She gave him a funny, secretive smile. “I have a plan for that. But I need to talk to your sister first before I tell you the details.”
His sister? He shook his head, trying to prioritize his wayward thoughts. “I don’t understand.” He squeezed her hands in his. “I’d just decided to go to you, to give up the ranch—”
“And I appreciate that,” she said, laughter in her voice and joy clear in her eyes. “But I love it here. You love it here. Your family loves it here.” She shook her head. “I wouldn’t want you to leave.”
This was too good to be true. Surely it couldn’t be this simple.
“I’ll need to go back to Los Angeles on a regular basis,” she was saying, her tone taking on a practical note that told him she’d given this plenty of thought. “But I can manage the airfare and I think I can even tap into a whole new clientele with the bigshot tourists who come through this way.”
She grinned up at him. “So you see, I’m not giving up anything...except maybe some old fears and baggage that I’d been carrying around for far too long.”
“Oh, is that all?” he drawled, amusement in his voice. This woman blew him away. “You are…” He struggled to find the words.
“Impulsive?” she offered. The she scrunched her nose up. “Crazy, perhaps?”
He laughed and pulled her close. “I was going to say courageous.”
“Oh.” She smiled. “I like that better.” She drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly as her gaze met his. He could see everything there. Her hope, her optimism, her fear, and the courage she had to overcome it. “Honestly, I have my moments,” she said. “I know I’m doing the right thing, but there’s still some fear here. I mean…this is crazy. We just met.”
He nodded. “Trust me, I know the feeling. I was telling myself the same thing when I was contemplating giving up the ranch to follow you to Los Angeles.”
She tilted her head to the side as she looped her arms around his neck. “Are we nuts, do you think?”
He pretended to think it over as he leaned down to kiss her once more. He didn’t think he’d ever lose the thrill that came with kissing these lips. “Probably,” he said in all honesty. “But if this is crazy, then I’m happy to be a lunatic.”
She laughed, going up on tiptoe to give him another heartfelt, sweet-as-could-be kiss. “They can lock us up together,” she teased.
“Mmm.” He buried his face in her neck as they held each other tight. “They can throw away the key.”
After a while she pulled back with a weary sigh. “Much as I’d like to stay here with you and celebrate, there’s some things I need to do to make sure my business doesn’t suffer from my impulsive flight from civilization.”
He laughed but arched one brow teasingly. “Flight from civilization, huh?”
She held her hands up in mock innocence as she started to back away. “Hey, you can take the girl from the city but…”
He hated to let her go. Now that he had her in his arms, he never wanted to let her go. But she’d come to him. She’d changed her whole world to be here…with him. He knew how scary that had to have been for a woman who so valued her independence and her freedom.
But she’d done it, for him. No, for them. His heart was so full he wasn’t sure he could speak for a moment. When he could he moved forward to give her one last kiss before letting her take care of her business.
She widened her eyes in surprise at the sneak attack kiss. “What was that for?”
“That was a thank you,” he said, his voice gruff but audible.
Her cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink. “Trust me, it’s my pleasure.” She glanced around meaningfully. “I’m glad to be back. I know it sounds crazy, but this place feels like home.” Her blush intensified as she added, “You feel like home.”
He groaned as his heart threatened to launch out of his chest. “You’re my home too, Katy. Now and for always.”
Her eyes filled with tears as she nodded, understanding just as he did how significant this moment was. Claire and Cole might be the ones exchanging vows the next day but they were making a similarly life-altering vow right here and now.
“When I said thank you,” he said slowly. “I didn’t just mean for coming back, I meant…” He cleared his throat. “Thank you for saving me.”
“Saving you?” She looked perplexed and he couldn’t help but grin as he pulled her close for one last embrace. “You, my love, are my very own knight in shining armor.”
She laughed up at him. “I like that. You deserve to be saved now and again.”
He nodded. “And you singlehandedly saved me from a dull life without the kind of love I’ve always craved.”
Her gaze softened, her smile sweet as she lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “Anytime.”
Her grin was teasing as she turned to walk away. But she wasn’t going far, and even if she did, he knew without a doubt that he would follow.
All this time he’d thought his home was in Lulu, at this ranch. He’d had no idea that his heart belonged to petite blonde from the big city.
Epilogue
Katy patted at her eyes one more time as she and Dax followed the other guests to the veranda space where Alice and James had strung twinkling lights and guests were already mingling under the stars.
“How are you still crying?” Dax teased as he laid an arm across her shoulders and gave her a comforting squeeze.
“How are you not?” she said through sniffles. “That ceremony was so beautiful.” Her voice got choked up just talking about it. Cole and Claire had opted for a simple affair, but that simplicity did nothing to take away from the intimacy and beauty of their vows and this celebration.
If anything, the lack of pretenses of the bare bones event only underscored the real reason they were all gathered at the ranch this evening. They were there to celebrate the happy couple and their love. She took notes for Hannah’s upcoming nuptials, which would almost definitely happen here. She’d received a text from her friend just that morning and she’d been gushing over the pictures and descriptions Katy had left for her when she’d run off into the sunset.
