Western Wedding Bells?

Lucy Renner doesn’t believe in the magic of Christmas or forever after. Yet here she is in holiday-obsessed Crimson, Colorado, for her mother’s fourth walk down the aisle. But it’s the handsome-as-sin cowboy cradling a stray kitten who gets her blood racing! Even if Caden Sharpe is rude, surly and just plain Grinch-like, how can a man who finds homes for unwanted pets be all bad?

These days, former soldier Caden Sharpe is more comfortable with the animals he rescues than people. But now his widowed father is engaged to Lucy’s thrice-divorced mother, and Caden is determined to keep him from making a huge mistake—even as he finds himself falling for the bride-to-be’s lovely daughter. Will Crimson see a last-minute holiday exchange—at the altar?

“I won’t let this wedding happen.”

Caden stalked toward Lucy, crowded her back against the mantel, trying to use his size and his anger to intimidate her.

But he realized his mistake at once. This close the scent of her perfume wound around him and he could see the freckles dotting her cheeks. He wanted to trace his fingers over the pattern they made, feel her softness against his rough skin.

And there was something more. A sorrow in her eyes—a loneliness that called to the empty space inside him and made him feel a little less like the outsider he knew himself to be.

He gave himself a mental head shake when her gaze softened and she swayed toward him. What was it about Lucy Renner that broke through his defenses like they were made of air?

* * *

Crimson, Colorado: Finding home—and forever—in the West

Sleigh Bells in Crimson

Michelle Major

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Michelle Major grew up in Ohio but dreamed of living in the mountains. Soon after graduating with a degree in journalism, she pointed her car west and settled in Colorado. Her life and house are filled with one great husband, two beautiful kids, a few furry pets and several well-behaved reptiles. She’s grateful to have found her passion writing stories with happy endings. Michelle loves to hear from her readers at www.michellemajor.com.

To my readers.

I’m honored and grateful that you make a place

for me and the stories I write in your lives.

May your holidays be filled with peace, joy

and so much love! XO

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

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

Chapter One

Lucy Renner pulled her compact rental car to a stop in front of the enormous barn on Sharpe Ranch outside Crimson, Colorado.

If Norman Rockwell and John Denver had looked down from the afterlife to create their perfect town, she figured Crimson would fit the bill to a T. She’d made a pit stop at a local bakery, Life Is Sweet, on her way through the picturesque mountain community. She had been greeted like an old friend even though she felt like an outsider in every way that mattered.

The woman who introduced herself as the shop’s owner, Katie Crawford, had not only added an extra shot to the espresso Lucy ordered but then insisted she sample a fresh-baked cookie, still warm from the oven, all the while asking about Lucy’s visit to Crimson and plans for the holidays.

But as kind as Katie Crawford seemed, Lucy didn’t trust people who were too nice. It meant they wanted something. At least, it did in Lucy’s world. Definitely in her mother’s world, which was why Lucy’s scam radar had gone on high alert when her mom called three days earlier “just to chat.”

Her mother reached out only when she needed something. Despite Lucy’s resolve not to get mixed up in any more of Maureen’s romantic schemes, she’d never been good at saying no.

Now she’d been summoned to the quaint Colorado town that looked like it had puked Christmas cheer all over the place. Much like the rest of downtown Crimson, the bakery had been decorated with festive lights, greenery, ornaments and other vestiges of Christmas, all coming together to make Lucy feel even more grinch-like than normal.

She didn’t do Christmas, didn’t go in for the magic of the season. She’d worked retail long enough to know that Christmas spirit was a ploy to get consumers to part with their hard-earned cash. She’d had plenty of experience as a kid watching her mother make spirits bright in order to further her agenda of the moment. Lucy wanted no part of it any longer. Her plan for the holidays was to survive both the visit and her mother so she could retreat to her boring, quiet life back in Tampa.

Unfolding herself from the car into the biting winter air, she pulled her thin jacket tighter around herself. A two-story farmhouse sat beyond the big barn, situated in the center of a copse of trees, the naked branches swaying in the cold breeze. A cozy stream of smoke rose from the redbrick chimney, and Christmas lights twinkled from a front window as the afternoon light began to gently fade while she stood watching.

She couldn’t quite force herself to face her mother yet, not when Lucy’s life had become collateral damage in the fallout of Maureen’s last romantic catastrophe. Not when she would have to spend the next two weeks playing a role that made her stomach pitch and twist if she couldn’t convince her mom that whatever fantasies she had about being some sort of modern-day frontier wife weren’t going to hold up for the long term.

A startled cry escaped her throat as something brushed against her leg. An orange tabby cat wound its way between her ankles then trotted over to the barn and disappeared through the slightly open door. A soft whinny broke the quiet a moment later, followed by an excited yip. Lucy followed the noises and slipped into the barn. Her mother was expecting her in time for dinner, but she had a few minutes to spare and couldn’t resist exploring.

She’d taken horseback riding lessons briefly as a girl, paid for by her mother’s husband number three. The smell of a barn—the heady mix of hay and animal—had quickly become her favorite scent in the world, and it had broken her heart when she’d had to say goodbye to the leased horse she’d considered hers.

That was when she’d been young and not so careful with her heart, but the smell of the barn still made her happy. It was warmer than she expected thanks to two industrial-sized heaters mounted on the far wall.

This barn was even larger than the one at the farm where she’d taken lessons, with stalls lining either side and a packed dirt floor in between. A horse leaned its head over a stall door and snorted in greeting.

“Hello, there,” she said, glancing around but not seeing any sign of human life inside the barn. “Aren’t you gorgeous?”

The lights were on overhead and to her right was the open door of someone’s office. She peeked her head in at the meticulously ordered desk, but other than stacks of papers, there was nothing in the space to indicate who used it.

Was this the office of her mother’s fiancé, Garrett Sharpe, the wealthy rancher who owned the property? She assumed someone with as many business dealings as Sharpe employed a ranch manager, so maybe the office belonged to that person.

Whoever ran the barn was clearly quite tidy. Even the horse tack hanging on pegs in one corner was lined up evenly. Lucy could barely remember to put her wet towel on a hook after each shower.

She spotted a basket of apples sitting on a shelf outside the office and grabbed one, then moved across the barn toward the horse. She heard the stamp of a hoof, and the animal bobbed its head as if calling her closer. He’d clearly noticed the apple.

She held it out in an open palm and the horse snuffled, then took it from her hand. She slid her fingers along the underside of his jaw and up to his neck, loving the feel of the bristly hair under her hands. A high-pitched bark had her turning her attention to the next stall and, suddenly, as if she’d just been discovered, a cacophony of noise broke out across the barn.

She heard barks and yips and a low, mournful yeowing sound and quickly realized each of the stalls was occupied. There were four more horses and at least a dozen dogs, mostly in pairs. She went from stall to stall, visiting with the animals, reaching through the slats of plank siding to pet the ones that came forward to greet her.

At the end of the row of stalls were two rooms that had been built along the barn’s outer wall, and she held her breath as she carefully opened one door. The walls of the room were lined with wooden hutches, and a myriad of twitchy noses and bright bunny eyes greeted her.

“What kind of ranch is this?” she asked in a hushed whisper, but the bunnies only hopped back and forth in response.

She reached for the other door, curiosity building in her chest. What was next? Llamas? Alpacas?

Cats.

The second room was filled with cats.

Well, not exactly filled, but there were more than she would have expected, and while she was counting, a small black kitten darted out through her legs.

She closed the door and leaned over to pick up the wanderer, but he crawled under a wide wood shelving unit and out of her reach.

Lucy felt like she’d stumbled on something private here, the animal version of a secret garden or some fairy-tale beast’s private castle. She was no Beauty, but whatever this place was or whom it belonged to, she had a feeling she wasn’t supposed to be here without permission.

