by Vivian Arend
A long-suffering sigh drifted from Zach. “Because I’m purchasing the old Brewster building on Main Street.”
Finn thought it over. Still made no sense. “Why do we need to go to a bank for that?”
“Because I’m buying it. You’re my backup collateral to organize the loan.”
“Well, that’s a waste of time. There’s more than enough money in the corporation. Buy it out of there,” Finn said distractedly.
“Nope. I’m buying this one with my own money.”
“I’m with Zach on this one,” Josiah offered.
Okay, that was weird. “Since when did you start to develop opinions about how we spend our money?” Finn demanded of the veterinarian.
Josiah shrugged. “Since we got drunk the other night and had a deep heart-to-heart about how having all the money in the world doesn’t mean a thing without the women we love. And since Zach is still looking for his one and only, we should at least let him enjoy the daily struggles of paying a mortgage without the backing of a fat bankroll.”
This conversation got weirder and weirder. Finn gave Josiah a dirty look. “Number one, we did not get drunk the other night, and we didn’t have a deep heart-to-heart. Fairly certain I’ve never used the words ‘woman I love’ in any recent conversation. But if Zach wants to offer up his classic cruiser as collateral for that rotting eyesore in the middle of town, I’m okay with it.”
“Hey. I never said a word about Delilah being involved in this deal,” Zach protested.
“The 1955, powder-blue corvette convertible he rebuilt,” Finn told a curious Josiah. “Zero to sixty in eleven point two, and I’ve only been allowed to drive her once.”
“And you tricked me into that time,” Zach informed him staunchly. “She is not my collateral.”
This might actually be fun. Zach had provided the perfect distraction for Finn in the way only best friends who’d been together forever could. “Good luck at the bank without me.”
A furl creased between Zach’s brows. “You’re a bastard, and you don’t actually get to drive her unless I fail on my loan.”
“I’m a one-woman man,” Finn said in all seriousness. “Delilah is safe unless you screw up. Although, if you do screw up, I’ll let Josiah have her.”
Shock raced across Josiah’s face. “What? Don’t get me involved in this.”
“I couldn’t take his car and then drive it. That would be too much like gloating. This way, like a true best friend, I will sit with him and feed him whiskey while he curses your name.”
A burst of laughter broke free from Zach, followed quickly by one from Josiah.
The vet shook his head. “You two are impossible. You’re also both invited to dinner on Saturday night. Lisa wants to do something with a bunch of her friends and needs guys to balance the numbers. Show up. Six o’clock. And dear Lord—I can’t believe I’m saying this—you are instructed to wear sandals.”
After a day filled with interesting twists, Finn wasn’t sure where that one came from. “Thank God it’s June. I would guess we’re having a pool party, but you don’t have a pool.”
“We’re having a spa day?” Zach guessed. “I don’t think that’s gonna fly.”
“I have no idea, and that’s the truth.” Josiah made a horrified face. “I never should’ve introduced her to drama and my acting past, because Lisa gets these ideas in her head that are pretty banana cakes.”
It was entertaining, but Finn could reassure his friend on this one. “Trust me, it wasn’t you who led her astray. She’s always been creative. The summer we lived at Whiskey Creek, she and my youngest brother got up to all sorts of wild shit.”
A solid thump echoed—Zach’s fist meeting Finn’s chest. “Dude. Do not talk about the young lady’s past to her current squeeze.”
Shit. “Nothing like that. The two of them were like twelve-year-olds overdosed on orange crush and Twizzlers. We caught them painting a mural on the side of the barn with paintball guns once. That girl has got more imagination than is healthy.”
“She’s got just the right amount of imagination, and she’s all mine.” Josiah looked decidedly content after sharing that definitive statement. “I’ll see you two on Saturday. Give me a shout if you need anything sooner.”
Zach managed to restrain himself until the door closed before turning to Finn, his concern written on his expression. “Are you okay? Are you sure you know what you’re doing with Karen? Do we really have to wear sandals to a party, and is that even legal on a ranch in Alberta?”
