***
Three hours later, Gracie pulled her cowboy hat off her head, letting the cool breeze fan her hot skin. Every inch of her body was covered in grit. Dust and dirt had worked its way inside her clothes making her feel like a living, breathing sheet of sandpaper. But she wouldn't trade one minute of her time on the mountain for the air conditioned comfort of Sandra Lee's Fashion Boutique.
Daisy's muscles rippled as they rode from one pasture to the next, shooing stray cattle back into the herd. She took a deep breath, wanting to hold onto everything happening around her.
Jordan had moved across to her right, keeping an eye on a renegade bull that had dogged Gracie's attempts to keep him with his buddies. Another cowboy, Jeb Baker, was on her left. Jeb had been looking after the cattle for the last week and would take her back to town, leaving Jordan to do his rotation. Jeb's wiry frame and sun-wrinkled face bore the mark of a man whose life had begun and would end on Montana soil.
Gracie found out that he'd been working with the McKenzie family for thirty-nine years. When she'd looked into his sun-bleached eyes, Gracie felt the raw energy of a man who knew his worth in the world and the worth of the land he loved.
She breathed in the musky odor of cattle and caught her breath at the incredible view spread out around them.
From halfway up the mountain the fields looked like an antique patchwork quilt, stitched together with fence posts and wire. Emerald green squares brushed shoulders with fields lightly dusted in purple flowers. The pale glow of dried hay disappeared under clouds of dust from the contractors working on the ranch.
She'd miss this when she left. Miss the characters that made Bozeman unique, miss the people that had opened their homes and hearts to her. The thought of never seeing the Triple L or one stubborn, opinionated male again made her heart ache.
"Lunchtime, Gracie."
She rode across to Jordan, slipping off Daisy's back like a seasoned pro. It wasn't until her feet hit the ground that she groaned.
Jordan watched her rub her legs. "You're doing a great job for a greenhorn. We'll have to hire you as the first ever cowgirl on the Triple L."
"You'd have to ask Trent first and he wouldn't agree."
"You might be surprised." Jordan passed her a sandwich out of a bag strapped to his saddle.
Jeb rode across the meadow, heading toward the cattle.
"Where's Jeb going?" Gracie asked.
"Back to keep an eye on things. Wolves attacked the ranch across from ours last week. They got six of their heifers down before they managed to scare the pack off. It's put us all on high alert for any renegade groups prowling the mountains."
Gracie swallowed the mouthful of sandwich she'd been chewing. "I thought wolves only hunted at night?"
"Nope. Wolves can be a real problem. They hunt day and night in packs that attack faster than you can blink. You can't get anywhere near them, Gracie."
"Is that why you and Jeb have a gun on your saddles?"
"Yep."
Gracie thought about the cowboys left on the mountain alone and what they would do if a pack of wolves attacked.
"Did Trent tell you about the plans we've got for the Triple L?" Jordan asked.
"Trent and I aren't on speaking terms. We had an argument last week and I haven't seen him since."
"That might explain why he's been yelling at everyone."
Gracie didn't want to know what Trent had been up to. He was probably grumpy because he'd been out cavorting with his bridal candidates and needed more beauty sleep. "What plans have you been working on?"
"An architect came and looked at the old barn. She reckons we can convert it without too much bother to a bunkhouse. We'll be able to sleep about a dozen guests at a time. Trent wasn't keen on the dude ranch concept, so we looked at other options. A few of the ranchers from this part have set up working ranch experiences for paying guests. The people staying with us will help with real work, depending on the season, and learn about what we're doing to conserve the land."
Gracie's jaw went slack. "But he thought it was the worst idea he'd ever heard. That's why he?" Gracie closed her mouth before she got into more trouble.
With a twinkle in his eye, Jordan said, "I know why he wants children. He thought I'd run the ranch into the ground. It's taken some time, but he's finally learning there's more than one way to keep the ranch running at a profit. Once we've got the barn up to scratch, I'll be in charge of looking after the guests that come out to the Triple L."
Gracie reached for a water bottle. Hell would freeze over before Trent McKenzie learned anything.
"Man. You two are made for each other."
