by Layla Nash
He finished the coffee as his gaze landed on the one car that had less snow than the others — doubtless the girl's car, since she was the only person crazy enough to drive in the storm. Ridiculous. And to have done so with a child in the car... He shook his head and left the coffee mug by the sink, not bothering to rinse it out. He'd just use it again the next morning. It hadn't been washed in at least a year — all the caked on coffee schmutz added flavor. Washing that out would have ruined it.
Tate did his normal routine of sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups at a bar in the doorway, and squats, trying to get his blood moving. On mornings like that, the lion just wanted to stay in bed. He dressed in as many layers as he could manage, cursing Simon the entire time for not settling in a place with kinder winters, and headed down to clear off the car. He'd told the tourists to be ready to go by nine. He could take his time and not hurry, maybe get breakfast at the tiny coffee shop attached to the motel.
He carried a shovel and extra brush out to the car, nodding to a few other hearty souls who shoveled sidewalks and dug out cars, and wandered down to where he'd parked the Range Rover. He dawdled a little, enjoying the early morning silence, and even pitched in to help the mechanic clean off his wife's car after he got the Range Rover dug out.
Tate paused next to the poorly-parked sedan that the girl drove, his nose twitching. Something smelled off, just like she had the night before. Something metallic or chemical or just plain wrong. Drugs. Most likely meth, possibly ecstasy. The lion growled and his hair bristled, reminded of too many dicey deals when he freelanced with the DEA. Tate had done some undercover work and none of it had gone as planned. He'd gotten out of the business of screwing over drug dealers after three different groups put bounties on his head.
That was the other reason he lived in Bear Creek — no drug dealer worth his salt would have bothered with the one-horse town.
But that still left Tate in a one-horse town.
He frowned at the car as he studied it, even knocking some snow off the windows so he could glance inside. Nothing visible. He didn't think she was stupid enough to have a bag of meth on the backseat, but the car smelled so strongly, the trunk must have been packed. He grimaced and started cleaning the rest of the car off so it didn't look like he'd wanted to spy. He could just claim he'd been doing a favor for Rosie. That wasn't suspicious at all. Whether the girl was running drugs wasn't really his business, as long as she kept moving.
Tate finished the car and stowed the shovel and brush in the Range Rover before heading for the coffee shop, needing to thaw out before he fetched the tourists. The heater in the truck wasn't the best, and the air got thinner and colder as they went up the mountain. He wondered if he could add another jacket or hat without looking stupid, and settled instead for more coffee and half a dozen donuts.
He stood at the window in the cafe as he ate, trying to get feeling back in his feet, and tried to think about anything except Paris. It was lovely that time of year, with the snow falling on the Champs Elysees. And Monique standing next to him, holding his hand. Kissing him and tasting like the chocolate croissant they'd shared. Tate swallowed the knot in his throat and scowled at the street. That was over. That part of his life ended and she walked away.
Something moved down the street and he spotted Rosie and the girl, Sarah Jane, standing next to her car. Rosie grinned and talked to the mechanic, hugging the girl to her side as the bartender laughed and her breath rose in clouds in the chilly air. Tate wondered if she knew what the girl was mixed up in. Rosie didn't tolerate any sort of illegal activity, regardless of whether her friend had a baby.
Tate shook his head, irritated already, and didn't blink when Rosie and the girl looked in his direction. Rosie waved. He lifted his hand in response, but didn't smile. It was too early. Rosie would have been suspicious if he looked too happy. But the girl had a deer-in-the-headlights look as she stared at him, and once again she looked familiar. The lion wanted to get closer, to check her over. Maybe the drugs weren't really hers.
He pushed away the thought and forced himself into an almost-pleasant expression as the tourists piled into the coffee shop, stomping their feet and exclaiming about the snow. Tate got them settled with food and drinks, then herded them all to the Range Rover. Both Rosie and the girl had disappeared farther down the street, so he didn't have to worry about small talk as he loaded the luggage into the back of the truck and the roof-rack so the half dozen tourists had some place to sit. He paused as he yanked on the ties to keep the hiking packs on the roof, staring down the street at where Rosie and her friend disappeared into the grocery store.
