Cheyenne. If I could, I would take you in my arms and hold you. What a tragedy for you and your family. As for your response to my message, it’s what I desperately wanted. But I’m still concerned that you don’t understand what you’re asking.
Let me explain some of the realities you’d be facing if you were to come here.
Ten Sleep is a beautiful little town at the foot of the Bighorn Mountains. My ranch is surrounded by forest and grasslands, and there are many wild animals—deer, elk, moose, wild horses, and even bears. That’s the good part. But Ten Sleep is in the middle of nowhere. There are tourists around in the summer season, but in the winter, the population dwindles to about 250 brave souls, so you couldn’t expect much social life, especially if you’re not into hunting and fishing. Winters are long and harsh. I get around on a snowmobile and spend most of my time trying to keep the animals alive. If you were here, you’d be doing that, too.
The ranch has been in my family for generations. That’s one reason I’ll never live anywhere else. But there’s another reason. That arrest I told you about, when I was eighteen, is still with me, like a life sentence. My name is on state and national registries for anyone to find. People here are my friends. They know me and know my story. But if I were to move away, wherever I might go, I would have to check in with the police. Then, whenever a crime was committed, they’d be knocking on my door. I wouldn’t wish that on myself, and I certainly wouldn’t wish it on you. I’m sorry if that shocks you, but that’s the reality you’d have to face if you were with me. Think it over. If it’s too much for you to process, I’ll understand.
If you’re still on board, this is what I’d like you to do. Take some time to make your decision—say, until next spring, after the winter’s over. We can stay in touch, get to knowmore about each other. I can work with Fire Dance and keep you posted. You can deal with your family situation, weigh your options, and make up your mind either way. If, by spring, you still want to come, I’ll welcome you with open arms. But make sure you’re ready to commit to this life. It would break my heart to have you come and then leave again. As I told you, I’m a man who plays for keeps.
Love, Buck
Jasmine’s flight to LA was scheduled to leave Harry Reid International Airport at 10:15 on Sunday morning. When Sam arrived at the hospital to pick her up for their short, shared cab ride, she had already checked herself out. Dressed in the designer track suit she’d worn the night before and carrying her purse, she was waiting in the main lobby when he walked in.
She stood and walked to meet him. Sam took her in his arms and kissed her, long and deep, not caring who saw them. No more hiding from the world.
“You look like you just came from the spa,” he said.
“Did you get my suitcase out of the room?”
“It’s in the cab, packed and ready to go. Are you sure you’ll be all right?”
She looked radiant, even without makeup. But given what she’d been through the day before, Sam knew she’d need time to heal. Unfortunately, he couldn’t be there to help her. His own flight for Abilene would be leaving an hour after hers from a different terminal. With Nick starting chemo on Monday, he couldn’t delay his return.
“I’ll be fine,” she said. “Chantal, my roommate, will be meeting my plane. She’ll take good care of me.”
“But not for long, I hope.”
As soon as things settled down with his job, Sam planned to find a bigger apartment or even a house for thetwo of them. But what if he was taking too much for granted? Their love affair had been smoking hot, but they’d spent almost no time as an ordinary couple doing ordinary things. And they’d made no formal plans for the future.
They’d survived danger and forbidden love. But could they survive real life together?
Their cab was waiting at the curb. Sam stowed her bag and helped her into the back seat. The ride to the airport would be a short one.
As the cab pulled away, she rested her head against his shoulder. “We need more time, Sam,” she said. “What are we going to do about that? Like, you know, dating?”
“Can you come to Abilene?”
“Will you have time for me? I’m not good at the part-time girlfriend thing.”
“Part-time isn’t what I have in mind. But you’re right, we need to get to know each other. And not just in bed.”
“But not just out of bed either.” She giggled.
The cab was pulling into the airport. Sam was crushed by a sense of impending loss. This woman was his soul mate. He’d be crazy to risk losing her. The words welled up in him and spilled over.
“Blast it, Jasmine. After what we’ve been through, I can’t just let you fly off into the blue without some kind of understanding. So help me, I don’t have a ring or a decent place to live. I don’t know how demanding my job will be. But I love you, and as soon as I can get my feet on the ground, I want the whole package—wedding, house, kids, everything. And I promise I’ll be there for you every step of the way. This might be the crummiest proposal you ever heard, but what do you say?”
She lowered her gaze. Sam’s heart sank. Was she about to turn him down? He waited for her to speak.
“Before I answer I have a confession—a secret I’ve been keeping from you,” she said. “If I tell you now, it’s only because I don’t want anything hidden between us. If you can’t live with what you’re about to hear, feel free to take back your proposal.”
“Just tell me.”
“It’s about my mother. When I was with her in Austin, she was seeing Louis Divino—not just as a lover but as a business partner. One day, he intercepted a phone call from you to me. He was about to kill me for it when she shot him—right in the back of the head. She got me out of there and got somebody to clean up the mess. As you know, my mother has … connections.
“With Divino dead, she tried to take over his organization. But he had friends. When they came after her, she had to flee the country. That’s the last I heard from her. I don’t even know if she’s alive. So tell me, Sam, as an FBI agent with rules, how would you deal with this situation?”
Sam answered without hesitation. “Rules aside, Madeleine is one of my favorite people—and now I have her to thank for saving your life. As to what I would do, I would take her innocent daughter, shelter and protect her, love her, and give her those blue-eyed grandbabies the lady always wanted. Does that answer your question?”