New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery’s classic blend of lighthearted humor and intense emotional conflict works its magic on two newcomers to the California town of Fool’s Gold, which Library Journal calls “a setting so real and appealing readers will want to start scoping out real estate.”

Destiny Mills believes passion has its place—like in the lyrics of the country songs that made her parents famous. After a childhood full of drama and heartache, she wants a life that’s calm. Safe. Everything that Kipling Gilmore isn’t. Her temporary assignment with the Fool’s Gold search and rescue team puts her in delicious proximity to the former world-class skier every day. Part of her aches to let go for once…the rest is terrified what’ll happen if she does.

Though an accident ended his career, Kipling still lives for thrills—and a hot fling with a gorgeous redhead like Destiny would be a welcome diversion. Yet beneath his new coworker’s cool facade is a woman who needs more than he’s ever given. With her, he’s ready to take the risk. But love, like skiing, is all about trust—and before you soar, you have to be willing to fall.

Praise for New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery

“Susan Mallery is one of my favorites.”

—#1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber

“The wildly popular and prolific Mallery can always be counted on to tell an engaging story of modern romance.”

—Booklist on Summer Nights

“This book is a dynamite read filled with humor, compassion and sexy sizzle.”

—RT Book Reviews on Three Little Words, Top Pick!

“In her second Blackberry Island novel, Mallery has again created an engrossing tale of emotional growth and the healing power of friendship as these three ‘sisters’ meet life’s challenges.”

—Library Journal on Three Sisters

“Both smile and tear inducing. Mallery is one of a kind.”

—RT Book Reviews on Two of a Kind, Top Pick!

“Mallery delivers another engaging romance in magical Fool’s Gold.”

—Kirkus Reviews on Just One Kiss

“Mallery infuses her story with eccentricity, gentle humor, and small-town shenanigans, and readers…will enjoy the connection between Heidi and Rafe.”

—Publishers Weekly on Summer Days

“Romance novels don’t get much better than Mallery’s expert blend of emotional nuance, humor and superb storytelling.”

—Booklist

Hold Me

Susan

Mallery

www.millsandboon.co.uk

MILLS & BOON

Before you start reading, why not sign up?

Thank you for downloading this Mills & Boon book. If you want to hear about exclusive discounts, special offers and competitions, sign up to our email newsletter today!

SIGN ME UP!

Or simply visit

signup.millsandboon.co.uk

Mills & Boon emails are completely free to receive and you can unsubscribe at any time via the link in any email we send you.

This book is dedicated by one of my favorite readers:

To all Susan Mallery’s readers,

may you enjoy her stories as much as I do.

—a devoted romance reader, Jan W.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Praise

Title Page

Dedication

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Extract

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

NO ONE WOKE UP in the morning and thought to themselves, Today I’m going to get lost in the woods. But even without a plan, it happened.

Maybe it was simply that innate human need to explore. Maybe it was bad luck, or maybe it was just people being idiots. Grandma Nell had always loved to say, “Beauty is skin deep, but stupid goes clear down to the bone.” Not that Destiny Mills was going to be judgmental either way. People got lost, and her job was to make sure they got found. It was kind of like being a superhero. Only instead of laser vision or invisibility, she had a brilliant computer software program and a finely honed search and rescue team.

Well, technically the team wasn’t hers. It belonged to whatever town or county had hired her company. Her firm had created the software program, and she was one of three facilitators who helped those wanting to use it. She showed up, trained the search and rescue group and then moved on to the next assignment.

If it was Monday, she must be in Fool’s Gold, she thought humorously as she stepped into her small, temporary office. Fool’s Gold, California. Population 125,482 per the sign she’d seen on her way in. Nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, the town attracted tourists by the thousands. They came in winter to ski, in summer to hike and camp and all year long to attend the dozens of festivals that had put the community on the map.

None of which concerned her. What was of more interest were the literally hundreds of thousands of acres right outside the city borders. Uncharted wilderness with plenty of slopes, gullies, streams and caves. Places where people got lost. And when someone was lost, who you gonna call?

Destiny chuckled as the Ghostbusters theme music played in her head. She didn’t know about anyone else, but for her, life was a soundtrack. Music was everywhere. Notes formed melodies, and melodies were little more than memories to be recalled. Hear a song from your high school prom and you were back in your boyfriend’s arms.

She settled in her chair and plugged her laptop into the docking station. She only had a week or so to get up and running before the real work began. For the next three months she would be mapping the terrain, feeding the information into the incredibly intelligent software her company used and training the local search and rescue team. She was the point of contact, the human connection. And in three months she would move on to another part of the country and do it all again.

She liked the moving around. She liked always being somewhere new. She made friends easily and then just as easily left them behind when it was time to go. There would be more friends at the next new place. Sure, there was a lack of continuity, but on the upside, she was spared the emotional drama that went with long-term friendships. Whether it was her getting close to them or them getting close to her, relationships could be exhausting.

She’d grown up in a family that made any of the “real housewives” shows look as interesting as reading the phone book. Reality TV had nothing on her parents. As an adult, she got to choose whether or not she wanted that drama, and she’d decided she didn’t. Destiny had deliberately picked a job and a lifestyle that allowed her to forever be moving on.

But for the next few months she would enjoy the small-town quirkiness of Fool’s Gold. She’d already read up on the place and was looking forward to sampling plenty of local flavor.

Right on time, the door to her small office opened. Destiny recognized the tall, blond, good-looking guy standing in the doorway. Not that they’d met before—she’d been hired by the mayor, not by him—but she’d seen him on plenty of magazine covers, television interviews and internet articles.

She stood and smiled. “Hi, I’m Destiny Mills.”

“Kipling Gilmore.”

His eyes were a darker blue than she’d expected, and he had that easy grace that most likely came from a lifetime of being an athlete. Because he wasn’t just Kipling Gilmore. He was the Kipling Gilmore. Famous athlete. Superstar skier. Olympic gold medalist. The press had called him G-Force, because on skis, at least, he went for speed. Rules of physics be damned. He could do things that had never been done. At least until the crash.

They shook hands. He handed her a small, pink bakery box. “To help you settle in.”

She lifted the lid and saw a half-dozen doughnuts. The scent of glaze and cinnamon drifted to her. It was intoxicating and made her instantly want fifteen minutes alone with her sugar fix.

“Thank you,” she said. “Way better than flowers.”

“I’m glad you think so. When did you get to town?”

“Yesterday. I got to Sacramento the night before and made the short drive in the morning.”

“You’re settling in okay?”

“I am, and I’m excited to get to work.”

“Then let’s get to it.”

They both sat. She angled her laptop toward him and tapped on several keys.

“There are two major parts to getting the search and rescue software functional,” she began. “Mapping the physical geography of the area and then getting you and your team trained on how to use it.”

“Sounds easy enough.”

“It always does, and then reality sets in.”

One eyebrow rose. “Is that a challenge?”

“No. I’m simply saying the process takes time. STORMS can adapt to nearly any situation. The success or failure of a search is usually a combination of information and luck. My goal is to take luck out of the equation.”

STORMS—Search Team Rescue Management Software—worked with the rescue team. Data was fed into the system, and the program then projected the most likely areas to search first. The more information known about the person missing, terrain, time of year and weather conditions, the faster the search went. Each searcher had GPS tracking information on his or her person. That information was sent back to the software so the search could be updated in real time.

As more areas were eliminated, the search was narrowed until the missing person was found.

“I’ll start mapping the area in the next day or so,” she continued.

“How does that happen?”

“First by air. We use a helicopter and various kinds of equipment to supplement the satellite data we already have. The heavily wooded areas and steep mountainsides will have to be mapped on foot.”

“You do that?”

While the question was polite enough, the tone suggested he wasn’t a believer. Silly man, she thought with a smile.

“Yes, Kipling. I can hike when necessary. If the areas are too remote, I take in local guides.”

“I thought you were a city girl. Didn’t someone tell me you live in Austin?”

“That’s home base for me, yes. But I grew up near the Smoky Mountains. I can hold my own in the great outdoors.”

What she didn’t mention was that when she’d been younger, she’d spent several years living with her maternal grandmother in those same mountains. In addition to knowing her way around rugged terrain, she could fish and knew three ways to cook squirrel, but she wasn’t going to share that. Tell someone you grilled a mean steak and you were applauded. Mention squirrel stew with root vegetables and they looked at you like you were in league with cannibals. People were funny, but she’d known that for a long time.

“Then I’ll trust you to take care of business,” he told her. “When does your helicopter arrive?”

She checked her calendar. “By the end of the week. It’s going to be a busy summer. Once we get the geography into the database, we’ll start testing the system. That means looking for people who aren’t really lost.”

Humor pulled at the corner of his mouth. “I read the material.”

“Good to know. Does that mean you also open instruction manuals?”

He hesitated just long enough for her to start laughing.

“I didn’t think so,” she said. “What is it with men and instructions? Or asking for directions?”

“We don’t like to admit when we don’t know something.”

“Ridiculous. No one knows everything.”

“We can try.”

No surprise there, she thought. Bravado seemed to go hand in hand with being male. Another reason she’d had so much trouble finding the right one. She wanted an absence of bravado and minimal ego. When emotions got riled, the opposite sex could be counted on to act crazy, and there was no place for crazy in her life.

“Are you going to have a problem taking instructions from me?” she asked. “Because if you are, we need to get that taken care of right this minute. I can arm wrestle you into submission, if necessary.”

Kipling laughed. “I doubt that.”

“Be careful with your assumptions. My grandma taught me a lot of dirty tricks. I know places to dig in a knuckle and make a grown man scream like a little girl. And not in a happy way.”

“There’s a happy way to scream like a little girl?”

She wrinkled her nose. “I’ve had to use that threat before, and some men think I’m talking about sex. I’m not.”

His gaze settled on her face. “Interesting.”

“So, am I going to have a problem with you?”

“No.”

“Then this will be a good summer. I’ve never had a job in California before. I’m looking forward to getting to know the area.”

“The town is a little strange.”

“In what way?”

He sat easily in his chair. There was no squirming, no sense that he wanted to be somewhere else. He had patience, she thought. He would have to. Waiting out bad weather, waiting out the seasons. Needing conditions to be right.

Kipling Gilmore had won big at the Sochi Olympics, then disaster had struck a few months later. She wasn’t one to follow sports, so she didn’t know many of the details. Obviously, he’d recovered enough to take the job of heading the Fool’s Gold search and rescue team. She wondered if he’d had trouble adjusting to regular life.

She knew it could be difficult for those cursed with fame to try to live like ordinary mortals.

“Everybody here knows everybody’s business,” he said.

Right. She’d asked him about the town. “That’s not uncommon for small towns.”

“Yeah, but it’s different here. People here are more involved. We’ll talk in a couple of weeks and see what you think. The festivals are interesting, and you don’t have to lock your doors at night. If you live near the center of town, you don’t need a car very often.”

“Sounds nice.” Despite having her home base in Austin, she wasn’t really a big-city girl. She preferred the eccentricities of a small town.

“Have you met Mayor Marsha yet?” Kipling asked.

Destiny shook her head. “No. She hired me, but it was all done through my boss. I have a meeting with her later today.”

Amusement returned to his eyes. “I’ll be there, too. I think you’re going to like her. She’s California’s longest-serving mayor. She looks like a sweet old lady, but she’s actually pretty tough and keeps firm control over her town. She gets things done, and sometimes I’ve left wondering what just happened.”

Qualities she could totally get behind. “I like her already.”

“I thought you might.” He stood. “Welcome to Fool’s Gold, Destiny.”

She rose, as well. “Thank you.”

As he left her office, she let her gaze drift over his body. He was in great shape, she thought, admitting he was just charming enough to make her wonder if there was any potential there.

She shook her head, because she already knew the answer, and it was no. No way, no how. She wanted ordinary. Regular. The kind of man who understood that life was best lived quietly. Kipling, aka G-Force, had roared down a mountain at who knew what speed. He was a thrill seeker at heart, which meant not for her.

She would simply keep looking. Because the man of her very own calm, rational dreams was out there, and one day she would find him.

