by Barbara Gee
Boone hefted the container, grinning. “I think this’ll last me a little longer than the trip,” he declared.
“Kay shows her love through her baking,” Libby said, “and there’s no shortage of it.”
“I appreciate it,” Boone said softly, giving his mother a big hug. She held onto him for a long moment, then gathered her composure and waved him to the waiting helicopter.
“We’ll see you soon,” she said. “Take care of yourself.”
Boone hugged Virgil, Libby and Maddy, then shook hands with the other two men and thanked them for all their help. Then he held out his hand to Jolene. She grabbed it and walked the short distance to the copter with him. The pilot had powered down, so they didn’t have to worry about the rotors blowing them around.
“Are you going to go to your house, or stay somewhere else?”
“Tuck suggested I get a hotel, at least until they get a lead on the blackmailer.”
“Okay good. Call me when you get there. I know it’ll be really late, but I still want you to call. I won’t be able to sleep anyway.”
“Okay, I’ll call.” He looked at her, his smile wistful. “I’d rather kiss you goodnight than goodbye, but it can’t be helped.” He pressed his mouth to hers, the kiss brief but sweet. “See you soon, Jo.”
She couldn’t speak so she nodded and squeezed his hand. Then he climbed into the copter and closed the door.
Jolene hurried back to the rest of the group so the pilot could lift off. Libby and Maddy shouldered up to her, giving her the support of their presence without fussing; they knew her well enough to know she wouldn’t want that. After watching the helicopter until its lights were lost in the dark sky, Jolene cleared her throat and put on a brave face. She wasn’t hurting any more than Kay and Virgil, after all, and she didn’t want to be treated like she was fragile.
She smiled at Ryan and Tuck. “Boone said you guys have arranged for him to have some protection while he’s in St. Paul. That makes me feel a lot better.”
Ryan nodded. “We’re hoping it won’t be needed for long. Tuck got a call during the hockey tournament. Our guys in Texas are checking out a couple of suspects from the Ashton Police Department who might be on the blackmailer’s payroll. They’re tailing both of them. It would be nice if one would suddenly take off for the airport and buy a ticket to St. Paul. That would help us narrow things down.”
“There were a lot of people taking pictures at the tournament tonight. I’m sure they’re all over social media by now.” Jolene looked at the men worriedly. “What if the bad guys see those and think Boone is still here?”
“Ryan and I talked about that when we saw all the cameras. We’re going to give Boone a chance to get back to St. Paul, then first thing in the morning we’ll make sure he’s spotted there, to shift the attention away from the ranch.”
“We’ll warn him first,” Ryan added.
Jolene nodded. “You guys go ahead and do what you do best, I’m certainly not going to second-guess you. Just do it quick, okay? The sooner you take care of the blackmailer, the sooner the whole story can be told. And that’s what needs to happen so Boone can finally deal with it and move on.”
Kay gave her a hug. “And then he can come back to the ranch. That’s the goal, gentlemen, and I have no doubt you and your fellow agents are up to the task.”
“Your wish is our command, Kay,” Tuck said with a laugh. “Meet me in my office in twenty minutes, Ry. We’ll call Texas for another update.”
“I’m gonna go on home,” Jolene said. “Let me know if there are any new developments. I’ll be up late anyway.”
“Will do,” Ryan promised.
***
As she drove home, Jolene realized she could sleep in a bit later in the mornings, now that she wouldn’t have Boone’s early sessions to plan and supervise. Although she was a girl who had always loved her sleep time, that thought didn’t bring her any pleasure. She’d take Boone over extra sleep any day.
It was amazing how strongly she felt for him after only a couple of weeks. It felt like she’d known him so much longer. Maybe it was because she’d followed his career so closely for the last two years, or because being so physically close during his workout sessions gave them a certain sense of intimacy. Or maybe it was because they’d shared some pretty intense times together after he’d confided in her. He’d trusted her with something he hadn’t told anyone else, and they’d obviously bonded through that. Their strong physical attraction only added to that bond, and now, with him gone, she felt empty and lonely. And, in spite of his assurances, she was afraid his feelings were going to change now that they wouldn’t be seeing each other all the time.
