Connor Read online

  Evernight Publishing ®

  www.evernightpublishing.com

  Copyright© 2015 Vanessa Devereaux

  ISBN: 978-1-77233-345-9

  Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs

  Editor: Melissa Hosack

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  DEDICATION

  For my great grandma—Emma D.

  CONNOR

  Big Sky County, 5

  Vanessa Devereaux

  Copyright © 2015

  Chapter One

  Connor raised his face up to the sky. It was going to be a scorcher of a day with not a cloud in the sky.

  “Morning, Connor, how are you?”

  Connor looked across the street and tipped his cowboy hat in the direction of Bob Macabey who was about to head into the drug store. “I’m pretty good. How about yourself?” Connor shouted to him.

  “Can’t complain. Are you attending this year’s bachelorette auction?”

  Bob was the third person to ask and he knew why. The busybodies in the town were always eager to find out who he was going to bid on. This year he had no idea.

  “I’m too busy with my campaign, so I might have to give this one a miss.”

  “Big mistake. You wouldn’t want to disappoint your potential voters.” Bob wagged his finger at him.

  “Then I’ll have to try and find time,” Connor called back to him.

  “All righty. Have a good day.”

  Connor touched the brim of his hat again and headed toward the empty store that was now the election headquarters for the elect Connor Nolan-Delaney for County Sheriff campaign.

  The vintage bell over the door still worked and made a loud ting as he opened it and stepped inside. The smell of coffee brewing hit his nose and actually excited it. He’d left the house early this morning, opting to go for an early morning ride so he could take in the beauty and splendor of the area surrounding his parents’ ranch. He removed his hat and saw his aunt Betty, now his campaign manager, opening up a box of doughnuts with the words, Doyle’s Bakery written across the front. His favorite.

  “Caught you red handed,” said Connor, sneaking up behind her.

  She jumped and turned around, sending a fountain of powdered sugar spilling onto the front of her black blouse.

  “Geez, Connor. You could have given me a heart attack,” she said.

  “I think that’s more likely to be caused by downing one of these babies.” Connor snatched it from her hand and took a bite. “Mmmm, I think I died and went to heaven.”

  “Lucky for me I bought half a dozen,” she said, brushing away the sugar from her clothes.

  “Any exciting news for me?” asked Connor before taking another bite.

  “Rumor has it you’re thirty points ahead in the polls.”

  Connor knew the odds were stacked against him. He was running against the incumbent county sheriff, Matt Patterson, who’d held the position for the last fifteen years. However, Connor wanted this job and nothing was going to get in his way.

  “I’ve arranged for you to do a radio interview on Wednesday,” said Betty, picking up her notebook. “And Matt wants the two of you to hold a town debate at City Hall. So we have to get that set up.”

  “Yeah, I guess he’s anxious about that. He thinks I’m not experienced enough in the debating department.”

  “That’s why we’ll have some practice debates before the big day,” said Betty.

  “Oh, and Jennifer Nealon from Big Sky County Magazine wants to interview you for a profile.”

  So she was back in town and obviously a writer now. Thinking about her conjured up the thick tortoise-rimmed glasses her parents had made her wear to school. She’d taken lots of bullying over them and also over her weight. He walked over to the coffee machine and poured himself a mug. “Does her mother still teach school?”

  “She does, but she’s retiring this year.”

  “You know I don’t like interviews,” said Connor.

  “I know, honey, but it’s great publicity. Your photo and an interview telling potential voters what a great guy you are and what a mighty fine sheriff you’ll be could tip the scales in your favor.”

  Lucky for him he’d one day come to Jennifer’s rescue when some of his buddies had pelted her with snowballs. Yes, he’d teased her too, but physical abuse was crossing the line.

  “And when do I have to meet with her?”

  Betty flipped through the notes she had on her desk. “She said she could stop by here later today to get some preliminary stuff out of the way and then she’d like to shadow you one day so she can get a feel for what you’re doing on the campaign trail. Oh, and one final thing there’s the Grantsville Bachelorette Auction fast approaching.”

  He knew what was coming next. The auction rotated between bachelor and bachelorette so one lucky thing was it was an odd year and hence the ladies turn to be put up for bidding.

  “I’ve made a list of ladies I think you should bid on,” said Betty.

  She handed him a sheet of paper with three names scribbled upon it.

  “You know I really don’t want to do this either,” said Connor.

  “Better than being the one who’s paraded up and down while all the women check you out.”

  Yeah, he absolutely hated that. After his first year taking part, he had a whole new understanding for what it was like to be a lady when she walked into a bar and was checked out by all the cowboys in town.

  “Do I really have to this year?” He pushed the paper back at her.

  “As your campaign manager I insist. And I’ve picked those three because, one they have some clout in the community and two, they’re not the best looking or the youngest of the bunch, but it will make you look like the sort of guy who gives more weight to a woman’s intelligence. Did you know that Sally is actually a member of MENSA?”

