by Jamie Begley
“Yes.”
“Gotta go, Cash.”
“Thanks, Stud,” Rachel said before he could leave.
He gave her a nod. “Later.”
Rachel began walking to her car, which she had left across the street at the church.
“I don’t get a thanks?” Cash asked mockingly, falling in step beside her.
“Thanks,” Rachel said ungratefully as she came to a stop beside her car, staring at it in dismay.
“I guess the restaurant wasn’t Jared’s first stop.”
All four tires of her older than dirt car had been slit. The tires would cost more than the car was worth.
“Dammit.” Rachel reached inside her purse for her phone.
“Come on. I’ll give you a ride home.” Cash took her arm, leading her back across the street to the diner’s parking lot.
“I’ll call my brothers. One of them will come and get me.” She didn’t get inside his truck when he opened the door.
“If you call them, then they will go after Jared. You can calm them down if you’re home when you tell them.”
He was right, but it would be just as bad for them to see her getting out of Cash’s truck.
“Get in, Rachel.”
“I still think I should—”
Cash lifted her up, placing her on the bench seat in his truck, then slammed the door closed, effectively cutting off her protests. Sliding into the truck, he turned the motor on.
“I can have you home before you make up your mind.”
Rachel sat back against the seat, closing her mouth.
“So, why was Jared so pissed off at you?”
Rachel turned sideways in her seat to stare at his profile. “I can’t tell you. It’s private.”
“It quit being private when he assaulted you in public.”
Rachel kind of agreed, but she was ultimately respecting Cheryl’s privacy, not Jared’s.
“I still have to respect his privacy.”
Cash threw her a quick glance. “If you can’t keep your brothers from going after Jared, it could get messy. Jared has a large family, too. Someone could get hurt.” His warning didn’t fall on deaf ears. She was well aware of the consequences if her brothers stormed off after Jared.
“I think that’s going to happen, regardless.” Rachel thought of Cheryl. She didn’t think it would be fair not to tell her what she had discovered about her cheating husband.
“How often do you volunteer at the church store?” The abrupt change of subject threw her off-guard.
“Three days a week.”
“That’s a lot of time to volunteer.”
“I enjoy it.” Rachel shrugged.
Cash made the turn onto the steep hill that led to her house, the truck bouncing on the rutted lane.
“How in the hell does your little car make it up this hill?”
“I know where all the holes are.”
“Jesus. Why won’t Tate just pave the road?”
Rachel laughed. “You know Tate; he’s a cheapskate.”
“Among other things,” Cash said grimly.
“I heard that.”
“I wasn’t trying for you not to. You’re his sister; you know he’s an ass. They all three are.”
“They’re not so bad,” Rachel defended her brothers.
“When’s the last time they let you go out on a date? The last time I remember is last summer when they let you go to a movie with Harvey Green.”
His sideways look caught her shudder at the reminder of the disastrous date. It had been a miserable experience from the time he had picked her up at her house, with all three of her brothers casting threatening looks, to the moment Greer had turned the porch light on when Harvey had been about to kiss her goodnight.
Rachel was embarrassed by Cash’s knowledge of her lack of social life.
“I don’t let my brothers dictate who I go out with.”
The truth was Treepoint didn’t have a large selection of eligible bachelors she would go out with. They were either jerks or like Cash, only interested in sleeping with someone before moving on to the next available woman.
His snort of disbelief had her temper rising.
“I go out with anyone I want to.”
“Prove it.” His challenge shocked her.
“How? By going out with you?” Rachel wanted to take back her words as soon as they were out of her mouth. Her face flamed with embarrassment.
“I wasn’t thinking of me. I’m too old for you and I don’t date.” He turned his attention away from the road, brushing her body with his gaze, as if she was lacking what it took to capture his interest.
“I wasn’t asking you out on a date,” Rachel snapped back at his brush-off.
“That’s what it sounded like to me,” he said, pulling up in front of her house.