“I’m fine. Karen is fine. And I have no idea what the hell Lisa’s up to, but it will be entertaining to find out.”
With beautiful June weather pouring through the open window of her truck, Karen had herself in a far better mood than she’d expected by the time she arrived at her sister Tamara’s house.
The yard outside the Silver Stone ranch house held a collection of vehicles, as usual. Some from the coming and going of the active ranch, but the three she was particularly interested in sat side by side, wildly different.
Tamara was now driving the mom mobile. With two adopted daughters, one nine and one eleven, and her newborn son who was all of two months old, the sister closest in age to Karen had given up her truck and chosen convenience for hauling her family around.
Her younger sister, Lisa, was still driving her beat-up old truck, an ancient hand-me-down that went through a mess of cousins before she got it. Karen was surprised Lisa’s boyfriend hadn’t insisted on her getting an upgrade. But then again, at twenty-seven now, Lisa was nearly as obstinate as Karen, so convincing her to do anything she didn’t want was an unlikely scenario.
The third vehicle was the one that made Karen still for a moment and take stock of her new reality. She didn’t have two younger sisters, she had three.
Julia Blushing might have come into their lives out of the blue only a few months ago, but she was most definitely a Whiskey Creek Coleman at heart. At least where it came to the stubbornness—the twenty-five-year-old EMT was now driving a teeny hybrid vehicle that didn’t look as if it could handle the highways around Heart Falls, let alone the back roads.
Karen parked her own well-used Chevy in an open space then headed for the back porch.
Music and laughter greeted her as she pulled open the door. A moment later, three heads pivoted, identical dark brown eyes set in similar faces. Only Tamara’s glasses—pink today—and their hairstyles set the three of them apart. Tamara had her hair pulled back in a ponytail. Lisa wore hers in two braids as if she were sixteen.
Julia’s deeper reddish-toned hair lay around her shoulders in a riot of curls that hadn’t been there a couple days ago.
Karen took her boots off in the mud room and hung up her coat even as she joined in the conversation. “Hey, guys. Julia, your hair is amazing.”
“Thanks.” Julia swooped the mass up to the top of her head and offered a sultry look with an exaggerated pout. A second later she burst out laughing and let it fall. “I’m afraid that’s as dramatic as I get.”
“It does look good,” Tamara said. “It also means we aren’t identical quadruplets anymore. That should make it a little easier for the poor people in town who insist they’ve seen me out and about without Tyler and ask when I got back into the medical profession.”
Lisa looked thoughtful. “It’s funny. In Rocky Mountain House, the cousins used to always complain how everyone thought they were interchangeable. If you spotted one Coleman, it didn’t matter what you called him, he’d answer. And then be expected to pass on a message to whichever of them you really did want.”
“One of the curses of a big family,” Tamara said. “It didn’t happen to us because even though we look similar, Karen would’ve had to have been dead to be spotted in the hospital.”
It was too easy to roll her eyes. Karen slipped onto the high stool next to Julia. “You remember what I said? About only believing half the bullshit they tell you?”
“Hey,” Lisa compla
ined.
“Don’t worry. I was leaning toward twenty percent, max.” Julia winked then picked up her coffee cup. “I will admit it’s been mostly fun figuring out this family thing. A little scary, but you guys make it moderately easy.” She hesitated. “So, thanks.”
A chorus of awwwws rose from the rest of them. Karen tucked an arm around Julia and gave her a squeeze. “I’m glad you feel that way. Although you might want to cover your ears for the next little bit, because another part of being family is giving each other hell when it’s deserved.”
Julia’s eyes widened, her lips squeezing tight.
She wasn’t the one Karen focused on, though. She turned her gaze on the other two troublemakers.
Tamara looked inquisitive. Lisa looked bored.
Which was all the hint Karen needed. She stared Lisa down. “Bingo. I know exactly who to shout at.”
