Sable Peak (The Edens)

With the car parked beside the barn on the Eden ranch, I unleashed the breath I’d been holding for miles. Driving on icy Montana roads had frayed my nerves, but at least I hadn’t been alone.

“Thanks, Mr. Eden.” I smiled at my passenger.

“How many driving lessons do you think we’ll need until you call me Harrison?”Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

I smiled and turned off the engine. “At least one more.”

“Then how about we cross that off the list tomorrow?”

“Okay.”

“It’s a date.” He grinned. “Pop the trunk. I’ll help you carry up your groceries.”

“Oh, that’s okay. I can get them.” I pointed to the vase that rested between his feet. “You’d better take those flowers in to your valentine before they freeze.”

“Good thinking.” He bent to pick up the two dozen red roses he’d bought for Anne. “See you tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow. Bye.”

A rush of frigid air blew inside as he opened his door, chasing away the warmth. We’d had the heat cranked the entire drive from town because the high today was two below.

My nostrils stung with that first icy inhale as I stepped out of my door. The bitter cold seeped through my jeans and bit into my skin as I hurried to the trunk. At least the ice cream I’d bought wouldn’t melt.

With four bags looped over my forearms, I tucked my chin into the collar of my Eden Ranch coat and hurried for the barn.

It wasn’t much warmer as I stepped inside but at least the wind didn’t cut straight to my bones. I flipped on the overhead light and climbed the stairwell to my loft.

The scents of hay and dirt were replaced with crisp green apple from the candle I’d burned this morning after my shower. I plopped the groceries on the kitchen’s small counter, then jogged downstairs again, bracing for the cold.

Winter had started off relatively mild, but it was finishing with a bang. Three days ago, a massive storm had covered the area. There were two feet of fresh snow and counting. An icy snowflake cut across my cheek as I pushed through the exterior door, pausing only long enough to glance at the mountains. The peaks were obscured by thick clouds, all dumping snow.

Was he up there? Did he have a shelter? Was he huddled close to a fire? Was he warm enough? Did he have food?

My heart squeezed. It would be cold tonight. But it wasn’t the first winter Dad had spent in Montana. And this cold snap was only supposed to last a week. By next Sunday, it was forecast to be well above freezing.

Even if the cold lingered, Dad had always made sure I had a fire to keep warm. He’d do the same for himself, right? He wouldn’t do anything stupid, would he? Was his mind okay?

Yes. He was fine. There was no other option I’d consider. He’d stay alive. He is alive.

The assurances didn’t do much to quiet the turmoil in my heart. The worry for my father was a constant these days, as automatic as breathing. Some days, the fear screamed so loud that it took everything I had not to rush into the mountains to track him down. But that would be reckless and stupid, so I worried instead.

My boots crunched on the snow as I hustled to the trunk. The bag with cooking spray and an array of spices clinked as I grabbed it with one hand and hauled out a gallon of milk with the other. I was about to snag the case of toilet paper to tuck under my arm when a deep voice startled me.

“I’ll help.”

I stood and turned so fast I banged my head on the trunk’s lid. “Ow.”

“Sorry.” Mateo held up a hand clad in a tan leather glove. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”

“It’s fine.” Heat crept into my cheeks just like it did every time he was around. Every. Freaking. Time.

Hopefully today he’d think the pink was from the cold.

“Um, what’s up?” God, that sounded stupid. My voice was too breathy and that was actually the dumbest question of all time. What’s up? The sky, Vera. Your hopes. Your delusions.

“Had some work to do for Griffin today. One of the hired hands quit, and there’s no point finding someone new when I can do the work, so I came down to feed the cows.”

“Oh. That’s nice of you.”

“Yeah, I guess.” A crease formed between his eyebrows.

“Do you not like it? Working on the ranch?”

“It’s great.”

It didn’t sound great, but it didn’t sound bad either. He sounded … blah. I’d never heard blah Mateo before.

“I’ve been thinking about maybe going back to Alaska,” he said. “I used to fly planes up there. The people I used to work for asked if I’d come back. I might.”

What? My heart landed with a muffled thud in the snow. No. He couldn’t move.

“I don’t know.” He sighed, moving for the trunk to lift out two grocery bags. “Do me a favor and don’t mention it to Lyla? I haven’t decided yet and don’t want to stress my sisters out. Mom and Dad know, in case they mention it. It’s pretty unlikely I’ll go, but it’s something I’ve been thinking about.”

I managed a nod.

“Anyway, after I was done with the cows, I stopped by to say hi and give Mom her Valentine’s Day chocolate. Dad said you guys hit the store, so I thought I’d come help you carry stuff up.”

