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Chapter One
The silver twilight gave way to night even as the forecasted snow began to fall, small, scattered flakes that quickly became a steady stream of white. With Christmas Eve around the corner, the days were short and the frigid Montana nights long.
Christmas wasn’t on Savannah’s mind. Not this year. Not after the past nine months.
Mick lay beside her, silent and listless. Nothing like the bright, energetic border collie she’d known since he was an eight-week-old pup.
“What are we going to do with you?” she murmured, smoothing his fur.
Rye had said Mick was just moping, nothing to worry about. But Savannah wasn’t convinced. Mick had done this once before—when Noah died. But Rye wasn’t dead, just away. He and Ansley were in the Texas Hill Country for Rye’s first Campbell family Christmas.
Savannah awkwardly adjusted the throw pillow behind her back, trying to get comfortable on the floor where she sat with Mick, not easy at thirty-eight weeks. She was getting close to her due date now, too close.
It would be different if she were keeping her baby, but she’d already chosen a family, a good family, and they were counting the days.
She’d made her decision, and it was the right one. Perhaps the first selfless decision of her life. So why did her chest ache like this?
Savannah curled her fingers into Mick’s coat, emotion tightening her chest. It would be better when this was all behind her, and she was moving forward, and hopefully, beginning to heal. Hard to heal when she had a little human tucked under her heart, reminding her of her mistakes.
Savannah swallowed hard. From where she sat, she could see the porch light reflect the blinding world outside. The snow was falling hard, a swirling white curtain that made it impossible to see anything through the thick flakes, including the colorful Christmas lights wrapping the roofline.
“Everything is okay,” she said to Mick, giving him a reassuring pat. “We’re going to see the doctor tomorrow and everything will be fine.”
Mick didn’t look at her. He didn’t even open his eyes. He seemed too tired. She related in her own way, aware that she just had to get through the holidays. New Year’s. And then the delivery. Once it was all behind her she’d go somewhere new and start fresh.
Or maybe she’d return to Nashville and see if she could salvage anything of her career. Not that she wanted to sing, but she was writing songs—the songs just poured out of her—and maybe she could sell some. She knew good songwriters and producers too. Maybe it was time to pivot, leave the touring behind and focus on writing and producing.
Maybe.
Her phone suddenly vibrated and Savannah wrestled it out of her big sweatshirt’s pocket. It was Ansley. Good.
“How is everything going?” Ansley texted.
“We’re surviving,” Savannah replied.
“And Mick?” Ansley asked.
Savannah glanced at the dog and then answered. “The same.”
“That’s not good,” Ansley answered. “I’m going to see if my brother can stop and have a look at him. We will figure this out.”
Savannah frowned, before texting. “I thought Lachlan went to Texas with you.
“He did,” Ansley replied. “I’m talking about Finn. He just arrived.”
“Do I know him?”
“No. He’s been deployed the last couple of years. But he’s home now for a bit.”
Savannah lifted an eyebrow, fighting curiosity. Curiosity won. “Why isn’t he doing the Campbell family Christmas?”
“He and my dad aren’t seeing eye to eye right now so Finn has agreed to get some work done at Uncle Clyde’s.”
Finn Campbell turned south onto Highway 18 and increased the speed of the windshield wipers. The snow was coming down in a dizzying sheet of white. The wind didn’t help and Finn was glad his brother had left his big four-wheel drive truck at the Bozeman airport for him.
Brother Lachlan had flown out with Rye, Ansley, and Uncle Clyde yesterday for Christmas on the Campbell ranch in Texas. Finn had flown in an hour ago to stay at the Montana Campbell ranch for the next couple of weeks. He had a list of work to do, including updating the old farmhouse’s security system and adding a medical alert system for his uncle and the various caregivers, although Finn wasn’t sure how well a cellular based alert system would work in snow and windstorms. But Lachlan, who lived at the Montana ranch with their uncle now, had done the research, assuring him it was better than nothing. Frankly, Finn was just glad to not be in Texas with the whole family.
Usually, Finn liked Christmas. From the time he was young, he’d looked forward to the holidays, not just the presents, but the food. But after the huge fight he’d had with his dad at Thanksgiving, things weren’t the same at the ranch, not when his dad wouldn’t look at him or speak to him. But Finn hadn’t started the fight, and he wasn’t going to be the first to apologize.
