Her Lifeline: (A Romantic Suspense)

by Chandler, Danica

  Pulling the sheet over his head, he closed his eyes tightly. The dream was nothing new. Johnson had been killed by an IED about a year ago and it was a flashback that Nick experienced at least three times a week, along with other nightmares of times spent fighting Al Qaeda. He thought as time passed, it would fade, but it just got worse. Afraid to admit it to anyone with a fear of looking weak, it was an issue he harbored deep inside. What good would it be to tell anyone? There was nothing they could do to help him control what he did when he was asleep. Only problem was, they were beginning to creep up on him when he was awake now too. He’d fade off into a daze without even noticing until it was happening.

  “Go away!” He yelled out, immediately regretting the sudden movement that pulled on his shoulder. He had to get busy with a job or something meaningful. Being alone with his thoughts was becoming a dangerous place.

  Chapter Three

  Amelia continuously checked her phone. She had only given the area newspapers the want ad just the day before, but she was getting her hopes up that someone would call and answer their prayers. Who was she kidding? Like a ranch hand would be the single most thing they needed to save their beloved ranch. It was her final cry for help and she was desperate. Hell, if anyone called about the job, they’d have to be desperate too. She was certain she’d be laughed under the table once she mentioned the pay.

  Running her fingers over the face of the phone, she was so lost in thought that when Noah ran in from outside, the sound of the screen door slamming made her jump, pulling her from her daydream.

  “Mom, I’m thirsty!”

  “There’s juice in the fridge. You know where the cups are.” She arched her eyebrow at him and pulled him in for a hug. “You can go out and walk the horses but you can’t make yourself something to drink? I’m smarter than that.” Pushing her finger on his nose, he squirmed out of her arms and skipped to the cabinet.

  How would he react if they had to move away from the ranch? It was the only way of life he knew. It was her dream to raise a family right where they were. She couldn’t stomach moving to town, and Noah surely would protest it. Austin was getting dangerous with crime and she didn’t want him going to a huge school. Why did it have to be so complicated?

  “I’m hungry too, mom.” He slurped down the grape juice and it left a purple mustache on his upper lip.

  Tousling his hair, she glared down at her phone again, hating that she was becoming so reliant on it. “When are you not hungry? I’m about to start supper. Go check on the dogs for me, would you?”

  He finished his drink and put the cup in the sink and ran back outside. There was no objection from him when it came to doing things outside. Glancing back at her stack of paperwork and bills, her stomach churned at the sight of the hand written note that was inside the mailbox, warning them about payments due. Who were these people? Did her father seriously go to a loan shark? He was smarter than that, but it just proved that desperate times made even the most intelligent do things they’d never do otherwise.

  Looking over it again, Amelia tried not to do too much reading between the lines. Were they threatening with interest rates going up and collateral being taken away, or were they blatantly stating other things were going to happen? She needed to get on the same page with her father, though she was certain he wouldn’t give her the whole story to prevent her from freaking out. It was too late for that. Loan sharks and bankers were right on her coat tails. She was past freaking out. She was in all out panic mode.

  Her phone buzzed on the table and a number she didn’t recognize popped up on the screen. “Hello, this is Amelia.”

  “Uh yes, I’m responding to the ad you put in the paper for the ranch hand.”

  Her heart skipped a beat. Her first call in regard to it. “Yes, how can I help you?”

  “You mention competitive pay. How much exactly were you thinking of paying?”

  Damn it, they had to ask that question. “It’s not much. I can barely pay close to minimum wage, but the perk is that I’ll provide room and board. That’ll save on some expenses.” She stood up and began to pace. Her father was standing in the doorway, interested in a probably candidate.

  “Minimum wage for working a ranch?” The man laughed and it made Amelia angry. “How’s a man supposed to support a family on that?”

  “I’m sorry if it’s not the wage you were expecting, sir.” She felt bad, but his sarcastic tone made it to where she wouldn’t hire him even if he wanted the job.

  “I’m gonna have to pass.” He hung the phone up.

  Ending the call on her end, Amelia tossed the phone back onto the table and couldn’t but laugh herself. That call proved that the chances of finding a decent worker was gonna be nothing short of a miracle.

  “Let me guess, pay isn’t enough?”

  She nodded toward her dad and leaned against the counter, blinking back the tears. “Yeah, you guessed it.”

  “How many people have called about it?”

  “Just the one so far. You’d think there’d be more interest since I didn’t put the pay rate in the actual ad.”

  He arched his eyebrow and walked farther into the kitchen. “You just put the ad in yesterday. Today is the first day it has run. Be patient.”

  “It’s all I’ve been doing, dad. We wait much longer and we’re packing our bags.” She felt a tear fall down her cheek and quickly wiped it away before her dad saw. “We need to talk.”

  “Talk about what?”

  Reaching for the note, she held it out to him. “I need details. Judging from the handwritten note, they probably aren’t a real loan company, right?”

  Her father backed away. “No. The guy is a bookie and does some other business. Does a lot of loans and things in the area.”

  “Are you serious? I didn’t even know you knew any bookies. How’d you find him?” Amelia couldn’t believe that this was coming from her father. He had never been one to chance things.

