As she curled against me and my arms surrounded her, I questioned my presence.

  Is Julia McGrath truly a gift I don’t deserve?

  Was she lost on a snow-covered road on the outskirts of my property to save me from myself and my lonely exile?

  Will she save me?

  Is it fair to ask her to do that?

  I ran my hand over her loose long hair, smoothing it away from her beautiful face.

  Has my penitence been paid?

  Do I deserve to move forward, or will I bring Julia down and ruin her like I do anyone else who makes the mistake of trusting me?

  Wade Pharmaceutical came to mind.

  I’d told the truth; the perceived value of Wade Pharmaceutical had stabilized. It would take a good-faith measure on my part to not only stop the bleeding that Julia’s broken engagement had started and my purchase of stock had exacerbated but increase the value. If I didn’t make that move this next week, it could be too late.

  Later in the morning, I stood in my boots, jeans, and coat, waiting in the cold morning air. With her nude body wrapped in a blanket and wearing her snow boots, Julia stepped out of the outhouse and grinned. She had her long hair piled on top of her head in a large bun as she’d done last night after our hike.

  “That warm shower might not be a bad idea,” she said with a grin.

  The sky above us was beginning to fill with light. Unlike the clear day we’d had yesterday, growing gray clouds shone pink on the eastern horizon.

  “What are you thinking?” she asked as I stared out at the pink morning.

  “More snow is coming. We have enough food to stay here. After all, there’s no decoration at the house.”

  “There’s a wreath.” She leaned toward me. “I’ll be snowed in with you wherever you want.” Her eyes opened wider. “Mrs. Mayhand prepared us a holiday dinner with a turkey breast and delicious sides.”

  The food I’d brought paled in comparison. “Once we’re home, if you want to go for a hike or ride, I volunteer to be your tour guide.”

  She bounced on the toes of her boots as we went back to the cabin. “I accept and I want to ride the snowmobile. Can I drive?”

  I shook my head. “That’s a first that can wait.”

  After dressing, eating the muffins I’d bought at my favorite bakery in Bayfield, and drinking some fresh coffee, Julia and I took the time to strip the bed and make it with fresh sheets. She took the dirty ones out to the truck. We’d wash them at home, and I’d bring them back here. We collected all of our food. The reason I kept soup out here was because in the cans it didn’t attract animals or bugs.

  There weren’t bugs in the winter, but there were animals. Black bears weren’t as common as they used to be in these parts and currently, they’d be hibernating. Nevertheless, I didn’t want any other mammal to smell food and make himself at home.

  After I poured water over the remaining hot coals, I took Julia’s hand before going out to the truck. The tree was still standing in the corner covered in decorations.

  “Should we undecorate and take it outside?” she asked.

  Common sense told me that we should. The small fraction of a romantic in me considered coming back for the New Year. Maybe by then I’d have a ring to present to my fiancée. I took a deep breath. “I say we leave it for now.”

  Julia nodded. “We can come back here anytime. This place holds wonderful memories.”

  It was completely new for me to think of memories with a smile.

  New memories...those were what I wanted with Julia.

  As we drove away from the cabin, and toward the house, my mind was filled with places where I could lead Julia on my land and on the trails beyond. Each vista and outlook came to my thoughts, wanting the perfect place for the perfect woman.

  With my mind in an unusually positive place, I didn’t notice the tire tracks until we came to the driveway before the house. I stopped the truck before driving onto the cement.

  Fuck. I should have closed the gate near the main road. “Someone has been here.”

  Julia sat forward. “Mrs. Mayhand?”

  “She wouldn’t come on Christmas.”

  Julia’s gaze widened. “Her son-in-law?”

  “I’ll park the truck. Before we go inside, let me check the security.” I pushed the button, opening one of the garage doors.

  “Could whoever it is be inside?” Julia asked.