A firm woof sounded from the floor, and everybody’s attention dropped to the small terrier hovering at Lisa’s feet. The cream-coloured dog seemed more like a rat to Karen than an actual canine, but Ollie was one hundred percent dedicated to Lisa.
At the moment, the beast seemed intent on warning Karen off from doing anything to her people.
Oh, hell no. Karen spoke firmly to the dog. “You. Hush. Sit.”
Ollie instantly settled on her butt but kept her gaze fixed on Karen, head slowly tilting to one side as if trying to distract the big, bad human from her mission.
Good grief. “I have no idea how you trained that creature, but puppy-dog eyes or not, you’re still in trouble.” Karen pointed at Lisa. “Finn Marlette. Start talking.”
Tamara snickered then wiped a hand over her mouth as she patted Tyler’s butt with the other. He wiggled in her chest carrier.
Karen shifted her finger to point in a new direction. “You’re next on the hit list. Both of you knew he was in town. Why didn’t you say something?”
“Because there was no reason to tell you at first,” Lisa said. She lifted one brow high. “Are you seriously telling me you never heard a word about him being around?”
Tamara leaned forward toward Julia, who was obviously at a loss. “Finn and his two brothers came to Whiskey Creek ranch a number of years ago to help out. Something intriguing went on between Finn and Karen during that time that they managed to keep all of us from finding out about until recently.” She glanced at Lisa.
“Could have knocked me over with a feather.” Lisa laid a hand over her chest with dramatic flair. Then she leaned forward as well, speaking softer as if Karen weren’t right there listening to the whole thing. “Obviously secret shenanigans were taking place. And so, when one part of the shenanigarians decided he wanted to move to our fair town and then began asking questions about the other part of the shenanigarian duo, it piqued our interest.”
Julia frowned. She turned to Karen. “We’ll just push aside the fact that Lisa makes up strange words way too easily. Is this Finn guy creeping on you? Because if he is, I will put a stop to it like, yesterday.”
A rush of emotion shot upward, and Karen threw caution to the wind. She wrapped her arms around her newfound sister and squeezed tight. “I like you. You’re good people.”
Julia patted her on the back. “Thanks. But I mean it.”
Karen let her go and stared at Lisa and Tamara, who were watching closely. “You guys are turkeys. And you’re both kind of assholes for not warning me, but no” —Karen faced Julia— “he’s not a stalker. It’s just really complicated, and as much as I love my sisters, they like to meddle.”
“We learned from the best.” Lisa leaned against the counter and folded her arms over her chest. “I’m sorry if Finn being around makes things tough. That wasn’t our intention.”
“What was your intention?” Karen asked. “Because right now I’m living in his house, and he offered me a job, and he says he wants to get back together. A whole bunch of decisions and situations I was not expecting when I made the move here. This was supposed to be four months to spend time with you guys and with Tyler and my nieces. And maybe go for horseback rides and daydream about the future.”
“You’re living in his house?” Julia blinked. “Huh.”
“He offered you a job? That’s unexpected.” Lisa glanced at Ollie, who offered a sympathetic woof.
But it was Tamara who caught Karen’s eye, her sister who had discovered how deep some of Karen’s frustrations had gone and had always found time to listen. “He wants to get back together?”
It was the part Karen didn’t want to discuss, even while she was longing to.
Quiet hovered for a moment before Lisa spoke. “What do you want?”
A snort escaped. “About which part?”
“I don’t think living in his house is a big deal. You’ve got the place to yourself, and it’s private. That’s why I didn’t say anything when Lisa and Josiah brought it up. But if it bothers you, we have room here, or you can move into one of the bunkhouses,” Tamara offered. “I do want you to be comfortable. More than that, I want you to have a good time while you’re visiting.”
“It’s not a big deal,” Karen admitted. She offered Lisa a glare. “I still don’t appreciate you pulling a fast one. ‘We know someone who needs a body in their cottage. They’d really appreciate it…’ Bah, humbug.”
Lisa held her hand in the air. “I solemnly swear to think a little harder before I do anything tricky to you in the future.”
