Her Rancher Bodyguard

When Laura Booth’s dangerous ex-husband escapes from prison, she turns to the one man who can protect her: Owen Hamilton. Living with the widowed former lawman—who once helped put her ex in jail—and his adorable twin daughters on their Colorado ranch is a welcome respite. For the first time, Laura feels safe—but after her troubled past, she’ll never trust her heart again.

Owen would like to say only obligation draws him to Laura’s side. But in his gut he knows his feelings for the gentle beauty run deeper than duty—and it stops him cold. After guarding their wary hearts for years, can Owen and Laura give love a second chance?

DANICA FAVORITE loves the adventure of living a creative life. She loves to explore the depths of human nature and follow people on the journey to happily-ever-after. Though the journey is often bumpy, those bumps refine imperfect characters as they live the life God created them for. Oops, that just spoiled the ending of Danica’s stories. Then again, getting there is all the fun. Find her at danicafavorite.com.

Also by Danica Favorite

Rocky Mountain Dreams

The Lawman’s Redemption

Shotgun Marriage

The Nanny’s Little Matchmakers

For the Sake of the Children

An Unlikely Mother

Mistletoe Mommy

Honor-Bound Lawman

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Honor-Bound Lawman

Danica Favorite

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-08044-6

HONOR-BOUND LAWMAN

© 2018 Danica Favorite

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

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Version: 2020-03-02

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“Come on, Laura. I’m going to help you today.”

Little Anna grabbed the reins and pulled Rascal in the direction of the barn.

Once again, Laura’s heart was warmed by the sweet child. What a shame this little girl didn’t have a mother.

Laura turned and saw Owen standing in the doorway, light filtering around him so that he was merely a shadow. How she longed to run to him and thank him for giving her one more piece of her dignity back. But to him, teaching her to ride was just one more practical part of life on the ranch. Just another part of his job.

“Thank you again for letting me ride Rascal. I truly enjoyed it,” Laura said.

Owen gave a jerky nod. “I’m glad. It’s a skill everyone should have, and it’s good you’re finally learning.”

His words confirmed Laura’s previous thoughts. No matter how close she felt to him, or how much she wished for them to be friends, he was just doing his job.

Dear Reader,

I’ve been playing with the idea for this story for a long time, so when I finally got to write it, I thought it would be super easy. And then a series of crazy things happened, and I had to write this book during one of the most difficult seasons of my life. The verse I chose for this book ended up being fitting, not just because my characters had to learn how to deepen their trust in God, but I did, as well. I learned the hard way that I am stronger than I think I am and can do more than I think I can, but only by the grace of God.

I pray that as you go through your own challenges, you find the same strength in the Lord as I did, and that He’ll give you blessings such as a mean rooster. No, wait. You probably don’t want a mean rooster. But if you do end up with one, you’ll be able to see the blessing in having him. Which might take a while, but when you take the time to seek the Lord’s goodness, you’ll see it.

I always love hearing from my readers, so feel free to connect with me at the following places:

Website: DanicaFavorite.com

Twitter: Twitter.com/DanicaFavorite

Instagram: Instagram.com/DanicaFavorite

Facebook: Facebook.com/DanicaFavoriteAuthor

May the peace of Christ be with you always,

Danica Favorite

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.

—Proverbs 3:5–6

To Princess and the roosters she’s loved: Mat, Myron, Tristan and Char.

Thank you for the inspiration behind Henry the rooster. All rooster events in this story are based on real events, and while they were exasperating at the time, they’re kind of funny now. Here’s to the challenges of having an accidental rooster.

And to Cowgirl: thank you for all your horse knowledge and making sure my horse details are right. I guess all these years of taking you to the arena and watching you ride through freezing winters, scorching summers and all the days in between have paid off.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Introduction

Dear Reader

Bible Verse

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

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Epilogue

Extract

Chapter One

Leadville, Colorado

1884

Owen Hamilton shielded his eyes against the sun as he tried to make out the rider coming toward him. His small ranch outside of Leadville, Colorado, was too far from town to get many visitors.

His sister, Lena, stepped out of the house. “Were you expecting company?”

“No. Get inside and bar the door. Keep the girls close. You know what to do.”

Lena hesitated. “Should I get your shotgun?”

“I’ve got my belt,” Owen said, patting his hip. “No sense in drawing trouble if there is none.”

They’d had this conversation enough times that Lena gave a nod. “We’ll be inside. I’ll wait for the signal.”

Owen walked off the porch and headed down the path toward the oncoming horse. Now that the rider was closer, Owen recognized him.

He called over his shoulder at the house. “It’s just Will. Put on some coffee and see what you can round up for refreshment. I’m sure he’s tired after his long ride.”

Though he sounded cheerful, his stomach filled with dread. The only reason Will would come to see Owen unannounced was if it was about a case. When Owen had turned in his badge several months ago, he’d made it clear he wasn’t available to help his friend. Both Will and the sheriff had tried talking him into at least remaining a consultant. But after Owen’s last mistake, he couldn’t bring himself to potentially endanger anyone else. True, on that last case, no one had died. But Owen had gotten distracted, and because of it, a woman and her children nearly died. Though everything turned out all right in the end, he still couldn’t forget how easily things could have gone bad.

As Will dismounted, Owen walked over to greet him. “Go ahead and put your horse by the barn. There’s plenty of hay, and I’ll get some water for him.”

“Thanks,” Will said, sounding out of breath. He must have been riding hard. And from the horse’s sweaty flanks, Owen could tell that his initial instinct that this wasn’t a social call was correct.

“Lena is fixing some refreshments. Then you can be on your way.”

“You haven’t even heard what I have to say.”

“I figure I already know what you’ve got to say. When I turned in my badge, it was for good.”

Before Will could respond, Owen’s six-year-old twin daughters, Anna and Emma, came running out the door. “Uncle Will!”

“Pipsqueaks!” Will gathered the girls in his arms and gave them a big hug. Though Owen had no regrets in moving out to the ranch, sometimes he thought about how isolated they were out here. Living in Leadville, Owen’s children had the chance to socialize with a number of families, including Will’s. Though Will wasn’t their real uncle, their families were close enough that it felt like it at times. Leaving behind their social connections had been a small price to pay for his privacy. If he wasn’t living in town, no one could ask him to help on a case.

Maybe it sounded selfish, but Owen knew that if his fellow lawmen could just run down the street to ask for his help, keeping his badge hung up would be near impossible. Besides, he and Lena had grown up here. Lena hated the city, and they’d both agreed that they wanted the same kind of childhood for Owen’s daughters that they’d had.

Lena had given up so much for Owen, quitting her job as a teacher to move in with him and help take care of his daughters when his late wife left him nearly six years ago. It seemed only fair that Owen look toward Lena’s comfort. Lena had no intention of ever marrying, and after Owen’s disastrous marriage, he wasn’t too interested in finding a wife either. Which made being out here, several miles from town, perfect for both of them.

But as Owen watched Will laughing with his daughters, he couldn’t help but wonder if the best thing for him and Lena was not the best thing for his girls. Even though they had each other, the twins missed their friends in Leadville.

“Are you going to spend the night?” Emma asked.

“Why didn’t you bring Mary and Rosabelle?” Anna added. The girls loved spending time with Will’s wife, Mary, and doting on baby Rosabelle.

Will laughed and gave the girls another squeeze. “I’m afraid I’m here on business. I can’t stay long because I need to get back. But hopefully, you can come to town soon and stay with us.”

“Then you’d best come in and have some coffee, so you can be on your way.” Owen gave his friend a firm look. “Any business you have for me is no business I want. I told you, I’ve put that life behind me.”

“You haven’t even heard what I have to say.”

Will’s stubborn expression matched Owen’s. They’d been friends long enough that they could spend hours staring each other down in this manner. They’d done so often enough in the past, with each of them having their share of wins and losses. But this time, Owen wasn’t going to lose.

“Don’t need to. I won’t turn a friend away without refreshment, but you might as well get back on that horse and go home. Nothing you have to say is of interest to me.”

Lena stepped out of the farmhouse, wiping her hands on her apron. “Now, Owen, that’s no way to treat a friend. After all he’s done for us, you at least need to hear him out. Will, nice to see you again.”

Growing up, Owen used to tease Lena that being a schoolteacher was her destiny because of the way she always bossed everyone around. Even having quit her job, she was still good at giving orders. Lena was also his elder by a couple of years, which meant Owen got more than his share of Lena’s commands.

