From This Moment On Read online

  The guy from the Lone Wolf didn’t say a word, just sipped his beer. Trace didn’t know his name but nodded to him, and he gave him a friendly nod back. Matt Gunderson had returned to run the ranch since his father had been confined to bed, and Trace wondered if Matt had sent the man to keep an eye on his sister. Probably not. Nikki would catch on and be mad. Then again, it wasn’t likely she’d recognize one of the hands.

  Although she’d been living at the Lone Wolf since her return, according to Matt she wanted nothing to do with the place. Or their father, for which no one in town would fault her. Wallace Gunderson was a despicable human being. But as his illegitimate daughter she was a Gunderson by blood, if not in name, and entitled to half the large ranching operation upon Wallace’s death. Which apparently was fast approaching.

  Trace chanced a look and saw that she’d slipped behind the bar to fill mugs of beer while Sadie was busy pouring shots. Almost as if she sensed he was watching, Nikki swung a look at him. Neither of them broke eye contact right away, but then she had to stop the mugs from overflowing.

  She did a good job of acting indifferent toward him, but it was mostly pretense. He might’ve thought it was his ego overriding his brain but his sister had confirmed Nikki had a soft spot for him. Though Rachel hadn’t meant to give him hope. In truth, she’d been warning him that if he played fast and loose with her boyfriend’s sister, she’d wring his neck.

  He supposed she had some cause for concern. He’d always been lucky with women, and a number of them considered him a big flirt, but usually because they flirted back or initiated the dance. And Rachel sure hadn’t been shy about exploiting his so-called easy charm to help her keep the guests happy.

  But with Nikki he’d been careful from the moment he’d met her in February. At first because she was Matt’s sister, and then because Trace had seen the cracks in her cool facade. They’d sat right here in the Watering Hole after a drunken idiot had accosted her outside. Matt had arrived in time to stop the guy, but the idiot’s friend had joined the party and Matt ended up with bruised ribs, a swollen face and lucky to still have teeth.

  Nikki had been quick to accept the blame for her brother’s beatdown. So quick, it had stunned Trace. She’d been a victim as much as Matt, but all she’d been able to see was that she’d brought him trouble and that was all she’d ever do. She hadn’t come out and said it like that, but in those few unguarded moments, Trace had listened well. And he’d learned three things about her that night: she was fiercely loyal to people she cared about, didn’t trust easily and liked to keep her emotions tightly wrapped.

  He knew she’d had a rough life growing up in Houston. Being raised by a single mother who’d worked two jobs to support them wasn’t a tragedy in itself, but Nikki had hinted that as a teenager she’d gotten into some trouble in her gang-infested neighborhood. She hadn’t elaborated, and it was pretty clear she’d regretted being so open.

  Other than that night when he’d looked after her while Matt got patched up, Trace hadn’t spent any time alone with her. She’d come to Blackfoot Falls because her brother had wanted her to meet Wallace and get closure before he died. Matt also hoped she would like Montana and move to the Lone Wolf. They’d stayed two weeks and then Matt had to return to the rodeo circuit and Nikki to her waitressing job in Houston.

  And in those three months they were gone, Trace had thought about her every single day. He’d never been that dogged over a woman before. His last new truck, yeah, and technically it hadn’t been new. But he’d thought about that honey every day for over five months before he had enough cash to bring the Ram home with him.

  “Hey.”

  Trace snapped out of his preoccupation the same time Nikki touched him. He looked at her small hand resting on his forearm, at the neatly trimmed nails that had a light sheen but no color. Then he looked into her pretty brown eyes that had seen too much. They got to him every time.

  “You were daydreaming.” She drew back her hand. “If you had knocked this tray over I would’ve strangled you. Here.”

  He took the bottle from her. “Thanks.”

  “Don’t thank me.” She motioned with her chin. “Thank your friend sitting near the jukebox. The beer’s from her.”

  His stomach turned. “Karina?”

  “Yep.”

  “I don’t want anyone buying my beer. Tell her I said thanks anyway.”

  “Tell her yourself.” A small smile tugging at her lips, Nikki turned to pass a mug to Josh.

