"I don't understand. I knew you owned some animals, but all of them?"
"Nate's father suffered dementia. Decided to have a barn sale and get rid of the livestock. I tried to stop him. When that didn't work, I called Nate, but couldn't reach him. I drained my bank account, maxed out my credit cards and borrowed money from Brock Sheenan to keep the herd together. The horses, too."
"I can't believe you kept that a secret. Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because you kept asking me to come back to Arizona. I knew if I told you, you wouldn't ask even if you needed me back."
"Ty..."
"It's okay. "He touched her hand. "When Nate took over for his dad, he offered me a half stake in the Bar V5 for half a share of the animals. Land. A house. My name on the deed. But I said no."
"That sounds like more than a fair offer."
"Overly fair, but this land has been in his family for generations. It was an original homestead way back when. Only a Vaughn should be on the deed. We made a deal, a partnership. I keep my animals here and run the entire operation."
"That's wonderful." The reality of his words sank in. Weight pressed down on her chest, making breathing difficult. "You're never coming back to Arizona."
Her words were whisper soft. All she could manage under the circumstances. She knew he loved Montana, but she'd always hoped they could live closer someday.
"Well." He blew out a breath. "I've been thinking about moving back."
Rachel straightened. "But look what you have here at Bar V5. You can't leave and give up all this."
"I'm too far away from you."
And Mom and Dad. She never understood his choosing to live so far away from the place their parents were buried. A place Rachel found solace. Her family. She studied Ty's face. "You'd give up everything for me?"
"You might not be a kid, but you still need your big brother. And I need my li'l sis."
"I do need you. I love you," she said. "But you've sacrificed enough. You put your life on hold once for me. I'm not letting you give up your dream and your animals for me. It's not an option."
"Any chance you'd consider moving this way? Bozeman is a nice town. Butte, Billings and Helena are bigger cities."
"I don't need a city. Marietta or Livingston would be fine, but I hate to leave Mom and Dad."
"Baby, you know they aren't there."
"It's all I have left. I've... forgotten so much."
"Mom and Dad would want us to be together, even if that meant we weren't near their graves."
Rachel nodded, in her heart she knew that was true. "There's another reason I could see moving here."
"Your business."
"That and... I like Nate."
"I like him, too."
"I really, really like him."
Ty stared at her, confusion written all over his face. His mouth formed a perfect o. "So it wasn't all about the mistletoe."
"Not for me."
His gaze narrowed. "Nate? Really?"
She nodded.
"I thought you'd end up with a chef, someone you had a lot in common with."
"Do you think you'll end up with a cowgirl?"
"No, but—"
"I tried the chef thing. Epic fail."
"Really? I had no—"
"You're not the only one with secrets."
"Guess not."
"We can't plan who we fall in love with."
Ty's mouth gaped. He closed it. "Is that what you think this thing with Nate is? Love? Because I'm not sure—"
"I'm not one hundred percent positive, either." Though Rachel was ninety-nine-point-nine percent sure she was falling in love with Nate Vaughn. She held her brother's hand. "But I want to find out. I need to."
Ty started to speak, then stopped himself. He tried again. "I told Nate not to touch you again or I'd hurt him."
Her shoulder's sagged. "Ty."
"I accused him of using you to keep me at the Bar V5. The guy has put the ranch before a woman every single time. You deserve—"
"To figure this out on my own," she interrupted. "Your business relationship with Nate is separate from mine with him. My choices or crises cannot dictate your decisions. You have to step back. Let me fail again if that's what it takes."
"Rach..."
She squeezed his hand. "One thing life's taught me—Nate's taught me, actually—is I don't have to be afraid of failure. Some ideas, some businesses, some relationships don't work out. That's okay. My failures are what got me here. Made me who I am. They'll lead to my success. I can feel it in my heart."
Ty's lopsided smile appeared. "My baby sister must be grown up if she's teaching me a thing or two."
"Too bad you won't learn to cook," she teased. "I don't know how you guys got along without me."