“Good to see you, too, Lena. Mary sends her regards. Even though this is a quick trip on business, there are some cookies in my saddlebags that she insisted I bring.”

“Cookies!” The girls spoke and jumped up and down in unison. “Please, Papa, may we go and get them?”

Owen sighed. Getting rid of Will wasn’t going to be so easy. Not that Owen wanted to get rid of his friend because entertaining guests was always a pleasurable endeavor. But business, that was another story.

“Let’s go get Will’s horse settled in the barn. Then we can get the cookies and bring them in the house. It’ll be a nice treat for all of us.”

His daughters didn’t need further encouragement. Laughing, they ran to the barn.

Owen looked at his friend. “I guess that settles that, then. Go tie up your horse, and I’ll get a bucket of water.”

Before Owen could head over to the water pump, Lena stopped him. “I don’t know why you’re being so prickly with him. You don’t even know what he wants.”

“Doesn’t matter. He’s wearing his badge, which means it’s official business. This isn’t the first time he’s tried to drag me in on another case. I can’t do it anymore, Lena, I just can’t.”

His sister looked at him sympathetically. “I know it’s hard. Don’t you think he knows that, too? If anyone understands the difficulties you have with going back, it would be Will.”

“Then why is he here?” Owen shook his head as he looked at the ground. “All these years Will has been telling everyone that I’m the finest lawman he knows. But I’m not. Will has more faith in me than he should. He’s better off without me.”

The crunch of boots on gravel made Owen turn. “I stand by my assessment of your abilities. That’s why I’m here.”

Owen stared at his friend. “You’re wasting your time. Our friendship has blinded you to my faults.”

“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t important.”

Lena stepped in beside Owen. “That’s what I was just telling Owen.”

He’d been prepared to fight Will. But with Lena on Will’s side, it seemed almost impossible to consider doing battle.

“Fine. What do you want?”

Will shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned back on his heels. His face squeezed tightly into an expression of a man bearing the worst kind of news. Owen had seen that expression on his friend’s face often enough, probably too often, that had Will opened with this expression, Owen wouldn’t have had to debate with himself. The words that were to come out of his mouth were irrelevant. No matter what they were, Owen would help his friend.

“James Booth has escaped from prison.”

The words were as shocking as if Will had pulled the gun out of his belt and shot Owen.

“How can that be? They had him in maximum security.”

Will’s brow furrowed. “Apparently not maximum enough. Two guards are dead, and they aren’t sure the third will last the night. When they catch him, he’ll hang for sure.”

“When did this happen?”

“A few hours ago. The prison sent a telegram right away. They think he’s headed to Leadville.”

Owen’s heart sank to the pit of his stomach. This wasn’t supposed to happen. He’d promised Laura Booth, James’s ex-wife, that this wouldn’t happen. Every day, when he’d escorted her to the courthouse for James’s trial, Owen promised her that James would go to prison for the rest of his life and never bother Laura again. One more promise Owen had broken as a lawman.

“Does she know?”

Will nodded. “Laura’s scared, but she thinks he’ll head to Mexico, where he has connections, something he’s always talked about doing. Laura believes that James will value his freedom more than anything else. She doesn’t think he’ll risk getting caught again.”

Unfortunately, Owen knew better. The man thought he was invincible, which meant he wouldn’t consider it a risk to come after Laura.

“Has she forgotten how many times he’s threatened her? At the trial, at his sentencing and even when I went with her to give him divorce papers. The last time she saw him, he was like a madman, giving in graphic detail a list of all the horrible things he would do to her before he killed her in revenge for testifying against him.”

When Owen had met Laura, she was terrified of her husband. James Booth was a womanizing charlatan, hurting everyone in his path who did not give him his way. He’d beaten Laura into submission, making her one more of his victims. But Owen, along with Will and several of their friends in Leadville, had convinced Laura to testify against James in a case where he had been accused of murdering his mistress. At the time, Laura had been hesitant to speak out against him. He had many friends and associates, and she feared that they would help him avoid the consequences of his actions.

Owen had been the one to convince her otherwise.

And now James had done the very thing Laura was afraid of. He’d gotten out of jail, and he was coming after her.

Will had been right to ask Owen to come out of retirement for this. He’d made a woman a promise—that he would keep her safe.

Hopefully, Owen would be able to keep that promise.

* * *

Laura Booth smoothed out the sheets on a recently vacated bed in the boardinghouse she owned, trying to eliminate every last wrinkle despite her shaking hands. A menial task, and folks often chastised her for taking on those jobs when someone else could easily do it for her. However, in the past year and a half since her husband—no, ex-husband—had gone to jail, Laura had found a new strength in life. Before James’s downfall, she’d been helpless. A spoiled heiress who had servants for everything. And now she could do it all herself.

She ordinarily wasn’t so jittery, but the sheriff had stopped by to let her know that James had escaped from prison this morning. The news wasn’t entirely a surprise—she’d known that James had many associates, and though Laura’s purse was now completely off-limits to James, they probably still felt a certain loyalty to him. Plus, who knows how much of her money he’d taken and stashed away before he’d gotten caught. Getting out of jail would be no problem for a man like James.

None of that mattered. She was fine. Everything would be fine. She had a new routine, a new life, and it would be fine. She just had to stop thinking about James and the potential threat he posed. And get her hands to stop shaking.

Though the sheriff had told Laura to be prepared because they thought James would be coming after her, she was trying not to worry. Many of his associates had gone to Mexico, and James would be safe from the law there. He wouldn’t risk getting caught with freedom so close at hand. Surely he wasn’t that stupid.

Yes. She was safe. Of course, she would be safe. She had no reason to worry, no matter what the sheriff said. He didn’t know James the way she did. James was a coward, who would run rather than risk getting caught. Hopefully soon she would get her nerves to calm down. She wasn’t the woman who jumped at her own shadow anymore.

Gathering the dirty sheets to take downstairs, Laura couldn’t help but smile at how different her life was now. While everyone in Denver had thought Laura had the perfect life back then, it had been the most miserable existence she’d ever known. She’d had money and servants, yes, but she’d also been married to a man who’d only wanted her for access to the wealth and power of her family’s fortune. When James didn’t get his way, he abused her in so many ways that Laura had quickly learned that it was easiest just to give him whatever he wanted.

However during James’s trial, when Laura was sequestered in a hotel where only the law could reach her, she’d been forced to do most things for herself. The more she did for herself, the more she found strength in knowing that she wasn’t as helpless as James had always told her. She wasn’t stupid, incompetent, worthless or any of the other horrible names James had called her.

One lawman in particular, Owen Hamilton, had given her the courage to do a lot of things for herself that she would have never imagined doing. Including divorcing James. Owen had even gone with her to present James with the divorce papers. A formality—however, it made Laura feel good to know that she could stand up to James once and for all.

Laura stood tall as she stepped back and examined her handiwork. The room was crisp, clean and beautiful.

After James’s trial, Laura had moved from Denver to Leadville, where she had opened her own boardinghouse. It wasn’t your usual sort of boardinghouse. Rather, it was meant for women like herself, women who were out of options and had no place to stay. It was so easy for men like James to catch up with their supposedly errant wives. The law was always on the husband’s side. A fact Laura knew only too well, considering all the times she’d tried to escape James’s clutches. Well, it hadn’t been all that many times. She’d learned rather quickly that running did her no good. And so she’d lived her life in meek acceptance because anything else seemed far too frightening.

Laura moved to the next room to pick up the rumpled sheets from the bed she’d already changed. Fortunately the last two boarders had left under good circumstances. They’d gone to stay with relatives who could support and protect them.

For once, Laura’s boardinghouse was empty. On one hand, she’d miss the company, but on the other hand, it was nice to have a break.

As Laura went down the steps, carrying the bundle of laundry, she saw someone on her front porch.

Owen Hamilton.

Funny that Laura had just been thinking about him, and here he was, standing on her doorstep. With sandy blond hair that hung in shaggy waves around his face and blue eyes that probably pierced even the most hardened criminal’s heart, Owen was still as devastatingly handsome as ever. True, his hair was longer and more unkempt, and he’d grown an equally unkempt beard, with rugged clothes to match, but there was no mistaking those warm eyes. Most people wouldn’t recognize him. Except for someone who’d grown to trust those eyes.

