Merry Christmas, Baby Maverick!

The word was on the tip of Kayla’s tongue because, of course, that reality had been at the forefront of her mind since the little plus sign had appeared on the test she’d bought at the pharmacy in Kalispell. But she didn’t dare say it aloud, because she knew he couldn’t understand when he didn’t even remember sleeping with her.

“Fine,” she said instead. “And you?”

“Fine,” he echoed.

She nodded.

An awkward silence followed.

“I wanted to call you,” he said, dropping his voice to ensure that his words wouldn’t be overheard by any passersby. “There were so many times I thought about picking up the phone, just because I was thinking about you.”

Her heart, already racing, accelerated even more. “You were thinking about me?”

“I haven’t stopped thinking about you since we danced at the wedding.”

Since we danced?

That was what Trey remembered about that night? She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

* * *

Montana Mavericks: What Happened at the Wedding? A weekend Rust Creek Falls will never forget!

Merry Christmas,

Baby Maverick!

Brenda Harlen

www.millsandboon.co.uk

BRENDA HARLEN is a former attorney who once had the privilege of appearing before the Supreme Court of Canada. The practice of law taught her a lot about the world and reinforced her determination to become a writer—because in fiction, she could promise a happy ending! Now she is an award-winning, national bestselling author of more than thirty titles for Mills & Boon. You can keep up-to-date with Brenda on Facebook and Twitter or through her website, www.brendaharlen.com.

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For loyal readers of all the Montana Mavericks series, from Whitehorn to Thunder Canyon and Rust Creek Falls.

This book is also dedicated to Robin Harlen (May 8, 1943–December 20, 2014)—a wonderful father-in-law to me and granddad to my children. He would be pleased to know that I finished this book on schedule.

Contents

Cover

Introduction

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Prologue

Fourth of July

Trey Strickland did a double take when he first spotted Kayla Dalton at the wedding of local rancher Braden Traub to Jennifer MacCallum of Whitehorn.

Although Trey was only visiting from Thunder Canyon, his family had lived in Rust Creek Falls for a number of years while he was growing up. His best friend during that time was Derek Dalton, who had two older brothers, Eli and Jonah, and two younger sisters, twins Kristen and Kayla.

Trey remembered Kayla as a pretty girl with a quiet demeanor and a shy smile, but she’d grown up—and then some. She was no longer a pretty girl, but a beautiful woman with long, silky brown hair, sparkling blue eyes and distinctly feminine curves. Looking at her now, he couldn’t help but notice the lean, shapely legs showcased by the short hem of her blue sundress, the tiny waist encircled by a narrow belt, the sweetly rounded breasts hugged by the bodice...and his mouth actually went dry.

She was stunning, sexy and incredibly tempting. Unfortunately, she was still his friend’s little sister, which meant that she was off-limits to him.

But apparently, Kayla was unaware of that fact, because after hovering on the other side of the wooden dance floor that had been erected in the park for the occasion, she set down her cup of punch and made her way around the perimeter of the crowd.

She had a purposeful stride—and surprisingly long legs for such a little thing—and he enjoyed watching her move. He was pleased when she came to a stop beside him, looking up at him with determination and just a little bit of trepidation glinting in her beautiful blue eyes.

“Hello, Trey.”

He inclined his head in acknowledgment of her greeting. “Kayla.”

For some reason, his use of her name seemed to take her aback. “How did you know it was me?”

“I haven’t been gone from Rust Creek Falls that long,” he chided gently.

Soft pink color filled her cheeks. “I meant—how did you know I was Kayla and not Kristen?”

“I’m not sure,” he admitted. But the truth was, he’d never had any trouble telling his friend’s twin sisters apart. Although identical in appearance, their personalities were completely different, and he’d always had a soft spot for the shyer twin.

Thankfully, she didn’t press for more of an explanation, turning her attention back to the dance floor instead. “They look good together, don’t they?”

He followed her gaze to the bride and groom, nodded.

They chatted a little bit more about the wedding and various other things. A couple of older women circulated through the crowd, carrying cups of wedding punch to distribute to the guests. The beverage was refreshingly cold, so he lifted a couple of cups from the tray and handed one to Kayla.

When they finished their drinks and set the empty cups aside, he turned to her and asked, “Would you like to dance?”

She seemed surprised by the question and hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Yes, I would.”

Of course, that was the moment the tempo of the music changed from a quick, boot-stomping tune to a soft, seductive melody. Then Kayla stepped into his arms, and the intoxicating effect of her soft curves against him shot through his veins like the most potent whiskey.

