Trey would love to have moved all his stuff into the villa with Robin. It would make things so much easier. But his brain put up a roadblock when he thought of it. Not a good idea, he finally told himself. He knew nothing about her except she hadn't tried to steal his money, making love with her was off the charts, and she was easy and fun to be with. For the first time in a very long time he felt like a young forty-eight, maybe looking forward to the next chapter of his life instead of looking backwards and living with the pain. Who said life began at forty? For him he might be saying it began at forty-eight. How was it possible they had met less than forty-eight hours earlier? Or that despite the lingering pain of Laura's betrayal and his vow never to become involved with another woman, little by little he was losing his heart to Robin Hanna. In point of fact, at the moment the only thing he could find to complain about was her friend who picked the most inopportune times to call
A balloon! OMG!She never would have thought this was what Trey had in mind. Her stomach flopped up into her throat and back again. Good thing she didn't scare easily, she thought.A woman Robin guessed was somewhere in her thirties stood by the balloon, tending to its tether while a crew checked the sandbags holding it in place and steadied it. As they came closer she smiled and waved at them."Hi." She shook Trey's hand. "Glad you made it.""Are you kidding? I've always wanted to go up in one of these things. Zoe, this is Robin Hanna. Robin, meet Zoe Tamarin Bradley."Robin just stared. "Is this your balloon?"Zoe nodded. "My baby.""And you drive it? Or pilot it? Or whatever it is you do to a balloon.""I do, and I love it. Well, we've got clear skies and a pleasant breeze so let's get to it, shall we?"As soon as Zoe and one of her crew had climbed into the gondola, Trey swept Robin up in his arms and lifted her into it, then followed her. Zoe stood at the controls, waitin
"Oh, Seth." Beside her Trey tensed. "What's up?""Can I see you for just a moment, please?" He looked at Trey. "Could you excuse us, please?"Trey nodded but stood there, frowning, as Seth tugged her out of the lobby into a little hallway. "What's up? Seth, this is just not a good time for me, as you can see." He itched his voice low. "What's up is that Jonas has been trying to call you for more than an hour. Where were you? He's about to have a fit worried about you.""Oh, sorry. We went for a hot air balloon ride." She forced a smile. "Trey arranged it. Why?""Jonas has been trying to call you and losing his mind because you weren't answering. He said you always answer his calls. You know him. If something is out of sync he gets paranoid.""Oh, he does? Just who the hell is Jonas and why does he have to talk to you right now?"Neither of them had heard Trey come around the corner until he spoke. When Robin looked at him she could see he was seething with anger and something
Trey thought about getting quietly drunk. He had to admit it seemed like a damn good idea. Too bad it wasn't his style. He hadn't done it when Laura served him with divorce papers and he wasn't planning to do it now. What he was going to do, instead, was call Zack Elliott, see how soon the man could fly him out of here, pack his stuff and check out. He should have known better than to come to a place like this. Zack had meant well giving him the brochure, but this was for couples. Apparently he was destined not to be part of one. He had just put his suitcase on the luggage stand to pack it and was searching for Zack's number on his phone when there was a knock on the door. He ignored it at first. There was no one here he wanted to talk to. At least, not any more. But the knocking persisted until, at last, in anger, he stalked over to the door."Go away, Robin," he growled, as he yanked open the door. Only it wasn't Robin standing there but the guy from McBain Security. Seth Somebody
Robin thought springtime in Bozeman, Montana was possibly one of the best seasons ever. The air was fresh and crisp without being too cool. The sun warmed you as a gentle breeze played across your face. And everything was so right and clear. Robin Hanna sat in a coffee shop in downtown Bozeman waiting for Trey to finish his morning at the Gallatin County Courthouse. When everything came down about the Russians and the FBI needed a safe place for her until the trial was over, Trey insisted on taking her home to Bozeman and hiding her from the world there."They'll never think of looking for her there," he'd assured Jonas Faulkner. As soon as they got the final all clear from Jonas she promised they'd move forward with their wedding plans. As Robin pointed out, neither of them was getting any younger and they didn't want to waste a minute more being single. They for sure had no doubts about their feelings for each other. Now she was anxious to tell him about the call she'd gotten
SUNSTROKEPart OneThe story beginsI won't jump on him the minute he gets here. I'll take my time.Bailey George paced back and forth in the tiny living room of the miniscule apartment she and Zack Wallace had been sharing for the past year. She had pinched herself every day since they'd moved in together. Her family hadn't been too excited about their baby girl, a sophomore, "living in sin" with a big bad senior, and a fifth year senior at that. But then they met Zack, and he won them over so smoothly, they had no objections left. She hoped when she broke her news to them they would realize she was as at fault as Zack.She was nervous about his reaction, but they loved each other. Underneath her nerves, she was secure in the knowledge that, together, they'd handle the situation. So maybe her plans might have to change a little, but that would be okay. Just as long as they were together.She stood in the middle of the combination living/dining room, checking everything for tonight
Zack picked her up and sat down on the couch with her on his lap, turning her slightly so he could see her face.She laughed. "You'd tell me before you pop.""Well, you know how crazy I am about flying." He grinned. "Addicted, right?"She forced a smile. That was the damn truth. "Of course. And you're good at it, even if I did get airsick at first."One of the first things Zack had done when they started seeing each other was take her up in a small plane he'd rented from a nearby airfield. She knew his father and his uncle owned a private charter service and had taught him to fly when he was thirteen. He received his pilot's license at sixteen and never lost his hunger for flying. His father had passed away four years ago, and his uncle had sold the business and moved away. She wasn't sure where. Maybe he was going to give Zack some free flying time as a graduation gift."Remember me telling you last year how my uncle sold the business after my dad passed away?"What on earth? Of
"Bailey?"Bailey George turned and looked across the busy lobby of Casa Blanca Resort and Spa to see Lacey Walker, the owner, threading her way through the crowd. She stopped and waited for her. In the past few years, especially since Lacey's architect husband had taken her son, Michael, under his wing, the women had become close friends."Hey, Lacey. What's up?""Whew!" Lacey juggled the large box she was holding. "We're really rocking this week. Just checking to make sure everything was set up the way you wanted and the menus are okay.""It's fine. Are you kidding?" Bailey laughed. "Everything is perfect, just as it always is."Lacey winked. "We want to be sure we're taking good care of one of our favorite law firms. We're just thrilled to have you here."As one of the junior partners in Blake, Rothbart and Padilla, it had become Baily's responsibility to plan the partners' annual retreat. A few years ago, she and senior partner Warren Blake agreed that the retreats did a lot t