The Divine Creek Ranch Collection Volume 3

by Heather Rainier

  “Oh, come on, honey. We don’t mind!” the bride cried out then broke into laughter.

  Kemp grinned in relief when he looked up and saw Summer and Ace walk in the front door. Summer waved at the girl outside the dressing rooms like she knew her, put her finger to her lips, and giggled quietly.

  “Oh, Mister Handsome Lingerie Salesman,” the bride called out. “I need a little help with my laces!” The bridesmaids all giggled from behind the dressing-room doors.

  Summer whispered to the young woman who had her hand over her mouth, evidently trying to not laugh out loud.

  Another feminine voice called out, “Mister Lingerie Salesman, are there G-strings to match these corsets?” The young woman held up one of the corsets they were trying on for Summer to see.

  Summer turned to Kemp and whispered, “Say, ‘Yes there is, sweetheart. I’ll be right there.’”

  Kemp rolled his eyes and did as she asked, feeling silly. Summer apparently knew the bride and her friends. A flurry of hushed whispers broke out in the dressing rooms, and Summer went over to the racks where the G-strings hung, picked out several, and returned to the doorway.

  She gestured at Kemp to come closer and mouthed, “Say, ‘I’m coming in, gorgeous.’” She shushed the other girl, who nodded and blushed profusely. Ace stood behind the counter and chuckled quietly. More furtive whispers came from the dressing rooms.

  He did as she asked again, and then Summer bustled into the dressing room and all the girls screamed.

  “What are y’all doing flirting with my boyfriend!” Summer hollered, and then started laughing.

  “Summer? Oh my gosh! I thought it was him in here!” the bride said, and then she and Summer broke out into a-mile-a-minute conversation and all the other girls joined in. Kemp didn’t see how any of them could understand each other, all talking at the same time.

  Summer giggled and said, “I should have warned him that you crazy gals would be coming by today. Are you ready for your wedding?”

  “Hell, no! So that guy is your boyfriend? He’s frickin’ huge!”

  “And hot!”

  “Those green eyes!”

  Kemp felt his cheeks flush as Ace laughed at him. They listened as Summer gabbed back and forth for a few minutes with the bride, helped with laces, and delivered G-strings to the other girls.

  Kemp leaned against the counter and Ace asked, “Where is Rachel?”

  Kemp grimaced. “She got really sick after everybody left. I called Eli, and he took her to see Dr. Guthrie. She was running a fever.”

  “What?” Summer asked as she retreated from the noisy dressing room. “Is she okay?”

  Kemp described how she’d been, and Summer called Eli to check in. It turned out that Rachel did indeed have the stomach flu, and Eli was instructed to take her home, push fluids, and watch for dehydration.

  Summer checked the register tape and said, “Looks like you were busy this afternoon.”

  “For a little while. It wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle.”

  “Thank you,” she murmured as she snuggled close for a kiss. Their romantic moment was met with whistles and catcalls as the girls exited the dressing rooms. The girls did a double take when they saw Ace behind the counter on the other side of Summer.

  “And who might you be, handsome?” one of the bolder girls asked.

  Ace grinned and replied, “I’m Summer’s boyfriend.”

  There was a split second of complete silence, and then several of their mouths fell open.

  The bold girl giggled and replied, “Can I fill out a job application, Summer? Because y’all have sure got some multiple men action goin’ on around here.”

  Kemp felt a little like a bug under a microscope as the girls stared at him and Ace for a few seconds before recovering their wits. Summer took care of the girls’ purchases, and as they left, Kemp realized it was nearly closing time.

  As she was removing the cash drawer from the register, Ace asked, “Summer, would you like to go catch a bite to eat?”

  “Sure.”

  “Good. When you’re done, why don’t you grab your overnight case and we’ll treat you to supper at O’Reilley’s before we head to the house.”

  Kemp smiled, retrieving the handled bag off of the side counter near the register. He hoped she liked his surprise.