Still, she couldn’t leave until she saw the kitten safely back to his cat room, so she got down on her hands and knees and peered under the shelf to the corner where the kitten had lodged himself.

“Here, kitty, kitty,” she crooned. The little cat’s green eyes focused on her for a second. Then he lifted a leg and started grooming his man parts, which seemed to interest him far more than she did.

“Time for that later,” she told him and wedged herself farther into the space. “You look too tiny to be away from your mama, little guy.”

“He’s seven weeks,” a deep voice said from behind her. Startled, Lucy both cried out and lifted her head, banging it hard enough on the shelf above her to see stars.

The kitten dashed past as she struggled to wriggle out from where she’d squeezed herself. Head pounding and blinking away tears, she managed to back into the open space of the barn again. Still on her hands and knees, she looked over her shoulder to find the biggest, baddest-looking cowboy she’d ever seen staring down at her with a deep frown.

The wayward kitten was cradled in the crook of his elbow.

She hadn’t heard the man enter the barn but could see the play of light and afternoon shadows from the open door at the far end. Heat colored her cheeks as she realized that the whole time he’d been walking the length of the middle row, she’d been giving him a prime view of the faded jeans that covered her backside.

Way to make a first impression, Lucy.

“Hi,” she said, scrambling to her feet and holding out a hand. “I’m Lucy Renner. I’m—”

“The gold digger’s daughter,” he interrupted in a tone that reminded her of gravel crunching under tires. “You look like her, only not yet as ridden hard and put away wet.”

Lucy felt her mouth drop open as her protective streak exploded like a powder keg. Yes, she had problems with how her mother cycled through men, but this would-be Marlboro man, handsome as sin and clearly twice as dangerous, was way out of line.

The man nudged her out of the way as he opened the door to the cat room and dropped the kitten to the ground. “You’re also trespassing in my barn.”

“You’re rude,” she said through clenched teeth.

“Doesn’t make the words less true.”

Dusting off the front of her jacket, Lucy threw back her shoulders and glared at the man. “I don’t think Mr. Sharpe would appreciate you speaking about his soon-to-be bride that way.”

He started to turn away, and she grabbed his arm, refusing to be intimidated by his hulking physical presence. If there was one thing Lucy could do, it was appear more confident than she was. She had fake conviction to spare, and no way was she allowing some ranch hand to bully her or her mother.

“What’s your name?” she demanded. “I’m going to make sure this is your last day working for Garrett Sharpe.”

The man stared at her fingers, the pink polished nails so out of place on the dull brown canvas of his heavy coat. Then his gaze lifted to hers, those piercing green eyes as hard as granite.

“Caden,” he said so quietly she almost didn’t hear him. “My name is Caden Sharpe. Garrett is my—” he paused as if the word was stuck on his tongue “—my father,” he said after an awkward moment.

“I thought Garrett’s son died a few years ago?” Lucy regretted the question when Caden flinched. Maybe her mother had gotten the story wrong or played fast and loose with the facts to elicit sympathy when she was trying to convince Lucy to make the trip to Colorado.

Family is important to Garrett, her mother had said. He was devastated by his son’s death, and I want to show him I value family the way he does.

“Tyson.” Caden’s lips barely moved as he said the name. “Tyson was my brother.”

Then, as if her touch was physically painful to him, he shrugged it off and stalked away.

Chapter Two

Caden forced himself to walk out of the barn at a measured pace, even though sweat rolled down between his shoulder blades and his hands shook like the leaves of an aspen tree in a strong wind.

He’d been back on the ranch for almost two years and was so used to everyone in town knowing his story that Lucy Renner’s question had caught him off guard.

It brought back all the regrets he had about his relationship with Tyson and how he’d failed the very people to whom he owed his life.

Two years of trying to make up for who he was and who he could never be to Garrett. Trying to keep the old man on track when he would have spiraled into depression after losing his flesh and blood.

A month ago, Garrett had returned from a business trip with Maureen Renner on his arm, a flashy peacock of a woman, so different from Garrett’s first wife, Julia, and ridiculously out of place on the ranch. Caden had been suspicious from the start, and when they’d announced at Thanksgiving that they planned to be married Christmas Day, he’d had no doubt Maureen was more interested in Garrett’s bank account than his life as a high-country rancher.

He had two weeks to convince Garrett to call off the wedding, and nothing was going to stop him from that goal. Certainly not a petite, chestnut-haired beauty who smelled like expensive perfume and looked like she belonged at one of the swanky lounges in neighboring Aspen, rubbing elbows with the rich and famous. She did not belong in Crimson and definitely not in Caden’s world.

His reaction to her had been unexpected and wholly unwelcome. As much as he wanted to blame it on the view she’d inadvertently given him of the most perfectly rounded hips and butt he’d ever seen, there was something more to it than that.

Caden hadn’t felt the powerful pull of attraction in years, not since his desire for a woman had driven a wedge between him and Tyson. Nothing was worth what he’d lost because of love. Or, more likely, it had been lust, which was even worse. Caden had sworn he’d never let another woman affect him that way.

But the immediate wanting—yearning—he’d felt when Lucy lifted those big brown eyes to his had been like an explosion going off in his brain. He didn’t want it, couldn’t handle it, and it only made him more committed to getting Lucy Renner and her mother away from the ranch for good.

His world would undoubtedly be turned upside down by those two women. He had a routine at the ranch—a mostly solitary existence, especially through the winter—that kept him busy. If it weren’t for the barn full of critters that made up his animal-rescue project, Caden could have gone for weeks without seeing anyone but Garrett and the other ranch hands.

In the waning light of afternoon, he checked the outlying cattle troughs, then returned to the barn to feed and water the rescue animals. Lucy’s scent still lingered in the air, and his body hardened in response. He forced the image of her out of his mind, focused on his routine and the animals he cared for. Next weekend he was opening the barn for a pre-Christmas adoption event, and he was way behind on preparations for it.

Erin MacDonald, the kindergarten teacher who also ran an after-school program for kids in the community, had convinced him to work with the local humane society to introduce more people to the animals he rescued. He hadn’t actually planned on running a makeshift animal shelter. Hell, keeping the ranch going was more than a full-time job. But it seemed as though Caden had been collecting strays since he was a boy.

Maybe because he’d been one until Garrett and Tyson had come into his life.

Once he was certain she’d gone to the house, he finished with the animals, taking time to give some attention to each one. He let the dogs out into the big fenced pen connected to the barn to run and play and couldn’t help but smile at their antics.

A light dusting of snow covered the hard ground, and a big storm was forecast for early the following week. Winter on a mountain ranch was a constant battle against the elements and nearby predators, and Caden took seriously the protection of every animal under his care.

Stella, the ranch’s cattle dog, had taken on a maternal role with a few of the younger pups, and she nipped at ankles and herded the group of rescue dogs as they ran through the cold evening air, oblivious to the dropping temperature.

Once he had all the animals safely back in the barn, he headed for the main house. Tension knotted his neck and shoulders with every step. He would have much preferred to hunker down in the bunkhouse as a way of avoiding another run-in with Lucy, but he’d promised Garrett that he’d make an appearance at this family dinner.

Golden light spilled from the windows as he approached the main house. Maureen had hung thick swaths of pine rope from the porch railings, decorated with glittering red bows that seemed to draw more attention to the faded gray siding and dull paint of the black trim. He’d climbed those front porch steps thousands of times over the years, but since Tyson’s death he’d never been able to step foot in the house without regret washing through him.

“It’s about time.” Garrett’s deep voice boomed from the family room as soon as Caden stepped into the house. “Come in here, Caden, and see how Maureen has transformed this place into a winter wonderland.”

