“You’re in trouble,” I said, answering Sabrina’s call on my car’s media panel.
“I know. Sorry. It’s this story. I’ve been undercover for the last two weeks.”
“Can you tell me about it yet?”
“Negative.”
I shook my head. “Are you at least being safe?”
“Um, define safe.”
“Not funny, Sabrina. I’m worried.”
She laughed. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”
“Hmm,” I grumbled. “What are you doing tonight?”
It was Christmas Eve, and one of our long-running traditions had been to spend it together. These last couple of years I’d been back in Prescott for the holidays, and though I was happy to be with my family, I’d also missed that special time with my best friend. Our typical night had always included drinking and eating our body weight in junk food while watching musicals and singing along at the top of our lungs.
“My Christmas Eve plans are sad,” she said. “I’ll be drinking alone. Watching Chicago alone. Missing you terribly. Alone.”
“Here’s a crazy idea. Hop on a plane and come visit me. There’s usually an early morning flight to Bozeman. I’ll drive over and pick you up. We’ll have the entire hour drive to talk and then you can meet my family at Christmas dinner.”
She sighed. “Wish I could, really. I’d even brave the weather but I need to be in Seattle. I’m so close to breaking through with my source that I’d hate to miss my window because he decided to spill while I was in Montana.”
I pouted. “Okay.”
“Keep me company for a while? Tell me what’s new.”
“Well, I, uh, quit—”
“Shit! Felicity, I have to go. My source is calling.”
“Be careful!” I shouted, but she’d already hung up.
I didn’t like this. Not one bit. I had a bad feeling about this story of hers.
Sabrina had never left me so in the dark before. Usually I’d get little tidbits or her overall idea. Her silence on this one likely meant that she was into something dangerous.
I dropped my phone in a cup holder and kept driving toward Silas’s ranch. On a whim, I had decided to deliver his Christmas present.
Earlier tonight, Mom and I’d had dinner with Jess, Gigi and the kids. After we’d left the farmhouse, the two of us had exchanged gifts and sipped a glass of wine before she’d gotten sleepy and I’d gone home. But the second I’d stepped through the door of my dark and empty house, I’d grabbed Silas’s gift and spun back around to my car.
We hadn’t seen each other since he’d taken me to the Quonset two days ago and my surprise visit was a risk. My nerves were bouncing like magic jumping beans but I really wanted to see him. No, I needed to see him.
I’d been replaying his words from the other day on loop and overcomplicating them, just as he’d predicted. Were we dating? Were we keeping this thing a secret? What was this thing? I had no clue. By spending a little time together, maybe I could get a better feel for our unlabeled relationship. The text messages we’d been exchanging just weren’t cutting it for me.
And even if things went south tonight, I’d at least get the chance to enjoy the scenery. The moon and stars were bright and the fresh snow we’d gotten earlier was sparkling like fairy lights across the plains. It was like driving through the scene of a movie.
I loved Montana.
Crossing under the arched entrance to the ranch, my nerves spiked but a smile tugged at my mouth. With all that had changed over the years, it was nice to see that the sign hadn’t. It was just as iconic as I’d remembered.
Two huge logs stood tall in their stone bases. Across them was another log, equally as large, with Lucky Heart Ranch stamped into its center. Hanging from the beam was a metal sign swinging from two thick chains that depicted the ranch’s brand: a simple heart.
It wasn’t fancy, but it was romantic. I always thought it deserved a slogan.
For those who cross under this sign, may your hearts be lucky in love and in life.
Past the sign, a long, gravel lane lined with tall trees led to the Grants’ house. I rattled over a cattle guard and rolled slowly through the enormous gravel lot that connected all of the ranch buildings.
At the far end was the huge wooden barn. To its right was a massive hay shed. To its left sat the Grants’ house. Just like all of the other buildings here, the house itself was oversized. I’d only ever been inside once but had been impressed with vaulted ceilings and vast spaces. It was so different than the old, cramped trailer where I had grown up.