She took a quick shower when she got home, put on her Kendall jersey, then watched the highlights of the Wild game they’d missed because of the tournament. The Wild won the game, keeping their play-off hopes alive for the moment. Jolene wondered what effect it would have on the team if they were to learn Boone might be available to play again soon. Chances are they’d find that extra kick of energy and determination needed to get to the post-season and make the most of it. Boone was the type of captain the team rallied behind, and they’d want to do it for him.
When she finally turned off the TV, she figured Boone must be getting close to wherever it was he’d be staying. It was a huge relief to know the FBI would be with him, but until the blackmailer was caught, she wouldn’t be able to completely relax. If the danger was real enough to worry Tuck and Ryan, it was definitely enough to keep her up at night.
She left the jersey on and crawled into bed clutching her phone, hoping he would call soon. If he didn’t call this very first evening, it didn’t bode well for their future. He’d promised, though, so she tried to have faith and believe the feelings he’d expressed to her were as real as hers for him.
Five minutes later her phone rang. Boone’s name flashed on the screen, and she could breathe again. They only talked for five minutes, but it was enough. He was safe in his room, and he had called. That was all Jolene needed.
She hung up, said a prayer of thanksgiving, and slept.
CHAPTER 28
A few minutes after Jolene got to her office the next morning, Libby hurried through the door.
“I don’t suppose you’ve been online yet this morning,” she said, perching on the corner of the desk.
“You’d suppose right,” Jolene said. “What’s up?”
“Good news, and also a heads up.” Libby flipped her iPad case open. “The good news is, there are photos of yesterday’s tournament all over the place. As soon as the people posted their pics and tagged Boone, the mainstreamers picked it up. I’m already getting calls for interviews, but I want to talk to Boone first to make sure of what I can say. I want to limit it to what he did while he was with us, and obviously not get into how he got the idea to come.”
Jolene looked at the iPad as Libby scrolled through a selection of photos.
“Those are great,” Jolene declared. “I love the ones of Boone on the ice with the kids. That’s a side of him the public doesn’t get to see very often.”
“And the ones of him with his team are just as moving, I mean look at those faces.”
“It’s so great. They loved him.” A photo of Boone’s team huddled around their trophy came up and Jolene grabbed Libby’s hand to keep her from advancing to the next photo. “Oh my word, look at the smile on Charlie Jansen’s face.”
“Who’s Charlie Jansen?”
“This guy.” Jolene pointed. “I’ve talked with his wife several times. Charlie has had an awful time of it since his injury, and his wife, Andi, is afraid he’s trying to push her into leaving him because he can’t handle his new way of life and he thinks it’s inevitable that she’ll move on to another guy eventually anyway.”
“Have they been together long?”
“Three years. He was injured a year and a half ago. It’s so sad, because she loves him so much, but he won’t let her show it. He treat
s her terribly and she’s miserable, but she knows the man she loves is still in there and she doesn’t want to give up on them.”
“Do you think they have a shot?” Libby wondered.
“I don’t know. But when I see him smiling like this, it’s hard not to have some hope. If he could just hold on to the sense of accomplishment he felt last night, and realize it could be just the beginning, then maybe he and Andi can build on that and get back to a good place.”
“That’s exactly why we started this retreat center. Because it can change lives.”
Jolene nodded, giving the photo one last glance before swiping to the next one. Her eyes widened and she caught her breath.
“What in the world? What is this, Libby?”
“Oh, um, well, that’s the head’s up thing I mentioned.” Libby cleared her throat. “Someone caught you and Boone kissing. I know it’s a huge invasion of privacy and if it was one of our staff, I’m furious about that, but as far as the photo itself, Jolene, it’s hot. Really, really hot. You and Boone have some kind of chemistry, huh?”
