Hotter when the sun goes down

White-water rafting guide Liam Magee is a cowboy at heart—happy to return to his country roots at Thunder Mountain Ranch for his foster brother’s wedding. And when Hope Caldwell shows up as a guest...well, the occasion just got more interesting. She’s started looking at Liam like he’s one ride she couldn’t possibly resist, so why is she holding back?

Hope can’t keep her eyes (and her sexy thoughts) from the hotness that is Liam. She’ll never let herself believe in love and happy endings—she learned that lesson the hard way—but maybe she can have a little fun while she’s on vacation. After all, there’s only so much trouble one cowboy can cause in a week...especially once the sun sets!

Praise for Vicki Lewis Thompson

“Thompson continues to do what she does best, tying together strong family values bound by blood and choice, interspersed with the more sizzling aspects of the relationship.”

—RT Book Reviews on Thunderstruck

“All the characters, background stories and character development are positively stellar; the warm family feeling is not saccharine-sweet, but heartfelt and genuine, and Lexi and Cade’s rekindled romance is believable from beginning to end, along with the classy, sexy and tender love scenes.”

—Fresh Fiction on Midnight Thunder

“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

“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

Dear Reader,

Hey, it’s great to see you paying another visit to Thunder Mountain Ranch! I’ve had such fun with this summer’s trio of books and I can’t wait to hear how you like Hope and Liam’s story. In case you didn’t know, I’m on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, so come find me and let’s chat! Connecting with you is such a joy for me.

Here’s another joy—telling you love stories featuring gorgeous cowboys! I’m sure Liam Magee will win your heart the way he won mine. He comes into Hope’s life at a critical time, and the silly girl doesn’t immediately recognize that he’s the answer to her prayers. He’d probably be the answer to a lot of our prayers, if you get my drift...

Every once in a while an author is able to indulge herself with a story about the work she knows best—writing! Hope Caldwell is living my worst nightmare. She’s a blocked writer. Thank God for Liam, who rides to the rescue even if Hope thinks she doesn’t need rescuing.

Enough of the buildup—turn to chapter one and dive in! Nothing like a hot cowboy on a warm summer’s night!

Joyfully yours,

Cowboy After Dark
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 rain forests. 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 every writer who’s felt the pain of blocked creativity and has soldiered through it to give the world what she’s got. Bravo!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Praise for Vicki Lewis Thompson

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

1

LIAM MAGEE PULLED off the road, shoved back his hat and peered through the windshield of his truck. “That’s a helluva steep driveway, Grady.”

“Yeah.” His brother studied the incline. “You should probably come around again and make a run at it. I’m pretty sure if you hang a right at the corner, you can circle the block.”

“I know I can. I used to date a girl who lived on the next street over. Whenever we had a fight, I’d drive that loop more than a few times until I cooled down enough to apologize.” He looked at the slope and calculated how fast he’d have to be going when he started up. At least it was July. He couldn’t imagine why anyone would create a driveway like that in Sheridan, Wyoming, unless it doubled as a toboggan run. “You’d better check the hitch and make sure the tie-downs are tight.”

“Will do.” Grady hopped out and loped back to the flatbed they were towing.

Liam wasn’t going to say it and upset Grady, but they were courting disaster hauling the loaded flatbed up that hill. His big-hearted brother had made a spectacular wedding present for his foster brother Damon Harrison, and he was determined to deliver it when nobody was home. He wanted it to be a surprise.

Years ago, Damon had been a significant role model for Grady—likely still was, judging from this wedding gift. Damon had been one of the older guys at Thunder Mountain Ranch, formerly a home for foster boys and now a student academy for everything horse-related.

Located a few miles outside Sheridan, the ranch had once provided a temporary haven for Liam and Grady while their mom recovered from a bad car accident. Damon’s determination to become a master carpenter after high school had inspired Grady to learn a trade. He’d chosen welding, a skill that had landed him a job in Alaska working on a pipeline.

He’d come back to rejoin Liam in Cody a couple of years ago with a new dream. His recycled metal sculptures had taken the local art world by storm, and he was making money hand over fist. Liam couldn’t be prouder of his little brother.

Naturally Grady had wanted to create something special for Damon and his bride Philomena. He’d welded about five hundred pounds of scrap metal into a ten-foot sculpture. Although a gallery would charge thousands for the piece, discussing the market value of his work always made Grady laugh.

He created for the love of it. When the price of his sculptures had skyrocketed, he’d asked Liam to invest the money that kept pouring in because dealing with that aspect of success wasn’t his thing. Surprises were his thing, though, and he desperately wanted to surprise Damon and Phil.

Liam had asked some of his river-rafting coworkers to help load the gift onto the flatbed in Cody. The trailer had a tilting mechanism, so if Liam could get it up the hill, he and Grady should be able to install the sculpture somewhere in the yard. If the spot didn’t suit Damon and Philomena, Grady could enlist some of the guys from the wedding party to help move it.

Grady climbed back in the cab. “Everything looks good. I spotted an SUV and a truck parked up by the house, though. Are you sure nobody’s there?”

“Shouldn’t be. Damon told us to meet him at the ranch, and Phil’s supposed to be in town at her bachelorette shindig.” Liam felt a stab of guilt. He’d been afraid the happy couple wouldn’t welcome a gigantic wedding gift, so he’d secretly warned Damon that something big and metallic was coming his way. Turned out Phil was a huge Grady Magee fan, so Damon heartily approved of the gift.

Grady wouldn’t have wanted to alert Damon, but Liam was used to paving the way for his kid brother, a habit he wasn’t likely to break anytime soon. Damon wouldn’t be surprised, but Philomena would be, and that was the compromise Liam had made with his conscience. “The women probably carpooled into town for Philomena’s bachelorette party.”

“That makes sense. Okay, let’s do this thing.”

“Keep your eye on the trailer.”

“I will.” Grady focused on the side mirror as they went around the block. “So far, so good.”

“Yeah, but I’ll really punch it the minute I see that driveway. If anything looks wonky, yell out.”

“Don’t worry. I will.”

The driveway came into view. Liam stomped on the accelerator, and his F-350’s engine roared. He would make it up the hill, by God. Grady was counting on him.

* * *

HOPE CALDWELL HAD taken her glass of white wine out to the front porch swing. She was thrilled to have been invited to the wedding and to have been asked to house-sit while Phil and Damon honeymooned. It would be a fun little vacation, her first in more than a year.

She and Phil had been close in high school, but then they’d drifted apart, so reconnecting after all this time had been wonderful. She hoped Damon and Phil would spend the rest of their lives basking in wedded bliss in this adorable cabin Phil had remodeled.

In fact, the cabin had charmed the bachelorette party guests so much, they’d changed the plan. Instead of going into town, they’d made a wine run, ordered pizza, turned on some music and settled in right here. The added privacy and cozy ambiance seemed to suit everyone as wine and laughter flowed.

Hope had been fine with all of it. Then, partway through her second glass of wine, the joyous celebration morphed into a painful reminder of her crushed and mangled dreams. She’d quietly slipped outside to regroup and put her happy face back on.

While swinging lazily and sipping her wine, she heard what sounded like a heavy-duty truck stop at the end of the drive. It sat there, engine idling, as if the driver might be scoping things out. It could be the beginning of a prank orchestrated by Damon’s foster brothers, but none of them knew that the bachelorette party had changed locations.

After one and a half glasses of wine, Hope’s imagination shifted into high gear. The house was filled with wedding presents. What if some bad actors knew that and were planning to rob the place? If they had inside info, they’d think no one would be home this afternoon.

Then the truck moved on. Okay, so much for that theory. Maybe the driver was just lost. But moments later, she heard the truck again, only this time the engine was cranking. They’d gone around the block to get a faster start up the hill. Setting down her wineglass, she raced to the door and wrenched it open. “Phil, call the cops! Someone’s coming up here to rob you!”

Then she barreled down the steps toward the drive. Chances were they wouldn’t run over her if she stood in their way, plus they’d realize the house was occupied. She’d heard that most burglars robbed houses when the owners were gone. Throwing her arms wide, she yelled at them to stop.

The driver slammed on the brakes, both he and the other guy looking as if they’d seen a ghost. Oh, yeah, those two had definitely been up to no good! They were towing a loaded flatbed covered with a tarp to hide the stolen merchandise underneath. No doubt they’d planned on adding some wedding presents to their pile of booty.