* * *

KIPLING CROSSED THE STREET. As he waited for one of the few traffic lights in Fool’s Gold to change to green, he glanced up at the mountains. Now that it was late spring, he could look at them and not feel anything. The only remaining snow was up at elevations that didn’t allow for skiing. So there was no sense of loss, no reminder that he would never again be able to fight the mountain and win. That the sense of flying on snow was lost forever.

He knew what his friends would say, what the doctors would tell him. That he was damned lucky to have made as much of a recovery as he had. That he could walk and that was its own miracle. Anything else was gravy.

Kipling heard the words. On his good days he even believed them. But the rest of the time, he avoided thinking about what had been lost. When it got bad, he simply stopped looking at the mountains.

The light changed, and he crossed the street. As he walked he considered the fact that it might have been easier to simply find a job somewhere there weren’t mountains. There were flat places. Maybe in the Midwest or Florida. Only he couldn’t imagine what that must be like. To look up and see nothing but sky. He might have an uneasy relationship with the mountains; he might equally love and hate them, but there was no way he could be away from them. They were a part of him. It would be easier to cut off an arm than live without them.

“Hey, Kipling.”

He waved automatically at the woman pushing a stroller who had greeted him. Fool’s Gold was a friendly kind of place. Where neighbors knew each other and tourists were welcomed as much for their presence as the money they brought with them.

He was used to people he’d never met knowing who he was. That came with the celebrity he had been. Only being in Fool’s Gold was different. More intense, maybe. This town wasn’t just a place. It was a living, breathing essence.

He shook his head, wondering where all that had come from. He didn’t usually think too much about things. He was a doer, preferring to move than sit still. Which had made his recovery a particular brand of hell. But that was behind him now. Except for the scars, the limp and the dull aches that would be with him always, he was healed. And walking.

He headed into his offices at the corner of Eighth Street and Frank Lane, right by one of the fire stations and the police station. No one was going to break in, he thought with a grin. Or party too hard in this neighborhood.

As he unlocked the front door and stepped inside, he reminded himself that years ago he would have chafed at being so close to any kind of authority. That he’d believed that with the ability to fly down a mountain came the right to party as hard as he wanted, and damn the consequences. As long as he beat the clock by even a thousandth of a second, he was a god. At least until the next race.

But time had a way of maturing people. He’d been dragged kicking and screaming into adulthood, and here he was, running the town’s search and rescue program. Who would have guessed?

And while his younger self would have mocked authority, even as a kid he’d respected the mountains and those who saved those unfortunate or stupid enough to get themselves lost. He’d been caught in an avalanche once. The local ski patrol had saved his ass.

He’d always been lucky, he thought. Until last summer when he’d had his crash. He’d known one day his luck would run out, and he accepted that it had. Now he was onto another chapter in his life. He had a problem, and he’d fixed it. That was what he liked to do. And in this job, there was going to be plenty of fixing. Or finding.

He walked to his desk and turned on his computer. The office was new enough that he could still smell the fresh paint, and the plants that had been delivered as a sort of welcome were still alive. Kipling considered himself more of a people person than a plant person. Eventually, there would be staff, and he could rope one of them into watering and feeding the plants.

He turned his chair so he could study the huge map that dominated the main wall. It showed the fifty or so square miles around Fool’s Gold. There were vineyards to the west, and the road to Sacramento went south. So his main area of concern was east and north. The rugged mountains of the Sierra Nevada rose up quickly. There were a thousand ways to get lost out there, and he was confident tourists and locals alike would find every one of them.

He rose and walked closer to the map. The terrain grew rough within just a few miles of town. There were dozens of popular hiking trails and camping spots. Just last year, there’d been a flash flood through a campground. The rushing waters had endangered a group of girls and their leaders. He wanted to make sure that didn’t happen again. That if someone got lost, he or she would be found quickly and safely.

With the new software program, searching would be easy. He knew there would be a learning curve, but in the end, the effort would be worth it.

As soon as Mayor Marsha had told him about the new program, he’d started reading up on it. The results were impressive, and he was looking forward to learning the ins and outs of the system.

And maybe of Destiny Mills, as well, he thought with a grin. She was beautiful. Tall, curvy. A redhead—his personal weakness. There was something about the combination of red hair and pale skin that got his attention. And if she had freckles, all the better. A man could go looking for freckles and not resurface for days.

She was his type in other ways. Single, according to scuttlebutt, and in town for a limited amount of time. He was a man who enjoyed serial monogamy. Having a predetermined expiration date on a relationship was his idea of perfection. If the lady was interested, he was more than willing. At least in the short-term.

Every now and then he wondered if he should want more. That forever thing other people seemed to seek. He’d seen love. He even believed in it. But he’d never felt it. Not the romantic kind. Lust, sure. Liking, absolutely. He loved his sister and his country. He would do anything for a friend. But fall crazy, let’s-get-married in love? That hadn’t happened.

At this point, he figured it wasn’t going to. And he could live with that.

* * *

MAYOR MARSHA WAS in her late sixties, with white hair swept up in a loose bun and piercing blue eyes. Her suit was tailored, her pearls luminous, and she had a kind smile that made Destiny feel immediately at home.

“Welcome to Fool’s Gold,” the mayor said, her voice warm. “It’s lovely to finally meet you.”

“Likewise.”

Destiny shook hands the way Grandma Nell had taught her—firmly, while looking the other person in the eye. You’re a human being, not a fish. You should act like it. Because Grandma Nell had advice for every situation. Not all of it was appropriate, or even helpful, but it was nearly always memorable.

“I’m happy to be here,” Destiny told the mayor. “We’re going to have a good summer getting STORMS in place.”

“Your boss, David, said I would enjoy working with you, and I can see he was right. I like your attitude,” the mayor told her. The other woman looked past her and nodded. “Here comes the rest of our meeting.”

Destiny turned and saw Kipling strolling into the mayor’s office. There was no other way to describe the easy way he moved. A neat trick, she thought, taking in the slight limp that no doubt came from the horrific crash he’d survived the previous year. What must he have been like back before the accident?

If she were someone else, looking for something different, Kipling would be a temptation, she thought. But he wasn’t or she wasn’t. Regardless, he was wrong for her, and she knew better than to start down the wrong path. She’d seen way too many emotional disasters in her life to take the chance. Sometimes you take on the bear and sometimes the bear takes you on. If it’s the latter, then you’d better run like hell.

Destiny held in a chuckle. Yup, Grandma Nell had always had a practical streak in her. She would take one look at Kipling, push Destiny aside and ask for a little privacy. Then she would have her way with him and toss him aside. Because the relationship drama she’d grown up with hadn’t started with her parents, although they’d been the worst offenders. No, bad marriages and broken hearts went back generations on both sides.

Kipling hugged the mayor, then kissed her cheek before nodding at Destiny.

“Good to see you again,” he said.

“You, too.”

Mayor Marsha led them to a seating area in the corner of her office. Once they’d claimed their places, she began the meeting.

“Destiny, the town is thrilled to have you here, helping us launch our HERO program.”

Destiny nodded even as she glanced at Kipling. She saw him wince, and couldn’t resist pretending she didn’t know what the mayor was talking about.

“HERO program?”

“Help Emergency Rescue Operations,” Mayor Marsha told her. “What we’re calling Fool’s Gold’s search and rescue organization. We held a contest, people submitted names. The city council narrowed it down to ten, and then we voted. HERO won.”

“It’s still a stupid name,” Kipling grumbled.

Destiny held in a grin. “You don’t like being a hero?”

“Let’s just say I take a lot of crap about the name.”

“Challenges build character,” she murmured, thinking he’d probably liked G-Force a whole lot better.

“Yet another place I’m not lacking.”

He winked as he spoke, which made her want to laugh. But this was supposed to be a professional setting, so instead she turned her attention back to Mayor Marsha.

“STORMS will work well for what you have in mind.”

“I’m counting on it,” the mayor told her. “We were very lucky to get the money we needed. Between our federal and state grants and a very sizable anonymous local donation, we’re fully funded for the next five years. Including your part in this.”

Impressive, Destiny thought. STORMS didn’t come cheap. With the software itself, the equipment required, the expense of mapping and training a team, the price was over a million dollars. And that didn’t include the cost of running a search and rescue operation.

“We’ve had excellent success with our software,” she said. “Your terrain is perfectly suited for what we do best.”

“Excellent. You and Kipling have a plan?”

Kipling sat as relaxed as he had before. “We’re getting one together. Destiny has to map the area and feed the information into her software. Then we’ll do some beta testing on the program. We’ll make the August first deadline.”

“Good.” Mayor Marsha nodded at Kipling, then turned back to Destiny. “Do you agree that we’ll meet our deadline?”

“We’re on schedule to have the program up and running by mid-July. The extra two weeks are a buffer I’m hoping we don’t need.”

Destiny didn’t like unexpected problems. Part of her job was anticipating issues before they happened. She prided herself on a smooth rollout.

“And how is Starr settling in to life in Fool’s Gold?”

The mayor’s shift in topic caught Destiny by surprise. Worse, it took her a second to remember who Starr was and why, for the first time in over a decade, she suddenly had someone other than herself to worry about.

“She’s, ah, doing okay. I guess. We just got into town yesterday.”

The mayor nodded knowingly. “Yes, it must be difficult for both of you. She’s your half sister, isn’t she? You have the same father but different mothers?”

Destiny felt her mouth start to drop open. She consciously kept her lips together as she nodded. “Yes, that’s right,” she said cautiously, not comfortable discussing her family. Because it was so much better when people didn’t know.

She glanced at Kipling, who looked only mildly interested in their conversation. Did he know who she was? He hadn’t hinted that he did.

“Fifteen is a difficult age.” Mayor Marsha shook her head. “That’s about when the trouble started with my own daughter. She was a headstrong girl. And that was a very long time ago. As for you and Starr, I hope you’ll consider Fool’s Gold your home as long as you’re here. If you need anything, just let me know. Oh, I have something for you.”

She walked back to her desk where she picked up a folder. She returned to the sofa and handed it to Destiny.

“We have a summer camp here. End Zone for Kids. It’s up in the mountains. There are a lot of interesting programs for young people. I think Starr would enjoy the drama classes, along with music, of course. You’re going to be busy, and a fifteen-year-old shouldn’t be left home alone all day.”

“I, ah, thank you.”

Destiny didn’t know what else to say. How had the mayor known Starr’s age? Or that she was home alone? Although maybe the latter wasn’t hard to figure out. After all, Destiny wasn’t home with her, and they’d been in town less than two days.

Guilt followed that realization. Because Starr was by herself. At fifteen she should be fine, but that wasn’t the point.

“There are charming festivals all summer,” the mayor continued. “I hope you’ll take advantage of them while you’re here. Fool’s Gold is a wonderful place to live.”

Somehow Destiny found herself outside the office. She didn’t remember walking there or saying goodbye. It was the strangest sensation.

Kipling stood next to her. He flashed her a grin. “Kind of wondering what just happened?”

“Yeah.”

“You’ll get used to it. Nice idea about the camp for your sister.”

Destiny nodded. There was no way she was going to explain that until ten days ago, she’d never even met Starr. That between them, her parents had been married twelve or fourteen times, and there were dozens of step-whatevers and a few half siblings floating around the country. No one could keep up with it all, and Destiny had stopped trying years ago.

She held the folder tightly. “Speaking of my sister, I should probably get home and check on her.”

“Sure. I’ll catch you later.”

Right. Work. She forced herself to focus. “We need to talk about the training schedule.”

“Give me your phone.”

She handed over her cell. He punched in some numbers, then handed it back to her.

“Now you can get in touch with me anytime you want.”

He waved and headed for the stairs. For a second Destiny stared after him. Kipling was a good distraction. But when he disappeared from view, she was left with the reality of a new job, a new town and a sister she barely knew.

One problem at a time, she told herself firmly. And right now that meant dealing with her family.