Even when Laura had been under his protection all those months ago, she’d felt a strange pull to him. There was something about Owen that drew her in a way she couldn’t explain. However, Owen had always been extremely professional. And so Laura kept Owen in that special place in her heart where all those schoolgirl crushes resided. Something to be sighed over with friends, but never acted upon.

She’d exercised such poor judgment in marrying James, thinking he loved her when he’d only loved her money. Back when they were courting, she’d thought him different from all the other men of her acquaintance. His character seemed above reproach. Back then, she’d mistaken the little ways he’d tried to control her as concern or caring. Of course, it hadn’t been until after they’d been married that he’d first hit her.

Entertaining romantic notions about anyone else... Laura couldn’t fathom doing such a thing except in the secret places of her heart. Her judgment was too poor, and even if someone as honorable as Owen declared his undying love for her, could she believe it to be true?

Laura opened the door and smiled at him. “It’s so nice to see you. What brings you here?”

Owen didn’t smile back. Unfortunately, that lack of smile told Laura everything she needed to know.

“I already heard. The sheriff was here to see me.”

“Good. Then we don’t have to waste time on explanations and small talk.”

“It’s not as though you’ve ever made a social visit before.” She sounded harsh, and she knew it, but after her short reminiscence about him, it stung to realize that he’d simply moved on with his life after the time they’d shared.

He took a step back as though she’d slapped him with the truth. In a way, it felt good to make him feel that way. After all, all those months in Denver, awaiting James’s trial, and the connection Laura had thought they’d shared... But when Owen had moved from Denver to Leadville, he hadn’t once come to visit her. She’d known he was in town, had even waved to him from across the church, but he hadn’t come to call. Even with their mutual friends, Laura was surprised at how little their paths crossed. No one brought up Owen in conversation, and it wouldn’t have been right for Laura to mention him either. It was as though their friendship in Denver had never happened.

Which was why Laura knew anything she felt for Owen was simply a schoolgirl infatuation. To Owen, Laura was just another case. Any thought she had that there might be something romantic was just a foolish notion, best put aside for someone who had more sense about the ways of women and men than she had.

“I suppose I should apologize for that,” Owen said. He shifted his weight uneasily on the porch. “The truth is, I don’t know what to say to you. I mean, we’re not...supposed to...become friends...with the people we’re hired to protect.”

Laura’s heart twisted, and her mouth opened to give a retort back, but then she realized he was only speaking the truth. Any implied gestures of friendship were just that—implied. Further proof that Laura couldn’t trust herself when it came to her heart.

“You’re right. I’m sorry. That was unkind of me.” She softened her expression and started again. “Would you like to come in?”

Owen gave a quick nod. “I think that would be best.”

There was a stiffness to Owen that hadn’t been there before. He was more formal, like her comment about his job had wounded him or perhaps had just reminded him of the truth. She truly had thought they’d become friends. Laura and Owen had been able to talk for hours, and sometimes at night, when Laura could not sleep for fear of the nightmares overtaking her, Owen would open the door to the hallway outside her room and sit with her. He on the chair outside the door, and she on a chair inside, so that no one could question the propriety of his actions.

As Laura stared at the lines on his face, she noted that new ones had formed where previously there been smooth skin. What had happened to him in the past year or so? Then, with a pang, she realized that in all of their talks, it had mostly been about her. She didn’t know anything about Owen Hamilton. Well, she knew that he liked his coffee strong and black. That when focused on a task, he seemed to be able to shut out everything else around him. He laughed at her jokes, which no one else seemed to understand. And he was kind, always thinking about her needs and putting himself out to make sure she had every comfort he could possibly provide. But anything else about him? Laura couldn’t say.

Where was he from originally? How long had he been a lawman? Why had he become a lawman? She couldn’t claim to know anything about his family or his hobbies outside of his work.

No wonder he considered her a job and not a friend. And no wonder Laura was so clueless when it came to matters of the heart. She would do better in the future to remember that any feelings she might be developing were based on her ignorance, not anything real.

Laura smiled at him and gestured toward the sofa in the parlor. “Please sit down. If you’ll give me a moment, I can find some refreshments. It won’t take long to make a pot of coffee.”

Owen shook his head. “As you’ve already surmised, this isn’t a social call. We need to get you somewhere safe.”

“What do you mean, ‘somewhere safe’?”

“James wants you dead. This is the first place he’ll look.”

Laura shook her head. “Maybe, but what he wants more than my death is his freedom. He can’t have enjoyed all that time in prison. Some of his associates are already in Mexico. He’ll go there.”

Information she’d already given the sheriff, which is why it seemed strange to have Owen here. He should know this already.

Owen looked at her like she was still the helpless woman he’d once protected. “You underestimate him. You destroyed James’s pride in the worst way. He’s coming after you. A man as arrogant as James is going to think that he can come to town unnoticed, kill you, then go on his way.”

Determination set in Laura. She wasn’t that woman anymore. The woman James had married didn’t exist anymore, much of that thanks to Owen. Besides, she knew James better than Owen did. “James isn’t stupid. He’s got to know that this is the first place the law will come looking.”

At the core, that’s the only thing that gave her hope that she’d be safe. James always took the easy way out, which was why he’d killed his mistress rather than have his infidelity exposed. But to kill someone he’d publicly threatened, who would surely be guarded...that was too complicated for a man like him.

Owen looked like he disagreed with Laura’s assessment, like she had no clue what she was up against. She squared her shoulders and looked him in the eye.

“Even if he does come after me, I still remember all the things you taught me. I keep a gun in my nightstand drawer. And just like you showed me, every now and again, I go out and practice shooting it.”

Owen continued staring at her like she was an ignorant child. “A gun gives a person a false sense of safety. Many a fool has gotten killed thinking a gun was all they needed to stay safe. James is coming after you, and that itty-bitty gun of yours isn’t enough to save you.”

“You’re the one who gave me that gun!” Now she was starting to get offended. Why had he even bothered to teach her these things if he didn’t think her capable of taking care of herself?

“Yes, ma’am, I did. And I’m glad I gave it to you. I have no doubt that it has given you a great deal of comfort, knowing that you have the ability to protect yourself. But you aren’t protecting yourself against an ordinary villain, and you know it. James is the worst kind of villain, and he won’t stop until he gets what he wants...or he’s dead.”

Though Owen’s words had some logic to them, he’d forgotten that Laura had been married to James for nearly ten years. She of all people knew what he was capable of, and Owen still treated her like she knew nothing.

“But James doesn’t know that I’ve moved to Leadville. He won’t know where to find me. Even if he does, Leadville is in the complete opposite direction of where he’ll be headed. He won’t waste that much time in search of me.”

Owen looked at her like she was an idiot. “You don’t think he can read a newspaper? Even I’ve seen the ads for your boardinghouse. It’s noble of you, making sure women know that they have a place to go when they’re in danger from their husbands. But this house, it isn’t safe. Any determined man can get in and hurt the people inside.”

He looked around the room as if to take in the surroundings and judge them. She tried to see it through his eyes. The pretty glass vase full of flowers could easily be used as a weapon. The windows, while locked shut, could be broken and someone could come in. As much as Laura hated to admit it, Owen was right. Not just about James, but about the fact that all this time she’d given herself a false sense of security.

“So what now?” Laura sighed as she sat in her favorite chair. How had she gone from feeling strong to being so helpless in so short a time?

“You’ll come with me. I’ll take you somewhere safe, where James can’t find you. You’ll stay there until the authorities capture him and put him back in prison.”

“How long will that take?” Just because she felt helpless didn’t mean she had to act that way. Or let Owen make decisions without giving her all the information.

“I don’t know. My hope is that they get him before he ever arrives in Leadville. But so far, all we have is dead bodies to let us know where he’s been, and where we think he’s going.”

Which sounded an awful lot like Owen was trying to get her to act on her fear of James when Laura had moved beyond that phase of her life. She wasn’t going to live in fear of what James might do.

“So he’s not here yet?”

“Not yet. But he’s coming.”

Laura took a deep breath. “Where are we going?”

“Somewhere safe. You’ll know when we get there.”

More lack of information and the expectation that Laura was the helpless woman she’d once been. However, these days, she had more to worry about than just her own comfort. “But what about my boardinghouse? The women who stay here need me.”