  * * * *

  Ace sat tensely in the driver’s seat of his black Hummer. Kemp sat in the passenger seat, his eyes trained on the side-view mirror. Ace and Summer had just picked the vehicle up from the dealership in Morehead that afternoon, where it had been in for bodywork and repairs after another run-in with a deer late one night.

  He was especially grateful right now to have “the tank” back, as Kemp called it, and he hoped it wasn’t about to need more bodywork done on it.

  Kemp silently watched Summer’s red Mazda in the mirror. They were tooling down the highway, headed toward the restaurant in Divine at sixty miles per hour, and there was a black SUV behind her that had been on her tail for the last two miles.

  Several times the vehicle had moved up until it was mere inches from her rear bumper then backed off. The distance between her and the Hummer evidently emboldened the driver of the SUV in harassing her. Several hundred yards in front of her, Ace had watched in growing concern as she’d moved over into the outer lane and the SUV had moved with her rather than passing her. She’d moved back into the inner lane, and it had stuck with her again, creeping closer and dwarfing her little red sports car.

  The SUV matched the description Grace had given them of the vehicle that had harassed her on the road a couple of times in the past few weeks.

  Ace knew she had hands-free phone capability, so he hit the “talk” button and spoke her name when prompted by the phone system. The call connected over the audio speakers and began to ring.

  “Hello?” Her soft voice held a trace of unease in it that made the alpha in Ace want to fix the situation and the fucker currently riding her bumper.

  “Kitten, it’s Ace. You okay?” he asked cautiously as he began to slow down by barely perceptible degrees, closing the distance between the Hummer and the Miata.

  It wouldn’t take much of a nudge for the big black SUV to have her rolling down the incline to the side of the highway they were driving on. His heart did a flip-flop as he recalled the accident he and Rachel had been involved in. After the impact with the deer and his SUV, her little car had made an awful noise as it had rolled down into the river bottom below.

  “Yes, I’m okay, but I’m getting a little nervous.”

  “Completely understandable, kitten. Don’t slow down, okay?”

  “Okay.” They continued down the road, approaching another incline. Even though the highway was divided and vehicles had two lanes to choose from, the SUV had stayed behind her the whole time. If he continued slowing, he’d eventually be right beside her.

  “Does your little car have a manual transmission?”

  “Yes. Why?”

  “The driver of that SUV doesn’t recognize my vehicle, so he thinks he’s got you. When my front bumper is even with yours, I want you to downshift and put the accelerator on the floor. Got that?”

  “Yes. When we’re even you want me to nail it. What are you going to do?”

  “Cut him off from following you farther. If we’re lucky, have a little talk. We’ll stay on the line with you, so don’t hang up.”

  “Okay.” She sounded a little steadier. They continued down the road, getting closer and closer to the steep incline ahead. The Miata had its light weight and agility on its side. The SUV would need greater horsepower to make it up the incline, and that would be Ace’s chance to slip in between them. “Kemp, you get the plates?”

  “Obscured. Windows are darkly tinted, too.”

  “This is our guy,” Ace said softly.

  The vehicles barreled through the very bottom between the two hills as he stayed right ahead of Summer in the outside lane. They started up the incline, and
he allowed her to begin to catch up to him.

  “Get ready, kitten.”

  Chapter Twelve

  “Ready.”

  Her car gained on his vehicle, and as she drew even with Ace’s front bumper, he said, “Nail it.”

  Ace watched Summer’s nimble fingers as she gripped the shifter and did as he asked, her little sports car jumping ahead. “Good girl, keep going.”

  Just like with his vehicle, the SUV needed a bit more time to get up to speed on the steep hill, and as soon as her rear bumper cleared Ace’s, he veered into the other lane.

  Kemp gripped the dash and said, “She’s doing great. Keep going, Summer.”

  “Okay!”

