CHAPTER FOUR

      CARTER NEVER HAD a chance to satisfy his curiosity about Miranda’s arrival on Snowy Mountain. His mother had shot up from her wood block seat and was rushing down the path to meet her. “Miranda, oh, honey, it’s so good to see you.”

      Carter could hear the squeals from several hundred feet away.

      Cora was a profusion of questions and smiles. Apparently she was determined to get Miranda to open up since her son had refused. Well, she likely wouldn’t get any more information than her son had given her. Miranda was here on business to take care of her cousin. That was that.

      “How have you been?” Cora asked. “Why haven’t you come home before now? I hear you have a daughter. I want to hear all about her.”

      Unfortunately Carter couldn’t hear Miranda’s answers. Her enthusiasm at seeing Cora again seemed genuine but underwhelming next to Cora’s boisterous greeting. Although Miranda and Cora had always gotten along, which was a victory in itself considering Raymond Cahill’s constant attempts to keep Miranda away from his family.

      Arm in arm, like two long-lost friends, the two women joined up with the men.

      “Hi, Carter,” Miranda said.

      “Morning.”

      “I stopped at your office, but the dispatcher told me this was your day off. And by the way, I was so happy to see Mrs. Moynahan again. She was always so nice to us in high school.”

      “She’s a peach,” Carter said. “Why did you go to the office?”

      “I wanted to see you. Mrs. Moynahan said you’d probably be here at the tree farm.”

      “Same as most every Wednesday,” he said. “You’re here without your daughter?”

      “I hired a girl from the college to watch Emily today. They’re going to the animal rescue center. An injured hawk came in last night, and the vet is going to repair the bird’s wing. That’s right up Em’s alley.”

      She looked around at the trees nearest her. “The crop looks good this year.”

      She would notice that, and she was right. Back in high school Carter and Miranda had driven the golf cart up this hill many nights, though back then, their purpose had been, among other things, to watch the moon, not the growing firs.

      “It’s coming along,” he said.

      “We’re trying something new this year,” Cora said. “We’re offering trees in large planters so when the season is over, folks can plant the evergreen in their yards. After nurturing these firs for years, it seemed a shame to just cut and decorate them. Now, if folks choose to, they can have their tree near their homes for years to come.”

      “I think that’s a wonderful idea,” Miranda said. Turning to Jace, who had thus far remained silent, she added, “You’re looking good, Jace. Have you taken over full-time management of Snowy Mountain?”

      Jace’s involvement with the tree farm had been an ongoing issue between him and Cora for years. Cora wanted him at the farm full time, but Jace wasn’t ready to give up his laid-back lifestyle of playing his guitar and delegating rafting trips to his help. Occasionally Jace conducted the trips, but mostly he assigned the younger, more enthusiastic guys.

      Jace made it clear that he wasn’t ready for a permanent gig yet. The tree farm would tie him down with responsibilities, and he valued his free-spirited way of living too much. He liked having to answer only to himself and his scruffy mountain dog.

      “Not yet.” Jace smoothed a thick strand of nut-brown hair off his forehead and responded to Miranda’s open arms with a quick, indifferent hug. Carter figured that’s all the welcome Miranda was going to get from his loyal brother, who had helped him through their breakup. Jace was one individual who could carry a grudge to the grave. Since their father died a little over a year ago, he was only now coming to terms with the bitter feelings he’d had for Raymond.

      Carter had gotten along with their father better than Jace had, but still, he hadn’t shed a tear when the old man died. Jace, though, the third born, the one his father always viewed as weak and incorrigible, he’d practically smiled through the entire graveside service. Their older sister, Ava, was the only one who’d never seemed to raise their father’s dander. But then, she was pretty, smart and successful.

      Carter cleared his throat. It was time to get down to business. “So what brings you up here, Miranda?” he asked. “I assume this visit and the difficult trek up the hill is about more than you visiting a few Christmas trees.”

      “You’re right,” she said. “I have a proposition for you.”

      “Yeah? What is it?”

      She glanced quickly at his two family members until Carter took the hint. “Can you guys give us a minute?” he said.

      “Let’s check on the fellas up the hill,” Cora said to Jace. “I’ll bet they want some coffee, too.”

      “Don’t be a stranger, Miranda. Bring that daughter of yours out to the house and we’ll have some girl talk,” Cora said as she and Jace wandered away.

      “I’ll do that, Cora. Thanks.”

      Once they were out of sight, Carter said, “I can offer you a wood block to sit on. That’s about the fanciest accommodation we have around here. But when you’re ready to leave I’ll have one of the men come up with the golf cart and take you down.” He attempted a smile. “I couldn’t help noticing your shoes aren’t quite appropriate for hill climbing.”

      Miranda sank onto the block, slipped her sandals off and rubbed her feet. Carter used to massage her feet after cheerleading practice, but best not to think about that now. “Thanks,” she said. “I’ll take you up on that. I’d forgotten how steep the hills are.”

      Carter folded his arms across his chest. “You mentioned a proposition you wanted to discuss.”

      “Yes, that’s right.” She looked up at him with the clear, beautiful eyes that had once made him do anything she wanted. He reminded himself not to be taken in again. Those days were over.

      “It concerns Lawton,” she said. “I’ve decided that he needs a bit more help than I can provide.”

      “Have you tried the churches?” Carter asked. “We might even have a support group in town for guys like Lawton.”

      “You don’t,” Miranda replied. “I’m willing to look into any solution for Law’s difficulties, but first, I hope you meant it the other night when you said you’d be willing to help.”

      Whoa. Had he said that? He recalled the words, but now he wondered at the wisdom of the promise. “What