by R. C. Ryan
“I’d like that. I’ll meet you at your cabin.”
“Sure you can find the way?”
She nodded before turning away.
Jonah remained there, watching as she followed the path until she dipped below a rise.
His first impression of her at Nonie’s hadn’t been nearly accurate enough. She wasn’t just a pretty woman. She was gorgeous. The sunlight had revealed strands of mahogany and even ebony in that mass of dark hair. And her eyes up close had been more green than blue, like the Devil’s Door creek as it tumbled down the high peaks of the Grand Tetons after a spring rain. She had a deep, throaty laugh. And her voice, when she grew excited by the sight of the mustangs, had trickled over him like warm honey.
The thought brought a rumble of laughter. There it was again. The writer in him was already searching for glowing words to describe her.
And then there was that hint of mystery about her. She’d actually trembled when he’d touched her arm, as though alarmed by the simple touch. And she certainly hadn’t been forthcoming about where she’d lived before coming here.
Didn’t he love a good mystery?
He flexed his fingers. His hand was still warm from their brief contact. And he knew, with absolute certainty, that he was eager to see her again. There was just something about the mysterious Annie that tugged at him.
Wednesday couldn’t come soon enough to suit him.
Chapter Four
As she drove back to town, Annie was a jumble of emotions. She could hardly believe how, in the past few days, her life had taken such a turn. She’d left her job, her friends, her comfortable lifestyle to travel to a tiny dot on the map that was the exact opposite of everything she’d ever known.
When her life had first begun unraveling, she’d thought about hiding in plain sight. Changing her appearance, her habits, and possibly joining the throngs of professional people in New York or Chicago. But her uncle had persuaded her to come here, where she would have a guaranteed job, a quiet life, and a chance to gather herself while the mess she’d left behind resolved itself.
But how could it possibly be resolved without devastating consequences?
Even though she’d been warned not to, her uncle was adamant that she contact the authorities and let them get to the bottom of whatever trouble had sent her running in fear. At the same time, he was just as adamant that his name be kept out of any publicity. An impossible task, which was why she was in this limbo, unwilling to move until she had a chance to weigh the consequences of any action she took.
She needed to act wisely and with conviction. Otherwise, the ends of the earth wouldn’t be far enough to save her.
She shivered and forced herself to think about other things.
Her day had started like all the others lately, with her pacing the length of her tiny apartment and back, turning over every little thing in her mind until they became so magnified she’d been filled with a sense of terror about her lack of control over her own life.
To keep from going mad, she’d forced herself to leave the pretty rooms she’d leased above the hair salon and drive out of town. Once at the lookout, the wilderness called to her. Putting one foot in front of the other, she began a hike into the unknown. It seemed a metaphor for her life, these days. But with each step, she could feel her fears dissipating and her heartbeat growing strong and steady.
Then the hike had taken quite a turn when she’d intruded on the cowboy’s cabin.
The thought of Jonah had her smiling. Who’d have believed that the guy watching her at the town saloon would turn out to be such a pleasant companion?
At the time, she’d written him off as just another handsome cowboy in a town filled with them.
What was it about him that had caused her to violate her own rule about holding herself aloof from strangers until she had time to get her life sorted out? Granted, he was handsome and charming, but those were the very things that had caused her to let down her guard once before. And look where that got her.
Jonah was different, though she couldn’t quite figure out why she believed that. He wasn’t just easy on the eyes. He was easy to be with, easy to talk to. Except for that moment when he’d touched her arm. That had caught her by surprise, and it had taken all her willpower to keep from striking out in fear. As it was, she’d felt a tremor so palpable she wondered if he’d noticed it. If he had, he’d let it pass without comment, the mark of a gentleman.
She’d felt no pressure to talk about herself, despite his simple questions. Though it was impossible to not be aware of a guy with that much charm, she’d felt free to simply enjoy the beauty of the hills and its wonderful wildlife.
Mustangs. It was amazing to think that she’d actually seen them roaming wild and free, and that she’d snapped some pictures of them. Of all the things that could have distracted her from her troubles, wild horses were at the very top of her list.
She found herself looking forward to Wednesday morning. She missed riding. It was another of the simple joys that she’d had to forgo since drastically changing her life. But way out here in the middle of nowhere, there was no reason to feel any fear.
Was there?
She pushed aside the thought. Wednesday, she would be able to appreciate the beauty of the countryside while enjoying a horseback ride and Jonah’s very pleasant company.
Not a bad way to begin a new life.
“Hey, bro.” Casey spotted Jonah as he made his way inside the barn. “You’re just in time to give me a hand with these supplies.”
Jonah ambled over and began working alongside Casey, pulling sacks of grain from the back of the truck and stacking them neatly on the wooden shelves along one wall.
The two brothers worked efficiently until the truck was empty, then headed toward the ranch’s back porch.
“Looks like you had a busy day in town, Casey.”
“Yeah. Checked off everybody’s list. And Kirby and I enjoyed a romantic lunch for two at Nonie’s.”
“Romantic? At Nonie’s? With half the town watching?”
