A Maverick for the Holidays

“This isn’t a good idea,” he muttered.

“I think it’s a great idea,” she said and smiled her wicked, innocent, sexy smile.

He clenched his jaw again. “That’s because you don’t know better,” he told her. “I’m too old for you.”

“Too old,” she echoed. “That’s crazy. It’s not as if you’re twenty years older.”

“Trust me, cupcake,” he said. “I feel like I’m eighty years older.”

Angie rolled her eyes. “You exaggerate. You’re just finding your feet and way. That’s why you feel unsure.”

“I don’t know about that,” Forrest said.

“Well, I do,” she said in a husky whisper as she leaned toward him.

“You need to leave,” he said.

“Isn’t that a bit drastic?” she asked.

“Not at all,” he said, and steeled himself not to respond to her.

“Just one more kiss,” she whispered in an inviting voice.

“No,” he said, but it killed him.

Dear Reader,

I loved being a part of this wonderful MONTANA MAVERICKS series. Forrest Traub, the hero in my story, has returned from Iraq and is recovering from an injury where he almost lost his leg. He also struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder. I had the opportunity to talk with a soldier who’d lost most of his rib cage from a gunshot wound, and he also suffered from PTSD. The adjustments he had to face after his injuries were unbelievably challenging. I was grateful to hear that the military offers support and actual techniques for how to deal with PTSD.

In my story, the hero displays a different kind of courage by starting a support group for war veterans. Have you noticed that struggling with a problem by yourself makes it feel so much bigger than if you share it with someone who cares? Forrest Traub may be a courageous man, yet between his bum leg and his nightmares and hypervigilance, he believes he’s in no shape for a committed relationship. Angie Anderson, however, is like a burst of sunshine on Forrest’s dark soul. But can she turn his jaded heart around? Maybe a little holiday magic can help them along.

Wishing you all the joy of the holidays,

Leanne Banks

About the Author

LEANNE BANKS is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author who is surprised every time she realises how many books she has written. Leanne loves chocolate, the beach and new adventures. To name a few, Leanne has ridden on an elephant, stood on an ostrich egg (no, it didn’t break), and gone parasailing and indoor skydiving. Leanne loves writing romance because she believes in the power and magic of love. She lives in Virginia with her family and a four-and-a-half-pound Pomeranian named Bijou. Visit her website, www.leannebanks.com.

A Maverick for

the Holidays

Leanne Banks

www.millsandboon.co.uk

This book is dedicated to all the veterans who’ve

returned from hostile countries who continue to battle

post-traumatic stress disorder and to those

who love them.

Prologue

The truck they were driving was loaded with artillery, but there were several more in the caravan. In his position as major, Forrest normally wouldn’t have been traveling, but there had been complaints about getting signatures for the items they were transporting. In the army, it was always about getting signatures, even here in the desert of Iraq. Enough crap about signatures, they had a war to win.

Suddenly, an explosion ripped through the vehicle. Everything blurred. Forrest raced out of the Humvee. A shot hit him in his armored vest. Another hit his leg. Again and again. His leg screamed in pain.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a soldier fall to the ground, then another and another. He tried to crawl to help them, but his leg was dead.

He was dead.

Forrest woke up in a sweat, his heart pounding in his chest, adrenaline racing. He reached for his weapon, but it wasn’t there. He blinked and his eyes finally adjusted to the darkness. He wasn’t in Iraq. He was in Montana. He wondered if he’d yelled, and prayed he hadn’t. He didn’t want his brother to know that he was still messed up. He didn’t want anyone to know that his head was more broken than his leg was.

He wondered if he would always feel as if he were riding the edge of insanity. Crazy, he must be crazy.

Snippets of his therapy skittered through his brain.

You’re not crazy. When you wake up from a nightmare or flashback, remind yourself that you’re not crazy.

Practice your breathing technique.

Forrest inhaled and counted as he exhaled. Controlled breathing will make you feel more in control of yourself. Forrest continued the technique he’d been taught. He touched the quilt on his bed and rose, dragging his near-useless leg with him across the wooden floor to the bathroom.

Turning on the faucet, he washed his hands. The water felt cold and it took the memories a little further away from him. He stuck his cup under the running water and lifted it to his mouth, taking several swallows.

