COULD HE BE HER HERO?

Hope, Montana, is no longer home to Andy Granger, who sold his piece of the family ranch to developers. He’s only back to run a cattle drive in his brother’s stead. But the community can’t forgive him for selling out. And Dakota Mason, the beautiful cowgirl he hired, has every reason to hate him…

Ranching is in Dakota’s blood. And now the developers have cut off water her neighboring ranch desperately needs. She’s only on the ride for a paycheck—not to turn her back on her community. And definitely not to fall for some overly protective urban cowboy. But Andy may surprise everyone…including himself.

“You never liked me, Dakota.”

She frowned at that, cast him a sidelong look, then turned her attention to the rolling countryside.

“I didn’t hate you.”

“Didn’t say hate,” he said. “But you didn’t much like me, either.”

She shrugged in acceptance of that, and he smiled at the irony. He’d never bonded with a woman before over her general dislike of him.

“The thing is, you never fell for my act.”

“So you admit it was an act,” she shot back.

“Sure.” He shrugged. “Every guy has an act.” What man wanted to advertise the things that hurt?

“Is this an act now?”

“I’ve got nothing left to fake,” he said quietly. “I’m the least popular guy in town trying to hold things together for my brother. Don’t worry. I know where I stand with you.”

Color rose in her cheeks, and she looked away again. “I should get to bed, Andy.”

“You should.” He’d known she wouldn’t stay out with him long, but it had been nice, all the same. There was something about being alone with Dakota under the big Montana sky that woke up a part of him that had been dormant for too long…

Dear Reader,

Even the best of us mess up, and it makes it worse when there is a solid reputation at stake. When I wrote Chet’s story in Her Stubborn Cowboy, I realized that I really liked Andy. He was a man who had made mistakes, but he wasn’t a bad man. In fact, he deserved a second chance to find his place in Hope, Montana. And who better to throw into his path than the woman who hates him most?

Christmastime is about redemption. Every family has that black sheep, the one who took the path less traveled, the one who shocked everyone with some life choice or other. If you’re that black sheep, then you know how hard it is to go home again. It isn’t just the criticism; it’s the simple fact that you’ve changed, and you can’t help that. The biggest risk we ever take is to return home and say “Is there a place for me…still?”

I hope you have a home to return to at holiday time. I hope you have people who love you and forgive you for being human. Because we’re all human, and sometimes the most “perfect” family members who arrive at family gatherings with cherubic children and Jell-O salad are the closest to snapping and losing it. So take some solace in that!

May this Christmas bring you home—to the family that drives you crazy and that you love anyway. Merry Christmas from my home to yours!

Patricia Johns

The Cowboy’s Christmas Bride

Patricia Johns

www.millsandboon.co.uk

PATRICIA JOHNS writes from northern Alberta, where she lives with her husband and son. The winters are long, cold and perfectly suited to novel writing. She has a BA in English lit, and you can find her books in Harlequin’s Love Inspired and Harlequin Western Romance lines.

To my husband, the real-life guy who inspires

my heroes: strong, stubborn and a heart that

beats for me. Who could ask for more?

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

Andy Granger sat across from Dakota Mason—the one woman in Hope, Montana, who had never fallen for his charms. Yet here they were, and Dakota looked less than impressed to see him. A pile of ledgers teetered next to a mug of lukewarm coffee and outside a chill wind whistled, whipping crispy leaves across his line of sight through the side window. It was getting late in the winter for there to have not been snow yet, but it looked like it wouldn’t hold off much longer.

Andy leaned his elbows on the table and pushed the coffee mug aside. “Didn’t expect to see me here, did you?” he asked, a half smile toying at his lips.

Dakota pulled her fingers through her thick, chestnut hair, tugging it away from her face, cheeks still reddened from the cold outside. She’d always been beautiful; the years only seemed to improve her.

“I was expecting Chet,” she said. “He said he needed some extra help on the cattle drive. I’d rather deal with him, if you don’t mind.”

Yeah, everyone was expecting Chet. Andy was here for a couple of weeks at the most. He’d agreed to do the cattle drive this year for his brother and then he was heading back to his life in the city. This ranch—this town even—wasn’t home anymore, and he’d been reminded of that little fact repeatedly since arriving.

“Afraid I can’t oblige,” he replied. “Chet and Mackenzie are in the city. There were some complications with her pregnancy. That can happen with twins, apparently. Anyway, I’m here to take care of things until they return.”

That was why Chet had held off on their cattle run to bring the herd from the far pastures in the foothills back to the safety of nearby fields for the winter months. The warm fall and late winter had felt providential with Mack’s problematic pregnancy, but the cattle had to come back soon, and now Andy would be the one to do it. As long as he was back out of town before Christmas, he’d call it a success.

“Mack’s okay, though?” Dakota asked, her expression softening a little.

“Yeah, she’ll be fine.” He leaned back in his chair. “So, how’ve you been?”

“You haven’t heard?” Dakota tugged her leather jacket a little closer around herself. She looked uncomfortable, not that Andy blamed her. Everyone seemed ill-at-ease around him since his return, and he’d rolled with it, but he didn’t like seeing that discomfort in Dakota’s eyes. She’d always been one of the few to see straight through his act—which had generally taken the form of telling him he was an idiot—and this time he wished she could still see what no one else seemed to...that he wasn’t all bad.

“I’ve been out of the loop lately,” he confessed.

“That’s an understatement,” she retorted. “But thanks to you selling off that land to developers, our ranch is now bone dry.”

“What?” Andy frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“The streams that ran through your pasture watered ours,” she said. “The developers blocked the main ones to make some sort of reservoir. We’re down to a trickle.”

“Sorry, I didn’t know.” Those words didn’t encompass half of what he felt. That sale had been a mistake, and while he’d been able to buy a car dealership in the city, which had turned into a rather lucrative investment, he’d never been able to shake the certainty he’d made a monumental error when he sold his half of the inheritance and the family pasture.

“But glad to know you made some money off it.” Her tone dripped sarcasm.

“It was my land to sell, Dakota.”

It wasn’t like he’d stolen something from his brother. What was he supposed to do—dutifully step back and forget about his inheritance altogether because his brother was using it?

“Yeah, but to Lordship Land Developers?” she snapped. He’d seen the sign beside the road, too—a bit of a jolt when he’d first driven back into town.

Dakota wasn’t so far away from his position. Sure, her parents were still alive, but every ranch faced the same problem. When the owner had more than one child, and the bulk of his financial worth was wrapped up in that land, how did you divide it in a will and still keep the business intact? Who got the ranch and who got cut out?

“What if your brother inherited your dad’s ranch?” he pressed. “Let’s say your dad leaves the whole thing to Brody. What if you were left with some scrub grass and some memories, and that was it? What if you were pushed out and had to find a way to deal? Are you telling me you wouldn’t have done the same thing? It’s not much of an inheritance when no one expects you to lay a finger on it.”

“Then you sell to your brother,” she said with a shake of her head. “But you didn’t. You turned this grudge between you and Chet into something that put a black mark on this whole community. Who says anybody is okay with having some resort built here? We’re a ranch community, not a vacation spot.”

“Take it up with the mayor.” He was tired of defending himself. Everyone had the same complaint—he’d sold to an outsider. That was the kind of misstep the town of Hope couldn’t forgive.

“Trust me, we tried,” she retorted. “Especially when our land dried up and we had to try and graze an entire herd on dust.”

Andy’s stomach sank. Was it that bad? It wasn’t like he could’ve anticipated that, but people around here didn’t seem to care about what was fair to blame on him and what wasn’t. Things had gone wrong, and he was the target for an entire community’s animosity.

“Look, I’m sorry. I had no way of knowing that would happen.”

She didn’t look terribly mollified, and he didn’t really expect her to be. The truth was he could have sold to his brother, but he’d erred on the side of money. The developers had offered more than he could turn down—enough to buy the dealership in the city free and clear.

