by Lauren Dane
“Of course. We’ve been out for an hour and a half anyway.”
On the way back, he kept even with her, gaze peeled on their surroundings. He’d need to deal with this situation but he wanted to get her safely to his place and the horses inside before he did.
“Why is your horse named Randy? Because it seems to me you have a giant tawny stallion you name him Lucifer or something like that.”
“He’s a badass. He doesn’t need some showy name like Sin Eater or Lucifer. He’s so hard-core because his name is Randy and he does not even care what you think.”
“Sounds to me like Randy might be a little defensive that his human named him Randy and not Sin Eater.”
He chuckled. “My mom named him Randy. Her next oldest brother is my uncle Randy. They’re close but they fight a lot. One of her favorites is to call him a horse’s ass. So when I got the horse, she joked that we should call him Randy. He doesn’t care as long as you give him carrots and apples.”
“You know, Ezra, you’re adorable. I won’t tell on you or anything. But you are so soft when it comes to the people and animals in your life.”
“I’m ferocious. I’m dark and broody and broken.”
“I love that song,” she said to the lyrical reference to “Threatened,” one of her favorite Sweet Hollow Ranch songs.
“I wrote it after I was back here. There had been an article about me. About rehab and my addiction. But it was more like, hey this guy’s writing will be even better now that he’s gone through all this gritty stuff. And then a few days later an article responding to that one came out saying I was too broken and now that I was clean my songs would get boring.”
She curled her lip. “People are dicks.”
He snorted. “Yes. And so I thought, fuck you, I’m going to write a whole goddamn album of hits. Heroin didn’t make my success.”
“And you did.” That album had broken all sorts of sales records.
“I don’t like to be told I can’t do something.”
That moment, when he chose to rise above and prove all the doubters wrong had been a huge turning point in his recovery. He’d taken his life back and wasn’t going to let anyone make choices for him. And he’d been that way ever since.
“I bet they never did again after that.”
She was right.
“I can’t lie. Nope they never did.”
“You proved yourself. That’s important. But people are still dicks and hearing that makes me want to punch that guy in the nose for saying you were broken.”
“I’d love to see that.”
They got back to the stables and she insisted on helping the stable manager with the horses so he stayed through that part, liking the harmony of physical activity with her. Once they’d finished up, he took her back to his place.
“Look, I need to handle this situation with the coyote. He’s going to spook my animals.” Or worse.
She nodded. “I understand. What do you need me to do?”
“Stay here. I’ll be back in about an hour.”
“Nope. I’ll come with you. I can help.”
“If you think I’d let you come out into any situation you could be harmed you’re out of your beautiful mind. I’m going to call my dad to let him know what’s happening. He’ll call wildlife while I do a check. But I need to take the ATV and a weapon.”
Then she flattened her lips. He could tell she wanted to argue but she didn’t. Which gave him wood. Jesus, this woman.
He kissed her hard. “It’s not that I don’t think you’re capable. I need all my focus on this thing that threatens my land. Do you understand?”
She smiled a little, her posture relaxing a little. “I do, but thank you for saying it that way. Maybe I’ll toodle over to Mary and Damien’s. Since Paddy and Nat are out tonight doing something fancy and all.”
The party.
“Actually, can you do me a favor?”
“Of course.”
“Can you run down and grab some food for the cats? I’m nearly out and they’ll kill me and eat me in my sleep if their dishes are empty tonight.”
She gave a look at the spot Goldfish stood on top of Peanut, whacking him in the head repeatedly while he chewed on her tail. “Yeah, I can see that.”
He wrote down what he needed. She’d have to go to the feed store for it, which would eat up some time, as well.
“Just tell whoever is behind the counter to charge it back to the ranch’s account.”
She nodded and headed out. He watched until she’d driven out of sight and then called his father while he retrieved his shotgun and shells.
Damien showed up as he was strapping things to the ATV. “Dad called. You’re a jerk for not calling one of us to get help.”
“You all have stuff happening right now. I sent Tuesday down to the feed store because she wanted to come visit your wife.”
“She’s over at Paddy’s right now anyway. She and Nat would have been bummed to have their surprise ruined. Good call on sending her away. Shitty call not to use the help you’re so freely offered. Asshole.”
“I’m an asshole because I don’t make you come out to maybe kill something? It’s not my favorite, either.”
“You’re an asshole because you don’t let us help with the difficult stuff. We’re grown men. This is our land, too. It’s shitty and stupid for you to do everything all the time.”
Ezra sucked in a breath. “Yeah, okay. Fair enough. Let’s go.”
He keyed his ATV on and they headed out.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
TUESDAY PARKED AT the feed store and headed in, only to bump into Michael Hurley. He gave her a hug when he saw her.
“Hello, sweetheart. Fancy seeing you here. I was just talking to the wildlife guy about the coyote thing. Are you all right?” He looked her over carefully.
“I’m fine, thanks. Ezra has good horses and he was there to talk me through it when she got spooked.”
“He’s magic with animals. He and Damien are out now.”
