Chapter Fourteen
Noah saw the gun. Dove to the ground as a shot winged over his head. He heard Olivia scream and scrambled to his knees in time to see Steel take Devon down with a move straight out of a football playbook. Olivia went down, too, Devon and Steel landing on top of her as the men fought over the pistol. Noah didn’t remember gaining his feet, but half a second later he threw himself into the melee. Together, he and Steel wrested the pistol from Devon’s hands.
Olivia cried out again as Steel punched Devon in the jaw and the man fell across her. Noah tossed the pistol to Steel and hauled Devon up before punching him a second time. When Devon landed on the ground, Noah straddled him, flipped him over and maneuvered his arms behind his back. “I need rope. Whatever you can find,” he called out, and a moment later, Liam reached them and thrust a tangle of rope into his hands.
“The sheriff is on his way,” Stella cried, running up to them. “Noah, you okay?”
“I’m fine,” he told her gruffly. “Watch him,” he said to Steel and hurried to Olivia’s side. She was just pushing up from the ground into a sitting position. “You all right? Did he hurt you?”
She shook her head. “I’m fine.” But she was shaking as she stood, and Noah reached out to steady her, then pulled her into a rough embrace.
“Hell, I thought I was going to lose you.”
“How did you even know—?”
“Steel and I were talking. We saw Devon grab you. Saw you stiffen when he said something. You’re no coward. You wouldn’t have gone with him if you’d thought you had a choice. We knew he was threatening you.”
“I’m glad you got him.”
“Steel was the one who made the plan. I distracted Devon so he could get close. Couldn’t have done it without him.”
Olivia’s heart contracted. That was Steel, always looking after her. “Thank you,” she told her brother.
He just nodded and dragged Devon to his feet.
“You’re going to pay for this,” Devon snarled at him. “All of you.”
“I don’t think so,” Steel said.
“You’re the one who’s going to pay for threatening to kill my girlfriend,” Noah said.
“Your girlfriend stole something that’s mine.”
Noah moved to protest, but Steel turned to Olivia. “What’s he talking about?”
“I didn’t steal anything.” Olivia kept her gaze on Devon. “Caroline needed some things from her house. I went and got them.” Steel didn’t budge. Finally Olivia gave in. “Including a winning lottery ticket she’d purchased and the cash he cleaned out of her account. It’s all hers, not Devon’s. I didn’t take a thing that belonged to him.”
“Caroline’s my common-law bride. What belongs to her belongs to me.”
“No, she isn’t—” Olivia started, but Noah spoke over her.
“Caroline took your last name?” he asked Devon.
“No—she’s Caroline Selwich, not Caroline Host,” Olivia answered when Devon didn’t.
“She called you her husband?” Noah asked him.
“No,” Olivia said again. “She only ever called him her boyfriend.”
“Then you aren’t husband and wife,” Noah told Devon. “Not even common-law.”
“We lived together for years,” Devon snarled.
“That doesn’t matter—not in Montana. There are particular steps you have to take, and it sounds like Caroline didn’t take any of them. If she bought the ticket, it’s hers.”
“And beating her up doesn’t give you the right to take it,” Olivia added. “You should have seen her black eye,” she said to Steel.
Steel’s expression hardened, and when he lifted Devon closer, for the first time Devon’s cockiness faltered. “Hey. Wait a minute—”
“Black eye, huh?” Steel said. “Like this?”
He struck Devon with his fist so hard the man flew several feet before hitting the ground. Steel went after him.
“Hey! Hold up!” Noah called out, rushing to pull him off. It took Liam and Lance as well to stop him from landing more punches. When a siren sounded in the distance, Steel settled down. Devon moaned where he lay.
“Why didn’t you tell me about the lottery ticket? And the cash?” Noah asked Olivia when things were under control.
“I couldn’t take a chance that you’d say we needed to let them figure it out in court. Caroline needed something to live on.”
“Cab would have helped you—”
“When has a Chance Creek sheriff ever helped a Cooper? Law enforcement isn’t on our side.” She bit her lip and looked away.
Noah felt her words like a hit below the belt. He’d never truly realized what the world looked like from where Olivia stood. If she didn’t think she could ask for help in even the most extreme circumstances, then how could she ever feel safe—or at peace?
“How come you didn’t come to me?” Steel growled. “I would have taken care of it.”
“And landed in jail like Dad? Maybe never made it out?” Olivia shook her head. “I handled it. Caroline’s safe. She’s going to have money to get her through. She’s with people who will help her. I did what needed to be done because I know how to do that.”
She looked from Noah to Steel. “I’m not made of sugar. I don’t need a man to protect me—” She stopped. Closed her eyes. Noah could almost see her anger slipping away. “But thank you. Both of you. For being there when I did need you.”
“Just what on God’s green earth is going on around here?”
