery. And the doctors still planned to bring in a specialist. But he would recover. The fear that had been hovering over her family and friends had lifted. Eric and Georgia had stepped forward, offering to host a casual, friends and family barbeque to celebrate.

  “I’ve been looking for you.” Liam’s arm snaked around her waist, drawing her back to his front. His mouth nuzzled her neck, trailing soft kisses over her jaw. “Are you heading to the hospital?”

  “No. Brody said he’d stop by and check on Josh. I saw him this morning,” she said, leaning against him. “I need to go home. Lena asked if she could stay in the apartment over the barn and I agreed. She wants to give Georgia and Eric some space. With Nate visiting his grandmother, Lena felt as if she might be in the way.”

  “You told her where to find the key?” His lips touched her ear.

  “I did. But I want to check on her. See if she needs anything.”

  “She’ll be fine.”

  “I don’t know. I saw Chad talking to her earlier with Hero positioned between them. I turned away for a minute, and when I looked back, my brother was covered in beer. As in someone poured it over his head. And I doubt Lena did that. She wouldn’t get that close. Then the next time I saw Chad, he was with another blonde.”

  “Honey, I’m sure Lena survived her run-in with your brother. You can quiz her on the details tomorrow. But tonight,” he said, drawing her earlobe between his teeth, then releasing it. “Tonight, I have other plans for you.”

  Her pulse sped up. “Maybe a detour . . .”

  “Good.” He released her, leaving her missing the full body contact, and took her hand. “I’ll drive. We can come back for your car in the morning.”

  Ten minutes later, Liam steered his truck onto the shoulder of the two-lane road. Even shrouded in darkness, Katie recognized this place—the same spot where he’d found her trying to change her tire.

  She climbed out, her eyes adjusting to the dark night. Clouds filled the sky, obscuring the stars. There was just enough moonlight to see Liam grab a sleeping bag and backpack.

  “I wasn’t expecting an overnight campout,” she said.

  Liam handed her a flashlight. “Surprise.”

  With the wide beam illuminating the way, she took his hand and headed through the woods to the familiar clearing.

  “I should have waited for a starry night,” he said. “But I wanted to come here one last time with you.”

  “Last time, huh?” She watched as he spread out the sleeping bags. He set a second bag down, retrieving a bottle of champagne and two plastic cups.

  “Yeah. I listed the place for sale, back when I thought you were leaving. I started making plans, hoping you’d still want me to go with you.” He popped the cork and filled the cups. “Here.”

  She took it and found a spot on one of the sleeping bags. “Giving up on your dream?”

  “Rewriting it.” Liam smiled and sat beside her. “Someone made an offer. It was more than I expected so I took it.”

  “Any regrets now that we’re staying?”

  He reached out, cupping her jaw, running his thumb over her cheek. “No. We’ll find something else. A place that’s ours, and build our dream home. A barn for your animals. Horses, goats, hogs, whatever you want.”

  “Sounds perfect,” she said, turning her mouth and kissing the palm of his hand. “But we already have the land. I’m buying this place. I placed the offer as soon as I decided to sign the contract with Moore Timber.”

  “Honey, I’
m not selling it to you.”

  “I have an accepted offer. That’s as good as a contract. And I trusted you to hold up your end of the bargain. You wouldn’t go back on your word, would you?”

  Liam laughed. “If you want it that badly, it’s yours.”

  “Ours,” she corrected. “And you know how I want to spend the first night at our dream-home site?”

  He took her plastic cup and set it aside before drawing her into his arms and down onto the sleeping bag. “I have an idea.”

  She rolled on top of him, straddling his hips. Running her hands up his arms, she interlaced her fingers with his.

  Liam smiled up at her. “Are you giving the orders?”

  “No orders. Not this time.” She leaned down, brushing her lips over his. “Just love me, Liam.”

  “Always, honey. Always.”

  About the Author

  After several years on the other side of the publishing industry, SARA JANE STONE bid good-bye to her sales career to pursue her dream—writing romance novels. Sara Jane currently resides in Brooklyn, New York, with her very supportive real-life hero, two lively young children, and a lazy Burmese cat. Visit her online at www.sarajanestone.com, or find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SaraJaneStone.

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  Also by Sara Jane Stone

  Full Exposure

  Command Performance

  Coming January 2015

  HERO BY NIGHT

  BOOK THREE: INDEPENDENCE FALLS

  He was nobody’s hero, until he landed in the wrong bed . . .

  Armed with a golden retriever and a concealed weapons permit, Lena Clark is fighting for normal. She served her country, but the experience left her emotionally numb, afraid to be touched, and estranged from her career-military family. Staying in Independence Falls, and finding a job, seems like the first step to reclaiming her life until the town playboy stumbles into her bed . . .