Wrangled and Tangled

by Lorelei James

  it’d happened at this particular rodeo.

  “Thanks, boss. I hated to bother you.”

  “The joys of bein’ an owner,” he said without humor. “I’m just damn glad you hadn’t put the bulls in that truck.” That would’ve been a huge financial blow.

  “I hear ya there. Where are you?”

  “Still about two hours out. Which means I’m close enough to stop and see if O’Hara has extra steers we can use, as well as a trailer.” He hated to ask for help, but he didn’t have a choice. Maybe he’d catch O’Hara in a rare good mood.

  Pritchett whistled. “Wish there was another option. You know O’Hara is gonna jack the cost. Especially when he sees you’re desperate.”

  “Need to come up with something to sweeten the pot. And rodeo tickets ain’t gonna do it this time. So if you have suggestions beyond offering him a share in BB, I’m all ears.” BB was short for Broken Bones, Jackson Stock Contracting’s prize bull. He’d been named Bull of the Year two years running on the Midwest CRA circuit and the Brahman Charolais cross was just getting meaner. Which moved BB closer to being picked for one of the coveted spots in the AFR finals.

  “Hey, I’ve got it. O’Hara’s a big hunter. Offer him and the missus a weekend at the Split Rock. I’ll bet he’d jump at the chance to kill some stuff. Hell, he might even throw in use of the trailer for nothin’.”

  Renner snorted. “I doubt that, but good thinkin’.”

  “That’s why you pay me the big bucks.”

  “That’s why I need you in Wyoming, Hugh.”

  Another sigh. “There’s enough shit to deal with without bringing this up now, Ren.”

  “I was hopin’ to catch you at a weak moment,” Renner joked.

  “No such thing. Good luck with O’Hara and I’ll keep you up to date on the shit storm here.”

  The Red Bull pepped him up, but he couldn’t help but consider what else could go wrong. His company had built a solid reputation over the last decade. He’d opted to concentrate strictly on the animal end of the rodeo business. Quite a few stock contractors provided the whole shebang for a rodeo event—the livestock, the personnel, from the bullfighters to the judging officials to the announcers to the entertainers. They also arranged for and set up the venue, dealt with promoting the event, handled the sponsors, the payouts and the behind-the-scenes stuff that’d drive Renner fucking insane. He had a hard enough time keeping four guys on the payroll. He couldn’t imagine dealing with more people.

  As much as he loved his part in bringing rodeo action to the fans, life on the road tired him out. Burned him out. His business had more potential than just hauling animals from event to event. He wanted to beef up his breeding programs. Invest in heartier stock—a necessity in the colder climes of Wyoming. But none of that business potential could be realized if he was hanging off the chutes every weekend, spending his life behind a steering wheel.

  He spied the turnoff to O’Hara’s house and forced his thoughts away from dead steers, crappy contracts, his key employee bailing on him, and losing what mattered to him most.

  A bear of a man barreled down the steps. “Renner Jackson. What are you doin’ in my driveway at five o’clock in the damn morning?”

  “Nice to see you too, O’Hara.”

  “I’d say the same, but I’m barely awake. I’m hoping you’re a dream and I’m still in bed snuggled up to my wife.”

  “Can’t help you there. But as long as you are up and dosing yourself on vitamin caffeine, we need to talk.”

  “Talk? Don’t you mean you’re gonna try and sweet-talk me outta something?” he grumbled. “Get to the point, boy, I got cattle to feed.”

  “I do need something. But this time I have a sweet deal. And all it’s gonna cost you is a few steers and use of one of your livestock-haulin’ trucks for a couple days.”

  O’Hara laughed. “This had better be good.”

  “It is. And for your trouble . . . how would you like to hunt in Wyoming?”

  Chapter Ten

  Janie had panicked a little the first time Renner left the Split Rock to deal with his stock contracting business. Luckily, everything had gone smoothly and he’d been around the last two weeks, spending most of his time working outside, dealing with the property management issues, which was problematic today since she needed his approval on pricing for a group package, from people that he’d personally referenced.

  She hadn’t heard the office door slam so Renner and Tierney weren’t barking at each other. Those two drove her insane. Bicker bicker bicker. About nothing. About everything. Sheesh. Half the time she feared she’d burst into their office and find them circling each other, wielding machetes.

  Over the past three weeks the rest of the staff had really stepped up. Dodie deserved kudos for creating rustic, satisfying meals. LouLou served breakfast and lunch, and assisted Dodie as a prep cook. Lisa handled guest housekeeping and laundry, also filling in as a bartender. Denise served the evening meal and staffed the private bar until ten o’clock or when the guests retired for the evening—whichever came first. Willie was their jack-of-all-trades: dishwasher, bellhop, groundskeeper and building maintenance. If Renner was in a bind, Willie helped him out with the livestock he’d recently bought. Janie knew Renner needed another full-time employee to deal with the ranch end, but so far he’d refused to bring it up with Tierney and for the life of her, she couldn’t figure out why.