Noah straightened as Virginia marched up to them. She looked as mad as a wet hen.
This wasn’t going to be good.
“That’s what I want to know. Since when do you fraternize with the enemy on our land?” Jed asked, limping toward them, leaning heavily on his cane. He looked tired, and Noah wondered if the day had gotten to him. His uncle shouldn’t be spending hours in the sun like this.
“We’re saving the library,” he said. “That’s the whole point, right?”
“Coopers don’t have any business with the library,” Jed said. “Doubt they can even read.”
“My girlfriend reads, don’t you, Olivia?” Noah put his arm around her shoulder.
Jed’s eyes widened, but it was Virginia who spoke.
“Girlfriend? What’s he talking about?” she demanded of Olivia. “Coopers don’t date Turners.”
Jed rounded on her. “They did once upon a time.”
“No need to cast that in my face. I’ve done my penance,” Virginia snapped back.
“You didn’t think it was such a hardship back when I used to kiss you good-night. Could hardly peel you off me.” Jed limped nearer.
“I never kissed you!”
“Liar! You wore my ring for months. Would have married me if—”
“If you weren’t a reprobate and a dissembler and an all-around hooligan,” Virginia cut him off. “You had me fooled for a time, Jed Turner, but I found out what you were about.” She turned on Olivia. “You mark my words: this one will break your heart, too. Turners are Turners, and nothing can change that.”
“You don’t know anything about it,” Jed told her. “Because you can never shut your mouth long enough to listen to someone else.”
“That’s because I don’t want to hear what you have to say. You had your chance, and you lost it.” Virginia humphed and marched away. “Olivia, Steel, Lance, come!”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Olivia said. “I need to talk to Cab, and I don’t want to go home. I want to help save the library.”
“I’ll make sure Virginia gets home. You got this, Turner?” Steel asked Noah, gesturing to Devon.
“Yeah, I got this,” Noah said. “Go on.”
“I’m staying, too.” Lance shrugged when Steel frowned at him. “Want to see the bands later.” But he glanced at Maya, who was hovering nearby.
Steel nodded. “I’ll be back in an hour or so.”
A small crowd had formed to watch the fun. “All right, everyone, show’s over,” Stella called out, “But another one is about to start on the stage. Everyone ready for some dancing?” Maya joined her in urging people toward the music, and moments later the crowd had dispersed.
“You sure you want to stay?” Noah asked Olivia, grateful to his sisters for diffusing the situation.
“I’m sure,” she said. “I’m not letting Virginia call the shots.”
“Good.” Noah faced Jed. “I’m not letting anyone else boss me around, either. Olivia’s part of my life now, whether you like it or not.”
Jed was still watching Virginia walk away. When he turned around, Noah sucked in a breath at the raw pain he saw on his uncle’s face. Jed glanced at Olivia and nodded.
“If you really love her, don’t let anything stop you.” He limped off without another word.
“What do you think happened between those two?” Olivia asked sadly.
“I don’t know. But I don’t want to make whatever mistake they did,” Noah told her. “I want to be with you.”
“I want to be with you, too.”
“I’m going to ask you to marry me soon,” he confessed. “You all right with that?”
“We haven’t even dated yet,” she pointed out.
“Fine. We’ll date. Starting right now. I’ll buy you lunch.”
“Sounds good,” she agreed. “After we talk to the sheriff,” she added as the siren wound down and Cab’s cruiser came into view, but when Noah bent to kiss her, she went up on tiptoe to meet him.
It was nearly two in the morning when they gathered again in the living room at the Flying W. The crowds were gone, Fulsom and his retinue had finally left for the airport, and everything that hadn’t been packed up tonight would be dealt with in the morning.
“I never dreamed it would all go so well.” Maya flopped back onto the couch. “How much did we raise?”
“Hold on. I’ve almost added it all up,” Stella said.
Olivia waited, tucked into an overlarge easy chair next to Noah. Liam sat on the floor, his back to the couch. Steel and Lance prowled around the room looking too uncomfortable to stand still. Jed had gone to bed some time ago—thank goodness, as far as Olivia was concerned. He didn’t like this truce between the families.
“Whatever it is, it will be a godsend,” Marta said. She’d waited on Olivia’s urging to see the outcome of the day’s sales, although the librarian had pleaded too old to be up so late.
“We’ll have exact figures in a day or two from our take from the food vendors, but judging from the estimates Camila gave me, and the entry fees we collected, I’d say we earned more than ten thousand dollars,” Stella announced.
“Well,” Marta said. “That’s something!”
“That’s not all, though,” Stella said. “Carl Whitfield gave this to me earlier. Said it was something extra to throw in the pot from all the California guests. Olivia, it’s addressed to you. I haven’t opened it.”
Olivia got up and crossed the room to take the envelope from Stella’s hands. Good old Carl; he could always be counted on to help the town.
