Expose: Jaxson E-Book

Willow Fox

• Herausgeber: Slow Burn Publishing
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

Could I trust a former special forces soldier or would he betray me? I owed him my life, but did I owe him my heart?

There was a bounty on my head. I fled with only one thought in mind: survival.

I bought a cabin, sight unseen, in the wilderness. It came with quite a few surprises including a handsome stranger next door, Jaxson Monroe.

He also happens to be my own personal hero, saving my life. It’s complicated and I don’t want to disappoint him, but he wants to know why I’ve moved here. If I tell him the truth, he will never want to see me again. I’m not the sweet innocent girl he thinks I am.

Expose: Jaxson is a small town contemporary romance featuring a grumpy single dad and is book one of the Eagle Tactical series. The book ends with a HFN (happily for now) and a guaranteed series HEA (happily ever after).

Leseprobe

EXPOSE: JAXSON

EAGLE TACTICAL BOOK ONE

WILLOW FOX

Expose: Jaxson

Eagle Tactical Book One

Willow Fox

Published by Slow Burn Publishing

© 2021

Cover by GetCovers

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

CONTENTS

About this Book

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Epilogue

Giveaways, Free Books, and More Goodies!

About the Author

Also by Willow Fox

ABOUT THIS BOOK

A man ruined me once. I won’t allow it to happen again.

There’s a reason I decided to move all the way to Breckenridge, Montana, and it’s not because it’s been on my bucket list.

Neither is driving across the country in the dead of winter for that matter. Or having my car give up on me. Or getting frostbite as I trudge up a mountain in heels.

But all of the above happens.

And guess who saves the day.

Jaxson.

Former special forces. Single father of one. Professional background checker.

I’m sure he means well—and I definitely need that generator he promised me to make my brand-new cabin livable—but that’s all this is.

He’s just a friendly acquaintance. A polite neighbor. A nice man on the street.

I’m not supposed to get close to him. I’m not supposed to meet his daughter. And I’m certainly not supposed to share with him anything about my recent past.

What’s buried there needs to stay buried.

And I’ll bury my feelings for Jaxson right next to it if I have to.

Expose: Jaxson is book one of the Eagle Tactical series. Jaxson and Ariella’s small town romance ends with a HFN (happily for now) and a guaranteed series HEA (happily ever after).

CHAPTERONE

Ariella

I ran for my life, and it was all his fault. Secrets had brought me over a thousand miles from home. I fled with only one thought in mind: a second chance. Starting over was my only option for survival.

I squinted through my sunglasses, shucking them to the empty passenger seat, finding it difficult to see. My vision adjusted, but the night was setting in fast as daylight fell over the horizon.

I struggled to see the narrow, snow-covered road ahead.

The streets at the bottom of the mountain had been freshly plowed and salted. The headlights on my five-speed were angled at odd intervals, casting shadows over the road covered in potholes beneath the slush.

The car jolted and bounced with my foot on the gas, splashing my scalding, stale coffee from the cup holder.

My eyes burned and welled.

“Shit!”

Tears threatened the surface, but I wouldn’t cry. It wasn’t the sting of blistering liquid that hurt. I’d done this to myself. I blamed him, but it was as much my fault.

Secrets surrounded my past. Benjamin Ryan had been part of those secrets, but there was more than even he knew. There were secrets I could never tell him, even as he was whisked away in handcuffs.

I packed my car with my possessions and hurried out of the state of New York. Of course, not before finding a small log cabin in the woods that I could afford in cash, sight unseen.

I also lined up a job interview at a nearby resort, but there was no guarantee of landing a position right away. My last one had ruined my life, and I couldn’t even put it on my resume.

I’d have to be frugal with the few dollars left to my name, which consisted of a few ones in my wallet.

Was I bitter?

Sure as shit, but I moved on, started over, and prayed for a second chance. A fresh start is what I did, what I craved, and the only way to get that was to move.

I went back to using my maiden name: Ariella Cole. I wasn’t in hiding per se. After all, I had done nothing wrong or criminal.

I couldn’t say the same for him.

I didn’t want to get mixed up in his illegal affairs. 

I had planned on arriving at my new home before dark, but the interview had been in the afternoon at Blue Sky Resort, a ski lodge just outside of Breckenridge, Montana.

It was for a position covering other worker’s shifts, everything from waitressing at the restaurant to doing housekeeping tasks and handling the ski rental equipment. I’d take whatever I could get.