Fists planted on her hips, she smiled in satisfaction as the truck rolled slowly backward, pulled by the weight of the trailer.

“What’s happening?” Phil’s red hair swung against her shoulders as she walked quickly over to Hope. Buzzing with excitement, the other guests followed.

“I’m positive they were after your gifts,” Hope said. “Did you call 911?”

“I did, but—”

“Robbers?” Edie, Phil’s stepmother, stared at the truck with wide eyes. “In broad daylight?” She and Phil looked enough alike to be mother and daughter, especially because Edie had colored her hair to match Phil’s.

“They thought nobody was home.” Hope watched a police cruiser pull up to block the thieves’ escape. Small towns usually had speedy law enforcement. “Caught in the act. That’ll teach them.”

Both men got out of the truck.

“Cowboys?” Lexi Simmons, one of Phil’s good friends, gazed at the two guys wearing hats, boots, jeans and yoked shirts.

“Cute ones, too,” someone added.

“Wait a minute.” Rosie Padgett, Damon’s foster mom, moved to the front of the crowd. “Those boys look mighty familiar.”

“Yeah,” Lexi said. “They look a lot like the Magee brothers.”

“Good Lord, it’s Liam and Grady!” Rosie started down the hill.

Phil gasped. “Grady?” She trotted after Rosie. “Are you saying I called the cops on Grady?”

“Isn’t Grady Magee that sculptor you love so much?” Edie hurried down the drive after them.

“Yes!” Phil tossed over her shoulder. “And a wedding guest, besides! This is so embarrassing.”

“But why would they just show up like this?” Hope observed the scene with growing dismay. She’d heard of Grady Magee. Everyone who lived in Cody had. She’d known he’d be at the wedding with his brother Liam. That probably meant one of Grady’s sculptures was under that tarp and not a bunch of stolen goods. If they were trying to bring the tarp-covered object up the drive, it might even be a wedding present for Damon and Phil. Damn it.

“Don’t feel bad.” Lexi gave her a quick hug.

“Too late.”

“Hey, they could have been robbers.”

“But they weren’t. And one of them is famous.” Her vivid imagination had gotten her into trouble a lot as a kid, but she hadn’t embarrassed herself like this in a long time.

“You didn’t know that, and you were bravely defending the castle. That’s admirable.” Lexi smiled. “Let’s go find out what they’re up to.”

“Okay.” Heading down to meet the Magee brothers was the last thing she wanted to do, but refusing wasn’t an option. She needed to apologize for interfering. She’d never met Grady, but she’d seen his picture in the paper. She picked him out as the one with collar-length brown hair.

He and his brother didn’t resemble each other. The closer she came to the group at the bottom of the drive, the more familiar Liam seemed. She remembered that jet-black hair and those blue eyes from somewhere. She also recognized his warm smile.

Then she placed him. He’d stopped in a few times after dropping off his rafting clients at the hotel in Cody where she worked at the concierge desk. From his subtle flirting, she’d thought he’d ask her out eventually. Even though he was temptation on a stick, she’d been rehearsing her refusal. She had no intention of getting involved with a guy. Not now, anyway, and maybe not ever again.

She probably wouldn’t need to refuse him after giving him a heart attack by standing in front of his moving truck and then bringing the law down on him. She’d be lucky if he didn’t chew her out. But what in hell had he been doing delivering a sculpture when presumably no one was home?

Unless it was supposed to be a surprise, doofus. She sighed. That would explain everything, wouldn’t it? But spoiling the surprise wasn’t all on her, not with the party guests in the cabin this afternoon.

By the time she and Lexi had joined the gathering, the cruiser had driven away. Phil was having an animated conversation with Grady, and Liam stood there smiling with one arm around Rosie’s shoulders as everyone gave him advice about getting his truck and the loaded flatbed up the hill. Except if Hope hadn’t stood in his way, he’d have accomplished it by now.

Liam’s gaze fell on them, and he brightened. “Hey, Lex!” He moved toward Lexi, but he sent a quick smile Hope’s way as if to acknowledge that he recognized her, too. “Grady, Lexi’s here!”

As both guys converged on Lexi, Phil hurried over and put her arm around Hope. “It’s fine. They’re not upset.”

“I feel like an idiot.”

“I know, but please don’t worry about it. They’re good guys. Let me introduce you. Liam, Grady? This is my friend Hope Caldwell. We’ve known each other since ninth grade.”

“Nice to meet you, Hope.” Grady smiled as he touched the brim of his hat in a typical cowboy greeting. “I have to admit you scared the daylights out of us.”

“I know, and I’m deeply sorry. I thought—never mind what I thought.”

“Oh, we’re well aware of what you thought.” Liam’s amused voice matched the laughter in his blue eyes. “The cops made that clear. Hello, Hope. Good to see you again.”

“I sincerely doubt that.”

“No, I mean it.” His gaze held hers.

Phil blinked. “You know each other?”

“Not really.” Hope scrambled to get her bearings. The warmth in Liam’s expression when he’d looked at her spoke volumes. Instead of being upset with her, he saw this coincidental meeting as a bonus. “Liam has rafting clients who stay at the hotel where I work. We’ve seen each other a few times because of that.”

“Hope’s part of the concierge staff,” Liam said. “She’s been kind enough to recommend our rafting company to hotel guests.”

“That’s because everybody raves about the experience.”

His blue eyes lit up with pleasure. “Glad to hear it! Just say the word and I’ll take you on a complimentary rafting trip. Then you can know firsthand what you’re recommending.”

Unless she was mistaken, he’d just asked her out. Sure, it was kind of business-related, but she was getting a vibe from him that was all pleasure. Even more problematic, her body was responding to that vibe. “I, um...haven’t thought about it. Maybe sometime.” She cleared her throat and glanced pointedly at the flatbed with its mysterious cargo. “Do you still want to get that up the hill?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He winked at her.

Her stomach fluttered and her pulse rate shot up. She’d have to be careful or this tall cowboy would slip right past her defenses.

“I’ve figured out it’s a surprise wedding gift for Damon and me,” Phil said. “And I can’t wait to see it. Oh, my god, a Grady Magee piece on my property! Can you believe it?”

“It’s the least I could do,” Grady said. “After all the encouragement Damon gave me right when I needed it.”

“Should I call him?” Phil held up her phone. “I know you wanted to surprise us, but now I think he should be here when you take the tarp off and set it up.”

“Guess so.”

Hope felt sorry for the guy. He obviously was disappointed that his grand scheme hadn’t come off as planned. She glanced up at Liam. “Too bad it didn’t work out the way you both hoped.”

He shrugged one broad shoulder. “We tried.”

“If I hadn’t stood in your way, you’d at least have the trailer up there by now.”

“Wouldn’t have mattered. Even if we’d made it up, we’d never have been able to set up the sculpture without someone in the cabin hearing us. The flatbed makes a hellacious noise when you tilt it.”

“But you were trying to accomplish something cool, and I had Phil call the police.”

His dark eyebrows lifted. “So that was your idea?”

“Yeah, I told her to call the cops before I ran out to the driveway. When I saw the loaded trailer, I thought you’d already taken things from other houses and hidden them under the tarp. I’d convinced myself you were out to rob us blind.”

“Some imagination you have.”

“So I’ve been told.”

He rubbed his chin as he gazed at her. “Gutsy, too.”

“Not really.”

“Yes, really. You believed there was a problem, so you threw yourself into the breach. What if I’d run over you?”

“I didn’t think you would. Robbery is one thing. Manslaughter is another.”

“I suppose, but even so, I—”

“Damon’s on his way!” Phil waved her phone in the air. “And he’s bringing more muscle.”

Edie laughed. “I like the sound of that. This bachelorette party gets more interesting by the minute!”

2

LIAM WANTED THE flatbed up that driveway before Damon and company arrived. A guy had his pride. “If you ladies will excuse Grady and me, we’ll go around the block again and mount another charge up that hill.”

“We can line the drive and cheer you on,” Lexi said.

Liam winced. “Much as I love that visual, you can all help by going back to on the porch so I don’t have to worry about hitting somebody.” He’d probably have nightmares about seeing Hope in the middle of the driveway. Fortunately he had great reflexes and good brakes.

“Spoilsport.” Lexi punched him lightly on the arm. “Come on, ladies. We’re relegated to the porch while the macho cowboys prove they can take this hill.”

Rosie paused beside Liam. “You be careful.”

