PraiseforJoanJohnston
“JoanJohnstondoesshortcontemporaryWesterns toperfection.”
—PublishersWeekly
“LikeLaVyrleSpencer,Ms.Johnstonwrites of intenseemotions and tenderpassions that seem so realthat the readers will feeleachoneofthem.”
—RaveReviews
“Johnston warms yourheart and tickles yourfancy.”—NewYorkDailyNews
“Joan Johnstoncontinually gives useverything we want…fabulous details andatmosphere, memorablecharacters,astorythatyouwishwouldneverend,andlots of tension and
sensuality.”—RomanticTimes
“Joan Johnston [creates]unforgettable subplotsandcharacterswhomakeeveryfine thread weave into atouchingtapestry.”
—AffairedeCoeur
Sinful is a work of fiction.Names, characters, places,andincidentseitheraretheproduct of the author’simagination or are usedfictitiously. Anyresemblance to actualpersons, living or dead,events,orlocalesisentirelycoincidental.
ADelleBookEdition
Copyright©2015byJoanMertensJohnston,Inc.ExcerptfromShamelessbyJoan Johnston copyright© 2015 by Joan MertensJohnston,Inc.
Allrightsreserved.
Published in the UnitedStates by Dell, an imprintof Random House, adivisionofRandomHouse
LLC, a Penguin RandomHouse Company, NewYork.
DELL and the HOUSEcolophon are registeredtrademarks of RandomHouseLLC.
This book contains anexcerpt from theforthcoming bookShameless by Joan
Johnston.Thisexcerpthasbeen set for this editiononly and may not reflectthe final content of theforthcomingedition.
ISBN 9780804178662eBook ISBN 9780804178679
Cover design: LynnAndreozziCover illustration: Alan
Contents
CoverTitlePage
Copyright
PrologueChapter1Chapter2Chapter3Chapter4Chapter5Chapter6Chapter7Chapter8Chapter9Chapter10
Chapter11Chapter12Chapter13Chapter14Chapter15Chapter16Chapter17Chapter18Chapter19Chapter20Chapter21Chapter22Chapter23
Chapter24Chapter25Chapter26Chapter27Chapter28Chapter29
LettertoReadersDedicationByJoanJohnstonAbouttheAuthorExcerptfromShameless
Prologue
KING GRAYHAWKCOULDN’T believe he’d
found his long-lost son.WhenMatt was seventeenhe’d walked away fromKing’s ranch in JacksonHole and disappeared.King had been searchingfor his missing son fortwenty years, and at longlast he’d found him. Butnothing King had said sofar had tempted Matt toreturnhome.King eyed the thirty-
seven-year-old manstanding before him andliked what he found.Mattwas easily as tall as King,who stood a regal six footfour. The boy had grownbroad in the shoulder butstayed lean at waist andhip. His thick black hairhung over his collar likesome teenage hippie’s butwas already silver at thetemples.Piercingblueeyes
webbed with sun-etchedcrow’s feet stared back athimdefiantly.“There’snothingyoucan
say to change my mind,”Matt said, his voice hard,his mouth flattened inanger.“Gobackwhereyoucame from and leave methehellalone.”King’stemperflared.No
onespoketohimlikethat.Hewas the richestman in
Wyoming and formergovernor of the state. Hewasn’t about to lose thebattle ofwills because thisbarnyard pup had chosentogrowlathim.What was it about this
prodigal son that madehim so precious? Kingwondered. He only knewthathewoulddoanything,giveanything,sayanythingto bring this black sheep
backintothefold.Hekepthisvoiceevenas
hesaid,“Comehomesowecan get to know eachother.”Matt snorted. “You
wantednothing todowithme as a kid. What’schanged?”“I have.” King had
recently survived a boutwith cancer and realized
thathewasmortalafterall.He wasn’t exactly makingamends,buthewantedhiscuriosity about this lostson satisfied before it wastoo late. Where had Mattbeenall theseyears?Whathad he done with his life?So far he’d gotten noanswers, but he intendedtohavethem.“Come back—” King
began.
“No.”“Don’t interrupt!” he
snapped. “I haven’tfinished.”King watched his son’s
jaw muscle flex beforeMattsaid,“There’snothingyou’vegotthatIwant.”“Youhaven’theardwhat
I’m offering,” Kingpersisted.“I don’t give a damn
whatyou’reoffering.”King gritted his teeth
andheldontohistemper.“Ifyoucomehome,I’llgiveyou the Big House, thecattle, the quarter horseoperation, and the vastacres of land surroundingKingdom Come. I’ll eventhrow in the gas reservesunderallthatland.Allyouhave to do is live at theranch one year and it’s all
yours. A year from nowyou can sell it or give itawayorabandonitandgoback where you camefrom.”He watched as Matt’s
steely gaze slid to the sunsetting on the glisteningwaters of the Timor Sea,off the coast of Darwin,Australia. The detectiveKing had hired haddiscovered Matt rounding
up a mob of brumbies—feral Australian horses—ina remote part of theNorthern Territory. Hisson had agreed to meethiminDarwinonlyifKingpromised to leave himalone—forever—oncethey’dtalked.King was certain that if
he couldn’t convince hisson to take thisdeal,Mattwould disappear, and he
mightnever seehimagaininthis lifetime.Hewaited,forcing himself to bepatient, for his son’sanswer.“Oneyear, and it’smine
to do with as I please?”Mattconfirmed.Kingnodded.“Whatabout those three
Brats you’ve got livingtherenow?”
King raised a bushyblack brow in surprise.How did Matt know thathis three youngestdaughters,women in theirtwenties,werestilllivingatthe ranch?And ifheknewaboutthem,whyhadn’thementioned Leah? “It’s notjust theBrats,” he replied.“My stepdaughter, Leah,livesthere,too.”“Iwantthemout.”
“It’stheonlyhome—”“That’snotnegotiable.”King felt his heartbeat
ratchet up a notch andtookadeepbreathtocalmhimself before speaking.“It’sabighouse.”“I don’t like the idea of
livingwithstrangers.”King scowled.
Strangers?Mattmightnothave seen them since they
weresmall,butthegirlsallshared his blood. Exceptfor Leah. Leah was…asurprise. Leah had alwaysbeen different, from themoment she’d come intohis life as a five-year-old.His stepdaughter was theglue that had kept hisrelationshipwith his threeyoungest daughters fromfalling apart. He wasn’tabouttothrowheroutlike
anoldboot.“Oncetheranchisyours,
you can do as you like.Until then, the girls stay.Andthat’snotnegotiable.”Except for Leah, his
daughters came and wentfromtheranchlikeshiftingleavesinthewind.Chanceswere, they’d leave of theirown accord soon enough.But he wasn’t willing toshove them out without
warning, not even for thisprodigal son. King feltcertain Matt wanted whathewas offeringmore thanhewaswillingtoadmit,orhe wouldn’t still bestandingthere.“Tell you what,” King
began. “I’ll speak to thegirlsandtellthem—”“I want sole use of the
northwingofthehouse.”
King kept his featureseven, but he wasastonished by the request.Why would Matt needthree complete bedroomsuites? The detectivehadn’t said a thing aboutMatt having a wife andkids.“You’ve got a family?”
Kingblurted.Matt’s lips curled in
disdain. “I’m no better at
hanging on to a wife thanyouwere.”King felt furious at his
son’s condemnation, eventhoughhedeservedit.He’dloved one woman in hislife,EveDeWitt,andshe’dbeen stolen away byanother man. King hadmanaged to destroy everyotherwomanhe’dmarried,from his first wife, Matt’smother, to his last, the
mother of his threeyoungest daughters,who’dbrought Leah with her tothemarriage.WhenMatt’smotherhad
died of an overdose ofbarbiturates, her youngerbrother, Angus Flynn, hadbecome King’s mortalenemy.Angushaddonehisbest ever since to makeKing’slifehell.Abandoned by their
mother,histhreeyoungestgirls had gotten intoenough trouble with theTeton County sheriff overtheyearstobecomeknownas “King’sBrats.”His onlyconsolation was thatAngus’s four sons, betterknown as “those wildFlynn boys,” had an evenworsereputation.King knew he should
have taken a firmer hand
with the Brats when theywere young, but he waswealthy enough, andpolitically powerfulenough,togetthemoutofwhatever trouble they’dgotten into.Kingwasusedto getting what he wantedwhen he wanted it, so hewas finding his waywardson’s resistancefrustrating.At least now Matt was
talking terms. King wasn’tsure he’d get an answer,but he asked the questionanyway.“Whydoyouneedso much space? Are youbringingsomeonealong toputinthosebedrooms?”Mattnoddedcurtly.“I’ve
gotkids.Agirlandaboy.”Kinghidhissurpriseand
asked,“Howold?”“The girl’s twenty. The
boy’ssix.”King’s brow furrowed.
He couldn’t fathom howhis son could have adaughter born the sameyear he’d left home. Therehadbeenafifteen-year-oldgirl Matt had gotten intotrouble when he wassixteen. But that girl haddied in childbirth, alongwith the child. So wherehad this daughter come
from? Had there been asecond girl? Anotherpregnancy? Was thisunexplained child thereason Matt had gone sofar away and stayed goneforsolong?Kingknewbetterthanto
ask those questions. Mattwouldeithertellhim,orhewouldn’t. The importantthing was to get his sonbacktoWyoming.
“Do we have a deal?”King asked, extending hishand.Matt met his gaze with
wary eyes, grasped hishandfirmly,andsaid,“Wehaveadeal.”
Chapter1
HER NAME WAS Eve. NotEvelyn or Eveline or
Evette. Just Eve. The dayshe was born, her father,King Grayhawk, took onelookatherlargeblueeyes,soft blond curls, andbowed upper lip andwhispered, “Eve.”Apparently, she remindedhim of some woman he’dfallen in love with as ayounger man. That Eve,he’ddeclared,wastheonlywomanhehadeverloved.
Those words, spoken asher mother lay recoveringfromlabor,musthavebeenthe final insult, becauseEve was still a babe inarms when her mom ranoff with one of King’scowhands. Eve had grownupwiththeknowledgethather birth had caused aterrible rift between herparents. That maritalfracture had left her and
her fraternal twin sisters,Taylor and Victoria, andtheir older half sister,Leah, as motherlesschildren.Evefeltburdenedbyher
name. It didn’t help thatshe shared it with thewoman who’d temptedAdamtosinintheGardenofEden.Inhighschoolshewas teased and taunted asshe began to acquire
seductive curves. She wassure one of those pain-in-the-butt Flynn brothershad started it, but theother boys had quicklyfollowedhislead.“Showmeanapple,and
I’lleatit,”aboywouldsay,“solongasyoucomealongwith it,Eve.”Or, “Toobadyouate that apple,Eve, orwe’d all still be runningaround naked,” followed
byaluridgrin.She’dgottenprettygood
at sending back zingerslike, “If God had seen younaked, Buck, He mighthave decided He made areal mistake only takingoutarib.”Buttheconstantinnuendo made Eve’steenagelifemiserable.Thatwastheleastofthe
trouble those four awfulFlynn brothers—Aiden,
Brian, Connor, and Devon—had caused her and hersistersovertheyears.From her father’s rants
at supper, Eve had knownhewasfeudingwithAngusFlynn. It wasn’t until shewaseightyearsoldthatsheunderstood why. Angus’soldersister,Jane,hadbeenKing’sfirstwife,andAngusblamed King for hisunhappy sister’s death
from an overdose ofbarbiturates. Eve had noidea whether her fatherwasinnocentornot,buthewassorelytriedbyAngus’seffortstoblighthislife.The animosity should
have remained betweentheir fathers, but it hadbled onto their children.Angus Flynn’s four sonswere infamous aroundJacksonHole forwreaking
havoc and causingmischief. After their auntJane died, as though aswitch had been flipped,the Flynn brothers beganaiming all that tomfoolerytowardEveandhersisters.It didn’t take long beforeKing’s Brats, who’d donetheir own share oftroublemaking aroundJackson Hole, were givingas good as they got from
thosewildFlynnboys.Eve could remember
vividly the year fourteen-year-old Leah’s blueberrypie had beenmysteriouslydoused with salt at theFour-H competition. Hersister had retaliated byshaving the flank offourteen-year-old Aiden’sFour-H calf so it lookedlikeithadthemange.Someofthemischiefshe
andhersistersperpetratedwas merely a nuisance.Like putting an ad in thepaperforacattleauctionattheFlynnranch,theLucky7, beginning at 6:00 A.M.on a Saturday morning,offeringtheirprizebullforsale,whennosuchauctionexisted.Eve had helped Taylor
and Victoria punch a tinyhole in the gas tank of
Brian’struck,sothatwhenheandDevonheadedofftohunt deer in themountains, where therewas no cell phonereception, they’dendedupmakingalong,bitterlycoldwalkbacktocivilization.The Flynns had
retaliated by placing slicesof bologna in a vulgardesign on the hood ofTaylor and Victoria’s
cherry-red Jeep Laredo.The next morning, whenher sisters pulled the delimeat off the hood, thepreservatives in thebologna caused the toplayer of paint to come offaswell,leavingthedistinctimprintofmalegenitalia.Itwouldn’thavebeenso
bad if the pranks hadremained physicallyharmless. They hadn’t.
WhenEvewasa freshmaninhighschool,thecinchofher saddle had been cutbefore a barrel race at alocal rodeo, and she’dbroken her arm when thesaddle broke free. Evecould remember howenraged Leah was in themoments before theambulance carted heraway.TheFlynnboyswerecompeting at the same
rodeo in calf roping. Theyshould have known tocheck their cinches, butEve supposed they hadn’texpected Leah to retaliateso quickly. When Aidenropedacalfhiscinchbroke—alongwithhisleg.The mischief escalated
intoattacksinvolvingotherpeople. Taylor’s andVictoria’spromdateswerekidnapped by a couple of
boys wearing hoods, whotied themtoa treeso theynever showed up. Thetwinsweredevastated.Thefallout afterwardwas evenworse.Thekidnappedboysmadeitclearthatitwasn’tworththetroubletodateaGrayhawk when it meantputting up with all thehorseshit being shoveledbythosecrazyFlynnboys.Since Eve had lived in
the same small town herwhole life, the “harmless”high school prankinvolving her name hadbeen a continuing sourceof irritation. Most of thekids who’d gone to highschool with her still livedin Jackson, and there wasalways some jerk whocouldn’t resist proddingher, hoping to get underherskin.
Likenow.Eve wasn’t looking to
hookupormakewaves.AllshewantedtodowassitattheMillionDollar CowboyBar on the square inJackson, along with thetourists who’d come toenjoythe lastof theblack-diamondskiseasonontheGrand Tetons, review thedigital photographs she’dtaken that day of the herd
of wild mustangs she’drescued, and enjoy hermartini.“Is that an apple
martini, Eve?” a mancalledfrombehindher.Eve turned to findBuck
Madison, the formerJackson Broncsquarterback, grinning likean idiot at oneof thepooltables in the center of thebar. Two of his former
teammates stood shoulderto shoulder with him,giggling like teenage girls.All three were obviouslydrunk. She purposefullyturned her attention backto the digital shot of theonlycolt inherherd.Withany luck, Buck would giveupandshutup.Eve smiled as she
studied the image ofMidnight frolicking with
hismother,hisblackmaneand tail flying, his backarched,andallfourhoovesofftheground.“You look good enough
to tempt a man to sin,Eve.”Buck’svoicewas loud in
a bar that had suddenlybecomequiet.Eveshutoffher camera and laid it onthebaras shedismountedthe Western saddle on a
stand—complete withstirrups—that served as abar stool. She glanced atBuckinthemirroroverthebar as she gathered herNorth Face fleece fromwhere it hung off thesaddle horn. She wasn’tgoing to get into a war ofwordswithadrunk.Itwasalose-loseproposition.Shehad one arm through herfleece when Buck stripped
itbackoff,danglingitfromhisforefinger.“Uh, uh, uh,” he said,
waggingthefingerholdingthe fleece. “I’m not donelookingyet.”She turned to confront
Buck, her chin upthrust,her blue eyes shootingdaggers of disdain. “I’mdonebeingogled.Givememycoat.”
She held out her handandwaited.She felt a wave of
resentment toward theFlynns, who’d started thatwhole Garden of Edenbusiness in the first place.She couldn’t help the factthatshe’ddevelopedalushfemale figure in highschool.Attwenty-six,she’dmadepeacewithherbody.There was no easy way to
conceal her curves, so shedidn’t try. But she didnothing to emphasizethem,either.She was dressed in a
plaid western shirt thatwas belted into a pair ofworn western jeans. Shehad on scuffed cowboyboots, but instead of aStetson,sheusuallyworeafaded navy-blue-and-orange Denver Broncos
ball cap.She’d left the capinherpickup,butherchin-length, straw-blond hairwastuckedbehindherearstokeepitoutofherway.“Mycoat?”shesaid.As she reached for it,
Buckpulled it away. “Howaboutakissfirst?”Eve had opened her
mouth to retort when abrusque male voice said,
“Givetheladyhercoat.”Evehadn’theardanyone
coming up behind her,which surprised her. Shephotographedwildanimalsintheirnaturalhabitatandprided herself on herawareness of hersurroundings. In thewilderness, missing theslightestsoundcouldresultinbeingbittenbya rattleror attacked by a bear or
mountainlion.Sheglancedover her shoulder and feltherheartskipabeatwhensherecognizedherunlikelysavior.ConnorFlynn.Connorwasthird in line
of the Flynn brothers, buthe’dbeenat the topof theteenagetroublemakinglist.He was thirty now but, ifanything, his reputationwasworse.He’ddonethree
toursasaDeltasergeantinAfghanistan before leavingthe military with severalmedals to prove hisheroisminbattle.He’d paid a high price
forhis longabsences fromhome serving his country.Ayearagohiswife,Molly,who’d been Eve’s bestfriend, had died in a caraccidentwhileConnorwasoverseas.Afterthefuneral,
he’d agreed to let Molly’sparents take his kids intotheirhomewhileheservedtheninemonthsleftonhisfinaltourofduty.Now they were
threateningtokeepthem.Connorhadendedupin
a court battle to get histwo-year-oldsonandfour-year-olddaughterback.Sofar he hadn’t been able towrench them away from
his late wife’s parents.They’d argued to a judgethat Connor was a battle-weary soldier, a victim ofpost-traumatic stress, andtherefore a threat to hischildren. According to allthepsychologicaltestshe’dbeen forced to endure toprove themwrong, hewasfine. But seeing him now,Evewondered for the veryfirsttimeifMolly’sparents
mightnotbecompletelyoffthemark.Connor looked
dangerous, his sapphire-blue eyes hooded, hischeeks and chin coveredwithat leastatwo-day-oldbeard, and a hank of hisrough-cut, crowwing-blackhair resting onhis scarredforehead. His lips hadthinned to an ominousline.
If she’d been Buck, shewould have handed overthecoatinaheartbeat.ButBuckwasn’tknown forhissmarts.“Butt out!” Buck said.
“This is between me andEve.”Without warning,
Connor’s hand shot outandgrippedBuck’s throat.Buck dropped the coat toprotect his neck, but
Connor didn’t let go. Hisinexorable grasp wasslowlychokingthebigmanto death. Even using bothhands, Buck couldn’t getfree.Eve looked around the
bar, expecting someone,anyone, to intervene. Noonedid.Shewouldn’thaveinterferedexceptsheknewthat Connor might beturning the lock and
throwing away the keywhere custody of his kidswas concerned. She didn’tstep in for Connor’s sake.Ordinarily she wouldn’thave thrown a glass ofwater to douse aFlynnonfire. But she cared verymuch about the futurewell-being of her deadfriend’s children, whoneeded their father aliveandwellandoutofjail.
Despite Connor’s longabsences, Molly had beenconvinced that he wouldtake good care of theirchildren if anything everhappenedtoher.Eveowedit to her best friend tomake sure Connor didn’truin his chance ofbecoming the wonderfulfather Molly had alwaysbelievedhecouldbe.As carefully as if she
were approaching a feralwolf, Eve laid herfingertipsonConnor’sbareforearm,theonethatledtothe hand grasping Buck’sthroat. She turned so shewas looking into hisnarrowed eyes. “Connor,”she said in a quiet voice.“Thiswon’thelp.Letgo.”She watched his upper
lip curl as though he wassnarling while his gaze
remained focused on thehelplessmaninhisgrasp.“Think of the kids!” she
said more urgently. “Fortheirsake,letgo.Please.”Heturnedto lookather
when she said “kids” andthen seemed to hear therest of her sentence. Helooked at his hand andseemed surprised todiscover that he was stillchoking Buck. Suddenly,
he let go and took a stepback.Buck gasped a breath of
air, and with the nextbreath croaked, “Molly’sparents are right. Youshould be in a cage!”NowthatBuckwasfree,histwofootball buddies, eachbrandishing a pool cue,moveduptoflankhim.Connor stood as though
in a daze, rubbing his
forehead where the scarfromawarwound loomedwhite against his tannedskin. Eve realized that ifConnor didn’t leave in ahurry, there was likely tobe a free-for-all. Shegrabbed her fleece fromthe floor and her camerafrom the bar, grippedConnor’shand, andpulledhimoutthedoorafterher.She headed away from
the bar in case the threedrunks decided to followthem outside into thefrosty March evening. Shehadn’t realized where shewas going until shereached her Dodge Rampickup, which was parkedunder the colorful neoncowboyonabuckingbroncthat lit up the bar. She letgo of Connor’s hand inorder to hang her camera
by its strap around herneck, then pulled on herfleece.Sheshookherheadin disgust at his behaviorin the bar as he frownedbackather.“What were you
thinking?” she said. “Wereyou trying to get arrested?Don’t you want to be afather to Brooke andSawyer?”“Iwas thinking that son
ofabitchwasbeingapainin the ass, all because ofsomethingIstartedinhighschool.”Eve stared at him in
shock. Connor wasresponsible for all thosecruel taunts about hername?He shoved a hand
through his hair, but ahankofitfellbackontohisforehead. “Thanks for
gettingmeoutofthere.”“I wish I hadn’t
bothered,nowthat Iknowyou started that ‘Eve’business.Doyouhaveanyidea how muchaggravationyoucausedmeinhighschool?”Heshotheramutinous,
unapologetic look. “Nomore than you caused meby telling Molly I’d takeher to that SadieHawkins
dance her freshman year.Nothankstoyouitturnedoutallright.”Evefeltastabofshame.
MollyhadbeencrazyaboutConnor Flynn in highschool.SohadEve.Butshemightaswellhaveaspiredto date the man in themoon. Not just becauseConnor was a senior andshe was a freshman, butbecause Connor was a
Flynn. A broken arm. Abroken leg. Ruineddreams.Toomanyyearsofhurt and harm stoodbetweenthem.Molly had desperately
wanted to ask Connor tothe Sadie Hawkins dance,but she’d been too shy todo it. Eve had told herfriend that she would askforherbut thenchickenedout. Besides, she didn’t
wantherbestfrienddatingtheboyshehadacrushonherself.She’dliedandtoldMolly that she’d askedConnor and he’d said yes,figuringthatConnorwouldblow Molly off when shecame running up to him,excited that he’d acceptedher invitation, and Mollywould be humiliated andneverspeaktohimagain.Admittedly, it was not
herfinestmoment.Instead,Connorhadmet
Eve’s gaze as she stood byher locker across the hallwhile Molly smiled up athim, delighted that he’daccepted her invitation tothe dance. His eyes hadnarrowedatEve,asthoughhe knew she was the oneresponsibleforthisfurtherbit of Grayhawk-Flynnmonkey business. Then
he’d smileddownatMollyasthoughhewasgladtobegoing to the dance withEve’sbestfriend.To Eve’s dismay, Molly
and Connor were goingsteadyby the timeConnorgraduatedattheendoftheyear.He’dtoldMollynottowait for him when heenlisted in the military,andEvehad felt a flare ofhopethattheymightbreak
up. But Molly called ortextedoremailedorwroteConnoreverydaywhilehewas away learning all theskills he’d need to fight awar.WhenConnorwashome
on leave, he and Mollypickedupwherethey’dleftoff. He took classes inwarfare for two years, andnotoncewasthereabreakin Molly’s devotion, or in
Connor’s, for that matter.With a sinking heart, Evehad realized that onceMollygraduatedfromhighschool, theywereprobablygoingtogetmarried.Evehadnoonetoblame
but herself. She shouldhave spoken up. Sheshould have saidsomething to Molly aboutherfeelingsforConnor,nomatter how unrealistic
they were. After thatfreshman Sadie Hawkinsdance,itwastoolate.Evestaredatthemanfor
whomshe’dfeltahopelesslovemostofheradultlife.Both Connor’s jaw and
his fistswereclenched.Hewas trouble looking for aplace to happen. Butdespite all the damage heand his family had causedher and her family in the
past, she couldn’t leavehim here. She didn’t wanther efforts in the barundone. She made a face.“Get in. I’ll drive you toyourtruck.Whereisit?”“IleftitattheSnowKing
Resort. Aiden droppedmeoff in town before heheadedbacktotheranch.Iplannedtospendthenightwith—”He cut himself off, and
Eve realized he’d plannedtopickupsomegirlinoneof themany JacksonHolebars and spend the nightwith her. He was good-looking enough and richenough to attract locals,but it wasmore likely oneof the ski bunnies wouldhave carted him back toherhotelroom.“Ihavetobeintownfor
court early tomorrow
morning,” he explained,“so I figured there was nosense making the driveback out to the Lucky 7tonight.”Eve gave him a once-
overfromheadtofoot.Hestood more than six feettall and looked rock solid,hisbroadshouldersbracedlike a soldier ready forbattle. Unfortunately, hisimpressive fighting skills
were hardly likely toimpress a judge decidinghis children’s fate. Heneeded to look like goodfather material. “Is thatwhat you’re planning towear?”He glanced down at the
white oxford-cloth shirt,sleevesrolleduptoexposesinewy forearms,comfortablable jeans,western belt, and cowboy
boots he had on. “What’swrong with what I’mwearing?”“It’s not a suit, for
starters.”“My navy sport coat is
on thebackofmychairatone of the bar tables.There’s a regimental tie inthepocket.”Evestaredatthedoorto
thebar,wonderingifthere
would be a scene if theyreturnedforhissportcoat.Ofcoursetherewouldbeascene. He was a Flynn,wasn’the?Shesighed.“I’lltake you home, and youcangetanotherone.”“Don’t bother. I’ll call
oneofmybrotherstocomegetme.”“And wait in a bar, I
suppose,” she said, pullingher fleece more tightly
aroundhertowardoff thechill. Getting into moretrouble. “Let me take youhome. You don’t want thepolice finding you on thestreetinthiscondition.”“This condition?
Meaningwhat?”“You’re drunk. And if
Buck makes an issue ofwhat just happened,disorderly.Youdon’twanttogiveMolly’sparentsany
more ammunition thanthey alreadyhave to shootyoudown.”“Perfect metaphor,” he
retorted. “Because that’sexactly what it feels likethey’re doing. Killing mewith supposed kindness. IgavethemmykidsbecauseIthoughtthey’dbethebestcaretakers while I wasgone. Now I have to fightto get my own kids back!
AndI’mnotdrunk.”Sheshothimaskeptical
look.“It was lime and Coke.
Norum.”“Thenwhywouldyoudo
something so stupid as toassaultBuck?”He palmed his eyes and
made a guttural sound offrustration. “It’s thiscustody hearing. I want it
over.Iwantmykidsback.”Eveheardtheanguishin
hisvoiceandfeltherheartwrench.Butitwasthekidsshe felt bad for, not theirfather. While he’d grievedthelossofhiswife,Connorhad shut himself off fromBrooke and Sawyer.Whenhe’d returned fromoverseas after an absenceof nine months—aneternity to children only
three and one when he’dleft—Brooke and Sawyerhadbarelyrecognizedhim.Eve knew how hard it
was for vets to reinsertthemselves into theirformer lives.Overthepastcouple of months sincehe’d returned home,Connor had more thanonce exhibitedquestionablebehavior, likethe attack tonight, which
might have ended badly ifshehadn’tbeen there.Shecould understand whyMolly’s parents wereconcerned.But she could also see
Connor’s side of the issue.Hehadn’tbeenabletotakehiskidswithhimwhilehewas serving his country.Now that he was home,and had proved to thedoctors that he was of
sound mind and body, hehad the right to raise hischildren.During the months-long
custodybattle,Connorhadonly been allowedsupervised time with hiskids, who weren’t quitesurewherehefitintotheirlives. Their grandparentswere the only stable thingintheirworldrightnow.Exceptforme.
Eve had spent a lot oftime with Molly and thekids while Connor wasdeployed.Beingessentiallyasingleparentof twokidshad been a crushingresponsibility for herfriend, and Eve had morethan once taken Brookeand Sawyer for a walk intheforestoronapicnictogive Molly a break. AfterMolly’s death, she’d done
thesameforthechildren’sgrandparents. Sheunderstood why Mr. andMrs. Robertson were soworried about Connorwantingtoraisetwoyoungchildren, who were justgettingtoknowhimagain,allbyhimself.It might have been
different if there was awoman in the Flynnhousehold, where Connor
hadbeenstayingsincehe’dreturned to Jackson Hole.But it was all men, fromAngus on down. After thestand Molly’s parents hadtaken, if Connor got hiskids back, he was unlikelyto ask the Robertsons forhelp.Molly would have hated
the tug-of-war over herchildren, but she’d left nowillstatingherwishes,and
her parents had argued tothejudgethatnotonlywasConnor an unfit parent,butthattheirdaughterhadwanted them to care forher children if anythingever happened to her. Eveknewbetter.Which was why, despite
the hard feelings betweentheir two families, Eveplanned to testify onConnor’s behalf in court
tomorrow. When hersisters had demanded toknowwhyshewashelpinga Flynn after all the nastythings they’d done, she’dmade itplain that shewasonly speaking in court toensure that her bestfriend’s final wishes werecarriedout.Eve sympathized with
Connor’ssufferingovertheloss of both his wife and
his children, but hisconduct tonight had beenworrisome. Was shemaking a mistake helpinghim to get custody ofBrookeandSawyer,evenifit was what Molly hadwanted?Sheknewhemustbe terrified that the courtwould take his childrenaway tomorrow. Surelythat explained, even if itdidn’t excuse, his
overwroughtbehavior.“I’dappreciatea rideup
the hill to the Snow KingResort,” Connor said. “I’mstayinginthesuitemydadkeeps available for out-of-townbusinessassociates.”“Sure,” she said. “Let’s
go.”Thecabofthetruckwas
frigid, and Eve let theengine heat up before she
put the vehicle in gear.Their breaths fogged thecabin, and Connorshiveredwiththecold.“Theheater shouldhave
youwarminaminute,”shesaid.He rubbed his hands
together. “Feels likeAfghanistaninhere.”“I thought itwasmostly
desertthere.”
“Deserts are plenty coldat night, but I spent mostof my time in themountains.”“Did they remindyouof
home?”“Nothing compares to
the beauty of the Tetons.Besides, I wasn’t there toadmire them. They werefilled with places forhostiles to hide, whichmade them an unfriendly
placetobe.”It was the first
conversation ofmore thanafewwordsshe’dhadwithConnor Flynn since he’d“accidentally” run into heron the fairgrounds at OldWestDaysattheendofherjunior year of high school,knocking her ice creamcone out of her hand. Thenews had been all overtownthathehadordersto
go toAfghanistan.Hewasstilldatingherbest friend,who didn’t happen to bewithhim.Eve had figured the
jarring collision was onemore example of Flynnharassment, until Connorapologizedand insistedonbuying her another cone.Hemethersuspiciousgazewith laughter in his eyesand said, “Molly would
never forgive me if Ididn’t.”She felt warm
everywhere his eyestouchedher. She trembledwhen he slid an armaround her waist to moveher out of the way of abunch of rowdy cowboys.Andashiverrandownherspine when he gentlythumbedabitoficecreamfromthesideofhermouth
after she’d taken a bite ofhernewstrawberrycone.His infectious grin. His
surprising kindness. Hisincredible blue eyes. Hismuscular shoulders andlean hips. The knowledgethat he was forbidden toherbecausehewasaFlynn—and her best friend’sboyfriend. All of thosethings had conspired tomake her fall even more
deeplyandcompletelyandirrevocably in love withhim.Eve believed she’d seen
something in Connor’seyes—an equal yearningforwhatmighthavebeen?—but realized that wasprobably a combination ofher imagination andwishful thinking. Still, shecame away from theencounter feeling that
something irreplaceablehadbeenlost.Eve’sonlysolacewasthe
knowledge that anyrelationship between themwouldhavecausedterribletrouble at home. Herfather would have howledlike twenty tomcats if hediscovered she’d fallen inlove with one of thosedamn-foolFlynnboys,andher sisters would have
joinedthechorus.Connorhadgonetowar,
andthatwasthelastsheorMolly had seen of him foranotheryear.The day he arrived in
Jackson for Molly’sgraduation Eve hadrealized that if she wasever going to saysomething about herfeelings, it was now ornever. In the end, she’d
opted for never. It wasimpossible to ignore theglowonMolly’sfaceasshelooked into Connor’s eyeswhen they met after theirlong separation. Or thetender look in Connor’seyes as he gazed back atherbestfriend.There was simply no
possible future in whichEve could be happy at herbest friend’s expense. She
bitterly regretted thechoice she’dmade in highschool tokeepher feelingssecret from Connor—andMolly—and she’d neverstopped wishing thingswere different.Unfortunately, anddespitethe fact that Connor hadmarried her best friend,Evehadneverfallenoutoflove with him. Not thatanyone knew her deep,
dark secret. As far as herbestfriendorhersistersoranyone else wasconcerned, she had thesame aversion to thosewildFlynnboysastherestofherfamily.Nooneknewthatshe’dcovetedherbestfriend’shusband.Even now she found
Connor attractive. Herheart leapt when sheimagined him holding her
and kissing her. But therewas noway shewas goingto act on those feelings.She’d seen the tears onConnor’s cheeks atMolly’sgrave. She’d heard hismuffled sobs. She knewhow much he’d loved herfriend.Hewasnevergoingtoloveanotherwomanlikethat. And she wouldn’tsettleforless.Eve felt guilty and sad
sittingnext toConnorandwishing for what mighthave been. She was aterriblepersonforwantinghis love during the yearshe’d been married to herbest friend. She was aterriblepersonforwantinghimnow, knowing that hewasgrievingthelossofhiswife, knowing that hecould never love her theway he’d loved her best
friend.EvesawthatConnorwas
still blowing on his handsto warm them. “Do youwant to go back and getyourjacket?”“I’ll have the bartender
put it in a cab anddrop itat the hotel. You’rewelcome to join me for adrinkwhileIwait.”Eve knew she should
turn down the invitation.HavinganythingtodowithConnor Flynn was boundto turn out badly. Sheopened her mouth to say,“I have to head home.”Whatcameoutwas,“Sure.Whynot?”There were a thousand
good reasonswhynot, butsherefusedtolistentoanyof them. What was theharm? She would share a
drink and perhaps somememoriesofMolly.They’ddiscuss Connor’s chancesof getting his kids backfrom their grandparents.She’d do her best to cheerhim up—and calm himdown—and then she’d gohome to Kingdom Come.Alone.“I didn’t think you’d say
yes,” he said, eyeing heraskance.
“Whynot?”“Because you’re a
Grayhawk. And I’m aFlynn.”“You’re Brooke and
Sawyer’s father, and I’mtheir godmother. And webothlovedMolly.”He saidnothing the rest
ofthewaytothehotel.Shespent the short drivereminding herself of the
calamity that had resultedwhentheveryfirstEvehadgiven in to temptation.Remindingherselfthatsheshould keep her distance.Remindingherselfthatshewas going to get burned ifshegottooclosetothefire.Noneof itdidanygood.
When they reached thehotelandheinvitedheruptohisroom,shewent.
Chapter2
EVE COULDN’T HELPwondering why Connor
hadinvitedhertohissuiteinstead of waiting for hiscoatdownstairs inthebar.Was it really the noisefrom the live band thathe’d wanted to avoid? Ordid he have some otherreason for getting the twoofthemalone?Eve eyed Connor
sideways,wondering ifshewastheonlyonewho’dfeltthe electricity arcing
between them in theelevator. The possibility ofbeing kissed by a manshe’d loved since she wasfourteen had her wholebody tingling inexpectation. Thatexcitement was matchedwith equal feelings ofdread over betraying herbestfriend.Molly’s dead. She’s
never coming back. You
can’thurtheranymorebylovingConnor.Itwasno longerasinto
love Connor, but thatdidn’t keep Eve fromfeeling guilty for all theyears she’d coveted herbestfriend’shusband.Thatdidn’t keep her fromfeeling that she didn’tdeserve a future withConnor because it hadcomeatthecostofMolly’s
life.“Maybe this isn’t such a
good idea,” she said whenshe felt Connor’s hand ather back, ushering her offthe elevator and into thesuite.“It’sjustadrink,Eve.I’d
liketotalktoyouaboutthekids,ifthat’sallright.”“Oh.” So he didn’t have
designs on her body. That
wasallwishfulthinkingonherpart.“Ofcourse.”“I’lltakeyourfleece.”Sheslippeditoffandfelt
exposed, which was silly,because Connor didn’tseem aware of her as afemaleofthespecies.He tossed her coat over
the back of the studdedbrown leather couch andsaid, “Make yourself
comfortable,” then flippedthe switch to turn on thegas fireplace ashe crossedto a bar set up near thekitchen. “What can I getyoutodrink?”“Howabouthottea?”He raised a surprised
brow. “All right. I’m surethere’s tea heresomewhere.”“You don’t have to wait
onme.”She joinedhim inthe kitchen. “Let me helpyoulook.”Together, they
rummaged throughcupboards until she foundsome Stash lemon-and-ginger tea. A hot waterdispenser at the sinkprovided boiling water atthetipofafinger.Withinaveryfewminutestheyweresettledonoppositeendsof
the couch holding potterymugs of aromatic tea, thefireflickeringbeforethem.“Are you still going to
testify on my behalftomorrow after whathappened tonight?” heasked.“Whywouldn’tI?”Hemadeaface.“Despite
mygoodintentionsIendedupchokingthatidiot.”
Her lips tilted in a wrysmile.“Buckcandothattoyou. I’ve often wished Icould throttle him to shuthimup.”“Washeright?”Eve didn’t have to ask
about what. “No. I don’tbelieve you belong in acage. I think you’re amanwho’s been pushed to hislimit. I’m sure that onceyou have your kids back
andyousettledownto lifetogether as a family you’llbefine.”His eyes looked stark.
“Am I going to get themback?”“Youwillifmytestimony
means anything. Mollynever intended for herparents to raise Brookeand Sawyer. She wasalways worried thatsomething would happen
to you, and that the kidswould never get to knowwhatawonderfulhusbandandfatheryouwere.”“Some husband. Some
father. Iwas gonemost ofour marriage. My kidsbarelyknowme!”Itwashardtoarguewith
the facts, but she gaveConnor whatencouragement she could.“Yourkidshavetherestof
their lives to get to knowyou.”“PresumingIgetcustody
tomorrow.”Shetookasipofhertea.
There was no senseguessing what wouldhappen,becausetherewasno way to know how thejudgewouldrule.She was expecting
anotherquestionaboutthe
kids when Connor said, “Ihearyourlong-lostbrotherisbackintown.Where’shebeenallthistime?”Eve’s face immediately
felt flushed with heat.Every time she thought ofMatt’s arrival at KingdomComethreeweeksago,andthe ultimatum her fatherhad given her and hersisters the day before heshowed up, she got angry
all over again. “He wasliving in Australia.” Shedidn’t trust herself to saymore.“How long is he
staying?”“Who knows?” But if he
stayed for three hundredand sixty-five days everybit of Kingdom Come washis,andsheandhersisterswereout.
“Doesn’t sound likeyou’rehappyhe’shome.”“I’m not.” She still
couldn’t believe her fatherhadgiven theprodigal soneverything, instead ofrewarding the dutifuldaughters who’d stayedhome and helped run theranch all the years Matthadbeengone.“What’s your brother
everdonetoyou?”Connor
asked.“For one thing, he’s
madeitclearthathewantsme and my sisters gonefromKingdomCome.”Connor sat forward and
set his mug on the glass-topped,antler-basedcoffeetable in front of them.“What?”“You heard me. We’re
being thrownout,bagand
baggage.”“That’scrazy!”“In order to getMatt to
come home, my fathermade this stupidagreementwithhimthatifhe stays for a year, theranch is his. I don’t careabout living at the BigHouse. I can findsomewhere else to hangmy hat. But if I’m forcedofftheranchIwon’thavea
place to run the wildmustangs I’ve rescued.There’s no place in TetonCounty—ninety-sevenpercent of which, as youverywell know, is devotedto national parks—where Icanaffordtokeepthem.”“SurelyMattwill—”She laughed bitterly.
“Mattwon’t.”Eve’s chest physically
ached every time shethought about her father’sbetrayal. She felt anew allthepainofbeingcastoffbythe father she’d loved andobeyed her whole life, forthesakeofasonwho’drunoff and stayed gone fortwentyyears.“Any chanceMatt won’t
hang in for the wholeyear?”Connorasked.“He brought his twenty-
year-old daughter and six-year-oldsonwithhimfromAustralia. That soundsprettypermanenttome.”“It’shardtobelieveKing
would screw you over likethat.”“Not if you know my
father,”shesaid,unabletokeep the resentment fromher voice. “He isn’t muchofafamilyman.Turnsoutthat kowtowing to him all
my lifedidn’tdomea lickof good. ComeMarch 1 ofnext year, my mustangsand I will be out in thecold.”“Are things really that
badforyoufinancially?”“Mydad’srich.I’mnot.”“I’ve seen your
photographs of wildmustangs in every galleryintown.They’reamazing.I
figuredyoumustberakinginthedough.”“Imakealivingfrommy
work, but I’m still notnationally recognized, soit’s not as much as youmightthink.AndIrecentlyspent every spare penny Ihad to rescue a bunch ofwild mustangs from theslaughterhouse.”“The slaughterhouse?
Whoeatshorsemeat?”
“You’dbesurprised.”“How does that end up
happening?”“When the Bureau of
Land Management thinksthe mustang populationhas gotten too big in anarea, they round them up,takethemofftheland,andput them in pens, wherethey’re fed and watered.They get three chances toget adopted. If they aren’t
claimed by someone whowants a saddlehorse, theyusually end up gettingboughtby‘killbuyers’whotake them across theborder to Canada orMexico to be slaughtered.Those beautiful, wildcreatures end up as dogfood—orasadelicacyonaEuropeandinnerplate.”“And your herd was on
its way to slaughter?”
Connorasked.Eve nodded. “Which is
why I’m somad at Daddyfor thisdealhemadewithMatt. I have no idea whatI’m going to do withtwenty-two wild horseswhenIhavetomove.”“Any chance you can
changeKing’smind?”“My dad’s every bit as
stubborn as yours.
Otherwise,thetwoofthemwouldn’t still be feudingover something thathappened a lifetime ago.Apparently, Daddy had tobribe Matt with the ranchtogethimtocomehere.”“Prettybigbribe.”“I’ll say. And a pretty
nasty joke on me and mysisters.”Evesighed.“Sorrytolayallthisonyou.Imisshaving Molly around to
share my troubles with.She was a good soundingboard,smartandsensible.”“Shewasgoodatalotof
things.” Connor loweredhisheadandrubbedatthenewly healed scar on hisforehead.“Areyouallright?”“My head aches. It’ll go
away.Italwaysdoes.”Shesetdownherteaand
scootedacrossthecouchtohis side. “Maybe I canhelp.”Evekepthereyesonthe
two-inch scar that slantedupward from his righteyebrow as she set herthumbs on his temples.Sheheldherbreathasherfingers slid into his hair,which was surprisinglysoft. She didn’t knowwhere she’d gotten the
courage to reach out andtouch. But since theopportunitywasn’tlikelytocome again anytime soon,she took full advantage ofit, softly massaging herway across Connor’sforehead until her thumbsmet at the jagged scar,thenworkingherwaybacktohistemples.When she finally
dropped her gaze to his,
she discovered Connor’seyeswereclosed.Whenheopened them,shedroppedher hands self-consciouslyto her lap. Could he tellfromthemeretouchofherhands how much shewantedtobeheldbyhim?Tobe lovedbyhim?Theirfaces were only inchesapart,andshesawhiseyesfocusonhermouth,whichwasopentodrawbreathto
lungs that suddenlyseemedstrippedofair.“Eve.”Her name had never
sounded so sensual. Sheshivered as a frisson ofawarenessskitteredupherspine.His hands were warm
andgentle,not at allwhatshe’d expected a warrior’stouch to be, as he
unknotted her hands andtooktheminhisown.“Eve.Lookatme.”With a giant effort of
will,sheraisedhergazetomeet his. Connor’s heavy-lidded blue eyes werefocused intently on herface. His nostrils wereflared for the scent of her,as though he were apredatorseekingprey.Shefelt his hands tighten on
hers as though to preventherescape.“I’ve always liked you,
Eve.Mollylovedyoulikeasister. She—” He cuthimselfoffandloweredhisgazetotheirjoinedhands.“Connor, I’m so sorry
she’s gone. I wish morethan anything that Mollycouldbetheoneherewithyoutonight.”
She tugged on herhands,andhelethergo.Eve wasn’t sure why
she’d wanted her handsfree until she reached upand cupped his stubbledcheekwithoneof them. Itwas a gesture of comfort,but her pulse leapt whenhe leaned into her hand,thenangledhisfacetokissher wrist. Her other handbrushed the errant lock of
hair off his forehead, soshecouldkissthescarthatproved how close she’dcometolosinghimforever.She felt Connor’s hands
atherwaist,liftingherintohis lap, and slid her armsaroundhisshoulders.Theysat quietly together,offering solace to oneanother for the loss of hiswifeandherbestfriend.She imagined he was
missing Molly. She wasregretting past choices,wishing things could havebeen different. Wishingthattheywereacoupleandhadtheirwholelivesaheadofthem.Sheshiveredatthetouch
of Connor’s lips beneathher ear. His warm breathmade her quiver inanticipation. She felt hisfingertips on her chin,
angling her head towardhim.Eve felt her heart
skittering as their lipstouched. She felt Connor’stongue tease the seam ofher lips and after a briefhesitation she opened tohim. Shemade a soundofsatisfaction as his tongueintruded and she tastedhim. Shebroke the kiss tolook into his eyes, seeking
confirmationofthewondershe felt at this firstmoment of comingtogether. What she sawcaused a furrow betweenherbrows.Notdesire.Despair.Eveshovedherselfoutof
Connor’s embrace andstumbled to her feet. Asecond laterhewasonhisfeet as well, his handsbunchedintofists,hiseyes
glittering in the light fromthefire.“I have the feeling that
you’re not ready for this,”she said tentatively. “Thatyou’restillgrieving.”Eve wanted him to tell
heritwasfine,thathewasready tomoveon.He saidnothing, juststaredather,lookingsad.“Whydidyoustartthis,”
she demanded, “if you’restill—” She cut herself off,unwilling to bring Molly’sname into theconversation.“I’msorry.”It didn’t help to have
him confirm the fact thathe was still in love withMolly. Of course he was.Thatwasthewayitshouldbe. She was the one whowanted more than he was
readytogive.She grabbed her fleece,
but he caught her by theshouldersbeforeshecouldtaketwosteps.“Don’tleave.Idon’thave
many friends, Eve. I can’taffordtoloseone.”A friend?Was that how
he saw her? Eve feltmortified.Sheshouldhavekept her distance. She
should have kept herfeelings hidden. Sheshouldn’t have let him seeevenalittleofwhatshefeltfor him. That must havebeen what he’d respondedto. That must have beenwhyhe’dkissedher.“I don’t want things to
become awkward betweenus,” he said. “You’re mychildren’s godmother. Ipromise nothing like that
willhappenagain.”Eve felt like wailing. It
would be torture spendingtimewithConnorknowingthat she felt something forhim when he felt nothingforher.He dropped his hands
from her shoulders, andshe was free. The choicewas hers. She could go orstay. She looked intoConnor’s eyes and
responded to the sorrowshe found there.SheowedittoMollytowatchoutforhim.And to herself to keep
herdistance.“All right.” She crossed
back, dropping her fleeceonthebackofthecouchasshesettledontotheleathercushions, tucking one legbeneathher.“Let’stalk.”
He shoved both handsthroughhishair, leaving itawry, huffed out a breath,and settled on the otherend of the couch. He shother a chagrined smile. “Ihave no idea where to gofromhere.”Eve forced herself to
returnhissmileinaneffortto get things back on aneven keel. “How aboutsharing your plans for
when you get Brooke andSawyerback?”“I’veboughtaranch.I’m
planning to take themthereandworkonbeingabetterfather.”“You’re moving away?”
Eve wondered if her facelooked as stricken as hervoice sounded to her. “Ithought you’d be stayingwith your father andbrothers, so they’d be
aroundtohelp.”“I take it you think I’m
going to need help. I’vemanaged a Delta team. Ithink I can manage twolittlekids.”“Soldiers don’t cry
because they’re scared ofthedark,”shesaidquietly.“Youmightbesurprised.
The dark can be a veryscaryplace.”
“Are you telling me youwere scared of the dark inAfghanistan?”“Lotsoftimes.”“But you’ve got a bunch
ofmedals!”“Medalsdon’tmeanyou
weren’t scared. They justmeanyoudidn’trunaway,that you stayed around tofight.”“Oh.” Looking at
Connor, it was hard toimagine him sittingfrightened in the darkwaiting to do battle. “Doyou ever havenightmares?”“Sometimes. Not as bad
as some guys, though. Ifeel bad for the ones whocan’tleaveitallbehind.”“Andyouhave?”He shrugged. “Mostly.
That’s why I bought myranch,sovetscancomeforR&R—that’s rest andrecuperation—if they findtheyneedabreak.”“When did you buy this
place? Why didn’t I hearaboutit?”Eveasked.“The deal didn’t go
through until after Mollydied.”That explained why she
hadn’t heard more abouthis plans from her friend.But pretty mucheverything the Flynns didgot discussed over theGrayhawk supper table, sowhy hadn’t she heardaboutConnor’spurchaseofa large tract of land inTeton County? Heanswered her questionbeforesheasked.“I made the purchase
through a corporation Icreated. I didn’t wanteither of our fathersinterfering,”hesaidwithawry smile. “So the Flynnname isn’t anywhere onthedocuments.”“Oh.” That explained a
lot. “Howbig is this ranchofyours?”“A thousand acres,
which includes the mainhousewhere I plan to live
with the kids, a lodge fordining and recreation, abunkhouse, and severalcabins.Itusedtobeaduderanch,soit’salreadysetupfor a lot of people to livethere comfortably. I’mcallingitSafeHaven.”“Where is this place,
exactly?”“Alittleeastofmydad’s
ranch. My land actuallyborders the Lucky 7 in a
coupleofplaces.”“I wonder what Molly
would have thought aboutwhat you’re doing,” Evemurmured.“Frankly, she wasn’t in
favor of the idea. But itdoesn’t really matter now,doesit?”EvewonderedwhyMolly
hadn’t discussed this planofConnor’swithher.More
likely she’d kept it toherself because she’dknown Eve would be onConnor’s side. Molly hadtalked endlessly aboutmovingawayfromJacksonHole—a tiny town thatswelled up like abloodthirsty tick withtourists on theirway to orfromYellowstoneNationalPark in the summer—tosome metropolitan area
like Denver, once Connorleftthearmy.Eve thought the ranch
was a fantastic idea. Butshe could see where itwouldn’t have appealed toMolly, who was sick andtired of Jackson Hole,where the peace and quietwas often far too peacefulandquiet.Mollydidn’tski,so she’d itched forsomethingmoreexcitingto
dothroughthelongwintermonths than watch thefeatherysnowfallor listento bull elks bugle duringmatingseason.“You’re not even a little
worried about being alonewith Brooke and Sawyer?”Eve asked. “About themfearing the dark, ormissing Molly, or notwanting to leave theirgrandparents?”