When would his nightmare end?

Chapter One

Forrest wrapped up his quick meeting with Annabel Cates, Thunder Canyon’s librarian and therapy-dog owner. “I’m glad we’re starting this group for veterans. Sometimes it’s just easier to talk when you’re petting a dog,” he said and couldn’t resist giving Smiley, Annabel’s therapy dog, a quick rub.

Annabel smiled in return. “I’m sure Smiley will love all the attention. Why don’t you take him for a walk? He’s been cooped up in here all morning.”

Forrest nodded and accepted the leash of the gentle golden retriever. “Sounds like a good plan to me.”

As he stepped outside the library door, the cold November air hit him with a snap. He inhaled and the sensation was so sharp it was almost painful, but the sun was shining brightly and Smiley was wagging his big furry tail so hard it was banging against Forrest’s good leg. The dog’s happiness gave him a lift and he led the golden down the street. One of the nice things about Smiley was he was trained so well that he never pulled on the leash. The dog followed his lead, and with Forrest’s bum leg, that made the walk a lot more pleasurable.

Forrest crossed the street and relaxed a smidge. With Smiley, he’d noticed one of the symptoms of his PTSD—the docs called it hypervigilance—diminished just a little. Always nice to get a break from feeling like he needed to be ready for incoming fire any minute.

Forrest turned down another street, liking the way he was starting to feel at home in town. After his medical discharge from the army, he’d hoped that going back to the family ranch in Rust Creek Falls would help, but it hadn’t. Everything he’d once done with ease underscored his new limitations with his injured leg. Forrest glanced down and noticed that his shoelace was untied. With his iffy balance, he sure as hell didn’t want to trip over it. Awkwardly bending down, he began to retie it.

Suddenly Smiley let out a bark and raced away from him. Forrest reached for the leash, but it slid from his grasp. He swore under his breath. His heart raced in his chest. What if Smiley got hurt? He’d never forgive himself.

“Smiley,” he yelled. “Smiley.” Stumbling after the galloping golden retriever, he walked down the street as fast as he could.

A young woman appeared out of a doorway and stood directly in Smiley’s path. Forrest feared the dog would knock her down. “Smiley,” he called again.

“Smiley! Sit,” the woman said.

Wonder of wonders, the therapy dog plopped his bottom on the pavement and wagged his tail, with his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth.

Relief rushed through Forrest as he finally caught up with the dog. “Thanks for stopping him,” Forrest said, grabbing his breath at the same time as he grabbed the leash. “I was afraid he was going to run into that traffic.”

The girl shrugged her shoulders. “It was nothing. I guess he just wanted to come over and say hello.”

“Do you know him?” Forrest asked, still perplexed that Smiley had taken off like that.

The girl studied Smiley for a moment. “Based on that therapy vest, I’m guessing he belongs to Annabel Cates. My sister Haley is married to Marlon Cates and he’s Annabel’s brother, but I have to say I’ve never actually met the dog before.”

“That’s weird, because Smiley headed over here like he knew where he was going,” he said, taking a second look at the girl. He couldn’t exactly nail her age, but she looked young. Her brown hair flowed past her shoulders and her eyes were big and brown, glinting with happiness. She made him feel a little old.

The girl laughed lightly and the sound felt like a cool drink of water on a hot day. “Maybe this dog is just super smart and knew that ROOTS is a great place to hang out,” she said, pointing to the sign in the window. She gave him an appraising look. “Wait a minute. Are you related to Rose Traub?”

“Yeah, she’s my cousin. Why?”

“Rose is married to my brother Austin. I’m Angie Anderson,” she said and extended her hand.

“Forrest Traub. Man, this is one small town. Seems like most everyone is related,” he said.

“You’re right about that. Why don’t you come inside? We’ve got hot chocolate and cookies,” she said.

“That’s okay. I better get Smiley back to Annabel,” he said.

“I’m sure Smiley could use a little rest after the way he was racing down the street,” she said.

His leg was aching like hell, so he decided he could use a break. “If you’re sure,” he said. “What do you do here, anyway?” he asked as he followed her inside.

“I’m a volunteer,” she said. “ROOTS is a safe haven for the local youth.”

