Cowboy Secrets. Alice Sharpe

a barn.”

      “With animals and everything?”

      “Yeah,” he said, with another quick glance. “This your first ranch?”

      “You can tell?”

      “I just guessed.” He drove up a hill and suddenly the view changed as a small valley spread below them. Bisected by a shimmering gray river, the acreage on the peninsula that the U-shaped bend in the river created looked stark and icy and terribly remote. A big, old, wood house sat in a protected alcove. Surrounded with covered decks, the house appeared well cared for. What looked like work buildings sat off at a distance. Pale winter light glinted off the frosty shore of the river.

      “My father’s place,” Pike said.

      “Is this where Tess is?”

      “That’s right. She’s afraid to be alone.”

      Sierra gestured at the half-dozen vehicles gathered in the back. “All family,” Pike said. “And I’ll be damned, Frankie must be here. That’s his truck. Haven’t heard from him in a couple of weeks, which in and of itself isn’t unusual. Of course, him being here probably means he’s brought some kind of trouble.”

      “Frankie is one of your brothers?”

      “The youngest. Gerard is the oldest, then Chance and me and Frankie.”

      “It’s hard to watch someone you love struggle with life, isn’t it?”

      Pike didn’t answer right away and then finally he allowed himself a sigh. “I guess that’s one way to put it. Of course, he wouldn’t think of himself like that. He’s just a little more...creative...than your usual cowboy. And lord knows he doesn’t back down for anyone.” He shook his head and added, “I shouldn’t be talking about him.”

      She looked past his long lashes and the intensity of his gaze, peering deep into him. “I didn’t mean to prod,” she said after a moment. “Tess is my only relative and I rarely see her. Apparently I’m rusty when it comes to concepts like family loyalty.”

      “I don’t know. You dropped everything and flew here with very little warning,” he said. “Sounds to me like you know exactly what loyalty is about.”

      “This might be my last chance to make it all up to Tess,” she said quietly with a quick sweep of her eyes. “Ever since she disappeared, I’ve been thinking I should have tried harder.”

      “Well, you’re here now,” Pike said. “And that’s what counts.”

      As they pulled in beside the other vehicles, the back door opened. Another tall man, who looked enough like Pike to identify him as one of the brothers, waved from the opening and strode across the yard to meet them, joined by three dogs. One looked like the Lab her father had had for years, and the other two looked like border collies. Sierra didn’t consider herself to be much of an animal person, though she could enjoy the simple adoration that shone in a dog’s eyes. And you had to admire their perpetual good moods.

      One of the dogs jumped on her as she got out of the vehicle, planting muddy paws eight inches above her waist, and she winced as her dry cleaner’s disapproving face popped into her head.

      “Get down,” Pike admonished. He produced a clean cloth from one of his pockets and held it in front of her, staring at the mud, obviously flummoxed by how to help her without invading her privacy as the smear was right across her breast area. She took the cloth from him and wiped off as much as she could.

      “Sorry,” he said.

      “No problem.” It had been stupid to wear suede. She’d just figured there’d be more concrete and less dirt.

      “Silly dog,” the approaching man said as he rubbed the mutt’s ears with his left hand and offered Tess his right. “You must be Sierra. I’m Gerard. We’re real glad to have you here. I know Pike has been worried about your sister.”

      “I think everyone has,” Sierra said. “Where is she?”

      “Upstairs, finally getting some sleep,” he said.

      Pike hit the side of the blue truck. “When did Frankie arrive?”

      “Dad said he sailed in about forty-five minutes ago. He’s been waiting for you to get back. He wants to talk to everyone at once.”

      “Just like my sister wants a family confab,” Sierra said. “Must be something in the air around here.”

      “Is everything okay with Frankie?” Pike asked as he opened the tail of the SUV and took out Sierra’s suitcase.

      “I’m not sure,” Gerard said. “Let’s go find out.”

Chapter Two

      They entered the house as the family almost always did, through the mudroom into the huge kitchen that, as usual, smelled of wonderful food. Roast chicken today, Pike thought, the aroma as welcoming as a holiday hug. From there, they walked into the dining room, and then on to the entryway, where the front door was framed by glass panels. Double doors opened from the entry into the den or office, called different things by different family members but well accepted as the spot where most family discussions took place.

      Today a fire burned in the rock fireplace in an effort to stave off the cold air pressing against the windows. For Pike, the chatter of those gathered was like any other sound on this ranch—from the running water of the river to the wind in the tree boughs, the thunder of horse hooves against the summer earth or the faraway braying of cattle. They were the sounds of his past and future, his home.

      What did Sierra think of all this? Probably found it confusing as hell. He could picture her in a SoHo loft or a Park Avenue condo, but he couldn’t quite fit her into this ranch. He knew there were few things more confusing than meeting a roomful of people who knew each other very well and of whom you knew practically nothing. He also got the feeling that Sierra wasn’t the shy type and would cope just fine.

      But Sierra pulled on his arm. “Whatever Frankie wants to tell you has nothing to do with me,” she said. “I want to see Tess.”

      “I’ll take you to her room,” Pike said.

      “But your brother is waiting.”

      “He’ll make it a while longer. Let’s go see if Tess is awake.” He took her muddy jacket and laid it across a chair while quietly perusing the trim white blouse with an almost men’s-wear starkness that gave way to some kind of sheer material around the hem. The shirt fit Sierra like a glove and revealed she was much curvier than he’d first thought.

      He motioned for her to go ahead of him up the broad staircase leading from the foyer. “The room at the end,” he said, directing her to the bedroom in which he’d spent his childhood. They found the door ajar, but the room was dark because the shades had been pulled. It was also warm and steamy. The hum of a humidifier in the corner explained that. The congested sound of Tess’s breathing drew Sierra to cross to her sister’s bed and stand looking over her slumbering body.

      Pike watched her for a minute or two until he felt a hand on his arm. He turned to find Gerard’s soon-to-be wife, Kinsey, standing beside him. She jerked her head toward the hallway and he held up a finger. A second later, he touched Sierra’s shoulder. She looked beyond him to Kinsey and followed them out into the hall.

      After a hasty introduction, Kinsey brought them up to speed on Tess. “I imagine you’re disappointed to fly all the way here and find your sister asleep. Dad insisted we call the doctor this morning. Of course, the doctor said you can’t really treat a head cold except with steam and acetaminophen and stuff like that. By the time I got back upstairs to start the humidifier for Tess, she’d fallen asleep and didn’t even open her eyes as I set things up. She really needs this rest. I could hear her pacing in the guest room half the night.”

      “I’m