Hero’s Return

by B. J Daniels

  He’d drawn her into a hug. Tears had flooded her eyes as she’d put her arms around him, luxuriating in his warmth, in his strength. He’d saved her life in more ways than he knew. “I love you, Kate,” he’d whispered into her hair.

  “I love you,” she’d whispered back. They stayed like that for a long moment before she stepped away.

  Leaving the kitchen now, she found her mother in the sunroom having tea and freshly baked cookies. “Come join me. I just spoke with your father. He is so pleased you will be joining him.”

  “You shouldn’t have told him that,” Kate said as she took a seat.

  “I’ll ring for your tea.”

  She stopped her mother. “I don’t want tea or cookies. I’m leaving.”

  “Leaving for DC already? You haven’t had time to get a proper wardrobe. I suppose you can buy something when you get there but—”

  “Mother, I’m not going to DC.”

  “But your father—”

  “I’m going back to Gilt Edge.”

  “Whatever for?”

  “For Tucker Cahill.”

  Mamie groaned. “That...cowboy?”

  “Yes, that cowboy. I learned something from all this. It took a while to sort out. But mostly that life can be short and if you want something, no matter how scary it is, you have to go for it.”

  “You sound like a sports shoe commercial,” her mother snapped. “I thought you’d gotten this foolishness out of your head.”

  “I don’t want to follow in my father’s footsteps to some DC political career. I want to wake up in Tucker’s arms and listen to the birds outside the window. I want to ride horses into the mountains. I want to have babies with him.”

  Her mother’s lips pursed. “You have no idea what being a rancher’s wife is like.”

  “No, I don’t. But I could learn if that’s what Tucker wants.”

  “Well, if you’re dead set on this, then maybe you can take Muriel with you.”

  “Your cook?” Kate laughed. This was so like her mother. “I won’t need Muriel. I’m going to learn to cook.”

  Her mother scoffed. “Why, when you don’t have to?”

  “Mom, I want a simple life more than I want my next breath. I want Tucker.”

  Mamie shook her head. There were tears in her eyes. “But you’re a Rothschild. You can have so much more.”

  Kate laughed again. “There is nothing more that I want. I’m going to be a Cahill. That is, if Tucker asks me to be his wife again.”

  “If you’re willing to settle for that kind of life,” her mother said.

  “Settle? I can’t imagine having more than what Tucker has offered me. Love, Mother. Unconditional love.”

  “From a cowboy,” Mamie said with distaste.

  Kate smiled. “Yes, from a cowboy.”

  * * *

  TUCKER HAD JUST come back from helping his brothers string barbed wire along the new fence when he saw Kate drive up. His heart did that Ferris-wheel drop it always did at the sight of her, making him a little light-headed.

  He’d never been so glad to see anyone in his life. And yet, he worried as he watched her get out of her SUV about what she was doing here. Kate wasn’t one to leave things up in the air. He’d always known she’d be back. But to tell him she was taking her father up on his offer in DC or...?

  She stood looking around as if seeing the ranch for the first time, before she finally saw him standing on the deck. When she broke into a smile, as if as glad to see him as he was her, he took the stairs two at a time to reach her.

  But a few feet shy of taking her into his arms, he stopped. “Kate?”

  She nodded, tears in her eyes, and closed the distance between them. He drew her to him, hugging her tightly before finally pulling back to look into her face.

  “You’ve recovered?” she asked.

  “Good as new.”

  Kate nodded. “All those wonderful things you said to me when you were in the hospital?”

  He nodded around the lump in his throat. “I meant every one. Still do.”

  “Well, if you should ever ask me to marry you again...”

  He smiled and looked deep into those green eyes. What he saw warmed him to his toes and sent his blood into a slow, steady boil.

  “You remember my childhood bedroom?” he said.

  She laughed. “I didn’t really get a good look at it actually.”

  “No? Well, woman, you’re in luck. My brothers are off working so it’s just you and me.”