Which was how he was here. Ansley suggested Finn spend some time in Paradise Valley, keeping an eye on her home and the Campbell farmhouse, and Finn liked the idea of doing something different for the next month before flying to the Middle East to begin an eighteen-month contracting job as a private soldier.
He’d never done contract work before, but he knew plenty of elite soldiers who had, and they all made really good money. Thus, the upcoming job beginning in late January. But late January was still a month away, and Finn was determined to enjoy the next few weeks.
His phone, already hooked up to the truck’s Bluetooth, rang. Finn glanced at the big touchscreen infotainment system in Lachlan’s truck and saw it was his sister Ansley.
He touched the screen, taking the call. “Hey, Ansley, how’s it going at the old family homestead?”
“Dad isn’t happy that Uncle Clyde is here, but he’s pretending to be in a good mood and failing.” She paused. “Personally, I think he’s more upset that you’re not here than he is about Uncle Clyde’s arrival.”
“Dad had weeks to fix things with me.”
“You know Dad doesn’t apologize.”
“Which is why I’m here, celebrating Christmas in Montana.”
“Won’t you be lonely doing Christmas on your own?”
“No. It’s an adventure, and I needed to get out of Texas. I don’t know Montana well. I’ve only been here that one time when we came out to meet Rye a couple years ago. It’s going to be fun having a white Christmas, and it’s most definitely white. I don’t think I’ve ever seen snow like this.”
“I’m glad you arrived before they closed the airport. I just got a text that the Bozeman airport has whiteout conditions.”
“It was an exciting landing,” he agreed, smiling faintly. “A couple shrieks from the back. A woman praying.”
“You’re joking.”
“Maybe they were all praying.”
“Finn!”
He laughed. “Just teasing you. It was fine. I’m almost to Marietta. Despite the storm, I’m making good time.”
“Thank goodness Lachlan left you his truck.”
“And his sheepskin coat. Mine would not have been warm enough.”
“Do you mind doing me a favor?” Ansley asked. “Could you check in on our dog and dog sitter on your way to the ranch? Apparently, Mick—”
“Is that the dog or dog sitter?”
“The dog. He’s not eating and drinking, which is not typical. He’s an Australian collie mix with endless energy, and Rye knows you handled dogs in the military and thought you might be able to make an assessment. Our dog sitter is worried about him and with the storm we don’t want her driving unless necessary.”
“Happy to stop. I think I have your address. What’s your dog sitter’s name?”
“Savannah.”
“Can you give her a heads-up that I’m coming?”
“I already have. And thanks, Finn. Rye and I really appreciate it.”
“No problem.”
She hesitated. “I do wish you were here though. It won’t be the same without you.”
“It’ll be better without me,” Finn corrected. “No one likes it when Dad and I go at it, and I guarantee we would have, which would have ruined the holidays for Mom.”
“True.” Ansley sighed. “I just feel bad for Mom. She’s trying so hard to get Uncle Clyde and Dad to reconcile.”
“Dad’s not going to forgive his brother. He doesn’t know how to forgive—”
“Says the Campbell son who is most like Dad.”
“Am not.”
“Absolutely are. And you know it. That’s why you’re in Paradise Valley and not Texas right now.” She sighed again. “Anyway, enough of that. Promise me you’ll report back after you check on Mick?”
“Promise.”
Savannah was still sitting on the ground, close to Mick, when a knock sounded on the front door. Before she could move, the doorbell rang, and Mick, who hadn’t moved for hours, jumped to his feet, barking.
“So now you get up,” she muttered, moving onto all fours to push up into a standing position, grateful only a dog could see her unwieldly stagger to her feet.
Savannah padded in her slippers to the entry and peeked out the side glass framing the front door. A huge, snow-dusted man filled the doorstep. Ansley and Lachlan Campbell were all tall, but this guy was big—broad.
“Hello?” she said through the door, not at all eager to open it.
“Savannah? I’m Finn, Ansley’s brother. She asked me to check on Mick.”
His voice was deep and somewhat raspy, suiting his size. She turned the deadbolt and slid the chain off, opening the door. “Hi.”
He was wearing a black cowboy hat, and the brim shadowed his eyes, but he had the Campbell jaw, and the same high slash of cheekbones Lachlan and Ansley had been blessed with. “You okay?” he asked.
