Chapter 21
Janice woke to the pale morning light filtering through the cabin windows, the lingering warmth of last night's conversation still wrapped around her like a blanket. She lay still for a few minutes, eyes closed, replaying the evening in her mind.
She'd learned so much about Cole. About his childhood in North Dakota, his father who'd taught him to fly, the family he still visited when he could.
About his time in the Army, the missions he couldn't talk about but that had shaped him into the man he was.
About finding Montana and finally feeling like he'd come home.
But mostly, she'd learned about how he protects himself when threatened, how he handles danger with calm competence, how he'd come to her rescue without hesitation even though he barely knew her.
And that knowledge stirred something in her chest that felt dangerously close to feelings she had no business having for a man she'd known less than two days.
But is that all I am? she wondered, staring at the rough-hewn beams of the cabin ceiling. A damsel in distress? Someone who needs rescuing?
She'd never been that person before, having always prided herself on her independence, her competence, her ability to handle whatever came her way. But here she was, relying on Cole for safety, for warmth, for the very basics of survival in a situation that had spiraled beyond her control.
I've never been just a damsel and sure as hell don't want to start now.
But maybe that wasn't how he saw her. Maybe he recognized that she was capable in her own right, that the circumstances had simply been bigger than any one person could handle alone.
He'd listened to her talk about her work with genuine interest, had respected her expertise with the samples, had trusted her knowledge of the terrain and wildlife.
So maybe she wasn't just a damsel to him. Maybe she was something more. The thought made her pulse quicken.
Janice rolled onto her side, tucking her hands under her cheek, and let herself think about Cole in ways she'd been trying not to since he'd first appeared in her cabin.
The way his dark eyes crinkled when he smiled.
The steadiness in his voice when he'd talked her across that creek.
The solid warmth of him in the shower, his body shielding hers, keeping her safe and warm without a single inappropriate touch or comment.
No one falls for someone so quickly, she reminded herself. You can't have insta-love. Love takes time to grow, doesn't it?
Her parents had always talked about the first time they met.
That story had been told so many times over family dinners that Janice could recite it by heart.
They'd been in vet school together, partners assigned to a farm during a large animal medicine rotation.
Her mother had been up to her armpit in a pregnant horse, her father holding the mare steady, and their eyes met over the animal's swollen belly.
"I knew right then," her mother always said with that soft smile that made her look years younger. "I knew he was the one I wanted to be with. Maybe I didn’t know if it was forever, but I knew I wanted to find out if it could be forever."
Her father would always add, "Your mother was arm-deep in that mare, covered in Lord knows what, hair falling out of her ponytail, and she was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. I thought, 'That's it. That's the woman I'm going to marry.'"
And they had. Got married the summer after graduation, opened their practice together, and built a life together that had weathered thirty-five years and counting.
So maybe insta-love was possible. Insta-lust? Absolutely. And maybe, at least, insta-connection and insta-recognition that someone could be important to you.
Janice felt heat creep up her neck at the thought.
Now that she could understand. Cole was gorgeous in a way that seemed effortless, like he couldn't care less what he looked like.
Dark hair that fell across his forehead, warm brown eyes that seemed to see right through her defenses, a body that was all muscle and strength and controlled power.
She'd felt every inch of that body pressed against hers in the shower, had been hyperaware of him in ways that had nothing to do with hypothermia and everything to do with pure physical attraction.
The combination was thrilling in a way she'd never experienced before. Not with previous boyfriends. Not with anyone.
But how do you get to know someone who doesn't live nearby? She had two more months left on her contract. Cole lived in Montana. She’d go back and work in the wilds of Washington. Their lives were miles apart, moving in completely different orbits.
She had no idea what she was supposed to do, where she was supposed to go, how any of this was going to resolve.
Janice swallowed a groan, her thoughts spiraling. This was too complicated. Too messy. Too fast and too uncertain and too—
Her phone pinged with an incoming text, cutting through her spiral of anxiety.
She grabbed it from the small table beside her bed and saw Marcus's name on the screen. Call me as soon as you can.
Janice's heart kicked up a notch. Marcus didn't send urgent morning texts unless something was wrong. She slipped from bed and hurried into the bathroom, finishing her business quickly before emerging to see Cole folding the blankets from his makeshift bed on the floor.
He looked up at her with a huge smile that made her heart do a ridiculous little flip in her chest.
Her heart pinged with something that felt suspiciously like joy.
"Um..." She held up her phone, trying to gather her scattered thoughts. "I need to call my university. Marcus is the professor who's in charge of the grant that funds our project out here."
"Go ahead." Cole gestured toward the phone. "I'll give you privacy if you need it."
"No, it's okay. You should probably hear this anyway." Janice took a breath and made the call, putting it on speaker so Cole could listen.
Marcus answered on the second ring. "Janice. Thank God. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. What's going on?"
"The university is getting pressure to pull you out and shut down the research." Marcus's voice was tight with frustration. "No reason given, just vague concerns about 'safety' and 'project viability.' But we both know what this is really about."
"Northern Summit," Janice said flatly.
"Look, someone with deep pockets is now running the show, telling the university what to do," Marcus continued, his voice heavy with defeat. "I'm not high enough in the university hierarchy to know who's pulling the strings."
Janice felt fury rise in her chest, hot and bright. "So they're just going to let them get away with it? Let them keep contaminating protected wilderness because some corrupt politician or EPA official is on their payroll?"
"I didn't say we're giving up." Marcus's tone shifted, becoming more determined. "But Janice, be careful. If they're willing to pressure the university, they might try other tactics too."