“But aren’t you a youth?” he couldn’t help asking because Angie looked so young.

She laughed again, and the sound just made him feel better. “I guess I’ll accept that as a compliment,” she said. “I’m twenty-three and going to college. I work here at ROOTS part-time. How do you like your hot chocolate? Light or loaded on the marshmallows?” she asked.

He almost chuckled at the way she asked. “Light. The bad thing about a sugar high is what comes afterward,” he said.

“Coming right up. Have a seat,” she said and went to a snack and beverage table at the far end of the room.

“Hey,” a teenage boy with long hair said, stepping toward Smiley. “Cool dog. Can I pet him?”

“Sure can. He’s a therapy dog, so he’s trained to be friendly. He may need a little refresher course, though,” Forrest said wryly, giving the golden an affectionate rub.

“What do you mean?” the teenager asked, bending down to pet Smiley.

“He took off while I was walking him today, and he’s not supposed to do that,” Forrest said.

“So he’s in trouble?” the teenager asked.

“His mistress will have to make that call,” Forrest said.

Angie returned with a cup of hot chocolate. “What do you think of Smiley, Max?”

“He’s a cool dog. You should bring him around more often,” he said. “Oh, look, Lilly’s here. We’re gonna do some homework together.”

“Okay, I’ll be right here if you need any help,” Angie said and sat next to Forrest. When Max took a few steps away, she shot Forrest a mischievous look. “I don’t know how much actual homework they’ll get done. Max has a monster crush on Lilly,” she said in a low voice.

Forrest glanced at the teenage boy and girl as they sat at a table together and felt a pinch of loss. He shook his head. “Sometimes I wonder if I was ever that young.”

“Well, you’re not ancient,” she said. “It’s not like you can remember when electricity was invented.”

This time he did chuckle. “I guess. It’s just been a long road since I got back from Iraq.”

Angie’s eyes widened. “You were in Iraq?”

“Yeah, army. I enlisted after high school and earned my engineering degree before my first tour of Iraq. My second tour ended my military career,” he said and took a drink of hot chocolate. “I hadn’t planned on that. An IED took me out of action.”

“IED?” she echoed.

“Improvised explosive device.”

“That must have been horrible.”

“It was worse for some than others. I was in the first vehicle, so we took the brunt of it.”

“So, you’re a hero,” she said, her gaze intent.

“Oh, no,” he said, feeling self-conscious at the admiring expression in her eyes. “Just doing my job.”

“I’m sure plenty of people would agree with me. How long will you be in town?” she asked.

“A while,” he said. “There’s a doc here who’s going to do some more work on my leg. Plus I’ve started doing blueprints for an architectural firm. What about you?” he asked, ready for the attention to be taken off of him.

“I’m hoping to finish my bachelor’s degree in sociology within the next year. I work in the college administration office one day a week. I temp for a CPA during tax season and work part-time for a catering business. And like I mentioned, I volunteer here at ROOTS and for some other charities,” she said and her cheeks turned pink. “I really don’t know what I want to do for the rest of my life,” she confessed. “I wish I did. I wish it would just hit me on the head like it seems to do for other people, but so far, it hasn’t. But I’m not going to sit home waiting to find out, so I stay pretty busy.”

“Jill-of-all-trades,” he said.

“Huh?” she asked, furrowing her brow in confusion.

“As opposed to jack-of-all-trades. You’re a jill-of-all-trades,” he said.

She gave a slow smile that had a surprising edge of sexiness. “I like that. I’m glad Smiley led you to stop here today.”

Forrest felt flattered at the same time that a mental alarm went off. Angie might not be a teenager, but she was still too young for him, so he sure as hell didn’t want to give her any ideas. “Thanks for lassoing Smiley and giving me some hot chocolate. I should walk him back to the library now,” he said, rising. Pain shot through his leg, but he gritted his teeth so no one would see.

“There’s no need to rush off,” she said, bobbing to her feet.

He couldn’t prevent a twist of envy at how easy it was for her to move around. Those days were gone for him. At least for the present. “I really should go. Thanks again,” he said. “You take care.”

She met his gaze. “You, too. Who knows? It’s a small town. We may see each other again.”