Jolene realized her mouth was hanging open and she snapped it closed. “This was from last night. Someone must have followed us to his cabin after the tournament. We were saying goodbye before going to meet the helicopter—where in the world did you get this?”
“I hate to tell you, but it’s all over the internet. And everyone wants to find out more about Boone Kendall’s mystery girl.”
“Is my name mentioned?” Jolene asked as she swiped through more photos of the two of them, totally appalled that hundreds or maybe even thousands of people were viewing such a personal moment on their computer screens as they drank their morning coffee.
“Yeah, I’m afraid so. Whoever took the photos leaked your name, too.”
Jolene frowned, her mind whirling. “With this many pictures floating around, it’s almost a given that the blackmailer has already seen them. We need to make sure word gets out that Boone is back in St. Paul.”
Libby frowned as understanding dawned. “I’ll call Ry and make sure he’s on it.”
Jolene swiped through the photos of her and Boone again while Libby made the call. It was unsettling to say the least. The moment had been so personal, and now it was out there for everyone to see. The thought made her nauseous and she stood and paced, wondering who in the world had betrayed her. Had someone suspected she and Boone had become involved and followed them to document it and sell the photos, or had they merely been hoping for photos of Boone and gotten an added bonus when he kissed her? No doubt the price of the photos had gone up substantially with that addition. Everyone loved a good ‘mystery girl.’
Jolene shook her head and rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on. This was so not her. Splashed across the tabloids, gossip fodder. She could just imagine the talk at the Barlow Diner right about now. No doubt the speculation about her and Boone was out of control. The older ladies would have her married and moving to St. Paul in no time. They loved nothing better than a good love story.
And then there was the retreat staff. Jolene shuddered when she thought of facing her four staff assistants, which was going to happen in about twenty minutes, when they reported to work for the day. The only thing she could do was be up front and honest with them. She couldn’t control their reactions—and she didn’t expect Izzy to react well at all—but there was nothing she could do about it. She wasn’t going to deny her feelings for Boone, nor her hope that they could make it work in spite of the challenges. Hopefully her team would be able to accept that and move on.
Libby hung up and turned to Jolene, who stopped pacing to listen to what her friend had found out. “They made sure an anonymous press release went out first thing this morning. Ry and Tuck were in a meeting until five minutes ago, so neither of them saw any of the photos yet. We went through them while we were on the phone, and he’s going to get a couple more armed guards on security here. He has some contacts who can supply trained people almost immediately, and they’ll work in teams. No one will get on the ranch without going through them.” Libby went over and hugged Jolene. “It’s going to be okay. We’re going to be fine, and Boone’s going to be fine. Hang in there, sweetie.”
“I will. I have to.” Jolene sighed and stepped away, looking at her friend worriedly. “I’m a little worried about how Izzy and the guys are going to react. I think they’re going to be hurt and irritated because I gave them such a speech about keeping things professional and not bothering him, and here I was, seeing him behind their backs.”
“You didn’t bother him, though. Boone was the instigator.”
Jolene shrugged. “Kind of, I guess. Although it wasn’t like he was hard core pursuing me, it just kinda happened once we got close and started talking, and especially after he confided in me.”
“Just tell them you got close from working together so much, and it unexpectedly became something more. That’s all they need to know.”
“And it’s definitely the truth. Not the complete story, but truth just the same.”
“There you go, then. Put that out there, and let them react however they will. If they’re ticked off, so be it. You didn’t break any rules.”
“Other than the unspoken rule of not getting involved with your clients.”
Libby waved a hand. “That rule is broken all the time. When it’s right, it’s right, client or not, and you’d be a fool not to pursue it.”
“Only, in this case, I’m wondering if I’m more the fool for thinking it can work. There are just so many barriers. The one foremost in my mind right now is how wrong it feels to have my picture splashed all over the internet. When I’m kissing a guy, no less. I can only imagine the phone calls and Facebook comments I’m going to get.” She rubbed her forehead. “I’m not sure I’m cut out for this, Lib.”