Owen looked around the room again. “Doesn’t look like you have any boarders right now.”

“Not right now, but I’m expecting some soon.”

“They’ve made reservations?”

Laura hated the way he pried into her business like he knew it. But as she looked into those deep blue, knowing eyes, she saw that it was futile to argue. He was the law. He probably already had all that information.

“All right, I’m not expecting anyone in particular. But you know how these things work. My house is empty one day, and the next day it is full of people needing a place to stay. I can’t just leave. What if someone needs me?”

She stood and crossed her arms, glaring at him. He had to see that she’d changed. That she could take care of herself if need be.

“You can’t help someone if you’re dead.”

A good point and Owen’s satisfied expression told her that he knew it. He always knew these things, and it seemed useless to argue. Except...she couldn’t just leave.

Somehow running away felt a lot like giving up the hard-won strength she’d developed since being on her own.

“Can’t you stay here with me until we know he’s been apprehended?”

Owen shook his head. “That’s not possible. I have obligations that require me to be elsewhere.”

His answer made something in Laura snap. It wasn’t right that everyone else expected Laura to do the bending. Meek, biddable Laura. A woman who no longer existed.

And if Owen thought she was still that woman, well, maybe she wasn’t the only one misjudging someone else.

“So this is actually about you and your obligations, not about keeping me safe.”

Owen let out a long sigh like he’d finally gotten irritated with all of Laura’s questions. Back when he’d protected her before, she’d easily acquiesced to everything he wanted. She’d easily acquiesced to everything in her life. She’d been the most agreeable person anyone knew. However, over the past several months, Laura had learned that she had an opinion on a lot of things. She didn’t quickly agree to every suggestion people gave her. She didn’t let people tell her what to do. Instead, she took the time to think about what she wanted. When she finally got out from under James’s thumb and had been able to create a life for herself, Laura had decided that she wasn’t going to ever again do anything she didn’t want to do.

If Owen thought she was going to simply do what he wanted, well, that was too bad.

“I’m sorry to inconvenience you, but I believe I’ll stay here.”

“This isn’t a negotiation,” Owen said. “The only option you have is to come with me.”

Chapter Two

Riding on a horse with Owen, leaving her boardinghouse, made Laura feel more like a coward than she ever had. She’d finally learned to stand up to James, and here she was, running from him. Worse, she hadn’t even felt like she’d had a choice but to go with Owen. How had she become so helpless again?

“You could have at least let me say goodbye to my friends,” she said, not bothering to hide the anger in her voice. “And what about my boardinghouse?”

Owen had only given her enough time to pack a bag. Even then, he’d stood above her, telling her what she could and couldn’t bring. While the rational part of her reminded herself that he was a lawman who knew what he was doing, the woman who had made so many strides in becoming independent resented his interference.

Funny how just hours ago, she’d been entertaining the foolish thought that he might have had some personal interest in her. Maybe she wasn’t a good judge of character, but she at least knew the signs of a bully. She’d been married to the worst of them, so for Owen to be so forceful with her, perhaps it was just as well that he’d never given her any indication that their relationship was anything more than professional. She wouldn’t risk getting her heart involved with a man who showed such obvious signs of needing to have power and be in control. At least that was one area where Laura could remain strong.

“I told you, Will has arranged for some of the ladies at church to help out with the boardinghouse.”

“How would he have had time to do that already? James only escaped this morning.”

“We agreed when he sent me to get you, that he would talk to his wife, Mary, and she would rally the ladies. I have no reason to doubt his word.”

Owen made a sound with his mouth that Laura had never heard before. But his horse seemed to understand what it meant because it sped up.

Laura clung tighter to Owen’s back, hating the impropriety of riding double with a man, but knowing it was the only option. Though it seemed inconceivable that a woman of her age couldn’t ride a horse, she’d never had a reason to ride until now. She’d always had carriages, and her parents had thought riding too dangerous a pursuit for young ladies.

And at this speed, Laura could see why.

“Do we have to go so fast?”

This time, the noise Owen made before speaking was one Laura knew all too well. Let him be irritated. Hadn’t he been irritating her?

“As a matter of fact, we do. I’m deliberately taking a convoluted route to our destination so that if anyone has been following us, or tries tracking us, they’ll be lost for sure. However, we have a lot of ground to cover if we are going to make it there by dark.”

It had been the most he had said to her in a while. She should have been grateful for the information, and in the past, it would have been enough. But now that Laura had taken control of her own life, it seemed foolish to blindly trust this man, even though she’d done so before.

“When are you going to tell me where we’re going? You said at the house you couldn’t tell me because you didn’t want anyone who might be eavesdropping to overhear. We’re in the middle of nowhere. Surely you can tell me now.”

Owen made another annoyed noise. This seemed to be how their conversations had gone since he showed up on her doorstep. Him needing to be in control, and her no longer living a life where she was pushed around all the time.

“What happened to the woman who used to trust me?”

“She grew up. Learned to take charge of her own life. And now she resents the fact that you’ve swooped in, taken over and coerced her from her home and are making her go somewhere without revealing the destination.”

Owen let out a long sigh. “I wouldn’t have had to coerce, as you say, if you’d just listened to reason.”

His condescending tone rattled something in her. She didn’t deserve to be spoken to like that. “Funny, James used to say the same thing.”

The reminder killed any remnants of those schoolgirl dreams she might have once had of Owen. He wasn’t the man she thought he was, and now that she knew she didn’t need a man, she wasn’t interested in one like him. How had she been so blind?

He pulled back on the reins and asked the horse to stop. Owen got off the horse, then helped Laura to the ground, giving her a glare.

“Fine. Have it your way.” Owen pointed in the direction from which they’d come. “Town’s that way. I promised I’d protect you and that I would never let James hurt you again. But it seems to me that you are determined to let that man kill you. And now you want to compare me to him? Fine. I can act like James. He’d have no problem letting a woman fend for herself in the middle of nowhere. You want to be free so bad? Have at it.”

He turned on his heel and walked over to his saddlebags, where he untied the canteen, then took a long drink out of it. When he finished, he walked to the front of the horse, poured a bit of water into his hands, and stuck it under the horse’s mouth so he could drink.

Owen appeared to be completely oblivious to Laura. She looked in the direction he’d indicated, remembering how long it had taken them to get this far. On foot, there was no way she’d get back to town by nightfall. Even if James wasn’t potentially out there, the danger she faced as a woman alone made such a choice impossible.

“I just don’t know why you can’t tell me where we’re going.”

“And I don’t know why you have to argue with me about every little thing when I’m trying to save your life.”

His tone hurt. Even more so, the thought that he would abandon her in the middle of nowhere. Was this the man she’d once had a slight tendre for? “Would you really let me leave?”

Owen held the canteen out to her. “If you have to ask that question, then I guess you don’t know me as well as you think you do. I made you a promise, and I intend to keep it.”

She stared at him for a moment before taking the canteen. Owen kicked at the dirt, making another irritated noise. “Sorry, threatening to leave you wasn’t the brightest idea. I let my frustration get the best of me. I just thought that after all the time we spent together, you’d know what kind of man I am. I need you to trust me enough to go when I tell you to go and not spend so much time arguing with me about it.”

Knowing it was a burst of temper didn’t make Laura feel any better, even if he had apologized for it. He was so different from the kind man who’d cared for her in her time of need. How could she have not seen this side of him before?

Letting out a long sigh, Owen took off his hat and mopped his sweaty brow. “No, I wouldn’t leave you here. I’m just extremely frustrated, and I don’t know what to do about it.”

“You could try talking to me and explaining what’s going on.”

“I never had to before. We had to get out of there fast.” Owen looked back in the direction of town. “I just hope we got out fast enough.”

More things he hadn’t explained. “We’ve been riding for at least an hour now. Plenty of time to tell me what’s going on.”

“Possibly,” Owen said. “But I’ve been busy thinking about what we’re going to do. Figuring out the best route to get you to our destination so that any trackers who try to come after us won’t be able to find us.”

He went over to his saddlebags and pulled out some cloths. Laura watched as he tied the cloths around the horse’s hooves one by one.

“What are you doing?”

“Now that we’ve gone a ways out of town and taken a break, I’m making sure that from this point on it will be even more difficult to track us. They might be able to track us here, and ascertain that we took a few moments to rest, but they won’t be able to figure out where we’ve gone after this.”