  “I’m serious. Add this to my tab and then I’m cashing out.”

  “You’re leaving?” Disappointment flickered in her eyes, and then she blinked and it was gone. “I can give you a total now,” she said, all business. “You’ve had, what...two beers?”

  “This one makes three.” He waited for her to meet his gaze but she was being stubborn. He really didn’t want to leave yet, and if she gave him the slightest indication she’d like him to stay, he’d wait for her to get off work. But no, she seemed determined to treat him like he was any other customer. Which he supposed he was, but sure didn’t like it.

  He set the bottle down and dug in his pocket. For over a week he’d had the same thing every night so he knew his tab came to $9.75. He pulled out two bills and laid them on her tray. “Keep the change.”

  “Isn’t Karina a guest at the Sundance? You really want to turn her down?”

  “Yeah, I do.” He wasn’t about to let that bronc out of the chute. Bad enough he had to socialize with the women crawling all over the Sundance. He didn’t need to owe any of them.

  “It’s just a drink, Trace.”

  He smiled. No, it wasn’t, not with these women. “Your next day off, how about you and me take a drive to Kalispell?”

  “Why?” She glanced around, but no one had heard. He’d made sure he kept his voice low, and Sam was busy racking balls for the next game. “Isn’t that forty-five minutes away?”

  “You haven’t been, right? It’s nice. Lots of restaurants, bars, department stores, movie theaters. I think there might even be a bowling alley.”

  “So...you’re asking me to go because...?”

  “I don’t know.” Man, she didn’t make it easy. “I have business there, anyway,” he said, lying through his teeth. “I thought you’d like to check out what’s available...stuff we don’t have in Blackfoot Falls.”

  “I appreciate the thought.” She picked up two empty mugs off the shelf that ran along the wall. “But I have a bunch of things to do when I have time off.” Now she was lying. She wasn’t any better at it than him.

  “Okay.” He saw Sam eyeing them, curiosity coming off him like steam. “If you change your mind let me know.” Trace grabbed his Stetson off the peg and returned his nearly full beer to her tray. “And don’t worry, Nikki. It’s just a drive.”

  2

  NIKKI FLORES WATCHED one of the blondes who’d been sitting at the end of the old mahogany bar run for the door that had barely closed behind Trace. Another woman had stopped him before he’d even made it that far. Whatever she’d said had him shaking his head, but he’d flashed her that movie star smile of his, the kind that had silly women forgiving and forgetting when they should be slamming doors shut.

  “You gonna sulk the rest of the night because he went home early?” Sadie set a pitcher of beer on Nikki’s tray.

  “Me?” She rolled her eyes. “No, but his fan club might. If we’re lucky they’ll drown their disappointment in expensive cocktails. I say we raise the price of those stupid appletinis.”

  Sadie chuckled, sounding much better without the rusty wheeze she’d had a few months earlier when Nikki had first met the older woman. A lot of Nikki’s traumatic first visit to Blackfoot Falls had blurred once she’d returned to Houston. She’d only remembered a few things...the beauty of Montana wasn’t something easily forgotten, and the air, so clean and clear that taking a deep breath actually made her head light.

  And the McAllisters...Nikki had never met a family l
ike them. Their warmth and kindness was part of the reason she’d agreed to come back with Matt. At first she’d been wary. How could all three brothers and a sister be that well-adjusted? But then she’d met their mother. An hour spent with Barbara was all it had taken for Nikki to understand them. Oh, they weren’t perfect, not even close, but it was their unconditional love for one another and how they had each other’s back that impressed her.

  Sadie had also made the short list. Nikki had only talked with her a couple times, but the woman sure seemed to know when to speak up and when to keep her opinion to herself. Nikki had been a wreck the night Matt had gotten into a fight protecting her. Every instinct had screamed for her to find the guys and get even, show them they couldn’t mess around with her or her family. Growing up, she’d learned to protect her own because no one else would.

