Before she ran out the door, she grabbed the pencil and in tiny letters added to the bottom of the note.
PS, Please tell Julián I love him dearly too and I’ll call you from the road when I can.
Love, Elmer
She prayed her pickup truck could handle the trip as she backed it up to her now-empty trailer, secured it to the hitch, and hauled ass.
* * * *
Julián signaled and carefully pulled the truck and horse trailer off of the road and parked on the gravel shoulder. “What do you mean she took off?” He did his best to sound calm because he’d never heard Chris this upset. He kept switching back and forth between English and Italian and talking in fits and spurts like he was about to have a conniption.
Chris finally roared on the other end of the phone as if getting it out of his system. “She left a note. It says Roger told her that he didn’t win her ranch at auction but that he has Zephyr. He told her that if she doesn’t show up at his ranch by one o’clock on Sunday afternoon, he sends the horse to the processors.”
“That’s bullshit—at least the part about the horse. I have Zephyr—and her old rig. I mean her new rig. I mean the rig she was—”
“You what?” Julián held the phone away from his ear. “You didn’t think that might be a good piece of information for me to have?” He switched from English to Italian and Julián had a feeling that Chris had just called him the son of a pig-fucking whore.
“I didn’t know if it would work out, Chris. I couldn’t build up your hopes if I couldn’t deliver. The ranch went for considerably more than it was worth but you should’ve seen the way Roger Bedford gloated. You’d have thought he’d won it. That son of a bitch was getting even with her for turning his proposal down.”
“So he didn’t get her ranch for her? Damn, Julián. She must be so upset.”
“He didn’t even really try. But the winning bidder was really determined.”
“Did Roger see you at the auction?”
“No. I’m not stupid. I bid by proxy.”
“Maybe we can contact the new owner and see if there’s any way to buy it back for her.”
“That’d be an interesting call since you’re talking to the new owner of the Bucking H.” There was a clatter on the phone, as though Chris had dropped it and Julián could hear him cursing in Italian again.
“Motherfucker, you just love fucking with me, don’t you? I’m pounding you the next time I see you.”
“No you won’t. I might put Nair in your shampoo bottle. You wouldn’t be so pretty without all those curls.”
Chris burst into laughter. “I’d let Gwen deal with you. Damn, man. What a fucking relief.”
“When did she leave?”
“I don’t know. I was at the store between twelve and one. I guess her note blew off the counter when she shut the front door and I found it on the floor when I came in the kitchen. I was wondering where she’d gotten to.”
Julián checked the clock on the truck’s information system. “It’s three o’clock. She’s in the middle of Buttfuck by now. I doubt she even has a cellular signal. I didn’t have one until this morning and by then I figured I’d just pull up at the bunkhouse and surprise her.” He never would’ve thought that Roger would resort to such a heinous ploy to get her to Colorado.
“I already tried calling her. Would her GPS work?”
“Probably,” he said absently as his mind went into overdrive. “Chris, did she say how much Roger was asking her for the horse? I doubt she had enough money to buy her back on the spot. Shit—”
“What?” Chris lapsed into Italian again and Julián heard another reference to a pig. “Would you slow down? What are you talking about? I’m asking about GPS!”
Julián took a deep breath. “How would she pay for the horse? It’s obvious Bedford doesn’t care about money. She rejected him…for us. How did he expect her to pay?”
More Italian that sounded like threats of dismemberment and death. Chris was scary when he got started with that shit. “Chris. Chris. Chris! Shut the fuck up.”
“What?”
“Get in your truck and head west. When you hit Fort Stockton head north on Highway 285. That’s the way she’d take to go home. Keep your eyes peeled for her truck and horse trailer.”
“It’s gonna be dark in a few hours.”
“She’d have to drive at a slower pace so you might be able to catch her if you push the speed limit. Make sure and look for her at any of the roadside stops. There’s not that many.”
“I’m already in the truck. I’ll call Del and explain what happened.”
“I hope he’s not pissed.”
“Me too. I think he might understand. I heard that they had some drama when Lily came into their lives, involving her ex-husband. Deceased ex-husband actually.”
Julián could hear the gravel Chris kicked up as he left the ranch. “You just look for her on your end. I’ll call Ace and see if he can help locate her. She should have her cell phone with her. If the GPS is turned on, then he should be able to locate her. I’ll call you when I know something.”
“I hope we don’t pass each other in the dark with no cell phone signals.”
“Me too, man. I’m outside of Carlsbad on Highway 285 right now, which is the road she’ll likely take north once she hits Fort Stockton. Did she take her trailer with her?”
“Yes, it’s gone too.”
“That will make her easier to spot. You’ll have to hope for a cell phone signal and just flash your lights three times when you spot me. You’ll recognize me because the truck is a new fire-engine red Silverado dually. I’m pulling a black and red custom-painted luxury horse trailer that has a double strip of red lights that runs the entire top perimeter of the trailer. It’s like a rock concert on wheels. You won’t miss me unless you’re just not looking. You would not believe the features this rig has got.”
“Does everything but wind your watch and kiss your ass?”