Caden sucked in a breath as he entered the family room, with its muted-yellow walls and well-worn furniture. He almost had to shade his eyes at the garish display of Christmas lights strung above the windows and shimmering garland covering the mantel.

“It’s pink,” he said in horror. It looked like a five-year-old girl obsessed with princesses had decorated the space, not a thrice-divorced woman pushing sixty.

His eye caught on the box marked Decorations that he’d brought down from the attic now shoved into one corner. That box held all the decorations he, Garrett and Tyson had used each year. There were ornaments whittled out of tree branches from the woods on the ranch’s south border, along with the small nativity set Tyson’s mother had painstakingly painted the year before her cancer diagnosis.

Caden had come to live on the ranch only months after Julia Sharpe’s death, and although he’d never met her, he’d felt her presence like a warm blanket at night. In the twenty years since Julia’s death, little had changed in the house from how she’d arranged it.

Until Maureen Renner descended on Sharpe Ranch.

“Mom loves pink,” Lucy offered from where she stood just inside the room. Color was high on her cheeks. If Garrett didn’t know better, he would have guessed she was as put off by the whole display as he was.

“It’s a vibrant color,” Maureen purred, nuzzling Garrett’s shoulder and tracing a manicured hand over his heart. “Bright and alive. This place needed some life breathed back into it.”

Caden’s adoptive father chuckled as he grinned at Caden. “I suppose you and I have gotten set in our ways living the bachelor life out here. We need a little infusion of spark and color, right?”

“Where the hell do you even find pink Christmas decorations?” Caden asked the room in general.

Garrett laughed again and Maureen darted a dismissive glance toward Caden, then beamed at her daughter. “Remember all the years we decorated for Christmas? You loved putting the star on the tree.”

Lucy made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a gag, then cleared her throat. “Sure, Mom. But you’re missing a tree.”

Maureen opened her mouth but Caden spoke first. “Dad and I will cut one down next weekend.” No way in hell was he giving that woman a chance to bring in some fake tree covered in more gaudy lights.

“About that, son.” Garrett smiled gently. “Maureen hasn’t had much luck finding a wedding dress around here, so I’m going to fly her to New York City for a few days to do some prewedding shopping.”

“What?” Caden and Lucy spoke at the same time.

“I need to put together my trousseau,” Maureen said, planting a smacking kiss on his father’s mouth, “and pick out something special for our honeymoon.”

“It’s your fourth marriage. What the hell could you possibly need?” Caden pinned the overly made-up woman with a look that let her know exactly what he thought of her, not that it was any secret.

“Caden.” Garrett’s voice was a warning growl. Caden had heard the tone enough growing up. He’d always been a button pusher and for years had more temper than sense. Tyson had been the one to soften his sharp edges. His brother was always good-natured and smiling. Up until the one fateful argument that had severed their bond.

He wondered what Tyson would have thought about Maureen Renner and her tempting daughter. Well, he could guess what Tyson would have thought about Lucy. She was the type of woman to make a man melt into a puddle at her feet with one glance.

It only made Caden dislike her more.

“Lucy will help you,” Maureen offered, her typically brilliant smile tight. “The two of you can put up the tree. She loves Christmas. Traditions are so important to our family.”

Another muffled snort from Lucy. “Mom, I came out here because you told me you needed help planning the wedding.” Lucy’s voice was calm and slightly amused, but Caden noticed her hand was clenched so tightly at her side that her knuckles had gone white. “I can’t stay here if you’re gone. I need to get back to my life.”

Maureen’s glossy lips turned down at the corners. “I do need you, Lucy-Goose. Especially since we’ll be in New York.” She placed her fingers on Garrett’s cheek and gave him another deep kiss. “My teddy bear and I need a getaway.”

“You’ve got a two-week honeymoon cruise planned,” Lucy muttered.

“I’ve always wanted to see the Rockettes’ holiday show,” Maureen insisted. “Don’t ruin this for me, honey.”

Caden saw Lucy’s chest rise and fall, as if she was struggling to keep from losing it. “I’ve got a life in Tampa. I can’t ignore it until the new year.”

Maureen rolled her big green eyes. “Don’t be silly. You haven’t had a decent job since you got fired six months ago.”

“And whose fault was that?” Lucy snapped.

“It was a misunderstanding that got blown way out of proportion.” Maureen gave her daughter a quelling look. “I know you don’t blame me.”

The air crackled with tension between the two women. “I blame myself,” Lucy said after a moment. “For so many reasons.”

“I can put you to work,” Garrett offered, pulling Maureen even closer, if that was possible. “Maureen said you’re real good with finances.”

Lucy gave a slight nod. “I have an accounting degree.”

“I’ve been looking for someone to put the books to right on the ranch. Nothing’s been the same since Tyson...”

His voice trailed off and Caden closed his eyes, unwilling to bear witness to the pain he knew he’d see etched in his father’s gaze.

“Oh, my Lucy’s a whiz with numbers,” Maureen said, throwing her arms around Garrett’s neck. “That would be perfect.”

“Not for me,” Lucy protested, and Caden felt a strange connection to this beautiful, prickly, unreadable woman. In the barn she’d been fiercely protective of her mother, but here it felt like she was as opposed to this whole charade as Caden.

“I’m happy, Lucy-Goose.” Maureen stepped away from Garrett and walked toward Lucy. An image of a coyote approaching a defenseless and cornered jackrabbit sprang to Caden’s mind.

He could almost feel Lucy shrink back, although she remained ramrod still. He had the strangest urge to step between the two women and shield Lucy from whatever invisible power her mother was aiming in her direction.

“You want me to be happy. Right, sweetie?”

There was a fraught moment when Caden wasn’t sure how Lucy would respond. He could feel the emotions swirling through her from where he stood. Then her shoulders slumped and she whispered, “I do.”

Maureen wrapped Lucy in a tight hug and murmured something in her ear that Caden couldn’t quite make out. Then she bounced back to Garrett’s side.

“I have a lasagna in the oven. Shall we have our first family dinner together?”

“Sounds good to me,” Garrett said.

“I have a headache after traveling all day,” Lucy told the group, all the spunk and sass he’d heard earlier in the barn gone from her voice. “I think I’m going to head up to bed.”

“Take care to drink enough water,” his father told her, moving forward with Maureen at his side. “It’s easy to get dehydrated at this altitude, especially coming from sea level.”

“I will,” she whispered. “Thank you, Mr. Sharpe.”

“Call me Garrett,” his father said with another chuckle. “We’re family now.”

Not yet, Caden thought. There was still time to turn around this sinking ship, and based on the exchange between Lucy and her mother, maybe an unexpected ally had just arrived on his doorstep.

“You’ll join us, Caden,” his dad said.

He wanted to refuse, but there was so much hope in his father’s eyes. He couldn’t disappoint the old man again. Not after everything Caden had put him through in the past and his secret determination to run off Maureen Renner.

Guilt stabbed at his chest when he thought of how sad his father would be when his engagement ended. But Caden had to believe it was better to end things now, before Garrett made things legal. He knew what could happen when his father’s heart was truly broken, and he couldn’t allow that to happen again.

“I just need to wash up,” he told Garrett and earned another wide smile.

Maureen led Garrett out of the family room, toward the kitchen. Caden expected Lucy to move toward the stairs, but instead she walked forward and touched the tip of one finger to several of the brightly colored Christmas lights.

“You can help me stop this,” he said into the quiet.

Her shoulders stiffened and she gave a slight shake of her head but didn’t turn around.

“Come on,” he coaxed, moving closer. “You have to see this for the farce it is.”

“Your father seems happy.”

Caden opened his mouth to argue, then shut it again. He couldn’t deny his dad’s upbeat spirit since Maureen had come into his life. In fact, Caden couldn’t remember the last time he’d heard Garrett laugh and smile the way he did when Maureen was near.

