The lost cowboy...

Thunder Mountain Ranch was the only place cowboy Cade Gallagher had ever called home. But after he and Lexi Simmons broke each other’s hearts, he left it behind, along with his foster family. Since then, Cade has drifted, looking for something—anything—to call home. Until a call from Lexi changes everything...

Cade has been gone too long. His foster mother is hospitalized, and the ranch is in deep financial trouble. Yet even as his world crumbles, Cade’s hunger for Lexi is almost as tangible as the taste of her lips and the way her body fits deliciously against his. It’s bittersweet surrender. But Lexi isn’t the girl she used to be, and she’s determined to have the hot cowboy in her bed only if she keeps him out of her heart.

Praise for Vicki Lewis Thompson

“Cowboy Up is a sexy joy ride, balanced with good-natured humor and Thompson’s keen eye for detail. Another sizzling romance from the RT Reviewers’ Choice award winner for best Blaze.”

—RT Book Reviews

“Vicki Lewis Thompson has compiled a tale of this terrific family, along with their friends and employees, to keep you glued to the page and ending with that warm and loving feeling.”

—Fresh Fiction on Cowboys and Angels

“Intensely romantic and hot enough to singe...her Sons of Chance series never fails to leave me worked up from all the heat, and then sighing with pleasure at the happy endings!”

—We Read Romance on Riding High

“If I had to use one word to describe Ambushed! it would be charming.... Where the story shines and how it is elevated above others is the humor that is woven throughout.”

—Dear Author

“The chemistry between Molly and Ben is off the charts: their first kiss is one of the best I’ve ever read, and the sex is blistering and yet respectful, tender and loving.”

—Fresh Fiction on A Last Chance Christmas

Dear Reader,

I love beginnings! I especially love beginnings that involve cowboys and the women who love them. Welcome to Thunder Mountain Brotherhood! I’ve been excited about this series from the moment I envisioned a ranch that once housed foster boys. As they learned to ride and rope, they also learned the cowboy code of integrity, courage and loyalty.

Now grown men, they share a love of Thunder Mountain Ranch and a bond stronger than if they’d been born brothers. This summer you’ll meet three of them, starting with Cade Gallagher. I can’t wait for you to meet Cade, and Lexi, the unforgettable woman he left behind.

I can’t wait for you to meet all of them, in fact! None of these guys had an easy start in life, and they have scars both inside and out. That makes them challenging to love, but I have a hunch you’ll end up falling for them as quickly as I did.

For those of you who enjoyed my Sons of Chance series, rest assured that you’ll see glimpses of those characters, because I couldn’t abandon them completely! I predict you’ll have fun watching them pop up now and then. In the meantime, come with me to Thunder Mountain Ranch and let me introduce you to some very hot cowboys. We’re going to have a great time this summer!

Enthusiastically yours,

Midnight Thunder

Vicki Lewis Thompson

www.millsandboon.co.uk

A passion for travel has taken New York Times bestselling author VICKI LEWIS THOMPSON to Europe, Great Britain, the Greek isles, Australia and New Zealand. She’s visited most of North America and has her eye on South America’s rainforests. Africa, India and China beckon. But her first love is her home state of Arizona, with its deserts, mountains, sunsets and—last but not least—cowboys! The wide-open spaces and heroes on horseback influence everything she writes. Connect with her at vickilewisthompson.com, facebook.com/vickilewisthompson and twitter.com/vickilthompson.

To Kathleen Scheibling for believing in me and this series. Let it also be noted that she selflessly braved the rigors of a cover shoot with bare-chested cowboys. What devotion to the cause!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Praise for Vicki Lewis Thompson

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Prologue

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Prologue

CARRYING THEIR BOOTS, Cade Gallagher and Damon Harrison crept out of the ranch house’s front door as the grandfather clock in the living room struck twelve. Breaking the house rules was serious, but in this case it was necessary.

After shutting the front door carefully, Cade avoided the porch board that squeaked as he walked over to the steps and sat down to put on his boots.

Damon lowered himself to the top step. “You got your knife?” His voice cracked a little because it was still changing.

“Yep.” Cade’s voice had changed months ago, and he had to shave every two days now. “You got the matches?”

“Yep.”

Cade pulled on his boots and stood. “Ready?”

“Yep.”

After taking the steps slow so he wouldn’t make too much noise, Cade started toward a grove of trees beyond the main corral. They’d picked out the spot a week ago but had waited for the full moon. It was playing hide-and-seek with the clouds tonight, but the clouds hadn’t dumped any rain, thank God.

After reaching the small clearing, Cade scanned the area. He was the first foster boy taken in by the Padgetts, and he’d used his seniority to claim a leadership position. Damon hadn’t bucked him on it. “Looks okay. Nobody’s messed with our campfire.”

“Nope.” Damon produced the matches, lit one and touched it to the small pile of dry leaves and branches they’d heaped in a circle of dirt surrounded by stones. The branches caught instantly.

“We need to make this quick.” Cade sat cross-legged on the ground. After opening his pocket knife, he dipped the blade into the flames. “It won’t burn for long.”

Damon held out his palm. “Do it.”

“Maybe you should do your own.”

“No, you.” He squeezed his eyes shut and shoved his hand toward Cade.

So Damon was scared. Cade thought about asking if he wanted to forget the whole thing, but Damon wouldn’t like the suggestion that he was a wimp. Cade had never sliced into someone before, but this had been his idea, so he had to hang tough. Taking a deep breath, he grabbed his friend’s hand and made a small cut across the base of his thumb. Blood oozed out.

Damon winced and kept his eyes closed. He looked a little pale, but that might have been because of the moonlight.

Letting go of Damon’s hand, Cade held his own palm steady and applied the knife to the same spot. It hurt, but nothing like the beatings he used to get from his old man. “Okay. I’m ready.”

Damon opened his eyes. “We’re supposed to say something, but I don’t think I remember it all.”

“That’s okay. I’ve got it.” He positioned their hands so the cuts were aligned. “Just hold on.” As Damon gripped his hand, Cade said the words they’d written down and he’d memorized.

“On Thunder Mountain Ranch in the state of Wyoming, we swear to be straight with everyone and protect the weak. Bound by blood, we declare ourselves the Thunder Mountain Brotherhood. Loyalty above all.”

“What you guys doing out here?”

They both cussed and scrambled to their feet as Finn O’Roarke walked into the clearing. He’d come to the ranch two weeks ago and was still feeling his way. He was only a little younger than Damon and Cade, but he seemed more like a kid.

Cade found his voice first. “Damn it, Finn! Don’t ever sneak up on a guy like that. I could’ve knifed you!”

Finn narrowed his eyes. “You’re not supposed to be out here. House rules.”

“Hell, we know that,” Damon said. “But we had business to attend to.”

“And now you’re blood brothers.” In the flickering light, Finn’s expression revealed longing mixed with hesitation.

Cade was a sucker for that look. He remembered all too well how it felt to be an outsider who didn’t have the nerve to ask to be included. He glanced at Damon. They’d been talking about this for a long time, before Finn ever showed up. They’d decided being blood brothers would be cool, maybe even cooler than if they’d had the same parents.

But now here was Finn, who would probably be thrilled to be part of it. Cade couldn’t blame him. It had to be hard to show up at a foster home and the other guys were already friends. Cade lifted his eyebrows and hoped Damon would get the silent request.

Damon sighed. “Yeah, fine.”

Cade looked over at Finn. “You want to be a blood brother with us?”

“I wouldn’t mind.” His attempt to sound casual was a total failure.

“You have to cut your hand. Or let me do it.”

Finn’s jaw tightened. “I’ll do it.”

Cade wanted to laugh but didn’t dare. Finn didn’t know that Damon had been too scared to cut his own hand, but Cade wasn’t about to rat on his new blood brother. He handed the knife, handle first, to Finn.

“Where do I cut?”

“Here.” Cade held his palm out.

“Okay.” The kid might seem young, but he had balls. He made the cut. “Now what?”

“Press your hand to mine while I say the words. Then do it again with Damon. That way you’re bonded with both of us.”

Finn was a whiz at following directions. In seconds the thing was done.

The flames had nearly gone out, but Cade was taking no chances they’d start a forest fire. He scooped up a handful of loose dirt. “We need to smother it real good.”