And, yes, he’d harbored a few grudges against his perfect brother, Chet. This cattle drive was a favor to his brother, nothing more, and the last thing he needed was a distraction. He’d messed up and he didn’t need a four-day-long reminder of that in the form of Dakota Mason, but Chet had asked her to lend a hand before Mackenzie’s pregnancy troubles, and Andy was just filling Chet’s shoes until he got back. This was all very temporary.

“Changed your mind about helping out?” Andy asked. “My brother isn’t going to be back for a while, so you’d have to deal with me, whether you like it or not.”

“Thanks to you, we need the extra money,” she retorted. “So, no, I’m in.”

Working with a woman who couldn’t stand him was a bad idea. He knew that plain enough, but he couldn’t shake the feeling he owed her. Just like the rest of this blasted town. He had a debt hanging over his head that he’d never be able to repay. Andy glanced at his watch. Two drovers had quit on Chet, and they needed two replacements to get the job done. After Dakota, there was only one other applicant to the job posting he’d placed. He wasn’t exactly in a position to turn down help.

“Have you done a cattle drive before?”

She shot him a sidelong look. “Are you seriously asking me that?”

It wasn’t a completely inappropriate question. Andy hadn’t gone on more than two cattle drives in his life. His brother had always been the one who cared about ranching operations—and was the consummate favorite—so their father had taken him along most years. Andy needed drovers who knew what they were doing, because while he was the face of the family for this drive, he didn’t have the experience, and he knew it. Getting the job done was going to rely on the expertise of his team. Which brought up an important question.

“All the other drovers are men,” he said. “Can you handle that?”

“If I can handle cattle, I can handle men.” She narrowed her eyes. “Can you handle a woman on your team?”

Andy shot her a grin. He’d never been one to shy away from women. He’d managed to garner a bit of a reputation for himself over the years. In fact, he’d even dated his brother’s wife back when they were in high school—and when he’d been dumb enough to cheat on her with another girl. Not his proudest moment. But while Hope might remember him as the flirt no one could nail down, the last few years had changed him in ways he’d mostly kept to himself. Seeing Chet and Mack fall in love, get married and now start a family made him realize what he wanted—the real thing.

“I have no problem working with a woman,” he replied. “But if we’re going to be working together for the next four days, maybe we could drop the personal vendetta. Like a truce.”

She met his gaze without even a hint of a smile. “I can be professional.”

Professional. Yeah, he’d had his fill of professional at the dealership. And if he had to spend the better part of a week with a group of people, he’d rather not feel their icy disapproval the entire time.

“I was actually aiming for friendly,” he said and caught a flicker of humor in her direct gaze. “I’m not your favorite person, I get that. I hadn’t realized how bad it was—” He swallowed, weighing his words. “You aren’t the only one with a grudge around here. Do you know what it’s like to order breakfast at the truck stop and have everyone there, including your waitress, glare at you? I think my eggs tasted funny, to boot. Goodness knows what they did to them. So I get it. I’m the bad guy. I’m the jerk who sold you all out, but I do have a job to do, and this isn’t for me, it’s for Chet.”

Some of the tension in her shoulders loosened at the mention of his brother. That’s the way it always was around here. People liked Chet. They respected him. They sided with him, too.

Her direct, cool expression didn’t flicker. “I’ll meet you halfway at civil.”

“I’ll take what I can get. If you want this job, we have to be able to work together. You know what it’s like out there, and if we can’t count on each other, we’re wasting everyone’s time.”

“I’m not going to be your problem,” she said, and he knew what she was talking about—the rest of the team.

“Leave the other guys to me.” He wasn’t exactly confident in his ability to lead this team of drovers, but if he could bridge the gap with Dakota, it would be a step in the right direction.

“So, what are the plans?” she asked.

“It’s four days in total. I haven’t done this particular ride before. It’s to the far side of what used to be the Vaughn ranch. We’re driving back four hundred head, so it’s no small job.”

Dakota nodded. “When do we start?”

“Monday morning.”

“Okay, I’ll be here bright and early.” She rose to her feet and turned toward the door. Her jeans fit her nicely and he found himself having to pull his eyes away from admiring her shape.

“Dakota—”

“Yeah?” She turned back, brown eyes drilling into him, and he felt the urge to squirm.

This was the hard part—this was where he had to reveal that he needed help—and his stomach tightened. He didn’t like admitting weakness, but needed an outside opinion, and she was the most qualified person in the room.

“You sold Chet some horses last spring,” he said.

“What of it?” She raked a hand through her hair.

“I need to choose my horse for this drive, and I thought you might have some advice.” More than advice. Dakota was something of a horse whisperer, able to calm even the most spirited animal, and while he knew she didn’t much like him at the moment, he did trust her instincts. There was a horse he’d warmed up to over the last couple of days—Romeo. Chet thought Romeo wasn’t ready for a cattle drive, but there was just something about that horse that Andy couldn’t dismiss. Maybe he and Romeo were alike—not exactly ready but still perfectly capable. He wanted Dakota’s take on it. Maybe she’d see something Chet hadn’t.

When Dakota didn’t answer right away, he added, “I know I’m not in the best position to ask you any personal favors, but it’s been a long time since I worked a ranch, and Chet is counting on me to take care of things. Once I’m done this job, I’ll go away and never bother you again. That’s a promise.”

She sighed. “Do you have time now? I’d need to see the horses again to see where they’re at. They all needed work when they left my stables.”

Andy shot her a grin and rose. “You bet. I have an hour until my interview with another potential drover.”

“Who?” She frowned.

“Harley Webb. Heard of him?”

She shook her head. “No. He from around here?”

“Doesn’t seem to be,” he said. “I’ll find out later, if he shows.”

She gave him a curt nod and pulled open the door. There was something about this woman, her slim figure accentuated by morning sunlight, that made his mind stray into territory it didn’t belong in. Just before that hazy summer, when Andy had dated Mackenzie, Dakota had started dating Andy’s best friend, Dwight. She’d almost married him, so he’d seen quite a bit of Dakota back then. You’d think that would have made her more inclined to be friendly with him. But even back then she’d seen straight through his attempts to look tough and suave, and she hadn’t liked what she’d seen. Now the woman had every reason to resent him; he had to keep that thought front and center.

Meanwhile he had a job to do. He’d do this cattle drive and, when Chet got back, he’d stay true to his word and get out of Hope for good. He’d celebrate Christmas in Billings and put all of this behind him. He’d seen enough over the last few days to be convinced that Hope would never be home sweet home again.

* * *

THE FACT THAT someone at the truck stop had meddled with Andy’s morning eggs was mildly satisfying. He had it coming after what he’d done to this community, and he didn’t deserve to swagger back into town and be welcomed with open arms. He’d formerly been a town favorite—up until he’d sold them all out. He’d been so cocksure of himself, and the girls had swooned for that auburn-hair-and-green-eyes combination—the Grangers were a good-looking family. It didn’t help that Andy was a flirt, either, but Dakota had never been the kind of girl to be taken in by that kind of guy. She’d seen straight through him from the start.

Dakota respected substance over flattery, so after Andy broke about a dozen hearts around town after Mack’s, and then up and sold his land to the developer, her sympathy—and everyone else’s for that matter—was spent. Andy Granger was a flirt and an idiot. As for the scrambled eggs—whatever they’d done to them, he’d had it coming.

Andy walked half a step ahead of her across the ranch yard. A tractor hooked up to a trailer was parked along the western fence, a few bales of hay and some tools on the trailer bed. Several goats were in the field beyond it, and they bleated in greeting as they passed. A chicken coop sat at the far end of the yard by the big, red barn and a rooster perched on a fence post nearby fluffed his feathers against the chill. A few hens scratched in the dirt outside the coop, but it looked like most had gone inside for some cozy comfort.

Andy angled his steps around the coop and Dakota noted how broad and strong he was still. City life hadn’t softened him physically. It had been almost five years since she’d last clapped eyes on him, and she’d forgotten how attractive he was up close... Not that it mattered.

