Wild Highway: Runaway Series - Book 2 Read online

  “Good,” she said. “I wanted to call and make sure it came through and you didn’t have any questions on the buy-sell.”

  “Seems straightforward.” The sellers had accepted my offer with a few reasonable contingencies. Which meant it was time to tell my family what I’d been doing and hope they didn’t freak the hell out that I’d done it behind their backs. “I’ll get it signed today and sent back.”

  “Sounds good. Thanks, Easton. And congratulations.”

  “Thanks.” I hung up and read the agreement in detail.

  The door to my office opened and I glanced up, expecting Rory.

  But it was Gemma leaning against the frame. “So this is where you’re hiding?”

  I frowned. “Where is your coat?”

  “This is my coat.” She gestured to the black leather jacket she’d worn to my house. It wasn’t thick enough or warm enough for the weather.

  “Here.” I stood up and took a flannel off the hooks. It would be too big for her, but at least it would add another layer of warmth.

  “Is this your way of telling me to get out?” She arched an eyebrow as I handed her the flannel.

  “No.” My head was still a mess when it came to her and work hadn’t helped, but I wouldn’t chase her away. She looked too beautiful, her cheeks rosy from the chill outside, and her lips a darker shade of natural pink from my kisses last night.

  She came into the office, closing the door behind her and took the chair opposite my desk. “You left without waking me this morning.”

  “Is that why you’re here?”

  “Yes.” She took a deep breath. “I owe you another apology for last night. I unloaded a lot on you and I’m sorry. I hate that you saw me cry.”

  This woman. She pretended to have it all together. Except no one did. When would she realize she didn’t need to pretend for me?

  “It’s fine, Gemma.”

  “It’s really not. I apologize for the drama.” She folded her hands in her lap, keeping her expression neutral and her posture poised. Her hair was styled, curled in loose waves that fell over her shoulders and down her back. Her eyes were lined with black and shaded with a soft glimmer.

  She looked gorgeous this morning. Chic.

  Guarded.

  Goddamn it. She really was driving me fucking insane. I shook my head, annoyed and frustrated. “Don’t. Just . . . stop.”

  “Stop what?”

  “Stop apologizing,” I barked. “I don’t want a fucking apology.”

  “Never mind.” She held up her hands and stood from the chair, leaving the flannel draped over the arm. “I’ll let you get back to work. Clearly, I’m bothering you.”

  She was two steps out the door when I shot out of my chair and chased her down.

  “Oh no, you don’t.” I gripped her elbow and spun her to face me. “You don’t get to run away from me.”

  “You just snapped at me.” She threw an arm toward the office. “I’m not running away. I’m letting you cool off.”

  “Well, I don’t want to cool off. I don’t give a damn about the drama. For once, it was nice to see you. The real you without all of”—I flung my wrist, motioning up and down her body—“this.”

  “Clothes? Pretty sure you saw me without all my clothes last night.”

  “No.” I frowned. “With the armor.”

  “Oh.”

  “Be real with me.” I inched closer, bringing my hands to her shoulders. “If no one else, be real with me.”

  She dropped her gaze. “I don’t know how.”

  “Yes, you do.” I hooked a finger under her chin, tipping it up. “You were last night.”

  “That was me having a breakdown, then practically begging you to take me to bed. And this morning, I woke up alone. Not that I blame you for sneaking out. If I were you, I wouldn’t want to deal with my mess either.”

  “Now hold up. Me leaving this morning had nothing to do with you crying last night.” She’d been all too tempting naked in that bed. The reason I’d left was definitely not because she’d let her guard down.

  “Sure,” she said, dryly.

  “It’s the truth. I left this morning because I’m doing my best to keep some distance from you, Gemma.”

  Another woman might have gotten pissed at me for that comment. But not Gemma. Her eyes softened and the tension in her shoulders fell away. “Can I make another confession?”

  I nodded.

  “You make me feel things.”

