An hour and several emphatic reassurances from the young doctor later, Sofie signed her final form and maneuvered her way back to the waiting room. She figured she would call Emily and have her come pick her up. Not exactly the surprise arrival she’d planned for her sister, but damn near close enough.
Rounding the sterile wall, she stopped short, gripping the doorway, as her distended stomach hadn’t got the memo to halt quite so fast. “What are you still doing here?”
Shifting his tall frame, Dan stood and smiled. “I figured since you’re new here, and your car was left with a bunch of cows, that you would need a ride.”
Sofie crossed her arms, not missing the drop in his gaze. She ignored her breathlessness—after all, being eight months pregnant didn’t exactly scream “sexy,” or “take me now, cowboy.”
“What makes you think I’m new?”
“Seriously?” He laughed and fitted his hat to his head.
She narrowed her gaze, stopping short of stomping her foot like a three-year-old. She’d managed to convince herself that she’d handled things perfectly well this evening. She’d even braved a group of smelly cows and lived to tell the tale.
“Where to begin?” Dan ticked off his fingers. “First, this is Fly Creek. We know everyone—who they know, who they’ve kissed, who’s coming to town and why. Second, your clothes scream “This is what I think I should be wearing in the cold” but really do nothing but allow every ounce of the Wyoming winter to filter through. Third, you thought I could move a herd of cows. Fourth—”
“Okay, okay, I get it. Fine. A ride to my car would be nice,” she said. Lord, she would never live this down. Dan’s lips twitched, but he managed to contain his smirk. Still, those twitchy lips sent awareness shooting through her, and she gripped the doorjamb to keep from swooning.
The sooner she got to her car, the better. The last thing she needed in her life was a cocky cowboy with a savior complex.
…
Dan didn’t know what to make of the woman—Sofie, he now knew—next to him, humming to herself while rubbing her stomach. She was so far out of her element it was comical, and yet, she exuded a serene confidence. Like she was determined to handle anything and damn anyone who got in her way.
And she had made it through the cattle.
“So, what brings you to Wyoming?” The “at three in the morning,” he left unspoken.
It was not quite dawn, when the sun would crease the horizon, but there was just enough predawn light for him to see the calculation in the hazel eyes trained on him.
“My sister,” she finally answered, before turning back to the window and the scenery flying by.
She’d said her last name was Pennington when they met, but he didn’t know any Penningtons in Fly Creek. Of course, she was probably married. But a quick glance at her hand, now absent of gloves, showed slender fingers devoid of any jewelry.
“And your sister’s expecting you?” Another oddity, since, as he told her, visitors to Fly Creek were spread far and wide. Sure, the tourists were mostly unknown, but when family was coming, the residents talked about it.
She shook her head. “I wanted to surprise her for the holidays.”
Dan didn’t doubt that was the truth, but something in her tone and inflection led him to believe that there was a little more than surprise attached to this woman hauling her very pregnant body out in a Wyoming winter.
“So where’s home?”
She shifted in her seat and gripped the pair of gloves in her lap. “Nowhere at the moment, but it used to be Pennsylvania.”
A surge of empathy breached the bench seat of his truck. He knew all about not having a home, of the reason behind the slight quaver in her voice when she confessed to not having one. Was she running from someone? Was she in trouble? And who was her sister?
“Pennsylvania. Hear it’s nice back there, but…” Dan hit his brakes and narrowed his gaze at the brown-haired angel beside him. How had he missed the similarities?
“What’s your problem, Cowboy?”
“Is your sister Emily? Emily Conley?”
She sighed and shifted in her seat. “Yes, why?”
He shook his head. “You should have said so.”
Worried eyes darted to his face. “Why? Is something wrong with her?”
“No. No. It’s just she’s a good friend, and well liked around Fly Creek. I would have taken you straight to her.”
“It was three in the morning. I didn’t plan on waking her. I was going to grab a room at the ranch she talks about all the time and then surprise her in the morning.”
His heartbeat ratcheted up as he realized where she’d been heading. “Sky Lake?”
Sofie rolled her eyes. “Why is everything a shock to you?”
“It isn’t. We just don’t get too many visitors, let alone east-coasters, this time of year.”
“We?”
“I help run Sky Lake.”
“Oh.” She dropped her gaze and fiddled with the edge of her coat.
“Let’s get you settled in a room. I’ll have Gunther bring your car to the ranch instead.”
She shook her head vehemently. “No. No, you’ve done enough already. I’ll take care of it. I’m fine, thank you.”
Dan snorted. She might be as beautiful as an angel, but she was as stubborn as a horse. “Emily would have my hat on a spit if I didn’t take care of her sister.”
“I don’t need anyone to take care of me,” she snapped. Fire sparked from the depths of her pupils, her fists clenched around bunches of her coat.
“Whoa, settle the fur. I’m sure you have everything under control. Only you’re not in Kansas anymore, sweetheart. Let me get you to the ranch, and then you can go on your way however you want.”
He started them moving again, ignoring the muttering going on next to him. At one point, “I’ll show him what I can do with a spit” had him barking out in laughter. Emily’s sister was nothing like her on the outside, but the same backbone of steel he’d seen in his friend flashed loud and clear in his passenger.