She tore open the envelope and pulled out a check, then swallowed hard when she took in the number of zeroes on it.
“Oh, my goodness. I—” She passed it quickly back to Stella, who sucked in a breath and then laughed.
“I think we’ll get the job done with this,” she said.
“What is it?” Liam demanded.
“Two hundred thousand dollars,” Stella pronounced.
Marta gaped at her and placed a hand over her heart. “Are you pulling my leg?”
“Uh-uh.” Stella read it again. “Two hundred thousand dollars. I think we’re going to have the spiffiest library around.”
“I think you’re right,” Marta said. “And Olivia, I think I’m going to be able to offer you that job you wanted.”
“I can’t believe it,” Maya said. “We’re going to win!”
Olivia, halfway across the room to hug Marta, stumbled as the truth of Maya’s words crashed over her. With all that money, the Turners would be able to turn the library into something special. Would that be enough to win the Founder’s Prize?
“Those California people certainly enjoyed themselves,” Marta said, oblivious to the currents running through the room. “Never seen a bunch of grown-ups so pleased by something so simple.”
“Carl always told me how many hours he worked at a desk back in his Silicon Valley days. Maybe it’s the same for them,” Olivia said, still wrapped up in her thoughts. “Maybe they don’t get to play outside enough.” She’d only gotten glimpses of them through the day. They’d stuck together, but Marta was right; they did seem to have fun.
“I’ll take ranching any day.” Noah kept his gaze on her, obviously worried about her reaction to Maya’s proclamation. As well he should be. The Turners and Coopers had worked together tonight. That didn’t mean they would in the future, though.
“Well, I’m going to get these old bones home,” Marta said. “That’s more excitement than I’ve had in a lifetime. Thanks to all of you for saving our library. Chance Creek would have been the poorer without it.”
Olivia and Noah walked her to the door. When Olivia hugged her on the way out, Marta paused. “I know it isn’t any business of mine, but I want you to know I approve of what’s going on between the two of you. You are not your parents, and what William and Enid did shouldn’t keep you apart, no matter what anyone says.”
Olivia froze, glancing from Marta to Noah.
“What William and Enid did?” Noah looked just as lost as she felt.
“Oh, heavens.” Marta looked away. “What am I thinking? Loose lips…”
“What do you know, Marta?” Olivia demanded.
Marta sighed but continued reluctantly. “You know we have a computer system now for book loaning and returns, but it’s only about five years old. Before that we checked out books the old-fashioned way.”
Olivia remembered. She’d helped sometimes when she was young. The system included folks writing their names on a card held in a sleeve inside the cover of the book, and the librarian stamping both the card and the sleeve with the due date for its return. The patron took the book, and the library kept the card.
“That meant I saw the titles people checked out. I tried not to snoop, but I couldn’t help but see them, you know.”
“I know,” Olivia said. She tried to hold her impatience in check.
“Your mother,” Marta said to Noah, “checked out several books right before she left. One was called The Best Revenge is a Life Well Lived. It was about how to recover after being cheated on. Mary was very angry. I’ll always remember what she said when she caught me reading the title. ‘That’s right—twenty-three years of marriage down the drain. One husband isn’t enough for Enid Cooper. She wants mine, too!’ She marched out of here before I could say a word. I never saw her again.” Marta looked down. “I’m so sorry. I never should have brought it up.”
“Don’t be sorry,” Noah said slowly. Olivia wondered how he could find his voice at all. She couldn’t. Her mother and Noah’s father? That made no sense. “My parents’ marriage was rocky a long, long time.”
Olivia looked up. “It was?”
“My parents always argued a lot. Still, it was a big surprise when Mom took off. Always wondered what happened.”
“But—” She couldn’t see her mother taking up with William. “How long were they carrying on?” She needed to reevaluate everything she knew. Her mother had never breathed a word about William. Hadn’t seemed affected at all when the man died several years ago. Something didn’t add up.
“Mom took off right around the time your dad went to jail.”
“So right after Maya spilled the beans—” Olivia stiffened. Hell, had she just said that out loud?
“Maya? Spilled the beans about what?”
Olivia opened the door and pushed Marta and Noah out onto the front stoop. She didn’t want anyone else to hear what she had to say; the feud would flare up all over again.
“You have to swear not to tell a soul,” she said. “Both of you.”
Marta nodded instantly, Noah more reluctantly.
“The day I found the marijuana crop on the Ridley property, Maya was with me. Marta, this was years ago—back before my dad went to jail.”
“I see,” Marta said.
“I had to get Maya out of there before she saw what it was. I took her back to Thorn Hill, but Lance was hanging around, so I pulled her into our barn. She saw some pelts my dad had drying. She must have realized it was the wrong time of year for that. I’m pretty sure she’s the one who told the sheriff my dad was poaching. Then I told him the location of my dad’s hunting cabin. He’d gone there for a weekend with the guys. They were supposed to be playing cards out there. He’d been doing that pretty regularly.”