Finn and Damon helped him pile more dirt on it. They made a pretty big mound. Starting a fire in the woods would get them all sent away, possibly to some juvenile detention center. Cade couldn’t speak for the other two, but he sure as hell didn’t want that. Thunder Mountain Ranch was his best bet, and he knew it.

Finn threw another handful of dirt on the fire. “I heard what you said both times, but what does it actually mean, being in this brotherhood thing?”

Damon groaned. “Now you ask.”

“That’s okay.” Cade felt the need to stick up for the kid, who was braver than he looked. “He wasn’t in on the planning stages.” He turned to Finn. “It means we won’t lie or steal, and we won’t let anybody get bullied.”

“All right. That’s cool.”

“And we’re brothers, so of course we’d give our life for each other.”

Finn sucked in a breath. “Really? Like dying?”

“Hey, it probably won’t ever be necessary, but that’s the bottom line. Mostly it means we’ll stick together. Watch out for each other. Be friends forever.”

“Oh.” Finn smiled. “I’m okay with that.”

The moon picked that moment to come out from behind a cloud and shine down on them again. It seemed like a sign to Cade, but he didn’t want things to get too mushy. “Yeah. Me, too. And now we’d better get our asses back in the house before Rosie and Herb catch us.”

As they left the grove of trees, he glanced at Damon and Finn. Brothers. He’d never had any, but now he did. That felt damned good.

1

Fifteen years later, Colorado

“RINGO, THIS IS shaping up to be a disaster.” Cade leaned down to give the gray tabby a good scratch. Ringo’s motor started up, and the soothing purr lifted Cade’s spirits, but not by much. Whenever he glanced at the glossy black horse peering at him over the stall door, anxiety curdled in his gut.

A couple of hours ago, his boss at the Circle T had vowed to sell Hematite to a meatpacking plant. Dick Thornwood was the kind of SOB who would do it, too, so Cade had driven into Colorado Springs and emptied his bank account. He had more in his pocket than Thornwood could get at a slaughterhouse, so logically Thornwood should sell the horse to him instead.

But logic wasn’t his boss’s strong suit, especially when his pride had been wounded. His decision to ride Hematite earlier that afternoon had been ill-advised, and to make matters worse, he’d chosen to do it with his new girlfriend watching. Cade had tried to talk him out of it, but he’d insisted. Hematite had tossed him in the dirt.

Just as Cade had predicted he would. They were mere days into the training program, and Hematite had major issues. He’d been mistreated as a colt and gelding him hadn’t done much to settle him down. He’d just begun to trust Cade, who’d managed to saddle him for the first time today. Too bad Thornwood had seen that and decided to show off for his lady friend.

When he’d been dumped on his ass, she’d laughed. Thornwood had sent her packing, and then, shaking with rage, he’d approached the horse. Thank God he hadn’t had a gun. Instead he’d delivered Hematite’s death sentence before stomping up to the house.

Cade had been nervous about leaving for the bank, so he’d asked Douglas, the foreman, to keep an eye on Hematite. Fortunately nothing happened. Thornwood was likely up at the house drinking. Cade had brought fast food with him so he could stay in the barn and keep watch over the horse all night.

Footsteps on the wooden barn floor jacked up his heart rate, but it turned out to be Douglas coming back, probably to check on them.

“The way that feline dotes on you, anybody’d think your pockets were stuffed with catnip.” Douglas nudged back his hat and leaned against Hematite’s stall. “You should probably take him when you leave or he’ll die of a broken heart.”

“Who says I’m leaving?”

“I saw your face when Thornwood started to go for that horse. Looked to me like you wanted to kill him.”

“The thought occurred to me, but then I decided he wasn’t worth it.” Cade worked his fingers over Ringo’s arched back, and the cat purred louder. “But yeah, I figure my time here is about up. I just have to work out the logistics.”

“That’s why I came to talk to you. You can borrow my horse trailer.”

Cade glanced up. “Really? You don’t need it?”

Douglas shrugged. “Not until next spring. If you can get it back to me by April, that’ll be fine.”

“I’ll have it back real quick. I called a buddy over at the Bar Z and he said they might be able to use another hand, at least for the summer. I’ll head there once I get Thornwood to sell me this horse.”

The foreman sighed. “I dunno. He’s crazy.”

“Thornwood or the horse?”

“Thornwood. The horse is just scared.”

“Yeah. Hematite can’t stay here. Even before today’s incident, I thought Thornwood and Hematite were a bad combination.”

“You got your stuff together?”

Cade nodded. “Figured once the shit hit the fan, I needed to be ready to go. I—” The sound of heavy, deliberate footsteps and the jingle of spurs made whatever he’d been about to say irrelevant. Heart pounding, he rose to his feet as Dick Thornwood came toward them. He held a coiled stock whip in one hand and a rope in the other. The fires of hell shone in his pale eyes.

Douglas swore under his breath, and Ringo crept behind a hay bale.

As Cade faced his boss, his heart rate slowed and icy calm replaced the initial adrenaline rush. He knew that unholy expression well. Bullies were all alike. His father, Rance, had looked exactly like that after he’d been drinking, except he’d vented his rage on Cade and his mother, not on a horse. Finally Cade had grown tall enough to stop him and his father had left.

Positioning himself in front of the stall door, Cade fixed his gaze on Thornwood. “I’ll buy him from you.”

Thornwood kept coming, bourbon on his breath. “He’s not for sale.”

“I thought you wanted him destroyed.”

“I’ve reconsidered.” He reached the stall. “Stand aside, Gallagher.”

“No.”

Thornwood’s nostrils flared. “I said stand aside, cowboy!”

“No.”

Dropping the rope, Thornwood uncoiled the whip. “Move it!”

“Touch me with that whip and I’ll charge you with assault. And I have a witness.”

Thornwood’s jaw worked. “You’re fired, asshole.”

“Okay.”

“And I’m not selling you that damned horse!”

“Why not?” He kept his tone conversational. “I’ll give you more than you’d get at the slaughterhouse, and I’ll take him off your hands. You can be rid of both of us tonight.”

A vein pulsed at Thornwood’s temple as his face reddened. “I’d rather beat the shit out of both of you.” He sneered at Cade. “And your precious witness won’t say a damned thing about it.”

Cade raised his eyebrows. “You think he’d lie for you?”

“I do.” Thornwood snapped the whip against the barn floor.

“I wouldn’t count on it.” Cade widened his stance. “But if you’re determined to pick a fight with me, bring it on.” He held Thornwood’s gaze. “Take your best shot.”

A flicker in those pale eyes told Cade all he needed to know. Bullies chose fights they were certain they could win, and Thornwood was no longer so certain, even with that whip.

Sure enough, he backed up a step and his lip curled. “You’re not worth the energy. Get the hell off my ranch. And take that nag with you.” He pivoted toward the barn’s entrance.

“Oh, no, you don’t! You’re selling him to me, not giving him away. I don’t intend to get jailed for stealing your horse.”

Thornwood paused but didn’t turn around. “How much you got?”

Cade gave him a figure, everything he had in his pocket minus what he needed to carry him until he had another job.

“Give it to Lindstrom. He’ll handle it.” Thornwood stalked out of the barn.

Douglas blew out a breath. “Damn. That was close.”

“He’s just like my old man. Once you stand up to guys like that, they fold.”

“Not always.”

“No, not always.” Cade had challenged his dad before he could back up the threat, and he had the scars to prove it. He dug the roll of bills out of his pocket. “I want something in writing that says I own this horse. Something with his signature on it.”

“I’ll see to it. You hitch up the trailer and get him loaded. I’ll have a signed bill of sale for you before you leave.”

“Thanks. I’ll need to take the halter, too, and borrow a lead rope. Is that going to be a problem?”

“Nah. If he even brings it up, I’ll tell him you’ll return those when you return my trailer.”

“I couldn’t manage this without you.” Cade gazed at the foreman. “I appreciate the help.”

“Glad to do it.”

“I won’t be that far away. We can still get together for a beer once in a while.”

“I’d like that.” The foreman pocketed the money. “Better get moving before he changes his mind.”

“Right. See you in a few.” Cade fished for his keys and headed out the back to fetch his truck. He really was going to miss the crusty old foreman.