A breeze picked up, swirling some leaves across their path, and she hitched her shoulders against the probing wind.

Word had spread about Andy, even when he was away. He’d spent a decade in the city, where he’d gotten engaged and then got cold feet, from what she’d heard through the grapevine. Then he’d sold the Granger pasture and left town again. It would have taken some courage to show his face after all that, but here he was, and he was doing this for his brother, which was the only reason she was being helpful at all—well, that and the money.

Dakota had known Andy quite well back in the day. He’d even asked her out once, leaning against the hood of his pickup and casting her a boyish grin. Truthfully, she’d been tempted to say yes—what girl hadn’t? But she’d just started dating Dwight and she wasn’t the two-timing kind of person. And what kind of a guy moved in on his best friend’s girlfriend? She’d turned him down flat, which was just as well because a few weeks later Mackenzie Granger came to town and soon they were a smoldering item. That just went to show that the boyish grin wasn’t to be trusted.

Ironically enough, Andy turned out to be less of a threat to her peace of mind than Dwight had been. The minute Dwight turned twenty-one, he did two things: propose and start drinking. She accepted his proposal, but the wedding never happened. With the booze, Dwight got violent, and she couldn’t stay in a relationship like that. Still, canceling her wedding had been the hardest thing she’d ever done. And Andy had been Dwight’s best friend—it said something about the kind of man Andy was, in her estimation. Birds of a feather and all that.

“So your eggs tasted funny, did they?” she asked, casting him a wry smile.

Andy shook his head. “You know, in a place this small you get to know everybody, but you also get to tick everybody off in one fell swoop, too.”

“So why come back?” she countered. “I’ve heard that you’re set up pretty well in Billings, and while I get helping out your brother, Elliot could have led this drive easily enough.”

In fact, she’d heard that Andy was rich, if she had to be entirely honest. Apparently he was making money hand over fist in the city, which was one more reason for people around here to resent him. It was easier to feel sorry for a guy who ended up down on his luck after pulling a stunt like that, but to have him actually prosper...

“I am set up pretty well.” His tone became more guarded and he looked away for a moment. “Let’s just say that some sentimental nonsense got the better of me.”

“Is that code for a woman?” she asked dryly. With Andy it usually came down to a woman.

“No.” He barked out a laugh. “Is that what you think of me, that I’m some kind of womanizer?”

Dakota shrugged. She couldn’t see any reason to lie. He had to know his own reputation. “Yes.”

He eyed her for a moment as if not sure how to take her frankness, then he shrugged.

“Well, this particular sentimental nonsense has nothing to do with a woman. This is about my dad, rest his soul, and my brother. I guess I missed...them. This. Fitting in. Like I said, nonsense. There is no turning back that clock.”

She didn’t miss the fact that he hadn’t exactly denied being a womanizer, but she did feel a little pang of pity at the mention of his father. Mr. Granger had died about four years earlier in a tractor accident. The whole town had showed up for the funeral. Even the truck stop closed down for a couple of hours so that everyone could attend; that’s how loved Andy’s father had been. She inwardly grimaced.

“I didn’t send the horses out to pasture today,” Andy went on, saving her from finding an appropriate reply.

He led the way around the side of the newly painted barn toward the corral. As they stepped into its shadow, the December day felt distinctly colder. This winter would make up for lost time; there was no doubt about it.

Andy glanced over his shoulder and his green eyes met hers. “Thanks for this, by the way.”

Her pulse sped up at the directness of that look and the very fact that he was working his blasted Granger charm on her was irritating.

“This isn’t for you, Granger. It’s for Chet.”

She wasn’t falling for any of Andy’s charms, but she could certainly understand why some women did. He was tall, muscular, with rugged good looks and scruff on his face that suggested he’d missed a couple of days of shaving. But Andy also represented something that hit her a little closer to home—the kind of guy who could walk away without too much trouble. Her brother had fallen for the female version of Andy Granger in the form of Nina Harpe, and she wasn’t about to repeat Brody’s mistakes. She had a lot of reasons to be wary of Andy Granger.

The corral was attached to the back of the barn, bathed in midmorning sunlight. At this time of year the sunlight was watery, but the air was surprisingly warm—about four or five degrees above freezing. Beyond the corral was a dirt road that lead toward different enclosed pastures, rolling hills of rich, golden cinnamon grass glowing in late autumn splendor. And beyond the fields were the mountains, rising in jagged peaks, hemming them in like majestic guards.

Several horses perked up at the sight of them, ears twitching in interest. Andy reached into a white bucket that sat in the shade and pulled out a fistful of carrots. He rolled them over in his hands, rubbing off the last of the dirt, and headed for the fence. Two of the horses came right over when Andy walked up—a dun stallion named Romeo and a piebald mare. Chet’s horse, a chestnut gelding named Barney, stood resolutely on the far side of the coral, ignoring them.

“Have you ridden any of them yet?” Dakota asked, stopping at Andy’s side. He held a carrot out to the mare.

“I’ve ridden Romeo, here,” he said, reaching out to pet the stallion’s nose. Romeo leaned closer, nosing for a carrot, and Andy obliged.

“How about Barney?” she asked, nodding toward the gelding that was inching closer around the side of the corral, wanting his own share of the treats.

“He bit me,” Andy retorted.

Dakota choked back a laugh. “Not sweet old Barney.”

“Sweet?” Andy shook his head. “That horse hates me. Every chance he gets, he gives me a nip. I just about lost the top of my ear last time.”

“Okay, well, not Barney, then,” she replied with a shake of her head. In fact, if Andy wasn’t going to ride Barney, she was inclined to take him herself. He was an experienced horse for this ride, a sweetheart deep down...if you weren’t Andy, apparently.

“So what do you think?” he asked.

She paused for a moment, considering.

“Romeo, here, is young and strong. He’s a runner. He’ll go and go, so he’ll definitely have the energy for a cattle drive. But he doesn’t have the experience.”

“I like him, though,” Andy said. Romeo crunched another carrot, his jaw grinding in slow, satisfied circles. “He wasn’t Chet’s first choice, either.”

“Which horse did Chet recommend?” she asked.

“Patty,” he said, nodding to the piebald mare. “But what do you think?”

Dakota looked over the horses. “I’d have said Barney, but if he really hates you that much—”

“And he does,” Andy replied in a low laugh.

“Patty is a good horse. She’d do well.” She paused, watching the way Romeo stretched toward Andy for another carrot. “But you seem to have a good bond with Romeo. I don’t know. I’d say it’s between Patty and Romeo. Patty would be my first choice. I think Romeo’s a risk.”

Andy nodded. “Thanks. I appreciate it.” He gave the last carrot to Patty and showed Romeo his empty hands. “Sorry, buddy. All out.”

Andy pushed himself off the fence and Dakota followed him as he headed back the way they’d come. Sunlight warmed her shoulders and the top of her head. She glanced around the yard as they walked, inhaling the comforting scent of hay and autumn chill.

“So?” she prodded.

“When have I ever been one to take good advice?” he asked with a grin. “I’m taking Romeo. If I’m going to ride for four days, I’d rather have it be with a horse that wants to move.”

Somehow this didn’t surprise her in the least, and not in a pleasant way. Andy Granger had always made his own rules. “Fair enough.”

“What?” He cast her a quizzical look.

“Did you really want my advice, or just a vote for what you already wanted to do?”

“Hey.” His tone grew deeper and his eyes met hers. “I might not be the rancher of the family, but I’m not exactly a lost kitten, either. I can ride.”

Dakota dropped her gaze, her cheeks warming. Andy had an effective stare.

“I grew up here, too, you know,” he added. His stride was long and she had to pick up her pace to keep up with him.

He may have grown up in Hope, but she knew he’d never taken ranching very seriously.

