All Roads Lead Me Back to You

Alice Andison never expected romance.  She’s a single-hand rancher who goes by the name of her outfit, Standfast, in the foothills of the Blue Mountains of Washington State.  Horses and dogs are all the company she wants.  Alice would do just about anything to protect Standfast from part-owner Jerry Graeme, who is threatening to sell the ranch to pay off his gambling debts.

Domingo Roque wasn’t looking for love either.  A Mexican ranch hand working illegally in the States, Domingo is on the run from the immigration police, fleeing with just his horse and the clothes on his back.  A bad fall leaves Domingo half-frozen in the snow near Standfast, where Alice finds him.  At first Domingo mistakes his rescuer for a man, and then he’s even more puzzled to find himself working for a woman.  Alice appreciates his help on the ranch, but she’s breaking the law, risking Standfast for Domingo’s expertise and companionship.  To the amazement of both, through seasons of grueling workdays their tentative friendship slowly blossoms into love. 

But Standfast is no refuge for the new couple.   Jerry Graeme continues to menace its very existence.  And though Domingo may have found a home, there’s something about himself that he hasn’t told Alice.