First Last Chance by E.H. Hunter

Author:E.H. Hunter
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: family drama, danger, intrigue, contemporary romance, western romance, second chance at love, wyoming ranch, finding happiness, learning to trust again, former governor
Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group

***

The sounds of night surrounded them as they walked down the steps onto the gravel drive. The crunch of the rocks under their feet and the moonlight peeking through the evergreen branches made for a fairytale scene.

Neither spoke until they’d left the drive behind and turned to follow the dirt path along the lake. A breeze blew Ashley’s loose hair across her face, and she tugged it behind her ears.

“Is Ted keeping you busy?” Gabe asked in a low voice, sending a chill through her.

Her throat was dry, and he walked too close. She had a hard time concentrating on more than putting one foot in front of the other. “He drove me up to Alpine Ridge. I took a few pictures.” She described their trip to the ridge, then asked, “How was your trip to Cheyenne?”

Gabe didn’t answer, and she began to think he hadn’t heard the question. “Didn’t go as planned, but all in all, I learned a few things,” he finally said.

“A few good things, I hope.” She moved the lantern to her other hand to keep something between them. When the path narrowed, she felt the heat from his body, and too often his arm brushed against hers. She wanted to ask if Marilyn had gone with him, but didn’t need the aggression tonight.

It wasn’t until they took the left turn from the lake to the cabin he said, “Yeah, a few good things. I need to find a way to stop commercial construction on grazing land.”

“I can see why you want to preserve it around here. Does part of that land belong to Sam’s ranch and that’s why you’re so concerned over it being sold off to developers?”

“Yeah. The section across the river is part of High Mountain.” He sighed. “Or it used to be.”

They’d reached the lake side of the cabin. Before leaving the path, she stopped and turned to look back the way they’d came. A panoramic view of dark water shimmered in the moonlight, and the long shadows cast by the trees looked like shady figures lurking in the forest. Loneliness swept over her.

Gabe sat on the top step of the cabin’s deck, looking out over the lake. “I’d hate to lose any of this. I grew up here.” He paused. “I wish Alicia had seen it like I do.”

Feeling a little awkward with being left standing close to her door, Ashley sat beside him and took a deep breath as she looked at Gabe. “Marriages end despite our best efforts, don’t they?”

Gabe looked her way, smiled. “Yeah, they do,” he said gently. “What went wrong with yours?”

She shrugged. “Does there need to be a reason nowadays?” She couldn’t get into the whys with Gabe now. Not when she didn’t trust him, not with what he’d pulled with Marilyn. “We were young. Rob didn’t like responsibility. A wife and child prevented him from being…him.” She took a deep breath. “Abby and I have been on our own for several years.”

He watched her for long moments.

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