CHAPTER TWO

DESTINY TRAVELED CONSTANTLY for work. While on assignment, she worked 24/7 until the job was done then had a few weeks off until she had to report to the next location. Except for a beautiful summer in northern Canada, she’d only been sent to clients in the US.

She was used to not knowing the best places to eat or where to find a good doctor if she needed one. She’d learned to ask questions and shop local. She preferred corporate housing to hotels.

On her time off, she retreated to her condo in Austin, where she caught up on whatever she’d missed while she’d been gone. Being alone was a natural state for her. One she liked. Sure, her mother visited every three or four months, and there were phone calls from friends or the few of her siblings she’d grown up with, but for the most part, Destiny took care of herself. She didn’t have to worry about someone else’s preferences.

When people asked if she was ever lonely, she only smiled and shook her head. Grandma Nell had taught her the pleasure of solitude. How with a good book or a guitar, she was never truly by herself. Books and music were constant companions. Better than people, they never argued or demanded. And they were always familiar. Unlike the fifteen-year-old waiting at home.

Destiny stood in front of the small house she’d rented for the summer. It was older in a charming, lived-in kind of way, with two bedrooms and baths. There was an attached garage and a fenced backyard. The house was comfortable. Huge by her normal corporate housing standards. She would never have rented it for herself, she thought as she walked up the front steps. But this summer was different. This summer she had her half sister with her.

She opened the front door and walked inside. Starr sat curled up in a corner of the sofa, reading on her tablet. She looked up at Destiny, her green eyes similar to the ones Destiny saw in the mirror every morning, although the wariness was unfamiliar. They’d inherited their eyes and their red hair from their father. But everything else was different.

Destiny was tall. She’d always felt she was all arms and legs. Starr was shorter and more delicate. Destiny was right-handed, Starr left. Destiny was an early riser, and Starr seemed to be a night owl. But they were sisters, and Destiny knew that trumped any differences.

Two weeks ago, Destiny had been getting ready for her trip to Fool’s Gold when she’d received a call from her father’s lawyer. The man had been on retainer for as long as Destiny could remember and was responsible for picking up the pieces after each of Jimmy Don’s mishaps. Her father was a legend, and cleaning up after him was a full-time job.

He’d told Destiny that one of Jimmy Don’s daughters was coming home from boarding school and had nowhere to go. Jimmy Don was out of the country, and the girl’s mother had overdosed the year before. There was no one to take Starr Mills for the summer.

While keeping up with her father’s women took more time than she had to spare, Destiny remembered the torrid affair and the illegitimate child that resulted. From all she’d heard, Starr was truly alone in the world. Saying no to the implied request hadn’t been an option.

But although she and Starr were biologically half siblings, in truth they’d never met until ten days ago when Destiny had picked up the teen at the Austin airport. So far all their conversations had been of the superficial “Hi, how are you” variety. Starr was quieter than Destiny had expected. There weren’t a lot of cell calls to friends or frantic texting sessions.

“Hi,” she said as she closed the front door behind her. “How’s it going?”

“Fine.” Starr put down her iPad. “I was reading.”

“Have you been out today?”

Starr shook her head.

Destiny might not have a family yet, but she knew that a fifteen-year-old cooped up in a strange house for days at a time wasn’t good. It wouldn’t be good even if the house wasn’t strange. Kids needed to be going and doing. Making friends.

Destiny let her small backpack fall to the floor, then sat on the chair kitty-corner to the sofa and held out the material Mayor Marsha had given her.

“I had an interesting meeting this afternoon,” she said, determined not to mention the fact that the mayor had known way more than she should about Destiny’s personal life and her nonexistent relationship with her half sister.

“It turns out there’s a summer camp in town. Or maybe up in the mountains. I haven’t read all the information yet. But it’s close, and I thought it might be fun for you.”

The wariness never left Starr’s eyes. “Why?”

“There are kids your age there. And different classes. Drama, singing, music. You’d be outdoors. That’s better than being stuck in here.”

Given the choice, Destiny always preferred to be outside. She wasn’t sure if she’d been that way before she’d gone to live with Grandma Nell, but she certainly was after. The sky seemed to beckon her. Trees were tall friends who provided protection and shade on a hot, sunny day. There were a thousand discoveries to be made and the magic of the music Mother Nature created with rustling leaves or the call of birds.

Starr took the offered brochure and opened it. “I’d like to study drama,” she admitted. “And music.” She looked up. “Get better on the guitar.”

There was no accusation in the statement. Just fact. Which didn’t prevent Destiny from squirming. The day she’d picked her half sister up at the airport, Starr had asked if Destiny could help her learn to play her guitar better. She’d admitted to being self-taught and frustrated by a lack of instruction. Destiny had lied and said that she didn’t play much and couldn’t help.

Two weeks later, the lie still sat heavy on her shoulders. Music had been as much a part of her upbringing as breathing. Given who her parents were, it was inevitable, she supposed. She’d been playing a child-size guitar before she could read, and by the time she was six, she’d added piano to her skill set.

Nearly twelve years ago she’d made the decision to put that part of her life behind her. To focus on what she saw as the normal world. She rarely played anymore and did her best to ignore the lyrics that bubbled up inside her head. Sometimes she gave in and spent a long afternoon playing and writing. Usually, that was enough to get it out of her system until the next time the feeling overwhelmed her.

She told herself that she had the right to make that decision. That she didn’t owe Starr that piece of herself. And while that might be technically true, she knew she shouldn’t have lied about it.

“I looked,” Destiny said with a smile. “There are guitar classes. Piano, too, if you’re interested.”

“Do you play piano?”

“I used to.”

“You don’t have one in the house.”

No, she had a portable keyboard with a great set of headphones instead. It was tucked under her bed.

“I move around too much to have a piano,” she said with a shrug. “It would be tough to bring a piano on a plane as my carry-on.”

Starr’s full mouth pulled up slightly. Not a complete smile, but closer than she’d gotten before, Destiny thought.

“I think the camp would be fun for you. I know it’s tough being away from your school friends. There have to be a couple of cool kids in town, right?”

“I don’t hang out with the cool kids,” Starr told her. “But I’d like to make some friends.”

“Great. Then look that over and tell me what you think.”

Starr nodded. She didn’t ask about the cost. Jimmy Don’s lawyer had explained there’d been a life insurance policy on Starr’s mother, and the money from that had been put into a trust. Their dad had kicked in some, as well. No doubt the teen assumed her expenses would be paid from that.

While Destiny knew that legally she could take money from the trust, she didn’t want to. She would cover the cost of the camp herself, just like she planned to pay for Starr’s living expenses. They were family. Sort of. At the very least, they were related, and that counted.

“Come on,” she said as she stood. “You can read about the camp while I start dinner.”

They went into the kitchen. Starr settled at the small kitchen table while Destiny pulled out the ingredients for fried chicken. As she opened the refrigerator, she saw a few unfamiliar casserole dishes.

“Did you cook?” she asked.

“No. A couple of ladies came by with them. There’s instructions on heating them. They both look good.”

Destiny glanced at the labels. One simply said lasagna, with suggestions on warming in both the oven and the microwave. The other label said it was Denise’s Many Layered Tamale Pie. Destiny was pretty sure she hadn’t met anyone named Denise, but that didn’t matter. Small-town folks took care of each other. Anything noteworthy brought out the casserole brigade.

“We can have these for lunch,” she said. “If that’s okay with you.”

“Sure.”

She dumped flour, salt, pepper and paprika into a large plastic bag. After washing off the chicken, she patted it dry and then soaked it in buttermilk for a few seconds before putting the pieces in with the flour. A couple of shakes later, the chicken was coated. She set the pieces on a plate. The trick to really good fried chicken was hot oil and letting the flour mixture get a little gooey.

As she waited, she glanced at Starr. The teen read the camp information intently.

There was a stillness about her. Or maybe it was just sadness. Starr’s young life hadn’t been easy. She rarely saw her father; her mother had been in and out of rehab and had eventually died of an overdose. Now Starr lived at a boarding school. She had no grandparents, and all her siblings were either half or step and total strangers.

Destiny’s guilt returned, but this time for a different reason. She needed to make time for Starr, she thought. They had this summer together. They could get to know each other.

She supposed that in a lot of families, half sisters would already be friends. But not in hers, and that was because her father couldn’t resist a beautiful woman, Destiny thought grimly. Jimmy Don loved the ladies, and they loved him back. Over and over. He’d married young and often, divorcing and remarrying again and again. Not that her mother was any different. Lacey Mills was on her seventh husband. Or maybe her eighth. It was difficult to keep track.

Destiny was Jimmy Don and Lacey’s firstborn. She’d been witness to the early years of their relationship. She’d grown up with the screaming, the plate throwing, the drama. She’d learned early to get out of the way when tempers flared and that the good times were always temporary. She’d vowed to be different. She wanted a calm, quiet, practical marriage. No great highs or lows for her. She was looking for a man she could respect and have children with. Not one that got her heart beating faster.

Her determination was the reason she avoided the Kipling Gilmores of the world. Sure, he was a handsome devil with an easy smile and a charming way about him. She was sure that he knew things that could make her beg. But she didn’t want to beg. She didn’t want to yearn, lust, dream or even long. She wanted certainty. A solid, dependable, comfortable kind of love.

Sex was the root of all evil. She’d learned that early, too. She’d never let herself be swept away, which was a point of pride for her. No hormone was more powerful than her determination, and nothing about that was ever going to change.

* * *

THE MAN CAVE had been an old hardware store, back in the day. When Kipling had first gotten the idea of opening a bar where guys could be comfortable, he’d immediately thought of the store for sale on Katie Lane. As the seller also happened to be one of his business partners in the bar, he’d gotten a good deal on the place.

Renovations had gone quickly. It helped that several of his new business partners knew the local trades, and things got done. Now they were only a few weeks from opening.

Kipling stood by the double front doors and glanced around. There was a long bar along the east wall that housed a self-serve beer fridge. Tables filled the front area. There were pool tables and dartboards, a poker room in back and plenty of TVs, including a couple in the bathrooms so no one had to miss a play.

The second floor overlooked the main bar and had plenty of seating. Sports memorabilia covered the walls. Not just the usual Sports Illustrated swimsuit covers, but actual trophies and other items. Josh Golden, a partner and the guy who had owned the building, had brought in one of his yellow jerseys from the Tour de France. There were footballs and helmets donated by the former pro players at Score, a local PR firm, and dozens of trophies from them and former quarterback Raoul Moreno. Kipling’s contribution was one of his gold medals from the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

But what he liked the best was the big stage and state-of-the-art karaoke machine he’d ordered. Sure they could have bands come in and perform, but for him karaoke was the real draw.

Back when he’d been competing and traveling year round, karaoke was what had always pulled the teams together. No matter where they were in the world, they found a place with a machine and spent many a night making fools of themselves. Kipling could carry a tune. Barely. But singing well wasn’t the point. It was about having fun.

The idea for the bar had been with him for a while. When he’d come to Fool’s Gold, he’d realized this was where he could make it happen. Jo’s Bar in town did a good business, but catered mostly to women. The pastel color scheme and TV stations tuned to fashion and shopping kind of freaked him out. Where did guys go to just hang? A few conversations later, he had partners and a long-term lease from Josh.

He flipped on lights and surveyed the room. They were still waiting on some tables and chairs. The liquor license had been approved the previous week. Now they were getting suppliers lined up.

The front door opened, and Nick and Aidan Mitchell walked inside.

The two men were locals, born and raised in Fool’s Gold. From what Kipling had heard, there were five Mitchell brothers. The youngest two were twins. The twins and the oldest brother, Del, had moved away.

At his partners’ suggestion, Kipling had hired Nick to manage the bar. Aidan, a year or two older, ran the family business—Mitchell Adventure Tours. The company catered to tourists and offered everything from easy day hikes to white-water rafting.

“Looking good,” Aidan said as they approached. “You’re going to be opening soon.”

“Three weeks max,” Nick said easily. “I’m already hiring servers.”

Both men were tall, with dark hair and eyes. Aidan glared at his brother. “Seriously? Hiring servers.”

Nick’s relaxed expression tightened. “Don’t start on me.”