  “I like the sound of that,” she said, smiling as he swept her up into his arms. This time, he took the stairs three at a time.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  THE WEDDING RECEPTION was held at the Stagecoach Saloon with family and only a few friends.

  Kate had insisted they elope. “Otherwise, my parents will demand a huge wedding that would take over a year to plan, and hundreds of guests that neither of us know.”

  “Are you sure?” Tucker asked. He’d asked her to marry him one day at the saloon with his family all around and Kate had said yes. It was, to that point, the happiest day of his life. “I thought every woman wanted a huge wedding on her special day.”

  “By now, you should know that I’m not every woman. All I want is to become Mrs. Tucker Cahill and I don’t want to wait.”

  They’d gotten married at city hall with his brothers and sister as witnesses. Lillie and Mariah had planned the reception, as if he could have stopped them.

  But he had to admit, it was all perfect. Tucker found himself looking around the noisy room at his family and friends. The conversations jumped from one topic to the next, broken only by laughter or friendly joking. His heart swelled as he realized how blessed he was to have everyone who mattered here, including his new nephews.

  Jayce stepped up to him and handed him a glass of champagne. “To Kate and happy-ever-after,” his friend said, and they clinked glasses.

  Tucker had missed Jayce. He was just glad they’d put the past behind them. Jayce had confessed that he was in love with his former receptionist and going to ask her to marry him when she returned.

  Tucker spotted Kate across the room. Kate made his heart hammer, his blood run hot. She was his equal. A woman who could hold her own. A woman who challenged him.

  He laughed at the thought. Kate was all that and more. She made him laugh, made him cuss, made him want to take her over his knee. But mostly he wanted to take her in his arms. Just take her.

  The passion she ignited in him still surprised him. He’d thought he would never want a woman the way he did her. He’d certainly never planned to give his heart freely, but Kate had stolen his heart from the get-go.

  He smiled over at his father. Maybe Ely wasn’t so crazy, after all. “Only a damned fool would let that one get away,” his father had said of Kate. Tucker smiled. Now she was his wife. His smile broadened as she caught his eye and headed for him.

  * * *

  “LET ME SEE THAT!” Lillie shrieked as she rushed to Billie Dee and grabbed her left hand. She stared down at the diamond and shrieked again. “Why is this the first I’m hearing about this?” she demanded.

  “You’ve been a bit busy with your son,” Billie Dee said.

  “Oh, Billie Dee, I’m so happy for you. I knew it. I just knew it. Henry Larson, right? I knew it,” she said again before Billie Dee could confirm it. “Oh, you said you were going to find yourself a handsome cowboy, and, boy, did you. Darby! Have you seen this?”

  Lillie practically dragged the cook over to the bar. “You have to see this!” Lillie thrust the cook’s hand out at him. “Billie Dee is engaged!”

  Darby’s gaze went from the ring on her finger to Billie Dee’s face. He burst into a huge smile. “Congratulations. I’ve known Henry Larson for years. He’s a great guy.”

 
; “Thank you.”

  “So when is the wedding?” she asked, turning to Billie Dee. “You absolutely have to let me help you with it. You can have it here! Isn’t that right, Darby?”

  “She can have it anywhere she wants.”

  “We haven’t set a date,” Billie Dee said. “We want a very small wedding with family only, but since the Cahills are my only family, I want you all there.”

  From the bar, Billie Dee saw Ashley Jo raise an empty glass in a mock toast and smile before mouthing, “Congratulations.”

  * * *

  LILLIE NOTICED HER brother Cyrus standing by himself at the edge of the dance floor. Lillie also noticed that Ashley Jo had been giving Cyrus moon eyes all evening. “You should ask Ashley Jo to dance,” she suggested.

  He chuckled as he glanced toward the bar. Ashley Jo quickly looked away as if embarrassed to have been caught watching him. “What makes you think she’s my type?”

