Page 13 of Cruel Expectations

At that, his friend’s expression transformed into a grin. A genuine one from the old days. “Meadow and I weren’t always this happy and well-adjusted.”

“I sense a story here.”

“There is. Maybe I’ll share it another time, but let’s just say that Meadow needed a bit of a firm hand.”

That statement brought a chuckle from Hunter, so unexpected that he had to resist looking around for the source of the unfamiliar sound.

“I came here to keep a promise to Forest. But now I’ve made a new one to Meadow.”

Hunter grunted. “You’re a lucky, man. You know your path. I have no idea what to do with my life.”

Colton clapped him on the back. “While you figure things out, I’m happy to have you here. I need people I can trust to help me protect what Forest’s family spent generations building.”

“What you suspect his father fucked up.”

“There’s too much to tell right now. For the time being, I need to show you around, get you set up.” He gave Hunter a pointed look. “I’m guessing you have your sidearm?”

“You know it.”

“Good—keep it on you.”

A prickle ran up and down Hunter’s spine, the same tingle he always got when a commanding officer was giving an order. “What kind of danger are we talking about, Nox? You said you killed a man.”

Colton looked him dead in the eyes. “I did. And one of the ranch hands is missing. I don’t think he ran off.”

Chapter Four

In the long months since Ivy was last in Montana, the landscape hadn’t changed. Not surprising. Little changed in these parts. Her daddy might order one of the workers to slap a new coat of paint on an outbuilding, but the fields and mountains remained untouched by time.

As Meadow drove the pickup beneath the gate leading off the property, Ivy studied the ironwork making up the arch with the Gracey name in the center. Three zillion years ago, some ancestor had placed the name there, and there it would remain until some future Gracey ducked out of the ranching tradition.

Ivy knotted her fingers in her lap. Ever since Meadow told her she was going to visit their father in the hospital, Ivy’s nerves had kicked in.

She’d seen enough hospital shows on TV to know that it wasn’t reality. In reality, people died in those places. They never came home to their generations-old ranches.

Glancing at her sister, she attempted to gauge her mood. All she could make out was that Meadow was as beautiful as ever. Though she did notice a new glow within her sister, what she could only guess was happiness. When Meadow looked at Colton, she lit up like a firefly in a mason jar.

“I’m really happy for you, Meadow.”

Surprise registered on her face when she turned her head. “Where did that come from?”

“Can’t I be happy for my sister?”

“I’m glad you are, don’t get me wrong. I just wondered what made you say that.”

“You’re different with Colton. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you smile.”

At that, Meadow’s face took on the exact opposite expression. Pain pinched at the corner of her eye that Ivy could see in profile.

“There hasn’t been a lot to smile over.”

“No,” she agreed.

Silence stretched between them, the only sound the hum of tires on the highway leading to the small town of Eden, and beyond that, to a larger hospital where their father was fighting for his life.

“I won’t lie, Ivy. It was really hard after you left.”

A lump lodged in her throat. She turned her blurry vision to her knotted fingers. “I’m sorry. I just couldn’t stay.”

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