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CHAPTER ONE
SHE WOULDN’T NEED black pumps on a ranch…would she?
Ellison Hunter hesitated for only a moment before she tucked her trusty Christian Louboutin shoes, toes stuffed with the original tissue, into their usual spot in her travel bag. She had no idea what she’d be facing in Montana, but would hate to need her pumps and be without. These particular heels, a splurge she’d never regretted, gave her a sense of power and control, which was exactly what Ellie needed right now.
The phone rang for the third time in the past two hours as she reached for a stack of underwear to tuck into the spaces around the heels and Ellie considered ignoring it—except that an unanswered call would eventually be followed by a rapping on her door. So much for control and power.
“Montana?” Kate Warren asked without saying hello. Ellie’s closest friend was well aware that Ellie was holding out on her, that she hadn’t divulged the true reason for her abrupt departure from her job and an impromptu trip across the country for an undetermined length of time. And Ellie wasn’t going to spill her guts anytime soon because she was still coming to terms with the reason herself.
“My uncle needs me,” she said.
“But…Montana?”
“It’s where he lives,” Ellie replied patiently, although she felt her back start to go up. Her usual calm demeanor was getting harder to maintain with each passing day.
“No,” Kate said. “He lives in Santa Barbara, and I could understand you going to help him there, but—”
“A surgical practice doesn’t prepare you to manage people.” Which was what Ellie did. She managed people. Helped organizations run more smoothly by evaluating their personnel and their practices. Up until two months ago, her life had mirrored her profession—it had run smoothly, according to plan.
And now…
Ellie scrunched up her forehead as she balanced the phone on her shoulder and reached for more underwear. Think about it later.
“Ellie, I know you’re dealing with some kind of a problem,” Kate blurted. “And I think it’s totally unfair of you not to let me help—”
“I’m fine,” Ellie snapped and then let out a sigh. Not fine. “Okay…I need to get away.” That was the truth. “I…need a break. When I talked to my aunt and she told me that the ranch Uncle Milo bought was about fifty years behind the times… Well, it seemed like a good opportunity to change scenery and help them out at the same time.”
A long silence met her words. Kate had known Ellie since they’d first been assigned as bunkmates at boarding school seventeen years ago. Changing scenery was not something Ellie had ever been concerned with.
“Ellie…” There was a soft note of desperation in her friend’s voice, one that made Ellie come very close to confessing.
Not yet. Not until she had some kind of plan in place. Not until she’d come to terms with everything. Telling her aunt the truth had been ridiculously difficult, and she was not ready to repeat the experience. And then there was always the chance that she wouldn’t have to confess—which was why she hadn’t yet told her mother.
You’re only six weeks along. Sometimes…things…happen.
Her aunt’s words had given her a smidgeon of comfort two weeks ago when she’d simply had to tell someone the devastating news. How horrible was she that she kind of hoped something would happen? That the pregnancy would end itself naturally before the first trimester; that she could go back to her old life and never, ever make a mistake like this again?