A strand of her hair had come loose from the fancy twist at the back of her head and it fluttered in the breeze, tickling his throat. The scent of her skin teased his nostrils, stirring his blood and clouding his brain. He tried to think logically about the situation—just because she was an attractive woman and he was attracted didn’t mean he had to act on the feeling. But damn, it was hard to remember all the reasons why he needed to resist when she fit so perfectly against him.

As the song began to wind down, he guided her to the edge of the dance floor, then through the crowd of people mingling, until they were in the shadows of the pavilion.

“I thought, for a moment, you were going to drag me all the way to your room at the boarding house,” Kayla teased.

The idea was more than a little tempting. “I might have,” he said. “If I thought you would let me.”

She held his gaze for a long minute then nodded slowly. “I would let you.”

The promise in her eyes echoed her words. Still, he hesitated, because this was Kayla—Derek’s sister—and she was off-limits. But she was so tempting and pretty, and with her chin tipped up, he could see the reflection of the stars in her eyes. Dazzling. Seductive. Irresistible.

He gave in to the desire churning through him and lowered his head to kiss her.

And she kissed him back.

As her lips moved beneath his, she swayed into him. The soft press of her sweet body set his own on fire. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer as he deepened the kiss. She met the searching thrust of his tongue with her own, not just responding to his demands but making her own. Apparently, sweet, shy Kayla Dalton wasn’t as sweet and shy as he’d always believed—a stunning realization that further fanned the flames of his desire.

He wanted her—desperately and immediately. And the way she was molded to him, he would bet the ranch that she wanted him, too. A suspicion that was further confirmed when he started to ease his mouth away and she whimpered a soft protest, pressing closer.

“Maybe we should continue this somewhere a little more private,” he suggested.

“More private sounds good,” she agreed without hesitation.

He took her hand, linking their fingers together, and led her away.

Chapter One

Kayla walked out of the specialty bath shop with another bag to add to the half dozen she already carried and a feeling of satisfaction. It was only the first of December, and she was almost finished with her Christmas shopping. She’d definitely earned a hot chocolate.

Making her way toward the center court of the mall, she passed a long line of children and toddlers impatiently tugging on the hands of parents and grandparents, along with babies sleeping in carriers or snuggled in loving arms. At the end of the line was their destination: Santa.

She paused to watch as a new mom and dad approached the jolly man in the red suit, sitting on opposite sides of him after gently setting their sleeping baby girl—probably not more than a few months old—in his arms. Then the baby opened her eyes, took one look at the stranger and let out an earsplitting scream of disapproval.

While the parents fussed, trying to calm their infant daughter so the impatient photographer could snap a “First Christmas with Santa” picture, Kayla was suddenly struck by the realization that she might be doing the same thing next Christmas.

Except that there wouldn’t be a daddy in her picture, an extra set of hands to help console their unhappy baby. Kayla was on her own. Unmarried. Alone. A soon-to-be single mother who was absolutely terrified about that fact.

She’d always been logical and levelheaded, not the type of woman who acted impulsively or recklessly. Not until the Fourth of July, when she’d accepted Trey’s invitation to go back to his room. One cup of wedding punch had helped rekindle her schoolgirl fantasies about the man who had been her brother’s best friend. Then one dance had led to one kiss—and one impulsive decision to one unplanned pregnancy.

She owed it to Trey to tell him that their night together had resulted in a baby, but she didn’t know how to break the news when he apparently didn’t even remember that they’d been together. Even now, five months later, that humiliation made her cheeks burn.

She wasn’t at all promiscuous. In fact, Trey was the first man she’d had sex with in three years and only the second in all of her twenty-five years. But Trey had also been drinking the wedding punch that was later rumored to have been spiked with something, and his memory of events after they got back to his room at the boarding house was a little hazy. Kayla had been relieved—and just a little insulted—when he left Rust Creek Falls to return to Thunder Canyon a few weeks later without another word to her about what had happened between them.

But she knew that he would be back again. Trey no longer lived in Rust Creek Falls but his grandparents—Gene and Melba Strickland—still did, and he returned two or three times every year to visit them. It was inevitable that their paths would cross when he came back, and she’d have to tell him about their baby when he did.

Until then, she was grateful that she’d managed to keep her pregnancy a secret from almost everyone else. Even now, only her sister, Kristen, knew the truth. Thankfully, she’d only just started to show, and the cold Montana weather gave her the perfect excuse to don big flannel shirts or bulky sweaters that easily covered the slight curve of her belly.

Regardless of the circumstances of conception, she was happy about the baby and excited about impending motherhood. It was only the “single” part that scared her. And although her family would likely disapprove of the situation, she was confident they would ultimately support her and love her child as much as she did.