“Just give me my kids,”Connor said fiercely. “I’llworryaboutthesmallstufflater.”
Chapter3
“THEREFORE, I’MAWARDING full custody of
the children, Brooke andSawyer Flynn, to theirfather,ConnorFlynn.”Dead silence reigned in
the courtroom at thejudge’s pronouncement.Connorwas stunned.He’dwon.Heroseandfoundhisthree brothers, Aiden,Brian, and Devon, jostlingto their feet behind him,smiling from ear to ear.Aiden reached out first to
hug him across thecourtroom rail. Connorheldon,afraidthatifheletgo, the tears that werethreateningwouldfall.Hischin began to quiver, andhe gritted his teeth to stillit.HefeltBrianslaphimon
the back and saw Devon’sreassuring thumbs-upthrough eyes blurred withtears of joy. One escaped,
and he let go of Aiden toroughly brush it away. Heturnedtoshakehandswithhis father, who put acomforting hand on hisshoulderasheshotanastylook in the direction ofKing Grayhawk, who wassitting directly behindMolly’sparents.“A hundred to one that
son of a bitch hadsomething to do with the
Robertsons trying to stealmy grandkids away,”Angussaid.Connor wasn’t so sure,
especially since it was EveGrayhawk’s testimonyabout Molly’s wishes thatseemed to swing the judgein his favor. Surely King’sdaughter wouldn’t havedefied her father’s wisheswhen he was sitting rightthereinthecourtroom.
Then he rememberedwhatEvehadtoldhimlastnight. How she and hersistershadbeen givenoneyear to find somewhereelsetolive.Howshewouldsoon have no land onwhich she could graze thewildmustangs she’d savedfromslaughter.Mostlikelyhe had King Grayhawk’sbad behavior to thank forEvebeingsodeterminedto
testifyonhisbehalf.Connor couldn’t believe
he’d kissed her. Or howmuchhe’denjoyedit.He’dwanted to hold her in hisarms and keep on kissingher,buthe’dbeenstabbedwith thorns of guilt. He’dloved his wife, but he’dbeen attracted to EveGrayhawk ever since he’dseen her standing by herlocker, which happened to
bedirectlyacross fromhislocker,theyearshestartedhighschool.Connor had been
stunned by the change inEve’s appearance over thesummer. The gangly girlwasgone.Inherplacewasa voluptuous siren. Hisbody had reacted soquicklyandstronglytothesight of her gamine smile,sparkling blue eyes, and
spectacular curves thathe’d been late for his firstclass while he waited forhis arousal to subside. Ithad taken a while for hisheart to catch up to hislittlehead,butbefore longhe’dbeenbesotted.After all the things she
andhersistershaddonetohim and his brothers,however justified, itwouldhave been blasphemy to
admit that he liked her.But he shot longing looksat her whenever he wassure nobody was looking.Thatwhole “Eve” businesshad started when hisyounger brother, Devon,had caught him watchingher, and he’d needed tocomeupwithsomethingtodeflect attention from thefactthathewasoglingoneofKing’sBrats.
Hiseyeshadlockedwithhers once as they passedeach other on the way toclass, with the result thathishearthadpoundedandhispalmshadbeensweatyand his throat had beendry for five minutes aftershe turned away.A coupleof times he thought shewasgoing tocross thehallto speak to him. But sheneverdid.
Instead, MollyRobertson, whose lockerwasrightnexttoEve’s,hadcome running up to tellhimhowgladshewasthathe’d agreed to go to theSadieHawkins dancewithher. He’d lifted his gazeandseentheguiltylookonEve’s face as she stood byher locker. He’d put asneeronhis face thatonlyshe could see, then turned
hismostwinsomesmileonthe petite, pretty girlstanding in front of him.“I’mlookingforwardtoit,”hetoldher.His chest ached for an
hourafterward.ThedatewithMollyhad
turnedouttobeasurprise.He’d been determined tohave a good time, just toshowEveshehadn’tgottenthebetterofhim.He’dalso
had visions of making herjealous. But Molly wasn’tjust cute as a button—anexpressionheneverwouldhave applied to Eve, whoheldherself far too regallyever to be called “cute”—she was also a lot of fun.She was a good dancer,quick-witted, and hadhazel eyes that shone allnight with joy andexcitement. It was
impossiblenottolikeher.He’d shot one long
glance at Eve during theSadieHawkins dance, andshe’d ignored him a littletoopointedly.He’dfiguredmaybe he was ontosomething with thatjealousy idea, especiallysince it turned out MollyandEvewerebest friends.So he andMolly had goneout again, along with a
coupleof friends.Andhadawonderfultimeagain.There was a lot of
satisfaction in thedisgruntled look on Eve’sface the whole next weekwhensheshowedupatherlocker. Enough to sendhim out on a date withMollyforathirdtime.That was when he’d
made his mistake. Mollyhad turned to him before
gettingoutofhispickupatthe end of their date andlooked into his eyes. He’dknownwhatshewanted.Itwould have seemed odd ifhe didn’t end their thirdencounterwithsomeshowof affection. In fact, she’dlooked at him strangely atthe end of their secondouting when he’d walkedher to her door, thenruffledherhairandpatted
herbuttbeforesendingherinside.Sohe’dkissedher.He hadn’t expected to
like kissing Molly. Hehadn’texpected tobecomearousedbyit.He’dthoughthis heart was too firmlyfixed onEve for any othergirltograbholdofit.Boy,had he been wrong.Mollywas an irresistible force.And pretty soon he’d no
longerwantedtoresisther.They’d gone steady the
rest of the year. He’dstopped looking at Eve,althoughhecouldn’tavoidseeinghereveryday,sincetheirlockersweresoclose.He’dtoldhimselfhe’dbeenlucky to escape one ofthose fanatical Grayhawkgirls.He’d known all along
that he would be joining
the army and leavingJackson at the end of theschoolyear,andthattherewas at least a chance thathewasnevercomingback.When he headed off toboot camp,Mollywas juststarting her sophomoreyear. He’d told her not towait forhim,buthemightas well have saved hisbreath.Molly never stopped
writing. Never stoppedcaring.When he was home on
leaveayearlaterhe’dseenEve atOldWestDays andfeltanewthatsenseofloss—and a pang of regret forwhatmighthavebeen.Hereyesweresuspiciouswhenhe’d purposely “byaccident”bumpedintoher,knocking her ice creamcone from her hand.
Replacing the cone hadgiven him a chance tospeaktoher.Hishearthadracedashe reachedout tothumb away a bit of icecream on the edge of hermouth.He’dknownthenthathe
wasn’treallyoverher.Thathe would probably neverbe over her. But ifanything, the animositybetween their familieshad
gotten worse. It was thatstupidbetBrianhadmadewithAidenthathecouldn’tgetLeahtofallinlovewithhim.She’d fallen. And then
foundoutaboutthebet.After all the heartache,
Grayhawks were nevergoing to get along withFlynns. And Flynns werealways going to resentGrayhawks for what had
happenedtoAuntJane.He loved being with
Molly, loved who she wasas a person. She alwaysbelieved in the good inpeople. And she couldalwaysmakehimlaugh.Bythe time he’d spent a yearin Afghanistan, he’dneededsomeonelikeherinhis life. He’d known thehell he would be makingfor himself if he married
Molly, because Molly andEve were inseparablefriends.Buthedidn’twanttotakethechanceofsomeother guy stealing Mollyaway while he wasoverseas,ashadhappenedtosomanyofhisbuddies.Sohe’dproposed.He wondered later if
he’d done it because hewas headed for anothertour in Afghanistan and
feared his luck might berunning out, and if hewanted to leave a part ofhimself—asonordaughter—behindafterhewasgonefromthisworld,thismightbe his last chance.Whatever had impelledhimtocommit,he’dendedupmarryingMolly.HeandMollyhadgotten
alongwellthroughouttheirmarriage,andtheyhadtwo
amazing kids. He justhadn’t counted on howoftenhe’denduphavingtospend time in Eve’scompany. His kids adoredEve as much as his wifedid, so she was alwaysaround.Connorbelievedinfidelityinmarriage,sohe’dbeen careful never to bealone with her. He’dalways figured better safethan sorry.Hedidn’t have
to resist temptation if itwasneverinhispath.He’dfeltguiltywhenever
he found himself listeningto Eve a little tooattentively or laughingwithheralittletooeagerlyor—God help him—wanting her a little toomuch.He’dhaddreams inAfghanistanfromwhichheawoke breathingerratically, his body hard
andready.Fartoomanyofthem did not feature hiswife.No wonder he’d felt
ashamed and upset lastnight when he’d gottenhardas a rockholding thewoman who’d hauntedthose dreams. He wasfinally free to pursue awoman he’d secretly lovedthe whole time he wasmarried, but the cost had
come too high. Molly hadbeen precious to him, anditwas hard to imagine hislifewithouther.When he’d kissed Eve
last night, shame andregret had swelled in hischest. Desire had died aquick and certain death,and grief and guilt hadtakenitsplace.It was painful to admit
that hehadn’t been a very
goodhusband.He’dlefthiswifealone toooften.She’draisedtheirkidsbyherselfduring the long monthshe’d been deployed. Hecould have used injurieshe’d suffered to avoid thatthirddeployment,buthe’dwanted to be there towatch out for his buddies.Heshouldhavebeenhomewatching out for his wife.He should have taken
better care of her. If hehad, she might still bealive.He was glad Eve had
stayed to talk after he’dmade that stupid move tokiss her. Glad that theyweregoingtocontinuethetruce—an unspokenagreement to forgoGrayhawk-Flynnhostilities—that they’d managed tomaintain throughout his
marriage.Connor’s musing was
interrupted by Mrs.Robertson, who wassobbing loudly into a lacyhandkerchief. He couldn’thelp feeling sorry for hislate wife’s parents. Hehadn’twantedtotaketheirgrandchildren away fromthem,butthey’dgivenhimnochoice.Maybesomedaythey could mend fences.
Right now, he didn’t trustthem.Noonewas stealinghischildrenawayagain.“What time should we
expect youand thekids atthe house?” his fatherasked.Connor hesitated. After
the purchase wascomplete, he’d told hisfamily that he’d boughtSafe Haven, but he’drepresented his purchase
of the former dude ranchto them as a charitableproject, a much-neededrefuge for returning vets.He hadn’t been at all surehe’d win in court, so he’dsaidnothingtothemabouthis plans to move therehimselfifhegotcustodyofhiskids.Connor was anxious to
takeBrookeandSawyertotheir new home. Anxious
to start his new life as asingle father. “I won’t bebringing the kids back tothe Lucky 7 tonight,” hesaidatlast.“Is there some problem
picking them up?” hisfatherasked.“No, Dad.” In fact, they
werebeingtakencareofinanother room at thecourthouse by a socialworker, who had
instructions to deliverthem and their belongingstowhichever party arrivedwith the appropriate courtdocuments.Connor glanced from
face to sobered face as heannouncedtohisbrothers,“I’m going to spend myfirst nightwithmy kids atSafeHaven.”Heexpectedoutburstsof
protest, but his brothers
had apparently beenstunnedintosilence.“Justyouand thekids?”
Devon said. “Isn’t that alittlerisky?”“What do you mean?”
Connorasked.“I mean, what if they
miss their grandparents?What if they start crying?Whatareyougoingtodo?”Connor gave Devon the
same answer he’d givenEve. “I managed a Deltateam. I think I canhandletwolittlekids.”“It’snotthesamething,”
Devonwarned.“I agree. It should be a
lot easier handling thekids,” Connor said with awrygrin.“Safe Haven is a long
way off if you need to call
for help,” Aiden pointedout.What he said was true.
Jackson Hole wasbordered by the Teton,Gros Ventre, and WindRiver mountain ranges,each reaching more thanten thousand feet inelevation, whichmade thefirst half hour of the driveto his ranch, throughGrand Teton National
Park, absolutelyspectacular. The secondhalfofthedrive,onmostlydirt roads, ran smackthrough the Bridger TetonNational Forest. Even inthebestofconditions—andconditions weren’t alwaysgood—the trip took anhour.“I’m not going to need
help,” Connor saidstubbornly.
“You’re out of yourmind,” his father said.“You can’t possibly takecare of two babies—because they’re justbabiesat two and four—on yourown.”Connor felt the flush
beginathisthroatandriseto his cheeks. He’d neverbeen able to control theblush that rose on his fairIrish skin when he was
angry or excited. Rightnowhewasboth.“Say italittlelouder,whydon’tyou,Dad,sothejudgecanhearyou?”Aiden, ever the
peacemaker, stepped intoConnor’slineofvisionandasked, “When are yousupposed to pick upBrookeandSawyer?”“As soon as I have the
documents from the court
clerk.”“Are you sure you don’t
want to spend at least thefirst night at home?”Devonasked.“Imean,justincase?”Connor smiled
confidently, a look he’dgiven tosoldiersunderhiscommand which hid theterror he felt before afirefight.“Iappreciateyouroffersofhelp.Really,Ido.
ButI’vegotthis.”“Since Molly…” Aiden’s
voice trailed off. “We’vemissed the kids. Will youat leastbring themtovisitsometimesoon?”“Sure,”Connorpromised
as he fought to speak pastthe sudden knot in histhroat.Connor realized he had
togetawayfromhisfamily
or he was liable to breakdown in tears again. Hewas feeling joyful all right,but also angry. About thetimehe’d lostwithBrookeand Sawyer. About havingto live his life withoutMolly. About wanting awomanwiththewronglastname. About losingbuddies who shouldn’thave had their lives cutshort.
He fought back theanger, which a very goodarmy therapist had toldhimheneededtodealwithsoonerratherthanlater.It was the
unpredictabilityofwarthathad finally gotten to him,the sheer arbitrariness ofwho livedandwhodied inbattle. Even when a goodman survived the war, hewasn’t home free. There
were inner demons to bebattled, the consequencesof killing other humans orholding some buddy inyour arms as he died anagonizingdeath,tornapartby bullets or a bomb.Worst of all was the guiltyou felt for being fiercelyglad that you were stillalivewhenyourbuddywasdead.It was a friend’s death
that had givenConnor theideatobuyaranchandrunit as a sanctuary forreturningvets.Anysoldierwho needed a quiet placeofpeacewherehecouldletgo of the horrors he’dwitnessed in war waswelcome.Connor had several
friends still in the armywho’dbeenwillingtorefervets to him.Over the past
two months, three dozenreturning soldiers hadcome and gone from SafeHaven.Someof themonlystayedforaweekend,someforaweek,andsomewerestill there two monthslater.Connor hadn’t decided
yetonatimelimitforhowlongamancouldstay,buthe’d realized hewas goingto need some support, so
he’d hired a couple of thevisiting vets, one ofwhomhadbeenatherapistinthearmy.Eachsoldierworkedforhissupperdoingchoreson the ranch, everythingfrom feeding chickens andmilking cows to mendingthe barbedwire fence thatdefined his property. Buttherewasnoothercharge.Connor was pretty sure
this wasn’t the way his
fatherhadexpectedhimtouse his trust fund, but solong as the money heldout, hewas determined tohelp as many vets as hecould. Eventually he wasgoing to have to come upwith a way to fund hissanctuary, but his trustfundwouldkeeptheranchin operation for a longtime.Connor had built an
additiontothesmallranchhouse to make sure therewasplentyofspaceforthechildrenandaroomforthenanny he was planning tohire.Fortheshorttermheplanned to do all of thechild care himself. Hewanted to reestablish hisrelationship with hischildren, and that meantspendingtimewiththem.Connor retrieved the
papersheneededfromthecourt clerk and turned togetafewlasthugsfromhisbrothers.“Call if you need us,”
Aidensaid.“Aw, Aiden,” Devon
complained,“youshouldn’thave said that. Now hewon’t call because he’d beadmitting he needs ourhelp.”
Connor grinned. “Youare so right!”Now that hehad custody of hischildren, it felt like atremendous weight hadbeen lifted off hisshoulders. The future feltbright and full ofpossibilities. “I’ll be fine.Now, if you’ll excuse me,I’m going to go get mykids.”He didn’t want his
brothers around when hepicked up Brooke andSawyer, because he wasafraid he might end upteary-eyedagain.Beforeheleft, he searched thecourtroomlookingforEve,to thank her for speakingon his behalf, but she’dalready gone. Maybe he’dsee her in town sometimeand thank her. He wasn’tgoingtocallher.Hewasn’t
going anywhere near EveGrayhawk if he could helpit.He’d just finished that
thought when he openedthedoortotheroomwherehis children were beingheld and found himselfface-to-facewithher.Eve was down on one
kneeandhadbothchildreninherarms.Hereyeswerebrimmed with tears and
her chin was wobbling asshe tried to smileat them.She rose, the children stillclingingtoher,andswipedat a tear that spilled over.She shot a woeful look athim and said, “I’ll get outof your way. I was justleaving.”She’d only taken one
stepbeforeBrookegrippedheratthewaistononesideand Sawyer wrapped his
armsaroundherhipontheother. Both children werecrying. She shut her eyesandcaughtherlowerlipinher teeth as she put alovinghandoneachchild’shead.“Please don’t leave us,
AuntEve,”Brookebegged.“Please!”Sawyerlookedupather,
tears streaming, his noserunning, and cried, “Don’t
go!Don’tgo!Don’tgo!”Eve shot Connor an
imploring look. “I know Ishouldn’t be here. But Iwanted to say goodbye tothe children before youtakethemaway.”He suddenly realized
that Eve must be afraidthatshewasnomorelikelyto see the children on aregular basis in the futurethan Mr. and Mrs.
Robertsonwere.Heshiftedhis gaze to his children,who were clearly anxious.Thiswouldbethefirsttimethey’dbeenalonewithhimin the nine months sinceMolly’sdeath.He’dspentafewhoursofcourt-orderedtimewith them eachweekover the past two monthssince he’d been home, butit had been at a neutrallocation, supervised by a
social worker, and they’dknown their grandparentswould be coming to getthem again. Now he wasscooping them up andtaking them somewherestrange,withoutanyofthepeople who’d been theiranchors since Molly’sdeath.He could feel his heart
racingasadrenalineflowedintohissystem,muchasit
alwayshadbefore combat.He recognized it as aresponse to the suddenfearhe felt.Couldhe raisetwo happy, healthychildrenallbyhimself?Hewas about to face thebiggestchallengeofhislife—and the most importantone. He took a deep,calming breath and said,“Brooke, Sawyer, it’s timeforustogohome.”
As he stepped towardthem, they clung moretightlytoEve.“Where’s Nana and
Bampa?”Brookeasked.Connordidn’twanttolie
and tellhisdaughtershe’dbeseeinghergrandparentssoon. But he recognizedthestarkfearinhereyesatthe thought of losingsomeoneelsefromherlife.“They’re still in the
courtroom. Right now youand Sawyer need to comewithme.”“Can you come, too,
AuntEve?”Brookeasked.“No,I—”“Of course she can.”
Connor met Eve’s gazeover the kids’ heads andadded, “She can help yougetintoyourcarseats.”Connor’s heart was in
his throat until Evenodded. She favored eachchild with a sweet smile.“You’re going to have awonderful time with yourdaddy.”Connor handed the
paperwork to the socialworker, then collected thekids’ bags and carriedthem out the door. Evefollowed behind him, achild’s hand in each of
hers.What would he havedone if she hadn’t beenthere? Connor had visionsofascenethatwouldhavehad everyone in thecourthouse running to seewhat all the commotionwas about and the judgechanging his mind andgiving the kids back toMolly’sparents.Heshotagratefullookat
Eveoverhisshoulderashe
headed for his truck. Hecould see she was talkingto thekidsbuthecouldn’thear what she was saying.Hethrewthebagsintotheback of the pickup andopened the backseat door.He reached to pick upSawyer, worried that theboy might shrink fromhim. To his surprise,Sawyer reached up bothhands and gripped him
aroundtheneck.Connorresistedtheurge
to hug the boy tighter.Instead,heenjoyedthefewmoments of holding hisson’s slight weight in hisarms, of smelling his littleboy’s hair and brushing itback from his forehead.Thenhesettledhim in thecar seat he’d put in thatmorning and attached thebelts.
Bythetimehewasdone,hesawthatEvehadcoaxedBrooke into her car seatandwasattachingthebeltsthat would keep her safe.She whispered somethingin his daughter’s ear asBrooke lookedathimwithwide eyes. Then Evestepped back and closedthedoor.Connor came running
around the truck to catch
herbeforeshecould leave.“Thank you. I don’t thinkthat would have gonenearlyaswellifyouhadn’tbeen here.” That was theunderstatement of thecentury.“I’mgladIcouldhelp.”“Whatdidyousaytoget
themtocomewithme?”She looked intohis eyes
and said, “I told themyou
were their mother’s mostfavorite person in thewhole world and thatMollywouldwant them togowithyouandbeasgoodas good can be to showwhat wonderful childrenshe’draised.”Connor didn’t speak,
becausea lump the sizeofagrenadewasclogginghisthroat.Hemerelynodded,glancedatthetwochildren
calmlylookingbackathim,thengotinsideandstartedthetruck.
Chapter4
EVE HAD MANAGED toavoid her father at the
courthouse, but when shearrived in thediningroomat Kingdom Come forsupper, he was alreadyseated at the head of thetable. Taylor and Victoriawere out of town, butMatt’s family was there,along with Leah. Eve hadbarely settled the clothnapkin in her lap whenKing said, “What bee gotinto your bonnet this
morning at thecourthouse? Why did youtell the judge that Mollywanted the kids to go tothatFlynnboy?”“Did you want me to
lie?”Everetorted.Leah leaned across Eve
to set a bowl of mashedpotatoes in the center ofthe table, where she’dalready set a platter offriedchickenandabowlof
string beans. “You knowEve and Molly were bestfriends. She had to tellwhatsheknew.”“Phil and Helen
Robertsonaredevastated,”Kingsaid,glaringatEve.“How do you think
Connor feltwhen he camehome from the war andMolly’s parents wouldn’tgive him back hischildren?”Evecountered.
“Itoldyouthefriendshipbetween those two girlswasabadidea,”hesaidtoLeah.“Molly was a nice girl
from a good family. TherewasnoreasontokeepEveawayfromher.”“The Robertsons and
Flynns were always thickas fleas on a barn cat,”Kingmuttered.
“That didn’t happenuntil after Molly marriedConnor,” Leah remindedhim.Eve had been almost
grownbeforeitdawnedonher just how muchresponsibility her fatherhad placed on hisstepdaughter’s shoulders.She’d resented and defiedLeah’s admonitions tobehave. Eve had been the
odd sister out, since hertwin sisters did everythingtogether, but she hadn’tbonded with Leah, either.It was Molly who’d heldthe role of beloved sister.Leahhadbeenanauthorityfigure to be obeyed. Or,moreoften,disobeyed.With the benefit of
hindsight, Eve was gladandgrateful thatLeahhadbeentherealltheyearsshe
was growing up. Leahwasa bulwark against whichherfathercouldnotstand,probably because Leahnever asked for anythingfor herself. Her eldestsister thought of everyoneelsefirstandherselfalongway after. If anyonedeserved to stay atKingdom Come, it wasLeah, but she was beingthrown out right along
withtherestofthem.Eve shot an aggrieved
look toward the other endof the pine trestle table,whereMatt sat flanked byhis daughter, Pippa, andhisson,Nathan.Pippahadgrayeyesandflyaway,sun-streakedchestnuthair.Shewas undeniably beautiful,nearly six feet tall with awillowyfigure.Nathanwasa miniature of his father,
with sapphire-blue eyesand black hair. The boywas small for his age andhad a limp, but Eve hadheard no explanation ofhowhe’dgottenit.Thereweresecrets tobe
discovered, she was sure,about Matt’s beautifuldaughter and his limpingson, starting with thereason for the fourteen-year gap between their
ages. Eve wondered whathad happened to Matt’swife.Orwasitwives?Likefather, like son? Matthadn’t volunteered anyinformation, and both heand his children hadremained tight-lippedabout their existencebefore they’d shown up inWyoming.Not that anyone was
asking.Sheandhersisters
had treated Matt and hisfamily like the interloperstheywere,doingtheirbestto make them feelunwelcome.Thathadn’tbeenaseasy
asitsounded.Victoriahadcome up with the idea ofeating breakfast when itwas still dark out andleaving cold eggs andbacononthetablefortheirhalfbrotherandhisfamily
toeatwhentheygotupatareasonable hour.Unfortunately, by the timethegirlsmadetheirbleary-eyed, crack-of-dawnappearance in the kitchen,Matthadalreadyeatenhisbreakfastand takenoff forparts unknown. Pippanever showed up forbreakfast at all. AndNathan announced helikedcoldeggsandbacon.
Leahquicklynippedthatsort of petty behavior inthebud.ShesuggestedthatEve and her sistersconfront Matt directly toget the concessions shewassurehe’dbewillingtomake, considering the factthattheywererelated.Butthat wasn’t as easy as itsounded,either.The first Saturday after
Matt arrived, Eve showed
up at the stable with hertwin sisters to take amorning ride and caughtMatt saddling Taylor’sfavoritemountforhimself.“That’s my horse,”
Taylorsaid.Matt loweredthestirrup
that he’d apparentlyadjustedforhis longer leg.HestrokedtheAppaloosa’sneck and said, “He’s agood-lookinganimal.”
“You’ll need to findyourself another mount,”Taylor continued as shegrabbed the reins, whichwere knotted and slungover the western saddlehorn, near the bit.“Steeldustismine.”Eve watched several
emotions flicker acrossMatt’s faceashemadethedecision whether toconcede the issue or
contest it. There wereplenty of saddle horses inthe barn. While Steeldustwas Taylor’s favoritemount, the geldingwasbyno means the only horsesherode.“You’ll have to get
yourself another horse,”Matt said at last. “I’ve gotsomewhere I need to be.”Rather than stay on thegroundwheretheywereon
equal footing, so to speak,he threw himself into thesaddle without using thestirrups, a graceful movethat spoke of how manytimeshemusthavedoneit.Before he could kick his
mount into action, Taylorappliedpressureonthebit,holdingSteeldustinplace.“You’re not going
anywhereonmyhorse.”
Instead of spurring thehorsesothereinswouldbejerked from Taylor’shands,Matt relaxed in thesaddle, crossing his wristsoverthehorn.“Weneedtogetafewthingsstraight.”Eve bristled at Matt’s
tone, while Victoria’smouththinnedtoafuriousline. Taylor’s whole bodysnappedupright,asthoughMatthadslappedher.
“No, you need to get afewthingsstraight,”Taylorsaid through gritted teeth.“You left. You walkedaway.Youcan’tcomebacknow and play cock of thewalk.”“I agreed to come back
to the ranch on onecondition.”Eve waited for Matt to
name that condition. Hewaited for one of them to
ask.“What condition?”
Victoriasaidatlast.“I’mtheboss.”“You’re not the boss of
me!”Taylorsnapped.Eve cringed at Taylor’s
useofanexpressionthey’dtossedbackandforthwhenthey were little, howevermuchitfitthesituation.“Take it up with Dad,”
Mattsaid.Taylor’s face bleached
whiteat the reminder thatMatt was as much one ofKing’s kids as they were.He seemed sure Kingwould tell them that hehad, in fact, put Matt incharge.But they hadn’t been
named King’s Brats fornothing. Taylor let go ofthe reins and took a step
back. She glared at Mattandsaid,“Thisisn’tover.”Matt’s eyes narrowed as
henoddedateachofthemin turn,daring them todotheirworst.ThenhekickedSteeldust into a lope androdeaway.Matt hadn’t conceded a
thing. Not only that, he’drefusedtobedrawnintoanargument. He’d neverraised his voice, and he
hadn’tgivenaninch.Itwasinfuriating behavior forEve and her sisters, whowere used to ragingarguments with theirfather.Itwasimpossibletowin a battle, let alone thewar, when the damnedmanrefusedtofight!“I’m going to make you
sorry you ever leftAustralia,” TaylormutteredatMatt’sback.
Theyspenteveryminuteof their ride seekingawaytooustMattfromKingdomCome, but it was hard toknowhowtogetridofhimwhentheydidn’tknowwhyhe’d shown up in the firstplace.Now, three weeks after
his arrival, Matt was asmuch an enigma as he’dbeen on the day he’darrived. But every day he
was at KingdomCome, heinsinuatedhimself andhisfamily more deeply intothe fabric of life on theranch.Eve noticed that Matt’s
six-year-old son wasgnawing on a chicken legwith relish, while histwenty-year-old daughterpushed her mashedpotatoes around the platewithout taking a bite.
Pippadidn’t lookhappy tobe here, which Eve couldunderstand. It would bedifficult for any youngwomantoleaveherfriendsbehind and move to astrange place, and Matthadtakenhiskidshalfwayaroundtheworld.Apparently Pippa hadn’t
been in college, or if shehad, she’d agreed to leavein midterm to come here
withherfather.Evewouldhave dearly loved to be afly on thewall during thatconversation. Shewondered why the nearlygrown girl had agreed tocome, if she was sounhappytobehere.At leastMattwantedhis
kids with him, which wasmore than she could sayfor her father. King hadfound plenty of reasons to
be somewhere other thanat home for most of herlife, leaving her and hersisters behind to besupervised by Leah, ahousekeeper, and a coupleofhiredhands.Eve had never
considered just howmuchLeahmusthavegivenuptobe their surrogate motheruntil she overheard hersisterarguingwithKingin
hisstudythesamenightheannounced his deal withMatt.Whocouldnot,whenboth were shouting at thetopoftheirlungs?“It’s not fair!” Leah
cried.“Youcan’tdothistothegirls,King.Thisistheirhome.”LikelybecauseLeahhad
come into the family as afive-year-old, she’d alwayscalled her stepfather
“King,” but Eve knew herfather respected Leah andloved her like a daughter,whichwas tosay,asmuchashewascapableoflovinganyone.“I had to offer Matt
something to get himhome,”herfatherreplied.Eve heard a scornful
laughbeforeLeahsaid, “Itwas a lot more thansomething. You gave him
everything!”“I wanted him back
here.”“Why?”Thewordhungintheair
foralongtimebeforeKingsaid, “I made somemistakes. I’m trying toatoneforthem.”As their voices quieted,
Eve moved closer to thedoortohearbetter.
To her astonishment,noble, selfless Leah said,“Where am I supposed togo, Daddy? What am Isupposedtodo?”Eve’sstomachknottedat
the plaintive note in heralways-so-confidentsister’svoice.The silence that ensued
was evidence of howseldom Leah asked foranything for herself. Or
maybe it was the shockKing experienced at beingcalled“Daddy.”Finally he said, “I’m
workingonsomethingthatmight solve the problem.It’s taking longer than Ithought.”“I don’t want to leave
Kingdom Come,” Leahsaid. “This is my home. Ithought—”
Leah cut herself off, butit was obvious to Eve thather eldest sister hadplanned to live and workontheranchtherestofherlife.Eveheardachoked-back
sob before her fatherclearedhisthroatandsaid,“Here. Take myhandkerchief.”“Onehandkerchiefwon’t
do the job,” Leah said
bitterly. “Ihavea lotmoretears to cry if youcan’t fixthis.”Eve heard Leah’s boots
crossing the hardwoodfloor of her father’s studyand slipped away beforeshe could get caught. Thenext day, when Matt tookover operations on theranch, it was clear thateven Leah’s rarer-than-rubies tears had not
convinced King to changehismind.SinceMatt’sarrivalLeah
had continued her role assurrogate mother, devotedsister, and ranch manageras though her world hadnot been turned upsidedown. She treated Mattand his children withcourtesy, if not warmth,and made themcomfortableinahomethat
would soon no longer beher own. But her attitudetoward their father wasn’tjustfrosty,itwasglacial.For his part, King
seemed to revel inhis roleaspatriarch,presidingovera supper table that nowincluded his long-lost son.“What are Taylor andVictoria up to?” he askedLeah.“You mean since you
told them you’re throwingthem out of house andhome?” Leah said. “Iwouldn’tknow.”EvewonderedwhatMatt
andhiskids thoughtwhenthey heard the suppressedrage in Leah’s voice. Sheglancedtowardtheirendofthe table and realized thatnone of themwere payingany attention to King andLeah. Pippa was shooting
dark glances at her fatherover the head of Nathan,who seemed oblivious tothe sparks flying betweenfatheranddaughter.What had surprised Eve
abouther sister’s responseto King regarding thewhereaboutsofTaylorandVictoria was not theresentment in her voicebut the blatant lie.Whether they were
traveling or home inJackson, Leah alwaysstayed in touch with hersiblings. That hadn’tchanged since Matt’sarrival.EvewonderedwhatTaylor and Victoria wereup to that Leahwanted toconcealfromKing.Everealizedthatshehad
no idea where her sistershad gone. With any lucktheywereofffiguringouta
way tomakeMatt’s life inWyoming hellish enoughthat he’d be on the nextplanebacktoAustralia.“I found a herd of what
appeartobewildmustangsinthenorthpasture,”Mattsaid.“WhodoIcalltohavethem moved off theranch?”Eve was out of her seat
before Matt had finishedspeaking. “Those are my
horses! They’re stayingrightwheretheyare.”Matt’s eyes narrowed.
“Whatareyoudoingwithaherdofmustangs?”“Saving them from
becomingdogfood.”“I need that land for
quarter horse breedingstock I’ve bought. You’llhave to move youranimals.”
Evefeltasurgeofpanic.“Movethemwhere?”“Idon’tcare.I justwant
themgone.”She looked toher father
for support. “Daddy? Areyou going to let him dothat?”“Mattcan’tverywellrun
the ranch if he can’tmakedecisionsabouthowtousetheland.”
“You said the ranchwasn’t his for a year. He’sactinglikehealreadyownsit!”Kingblustered,“Ihadto
makeachoice—”“And you chose him.”
Eve’s facewashotandherhands were shaking. Shefelt like throwingsomething. Screaming.Raging. She felt helplessand hopeless and angrier
than she could everrememberbeing.Her horses. Her
beautiful mustangs. Whatwould happen to themnow?Leahheldoutherhands
insupplication.“Please,sitdown,Eve.I’msurewecanwork out something withMatt.”“I wouldn’t count on
that.” Matt focused hisgaze on King. “Do youwantmehere?Ornot?”King fisted his hand
around his napkin. “Ofcourse I want you here!ButIexpected—”“You expected me to
coddle those three Bratstheway you always have,”Matt said. “Iwon’t.You’vegiventhemplenty.I’msurethey’ve got trust funds
overflowingwith cash,” hesaidwithasneer.“It’stimethey make their own wayintheworld.”Eve felt like she was
going to vomit. “Is thatwhat you think? Thatbecause King Grayhawk iswealthy his daughtersmustberich?”“Yeah. That’s what I
think,”Mattsaid.
Eve gave a harsh,raucouslaughthatbecamea sob. She turned toKing,her face crumpling indefeatasshedroppedbackintoherchair.“Oh,Daddy,what lies have you beentellinghim?”For the first time, Matt
looked uncertain. “I knowyou set up trust funds forLibby and North,” he saidto King, mentioning his
sister and brother, JaneFlynn’sothertwochildren.“You never put moneyawayfortheBrats?”King shrugged. “It was
never necessary. They’vepretty much taken care ofthemselves. I bought themwhatever they needed andgavethemaplacetostay.”“Which you’ve promised
to this prodigal son,” Evesaid, making the
expressionanepithet.“Nowthatyouknowthe
truth, Matt,” Leahinterjected,“surelyyoucanrearrangeyourplans.”Matt shook his head.
“My quarter horses arealreadyontheway.They’llbe here by the end of theweek.”Hefocusedhisgazeon Eve. “You’ve got thatmuch time to move yourmustangsout.”
Eve turned to King.“WhatdoyousuggestIdo,Daddy? Send them to theslaughterhouse?”“Find another piece of
land,ofcourse.”“In Teton County? How
am I supposed to pay forit?” Eve left the wordshanging, expecting herfather to at least offer tohelp her with the cost ofrelocatinghermustangs in
a countywith some of themost expensive real estatein thecountry.WhenKingdidn’t speak, she said indisgust, “Don’t worry,Daddy. I’ll figuresomething out.” Sheturned to Matt anddemanded, “Why did youcome here? Why are youdoing this? How can youbesocruel?”To her astonishment, it
was Pippa who answeredher. “Mydaddoesn’twantanything to do with youGrayhawks.Wehadagreatlife in Australia until heshowedup.”Shejerkedherchin toward King. Shelurched to her feet andsnarled, “I can’t wait tillthisyearisup!Maybethenyou’ll leave us alone andstop making my dad sosad.”
Eve’s gaze shot toMatt,whoseeyeshadloweredtothe plate in front of him.Nathan had dropped hisdrumstick andwas staringathissister,hisjawslack.“Sit down, Pippa,” Matt
said quietly, “and finishyoursupper.”“I’m not hungry.” She
threw her napkin halfwayacross the table andmarched out of the dining
room.EvewaitedtoseeifMatt
wouldcallherback,buthesaidnothing.TearswelledinNathan’s
eyes. He looked at hisfatherandasked,“IsPippagonnarunawayagain?”Again? Had she run
away in Australia? Wasthat why Matt had comehere? To be sure his
daughter couldn’t run towherever she’d gonebefore?Mattstoodandgathered
hissoninhisarms.Nathanclungtohis fatherasMattturned to face the rest oftheGrayhawksatthetable.“This isn’t easy for us,either. But you made thedeal,”hesaidtoKing,“andI’m holding you to it.” Heshoved Nathan’s chair out
of his way with a loudscrapeashelefttheroom.Eve glanced at King to
see what he thought ofeverything that had justbeensaid.It was Leah who asked
the question that hadcrossed Eve’s mind.“What’s going on, Daddy?Whydidn’tyouoffertobuya piece of land where Evecankeephermustangs?”
King hesitated so long,Eve wasn’t sure he wasgoingtoanswer.At lasthesaid, “Everything’s tied upsomewhereelse.”“What do you mean by
everything?”Leahasked.“Just what I said,” King
replied. “Don’t ask mewhere I’ve put it, becausethat’s none of your damnbusiness.”
The hurt look on Leah’sfacecameandwentsofastEvewouldn’thaveseenitifshe hadn’t been staringrightather.“Fine. Keep your
secrets.” Leah folded hernapkin and set it neatlybeside her plate. “Excuseme, please. I’ve lost myappetite.” A moment latershe was gone through theswinging door that led to
thekitchen.Evesearchedherfather’s
features, looking for somehint of what he wasthinking. But KingGrayhawk had been apolitician too long. Histhoughtsandfeelingswerehidden behind theimpenetrable facade he’dperfected during years ofpurposefuldeception.“I hope the price of
having Matt here wasworth it,” Eve said as shetossed her balled-upnapkinontoherplate.“It’sworthanythingand
everythingIhave.”King’s answermade her
throatache.“Why,Daddy?What is it aboutMatt thatmakes him more preciousthan the rest of us? Canyoujusttellmethat?”
Before he could answer,Leah came rushing backthroughtheswingingdoor.“It’s for you,” she said,handing a portable phonetoEve.“Itsoundsurgent.”Eve took the phone and
held it to her ear. Herblood ran cold as shelistenedtothefranticvoiceon the other end of theline.Sheanswered, “Yes, Ican. Hold on. I’ll be there
soon.” She handed thephone back to an anxiousLeah and rose from thetable.“Who was that?” King
asked.Eve looked him square
in theeyeandsaid, “Noneofyourdamnbusiness.”
Chapter5
EVEN COMPAREDWITH hisbloodiest battle in
Afghanistan, the hourbetween his frantic phonecalltoEveandthemomentshearrivedonhisdoorstepwasthemostharrowingofConnor’slife.Hiskidswerecrying,andhecouldn’tgetthemtostop.“Thank God you’re
here,” he said as heushered Eve inside alongwith a blast of frigid air.“They’ve been bawling
nonstop since I put themto bed. It started withSawyer.Hesaidhewantedhis Nana. Once Brookeheard him sobbing shejoined in. Nothing I’vesaid,nothingI’vedone,hasbeen able to comfortthem.”“Takeme to them,” Eve
said as she dropped hercoat on a rocking chair inthelivingroom.
“I had rooms set up foreach of them, but rightnow they’re huddledtogether in Brooke’s bed,”hesaidasheledheralongthe creaking hardwoodfloor toward the rooms atthe back of the seventy-year-old ranch house.“AfterIturnedoutthelightin Sawyer’s room and left,hemusthaveruninthere.AfewminuteslaterIheard
themhowlinglikeapackofcoyotes.WhenI turnedonthe light to see what waswrong, I found themholdingontoeachotherasthough a tornado wasthreatening to rip themapart. When I asked whatwas wrong, they hid theirfacesandcriedlouder.”Connor knew he was
rambling, but he couldn’tstop.Hewasscared.What
if he couldn’t do this?What if the kids wouldn’tstop crying? What was hegoing to do? He couldn’tlose his kids. He lovedthem. And they neededhim,whether they knew itornot.“I triedpicking themup
and holding them in mylap to comfort them, but Icould feel them quiveringlikescaredrabbits.Iwasn’t
sure whether they werescared of being alonewithme or just scared of beinginastrangeplace,”hesaid,continuing to babble likeanidiot.“Iputthemdownandcalledyou.ThankGodyou were home. ThankGod you were willing tocome.”If she hadn’t answered,
his next call would havebeentotheRobertsons.He
was glad that hadn’t beennecessary, but he wouldhave done it. He couldn’tstand to see his childrenweeping.Hecouldn’tstandtoseethemsounhappy.Itmadehishearthurt.Connor had figured the
kidswouldtakeonelookatEve and quiet down. Hecouldn’t have been morewrong.ThemomentBrookesaw
Eve in the bedroomdoorway, she reached outherarms toher.ButwhenEve sat down on the bedand embraced her, shecried even louder. Sawyergrabbed Eve around theneck and wouldn’t let go,hissobsescalatingaswell.Connor stood by his
daughter’s bed feelinghelpless andhopeless.Evelooked him in the eye and
gestured with her chin forhim to sit down besideSawyer, but he couldn’tmove. His feet felt rootedto the floor. The sound ofhis children weeping sohorriblymadehisstomachclench.Heballedhishandsinto fists so Eve wouldn’tsee how badly they wereshaking.“It’s all right, Brooke,”
he heard her murmur.
“Yourdaddy’shereandI’mhere and everything’sgoingtobeallright.”At the word “daddy”
Brooke shot an anxiousglance in his direction.Then she hid her faceagainst Eve’s throat andslid her arms tighteraround Eve’s neck, nearlychoking her. At his wit’send,herespondedthewayhewouldhaveinthearmy.
Hestartedbarkingorders.“That’s enough, both of
you! I brought Aunt Evehere to visit, and you’redripping tearsand snotalloverher.Stop thatwailingthisinstant!”Maybe it was the shock
of hearing an adult shoutat them, when they wereused to kinder treatment.Maybetheywerejustcriedout. Maybe it was Eve’s
reassuring presence. Butsuddenly, as though he’dshut off a dripping faucet,thecryingstopped.Connor stood where he
was, his useless handshanging at his sides,feeling totally enervated,while Eve calmly snatcheda couple of Kleenex fromthe box next to the bed.Shehandedone toBrookeandsaid,“Blowyournose,
sweetie,” then used theother to wipe Sawyer’srunnynose.Connor knew he should
bedoingsomething,buthewasafraidtomoveintheirdirection, afraid he wouldincite another bout ofcrying.Eve patted the bed and
said,“Comejoinus.”Connor managed to
unroot his feet and satbeside Sawyer, who wasperchedonthebedtoEve’sleft.BrookewasstillsittingonEve’slap.“Now tell me,” Eve said
as she grabbed anotherKleenex and dabbed atBrooke’s swollen eyes.“What was all that cryingabout?”“We were scared,”
Brooke said, darting a
glance at Connor frombeneath tear-drenched,spikyeyelashes.“Ofwhat,littleone?”Eve
said, patting the tip ofBrooke’s nose with herforefinger.“We were all alone,”
Sawyerblurted.“You slept in separate
bedrooms at Nana andBampa’s house,” Eve
remindedthem.“This isn’t Nana and
Bampa’s house,” Brookepointedout.“No, it isn’t,” Eve said
witha laughofagreement.“It’s your father’s house.It’s where you’ll be livingfromnowon.”“Do we have to stay
here?” Brooke askedplaintively.
“I want to go home,”Sawyersaid.Connorsaidnothing.His
throat was swollen tootighttospeak.Hischildrenfeltalone evenwith him—their father—in the house.Itwashisownfaultfornotstayinginclosertouchwiththem during the ninemonths after Molly’sdeath,whilehefinishedhistour of duty. Brooke was
too young to remembermuchof the life they’d ledas a family before Mollydied, and it was likelySawyer had nomemory ofhimbeforeMolly’sdeathatall.He’dknownthisperiodofadjustmentwasn’tgoingto be easy, but he hadn’tthought it would be thishard,either.“It’s too late to go
anywhere tonight,” Eve
said,suggestingbythewayshe’d phrased herstatementthatthechildrenmight be allowed to gohomeinthemorning.Heopenedhismouth to
make it clear they werehere to stay, then shut itagain.Adayatatime.Thatwas how he was going tobecome their father again.Tomorrow he could comeup with another reason to
delay their departure, andanother reason on the dayafterthat.Soon,heprayed,they would stop asking toleave.“Can I sleep inBrooke’s
bed tonight?” Sawyerasked.Eve shot an inquiring
lookinConnor’sdirection.He saw Eve’s slight nod
suggestingthatheagree.“I
suppose that would be allright.” He’d put a queen-sizecanopybedinBrooke’sroom, because he’d likedthe girly way it looked onthe showroom floor. He’dput bunk beds in Sawyer’sroom, thinking of the funhis son would haveclimbing up and sleepingon the top bunk when hewasolder.“Let’sgetyoubothunder
the covers,” Eve said,standing and slidingBrooke upright until herbarefeethitthefloor.Connor had put both
kids in long john pajamasto be sure they’d bewarmenough.Hehesitated,thenreachedoverto liftSawyerinto his arms as he stood.While Eve helped Brookeget settled under thecovers, Connor walked
aroundtotheoppositesideofthebed.Sawyerkepthisarms tucked in front ofhim, separating theirbodies,untilConnorgentlyeased him onto the bedandreluctantlylethimgo.His son scooted toward
his sister, so the two ofthem ended up lying nexttoeachother in thecenterof the bed. Connor satdown beside his son,
tucking the covers underSawyer’s arms as Eve didthesame forBrooke.ThenEveleanedoverandkissedeachchildontheforehead.To his surprise, BrookecaughtEve’sfacewithbothhandsandpulledhercloseto brush her eyelashesagainst Eve’s cheek in abutterflykiss.Connorknewwhatitwas
because,onceuponatime,
he’d been the beneficiaryof those kisses, whichMolly had taught to hisdaughter.He felt Sawyer’shand wrap around histhumbandpullandturnedhis attention back to hisson. Sawyer kept tuggingandConnorleanedinuntilSawyer caught him by theearsandpulledhimclose.He felt Sawyer’s cheek
againsthisownasthetwo-
year-oldtriedtomimichissister. His son’s lashesweren’t long enough toadministerabutterflykiss,but Connor’s chest achedwith the joy of having hisson close, longing for thedaythathischildrenwouldloveandtrusthimagain.“Sleeptight.Don’tletthe
bedbugs bite,” he said tohisson.“Mommy used to say
that,” Brooke saidaccusingly, as though hewasn’t allowed to usephrases that Molly hadused.Connor turned to find
his daughter’s bright eyesonhim.“Iknow.”“Mommy’s dead,”
Sawyersaid.He met his son’s sober
gazewithoneofhisown.“I
know.”“I miss Mommy,”
Brookesaid.“Me,too,”Sawyersaid.“I do, too,” Connor
choked out. He brushed alock of hair off Sawyer’sforehead. He rememberedMollysayingitwasthelockofdarkhairthatfellonhisown forehead that hadcaused her to fall in love
with him. “I could nevermarry a man withoutflaws, because I couldnevermeasureuptosuchaGod,” she’d said with alaugh.“You’dbeabsolutelyperfect,” she’d said as shelooked into his eyes aftermaking love with him,“exceptforthatornerylockofhair.”“Will you read us a
story?”Sawyerasked.
“It’slate.Youneedtogettosleep.”“Mommyalwaysreadus
a story,” Brooke said, awistfultoneinhervoiceasthough he should knowthese things. He did. Hesimplyhadn’trealizedhowimportant such familiarroutinewastohischildren.He wouldn’t make thatmistakeagain.“I will tomorrow night,”
Connor promised. “Timenow to sleep. We’ve got abigdaytomorrow.”“Doing what?” Brooke
asked.“Lotsoffunthings,”Eve
saidwhenConnorcouldn’tthinkofwhattoreply.“Willyoubecomingwith
us?”Brookeasked.“I don’t think—” Eve
began.
That was as far as shegot before Connorinterrupted. “I’ll do mybest to try and talk AuntEveintojoiningus.”He could see that the
ideapleasedbothchildren.Eve got to her feet and
headed for the bedroomdoor, and Connor jumpeduptofollowher.He stopped at the door
andsaid,“AllrightifIturnoutthelight?”Hesuddenlyrealized that he hadn’tasked either child earlier,he’dsimplytuckedtheminanddarkenedtheirrooms.Bothkidssnuggleddown
underthecovers.“Okay,”Brookesaid.“Okay,”Sawyerechoed.Connorbreathedasilent
sigh of relief and turned
out the light. He left thedoor open a crack so hecould hear if either childcalled to him during thenight. Then he hurriedafter Eve, hoping shewouldn’trushoffbeforehehad a chance to speak toher.Shealreadyhadhercoat
onbythetimehegottothelivingroom.“What’s your hurry?” he
said, feeling panic at thethoughtofbeingalonewithhis kids again. “Take yourcoat off and stay awhile.”Brooke and Sawyer werecalm now, but he wantedEvethereuntilhewassurethey were asleep. “Can Ioffer you something todrink? It’s the least I candotothankyouforcomingtomyrescue.”He saw her hesitation
and said, “Please, Eve. Ioweyouone. Iwasadeadman walking until youshowedup.”“Theywouldhavesettled
downeventually,” she saidas she slippedher coat offand dropped it back ontothe rocker. “They werepretty much cried out bythetimeIarrived.”“If you say so.” He
wasn’t so sure. “What
would you like? A glass ofwine? A beer? Somethingstronger?”Shesmiled.“Hottea?”He smiled back at her
and felt all the tensionleavehisbody for the firsttime since he’d gotten hischildrenback.“Sure.”He was grateful there
wasnohotwaterdispenserat the ranch house. She’d
have to stick around longenough for him to boilsome water, which gavehim a few minutes to gether to drive all the waybackoutheretomorrow.“You’ve really fixed this
old house up nice,” Evesaidassheperchedononeof the stools at the granitebreakfastbar.“I added a modern
bathroom for the kids and
upgradedthekitchen,butIkept the old clawfoot tub,the log walls, and thehardwoodfloors.”She surveyed his simple
western décor, which wasdone inwarmbrowns andreds. A large cowhidecoveredtheareainfrontofthe floor-to-ceiling stonefireplace, where a woodfire popped and crackled.“Itfeelslikeahome.”