His deep voice rumbled in her chest and, all of a sudden, she wanted to cry, and she never cried. Never, ever. Not when Bear was injured in Tulsa. Not when they broke up. Not when she discovered—
Savannah shook her head, unwilling to continue the thought. She’d made so many bad decisions, so many mistakes. She’d been such a ridiculous girl, obsessed with her career and dreams, dreams that had fizzled despite all the sacrifices she’d made.
“I’m okay. It’s Mick I’m worried about.” She cleared her throat and stepped back to let Finn enter, ignoring the prickly feeling under her skin.
Finn scraped his boots on the mat, knocking off snow and then entered the house, his gaze drawn to the dog pressing himself to her knees. “And this is Mick?” he asked, closing the door behind him.
She nodded and took another step back as the hall felt way too small for both of them.
“Hey, Mick,” Finn said, stretching out his arm to allow the dog to smell him.
Mick sniffed his hand, then his coat sleeve and another spot on his coat. “He probably smells the dogs back home.” Mick continued sniffing, and Finn placed a light hand on the dog’s head, and then down over one silky ear. “Ansley said you’re worried about him.”
“He hasn’t eaten today, or moved, until you arrived.”
“Has he been drinking water?”
Savannah shook her head. “He waited here in the hall for Rye all day yesterday, and he was going to sleep here last night but I convinced him to come into the family room and lie by the fire. That’s where he’s been all day today.”
“He’s usually a good eater?”
“Yes. Not at all finicky.”
Finn lifted his hat, revealing thick, dark blond hair with just a hint of a wave. His eyes were light—neither blue nor green—framed by thick lashes and a slash of dark brown brows. “Let’s get you back by the fire, where it’s warm,” he said. “We don’t need you and the dog sick.”
“I’m fine. It’s Mick—”
“Mick is fine,” Finn interrupted.
“How do you know?”
“Let me rephrase that. He’s not about to keel over and die tonight or have a baby.” Finn focused his attention on her very round belly. “How are you?”
“Pregnant, but fine.” She lifted her chin, her gaze meeting his, and as it did, she felt the strangest sensation, her chest tightening, aching. It was almost as if a rubber band had been quickly stretched and released, snapping against her heart. “How are you?”
His upper lip curled and his blue-green eyes warmed. “Good. Not pregnant.”
She nearly laughed out loud but smothered the laugh at the last second. “It would be weird if you were pregnant.” She suddenly shivered. “It is cold here. Maybe the family room is a better place to talk.”
Finn placed his hat upside down on the hall table and eased his thick sheepskin jacket off, hanging it on the coat rack by the door before following her into the open kitchen family room. “This is nice,” he said, taking in the high ceiling and the big fireplace which dominated one wall.
“Ansley and Rye remodeled the house. She had the vision and he and his crew did the work.” Savannah stood in the kitchen, feeling safer with the enormous marble-topped island between them.
“You’ve seen her work?” Finn asked, crossing to the fire and warming his hands.
Even from across the kitchen, Finn filled the space, much as the huge rock fireplace filled the room. Unlike rodeo cowboys who tended to run lean, Finn was solid, muscular, with a big chest and thick biceps. “Until recently I worked part-time at her gallery in Marietta. She sells really well. Has quite a large fan base.”
“I’m proud of her. We all are, but I’m prouder than the others.”
Savannah couldn’t help smiling. “How so?”
“Ansley and I are the closest in age. I’m nineteen months older but she spent a fair amount of time when we were growing up trying to get me out of trouble.”
“Were you a troublemaker?”
“No.” Finn shook his head and then after a slight hesitation grinned. “Maybe.”
His grin lit up his face, making him look almost boyish, and something inside of her softened, charmed. “Would you like tea or coffee?” she asked, watching him crouch down to pet Mick who was now acting a bit more like himself.
“No, thanks. I can wait until I reach the ranch.”
Mick rolled onto his back so Finn could scratch his belly.
Savannah shook her head, exasperated. “This is not how he was acting yesterday or today,” she said, sounding a tad defensive. “He really wasn’t eating or doing anything.”
Finn glanced up at her, the smile back in his eyes. “I think he’s missing his people.”
She nearly blurted that before Rye, there had been Noah, but what was the point of that?