She glanced up at Dax who was smiling down at her with unabashed love. Yes, it was fitting that her first full day living at Twilight had been spent celebrating love when that was what had brought her back here and it was what would keep her here, hopefully for the rest of her life.
Now that she’d embraced this new path, she couldn’t wait to head down it fully. Her mind was already leaping ahead to the day when they would get married on this same property, when the main house would be filled with the voices of little children, and when the love she and Dax already felt grew to envelop a family of their own.
They took their time strolling the grounds, watching the sun set as the wedding guests and the family hurried ahead.
“So,” Dax said. “Are you going to tell me what you and Alice were talking about for so long last night?”
She grinned. He’d been remarkably patient about the whole thing. It wasn’t like she’d been trying to keep her plan a secret, but she’d wanted to talk to Alice first before telling her ideas to Dax.
“I don’t know if you’re aware, but your sister is dying to spread her wings,” Katy said. She refrained from saying any more than that when she saw Dax’s frown. He didn’t look angry, but he did look…hurt.
“She never said anything to me about that,” he said.
Katy gave him a smile. “Of course not. Because she knew you would have told her to leave town. You would have supported her. And that’s a good thing.”
His frown intensified. “So then why didn’t she tell me?”
She wrapped one of her arms around his waist and squeezed. “Because she was trying to be responsible and reliable.” Katy tilted her head back so she could meet his gaze. “Alice was trying to be a hero, just like her older brother.”
She watched the dawning understanding in his eyes as he muttered something under his breath about how
he’d wished he’d known. “I would have made her leave,” Dax said. He looked down at Katy as if trying to convince her. “I never wanted her to sacrifice anything for me or this ranch. If I’d known—”
“I know.” She gave him a smile that said better than words how well she knew that he was speaking the truth. She’d had him pegged all wrong that first time they’d met. He might have his old-fashioned ways, but he would never try to control the women in his life. Not Alice, and never her.
She’d finally found herself one of the good ones.
Dax looked lost in thought—probably stewing over this new realization about Alice. Katy interrupted his thoughts. “Anyway, your sister opened up to me before I ran away last week. I could see how badly she wanted the life I was living. The chance to live in a big city, to expand her experience and learn new skills…”
She watched as Dax pieced it together. When he did, he came to a stop. “Alice is going to Los Angeles?”
She bit her lip. Maybe she should have let Alice tell him, but she and Alice had agreed that it might be best for Dax if he could process this bit of news before talking to his little sister. He’d be supportive, they both knew that, but it would take some getting used to.
The poor guy’s world had been flipped on its head this past week, and now it was about to take another turn.
“It won’t be forever,” Katy said. “At least…probably not. We’ve agreed she’ll use this opportunity to try out city living. She’ll stay at my place and be a point of contact for me in Los Angeles when I need someone to be there in person.”
He was staring off into the distance, and she realized he was watching Alice as she laughed and joked with James.
“This is just a trial run,” she reassured him. “She’ll come back regularly, just like I’ll go to Los Angeles as often as I can.”
Dax nodded. They’d been through this part. He’d even talked to James about taking on more responsibilities at the ranch for those times when he joined her on her trips back to LA.
He was doing his very best to make this transition easier for her, and for that she was appreciative, but with each passing minute she spent with Dax and on this ranch, her trepidations faded.
She breathed in the fresh evening air as a breeze whipped past them, tousling her hair. He’d teased her for wearing these heels when the wedding venue was outdoors on the rocky hills of the ranch. But she loved the way they made her feel, they were a part of her and if she wanted to stay true to herself while starting a new life in a foreign world, it seemed like an important statement. Sure, she’d have to wear boots when Dax taught her how to ride, but when the occasion was right, you better believe she’d be glamming it up.
Even now her stilettos threatened to sink into the soft earth, but Dax’s arm around her held her steady as they walked.
Dax still had his gaze trained on his family, but when he spoke his voice was low and intimate. “You know, Katy Hunter, I think you might just be the best thing that’s ever happened to the Twilight Ranch.”
She grinned up at him. “Funny, I was just thinking you and this ranch were the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
Thank you for reading Steel Toes & Stilettos! Stay tuned for Alice’s story in the next book, Hollywood Nights & Rodeo Days, coming Summer 2018. If you missed Cole & Claire’s story, you can find it in Dancing Queens & Biker Kings.
Looking for more sweet contemporary romance? Check out Maggie Dallen’s modern-day fairytales, starting with the FREE first novel of the series, Cinderella Blackmail. Turn the page to check out the first chapter of this feel-good, sweet romance.
Cinderella Blackmail
Jacob woke to the sound of metal clanging. Before he could even open his eyes, the misery set in. His head throbbed and his stomach churned, and even though his eyelids were squeezed shut, the light behind them seemed to stab his brain like an ice pick.
“Rise and shine, princess,” a low voice boomed, echoing through his skull and making him wince as the throbbing intensified.
But physical misery was nothing compared to the cold, hard pit of despair that had him moaning out loud as his brain slowly kicked into gear and the reality of his situation became clear.
He was in jail.
