B.J. Daniels the Cardwell Ranch Collection

by B. J Daniels

  DANA CHATTERED AWAY on the hike up to Ousel Falls. Hilde dropped behind her friend and Dee. She hadn’t been up to the falls in several years and was enjoying the gentle hike through the pines. She could hear the roar of the creek. It was early in the year, so snow was still melting in the shade and the creek was running fast and high.

  The cool air felt good. Hilde was wondering why Dana had insisted she come along. She felt like a third wheel. Not that Dee and Dana seemed to be hitting it off. Dee was quiet, nodding and speaking only to say, “Really?” “Oh, that’s interesting.” And “Huh.” Clearly she wasn’t finding anything all that interesting in the information Dana was imparting about the area and its history.

  Dana stopped to wait for her in a sunny spot not too far from the falls.

  At the falls, Dana opened the cooler she’d brought, and they sat on rocks overlooking the falls to drink iced tea and eat roasted elk sandwiches.

  “It’s...interesting,” Dee said of the sandwich. “I thought you raised beef?”

  Dana laughed. “Wild meat will grow on you,” she promised. “Hud always gets an elk and a deer each year. We both really like it.”

  “I’m not sure I’ll be here long enough for it to grow on me,” Dee said.

  This gave Hilde an opening. “So how long will you be staying?” she asked.

  “I’m not sure,” Dee said, and looked to Dana, who appeared shocked that Hilde would ask such a thing.

  “As long as she wants to,” Dana said.

  Dee smiled. “That could definitely wear out my welcome. The more I see of this place, the more I love it here and never want to leave.”

  “Montana does that to people,” Dana said.

  “At least this time of year,” Hilde said. “You might not find it as hospitable come winter.”

  “Oh, I don’t know.” Dee stretched out on the ground and stared up at the blue sky. “I can see myself sitting in front of that huge rock fireplace at the house with a mug of spiked cider, being pretty content.”

  “A woman after my own heart,” Dana said.

  Hilde began to clean up the picnic, putting everything back in the cooler before she got up and wandered over to the edge of the falls.

  “What has gotten into you?” Dana whispered next to her a few moments later.

  “Sorry. I was just curious how long she’s planning to stay,” she whispered back. “I didn’t mean to be rude.” When Dana said nothing more, she glanced over at her. “What?”

  “You’re jealous of my cousin.”

  “No, that’s not it at all.” But Hilde could tell there was no convincing her friend otherwise. “Fine, I’m jealous.”

  “Don’t be,” Dana said with a laugh. “You’re my best friend and always will be.” She lowered her voice. “Not only that, Dee has had a really rough life.”

  “She told you that?” Hilde asked, unable to keep the skepticism out of her voice.

  “She didn’t have to,” Dana said. “I could tell. So be nice to her for me. Please?” Hilde could only nod. “I’m going to get my camera and take a photo.”

  Hilde turned back to the falls, thinking maybe Dana was right. Maybe she was jealous, and that was all it was. The roar of the water was so loud she didn’t hear Dee come up behind her. She barely felt the hand on her back before she felt the shove.

  She flailed wildly as she felt herself falling forward toward the edge of the roaring falls, nothing between her and the raging water but air and mist.

  Dee grabbed her arm and pulled her back at the last second.

  “I found my camera,” Dana called from over in the trees, and turned in their direction. “Look this way so I can get a picture of the two of you.” A beat, then: “Is everything all right?”

  “Hilde got a little too close to the edge,” Dee said. “You really should be careful, Hilde. Dana was just saying earlier how dangerous it can be around here.” She put her arm around Hilde’s shoulders. “Say cheese.”

  Dana snapped the photo.

  Chapter Four

  “I don’t think your friend likes me,” Dee said once they were in the pickup and headed back to the ranch.

  “Hilde likes you,” Dana said, not sounding all that convinced. “But I think she might be a little jealous.”