“Funny. My dad kept taking weekends with the guys, too, back then. We had extra chores when he was gone,” Noah said.
Olivia shook her head. “Well, they weren’t playing cards together,” she quipped. “Sorry, but my dad never had anything good to say about yours. He definitely believed in upholding our side of the Cooper–Turner feud.”
“Huh.”
“What’s that mean?”
“It’s just… well, no one’s supposed to know this.” He went on when Olivia rolled her eyes. She was right; they were all telling secrets. He might as well tell his. “My dad took care of Thorn Hill after your dad went to jail. Paid the bills until he found a tenant, then kept an eye on the place. I found out when he died and the job fell to me.”
Olivia blinked. “William watched over Thorn Hill? We were told there’d been a caretaker but not who it was. We all thought Dad sold the place. Mom signed away her rights to it, you know.”
“I didn’t know that.” Noah thought that over. “If she was cheating with my dad, would Dale ask him to take care of the place? That seems mighty… open-minded.”
“Unless he didn’t know.”
“I’m sorry to bring up old memories,” Marta said again. She looked every bit her age, and Olivia realized she needed to be in bed.
“Don’t worry about it. Noah and I would have shared all our stories eventually,” Olivia told her. “Go home and sleep. I can’t wait to start my new job.”
“Can’t wait to have you there. And to fix up the old place.”
Marta took her leave. When she was gone, Olivia turned to Noah. “Marta’s a sweetheart, but I think she’s got that story wrong. I just can’t see Mom being with your dad.”
“Doesn’t seem likely to me, either. Still can’t figure out how Dad ended up taking care of Thorn Hill.”
“It makes no sense,” she agreed. She thought it over. “It’s all such a mess. I hate that I’m the reason my dad went to jail.”
“You aren’t the reason.” He drew her near. “He did what he did. You are not to blame in any of this, Olivia. Remember that. You tried to do the right thing. He’s the one who messed up. My dad, too. He should have stayed home more. Tried to see eye to eye with my mom.”
“If our parents did have an affair, would this be wrong?”
“Absolutely not.” His arms tightened around her. “Even if they did, I don’t think it could have been more than a short-term thing.”
“My mom has to be the best actress in the world. I mentioned to her when your dad passed away. She didn’t react at all.”
“I guess we’ll never know what happened.”
“I could ask her,” Olivia said doubtfully.
“Why stir up something so far in the past? Dad’s gone. You’ve got your ranch back. Mom’s got a new life. Enid is doing fine, too, isn’t she?”
“I think so.”
“Then let’s leave it. That’s what we Turners and Coopers need to learn to do—let the past go, and live in the present. Don’t you think?”
“I guess so. I don’t want to lose you,” she confessed, pressing her cheek to his chest, hearing his heartbeat in the quiet of the night.
“You aren’t going to lose me, I promise. Come on, let’s call it a night.”
“Do you mean—”
“You and me. Camila’s old cabin.”
Olivia grinned at him. “You’re on.”
This time when Noah led Olivia into Camila’s old cabin, he had an armload of bedding and a six-pack of beer, and Olivia’s hands were full of leftovers Camila and Fila had offloaded on them earlier. They made up the bed, then spread out their food picnic-style on it. Noah offered her a beer, and Olivia took it. When they were both sitting cross-legged on the bed, they dug in.
Noah liked the companionable silence as they took the edge off their hunger.
“I can’t believe Jed gave us his blessing,” Olivia said finally.
“Not to mention Steel and Lance,”
“And Liam, Stella and Maya.” She took a swig of her beer. “Do you think the peace will last?”
“I hope so.” He paused. “I don’t think we should count on it, though. Not unless Liam and Lance bury the hatchet.”
“They didn’t fight today,” Olivia pointed out.
“Not today.”
“You and Steel seem to be getting along.”
She was right. Earlier this evening, once the tubing rides were done, he’d gone to see Olivia’s brother by the creek. Working side by side in silence, they’d dug in the creek bed until less water ran into the Turners’ irrigation channel and more flowed onward to fill the one where the Coopers watered their stock.
They’d faced each other in the dimness, the water rushing around them.
“Thank you,” Noah had said. “For saving Olivia.”
“Couldn’t have done it without your help.”
“And for helping with the fundraiser. We wouldn’t even have a shot at the prize if it wasn’t for Olivia’s idea.”
“Ideas aren’t worth much without actions.”
Noah had studied him, wondering how much there was he didn’t know about Steel. Despite the mystery, he thought Steel could be counted on. The man wasn’t quite the outlaw Noah had thought he might be. Which was a good thing, considering he would be family soon.
