His loyalty is to his family. But his heart belongs to her.
Eldest son Colt Garrett is the biggest, strongest and steadiest of the Garrett brothers. Colt accepts his responsibilities, knowing his future is tied to the land. Colt has stayed centered—but when he falls in love, he falls hard. He is mesmerized by Misty Dalton, the younger sister of one of his brother’s friends.
Misty Dalton has held together a family plagued with problems since her mother passed away. But when the threats to her family turn deadly, Misty turns to Colt. If anybody wants to hurt Misty, they’re going to have to go through the toughest of the Garrett boys first.
Excerpt
Colton tried to console her. It was unthinkable that Misty and her younger brother had been dealt a double tragedy.
Now, she would be alone on the Dalton Ranch with only the elderly couple and her twelve-year-old brother. Unthinkable.
The doctor escorted them back to the cubicle so Misty could have a moment to say goodbye to her father.
Colton stepped aside, trying to allow her some privacy.
Mr. Dalton looked as though he was sleeping, and didn’t appear to have been in distress when he passed, although he must have been.
Misty wept silently, her shoulders bowed and shaking. Her queenly posture was bent to her grief.
An attendant in scrubs, carrying a clipboard, entered the cubicle. “Pardon me, Miss. Have you made arrangements for your father?”
Misty raised her tear-ravaged face to stare at him.
“We’ll take care of that.” Colton stepped forward and offered his phone number. “I’ll call when we have a decision.”
He gathered Misty by the shoulders and led her out through the automatic doors, through the teeming ER waiting room and into the night. Once in the truck, he headed back toward their homes. “I’m going to take you to the Garrett ranch tonight. We can stop and pick up Mark. I don’t want the two of you to be alone.”
“Thank you.” She raised her red-rimmed eyes to meet his gaze. “I—I don’t know. I think there are some arrangements for my father. The—the hospice service knows.”
He nodded, reaching to take her hand. “Don’t worry. You need some rest. We’ll figure this all out tomorrow.”
When he pulled up to the Dalton house, the sky was growing lighter in the east. He left Misty sitting in the truck and went inside to gather Mark and a couple of changes of clothing. He didn’t tell the boy the reason for the impromptu sleep-over, but helped him into the truck beside his sister.
“What’s going on?” Mark asked when he got a look at Misty’s face.
“Oh, Mark. Daddy’s dead…and so is Joe,” she wailed.
Mark looked stunned, as though he had indeed been dealt a hard physical blow. “Dead? You mean, like…dead?”
Colton started the truck and pulled out. “Joe was in an accident and your father’s heart gave out. I’m sorry.”
Misty curled her arms around her younger brother. She pulled him against her shoulder and leaned her cheek atop his. “I’m so sorry, too. We have no one else. Just each other now.”
Colton wanted to tell her she was wrong…that he was there for her and for Mark, but he knew he should just keep quiet. This was not the time for his declaration of love.
Mark raised his head, his expression stunned. “Don’t worry. I’ll get a job. I’ll take care of you.”
She stroked his cheek, but he continued to gaze at her in bewilderment.
Colton cleared his throat. “I want the two of you to stay at the Garrett ranch until we can get things sorted out.”
He drove home as quickly as he could. They passed the scene where the Dalton truck had lain on its side, but it had apparently been hauled away. Only the place where Joe had ripped through the fence and his tire tracks were evidence to mark the site of his death.
