A County Girl's Heart

by Dena Blake

  Kat looked at the remnants of soot filling the creases in her forehead and let her fingers trail across her cheek—still clammy. She took the cloth from DJ’s neck, rewet it, and blotted her face, then her lips. They were soft, pink, and relaxed now. Kat didn’t know what she would’ve done if DJ hadn’t made it out, if she didn’t have any chance of feeling those lips pressed against hers again. She remembered the mischief in DJ’s eyes the night she’d challenged her at the arena. She’d hated it. The silent laughter she saw in them had infuriated her, but that had changed now. The roguish sparkle in those emerald-green eyes earlier tonight had made her body heat with desire. She’d do anything to have DJ look at her like that again.

  DJ bolted up. Kat sat up next to her and said, “You’re all right.” She touched her cheek, and DJ turned to her, staring blindly, almost as though she were looking right through her. Then DJ ripped off the oxygen mask, wrapped her arms around Kat’s waist, and took her down on the hospital bed with her. She couldn’t move; DJ had her trapped. She looked at DJ’s tense face and sighed. This was what she’d wanted, just not quite the way she’d imagined it happening.

  DJ mumbled something and smiled. It was a name she couldn’t quite make out, but she knew it wasn’t hers. Jesus, Kat. What the hell are you doing? She probably has a girlfriend or possibly even a wife at home. She shifted, slipped from DJ’s grasp, and scooted to the side of the bed. After placing the plastic mask back on DJ’s face, she eyed the clock. Five a.m. Time to go.

  Kat took the flannel shirt she’d hung on the chair earlier and pressed it to her nose, inhaling DJ’s scent. It was the shirt she’d given Kat to wear at the river. Thoughts of DJ’s hands inching up her sides made her tingle in places she didn’t want to right now. She dropped it on the bottom of the bed and headed to the nurses’ station to call Virgil.

  Chapter Eleven

  The morning sunlight flickered at DJ’s eyes. Where the hell am I? She drew back the blanket covering her. Noticing her hospital gown, she peered around the room, took in her sterile surroundings, and spotted a pair of jeans and a shirt on the chair along with a new pair of flip-flops on the seat.

  “Kat,” she called but heard no response.

  Her shoulder stung as she propped herself up on her elbow. The fire hadn’t been a dream. She swung her feet to the floor and held on to the bed to steady herself. Hopefully the dizziness would subside soon. Shuffling across the room, she inspected herself in the bathroom mirror. She hissed out a breath as she peeled back the bandage on her shoulder to look at the burn. Not as bad as the last time.

  DJ went into the room and took off the hospital gown. She swiped the shirt from the chair, slid it gingerly over her shoulders, and then put on her jeans and the flip-flops. She picked up her cell phone and called Marcia. She had to find Kat.

  * * *

  DJ had survived the ride from the hospital to the ranch with Marcia. Her well-meaning attempts to convince DJ to stay in Austin, as well as the snarky comments about her curly hair, had been needless and unwelcome. DJ’s usual business look included perfectly spiked hair that gave her a masculine edginess she used to her advantage.

  Apologizing to Marcia for her curt, unyielding stance, she’d sent her on her way before opening the screen and pushing through the unlocked door. The kitchen was empty. She went down the hall to the bedroom and knocked on the door.

  “Kat, you here?” No answer. She opened the door and warmed when the scent of the woman she’d come to know in such a short span of time greeted her. She studied the room—no paintings or pictures on the walls and a mix-match of furniture, including a pinewood nightstand with a Tiffany lamp resting on it next to the bed, a quilt rack in the corner, and an old oak dresser lining the wall. She caught a glimpse of a photo of Kat and Arizona perched on a lace doily atop the dresser, and her heart clenched. She shouldn’t be here in Kat’s bedroom—not without her. She hadn’t been invited.