Julián was relieved that Chris sounded a little calmer. “Exactly. Kind of puts a whole new spin on how she must’ve felt driving her old truck and trailer. I’ll check in with you after I talk to Ace.”
* * * *
Gwen perched on the fender of her horse trailer and watched the colors change in the western sky as the sun set behind the mountains, shifting from fiery orange, then red and blue, then waning to pink. No woman in her right mind hitchhiked at night in West Texas. And no traveler in their right mind picked up a hitchhiker at night in West Texas. She’d just lost at least ten hours of driving time. At the rate she was going, she wouldn’t make it. Of course, she could call Roger once she got into an area that had cellular service and explain her circumstances. He’d probably up the ante though. She cringed, wondering if it involved public humiliation.
If I’d left it all alone, accepted the loss, and moved on, at least Zephyr wouldn’t be under a death threat. She’d be with someone who’d care for her and maybe love her as much as I do.
To the desolate, windswept landscape she called out, “Can anybody tell me how I can be on the road ten years and never once run out of gas, but when I make an emergency road trip through West Texas, I forget to fill up my gas tank every chance I get? Anybody?”
Her choices were spending the night in the bunk of her horse trailer, like she’d done in Big Bend at Christmastime, or walk back to Fort Stockton, which had to be at least twenty to twenty-five miles back the way she’d come from, or walk to Pecos, where she’d been heading, which was slightly farther since she was at the halfway point.
“Wild boars, snakes, feral dogs, chupacabra,” she muttered to herself. “Well, at least you have your handgun. Julián and Chris would have a hissy fit if they knew you were considering walking back to Fort Stockton in the dark. You’d deserve the spanking they’d both give you, and not the fun kind, either.” She looked down at the ring, their gift, which she wore on her left index finger, and imagined how worried they must be right then. “What would they
tell you to do?”
They’d tell me to stay put and wait for morning. Maybe help will come. Or a serial killer.
Shaking off morbid thoughts, she got her cooler from the bench seat in the truck and nibbled on a turkey sandwich as she watched the sunset colors finally fade to twilight. Closing her eyes, she took another bite and smiled, remembering the way Julián had fed her a turkey sandwich while she was blindfolded. She clearly recalled what had come after too, and a heavy sigh left her.
She missed them. Would they be happy when she returned? Would they question the means she’d had to employ to get Zephyr back? Could she even stomach the task? Was Zephyr worth it? Her stomach rolled at the thought of what Roger was asking, and she ran out into the scrub brush and brought her supper right back up.
“Well, that answers that question,” she muttered as she dug a bottle of water out of the cooler to rinse her mouth with, then went in search of her toothbrush and toothpaste. Once that little task was accomplished, she pulled the sleeping bag from the passenger floorboard of her truck and opened the door that led into the bunk space at the head of the trailer. At least she’d realized what was happening when her truck started sputtering near a rest stop and not just on the side of the road. With the way she was parked, no one could see her very well from the highway unless they pulled over too.
She loosened the ties on the sleeping bag and unrolled it into the bunk and then sat back down on the fender of the horse trailer to watch the stars come out. She hadn’t prayed in a while, but she did right then, asking for protection and a way out of the mess she was in. She recalled Wilbur saying he would pray for her when she’d called him and told him she had to leave in a hurry and that her horse was in trouble. Maybe his prayers added to hers would be heard. The wind picked up and whistled past the horse trailer, and she listened to the mournful sound.
Her ears pricked up when she heard another sound besides that one.
Shit. Someone else is pulling over. She went to the passenger side truck door and removed her gun, loaded it, and checked the safety, hoping they’d just leave her alone. She locked the driver side door. Time to watch and wait.
The familiar rumble of a big diesel engine drew nearer, and her heart hammered as the truck pulled up right behind her, its headlights blinding in their intensity.
Shit, now I have spots in front of my eyes. She blinked rapidly as the engine was left running but the lights were shut off. Another vehicle pulled in behind the diesel and her heart sped up to double time. Don’t panic. Stay calm.
She heard footsteps in the gravel on the other side of her truck and nearly peed herself when a beautiful voice laced with worry called out, “Gwen!” Julián.
“Gwen!” And Chris.
She raced around the front of her truck and threw herself at the first hard body she encountered. Julián caught her in his arms and she looked up at him in the dim twilight, loving the sight of his handsome face. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight. “I’m so, so glad to see you, Julián!”
“Elmer Fudd, what were you thinking?” Chris asked as he tugged at the hat she was wearing, mainly for comfort that time but also because the cold breeze was pretty stiff out there.
“I have to save Zephyr. That’s all I was thinking.”
Julián put her down on her feet again and stroked her cheek as he peered into her eyes. “At any price, love?”
“No! Hell no. But I’ve got to do something, guys. Roger was serious. He’ll have her put down and turned into dog chow if I’m not there by Sunday afternoon.”
Julián rubbed his chin. “Did you have a plan?”
“No. At least not yet. I was figuring one out when I—”
Chris gathered her long hair in his hand and ran it through his fingers. “When you what?”
