Josh Read online

  “I can’t believe my eyes.” Flora peered at them from the pass-through before walking over to greet them, wiping her hands on a towel. “Phoebe Hogan. Ela. I can’t remember the last time I saw the two of you together in town. What’s the occasion?”

  “Girls’ day out,” Cheyenne said with a laugh. “Look.” She lifted Phoebe’s arm, then Ela’s, and the two women wiggled their fingers to show off their neatly-trimmed nails and soft, scented hands.

  “Now I’ve seen it all.” Flora’s daughter, Dora, laughed. “You all smell so good, like a perfume factory. Are you sure somebody isn’t getting married?”

  “Nobody that we know of,” Phoebe’s laughter rang through the air as she stared pointedly at Sierra. “But after a day like this, nothing would surprise me.”

  Sierra actually blushed under her scrutiny. “We don’t need a special occasion to treat the two hardest-working women I’ve ever known to a day of pampering.”

  At Sierra’s words, both Phoebe and Ela flushed with pleasure.

  When Cheyenne picked up a menu, Flora called out, “Don’t even bother with that. In honor of this day, I’m making all of you my special. Dora, serve the ladies their drinks and salads while I slice up some of my slow-roasted beef.”

  A short time later the four women fell silent as they sipped tea and coffee and nibbled tender roast beef served over a nest of buttered noodles that melted in their mouths. Afterward, before they could say a word, Dora placed four plates in front of them, holding moist pound cake drizzled with powdered sugar and cinnamon, and topped with a dollop of whipped cream.

  By the time Josh and Quinn drove the truck, laden with supplies from Homer’s Grain and Seed, to the door of the diner, the four women floated out, their arms around each others’ waists, their eyes crinkled with laughter, giggling like school girls.

  Josh took one look at Phoebe’s pretty curls and Ela’s fancy crown atop her head, and turned to Sierra. “Where are Phoebe and Ela, and who are these imposters?”

  The two women couldn’t seem to stop giggling.

  Quinn caught Phoebe’s hand. “Is that nail polish?”

  “It is.” Phoebe wiggled her fingers. “And you ought to see my pretty pink toes.”

  Quinn pulled Cheyenne close for a quick kiss. “You’ve corrupted them, woman.”

  “It’s all Sierra’s fault,” Cheyenne said. “She’s corrupted all of us. We’ve decided today that it’s so much fun being girls, we’re going to make this an annual affair.”

  The four women climbed into their truck and were still laughing as they drove away, with Josh and Quinn following.

  When they arrived back at the ranch, Cole and Big Jim were talking quietly in the kitchen. Seeing the women, they set aside their longnecks.

  “Well?” Cole studied Phoebe’s eyes, the soft, pretty curls that danced around her cheeks. Cheeks glowing with color. “How was your day?”

  “It was… heavenly.” She turned to Sierra and Cheyenne, and hugged each of them. “I can’t remember when I’ve had so much fun.”

  “I’m glad.” Sierra hugged her back. “I can’t remember a better day, either. And we all have Cole to thank. Mary Lou wouldn’t let me pay, because she said she didn’t dare refuse Cole Conway.” She lay a hand on his arm. “Thank you, Cole. That was so sweet and generous of you.”

  “It was my pleasure, honey.” He looked beyond her to Phoebe, who was absolutely glowing with happiness. “I can’t think of anyone who deserves it more than the four of you.”

  Sierra turned to Ela, who was standing quietly.

  Suddenly the old woman opened her arms and enveloped Sierra in a bear hug.

  When they stepped apart, Ela’s eyes were dancing. “Thanks to you, I feel pretty.”

  “You’re beautiful,” Sierra said softly.

  “And you are”—Ela lay a hand on Sierra’s cheek—“a very special, generous soul.”

  Big Jim cleared his throat. “Cole and I were just going to take our beer in the other room. We started a fire, and there’s coffee for anyone who wants it.”

  As the others made their way to the great room, Josh paused in the doorway to see the dreamy look on Sierra’s face.