  Ace cursed when he saw that the SUV had already slammed on its brakes and made a U-turn on the deserted highway. He made a corresponding move and tried to catch up with the SUV. He was pissed off with how long it was taking to get to the bottom of this case and was determined to not lose this guy. The SUV turned off on a densely wooded, winding, narrow county road and gave them a merry chase for a few miles before that was exactly what happened. They lost him.

  “Damn it!” Ace said as he pounded the wheel.

  “Guys?”

  Ace sighed heavily and said, “We lost him, kitten.”

  “Oh. Are you okay?”

  “Yes, baby,” Kemp responded. “Where are you right now?”

  “I’m almost in Divine.”

  “Okay. Why don’t you meet us at O’Reilley’s?”

  They pulled in beside her car ten minutes later and found her waiting in the entry. She looked like she’d seen a ghost. On top of everything else that had happened in the last twenty-four hours, now she had this to deal with. Ace held out his arms to her, and she rushed into them. It felt good to hold her again after what they’d just been through. He’d hated the feeling of powerlessness, knowing that the SUV could’ve run her off that highway at any time prior to his intervention.

  “No sign of him?”

  “No. He lost us on a twisting, turning back road. I’m sorry, Summer. We’re going to get to the bottom of this. I promise.”

  Summer looked up at him with expressive, hazel eyes and nodded. “I know you will.”

  The smiling hostess approached them with three menus in her hands and led them to a comfortable booth in one corner of the main dining room. There weren’t many people there, as it was early on a Sunday evening.

  After they placed their orders, Summer sighed heavily and sat back against the cushioned seat. Ace reached for her hand under the table and noticed Kemp made the same gesture as well. Summer looked up at Ace and smiled, but he could see the weariness in her eyes and he wanted to take care of her. His stronger desire was to get her home so she could unwind and feel safe rather than getting her home so they could fool around again. She brought out all his protective instincts. The other, more intimate stuff still had to wait. He was going to show her that they wanted more than that with her. He wanted her company, too.

  Kemp murmured, “I know what would make you feel better, Summer.”

  Summer turned to Kemp and said, “About twenty-four solid hours of sleep? I’m so tired my head is spinning.”

  Kemp chuckled and said, “All the sleep you want, since you have the day off tomorrow, but first a nice, long soak in Ace’s whirlpool tub. It’ll make you forget all your worries.”

  Summer sighed and closed her eyes, evidently imagining it. When she reopened them, she looked from one man to the other and said, “My moving in is a big step for us. Even though it’s only temporary, until it’s safe for me to stay in the apartment.”

  Ace didn’t like that notion at all. Once she moved in, he was going to have a hard time allowing her to leave. Judging by the look on Kemp’s face, he must’ve felt the same way.

  Kemp said, “You know there’s no hurry to move. You would have plenty of room, and peace and quiet at Ace’s place. It’s off the main road and has a pretty hilltop view.”

  Ace wanted to high-five Kemp for the sales pitch. “You can’t even see it from the road, for all the oak trees. It has an upstairs deck that runs the length of the house, and there is also a hot tub right outside the French doors in my bedroom. You can see for miles while you soak.”

  A sexy smile spread across Summer’s soft, full lips, and she sighed again. “That sounds heavenly. I’ll be spoiled rotten by the time I leave.”

  “Maybe we won’t let you leave,” Ace murmured. “What if we want you to stay?”

  She looked back and forth between them. “You don’t have to say things like that, Ace. You may change your mind, and I don’t want you to feel obligated.” A trace of uncertainty showed in her eyes. “Besides, doesn’t Kemp have his own place? If I stay with you, Ace, and he is all alone, that will cause problems. I don’t want to be the cause of trouble between the two of you.”

  Summer was about to say more when Ace pressed a gentle fingertip to her lips. “Are you afraid this will all go flat at some point? That we’ll feel let down with the reality of living with you?”

  Summer pressed her pink lips together and almost said more, but finally looked down and nodded.

  “Kitten, Kemp and I have been roommates before. We don’t have any problem with living with each other, especially in a place that big. We found separate lodgings when we both moved to Divine a couple of years ago. The opportunity to buy my house came along and I took it, while he’s stayed in his rental. We’ve both been happy, so we stayed where we were.”