He turned to look at her and grinned. “I was once known as a very good tracker. One of the best. I’m pretty confident we can evade anyone who might be following us.”

“You think James would hire a tracker?” Laura looked in the direction they’d just come from, staring out at the vast expanse of brush rock and a few scraggly trees. Most of the good trees had been cut down for wood—either to be used in the mines or to build houses. Some of it probably had been claimed for firewood. But as Laura looked around the area, it seemed as though she and Owen were the only two people for miles.

“I wouldn’t put it past him. That’s why all the secrecy. As far as anyone knows, I am no longer a lawman. In fact, when Will goes back to the sheriff’s office, he’s going to tell everyone that I wasn’t willing to help him.”

So many questions ran through Laura’s head. She didn’t even know where to begin. “Where will Will tell everyone I’ve gone?”

“He’s going to tell a variety of stories, depending on who asks,” Owen said, brushing off his hands. “He isn’t sure who he can trust right now. James had to have had help from someone with a connection to the law. Though Will hates lying, we decided it would be best to use it as a means of figuring out who we can and can’t trust.”

Laura wasn’t sure what to say. She’d always assumed that because a man was with the law, he was honest. Certainly, all of her dealings with Will and Owen, and the rest of the men they worked with, had all been very positive. But she could see where Owen’s words might be true. After all, back in Denver, James had bribed many a man supposed to uphold the law. She wouldn’t be surprised if that were what he was doing now. Though the trustees to her fortune had blocked James from accessing most of her money, James had still managed to steal a significant amount from her accounts. Not to mention the valuables he’d taken and sold. She didn’t know how much money James had hidden away, but she knew he had means. Unfortunately, that put a lot more questions in Laura’s mind.

“What kind of help would he have from the inside?”

Owen shrugged. “Could be any number of things. There’s no way he could have escaped from prison without help. We just can’t figure out who would’ve helped him, considering he killed two of the guards.”

Laura’s stomach knotted. It was one thing to know her ex-husband was a convicted murderer; it was another to know that he was still killing people. Especially since he’d threatened so many times to do the same to her. When she’d initially heard reports that he’d escaped, she hadn’t been so worried because most of his threats to kill people had been nothing but bluster. His mistress was the first person he’d killed. But now, knowing he’d killed again, the way Owen was concerned about the situation and the extreme measures he’d been taking to protect her, she was starting to get scared.

But she wasn’t sure she was ready to admit that to Owen.

“Feel free to walk a bit and stretch your legs. We’ve still got a long ways to go,” Owen said, turning to tend his horse. He seemed to ignore her as he adjusted some straps on the saddle.

It was nice to walk, but it was also good to have some distance from Owen. Especially because the longer she had to think about the situation with James, and saw how Owen was acting, the more she realized that Owen was probably right. It wasn’t like Owen to overreact, so for him to be this concerned...

But it felt almost like she was giving up all her hard-won strength to admit that she was afraid.

Being with this new version of Owen, it seemed like she was losing herself again to another man who didn’t give a whit what was important to her. If it meant staying safe, he’d get her cooperation. But this time, he wouldn’t get her heart.

“Drag your feet a little as you head back,” Owen said.

Laura nodded and did as he asked her. It wasn’t such a big deal to follow his instructions, and in hindsight, she probably had been a little too stubborn. But it was hard, after spending so many years doing everything everyone else pulled her to do without question, then finding a way to be strong and herself. Now, she questioned everything, and it was weird to fall back into that old pattern. Especially because it seemed only to corroborate Owen’s belief that Laura was so easily moldable. Though his opinion shouldn’t matter so much to her, what she wanted most was for him to see her as the strong woman she’d become. The strong woman he’d helped make her. Maybe it was foolish to care so much about what Owen thought, but she did.

Owen didn’t look at her when she approached. “Let’s get going. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover and not a lot of time to do it in. I did what I could to cover up our tracks and lay a false trail, and I’m hoping it’s enough.”

He was hiding something, Laura was sure of it. He might not be forthcoming with information such as where they were going, but she would find out all of the information about James and his escape. She might have been willing to let others take care of everything in the past, but not anymore. Laura Booth was in charge of her own future, and she would be a part of whatever it took to save her life.

* * *

Owen wished he had something better to share with Laura. However, his time protecting her before had told him that as much as she said she could handle information, she was too easily scared to do it well. It seemed like at every piece of negative information about James—what he was doing, what he was capable of and any time he threatened to kill her—Laura had turned into a cowering shell of a woman. She’d been afraid of her own shadow. Yes, he taught her how to shoot a gun. But did he trust that in a moment of danger, she would use it? Absolutely not.

He breathed in the scent of her. Fresh, like a spring day. It almost masked the smell of leather on sweaty horse. Riding on the same horse, with her behind him, Owen was almost too aware of her femininity. Laura Booth was a beautiful woman. Even now, riding hard to avoid detection, it was difficult to forget. But forget he must. Owen had a job to do, and he couldn’t let a pretty face distract him.

“It seems as though we’re riding closer to town,” Laura said.

“We are, in a way. I wanted them to think we’re headed in a different direction. But once we get to the river, we’ll turn and head the right way.”

“You’re going to an awful lot of trouble.”

Owen sighed. She just couldn’t let it rest. “I told you—you’re in real danger.”

It had been a risk, going the way they’d gone and then backtracking, but the trail Owen had laid would keep pursuers from guessing his real intentions. As they drew near the cutoff that would take him to the river, Owen slowed Troy’s pace.

“Now be quiet,” he told her, lowering his voice. “Though it’s not likely, we could potentially run into other people here. I don’t want anyone to overhear us. Please, if you want to live, you’ve got to cooperate.”

He could feel her bristle at his words. The trouble with being in such close quarters was that it was difficult to hide one’s true emotions. Owen supposed that after all those years of being pushed around by James, and now knowing the freedom of making her own decisions, it was probably difficult to have to obey someone again. But the situation was different. According to their sources at the prison, James had told the guard who lived to give Laura the message that she was next.

But Owen couldn’t bring himself to tell her that.

The graphic details of James’s threat had made Owen sick to his stomach. Laura used to have nightmares about all the times James had threatened to kill her. She’d wake up screaming and thrashing so loud that it would take a long time to calm her. It seemed like Laura was finally getting settled in her new life, feeling comfortable and safe. How could Owen take that away from her?

True, it was James’s doing, but somehow by telling Laura, it made Owen complicit in the damage.

They made their way through the area Owen feared might be occupied. He stayed among scraggly trees, particularly as they drew closer to the water. There was no sign of people, but that could be misleading because if someone who didn’t want to be found had heard them coming, that person would be in hiding. Owen scanned the area, looking for signs that anyone had been here recently. He found none.

He brought the horse to a stop in a protected area that he’d often used in the past.

“We can rest here for a few minutes if you like,” he told Laura, his voice thicker than he’d intended. “I need to make a few adjustments to the horse. The bushes over yonder are a good place for privacy.”

Owen indicated a place his sister often used when they came through.

“I thought we were in a hurry. Why are we stopping again?”

The woman was going to be the death of him. Hadn’t he just told her why they were stopping? It was going to feel like a very long time in hiding if Laura kept questioning everything he said and did. Hopefully, Will and his crew would apprehend James soon. Much more of this and Owen might find himself going crazy.

“I’ve got some things I need to do. Part of the plan to mislead the trackers.”

He dismounted, then helped Laura off the horse. Ignoring her still-questioning gaze, Owen began removing the cloth he’d placed around his horse’s hooves. While he was working on the front hooves, Owen used his knife to remove the excess metal around the sides of the horseshoes. If anyone picked up his tracks here, they would assume it was a different horse because the prints wouldn’t match.

Yes, this was costing them precious time, at least in the short run. But hopefully, it would send James and his men on a wild goose chase, searching for Laura in all the wrong places.

When Owen got to the back hooves, Laura knelt beside him. “Can I help?”

Some of the irritation he’d been feeling washed away. One of the things he’d liked about Laura was that she always wanted to help. There were some women he’d had to protect who expected him to wait on them hand and foot. Not Laura. She’d done what she could herself and asked him to teach her the things she couldn’t.

“Thanks, but I’m almost done. Go ahead and get yourself a drink or take care of your needs. The water here is clear and fresh.”