Family.
“We’re even, then?” he had said at last.
“As long as there are no more tricks, no more letters or sabotage—” Steel had extended his hand, and Noah had clasped it firmly. “Then may the best family win.”
Noah kissed the side of Olivia’s head, glad to be with her tonight. “I’m not worried about what happens between our families. I’m just glad you’re safe.”
“I am, too. I’m glad Caroline’s long gone and that so many witnesses saw Devon attack me. That’s got to help her case.”
“I’m sure it will.” He kissed her again. He couldn’t get enough of her. He was so thankful she was back in his arms. When he thought he might have lost her today—
“Noah, you’re squeezing me.”
“Sorry.” He let her go.
“I’m going to miss Caroline. She’s been my only real friend for a long time. First woman I’ve ever been able to trust since…” She cleared her throat. “Well, since Maya.”
“That must have hurt when she betrayed you.”
“It did.”
He thought back. “Maya mooned around a long time after Mom left. I wonder if at least part of that was because she was missing you.” He realized that all of them had suffered in silence when his family broke apart. He and his siblings had unanimously decided to stay at the Flying W instead of moving to Ohio with his mother, but he couldn’t remember ever talking about it.
Now he wondered if they somehow collectively thought that if they acted as one she’d change her mind and stay in Chance Creek, too—or better yet, patch things up with their dad. He found he couldn’t remember much about the day she’d left, as if the images and words they must have spoken had vanished from his mind.
He’d blocked it out.
Noah swallowed. He’d been more affected by his mother’s defection than he’d realized. Were Liam, Stella and Maya scarred by his parents’ split-up, too?
“Maya sicced the sheriff on us,” Olivia said bullishly.
“She might not have realized the repercussions. She was just a kid—like you.” Noah’s chest tightened when he realized Maya really had been a kid back then. William had been busy running the ranch. She’d effectively raised herself.
“Maybe so. I sure didn’t realize what I was doing when I went to the sheriff,” Olivia mused. Her face was tight with remembered pain, and Noah wished he could ease it. He’d need to think more about Maya later. Right now Olivia needed his attention.
“You both tried to do what was right,” he told her.
“And Dad ended up in jail.”
Noah chose his words carefully. “You know poaching doesn’t carry jail time.” He didn’t want to add to her misery, but he didn’t want to keep secrets from her either.
She snorted. “Not unless you’re a Cooper.”
“That’s not what happened.” Gently, he relayed everything Mahoney had told him.
When he was finished, she looked resigned. “Gun trafficking. I would have never thought it. I guess he really did deserve to be in jail. I’m beginning to think I didn’t know my father at all—or my mother.”
“We don’t know what the circumstances were.” Not that he could think of any good reason to smuggle weapons over the border.
“I feel like I’ve lost almost everyone I ever cared about,” Olivia said tiredly.
“But you’ve got me,” Noah said, tugging her closer. “And I’m not going anywhere.”
“Do you promise? Because I don’t think I could take it—”
Noah wrapped his arms around her. Knew he couldn’t go on without asking. “Olivia Cooper, will you marry me?”
She stared at him. “Noah, don’t—not if you—”
“I’ve never been more serious in my life. We had our date. Now I want more. I want you—forever. I want you to be my wife.”
“Why?”
She looked so surprised Noah nearly laughed.
“Because you’re you.”
“What does that mean?”
Noah took both her hands. “It means you’re brave and you’re caring and you’re reckless and you’re maddening and you’re wonderful, and I haven’t been able to think about another woman since I saw you cuddling puppies in front of the hardware store.”
Olivia smiled. “I forgot about that.”
“I’ll never forget it. That’s the day I knew you were going to become my wife.”
“Really?”
“Really. I’ve been patiently stalking you ever since.”
“Noah Turner, you are the strangest man I’ve ever met.”
“Here’s the thing. I want my life to change. I want to build up the Flying W, not let it fall apart. I want to forget this feud between our families and move forward, without carrying the past along. I want to be part of Chance Creek’s renaissance, not part of the forces holding it back. I feel like I can do that if you’ll be by my side. You make me better, Olivia.”
Olivia’s eyes filled. “You make me better, too. That’s everything I want. A new future. A better one. I’m ready to work, Noah. To build something. Fix something. To grow up and get it together.”
“Exactly.” She understood him. “So will you marry me?”
She took a deep, rough breath, and Noah waited in agony until she finally nodded. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
Noah swallowed. She’d said yes.
She’d said—
Noah kissed her with everything he had, but that wasn’t enough, and when he moved to pull her down on the bed beside him, the food and drinks got in the way. Olivia gathered them up and set them aside. Noah pitched in, scooping things off the bed as quickly as he could.
