Millionaire in a Stetson by Barbara Dunlop Page A

it?”
    “I don’t know,” Niki answered Seth. “Gabriella was very clever, and she was very careful. I can’t imagine she would have made that easy for anyone.”
    “Why aren’t you looking for it?” asked Reed.
    “I was. I did. I looked every place I could think of. But then I started to get paranoid. I imagined people were following me.”
    She gave a pained laugh. With time and distance, she had to wonder if it had been only her imagination.
    Katrina moved forward. “You did the right thing.”
    “She lied to all of us,” Reed put in.
    Katrina turned sharply to her husband. “To protect herself. Reed, if I didn’t know you so well, I’d be afraid of you myself. You can’t have expected her to bare her soul the minute she found you.”
    “Baring her soul and being honest are two different things.”
    “She’s your sister, Reed.”
    Reed gave a derisive snort.
    “It’s your responsibility to protect her.”
    “If you won’t,” Seth put in staunchly, “I certainly will.”
    Niki’s chest caved in with an ache, and a tear escaped from her eye. She barely knew Seth, and he was standing up for her.
    “As far as I’m concerned—” Seth gazed at her “—she’s my sister-in-law. And I know Travis will see it the same way. You kick her to the curb, and we’ll—”
    “Who’s kicking anyone to the curb?” Reed shouted.
    Niki gasped in a breath that sounded like a sob.
    “See what you’ve done?” Katrina demanded, crossing to Niki and putting an arm around her shoulder.
    “What I’ve done? So, I’m the bad guy?”
    “Yes, you’re the bad guy. You’re the one who’s yelling.”
    “I’m not yelling, Katrina.” Reed moderated his voice. “I am not yelling. Jeez, can’t a guy argue with his younger sister?”
    Niki raised a shaky hand to her mouth, tears flowing down her cheeks.
    “Oh, man.” Reed moved toward her. “Come here, Nellie. I mean Niki.”
    He folded her into his strong embrace. He’d hugged her before, but something was different this time. His arms held her tight to his broad chest, lifting her right off the ground.
    “I love you,” he told her gruffly. “Don’t be afraid of me. You’re my family, and I’ll never hurt you.”
    She managed a nod.
    “But don’t lie to me anymore.”
    She shook her head.
    “We’ll figure this out. Between us and the Jacobs, you’ve got four brothers now, and you’re safe here.”
    Niki thought her heart would burst. They didn’t hate her. They weren’t going to kick her out into the storm.
    “I love you, too,” she whispered to Reed.
    “That’s the spirit.”
    “I don’t think we should tell anyone,” said Katrina.
    “Katrina’s right,” Seth put in. “People are still out there looking for her.”
    “We need to find the diary,” said Reed.
    “She’s safe for now. That’s enough,” Seth argued.
    “Only for now though,” said Reed.
    “What do you want us to do?” Seth asked Niki.
    Niki stepped away from Reed, slowly bringing herself back under control. Her chest was still tight, but it was from happiness and relief instead of dread. “I want to hide here in Lyndon Valley and forget Niki Gerard ever existed.”
    Katrina smiled and reached out to hold her hand.
    Reed spoke up. “You could change your name to Nellie Terrell.”
    “They keep records of that,” said Seth. He considered for a moment. “The best thing to do right now is nothing.”
    “That doesn’t solve anything,” said Reed. “It only postpones it.”
    “I’ve been postponing it for three months,” Niki pointed out. She could do it a while longer.
    “You start mentioning Niki Gerard,” said Seth. “And all of a sudden Lyndon Valley pops up on somebody’s radar.”
    Reed clenched his jaw in obvious frustration.
    “We do nothing,” Katrina decreed.
    “I’m telling Caleb,” said Reed.
    “Should I do that?” Niki felt honor bound to volunteer.
    Reed smiled. “No,” he told her. “I should do that. Caleb’s temper is an