"Looks like we might not have to."
Rachel felt like she belonged at the ranch. She hoped Nate felt the same way.
"Come here." Ty hugged her, the way he'd done her entire life, but for the first time she let go before he did. "I'll still kick his ass if he hurts you. I'll quit, and he knows it."
"I'm sure he does. Nate's a smart guy."
Smart enough to take a chance on her? Only time would tell, but Rachel was ready to jump. She hoped he would be there to catch her.
Or have his extra parachute handy.
CHAPTER NINE
Sold out!
Two days before Christmas and no more gingerbread for Rachel to bake, unless the boys at the Bar V5 wanted more. She walked out of the toy store with a spring to her step, an unbelievable balance in her checking account, and her heart full of... intense like for the man at her side.
The clear blue Montana sky greeting her was the icing on the this-is-really-happening cake. "We did it! I have enough money for a deposit and fixtures and...I'm going to pull this off. Thanks to you."
Nate's smile made her breath catch in her throat and the sun pale in comparison. "This was all you. I was just the idea guy."
"And the marketing guy and the networking guy."
And her guy?
Tingles tap-danced through her. She sure hoped so.
She was staying, moving here once she packed up her apartment. She'd talked to her landlord last night. They had a waitlist for units, so he was happy to accept her notice to vacate and break her lease. Soon she would be living in Montana.
With her brother.
Maybe with...
No, she didn't want to jinx anything.
Nate had factored into her decision making, but she hadn't wanted the move to be dependent on him or what he thought or...
Tell him, an inner voice urged.
Rachel hadn't told Ty about moving yet. Not officially, and Nate probably didn't have a clue what she was thinking.
She took a deep breath. The cold air stung her lungs, but she inhaled again to muster her courage.
"I have a surprise for you," Nate said before Rachel could open her mouth. "Come with me."
He led her across Main Street towards the diner. She followed excited to find out the surprise. "A celebration lunch?"
"Better."
They crossed First Street heading toward Grey's Saloon. Two customers sat at the bar, though it wasn't lunchtime yet.
"Little early for cocktails, don't you think?" she asked.
"We're not getting drinks, though we may later. To celebrate."
Another kiss? Rachel hoped so. She liked those kinds of surprises.
They passed Marietta Western Wear. "Guess that means coffee at the Java Café is out."
He stopped in front of an empty storefront with a STYLES REAL ESTATE For Lease sign in the window. "Look at this place."
"Great location." Rachel peered through the glass windows to see brick walls and wood floors. She imagined where the display cases would go and tables, including a separate party area. And the space was available. Her pulse accelerated, picking up speed until she had to force herself to breathe. "So much character. It's wonderful."
Perfect
for a bakery.
Her bakery.
Excitement buzzing down to her toes, she cupped her hands on the glass for a better look. This was the ultimate in window shopping, more of a thrill than anything she could buy. Having Nate think along the same lines was a double thrill.
The lone woman inside looked to be in her fifties or sixties, dressed stylishly in a long, tan wool coat and black boots. She removed the For Lease sign out of the window then walked out the front door, a beaming smile on her face. "Hello. Fancy meeting you out here."
Rachel stared at the sign in the woman's hand, her excitement replaced with a heavy disappointment. Someone had leased the shop.
Her shoulders dropped, but she straightened a second later, not about to let anything ruin a wonderful morning. Chances were she couldn't afford the prime retail spot anyway, and seeing this place gave her hope she could find something similar, if not in Marietta then another nearby town.
Nate motioned to the woman. "Rachel, this is Elinor Styles. She runs the Styles Realty Office here in town. Her son Tod is a realtor. Elinor, meet my friend Rachel Murphy."
Friend. But Rachel realized this wasn't a disappointment to pout over, either. Nate was her friend, and her business adviser, even her inspiration. If she wanted him to be more, that was a separate story. "Always good to meet another friend of Nate's."