“Well, you were wrong. When I go on a date with someone, I at least have to like them.” Rachel opened the truck door, sliding out.
“Keep those brothers of yours under control. A feud between them and the Macys would keep the hospital busy.”
“I know how to manage my brothers.”
“Good. You can start now.” Cash nodded toward a furious Greer, who was heading their way.
“You better go,” Rachel responded, slamming the door closed before turning back to her brother.
Hearing Cash’s truck deliberately spin gravel on his way out only fueled an already-loaded situation.
“I’m giving you ten seconds to tell me why you were in that shithead’s truck.”
Rachel thought fast. Cash was right, someone could get seriously hurt in a feud, and she didn’t want it to be one of her brothers.
“My car broke down while I was having dinner with Lily. Cash offered me a ride home,” she explained.
Greer lost some of his anger. “You should have called. One of us would have come to town to get you.”
“Cash drives by here to get home. I didn’t think it was a big deal to accept a ride.”
“It is. I don’t want you anywhere near him.”
“It was just a ride, Greer. He was just being nice.” Rachel linked her arm through his, walking toward the house.
“Cash isn’t a nice guy,” Greer warned.
Rachel couldn’t argue with that statement. No one in town would use that word to describe Cash, but he had been nice tonight. He had stepped in when Jared could have hurt her then had given her a lift home, despite her lack of gratitude. He had handled the situation much better than her hotheaded brothers would have.
When she was younger, she used to fantasize about Cash. He had always been her knight in shining armor. Now that she was older, the armor was old and rusty, needing to be dusted off. Regardless, Rachel couldn’t deny the thrill of watching him beat Jared for slapping her. She guessed she was more like her brothers than she realized.
Chapter 3
“Throw the ball!” Logan yelled.
Rachel rose higher out of the water, swatting the large beach ball toward Logan. When he hit it back toward her, Rachel used her feet to jump higher out of the water to hit it again.
“You missed.” Logan’s giggles sounded around the pool with Holly’s laughter joining in.
Rachel stuck her tongue out at her nephew as she climbed out of the pool to go get the ball. Her bare feet padded around the concrete pool area to retrieve it. Picking it up, she then threw it back into the pool.
“I need a drink. You’re wearing me out.” Going to the patio table where she had left a cold pitcher of lemonade, she poured herself a glass as she watched Holly and Logan switch to playing water tag.
Rachel enjoyed the afternoons they spent twice a month at Mrs. Langley’s house, playing in the pool. Logan’s great-grandmother would spend the mornings interacting with him then, when she watched her afternoon soap opera, Rachel and Holly kept him playing in the pool. Afterward, they would eat a late lunch and then leave.
Sadly, the summer holidays were coming to an end, and Logan wo
uld start pre-school in the fall. Rachel would have to find different days for Logan to visit because she didn’t want to take away the company Mrs. Langley looked forward to having.
As she took a sip of her drink, she heard the sliding door from the house opening. Thinking it was Mrs. Langley, she looked casually toward the house, almost choking on her drink when she saw Cash and Rider walking outside.
She wanted to pick up her cover-up that was tossed onto the chair but didn’t want to show the men she was embarrassed. The ice-blue bikini she wore was nothing to be upset about other than it showed too much freaking skin. At least the bottoms covered her ass, which she was always self-conscious about because it was the largest part of her anatomy. Whenever she gained a pound, it went to her ass. If she tried to work it off, the firmer it became. She had even begun wearing a size up in her clothes to disguise her butt.
Rachel looked toward the pool, seeing Holly’s wide-eyed stare; she wasn’t any happier than her to see the men. Her large breasts were displayed in all their glory in an emerald-green swimsuit that matched her eyes.
“Well, what have we got going on?” Rider’s lascivious stare at Holly’s breasts was making the woman turn bright red.
“We’re playing ball. Do you want to play?” Logan climbed out of the pool just to jump back in.
“Oh, yeah,” Rider said, beginning to take his t-shirt off.