The interview had seemed to go well, and they had asked to run a background check. I wasn’t keen on it but I didn’t have a choice, so they’d see that my ex-husband, Ben, had run up our credit. They couldn’t deny me a job because of that, right?

He was serving time in federal prison for several felonies. That couldn’t count against me, right? 

When I’d left the resort, with my piping hot, burnt coffee, it had grown dark. The front desk attendant had given me directions since my phone died, and GPS was sketchy as to whether it worked in the mountains.

I headed for my new house, weary, tired, and worn after a lengthy interview and an even longer drive across the country. I wanted to discover my new home, climb into bed under the warm covers and sleep for a week.

The interviewer informed me they’d run my references, and I had to submit to a background check.

It sounded all good, and while I hoped the job was mine, there were no guarantees. They hadn’t offered me anything yet.

I downshifted my car, but I struggled to get up the mountain.

The bald tires spun as I white-knuckled the steering wheel. The back of the vehicle fishtailed.

I downshifted again and stomped on the gas to climb the godforsaken beast of a mountain when the car slipped and slid backward downhill.

“Shit!” I screamed and stomped on the brakes hard, which only had me doing donuts as I spun and slid down the icy path of the mountain. I would have braced for impact if I had known how, but I just wanted to survive. I needed to survive.

My stomach ached with dread. My palms were sweaty, and I clung to the steering wheel, attempting to maneuver my car out of danger.

I had no control over the vehicle, like it had a mind of its own.

The car spun and smacked into a tree. The window smashed. It wasn’t enough to stop the momentum from sliding down the mountain, and the back wheels skidded off the road.

By some miracle, the vehicle came to a halt. The back wheels teetered off the edge of a ravine.

The car’s front appeared stable, but would it propel me downward and into oblivion if I made any sudden movements?

I glanced in the rearview mirror.

It grew darker by the minute, and I couldn’t ascertain how far down the ditch went, but given the fact the entire drive up the mountain was switchbacks and dangerous, without a doubt, it was deadly.

Exhaling a soft, slow breath, I couldn’t stay in the car. I needed to get help.

I hadn’t seen a car on the road since I attempted to climb the damned mountain. Was there a reason for that? Did anyone live up in Breckenridge, or was I the only one crazy enough to head up there on the cusp of winter?

I probably should have traded my car in for a vehicle with all-wheel drive or a truck, but it wasn’t like I could afford it.

I was strapped for cash. I spent every dime on getting to Breckenridge and paying cash for the cabin I found on one of the realtor sites online.

The place looked like a gem, backed up to a gorgeous river, and within walking distance to a few local shops in town.

This had to mean I wasn’t the only one in Breckenridge, but they were smart enough not to travel at night up the mountain.

My phone was dead, and even if it had any juice left, I knew without a doubt there would be no cell service around here.

There had been no service at the bottom of the mountain. That had been when my phone still had a tiny amount of battery power.

Not that I didn’t have anyone to call. My sister would expect to hear from me, but we weren’t on the best speaking terms. She was pissed that I moved to Breckenridge instead of staying in New York with her.

I couldn’t stay. I had to get as far away from New York and the enemies we’d made.

I glanced behind me at my knapsack. I couldn’t risk reaching for it. Not until I was out of the car.

With slow precision, I unlocked the door and eased the driver’s side open. I made no sudden movements.

While I’d have preferred to stay in the confines of the car that offered shelter, it teetered on the edge of a ravine. I wasn’t ready to meet death.

The car creaked and groaned as I was careful to shift my weight from one foot and then the other out from the vehicle.

The vehicle didn’t launch off the cliff as I had first feared. I shivered and pulled my jacket tight.

I couldn’t easily open the back door from my position. The snow was several inches thick, and I had stuffed my boots in the trunk.

There was no way I could maneuver myself to grab my warm and comfy shoes. My fancy heels would have to suffice because I wasn’t going barefoot. That would be even stupider in this weather.

“Okay, I can do this,” I said to myself.

There wasn’t another soul on the road, and I didn’t even want to consider what wild animals like bears or wolves come out at night. I hadn’t the slightest idea if they were nocturnal. I hoped I didn’t run into any creatures because I had nothing but my hands to protect me, and well, I may as well just lie down and play dead.

Okay, so getting my bag from the backseat wasn’t as easy as I thought. I exhaled a nervous breath, my stomach in knots as I climbed back into the driver’s seat, reached for my knapsack in the back, along with my purse on the passenger seat.

