by Lisa Prysock
“Why?” she asked, knowing full well Cole wouldn’t tell the truth. “I don’t have anything to discuss with you.” He only wanted to know where Lexie was so he could harass her best friend and scare her some more. The truth was, they both wanted to know where Lexie was, but she wasn’t going to let him know she didn’t know exactly where Lexie was either, and at present, she was nervous he might try to force her inside his car.
Instead of the latter, he grabbed her cell phone from her hands and starting scrolling and clicking on stuff as she lunged at him to retrieve it.
“Hey, give my cell phone back!” Holly managed to succeed in stomping on one of his tennis shoes, but he just continued scrolling and reading in spite of a bit of wincing appearing on his face.
“Where is she? Where’s Lexie at?” he demanded of her. “I know you know!”
Holly pressed her lips shut as she struggled against him to retrieve her cell. She wouldn’t tell him one thing, not even if he threatened to hurt her.
Then Calvin Davis stepped forward, making long, quick strides to her side. “You heard the lady, Mister. I don’t know who you are or what you want with Miss Williams, but she doesn’t want to talk to you, and give her the cell phone back.”
Cole crossed his arms over his chest and stood still, glaring at Mr. Billionaire. Holly took advantage of him standing still to pluck her phone directly from his hands.
Mr. Davis continued countering Lexie’s ex-fiancé’s stare while Holly ducked behind him. He was such a big guy, and apparently intent on protecting her. She didn’t want any trouble with the police, so hiding behind Calvin’s handsome girth was preferable. “You heard the lady. It’s time to leave. And I mean get out of town and don’t look back, or I will be sure you’re sorry.”
Cole snarled at him. “Make me!” Holly could hardly believe his defiance.
“You asked for it.” Calvin reached for Cole’s shirt and twisted it firmly in his fist, nearly lifting Cole off his feet as he slammed him up against the vehicle behind them.
The look on Cole’s face was priceless from Holly’s point of view. She could hardly believe Mr. Davis was defending her—a perfect stranger to him—other than the fact they both lived at The Sweetwater for the time being.
Cole snarled again, clearly unable to match Calvin’s strength. He wasn’t as tall, or as strong as hunky Cal Davis. All he could do was squirm, attempt to defend, or slink away.
Sadly, he chose to stand his ground. “Make me,” he repeated through clenched teeth as he squirmed to wrench himself free from Cal’s firm grip on his shirt.
Then, much to Holly’s surprise, Mr. Davis threw a powerful left hook punch at Cole. The punch completely knocked him to the ground.
Lexie’s ex-fiancé lay there for a while on the blacktop pavement, appearing dizzy and out of it. “My nose! You broke my nose!” Cole hollered, holding his hand over the injury.
Turning to Calvin, she was struck by how kind he had been to help protect her, a perfect stranger he didn’t even know. “Thank you, Mr. Davis, for helping me.” Holly stepped over Cole who still lay on the ground groaning and opened her car door. “Good bye, Cole. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll get out of this town and never look back.”
However, it didn’t stop there. Calvin reached down and picked up Cole by his shirt collar, lifting him to his feet. “I don’t see you running away fast enough.”
“I’m going...” Cole mumbled, holding a hand over his nose. Then he twisted into a turn to free himself from Cal’s grip and scrambled away to his car. He nearly fell into the driver’s seat. He turned on the engine as Calvin glowered at him from beside Holly’s car. As the engine roared to life, Cole shifted into reverse and then into drive, peeling away out of The Lander Chronicle’s parking lot as fast as he could make the black Camry go.
Eight
***
Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:6, ESV
Holly’s eyes closed in relief. She looked up at the hunky cowboy standing beside her Miata, her car door open between them. The color drained from her face as she remembered Lexie’s conversation about the gun he’d pulled on her friend in Ohio. They’d just had a confrontation with a man who could’ve killed both of them.
“How can I ever thank you?” she asked.
“Are you okay, ma’am?” Calvin asked, looking her up and down.