But that didn’t matter. It wasn’t real. It wasn’t right. And he sure as hell didn’t believe Garrett and Maureen were meant to be.

“It won’t last,” he answered instead. “With her track record, you know it’s true. You could talk to her.”

She turned to him now, her eyes flaring with emotion he didn’t understand. “Does my mother seem like the type to be influenced by anyone else’s opinion?”

“She’s going to hurt him,” he said quietly.

“You don’t know that,” Lucy shot back, but her gaze dropped to the floor.

Caden muttered a curse under his breath. “You’re going to hurt him,” he accused, lifting a finger and jabbing it at her. “A gold digger and her accomplice daughter. And now my father wants to give you access to his finances.” He blew out a breath. “Hell, was this the plan all along? Are you two professional grifters or something?”

“Of course not,” Lucy answered, but there was no force behind the words. None of the anger he would have expected at his bold accusation, which made him understand how close he’d come to the truth.

“I won’t let this happen.” He stalked toward her, crowded her back against the mantel, trying to use his size and his anger to intimidate her.

But he realized his mistake at once. This close, the scent of her perfume wound around him, and he could see the freckles dotting her cheeks. He wanted to trace his fingers over the pattern they made, feel her softness against his rough skin.

And there was something more. A sorrow in her eyes—a loneliness that called to the empty space inside him and made him feel a little less like the outsider he knew himself to be.

He gave himself a mental head shake when her gaze softened and she swayed toward him. What was it about Lucy Renner that broke through his defenses like they were made of air?

She was dangerous to him and, more important, to his father. The thought of how broken Garrett had been after Tyson died brought Caden back to reality like a bullet piercing his skin.

“I’m going to make sure this wedding doesn’t take place,” he said through clenched teeth. “Even if my father can’t see you for what you are, I do.”

Lucy’s head snapped back like he’d slapped her. “You don’t know me,” she whispered.

“But I’m going to,” he promised. “Every detail until I expose you and your mother. Mark my words, Lucy Renner. You will not survive me.”

Before she could respond, he turned and stalked out of the room.

* * *

“You have to let him go.” Lucy sat on the edge of the bed in the master bedroom of the main house the following day. “Stop it now, Mom, before it goes too far.”

Maureen pulled a dress out of the closet and turned to Lucy, holding it in front of her chest. “For our New York trip, Garrett made reservations at Tavern on the Green. I’ve always wanted to eat there. It’s a landmark, you know? One of the Real Housewives even renewed her vows there. What do you think about this? Too fancy or not enough?”

Lucy sighed. The dress was perfect. It was a deep forest green color with a scoop neckline, fitted without being slutty. Maureen would be stunning in it. Lucy should know. She’d helped her mother pick it out back when Maureen was trying to catch husband number three. “Why Garrett Sharpe, Mom? He isn’t your type. Fitting into his life is a stretch, even for you.” She pointed to the mounted caribou head above the bedroom’s stone fireplace. “Are you going to start wearing camo now?”

Maureen grinned. “Do you know they sell pink camo at the sporting goods store in downtown Crimson?”

“That’s not the point and you know it.”

“I love him, Lucy-Goose.”

The words made Lucy’s stomach roil. “I told you after last time—”

“It’s not the same,” her mother insisted as she folded the dress and placed it in the open suitcase on the bed.

“Of course it’s not. Garrett has a son who is both overprotective and beyond suspicious. It’s a terrible combination for you. When he finds out—”

“Garrett knows I’ve been married before.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about.”

Maureen slammed the suitcase shut. “You have to make sure it isn’t an issue.”

“How am I supposed to do that? The man trusts me even less than he trusts you.”

“Don’t underestimate your charms, sweetie.”

Lucy groaned. “This isn’t like when I was a kid and I could be cute or invisible, depending on what your man of the hour wanted. It makes it sound like you’re trying to pimp me out.”

“Of course I’m not.” Maureen gave the suitcase’s zipper a hard pull, then let out a little cry. “The dress is caught in it. I’ve ruined it.” She turned and dropped to the bed, covering her face with her hands. “Caden Sharpe is going to ruin everything.”

“Don’t cry,” Lucy said when her mother’s shoulders began to shake. She’d always hated her mother’s tears. As a girl, she’d done everything in her power to keep Maureen’s spirit lifted. It was no easy task, especially after a breakup with whatever man Maureen had fallen in love with in any given month.

Lucy had too many memories of her mother in a weeping puddle on the bathroom floor, but even worse were the times when Maureen was quietly despondent. Those periods of depression had terrified Lucy because she never knew what her mother might do to end the pain.

Maureen was emotionally stronger now—at least, Lucy liked to believe she was. But the sound of quiet sobbing still tore across her chest, and she couldn’t seem to stop her panicked reaction that if things got bad enough, her mother might try something desperate.

Lucy gently pried the zipper open and smoothed her hand over the delicate fabric of the beautiful dress. “It’s fine. Not even a snag.”

“You don’t believe I love him.” Maureen kept her face buried in her hands.

“I believe you,” Lucy whispered. She believed her mother had convinced herself she loved Garrett Sharpe. But Lucy had seen Maureen head over heels too often not to have doubts about how this would end.

Maureen lifted her head and swiped her fingers across her cheeks. “I don’t care about his money.”

“We both know that’s not true.”

“It’s real this time, sweetie. I promise.”

“Have you told him everything?”

Maureen blanched. “I can’t. Not yet. He might not understand.”

Of course he won’t, Lucy thought. A year ago her mother had barely avoided a bigamy lawsuit when it was revealed her third divorce had not been finalized on the eve of what was to be her fourth wedding. Unfortunately, her wealthy boyfriend also happened to be the uncle of Lucy’s fiancé.

Lucy still blamed herself. She’d been in love with Peter Harmen and had erroneously thought Maureen would finally step into the role of supportive mother, allowing Lucy to have the happiness and security she’d craved for so many years. That didn’t happen.

Maureen had met Peter’s uncle, a famed fashion designer and owner of the exclusive boutique Lucy managed in Florida. After a whirlwind courtship even by Maureen’s standards—a whole eight days—the two had planned to be married, much to the consternation of the rest of the family.

Then the fact that Maureen was still legally married to Bobby Santino, her third husband and a former professional hockey player, had been revealed. Lucy had never liked Bobby, who had ended up being more of a scam artist than her mother in Maureen’s darkest moments. He’d returned before the wedding, attempting to extort money from Maureen to grant her the divorce she’d thought was finalized a year earlier when she’d sent her ex the papers to sign.

Her fiancé had ended the engagement, much to his family’s delight, but that hadn’t been enough. Peter’s cousins had wanted to make a public spectacle of Maureen, making an example of her to warn off any other potential women who thought their father might be an easy target.

To save her mom, Lucy had taken the blame, claiming she’d orchestrated the whole scenario by introducing her mother to the fashion designer and encouraging the courtship as a way to take control of the Harmen fashion dynasty. That couldn’t have been further from the truth.

The family had been happy to condemn Lucy as well, and Peter had been pressured to break things off with her by his uncle and cousins. She’d been fired from her job and blacklisted in the retail community. Lucy’s burgeoning career had been ruined, but she wouldn’t have changed her actions even to salvage her relationship with Peter.

Her role had always been protecting her mother. If she could eke out a bit of happiness or contentment during the times when Maureen was settled, so be it. Otherwise, she was constantly on call, ready to catch Maureen after her many inevitable falls.

Lucy had vowed that the fiasco with Peter would be the last time, but here she was, freezing her butt off in the high mountains of Colorado, the glass eyes of a stuffed caribou gazing down on her as she packed the rest of her mother’s things.

“Talk to him,” she said softly when she had the suitcase zipped up tight. “Garrett seems like a good man and he clearly adores you. Maybe—”

“Not until after the wedding.”