I didn’t make any sudden movements, and I backed away from the car, shut the car door, shoved my purse into the bag, and swung it over my shoulder.

My hands shook from the cold and the adrenaline coursing through my veins. I dug into my pockets, retrieving a pair of leather driving gloves. They would have to suffice.

With daylight nearly gone, I headed for the main road of the mountain.

I kept to the center of the snow-covered path. I’d probably hear something long before I’d see anything, but I wasn’t holding my breath.

The moon offered the faintest bit of light to illuminate the snow-covered road.

I had no flashlight, and the darkness of night seeped in, which reminded me there wasn’t a town for miles because there were no city lights nearby.

I glanced up at the heavens, the frigid night air offering way to a sparkle of stars peppering the night sky. It would be a beautiful sight if it wasn’t so cold and I didn’t worry about freezing to death.

My lungs hurt from the cold. With each breath inward, a thousand knives were stabbing at my lungs.

With my jacket zipped up tight, I leaned my head down toward my coat. I needed to find shelter. With sundown, the night would only grow colder.

My hands trembled even with the warmth of my gloves. The edge of the road was difficult to see with no light. It seemed even more impossible to determine if there was any evidence of shelter.

I kept walking up the mountain. The only way I could tell I was headed in the correct direction was because the wind assaulted my face, and my footprints were evidence of where I’d been.

I could no longer see my car in the distance. The broken windows may have offered little shelter from the wind, but I could have been warmer had I stayed inside the vehicle. I could also have been catapulted down the ravine had I so much as shifted the car’s weight.

There was no use second-guessing my decision. I just hoped that the main road would lead off to a driveway, a house, a cabin, or some sign of civilization.

The chill of the cold brought tears to my eyes, freezing my eyelashes, stinging my cheeks. My hands were numb, and my knapsack offered no clothes. Frozen inside and out.

I stumbled over my feet.

My toes burned from the frigid air that assaulted every inch of my body. The sensation went beyond numb and tingling.

I tripped and braced myself as I hit hard-packed snow on the road, eating a mouthful. I spit out the contents as best I could.

My lips were numb, along with my cheeks.

I shivered and curled up in the fetal position in the middle of the snow-covered road. I buried my face away from the chill.

Shielding my cheeks from the cold, getting an ounce of warmth and a reprieve from the elements. I pulled my bag closer to protect me from the wind. I shut my eyes.

My body trembled, but I wasn’t cold. Not like I had been earlier. Numb. Nothing but emptiness, a cold and lonely existence stabbing at me.

CHAPTERTWO

Jaxson

I turned the satellite radio up. It was the only channels that came in within a hundred miles of Breckenridge.

We were literally in the middle of nowhere. Just the way I liked it. I’ve lived in Montana all my life, grew up in a small town a few hours from Breckenridge.

I cranked the music, letting it blare and taking a few minutes to myself after a long day visiting the next town over, I drove the main pass through to Breckenridge.

It was late. The road was not well-traveled, let alone between storms. While it wasn’t currently snowing, there were a few inches from the most recent storm.

I had no trouble with my truck getting up the mountain, and I had chains for my tires when the weather gave off a real bite.

I slowed on the main road, the mountain pass.

Catching sight of a small car tinkering on the edge of the ravine, I put my truck in park and left the engine to idle and the lights on.

I reached for a flashlight and stepped out. I pulled my coat on and zipped it, as the night air was chilly.

If someone needed my help, I wanted to be prepared.

“Hello? Anyone in there?” I called out toward the vehicle. The windows were smashed, and the lights were off. There weren’t any hazards flashing.

I shined my flashlight into the car. There was no sign of anyone inside. It was likely someone stopped by and picked up the driver.

Who in their right mind would drive that car up the mountain in winter?

It didn’t have to be a snowstorm to know that you needed four-wheel drive and chains to make it through the snow. That didn’t even consider when the rain washed out, the road or the ice storms made the road impassable.

I pointed my flashlight toward the ground.

There was a set of tracks, female footprints based on the heels and shoe size, and they headed for the main road. I shined the light farther down. The impressions continued, but my flashlight couldn’t be seen after the turn in the road, a switchback.

Sighing, I headed to the truck, climbed back in, and was grateful for the warmth of shelter. Hopefully, whoever broke down was already picked up and on their way to town.

I put the truck in drive and shined my brights.

With my foot on the gas, I crept my vehicle up the mountain pass, my eyes on the main road and on the footprints buried in the snow, following them up the mountain. I didn’t want to get distracted and miss if the person went off-trail.