“If only Brooke andSawyer agreed with you,I’dbeahappyman.”“You’llbesurprisedhow
quicklytheysettlein.”“Tonight was rough. I
was hoping you might beable to join us tomorrowfor whatever it is we endupdoing.”“Ican’t.”No explanation, just a
refusal. Connor wasn’tused to taking no for ananswer. There had to be away to convince her tocome back tomorrow. Hesetacupofhotteainfrontof her, then sat down onthe stool next to Eve withhisowncupoftea.Hetriedthesimplestmethodfirst.“Ineedyourhelp.”A pained expression
crossedherface.
“What’swrong?”“I have my own
problems,Connor.Ihavealottodothisweek.”“Likewhat?”Shechewedonherlower
lip for a moment, thenblew on her tea to cool itandtookasip.Hesippedhisteaaswell,
waiting for her to sharewhatever was troubling
her.“It doesn’t really
matter,”shesaidatlast.“Ijustcan’tcome.”“Would it help if I told
youI’mdesperate?”“Brooke and Sawyer are
wonderful kids. They’lladjust.”Hesighedheavily.“How
longisthatgoingtotake?”“Honestly, they’re going
to be fine. You’ll all befine.”“So you say. Won’t you
joinustomorrow?”“Ican’t!”She sounded agitated,
buthewasn’treadytogiveup. “If something hadhappened to me, youwouldhavehelpedMolly.”Tohisdismay,sheburst
intotears.
He stood and reachedout to wrap his armsaroundhertocomforther,but she lurched from thestoolandtookseveralstepsaway from him. He stuckhis hands in the backpockets of his jeans tomake it clear he wasn’tgoingtotouchher.Connor regretted
bringing Molly into theconversation. His dead
wifewasaconstantspecterthat disturbed his wakingdays and haunted hisdreaming nights, but hehadn’t realized how upsetitwouldmakeEvetobringuphername.Hisheartstillached whenever hethoughtofhiswife.“Imissher,too.”Eve swiped at the tears
on her cheeks with thebacksofherhands.“I’mso
sorry,Connor.”“For what?” He’d been
too far out of it to hearmost of what was said tohim around the time ofMolly’s funeral, but as faras he knew, Eve hadn’tbeen involved in Molly’saccident.“Iwasn’t in themoodto
sit throughahorrormoviethat night, so I offered tobabysit instead. If only I’d
gone with her, we wouldhave been in my truck,which had better tractionthanhercar.”“It wasn’t your fault.” It
wasn’t anybody’s fault,really.Itwassimplyafreakaccident. Molly had hitsomeblack ice on thewayhome and slammed into atree.Shemusthaveturnedherheadthewrongway,ormaybe it was her short
stature. In any event, theairbagbrokeherneck.If anyonewas to blame,
itwashim.Heshouldhavebeen home with his wife.HewouldhavebeenhappytoseeahorrormoviewithMolly. She loved beingscared when he was theretocling tobothduring themovieandafterward.Connormissed his wife.
He missed their life
together, which had beencut so disastrously short.He regretted the choicehe’d made to leave hisfamilyforathirdtime,buttherewasnowaytotakeitback.“I just wish…” Eve left
the sentence hanging, andhe wondered what she’dbeenabouttosay.“Wishing can’t change
thepast,”hesaid.“Mollyis
gone and I’m alone withmy kids, who have nomemory of the times wespentlaughingandplayingtogether when they werebabies. They don’tunderstand why theirmotherhadtogotoheavenorwhatrole their father issupposed to play in theirlives.”“I can’t help you,
Connor,”shesaidfirmly.“I
havethingsIhavetodo.”He gave her a smile
intended to charm andthenfeltguiltyfortryingtocharmhis deadwife’s bestfriend into playingmotherto his kids. That thoughtlasted until heremembered his cryingchildren,atwhichpointhesaid,“Thekidswouldfeelalot better with youaround.”
“That’s not fair!” shesnapped. “I told you, I’vegotproblemsofmyown.Ican’t be babysitting yourkids.”He could tell she was
angry, but he didn’t knowwhat he’d said, exactly, tomake her so mad. “Fine.You’vegotproblems.Havea seat. Let’s talk. Maybe Icanhelp.”She eyed the stool she’d
vacated.“Idoubtit.”“It can’t hurt. Besides,
you haven’t finished yourtea.”She sat again, but he
couldfeelherputtingupawall between them. Hewondered if she could tellthat he still felt the samemesmerizing attraction toher now that had struckhimthefirstdayhe’dseenher standing by her high
school locker. Maybe shecould.Maybethatwaswhyshe wanted to keep herdistance.Sheperchedontheedge
of the stool with her backto the kitchen and staredinto the fire, her mug inbothhands.Connor sat down beside
her and waited for her tospeak.
Shechewedonherlowerlip.Andsaidnothing.At last he said, “Does
your problem haveanything to do with acertain missing blacksheep returned to thefold?”She made a disgusted
sound.“Ofcourseitdoes.”“What’s Matt done this
time?”
“Ihaveaweektogetmyherd of wild mustangs offtheranch.”“A week? I thought you
saidyouhadayeartofindaplacetograzethem.”She turned to him, her
blue eyes fierce. “Mattmight not own KingdomCome yet, but my fathergave him the power todecidehowthelandisusedfromdayone.Mattintends
to run quarter horses onthepasturewhereI’vebeenkeepingmymustangs.He’sdemandedImovethembytheendoftheweek.”“Can’t King help you
out?”“Thatisn’tanoption.”Eve didn’t explain, and
he saw from the way herjawwasclampedtightthatshe didn’t want to talk
aboutit.Connorrealizedhemust
havebeenthinkingaboutasolution to her problemeven before the situationturned into a crisis. Hetook a deep breath andsaid, “Imight know awaytofixthings.”“I’m desperate,” she
admitted. “What have yougotinmind?”
“Bring your mustangshere.”Shelookedsurprisedbut
intrigued.“There’s plenty of land
for them to roam. If youlike, we could even plantsomehayforwinterfeed.”She stared at him with
wide, hopeful eyes. “You’ddothatforme?”“I’d want something in
return.”She frowned. “Like
what?”The idea had been
forming in his mind eversince his kids startingcrying. He made therequest without thinkingtwiceabouttheproblemsitmight create between hisfather and hers, betweentheir siblings, or betweenthe two of them, for that
matter. “What would youthink about coming to liveatSafeHaven?”“Notmuch.”He put a hand on her
arm to keep her fromslidingoffherstool. “Hearme out. You need a placefor your mustangs. I needsomeone to help me easeBrooke and Sawyerthrough this difficultperiod of adjustment. You
get what you need. I getwhatIneed.”She looked a lot more
anxiousthanexcitedaboutthe idea, whichmeant sheknewaswellashedid theramifications of such adecision. “You mentionedkeepingmyhorsesoverthewinter. How long are yousuggesting I hang outhere?”“Just a month or two,
until Brooke and Sawyerget toknowmeagain.Thekids know you and trustyou.Hell,theyloveyou.Assad as itmakesme to sayit,mykidsdon’trememberwhatitwasliketohavemeas a father. Tonight was aprettybigwake-upcall.I’mdrowninghere,Eve.Ineedhelp. And where my kidsare concerned, I’mnot tooproudtoaskforit.”
“I’dbegladtocomeherewheneveryoucall.”He was already shaking
his head before she washalfway through hersentence. “That won’twork.”“Give me one reason
whynot?”“It takes you an hour to
gethere.”Eve made a face,
conceding the difficulty ofdriving back and forth toConnor’s ranch every dayor evenevery twoor threedays.“Besides,” he continued,
“thekidshavetoknowthatthe adults in their lifewillbe there for them. Thatmeansmorning,noon,andnight. They need you—Ineedyou—here.”“They’vegotyou.”
“I’m not enough. Notyet.”“And you think in a
monthortwoyouwillbe?”He grinned, showing a
confident face, hiding hisfear that she would leavehimhighanddry.“Ido.”Her blue eyes looked
bleak. “I feel trapped. If Ihadanywhereelsetoturn,Iwouldn’tconsiderit.”
“Iguessit’sluckyformeyoudon’t.”“You realize this is
blackmail.”“Itisn’tblackmailifboth
of us get something out ofit.”Heheldhisbreathasshe
pursed her lips and shookherhead.Shewasgoingtorefuse.“You’d have your own
room,”heblurted.She laughed. “That’s a
comfort. I’m glad I won’thave to share a bed withthekids.Orwithyou.”The instant she said it,
thesmilefrozeonherface.Connor spokequickly to
defuse the sudden sexualtension. The last thing hewanted her to do wasrefusebecauseshethought
hewouldhitonher.“Itoldyou before, Eve. Whathappened between us atthe hotel won’t happenagain.Ourrelationshipwillremainpurelyplatonic.”He hoped his kids
appreciatedthesacrificehewasmaking.Fortheirsake,he was going to keep hishands off Eve Grayhawkthe whole time she wasliving under his roof. It
wasn’tgoingtobeeasy,butsacrificeshadtobemade.Eve looked like she
needed a shoulder to cryon, but he made no effortto take her in his arms tocomfort her. He’d alreadyflirted with disaster oncetonight. She’d made itplain she didn’t welcomehis attentions. Right now,he needed her help withhis children more
desperatelythanheneededher long legs wrappedaroundhiminbed.“All right,” Eve said as
she rose. “I’ll do it. Butonly until the kids arecomfortable with you.Once they’ve adjusted, I’mgone.” She reached out ahand for him to shake.“Agreed?”Connor pulled her into
his arms—purely
platonically—and gave hera hug. “Thank you, Eve.”She was taller than Mollyand fit him in all theimportant places. He felthisbodyrespondingtotherightness of holding herclose and let her go. Hetucked his hands in hisfront jeanspockets tohidethe evidence of his rock-hardbodyandsaid,“Whencanyoumovein?”
Chapter6
EVEHADFELTcherishedinConnor’s embrace. She’d
kepthereyesloweredsohewouldn’tseethedesireshefelt, the longing to havehimkissherandtouchherandputhimselfinsideher.She fought back thefeelings of guilt. Wantinghim was no longer sinful.But it wasn’t prudent,either. The chances weregood that she would gether heart broken if shehoped for more than
friendship.Attheexactmomentshe
realized that Connor hadbecome aroused, he’dstepped away from her,leaving her feeling bereft.His actions made itabundantlyclearthat,evenif he was attracted to her,he intended to do nothingaboutit.“Why don’t you go
home, pack whatever you
need, and spend the nighthere?” Connor suggested.“I’m sure the kids wouldfeel better if they foundyou here in the morningwhentheywakeup.”The worry in his eyes
prompted her to say, “Allright.”“I really appreciate this.
You’ll never know howmuch.”
Remembering howrelievedandhappyConnorhad looked when she’dagreed to return kept Evefrom changing her mindabout the whole thing onthe long drive home, eventhough therewere a lot ofreasonswhywhat shewasabout to do wasn’t a goodidea.Why,oh,whyhadsheagreed to live in Connor’shouse?Howwasshegoing
to keep her feelings secretwhen they were sleepingunderthesameroof?By the time Eve pulled
up to the back porch atKingdom Come, her mindwas racing with all thethingsthatcouldgowrong.The situation she’d putherself in was a disasterwaiting to happen. Shereached for her cell phonetocallConnorandtellhim
shecouldn’tdoit.Thensheremembered Brooke’s andSawyer’swoeful faces, andConnor’s fearful eyes, andrealized that she couldn’tabandonanyofthem.Connor wasn’t a bad
father. He was simplyinexperienced andoverwhelmed. If she spenttime at Safe Haven shecould help him discoverwhat he needed to know
and give the kids time tolearn to love him again.She’d hidden her love forConnor a very long time.She could hide it a littlewhilelonger.Besides, Connor had
offered Safe Haven as asanctuary for hermustangs, and she sawnoother way of saving them.She wasn’t entirely surethat offer would remain
open if she backed out ofhelping himwith his kids.Shewasoverabarrel.Outof options. Up the creekwithoutapaddle.Stuck.When Eve stepped into
the kitchen she could feelthe tension arcing asdangerously as a live wireamong her three sisters.Leah was leaning backagainst the sink, armscrossed.Taylorstoodatthe
end of the breakfast bar,fisted hands at her sides.Victoriasatperchedontheedge of a bar stool, herbackstiff.“What’s going on?” Eve
askedasshemovedtowardanemptyseatatthebar.“Just a small difference
of opinion,” Leah saidthroughtightjaws.“About what?” Eve
asked,lookingfromfacetotight-lipped face. “Let meguess. It has something todowithMatt.”“Bingo!”Victoriasaid.“I flew Daddy’s jet to
Texas with Vick,” Taylorsaid. “We were hoping atleastoneofMatt’ssiblingscould tell us why he lefthome twenty years ago.”Taylor had gotten herpilot’s license as early as
the law allowed. Sheworked as a pilot forwhoever would hire her,everything from crop-dusting to dumping fireretardanton forest fires tocorporate flights aroundthe world. She often flewKing’sjetforhimwhenhisregular pilot was onvacation.“What did Libby and
North have to say?” Eve
asked.“Nothing!Notadamned
thing,”Victoriasaid.“Thatmangy dingo is still acompletemystery.”“So what’s the problem
here?”Eveasked,hergazeskipping from Taylor’sballed fists to Victoria’stensed shoulders toLeah’scrossedarms.Taylor’s eyes narrowed.
“Leah wants us to leaveMatt alone. She saysDaddy’sworking on awayto fix things so we have aplacetogo,andweshouldwait and see how thatworks out before we turnourgunsonMatt.”Eve slid onto the bar
stoolnexttoVictoria.“Youshould listen to her.” Shepursed her lips wryly.“Daddy might not be able
to get you off if youactually end up shootinghim.”“This is no time for
jokes!” Taylor snapped,turningtoconfrontEve.“Iwant that bossy, high-handed, disgustingly self-satisfied intruder gone. Iwas hoping we coulddiscover what made Matttake off in the first placeandusethatinformationto
force him to leave again.Libby said she was gonefrom Kingdom Come acoupleofyearsbeforeMattdisappeared, and she hasno idea what happened.North told us to go homeand mind our ownbusiness.”“Maybe because he
doesn’t know anything,”Evesurmised.“Taylor thinks he’s
hiding something,”Victoriasaid.“I just wish we had a
clue why he left,” Taylorsaid, frustrationrife inhervoice.“King did something to
him,” Leah said in a quietvoice. “Somethingterrible.”All eyes turned to Leah
for an explanation of her
pronouncement.“How do you know
that?”Taylorasked.“You know how close
King came to dying lastyear,” Leah replied. “He’slucky to be alive. Everyother word out of hismouth lately hassomething to do withmaking amends. I thinkthat’s what bringing thiswayward son back is all
about. Making peace withMattwhile he still has thechancetodoit.”“Is the cancer back?”
Victoria asked, her eyesbleak.“As far as I know, he’s
stillcancer-free.”Victoria’squestionmade
Eve realize that, howevermuch they all mightcondemn their father for
what he was doing, theystill loved him.Maybe toomuch.Certainlymorethanhe deserved, after thewayhe’dabandonedthemmostof their lives. This latestbetrayal shouldn’t havesurprisedthemasmuchasit had. Maybe it was theenormity of it, the sheerunexpectedness of it.Whatever his reasons, Evewas as aggrieved as her
sisters over their father’streatmentofthem.“I’m asking you to be
patient,” Leah said. “Kingsays he has some big dealin the works, but it isn’tprogressing as fast as he’dhoped.”“When is this magic
bean supposed to growinto a beanstalk?” Taylordemanded.
Leah shrugged. “I don’tknow.”“What kind of
investment are we talkingabout?” Victoria asked. Itwasn’t a casual question.Victoria was a day traderonline and followed thestock and foreign marketsclosely.Apparentlyshewasgoodenoughat it tomakea comfortable living,because during the
summershevolunteeredasa smoke jumper and wasoff fighting forest fires alloverthecountry.“I don’t know,” Leah
admitted.“Hewouldn’ttellmethat.”“We’re just supposed to
trust that everything willturn out all right?” Taylorsaid.“It always has in the
past,”Leahsaid.“Vick and I don’t intend
to leave things to chance,”Taylorretorted.“Meaning what?” Leah
asked.“We’re going to do
whatever it takes to getMatt to go back where hecamefrom.”“I think that’s a
mistake,”Leahargued.
“Not thewaywe see it,”Taylorshotback.“What, exactly, do you
have planned?” Eve askedhersisters.Before either of them
could answer, Leah said,“They won’t tell me.” ShemetTaylor’sandVictoria’sgazes in turn and added,“But I’m sure it’ssomething they’ll regretonceit’sdone.”
“He deserves whateverhe gets,” Victoria saidsullenly.“What about his kids?”
Leah asked. “Do theydeservetobehurt,too?”Victoria lowered her
gaze to her hands. Taylorstared defiantly at Leah,then surprised Eve byturning to her anddemanding, “Are you withus?Ornot?”
“I’m moving outtonight.”Eve hadn’t meant to
blurt it out like that, butshedidn’twanther sistersthinkingshedidn’tsupportthem, even though shewasn’t sure she wouldhave.Leah unfolded her arms
and stood bolt upright.“What?”
“It’s not that I wouldn’tlike to help you,” she saidto Taylor. “But Matt gaveme a week to get mymustangs off the ranch.”She turned to Leah andsaid, “I don’t have time towaitforDaddy’sdealtogothrough, so I’ve madeotherplans.”“What plans?” Victoria
asked, coming off her barstool.
Eve realized she shouldhavekepthermouth shut.Sheshouldhavesaidshe’dgoalongandlethersistersfigure out later that shewasn’tgoingtobetheretohelp them in whateverperfidytheyintended.Nowshewasleftwithnochoiceexcepttoadmitwhatshe’ddone.“I made a deal with
ConnorFlynn. I’mmoving
in with him to help himtake care of his kids inexchange for him keepingmymustangsathisranch.”Leah’s face bleached
white. “You’re moving inwith Angus Flynn at theLucky7?”“God,no! I’mmoving to
Connor’s ranch, SafeHaven. It’s an old duderanchhe’sconvertedintoarefuge for veterans. I’ll
have—”“Are you out of your
mind?”Taylorinterrupted.“What on earth were youthinkingtoagreetosuchathing?”“IwasthinkingIneedto
save my mustangs,” Evesaid. “And I was thinkingBrooke and Sawyer Flynnneed someone to reassurethem that everything willbe all right while Connor
learns to be their fatheragain.”“Do you have to live
there?” Victoria asked,apparently aghast at thethought.“It’s an hour back and
forth to town. Stayingthere makes the mostsense.”“What does King think
about this arrangement?”
Leahasked.“He put me in this
predicament,” Eve replied.“He has no right to saywhat I can or can’t do togetmyselfoutofit.”“How about Angus?
Whatdoeshethinkof thisplan?”Taylorasked.“I have no idea, and I
don’t care. Connor and Iareadults.Wecandoaswe
like.”“Except you’re a
Grayhawk, andConnor’s aFlynn,” Leah remindedher.“Sowhat?”TaylorandVictoriaboth
laughed, but with scornand derision rather thanamusement.“Youreallythinkyoucan
just move in with Connor
Flynn and none of hisbrothers is going to say aword about it?” Taylorasked.“Whynot?”“How naïve can you be,
Eve?”Leahsaid. “This isaterrible idea. It could endverybadly.”“Nothingcouldbeasbad
as watching my herd ofmustangsgo to slaughter.”
Evemettheconcernedandconfused gazes of hersisters. “Besides, I can’tabandonMolly’schildren.”“Do you hear yourself?”
Victoria asked. “They’reMolly’s children, Eve. Notyours. They’llmanage finewithoutyou.”“Fineisn’tgoodenough,”
Eve shot back. “I loveBrookeandSawyer.Ican’tstand for them to be
unhappy. Right now theyneed me. I’m going to bethere for them, even if itmeans spending the nexttwo months living underthe same roof as ConnorFlynn.”Evedidn’twaitforoneof
hersisterstocomeupwithanother argument againstgoing to Safe Haven. Shemarchedoutofthekitchenwithherheadheldhigh.
SheheardTaylor callingafterher,“You’llbesorry!”Eve’s throat felt thick
and it hurt to swallow.Once she was out of sightsherandownthelonghalltoward the stairs, fightingtears all the way. Shehadn’t realized until itwasn’t there how muchshe’dhopedforhersisters’support.Eve heard raised voices
—Pippa and her fatherarguing—as sheapproached the grandstaircase and stoppedabruptlyintheshadowssotheywouldn’tseehertears.“Loweryourvoice,”Matt
hissed. “Do you want thewholehousetohear?”Pippa’s lowered voice
was still so intense thatEvehadnotroublemakingouthernextwords.
“Ihate ithere.Iwanttogohome!”“Youknowwhyyoucan’t
dothat.”“It’s not as though I’ve
committed some heinouscrime.I’mjustpregnant!”“With a married man’s
child,”Mattsnarledback.“Ilovedhim,”shesaidin
an achingly sad voice.“When I ran away with
him, I didn’t knowhewasmarried.Heliedtome.”“Thegossipwouldnever
have died in thatbackwater town. You’dhavebeenapariahtherestof your life. You know I’mright. It’s why you camewithmetoAmerica,evenifyou came kicking andscreamingthewholeway.”Pippa’s silence
confirmed the truth of
Matt’swords.“You can start over
here,”Mattcontinued.“Anddowhat?”“Whatever you want.
You can give up the babyforadoptionand—”“Stoprightthere.Is that
whatyouthought?ThatI’dgiveupthebabysonoonewould ever know what asinner I am? Think again!
I’m having this baby. AndI’mkeepingit!”“Pippa, you don’t know
whatyou’re—”Eve heard pounding
footsteps and realizedMatt’s daughter hadn’tstayed to argue. She’d runfrom the Great Roomtoward the north wing ofthehouse.Everemainedinthe shadows, hoping thatMatt would follow his
daughter rather than headdown the hall toward thekitchen. Otherwise, shewas liable to get caught.When he headed theopposite direction, shebreathedasighofrelief.Eve’s tears had dried.
Now she knew why atwenty-year-old womanhad followed her fatherhalfway across the world.Pippa had problems as
greatas—ormaybegreaterthan—herown.She feltanunwilling spurt ofsympathyforthegirl.Eve glanced toward the
kitchen, where her sisterswere busy plotting againstMatt, wondering if sheshould reveal at least oneof his reasons for comingto Wyoming, and realizedshe couldn’t do that toPippa.Thegirlwasentitled
tokeepher secret, at leastuntil it became impossibletohide.WhenEvewassureMatt
was gone, she ran up thestairs to her bedroom andthrewherselfontoherbed,hugging her pillow to herchest.Pippa’sproblemhadput her own situation inperspective. No life wasperfect.Therewerealwaysbumps in the road. The
challenge was whether—and how—you decided togetpastthem.Shewasn’tdoingthisfor
Connor. She was doing itfor Molly’s kids. And nooneandnothingwasgoingto stop her. Eve swiped ather teary eyes, got out ofbed, and began packing.She was halfway donewhensheheardaknockonherbedroomdoor.
“Whoisit?”“It’sme.”“Goaway,Leah.”“Weneedtotalk.”Eve surveyed the open
suitcaseonherbedandtheclothes strewn around theroom, which testified toherintentiontoleave,thencalled back, “You’re notgoingtochangemymind.”“MayIcomein?”
Leah had always beenthere when Eve was introuble. Not that she wasintrouble,exactly.Butshewas about to embark onwhat could only beconsidered a fool’s errand.Nothing Leah said wasgoing to change her mindsoshemightaswelllethersister dispense her sageadvice. She picked up apair of jeans she intended
to pack and said, “Comein.”Leah glanced at Eve as
shetookafewstepstowardEve’s cluttered bed. “Youseemtobepackingquiteabitofstuff.”“I want to make sure I
haveeverythingIneed.”“Givemeadaytotalkto
Matt,”Leahbegan.“MaybeIcangethimtochangehis
mind about keeping yourmustangshereatKingdomCome.”“Don’twasteyourbreath
asking for favors. Matt’severy bit as ruthless asDaddy.”Leah threaded her
fingers together,something Eve knew shedid to keep from fidgetingwhenshewasanxious.Shemet Eve’s gaze with
troubled eyes and said,“You can’t move in withConnorFlynn.”“Who’s going to stop
me?” Eve waited for thescaldingdiatribe sheknewwas coming. If King wasrabid on the subject ofFlynns, Leah was worse.Eve wasn’t sure what theFlynns had done to Leah,personally, to make herhate them. But someone
had done somethingsometime, because Leahwasmilitantaboutkeepingher sisters away fromthem.But Leah didn’t go after
the Flynns. She took acompletely different tack.Shesetherballedhandsonherhipsandsaid, “King isgoingtohavetenfitswhenhefindsoutaboutthis.”“Daddy’s made it clear
he can’t help me. ConnorFlynncan.”“YouknowKingwouldif
hecould.”“I know no such thing,”
Everetorted.“Now,ifMattwere the one in trouble, Ihave no doubt Daddywould figure out a way toloan him whatever heneeded.”“King doesn’t have the
money!” As soon as thewords were out of Leah’smouth, she clapped herhandsoverit.Eve sank onto the bed.
“You just got throughtellingTaylorandVickthatDaddy’s got somethingfinancial in theworks.Areyou saying now that hedoesn’t?”“What King told me
wasn’tmeanttobeshared.
Just know, a great deal isat risk. For all of us. Andforheaven’ssake,don’tsayanything about this toKing.”Eve’s mouth twisted
wryly. “I won’t be aroundtosayanythingtohim.I’mmoving in with ConnorFlynntonight.”“Does it have to be
tonight?”
“The light of day isn’tgoingtochangemymind.”Eve rose and beganpackingagain.“Is there something
romanticgoingonbetweenyou two?” Leah asked, afurrow of worry betweenherbrows.“What in theworldgave
you that idea?” Evesnapped.
“I have eyes, don’t I? Iwatched you yearn forsomebody else’s husbandall the years Connor andMollyweremarried.”Well. That was plain
speaking. Eve flushed.“There’s no great romancein the offing. Whatever Ifeel—or felt—doesn’tmatter. Connor doesn’tthink of me like that.” Toher great regret. “I’m
staying there strictly tohelphimwithhiskids.”“Wherewillyousleep?”“He’s got an extra
bedroominthehouse.”“Watch yourself, Eve.
You can’t trust a Flynn.Give him a chance andConnor will steal yourheart, then lie to you andletyoudown.”“Connor wouldn’t do
that.”“He was raised a Flynn.
They’re rotten, root tobranch.”“Just for the record, I
think you’re wrong. Atleast about Connor. I’veknown him a long time,andhe’snotlikethat.”“They’re all like that,”
Leahsaidflatly.“Whichoneofthemhurt
you?”Leah’sfaceblanched.“Aiden? Brian? Devon?”
Eve watched for somereaction,butshedidn’tgetit. Leah’s featuresremained as frozen aschiseled stone. “SurelynotConnor,” she said,horrified.“No, not Connor. Just
believemewhenIsaythat
the Flynn brothers aretrouble. Keep yourdistance. Protect yourheart. Don’t give one achance to disappoint you,and you won’t end updisappointed.”Eve stared at her eldest
sister. She’d had no ideaLeah had been hurt sobadly by one of AngusFlynn’s sons. Leah hadalways seemed so strong
and indomitable. Whenhadshegivenoneof themherheart?Andwhyhadhebroken it? Eve wanted tooffer comfort, but Leahhad erected an emotionalbarricade around herselfthat she’d never knownhow tobreach. She settledfor saying, “I’m sorry yougothurt,Leah.”Leahstiffened.Evewasn’t surewhether
heroldersisterappreciatedthe sympathy or wasappalledathavingrevealedsomuchofherveryprivatelife.Eveclosedhersuitcaseand zipped it up, then settherollerbagon the floor.“I’m out of here. I don’tenvy you having to dealwith Matt every day.Where do you think you’llgo when you have toleave?”
“I’mnotleaving.”That statement, made
with such certainty,flummoxed Eve. “How areyougoingtomanagethat?”A look Eve had seen
many times appeared onher sister’s face. “I don’tknow yet. But this is myhome.Byhookorbycrook,I’mstayingrighthere.”Eve grinned. “I do
believeMattGrayhawkhasmethismatch.”Leah shuddered.
“Heavenforbid.”Eve laughed. “I didn’t
mean it that way. I justmeant—”“I know what you
meant.”When Leah opened her
arms, Eve stepped closeenough to receive the hug
that had meant love andcomfort and safety all herlife.Leah was always there.
Always reliable. Alwaysavailable. It was good toknow there would alwaysbe one person who wouldstandbyherthroughthickandthin.“I’llmissyou,”Leahsaid
as she let Eve go. “Call ifyou need anything. I’ll be
righthere.”Herchin liftedas she added, “I’m notgoinganywhere.”A bubble of laughter
escaped Eve at the imageof Leah digging in herclaws like a cat caught inthe curtains and refusingtoleave.“Ishouldn’tlaugh.It isn’t funny. But it is. Iguess Daddy didn’t figureonyouwhenhegaveMatttheranch.”
“Be careful,” Leahwhispered as Eve headedout the door, trailing hersuitcasebehindher.“You,too,”Eveshotback
overhershoulder.
Chapter7
EVE AWOKE WITH a startwhen she turned over and
encountered a warm bodyinbedwithher.She’dbeendreaming of Connorkissing and caressing herand half expected to findhim there. She sat up, hereyesfullofsleep,herhairamass of rats’ nests, andsmiled ruefully as shesurveyed the two smallformsoneithersideofher.Not Connor, but Connor’schildren.Sometimeduring
the night Brooke andSawyer had found theirway into her bedroom atSafe Haven and into herbed.Eve slowly pulled her
kneesup, loopedherarmsaround them, then settledher chin on her knees towatch the two sleepingchildren with wonder.Brooke was lying on herback, her hair a spray of
chestnutonthepillow,herarmssplayedaboveheroneither side of her head.Sawyer was tucked into aball on his stomach, hisarms curled under him.She’d always loved Mollyand Connor’s children,always been fascinated bytheir enthusiasm for life,always been amazed bytheir curiosity, and alwaysbeen humbled by their
willingnessto lovewithoutlimits. Surely it wouldn’ttakelongforConnortowintheir trust again. Whichmeant she wouldn’t behere long enough to losethe battle with her goodsense,whichwarnedhertokeepherdistancefromthechildren’sfather.Eve’s gaze was focused
on Brooke and Sawyer, soshe wasn’t sure how she
knew she was no longeralone.WhenshelookedupshefoundConnorstandingin the open doorway. Hisgaze wasn’t directedtowardhischildren.Itwasaimedather.“Goodmorning,”hesaid
inahuskyvoice.He was bare-chested,
exposing every ridge in asix-pack belly and thepowerful curve of his
impressivebiceps.Shesawseveral long, ridged scarsrunning through the darkhair on his chest, whichshe presumed wereinjuries from the sameimprovised explosivedevice thathadcaused thewound on his forehead.Thefirsttwobuttonsofhisjeanswereundone so theyhung low, exposing hishipbones and a line of
down that began at hisnavelanddisappearedintothe worn denim.Her gazetraveled all the way downhis long legs to his barefeet and then back upagain.She had to clear her
throat to reply, “Goodmorning.”Eve hugged her knees
tighter to her chest, awarethatthewhiteT-shirtshe’d
worn to bed was thinenoughtoseethroughandthatallshehadonbeneathitwasapairofpinkbikiniunderwear.“I was worried when I
didn’t find the kids inBrooke’s bed,” he saidquietly. “I thought youmight be able to help mefindthem.”Eve felt her heart jump
when Connor’s eyes
remained locked on hers.She realized now thatbeing in Connor’s homewas fraught with a greatmany unexpected pitfalls,like being caught halfdressed in bed by a half-dressed man you secretlyloved. She felt her nipplespeak as her bodyrespondedtotheavid lookin Connor’s eyes. She toreher gaze away and
concentrated it on thechildren. They were thereason she was here. Theonlyreasonshewashere.“They look like sleeping
angels,”shesaid.Brookesuddenlyopened
her eyes and spotted herfather. At first she didn’tmove.Then she subtlybutsurelyinchedherselfcloserto Eve, wrapping one ofher tiny hands around
Eve’sankle.“Good morning, sweet
pea,” Connor said to hisdaughter, his voice gruffwithemotion.Eve watched him stuff
his hands in the backpockets of his Levi’s andfiguredhe’ddoneittokeephimself from reaching forhis daughter.Unfortunately for Eve, themove also outlined the
hardened shaft behind hiszipper.Evewas amazed athow little it had taken forhim to become aroused.On the other hand, ithadn’t taken more than alookfromhimforthesamething to happen to her.Except she loved him. Heonlylikedher.Hisreactionwasmerelyaphysiologicalmale response to a half-naked female. It could
have been any female. Itjusthappenedtobeher.She heard Leah’s
admonitioninherhead.Becareful.What if the children
hadn’t been here? Wouldhe have acted on hisattraction?Wouldshehaveactedonhers?Connor had already
admitted he wasn’t heart-
whole, that he was stillmourning Molly. Was shewilling to accept the littlebit of himself that he hadtooffer?Yes. I want him. I love
him.Shehadtheawfulfeeling
that a single look wouldhavebeenallheneededtohave her flat on her backthe instant they werealone.Pridekepther from
giving Connor anyencouragement.As Brooke sat up, Eve
brushed the little girl’sbangs away from her faceand said, “I was surprisedto find you here thismorning.”“MeandSawyerwokeup
and wanted to go home.We were looking for aphone to call Nana andBampa when we found
you.”EvesawConnorwinceat
hisdaughter’sexplanation.“I’mgladyoufoundme,”
Evesaid.“Areyougonnastaywith
usforever?”Brookeasked.Eve glanced at Connor.
“I’mhereforaslongasyouneed me.” And not onesecondlonger.Sawyer rolled over onto
his back, his feet flopping.He scrubbed at his eyes,then sat up and asked hisfather, “Can I havepancakesforbreakfast?”The matter-of-fact
statement made it clearSawyer’s hunger came alongwayaheadofanythingelse. Eve and Connorsmiledateachotherbeforeheanswered,“Sure.”“How about you,
Brooke?” Eve said.“Pancakes?”“With blueberries?”
Brookeasked.“We don’t have any
blueberries,” Connor said.Hehurriedtoadd,“ButI’llgetsomefornexttime.”Brooke scrambled
towardtheedgeofthebed.“Comeon,Sawyer.Let’sgogetdressed.”
Sawyerscuttledafterheronallfours.“I’ll come help,” Connor
said.Brookestoppedshort.“I
wantAuntEvetohelp.”If she’d been dressed in
decentpajamas,Evewouldhavegottenoutofbedandfollowed the little girl toher room. But she wasn’tabouttosticksomuchasa
naked toe out from underthe covers while Connorwas standing therewatching. “I need to getdressedfirst.”She should have known
betterthantotryreasoningwithafour-year-old.Brooke stomped her
foot.“No.Comenow.”Sawyer tried stomping
his foot but stumbled
sideways instead. Heended up clapping hishands.“Comenow!”Everealizedhermodesty
wasgoingtohavetosuffer.Sheshovedthesheetasideand heard Connor’s softgaspasshethrewherbarelegs out from under thecovers. She had a warmrobe, but she hadn’tunpackedit lastnight.Shehadn’t unpacked much of
anything, which was whyshe’d gone to bed in a T-shirt. She reached for herjeans,whichshe’d left inapile on the floor, steppedintothem,andpulledthemon,awarethatConnorwasstanding frozen on theothersideoftheroom.Whenshestoodupright,
shesawhisgazefalltoherchest, where her areolaswere clearly visible
through the thin cotton.Evefeltahotflushworkingits way up her throat. Shedidn’tbothertryingtofindher socks and boots, justran to the doorway,grabbed one hand of eachchild, and hurried themacrossthehalltowardtheirbedrooms.Over her shoulder she
said, “Why don’t you getthosepancakesstarted?”
Evesentthetwowashedanddressedchildrentothekitchen ahead of her,telling them to help theirfather set the table whileshegotdressed.Whenshearrived in the kitchen tenminutes later, she foundConnor dressed, the stovecold, thetablenotset,andboth children sitting onstools at the breakfast barwith half-filled glasses of
orange juice in front ofthem.She stopped short.
“What happened tobreakfast?”“Idon’thaveanyfoodin
the house,” Connoradmitted sheepishly. “Ididn’t count on having tocook.IfiguredthekidsandI could eat at the MainLodgewitheveryoneelse.”
Everealizedthatwasthesort of decision a manwithoutawifemightmake.But she was here now.There was nothing shecoulddothismorning,butshe was going to have atalk with Connor abouthow a family sat down tobreakfast.They put on jackets and
tooktheshortwalkalongastonesidewalktotheMain
Lodge, a log buildingwhere breakfastwas beingserved to guests at theranch. Connor held thedoor open as the twochildren skipped inside.Eve felt the heat of hishandwhenhelaiditonthesmall of her back as theyentered and walked morequickly to separate herselffromhistouch.Distance, she told
herself. Keep yourdistance.She was amazed at the
bustle in the dining room.At least two dozen men,some dressed likecowhands, some wearingmilitarydesertcamouflage,sat on benches on eithersideoflongtables.A Native American with
dark, lively eyes and blackbraids, wearing a cook’s
apron over a Pink concertT-shirtandapairof jeans,wassettinga largebowlofscrambled eggs on a tablewhereahalfdozenmensatwith plates full of everyimaginable breakfast food.No wonder Connor hadwanted to come here toeat.Ahugelogburnedinthe
river-rock fireplace, whichstood as tall as a man’s
shoulder, the chimneyclimbingall thewaytothetopofthecathedralceiling.Anenormousbuffalohead,scruffy enough to havebeen there for seventyyears, had been mountedabove the fireplace, and anewer-lookingbuffalohidelay on the stone floor infrontoftheflickeringfire.An exquisite Navajo rug
hung from one log wall,
while a Sioux war shirtmade of buckskin andbeads hung on another.Thechandelierabovethemwas made of mooseantlers. A window thewidth of onewall revealeda breathtaking view of avast evergreen forest thatbegan in the valley andspread across a farawayridge.Eve supposed that what
had been a place fortourists who wanted toexperience a taste of theAmericanWestmustseemlike glamorous fare for abunch of soldiers used todining in amess hall. Sheobserved the smiles andeasy camaraderie of themen eating breakfast—andthen became aware of theprosthetic arms and legsandtheburnscars.Oneof
the vets smiled and heldout his arms to Sawyer,who ran right up to him.The soldier lifted Sawyerfar above his head, wherethe little boy gurgled withexcitement.“Good morning, Pete,”
Connor said. “I see you’vemetmyson,Sawyer.”“Looks just like you,”
PetesaidashehandedtheboytoConnor.
Eve heard the pride inConnor’s voice as hereplied, “My wife alwayssaidso.”Brooke hung back by
Eve’s side, apparently shyof so many strangers. Eveledhertoatablewhereshesaw two booster chairs,obviously intended forConnor’s kids, clamped toone of the benches. Twomen were sitting on the
oppositesideofthetable.“Hello,” Eve said,
smilingatthementoshowBrooke there was nothingto be afraid of. “I’m Eve.”She lifted Brooke into oneoftheboosterchairsassheadded, “This is Connor’sdaughter,Brooke.”Shesatherself to the right ofBrooke, leaving the spacebetweenthekids’chairsforConnor.
One of the soldierssmiledback,theotherkepthis gaze on his food. “I’mFrank,” the smiling mansaid. He pointed with hisfork at the other man.“This is Jeff. He doesn’ttalkmuch.”Jeff’s face had been
ravagedbyfire.BeforeEvecould reply, Connorarrived at the table withSawyerinhisarms.Heput
Sawyer in the emptybooster chair and slid intothe spacebetween the twokids.The woman who’d been
doing the serving arrivedatthetablewithsilverwareandplates.“I’mMariaTwoHorses,” she said to Evewith a smile of welcome.“Connor’sprobablyalreadytoldyou,it’severymanforhimself.” She set down a
stack of plates and ahandfulofsilverware,thenadded, “Napkins andcondiments are on thetable.” Then she was goneagain as someone atanother table called formoreeggs.Thesamelargevarietyof
food thatEvehad seen onthe men’s plates sat inserving bowls and plattersinthecenteroftheirtable,
includingpancakes.“Do you still want
pancakes, Brooke?” sheasked.“Uh-huh,” Brooke said.
“With lots and lots ofsyrup.”FrankwinkedatEveand
said, “You’re a sight forsoreeyes.”Eve shot a glance in
Connor’s direction, but he
was busy cutting Sawyer’spancakes into bite-sizepieces.“Thank you,” she said,
feeling an unwanted blushriseonhercheeks.“Leave her alone,” Jeff
said.“She’sConnor’sgirl.”“I’mnot—”“I was just paying the
ladyacompliment,”Franksaid.
“And I said shut yourmouth.”Eve had grown up in a
housefulofwomen, so shewasn’t sure whether thosewere “fighting words” orjust a case of “guys beingguys.” She glanced atConnor and saw he wascalmly eating a forkful ofeggs.He swallowed his eggs
andsaid,“Sheisn’tmygirl,
Jeff. She’s just a friendwho’s here for a while tohelp me take care of mykids.Frankwasn’ttryingtostealheraway.”Jeffrose,takinghisplate
and silverware with him.He nodded in Eve’sdirection.“Sorry,ma’am.”“You don’t have to
leave,” she said as heheadedaway.
“Let him go,” Connorsaid. “He came home andfound out his girl had lefthim for another guy. Andthatwasbeforeshesawhisface.”“Oh,” Eve said. So there
were wounds, and therewere emotional wounds.Maybe the rosy pictureshe’d seen when she’dentered the lodge wasn’tthe whole story. She
supposed there must besome reason that each ofthese men had decided toescapefromtheworldforalittlewhile.Frank got up amoment
later, touched the brim ofhis Stetson inacknowledgment, thenpicked up his plate andsilverware. “Sorry for theruckus,ma’am.”“Eve,”shesaid.
He grinnedwith a greatdealofcharm.“Okay,Eve.”Before he left, he askedConnor, “Where do youwantmetoday?”“We’ll be moving a
bunch of wild mustangsonto the south pasturelater this afternoon. Whydon’t you check the fenceand make sure it’s notdownanywhere?”“Wheredidyoucomeup
with a herd ofmustangs?”Frankasked.“They’remine,”Evesaid.Frankliftedabrow.“Are
anybrokentosaddle?”Eve shook her head.
“Notyet.”FrankturnedtoConnor.
“Working with thosemustangsmight be a goodprojectforthemen.”“That’s up to Eve.
They’reherhorses.”Eve would have loved
having the mustangsbroken to saddle so theycould be adopted out togood homes, but she wasonepersonandthereweretwenty-twohorses,someofwhichwere still too youngto be ridden. She’d neverimagined having a bunchof veterans working withthem, but it seemed like a
good idea. Especially ifthey knewwhat they weredoing, or at least weresupervised by someonewho knew what he wasdoing.She studied Frank, who
was dressed in jeans andwestern boots. “Do youhave any experiencebreakinghorses?”“Yes, ma’am. I mean,
Eve. I grew up on a ranch
in Montana. I’m not anykind of horse whisperer,butIknowmywayaroundahorse.”Eve likedthe lookof the
man,andthefactthathe’dsoundedconfidentwithoutbragging, but she alsowanted to make sure heranimalswere safe. “Wouldyou mind if I work withyouatfirst?”Frank grinned. “I’d like
thatjustfine.”Eve turnedback in time
to see a funny look crossConnor’s face. Her gazeshifted to a middle-agedwoman headed straighttoward them. She lookedout of place dressed in atailoredgraypantsuitwitha feminine bow hangingdown the front of herpowder-blueblouse.Whenthewomanstoppedbehind
Connor, Eve smiled at herand said, “I’mEve. Idon’tthinkwe’vemet.”“No, I don’t believe we
have,” the matronlywomansaid.The moment she spoke,
Connor whipped around,lifting his feet over thebenchandnearlybumpinginto thewoman,who tookaquicksteptotheside.Heroseandsteadiedherashe
gathered Sawyer up like asack of clothes under hisarm. “Mrs. Stack. I wasn’texpectingyou.”“Obviously. Otherwise,
you would have made itcleartomewhereyouweregoing to be. I had to findout from your father thatyou’re not living either inthe home you sharedwithyourwife nor at the ranchwith your father, that
you’ve taken your childrento live somewhere elseentirely. Somewhere I’venever seen. Somewhere Ihaven’tvetted.”Thevisitorwasobviously
trying to control hertemper, but not doing avery good jobof it. It onlytook Eve a moment tofigure out who she was.The social worker. One ofthe conditions of Connor’s
custodyofhischildrenwasthathewouldbesubjecttovisits froma socialworkerwho would monitor thechildren’s welfare, at leastfor a while. It seemedConnor had gotten off onthe wrong foot with Mrs.Stack.“I didn’t think it would
matter where the childrenand I lived, so long as itwas similar to the other
two locations,” Connorsaid, keeping his voiceeven.“Are you going to
continuetoholdthatchildupsidedown?”sheasked.Connor shifted the two-
year-oldsohewasupright.From the smile onSawyer’s face, he hadn’tminded being held like afootball under his father’sarm. “My home here has
everything the other twohomes have,” Connorargued.“And something else
they do not,” Mrs. Stacksaid, eyeing the collectionofmen sitting at tables inthe lodge. “Why are yourchildren eating breakfasthere instead of in thehouse? Who are thesemen?”“Veterans,”Connorsaid.
“Mostly soldiers who’vefoughtinAfghanistan.”Eve saw the alarm on
Mrs. Stack’s face as sheasked, “What are theydoinghere?”“Resting and relaxing.
And working,” he added,when the look on Mrs.Stack’s face turnedvinegary.“Working at what?” she
askedsuspiciously.“They’re going to be
taming a band of wildmustangs for me,” Evevolunteered.That answer seemed to
satisfyMrs.Stack.But shedidn’t let Connorcompletely off the hook.“I’ll want to monitor thissituationclosely,”shesaid,nodding her chin in thedirection of the vets. “And
Iwanttoseethechildren’sbedrooms and the rest ofthehouse,immediately.”“Of course,” Connor
said.Eve rose. “I’ll take care
of busing the dishes whileyou show Mrs. Stackaround. Then I’ll bringBrooketothehouse.”They’d only taken two
steps when Mrs. Stack
turned back to Eve andasked, “Who are you,exactly?”“My name is Eve
Grayhawk.I’mheretohelptakecareofthechildren.”“Where are you
staying?”“Ihaveabedroominthe
house.”“Are you married, Ms.
Grayhawk?”
Eve couldn’t imaginewhyMrs.Stackwouldneedthat information, but sheanswered,“No,I’mnot.”Mrs. Stack turned to
confront Connor. “Youhave a single, young,unrelatedwoman living inthe house with you andyourchildren?”Connor blurted, “Eve’s
myfiancée.”
Chapter8
CONNORHADNO ideawhyhe’d lied to the social
worker.Lotsof folkshireda live-in nanny and manyofthemwereyoung,singlewomen. Mrs. Stack hadjust seemed so outragedthat he’d panicked. Hecouldn’t lose his children,not when he’d just gottenthem back. A millisecondafter he told the lie,Connor realized he shouldhave said Evewas helpingout because she was the
children’s godmother. Toolatenow.“Ididn’trealizeyouwere
engaged,” Mrs. Stack saidasshelookedfromConnortoEve.Connor glanced
sideways at Eve. Wouldshelettheliestand?Ifnot,wouldhebe inevenworsetrouble if he had tobacktrack and tell Mrs.Stackthetruth?
“Connor just proposed,”Eve said, embellishing hislie. “I haven’t even hadtimetotellmyfamilyyet.”Mrs. Stack raised a
brow. “A GrayhawkmarryingaFlynn?My,oh,my. Never thought I’d seetheday.”Connor felt his heart
sink as they put on theirjacketsandheadedbacktothehousewithMrs.Stack.
Heshouldhavethoughtofabetterlie.Orjusttoldthetruth.Theshitwasgoingtohit the fan when theirrespective families heardthenews.As Mrs. Stack stepped
inside the house she tookan appraising look aroundthe open living room andkitchen. Then she walkedstraight to the refrigeratorandopenedit.
Connor knew what shewould find and rushed tosay, “I haven’t stocked therefrigerator because Iplanned to have thechildren eat at the MainLodge.”“That will not do, Mr.
Flynn.Thechildrenneedahome, where they will eatand sleep. Speaking ofwhich, where are thechildren’sbedrooms?”
“Why don’t you showMrs. Stack where yousleep?” Connor said to hisdaughter.“Okay.” Brooke ran
downthehalltowardEve’sbedroom and disappearedinside.Connor exchanged a
lookofdismaywithEveashe tried to intercept thesocial worker. “That’sactually Eve’s room,” he
said as he gestured Mrs.Stack inanotherdirection.“These rooms across thehall belong to thechildren.”“Then why did Brooke
go into Ms. Grayhawk’sroom?”Connorwasn’tsurewhat
to say. What answer didthe social worker want tohear? What answer wouldmake her believe he was
doingthebesthecould?“Brooke and Sawyer
endedupinmybedduringthenight,”Evesaidwithasmile that made it seemthe most natural thing inthe world for his childrento abandon their beds forhers.“Besides being Connor’s
fiancée, I’m also thechildren’s godmother.Connor’s wife and I were
best friends. Brooke andSawyer knowme well andcame to my room whenthey woke up in anunfamiliarhouse.”Mrs.StackturnedtoEve
and asked, “Whyhaven’t Imetyoubeforenow?”“I’m a wildlife
photographer, and I’vebeen away fulfilling anassignment for NationalGeographic.”
Mrs. Stack’s narrow-eyedgazeshiftedfromEvetoConnor andback again.“Andyet,ayearafteryourbest friend’s death you’reengagedtoherhusband?”Eve ignored the
inferenceofwrongdoinginMrs. Stack’s question. “Ilovethechildren,andtheyneedamother.”Connor realized there
was nothing in Eve’s
statement about lovinghim. Nevertheless, Mrs.Stackseemedsatisfiedwithher answer. Which madeno sense to Connor.Wouldn’tamarriagebasedon love be more stable?Then he thought of hisbrother Brian, who’d beendesperatelyinlovewithhiswife when they’d married.She’d cheated on him andthen divorced him to be
withherlover.Apparently,romantic love was noguaranteeofforeverafter.Connor shot a
considering look in Eve’sdirection. He wondered ifshe would seriouslyconsider the sort ofpractical maritalarrangement she’ddescribed to the socialworker. With his myriadresponsibilities at Safe
Haven, he wasn’t going tohave many opportunitiestomeetapotentialwife.Amake-believe marriage,something to appease thesocialworker,mightnotbeabadidea.He was in no hurry to
fall in love again. Hemissed the closeness he’dhad with his wife, but heknewthatfindingsomeoneas special as Molly
wouldn’t be easy. Brian’smarriagewasproofofthat,ifheneededit.Hewasalsoaware that if Molly hadlived they might haveended up at odds. Hebelieved his sanctuary forveterans needed theisolation of a place likeSafe Haven. Molly hadyearned to live in a moremetropolitan area.He hadno idea how they would
have resolved such apotentially devastatingconflict. Better to findsomeone, like Eve, whoknew going in what heplanned.Connor wouldn’t have
gambled a dime on hischances of convincing Eveto agree to a marriage ofconvenience before MattGrayhawk had shown up.But she was about to be
thrown out of her home,not to mention needing aplace to keep hermustangs.Luckily forhim,he had an ace in the hole:She lovedhischildrenandwantedtobeapartoftheirlives.Eve had taken Sawyer’s
hand and the two of themhadjoinedBrookeinEve’sbedroom,withConnorandMrs. Stack right behind
them. Brooke was sittingcross-legged on the bed,and Eve sat down besideher settling Sawyer in herlap.Connor had a sudden
image of Eve’s long legsappearing from beneaththe covers that morningand his brief glimpse of apair of pink panties underher T-shirt. Eve’s breastshad looked pert beneath
thethincotton,thenippleserect. At the time, he’dwondered what it wouldfeel like to hold the softweight of them in hishands, to take one of thenipplesinhismouth.Connor swore as his
body responded to thevivid images in his head.He hid his arousal behindthe doorway and willedhimself to think of worms
andfishguts.“I’m sure the children
will adjust quickly to theirnew surroundings,” Evesaid as she brushed anerrantlockofdarkhairoffSawyer’s forehead. Shepulled Brooke close for ahug, and his daughterleaned close and laid hercheekagainstEve’sarm.“I can see the children
are comfortablewith you,”
Mrs.Stacksaid.SheturnedtoConnorandsaidbriskly,“I want to see theirbedrooms,andthenIwantto speak to the childrenalone.”He ushered the social
worker across the hall,showing her the roomshe’d prepared with suchlove and care for hischildren, awaiting herjudgment. Mrs. Stack was
thoroughandshe tookhertime.Eveand thechildrencame to join him in thehall. Eventually he pickedupSawyer,whowasrollingaround on the hallwayrunner, impatient to bedoing more than juststandingaround.“The children’s rooms
seem adequate,” Mrs.Stack announced aftershe’dexaminedthemboth.