Elinor set the sign at her feet, shook Rachel's hand then handed a set of keys to Nate. "He's off showing a property. I know you wanted the keys right away."
Rachel didn't understand. Her gaze bounced from Elinor to Nate.
"I love my gingerbread house," Elinor continued without missing a beat. "The Copper Mountain Gingerbread and Dessert Factory will be a nice addition to Main Street. Merry Christmas."
Rachel's heart pounded in her throat. She tried to speak. Ask the questions hammering her brain. But she couldn't find her voice.
"Thanks, Elinor," Nate said, as if the woman had handed him a candy cane and not the keys to a dream location for a bakery. "Have a Merry Christmas."
With a wave, Elinor jaywalked across Main Street.
Rachel searched Nate's face for answers, but saw only an oh-so-pleased-with-himself smile. "You leased this shop?"
"For you." With his hand at the small of her back, he escorted her into the building. "This is your surprise. Beats a set of towels."
What about more kisses? Those had replaced the towels on her list, but this... She wasn't sure what was going on.
"Christmas is two days away, but I couldn't wait," he continued. "What do you think?"
A part of her wanted to be excited, to throw her arms around Nate and kiss him. Hard. Except he was acting like a business advisor, not a wanna-be boyfriend. Every public moment they'd shared had been business-related, like she was some kind of project. Beyond the mistletoe kiss Ty witnessed, Nate had never let anyone else think they might be involved.
As if he had an agenda.
"I don't know what to say." That was the truth. "I mean, this is so generous. I'm overwhelmed. But why would you lease this space for me? I live in Phoenix, not here."
Not yet anyway. But he didn't know that.
"I know you talked about going back to Phoenix and opening a shop there, but when I took a closer look at this place, I knew it was perfect for the bakery you told me about. Space for your baked goods and an event area." He reminded her of a salesman warming up to give his pitch. "You've made a name for yourself in Marietta. You have a clientele ready to support your new business. Not to mention Ty's here."
Ty.
I accused him of using you to keep me at the Bar V5. The guy has put the ranch before a woman every single time.
Her brother's words from the other night hit Rachel like a cast iron skillet. The air rushed from her lungs. Her knees wobbled. She reached out to grab hold of something, but only Nate was there.
Rachel jerked her arm back. "You leased this place because of Ty."
"I leased this place for you, as a believer and backer of your products, skill and potential. But if you staying makes Ty happy then it's a win-win."
Nate's words sunk in, swirled around her mind, dropped straight to her feet, landing next to where her heart had just crashed, sans parachute. Destruction complete.
She should feel hurt, anger, some awful, icky emotion over what the man she'd fallen in love with had done, not this odd numbness as if she were an outside observer. "Leasing this place. Helping me with my business. It was all so I'd move to Montana and Ty would stay at the Bar V5."
"I told you I wanted to help you so I could repay Ty."
"What you did, you're doing, is not repaying a favor." Everything was so clear to Rachel now. "It's not about Ty. He says you owe him nothing. It's about you wanting to keep your foreman. Your partner. Livestock."
Nate's forehead creased. His mouth slanted. "That's not fair."
"Do you think kissing me was fair, making me think there was more there than friendship between us, making me want to stay in Montana to find out?"
He took a step forward, his gaze intent upon hers. "I want you to stay and figure things out. Don't let this change your mind about anything."
"Oh, it won't." She lifted her chin. "I am staying, but that decision has nothing to do with you. Not now anyway."
"Rachel—"
"Did our kisses mean anything to you?"
"Yes," he replied, without hesitation. "Kissing you wasn't part of this."
"Part of what?"
"The plan," he said after a long pause. "To keep you here. Ty knows about it. Operation: Hansel & Gretel."
She half-laughed, more saddened than amused. "Brother, sister, gingerbread. Clever. So what did you call your plan to keep Marissa here? Project: City Mouse or Operation: Tiffany Cut?"
"Don't say that." Nate reached for her, but she backed away, not wanting him to touch her. "I thought you'd be happy, not upset."