He'd mention it to Rosie as soon as he got a chance. The last thing Tate wanted was a bunch of druggies moving into Bear Creek, regardless of how intriguing they smelled to the lion. If the girl stayed, whoever gave her those drugs or expected her to sell them would soon follow. Then the enforcers would show up, then the competitors, and in a matter of months, they'd have a war between rival distributors. He'd seen it happen in countless other towns. He'd started it in a couple. Tate used the radio as a convenient excuse not to make small talk with the tourists as he started up the Range Rover and headed for the mountain. An hour drive, he'd get lunch with Zoe at the Lodge, then he'd head home for a nap before a workout and dinner. Just like every other day.
When he looked in the rearview mirror on the way out of town, he saw the girl, Sarah Jane, standing on the sidewalk, watching him drive away.
Chapter 4
Sarah Jane
Sarah Jane sat up and stared around the unfamiliar apartment, searching for Dakota. Her daughter. Where was her daughter? She bolted up from the couch where she'd slept and stumbled to a halt when she saw Rosie at the kitchen table, making faces at Dakota as the baby cooed and babbled. SJ clutched her chest and leaned against the couch, waiting for her racing heart to slow. Holy shit. She hadn't been that scared since finding the loaded pistol in the bedside table next to where Chuck slept.
Rosie smiled, though suspicion creased her forehead, and gestured at another chair at the table. "Join us, hon, and maybe tell me why you're waking up like the hounds of hell are nipping at your heels."
SJ exhaled and shuffled to the kitchen, pouring herself a cup of coffee before approaching the table, smiling despite her worry when Dakota squealed and lifted her arms to her mama. SJ stroked the baby’s cheek and sat back as Rosie stirred a small bowl of rice cereal she was feeding Dakota. "It's been a rough few days, Rosie. I'd rather not talk about it just yet. I feel like the world is spinnin' out of control and I just need a few seconds to catch my breath."
"All right, hon." Rosie made a motorboat sound as she flew the small spoon to Dakota, who clapped and almost knocked all the cereal onto Rosie, and the older woman gave SJ a sideways look. "Just remember that bad news doesn't get better with age."
"I know. Believe me, I know." SJ scrubbed her face and gave up, collapsing against the table and hiding her face in her arms. A low groan was all she could muster. "Rosie, I'm sorry to just show up like this. I've got nothin'. I left our clothes and everything. I just got out of there."
"If that son of bitch took a swing at you, you did the right thing leaving." Rosie patted her shoulder and pushed her chair back from the table. "Feed your baby, darlin, and I'll feed you. Eggs okay?"
"Eggs are great." SJ sighed and tried to fake a happy face as she took over feeding Dakota. At least the baby had always been a good eater, so even though her entire world changed over night and a stranger had been behind the spoon, Dakota had put quite a dent in the little bowl already. SJ almost cried, looking at her little girl. "And I don't — I don't have any money. He kept it all. Well, I didn't take any of it. I didn't want him comin' after us. I didn't even have enough to pay off my school fees, so I can't graduate and I won't be able to get my nursing license, and it's all just a mess. I might need a loan, Rosie. If you can manage. I'll pay you back every cent, I promise, and —"
"Hush about that," Rosie said. "We'll ge
t you set to rights, and the baby taken care of, and you can work a few shifts in the bar to help me out. I'd been wondering what happened to you, Sarah Jane. Last I heard, you were in college taking classes. What happened?"
"A handsome guy with a motorcycle," SJ said under her breath. She rested her chin on her fist as she watched Dakota play with a handful of Cheerios on the table, burbling and blowing spit bubbles as she threw her fists in the air. "He said all the right things and I lost my head. Only good thing that came out of it was Dakota. But as soon as I said I was pregnant, he split. I didn't even see the exhaust behind the motorcycle as he drove off, he went so fast. I went back to school and picked up where I left off, but I had to work two jobs just to cover rent and the medical bills, and then... I was just so tired. I couldn't get ahead. As soon as I had some breathing room, Rosie, something happened and I ended up further behind than ever. I thought everything would be okay when I met Chuck. He seemed like a nice guy, but he... Well, he had a mean streak. It just took a while for me to see a way clear."