  DJ located her boots on the floor at the bottom of the bed and headed down the hallway. Just like the rest of the house, no one was in the small living room. She continued to the kitchen, slid a metal chair from the table, and pulled on her boots before glancing outside through the rickety wooden screen door. The fire had destroyed nearly all of the tack building. DJ raked a hand across her face, and it smelled of wet embers. The unbearable heat flew through her mind, and she remembered going in, then hitting the wall, but that was it. A flash of terror shot through her, and the back of her neck prickled as her adrenaline spiked. Where’s Kat?

  “Kat,” she shouted, rattling the screen door as she pushed through it.

  “She’s not here.” Virgil popped up out of his rocker as if out of nowhere. He hadn’t been there when DJ arrived.

  “Is she okay?”

  “She’s fine.” Virgil brushed by her and went inside.

  “Where is she?”

  “Could be anywhere by now.” Virgil squinted at his watch. “She’s a busy woman, you know.”

  DJ followed him in and watched him pour himself a cup of coffee.

  “Want a cup?” he offered.

  “In a minute.” DJ looked at the single mug left to dry in the drain board and then at the clock. Only seven thirty and Kat was long gone. What had she said last night? She couldn’t remember anything past the warm body lying next to her in the darkness.

  “Heard you had a rough night.”

  DJ looked toward the hallway. “She stayed there with me, didn’t she?” DJ remembered hearing Kat’s voice during the night. She must have let something slip.

  “Yep.” Virgil filled his cup before leaning against the counter. “You did a good thing last night, goin’ in there after me.”

  “But you weren’t there.”

  “No matter. It was still a good thing.” He took a sip of his coffee.

  “You sure Kat’s all right?” If DJ had let anything slip about who she really was and why she was here, Kat had probably worked up enough steam by now to blast her pretty good when she got back.

  “She’s fine. Looks like you were the only one hurt.”

  “Well, I’m thankful for that.”

  “Yep. Lost a few saddles and equipment, but all that can be replaced.” Virgil’s voice trailed off for a second. “Tell me, Ms. Callen. What’re you really here for?” His eyes swept DJ from head to toe, then back again. “You didn’t come here to play ranch hand. You’ve got some skills most others don’t. I can see you’re a country girl at heart. You can’t hide that. You’re all cleaned up and citified now, and you can’t hide that either.”

  DJ walked the short distance across the kitchen and plucked a cup out of the drain board. “It’s a long story, Virgil, and I’m sure you’re not going to like it.”

  He cocked his head to one side. “Why don’t you let me be the judge of that?”

  DJ filled her cup with the steaming hot brew before wandering across the kitchen and leaning against the opposite counter.

  “I’m her mother’s lawyer.”

  Virgil’s brows flew up. “The one she’s been hanging up on?”

  “Yep.” DJ took a long, slow drink of coffee and let it burn across her tongue.

  “But I thought the lawyer’s name was Callahan.”

  “Danica J.” She took a thin leather wallet out of her pocket, plucked a business card from it, and handed it to Virgil. “I didn’t think she’d talk to me if she knew who I was.” And DJ needed Kat to talk to her for her own family’s sake.

  “You’re right about that.” Virgil looked at the neatly embossed rectangle and then dropped it onto the table. “Should’ve figured the Belmonts would find a way to get to her.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Sending out a woman like you to make sweet with her. To try to convince her to come back.”

  DJ shook her head. “I didn’t come intending to seduce her.”

  Virgil raised an eyebrow. “Well, whether you intended to or not, that’s what it looks like.” Virgil refilled his coffee cup and
settled against the counter. “You don’t know the family very well, do you?”

  DJ stopped mid-drink. She knew Elizabeth Belmont’s tactics better than anyone, but telling Virgil about her own dilemma wouldn’t make her circumstances any less complicated. “I know that Kat’s father was killed in that car accident and she wasn’t at the funeral. I told her on the phone myself that her mother was seriously injured, and Kat hasn’t contacted her either.” She rattled the details off without missing a beat.

  Virgil looked over his cup at DJ. “You’d better settle down, young lady. Talking like that ’round here isn’t gonna get you anywhere.”

  “I’ll tell you something else, Virgil. I don’t understand it,” DJ said as she set her cup down. It rattled when it hit the counter. “Kat seems like a very sensitive woman. You’d think she’d at least take the time to see if her mother is all right.”

