by Debra Holt
Josie’s breath caught in her throat as her eyes swung with everyone else’s in the direction where Chance stood at the edge of the porch, his face half concealed by his hat low on his forehead, his mouth set in a grim line. His stance indicated he was ready for a fight. She had never been so glad to see anyone in her life. It was hard not to run straight into his arms. That thought was quickly followed by the one reminding her that these men were the ones who threatened Chance’s life in the first place. His being there at all put him directly in harm’s way.
“This is getting to be some party,” the man named Jaime spoke up. “I’m not in the mood for parties. Give us the money now, or we’ll take a ride with the little lady instead.”
“As I said, you won’t be taking my wife anywhere. You, on the other hand, will take what money is owed to you, and get off our land…and stay off. Hand them over the money, Devlin.” Chance’s voice sounded as if it were edged with cold steel. It even sent a chill through Josie. His eyes never moved from the unwanted pair.
“What makes you think they’ll leave then? You don’t know them, Chance. These guys are armed,” Dev spoke up.
“They’ll leave because I’ve arranged for an escort for them.”
“What escort?” Dev asked.
“Us. And we’re armed, too.”
Where had Sheriff Waller and three of his deputies come from? Josie could only watch in wide-eyed surprise as the two men from Vegas quickly calculated the new odds and found the house stacked against them.
“Give them what they came for.” Chance repeated the order.
Dev slowly withdrew the two cashier’s checks from his pocket and handed them over to the man called Caesar.
“You’ve got what you came for,” Chance spoke up. “Get off our property.”
Dev didn’t even try to look apologetic. “You heard my brother.”
The two men from Las Vegas looked at each other, and then Caesar smiled at Chance. “It was a pleasure doing business with you.” He looked at Dev. “I’m sure we’ll see you again in our city. You won’t be able to stay away.” He gave a brief nod in Josie’s direction and then the two took their leave. Evidently, they had parked their car at the rear of the house. They pulled out, and a couple of deputy sheriffs’ cars weren’t far behind them. There would be no chance for them to change their mind about leaving. The sheriff stepped up and shook hands with Chance, then tipped his hat in Josie’s direction and wished her good day. That left the three of them on the porch.
“I’ll follow you to our ranch,” Chance said to Dev, his voice still hard and flat, his eyes dark.
Dev looked about to say something but saw something in his brother’s face that kept him quiet. He looked in Josie’s direction next.
“Save the goodbye for later. Get moving.” Chance took a step that moved him between Josie and his brother.
Dev didn’t argue. He headed for his car and was pulling away in a matter of a few short minutes. That left Chance and Josie alone.
“How did…”
Josie didn’t have a chance to finish the question. Chance turned in her direction and spoke to her for the first time since arriving with the cavalry.
“The bank called me. Mike was a bit concerned that you might be in trouble of some sort…especially since he saw you two locked in a ‘pretty friendly discussion’ to use his words prior to cleaning out your account. Plus, he knew my birthday was four months ago…he and I had breakfast to celebrate it before a meeting of the trustees.”
“It’s a good thing he did call, but he got the wrong…”
“Yes, at least he did call and let me know what was going on behind my back,” he said, cutting her off. “I’ve got some things to discuss with Dev. You and I will need to talk later. I suggest you be ready with the truth when we do.”
“That sounds like a command, and I don’t do well with those.” His attitude was beginning to grate on her raw nerves and his implication she was a liar hurt.
“It’s time you started listening to them. If you had done so sooner, we wouldn’t have had another of Dev’s messes to clean up today. If I hadn’t arrived when I did, along with the sheriff, just what do you think might have happened? Do you think my brother would have been able to protect you from his low-life acquaintances?”
“I have had all I want to hear about this battle between you and your brother. I have a command of my own. Both of you need to stay away from me until you settle your family feud once and for all.”
She punctuated her words by slamming the door behind her and sliding the deadbolt.
A few minutes later, Josie was totally alone, having watched Chance’s truck as it disappeared down the road. Only then did she finally release the breath she felt as if she had been holding for quite a while. And she realized the truth of Chance’s words…if Chance hadn’t arrived when he did, she couldn’t imagine what would have happened. Those men could have taken her with them. And then what? A shiver went through her.
Instead of explaining what and why she had done what she did, she had lost her temper. Chance was upset with her and she knew he had every right to be, but his whole demeanor and his coldness was her undoing. Don’t borrow trouble from tomorrow. It was sage advice. Josie just wished she was better at heeding it.
Chapter Twenty
“I took the liberty of pouring me one,” Dev said, holding up a small glass with ice cubes and scotch in it. “Want me to pour you one as well?”
Chance walked across the carpeted floor of his study, shrugging out of his coat as he did so, and then tossing it and his hat onto the chair next to his desk. He ran a hand through the thick hair on his head as he moved toward his brother, who held out a glass for Chance. Dev didn’t see the fist coming his way. He ended up on his back on the other side of the coffee table, the contents of the glass pooling on the carpet. He slowly sat up, his hand at his jaw. “Geez, brother. Take it easy on the face. Did that make you feel better?”