Thankfully, she was smart enough to stay in the middle of the road.

I picked up speed a little, both antsy and worried. The last thing I wanted was someone to freeze to death because I took my time.

Another mile north and a figure lay in the road, dark, curled up, and not moving.

I left the car running.

It was a person, though I couldn’t tell from the distance if she was alive. I assumed it was a woman based on the shoes.

I stepped closer.

She lay shivering on the snow-packed road. The woman was curled up, a gray-green knapsack and her purple coat blocking any evidence of an actual person as she attempted to bury herself to keep warm.

I cleared my throat, not wanting to startle the woman.

She didn’t budge on my approach. That wasn’t a good sign.

“Hello,” I said and bent down, resting a hand on her back.

At least she was alive. Her body trembled against my hand. She was as cold as ice, and it was no wonder why.

I heard her try to speak, but I couldn’t make out her words.

“I’m Jaxson,” I said to her, trying to reassure the young woman that I didn’t intend to cause her any harm. “Can you stand?”

Her words were mumbled and incomprehensible.

“I’m going to pick you up and carry you to my truck,” I said.

She nodded slightly, and I breathed a sigh of relief that she was at least responsive, even if she was too cold to speak.

I scooped her up into my arms and carried her to my truck.

It only took a minute for me to open the passenger side door while holding her. I maneuvered her inside and hurried around to the driver’s side door. I climbed into the truck and blasted even more heat on her. I cranked the temperature up to thaw the poor woman.

She shivered in the front of my truck. She’d been careless abandoning her car, walking at night in the cold, alone.

I reached into the backseat for an extra blanket I kept on hand for emergencies. This qualified as an emergency.

I unfolded the thick blanket and covered her body to help her get warm.

We were too far from the nearest hospital for her to be evaluated for frostbite. That was a solid two-hour drive in pleasant weather, and it meant passing the other side of the mountain where the weather was unpredictable.

“How long were you out there?” I asked.

I unzipped my coat and pulled it off my shoulders. The car was already warm and too hot for me.

She didn’t seem to be overheated, so I left the thermostat alone and tried my best to make myself comfortable.

“A while,” she said.

It was the first time I could understand the words coming past her lips. The tremble in her voice had vanished. She was quiet, and her hands shook as she held them in front of the heater.

I was afraid to suggest for her to remove her gloves, concerned about frostbite.

“I’m Jaxson Monroe,” I said as I introduced myself to her again. She may not have heard me outside, or she did but didn’t respond.

“Ariella Cole.”

She smiled a bright and wide grin. Her cheeks were red, but at least they weren’t bruised or discolored from the cold.

It could have been colder outside had it been the thick of winter. She was lucky.

“How are you feeling?” I asked.

I had a million questions, and the longer I stared at her, the more I realized how beautiful she was, in a very much girl-next-door kind of way.

Except there were no girls next door, and the number of women in Breckenridge was too few for my liking.

Honestly, I only needed one woman to care for, cherish, and take care of for the rest of my life. Of course, it wasn’t that simple, nothing ever was.

Was it that I’d saved her made me want to protect her? No, I needed to protect her. I couldn’t explain the all-encompassing feeling.

“A little warmer,” she said as she glanced at me and gave me a faint smile. Her cheeks’ red flame appeared to be from a soft blush instead of the cold this time.

I couldn’t help but wonder why.

“Good. I’m glad I can get you a little warmer. If you can buckle yourself in, I’ll get us back on the road and to town in no time.”

I wasn’t going anywhere without both of us being belted into the truck. Even with only a few inches of snow on the road, it was still dangerous. There were wild animals that could tear across the road at a moment’s notice.

Ariella nodded, and her hands trembled, but she secured the seatbelt. I did the same and put the truck in drive.

We headed up toward Breckenridge.

I didn’t ask her if that’s where she was heading. If she stayed anywhere else, I’d find her a room for the night and deal with her situation tomorrow.

“To town,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Yes, Breckenridge. Please tell me that’s where you were heading.” I hated to think she made a wrong turn and didn’t have to travel up the dangerous mountain.

“It is. I just bought a place along the river. Though I imagine this time of year it’s probably frozen.”

“Any chance you bought it from Mason Reid?” I asked.

“Yes, how did you know?” Ariella asked.

“He’s one of my former military buddies, my brother,” I said. “I know exactly where you’re staying. It’s a nice place, small, and was gutted and renovated by yours truly. Well, Aiden and me.”

