by Vaughn, V.
Annie turns to look at both of us. "Well, ladies, are you ready to check out what could be your new home?"
New home? I should be surprised and asking a million questions. Contentment wraps around me instead, and I answer, "Let's go."
12
Chapter 12
Carly
The engine turns to a pleasant rumble, and Annie sweeps her hand across the horizon. Before I can ask what she means about this being our new home, she says, "All this land belongs to my family. We have over ten thousand acres, most of which is trees." The Hummer enters the forest, and white snow flashes in between dark shades of green.
She continues. "We harvest pine for lumber companies, grow Christmas trees, and collect sap to make our own maple syrup." The fir trees are now fading into bare-branched hardwoods, and light filters in. Bits of silver color make me notice small metal buckets attached to trees.
Sierra says, "Those buckets are for the sap, right?" I know she's asking for my benefit, and I smile in a silent thank you.
"Yes. It takes about forty gallons of sap for a gallon of syrup, and you get that much from about two trees." The road is uneven, and we bounce a bit as the truck progresses.
I say, "Wow, I had no idea."
Annie smiles and gives me a quick glance. "We have thousands of trees and are one of the major suppliers for maple syrup. I hope you like it, because we eat it year round."
She's focused on the road, and it occurs to me that there isn't enough room for more than one car. What happens if we encounter another? "Really? That's a lot of pancakes." Too bad I'm a bacon and eggs girl.
"Oh, we use it for much more than pancakes. I put it in beans, barbecue sauce, muffins, on squash, over ice cream, and we're even making vodka with it now."
My stomach grumbles, and Annie chuckles. "Don't worry, I'll feed you soon. Brady will be done with work by six, and you're invited to eat with us."
Wait, us as in Brady and Annie? Crap on a cracker, I'm lusting after her man? But why the sly smile when she saw my reaction to the scent of his jacket? Hell, I'm getting to the bottom of this.
I ask, "Is Brady your husband?"
Annie pats my leg with pink-nail-polished fingers. "Oh, no. He's my brother, and you'd better say yes to dinner or he'll be very disappointed."
Relief floods my body. "Oh, good." Crap, did I just say that out loud? I suppose I can ask probing questions now.
"What did you mean this might be our new home?" The dank smell of spring earth is coming through a vent.
"Oh, boy. I knew I shouldn't have said that." Annie sighs. "There's so much to be explained, and Brady wants to do it, but I can tell you we want you to live here and become part of our family business."
Sierra asks, "So you sent us the sign? Wouldn't it have been simpler to just advertise job openings?"
Annie shakes her head, and her hair sways, reminding me of my dream guy's shaggy appearance. I have no doubt he's Brady. "Again, I'm going to have to let Brady explain, but no. We need a specific kind of person, and the sign ensured only the right ones would come."
Sierra says, "So mysterious. I'm anxious to meet this Brady."
Annie says, "I don't think Brady is who you want to meet. Your ma--damn it." Her eyes flash to the rearview mirror to look at Sierra. "I'm sorry. What I meant is Keith is joining us for dinner too, and I think you might find him more attractive than Brady."
Sierra leans forward to be between the bucket seats. "Tell me more."
Annie snorts. "Let's just say I'm going to feel like the fifth wheel tonight."
I turn to look at Sierra, and she grins. That girl thinks about sex more than most men, and I wish I was as comfortable as she is with the prospect of hooking up with our dream guys. Unfortunately, experience is making me nervous, and the jitters in my stomach right now are more from fear of rejection than lust. I shake off the thought, because we wouldn’t have made it here if we weren’t destined to be with these men.
The end of the road appears bright, and I notice the forest clears up ahead. Annie says, "You're about to see my favorite place." We stop at a parking area by a lake. A sloped section leads into the water, and sand is spread out on it, making a small beach. Pine trees stand tall around the perimeter, and I’m fascinated by branches that are broken dead nubs until near the top. "This is our lake. Isn't it wonderful?"
Sierra says, "You have a lake. Yeah, this is wonderful. Can you skate on it?"
I look out and see what looks like a big piece of ice floating in the middle of the water, which tells me it's begun to thaw.
"Sure. When I was a kid we skated almost every day. All of us were great hockey players, and I was even on the high school team." She lets out a big sigh.
I say, "You sound sad. Don't you skate anymore?"
Annie shakes her head. "No, we all grew up, and without children around, the lake is quiet."
Sierra asks, "Don't your employees have kids that would like to play out here? I'll bet a company skating party would be fun."
Annie smiles, but it looks fake. "It would be fun, but nobody has kids."
Strange. I would guess they have a lot of employees to run this place, and nobody has a family? "What a waste. If we stay, maybe someone will teach me how to skate next winter."
Annie says, "That's right, you’re a California girl. Can you surf?"
I nod, "I sure can. But it's not really my sport these days. I leave that to the skinny girls." I pull the warm coat tighter around me.
Annie frowns, and I'm sure Sierra is frowning too when she says, "Carly, don't."
