Ranger of Hollow Peak (Hollow Peak Mountain Men #7)

Chapter 1

NATE

Istare down at my empty plate. That was pretty tasty, if I do say so myself. Good thing, since there are four more portions of it in the freezer.

I wash the few dishes by hand: this cabin is far too small to have a dishwasher. My house is a ten-minute drive out of town, so I bought this cabin to use as a home base during storms or other times that I might be required at a moment’s notice.

Hollow Peak didn’t really need an official ranger, but I wanted to create a job for myself away from my home town. A man needs to feel useful.

After a full year scouring the country, I bought my house and this cabin in the San Juan Mountains. Hollow Peak is a small town with a cozy warmth that’s been slowly helping me shake off the grouchy attitude I’d developed under the pressure of my huge family.

It’s a different mountain vibe than I’m used to. More sun, a larger number of artists and tourists. A lot of chill people who just want to be left alone to read their book. It’s how I live my own life for the most part – on my own, with some reading material and a coffee.

I’m just about to put on a fresh pot when there’s a hesitant knock at the door.

Crap. Is it one of the guys from the firehouse, wanting to challenge me to some friendly competition at the gym?

Someone with questions about how to take down a tree or deal with fallen branches from last week’s storm?

Maybe it’s a real emergency – the kind that takes up my entire night and prevents me from digging into chapter seven of my spy thriller.

I fling open the door and suddenly find myself unable to speak.

The young woman standing in front of me is exquisite, with the perfectly sculpted face of an angel above an athletic body.

Luscious curves in all the right places, the kind of figure that makes a man's pants instantly feel tight.

As I take in her long, wavy auburn hair, and the way it accentuates her stunning navy eyes, my chest feels tight, too.

Maybe even my brain. I swear, I'm suddenly overheated, prickling all over.

She blinks quickly, then licks her perfect cinnamon rose bottom lip that’s drawing me in like a magnet. "Are you the ranger?" she asks in a worried voice.

"Yes." I step aside. "Come in." I clear my throat. "Nate Turner. What can I do for you?"

"Bailey Lea. Um, my twin brothers Cody and Jacob are missing. They’re only six."

My heart sinks. "Let me guess. You were babysitting and got so lost in your phone that you couldn’t watch them properly?"

“What? No!” Her eyes fly wide, scandalized.

"My mom and stepdad took off to dinner without telling me they wanted me to watch the boys.

I was studying with my headphones on. I had no idea.

" Her brow furrows. "Honestly, I would have babysat in a heartbeat if I'd known.

I love my stepbrothers. They're a handful, but—"

I'm already pulling on my boots and grabbing my keys. “Where is the last place you saw them? And can you describe them for me?"

"The last time I saw them was at four this afternoon.

My parents aren't answering their phones, but I saw a note on the desk in their room that they had a reservation at The Timberline Tavern for six.

They must have left just before that." She flips to her photos.

"This is what the boys were wearing this afternoon. I've already alerted the lodge where we’re staying and they’re combing the entire place with instructions to call me if they're found. "

Wow. This girl is amazing. Regular folks tend to fly into a total panic during an emergency, usually causing more problems than they solve. But this young woman is doing everything right.

"Theo at the lodge is getting in touch with the sheriff, but your cabin is so close I thought it would be faster for me to run over here in person." She hesitates. "People always take things more seriously if you show up in person, right?"

"Right."

Her shoulders are shaking. Shit, she’s cold.

"You didn't bring a coat?" I ask.

"No…" She shakes her head, sending her hair swirling around her perky breasts, shown to perfection in a faded purple t-shirt. "I was texting so much as I ran out the door, I guess I forgot."

I grab two coats from the hooks beside the door, handing her the smaller one and pulling on the other. "Give me your number."

We swap numbers. "I'll need that photo of the boys,” I say. “And can you please text me their names, ages, and a short physical description?"

My phone pings in seconds without her typing. Wow. She had these details already written somewhere, ready to copy and paste. My admiration for her grows even more.

I grab two walkies from their chargers, then steer her out the door to my truck. "You're doing great, Bailey. Seriously. Much better than most would in this situation."

There's a flicker of a smile. "Thank you."

Once we're buckled in, I ask, "Where are the boys’ favorite places to play around here? Or what have they been excited to check out? It sounds like you’re here on holiday?"

Baily looks adorable in my enormous coat, her trembling fingers just peeking out the ends of the sleeves. Then she spots my charging cable and plugs in her phone. This young woman is crazy smart and level-headed.

“They were excited about everything," she says with a soft smile. "My stepdad Jeremy gets them all riled up. Kaitlyn – Mom – just laughs her head off. She thinks it's adorable."

