“I think I’m going to answer it,” she said.
“What are you talking about?” Harmony asked, taking her by the shoulders and looking into her eyes. Harmony’s dark eyes and curly dark hair were a stark contrast to Ruby’s pale blond hair and skin and light-blue eyes. Everything about Ruby was soft and feminine, and that’s how she liked it.
And maybe it was just an effect of the romance novels she’d read, but she couldn’t help but think a big, strong man like that might be just the pairing she’d always needed. Not to mention the fact that she was magnetically drawn to him.
“You can’t be serious,” Harmony said. “Sure, Bill was a jerk. But you have a job here. A life. Friends!” She threw up her hands. “Say you aren’t seriously considering this.”
“I don’t know,” Ruby said. “I just…” She trailed off, looking back at the man’s green eyes. He had a stern face, but she sensed kindness beneath the rough, manly exterior. “I have a good feeling about him. I’ve never had an adventure. Maybe it’s my time.”
“I don’t know,” Harmony said, looking at Bonnie. “Maybe we should lock her in the basement until she comes to her senses. You can’t go to Montana. You just can’t.”
“I’m sick of the city,” Ruby said. “I mean, I’m sick of the men here. My parents are traveling the world, and I just got demoted in my salon so I don’t even have my own booth anymore.”
“You shouldn’t have shown up late,” Harmony said.
“Yeah, well, now that I’ve dumped Bill and his always-needing-a-ride self, that won’t be a problem. Besides, maybe they could use a hairdresser out there. I should look up more about the city.” She did, plugging the name of the town where Shane wanted to meet into Google. “Wow, small. And apparently not a lot of women.”
Harmony put her hand over her face. “You can’t honestly be considering this.” She shook her head. “You like educated men, not cavemen.”
“Maybe that’s been my problem,” Ruby said. “Anyway, why don’t I look up this guy and get some references on him? Make sure he’s not a complete psycho?”
“How would you do that?” Bonnie asked doubtfully.
“Call the ranch where he works. Somewhere called Bear Haven.” Ruby was already picking up the phone as she spoke. She dialed the number before anyone could stop her, glad that wine was giving her the courage nothing else could. The phone picked up on the third ring.
A deep voice answered, sending ripples of arousal through her. “Hello?”
“Is Shane there?”
“This is he.”
Damn, even his voice was heavenly. The perfect match to that gorgeous face. What she wouldn’t give to—
“You’re drunk,” Bonnie hissed. “Give me the phone.”
But Ruby jerked her hand out of Bonnie’s reach. “I found your profile on Singles.com. Just wanted to call and make sure you weren’t a serial killer.”
“I don’t think so,” the voice said. It was stern, but there was the slightest hint of amusement.
“So everything in your profile, is it true?”
There was a slight pause. “I believe so.” He sounded like the kind of man who didn’t say many words, but measured each phrase carefully before speaking. “I’m not the type to lie.”
“That’s good,” she said. “So you live in Montana?”
There was another long pause. “Yes. And you?” She could almost sense nervousness in the man’s voice, which made no sense. The guy in the photo seemed like the type who intimidated everyone around him. Not the other way around.
“You’re a different kind of man, aren’t you?” she asked playfully, swatting away her girlfriends’ hands as she tried to stay on the line.
“And you sound a little drunk,” he said, darkly amused.
“Maybe. Maybe I want to meet you,” she said.
“Maybe I’d be fine with that,” he replied, sending a shiver of heat through her again.
“So I should just go by the profile?” she asked.
“Yes.” He was silent again. “Is there anything else?”
“No,” she said. “Just wanted to make sure you weren’t a serial killer.”
He sighed. “No, though I suppose if I were, I wouldn’t tell you.”
“True,” she said reluctantly. “All right, well, you have a good night.” She hiccupped and abruptly set the phone down, embarrassed.
“So how did he sound?” Bonnie asked.