“Always.” He was glad to see her looking so perky. Wrangling those academy students must agree with her. She’d added some streaks of red to her blond hair, and he liked it.

She peered up at him. “You say that, but I know you run those rapids on the Snake River like a madman.”

“Who told you that?”

She smiled. “I have my sources.”

He didn’t doubt it. Every foster boy who’d lived at Thunder Mountain Ranch knew Rosie missed absolutely nothing. If a guy got away with some infraction of the rules, that was only because Rosie had decided to let it slide.

“I’ll be careful,” he said. “Grady worked hard on this sculpture, and I don’t want it ruined on my watch.”

Rosie nodded. “Of course you don’t. Also...” She paused and lowered her voice. “Hope’s a sweetheart, and she meant well. I take it you aren’t upset with her.”

“I’m not.” No, he was more intrigued. Not many people would stand in front of a truck that could mow them down.

“I’m not, either,” Grady said. “The plan was wrecked, anyway, and she gave us a heads up about that, so we’ll just work out a new plan.”

“That’s the spirit,” Rosie said. “Now get moving and take it easy.”

Liam scratched the back of his head. “Isn’t that what you call an oxymoron?”

“Not in my world. In my world, it’s the secret of life.” Rosie gave them a little wave and hurried up to join the others.

Grady glanced over at Liam. “You do realize she’s a Zen master in disguise, right?”

“That would explain a lot of things.”

“Take my word for it. She may look like a slightly overweight grandmother, but that woman has powers and she knows how to use them.”

“Then I wish she’d waved a magic wand and made us magically scoot up this driveway.”

Grady laughed. “She doesn’t have that kind of power. Besides, she knows it’s important for us to make it there on our own. She wouldn’t want to deprive us of that challenge.”

“You know what? I wouldn’t want her to.” Liam took a deep breath. “Let’s do this thing.” If he was picturing Hope gazing at him with admiration after he’d hauled the flatbed up the hill, well, showing off for women was one of the perks of being a guy.

Once they were in the truck and circling the block for the second time, Grady glanced over at him. “Is Hope the blonde you told me about, the one you were thinking of asking out?”

“Yep. Small world, huh?”

“She’s pretty.”

Liam thought she was several notches above pretty, but if he said that, he’d give away too much. “She is.”

“She seems nice. Yeah, she tried to get us arrested, but I can understand. We were a little intimidating coming up the drive full throttle.”

“I suppose.”

“But now that the dust has settled, you have a golden opportunity to get something started while you’re both here in Sheridan.”

“Maybe.” Liam thought so, too, but he was still adjusting to the new reality. He’d shifted the possibility of Hope to another time and place, but then she’d appeared right in front of him, literally, and now he had to decide how to respond to that. He didn’t think she was quite as glad to see him as he was to see her.

“Think about it. We’re all involved in the wedding. It’s the classic time for fun and games.”

“Does that mean I can expect you to get horizontal with a bridesmaid?”

“Nope. Casual hookups don’t appeal to me the way they used to.”

Liam got a kick out of that. His little brother was growing up. “But they’re perfectly fine for me?”

“Hell, no. She’s from Cody. If things work out, you could keep seeing her after the wedding.”

“And if they don’t work out?”

“You quit going into the hotel lobby after dropping off clients. She doesn’t seem like the type who would stop sending you business.”

“I’m not worried about that.”

“Then what are you worried about? I’ve never known you to hesitate once a woman catches your eye—which she has. You winked at her. That’s one of your moves.”

“It is not.”

“Sure it is. You give them a little wink to test their reaction, find out if you have a shot. I’ve seen you do it a hundred times.”

“Did I ever mention that you’re a pain in the ass?”

“She blushed when you winked at her.”

“I know.” And he’d seen a flicker of sensuality in her gray eyes. But something about her was closed up tight. He’d felt a hint of that whenever he’d stopped to see her at the hotel. The feeling was stronger today. He sensed that if he approached her like he normally would approach a woman, she’d reject him.

“I say go for it.”

“I’ll give it some thought.”

“Okay.” For no reason Liam could see, Grady was cracking up.

“What’s so funny?”

“You just drove past the driveway.”

“Damn it! Why didn’t you say something?”

“I wanted to find out if you were as gaga over this woman as I think you are, and sure enough, you’re toast.”

“Am not.”

“But you missed the driveway, bro. That’s not a Liam sort of thing to do.”

Gripping the wheel, he blew out a breath. “Means nothing.”

“I beg to differ. Thank God I came back from Alaska in time to see my big brother lose his cool. When you first mentioned her, I heard something in your voice, and now that I see you with her, it’s confirmed. You’re twitterpated.”

“I’m what?”

“Twitterpated. An old prospector I used to drink with loved that expression. I’ve been waiting for a chance to use it, so thanks.”

“You make me sound like some starry-eyed fool with his tongue hanging out.”

“Nah, you’re not that obvious...yet. I figure we’ll all be invited to stick around after we unload the sculpture, so you can engage in some casual conversation, make some inroads, get her digits so you can message her.”

“I don’t want to push.”

“Since when is asking for a woman’s phone number pushing?”

“Normally it’s not, but with Hope... I don’t think it’s that simple.”

“Only one way to find out. And FYI, the driveway’s coming up again.”

“Yeah, I see that. Thanks.” Liam checked for traffic, but fortunately there wasn’t any. He swung wide and stomped on the gas. His truck protested all the way up the hill, but they made it—along with the trailer.

When he pulled in front of the cabin and turned off the motor, he heard the women cheering as they came down the porch steps toward them. And yes, he picked Hope out of the crowd and imagined that the color in her cheeks was due to his demonstration of superior driving skills.

Grady smiled. “Sweet.”

The sound of engines revving prompted Liam to glance in his side mirror. “Just in the nick of time, too. Here comes the cavalry.” He drove forward a little more to make room, but two pickups were coming up, and they wouldn’t both fit. He couldn’t give the guys any more space without heading down the other side of the drive, and he didn’t trust his emergency brake to hold all that weight. The second pickup slowly backed down to the street.

Liam and Grady piled out to greet Damon and Damon’s best friend, Cade Gallagher, who had arrived in the lead truck. Cade had been the first foster boy Rosie and her husband Herb had taken in, but Damon had been added soon afterward. Consequently they shared a special bond.

Damon’s brown eyes flashed with amusement as he grinned at Liam. “What a fustercluck, huh?”

“Shit happens.” Liam was so glad to see his foster brothers that the screwed-up plan didn’t matter anymore. They both looked tanned and fit, as if life was treating them well. “I’ve missed you two jokers.”

“Same here.” Damon gave both Magee brothers a hug, and so did Cade. Most of the foster boys had come from difficult situations, which caused them to cherish the connections they’d made at Thunder Mountain Ranch.

About that time, Rosie’s husband, Herb, walked up the driveway with Finn O’Roarke. Finn towered over Herb, but the older man walked with a proud dignity that made him seem larger than life. He, too, seemed to be flourishing as a result of his work with the academy students. He was the only father Liam had ever known, and seeing him always caused a surge of love and gratitude.

Finn had been the third boy Rosie and Herb had brought to the ranch. He, Damon and Cade had dubbed themselves the Thunder Mountain Brotherhood that first year. Some who’d arrived afterward had been jealous, but Liam never had been. Then again, he’d always had Grady.

More hugs followed, and Finn explained that his fiancée, Chelsea, had encountered some last-minute work issues. She’d be flying in the next day. Finally somebody broached the subject of the mix-up.

Phil looped an arm around Damon’s waist. “We can blame everything on our cozy cabin. Once everyone was here, they wanted to stay.”

“I can believe that.” Damon glanced at Liam and Grady. “Still, I’m sorry the plan got messed up.”

“If certain somebodies had told me—” Rosie paused to gaze pointedly at Grady and Liam “—I would have made sure things went as they were supposed to.”

“I wanted everyone to be surprised,” Grady said.

“Well, we were certainly surprised.” Lexi linked an arm through Cade’s. “Too bad you boys missed the excitement.”

Liam noticed the affectionate gesture and was glad for Cade. He’d loved that woman since high school. Rumors continued to circulate about their eventual marriage, but Lexi’s ring finger was bare.

Ring or no ring, though, her eyes were filled with love when she looked at Cade. “You should have seen Hope stare those boys down,” she continued. “It was epic.”

“And brave,” Liam added, because Hope seemed uncomfortable with the conversation.