“Who’s Aiden?” Her eyes crinkled as she stared at me.

“Another one of my military buddies. Declan, Mason, Aiden, and I started a security firm, Eagle Tactical, a few years back.”

I couldn’t explain why I was so open to this woman, willing to divulge any secret if she asked. There was something about her. Was it the fact she was fresh meat, and I hadn’t had a taste of her yet?

“All of you served together?” Ariella asked. She grinned and stared at me.

My heart fluttered in my chest, demanding to be set free. It had been a long time since anyone looked at me in that rare way.

I laughed, hoping for her not to notice the sexual tension brewing in the truck. As much as I wanted to act on it, I had some measure of self-control. We had just met. “We were all Special Forces with the Army.”

With wide eyes, she grimaced as she removed her gloves. “Wow, a town of heroes.”

I glanced at her long, thin fingers. They looked okay, albeit a little red, but there was no evidence of frostbite, which was good news.

“That is our motto,” I said joking with her.

I returned my attention to the snow-covered road as we headed farther north and made the turn off for Breckenridge. “We don’t have too much farther to go.”

“Okay,” she said. “That’s good. Is there any place local to grab dinner? I’m starving, and I won’t be able to go grocery shopping until my car gets pulled out of the ditch.” Her voice was soft, wistful almost.

“I can take you over to Lumberjack Shack. They’ve got great food.”

They were also the only place we could get in at nearly eight o’clock. It was late for the town, the bar was the only place open, and they didn’t serve a decent dinner.

“Lumberjack Shack? I hope the food is better than the name.”

“My buddy owns the place.”

“Shit. I’m sorry,” she said, quick to apologize. “That would be wonderful right now,” she said.

She seemed to relax in the front seat and removed the blanket nestled around her body.

“Warm?” I asked.

That was a good sign after how cold and out of it she’d been earlier.

“Yes. Do you mind turning down the heat a bit?”

I adjusted the thermostat in the truck, hoping to make her a little more comfortable.

It was hot. Warm enough to make me want to strip down to my boxers and nothing else. I couldn’t do that, not while driving and with a young lady in the truck.

“Thank you.”

I pulled the truck down a gravel road and through the thick forest of trees before we slowed down to a crawl. “We’re almost there,” I said.

She reached for her bag and unzipped it to retrieve her purse. 

I parked out front. The restaurant would ordinarily be closed on a Monday night, but I had a key. I helped Lincoln out from time to time, not with the cooking but tending the bar. Lincoln lived upstairs above the restaurant. He’d help me out, and well, if he didn’t, I’m sure I could whip up something for her to eat.

“The place looks closed,” she said.

The lights inside were dim, and there weren’t any other vehicles parked around the front. 

“It’s after nine. Everything is closed at this hour. I have a key that can get us inside. Don’t worry. It’s not like there’s an alarm system or anything to hack.”

“Good, because I wasn’t looking forward to spending my first night in Breckenridge in lockup,” Ariella said.

“Come on.” I climbed out from the truck and headed up the porch stairs and inside. I tried the door first, and it was locked. Pulling out my key for this very occasion and unlocking the door, I led her inside. “Ladies first.”

She gave me a look, a cocked eyebrow, and a quirked grin. A beat later, she shrugged and stepped inside.

“It’s beautiful,” she said, having a look at the décor. “I’m sorry about what I said earlier. I get cranky when I’m hungry.”

I bit my tongue to keep from commenting.

“I love the fact this place is a log cabin. It fits the bill of being a lumberjack shack.”

It was apparent she was trying to make up for the insult she’d thrown out in the car. “I get a real Paul Bunyan vibe from this place. I’ll bet the food is amazing too.”

“It is some of the best in Montana. A real home-cooked meal from one of the top chefs in the area. If he didn’t own the place, I’d worry someone else would steal him away,” I said.

Truthfully, I’d been trying to steal him away to come work with the boys at Eagle Tactical full-time, but he wouldn’t do it. He loved cooking too much to be back in the field permanently.

Heavy footsteps hit the stairs, and a moment later, Lincoln stepped into the restaurant. 

“Jaxson, what are you doing here?” Lincoln asked.

While I may have been hungry, the look on Ariella’s face told me she was starving.

“Grabbing some dinner. We haven’t eaten yet, and I was hoping you’d make us something in the kitchen.” 

“The kitchen’s closed, but for you and the pretty lady, I can make an exception,” Lincoln said and grinned. “Where’s Isabella? Shouldn’t you be getting home to her? It’s late.”