“Rider, quit fooling around. I need your help,” Razer said, opening the door from the house. Beth’s husband shot the other biker a warning glance, ignoring Rider’s angry glare as the two went back inside.
Cash gave a wicked grin. “I guess he doesn’t need me.” His eyes traced over her body as he took a seat at the patio table, pouring himself a glass of lemonade while Logan and Holly started playing again.
Rachel knew Holly wouldn’t get out of the pool as long as Cash was around; the woman was insecure about her figure in the swimsuit. Rachel wasn’t any happier.
Casually picking up her cover-up, she pulled it on.
“Don’t let me interrupt you’re playing.” Cash’s voice sent tingles down her spine.
“I won’t,” she snapped. “What are you guys doing here?”
“Beth asked Razer if he would move Mrs. Langley’s bedroom furniture downstairs to the back room. She’s worried about her going up and down the stairs by herself. Rider and I volunteered.” Beth was Mrs. Langley’s nurse and Lily’s sister.
“You don’t seem to be helping much,” Rachel admonished.
Cash shrugged, taking another sip. “Most of the things had been moved out before we came outside to investigate the giggles we heard.” Cash had raised his voice so Logan could hear, setting off another round of laughter from the little boy.
“Aren’t you just becoming Mr. Helpful?” Rachel said snidely.
“I like to think so,” he responded, not bothered by her attitude, which caused her to grit her teeth in annoyance. “I saw Lyle yesterday. I asked about your car, and he said you paid cash for it; that you didn’t report it to your insurance.”
“Obviously I hoped he would keep his mouth closed.”
“He will now. I had a talk with him.”
“Thanks.” Rachel hated to admit it, but Lyle would listen to Cash and not mention the slashed tires to anyone else in town, including her brothers.
“So, you didn’t tell your brothers about Jared?”
“He’s still breathing, isn’t he?”
“Jared bother you anymore?” he questioned, ignoring her sharp reply. Rachel was beginning to feel immature at her snippy responses.
“No, I haven’t seen him since that night.”
“If he comes near you again, call me.”
“I don’t need your protection, Cash. I can handle him, and if he tries to touch me again, I’ll tell my brothers.”
“If he tries to touch you, you won’t have to,” Cash said grimly.
Rachel decided to ignore his remark when she saw the frantic looks Holly was throwing her.
“Is something wrong with her neck?” His amused expression had Rachel wanting to smack him upside his smug face.
“I think she wants to get out of the water.”
“Then tell her to get out.” Cash sprawled back lazily in his chair, fixing his avid gaze on Holly.
“Go inside, Cash. She doesn’t feel comfortable getting out with you here.”
“Pity.”
A streak of jealousy curled in Rachel’s stomach at his disappointed expression. She hid her reaction by calling for Logan.
“Come on, Logan; it’s time to get cleaned up.”
Cash set his glass down on the table, lithely standing to his feet. “I discovered something new today.”
Rachel wrapped Logan in the towel, drying him off. “What?” she replied, becoming irritable at him for his delay in leaving. She was beginning to feel sorry for Holly, easily understanding her body image issues.
“That you’re all grown up.”
Rachel’s head snapped in his direction, expecting to see the same amused expression he always wore around her, as if he was putting up with a misbehaving child. However, his sleepily seductive gaze was on her butt.
“Kiss my ass, Cash.”
“Rachel, believe me, that’s one sentence you don’t want to use around a man like me.” With that, Cash strolled back inside the house, leaving her openmouthed at his comment.
“I didn’t think he would ever leave!” Holly grabbed her cover-up from the chair without bothering to dry off.
“I didn’t, either. Let’s get inside and get changed.”
Holding Logan’s hand, the women went upstairs to the spare bedroom, taking turns showering and getting dressed.
The smell of food wafted upstairs, causing Holly’s stomach to growl.
“I’m hungry, too. I hope they’re gone.” Rachel’s stomach agreed with Holly.