Owen moved to the last hoof and finished the job. He picked up the scrapings to leave no sign of his handiwork. As he stood, he stretched, allowing some of the stiffness to leave his bones. He’d been riding hard most of the day, and it would be another hour to his ranch. Usually, it wasn’t such a hard ride. But he’d like to get Laura there and settled before it grew dark.

He led Troy to the river, allowing his horse to drink. The water here branched off into a small pool where animals could drink, and children could play. Owen smiled as he realized that it would soon be warm enough for the girls to splash in the water. This high up, the water was always bitter cold. But it never seemed to stop the children from playing in it.

Laura came out from behind the brush, holding a ragdoll. “Look what I found,” she said, smiling. “This looks like the perfect place for a picnic. I can imagine some family stopping here. I wonder if there’s a way to find out who the doll belongs to.”

As she got closer, Owen recognized the doll.

“I believe that’s Beatrice. She belongs to my daughter Anna, who lost it some time ago. Anna will be grateful that you found it.”

Laura’s eyes widened. “I didn’t know you had a daughter.”

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me,” he said, taking the doll. “I have two daughters. Anna and Emma. They’re twins. You’ll meet them soon.”

“Am I going to your home then?”

Owen took a deep breath. He hadn’t yet told Laura where they were going. A fact he should have rectified long ago, but she’d been irritating him so much that he’d preferred to stay silent rather than snap at her as he’d been doing. It seemed like they’d been communicating poorly this whole time, and Owen had learned over the years that it was better to say nothing than to have to keep apologizing for saying the wrong thing.

“Yes. My ranch.”

“If it’s your ranch, won’t James figure out that I’m there?”

“Only my closest friends know it’s mine. Belonged to an uncle who recently passed away. People don’t know we were related. It’s the last place James will look for you.”

Laura hesitated, and for a moment she looked like she was going to argue with him again.

“He’s not going to find you there.”

She nodded slowly, like she didn’t quite believe him, but had finally figured out the futility of putting up a fuss.

“Why couldn’t you have just told me that?”

“I told you why I couldn’t. Besides, if anyone figures out where we’re going, it doesn’t just put you in danger, but my family, as well.”

Laura gave him a haughty look, reminding him of their very different backgrounds. “Then I’m surprised you are even bothering to take me there at all.”

“It’s the safest place for you right now. I just told you James won’t be able to figure out that you’re there. But for the sake of my family, I have to be extra careful.”

Laura gave a tiny nod, then asked in a quiet voice, “Why didn’t you ever tell me you had children?”

She was hurt, he could tell, and nothing he said would make it better. It shouldn’t matter to him that he’d hurt her feelings, but for some strange reason, it did.

“In my line of work, only my closest friends know about my family. They didn’t sign up for this business, and it’s not fair to put their lives in jeopardy.”

“Oh.” She looked wounded, like he’d hurt her more deeply than just bruised feelings. She’d been acting like that a lot—like their relationship had been something more, something deeper. That was the trouble with being in close quarters with a victim. They often read more into the situation than it was. Which was why getting too close to a victim was dangerous. People mistook the emotions of the circumstances for something lasting and real. But once the danger passed, so, too, did the feelings, and that’s when the real harm happened. Owen knew all about that firsthand.

Which was why he intentionally kept others at a distance. Especially someone attractive as Laura.

“It’s hard for me to trust,” Owen said, giving her a regretful look. “My family is everything to me, and I can’t put them at risk. You don’t know the kind of people who would hurt them if given a chance.”

Owen turned away and brought his attention back to his horse, making sure everything was properly tightened. Yes, bringing Laura to his home was a risk, but they didn’t have any other options. All of the men Will trusted had families in town. It’d be too easy to figure out that Laura was with them. With Owen out of the law business and out of sight, his ranch was the perfect place to hide Laura.

Will used to tell him that he was overprotective of his family. But after everything Owen had been through, he felt like he was entitled to be a little heavy-handed when it came to protecting them. Especially his girls.

“I don’t want to put anyone out,” Laura said, shifting awkwardly. “Your wife won’t mind?”

One of the reasons Owen didn’t like talking about his family. A brief explanation would only give him sympathy he didn’t want or need. But the longer explanation was even worse.

“My wife is dead. My sister, Lena, lives with us and helps me with the girls. Having you come here was partially her idea.”

Will had suggested it. In front of Lena. Who’d gotten extremely excited at the prospect of having another woman around for a while. With Lena on Will’s side, Owen couldn’t say no.

“I’ll try not to be a bother. Please tell Lena that I’m happy to help with any chores. I don’t want to inconvenience her.”

Owen grinned. “I wouldn’t worry about Lena. You’ll get along just fine.”

Being around Lena might be good for Laura. His sister was the finest woman he knew. Not that there was anything wrong with Laura, but she could draw on Lena’s strength as she went through this situation with James. Waiting for a trial had been hard enough on Laura, but waiting for a madman to come after her would be worse.

As Owen scanned the area around them, he felt confident that they hadn’t been followed and that no one was around. But that could change at any time.

“We’d best be on our way,” he told Laura. “We’ve still got a lot of ground to cover before we reach safety.”

He helped her onto the horse; then he tucked Beatrice into his saddlebag. The girls had been mad he’d gone into town without them, but this would ease their disappointment.

However, judging from the still-put-out expression on Laura’s face, dealing with her frustrations over the situation was going to be a lot more difficult.

Chapter Three

Why hadn’t Owen told her about his family? Even though his explanation about not sharing his family matters in work situations made sense, Laura would have liked to think that their friendship had meant something to him. But, as she’d seen throughout the day, that friendship had only been an illusion. She’d thought of him as a friend; he’d seen her as a case.

How was she ever supposed to trust her feelings about people when she hadn’t been able to get that right?

They approached a sign announcing Fairweather Ranch, hay and livestock for sale, Robert C. Dean, owner.

“Is Robert C. Dean your uncle?” Laura asked when they slowed up.

“Was.”

With Owen so near, Laura could feel his long sigh.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” she said.

Owen didn’t respond as a house and barn came into view. The occupants of the house must have been watching out the window because the door flew open and two little girls, with hair matching Owen’s but in long braids, came running out.

“Papa!”

The tension in Owen’s body eased, such a dramatic physical change that Laura nearly lost her balance.

“Steady,” he said, a gentler tone in his voice. “Let’s not have you falling off with only a few yards to go.”

Laura almost made a comment about it being the change in him that would have made her fall, but with his obvious happiness, it seemed wrong to spoil things.

They stopped near the barn, and Owen got off his horse. His feet had barely hit the ground when the two girls wrapped their arms around him.

“You kept your promise,” the girl in the green dress said.

The other girl, wearing blue, looked exactly like her sister, and without the different dresses, Laura wasn’t sure she’d be able to tell them apart.

“I always keep my promises.” Owen bent and kissed his daughter on top of the head, then kissed the other one.

Though Laura had always known Owen had a tender side, seeing him greet his girls, and the obvious affection among them, made her realize that there was a great deal of depth to him she hadn’t known. True, she hadn’t known many facts about him, something she was becoming more and more ashamed of, but she’d been so certain of his character.

The harsh way he’d dealt with her earlier today had surprised her. It had seemed so unlike the man she thought she knew. She also hadn’t expected him to be such a doting father. All of her confidence about what a good man he’d been seemed based on her imaginings, not the reality of who he was. Once again, Laura wasn’t sure how to decipher the man.

Who was Owen Hamilton?

And would she even know it was the real him?

“All right, girls,” he said, laughing. “Let’s get Mrs. Booth off the horse, so you can properly meet her.”

His formality was just one more unexpected twist to the man she’d thought she’d known.

When her feet were touching the ground, Laura said, “Please, call me Laura. I don’t want to stand on ceremony here.”

The girls smiled at her shyly, hiding behind their father.

“Girls, please introduce yourselves.”

The one dressed in blue stepped out from behind Owen. “I’m Anna.”

“And I’m Emma,” the girl dressed in green said. “We’re very pleased to have you here.”

Laura gave the girls a friendly smile. They were miniature versions of their father, only in feminine form. She could almost see Owen as a child in them. Though she’d always considered the fact that her and James’s not having children had been a blessing in disguise, something about seeing Owen with his daughters created a longing in Laura that she hadn’t expected.