"I understand." Rosie handed her a plate of scrambled eggs and toast and some orange slices, then returned with her own breakfast. "I've been there, Sarah Jane. But we're going to look forward now and figure out what we need to do in order to get you where you need to be to support this precious princess. Got it? We start small. Just a few things we can do today to set you on the right path."
SJ inhaled the food, trying to remember the last meal she'd had — it must have been the greasy burger from the fast food joint, paid for with the change she dug out of the car seats, when she stopped for gas sometime the previous afternoon. No wonder her stomach tried to claw right through her side. She concentrated on the problem at hand, just like Rosie said. "Well, we need clothes. Toiletries. Diapers and formula for the baby. The basics. Since I've got nothing."
"Then that's where we start." Rosie smiled at the baby, who squealed back and clapped her chubby hands, and laughed. "Lord, I forgot what a joy it is to have a baby in the house. All right, darlin', get in the shower and wake yourself up. I'll set out some clothes, then we'll head to the general store and see what we can find. We don't have much in the way of clothes, so you can borrow mine until we can order online or take a trip over to the department store. It's an hour away, but we can make the hike this weekend, depending on the weather."
Then Rosie shooed SJ toward the back bedroom and the en suite bathroom, where shampoo and fresh towels and a new toothbrush already waited. SJ closed her eyes and tried to relax under the hot water, almost scalding as she tried to scrub away any vestiges of her previous life. This was her fresh start. This time she'd do everything right. She'd help Rosie in the bar until she got some money saved up, then she'd finally pay off the school fees that kept her from graduating and taking her nursing exam. Once she could finally get her license, she could find another job in town or maybe look for a new town, a fresher fresh start, even though she didn't want to leave Rosie. The older woman felt like she'd be the backbone SJ always needed to stand up for herself. SJ could be brave with Rosie standing beside her.
She'd almost found her courage by the time the water cooled and she stepped into the bedroom, grateful that the plush towels were generous enough to cover all her curves without any gaps, and eyed the clothes that Rosie had put out. SJ had more hips and thighs and boobs than Rosie, so squeezing into some of them might not have been possible or comfortable, since SJ preferred loose clothes after having the baby. She'd never been small but Dakota's arrival added a few cup sizes to her bra and some extra junk to her trunk.
SJ hummed to herself as she found some thick black leggings and a longish sweater dress, comfortable enough with those that she braved the living room for an impromptu fashion show. Rosie gave her a thumbs up and Dakota clapped and shrieked, so SJ considered it a win. She was laughing at Dakota's expression when SJ glanced out the window and saw the big dude from the bar the night before standing next to her car. Cleaning off her car, then staring into the windows as if searching for something. He moved around the car, knocking off the snow, and SJ's heart climbed to her throat.
Maybe Chuck reported the car stolen. Maybe that big guy was a sheriff or something. He had that look — either a total thug or a cop. SJ couldn't breathe, staring out the window, then he glanced up and caught her watching. His pale eyes flashed paler, and she bit her lip. Something about him seemed familiar but very dangerous.
"See something you like?" Rosie asked from right next to her, also peering out the window, and SJ jumped.
She laughed a little nervously, turning away from the window and pulling at where the sweater dress hugged her curves a little too closely. "No, I just — he was cleaning the snow off my car. I don't know him, it just seemed strange."
"That's Tate," Rosie said, shrugging. She waved out the window and bustled back to the kitchen, putting the dishes in the dishwasher before pulling scarves and hats and gloves from the coat closet near the door. "He's a nice guy. Looks like a grade-A asshole but he's a good dude. And muscles for days, my God. I would do terrible things to him if I could just get his pants off."