Gwen was glad it was dark so they couldn’t see her blushing. “When I ran out of gas.”
Even in the dim light, she saw Chris when he gaped at her. She returned the favor, gaping at him as he suddenly went off into a rapid stream of Italian, gesticulating at the road, and at her truck, and at her, then pulling at his hair as he looked up at the sky, probably beseeching God to save him from simpletons.
Julián started laughing as Chris went on. “He’s done that several times today since you left. Do you see how you get to him?”
“I didn’t realize he knew that much Italian.”
Julián shrugged. “I think it’s mostly cursing and Sicilian insults. Evidently there’s a pig in my family tree somewhere for not being more open about my whereabouts this week.”
“How did you find me?”
“Ace Webster helped us locate you with the GPS on your phone, which was thankfully still turned on.”
The sound of the diesel engine still running finally caught her attention. What’s wrong with this picture?
“Julián, since when do one of you drive a diesel?”
“Since I picked up a fancy new truck. You’re gonna love it.”
“I’d love to get the full tour and story but is there any way we could secure me transportation so I can get my ass to Colorado to see about Zephyr? I have no idea what to do but I have to do something.”
“You know,” Julián said, as Chris finally ran down from his Italian venting. “If you’d come to me and asked for help, I might’ve been able to give you a solution that didn’t involve traipsing into West Texas by yourself and breaking down in the middle of nowhere.”
She knew he was right. “I know I should’ve talked to you before leaving. Both of you. Instead, I had a knee-jerk reaction and took off, just like before.”
“Yes, and only this time, you were leaving us, not coming to us. Just like you’re willing to do whatever it takes to save Zephyr, we’re willing to do whatever it takes to help you. Even saving you from yourself.”
“I’m self-sufficient. I thought I could handle it.”
“Self-sufficient is good, but, Gwen, I shudder when I think of what would’ve happened if you got to Colorado on your own and realized you had no real bargaining power. I have money. And I’d gladly spend it on you. All of it.”
“You need to keep your savings safe, Julián, not blow it—”
“Millions, love.”
Her eyebrows felt like they must’ve reached her hairline. “Huh?”
“You heard me. I went to the ranch auction.”
“What? That’s where you’ve been?”
“Yes. Roger did lose the ranch, by the way.”
“He did?” The buzz in her head made her words sound muffled in her head.
“He lost to me. Congratulations, love. You’re now the official owner of the Bucking H Ranch.”
The ground would’ve been hard on her knees if they hadn’t caught her when her knees buckled. “You what?”
“I got your horse ranch back for you, love. It’s yours. Free and clear. Lock, stock, and barrel. I’m just waiting for all the paperwork to come through on it and then I can put the keys in your hands.”
She heard an odd sound and realized she was panting and crying. She threw herself into his arms and wrapped herself around him like a monkey. “Thank you! Thank you!”
Julián and Chris chuckled as she held on tight and kissed him all over his wonderful, handsome, delicious face.
When she quieted, Julián put her back on her feet and looked at her seriously. “But then there’s the matter of your horse.”
“He outbid you?”
A smile curled Julián’s lips as he gathered her hand in his warm one and drew her back to the diesel—a big, shiny…fire-engine red…dually. She pulled to a stop.
“Tell me now,” she whispered.
“What would you like to hear?”
She pointed to the long trailer she couldn’t make out very well in the dark. Chris strode over to his pickup and turned on the headlights.
“My trailer!”
Julián released her hand and she ran to the back of the long trailer, did a dance as he unlocked the acce
ss door at the back, and panted with excitement as she stepped inside.
In as calm a voice as she could muster, she said, “Zephyr?”
The replying whinny was all the answer she needed as she peeked through the sloping side partition that served as one wall of Zephyr’s mobile stall. She stood there munching on a snack and nickered again as Gwen reached over and stroked her face. “Oh, you beautiful girl. I missed you so much.”
She felt Chris come up close behind her and she said, “I’d like you to meet Chris, Zephyr. He’s a good guy once you get to know him. Don’t let the teasing fool you. He’s a total woobie.”
“I hope y’all haven’t punk’d me or anything and you’re actually calling me a wuss,” Chris said softly as he rubbed Zephyr’s nose, allowing her to smell him.
“No. You’re really a wonderful big woobie, Chris. And I love you. I love you, I love you.”
Chris kissed the top of her head and wrapped his arms around her as she got reacquainted with her equine best friend. He slid his fingers into her back pockets and squeezed her ass. “What’s this?” he asked as he pulled the note from him she’d stuck in her back pocket earlier.
“It’s your heart you left for me today,” she whispered playfully. “Can I keep it?”
Chris scoffed and smooched her nose. “Silly, you’ve owned it since the day I laid eyes on you.”
She could hear Julián speaking on his phone, and when she heard Ace’s name she knew he was checking in to let everyone know she was all right. He burst into laughter at something Ace said and promised to give her the message. When he was done with the call, he climbed in the trailer with her and Chris.
Tangled in Divine [Divine Creek Ranch 14] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 38