He leaned back against the cushions and prayed for patience. “I’m happy to help you, but you’re the only one who can decide what it is you need to be happy. That’s why I invited you here to the ranch, so you could think about your future in a fresh environment and make some decisions.”
“I’m thankful, really, but this is hard for me. I don’t have anyone to rely on but you.”
“Your dad was at Josie’s service. Maybe if you talked to him—”
“No.” Her voice cracked. “He wanted to pull the plug on his own daughter. What kind of father would do that?”
Blake held back a barrage of words he wouldn’t be able to unsay once released. “I don’t intend to debate the choices your mother made for your sister’s care. Or criticize your father for his feelings. Josie’s gone now, and you might be happier if you mend fences with your dad.”
Her lips twisted. “If you want to thrust me off on him just so you can ease your conscience, maybe I should leave right now.”
Anger simmered, and he forced down the urge to snap back at her. “I don’t have a problem with my conscience.”
Pris burst into tears and hid her face in her hands. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I said that.” Letting out a long, shaky breath, she wiped her cheeks. “I didn’t mean it. I know you don’t owe me anything. It’s not your fault I’m a total basket case, but after what I’ve been through, can you blame me for not having my act together? Still, I’ve been trying.”
His gaze strayed toward the window as night settled across the prairie. Guilt ate at him, but he was through enabling Pris, at least emotionally. “Over the last couple of weeks, you’ve had some time to think, to come up with a plan. If you want to go to college, I’ll pay your tuition.”
He turned back abruptly to face her and caught a flash of anger in her eyes.
“I appreciate the offer, but I don’t need your money. I’ll go home and find a job, make an effort to date more.” She fisted her hands on the table. “Men do find me attractive, you know. I’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure you want to stay in Blue Valley? Honestly, I think a change of scenery would do wonders for your…your…”
“What, my mental health?” She straightened, and the glimmer of desperation in her gaze faded. “Despite my outburst, I’m not going to do anything stupid. Maybe there are a lot of painful memories mixed with the good ones waiting for me at home, but I take comfort in the familiar. I’ve no desire to go chasing after something new and different.”
“The offer stands if you change your mind.”
She nodded then slid away from the table to stand. “I’ll get out of your hair, now. And I think I’ll head home tomorrow. Staying here longer isn’t going to accomplish anything. My mind is already made up.”
“If that’s what you want.” He forced a smile. “I’ll see you in the morning, then.”
“Probably not. I intend to get an early start.”
The misery clear on her face tugged at his heart. He stood and pulled her in for a brief hug. “Don’t hesitate to reach out if you need help, Pris. I’ll always be just a phone call away.”
When he released her, she gazed up at him with solemn eyes. “Same goes for you if you ever want a change of pace from your celebrity lifestyle. We have a shared past, a link that’s stronger than any casual relationship. Don’t forget that.”
“I won’t.” He took a step back. “Have a safe trip home.”
“I will.” She opened the door, then glanced back and gave him a hesitant smile. “Good night, Blake.”
* * * *
Eden scooped the cards into a stack and shook her head. “I give up. You’re killing me tonight.”
Her grandpa’s shaggy brows lowered. “That’s because you aren’t focusing. Is something on your mind?”
She let out a sigh. “Have you ever set out on a path you know will only lead to sorrow, but still couldn’t stop yourself from taking the journey?”
“I’ve made my fair share of mistakes in the past, but this isn’t about me.” He pulled the four colored pegs from the holes and slid them into the compartment on the bottom of the cribbage board. “I imagine this is about you and Blake Benedict.”
“Are my feelings for him that obvious?”
Her grandpa tucked the cards back into their box then reached for her hand to squeeze it. “You light up every time that man walks by. Kind of surprised me when I first noticed. He’s not the sort of man you usually date.”
“No, he isn’t. Maybe that’s the attraction…and the problem.”
“I’ve spoken to Blake a few times. He’s not self-important or arrogant the way you’d think a man with his wealth and fame would be. I like him, and he could do a whole lot worse than to court my best girl.”