“I’m fine, just a little shaken. A few bumps and bruises, nothing major.” She did feel a little hazy and weak all of a sudden, the realization of what they’d just experienced beginning to sink in.
“Who’s he looking for and how does he know you?” He stared after the black Camry with her as it turned onto a street leading to a highway out of Lander. “I heard him asking where she is. What did he mean by all that and taking your phone to read your texts?”
Holly sighed. She may as well explain the whole story. She owed him that much. He’d saved her life. Who knew what craziness might have transpired had he not been there. Amazingly, no one from the newspaper seemed to have seen or heard anything. She dove into her explanation, her voice soft and quivering a little when she least expected it. “He’s my best friend’s ex-fiancé from Ohio, Cole Sanders. Lexie broke up with him after he began acting crazy and possessive. He hit her once, and another time he tried to pull a gun on her I think...to try to force her to stay in the relationship. She somehow got away from him and bought a bus ticket to Wyoming immediately after, and never looked back. She’s currently in an undisclosed location working as an art teacher in a small town. Nobody knows exactly where she is, not even me.”
“You’re not from Wyoming, are you?” He tipped his cowboy hat up a little and looked at her with a pair of gorgeous, warm, caring brown eyes, some of his dark brown hair peeking out from under his hat.
“No, Lexie and I are both from Ohio. I decided to move here to Wyoming for a fresh start after my mom passed on and my father became...” She stopped herself. She was rambling on to someone she didn’t really know, and trembling. She didn’t want to tell him about her father. It was none of his business really.
Calvin appeared to hear the reluctance in her voice to continue. Like any true gentleman would, he calmly responded. “It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me. I get the picture. You’re shaking. Are you okay to drive? We should get you back to the ranch. Are you free to go home for the day? We should get you some rest and file a police report as soon as possible.”
She dreaded the idea of dragging the police into it, but what if something happened to Lexie because they didn’t take the right precautions? Numbly, she nodded. Her eyes were unsure of where to focus. She kept looking at Mr. Davis and alternately, the street where the Camry had disappeared from their view. She nodded, knowing he was right about calling the police. “Yes, I’d like to go back to the ranch and rest. Then maybe talk to the police after. I need to gather my composure first. I think I’m more shaken up than I first realized. I think I’m okay to drive, maybe slowly through town until I’m on the open highway toward the ranch.”
He nodded and put his hand comfortingly on hers where she’d rested it on top of her car door as they talked. “Let’s get you home, Miss Williams,” he said gently, directing her into her car. “I’ll follow you, and we’ll drive as slow as you need to. Just pull over if you need to rest. You’ve been through quite an ordeal with him following you around and all of this today. In a few hours, you’ll be good as new.”
She nodded as she slid into her Mazda and he closed the door, waiting until she was secure. Starting the car, she rolled the window down with the automatic button. Grasping the wheel with both hands, she looked up at him as he leaned in one last time to be sure she was all right. “Thank you, Mr. Davis. I still don’t know how I can repay your kindness. If you hadn’t been here, I’m not sure what might have happened.”
He shrugged. “Call
me Calvin, or Cal. I’m glad to have been able to help. Don’t worry about repaying me. I saw something odd going down the way he was following you everywhere since last week. I couldn’t let him harm you and I just had a feeling...” His voice trailed off and he shook his head, indicating he didn’t like Cole’s actions.
“I’m Holly, by the way. Last week? You’ve been looking after me since last week? I only noticed him a few days ago.” Her mouth dropped open. Cole had been following her around to get to Lexie for longer than she’d thought. “Is that why you were following me on the trail with your horse?”
Cal nodded and chuckled. “Yeah, I didn’t mean to alarm you. He was lurking around the barn that day, and I realized he was following you then. The crazy thing is I saw him up at Yellowstone too, about three weeks ago when I was visiting my friend Blake to look at an investment property. He broke into the lodge and scared a couple of ladies half to death, then took off running. I have no idea how he ended up here.”
