The phone rang, and she grabbed it. “Hello?”

“Vicki Hansol?”

“Yes.”

“Mark Orson at Orson’s Hardware. You put in an application for the position in the stockroom.”

Vicki straightened, even though the instinctive move was invisible. “Yes, sir. I’m looking for full-time hours. I have a recommendation from my—”

“Skip it. My manager was in the café yesterday right before you got your walking papers.”

Shit. Bubbles burst even before the job offer was on the table. “I see. Well, thank you for calling.”

The man’s laugh broke over the line. “Slow down, girl. I’m not brushing you off. In fact, from what Davis told me about the situation, I like your spunk. If you’re a hard worker, I can use you. It’s minimum wage to start, salary increases quarterly if things work out. Two-week trial, though, to make sure you fit in with the boys.”

Vicki clutched the phone in shock. “Really? I mean, that would be fabulous. When do you want me to start?”

“Come in Monday at seven a.m. I’ll get you to fill in the paperwork, and you can pull a shift.” Mark paused for a minute. “You’ll be working with a full crew of guys. Can you handle that?”

Since Eric didn’t work there, she figured she’d be okay. “No problem.”

She crossed her fingers she wasn’t lying through her teeth.

“I’ll find a spare coverall for you to wear. My daughter used to work in the shop before she moved away, and I think she left a couple around.”

“Thank you.”

Vicki hung up somewhat in shock. Only one-day unemployed and back into the swing of things. Stocking shelves was far safer as well. Sherry had been right. Eric was at the café all the time. He’d never pop his head into a hardware and seed shop. Probably had fancy mechanics and other flunkies to do his manual labour.

The world looked a tiny bit brighter. She slipped to the wall calendar and added a couple notes. October stretched before her, and the happy little image of a cartoon turkey decorating Thanksgiving Day mocked her.

Should she try to get together with her family, or was that asking for more heartache?

The thumbtack holding the calendar to the wall nudged loose and everything fell to the floor, the pages flipping like some fancy art shot in a movie, and Vicki stilled. Months spinning past. Her life whirling away, minimum wage and dead-end jobs. Tossing her fists every time someone made a comment about her family.

Was that all she had to look forward to?

God, she was an emotional mess today. She hauled open the fridge and grabbed a Coke, plopping down on the edge of the mattress harder than she should. When the creaking settled, she glanced around, shaking her head in frustration.

Tiny apartment. A small pile of clothing. Her motorbike—so little to show for her life so far. Not even a high school diploma.

Nothing but her pride, and lately even that kept taking a bruising.

And yet…

She’d made a difference when it counted the most. She nabbed the picture frame from beside the bed, the one showcasing her middle sister. Lynn’s innocent smile shone out with unmarred joy.

You were strong enough to do what’s right. The words whispered through her head.

She just had to believe it.

The phone rang, and she snatched it up, panicked for a moment that Mark had changed his mind. “Hello?”

“Hi, Vicki, it’s Karen Coleman. You got a minute?”

Well now, this was unexpected. Karen belonged to another of the local Coleman clans—the Whiskey Creek side. The woman had gone to school with Vicki’s oldest sister. Vicki swung to vertical so she was seated comfortably and listened carefully. “No problem. What’s up?”

“I’ve got a far-out idea, and I want to run it past you. Remember when you helped at that kids’ camp a couple years ago? You were the chef’s assistant, right?”

A shiver shook Vicki as memories swept in, but somehow she kept her voice steady. “Yeah?”

“I’m trying to organize something for next summer, and I thought of you. It’s not set in stone yet, but if things work out the way I hope, I’ll be running weeklong camps in the Willmore Wilderness Park. I’m coordinating the horses and wranglers, all that side. My partner has already got a head cook lined up, but he’ll need help. I thought of you.”

Two job offers in one day? Maybe life was taking a turn for the better.

“When would it start?”

“First trips with customers begin the May long weekend. We’d get together early in the month to make sure things are in place, then you’d work in shifts through the summer. I’ve got a friend who has an on-site camp you could move to on your days off. It’s a pretty transient job, but I figured you might enjoy the change of pace. Plus, you get to ride horses to the job site and out—fun stuff.”

Elation at the idea of getting the hell out of Rocky mixed with instant terror as Vicki heard she would have to ride.

God, how was it possible to simultaneously feel two conflicting emotions like this? She’d love to move away. She’d love the cooking. The rest of it? Not so much.

Her mouth had gone dry with fear. “When will you know details?”

“I hope to have all the contracts in place by early January. I figure that would give you enough warning. And Vicki? The dude ranch I’m coordinating with always seems to need a new full-time assistant-chef come the fall. If they like what they see over the summer, there’s a chance they’d hire you full time for the winter season.”

The trap caging her in edged open a crack.

Vicki ignored the potential trouble screaming at her and focused on the good points, allowing herself to hope. “It sounds wonderful. Thank you for thinking of me.”

“You’re a good kid. Got lots of compliments when you did the camp. I remember hearing that.”

Karen obviously didn’t hear any of the other details Vicki had fought to keep under wraps, which was a good thing. “Let me know what you need. If I can help out at all beforehand.”

Karen agreed to stay in touch and left Vicki with her head buzzing with possibilities.

The future had just changed. A way out of Rocky, and away from harsh memories. Only…trail rides?

A shiver shook her entire body. Horses. Damn it.

Why’d she have to be the only girl on the planet who was afraid of the silly beasts?