“You’re not worth the trouble.”

There was both frustration and affection in Aidan’s tone. From what Kipling had been able to piece together, the family was close, but not without its troubles. The father was Ceallach Mitchell, the famous glass artist. He was known both for his brilliance and his temper. Nick had apparently inherited his ability but not his interest. From what Kipling could tell, Nick had been tending bar for years, rather than working with glass.

Aidan was on his brother a lot—complaining that the younger Mitchell could do so much more than simply run a bar. As Kipling had a complicated relationship with his own sister, he did his best to stay out of these family dynamics.

“You given any thought to what we talked about?” Kipling asked Aidan.

The older brother raised one shoulder. “You know I don’t have time.”

Kipling knew when to keep quiet. It was a trick he’d learned from his coach. Let ’em talk it out, and they’ll almost always come round to your way of thinking.

“Yeah,” Aidan continued. “I know it’s a volunteer assignment, but we get busy in the summer.”

“You’re busy all year round,” Nick said cheerfully. “What if it’s one of your customers who’s lost?”

Aidan swore at his brother. “No one asked you.”

“I’m a giver. I don’t need to be asked.”

Kipling held in a chuckle.

Aidan glared. “Don’t pressure me.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Kipling told him. “Did I mention it was Mayor Marsha who suggested I ask you?”

Aidan swore again. “Fine,” he grumbled. “I’ll be one of your damned volunteers.”

“Good to know. I’ll get you the paperwork within a day.”

“There’s paperwork?” Aidan shook his head. “No good deed.”

Nick slapped him on the back. “You know it.”

“Don’t think you won’t be right there beside me,” Aidan told him.

“Never planned for it to be otherwise.”

Two for the price of one, Kipling thought with satisfaction. The search and rescue team, which he refused to think of as HERO, would be staffed mostly by volunteers. He would be in charge, and he was hiring a second-in-command, not to mention a couple of support staff. But everyone else would work on a volunteer basis. It was the easiest way to keep costs down.

Given the willingness of the community to get involved, Kipling didn’t think he would have a problem getting everyone trained. He’d already spoken to both the police and fire chiefs, and they’d assured him he would have plenty of their folks showing up.

Aidan was the one he wanted, though. With his business, he knew the area better than almost anyone. When someone was lost, Kipling wanted Aidan on the ground, looking.

“When does training begin?” Nick asked.

“Not for about a month. The facilitator from STORMS arrived a couple of days ago. She has to get the terrain mapped and the software up and running first.”

Aidan nodded. “The tall redhead, right? I’ve seen her around town. What’s her name?”

“Destiny Mills.”

Kipling wanted to say more. Like the fact that her green eyes reminded him of spring leaves against the last snow of the season. Only he wasn’t a guy who talked like that. No one did. At least no one he knew.

“You could use a woman,” Nick said, nudging his brother.

“She’s not my type.”

“How do you know? You haven’t met her.”

Aidan’s expression tightened. “She isn’t. Let it go.” He turned and walked out.

Nick waited until his brother was gone to shake his head. “He won’t date anyone longer than fifteen minutes. One day that lifestyle’s going to bite him in the ass. What about you? What are your thoughts on Ms. Destiny Mills?”

Kipling wasn’t sharing them with anyone but the woman in question. “I’m working with her, not dating her. Why all the interest?”

“I’m the bartender. I need to know things.”

Kipling thought briefly about warning Nick off. He had his own plans for Destiny. Then he realized there was no point. If Destiny was interested in the same thing he was, he would know soon enough. If she wasn’t, then Nick was welcome. Kipling had never had much trouble getting or keeping women. His problem was more along the lines of never feeling he wanted more than a temporary arrangement. But until it was time to walk away, he was interested in wherever Destiny wanted to go.

* * *

DESTINY WOKE UP earlier than usual. By the time she’d showered and dressed it was still a few minutes before six. She grabbed her wallet and stuffed it in the front pocket of her jeans then walked quietly to the front door and let herself out.

It was still cool, although the weather guy had promised a nice warm day. The sky was clear, and the neighborhood quiet. She zipped up her hoodie and turned toward town.

One of the advantages of constantly moving around was discovering local businesses. So far her Fool’s Gold finds were a street truck that served incredible sandwiches by Pyrite Park and Ambrosia Bakery. The former solved her lunch problem and the latter was going to require her to add a little exercise to her routine.

She crossed empty streets. As she got closer to the bakery, she saw a few people and a couple of cars. A jogger nodded as he passed her.

Destiny liked discovering the rhythm of each town she worked in. They were all similar, with just enough differences to keep things interesting. In a way, like the rhythm of a song. Stanzas told a story, and the chorus was the exploration of a theme. The backbone that held it all together.

She turned on Second Street and saw the bakery ahead on her left. The doors stood open, which meant it was now after six. She walked in and inhaled the sweet combination of sugar, cinnamon and freshly baked bread. Talk about heaven.

A petite blonde stood behind the counter. She had blue eyes and a pretty face. There was something familiar about her, although Destiny knew they hadn’t met. Her name tag said Shelby.

“Morning,” Shelby said with a smile. “You’re up early.”

“Not as early as you.” Destiny motioned to the display case full of pastries. “Unless these were baked last night.”

Shelby laughed. “No such luck. I was here at three.”

Destiny winced. “Okay, I like to get up early, but that would challenge even me.”

“I know. When I have a day off, I sleep late. Which means four-thirty. It’s an odd schedule, that’s for sure. What can I get you?”

Destiny chose a half-dozen Danish. She would leave most of them for Starr and maybe take one to work.

Shelby put the pastries in a silver-and-white-striped box. “Are you new in town or visiting?”

“I’m new. Here for the summer to set up software for the search and rescue program.”

Shelby nodded. “HERO.” She laughed again. “My brother is Kipling Gilmore. I don’t know if you’ve met him yet. He’s running the program. And totally hates the name, by the way. If you want to torture him or something, just keep saying it out loud.”

“I have met him, and I appreciate the advice.”

Destiny studied the other woman, realizing now why she looked familiar.

Shelby handed over the box. “You know, you don’t have to come here for Danish. Not that I don’t appreciate the company. But most people want coffee, too, and we don’t do that. You can get our baked goods over at Brew-haha.”

“I’m not much for coffee. Just sugar.” Destiny thought about her conversation with Kipling and what Mayor Marsha had said about the program. “Have you lived in town long? I got the impression that Kipling was a relatively new addition to the population.”

“Nearly a year.” Shelby’s smile faded. “I moved here last summer. My mom died and, well, it’s complicated. Kipling was in rehab until January. Physical, not the other kind. Oh, do you know who he is? The skiing and all that?”

Destiny nodded. “I figured it out. The accident was pretty bad. I’m glad he’s okay now.” She hesitated, not sure what to say about Shelby’s mother. “I’m sorry about your mom.”

“Thanks. It never goes away, but I’m dealing with it. Having Kipling around helps. I mean he’s totally annoying, but I love him. He’s the only family I have left. I’d be lost without him.”

“It’s nice to have family around,” Destiny murmured, thinking of Starr. The girl was only fifteen and pretty much alone in the world. It was good they were going to have the summer to get to know each other.

A couple of guys walked into the bakery. They were tall and broad-shouldered and wearing shorts and T-shirts. They looked familiar, too, although she couldn’t place them. Was everyone in this town related?

“Loser buys,” the dark-haired guy said. “That means you.”

“Nice, Sam. I am so kicking your ass on the court today.”

“See you tomorrow,” Destiny told Shelby and headed for the door.

She passed by the two men. They were both wearing wedding rings. Not that she’d been attracted to either of them. She was strong and powerful and never sucked in by something as temporal as sex. She had goals and rules and a plan. And if all that failed, she had Danish.

She started back for the house. There were more people out on the street now, and the sun was rising in the sky. She smiled and greeted those who waved at her. She liked the friendliness of the town.

At the corner, she checked before crossing. As she glanced to her left, she saw a man jogging away from her. His stride was slightly uneven, and his pace slower than most. As the information registered in her brain, she recognized Kipling.

There were scars on his legs and a hitch to his gait. She thought about all that he would have gone through after his accident and wondered about the courage it took to recover from something like that. No, not recover. Thrive. It spoke highly of his character.

She crossed the street and made her way to her rental house. Once inside, she left the Danish on the table and hurried into her bedroom. After closing the door, she got her guitar out of the closet and sat on the edge of the bed.

Words tumbled around a half-formed melody. Aware of Starr sleeping on the other side of the hall, she strummed quietly, pausing every now and then to write down lyrics or notes.

Too many ways and too many days. Testing and hurting, I see you alone. Too many nights of wanting it right and I’m walking...

She pressed her palm against the strings as she struggled with the line.

The song beckoned. The need to get lost in finding the right combination of notes and syllables grew. Of meaning and phrases. She glanced at her small bedside clock. She had to be at work, and she didn’t want Starr to hear her. Better to start her morning.

She drew in a breath, then compromised by setting her phone timer for forty-five minutes. When the beeper sounded, she forced herself to put away her guitar and shoved the worn notebook into her nightstand.

She had a real job, she reminded herself. A regular life. The rest of it—the songs and the music—were just play. She made deliberate choices for a reason. Staying in control was all that kept her safe. Vigilance, she reminded herself. Determination. She was stronger than her biology. She always would be.

CHAPTER THREE

KIPLING SET UP the new computers on the desks that had been delivered the previous week. He sorted the packing material into recycle and trash piles, then carried it all out back. When he returned, Destiny was walking into the HERO office.

“Right on time,” he said, taking in the jeans, boots and short-sleeved T-shirt she wore. She’d pulled her long hair back into a ponytail.

From what he could tell, she wasn’t wearing makeup. She used a small backpack for a handbag and certainly didn’t dress to impress anyone. She wasn’t the kind of woman who kept a man waiting “just five more minutes” while she primped. All pluses in his book.

“I see the computers arrived,” she said by way of greeting. “I’ll let my tech guys know. They’ll be here in a couple of days to load and test the software. While they’re doing that, I’ll be mapping the terrain. Then we’ll get started on training you and your volunteers on STORMS.”

“Good morning,” he said. “How was your evening?”

She raised her eyebrows. “I didn’t take you for someone who lived for social niceties, but sure. I can do that. Good morning, Kipling. Did you have a nice jog this morning?”

“How did you know I was out jogging?”

She shifted her weight from foot to foot. “I went out to get some breakfast and saw you. Going the other way. I would have called out, but you were too far away. I wasn’t spying or anything.”

“I never thought you were.”

She’d been watching him. A year ago, he would have read that as a good sign. One of interest. Today he was less sure. She could have been put off by the scars or his limp. Although she didn’t strike him as overly concerned about that sort of thing.

“It’s the small-town thing,” she continued. “You can’t really escape anyone. Not that you were trying to. Or anything.”

She dropped her backpack on the desk and crossed her arms over her chest.

“Feeling awkward?” he asked.

“Very.”

“Want to move on to another topic?”

“More than you know.”

He grinned. “Then let’s get down to business.”

Unlike the mayor’s office, there was no comfortable sofa-and-chair arrangement. In the command center, conversations took place around a metal table with folding chairs. He and Destiny settled at one corner. She pulled a laptop out of her backpack and booted it. While it did its thing, she handed over a couple sheets of paper.

“This is the preliminary schedule,” she told him. “Mapping and testing will take about a month. We’ll have multiple practice rescues that will all go badly. For those, we want as small a group participating as possible. So no one gets discouraged.”

“You’re assuming the worst.”

“I’ve done this before,” she told him. “Man and machine don’t work well together without training. Once we get the kinks worked out, we’ll broaden the practice areas and bring in more people.”

She was sitting close enough that they could both see her laptop screen, which also meant he could inhale the scent of her shampoo. Something floral, he thought. A bit of a surprise considering how she didn’t seem all that interested in being girly with her clothes or accessories.

Unexpected nuances. Everyone had them. They were some of his favorite things to discover. What else was she hiding? Was there a passionate woman behind the “all business” exterior? Was she quiet in bed, or a screamer? He was open to either.