  “You told me last night. Isn’t that what you wanted?”

  “Yes,” she whispered. “But that doesn’t make it any less terrifying.”

  She had nothing to fear when it came to me. There wasn’t a thing she could do that would make me think less of her, make me judge her or make me dislike her.

  Except leave again without a goodbye.

  “Can I make a confession?”

  She nodded. “Yes.”

  “I’m scared to get too close to you because I know you’re eventually going to leave.” It was only a matter of time.

  “Where does that leave us?” she asked, not denying what we both knew was the inevitable.

  I shrugged. “I don’t have a damn clue. I wish I could say I’d steer clear of you and that cabin and we could call this thing quits. But I won’t.”

  “I don’t want you to steer clear of me and the cabin, and I don’t want to call this quits. What if we kept things casual?”

  “Great theory. But you have to know that the minute my mother or my grandmother sees us paired together, casual is out the window.”

  I wouldn’t put it past Grandma to move Gemma into my house, making up some bullshit excuse that the cabin was too cold or too isolated or too small for a single woman in the winter.

  “Then let’s keep it between us,” she said. “Except I already told Katherine.”

  “She’s the only person on this ranch who can keep a secret.”

  “Then it’s settled.” Gemma winked, then took a step away. “See you around.”

  “What?” I tried to catch her but she was already moving backward. “You’re leaving?”

  “Aren’t you working?”

  “Yeah.” But I didn’t want her to go. It was Saturday and instead of sitting behind my desk, I wanted to spend some time with her. “Come with me. I want to show you something.”

  She gave me a curious glance, but when I turned and marched to the office to get my truck keys, coat and her flannel, she followed.

  Gemma played along, not peppering me with questions as I escorted her to my truck. She sat quietly in the passenger seat, her expression relaxed as we drove away from the stables and to the soon-to-be site of the Greer Ranch’s latest expansion.

  When I pulled over to the edge of the gravel road that ran the length of the new property, she looked around and asked, “What am I looking at?”

  “See that right there?” I pointed to the open field out her window and the large barn in the distance. “I just bought it.”

  “Nice. This is a pretty spot.”

  Pretty and the setup for the facility was perfect with the flat, wide fields. “My Realtor called me right before you came into the office and told me the buyers accepted my offer. You’re the first person I’ve told.”

  “Lucky timing on my part.”

  “No, not just today,” I corrected. “At all. I didn’t tell anyone I was putting in an offer.”

  Her eyes widened. “No one?”

  “Nope.”

  The magnitude of what I’d done settled on my shoulders. I’d been so desperate to make a decision without debate or counsel that I’d bought land in secret. My plan was to use the ranch’s capital reserves to pay the three-point-one-million-dollar price tag. The money was there and at my discretion. But I should have told my family before making this big a commitment.

  Shit. What did that say about my trust in them? Maybe the reason they questioned my decisions and stayed so in the loop was because they feared I’d shut them
out.

  Which, ironically, I had.

  “Was that stupid?” I asked Gemma.

  “What will you use it for?”

  “I want to expand the horse operation. We’re known around the area for our stock. We have some of the best genetics but mostly, we have skill. Cash is one of the best horse trainers around. He’s wasted on guest activities.”

  A smile tugged at her mouth. “So you bought this place for your brother?”

  “Partly. And because my gut says it will be a success. Worst case, we use the land for more pasture and expand our cattle operation.”

  “You did your homework?”

  “I did.” I had profit and loss projections at my home office and every worst-case scenario plotted out.

  “Then no. I don’t think this was stupid.” She turned to the window again, surveying the frozen ground.

  The ice crystals clung to the flaxen grass, reflecting the bright morning sun. The sky stretched powder blue above us, wrapping around the snow-capped mountains rising up around us.

  And Gemma seemed to soak it all in. She seemed at ease this morning. She looked comfortable in that seat, wearing my flannel and not minding the smell of dirt and hay that, no matter how many times I cleaned this truck, was permanent.