She grinned. “Darn right he could do worse. To use a word from your generation, I think he’s smitten with me.” Her smile faded. “But, to what end?”
“What end would you like?” When Vic strolled across the floor and jumped onto her grandpa’s lap, he settled the cat more comfortably then gently stroked his furry back.
Eden met the huge feline’s slit-eyed gaze as his rumbling purr filled the cabin. “Not a quick fling, that’s for sure.”
“Seems like Blake has more respect for you than to suggest such a thing.”
“He does.” A sigh slipped out. “I’m not much interested in a long distance romance where we only see each other every couple of months when he’s between jobs. That sort of arrangement almost ended Sawyer and Devin’s relationship.”
Her grandpa paused in his stroking, and Vic growled low in his throat. “I agree the situation isn’t ideal, but you and your brother have different temperaments. If you wanted to settle down with a man who’d be underfoot all the time, you wouldn’t keep pushing Zane away. I know for a fact part of the reason you love the ranch so much is because you never feel hemmed in.”
“True. I do enjoy my me time, hanging out with just my horses.”
“So maybe taking up with a man who has his own obligations wouldn’t be all bad.” He lifted one gnarled hand off the cat to pat her arm. “Obviously there’d have to be plenty of give and take, but don’t assume you can’t work out a compromise simply because it won’t be easy.”
She made a face. “He lives in L.A., Grandpa. Ugh. Can you imagine anything worse?”
“Maybe not, but his work seems to take him to some interesting places.”
“You make a good point.” She met his shrewd gray gaze. “So you think I should at least try?”
“That’s your choice, but I like seeing you happy. Since you’ve taken up with Blake, you smile a whole lot more than you used to.”
“He wants me to go back with him when he leaves this weekend.” Her lips curved in a brief smile. “Actually he lives in Malibu, not Los Angeles, in a beach house.”
“A few months back, weren’t you talking about taking a tropical vacation?”
“I was, wasn’t I? Maybe I should just look at this trip as a holiday, and not get all crazy, worrying about what happens next. Just take it one day at a time.”
“Sounds like a solid plan.”
“Dad wants to move a couple hundred head of cattle north to the summer grazing pastures. I promised to help with the drive.”
“Your mom mentioned something the other day about going along, just for fun. If she does, they’ll manage well enough without you.”
“Mom’s a veteran of the range, probably a better hand than either Jack or Roman. They definitely wouldn’t miss me.” Eden pushed back her chair and stood. “I’ll talk to her about it.”
“You’re leaving?”
She nodded and laid a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t get up. You wouldn’t want to disturb Vic. He might bite you.”
Her grandpa grinned. “Wouldn’t be the first time. Good night, Eden.”
“Good night, Gramps, and thanks for the talk.”
“You bet.”
Stepping outside, she closed the door behind her and gazed up at the brilliant night sky. Would the stars be half this bright in Southern California where they had to compete with the light pollution from millions of people? Probably not, but at least she wouldn’t be stargazing alone. One thing was certain, together, she and Blake had the chemistry to light up the sky…and then some.
Chapter 15
Blake stepped into the shower and stood for a moment beneath the spray. His conscience plagued him despite his boast to Pris that he had no reason to feel guilty. Turning off that protective big brother role he’d played around her for years was hard. Obviously he wasn’t as sharp as Eden, who’d seen right off the bat that Pris wanted more from him than simple friendship. But he’d have to be a complete fool to deny she had a jealous streak. He released a frustrated breath, reached for the bottle of shampoo and flipped open the lid.
“Blake.”
The bottle slipped through his fingers and hit the shower floor. A stream of liquid squirted out and began to bubble. When the foam touched his foot, he jerked it away. “Son of a bitch!”
“Blake?” The bathroom door opened. “What’s wrong?”
Backing toward the edge of the shower, he held his burning foot beneath the spray of water then bent to carefully set the plastic container upright on the tile floor.