His reason for gravitating toward him in the first place was no mystery. He resembled Cade’s foster father—about the same age with a similar wiry build and a no-nonsense attitude. Cade hadn’t set foot on Thunder Mountain Ranch in... Damn, had it really been five years?

He talked to Herb and Rosie on the phone several times a year and always on Christmas Eve, but he’d avoided an actual visit because of Lexi. That was a chickenshit reason. He needed to man up and make the trip, although he couldn’t expect vacation days for a while if he was about to start a new job.

Climbing into his truck, he drove behind the bunkhouse and hitched up Douglas’s trailer. Then he took a moment to call his buddy at the Bar Z to make sure spending the night there was still an option. Tomorrow Cade would talk to the owner about a job, and with luck he’d be employed again in no time. That was important, especially when he had another mouth to feed.

Convincing Thornwood to sell had been the easy part of this rescue operation. Now he had to get that high-strung horse in the trailer. The previous owner, the one who’d mishandled Hematite’s training, had given him a heavy-duty tranquilizer so he’d load. The drugged horse had staggered down the ramp the day he’d arrived.

This time Hematite would have to load and unload cold turkey. Cade considered that as he drove his truck around to the front of the barn. Lowering the ramp, he paused and took several deep breaths before going back into the barn.

His behavior would influence the horse, so the calmer he stayed, the better chance he’d have of keeping Hematite mellow. He visualized the horse walking quietly out of his stall, down the wooden aisle of the barn, then moving up into the trailer without hesitation.

Grabbing the rattiest-looking lead rope from the tack room, he started toward Hematite’s stall. The horse watched him, ears pricked forward. Cade usually saved his next technique for when he was alone with a horse. Nobody else was in the barn, so he began singing “Red River Valley.” Thanks to his time at Thunder Mountain Ranch, he had a whole repertoire of campfire songs, and normally they worked like a charm to settle nervous horses.

He’d only sung to Hematite a couple of times, though. They hadn’t developed a singing routine, but at this point anything was worth a try. He continued the sweet love song as he unlatched the stall door and stepped inside.

Hematite snorted and edged away. Still singing, Cade approached and managed to clip the lead rope onto the horse’s halter. Then he turned and walked out of the stall as if he thoroughly expected Hematite to follow him, no questions asked. The horse did.

Cade finished “Red River Valley” and moved on to “Tumbling Tumbleweeds.” He sang in rhythm with the steady clip-clop of Hematite’s hooves on the barn floor. Meanwhile he continued to visualize a smooth entrance into the horse trailer.

Out the barn door. Up the ramp. Cade kept singing. About three minutes later, the horse was loaded and the trailer doors secured. Cade stood there grinning and shaking his head in disbelief. That horse would be serenaded from now on.

“That’s about the slickest thing I ever did see.” Douglas came toward him from the direction of the house. “Were you singing to that animal?”

“Um, yeah.” Cade chuckled. “If you use the term loosely.”

“You’re no George Strait, but at least I could recognize the tune. I’ve heard of using songs to calm a herd of cattle, but I never thought of trying it with horses. How long you been doing that?”

“Three or four years, I guess.”

“No kidding. How’d you come up with it?”

“By accident. One day I was riding along, humming to myself for some reason, and I could feel my horse relax. So then I tried humming when I worked with a problem horse, and that seemed to help. I don’t know if singing is any better than humming, but it’s more interesting for me.”

“I’ll be damned.” Douglas rubbed a hand over his jaw. “I’ll just have to try it. Although I sound like a mating bullfrog, so it might not work for me. Can’t believe I’ve known you for almost two years and never realized you were a singing cowboy.”

Cade laughed. “I wouldn’t go that far.”

“I would. You’re a cowboy. You sing. Case closed. Oh, and here’s your bill of sale, complete with Thornwood’s signature. He’s had enough to drink that he doesn’t care about much of anything, so he was more than happy to sign.”

“Thank you.” Cade took the paper, opened it to check the signature and refolded it. “You have my cell number. If he gives you any grief about this after he sobers up, let me know.”

“I doubt he will. I’ll wager that by tomorrow he’ll have rewritten history. He’ll tell everyone he gave you the deal of a lifetime because he’s such a great guy and he felt sorry for you.”

“He can make up any story he wants as long as he leaves me and this horse alone.”

“I think he will, but if I get any hint that he’s on the warpath, I’ll give you a holler.”

“Thanks, Douglas.” He shook the foreman’s hand. “Don’t forget. We’re going to have that beer someday soon.”

“I’m counting on it.”

Climbing into the truck, Cade glanced around at the place he’d called home for eighteen months. It hadn’t really been home, of course. Thunder Mountain was the only place that fit that description. Thornwood had been a lousy boss, but Douglas had made up for that. So it was with mixed feelings that Cade put the truck in gear and pulled away from the Circle T.

He’d made it to the main road by the time Ringo decided to show himself. The gray tabby crawled from the space behind the passenger seat and settled himself on the worn upholstery. Immediately he began to purr.

Cade sighed. He should probably turn around and take Ringo back to the Circle T. “Look, I’m heading over to a ranch that may have a territorial barn cat for all I know. You might not be welcome there. Then what?”

Ringo blinked at him and purred louder.

Cade’s chest tightened. He’d never had a pet of his own. Dogs and cats had been a constant presence at Thunder Mountain Ranch, but they’d been loved and cared for by all the boys. Cade remembered each one fondly, but he’d never felt the deep connection that he’d formed with Ringo. Apparently Ringo returned the sentiment, because here he was ready to follow Cade wherever the road led.

“Okay, cat. We’ll figure it out.”

As if he understood that the matter was settled, Ringo curled up on the seat and closed his eyes.

That kind of trust was rare in this world. Cade hadn’t experienced it often. He could count on one hand the people who trusted him like that—Herb, Rosie, Damon, Finn, Douglas. Not Lexi.

If Ringo was offering him that level of trust, he’d be a fool not to take it and be grateful. He’d also be very careful not to betray it. He knew what abandonment felt like, and he wouldn’t wish that on any creature.

Lexi might think he’d abandoned her, but he’d been very careful not to make promises he couldn’t keep. That’s what he told himself whenever guilty memories of her anger and her tears plagued him. She’d had expectations he couldn’t meet. According to Lexi, some things were just understood. Not in his world. He was a guy who spelled everything out, and he’d never, ever said he’d marry her.

The Bar Z was only a forty-five-minute drive from the Circle T. About halfway there, Cade’s cell phone rang. He pulled it off its holder on the dash, expecting a call from his buddy or maybe from Douglas.

Instead he stared in disbelief at the name on the screen. Lexi Simmons. Damned spooky, as if she’d tuned in to his thoughts and picked up the phone.

But he didn’t believe in mental telepathy, and he knew she wouldn’t call because she’d magically tapped into his brain waves. He had a bad feeling that he wouldn’t like what he was about to hear. Heart racing, he answered while looking for a place to pull over.

“Cade?” She sounded the same, and her musical voice hurt his heart in ways it hadn’t hurt in years. “Can you talk?”

“In a minute.” He sounded out of breath and hated that. But he was having trouble breathing. Lexi. Dear God. “I’m driving and hauling a horse behind me. Let me get off the road.”

“Okay. I’ll wait.”

He set the phone back in its holder and eased to the shoulder so he wouldn’t jostle Hematite. Then he grabbed the phone again. “I’m here. What’s up?”

“It’s Rosie. She... Herb took her to Sheridan Memorial.”

He felt dizzy. “Why? What happened?”

“We won’t know until they do some tests, so we shouldn’t jump to conclusions, but—”

“Damn it, Lexi! What’s wrong with her?”

“She might... She might have had a heart attack.”

“No. Oh, no.” Panic gripped him. “She can’t. She’s too young. She can’t have a heart attack. She—”

“Maybe it’s not that. But Herb’s scared. He asked me to come and take care of things here.”

“Did he ask you to call me?”

“No. I’m doing that on my own. I thought you should know.”

“Damn right I should know! I’m a little north of Colorado Springs right now. I’ll get there as soon as I can.”

“Can you do that? Where were you going before I called?”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m changing my plans.”

“But you’re hauling a horse.”

“And the ranch has a barn.”

“True.” She hesitated. “So you’re alone?”

“No.”

“Oh.”

He couldn’t help smiling. He knew that tone. She hadn’t liked his answer. “I have a cat.”