  He drew her close and brushed her cheek with a kiss. “Ela’s right, you know. That was a very fine thing you did today. But I’m not surprised. You don’t know how to be ordinary, Sierra. You’ve brought something to my family that is as rare and special as you.”

  As they joined the others, where Ela and Phoebe were eagerly recounting every minute of their day, Sierra hugged his words to her heart.

  For now, for this one day, she’d helped make two women very happy. It was the least she could do after all they’d done for her. And the joy she could see in their faces was all the thanks she needed.

  The four women were still floating on a cloud the following morning.

  As they were nearing the end of breakfast, Sierra’s cell phone rang. She excused herself and pushed away from the table to answer it.

  After listening to the voice on the other end, her voice sounded a bit breathless. “You’re sure? You’re absolutely certain? Oh, thank you. Thank you.”

  A moment later she turned to the others with a blazing smile that revealed the depth of her relief. “That was Chief Fletcher. Ever since I filed the documents, he’s been keeping an eye on Sebastian’s comings and goings. When Sebastian left Paintbrush yesterday to drive to Jackson Hole, the chief asked the state police to follow up.”

  Cole interrupted. “So that’s why the chief said you were free to come into Paintbrush and go wherever you pleased.”

  “Exactly.” Sierra continued without a pause. “And just now Chief Fletcher got a call from the state police that a passenger identified as Sebastian Delray boarded a flight out of Jackson Hole, bound for California, with his final destination listed as Paris.”

  The others were up and out of their chairs as they gathered around her.

  “Finally,” Cheyenne hugged her fiercely. “It looks like Sebastian has given up and is heading home. Your nightmare is finally over.”

  “That’s really great news, sweetheart.” Big Jim gave a growl of pleasure as he squeezed her shoulder. “If it’s true.”

  She shrugged. “I only know what the police chief told me. But I don’t think he would have called me until the state police had thoroughly checked it out.”

  “I agree with you.” Cole kissed her cheek. “Now you can relax and get to really experience life on our ranch, without that dark cloud hanging over your head.” He turned to Josh, who stood back, allowing the others to have their moment with her. “Want to take Sierra up in the plane and give her a bird’s-eye view of the Devil’s Wilderness, son?”

  Josh merely smiled. “I have a better idea.” He turned to Sierra. “Didn’t you say you wished you could hike to the high country and experience another snowstorm?”

  At his mention of hiking, her eyes went wide with pleasure.

  Seeing it, Josh said, “You’ll see nearly as much of the land as you could from our plane. We can take a truck to the foothills and climb from there. If you’re in a mood to spend a couple of days up there, we could take along a tent.”

  “Oh, Josh, could we?” Her voice, all soft and dreamy, betrayed the depth of her emotion.

  “I don’t see why not, now that your stalker is gone.” He glanced at his father. “You sure you can spare me?”

  Cole grinned. “Roundup’s over, son. We’ve got everything covered here.”

  Phoebe spoke up. “If you’re planning on hiking and camping out overnight, give us some time, and Ela and I will pack some food.”

  “Thanks, Phoebe.” Josh gave her a kiss on the cheek before catching Sierra’s hand. “Come on. We’d better check our supplies.”

  While the two hurried away to their rooms, the rest of the family gathered around talking about their good fortune.

  Big Jim picked up the phone and called Chief Fletcher to suggest that he alert the authorities in Calif
ornia, just to be on the safe side.

  The chief’s voice boomed over the line, loud enough for all of them to hear. “I’m already ahead of you on that, Big Jim. I want proof that the scumbag isn’t trying to con us. I’m having him watched until he’s actually aboard a plane headed for Paris. I don’t want him sneaking off somewhere between here and there, and coming back to cause trouble.”

  “Thanks, Everett. I should have known you’d think of everything.” Big Jim’s smile revealed his sense of relief.

  An hour later, as Josh and Sierra hauled their supplies out the door, the family gathered on the back porch to see them off.

  Josh hefted his backpack and shot a questioning look at Phoebe and Ela. “There are only two of us heading to the high country, not an army.”