She hates it when I get down on myself, but the fact is I'm just not comfortable on the beach and haven't been since I started to put on weight in my teen years. I wish I could be like Sierra and work with what I have instead of wishing my life away. "I'm sorry. That was rude of me, Annie." Warm heat is blowing gently from the vent, and I hold my chilled hands up to it.
"It's okay, but you won't find me feeling sorry for you. I don't put much stock in women that don't enjoy food." She grins. "And neither does my brother."
That makes me smile too. "I feel like I'm in a reality show. I'm not competing with other women for Brady, am I?"
"Nope. But enough about him. Let's get you both checked into a place to stay." She swings the Hummer around to go back the way we came. "I'd invite you to stay with us, and after tonight you can, but we thought you'd be more comfortable someplace neutral."
She looks in the mirror at Sierra. "No pressure. We’d like you to stay here because it's what you want."
Light fades as we enter back into tree cover, and I wonder if this is what I want. The land is beautiful, and the idea of working it for a living appeals to me. Focusing on Brady's scent, I breathe in, and the twinge of desire in my belly makes me think he might help with my decision. The feeling of danger I had earlier has lessened, as if this family land is safe. But something is still making me uneasy.
This sign stuff got us out here, but why? What is it that makes Sierra, Lily, Taylor, and me the right kind of women for the job? What could larger women with no real ties offer that other women can't? And is it just women? Are men being called too?
My thoughts are interrupted by Sierra's voice. "Carly?"
"What? Sorry, I wasn't listening." I turn back to look at her.
"Annie asked if we would want to stay at a bed and breakfast her cousin runs." I look at my beautiful friend's pixie face framed by her black bob. She's happy to be here and excited by the possibilities, but what if I've brought her to a real nightmare? I nod my head. "Sure, that sounds nice."
Sierra's face falls, but she doesn't say anything. I try to reassure her. "I bet she makes pancakes."
She tries to cheer me up. "And I'll bet you can get bacon and eggs."
I paste on a smile to cover my discomfort and change the subject. "Should we change for dinner, Annie?"
"Oh, no. You two are fabulous just the way you are."
I nod, but I can't help but wonder if t
hat's really true.
13
Chapter 13
Sierra
Annie brought us to a cozy bed and breakfast, and for the first time in days, we each get our own room. I'm looking forward to sleeping alone and leaving my stuff everywhere. The quaint accommodations are decorated in an old-fashioned Victorian style with throw pillows, an overstuffed chair, and a fluffy duvet that has me longing to climb under it.
After dropping us off to freshen up, Annie is headed to the store to close and then back to pick us up for dinner. I give myself a quick freshen-up and walk over to Carly's room. I'm worried about her and think she's feeling insecure. That comment about not surfing because she's too fat made me sad.
My knuckles rap on her door. "Hey, it's me."
She opens up and says, "Stunning as always, my friend."
Carly has put her hair up in a clip that lets soft strands fall around her face, framing her gorgeous eyes and full lips. "You look pretty hot yourself. Nervous?" I perch myself on her bed.
"So much so I might throw up." I watch as she applies lipstick in a soft pink shade. "Sierra, what if Brady finds I'm not what he expected? And I've moved all the way across the country for something that isn't?" Carly plops down in the chair and sighs. "I don't think I can go."
The silver flecks of light I’ve grown accustomed to seeing aren’t in her eyes. I cluck my tongue at her. "You don't have an idea how amazing you are, do you?" I stand with my hands on my hips for an ego-boosting speech. "Girlfriend, your blue eyes lure them in, and when they get there, your body has sexy curves that make them never want to stop touching you. But you know what the best part is?" I think about my loving friend. "You have a heart of gold, and when you let someone in, they get a loyal, courageous person that treasures the gift they are. Any guy would be damn lucky to have you."
Carly smiles at me, and I think I got through when she says, "I'm lucky to have you too. Thanks." She takes the hand I hold out to her and stands up. "Annie will be here any minute. Let's do this."
I nod. "On it."
We make our way to the sitting area to wait for her. I spy the red Hummer through the window. "She's already here." Which is good, because Carly's still smiling from my pep talk.
After driving a short distance from the bed and breakfast, we pull into a long paved driveway that winds up a small hill. Near the top an incredibly tall wrought-iron gate opens when Annie pushes a button on her visor. It's dark out, but as we go by the gate I think I can make out a design of bears and trees on it.
Carly asks, "Is that a custom gate?"
Annie answers, "Yes, for Bear Mountain Tree Company."
I wonder how much something like that costs to have made. We approach a very large log-cabin-style house--no, it’s a fortress. I have my answer. It costs too much if you have to ask. I say, "What a gorgeous home." This is the kind of house that keeps a family safe.
Annie grins in the rearview mirror at me. "Thank you. We've been blessed with a rich heritage and parents that made sure we knew how to run a good business."
We pull into a garage and park next to a large black pickup truck. It's muddy but appears to be a recent model. I guess it's Brady's, and it fits my image of what kind of men we're about to meet.
While neat, the space is full of stuff. Multiple pairs of snowshoes are hung on the wall, downhill skis are next to them, and mountain bikes hang from hooks in the ceiling. This is an active family. It occurs to me we don't know their last name.
