A Far Cry from Home

by Peri Elizabeth Scott

  The emotional onslaught was taking its toll, but one thing was clear. She needed to leave and put some distance between her and her childhood home. A clean break was imperative because even knowing it was the right thing to do, seeing it bulldozed and the grounds carved up would hurt. “It’ll take me a few days to drive there, but I’ll stay in touch, okay?”

  “You’ll be welcome. Are you bringing that beast of a cat?”

  “Is it all right?” If Oscar couldn’t come…

  “Certainly. But there are coyotes around the ranch, and we have a thriving barn cat population, so be prepared.”

  Believing that Oscar would carve out his niche without any problem, she thanked her honorary aunt and ducked her head in relief. She and Oscar had a home to go to, and that was half the battle. Her car wasn’t the latest model, but Maddox had insisted that it be serviced and fitted with new tires, so it would get her there, something else she owed him.

  A stop at the bank in the morning to clean out her insignificant savings was on the agenda and she figured she had enough for gas and meals. Maybe a couple of inexpensive hotels. If not, she’d sleep in the car. Oscar was the perfect deterrent to anyone looking to bother her.

  Deciding to finish loading the vehicle that night instead of trying to avoid notice the next morning in the event Maddox came home—she was definitely going to avoid him, period—she hauled her cases outside, still wearing her robe, shoving her feet into her boots. The cat accompanied her, and she gently discouraged him from jumping into the interior.

  “You’ll be inside for long enough, come tomorrow, animal.”

  She slammed the door, disconcerted at the dearth of her possessions, but stuff really did mean very little, she’d discovered. With one last, long glance around the yard, her gaze following the long sweep of lawn, interspersed with flower beds and clumps of century-old trees, down to the meandering creek, she headed back inside. Her belly clenched with anticipation if her heart hurt from the loss.

  Oscar didn’t follow her to her room, and she suspected that he’d have one last night with Maddox if he came home. A miserable grin twisted her lips. She hadn’t managed one. She’d been frustrated, and not a little embarrassed but was totally grateful, now. What if she’d made some kind of move…? Well, absolute mortification might have been too much to bear.

  She berated herself even as she read her latest book—a sci-fi, and not a historical romance, thank goodness—telling herself she’d never be so stupid again. Her experience with the opposite sex before Maddox came along hadn’t prepared her very much, but she’d learned this lesson well.

  She’d come to like him, too, once she got past the fact her future was in his hands, and look how that turned out. Both she and Oscar had been tricked. The cat would no doubt miss him, but he’d adapt. And enough of the mind-wracking.

  She read until the shadows crept about the room and her eyes grew dry and strained from trying to make sense of the written word while her thoughts continued to churn off in different directions. Maddox didn’t come back, not that she cared what he did, it was merely a habit of hers to listen for the last person home. And she certainly didn’t torment herself with visions of him and Karen. In the end, she flicked off the light and resolutely sought sleep. The following day would be the first day of the rest of her new life.

  Chapter Six

  “Oscar. For Pete’s sake. Oscar!” The stupid cat had cadged an enormous breakfast out of her, despite her resolution the previous evening, and then taken himself outside. She needed to load him up and get a move on to make the bank before her appointment with Margo. She was burning daylight as it was.

  Maddox’s fancy car was parked beside hers, though she hadn’t heard him come home. Home. What a misnomer. A ranch in Montana would be her next so-called home and then, who knew? “Oscar!”

  “He’s probably on patrol.”

  She squeaked and spun, clasping her purse to her belly, striving not to stare at Maddox’s very naked chest above a low-slung pair of pajama pants. She most assuredly didn’t look any lower than his pectorals or the smattering of hair between them. Didn’t allow her eyes to trace the faint pattern of down that disappeared behind the waistband of those pants. Or the corded abdomen with that tantalizing V…

  His lips twitched into a smile as he caught her looking and her breath hitched. What was wrong with her? Would she never learn? But then she’d only been able to admire his physique over clothing before, not counting her fertile imagination. Turning away to face the trees, she called for the cat again.

  “Are you taking him somewhere?”

  “The vet,” she lied.

  “Then, no wonder. He’s figured it out.”

  “He doesn’t mind the vet. Oscar!”

  “Do you have time to take him today?” Maddox gestured around the yard—she could see him from the corner of her eye, all that bronzed flesh on display. “I thought you had a considerable amount to do, seeing as you have guests coming?”

  “It’s taken care of.”

  “Oh, I see.” It was clear he didn’t, and she wished he’d quit talking.

  “Oscar!” The Falls likely heard her shout.

  “Maybe you can reschedule.” He scratched his chest, the sound of crisp hair beneath his fingertips drawing her attention.

  His gaze lingered on hers and she intuited he was going to say something to draw her into a conversation she didn’t want to have. “It’s fine.” She knew she was being short with him, even considering their more recent cooling off, and both his brows rose. “Oscar!”

  The big silhouette hove into view from under a button bush and golden eyes considered her.

  “Car ride?”

  Maddox guffawed when the cat picked up speed and launched himself through the open driver’s door to sit regally on the passenger seat. “Does he wear a seatbelt?”