“Or to me,” Julia popped in, laying a hand on Karen’s arm for a moment. “Sorry for butting in, but I thought this might be a good opportunity to strike while the iron was hot. No messing in my life, either. This sister thing is new, and parts of it are cool, but…” She pointed a finger back and forth between Karen and Lisa. “Meddling isn’t what I signed on for, okay?”
Baby Tyler woke, his cry ringing across the kitchen. Tamara moved easily to untangle him and start nursing. “There you go, Lisa. Julia’s already got your number.”
“You guys spoil all my fun,” Lisa said with a mock pout. She nodded agreement. “I promise to be nice, even though this is the first time in my life I’ve ever had a little sister to tease.”
“What about the job?” Julia turned the question to Karen. “Did you want to work while you were here?”
“What does he want you to do?” Tamara asked.
“Help him prep his dude ranch. The animal side of things, that is,” Karen confessed.
Julia’s eyes lit up.
“Say yes.” She popped a hand over her mouth briefly before apologizing. “Oops. It’s just that I grew up on a dude ranch, and they are all kinds of wonderful if they’re done right. That’s really where I would love to work someday.”
“I’d forgotten you said that’s where you and your mom lived.” Karen hesitated before admitting the rest. “It’s not a bad gig, to be honest. I’d get to buy horses and hire good staff. I don’t know if it’s a good idea to spend that much time around Finn, though. Not if I don’t want to get involved.”
“So that’s the real question.” Lisa raised a brow. “You don’t have to tell us why, but if you don’t want to get involved, then we will back your play. It’s up to you.”
“And if you don’t want to talk in front of me, I’m okay with that,” Julia said. “You don’t have to run your life by committee. Not even if you do have sisters.”
“Why, thank you. Although you will find having sisters means parts of your life run by committee whether you want them to or not,” Karen drawled.
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, palms pressed flat to the solid surface of the kitchen island as she tried to articulate what was going through her head.
“I’d like to take the job. After spending so many years not in charge even though I had the skills, it’s like being offered the keys to a candy store.”
She opened her eyes. They all stayed quiet, which was a minor miracle when it came to sisterhood. Curiosity and concern weighed heavy in their eyes. Even Lisa’s usually
lighthearted expression seemed restrained.
Karen went for it again. “I like that little cottage. It already feels a lot like home, so I will stay there. But thank you for the offer, Tamara.”
Tamara adjusted her glasses. When she spoke, her voice came out clear and soft, but cautious. As if she knew this was stepping into dangerous territory. “From everything I’ve heard, Finn is a good man.”
That wasn’t the problem. The real issue was how hard would Karen fall if she gave in to the longings inside her? Was this something that might lead to forever or another interlude on the way to further heartbreak?
The door tore open, and another familiar face appeared. Kelli Stone, sister-in-law on Tamara’s side, stood in the opening, breathing hard. The petite woman glanced around the room before her gaze fixed on Lisa and Karen. “I need your help. That damn wild stallion broke one of the fences, and he’s taken off with a bunch of our mares. It’s all hands on deck.”
Karen shot to her feet, love affairs and questions shoved aside. She and Lisa hurried out the door, Julia hard on their heels.
4
The bank took less time than Finn expected.
He eyed his friend, honest admiration sneaking out. “I don’t know why you took me along. You had that thing sewn up within five minutes of entering the office.”
Zach grinned as he downshifted and took the corner hard enough to send gravel spraying. “You noticed.”
“You just wanted an audience. Damn extrovert.”
“Not at all,” Zach protested. “I wanted you to see how much I’ve learned from the master.”
Finn gagged as he was obviously expected to.
When Zach offered a scathing curse in response, Finn hesitated. “What?”
Zach slowed his truck to something close to the legal speed limit then pointed to the vehicles waiting outside their current home base, a derelict ranch house.
One vehicle was familiar. Every time he came around, something interesting happened, so the arrival of the representative from Burly, Evans, and Ives merely raised Finn’s curiosity.