Holly rolled her eyes. “I think I know. My Aunt Myra let it slip by accident that we were in Wyoming. He called her probably around the time before he must have arrived in Yellowstone with some cockamamie story about wanting to invite me to a surprise birthday party for Lexie. Of course Aunt Myra feels just terrible and knows he was fishing now. He probably found my name on a website about working for The Lander Chronicle and thought it’d lead him to Lexie.”
“Now it’s beginning to make sense. Let’s get you home. I’ll phone the sheriff after you’ve had a chance to eat some lunch and rest a bit. I’m sure Mrs. Wright has some chicken noodle soup and hot tea in the dining room about now. They’ll even send a tray to your cabin or room if you want. Drive slow. I’ll be right behind you in my truck.” He patted the driver’s-side door and she nodded.
“Okay, thanks again.” Holly marveled while watching the hunky cowboy stride toward his beautiful antique pick-up truck. He certainly wasn’t what she’d expected in a billionaire. He was kind, humble, gentle and truly a gentleman. He’d saved her life. Enamored with his actions and demeanor, she could hardly stop checking her rear view mirror to check if he was still following her all the way to the ranch. She was still pretty shaky though, so she tried not to let the excitement whirling in her head distract her too much. She needed to focus on her driving and stay calm.
Nine
***
“What is it, Queen Esther?” the king inquired. “What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given to you.”
“If it please the king,” Esther replied, “may the king (and Haman) come today to the banquet I have prepared for the king.”
Esther 5:3-4, Berean Study Bible
Holly had done exactly as Calvin Davis had suggested. She was still a little numb when they arrived at the ranch, so she followed his idea of ordering a tray of hot soup and tea to be sent to her room. Then she took a nap until Jill Haven knocked on her door to let her know the sheriff had finished taking a report from Calvin in the library. He asked her a few questions in the same room while Cal waited in the sunken living room just outside the library, explaining a few details about the incident to Jill and Logan Haven.
Afterwards, she’d bit her lip and decided she needed to do something for Mr. Davis, or rather, Calvin. He had asked her to call him that, so she joined him on the leather sofa near the stone fireplace for a chat after Sheriff Anderson left. She’d been looking around the library during her interview, and an idea popped into her mind.
“Calvin, I’ve been thinking,” she began a little nervously. “I’d really like to thank you for saving my life. It could have been a complete disaster today. I’ve been thinking how I might repay your kindness. Would you consider joining me for Thanksgiving Dinner here at the ranch on Thanksgiving Day? If you don’t have other plans, that is? My treat, of course,” she clarified. “I’ll reserve some space in the library with Jill Haven, and I’ll have a traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner ready for us at about two or three o’clock, whichever you prefer. I thought maybe we could watch the football game on the big screen television in the library and maybe play a board game, eat some pie...”
He raised an eyebrow, appearing surprised, a smile spreading across his face slowly. “You know, I’d like that. I didn’t have any concrete plans. Shall we say two o’clock? I can meet you at the library then.”
CAL RETURNED TO HIS cabin whistling the tune of Stephen Foster’s “Oh Susanna” on his lips. As he walked toward the zigzag row of cabins, he felt like kicking up his heels in some kind of dance. The girl who’d paid him no attention at all finally had noticed him. He hadn’t realized it before, but now he knew he’d been drawn to Miss Holly Williams for a long while. He wanted to take her in his arms and protect her from anyone or anything that might come against her well-being. His joy baffled him, and he knew his happiness couldn’t possibly be stemming from his date with Brenda for later that evening. He’d not thought of her once during the entire day since the glance at his calendar reminding him of their date. No, it was about the reporter, Miss Williams, Holly. He found himself truly looking forward to their Thanksgiving Dinner.
Perhaps it was the fact it’d been a long time since someone had offered to repay him a kindness. Maybe it was because she was going to great lengths to prepare a meal for the two of them. Perhaps it was the idea she genuinely wanted to do something nice for him. The lovely, petite brunette with the light blue-gray eyes had held him captive with interest for weeks, to be perfectly honest with himself.