  “No. No one could get inside without tripping the security,” I said, hoping I was right. My pulse sped up as I pulled my phone from the cupholder. I’d turned it off to save the battery, since I’d left it in the truck. I hit the power button.

  The screen came to life.

  I hit the security icon and let out a breath. “No one is inside.”

  “What if it was my parents?”

  “If it was, they found us gone.”

  Julia’s smile dimmed. “I don’t want to go back with them.”

  “You’re an adult. You don’t have to go anyplace you don’t want to.”

  She reached for my hand. “I see that now…you helped me see it.”

  “Let’s go.” While I was confident that the house was safe, I wasn’t sure who had been here, making their way onto my private property all the way to my home.

  My phone vibrated in my hand with numerous notifications—text messages and emails. I shook my head. Most were from my legal team and a few missed calls from Connie, my assistant, beginning yesterday afternoon.

  Whatever the fuck was going down was looking for me.

  I needed to face it.

  Donovan Sherman didn’t hide or back away.

  Once we were inside and had our coats hung in the front closet, I laid a kiss on Julia’s head. “I have messages to return.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “My phone is upstairs. If your messages are about Wade or my family, will you tell me?”

  “I’ll never lie.”

  Julia nodded. “I’ll go shower and change clothes.”

  My eyes stayed fixed on her as she walked away, up the staircase and toward the south wing.

  There was more to what I’d said. I wouldn’t lie; however, some things will never be said.

  I headed toward my office as I hit the button to call Connie. She answered right away.

  “This is Christmas,” I said. “You’re supposed to be celebrating.”

  “Mr. Sherman” —her concern filled tone held my attention— “it’s about Phillip.” When I failed to reply, she clarified, “Phillip Thomas.”

  I closed the door to my office as heat began to build beneath the layers of my clothing. Gritting my teeth, I asked, “What about him?”

  “He saw the announcement of your impending engagement.”

  Running my free hand over my hair, I gripped the phone tighter. “I don’t care what my brother reads—”

  “I didn’t want to bother you with this...yesterday or today...but he was upset, demanding to speak to you. He sounded...off. I explained that you were unreachable.”

  “We haven’t spoken in a decade.”

  “He said if he isn’t able to speak to you about his issue with you marrying, he’ll speak to your new fiancée.”

  Over my dead body.

  “Did you give him either of our private numbers?” I asked.

  “No. I wouldn’t do that. I wanted you to know what he said.”

  Now I knew.

  Despite the irritation Connie’s information rekindled, the saying don’t shoot the messenger came to mind. Taking a deep breath, I replied, “Thank you, Connie. Let me know if he calls again.”

  “I will. And sir, Mr. Fields has been trying to reach you.”

  “Thank you. I’ll call him next. And...” —there was no doubt that Julia’s goodness was affecting me— “have a good holiday.”

  “Thank you,” she said with the sound of relief. “You too, Mr. Sherman.”

  As I disconnected the call, I realigned my thoughts. If a confrontation with Phillip occurred, it wouldn’t end over my dead body.

  It would end over his.

  Julia

  Turning on my phone, I kicked off my boots, wiggling my sock-covered toes in the soft, warm rug near my bed. Much as Van’s phone had done, my phone vibrated and dinged with numerous incoming text messages and voicemails.

  I pulled my sweater over my head and pulled off the blue jeans, leaving me covered in my camisole and soft pants as I picked up my phone, sat upon the edge of the bed, and sighed. Lying back, I hit the first voicemail message from my mother. The time stamp was yesterday afternoon.

  “Julia, not returning our messages is childish. How can we be comfortable with your decisions when you’re not replying?”

  Listening to her dismissive and demeaning tone had the opposite effect of what her words intended. Closing my eyes, I let her message settle over me. As it did, I saw the errors of my ways, not recently, but in the past.

  For the entirety of my life, I’d simply accepted my position in the family as the child. Despite my age signifying adulthood, I’d never exerted my independence. I’d never been encouraged to do so. My place was to accept my role as the Wade heir, as Mrs. Skylar Butler, and with taking over ownership of my stock of Wade—in name only.