  The two women laughed before Phoebe explained. “You always come home from a climb practically starving.”

  “I come home hungry for some good home cooking. That’s not the same as starving.”

  “All the same,” Ela said. “You need to think about stopping often to feed Sierra.”

  “From the weight of all this food, we’ll have to stop every fifteen minutes, just to lighten the load.”

  That had the others grinning as they gathered around the truck to slap Josh’s shoulder or shake his hand, while they kissed Sierra’s cheek and hugged her good-bye.

  “Watch out for bears getting ready to hibernate,” Big Jim cautioned.

  “They’d better watch out for us.” Josh stowed his rifle and ammunition in the truck.

  “Don’t forget the hungry wolves,” Quinn deadpanned.

  His wife smacked his shoulder. “Now you’re just trying to scare Sierra.” She looked over. “Quinn knows that the wolves would rather go a mile out of their way to avoid humans, than follow their scent just to eat them.”

  He shrugged. “There’s always a first time. You said yourself that Sierra is as sweet as candy.”

  Cheyenne merely laughed and rolled her eyes. “I’d worry more about those snow clouds than wolves.”

  Sierra glanced toward the distant hills, where low clouds hovered. “Oh, I hope it snows. I’d love to watch it from the high country.”

  “Be careful what you ask for, sweetheart. You won’t just watch it.” Big Jim gave her a hug. “You’ll be smack in the middle of it. I just hope you don’t have to dig your way out.”

  “We’ll be fine.” Josh walked to the passenger side of the truck and held the door for Sierra.

  Both were wearing comfortable hoodies in the brisk autumn air, with warmer parkas and gloves stowed in their backpacks. As the family called out their good-byes, Josh turned on the ignition and they started out across the field, headed toward the high country in the distance.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  This is as far as I can drive.” Josh parked the truck in the shelter of a grove of evergreens. “Ready to start hiking?”

  Sierra’s smile was radiant. “More than ready. I can’t wait.”

  After retrieving their backpacks from the bed of the truck, they started out on foot. At first the terrain was a gentle uphill climb, and they made good progress, stopping for a lazy lunch beside a swollen stream.

  “Snow runoff,” Josh announced as they watched the water foam and bubble before tumbling over rocks and fallen logs that clogged the waterway.

  Sierra was busy snapping photographs. “Do you get flooding in springtime?”

  He shook his head. “It gets absorbed into the ground long before it reaches our land. But all that runoff keeps the soil fertile.”

  They packed up and headed out at a good clip until they came to a series of steeper hills.

  Josh noticed with growing admiration that no matter how challenging the climb became, Sierra managed to keep up with him.

  He thought back to the heavy pack she’d managed without complaint. This time, he was carrying the extra load, with all the food Phoebe and Ela had prepared, as well as a tent they would use when the weather got rough.

  He pointed to a rock shelf. “Let’s stop up there and make camp for the night.”

  They climbed to the spot and dropped their backpacks before stepping out onto the smooth rock shelf to stare around.

  “Oh, Josh.” Sierra touched a hand to his arm. “This takes my breath away.”

  “Yeah.” Josh’s voice was hushed, as though standing in a grand cathedral. “That’s the same reaction I have every time I come here.”

  “Do you come here often?”

  Josh nodded. “It’s my special place. I call this my thinking place.”

  He settled down on the outcropping of rock, leaning his back against a giant boulder warmed by the sun.

  Sierra settled herself beside him.

  He drew his knee up and wrapped his arms around it. “I started coming here after my mother disappeared.”

  “Alone?”

  “Yeah.”

  “But you were just a kid. What did your father and Big Jim think about that? Wasn’t it dangerous for you to climb alone?”

  “They didn’t know about it at first. By the time they found out about it, there was no stopping me. So they just warned me to be careful.”

  “Isn’t that what every parent says? Are you telling me you listened?”

  He shot her a grin. “Not always. But I guess I’ve just been lucky. This old mountain has been good to me. So far it’s never let me down.”

