Rocky Mountain Hero by Audra Harders

Author:Audra Harders [Harders, Audra]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2011-12-15T05:00:00+00:00

Melanie followed the paved walkway up to the ranch office. The noisy chatter of mountain finches chirped from the trees as she brushed past the boughs. Stepping onto the deck, she knocked on the jamb, since the door already stood open. “Can I come in?”

Gabe motioned to her from behind his desk as he leaned back in his chair, the phone receiver pressed to his ear. Papers and folders cluttered his office. She picked her way to the chair he indicated and sat down. Gabe um-hummed into the phone as his gaze followed her every move.

“It’s a heart attack, Zac. Not a stroke.” Gabe rolled his eyes. “Jennifer said they ballooned his arteries and he’s fine. He’ll be slow for a while. That’ll be the hard part.”

She smiled at the assessment. Martin did tend to run the show. He’d have to take a backseat to the action until he healed.

“I can’t get a hold of Nick. He must be out of cell phone range. Just come up for a weekend. Mom’ll be glad to see you and Dad—well, Dad will appreciate the effort.” He tapped his finger on the arm of his chair. “Of course we have enough help for the summer.”

He winked and Melanie blushed. The corner of his mouth lifted, exposing white teeth. “More help than we’ve ever had.” His grin faded as he shook his head. “Yeah, well. Of course I’ll tell them.”

Gabe replaced the receiver on the phone pad and stretched his neck, the strain of the last few days a shadow beneath his eyes. He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand and gave her a sideways glance. “Have any brothers and sisters?”

She shook her head. “Only child.”

“Hmm. In times like this, count yourself lucky.” He sat up and leaned toward the desk. “My little brother pulls the helpless card whenever there’s work around here.”

“He’s not coming up to see your dad?”

“Oh, he’ll be up, just not when we need him.” Gabe placed his elbows on the desktop, his shirtsleeves rolled to the tops of his forearms. Corded muscles flexed each time he pressed his fingers together.

Tearing her attention away from his tan skin, she looked around the office. “You have your hands full here. Isn’t there some way he can come up to help?”

Gabe laughed. He propped his chin in his palm and considered her with a long look. “Nick and Zac do whatever they want to in life and face the consequences of their own decisions. Same with me. Honestly, I don’t want them coming up to help me. They get in the way and then we argue.” He tilted his head, the crease in his cheek deepening. “If Mom or Dad calls them, they’ll come running.”

She’d never understood the entire sibling rivalry issue. As an only child, she’d dealt with life alone in a big house while her father closed deals at the golf course and her mother kept a busy social calendar. She would have welcomed a sister or brother to alleviate the loneliness.

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