“Has Bobby signed the divorce papers?”

Maureen bit her bottom lip. “He will. He promised.”

“Mom, he’s a snake.”

Maureen stood and walked into the bathroom connected to the bedroom. Lucy heard the sound of drawers opening, then water running from a faucet. When her mother reappeared, a fresh coat of lipstick brightened her smile and she was pinching her cheeks to bring the color back into them. “Help me with Caden.” Her voice had returned to its normal raspy, girlish tone, somewhere between Marilyn Monroe and Betty Boop.

“Why didn’t you mention him to me before I got here?” Lucy asked, even though she knew the answer. “You made it sound like Garrett’s only son had died.”

“His older son, Tyson, was killed in a rock climbing accident two years ago. Apparently Caden had been estranged from them both before that.”

“Why?”

“An argument over a ‘no-good woman’ is all Garrett would say about it. I think he was ready to sell the ranch before that, but now that Caden’s running things, he feels like he has to stay out here.”

“Maybe he wants to stay,” Lucy offered.

Maureen shook her head. “He’s tired and this was the house he shared with his first wife. She died twenty years ago, and nothing has changed in all that time.” She glanced up at the mounted animal head and shuddered. “He needs a break.”

“With you?”

“I love him.”

It was difficult for Lucy to believe her mother could truly love anyone except herself. But there was no sense in arguing about it now.

“Promise me you’ll tell Garrett everything before the wedding, Mom. You can’t get married until Bobby signs the divorce papers.”

Her mom made a face. “Bobby’s my past, sweetie. Garrett is my future.”

“You can’t have a future until he knows. If your love is real, it will survive the truth.”

Maureen blinked. For a moment, her eyes lost their guarded quality, and Lucy could see so much hope and vulnerability in them. Her breath caught.

“Do you think so?” Maureen whispered.

“There’s only one way to find out.”

“You’re my best thing, Lucy.” Maureen stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Lucy’s shoulders. “It’s the two of us against the world.”

Lucy sighed. “The two of us.”

Chapter Three

“She’s using you.” Caden lifted his father’s duffel bag into the back of Garrett’s hulking silver truck.

“Have a little faith,” Garrett said, clapping a big hand on Caden’s shoulder.

“I don’t want to see you hurt again.” Caden shook his head. “After Tyson—”

“I’m better now.” Garrett’s blue eyes clouded but he kept his gaze firmly on Caden. “You don’t have to worry about me anymore, son.”

Son.

That word was like a knife slicing across Caden’s gut. Garrett and Tyson had rescued him from the foster-care system and given him the family he’d always craved. But he’d been an angry and stupid kid, constantly pushing boundaries and testing his adoptive father’s love because he never truly believed he deserved the happiness he found on the ranch.

He slammed the truck’s tailgate shut. “I watched Tyson self-destruct because of a woman and have to live with my part in that. I pulled you back from the brink after his death, and I’m not going to lose you to someone like Maureen Renner.” He sucked in a breath when emotion clogged his throat. Then he whispered, “I can’t lose you, too.”

“You’re not losing me.” Garrett reassured him in the same gentle tone he’d used when comforting Caden after the nightmares he’d woken from for several months after he’d come to live at Sharpe Ranch. Caden hadn’t been willing to let his new father nearer than the foot of the bed at that point. So Garrett had sat on the edge of the sagging twin mattress and talked—telling stories about his childhood or his blissful marriage to Tyson’s mother—until Caden had been able to fall back asleep.

Garrett’s deep voice had been a lifeline in the dark all those years ago. Now Caden had to squint against the bright morning sun, even though a wide-brimmed Stetson shaded his eyes. It was a perfect Colorado day, with the expansive sky already deep blue. Although the temperature still hovered in the high teens, the sun seemed to warm everything, and the cattle were grazing contentedly on grass and hay in the far pasture.

Caden’s heart remained frosty. He’d seen firsthand how much damage a scheming woman could do to a gentle man, and Garrett was one of the kindest souls he’d ever known.

“Think of it as gaining a family,” Garrett continued as he hit the remote start on the key fob he held. The diesel engine of the truck roared to life, muffling Caden’s disbelieving snort.

“I don’t need a family,” Caden muttered, and although his father didn’t argue with him, they both knew it was a lie. As was true of many kids with tumultuous early lives, Caden craved security and stability like a junkie craved his next fix.

“Tell that to your barn full of rescues,” was Garrett’s only response. The man never tired of teasing Caden over his penchant for attracting stray animals.

“I’m going to look into her past,” Caden said, ignoring the flash of anger in his father’s eyes.

“I don’t give a damn about her past. She makes me happy, Caden. You should try a bit of happiness on for size. You’d be surprised what a comfortable fit it becomes.”

“I’m happy,” Caden lied again.

Garrett stepped closer until the toes of their boots touched. At six feet, he’d seemed such an imposing figure the first time Caden had visited the ranch. Now Caden was at least three inches taller than him, but Garrett still remained a force to be reckoned with. “You deserve to be happy.”

Caden tried to hold his father’s gaze but turned away after a moment. How could Garrett say that, let alone believe it, when Caden was the reason Tyson was gone?

“Take care of Maureen’s girl while we’re away.”

Caden swung back, grateful to have a reason to let his temper fly. “She doesn’t belong on the ranch, and she sure as hell doesn’t need access to your finances.”

“I met with her this morning. She’s got a good head on her shoulders. I’ve lost track of the business side of things recently. That’s the part Tyson handled and—” The old man pursed his lips and ran a hand through his thick crop of silver hair. “Anyway, it’s good to have fresh eyes reviewing things.”

“More like a fresh attitude.” Caden kicked a toe into the dirt. “I don’t trust her, either.”

“Give her a chance,” his father coaxed. “It makes me feel better to know you won’t be out here all alone.”

“Chad’s here,” Caden said, referring to the young bull rider who worked winters on the ranch. “He’s company.”

“Chad’s too busy in town chasing women.” Garrett wagged a finger. “You could stand to go in with him a time or two. It’s amazing what a difference it makes having a woman in your bed at—”

Caden held up both hands. “Stop before you make my ears bleed. I don’t want to hear about my dad’s romantic escapades.”

Garrett chuckled. “You could learn something, young man. Be nice to Lucy. She’s important to Maureen which makes her important to me.”

Caden’s jaw tightened at the thought of spending any more time than necessary with Lucy Renner, but he nodded. He’d learned from a young age there was no point in arguing with Garrett Sharpe when the man had his mind set on something. Caden was just going to have to prove what a mistake marrying Maureen would be. And he had two weeks to do it.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Lucy stood looking out the main house’s big picture window, taking in the snow-covered peak of the mountain looming in the distance and the expanse of open fields that surrounded the property. She’d lived in Indiana until the age of eleven when Maureen had transplanted them to Florida for husband number two.

Lucy liked the change of seasons, but the thick white snow that blanketed everything for miles was a revelation. It was difficult to believe animals could survive outdoors in this climate, although the serenity of the scenery spoke to something deep in her soul. Colorado felt fresh, clean and full of new promises, which she assumed was part of the allure for her mother.

Maureen loved nothing more than to reinvent herself with each new adventure that came along. Lucy found herself reluctantly smiling at the thought of her mom herding cattle or churning butter or whatever it was ranch wives did these days.

It had been hours since the happy couple had driven off toward the regional airport, where they’d board a private plane to take them into Denver to catch a commercial flight to New York City.

“First-class,” her mother had whispered into Lucy’s ear as they stood in the driveway earlier, saying their goodbyes. “I haven’t flown first-class since Jerry.” Maureen’s marriage to husband number two, Jerry Murphy, had lasted only a few months, but Maureen had made the most of her time with the wealthy restaurateur from Naples, Florida.

