Cowboy Six Pack

by Kari Lynn Dell

  “Did you mention Paul?” She didn’t want Marcella to worry about her.

  “No. I said given how many clients I’m getting, I could use your services now. She said, she could call in someone who works when you go to shows with her until she could find a replacement.” He watched her. “She said you could stay in the apartment until she found someone else.”

  “I didn’t say I’d work for you.” Her stomach churned. She had a feeling being his assistant meant writing and reading. The stable job required little of that. As much as she’d love to work with him and help animals, she knew her reading skills would make her a detriment rather than an asset.

  “Until Paul is dealt with, I don’t think you have a choice. Here you would be with me all day. At the stables… how much of your work is done with no one around?”

  He had a point. Half of the day was spent just her and the horses. The riding clients took their own horses out of the stalls and prepared them to ride. She dealt with the horses Marcella trained and her own stock. Which left her alone much of the time.

  “What about at night? When I’m at the apartment? I’ll be alone then.” She pulled her hand from his. It was easier to argue and demand answers when he wasn’t touching her. His concerned gaze was hard enough to ignore.

  “I can take you to the apartment at night and pick you up in the morning. Don’t go out or open the door for anyone. In the meantime, I’ll get an apartment built out in the barn for you, since you object to living in here with me.”

  She studied him. Could she live in the house with him, like a roommate, and not have the heated thoughts that had run through her dreams during the night? “I like the apartment idea. But how would you know if Paul came to the barn or not?”

  “I have expensive equipment and medicines that are worth a fortune on the black market in that building. There are alarms on all the doors and windows. Not only would I know if someone enters, so would the county police.”

  “I’d be locked in the barn every night?” The thought he could monitor her actions didn’t set well. She was used to accounting to no one.

  “Not locked in. You’d have the code to bypass the system when you wanted to go in and out.”

  “What kind of code?”

  “Numbers.”

  Numbers. She could deal with those as long as they weren’t in a long line.

  He moved to the kitchen. “Let’s get breakfast and go talk to Barry. He said to come by the house since it’s Sunday.”

  She lagged as he pulled items out of the refrigerator. Going to the lawyer’s home was better than being seen walking into his office. But still, it was a relative of Zach’s. What would he or Zach’s sister think?

  Zach worked in the kitchen making scrambled eggs and wondering what was going through Kitty’s pretty head. He could tell she was rerunning their conversation. She stared out the kitchen window, sitting still as could be.

  He hoped she took him up on his offer. It was the best way to keep her safe. He’d told Marcella about Paul so the woman could keep an eye out for strangers. The short time he’d known Kitty, he had the good sense not to tell her and to ask Marcella to keep quiet about knowing.

  With Barry willing to talk to them today, if they needed to go to the police they could get all of this taken care of today and not cut into his first surgery on Monday. He glanced over at the woman taking up all of his thoughts. He didn’t like the way her brow wrinkled.

  “The silverware is in that drawer there,” he said, pointing to the drawer in the small kitchen island. He slid the eggs onto two plates and popped the bread up out of the toaster, placing a slice on each plate.

  She opened the drawer and plucked utensils out, placing them by the plates on the island.

  “Coffee?” he asked, making himself a cup.

  “Please.”

  He placed the cups by the plates and sat.

  Kitty stood beside the other stool as if she couldn’t decide whether to sit or not.

  He patted the stool. “Sit.”

  She remained standing, chewing on her bottom lip.

  “What’s wrong?” He spun his stool to face her.

  “I don’t like that so many people are making so many decisions for me.” Her crossed arms didn’t bode well.

  “I’m the only one that has made decisions for you. It’s based on keeping you safe.”

  She shook her head. “No, you pulled in Marcella and your brother-in-law. I’ve made good decisions on my own. I don’t understand why you are butting in.”

  Laughing wouldn’t disarm her anger. She’d been ready to run away last night. That didn’t speak of a very grown-up move or one that proved she could make good decisions, but as hard as it was to not point that out, he held his tongue.

  “I’m only butting in, as you call it, to keep you here where people care what happens to you.”

  A puzzled expression replaced the anger. She studied him. “That’s what I don’t understand. You keep talking about people who care. Why would anyone care about me? I stay to myself. I don’t want friends. No one would care one way or the other if I disappeared.”

  The matter-of-fact way she talked about herself as if she didn’t matter tore at his need to help the wounded and alone. “Everyone who has ever met you would care.”

  She shook her head. “You told Marcella I’d be working for you, and she’s already got a plan in motion to replace me. I am replaceable. Take a kid out and put another one in. No attachments, no regrets.”

  He grasped her hand, tugging her next to his stool. Sitting as he was, she was a few inches taller. “You are not replaceable, like a broken sprocket on a bike. Mr. Fullman would miss you if you didn’t buy your gas there. The women at the thrift store would miss you. The people who go to the Sidewinder on Thursday nights to hear you sing would miss you. And most of all, I would miss you.” He looped his arms around her, holding her loosely in the circle.

  “I like Mr. Fullman and the women at the thrift store. They don’t judge me for liking to keep to myself.” She thought a minute. “People really come to the Sidewinder to hear me sing?”