"Rosie!" SJ laughed even as her cheeks burned and she slapped a hand over her eyes. Rosie wasn't quite old enough to be her mother, but she was close. And the idea of Rosie getting her claws into a younger man like Tate... SJ couldn't stop laughing or blushing, waving her hands in the air when Rosie started to go on in more detail about all the things she'd do with Tate. And to Tate. "Oh my God. That poor man. I'll never be able to look at him again."
"Don't punish yourself like that, honey." Rosie chuckled, handing her a bulky winter coat as well. "Enjoy the scenery, there's no harm in it. He hasn't chased any of the girls in town, and he hasn't taken me up on my offer for a night of passion, so I'm not sure what his deal is. Mourning something, I expect, though he's not particularly talkative about it."
SJ took a deep breath and shrugged into the coat, bundling Dakota up before searching for her boots. "He sounds like he's got enough on his plate to deal with."
"I'd use that man as a plate and lick every inch of —"
"Rosie!" SJ laughed until she nearly toppled over, and Dakota laughed along as well — one of those contagious baby giggles that got Rosie started until all three of them were on the floor. God, it felt so good to laugh. SJ panted for breath, wiping at her eyes. "Good heavens. You're out of control."
"You've no idea, my dear." Rosie scooped Dakota up and tossed her in the air, swinging her around before giving SJ a sideways look. "And you want to tell me why you were so worried when he was looking in that car? Are you hiding something in there, or are you expecting someone to come looking for it?"
SJ tried to smile, buttoning her coat and pulling on the fuzzy pom-pom hat. "Well, I don't think Chuck'll be pleased to see his car missing, but I don't think he'll report it stolen. Maybe."
Rosie bounced the baby and opened the door, jingling her keys to distract Dakota as she paused on the landing. "So getting rid of the car or at least repainting it is next on the list, then?"
"Maybe just keeping it covered with snow for the next two months would do the trick," SJ said under her breath, not sure she wanted to get rid of the only means of escape she had. If Chuck showed up looking for her, SJ planned to run. The last thing she wanted to do was drag trouble to Rosie's doorstep.
"Some day you've gotta stop running, Sarah Jane." Rosie locked the door and headed down the stairs to the bar and the door to outside, though she paused to check for messages at the phone on the bar. "You can't let that man run you off from something good, you hear? And you've got family here in Bear Creek, so here is as good a place as any to settle down for a while. Just think about it."
"Thank you, Rosie." SJ hugged herself as they stepped into the freezing wind, grateful that someone had already shoveled the sidewalk and put down salt. "It already feels more like home than anywhere I've been the last few years. I hope we can stay a while."
As long as that big guy, Tate, didn't start
causing trouble, and as long as Chuck and his gang stayed where they were, two states away. SJ started adding up everything she already owed Rosie, and the next little steps she could take to pay her back. It was a good place to start.
Chapter 5
Tate
The tourists spent plenty of time ooh-ing and aah-ing over the scenery and the switchbacks as they headed up the mountain, so Tate could concentrate only on driving. And not letting the mountain lion out to run. As much as he hated snow, the feeling of his paws biting into the soft earth and maybe even a fluffy bunny for dinner almost convinced him to stay the night at the Lodge. Hunting at night had its perks — mostly since it meant he wouldn't be in the house at night when everyone else was sleeping and he only wanted to pace.
Tate parked the car outside the giant log cabin mansion that Simon called the Lodge, and the rest of the Bear Country Tours guys came outside to welcome the guests and unload their luggage. Both Simon and Ethan found their mates, though Cooper, Noah, and Finn seemed unconcerned about the lack of ladies in the vicinity. They apparently didn't mind sharing the Lodge and some of the outlying cabins with the happy couples, though it set Tate's teeth on edge.
He was happy for them. He really was. He liked seeing his sister in love and blissfully happy and well-protected by a good guy, but that didn't make it easy.
Tate forced a smile as he untied the luggage from the roof-rack, tossing the packs down to Cooper and Noah as Simon and Zoe hustled the guests into the warmth of the Lodge's giant great-room and the fireplace almost big enough to walk into. Once the guests were safely inside, Tate hopped down from the truck and brushed his hands off, nodding to Finn. "You got a second?"