“I’m just here retrieving cat food for Ezra. I think it was his way of getting me out of there without barring me from coming with him.”
“That’s very possible. Why don’t you have them add the cat food to my order? I have the truck and they’re loading feed for the chickens and some other stuff up now. The bags are a hundred pounds each. I had four strapping sons to have someone do the heavy lifting once I got old. I’m old. So Ezra and his brothers can unload the feed back at the house.”
He winked and she laughed. She saw bits and pieces of Ezra in his dad, or she supposed it was the other way around. They had very like temperaments.
“I’ll do that. Thanks. I should have known he didn’t want some twenty-pound bag I could fit in my trunk.”
He walked over to the huge stack of pet food bags and pointed. “This is it. Don’t worry about hauling it up front. They’ll just take it out for me. Go ahead and let them know up at the counter. I’ll be with you in a few minutes. I have to check on a trap we might be able to use for the coyote. I hate killing them if I don’t have to.”
She went up to the counter and waited her turn. The woman who looked up after she’d said, “Can I help you?” smiled, pushing glasses up the bridge of her nose.
Tuesday did the same thing and laughed. “I hear you. I need a bag of that cat food over there.” She read the name Ezra had written down. “Can you please add that to Sweet Hollow Ranch’s account and have it loaded along with the rest of Michael Hurley’s stuff tonight?”
The woman looked around Tuesday, checking stock most likely. “Sure can.”
She handed Tuesday a receipt and Tuesday thanked her before wandering back to find Michael. He didn’t need to escort her back or anything and she knew they had all this business with the coyote to deal with so she didn’t want him feeling saddled down with her.
She’d caught sight of Michael standing a little bit away and was heading there until someone hailed her.
“Excuse me.”
She turned. “Yes?”
A harried-looking dude came at her. He wasn’t just walking her way, but sort of top heavily bobbing at her. She took a step back.
“Who are you and what are you doing in here?”
She looked to her right and left and then back to him. His tone pushed her buttons. “Pardon me?”
“You heard me. What are you doing lurking around?”
“Lurking?”
“It means studying something, getting ready to steal it.”
She knew her head whipped that time. “No, actually, that’s casing. Lurking is more like stealthily hanging around with possibly ill intent. I’m doing neither actually. I just bought some cat food.” Not that she’d ever shop in this place again if guys like this asshole worked there.
“Your hands are empty.”
“Just what exactly are you saying?”
“I’m saying you’re in here and I don’t know you personally and I want you to understand we don’t stand for any nonsense in our store.”
“Please clarify for me. Are you saying I’m nonsense because I didn’t immediately confess to your accusation of some sort of nefarious motive?” She paused. “Nefarious means bad or criminal. Since our game includes word definitions now. But since you did use you in a you people sense a few times, I’m guessing it’s that I’m a black woman in your store and since I’m black I must be thinking on ways to steal chicken wire and nails”
“Playing the race card. You people always do.”
And then there was a huge, hot, angry presence at her side for a brief moment and then in between her and feed-store bigot. Or FSB as she now thought of him. “I think you need to go ahead and get Ed out here. I’d like to talk with him about you.”
“Mr. Hurley. This woman was causing trouble and when I confronted her she of course said I was a racist. You know how they are.”
Michael vibrated with so much rage that both Tuesday and FSB took a step back. “You will shut your mouth before my fist does the talking.” His voice was a little unsteady, like he was so pissed he had trouble speaking.
Tuesday was familiar with that place.
The woman who’d helped Tuesday at the counter came over. “What’s happening here? Gary, what are you doing?” she demanded of FSB.
“Your employee just stalked my son’s girlfriend through the store and then accused her of casing the store, all while making it abundantly clear he did so because she was black. You need to know Sweet Hollow will do our business elsewhere if this is the sort of behavior practiced here now.”
“No, sir. I am horrified and so very sorry,” she said around Michael’s body to Tuesday and then back to FSB. “Gary, please go wait in my office.”
FSB leered Tuesday’s way and that’s when Michael caught him by the shoulder, picked him up and set him back a few feet. “You will not act like a beast in her presence. I won’t allow it.”
Tuesday wanted the ground to open up and swallow her.
She wanted to kick FSB in the taint.
She wanted to kiss Michael right on the mouth but then realized Sharon was too scary to even try.
The guy stumbled back. “This is taking over our country. Go back to where you came from!” FSB sort of mewled it as he scampered off.
“Olympia?”
Laughing, Michael turned around and pulled her to his side, one armed. “I’m so sorry about that.”
“I’m the one who’s sorry.” The woman from the counter held out a hand. “I’m Shelley.”
“Tuesday.”
“This isn’t a reflection of who we are. Not as a family-run business and not as people. He’s a second cousin and my dad gave him a job. He’s been trouble here and there, but this—there’s never been anything like this. I just can’t apologize enough. I’m so embarrassed.”
Tuesday had heard that one before. Apologies were a dime a dozen. Action? Now that told her a lot more than I’m sorry. “Now you do know. I expect this will be handled appropriately.”