“I’d like to speak to thechildrennow.”ConnorsetSawyerdown
asEvegavebothchildrenanudge and said, “Go withMrs.Stack.”The children
disappeared into Brooke’sbedroom with the socialworker while Connorpacedthehall.Hestoppedin front of Eve and said,“What do you think she’s
asking?”“Shewantstomakesure
the children are all right,Connor. And they are.There’s nothing for you toworryabout.”“Easyforyoutosay,”he
muttered.A few minutes later the
children reappeared,followedbyMrs.Stack.“I see no problems here
at the moment,” sheannounced. “But I willexpect to see a betterselection of healthy foodsintherefrigeratorthenexttimeIcome.”Connor had picked up
Sawyer and wascongratulating himself onhis clever ruse regardingEve’s presence when Mrs.Stack asked, “By the way,whenisthewedding?”
Connor turned to stareatEvewithhismouthhalfopen.“We haven’t set a date,”
Eve said, smiling at Mrs.Stack again. She took astep closer to Connor, slidher arm around his waist,andthenpressedherbodynext to his from breast tohip as though she’d beendoingitforever.Everypartof him lit up as though
she’d applied an electriccharge.Heslidhisfreearmaround her waist andrealized for the first timejust how small it was.Brooke glued herself toEve’s side so theypresented a united familypicturetoMrs.Stack.Connor forced a smile
onto his face as broad asEve’s and said, “You’ll bethefirsttoknow.”
Mrs. Stack headed forthe front door again, andConnor thought he mightbe home free, when shesuddenly turned back.Fortunately, he hadn’t letgoofEve,andshewasstillpressed down his very-aliverightside.“I have one more
question,” the socialworkersaid.“Whatdoyourfamilies think about this
union?”“Our families?” Connor
repeated to give himselftime to think of how toreply. If it happened, hisfatherwasgoing toblowagasket. His brothers weregoing to think he wascrazy, and he wasn’t sosurethey’dbewrong.“Theonly two people whoseopinionsmatterareBrookeand Sawyer,” he said. “I
believe you’ve seen howtheyadoreEve.”“Very good answer, Mr.
Flynn,” Mrs. Stack said.“But it avoids the issue Iraised, which is whetheryour families will supportyou. I suggest you pursuethe matter diligentlybetweennowand thenexttime I visit. I wouldn’twant the children to endup in a vise between two
powerful men like KingGrayhawk and AngusFlynn.”“Are you saying their
reaction to our weddingcould influence whether Iretain custody of mychildren?” Connor askedwithalarm.“Inaword,yes.”“That’s not fair!” Eve
said.“Connorcan’tcontrol
his fatheranymore than Icancontrolmine.”“Precisely,” Mrs. Stack
said.“SoIsuggestyoubothdo your best to convinceyour fathers to forgo theiranimosity toward oneanother when it comes toyourmarriage.”Mrs.Stackopened the frontdoorandsaid,“Tillnexttime.”“When will that be?”
Connorasked.
Mrs. Stack smiled. “Myvisitsareunannounced forareason,Mr.Flynn.”It aggravated him to be
watched like a hawkwhenother parents could raisetheir children withoutsomeonelookingovertheirshoulders. But if that wasthepricehehadtopay,hewaswillingtopayit.The instant the door
closed behind Mrs. Stack,
Eve said to Brooke, “Whydon’t you take Sawyer toyour room? I rememberseeing a brand-newboxofLegos in there. I’ll be insoon to see what you’vemade.”Brooke took Sawyer’s
hand and said, “Come on,Sawyer.Let’sgoplay.”Eve waited until they
disappeared into Brooke’sroom, then planted her
hands on her hips. “Areyououtofyourmind?Whydid you lie toMrs. Stack?Why would you tell herwe’reengaged?”“She caught me off
guard.Itwasthefirstthingthatcametomind.”Eve stomped across the
living room and thumpedherselfdownonthearmofthe couch. “How are yougoingtofixthis?”
“Actually, I wanted totalktoyouaboutthat.”Hetook the few stepsnecessarytostandinfrontof her. “How would youliketomarryme?”
Chapter9
EVE FELT LIKE she’d beensucker punched. “Never in
a million years would Imarry you!”Sheheldupafingerforeveryreasonwhya marriage between themwas impossible. “In thefirst place, I don’t loveyou.” Eve barely hesitatedoverthelie.“Inthesecondplace,youdon’tloveme.Inthethirdplace,ourfathershate each other’s guts.”Their siblings weren’t tookeenoneachother,either.
“If that weren’t enough,youwerewidowedbarelyayear ago.” Shepaused andadded,“Andyourwifewasmybestfriend.”When she had all five
fingersextendedsheclosedher hand into a fist. “Whyonearthdidyouask?”Andinsuchanunfeelingway?Througheyesblurredby
tears,shesawthatConnorhadhishandsoutstretched
in supplication. “Grantedthat wasn’t the mostromantic proposal awomaneverheard.”“You think?” she said
sarcastically.“Iwasn’tintendingtobe
romantic.”“Now you’re adding
insulttoinjury.”“Stop and think for a
moment, will you?” he
said, his voice suddenlysharp. “This could workout very well for both ofus.”Eve crossedherarms so
he wouldn’t see how herhands were trembling andstuckherchinintheairtomake the point that shewouldn’t be bullied. “I’mnotgoingtomarryamanIdon’t love.” It seemedimportant to make the
point that she didn’t loveConnor. She’dbeenhidingherfeelingswithoutahitchfor years. She didn’t wanttomakeamistakenowandaccidentally reveal thetruth.“Fine,” he said. “We’ll
keep pretending we’reengaged.”“What’s the point in
that?”
“You’re right. That’s notas good a solution asmarriage.”He tugged her hands
free and held them in his.Hisfingerswerewarmandstrong. She was staring attheirjoinedhandswhenhesaid,“Lookatme,Eve.”She lifted her gaze and
realized thathe’d letdownthe stone wall thatnormally kept her from
seeing what he wasthinking. His gazeremained locked on hers.“My children need amother. You and yourmustangs need a home. Ithink we could build agoodlifetogether.”She’d wanted to hear
words like those last fewfrom Connor Flynn for aslong as she couldremember. But thiswasn’t
the way she’d everdreamed of hearing them.She yanked herself freeand snapped, “You don’tknow the first thing aboutme.”“Iknowmychildrenlove
you. I know my wifethought the world of you.I’veenjoyedyourcompanyevery time we’ve been inthesameroomtogether.”“You’ve never seen me
mad, which I’m about toget right now if you don’tchange the subject.” Sheslipped past him andcrossed into thekitchen toput the width of thebreakfast bar betweenthem.Eve’s stomach was
roiling. The practicalmarriage Connor hadsuggested made perfectsense,butitstillbrokeher
heart to imagine amarriage based on logic,rather than love. Theproblem was that in lessthan a year she was goingto be without a home forherself and twenty-twowildhorses.Despitehavinga wealthy father, shewasn’t rich. She’d beenable to work as a wildlifephotographer becauseshe’d been living at
Kingdom Come. Rentswere sky-high in JacksonHole, because it was aplace where the wealthyhadsecondhomes.She had a week to find
somewhere temporary tograze her horses, and lessthanayeartomoveherselfand her mustangssomewhere less costly.Even a small apartmentwas an expense she
couldn’t afford. She couldaskhersistersforhelp,butshe didn’t want to do thatif she couldavoid it.Theirlives had also been turnedupside down, and theywere going to need everyspare penny to start overthemselves.Connor stood patiently
waiting for her to work itall out for herself, like ahunter certain his quarry
willbeforcedfromitsbolt-hole.The real problem was
that she wanted to beConnor’s wife. She’dwanted it all the years hewasmarried toMolly. Butnot like this. She didn’twanttobecomehiswifeina cold, calculated businessarrangement. Twice she’dsaidIdon’twanttomarrya man I don’t love, when
what she’d really meantwasIdon’twanttomarrya man who doesn’t loveme.“Before you reject the
idea of marriage entirely,hearmeout.”“I’vealreadyrejectedit.”He cocked his head,
stuck his hands on hiships, and waited. Andwaited.
“For heaven’s sake! Saywhatyouhavetosay.”“I need a partner, a
mother for my children.You need a place to keepyour mustangs, and if I’mnot mistaken, within thenext year, a home. Plainandsimple, it’samarriageofconvenience.”“It’s a marriage without
love.”
“Romantic love doesn’tguarantee a happymarriage,” Connor said.“My brother Brian was inlovewhen hemarried andit ended in bitterness andbetrayal. I like you andrespect you, Eve, and Ithink you feel the sameway about me. Am Iwrong?”She hesitated, then
shook her head. “No,
you’renotwrong.”“Mykidsadoreyou,and
Iknowyoulovethem.”Theonetrulygoodthing
about his suggestion wasthat shewould get to be amother to Brooke andSawyer. She already lovedthem, and she would loveto be their mother. Thenshe thought of what hehadn’t mentioned. Howdid sex fit into amarriage
ofconvenience?Shetookadeep breath and asked,“Are you intending this tobe a marriage in everyway?”“Will we have sex? I
hope so. When you feelcomfortablewiththatkindofintimacy.”He was putting the ball
in her court? She wanteddesperately to make lovewith Connor, but she
wanted it to be makinglove. She didn’t want it tobejustsex.“If we do this,” Connor
continued, “I want to tryand make it work for thelong haul. My kids needstability in their lives. Idon’t want them losinganothermother.”Eve’s brow furrowed.
“What you’re suggestingsounds a lotmore like the
real thing than a ‘make-believe’marriage.”“I guess it is,” Connor
conceded.“I still don’t seewhywe
have to be married,” shesaid stubbornly. “What ifyou fall in love withsomeone else? What if Ido?”“I was faithful toMolly,
andI’dbefaithfultoyou.”
She wished he hadn’tmentioned Molly. Shewished he hadn’t madefidelity sound like somemilitary duty. It seemedclear that, even thoughshe’d once covetedMolly’shusband, he hadn’t beenthe least bit interested inher. And apparently stillwasn’t.“You heardMrs. Stack,”
he continued. “She has
reservations about anunmarried woman livingwith me. If we’re notgetting married, I have tofind someone moreappropriate to help mewithmykids.”“You’dkickmeout?”“You’ll always be the
children’s godmother. I’dnever keep you fromspending time with them.But I have to do what’s
bestformychildren.”Eve noticed he hadn’t
brought up the issue ofwhether her horses couldstay, but the truth was,they were herresponsibility. She neededto be wherever they weretotakecareofthem.Ifshedidn’t agree to marryConnor and stay at SafeHaven, she had one weekto move them somewhere
else.Eve was trapped as
surely as a treed wildcat.She could snarl and hissand bare her teeth all shewanted. The bayinghounds weren’t goinganywhere.Whichmeantshehadto
considerConnor’sproposalseriously.“Even if you get me to
agree to this lunatic idea,what about our fathers?They’re going to go aftereach otherwith both gunsblazingandmakeourlivesunbearable.”“We’ll talk them around
totheidea.”She laughed, but the
soundwasmorehystericalthan amused. “You don’tknowmyfather.”
“We don’t owe anythingto our fathers. All thatmattersiswhatwewanttodo.”“What about your
brothers?Andmysisters?”A pained expression
crossedhisface.“Thisisn’ttheirdecisiontomake.It’sours.Ineedyourhelp,Eve.My children need amother.Pleasesayyes.”
She was tempted. Thechildren gave her theperfect excuse to marryConnor,ifsheneededone.Buttherealreasontheideaappealedtohersostronglywas that she’d have a lotbetter chance of Connorfalling in love with her ifthey lived under the sameroof than if they endedupacross the country fromeachother.
“All right,” she said. “I’lldoit.”“I’mglad.”Evefeltaqualmwhenhe
merely looked relieved,rather than happy. “Howare we going to introducethe idea of a marriagebetween us to ourfamilies?”“We’ll have to tell them
something soon,” he said.
“I suspect Mrs. Stack hasalreadyspreadthewordofour notoriousengagement.”“What’s your father
going to think about yougetting married barely ayear after Molly’s death?”Eveasked.“He won’t understand,”
Connorsaidflatly.“Whynot?”
“My mother died whenDevon was born. I alwayswished my dad wouldremarry, so I couldhaveamomlikeotherkids.WhenI asked him about it, hesaid he could never loveanotherwomanasmuchashe loved my mother, sowhatwasthepoint?”Eve felt the blood
draining from her face.Wasitacaseoflikefather,
like son? Was that whyConnor was so willing tosettle for a marriage ofconvenience? Had hisheart been irreparablybroken by Molly’s death?Washeunwilling to fall inloveagain?Eve realized the terrible
position she was puttingherself in. She alreadylovedthechildren,andshewouldonlylovethemmore
as time passed. What ifConnor never fell in lovewith her? Staying marriedto him would be agony.Leavingthechildrenwouldbe even worse. She mightbe making a terriblemistake. But it was a riskshehadtotake.“Are you sure you want
to do this?” she asked,giving Connor one lastchancetobackout.
“Ithinkthiswillworkforbothofus.I’mgameifyouare.”Evecouldhardlybelieve
they were going throughwiththiscrazyscheme.I’mgoing to marry ConnorFlynn. She felt giddy.Andterrifed.Andhopeful.Andterrified.“Whatareyourplansfor
today?”sheasked.
“Just moving yourmustangs onto the ranch.How do you want to dothat?”“Let’s drop the kids off
with Leah. Thatway I canhelp you with theroundup.”“What’s Leah going to
think about getting stuckbabysittingmykids?”“Who do you think took
careofBrookeandSawyerwhen you were overseasand Molly and I went outfortheevening?”“Leah?” he guessed. “I
supposethekidsknowherandloveher.”“EveryonelovesLeah.”“NotmybrotherAiden,”
Connormutteredunderhisbreath.“Whatdidyousay?”
“Nothing.”Connor’s unwitting
revelationsuggestedthatitwas Aiden, the eldest son,who’d given Leah such ahatred of Flynns. Wherehad Aiden and Leahcrossed paths? When hadtheir romance occurred?Andwhathad sheand theotherBratsbeendoingthatthey’dnevernoticedLeah’spain?
Eve felt discouraged.HowcouldsheexpectKingand Angus to forgive andforget when, now that sheknew the pain Connor’sbrother had caused Leah,she wanted to hurt himback.“Since we’ll be at
Kingdom Come to collectmymustangs,Isupposeweshould stop by the BigHouseandbreak thenews
of our engagement to myfamily,”shesaid.“Are you sure that’s a
goodidea?”“You said yourself our
engagement isn’t likely tobeasecretforlong.”Connor shoved his
hands into his pockets,then pulled them out andshoved them through hishair. “When was the last
time a Flynn crossed yourthreshold?”“When your aunt Jane
leftforthelasttime.”“YoucanseewhyImight
bealittleleeryofstoppingoff tosay, ‘Oh,bytheway,King, I’m going to marryoneofyourdaughters.’ ”EvelookedintoConnor’s
worried blue eyes andshrugged. “What’s the
worsthecando?”“Ishuddertothink.”“There’s nothing more
hecan take fromme,”Evesaid,realizingasshesaiditthatitwastrue.“Mysistersloveme. They wantme tobe happy. They’ll go alongwithwhateverIdecide.”“And if they don’t? Can
youbehappywith justmeandthekids?”
Eve wished he hadn’tasked. “I think so. I hopeso.”“You don’t sound very
sure.”“What do you want me
tosay,Connor?”Hewas silent for a long
time. Finally he said, “Ifyou agree to marry me,Eve, I promise I will doeverything inmypower to
makeyouhappy.”Eve wondered if that
included loving her asmuch as he’d lovedMolly.Butshedidn’task.
Chapter10
“IABSOLUTELYFORBIDit!”“I’m engaged to marry
Connor Flynn, and there’snothing you can do aboutit.”Eve’sheartwasbattering
against her chest as sheconfronted her father. Shehadn’tgottenthechancetobreak the news to himgently. One of his cronieshadcalled toguffawaboutthe fact that one of hisdaughters was marryingone of those wild Flynn
boys. King had called herand demanded anexplanation.Eve had refused to talk
over thephone.Frompastexperience she knew herfather was far more likelyto be lenient—that is tosay,shewasfarmorelikelyto get her ownway—whenhe could see her slumpedshoulders and repentanttears while her voice
cracked with regret.Except, in this instance,she felt a great deal moreconfrontational thancontrite.“Letmecomewithyou,”
Connor offered when shetold him what hadhappened. “We shouldbroachhimtogether.”Eve recognized the
humor of the situation.Connor was talking as
though King stood atop acastle wall that had to beknocked down to reachhim.“Iwouldn’tputitpastmyfathertoaimashotgunat you to keep you out ofhis house,” she replied.“Letmedothis.Iknowmyfather. King Grayhawkdoesn’tliketobethwarted,buthe canbemade to seereason.”When she arrived at
Kingdom Come, alone,Leahmetheratthekitchendoor with her balled fistson her hips and said,“What have you done?King’sonthewarpath.”“I’ll talk to you later,”
sheanswered,pausingonlylong enough to throw hercoat on a wooden rackinside the back door. Sheheaded straight to thelibrary and found her
fathersittinginhisfavoritecowhide chair behind anancient, spur-scarred oakdesk,awhiskeyinhand.Eve had often faced her
fatheracrossthatdeskasaquivering child. King’sword was law, and whenthe law was broken,punishmentwasquickandcertain.She’d realizedat ayoung age that King wasfarlesslikelytobeupsetif
itwassomebodyelse’slawsshe’dtransgressed.Solongassheobeyedhisrules,shecould pretty much do asshepleased.Unfortunately, his most
important rule was Stayaway from those Flynnboys, and she’d brokenthatlawwithavengeance.“Please, Daddy,” she
said,placingherhandsflaton his desk and leaning
toward him, “won’t youlisten to why I gotengaged?”Heshooedherawaywith
hisfreehandasthoughshewere a bothersome fly.“Your reasons don’tmatter. I refuse to berelated in any way, shape,or form to that connivingscoundrel who’s done hisbest to make my life anightmare ever since I
divorcedhissister.”Evesettled inthesturdy
leather chair in front ofKing’s desk, which waspurposely low enough tomakewhoeversatinitfeellikehewasasupplicant tothethrone.“I’mengagedtomarry Connor because hischildren need a mother. Idon’tlovehim.”“Is that supposed to
make me feel better?” he
said, slamming hisemptied whiskey glass onthe desk so hard the icecubes clinked against thecrystal.“Whatthehellkindofmarriageisthat?”“Thepracticalkind,”she
retorted. “In case you’veforgotten,Inolongerhaveahome.Inolongerhaveaplace to range mymustangs.Ineedboth,andConnor’sofferedtoprovide
them.”“So he’s buying your
cooperation?”Eve’s face flamed, but
she kept her voice steadyas she said, “We’re eachgetting something wewant. And I love hischildren.”“But not their father?”
Kingqueried.When she didn’t reply,
he said, “Don’t do it, Eve.I’vebeendownthatroad.Ipromise you, you’ll regretit.”It was the first time her
father had revealed anysort of regret over hismultiple marriages. Evenso, she wasn’t sure if hemeant she’d regretmarrying Connor, or thathe’d make her regretmarryingConnor.
“There’s nothing moreyou can do to hurt me,Daddy.” The angst in hervoice made it plain thathe’d already done enoughtohurtherplenty.Eve saw the frustration
on her father’s face whenherealizedhehadnothingto use for leverage to gether to obey him. She hadno trust fund he couldcontrol. He’d already
kicked her out of houseandhome.Matthadforcedher tomove hermustangsofftheranch.Therewasnoother pressure he couldbringtobeartoenforcehiswill.Eve suddenly noticed
two small feet sticking outfrom under the curtainsthatwerepulledbackfromthe large picture windowbehind King. She pointed
andsaid,“Wereyouawarewehavecompany?”“What?” King swiveled
hischairaroundtofacethecurtains and frowned atthe pair of small cowboyboots that stuck out frombeneath them. “Come outandshowyourself,boy.”For a moment, Matt’s
son didn’t move. Then heshoved his way out frombehind the forest-green
brocade drapes and stoodwith his hip cocked so theshorterlegheldmostofhisweight.Hewas dressed ina miniature version ofwestern gear, including along-sleeved western plaidshirt, Levi’s held up by atooled leather belt, andostrichcowboyboots.“How long have you
been hiding back there?”Kingasked,hisvoicestern.
“A little while,” Matt’sson replied in a quaveringvoice. “Iwasplayinghide-and-seek.”“With whom?” King
demanded in a boomingvoice.“Nobody,” the boy
admitted. “I just like tohide and see how long Ican stand still before I’mdiscovered.”
“It’s not polite toeavesdrop on a privateconversation,” King said.“Does your father approveofthiskindofbehavior?”“He doesn’t like it. But
sincehe’sgonemostofthetimeworking,andPippaisusually busy, I get awaywithalotofstuff.”Evewondered if thesix-
year-old knew how muchhe’d revealed in that little
speech.Afathergonemostof the time working? Asister too busy to keep aneye on him? He soundedlikeanabandonedchild.ItseemedMattwasfollowinginKing’sfootstepsinmorewaysthanone.Kingreachedoutahand.
“Comehere,boy.”“Mynameisn’t‘boy.’It’s
Nathan.”
Eve watched the smileflicker across her father’slips before he said, “Comehere,Nathan.”Theboytooktwohalting
steps that put him evenwith King’s knees beforeKingpickedhimupandsathimonone.“Do you know how to
ride horseback, Nathan?”Kingasked.
The boy nodded. “But Idon’trideanymore.”“Whynot?”“Igot thrownandbroke
myleg.That’swhyIlimp.”“Would you like to go
ridingwithmesometime?”Kingasked.Nathan shook his head.
“I’m afraid of horses. Mydad says I’m foolish. Thatyouhavetofaceyourfears.
ButI’mtooscaredtoride.”Evemetherfather’sgaze
aboveNathan’shead.Howoften had she heard Youhave to face your fearsfrom her father’s lips?Moretimesthanshecouldcount.“You have any objection
to cleaning out stalls?”Kingasked.The little boy looked at
King with wide eyes. “No,sir.”Eve noticed the
appended “sir” andrecognized that form ofaddress as something elseshe’d grownupwith.Kinghad wanted that label ofrespect added to everyresponse. Eve had neverdone it, not if she couldhelp it. She’d answered“yes” and hesitated,
waitingforKingtodemandthe “sir.” Half the time helet it slide, because thatwaseasierthanmakinganissue of the fact that shewasdefyinghim.Maybe there was a
reasonshewasconsideringmarriage to a Flynn whennone of her sisters haddared. Eve had a suddenthought. Was that whyLeah had ended upwith a
brokenheart?Becauseshewasn’t ready to defy Kingand marry a Flynn?Knowing Leah as she did,it seemed far more likelythat Aiden had backedaway,unwillingtofighthisfather to marry aGrayhawk.Eve wondered how her
marriage to Connorwouldaffect all the bad bloodbetween his siblings and
hers.Makeitbetter?Makeit worse? The possibilitiesweremind-boggling.Eve realized she’d lost
track of King’sconversation with Matt’sson.“You’re big enough to
have a job,” King said toNathan.“Iam?”King nodded. “From
now on, every morningafterbreakfast, Iwantyoutoshowupatthestable.”Thelittleboy’swideeyes
were focused steadily onKing.“Why?”“Because it’sgoing tobe
your job to helpmuck outthestalls.”“I’mtoolittle—”“You’re six, right?” King
said.
“I will be in April,”Nathan replied. “That’swhy I’m not in first gradeyet.”“What about
kindergarten?”Eveasked.“Dad said I didn’t have
togoback tokindergartenagain this year. I can juststartfirstgradeinthefall.”Eve thought that was
shortsighted. Nathan
might not need what hewould learn inkindergarten,buthewouldhavemetkidshisownagewith whom he could playand become friends, so hewasn’t so alone in a newplace. Unless Matt didn’tplan to be here that long.Was there any chance hedidn’t plan to stay thewhole year? Could Matthavecomehereforreasons
thathadnothingtodowithclaimingtheranch?Eve was still examining
that novel idea when sheheardPippayellingforherbrother.“Nathan! Where are
you?”The library door flew
open, and Pippa stoppedcold in the doorway. Herjawdroppedwhenshesaw
where Nathan was sitting.“You’re supposed to beplaying inyourroom,”shechided. “Come on. Let’sgo.”Without aword,Nathan
slid off King’s knee andheadedforthedoor.Whenhe got there, he stoppedand turned back to King.“Areyougonnabethere?”“Bewhere?”
“At the stables, to showmewhattodo.”“Of course,” King said.
“Howelseareyougoingtolearnhowtodoitright?”Pippaputahandonher
brother’s shoulder andushered him from theroom without sayinganother word, closing thedoorquietlybehindher.“Are you seriously going
to muck out stallstomorrow morning withthatlittleboy?”Eveasked.“That little boy is my
grandson, and that’s asgoodawayasanytospendtime with him. He’s goingtoneedtobeabletorideifhe’sgoingtotakeoverthisranch one day. The moretime he spends aroundhorses,thesoonerhe’llgetoverhisfearofthem.”
Eve stared at her fatherindisbelief. “Doyoureallybelieve Matt’s going tostay? That he won’t sellthis place the moment it’shis?”“Mark my words: He
won’t sell. My family’sbeen on this ranch forgenerations. A Grayhawkshouldbe running itwhenIdie.”“What about me? What
about Taylor or Vick?What about Leah, forheaven’s sake? Didn’t youthink one of usmight liketoruntheranch?”He looked stunned, as
thoughtheideahadnot,infact, occurred to him. “Ifigured you’d all getmarried and be mothersand—”“What century are you
livingin?”
“This one!” he snapped.“Are you or are you notabout to get married andbecomeamother?”He had her there. Eve
glaredathim.Ifshehadn’tbeen desperate because ofKing’s deal withMatt, shemightnothaveendedupinthe situation she was in.Honestly, she wouldn’thave wanted to run theranch, but she felt sure
Leah would have jumpedatthechance.Andifoneofher sisters had ended upowning the ranch, sheknew she would alwayshavebeenwelcomethere.Which wasn’t the case
now.It hurt to know that her
fatherfavoredMattandhissonoverhisdaughtersandstepdaughter. She feltenviousof the six-year-old
whowasgoingtomuckoutstalls with her father. Itsounded dumb, but Kinghad never done anythingremotely likethatwithherorhersisters.It must have been the
bout with cancer that hadchanged him. All this talkabout ranching dynastiesand inheritances andhaving a Grayhawk atKingdomComehadstarted
upafterhe’dcomeface-to-facewithhismortalityandsurvived. But he hadsurvived, so why all thisplanningforafuturewhenhewouldn’tbearound?She blurted, “Is the
cancerback?”“What makes you ask
that?”“Inoticeyoudidn’tdeny
it,” she said, over the
sudden constriction in herthroat.“Don’tworryaboutme,”
hesaid,againavoidingthequestion. “Worry aboutyourself. Think long andhard before you marryConnor Flynn. That manhas problems you can’timagine.”“What are you talking
about?”
“Why do you think he’srunning that ranch of hisas a refuge for troubledvets?”Eve was shocked that
her father knew Connorhada ranch, letalone thathe’d planned it as asanctuaryforveterans.“Hehasakindheart,”Evesaid.“He killed his best
friend.”
Eve’s stomach clenched.She didn’t contradict herfather, because shecouldn’t. She’d knownConnor had been atortured soul sincereturning home, but shehadn’tknownwhy.“Wheredid you hear that?” sheaskedinameasuredvoice.“Ihavemysources.Just
be careful, girl. ConnorFlynn is a man fighting
demons.”Sherosewithoutanother
word and left the library.Who was King Grayhawkto be accusing Connor ofbeing adisturbed veteran?If anyone had been actingcrazy,itwasherfather.Eve raced toward the
kitchen and the certainhopeofcomfortfromLeah.She was fighting panic bythe time she shoved her
way through the swingingdoor. She opened hermouth to complain aboutKing and snapped it shutagain.Leahwasn’talone.
Chapter11
TOEVE’SDISMAY,Leahwasstanding in the middle of
the kitchen floor arguingwithConnor,whowasstillwearing his coat. Brookeand Sawyer weren’t withhim.“What are you doing
here?” She’d beenregretting her decision toleaveConnor at homeandwishingshehadhisstrongarms around her, andsuddenly,therehewas.Connor whipped his
headaround,tookonelookat the tears swimming inher eyes, and said, “Whatthehelldidhedotoyou?”Hescowledasthefirstteartrickled onto her cheek. “Ishouldneverhave left youtofaceyourfatheralone.”Connoropenedhisarms,
and Eve walked right intothem, seeking the comforthe offered. She slid herarmsaroundhiswaistand
pressed her nose againsthisthroat,lovingthefeelofhis solid strengthsupporting her and theintimacy of his bristledcheekagainstherskin.This was what she’d
imagined it might be likeall those years when she’dstood on the sidelineswanting what she couldn’thave.The realitywas evenbetterthanshe’dimagined.
“Are you all right?” hewhisperedinherear.“I’m fine.Whereare the
kids?” she asked as sheleanedbacktolookintohisconcernedeyes.“I left them with Aiden
andBrian.”From the corner of her
eye,EvesawLeahwinceatthe mention of Aiden’sname. Eve felt a wave of
compassion for her sisterbut remained in the circleofConnor’sarms.Connor continued,
“When I dropped the kidsoff my family was still inthe dark about ourengagement. I figured wecould give them the newswhenwepickupthekids.”Eve’s heart sank. She
hadnodesiretobecordialtothatmalewolfpack,but
sinceshewasnowengagedto one of them, shecouldn’tverywellshowupsnarling. This marriagebusinesswasgetting reallycomplicatedreallyfast.Shemadeherself stepback, soConnor’s arms fell away.“We’dbettergo.”Connorgrabbedhercoat
from the rack and held itso she could put her armsintothesleeves,acourtesy
she’dseenhimperformforMolly on countlessoccasions. His gazeremainedonherfaceasheadjustedthecollar.Evefeltwarm all over. She hadn’trealized that once Connorfelt committed he wouldtreat her with all the careand attention he wouldhave given to her if shewerealreadyhiswife.She felt like a traitor to
her family, because sheliked one of those awfulFlynn boys a lot. Okay.Fine. She loved one ofthose awful Flynn boys.Only he wasn’t awful. Notanymore.Nottoher.Eve saw the frown on
Leah’s face and knew hersister thought Connor wasacting, that his behaviorwas false, that no Flynncould be trusted. Eve
couldn’tallowsuchdoubtsto take hold. She had togive all of herself toConnorandbelievethat,inthe end, he would be abletoloveher.Otherwise,thismarriage was doomedfromthestart.Connorwasreachingfor
the doorknob when Mattpushed thedoor open andsteppedinsidethekitchen.The shoulders of his
shearlingcoatwerelayeredwith snowflakes, and hepulled off his Stetson andslappeditagainsthisjeanstoriditofthesnowcaughton the brim. He stoppedcold when he saw who’dcometovisit.“Well,well.Howareyou,
Connor?”The twomendid one of
those male embraceswhere they bumped
shoulders and slappedeachotherontheback,bigsmilesonbothfaces.“Long time no see,”
Connor said. “I figured I’dlet you get settled before Igave you a call. How areyou,Matt?”MattshotalookatLeah
and Eve before he said,“Notbad.”Eve had been expecting
animosity,butthetwomenhadgreetedeachotherlikeoldfriends.Thenithither.Matt’s mother andConnor’s father had beensister and brother, whichmadethetwomencousins.It had never occurred toher that her elderGrayhawk siblings mightnot shareKing’s aggrievedattitude—which hadbecome her attitude, and
that of her sisters—towardAngusFlynn andhis sons.She’dneverconsideredthefact that,beforeher fatherdivorced Jane Flynn, thecousins might have beenclose.“Are you two friends?”
Eveblurted.Connor turned to her
and said, “Matt’s mom—my aunt—was living withus—” He cut himself off,
hesitated, then finished,“At the end. Matt sharedmany a supper at ourtable.”Eve shot a look atMatt.
Itwasthefirstinformationany of them had gleanedabout Matt’s life beforehe’d lefthome.NowonderAngus was so angry atKing.Apparentlyhe’dbeena witness to his sister’sdeterioration and, very
likely,herdeath.Eve did the math and
realized Connor wouldhave been a ten-year-oldwhen Matt left home atseventeen, which was thesame year Matt’s motherdied.Connorhadbeenoldenoughtogrievethelossofhis aunt, with whom itseemed all of the Flynnboyshadbeenclose.“We’ve missed you,
Matt,”Connorsaid. “Whathave you been doing withyourselfalltheseyears?”“Thisandthat.”Evewasn’t surewhether
Matt had been vaguebecause it would havetaken too much time toexplain,orbecausesheandLeahwerestandingthere.“Eve and I just got
engaged,” Connor
announced.“Congratulations.” Matt
reached out to shakeConnor’shand.“Ihopeyouknowwhatyou’redoing.”She saw Connor’s lips
twist ruefully, concedingthe difficulties that werebound to result from aGrayhawkhitchingupwithaFlynn,nottomentionthesheer number ofcompromises and changes
that occurred when twopeoplemarried.“Eve just told King the
goodnews,”Connorsaid.Matt eyed her
speculatively. “How didthatgo?”“About how you’d
expect.” She wasn’t anymore willing to shareinformation with Mattthanhewaswithher.
“Don’t forget I needthose mustangs off mylandthisweek,”Mattsaid.Evebristled tohearhim
call Kingdom Come “myland.”Butshesimplysaid,“Don’tworry.Myherdwillbe gone by the end of theday.”“Maybe not,” Connor
said.“What’s the problem?”
Eveasked.“Imadearrangementsto
use a friend’s tractor-trailer, sincewe’removingtwenty-two animals. I justgot a call that it’s notavailableuntiltomorrow.”“There’ll be a foot of
snow on the ground bytomorrow,” Matt said,glancing out the kitchenwindow, where snow wasfalling in large, beautiful
flakes.Aspringsnowstormwas
nothingoutoftheordinaryin Wyoming, but it wasgoingtomakeroundingupher mustangs a lot harderif they had to do it with alot of fresh snow on theground.“Daddy has a tractor-
trailer,”Leahsaid.EveturnedtoMatt.“Any
problemifweusethat?”She felt her blood
pressure rise every secondMatt hesitated. To hersurprise, theanswerdidn’tcomefromMatt.“Use it,” Leah said. She
lookedatMatt andarchedabrow.“Doyouwantthosemustangsgone,ornot?”“Takeit!”Mattsnapped.“I’ll make sure it’s
parkedbytheloadingpenswhen you get there,” Leahsaid,ignoringMatt.Evewashalfwayout the
door when Connor turnedback to Matt. “Youshouldn’t have come back,Matt.Youcan’tundowhathappened.”He’d already pulled the
door closed behind himbeforeEvehadachancetoreacttowhathe’dsaid.
She stopped on thecovered back porch. “Whyshouldn’t Matt have comeback?”“If Matt wants you to
know why he left, or whyhe came back for thatmatter,he’lltellyou.”“Youshouldn’thavesaid
anything if you weren’tgoing to spill the beans,”she said irritably. “I don’tlikesecrets.”
“I’ll remember that,” hesaidwithawry smile. “Nosecrets.”Eve felt a spurt of guilt.
She’d been keeping apretty big one for a verylong time. Maybe Connorhad, too, if her father wasright and he’d killed hisbest friend. An accident?Friendly fire? Or did herfather mean killedfiguratively, as in,
something Connor haddone had resulted in hisfriend’sdeath.“We’dbetter getmoving
if we’re going to beat thesnow,” Connor said,makinghershiverwhenheset his hand on her nape.He ushered her to herpickup and opened thedoor, then lifted her withbothhandsatherwaist,asthough she weighed
nothing,andgentlysettledherinthedriver’sseat.Eve had never felt so
precious. She wanted toreach out and smooth thelockofhair fromConnor’sforehead, but it felt likesomething only a loverwoulddo.Sheheldherselfback because she didn’twant to give him anyreason to suspect that herfeelings ran much deeper
than his. She felt far toovulnerabletoshowhimshecared. Besides, he mightbegin towonder justwhenher feelings for him hadgrownsostrong.Ittookanhourforthem
to get back to Safe Havenin their separate vehicles,andanotherthirtyminutesto collect three volunteercowhands and trailer thehorses they would be
ridingontheroundup.“Thesnow’sreallyfalling
hard,” Eve said, biting herlip as she surveyed thelandscape on the driveback to Kingdom Come.Thewindhadwhippedup,andvisibilitywaspoor.“You want to ask Matt
forextratimetomoveyourmustangs?” Connor asked.“Afterall,whatcanhedoifthey’re not gone in a
week?”“Have them picked up
andsenttoslaughter,”Evereplied.“I’mnottakinganychances.Wedoittoday.”“I don’t rememberMatt
being as ruthless as you’repainting him,” Connorsaid.“Maybe he wasn’t then.
Heisnow.Whathappenedtohim?Whydidheleave?
Can you at least tell methat?”Connor shook his head.
“It isn’t my story to tell.AskMatt.Oryourfather.”Eve shot Connor a
sideways look. Her fathermusthavedonesomethinghorrible to Matt, as Leahhadsuggested.Whatcouldbesobad thatMattwouldrun so far and be gone solong? She had no more
time to contemplate thematter, because they’darrived at the pasturewhere the horses werekept.Eve glanced at the
pickupfollowingthemthatcontained Frank and thetwo wannabe cowboys.“I’m a little worried aboutusing those greenhorns togetthisdone.”“The guys who
volunteered said they canride. Besides, we don’thave much choice. Weneedthehelp.”“What if someone gets
lost in this snowstorm?What if someone getshurt?”Connor chuckled.
“You’re forgetting whoyou’re talking about, Eve.Thesearemenwho’vebeenshot at—and who’ve shot
back. They’ve lived interrible conditions formonths at a time, beenbored silly one momentand fighting for their livesthe next. I think they canhandleahorsebackride inthesnow.”Eve pursed her lips and
shrugged. “I don’t want tobe responsible if one ofthemgetsinjured.”A shadow crossed
Connor’s eyes. “I knowwhatyoumean.”Eve considered asking
Connor about his friendwho’d died, but she didn’twant to cause him morepain.Insteadshesaid,“I’msurprised you feltcomfortable leavingBrooke and Sawyer withyour brothers.” Becauseshe’d spent so much timewith Molly, Eve knew the
kids had spent very littletime with their uncleswhileConnorwasgone.“Brian’sgreatwithkids,”
Connorsaid.“Isuspectit’sbecausehemakessomanyvisits to local schoolsdressedupasafireman.”“IthoughtBrianlivedin
town. Did he come to theranch just to spend timewithyourkids?”
Connor shook his head.“Hiswife got the house inthe divorce. He’s beenlivingattheranchwhenheisn’t on duty at the firestation. Brian alwayswanted kids, but his wifedidn’t. It’s another reasontheyweren’tagoodfit.”“Do you want more
kids?”Eveasked.Connorlookedsurprised
by thequestion. “I haven’t
thoughtaboutit.Doyou?”“I’d love tohavea sister
for Brooke and a brotherfor Sawyer, but I’d behappy with two morehealthy children whatevertheirsex.”“Sofourkidsinall?”Eve nodded. It was
something she’d imaginedher whole life. A familywhere the father and
mothersatdowntodinnertogether with theirchildren. Idyllic maybe,butitneverhurttodream.“We’ll have to work on
that when you’re ready,”Connorsaidwithasmile.Evefeltherfaceheatand
knew she was blushing.ShetriedtomeetConnor’sgaze but was too aware ofthe desire in his eyes toholditforlong.Theideaof
making a child with him,somethingthathadbeenafantasyherwhole life,wassuddenlyveryreal.Butshewasn’t willing to take thatgiant leap until she sawhow their “convenient”marriage played out.Which meant continuingthe contraceptives she’dbeen taking the past threemonths since Connor hadcome home. She’d told
herselftherewasverylittlechance that she andConnor would end upmaking love. But she waspractical enough—andhopeful enough?—to havetaken precautions anyway.Nowshewasgladshehad.They parked at the
pasture gate, unloaded thehorses, tightened cincheson saddles, and mountedup.
“How hard are thesemustangs going to be tofind?”Connoraskedasthefiveof themheadedacrossthe rolling terrain onhorseback.“They’ll likely be along
the back fence wherethere’sastandofpinesandevergreens to cut thewind.”That was where they
found them.Therewasno
stallionwithherherd.Hertwenty-two mustangsconsistedofsixteenmares,two of which werepregnant, five geldedyearlings, and a colt thathad been born shortlybefore she’d bought theherd.The mustangs were still
wild, and their instinctswere honed to surviveattacks by wolves, bears,
and mountain lions, sothey were alert andrunning the instant theycaughtsightoftheriders.Evereinedhermountto
a halt, her heart in herthroat as she watched thewild horses take flight,manes and tails flying.They looked majestic,harking back to a bygoneday when there had beenmillions of wild horses on
theplains,justastherehadonce beenmillions ofwildbuffalo. The sight of hersmall band of mustangsgalloping across the snow,their pounding hoovessendingpowderflying,wasbreathtaking.Eve wished she had her
camera with her. Takingphotographs of wild herdswas how she’d fallen inlove with mustangs in the
first place.Her small herdincluded three goldenpalominos, two stunningbrown-and-white pintos,one gray, and onechestnut. The rest werebrowns,somewithstarsontheir foreheads,a fewwithwhite stockings, but mostjust as ordinary asordinary could be. Evedreamed of the day thatthe single colt, which was
blackwith awhite star onitsforehead,wouldtakeitsplaceasleaderoftheband.Except, by the time the
colt was full grown, therewould be no herd. Thesehorseswerealldestinedtobe tamed and sold assaddle horses. If the colthad been born into a wildherd, it would eventuallyhave fought anotherstallion for the right to
become patriarch. But asfar as most folks wereconcerned, there was noreason to keep him as astudwhenallhecouldpassalongweremustanggenes.Before her father had
given away his ranch, Evehad imagined her smallherd ofmustangs roamingfreeforever.Buttheirliveswere going to change, justasherswaschanging.
Living with Connor,loving Connor, was adream come true—exceptforthepartwherehedidn’tlove her back. Eve didn’tknowiftherewasawaytomake someone fall in lovewith you. All she could dowas be the best wife andmother she could be andhope love would grow.There was a great deal ofrisk in layingher heart on
the line.But if shewantedthe gold ring, she had toreachoutandgrabforit.EvewaitedforConnorto
mountup.Oncehewasonhishorse,shemethisgazeandsaid,“Ifwe’regoingtoget married, I think weshoulddoittomorrow.”
Chapter12
EVE RODE THE whole wayback to Safe Haven with
her heart in her throat,wondering what Connorthought of her suggestion,wondering if she’dmade amistake. There had beenno opportunity for him torespond during the triphome, because Frank hadjoined them in Connor’spickup. Eve had troubleconcentrating on Frank’sideas for the best way toinvolve the vets with
taming her mustangs,because every molecule inher body was ontenterhooks awaitingConnor’sanswer.Astheyunloadedthelast
of the mustangs at SafeHaven, Eve kept glancingat Connor, trying to get asense of what he wasfeeling, but he never oncelooked at her. She felt herstomach clench as the
moment approachedwhentheywouldbealoneagain.She wondered why itmattered so much to herwhether they started theirmarriagenoworsixweeksfrom now. It didn’t takemuch soul-searching tofindtheanswer.That brief moment of
closeness at KingdomCome, when Connor hadofferedsupportandsolace,
had shown herwhat she’dbeen missing all theseyears. It seemed likeforever that she’d wantedto be Connor’s wife. Nowthat the way was open forthem to marry, what wasthe point of waiting evenonedaylonger?The sooner they were
husband and wife, thesooner Connor could startfalling in love with her.
Evenmorethanthejoiningof their bodies, she cravedConnor’s love. Evewantedto see the glow inhis eyeswhenhelookedatherthatshe’dseenwhenhe lookedat Molly. Most of all, shewanted the freedom, atlong last, to express herloveforhim.“Thanks for your help,
Frank,” she said. “ConnorandIcouldn’thavedoneit
without you and yourfriends.”“There they go,” Connor
called out as he put abooted foot on the lowestwooden rail of thepasturegate at Safe Haven andleanedhisarmsonthetoprail. Eve stepped onto thelowest rail beside him,steadying herself with herhandsonthetoprail,closeenough to touch but not
actually touching, andwatched the last of hermustangs trot off, theirtailstothewintrywind.“I’ll start working with
that pinto mare in themorning,” Frank said. “I’llcheckwiththemenandletyou know how many ofthemwanttoparticipate.”“Thanks, Frank,” Eve
said. “I appreciate thismorethanyouknow.”
“We’re the ones whoappreciateyourwillingnessto let us work with yourmustangs.”Frankgaveherasnappysaluteagainstthebrim of his Stetson. “Seeyoulater.”“We’d better go pick up
the kids,” Connor said ashe slid an arm aroundEve’s waist to help herdown. “Aiden and Brianmust be worn to the bone
bynow.”Eve feltherheartbeata
little harder, not justbecause Connor’s armremainedaroundherwaistas they headed backtoward his pickup, butbecause making sure shewas safely down from herperch was one moreindication of howconsiderate and caring hewas toward the woman in
hislife.She glanced at Connor,
looking for even a little ofthe anxiety she felt, butsawnone.Evewasn’tsorryshe’d jumped the gun.She’d listened to herintuition all her life, andher instincts told her thatgetting married now wastherightthingtodo.Herheartskippedabeat
when Connor asked, “Do
you really want to getmarriedtomorrow?”Eve’s reply had nothing
to do with wanting to bemarried to the man sheloved. Instead she said,“Thesoonerwe’remarried,thelesschanceforeitherofour fathers to try to stopus.”“Isthatyouronlyreason
fortherush?”
She should have knownConnor wouldn’t settle forthe easy answer. Did hewant her feelings to be apart of the decision? Shecouldn’t admit to lovinghim. Not now. Not yet.Then she realized theperfect answer was rightunderhernose.“Iwanttobeamotherto
BrookeandSawyer.Iwanttobeapartofwhatyou’re
doingatSafeHaven.AndIwantmymustangstohavea home. Those threedesires aren’t going tochange.”“Do you want our
familiestobethere?”Evemade a face. “For a
make-believemarriage?”“It’s not make-believe,
Eve. It’s convenient. It’spractical. But it’s entirely
real.”Eve could feel her pulse
beating frantically in herthroat. Entirely real. Shewanted everything thosewords suggested. Love.Laughter. Happily everafter.“It would be difficult
under the best ofcircumstances to get ourfamilies into the sameroom together without
some kind of clash,” shesaid. “I would rather havejust you,me, and the kidsthere.”“Youwon’tmisshavinga
bigwedding?”hesaidasheopenedthepassengerdoorof his pickup and set hishand under her elbow tohelpherinside.She’d never dreamed of
awhiteweddingdressorabouquetofwhiterosesand
baby’sbreathorhersistersdressedupasbridesmaids,because by the time shewas eighteen the man shelovedwas alreadymarriedto another woman. It hadnevermademuchsensetoimagine her wedding inany kind of detail whenthere was no groom shewantedtomarry.“I’d be happy with a
simplecivilceremony,”she
replied,meetinghisgazeasheputthetruckingear.“All right. We can do
whatever paperwork isnecessary in town thisafternoon.”Eve’sthroatwasswollen
with emotion. It was hardtobelievethatbythistimetomorrow she would nolonger be Eve Grayhawk.She would be Eve Flynn.Mrs. Connor Flynn. As a
teenager she’d writtenthose names, embellishedby flowers and hearts, inher spiral notebook overandoveragain.SheturnedtostareoutthewindowsoConnor wouldn’t see thetearsbrimminginhereyesandstinginghernose.Howoften did your dreamsreallycometrue?Evefeltasmile forming on her faceand let herself feel the
happiness bubbling upinsideher.The ride to the Flynn
ranch seemed short,probablybecausehermindandheartwerebothracingwithexcitement.“Willyourfatherbehome?”“He’salwayshome.”Asopposedtoherfather,
who was almost never athome.
“What’s he going tothinkofthismarriage?”“It doesn’t matter what
he thinks. We don’t needhis permission orapproval.”“Hedoesn’tcontrolyour
trustfund?”“Hedoes,buthe’snever
interferedwith it before. Idon’t see why he shouldstartnow.”
Evewondered ifConnorwasbeingnaïve.Herfatherwas more than willing toapply financial pressure togetwhathewanted.Itwashard to believe Anguswouldn’tdothesame.Wouldhebeabletotalk
Connoroutofthemarriagebased on the enmitybetween their families?Orthreatenhimwithfinancialconsequencesifhemarried
aGrayhawk?“I can’t believe hewon’t
have something to sayabout us gettingmarried,”Evesaid.“Dad might have
objections, but onlybecausehe’sworriedaboutmy happiness,” Connorsaid.It was hard to imagine
AngustheOgre,assheand
her sisters had oftenreferred to him, as aloving,caringfather.“Whatdoyoumean?”“My father is convinced
that you three Brats arespoiledrotten.Hewouldn’twantme to end upwith awife who isn’t responsibleenough to be an equalpartner.”There was just enough
truth in the accusation tomake Eve defensive. “I’vegrown up a lot over thepastcoupleofyears.”Connor laughed. “I’m
not the one making thoseclaims. It’s been a fewyears, but you have toadmit, that last stunt youandyoursisterspulledwasprettychildish.”Eve flushed. “You Flynn
boys deserved it after you
Saran-wrapped Leah’spickupintown.Ittookheran hour to unwrap it—atnight, in below-zeroweather—before she coulddrivehome.”Connor laughed. “You
should have seen the lookon Aiden’s face when hecame out to themudroominhisstockingfeetthenextmorning to put on hisboots,andtheywereglued
to the porch.He wasmadasapeeledrattler.”Taylor had discovered
that the Flynns left theirboots on the screened-inback porch to keep themudandmanureoutofthehouse,whichhadmadetheprankeasytoaccomplish.The more Eve thought
about it, the more shecould understand at leastoneofAngus’sconcerns.It
washerownfault thatshehadn’t moved away fromKingdom Come andstarted a life independentof her father. Inertia hadkept her living at home.She’d toldConnorshewasa responsible adult, whichwas true, but she’d neverbeen responsible foranyone but herself. Evewasn’tlazy,butshe’dneverhad towork really hard at
anything, either. She’dbeen capricious as a childand a thrill-seeker as ateenager, but she’d grownup and out of the sort ofbehavior that had gottenherlabeledasoneofKing’sBrats.Atleast,shethoughtshehad.Butwasn’t thismarriage
the sort of crazy leapacross a giant chasm thatsheandhersistersusedto
attempt, with calamitywaiting at the bottom ofthecrevasse?Eve wondered if her
suddenangstaboutgettingmarried so quickly arosefrom the fear that shewouldn’t measure up toMolly, who’d been a greatmotherandaperfectwife.“Doyouhaveanysecond
thoughts about gettingmarried in such a hurry?”
sheasked.Connor’s lips pressed
flat for amoment, and heshook his head slightly.Evewaitedforhimtomeether gaze, but he kept hiseyes on the road as hespoke. “In an ideal world,I’dratherspendmoretimegettingtoknowyou.Ihavean idea of who you are inmy head, but that doesn’tmean it’s who you really
are.” He met her gaze atlast and added, “I like thewoman I know. I hopethat’swho you turn out tobe.”Eve remained silent,
because thegood friend toMolly and godmother tohis children she’d let himsee wasn’t the sinfulwomanshefelt like inside.That woman had covetedMolly’s husband. That
woman couldn’t helpfeeling guilty for the joyshe expected to feel asConnor’swife.Eve wondered if she
shouldconfessallnow.Tellthetruth,andletthechipsfall where they may. Butshewastooashamed—andtoodesirousofthelifethatfinally seemed withinreach—tospeak.SomaybeAngus Flynn wasn’t so
wrongtoworrythatoneofKing’s Brats might not besuchagoodwifeforoneofhissons.“We’re here,” Connor
announced as he shut offtheengine.“I’ve always wondered
what your bachelor abodelookslikeinside,”Evesaid.“What are you
expecting?”