“You clowned around,” she retorted. “I remember that horse show where you arrived late and—”

“I had my fun,” he interrupted. “And why not? No one else took me seriously.”

“They might have,” she shot back, “if you’d shown that you cared about this land at all.”

“And if I were punctual.” He gave her a look of mock seriousness. “So very punctual.”

He was making fun of her now and she shook her head. Andy had been late for that horse show, and she’d told him off for it when he finally did arrive. It was that joking attitude of his that rubbed her the wrong way—it always had. Always joking, never saying anything of any substance. In her own humble opinion, Andy’s father had made the right call in who got the ranch.

“You were late, and I came in first at that show,” she said. She’d enjoyed beating him.

“I was late and I still came in third,” he quipped. “Imagine what I could’ve done if I’d arrived on time.”

“Yes,” she retorted. “Imagine.”

The thing was Andy hadn’t lacked in skill or talent, just focus. At least that was the way she saw it. And he hadn’t focused because he hadn’t cared about ranching life. But Dakota did—she cared more than a guy like Andy could ever imagine, and while he was horsing around and flirting with girls, she’d been working hard. It wasn’t just a junior horse show, it was a matter of pride.

“I was joking.” He came to a stop in front of the house and shoved his hands into his pockets. He didn’t sober entirely, that smile still teasing at the corners of his mouth. “You’ll get used to it.”

From where they stood she could see the barn on one side and the drive leading toward the main road on the other. It wound through bushes of amber and nut brown, a few cattails growing in the ditch where water collected. The cluck of the chickens mingled with the faraway call of a lone V of geese that soared overhead. She could see the beauty here—the life, the rotation of the seasons, the work to be done and the harvest to be enjoyed. She could see things she was quite sure Andy didn’t. The land wasn’t a joke, it was a responsibility.

“I’m already used to it,” she retorted. “You’re acting like I don’t know you. If you want to know why people are so ticked with you, this is it. This is all a joke for you, just a way to pass the time. But for the rest of us, this is our life, something we care enough about to dedicate every waking hour. When you sold that land, you made a dent in this community and it’s affected us all—my family especially. You might be joking around, but the rest of us are dead serious, and we’re left paying for it.”

“And I doubt there’s any way you’ll forgive me, is there?” He’d sobered finally, the joking look evaporating from his face, leaving those chiseled Granger good looks to drill straight into her.

“Probably not.” Dakota sucked in a breath and nodded in the direction of the corral. “I still recommend Patty, for the record. Not that I expect it to matter to you.”

“Noted. And I should add that just because I joke around doesn’t mean I’m not dead serious about some things, this cattle drive included.”

“Good.” She swallowed, uncertain of what else to say. There was nothing left, really. She’d stated her position and he’d stated his. They weren’t friends. They weren’t anything, really, except two people forced to work together for a few days. What he thought of this land didn’t much matter. It didn’t belong to him.

“So I’ll see you Monday morning,” he said. “I want to start riding at sunup.”

“I’ll see you then,” she said and turned toward her truck.

“Dakota—” She turned back and he shrugged. “Thanks for meeting me halfway.”

Halfway at civil. It wasn’t much, but it seemed to mean something to him. Melancholy swam in those green eyes and then he gave her a nod of farewell and turned back toward the house. For all of his joking around, he was carrying a heavier load than she’d given him credit for. While she’d always hoped he’d live to regret what he’d done to this town by selling out, she’d never considered what it would mean to see that regret reflected in his face. Karma was best reported secondhand, not witnessed...something she’d already learned with Dwight.

A few years ago, right around Christmastime, she remembered putting up the family tree in the living room with her brother. She’d been dating Dwight at the time, and no one knew about his violent outburst yet, but apparently, his boozing had put up some warning flags. Brody had given her some sound advice. “Don’t get caught up with a guy who will ruin your future,” he’d told her seriously. “You already know what you want. Dwight doesn’t—and even if he did, he’d have to stop drinking if he wanted to achieve anything. So you’d better put together the life you want. No guy is going to give it to you, least of all Dwight. You need to dump his sorry butt before it’s too late.”

That advice still applied—both about steering clear of Dwight and any other guy who didn’t share her priorities. The wrong man could demolish everything she’d worked for.

Chapter Two

Dakota put her truck into reverse and pulled a three-point turn before heading out the drive that lead to the main road. She steered around a pothole, the dried fingertips of bushes scratching across the side of her vehicle. Mission accomplished: she’d secured the job. When Chet had called several days ago asking her to lend a hand on their late cattle drive for a decent sum, she’d been relieved. They needed the extra money rather badly, especially with Christmas coming up. Sometimes blessings came in the form of hard work.

Andy had been a surprise, though.

She turned onto the main road and heaved a sigh. She’d been more nervous than she’d thought when she realized she’d be dealing with Andy and not his more likeable brother. But a job was a job, and with her mother’s medical bills for her emergency hysterectomy last year and the down payment they needed to put down for the new hydration system, she’d take a paycheck any way she could get it, and this drover position was paying relatively well. Chet was like that. He knew better than to offer the Masons charity, but he’d offer a job for fair pay. That was the sort of kindness Dakota could accept.

The road divided the land—one side an endless, rippling carpet of golden wheat, the other what used to be the Granger’s pasture, a mixture of maize yellow with olive green and sienna—the different grasses maturing together into a rich expanse, the beauty of which was marred by muddy roads. The growl of large machinery surfed the breeze, tractors creeping along the ground in the distance, and every time she looked at them, a new wave of anger swept over her. Lordship Land Developers had friends in powerful places to get the zoning for this eyesore, and all the petitions she’d filed had made no difference at all. Apparently money spoke louder than righteous indignation. And Dakota had plenty of righteous indignation.

This county—this road—was as much a part of her as her own blood, and seeing it torn apart hurt on a gut level. Andy had seemed properly surprised at the impact his choice had had on their ranch, but it didn’t change where the blame lay. He’d had one foot out of town for as long as she’d known him. Again, a lot like Nina Harpe—the woman engaged to her brother, Brody...whom her brother still believed he’d marry. Except, Nina had up and married Brody’s best friend while he was stationed overseas with the army. Nina was more than beautiful—she was voluptuous and sexy, a Marilyn Monroe singing Happy Birthday to the president. Apparently, one of her virtues wasn’t patience.

Dakota wasn’t given to petty grudges. She believed in second chances and people’s ability to grow, unless that person had singlehandedly impoverished her family’s land or broken her brother’s heart. Her benevolence had a limit. To be fair, Brody’s heart wasn’t broken yet...but that clock was ticking.

And yet, in one small corner of her own heart, she found herself pitying Andy. He deserved what he got—there was no ambivalence there—yet the softer side of her still hated to see someone suffer. Even Andy Granger.

A few miles farther led to her own drive and she slowed to make the turn. As her tires crunched over the gravel, her phone chirped on the seat beside her. It was an incoming email. She glanced down and saw that it was from Brody. It was always a treat to hear from him, except lately, when he was asking more persistently about Nina. There was more to that story and she couldn’t be the one to tell him.

Dakota and Brody always had been close as kids. She’d been fiercely protective of her quiet big brother, and he’d never really treated her like a little kid. Before he’d left, they’d discussed the future of the ranch in depth together, and it felt weird to have him so far away. But this was what Brody had always dreamed of, joining the army and protecting his country.

A brown, floppy-eared mutt raced after the truck as she pulled to a stop next to the single-level ranch house. Shelby bounced excitedly, planting several muddy footprints into Dakota’s jeans when she opened the door.

“Hi, girl,” she said, scratching the dog behind the ears.

“That you, Dakota?” Her mother’s voice came from the house and then she appeared at the screen door. Her sweater was rolled up to the elbows, her front covered in a floral print apron and her hands—held up like a surgeon’s—were covered in flour.

“Hi, Mom.”

“Where were you?”

“I was just lining things up with the Grangers for their cattle drive.” Dakota gave Shelby another rub and then headed toward the house. She kicked her boots against the step on her way in.