  “Another rancher told me about him. Hell, he helped save his land. I thought it’d work for us too.”

  “A bookie…” Amelia repeated, turning away from him. She was so disgusted and almost lit into him, but Noah came back in the house, stopping her from her outburst.

  “I checked the mail for you.” He held the stack of bills out to her.

  “Thanks honey, you’re such a big help.” She forced a smile, but it quickly faded when she saw another envelope with the same handwriting on the top of the pile. This time it had all three of their names on it –

  To: Russell, Amelia, and Noah – Owners of the Tucker ranch

  It was one thing to involve her and her father, but to put Noah’s name on it infuriated her. He was a kid and was no way involved in the financial side of it all. Running her fingers over it, she felt like she was going to throw up.

  Handing it to her dad, she walked toward the stairs. “I can’t open it. I can’t do this right now.”

  ****

  Nick did what the bartender the night before had suggested. He had scanned the classified section of what she had given him, but also bought a new one. It felt hopeless to think that he was probably going up against so many other people out on their own job searches. He had to wonder what would make him stand out more than someone else when applying for the same job. The only job history he had was the army. How many people would want a man suffering from flashbacks on their payroll? How many people in Austin would need a man whose main skill was defusing bombs and hauling around an M-16 with his battle armor?

  Tossing the paper onto the motel bed, he sat beside it and rubbed the back of his neck. There were several listings for mechanics, but now it required a vo-tech degree at the very least. There were also general handy man jobs that he had circled and would give a try. He had no skills for office work, nor did that appeal to him anyway. He had to be moving and the more he was active, the better it would be.

  Falling back on the bed, he stared up at the ceiling. He hoped it wouldn’t get to the p
oint where he’d have to find out where his sister was. Nick wasn’t even sure if she was still in Texas, and his pride wouldn’t allow for him to admit that he needed her help. If his money completely ran out, he might have to push it aside and let her.

  Taking a deep breath, he rolled over and grabbed the paper again, looking at all of the circles and notes he had put down. Looking it over, he tried hard not to get frustrated. Just as he was about to set the paper down, an ad he didn’t read before popped out at him. It mentioned work on a ranch with room and board available.

  Sitting up, he grabbed the pen and circled it three times. Competitive wags. Work outside. A pang of excitement hit him. With it already being evening, he hoped that the job hadn’t already been filled. It was likely that whoever ran this ad was probably getting calls left and right.

  What was the harm in trying? If it had been filled, all they’d say was no and he’d move on to the next one. It’d be a blow to his confidence, but with the way he was feeling, one more rejection would just be another notch on his belt anyway.

  Reaching for the phone on the nightstand, he cleared his throat and tried to shove his nerves aside. It was a damn phone call. He had to keep reminding himself that the worst thing that could happen was them saying no. He dialed the number, double-checking that he was putting in the right numbers. The other line rang a few times before someone picked up.

  “Hello?” It was a woman and it made Nick’s heart skip a beat.

  “Hi, my name is Nick Miller and I’m calling about the job you put in the paper. Am I talking to the right person?” He stared down at the ad. He was far from chauvinistic, but he wasn’t expecting to hear a woman on the line. It intrigued him.

  “Yes, I’m Amelia Tucker. How can I help you?” She sounded annoyed and he had to wonder if she was that way from all the calls she had gotten about the job.

  “I’m very interested in what you’re offering. I’d like to hear more about it.”

  There was a short pause. “Mr. Miller, I have to warn you about something before you get your hopes up.”

  Here it came. She was going to break the bad news to him. At least he was expecting it. “Yes ma’am.”

  “I can’t pay you much at all. I know that it says competitive wages in the ad, but I had to try to get some attention on it. I don’t want to waste your time if you’re looking for something more.”

  He pointed down at the paper and stood up. So, the job must’ve still been open. “Actually, what caught my eye was the room and board. I really need to find a job, and quick. Are you still thinking of hiring someone?”

  “Yes, I am. Can you meet to talk face to face?” Her mood seemed to change, and her voice seemed more chipper than when she first answered the phone. Was that a good sign?

  “I don’t have a car, ma’am. But you tell me where to meet and I’ll find a way to get there.”

  “Where are you right now?”

  He sat back on the bed and rolled the newspaper up with his free hand. “I’m in South Austin. Been staying at a motel temporarily.”

  “I can meet you there if you’d like. I don’t want you going through the trouble of finding transportation. I’m in a small town outside of Austin and even a cab ride will be really pricey.”

  Nick looked around his motel room. Not exactly the first impression he wanted to give her. “There is a restaurant right down the street on the corner from here. Wanna meet there? It’s called Savannah or something like that.”

  “I know exactly where you’re talking about. It’s already getting sort of late tonight. Can you meet for lunch tomorrow?”

  What was he going to tell her, no? Of course he’d meet her at any time she wanted if it meant he’d get in good and be able to score the job. “Yes ma’am, that is perfect for me.”

  “I’ll see you at noon tomorrow, Mr. Miller.”