  “How long have you known each other?”

  “Since we were kids, in San Angelo. We grew up in the same neighborhood. Kemp was always at my house.” Ace decided to allow Kemp to share the details of his family and his upbringing in his own time.

  “Do your families still live there?”

  Kemp shook his head and said nothing further. Ace replied, “My mom and dad have both passed on, but I have two younger sisters. One is married and lives in San Antonio. The other one just finished at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Austin.”

  “Are you close to them?”

  Ace nodded but felt sheepish when he answered, “Yes, but I haven’t talked to either of them in several months. We all have busy lives and lose track of time.” He made a mental note to call them both during the week.

  Summer took a sip from her tea glass and said, “I’m close to Margot, but we never wanted to be roommates. We both needed our own space. I’ve had one roommate, and it was an experience I plan to never repeat. I’m telling you both, sometimes I think I’m jinxed.”

  “Then it’s time you got unjinxed, kitten.”

  Summer giggled and held up her glass of iced tea. “Well, here’s to unjinxing me.”

  They toasted her and settled in to eat their food when it arrived. Ace talked her into sharing a dessert with him.

  “I really should abstain.”

  “When there is something as sinfully delicious as O’Reilley’s banana pudding concerned you have to at least try it.”

  Kemp smirked and softly added, “I don’t know, Ace. I think you might find that it’s in second place now.” Summer gasped and gently shoved Kemp’s shoulder, a pink blush spreading over her cheeks. Kemp shrugged and added, “Just sayin’.”

  They were midway through their dessert, when a woman in her mid-thirties approached their table with a toddler in tow. She smiled tremulously at them, and Ace smiled back as she drew near.

  “I–I’m sorry to bother you.” The woman gulped nervously and looked conflicted for a moment.

  Ace asked, “Is there something we can help you with, ma’am? Are you all right?”

  The woman smiled and nodded. “Yes, I’m fine. I’m just awfully nervous. You see, I recognized the three of you because—well, because—”

  Softly, Kemp filled in for her. “Divine Morality?”

  Guiltily, she nodded. “I think what she’s doing is terrible.”

  That was their first confirmation that it was probably a woman behi
nd this.

  “She’s jealous, mean spirited, and I can’t believe I ever sat still long enough to listen to her.” She handed him a folded up note. “Bible study was good before she took over teaching it. Now all she does is go on and on about you and your friends. I see new posts there every week, and I just wish someone would stop her. I wanted to tell you I’m sorry for what she is putting you all through. I hope that helps,” she added as she pointed at the note.

  Ace asked, “Do you have any idea why someone would do this?”

  The woman nodded and said, “Jealousy, pure and simple. My name is Ann. Ann Sheridan. I’m sorry to distract you from your meal. I put my number in there. If there is anything I can do to help, I’d be happy to.”

  To confirm his suspicion, Ace asked, “Are you ASheridan1334?”

  The woman’s eyes widened a bit, and she nodded. “Yes.”

  Ace said, “We saw your comment.”

  “Oh, yes. I’m glad you did before she deleted all the negative ones that didn’t line up with her hypocritical viewpoint.”

  Ace nodded. “We saw that, too.”

  “Well, I wish you luck. Just know that not everybody believes as she does.” Her little boy tugged on her hand as she turned to Summer and said, “Miss Heston, I plan to visit your shop sometime very soon. I wish you all blessings and good luck.”

  The lady’s kind words brought a blush to Summer’s cheeks, and she replied, “Thank you.”

  Mrs. Sheridan nodded to them and went on her way.

  Beside him, Summer whispered, “Wow.”

  Ace opened the folded note and read the name.

  Summer asked, “Who is that? Is that the person behind the blog?”

  Ace replied, “Yes. Along with her address and contact information, social media, and affiliations. It says here that she has a husband and a toddler.”