On the hunt for a criminal, Everett will find the love he walked away from.
Amanda, Cooper and Everett were the best of friends, and after an intimate encounter at Cadence Falls, Amanda believed they’d be together forever. But when Everett leaves without a word, her heart breaks and she pulls away from Cooper too.
Years later, a dangerous felon has escaped from prison. When he disappears into the vast Montana mountains, the US Marshalls come to town and they bring along a Shadow Wolf tracker—Everett. For Everett, it’s the one place he really doesn’t wish to return to, since he knows the long-lost love of his life, Amanda, still lives there with his once best friend, Cooper.
For Cooper, Everett’s appearance brings up remembered love and pain, creating more discord between the three of them. When they’re forced to work together to help capture the criminal, will they be able to get over past hurts and reconcile, or will they forget about their time at Cadence Falls forever?
Publisher's Note: This book has previously been released as part of the Boots, Chaps and Cowboy Hats anthology with Totally Bound Publishing.
General Release Date: 19th July 2016
The town hall was filled to capacity and then some. Amanda waved the leaflet she’d been handed earlier in her face, trying to generate some air flow. The building hadn’t been designed for people to be packed in like sardines. Then again, no one had expected to be faced with the threat of an escaped convict in their midst either. Now, here was the entire population of Pine Bluff, Montana, waiting for the federal law enforcement officer to come out and give them details about what the hell they were going to do.
As she waited, melting little by little, she looked around and her gaze met and locked with Cooper Haith, her once best friend. One of the men she’d thought she’d spend her life with and now the one man she could never be with. Her heart stuttered with remembered love. Remembered pain. She really was masochistic to continue living in the same town with him and not have him.
Did he remember how good it used to be between them? Because she did. His touch, his kiss. Their clumsy fumbling in the tall grass, after riding all afternoon. The bubbling water of Cadence Falls providing the soundtrack to their lovemaking. Of course, back then, they’d also had Everett with them, and it had been absolutely perfect. She’d had their future mapped out, filled with love and laughter, as they worked their own ranch.
But that was a long time ago.
Amanda tore her gaze away from Cooper, acutely aware of him now, and where he stood. Her body flushed with longing and an overwhelming need rushed through her. It was an ache that never went away. Even after all these years, she still wanted him.
Luckily, she was saved from continuing down memory lane with the appearance of the town sheriff at the front of the room. Coyote Leigh McCoy was a tall man, more portly than slim, although she’d seen him move pretty fast once when a horse went on a bucking rampage at the annual Strawberry Festival. Sheriff McCoy had managed to capture the reins and soothe the beast before it trampled the gawking spectators.
“Thank you all for coming,” he said, nodding in a general way to the people crammed inside the too-small room. “As you know, I received word a few days ago that an escaped convict, who goes by the name of Harold Godfrey Mock, was spotted only a few miles from Pine Bluff.”
A fearful murmur swept through the crowd. Amanda couldn’t help the small shiver of fright that snaked its way through her, because like everyone else, as soon as they’d gotten the news, she’d Googled the man. Drug smuggling, murder and kidnapping were just a few things on his long list of crimes. She’d been jumping at any and all small noises lately. Of their own accord, her eyes darted over to Cooper, and he stared grimly back at her. If she didn’t know him so well, she’d have said he seemed immune to the fear sweeping through the assembled crowd. But she could see the shifting emotions in his clear blue eyes and knew his calmness was just a façade.
“Earlier today Federal Marshalls, working with Homeland Security, arrived in order to help apprehend the fugitive,” the sheriff continued, capturing her attention. “They’ve gotten permission from the Tribal Council in Browning to coordinate the immediate capture of Mock.”
“Homeland Security?” a man asked from the crowd. “Are we looking at a terrorist threat?”
The low murmur suddenly rose to an excited fervor. People stood and started yelling questions. The barely contained panic threatened to blaze out of control.
“No,” the sheriff shouted into his mike, but it was no use. Terror was more formidable than a microphone. “Please, everyone quiet!”
At that moment, a man walked out from a side door and gestured for the sheriff to step back. He was dressed in khakis, a navy button-up and a windbreaker with the words US Marshall printed in gold over his heart. There was something about him that screamed authority, because with just a piercing sweep of his eyes, the crowd fell silent.