I pulled into the ranch’s gravel lot and parked next to Silas’s truck by the barn. The night was still and quiet and my new knee-high winter boots crunched on the fresh snow as I walked toward Silas’s apartment on the back side of the barn. When I heard voices coming from the main house, though, I switched directions and climbed the Grants’ front porch steps.
I reached out to knock on the door but stopped short when I realized that it wasn’t just voices I’d heard; it was shouting between Silas and his dad, Elliot.
“You’re really going to dig your heels in on this? Even when it’s going to cost us thousands?” Silas shouted.
“It’s my decision!” Elliot yelled back. “I’ve been doing this for a hell of a lot longer than you and don’t need you questioning everything. I’m the one who taught you about running this ranch, for Christ’s sake.”
“Stop!” a woman’s voice interjected “Both of you. It’s Christmas Eve and you promised to get along.” I assumed that voice belonged to Olivia, Silas’s mom.
The shouting stopped and the thud of footsteps came my way. I tried to back up but was still close to the door when it flew open and Silas stormed out.
“Ahh!” I stumbled backward when his chest collided with mine.
His hands shot out and caught me by the arms, steadying me before I could fall or drop his gift. “Felicity?”
“Hi. Sorry.”
“What are you doing here?”
I lifted the gift box between us. “Christmas present.”
He let me go and raked a hand through his hair before looking over his shoulder at the open door. He leaned back and slammed it shut, then tugged me along behind him. I followed him silently as he led me past our cars and along the barn to the back. As we pushed inside his apartment, he dropped my hand.
“Drink?” he asked over his shoulder as he stomped down the hallway to the kitchen.
“Uh, sure.” I lingered in the hall, giving him a moment to cool off.
While he banged and crashed around in the kitchen, I inspected his apartment from the door. I couldn’t see the whole place, but just from the entryway, I could tell he’d done an incredible amount of updating since the last time I’d been here. The place was almost unrecognizable.
The laundry room on the right had been tiled and painted. The bathroom on my left was entirely new. It had distressed barnwood walls, a tiled shower with a waterfall faucet and a metal stock tank as a bathtub on the far side under a glass-block window.
Slowly coming further into the space, I inspected the wide, main room. The kitchen had hickory cabinets and marbled cream counters. The stainless appliances were new and top-of-the-line. Silas had refinished the floors with rich, chocolate maple, and his old furniture had been replaced with a camel leather couch and armchair. The lofted bedroom hanging over us had a huge platform bed in the center with a closet on one side and a bookshelf on the other.
“This place is amazing.” I tipped my head back to the tall ceiling. At its center was an old, metal windmill that he had repurposed as a chandelier.
“Thanks,” he grumbled, sliding a glass of ice cubes and amber liquid across the island that separated the kitchen from the living room.
“Would you like to talk about it?”
He shook his head and gulped down the contents of his own glass.
“All right,” I said. “So, uh, did you do all the work here yourself?”
“Yep,” he muttered while refilling his glass.
“Okay.” I set his gift on the counter. “Sorry, I came at a bad time. I’m going to leave and we can talk next week. Merry Christmas.” I spun around and walked to the door, wishing I had texted before driving out here.
My fingers brushed the door handle but couldn’t get a grip because I was hauled backward by two strong hands clapped down on my shoulders. Silas steered me away from the door and down the hallway, maneuvering me to the living room couch, where he pushed down so I would sit.
“Sorry,” he said.
I smiled. “Don’t apologize. I should have called first.”
“I’m glad you came. Dad just—”
“No explanation necessary. I get it.”
“Thanks.” He went to the kitchen to collect our drinks and his gift. “What did you get me?”
“Open it and find out.” While he ripped at the paper and ribbon, I sipped my scotch, anxious to see his reaction to my present.
He grinned, inspecting two pairs of deerskin leather gloves. “These are great. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I asked the clerk at the hardware store for a recommendation and he told me that ranchers can always use leather gloves.”
He chuckled. “He’s right about that.” Setting them down on the coffee table, he pushed off the couch. “Sit tight.” When he returned from the kitchen, he brought back a box wrapped in white craft paper. “This is for you.”
