A Family for the Rancher

by Allison B. Collins

  “You’re welcome.” Her voice sounded breathless, and he glanced up to see her hurrying away. She stopped suddenly. “You okay from here?” she asked without turning around.

  “Yeah.”

  Leaves crunched as she hurried away, leaving him alone with the crickets. He dried off, then leaned against the rock, looked around the serene setting. This place had always been his sanctuary, a place to be completely alone.

  And now it would always remind him of limitations.

  And desperate need.

  Chapter Five

  Kelsey couldn’t settle down, even hours later, after catching Nash in the pond.

  Naked.

  Scars notwithstanding, his body was perfection. Muscles that in no way came from a gym curved under tight, tanned skin. Even with the scars, he was perfect.

  And not someone she should be thinking of in this way. He was her patient.

  She’d had her happiness before, even with the heartache. Didn’t want to be with another man. Couldn’t take that chance. Not with her heart, or her daughter’s.

  Her mother rushed into the living room. “Are you ready? Is Maddy ready? I don’t want to keep Angus waiting.”

  “Mom, calm down. We’re all ready to go.” They’d been invited to dinner with the family at Angus’s house that night. She wondered how much of that invite was finagling on her mother’s part, and how much came from Angus being smitten with Bunny.

  She grabbed her mother’s hand, hoping to instill some reality. “Mom, you know we won’t be here all that long.”

  “I know, pumpkin. But can’t we make friends while we’re here?”

  Suppressing an eye roll, Kelsey packed up Maddy and her bag of toys, and they all piled in her car. She turned the key, heard nothing but grinding. Please, not now. Behave till I can save up some money!

  She switched the ignition key off, waited a beat, tried again. This time it groaned to life, protesting the whole way.

  Reaching the main lodge a short time later, they were invited inside by a beaming Angus. She scanned the big rustic living room, really hoping Nash wasn’t in attendance. She had the feeling from something Hunter had said at the barbecue that Nash didn’t do many family things since he’d been discharged from the Army.

  “Glad y’all could make it tonight,” Angus said.

  “It was nice of you to invite us.”

  He pulled her aside, away from the laughter of his sons. “How’s my son doing with therapy?”

  “We’re working hard every day. He’s really coming along.” At least she hoped so, at this point.

  “Good. You let me know if he gives you any trouble.”

  She just smiled, knowing she’d never go to him, and took the glass of wine the housekeeper gave her.

  The front door opened, and Wyatt walked in. “I had to pretty much hog-tie him, but he’s here for family night.” He stepped aside as Nash walked in, scowling.

  Nash met her eyes, and stopped short, his grimace turning even scarier.

  Angus stepped forward and took Bunny’s arm. “Nash, this is Bunny Randolph, Kelsey’s mother. I don’t think you met the other night.”

  Nash tipped his head and shook her mother’s hand. “Nice meeting you, ma’am.”

  “My goodness, Angus. You have such a handsome family!” her mother said, and tucked her hand beneath Angus’s elbow. “You’re so lucky the boys all still live here.”

  He preened. “We try to do a family dinner at least once a month. Now we’re all here except for Luke. He’s gone to an auction in Vegas.”

  “Mommy, look!” Maddy ran into the room holding a small cowboy hat. Kelsey saw the instant she noticed Nash. Her face crumpled and she started crying.

  Hunter hurried over to her and swung Maddy up into his arms. “Shh, shh, shh. It’s okay, honey. Did that big bad man scare you?” He tucked Maddy’s head into his shoulder, muffling her sobs. The look he threw at Nash was part concern, part what’d you go and do now?

  Kelsey glanced at Nash and was shocked at the heartbroken look on his face. He raised his head and looked at her, and the pain disappeared behind a mask. His boots thumped on the wood floor as he backtracked and went out the front door, closing it behind him.

  She started to follow, but Hunter brought Maddy to her. “I think she wants you.” She took her daughter into her arms and cuddled her, relieved when the crying jag ended quickly.

  “I should go after Nash, make sure he’s okay,” she whispered to Hunter.

