Free Coral Hearts by Avery Gale

about his dad didn’t surprise her at all.
    Coral had waited on Sage’s father, Dean Morgan, on several occasions in the hardware store. It was easy to see he held his family close to his heart. She’d been able to hear a special tenderness in his voice whenever he spoke of his sons, even if he’d been trying to act stern over something he’d been forced to replace. One day he was picking up a new winch and grinching about how his boys had burned out the old one pulling themselves out of a rain-swollen creek. “Damned cowboys oughta stay on their horses. Hell, a good rope is all you need then. And ropes are a damn sight cheaper than winches.” She evidently hadn’t looked convinced his attitude was sincere, because he’d looked down at her and grinned. “I’m bettin’ you find out all about this one day soon enough. And I’m going to remind you of this conversation, darlin’—don’t think I won’t.”
    She’d almost burst into tears as the older man turned and walked out the door. It was one of those increasingly familiar moments when running again seemed like a huge mistake.
    Coral felt as though her entire life had spiraled down quickly after her parents died. Losing the house had broken her heart, but witnessing a murder had shaken her to the core. The long hours driving across the country allowed her plenty of time to think about what she’d seen, and it left her little doubt she’d never really feel safe again. Coral envied the people who lived in the small Montana mountain town she’d settled into—most of them had known one another their entire lives.
    It wasn’t uncommon for citizens of Pine Creek to mention family associations spanning several generations. Coral wondered what it would be like to grow up with that sort of stability. Her parents hadn’t been stellar citizens, but they’d been all she had. Watching “Pop” as his son’s referred to him, walk out of the store that day had only underscored Coral’s feelings of loneliness. A sense of sadness settled over her at the realization there was little chance she’d be able to stay in Montana long enough for Dean Morgan’s prediction to come true. She must have had a wistful look on her face as Dean walked away, because when she’d looked up, Phoenix Morgan was studying her closely, his deep green eyes filled with compassion.
    “He’s right, you know. Hell, he’s always right, but don’t you dare tell him I said that.” He grinned, and she knew he was trying to lighten her mood. Although she hadn’t learned as much about Phoenix as she had the others, Charlotte had referred to him as “contemplative” and it was easy to see why. While he certainly looked every inch the hard-bodied cowboy rancher, there was a depth in his eyes that spoke of an aura of an old soul.
    “I’m sure he’s a very smart man, but…”
    “You best keep the rest of that to yourself, sweetie. It’ll save you being embarrassed about being wrong someday—of course, I’m cheating myself out of something to tease you about, but this can be your one free pass.”
    “Free pass?”
    “Sure, every family has them. You get one mistake no one gets to hound you about.” She’d laughed at him, and they’d quickly pushed it all aside as he handed over the list of office supplies he’d brought in. Because Pine Creek didn’t have an office supply store, Charlotte kept a small selection of supplies in the far corner of what should probably be called a General Store rather than O’Donnell Hardware. “I know I could order these on-line, but then I wouldn’t ever leave the ranch and my family already accuses me of being a recluse.” She’d been grateful the subject had changed—learning all the small nuances of normal families always seemed to knock the wind out of her for some reason.

Chapter Seven
    T he memory from a few months ago brought Coral’s attention back to the pictures in front of her. Running her fingers along the bottom edge of the wooden