Making a noncommittal sound, he made his way out the door to the sidewalk. He glanced back at the doorway and caught sight of Angie waving at him. He waved in return and walked away.

She was a cute girl. In the same way a sister was cute, he told himself. She was the exact opposite of him. He was a busted-up retired army major. Most days, he felt like he was eighty-years-old.

Angie had the lively glint of a very young woman who hasn’t seen the ugly side of life. He envied her innocence, and he couldn’t ever imagine being as open as she was. Not now. Not after everything he’d seen and experienced.

He took the short walk to the library and led Smiley inside.

Annabel smiled and greeted both of them. “Smiley, boy, good to see you. And to you, too, Forrest. How did Smiley do?”

“Pretty good except when he ran off,” he said, giving her the leash.

Annabel’s face fell. “Ran off?” she echoed and glanced at her dog. “When did he do that?”

“About halfway through the walk, he took off toward ROOTS. Maybe he was drumming up business for himself,” he said.

Annabel gave a half laugh, but he could tell she wasn’t really amused. “Maybe. He’s trained not to run away.”

“Angie Anderson stopped him. Good thing. I was afraid he would get hit by a car.”

Annabel winced. “I don’t know why he did that. Thank goodness for Angie,” she said, rubbing Smiley’s neck.

“True,” he said. “What do you know about her?”

“The Andersons are a great family,” Anabel said. “They’ve had some tough times, but Angie really came through it well.”

“She seems too young to be working at that youth center.”

“ROOTS?” Anabel said. “They actually like having some younger volunteers. It helps the kids identify with a good role model. I hear Angie’s a sweet, easygoing girl.”

Forrest shrugged, backing off. He shouldn’t be curious about Angie. “Okay. I’ll head on back home now. Thanks for the adventure,” he said.

She bit her lip. “I feel bad that he ran off on you.”

“It wasn’t a problem,” he said. “I caught up to him.”

“Well,” Annabel said. “I think Smiley is due for some retraining, and I’ll start tonight.”

Forrest nodded. “You’ll figure it out,” he said. “You’ve done a great job with him.”

“Thanks,” Annabel said. “But he’ll be even better next time you see him!”

Angie forced her attention back to the kids at ROOTS, but she couldn’t help thinking about Forrest. Talking with him had made her feel as if someone had lit a lamp inside her. A few other guys had temporarily captured her attention, but she knew that Forrest was totally different from them. It seemed as if every cell in her body was screaming how special he could be to her. The strength of her instant attraction to him was distracting.

As she cleaned up the snack station near the end of her shift, Lilly Evans approached her. Lilly was a beautiful serious-minded seventeen-year-old with long blond hair and green eyes. Lilly had been active in ROOTS during the last two years since her father had gone to prison. Angie admired the girl for keeping her focus during such a traumatic time.

“Hey, there,” Angie said. “How’d the study time go with Max?”

Lilly shrugged. “I’m not sure. He doesn’t seem to concentrate very well.”

Angie chuckled. “That could be because he’s got a crush on you.”

Lilly’s pale cheeks bloomed with color. “I don’t have time for that,” she said. “Too many other things going on.”

Angie heard an undertone of anxiety in Lilly’s voice. “Like what?” she asked.

“My mother’s afraid she’s going to lose her main job, so she’s started working another one part-time.”

“The economy is hard on a lot of people right now,” Angie said and squeezed Lilly’s shoulder. “I hope she’ll get some good news soon.”

“Me, too. If that weren’t bad enough, my brother Joey has been hanging around some bad kids. I’m worried about him.”

“How old is he?” Angie asked. “Maybe you could bring him to ROOTS.”

“He’s thirteen, but he doesn’t think ROOTS is cool,” she said, rolling her eyes.

“What else is he interested in?” Angie asked.

“Violent computer games,” Lilly said with a frown. “He shoots basketball every now and then. He’s a little on the skinny side, so I think he tries to act all tough.” She sighed. “We had a dog for a while and Joey really liked him, but my dad made us give him away.”

“Hmm,” Angie murmured, her mind working. “What about working at the animal shelter? We have a group that volunteers there twice a month. If he really likes it, he could go more often on his own. In the meantime, if he goes with the ROOTS group, he’ll be exposed to some different kids and maybe make some better friends.”

