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Rose closed her eyes and lifted her face to the sun, allowing herself to feel a small degree of peace. She just had to keep reminding herself that she had something to be grateful for.
She had a job.
Her family supported her.
And she was healthy. She needed to make the most of her situation and stop dwelling on the past.
Boy, was that easier said than done.
Rose fell back into the grass, her eyes remaining closed against the streaks of light that bled through the branches overhead. One day at a time.
Ethan had one thing right, and it was something she tried to emulate in her own paintings—this place could be soothing if she allowed it to be. The breeze carried with it the smell of mint and lavender that grew somewhere nearby. The rustling of the leaves in the trees whispered secrets that this land had kept from all human life.
Even the critters that scurried about seemed to have moments to spare and enjoy the sights and sounds of living in Montana.
One day at a time, she repeated to herself once more.
A twig snapped somewhere, and her eyes flew open. She shot up and her eyes darted this way and that. The branch breaking wasn’t a small one. It didn’t sound like a small creature—no, this one sounded bigger.
Rose’s heart thundered as once again she let her gaze sweep through the trees and grass that surrounded her. There was still time to take off running toward the house and the barn. Worst-case scenario, there was a coyote somewhere nearby.
But if that were the case, she would have seen signs of one, right?
CHAPTER TWO
If there was one thing Mike didn’t want anyone to know, it was just how obsessed he’d been with the Reese family. Once upon a time, he’d thought he had feelings for Katrina, but he’d quickly realized that he’d been in love with the idea of being part of their family.
Embarrassingly enough, Mike had simply wanted to have what they had. Their land. Their success. Their money. And yes, their family unit.
He didn’t share much of his own childhood details with anyone. They weren’t the sort of memories that needed to be told. Ethan Boone was about as close as he’d gotten to the Reese family. Every summer that Ethan came to visit was one full of good memories. He was the only one who hadn’t judged Mike as a child. The Reese family only tolerated him. They didn’t verbalize how they felt, but Mike knew deep down they wanted to keep their distance—hence the reason he hadn’t been invited to the family’s party.
Mike perched on a tall branch of a tree that overlooked the property. What would the Reese family do if he were to crash that party? Probably nothing. He was working for them. They’d probably just tolerate his presence because that was the kind of people they were.
A lone figure caught his attention, hurrying up the hill toward the trees where he had found his own solitude after a long day’s work. His eyes narrowed, focusing on the familiar woman who had crested the hill.
Rose Boone.
He shifted where he sat. She’d grown up so much. Her blonde hair was longer now, done up in loose curls. If he had to guess, her eyes were as bright blue as ever. He knew the Boones were now permanent residents of Rocky Ridge, though he hadn’t crossed paths with them as of yet. Ethan had even seemed to keep his distance the handful of times Mike had worked a shift.
Mike adjusted his hold on a branch once more as he attempted to get a better look at her. She was upset. The branch where he sat cracked under his weight. Rose sat up with a gasp and glanced at her surroundings.
He held his breath. If he showed himself, she would probably assume he was spying on her. That was the last thing he wanted. Already it had been hard coming back after the way he’d left.
No one trusted him—and they probably shouldn’t.
He shut his eyes tight against the guilt that had plagued him since his arrival. He shouldn’t have resorted to theft again, but there had been extenuating circumstances.
Mike shook his head and turned his attention back to Rose. She’d risen to her feet and her back was to the barn below. It appeared as though she was thinking about running.
Without thinking, Mike jumped down from the tree, landing with a thud on the ground.
Rose yelped, jumping and running a few paces before she realized she wasn’t in danger. “Mike! Mike Anderson? What are you doing here?”
“Me?” he demanded as he stood. “I work here. What are you doing up here? Isn’t there a party that you should be attending? I’m sure there are several people missing you by now.”
Even he could hear the cold tone in his voice. Apparently, he hadn’t gotten over feeling like he didn’t really belong here.
Mike shoved his hands into his pockets and jerked his chin toward the barn. “I don’t think they want you just wandering around their property.”