  “I suppose that’s it,” Dee agreed. “Well, I hope she accepts me. I feel so close to you. It’s almost like we’re sisters instead of cousins, you know what I mean?”

  Dana readily agreed, just as Dee had known she would. “Hilde is just a little protective.”

  “A little?” Dee said with a laugh. “I think she’s worried I will take advantage of you, stay too long.”

  “Put that right out of your mind,” Dana said, as she parked in front of the house. “You’re family. You can stay as long as you’d like.”

  “Hilde has nothing to be jealous of me about,” Dee said. “She’s beautiful and smart and self-assured and has her own business. She’s what I always wanted to be.”

  “Me, too,” Dana said with a laugh.

  “Oh, you have even more going on for you,” Dee said. “You have Hud. And the kids,” she added a little belatedly, but Dana didn’t seem to notice. “And the ranch. I bet you were practically born on a horse.”

  “I have been riding since the time I could walk,” Dana said, then fell silent for a moment. “Do you want to talk about your childhood? I don’t mean to pry.”

  Dee realized that she’d sounded jealous of both Dana and Hilde. The truth had a way of coming out sometimes, didn’t it? She would have to be more careful about that around both women.

  “There isn’t much more to tell.” Only because the real Dee Anna Justice hadn’t been forthcoming about her family. There had definitely been something in her background she hadn’t wanted to talk about. But it could have just been that some wealthy people didn’t like talking about themselves or their wealthy families.

  So now Dee had to wing it, hoping to give Dana enough to make her feel even more sorry for her. “As I told you last night, when I wasn’t away at school, my parents were never around. My father traveled a lot. My mother was involved in a lot of charity and social events. I grew up feeling alone and unloved, yearning for what everyone else had.” At least the last part was true.

  “I’m sorry, Dee. I wish I had known about you. Maybe you wouldn’t have felt so alone,” Dana said, as she parked in front of the house. “I would have shared the ranch with you.”

  Dee watched Hud come out onto the porch and thought about Dana’s generous offer to share what she had. “Hud mentioned some high country back behind the ranch that has a great view. I’d love to see it. But this is probably a bad time.”

  As Dana got out, she suggested it to Hud, who said the kids were napping and he’d be happy to take her if that was what she wanted to do.

  “You sure it’s not an inconvenience,” Dee said.

  “Not at all,” he said.

  She watched as he gave his wife a kiss and felt that small ache in her stomach at the sight.

  “I’ll help with dinner when I get back,” he said to Dana.

  “I’ll help, too,” Dee said, even though she’d never cooked in her life. In New York City it was too easy to get takeout.

  She followed Hud to the four-wheeler parked by the barn and climbed on behind him, putting her arms around his waist. He started the motor and they were off. It didn’t take long before the house disappeared behind them and they were completely alone.

  Dee watched dark pines blur past. The air got cooler as they climbed, the road twisting and turning as it wound farther and farther back into the mountains. She laid her cheek against the soft fabric of his jean jacket and breathed in the scent of him and the mountains.

  There were few times in her life that she’d ever felt sa
fe. It surprised her that now was one of them. Hud was the kind of man she’d always dreamed would come along and sweep her off her feet. How could she still believe in happy ever after after what she’d lived through?

  Her parents had hated each other to the point where they’d tried to kill each other. Her father... She didn’t even want to think about the role model he’d been to his daughter.

  And the men she’d met since then? She let out a choked laugh, muffling it against Hud’s jacket. They’d hurt her in ways she’d thought she could never be hurt.

  She’d been waiting her whole life for a hero to come along. When she’d seen Hud Savage come riding up, her heart had filled with helium at the sight of him. He looked bigger than life, strong, brave, the first real man she’d ever known.

  She held on a little tighter, wishing Hud was hers.

  When they reached the summit, Hud stopped the four-wheeler and shut off the engine.

  Dee let go of his waist, stretched and climbed off to look out across the tops of the mountains. “This is amazing,” she said, actually meaning it. “You can see forever.”