“Sit down,” he said in the microphone, his voice deep and cold. Everyone standing plopped back into their seats. Amanda was quite impressed.
“Now,” he continued in a tone that brooked no argument. “I am Federal US Marshall Thomas Fletcher. Thank you, Sheriff McCoy, and to all the residents of Pine Bluff for your cooperation in this matter.”
No one made a sound as they stared at Fletcher. By the way he held himself and looked down upon everyone, Amanda could tell he was used to being in charge and having people listen to every word he uttered.
“Two days ago, we received data that the escaped fugitive Mock had last been located in the Glacial National Park, and as of this morning I am taking control of the situation to apprehend Mock with the help of a Shadow Wolf from Homeland Security. And, before you ask what the hell is a Shadow Wolf, he’s a highly trained tracker who was brought in because he knows this area well. Being so close to the Canadian border, it is imperative we recapture the fugitive before he disappears from our reach.”
Someone who knows the area? Amanda cocked her head and waited, hoping Marshall Fletcher would elaborate on this development.
Then Fletcher gestured to the door he’d walked out and it opened again. Amanda blinked, wondering if her eyes were playing tricks on her. All the blood drained from her head, leaving her slightly woozy as Everett Apisi walked across the stage to join the agent behind the podium. Unlike Fletcher, Everett wore a dark suit, although he looked extremely out of place in the clothes. He was more suited to blue jeans and a flannel shirt, riding hell bent for leather over the Montana plains, rather than official business attire.
It had been almost twelve years since she’d last seen him. Since the day he’d walked out of Pine Bluff without a word of goodbye and had broken her heart. Yet there he was, larger than life, facing the assembled crowd and staring blankly at the far wall. He was still handsome, classically beautiful. His Native American features dominated his face, hard angles that stood out in prominent relief. His black hair was cropped short and shone almost blue under the fluorescent lights, but any softness of youth was gone. His gaze was impersonal, not acknowledging at all that this was his home. She didn’t blame the people gawking at him. She was sure she was one of them. Gone was the boy she’d known. This Everett was a stranger.
“This is Officer Everett Apisi. Many of you might remember him, since he grew up in Pine Bluff. When we learned Mock was using this mountain passage to make a break for the Canadian border, ICE graciously sent Apisi to help us track and recapture the fugitive.”
After Fletcher’s introduction, Everett glanced around the room. He paused for a second on Cooper before continuing. Then his gaze landed on Amanda and time seemed to stand still. For a brief moment, the cool detachment left his dark eyes, and she saw her Everett once more. Her friend. Her confidant. And once upon a time, for one magical night, her lover.
His features softened for an instant and it hit her heart like a softball. The frozen shell that had formed around it after his desertion cracked and she couldn’t stop the wobbly smile she sent him. Then his gaze darted back to Cooper, before his face returned to stone. He resumed his mindless stare toward the back of the room, leaving her shaken from the raw encounter.
“We ask everyone in the community to exercise caution,” Marshall Fletcher continued. “No going out alone, no hiking and obey the curfew time we’ve implemented.”
He went on and on about how to be cautious and smart, and Amanda tried to listen, but she only heard muffled instructions that didn’t really register. All she could focus on was the pain of seeing Everett again and remembering that once she’d held happiness in the palm of her hand before it’d been snatched away. Whatever the hell was said, people were clapping and the meeting ended. Everett turned away and walked to the door, once again leaving her life without so much as a goodbye. Or one more glance in her direction, as if she meant nothing at all. Panic blossomed inside her and the abandonment rushed back in full force. Amanda jumped to her feet, intent on reaching him before he disappeared again.
“Excuse me,” she muttered as she trampled toes and banged into knees. “Sorry.”
Finally, she reached the aisle and hurried to the door. Just as she turned the knob, a hand on her arm halted her. She looked around and her gaze clashed with Cooper’s angry countenance.
“Don’t,” he said harshly. “He made his choice long ago.”
“I have to,” she whispered. “I saw regret, Cooper. Come with me.”
As she reached for his hand, he pulled back.
“I can’t forget this is all his fault,” he said.
Cooper turned and walked away, leaving her at a crossroads, but this time she had a chance to know. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door.
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