  “He does.” She went around and leaned in through the open window to secure the harness around Oscar, hoping Maddox’s bare feet—large, stupidly attractive feet—would preclude him from walking over on the gravel. And seeing her luggage and the carrier. She didn’t owe him an explanation. It was enough that he was getting his way. Her belly cramped at the thought and she blamed it on being empty.

  She had eschewed both breakfast and coffee in order to slip out without waking him, seeing his door closed as she crept downstairs, ignoring the relief he had made it back. Hollering for the cat in a loud whisper had likely foiled her plan.

  But she simply couldn’t face him with a final goodbye—and a vindictive part of her really wanted him to be surprised when he got the news from Margo. See how he liked having to move out of his digs in a hurry, although he had the closing date all wrapped up for his convenience, too.

  Climbing into the car, she nodded to him. “See you.”

  He lifted a hand, a speculative look on his face. “Later.”

  She drove away at a sedate pace, risking a glance in the rearview. The man she’d fallen for—in some fashion or another—stood watching until she rounded the curve, at least until she couldn’t see him anymore. Breathing a sigh of relief, she powered toward town with an anxious glance at the clock.

  Deciding not to close her bank account, knowing the ensuing gossip would slow her down, she elected to withdraw the few hundred dollars she had to her name and leave a tiny balance. She chatted desultorily with the clerk. She and Sandra had gone to school together, and the other woman had her ear to the grapevine as usual.

  “That’s a good-looking man you’re sharing The Inn with.”

  “It’s his inn too, so I suppose he has the right to live there. I’d like to withdraw five hundred and twenty dollars.” A balance of five thirty-seven mocked her.

  “Doesn’t hurt that he’s not hard on the eyes.”

  “He’s my cousin.” She signed the withdrawal slip and wished she’d used the ATM, except the limit was less than her funds by twenty dollars, and wasn’t it sad she needed even that tiny amount?

  “Ki
ssing cousin. And even then, it doesn’t count because you’re adopted.” Sandra counted out the hundreds in twenties and tens, topping the small pile with a couple of fives. “Good thing too, seeing as you can’t be … involved with your first cousin in Vermont.”

  She gave Regan a look that saw through all her defenses. People talked and made assumptions, and as she’d worried, some had recognized her entrancement with Maddox. Good thing she hadn’t known about the first cousin thing in Vermont. She felt weird enough as it was.

  “Uh, I better get going.” She tucked the money into her wallet and made her escape, refusing to let Sandra get to her or give out any additional information. As it was, the other woman would probably see her head over to Margo’s and the grapevine would be on fire.

  Banks were supposed to respect their client’s confidentiality but she bet everyone knew how much money she had in there, the amount and terms of her loan, and what she had for bills. They’d certainly known Maddox owned half of The Inn and there’d be speculation about why he bothered—if she was the sweetener in the pot. Ha. Small, freaking towns…

  Oscar, released from his harness, was sprawled along the dash, garnering attention from passersby, all of whom seemed to know better than to reach in through the open window. She spoke to him. “I’ll be back soon. Be good.”

  Certain that people were rolling their eyes at her conversation with a cat, and not giving a particular rip, she crossed the street to the realty office and Margo rushed to greet her. Dollar signs were probably dancing in the other woman’s head.

  “Come in and sit down. Here, I’ll get you a coffee. Cream and sugar, right?”

  The sound of a single serve machine hissed and gurgled to match the noises from Regan’s belly. Coffee was most welcome, and she’d pick up another cup and a muffin at Sally’s Bakery on the way out of town, saying goodbye to the kind, older woman. She preferred tea but had taken to drinking a lot of caffeine of late to keep her going. That, too, could change in the future.

  “The documents are there,” Margo said. “Two separate piles.”

  “I just want to review the one that included the environmental piece.”

  “Oh, sure.” Margo pointed to it.

  Regan skimmed the basic information. She didn’t care who the purchaser was and only wanted an idea of what she’d have to live on while she went to school. Lord knew she wasn’t afraid of hard work and would be helping Gloria in the horse barns, but tuition and books were expensive. And Oscar had the canned food tastes of royalty.

  The amount noted on the documents took her breath away, and she blinked.

  “That’s before my commission, before the closest estimate to what’s owed to the bank. Maddox supplied the information.” Margo pointed out an unfortunately large amount owing. “And then fifty percent of the total, of course.” The other woman made some quick penciled deductions and displayed the correct numbers.

  She nodded her understanding at Margo, marveling at the money remaining and coming her way. It would be a drop in the bucket for someone like Maddox, but the several thousand dollars would be a nice nest egg for her. She hoped her father understood. “Is there anything else I should know?”

  “It’s pretty straightforward, Regan. Maddox is an excellent negotiator and that’s the best possible deal. The other is a little higher but without giving a nod to the environmental issues.”

  “Do you have a lawyer here?”

  “Uh, no. But a team has already gone through—”

  “That’s okay,” she interrupted. “Can I have some paper?”

  Margo passed her a lined piece of foolscap, and she thought for a moment before dating it and scrawling her wishes, and then signing her name. “Witness this, will you? And make me a copy?”