There was also no need to share that she’d driven Mick from Tennessee for Bear. She’d brought Mick to Bear, as Bear and Noah had been best friends, but Mick didn’t love the wheelchair, or Bear’s lifestyle, and bonded with Rye instead.
It made sense because Mick was a ranch dog. He’d always loved going for rides in the truck and helping round up animals. He was a working dog, a dog that needed purpose, and he adopted Rye and now Rye and Mick were inseparable, just as Noah and Mick had been.
“Mick does love Rye,” Savannah said. “He goes everywhere with him. But he’s also quite attached to Ansley. He was supposed to sleep on the floor of their room but somehow conned his way into sleeping on the foot of their bed.”
“Mick is just feeling a little blue then. He’ll come round.”
“You think?”
“Absolutely. Let me see if I can get him to eat now.” Finn stood up and pushed the sleeves on his light blue Henley higher up, revealing tan muscular forearms with a dusting of dark blonde hair. “Where’s his food?”
“There’s a bowl in the refrigerator with foil on it. That’s his dinner. I can get—”
“No, you should get off your feet and rest. I’ve got this,” Finn said, entering the kitchen, brushing past her to reach the refrigerator.
He hadn’t actually touched her, but her body didn’t seem to know that. Her pulse raced and her mouth dried, and that unnerving fluttery feeling was back. Savannah put a hand to her belly, but it wasn’t the baby kicking. No, the dizzying sensation was higher, in her chest, where her hard, old heart was supposed to be.
She hadn’t paid attention to a man in, well, forever, and she certainly hadn’t noticed any body parts, never mind forearms and chest, biceps and thighs. Because she’d watched him as he brushed past, and the man had lean hips and a small firm butt, and thighs with plenty of taut, toned muscle.
She sagged against the island. “What do you do for a living?”
He glanced at her as he retrieved the bowl from the fridge. “I’ve been an Army Ranger since I left school.”
“Where did you go?”
“University of Texas, Austin.”
“Are you still in the service?”
He hesitated. “I’m in between assignments. I head out again end of January.”
That made sense. He looked tough, fit, physical, like a man prepared for danger. “What brings you to Montana now?”
“Lachlan wanted a Christmas in Texas, and I thought this would be a good opportunity to update the electrical panel at the farmhouse and install a security system.”
“You know how to do that?”
“It’s not that hard. You just need to know which wires are which.”
Her lips twitched but she wasn’t about to smile. Finn Campbell was physically imposing, and suitably impressive, but she wasn’t going to get carried away, unlike Mick who had joined them in the kitchen and was sitting at Finn’s feet, staring at him adoringly.
Finn set the bowl with Mick’s kibble and wet food on the ground near the pantry and Mick walked over, sniffed it once, glanced up at Finn and when Finn nodded and pointed to the bowl, Mick began to eat.
For the next several minutes the only sound in the kitchen was Mick crunching his kibble.
“Looks like you’ve healed Mick,” she said.
“Let’s see how he is tomorrow,” he answered. “He might still need to go to the vet’s.”
“You think so?”
“It depends on how he behaves tonight.” Finn glanced out a tall window opposite the fireplace. The snow was still coming down hard. “It’s still coming down.”
“From what I heard on the news, it’s going to snow all night.”
“Do you have a snow blower for the driveway?”
“One of Rye’s guys is going to come plow the driveway and part of the road tomorrow. Not sure when.”
“So, Rye knew it was going to snow.”
“Everyone did. We’re expecting a white Christmas, but I have a feeling it’s a bigger storm than expected. But this is my first Montana winter, and I’m not much of a snow expert. In Nashville we’re lucky to get a dusting now and then.”
“So, you’re not even local.”
“No. I arrived this summer.”
“You have no family here?”
She shook her head. “All in South Carolina.”
“What about friends?”
“Um, Rye and Ansley?” Savannah was finding it increasingly difficult to keep her tone light.
She’d assured Ansley she’d be fine on her own for the holidays, but yesterday and today had been hard. Lonely. Savannah had way too much time on her hands, and way too much time to think. Not just about the past, but the future, and it was a future she could no longer see.
Savannah had always been a planner. A girl with big dreams but she didn’t recognize herself anymore. She’d stopped looking ahead. Stopped dreaming altogether.
“I don’t get why my sister left you here alone,” Finn said, bending over to pick up the now-empty dog food bowl. “That’s not what friends do,” he added, washing his hands at the sink.