“Up and at ‘em, sunshine,” the voice called. The tone was mocking, the volume mercilessly loud. And close.
Jacob finally managed to open his eyes and found himself staring up at an overweight cop with a haircut that hadn’t been seen since the eighties.
He tried to say something, peeling his sandpaper tongue from the top of his mouth and cringing at the horrible taste of death and decay. He wanted to ask questions—where am I, maybe, or what day is it? Either would have been a good start in sorting through the jumbled collections of drunken, scattered memories from the night before. But all he managed to croak out was, “Water.”
The throwback cop smirked down at him. “What do I look like, room service?” He turned and headed toward the hallway. “Come on, hotshot, we don’t got all day.”
Jacob managed to ease himself up into a sitting position, unleashing a whole new set of aches and pains. He thrust his hands through his hair, attempting to wake up fully, but the move only managed to make his left cheekbone scream with pain. With tentative fingers, he touched the sore spot and found it swollen.
Wonderful. He had a shiner.
“Good news, kid,” the cop said from where he was waiting in the hallway. “They aren’t pressing charges.”
Jacob nodded. He should be pleased, he supposed, but at that moment it was difficult to conjure up any positive thoughts. He just wanted to be home, in his own bed, buried under the comforters with a giant bottle of aspirin by his side.
The cop continued speaking at a volume that was better suited to the hard of hearing rather than the hungover. “That means,” he said slowly, as if speaking to a child. “That you are free to go, your highness.”
Jacob gave a short nod. Free to go. That was good. He shoved himself up and out of the hard cot, trying not to look at the dirty metal toilet to his left, afraid his body might succumb to the urge to vomit at the sight of it.
He followed the cop out of the cell, into the hallway and up to the door leading to the public area. Stopping mid-step, he froze as a horrible thought occurred to him, temporarily overshadowing his physical misery. “Are there any reporters out there?”
The officer smirked at him. Oh yeah, this guy knew exactly who he was. And by the looks of it, he was enjoying his misery. “Just one,” he said.
“Tell him there’s no story here,” Jacob said, rubbing his eyes trying to force himself fully awake. Even as he said it, he knew this cop wasn’t about to do him any favors.
“You tell her yourself.” The cop sounded highly amused.
So glad he could entertain. Jerking his head toward the door, he said, “All right then, let’s get this over with.”
The moment the door opened Jacob was blinded by a flash.
Jeeze, that was rude.
He blinked until his vision returned and when it did he blinked some more to ensure he was seeing correctly. The reporter who had thrown herself in front of him to snap what was sure to be a hideous photo… she looked familiar.
No. It couldn’t be.
Her wild curls were blonde now, not dyed black. Gone was the nose ring. Her lips, curled up in a mischievous grin, weren’t sporting the siren red lipstick she’d always worn in high school. But that pixie face, those vivid blue eyes, the petite figure… there was no doubt.
“Morning, Prince Charming,” she sang in a ridiculously chipper voice.
He groaned, dropping his head into his hands. This couldn’t be happening. As if his morning wasn’t bad enough, she had to be here to witness his humiliation?
When he dropped his hands and looked up, she hadn’t gone anywhere. She was still blocking his path, that damned camera going off with a dizzying display of flashes and an incessant whirring-clicking sound.
; Belatedly the pieces clicked together in his fuzzy hungover brain. “You’re the reporter?”
Her grin grew wider. She looked entirely too pleased with herself. The cat that ate the canary. Or the reporter who’d gotten the scoop on the newspaper heir’s latest debacle.
He let out a string of curses under his breath, ignoring her soft laugh. Her laugh—that hadn’t changed at all.
“Anything you’d like to say for the record, Jacob?”
His eyes snapped open at that. The reality of his situation sinking in as details fell into place. He’d heard that she’d become a reporter. And she was here. Now. With his picture.
He bit back another groan, which he was sure would only add to her amusement. She’d always disliked him and now she had his picture coming out of jail. When his father found out….
No. He wouldn’t go there. Not now. Not until he had coffee in hand.
Straightening his shoulders, he met her gaze with as much dignity as possible. “A pleasure as always, Cinderella.”
Her laugh followed him as he strode out the front door of the police station and into the unforgiving sunlight.
Now that had not been expected. Mackenzie watched her mark head out into the sunshine and turned to grin at the cop who was standing next to her. “Thanks again, boys. Catch you on the flipside.”
One of them called out that reporters like her weren’t welcome back. But that was just Pat with his gruff sense of humor so she turned back to give him a jaunty salute.
“Thanks for the coffee, Mack,” Angelo called after her. Angelo, sweet and dependable Angelo. He’d been the inside source to tip her off that a celebrity was being held overnight. “Celebrity” was a bit of a stretch, as far as Mackenzie was concerned. Entitled brat was a far more accurate description. But Jacob Hartley’s last name alone made him newsworthy, whether she liked it or not. The only son of the city’s version of royalty—the Hartleys, the media moguls who just about monopolized the world of TV and print news. Luckily they hadn’t yet gotten their hands on Mackenzie’s little corner of the online news world—she’d created a unique niche with her HeatMap site—or her struggling company would be put out of its misery once and for all.
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