Page 8 of Thaw My Heart

“I’ve been dreaming of working on a ranch like this since I was a little girl.” Reaching into my leather satchel, I pull out a dozen newspaper clippings that I’ve collected about the ranch, spreading them out on his desk. “I’ve been a fan of this place for a while now.”

Surprise flashes across his face as he leans forward. “Well, I’ll be damned.” He grabs one of them, an article from The Silver Lake Gazette, naming Lone Pine as one of the last ranch giants in Montana. The last kingdom on the range.

“When I was young, I started collecting Farm & Cattle Magazines. Yours was always my favorite. No matter what life threw at you, drought, market swings, rivalries with other ranches, you always came out on top. Stronger. Better. The kind of resilience I admire.” The kind of resilience that inspired me to keep going.

Something sparkles in his blue eyes.

“This is the only place I want to be,” I confirm.

He sits back with a pleased expression on his face, eyes watery and bright. “That’s one hell of an interview. But… now please don’t take this the wrong way, Sadie. Ranching is hard work. Backbreaking. Perhaps you’d enjoy working in the kitchens or⁠—”

“I’m a terrible cook, and I don’t mind getting my hands dirty.” My childhood was spent making friends with animals on the farm, cleaning stalls, and working until my hands bled. But no matter how hard it was, how many tears I cried from exhaustion, it was the only place I ever felt safe.

“I’m not afraid of the work,” I add.

He nods with a smile. “Dalton,” he shouts, bringing in Blake in the next second. “Find a place for Miss Lane.”

“Really?” He’s hiring me? I can hardly believe it’s true. I’m smiling so hard my face hurts. “Oh, thank you.”

Cole smiles with a nod.

Blake clears his throat, staring at the floor. “Unfortunately, all the cabins are full for the season.”

Cole’s dark brows furrow for a moment, but then he smiles with an amused spark in his blue eyes. “There’s space next to my nephew. Put her there.”

Blake’s face turns pale. “But—are you sure?”

“Absolutely. She’s just what he needs.”

Blake chuckles. “If you say so.”

“Welcome to Lone Pine, Sadie.” Cole shakes my hand before walking out.

“What’s wrong with his nephew?” I turn to Blake at the door. Wondering why he laughed at the thought of me living next door to his nephew. Not that it really matters. I’ll sleep in a tent for this job if I have to.

“Nothing. Not medically, at least. Kit’s just… well, he’s not going to be too happy about this,” Blake replies with a laugh.

The name Kit vaguely rings a bell… I think I saw a photo of him in the newspaper last year. A PR article about the good charity of Lone Pine Ranch, giving back to the community in need. At the time, I thought he was handsome, with the most striking blue eyes I’d ever seen. Eyes that faintly resembled Cole’s.

And it looks like he’s my new neighbor.

Present Day…

In the last three days, pretty much everyone in town has introduced themselves to me, and nearly every man has offered to buy me a drink. Which, to be honest, is nothing new. I’m used to getting attention, but the selection of men here is quite different from the other small towns I’ve frequented. Especially the men I work with on the ranch.

But my frustrating neighbor Kit Harlow is the only one I can’t pin down.

He’s perhaps the grumpiest man I’ve ever met, and the kind of handsome that looks like he walked straight out of a magazine. Which, for me, he kind of did, except the photos are nothing like the real thing. He’s probably close to six foot five, with broad shoulders, a strong set jaw with dark stubble, and dark brown hair that always looks perfectly windswept when it’s not hidden underneath his ballcap.

From the moment I looked into his mesmerizing blue eyes, I knew he was going to be trouble. Except looking at Kit was like looking out at the horizon at the edge of a cliff. His eyes enthrall you to take a step towards the view, but step too far, and you’ll land on the sharp rocks below.

He didn’t like it when I greeted him every morning or shouted “Goodnight, Cowboy,” as he stood up in a huff from his porch and retreated inside every night… but I couldn’t stop doing it. Flirting and annoying Kit made me feel at ease, and I’ve been on edge the past few days.

When I arrived in Aspen Hollow, it was more rural than I expected, with this old-timey feel and small-town charm I’ve only read about in books. The streets are lined with silver ornamental streetlights, each with a red bow tied around it. Lush pine and aspen trees line the walkways, all leading to an incredible view of Silver Lake surrounded by endless forests and mountains. It seems like the happiest and most surreal town in all of Montana.

But when the sun goes down, it’s darker out here than I anticipated. Even the smallest of noises has me jumping to grab my handgun from my purse.

A defense mechanism I’ve needed for the last year, in case my ex-husband ever found me.