Lucy had seen Caden’s shoulders stiffen and guessed that he’d overheard Maureen. Great. One more reason for Caden to mistrust them. How could Lucy explain her mother’s childlike immaturity when half the time Lucy didn’t understand it herself?

Garrett seemed to take it all in stride, and Lucy got the impression he tried to be purposely over-the-top to illicit a reaction from Maureen. There was something inherently magnanimous about the older rancher, as if he enjoyed having someone with whom to share the trappings of his wealth.

As soon as the truck had disappeared down the long, winding drive that led to the highway, Caden turned and stalked away.

Lucy returned to the main house and wandered from room to room, imagining life here before the force of nature that was her mother descended. How did a father and son, a widower and a bachelor surrounded by the memories of a beloved wife and brother, spend their evenings?

From Garrett’s effusive compliments about her mother’s cooking, he wasn’t accustomed to home-cooked meals. Lucy could relate to that. The only time her mother had ever cooked when Lucy was growing up was when Maureen was trying to impress a new boyfriend.

She moved toward the bookshelves in the family room, which were filled with volumes on outdoor life and classics she’d expect a man like Garrett to read—Hemingway and Twain—with the occasional modern thriller thrown in for good measure. A collection of framed photos took up an entire shelf, and she could piece together the Sharpe family history from the faces smiling out at her.

There was one of a beautiful young woman holding a toddler, who grinned widely and wore cowboy boots a size too big for him. The woman’s hair was pulled back into a low ponytail and she wore no makeup, but she didn’t need any. She stood in front of a split-rail fence with a dozen cattle grazing behind her.

The next photo showed the same boy, who Lucy assumed was Tyson Sharpe, as a gangly adolescent with his arm slung around Caden’s shoulder. Lucy could easily recognize his mutinous scowl, although in the photo he was all gangly arms and skinny shoulders. He was glaring at the camera, a fact that his brother seemed to enjoy immensely.

Another photo showed both Tyson and Caden wearing graduation gowns and caps, Garrett with an arm wrapped around each of them. Caden had started to grow into his body by that point, and Tyson had also become a wildly handsome young man with thick blond hair and a careless grin so different from that of his brother’s tight smile.

Lucy’s breath caught at the final photo. It showed Tyson and Caden at the base of a sheer cliff, both wearing climbing gear. Caden was a few inches taller than his brother, but what punched at Lucy’s chest was the pure joy displayed in the photo.

Caden’s head was thrown back in laughter, and Tyson was grinning and looking at Caden with a good bit of love and adoration. The bond between the brothers had clearly been solidified at that point. At least in the second the photo was snapped, Caden had dropped his defenses to revel in whatever moment they were having.

She couldn’t help but be curious as to the circumstances of Tyson’s death and why Caden seemed to take the blame for it. She wished she’d asked her mother for more details, although there was a good chance Maureen wouldn’t be aware of the situation since it didn’t affect her directly.

The sound of the front door opening and male voices coming closer interrupted her musings. She whirled away from the bookcase and took two hurried steps toward the middle of the room, feeling somehow like she’d been spying on Caden by looking at the photos.

He appeared in the hall a moment later, and color rushed to Lucy’s cheeks as his stark gaze landed on her. She cursed her pathetic and weak body, which reacted to the way he was studying her with an involuntary shiver.

How was she supposed to keep her distance from this man when she could almost feel the current of attraction pulsing between them?

“Are you casing the place now that my dad’s away?” he asked drily, offering an acute reminder of why it would be easy to stay away from him.

Because he was a jerk.

“You must be Maureen’s daughter,” the other man said and strode forward to take Lucy’s hand. She guessed he was younger than Caden by at least five years. His light blond hair fell over hazel eyes that were wide and welcoming. “Your mom is awesome. She’s pretty hot, too. A real MILF—”

“Chad.” Caden’s voice was like a slap, cutting off Chad midsentence. Lucy had to admit she was grateful. She should have been used to how men both young and old reacted to her mother. Yet it still made her as uncomfortable now as it had when she was a kid. There were many years she’d lied to her mother about school activities just to avoid Maureen showing up in her plunging necklines and thigh-grazing hems to flirt with unsuspecting teachers or the fathers of Lucy’s few friends.

The younger man chuckled. “Sorry,” he said, although he didn’t look the least bit apologetic. “But, sweetheart, you clearly inherited your looks from your mama.”

“I’m not your sweetheart,” Lucy said softly, earning another chuckle from the man.

“Not yet, anyway,” he said with a wink.

Lucy rolled her eyes but felt the corners of her mouth curve up. There was something so inherently charismatic about Chad, not to mention how handsome he was. In his tight jeans, cowboy boots and fitted flannel shirt, he reminded Lucy of a young Brad Pitt circa Thelma and Louise.

Not that she had any intention of driving her car over the edge of a cliff or getting involved with an obvious player like Chad. But it was fun to be on the receiving end of that thousand-watt smile, especially when Caden was looming at the far end of the room, glowering at the two of them.

“I’m Chad Penderson and I work here at Sharpe Ranch.”

“I’m Lucy Renner.”

“Pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Lucy.” He took a step back and gave her a courtly bow. “If you need anything while you’re here, just let me know.” He straightened again and wiggled his brows. “I do mean anything.”

Lucy heard something that sounded like a growl from Caden, but Chad’s grin only widened. “How long are you staying at the ranch?”

She shrugged. “The plan is for me to stay through the wedding. Garrett has asked me to go over the books and—”

“Not necessary,” Caden interrupted, stepping forward.

She bristled at his dismissive tone. Lucy had spent too much time being dismissed to ever let it pass without a fight. “That’s not what your father seems to think.”

“We have a financial manager who’s taken over the accounting since...” He paused, then said, “For the past couple of years. He’s immensely qualified.”

He didn’t add the words unlike you, but Lucy felt them linger in the air just the same.

“You can hang out with me,” Chad offered. “It’s quiet around here in the winter but there’s plenty of work to go around. You know how to ride a horse?”

“Not really,” Lucy admitted.

“Then I can teach you.”

“She’s not learning to ride with you,” Caden said, his voice pitched low.

“Listen to Mr. Party Pooper back there.” Chad hitched a thumb in Caden’s direction. “Speaking of parties, I’m meeting some friends in town tonight for a little pre-Christmas bash. Why don’t you join us?”

Lucy shook her head. “I don’t think—”

“Come on,” Chad coaxed. “You’ll have more fun with me than stuck out here with Caden.” He threw a glance over his shoulder. “No offense, boss, but you’re about as much fun as mucking a hog pen.”

“She’s not going with you. Grab a cup of coffee and let’s finish fixing the heater before the water freezes.”

“As in, we won’t have running water?” Lucy asked, trying not to sound panicked. She was by no means spoiled but definitely enjoyed a hot shower on a cold morning.

Chad winked. “We have to keep the water troughs heated for the cattle.”

“Can’t they eat snow?”

“No, darlin’. One of the biggest threats to livestock in the winter is the cold. The snow lowers their body temperature, which could be deadly. Our job is to keep them warm and safe.”

“Oh.”

Caden folded his arms over his big chest. “Your job is not standing in the house jawing all afternoon, Chad. You wanted a cup of coffee. Get it and let’s go.”

“If you change your mind about tonight, I’ll be leaving here around seven.” Chad pointed out the window toward a smaller structure about ten feet behind the main barn. “I’m out in the bunkhouse.” Another wink. “For your information.”

“She’s not going,” Caden repeated, glaring at Lucy over Chad’s shoulder.

If there was one thing Lucy hated, it was being told what to do. By anyone. It had led to some monumentally stupid decisions on her part, but it was a part of herself she couldn’t seem to rein in.

“I’d love to go to your Christmas party,” she told Chad, offering a slight smile.

