Mourning something, I expect, though he's not particularly talkative about it."
SJ took a deep breath and shrugged into the coat, bundling Dakota up before searching for her boots. "He sounds like he's got enough on his plate to deal with."
"I'd use that man as a plate and lick every inch of —"
"Rosie!" SJ laughed until she nearly toppled over, and Dakota laughed along as well — one of those contagious baby giggles that got Rosie started until all three of them were on the floor. God, it felt so good to laugh. SJ panted for breath, wiping at her eyes. "Good heavens. You're out of control."
"You've no idea, my dear." Rosie scooped Dakota up and tossed her in the air, swinging her around before giving SJ a sideways look. "And you want to tell me why you were so worried when he was looking in that car? Are you hiding something in there, or are you expecting someone to come looking for it?"
SJ tried to smile, buttoning her coat and pulling on the fuzzy pom-pom hat. "Well, I don't think Chuck'll be pleased to see his car missing, but I don't think he'll report it stolen. Maybe."
Rosie bounced the baby and opened the door, jingling her keys to distract Dakota as she paused on the landing. "So getting rid of the car or at least repainting it is next on the list, then?"
"Maybe just keeping it covered with snow for the next two months would do the trick," SJ said under her breath, not sure she wanted to get rid of the only means of escape she had. If Chuck showed up looking for her, SJ planned to run. The last thing she wanted to do was drag trouble to Rosie's doorstep.
"Some day you've gotta stop running, Sarah Jane." Rosie locked the door and headed down the stairs to the bar and the door to outside, though she paused to check for messages at the phone on the bar. "You can't let that man run you off from something good, you hear? And you've got family here in Bear Creek, so here is as good a place as any to settle down for a while. Just think about it."
"Thank you, Rosie." SJ hugged herself as they stepped into the freezing wind, grateful that someone had already shoveled the sidewalk and put down salt. "It already feels more like home than anywhere I've been the last few years. I hope we can stay a while."
As long as that big guy, Tate, didn't start causing trouble, and as long as Chuck and his gang stayed where they were, two states away. SJ started adding up everything she already owed Rosie, and the next little steps she could take to pay her back. It was a good place to start.
Chapter 5
Tate
T he tourists spent plenty of time ooh- ing and aah- ing over the scenery and the switchbacks as they headed up the mountain, so Tate could concentrate only on driving. And not letting the mountain lion out to run. As much as he hated snow, the feeling of his paws biting into the soft earth and maybe even a fluffy bunny for dinner almost convinced him to stay the night at the Lodge. Hunting at night had its perks — mostly since it meant he wouldn't be in the house at night when everyone else was sleeping and he only wanted to pace.
Tate parked the car outside the giant log cabin mansion that Simon called the Lodge, and the rest of the Bear Country Tours guys came outside to welcome the guests and unload their luggage. Both Simon and Ethan found their mates, though Cooper, Noah, and Finn seemed unconcerned about the lack of ladies in the vicinity. They apparently didn't mind sharing the Lodge and some of the outlying cabins with the happy couples, though it set Tate's teeth on edge.
He was happy for them. He really was. He liked seeing his sister in love and blissfully happy and well-protected by a good guy, but that didn't make it easy.
Tate forced a smile as he untied the luggage from the roof-rack, tossing the packs down to Cooper and Noah as Simon and Zoe hustled the guests into the warmth of the Lodge's giant great-room and the fireplace almost big enough to walk into. Once the guests were safely inside, Tate hopped