  But Matt had brought her to Montana so she could have a new life. Leave her troubled past behind. Sadie hadn’t known her circumstances, yet she’d seen the thirst for payback in Nikki’s eyes and in a few well-chosen words, convinced her it wasn’t worth it. When Nikki thought about it now, she had to hold back a shudder. The people here didn’t understand what she was capable of. Not even Matt got it. He hadn’t known her as a teenager.

  That same night Trace had come into the bar with her, and to be fair, he’d played a big part in calming her down. He’d sat and listened and told her he wouldn’t blame her one bit for wanting to slap those guys into the next zip code. And then he’d reminded her that it wasn’t over—the men would be fired and the pleasure should be Matt’s.

  God, it still bothered her that she’d told Trace little things about her past she wished she’d kept to herself. She’d known him less than a week, had never spoken to him one-on-one before that night. At the last minute he’d shown up to help Matt and ended up with a split lip. Not a big cut, just a small nick near the corner of his mouth. It had stopped bleeding pretty quickly, but every time she looked at him, she was reminded he’d been hurt because of her.

  That was the only reason she’d opened up to him. Why she’d confessed that she hated Wallace more than she thought humanly possible, that he deserved to be sick, and how she was glad he was dying. She hadn’t censored her vile thoughts. They’d tumbled out of her mouth, and Trace had just sat there, without a hint of judgment.

  Of course some of it wasn’t news to him. The McAllisters knew quite a lot from Matt because he trusted them. The scary part was, for those two rocky hours she’d sat with Trace, she’d actually trusted him, too.

  That was enough to rattle her. She just didn’t put that kind of faith in people. She trusted Matt, but getting there had taken nearly a year of ups and downs. The only other person she completely believed in was her mother, who loved her no matter what. Her mom was the main reason Nikki was giving Blackfoot Falls a try. She’d met a businessman from Mexico City who wanted to marry her. But it wouldn’t happen, she’d never leave Houston as long as Nikki was there.

  No, trust didn’t come easy for Nikki. Especially with men. They always disappointed her. And a guy like Trace with his looks, his family’s clout, money and a bright future... He was the worst kind of man to count on. Good-looking smooth guys like him couldn’t seem to help themselves. They had charm to spare and felt they owed it to the female population to spread it around.

  She’d fallen for a man like that before, and she’d been burned. Badly. Just like her mom had been crushed by Wallace all those years ago. If nothing else, Nikki had learned a lesson from the experience. Or so she’d thought until that night she’d blabbed to Trace.

  “You need anything else besides those tequila shots?” Sadie asked, with a glance at Nikki’s loaded tray.

  “No, this is it. Thanks.”

  “I wouldn’t worry about Trace.”

  Nikki hefted the tray at the same time Sadie spoke and almost let the pitcher slide off. “Where did that come from?”

  “You’ve been staring at the door the last five minutes. I figured you were worried about him.”

  “Why would I be? That’s crazy.”

  Sadie smiled. “My mistake.”

  Nikki dropped off the pitcher first. She’d been carrying heavy trays and serving drinks since she was old enough to work. But something in Sadie’s smug expression had thrown her off and all she needed was for the entire order to crash to the wooden floor.

  Her tips weren’t so good that she could afford to hand half over to Sadie.

  She delivered the tequila shots to the two cowboys sitting in the corner and managed to give them a smile. They were nice laid-back guys whose names she really should remember. Both were good tippers and patient when she got slammed. She hated that all the other customers seemed to fade when Trace was in the bar. But what she hated even more was that he hung out with Sam.

  Sometimes Sam was okay. He’d come in nearly every night since she’d started working for Sadie. He liked to flirt and tease, not just with her but with the Sundance guests. She knew that at least one of the women had gone off with him last week. For her part, Sam was the kind of guy she’d go a mile out of her way to avoid. He was good-looking, but too cocky and full of himself. Definitely a one-night stand guy. After checking on her customers, she stowed her tray and slipped behind the bar to wash glasses. The dishwasher had conked out three years ago and Sadie had gone without since. Last week she’d admitted to Nikki that she’d almost closed the bar a month before the Sundance opened their doors to guests. Business had gotten slow with so many layoffs in the area. The hired hands who were left had started going to Kalispell for their entertainment. Until all the young single women began arriving each week.