“Hot damn,” the young cowboy said, slapping his knee. “I’ve got me a date.”

He shot Caden a gloating smile. “You hear that, old man? Miss Lucy here is going to be my date for the evening.”

Caden said nothing, but Lucy could almost see the smoke curling from his ears.

“I’ll see you later, darlin’,” Chad crooned before leaving the room.

Caden didn’t move, just continued staring at Lucy.

“Of course it’s not a date,” she said after a moment, pulling at the hem of the pale pink sweater she wore. Having lived in Florida for so many years, she had very little in the way of warm clothes and wondered if there was any discount shopping to be found in Crimson. “He’s far too young for me.”

“That won’t matter to Chad.” Caden spoke through clenched teeth. “Don’t let the aw-shucks act fool you. That boy is a player.”

Lucy wasn’t sure whether to be offended that he hadn’t denied she was too old for Chad or flattered that Caden was, in his own awkward way, trying to protect her from being hurt. “I’m not in the market for getting played. You don’t need to worry about me.”

He looked as though he wanted to argue, but said, “I wasn’t kidding about the ranch finances. One of Tyson’s friends from high school who’s a CPA has taken over since...”

“Since your brother died?” she asked gently.

“Yeah.”

“My mom told me it was a rock climbing accident. I’m sorry.”

Once again, Caden’s silence stretched so long she thought he might not respond. He looked past her, out the window into the darkening night. His green eyes filled with so much sorrow that Lucy felt an answering pull of sadness in her chest.

“I’m the one who’s sorry,” he said finally. “His accident was my fault.”

Lucy gasped, and Caden’s gaze shot to hers. All the vulnerability that had been there moments before was gone, his expression carefully blank.

“You don’t belong here,” he said, his voice so low she had to strain to make out the words. “I’ll hurt you whether I want to or not. It’s what I do.”

Then he turned and walked away.

Chapter Four

Caden pulled open the door of Elevation Brewery later that night, the heat and noise of a festive bar crowd spilling out into the cold. He took a deep breath, then walked in, scanning the faces of the people without making eye contact with any of them.

“Caden!”

He stifled an amused sigh and turned to the dark-haired, dark-eyed woman waving to him like mad from a seat at the bar.

“Caden, over here!” she shouted as if he hadn’t heard her the first time.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lucy Renner glance over her shoulder. But he ignored both Lucy and Chad, who were huddled together near the pool tables at the far corner of the bar, and moved toward the woman still feverishly waving at him.

“He sees you,” David McCay, the bar’s owner, told Erin MacDonald as Caden approached. The tall brewer with the overly long blond hair and a good two weeks of beard leaned forward to plant a kiss on the mouth of his fiancée.

“I didn’t think he’d come,” Erin said against David’s lips before swiveling her chair to face Caden. “I’m so glad you finally took me up on my offer.”

Caden blinked, looking around like one of the other bar patrons might be able to shed some light on what the sweet-tempered schoolteacher was talking about. Because he sure as hell had no idea.

David gave a soft chuckle. “He’s not here for you, darlin’.”

“I texted you about meeting here to talk about the animal-adoption open house next weekend.” Erin pointed a finger at him. “You’ve ignored my invitations to hang out with David and me for weeks. I figured bringing the animals into it might motivate you to agree. That’s why you came tonight, right?”

“Um, sure.” Caden’s gaze strayed to Lucy, who was leaning over the pool table to set up a shot. Several of the men standing near her were watching her with interest, but Chad had his arm draped around the shoulder of a buxom blonde.

He started when Erin placed a hand on his arm. “I’m not going to be offended that you ignored me once again because this is even better. You’re here for a woman.”

“I’m not,” he answered, but Erin was craning her neck to get a better look at Lucy.

“She’s pretty. Not from around here, I’d guess. Tell me all about her.”

Caden shot a help-me glance toward David, who gave him a you’re-on-your-own shrug.

“There’s nothing to tell,” Caden said with a sigh.

“Come on.” Erin grinned up at him. “You never come into town, especially on a Friday night. She must be special.”

“She’s here with Chad. It’s not a big deal.”

“I don’t think she’s leaving with Chad,” David said, inclining his head toward the back of the bar.

Caden turned to see Chad and the blonde in the midst of a hot and heavy makeout session. Lucy was on the other side of the pool table, talking to a group of men, some of whom Caden recognized as locals. A moment later Chad and his new woman came up for air, then quickly headed for the bar’s entrance. His ranch hand disappeared into the night without sparing another glance at Lucy.

“Damn,” he muttered. “I tried to warn her.”

“Were they on a date?” Erin asked, sympathy lacing her voice.

“I don’t think so. Maybe. Hell, who knows with Chad? But he was definitely her ride home.”

“So now you’ll take care of her,” Erin said matter-of-factly. “And you can tell us all about how you two met.”

“It’s not important.”

Erin let out a sigh. “Fine. If you won’t share, maybe she will.” She stood on the stool’s footrest and waved Lucy over when she glanced up, presumably looking for Chad.

Caden saw confusion darken her eyes, and then something else crept in when her gaze landed on him. But she moved toward them, weaving her way through the brewery’s high-spirited patrons.

Several male heads turned as she passed, but she didn’t slow her progress.

“She’s not my responsibility,” he said quietly.

“She’s the reason you’re here,” Erin responded. “Gosh, she’s even prettier than I first thought.”

“Not nearly as pretty as you,” David whispered.

“You’re sweet,” Erin told her fiancé, but Caden barely registered their conversation.

He couldn’t take his eyes off Lucy.

Her dark hair fell over her shoulders, and she wore a burgundy-colored sweater with the fabric cut out at both shoulders, giving him the most tantalizing glimpse of bare skin. It was totally inappropriate clothing for a December night in Colorado, and Caden thanked his lucky stars that Lucy came from a warmer climate.

“So you’re not a party pooper after all,” she said as she came to stand directly in front of him.

He cocked a brow. “I told you a date with Chad was a bad idea.”

“I told you it wasn’t a date.”

“Obviously not since he just left with another woman.”

“Oh.” Her glossy lips formed the syllable and Caden’s body tightened in response.

“He ditched you, Lucy.” Caden knew he was being purposely cruel, but he couldn’t seem to help himself. It bothered him on some primal level that she’d gone out with Chad, and he certainly planned to have a serious conversation with his ranch hand about how to treat a woman.

“Was it the cute little blond-haired woman?” Lucy asked.

“Yeah.”

“Good for him,” she said, a slow smile lighting up her face. “Her name is Jessica and he has such a crush on her. All I heard about most of the night was how she’s been dating some guy who doesn’t treat her right. She finally broke up with him last week. Tonight was Chad’s big chance but he was so nervous. I gave him some tips and—”

“You and Chad were over there talking about how he could put the moves on another woman? The last thing that boy needs is more moves.”

“He really likes her,” she said. “I get that he seems smooth, but it’s different when the woman means something, you know?”

Caden wasn’t sure how to answer that. He thought he’d been in love once, but that experience had not only torn apart his heart, it had done some major collateral damage to his relationship with his brother.

“I know exactly what you mean,” Erin said from behind him. She nudged his shoulder and he stepped to the side so that Erin could pull Lucy closer. “Why do men act like idiots when they have real feelings for a woman?”

“I wasn’t an idiot,” David protested gently.

Erin rolled her brown eyes toward the ceiling. “You were a total idiot.” She reached for Lucy’s hand and pumped it enthusiastically. “Hi, I’m Erin MacDonald and this is my fiancé, David McCay.” She leaned in closer and added, “He’s a reformed idiot.”

“Can I get you a beer?” David asked Lucy with a chuckle.

“He also owns Elevation Brewery. We’re friends of Caden’s.”