“Where were we?” he asked when they were done. His hands went to the buttons on her shirt, and she lay on her back, allowing him to undress her. When he’d exposed her bra to view, she tugged on his T-shirt, and he pulled it up over his head. Tossing it aside, he pulled her to him, brushing kisses over her breasts before reaching around to undo the clasp on her bra. When he managed to peel it off her, Noah took a moment to drink her in.
“What did I ever do without you?” he asked her.
“I’m sure you were miserable every second,” she teased.
“I was. I was missing you.”
“Noah—”
“I mean it,” he said, cupping a breast and running his thumb over her nipple. She sighed, and he did it again. “I knew something was missing. It was you. I need you, Olivia.”
She leaned into his touch and reached to kiss him, already tugging at the button on her jeans. When they were both naked, Noah rolled over and pulled her on top of him. “I want to see you.” He ran his hands up to caress her breasts. As she straddled him, he thought he’d never seen anyone so lovely. Olivia was fully herself and fully open to being with him. He couldn’t ask for more.
She rose on her knees and sank down around him. As Noah pushed into her, he wondered if his life could get any better than this. He suddenly understood the power of sex in a visceral way: two people joining as one. An act so intimate and so binding with the right person.
Olivia was the right person. Noah was sure of that. He hoped to God she was as sure of him.
As she rocked above him, her breasts swaying with their movements, the heat building between them, Noah touched her cheek.
“Forever?” He hadn’t known he needed to ask the question, but he thought Olivia understood.
“Forever,” she agreed and then moved with him until her cries brought him over the edge. As his climax crashed through him, Noah held on to Olivia, giving himself over to the sensations—to what they’d built together.
Olivia collapsed on top of him, and he crushed her to his chest, breathing in her scent, kissing her hair, her face, then catching her mouth. He wrapped his arms around her, not wanting to let go.
A life with Olivia was worth fighting for. Worth standing up for.
He would make it his first priority.
Everything else had to wait in line.
Surrounded by Noah’s embrace, Olivia had never felt so safe. She knew to the bottom of her soul if she protested with a breath, he’d release her. Noah had no need to control her—let alone hurt her the way Devon had hurt Caroline. Every action he took showed just how much he cared.
He was right; she had him, and she had other friends in Chance Creek, too. The Hall women had rallied around her to make the gala a huge success. Camila, Fila and Mia Matheson were friendly, too, and she’d done a great job at the food tent during the tubing fundraiser—she had a feeling they’d ask her to fill in again in the future.
Marta was one of her staunchest allies in town, and soon she’d have a new job. One she’d always wanted—a position that would earn her respect over time.
Maybe someday she’d go back to school, get a degree and be able to take over running the library when Marta was ready to retire. She wasn’t ready to speak that desire out loud yet, but somehow it seemed possible in a way it never had before.
Maybe someday she’d patch things up with Maya.
Maybe.
Maya and Stella would be her sisters-in-law.
Crazy.
She and Noah talked and slept and woke to make love again in the middle of the night and then slept again. Now a streak of sunlight splashed across the bed, and she knew they’d need to get up soon.
She wished she could stay in Noah’s arms, but they had work to do, jobs to go to, family to bicker with…
Life with Noah would be interesting, and she had a million questions about their marriage, but one in particular had lodged in her heart and made her stomach twist.
When Noah shifted, she turned in his arms to face him.
“Hey, beautiful,” he said.
“Hey, yourself, handsome.”
He surveyed her a moment. “You’re thinking about something. What is it?”
He knew her so well already. She had a feeling it would be hard to hide things from him.
“Did you mean what you said? About getting married?”
“Hell, yeah.” He pushed up on his elbow, fully awake. “Didn’t you?”
“Of course, but—where are we going to live?” She held her breath.
Noah nodded and thought about it. “Where do you want to live?” he asked finally. “I mean, it’s easy enough to go from one ranch to the other. We both have obligations to our families.”
She supposed that wouldn’t change, but they’d need a home. “Noah, I can’t… I can’t leave my family. Not now. Not when we’re just pulling it together again.”
She saw a flash of pain cross his face, but he quickly nodded again. “I can see that.”
“Nothing against the Flying W. I know you love it—”
“But Thorn Hill needs all hands on deck,” he finished for her.
“Exactly.”
“The thing is… so does the Flying W.” He thought some more. “How about this.” He lifted one of her hands to his mouth and kissed it. “If you agree to take my name, I’ll agree to live on your ranch. Doesn’t really matter where I sleep at night. I’ll be working both spreads.”
Olivia’s heart constricted. His offer was fiendishly clever, but she supposed she could make that compromise, especially if her husband-to-be meant to care for Thorn Hill the way he did his own home. “Okay,” she said slowly. “I can agree to that.”
“One more stipulation,” he added.
“What?” she asked suspiciously.
“We go get your ring soon. I want this deal sealed for all to see.”
