Caught in the Act (Independence Falls 2)

“Sorry,” Lena said. “I don’t know your situation. And I?

?m hardly one to talk about relationships. Hero is the only male who had gotten close to me in the past six months.”

Georgia sighed. “You’re going to steal my brother away, aren’t you?”

“Maybe,” Katie said. “After tomorrow’s meeting, once the deal is out of the way, then maybe I’ll ask him.”

And see if Liam would stand behind his words and risk everything to be with her.

“I think he’ll say yes,” Georgia said. “I know my brother and he doesn’t go after anything he doesn’t want.”

Katie’s smiled as she stared out into the darkness. The last traces of daylight had disappeared behind the mountains.

“Then bring on the L-words.”

Chapter 17

KATIE SECURED SUGAR’S stall door. When she’d returned home, she’d gone straight to the barn to check on the animals. They’d been fed and watered. Now, the shower was calling her name.

Walking down the barn’s center aisle, she stole one last glance at the pair of horses the sheriff had dropped off. They’d confirmed that the smaller of the two half-starved mares was blind. But still the mare had adjusted to her new home, happily eating her way through buckets of grain and bales of hay.

Katie paused in front of the blind animal’s stall. “I should have brought you a treat.”

“I have a carrot I don’t mind sharing.”

She jumped at the sound of his voice, startling the mare. The skittish horse quickly moved away. Glancing over her shoulder, Katie spotted Liam, one shoulder resting against the opening to the barn, his left ankle crossed over his right. He’d changed into a clean pair of jeans and a flannel shirt, the sleeves rolled up, revealing his forearms. His hands were shoved into his pockets.

“Liam.” She smiled, wishing she’d stopped by the house to clean up before checking the animals. “Hi.”

“I saw the light on in the barn and thought I’d find you here.” He abandoned his position in the entry and headed for the mare’s stall.

“Didn’t bother checking at the main house? I’m sure my brothers would love to see you again,” she teased.

“I had to see you, Katie.” He withdrew a carrot from his back pocket and handed it to her. The nervous mare came forward to accept the treat, then quickly disappeared into the far corner of her stall.

“I’m done here. And while I’d love to sneak you into the house, there’s an apartment over the barn that is empty right now,” she said. Liam didn’t need to see her pink and purple wallpaper.

“I came here to talk. There’s something I should have told you at the cabin. But I was too damn selfish. And then your brothers showed up . . .”

And just like that, the cliff she’d been standing on started to crumble. She took a step back, crossing her arms in front of her chest, her chin held high. “Tell me.”

“One of the guys at Black Hills called and told us about your deal with them.”

“So this is about Moore Timber’s offer,” she said. Her brothers’ warning raced through her mind. Had she been a fool to trust this man a second time?

He nodded. “Eric and I agree that Summers Family Trucking is worth more than one million—”

“Eric said yes to the counteroffer?” Surprise mingled with unease. “And you didn’t tell me?”

“Katie,” he said. “Listen to me. Eric is willing to increase the offer. A lot. But he has one condition.”

“You mean you have one condition,” she said. “You’re part of Moore Timber now. Eric’s partner, not just his spokesman.”

“You’re right. We want you to come work with us and help Moore Timber gain a foothold in the biomass space. The way you’ve negotiated that deal—you did a great job, Katie.”

“I know.” Her brothers hadn’t believed her at the time, but she’d been right to take the risk. “You’re one of Summers Family Trucking’s biggest assets,” Liam said. “We want your fleet of trucks, don’t get me wrong. But we also want you.”

It was like watching a series of dominos fall. Her heart, her plans for the future were tumbling one by one. And the man who’d shattered her trust years ago was pushing them over.