I smiled, touched that he had thought of me. My smile got wider as I took the box and untied the candy-cane ribbon. I laughed. “You got me gloves too!”
The soft, buttery leather was the same yellow shade as the gloves I’d gotten for him except mine had a fluffy layer of sherpa lining. I pulled them on and fisted my hands. Perfect fit.
“If you’re going to help me out here, you’re going to need those.”
“You can count on it.”
He leaned his head against the back of the couch and scrubbed his hands over his face. “Sorry about earlier. It’s just . . . frustrating.”
“Talk to me, Goose.”
“Goose?” he asked. “Christ, I forgot that you’re obsessed with Top Gun.”
“It has, possibly, some of the best one-liners in the history of all movies.” That, and the volleyball scene where all of the men were sweaty and shirtless was the foundation for many of my fantasies as a young adult. Until they’d all been replaced with fantasies about Silas. Not that I’d share that little tidbit.
“You do realize that the depiction of fighter pilots in that movie was incredibly inaccurate.”
“Details,” I said. “Now quit stalling. What’s going on?”
“Just like I told you the other day, we’re stuck in the same old fight. I want to do things one way. He wants to do it another. He wants to retire but he won’t let me make any fucking decisions.”
“What did you guys fight about tonight?”
“Well, last year he bought a section of land next to the forest service. I wanted to use it to background yearlings in the summer but he’s hell-bent on trying to plant alfalfa. What he isn’t seeing or he’s just ignoring is that we’re getting really low yields, so we still end up buying hay. We’d be money ahead to have steers up there grazing and then sell them at heavier weights in the fall.”
I stared at him, dumbfounded, having no clue what he’d just said. “So, uh, I want you to know that I’m more than willing to listen. However, if you expect me to offer advice or even comprehend what you’re saying, you have to speak my language. English. I speak English.”
He relaxed and laughed, giving me that smile I loved so much. “I’ll try to remember that you haven’t taken Ranching 101.”
“Appreciated.”
“Any sage advice?”
“No, but I can lend a sympathetic ear.”
“Thanks. The only other person that gets it is Mom but I don’t want to put her in the middle all the time. So, that leaves me to dwell on it alone. I appreciate you listening again.”
“Anytime.” He’d often been my sounding board and it felt good to return the favor. Plus, I felt a little twinge of pride that he’d chosen to confide in me instead of his other friends, including Maisy.
“What’s going on with you?” he asked. “How’s work?”
“Right, um, work. I forgot to tell you, but I sort of quit my job this week.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah. If I run out of money and am forced onto the street, can I sleep in the barn with your horses?” His eyes widened and the vein in his temple started pulsing. “Kidding! Don’t have an aneurism over there.”
“Are you okay on money?” His tone was so full of concern I thought for sure he was about to reach for his wallet.
“Yes, I’m fine.” I patted his shoulder. “Though I’ll have to delay buying that private island I had my eye on.”
He smiled, relaxing and sipping his drink. “What happened? Why’d you quit?”
“I was burnt out. I’m ready for something new.”
“Like what?”
“That’s the million-dollar question. I’ve been doing some soul-searching this week. Thinking about things I liked and didn’t about my job, then narrowing down my options. I love the idea of being my own boss but starting my own business seems daunting. I don’t know if I want to run something completely on my own.”
“Understandable. What’s on your short list of possibilities?” He turned sideways in the couch and threw an arm across the back.
“I’ve actually been thinking about becoming a real estate agent.”
He nodded. “I could see that.”
“Me too. I love the idea of finding families their forever homes. One of my friends in Seattle is a realtor. I always thought it was neat how she’d get to know her clients and then go on a hunt to find places that she thought they’d like.”
“You should talk to Rob Jordan,” he said. “He owns the agency in town and I think he was looking to bring on a partner. With the influx of rich tourists buying summer places these last couple of years, he’s been swamped and stretching himself pretty thin.”
“Really?” I asked, bouncing to my knees on the couch.
He grinned. “Really. When I saw him last, he was bitching about all the new regulations and paperwork with the residential sales. I bet he’d offload it to you.”