She turned to get something out of her backpack. As she moved, her ponytail swung toward him. Dark red hair curled slightly at the ends, begging to be touched. He knew the strands would be soft. For a second he allowed himself the fantasy of her pulling out the band holding her hair in place and shaking her head. Like in one of those cheesy perfume commercials. Maybe she would crook her finger at him.

Unlikely, he thought, holding in a grin at the image. Destiny didn’t strike him as the sultry type. He would guess she was more practical than seductive. Again, not a problem for him.

She set more papers on the desk and scanned the top sheet. “You’re going to be hiring a second-in-command?”

He forced his attention back to the job at hand. “Yes. I have interviews lined up for the next few weeks. There will also be a couple of paid staffers.” She made a couple of notes as he spoke. “The volunteer force is impressive. Mostly firefighters and cops, along with a few locals who—”

She turned to him. “Sam Ridge.”

“You know him?”

“What? No. I saw him today. At the bakery. He and another guy came in as I left. The one said Sam. I’ve been trying to figure out who he is.” She leaned toward him. “He’s a former NFL kicker. There are a lot of former pro athletes in this town. You, the football guys and some cyclist, too... There was an article about him on the Fool’s Gold website. You’re in good company. Is that why you wanted to move here?”

“Not exactly.”

Her mouth curved up in a smile. “Let me guess. It has something to do with Mayor Marsha.”

“As a matter of fact, it does. She came to see me in New Zealand after my crash and offered me the job.”

He hadn’t cared about the job, he thought grimly, remembering the helplessness he’d felt trapped in a hospital bed, not sure if he would ever walk again. He’d cared about his sister and what she was going through. People said love was a big deal. He’d never thought that. Love didn’t get the job done. When Shelby had been dodging their father’s fists, Kipling’s love hadn’t been able to do a damn thing to save her.

Then Mayor Marsha had shown up and offered a miracle. He didn’t know how the old lady had known what was happening, but she had. As promised, she’d protected Shelby and in return, he’d moved to Fool’s Gold.

He knew he’d gotten the best end of the deal. Shelby was safe, and he had a place to start over. A place where he was simply Kipling Gilmore. Not world famous G-Force. Which probably sounded good enough to most people. He was healed, and he could settle down. What few realized was after years of being a god, sometimes it was hard to settle.

“That’s a long way to go to hire someone,” Destiny said.

“I’m worth it.”

Destiny laughed. “Okay, I’ll pretend to agree with you. Was she on vacation?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I never much thought about it. I was pretty banged up and out of it. There were things to deal with.”

He still remembered Mayor Marsha standing beside his hospital bed and telling him she could take care of his sister. He hadn’t believed her, but she’d come through. His old man had been thrown in jail, Shelby had been safe and when he’d healed enough, he’d shown up to take the offered job.

“And?” Destiny prompted.

“She made an irresistible offer,” he said, not wanting to share the truth with anyone. More to protect Shelby than himself. “And here I am.”

“You’re uniquely qualified for the job. You know your way around mountains.”

“Less on foot than on skis.”

“Does that bother you?”

He thought about what it had been like to fly down the snow. To go faster than anyone. He thought about the feel of the wind, the sounds, the fact that for those few seconds, it was only him and the impossible odds against winning.

“Sometimes,” he admitted.

“Giving up the dream?” she asked.

He nodded. “It was going to happen eventually, but I wanted it on my terms.”

“But what you did was dangerous. You could have hurt yourself.”

He looked into her green eyes. “I did hurt myself.”

“I mean it could have been worse. Was it worth it?”

He didn’t have to consider his answer. He knew what it was like to defy gravity. He’d been the best. “Absolutely.”

“I’ll never understand that. Why would you deliberately take that kind of risk?”

“For the reward.”

Her nose wrinkled. “A trophy and some arm candy?”

“The thrill of winning. Doing what hadn’t been done before.”

“So you break a record. Someone else will break yours. The glory is fleeting.”

“The mountain is forever and when I skied, I was part of it.”

* * *

AS KIPLING SPOKE, he seemed to be looking past her, to something she couldn’t see. Destiny couldn’t understand what he was talking about. Not the meaning behind the words, anyway. Why would someone willingly put themselves in harm’s way? Of course she’d often asked her parents why they were willing to risk their marriage and family for a few nights of passion, and they hadn’t been able to explain that, either.

She supposed her inability to understand was more about her than them. She wasn’t looking for the thrill in any form, while it seemed that nearly everyone else sought it no matter the cost. But although she could usually dismiss her parents’ choices with a shrug, she found herself wanting to know more about Kipling’s. To understand what had driven him to take the risks.

“So you’re part of the mountain?” she asked. “A part of something larger than yourself?”

He gave her one of his easy smiles. “Something like that.”

“That one I get,” she told him. “When I’m alone in nature, there’s a peace. A connection. But you can feel that sitting still.”

“You can,” he corrected. “I do it with speed.”

Her gaze locked with his. In that moment, the world seemed to shrink just a little bit. Or maybe go out of focus was more accurate. She could hear the beating of her heart and knew that she was breathing, but all that seemed separate from the act of looking into his dark blue eyes.

They were sitting closer than she’d realized. Close enough that she was both uncomfortable and a little bit jumpy. Leaning forward seemed the most logical thing to do, although she couldn’t for the life of her say why. Lean forward and then what?

Rather than give in, she drew back slightly and searched for a neutral topic. “I met your sister this morning.”

“You went with the breakfast of champions, then?”

“I bought Danish for my sister.”

One brow rose. “Now you’re lying.”

“Fine. I bought them for myself, but I left most of them with her.” She shuffled the papers in front of her. “It’s nice that Shelby could move to Fool’s Gold, too. Have you always been close?”

“Mostly. I traveled a lot, and that made it harder, but we’ve stayed in touch. You know how it goes.”

“Not really,” she said before she could stop herself. “My parents had me nine months after they got married. They split up when I was five. While they were apart, my dad married someone else and had a baby with her. My mom got pregnant by some other guy, then my parents got back together. It was confusing.”

There was so much more. Other marriages, separations and divorces. Lacey and Jimmy Don believed in living large. Destiny had been passed around to relatives and friends. She’d spent time on the road with her parents. Finally, Grandma Nell had stepped in, taking her away from all the craziness. From the first moment Destiny had set foot in the small house in the mountains, she knew she was where she belonged.

“I don’t really know Starr,” she admitted. “We have the same father, but until two weeks ago, I’d never met her.”

“That’s tough. How are things going?”

“Okay, I guess. I hope they are. She doesn’t talk much, and I’ve never been responsible for a teenager before. She seems excited about the summer camp Mayor Marsha told me about. I think it would help if she got out and could make some friends.” She hesitated. “I don’t know what she wants. From me or her life. When I was her age... Let’s just say it was different.”

“Different how?”

Before she could figure out how to answer, a familiar low rumble sounded overhead. It grew louder, then quieter.

“I can’t believe it,” she said with a grin. “What is it about your gender? Can’t you just walk into a room? Do you always have to make an entrance?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

She pointed to the ceiling. “That noise you just heard? It’s Miles, buzzing the town on his way to the airport. Because he thinks it’s cool. My helicopter pilot is one of the best, but he has the emotional maturity of a toddler. Come on. You’ll want to meet him, and I have to warn him that he’s not to make trouble while he’s here.”

“Does he usually?”

She thought about the string of broken hearts and shattered dreams Miles left in his wake. Sort of the reverse of bread crumbs. Because once Miles walked away, he never came back.

“Always. He says it’s part of his charm.”

“What do you say?” Kipling asked.

“That he needs a good smack upside the head.”

* * *

THEY TOOK HIS JEEP out to the small airport. Sure enough, a helicopter sat on the tarmac. As Kipling came to a stop, a guy climbed out and waved. Destiny scrambled out of the Jeep and raced toward him.

Kipling saw the other man, Miles, was about his height with dark hair. He wore an LA Stallions baseball cap. Destiny launched herself at him, and the man caught her in a tight embrace.

For a second Kipling wondered if he was going to have some competition for his planned short-term affair with the sexy redhead. Or if he’d misread the fact that she was single. But as he watched, the hug, while friendly, never progressed past affectionate. There was no trace of sexual tension between them. No lingering chemistry.

Miles released her, and she stepped back. They were talking animatedly. The man shook his head stubbornly, and Destiny slugged him in the arm.

Okay then, Kipling thought with a grin. More like brother and sister, not lovers. Excellent news. He’d been looking forward to seducing Destiny but wouldn’t go there if she belonged to someone else.

They approached. Destiny rolled her eyes. “Kipling Gilmore, meet Miles Thomas. He’s a good pilot and a complete dog when it comes to women. Please tell him to go easy here in town.”

The two men shook hands.

“It’s a family place with a lot of women in power,” Kipling warned him. “Our police chief has sons in high school and college. She’s not one to be reasoned with.”

Miles winked at Destiny. “Then I won’t ask her out. Sweet Destiny, you’re going to make this nice man think I’m a total bastard.”

“Yes, I know. Like I said. Brilliant in the sky. A jerk in his love life. I can’t tell you how many sobbing phone calls I’ve had to deal with over the past couple of years.”

“I’ve never made a phone cry,” Miles told her.

“Very funny. Don’t make me hit you again.”

Miles rubbed his arm. “You do pack a punch. More of Grandma Nell’s work, I presume.”

“Yes, and had she met you, she would have castrated you, just like she did the hogs.”

Miles’s good humor faded as he took a big step back. “Thanks for sharing. She’d dead, right?”

“You’re talking about my favorite grandmother,” Destiny told him. “Show a little respect.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Kipling leaned against the Jeep and took in the show. “How long are you in town?” he asked Miles.

“As long as the job lasts.” He looked up at the mountains. “Six weeks maybe, give or take.” He sighed heavily. “Not that her work fills my days. Know anyone who wants to hire a helicopter pilot for odd jobs?”

“No, but I’ll ask around. There’s a company in town that offers different wilderness tours. I’ll give you the owner’s number. Aidan might want to offer helicopter tours. There may be others. Let me think on it.”

“Sure. That would be great.” Miles fished a business card out of his shirt pocket and handed it over. “I’d appreciate anything that would break up the boredom of going over terrain, inch by fricking inch.”

“We pay you very well for your time,” Destiny said.

“That you do, my love, but the money doesn’t make the work interesting.”

“He’s a diva,” she told Kipling. “You’re the one who should have attitude, and you don’t. Miles has no reason to think he’s all that, yet he acts like he is.”

“I can hear you,” Miles said.

She started for the Jeep. “We have to give him a ride back to town so he can rent a car. I hope that’s okay.”

Miles shook his head. “She’s always like this. Acting as if I’m her...”

“Annoying younger brother?” Kipling asked.

“Yeah. Why is that?”

“No idea.”

All he knew was Miles wasn’t going to get in his way. Which meant it was time to get on with his plan.

* * *

“I DON’T GET IT,” Starr admitted as they stepped off a curb on their walk to town and the festival in progress. “Who is Rosie the Riveter?”

“She worked in a factory during World War II,” Destiny said. “She symbolized women helping out during the war. Before that, not many women had been in factory work, but when the men went off to war, factory positions had to be filled.”

Starr’s eyes widened. “How do you know that?”

“I read a brochure. Someone dropped off a whole folder filled with brochures on the various town festivals. Some of them look fun.” More important to her summer with Starr, there were a couple every month—giving them things to do on the weekend.

Today was the start of Rosie the Riveter Days, a festival that celebrated all of the women of Fool’s Gold who moved to San Francisco during World War II to work in the factories there.

While the schools in Fool’s Gold were still in session for a few more weeks, Starr’s boarding school had already ended for the summer. The teen was certainly old enough to be left alone, but Destiny didn’t think day after day by herself was good for her half sister.

“Maybe we could get a book about Rosie the Riveter from the library,” she offered.

Starr rolled her eyes. “No, thanks. If I want to read about her, I’ll go online.”

“Sure.”