Ruby shrugged and leaned on the desk in defeat. “Not at all like the profile. I think most of it must have been a joke, thank heavens. But he sounds hot,” she said, sighing. “So hot. Crazy hot.”
“You can’t, Ruby,” Bonnie said, sounding just as drunk.
“I can.” She looked at her friends. “I know it sounds crazy, but I think I’m supposed to go out there. I think I’m supposed to meet him. I can just feel it.”
“Well, you’re not going alone,” Harmony said, leaning back in the chair. “I can take a week’s paid vacation. How about you?” she asked Bonnie.
Bonnie frowned and then nodded. “I’m pretty sure I can.” Bonnie had a veterinary degree and shared the practice with another vet. Harmony was a lounge singer, so she was probably joking about the paid time off thing.
“Besides, I’m kind of interested in seeing what this womanless place looks like,” Harmony said, pushing dark hair out of her eyes. “I mean, my main goal is obviously stopping you from being murdered. But I’ve never been somewhere rugged like this.”
“I can’t believe we’re going to do this,” Bonnie said, shaking her straight red hair back and forth.
“Montana,” Ruby said, looking at her friends. “Come on. Don’t you think there has to be more than enough hot cowboys there to go around?” She scanned the ad again. “Besides, it says anyone who mentions the site can get a discount on the lodge at the ranch, so we can have a cool, western vacation either way.”
Bonnie raised a skeptical eyebrow. “I don’t know. You know, half of this profile seems like it was written by a perfectly reasonable person. And half seems like you’re dealing with a five-year-old. How do you know what you’re getting?”
“I’m getting an adventure,” Ruby said, leaning back in her chair. “So are you in or out?”
Bonnie’s pale skin flushed, but she swallowed and nodded, setting down her wine. “I’m in. Anything if it will help you get over Bill.”
“Already over him,” Ruby grumbled.
“I’m in for sure,” Harmony said, tossing her dark hair flirtatiously. “Hopefully your hot cowboy has a brother.” She grinned and pushed in front of Ruby, pulling up an airline website and buying them tickets before Ruby could protest.
“Watch out, Montana. Here come three curvy New York girls to shake up your world.”
Ruby looked between her friends and laughed. They would be together. They would be getting the break they desperately needed and an adventure in the bargain. What was the worst that could happen?
Shane couldn’t get the voice of the woman on the phone out of his mind.
Even as several days went by, full of paperwork, running the ranch, and long walks on the land, up through the pine-covered hills all around, he couldn’t stop recalling the low, husky tone of her sweet voice.
He had no idea what to picture when he thought of her. She'd asked if she should follow the profile, and he'd said yes, so hopefully she would be sending him a message soon about an online chat or a phone call. He didn’t have long, but he wasn’t about to make some poor woman fly out here or fly himself around the country before having a good, long conversation.
He still wasn’t even sure how to explain his own unique situation. He imagined most women wouldn’t take kindly to being married to save a piece of land. Even one as special as the one Bear Haven rested on.
He shoved a hand through his dark hair and printed off a copy of the weekly financial report and set it on the desk in front of him.
If the woman didn’t want to call back, so muc
h the better. She'd sounded slightly drunk, and besides, her area code said she was calling from New York. There was no way things would work out between him and a city girl. She’d hate it here for sure.
So why couldn’t he get her out of his mind?
The log door to his office swung open, letting in cool mountain air as his brother’s large silhouette filled the doorway. “I’m going to town.”
“Maverick?” he asked as his brother walked in, in his human form as he rarely was. His dark hair was shaggy and long, and his face was partially hidden by a scruffy, thick, dark beard. Unlike Shane, he had dark-brown eyes, so dark they were almost black, and they were piercing beneath his severe brows.
“I’ll be quick,” Mav said cryptically, folding his large arms and leaning against the doorframe. “Just gotta pick something up.”
“Okay…” Shane said, giving his brother a measuring glance. “Be back by nightfall.”
