Buch lesen: «The Coltons of Roaring Springs»

Chapter 1

I’m not going to make it.

Molly Gilford walked quickly through the main floor of The Lodge, headed for the gondola dock at the back of the massive structure. As the only five-star resort located on Pine Peak, The Lodge catered to guests who enjoyed winter sports. Skiing, snowboarding, hiking, even camping—the outdoor activities were designed for every skill level, from beginner to expert. And when the guests were done playing in the snow, they came inside to enjoy all the luxuries The Lodge had to offer.

As director of guest services, Molly couldn’t help but view the space with a critical eye, even as she dashed past. There was snow packed into the weave of the mat by the main entrance, tracked in by guests and staff alike. A few discarded coffee cups sat on a table in one of the many conversation nooks arranged throughout the room. One of the curtains was askew, and was that a...nose print on the window? Molly squinted, pausing in her journey. Yes, it looked like the glass bore a smudge from what was likely a dog’s nose, given its location on the window and the extent of the smear. She shook her head and set off again, her low heels sounding out a rapid tattoo on the pale gray marble tiles. Overall, not a bad state of affairs, but not up to the lofty standards of The Lodge, either.

She took her phone out of her purse as she stepped into the gondola carriage, typing out her observations in a message to the head of housekeeping. Nadia Carrington was Molly’s right-hand woman, and she knew the older lady would ensure that the small issues Molly had noticed would be addressed within minutes.

That task done, she checked the time. Two fifty-seven. Three minutes until departure. She’d meant to take the ride down the mountain an hour ago, but time had gotten away from her. There was nothing to do about it now. Her doctor’s appointment was at three thirty. It took fifteen minutes to ride down, giving her the same amount of time to find her car and make the drive into town. She was going to be late for certain, but hopefully the same could be said for Dr. Allen, who offered Sunday appointments once a month as a courtesy to her patients.

With nothing to do but wait, Molly glanced around the interior of the gondola carriage. It was a large space, big enough to hold twenty people at a time. A few small tables and chairs were arranged along the curve of the glass wall at the front of the carriage, which maximized the view for guests as they glided down the mountain. The soft gray carpet and matching drapes ensured that the interior of the gondola did nothing to distract from the scenery—if you stood at the front of the carriage, with the sky above you and the snowy slopes below, it was easy to imagine you were floating down the mountain.

Molly had the carriage to herself, which wasn’t too surprising. At this time of day, most guests were either enjoying the outdoors or staying inside to pamper themselves at the spa. Traffic would pick up again in the evening as guests from The Lodge made their way to The Chateau or the town beyond for dinner.

There was a small refrigerator next to the gondola entrance. Molly retrieved a bottle of water and sank onto the seat of a chair. It felt good to get off her feet, if only for the short ride.

She rubbed her hand absently over her belly, anticipation building in her chest as her thoughts turned to her upcoming appointment. It was time for the twenty-week sonogram, when the doctor would do a thorough exam of the baby to make sure everything looked as it should. She’d been excited about this date for months, imagining what her baby might look like. She couldn’t wait to see the little hands and feet, hear the steady thump of the heartbeat. And perhaps most exciting of all, today she would learn if she was having a girl or a boy.

Molly smiled to herself, warmth blooming inside her as she considered each possibility. Of course, a healthy baby was her top priority, but she had to admit, she was kind of hoping for a girl. Boys grew up and left their mothers behind, whereas girls were better at staying connected to family. Her own situation was a perfect example—if not for her reminders, Molly’s brother, Mason, would never remember to call their mother on her birthday or send their dad a Father’s Day card. She and her younger sister, Sabrina, were the ones who kept in regular contact with their parents.

“I hope you’ll do the same,” she said softly to her baby. She couldn’t bear the thought of her child growing up and forgetting about her.

Especially since she was probably the only parent her offspring would have.

Molly hadn’t planned to wind up a single mother. Some days, she still couldn’t believe she was pregnant. She hadn’t told anyone about the baby yet.

Not even the father.

Guilt speared through her at the thought of Max. He deserved to know about the pregnancy, and she had every intention of telling him.

Just as soon as she figured out how.

Their relationship had been more of a fling than anything else, a series of intensely passionate encounters during his quarterly visits to The Lodge. Molly knew he wasn’t looking for anything serious, and she’d convinced herself that was fine.