  “That’s what my sister, Julie, said. That most of the people there on Thursday come to hear you sing.” He kissed her cheek. “I believe it. After you ran out of there the other night, half the people left.”

  “Really?” Her eyes sparkled.

  He’d hit on something that could help keep her here. “I know you don’t like to think people care, but those people go to the bar to help ease the work week by listening to you sing.”

  “I like to sing.” She frowned. “It’s one of the few things I’m good at.”

  “Oh, I can think of several other things you’re good at.” He eased her onto the stool. “You handled yourself well last night assisting me. You are good with animals.”

  She picked up the fork and stuck it in her eggs.

  “You’re very good at kissing.”

  The fork clattered onto her plate and she stared at him. “Really?”

  “Yes.” He sipped his coffee and watched her expressions change from surprised, to pleased, to perplexed.

  “How do you judge a good kisser?” She picked her fork back up and watched him.

  “By the way your lips mesh and how the kiss affects your body.” He studied her over the cup. “I take it you haven’t kissed many men?”

  Her eyes turned stormy. “Not because I wanted to.”

  This reply angered him. What had she experienced while in the state’s care? First, she had to run away from a foster home because of another teen in the house, and now, she’d revealed she’d been forced to kiss men she didn’t want to.

  “Did a man force himself on you?” His mind went to what he was sure the lunatic stalking her wanted to do to her.

  “I tried to date a couple of times. They seemed nice until they bought me dinner. Then they thought they could touch me and stick their tongues down my throat.” She picked up her cup of coffee and drank as if she were wash
ing away the taste of the men.

  “Is that why you were reluctant to go out to dinner with me?” He hoped she hadn’t thought he would be that brazen. Though he had kissed her several times this morning. But in his defense, she’d kissed him back and not acted like it was a hardship.

  She blushed. “At first. Then I thought about how mature you are and so business-like. I figured you’d be a gentleman.” She ducked her head. “And I figured if you’d gone to school as long as it took to be a vet, you had to have patience.”

  This time he did laugh. “Patience. That’s something my family wouldn’t say I possess. I thank you for thinking that of me.”

  She studied him. “It takes years to become an animal doctor. How did you stand all that time reading and writing?”

  He liked where this conversation was going. He’d wondered how to broach the topic of her getting her GED again. “I wanted to become a veterinarian since I was in grade school. I knew going in it would be hard work and take eight years after I finished high school. But it was my passion.” He studied her. “What is your passion?”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Kitty squirmed on the stool. Passion. Her passion was to be independent. To own her own business. But that would never happen.

  “Hey, you have to have something that you want more than anything else.”

  She stared into his eyes and saw the compassion that had helped her through her insecurities that first night at the Sidewinder. Would he understand and not think her as dim-witted as others did?

  Winnie barked at the door. She slid off the stool and let the animal in. “I bet you want to eat.” She scratched the top of the dog’s head.

  “Do you have dog food?” Zach asked, watching her closely.

  “Yes. In the back of the pickup. I’ll go get it.”

  He stood and crossed the kitchen, grasping her arm. “Sit and eat. I’ll get it.”

  “I saw Paul drive off. I can walk out and get my dog her food.” There he went ruining things by being bossy.

  “I’ve finished my eggs, you haven’t. Eat.” He hurried out the door before she could object.

  “Bossy man,” she said to Winnie, and plopped down on the stool to finish off her eggs and toast. She glanced over at the other plate. It was empty. When had he eaten? It seemed like all he did was talk. She had to admit the meals she’d shared with him had been enjoyable. More so than staring into space or talking to Winnie.

  The front door banged open. Zach stepped through, carrying the dog food and Winnie’s bowls. The dog jumped on him, barking.

  “Down!” she ordered. Winnie slapped her butt down and waited.

  Kitty put two cups of food into the bowl and set it on the floor. “Come.”

  Winnie trotted over to the bowl and started gulping the kibble as if she hadn’t eaten in days.

  “Whoa! You want to get sick?” Kitty patted the dog’s back before picking up the dishes on the counter and placing them in the empty sink.

  “When did you do the dishes?” she asked, remembering they hadn’t cleaned up from dinner before heading to take care of the cow.

  “When you were in the shower.” Zach refilled his cup.

  She rolled up her sleeves and started washing the breakfast dishes.

  “I have a dishwasher. Just put them in here.” He lowered a white door in the counter.

  “I’ve been washing dishes like this my whole life. I don’t mind it.” She thought back to all the homes she’d lived in. She had been the one always put in charge of dishes while everyone else did their homework. Once the adults figured out she couldn’t read, they didn’t push her to do her schoolwork.

  In no time, she had the dishes washed, dried, and put away. The kitchen was much larger than her apartment cupboard and hotplate, but it wasn’t that big. It was just the right size for her to work efficiently.

  “You ready?” Zach asked, standing by the front door.

  She inhaled deeply and stilled her racing heart. He was right. She couldn’t keep running from Paul. She’d built a life in Opal Springs and didn’t want to leave. “No, but we need to find out what I can do.”

  Zach locked the door as they exited. Then he clipped Winnie to the leash in the back of his blue truck.