The tiny life stirred inside her, making her smile. She loved her baby so much already, so much more than she would have imagined possible, but she had no illusions that Trey would be as happy about the situation. Especially considering that he didn’t even remember getting naked and tangling up the sheets with her.

She pushed those worries aside for another day and entered the line in the café. After perusing the menu for several minutes, she decided on a peppermint hot chocolate with extra whipped cream, chocolate drizzle and candy-cane sprinkles. She’d been careful not to overindulge, conscious of having to disguise every pound she put on, but she couldn’t hide her pregnancy forever—probably not even for much longer.

Which, of course, introduced another dilemma—how could she tell anyone else about the baby when she hadn’t even told the baby’s father? And what if he denied that it was his?

The sweet beverage she’d sipped suddenly left a bad taste in her mouth as she considered the possibility.

A denial from Trey would devastate her, but she knew that she had to be prepared for it. If he didn’t remember sleeping with her, why would he believe he was the father of her child?

“It really is a small world, isn’t it?”

Kayla started at the question that interrupted her thoughts, her face flaming as she glanced up to see Trey’s grandmother standing beside her table with a steaming cup of coffee in her hands. Not that Melba Strickland could possibly know what she’d been thinking, but Kayla couldn’t help but feel unnerved by the other woman’s unexpected presence.

She forced a smile. “Yes, it is,” she agreed.

“Do you mind if I join you?”

“Of course not.” There weren’t many empty chairs in the café, and it seemed silly for each of them to sit alone as if they were strangers. Especially considering that Kayla had known the Stricklands for as long as she could remember.

Melba and Gene were good people, if a little old-fashioned. Or maybe it was just that they were old—probably in their late seventies or early eighties, she guessed, because no one seemed to know for sure. Regardless, their boarding house was a popular place for people looking for long-term accommodations in Rust Creek Falls—so long as they didn’t mind abiding by Melba’s strict rules, which included a ban on overnight visitors. An explicit prohibition that Kayla and Trey had ignored on the Fourth of July.

“Goodness, this place is bustling.” Melba pulled back the empty chair and settled into it. “The whole mall, I mean. It’s only the first of December, and the stores are packed. It’s as if everyone in Kalispell has decided to go shopping today.”

“Everyone in Kalispell and half of Rust Creek Falls,” Kayla agreed.

The older woman chuckled. “Looks like you got an early start,” she noted, glancing at the shopping bags beneath the table.

“Very early,” Kayla agreed, scooping up some whipped cream and licking it off the spoon.

“I love everything about Christmas,” Melba confided. “The shopping and wrapping, decorating and baking. But mostly I love the time we spend with family and friends.”

“Are you going to have a full house over the holidays this year?” Kayla asked.

“I hope so,” the older woman said. “We’ve had Claire, Levi and Bekka with us since August, and Claire’s sisters have hinted that they might head this way for Christmas, which would be great. I so love having the kids around.”

Kayla smiled because she knew the kids referred to—Bekka excluded—were all adults.

They chatted some more about holiday traditions and family plans, then Melba glanced at the clock on the wall. “Goodness—” her eyes grew wide “—is that the time? I’ve only got three hours until I’m meeting Gene for dinner, and all I’ve bought is a cup of coffee.”

“Mr. Strickland came into the city with you?”

The older woman nodded. “We’ve got tickets to see A Christmas Carol tonight.”

“I’m sure you’ll enjoy it,” Kayla said. “The whole cast—especially Belle—is fabulous.”

Melba smiled at her mention of the character played on the stage by Kayla’s sister. “Not that you’re biased at all,” she said with a wink.

“Well, maybe a little.” Her sister had always loved the theater, but she’d been away from it for a lot of years before deciding to audition for the holiday production in Kalispell. The part of Scrooge’s former fiancée wasn’t a major role, but it was an opportunity for Kristen to get back on stage, and she was loving every minute of it.

In support of her sister, Kayla had signed on to help behind the scenes. She’d been surprised to discover how much she enjoyed the work—and grateful that keeping busy allowed her to pretend her whole life wasn’t about to change.

“Lissa and Gage saw it last week and said the costumes were spectacular.”

“I had fun working on them,” she acknowledged.

“But you have no desire to wear them onstage?”

“None at all.”

“You know, Kristen’s ease at playing different roles has some people wondering if she might be the Rust Creek Rambler.”

Kayla frowned. “You’re kidding.”

“Of course, I wouldn’t expect you to betray your sister if she is the author of the gossip column.”

“She’s not,” Kayla said firmly.

“I’m sure you would know—they say twins have no secrets from one another,” Melba said. “Besides, she’s been so busy with the play—and now with her new fiancé—when would she have time to write it?”