She glanced at him and shook her head, which made her silky blond hair gleam in the sun. “It wasn’t brave. It was stupid. What if the trailer had jackknifed and dumped the sculpture? Or you two had been hurt? I would never have forgiven myself.”

“But we’re fine and the sculpture’s fine.” Liam had the urge to wrap a protective arm around her.

“Maybe the way this turned out is even better,” Grady said. “Now that we have more guys, we can do an unveiling for Phil.”

“You mean just take off the tarp?” Damon gave Phil a squeeze and released her. “Yeah, let’s do that. I’m eager to see it, too.”

“Wait.” Grady moved to stop him. “I meant get it off the flatbed with the tarp still on it, and once it’s standing where it should go, then we take the tarp off.”

“Oh.” Damon paused to adjust his Stetson. “Hmm.”

Liam understood the impulse behind Grady’s suggestion. His artistic pride was involved, and he didn’t want the crowd gathered here to see the sculpture until it was in a place of honor. But during setup, the piece could be damaged. Even worse, a person could be damaged. Liam didn’t like the odds.

“Grady, I know what you’re hoping to achieve,” he said, “but I think we could have problems wrestling five hundred pounds of metal off the flatbed while keeping the tarp wrapped around it.”

“I was a little worried, too.” Herb came over and laid a hand on Grady’s shoulder. “I have a suggestion, son. Since this is a wedding gift for Damon and Phil, how about if they go in the house while the rest of us set it up?”

“That’s a great idea.” Lexi smiled at Grady. “And while I’m perfectly willing to help, I see this as a manly bonding activity.”

“Aha!” Cade shoved back his hat. “Perfect timing. What if we make this the first official duty of the expanded Thunder Mountain Brotherhood?” He gazed at Finn and Damon. “You good with that?”

“Absolutely,” Damon said, “but in that case, I want to be out here helping.”

“We can let Grady decide if you should or not.” Cade turned to him. “Here’s the deal. Finn, Damon and me, we had a few beers at lunch and sat around shooting the breeze like we always do, reminiscing about all the great times we’ve had and the stuff we got into, and—”

“Blah, blah, blah.” Damon reached over and knocked Cade’s hat down over his eyes. “Cut to the chase.”

“Hang on, bridegroom.” Cade repositioned his hat. “I needed to set the scene. Anyway, it occurred to us that since every guy who was at the ranch is our brother, the Thunder Mountain Brotherhood should be inclusive, not exclusive. You and Liam don’t have to go along with that idea if it doesn’t appeal to you, but—”

“It appeals to me.” Grady glanced at Liam. “How about you, big brother? Wanna be part of the club?”

Unexpected emotion tightened his chest. He hadn’t thought this mattered to him, but he was incredibly touched. Tucking his thumbs in his belt loops, he rocked back on his heels and grinned. “That depends. Do I get a secret decoder ring?”

“You bet,” Finn said. “Just pop one off your next can of beer, put it on your pinky and you’re in business.”

“Then I’m in.”

“Good.” Cade looked incredibly pleased with himself. “It was mostly my idea, but—”

“It was not.” Finn rolled his eyes. “Way to hog the credit. If I remember correctly, and I’m sure I do, it was—”

“Boys!” Rosie clapped her hands. “We’re getting off track, and I want to see that sculpture. Who’s going in the house with me?”

Damon glanced at Grady. “Can I stay? I can help you figure out where it should go.”

“Yeah, let him stay,” Phil said. “He has a good eye. I’m sure I’ll be happy with the placement.”

“Okay.” Grady nodded. “You’re right. It’ll be better if one of you tells us where to put it. We won’t end up having to move it later.”

“Then it’s settled.” Rosie motioned toward the porch. “Women, inside. Men, get to work. Call us when you’re ready for the big reveal.”

“There’s only one thing wrong with this plan, Rosie,” Phil’s stepmother said.

“What’s that, Edie?”

“We don’t get to watch all these gorgeous men flex their muscles.”

That got a laugh. Liam checked Hope’s reaction to the remark and discovered she was smiling. More than that, she was smiling at him. Maybe Grady was right. He should go for it.

3

ONCE THEY WERE INSIDE, Hope accepted with gratitude the glass of wine Phil handed her. Somehow she kept herself from knocking it back like a shot of whiskey.

“I’m organizing card games so nobody’s tempted to peek out the window,” Rosie said. “Who wants to play?”

“Count Hope and me in for the second round,” Phil said. “We’re going to take inventory of beer and snacks for the guys after they finish.”

Lexi glanced their way. “Need help?”

“Thanks, but we can handle it.” Phil led the way into the kitchen.

Hope followed. She hadn’t offered to help organize the food and drinks, but Phil must have guessed she needed a time-out. Plus, she and Phil hadn’t had a chance to talk by themselves all day. Until Phil and Damon left on their honeymoon, Hope was staying in one of Rosie and Herb’s guest rooms out at the ranch.

That put her at the center of the activity, which had been great for getting to know everybody. Rosie, Herb, Cade, Finn, Damon and Lexi were all wonderful people, but Phil was the one she’d come to see.

“What did you do with your kitty cats?” she asked as they walked into the kitchen.

“Once I realized we’d be hanging out here, I closed them in the bedroom. They have food, water and a litter box. It’s better if they’re not part of this craziness.”

“Much better.”

“And if I haven’t said this before, I so appreciate that you’re willing to stay here after we leave and take care of MC Hammer and Nine-Inch-Nails.”

“Of course! It’ll be fun. So what are we doing to get ready for the testosterone invasion later on?”

Phil laughed. “No kidding. Beer is the magic potion. I have some in the fridge and more in the pantry.” Phil opened the pantry door and pulled several varieties of chips from the top shelf.

“See how you do that? I’ve always envied your height.” Phil had been the designated top-shelf gal for their crowd in high school.

“I always envied your boobs.”

That made Hope laugh. “These old things? I’ve had them for years, but where have they gotten me?”

“Prom queen.”

“Besides that. That doesn’t matter.”

“It does when you’re seventeen.”

“I suppose.” Prom queen. What an empty accolade that was now. “So I assume you invited Debbie and Joan. Couldn’t they come?”

“Sadly, no. I guess you didn’t hear that Debbie moved to New York and Joan took a job in South Carolina. Debbie’s about to deliver her first kid, and Joan was coming but she just started this job and couldn’t wrangle the time off.”

“That’s too bad.”

“I know. They both wanted to be here. They would have loved to see you.”

“Likewise.” She regretted losing touch with both women, but a lot of water had gone under the bridge. Maybe it was too late to rekindle the friendship. “So! What do you want me to do?”

“I’ll get chip bowls if you’ll put more beer in the fridge. We’re well stocked, because I anticipated Damon’s brothers dropping by.”

Hope surveyed the cases of beer. “How much of this do you want chilled?”

“All that will fit. None of it is up to Finn’s standards, I’m sure, but he’ll just have to deal.”

“Why’s he so picky?” Hope carried a case over to the fridge and started making room on the shelves.

“He owns a microbrewery in Seattle, and he prefers his own beer. He shipped some to Rosie and Herb for the reception, but I can’t buy it locally yet.”

Kneeling, Hope layered cans on the bottom shelf by turning them on their sides. Phil was a lifesaver for bringing her in here to do this little chore. Working at something simple in the kitchen was perfect for calming her frazzled nerves. “It must be fun marrying into a family with so many brothers.”

“It’s a blast, and I haven’t even met them all yet. What a coincidence that you know Liam, huh?”

“Yeah.” Hope went for more beer. “Although I don’t really know him. He’s stopped in to chat a few times, but obviously I had no idea he used to live at Thunder Mountain or he was Grady Magee’s brother. That was a shocker. Grady’s one of Cody’s most famous citizens these days, but Liam never said a word about him.”

“Which gets him points in my book. He didn’t try to impress you with his brother’s fame.”

“Maybe he wasn’t trying to impress me, period.”

“I think he’d like to, just not by bragging about his family connections.” Phil paused to glance at her. “He seems interested in you.”

“Okay, yeah. I think he is.” Possibilities shimmered through her mind, teasing her with thoughts she hadn’t considered in more than a year. But she didn’t trust those thoughts. She wouldn’t surrender to them ever again.

“And?”

“Well, obviously it’s flattering. He’s hot.”

“No argument there. Damon’s the only man for me, but I can still appreciate beauty when I see it. Liam’s got that black Irish thing going on with his dark hair and blue eyes.”