She glanced down at her phone and skimmed her brother’s email as she came in past the screen door.

“What are you reading?” her mother asked, glancing over her shoulder. She was working on some cinnamon buns, rolling out the fluffy dough with a heavy, wooden rolling pin.

“Email from Brody.”

“How’s he doing?”

They all missed Brody. He’d been gone a full year now, and anyone who heard from him was honor-bound to share with the rest of the family. He was serving the country, and Dakota was so proud of him it almost hurt sometimes, but that only made their secret here at home all the heavier.

“He’s asking about Nina again,” Dakota said as she came into the kitchen, and she and her mother exchanged a look.

“What did you say?” her mother asked, reaching for the butter plate.

“I haven’t answered him.” Dakota sighed. “I really don’t like lying to him, Mom. He’s going to hate us for this.”

Brody was the big, burly kind of guy who kept his thoughts to himself, but that didn’t mean he didn’t feel things deeply. Dakota had often thought the girl who ended up with her brother would be lucky, indeed, which was why his choice of Nina Harpe had been such a disappointment. But he’d asked Nina to marry him and she’d accepted. What could they do?

“I don’t want him distracted over that little idiot when he’s dodging bullets,” she retorted. That little idiot was what her mother had called Nina since she’d sheepishly announced she was marrying Brian Dickerson eight months after Brody had been deployed. She’d followed through with that—a tiny wedding she’d agreed to keep secret—and then promptly moved to the city with her new husband. To add insult to injury, Brian had been Brody’s best friend since elementary school. They both were going to have some explaining to do when Brody got back home. As was Dakota when she’d have to tell her brother why she’d kept the secret, and she wasn’t looking forward to coming clean. Brody was going to be crushed.

Brody was better off without Nina, though. She was flighty and more preoccupied with material objects and celebrity gossip than she was anything worthwhile. She had perfectly coiffed red hair, swaying hips and breasts like melons. She left a cloud of perfume in her wake, and a string of gaping men.

Nina was a self-involved flirt, much like Andy Granger, but having Nina take up with Brian behind her brother’s back was worse. Brody’s taste might be a little lacking, but he deserved better than that while he fought for his country. Apparently, Nina hadn’t been able to wait long before she got sidetracked by the next available guy. They’d all agreed to keep the secret until he got back. Then Nina could rip his heart out at her leisure, when he was safely home again.

“Don’t worry, I have plenty to distract Brody with,” Dakota said with a wry smile. “Did you know that Chet and Mackenzie are at the city hospital right now?”

“I just heard that from Audrey,” her mother said with a frown. “Apparently the babies are low in amniotic fluid and she needs to be under medical supervision. Who’s taking care of the ranch while they’re gone?”

“Andy.”

“What?” Her mother looked back. “Seriously? So the prodigal son has come back, has he?”

“As a favor to Chet, he claims,” she replied, her mind flashing to the meeting at the Granger ranch. “So he’ll be the one leading the cattle drive. I don’t think Andy knows enough to lead one on his own, but apparently he’s going to try.”

Her mother fell silent and they exchanged a tired look. Andy Granger was old news. They’d talked about him on a regular basis, and he’d grown bigger and badder with each mention.

Dakota remembered coming back late one night after the construction had started and the water had dried up, and could recall overhearing her parents talking in the kitchen, their voices filtering through the open window. Her father had sounded so gutted, so deeply sad, that his deep voice trembled.

“Millie, we might lose this place...” There had been a pause so long Dakota’s leg had almost cramped as she’d tried to stay still. “That Granger kid... He did this. I don’t think I’ll ever forgive him.”

Dakota had never forgotten those words or the quivering sadness in his voice. Because of Andy, her father stood to lose the land that fueled his heart, and she was determined to do whatever it took to keep them ranching.

Hence looking for side work and extra income. She’d taken anything she could get for the last several years, but it had never quite added up to enough.

“The cattle drive starts Monday,” Dakota said. “So, like I said, I’ll have plenty to update Brody about without having to say much of anything about Nina.”

“Are you sure you want to do this?” her mother asked. “You agreed to work with Chet, not Andy.”

“There aren’t that many jobs posted right now, Mom.” Dakota picked up an apple from the fruit bowl and polished it on her shirt. “And the Grangers are paying pretty well. Don’t worry. I can deal with Andy Granger for a few days.” Dakota shot her mother a grin. “I’m pretty sure he’s more afraid of me than I am of him.”

Her bravado was only partially sincere, though. She wasn’t looking forward in the least to doing a cattle drive with Andy, but the last thing her mother needed was to shoulder more guilt about the family finances. It wasn’t her fault that she’d gotten sick or that the insurance company had fallen through when they’d needed them most. What mattered was that she’d gotten the hysterectomy she’d so desperately needed and was back to full strength.

“As for Nina...” her mother added. “We only have to keep the secret until your brother gets home in February. Just a few months longer. I’d rather have him find out when he has family support.”

It was an old conversation—one they’d had a hundred times before—and Dakota stared down at the polished apple in her hands.

“What about Dad?” she asked cautiously. “I know how he feels about Andy and all—”

“He’ll be fine. A paycheck is a paycheck.” She smiled wanly. “As long as you think you can handle it.”

Dakota took a bite of the crisp apple and chewed thoughtfully. Times like these she missed her brother the most. Brody would have some wisecrack to make them laugh and he’d manage to cut Andy down to size in no time.

“I’m going to go fill the feeders before it gets too late,” Dakota said. They’d done their own cattle drive last month and the whole herd was back in the nearby fields. The cows wouldn’t wait, and she still had to sort out how they’d manage the work while she was gone for a few days. There was one thing she wanted more than anything else, and that was to ranch this very land she was raised on, if only she could get her father to let go of his hopes for Brody taking it over. She glanced down at her brother’s email.

Is Nina okay? She seems distant, but I guess I’m a bit distant, too. I want to do the right thing and marry her when I get back. I know you don’t like frilly stuff, but any chance you’d pitch in and help to put together a wedding?

This family was in tatters; their finances were shaky. Right about now, doing a cattle drive with the man who’d dried up their land didn’t seem half bad compared to facing the rest of their problems.

She needed a paycheck. She’d start with that.

* * *

HARLEY WEBB ARRIVED on time with a cigarette behind his ear and a worn New Testament tucked into the front pocket of his fleece-lined jean jacket. He looked young—too young for this job. He’d barely grown a mustache and the rest of his face looked smooth as a boy’s. A cowboy hat sat firmly on his head and his hands looked too big for his wiry physique, like an overgrown puppy. So this was the bottom of the barrel, apparently.

“Harley, I take it?” Andy asked, shaking the kid’s calloused hand—at least he’d done some hard work in his life.

“That’s right,” Harley replied. “Good to meet you.”

While Dakota had the unpleasant surprise of seeing Andy instead of Chet, Andy had been the one to call Harley for an interview, and it was mildly relieving not to have to explain his presence to someone. That being said, he didn’t know this kid from Adam, and he was used to having some sort of personal association with the men who worked the ranch—either they’d worked on a neighboring ranch in the past or were related to someone from the county. Harley, however, seemed to have dropped down from above—a gangly, questionable gift.

“So where are you from?” Andy asked, leading the way into the house.

“Idaho,” he replied.

“And what brings you here?” Andy stood back while Harley came inside. He gestured to a kitchen chair and both men sat. Harley took off his hat, his thin, brown hair flattened against his forehead.

“I came out here to visit some family,” Harley said. He fiddled with the edge of his hat. “Decided to stay a bit longer, and I need to make some money.”

Andy nodded. It sounded plausible. “How old are you?”

“Twenty-two.” Harley laughed self-consciously. “Trust me, I get carded a lot.”

“You have some ID?” Andy asked, and Harley shrugged, leaned the side and pried a wallet out of his back pocket. His Idaho driver’s license confirmed his age.