  His aunt knew he did have an eye and yes, okay, a cock too, for a pretty girl. But wouldn’t it look too politically correct if he did bid on one of the lesser attractive ladies? One thing Connor hated was doing something based on what other people thought.

  His cell phone rang just as he was about to argue that point. He pulled it out of his pocket and looked at the screen.

  His mother. All he needed was another female asking if he was attending the auction.

  “It’s your baby sister and I have to take this or she’ll keep calling,” said Connor.

  “Remind her we’re going to lunch in Missoula tomorrow.”

  “Hi, mom.”

  “Connor, your father’s having an affair.”

  His first thought was it couldn’t be true. His second thought was if he was, well shit that wasn’t going to be good for his campaign once news got around town. Yeah, maybe he did think about what people thought after all.

  ****

  Jennifer fingered the paper. The paper that she’d used to copy Connor’s great, great, great grandma Sarah’s diary, the one containing information that might possibly have repercussions for his campaign. Nothing like a skeleton in the closet to mix things up.

  She glanced at her watch. She had ten minutes to drive over to his campaign headquarters to put her plan into action. She was going to interview him for Big Sky County Magazine, but at the same time she was going to make him an offer he couldn’t refuse. She would have never guessed when she went looking for a story at the
historical society that she’d stumble upon the perfect way to change her normal bad luck at the annual auction and turn it into gold.

  Jennifer got into her car and headed out of the office parking lot, thinking about what she should wear to the auction. She’d always traveled into Missoula and picked herself something sexy, but she’d always ended up with the least eligible bachelor in town. When would the guys see her for who she was right now, not the nerdy looking girl she’d been at Grantsville High School?

  If all went to plan she was going on a dinner date with the sexy Connor Nolan-Delaney. That hyphenated last name now brought a smile to her face. Ever since she’d read Sarah’s diary and learned about the antics she gotten up to when she’d arrived in Montana as a mail order bride, she not been able to think about Connor in exactly the same way. Sure, she like every other girl at school had had a huge crush on him, often fantasizing about him being the guy that would take her virginity, but she knew he’d always be out of her league. He was part of a dynasty including the sprawling ranch his family owned, the hyphenated name which to everyone showed upper class roots echoing back to the days when Montana was still the Wild, Wild West. However, now she knew different and for the first time it seemed to put them on equal footing.

  She spotted the parking lot at the back of what was the former western saddle shop that was now the Nolan-Delaney campaign headquarters. Jennifer glanced in the rearview mirror, smacked her lips together, and then fluffed up her hair. She’d been away first at university and then working for a newspaper in Denver, so she hadn’t seen Connor in person since she didn’t know when. Maybe the graduation party her parents had thrown for her. She’d begged them not to, but seeing how it was the Nolan-Delaneys, her mom had insisted on putting them on the guest list. At least Connor’s parents and he and his sister had the decency to show up.

  Satisfied at her appearance, she got out of the car and headed to the front of the store. The bell made a ting sound as she opened the door, and she immediately spotted Connor standing by a file case and talking on his cell phone at the back of the store.

  “Is that you, Jennifer? It is, well, I didn’t recognize you without your glasses.”

  Yeah, those glasses were long gone. Thank goodness for Lasik!

  “I’m Betty Parsons, Connor’s aunt and campaign manager.”

  A lady in her late sixties with salt and pepper colored hair stepped toward her with her hand extended.

  “Hi, it’s nice to—”

  Jennifer stopped talking when she heard Connor raising his voice.

  “Just because he’s been acting strange doesn’t mean he’s seeing another woman.”

  He leaned against the file case, the jeans pulling across one very nice ass. Maybe she’d have to dig around and try and locate some photos of Jon Delaney and Shaun Nolan to see if she could spot any resemblance.

  Betty coughed when Connor began talking even louder.

  “Okay, I will speak with him, but he is not having an affair, period.”

  “Connor will be right with you. Can I get you a cup of coffee or a doughnut maybe?”

  The doughnut was tempting, but if she was going to get into the dress she had in mind for the auction best she pass on it.

  “Coffee would be great.”

  “Coming right up, and you can take a seat here. Connor shouldn’t be long.”

  Jennifer pulled up a chair and looked at the campaign signs hung around the place. Connor’s handsome face stared back at her everywhere she glanced. Nothing had really changed. He still made her pulse quicken and yes, her panties were growing just a tad damp as she looked at his rear end in those jeans.

  “Here you go, honey,” said Betty, handing her a brown mug with Nolan-Delaney for County Sheriff splashed across its front.

  “Thank you. Are you the sibling of Connor’s father or mother?”

  “I’m his mother’s oldest sister,” said Betty. “Moved back from Oregon six months ago.”

  “Me too. I mean moved back, not the Oregon bit.”

  “My husband died last year and I thought I’d like to return to my roots,” said Betty.

  Jennifer had wanted to do the very same thing, not even thinking twice about accepting the job with Big Sky County Magazine. It wasn’t the best paying job in the world, but this was home.