They crossed the street and headed for the park. The day was sunny and warm, the sidewalks filled with people. There were booths set up, selling everything from olive oil to jewelry, and posters promised live music all afternoon and evening.

Destiny paused in front of one of the posters. At least here was something she and Starr had in common. Something they could talk about.

“We can stay and listen to the bands,” she said. “Which ones look interesting to you?”

“Hello, girls.”

Destiny turned and saw a gray-haired lady in a track suit walking toward them.

“Don’t tell me,” the older woman said. “Let me guess.” She paused, then pointed. “Destiny and Starr. Do I have that right?”

Destiny nodded. “Yes. Hello.”

“I’m Eddie Carberry. You two are new in town. Welcome. We like new people, as long as you don’t make trouble.” Her expression turned stern as she raised her hand and pointed her finger at Destiny. “No texting and driving, young lady. Do you hear me? It’s dangerous.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I don’t drive yet,” Starr added quickly, taking a step to the side, so she was half-hidden behind Destiny. “And I would never do that.”

“See that you don’t.” Eddie’s face relaxed as she smiled. “Have fun at the festival.”

“Yes, ma’am,” they said together.

Eddie walked away.

“How does she know who we are?” Starr asked. “Why was she mean?”

“All good questions,” Destiny told her. “It’s a small-town thing.”

“The smallest town I lived in was Nashville. From there we moved to Atlanta and then to Miami.” Starr paused for a second. “Dad took me on tour once. I was eight. We went to small towns, but that was different. I don’t know if I like it here.”

“You have to give it time. It can be more intense, but it’s also easier to get to know people because you’ll see them again and again.”

“Which is great unless you don’t get along.”

Destiny laughed. “So you’re not an optimist?”

“I guess not.” Starr’s green eyes brightened. “Isn’t moodiness a sign of, like, having talent?”

“I think it’s more about being a teenager.”

“Were you moody?”

“Grandma Nell didn’t believe in moods. She always said the chickens didn’t care how I felt about feeding them, as long as I got the job done.”

“She sounds, ah, really great.”

Destiny grinned. “She was, but she wasn’t easy. Still, I loved being with her.” She turned back to the poster. “All right. Let’s choose our bands. You first.”

They looked at the offerings and had a heated discussion of rock versus bluegrass. Ten minutes later, their day was scheduled, musically, at least. It was early for lunch and with the music not starting for a couple of hours, the afternoon loomed long.

Destiny wasn’t sure what they should talk about. School? Was that a safe topic?

“Are you keeping in touch with your school friends?” she asked.

Starr shrugged. “Some.”

“If you want to invite anyone to come stay for a few days, that would be okay. A weekend would be better so I wasn’t working,” she added.

“Thanks, but no. They all have plans with their families. Becky’s going to Europe, and Chelsea’s going to a language school.” Starr sighed heavily. “Her dad works for, like, the government or something, and she has to learn a bunch of languages.”

“That would be kind of hard.”

“I know, right? But she’s good at it. Becky’s good at math. I’m not really good at anything. I thought maybe music but...” Her voice trailed off, and she shrugged.

For a second Destiny felt a flood of guilt. She’d only heard her sister sing a couple of times, but she had a pretty voice. She knew she could teach Starr how to play the guitar better. Maybe they could start on the keyboard. Only Destiny didn’t want to go there. Didn’t want to get involved or have anyone she knew in that business. It was seductive and dangerous. From the outside, the music world was glamorous, but from the inside, it was anything but.

A tall woman with a baby strapped to her chest approached them. She smiled engagingly.

“Hello. You must be Destiny and Starr Mills. Nice to meet you both. I’m Felicia Boylan. I run the festivals here in town.” The woman paused. “Interesting that we’re all natural redheads. Only about two percent of the population has red hair. The gene itself is recessive. I believe the color is caused by a mutation of the MC1R. That’s a gene that—”

Felicia paused then shrugged. “Sorry. Pretend I never said all of that. Most people don’t find my bursts of knowledge particularly interesting, but they are, I assure you, harmless.”

“Is that true?” Starr asked. “What you said about a mutation?”

“Yes. But not in a way that gives you super powers, like in the X-Men movies. Although, curiously enough, red hair doesn’t go gray. It simply fades over time.” Felicia smiled again. “Not that you’ll care about that now, but in forty years, it will be comforting.”

Starr looked more confused than reassured.

“Cute baby,” Destiny said. “How old?”

“Eight months.” Felicia beamed. “This is my daughter, Gabrielle-Emilie. She’s named after Gabrielle-Emilie Le Tonnelier de Breteuil, a French courtier who collaborated with her lover Voltaire on many physics projects. However, if you ever meet my brother-in-law Gabriel, please don’t tell him that the baby isn’t named after him. He made an erroneous assumption, and we’ve decided not to disabuse him of it.”

Starr looked even more confused, but nodded and touched the baby’s hand. “Hi, Gabrielle.”

“We call her Ellie for short. Humans bond through the use of nicknames, and my son, Carter, requested this one in honor of his mother.”

Destiny was having trouble keeping up. “You’re not Carter’s mother?”

“No. It’s complicated.” Felicia turned to Starr. “Mayor Marsha told me you were thinking of coming to the summer camp. I wanted to stop by and let you know that according to my son, it’s really great and you’ll enjoy yourself. He’s fifteen, too.”

Destiny was willing to accept that locals might know her and Starr’s names and maybe even why they were in town. But knowing ages and about the camp was a little strange.

“Thanks for the information,” Starr said shyly.

“You’re welcome. One of the things they do at the camp is assign you a buddy. That’s someone who’s been there before. She’ll show you around and introduce you to people. It can be difficult when you’re new. Or odd. I was always odd when I was growing up. I’m better now. My husband says falling in love mellowed me, but I think it’s more that our intensely personal interactions have allowed me to develop my social skills.”

Felicia touched Starr’s shoulder. “As a teenager, your natural emotional state is to feel alienated. It’s part of the separation process as you mature into adulthood. And while the concept is helpful for you to learn to be a functioning member of society, you can easily find yourself feeling out of step and alone. Which is less comfortable. I think the camp would be helpful in nurturing feelings of connection with peers.”

“Okay,” Starr said slowly. “If you say so.”

“Good. I’ll tell Carter to look out for you.” Felicia smiled at Destiny. “Several of the women in town will be having lunch today at Jo’s Bar. You and your sister are invited. I can’t go because I’ll be working, but I encourage you to attend. Making friends really helps a place seem like home.”

“Thank you,” Destiny said. “That’s very nice.”

“You’re welcome. Look for Shelby Gilmore. She said she knows you. She’ll be there. Now if you’ll excuse me, I heard there was a problem with the seating by the smaller stage. Someone didn’t pay attention to my plan. I must now go explain why he’s wrong.”

“Good luck with that,” Destiny murmured.

Felicia waved and walked away.

Starr stared after her. “She scared me.”

“Me, too. At the same time, I kind of want to be more like her. Talk about smart.”

“You’re smart. Look at the job you have.”

“I’m intelligent enough,” Destiny said with a laugh. “But not compared with Felicia.” She put her arm around her sister. “On the bright side, apparently we don’t have to worry about going gray.”

“I already wasn’t.” Starr snuggled close for a second then stepped away. “I’m hungry.”

“Me, too. Looks like we have plans for lunch now, but that’s hours away. Want to go by the bakery and get a doughnut?”

“Sure.”

They circled the park then headed up Second Street, maneuvering around families with strollers. Tourists or locals? Destiny wondered, thinking about her plan to sensibly marry and then have a quiet, calm marriage of her own one day.

In college, when she’d come up with the plan, she’d assumed she would have found a husband by now. But it turned out that calm, sensible men were more difficult to find than she would have thought.

Two men stepped out of the bakery. She recognized Miles and Kipling, each holding a silver-and-white-striped box.

She stumbled to a stop as her chest suddenly tightened. How strange. What on earth was—

Everything went still. She focused on her breathing then cautiously let her attention drift to the rest of her body. There was the aforementioned tension in her chest, plus a distinct quiver in her stomach and something almost like tingling in her thighs. If she hadn’t felt totally fine a second before, she would swear she was getting the flu. So if it wasn’t that, then what?

She looked at Miles. He saw her and grinned. He appeared self-satisfied, which meant he’d been successfully flirting with someone. As she studied him, she felt only pity for whatever woman had endured his attentions. Not that most of them seemed to mind. Many conquests had lamented losing Miles, but few of them regretted the short-term thrill of being with him.

Something she’d never been tempted to experience herself, so Miles wasn’t the cause of her reaction.

She turned to Kipling and instantly got lost in his dark blue gaze. He looked less happy than his new friend. Irritation tugged at the corner of his mouth and when he glared at Miles, she had a clear view of his chiseled profile.

Your words were like a beacon, I was looking for a home.

Destiny sucked in air. No, she told herself firmly. She would not create song lyrics around Kipling. She knew where that led, and it was to a dark, bad place. It led to attraction, which led to sex, which led to jealousy and late-night fits of anger. Love was only a few shades less bad. No way, no how. She was not, under any circumstances, attracted to Kipling Gilmore. Ski gods did not make for sensible relationships.

“What part of ‘my sister’ don’t you understand?” Kipling demanded as he and Miles reached her. “Hey, Destiny.”

“Hi. What’s going on?”

Miles shrugged. “I don’t know. I saw a beautiful woman and complimented her. This one nearly took my head off.”

Destiny winced. “Not Shelby. I like her. Stay away from her.”

“Thank you,” Kipling said, then smiled at Starr. “Hi. I’m Kipling.”

“Starr.”

“The sister. I see pretty runs in the family.”

Starr blushed and ducked her head.

“Hello,” Miles said. “We were talking about me. Shelby’s an adult. She can date who she wants.”

Kipling took a step toward the other man. “No, she can’t. You hurt her, and I will break every bone in your body. Is that clear?”

Miles opened the bakery box and pulled out a cookie. He took a bite. “Attitude, man,” he said as he chewed. “You have to work on your attitude.” He looked into Kipling’s unyielding expression and sighed. “Fine. She’s off-limits.” He offered a cookie to Starr. “So what am I going to do for fun in this town? No Shelby.” He winked at Starr. “You’re too young for me.” He looked at Destiny. “You’re not interested in me.”

“You’re right. I’m not.”

Miles groaned. “You don’t have to be so blunt. You could pretend you think I’m hot.” He turned to Kipling. “We’ve had this problem from the start. It’s the princess thing.”

Destiny had been enjoying the exchange right up until that second. Now she stiffened, hoping she was wrong. That he wasn’t going there.

It always happened, she thought frantically, searching for a distraction. Someone found out, then word spread and then everything changed.

“Princess?” Starr asked. “Destiny?”

“You, too, your highness.”

“What?” Starr studied her cookie. “I’m not anybody special.”

Kipling turned to Starr. “Sure you are.”

A kindness, considering he had no idea what Miles was talking about.

Miles wiggled his eyebrows. “He doesn’t know, does he?”

“No, and he doesn’t have to.”

“Sure he does.” Miles grinned at Kipling. “Destiny is the oldest daughter of Jimmy Don and Lacey Mills. You know who they are, right?”

Kipling looked at Destiny. Confusion darkened his eyes, then it cleared. “No way.”

“Way,” Miles told him. “I’ve met Lacey a couple of times. She usually comes to visit Destiny on her jobs. Wow, is she still hot. And that voice. I heard her live once. They really are country music royalty. All those hits, all that passion.”

And drama, Destiny thought grimly. The pictures in the tabloids, the arrests, the divorces, the broken promises. Yeah, it had all been so incredibly wonderful. Who wouldn’t want to be her?

She made a point of glancing at her watch. “Look at the time. We need to be going.”

She turned away, hoping Starr would follow. The teen fell into step with her.

“Why didn’t you want Kipling to know about your parents?” Starr asked when they were out of earshot.

“It changes things. People act differently when they know.”

“They respect you more?”

If only, Destiny thought. “Not exactly. They think they know me, because of them. And they don’t.”

“Is that bad?”

“Sometimes.”