  She wandered through the building. The lodge and dining room were both quiet this time of day, with the guests either outdoors or relaxing in their rooms until cocktail hour. In the past three weeks, Janie had realized the guests didn’t want—or need—a hostess every night. In fact, her presence annoyed those who’d arrived as a group, so she’d ended up with free time in the evenings.

  Wild West Clothiers remained busy all week. Harper had hit the ground running after returning from her honeymoon, which hadn’t allowed much time for them to catch up. Janie missed that connection with another female. Besides the nights Tierney had played nursemaid after Janie’s car accident, their daily dealings revolved around business issues.

  Abe’s concern for her well-being had continued for two weeks after her car accident. He’d tracked her down at the lodge compound. Chatted with her. Flirted with her. Dropped all sorts of sexual innuendos regardless of who was around. But in the last week? Nada. She hadn’t seen hide nor hair of him, although she heard he’d been at the barn and corrals working with Renner and Hank.

  So it’d shocked the crap out of her when Abe had ambled up this morning and planted a steamy kiss on her. A hot, wet, tongue-thrusting, pelvis-grinding kiss that’d make a porn star blush. Then he’d whispered, “Soon,” in that sexy rasp and ambled away.

  Which begged the question: why was he screwing with her? Hot. Then cold. Then hotter yet. She wouldn’t have pegged Abe as the vengeful type, but there were times when she wondered if she underestimated his bitterness about her leaving him. Had he created a scheme to get even with her? Seducing her, making her want him and then walking away?

  But he’d have to actually be in her physical presence to screw with her. Unless he was screwing with her right now by keeping her off balance. By making her want him. Because there was no doubt: Janie wanted her ex in a bad way.

  So if she just happened to run across Abe when she was looking for Renner at the barn . . . she’d give the man a dose of his own medicine. Kiss him and run. Maybe she’d kick up the challenge a notch and blow him and run. That’d shock the hell out of him.

  Buoyed by that possibility, Janie grabbed her down-filled jacket, which Harper had christened Little Red Riding Hood because the coat was the color of fresh blood. She kicked off her heels and slipped her feet into a pair of Uggs.

  With her hood pulled tight to keep the wind from whistling in her ears, she started down the rocky path to the barn. Jamming her hands in her pockets, she focused on her footing. As she slowly picked her way down the slope, she decided they had to fix this treach
erous path or someone would get hurt.

  Almost as if she’d willed it, the ground rushed up to meet her face with a brain-jarring thump. Without the use of her hands to brace herself, she hit hard and the impact knocked the wind from her lungs. She rolled down the rock-strewn incline like a runaway log as she fought to breathe, but it was a losing battle when she smacked her head and the lights went out.

  When Janie returned to consciousness, Willie was nearly nose to nose with her. Startled, she twitched, wincing at the sharp pain in her skull.

  “Miz Janie? You all right?”

  She moved her lips, but wasn’t sure if any sound came out.

  “You’re bleedin’.”

  She attempted to get up.

  “Whoa there. Sit tight. Miz Tierney went to fetch Mr. Jackson.”

  Now she hoped Abe wasn’t around. He would freak out.

  What about you? Are you freaked out? Will you finally admit these accidents are familiar?

  Dread weighted her stomach like she’d swallowed a boulder. Fear crawled up her throat. She turned her head and dry heaved. Sweat broke out on her brow and mixed with blood dripping down the side of her face. The throbbing ache increased her dizziness and she cried out of sheer frustration.

  Willie’s glove-clad hand awkwardly patted her shoulder. “It’s okay. You took quite a tumble. You oughta be more careful out here. It’s easy to lose your footing.”

  Tumble? She hadn’t been clumsy . . . had she? It would have taken a violent push for her body to pound the cold ground like that.

  Janie must’ve passed out again, because the next thing she knew, Renner was hoisting her into his arms, amidst Tierney’s admonishment to call an ambulance.

  “If it looks like she broke something, then we’ll take her to the ER in Rawlins.”

  Tierney tossed out a comment about worker’s compensation, which set off another argument between them.

  Too bad she couldn’t pass out at will.

  Janie felt the employees’ stares when Renner carried her through the kitchen. When their entourage reached the hallway, she said, “Stop. I can walk from here.”

  “You are so damn stubborn.”

  “I will not have you carrying me through the main room of the lodge and spooking our guests, Renner. Put me down.”

  Seemed to take two hours to climb the stairs and reach the office. Renner settled her on the couch. While he checked her injuries, Tierney brought a warm washcloth and wiped Janie’s blood-caked face. “The cut on your forehead stopped bleeding. Hold still. I’m putting on a bandage. Although, I warn you, it is a Tweety Bird bandage from my personal stash.”

  “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  She said, “You tired of taking care of me yet?” to Tierney.

  “You tired of my subpar caretaker skills yet?” she countered. “Because I’m thinking Renner is about to double-check my bandage application skills.”

  Janie attempted a smile at Tierney’s taunting comment.

  Tierney fussed with adjusting the collar of Janie’s shirt. “Anything else you need? A glass of water? Aspirin?”

  “No. I’m fine.” But she wasn’t really. Neither was Renner. His frustration fairly pulsed through the room.