“Spartan furnishings.Leather and liniment oneverysurface.Dishesinthesink.”Connor laughed. “Come
insideandsee.”
Chapter13
CONNOR REALIZED ITwasn’texactlytruethathis
fatherhadneverinterferedwith his trust fund. Angushadn’t revoked the trust,but he’d threatened to doso if Connor didn’t leavethearmy.Hehadn’tbowedto his father’s wishes, buthe wondered now if theonly reason Angus hadn’tcut him off was becauseMolly had died. He felt ashiver of foreboding rundown his spine. What if
Angus forbade themarriage?Connor forced his
thoughts away from theworst-casescenario.Angushated King for what he’ddone to Aunt Jane, buthe’d never gone afterKing’s daughters. It wasConnor and his brotherswho’d done that. Connorwasn’t surehowhis fatherwould react when he
presented Eve Grayhawkashisfiancée.The subject of marriage
between the two familieshad never come up, notevenwhenAidenhadgoneouta fewtimeswithLeah.Their relationship hadn’tlasted very long, and onceitended,Aidenactedlikeithad never happened.He’dknown his brother hadsuffered precisely because
Aidenhadneverspokenofit.He and Eve came in
through the back door,whichwaswhereeveryoneentered a frontier home.Thedoorwasneverlocked,harkingbacktoadaywhenmen alone on horseback,or with families inConestogawagons,foundawelcome and oftennecessary refuge at any
homesteadontheplains.When they got to the
mudroom off the kitchen,Connor said, “Leave yourboots here.” He grinnedand said, “With any luck,you’ll be able to retrievethemwhenyouleave.”Eve laughed as she toed
off her cowboy boots. Shepadded into theimmaculate kitchen, withits stainless steel
appliances, black granitecounters, andoak floor, inherstockingfeet.“Hey!” he called out.
“Anybodyhome?”Sawyer came running,
yellingthewholewayuntilConnor caught him andliftedhimhighintotheairbefore setting him on hisfeet again.His son giggledand said, “Uncle Brian isfun!”
Connor forced himselfnot to take offense at thesuggestionthatwhileBrianwas fun, he was not. Hewas pleased that Sawyer,who had few memories ofhim, had come runningstraight to him and leaptinto his arms. But itsuddenly dawned on himthat to Sawyer, he wasn’tanyone special. He wasn’t“Daddy.” He was just
anotherfriendlyface.Connor’s heart nearly
broke right then, rightthere.He knew he’d done the
wrong thing avoiding hischildren after his wife’sdeath. But seeing howBrooke cocked her headlike a small birdwhen shedidn’t understandsomething, the same wayMolly always had, or
seeing Sawyer’sunboundedenthusiasmforlife, which Molly had alsopossessed,made him acheforthelossofhiswife.It also fed his guilt that
he’d spent so little timewith her during theirmarriage. He’d just neverimaginedthatshewouldn’talways be there. He wasthe one living in danger’spath.Hewas the onewho
shouldhavedied.Connor glanced at Eve.
Hehadasecondchancetobe a better husband. Hehad a second chance toshare more of himself—and his troubles—with hiswife. He hadn’t wanted toworry Molly, so he hadn’ttold hermost ofwhat hadhappened to him inAfghanistan. But he knewshe’d been hurt by his
unwillingness to explainthe nightmares that hadplaguedhim.He wanted to do better
this time. He just wasn’tsure he could admit thetruth about PatrickDaniel’s death to anyone,especially a woman whoseadmiration he hoped togain,becauseofhispartinthe tragedy. But if hewanted Eve to be open
withhim,heowedher thesamehonesty.Connor’s stomach
knotted. Telling the storyof his best friend’s deathmeant reliving it all overagain.Butthattragedywasthe reason he’d beenwilling to give up being asoldier. The reason he’dstarted Safe Haven. Thereason he wanted tochange his life and be a
betterhusbandand father.HeneededtotellEvewhathadhappened.Soon, he promised
himself. When they kneweachotheralittlebetterhewould find the courage totellEvethetruth.Thenshewould have to judge forherselfwhether,afterwhathe’d done, he was a manworthloving.Connor noticed that
Brooke hung back byBrian’s side. Seeing hercling to his brother gavehim comfort—and madehis throat ache withunshed tears. She spottedEveandrantoher,keepingherdistancefromhim.Connor didn’t
understand why the childwhoknewhimbestskirtedhimmost.WasBrookeoldenough, at four, to blame
him for being gone somuch and leaving herbehind? To blame him fornotbeingtheretoholdandcomfort her when hermother died? Surely not.But he had no otherexplanation for why hisdaughter so persistentlyrejectedhim.Connor realized he’d
been holding his breathand released the air in his
lungs inasilentsigh.He’dearnedtheloveandrespectofhismenincombat.Thisfight was no lessimportant. He would tryharder and hope thatcherishinghischildrenandcaring for them would beenoughtoearntheirlove.WhenAidenentered the
room, Connor could senseEve stiffening beside him.“Where’sDad?”heasked.
“Where he always is,”Aidenreplied.Aside from all the time
spent on horseback inorder to run a ranch thesizeoftheLucky7,agreatdeal of business had to bedone from behind a desk.Every rancher Connorknew had an office with apicturewindowsohecouldstill see the sky when hewas stuck inside working.
Hisdadwasnodifferent.“I’d like him to meet
Eve.”“He already knows
you’re engaged,” Briansaid. “After you droppedoff the kids, he got a callfromtheownerof thecaféwherehemeetsupwithhisfriends for breakfast onFridaymornings.”“And?” Connor said
when Brian stoppedhimselffromsayingmore.Briansmirked.“Ihadno
idea he knew some of thewords he used.” He eyedEve butmade no effort togreether.Connor noticed Eve’s
face was the color ofparchment and graspedher hand in case shetoppledover.Itwascoldasice.
ShestaredfirstatAiden,thenatBrian,andfinallyathim, and murmured, “Ican’t get over how muchyou Flynn brothers lookalike.”“If you say so.” Connor
knewwhy people had thatimpression. Except forDevon, they were all oversix feet tallwithblackhairand blue eyes. Devon, theyoungest, wasn’t quite six
feet and had dark brownhair and gray-green eyes.Asidefromtheir looks, thethree eldest brothers werenothing alike, not inpersonality, not inattitudes,andcertainlynotin the sort of women theypreferred.Then Eve made the
mistakeofsayingtoBrian,“I’ve seen you with yourwife at a couple of charity
functions.”Brian’s countenance
turned dark. “Don’tmention that bi—” He cuthimselfoffasheglancedatthe children. “We’redivorced,” he saidbrusquely.“Iknow,”Evesaid,taken
aback.“Ijust—”“And better off for it.”
Brian went down on one
kneeinfrontofBrookeandgaveherahug, thenstoodandtweakedSawyer’schin.“I gotta go be a fireman.See you urchins soon, Ihope.”“Bye,UncleBrian. Ihad
areallygoodtime,”Brookesaid.Sawyer waved and said,
“Bye,UncleBrian.”Brianleftwithoutaword
to Eve. Connor stoppedhimat thedoorby saying,“This is going to happen,Brian.”Brian turned back, his
eyesbleak,andsaid,“ThenI’msorryforyouboth.”Amoment later,Connor
heard Brian’s bootsthumping as he put themon in the mudroom. HemetEve’sgazeandsawshelookedasshakenashefelt
by Brian’s ominousprediction. He turned toEve and said, “I think weshould take the kids withus when you meet mydad.”“Youjustdon’twanthim
tobeable tosaywhathe’sthinking,”shereplied.“That thought had
crossedmymind,”Connorsaidwithasmilemeant toputheratease.
“That’snotagoodidea,”Aideninterjected.Connorhadforgottenhis
eldest brother was still intheroom.“Whynot?”“You need to be able to
talk. You won’t be able todo that with kids in theroom.”Connor pursed his lips.
It seemed Aiden was nomore optimistic about the
chances of this marriagesucceeding than Brian.“Can you keep an eye onBrooke and Sawyer for afewmoreminutes?”Aiden squatted down
level with the kids. “I’vegot some chocolate chipcookiesandmilk,ifanyonewantssome.”“Ido!”Sawyersaid.“Can I have a glass of
water with my cookieinstead of milk?” Brookeasked, taking the handAidenreachedouttoher.“Sure, pumpkin,” Aiden
said.“She’s not a pumpkin,”
Sawyer said, seemingamused at his uncle’smistake.“She’sagirl.”“Let’s go,” Connor
whispered to Eve. “Before
theynoticewe’remissing.”Connorkepthishandon
the small of Eve’s back,directing her past theGreat Room, with theinevitable spectacularviewof the snowcapped GrandTetons through floor-to-cathedral-ceiling windows,past the grand staircasethat led upstairs to themany bedrooms, all theway to theoppositeendof
the house. He felt theincreasing tension underhis hand as they closed inonhisfather’sstudy.“He’s just a man, Eve,”
he said in an attempt toeaseheranxiety.“He’s a monster of
mythic proportions,” shecountered.He stopped outside the
studydoor,tippedherchin
up,and,onimpulse,kissedher. She seemed startled,and stared at him inconfusion. He felt a littleconfusedhimself.Whyhadhe done it? To comforther? Or to reassurehimself?“We’re engaged,” he
said. “We’re going to bemarried. We need topresent at least thepretense of caring for one
another or my father willeatusbothalive.”“What do you want me
to do?” she said irritably.“We’re gettingmarried forpurely practical reasons.Anysuggestionofaffectionbetweenus is allpretense!Yourfather’snoidiot.”Connor pulled Eve into
his arms and hugged herclose. “This isn’t easy forme,either,”headmitted.“I
guess what I’m suggestingis thatwemake it clear tohim that we’re committedto making this work.” Heleaned back and lookedinto her troubled eyes.“Thatmuchistrue,right?”Shenodded.“What can I do tomake
thiseasierforyou?”She leaned her cheek
against his chest and slid
herarmsaroundhiswaist.“Thishelpsalot.”Heheldherclose,feeling
comforted as he gavecomfort. “Ready?” hewhisperedinherear.“AsI’lleverbe.”Connorwasn’t.Hisbody
had responded eagerly tothefeelofEve’s,whichwaspressed against him frombreast to hips. Too many
unrequited dreams ofmaking love to her, hethought. He suffered apang of guilt at how gladhe was that Eve didn’twant to wait to getmarried. At how happy hewas that someday soonshe’dbesharinghisbed.He was a widower. He
had to go on living, sotherewasnoreasontofeelremorseoverdesiringEve.
He just wasn’t sure whathe’d done to deserve awoman he’d wanted eversince he was seventeen.Theonlywaytorepaysucha gift was to be happy,which likely meantallowing himself to loveher.Even if she can’t love
youback?Connor had no answer
for that. How could he
expecthiswife’sbestfriendtothinkofhiminromanticterms?Ifloveblossomedatall, it was going to taketime.Connor slid an arm
aroundEve’swaist so theywould appear as a couplewhen they entered hisfather’s study. He couldfeel the apprehension inher body and see it in thefurrowonherbrow.
“Takeadeepbreath,”hesaid.Shedid.Asshe let itouthesaid,
“One more.” He waitedwhile she took anotherdeep breath and asked,“Readynow?”Shenodded.“Allright.Let’sdothis.”Connor knocked and
waited until Angus said,
“Come in, Aiden.” Hedidn’t correct his father’smistake before he openedthe door and steppedinside.Anguswasfacingoutthe
window with his back tothedoorandhisheadbentover a stack of papers inhis lap. “I’ve got thebastard,” he chortled. “It’staken me twenty years,but, byGod, this time I’ve
got him. He’s investedeverything. If I play mycards right, he’ll beruined.”There was no doubt in
Connor’smind,orinEve’s,he was sure, who the“bastard” was. He wassorry to have revealed toEvethathisfatherwasstillfixated, twenty years afterAunt Jane’s death, ongettingrevenge.
“It’s me, Dad,” he said,to cut off any furtherrevelations.As Angus swiveled his
chair around and slappedthe papers on his desk,Connor tightened his holdon Eve’s waist. He wasstruckbyhowmuchAngushadchangedsincethefirsttime he’d gone overseas.His father’s jowls saggedandhiseyelidswereheavy
with age. His once-blackhairhadturnedcompletelywhite,makinghisblueeyeslookevenbluer.His posture remained
erect, and although hisbody had thickened,Connor was willing towager that Angus Flynncouldholdhisownagainstmany a younger man. Inshort, he was still aformidable opponent.
Therewas a flare of angerin his eyes at the sight ofEve.“Did you hear all that,
younglady?”Eve’s chin came up. “I
did.”HeturnedtoConnorand
said, “You could have toldme she was in the room,boy.”Hesneered.“Doesn’tmatter. There’s nothing
sheoranybodyelsecandoto help King now. I’vewon.”Connor had felt the
verbalslapbutknewbetterthan to react to it. As thethirdson,he’dbeenlostinthemiddleofthepackandignored. The only way togetnoticedwas to act out,whichhe’ddoneinspades.He’d gotten morespankings than all of his
brothers combined, buthe’d taken his licks andcome back for more,becauseatleastthatmeanthe had his father’s fullattention.“I understand you’ve
already heard about ourengagement.”“I have.” Angus rose
from his chair and said,“Come here, girl, and letme take a closer look at
you.”Hisfather’seyesightwas
justfine,soConnorhadnoideawhyheneededtotakeacloserlook.Nevertheless,he let go of Eve, whocrossed the room andstood before his father’sdesk. He wondered if herheart was beating as hardas his own. Whatevernerves she’d suffered onthe way here were absent
in her demeanor as shegreetedhisfather.“Hello, Mr. Flynn. I’ve
known of you for a verylongtime.It’snicetomeetyouatlast.”He looked her up and
downasthoughshewereabrood mare he wasplanning to buy, thenturnedhispiercinggazeonConnor. “This is yourchoice of bride? One of
King’sBrats?”Connor flushed as he
took the few steps to joinEve and slid his armprotectively around herwaist. “Eve has agreed tomarryme.”“And make you the
happiest of men? I didn’tthink that was possible,when you so recently lostyourwife.”
Angus’s eyes bored intoConnor’sduringthesilencethatfellbetweenthem.He should have known
better than to thinkAnguswould accept his decisiontowed,letalonehischoiceofwife.Hewastemptedtoturn and walk from theroom without defendingeither choice. If it wereonlyhim,he’dgladlyclosethe door between himself
and his father. But hischildren loved theirgrandfather.“We aren’t asking for
your permission or yourapproval.Weonlycametolet you knowwe intend tomarry.”“What does your father
have to say about this?”AngusaskedEve.“He wasn’t any happier
than you appear to be,”Eveadmitted.Angus snorted. “I want
to see his face when thesonof abitch realizeshe’sgoing to have Flynngrandkids.”“Pleasedon’trefertomy
father thatway,”Eve said.“Otherwise, the son of abitch will end up havingGrayhawk hyphen Flynngrandkids.”
Hisfather laughed.“Thegirlhasmoxie,myboy.Goand let me get back towork,” he said, wavingthemoutoftheroom.“That’s it?”Connorsaid,
stunned by the dismissal.You don’t have anythingelse to say? Or anyblessingtogive?Hisfatherlookedhimin
the eye. “I think you’remaking a bigmistake. But
it’s your life. And yourmistake.”Connor didn’t waste his
breath arguing. He turnedand ushered Eve from theroom.Therewerenohugsfor him or his future wifeas there had been withMolly.Therewerenogoodwishes. But none of thatmattered. He was doingtherightthing,whetherhisfather thought so or not.
Havingawifewouldmakehis life and his children’slivesbetter.Once they were out of
his father’s study with thedoor closed behind them,he muttered, “Thank Godthat’sover.”Eve stared at him, her
eyes swimming in tears.“Youdon’tgetit,doyou?”“Getwhat?”
“Nothing’s over. All thedigs, all the slights, all thewords of hate uttered bymy father towardyou,andyourfathertowardme,andultimatelybybothof themtowardourchildren,it’salljustbeginning.”“You’re wrong, Eve.
None of that has to be apartofourlives.”“How can it not?” she
cried. “I’m a Grayhawk,
and you’re a Flynn. Yourfather just admitted he’sbeen plotting revengeagainstmyfatherforyears—and maybe, at last, hasmanagedtoruinhim.”Shethrew her hands up infrustration.“Ican’tdothis,Connor. I can’t! It justwon’twork.”Long after she’d
disappeared from view hewas still standing there,
wondering where he wassupposedtogofromhere.
Chapter14
EVE STOPPED BEFORE shereached the kitchen to
choke back her sobs andcompose herself so shewouldn’tupsetthechildrenor give Aiden Flynn anyhintofhowdevastatedshefelt. She ignored Aiden’sperusal of her reddenedeyes and put an armaround each of thechildren, who were sittingonbarstoolsatthekitchencounter. “Areyou ready togohome?”
“Uh-huh,”Brookesaid.“Where’s Daddy?”
Sawyerasked.“He’ll be here in a
minute.”“Are you going to live
with us forever andalways?”Brookeasked.Eve’s heart jumped to
her throat. “Who told youthat?”“Mrs.Stacksaidyouand
Daddy are gettingmarriedandthatyou’regoingtobeournewmother.”“When did she tell you
that?”Eveasked,appalled.Howwasshegoingtobackout of this marriage whenthe children already knewaboutit?“This morning. When
she talked to us in mybedroom.”
Eve had completelyforgotten about the socialworker. Forgotten aboutthe very real possibilitythatConnor could lose hischildren if he didn’tprovide them with a safe,loving home. Completelyforgotten that they’dalready announced theirengagement toMrs. Stack.What would it say aboutConnor if he was
abandoned by a womanwho’d already agreed tomarryhim,evenifitwasamarriage of convenience?She couldn’t do that tohim, even if it meantputtingupwithathousandnastycommentsfromboththeirfathers.“Wouldyoulikemetobe
your new mother?” sheasked Brooke tentatively.She lovedBrooke, and she
thought Brooke loved her.Butwould the littlegirlbewilling to accept her as areplacement for hermother?“Whatifyoudie,too?”ThatresponsetoldEvea
great deal. Brooke wanteda mother she could love,but was afraid to lovesomeone who might leaveher again. Eve hugged thelittlegirl.Andmadeupher
mind. “Oh, baby, I’m notgoinganywhere.”“I’mnotababy.Sawyer’s
ababy.”Eve laughed. “If you say
so.”SherealizedthatwhileSawyer had been listeningto their conversation, hehadn’t weighed in. He’donlybeena yearoldwhenMolly died. He wouldneverhaveanymemoryofhis mother that he didn’t
getfrompicturesorstoriesthat Eve and Connor toldhim about her. Likely, hehad no idea what role amother was supposed toplayinhislife.Itwouldbeuptohertoteachhim.“Eve’s going to be our
new mother,” Brooke saidwhen her father appearedinthekitchendoorway.EvesawthatConnorwas
shocked by this
announcement, especiallyafter what she’d saidoutside his father’s study.Shemet his troubled gazeandexplained,“Mrs.Stacktoldthechildrenthatwe’regetting married, and thatI’mgoing tobe livingwiththemfromnowon.”“Shedid?”Eve nodded along with
Brooke.
“Um. That’s nice,”Connorsaid.Eve felt like laughing
and crying at the sametime. She’d gotten herselfinto—and out of—a lot ofmesses in the past. Buttherewasnoescaping thisone, so she might as wellmake the best of it. Shesobered, wondering if sheshould tellher fatherwhatAngushadrevealed.Leah’s
words came back to her:He doesn’t have themoney. It was entirelylikely King was aware ofthe trapAngushad set forhim. But had it alreadysnapped shut? Or wasthere still a way for herfathertoescape?Eve suddenly wondered
if Angus’s financialmanipulationwas going toaffectMatt’s possession of
the ranch. Maybe Mattwasn’t going to owneverythingayearfromnowafter all. Maybe it was allgoing to belong to AngusFlynn.SheeyedAiden,whowas
pouring himself a cup ofcoffee on the other side ofthe kitchen, then saidquietly to Connor, “I havetocallmyfather.Ineedtotell him what your father
said, in case there’s a wayhecanfixthings.”“You still want to go
through with thismarriage, after all thediscouraging things myfamilysaid?”“I wish your family felt
differently,butnoneofmyreasons for marrying youhave changed. In fact, ifmy father’s ruined, I needthis marriage more than
ever.”“Then we’d better get
moving,”Connorsaid.“Wehave errands to run intown.” He exchanged asignificant look with Eve,reminding her that theystill needed to get theirmarriagelicense.Eve felt a welling of
sadness. It was one thingto imagine Matt living atKingdom Come. It was
another thing entirely toimagine it lost forever toAngus Flynn. But itseemed whatever financialArmageddon was going tooccur had alreadyhappened. And in thatcase, it made sense tomarryquicklyandquietly.ConnorcrossedtoAiden
and said, “Thanks fortaking care of the kidstoday.”
“My pleasure.Everythingokaywithyou?”“I’mhanginginthere.”AtAiden’squestion,Eve
took a closer look atConnor, and saw that hisface looked drawn and hiseyes looked wounded. Heappeared to be a man ontheedgeofexhaustion.Shewondered just how muchsleep he’d been getting inthedaysbeforehe’dgotten
his children back. Clearly,he needed the help she’doffered and then snatchedaway. Clearly, he wasrelieved to have it offeredagain.Eve picked up Brooke
while Connor retrievedSawyer, and the kidswaved at their uncle asthey headed out the backdoor. She helped Connorbuckle the kids into their
car seats and watchedthemfallasleepassoonastheygotontheroad.“The kids must have
worn themselves outplaying with Aiden andBrian,”Connorsaid,eyeingthesleepingchildrenintherearviewmirror.“They were up in the
middle of the night andthen missed their naps,”Evereplied.
He glanced at her andasked,“Whatchangedyourmind,Eve?”She sighed. “Mrs. Stack
put me on the spot whenshe told the kids we weregetting married. I realizedI’d regret it if I let youdown.AndIdidn’twanttodisappoint Brooke, whoseems to want anothermotherbutwho’sworriedImight die. Sawyer, bless
his heart, doesn’t seem toknowwhatamotheris.”“If youdon’twant to do
this,don’tdoit.”Eve’s heart skipped a
beat. She glanced atConnor, whose hands hadtightened on the steeringwheel until his knuckleswere white. “Are youhavingsecondthoughts?”“Second, third, and
fourth thoughts. I haven’tchanged my mind, but Idon’t want to force youintoanything.”“I want to marry you,”
she said, realizing that ifshe wasn’t careful, shewould lose the man sheloved to his sense ofchivalry. “I want to be amother to Brooke andSawyer.AndIwanttohavemore children with you.
It’sjustthat—”“Our families are a
problem,” he finished forher. “We don’t have to lettheminterfereinourlives.Wecansetboundariesandrefuse to listen when onebad-mouthstheother.”“You’re dreaming if you
think you can draw a linein the sand that ourfamilieswon’tcross.”
“Theycan’thurtusifwestick together,” Connorinsisted. “So. Do you stillwanttodothistomorrow?Ornot?”She felt her heart
squeeze. It seemed it wasup to her whether thiswedding was going tohappen. She swallowed torelieve the suddenconstriction in her throatand said, “Could we have
the kids with us when wemarry? I think Brookemightliketobepartoftheceremony, and it mighthelpSawyertounderstandalittlebetterthatyouandIare going to be partnersfromnowon.”“Partnerssoundsgood.”Eve didn’t reply. As far
as she was concerned,partners was just a placetostart.
Ahalfhourlatershewasquestioning her ability tostep intoMolly’s shoes—atleast as far as parentingwas concerned. Both kidswere whiny and tired anddidn’t want the mac andcheese Connor had fixedthem for supper, despitethe fact that it was theirfavorite meal. Brookefought with Sawyer overthe toys in the tub and
didn’t like the SpongeBobpajamasEvepickedoutforher. Sawyer wanted tosleepinEve’sbedroomandcried when she made himstayinhisownbed.Connor was beside
himself,becausehe’dneverdealtwiththekidswithoutMolly’s help when theywere this contrary. “Aretheylikethisoften?”“Often enough,” Eve
replied. “It’ll help if wekeep them on a schedulelikeMolly did, so they getnaps and have a regularbedtime.”“You promised me a
story tonight,” Brookeremindedherfather.Connor found a Dr.
Seuss book and startedreadingit,butBrookesaid,“Not that one. I wantAreYouMyMother?”
Eve and Connor bothsearched for the book, butneither of them couldlocateit.“I’m sorry, Brooke, it
isn’there,”Connorsaid.Brooke started crying
and wouldn’t stop. Whatshemoanedwasn’t“Iwantmy book.” It was “I wantmymommy.”“What do I say to her?”
Connor said,his voice rawwithpain.“Whatwillmakeitbetter?”Eve slipped off her
shoes, lay down besideBrooke, and pulled thelittle girl into her arms.“I’mhere,sweetheart.”Brooke slung her arms
around Eve’s neck andcried, “Mommy, Mommy,Mommy.”
Eve met Connor’sagonized gaze and said,“Why don’t you go checkonSawyer?”Eve just about had
BrookecalmeddownwhenConnor returned with aweeping Sawyer in hisarms.Hedidn’tsayaword,just slid Sawyer under thecoversinthemiddleofthebed, kicked off his boots,and crowded under the
covers with the rest ofthem.Eve was facing the
center of the bed, so shecould see Connor’s eyesabovethechildren’sheads.He looked both desperateand disappointed that hischildren weren’tcomfortable sleeping intheir own rooms. Hereached over, turned offthe light, and said, “Time
forbed,everybody.”A very short while later
thesnifflesstopped.Alittlewhile after that bothchildren could be heardbreathing slowly andsteadily, signaling theywereasleep.“Do we dare leave
them?” Eve whispered toConnorinthedark.“I’m not willing to take
the chance. You’rewelcometogo.”“If it’s all the same to
you, I’ll stay, too. Goodnight,Connor.”“Goodnight,Eve.”Shewas just drifting off
to sleep when she heardhim mutter, “Somehow,this isn’t how I imaginedour first night in bedtogether.”
Chapter15
EVE WAS STARTLED awakeand found Connor tossing
and making fretful noisesin his sleep, clearly in thethroes of some sort ofnightmare. She debatedwhether to wake him, butrealized if she didn’t, hemightdisturbthechildren.Sheslippedoutofbedandcrouchedbesidehim.“Connor,” she
whispered.He made a guttural
sound and struggled
beneaththesheets.Sheputa hand on his shoulder,andhesatboltupright.Toher surprise, he didn’tmakeasound,justgrabbedfor something—whichwasn’tthere.Aweapon?Eve held her breath as
Sawyer,whowasclosesttoConnor, rolled over, butthe little boy settled againwithoutwaking.“Connor,” she said
quietly.“Youwerehavinganightmare.”His eyes finally found
her face in the moonlight,and she saw a look ofagony that made herstomachchurn.“I need to get out of
here,”hemuttered.He rose as silently as a
wraith, and Eve followedhim down the hall all the
waytohisbedroom.Hesatonhisbedwithoutturningonalight,thenpalmedhiseyesashedroppedbackonit.“God.Thatwasawful.”Evedidn’tthink,shejust
acted. She crossed themoonlit roomand crawledonto the bed beside him.She lay close and put anarm across his chest,offering comfort. Amomentlaterheturnedon
hissideandpulledherintohis embrace, their legstangling as he pressed hisnoseagainstherthroat.She could feel him
trembling and held himtighter.Shewaitedforhimtospeak,tosharewhateveritwasthathadshakenhimsobadly,wantingtohelp.She ran her hand
throughhishairandrestedit on his cheek. “I’m here,
Connor.Areyouallright?”He swallowed hard.
“Mollyusedtoaskmewhatwas wrong.” His nextwords seemed to bewrenched from him. “Inevertoldher.”Eve remained silent. If
he hadn’t told Molly whatwas troubling him, hewasn’t likely to share itwith her. She ran asoothing hand over his
shoulder, holding himclose.“I should have told her
what caused thenightmares,” he said. “Ipromised myself I wouldtell you. I just didn’t planon doing it this soon.”Herolled over onto his backagain, separating them,and threw an arm acrosshiseyes.Eve stayed on her side
facing him. “You don’thave to explain if you’drathernot.”He sat up, keeping the
distancebetweenthem,hiseyes glittering in themoonlight. “I figure I oweit to you to let you knowjust who you’re marrying.In case you want to backout.”Evesatup,too,herheart
thumping hard in her
chest,andstaredathim.“Idon’t think I want to hearthis.”“I got my best friend
killed.”Eve held herself still.
That was a very differentstatementfromIkilledmybest friend, but all thesame, Connor obviouslyblamed himself for hisfriend’sdeath.
“I sent Paddy out on apatrol I shouldhave takenmyself. I told him I wasexhausted, and hevolunteered to go in mystead.” He sighed andshoved an agitated handthroughhis hair. “Iwasn’ttired. I’d had a couple ofreally close calls—gotgrazedbyabullet,caughtalittleshrapnelfromanIED—and I figured my luck
couldn’t last. I was justplainscared.”“Was it anything in
particular that scaredyou?”“Coming home without
armsorlegs.Cominghomewith a traumatic braininjury. Coming homeburned beyondrecognition. Not cominghomeatall.”
“That would do it,” Evesaid, seeing the grislyhumor in his recitation ofthe dangers he and everyothersoldierfaced.“The risk of getting
woundedorkilledispartofthedeal,”Connorsaidinaharsh voice. “You fightanyway. You do your dutyfor the sake of yourbuddies.” He rubbed bothhands over his face. “That
day, I didn’t. And Paddydied.Iheardhisradiocallsfor help. I heard himscream when he got hit. Iheardhimdying.”Evedidn’tknowwhat to
say.WasConnortoblame?Had he done somethingcowardly?Orhadasoldierwho’d seen too much warsimply reached his limit?“Youkeptonfighting,”shepointed out. “You didn’t
quit.”“Ifelttooguiltytoquit,”
he said flatly. “I was aliveandPaddywasdead.”“You can’t blame
yourself.Hewas a soldier.Thingshappeninwar.”“It should have been
me!” Connor said in atormented voice. “There’sno going back. There’s noundoing what’s done. My
weakness—”Before he could finish
Eve was in Connor’s lap,her legs around his hips,her arms around his neck.She pressed her cheekagainst his and said,“You’re not weak! Youwere a good soldier. Youhave the medals to proveit.” She leaned back andlookedintohiseyes.“Haveyoueverthoughtthatyour
friendmusthaveseenwhatyou were feeling, that hewanted to go in yourstead? That Paddy wentbecause he cared aboutyou, and it was the bestway—maybe the only way—hecouldhelp?”Shewasn’texpectingthe
kiss. It came along with amurmured “Thank you,Eve.”Evetriedtospeakagain,
but their lips caught andthe kiss lingered. Theywere sitting in a pose sointimate she couldn’t helpfeeling his arousal, warmand hard, pulsing againsttheheartofher.“Let me love you,” he
whispered.SheshiveredashemovedherT-shirtasideand kissed her nakedshoulder. His other handslid up under the cloth to
close possessively aroundherbreast.Eve’swholebodytingled
with anticipation. All herhigh-minded vows to waitfor true love flew out thewindow. Connor’s tongueslidintohermouth,tastingand teasing, and shereturned the favor. All ofher dreams were finallycomingtrueandtherealitywas even better than the
fantasy.She could feel the
muscle and sinew in hisback and arms as shecaressed him. Her handbrushed across a scar onhis side, and she pausedandtraceditagain.He froze, then dropped
his head against hershoulder. His hand let goofherbreastandfellawaytothebed.
Eve realized that thedemons that plagued himhad taken hold again. Sheheldhimcloser,wantingtocomfort, wanting to easehispain.“Was this where the
bullet grazed you?” sheasked as she traced awoundunderhisarm.Heshookhishead.“That
wasshrapnel.”Hetookherhand and placed it on an
indentation at his waistwhere flesh was missing.“The bullet tore a chunkoutofme.”She ran her hand over
the spot and felt himflinch.“Doesitstillhurt?”He smiled wryly. “You
tickledme.”“Oh. Where did the
shrapnel hit?” She’d seenthe wounds on his chest,
but she wanted to feelthem with her hands. Itwastheonlywayshecouldthink of to share his painandtoeaseit.He unbuttoned a couple
of buttons on his shirt,then pulled it off over hishead. He sat unmoving,allowing her to examinethe scars slanting acrosshis chest, which gleamedwhiteinthemoonlight.
Eve traced several oftheminturn,thenreachedfor the one over his heart.“Thisonewasclose.”“A quarter inch deeper
andI’dbedead.”“I’m glad you were
spared. I’m so glad youcame home to…” She wasabout to say “me” andsubstituted “us.” Sheleaned forward to kiss thescar and felt him quiver
when her lips touched hisflesh.EvedrapedherarmsaroundConnor’s neck andleanedherheadagainsthisshoulder,lovingthefeelingof closeness to him thatwas more than physical.“Did you start Safe Haveninmemoryofyourfriend?”Connor shook his head.
“I started it for guys likeme, who have to go backagain and again to fight.
Guys who need a respitefrom killing and death.Guys who need a breakfromtheconstantwarinessof watching for the bulletorbombthat’sgoingtogetyou. Paddy’s sacrificeforced me to acknowledgethat even a man like me,withmedals for valor, haslimits. That soldierssometimes desperatelyneedaplacetorest,sothey
canfightagain.”Eve kissed his throat.
“You’redoingagoodthing,Connor.”“I think what you’re
doing for those mustangsis pretty special, too,” hereplied. “What got youstarted?”Eve took advantage of
the opportunity to touchConnor, and brushed the
stubborn lock of hair offhis forehead. “A friendaskedmetotakephotosofa herd of wildmustangs aweek before they werescheduled to be removedfrom land where they’dbeenrunningwildalltheirlives. They were going tobe rounded up and placedincorrals.”“Why?”Connorasked.Her body quivered with
anger. “According to theBureau of LandManagementthegrasslandwhere the mustangs livedwas‘overpopulated’fortheavailablefoodandwater.”“Anditwasn’t?”“Itwouldn’thavebeenif
the wildmustangs weren’tsharing it with a herd ofcattle.”“Whosecattle?”
“Whoever leased theland from the governmentatrock-bottomprices.”Sheleanedbacktolookintohiseyes. “Oh, Connor, theywere so beautiful in thewild!Soplayful.Soutterlyfascinating to watch. TheweekIspentwiththatherdI took some of the bestphotographs I’ve evertakeninmylife.“My friend invited me
back a month later to seethe same herd—or rather,whatwasleftofit—inpenswaiting to be adopted andturnedintosaddlehorses.”Eve sighed heavily. “Theystoodcantedonthreelegs,uninterested in theirsurroundings—no need tograze, no need to be waryof predators—in a dirtcorral with no availableshade. The life had gone
out of their eyes. I stayedfor the sale of themustangs thathadn’tbeenadopted the third timearound, the ones sold to‘kill buyers.’ The onesheadedtoslaughter.”She shuddered and felt
Connor’s arms tightenaround her. “Then Imadethe mistake of followingthe kill buyer’s truck as itleft. When I passed it on
the highway, I saw a wildhorse that was clearly indistress, the whites of hiseyes showing, his mouthopen wide to reveal baredteethasheshrieked—that’sthe word that comes tomind—shrieked in terror.Did he know what wascoming? I don’t know. Iracedtoget infrontof thetruck,thenslammedonmybrakessothedriverhadto
screech to a halt to keepfrom hitting me. I boughteveryanimal in that truck.Twenty-twomustangs.”“Yourherd.”She nodded, her head
moving against his chest.“It took everypenny Ihadinsavings,butitwasworthit. You’ve seen themrunning free, how proudtheyare,howmajestic.”
“I’m surprised you’relettingthevetsbreakthemtosaddle,”Connorsaid.“If I were wealthy, if I
hadtheland,I’dkeepthemfree. But they won’t beunhappy as saddle horses,notiftheygetgoodhomes.Horsesandmenhavebeenpartners for eons.Besides,there are a lot moremustangs out there thatneedtoberescued.”
“I guess you and I haveat least one thing incommon,”Connorsaid.“What’sthat?”“We want to save the
world.”Eve laughed. “Not the
world. Just a few wildhorses.”“Andafewgoodmen.”Evehadneverfeltcloser
to another human being
than she felt to Connorright then. The amazingthing was that there wasnothing sexual about theircloseness. Was this whatmarriage was like? Wasthis what their life wouldbe like in the years tocome?Eve realized that
although Connor had said“Let me love you,” it hadbeen a request for the
physical act. What they’dshared had been far moreprofound. He’d told hersomething he’d nevershared with Molly. Whatdiditmean?“I’msorrymynightmare
woke you,” Connor said.“Youmustbewhipped.Doyouwanttosleepherewithmeorgojointhekids?”Evewantedverymuchto
stay with Connor, but she
was afraid they’d end upmaking loveafterall.Theywere going to be marriedtomorrow, and even if shewasn’t going to have afancy wedding, it was stillpossibletohaveaweddingnight.“Ineedtogobacktomy
ownbed,”shesaid.“Idon’twant the kids to wake upandfindmegone.”Connor kissed her
quickly on the lips andstood as he eased her outofhislapandontoherfeet.Everealizedhewantedherout of the bedroombeforehe gave in to temptation.Therewasacertainlooktohisfeatures,aheavinessoflids,a fullnessof lips, thattold her hewas ready andwillingtomakelovetoherrightthen,rightthere.Eve glanced at Connor
once over her shoulderbefore she turned and randown the hall. She wascarefulnottowakethekidswhen she slipped underthe covers. But if shethought she could fallasleep, shewas verymuchmistaken. Thoughts of herwedding night, and hopesand expectations for thefuture,keptherawakelongpastwhensheshouldhave
beensoundlysleeping.
Chapter16
EVE WOKE THE nextmorning to the soundof a
landline ringingsomewhere in the houseand discovered that shewas alone in bed. Whenshe’dreturnedtoherroomlast night, she’d changedout of her clothes and puton a knee-length, Swiss-dotted, baby-bluenightgownsoshewouldn’tget caught half dressed ifthekidswantedherhelpinthemorning.
When she’d finallymanaged to doze off, shehadn’t slept well. Brooke’selbows and knees stabbedhereverytimethelittlegirlrolled over, and the kidshad sprawled across somuch of the bed, she’dspent thenight clinging totheedge,hopingnottofalloff. By the time dawnarrived,shewasexhausted.She couldhear the kids in
the kitchen with Connorandblessedhimforlettinghersleepin.Shewasinthemiddleof
a lazy stretch, groaningwith enjoyment as sheextended her fingerswide,her hands high over herhead and her toes archedtowardthefootofthebed,when Connor appeared inthe doorway, phone inhand.
“It’sforyou.”Eve felt self-conscious
because, with mascaraclumped on her eyelashesand her hair spiked everywhichaway,shelookedlikesomething the cat draggedin.Connor must have just
gottenoutoftheshower.Alockofdamphair felloverhis scarred forehead, andhe was freshly shaven. He
was dressed in a short-sleeved black T-shirt thatshowed off his powerfulbiceps and jeans fadedwith age that lovinglycuppedtheproofofhissex,which happened to be ateyelevel.She had a vivid
recollection of what it feltlike to have that warm,hard part of him nestedagainst her own softness
and felt her body quicken.Everanherhandsthroughher tangled hair to keepfromreachingouttotouch.“Hardlyanyoneknows I’mhere.Whoisit?”He handed her the
phone. “I don’t know.Some woman asking foryou.”Evetriedtoimaginewho
it could be, but came upblank. She started to slide
outofbedandrealizedhernightgownhadgapedopenat the top. She grabbed atit and shook her head inchagrin as she metConnor’sgaze.Hegrinnedandwaggled
his eyebrows,acknowledging that he’denjoyedtheview.Eveplayfullyswattedhis
armasshetookthephonefrom him. “This is Eve
Grayhawk.”She could feel Connor’s
eyesonherasshelistenedand then replied to thespeakerontheotherendofthe line. “Um, yes. I see.Howsoon?Yes.Howlong?Thank you. I’ll be intouch.”Sheclickedoffthephone
anddroppeditonthebed,too stunned for amomenttospeak.Shelookedathim
with amazement and said,“That was NationalGeographic. They lovedmy photographs. Theyhave another assignmentforme.”Connor’s smile was
instant and infectious. Heliftedherintohisarmsandswung her in a circle.“Congratulations! I toldyouyourworkwasgood.”Shewas laughingby the
time he set her down. “Istill can’t believe this ishappening. It’s a dreamcome true.” It just didn’tseem possible that she’dbeen offered somethingthat she’d been workingtoward ever since she’dfirstpickedupacameraatthirteen.She’d told Mrs. Stack
about the project she’ddone for National
Geographic as though shetook photographs for themagazine all the time. Intruth, it was her first jobwith them,and she’dbeenwaiting on pins andneedles tohearhowmuchof her work they wereactually going touse.Nowshe’d gotten thiswonderful, life-alteringcall.“I’ll be photographing
mustangs in thewild,” shesaid, her voice filled withenthusiasm.“HereinWyoming?”“InNevada.”After a long hesitation,
Connorasked,“When?”“Sixweeks fromnow, in
May.”“Forhowlong?”“Aslongasittakes.”She
couldn’t keep the smile of
delight off her face. Itwasn’t just takingphotographsforoneofthepremier magazines in theworld, it wasphotographing the wildmustangs she was sopassionate about saving.Herevocativephotoscouldmove hearts and changeminds. They could be theimpetus to keep moremustangsinthewild.
“I’ll be following a herdof mustangs with severalpregnant mares until theygive birth and then takingphotographsofthefoalsastheygrow.”“So you’ll likely be gone
for several weeks. Ormaybemonths.”Eve nodded. She was
still on cloud nine whenConnor said, “How doesthat fit inwithourplan to
bemarriedtoday?”The smile disappeared
from Eve’s face as thoughshe’d clicked a camerashutter. It had never beennecessary in the past tobalance her life betweenthe people she loved andthe work she loved. Shetookadeepbreathand letitout.“Idon’tknow.”Connor’sexpressionwas
unreadable, but his hip
wascanted,andhe’dstuckhis hands into his backpockets. “I suppose there’sa big payday for this job,”he said. “Big enough tohelp you relocate yourhorses and afford a placetolive.”Eve crossed her arms
protectivelyoverherchest.“Iguess,yes.”Theamountshe’d been offered for thissingleprojectwasasmuch
as she’dmade inanentireyear selling herphotographslocally.“If I’m not mistaken,
once folks see yourphotographs—which I’mguessing will bespectacular—you’re goingtobedelugedwithofferstotake pictures all over theworld.”Eve felt flattered by
Connor’sestimationofher
work. She stayed silentbecauseshewasbeginningto realize the full scope ofthe opportunities she wasgoing to have—and howthey might take her awayfrom the man and thechildrensheloved.“You no longer need to
marryme to have a homeand save your mustangs,”heconcluded.Eve’s throat constricted
atthethoughtofgivingupa life with Connor andBrookeandSawyer.Surelyshe didn’t have to choose.Surelyshecouldhavebothher work and a family tolove. “Nothing’s changed,Connor.”“Everything’s changed.”
He looked at her withwounded eyes. “I’m notgoing to steal your dreamfrom you, Eve. The deal
was that I’dget somethingand you’d get something.That’s no longer true.Don’tworryaboutmeandthe kids. We’ll figure outsome way to get alongwithout you. I’m glad foryou. I’m just sorry thingsturnedoutthisway.”He turned to leave, but
she grabbed his arm tostophim.“Wait!”Whydidhe have to be so noble?
Didn’t he want to marryher?Wasshereallysoeasytodismissfromhislife?Evecouldfeelsomething
important, somethingvitalto her happiness, slippingaway.“Idon’thavetoleavefor six weeks. I can stillhelp you get through thisadjustment period withBrookeandSawyer.”He whirled to face her,
and her hand fell away.
“Then what? The wholepoint of getting married—and staying married—wastogivethekidstwoparentstheycancounton.”“I love them. I don’t
want to leave them.” Evesaw Connor flinch andrealized what she hadn’tsaid. That she loved him.That she didn’t want toleave him. But it was toosoon to exchange words
likethose,eventhoughsheyearnedtosaythem.“Getting married to me
is only going to tie youdown and hold you back,”he said. “Why would youwanttodoit?”Because I love you.
Because I’ve alwayswanted to be your wife.“Youseemtothinkahomefor myself and mymustangs is all I’d be
getting out of marriage toyou.Ilovethosechildren,”shesaidfiercely.“Iwanttobe their mother.” And Iwantalifewithyou.“Lotsof women balance careersand families. At least letmetry!”“What are the kids
supposed to do when youtake off? They’ve alreadylost their mother. They’llbe devastated if they lose
you,too.”“They won’t be losing
me.Icantalkwiththemonthe phone. I can Skype.They’llknowI’mstilltherefor them, and that I’ll becomingback.”“If you do a good job—
and I have no doubt youwill—won’t this justbe thefirst of many assignmentsthat take you away fromhome?What about having
more kids? Can you havebabies and take on moreprojectslikethis?”He was asking good
questions, none of whichshe’dhadtimetoconsider.“I don’t have all theanswers,Connor.Ijustgotthe offer a few minutesago. I haven’t even agreedtotakethejob.”“Whynot?”
“They gave me time toconsiderwhether Iwantedthework. I’m supposed togetbacktothem.”“When?”“I need to give them a
month’s notice, so twoweeksfromnow.”Herubbedahandacross
his nape. “I want you tohave the life you’vealwaysdreamedofhaving. Idon’t
wantyougiving thatup tohelpmeout.”Ifonlyshecouldtellhim
thetruth.Ifonlyshecouldsay, You’re the dream I’vehadallmy life. You’re thedreamIdon’twanttolose.She loved takingphotographs, and shecould never give up thework that gave her life somuch meaning, but shewas more willing to
compromise than Connorseemed to believe. “I’llalways want to takephotographs, but I won’talways have to leave youand thekids todo it.Giveme a chance. Give us achance.”“Whatareyousaying?”She met his gaze, her
heart in her throat, andsaid,“Iwanttogothroughwiththewedding.”
He didn’t respond forseverallongmoments.“Allright,” he said at last, hisvoice rough with emotion.“Let’sgogetmarried.”
Chapter17
CONNOR STOOD BESIDEEve, listening to the
magistrate read the wordsthat made them husbandand wife, wondering if hewas making a mistakemarrying a woman wholoved his kids—but nothim. He hadn’t realizeduntil it seemed he mightloseEvejusthowmuchhewanted to be married toher.Itwasthevowtotryand
be a better husband that
had caused him to sharehis feelings of guilt andshame for Paddy’s deathwith Eve. He hadn’trealizedhowgooditwouldfeel to have her absolveand defend him or howmoved he would be whenshe shared an importantturningpointinherlife.Hefeltatugonhisjeans
and looked down into hisson’s cherubic face. “Pick
meup,Daddy.”Hepickeduphissonand
held him close. He knewhow precious and fleetingthese moments with hischildren were. Molly’sdeath had proved therewere no promises in life.He had to reach forhappiness if he hoped tohave any chance ofachieving it.Whichmeantmarrying a woman he’d
lovedmostofhislife,eventhoughshedidn’tlovehim.He fought the ache in histhroat so he’d be able tospeakwhenthetimecame.Eve smiled at himas he
settled Sawyer against hiswaist.Brooke stood between
them,abrightblue ribbontied around her ponytailand a small bouquet ofwildflowers in her hands.
Shewas listening carefullyto everything themagistratesaid.BrookelookedupatEve
whenshesaid,“Iwill,”andthen up at him when hesaid,“Iwill.”The magistrate said, “I
now pronounce youhusband and wife.” Hegrinned.“IhavetosayI’msurprised to see you twohere under these
circumstances.” BothConnor and Eve hadappeared before themagistratemorethanonceas teenagers to atone formischiefthey’dcaused.Eve shot Connor an
embarrassed look, andConnor grinned andshruggedback.The balding man, who
sported an impressivehandlebar mustache,
continued, “Never thoughtI’d see the day when I’dmarry one of you wildFlynnboystooneofKing’sBrats. My best wishes toyouboth.”He shook hands with
Connor,thenwithEve,andwhen Brooke lifted herhand,heshookhandswiththelittlegirl,andfinally,ofcourse, with Sawyer, whodidn’twanttobeleftout.
“Where are you folksheaded now?” themagistrateasked.“Back home,” Connor
said.“To the Lucky 7?” the
magistrate asked. “Or toKingdomCome?”“To my ranch,” Connor
said.“SafeHaven.”“Itseemsashamenotto
celebrateintownfirst,”the
magistratesaid.“Ormaybewith your families?” HelookedfromConnortoEveandbackagain.Withnoone fromeither
of their familiespresentatthe simple ceremony, themagistrate was obviouslyfishing for informationabout whether either oftheir fathers knew whatthey’d just done. Connorwasn’t about to satisfy the
old man’s curiosity, notafter all the times themagistrate had orderedhim toperformahundredhours of communityservice.The truth was they
hadn’t told either parentthey were getting marriedtoday. After their visitsyesterday,AngusandKingknew their childrenintended to wed. He and
Eve had thought it betterto present their fatherswithafaitaccompli.“Oh,Inearlyforgot,”the
magistrate said with animpishgrin.“Youmaykissyourbride.”Connor was caught off
guard. He set Sawyerdown, then turned to Eve,wholookedvulnerableandafraid. As he leanedforward, her eyes slid
closed. He hesitated abreathaway fromher lips,hisheartfullofemotion.“Kissher!Kissher!Kiss
her!”Connorwasstartledinto
lifting his head. He staredat his daughter, who waslaughing and clapping herhands. The chant wassomething Brooke used todowhenhe’dteasedMollybefore kissing her. The
shocking reminder of hisfirst wife at his secondwedding was like a punchinthegut.Sawyer picked up
Brooke’s chant, which hadgotten louder, andConnorrealized that the only wayto get them to stopwas tokisshisbride.He took his time. He
owedEvethat.