“That’s a great idea,” Lilly said. “If we can just figure out how to get him to go.”

“If you want, I can have one of the ROOTS shelter volunteers give him a call. I can call him, too.”

“That might help, but he still could turn you down. Joey can be stubborn.”

“We’ll wear him down,” Angie said. “I’ll have the ROOTS coordinator contact him first.”

Lilly sighed. “Thanks. I’m really worried about him.”

“We’ll give this a try and see how it works. Make sure you’re keeping your mother up to speed, and if she needs extra help, we’re in touch with some wonderful counselors. Some of them even offer a couple free sessions.”

Lilly impulsively threw her arms around Angie and Angie hugged her in return. “Remember you’re not alone, here,” Angie said and gave the teen a reassuring squeeze. Her heart broke for the trauma Lilly had experienced during the last few years. It was hard always being the strong one. Angie was so grateful that Lilly trusted her enough to talk to her.

After her shift, Angie left ROOTS and walked into her empty home. Since her brother Austin and sister Haley had left, she was all alone. Angie spent as little time at home as possible. She knew she was fortunate to have a rent-free home, but the silence that welcomed her every night disturbed her. After today, she had a feeling she might not be alone forever. She had a very strong feeling about Forrest Traub. So strong she couldn’t keep it to herself.

Even though she could have called Haley earlier when she was at ROOTS, Angie had held off. But now she couldn’t. She dialed her sister’s cell and waited, her heart racing.

“Hey,” Haley said. “How are you doing?”

“Great,” Angie said and took a deep breath. “And I’ve just met the most amazing man today. His name is Forrest Traub. He’s a veteran and he’s the man of my dreams.”

Haley chuckled. “And you know this after one meeting?” she asked.

“I do,” Angie said, wandering around the den. “He’s everything I’ve ever wanted. He’s the man I always wanted without knowing that I wanted him. Haley, he’s not a boy. He’s a man and he’s strong and he has a good heart. You should have seen him with that therapy dog.”

“Therapy dog?” Haley echoed.

“He was taking Annabel’s dog Smiley for a walk. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that he’s hot. But I can tell there’s much more to him.”

“If you say so,” Haley said.

“I do,” Angie insisted.

“Okay, that’s exciting,” Haley said.

Angie could hear Haley’s disbelief and it bothered her. “You’re patronizing me,” Angie said.

“I’m not,” Haley said. “Give me a chance. I haven’t met the guy.”

Angie sighed. “Okay. Fair enough.”

“Good,” Haley said. “Are you doing okay?”

Angie glanced around the den of the house and fought the sense of loneliness. “I’m good. Keeping busy,” she said as she paced.

“You should come to visit us for dinner more often,” Haley said.

“You’re a newlywed. I don’t want to intrude,” Angie said.

“It’s not an intrusion,” Haley countered.

“Seems like it to me. I don’t want to crash a honeymoon,” Angie said.

Haley chuckled. “Just give us a few minutes’ notice and we’re good.”

“I feel so much better,” Angie teased.

Silence followed. “Sweetie, you know we are here for you.”

“Yeah, I know,” Angie said.

“We love you,” Haley said.

“Love you, too,” Angie returned and hung up her phone.

Taking a deep breath, she meandered from the doorway to the kitchen. A dozen memories flashed through her mind. Her brother making pancakes for her breakfast. Haley helping her get ready for prom.

Angie knew that Haley and Austin had worked their butts off to make up for the fact that their father had left soon after she’d been born and her mother had died during her early teens.

The great blessing had been that both her sister and brother had found true love. They’d moved out of the house to make their new lives with their loves. Angie couldn’t be happier, except for the fact that she was now alone. And she didn’t always quite know what to do with herself.

Austin and Haley checked in on her frequently, but Angie didn’t want to be a burden. After all, she was twenty-three. She should be fully capable of managing her life.

But the house felt so silent. It was too quiet. Stalking into the den, she grabbed the remote for the television and turned it on. She didn’t care about the program. She just wanted the sound of human voices. Returning to the kitchen, she pulled out a frozen dinner, zapped it in the microwave and took it with her into the den.