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing, Gracie. I don't mean anything by it, but I suggest you have a talk with my brother before you head back to Wellington. Just don't flash those baby blues at him. They can be mighty distracting to a man on the edge of reason."
Gracie threw her lunch wrapper into a bag of trash. She wouldn't be going anywhere near Trent before she headed home. As far as she was concerned he could find someone else to play happy families with.
The sound of bellowing cattle filled the air. Gracie stopped, listening to the panicked cries of the cattle. The land shook as the herd thundered across the ground, churning a dust-cloud high into the sky. A gunshot tore through the chaos, making Gracie's blood run cold.
Jordan surged to his feet. He grabbed Gracie's hand, running toward their horses. He hauled her onto Daisy's back before vaulting onto his own horse. "Stay right beside me. And whatever you do, don't move unless I move."
Another shot rang out.
Gracie's heart slammed against her ribs as they raced across to the terrified cattle.
Jordan swore when he saw Jeb's horse limping toward them. Jeb clung to the saddle, holding his rifle across his legs as he tried to soothe the terrified animal.
"We got hurt," Jeb growled. "A pack of wolves came through the trees, attacking the cattle. A couple of them decided to have a go at Trixie and me before I got two shots off. I scared them away, but they got one of the calves down over by the fence."
Gracie looked at Jeb's leg. A gaping wound ran from above his knee to the top of his boots, oozing a river of blood down his jeans.
Jeb saw where she was staring. "Just a scratch, ma'am." He looked across at Jordan. "I'm not leaving Trixie."
Jordan tossed a first aid kit across to Gracie. "I'll help you off Trixie, Jeb. We need to get that blood stopped."
Gracie jumped off Daisy. Taking a deep breath, she tried not to faint at the sight of so much blood. She didn't need to look very hard to see bone beneath the tangle of sliced flesh. She focused on Jordan's hands, wrapping pressure bandages around the raw wound.
"We need to make a splint for Jeb's leg, Gracie. Have a look around for a couple of straight sticks, but stay where I can see you."
She found a couple of thin branches a few feet away. Jordan stripped the wood bare with his knife then bound the branches to Jeb's leg with extra bandages. He stood up, staring at the trees in the distance.
Reaching for his gun, he handed it to Gracie. "Do you remember how to use the rifle?"
She nodded. Most days when Jordan had taken her for a ride in the mountains, they'd ended up at a spot he used for target practice. She wouldn't win any shooting competitions, but she knew how to reload and shoot a gun.
"We've got to cover the calf to stop the ravens from circling. We don't want more wolves or grizzlies coming this way." Jordan pulled a black tarpaulin out of Jeb's supplies. "I need you to watch my back."
He looked down at Jeb's pale face. "Keep your gun handy. We'll be back soon."
They rode across to where the calf had been attacked. Gracie's eyes followed a spray of blood seeping into the hard packed earth. The calf hadn't stood a chance against the feeding frenzy that had attacked it. She gagged at the smell, heaved even more when she saw the pool of deep red blood under the mutilated corpse.
Daisy sto
mped her feet, shaking Gracie out of the shock pounding through her body. Her gaze skimmed the fields around them, picked through each pine tree clumped on a ridge not far from where they were standing.
"How are you doing, Gracie?"
"Okay. Just hurry." She watched Jordan wrap the plastic sheet around what was left of the calf. With one last look at the mountain, he got back on his horse and they rode across to Jeb.
"I have to get help now, Gracie. There's no cell phone coverage this high, so you have to stay with Jeb. Listen to what he says and don't move from his side. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Gracie tried to stop shaking. Quivering like a nervous wreck wasn't going to help anyone and Jeb looked as though he needed help fast. His skin had turned pale and sweat coated the hard planes of his face. Tightening her legs, Gracie felt the strength of Daisy's muscles under her body. Everything would be okay. Jordan would get help and then they could get Jeb to the hospital.
"You'll be fine, Gracie. Use the rifle if you need to."
She took a shuddering breath, then pulled her spine straight. "Go and get help. We'll be waiting for you."
