Montana SEAL (Brotherhood Protectors #1)(22)

“No. I don’t think it was.” Hank stared across at her. “I know it was.”





7





The White Oak Ranch nestled in the foothills of the Crazy Mountains, bordered on one side by the Bear Creek Ranch and on the other by protected national forests, with an abundance of wildlife. The ranch house was a two-story, mountain cabin in stone and cedar with a wide, wraparound veranda and windows overlooking the mountains on one side and the valley on the other.

Sadie had always loved her home. It was the root of every great memory of growing up with her brother Fin and her parents. Memories, she wouldn’t have traded for all the fame and fortune in the world. This place had been her sanctuary. Until her parents died. Fin had given up his career as an architect to return home and take over the running of the ranch.

He’d brought his bride from Bozeman and settled her in the house. Carla had made so many changes, it made Sadie wince, like someone was poking at an open wound. She realized it made sense for a bride to make her house her home, but nothing felt the same without her parents.

Carla had moved the four-poster bed from the master bedroom into Fin’s old room and decorated the master suite in a modern style of stark white and tan. The pale, tan fabric-covered headboard had been screwed to the wall. A king-sized bed had replaced her parents’ queen-sized sleigh bed, and a sterile white comforter and pillows gave more of the appearance of a hotel suite than a cozy bedroom at home.

The redecorating hadn’t stopped at the bedrooms. The living room had been converted to a modern style as well, which clashed with the exterior of the mountain cabin. The sofas were stiff and white, hardly conducive to relaxation after a long day in the saddle.

Fin had insisted she leave his leather recliner alone so that he didn’t have to shower and change clothes before he could take a load off his feet and rest. Sadie almost felt sorry for him, but he’d allowed the changes.

Hank parked on the gravel drive at the side of the cabin and stepped out.

Before he could round the front of the SUV, Sadie had already climbed down to avoid any physical contact with the man. The less they touched, the less chance she had of falling completely under his spell. When she left Montana, she couldn’t take Hank with her. He had his life with his team. She had her life as a celebrity. Her chest tightened. After all the years of struggling to make it in the movie industry, now that she was there, she found it to be as lonely, if not more so, than when she was a nobody living in Montana. In fact, she’d felt more like somebody when she’d been with Hank than she’d felt with anyone else.

He waited for her to join him before climbing the steps to the porch.

The sound of voices arguing came to them through the screen door.

Sadie paused and glanced at Hank.

“Should we give them some privacy?” Hank asked.

“Maybe we can help.” Sadie squared her shoulders and entered the house. “Fin? Carla? Is everything okay?”

Carla stalked toward her, carrying a suitcase, her face set in an angry scowl. “Just peachy.” She pushed past them and slammed through the front door.

Fin appeared in the entryway, carrying a suitcase, his lips twisted. “Sadie, Hank. Carla said you’d be here soon. It’s great to see the two of you together again.”

Sadie wanted to correct him, but Hank slipped an arm around her waist at that moment. Sadie swallowed the words she’d been about to say, opting for something else. “Are you going somewhere?”

Fin glanced down at the suitcase. “Carla’s mother called and wants her to come stay with her for a couple weeks in Reno. I can’t leave the ranch right now. There are a couple of cows still up in the high country that need to be brought down before the snows start.”

“Carla didn’t seem happy about it,” Sadie commented. “Did she want you to go with her?”

“No. It’s just that her mother drives her nuts. Even so, she takes her shopping, and they have fun at the casinos.” Fin glanced away. “She’s upset because she didn’t want to miss being here when you were here.”

“Could her trip wait until I leave?” Sadie asked.

“No. Trust me. When her mother calls, Carla needs to go. It gets her out of the country life and back into more of an urban setting for a while. I think she’d be happier if we lived in the city. She’s never much cared for the ranch life.”

Sadie frowned. “I thought you two were happy living here?”

“I’m happy. Carla, not so much.” Fin ruffled Sadie’s hair like he had so many times when they were kids. “She’ll get over it. The main thing is that you take time to unwind and relax. Your schedule has been insane.” When Carla’s car horn blared, Fin grimaced. “I’ll be right back.” He carried the big suitcase down the steps and loaded it into the back of the vehicle. He’d barely closed the hatch and backed away when Carla shifted into reverse and swung around. Without a kiss or a wave goodbye, she spun up gravel as she headed down the driveway.

Fin stood for a while watching his wife, a frown denting his brow. Then he turned to Sadie. “I’m going to take care of the animals before I call it a day.”

“We’ll help,” she offered.

“No need.” He waved, and started around the side of the house. “Just enjoy your time off. Sadie, you do enough by funding this place to keep it running.”