He captured her facebetween his hands, feelingthe warm flush in hercheeks with his fingertips.He somehow knew it wasbashfulness rather thanreluctance that made hisnew wife lower her gaze.HepressedhislipsagainstEve’s and felt themtrembling. He slid onehand around her nape,holding her captive as he
deepened the kiss. Sheleaned into him,surrending to his desire,and he suddenlyenvisioned a world ofpossibilities in their lifetogether.He felt a sharp jerk on
his jeans, followed bySawyer’s demand, “Timefor pizza, Daddy.” Connorbroke the kiss reluctantlyand searchedEve’s face to
see how she was faringafter this strangewedding.He felt his heart jumpwhen he saw a look thatfelt likeloveinhereyes.Itwas gone an instant later,and he wondered if he’dimaginedit.“Daddy!” Sawyer said
insistently.“Pizza!”Eve looked away first.
She dropped to one knee,gave Sawyer a hug, and
laughed as she yelled,“Pizza!”Sawyer chortled and
hugged her around theneckasshepickedhimup.IthadbeenEve’sideato
bribeSawyerbypromisinghim that if he was quietduring the brief ceremonyhe’d be rewarded withpepperoni pizza, whichwould serve as theirweddingdinner.
Connor thought back tohis firstwedding, fromtheelaborate floraldecorations in the church,to Molly’s exquisite whitedress and veil and hercascadingbouquetoflilies,to the lengthy Catholicwedding ceremony, andfinally to the outdoorbarbecue and dance forfivehundredguests.If he didn’t have the
marriage license tucked inhis pocket, Connor couldalmost believe they’dappeared before themagistrate this afternoonfor stealing antlers fromone of the arches thatdecorated the four cornersofthetownsquare.Hewaswearing jeans, a
white western shirt, andcowboyboots.SowasEve.Brooke was holding the
only flowers in the room,which they’d picked fromaround the porch thismorning before they’dgotten into his pickup todrive to town. They’dexchanged no rings. Twochildren dressed in playclotheshadbeentheironlyattendants as they saidtheir vows, and they wereabout to eat pizza as aweddingsupper.
What was wrong withthispicture?Connor studied Eve
looking for signs ofdissatisfaction. She wassmiling, her eyes crinkledat the corners, as sheusheredthekidsoutofthemagistrate’s office. Hecouldn’timagineanyotherwoman he knew, certainlynot Molly, agreeing tomarry him without all the
usual bells and whistles.Andyet,Evehad.Didn’tallgirls dream of theirweddingdayandimagineathousand ways they couldmakeitdazzling?Five minutes later, as
they settled at one of thetables at Mountain HighPizza Pie, the kids busywith coloring books thatEve had thoughtfullybrought along, Connor
leaned over and askedquietly,“Areyouokay?”She angled her head as
though he’d asked apeculiar question. “Whywouldn’tIbe?”“You didn’t find that
wedding…odd?”“Different, certainly,”
sheagreed.“ButIlovedthesimplicity of it. Didn’tyou?”
“Ofcourse.ButIfeellikeyougotcheated.”Shelaughed.“Cheatedof
all those agonizing weeksof planning and all thatlast-minutepanicworryingthat everything wasn’tperfect? Thanks, but nothanks. I like the way wedidit.”“We don’t have a single
pictureofourwedding,”hesaid, appalled at the
oversight.“I have my cell phone
with me. Want to comeoverhere and takea selfiewithme?” she said with agrin.“You’re really okay with
this,aren’tyou?”She nodded, and then
sobered.“Itwouldhavefeltstrangeifwe’dhadafancywedding. How could I top
the beautiful wedding youandMollyhad?”It dawned on him that
she’dbeenthereasMolly’smaid of honor. Eve wouldhave gone through all theangstofplanningthethingwith Molly in the threeweeks between hisproposal and his return toAfghanistan and been apart of all the franticpreparations for a last-
minute barbecue for fivehundred of their parents’closest friends andacquaintances.“This was nice.” She
rubbedherbareringfingerandadded,“Iwouldliketohavea ring,but there’snorush.”“What kind of ring do
youwant?”“Something I can wear
when I’m running aroundinthewilderness.”“Taking pictures of
mustangs?”“That,too,”shesaid.“Do
youwantanewring?Ordoyou want to keep thatone?”Connor realized he was
still wearing his originalwedding ring, a plain goldbandhe’dworn constantly
since the day he wasmarried and hadn’t takenoff after Molly’s death. Itwas almost like anotherpart of him. He brushedthe underside of the bandwithhisthumb,somethinghe’d often done when hewas away from home thatmade him feel closer toMolly. “Do you mind thatI’mstillwearingit?”She laidher ringless left
hand over his. “That ringhas sentimental value forme, too. I was with Mollywhen she picked it out. Iremember how happy andexcited she was to bemarrying you.” Sheglanced at Brooke andSawyer. “Mollywill alwaysbe a part of our lives. Ithink it’s wonderful thatyou don’t want to take itoff.”
Connor made up hismind then and there tofind the perfect ring forEve and to put it on herhandsoshewaswearingitwhen she took off forNevada. Maybe it wouldremind her that he waswaitingforhertoreturn.The pizza was delicious,
but it added to the surrealfeeling of their bizarrewedding day. He was the
onewho’d set this strangeday in motion with hissuggestion of a “marriageofconvenience.”Hehadn’trealizeditwouldalsoresultin such a “convenientmarriage.”Connor could see
nothinginEve’sdemeanorthatsuggestedshehadanyregrets, but he couldn’thelp wondering if shewould be sorry later that
they hadn’t made theirwedding more special. Hesmiled to himself. It hadbeen a memorable day, iffor no other reason thanthefactthatthey’dskippedall the traditional ways tocelebrate. He wondered ifthey were going to forgotheweddingnight,too.HeeyedEveandrealized
he didn’t want to do that.Hewantedtomakeloveto
his wife. Last night hadonly given him a taste ofwhat was in store. Hedidn’t want to fall anydeeper in love with herwhen they didn’t knowwhether they had a futuretogether. But he couldn’thelphopingthatEvewouldbe willing to make theirweddingnightanoccasionworthremembering.Out of the blue, Brooke
asked Eve, “Are you mymothernow,AuntEve?”Eve shot him a startled
lookbeforeanswering,“Doyou want me to be yourmother?”Brooke pulled a slice of
pepperoni off her pizza,popped it into her mouth,and began chewing as sheanswered,“Iguessso.”“Then the first thing I
have to say to you, younglady, is chew with yourmouthclosed!”Brooke’smouthdropped
open in surprise and thensnapped shut as shechewed vigorously, hereyes sparkling and hercheeks puffed out by hersmile. After she’dswallowed, she said,“Mommy used to say thatallthetime.”
Eve brushed Brooke’sbangs off her forehead inwhatConnorrealizedwasacaress. “I know,sweetheart.Yourmomwasvery nice and very wise. Ihope I canbe evenhalf asgood a mother to you asshewas.”“Are you gonna be my
mommy, too?” Sawyerasked.“You bet,” Eve said,
shoving the wayward lockof hair off his foreheadwithanotherfondcaress.“Now do Daddy’s hair,”
Brookesaid.Eve stared at the little
girl in disbelief, thenglancedatConnor.“Goahead,”hesaidwith
agrin.She reached out
tentatively, and he felt the
softbrushofherfingertipsacross the scar on hisforehead.“NowyoudoAuntEve,”
Brookesaidtohim.Eve’s bangs were long,
so he settled for tuckingthem behind one ear,feeling her shiver slightlybefore he removed hishand.Whenhelookedintoher eyes, he saw that herpupilsweredilatedandher
skinwasflushed.Connor felt his heart
knocking against his ribs.Thesoonerhegotthekidshomeandtuckedintobed,the sooner he could beginthe seduction of his bride.He jumped up from thetable and announced,“Timetogohome.”“Yousaidwecouldgoto
the movies,” Brookeremindedhim.
“WhendidIsaythat?”“You said if I was good
—”“I remember now.”
Sawyer’s bribe was pizza.Brookehadinsistedonthelatest cartoon movie. “Allright. Let’s go.” It was thesing-along version, wheretheaudiencejoinedtheon-screencharactersinbeltingout the songs.Connorhadpretty much learned the
words to the theme song,since Brooke sang itendlessly.He met Eve’s gaze over
Brooke’s and Sawyer’sheads,wonderingifshefeltany of the growinganticipationhefeltastheirwedding day wore on. Hewondered if she was alsolooking forward to themomentwhenthechildrenwere asleep and they
would finally be alonetogether as husband andwife. Their wedding daymightbespentinordinaryways,hethought,buttherewas no reason theycouldn’t have anextraordinary weddingnight.
Chapter18
EVE COULDN’T REMEMBERwhen she’d enjoyed a day
more, even though she’dspentmostofitwonderingabout the night to come.Would Connor want tomakelovetoher?Wasshewilling to make love tohim,eventhoughhewasn’tin love with her? They’dcome very close to havingsex last night, and all dayshe’d carried the feelingwith her of somethingimportantleftunfinished.
The children were awelcome distraction, funand funny, especiallyduring the movie sing-along. She’d beenenchanted when Connor,whoknewall thewords toBrooke’s favorite song,joinedin.By the time the children
got fussy, they werealreadyontheirwayhome.SheandConnorgavethem
their baths and put themright to bed. The copy ofAre You My Mother? hadbeen found, and Eve readthat to Brooke, whileConnorreadHortonHearsaWho!toSawyer.When Eve left Brooke’s
room she found Connorwaiting for her in thehallway.“How about a glass of
champagne?”hesaid.
“I’d like that.”Eve felt afrissonrolldownherspineat the suggestion of whatmoremight be in store onher wedding day: awedding night. Shefollowed Connor into thekitchen,buthesaid,“Makeyourself comfortable onthecouch.”She was too nervous to
sit. She crossed to thefireplace and held out her
hands to warm them.Except,shewasn’ttheleastbit cold. In fact, she feltwarmallover.Shewantedto be held and loved byConnor. She wanted tohold him and love himback. But she hadn’tforgotten what hadhappened the first timethey’d kissed. She hadn’tforgotten their abortedlovemaking last night. She
wondered if they couldreally get through theirwedding night withoutMolly somehow ending upinbedbetweenthem.Evewasstillstandingby
the flickering fire, whichprovided the only light inthe living room, whenConnor held out a flute ofchampagne. She took itandturnedtofacehim.Hishooded eyes gleamed in
the firelight, and his lipswere full. She felt herheartbeatratchetupassherecognized the signs ofdesire.“To second chances,” he
said.She clinked glasses with
him and drank, laughingwhen the bubbles tickledher nose. Connor’s toastreminded Eve that shedidn’t want to make the
same mistake again. Shehad a better chance ofgettingwhat shewanted ifshereachedforitwithbothhands. If she wantedConnor to make love toher, she had to let himknowit.Before she could say a
word,Connorcapturedhernape and drew her close.His tongue slid along theseamofhermouthseeking
entrance, and she openedto him, feeling her bloodsurgeasdesireblossomed.Eve smiled as she tastedbuttered popcorn andchampagne. He stillsmelled faintly of thewoodsyaftershavehe’dputon earlier in the day andanotherscentthatwasverymale and recognizablyConnor.He broke the kiss to set
his glass on the mantel,thentookherglassandsetit besidehis. “All day longI’ve wanted to hold you.”His strong arms closedaround her until herbreasts were pressedagainst hismuscular chestand her hips were cradledagainst the length andhardnessofhim.Eve had enjoyed sex in
the past, but she’d never
made love to a man sheloved. She’d been curiousenough to try sex to seewhatitwaslike,andsmartenoughnot tokeephavingsexjustbecauseshecould.She’dbeenwaitingforthismoment. Waiting forConnor.She took his hand and
said,“Comewithme.”He followed her readily
enough, but when they
arrived at his bedroomdoor he stopped. “Are yousure you’re okay withthis?”There was no way he
couldknowhowlongshe’dbeen waiting for thismoment.Shesmiledasshesaid,“I’veneverbeenmorecertain of anything in mylife.” She laughed insurprise when he pickedher up, and she held on
tight as they entered hisbedroom. Connor hadn’tcarried her over thethreshold when theyreturned home after theirwedding, but transportingher to his bedwas equallyreminiscent of those long-ago stolen brides broughthome by the warriorswho’dwontheminbattle.When Connor set her
down,Everealizedhemust
havecomeheretopreparethe room while she wasdressing Brooke for bed.The covers had beencarefully turned down. Apine-scented candleburnedonthechestacrossfrom the bed, and a sprigof mountain columbinerestedbetweenthepillows.Evefeltherheartwrench
with gratitude. “This islovely, Connor. Thank
you.”A flush rose under his
skin. “I wanted somethingaboutthisdaytobespecialforyou,Eve.”“I loved my wedding
day.” She met his gaze.“And I’m very muchlooking forward to myweddingnight.”As Connor took her in
his arms, she slid her
hands into his hair, lovingthe softness of it. He tookhis time. Kissing hertemples.Kissingherclosedeyes. Kissing her cheeks.Andfinallykissingfirstoneedge of her mouth, andthen theother.Eve’sheartwas pounding, and herbody was tensed inexpectation.He brushed the callused
padof his thumbover her
lips, and Eve opened hermouthslightlyinresponse.Amomentlater,hismouthclaimed hers. Theirtongues parried as theytasted one another, andEve’s body came alive asConnor palmed a breastandthenteasedhernippleinto a hard bud. Sheexplored the strength inhis shoulders and arms,loving the feel of muscle
and sinew under herfingertips.Shecouldhardlybelieve
where she was, what shewas doing, who she wasdoing it with. She felt akindofeuphoriashecouldnever have imagined,knowing Connor wantedher. At the same time,therewasaknotof fear inher belly that somethingwouldbreak the spell, and
her dream of happinesswithhimwouldendbeforeithadevenbegun.“I want to see you,” he
rasped.Connor undid the
buttonsonhershirt,whileshereturnedthefavor.Shetugged his shirt out of hisjeans as he did the samefor her. His shirt had thesleeves rolled up, so itcame off without a
problem. She wasimprisoned for a fewmoments by her sleeves,butsheheldherwristsup,forcing a wobbly smile ashe undid the buttons,holding her breath as hershirtslidtothefloor.She’dwornjeansinstead
of awedding dress for theceremony, but Eve hadbeen aware this momentmight come. She stood
beforehernewhusbandina white demi-cup bra thatliftedher breasts up like adelectable feast.Awave ofpleasure washed throughherwhenConnor’seyes litwithdesire.Hecuppedherbreasts in both hands andleaned down to kiss thecrestofeachonebeforehereachedforthesnaponherjeans.White bikini underwear
trimmed in feminine laceappeared as her zippercame down. Eve washavingtroublecatchingherbreath. Having troublekeeping her heart frombeating right out of herchest.Shewasexcited.Andterrified.Whatifshedidn’tplease
him?What ifhecomparedhertoMollyandfoundherwanting?
Eve stood theretrembling, afraid to moveforward,unwillingtomoveback, her jeans caught onher hips, as Connorunbuckled his belt andpulleditthroughtheloops,then reached for the snaponhisjeans.Thesoundhiszipper made as it camedown sent a shiver ofexpectation rushing thelengthofherspine.
Connor chuckled as hestared down at his Levi’s,whichhadpooled atophiscowboy boots. “Okay. Wecandothisthehardwayortheeasyway.”“What?”He was laughing as he
said, “My jeans aren’tcomingoffuntilIgetoutofthese boots. Neither areyours.Anysuggestions?”
The humor in his eyeseasedthe tightknot inherbelly and unfroze herlimbs. “I vote for the easyway.” She dropped ontothe edge of the bed andstuckbothfeetintotheair.Connor grinned as he
pulled off her boots andthen her socks. Her bootshit the floor with twothumps,andhe tossedhersocks after them, then
pulled her jeans down herlegs,leavingherdressedinnothing but the sexyunderwear that had beenher only concession to thefact that this was herweddingday.Eve told herself it was
silly to feel self-consciousinfrontofConnor,butherheart didn’t get themessage.Shecouldfeelherpulse thrummingwildly in
her throat. He couldn’thelpbutcompareherwithMolly. To postpone themoment, she jumped upand gave Connor a littleshove so he plopped ontothe bed, then turned herbacktohimtopulloffeachof his boots, droppingthem with much louderthumps. Shepulled off hissocksandthrewthemoverhershoulderasthoughshe
wereflippingherhairbackbehindher.He laughed as she
grabbed the legs of hisjeans and pulled themoff.He was wearing long grayJockey shorts that fit himlike a second skin and leftnothingtotheimagination.Shenolongerdoubtedthathe wanted her. The proofwas barely constrained bythe fabric that covered
him.Shetriednottostare,but it was a fewmomentsbefore she raised her gazeto meet his. From thevisible pulse in his throat,sherealizedhisheartmustbe racing as fast as herown.Connor sobered as he
stood and took the fewsteps to joinher. Ina low,guttural voice he said,“Justa fewmorescraps to
go,”andreleased the frontclasponherbra.Eve didn’t react quickly
enoughtostopConnor,butsheinstinctivelycaughtthetwo halves and held theminplace.Hedroppedhishandsto
his sides and raised aquestioningbrow.Eve wished she had
enoughconfidencetotease
him, to play the femmefatale, but she cared toomuchwhathethought,andshewastooawarethatshewasn’t Molly. Molly hadbeen short, with smallbreasts and narrow hips.Her shape was verydifferent.It took all of Eve’s
couragetoletgoofthebraand allow the straps toslide down her arms. She
loweredhergaze,unabletobear the tension ofwondering whether shepleasedhim.Eve felt Connor’s
knuckle under her chinand lifted her head untiltheireyesmet.“Youaresobeautifulyou
take my breath away,” hesaidinagruffvoice.Eve felt the knot inside
looseningalittlemore.Shelaidherhandsonhisbarechest and said, “You’rebeautiful,too.”He shook his head.
“That’sthewrongwordforaman.”She didn’t contradict
him, just let him see theadmirationinhereyes.As he reached for her
panties, she took a step
back and said, “Let me.”Her gaze lowered shyly asshe shoved them downover her hips. When theyreached the floor shesteppedoutofthem.Then,and only then, did shemeetConnor’sgazeagain.His pupils were huge
and dark in his blue eyes,his lips full. She felt herbody flooding with theneed tobeheldbyhim, to
be touched by him, to bejoined with him, and saidin a voice she hardlyrecognized as her own,“Yourturn.”All his life Connormust
have cursed his light skin,which revealed a suddenblushashestrippedoffhisshorts and kicked themaside. It took her amoment to realize that hewas as anxious for her
approval as she’d been forhis. She tried to smile toshow she was satisfied, ortosaysomethingtolethimknow that the sight of hisbody pleased her. But hermouthwouldn’tmove,andher throat was too thickwithemotiontospeak.Eve kept her gaze
focused on Connor’s faceasshetookthefewstepstoreach him. She ran her
hands across his chest,reveling in the feel ofmuscle and bone. “I’vewanted to touch yournakedfleshallday.”She didn’t know where
thatlow,throatyvoicehadcome from, but she feltConnor’s muscles tenseunderherfingertips.His hands circled her
waist, urging her closeruntil they were pressed
togetherbodytobody.Sheheard his low growl ofsatisfaction as she slidherarms around his neck.When she laid her cheekagainst his powerful chestshe could hear hisgalloping heartbeat, whichmatched the pace of herowneagerheart.Connor used a fingertip
to nudge her chin up sotheir lips could meet. His
tongue searched deep forhoney, mimicking the sexact and making her bodythrob.Hishandswerebothgentleandinsistentastheyforayed across her backandupher spine.Withoutwarning he picked her upandcarriedhertothebed.He reverently laid herdown and then joined herthere.Connor held the weight
ofhisbodyonhisarmsashe kissed her face, herthroat, and finally foundher mouth with his. Onehand cupped her breastand teased the nipplebefore sliding down herbelly toward the achebelow.Hismouthreplacedhishandonherbreast,andEve found herself archingtoward the exquisitepleasure. She bit his
shoulder as his fingertipsworked theirmagiconherbody.Evehadn’trealizedwhat
adifference itwouldmaketo love the man caressingher. Hadn’t realized howmuch she would crave histouch. Hadn’t realized thejoy she would experiencewhen he made a gutturalsound to express hisappreciation as she
searchedout theplacesonhis body that brought himthemostpleasure.“Molly,I—”Eve froze as Connor
spoke her best friend’sname, then shoved atConnor’s shoulders tomove him away. “Connor,stop!”Connor rolled over onto
hisbackandslunganarm
across his eyes. He wasbreathingasheavilyasshewas, and he was stillaroused.Eve’sthroattightenedso
itwashardtoswallow.Shegrabbed for the sheet tocover her nakedness, asthough she were that firstEve,hidingherselfbecauseshe’dsinned.Oh, God. She’d known
this would happen! She’d
feared this would happen.What did it mean? Whatshould she do? Ignore it?Impossible. Discuss it?Impossible.She heard him swallow
noisily before he said,“Eve,I’msorry.”She said nothing. She
hadnoideawhattosay.“You’re nothing like
Molly,” he said into the
silence. “I don’t knowwhyIsaidhername.”Eve cringed. His
commentmadeitseemlikeshewasmissingsomethingthatMollyhad.Shewantedtorunandhide,butwherecould she go? She wasConnor’s wife. This washer home. This was herbed.“I swear I wasn’t
thinkingofMolly,”Connor
said.“Except itwashername
yousaid.”He sighed but said
nothing.Mollywouldalwaysbea
part of their lives, abeloved wife and bestfriend. Neither of themreallywantedhergone.Sowheredidthatleavethem?“Maybe you haven’t
finished grieving,” Evesaid.Connor said nothing,
justcontinuedtoliebesideher with his arm coveringhiseyes.“Or maybe it isn’t me
you really want,” she saidinto the silence. When hedidn’t immediatelycontradict her she added,“It’sallrightifyoudon’t.”
Connor lifted his headand looked down at her,hisbrowfurrowed.“Ihopeyoudon’tmeanthat,Eve.Ihope it matters to youwhetherIdesireyou.”Eveblushed.“It’s just…I
half expected somethinglike this to happen. ForMollytobeherewithus.”“Ididn’t.”Connor’s eyes
bored into hers. “I knewexactly who I was holding
in my arms.” He shovedthe sheet out of his wayand slid his arms aroundher naked body, tuckingherinacloseembrace.“You don’t have to do
this,”shesaid.“I don’t have to. I want
to.”A sudden raucous clash
of metal on metal causedConnor to clutch her
tighter,thenrollthembothoffthebed.Assoonastheywere on the floor, hecrouched on one knee,usingthebedasashield.Evegrabbedatthesheet,
pulling it off the bed tocoverherself as she staredat Connor. “What justhappened?”He shot her a sheepish
look. “I still haven’tstopped ducking for cover
when I hear anything thatsoundslikeagunshot.”Evestaredappreciatively
atConnor’sleanflanksandbuttocks as he rose andstrode, completely naked,towardthewindow.Beforehe got there, he retrievedhisshortsandpulledthemon.The clamor intensified
as he shoved open thewindowandstuckhishead
out.“Idon’tbelieveit!”“What is it?” Eve asked,
herwhole body tensed foraction.He turned back to her,
shaking his head indisbelief.“Ashivaree.”“Awhat?”“Oldfrontiercustom,”he
explained. “The neighborsget together to serenade anewly married couple—
with pots and pans—andgenerally interrupt theweddingnight.”They’d done a pretty
good job of that on theirown, Eve thought. “Who’soutthere?”“Noidea,buttheyaren’t
going away until we givethemsomethingtoeatanddrink.”Two small forms
appeared in the doorwayclutchedtogether.“What is that?” Brooke
askedfearfully.“I’m scared,” Sawyer
said.Connor pulled on his
jeans as he said, “Somefolks are wishing me andEve noisy congratulationson getting married.” Hegrabbed his shirt and
headedforthedoor.“Let’slet Eve get dressed whilewe go say hello. Then youtwocanheadbacktobed.”Eve hurried to put her
clothes on, regretting thattheyhadn’tmadelove,butfeeling more encouragedthanshehadinaverylongtime. Connor might notlove her, but he wantedher. She hopedwhoever itwas didn’t stay long,
because she very muchwanted to finish whatthey’dstarted.Eveheardwhatsounded
likeaviolentquarrelassheheadeddown thehall.Sherecognized Taylor’s voice.AndVictoria’s.Andseveralmale voices arguing back.Connor’sbrothers?Eve ran for the kitchen,
hoping she was in time tokeep blood from being
shed.
Chapter19
EVE WAS APPALLED todiscover her eldest sister,
Taylor,withherballedfistson her hips confrontingBrian Connor. Taylor wasthebeautifulsister,theonewho looked the most liketheirstunningmother,Jill.Taylor was tall, withposture like a ballerina.She had long, lustrous,movie-star-blond hair anddazzlingblueeyes that leftmen speechlesswhen theymetherforthefirsttime.
BrianandTaylorweren’talone. Leah and Victoriastood to either side ofTaylor while Aiden andDevon braced Brian. Theywere all still wearing theircoats.Connorwassituatedbetween the kids, whoweresittingonstoolsatthekitchencounter.“It doesn’t surprise me
that you’d choose thiswayto celebrate a wedding
betweenmysisterandyourbrother,”Taylorsaid.“Badjudgment seems to run inyourfamily.”“What are you doing
here?Tellme that?”Brianshotback.“Icametowishmysister
well.”“I did the same for my
brother,” Brian said.“Connor knows a shivaree
isallingoodfun.”“It’s awful!” Taylor said.
“Look at those two poorquivering children.” ShepointedtowardBrookeandSawyer.Unfortunately, at that
moment the childrenwerelaughing at somethingAidenwassaying.Brian snorted. “Yeah,
theylookrealscared.”
Leah spoke quietly toConnor,andhehelpedthechildren down from theirstools. After a single wavegoodbye from Brooke inthe direction of the adultsin the kitchen, Leahescorted the two childrendownthehall towardtheirbedrooms.As Taylorwatched them
go she said, “Well, theywere scared when they
showed up here in thekitchen.IguessyouFlynnscan be hilariouswhen youwanttobe.”“You would know,”
Briansaid.“How dare you bring
thatup!”Eve saw tears spring to
Taylor’s eyes andwondered what hadhappened between Brian
andTaylorinthepastthathadcausedher sister suchanguish. Brian’s blue eyeswere as dark as his soulseemedtobe.She wasn’t given the
opportunity to sympathizewithhersister,becausetheinstantTaylorcaughtsightofEve,sheblurted,“Ican’tbelieve you got marriedwithoutinvitinganyofus!”“Without giving us a
chance to stand up withyou,”Victoriaadded.Eve’s only defense was
the truth, that it was amarriage of convenience,and as such, anythingfancier would have beenabsurd. But she didn’tknow whether Connorwanted his brothers toknow why they’d marriedso abruptly, and the morepeople who knew the real
story,thebetterchancethetruthwouldhaveofgettingback to the social worker.“Weboththoughtasimpleweddingwasbest.”“This wedding wasn’t
just simple,” Tayloraccused. “It was atravesty.”Brian turned to Connor
and said, “A speedywedding without familypresent seems pretty
suspicious to me.” Heturned to Eve and asked,“Areyoupregnant?”Connorhithisbrotherin
the jaw. “That’s my wifeyou’re talking about.Watchyourmouth!”Evegaped.Devonhad caughtBrian
as he stumbled backwardand kept him upright.Brian rubbed his sore jaw
with his hand as his gazeshiftedfromConnortoEveand back again. “I noticeyou didn’t answer myquestion.”“Why,you—”Aiden caught Connor’s
cockedfistbeforehecouldpunch Brian again. He lethimgo,thensaidinavoicethat demanded obedience,“That’senough.”
Evewascaughtoffguardwhen Leah asked, “Well,areyou?”She hadn’t seen her
sisterreturntotheroom.“No, I’m not!” Eve
opened her mouth toexplain that they’d gottenmarried so quickly for thesake of the children andsnapped it shut again.They didn’t owe theirsiblings any explanation.
“We had a lovely weddingandalovelyweddingday—that is,until thesixofyoushowed up. Be happy forus.”She crossed to Connor,
slid an arm around hiswaist, and looked up athim with all the love shefelt. “We want to betogether.Isthatsohardtobelieve?”Brian snorted again.
“Yeah, it is.” He shot aglanceinTaylor’sdirectionbeforehesaid,“GrayhawksandFlynnsarenotoriouslyincapableofgettingalong.”“That’s because all
Flynns are liars,” Taylorsnappedback.Evestiffened.“Ican’tlet
you get away with that.Connor’s never beenanything butstraightforwardwithme.”
Leah put a comfortingarm around Taylor’sshoulders and said, “Ithink we should wish thenewlyweds well and takeourleave.”“Nothinggoodcancome
ofthis,”Taylorreplied.“That doesn’t mean we
can’t hope for the best,”Leahsaid.Eve’s stomach churned.
Wasitreallysoimpossiblefor her sisters to believethat she could be happywith Connor simplybecause he was a Flynn?Shewasn’t theonlyoneofher sisters to haveinteracted with one of“those wild Flynn boys,”but it seemed she was theonly one who hadn’t beenwounded by theexperience. Or at least,
whatever pain she’dsuffered because of fallinginlovewithConnorwasn’thisfault.“By the way, your
buttons are off-kilter,”Victoria said, pointing toEve’sshirt.Eve looked down and
self-consciously grabbed ahandful of her shirtwhereabuttonwas in thewronghole.
“Your shirt isn’tbuttoned at all,” DevonsaidtoConnorwithagrin.He quirked an amusedbrow as he surveyed thetwo gathered sets ofsiblings. “Looks like thesetwo are getting along a lotbetterthantherestofus.”Eve flushed to the roots
ofherhair.Aquickglanceat Connor’s fair skinrevealed an equal rush of
blood to his cheeks,althoughhedidnothingtoclose the shirt that gapedopen down the center ofhischest.“Let’s let these two get
back to whatever it wasthey were doing,” Aidensaidwithachuckle.“We should go, too,”
Leah said. She crossed toEve and kissed her cheek.“Ifyou’rehappy,I’mhappy
foryou.”“Me, too,” Victoria said
asshekissedEve’scheek.“I wish I could believe
this will end happily everafter,” Taylor said. “But Idon’t.”Shegrimacedattheadmonishing look Leahshotherandadded,“Iloveyou,Eve.Ihopeyouknowwhatyou’redoing.”EvewatchedLeahstiffen
as Aiden stepped in frontof her on her way to thedoor. He said somethinglowthatEvecouldn’thear,which resulted in Leah’slooking up at him withtroubled eyes. Her sisterquickly lowered her gazeand moved past Connor’sbrother without touchinghim and without sayinganything. Aiden followedLeah with his eyes until
she was gone from thehouse.Devon shook Connor’s
hand and said,“Congratulations. I wishthebestforbothofyou.”Then he did something
that surprised Eve. Heleanedoverandkissedhercheek,much as her sistershaddone.Itwasonlythenitdawnedonherthatnoneof her sisters had offered
Connor their best wishes.She wanted to call thembackanddemandthattheydo so, but it would onlyhave pointed a finger attheirlackofcourtesy.Shetriedtomakeupfor
it by being especiallycordial to Connor’sbrother. She smiled asradiantly as she could andsaid,“Thankyou,Devon.”Hergoodwill toward the
Flynnbrotherswasquicklyextinguished when Brianappeared before Connor,grippedhishand,andsaid,“You’re making a bigmistake.” He turned tolook at her and added,“Bothofyou.”“Thanks for your
concern,” Connor repliedin what Eve thought wasanamazinglylevelvoice.“Iknow how unhappy you
wereinyourmarriage,soIunderstand yourpessimism. I’m satisfiedwith the choice I made,and I hope you can behappyforme.”Connor never let go of
Brian’s hand the entiretimehewastalking.Whenhewas done, hemade theextraordinary gesture ofhugging his brother. Hewhispered something in
Brian’s ear that made hisbrother scowl. ThemomentBrianwasfree,heturned without anotherword and headed for thedoor.Aiden was the last to
speak to them. “Thismarriage of yours caughtDad by surprise. He knewyou were engaged, but henever suspected you’djumpthegunlikethis.”
“How did he find out?”Connorasked.“The magistrate called
him.”Eve made a disgusted
sound in her throat.Nothing important thathappened in JacksonHoleescapedthemanyeyesandears devoted to keepingKingGrayhawkandAngusFlynn informed. She’dwondered how her sisters
knewaboutthewedding.Itseemed logical to assumethat if the magistrate hadcalled Angus he wouldhave called King as well.EitherKinghadtoldLeah,who’d told her sisters, orLeah had intercepted thecallandtoldthem.“Angus was pissed,”
Aidensaid.“Too bad,” Connor
replied.
Aiden eyed Eve withwhat appeared to beconcern before he said,“Seemshewasonlycordialtothetwoofyouwhenyouannounced yourengagement because hefiguredhe’dhaveplentyoftime to talk you out ofgetting married. He wasranting about taking awayyourtrustfundifyoudon’thave this marriage
annulled.”Eve searched Connor’s
face to see his reaction tothispotentiallydevastatingnews. A crease formedbetween his eyes, hismouth flattened, and amuscleworkedinhisjaw.“Youcantellhimforme
that I’m married, and I’mstayingmarried.”Aiden grimaced. “I’ll do
what I can to smooththingsover,butIdoubtit’lldo any good. Dad seemsprettyrabidon thesubjectof any son of his beingmarriedtoanydaughterofKing’s.”“It’s already done,”
Connorsaid.Aiden turned his
attention to Eve, and shesawwhatLeahmighthavefound attractive about
Connor’s eldest brother.When he focused his fullattention on her, she feltalmost breathless at theimpression he gave ofprideandpower.“I think my brother
should have hired a goodbabysitter instead ofmarrying you. Try not tobreakhisheart.”“Thisisn’talovematch,”
Eve blurted. “It’s a
marriage for mutualconvenience.”Aiden frowned at
Connor. “What the hellhaveyoudone?”“Nothing that needs to
concern you,” Connorreplied.“You’re about to lose
your trust fund, littlebrother.”“That’s not your
problem.”“I happen to think that
what you’re doing here atthisranchisagoodthing,”Aiden replied. “I’d hate toseeallthatcometoanendbecause you needed ababysitter.”Eve watched Connor’s
fists bunch, but he didn’ttakeaswingathisbrother.Instead he said, “I thinkyoushouldleave.”
“I’mtryingtohelp.”“IknowwhatIwant.”“And King Grayhawk’s
daughter—and all thetrouble that comes alongwith her—is what youwant?”Aidenpersisted.“Sheis.”Aiden’s brow furrowed
as he looked at Connor,then at Eve, and back atConnor again. “Have I
missed something here?Doyouloveher?”“Of course—” Connor
clamped his mouth shutbefore finishing thesentence.Of course not. Eve was
pretty sure that was whathe’d intended to say. Butthatwould onlyhavebeenaddingfueltohisbrother’sfire.
Insistent pounding onthe door interrupted thesquabble.Connor left his brother
standingwherehewasandhurried to the front door.When he opened it, Frankwas standing therebreathing hard, his eyesfrightened. “It’s one of themen,” he said. “He heardall that banging early onand went a little crazy. I
haven’t been able to calmhimdown.”ConnorturnedtoAiden.
“Iknowyouthinkofmeasyour little brother, but Idon’t need your help withmylifeormymarriage.”“What about Dad’s
threat?”Connor’s mouth turned
downinaferociousfrown.“I’ll deal with Dad on my
own.”A moment later Connor
and Frankwere gone, andEve was left alone withAidenFlynn.“Doyoulovehim?”The question shocked
Eve. She stared wide-eyedat Connor’s brother, notsurewhatanswertogive.“Isawhowyoulookedat
him.Ithinkyoulovehim.I
think you’ve lovedhim foralongtime.”“Connor wasmarried to
my best friend,” Eve saidquietly.“Yeah. He was. I think
yougrabbedatthischancetogethimtomarryyou.”She felt Aiden’s
speculativegazeonherandwasn’t able to control thehotblushthatgrewonher
cheeks. She looked up athimdefiantly.“Iwon’thurthim.”“You can’t promise that.
What if he never falls inlovewithyou?Whatthen?Howare either one of yougoing to be happy?” Heshook his head in disgustand muttered, “It’s thatfatal temptationGrayhawkwomen wield over Flynnmen.”
“What are you talkingabout?”“Tell one of us he can’t
havesomething,andthat’sexactly what he wants,”Aidensaid.“I won’t hurt him,” Eve
repeated.“I hope not. Because if
you do, it’s going tomakethe chance of happily everafter for any of the rest of
usanuphillclimb.”He headed for the door
withoutanotherword.Eve was left standing
with her mouth hangingopen. Was Aiden talkingabout himself and Leah?Was he still interested inher sister, even thoughthey’dstoppeddating?Shecouldn’t imaginewhatelsehecouldmean.
Evewasleftwithagreatdealoffoodforthought.“Is everybody gone?
Where’sDaddy?”Eve turned to find
Brooke standing in themiddleof thehallway.Shecrossed and knelt beforethe little girl. “Your daddyhad to go help one of thevisitingsoldiers.”“Oh.Whenishecoming
back?”“Soon,I’msure.”“CanIsleepwithyou?”“I don’t have my own
bed anymore. I’ll besleeping with your daddyinhisbed.”“Oh.”EverealizedthatBrooke
hadn’t said anything—positiveornegative—aboutfindingherinConnor’sbed
earlier in the evening. Shewondered how much thefour-year-old understoodabout the ceremony she’dwitnessed earlier in theday. “Do you understandwhat it means to bemarried,Brooke?”“Uh-huh.”“What do you think it
means?”“You and Daddy get to
kisseachotherandsleepinthesamebed.”Eve was amused by the
simple explanation. “Isthatallrightwithyou?”“Uh-huh. Daddy smiles
more now that you’rehere.”Evehuggedthelittlegirl.
“I think he smiles morebecause you’re here. YouandSawyer.”
The little girl lookedthoughtful for a moment.Thenshelaughedandsaid,“Daddy’s happy becausewe’re a family again. Meand Sawyer and you andDaddyandMommy.”Eve wasn’t sure what to
make of what Brooke hadsaid,butshecouldn’t let itstandwithoutspeaking.Asgently as she could, shesaid, “Your mommy’s not
comingback,Brooke.”“I know that. She’s in
heaven.Butshe’swatchingoveruseveryday.”Eve rocked Brooke in
her arms. “Yes, she is.”Maybe the secret toforgiving herself forcoveting Connor all thoseyears was to keep Molly’smemory alive for herchildren. She led Brookeback to her canopied bed
and joined her there, thenbegan telling Molly’sdaughter the story of hermother’sfirstdatewithherfather at the SadieHawkinsdance.A little while later, Eve
awoke in Brooke’s bed,aware she must havedozed. She checked onBrooke and saw that thelittlegirlwassoundasleep.She looked at the Hello
Kitty clock on the sidetable and realized thatnearly two hours hadpassed since Connor hadleft for the bunkhouse.Where was he? And whathadhappenedtokeephimawaysolong?
Chapter20
CONNOR HAD SET his ownworries aside until he was
sure the spooked vet wasbackonanevenkeel,butifanything, tonight’s eventshad proved just hownecessary a place like SafeHaven was. As he left thecabin, where the youngsoldier was now relaxedandjokingwithFrankanda couple of the other vets,Connor realized that thesanctuary would be in bigtrouble if his father
revokedhistrustfund.AndAngus was just vindictiveenoughtodoitifhedidn’tgethisway.Connor’s lips pressed
intoagrimline.Hisfatherdidn’t know him very wellifhethoughthewouldgiveup his newwife without afight. Which made himwonder why he was sodetermined to keep Eve,especially in light of the
way he’d sabotaged theirlovemaking.Why on earthhad he called out Molly’sname?Because you replaced
Mollywith awoman thatyou’vealwayslustedafter.Because you felt guiltyabout enjoying the tasteand the feel of her.Becauseyoudidn’t believeyou deserved the joy ofhaving Eve Grayhawk in
yourbed.At least he’d had a
chancetomakeamendsforhis faux pas before hisbrothers and Eve’s sistershad interrupted theirwedding night. Connorwasn’t sure what it wasabout Eve that made hisbodysingwheneverhewasanywhere near her, butsing it did. He craved herin a way that seemed
somehow sinful, becausehisdesirewassostrong.All he had to do was
recall the softness of herskin, the scent of herfloweryshampoo,thetasteof her kisses, and he washard as a rock. Connor’sbody throbbed, and hewondered if it might bepossible to resume theirweddingnight.Hecheckedhis watch and was
surprised to discover thatit was nearlymidnight. Inalllikelihood,hisbridewassoundasleep.Butwhatifshewasn’t?The house was dark
except for a single light inhis bedroom. Connor felthis heartbeat speed up ashe headed silently downthehall.“Eve?”
His new-made wife satup abruptly in bed andrubbed her eyes. Shelooked delightfully,delectably disheveled. Onestrap of her baby-dollpajamas had fallen off hershoulder, leaving it bare,and revealing the roundedcrest of one lusciousbreast.He closed the bedroom
door and locked it, then
crossed and sat downbesideher.“What time is it?” she
askedinathroatyvoice.He couldn’t tell if she
wasarousedorjustsleepy.He leaned over to kiss herbare shoulder, feeling hershiverwhentheairhit thedampspothislipshadleftonherskin.Hesatupandfocused his gaze on thebow of her upper lip. “It’s
still ourwedding night foranothertenminutes.”“Is the soldier who was
upsetokay?”Sheliftedherarms to shove her handsthrough her hair, causingher breasts to rise intopeaks beneath the thincotton.Connor had trouble
keeping his voice even ashe replied, “He’s fine. Hewas just startled.” He
brushed a thumb acrossone of her nipples andheard her sharp intake ofbreath.“Iwasn’tsureyou’dbeawake.”She lowered her hands.
Her blue eyes, aswarmasCaribbean waters, neverlefthis.“Iamnow.”He began unbuttoning
his shirt, pulling the tailsout of his jeans. “I coulduse a shower.” He
hesitated, then said,“Would you like to joinme?”She looked uncertain,
butshedidn’tsayno,soherose and headed for thebathroom. He didn’t closethebathroomdoor,leavingit openas an invitationhehoped she would accept.He was already in theshower,steamrisingtofillthe room, when he spied
her standing in thedoorway. She was naked.The shy smile on her facemadehisheartjump.“I decided I could use a
shower,too.”His pulse leapt as his
shafthardened.Heshovedaside the clear showercurtain and held out hishand to her. “As you cansee, I’m glad you decidedtojoinme.”
Shelaughedandtookhishand so he could help herclimb into the ancient,claw-footedtub.He pulled her close so
the hard length of himpressed against her belly.The joy in Eve’s eyes sentadrenalinespikingthroughhis veins. He caught ahandful of her hair in hisfist and angled her headforhiskiss.Sheopened to
him,welcomingthelashofhistongueashiswethandslid across her breast, hisfingers caressing a nipplethat had formed into ahardbud.She thrust her hands
into his wet hair as helowered his head andsucked the nipple into hismouth.Eve moaned, and
Connor replied with a
guttural sound ofsatisfaction. His mouthwas on hers again amoment later, as his handslid down her bellybetween her legs, forcingthem wide for hisintrusion. He madeanother sound ofappreciation when he felthow wet she was inside,and his fingers plucked ather like a harpist, making
heavenlymusic. Evemadewhimpering sounds andwrithed in his arms,reaching for any part ofhim she could find. Shebrushed her hands acrosshis nipples, which hadbecome hard nubs,through the diamond ofrough black hair in thecenter of his chest, anddown past his naval.Before she could reach
what she sought, Connorliftedherintohisarms.Heturned both of them intothe spray of water andsaid,“Shutthatoff.”Eve twisted the knob
and threw the showercurtainasidealmost inthesame motion. Connorsteppedoutof the tubandheadedforthebed.Helaidher on the sheets,spreadingherlegswithhis
knees as he thrust himselfinsidehertothehilt.Shemadealowsoundof
satisfaction in her throat,andhemet itwithagrowlofhisown.She wrapped her legs
aroundhishipsasheliftedher buttocks to give himbetter purchase. He tookwhat he wanted and gavepleasure in return. Evearched into him, and he
thrust deeper, groaning asher body captured himafter eachpowerful thrust,only to release him tothrustagain.Hereyeshad turned the
dark blue of storm-riddenskies, and remained intenton his. He didn’t say hername. He didn’t speak atall.Buthewasawareeverysecond of the woman towhomhewasmakinglove.
Connor’sheartskippedabeat. Making love. Itsurprised him that he’dthought those words. Hefelt a great deal for Eve,more than he wanted tofeel. More than he shouldhave felt for a womanwho’dbecomehiswifeasamatter of convenience.Hewas left with theuncomfortable thoughtthat he might have had
feelings for Eve—something more thanlustful desire—when hewasmarriedtohiswife.Connorstoppedthinking
and concentrated onfeeling. Everything. Everytouch of Eve’s lips. Everycaress of her fingertips.She gave all of herself tohim. She took all of him.Shearchedupwardintohisbody, her fingernails
clawing his shoulders asher body began toconvulse. A raw soundissuedfromherthroatandwas met by an equallyraggedcryofhisown.Theyclutched each other in thethroesofsomethingrare,asharing of ecstasy thatmagnified the joy andpleasureofboth.AsConnoreasedhimself
to her side, his lungs
heaving,shechuckled.“What’ssofunny?”Eve laughed, a happy
sound, and said, “I need ashower.”Connor smiled as he
pulled her into his arms,holding her close. “We’llgetoneinthemorning.”“Where are the covers?”
sheasked.“Whocares?”
“The sheets are soppingwet.”“Fortunesofwar.”She snuggled close, her
noseagainsthisthroat,herbelly aligned with his. “Solong as you don’t mindkeeping me warm allnight.”His arms surrounded
herandheleaneddowntokissherbeneathherear.“I
don’tmindatall.”“Connor.”“What?”hemurmured.“Wehavetoputonsome
clothes. Or find thecovers.”“Why?”“Thekids.”“Ilockedthedoor.”He heard her sigh and
feltherrelax.“Meanwhile,”hesaid,“Ihaveyouexactly
where I want you.” Hisshaft stirred against herbelly.Her eyes opened wide.
“Again?”Connor shother a smug
grin.“Still.”Hehissed inabreathas
Eve rubbed her breastsagainst the bristly hair onhischest.Shesmiledcoylyandsaid, “I’mready ifyou
are.”Connor took her at her
word.He liftedher on topofhim,herlegssplayedoneithersideofhiswaist.She seemed startled but
delighted to be in controloftheirlovemaking.“Don’tmove,” she ordered. “NotuntilItellyouit’sokay.”She impaled herself on
his erection, taking her
time, moving to bringherself the mostsatisfaction, her eyes avid,hereyelidsheavy.Connorgraspedherhips
tightly,buthedidn’t trytocontrol her, just held onand lay still, afraid hewouldexplodeifhemoved.Assheleanedoverhim,hishands leftherhips andhereached up to knead herbreasts, playingwith them
and taking one in hismouth to suck, strong andhard.Evecriedoutasherbody
began to spasm. Connor’shands caught her hipsagain to thrust hard anddeep, andhe gave a cry ofexultationashespilledhisseed.She collapsed onto his
chest,herlungssuckingairas his bellowed beneath
her.Heclosedhiseyesandheldher close, buthe saidnothing. This was no lovematch, so there were nolovewordstobespoken.
Chapter21
“MY WIFE’S STILL in bed,”EveheardConnorsayfrom
somewhere down the hall.“Shedidn’tgetmuchsleeplastnight.”There was long, terrible
silence before she heard ahearty female laugh, avigorous laugh, a totallyengaging and funny laugh.ThenEveheardavoicesherecognized asbelonging toMrs.Stacksay,“Well,well,Mr. Flynn. I wonderedwhether this was a real
marriage. I guess I havemyanswer.”Evesmiledandstretched
languorously, arching hertoes and stretching herfingerswide. Shewas in arealmarriage.Shestoppedmid-stretch and jumpedout of bed. A real wifewould be in the kitchenrightnowhelping tomakebreakfast.Shewrappedhernakedbody in a sheet and
randownthehallbarefoot,ducking into her formerbedroom to put on a robeand slippers beforecontinuing her journey tothe kitchen. She foundMrs.Stacksittingononeofthebar stoolswithSawyeron her lap. Brookeoccupied the other stool,while Connor stood at thestovemakingpancakes.When he saw her he
said, “Good morning,sleepyhead.”A hot blush rose on her
cheeks in response to theeloquent lookhe gaveher.She ruffled her handsthrough her hair beforetucking it neatly behindherears.“Goodmorning.”“Hi, Aunt Eve,” Brooke
said.“Hi, Aunt Eve,” Sawyer
said. “Want somepancakes?”“I sure do.” She
exchanged another lookwith Connor, who had theaudacitytoarchaknowingbrow,remindingherofthereasonshewassohungry.“I was just telling Mr.
Flynnitwon’tbenecessaryformetocheckinasoften,now that you two aremarried.”
“That’s good to hear.”Eve wondered what thesocialworkerwasgoing tothinkwhenshetookoffforNevada insixweeks.AmIreally going to leaveConnorandthekids?Howcould she not go? It waswhat she’d worked for allherlife.Whatifyougiveupyour
dream, and Connor endsup having to annul the
marriage to save hisdream? Eve found it hardto believe, after what hadhappened between themlast night, that Connorwoulddosuchathing.Thelovemaking had beenexactly that—making lovetoeachother.Nowordsoflove had been spoken byeitherofthem,butConnorhad reveredher andmadeher feel adored. And she’d
finally, at long last, beenabletotouchandteaseandtorment him in ways thathad given them bothunbelievable pleasure.Surely he couldn’t makelove to her with suchtenderness and then walkaway.Unless he had no other
choice.IfAngus cutConnoroff,
evenwhatsheearnedfrom
National Geographicwasn’t going to be enoughto make up for the lostincome from his trustfund.Andhewaseverybitas passionate about whathe was trying toaccomplish at Safe Havenas she was about savingwild mustangs fromslaughter.Eve stared at Connor’s
backashechattedwiththe
socialworker,wonderingifher happily ever after wasabouttobeended,notbyawicked oldwitch, but by awickedoldman.“The judge authorized
supervision for sixmonths,” Mrs. Stack wasexplaining to Connor, “orfor a shorter period if I’msatisfied that the childrenareinasafe,happyhome.”Mrs. Stack glanced from
Connor to Eve and said,“I’mwillingtogivethetwoof you the benefit of thedoubt. Of course, I havethe option to revisit mydecision if circumstanceschange.”Eve’s heart sank. She
metConnor’sgazeandsawthe concern there. Hewasn’t out of the woodsyet.“Those pancakes are
burning,”Mrs.Stacksaid.Connor pulled the pan
offthefireanddumpedtheburned pancakes in thesink. “I’ve got plenty ofbatter,” he said with ahard-won smile. “I’ll haveanother batch ready in ajiffy.”“With blueberries?”
Brookeasked.“Yep,”Connorreplied.