“I wonder how much money I’d have to come up with.” I tapped my chin as numbers raced through my head.
“I don’t know but it’s worth asking.”
“True,” I said. “I’ll give him a call once we get past the holidays. I’ll still be working for the next couple of months, finishing up my current projects, but it would be nice to start planning. Figure out if it’s an option and study to get my license.”
I was instantly in love with the idea of working with Rob, even if he was a stranger. Barring any major personality issues, it would be so much easier to learn from him rather than by trial and error.
The overhead costs would be lower if I joined him rather than starting something on my own. I had money in savings but was hesitant to use it all. We’d gone without so much when I’d been a child that I was neurotic about maintaining a substantial rainy-day fund.
“Do you want more to drink?” Silas asked, standing from the couch.
“I’d better not. I need to drive home.” I stood and followed him into the kitchen.
“I’m skijoring at the fairgrounds on New Year’s Day,” he said. “They have a big tournament every year. I’ve always gone to watch but somehow Nick convinced me to be his partner this year. We’re probably going to hurt ourselves competing with all the young guys, but if you’re not busy, would you like to come?”
I shook my head. “Negative, Ghost Rider, the pattern is full.”
“Oh, fuck me,” he muttered.
“What? That’s one of the best!” Well, not quite. My favorite Top Gun movie quote was “Take me to bed or lose me forever,” but I didn’t want to mention anything related to sex. I was still confused about what exactly Silas and I were doing and didn’t want to make the wrong assumption and humiliate myself again.
“Does that mean you’re not going to come to the fairgrounds?”
“No.” I smiled. “I’ll be there. I just wanted to sneak in another quote before I left.” I didn’t know what skijoring entailed but there was no way I’d turn down an invitation to spend time with him.
“I’m glad you came over. Turned my night around.”
“Me too.”
I ducked my head to hide my smile and the flush of my cheeks. From the corner of my eye, I saw him round the corner of the island. When his heat hit my side, I lifted my eyes to meet his gaze.
Those eyes. They weren’t full of complicated color patterns or changing shades. They were pure and simple. I could spend hours soaking up the warmth that came from those rich-brown irises.
His fingers came up and swept a stray hair off my forehead. They traced the curve of my ear, down the side of my jaw and to my neck, leaving behind a trail of tingles that tickled like champagne bubbles bursting on my tongue.
My lips parted as I took in a breath, holding it in as I waited for his next move. His eyes left mine and went to my mouth. When his tongue darted out to lick his top lip, my whole body shuddered.
Please kiss me.
I’d give just about anything to have that tongue against my skin. Silas had used his tongue to explore almost every inch of my body and his skill with it rivaled his talents with some of his other more prominent extremities. Well, almost.
The sound of my pounding heart echoed in my ears and my eyes drifted shut when his breath hit my cheek. His lips slowly descended toward mine.
This was it. Finally!
He would kiss me and all of the doubts I’d been having about our relationship would be erased.
“Silas?” Olivia Grant’s voice followed two sharp knocks on his front door.
My eyes snapped open and Silas stepped back, our moment gone.
So. Close.
“Come on in, Mom,” he called over my head.
I turned and plastered on a smile. Olivia was a very nice woman but her timing was rotten. Three more seconds. That’s all I’d needed, and Silas would have been kissing me.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you had a guest.”
“It’s no problem,” he said. “Mom, you remember Felicity Cleary?”
“Yes. Hello, Felicity. So nice to see you again.” She came closer and held out a hand.
“You too,” I said as we shook.
Olivia had aged gracefully over the years. She still had the same tall and lean figure but her style had changed from trendy to classic. Her hair was the same shade of light brown and any grays that she’d earned were covered up with soft blond highlights.
“I have to say,” she looked me up and down, “you were one pretty girl back in the day, but my god, you’ve grown into a stunning woman.”
I smiled. “And I always liked you best out of all the moms.”
She laughed and looked up at Silas. “Sorry to intrude. I’ll leave you kids alone. Come and find me tomorrow morning before you head out to feed.”