Except the past few times she’d seen him, her emotions had grown stronger and stronger, demanding acknowledgment. Six months ago, she’d decided that during his next visit, she would break things off. She wanted more, but Max was totally devoted to the charity he had founded and ran.

She’d figured out what she was going to say, considered every possible reaction he might have. Then she’d steeled herself to see him again.

But he hadn’t shown up.

Max had missed his regularly scheduled visit. Not a big deal, but then she’d started having symptoms, and after putting two and two together, she’d realized she was pregnant. She knew she needed to tell him, but the whole “hey, you’re going to be a father” conversation was one best had in person rather than over the phone. So she was going to have to wait for his next visit to share the news.

Provided he ever came back to The Lodge. If history was any indication, he should be arriving within the next two weeks. But Molly checked the reservations regularly and his name was nowhere to be seen.

Maybe this was his way of breaking things off? If so, he was definitely not going to be happy when he heard her news. Like it or not, a baby was going to tie them together for the rest of their lives. It was a bit ironic that their casual connection had produced such a permanent bond, but life was sometimes funny that way.

The carriage shuddered a bit as someone stepped on board. Molly didn’t turn around—she wanted one more moment to herself before she had to slip back into work mode.

She took a sip of water as the gondola began its journey down the mountain. Casting aside thoughts of Max, she let her gaze track across the pine trees and mountain rock, all still dusted with snow thanks to the high altitude. It was like a Christmas card come to life, a sight she didn’t think she would ever grow tired of seeing.

With a small sigh, she stood. Time to greet her company on the ride down. She wasn’t in her office, but she still had a duty to ensure that all guests of The Lodge were satisfied, no matter what part of the property they were using.

Molly turned, smiling as she moved. She opened her mouth to speak but as she caught sight of the other passenger, the muscles of her throat seized, trapping her words. Her eyes widened, taking in the man before her.

Tall. Broad shoulders that tapered to a slim waist. Red hair. Light green eyes. A hint of stubble, softening the lean lines of his face. And even though he was dressed for warmth, she knew that underneath his sweater and jeans he was all hard muscle and warm skin.

Heat suffused her limbs as her body responded to his presence. Finally! her libido seemed to say. But then her brain kicked into gear, asserting control over her raw physical reaction.

Maxwell Hollick was back.

And she was going to have to find a way to tell him she was carrying his child.

* * *

Damn. She looks good.

Max stared at Molly, his heart pounding hard as he drank in the sight of her. Six months between visits was way too long, but a small crisis at work had kept him occupied. Now that things were resolved, he was ready to kick back and have a little fun.

And Molly was just the woman he wanted to spend time with.

She’d changed a bit since he’d last seen her. She still had a blond bob and bright blue eyes, and her skin was as smooth and clear as he’d remembered. But she had a luminous glow about her now, and her curvaceous body seemed even more voluptuous, the swell of her hips a bit more pronounced. It was a good look for her. His fingers itched to lift the hem of her sweater and trace a line across her belly, inching higher until he could fill his hand with the soft, warm weight of her breast.

“Molly.” His voice came out as a rasp, so he cleared his throat and tried again. “It’s good to see you.”

She blinked, her pleasant, impersonal smile slipping into a look of bewilderment as she stared at him. For a second, Max thought he saw fear flash in her eyes. But before he could wonder about it, she spoke.

“Max.” Confusion and disbelief were clear in her tone, as if she didn’t quite believe he was real. “I...uh, I wasn’t expecting you,” she stammered.

“It was a spur-of-the-moment thing.” He’d been itching to get back to The Lodge for months, to see her again. But his schedule hadn’t cooperated. So he’d simply decided to force the issue—he’d had his secretary clear his schedule for a week and he’d jumped on the first plane out here. He’d arrived without a reservation, but because he was a regular guest he hadn’t had any trouble scoring one of the private cabins dotting the mountaintop.

Molly nodded, but the gesture was stiff. “Well...” She trailed off, clearly searching for something to say. “I’m glad you’re here.”

Her expression didn’t match her words, and Max had the distinct impression she was less than thrilled by his sudden appearance.