  It was never planned for me to be involved in the future of Wade Pharmaceutical. My father’s recent confession confirmed as much.

  Skipping three voicemails from my mother, I hit the screen to listen to the most recent, last night at near midnight.

  “We’re here, Julia. Come out of the house.”

  I exhaled as my stomach dropped.

  My parents had been here at Van’s home.

  Are they still here in northern Wisconsin or have they gone home?

  The text messages from both of my parents chronicled their flight to Ashland and their research that allowed them to find Van’s address. There wasn’t anything dubious about what they’d done. Donovan Sherman’s address was public record.

  Standing, I laid the phone on the bed, deciding to go downstairs and fill Van in on the identity of our visitors before my shower.

  As I reached the door to the hallway, I heard the ring of my phone.

  Begrudgingly, I turned around. “Fine, Mom. I’ll talk to you,” I spoke to no one, thinking how I hadn’t ignored their messages or calls. I’d been outside of cell coverage. Approaching the bed, I decided not to tell her that. If she thought I was being childish, there wasn’t anything I could say to change her mind.

  The name upon the screen wasn’t who I expected and immediately improved my disposition. The last time we’d spoken was when I told her the wedding was off.

  Will I tell my friend that I have a new wedding on the horizon?

  I answered, “Vicki.”

  “I’m worried about you. How are you doing?”

  My cheeks rose higher. “I’m sure it sounds odd, but I’m good. I really am.”

  “There’s so much I want to talk to you about,” she said. “First, it’s Christmas. I hate that you’re alone.”

  “I’m not alone.”

  Her volume lowered. “I feel like this is the Twilight Zone. I saw a news bulletin about you and Skylar working out your differences.”

  “I promise that’s not true.”

  She sighed. “I didn’t think it was. Come back to Chicago. You can stay with me. We both know that your mom can be overbearing. You can hide out in my apartment and not even let your parents know you’re in town. I just want you safe.”

  I sat back on the edge of the bed. Vicki knew my family, and she was right; Mom could be overbearing. One of the things I loved about Victoria was that we’d been friends long enough that we knew most things about one another and our families. If life hadn’t taken its most recent crazy turn with Van, I’d welcome her invitation. “I miss you, Vick.”

  “I miss you too. I feel like I’ve lost two of my best friends.”

  My curiosity got the better of me. “Have you spoken to Beth?”

  “I have. I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be sorry. You and Beth are friends.”

  “So are you and Beth. She said she’s tried to talk to you, leaving messages and texts. She saw the article about you and Skylar working it out.”

  “She should know that’s not true.”

  “She doesn’t; she says she’s in limbo. She even called your mom.”

  I lay back on the bed. “I heard. Mom thinks I should call her.”

  “I don’t,” Vicki said. “She’s my friend, but damn, it’s not like she didn’t tell you she was involved with just someone. She didn’t tell you that she was involved with Skylar.”

  Tears I didn’t expect burnt the back of my eyes. “In the long run, she saved me. I keep telling myself that. If Skylar would sleep around on me during our engagement, he would have done it after we married.”

  “He’s scum,” Vicki said definitively.

  “I’m not sticking up for him, but I think that neither of us was in love with one another. We were just going forward on the road that was laid out for us when we were too young to question.”

  “The reason Beth doesn’t know if the news is true or not is because Beth hasn’t spoken to him since you left.”

  I sat up. “What?”

  “He left town around the same time. He hasn’t returned her calls. Mrs. Butler has been calling everyone to find him.”

  Where did he go after he left Ashland?

  “Does Skylar’s mom know that Beth is pregnant?” I asked.

  Vicki’s volume rose. “Oh, girl, I don’t know, and if I were Beth, it sure as hell wouldn’t be a discussion I’d want to have with the Butlers without Skylar’s support.”