“Oh!”

“Yeah, he came along for the ride. Are there any barn cats at the ranch?”

“Not right now.”

“Dogs?”

“No, no dogs, either.”

“That’s just as well, then. Did you call Damon and Finn?”

“I don’t have their numbers.”

So she only had his. She’d kept it in her phone for five years. He shouldn’t read too much into that, but he already was. “I’ll call them. And if you hear anything more about Mom, call me. I’ll see you in a few hours.”

“Good. That’s good.” She hung up.

He wondered how she’d meant that and if she’d be glad to see him. The thought of seeing her made him nervous, but now that he had no choice in the matter, he discovered that he wanted to. His mental picture was five years old, so she’d probably look different.

Her hazel eyes would be the same, but guaranteed her hair would have changed. Women tended to do that, and she’d complained about her natural color. He liked the warm brown, but she might have dyed it or cut it.

When he’d talked to his foster mother on Christmas Eve, she’d said Lexi had broken up with her latest boyfriend. And now Rosie was in the hospital. How could he be thinking of Lexi and their screwed-up relationship when the mother of his heart was lying in a hospital bed?

First he called his buddy at the Bar Z to say he wouldn’t be arriving, after all. Then he used the conference-call function on his phone to contact Damon and Finn. He didn’t want to waste time repeating the news.

Eventually he got them both on the line. “Listen, I don’t have time to talk, but Lexi called from the ranch and Mom’s in the hospital with a possible heart attack. I’m driving up there now. I want both of you to get there as soon as you can arrange it.”

“Absolutely,” Damon said. “I’ll text you once I have a plane ticket.”

“Me, too.” Finn sounded scared. “Is she gonna be okay?”

“Yes.” Cade’s jaw firmed. “She has to be.”

2

LEXI DISCONNECTED THE PHONE, put on her denim jacket and walked straight out to the barn to prepare a stall for Cade’s horse. Forking straw onto the floor and hay into the feed trough was the kind of physical labor she needed. Even so, she couldn’t seem to stop shaking.

He’d sounded the same...but different. Older and maybe a little tired. She wondered where he’d been going with that horse at ten o’clock at night. And his cat.

Everything about the situation suggested that he’d been on the move, leaving one place to start afresh. Whatever his plans had been, he’d changed them immediately when he’d heard about Rosie, and that was gratifying. And endearing.

Knowing he was willing to drop everything to rush up here when the Padgetts needed him erased some of the resentment she’d felt over the years. He hadn’t come back to visit them in so long. Damon and Finn had been back a few times, but they didn’t have an ex-girlfriend they were trying to avoid. She’d heard mention of a reunion for all three of them, but that hadn’t happened.

She’d lost track of how many boys had been fostered at this ranch, but she guessed about two dozen, all told. The max at any one time had been eleven. In the last years of the program she’d given free riding lessons to any who’d wanted them. Since Rosie and Herb’s retirement, several of the other guys had paid visits to the ranch, and she’d driven out to say hello and catch up on their lives.

But the three men who called themselves the Thunder Mountain Brotherhood were the ones Rosie and Herb cherished the most. Lexi heard it in their voices whenever the Padgetts talked about them. She could understand the extra love they gave to those three. Cade, Damon and Finn had lived at the ranch the longest, so they were the ones Lexi remembered most vividly, too. Especially the frustratingly stubborn and sexy Cade Gallagher.

He’d been the first kid Rosie had taken in, the one who’d started it all. Rosie had worked with Lexi’s mom at the Department of Family Services in Sheridan, and when Rosie had decided to create a foster program at the ranch, Lexi’s parents had volunteered to paint bedrooms and set up bunks.

Eventually the program had outgrown the main house, so Lexi’s folks had helped build three log cabins and a washhouse for the older kids. Lexi had tagged along, and she’d become like a daughter to the Padgetts.

She’d just turned thirteen at the start of the program, about the same age as the boys. She’d considered them awkward and unappealing, not worth her time, until one day soon after she’d turned sixteen.

The image of seventeen-year-old Cade coming out of the barn on a hot summer day, his shirt hanging open and his hat shoved back, still had the power to stir her. He’d been laughing about some prank Damon had pulled, and the flash of his white teeth in his tanned face had been the most beautiful thing Lexi had ever seen.

From that day forward, she’d nursed a massive crush, but she’d pretended the same indifference she’d always shown him. He’d had girls hanging all over him at school, and she hadn’t relished joining that crowd of groupies. She’d expected him to ask one of his giggling admirers to the prom.

Then, to her complete shock, he’d asked her. He’d even seemed nervous about it, as if expecting to be rejected. Heart pounding, she’d said yes, and in that instant, everything had changed. They’d become inseparable. High school had given way to community college, and exploratory touching had given way to hot, sweaty nights in the back of his pickup.

She’d assumed love, great sex and easy companionship would result in a proposal. She’d assumed wrong. Her lack of a ring had become a running joke among her friends, and she’d finally confronted him about their future.

They’d only had one big fight, but it had been a doozy. He’d learned that she expected marriage, and she’d learned he had no such ideas. He’d left town, and she’d cried into her pillow every night. Eventually her friends had staged an intervention and had set her up with somebody’s cousin.

That had gone well enough that she’d started dating again. Although she was currently unattached, she’d had two serious boyfriends since Cade. She’d told herself that she’d moved on.

But if just hearing his voice on the phone had turned her into a quivering mess, she’d been kidding herself. When he’d said he wasn’t alone, she’d felt sick to her stomach at the thought of him bringing a woman back here. Discovering he was traveling with a cat instead had made her giddy with relief. She wasn’t over Cade Gallagher, not by a long shot.

After putting away the pitchfork, she returned to the house and used her phone to look up the driving distance from Colorado Springs to Sheridan. Seven hours, give or take. That meant he’d show up before dawn. She had more than six hours to wait, and she should spend part of those sleeping. But that might be easier said than done.

She wandered through the house that she knew just as well as the one she’d grown up in. This rambling place with its five bedrooms, big kitchen with a rec room attached, comfy living room and wide front porch felt like home, too. Her little duplex in Sheridan was fine for now, but she dreamed of owning something like this eventually.

Maybe she’d play a little pool to wind down. The old table in the middle of the rec room had doubled as a dining table after the number of boys had topped out at eleven. A piece of thick plywood had been laid on top and folding chairs placed around it. In those days Rosie had hired a woman to help her cook, but the boys had been expected to clean up after themselves.

The balls were racked and the pool cues lined up. Maybe she wouldn’t play, after all. It would only remind her of Cade, his green gaze intense as he focused on sending the eight ball into the pocket. Damon sometimes beat him, but nobody else stood a chance.

Turning out the overhead light, she walked back into the living room. She sat on the cushy sofa in front of the unlit fireplace and pulled off her boots. How empty the house felt without Herb and Rosie. They were supposed to be enjoying their well-deserved retirement, not sitting in the hospital worrying about whether Rosie had a serious health problem.

It wasn’t fair, but getting to know the foster boys who’d stayed here had taught Lexi that life wasn’t fair. Most of their stories were sad and quite often had left scars. She’d seen Cade’s physical scars, but she hadn’t given enough thought to his mental ones when she’d demanded a commitment.

An afghan Rosie had crocheted lay across the back of the sofa. Lexi pulled it over herself and snuggled down on one of the soft throw pillows. Whether or not Cade had changed in five years, she certainly had.

Back then she’d thought marriage to Cade was all she wanted in the world. Instead her career as a riding instructor had expanded beyond her wildest hopes. She still taught locally, but her reputation had spread and she’d been asked to give clinics all over the state.

If her business continued to grow, she could expect to have requests from other parts of the country. Marriage was the furthest thing from her mind these days. That was something to hold on to as she dealt with her feelings about Cade.

Although he could still throw her for a loop, she wasn’t the needy woman he’d left. Yes, he’d been sex personified five years ago, but he could have changed, too. And with any luck, he’d grown fat.

Smiling at the thought of a pudgy Cade Gallagher, she drifted off to sleep. Of course she dreamed about being naked in his arms. They were making wild love that caused the headboard to bang against the wall. Odd, because she’d never shared a bed with him, just the back of his pickup.