***
Trent had been unloading a truck of wood at the Triple L when he got the call from Jordan. A wolf attack was bad enough. When Jordan told him Jeb had been injured and Gracie was on the mountain, his heart had plummeted. He'd run so damn fast across to the homestead that he'd nearly scared Mrs. Davies half to death. He'd started making calls, putting into practice the routine they'd worked out many times before.
One of his neighboring ranchers, Steve Douglas, would be arriving in the next few minutes with his helicopter. Steve would take Gracie and Jeb to the hospital, while Trent stayed to keep the remaining cattle safe.
All of the ranchers surrounding his property had been called, warning them to be on guard against a wild pack of wolves. The cowboys on the Triple L were getting horses saddled up ready to head into the mountains and a vet was on her way to do what she could for Jeb's horse. As Trent walked toward the back field, he called the Forest Service to get someone on the ranch to verify the wolf attack.
The next twenty-four hours would be long and hard. He cursed his brother's stupidity at taking Gracie into the mountains. Jordan knew about the wolf attacks, but he'd still gone ahead and not used his brain beyond telling his mouth what to say. He prayed that Gracie and Jeb were okay.
As soon as he spotted the white helicopter in the sky, Trent raced across to their meeting point. Waiting by the fence, he checked his rifle for the last time and took a deep breath. They'd done everything they could to keep everyone safe. Now he desperately needed to see Gracie.
***
Trent spotted the herd of cattle grazing on the western ridge. Steve landed the helicopter and they both ran over to Jeb and Gracie. Trent had never been so glad to see anyone in his life. "Are you all right, honey."
Gracie nodded as she handed him Jordan's rifle. "I'm fine, but Jeb's leg needs to be looked at by a doctor. I've bandaged Trixie's wound as best I could to stop the bleeding."
Trent put the gun down and hauled her against his chest. He buried his face in her hair. Gracie was okay, but Jordan wouldn't be so lucky when he got hold of him.
He kissed Gracie's lips hard before he let her go to check on Jeb.
"Glad to see you've got your priorities right, boss." A tight grin crossed Jeb's pale face. "This little lady and your brother probably saved my life."
"We put Jeb's leg together as best we could from what's in the first aid kit. The wolf sliced his leg clean to the bone." She glanced down at Jeb's leg, shuddering at the dried blood coating his boots. "Trixie got bitten on her back leg."
Trent watched Gracie's small hands flutter to her waist. He hugged her shoulders, and then bent down to talk with Jeb. "Steve will fly you and Gracie back to the hospital." When Jeb tried to interrupt, he stopped him in his tracks. "That wasn't a question, it was an order. I'll stay and look after Trixie until Jordan gets back. Then I'll walk her down to the vet, load her in the horse trailer and bring her home to the Triple L."
Jeb looked him in the eye. "I don't think her wound's too bad. You look after Trixie, boss."
Trent gave him an equally level stare back. "You know I will." Trent nodded to Steve, and together they lifted Jeb across to the helicopter while Gracie stayed with Trixie.
After Jeb had been settled, Trent ran back to Gracie. "Your turn, honey. I'll be back at the ranch later tonight. Will you do me a favor?"
Gracie looked up at him, her blue eyes full of raw emotion. He wanted to pick her up and hold her close, not send her miles away. "When you get back from the hospital, stay at the ranch. Please."
She nodded. Trent gave her one last hug before she moved toward the helicopter with Steve. She got on board, leaving the mountain and him behind.
Trent's hands shook as he rubbed Trixie's head. He could have lost Gracie today, and that scared him more than the danger of a renegade pack of wolves. He rubbed his arm across his face, watching the helicopter disappear into the distance. Gracie was an important part of his life.
He wasn't letting her board a plane to New Zealand without putting up the biggest fight of his life.
***
Trent arrived back home a little after eleven o'clock that night. After he'd made it off the mountain he'd headed straight into Bozeman to check on Jeb.
Kicking off his boots, he sat down heavily on the wooden bench in the mudroom. They'd been lucky for the last two years not to have had a wolf attack on the ranch. Today they'd not been so lucky.
He shrugged out of his jacket, putting his hat down beside him. The trappers and the vet would be back first thing tomorrow. He'd need to keep in touch with the cowboys watching the cattle in the mountains, as well as finish all the other jobs that couldn't be left. Rubbing his eyes, he knew Sunday would be another long day.