"I know. I'm being careful."
"Good. I'll be in touch." Marcus ended the call, leaving Janice staring at her phone, feeling a mixture of anger and helplessness.
She looked up to find Cole watching her, his expression unreadable. "They're trying to shut you down,” he said, his voice full of anger.
"Sounds like it." Janice set her phone aside, her hands curling into fists. "But I'm not leaving. Not until I've documented everything, not until those samples are analyzed and submitted as evidence. They don't get to intimidate me into silence."
Cole didn't argue, which she appreciated. He just nodded, accepting her decision even as she could see the concern in his eyes.
"I should call Logan," he said, pulling out his own phone. "Let him know about this development. LSIMT needs to be aware that Northern Summit is escalating their efforts to cover this up."
"Go ahead." Janice moved to the kitchen area, suddenly needing something to do with her hands. She started making coffee, going through the familiar motions while Cole stepped toward the window for his call.
She could hear his voice, low and serious, but couldn't make out the words. Didn't need to. She knew what he was saying… that the situation was getting more complicated, that Northern Summit was flexing its political muscle, and that Janice was refusing to back down.
And probably that Cole was worried about her, though he'd never say it quite that way.
Janice poured coffee into two mugs, her hands steadier than she felt. The pressure from the university shouldn't have surprised her. Of course Northern Summit would try to shut down her research. Of course they'd use whatever connections they had to silence the witness to their illegal activities.
But knowing it intellectually and experiencing it emotionally were two different things. This was her work they were trying to destroy. Her research, her documentation, her voice speaking for the ecosystem.
Cole's call took about ten minutes. When it ended, his expression was dark. "My people found a link between Charles Penson and the university."
Janice's coffee mug paused halfway to her lips. "What kind of link?"
"It only took about ten minutes of digging.
Turns out one of the university board members has financial ties to Northern Summit Resources.
Not direct ownership, but investment connections through a holding company.
" Cole's jaw tightened. "He's probably in bed with some influential people on the board, and that's where the pressure's coming from. "
"Of course." Janice set down her mug with more force than necessary. "Of course there's a connection. Why wouldn't there be? This whole thing is just layers of corruption built on top of more corruption."
She started pacing, unable to contain the furious energy coursing through her. The tiny cabin felt even smaller with her circles taking her from the kitchen to the window to the table and back again.
"They think they can just shut me up. Make the problem go away by pulling funding and forcing me out." She gestured sharply with one hand. "Well, they can't. I have the samples. I have the photographs. I have GPS coordinates, and documentation, and everything needed to prove what they're doing."
"Janice—"
"And even if the university caves, even if they pull the grant and terminate my contract, that doesn't make the evidence disappear." She spun to face Cole, her hands clenched at her sides. "I'll submit it myself. I'll go to every federal agency I can find. I'll—"
Cole stepped into her path and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest. The sudden embrace cut off her words mid-rant.
For a moment, Janice stood rigid, her body vibrating with frustrated energy.
But then the warmth of him seeped through her layers, the steady beat of his heart against her ear, the solid strength of his arms holding her securely.
And instead of making her angrier, she found that his embrace was calming, as though he was taking some of her ire and carrying it himself.
She let out a shaky breath and let herself lean into him, her forehead resting against his shoulder.
"We'll figure this out," Cole said quietly. "You're not alone in this. Logan and the team are working the political angle, finding out who's protecting Penson and how deep the corruption goes. The FBI is getting involved. This isn't over."
"I'm just so angry," Janice admitted, her voice muffled against his shirt. "At Penson, at the university, at all of it. Those animals are dying, and no one seems to care except me."
"I care." Cole's arms tightened slightly. "And you're wrong about no one caring. Your supervisor Marcus cares. The FBI cares, or they wouldn't be investigating. My whole team cares, because you care, and we protect people who matter."
Janice lifted her head to look at him. "I matter?"
"Yeah." His dark eyes held hers, intense and unwavering. "You matter."
The air between them shifted, became charged with something that had nothing to do with mining companies or corruption and everything to do with the way he was looking at her. Like she was important. Like she was worth protecting—not because it was his job but because he wanted to.
Janice's breath caught. She should step back, put distance between them, and maintain some kind of professional boundary even though they'd already crossed so many lines.
But she didn't want to. She wanted to stay right here, in the circle of his arms, feeling safe and valued and seen in ways she'd never felt with Ryan or anyone else.
Finally, Cole released her, but not before he dropped a kiss on her forehead. As he memorized the soft feel of his lips on her skin, his hands lingered on her arms for a moment before dropping away. "We should eat something. Keep our strength up."
"Right. Food." Janice turned toward the kitchen, grateful for the practical task to focus on. "I can make eggs and toast."
They worked together to prepare breakfast, falling into the comfortable rhythm they'd developed over the past day and a half. Janice scrambled eggs while Cole made toast, and they ate standing at the counter.
"Logan's calling back later this morning," Cole said between bites. "He should have more information by then about the federal investigation timeline and what we need to do with your evidence."
"Good." Janice pushed her eggs around her plate. "The sooner we can get those samples to a proper lab, the better. Field tests are fine for preliminary identification, but we need detailed analysis for court."
Cole's phone rang just as they finished eating. He glanced at the screen and answered, putting it on speaker. "Logan. You're on speaker with Janice and me."
"I have news." Logan's voice was crisp and all business. "And I’ll warn you, it isn't going to be good news."
Janice's stomach dropped as Cole growled, "What is it?" She was no longer sure she could handle much more.