“Are you okay?” The shower door cracked open, and Eden gazed at him with wide eyes. “You yelled pretty loud.”
He turned off the water and let out a shaky breath. His fingers trembled as he slicked back his hair. “Yeah, I’m okay. Thanks to you.”
“What do you mean?” Reaching toward the rack next to the toilet, she pulled down a towel and handed it to him.
“I mean you might have been wrong to think whoever wanted to hurt me gave up.”
Some of the color faded from her face. “What happened?”
Stepping out onto the bathmat, he pointed at the foam residue on the shower floor. “That’s not shampoo. If I hadn’t dropped the bottle when you said my name, I have a feeling you’d be hauling me to the ER. Again.”
He unfurled the towel and wrapped it around his waist then held up his right foot. The side of his big toe was red.
“I don’t understand.” Her voice quavered.
“Someone put some kind of chemical in my shampoo bottle. My foot only touched it for a second before I washed it off. Imagine what would have happened if I’d poured it on my head—which is exactly what I was about to do when you called out. I jumped and let go of the bottle.”
“Oh, my God.” Reaching for him, she gripped his arm. “It would probably have burned your face and scalp. Maybe blinded you if it got in your eyes.”
His stomach clenched. “Someone really doesn’t like me.”
“What do we do now? Call the police?”
“I guess so. Maybe there are prints other than mine on the bottle.”
She pulled her cell out of her back pocket. “I’ll phone the sheriff’s office. You’d better get dressed.” Her gaze clung to his. “This sure isn’t how I envisioned spending the rest of the evening.”
“After my talk with Pris earlier, I was certain nothing could get much worse. It’s amazing how wrong a person can be.”
She pressed a hand to his wet chest, her fingers sliding across his skin. “The night isn’t over yet, but for now, get some clothes on.” Turning, she left the bathroom.
Suddenly, he didn’t care so much that someone wanted to maim him. A smile curled his lips as he dried off then dressed in old jeans and a sweatshirt. Eden had obviously made a decision about the future of their relationship, and if the direction she was interested in taking it was back to bed, he certainly wouldn’t complain.
An hour later, he was on the defensive and feeling far less enthusiastic as he faced the sheriff across the table. Eden had returned to the house to explain to her parents why an official vehicle was parked in their driveway. At least they hadn’t come in with lights flashing and sirens blaring.
“So, even after the incident with the glass under your horse’s saddle, you haven’t bothered to lock up your bus when you leave it?” Howard Nelson shifted his considerable bulk on the bench seat and narrowed specious eyes on Blake.
“I’ve been locking it, but I was in a rush this morning to get to makeup since they had to cover me with fake blood for the scene we were shooting. I might have forgotten.”
“Perfect.” The sheriff rolled his eyes. “So pretty much anyone could have entered your vehicle while you were filming?”
“I guess so.” He gritted his teeth. “I know I didn’t lock it when I went out to look for Eden after dinner. I wasn’t expecting to be gone for more than a few minutes, but we took a walk. I was probably away from the bus for a half hour or so.”
“Seems like the window of opportunity to fill your shampoo bottle with drain cleaner was fairly broad.”
“Drain cleaner? That’s what the stuff is?”
“We’ll have the contents verified, of course, but I just poured that foaming crap down my kitchen sink a couple of days ago.” The sheriff grimaced. “Who knew I should dispose of bacon grease in the trash instead of down the drain? Anyway, it was the same consistency and foamed like the product you spilled in your shower. My deputy found an industrial sized bottle in the food truck when he searched it.”
“Why would Liz want to harm me?” Blake let out a frustrated breath, certain this interview had provided no valuable information that would lead back to the freak who’d tried to permanently disfigure him. “That makes no sense since I don’t have a relationship with the woman beyond saying hello when I dish up a meal.”