Lucy gave Caden a funny look out of the corner of her eye, as if she found it difficult to believe he actually had friends. “Nothing more for me,” she told David. “I had a couple of pints of the wheat beer earlier—which was amazing, by the way. But I’m definitely feeling the altitude.”

“The alcohol hits you hard up here,” David confirmed.

“Caden was just about to tell us how the two of you met,” Erin said.

Lucy arched a brow in Caden’s direction. “Really?”

“It would probably be better coming from you.” Erin placed a hand on Lucy’s arm like they were old friends. “Our Caden is kind of the strong, silent type, if you know what I mean.”

“My mother is marrying his father,” Lucy said, thankfully not commenting on what she thought about his “type.”

“Maybe,” he muttered, earning a frown from both women.

David handed him a tall glass of dark beer. “You look like you could use this.”

“I’ve seen her around town,” Erin told Lucy. “She and Garrett seem so happy together. She’s really pretty. You look like her.”

Lucy’s gaze strayed to Caden once again, her eyes narrowing slightly as if she was thinking about the rude comment he’d made when they first met.

Then she smiled at Erin. “Thank you. My mom and Garrett left this morning for a prewedding trip to New York City.”

“How romantic,” Erin breathed.

Caden snorted, causing beer to slosh over the side of the pint glass. David handed him a napkin.

“Will they be back for the adoption open house?” Erin asked, turning to Caden.

“Doubtful. I’m guessing Maureen will want to stay in the city and spend as much of Garrett’s money as she can manage.”

Erin gasped. “That’s a rude thing to say, Caden. And unlike you. You know better than most people what it’s like to be judged unfairly. I’m disappointed you’d stoop to that level, especially talking about Lucy’s mom when she’s standing right in front of you.”

“Sorry,” Caden mumbled, feeling suddenly like he was a kid being reprimanded by his favorite teacher. He could only imagine how bad the kindergarteners in Erin’s class felt when they messed up. Erin might look like she was as harmless as a kitten, but she definitely had sharp claws.

David covered his mouth with one hand to hide a smile while Lucy raised a brow and moved slightly closer to Erin, as if her new friend would shield her from Caden’s wrath. He gave himself a mental head shake as guilt pinged through him. Still, he hadn’t said anything about Lucy’s mother that wasn’t the truth, and they both knew it.

He placed the glass of beer on the bar. “We should head back to the ranch.”

Lucy crossed her arms over her chest. “What’s the adoption open house?” she asked Erin, ignoring Caden.

“Have you seen Caden’s pet-rescue operation?” Erin rolled her eyes. “When he’s not being Mr. Rudepants, Caden takes in unwanted animals from around the county.”

“The ones in the barn?”

Erin nodded. “They’re animals no one else wanted. He rehabilitates them, does training and then matches them with forever families.”

He saw Lucy’s mouth drop open. “Seriously?”

“Did you think I was selling them to some kind of lab for experiments?” he asked, not caring that the words came out a growl.

“No,” Lucy answered after a moment. “I thought you were a pet hoarder.”

“Are you kidding me?”

She flashed a grin that made his heart stutter. “Yes.”

She turned back to Erin, who was watching him with a gleam in her eye Caden didn’t trust in the least.

He picked up the beer again and took a long drink.

“Erin’s onto you,” David said quietly as Erin explained more about the open house to Lucy. “You need to get a better poker face, bud.”

Caden stepped closer to the bar. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You like this one.”

“She’s a pain in my—”

“Right.” David laughed. He made a show of wiping the already-gleaming wood counter when Erin shot him a questioning glance. “You should probably stop staring at her like she’s on the menu and you’re starving.”

“I’m not staring.”

“Erin has been wanting to fix you up for months. She fancies herself a matchmaker.”

Caden groaned. “I’m trying to convince my father to call off the wedding. That’s not exactly going to endear me to Lucy.”

“Doesn’t change the fact that you like her,” David said with a shrug.

Before Caden could respond, Erin turned and grabbed his arms.

“Great news,” she shouted over the din of the brewpub. “Lucy’s agreed to help with the adoption event.”

Caden shrugged off her hold and shook his head. “I didn’t ask for her help.”

Erin frowned. “Don’t be rude again.”

“I’m not—”

“You need her.”

“I don’t,” he said through clenched teeth.

Erin pointed a finger at him. “How much of the marketing plan I created have you implemented at this point?”

“I’ve been busy on the ranch.”

“Exactly. Lucy has retail experience in sales and marketing. She’s going to take over for you to make sure we have enough publicity for the event.”

Caden looked over Erin’s shoulder to Lucy. “If you don’t want my help,” she muttered, “it’s not a big deal.”

“It is a big deal,” Erin insisted. “Ever since word got out that Caden would take on stray animals, people have been bringing them to him left and right. It’s too much. An adoption event right before Christmas is the perfect way to find good families for your sweet babies.”

Caden felt color rise up his throat when Lucy’s mouth kicked up at one corner. “I wouldn’t call them my sweet babies.”

Erin threw up her hands. “You have a certified therapy bunny, Caden. Play the hardened cowboy all you want, but we know you’re a big softy at heart.”

“We do,” Lucy agreed, her eyes dancing with amusement.

“I don’t even know why I agreed to open the barn. I can find homes for the animals on my own.”

“The adoption event is happening, and Lucy’s going to help,” Erin said in the same tone of voice he imagined she used to quiet a room of rowdy five-year-olds.

Caden looked at David. “You’ve got your hands full.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” David answered.

“I’m so glad we met tonight,” Erin said to Lucy as she pulled her in for a tight hug. “I have a feeling we’re going to be great friends.”

Caden’s focus sharpened as he watched Lucy go stiff. All the humor disappeared from her gaze, and instead she looked like someone had just punched her in the gut.

“It was...um...nice to meet you,” she said quickly. “But I’m kind of jet-lagged, so I should probably head back to the ranch. Have a good night.”

She turned and fled, weaving through the crowd so quickly that Caden lost sight of her within a few seconds.

“Was it something I said?” Erin asked quietly.

“Nah, honey.” David reached across the bar to smooth his fiancée’s hair away from her face. “You were brilliant. I’m just not sure Caden’s Lucy is used to having someone as sweet as you offer to be her friend.”

Caden felt his jaw clench. “She’s not mine.”

“Not if you don’t catch up to her,” David agreed.

Caden knew the smart thing to do would be bellying up to the bar and ordering another beer. Lucy Renner seemed plenty capable of taking care of herself. He sure didn’t need her infringing on his life, his friends or his animals. He needed her gone.

He took a breath and turned to find Erin and David staring at him with equally knowing looks on their faces.

“Damn,” he muttered and took off toward Elevation’s front entrance.

* * *

It had started snowing while Lucy was in the bar. Big, fluffy flakes streamed down from the sky, glowing in the light of a nearby streetlamp and lending a sense of peace to Crimson’s Main Street. Lucy would have stopped and tipped up her face to catch a snowflake on her tongue if she wasn’t in such a hurry to get away.

She felt like a fool rushing out of Elevation and away from a woman who’d been nothing but kind to her. When was the last time Lucy’d had a girlfriend?

She almost laughed out loud at the thought. Her mother had always taught her that other girls, and later women, were to be viewed as competition and not to be trusted.

As much as Lucy knew her mother’s ideas on female friendships were wrong, some part of the message had sunk in and she’d never seemed to be able to make lasting friendships. Maybe because whenever another woman made a friendly overture, she freaked out like she did with Erin.

At least Caden was probably happy she was gone.

Of course, she had no idea where she was headed. She needed to get her bearings and find a taxi or Uber to get her back to the ranch. But it was hard to slow down when it felt like running away was what she did best.

Heavy footsteps sounded on the sidewalk behind her, and she glanced over her shoulder to see Caden approaching. She hated to admit how happy she’d been to see him at the bar.

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