She stares into space out the front windshield. "Like yesterday… They thought the sunset was so pretty out here. Laughing about all the colors, and the big crayon box in the sky. Jeremy said it was a shame they didn't have time to climb over the hill and watch the sunset again from the other side."

It's a clear night and the sky is already streaked with orange and pink. "Do you think they'd go over the hill? Would they be brave enough?"

Bailey shoots me a look. "You haven't spent any time with twin boys, have you? They're always hugely confident because there's two of them. They think they're invincible. And they constantly egg each other on."

"Shit," I mutter. "You're right."

I forward the photo and description to Cal, our sheriff, mentioning that the boys could be anywhere, but might be headed over the hill. Then I send the same to Eli of Hollow Peak Mountain Rescue, telling him this is still just a search, but he might be needed shortly.

I hand her one of the walkies just as mine crackles to life. "Nate – you there?" Cal’s voice is already concerned. He’s like that when it comes to kids.

"Yeah." I throw the truck into gear and start driving down the road with one hand on the wheel and the other holding the walkie. "I've got the older sister with me. She thinks they may have gone up the hill to see the sunset from the other side. Did you get the photo?”

A short pause. "Yep, got it. I see you've already sent the search team into action. You'll probably get there first. We’ll start swinging around from the other side. Crazy kids. Well, not to worry. We’ll find them before dark."

"For sure. Their sister Bailey has the other walkie. She'll check in for me." I drop my receiver onto the seat so I can hit the gas to zoom down the quickly darkening road. The base of the trail is only two minutes away. “Have the boys seen this spot yet?"

Bailey nods. "Yes. We were here yesterday, but Mom forgot bug spray and walking shoes for the boys. I explained it wasn’t safe to go hiking in sandals, so Jeremy took us all to the pool instead."

All thoughts of the search and rescue momentarily fly out of my head at the distracting image of Bailey's lithe figure in a bathing suit.

She grabs her walkie as well as her phone and jumps out of the truck, pacing around the beginning of the trail while calling out for the boys. Then she spots a handful of sticks laid in a straight line. "Look!"

I come up behind her, examining them with my flashlight. "Do you think the boys did that?"

She flashes me a gorgeous smile. "They really wanted to join the local Adventure Kids troop, but you can't miss more than two meetings.

" Her smile turns sad. "I hate to say it, but my parents are incapable of sticking to a schedule unless it's something important to them personally.

The boys were kicked out for too many no-shows. "

"So they learned on their own?"

"Whenever I babysit them, which, honestly, happens far too often, I take them out if the weather is good for a little hike, and teach them some mountaineering stuff." She points to the sticks. "Like leaving trail markers, for on the way back."

My hand claps her on the shoulder without thinking. Even through my coat, I love the feeling of her shoulder under my palm.

"Good job, Bailey. You taught them well." She beams.

We start hiking up the trail, finding a few more rows of sticks that confirm her theory.

"You're right." I stop walking and pull out my phone. "I'm sending a text to the search team now. The guys can drive around to the other side and keep an eye out."

Before I can respond, Bailey hits the button on her walkie and says, "Sheriff, we have a reasonably clear sign that the boys started along Overlook Trail. We're searching now."

The sheriff replies, "Gotcha." There's a pause. "Okay, just got Nate's text."

"Thank you," Bailey says. Then she looks up at me. "People don't say over and out?"

"In the military, or as part of an official search team, yes. We're a bit more casual here."

"Got it. Thanks."

I check my texts. “Great. Eli was at the switchback and grabbed Beck, Hale, and Knox.” I send a quick message. “They’ll surround the hill from various points and work inward."

She takes off at a brisk walk.

"Hey, slow down," I call out.

Bailey stops. "Shouldn't we hurry?"

"Well…yes…but I'm the Ranger. I'm supposed to go first in case there's any danger."

I stop, standing directly beside her, barely resisting the urge to slip an arm around her waist. Those tantalizing hips have my heart racing, yet I make a point to meet her eyes without glancing at her flattering t-shirt. "I'm the one protecting you. Got it?"

She nods, her bottom lip quivering.

"It's okay," I say gently. "You're doing everything right. We're going to find them soon."

It’s as if she's been holding everything together but the tension is just now hitting her. Her eyes close, and her body quivers slightly.

My hand lands gently on her shoulder, then drifts to the center of her back, rubbing in small, gentle circles. "Breathe, Bailey. We've been finding tons of markers. It's okay."

She releases a shaky breath, then looks up at me with… I'm not sure. The look in her gorgeous eyes, combined with the way she's leaning back slightly into my hand, makes me think of a kitten who wants to be petted.

This gorgeous, clever woman is attracted to me. This sizzling lust that’s starting to overtake my nervous system clearly runs both ways.

It makes me even more determined to find her brothers immediately.