“The food truck owner,”—Howard Nelson checked his notes—“Liz Gorman, isn’t currently a prime suspect since we haven’t been able to establish motive, but we haven’t ruled her out completely. Apparently she doesn’t believe in locking her vehicle, either. However, we are inclined to believe the product substituted for your shampoo came from her supply. Of course we’ll verify it’s the same stuff.”
“So, anyone in the vicinity could have gone into the food truck when she was busy elsewhere and taken some of the cleaner?”
“Seems likely. We’ll dust the supply closet for prints along with your bus.” He braced an elbow on the table. “You might want to find somewhere else to sleep tonight since I expect it’ll be a while before we finish questioning people who may have seen someone entering or exiting your vehicle and then process the scene here.”
“Fine. Do you have any more questions for me?”
The sheriff closed his notebook. “Not right now. I’ll look more closely into the list of people you believe may have a reason to harm you. Since the timeframe for tampering with the shampoo bottle is so broad, we probably won’t be able to rule anyone out through an alibi.”
“Believe me, I won’t forget to lock my bus again.” Blake stood when the sheriff rose to his feet. “Let me get a couple of things…”
“Stay out of the bathroom.”
Blake nodded then walked to the rear of the bus to slide bare feet into a pair of running shoes without bothering with socks. He grabbed his wallet out of the bedside drawer and returned to face the sheriff. “Thank you for your help. You’ll contact me when you know something?”
“We’ll keep you informed.” The man followed him out. “Have a good night.”
It couldn’t get much worse, but then, he’d thought that before... Blake headed toward the house, hoping Eden hadn’t already gone to bed. When a figure stepped out of the dark into his path, he damn near slammed into him.
Max took a single step back. “Do you know one of those deputies questioned me like I was a suspect? Wanted to know if I had a problem with you?” He fisted his hands on his hips and stood his ground. “What the hell did you tell them about me?”
Blake ran a hand through his hair. “The sheriff asked if anyone would benefit if I was incapacitated. I mentione
d you’d have more stunts and air time.”
“Shit, I would never hurt you! I can’t believe you’d throw me under the bus like that.”
“I also told him I trust you, but he made it clear they’d be investigating anyone who had opportunity, which is pretty much everyone from the cast to the crew, but focusing on those with something to gain. Yours wasn’t the only name discussed.” He let out a sigh. “I’m sorry, man. If I hadn’t mentioned you, someone else would have, and I made it clear I didn’t think you were involved.”
Some of the stiffness leached out of Max’s stance, and he unclenched his hands. “Whatever. I didn’t do a damn thing to hurt you, so they won’t find any evidence to the contrary.”
“Exactly. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Right now I’m going to see if the Wildes can put me up in the house for the night since my bus is off limits for the next few hours.”
Max stepped to the side. “I’m glad you weren’t hurt. See you, Blake.”
“Good night.” His feet crunched gravel as he crossed the driveway. When another shadow shifted in the starlight, he pressed a hand to his chest. “Who’s there?”
“It’s Pris, Blake.” She moved closer, and the faint light highlighted her pale hair. “I heard you talking to someone a minute ago. What’s going on? Why is the sheriff here?”
“Someone tried to burn my face off.”
“What?” Her voice rose. “Oh, my God. Are you hurt?”
“Luckily I dropped the shampoo bottle on the shower floor before I doused my head with drain cleaner, so I’m fine.”
“That’s what happened?”
He nodded. “Did either deputy question you yet? I know they’ve been talking to people. I mentioned to the sheriff you stopped by my bus earlier, so I’m sure they’ll want to question you.”
“If you think I’d hurt—”
Blake laid a hand on her arm. “He wondered if you saw anyone hanging around while you were in the vicinity.”
“Oh.” She let out a slow breath. “Actually, I thought I saw movement inside your bus, so I opened the door and called out to you. When no one answered, I stepped through the doorway and gave another shout. At that point, when no one answered, I figured I’d imagined the shadow in the window and went looking for you in the barnyard. That’s when I noticed you out on the prairie with Eden. I went back to my room in the barn to put on a sweater and came out again just as you reached the corral.”
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