CHAPTER FOUR

DESTINY AND STARR arrived at Jo’s Bar for lunch. Destiny wasn’t sure what to expect. As a rule, she avoided bars. She didn’t drink all that much and certainly wasn’t looking to be picked up by a man. But Felicia’s lunch invitation offered a chance to get to know some of the women in town and fill part of the day—at least until it was time for the bands to start playing. A twofer in the win department.

She was surprised to find the place was the antithesis of a traditional bar. There was lots of light, a high ceiling and soft, pastel-colored walls. The place was clean, the TVs tuned to what looked like shopping shows, and the background music was barely audible.

A few tables were already taken, mostly with groups of women. Destiny saw Shelby sitting with several other women and walked toward her. Shelby looked up and waved vigorously.

“You made it,” Shelby called out as Destiny and Starr approached the table. “Great. Come meet everyone.” She motioned to the blonde at the end of the rectangular table. “This is Madeline. She works at Paper Moon.”

“I’m on the wedding gown side,” Madeline said with a grin. “So if you’re thinking of getting married, come see me.”

“Thanks,” Destiny murmured, thinking that while marriage was appealing, finding the right guy was especially difficult. At least for her.

“Bailey, you probably met at Mayor Marsha’s office,” Shelby continued.

“No, she didn’t,” the pretty redhead said. “I was out that day. Chloe was home sick.” Bailey smiled. “My daughter. She got what’s been going around. Isn’t that always the way?”

Destiny nodded and tried to pay attention to the rest of the names. There was a Larissa, a Consuelo and maybe a woman named Patience, but she wasn’t sure.

“I’m Destiny,” she said when everyone else had been introduced. “This is my half sister, Starr. We’re new, but then you probably already know that.”

Bailey pulled out the chair next to her. “Starr, honey, come sit by me. I think our hair’s the same color, and that almost never happens to me.”

Starr hesitated only a second before taking the offered seat. Destiny settled across from her, by Madeline.

“How long have you been in town?” Madeline asked.

“A week.”

“I can’t imagine what that must be like,” Madeline admitted. “I’ve been here forever. Patience, too.”

Patience nodded. “Born and raised. I never left. Madeline, didn’t you spend a year or so in San Francisco?”

“I did. I tried a lot of different jobs before finding the one I love. Helping a bride find the right dress is so satisfying.”

Shelby leaned forward. “Patience owns Brew-haha.”

“The coffee shop,” Starr said then shrugged. “I’ve been reading about the town. It’s an interesting place.”

“We have a history of powerful women.”

The last speaker was Consuelo, Destiny thought. She was petite but looked strong. With her dark hair and eyes, she was the most striking of the group. Destiny momentarily wished she looked more exotic. Or maybe she was simply hoping not to look so much like her parents. So far no one had said anything. Maybe Kipling hadn’t gone out and told everyone she was Jimmy Don and Lacey Mills’s daughter. And wouldn’t that be nice?

She supposed she shouldn’t spend so much time hiding who she was, but honestly, she just didn’t want to answer all the questions. What was it like growing up with famous parents? Could she sing? Was Lacey really that sexy in person? That was one of the worst. No child wanted to hear about how sexy people found their parents. With her dad, it was worse. She’d had groupies give her their phone number, their email address and one particularly pushy older lady in Dallas had offered a naked picture of herself for Jimmy Don. Destiny had refused to take it, let alone deliver the photograph.

“Centuries ago, a group of Mayan women migrated north to this part of the country,” Patience said with a grin. “They set up a matriarchal society. I’m not saying it’s mystical or anything, but I think their power, or whatever you want to call it, lingers.”

“I’m sure it does,” Larissa said. “Haven’t you ever walked into a place and just known it had a happy vibe? Or an evil one?”

Several of them nodded. A waitress walked up to the table, a notepad in her hands. “Hi, everyone,” she said, then looked at Destiny and Starr. “You two are new. Sisters?”

“Half,” Destiny said and introduced them.

“I’m Jo. Welcome. First drink is on me. What would you like?”

Consuelo sighed. “It’s been a long week. I vote for margaritas.” She glanced at Starr. “Make one of those virgin.”

Everyone nodded eagerly.

“My only appointment of the day was this morning,” Madeline said. “I’m in.”

“I’m not working, either,” Patience said. “Bring ’em by the pitcher, Jo.”

Destiny was both shocked and amused. Grandma Nell would have loved this group, she thought, even as she wondered at the wisdom of day drinking. Still, it was Saturday, and it wasn’t like she had to drive.

“Will do,” Jo told them. “Nachos to go with that?”

“You know it,” Larissa said.

Jo nodded and left. When she was gone, Patience leaned in and lowered her voice. “Has anyone seen the inside of The Man Cave yet?”

“You have got to let that go,” Consuelo told her. “Businesses are allowed to open.”

“But this one is different.”

Madeline nodded. “There’s going to be trouble.”

“What are you talking about?” Destiny asked.

Madeline glanced over her shoulder, then returned her attention to the group. “There’s a new bar opening in town.”

Destiny waited for the rest of the announcement, but there didn’t seem to be anything else.

“Okay,” she said slowly. “And that’s bad why?”

“Because Jo’s Bar is the bar in town. Now there will be two. That’s not how things work here.”

“But that’s not true. I’ve seen more than one restaurant. More than one dry cleaners.”

“Sure,” Bailey said. “And several of the hotels have bars. But this is more like direct competition. I don’t know what’s going to happen. Mayor Marsha hasn’t said anything yet, but I’m sure she will.”

Patience pointed at Madeline. “Have you heard? Nick’s the manager.”

Madeline shook her head and sagged back in her chair. “Don’t go there, I beg you.”

“Nick, huh?” Larissa teased. “You have a thing?”

Consuelo rolled her eyes. “Do you even know who he is?”

“He’s the manager of The Man Cave.”

Consuelo groaned. “Have you ever met him?”

Larissa laughed. “No, and why does that matter? What if they have a romantic thing going on? Don’t you want to hear their story? How they met, and how they fell in love?”

Destiny waited for a snappy comeback. Consuelo surprised her by sighing. “You know what? I would like to hear it. Which is horrifying. I used to be so tough.”

“You still scare me,” Bailey told her.

“Really? You’re not just saying that?”

“I promise.”

“Can we get back to Madeline and Nick, please?” Patience asked. “So how long have you two been going out?”

Madeline stretched out her arms on the table and rested her head on them. “I give,” she mumbled. “Someone shoot me. Or her. I don’t care which.”

“You do care,” Larissa told her. “So what’s Nick like?”

Everyone laughed. Madeline straightened.

“Nick is one of the Mitchell brothers,” she said. “Their father is a glass-blowing artist.”

“Ceallach Mitchell,” Bailey told everyone. “He’s world famous. His pieces are exhibited everywhere.” She turned to Starr. “I work for the mayor. I have to know these things.”

“Does he live here?” the teen asked.

“He does. With his wife. Two of his sons are still in town.” Bailey frowned. “Is that right?”

“Yes,” Patience said firmly. “Del left years ago. He was in college, and there was this girl, Maya. They were totally in love and then she left and he left, but not together. I’m between them in age, so it was all very exciting. She wasn’t from around here. Then there’s Aidan. He’s in Fool’s Gold. He runs the family tour business. Nick is in the middle. He’s the one with the artistic talent, like his dad, only he doesn’t work with glass anymore. I have no idea why. Then the twins.”

Destiny’s head was spinning, and she hadn’t had any of her margarita yet. “How do you keep this all straight?”

“I live here. It’s not hard.” Patience grinned at Madeline. “Are you the reason Nick lost his ability to create? Did you wound him?”

“We had one summer,” Madeline protested. “Years ago. We were seniors in high school, and it was hot and heavy and then it ended. Nick created this big glass piece, and I remember being terrified because I thought maybe it was going to be about us or sex or him taking my virginity, but it wasn’t. It was trees. So I was fine.”

Madeline pressed her lips together then cleared her throat. She turned to Starr. “Sorry. I probably shouldn’t talk about that in front of you. We were in love, but still. Not married. Bad me.”

Starr smiled. “I know people have sex and that it’s supposed to be romantic, but it still sounds kind of gross to me.”

“It is,” Madeline said quickly. “Very gross. Not something you want to be doing.”

Jo appeared with the margaritas. As they were passed around, Destiny thought that the group of women was very welcoming. A little out there, but when it came to friendship, that was okay.

She was grateful Starr didn’t seem to be in a hurry to fall in love. Or have sex. That was a complication neither of them needed.

Honestly, she’d never understood the appeal of getting so lost in another person that you totally went crazy. What was the point? Take Kipling. Sure he was a nice guy and good-looking. While she didn’t get the whole ski-at-the-speed-of-sound thing, she respected that he’d had a dream and had worked to achieve it. Hard work made sense to her.

But throwing herself in front of him and begging to be taken? Why? Yes, she liked thinking about him, and being around him was nice, too. And she wouldn’t go so far as to think touching him would be gross. But thinking about kissing wasn’t the same as sex at all. She was very clear on that. She could enjoy Kipling’s company and admire his body and not have sex with him. She wasn’t some wild animal.

“So you’re saying no sparks with Nick,” Larissa said.

“Not anymore.”

Shelby smiled at Destiny. “I’m totally lost. You?”

“Pretty much, but in a good way. Sounds like life here is interesting.”

“It is,” Shelby assured her. “I’ve enjoyed it.”

“You have a hot brother,” Patience announced. “Not that I’m the least bit interested. I’m married to the best guy in the world, and he’s fabulous. I’m simply noting that Kipling is hot from an intellectual place. I am allowed to observe things.”

Consuelo groaned. “Even you can’t be drunk that fast. You’ve had two sips.”

“I know, but I haven’t eaten today.”

“Lightweight,” Consuelo grumbled, but her tone was affectionate.

Destiny was more interested in her conversation with Shelby. If Kipling had told anyone about who she was, it would have been his sister. But Shelby didn’t give the slightest hint that she was the least bit intrigued by Destiny’s parents.

“Kipling might be hot,” Shelby said. “But sometimes he’s annoying—he has this burning need to fix things. Not every situation needs fixing. But aside from that, he’s basically a good guy.” She brightened. “And single. Anyone want to date him?”

Everyone looked at Destiny and Madeline, which made Destiny realize they were the only single adult women at the table.

Madeline held up both hands. “I’m not interested. He and I have met, and there’s no chemistry.”

Destiny thought about her sensible plan and knew she didn’t want to get into that with anyone else. She’d discovered that most people simply didn’t understand her reasoning. Of course most people hadn’t grown up with her parents.

“I’m only in town for a couple of months.”

Patience raised her eyebrows. “You notice Destiny didn’t say anything about a lack of chemistry.”

Shelby laughed. “You can say he’s hot. It’s okay. I won’t read anything into it.”

“Thank you. He’s hot.”

Patience sipped her margarita. “There are a lot of hot guys in town. It’s interesting. And nice for us.”

“My husband is totally dreamy,” Larissa said with a sigh. “That body.” She paused as everyone looked at her. “TMI?”

Patience pointed to Starr and raised her eyebrows.

Larissa nodded. “So, um, Starr, who’s hot in your world? You’re what? Seventeen?”

Starr blushed. “Fifteen.”

“Really? You look so sophisticated. It’s the hair.” Larissa sighed. “Everyone thinks the blond thing is so cool, but there are a million of us. Redheads are special.”

Starr smiled impishly. “Destiny and I just found out we won’t be going gray. Redheads don’t.”

“Okay, now I’m bitter,” Patience said cheerfully. “So who do you like? Not Justin Bieber, please. I worry about him.”

“One Direction?” Bailey asked. “I like their music. And I can’t help it. I love Taylor Swift.”

“No one here is surprised,” Consuelo told her.

“I like Cody Simpson,” Starr said. “For pop music. I’m more into country, though.”

Destiny froze in the act of swallowing. Was Starr going to out them? But her sister didn’t say anything else.

Destiny waited to see if anyone would pick up on the country part, but Shelby only said, “I know he’s kind of old but I have a thing for Matt Damon. He’s just so sexy and nice.”