  He didn’t move from her side when he addressed Willie. “What were you doin’ when you noticed her?”

  Willie twisted his hat in his big hands. “I was takin’ the garbage out to the Dumpster. I saw something red on the ground, didn’t know what it was and went over to check. That’s when I found her.”

  “Did you see anyone else around?”

  “Why are you giving him the third degree?” Tierney asked sharply.

  Renner shot Tierney a dark look. “I’m just tryin’ to get to the bottom of this. Figure out how long she laid out there before . . .” He sighed, obviously frustrated with the situation. “Look. I’m not accusing anybody of nothin’.”

  “I know that, Mr. Jackson,” Willie said evenly. “But weren’t no one around but her. I forgot my walkie-talkie in the kitchen so I ran back up the hill and the first person I saw was Miz Tierney. She went to get you.”

  Janie cleared her throat. “Thanks for keeping out an eagle eye around here, Willie.”

  “No problem, Miz Janie. If you don’t need nothin’ else, I still got stuff to finish up.”

  “Check in before you leave for the day, all right?”

  Willie nodded. “I know you folks don’t cotton to some of the mystical stuff we Crow Indians do, but I gotta say, there’s bad spirits around here. Might consider doin’ something about it.”

  That was . . . cryptic. And a little freaky. She shivered.

  After the door shut behind Willie, Renner was in her face. “Bad spirits my ass. I cannot believe you . . . Christ, Janie. Was it him again?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “The car accident. Now this.” Those normally twinkling blue eyes turned accusatory. “What else has happened to you since the car crash that you haven’t told me about?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Tell me what is going on,” Tierney said.

  Renner stood. “Janie will explain everything, but you’ll have to wait until Abe gets here so she only has to tell it once.”

  “You called Abe?” Janie asked.

  “Yes. You should’ve told him the truth after the damn car accident.”

  Her stomach roiled. Now the shit would really hit the fan.

  Abe’s heart pounded with his every footstep down the hallway. He blew inside the office at the Split Rock and barked, “What the hell happened?”

  Janie said, “Abe. Calm down.”

  “The fuck I will.” He glared at Renner, then Tierney. “What’s goin’ on around here?”

  Tierney gave Renner a frigid glare before focusing on Abe. “I’m as much in the dark as you are. They’ve both promised full disclosure.”

  He ignored the both portion of her statement and demanded, “Full disclosure? Of what?”

  “We’ll explain if you’ll just sit down—”

  “I’ll stand.” He pointed at Janie. “Start talkin’.”

  But Janie glanced at Renner. Her haunted look put ice in his soul. Abe crouched beside her, taking her hand, trying to find calmness, if only for her, because obviously she needed it. He softened his voice and kissed her knuckle. “Come on, cupcake. It’s killin’ me to see you like this.”

  “I think killing me is the point.”

  Abe froze. “What?”

  She patted the sofa. “Please. Sit.”

  He sat in the middle of the couch, draping her legs over his lap, needing to touch her to reassure himself, for the second time in so many weeks, that she was all right. He scrutinized her face. The big, square bandage on her forehead was printed with cartoon characters, but the scene before him was far from funny.

  Renner spoke before Janie had a chance. “We think someone might’ve pushed Janie down the path to the barn today.”

  “On purpose?”

  Renner nodded.

  “Who?”

  “We’re not one hundred percent sure, but we have an idea.”

  “Have you called the sheriff?” he demanded of Renner.

  “No. And before you go off on me, Abe, you need to hear the whole story.”

  “Then somebody had better start talkin’. Now.”

  Janie’s troubled eyes searched Abe’s and his stomach lurched. “I was hoping you’d never have to hear this. It still sounds ridiculous to say out loud.” She swallowed. “About four years ago I dated a guy who seemed normal enough, but little things set off my alarm bells, so I broke it off after six months. Stupid me. I didn’t want to text him or leave a voice mail, so we met face-to-face. But he wouldn’t accept it was over. He said I didn’t know him. I hadn’t given him a chance to prove how well he knew me and how much he loved me.”

  Jealousy that another man had confessed love for Janie—his Janie—set Abe’s possessive instinct into high gear. But he managed a
cool, “He said he loved you?”

  She nodded. “So he began to follow me. Sometimes he’d let me see him. But even if I couldn’t see him, I knew he was out there, watching me. Within a month of the breakup, watching wasn’t enough. He approached me in public places, forcing me to acknowledge him. I said nasty things, hoping to piss him off, but he wasn’t deterred.”

  “Things escalated. Partially my fault,” Renner said.

  “No, you helped me. Dave cornered me in the parking lot of a ranch supply store that’d hired me for an interior redesign, spouting his usual undying love for me bullshit. Renner just happened to see Dave push me against my car. He tried to intervene. So I pretended he was my new boyfriend who’d shown up to tell Dave to leave me alone. Luckily Renner played along.”

  “And this stalker, this Dave guy just accepted your relationship with Renner?”

  “God no. But Renner did get me out of there in one piece. Dave’s feelings for me turned from adoration to hatred. His actions become violent—not that we could ever prove he was responsible.”

  “What type of violence?” Abe asked tightly.