  “It is pretty spectacular up here, isn’t it?”

  She tried to imagine living in country like this. It seemed so far away from the noise and filth of the big cities she’d wandered through so far in her life. What must it be like to wake up to this every morning?

  Hud began to point out the mountain peaks, calling each by name with an intimacy that plucked at her heartstrings. She could hear his love for this land in his voice. There was nothing sexier than a man who loved something with such passion.

  It took all her self-control not to touch him.

  “So what are those mountains over there?” she asked, wanting this moment to last forever. She didn’t listen to his answer. She just liked the sound of his deep and melodious voice. Desire spiked through her, making her weak with a need like none she’d known. She wanted this man.

  “You have a wonderful life here,” she said, realizing she’d never been so jealous of anyone as she was Dana Savage. “It’s so peaceful. I can’t imagine having the tie to the land that you do. I’ve moved around a lot. I’ve never felt at home anywhere.” Until now, she thought, but she didn’t dare voice it.

  Like Hilde, she was sure Hud was wondering how long she was going to stay. But she’d never met a man she couldn’t charm. Hud Savage would be no exception.

  She moved to the edge of the mountaintop and breathed in the day. She’d been telling the truth about her family moving around a lot. Her father couldn’t bear to stay long in any one place—even if he wasn’t forced to flee town before the law caught up to him. A small-time con man, he worked harder at not working than he would have had he just gotten an honest job.

  “I feel as if I could just fly out over the tops of all these mountains,” she said, as she freed her hair to let it blow back in the wind. She stuck out her arms, laughing as she laid her head back. The wind felt good. She felt alive. Free.

  “I wouldn’t get too close to the edge,” Hud said, stepping to her. “I don’t want to have to explain to Dana how I lost her cousin.”

  “No, we don’t want that,” she agreed, as she met his gaze.

  “We should get back. The kids will be waking up and Dana will need help with dinner,” he said.

  Disappointed, she pulled her hair up again and turned to walk back to the four-wheeler. For a moment, she had felt as if he was responding to her.

  She hadn’t gone but a few feet when she stepped on a rock, twisting her ankle as she fell. Hud rushed to her as she dropped to the ground with a groan.

  “How bad is it hurt?” he asked, frowning with concern.

  “I think I just twisted it, but I can’t seem to put any pressure on it,” Dee said, wincing in pain as she held her ankle. “I’ve spent my life walking on sidewalks. I don’t know how to walk on anything that isn’t flat. I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be sorry. It happens. Can you get to the four-wheeler?”

  She made an attempt to put weight on her ankle and cried out in pain. “I don’t mean to be such a big baby.”

  “I’m just sorry you hurt yourself. Here, I can carry you over to the four-wheeler. If it’s still hurting when we reach the ranch, Dana will take you over to the medical center.”

  “Are you sure you can carry me?” she asked. “I’m so embarrassed.”

  “Don’t be. I can certainly carry someone as light as you,” he said, lifting her into his arms.

  She was quite a bit slimmer than Dana since her cousin had delivered twin sons not that long ago. Nice that he’d noticed, she thought. She put her arms around his neck, and he carried her with little effort over to the four-wheeler. She hated to let go when he set her down on the seat.

  “How’s that?” he asked.

  She lifted her leg over the side, wincing again in pain but being incredibly brave. “Fine. Thank you.”

  “No problem.” He got on and started the motor. “Dana is going to have my hide, though.”

  “I’m sure it will be fine by the time we reach the house. I don’t want to upset Dana or get you into trouble with her. It’s already starting to feel better.”

  Dee wrapped her arms around Hud’s waist, leaning against him again as they descended the mountain. She breathed in the scent of him. She would have him. One way or the other.

  * * *

  AFTER THE HIKE to the falls, Hilde was still trembling an hour later back at the shop. The worst part was that there was no one she could tell. The shove had happened so quickly, even now she couldn’t be sure she’d actually felt it. And yet, she knew that Dee had pushed her. Was she trying to scare her?