Madeline laughed. “And married. I like to crush on the single guys. You want to talk about hot? What about Jonny Blaze? OMG, he’s incredible. That body, those dark green eyes. The way he moves.” She used her hand to fan herself.

Starr giggled. “He’s pretty cute.”

“I love him in all his movies,” Larissa said. “He’s an action star with a brain. And the muscles don’t hurt.”

Consuelo made a fist with her thumb up. “He gets the fights right. The hand-to-hand stuff. Most movies don’t even try, but he’s into the details.”

Madeline leaned close to Destiny and lowered her voice. “Consuelo used to be in Special Forces or something. She teaches the most amazing classes at the bodyguard school here in town. She started with self-defense, but now she does these killer exercise classes. I’ve been taking them since the first of the year, and I now have muscles in places I didn’t know you could have muscles. But every now and then she scares me. I swear, she could kill someone with a paper towel.”

“I’m impressed and intimidated,” Destiny admitted.

“Tell me about it. Let me know if you ever want to go to class with me. It’s hard, but it’s fun.”

“Thanks. I will.”

Jo arrived with two big platters of nachos. Starr laughed at something Larissa said. Conversations at the other tables in the bar flowed just as freely.

Destiny had to admit that she was more than a little surprised by Fool’s Gold. She generally had a good time on her assignments, but she’d been worried about this one. Mostly because of Starr. But from everything she’d seen so far, Fool’s Gold was welcoming and an easy place to live. She already felt as if she’d been here for months instead of only a week. There was a sense of connection she wasn’t used to. Belonging. She liked the women she’d met and was grateful they were being so nice to her and Starr. Not that she was looking for permanent, but it would be nice while it lasted.

* * *

FAMILY MAN AIR CHARTERS was housed in a hangar by the airport. Finn Andersson, a tall man in his midthirties, leaned back in his chair while Kipling explained about Miles and the helicopter. Aidan Mitchell sat in the other visitor’s chair and listened.

“Helicopter time isn’t cheap,” Kipling explained. “But it offers a unique perspective.”

Aidan and Finn glanced at each other.

“Interesting,” Aidan said. “Finn and I have been bouncing around the idea of getting something permanent going for the tour company. A helicopter would offer some interesting advantages.”

Finn nodded. “Right. We could take people up into the mountains, and they could hike down. Or into the backwoods that are too remote to reach any other way. How long is Miles around?”

“Two months,” Kipling told him. “The mapping should be done by mid to late July.”

“Enough time to see if there’s interest,” Aidan said. “Because if we move forward with a helicopter, that’s a big investment.”

“I could get my helicopter license.” Finn sounded excited by the prospect. “It would have to make business sense, but that would be a fun challenge.”

Aidan chuckled. “Any excuse to fly.” His expression turned thoughtful. “You know, we could talk to Mayor Marsha about the city going in on the helicopter with us. You and I could buy it, and then the city could contract with us when there was an emergency.”

“I can talk to Destiny about how a helicopter fits in with the STORMS project,” Kipling offered.

“This is good,” Aidan said.

“I agree,” Finn added. “We should have thought of this ourselves. We’ll be in touch with Miles and see if he wants some extra work while he’s in town.”

“Happy to help,” Kipling told them. “I hope it works out.” Because he enjoyed solving a problem when he encountered one.

When the meeting finished, he walked toward his Jeep. The mountains seemed closer today, which wasn’t possible. But he felt them all the same. Looming. Insistent. Taunting.

He hurt. The places where the bones had shattered were the worst. Most of his joints knew when it was going to rain two days before the local weather guy. He reminded himself he’d survived. That he was walking, and the odds had been against him ever getting out of a wheelchair. He should be grateful.

When he reached the Jeep, he glanced up at the mountains and imagined them covered in snow. If there was snow, he could take them, he thought grimly. Or he had been able to. Once. Just not anymore.

* * *

“THEY’RE INTENSE,” KIPLING SAID.

Destiny watched the two tech guys work on the computers. They wore headphones and typed intently. She would guess they had no idea there were other people in the room.

“They’re the best,” she told him. “They’ll get everything up and running, work out the bugs and disappear into the night. When we’re near the end of the training, they’ll come back and put in all the customization we’ve figured out you’re going to need for your program. Then we test it, and you’re good to go.”

They headed outside. The day was warm and sunny. To the side of the office was a small garden with a few tables and benches. A good place for volunteers to collect, Destiny thought. And for them to get updates and rest before heading back out on a call.

Other arrangements would have to be made for the winter, she thought. Maybe they could meet at the nearby fire station. Not that it was her problem to solve, she reminded herself. When she was finished with her job, she would move on. No matter how much she enjoyed a particular location, she never came back.

They sat across from each other at one of the tables.

“I talked to Miles this morning,” Destiny said. “He told me you’ve found him some part-time work.”

Kipling shrugged. “He said he got bored. I knew a couple of guys who might want to expand their business using a helicopter. It seemed like a win-win.”

“Shelby said you liked to fix things. I can see what she meant.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“No. It’s just an interesting trait. Is there a psychological reason, or were you born that way?”

He chuckled. “Which do you think?”

“I don’t know. I think how we’re raised has a big impact on how we act later in life.” She’d learned a lot of lessons watching her parents. Of course those lessons had mostly been about things she needed to avoid. But there had been positive lessons, too.

“I agree with you on that,” he said, then hesitated. “What Miles said about your parents. You weren’t happy.”

She resisted the urge to duck her head and bolt. “No. I don’t tell a lot of people. They ask questions that I don’t want to answer.”

“Or assume things that aren’t true.”

“How did you know?”

“Let’s just say I’m not a famous country singer, but I’ve been in the limelight before. It’s not all positive attention.”

“Of course. You’re that hot skier guy.”

One eyebrow rose. “You think I’m hot?”

Heat instantly burned on her cheeks. She cleared her throat. “I was speaking in generalities, not specifics.”

“So you don’t think I’m hot.”

He was teasing her. Flirting maybe. She almost never got to that point with any guy, so she wasn’t sure what to do. Destiny suddenly realized that her plan to find someone sensible and ignore everyone else had a giant flaw. She was twenty-eight years old, and she didn’t really know how to deal with a man outside of a work setting.

Miles was easy. She thought of him as a brother. The tech guys and her boss were colleagues. People she met as she went from town to town were kept at a careful distance. No one got close, which kept her safe, but what happened when she found the one? How was she supposed to get close to him?

“It wasn’t supposed to be that hard a question,” Kipling told her, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

“You know you’re very good-looking. You don’t need more compliments from me.”

“More implies there have been some. So far, you’re a disappointment in the compliment department. I was hoping for more.”

“Handsome is as handsome does.”

He frowned. “What does that mean?”

“I don’t know. It’s something my Grandma Nell used to say. But it sounds wise.”

“Or confusing. Is the flip side of that ‘ugly is as ugly does’?”

“I have no idea.”

“So who’s Grandma Nell?”

Destiny felt herself relaxing as she remembered the other woman. “My maternal grandmother. She lived in the Smoky Mountains all her life. She was wonderful. Loving and smart and an emotional rock for me, if a bit flirty when it came to men. No matter what happened, I could count on her.”

Destiny smiled as memories flooded her. “My parents were young when they had me. My mom was still eighteen, and my dad was only a few months older. Apparently, four weeks after I was born, they went off on tour and left me with her. I spent the first couple of years of my life with her. I don’t really remember. Then I was with my parents for a while and other family members. My early years weren’t exactly stable.”

“Was that hard?”

“Sometimes. I would go on tour and have a nanny. The guys in the band always looked out for me.”

Kipling studied her. “Didn’t you have a hit record when you were maybe seven or eight? I would swear I remember that.”

Destiny felt the second blush of the day on her cheeks. “Yes,” she said with a groan. “‘Under the Willow Tree.’ I was eight, and the song did very well.”

She’d been nominated for a Grammy, which should have been a terrific experience, only that very morning her father had told her that he and her mother were divorcing for the second time. She’d been devastated, and it had taken all she had not to sob when walking the red carpet.

The reporters had wanted to talk to her. To ask about what it was like to be so young and so talented. She’d wanted to explain to them that she would give up all of it simply to have her parents stay together.

“Right after that, my parents split up again. There was a huge custody battle over me. I’m not sure either wanted me as much as they said. I think it was more about hurting each other.” She shrugged. “I went back and forth between them for a couple of years. They both married again and again. When I was ten, Grandma Nell showed up and said I was going to live with her.”

“Was that better?” he asked.

“Much. She had a small house. There was running water, but not much else. Electricity was spotty. We had a wood-burning stove, and we grew a lot of our own food. There were times I was lonely, but mostly I was so grateful to her for taking me in.”

As she spoke she was aware of Kipling watching her intently. She had no idea what he was thinking, but didn’t feel it was bad. From what she could tell, he was a nice man. He fixed things, which was an admirable trait. If her parents had been more interested in holding the family together...

But they hadn’t been. Which left her with a half sister she didn’t know and left Starr with no one else to take care of her.

“Tell me more about Grandma Nell,” he prompted.

She smiled. “She knew about plants and how to can and sew. She was a big reader. We would drive into town every Wednesday afternoon and go to the movies, then stop at the library and get lots of books. I was homeschooled until I was sixteen. She sent away for lesson plans, and she made me stick to a schedule.”

“What happened when you turned sixteen?”

“She said I had to go join the real world. That I couldn’t hide forever. I didn’t want to go, but she was right, as usual. I stayed with my father while I took college entrance exams and applied to different universities.”

She remembered how she’d been so scared that she wasn’t going to know enough. She should have trusted Grandma Nell. “I got accepted everywhere I applied. My scores were really high, and I ended up being able to test out of half my general education courses.”

Neither of which had made up for missing the woman who had taken her in and loved her like a mother.

“She visited me at college every semester, and everyone adored her,” she continued.

“I’d like to meet her,” Kipling said.

“She’s gone.” Destiny felt her smile fade. “Three years ago, she came to stay with me for a couple of weeks. When she was leaving, she said it was her time. I didn’t understand. She died three days later.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Thanks. Me, too. I miss her every day. Even more so now that I have Starr. Grandma Nell would have known what to do.”

“You do, too.”

“I’m less sure of that.” She shook her head. “Sorry. I’m not sure where that all came from. I’m usually more private.”

“I asked.”

“Still.” She stood. “I should go check on my tech guys. Every now and then they remember they have to eat. I can do a lunch run for them.”

Kipling rose and walked around the table. He gazed into her eyes. “Grandma Nell sounds like she really loved you.”

“She did.”

“You’ll always have that.”

They walked toward the front door of the building.

“The Man Cave is opening soon,” he said. “It’s this bar I own with a few business partners.”

“I’ve heard some people talking about it,” she admitted. “You must be excited.”

“I am. Come to the opening with me. We’re going to have a killer karaoke setup. You could sing.”

“I don’t sing,” she told him firmly.

“Ever?”

“Not in public.”

“But it has to be in your blood.”

“There are a lot of things in my blood. I deny most of them. It makes life easier.”

“Who said easy was the right path?” he asked. “I’d like to hear you sing.”

“It’s never going to happen.” She narrowed her gaze. “I don’t need fixing.”

“I didn’t say you did.”

“Shelby warned me, and she was right. Let me repeat myself. No fixing required. I’m perfectly fine. I have everything under control. I prefer life without surprises.”

Kipling studied her for a second then leaned in. She had no idea what he was going to do so wasn’t the least bit prepared for the feel of his mouth brushing against hers.

The contact was brief, soft and rocked her down to her tiniest toes. She went hot then cold. Her chest got tight, and somewhere deep inside, a dark, lonely place she rarely acknowledged, warmed up at least three degrees.

“Why did you do that?” she demanded when he’d straightened.

One corner of his mouth turned up. “Two reasons. First, because I wanted to. And second, everyone needs a good surprise now and then.”

She struggled to speak, but there were no words. She could only stare as he gave her a wink then turned and walked away.

Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.