“Okay,” he said.
“Oh, it’s okay,” I said. “You go ahead and talk. I’d better get going anyway. I’m spending Christmas at the farmhouse with Jess and Gigi and I’ll need at least ten hours of sleep if I’m going to keep up with Rowen and Ben tomorrow.”
Behind me, Silas grumbled. I wasn’t sure if it was because he didn’t want to talk to his mom or because I was leaving. I crossed my fingers for the latter. Regardless, I ignored him and went to the living room to collect my new gloves. I hated to leave before Silas and I could continue where we’d left off, but I didn’t want to stand in the way of him and his family working through their issues, especially before Christmas.
“Have a merry Christmas,” I said and waved good-bye. Olivia waved back while Silas followed me to the door. “Thanks for the gift.”
“You too.” His hands were planted on his hips. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine. You guys should visit.”
“Yeah. It’s probably for the best. I told you that we’d take this slow.”
“Slow. Uh-huh.” I fought a lip curl. “So, I guess I’ll see you on New Year’s Day for skijoring?”
He nodded. “I’ll text you the details.”
“That gives me a week to figure out what skijoring actually is.”
“Wait. You don’t know?” I shook my head and he smirked. “Do me a favor and don’t look it up. I want to see your face when you see what it is.”
I gave him a sideways glance but agreed. “Okay.”
“Merry Christmas.” He bent down to brush his lips across my cheek.
I winked before walking out the door to my car. With my new gloves in hand and tingles on my cheek, it was shaping up to be a very merry Christmas.
Silas
“That didn’t take you long,” Mom said as I closed the door behind Felicity.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I turned around and crossed my arms.
“She’s been back for, what, a month or two? And she’s already here?”
“How is that a problem?”
She sighed. “It’s not for me. You know I’ll support you in whatever you decide, but your father is going to explode over this. He blames her for a lot, you leaving for the army, that rough patch we went through while you were gone. He’s not going to like seeing her here.”
“That’s ridiculous. It wasn’t her fault. I’ve told you both that a hundred times. I was considering the army before she—”
“—broke your heart?”
I scrubbed a hand over my face. “That was a long time ago, Mom.”
“I know but we remember what you were like that week after she left. I’ll never forget how lost and shattered you looked. Then you left and we didn’t know if you’d ever come home.” Her voice cracked and her eyes welled.
“I’m sorry, Mom.” I walked close and pulled her in for a hug. “I never meant to hurt you guys but I needed to get away.”
“I understand. It was just a scary time for us. A lot of sons didn’t come home back then and you’re all we have.”
“I know.” Mom and Dad had tried for more kids after I was born, but after two miscarriages, they’d stopped.
“Your dad loves you, Silas. He wants only the best for you. To him, she’s not it.”
I let her go and ran a hand through my hair. “Why?” How could he harbor such resentment toward Felicity? He didn’t even know her.
She shook her head. “He’s got his reasons.”
“Reasons,” I scoffed. “Are these the same reasons why he’s so damn determined to fight with me on everything too?”
“You know how he feels about change.”
“Yeah,” I muttered. “I know.” Dad was a stubborn old mule.
“Just be prepared. This ongoing battle is going to get a whole lot worse when he learns that you’re chasing her again.” She pointed to the door.
“If I can get over it, why can’t he? She was eighteen years old, Mom.”
“I’m not saying you’re wrong and he’s right. Just be sure she’s the one.”
“I am.” I’d never been so sure of anything else. Felicity was mine, even if she didn’t know it yet.
“Then I’ll do whatever I can to help.”
“I’d appreciate that.”
“Get some rest. I’ll see you in the morning.” She kissed my cheek before walking out.
Mom was right. Son of a bitch. Dad would be relentless in his attacks against Felicity. He needed somewhere to point his finger and he’d pick her. But Lis was tough. She could take it.
At least I hoped so.
I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else than the Lucky Heart. This is where I wanted to raise my family and where I’d always pictured growing old. But if Dad drove Felicity away, he’d be seeing my back too.
Because no matter where she ran, I’d be racing right after her.