When they finally reached the top of the hill, the valley opened up before them and Addie gasped in awe. It was beautiful. Like a Christmas card beautiful with everything covered in white. The main house was far larger than she’d imagined, like a giant cabin or mountain chateau, a rustic mansion. Another long, apartment-like structure built in the same style sat about two hundred yards beyond the house, with another smaller cabin set at a right angle to the main building several yards to the east. She saw a big red barn trimmed in white and three other large buildings Cade had never mentioned lined up beside it. There were trees and other landscaping near the house, but beyond it and the other buildings was a dark forest that encircled the open range.
“Oh, Cade,” she whispered, “it’s beautiful and so much more than I imagined.”
“Yeah,” he murmured, “me, too.”
She slid over the seat to sit beside him and placed her hand on his leg. “You must be thrilled.”
He took a breath as the tires continued to crunch over the brittle snow and let it out slowly. “I am, but…”
“But?”
“It’s different,” he said and Addie heard a touch of sadness in his tone.
“How so?”
“The house is a lot bigger for one, and all those other buildings in back weren’t there before.”
“But it’s still home, right?”
He glanced at her and back at the house before he shrugged. “Yeah, I guess so.”
As they approached, two people exited the main house and a third from the smaller cabin in the back. By the time they’d pulled up and parked beside Cord’s truck, all three men had gathered on the deck. Addie recognized Cord and Zack, but the third man who’d come from the other cabin and looked several years older, she didn’t.
“Do you know that other man?” she asked Cade as she handed him his hat and gloves from the seat beside her.
“Sure do,” Cade replied. “That’s Joe Baker. He used to work for my father. I guess he’s still working with Cord. He’s a very good rancher and a great guy.” He turned to grin at her. “If you like those other two yahoos, you’ll like him more.”
Addie detected a note of respect in Cade’s description. “Sounds like you were close…?”
“Yeah,” he sighed and reached for the handle, “we were. He was kind of like a second father…or an uncle to us when Cord and I were kids. Even when we got older, too. Come on, I’ll introduce you.”
Cade hopped out of the cab and offered his hand to help her down.
Zack was the first to greet them as he skipped down the front steps. “Hey, you two. What took you so long? Did ya stop for a last private snuggle on the way?”
Cade shot him a dark look and, oddly, so did Cord, but Addie just laughed. She’d missed his open personality and rough humor. “If we did,” she replied calmly as Cade slammed the truck door behind her, “I wouldn’t tell you.”
Zack laughed and rushed up to hug her. She immediately stiffened as his arms closed around her and he lifted her into the air. She forced her muscles to loosen. No one here would harm her and if they tried, Cade would stop them.
“It’s really good to see you, pretty girl,” Zack said as he set her back on her feet.
She grinned, once again thankful that her bruises had healed, but she could see Cade staring daggers at his friend. “Not cool, Zack.”
“Hey, she is pretty.”
“I know that, but—”
“It’s all right, Cade,” she said, touching his arm and felt him relax.
Zack slapped him on the shoulder. “See?”
Cade rolled his eyes, but a grin quirked his lips. Then pushed his friend back when Zack tried to give him a bear hug. Zack thought that was hilarious and stumbled back to the little group still chuckling.
“What happened to your truck?” Cord asked as he entered their little circle, shaking his head at Zack as he gave his brother a hug.
“I left it with a friend,” Cade said as his brother released him, but Addie knew he’d left it with Jorje to use as a backup so she didn’t have to drive.
“How are you doing, sis?” Cord asked as he leaned in to kiss her cheek. “I heard you had some trouble.”
Heat swarmed up her neck and pulsed in her cheeks as Cord carefully examined her face, but a sense of belonging and acceptance replaced the embarrassment. Cade must have told him what had happened. “Yes, but it’s all taken care of now.”
“Good to hear,” he said in a hard voice. “We don’t take kindly to anyone messing with family.”
She gave him a grateful smile, both for his support and cleverly stated protection, as well as for not saying any more about it. Not to mention claiming her as family. Why did that feel so good?
“You know these two idiots,” Cade said, poking fun at his brother and best friend, “but you haven’t met this guy.” He waved a hand at the older man who’d entered their little gathering. “This is Joe.”
Addie shook Joe’s hand. It was warm and calloused, but gentle and friendly, as were his deep brown eyes. She liked him instantly.
“Hello, ma’am,” he said in a low voice. “Good to meet you.”
“It’s very nice to meet you, Joe,” she said and he grinned. The smile made him look younger. “And, please, call me Addie.”
“Well, thank you, Addie. I’ll do that.”
Right then, a child’s cry came from somewhere inside. Not a cry of surprise or delight. This was a baby’s wail for mom…or dad in this case. Addie didn’t remember any of them saying anything about a baby. She looked up at Cade, who turned to his brother, who turned several shades of red.
“And that would be Bethany,” Cord said by way of explanation as