  “Well, like I said before, she’s a busy woman.” Virgil’s voice deflated, and he turned to the door. “Is Elizabeth all right?”

  “She’s recuperating well.”

  “Glad to hear it.” Virgil tipped his hat.

  “It’s nice to know someone around here is. What kind of a daughter ignores her ailing mother’s calls?” DJ asked, the words coming out harsher than she’d expected. She knew in her heart that Kat must have reasons to ignore her mother.

  Virgil swung around quickly. “Listen, miss. That woman is the best you’ll ever lay eyes on. Been hurt more than once, and she’s still got a bigger heart than I’ve ever seen.” He poked a finger into her chest. “Besides that, her mother’s not the one making the calls. You are.”

  DJ brushed Virgil’s finger aside, wandered to the door, and slung it open. “What difference does it make who’s doing the calling? If her mother needs her, she should go.” Blowing out a short breath, she lifted her arms and let them drop to her sides. “Look at this place. You’d think she’d be a little grateful.” DJ was pushing because she needed more information about the relationship between Kat and her mother.

  Virgil closed the door and held it there. “How long have you been working for the Belmonts?”

  “I’ve been Elizabeth’s personal attorney for the past five years.” Long enough to know how manipulative she can be.

  Virgil pinched his lips together and shook his head. “You know, you really oughta get your facts straight before you go shootin’ off your mouth.”

  DJ widened her eyes. “I think I’m pretty familiar with the facts.”

  “Not hardly.” Virgil let out a short breath. “You think they gave her this ranch?”

  “I think they gave her seed money to help her start it.”

  “Open your eyes, DJ.” Virgil spread his arms and rotated slightly, motioning to the surrounding furniture. “Does this place look anything like the Belmont estate?” He snatched a chair out. “Do they have old metal chairs with worn vinyl padding in their dining room?”

  DJ let her eyes roam the kitchen, then the living room, taking note of the mismatched decor and the aged condition of the furniture. Her opinion didn’t falter.

  Virgil’s eyes narrowed. “Well, let me tell you, DJ, or whatever your name is. That little lady and Arizona built this ranch from scratch. Without any help from the Belmonts.” He hesitated. “Charlie Belmont didn’t like me or my daughter much. Said we were beneath ’em. Told Kat if she married Arizona, she’d be on her own.” He slammed the chair under the table. “As you can see, she’s on her own, and better off that way, if you ask me.”

  DJ raked her hand through her hair, regretting everything she’d just said. “I’m sorry. I just assumed.” The anger in her voice dissipated. She should’ve known better. Just from the short time she’d known her, DJ could see Kat was too prideful to take anything from anyone. “What happened to Arizona?” DJ scratched her head. She knew Arizona had died a few years ago, but she didn’t know how.

  Virgil sucked in a deep, ragged breath. “It’s been a little over four years now. Arizona was out checking the trails when a flash thunderstorm hit. The horse spooked and threw her into a tree by the stream. Broke her neck. My baby girl died instantly.”

  DJ could see the pain in Virgil’s eyes as he spoke. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

  Virgil cleared his throat. “People tend to think it shouldn’t hurt so much, her being my stepdaughter and all. She may not have been my flesh and blood, but she was my little girl since she was three years old.” His voice cracked. “The only thing that hurt as much as losing Arizona was losing her mama.” Virgil turned and rinsed his cup out in the sink, then set it in the drain board. “It’s been hard on Kat—running this place without her, goin’ to sleep in an empty bed every night. I’ve never seen a woman love another like she did Arizona.” Virgil smiled. “And believe me, Arizona loved her just as much. She knew exactly what she had with Kat.” His smile faded. “And then to have Arizona taken from her just like that.” He raised a hand and snapped his fingers.

  DJ wandered across the kitchen, opened the door, and stared at the remnants of the tack house, wondering how it could be rebuilt. “So, now she runs this whole ranch on her own?”

  “And does a damn good job of it,” Virgil said proudly. “She has a lot of people depending on her. She may have to turn away guests and cut staff for a while, but she won’t let ’em down.”