He frowned slightly, taken aback by her reaction. They hadn’t parted on bad terms at the end of his last visit. Heat danced along his skin as he recalled exactly how they’d said goodbye. He’d left her wearing a sleepy, satisfied smile and a promise to return. So why wasn’t she pleased to see him now?

Maybe she was upset because he’d been gone so long. Normally, he made it a point to stay at The Lodge every three months. But thanks to an issue with work, he’d had to skip what should have been his last visit.

“I know it’s been a while,” he said gruffly. “I’m sorry about that. Things got crazy at work—a big grant opportunity came up, so it was all hands on deck as we put together our application.”

Max was the founder and managing director of K-9 Cadets, a charity organization that worked to provide service dogs for veterans suffering physical and psychological wounds. As a former Special Forces operative himself, Max knew all too well how the horrors of war changed a person. To make matters worse, not all casualties occurred on the battlefield—there was a depressingly large epidemic of suicide among veterans. He had decided his mission was to help his fellow veterans cope with their new normal, and in his opinion, the best way to do that was through dogs. They were the perfect companions—loyal, nonjudgmental, wonderful listeners. Not only did dogs assist with physical tasks, the emotional support they provided was sometimes the only thing standing between a veteran and the abyss.

He loved his work. More importantly, he knew how vital it was. Matching the right dog with the right vet was life-changing for everyone—quite often, it was life-saving, as well. That simple fact was the reason why he frequently put his personal life on hold. Therefore, as much as he enjoyed spending time with Molly here at The Lodge, he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to advocate for his charity and hopefully secure more funds to expand their work.

Some of the tension left her shoulders. “Did you get the money?” Molly asked. She knew how important K-9 Cadets was to him—they’d talked about it often.

Max shrugged. “I don’t know yet. It’ll be a few months before we find out.” He was trying not to obsess about it. He’d thought a change of scenery might help.

And hopefully Molly could distract him, as well.

He took a step forward, wanting to touch her. He’d missed her more than he cared to admit. If he had his way, he’d press her up against the one-way glass wall of the gondola so they could both enjoy the ride in a more...unorthodox way. But he didn’t think she’d appreciate the idea, and he wanted to spend more than fifteen minutes getting reacquainted.

Molly didn’t resist when he drew her in for a hug, but she didn’t fully relax against his chest, either. She was soft and supple in his arms, but her stomach was surprisingly firm against him.

He dropped his nose to her hair, inhaling deeply. Molly’s citrus and floral scent filled his lungs, triggering an avalanche of memories of their time together. It was the same movie reel he’d played in his head a thousand times over the last few months, but now it was even more vivid thanks to the woman in his arms.

“I missed you,” he said softly.

“I missed you, too.” Her voice was barely above a whisper, as if she was confessing something that troubled her.

He stroked her back, his fingers grazing lightly along the valley of her spine. Gradually, she melted against him.

“I know it’s been a while,” he said. “But have dinner with me tonight?”

She tensed slightly. “No.”

A wave of doubt washed over him. She’d never refused his invitation before. Was there someone else?

Well, what did you expect? he thought bitterly. It’s been six months. It was only natural Molly had moved on. She was a beautiful woman, and he’d seen the way men looked at her.

He was so caught up in his thoughts he almost missed her next words. “I can’t tonight.”

“Tomorrow?” he asked, sounding a little desperate even to his own ears. Or the next night? Or the one after? He was only in town for a week, but if he had to wait until the end of his visit to connect with her again, he would do it without complaint.

She hesitated, then nodded against his chest. “Tomorrow is fine. I’ve been wanting to talk to you.”

“I should have called,” he said. “I meant to let you know I was going to miss my last visit. But I never got around to it.”

“It’s—” Her words were cut off by a deep rumble Max felt in his bones. He glanced over, expecting to see thunderclouds hovering over the town of Roaring Springs. But the sky was a clear, bright blue.

The rumble grew louder, turning into a loud roar. He shifted his gaze back to The Lodge, and the sight that greeted him turned his guts to water.

A massive wall of snow was racing down the mountain, gaining speed as it moved. The tsunami of white rose up, seeming to dwarf the gondola as it hung precariously above the chaos below.

“Oh, my God.” Molly gripped him so tightly her nails dug into his skin even through the fabric of his sweater.

The slight stinging pain snapped Max out of his shock. “It’s okay,” he said automatically.

