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Chapters (77)
  1. Cover
  2. Endorsements
  3. Books by Elizabeth Goddard
  4. Title Page
  5. Copyright Page
  6. Dedication
  7. ONE
  8. TWO
  9. THREE
  10. FOUR
  11. FIVE
  12. SIX
  13. SEVEN
  14. EIGHT
  15. NINE
  16. TEN
  17. ELEVEN
  18. TWELVE
  19. THIRTEEN
  20. FOURTEEN
  21. FIFTEEN
  22. SIXTEEN
  23. SEVENTEEN
  24. EIGHTEEN
  25. NINETEEN
  26. TWENTY
  27. TWENTY-ONE
  28. TWENTY-TWO
  29. TWENTY-THREE
  30. TWENTY-FOUR
  31. TWENTY-FIVE
  32. TWENTY-SIX
  33. TWENTY-SEVEN
  34. TWENTY-EIGHT
  35. TWENTY-NINE
  36. THIRTY
  37. THIRTY-ONE
  38. THIRTY-TWO
  39. THIRTY-THREE
  40. THIRTY-FOUR
  41. THIRTY-FIVE
  42. THIRTY-SIX
  43. THIRTY-SEVEN
  44. THIRTY-EIGHT
  45. THIRTY-NINE
  46. FORTY
  47. FORTY-ONE
  48. FORTY-TWO
  49. FORTY-THREE
  50. FORTY-FOUR
  51. FORTY-FIVE
  52. FORTY-SIX
  53. FORTY-SEVEN
  54. FORTY-EIGHT
  55. FORTY-NINE
  56. FIFTY
  57. FIFTY-ONE
  58. FIFTY-TWO
  59. FIFTY-THREE
  60. FIFTY-FOUR
  61. FIFTY-FIVE
  62. FIFTY-SIX
  63. FIFTY-SEVEN
  64. FIFTY-EIGHT
  65. FIFTY-NINE
  66. SIXTY
  67. SIXTY-ONE
  68. SIXTY-TWO
  69. SIXTY-THREE
  70. SIXTY-FOUR
  71. SIXTY-FIVE
  72. A Preview of Book 2 in the ROCKY MOUNTAIN COURAGE Series
  73. Author’s Note
  74. Acknowledgments
  75. About the Author
  76. Back Ads
  77. Back Cover

Jack touched her arm, sending a gentle, comforting current through her. Jack said nothing, of course, because he couldn’t guarantee that no one else would die up there. All she had left now were Owen and Gramps, and she was so grateful Owen had returned to them alive. Now that she had a semblance of family again, she would work hard to keep them close together. She would move out of her apartment and stay with Gramps permanently. That was it then. She’d made the decision. And she would be more deliberate about keeping Alex and Erin close.

But talk of the mountain and Mom’s death ignited the pain again. And the memory of overhearing Gramps and Dad arguing that night, two weeks after Mom died.

“You can’t just leave her here. She’s your daughter. I can’t raise her for you. I don’t need that kind of responsibility.”

“You’re the best person to raise her. The truth is, Sheridan and I were planning to divorce. Terra would have ended up here with you anyway. Do this for your daughter and your granddaughter.”

“You leave, and you’ll break her heart. She doesn’t need it broken over and over again. If you leave now, don’t ever come back.”

Pain and anger edged his voice.

Terra rushed in and hugged her father, sobbing, hanging on to him. In the end, she wasn’t able to stop him from leaving, and he crushed her.

Alex and Erin were her lifelines not only because of the bond they shared after losing a loved one in that avalanche, but also because Terra had lost so much more. She felt unwanted by her father and her grandfather. But she knew Gramps loved her.

Then she made the mistake of falling for Jack, who left her too.

She’d lost people she loved—by their own choices or by the hand of the mountain.

Either way, why did people keep leaving her?

FORTY

Jack felt like a jerk for asking Terra to share about Mr. Archaeologist. He wished he could somehow make it up to her. He wished he could take his question back. She didn’t owe him an explanation.

He was definitely a jerk.

She nudged a few tears away and sat taller, composing herself.

He never should have crossed the line into a personal discussion or allowed unfounded jealousy to direct his mood and conversation.

His cell alerted him to several texts. Good. He needed to focus on their investigation.

“Anything important?” she asked.

“I don’t know. Maybe. Let me read. The Montana State Lab says the small wire in Jim’s hand was a nose ring.”

“Huh. That’s one I haven’t heard before,” she said.

“I’ve heard stranger, honestly.”