  At the end of the bar Sadie made jukebox change for a customer and then grabbed a clean towel and joined Nikki. “I was gonna get to those glasses next, but thanks for pitching in. You’re a good worker, Nikki. And God bless you, you showed up at the right time. I would’ve been up a creek without anyone reliable to fill in for Gretchen.”

  “She’s ready to have her baby anytime now, right?”

  “Next Tuesday is her due date.” Sadie picked up a mug and dried it. “Claims she’ll come back to work in two months but I’ve got my doubts. Even if she does I can still use you two nights a week if you’re willing.”

  Nikki nodded, though she’d been hoping for something more full-time. But then again anything could happen in two months. Her mother planned on relocating to Mexico City in three weeks. As soon as she was settled Nikki could start thinking about where she wanted to end up.

  Cole’s girlfriend, Jamie, loved San Francisco, claimed it was one of her favorite cities, and she was a travel blogger who’d been around the world more than once. Maybe Nikki would go have a look for herself, see if she could find a decent job there. Although she was hoping to save more money before she left.

  If she left. She really was trying to keep an open mind, but she couldn’t seem to imagine the Lone Wolf ever feeling like home. The huge two-story house was beautiful, nicer than any place she’d ever lived or most likely ever would. And the guest bedroom, which was now hers according to Matt, was almost as big as the apartment she’d had in Houston.

  Most of the time the ranch was quiet, too. So still and quiet that at first it had creeped her out. In her old neighborhood it wasn’t unusual to hear gunshots in the middle of the night. Sometimes at the Lone Wolf if she kept a window open she’d hear a calf bawling or a rooster crowing. She hadn’t gotten used to that yet.

  “Do you think Marge might need help at the diner?” she asked, and Sadie frowned. “I’d still work here whenever you needed me, but after Gretchen comes back, I wouldn’t mind picking up a few shifts over there.”

  “I don’t think she needs anyone but it wouldn’t hurt to ask. Frankly, though, I think the tips are better here.” Sadie dried two more mugs before she said, “Of course I’d never refuse to take Gretchen back, but it wouldn’t surprise me none if she wanted to stay home with that new baby and only work a couple nights a week. If
that happens, the other shifts are all yours.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate it.” She watched Sadie brace a hand on the back counter while she stretched up to stow the clean mugs on the upper shelf.

  Her diabetes was under control, and she’d lost some weight, which allowed her to get around more, but she still had a few health issues. She’d been divorced a while and her only daughter lived in Oregon. For whatever reason, they rarely spoke and hadn’t seen each other in years. Sadie only had the Watering Hole. Leaving her would be hard. Nikki hadn’t expected that, especially not after working for her only two weeks. She’d miss the small rustic bar, too, with its warped tables and mismatched chairs.

  “You look a little sad tonight, honey.” Sadie took the soapy mug from her and rinsed it. “You missing your mama?”

  “A little. Mostly I’m happy she’s found someone who really cares about her.” Nikki couldn’t say the words without thinking about Wallace and how horribly he’d wronged her mother. She’d been young, hopeful and in love with the handsome older man who’d used her until she and Nikki had become an inconvenience.

  “She have any family in Mexico City?”

  “Some cousins and an uncle. I’ve never met them, but she’s stayed in contact.”

  “I imagine you’ll be visiting her soon enough.”

  Nikki nodded, though she worried she couldn’t scrape together the money to make the trip. No way she’d accept the fare from Matt even though he’d offered. She still planned on repaying him for the money he’d secretly sent her mother for a year. He just didn’t know it. Good thing, because it was going to take her forever.

  “I hope I’m not opening a can of worms here,” Sadie said, “but how’s Wallace doing?”

  Nikki shrugged. “He has a few weeks. He’s not even seeing the doctor anymore. A nurse from the clinic stops by now and then. Matt and Lucy are taking care of him.”

  “Well, I sure give Matt credit. I doubt that boy ever heard a kind word from Wallace.”

  “I think in Matt’s mind he’s doing this for his mom.”