Was he trying to kill any shot I had with Ariella? I didn’t have a shot in hell, but I liked to think I did.

“At home, asleep.” I didn’t further elaborate. Why did my egg-headed military brother have to bring up Isabella?

“Do you have a menu?” Ariella asked Lincoln. 

The way her eyes scoured over his body made my heart thump wildly in my chest.

I wanted her to look at me like that, not him.

Was I the jealous type? I never thought about it much, considering there weren’t that many women to fawn over in town.

Lincoln smirked and rolled his eyes. “You’re not one of those vegetarian types, are you?” He leaned in closer and whispered, “I can make one hell of a salad, but the bear around here is mighty tasty and to die for.”

Her eyes widened in horror, and I tried not to laugh at Lincoln’s joke. He usually wasn’t quite so funny, but it seemed Ariella definitely wasn’t from this side of the woods or even the state.

“I will have a salad,” Ariella whispered. She sounded parched.

I couldn’t help but stare at her, completely taken back by her beauty. Under the warm amber glow from the restaurant lighting, I finally got a good long look at her rosy complexion and freckles dusting her nose and cheeks. Her hair was dark and she had olive eyes that took my breath away.

She was gorgeous and not just because she was the newest resident of Breckenridge, and we didn’t get a lot of ladies in town, let alone single ones.

However, I guessed that she was single. I had no idea.

I was just hoping she wasn’t taken, given that she wasn’t wearing a wedding band. That didn’t mean anything, though. She could have been getting it sized.

Then again, if she was married, where was the bastard who let her drive to Breckenridge in that shitty car that couldn’t make it up the mountain in winter? I’d kill him if he ever so much as hurt a hair on Ariella’s head.

I exhaled a heavy sigh, not realizing how protective I’d become over a stranger. That’s all she was, a young woman I’d rescued out in the cold. The thing was I wanted to know more about her. I wanted to discover who she was, why she was here, and well, if she was single and looking for a warm bed to crawl into.

I couldn’t throw caution to the wind and sleep with her just because I had needs. No. Those days were over.

“Lincoln’s just joking about eating bear. He makes a mean sandwich, and his stew is to die for.”

“Stew. That sounds delicious,” Ariella said. She rested her hands on the wooden table as we sat down. She removed her coat and hung it on the chair behind her.

“Okay, good. I’ll fix you up something in the kitchen. Just sit tight and try not to fall victim to this one’s lame attempts at flirting,” Lincoln said, pointing at me.

I wanted to slug him.

“What brings you to Breckenridge?” I asked, watching her while my heart pitter-pattered in my chest.

While I knew she’d bought a cabin along the river, I didn’t know why. Mason had said little other than he’d sold the place to an out-of-towner.

“Fresh start. I enjoy camping and thought what better place to live than the middle of nowhere.”

I laughed, and while I doubted that was the entire story, if she didn’t want to tell me, I wouldn’t push the issue, either. “You picked the farthest corner of the world, didn’t you?” I teased her. “Where are you from, Ariella?” 

“New York, but I grew up in Nebraska,” she said and held up a hand. “No Cornhusker jokes, please.”

“I’m not sure I know of any.” It was clear she wasn’t a fan of Nebraska, not that I could blame her. I probably wouldn’t like it much, either. I loved Breckenridge, though, and while winter could be brutal, it was also beautiful up here.

“Good,” she said and laughed. Her eyes met the table before glancing back up at mine. “Can I ask you a question?”

I shrugged. “Go for it.” 

“Is Isabella your wife or girlfriend?”

She glanced down at my hand on the table.

I wasn’t wearing a wedding ring, either, and it was obvious she was taking a long, hard look.

“No, she’s my daughter.”

CHAPTERTHREE

Ariella

I'd wanted to ask him who Isabella was since the moment Lincoln brought up her name. I wasn't sure how to ask without completely prying or seeming nosey.

It had to be that he'd rescued me out in the cold, and I already had a sense of attachment to him. Wasn't there a name for that?

"You have a daughter?" That took me by surprise. It shouldn't have, as he was old enough to have kids. So was I.

"Yes, she's three years old." His expression seemed pained. His eyes crinkled just slightly before continuing to speak. "Her mom wanted to give her up for adoption and came to me, needing my signature to give up my rights as a father. I couldn't do it. I refused." His breathing deepened, and his ears reddened as he spoke.

I nodded as I listened to him tell me what happened.