“Uh-huh.” Hope had taken note of that—not to mention his insanely long lashes and shoulders a mile wide. He was dangerously attractive.

“You dating anybody?”

“Nope.”

“It must be tough. You and Tom were together a long time.”

“We were.” Thinking of him didn’t affect her anymore, thank goodness.

“I don’t know Liam or Grady, really. All I have to go on is Damon’s opinion, and he’s prejudiced. I’ve learned that these men are fiercely loyal to each other. In most cases they couldn’t depend on their biological families, but they sure as hell can depend on the family Rosie and Herb created.”

Hope smiled. “So now we have a hot guy who’s been through tough times and consequently sticks by the people he loves. That’s a damned appealing combo.”

“Don’t I know it, sister. I fell for Damon like a ton of bricks. Listen, I’m not trying to matchmake, but you and Liam will be seeing each other a lot in the next few days. It might be a perfect time to get to know him without having to play the dating game.”

“True.” She hadn’t thought of it that way. The idea of dating completely turned her off. But she and Liam would be thrown together on a regular basis without having to plan anything. If, during that time, their relationship took a sexy turn, so what? Other people had flings, so why couldn’t she?

Phil dumped the last bag of chips in a bowl. “How’s the new job going?”

“It’s good. I like the management, and setting up fun outings for the hotel guests has turned out to be satisfying.”

“I’m glad.” Phil tossed the empty bag in the trash. “What about your writing? Have you had time for that?”

Hope felt a slight twinge in the region of her heart, and then it was gone. “Not really. I could make the time, I guess, but I can’t get excited about it the way I used to.”

“Really? That’s my most vivid memory of you, always writing something in those journals you carried around. When your short story was published in the school paper, I saved it. I probably still have it somewhere.”

“Thank you for that.” Hope smiled at the memory of the person she used to be. So naive. “But at some point I realized I wasn’t going to write the Great American Novel, so I gave it up.”

“Huh.” Phil ran her hands through her red hair, which was shorter than it had been in high school. “I kind of get that, I guess. I used to think I’d be an Olympic figure skater, but eventually I realized it wasn’t gonna happen. We grow up and view the world as it actually is, right?”

“Right.”

“And now you’re having a good time planning trips for your hotel guests.”

“And you’re in business with your soon-to-be husband, renovating homes that need some TLC. That must be satisfying, too.”

“I love it. You look at a home that’s not functioning the way it should and you figure out how to fix the dynamic through a bathroom remodel or a kitchen makeover. It changes people’s lives.”

“I’m sure it does.” Hope thought of her extremely basic apartment in Cody and yearned for a place she could really make her own. She was saving, but not fast enough to suit her.

Phil sighed. “We need to get back to the party, but I almost hate to. It’s been so good catching up after all this time.”

“It has.” Hope gave her a hug. “Cody isn’t that far away. We need to keep in better touch.” She glanced down at the almost invisible bulge that indicated Phil was pregnant with her first child. “Do you know yet if it’s a boy or a girl?”

“We don’t want to know before he or she is born. But I’m hoping for a girl. Damon’s foster family is chockablock with testosterone. Rosie’s been holding the fort with some help from Lexi and me, but honestly, we need reinforcements. I understand why Rosie and Herb decided to take only boys after they brought Cade home. Life was less complicated that way. But the ladies need more representation around here.”

“Then I’ll keep my fingers crossed for a girl.”

“Good deal. Now let’s go kick butt at some cards.”

“I’m pumped. Let’s do it.” She walked into the living room and discovered every woman with her nose pressed against the windows.

“Hey!” Phil’s shout made them turn around, and they all looked guilty as hell. “I thought we’d agreed not to watch.”

“We did, dear.” Edie gestured toward the window. “But we’re only human, and every one of those lovely men has taken off his shirt.”

“Which you wouldn’t have known if at least one of you hadn’t peeked.” Phil crossed her arms and tried to look stern, but Hope could tell she was working hard not to laugh.

“I confess,” Lexi said, grinning. “It was Edie.”

Phil sighed. “Come on, Edie. I’m sure you’ve seen shirtless cowboys before.”

“Not with muscles like theirs,” her stepmother said, “and not so many all at once.”

“Even Herb took off his shirt.” Rosie sounded proud of that. “If I do say so myself, he’s a fine figure of a man for his age. The sculpture’s almost in place. Do you want to—”

“No!” Phil clapped a hand over her eyes. “I’m not looking. Grady wanted this to be a surprise, and although I may be the only one in this room who will be surprised, I’m taking the high road.”

“Me, too.” As a gesture of solidarity, Hope refused to look out the window, even though the prospect of seeing Liam shirtless was a powerful draw.

Rosie walked over and wrapped her arm around Phil. “I admire your ethical stand. I’m also happy to report that the Thunder Mountain Brotherhood has settled your gift in its spot, and it looks magnificent.”

“Do you want a teensy-weensy hint as to what it is?” Edie looked ready to burst with eagerness.

“I do not.” Phil plopped into the nearest chair. “Don’t any of you dare tell me what it looks like, or give me hints, or whisper so I can hear you. Grady Magee, who is a god among sculptors, has made me—well, Damon and me—a fabulous work of art. I will not see it before its time!”

A decisive rap on the door grabbed everyone’s attention, but no one moved.

At last Hope got up. “I’ll get it.” When she opened the door, Liam stood on the other side, holding a bandana.

He wore a wide smile. “It’s up.”

Everyone in the room cheered, including Hope, although she was a bit distracted by the man standing in the open doorway. He’d put on his shirt, but it hung open to reveal a chest glistening with sweat. He must have taken the steps two at a time, because he was breathing fast. Hope stared in fascination at the droplets quivering on his dark chest hair.

Then she glanced up and discovered he was looking right at her with an expression that clearly said caught you looking. Heat rushed to her cheeks, but she bravely met his gaze. Talking with Phil had clarified the situation for her, and if he wanted to pursue this attraction for the weekend, she was game.

“So, can we go out now or what?” Rosie asked.

Liam walked into the room. “My instructions are to blindfold Phil and lead her to the sculpture. You can—”

“Why isn’t Grady doing the leading?” Rosie asked. “Or Damon?”

“Because both of them want to see her face when she takes off the blindfold, so I volunteered.”

Rosie nodded. “Makes sense. Proceed.”

“Thanks. You can all follow behind, but you’re not supposed to say anything. You might give it away.”

“Who, us?” Edie laughed. “Never.”

“We’ll be quiet,” Lexi promised.

“That means you can’t make any noises, like gasping and stuff.” Liam positioned the blue bandana over Phil’s eyes and tied it behind her head. “Is that too tight, Phil?”

“No.”

“Can you see?”

“No.”

“You’re sure?”

“She doesn’t want to see,” Hope said. “She’s been really good about not looking.”

He glanced at her. “Did you look?”

“Nope.”

“She didn’t,” Lexi said. “But you might want to skip that question for the rest of us.”

“Yeah, I saw those faces glued to the window. I think we’re ready, Phil. I’ll hold your right hand until we’re out the door. Hope, once we’re out, why don’t you take her left? That way she’ll have support on both sides if she trips on something. The ground’s uneven.”

“Glad to.” Maybe he’d suggested it as a reward because she’d been the only person besides Phil who hadn’t peeked at the sculpture. Or maybe he liked the idea of sharing this moment with her. Whatever his reason, she was honored that he’d asked.

“I have a suggestion, Liam,” Rosie said.

“What do you have in mind, Rosie?”

“Why not let us go first? Then you don’t have to worry that we’ll give anything away, and we get to see her reaction, too.”

“Okay, that’s better. Go on ahead.” After everyone else had left the cabin, he looked over at Hope. “Let’s give them a little lead time. Grady’s excited about this moment. He’s been envisioning it ever since he got the wedding invitation.”

“I never in a million years expected something like this.” Phil took a deep breath. “Sure, I thought he might decide to give us something small for the coffee table, but never a large piece worth... I don’t even want to think what it might be worth.”

“But Grady doesn’t think in those terms,” Liam said. “He’s astounded at the kind of money people are willing to pay for his work. He’d sell it for less, but the galleries don’t want him to undervalue it and cut into their profits.”

“Considering he made it for you and Damon as a gesture of gratitude,” Hope said, “I’d say it’s priceless.”

Phil nodded. “Definitely.”