“The whole world could watch. When I’m with my bride, she’s all I see.” Hearing Jonah’s snort of derision, Casey turned. “Go ahead and laugh. Someday it’ll happen to you, and then you’ll understand.”
“What’ll happen to Jonah?” Brand was standing at the top of the steps.
“Love.” Casey walked into the mudroom and started washing up.
“Not our little brother.” Brand gave a shake of his head. “He’s too busy writing those blockbuster books.” He turned to Jonah. “A good day at your cabin?”
Jonah merely smiled. “Yeah. A good day.”
“For writing, maybe.” Brand nudged Casey. “But that’s no way to broaden your horizons, bro. You’re never going to meet any interesting women if you keep on locking yourself away out there in the middle of nowhere, living in your head.”
“Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.” Jonah stepped into the kitchen and crossed the room to help himself to an ice-cold longneck. He opened the bottle, took a long drink, and glanced around the room to greet the family members gathered there.
“Egan and I had a lovely visit with Buster and Trudy Mandel.” Seated beside her husband in front of the fireplace, Meg sipped her tea. “Avery, Trudy wanted me to tell you she’s completely pain-free, thanks to all those hours of physical therapy you put in.”
“Thanks, Gram Meg, but Trudy put in the hard work. I was just there to direct her.”
“Buster says Trudy is so grateful she tells everybody you’re an angel of mercy.”
At the compliment to his wife, Brand beamed. “I could’ve told her that.”
“You’re biased, babe.” Avery brushed a kiss to his cheek. “Though, if you recall our first meeting, I’m not sure that’s what you would have called me.”
The family burst into laughter, remembering how angry Brand had been when he learned his grandmother had hired a physical therapist to work with him without first consulting him.
“All in the past.” He wrapped a big arm around his wife. “You made a believer out of me.”
Meg looked over at Casey, who was standing beside his wife, Kirby. “What’s new in town today?”
Casey shared a smile with Kirby. “The big news is that Nonie’s girls have finished college.”
“You don’t say?” Meg caught Egan’s hand. “I remember when those sweet little girls lost their parents and Nonie brought them home to live with her. There was so much turmoil, and everybody wondered how she’d manage to run her business and be a single mother to twin girls. And now they’ve become lovely young women and they’ve graduated from college. Where did the years go?”
“They do fly by, don’t they?” Ham looked around at his family. “My father used to say to me, ‘Don’t blink, boy.’ And he was right. In the blink of an eye, ninety years have flown by. But look at us. Still standing.”
Across the room, Billy announced that dinner was ready.
As the family took their places around the table, the talk turned to the weather, the herds, and more town gossip. Through it all, Jonah couldn’t help smiling.
“How was your day, boy?” Ham’s question broke through Jonah’s reverie.
“It was a good day, Ham.”
Bo arched a brow. “How many chapters did you write, son?”
“Not chapters, Pop. A few pages. But they were good ones.”
“That’s it?” Ham looked around at the others. “If all I had to show for a day’s work were a couple of measly pages, I’d have to head to the barn and work off my frustration by mucking stalls until midnight.”
That brought another round of laughter from the others.
Jonah joined in. Though his day had taken an unexpected turn, he wasn’t ready to share it with the others. As the youngest of three, he’d had a lifetime of keeping things to himself. Maybe that was why writing suited him. While others did the talking, he could lose himself inside his own head.
“That was a lovely dinner, Billy.” Meg smiled at the cook. “Why don’t we take our dessert and coffee out on the porch? I’m in the mood for one of our spectacular sunsets.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Billy began loading his special four-layer chocolate torte, along with plates, forks, and a coffee service, on a wheeled trolley.
The family gathered on the porch, relaxing in sturdy cushioned log settees and gliders and swings. Through the years, it had become one of their favorite gathering spots.
While they watched the sun set over the Tetons, Jonah enjoyed the teasing, the laughter, the easy flow of conversation that was such an endearing part of his family. But even though he joined in, a lovely distraction hovered at the edges of his mind.
Annie, her eyes filled with wonder at the sight of the mustangs. Annie, the sound of her husky voice wrapping itself around his heart.
Anticipating Wednesday, he held the secret close, feeling like a kid at Christmas.
Chapter Five
Jonah pulled himself into the saddle on his gelding, Thunder, and caught the reins of the mare he’d saddled for Annie.
He was more than happy to forgo a day of writing, since the past few days had been productive. One of the joys of being a writer was that he could lose himself in his story and put everything else out of his mind. A very good thing, since whenever he wasn’t writing, he found his mind drifting to Annie. The way she’d looked when the breeze took her hair. The pure joy she’d experienced at the sight of the mustangs. That sudden jolt of fear when he’d touched her arm.
That singular moment stood out because, until then, she’d seemed so happy to be hiking with him. He didn’t want to make too much of it, but it was such a strange contrast to the rest of the day. She hadn’t been merely startled. She’d had, for one brief moment, a look of pure terror in her eyes.
It was true that everyone came with baggage, but he couldn’t help wondering what he’d uncover in Annie’s past that would leave her feeling so vulnerable that a simple touch terrified her.
