Free Cardwell Ranch Trespasser by B. J. Daniels Page A

woman said. She hurried to Dee and took both her hands. “I am so sorry about yesterday. Can you ever forgive me?”
    Even if she hadn’t been good at reading people, she would have seen through this apology. But out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Dana was smiling, buying into every word of it. The only gracious thing to do was pretend it was real.
    “Hilde, you don’t need to apologize, really. I was so scared for you. I’m just glad you’re all right. It was such a freak accident.”
    “Wasn’t it, though?” Hilde agreed. “Thank you for being so understanding. I told Dana I couldn’t wait until I saw you to tell you how sorry I was for thinking you had anything to do with my almost drowning.”
    I’ll just bet. “Well, it’s good to see you looking so well today. Thanks for coming by.”
    “Hilde’s going on the ride up to the lake with all of you,” Dana said.
    It took all her effort not to show how that news really made her feel. Hilde was smiling as if she knew exactly what Dee was feeling right now. Apparently such a close call with death hadn’t taught Hilde anything.
    “That’s great,” Dee said. “But I would think you’d want to stay home and rest today after what you’ve been through.”
    “That’s what I told her,” Dana said. “But Hilde is tougher than she looks.” She smiled and gave Hilde’s arm a squeeze.
    “I’m not so tough,” Hilde said to her friend. “Look at your cousin. She almost drowned yesterday, too, and look how she’s bounced back.” Hilde turned back to her. “Oh, Dee, that bruise on your cheek looks like it hurts. Did I do that?”
    “I know you didn’t mean to,” Dana said quickly.
    Ha, Dee thought. “So who else is going with us?” she asked just an instant before Hud came in the door with Colt Dawson right behind him and Rick bringing up the tail end. “Is anyone protecting Big Sky?” Dee asked. “It seems the entire force is right here.”
    “The other two deputies are holding down the fort,” Colt said. “So don’t worry about the canyon being safe while we’re here with you.”
    Dee swore silently as Hud asked if they were ready to go. “I can’t wait,” she said. Rick was more of a dude than she was. She hoped he got saddle sores.
    As they all filed out to the saddled horses, she wondered what the trail was like to this Elkhorn Lake. Hopefully it wasn’t too dangerous. She would hate to see anything happen to Hilde. Let alone Rick. Horses were so unpredictable.
    Before she mounted her horse, she surreptitiously picked up several nice-sized rocks and stuck them in her pocket.
    * * *
    C OLT MADE SURE that he and Hilde stayed behind the others as they rode away from the ranch. He liked riding next to her. It was a beautiful Montana spring day. The air smelled of new green grass, sunshine and water as they followed the creek up into the mountains. Sun dappled the ground as it fingered through the pine branches.
    “So tell me about Hilde Jacobson,” he said, as their horses ambled along. The others had ridden on ahead, but Colt kept them in sight in case anything happened.
    “There isn’t much to tell,” she said. Then, as if realizing he really was interested, she added, “I grew up in Chicago. My father was a janitor, my mother worked as a housekeeper. I was an only child. My father was determined that I would be the first in his family to go to college.”
    “And you were?”
    She nodded. “I went into business. My father had worked around corporate America and decided that would be the world that I should conquer. I gave it my best shot at least for a while.”
    “How did you end up in Big Sky owning a fabric store?”
    “My father died. My mother told me to follow my heart. I hated big business. I came up here skiing, met Dana and Hud, and the rest is history.”
    “You and Dana are close, aren’t you?”
    “We were. ”
    He heard the catch in her throat.
    “Your turn,” she said after a moment. “Tell me your