“I agree,” Liam said. “Ready for your special moment?”

“So ready.”

“Then here we go.”

Hope slipped out the door after them and took Phil’s other hand. Once she was on the porch, she could see the sculpture. She swallowed the gasp that Liam had forbidden.

Damon had chosen the perfect site, a level area that wasn’t blocked by trees. He and Phil would be able to see it easily from the porch swing. She knew the materials were recycled metal, but looking at the piece, no one would ever know it.

Set on a wide base, polished metal thunderclouds rose skyward. Above them soared a pair of eagles, their wingtips separated by mere inches. The image brought tears to her eyes. She blinked them quickly away, because blurred vision wouldn’t help her guide Phil down the steps and over to the sculpture.

Liam didn’t speak as they walked carefully toward the people grouped in a semicircle on either side of it. Grady stood on one side and Damon on the other. Hope couldn’t decide which one of them looked more joyous, the creator of the piece or the man deeply in love with the woman about to see it.

“That’s good,” Grady called out. “She can take off the blindfold now.”

Phil whipped off the bandana, gaped at the sculpture and burst into tears. “It’s beautiful!” she gulped. “Oh, my God, so beautiful!” Cameras and phones clicked as everyone recorded a moment they’d all remember for years.

Phil mopped her eyes with the bandana. Then Damon came over to give her a big hug and a passionate kiss, which brought catcalls from the rest of the guys. Eventually Damon slipped his arm around her waist, and they walked over to thank Grady for what would probably be their most spectacular wedding gift.

“I’d say it’s a hit.”

Liam’s voice startled Hope. She’d been so engrossed in the scene that she hadn’t realized he was still standing beside her. “It’s definitely a hit. Was that dramatic enough for Grady, do you think?”

“I’m sure. I doubt he’s ever reduced someone to happy tears.”

“Phil and Damon are the perfect people to give something like this to. They appreciate what goes into it more than most since they’re both carpenters.”

“I’m sure that’s true. They seem really happy together.”

“They do.” She viewed their devotion the way she’d admire a rare jewel. It was a precious gift enjoyed by a lucky few but out of reach for the majority.

“I’m glad you’re here for the wedding, Hope.”

She glanced up at him. “So am I.” Oh, yeah, he was sending all kinds of signals with those electric blue eyes. Love might be an impossible dream, but if she set her sights on lust, she wouldn’t have far to look.

4

LIAM HAD NO idea why, but Hope had gone from wary to welcoming. Hell, it didn’t really matter why. He had a shot, and that was the important thing.

Because everyone wanted to hang around and admire the sculpture, they’d all worked together to bring out lawn chairs, several picnic blankets and a cooler for the beer. Bowls of chips and bottles of wine had come next, and finally the party was ready to settle down near the base of the sculpture.

Liam grabbed a beer and used one of the smaller bowls Phil had brought out to scoop up some chips. Then he waited until Hope chose a blanket before walking toward it. “May I?”

“Sure. Anybody bringing chips is my new best friend.” Her smile was friendly as she made room for him.

It was a smallish blanket, so nobody else decided to sit there. Or maybe people had figured out that he would like to have a semiprivate conversation with Hope. In any case, his fortune had changed for the better.

But the conversation he’d been planning was postponed while family and friends offered toasts—to the sculpture, the sculptor, the happy couple and life in general. Grady’s grand gesture had been properly appreciated, and for that Liam was grateful. His brother might not care how much money he made with his art, but he cherished every kind word.

And kind words were flowing this afternoon. The toasts went on so long that Liam had to get another beer for himself and a refill for Hope’s wineglass. When they emptied the chip bowl, he fetched more of those, too.

She thanked him for waiting on her. Then she smiled. “You know what? You’re a pleasure to have around.”

He knew that could be the wine talking, but he appreciated the comment nevertheless. And her smile made him catch his breath. She’d been subdued after the cops left, sure, but he sensed something deeper troubled her, something that had cast a shadow over her soul.

He was thrilled to see the sunshine peeking out. “I’m not such a bad guy when you get to know me.”

“I’d like to get to know you, Liam Magee.”

He almost choked on his beer. Before she’d seemed welcoming. Now she’d rolled out the red carpet. Talk about a dramatic turnaround. But he knew his lines. Carefully swallowing the mouthful of liquid, he held her gaze. “I’d like to get to know you, too.”

“That may not be so simple. In case you hadn’t noticed, we’re in a crowd of people.”

“I noticed.” Her gray eyes were soft and dreamy, possibly compliments of the wine, but they were inviting him in. “A little quiet time together would be great, but I don’t know if that’s in the cards.”

“You never know. It might be. Where are you staying?”

“Since the Thunder Mountain Academy students are on break for Fourth of July, Grady and I are bunking in our old cabin. It’s been remodeled, but I’m sure it’s not that different. It’ll be nostalgic but it’s not...exactly set up for entertaining.”

“I’m staying at the ranch house in one of Rosie and Herb’s guest rooms.”

So close, and yet so far. “Then I guess I’ll see you at dinner tonight.”

“I’ll be there.” She laughed. “Along with a cast of thousands.”

“Yeah, that’s the thing about weddings. Lots of people.” Then inspiration hit. He’d have to clear it with Rosie and Herb, but moonlit horseback rides had been one of his favorite things when he lived at the ranch. “Do you ride?” If she didn’t, his plan wouldn’t work. He didn’t want to take a novice out on the trail at night.

“I’m an average rider, but nothing like Lexi, for example. She’s amazing.” She glanced at him. “I’m guessing you ride well.”

“That was part of life at Thunder Mountain. We all learned to ride and care for horses. If we hadn’t considered ourselves cowboys before we arrived there, we were proud to say we were when we left.”

“It’s really great that Rosie and Herb taught you ranch life. They’re both such good people.”

“The best.”

“But I picked up on something that makes me curious. The other guys refer to Rosie as Mom, but you and Grady don’t.”

She’d been paying close attention. That was encouraging. “We call her Rosie because we have a mother and she’s terrific.”

Her eyes widened. “Your mother is alive and well? I thought everyone at Thunder Mountain was a foster kid.”

“They were. Grady and I were temporarily in the program after our mom had a bad car accident. She didn’t have any family to take over, and she had a lot of healing to do. We visited her, but she was in no shape to manage a couple of rowdy teenage boys. Rosie, who seems to know everyone in Sheridan, heard about us and invited us to live at Thunder Mountain.”

“Where’s your mom now?”

“At this very moment, she’s on a Fourth of July paddle-wheel cruise going up the Mississippi River. She and my stepdad booked it before they got the wedding invitation. Their tickets were nonrefundable, and they’ve talked about this trip for years.”

“Then I’m glad they didn’t cancel it. So she’s okay now?”

“More than okay.” There was a time when it had hurt to talk about his mom. She’d tried so hard to make a life for her boys, and then a guy in a delivery truck hadn’t been paying attention and she’d ended up in a coma. “She finally found a man who appreciates her. My dad obviously didn’t, although I never knew him. I remember Grady’s dad, though, and he was a piece of work. She was well rid of him.”

“So that’s why you and Grady don’t look alike.” Hope squeezed her eyes shut in obvious embarrassment. “I’m sorry. That didn’t need to be discussed. I’m afraid I’ve had too much wine.”

He was touched by her apology. He’d met people who thought nothing of asking rude questions about his and Grady’s parentage. “Don’t worry about it. You’re not the first person to wonder why we don’t look like brothers. Actually, Grady has my mom’s coloring. Apparently I take after my dad.” Years ago he’d hated that, but it wasn’t something he could change, so he’d decided to accept it.

“Did you ever try to locate your father?” Then she waved her hand as if to erase her words. “Inappropriate question. Forget I asked.”

“I’m glad you asked.” He smiled at her. “It means you’re interested in me.”

“As it happens, I am.”

“So if I arranged a moonlit horseback ride tonight after dinner, you’d be willing to go?”

“Sounds like fun.”

“Yeah.” He gazed into her warm gray eyes. They revealed a depth of emotion that called to him. “I think it will be.”

* * *

LIAM’S PLAN HAD everything going for it except the moon. After dinner at the ranch house, a rambunctious meal during which he exchanged only a few words with Hope, he excused himself to go saddle the horses. The temperature was perfect for an evening ride, but a quick glance at the sky told him he was stuck with a scrawny sliver of a moon that wouldn’t give them much light.

“Want some help getting the horses ready?”