As Jonah rode past the equipment barn, Casey stepped out and shot him a questioning look. “Heading up to your cabin?”
“Yeah.”
“What’s with the spare horse?”
Jonah decided to ignore the question. Any answer he chose to give would lead to more questions, and he didn’t want to be late. Besides, he liked having a few secrets from his brothers.
He nudged Thunder into a trot, with the mare keeping up beside him.
Casey’s voice carried across the distance. “What else can you do with two horses except trick riding? Is that what you’re really doing up in that cabin of yours?”
“It’s a great plan B, in case the writing thing doesn’t work out.” Jonah was grinning as he disappeared into the woods.
With the horses tethered nearby, Jonah sat on the makeshift table outside the cabin, drinking coffee and watching the antics of a squirrel that had discovered the chipmunk’s peanut stash. For every peanut the squirrel ate, he would bury two more at the base of a tree.
Jonah chuckled. “Come next winter, you’re going to be the most popular squirrel in these woods.”
“Are you talking to yourself?”
At the sound of Annie’s voice, he swiveled his head. “Hey. You’re right on time. Coffee?”
“Thanks. I’d love some.”
“How do you like it?”
“Cream. No sugar.”
“I’ll be right back.”
He stepped into the cabin, returning a minute later with a steaming cup.
“Thank you.” She set aside her backpack and sat beside him on the plank before pointing to the squirrel. “Why isn’t he afraid of humans?”
“Probably because I’ve been feeding him, and the rest of the wildlife, for years. Now they think of themselves as family.”
“When you talk to them, do they talk back?”
He grinned. “Only the chipmunk. He chatters. But he’s not here today. He’s been in competition with the squirrel for the nuts I leave for them.”
“Which one is winning?”
“The chipmunk manages to eat the most. Some days his cheeks are so full they’re ready to explode. But this guy is storing up the most for a cold winter’s night right over there.”
“I’ll bet your squirrel took one of those online classes on building a better future.”
Jonah laughed. “Every time I see him burying another peanut I’ll be reminded of that.”
Annie nodded toward the saddled horses. “You’re as good as your word.”
“Did you think I’d forget?”
She shook her head. “I’d have been awfully disappointed if you did. I’ve been looking forward to this since Saturday.”
“Me too.”
She drained her cup and set it on the plank before shrugging on her backpack.
Jonah led the way toward the horses. “This is Thunder. He and I go way back.” Then he ran a hand along the mare’s neck. “And this is Honey. Don’t let that sweet name fool you. She’s got a lot of spirit. But she’s respectful of a good rider.”
“Hi, Honey.” Annie combed her fingers through the mare’s forelock before rubbing the silky-soft muzzle. “I hope by the end of the day we’re friends.”
As if in response, the mare bobbed her head.
Jonah held the reins while Annie pulled herself into the saddle.
“Comfortable?”
She nodded and he handed her the reins before mounting Thunder.
Within minutes they were moving out single file along a path that led toward the high meadows.
It was the perfect day for a ride. Mild, sunny, with enough breeze to keep them from overheating.
As soon as the trail widened enough, they rode side by side, enjoying the day and the view.
“Oh, Jonah.” Annie gave him a heart-stopping smile. “How I’ve missed this.” She flushed. “You probably do this every day.”
“Not even close. I sometimes go days without saddling Thunder.”
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br /> “If I lived out here, I’d be in the saddle every minute of every day.”
Jonah pointed to the top of the hill. “Let’s head up there and take a look around. I’ll let you decide which way to go.”
“I have a better idea. Let’s race. The winner gets to choose.”
Before he could answer, she nudged Honey into a gallop.
Jonah allowed Thunder to take off, slowly gaining ground as they raced across the meadow.
They ran neck and neck until they reached the top of the hill, with Honey mere seconds ahead.
“I won.” Annie bent down to press her face to Honey’s mane. “I should say, we won. Good going, Honey.”
Jonah was shaking his head. “You two make a good team.”
“Yes, we do. Sorry about your bad luck, cowboy, but it looks like I get to choose our path from here.” She looked in every direction, noting woods, fields, valleys, before pointing. “How about over there?”
Jonah was grinning.
“What’s so funny?”
“That would’ve been my choice, too.”
She arched a brow. “Why do I get the feeling you’re teasing me?”
“Me?” He gave her a mock pained expression before laughing. “The truth is, you’ll never know. Come on. Let’s see if you made a good choice.”
As they started off, Jonah studied the way she looked beside him, her hair windblown, her cheeks pink from the race. Just then, she looked over and he gave her a smile of pure male appreciation. He caught the slight flush that started at her throat and worked its way up.
She looked good enough to kiss.
His hand tightened on the reins, and he pulled back, allowing her to lead the way.
“Look.”
At his hushed command, she paused and turned.
A herd of mustangs was melting into the trees, disappearing without a trace.
She held Honey still until Jonah’s mount came up alongside. “I was hoping I’d see more horses today.” Her smile was radiant. “Thanks. I’d have missed them if it weren’t for you.”