Maverick gave a quiet nod. Between his rugged look and his piercing eyes, he was the perfect guide for the city yuppies who wanted the experience of being in the Wild West.
Maverick turned to go, but Shane couldn’t resist calling out to him. “What exactly are you picking up?” he asked, a prickle of unease running through him.
“It’s a secret,” Mav said, scratching his head. He was wearing a flannel shirt and tight, worn jeans with thick work boots. Shane hoped he wasn’t going anywhere except the general store at the base of the mountain, or he’d probably scare the locals.
“I’m not sure I like that,” Shane said, standing and walking around the desk. “Why don’t you let Jesse go down for supplies? He goes Tuesday and Thursday. You can just add it to his list.”
Maverick shook his head. “Jesse doesn’t know about this.”
Shane lowered his eyebrows and glowered at that comment. It wasn’t like Maverick to be suspicious. Well, suspicious when not in bear form. And right now, despite his serious expression, there was a twinkly satisfaction in his eyes that made him look much like a bear who’d found a beehive.
And Shane didn’t trust that one bit.
Why would Maverick suddenly be keeping secrets?
“Well, I’ll just be going, then,” Maverick said gruffly, disappearing out the front door before Shane could reach for him. He leaned on the door and sighed as his brother jogged away toward the large garage where they kept their vehicles. A moment later, he heard the truck pull away from the cabin and onto the dirt road that led down the mountain.
Shane put a hand to his forehead and shook his head. Whatever Maverick was up to, he wasn’t likely to find out until his brother got back.
But he couldn’t help feeling that prickle of unease that crept up his back as soon as he turned to go back into the cabin.
He strode to his desk, slumped in his chair, and drummed his hands on the gnarled wood in front of him, which had been expertly polished and finished. Feeling the natural texture of the wood was soothing at times like this.
For some reason, a pair of blue eyes floated to the front of his thoughts. Wide, worried, like she was in danger. It made him think of the phone call he’d had, the laughing, sultry voice on the other side.
He forced himself to go back to reviewing the report on his desk, figuring he had to focus if he wanted to be done with his duties by the time the sun was down.
But he couldn’t focus, and he found himself clicking open the internet and typing in the name of the dating website where she’d found him. But when he went to log in, nothing happened. Wrong password.
That was odd.
Another prickle of nervousness shot through him as he tried again and a third time.
Maverick wouldn’t. He had a computer, but…
Shane quickly hit the password reset button and then retrieved the password from his email. Then he logged into the website and went to look at his profile, trepidation building in him the whole time.
When it loaded, his face twitched in shock. Someone had rewritten huge swaths of his description. It no longer represented Shane at all. Protecting cubs? Providing food? Shane groaned and shoved a hand through his thick hair. That was all Maverick. Maverick’s messed-up ideas of meeting a woman.
Speaking of which… Shane scrolled down and saw instructions for getting in touch, which mainly included a meeting here in Montana at a well-known bar.
Shit.
Today.
So that’s where Maverick had gone, looking all secretive.
Shane slammed his hands down on the desk and stood up, shaking his head and cursing as he put on his hat and stormed out of the cabin.
Whatever Maverick intended to do with the women he attracted, Shane intended to put a stop to it. Hopefully he’d be there on time.
Chapter 3
In a small lodge at the base of the mountain, Ruby paced back and forth over the wood floor, holding her arms and wondering what to do.
On the flight over, Bonnie had caught something. And as they’d been driving from the airport, she’d gotten consequently more sick.
“I’m sorry,” Bon said, holding her waist as she sat on a chair next to the bathroom, waiting for the next wave. Harmony put hand to Bonnie’s head and sighed.
“It’s a bad fever. Some kind of flu or food poisoning,” Harmony said. “I can’t leave her here.”
Ruby sighed, hiding her disappointment from her friends. She didn’t want to give up her chance to meet the man on the phone. The one with the stunning green eyes.