She would never have children of her own, a fact she’d thought she’d accepted, but somehow, these children reminded her of her lost dream. Hopefully, she wouldn’t have to spend too much time with them while she was here at the ranch. She was hoping she wouldn’t have to spend much time here at all. She needed to get back to her boardinghouse. But also, having realized how little she knew about Owen had made her come to see that she was a poor judge of character indeed. People wondered how Laura could have trusted a man like James. She’d thought that her poor judgment had been a onetime mistake. However, Laura was starting to wonder if perhaps she trusted too easily and saw things in people too readily where perhaps she should be more cautious. She’d read too much into Owen’s care for her. And now she felt like a fool.

Owen had turned to the girls and was giving them the doll Laura had found. Her heart ached at the sight, and Laura started to turn away.

A woman came around the other side of the horse and smiled at her. Had Laura not been aware that Owen had a sister, she still would have immediately known that they were related. Lena and Owen had the same sandy shade of blond hair and the same warm blue eyes that made a person want to believe in them. But Laura didn’t know who to trust anymore. Though she still believed that Owen was credible when it came to upholding the law, when it came to their personal relationship, she had to remember that to him it was just a job. A fact she would also keep in mind when it came to Lena.

“Welcome. I’m Lena. You must be Laura. I’ve heard so many wonderful things about you. We’re very glad to have you.”

Lena’s friendly smile made Laura feel like she’d known her for years. Of course, Laura had felt the same way about Owen.

“Thank you. It’s so kind if you to have me.” Laura returned the greeting with an equally friendly expression. “Owen says I’m not putting anyone out, but please let me know if I’m inconveniencing you in any way. I’m also happy to help with any chores you might have. I like to pull my own weight.”

The girls ran off with their doll, and Owen joined them. The look Lena gave Owen appeared to be one of doubt. She wondered what Owen had told his sister about her. Did Lena think of Laura as the spoiled socialite she’d once been? Or had Owen been more generous in his descriptions of her?

“You’re company,” Lena said. “You just make yourself at home, and we’ll take care of the rest.”

Laura smiled pleasantly. “I insist on being helpful. It’s the only way I could possibly feel at home.”

Owen looked at her like she was being difficult again. She supposed that as much as he tried her patience, she probably tried his. Funny that they hadn’t had such a battle of wills before. Perhaps it would convince Owen that Laura was a different woman now. It irritated her that she cared so much. Why should she care when Owen didn’t?

“If that’s what you want,” Owen said. “As long as Lena doesn’t mind. She’s the real boss around here.”

“Ha!” Lena glared at her brother. “Don’t listen to a word he says. Owen never did anything anyone ever told him to do unless he already had it in his head to do it.”

Owen grinned, a carefree expression Laura had never seen on him before. “I learned everything I know about being stubborn from you, big sis.”

Watching the siblings tease each other in such a familiar way made Laura feel even more like an outsider.

“Don’t you start,” Lena said, shaking her head. “None of us have time for your nonsense. You’ve still got the evening chores to do, and I need to get Laura settled. Supper will be ready soon, so stop your yammering and get to it.”

Owen gave Laura a look as if to say, See what I mean? then walked to the back of his horse, where he untied Laura’s small bag from the saddlebags. As much as she’d resented Owen picking over her choices of articles of clothing that he felt were too nice, now that she knew she was staying on a working ranch, she felt a little better about his heavy-handedness.

“I’ll just take this into the house for you,” Owen said, sounding a little gruff.

Laura smiled at him. “I can do it. It’s not that heavy, and Lena says you have work to do. I told you, I don’t want to be an inconvenience.”

He opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but Lena shot him a glare, and he closed it again. Laura would have to learn how she did that.

“That’ll be just fine,” Lena said, taking Laura by the arm. “You’ll want to freshen up after your journey.”

They paused so Laura could take her bag from Owen, and Lena led her into the cabin. The porch was wide and inviting, with a pair of rocking chairs and a porch swing that looked like the family spent many pleasant evenings sitting here. Inside the cabin, the space was larger than it first appeared.

With a formal parlor and dining room, the front of the house looked like it would fit in with any of the nicer homes in Leadville or Denver. Certainly, it had the feel of the home she’d grown up in. She hadn’t expected Owen to be so domestic. One more piece to the puzzle.

“What a lovely home you have,” Laura said, smiling as she took it in.

“Thank you. Our uncle built it for his wife, hoping that such a fine place would make her happy, being so far from the city. Plenty of room for entertaining guests.”

It seemed there was far more to the story, but Lena turned abruptly and gestured to the stairs. “Your room is up here.”

Apparently, being close lipped was a family trait. At the top of the landing was a wide window, giving Laura a clear view of Leadville across the flat valley between the mountain ranges surrounding the area.

“It’s magnificent,” she said, staring. “You don’t realize what a beautiful city it is when you’re there, do you?”

Lena made a noise. “Too much commotion, if you ask me. All that noise, the smells and, oh, the mud. The city’s much better from a distance. But I do agree that it’s a nice view. Sometimes I like to sit here with my sewing. You’re welcome to join me.”

The first overture of friendliness from the Hamilton siblings since this ordeal began. Laura supposed it was just as much of a shock to them, having their lives upended so.

“Thank you. That would be lovely. I often sew with the women from church.” Laura paused, wondering about this woman she knew nothing about, yet felt like she should have. How could she have known Owen all this time and not met his family? Not even heard references to them?

“I wonder why we haven’t met socially before. I’ve seen Owen a few times in town at church, but you aren’t familiar to me,” she said.

A dark look crossed Lena’s face. “Owen is very protective of his family. We only go to small, intimate gatherings where all the parties are already known to Owen.”

She looked like she had more to say, but then she turned away.

“Your room is here.” Lena opened the door nearest to them. “The girls are across the hall, and I’m next to them.”

Stepping aside to let Laura pass, Lena pointed to another room. “That there’s a bathing room. One of our uncle’s attempts at pleasing his impossible bride. Has all the fancy gewgaws and gadgets rich folks pride themselves on. Let me know if you want a bath, and I’ll show you how to work it. We only bathe once a week, but you’re welcome to use it anytime.”

Laura stifled a smile at Lena’s disdain for the room. Or maybe it was the wealthy people Lena didn’t like. In particular, this hard-to-please bride she’d mentioned. Laura’d had a bathing room in Denver, but it had seemed too much of an extravagance to install one in her boardinghouse in Leadville.

When Laura stepped into her bedroom, she found it to be well decorated and a very pleasant space. Someone had put a great deal of effort into the quilt on her bed, and a beautiful cross-stitch hung above it. Lena’s work? Laura was almost afraid to ask more questions of her hostess. “This is wonderful, thank you. I’m sure I’ll be quite comfortable here.”

As she looked around, Laura realized that Lena hadn’t mentioned where Owen slept. And that all of the rooms upstairs appeared to be taken. “But where is Owen’s room? I haven’t put him out of his bed, have I?”

That could account for Owen’s sour mood toward her.

“Not at all. His room is downstairs, off the kitchen. Our uncle used it as a study, but Owen likes the location for making sure everyone is safe.”

Laura nodded. That sounded like Owen. “He’s very concerned with safety, isn’t he?”

“He has a right to be,” Lena said stiffly. “I’ll leave you to unpack. The water in the pitcher is fresh.”

Before Laura could respond, or even thank Lena for her hospitality, she was gone. Lena might have encouraged Owen to invite her to stay, but it seemed like Lena was just as closed off as her brother was when it came to answering Laura’s questions. So many secrets, and even though Laura was curious about them, she wondered if she’d be better off not knowing.

She’d already developed feelings for Owen once, and clearly she’d been mistaken there. What heartache would she face if she learned all the things about him that he’d been keeping private, and he once again didn’t return her regard?

* * *

Owen didn’t turn around when he heard Lena enter the barn. “Hand me that liniment over there, will you? Troy’s leg feels hot.”

A few moments later, Lena handed him the jar. They had a good routine, and it was comforting to know he could always count on his sister.

“She seems nice,” Lena said.

“They always seem nice.” Owen rubbed the sore spot on Troy’s leg. He shouldn’t have pushed him hard that last mile. He’d seen signs that Troy was tiring, but he’d been so eager to get home. Owen just hoped he wouldn’t regret that decision later, which he would if his horse went lame.

“She had a lot of questions.”

“She is a woman.” Owen looked up at Lena and grinned. “You should understand that better than me.”