They pulled through the stone and iron arch announcing their arrival to Sky Lake. Sofie twisted in her seat to stare. What was she thinking? He took for granted the beauty and majesty of not only Wyoming but the ranch itself. He’d spent his whole life in the area, and yet he’d never felt complete or like he belonged, despite hoping and praying he did. He had a job, friends, and family. What more could he have asked for?
Home. Acceptance. The One.
“Oh,” escaped Sofie’s mouth on a breath. “It’s beautiful.”
The main lodge twinkled before them, the lights little pinpricks reflecting off the small amount of snow they’d received so far. No doubt winter would make up for it soon.
Garlands and wreaths decorated and showcased the stone pillars and large windows. White lights welcomed visitors with an inviting hug. No corner had been left untouched by the Christmas spirit.
Dan circled up to the main entrance, unsurprised when no one came running. Dawn was just about here. Soon, its light and streaks of purple and crimson would spread throughout the trees and ranch, highlighting its elegance and grandeur.
He hopped out and walked around, only to dodge Sofie’s door flying open. Narrowing his gaze, he stepped into the opening and grabbed her hand, easing her down. The warmth of her body next to his spread awareness, even as her scent of oranges and jasmine punched him in the face. Guilt followed on its heels.
Lord, she was pregnant, more than likely married, and she was Emily’s sister. There was nothing conducive to being attracted to a feisty angel. Especially when he was leaving, and he bet a dozen of Laney Bowler’s tarts that she was here to stay. You didn’t run from one end of the country to another, unprepared and heavily pregnant, if it was just a quick visit.
“Thank you,” she gritted through her t
eeth and tugged her hand. He didn’t let go.
One corner of his mouth turned up. “It’s slippery, and those boots are a fall waiting to happen. We just got you cleared. I’m not letting go until you’re inside.”
Again with the muttering, but she allowed him to steer her up the wide staircase and onto the porch, even if her muscles remained tight and ready to fight. She glanced at the little, potted evergreens interspaced with the homemade rocking chairs.
“Adam made those.”
Sofie stopped. “Emily mentioned he was handy.”
“You’ve never met him?”
“No. I mean, they’ve only been together for a year and a half, and I wasn’t able to get out here until now.” She moved toward one of the chairs and ran her fingers along the twisted edge. “Funny how something so twisted can be beautiful.”
And in that moment, on the wind of the confession, Dan knew Sofie Pennington was running from something.
Chapter Three
Sofie took in her temporary home. The floor of her room was original hardwood, with an area rug covered in a leafy pattern. The furniture was all a deep brown wood with little engraved touches. A rope here. A horseshoe there. Nothing ostentatious screaming “you’re on a ranch,” but subtle homages to the heritage she felt sure supported this place.
Christmas touches were also scattered about the room. A small tree in the corner decorated in simple buffalo plaid colors. Garland outlining the window and stockings hanging from the handles of the dresser drawers. She looked around again and eyed the bed. She really loved that bed, a four-poster consisting of huge tree trunks and piled high with pillows. It was covered in a dark maroon comforter that she bet would feel like clouds to her pregnant body.
No, if she lay down now, she would be dead for the next twelve hours, and that would begin a vicious cycle of asleep during the day and awake at night. She would take a shower then call Emily. Dan had promised her car would be in the lot, and she had a feeling that the cowboy was as dependable as they come. He’d single-handedly removed her from the cows, got her medical assistance, keeping her calm the whole time, driven her to the ranch, and effortlessly secured her a room with a simple look and no questions. If he said something would be done, it would be—even if he did it himself, she imagined.
Thankfully, his duty would end with her car. While she appreciated his calm in her moment of panic, she couldn’t help but bristle at his assistance. That was a slippery slope right back down to being controlled, and while she hadn’t felt any evil intent from the cowboy, she knew firsthand the face one put out to the world often hid the cruelty inside. Mr. Rigby probably got off on the control, hiding it behind his charming, easygoing nature.
She stripped and took a quick glance at herself in the bathroom mirror, her belly picking up the fluorescent light and her pale skin shining like a disco ball. A small kick, and she rubbed the abused spot, only to be rewarded with another quick jab.
“Now, you behave. It’s time for momma to relax. Driving cross-country isn’t for the faint of heart, little man.” Neither was starting over in a new town or being a single mom, but she was well on her way to conquering both. “One choice at a time,” she told her reflection.
It was only after she’d scrubbed and steamed and toweled off that she remembered she had no clothes. Pregnancy brain kicked in at the most inconvenient times. Snagging the provided bathrobe off the hook, she padded into the main area of her room and frowned. She could call Emily and her sister would bring her something…on the heels of eighty questions and a quiet riot act of “what the hell.” Or she could put the nasty travel clothes back on.
She glanced at the pile on the floor. Just the thought had her wrinkling her nose in disgust. Maybe the front desk had something she could borrow?
Before she could decide, a light knock had her moving toward the door. A quick peep showed a tan cowboy hat. She opened the door. “What do you wa—”
Her bags sat around his feet. “I thought you might need these.”