  Or to warn her to back off? The shove had come right after Hilde had asked how long Dee would be staying.

  The shop phone rang, making her jump. She really was getting paranoid, she thought as she answered. “Needles and Pins.”

  “Hi,” Dana said. “I just wanted to call and tell you what time we’re floating the Gallatin tomorrow.”

  “Dana, I—”

  “Do. Not. Try. To. Get. Out. Of. This.”

  “You don’t need me,” Hilde said, and realized she was sounding jealous. “I really should work.”

  “I know business is slow right now. Remember? I’m your silent partner. So don’t tell me you have to work. Come on. When was the last time you floated the river?”

  “I’ve never floated it.”

  “What? You’ve never been down the Mad Mile?”

  “No, and I really don’t think I want to do it now when the river is so high. Dana, are you sure this is a good idea?”

  “I’ve already talked to Dee. She’s excited. She was trying to get Hud to go with us. Stacy said she’d watch the kids, since Hud said he had something he had to do. Dee was excited to hear you were going with us.”

  I’ll just bet she was.

  “Come on. It’s going to be fun. You need a thrill or two in your life.”

  “Don’t I, though.” What could she say? That there was something not quite right about Dee Anna Justice? That the woman had shoved her at the top of the falls? But then grabbed her to “save” her?

  “Great,” Dana was saying. “We’ll pick you up tomorrow at your place so we can all ride together.”

  “Great,” Hilde said. By the time she hung up, she’d almost convinced herself that Dee hadn’t pushed her. That there was nothing to worry about. That she was just jealous. Or crazy.

  More likely crazy, she thought, glancing out the front window of the shop hoping to see Colt Dawson. His usual table was empty.

  * * *

  COLT WAS AT the marshal’s office filling out paperwork when Hud walked in.

  “I would really appreciate it if you would go on this rafting trip with Dana and her cousi
n this afternoon,” Hud said. “Dana’s cousin is a little clumsy. Hell, a whole lot clumsy. I don’t want her falling off the raft and taking Dana with her.”

  Colt looked at his boss. “You aren’t really asking me to babysit your wife and her cousin, are you? Why don’t you go?”

  “I have to take care of a few things at the station. Oh, and I did mention Hilde is going, right?”

  Colt swore under his breath. “You think that’s going to make me change my mind?”

  Hud grinned. “I could make it an order if that would make you feel better.”

  “You should be worried about Hilde drowning me.”

  His boss laughed. “You’ll grow on her over time. Look how you’ve grown on all of us around here.”

  “Yeah. What time do I have to be there?”

  “You probably better go change.” He told him the name of the raft company and where they would be loading in about an hour. “Good luck.”

  Colt ignored him as he left to head to his cabin. When he’d taken the job, he’d lucked out and gotten a five-year lease on a small cabin in the woods outside of Big Sky. One of the biggest problems with working in the area was finding a reasonable place to live.

  At the cabin, he changed into shorts, a T-shirt and river sandals. As he did he wondered what Hilde would have to say when she saw him. He’d never been tongue-tied around women—until Hilde. What was it about her? She seemed unfazed by him. He really didn’t know what to do when he was around her.

  He knew what he wanted to do. Carry her off and make mad passionate love to her. Just the thought stirred the banked fire inside him.

  Colt shook his head, realizing how inappropriate his thoughts were under the circumstances. Hilde hadn’t looked twice at him. His chances of getting her to go out on a date with him didn’t even look good.

  Well, he’d make this float with her and Dana and Dana’s cousin because Hud had asked him to keep an eye on them. But he would give Hilde a wide berth. She’d made it clear she wasn’t interested. The best thing he could do was move on. Maybe there’d be some young woman on the raft who’d want to go out to dinner later tonight. Best advice he had was to get back on that horse that had thrown him.