  I’d seen plenty of people come and go from the ranch. It was easy to pick out the guests who’d return on another vacation. Because Montana’s rugged and raw landscape called to something deeper in their soul.

  They’d found peace here.

  It wasn’t for everyone but it was in Gemma. How could she not know that she fit here?

  Maybe she needed more time. Maybe she needed to see more than the lodge and the cabin.

  “What are you doing today?” I asked.

  “Nothing much. Why?”

  I grinned. “Because I’m going to put you to work.”

  * * *

  “Oh, sweet Jesus, that stinks.” Gemma gagged and plugged her nose. “I’m never eating eggs again.”

  I chuckled and placed another two eggs in the bucket she was carrying. “When I was a kid, Mom’s favorite punishment was to make us clean out the chicken coop. I always made sure I was on my best behavior when it had been a couple of months between cleanings.”

  “I don’t think I like chickens.” She gave one of the hens perched a sideways glance. “How do I get the eggs from under her butt?”

  “Just reach in there and take them.”

  “You do it.”

  “Don’t be scared. Just brush her aside. She’ll move.”

  “I can’t. Please don’t make me.” Gemma turned her eyes up to me, those hazel orbs melting me into oblivion. How was I supposed to say no to that face?

  “Fine.” I moved the hen aside, sending her fluttering to the floor and took the eggs.

  “Is that it?” Before I had a chance to agree, Gemma ducked out the door.

  I shook my head, a smile on my face, and walked out to catch her.

  The two of us had spent the morning working together. First, we’d driven to one of the pastures where we’d recently moved a group of about two hundred cows. We drove through, checking on them and looking for any that might be injured. Then we’d circled through an empty meadow that would be next on the rotation, making sure the fence was in good shape.

  From there, I’d taken her to one of my favorite places on the ranch—the thousand acres situated directly behind my house.

  I’d told her we were checking another section of fence when really, I’d just wanted to spend more time with her peaceful smile as we drove. To listen as she talked to me about nothing. To smell her perfume in my truck.

  We’d returned to the lodge to grab a sandwich from the kitchen for lunch and had been halfway through eating when Mom had called to ask if I could gather the eggs from her chickens. She and Grandma had taken a spur-of-the-moment trip to Missoula to spend the day shopping. So Gemma and I had driven to Mom and Dad’s place and I’d introduced Gemma to Mom’s favorite animals.

  “What’s next?” Gemma asked after we put the egg basket inside the house where Mom would wash the eggs later.

  A warmth spread through my chest that she hadn’t asked for me to take her to the Cadillac at the stables. With every job we finished, she was eager for the next. “I was—”

  A vehicle door slammed, and I turned away from Gemma, seeing Dad and Granddad climbing out of the truck parked next to mine.

  “Hey, guys.” Dad waved. “What are you up to?”

  “Mom called and asked if we’d gather the eggs. She and Grandma went shopping in Missoula.”

  “Uh-oh.” Dad fished his phone from his pocket and glanced at the screen. “Three missed calls. Guess that means I’d better buzz into the grocery store and have flowers waiting when she gets home.”

  Mom didn’t need flowers. She wasn’t the type to get spun up about him not answering his phone. He’d buy her flowers simply because it would make her smile.

  “Coffee first.” Granddad started up the steps to the front door, his silver travel mug in hand. “I need a refill. Later on, Easton, we need to talk about calving. Time to get a plan together.”

  “I have a plan.” A detailed plan that outlined staff who’d take the daytime and night rotations to ensure we didn’t lose any animals.

  “Since when?” He paused on the step. “News to me.”

  “Me too.” Dad nodded.

  “Because you’re retired. You’re both retired.” I blew out a long breath and fought to keep my cool. A fight would only ruin the good mood I’d had from a day with Gemma. “I respect you both and your opinions, you know that. I’m grateful that I have a chance to build on your success. Seven years ago, you put me in charge of this ranch. Please, trust me to do my job.”