He called her name, and she... Hold on a minute. That wasn’t a headboard banging against the wall. That was someone knocking on the front door. Cade.

“Lexi?” More knocking. “You in there?”

“Yeah!” She threw off the afghan and scrambled to her feet. “Coming!” Then she thought of her dream and giggled. The grandfather clock chimed four thirty. He’d made damned good time considering he’d been pulling a horse trailer.

Finger-combing her hair, she padded in her sock feet over to the door. Adrenaline pumped through her as she unlocked it. Please let him be fat. Her prayer went unanswered. Cade stood in the glow from the porch light looking lean and muscled. The stubble on his chin added to the image of a virile man in his prime.

Dark lashes framed the moss-green eyes she’d seen so often in her dreams. Concern shone there, and her heart lurched. He was still one hot cowboy, maybe even hotter than he’d been at twenty-three. Her body responded with embarrassing eagerness. She clenched the doorknob.

“Any more word?” He sounded exhausted.

“Uh, no.” She cleared the huskiness from her throat. “Sorry.”

He sighed. “Didn’t think so. You said you’d call.” He held her gaze as if looking for something in her expression.

If he hoped to find longing, it was probably there. Once upon a time, they’d found comfort in each other’s arms. “You got here fast.”

“Yeah.” He took a step closer.

She held her breath. Would he pull her into his arms for a warm hug? Bad idea. A hug could easily become something more. Would he kiss her? Would she kiss him back?

With a low curse, he backed up again. “I should...get to the hospital.”

“Right.” Good. He was restraining himself. Better for both of them. “Just unhitch the trailer and go. I can take care of your horse.”

He gave her a crooked grin. “I’m not so sure about that. How’s your rendition of ‘Red River Valley’?”

“Excuse me?” His grin sent her pulse racing again. No other man’s smile had that effect on her.

“Never mind. Let’s start with the cat. His name is Ringo.”

“For the drummer?”

“No, for the outlaw from the Old West. He’s a stowaway, so I don’t have anything for him. No food, no litter box, nothing.”

“I can rig up a temporary litter box. And I’ll bet Rosie has cans of tuna in the pantry. She still makes that casserole with the potato chips.”

“I loved that casserole. Haven’t had it in five years.”

“I’m sure she’ll make it for you.” Then reality hit her again. “I mean, after she comes home and...and feels better.”

Cade’s expression grew fierce. “She’ll be home. And she’ll feel better.”

“Of course she will.” She shared the underlying panic that made him glare at her that way. “They’ll figure out the problem, and she’ll be good as new.”

“I’ll get Ringo.” And the brawny cowboy left the porch to fetch his cat.

Lexi found that sweet, even more touching than if he’d arrived with a dog. Guys were supposed to love dogs, but it took a secure man to bond with a cat. Obviously she was still hooked on Cade. All he had to do was show up looking adorably rumpled with a cat in tow and she was ready to hurl herself into his arms. She’d have to be careful.

He came back cradling a gray tabby. “He’s used to staying in the barn, but I’m afraid if I leave him out there and take off, he’ll run away. He mostly wants to be wherever I am, so he might come looking for me.”

Lexi wasn’t surprised. Cade had always been a magnet for animals—and people. She was only one of many who’d longed to be close to this warmhearted but complicated man. As she stepped back from the open door to let Cade walk in, Ringo eyed her as if suspecting she had plans to separate him from the person he adored.

She had enough experience with cats to know that releasing Ringo into a large house where he could find all sorts of hidey-holes was a bad idea. “Let me open a can of tuna, and then we’ll take him into the guest bath so he’ll be contained in one spot. The tuna might distract him enough for you to slip out of here without too much fuss.”

“Good idea.”

“I’ll be right back.” She started toward the kitchen.

“You look great, by the way.”

She glanced over her shoulder to find him watching her with warmth in his green eyes. “Thanks. You, too.” Her heart beat faster as she hurried into the kitchen. She knew that look far too well. It had gotten her into a lot of trouble in the past. She didn’t need that kind of trouble now.

Rosie’s pantry was neatly organized, which made the tuna easy to find. As Lexi carried it over to the electric can opener sitting on the counter, she heard Cade murmuring to the cat. The soft rumble of his voice stirred more hot memories, damn it. She shoved the tuna under the can opener’s blade so the sharp buzz of the motor could drown him out. She’d seriously underestimated his ability to arouse her just by being Cade.

Then his murmurs turned to a surprised “Hey!” A second later Ringo wound his furry body through her legs, his plaintive meow announcing that he’d smelled the tuna.

“Sorry about that.” Cade appeared in the kitchen. “I didn’t anticipate his leap for freedom. He’s probably really hungry.”

“How about you?”

“I’m fine. I’ll get something after I see Mom.”

“Okay.” Lexi tamped down the urge to offer a sandwich for the road. She didn’t need to leap into her former role of nurturing girlfriend. He was a grown man who’d managed to take care of himself without her help for the past five years.

Instead she opened a cupboard, took out a shallow bowl and dumped the tuna into it. “I’ll bet if I carry this into the bathroom, he’ll follow me. You might as well go unload your horse and save some time.”

“Hang on—let me see if Mom has carrots.” He opened the refrigerator door and rummaged in the vegetable bin with the ease of someone who’d done it thousands of times. “Perfect. I’m outta here.” He edged the door closed with his hip and backed out of the kitchen while keeping his attention on the cat. Ringo stayed right by Lexi’s feet and continued his frantic meowing.

Once Lexi heard the front door shut, she walked down the hallway and into the guest bath with Ringo in hot pursuit. She set the bowl on the tile, and he buried his nose in it. Quietly she backed out and closed the bathroom door. Later she’d find something to use as a litter box.

After putting on her boots and jacket, she stepped outside in time to see a large black horse backing slowly down the trailer ramp. Cade had a gentle grip on the lead rope. And he was singing.

He had a decent voice, one of the few things about him she’d forgotten over the years. She remembered it now as she listened to his rendition of “Red River Valley.” The kids had sung it around the campfire at Thunder Mountain. Back then she’d joined the others in making fun of the sentimental words, but tonight they made her heart ache.

Cade completed the maneuver and paused at the bottom of the ramp to reward the horse with a piece of carrot. Apparently a sound track helped the animal behave. Her career had brought her in contact with a riding instructor who encouraged her students to hum or sing when they were nervous. Lexi had adopted the technique for calming uneasy riders, but she hadn’t considered using it for the horses. Now she would.

She waited until Cade finished his song before she left the porch and walked slowly over to him. The horse’s coat gleamed in the dusk-to-dawn spotlights that illuminated the circular drive. “He’s a beauty, Cade.”

“I had to buy him so I could get him away from my former boss. If he’d stayed there, he would have ended up dead sooner or later.”

Lexi shuddered. “Then I’m glad you bought him. What’s his name?” She approached with care.

“Hematite. He was abused as a colt, dismissed as a discipline problem by the time he was two and sold cheap to my boss less than a month ago. Thornwood expected me to straighten him out.”

“Looks as if you’re making progress. He unloaded well.”

“And I’m damned glad he did. There were no guarantees.”

“It’s dumb to make guarantees where horses are concerned.” Lexi surveyed Hematite. “But as of now, he seems docile enough. Want me to take it from here? I know you’re eager to get to the hospital.”

“I am, but I think it would be best if I lead him into the barn. Just let me know where to put him.”

“Follow me.” She wasn’t about to push it. Cade knew his horse, and she didn’t relish the thought of dealing with an unpredictable animal tonight. Swinging open the double barn doors, she turned on the lights along the aisle between the rows of stalls. “Second one on the right. I laid down fresh straw and put a flake of hay in the feeder. Water’s turned on, too.” She walked ahead of him and opened the stall door.

“Thanks. This is great.” He led Hematite into the stall, unhooked the lead rope and rubbed the horse’s neck. “You’re safe now, buddy. I’ll be back to check on you in a few hours.”

Hematite bumped his nose against Cade’s arm. Then he walked over to the hay rack and began to munch.

Cade let out a breath as he left the stall and latched it behind him. While he coiled the lead rope, he gazed at the horse. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think he understood what I just told him. I’ve never seen him so relaxed.”

“At the very least, he probably picked up on your relief.”

“I am relieved. I had no idea if this would work, if I could transport him from hell to heaven.” He glanced at Lexi. “Thanks for making it possible.”

