August
Addie Foster watched from the car’s passenger seat as a whole new world passed by her window. If she’d thought Jackson Hole was like nothing she’d ever known, Bent, Wyoming, was an alien planet.
She’d grown up in the heart of Boston, a city dweller always. Occasionally her family had traveled up to Maine for quaint weekends or vacations in little villages, enjoying beaches and ice-cream shops.
This was not that. This wasn’t even like those dusty old Westerns her grandpa had loved to watch as he’d reminisced about his childhood being a Delaney in Bent, Wyoming—as if that had ever meant anything to Addie.
It meant something now. Seth fussed in his carrier in the back seat and Addie swallowed at the lump in her throat. Her sister had died trying to protect this sweet little man, and Addie had spent the past nine months struggling to protect him.
The baby’s father hadn’t made it easy. Addie had been able to hide Seth for three months before Peter Monaghan the 5th had discovered her sister’s deception, and no one deceived Peter Monaghan the 5th.
For six months, Addie had crisscrossed her way around the country, running out of false identities and money. Until she’d had to call upon the only person she could think to call upon.
Laurel Delaney.
Addie had met Laurel at Addie’s grandpa’s funeral some twenty years ago. They’d taken an instant liking to each other and become pen pals for a while.
They’d drifted apart, as pen pals always did, once the girls got into high school, and Addie never would have dreamed of calling Laurel out of the blue until desperation led her to think of the most faraway, safe place she could imagine. Someplace Peter would have no reach. Someplace she and Seth would be safe from his evil crime boss of a father.
“Don’t worry,” Laurel said pleasantly from the driver’s seat as Seth began to cry in earnest. “We’re only about five minutes away. I’m sorry I can’t have you stay with me, but my place is pretty cramped as it is, and Noah needs the help.”
Noah Carson. Addie didn’t know anything about him except he was some relative of Laurel’s boyfriend, and he needed a housekeeper. Addie didn’t have experience keeping anyone’s house, let alone a ranch, but she needed a job and someplace to stay, and Laurel had provided her with both. In the kind of town Peter would never dream of finding on a map, let alone stepping foot into.
She hoped.
“I’m going to have to apologize about Noah, though,” Laurel said, maneuvering her car onto a gravel road off the main highway. “This is kind of a surprise for him.”
“A surprise?” Addie repeated, reaching into the back and stroking her finger over Seth’s leg in an effort to soothe.
“It’s just, Noah needs the help, but doesn’t want to admit he needs the help, so we’re forcing his hand a bit.”
Addie’s horror must have shown on her face, because Laurel reached over and gave Addie’s arm a squeeze, her gaze quickly returning to the road.
“It’s fine. I promise.”
“I don’t want to be in anyone’s way or a burden, Laurel. That isn’t why I called you.”
“I know, and in an ideal world Noah would hire you of his own volition, but we don’t live in an ideal world. Noah’s cousin, who used to do most of the housekeeping, moved out. Grady—that’s Noah’s other cousin—tried running an ad but Noah refused to see anyone. This, he can’t refuse.”
“Why?”
Laurel flicked a glance Addie’s way as she pulled in front of a ramshackle, if roomy-looking, ranch house.
“Addie, I know you’re in trouble.”
Addie sucked in a breath. “You do?”
“I could be reading things wrong, but I’m guessing Seth’s father isn’t a very good man, and you need to get away from him.”
Addie swallowed. It was the truth. It wouldn’t be a lie to tell Laurel she was right. Seth’s father was a terrible man, and Addie desperately needed to get away from him.
“I’m a cop, Addie. I’ve dealt with a lot of domestics. This is the perfect place to get away from a guy who can’t control himself. You’re safe here. In Bent. At the Carson Ranch, and with me looking out for you.” Laurel smiled reassuringly.
“I just...” Addie inhaled and exhaled, looking at the house in front of her. It looked downright historical. “I need a fresh start. I’d hate to think it’s built on someone who doesn’t want me around.”
“Noah might not want you around, but he needs you around. The way I see it, you two need each other. Noah might be quiet or gruff, but he’s not a jerk. He’ll treat you right no matter how much he doesn’t want you to be here. I can promise you that.”
“And the baby?”
“I’ve never seen Noah hurt anyone, and I’ve known him all my life and worked in law enforcement here for almost ten years. But most especially, I’ve never seen him be cruel to anyone, even Delaneys. He’s not an easy man to read, but he’s a good man. I’d bet my life on that.”
The door to the house opened and a big, broad, bearded man stepped out. He wore jeans and a T-shirt, the lines of a tattoo visible at the sleeve. His grin was like sin, and all for Laurel. So this couldn’t be the quiet, reserved Noah she was apparently ambushing.
“That’s your man?” Addie asked, watching him saunter toward where they were parked. She’d never seen two people just look at each other and flash sparks.
Laurel grinned. “Yes, it is. Come on. Let’s get you introduced.”
* * *
NOAH GLOWERED OUT the window. Damn Grady. More, damn Laurel Delaney getting her Delaney nose all up in his Carson business. Since he wasn’t the one sleeping with her, Noah didn’t know why he had to be the one saddled with her relative.
But saddled he was.
The young woman who got out of the passenger seat looked nothing like a housekeeper, not that a housekeeper had ever graced the uneven halls of the Carson Ranch. He came from hardscrabble stock who’d never seen much luxury in life. Never seen much purpose for it, either.
Noah still didn’t, but all his help had moved out. Grady was off living with a Delaney. Vanessa, who’d once taken on much of the cleaning and cooking responsibilities—no matter how poorly—had moved into town. His brother, Ty, came and went as he pleased, spending much of his time in town. Any time he spent at the ranch was with the horses or pushing Noah’s buttons. Noah’s teenage stepcousin was as helpful as a skunk.
Noah was running a small cattle ranch on his own, and yes, cleaning and cooking definitely fell by the wayside.
Didn’t mean he needed an outsider lurking in the corners dusting or whatnot. Especially some wispy, timid blonde.
The blonde pulled a baby out of the back seat of the car. And she had a baby no less. Not even a very big-looking baby. The kind of tiny, drooly thing that would only serve to make him feel big and clumsy.
Noah’s scowl deepened. He didn’t know what to do with babies. Or wispy blondes. Or people in general. If only the horses could housekeep. He’d be set.
The door opened, Laurel striding in first. Noah didn’t bother to soften his scowl and she rolled her eyes at him.
Noah was a firm believer in history, and the history of Bent, Wyoming, was that Carsons and Delaneys