What form her apology would have taken, she didn’t know because his sheepish gaze intensified and dropped. Lord, she was practically naked in front of this man, and despite her brain knowing nothing good could come of it, her body was reacting to the not so subtle perusal.
She tugged the ends of her robe tighter and reached for the bag. “Thank you. I was just trying to figure out what to do.”
He laughed and grabbed the other bag, brushing past her and depositing it on a chair. “I have no doubt you would have come up with something.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked, immediately regretting her waspish tone but holding to her angry stance nonetheless.
He held out his hands in a plea, that easy smile on his face. “Down, girl. I just meant you seem very capable.”
“Oh.” Thanks were probably in order, and an apology, but the truth was she didn’t feel capable at the moment. She felt lost and alone and a whole host of other not so fun emotions. She was trying to be everything he said, but so far that had gotten her on a cross-country road trip, a standoff with a bunch of cows, and a really attractive, not allowed to touch, cowboy in her personal space.
No. She needed to focus on what she had done. She’d secured her freedom, her son’s future, and she was here, wasn’t she?
“Anyway, I’m sure I’ll see you around. Let me know if you need anything.” He winked, and her knees buckled a little. “Wouldn’t want to lose my knight in shining armor crown.”
Only after he’d left, and she had her breathing a little bit more under control, did she reflect that he had earned his crown and the jewels to go with it. While she held most of the male race suspect, and even Mr. Rigby surely had his dark closets, he’d been more than a gentleman, and she was grateful for that. She had no idea what to make of him. But there was no longer any room in her life for men except her son.
Maybe one day, but today was not that day.
…
Dan tipped his hat at the few guests already up and about in the main lodge. Smiles greeted him from bundled up faces, despite the roaring fires going on in both fireplaces that anchored the cavernous room. Normally Christmas was his favorite time at Sky Lake. He personally helped decorate the entire ranch, and nothing gave him more satisfaction than seeing couples in the garland-wreathed gazebo stealing a kiss under twinkle lights, or cuddled together under blankets on a horse-drawn sled. Or the kids sledding down the hill, or Chuck playing Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. The ranch was magical year-round, but this time of the year it was amplified. Well, for everyone but him.
This year had only shown how much he didn’t belong in Fly Creek anymore. How much nothing was really his. He was just an observer. The tagalong son and friend, the man good enough for now, but never enough. His whole life, he’d killed himself trying to be invaluable in order to fit in, be accepted, but it hadn’t done him any good.
Those thoughts, once he’d finally given them voice, rubbed him raw, so that every time the point was brought home, he grew more dissatisfied with his life. It was what put him on the road this morning, fleeing in the early light…only to be brought back by a pregnant woman and a herd of cattle.
He rubbed the back of his neck and detoured toward the kitchen. A few biscuits would tide him over ’til lunch. As Laney, the cook, swatted at his hand, he wondered if he should have shoved some food into Sofie’s bags. He had no idea what made him grab them from the car.
He snorted, catching the biscuit crumb falling from his mouth. Of course he knew why he did it. Dependable Dan, at it again. His jaw clenched as tightness spread through his chest. Taking a deep breath, he rolled his shoulders. He hated that his pleasure in helping people had been soured by how thankless it had become.
He may have lived up to his name this morning, but Sofie Pennington wasn’t anything to him. His duty had ended when he got her settled into her room. If she w
as hungry, she would ring for room service. There. It wasn’t too hard to let others take care of themselves.
He rolled his shoulders again.
“Dan?”
He swallowed his groan with another bite of biscuit. Turning around, he smiled and bussed his surrogate mother, Shelby Marks’s, cheek.
“A little early to be in the lodge, isn’t it?”
“Couldn’t sleep.” Not a lie, if not the whole truth.
Shelby ran a cursory look over him, and he fought the desire to squirm. She’d been on his mind as he’d left the ranch early this morning. She loved him as a son, even though they shared no blood. She’d taken him in and given him the closest thing to a family he’d ever had. Would she understand him leaving? Would she feel disappointed? He hated for her to think he was ungrateful for all she’d done for him over the years, raising him to become the man he was.
“If you need a day, you take it. Lord knows you’ve earned and stockpiled more of them than we have horses.”
He tamped the guilt down and pinched her cheek. “I’m fine. Nothing Laney’s biscuits here and a good cup of coffee won’t cure. I’ll be headed down to the creek barn in a minute.” He turned, congratulating himself on making it through without spilling his guts. Shelby had a look—one glance and you couldn’t help but tell her everything. It was how he ended up at Sky Lake nearly twenty years ago.
“Before you go, Dan… Mind telling me about the pregnant woman you brought in?”
He bit back a curse as he stopped in his tracks and forced himself to turn around. He should’ve known. Shelby knew everything happening in Sky Lake, down to who threw what away when. Of course she would know he’d shown up this morning with a very pregnant female. His problem lay in explaining how he’d stumbled upon Sofie without giving away the fact that he’d been leaving town…permanently.
“She’s Emily’s sister,” he blurted out before he could think better of it.
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