Neither of their wishes was going to come true, though. When they entered the dining room, the three Last Riders were already devouring the food with a happy Mrs. Langley watching them as she sat at the head of the table.
“Sit down. I brought out enough plates for everyone.”
“Mrs. Langley, you shouldn’t have. I was—” Rachel protested.
“I’m not an invalid yet, Rachel. I don’t think carrying a few plates is going to wear me out. The men did the rest.”
Rachel sat down at the table next to Rider, letting Holly take the seat at the end of the table, while Logan climbed onto the chair next to Cash. Rachel took a heaping portion of the cheesy lasagna, passing it to Logan, and then made another one for Holly before making her own plate.
Rachel ate, listening to Razer and Mrs. Langley talk. Beth’s husband had grown attached to the woman, and his affection was obvious as Razer was asked about his new twin boys.
Cash asked Logan if he was ready to start pre-school, sending the little boy off into a conversation that Rachel could barely keep up with. Cash surprised her at how well he interacted with the child. She’d expected him to be more like Rider, who ignored him to flirt uselessly with Holly. Rachel could have told him he was wasting his time, but she was enjoying watching the man make an ass of himself.
After the meal, Rachel and Holly cleaned the dishes and kitchen for Mrs. Langley, leaving it spotless before going to the room they had turned into her new bedroom. They wanted to make sure all her things had been arranged for her to avoid her having to go up the steps after everyone left.
When they returned to the living room, Mrs. Langley was sitting on the couch while Logan sat on the floor, reading one of his books to her. Rachel sat down next to her, taking her hand in hers as Holly squeezed in at the end, even though Rider had scooted over to make room on the smaller couch for her. Razer and Cash weren’t in the room, making Rachel wonder where they had gone before she remembered Mrs. Langley’s television upstairs needed to be transferred to her new room.
Rachel’s thoughts went to Mrs. Langley, letting her consciousness flow in
to her. Closing her eyes, she let her strength gather in her hand, allowing it to gradually seep into the older woman. Shifting closer, she infused warmth into her chilled hand.
She had only done this a few times; her grandmother had often warned her against it. When you did, it was hard to gauge exactly how much of yourself you were giving away. If you weren’t careful, you could give away too much and have nothing left for yourself.
Carefully, she withdrew, taking her hand away, noticing Mrs. Langley’s cheeks were now flushed and her eyes seemed brighter. Rachel felt as if she might lose the dinner she had just eaten, though.
“Logan, tell your grandmother goodnight. You can finish your story the next time we come.” Obediently, Logan jumped to his feet, hugging his great-grandmother good-bye.
When Mrs. Langley would have gotten up, Rachel forestalled her. “We’ll see ourselves out. Take care.”
Rachel shakily got to her feet, feeling a rush of dizziness hit her; however, counting to herself, she managed to regain her equilibrium.
Opening her eyes, she saw Cash standing in the doorway, frowning at her. She had to pass by him as she forced herself to walk steadily to the doorway, and when she did, he reached out to take her arm.
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. I must have swam too long.”
His eyes searched hers before he slowly released her arm. “Holly, make sure you drive,” he ordered, his hard gaze going to Holly.
“I will,” she said, taking Logan’s hand to lead him out the door.
“I don’t know what you did, but—”
Cash’s stern expression reminded her of Tate, causing her to cut him off. “I didn’t do anything.”
“Don’t lie to me.” His jaw tightened at her obvious lie.
She stiffened. “Let’s get one thing straight, Cash. I already have three brothers; I don’t need another one.” She edged past his hard body that was partially blocking the doorway.
“Rachel.” She paused. “The last thing I feel toward you is brotherly. And the next time I’m talking to you and you lie to me, be prepared for me to show you exactly how I do feel.”
Her mama hadn’t raised an idiot. The advantage to having three brothers was knowing when not to challenge a man of Cash’s caliber. It was like a raccoon in front of a coon dog—only one would walk away unscathed.