He turned back to see Cade coming down the porch steps. “Sure, thanks.” They started toward the barn, their boots crunching on the gravel. “I was hoping for more moonlight.”

“You may not have much of a moon, but the stars are spectacular.”

“I know. I just don’t want Hope to be spooked because it’s so dark. I get the impression she doesn’t spend a lot of time in nature.”

“Then you’re in an excellent position to introduce her to the great outdoors, Mister Whitewater Rafting Guide.”

“But a full moon would have helped.”

“A full moon always helps, but you don’t happen to have one.”

“So I see.”

Cade chuckled. “Hey, here’s a thought. Ride double. That would be cozy.”

“Don’t know her well enough to suggest that. Nice idea, though.”

“Hey, I’m all about promoting romantic encounters for my brothers.”

“Speaking of romance, what’s up with you and Lexi? Rosie said Lex still has her apartment in town, and you’re living in a brand-new cabin out here.”

Cade sighed. “Yeah, and it’s not optimal. You do know that I’ve handed the decision over to her, right?”

“Hadn’t heard that. I live in Cody. Word doesn’t always travel that far.”

“Maybe that’s a blessing. Anyway, last summer she turned me down flat. So I told her she has to propose to me when she thinks we’re ready for that step.”

“Interesting concept. Do you feel ready?”

“Bro, I feel more ready than you can possibly imagine. But she’s holding off. It’s been subtly suggested that I need to show signs of domesticity.”

“Such as?”

“I think I’m supposed to spruce up the cabin, put pictures on the walls, stuff like that. Maybe buy a fancy holder for extra toilet paper, hang a sun catcher in the living room window. Cook some meals there. I never use the kitchen.”

Liam couldn’t help smiling. “For what it’s worth, my mother had that kind of discussion before she agreed to marry my stepfather. They trade off cooking the meals and cleaning the house. I know you can clean. Rosie made us all do it.”

“I can and I will. But I can’t cook worth a damn, and choosing artwork is not my area.”

“Not mine, either, but it’s Grady’s. Get him to help you find some stuff while he’s here.”

“Great idea.”

“And cooking just takes practice.”

Cade blew out a breath. “I suppose. I hate wasting food I ruined, but I hate not being married to Lexi even more, so I might as well burn some lasagna for the cause.” He slid back the bar holding the barn’s double doors. “Am I right that you and Hope have never gotten around to dating, even though you both live in Cody?”

“We have not.”

“Then I guess we need to make sure this evening ride is extra special. You could take a couple of our nifty battery-operated lanterns and hang one on each saddle horn. There should be some spares in the tack room.”

Liam breathed in the nostalgic mix of scents—horses, oiled leather and fresh straw. He’d missed this. “I noticed a lantern in our cabin, on the shelf where we used to keep the flashlights. How come? Don’t the kids all have flashlight apps on their phones?”

“I’m sure they do. But we found out real quick that if we let them keep their phones, we’d get nowhere.” Cade put the lanterns, constructed to look like old-fashioned kerosene ones, by the barn door. Then he and Liam transferred the necessary tack out to the hitching post.

“Couldn’t they just turn their phones off?”

“Oh, sure.” Cade handed Liam a lead rope, and they headed for the stalls. “We tried that. They’d shut them off during class, but every break they were texting and checking their social media.”

“I shouldn’t be surprised. I’ve had kids on my rafting trips carrying on because they couldn’t get a signal. They’ve missed seeing an eagle or a bull moose because they were fiddling with their phones.”

“I feel your pain. And it wouldn’t be so bad if it only affected the breaks between classes, but that’s not the case. They have trouble concentrating during the next class with all that junk in their heads. So now Rosie keeps all the phones at the house, and every night they get thirty minutes of phone time.”

“That’s strict. Do they pitch a fit?”

“You know, I thought for sure they would, but so far, no. We tested it on the first group in January, and after the shock of withdrawal, they seemed a lot less stressed. They’re relieved of the responsibility of constantly updating their status.”

“Bingo. Who came up with the solution?”

“Rosie, of course. She was willing to gamble that the kids would actually enjoy a break from their phones. New students are warned of the policy in advance, and nobody’s canceled because of it.”

“Some parents might enroll their kids just for that.”

“I wouldn’t doubt it.” He paused in front of adjoining stalls. “If you’ll take Navarre out first, I’ll follow with Isabeau.”

“Got it.” He spoke gently to the gelding as he went inside, clipped the lead rope on his halter and walked him out of the stall.

“These two have benefitted from having the students here,” Cade said as he followed with Isabeau. “Rosie and Herb weren’t riding them much, and now they get plenty of attention and exercise on a daily basis.”

“Looks like everybody’s benefitting from the academy.” He tied Navarre to the hitching post and picked up a brush to give the horse a quick grooming. “Rosie and Herb seem ten years younger. They need teenagers around.”

“And as a bonus, these kids are mostly well-adjusted.”

“Unlike us?” He worked through the familiar routine of saddling Navarre in the glow of the dusk-to-dawn light hanging over the barn door. Because he’d been trained years ago, he didn’t have to think about it much.

Cade laughed. “Sometimes I wonder how Rosie and Herb survived those years. The crap we pulled.”

“Speak for yourself.”

“You were no choir boy, either, bro.” Cade tightened the cinch on Isabeau’s saddle, and the mare snorted in protest. “Let’s not forget the fireworks you set off that damn near started a forest fire.”

“But they didn’t. And it was the only prank I ever tried. I wasn’t constantly putting rubber snakes in guys’ bunks like present company.”

“Harmless fun.”

“Says you. When my bare toes came in contact with that snake, I jumped out of bed so fast I whacked my head on the top bunk. Much harder and I would have been in the emergency room.”

“You did have a pretty nifty goose egg. Good thing Rosie had her traditional bag of frozen peas handy.”

“We went through a lot of frozen peas. We either ate them in Rosie’s tuna casserole or used them for an ice pack.” Resting his forearms on the saddle, he looked over at Cade and grinned. “Those were the days.”

“Yeah, they were. Do you miss ’em?”

“Maybe a little, but I wouldn’t want to be that age again. We were so clueless about everything.”

“No kidding. Especially women.” Cade grimaced. “Apparently I’m still pretty clueless in that department.”

“Ah, you’ll get there.”

“Yeah, but I’d rather not be ninety when it happens.”

“You won’t be.”

“Easy for you to say.”

“Eighty-five, tops.”

“That’s such a comfort.”

Liam walked around Navarre’s hindquarters and clapped Cade on the shoulder. “If you get Grady to help you buy some art, and if you burn a few batches of lasagna, you might walk down the aisle sooner than that.”

“Appreciate the advice, bro. Now let’s get you situated for an excellent first date.” He headed back into the barn. “I suggest taking a blanket along.”

“I’ll go with that suggestion.” Lying with Hope and gazing up at a million stars sure sounded like an excellent first date to him.

Cade located a blanket in the tack room and handed it over. “You packing condoms?”

That startled a laugh out of him. “No. For crying out loud, Gallagher. I’m just getting to know the lady.” He didn’t admit that he’d thought of it and discarded the idea as being too crass this early.

“Apparently you haven’t noticed the way she looks at you.”

“And you have?”

“Sure. After you told me that you’d had your eye on her for weeks, I decided to spend the dinner hour watching her watching you.”

“And how does she watch me?”

“Like she’s buying whatever you’re selling, bro.”

His body tightened at the thought. “Nice to hear. Thanks for the info.”

“Sure you don’t want to take a couple of raincoats?”

“I’m sure. Then it’ll look as if I assumed we might have sex, and that sends the wrong message.”

“Your call, but don’t blame me if you end up with an itch you can’t scratch.”

5

“I CAN’T SEE very well.” As Hope bobbed along on Isabeau, she peered into the woods on either side of the narrow US Forest Service road. The extremely dark and scary woods. Any one of those shadows could be a bear, maybe even a grizzly. They’d have cubs this time of year, right? That made them more dangerous.

After several glasses of wine this afternoon, she’d convinced herself that an evening horseback ride with a handsome cowboy was a great plan. Now she longed for the cozy and very safe ranch house. Uh-oh. Something rustled in the bushes.

Liam kept moving forward, but he turned in his saddle to glance back at her. “Can you see the light on my saddle?”

“Shh. I hear something.” She went very still and tried to separate the various sounds—the clip-clop of the horses’ hooves, the creak of the saddles, the wind sighing through the top branches of the pines. The rustling had stopped.