  She fell silent as she stared out at the breathtaking vista of rolling hillsides, sparkling streams meandering between giant boulders, and green verdant meadows dotted with bright golden cottonwoods.

  She leaned her arms on her drawn-up knees. “You’re so lucky to have all this beauty to look at whenever you choose.”

  “Yeah. I love it.” He turned to her. “That’s why Big Jim gave it to me.”

  “Gave…” She looked puzzled. “This is yours?”

  He nodded. “Big Jim wanted each of us to have part of the ranch that we could call our own. There was never a question which part of it I loved the most.”

  “And it’s yours? Just like that?”

  “Just like that.”

  She gave a long, deep sigh. “I can’t even imagine getting such a gift.” She turned to him. “What will you do with it?”

  He touched a hand to her hair, studying the way it looked in the light of early evening. “Someday, when I’m ready, I’ll build a home here. And I’ll do what I’ve always done. Come up here to think, to unwind, to plan the next step in my life.”

  He leaned close and brushed his mouth over hers.

  The rush of heat was so intense, he moved back to stare into her eyes.

  Seeing the way she was watching him, he moved in and kissed her again. And though he thought he was ready, the quick sexual jolt managed to catch him by surprise.

  Maybe it would always be this way, he thought, as he dragged her into his arms and kissed her until they were both sighing with need. This mind-numbing need. This breathless anticipation.

  With their breaths hitching and their fingers fumbling in haste, they undressed each other, eager to taste, to touch, to possess.

  It seemed that each time he thought the fire had burned itself out, it was only simmering and waiting for the next strong wind to coax it back to flame.

  Maybe, he thought, as his fingers found her hot and wet and eager, she’d bewitched him, and he would never have enough of her.

  And then all thought fled as he lost himself in the wild, sweet taste of her, and gave himself up to a pleasure unlike any he’d ever known.

  They’d slipped into their jackets for warmth, though even that simple movement had been an effort.

  Sierra managed to lift a hand to Josh’s cheek. Her body felt limp and languid, as though she were caught in a dream. A wonderful, magical dream that she didn’t want to end.

  In a soft, languid voice she said, “You promised me dinner.”

  “I thought that’s what we just had.”

  She laughed. “That w
as the appetizer. But you still have to feed me.”

  He kissed the tip of her nose. “You’re turning into a very needy woman.”

  “Yes, I am. And now that we’ve… christened your thinking place, I need to restore my energy. Unless, of course, you don’t care about an encore.”

  “An encore? I like the way you think.” He sat up and reached for the backpack with mock-hurried movements. “Not to worry, my love. Your wish is my command.” He opened a plastic container and handed her a crispy fried chicken leg.

  “Um. Heavenly.” She nibbled while he opened a bottle of water and took a long drink before handing it to her.

  She sipped and passed it back to him. “What else did Phoebe and Ela fix?”

  He arched a brow. “You want more? I figured after the chicken, we’d go for the encore.”

  That had her laughing. “Not so fast, cowboy. Show me the food.”

  “Let’s see. There’s cold pasta with vegetables. There’s sliced roast beef, turkey breast, some sort of corn relish.” He unwrapped several squares of corn bread and handed one to her. “We have strawberry preserves or some kind of jelly.” He dipped a finger into it. “Apple.”

  “Um. Apple jelly, please.”

  He spread some on her corn bread and helped himself to a chicken leg.

  She turned to him. “Why does everything taste so much better along the trail?”

  “Because we’ve worked up an appetite?”

  “Wrong answer.” Her eyes crinkled with laughter. “Because there’s something magical about this place.”

  “Oh.” He looked down into her eyes and thought he’d happily drown in their depths. “Well, I’ve always known that. But now that you’re here with me, I can feel the magic is even stronger.”

  They sat with their backs against the sun-warmed rock and ate their fill as they watched the land below them begin to darken with mist and shadows. And as the sun slowly began to fade below the horizon, they came together once more.

  Bathed in the pink and mauve and purple glow of a spectacular sunset, they moved together in a rhythm as old as time.