We climb out of the Hummer, and our heels tap on the concrete as Carly and I follow Annie into the house. The front door closes behind us with a deep thump that blocks off all noise from outside. This place is solid as a rock, and it makes me wonder if there’s a sheet of metal hiding in the wood.
The aroma of thyme and sage roasting wafts toward us, and I assume we're having baked chicken. We’ve stepped onto tile, but it quickly turns to hardwood as we enter a great room that's more than two stories tall. Open beams frame their way up to a peak, and windows are set up high to let in light. A chandelier hangs down, and an oversized fireplace roars at the end of the room. I marvel at the huge logs that fit with the super-sized atmosphere.
Off to our left is the kitchen, separated by a deep green granite island. I turn toward the dark cherry cabinets that glow in soft light. Beyond them is a table set lit with candles. Heavy footsteps sound behind me, and we all turn toward the staircase off to the right of the great room.
Holy shit. The largest man I've ever seen is coming our way. He's close to seven feet with shoulders that must span the length of my arm. They taper down to a fit-looking waist and thighs the size of tree trunks. He's focused on Carly, and when her gaze manages to get to his face, he grins with bright white teeth.
"Ladies. So nice to have you here." He may have addressed all of us, but it's clear he's only seeing Carly. A flush rises to her cheeks when she puts her hand out and says, "Carly Cutler."
More Called by the Bear
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Part 2 - Carly’s attraction to Brady is more than she could have imagined. But true mates come with a price…
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Called by the Bear is a nine part serial.
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
About V. Vaughn
V. Vaughn lives in New Hampshire and spends winter weekends in the woods of Maine. She might have seen a bear, or two….
V. Vaughn also writes Sport Romance as Violet Vaughn. You can read more about her Ski Town Romance series here.
www.violetvaughn.com
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Desert Moon - Anna Lowe
Lana Dixon knows well enough to steer clear of alpha males, but Ty Hawthorne is as impossible to avoid as the sizzling Arizona sun. Her inner wolf just won’t give up on the alpha who’s tall, dark, and more than a little dangerous. One midnight romp under the full moon is enough for Lana to know she’ll risk her life for him — but what about her pride?
Ty puts duty above everything — even the overwhelming instinct that says Lana’s the one. She’s the Juliet to his Romeo: forbidden. And with a pack of poaching rogues closing in, it’s hardly the time to yield to his desires. Or is love just what this lonely alpha needs to set his spirit free?
There’s more than meets the eye on Twin Moon Ranch, home to a pack of shapeshifting wolves willing to battle for life and love.
Desert Moon is Book 1 of THE WOLVES OF TWIN MOON RANCH SERIES:
Desert Moon (Book 1)
Desert Wolf (a short story)
Desert Book (Book 2)
Desert Fate (Book 3)
Copyright
Desert Moon
The Wolves of Twin Moon Ranch: Book One
by Anna Lowe
Copyright 2015 by Anna Lowe
Cover art by Fiona Jayde Media
Chapter 1
Lana fidgeted next to her grandmother as the plane banked over the harsh landscape and slowly descended. Arizona. She almost muttered it aloud. She’d vowed never to return, and yet here she was.
The desert. All that open space, that sky. It had taken something out of her on her first visit, long ago, leaving her with a thirst she could never quench. So why go back?
The plane landed, and she moved stiffly to baggage claim, already wishing for a flight home. Catching herself grinding her teeth, she willed her jaws to relax. She would be calm and serene, damn it, even if she had to fake it. For one week, she could manage that much. She’d get her grandmother settled into her new home and then return to the East Coast. The desert had nothing for her.
She glued on a smile as an older woman hugged her grandmother, then turned to her with sparkling eyes and a secret
smile.
“Lana, you look just like your mother!”
She gave a little internal sigh but didn’t drop the forced smile. This must be Jean, her grandmother’s old friend. She’d met Jean before once, but her memories of that time were hazy. All she remembered was the sense of loss her first visit had left her with. Which was crazy, because how could you lose something you never had?
“The eyes of her mother, the nose of her father,” her grandmother winked, and Lana couldn’t help but wonder what private joke they were sharing. But the older women breezed right over the subject and started chatting away about friends and family and times gone by. Lana tapped her foot, waiting for the baggage to roll past. The sooner she got this visit started, the sooner it would be over.
Twenty minutes later, she wheeled the luggage cart toward the exit, trailed by the older women. She sucked in a deep breath before stepping into the furnace outside the airport doors. The heat smothered her like a wool blanket, and the dry desert air seared her nostrils.
“One of Tyrone’s boys is coming to get us,” Jean said, looking up and down the road.
Lana looked too, gnawing her lip. It figured the kid would be late. While the two older women stood in the shade of a bus stop, catching up on twelve years of news, she paced. Out into the piercing sun, then back into the muted shade. Out and back, out and back again, each footfall a step into the past, then a determined about-face into the future. She tried to numb her senses, but they kept darting around, tasting the arid flavor of this place, listening to its emptiness. Everything felt so familiar, yet so strange, like visiting a childhood home after someone else had moved in.