“You got your mom Valentine’s chocolates?” That was the most adorable thing in the entire world.

“Tradition. Keep her on my good side so she’ll bake my favorite cookies.”

Yep, he was perfect. Funny. Charming. Sexy. This crush was going nowhere fast.

He couldn’t move to Alaska. Not when I had to stay in Montana to find Dad and make sure he was okay. Who would buy Anne chocolates if he moved? He really, really couldn’t move.

“That’s, um—”

Before I could finish my thought, Mateo grabbed my package of toilet paper.

Oh, hell. This wasn’t happening. The man I was completely infatuated with was not carrying my toilet paper. Except he so was. The heat in my cheeks melted the next snowflake that tried to attack.

Mateo made a move for another bag but I snagged it first, a certain blue box showing through the thin white plastic. The toilet paper was bad enough. I didn’t need him scoping out my tampons too.

“You can head on in.” He jerked his chin for the door. “I’ll grab the rest.”

“Okay. Thanks.” I backed away, taking one second to appreciate the thick stubble on his jaw before I scurried inside and out of the cold.

I piled the bags on the counter once I made it upstairs and stripped out of my coat. Then I smoothed down the front of my green turtleneck as Mateo’s footsteps echoed in the stairwell. Between the stress of winter driving practice and the cold wind blowing everything into disarray, my hair was a mess.

He had my toilet paper under one arm and paper towels under the other with three bags in each hand. “Stocking up?”

“Yeah.” I tucked a lock of hair behind an ear and untucked it just as quickly. What was wrong with me? I hated having my hair tucked behind my ears. Why couldn’t I just relax around Mateo? Gah!

“Where do you want these?”

“The counter is great. Thanks.”

He deposited everything on the space. “So you and Dad have been doing driving lessons?”

“Yep.” I started putting groceries away to hide my face. For once, the flush of my cheeks wasn’t only from this crush. Mortification crept through my veins, turning my face from pink to red.

I was twenty-one years old and needed driving lessons like a teenager.

Harrison had volunteered to help. Just like Anne was going to give me cooking lessons. And while I was so grateful to the Edens, my incompetence wasn’t exactly something I’d wanted to broadcast, especially to Mateo. Though of course he’d know. This family was as close-knit as the threads of my sweater.

“It’s kind of embarrassing,” I admitted.

“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about, Vera.” Even the sound of my name in his deep voice couldn’t chase the humiliation away. “So you’re out of practice driving. Who cares? Dad said you’re doing great. Just needed to knock the rust off.”

“I guess.” I shrugged and put the milk in the fridge.

Part of me had wanted to avoid driving forever. Except now that I was living on the ranch, it was much too far to walk to Quincy, so I’d had no choice but to start learning again.

Vance and Lyla had offered to buy me a car but I’d insisted on buying it myself—or paying them back. Without savings or credit, I’d borrowed from Uncle Vance to buy my older-model Honda Civic with its dented bumper and nearly one hundred thousand miles.

But at least it was mine. And as of this week, I was living on my own.

I was taking leaps. Not many, but leaps, nonetheless.

“You doing okay out here?” Mateo asked.

“Yes.” Sort of. “I love the loft.”

“It’s a great place.”

The footprint of my new home was only a third of the actual barn, and it was still more space than I needed. The stairs led to the back of the apartment, where my bedroom shared a wall with the kitchen and bathroom. Then the rest of the space was open living space.

The walls were covered in varying shades of gray and brown barnwood. The furniture was plush and comfortable in charcoal and cream and white. It was welcoming. Simple, yet fancy.

Not that I needed fancy. I was ecstatic to sleep on a pillow each night and to shower with hot water in the morning.

My favorite place to relax was on the enormous U-shaped sectional that took up the bulk of the living room. I’d camped out every night this week buried under thick blankets to watch movie after movie when I couldn’t sleep.

New home, new sounds and that ever-present anxiety for my dad to keep me awake.

He was alive. He’d survive this winter just like all the rest.

I was stubborn enough to will it into reality.

“Whack your head yet?” Mateo asked, pointing to the slanted ceilings. They were tall enough that I only had to duck at the very edges of each room.

“A couple times getting into bed I banged it.”

The words registered, and I cringed. Getting into bed I banged it? What the hell was wrong with me? What did that even mean? Why couldn’t I speak correctly around this man?

Mateo rubbed the back of his neck, looking anywhere but at me. Great, now I’d made him uncomfortable. As if the toilet paper weren’t bad enough.

“Did you, uh, get everything moved out of Lyla’s farmhouse?” he asked.