  DJ rubbed her neck. “Elizabeth didn’t tell me any of this.”

  “That doesn’t surprise me,” Virgil muttered. “You know they didn’t even come to the funeral. Haven’t heard word one from ’em till now.”

  She’d made a huge mistake, judging Kat without knowing near enough about her to do so. All she’d had to go on was what Elizabeth had told her. She should’ve known better than to believe her. Kat was special. She veered her gaze to the steps where Kat had put her head into a spin last night. It hadn’t been easy for DJ to resist her last night. The feelings she’d developed for Kat had truly surprised her. DJ knew now it could never be just a casual affair. She had to take care of some things before she dug herself in any deeper.

  “Now I suggest you pack your things, go back to Austin, and tell the Belmonts to leave her alone,” Virgil said, his voice settling a little.

  “Listen, Virgil.” DJ turned to face him. “I’d like to help.”

  Virgil’s brows flew up, causing his weathered forehead to crease. “Why would you do that if you work for the Belmonts?”

  “Because Kat is a good lady.”

  Virgil let out a short chuckle and planted the heels of his palm on the counter behind him. “You came all the way down here to do the Belmonts’ dirty work, and now you can’t do it.” His lip curled slightly and he cocked his head. “You really are sweet on her, ain’t cha?”

  “Let’s just say she’s not quite what I expected,” DJ admitted, returning Virgil’s smile.

  “What can you do to help her?” Virgil studied her as he twisted the waxed end of his mustache between his fingers.

  “I’m curious about this neighbor of hers. Something just doesn’t sound right.”

  “Maxwell?”

  “Yeah. That’s the one.”

  “Thinks she can do whatever she wants to her.”

  “Why would she think that?”

  Virgil rubbed his hand across his face roughly. “I tried to warn her, but a while back, Kat made the mistake of gettin’ personal with her.”

  “Oh.” DJ had a sick feeling in her gut. Kat had mentioned her neighbor, but she’d failed to give her all the intimate details. It was stupid to think Kat was just waiting around for someone like DJ to show up and sweep her off her feet.

  “Can’t blame her, though. She went through a bad stretch after Arizona died. After she broke it off with her, the backwoods vermin did everything in her power to force Kat into selling the ranch to her. She had her men bully the guests and scatter the cattle across the countryside nightly.”

  “She wants the ranch that bad?” The wheels began to spin in DJ’s head. Who was this w
oman, and why did she want the ranch?

  “I don’t think it’s the ranch so much as the sting of rejection that fired her up.” Virgil crossed his arms. “You might be feelin’ that sting yourself soon.”

  DJ smiled and let out a short breath. “You’re probably right.” She said it but didn’t believe it. Last night, Kat had shown no sign of rejecting her.

  “Maxwell just didn’t realize who she was dealing with.” A wide smile crept across Virgil’s face. “Runnin’ a business like the Jumpin’ J, Kat’s made all kinds of friends. Includin’ ones with money and power.” He snorted out a laugh. “All she had to do was call a few of our regular guests, and in no time at all, they had Maxwell and her boys running home to lick their wounds.”

  “So, why is she bothering her again?”

  “Don’t know. It’s been almost two years since she backed off, and now she seems to be creeping around just like poison ivy in the trees.”

  DJ’s eyes narrowed. “Has she threatened her in any way?”

  Virgil shook his head. “No, not really. She just keeps pushing the boundaries.”

  “Like the calf stuck in the fishnet.” DJ was lost in thought for a minute about the day before. It had been an unwelcome but necessary interruption. DJ would’ve found herself in a whole different situation if they hadn’t been disturbed. “Kat said she had some questions about property ownership.”

  “She seems to think that all this land belonged to her grandpa,” Virgil said.

  DJ rinsed her cup and set it in the drain board. “That’s what she told me last night. Who checked the county records?”

  “We both did. Checked and double-checked. They all say the land’s Maxwell’s.”

  “My number’s on the card.” DJ reached down and slid it across the table to Virgil. “Call me if she needs me.”