Andy handed it back. “All right. So let’s talk experience, then.”

“I was raised on a ranch,” Harley said. “I’ve done it all. I can rope, herd, brand—you name it. I’ve done cattle drives before.”

He sounded confident enough—and today was Saturday. There wasn’t much time to find another drover if he didn’t take Harley.

“You know anyone around here who can vouch for you?” Andy asked. “You said you’re visiting family. Who are they?”

“My sister—her name is Holly Webb. She lives in town here.”

That didn’t help. He’d never heard of her. “Anyone else?”

“Sorry.” Harley shook his head. “But I’ll work hard. You can count on that. I’m honest and I’ll earn my keep.”

Andy paused, considering. Hiring someone at the car dealership was different, since he had a human resources official to check into work histories and the like. He had no way of checking out Harley’s story on such short notice. This one was left up to his gut. The way he saw it right now, they could ride with Harley or without him. Even if he wasn’t much of a drover, he’d be an extra body for night watches. That was something. On the bright side, he might be as good as he claimed. Besides, he’d showed up on time and, despite Andy’s teasing of Dakota earlier, he did value punctuality in his employees; it showed the kid wanted the job.

“Okay, well, this is what we offer.” Andy wrote a number on a slip of paper and slid it across the table. “That’s not negotiable.”

“Looks fair, sir,” Harley replied with a nod.

“If you want the job, you’re hired,” Andy said. “We start out Monday at sunup. Be here an hour early and we’ll get you fitted with a horse. I’ll need a copy of your ID...”

The next few minutes were filled with legalities and forms. There was something about Harley that Andy liked. Maybe it was that Harley was oblivious to Andy’s past and only seemed to relate to him as a boss and source of a potential paycheck. Call it vanity, but it felt good to be called “sir” again instead of the other, less flattering descriptions he’d overheard. Ordinarily he’d be more cautious about an unknown ranch hand, but lately he was a little more sympathetic toward people wanting a fresh start. They weren’t so easy to achieve and he envied those who managed it.

Plus, with Christmas coming up, he was more sentimental than usual. Christmas was hard—it had been ever since his mother had passed away right around the holiday when he was thirteen. Christmases were never the same without her. It wasn’t anything concrete like her cookies or the way she always found the perfect gift for the people she loved...it was her. Without Mom, it was like the sun dimmed and the moon went out. Those were some of the memories he hoped to escape when he left Hope after this cattle drive. Christmas needed to be in Billings this year—in his modern apartment with his new life. He couldn’t face another Christmas in Hope.

After Harley left, Andy took the paperwork into the office. He pulled out a fresh file folder and grabbed a ballpoint to write out the newest employee’s name. Andy wasn’t quite the lackadaisical jokester that Dakota took him for, but her assumptions weren’t her fault. He’d worked for that reputation out of a deep sense of hurt and betrayal. He wasn’t a guy who liked to advertise his vulnerability because, ironically enough, even though he’d put his teenage energy into proving he didn’t care, the thing he’d wanted most from the people in his community was their respect. Maybe even a “sir” now and again.

But that was long gone.

When he was a kid, his brother and his dad would go out to check on the cattle. Andy used to go with them, but he felt the inequality in how they were treated. Chet was his dad’s favorite, the one he talked to when he was explaining how something worked. Andy was just along for the ride—or that was how it felt. He was treated like a little kid, even though he was only two years younger than Chet, and when he told jokes, his dad would say, “Enough,” and the growl in his voice said it all. Mom wasn’t like that, though. When Andy told her a joke, she’d throw back her head and laugh.

She also made an amazing blueberry pie.

He’d never be like his stoic father, but he wanted a woman like his mom—full of love and laughter, who stood by her man through thick and thin. If there was one thing about Mom, she was loyal. Even when the laughter stopped and her eyes turned sad, she was still loyal.

He tucked the photocopies of Harley’s ID and his signed contract into the file folder. He dropped it in the back of the employee section of the file cabinet the way Chet had organized it.

Andy turned off the light on his way out of the office. For some reason an image of Dakota kept rising in his mind when he thought about what he wanted in life, and it was like his subconscious was taunting him. Dakota was the one woman who never would fall for his charms. She never had. In fact, she was the woman with the biggest grudge against him.

And yet there was something about the way her eyes snapped fire when she’d stood there in the driveway, cheeks pink from the chilly wind and a thumb hooked in her belt loop... If you want to know why people are so ticked with you, this is it.

Apparently he was a sucker for punishment. He’d come back to help out Chet in his time of need, and that was where it was supposed to stop. He’d known full well it would be hard. He’d known he’d have to deal with some painful memories. He’d even known he’d be resented. He just hadn’t counted on feeling this attracted to the one woman who resented him most.

Andy pushed the thought aside and grabbed his hat off the table where he’d tossed it. There were chores to be done, animals to check on... He had enough to worry about for the next week or so. Keeping his mind on his job was the best solution he could think of.

Chapter Three

Monday morning, the sun was just peeping over the horizon as Andy cinched the girth on his saddle tighter. Early rays of sunlight, pink as a grapefruit, flooded the fields, sparkling on the frost that clung to every blade of grass. Dawn made the ranch cozier somehow. It was the rose-splashed sky and the long, dusty shadows—a moment in time that hadn’t changed over the years. He could remember this exact moment of the day when he was a kid holding a bucket of chicken feed, staring at the sky.

“Get ’er done, Andy,” his father would say on his way past, Chet in his wake. Get ’er done. Staring at the dawn wasn’t efficient use of his time, but it was something his mom could understand.

“Just look at that sky...” She’d stare at the sky for long moments. Mom got it.

The rooster let out a hoarse crow and Romeo stamped a hoof as Andy ran a hand down the horse’s dun flank. His team consisted of four regular ranch hands who rode along for cattle drives every year, and the two newbies—Harley Webb and Dakota Mason.

Dakota was getting Barney ready to ride a few yards off. She slid a feedbag over his head and patted his neck affectionately. Andy found it ironic she’d chosen Chet’s horse, the beast that kept nipping at Andy every time he came close. He looked gentle as a lamb with Dakota, though.

The sunrise made her milky skin flush pink in the growing light, her dark hair pulled into a ponytail, revealing the length of her neck. Her coat was brown leather, tough and formfitting, and he had to force himself to look away. Staring, no matter how flattering the light, was bad form for the boss.

Andy’s last cattle drive had been when he was sixteen, and he was more than aware of his current limitations—namely, his lack of recent ranching experience and his mangled reputation in Hope. Drovers were a unique lot and gaining their respect wouldn’t be automatic, maybe not even possible given his current position. These were hard-riding men who were used to discomfort and had their own code, and leadership on a cattle drive would look a whole lot different than leadership in a boardroom.

Harley seemed to be keeping to himself and a couple of the other drovers were talking by the fence. Dakota buckled shut a saddlebag and glanced in his direction, her hat pushed back from her face while she worked. She was pretty in a way he didn’t see very often. She wasn’t Cover Girl pretty. It was something deeper; the way she stared directly at a man and he could see both the softness and sharp intelligence behind those eyes, an alluring combination. He didn’t want a woman to look up to him, bat her eyes and laugh at his jokes. He wanted a woman to match him, and something told him that if she were properly invested, Dakota absolutely could.

The sun rose steadily higher in the sky, the light turning from rosy to golden. Dakota’s fingers moved with the nimble deftness of experience. Her voice was low as she said something to the horse, her words lost in the few yards between them. Andy had meant to stay away, but he couldn’t hold himself back any longer.

“You have enough food for the day?” Andy asked, heading in her direction. The cook would meet them at the first camp, but until they arrived they were responsible for carrying their own food. It was a question at least.

“I’ve done this before.” She put a hand on her hip. “I’d check on the little guy, if I were you.”

She nodded in Harley’s direction. He and Elliot, the most experienced ranch hand the Granger’s employed, were eyeing each other distrustfully from where they sat in their saddles. That didn’t look promising.