“How can you say that?” Molly’s voice trembled.

Because he wanted to protect her. He wanted to stand between her and the wall of snow and ice threatening to bury them.

But he was powerless against the forces of nature. And they both knew it.

They held each other, watching in silent horror as the avalanche barreled toward them. It passed underneath the carriage, seemingly with only inches to spare. Molly let out a deep breath, but Max knew they weren’t out of the woods just yet.

The gondola cables were secured by a series of posts at the bottom of the mountain. If the avalanche destroyed them, well...

As though his thought had triggered it, the carriage suddenly dropped. It jerked to a hard stop, sending them both to the floor. The force of the impact wrenched Molly from his arms.

Max landed hard on his shoulder, sending a bolt of pain through the joint. There was a thump from somewhere to his left, and Molly let out a faint cry.

The sound sent his heart into his throat. “Molly?” He pushed onto his knees, searching for her amid the tangle of chairs and tables strewn across the floor.

The carriage swung back and forth on its tether in a sickening lurch. “Molly?” he practically yelled her name this time.

“I’m okay,” she said, though she sounded anything but. He saw movement on the other side of the carriage and began to crawl toward her.

He found her on her hands and knees, trying to stand. “Stay down,” he commanded, reaching for her. He eased her into a sitting position, ignoring the protests of his shoulder every time he moved.

Molly touched her head with a grimace. When she lowered her hand, Max saw an angry red mark on her forehead. The area had already begun to swell.

“You’re not okay,” he said, moving to sit next to her. “Something knocked you on the head.”

She grabbed his arm, her knuckles going white against the brown of his sweater. “I don’t want to die here, Max.”

“We won’t.”

Molly searched his face, her gaze pleading. “You can’t say that for certain.”

She was right, but he was feeling better about their chances with every second that passed. “We don’t know if the main cable is down, but even if it is, the emergency cable will catch us.” The backup line should be tethered to another set of poles, to maximize the chances it would still continue to function if the main line was compromised. So even if the avalanche had taken out one set of supports, hopefully the other set would remain standing. The fact that they continued to hang in the air made him think the system was working as it should.

“I hope you’re right,” she said.

So do I, he thought wryly.

The rocking motion gradually slowed and Max let out a sigh of relief. It was hard to think when the world was constantly moving. Once the carriage was still, he slowly got to his feet.

Visibility outside the gondola was bad. The air was filled with a fine powder from all the snow—it was like they were in the middle of a cloud. Gradually, though, some structures could be seen through the haze.

“The Lodge is still there,” Molly said, her relief plain.

Max squeezed her hand as he looked down the mountain. “And I can see The Chateau,” he added, referring to the French-inspired luxury hotel at the bottom of the mountain. “The path of the avalanche seems to have angled just enough that the place was spared.” Which hopefully meant the gondola cable supports were safe, as well.

But just as he began to relax, a sharp crack filled the air. The carriage dropped again, only to jerk to a sudden stop once more. Molly’s cry sounded like a sob, and Max reached for her as the gondola began another stomach-lurching parabola.

“It’s okay. We’re okay,” he muttered, repeating the words in the hopes of convincing himself as much as Molly.

“Max, there’s something I need to tell you.”

The cables groaned under the weight of the carriage as it swung back and forth. Fear gripped Max’s heart in a cold fist, and he fought the urge to panic. He took a deep breath, drawing on his Special Forces training to remain calm.

Even though there was nothing he could do.

Or was there? He glanced up, wondering if there was some way they could climb out the top of the carriage. Maybe they could hold on to the cables until rescuers arrived? No, not likely, he thought, dismissing the possibility as he turned his gaze down. Just how far of a drop was it? It looked like soft snow underneath—could they try to jump for it? What were the odds of a safe landing?

“Max.” Molly’s voice was insistent. He looked back at her, surprised to find her blue eyes full of determination.

“What is it?” His thoughts continued to whirl. How long until the rescuers would arrive? How much damage had been done by the avalanche, and would the rescuers even be able to reach them soon?

“I’m pregnant.”

It took several seconds for her words to sink in. But when he finally registered what she was saying, his heart skipped a beat.

“What?”

She smiled nervously. “I’m pregnant,” she repeated. “And it’s yours.”