Chance fixed Dev with a long look, while he tried to marshal his thoughts and control his temper. He had lost it with Josie and made a bigger mess of things with her, but he would deal with all that later. At the moment, he had some long overdue business to take care of with his brother.
“It’s a start. And you don’t need any more to drink. You need a clear head to participate in this discussion.”
Dev hesitated and then finally rose to his feet. “Guess I do need to keep my wits about me. I suppose this is where I need to fall on my knees in abject apology for bringing my messy business to your doorstep.”
“Save your breath. I’ve heard this song before. What I want to know is what the hell you thought you were doing putting Josie in such danger? Why didn’t you come to me and leave her out of it?” Chance locked his gaze with Devs.
“That didn’t work too well in the past. I thought, given the way you feel about her, that you’d not turn her down when she asked you to have the trust revised. I had no idea the Marins would go to such lengths and threaten her, too. But it all worked out. She’s okay, and they have their money.”
“And what do you plan to do tomorrow? I suppose you and she ride off into the sunset? You came back here, and you turned her head with more of your smooth lines. You don’t love her. It’s just a salve for that ego of yours…gives it a boost when you need it. It stops now. You aren’t going to hurt her ever again.”
“Maybe the lady has something different to say about that. Let’s ask her if…”
Dev didn’t get to finish what he was saying, because Chance’s fist made certain of that when it connected once again with his jaw and sent him flying backwards over the edge of the couch to end up on the floor, shaking his head. “Damn, Chance! I don’t want to fight you over this. But I’m not going to be a punching bag.” He got to his feet again.
“I probably should have done that a hell of a long time ago.” Chance’s eyes darkened even more as he regarded the man who was related to him by blood but little else. Their father
had known early on that Dev was the weak link, the son who would always have the wanderlust and never be settled for long. Chance had done his best to clean up his messes in the beginning…first because they were related. Then, later, it was because Josie cared so much about him. It was time for Chance to cut the cord once and for all.
“It’s time for you to move on. And to leave Josie alone, for good.”
“What if I don’t want to leave without her?”
“There are two problems with that scenario. One is that she emptied her account, so there’s no money to fund your next gambling binge. Two is the fact she is a married woman, and I don’t plan to just step aside.”
Dev scratched his chin while considering the situation and Chance’s words. “Well, here’s a newsflash for you, brother. I hadn’t planned on taking her with me. She seems to be too stuck in this damn ranch mentality.”
“Josie would never be happy anyplace else. This land and this way of life are in her blood. She’s a totally different breed of woman than what you have any experience with.”
Dev gave him a half-smile, half-grimace as he rubbed his jawbone again. “It’s all she’s ever known. If she got away from it and saw something of the world away from here, she might not look back. Why don’t you let her decide? Or are you afraid?”
“Tread carefully,” Chance warned him. “You don’t know the first thing about Josie. You toyed with her and passed time with her when you were bored. If you truly cared, you’d never have left here to begin with.”
“I still say that you’re too scared to set her free and see what she really wants. You’ll keep her tied to this land and to you because you can’t let her go. Does she know how you feel about her?”
“My marriage is none of your business. There is something that you can understand…I’ve instructed Phillip Banks to revise the restrictions and give you access to your entire trust…with one provision.”
Dev’s full attention was on Chance. “Which is?”
“You take the money, and it is a buyout of any and all claims you have on Braxton Ranch. There will be a monthly stipend paid into your account as usual from the oil and gas holdings. But that is it. There will be nothing left for you here on this ranch…nothing.” It only took to the count of ten for Dev to respond to the offer.
“You have a deal.”
*
Evidently, both men took her request to heart. Over the next week, Josie didn’t see either Dev or Chance. She did know that Chance called to confer with Tom on some things during the week because Tom mentioned he had in their morning conversations each day. Josie had been aware of the look Tom gave her as he reiterated the conversations, which involved daily issues with the ranch and nothing more.
People had to be aware of the fact that she and Chance were no longer sharing the ranch house, but none of the hands gave any indication of it when she was around. She was glad of that. The last thing she needed was anyone showing pity for her. It was her own fault that she had dared to believe in fairytales and love like those silly romance books touted. Served her right for thinking she was anything but Josie Monroe, broke rancher and spinster-to-be.
On Thursday evening, Josie was brushing down Cookie after a long day in the saddle. The sound of a vehicle pulling into the yard caused her pulse to begin to race. Her first thought was that Chance had finally decided to make an appearance. She tossed the brush onto the workbench and sent a quick hand over her hair in a nervous gesture. Stepping to the open doorway, she halted. Biting her lower lip, she hastened to place a noncommittal look on her face and keep the surge of disappointment from showing. She stuffed her hands into the back pockets of her jeans and waited.
Dev walked from the sports car to stand a few feet from her, a look of sheepish apology on his face. When it was clear she expected him to speak first, he cleared his throat and gave a brief smile. “I guess it’s a good sign that you haven’t called someone to throw me off your land by now.”
“I wouldn’t need to summon anyone to do that. If I wanted you gone, you would be. I keep a loaded gun on a shelf very close at hand.”
That did bring a grin to his face. It didn’t last long when he noted she didn’t smile. “I’m on my way to Dallas. I wanted to stop by first and apologize.”