“What’s up with them?” Andy asked, keeping his tone low enough for privacy.

Dakota shrugged. “Don’t like each other by the looks of it.”

He laughed softly. “Yeah, I picked up on that.”

“You sure about that horse?” she asked, nodding in Romeo’s direction.

“You don’t think I know what I’m doing, do you?” he asked. She wouldn’t be alone in the opinion—his dad and brother had thought the same.

“I’m better at this than you are.”

Her tone held challenge and she was probably right. He was no drover, he was a businessman, and while he was excellent at making a profit and driving up the value of shares, cattle and drovers weren’t part of his expertise. Not anymore, at least.

“You may very well be,” he said, shooting her a grin. “But I’m a quick study.”

He didn’t know why he felt the need to compete with her. It shouldn’t matter, but he didn’t want her to see him as weak or needing her help. This might be temporary, but he was still in charge until his brother got back. She’d offered to meet him halfway at civil, but he was aiming at a whole lot more than that. He wanted her respect, but that would have to be earned.

“We’ll see.”

Andy shot her a rueful grin and headed back to his horse. He put his boot in the stirrup and grabbed the horn, swinging himself up into his saddle. He looked around at the team he’d be riding with, and he could see that they were solid in experience, if not all entirely friendly. Harley’s New Testament was still tucked into the front pocket of his jacket and he chewed on the inside of his cheek. Behind him, Elliot Sturgeon stared hard at a point just left of Andy, his reins held in a loose grip. He was good at his job and could have led this cattle drive. He wasn’t Andy’s biggest fan, either, which made this prickly.

“Okay,” Andy said, raising his voice over another hoarse crow from the rooster sitting on the fence rail next to the henhouse. “So I think we’re all pretty clear on our route. We’re heading due west for about a day and a half. We’ve got some newbies this time, so let’s not assume everyone knows everything—”

“Like you...” a low, gravelly voice said, and Andy glanced in the direction the voice had originated, only to see three drovers eyeing him with the same bland expression. It wasn’t worth the confrontation right now, but he could see they didn’t respect him. That could turn ugly a couple hours past civilization. He needed to address this now and a couple of different ideas flitted through his head before he settled on the words.

“I’ve never done this route, but I’m here because this is my family’s herd,” he said, keeping his voice even, and he let his gaze move over his team slowly. “You might like me and you might not. I might like you and I might not. Anyone who figures four days with me ain’t worth the money, drop out now and save me the aggravation. Anyone who makes trouble on this trip can expect a pink slip when we get back. No exceptions.”

No one moved, and a horse snorted. The drovers looked down, except for Harley, who looked straight at Andy, nothing against him yet, apparently. Dakota’s gaze didn’t drop, either, but her expression hadn’t exactly softened. Romeo started to prance in place, and Andy tightened his hold on the reins.

“Good. I take that to mean you’re all in. You’re here because Chet wanted you here or because I hired you. You’re all good at what you do, and we can make this a smooth ride. Let’s review the route.”

They’d ride to the first camp at Loggerhead Creek, where the cooks would be waiting. The cooks this year were Andy’s uncle and aunt, and they’d drive a horse trailer over with two pack horses. The next morning Andy and the drovers would set out for the foothills where the cattle were grazing. They’d take the pack horses with them to carry the kit they needed for their next camp. They’d cross the Hell Bent River, which lived up to its name during spring runoff, and they’d round up the cattle and camp there for the second night. Then they’d drive them back. They’d stop once more at Loggerhead Creek, where they’d camp again, drop off the pack horses, and then carry enough food with them to drive the cattle home. Four days. It was a pretty smooth operation. Chet had worked out the kinks in the last three years since his marriage.

“Any questions?” Andy asked, looking over the group, the morning sun shining at their backs so that he had to squint. No one broke the silence, so Andy gave a curt nod. “Let’s go.”

He pulled Romeo around. The other drovers kicked their horses into motion and they all set out at a brisk canter toward the western pasture. Andy hung back and then took up the rear. His earlier bravado was starting to wane and he glanced over his shoulder, back at the ranch.

He remembered the last cattle drive he’d done with his dad and brother. Riding out with the drovers had seemed like an adventure, except that his father had always talked more seriously with Chet. He’d ask Chet’s opinion; suggest different ways Chet could look at things. Chet got advice and Andy got criticism. He’d treated Chet like the heir and Andy was more like a visitor along for the fun of the drive.

Keep out of the way, Andy. Your brother has this one.

Andy, you’re going to get yourself kicked in the head if you keep that up!

Andy, why don’t you go start supper? We’ll take care of the rest out here...

It had always been like that. Chet and Dad had a kind of bond Andy couldn’t explain or share. They were alike—serious, quiet and immovable. Andy, on the other hand, had laughed louder and filled those silences his brother and father left hanging out in the stillness. And now, as a grown man, he felt the resurgence of adolescent angst. Andy had been better at ranch work than his father ever knew because, frankly, his father never stopped to notice.

Elliot dismounted and opened the gate that led into the pasture. The fence stretched out across the rolling field, shrinking and blurring into the distance until it dropped out of sight down a steep grade on one side and climbed the rolling incline on the other. A fence was a constant source of upkeep for a rancher, and Andy could appreciate the sight of a well-maintained one. The gate opened with a groan and when they’d all filed through, Elliot closed it again with the thump of metal against wooden post, fastening the latch.

The pasture opened up ahead of them, the grass rippling in a cold wind that cut across the plains with nothing to stop it. The snow might be late this year, but it would come, and overhead there was another honking V of geese moving south. Andy kicked Romeo into motion and the drovers fanned out, each taking some space as they rode.

He’d known on that last cattle drive that none of it would change. Ever. It was on horseback with the drovers that Andy had decided to make his own life and his own future away from the land he’d grown up on. Andy loved the land, too—or he had until he’d realized that it would never be his. But while his brother loved the very soil under his boots, Andy had loved the horizon—that tickle of land meeting sky, so full of possibility. He loved the disappearing line of fence as it dwindled into the distance, and the gentle touch of pink along the horizon as the sun crept slowly upward. He liked clouds that soared like battleships, leaving dark shadows beneath them, and the whistle of wind past his face as he rode at full gallop. The soil was good, but the horizon was better. He might be pushed out of the ranch, but that didn’t push him out of life. Sometimes, it was best not to get attached to something never intended for you anyway.

Andy found himself watching Dakota from the corner of his eye as she slowly overtook him. She was an experienced rider and her attention appeared to be on the scenery around them. A glowing sunrise and frost melting into dew as far the sunbeams stretched. She blended into the moment seamlessly, a cowgirl cantering across the pasture, and Andy sucked in a chilled breath of morning air. He’d do well to keep his focus off the backside of Dakota Mason—she was another one never meant for the likes of him.

Watching his team riding, horse strides lengthening into a comfortable gate, riders settling into the motion, he felt that same sense of disconnect he’d felt all those years ago—he was an outsider here. But looking at Dakota ride, her ponytail bouncing on her back, her hips moving with the horse underneath her, he felt a different kind of longing. This Montana land wasn’t his and it never would be, but if he could belong anywhere, he wanted it to be with a woman like Dakota. Dwight had never deserved her, and maybe Andy didn’t, either, but he’d have at least treated her right.

But that had been a long time ago—too long ago to even matter now that they were all adults. He’d felt a twinge of that when he’d seen Mackenzie again four years ago. She’d reminded him of what he wanted most, too, but that had been more of a nostalgic shiver, a realization that he’d been an idiot way back then. Looking at Dakota—this rooted him to the here and now, and that was probably more dangerous.

Elliot urged his horse forward and edged their mounts closer together as he caught up. Elliot pushed his hat farther down onto his head, water-blue eyes squinted in the low-angled sunlight. The older drover gave him a curt nod of greeting.

“So you hired the kid.” It was a statement not a question.