  Poor Beth.

  Had I really just had that thought?

  “When are you coming home?” Vicki asked.

  “I got the job that I told you about. I’m going to stay here for a while.”

  She laughed. “That’s another weird Twilight Zone-y thing. I knew you applied for a job, but yesterday, the crazy-ass newspeople have you engaged to someone else. It’s wild. They twist everything.” Before I could reply, she went on. “I looked the man up. He’s uber rich and some good-looking recluse. I told my mom about it and said you’d gone for a job, not a new proposal.”

  “The job opportunity is why I came up here. The whole thing hasn’t exactly worked out as I planned.”

  “Tell me about the job,” Vicki said.

  “The job is to write Donovan Sherman’s memoir.”

  “That’s the guy,” she said, her voice rising. “I swear those reporters are crazy.”

  I sat taller. “They aren’t. He did propose. I said yes.”

  “What the hell?”

  I nodded. “I did. I know it’s fast—”

  “Lightning fast. I mean, he was good-looking, but isn’t he too old for you?”

  “Not as old as I expected when I went to the interview. His age doesn’t bother me.”

  “Julia, you’re really going to marry him? I don’t approve.”

  “You don’t?” I asked, surprised.

  “I think he needs to meet your only best friend. Then we can discuss this.”

  My smile returned. “I’d love that. After the holidays when I go back to Chicago to gather my things.”

  Will Van go with me to Chicago?

  I’d made the comment without thinking. After all, he was a successful man. He more than likely didn’t have time to help me pack. Maybe I’d said he’d be there because I wanted him to be.

  Vicki was talking. “You’re moving up to northern Wisconsin? Really, Chicago doesn’t get cold enough for you?”

  “You wouldn’t believe how cold it is here.” Especially in a one-room cabin without electricity. I didn’t say that last part because if I did, I’d admit other details about the last week to Vicki. That’s what friends did.

  It wasn’t what Beth did.

  By the time Vicki and I hung up, I changed my mind about going downstairs. My news regarding my parents could wait. Soon, I was under the warm spray of the shower, washing away the remains of Van’s and my night and morning of passion.

  Julia

  Still under the spray, I stilled as the bathroom door opened wide and Van appeared through the steam-covered glass stall. My hands crisscrossed my nakedness. “Van.”

  A smile filled his expression as he slid the glass door open. Reaching through the steam, he seized each of my hands. “What do you think you’re hiding?”

  The tenor of his voice rumbled through me as I relaxed my arms. “It’s a reflex.”

  His green orbs simmered as he scanned from the top of my head to my toes. Even under the warm spray, my flesh peppered with goose bumps. His large finger came to the hickey upon my left breast, gently running over the bruise in small circles.

  “I should leave more,” he said, his eyes focused on the mark.

  I reached for his hand. “Why are you here?”

  “To see you, confirm you’re real, and to remind me how fucking fortunate I was to find you.” Taking a breath, he pulled his attention away from my breast to my eyes. “What did you learn when you turned on your phone?”

  I looked up at the shower spray and back. “Can this wait?”

  “I wish. If it could, I’d step inside this stall right now.”

  “What’s happening?”

  “Your parents are on their way. They stayed in Ashland last night.”

  The joy I’d gotten from his decorated cabin for the holiday abandoned me, disappearing into the steam like a balloon losing air. “Did you invite them here?”

  He nodded.

  “Why?”

  “Rinse.” He reached for one of the plush towels. “And get out.” His grin returned. “I’m pretty sure that meeting my future in-laws with their daughter naked and wearing my mark on her left breast and another on her right ass cheek won’t be the best first impression.”

  My ass cheek?

  What?

  I twisted one way and the other, trying to see what was hidden.

  Then his other words came through.

  His future in-laws.

  The thought of this impending meeting sent a feeling of dread through my circulation. I reached for the tile wall as Van took a step back and closed the glass door.