Page 1 of Tattered and Torn
Chapter 1 – Gabrielle
“You must be Gabrielle Hunter.”
I turn to the source of that deep voice and find a stranger standing a few feet away from me. He’s dressed in well-worn blue jeans, scuffed boots, and a blue-plaid shirt. Perched on his head is a tattered old cowboy hat, clearly meant for function, not fashion. It’s a bit worse for wear, like the rest of him. I’d guess him to be in his late thirties or early forties, maybe ten years older than me. It’s hard to tell because the brim of his hat shades a lot of his face.
I nod. “Yes, I’m Gabrielle,” I say hesitantly, very much aware that I’m talking to a complete stranger. I’m from the city. I don’t talk to strangers. Especially men. “And you are?”
He tips the brim of his hat. “I’m your ride to McIntyre Lodge. Hannah sent me to fetch you.”
Hannah McIntyre. Inwardly, I’m relieved. Hannah’s the reason I flew a thousand miles from Chicago to Denver. She’s my new boss.
I’m standing in the baggage claim section of Denver International Airport, waiting for the luggage from my flight to magically appear on the carousel. I was expecting someone to pick me up and drive me out to the lodge, so this cowboy’s appearance doesn’t come as a complete surprise. “Wait. How did you know it was me?”
He shrugs. “Easy. Hannah told me to look for the prettiest redhead at the airport.”
I smile. “Good guess.” I glance around the crowded baggage claim area. “I’m also the only redhead.”
He doesn’t seem fazed. “Still, the description fits.” He studies me a moment. “Name’s Burke.” He offers me his hand. “Pleased to meet you, ma’am.”
Ma’am? I refrain from laughing as I take his hand, and we shake. His grip is firm, but not too firm. His hand is dry and pleasantly warm. He holds my hand for all of two seconds, then releases it quickly.
At that moment, the carousel starts up, making a loud whirring sound as it begins to turn. Luggage finally starts to appear through an opening in the wall, and my fellow passengers crowd around to collect their suitcases. Mine is easy enough to spot—it’s bright orange in a field of black.
I shuffle slowly into the crowd, but it’s a bit of a challenge as I’m already loaded down with my backpack, purse, and wheeled carry-on. I finally make it to the front of the pack, but I miss my chance to grab my suitcase the first time it appears and have to wait for it to come back around. When it finally does reappear, I reach for the handle, but a hand snakes in from beside me and grabs it, pulling it off the conveyor belt and setting it on the ground beside me.
“Just the one bag?” the cowboy asks. He sounds surprised.
“Yes. I traveled light.”
“I can see that.” He extends the long handle of my suitcase and starts wheeling it toward the exit. “This way, ma’am.”
Hearing him call me ma’am makes me cringe. “Call me Gabrielle, please. Being referred to as ma’am makes me feel old.”
He chuckles. “All right, then. Gabrielle.”
I follow him, pulling my carry-on behind me. I notice he walks with a slight limp. His left leg seems a bit stiff. “I take it you work at the lodge.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He shoots me a wry look. “Sorry. Gabrielle. I guess old habits die hard. Yeah, I work at the lodge. I manage the horses and take guests out on trail rides.”
Wow, he really is a cowboy.
“You ride?” he asks.
“Afraid not. I was born and raised in the city.”
“Chicago, right? That’s where Hannah and Killian are from.”
“Yes.”
“I understand you’re a chef at some fancy restaurant.”
“I was a sous-chef at Renaldo’s. It’s a five-star Italian restaurant—but don’t worry. I can cook any cuisine you want.”
“Sounds fancy. Why’d you leave?”
“It’s always been my dream to manage my own restaurant. But I was pretty far down on the seniority list at Renaldo’s. It would have taken me years to rise in the ranks. When Hannah offered me an opportunity to run my own kitchen, I couldn’t resist.”
Burke nods. “It’ll be nice havin’ a real chef in the kitchen. Two ladies from town have been helping out with meals since the lodge opened, and they do a decent enough job. I’m not complainin’, mind you. Beggars can’t be choosers, right? But everyone’s gettin’ pretty sick of canned soup and cold sandwiches. It’ll be real nice to have some hot food for a change.”