She shrugged. “Don’t thank me. I’m only doing what Herb and Rosie would have wanted.”

“I appreciate it, all the same.” He looked around the barn as if noticing his surroundings for the first time. “Wait, why are there three other horses in here? I thought they were only planning to keep Navarre and Isabeau.”

“I have the same question. The last time I came out to see them, they only had those two, but that was a couple of months ago. When Herb called tonight, he wasn’t all that coherent, but I gathered they’re boarding.”

Cade frowned. “Boarding? Why?”

“You’ll have to ask him. I have no clue unless they need something more to take care of. That would fit.”

He repositioned his hat in a typical Cade gesture. “I suppose so. They love to be of service, thank God. If they hadn’t come along...”

Her heart squeezed. “I know.”

“Yes, you do.” He held her gaze. “You know that more than anyone. Lexi, I—”

“Go see Rosie.” She wasn’t ready for a heart-to-heart. “We’re both tired. We’ll talk later.”

He nodded. “All right. But let me say this much. I’ve missed you every single day.”

She swallowed her instinctive response. She’d missed him every single day, too, but she wasn’t going to admit it. “Go see Rosie.”

He turned as if to walk out of the barn. Then he swung back and reached for her. Before she could protest he’d pulled her into his arms and brought his mouth down on hers. It was a hard kiss, a kiss filled with frustration. There was no tenderness, only heat and confusion. It was over before she could respond.

He left the barn without looking back. Heart pounding, she pressed her fingers to her mouth. She still loved him with every fiber of her being. And he still loved her. But as she’d learned five years ago, love wasn’t enough.

3

CADE WASN’T A fan of hospitals, especially this one. His mother had died here when he was barely thirteen, before he’d had a firm grasp on the concept of cancer. Years later he’d concluded that the actual cause of death had been hopelessness. But that wasn’t a medical term, so cancer had been listed instead.

Coming back here took some white-knuckled determination on his part, but Rosie lay in one of these rooms, so that meant he had to slay his dragons. Everyone he met on his way to her room was wonderful. It wasn’t their fault that he dreaded walking these halls with his mother’s ghost at his side.

When he came into the room, the sight was terrifyingly familiar. Rosie appeared to be asleep in that sterile white bed, and she was hooked up to a bunch of monitors. Herb rose from a chair and came over to enfold him in a fierce, silent hug. The guy was more bony and fragile than Cade remembered.

For the first time he realized that these people who had been the seawall standing between him and drowning were now vulnerable and in need of protection. That thought focused him more than any other. He could do this.

Herb released him and motioned for them to go into the hall. “She’s finally asleep,” he murmured. “I’d hate to wake her up, although she’ll be excited to see you. Did Lexi call you?”

“She did.”

Herb nodded. “Not surprised. She’s good that way. You sure didn’t waste any time getting here.”

“I started out right after she called.”

“Your boss is okay with you taking time off?”

“I quit.” Technically he’d been fired, but better not to get into the full story right now.

“Not because of this, I hope.”

“No, no. I was headed over to another possible job when Lexi called. It’s fine, Dad. I can stay as long as you need me.”

Emotion welled in Herb’s gray eyes, and he glanced away in obvious embarrassment. “That’s...that’s mighty nice to hear. But we’ll be okay.” He cleared his throat and bravely met Cade’s gaze. “Just a little bump in the road.”

“Of course it is. I never thought anything different. But since I was between jobs, I figured I’d come on up for a visit.”

“I’m real glad you did. It’s good to see you, son.” He turned back toward the room where Rosie continued to sleep. “I should get back in there. I don’t like leaving her alone in case one of those monitors does something funky. But if you drove all night, you must need food or at least a cup of coffee.”

“Just coffee. Can I bring you some?”

“Sure. That’d be great.” He reached in his hip pocket for his wallet.

“Put your money away. Coffee’s on me. But listen, I wanted to ask something.”

“What’s that?”

“What are those three extra horses doing in the barn?”

Herb looked startled. “How do you know about that?”

“I have a horse now, and I had to drop him off when I got to Thunder Mountain.”

“Oh.” Herb rubbed the gray stubble on his chin. He was only five years older than when Cade had seen him last, but he appeared to have aged considerably more than that. “Rosie and I figured we shouldn’t let the space sit idle.”

Cade smiled. “Getting a little bored maybe?”

“I guess you could say that.”

“Just wondered. I’ll get us some coffee. Be back in a flash.” Moments later, he located a coffee machine in the waiting room, and, as the first cup began to fill, he blew out a breath. So far he’d held himself together, but he could use backup. Good thing he’d called Damon and Finn.

That reminded him to check his phone. Sure enough, he had a text from Damon. He’d be landing at the Sheridan airport around one and wondered if he should rent a car. While the second cup of coffee filled, Cade replied that he’d pick him up.

Immediately Damon texted back.

How’s Mom?

Sleeping.

It wasn’t much, but it was all Cade knew. He felt a rush of gratitude for Damon, who obviously was worried, too. Having him here, along with Finn, would mean a lot to Rosie and Herb but also to Cade.

By the time he returned with the coffee, Herb was outside the room talking to a fiftyish brunette. A couple of nurses bustled around in Rosie’s room, and the curtains had been drawn around her bed. The brunette hadn’t noticed him yet, so Cade paused to get his bearings. Yep. Janine Simmons, Lexi’s mom.

Then Herb glanced his way. “Here’s Cade. The nurses kicked us out, son. Taking vital signs and such.”

Janine looked as if she’d rushed over without putting on makeup or fixing her hair. She had Lexi’s eyes, something that had always made her seem accessible and familiar. But there was nothing friendly about her expression now. “Hello, Cade.”

“Good to see you again, Mrs. Simmons.” He handed one of the cups to his dad and offered her the other one. “You’re welcome to this if you want it.” As a peace offering it wasn’t much. Five years ago he’d broken her daughter’s heart. A cup of coffee from a vending machine probably didn’t make up for that.

“Thanks, but I need to get going. Lexi called me a little while ago to tell me Rosie was in the hospital, so I threw on some clothes and came over. Aaron’s at a dental conference in Billings so I have to go home and feed the dogs.” She gave Herb a quick hug. “I’ll be back in a couple of hours. Call if you need anything in the meantime.”

“Thanks, Janine. I will.”

Her gaze flicked to Cade. “It’s good that you’re here.”

“I know.” He accepted the rebuke in her voice. He deserved it for...many reasons.

As she walked away, Herb put a hand on Cade’s shoulder. “Don’t let her lay a guilt trip on you.”

“But I am guilty. First I disappointed her daughter, and then I let my issues with Lexi keep me from coming to see you and Mom.”

“Water under the bridge. You’re here now, and that’s all that counts. No point in dwelling on the past unless you’re remembering good stuff.”

Cade absorbed the wisdom of that. “I’ve really missed you.” He hadn’t realized how much.

“I missed you, too, but I don’t ever want you or any of the boys to feel obligated to come and see us. That’s not how we roll.” He took a sip of the coffee and grimaced.

“Sorry. It’s what I could find.”

“Never mind. You’re supposed to get bad coffee in these situations. I think it’s a rule.”

Cade smiled, relieved to see some of Herb’s spunk returning. He drank his coffee, and sure enough, it was awful. “By the way, I heard from Damon. I’ll pick him up from the airport at one this afternoon.”

Herb’s bushy eyebrows rose. “Lexi called him, too?”

“No, I did.” He sipped the coffee because he needed the caffeine. “Finn, too.”

“You’re starting to scare me, boy. Rosie’s not about to die, you know. It could be nothing more than indigestion.”

If Cade hadn’t experienced the desperate hug when he’d first walked in, he might have believed Herb wasn’t concerned. But the little speech was pure bravado.

Cade wasn’t going to call him on it, though. “I realize that. We’re all just looking for a good excuse to pester you guys.”

“Cade?” Rosie’s voice caused them both to turn toward the open door. “Is that you out there?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Rosie made an impatient noise and addressed the nurses who were still in the room. “Hey, you two, I’d surely appreciate it if you could put me back to rights and open the curtains. I need to hug my son.”

Both of them laughed. “Rosie, are you going to be a difficult patient?” one asked.

“Only if this blood-pressure business takes all blessed morning, Sally.”