He could hear someone fussing in the kitchen. His heart raced at the thought of Gracie in the next room.
"Is that you, Trent?"
He breathed deeply. Mrs. Davies appeared in the doorway.
"You look exhausted, Trent. I've got a meal put aside for you. Do you want me to reheat it in the microwave?"
Trent shook his head. "Not at the moment, thanks. Did Gracie stay?"
"She's upstairs, sound asleep. Steve dropped her back after they'd seen to Jeb. The poor wee thing looked ready to drop on her feet. She had a big bowl of soup and a hot bath before she went to bed."
"Thanks for your help today." He leaned his head against the wall. "I don't know how we could have done it without you coordinating the troops down here."
A faint blush stained Mrs. Davies' cheeks. "It was no trouble. Your mom arrived about an hour after you left. Between the two of us we managed to boss the men around without too much difficulty."
Trent managed a tired smile.
"How are Jeb and Trixie doing?"
"Jeb's flirting with the nurses at the hospital, so he must be feeling better. He's got a track of stitches down his leg, but the doctors don't think he's got any permanent damage." He yawned. "Trixie's had the wolf bite cleaned and re-bandaged. The tetanus shot and the first dose of antibiotics didn't go down well, but I think that's got something to do with Jeb not being around."
Mrs. Davies kissed his cheek. "You did well today. I'm going to bed now. Your mom said to tell you she'd be out tomorrow morning to give you a hand."
"Thanks."
Mrs. Davies left, and Trent dragged himself toward the stairs. Two weeks of tossing and turning had finally caught up with him. He needed a shower, and he needed sleep.
He'd dealt with the wolf attack as best he could. Tomorrow would be soon enough to talk to Gracie.
***
By the time he'd finished in the bathroom, the moon had climbed high in the sky. There was enough light coming through the windows to find his way to the bed and sink into its softness. Trent slipped between the cool sheets and sighed. He stretched his tired muscles and ne
arly leaped out of bed.
Holy crap.
Gracie had tucked herself into a little ball under the duvet. She was so tiny he hadn't seen her body curled up on the side of the bed. If she'd been asleep before, she wasn't now.
"Hi, Trent." Her sleepy voice drifted across to him.
He sat up, leaning on one elbow. "How are you feeling?"
Gracie rubbed her eyes and turned toward him. "I'm feeling better." She took a deep, shuddering breath. "I was really scared. The cows were terrified, and Jeb's leg was a mess. I've never been happier to see a helicopter in my life. How are Jeb and Trixie doing?"
Trent's eyes drifted over the shape of her body, half in shadow from the moon. "Jeb's still in the hospital. The doctors said you did a good job of stopping the blood loss. He'll be there for a few more days, and then he'll be coming home to rest his leg. Trixie's bandaged up and full of antibiotics. She should be fine."
Gracie stretched and yawned.
"Nice T-shirt, honey."
"Is it okay that I borrowed it? I didn't have any spare clothes here."
"Take whatever you want. I'm just pleased you're not hurt." Trent rolled onto his back and looked at the ceiling. "Don't take this the wrong way, but what are you doing in my bed?"
Gracie paused before answering. "I was worried. The wolves tore Jeb and Trixie up pretty bad and I thought they'd come back for you. I tried to go to sleep in my room, but it wasn't working. So I came in here."
If he reached across and touched Gracie's face, he knew he'd feel the heat of a blush staining her cheeks. He sat still, waiting for her to continue.
"If you want me to go back to my room, I'll go. I just wanted to make sure you were safe."
Trent swallowed the lump gathering in his throat. If he didn't tell Gracie how he felt about her, he might never get the chance. He rolled onto his side, wondering where he should start. "I don't know how to say this, so I'm just going to blurt it out. If I get things mixed up, don't worry about it. The thing is?well?I guess what I'm trying to say is that I love you. I loved you before we got married only I was too thick-headed to realize it. There's no one else I want to spend the rest of my life with."
Trent swallowed. Not a whisper of sound came from Gracie's side of the bed. "You haven't gone to sleep, have you?"