They’d come all the way to Montana. Surely there would be another time to meet him. But there was no way her friends could come with her tonight.
“It’s okay,” Ruby said, sitting on the bed and looking out at the orange sun setting over the beautiful trees.
She was already falling in love with Montana. From the moment they’d landed—no, even seen it from the plane as they flew over—all three women had fallen in love.
They’d all grown up in the city, and there was nothing like this there. Wide-open spaces. Cool air. Miles between towns.
“You have to go,” Bonnie said. “I don’t want you to miss it for me.”
“I’m sure you can meet him some other time,” Harmony said. “Maybe you could call him.”
“It was just a time and place listed on the profile. Other women might show up.” The competitive side of her flared. No one else was going to take her mountain man.
“We’ll still have a good vacation. We can go stay up at the lodge,” Harmony said. “We’ll still get to meet your cowboy.”
“I don’t want to move Bonnie just yet,” Ruby said. “We’ll probably be here a few days.”
“Not that I mind,” Harmony said, looking around the little cabin they’d rented. It was spaciously appointed, with a flat-screen TV and a full bathroom and kitchenette. “I could totally get used to this for a break.”
“Not exactly your apartment, is it?” Ruby asked.
Harmony shook her head. “Nope. Not enough cockroaches.”
“It’s a little small for what I’m used to,” Bonnie said quietly, looking around. “But I have to admit it’s charming.”
Bonnie looked tired, her pale skin extra pale, a contrast to her blazing red hair that belied her shy personality. Bonnie came from old money, and her degree in veterinary sciences made for a good living and a nice apartment in a much different part of town than Harmony lived and worked as a lounge singer.
Harmony rummaged in her purse and then pulled out a small pink pouch and handed it to Ruby. “If you really want to meet your man, take this.”
“Your Taser?” Ruby said. “Are you sure?”
Harmony nodded. “And your cell phone to call us if anything seems off. It seems like a pretty safe little town, but just in case.”
“Do you really think it’s okay?” Ruby asked.
Harmony pursed her red lips. “I don’t know. But I can tell it’s going to break your heart if you don’t get to see him.”
“I know it’s silly,” Ruby
said. “I just have a feeling about it.”
“I hope so,” Harmony said, folding her arms. “Because now that we’re in the middle of nowhere, on break from our jobs, something better come of this.”
“I don’t know,” Ruby said, shrugging. “I do know I’m not thinking about Bill.”
Harmony grinned wryly at that. “Well, it’s all worth it, then. That cheater isn’t worth your time.”
“Or a demotion,” Ruby said gloomily.
“Maybe it all happened for a reason,” Bonnie chirped. “Maybe you—ugh…” She ran for the bathroom. After a few moments and some running water to clean up, she stumbled back to her chair. “Maybe everything was supposed to go wrong so you would be willing to drop everything and fly out here when you saw that profile. Maybe he’s the one.”
Harmony rolled her eyes, but Ruby couldn’t help feeling a little bit excited.
After years of unsuccessful dating, who didn’t find the idea of one man of your very own, meant just for you, romantic?
She was certainly okay with it.
“It’s a quiet town, and we saw the restaurant. It seemed safe,” Bonnie said, her voice insistent. “I don’t want you to wait.”
“I don’t want you to go alone,” Harmony said grumpily, pulling her curly hair back into a ponytail. “But that Taser should put down anything short of a full-grown bear, so I would think you’ll be safe. Plus, according to the map, the restaurant is pretty much in the middle of town, so there should be plenty of people around.”
“Maybe I will go,” Ruby said hesitantly, her heart leaping at the thought of it. She didn’t want to be stupid, but she felt so drawn to the man. She didn’t even know why.
And she was tired of playing it safe. She’d done everything by the plan, and all it had gotten her was a cheating boyfriend and a career where they took advantage of her skills and never gave her the recognition she deserved.
King of Rock (Lions of Pride Island Book 1) Page 15