  “She’s female, attractive, single, and I can tell she likes you.”

  He laughed and shook his head. “Go bug Hawk. It looks like he and Drey need you.”

  She glanced in Hawk’s direction. Why was it that those two couldn’t stay away from each other at every event? When were they going to realize that they belonged together? Lillie sighed and said as much to her brother.

  “Don’t tell me. Tell Hawk.”

  She thought she just might do that. As she headed for him, Drey said something and stormed off. There was no hope for Cyrus and Hawk, she thought. “What was that about?” Lillie asked Hawk. She hated seeing her brothers upset. She would give anything to know what the problem was between Deirdre and Hawk. They’d been so in love in high school. What had happened to drive them apart? And yet every time she saw them together there seemed to be something going on as if they couldn’t keep away from each other.

  “Nothing,” her brother snapped.

  “Hawk—”

  “Drey is getting married.”

  Lillie blinked. “To whom?”

  “I didn’t ask.” With that, he walked away.

  Lillie fought tears. Hawk was so stubborn. If he let Drey go, she feared he would regret it for the rest of his life.

  * * *

  KATE WOUND HER way through the crowd, her gaze on her husband. Oh, how she loved the sound of that word on her lips. Tucker Cahill. Her husband. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her father in deep conversation with Tucker’s father, Ely. She didn’t want to know what that was about.

  Her mother was visiting with Maggie, the sheriff’s wife. From the animated conversation, Kate bet they were talking about decorating. Maggie and Flint had just moved into their new house and Maggie had been busy furnishing it—a favorite subject of her mother’s.

  As she reached her husband, he put his arm around her and pulled her close. “I love you, Mrs. Cahill.”

  She sighed against him. “I like the sound of that.”

  “There’s something I want to show you,” Tucker said and, taking her hand, led her toward the back of the building.

  “I’m afraid to ask,” she said as he led her upstairs. “Tucker, this is our wedding reception,” she said, pretending to resist. “Surely what you have in mind can wait until tonight.”

  He laughed as he opened the door to the upstairs apartment. “Darby and Mariah have moved out. Darby offered it to us until we either buy a house in town or build on the ranch. What do you think?”

  “It’s cute,” she said, taking in the apartment. “Who decorated it?”

  “Mariah and Lillie. You can change anything that you don’t—”

  “I love it. I don’t think I’d change a thing. They have good taste,” she said as she walked around looking at the furnishings, the paintings, the window and bed coverings. “It really is perfect. A love nest.”

  He grinned at that. “One bedroom, which is all we need right now, and a bathroom. With the kitchen and the bar downstairs...”

  “This might really work,” she said, nodding as she met his gaze. “Billie Dee has promised to teach me to cook. I guess Ashley Jo is interested in lessons, as well. So by the time we get our own place...” She stepped to her husband. “I will be cooking you amazing meals.”

  Tucker put his arms around her. “I can’t wait to see you in our kitchen. Actually, I can’t wait to see you in every room in our house.”

  She laughed. Their gazes locked and he slowly lowered his mouth to hers. The sound of music and laughter worked its way up the stairs as Mr. and Mrs. Tucker Cahill slow danced in their new apartment before going back to their wedding reception and beginning their new lives.

  * * * * *

  Read on for an extract from RANCHER’S DREAM by New York Times bestselling author B.J. Daniels

  Rancher’s Dream

  by B.J. Daniels

  YOU WILL DIE in this house.

  The thought seemed to rush out of the darkness as the house came into view. The premonition turned her skin clammy. Drey gripped a handful of her wedding dress, her fingers aching but unable to release the expensive fabric as she stared at her new home. A wedding gift, Ethan had said. A surprise, sprung on her at the reception.

  The premonition still had a death grip on her. She could see herself lying face down in a pool of water, her auburn hair fanned out around her head, her body so pale it appeared to have been drained of all blood.

