darted to the back seat where she’d secured Paige with a seat belt harness. “The photos of your ranch don’t do it justice. This is beautiful, especially the way stones in the structure echo the landscape. You have a slice of heaven here.”

“Thank you,” he said simply, moved by her admiration, more so than he wanted to admit even to himself. “We can take a tour of the stables and land tomorrow, once you’ve had a chance to settle in.”

“I would like that.” She pressed a hand to her mouth, stifling a yawn. “Sorry about that. It’s been a long day.”

“I’ve heard pregnancy makes women tired.”

“So does travel.”

“That it does.” He draped a hand over the steering wheel. “You never did answer the question about if your diabetes could be of concern if you’re expecting. Is that something you’ve ever discussed with your physician?”

“I’ve been in a doctor’s care since my teenage years, and yes, I asked once, wondering if I would be able to have children at all.” She nibbled at her bottom lip. “My imagination had concocted all sorts of scary scenarios. But my doctor allayed my fears. She said an obstetrician would monitor my blood sugar levels and blood pressure more closely. That I would need to be more stringent in my dietary choices. They’d use ultrasounds to check the baby’s size, since diabetes can make the infant larger. It’s manageable. Does that answer your question?”

“Yes, thank you.” A surge of protectiveness swept over him with every item she listed, and he made fast work of parking his car.

He employed a couple in their fifties to oversee housekeeping and the stables. Dedicated and with a sense of humor he enjoyed, they’d helped him growing up, neighbors of his deadbeat parents. And now he was grateful to be able to help them in return. He introduced Isabeau to Gena and Lou knowing they would help her settle in faster than he could.

Isabeau was in safe hands, and quickly on her way up to her suite—freeing him to move forward with some business of his own.

Leaving Isabeau to rest in one of the guest rooms, he moved toward his own sleeping quarters, needing a moment to collect his thoughts. And to check on the state of his family. Especially his brother. Since the blowup at the wedding, he hadn’t heard from Chuck. He and his wife, Shana, had left shortly after things ignited between Trystan and Isabeau. Chuck’s marriage had been strained by their trying for a child. Years of infertility had them tense and grieving.

How would they feel if Isabeau was expecting? Would they be able to celebrate or would it bring more pain?

The door to his room opened with a slight creak, revealing a sun-soaked private space.

Home.

No doubt about it. Here, on the outskirts of Juneau, this was his element. Cathedral ceilings characterized by exposed, crisscrossed wooden beams. He took a moment in the door frame, appreciating this life. This simple moment that he wouldn’t have again for a while since he’d be serving as the face of the merged businesses.

From here, his eye roved past the massive wooden sleigh bed decorated in burnt orange and mustard yellow. Instead of focusing on the decor, he let the view of the mountain settle him, thankful for the massive windows that provided an uninterrupted view of the wild that whispered to his restless soul.

Striding into the room, he closed the distance to the leather sitting area for the best view of the snow-topped mountain. Stepping over the deerskin rug, the same deerskin rug he’d made with his father and Chuck many, many years ago, he searched for his silver laptop.

Time to call his brother.

He found his laptop on the rustic antler-and-glass side table by the leather love seat. Leather groaned as he settled into the massive, ergonomic office chair. He turned the computer on and pulled up the video chat application.

When Chuck answered the call in the sprawling library that he also used as an office, he appeared calm, ever in control, the family leader since their father had died. And clearly working in spite of his insistence that he was taking time off. Fatigue set in his jaw, and the normal fire that danced in his eyes seemed stymied.

Knowing his brother wouldn’t offer up personal information without being prodded, Trystan cleared his throat. “How’s it going? Everything settle out okay?”

Sighing, Chuck ran his hand through his flared blond hair. “Sure, temporary peace restored.”

“Temporary?”

“Marriage is...complicated.” He shrugged his shoulders, sagging in the ill-lit study.

Trystan could just make out book spine silhouettes lining the shelves in the background Chuck pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaustion stamped on his face.

“I’ll take your word for that, Chuck.” Sympathy for his brother pushed through his own muddled head over his limbo state with Isabeau. “Is there anything I can do?”

“I appreciate your call. That means more than you can know.”

“It’s tough to know what to do. I don’t want to butt into your private business.”

“You’re my brother. And hell,” he chuckled hoarsely, exhaustion in every tone, “you’re saving my ass by stepping in for me as the face of the company. I know this isn’t your gig.” Picking up a nearby bear paper weight, Chuck shook his head. Guilt seemed to settle in the lines of his face. He stopped examining the paperweight to look at Trystan in the camera. The picture of brotherly sincerity. “I owe you.”

Trystan waved his hand, half grinning. “Hey, you can come shovel out the horse stalls sometime.”

“Deal.”

As he thought about the way talking to his brother had helped him, he wondered if maybe he’d been missing an obvious source of assistance in his pursuit of Isabeau. “Is Alyana still staying with you and Shana?”

“Yes, she is. Do you want me to have her call you? Or I can just bring her here. She’s in the next room.”

“Please. That would be great if you could get her. And take care, brother. Call me if you need me.”

“Will

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