Page 16 of Smokescreen

“Olive is fine. And I’m from California.”

“I’ve never been there. But there’s no place that compares to Wyoming, if you ask me.”

“Where are you from, Hannah?”

“Montana. I worked at Yellowstone National Park for a couple of summers with their National Park Service Academy. I loved the area so much that I looked for other jobs so I could stay in the Rocky Mountains. When I saw the job opening here at the Thunder Ridge Ranch, I applied, and I got it. I’ve been here ever since.”

“How long has that been?”

They reached the second-floor, and Olive followed Hannah across the landing.

“I’ve been here three years now,” Hannah said.

“What is it like to work for Mr. Harrison?”

Hannah threw her a look. “That sounds like a trick question.”

They paused in front of a doorway carved in rich oak.

“My apologies,” Olive said. “I didn’t mean for it to sound like that. But how a boss treats his employees says a lot about a person.”

“So you care about his character?” Hannah’s voice contained a slight edge. She seemed to realize her tone and quickly corrected herself. “Mr. Harrison is a wonderful boss. I’ve so enjoyed my time here. I think this ranch is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been.”

“It’s good to work a job you enjoy.”

Hannah stared at her another moment as if trying to read her, trying to figure out whether or not she liked Olive.

Olive still wasn’t sure what the woman’s conclusion was.

Then Hannah turned away and opened the door. “I hope you’ll be comfortable here. Your room has an attached private bath. And if there’s anything at all you need, just let me know, and I’ll try my best to accommodate you.”

“I appreciate that.” Olive glanced around. “Where did you say you put my suitcase?”

“It’s in the closet. I unpacked it for you and put your clothes away.”

Olive must have given her a look because Hannah quickly continued. “That’s what Reid—Mr. Harrison, I mean—has me do for all his guests. Did you prefer I not do that?”

Olive was careful to keep her expression placid. “It’s fine. Thank you.”

Thankfully, nothing in her suitcase would give away her true identity. She had a backpack with her as well, but she kept that locked—thank goodness. Though her computer needed a passkey, she didn’t want people riffling around in her personal items. As Tevin had taught her, even the best security systems had vulnerabilities if someone who knew what they were doing was involved.

“I’ll leave you to get settled.” Hannah stepped back. “But I’m so glad to have you here.”

Olive wasn’t so sure about that. Not at all.

After Hannah left and shut the door, Olive glanced around.

The room was what she expected to find at a luxury cabin—except it was even better.

The walls were made of logs, but some type of white filler had been smeared between the logs, giving the room a softer, more romantic look. A four-poster bed stood in the center of the space with a white bedspread and multiple white and sage green pillows atop it. A matching sage blanket had been tastefully strewn over the corner.

A chest of drawers and a dresser stood on opposite walls. Since her room was in the corner, grand windows on two walls displayed the vast outdoors.

She paced to the open door on the interior wall and stepped inside.

The bathroom just might be the showstopper. White tiles stretched across the floor. A clawfoot tub stood against one wall. A heated towel rack hung on another wall with white, fluffy towels draped there. The shower rose in the corner, and a beautiful wooden vanity with a white stone top rounded out the space.

Olive felt as if she’d stepped into a spa. And she liked it.

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