“Dallas and not Las Vegas?”
“I think I’ve had enough of the bright lights. Besides, I agreed with Chance that perhaps the west was not for me…at least for a while. He signed the trust papers. My money is all mine. I can go pretty much anyplace. I figure I might like to see Florida, maybe invest some money in a resort. I find I have a way with people and it might be a good fit for me. Anyway, you always said I needed to have a plan for my future. By the way, I returned all the money you withdrew for me. It’s back in your account at the bank.”
“Thank you for that. I’m glad for you, Dev. I think you might be very good at that sort of thing. People tend to like you right away. I wish you luck.”
“I also want to apologize for being such a pompous, uncaring ass to you these last few weeks. My only excuse is that I behaved like a jealous idiot. I guess I sort of liked you having a crush on me. It was good for my ego. I’m sorry for saying those things to you the other night. It was ridiculous to think there was ever anyone else for you or Chance. Although it took me a while to figure that one out. But I want you to know that you and your family always meant a great deal to me. And I will always be right here if you ever need me. I mean that.”
Josie didn’t want to discuss Chance with Dev. She certainly didn’t want to hear that she and Chance belonged together. Nothing was further from the truth. “People grow up; feelings do the same. I will always care about what happens to you, Dev. You’ve been a large part of my life. That won’t change no matter where you go.”
Dev gave her possibly the first heartfelt, genuine smile in a very long time. It reminded her of a more carefree time, now long gone. She responded with one of her own. Taking a step, she met his hug. It was brief but spoke volumes.
She stepped back first. “Have a safe journey and keep in touch. Don’t forget to invite me to your next wedding…if you ever actually get to the altar, of course.” Her attempt at a joke brought a smile from him.
He shook his head at her. “I think the bachelor life is for me, at least for the foreseeable future. I can’t say the same for my brother. When are you going to put him out of his misery?”
Josie lost her smile. “There are some things that are mistakes from the beginning. We want different things, see things differently. Don’t worry about us. We’ll do what we must.”
“Well, I think you’re in for a surprise. Mr. Banks was at the ranch today handing me the copy of my trust papers. I overheard some of the conversation he had with Chance, and I think you’re about to get your freedom sooner than you think. Anyway, give Chance the opportunity to talk to you, Josie. You know he isn’t very communicative at times, so you may have to help him out. He always had to be the tough one after Mom died. I don’t think he felt he could actually enjoy himself, he was so busy making sure Dad was pleased, and the ranch ran right, and his kid brother stayed in school and out of trouble. He’s so busy taking care of everything and everyone else; he doesn’t know what it’s like to have someone care for him and him alone. Lord knows, neither Dad nor I ever gave much thought to it. But now, he has you to teach him those things.”
“You best be on the road before it gets dark. Don’t want you taking the wrong turn and heading west, instead of east.” She forestalled the rest of his words with a smile.
“Funny one. See you later, Josie. Be happy.” His finger tapped the end of her nose, and he gave her a wink and a wave before he climbed behind the wheel of the Corvette.
Josie waved a final time as the car disappeared from the yard. Slowly, she walked toward the house, Dev’s words replaying in her head. What was Chance up to with Phillip Banks? Whatever it was, she would find out sooner or later, she supposed. The words that troubled the most w
ere when Dev spoke of Chance needing someone. She had to admit that she had never given that a thought before. He always seemed to be Chance…as solid and steady as the Rock of Gibraltar. Someone who always remained calm no matter what, someone always there to soothe every hurt or pain away. Just Chance. Did he ever need anyone?
*
“I’m glad you could stop by today, Josie. I wanted to get out your way before now, but one thing after another conspired to keep me tied to my desk.” Phillip Banks smiled his apologies as he held out his hand indicating the chair in front of his desk.
Seating herself, Josie smiled in return. “I understand. It worked out that I needed to stop by the bank, and there were also some other errands I needed to handle.”
“Good. I won’t keep you long. I’m sure you’ll be happy when I tell you why I asked to speak with you.”
Josie sat on the edge of the chair, not sure what to expect.
“Chance came to see me a few days ago. As you know, Chance had asked me earlier to do whatever was needed to allow him to relinquish his position as executor in your mother’s will. The court has approved the change, and all is well. He further stipulated to me and to Chadwick at the bank that both notes for the loans against your ranch and its holdings are forgiven. I presume that is quite agreeable to you.”
She sat speechless for a long while. Chance had done what he said he could not do. And without telling her his intentions. He was going back on his word to her mother. She never would have guessed he would do that. Chance always set such high bars at keeping his word. Maybe to everyone else, but not to her. Instead of feeling relief, she realized she was feeling a growing anger. What right did he have to change things now? And the loans? What did he think he was doing? She wasn’t a charity case. They had an agreement, and it wasn’t just up to him to change things in a blink of an eye. Josie stood up. Mr. Banks, caught off guard, was slower to do the same, a quizzical lift to his gray brows.
“You presume wrong, Mr. Banks. I’ll take up this matter with Chance. You don’t need to bother him with it. Have a good day!” She left the office and went to her truck.