More laughter and teasing followed. Cade should have anticipated that Rosie would be on a first-name basis with the hospital staff. She’d had a long career in social services and knew nearly everyone in town.

Eventually the curtain was pulled back, and both nurses headed for the door. The short, stocky one smiled at Cade as she came out of the room. “She’s all yours, cowboy.”

“And tell her to stop scaring us like that,” said the taller one.

“Yes, ma’am.” Cade polished off his coffee and looked around for a trash can.

“Cade?” Rosie sounded pretty strong for a sick woman. “Get a move on, son!”

“Give me that.” Herb lifted the empty cup from his hand. “You go on in.”

Cade took off his hat and made sure he had a smile on his face as he walked into the room. “You’ve been instructed to—”

“Yeah, yeah, I heard.” Rosie looked a little pale, and her hair, which she’d started coloring a light blond, wasn’t styled the way she normally did it. But her blue eyes were bright and filled with love. “Come over here, you big galoot.”

His breathing stalled. She was so important to him. Herb was right that guilt didn’t do anyone any good, so he’d work on eliminating that. But he might not be able to erase the regret over staying away so long.

Being careful of the IV, he leaned down and gave her a cautious hug. He breathed in the antiseptic smell that reminded him of bad times, but Rosie’s signature floral scent was there, too, which he associated with good times. “I love you, Mom.”

“I love you, too, but I hope you didn’t jeopardize your job to come see me.”

“Nope.” He kissed her cheek and moved back. “Your timing was perfect.”

“Glad to be so accommodating, but why was it perfect?”

“He quit last night,” Herb said as he walked into the room. “I think there’s a story there considering that he brought a horse with him.”

“And a cat. I hadn’t planned on the cat.”

Rosie smiled. “It’s like old times when you boys used to haul home every stray for miles around. So where are these animals now?”

“At the ranch. Lexi’s watching them for me.”

Speculation filled Rosie’s gaze. “So you’ve talked to her, then.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He wondered if she could tell by his expression that he’d also kissed Lexi. Whenever he wasn’t worrying about Rosie and what might be wrong with her, he was thinking about Lexi. He’d forgotten how good her mouth felt, and now he wanted to kiss her some more.

“How’d that go?”

“Fine.” This wasn’t the conversational direction he favored. “But enough about that. I want to know about you.”

“You wouldn’t be trying to change the subject, would you?” She gave him a knowing smile.

“Maybe. But seriously, what do the doctors think is going on?”

“They aren’t sure yet, although I’ll bet it’s just a bad case of indigestion.” Rosie’s jaw firmed as if she wouldn’t tolerate any other diagnosis.

“They have to run more tests,” Herb said. “We should know something in another day or so. Like she says, it’s probably nothing, but better to be safe than sorry.”

Cade nodded. “Agreed.”

“Anyway,” Rosie said, “you can see I’m in good hands. Judging from the way you look, I’ll bet you drove all night to get here. I appreciate you doing that, but now you should go back to the ranch and get some sleep.”

“I’m okay.”

“You’re dead on your feet. Herb, talk him into going home. In fact, you should go with him. I’ll be fine here.”

Herb glanced at Cade. “I’m going to hang around a little longer, but she’s right. Go home and rest. You can come back later, after you pick up Damon.”

“After he does what?” Rosie pushed a button that adjusted the bed, letting her sit up a little more. “Damon’s coming in?”

“At one today.” Belatedly Cade realized that having them all descend might be alarming rather than comforting. “And Finn’s coming, too, but that doesn’t mean we think—”

“That I’m about to croak? I hope not! Unless Herb knows something he’s not telling me.”

“I swear I don’t.” Herb held up both hands. “I had nothing to do with this. Lexi called Cade, and Cade called the other two.”

“And it might boil down to indigestion,” Rosie repeated, shaking her head. “What in heaven’s name did Lexi say to you, Cade, that started this frantic race to my bedside?”

“It’s my fault.” Herb scrubbed a hand over his face. “You showed all the classic signs of a heart attack. For all we know, you actually had one. When I called Lexi and asked her to come over and watch the place for us, I might have been a little...upset.”

“Oh.” Rosie’s expression softened as she looked at her husband. “I guess I scared you worse than I thought.”

Herb shrugged. “I, um...” He paused to clear his throat. “Yeah, I was scared.”

Her voice was gentle. “You still are.”

“A little. But you’re looking lots better, and I’m sure you’re right that it’s nothing to be concerned about. Anyway, the boys will be here. That’s good news, right?”

“Yes, it certainly is.” Rosie glanced at Cade. “But when you talk to them, could you let them know I’m not at death’s door? And don’t let them bring flowers. That would really freak me out, if I thought I’d be in here long enough to need flowers.”

“Got it.” Cade hadn’t thought about flowers, mostly because nothing had been open when he’d driven into town, but Damon and Finn might have insisted they bring her some. Good thing Rosie had said something or she likely would have ended up with three monster bouquets.

About that time his cell chimed, indicating a text. “That could be Finn.” He pulled out his cell. “Yep. He’ll be in a little after three.”

Rosie sighed. “I don’t want to think about what those plane tickets must have cost, but what’s done is done, and I’ll be tickled to see you all together again.”

“I’m sure they don’t care what the tickets cost.” Just like Cade hadn’t worried about giving up a potential job opportunity. Some things were more important.

“No, they probably don’t care.” Rosie gave him a fond smile. “That’s the kind of guys you all are. I suppose you’ll want to stay in your old cabin, but the beds aren’t made and the place hasn’t been dusted in months.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Cade had assumed that’s where they’d bunk. “Do you still keep the sheets and blankets in that big hall closet?”

“Yes, but if you all just sleep in the house, it’ll mean less work for you.”

“But it wouldn’t be as much fun.”

“I suppose not.” She gazed at him. “Maybe Lexi would be willing to help you get that cabin ready.”

“Nah, I can handle it.” He wasn’t sure how to approach the situation with Lexi, but he didn’t want to start out by asking her to do chores that were rightly his.

“Go on home, Cade.” Rosie made a shooing motion with her hand. “You have things to take care of.”

“Okay.” He gave her another peck on the cheek and left the room. Yes, he had several things to take care of, including his broken relationship with Lexi. When he’d been hundreds of miles away, he’d convinced himself to let her go. But that kiss had changed everything.

4

LEXI HAD SHOWERED and changed clothes by the time Cade’s truck pulled up outside. Her frequent trips out of town for riding clinics had turned her into a speed packer, so when Herb had called to ask if she’d housesit, she’d only needed five minutes to pack a bag before heading for Thunder Mountain Ranch.

Thank goodness she hadn’t been on a trip when Herb had called. Her next gig was more than a week away, and by then— But she didn’t really want to project too far ahead. Despite hearing from her mother that the situation seemed to be under control, Lexi couldn’t erase the memory of Herb’s frantic phone call.

He was an animal vet, not a people doctor, but if Herb had been scared, Lexi figured there’d been a reason. She was eager to hear Cade’s opinion now that he’d actually seen Rosie. But that wasn’t why her heart hammered and her breathing pattern changed when she heard his boots on the porch as he crossed to the front door.

It was unlocked because Herb and Rosie never bothered locking up during the day when they were home. Although at one time Cade had enjoyed the freedom to walk right in, Lexi didn’t think he’d assume that he could do it now. Rather than wait for his knock, she crossed to the door and opened it.

He looked even sexier than he had earlier. Or maybe that hard, desperate kiss had affected how she viewed him. His day’s growth of beard was unusual, or it had been five years ago. He’d always said he kept his chin silky-smooth for her.

The prickle of his beard this morning had startled her because she wasn’t used to that with Cade. But his lips had felt achingly familiar. Beard or no beard, she wanted to kiss him again.

He walked through the door and set down a battered duffel bag. “Thought I might as well bring this in so I can shave and shower at some point.”

“Good idea.” Her brisk tone covered a zing of awareness. It had been a natural thing for him to say, yet now she was thinking of stroking his freshly shaven cheek and breathing in the scent of soap. “How’s Rosie?”

“Feisty.”

“Yeah?” That surprised a chuckle out of her. “How so?”

He walked over to the couch and sank down on it. “She let me know that if I’d called the Brotherhood together because I thought she was going to croak, that I’d seriously miscalculated. And she really doesn’t want any of us bringing her flowers, FYI.”