She stepped sideways, putting more space between them, and rolled her eyes. “Should they have packed me up for a Campbell family Christmas? I don’t think so. Besides, I can’t fly.”
“Exactly. You’re too far along in your pregnancy. It’s not safe. And being alone here isn’t safe, either.”
“How is it not safe? Marietta is just a ten-minute drive, and Rye has a property manager living in the small house at the back of his land, in the lower foothills. He can be here in five or ten minutes—”
“If it’s not snowing.”
“It’s just snow, Finn,” she answered, exasperated. “And everyone in Montana knows how to deal with it. Just because you don’t—”
“I never said that,” he interrupted. “I don’t like that you’re alone in the house, and if there was an emergency—”
“There won’t be.”
“Your cellular service won’t work.” He walked toward her, steps measured, even as his gaze swept the room. “Hopefully Rye has a landline. I know my Uncle Clyde still has one.”
“There used to be, but not right now. The county is doing some work, and they’re going to be putting the lines underground. Unfortunately, progress is hampered by the weather, but they should be back at it this spring.” She held up a hand. “Before you obsess, I don’t think Rye and Ansley have ever lost service here, and if they do, or if I do, I have a walkie-talkie to call Rocky.”
“Rocky?”
“The manager living in the house in the foothills.”
Finn exhaled slowly, his expression one of studied patience. “Where’s the walkie-talkie?”
She gestured vaguely toward another part of the house. “Rye’s office.”
“You’re sure about that?”
“Yes,” she said firmly. “On his bookshelf, on a charging stand. Now, knock it off. I’m fine here. I’m good. I have Mick. We have each other.”
“And Mick knows what to do should you go into labor?”
“Oh, for Pete’s sake—” She broke off, biting into her bottom lip.
He was impossible. Ridiculous. Fussier than a fussy grandmother.
“I’m not due until January 9th. Rye and Ansley will be back January 2nd. You wouldn’t even know about me if it wasn’t for Ansley asking you to stop by and check on the dog. Mick. Not me.”
“I find it incredibly irresponsible for Rye and Ansley to think it’s okay for you to be here alone—”
“Pregnant,” she supplied tersely, cutting him short.
“For Christmas,” he finished, as if she hadn’t interrupted.
“But what you mean is pregnant.” Savannah hated being on the defensive, and winced at her sharp tone, but the last thing she needed was a six-foot-something man standing two feet from her, spouting his opinions. It would be one thing if she’d asked for his opinion, or needed guidance, but she didn’t. “In case you didn’t know, pregnant doesn’t mean sick or weak. I’m not helpless. I’m not in suffering in any way, nor experiencing emotional turmoil.” Well, not any she’d share with him, or anyone.
“I respect your independence—”
“No, you don’t. You absolutely do not. You’re acting like a caveman.”
“That’s stretching it, just a little.”
“Ansley said her older brothers were overly protective, and I didn’t know what that meant, but now I do. And if you want to be all alpha for your sister, awesome. If your woman likes a caveman, more power to her. But I don’t. I’m not a fan, and I’ve been managing just fine without a man. So, you can go now. I’ve got it covered from here.”
“I’m not leaving you here.”
“I’m not going with—” Her retort was drowned out by a horrendous cracking sound, and then the whole house rumbled and shook, almost shifting on its foundation as something huge crashed down onto the roof.
The next moment everything went dark, the power out, the only light in the glowing fireplace.
“What was that?” she whispered.
“A tree … a big one, I’d say.” Finn drew out his phone, turned on the flashlight and headed for the front door.
Heart pounding and legs not entirely steady, Savannah followed closely behind him, not wanting to be alone when things were falling above them.
Savannah gasped as they stepped outside and Finn shone the flashlight on the walkway. An enormous tree stretched across the yard, taking up the entire front area, with the top of the tree prone on the roof.
“That’s a big evergreen,” Finn said, shining the flashlight on snow covered branches at least four feet thick. “It’s not going to be easy to remove it.”
“We don’t even know how much of the house was damaged, do we?” Savannah whispered, bundling her arms over her chest.
“No. But Rye will know the right people to call. He should have a team here in the morning.”
“And the power?”
“That’s another worry.” Finn glanced down at her. “I know it’s not what you want, but it looks like you and Mick will be coming home with me.”
End of Excerpt