Olivia smiled. “I guess I can live with that, too.”
“Good. We’re going to have to make a lot of these compromises, you know,” he added.
“I know, but we’re strong enough to handle that. We’ll be fine,” she told him.
“You bet we will.”
When Noah walked into the diner that afternoon, Brandon was already at their usual table, waiting for him. For a moment Noah wondered if he’d lost track of time, but when he checked his phone he found it was just as he’d thought: the man was ten minutes early.
That was a change.
Brandon looked up and spotted him, then waved and broke into a broad grin. A mug of coffee stood on the table in front of him, and another stood in front of Noah’s place, prepared just the way he liked it.
“What’s all this?”
Brandon ducked his head. “I’ve got some news.”
“Shoot.”
“It has to do with Christie.”
Noah figured he should have guessed that.
“I know you didn’t want me hanging around her,” Brandon hurried to add. “I get it, too. You didn’t want me to drag her into something bad for her, but you underestimated her, you know. She pulled me up rather than the other way around. She gave me a reason to get up in the morning when I didn’t have one. Hey, you still with me, man?”
Noah snapped to attention. “Yeah, sorry.” He’d gotten lost thinking about himself and Olivia. His whole family had acted like Olivia would poison him just because she was a Cooper, but instead she’d proven she was the strong, caring woman he’d always known she would be. He should have given Brandon more credit. “It really does look like she’s been good for you.”
Brandon lit up. “You don’t know the half of it.”
Noah laughed. “Got something you’d like to share?”
“I finally got a job, for one thing.” Noah started to congratulate him, but Brandon, caught up in his excitement, plowed on. “It was the darnedest thing. I thought about what you said, about giving my folks a break, and I asked my mom if she needed any help. She didn’t, but she knew some other people who did. She started loaning me out to her friends. I did all kinds of things: errands, yard work, home repairs. A couple of days ago, Mom asked me to run and pick up snacks for her knitting circle. Most of her friends were in it, so I got to see everyone again. It was kind of embarrassing to walk into that frilly knitting place with a box of cupcakes, but those ladies were as happy as if I was delivering gold.
“Then Mom introduced me to a new member who’d just moved to town. We got to talking, and I asked what brought her to Chance Creek—turns out she’s the wife of the new owner of the Simmons place. Hilltop Acres. When she asked what I did, I told her I was looking for work. She offered me a job on the spot as a hand on her new spread.”
“Brandon, that’s great!” Noah said. “Really, I’m impressed.”
“Before you ask, yes—I told her I’d been in jail. Told her everything that happened, and how I wanted to make a new start. Mom vouched for me. So did all the other ladies I’d helped. The best part is the job comes with room and board on the ranch.” He laughed. “That’ll give the folks a little space.”
Noah nodded. “Sounds like they’ll have a lot of space. Hilltop Acres is pretty far out of town.”
“I like it. Seems like a good place to get away from it all. Do some good hard thinking.”
“What are you doing all that thinking about?” Noah spread his hands and clarified, “Not asking as your parole officer. Just curious what direction you’re going to go with your life.”
Instead of answering Brandon rummaged in his pockets for a few moments and brought out a brochure. Noah’s eyebrows shot up when he saw it. “Firefighter training?”
“I realized it feels good to help people. I’m hoping I can do a lot more of that before my life is over.”
“Sounds like a good way to give back.”
“Anyway, that’s not even the kicker,” Brandon said. “Now that I’ve got a steady income, Christie and I are moving in together. We worked out a fair way to split expenses. Since she can bunk with me free of charge, she won’t have to pay rent anymore, which means she can help cover some of the other bills. Together we’ll be able to save some money. Maybe it’s not our dream house, but by this time next year, we’ll have enough for our wedding.”
“You’re getting married?”
Brandon called Christie over to their table. “Show Noah your ring.”
She held out her hand to Noah, showing him a silver band with a modest diamond.
“It’s a placeholder ring,” Brandon explained. “One of these days I’ll be able to buy her a real one.”
Christine shushed him with a kiss. “I told you, this is the only one I’ll ever need.”
“Looks good on your finger,” Noah told her.
Olivia entered the restaurant and joined them, giving Noah a kiss of her own. “Hey, guys—you having a party?”
“Brandon and Christie are getting married,” Noah told her. “Coincidentally, we’re off to pick out our ring right now,” he added.
Brandon broke out into a wide grin. “Congratulations.” He shook Noah’s hand, then Olivia’s. “Looks like things are looking up for all of us.”
Noah couldn’t help but agree.
A short time later he and Olivia pulled up out front of Thayer’s Jewelers. When they went inside, Rose Johnson greeted them with surprise. Noah couldn’t blame her. A Turner and Cooper looking for an engagement ring? He was sure the news would be all over town soon.
“What kind of ring do you want?” Rose asked Olivia.
