Page 17 of The Rescuer

Unbidden, her blush intensified, heating her skin all the way to her scalp and making it prickle. “I would love to.” She had been warming to the idea of getting to know him better, and the urge gained speed. “But I have one condition.”

He raised both eyebrows. Fine strands of silver threaded through his thick hair, catching the light and giving him a distinguished air. How old was he anyway? The creases at the corners of his eyes and the crinkles around his mouth gave him the appearance of a forty-something, but if he’d spent his life outdoors, he could easily have been in his early thirties. Either way, he was young for a man sitting atop an empire, and she found that intriguing. Not because of the riches, but because he was obviously an overachiever. They had that trait in common.

“The condition is that I buy the drinks,” she insisted.

“Whatever the lady wants.”

While the wind whippedand the sky flung stinging miniature crystals outside, a crowd of locals was busy livening up Miners.

Dixie offered a cool greeting and gestured toward the dining room. “Pick a table.”

Wow. Okay. Neve loosened her scarf. “I think we’ll sit at the bar.”

“Suit yourselves.”

Leo bent down to Neve’s ear as he ushered her toward two open bar stools with his fingers lightly pressed into the small of her back. “Is she always so friendly?”

“She’s probably tired after a long day.” Or pissed off that Leo was escorting Neve, though that didn’t make a lot of sense. Dixie was one ofthe townspeople constantly urging Neve to “find a man who deserved her.” Not that LeodeservedNeve, but she was warming to the idea of finding out.

The only two open bar stools beside each other happened to be in Reece’s section. Of course they did. He was smiling at something someone said, but when he noticed them, the smile melted away, and his eyes flickered with a curious gleam.

This was him playing protective big brother to her “kid sister.” Ugh.

He placed a coaster in front of her and gave her a pointed look. “Margarita with all the fixings or a shot this time?”

“A glass of red wine.” She really wanted the margarita—Reece made the best ones she’d ever tasted—but a sudden orneriness overtook her, and she wanted to throw him off his game. Show him he didn’t know her as well as he thought he did.

Without missing a beat, he turned to Leo. Though his tone was pure nonchalance, his mouth firmed a fraction. “Left your mountain top to slum tonight, Cantrell?”

Leo’s smile widened, as if he enjoyed the odd jab—odd because Reece didn’t usually jab. “I wouldn’t call having dinner with a gorgeous woman ‘slumming.’” He sent Neve an appreciative sidelong glance. “I wanted to see how the fun half of the county lives. Glad I did because the other half is alotof fun.”

Reece slapped Leo’s coaster down on the bar top a little harder than necessary, though Leo didn’t flinch. There seemed to be some kind of silent pissing match taking place between the two. Fortunately, it was broken up by Charlie Hunnicutt sauntering over with his usual grin and an extended hand. After Charlie and Leo exchanged the obligatories, Charlie slid his arm around Neve’s shoulders and pulled her in for a side hug. He dropped a kiss on her head, as natural as could be. Only months before, Neve could have spent a pleasant evening pretending they were an item, and Charlie would have played along. He had been her plus-one for years, and he’d been great at it. Not only was he good-looking—he was a Hunnicutt after all—but he was built to take care of himselfandher when she needed a bodyguard.

But he’d gone and fallen head over heels for Joy Holiday. The audacity.

Leo’s brows cinched together, and Neve elbowed Charlie, who released her and took a step back. With her eyes on Leo, she pointed at her hugger. “We’re not … he’s not …”

“We used to be each other’s plus-ones,” Charlie explained. Joy chose that moment to park her chin on his shoulder, and he pivoted and pulledherin for a handsier version of the hug. “Now Joy’s my plus-one.”

Neve nodded. “Joy’s his plus-everything.”

Recognition danced in Leo’s eyes. “Zoe Saldana. Nice to see you again.”

Joy bore a remarkable resemblance to Zoe Saldana that everyone except Joy could see. The main differences were her height—Joy was taller—and her striking amber-colored eyes.

“Nice to see you too, Leo.” Joy reached out her hand for a shake and threw Neve a subtle wink, as if to say, “Good job, girl!”

Charlie lifted his chin toward Reece’s back. “Did you hear about the big guy’s latest heroics today?”

Reece froze and shot Charlie a warning scowl over his shoulder before returning to his drink prep.

Neve shook her head. “No, but I bet you’re going to tell me.”

“Damn straight I am because you knowhewon’t say anything.” Charlie immediately launched into a narrative about how Reece and Cade had been working trail maintenance when Cade had heard a cry for help. Conversation dropped to a dull drone as people began leaning in to hear the tale.

And there was another personality quirk she and Reece shared: He wasn’t comfortable with anyone shining the spotlight on him. Predictably, he moved off to the bar’s other section but seemed to keep one ear cocked—probably to correct Charlie in case he overembellished.

As Charlie unwound his tale—Reece’s tale—he had the full attention of his audience. “Guy and a girl from New York. Tourists. They get into an argument, and she takes off. Wasn’t familiar with the area but went stomping into the woods anyway. Apparently, she was going to teach him a lesson. A lesson about what, I’m not sure. Obviously not on survival in the woods in November. If Reece and Cade hadn’t been in the right spot at the right time, she could’ve been stranded overnight without food or water or any survival gear. No bueno.”

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