Something hard hit his shoulder, dragging Joel’s attention from the saddle he was fixing. “What the hell?”

Jesse stalked toward him. He kicked aside the dustpan he’d thrown before putting the stiff bristles of a push broom to the floor and raising dust. “You’re in dreamland. Get your act together. I want to leave in the next couple of hours.”

Ah, damn. He’d forgotten about Jesse’s grand plans. “I’m not going.”

His twin pulled to a halt in mid-sweep. “You got a better idea?”

Joel shrugged. “I figured I’d head to Traders.”

Jesse damn near rolled his eyes. “We can see the family every fucking week if we want. Traders Pub is old and boring. This is new people, new faces…new women.”

God, he was so not interested. Plus, he wasn’t going to let Jesse get away with that kind of bullshit. “Family is not a problem to hang with, and you know it.”

“They’re falling like flies, man. I’m not ready to settle down.”

Joel laughed out loud at the panic in his twin’s voice even as he wondered at the huge leap in logic Jesse had taken.

“Settle down? Good grief, what are you talking about?” Joel hung up the saddle and turned to his brother. “No one expects you to get hitched.”

“But look at them all.” Jesse lifted his finger and pointed in a general circle around them. “The three oldest in the family are done for. Daniel’s got the three boys now, and Blake and Jaxi are expecting their third. Matt and Hope are planning a winter wedding. You know Ma’s gonna start plotting things for Travis and us soon. She wants all her boys hooked up and happy.”

“Doesn’t mean anything.” Joel smacked Jesse on the shoulder. “You seriously think she wants us to get married? Hell, no. The way she carried on when we moved across the road into the trailer was bad enough.”

Jesse snorted. “Still miss the three square meals a day we got when we lived at home.”

“Bullshit on that as well,” Joel called over his shoulder as he headed toward the other end of the barn to finish his chores. “You’re mooching at least two meals a day from her, so don’t go trying to sound as if you’re hard done by and starving.”

Joel measured out oats for each of the horses, taking his time and enjoying their easy movements as they crowded toward the front of their stalls and waited. Comfortable with him, with his step and body language. The newer animals were stabled separately, but these were the family’s usual rides—steady and consistent. Happy to be brought out to check fence lines or wander through the cattle, although with the distances involved on the ranch, often the horses rested while the boys used quads or trucks.

There was something special about having the horses available, though. Joel bumped his gelding’s head aside with his torso. “Move your fat head out of the way.”

He’d barely tipped the bucket upright when Trigger retaliated, nose against Joel’s side to push him off his feet.

Joel laughed as he caught his balance. “Mischief maker.”

If a horse could grin?

Trigger snorted before lowering his head and concentrating on more important things like demolishing his dinner.

Jesse stuck his head around the doorframe. “You serious about not joining us?”

“Serious as shit.” Joel moved steadily. He was nearly done his to-do list and eager to get to the end of it. “Go on. I bought beer. You can grab the case from my truck. You and Travis have a blast, and tell me about it later.”

“Your loss.” Jesse paused. “Hey, but thanks for the brewskies. I’ll be back sometime on Sunday if things go well.”

Joel strolled through his remaining chores, a strange peace hovering over him at having no frantic plans for the weekend. He wandered outside in time to catch his oldest brother Blake parking one of the tractors in the common equipment yard between the two main Six Pack ranch houses.

Blake nodded as he swung down, closing the door behind him. “You have a good day of it?”

“As always.”

Blake took off his cowboy hat and wiped his brow with his sleeve. “Yeah, you pretty much always have a good time, don’t you? You and Jesse coming to Traders tonight?”

“I’ll be there. Jesse’s got other plans, Travis as well.”

His oldest brother grinned. “Trouble as usual—that much is also consistent. Make sure those two remember they’re expected to stick around for Thanksgiving next weekend, okay? No wild getaways, just a nice quiet day with the family.”

“Quiet?” Joel laughed. “Hell, what rock are you living under? The last family get-together the kids were loud enough to raise the dead.”

“My sweet angels? Nahh.” Blake dropped an arm around Joel’s shoulder as they walked to his truck. “It’s all Daniel’s boys. Bunch of hoodlums, just like their uncles.”

Blake left him with a hearty pat on the back, his big brother whistling as he headed into the trees and the short path that led to his house on the other side of the coulee. Joel paused in the middle of starting the engine, suddenly struck by something. Blake was marching home to his wife and two little girls.

His brother’s wife Jaxi had been one of Joel’s playmates growing up, and while having her in the family felt right, there were still times he had to flip his brain back into gear. It was proper to have her around, but she wasn’t just someone who’d always been there, she and Blake were married. Lovers. Now parents. They had a family of their own, and everything that went with it.

Maybe that was part of where this weird sensation was coming from. Jesse could protest until the cows came home he didn’t want to settle down yet. Joel was online with that sentiment as well.

Only having someone special to spend time with? It wasn’t an unwelcome idea. After years of casual dating and lots of fun, what was wrong with wanting to move to the next stage and have a steady girlfriend for a while?

It was damn crazy, though, how the first image in his brain was of Vicki Hansol. Not the wild child he’d heard gossiped about all over town for so long, but as he’d seen her the previous day after she’d been sacked.

Kind of lost and alone looking. Fragile, even. None of the tough girl left, just someone who needed a helping hand. And if his daddy had taught them anything in the Coleman clan? Taking care of women and helping them was important.