  “Why? He’ll be fine. Maddy just hasn’t met him yet.”

  Kelsey swallowed the words, wanting to tell him what had happened earlier, and how Nash had to be hurting. It wasn’t her place to tell his family about the real reason he was out of the Army now.

  Hours later, after a wonderful dinner, she drove her mother and Maddy home. While she’d had a good time and liked getting to know the Sullivan men, she couldn’t stop worrying about Nash. Once they were settled, she told her mother she was going out for a walk and would be back soon. Not wanting to risk her car, she set out on foot to Nash’s cabin, the flashlight app on her phone guiding the way.

  The lights were off at his cabin, and she’d just about decided not to wake him up when she noticed the rocking chair on the porch lying on its side. The night was calm with the occasional soft breeze. Nothing strong enough to knock over a chair. Darkness shrouded the cabin, but light flickered beyond the open door.

  If he was asleep, she should do the neighborly thing and close it for him so no critters would get in during the night.

  She walked softly to the door and peeked inside. Holding her cell phone up, she shined her light around the big room to make sure no animals had already gotten in. The TV was on, casting an eerie glow across a mess. She gasped and felt around the wall for the light switch. Flicking it on, chills exploded in her stomach.

  Nothing had been left untouched. Furniture was scattered all over the room, pictures flung off the walls, dirt from an overturned planter showed footprints tracked through it. The trophies that had been on the bookcase were on the floor. It looked like someone had taken a hammer and dented every single one, trying to destroy them.

  “Nash! Are you here? Are you okay?”

  Hesitating in case the intruder was still there, concern finally overrode her fear and propelled her forward to search for him. The bedroom door stood wide-open, and she flicked on the light. The sheets had been thrown back, and shards from the mirror over the dresser lay in jagged pieces across the floor to mix with a smashed bottle.

  “Where are you?” she muttered. Back in the main room, she walked around the island separating the kitchen and den, and came across more broken glass by the sink. Empty bottles of whiskey, it looked like.

  But no Nash.

  “Okay, think. Call the cops?” Realizing it wasn’t her place to call the cops, she dialed Hunter instead.

  He answered on the fourth ring, sounding groggy. “Kelsey? You okay?”

  “I walked over to Nash’s cabin to make sure he’s okay, and I can’t find him.”

  “He’ll be fine. Probably out walking.”

  “I think something’s wrong. The front door was open, and every room is a mess. Either he did this, or someone broke in.”

  Hunter muttered a curse word. “I’ll be there in a minute.”

  As she waited, she debated about cleaning up what she could. But in case someone had broken in, she thought she’d better leave it alone.

  Hunter walked in a few minutes later only to stop short and whistle. “You weren’t kidding, were you?” His short dark brown hair stuck up at all angles, and he ran a hand over it.

  She shook her head. “I wish I was,” she said, and wrapped her hands together to stop the trembling.

  “I took a look outside first. His truck is gone. If he did this, I know where he might
have gone. I’ll need reinforcements, though.” He pulled his cell phone out and dialed. “Kade, Nash is missing. Kelsey and I think something’s wrong, and he might be at Smokey Joe’s.” He hung up the phone. “Kade’s calling Wyatt, and I’ll meet them in town.”

  “What’s Smokey Joe’s?”

  “A bar.”

  “Okay. Let’s go.”

  He held up a hand. “Wait a minute. You don’t need to go.”

  “The heck I don’t. I want to make sure he’s okay. I’m going, and you can’t stop me.”

  He studied her. “You sure that’s all you want to do? Why so concerned?”

  Heat suffused her face. “He’s my patient. Now stop wasting time. No telling how long he’s been there.”

  But was that all it was? Concern for her patient?

  She shook her head. Can’t think about that now.

  Even though he was driving above the speed limit, Kelsey wanted to urge Hunter to go faster. But in the darkness, with the chance of wild animals wandering across the road, she bit her tongue. Please be okay, please be okay, she prayed the whole way to town.