“Yeah. I didn’t have much.” Thank God the loft had come furnished.

“We all know you’re going through a lot of change. We’re here to help.” His gaze met mine and my tummy fluttered. Gah, those eyes. “Whatever you need.”

It wasn’t the first time a member of the Eden family had said as much. Though unlike the rest, there was no pity on Mateo’s handsome face. He was just stating the truth. Making a sincere offer.

“Thank you.”

He dipped his chin. “Welcome.”

All of the Edens, Mateo included, knew that I’d spent the past four years living in the wilderness with Dad. They knew he was guilty of murder and hiding from the authorities. They knew that for years, the world had assumed I’d been dead. That I’d been one of Dad’s victims.

They knew the story.

Not the truth.

It was better that way. Secrets only stayed secrets through silence.

My dad might not be with me, but I’d do anything in my power to keep him safe.

“Did you know I used to live here?” Mateo took a step deeper into the loft, surveying the space.

“Lyla told me.”

Whenever anyone mentioned Mateo’s name, whatever tidbit they shared, was instantly committed to memory. I would have liked this loft had he not lived here, but knowing this had been his home too made me love it that much more.

When I’d declared last month that it was time to find a place of my own to live, Lyla and Vance had balked, insisting I stay in the guest bedroom for a while longer. Except I’d refused to budge.

Maybe I needed driving and cooking lessons, but I could take them while I was living on my own. My idea had been to find a place in Quincy, but apparently rentals weren’t exactly easy to find.

The loft had been empty since Lyla’s uncle Briggs had moved into an assisted living facility in town for help with his dementia, and since the place was empty, Anne and Harrison had offered it to me.

Vance was happy that I had the Edens nearby, and being out here on the ranch meant the mountains were just beyond my door.

It had been impossible to do much hiking with the winter weather, but soon, the season would change. Out here, I’d have a better chance at some freedom. Once this snow stopped and melted a bit, I’d head out to the mountains and see what I could find.

Who I could find.

Mateo’s boots thudded on the wooden floor as he walked past the sectional to the windows. Beyond Anne and Harrison’s house, the world was white. Snow blanketed the meadows and dusted every tree.

As he stared at the landscape, I stared at him. Faded jeans molded to strong thighs. Scuffed boots and his heavy Carhartt coat. A beanie with the Eden Ranch brand embroidered on the rim. Dark hair that escaped that hat, curling at his nape.

He fit perfectly in this loft, rugged but beautiful.

“This is a great place to find your footing,” Mateo said.

I cocked my head to the side. “That’s exactly what Lyla said. Word for word.”

“Hazard of hanging out with your siblings too often. We start to sound alike.” He turned, the corner of his mouth turning up. Wow, he was cute. His gaze shifted to the coffee table, taking in the books and laptop strewn over its surface. “Did you finish your tests?”

“Yeah.” If I wasn’t working at Eden Coffee, I’d been studying for my GED.

“And?”

A smile spread across my mouth. “Passed all five.”

“Nice.” He grinned. “Not at all surprised.”

“Thanks.” I dropped my gaze to my boots as my smile widened under his praise.

“What’s next?”

“I don’t know. Keep working at the coffee shop. Maybe enroll in some college courses? I like school.”

I’d always liked school. Even before.

Studying for my GED had been refreshing. It was the mental challenge I hadn’t even known I’d needed. I wasn’t ready to enroll full-time at a university, but a couple of classes would be nice to keep my mind occupied. And with spring coming, two or three classes wouldn’t be all-consuming.

I’d need a flexible schedule. I’d need free days to head into the mountains.

“I’ll get out of your hair.” Mateo crossed the loft for the door. As he passed, his spicy scent caught my nose. Leather and spice. Wind and earth.

It was perfectly male and delicious and … Mateo.

“Thanks for helping with the groceries.”

“Anytime.” He winked.

A wink, and my heart did a handspring.

That wink didn’t mean anything. He didn’t—couldn’t—like me. Not like that. Right?

I squashed that budding hope before it could bloom. “See ya.”

He disappeared, closing up behind him, and marched down the stairs.

I waited until the door downstairs closed with a thud, then I rushed to the loft’s front windows.

Mateo’s long legs made short work of the distance to his truck. It was parked around the side of the house where I hadn’t noticed it earlier, probably because I’d been too busy death-gripping the steering wheel.

The snow around him stopped blowing. A sunbeam tore through the clouds to touch his shoulders.

He was the light. My light. The shining star that chased away the dark.

Please don’t move to Alaska. I pressed my palm to the glass.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Mateo.”