Shelley agreed. “Absolutely. Again, I do hope you’ll give us a chance to set things right and understand this is not us, but an employee who’ll be unemployed by night’s end. My dad’s going to flip his lid when he hears. I wasn’t raised that way.”
“You can’t control how he was raised or what he was taught. I won’t hold you responsible for anyone else’s mistakes.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it. I need to get my dad and handle this. I’ll call your business line later, Mr. Hurley, to let you know what we’ve done.”
“I’ll expect that call then, Shelley. Come on, sweetheart. Let me walk you to your car.”
When they got there, he opened her door but stopped before she got inside. “Honey, I’m so sorry that happened.”
He’d got in between a crazy old racist who’d decided to terrorize her in a fucking feed store. He’d used his power and his size to protect her. That meant a lot.
“You don’t need to apologize.” Tears stung her eyes, even though it wasn’t even as bad as some of the things she experienced on a regular basis. It was difficult not to let it get to her. Especially after the stuff with the Heywoods earlier.
“Aw, sweetheart, come here.” He pulled her into his arms and she couldn’t seem to stop the tears. Which made her mad but it didn’t matter because he was big and strong and truly cared about her and was giving her a hug she needed more than she thought she had.
He waited until she’d stopped crying to hand her a handkerchief.
“If they don’t fire him tonight we’ll never do business here again. I meant that.”
“If you’re expecting me to argue you have a long wait. I think the only way to get people to confront this stuff is financially.”
“Happens to you a lot?”
“Not usually so in my face. It’s usually subtle.”
“Which is worse because it’s tolerated that way I bet.”
She laughed in that it was either a laugh or more tears and she wasn’t going to spill any more over any dumb racist jerk. “It’s all pretty crappy. But having a crazy old man leap at me in a feed store and accuse me of casing his goods to steal is worse in my book than the shopkeepers who watch every move I make in their store. Overall, though, it comes from the same place. The quiet racist just hides it a little better.”
He exhaled and began to pace. “I...I’m sorry. I don’t know what to do with how mad this makes me. Which is selfish because this is about you. You must think I’m a pretty naive old man for being so shocked by what you see regularly.”
“I think you’re a fabulous man, who stood up for a near stranger in public. It is shocking.” She snorted. “I need to get back to the ranch. Ezra and I are supposed to have dinner after he gets back so I’m going to get it all started.”
Michael hugged her again. “I’ll see you in a bit when I drop the cat food off. You’re going to tell Ezra about this.”
A statement.
Bossy, just like his oldest.
“It’s been a jam-packed day for Ezra. This was handled.” And what she didn’t want was for him to feel saddled by her shit.
“It happened to you. He cares about you. It happened in public. It happened at a business we’ve patronized for years. You should tell him before I do.”
She saw his point. Ezra was his son and he had to know.
She blew out a breath. “Fine.”
He kissed her cheek and closed the door after she’d got in.
* * *
SHE TRIED CALLING NAT, but got voice mail. Tuesday decided to keep it brief. No reason to get her friend upset. The scene was over now. There was nothing she could do. But she’d hear it from someone so Tuesday wanted to be first.
She got out right as Damien and Ezra came out from the gear garage where Ezra kept the ATVs and his other stuff.
“Everything okay?” she called out as she approached them.
“Hey, gorgeous, how are you?” Damien gave her a hug.
“It’s been a weird evening.”
“You’re okay here.” Ezra moved around his brother to approach, concern on his face, thinking she meant the coyote.
“Well, that’s a small part of it. You’re going to hear this from your dad so I promised him I’d tell you first.”
He put both hands on his hips and she got sort of caught up in all that male beauty for a moment.
“What’s going on?” he repeated to get her attention back on the story and not his biceps.
“Just an incident at the feed store.” She told them both but kept it simple with not a lot of extra detail.
Ezra’s face darkened and the hands he’d had at his hips curled into fists. “And I sent you down there.”
“You sent me to get cat food. Anything else that happened wasn’t about you at all. I don’t know about your normal grocery store trips, but mine don’t generally end that way. It was some random, crappy thing you couldn’t have anticipated.”
“I’m going down there.”
She stepped into his path, a hand on his chest. “It’s handled. It’s over.” She told them about his dad and all the stuff he’d said to Shelley.
Damien gave her a look and she stepped closer to Ezra, touching his arm. Tension radiated from his muscles. A sort of barely leashed violence that sent a thrill through her even as she knew he was really angry.
“Please calm down.”
“No one should be treated that way, much less you.”
She took his hand, still bound in a fist, and kissed his fingers. Damien stepped back and found something to do.
“This isn’t all right.”
She snorted. “No kidding.” She pressed another kiss to his other fist. “But you can’t punch every single racist you see.”
“Why the hell not?”
She smiled. He’d relaxed just a tiny bit.
“Because you’d have really sore fists. Because that’s what they want. Mainly because jail is dumb and they’re not worth it. There’ll be more. There’s always more. You’ll just see it now because you’re with me. You’re a white man with a black woman. It gets attention.” She raised a shoulder.