  Connor finished his conversation and turned around. They looked at one another. He looked hot and bothered but still the coolest guy in town.

  “Connor, Jennifer is here to meet with you.”

  He walked over. No, he sauntered over, the jeans tight across his muscular thighs. His shirt was open at the top showing just a few chest hairs. There was light stubble on his chin. She had that crush all over again.

  She felt something cold on her chin. It was drool. Dear lord this guy can still turn me into wobbly jelly. Hopefully he hadn’t seen any evidence of the drooling, but she slyly wiped it away just in case.

  “Nice to see you again, Jennifer. It’s been a long time.”

  “I was actually thinking about that and I’m pretty sure it was my graduation party, Mr. Nolan-Delaney.” There she’d said it without the usual smile appearing on her face. Knowing what she did suddenly made her less nervous around him.

  “Honey, I know you’re interviewing him, but he’s got no problem with you calling him by his first name, right Connor?” asked Betty.

  “Absolutely,” said Connor, looking her straight in the eye.

  “Much better. Now I have some campaign leaflets to put together, so I’ll leave you two to chat.”

  Betty left and went to a desk at the back of the store, and Connor pulled up a chair and sat opposite her. Her hand shook as she opened her notebook. Just remember what you know and it will take the fear factor away.

  “You probably know that I’m planning to do a profile on both you and your opponent.”

  “Betty mentioned writing about me but not Matt.”

  “Editor said we have to play fair. However, I should tell you that the magazine is planning to endorse you.”

  “That’s great to hear,” said Connor, crossing one leg over the other and resting his ankle on his knee. He wore pretty fancy cowboy boots with blue stitching that he was pulling at. And now all she could focus on was the bulge in his jeans. Did he have an erection? It sure looked like it.

  You’re not here to wonder about that.

  “Your profile will be first and with your permission I’d like to spend a day with you. One of your choosing and at your convenience of course.”

  “Shouldn’t be a problem.” He tugged at the boot’s stitching some more.

  “I’ll take some basic photos of you on the day, but the magazine will be sending along someone to take more formal shots of you too.”

  “Again fine with me.”

  And now the bit about I know something you don’t.

  “And I hope you won’t mind, but I’d like to include something about your ties to the community. The fact that your family have been here since what was it mid-1800s?”

  “That’s right, I have strong ties to Grantsville and Big Sky County whereas my opponent while he’s been sheriff for fifteen years he’s actually a Californian by birth and only been a Montana resident for twenty.”

  “Have you ever done any research on your ancestors from the 1800s?”

  “I can’t say that I have, but I believe my father and grandmother have some old photos of the ranch if you want to include them.”

  She was building up to it and if she didn’t get it out, she’d burst.

  “Then you’ve haven’t read your what would she be…I believe your great, great, great grandmother’s diary? I recently obtained a copy at the Historical Society.”

  “And she would be who? Mom or Dad’s side of the family?”

  “Sarah Nolan-Delaney.”

  “Oh sure, yes, the mail order bride,” said Connor.

  “And did you know about her relationship with two men? One that was her intended husband, Jon, a
nd the other Shaun, his neighbor.”

  “Relationship?”

  “So you’ve never been told the origin of your name Nolan hyphen Delaney.”

  “It was my great, great, great granddaddy’s birth name. Jon Nolan-Delaney. His pa was an Irish immigrant.”

  “Well actually that’s not true, that’s not his name. There were two men Sarah was involved with a Jon Delaney and Shaun Nolan. The three of them lived together under one roof. There are no records showing she married either of them. She gave birth to four babies and never knew which belonged to which man so they were all called Nolan-Delaney.”

  “Oh sure, yeah, we knew that. No secrets in our family.” He pulled on the boot’s stitching again, this time pulling so hard it came unraveled.

  She’d been hoping to catch him off guard and still believed she had. He was lying about knowing the truth about Sarah.

  “So you won’t mind me putting it in the article?”

  Connor stood. “I don’t see what my ancestors have to do with me or your article.”

  “Does that mean no, don’t put it into the article?”

  “That’s what it damn well means.” A vein pulsed at the side of his forehead. She’d never known Connor to have a temper, but he looked as pissed as hell. She’d been put on more equal footing than she’d intended. Best to let him stew on the information and for her to get the hell out of the store.

  Jennifer stood. “What day will be convenient to spend some time with you?”

  “Check with Betty and we’ll set something up for maybe next week.” He looked at his watch. “If you don’t mind I have to go see someone on urgent business.”

  “Sure and I look forward to spending the day with you.”

  She extended her hand. At first she thought that maybe he was going to ignore it, but then he finally slipped his into her waiting palm. He gave it a firm grip while looking her directly in the eye. He was too late on taking her virginity. Some guy had done that in college, but that didn’t mean a girl had to give up on fantasizing about the two of them getting horizontal. The bulge in his jeans wasn’t so apparent now, which made her think he did have a hard on earlier. Showed she was in with a chance. Also, it proved that the information she’d shared with him was new to him and without a doubt had taken the edge off his arousal.