  Reaching the town limits, Hunter slowed the truck and wove his way through empty streets until turning into a parking lot filled with pickup trucks and motorcycles.

  She glanced at her watch, surprised it was already well past midnight, and the place was lit up like Christmas. Hunter parked just as Kade and Wyatt got out of a truck and waited for them at the front door.

  “Yup, he’s here all right. His truck is across the street,” Wyatt said, pointing to it. “How’re we gonna play this?”

  “What do you mean ‘play this’? Let’s just go get him,” she fumed, anxious to see if he was okay, and why his cabin looked like a war zone. He was her patient, so she had a professional responsibility to him. It’s not personal—it’s business. Right?

  “He’s done this before. Won’t appreciate us coming to get him.”

  “Men. Stupid, pigheaded, egotistical, morons.” She didn’t care if it chapped his ass from here to Alaska, he shouldn’t be in a place like this. Grabbing the door handle, she flung it open. The stench of too many bodies, cigarettes and booze washed over her, and her head reeled. Breathing lightly through her mouth, she tried to scan the room, but the crowd dwarfed her.

  A raucous cheer sounded over the twangy country song and shook the rafters. Glancing at the bartender, she saw him standing behind the bar, pulling taps, paying no attention to whatever was going on. She pushed through the crowd, looking for Nash, her shoes sticking to the floor with every step. At the back of the bar, a wall of bodies blocked her view. The sound of flesh on flesh hit her ears, and she shoved her way forward.

  Finally breaking through the crowd into an open space, she almost threw up. Nash’s body hung between two of the biggest, scariest men she’d ever seen. The amount of leather and piercings alone should be breaking some kind of law. A third man, even bigger, stood in front of Nash, readying to throw another punch. Blood dripped from Nash’s nose and mouth, and one of his eyes was swollen shut.

  She raced forward and slammed into the attacker. He was so big she barely budged him, but at least he hadn’t swung at Nash again.

  “What the—!” The bruiser swung around, ham-like hands fisted and ready to strike.

  “Get away from him,” she growled, ready to tear into the guy.

  “You think you’re gonna keep me from teaching this asshole a lesson? Although...” He leered, looking her up and down. “I’d be willin’ ta teach you another kinda lesson if you wait a minute.” He ran a big hand down her arm.

  She smiled, and his friends cat-called and cheered, even as she grabbed his thumb and yanked it back till he dropped to his knees, howling.

  The two guys holding Nash dropped him and advanced on her. Someone brushed her shoulder, and she turned around, ready to punch. Kade, Wyatt and Hunter were lined up behind her, hands fisted and ready to protect her.

  “Awright, break it up.” The bartender came into view, holding a baseball bat. “You three—” he gestured at the Sullivan brothers “—get him outta here. He’s caused enough trouble tonight. I don’t need no more from you.” He glanced at the burly guy on the floor, still cradling his hand. “And take your warrior princess with you.” He winked at her.

  “I’ll get the truck, meet you out back,” Hunter said, and left.

  She hurried to Nash where he knelt on the floor, head drooping. “You okay?”

  He didn’t move, so she tried again. “Nash, honey? Can you hear me?”

  His head moved that time, and he cracked an eye at her. “Kelsey?” He slumped forward, and she caught him, held him tight.

  Kade and Wyatt moved in, and somehow they got him out the back door. She followed, relieved to see Hunter waiting inside his truck. She needed to assess Nash’s injuries, but wanted to get him far away from there first. She got in and scooted to the middle of the bench seat. Wyatt helped Nash get in next to her, and she buckled him in.

  Hunter started the truck and leaned forward to look at Nash. “Hey, man, if you need to puke, tell me and I’ll stop. Don’t hurl on my floorboards. Or on Kelsey.”

  Nash just grunted, his head lolling around. She shifted and cradled his head, catching a glimpse of Hunter’s raised eyebrows in the side mirror. Ignoring him, she concentrated on not puking at the stench of alcohol emanating from Nash’s clothes and skin. She’d probably have to burn her clothes, and maybe her shoes, considering what might have been on the floor of the bar.