“Something simple,” Olivia said.
“Something beautiful,” Noah told Rose. “For my beautiful bride.”
“Try on as many as you like.” Rose pulled out some trays and set them on the counter. “Take your time, you two.”
Olivia did just that, but there was one she kept coming back to, a beautiful square diamond on a white-gold band.
“Is that the one?” he asked.
“I… think so,” she said. “I like it a lot. But… is it too expensive?”
“Absolutely not. This is an investment, like our marriage. An investment in our future. Together we’re going to be so much more than we ever could be apart.” He kissed her. “I’m going to do everything I can to make your life wonderful, you know that?”
She nodded, her eyes shining.
“That one is beautiful,” Rose said, coming back to see. “Do you need to try on more?”
Olivia shook her head. “This is the one.” She handed it to Rose, and Rose held it for a moment with her eyes closed. Noah held his breath. Local legend said that she could tell a lot about a couple’s future by holding their ring.
Noah sighed in relief when Rose grinned. “I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t felt it, but it looks like a Turner and a Cooper can have a long, happy future together. Congratulations, you two. I hope this is the end of the feud between your families.”
“I hope so, too,” Noah told her, but he wasn’t counting on it. All he was counting on was the way he felt when he was with Olivia. She was his world now. To hell with everyone else.
Several days later Olivia stood up from the fence she was mending when she heard footsteps behind her. “Hope you brought some beer,” she called out, thinking it was Lance or Steel. When she turned, wiping her hands on her work jeans, however, she saw Noah approaching with a smile on his face.
“No beer, sorry,” he said, “but I did bring you this.” He planted a long, passionate kiss on her lips.
“An acceptable substitute,” she said when they broke apart. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here to help,” he said. “Once we’re married, this ranch will be my responsibility, too, which means I need to do my part.”
She peeled off her work gloves and handed them over. “I’m not going to argue with that. Hope you like patching fences. We’ve fallen a little behind lately, so there’s a lot to do.”
Noah laughed as he knelt down, picked up Olivia’s tools and got to work. “Maybe that’s why our families have been fighting so much lately. Good fences make good neighbors, right?”
Olivia groaned affably. She watched Noah work, resting for a little while, but she figured she shouldn’t take too much advantage of his good nature. “Be back in a minute with another pair of gloves,” she said and jogged off toward the barn. When she returned, she sighed when she spotted Virginia, Lance and Steel grouped around Noah.
“You fool,” Virginia said when she spotted Olivia. “Don’t you see this is all part of his plan? You turn your back on this Turner, and he’s going to deliberately sabotage our fences.”
“Even if it’s not deliberate, he’ll mess up the job all the same,” Lance said. “Turners don’t know a thing about ranching.”
Olivia bit back the tirade she longed to unleash, figuring she’d better let Noah handle the situation. He carefully laid down the tools, showing more respect for the beat-up old things than her brothers ever did, then spread his hands. “If I’m doing it wrong, I’d be more than grateful if you’d point out my mistakes.”
Lance grumbled and shoved his hands in his pockets. Olivia fought down her laughter. Clever of Noah to disarm her brother like that. Lance didn’t know how to fight an opponent who refused to fight back.
“In that case, I don’t know what to tell you,” Noah said. “Except that you’d better get used to me pitching in around here, since I’m going to live here.”
“Live here?” Lance said. “What the—”
“Would you rather I moved to the Flying W?” Olivia asked him.
Steel was watching Noah. “Is that right?” he asked. It wasn’t a challenge, and it wasn’t a welcome.
“That’s right.” Olivia said. She probably should have given her family a heads-up after she and Noah came to that decision, but if she was being honest, she’d been glad to put this conversation off for a while. Not to mention she’d wanted to have Noah here for support when she dropped the news.
“We’ll all likely end up dead in our sleep.” Virginia turned on Steel and Lance. “Are you Coopers or not? Why aren’t you running this reprobate off our land?”
Steel scrubbed a hand over his face, and she was pretty sure he was holding back a laugh. Olivia relaxed. If Steel was all right with her living arrangements, everyone else would soon fall in line.
“If it makes you feel better,” she told Virginia, flashing the ring Noah had bought her earlier that day, “I won’t be calling myself a Cooper very much longer.” She couldn’t resist pushing her aunt’s buttons. “Anyway, you won’t have to worry about him sleeping under your roof. Noah and I are taking over Carl’s old cabin.”
Virginia glowered, but Lance suddenly stepped forward and extended a hand to Noah. “I guess I can live with that,” he said, giving Noah’s hand a reserved shake. “Welcome to the best ranch on God’s green earth.”
Olivia braced herself, wondering if, even now, Noah could let the dig at his own spread slide. But he smiled warmly, and when he answered Liam, she could tell he was speaking to her. “It’s a pleasure to be here.”