"I'm not upset. I probably should be, but I'm not. I'm more...resigned. This isn't the first time someone let me down." She stared at this perfect space, at the man she'd believed was perfect for her. "But I really thought I could trust you. I wanted to believe I could."
"You can."
Rachel looked at Nate, as if seeing him for the first time. "You're as bad as the Darbys."
He frowned. "Come on, that's not true."
"It is." The realization made the numbness disappear. Her heart split into jagged, raw pieces. "You're willing to do whatever it takes to get what you want. The Darbys are the same. They stole my dream, ripped it right out of my hands. But you tried to change my dream, not because it would be better for me, but to benefit you and the Bar V5. And you did this after knowing what I'd been through."
"Rachel, please..."
"I have to go." A lump burned in her throat. Her eyes stung. She struggled to hold herself together. "I can't accept your gift, but no worries. Ty won't be going anywhere. I'm going to ask him to pack up my things. I'd rather not go back to the ranch."
Nate touched her shoulder, holding her back. "Can I convince you to sit down and talk it through over lunch?"
Her gaze locked on his desperate eyes. "No. You've done too much convincing already."
She walked out of the shop with her shoulders squared and a headache about to erupt. Not that anything could be worse than her aching heart.
You have to step back. Let me fail again if that's what it takes.
Ty had done what she asked. And she'd failed.
Even though her heart had led her to believe she would succeed.
She had no idea what to do. All she knew was she hurt and love sucked and she wished Christmas was already over.
Nate downed the rest of his beer at Grey's Saloon. He caught bartender and owner Jason Grey's eye. "Another, please."
Jason refilled the glass with a local microbrew. "You can't drink away your troubles."
"No, but I can forget them for a while."
"Thought I might find you here." Ty slid onto the next stool
. "Let me guess, the present you got her didn't go over well."
Nate raised his pint. "I crashed and burned. Disintegrated into a billion particles. Most of which will never be seen again."
"Ouch."
Nate sipped. Two beers weren't going to be enough. Four might give him a proper buzz. Six might do the trick. "Leave me alone. I have some serious drinking to do."
"Looks like I'll have to stick around to drive you home," Ty said.
Nate set his beer on the bar. He looked over at Ty, at his best friend and his partner. "You'd do that?"
Ty tipped his hat. "That's what friends do for each other."
"Even after I broke Rachel's heart."
Ty's face reddened. His nostrils flared. "You son of a..."
He punched Nate. A right hook that he hadn't seen coming.
Jason grabbed Ty from across the bar. "Take it outside or I call the police."
Ty held up his hands. "No need. I did what I had to do."
Nate rubbed his aching jaw. Nothing felt broken. But man, he hurt. "Feel better?"
Ty flexed his fingers. "Yeah, but my hand doesn't."
"I deserved it."
"Damn straight you did."
"Rachel's staying in Montana."
"I thought she might, but you're certain?"
Nate nodded once. The movement sent a sharp pain through the left side of his face. Maybe he'd spoken too soon about something being broken. "Told me so herself. Right before she walked out of her shop."
"What shop?"
He touched his lips. At least he wasn't bleeding. Good, Jason wouldn't want a mess at the bar. "The one I gave her. Well, tried to give her. I leased the space next to the pharmacy. But she doesn't want it."
Ty shook his head. "You're not only stubborn like your dad, Vaughn, you're as stupid as an ass. And you can't use dementia as an excuse."
"Huh?"
"You can't use bribes to get an easy win."
"I wasn't—"
"You were." Ty grabbed Nate's glass and took a long swig. "You tried it with me and Marissa. Given all that money you spent on degrees from fancy universities, you should have realized that doesn't work and changed your MO."
Nate thought about his offer to Ty four years ago. How he'd proposed to Marissa, purchased a ring, an SUV and given her a credit card with no spending limit. Those things hadn't been for Ty or for Marissa, but for Nate. "Crap. You're right."
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