Eve had shopped forblueberries before theyreturned from townyesterday, along with eggsandmilkandenoughfruitsand vegetables to satisfysomeone as particular asMrs. Stack, while Connorransomeerrands.“Will you be staying for
breakfast?”Eveasked.AsMrs.Stackstood,Eve
took Sawyer from the
social worker, setting himonherhip.“I’ve got to get back to
town,” Mrs. Stack said.“You folks enjoy yourbreakfast.”Amoment later shewas
gone.EvejoinedConnoratthe stove. She looked intohis troubled eyes and saidquietly enough so thechildren wouldn’t hear,“What’s shegoing to think
about me leaving to workinNevada?”“We’ll deal with that
whenthetimecomes.”Eve took a deep breath
and asked, “What are yougoing to do about theultimatum from yourfather?”“Nothing.”“Nothing? Aren’t you
worried that he’ll rescind
yourtrustfund?”“My father can do what
hewants. I’mnot going tolet him dictate my life.We’re going to havebreakfast, and then, if it’sall right with you, we cantake the kids for ahorsebackrideandenjoyapicnic lunch. We’reentitled toahoneymoon. Isayweenjoyit.”Eve couldn’t believe
Connorwas sononchalantabout the potentialcalamity he faced if hisfathertookawaythefundshe needed to support SafeHaven.ButheknewAngusbetterthanshedid.Maybewhenpush came to shove,Angus wouldn’t—couldn’t—hurthissonlikethat.Ormaybe Connor had someothersourceofincomeshedidn’tknowabout.
“A horseback ride andpicnic sound wonderful,”shesaid.Brooke could ride by
herself, and Sawyer wascompletely comfortable onhorseback in the lap of anadult. Then it dawned onher that she and Connorwere taking two little kidson their “honeymoon”picnic. And that she waslookingforwardtoit.
The reality of life withConnor and the childrenwasturningouttobeeverybit as wonderful as she’dimagined.Therewereafewglitches, of course. Likeneeding to leave her newhusband and family sosoon to pursue aprofessional dream cometrue. And Connor perhapsendingupbroke.Eve was doing her best
nottowallowinguiltaboutgetting what she’d alwayscoveted.Butshewonderedif the sudden obstacles toherfairy-taleendingmeantthat she didn’t deservewhat she was getting, andthat,infact,shemightnot,after all, live so happilyeverafter.Like most women she
knew,Evewanteditall: tobe a superb wife and
mother and have asatisfying professional life.She was discovering thatthe balancing act requiredwasn’teasy.Andthattherewerenosimpleanswers.Allshecoulddowaslive
each day as it came andmake the choice at eachturning point that seemedmost likely to make herhappy.Rightnow,nothingcould make her happier
thanspendingthedaywithConnor and the children,especially since she couldtakealonghercamera.Eve grinned. It seemed
like a good omen that fortoday, at least, she couldhave her cake and eat it,too.“What has you grinning
like the Cheshire cat?”Connorasked.
Eve shook her head,unwilling to explain that,in a life that had becomevery complicated, all herchoices this morning hadbeen easy. Instead shesaid,“I’mjusthappy.”Within the hour, they’d
packed a lunch andsaddled the horses, Evehad collected the blackcanvas bag that containedall her camera equipment,
and they were on theirway.“Where are we going?”
Eveaskedastheymountedup at the stable, SawyersettledinConnor’slap.“Before I bought the
ranch I rode most of thetrails.Oneofthemleadstoa mountain meadow,which ought to be filledwith wildflowers aboutnow.”
It was a perfectWyoming spring day, thesun warm and the windabsent. Eve had hercamera slung around herneck so she could easilytake pictures. She loopedher knotted reins aroundthe saddle horn so shewould have both handsfree to take a photographofConnorandhisson.Sawyerwasleaningback
against Connor’s chestlooking up at his father,while Connor’s head wasbent to answer whateverquestion his son wasasking.Click.Connor lookedupat the
sound and smiled self-consciously.“Don’t mind me,” Eve
said, giving her horse a
nudge with her heels tokeep him moving alongwiththeotheranimals.“Take my picture, Aunt
Eve,”Brookesaid.“Ride up beside your
father,” Eve encouragedthelittlegirl.“Here I come.” Brooke
smiled for the camera anddug her heels into herpony’s side, prodding him
toatrot.Click.The three of them
stopped towait for Eve tocatch up, and Sawyerleanedwayover topat theneckofBrooke’spony.Click.“Look!” As Connor
pointed, Sawyer satupright and both childrenlifted their eyes skyward.
Brooke shaded her eyeswith her hand to observetheeaglesoaringoverhead.Click.Connorturnedaroundin
the saddle and said, “Areyoucoming,Eve?”“Don’t worry about me.
I’llcatchup.”Connor took her at her
word andkickedhis horseinto a slow trot. Eve let
them get a little fartherahead,anglingherhorsetothesidesoshecouldgetashot of the riders onhorseback with theunending green forest andcloudless blue sky in thedistance.Click.Holding the camera in
one hand and the reins inthe other, she urged herhorse into a lope to catch
uptothem.“I figured you brought
your camera along to takepictures of wildlife, notpictures of us,” Connorsaid.“You’re a different kind
of wildlife,” Eve teased.“Besides, I’ve got an eaglein one of those shots, notto mention a couple ofhorses.”
Connor laughed.“Touché.Clickaway.”Eve did exactly that,
saving moments of loveandlaughteralongthetrailthatsheandConnorcouldenjoy long after thechildren were grown. Everealized that she didn’twant this fairy tale toend.There had to be a way,there justhadtobeaway,to make it all work out—
the job and the kids andthe husband and theunborn babies they wouldhave someday in thefuture.Buthow?After two hours on the
trail, they emerged fromthe forest onto a grassymeadowfilledwithcolorfulwildflowers, hundreds ofyellow butterflies flitteringand fluttering amongthem.
Eve gasped. “Oh,Connor.Howlovely!”“I’mgladyoulike it,”he
said as he lowered Sawyerto the ground, thendismounted himself. Thelittle boy took off at a runfollowing his sister, who’dslid off her pony themoment they reached themeadow, chasing afterbutterflies.“Stay where I can see
you,” he called to the twochildren. “We’ll be eatinglunchsoon.”“Okay,” Brooke called
backwithoutstopping.Eve untied the blanket
behind her saddle andloosenedthecinch,stakingher horse, along withBrooke’s,ona long line sothey could munch on themountain grass and notstray.Connordidthesame
with his horse beforeretrieving the saddlebagsthat contained their picniclunch.Connor set the
saddlebags on a rockoutcropping, thentooktheblanketfromEveandflungit open so it settled on alevelspot inthegrass.Shestraightened the edgesbefore dropping to herknees on the blanket.
Connor transferred thesaddlebags onto theblanket and joined herthere.From the corner of her
eye,Evehadbeenkeepingtrack of the children.“They’re going to beexhausted if they keeprunningaroundlikethat.”“Good. Maybe they’ll
takeanapafterlunch.”
Eve felt her face flushwhen she met Connor’sgaze. Itwasperfectly clearwhathewouldliketodotoherafterlunch.“Brooke! Sawyer!” he
called.“Timetoeat.”The children must have
beenhungry, because theycamerunning.Bythetimethey reached the blanket,Evehadpeanutbutterandjelly sandwichesandapple
slices set out on paperplates and small juiceboxes affixed with straws.Thekidsarrivedbreathlessand plopped onto theblanket.“Here, Aunt Eve,”
Brookesaid,handingEveabunchofwildflowersshe’dpicked. “These are foryou.”“Here, Aunt Eve,”
Sawyer said, dropping a
handful of flowerswithoutstems into her lap. “Foryou.”Eve felt tears sting her
eyes. “They’re beautiful.Thankyouboth.”Shegaveeach child a kiss to showher gratitude, but theywere more interested inthe plates of food, diggingin as though they hadn’tfinished breakfast a merethreehoursago.
Eve suddenly realizedthatthechildrenhadgivenall the flowers to her,rather than sharing themwith their father. “Youdeserveafewofthese,”shesaidtoConnor,holdingoutthe bouquet Brooke hadhandedtoher.He plucked one of the
flowersfromherhandandsniffed it, then looked intoher eyes and said, “I’d
rather enjoy the sight ofyouholdingthem.”Washeflirtingwithher?Connor got distracted
when Sawyer dripped jellyontohis shirt.He grabbeda napkin and swiped upthe blob, then unwrappedhis own sandwich andbeganeating.Eve was still staring at
him, enjoying the thrill of
being admired by a manwho’d married her forpractical reasons that hadnothing to do withadmiration.“Here,” he said, tossing
her a sandwich in acompletely unloverlikeway. “Better hurry up andeat. I have a feeling thatwhenthey’redonewe’llallbe chasing butterflies.Personally, I’d rather be
pickingflowers.”He shot her a
mischievous look, andEvefelta frissonofexcitementrace down her spine.Pickingflowers?Ordidhemean plucking buds of anentirelydifferentsort?When they were done
eating, the kids were stillbouncing with energy, soEve suggested a game oftag.
“That’s a great idea,”Connorsaid.“You’reit!”Eve decided to tag
Brookeandracedafterthelaughing girl. Brooke wasso agile, and made suchquick stops and starts andturns, it took Eve severalbreathlessminutestocatchup to her. “Tag!” sheshouted when she finallytapped Brooke’s shoulder.“You’reit.”
Eve turned and ran toescapebeforeshecouldbetagged back, and Brookelooked for Sawyer, whowould be an easy target.Unfortunately for her,Connor had picked up thelittle boy andwas runningwith him in his arms.Sawyer giggled as Connorweaved back and forth toavoid his daughter, andEve joined in as she
dodged and darted to stayoutofBrooke’sway.Eve was surprisedwhen
Connor didn’t slow downto let the little girl catchhim. She was equallysurprised when Brookedidn’t give up, just keptpursuing Connor until hetripped in a gopher holeand almost fell, goingdown on one knee to besure Sawyer didn’t take a
tumble.“Tag!” Brooke said
triumphantly as shetouched his arm. “You’reit.”Connor set Sawyer on
his feet, then held out hiscurved hands like someclawed monster and said,“Watch out, everybody.HereIcome!”Brooke and Sawyer
turned, laughing andshrieking, and ran full tiltinoppositedirections.Eve figured Connor
wouldchaseafterthekids,making sure he didn’tcatch them too soon. Toher astonishment, heheadedstraightforher.Eve turned and bolted,
laughing and shrieking asloudly as the kids,zigzagging to keep from
gettingcaught.Butcatchherhedid.By
then, they’d reached thetree line on the oppositeside of the meadow fromthe kids. “Tag!” heshouted.“You’reit.”But instead of merely
touching her arm, hepressed her back againstthe closest pine so theywerealigned,bodytobody.Her heart was pounding
from all the running andshe was laughing, havingenjoyed the game.Hiddenfrom the children, hishands came up to caressher breasts. Eve trembledwith excitement, her bodyinstantly aroused andready.“What are you doing?”
she asked breathlessly.“Thekids—”“Will be here any
second.Until then, I wanttotouchyou.”Eve could feel the hard
length of himbetweenherthighs. His hot breathfanned her cheek, and sheangled her head so theirlipscouldmeet.Heclaimedhermouthas
though he might neverhave another chance, thekissalmostsavage,thenlether go abruptly and
steppedback.Hemethergaze,hiseyes
clouded with pain, thenturned his face sharplyaway.“Are you all right?” she
asked. “Is somethingwrong?”She heard him swallow
hard before he said,“Nothing’s wrong. I justwish…”
Eve finished thesentence forherself.Mollywere here. Jealousy ranthrough her veins likemolten lava.Molly’s dead.It’smyturn!Eve’swholebodyflamed
with red-hot rage. She’dalways been jealous ofMolly, but she’d kept thatjealousy under tightcontrol. Now, when itseemed Connor might be
hers at last, it seemed herbest friend was stillholdingthemanEvelovedin thrall. She struggled,withoutsuccess, tocontrolthe green-eyed monsterthat had reared its uglyhead. She felt her handscurl into fighting claws.But how did you fight aghost?When is it my turn,
Molly? Let him go, so he
canloveme.“Wish what, Connor?”
she said, her throat soswollen with emotion thatshe thought she mightchoke. “That Molly werehereinsteadofme?”Heshookhisheadashe
whirled to face her, hisblue eyes dark and bleak.“No! I wish Molly and Ihadspentmoretimedoingthings like this together
when she was alive.” Hegrimaced. “But she wasn’tbig on picnics. And Iwasn’taroundtogoononeanyway. The truth is, I’dneverhaveplayedtagwiththe kids if it weren’t foryou.”Eve was thrown for a
loop. Connor wasn’twishing forMolly?Connorwas giving her credit formakingthedayspecial?
He took a step to closethedistancebetweenthemand drew her into hisembraceagain.Evefelttheadrenaline draining fromher body, leaving hertotally enervated. She puther arms around Connor’sneck and clung to him tokeepfromfallingdown.“I’mgladyou’reapartof
our lives,”hewhisperedinherear.
“Me,too,”Evesaid.A moment later he
separated them again,settingherashortdistanceaway. “Before those twoimps show up I havesomethingtogiveyou.”He reached into his
jeanspocketandcameoutwith a ring. “I searchedevery store in townyesterday while you wereshoppingforgroceriesand
foundthis.”Eve stared at the simple
gold band with a tinydiamondleafembeddedinit.Shefeltthetearscomingand couldn’t keep themfromfalling.“Oh,Connor.”“Don’tcry,”hesaid,with
a lopsidedsmile. “Givemeyourhand.”Both hands were
coveringhermouthas she
triedtokeepfromsobbing,but she let him have theleftone,whichshookasheslipped the ring on herfinger.“It’sbeautiful.”“Soareyou,”hesaid.“Hey!” Brooke said,
arriving breathlessly atEve’s side. “Are we gonnaplaysomemore?”“I thinkyouandSawyer
need to rest for a littlewhile,”Connorsaid.“I’m not tired!” Brooke
protested.“Five minutes,” Connor
said.He took Eve’s hand, the
onewiththeweddingbandonit,asBrookereachedforEve’s other hand, and thethreeof themheadedbacktoward where they’d left
the horses. They metSawyer on the way, andConnor picked up theexhausted toddler andcarried him back to theblanket, where he set himdownbesideBrooke.“Closeyoureyes,andI’ll
tell you a story,” Eve said,as she dropped onto theblanket beside thechildren.“This I’ve got to hear,”
Connor said as he settledacrossfromher.“Onceuponatime,”Eve
began, “there was abeautiful princess.” Beforelong, both children weresoundasleep.“Good story,” Connor
said.Eve stretched her legs
outsoshecould lieonherside.
“Would you like me totell you how it ends?” sheaskedcoyly.Connor chuckled. “I
thinkIknowhowitends.”Helaydownfacingher,hishead supported on hishand. “The jealous witch—”Evesatupabruptly.That
word, jealous, broughtbackallthoseuglyfeelingsshe’d experienced, and
whichsheneverwantedtoexperience again. “I havesomethingIneedtosay.”Connor sat up across
fromher,aconcernedlookonhisface.Evehadnoideawhereto
start, so she simply dovein.“I’mjealousofMolly.”Connorlookedconfused.
“What?”“Iknow it’ssilly. Iknow
she’s gone. But I used tohaveacrushonyouinhighschool,andIguessInevergot over losing you to mybestfriend.”Heopenedhismouth to
speak, but she kept ontalking, certain that if shestopped, she’d never getstartedagain.“IknowyoumissMolly.
Imiss her too. But I can’thelp wanting you to want
meinsteadofher.Sowhenyoustartasentencewith‘IwishMolly’ itmakesme alittlecrazy.”Sheswallowedovertheknotinherthroatand added, “Jealous, Imean.”Eve fought to lift her
eyes to meet Connor’sgaze, afraid of the censureshe might find there, butneeding to know hisreaction towhat she’d just
admitted.His blue eyes were
narrowed.Notagoodsign.“Youhadacrushonmeinhighschool?”Eve couldn’t speak, so
shenodded.“Andyoustill setmeup
to go with Molly to thatdance?”Eve nodded again. She
felt sick to her stomach.
Maybe this hadn’t beensuchagoodidea.“I liked you, too, Eve. A
lot.”Evegaped.“Youdid?”Connor rubbed a hand
across his nape and shookhis head. “What aclusterfuck.”Eve was shocked at the
word he’d chosen todescribe their crossed
wiresinhighschool.“Whydidn’t you say somethingtome?”sheasked.“It wasn’t possible. Not
with the way our familieshatedeachother.”“They still hate each
other.Howisthesituationdifferentnow?”“I was a boy then. I
didn’tknowanybetter.”Andhewas amannow,
willing to defy his fatherand his family to marryher,Evesuddenlyrealized.She knew her feelings
hadn’t changed, but whatabout his? She’d admittedto a crush. He’d admittedto liking her. A lot. Butlikingwasalongwayfromloving. Had his feelingsever run deeper? Perhapsnot,Everealized.Afterall,he’d been a grown man
when he’d married Molly,and he’d chosen her bestfriendoverher.“You don’t need to be
jealous of Molly,” Connorsaid. “I loved her. I won’tever forget her. I won’tever let thechildren forgether.But there’s certainlyaplaceinmylifeforanotherwoman.Foryou.”Eve noticed he’d said
“my life” and not “my
heart.”Couldhefallinloveagain? Eve took comfortfrom the fact that he’dmarried her in defiance ofboththeirfamilies.Sherubbedthegoldring
on her finger with herthumb. She wanted to askif he still had feelings forher.Wanted to admit thatshe’d always loved him.But she’d come as far asshe dared. It would be
awkward to admit tofeelings Connor didn’tshare. So she remainedsilent.Brooke rubbed her eyes
and sat up. “Can we playtagagain?”“Not today,” Connor
said. “We have to getstarted home.” He lookedatEveashesaid,“Butwe’lldo this again. Soon.” Hegrinnedandadded,“There
areafewgamesyourmomandIdidn’tgetachancetoplay.”Eve blushed. And
laughed.Andthenrealizedwhat Connor had said.Your mom. Her heart feltfull. This was where shebelonged. This was whatshe wanted to be doingwith her life. She didn’twant to leave Connor orthe children to go take
pictures in another state,not sosoonandnot for solong.Therehadtobeawayto take pictures forNational Geographic andbeawifeandmother,too.Then, like a flashbulb
goingoff,itdawnedonherthat she had a herd ofmustangs that includedtwopregnantmares.Andayoung colt. And fiverambunctiousyearlings.
On the other hand, shehad no mustang stallion.And technically, her herdwas no longer runningwild.Would National
Geographic be willing tocompromise?Theonlywaytofindoutwastoask.
Chapter22
DURING THE RIDE homefromthemeadow,Evekept
the children engaged inconversation, givingConnor time to think.What he thought aboutwasEve.Until Eve’s confession,
Connorhadn’tbeenwillingto admit that what he feltfor her, what he’d alwaysfeltforher,wasmorethanlust. It was a yearning forwhat might have been ifhe’d pursued Eve instead
of Molly. If he’d marriedEve instead of Molly.When he’d walked awayfrom Eve, who was stillholding the strawberry icecreamconehe’dboughtforher, he’d known he wasleavingsomethingpreciousbehind.Those thoughts felt
disrespectful to his latewife, and he was havingtroubledealingwith them.
But last night, when he’dmade love to Eve, it hadfelt as though a dark,yawning space inside himwas filled with light…andwithlove.He wondered how he’d
gottensolucky.Whatwerethe chances that a womanlike Eve Grayhawk, withmore attributes than hecould name in a singlebreath, would still be
single at twenty-six whenher best friend hadmarried at eighteen? Andnot just single, but singlewithoutasteadyboyfriend.Had she been toocommittedtohercareertomarry? Or simply notfound a man she lovedenough to marry? But ifEve had stayed single foreither of those reasons,why had she so readily
marriedhim?Connor thought of his
own teenage feelings,which had continued intoadulthood, and wonderedifEve’s“crush”mighthavesurvived aswell.Had theyeach been harboringfeelings for the other allthese years? Was itpossible that she hadn’tmarried another manbecause she was in love
withhim?If he allowed himself to
believe that bit of fantasy,Connor was left with theintriguing possibility thatEvehadlovedhimwhilehewas married to her bestfriend.Hewouldneveraskher for the truth of hissupposition, but if he wasright, she’d managed tokeep her feelingscompletely hidden, both
fromhimand,as farasheknew, from Molly. Hewatched her chatter withthechildrenandwonderedwhatitmusthavebeenlikefor her, knowing herfeelings would never bereturned.Nowondershe’dconfessed to being jealouswhen he’d mentionedMolly’sname.Sowheredidhegofrom
here?
The answer was simple.Love Eve and hope sheloves me back. He mightbe asking for heartbreak,buthethoughttheriskwasworth it.Hehadsixweeksbeforeshehadto leaveforNevada.Sixweekstomakesure that she loved himenough to come backhome, no matter howmany times she had toleave again to do her
amazingwork.They were unsaddling
their horses when Frankcame trotting up to thecorral.“You’vegotacallatthe house, Connor. It’syourdad. I toldhimyou’dcallhimback,buthesaiditwas important and he’dwait.”Connor felt his gut
clench. He’d told Eve hisfather didn’t run his life.
But itwasstillpossible forAngus to ruin it. “Thanks,Frank.”Connorhadn’ttakentwo
steps toward the housewhen he realized Eve wasbeside him. “What do youthinkyou’redoing?”“Comingwithyou.”“Thekids—”“Arehelpingbrushdown
thehorses.”
“I don’t need your helphandlingmyfather.”“Toobad.I’mpartofthis
family.”“For now, anyway,” he
muttered.Hewasdyingforagood,knock-down,drag-out fight. Determined tostart one. Pushing as hardas he could to send Eveover the edge. Into hisarms? Away from him forgood? He just wanted
everything settled, onceandforall.“Six weeks,” she said
through gritted teeth.“Then I’m gone, and youcanhaveyourlifebackjustthewayyouwantit.”“YouthinkthisiswhatI
want?”hesnarled, turningonher. “Mykids lost theirmom. I lost my wife. Imarried a woman wholightsmyfirelikenoother
woman I’ve ever known—including my late wife—and she has plans of herown that don’t includemeormykids.Thatisnot thelife I planned for myself.ThatisnotwhatIwant!”Hestalkedaway,leaving
her standing with her jawagape, mad at himself forhaving revealed so much.He yanked open the backdoorand stompedhisway
to the phone in thekitchen. He picked it upand said, “You don’t runmy life. Take your moneyand stuff it where the sundon’t shine.” Then heslammed the phone backinthecradle.A moment later Eve
reachedhisside,breathlessfrom running to catch up,her voice strident. “You’renottheonlyonewhohada
different lifeplanned.Thisisn’twhatIwanted,either.I miss my best friend. Iwish she was here. I wishthere was more than justthis physical…thing…betweenus.Iwish—”That was as far as she
got before Connor’s armslocked around her. It tookhim a moment to realizeshe was fighting him. Helethergoandstareddown
at her, his body so hard ithurt.Her chin was quivering,
and her eyes lookedwounded. “This isn’tgoingtomakethingsbetter.”“Can’t make them any
worse,”hequipped.“Pleasedon’t.”Apainfulknotformedin
histhroat.Hemethergazeand nodded his
capitulation,becauseitwasimpossibletospeak.“Youneedtogoseeyour
father,” she said. “Youcan’t blow him off likethat.”“Too late. Angus Flynn
doesn’tforgiveorforget.”“We’ll go see him
together.”“Badidea.”“We have to do
something. We can’t leavethingsthewaytheyare.”“Whynot?”“Why not annul the
marriage? I have to leaveanyway.”“Irefuse togivehimthe
satisfaction.”“Connor, be reasonable.
Why don’t we just admitthat this isn’t going towork, and go our separate
ways?”“BecauseIdon’twantto
endthismarriage.”“Whynot?”Because I have feelings
for you. “Because I hategivingup.Onanything.”“We’re running out of
time,”sheremindedhim.“Trust me. I’ll work it
out.”He’d plan some kindoffund-raiser,orgetaloan
and use the ranch assecurity, or borrowmoneyuntil he could make theranchself-sufficient.“If you don’t go talk to
him, I will,” Evethreatened.“Ifyoucareatallforme,
youwon’tdothat.”She looked chastened.
“All right. But I thinkyou’remakingamistake.”
“It’smymistake.I’lldealwithit.”Andhewould.Hejusthadtofigureouthow.
Chapter23
FOR THE NEXT two weeks,Eve deferred to Connor’s
wishtodealwithhisfatheron his own. The problemwas,asfarasshecouldtell,he’ddealtwiththeissuebyignoringit.She’d kept her fingers
crossed that NationalGeographic would go forher idea of photographingthe mustangs at SafeHaven, but it hadn’tworkedout.Theeditorhadbeen apologetic, but she’d
pointed out to Eve thatthey needed photographsof an actual band ofwildmustangs.Otherwise,whatwas the point? If Evewantedthejobitwashers,butshewouldhavetotakeher photographs inNevada. And the deadlinefor her answer waslooming.Eve had another day or
so to make her decision,
butshedidn’tseehowshecould turn down the job.Especially in light ofConnor’s situation. Theonly thing she could thinkto do was force aconfrontation with AngusFlynnandgethim tobackdown.When Sunday morning
came around again, Evegot up early and dressedthechildrenandherselffor
church. She announced toConnor,whosatinfrontofthefirewithacupofcoffeeand Fortune magazine,“The kids and I are goingto church this morning.Caretojoinus?”He didn’t even look up
when he answered. “Godand I aren’t on speakingtermsatthemoment.”Thatwas a complication
Eve hadn’t foreseen.
“BecauseofMolly?”“That’sonereason.”Heglancedather,aline
etched between his brows,andEverealizedhehadn’tmadepeacewithGodoverPaddy’sdeath,either.He pursed his lips.
“Which church are youplanningtoattend?”“The one your children
havealwaysattended.”
“You’re taking them toSt.Michael’s?”“Your children are
Catholic, Connor. Ofcourse I’m taking them toSt.Michael’s.”“My family will be
there.”“Most likely, yes, they
will.”“Whereareyouplanning
tosit?”
“Withthem,ofcourse.”Connor scowled. “Angus
won’tlikeit.”“Itwon’tbeeasyforhim
to throwusout,”Evesaid.“I’m his daughter-in-lawandBrookeandSawyerarehisgrandchildren.”“In other words, you’d
beperfectlyhappytomakeascene.”“What I’m telling you is
thathewon’tmakeascene.Notwiththechildrenthereand all his friendswatching.”“You don’t know my
father,”Connormuttered.“Are you going to let
some old bully get awaywithkeepingyourwifeandchildren from sitting withyour family?” Evechallenged.
Connor sat up abruptly,spewing a mouthful ofcoffee. “Did you just callmyfatheranoldbully?”“Iftheshoefits—”“Hell and damnation!
You’reliabletostartWorldWar Three if I let you gotherebyyourself.”She saw the moment
Connor realized that he’djustbeenmanipulatedinto
goingtochurch.Heshotheraruefullook
as he stood and swiped atthecoffeeonhisT-shirt.“Ineed a shower and ashave.”She smiled sweetly.
“We’llwait.Wehaveplentyoftime.”He glanced at the
antique clock on themantel and made a
disgustedsound.“Weneedto leave in thenext fifteenminutes if we’re not goingtobelate.”“You were a Delta
sergeant. It takes you fiveminutes to shower andshave.”Connorscowled,crossed
the room to set his coffeecup on the breakfast bar,and headed for thebathroom. “All right. You
win.”“I’mnotplayinggames,”
Eveshoutedafterhim.“Tellthattomydad,”he
calledbacktoher.Eve was more anxious
about the upcomingmeeting with Angus thanshe’d let on. She wascounting on Connor’sfather wanting to keep upappearances, whichmeant
there would be a windowwhere he would be forcedtospeakwithcivilitytohissonandhisson’swife.Sincethedaywaswarm,
she’dsentthekidsoutontothe porch to play andjoined them there to waitforConnor.Heshowedupeightminuteslaterwearinga pale blue oxford-clothshirt with a striped tie, anavy sport coat, khaki
trousers, and brownloafers.“Wow.” Eve felt her
insides flutter at the sightof him, his face freshlyshaven, his blue eyesbright, his hair still damp,with that dashing hank ofhairfallingonhisbrow.Connor smirked in
response to her awestruckexpression. “I figured ityouweregoingtodressup
and look good enough toeat, I should, too.” Hegestured toward thepickup.“Shallwe?”Eve took Sawyer’s hand
in one of hers, but whenshe reached for Brooke’shand the little girl said, “Ialways hold Daddy’s handwhenwegotochurch.”Eve saw the shocked
look on Connor’s facebefore he reached out to
take his daughter’s smallhand in his large one.BrookehadplayedtagwithConnorduringtheirpicnic,but for weeks she’davoided addressing himdirectly. Eve had seen hisfrustration grow as timepassed, and nothing he’ddone had melted hisdaughter’sreserve.All it had taken was a
willingness to do
something he and Brookeand Sawyer and Mollymust have done everySundaymorninghewasathome during Brooke’sentire short life to remindhis daughter that he wasindeedherfather.Connor looked at Eve
with dawningunderstanding. Heobviously hadn’t been tochurchsincehe’dreturned
from Afghanistan orBrookewouldhaveinsistedhe take her hand longbefore now. He reacheddown and picked up hisdaughter and held herclose. The little girl threwher arms around Connor’sneck and held tight, hernose pressed against histhroat.Eve felt her throat swell
with emotion as tears
suddenly appeared inConnor’seyes.He croaked, “I guess
we…”Heclearedhisthroatandfinished,“bettergo.”
Chapter24
CONNOR DIDN’T WANT tolet go of his daughter to
put her in her car seat. Ifonly he’d known thatsomething as simple asattending church withBrookewouldbethekeytomelting her heart orwinning her trust orwhatever it was that hadmadeher finally reachoutto him.Did thismean shewouldallowhimtohugherfrom now on? That shewould be giving him
butterflykissesatbedtime?A painful knot was still
caught in his throat as hefinishedattachingthebeltson Brooke’s car seat. Heexchanged a grateful lookwith Eve over thechildren’s heads. She wasthereasonhe’dbrokenhisvownottoreturntochurchuntil he could forgive GodfortakingPaddy,fortakingMolly,andforallthedeath
and destruction he’dwitnessed during threetoursinAfghanistan.Ifnotfor Eve, he might still beestranged from hisdaughter.Hespenttheentirehour
drive to town listening asEve sang children’s songswith the kids. He glancedatheroften,amazedatthesmilethatremainedonherfaceastheysangsongafter
song, none of which heknew.Hismindwasfocusedon
figuringoutwhat tosay toAngus.Keeping the sanctuary
up and running wasimportant not just for thesakeofthevets,butsothatEvedidn’tneedtotakethatassignment in Nevada inorder to support hermustangs. Not that she
might not decide to goanyway, but they wouldboth have more choices ifthe tripweren’t financiallynecessary.Brooke interrupted his
contemplation with thecommand,“Sing,Daddy!”He realized the other
threewerebeltingout“LetIt Go.” He would havedone anything hisdaughteraskedtoreinforce
the new accord betweenthem. He grinned at Eveandbegantosing.They had just finished,
laughingandoff-key,whenthey pulled up in front ofSt.Michael’s.Theoldstonechurchsatintheshadowofthe Grand Tetonssurrounded by awindbreak of spruces andpines.Asheturnedoff theengine,Connor askedEve,
“Do we take the kids withus to church? Or leavetheminchildcare?”“Let’s take Brooke with
us. She’s old enough to sitthroughtheservice.”Andaffectionateenough
to melt his father’s cold,cold heart, Connorthought.“AndSawyer?”heasked.“He’ll do better in child
care.”Connor held his breath
ashereleased thebeltsonBrooke’s car seat. Wouldshe come into his armsagain?OrwouldshereachforEve?When his daughter held
out her arms to him,Connor lifted her into hisembrace and felt his heartswell with love for hischild.Hedaredsofarasto
kiss Brooke’s cheek andsaw her sudden glancesidewaysathim.Hewaitedfor some protest, but shemerely slid her armsaround him and snuggledclose.Hesetherdown,andthe
four of them walked handinhandtowardthechurch.Connorfeltamomentof
apprehension when theyarrived at the door to the
nursery. He wasn’t surehowSawyerwouldreacttobeing left behind. His sonrantowardoneoftheotherlittle boys, calling out hisname. “I guess he isn’tgoing to miss us,” he saidwithachagrinedsmile.Eve laughed. “No, he
won’t.Mrs.Robertsonrunsthenursery.”Connor was both
shocked and dismayed.
“What?”Eve nodded toward a
short, slender,dark-hairedwoman with her back tothem,bendingoverasmallchild holding up a toytruck.“Shehasforthepastsix months. I guess youwouldn’t know that.Mollybrought the kids to St.Michael’s every Sundayand usually put Sawyer inthe nursery. He knows all
thekids.”Sawyer left his friend’s
side and charged over tohis grandmother, whopicked him up and gavehimahug.Mrs.Robertsonturned in the directionSawyer pointed, andConnor saw the samewarinessinherfacethathefelthimself.AsshewalkedtowardthemBrookecalledout a jubilant “Nana!” She
pulledfreeofhisgraspandraced toward hergrandmother.Mrs. Robertson talked
briefly to both children,whoseemedexcited to seeher, then took Brooke’shand and led her back toConnor.“Hello,” she said. “The
childrenlookwell.”“Did you think they
wouldn’t?” Connor heardtheantagonisminhisvoiceand felt Eve’s hand on hisarminthesameinstant.“It’snicetoseeyou,Mrs.
Robertson,” Eve said.“You’relookingwell,too.”Thatwasn’texactlytrue,
Connor realized. Molly’smother looked tired, asthough she weren’tsleeping. And sad, whichhe could understand. He
felt a spurt of sympathyand tamped it down. Thiswoman had tried to stealhischildren.ConnorfeltEve’sfingers
twine with his, felt thereassuring pressure of hergrasp, and let the angerandresentmentseepoutofhim. He had his childrenback.Hecouldaffordtobegenerous.“Will you be leaving
Sawyer here today?” Mrs.Robertsonasked.Connornoddedcurtly.“AndBrooke?”“Brooke’s going to
churchwithus,”Evesaid.Molly’s mother looked
disappointed, but shemerely patted Brooke’schestnut curls and said,“I’ll see you after theservice,sweetheart.”
“Bye,Nana,”BrookesaidassheranbacktoConnor,her arms outstretched tobepickedup.As he let go of Eve’s
handtoscoophisdaughterinto his arms, Connorrealized that Brooke wastotally unaware of thetension arcing betweenhimandhergrandmother.Maybe he should makesureitstayedthatway.
“We’ll see you after theservice,”hesaid.Mrs. Robertson looked
surprised at the neutraltone of his voice, but alsorelieved. “Yes. See youthen.”As they turned to leave,
Eve whispered in his ear,“I’mproudofyou.”Hefrowned.“Forwhat?”“Forgivingherachance.
For having an open heart.For doing what you knowisright.”Connormadeaface.But
it felt good to hear Eve’swordsofpraise.“Justamoment,Eve.”Connor and Eve both
turned back to Mrs.Robertson.“I have something for
you,” the older woman
said. “I’ve been carrying itaround with me, hoping Iwould see you in town. Ifyou don’t mind comingwith me a moment, I cangiveittoyounow.”“Of course.” Eve
followed Mrs. Robertsontoward the back of thenursery, where Molly’smotherretrievedherpursefrom a shelf. She rootedthrough it, then handed
Eve a small book with afloweredclothcover.Connorsaw thesurprise
on Eve’s face, her attemptto return the book, andMrs. Robertson forcing itbackintoherhands.Eve finally tucked the
book into her purse andrejoinedhim.As they left the nursery
andheadedbackdownthe
hall to the church, heasked, “What did she giveyou?”“Abook.”“I could see that. What
kindofbook?”“ItbelongedtoMolly.”“Are you going to make
me keep asking questions,orareyougoingtotellmewhatitis?”“It’sadiary.”
Connor stopped in histracks and turned to faceher.“Molly’sdiary?”“No, Mrs. Robertson’s
diary.” She snorted at thestunned look on his face.“Of course it’s Molly’sdiary!”“Why did she give it to
you?”Andnotme?“Shesaidthereareafew
passages in it I should
read.Shemarkedthemforme.”ConnorwaitedforEveto
share more of whateverreasonMrs.Robertsonhadgiven for handing overMolly’s diary, but sheremainedstubbornlymute.“Fine. Don’t tell meanything. I probably don’twanttoknowwhat’sinthedamnedthinganyway.”Eve looked unhappy.
“No,Idon’tthinkyoudo.”“If Molly wrote
something bad about me—”“It’s not about you,” she
said,interruptinghim.“It’saboutme.”Connor stared at her a
long moment, then feltBrooke tugging on hishand.“Come on, Daddy.
Churchisstarting.”He searched Eve’s face
onemoretimeforanysignthatshemightrelent,thensaid, “We better get tochurch.”He tookone ofBrooke’s
hands and Eve took theotherastheywalkeddownthe center aisle to theFlynn pew on the right-hand side at the front ofthe church. Angus sat on
theaisle.Aiden,Brian,andDevon were spread out,leavingnoroomforanyoneelse. “Scoot over,” ConnorsaidtoAiden.Aiden turned to Brian
andsaid,“Moveover.”Brian said to Devon,
“Makesomeroom.”Thethreebrothersedged
farther down the pew tomakeroombetweenAiden
and Angus to fit Connorand Eve. Connor watchedhisfather’sbackstiffenandhis shoulders square asEve stepped past Angusand settled on thecushioned pew besideAiden.Connorsat toEve’sleft,nexttohisfather,andheldBrookeonhislap.Connor didn’t hear
much of the liturgy. Hewas too busy wondering
whatMollyhadsaidinherdiary. Then he realized hehadn’t askedEve themostimportant question. Whatyear had the diary beenwritten? During Molly’syouth? Or since theirmarriage?He realized he had far
bigger problems thanMolly’s diary. His fathersat rigid as a fence postbeside him. Angus hadn’t
said another word after“Hummmph” whenConnor sat down next tohim. Connor was prettygood at reading bodylanguage, and Angus’ssaid,“You’retoast.”ConnorletBrookefiddle
with the handkerchief inhis pocket, with thebuttons on his suit coat,and with the clasp thatheld his tie. He let her
draw with a pencilprovidedby the churchonone of the church’sattendance cards. He heldher inhis armswhen theyrose to sing hymns, andwhen the time came, hehelpedher tokneelon theprie-dieubesidehim.It was all familiar
behavior. The only thingmissingwasMolly.Butforthe first time since her
death, Connor had hopethat he might findhappiness again after theloss of his wife. Hisweddingnight—andallthenights since then—hadbeen a revelation, inmoreways than one. Surely Evecouldn’tmake love to himnight after night, oftenseveraltimesanight,ifshedidn’t have feelings forhim.
Since Aiden hadn’tmoved down enough togive Eve much room, herthigh was pressed againstConnor’s. He caught herhand in his and held it,knowing that she was asunlikelytomakeasceneinchurch as his father. Hewasn’t just making astatement tohis father, heactually enjoyed holdingherhand.
His father held thehymnal where Connorcouldseeit,buttheinstantthe song was done, heslappeditclosedandset itbackintherackbehindthepew.When it came time to
take Communion, ConnorsettledBrooke inEve’s lapand followed his father tothe rail, his brothersbehindhim.Connor found
surprising solace in takingCommunion. It was onemore step toward lettinggoofalltheangerhefeltathaving his life turnedupsidedown.To his surprise, as soon
as his family was seatedagain,BrookescootedfromEve’s lap onto hergrandfather’s lap. In thepast Connor had broughthis daughter to both
church and the Lucky 7frequently, so he knewAngus had a soft spot forhisfirstgrandchild.Connor was content to
let Brooke sit with hisfather for the rest of theservice. He watched asAnguspulledhiscellphonefrom his pocket andhanded it to Brooke, whoimmediatelybeganplayingadigitalgame.Connorwas
astonished at how adepthis four-year-old daughterwas at handling thecomplicated cell phone.His child’s world haddefinitely moved on whilehe’dbeenoverseas.Since the Flynns sat at
the front of the church,theywerethe last to leave.Angus didn’t get up, hesimply handed Brooke toEveandsaid,“Connorand
I will meet you out frontlater.”Eve eyed Connor
sideways as she stood andleftthechurchwithAiden,Brian, and Devon. Oncethey were alone, Angusfocused his steely gaze onConnor and said, “If youexpected this spectacle offamilialharmonytochangemy mind, you’re badlymistaken.”
“I brought my wife anddaughter to worship withmyfatherandbrothers.I’dhardly call that aspectacle.”“She’s aGrayhawk.”He
made theword an epithet.“Her father killed mysister. That’s something Ican never—will never—forgive.”“AuntJane’sbeengonea
long time,Dad.Whydon’t
youletitgo?”“Because he got Matt
back!”Connor was confused.
“What does Matt have todowithanything?”“King doesn’t deserve
thatboy’slove.”“From what I’ve heard,
Matt’s only here until hecan take possession ofKingdomCome.”
“Kingwillnevergivehimthe ranch—assuming, ofcourse, that he owns it ayearfromnow.”“There’s a chance he
won’t?”Angus sneered. “A very
good chance. But if hedoes, that slimy son of abitchwillfindsomeexcusetocalloffthedeal.”“I can’t believe Matt
wouldn’t have asked forsomething in writingbefore he came all thisway.”“You can bet whatever
King signed isunenforceable,” Angussaid. “It’s what I’d do.Whatever else I thinkabout that snake in thegrass, he’s every bit ascraftyasIam.”“Why are you so
cynical?” Connor asked.“Why can’t you believeKing just wants his sonback and is willing to paythe price to make ithappen?”“Because that bastard
never did a generous,loving thing for anyone inhiswholemiserablelife.”“Dad, listen to yourself.
This has to stop.No one’sall bad. King Grayhawk is
mywife’sfather.Nothingisgoingtochangethat.”“I don’t want his blood
mixed with mine. I wantthat marriage annulledbeforeshe—”“No.”Hesawtheshockedlook
on his father’s face beforehis cheeks reddened withanger. “Are youdaringmetocutyouoff?”
“If you’re forcing me tochoose between SafeHaven and my wife, I’lltakeEve.”“What’sgotintoyou?”“I don’t want to lose
her.”“You hardly know the
woman.”“She’s a fantastic
mother. She’s a greatphotographer. And she’s
goingtobeadamnedgoodwife.”Angus lifted a bushy
black brow. “Is the girlpregnant? Is that whyyou’rebeingsoobstinate?”“No, Dad,” Connor said
indisgust. “I’mnot askingyou to give me anythingthatisn’talreadymine,butIneedthattrustfund.”A pained expression
crossedAngus’sface.“I’m not asking for
myself. I’m asking for theveteranswhocometoSafeHaven.”Connor watched the
creasesinhisfather’sbrowdeepenbeforehesaid,“Getrid of that Grayhawkwoman, and you can keepyourtrustfund.Otherwise,my lawyer will start thepaperwork to rescind it
starting bright and earlytomorrowmorning.”Connor didn’t argue.
Angus was obstinate, usedtogettinghiswayasonlyavery powerful andwealthyman could be. He wasgoing tohave to figureoutanother way for hissanctuarytothrive.“Goodbye, Dad. If we’re
going to use familyrelationships as weapons
against each other, youshould know that so longas Eve isn’t welcome inyour home, Brooke andSawyer won’t be comingthere,either.”“How dare you threaten
me! Go! Get out of mysight.”Connorroseandleft.
Chapter25
EVE SHOWED UP at thebedroom door, Molly’s
diary in hand, her facebleached of blood. “Sheknew.”Connor dropped the
bookhewas readingashelayinbed.“Knewwhat?”“Aboutus.”Hesatup.“Impossible.”Eve sank onto the bed,
opened the diary, andbeganreading.
IknowEvelikesConnorbutIlikehimmore.He’ssodreamy!!!HiseyesarebluerthanblueandIwanttobrushbackthatlockofhairthatfallsonhisforeheadsobad!!!Eve’ssobeautifulandamazingshecanhaveanyboyshewants.ButnotConnor.He’smine!!!It’sagoodthinghis
nameisFlynnorI’dhavenochance,becauseIcantellConnorlikesEve,too.He’salwayswatchingherwiththisgoofylookonhisface.Shehasnoclue,thankgoodness!!!
Eve met Connor’s gaze.His face was flushed,probably because of that“goofy look” comment.
“Didyouwatchmeinhighschool?”Henodded.“ItoldyouI
likedyou.”“This sounds like more
thanthat.”“What do you want me
tosay?”Eve turned to another
bookmarked page in thediary and began readingagain.
ConnoristakingMEtotheSadieHawkinsdance!!!ItwassortofanastytricktogetEvetoaskforme.IbetConnorthoughtshewasgoingtoaskhimtogowithher.Toobad!!!ThisismychancetoshowhimhowniceIam,andIplantomakethemostofit.ConnorFlynnwon’tknowwhathithim.Ilove
him!!!Soonhe’llbemineforever.Sorry,Eve,butyouhadyourchances.Yourfaultifyoudidn’ttakethem.
“This doesn’t sound likethe woman I knew,”Connor said, shaking hishead. “Molly was never aconnivingperson. Shewasalways generous andgiving.”
“Absolutely,” Eveagreed.“Except,obviously,where you wereconcerned.”She turned to a third
markedpassage.“Thiswaswrittenyearslater.Shewascleaning out boxes andapparentlyfoundherdiaryandwroteafinalentry.”
IcanseewhyIwassoworriedaboutEveloving
Connor—andConnorlovingEve—whentheywereteenagers.Alltheseyearslater,thesparksstillflywheneverthey’reinthesameroomtogether.Itrustthembothimplicitly.Neitherofthemwouldeverbetrayme.ButIfeelguiltyknowingthatImaybethereasontheyaren’tspendingtheir
livestogetherasacouple.Maybetheywouldneverhavegottenpastthefeudbetweentheirfamilies,buttheymanagetocoexistjustfineinmyhome.WhichleadsmetobelievethatifIhadn’tbeenintheway,truelovemighthavewonout.I’msosorry,Eve,forstealingthemanyouloved.Iknowthat’swhyyou’re
stillsingle.You’resocarefultohideyourfeelingswheneverConnor’saround.That’showIknowtheystillexist.AndConnor,my
dearestlove,Iknowyouloveme,butIwonderifyouwouldhavemarriedmeifyouweren’tafraidyoumightdiebeforeyouhadasonordaughterto
leavebehind.ItookadvantageoftheloveyoubothhadformetotakewhatIwanted—andneeded—fromeachofyou,whichmeantyourowndesperatedesiresremainedunrequited.Ihopesomedaybothof
youcanforgiveme.I’msosorryIcamebetweenyou.IfthedayevercomeswhenI’mnolongerhere,I
hopeyoufindyourwaytoeachother.
Eve’s throat was soswollen with emotion thatshe barely managed tofinish reading the lastsentence.Shelookeduptofind Connor’s eyesglisteningwithtears.Whenhe blinked, one slid downhischeek.“Sheneversaidaword,”
hesaid.“Ihadnoideasheknew I had feelings foryou.”“Or that I felt that way
about you.” Eve set thediaryon theendtableandcrawled across the bedtowardConnor.Heopenedhisarmsand
the two of them laytogether, holding oneanotherclose.
Eve swallowed over theknotof guilt inher throat.“She hoped we couldforgiveher.”She heard Connor
struggle to swallow backmore tears before he said,“Yeah.”“How could she stand
it?”Evewondered.“She lovedus both.And
sheknewwelovedher.”
Evewassilentforalongwhile,rememberingallthetimes she’d visited herfriend when Connor washome on leave. All thetimes she’d coveted himwhile her best friend hadstoodbyandwatched.Andknown.Thesorrowshefeltwasunbearable.“Do you suppose we
werefatedtobetogether?”Connorasked.
Eveshrugged.“Thefatescan’twantustogetherverybadly or they wouldn’t bedoing such a great job ofshovingusapart.”“It does look like the
odds are stacked againstus,”Connoragreed.“Idon’twanttotakethe
job in Nevada,” Eve said,her face hidden againstConnor’s throat. “I justdon’t think I have any
otherchoice.”She put her fingertips
against Connor’s lips tostill his protest. “I calledthe editor today and toldherI’dtakethejob.”She felt Connor’s arms
tighten around her, asthough he could keep herclose,whentheybothknewthatinthirtydaysshe’dbegone. For a couple ofweeks. Ormaybe a couple
of months. And maybeagainandagainandagain.Eve’shearthurt.“Idon’t
want to go,” she said, herthroataching.“AndIdon’twantyouto
go.”The lovemaking that
followedbeganwithtenderkisses and soft, reverenttouches. But theknowledge that, just when
the truth of their longtimelove had been revealed, itmight be the beginning ofthe end of their livestogether, turned theircaresses into desperatetouches and transformedsoftforaysintodemandingexplorations. Until theywere both clutching atnaked flesh as though toholdonforevertothefinalmomentofexultation.
Evewas still gasping forbreath when she rolledaway from Connor into atight ball of misery. Heslung his arm possessivelyacross her body, pullingherclose.“We still have a month
tocomeupwithsomewayto keep you here,” he saidfiercely.“You never told me the
result of your talk with
your father. Is there anyhope—”“He’s revoking the
trust,”Connorsaidflatly.“Thenallhopeislost.”He leaned up on his
elbowandshiftedherontoher back so he could lookintohereyes.“Thatdoesn’tsoundlikethe indomitablewomanIknow.Andlove.”Eve’s heart skipped a
beat. Theymight have feltloveforeachotheralltheirlives, but the words hadnever been spoken. Untilnow.She searched his
beautiful blue eyes for thetruth.“Doyouloveme?”“More than…”He didn’t
finish the sentence. Heclearedhisthroatandsaid,“More than I everimagineditwaspossibleto
lovesomeone.”Eve was glad he hadn’t
said he loved her morethan Molly. A comparisonwasn’tpossible.Theyweretwo completely differentwomen,bothofwhomhadloved him. And both ofwhomhe’dlovedback.“What are we going to
do,Connor?”He turned out the light,
thenlaybackdown,easingherheadontohis chest soshe could hear the strongbeat of his heart. “We’llfigureoutsomething.”Eve was almost asleep
when she realized shehadn’t returned the gifthe’d given her. She leanedclose to his ear andwhispered, “I love you,too.”Sheheardagurgleashe
swallowed hard, but hesaid nothing. Eve hopedshe had the chance torepeat those words manytimesintheyearstocome.Right now, their problemsseemed insurmountable.She had to leave. And hemight lose his ranch. Andthere seemed no way toavoid the separation thatwouldresult.Eve slid her arm across
Connor’s chest andsnuggled close. She wouldput her mind to workovernight.Maybe it wouldcomeupwithasolutionbymorning.
Chapter26
“WHERE THE HELL is mydaughter?”
Eve stared through thescreendooratthemadmanstanding on the backporch. His eyes werebloodshot, black stubbleshadowed his cheeks, andhis face looked haggard.She shoved the door openand said, “Pippa’smissing?”“You know damn well
sheis!”Mattretorted.“Shetold me she was going
shopping in town, but shenever came home lastnight.”Evearchedabrow.“And
from that you concludedthatIhadsomethingtodowithherdisappearance?”“You know goddamn
well you and those brattysistersofyours—”“That’s quite enough
swearing for one
conversation,” Eve said asshejoinedhimonthebackporch, letting the screendoorslambehindher.“I’vegot two impressionablekids sitting in the kitcheneatingbreakfast.”“Where’s Connor?”Matt
said, looking beyond hershoulder.“He left early for town,
which iswhereyoushouldbe if you’re looking for
Pippa.”His eyes narrowed.
“Whatdoyouknow?”“What you just toldme!
If Pippa went to town,that’s probably where sheis.”“I’ve been all over
Jackson. Twice. She isn’tthere,” Connor said.“Those sisters of yoursswore up and down they
hadnothingtodowithherbeing gone, but I don’tbelieve them for oneminute.”Eve could see Matt was
crazywithworry.HepulledhisStetsonoff
and ran an agitated handthrough his hair, then putthehatbackonandtuggedit low on his forehead.“You’remylastresort.”