“I’m a little surprised there’s been so much recent interest in uncovering the identity of the anonymous author, when the column has been around for almost three years now.”

“Three and a half,” Melba corrected, proving Kayla’s point. “I suspect interest has piqued because some people think the Rambler is responsible for spiking the punch at the wedding.”

Kayla gasped. “Why would they think that?”

“The events of that night have certainly provided a lot of fodder for the column over the past few months,” the older woman pointed out. “It almost makes sense that whoever is writing it might want to help generate some juicy stories.”

“That’s a scary thought.”

“Isn’t it?” Melba finished her coffee and set her cup down. “The Rambler also noted that you were up close and personal with my grandson, Trey, on the dance floor at Braden and Jennifer’s wedding.”

Kayla had long ago accepted that in order to ensure no one ever suspected she was the Rambler, it was necessary to drop her own name into the column every once in a while. Since her turn on the dance floor with Trey hadn’t gone unnoticed, the Rambler would be expected to comment on it. As for up close and personal—that hadn’t come until later, and she had no intention of confiding that truth to Trey’s grandmother.

Instead, she lifted her cup to her lips—only to discover that it was empty. She set it down again. “We danced,” she admitted.

“That’s all?” Melba sounded almost disappointed.

“That’s all,” Kayla echoed, her cheeks flushing. She’d never been a very good liar, and lying to Trey’s grandmother—her own baby’s great-grandmother—wasn’t easy, even if it was necessary.

The older woman sighed. “I’ve been hoping for a long time that Trey would find a special someone to settle down with. If I had my choice, that special someone would live in Rust Creek Falls, so that he’d want to come back home here—or at least visit more often.”

“Maybe he already has someone special in Thunder Canyon,” she suggested, aiming for a casual tone.

“I’m sure he would have told me if he did,” Melba said. “I know he sees girls, but he’s never been serious about any of them. No one except Lana.”

“Lana?” she echoed.

Melba’s brow furrowed. “Maybe you don’t know about Lana. I guess Jerry and Barbara had already moved away from Rust Creek Falls before Trey met her.”

Kayla hadn’t considered that the father of her baby might be involved with someone else—or that he might even have been in a relationship when he was visiting in the summer. Thinking about the possibility now made her feel sick. She honestly didn’t think Trey was that kind of guy—but the reality was that neither of them had been thinking very clearly the night of the wedding.

“Anyway, he met Lana at some small local rodeo, where she won the division championship for barrel racing,” the other woman continued. “I think it was actually her horse that caught his eye before she did, but it wasn’t too long after that they were inseparable.

“They were together for almost two years, and apparently Trey had even started looking at engagement rings. And then—” Melba shook her head “—Lana was out on her horse, just enjoying a leisurely trail ride, when the animal got spooked by something and threw her.”

Kayla winced, already anticipating how the story would end.

“She sustained some pretty serious injuries, and died five days later. She was only twenty-three years old.”

“Trey must have been devastated,” Kayla said softly, her heart aching for his loss.

“He was,” Melba agreed. “We were all saddened by her death—and so worried about him. But then, when I heard that he was dancing with you at the wedding, well, I have to admit, I let myself hope it was a sign that his heart was healed.”

“It was just a dance,” she said again.

“Maybe it was,” Melba acknowledged, as she pushed her chair away from the table. “And maybe there will be something more when you see him again.”

* * *

“Did you leave any presents in the mall for anyone else to buy?” Kristen teased, as she helped her sister cart her parcels and packages into the sprawling log house they’d grown up in.

The Circle D Ranch, located on the north side of town, was still home to Kayla, but her twin had moved out a few weeks earlier, into a century-old Victorian home that their brother Jonah had bought after the flood for the purposes of rehabbing and reselling. Since Kristen had started working at the theater in Kalispell, this house, on the south edge of town and close to the highway, had significantly cut down her commuting time—and given her a taste of the independence she’d been craving.

“Only a few,” Kayla warned her, dumping her armload of packages onto her bed.

“That one looks interesting,” her sister said, reaching for the bag from the bath shop.

Kayla slapped her hand away. “No snooping.”

“Then it is for me,” Kristen deduced.

“You’ll find out at Christmas—unless you try to peek again, in which case it’s going back to the store.”

“I won’t peek,” her sister promised. “But speaking of shopping, I was thinking that you should plan a trip to Thunder Canyon to check out the stores there.”

Kayla gestured to the assortment of bags. “Does it look like I need to check out any more stores?”

Kristen rolled her eyes. “You and I know that your shopping is done—or very nearly, but no one else needs to know that. And shopping is only a cover story, anyway—your real purpose would be to see Trey and finally tell him about the secret you’ve been keeping for far too long.”