“Maybe not, but you’re cut out for Boone—anyone with eyes can see that. So don’t be a coward, Jo. Go after that man with all you’ve got, because he’s a keeper. You can handle the baggage that comes along with him, I know you can.”
“I wish I was that sure. It makes me so mad that right this very minute, a zillion people are looking at those pictures of us kissing and wondering who the money-grubbing, fame-grabbing, slutty brunette is.”
“If they’re thinking that, it’s just because they’re jealous.”
Jolene shrugged again. “It still freaks me out. And I know it’ll get so much worse if we keep seeing each other.”
“Is he worth it?” Libby asked simply.
Jolene sighed. “When I’m with him, yes. A thousand times yes.” She closed her eyes briefly, gripping her upper arms. “But now that we’re separated, I just don’t know.”
“Well I do know something,” Libby stated. “If you don’t follow your heart, you’ll be sorry. I’d bet money on that. I’m not saying don’t be smart and careful about it, I’m just saying if you chicken out and don’t even try, you’re going to regret it. Good men, like Boone, Ryan and Tuck, are hard to find. You know that.”
“I do know it.” Jolene smiled fondly. “Did you see how kind and patient he was the other night with Virgil and Kay? They must have asked him a hundred questions, and he never once got annoyed or impatient. They’re enamored with him already, don’t you think?”
“They love him. I talked to Kay at breakfast, and she’s completely overjoyed at having him in their lives. Talk about an unexpected gift.”
“He’s incredible.” Jolene looked down and scuffed the carpet with her toe. “Merging our lives is going to be a challenge, but I sure do want to try.”
“Good. Hold that thought.” Libby picked up her iPad. “If you turn into a coward, you’re going to miss out on the best thing that’s ever happened to you.” She raised her brows and gave a long-suffering smile. “Of course if you choose to ignore my wise advice, there’s nothing I can do about it.”
Jolene laughed. “And you wouldn’t dream of saying ‘I told you so’ either, would you?”
“Me?” Libby asked with a grin. “Never.”
“Okay, I’ll take your advice under consideration.” She waved her friend toward the door. “Now scoot. I have to get ready to meet with my peeps and figure out what I’m going to say.”
“I’ll say a prayer for you, sweetie.” Libby told her. “Come over and eat lunch with Maddy and me, if you’re so inclined.”
“I might do that. Thanks, Lib.”
Jolene settled into her chair, leaning it back and propping her feet on the desk. She had so many things on her mind, primarily the safety of Boone and the people at the ranch. She trusted Ryan, Tuck, and their fellow agents, but things happened sometimes, even when every safeguard was in place. If the blackmailer wasn’t caught soon, Jolene was going to worry herself sick.
The best thing to take her mind off her worries was work. Which she intended to fill her day with, just as soon as she got the staff meeting over with.
* * *
Minutes later, Izzy appeared in the doorway, leaning her shoulder against the frame, her arms folded across her chest.
“So,” she began. “I saw some pretty interesting pics online this morning.”
Jolene nodded slowly. “Yeah. Me, too.”
Izzy stared at her for a moment, trying to look stern, but then her face split into a huge smile. “Oh my gosh, Jolene, you’ve been holding out on me. I had no idea you and Boone are into each other like that. Those pictures are sooo hot. I mean, all you’re doing is kissing, but I could actually feel the passion. How did you act so normal around him all this time, when all that heat was there?”
Jolene’s eyes narrowed. “So you’re not mad?”
“Why would I be mad?” Izzy asked, looking confused.
“Because I got involved with Boone when I warned you against that very thing.”
Izzy waved a hand dismissively and pushed away from the doorframe, taking a seat in the chair across the desk from Jolene. “You didn’t warn me against getting involved, you told me not to go after him and make him uncomfortable. Had Boone come after me, I don’t think you’d have objected, and I’m guessing that’s what happened with you two.”