“That’s funny.” Lexi chose an easy chair that was at a right angle to the couch. “Any word from her doctors?”

He shook his head. “You know how that goes. They’ll want to run a bunch of tests before they say anything definitive. Mom’s convinced herself it’s a false alarm, but...”

“You aren’t so sure?”

He took off his hat and propped it on his knee. “No.” Leaning his head against the back of the couch, he closed his eyes. “I want to be convinced, but when I first got there and hugged Dad, I could feel his fear. And he has a medical background, so it’s not like he’s clueless about what’s going on.”

“I thought the same thing.” The way Cade leaned back and closed his eyes made her wonder if he had a headache. He used to get them when he was stressed. Having her massage his temples used to help, but the only surefire cure had been a round of hot sex.

“Anyway, they sent me home to get some sleep, but there’s no time.”

“Why not?”

He sat up and glanced at her. “Too many things to handle. By the way, I noticed you’d turned the horses out and put Hematite in the little paddock.”

“I thought you’d want him isolated at first.”

“You did exactly right. We need to see how he settles in here before turning him out with the others. But did he behave himself?”

“Sure did.”

“Great. That’s great. How about Ringo?”

“He’s fine. I found a litter box in the storage shed along with half a bag of litter and a cat bed. You know Rosie and Herb, always figuring another stray will show up.”

“Thanks for taking care of him for me. Damn. I should have stopped for cat food. I’ll get some when I go back. He usually sleeps during the day, so I might as well leave him in the bathroom until I get the cabin ready.”

She should have guessed he’d want to bunk there. “Have you heard from the guys?”

“I’m picking up Damon at one and Finn at three.”

She checked the grandfather clock ticking away in the corner. “That gives you time to take a nap in one of the guest rooms. I’ll get the cabin ready.” He did have a headache, poor guy. She could see it in his eyes.

“Thanks, but I wouldn’t feel right about that. My brothers, my job.” He put on his hat and stood. “Mom said the sheets were still in the hall closet.”

“They are, but I can do it.” She followed him out of the living room.

“Not as well as I can. I’ll bet you wouldn’t think to stick a rubber snake in Finn’s bed.”

“Please tell me you’re not going to do that.”

He glanced at her and grinned.

“This isn’t the time or place. Don’t be an idiot.”

“Too late.” He chuckled as he opened the bifold doors and pulled sheets and pillowcases from a shelf labeled Bunk Beds.

“Cade!”

“I’m not going to do it, but it’s good to know I can still get you riled up. Hold these while I pull out the blankets.”

“And then you’ll let me finish the job while you take a nap, right?”

“Wrong.”

“What if you fall asleep at the wheel because you’re exhausted?” She was caretaking, but she couldn’t help it. If he pushed himself too far and something happened to him or the other two, then where would they be? The thought was unacceptable on so many levels, especially the deepest one, where Cade would live forever in her heart.

“I won’t fall asleep at the wheel.” After hauling blankets out of the closet, he folded them over his arm.

“Right. I keep forgetting that you’re Superman.”

“I keep forgetting that you have a smart mouth.” He closed the closet doors and turned to her. “I’ll take the sheets now.”

She held on to them and stepped back. “Look, I don’t want to tell you how to do this, but—”

“But you’re about to.”

“It’s just that the cabin should be vacuumed before you take these out there or they’ll get all dusty.”

He paused. “Damn. You’re right. Okay, we’ll just pile this stuff on the couch until I’m ready for it. I wasn’t thinking.”

“Which is why—”

“Don’t start with me.” He glared at her as he walked back into the living room. “I’ll be fine as long as I keep moving. Where’s the vacuum cleaner?”

“You have a headache.”

He laid the blankets on the couch. “You don’t know that.”

“Yes, I do. You have that squinty look.” She deposited the sheets on top of the blankets. “You should at least lie down for a while.”

He turned to her with a sigh. “Let up on me, okay? I’m doing the best I can with a shitty situation.”

Remorse hit her. She’d allowed fear for his safety to turn her into a nagging pest, which wasn’t getting either of them anywhere. “I’m sorry. I just—”

“I know.” His voice gentled. “And you’re right about everything. I’m sure you’d be more efficient at getting the cabin ready. I should accept your generous offer and get some sleep. But I doubt I could sleep. I’m way too keyed up about Mom, and—” he paused “—about you.”

She met his gaze. This might not be the time, but they wouldn’t be alone like this much longer. “Would you ever have come back?”

“I don’t know.” He hesitated. “But I’m here now, and it’s like I never left. No, that’s not right. I want you as much as ever, even when you’re a pain in the ass. I think I want you even more than I did before, but what used to be simple...isn’t.”

The heat in his eyes made her tremble. “It was never simple.”

“Oh, sometimes it was. On a hot summer night when nothing mattered but taking off our clothes and losing ourselves in each other, it seemed pretty damned simple.”

She was stunned into speechlessness. That brief, honest description hurled her back to those nights, and she ached for him as fiercely as she had then. In his mind, the sex had been fun and uncomplicated. She’d been the one who’d loaded down the relationship with expectations.

He blew out a breath. “But obviously that’s not how you remember it. Let’s postpone this discussion, okay? Just point me in the direction of the vacuum cleaner so I can get started.”

She should do that and go about her business. But there he stood, so jacked up with worry and sexual frustration that he couldn’t get the sleep he needed. She was pretty tense, too, but the few hours of rest she’d had meant her brain wasn’t completely fried. “I have an idea.”

“What’s that?”

“We’ll fix up the cabin together, so it’ll go twice as fast. Then you don’t have to feel guilty about me doing it while you’re lying in a guest room staring at the ceiling.”

He looked unsure, but at last he nodded. “I guess that’ll be okay.”

“I’ll get the vacuum cleaner and a laundry basket so we can carry everything at once. Oh, and you’ll need towels and washcloths, so pull some of those out of the closet. And bars of soap.”

“Yeah, I forgot about that stuff.” He rubbed a hand over his jaw. “I need to shower and get rid of this scruff before I go to the airport, or they’ll think I’ve turned into a vagrant.”

“Then you might as well bring your duffel, too.”

“Makes sense.”

Wow, that part had been easy. Her plan could still fall apart at any point along the way, and if it did, oh, well. But so far, so good. Anticipation and a slight case of nerves made her shiver as she headed for the laundry room where Rosie kept her canister vacuum cleaner.

Moments later they left the house with Cade lugging an oversize laundry basket full of linens and the vacuum. Lexi carried his duffel. Too bad she didn’t have X-ray vision so she could see what was inside. When they’d been dating he’d always carried condoms, but that didn’t mean he had any with him now.

He paused to gaze at the rugged Bighorn range, still dusted with snow above the tree line. “I’ve missed those mountains.”

“So you didn’t get attached to the ones in Colorado?”

“Oh, they’re pretty enough, but these feel like home.”

It was on the tip of her tongue to ask if that meant he might be moving back. But that was a loaded question. Instead, she resorted to a weather comment, always a safe topic. “It’s a beautiful day.”

He glanced up at the blue sky dotted here and there with white puffy clouds. “It is. Good weather seems weird when you have a crisis. Seems like it ought to be raining.”

“I’m glad it’s not, with sleepy people driving around.”

“I know you’re worried about that, but don’t be.” He started off toward the cabins again. “I’ll be okay from here to the airport, and I can always put Damon behind the wheel once he gets here.”

“You should definitely do that.” She fell into step beside him. “Unless he’s been up all night, too. Maybe I should drive you.”

“No. Much as I appreciate the offer, I’m not being chauffeured to the airport to pick up my bro. That would be lame.”

“Okay.” She doubted he’d ask Damon to drive, either, but at least having a passenger should help keep him alert. Cade liked to think he didn’t need any help, ever. That had been part of the problem when she’d been focused on wringing a commitment out of him.

They approached three tidy log cabins grouped in a partial semicircle in a meadow about thirty yards from the main house. In the center a ring of wooden benches surrounded a fire pit that had seen many cookouts. A shared washhouse behind the cabins had kept the plumbing costs down, although Lexi hadn’t envied those boys having to go out there in the winter. But all the boys had acted as if trudging through the snow to wash up had been a test of their manhood.

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