  “Are you all right?” her husband asked now as he reached over to take her hand. “Dierdre?” Unlike everyone else she knew, Ethan refused to call her by her nickname.

  “I’m still a little woozy from the reception,” she said, desperately needing fresh air right now as she put down her window to let in the cool Montana summer night.

  “I warned you about drinking too much champagne.”

  He’d warned her about a lot of things. But it wasn’t the champagne, which she’d hardly touched during the reception. Her stomach had begun roiling from the moment Ethan told her where they would be living. She’d assumed they would live in his New York City penthouse since that was where he spent most of his time. She’d actually been looking forward to it for several reasons. She’d never lived in a large city. Also it would be miles from Gilt Edge—and Hawk Cahill.

  She’d never dreamed that Ethan meant for them to live here in Montana, at the place he’d named Mountain Crest. All during construction, she’d thought that the odd structure was to be used as a business retreat only. Ethan had been so proud of the house with its barred gate at the end of the paved road, she’d never let on that she knew the locals made fun of it—and its builder.

  When Ethan had pulled her aside at the reception and told her that they would be living on the mountain overlooking Gilt Edge in his prized house, Dierdre hadn’t been able to hide her shock. She’d never dreamed... But then she’d never dreamed she would be married to Ethan Baxter.

  “Is there a problem?” he’d asked when he’d told her the news.

  She’d tried to cover her discomfort. “I just assumed we would be living in New York City, closer to your business.”

  “I’ve given up the penthouse. When I have to go to the city on business, I’ll be staying in a hotel.” He’d sounded a bit indignant as if she should have been more excited. “Mountain Crest will have to do.”

  “I didn’t mean...” She had seen that there was nothing she could say that wouldn’t make it worse.

  Now, as she found her breath, the premonition receding only a little, she had another paralyzing thought. You’ve made a mistake.

  It was that thought that had made her freeze earlier, standing in the church. It had been a large wedding, the pews filled with business associates of her husband and half the town. Her bridesmaids were women she worked with at the library, women who’d been excited about her engagement and enamored by Ethan every time he came into the library looking for he
r.

  She’d wanted her best friend, Lillie Cahill, to be her matron of honor, but she’d known Lillie would decline. “I’ll be at your wedding. I’ll support you to the death, but I can’t do that to my brother. I would feel as if I was betraying Hawk. I hope you understand.”

  Of course Drey had understood. Lillie was like a sister to her after all the years Drey had spent on the Cahill Ranch when she was dating Hawk. When the two of them had been so madly in love that everyone had expected they would be the ones marrying today.

  You’ve made a mistake. But it was too late to have second thoughts. She’d been telling herself that from the moment Ethan had sent out the announcement about their engagement before he’d even officially asked her to marry him.

  “I thought you loved surprises,” he’d said.

  She had no idea where he’d gotten that idea.

  “Maybe this will make it up to you.” He’d reached into his pocket, produced the small velvet jewelry box and opened it. Light caught the impressive diamond, almost blinding her. She’d told herself this was every young woman’s dream. A handsome rich businessman wanted to marry her.

  “Do you like it?” he’d asked impatiently.

  She’d nodded as he’d slipped it on her ringer. It was beautiful, if a little tight on her finger. He’d promised to have it resized. And yet it had nagged at her, him running the engagement announcement in her hometown paper without telling her.

  “What’s the big deal?” he’d demanded when she’d said something about it. “I thought you’d want your friends to know.” It hadn’t been her friends he’d wanted to know about the engagement. He’d wanted Hawk Cahill to see it, which made her regret telling Ethan about her first love.

  As she now stared at the house growing larger and larger as he drove nearer, she felt sicker. The roof lines rose at odd angles as the house backed up against the mountainside in what appeared to be five levels of glass and rock and old timbers. The front was all glass, behind it darkness. She got the crazy feeling that the house was watching them approach and that it wasn’t happy.