Evehesitated, thensaid,“DoyouthinkPippamighthavetakenoffbecauseyouwant her to give up herbaby?”Matt’s jaw dropped.
“Howthehell—”Eve opened her mouth
to cut him off, but he’dalready cut himself off. “Iaccidentally overheard thetwo of you talking,” sheadmitted. “Your daughter
seemed as determined tokeepherbabyasyouwerethatsheshouldgiveitup.”“The choice is hers. But
raising a baby isn’t kidstuff. It’s hard work. Ishould know, I—” He cuthimselfoffagain.That was the second
timeMatthadletEvecatchaglimpseofhislife.Itwashard to imagine him as ateenagerraisingalittlegirl
on his own. What hadhappened to Pippa’smother? He still hadn’tsaidawordaboutwhyhe’dgoneso farawayorstayedgoneforsolong.“Why do you think my
sisters or I had somethingto do with the fact thatPippa’s missing?” Eveasked.“How about Taylor’s
threat tomakeme sorry I
ever came here?” Mattsaid.“Ishouldhavethrownthe twins out on theirfannies last week whenthey let King’s TennesseeWalker stallion into thepasture with my quarterhorsebroodmares.”“They did what?” Eve
said,aghast.“Not that they admitted
toit.Godknowshowmanymares that stud covered
before I got him out ofthere. That means I’ll bewaiting a year for somevery expensive quarterhorse mares to delivertheir mixed-breed foalsbefore they’re any use tome.Notonlythat,Ihavetowait to see how manymares are pregnant beforeI can breed the rest ofthem. I gave those twohellionsagoodpieceofmy
mindandawarningthatifthey tried another stuntlike that they wouldn’thave towait a year to findthemselves without a roofovertheirheads.”“So you think they’ve
graduated to kidnapping?”Evesaiddoubtfully.Matt met her gaze with
bleak eyes. “I think theyresent me enough to doanything.”
Eve shook her head.“They wouldn’t hurtPippa.”“No.Buttheymighthelp
her run away again. Didthey know she waspregnant?”“Ididn’ttellthem.”“A paragon,” he
muttered.“Look,I’llbegladtoask
Taylor and Vick if they
knowanything.ButIthinkyou’re barking up thewrongtree.”“Whatdid Ido thatwas
so bad?” he murmured.“Why would she runaway?”Matt was asking
questions to the air, butEve took the opportunityto answer them. “MaybePippawants some timeonher own to think. When
she’s ready to comehome,she will.” Eve hesitated,then added, “Unless youbelieve there’s a chance offoulplay.”A couple of young girls
had gone missing in thepast around Jackson andbeen foundmurdered, butthat villain had beencaught. Still, that didn’tmean there weren’t othercrazy people out there.
When she saw the suddendread in Matt’s eyes, Evewassorryshe’dmentionedthe possibility thatsomeone had taken hisdaughter against her will.Most likely Pippa was allright,butMattwouldlikelysuffer the torment of thedamned until he knew forsure.“The sheriff’s office
won’t do anythingbecause
she’sconsideredanadult,”Mattsaid.“Maybe Pippa will call
you once she’s settled,wherever that turns out tobe.”“Maybe.Maybenot.”“Whywouldn’tshe?”“Because she knows I’ll
comegetherandbringherhome,” Matt said throughtight jaws. “Like I did the
lasttime.”“FromwhatIoverheard,
the circumstances thenwere vastly different fromwhat they are now,” Evesaid.Matt rubbed a hand
across his nape. “Howmuchdidyouhear?”“That she ran offwith a
manwholiedtoheraboutthe fact that he was
married.”“A lot of ringers—that’s
an Australian cowboy—leave their familiesbehindinthecity,andthat’swhatthis lowlife did. Hepretended to be free andsingle—and in love withPippa—and she wasinnocentenoughtofall forhim.“I should have sent her
off to boarding school in
Brisbane or Sydney so shewouldn’t have been solonely,butI…”He turned his back to
her, and Eve saw himsurreptitiouslyswipeathiseyes.Evehadfilledintherest
of his sentence. Wouldhavemissedhertoomuch.Clearly Matt had gonethrough a great deal tokeep his daughter and
raiseher, andhe’dwantedtoextendherchildhoodaslongaspossible.Butlikesomany choices parents hadto make, this one hadbackfired.Eve didn’t want to feel
sorryforMatt,notaftertheruthless way he’d shovedher horses off the ranch.Buthewasclearlyamanattheendofhisrope.“Whenwas the last time you had
somethingtoeat?”He turned back around
and said, “I need to keeplooking.”“At least stop long
enough to have a cup ofcoffee,”sheurged.Hepulledhishatoffand
turneditinhishandswhilehe considered what to donext. At last he said, “Allright.”
Eve was surprised he’daccepted her offer, but hewas so antsy she pulledopen the screen door andheld it for him to enterbeforehecouldchangehismind.When the screen door
squeaked, Brooke turnedto look and yelled, “It’sUncleMatt!”“Hi, Uncle Matt!”
Sawyercalledout.
Eve turned toMatt, herbrow raised, and said,“When did you meetConnor’skids?”“I stopped by the Lucky
7 when they were visitingthere and Aidenintroducedme.”HeruffledSawyer’s hair and pulledone of Brooke’s pigtails.“Hi,kiddos.”“We’re not kiddos,”
Sawyersaid.“We’rekids.”
“Istandcorrected,”Mattsaidasheturnedaroundakitchen chair on theopposite side of the tableandstraddledit.Evehurriedtopourhim
a cup of coffee. “Cream?Sugar?”“Blackisfine.”Eve set the coffee in
frontofhim,thencollectedher cup of tea and sat at
theendofthetable.“Did you come to see
Daddy?”Brookeasked.“I’m looking for my
daughter,Pippa.”“She’snothere,”Brooke
said.“UncleBriansaidshewas going to live withUncleDevon.”Matt bolted out of his
seat.“What?”Brooke took one look at
Matt’sferociousexpressionandshotananxiousglanceat Eve, who’d also comeoutofherchair.“DidIsaysomething wrong?” thelittlegirlasked.Eve crossed to lay a
reassuring hand onBrooke’s shoulder. “No,sweetie.It’sfine.”“Where did you hear
that?”Mattasked.
“When we were leavingchurch last week. UncleAiden said Uncle Devonshouldkeephisnoseoutofother people’s business,butUncleBriansaidUncleDevon could do whateverhewants, ’causehe’s abigboy.”Eve was astonished at
how much Brooke hadremembered of aconversation she’d
apparently overheard inpassing. The Flynnbrothers obviously hadn’ttaken account of the factthat little pitchers haveverybigears.EveglancedatMattand
said, “It looks like you’reaccusing the wrongrelatives of abscondingwithyourdaughter.”Matt was shaking his
head, his brow furrowed.
“Why sneak around? Whynotsaysomethingtome?”“Maybe because Pippa
doesn’t want to be yankedback home?” Evesuggested.Matt made a face,
conceding the truth ofwhatshe’dsaid.“What are you going to
do?”sheasked.Matt’s shoulders
slumped and he sighed. “Idon’tknow.”He headed for the door,
too self-absorbed even tosay goodbye to the kids,andEvefollowedhim.She turned back before
shesteppedoutsidetosay,“Whenyou’refinished,putyourdishesinthesinkandgo play. I’ll be back in aminute.”
Outside in the sunlight,Matt’s face looked evenmore ravaged at this newbetrayal. “Where the helldoesDevonlive?”Eveshookherhead.“I’m
not sure. He’s got a placein the mountains, I think.You have to believe thatDevononlyofferedPippaaplace to stay out of thegoodness of his heart. OfalltheFlynns,he’stheone
who’s gotten into the leasttrouble. She’ll be safethere. Maybe you shouldleavewellenoughalone.”“She’smydaughter.”“She’s twenty. That’s
plentyoldenoughtoknowherownmind.”“I didn’t ask for your
advice.”“You’re going to get it
anyway. Let her be. You
know where she is. Youknow she’s safe. Give hertime and space. Let herdecideifshewantstocomebackhome.”“How do I know she’s
reallythere?”“I’ll ask Connor to find
outandletyouknow.”“You’ddothatforme?”“I’ddothatforher.”“Good enough. Make it
soon.”Shenodded.“Assoonas
Connor gets back I’ll havehimfindoutwhathecan.”“Thank you. If there’s
ever anything I can do foryou,letmeknow.”Eve couldn’t keep the
bitterness from her voice.“You’vedonequiteenough.I don’t think—” Sheinterrupted herself and
staredathimspeculatively.“As amatter of fact, thereissomethingyoucando.”“What?”“I’dliketoholdanevent
atKingdomCome.”Mattarchedabrow.“I’m
listening.”Ever since Angus had
issued his ultimatum toConnor, and Connor hadrefused to have their
marriage annulled, Evehad been thinking aboutways Safe Haven could befunded. She would haveher earnings from theNational Geographicshoot, of course, to throwintothepot,butinordertodo themost good, Connorwas going to need a lotmoremoney.Shewasveryaware that
they lived in one of the
wealthiest counties in thecountry. Seasonal folkswouldn’t be back until thesummer, but there wereplenty of ranchers andbusinessmen who livedhereyear-roundwhomightbewillingtodonatemoneyto help maintain a ranchdedicated to providingR&Rforveterans.“I’m not sure if you’re
aware,butConnor losthis
fundingforSafeHaven.”“I heard Angus
threatened to cut off histrust fund. I didn’t knowhe’dactuallydoneit.”“Hedid,”Evesaidcurtly.
“In order for this ranch tocontinue to provide freeservices to veterans, we’regoingtoneedtoraisealotofmoney.Iwanttoholdanold-fashioned barbecue atKingdom Come and invite
as many folks as possibleto come and make acontribution.”Matt looked skeptical.
“Youthinkthatwilldothejob?”“Leah’ssettingupaSafe
Haven website wherepeople across the countrycan make donations, andI’ve gotten an agreementfromNationalGeographicto mention that vets are
workingwithaherdofwildmustangs at Safe Haven,along with the websiteURL where people cancontribute. We’ll probablyneed another function,maybeapicnic,laterinthesummerwhenmoreof theout-of-town folksarehere.But I’d like to hold thatevent here, so people canmeet a few veterans andsee Safe Haven in
operation.”“Why didn’t Connor say
something tome about allthis?”Eve flushed. “Connor
doesn’t know I’ve set allthisup.”Matt raised a brow. “I
see.Aneventisgoingtotieup operations at KingdomCome for at least a day,maybemore.”
“Iguessitwill.”He eyed her
speculatively.“Butit’sforagoodcause.”“So you wouldn’t do it
forme, but you’ll do it forthevets?”“I’mdoingitforboth.”Eve was surprised Matt
was willing to help now,whenhewasn’tbefore.Butmaybehewaslearningthat
she wasn’t who he’dthought in the beginning,justasshewaslearningthesameabouthim.“Goodbye,Matt. Connor
willbeintouch.”He put a finger to the
brim of his Stetson, thenturnedandwalkedwearilyaway,asthoughtheweightof the world lay on hisshoulders.
AshereachedhispickupEve called after him, “Besure to apologize to mysisters.”He held up his middle
fingerandsaid,“Whenhellfreezesover!”
Chapter27
CONNOR HADN’T BEENentirely honest with Eve.
He did have supplies tobuy in town, but he alsointendedtomakeastopatthe café where KingGrayhawkmetupwithhisfriendsonFridaymorningsfor breakfast—not to beconfused with therestaurant where his ownfather met up with hiscronies. He had an ideahow Eve could do theassignment for National
Geographic closer tohome, but he needed herfather’s help to make ithappen.He’d gotten in touch
with her editor at themagazine to confirm whatEve had already told him.It was possible to changethe location of the wildherdEvephotographed,solong as it was a bona fideherd of wild mustangs,
including a stallion andpregnant mares. And themareshadtobedeliveringtheirfoalsinMay.TheMaybirth dates weren’t asmuch of a problem as theeditor seemed to think,since Connor had learnedfrom Eve that mostmustangsdeliveredinMayorJune.“But to my knowledge,
no such herd exists near
Jackson,”Eve’seditorsaid.“Not at the current
time,” Connor agreed.“Thatmaychangeshortly.”“Someone you know
have a little pull with theBLM?”theeditorasked.“Could be, ma’am,”
Connor replied. “Eve willbeintouchtoletyouknowwhethertheprojectwillbedoneinWyoming.”
“I’ll look forward tohearing from her, Mr.Flynn. One way or theother.”Now all Connor had to
do was convince KingGrayhawk to use hispolitical influence to gettheBLMtomoveaherdofwild mustangs to SafeHaven.Connor had one ace in
the hole. While he’d
purchased a thousandacres of land, the duderanch had leased anotherfour thousand acres forninety-nine years. Thatlease had another twenty-nineyearstorun.ManyofEve’s current herd ofmustangs were beingbroken to the saddle andwould soon have newowners. There was plentyof water and grass to
support a herd of thirty-five to forty animals—inthe summer.He’d gone toAiden to ask for helpwithhayoverthewinter.“You’re out of your
mind,” Aiden had said.“Just let Eve go toNevada.”“I’dlethergo,ifIdidn’t
know it will break herheart to leave. She lovesthe children, Aiden. And
shelovesme.”Aiden had looked
skeptical at that finaladmission. “Thathappened pretty damnquick.”“We’ve always loved
each other,” Connor said.“We just never didanything about it becauseof all the stuff going onbetween our families. Youcanhelpusstaytogetherif
you’llagreetopaythepriceofhayfortheherdoverthewinter. I’ll plant my own,soyouwon’t actuallyneedtobuythehay.Butit’snotplantedyet,andI’mprettysure I’m going to need toprove to the BLM that Ican feed the herd ifnecessary, so I need aguarantee from you. Willyoudoit?”“Isthisgoingtohelpyou
keep Safe Haven up andrunning?”“Eve’s earnings will
support us until I canfigureoutabettersolution.Shehastotakethejob.Theonly question is whethershe leavesusbehind todoit, or is able to do it andstill tuck the kids into bedatnight.”Aidenshookhishead.“If
you can get a herdmoved
to SafeHaven, I’ll providea guarantee that you’llhave the winter hay youneed.”Connor’s throat
constricted with gratitudetoward his brother. Heswallowed past the acheandsaid,“Thankyou.”“You realize that when
you ask King to help he’sgoing to tell you to take ashort hike off a tall cliff,”
Aidensaidinagruffvoice.“I hate like hell for you tobowdown to that sonof abitch.”“I’dwalkthroughfirefor
Eve.Bowingdown toKingGrayhawkischild’splay.”Connor had been plenty
brave in front of hisbrother. Facing the manhimself was anothermatter. He took a deepbreath and opened the
door to thecafé.Hisheartwas beating hard in hischest, andhe licked at thesweat above his lip.Kowtowing to KingGrayhawkmight seem likechild’s play, butconfronting one of thegreatmonsters inyour lifewasnot.He was immediately
assaulted by the smells ofbacon,biscuits,andcoffee,
the clatter of cutlery anddishes,andthemurmurofdozens of voices.Themanhe was seeking sat withthree others at a booth inthe back corner. Connorstrode into the café asthough he belonged there.The sudden hush wastestimony to the fact thathe was a Flynn inGrayhawkterritory.Likea copwhoneeds to
watchforthebadguy,evenwhen he eats, KingGrayhawk was seated onthe aisle with his back tothe wall. When he lookedout into the restaurant todiscover the cause of thequiet, he couldn’t helpbutseeConnor’sapproach.Connor watched King
stiffen, saw his shouldersbraceandhischincomeupanotch, ready forwhathe
surely expected was somesort of confrontation.Connor had decided tospeakwithEve’sfatherinapublicplace,infrontofhisfriends, for the samereason Eve had arrangedfor him tomeet his fatherin church—the hope thatKing would be forced tospeakcivillytohim.On the other hand,
havinghis friends closeby
might also preclude anysort of compromise onKing’s part. Connorrealized he was going toneedtoseparateKingfromhis cronies in order todiscuss the favor heneeded.When he reached the
booth he said, “I need tospeakwithyouprivately.”“I’m having breakfast,”
Kingreplied.
“It’s important.” Whenthat got no response headded,“It’saboutEve.”The wedding of a
GrayhawkandaFlynnhadprovided plenty of juicygossip inasmall townlikeJackson, and it was clearfrom the frown on King’sface that he didn’t wantthis possible conflictbetween the couple tobecomemore grist for the
mill.King pulled the napkin
from his lap and set it onthe table, then rose andsaid, “Follow me.” Heheadedfor theback of therestaurant, pausing at theservice counter longenough to say to the manbehind it, “Bubba, I needyouroffice.”“Sure,King.”
ConnorrealizedfromtheeasewithwhichKingaskedand Bubba answered thatEve’s father must havedone this a number oftimes when he neededprivacy to conductbusiness.Compared with the
restaurant, which wasdecorated with Conestogawagonwheels and sporteda western print on the
cloth cushions in thebooths, the office wasdefinitely a part of thetwenty-first century. Kingtook a seat in a high-backedblackleatherswivelchair behind a glass-topped desk, leaving ashorter-backed blackleather chair on wheels infront of the desk forConnor.Hehesitated,thensettledintothechair.
Having arranged thesituation so he was in theposition of power in theroom, King asked, “Whyare you here? Is Eve allright?”Connor’s pulse began to
pound as he realized howmuch was at stake. If hedidn’tapproachKingintherightway,Evewasgoingtobeforcedtoleavetopursuethisassignment.Shewould
receive other offers in thefuture, he was sure, totravel to do her work, butby then he hoped the kidswould realize she wasgoing to be a part of theirlives for good and always,andheandEvewouldhavecemented their livestogether as a couple. Hejust wanted a little timetogether at the beginningof their marriage to show
her how much hecherished her. How muchhe valued her. Howimportant she was to hishappiness and thehappinessoftheirchildren.So this was a veryimportantconversation.Connor began, “I don’t
know if youwere awareofit,butEvereceivedanofferfromNationalGeographicto photograph a herd of
wildmustangsinNevada.”From the way King’s
brows rose, he hadn’tknown about the offer.“Thisiswhatyoucalledmeaway from breakfast todiscuss? I know the girlcan take pictures. What’stheproblem?”“My kids need her.”
Connor hesitated, thenadded,“AndIneedher.”
“So tell her to stayhome.”“I don’t want her giving
upherdreamsformine.”King snorted. “Sounds
likeyouhaveaproblem.”“It’s one you can solve,”
Connor said, continuingdoggedly in the face ofKing’s snarly response.“Again, I don’t know howmuch you know aboutmy
ranch,but—”“I know everything.
Including the fact thatAngus has pulled the plugon your trust, and you’reabouttobeflatbroke.”Connor flushed. “Then
youknowhowimportantitis for Eve to take thisassignment. We need thecash.I’vefiguredoutawayshe can stick around SafeHaven and still do the job
forthemagazine.”“I’mlistening.”“I need you to convince
theBLMtosettleaherdofwildmustangs on the fourthousand acres of leasedland IhaveatSafeHaven.And I need it done beforethemaresintheherddroptheirfoalsthisspring.”King guffawed. “Oh, is
thatallIhavetodo?”
“After two terms asgovernor ofWyoming, areyou suggesting you don’thave enough friends inhigh places to make ithappen?”“The BLM is run by the
federal government,” Kingpointedout.Connor lifted a brow.
“So? You don’t have anyfriendsinWashington?”
King templed his handsbeforehim.“WhyshouldIdothis?”“I love your daughter
andIwanthertobehappy.I believe being able to doherworkandstillbehometo care for the children isimportant to her. And it’slittle enough, don’t youthink, after that trick youpulled on her and hersisters.”
King scowled. “Don’t bejudging what you don’tunderstand.”“I understand Eve came
to me because you threwher out. I thank you forthat, becausewithout yourcallousness we neverwould have found eachother. If you can’t do this,tell me now and you’llnever hear another wordout ofme. But if you can,
I’m asking you to make ithappen.”King stared out the
window into the alleybehindtherestaurant,soitwasn’t the view he wasconsidering.Connor waited him out,
forcing himself to staysilent.“I can’t guarantee
anything,butImightknow
someone with enoughclout to get this done,”Kingsaidatlast.“Thanks,”Connorsaid.“Ihaven’tdoneanything
yet.”Connor stood. “You’re
willing to try. That says alot.”“Takecareofher.”“It’s the reason I wake
up in the morning,”
Connoransweredsimply.“I’ll be in touch when I
have an answer. Now getthehelloutofhereandletmegofinishmybreakfast.”Connor didn’t walk out
of the restaurant, hefloated out on a wave ofeuphoria. King was goingtohelp.Evewouldbeableto take her amazingphotographs withoutneeding to travel to
another state. If the BLMcooperated. If they couldfind a herd of horses withpregnant mares to move.Andiftheycouldgetthemmovedintime.Connorhadalotoffaith
inKingGrayhawktomakeit all happen. LikeConnor’s own father, hewas a man able to movemountains. Connor’s onlyfear had been that King
wouldn’t care enoughaboutEve tohelp.Hewasgladhe’dbeenwrong.Nowhe just had towait
and hope for themagic tohappen.
Chapter28
“MOMMY, MOMMY! COMEquick!”
Eve came running, herheart in her throat, whenshe heardBrooke’s cry forhelp. She still wasn’t usedto being called “Mommy,”and her heart nearlystoppedwhensheheard ityelled at the top of herdaughter’s lungs. Sheshoved open the screendoor and bolted onto theback porch, expectingblood and tears. Instead,
she foundBrookepointingatatractor-trailerthathadpulled up behind thehouse.Eve heard horses
neighing and realized thetruck was full of them.“Whatintheworld?”The driver opened the
door to the cab andstepped down. “Hope I’min the right spot,ma’am. Iwas told to deliver these
mustangstoSafeHaven.”“ThisisSafeHaven.”“Is Connor Flynn
around?”“What is this?” Eve
asked, gesturing towardthetruckfullofhorses.“His herd of wild
mustangs.”“His herd?” Eve put a
hand to her forehead tokeep the sun out of her
eyes as she took a closerlook at the horses, whichhad no numbers brandedon their necks, as theywould have if they’d beenadopted after a BLMroundup.“Wheredidthesewild mustangs comefrom?”“Idaho,” the driver said.
“Got an order from theBLM to relocate them toSafe Haven.” He opened
the order and read, “Onestallion, sixteen mares—fourofwhicharepregnant—four two-year-old colts,three yearling colts, threetwo-year-old fillies, andthreeyearlingfillies.Thirtymustangs in all. I needFlynn to sign off that hegotthem.”“I don’t know exactly
where—”“Daddy!” Brooke called.
“Lookwhatwegot!”Eve whirled and saw
Connor loping towardthem from the MainLodge,awidesmileonhisface.“They’re here!” he said
jubilantly.“You were expecting
this?”Evesaid.Connor nodded. “Not
this soon, and not for
sure.”“How did this happen?”
Eve asked, her pulsethrumming withexcitement.“I’ll tell you everything
assoonasIsignforthem.”Hesignedthemanifestandgavethedriverinstructionswheretooffloadtheherd.Eve turned to Connor,
her mouth filled with
laughter, her eyes filledwith tears. “What did youdo?” she asked. “How didthishappen?”Connor grabbed her
underthearmsandswungherinacircle,woo-hooingthewholetime.“Dome,Daddy,”Brooke
yelled.“Dome,Daddy,”Sawyer
begged.
He set Eve down, thenpicked up one kid undereach arm, and buzzed theporch like an airplane,finally dropping them ontheirfeet.As Eve helped to steady
the two dizzy children,Connor threw his headback,shovedhisarmsintothe air, and shouted, “Wehave wild mustangs!Mommydoesn’thavetogo
toNevada!”“Yay!” Brooke said,
clapping her hands andjumpingupanddown.Sawyer clapped his
hands,butEvewasn’tsurehe understood why theywere celebrating. Brookedid. Eve had sat down onthe bed next to herstepdaughter the previouseveningandexplainedthatshe was going to have to
leave in a few days to gotake photographs of wildhorsesinNevada.“Idon’twantyoutogo,”
Brookesaidemphatically.“I don’t want to go. I
havetogo.It’smyjob.”Brookehadflungherself
against Eve and sobbed,“Please don’t leave,Mommy.”Through a blur of tears,
Eve had seen Connorstanding in the doorway,his hip canted, his facegrim.It was the first time
Brookehadevercalledher“Mommy.” Eve’s stomachwasso tightlyknotted thatshe thought she mightvomit. But there was noescape from the trap inwhich she was caught.Brookewantedhermother.
AndEvehadtoleave.NothingEvehad said to
Brooke, no promises ofSkyping or phoning ortexting or returning soon,had been able to consolethe little girl. Eve hadspent the night crying inConnor’s embrace as hetried to comfort her.Throughout it all, hehadn’t said a word aboutarranging for a herd of
wild horses to be broughttoSafeHaven.“Canme and Sawyer go
down to the corral andwatch them let the horsesout of the truck?” Brookeasked.“Sure. But hold your
brother’shandandwait atthe stable for us,” Connorreplied. “We’ll be rightthere and walk you downtothecorral.”
Evewatched as the kidstrotted away, then turnedtoConnorandasked,“Whydidn’t you tell me aboutthislastnight?”“I didn’t want to offer
falsehope.Ididn’tfindoutfor sure it was going tohappen until early thismorning, when themustangs were already ontheirway.”“Ineedtocallmyeditor.
Ineedto—”“Yes, you do,” Connor
interrupted. “But don’t besurprised when she isn’tsurprised.”Eve’s jawdropped. “You
contactedmyeditor?”“Just to be sure this
wouldbeallrightwithher,ifIcouldgetitworkedout.She’s expecting your call.Thatis, ifyou’reokaywith
taking your photographshere,ratherthanNevada.”“Am I okaywith it? Are
you nuts?” Eve’s grinspreadacrossherface.Shecouldn’t stop it. “I’m overthemoonwithit!Howdidyou manage to talk theBLMintolettingyouhostabandofmustangs?”“Kingmadeithappen.”“My father arranged
this?” Eve felt a rush oflove for someone who’dlately been a villain in herlife.“Allonhisown?”“I might have pointed
him in the right direction.But he was the one whotalked to all the rightpeople.”Eve threw her arms
aroundConnor’s neck andkissedhim.
He enthusiasticallyreturned the favor. “Whatwas that for?” hemurmuredagainstherlips.“BecauseIloveyou.And
becauseIhaveaconfessionaswell.”He kissed her again.
“Thissoundsserious.”She lowered her gaze
and said, “I’ve arranged afund-raiser.”Shelookedup
intohiseyesandcontinuedearnestly, “Matt agreed tolet me use the facilities atKingdomCome—mostly tothank you for checkingwithDevontoconfirmthatPippa is living with yourbrotheronhisranchinthemountains—and Leahhelped me arrangeeverything so it could beheld the last SaturdaybeforeIleft.”
“This is happeningtomorrow?” Connor askedincredulously.Eve nodded. “Uh-huh. I
couldn’t decidewhether totellyouornot.Idecidedtomakeitasurprise.”Connor’seyesnarrowed.
“What, exactly, are youraisingfundsfor?”She took a deep breath
and admitted, “Safe
Haven.”Connor let her go and
took a step back, hisexcitement dimming asthough a suddenthundercloud had coveredthe sun. “I don’t needcharity.”Shereachedout tohook
her arm through his andstartedwalkingtowardthecorral,draggingonhisarmuntil he fell into stepwith
her. “It isn’t charity,Connor. It’s fund-raising.There’s a big difference.You’re not the onebenefiting from thesedonations—it’s theveterans who stay at SafeHaven. And the moremoneywehave inourwarchest,themoresoldierswecanhelp.Right?”Connornodded.“So I scheduled a
barbecue at KingdomCome and invited all thelocalstoattendandmakeacontribution for a good—anoble—cause: to help themenwho’vefoughttokeepthemfree.”“Matt gave you
permission to do this atKingdomCome?”Eve nodded. “Leah
helpedmesetupawebsitefor donations, and every
one of your brothersRSVP’d that they’ll bethere.” She shot him ananxious look and said,“Angus iscoming, too.Oh,and all my sisters will bethere. And King, ofcourse.”Connor stared at her in
awe. Or consternation. Ordisbelief. Or maybe allthree.“Saysomething.Areyou
okay with what I’vearranged? Have I made amistake?”Connorkissedherquick
andhard.“Ithinktheideais brilliant.” He pattedEve’shandandchuckledastheystartedwalkingagain.“Everybody in town willlikely show up just to seewhat happens when allthose Grayhawks crosspaths with all those
Flynns.” He shot her acheeky grin. “That aloneshould be worth the priceofadmission.”Evecaughther lower lip
in her teeth, suddenlyrealizing that she’d set thescene for a knock-down,drag-outfightbetweentwopowerful families. Whathadshedone?
Chapter29
“HOW DO YOU think it’sgoing?”EveaskedLeahas
she surveyed the threehundred or so peoplewho’d shown up for theFirst Annual Safe HavenBarbecue and Dance. Shehad to speak loudlybecause the country bandwas playing the Cotton-EyedJoe,andeveryoneonthe dance floor set up onthe lawn was yelling“Bullshit!” at intervalsduringthesong.
Leah finished clearingone of the many tablescoveredwithared-checkedcloth, adjusted a chair inthe grass, andperused thebustle on the immensefront lawn at KingdomCome, where an entirespitted beef was beingturned over a fire. “Goodmusic. Good food. Gooddrinks. Open wallets.What’snottolike?”
“The glares shootingbetween Grayhawks andFlynns,” Eve said as sheglanced from the tablewhereherfatherhadsetupcamp with Matt and hisson, to the table whereConnor’s father wassurrounded by his sonsandMatt’sdaughter.“Whyon earthwould theFlynnsshowupat an eventbeingheldatDaddy’sranch?”
“That’s Aiden’s doing,”Leah said. “I have itstraight from the horse’smouth—excuse theexpression—that ‘Connoris doing important workthat needs to besupported.’ Aiden madesure that everyone fromAngusondownshoweduptoday and made asignificant financialcontribution.”
“I’mgladDevonshowedupwithPippa,soMattcanseethatshe’sallright,”Evesaid.“On the other hand,
Pippahasn’tspokentoherfather. There’smore goingon there than meets theeye,” Leah saidspeculatively.“You might be right,”
Eve said. Leah wasdefinitely right, but as far
as Eve was concerned,Pippa’s secret was hers tokeep for as long as shecould.Leah crossed to a
convenient trash can, butbeforeshecoulddumpthepaper plates and beerbottles she’d collected awaitress took them fromher, smiled, and said, “I’lltake care of those for you,ma’am.”
Eve’s attention wasdistracted by the sight ofMatt headed for the tablewhere Pippa sat besideDevon.Evedroppedallthepaper plates and beerbottles she’d collected intothe appropriate cans andmoved swiftly toward theconfrontation she wasafraid was about tohappen. Matt wouldn’tdarecreateascene.Not in
frontofall thebenefactorsthey’dmanagedtogetheretoday. But even as sheapproached the tablewhere Devon and Pippawere seated, Matt’s voicegotlouderandharsher.“You have no right to
keepPippaatsomeremoteranch in the mountains,especially with that wolfyou keep for a pet in thehouseatnight,”Mattsaid.
“Sheneeds—”He cut himself off, and
Eve realized that he’dalmost blurted that Pippaneeded to be makingregular visits to herobstetrician.Pippa’s face had
bleached white, and she’dinstinctively put aprotective hand over herbelly, where her baby wasgrowing. Eve wondered if
anyone except her knewwhatthegesturemeant.“Please,Daddy,”shesaid
as she looked up at him.“I’mwhereIwanttobe.”Matt lowered his voice,
buthistonewasevenmorestringent. “Come home,Pippa.Youneedtobewithyourfamily.”“She is with family,”
Devonsaidinaquietvoice.
“Sitdownandstopmakingan ass of yourself. Pippa’soldenough todecidewhatshe wants to do with herlife.”Eve was astonished at
Devon’s defiant response.She watched Matt’s eyesnarrow as Devon laid aprotectivehandonPippa’sshoulder.“Get your hands off of
her,”Mattsnarled.
Devon’s hand fell awayas he rose to faceMatt. “Ionly—”Matttookaswingbefore
Devon could finish hisprotest. To Eve’samazement,Devondodgedsideways, and Matt’s fistnever touched him. Mattwas gathering himself foranother swing when Kingarrived at the table andsaid,“That’senough.”
Matt turned toKing,hiseyes tortured, his voicerough as gravel, and said,“Buttout,oldman!You’vedone enough damage tomy life, don’t you think?This is none of yourbusiness.”Eve searched for
Connor,who’dbeenhavinga beer with several of theveterans fromSafeHaven.As though she’d
summoned him, hesuddenly appeared at herside.“What seems to be the
problem, Matt?” Connorasked.“Nothing that concerns
you,” Matt snapped, hiseyes darting from ConnortoKingtoDevonandbackagainlikeabaitedbear.“You’re disturbing my
guests,” Connor replied inan even voice. “Folks arehere to enjoy somebarbecueandbeer, so let’sskip the fracas. You cansettlethisanothertime.”“Please, Daddy,” Pippa
said.It was Pippa’s
heartbreaking plea thatmade the difference. Evewatched Matt pull in hisclaws and saw his neck
hairs unhackle, like awildcatwhenthedangerispast.“Fine,” Matt said
through clenched jaws.Heturned to Devon andadded, “But if I find outyou’vetouchedsomuchasa hair on my daughter’shead—”“They’re related, for
Christ’s sake!” Connorsaid.
Matt looked straight atConnor and said, “No.They’renot.”Brianwasoutofhisseat.
“What the hell are youtalkingabout?”Angus kept his eyes on
his hands, which werepicking at the label on hisice-coldbeer.“Figure it out for
yourselves,” Matt said.
Then he turned andstalked away, Kingfollowingafterhim.“Dad?” Devon said.
“Whatishetalkingabout?”“He’s making trouble
where it doesn’t exist,”Angus replied. But henever raisedhis gaze fromhisbottleofbeer.Eve was spellbound by
what Matt had suggested.
Devonwasn’trelatedtotherest of his family? Sheremembered how she’dnoticed he was the onlyoneof theFlynnboyswholooked the least bitdifferent from the others.Was that because anothermanbesidesAnguswashisfather?Eve had another
thought.MaybethereasonAngus Flynn had never
remarried wasn’t becausehe could never loveanotherwomanasmuchashe’d loved Connor’smother, but because he’dbeen betrayed by thewomanhelovedmost,whothen died bearing anotherman’schild.The shock of Matt’s
announcement still hadn’tleftDevon’sface,orthatofhis brothers, when Leah
arrived at Eve’s side andsaid,“It’stimeyoustoppedplaying peacemaker andstartedenjoyingtheparty.”She took thebeeroutof
Connor’s hand, set Eve’shandinitsplace,andsaid,“Dancewithyourwife.”Connor seemed willing
to comply, but he pausedlong enough to say toDevon, “We’ll talk aboutthislater.”
“No,” Devon said. “Wewon’t. As far as I’mconcerned the subject isclosed. Would you likesome more barbecue,Pippa?”“Yes, I would,” she said
in a surprisingly calmvoice. “But I can get itmyself.”Connor opened his
mouth to continue theconversation, but Eve
tugged on his hand andsaid,“I’dlovetodance.”Connor shot one last
glance at Devon, whoseface revealed nothing ofthe turmoil he must befeeling, thensmiledatEveand said, “Come with me,Mrs.Flynn.”Eve mouthed “Thank
you!” over her shoulder atLeah, then followedConnor onto the dance
floor. He set his armaroundherwaist and tookherhandastheydancedtothe“TennesseeWaltz.”“I can’t believe we’ve
beenmarriedforsixweeks,andwe’re just nowhavingour first dance,” Eve said.“You’reprettygood,bytheway.”“Mollyalwayssaid…”He
paused, then looked intoher eyes without apology
and finished, “I was lightonmyfeet.”“She mentioned that to
me,” Eve said,acknowledging thatmemories of Molly wouldarisefromtimetotimeandwould always be a part oftheir lives. “I have toagree,” she added with alaugh as he twirled herunderhisarm.When the song ended,
EverealizedthatLeahandAiden were standingtogetheratthemicrophonein the center of the stagewherethebandwassetup.“Ladies and gents,”
Aiden said. “I want tointroduce my brother,ConnorFlynn,whostartedSafe Haven, which is thereason we’re here today.Connor,comeonuphere.”Over the applause from
the gathered guests, Evesaid,“Didyouknowhewasgoingtoaskyoutospeak?”Connornodded.Hetook
her hand and helped herontothestage,whichwasastep up from the dancefloor.“My wife and I want to
thankallofyouforcominghere and supporting theveteranswhofindrefugeatSafe Haven,” Connor said,
slidinghisarmaroundherwaistandpullingherclose.“Now have a good time.Drink, dance, and eat lotsofbarbecue!”The guests clapped and
shoutedtheirsupport.Leah took the
microphone from Connorand said, “Youmighthaveheard that my sister andAiden’s brother recentlymarried.Theyhaven’tbeen
properly feted, so thisbarbecuehasjustbecomeawedding reception forMr.andMrs.ConnorFlynn.”“Eve, welcome to the
family,”Aidensaid,kissinghercheek.“Connor,welcometothe
family,” Leah said, kissinghischeek.Eve was struck dumb.
Dozensofcolorfulballoons
were suddenly releasedinto theair.Frank showedupat theedgeof thestagewithBrookeandSawyerintow.Brookewaswearingafrilly party dress andSawyer had on a tinywestern suit. Taylor andVictoriapushedacartontothedance floor thatheldathree-tieredweddingcake.“Did you have any idea
they were going to do
this?”EveaskedConnor.He shook his head. He
turnedtoAidenandasked,“What’sgoingon?”“ExactlywhatLeahsaid:
a wedding reception. Youmay have noticed that Imanaged to get Dad here.Leah made sure Kingshowed upwhen it lookedlike he might skip thewhole thing. Against allodds,we got both families
together in the sameplace.” Aiden shot him acrooked grin. “Of course,with theexceptionofLeahand myself, none of themarespeakingtoeachother,but you can’t haveeverything.”Connor laughed. Then
he turned and gave Eve ahard hug. “What do yousay, sweetheart? Shall wegocutthecake?”
Eve took his hand asthey left the stage andjoined her sisters on thedancefloor,wherethecakehadendedup.Taylor handed Eve a
knife and said, “Go to it!”whileVictoriagrinnedandsaid,“Letthemeatcake!”To Eve’s surprise a
photographer showed upand said, “I’m readywheneveryouare.”Evefelt
tears of gratitude fill hereyes as she met Leah’sgaze. Her simple weddinghad been lovely, but itwould be equally lovely tohave pictures of today’seventstosavor inthedaystocome.ShewaitedforConnorto
placehishandoverhersastheycutthecake.Thenshetook a large chunk of thevanilla cake with lemon
crème frosting—trust Leahto make it her favorite—andstuffeditintoConnor’smouth. It ended up beingsmeared around his face,andEvewashappy tokissthesweetstuffaway,allofthe fun captured byphotographs they couldenjoyforeverafter.Eve watched their two
fathers, hoping that theywould come over to
congratulate them, butneither man moved. AsConnor’s brothersapproached, Eve’s sistersleft, as though by someprearranged agreement toavoid conflict betweenthem, and Connor’sbrothers were suddenlyslappinghimontheback.As Eve watched her
sistersdisappearback intothe crowd, she felt a
welling of gratitude forwhat Leah and Aiden hadbeen able to accomplish.For thisday, at least, bothfamilieshadcometogetherin a common cause, anddespite the nasty scenebetweenMattandDevon—and Matt’s astonishingrevelation—had stayed tocelebrate a marriagebetween Grayhawk andFlynn. Separately, it was
true. And neither parenthad offeredcongratulations and bestwishes. But it was a firststep.Ababystep.Andwhoknew what the futuremightbring?“Happy?” Connor
whisperedinherear.“Deliriously.”He turned her in his
armsandsaid,“I loveyou,
Eve.”Two small bodies
slammed into Eve’s andConnor’slegs.“Mommy! Daddy! Can
we have some cake?”Brookeasked.EvetippedBrooke’schin
up. “You look beautiful,younglady.”Brookebeamed.“Do I look beautiful?”
Sawyerasked.“You look as handsome
asyourfather,”Evesaid.“Can I have cake, too?”
Sawyerasked.Eve laughed. “Yes, to
bothofyou.”As they raced off to
rejoin Leah, who wascutting pieces of cake foreveryone, Eve turned hergaze back to Connor and
said, “In case you were inanydoubt,Iloveyou,too.”Connor smiled. “Glad to
know we’re both equallycrazy.”“Whatdoyoumean?”“Only two fools in love
could believe that amarriage between aGrayhawk and a Flynnwouldeverwork.”Eve laughed. She
threaded her fingers withhis. “As one crazy fool toanother, I’m glad to be inlovewithyou.”Connorkissedherhand,
then pulled her into hisarms. His voice was lowandfierceashesaid,“NowthatI’vegotyou,nomatterhow many flare-ups andfights there are betweenourtwofamilies,I’mneverlettingyougo.”
Eveslidherarmsaroundhiswaistandlaidherheadagainst his beating heart.“Someday, somehow,peace will come. Until itdoes, I’m yours, today,tomorrow,andalways.”Eve turned her face up
andkissedherhusband.
LettertoReaders
DearFaithfulReader,I hope you enjoyed
Sinful, the first in myKing’sBratsseriesofBitterCreek novels. Watch forShameless, Pippa andDevon’s story, comingsoon, followed bySurrender.Ifyouwouldliketolearn
more about veterans
working with wildmustangs, check out theMustangMentor Program,which works through theMustang HeritageFoundation. Veteranschoose a Bureau of LandManagement wild horse,untouchedbyhumans,andtransform it into a gentle,adoptable animal in onlyone hundred days(www.mustangheritagefoundation.org
Tolearnmoreabouthowto protect America’s wildmustangs, check outProtect Mustangs.org(http://protectmustangs.orgReturn to Freedom,American Wild HorsePreservation andSanctuary(www.returntofreedom.org),andWildHorseEducation(http://wildhorseeducation.orgYou might also enjoy the
inspiring documentarymovie The AmericanMustang:TheMovie.More than forty of my
novelsarenowavailableaseBooks. Those of youwaiting for Blackthorne’sBride,thefinalbookinmyMail-Order Bride series,canstayupdatedbyjoiningmy website mailing list atwww.joanjohnston.com,liking me at
Facebook.com/joanjohnstonauthoror tweeting me atwww.twitter.com/joanjohnston
JoanJohnston
ThisbookisdedicatedtoCarmelaLucyManfrey
Inlovingmemoryfromherfamily.
July12,1930–October24,2013
Youwillbemissed.
BYJOANJOHNSTON
King’sBratsSeriesSinful
Mail-OrderBridesSeriesTexasBride
WyomingBrideMontanaBride
BitterCreekSeriesTheCowboy
TheTexanTheLonerThePriceTheRivals
TheNextMrs.BlackthorneAStranger’sGame
Shattered
CaptiveHeartsSeriesCaptive
AftertheKissTheBodyguard
TheBridegroom
SistersoftheLoneStarSeries
FrontierWomanComancheWomanTexasWoman
ConnectedBooksTheBarefootBrideOutlaw’sBrideTheInheritance
MaverickHeart
ABOUTTHEAUTHOR
JOAN JOHNSTON is theNewYorkTimes andUSATodaybestsellingauthorofmany historical andcontemporary romancenovels. She received amaster of arts degree intheaterfromtheUniversityof Illinois and graduatedwith honors from the
University ofTexasSchoolof Law at Austin. She iscurrentlya full-timewriterlivinginColorado.
www.joanjohnston.com
IfyouthoughtEveandConnor’sstorywasSinful,PippaandDevon’sloveis
downright
ShamelessDon’tmissthenextinstallmentinJoan
Johnston’sKing’sBratsseries
ComingsoonfromDell
Keepreadingforanexclusivesneakpeek!
THE INSTANT EVE andConnor walked away todance, Pippa jumped upfromherseatat thepicnictableandfled.Whydidherfather treat her as thoughshe were still a child? Shefeltfurious.Andfrustrated.
And frightened. She wasunwedandpregnantwithachild whose father sheloathed as much as she’donce loved him. But shewanted this baby with allher being, and she wasdetermined to raise it onher own, no matter howmany obstacles her father,however kindhearted hisintentions,putinherway.A strong hand caught
herarmanddraggedhertoastop.“Pippa.Wait!”Shewhirled and snarled
at Devon, “I’m not goingbacktolivewithmyfather.Not today. Not ever. If Ican’t stay with you, thenI’ll—”“I was going to ask if
you’re ready to go home.Withme.”Pippa huffed out a
breath. “Yes. I am.” Shemet Devon’s gaze andrealized she’d been sofocused on her owntroubles that she’dforgotten about his. “Areyouallright?”His voice was low and
hoarseasheasked,“WheredidyourfathergettheideathatI’mnotAngus’sson?”“I have no idea. I
wouldn’tbesurprisedifhe
madeitupasanexcusetoget me to come backhome.”“I noticed my father
didn’tdenyit.”“He shouldn’t have to,”
Pippa said. “Why wouldyoubelievesuchathing?”Devonmethergazeand
said, “Because I’mnot liketherestofthem.”“What?”
“Idon’t look thesame. Idon’t want the samethings. And Angus doesn’ttreatmethesameway.”Heshrugged and said simply,“I’ve never felt like Ibelong.”“Maybe it’s because
you’retheyoungest.”“Maybe it’s because I
hadadifferentfather.AndbecauseIkilledmymotherwhenIwasborn.”
Pippa didn’t know whatto say or how to comforthim. She merely tookDevon’s hand in hers andsaid, “Let’s go home.Beowulfwillbehungry.”Devon’sgraywolf,which
he’draisedfromapup,wasalways hungry. He washuge and he wasn’t fullygrownyet.Devon sighed. “I
suppose I’m not likely to
get any answers fromAngustoday.I’mnotsureIwanttoknowthetruth.”As they walked back to
Devon’s pickup, Pippatried to imagine what hemustbefeeling.Howawfulto discover that yourmother had cheated onyourfather—if,infact,thatwaswhathadhappened.IfDevon had a differentfather,whathadhappened
tohim?Ifhewasouttheresomewhere, did he knowaboutDevon?Pippa realized that her
life at Devon’s remotemountain ranch had justgotten infinitely morecomplicated, because the“relative” she’d beenstaying with might nolonger be related to her.She eyed Devon askance.He might not have the
sameblackhair,blueeyes,andover-six-footheightashisbrothers,buttoher,hislithe build, gray-greeneyes, and dark brown hairwere evenmore attractive.She was tall, but he stoodtall enough to make herfeel protected within hisembrace, which he’doffered strictly as solacetheday she’dcome tohimseekingaplacetostay.
Pippa hadn’t felt shyrunning around in a robewith Devon in his pajamabottomsbecausetheyweresecondcousins.Shehopedthis revelation wouldn’tinterfere with the easethey’d found together.Even if they weren’trelated, there was nochance of anythingromantic happeningbetween them. She wasn’t
interested in gettinginvolvedwithanyoneafterwhat she’d just beenthrough.Not to mention the fact
thatshewaspregnant.Shehadn’t told Devon aboutthe baby because she onlyplanned to stay with himuntil she could figure outwhattodowiththerestofherlife.As Devon helped her
intothecabofhispickup,acourtesyhenever failed tooffer, Pippa realized thatshe admired his kindnessand affinity to animalseven more than his looks.Beowulf wasn’t the onlywild animal he’d rescued,but she’d learned that heusually nursed them backtohealthandthenreleasedthem into the wild again.However, Beowulf would
have been in dangerbecause he no longerfeared humans, so Devonhadkepthim.“I hope you’re going to
hang around for a littlewhile,” Devon said.“Despite what your dadsaidaboutme.”“Idon’thaveanywhereI
havetobe.Ifyou’rewillingforme to stay, I’mwillingtostay.”
“Good,” Devon said.“I’ve been living alone alongtime.It’snicetohavecompany.”Pippa wondered what
Devon would think whenhe found out who it washe’d really welcomed intohis home. That she’d runaway with a married manandwaspregnantwithhischild. That the small townin Australia where she’d
lived had found herbehavior so shameful thather father had agreed toreturn to a place he’dswornhewouldnevervisitagain in his lifetime. Andthat she’d come with himbecause she’d wanted toescape the label ofadulteressthatwouldhavebrandedherforeverafter.But she didn’t have to
tell him today. He had
enoughtodealwithtoday,andmaybe forawhileyet.Her pregnancy didn’tshow.Solongasshecouldhideit,shewould.And when you can’t?
What is Devon going tothink when he realizesyou’ve been lying to himallalong?Maybe she’d be gone
fromhis ranchbefore thathappened.
And go where? Withwhat money? Your onlyskill is whispering wildhorses. Can you really dothat when you’re the sizeofahippo?Youhavetotellhim.Pippasighed.“Areyouallright?”“I wish…” She let the
wordshang in theair.Shewished she’d done a lot of
thingsdifferently.“Yeah,” Devon said. “So
doI.”Pippa smiled and
reached out to brush hisforearm in a gesture offriendship. “Thanks,Devon.”“Forwhat?”“Forunderstanding.”He shrugged. “I’ve been
where you are, Pippa.
Believe it or not, I had torunawayfromhome,too.”“Really?”Hesmiled.“Angushada
fit when he found out I’dbought this ranch in themountains. Toldme I wascrazy to live so isolatedfromotherpeople.ToldmeI was just like—” Hepaused, and looked at herwithashockedexpression.“Angus cuthimselfoff.He
never said who I was justlike.” Devon’s mouthflattened. “It must be himI’m like. My biologicalfather.”“Maybeyoushouldtryto
findhim.”“What point would that
serve?He’snothingtome.”“Exceptitseemsyou’rea
greatdeallikehim.”“Howdidwegeton this
subject?” Devon saidirritably.“Wewerewishingthings
couldbedifferent.”The silence between
them grew oppressive.Finally, Pippa could standitnolonger.“IsittruethatAngus has figured out awaytoruinKing?”Devon laughed. “You
reallyknowhowtochange
thesubject.”Pippa grinned. “I
thoughtthatwaswhatyouwanted.”“The answer to your
question is yes. It’s not asure thing yet, but yourdad might have come allthis way for nothing. Hemight end up losingKingdomCometoAngus.”Pippa’s grin
disappeared. “You’rekidding,right?”Devon shook his head.
“Angus has been prettyclosemouthed about whenthe ax will fall, but he’sbeen gloating that the dayiscomingwhenhe’llfinallyhave his revenge for myaunt’sdeath.”“Is there anything King
can do, or my father, tostophim?”
Devon shrugged. “Whoknows? By the time KingfiguresoutwhatAngushasbeenplotting,itmaybetoolate.”“What about my dad?
He left everything behindto come here. What’s hesupposedtodo?”“I don’t have an answer
forthat.”Pippa turned to face
Devon. “Is there any waywe can find out whatAngusintends?”“What would you do
withtheinformation?”“Tell my father, of
course.”“You’ve run away from
yourdad,butyoustillwanttohelphim?”“He’s my father. I love
him.” And he has good
reasons for wanting toprotectme.Devon shoved a hand
through his hair. “I don’tknow,Pippa. I don’t agreewith what Angus is doing.But he’s my father and—”His lips pressed flat and amuscle worked in his jawashecuthimselfoff.Because Angus might
not be his father, Pipparealized. And he’d
apparently treated Devondifferently than his othersons.“All right,” Devon said.
“Let’s do it. I’ve neversupported Angus’s desirefor revenge. I’ll seewhat Icanfindout.”