  Guilt and confusion swamped her. If only Maddy hadn’t seen him earlier today at the pond, or tonight at the main house. Had her hysterics brought this on?

  Surely Nash wouldn’t let a little girl get to him this much.

  Or would he?

  * * *

  NASH CRACKED ONE eye open, tried to open the other one, but it hurt too much. Dim light seared his eyeball, drilled right through to his brain. His stomach roiled, and a headache the likes of which he’d never had drummed through his head. He kept very still, willing himself to feel better. Didn’t help.

  Something jackhammered on the door, then it creaked open. “Rise and shine, sleepyhead! It’s noon, time to get up,” Hunter singsonged.

  The words roared through his head, and he wanted to yell, but that would only make it worse. He cracked his eyelid open again, squinting against the light. Hunter leaned against the door frame, holding a cup, grinnin’ like a damn fool.

  “What the hell are you smilin’ at?” he croaked out.

  “Feel like shit, eh?” Hunter pushed off the door frame and handed Nash the cup. “Brought you some coffee and aspirin.” He held out four white tablets.

  Nash sat up slowly, his head weighing about two hundred pounds. He took the proffered pills and popped them into his mouth, his hand shaking. Gulping the strong black coffee, he hoped both would kick in soon. He opened his eye a bit more and looked around. “Where am I?”

  “My cabin.”

  “Why? Did I come over last night?” He touched his aching jaw, then the puffiness around his other eye. “Did you hit me?”

  “You don’t remember?”

  He glared at Hunter the best he could, considering he was at death’s door. “Would I be asking if I remembered?”

  Hunter walked over to the windows and yanked the curtains open wide. “Let’s shed some light on the subject, shall we?”

  Nash shut his eye against the blinding light. “I’m going to kill you once I feel better.”

  “What’s the last thing you remember?”

  Nash stayed still, racking his aching brain to try and remember the night before. Images flickered, and he tried to catch on to them. Wyatt had dragged him to family dinner night, he’d walked in the main house and the little girl started crying when she saw him. Great. Maybe she really is traumatized now. He’d walked out the door and
kept going, all the way back to his cabin. Nothing could make him forget her screams and tears, so he’d had a drink. Then he couldn’t remember anything else.

  “I got to my cabin and had a drink. What’d I do?”

  “You had more than one drink and must have run out. We found you at Smokey’s at about one a.m.”

  “We?”

  “Kade, Wyatt and me.”

  “Oh.”

  “And Kelsey.”

  His eyes flew open wide, and he winced at the ache in his right one. “Kelsey?” Jealousy rose up, fast and bitter. Why the hell was she at a dive bar?

  “She’s the one who found you missing and got worried, called me.” Hunter grinned. “Bartender nicknamed her ‘Warrior Princess.’”

  “Why?”

  “She stopped some asshole from beating you up any more than he had, then dropped him to his knees when he made a pass at her.”

  So she wasn’t out partying. His fist unclenched.

  He started to grin, but his mouth hurt, and he touched his lower lip where it’d been split. Embarrassment rode fast on the heels of admiring her spirit, and shame that she saw him getting beat up. He hadn’t been in a fight in a long time, not since he’d graduated boot camp and realized not everything could be solved with fists.

  “She’s somethin’ special, isn’t she?” Hunter asked.

  Spots flashed in front of him, and he wanted to pummel his brother. “You interested in her?” he growled.

  Hunter leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms. “I don’t know...maybe,” he drawled. “Think she’d go out with—”

  “No,” he lashed out.

  “You want her for yourself?”

  Yes. His gut response surprised him, and he swiped a hand down his face, stubble scratching his palm. “No. She wouldn’t want me anyway.”

  “I don’t know about that. She was pretty worried about you last night. And fierce. Wouldn’t let me help get you into bed. Said she wanted to check you for injuries.”

  His stomach clenched, and he glanced down. Still clothed, and to his relief, it felt like his leg was strapped on. At least she hadn’t left him vulnerable in case Hunter walked in on him.