All he knew was she wasn’t attempting to take advantage of him for his bank account. The woman had barely noticed him before he’d punched the lights out of the Cole fellow. No, she wasn’t after his bank account. She was merely hoping to share a day of food, companionship, and thanksgiving with him. He found it remarkably refreshing. Most girls wanted something from him. Not this girl. No, she was different. He’d best hurry and prepare for his date with Brenda, but he had a feeling he would have a hard time paying attention to anything she said this evening. In fact, he’d have to be honest with Brenda and tell her he’d met someone. His mind was full of regard for Miss Holly Williams.
The next day, he didn’t see Holly at breakfast. Maybe she’d driven into the Chronicle’s office early. He’d been hoping to see her to enjoy the meal with her, but instead, he ran into Logan.
“Hey pal, what’s up?” Logan grinned as he sat down at the table where the ranch owner was seated with a plate of scrambled eggs, biscuits and sausage gravy, and fresh fruit. “Everything work out with the police report yesterday?”
Calvin nodded and bowed his head for a silent prayer of blessing over his bacon, avocado, tomato omelet. “Yeah, I think so. Thanks for asking. Have you seen Miss Williams this morning?”
“Yes, I did happen to see her a few minutes before you arrived. She came downstairs to get some oatmeal and took it upstairs so she can finish writing her story.” Logan reached for the salt and pepper, and vigorously seasoned his eggs.
Logan was still grinning at him after he took a few bites of his omelet. Calvin narrowed his eyes. “Why do I have the feeling you want to ask me something else?”
The ranch owner chuckled with a mischievous smile. “I do need a favor.”
“What’s that?” Calvin held his fork suspended in mid-air, wondering what the favor might be.
“You look like you’re about six feet four and you’ve got some good blocking skills. I need you on my team this morning.” Logan drank some of his coffee.
“Your team?” he repeated.
“I was challenged to a game of football by some of my wranglers. It’s for a good cause. We’re all chipping in a hundred bucks each to adopt several needy families for Christmas, and the losing team matches the total pot with a fifty percent match. I’m supposed to be on the pasture beyond the barns with my team in about half an hour. I’m the quarterback.” Logan smiled. “Care to help an old man with a limp out?”
“I haven’t played a game of foo
tball in years, but who am I to turn down an opportunity with this much fun.” Calvin reached for his wallet and opened it. He withdrew a hundred-dollar bill and placed it in front of Logan to join the team. Then he stabbed a piece of his omelet with gusto and ignoring the remark about Logan’s limp, reached for the hot sauce. As far as he was concerned, it was all in good fun. The limp Logan had suffered from a bronco who’d smashed his hip meant the owner would be a liability, but that didn’t matter to Cal. What mattered was the comradery, the team effort to adopt some needy families, and having fun with his friend and the amazing wranglers he’d met on The Sweetwater. “Who’s on our team and who are we playing?”
Zach wandered up to their table then and slid into the empty seat beside his stepdad, holding tightly to a regulation-size football. Logan smiled and ruffled his son’s hair. “We have Bronson and Jack Colten on our team. Since it’s fall break, my stepson, Zach, is our coach. We play Buck, McGuire, Jed, and the new guy, Clint. Their coach is my dad, Jack Haven.”
“Since Zach is our coach, definitely yeah! Count me in.” Calvin winked at Zach who cracked a half smile.
Half an hour later, the coin toss gave Logan the ball and the teams lined up on the fifty-yard line across from each other, ready to play some football. Zachary and his grandfather stood on opposite sides of the field, hollering encouragement to their players. Zach paced the sidelines like the professional coaches, a serious expression on his face. He’d recruited his younger brother, Micah, to join as his assistant coach at the last minute. The two boys whispered plays to each other when they weren’t pacing or calling out encouragement. Calvin chuckled to see their sisters, Savannah, Gracie Anne, and Jackie, cheerleading on the sidelines with their pompoms.