The walls closed around them, charcoal gray and covered in a layer of soft-looking moss. Cassandra closed her eyes and tried to breathe past the terror. The urge to jump free of the arms holding her and escape before the mountain swallowed them whole was overwhelming. Her heart beat like a hummingbird’s wings, desperate to escape its cage.

Claustrophobia.

She knew the name. Had sat through endless sessions on slippery leather couches while well-meaning doctors tried to get her to open up about her memories of that day.

They didn’t understand. No one could.

Her father had never blamed her, and in a way, that just made it worse. Maybe if he had, they could have moved on, instead the guilt was always there, a dark shroud looming over their home.

The sky was as blue as her favorite dress and filled every window. She was too short to see the sidewalk, and besides, it was more fun making shapes out of the billowy clouds than staring at tired people with their heads down hurrying along the city streets.

Cass was bored.

She’d already read the storybook her mom had brought along to keep her occupied, and now she had an upset tummy.

“Mommy, are we almost there yet?” she whined, pushing forward so she could rest her chin on top of the front seat.

Her mother glanced over her shoulder, her elegant brow climbing like the caterpillar Cass had watched crawl along the back deck.

“Cassandra Jane Gardener, sit down and tighten your seatbelt.”

“I am sitting, Mommy, see?” young Cassandra piped up.

Her mom looked again, worry darkening her pretty green eyes—just like Cass’s eyes, her daddy said—and then it happened.

Her mom had just opened her mouth—painted a bright red with lipstick she’d promised Cassandra could use when she got a little bit older—when the truck hit them hard… right in Mommy’s door. There was a horrible crash and Cass was thrown to the floor. Her side hit the bump in the middle and her head smacked the door, making her cry out with pain. There was a loud ringing in her ears and she couldn’t move, something heavy pinning her to the floor. Panic set in and she started to scream, crying so hard her chest hurt. Where was her mom? Why wasn’t she helping her?

Mom. Mom. Mommy.

But even then, somewhere deep inside, Cassandra had known her mother was gone.

“Take deep breaths. In, in, out. In, in, out.”

The voice came from a distance, piercing the remembered horror. Cass gasped, and opened tear-wet eyes on Matt’s concerned face.

“Wha… what happened?”

He brushed a light thumb along her jaw. “I was hoping you could tell me.”

She shuddered, not willing to replay the scene out loud. “I’m not a fan of tight spaces,” she said, and hoped he’d leave it at that.

He watched her for a moment, and she tensed for an interrogation, but then he nodded and turned, flinging an arm wide. “No worry of that here, look at this. All the room you need.”

Cassandra stared at him, bemused. The sun had decided to peek out from behind the clouds, turning his hair antique gold in the streaming light. Their clothes were soaked, but on him, it was a good look. His shirt plastered to his torso highlighted strong shoulders and a well-defined chest. One she wanted to rest her head against.

Startled out of her trance, she jerked her gaze out across the most beautiful valley she’d ever seen. Bluebonnets and healthy green grass waved back and forth, teased by a playful breeze. An old log cabin, its roof sagging and covered with moss, crouched by a babbling brook shaded by a giant cottonwood. And just to finish the fairytale, a multi-hued rainbow cast its benevolent glow over the entire picturesque area as though daring the rainclouds to return.

“Wow,” she said. “You weren’t kidding. This place is fantastic.”

A deer broke cover and slowly made its way down to the brook, testing the air every few feet.

Cass grabbed Matt’s arm, intensely conscious of the coiled strength that lay just under the skin. She cleared her throat and pointed, “Look, Matt, it’s a Bambi.”

Matt gazed at her instead of the animal, the quirk of his mouth causing a heart-palpitating dimple to appear. “What is it with women and Disney creatures?”

She laughed and dropped her hand, uncomfortable now with his sole attention. “Are you telling me you never had a favorite character from a movie when you were a child?”

He lifted his head and eyed the deer, his profile reminding her of a proud animal. When he turned back the humor was gone. “We should get down there before the weather decides to break again. You ready?”

Curiously sorry she’d ruined the moment, Cassandra nodded and they started out for the valley floor. The deer took one look at them and bounded away, disappearing into the woods on the far side of the clearing.

“What is this place?” she asked, lagging along in his wake, her hand brushing the top of the grass as they walked.

Matt glanced back, then kept going, his body cutting them a trail. “It was my great-grandfather’s first home. Dad used it as his fishing shack when he wanted a break from ranching.”

Cassandra gazed upon the valley with new eyes. She imagined an adventurous young man with Matt’s face riding across the Texas plains until he happened upon this magical land. Easy to see why he decided to stay.

“Why isn’t the main compound here?”

“It wasn’t feasible. Back in those days a man had to ride herd on a cattle drive to make any money.” He stopped at the door that hung a bit crooked, but still seemed to close fine. “It made more sense for the ranch to be closer to Austin where the cattle were delivered for sale. Besides,” he swung the door open and waved her inside, “how could the old man have a love nest if his wife were on the premises?”

Cass caught the last part of his remarks just as she stepped past him into the dim interior of the shack. She turned, whether to laugh or leave she couldn’t say, but it was too late, the door swung shut, leaving her trapped with a whole lot of testosterone in a very tempting package.