No, there it was again. Just a little rustle, though. No branches breaking or stones knocked aside. Probably something fairly small like a skunk or a raccoon. In the distance, an owl hooted.

She focused on the indistinct shape of Liam up ahead on his horse, Navarre. “Sorry. What were you saying?”

“I was just going to say that if you can see my light, that’s all you need. Really more than you need. Isabeau will follow Navarre, and they both have this route down cold. We could loop the reins around the saddle horns and let them take us out and back.”

“What would they do if they saw or smelled a bear?”

“They’d let us know, but I—”

“How?” She pictured Isabeau turning her head and saying, Bear at three o’clock. Check it out.

“They’d get fairly agitated. Horses are prey animals, so they won’t like it if a bear shows up.”

“Or a cougar?”

“That, too.”

“So they’re like an early warning signal.”

“They are, but I don’t expect to see any predators tonight. If someone had spotted a bear or a cougar around here in the past few weeks, pictures would be on the internet. Nobody said a word at dinner, and they would have since they knew we were going out riding.”

Some of the tension eased from her body. “Good to know.”

“Sorry if you were worried. I should have said something earlier.”

“And I should have remembered that you’re an experienced wilderness guide. You wouldn’t bring me out here if you thought there was a chance I’d be eaten by a bear.”

“Good Lord. Were you really picturing that?”

“We established earlier today that I have a vivid imagination.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, I suppose we did.”

“And it’s very dark out here. You can’t see what might be going on in the woods. Anything could be lurking there, ready to spring. The trees are pretty close.”

He turned a fraction more toward her. “Do you want to go back?”

Now was her chance to spend the rest of the evening chatting on the front porch with Herb and Rosie plus whoever else was still hanging around after dinner. All she had to do was say the word.

“Listen, we don’t have to do this if it makes you nervous.”

But then she wouldn’t have a chance to be alone with Liam, and that opportunity might not come along again anytime soon. “I’d be lying if I said it didn’t make me a little nervous.”

“Then let’s turn around.” He wheeled Navarre in her direction.

“No, wait.”

“I don’t want to scare you to death.” He rode toward her. “After I go past, just neck-rein Isabeau, and she’ll turn and follow.”

“I don’t want to go back.”

He stopped Navarre right next to her. On the narrow road, their stirrups were inches apart. Light from both lanterns illuminated his face, and he looked worried. “If you’ll be embarrassed about showing up so soon after we left, we can cook up a plausible story.”

“That’s not the problem. I don’t want to miss this chance to spend time with you.”

“Then we’ll make up a story that requires us to drive somewhere.”

The light allowed her to see just how blue his eyes were. His long lashes made his eyes his most compelling feature, but his mouth drew her attention, too. She had a feeling he’d be fun to kiss. He had a little scar on the left side of his full lower lip, and she wondered how it had come to be there.

“Hope?”

She blinked. What had he just said? Oh, right. “I don’t want to go through all that. Riding at night is something I’ve never done before, and at first I was feeling a little uneasy. Now that we’ve talked it through, I’m fine.”

His jet-black eyebrows drew together. “Are you sure?”

“I’m absolutely sure. Let’s keep going.”

“I’d suggest riding side by side, but the road’s a little narrow for that, and Isabeau’s used to walking behind.”

“Seriously, I’ll be okay.”

“I was planning to surprise you with our destination, but maybe I should tell you now in case you don’t like the idea.”

She’d seen the blanket rolled up and strapped behind his saddle. Sharing a blanket with him could be exciting or terrifying, depending on where he chose to lay it out. “I hope it’s not a cave.”

“No, it’s a meadow, a fairly large one. Along the road, the trees mostly block the sky, but in the meadow you’ll be able to see the stars really well.”

“That sounds lovely.”

The concern cleared from his expression. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe.”

“I should have realized that all along. You probably think I’m a real scaredy-cat.”

“Not at all. Today you faced down my truck. Tonight when you got nervous, you didn’t fall apart and beg me to take you back. You started collecting facts about the potential for bodily harm. I don’t blame you for wanting to protect yourself. I’d rather have that than deal with someone who has no sense of self-preservation.”

“Believe me, I have a well-developed sense of self-preservation.” Now.

“All righty. Let me continue on past you and get Navarre turned around. Then we’ll go check out that meadow.”

“Good. I’d like that.”

He smiled. “Thanks for sticking this out. I hope it’s worth it.”

His smile created a different kind of tension, one that was far more pleasant than her fear had been. “I’m sure it will be.”

Touching his fingers to the brim of his hat, he rode on until he could turn Navarre around. Her libido was fully functioning by the time he moved into the lead and slowed the pace. Unfortunately she lost her view of his cute butt to the shadows of the tall pines lining the road.

He turned to check on her. “You okay back there?”

“I’m doing great.” To think she’d considered going back. Even if he’d concocted some reason for them to take a drive, that trip couldn’t possibly have been as exciting as this. “By the way, I love that Rosie and Herb named their horses Isabeau and Navarre. I was a big fan of Ladyhawke.”

“So were all the guys at Thunder Mountain.”

She laughed. “Really? A chick flick?”

“Don’t let them hear you call it that. Cowboys believe they’re descended from medieval knights, you know.”

“I didn’t know.”

“Think about it. We may not wear armor, but we sure do ride horses. We also believe we can rescue the fair maiden from the dragon who has her locked in a tower.”

He couldn’t know how appealing she found that image. “Have you ever been called upon for a rescue mission?”

“Can’t say that I have. But I could rescue if necessary. All of us feel that way. We used to talk about it around the campfire at night. Sure, we were young and naive, but we meant every word. Herb and Rosie encouraged us to think in those terms. They said real cowboys stand up for what’s right and protect those who can’t protect themselves.”

“That’s very heroic.” She was doing her best not to be dazzled, but it wasn’t easy. Sure, they were only words, but it was the way he said them that caught her attention. They were more than words to him.

“Nah, we’re not heroes. Just cowboys.”

“If you say so.” Despite living in Wyoming all her life, she hadn’t spent much time around cowboys.

“So what other movies do you like?” he asked.

“Love stories and action-adventure, mostly. Sometimes you can get a combination of the two, which is my favorite if they’re well-done. How about you?”

“I like any movie where good triumphs over evil. Spare me from the weep-fests where everybody dies at the end.”

“I know! I hate that!”

“What kind of stories did you used to write?”

She felt as if he’d dumped a bucket of ice water over her head. Phil had brought up the topic at dinner, and Hope had dismissed it as a dead issue not worthy of conversation. Everyone had seemed willing to let it drop.

But not Liam, apparently. Answer him, and fast, so you can ditch this discussion. “Love stories with some action-adventure thrown in. Amateur stuff. I never had anything published.”

“Except in the school paper. You must have been happy about that.”

“I was.” Overjoyed. Proud as a peacock. The comments from her teachers and her friends had convinced her she would eventually be a bestselling author, maybe even make a living with her writing. “But that was a long time ago. I’ve outgrown all that.”

“Hmm.”

“What about you? Did you letter in every sport the school offered? I’ll bet you did.”

“Sports were a great outlet for me. Can’t say my grades were terrific, though. Fortunately I had a few friends who were bookworms. They helped me pass.”

“Girls?”

He laughed. “Yeah, mostly. They took pity on me.”

“Oh, no doubt. I’m sure they felt extremely sorry for the captain of the football team who almost single-handedly took the school to the state championship. That’s why they spent hours out at the ranch helping you with your homework.”

“You must have been quizzing Grady about my checkered past.”

“No, I just made that up.”

“Really?” He turned around to stare at her. “You haven’t been talking to Grady or Rosie or anybody about me?”

“Scout’s honor.”

“Wow. You weren’t kidding about your imagination. Even more amazing, you nailed it, except I didn’t single-handedly take us to the championship. It was a team effort all the way. We had some awesome players that year.”

She smiled at that. Heroic and modest, too.

He faced forward again. “So what do you do with that supercharged imagination now that you’re not dreaming up love stories with some action-adventure thrown in?”

Heroic, modest and persistent. Damn. “I, um...do crafts.”

“Oh? Like what?”

She should have guessed he would ask. Quickly she reviewed the various half-finished projects tucked in her closet—knitting, embroidery, woodcarving and candle making. She’d lost interest in all of them, so she couldn’t actually claim to be doing those crafts. “This and that.”

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