  “Yes ma’am.” He hung the phone up and let out a deep sigh. It wasn’t as bad as he had thought. The hard part was finding clothes that would be presentable enough for a job interview. He had a nicer pair of jeans and a button up shirt, but that was it aside from his t-shirts and army issued clothing they had let him keep.

  Shit, a job interview? It hit him hard. He hadn’t had one of those in years. It was only seven pm. With the anticipation Nick was already feeling, tomorrow was going to take forever to get there.

  Chapter Four

  Amelia was taking too long deciding what to wear. What was the problem? It wasn’t like she was the one being interviewed, but just like the person seeking employment, she needed to present herself well if they wanted to give it a second glance. With what little she had to offer, she felt she had to overcompensate. The humidity was making her already wavy hair frizzy and she scrunched it to try to control it. Teasing it a bit more, she took another look in the mirror. Her auburn locks were not cooperating.

  “The worst hair day of the year for me has to come today,” she said to herself as she smoothed another pat of foundation on her forehead. Glancing at the clock, she realized she couldn’t take much longer in the bathroom. There was no telling how bad Austin traffic would be and she didn’t want to be late for this.

  Walking into the living room, she tried to read her dad’s reaction. “You think this black blouse and jeans is okay? I don’t want to seem too uptight and I want this to be casual.”

  “You look great, hon. This guy is probably just as nervous as you are, if not more.”

  She flipped her hair back and grabbed her purse. “I just want something to go in our direction, dad. I know having someone come work here isn’t gonna solve everything instantly, but at least we can try, right?” What a hell of a time to second-guess herself about hiring someone.

  “It’s a good decision. Now, be safe on the road. You better get going.” He pulled her in for a side hug.

  Noah was over at a friend’s house and was one less thing she had to worry about for the time being. Putting her truck into gear, she merged onto the highway and took a deep breath, trying hard to calm herself down. Traffic had been good and she made it into downtown Austin within about twenty minutes. Savannah’s wasn’t that busy for it being lunchtime and that was good. She didn’t want to have to yell over a crowd when getting to know Nick Miller.

  Man, she hoped this wasn’t going to be a waste of time. He sounded serious on the phone and she tried to push back the image she had thought up at the sound of his voice. So manly and smooth, not too deep. What if his looks matched it? Amelia shook her head. This wasn’t a date. She wasn’t looking for a man in that way. How could she be thinking about this right now?

  “Come on, Amelia, get a grip.” Grabbing her bag, she got out of the truck and smoothed her hands down her pants.

  The host stopped her at the door. “Can I help you?”

  “I’m meeting someone here. Nick Miller.”

  “Yes ma’am, he is out on the patio.”

  Oh good, he was already there. It was ten ‘til noon. Another good sign. The host led her out to the back where a man sat a table alone. She thanked the server and forced herself to approach him. The first sight of him caught her off guard. His dark hair was thick and smooth, but spiked out on the edges from the breeze. His tan complexion was beautiful, and not to mention those eyes. They were so green and bright as he looked right at her. She had seen many handsome men, her ex husband included, but no one had ever taken the breath from her like he had at that moment.

  He stood up and pulled a chair out for her. “Hello, ma’am,” he said, his drawl revealing that he was from the area. She sat down and took a second to try and control herself. It didn’t help that he was so attractive to add onto her nerves. Sitting down across from her, he extended his hand for her to shake. “I’m Nick Miller.”

  Returning the favor, she felt his callused palm against hers and was impressed by his firm grip. “Amelia Tucker.”

  “Nice to meet you,” he replied.

  “Same to you. It’s always nice to put a face with a name.”
And damn it, his face was amazing. So rugged, so…” Stop! If she could, she’d slap herself. This was a job interview! She was not here to check him out. Oh, those broad shoulders. And was that a necklace peaking out from beneath his collar? The silver chain stuck out against his brown skin. Such a simple thing that was so sexy.

  She reached for the glass of ice water in front of her and drank it down, hoping it would extinguish the attraction she was feeling. “So, how long have you been in Austin?” she asked, attempting to break the ice. Had he noticed how flustered she was?

  “A few days. I came back after being gone for several years.”

  “Oh? Where were you before?” She felt nosey, but she needed to know these things, as it was part of the interview.

  Nick hesitated. Crap, was he in jail? “I was in the army. Got honorably discharged against my will. Here I am.”

  The waitress came by but they both declined any food. “Against your will? You didn’t want to get out?”

  He shook his head. “No. I wanted to retire with the military. The budget cuts hit my brigade hard and I was one of the men they cut loose.”

  Amelia wasn’t sure if he wanted to say more, but she could tell it was a sore spot with him. She didn’t want to press the matter, but asked, “How many years were you in?”

  He sipped on his own water. “About fifteen years. Made it up to Sergeant.”

  “That’s very respectable, Mr. Miller.”

  He held his hand up and shook his head. “Call me Nick, Ms. Tucker.”

  “And you can call me Amelia, Nick.” She was pulled in by the mystery of the man. Maybe that wasn’t good. She needed him to be an open book if she was going to have him living on her ranch and being around her son, but there was also something about him that made her comfortable, even if she had only known him for about five minutes. She’d have liked to think she was a good judge of character, but then again, her ex husband turned out to be a strike against her.