  Clearly torn between wanting to look professional—there was no need for Margo to read what Regan had written, merely observe her signature—the older woman signed on the line denoting her as a witness.

  “When the offer goes to the lawyer for dispersing the money, have him get all the receipts from Maddox for the amount he … bankrolled me for updates.” All those unnecessary updates. “Deduct it from my share, okay?” She sincerely hoped she had the number right in her head. Thank goodness she hadn’t spent but half of what he’d offered.

  “It’s a shame all that work got done but better you made your decision before even more happened.”

  “I did that work, Margo. On Maddox’s dime.”

  “Right. He said. I wasn’t surprised, knowing how you are. But I’m pretty sure he reckoned that into the price, honey.”

  “Maybe so, maybe not. And there will be the utility bills, too.” The taxes were figured into the mortgage, thank goodness. “Ask him to take care of them and then reimburse him.”

  After an uncertain glance, Margo firmed her lips. “I thought…”

  Regan waited, but clearly, the agent decided against sharing her thoughts. “Is that okay, Margo?”

  “Of course. If that’s what you want.”

  “That’s what I want.”

  “I suppose you don’t want to argue with him about dollars and cents and payback. Kind of spring it on him so he can’t fight you on it.”

  “Something like that,” Regan said. If her math was correct, she wouldn’t owe Maddox a damn thing.

  “I’ll take care of it, although I don’t like going behind his back.” The buzzer on the door went off as the agent replied, a harsh accompaniment to her words.

  “You went behind mine,” Regan reminded her.

  Margo flushed and when the color drained from her face, it left behind faint mottled patches. “I know. But Maddox assured me it was for the best. That you—”

  “I’ll take care of my own explanations, Margo,” a whiskey-smooth voice cut in.

  Regan blessed the fact her back was to him and he was intent on Margo. She always reacted when he was in proximity and hated the way her body continued to betray her. She folded the paper with her final decree and passed it over to the real estate agent. Margo took it and stared at it as though she wasn’t quite certain what it was.

  When she thought she could face him and keep her features composed, Regan turned and looked up at Maddox. He’d changed into a blue button-down shirt, untucked over jeans, the cuffs rolled up on his muscled forearms. The casual look was good on him. Not that she noticed with anything other than an objective eye.

  Hair still damp from the shower, he exuded the scent she’d become so familiar with over the past weeks. He was one large package of mouthwatering male and she wished she could punch him in the face.

  “The vet?”

  She lifted a shoulder and saw his beautiful mouth set in annoyance. She guessed it was okay for him to lie and mislead, but not for others. Margo twitched her stare between them.

  “How did you find out about the buyers?” he asked.

  Margo gasped. “I told her. She called me. I thought she knew.”

  She hurried to take Margo off the hook. Maddox had roped the other woman in as easily as he’d done her, after all, both of them motivated by money. “I did call. I had an epiphany. Something I won’t bore you with, but I accepted there was no way I could make The Inn viable. I called to ask Margo to list it and she … inadvertently spilled the beans.”

  Something flashed in his eyes. Admiration, chased by something like disappointment? But what did she know about accurately reading this man? Fool me once…

  “You didn’t think to discuss your … epiphany with me?”

  She let her upper lip curl as an answer and he had the grace to look away before fixing her with a look, his features solemn and dark eyes reflecting apparent sincerity.

  “Regan, I planned to talk with you today, seeing as you were too tired last night. We set a time, remember?” His tone was still measured but there was a certain flavor to it. Almost as though he was worried.

  “And you were … otherwise occupied last night.” Shit. Where had that come from? Why was she even going there
?

  His brows drew together. “I had business upstate. A board meeting. I got in not long before you went out to look for the cat.”

  Right. Okay. And the misleading kept right on happening, not that what he and Karen got up to was any of her business. “It doesn’t matter. It’s done. It’s what you wanted from the beginning.”

  He let out an exasperated huff. “That’s not quite accurate.” He gestured around the office. “Can we take this someplace private?”

  Margo made a sound and backed up. “There’s the boardroom.”

  Regan waved her off. “No need for talking, Maddox. Done deal, as they say in business. I have to go.”

  “Regan.” His tone was almost enough to make her stop in place. Almost. But those days when she’d want to do anything to please him were past.

  She inclined her head at Margo. “Thanks.”

  When she reached the door, she made herself look at him. “It was … interesting to meet you, Maddox.” She almost wished she could send her regards to his mother and sister, squashing that stupid desire for a family.

  “Where are you going?”

  She smiled, certain it looked as brittle as her poise and transferred her stare to Margo. “I’ll text you my address, Margo. If you wouldn’t mind sharing it with the lawyer.”

  Her feet carried her past him and out the door, skimming across the pavement to her vehicle. She had her hand on the car door handle when he caught up with her. “What are you doing, Regan?”

  There were people on the street. People she’d known a long time. She really didn’t want to do this with him and draw their attention. Why had he followed her? He’d won, if not fair and square, so why bother? He no longer had to hang around the little town and bore himself at The Inn.

  “I’m leaving The Falls, obviously. A thirty-day closing hardly makes it worth my while to stay around. And it’s not like I should be doing anything more to improve the place.”