“Yep.”

“You know much about him?” Elliot inquired.

“Not a whole lot. But he seems to know his stuff and he was pretty desperate for a job.” It was the same question anyone around here would ask—what did they know about him? But a body was a body when you needed to round up four hundred cows.

“He’s been to prison,” Elliot said.

“What?” Andy looked over at Harley, who rode next to Dakota. “How do you know that?”

“Just do.” Elliot made a clicking sound with his mouth and the horses eased apart again. “Keep an eye on him, is all.”

As Elliot moved farther away, Andy continued to eye the kid in question. He couldn’t even grow a full mustache and he had a faintly naive look about him, like dirty jokes would spoil his innocence. Harley appeared to say something to Dakota and she laughed, the sound skipping along the breeze and melting into the rippling grass.

Either Elliot was lying or the Bible-carrying kid had the best poker face Andy had ever seen. Either way, this drive was about to get a whole lot more interesting.

* * *

AFTER A FEW hours of riding, the sun was shining warm and golden on Dakota’s shoulders. The air was warmer now, but the wind was cold when it picked up. Autumn could be like that—bitingly cold in the morning and then unseasonably warm, all within a matter of hours. But they were in December and while it still looked like fall around these parts, the wind promised change. The land was a succession of rolling hills as they headed toward the mountains, and meandering lines of rocky creek beds spider-webbed into the cleavage of the hills. Cold mountain water babbled across stones, giving extra moisture for clusters of trees to dig down their roots and drink.

They reined in by a copse of fiery-hued trees to have something to eat and let the horses graze. When the wind picked up, the leaves swirled off the branches, circling and spinning as they sailed out over the grassland, leaving the trees just a little barer—just a little closer to naked.

It felt good to dismount and Dakota stretched her back, letting the tension in her muscles seep away. She loved riding. When she was on her own ranch, she preferred jobs like checking on the cattle or the condition of the fences because it meant she could ride all morning, face to the wind and heart soaring.

The men dismounted, as well. Dakota had been watching them as they rode. She’d spoken with a few. There was Harley, the innocent-looking kid who sparked her maternal side. She didn’t know what it was about him, but she wanted to ruffle his hair. Then there was Elliot, who was silent but not altogether unfriendly. Carlos and Finn were both in their midtwenties and had flirted a bit, that is until Elliot put his horse between them and drove them off with that annoyed stare of his. Dave was goofy and joked around a lot, his humor bawdy but funny, but he knew his way around a horse.

And then there was Andy. Andy hadn’t made much contact as they’d ridden. He’d kept back, surveying the land and possibly just keeping to himself. It was hard to tell. She’d expected him to talk to her somewhat, but he hadn’t said a word. She wasn’t disappointed about that; she was wary. Andy wasn’t a man to be trusted, and she resented that he acted so honest and straight-shooting. A man who could hide his character was worse than one who wore it on his sleeve, and it looked like Andy had learned to hide a few things.

Or he’d reformed. Which was more likely?

Dakota unbuckled the saddlebag and pulled out the food she’d packed. There were two multigrain bagels filled with thick slabs of cream cheese, some dried fruit and an apple turnover.

“Are you ready for a rest?” Dakota asked softly, stroking Barney’s neck. “You really are a sweetheart, you know.”

The horse bent to take a mouthful of grass and she patted his shoulder. He wandered off a few paces, seeming to enjoy his temporary freedom.

Elliot, Dave, Finn and Carlos were sitting together on some rocks by a dried-up creek laughing at something—probably a joke told by Dave. He seemed to be an unending fount of raunchy humor, mostly centered on the women he’d dated, who seemed a questionable lot. Harley sat alone, a little ways off. He was opening a foil-wrapped sandwich and his gaze flickered up toward her as if he’d felt her curiosity. She gave him a cordial nod, which he returned then turned his attention to his food.

Andy sauntered in her direction and she was struck anew with those Granger good looks. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and he had the rolling gate of a man who knew how to ride.

“Hi.” Andy paused a few feet from her then nodded toward a patch of shade a couple yards off. “Care to eat with me?”

No, she didn’t want to eat with him, but avoiding the man wasn’t going to be possible. She’d taken the job, and part of that job was dealing with the boss, so she silently followed his lead and they settled themselves on their jackets to eat. Dakota unwrapped a bagel, the scent of whole wheat making her stomach rumble.

“Nice speech earlier,” Dakota said, taking a bite.

“That’s a rehash of another speech I gave when I bought the dealership. That was a complicated time for worker morale.”

It was strange, because she’d never really thought of Andy as a successful businessman before—more like an improperly rewarded fiend. But he did have a good sense when it came to getting people to work with him, and a team of drovers was probably the hardest group to win over. Not that he’d succeeded yet, but they’d stayed, which was more than she’d expected.

“So—” Dakota paused to swallow a bite “—you’re doing well with the dealership, then.”

“Yeah.” He nodded. “I’ve built it up. When I bought it, it was barely breaking even, but after three years, it’s making a steady profit. That doesn’t come easily.”

He’d made money, but that didn’t mean he was liked—she knew that well enough. Sometimes the wealthiest men were the most hated because they’d climbed on the backs of the little guy to get where they were. She was curious what sort of boss Andy was when he was away from the town that knew him so well.

“How many employees stayed?” she asked.

“Most of them. A few were ticked off at the change of management style, and it didn’t take too long to encourage them to move to something else.” He took a bite of his sandwich and chewed thoughtfully then shot her a smile. “I’m good at it, you know.”

Was he bragging now? It was hard to tell. Didn’t he realize that he was announcing this to the woman who needed extra jobs to keep the family business afloat? In the distance a flock of birds lifted like a flapping sheet and then came back down in a fluttering billow.

“Good at what?” she asked curtly.

“Making money.” He shrugged. So he was bragging. It was in bad taste and she shot him a flat look.

“What?” He frowned. “Hey, I know you all wanted me to go to Billings and fail miserably. Sorry to disappoint.” He was silent for a moment. “I wanted this ranch. Well, my dad’s part of it, at least.”

Dakota’s swallowed. “You always made it pretty clear you didn’t want this life.”

“I had to talk myself out of it,” he replied with a shrug. “Haven’t you ever wanted something you could never have? I wasn’t going to get it, and I didn’t feel like waiting around for the rejection. My brother was the heir and I was the spare.”

“So if Chet hadn’t been interested—” She wiped some crumbs from her jeans.

“Yeah, if I’d had a fighting chance at running this place, I’d have done it.” He nodded. “But you’ve got to work with what you’ve got. That’s life.”

They were both silent for a couple of minutes as they ate. Dakota polished off the bagel and moved on to the dried apricots, sweet and tangy.

She and Andy had their desire to work the land in common, as well as their status as second-born. She’d always wanted to work her family’s land, too. What would she have done if Brody had shared the same dream? Ever since they were kids, Brody had wanted to join the army. He played soldier. She played cowgirl. Knowing her brother’s ambitions, her only problem was trying to open her father’s eyes to reality. But what if her reality was more like Andy’s and she loved the land that she’d never inherit?

But even then, she would have loved the land enough to keep it from developers. This community meant something to her, and outsiders didn’t understand the heart of Hope. Maybe this was part of his talent—drawing in his employees so that they liked him against their better instincts.

“So why a car dealership?” she asked. There had to be plenty of other business opportunities around Billings. It was the largest city in Montana, after all.

“It seemed like a sound investment.” He gave her a wry smile. “But no one dreams of spending fourteen hours a day on a car lot.”

“So it was about the money for you?” she asked.

Andy popped the last bite of sandwich into his mouth and spoke past it. “Money? Uh-uh. I needed a life. So I built one.”

So he’d settled, and in the process made a small fortune. When there were people following their hearts and just about losing their land, that seemed unfair. He might have built a life for himself, but it had come at a cost other people were forced to pay. Apparently karma had been sleeping on the job.

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