  Granddad’s face hardened and he opened his mouth, but Dad held up a hand and shot him a look to keep quiet. “You’re doing a fine job, son. But it’s hard to let go. You’ll learn that one day.”

  “Understandable.”

  Dad nodded and followed as Granddad continued up the steps.

  “Wait,” I called. “If you have a minute, there’s something I’d like to talk to you both about.”

  “We’ve got time. Come on in.” Dad motioned me inside as he and Granddad disappeared inside.

  “I’ll wait in the truck,” Gemma said. “Take your time.”

  “No. You should come in. I want you there when I tell them about the property.” Maybe with her there, they wouldn’t disown me. Yet.

  “Are you sure? This seems like family business.”

  She fit into the family, something else I doubted she realized. Besides, it had been her advice to cut them both some slack. And I needed to do a better job of expressing my frustration. I needed to explain in a way they’d hear how I was feeling. Not exactly easy for a guy like me.

  Arguing with Dad and Granddad had always been easier than the heart-to-hearts.

  “I’m sure. Unless it would make you uncomfortable.”

  “Not at all.” She gave me a reassuring smile and followed me inside. Then she sat at Mom and Dad’s kitchen island, pride gleaming in her eyes, as I told my father and grandfather about the land I’d bought and explained my vision for the ranch.

  I shocked the hell out of them.

  Then they’d shocked the hell out of me.

  They’d agreed it was the right opportunity for Cash and that the price for that chunk of land was too good to pass up. By the time we all walked outside—Gemma and me to drive to the stables to get her car while Dad took Granddad home, then went to buy Mom flowers—they were as excited about the expansion as I was.

  And tonight, all three of us would tell Cash together.

  I opened Gemma’s door, holding it for her as she climbed inside, then waved to Dad and reversed my truck out of his driveway.

  Gemma pulled her lips together, unsuccessfully hiding a smile as we drove toward the stables.

  “Just say it.”

  She let loose that smile, s
tealing my breath and the last piece of my heart. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

  Chapter Twelve

  Easton

  “Oof,” Gemma grunted.

  I popped my head out the stall door to see what was happening. She had a bale lifted by the twine and was attempting to heft it toward Sprite’s feeder. “Want some help?”

  “No.” She shot me a warning glare. “I can do this myself.”

  I held up my hands, chuckling as she shuffled across the floor.

  A month ago, she could barely lift the bales an inch. Those square bales were little compared to the ones we used for the cattle. These we kept stocked in the loft for the horses when they weren’t out to pasture. They weighed about seventy-five pounds and moving them around by the thin, red baling twine wasn’t easy. But she’d been working with me every weekend in the stables and was becoming quite the hand.

  Gemma’s arms had grown stronger, so had her legs and her core. I knew because I’d seen the definition in her muscles sharpen on the nights I’d spent in her bed at the cabin.

  When she had the bale in place, a proud smile stretched across her face as she took the Leatherman I’d lent her this morning from her pocket and cut the twine. Then she went about putting the hay in Sprite’s feeder before taking a chunk to Pepsi’s empty stall.

  I’d let her do the feeding while I’d mucked out a few stalls, a job that I hadn’t done in years because I’d hired hands to do it instead. But I’d let Rory go with some of the guys this morning instead of working in the stables. He was out helping prep for the afternoon wagon ride.

  Over the past month, he’d spent a lot of Saturdays out with the other staffers. Not only because it gave him more exposure to other tasks, but because it allowed me the chance to work alone with Gemma.

  If time with her meant mucking stalls, I’d called it a win.

  Thanksgiving was approaching and the resort was at maximum occupancy. Mostly, we catered to hunting parties, but we had some guests who’d come here for a week getaway. We offered wagon rides where they could get a look at the Montana scenery while drinking cocoa or spiked cider. We had families flying in soon who’d stay here through the holiday, enjoying the lodge and the chalets and the renowned chef’s food spread.