  Kitty slid into the passenger side and twisted her fingers together. This was the hardest thing she’d ever had to do.

  The truck started. Zach reached across the seat, placing his hand on her twined fingers. “It’s okay. Barry will answer our questions and give us a plan of action.”

  “I hope so. I have to confess, I didn’t really want to leave. But I couldn’t see any other way.” She studied his face as he drove out onto the county road. “I’m glad you liked the same song as me.”

  He glanced her way and his whole face lit up in a grin. “Me too.”

  They talked about the flowers popping up everywhere as they drove. She wasn’t surprised when he headed to the more affluent side of town. She would have expected a lawyer to live here.

  Zach parked the truck at the curb of a two-story, newer-looking house with a beautiful lawn.

  “Wow! This yard is even nicer than the grounds at the stable, and Marcella is a stickler for it looking good.” She slid out of the vehicle and joined Zach at the front of the truck.

  “Come on. The place may look impressive, but Julie and Barry are down to earth.” He took her hand and led her up the sidewalk to the wide, impressive, wood front door.

  Before he raised his hand to rap, the door opened. A woman about her age with hair the same color as Zach and the same friendly eyes, stood in the opening.

  “Welcome! I was beginning to think you’d changed your mind,” she said, ushering them into the house.

  Kitty stared at the colored walls, large framed pictures, and massive furniture in the living room.

  “I’m Julie, Zach’s sister.” The woman held her hand out.

  Kitty shook hands. “Kitty Baxter.”

  “I know. I love listening to you sing.”

  Kitty glanced at Zach, he tipped his head toward his sister and his eyes seem to say, “I told you.”

  “Thank you. I do it for fun.”

  Julie ushered them into the living room and planted Kitty and Zach on the couch while she sat in a chair. “How did you two meet other than singing together?” The woman’s gaze bounced back and forth between them.

  Zach took over the conversation, explaining his call to the stables and their two dinners and emergency cesarean.

  Kitty scanned the room and stiffened at a photo of Zach’s sister and one of the men who had expected she put out after dinner when she was twenty. Now she remembered him saying he was studying to become a lawyer. She shot to her feet as the man walked into the room.

  They locked gazes, and she felt his disdain from across the room.

  Zach shot a glance to his kid sister. When Barry had talked about Kitty at the bar, he’d been less than flattering. That’s why he hadn’t told the lawyer who he was bringing over. But the loathing on his brother-in-law’s face and the panic on Kitty’s face said there was something between them.

  Julie picked up on it as well. She stood, facing her husband. “What is going on here? Why are you staring daggers at Kitty?”

  Barry grasped his wife’s hand and led her out of the room.

  Zach pulled Kitty back down onto the couch. “What’s up with Barry and you?”

  She turned sad eyes toward him. “I don’t think he’s going to help me.”

  “What’s your history?” He was worried about the woman beside him and his kid sister in the other room.

  “Remember I said I didn’t date because I’d run into men who wanted something after buying me a meal.” She tipped her head the direction Barry and Julie had gone. “He was one of them. In fact, he was the last one.” She peered into his eyes. “I’m sure he’s more mature now and is a wonderful husband for your sister. But seeing him, all I remembered was his hands all over me and his mouth…” She shuddered
and tried to stand.

  Zach held her hand, keeping her on the couch. “You think he won’t want to help you because he was a horny kid and you rebuffed him?”

  “Does rebuff mean kneeing him in his balls?”

  He couldn’t stop the laughter that exploded from his chest. Kitty stared at him like he was crazy, but he didn’t care. There had been a time or two he was pretty sure his sister wanted to do the same thing to her husband.

  Julie and Barry walked through the door, and Zach lost it again. Tears blurred his vision, but the daggers in his brother-in-law’s eyes said he knew what Zach was laughing about.

  To his sister’s credit, she sat back down and motioned for Barry to take the chair closest to the couch. He sat and continued to glare at Zach.

  “Barry told me how you two know one another.” Julie smiled at Kitty. “We all dated other people before finding the right person.” Her gaze landed on Zach.

  That sobered him up. Was his sister matchmaking him and Kitty?

  “And while Barry still holds a grudge because you damaged his family jewels, I’m sure he had it coming.”

  Kitty’s eyes widened in surprise. “I’d understand if he doesn’t want to help me.”

  “No. He’s going to listen to your problem and let you know the best course of action.” Julie stood. “I’ll go throw some things together for lunch while you all talk.” She disappeared through the door.

  Zach had never been prouder of his sister. He turned his attention to Barry. “I told you on the phone Kitty has a stalker. Someone from her past has found her and is harassing her.”

  Barry nodded and set his gaze on Kitty. “How do you know him from your past?”

  She relayed to Barry what she’d told Zach earlier. “I haven’t seen him for thirteen years until the other night in the Sidewinder.”

  “Was he the one calling out your name?” Barry asked.

  “Yes. I tried to block him out. I wondered what he was doing in Opal Springs, but didn’t think about it until he came into the thrift store shouting and threatening me.” She shivered and Zach put a hand on her shoulder, giving her whatever support she needed.