“You care for her, don’t you?” Lena’s probing expression made him turn away.

The trouble with Lena was that she knew him too well. He couldn’t keep a secret from her if he tried.

“Of course I do. That’s my problem. I care too much. About everyone. I can’t care about the victims. You know the trouble it’s gotten me into before.”

Lena sighed. “I know, but you’re a good lawman. A good man. You and Sadie were happy for a time.”

He stood and looked at her, then recapped the liniment. “Were we? I don’t remember. I was so busy trying to keep her alive, and she said she loved me, and I loved how that felt. Being the hero. Which is all it is with Laura. I know how she looks at me. A man would be a fool not to notice. But it’s just misplaced gratitude toward the man who took her out of a bad situation and was the first man to be kind to her in a long time.”

Finished with taking care of Troy, Owen looked around the barn to make sure he’d gotten everything else done.

“Maybe if you didn’t push people away, they could get to know the real you and figure out if it’s love or not.” Lena gave him that stubborn look of hers. When they were kids, he’d have shoved her and then they’d have wrestled until someone yelled at them to cut it out.

But they were adults now, so he shook his head instead. “I thought we’d agreed we weren’t going to do any matchmaking for one another. I have my reasons for not seeking out another wife, and you have yours for not finding a husband. So let’s try to get through the next few days of having a single woman under our roof without your planning a wedding. Otherwise, I’ll be forced to ask my various single male friends out for a visit to meet my charming sister.”

“You wouldn’t.”

Owen grinned. “I would, and you know it.”

The long sigh escaping Lena’s lips told him that he’d won. Then she said, “I just think that you can’t let your bad experiences keep you from a potentially wonderful future.”

Owen picked up the saddle from where he’d hung it on the stall. “Great advice, sis. Let me know if it works when you follow it yourself.”

He was needling her, but she’d started it. Some of their childish ways would never be broken.

“I just came to tell you that dinner’s ready. Since we have a guest, I will be on my best behavior, and I expect you to be, as well.”

Lena winked at him, and he grinned. His arrow had hit its mark, and even though Lena was aching to meddle in his love life, she wouldn’t. Not now.

That was sometimes the trouble with being so close to his sister. It made it harder to be close to others who didn’t understand that a man’s best friend could be his sister. He and Lena had been through a lot together, been each other’s rock when they’d had nothing else.

Among other problems in their relationship, Sadie had been jealous of Lena. To the point that Owen and Lena spent a good year without speaking. The hardest year of his life. And, it turned out, Lena’s hardest, as well.

“I’ll be there in a minute,” Owen said. “Let me get this put away.”

“Don’t take too long or else I’ll eat your dessert.”

She stuck her tongue out at him as she left the barn, and he knew she was giving him his space before having to go in and deal with Laura. His first time protecting her had been so much easier when she wasn’t questioning his every move and he could ignore the calf eyes she made at him. But now she acted as if he owed her something.

And maybe he did. He’d promised he’d keep her safe from James, which is what he’d been trying to do. But she was making it really difficult.

He put his tack away, then stepped out of the barn. The ranch was positioned so that they could see a rider coming for miles. On a night like tonight, with so much cloud cover and not much moon, a man would have to be crazy to ride out here with all the rocks and shrubs in the way. But James wasn’t a sane man.

Still, as Owen scanned the area and could see the lights from town dotting the distance, he felt a sense of peace. James wouldn’t be coming tonight.

When he went into the house, the family was already seated at the dining table, eating.

“I told you we weren’t going to wait,” Lena said before taking another bite.

“I didn’t ask you to. I’ll just go wash up.”

He could feel Laura’s eyes on him as he left the room. Not just her eyes, but the weight of those questions in her eyes. His appetite fled as he thought about having to sit at the table with her and make small talk about things he didn’t want to discuss.

When he returned to the table, the girls had nearly finished, and the ladies appeared to be eating more slowly to give him time to catch up. Presumably to give him company so he wouldn’t have to eat alone.

“Papa, did you know Miss Laura doesn’t have any children?” Anna smiled at him like she had a whole day’s worth of conversation to catch him up on. And she did, he supposed, since he’d been gone most of it.

“I do know that. And that’s probably not a polite thing to say about a lady. It might hurt her feelings,” he said gently.

Anna turned her attention to Laura. “Did it hurt your feelings that I asked if you had children? Papa says I ask a lot of questions that I shouldn’t, but how do you know things if you don’t ask?”

Owen closed his eyes for a moment and prayed for patience. Anna was an inquisitive little girl with a zest for life, and Owen didn’t want to kill that spirit totally, but sometimes, she made it difficult.

Fortunately, Laura didn’t seem to mind the impertinent little girl. She smiled at Anna. “It did not hurt my feelings. But thank you for being willing to consider them.”

His daughter preened at being validated in her questioning of Laura. If there were ever someone with enough questions to match Laura’s, it would have to be Anna. But Anna’s questions were easier to answer.

Lena set her fork down on her plate with a clatter. Owen looked up at her, and she smiled sweetly. A little too sweetly.

“Girls, let’s clear the table and let your father finish his supper. Miss Laura can keep him company. I’m sure they have much to discuss.”

She gave him another sugary smile before picking up her plate and leaving the room. The girls followed suit, leaving Owen alone with Laura in the awkward silence.

“You have a very nice home,” Laura said.

“Thank you. My uncle had it built for his bride.”

“I know,” Laura said. “Lena told me.”

He gave a nod, then focused his attention back on the delicious roast Lena had prepared.

“I find it interesting,” Laura continued, “that you both refer to her as his bride and not your aunt.”

Owen set his fork down. Small talk was not something he enjoyed, nor was he capable of it. Especially because nothing about his life involved small talk.

“That’s because we don’t like talking about her. She hurt a lot of people, and my uncle stayed here, hoping that someday she’d come back to him. She never did. He put everything he had into this place, all for her. But she never appreciated it. He was never bitter, so I suppose we’re bitter on his behalf. He was a good man, and he didn’t deserve to be treated like that.”

Something he and his uncle had in common. They both picked women they thought they could save, but in the end, they didn’t have that kind of power.

“I suppose that makes sense, then,” Laura said, sounding a little too cheerful. She was probably hoping this would open him up to more of her questions.

“So the girls’ mother is dead? I believe you said your wife died?”

Owen set his fork down and patted his lips with his napkin. “Yes. And that is all I will say on that matter. Please don’t bring it up again. With me, my sister or my daughters.”

He threw the napkin down on the table. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to—”

“You’re not going anywhere,” Lena said, reentering the room, carrying a pie. “The girls helped bake this, and we’re all going to enjoy a nice family dessert and chat about things.”

Had Lena heard Laura ask about Sadie? Her face was too innocent for him to be able to tell, but he had to think not. Though Lena liked to encourage him in that department, she’d never give a stranger such easy access to his pain.

“Owen, sit,” Lena said. “You don’t get to go off sulking tonight because your perfect little plans got ruined. We’re going to have pie and get to know Laura better, and it’s going to be fun.”

Emma sidled up to him. “Please, Papa. Auntie said you might even tell us a story about life on the trail.”

Owen shot Lena a quick glare. She knew he refused the girls little, and even though those stories were the last things he wanted to tell, especially in front of Laura, he would because the girls asked.

“Of course I will.” He pressed a kiss to the top of his daughter’s head, then he looked over at his sister. “Even though Auntie knows I don’t like to talk about those times, and she exaggerates about what a hero I am. But just as soon as I get this case wrapped up, we’ll invite my old friend Harold out, and he can tell you about life on the range.”

Two could play Lena’s game of torment.

Ignoring him, Lena turned to Laura. “Don’t believe a word he says about not being a hero. You can’t imagine all the wonderful things Owen has done, the lives he’s saved. He’s the best lawman you’ll ever meet.”

The smile Laura gave him made the dinner he’d just eaten turn over in his stomach. Back to the hero worship he detested. That was the trouble with people thinking he was so wonderful. Owen wasn’t that man. Just like Sadie had been all those years ago, Laura was over the moon about an illusion, not who he really was.

As a lawman, he’d made too many mistakes. Enough that he knew he didn’t deserve to wear a badge. Maybe he’d even been too prideful in keeping his promise to protect Laura. Could he keep her safe?

Looking around the table at the shining eyes directed at him, he wondered if he should have brought her here at all.

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