She breathed a little easier as he left the kitchen. He’d looked far too attractive seated at her kitchen table with his morning stubble on his jaw and the early-morning light shining on his dark, sleep-mussed hair.
By the time the bacon was crisp and out of the skillet, Jake came back into the kitchen, smelling of minty soap and his shaving cream. He’d exchanged his T-shirt for a navy blue short-sleeved shirt.
“I’m going to go wake Andy,” she said.
“Is there anything I can do to help with breakfast?” he asked.
“Just get yourself another cup of coffee and relax. I’ve got this.” She needed to stay busy, to keep her mind relatively empty, otherwise she’d fall back into the abject fear that she’d felt all night long.
She walked down the hallway and into Andy’s room. He was sleeping so peacefully she hated waking him. But he needed to get up and get ready for school.
“Hey, buddy,” she said and sank down on the edge of his mattress. “It’s time to get up.” She reached out and swept a strand of his dark hair away from his forehead.
His eyes fluttered open, and he offered her a sleepy smile. “Hi, Mom.”
“Good morning,” she replied. “Breakfast is in fifteen minutes. You need to get up and dressed for school.”
He stretched and nodded. She got up and left him. He’d always been easy to get up in the mornings, and she was grateful that this morning was like all the others. However, she knew he had been awake late last night and suspected that he might be in bed a little earlier tonight.
“That didn’t take long,” Jake said when she returned to the kitchen.
“He’s always been an easy kid to get up in the mornings.” She got the bread ready to pop down in the toaster and then set to scrambling eggs in a bowl.
“There was a time it took nothing short of a bomb to get me up in the mornings,” Jake said. “When I was about Andy’s age, it took the housekeepers dozens of efforts to get me out of bed.”
She turned and smiled at him. “You never told me that about yourself before.”
He laughed. “Thankfully it was something I grew out of. I realized a real cowboy had to be up before dawn, and you know more than anything I wanted to be a real cowboy.”
“And now you finally get to be the cowboy you always wanted to be,” she replied.
“I do,” he agreed. “Although I really won’t be completely happy until I’m working on my own ranch instead of the family ranch.”
“Would you want to stay around the Dusty Gulch area or head to fresher pastures?” she asked.
“Oh, I’d definitely stay in Dusty Gulch,” he replied. “Now that I’m finally back here, I can’t imagine living anyplace else.”
She poured the eggs into the waiting skillet, and for just a few minutes a comfortable silence reigned between them. His answer to her question about living elsewhere hadn’t surprised her. Even as a teenager, Jake had shared with her his love for Dusty Gulch. She’d just popped the bread down to toast when Andy came into the kitchen.
“Mr. Jake! You’re still here,” Andy said with delight.
“I’m going to be here for a while,” Jake replied. “I want to stay here until the bad man who tried to hurt your mother last night is in jail.”
“I’m so glad.” Andy slid into the chair next to Jake. “If you weren’t here, then I’d be really, really worried.” Andy looked at Eva as she set his plate before him. “We want Mr. Jake here, don’t we? We need him here, right, Mom?”
Eva stared into Andy’s worried eyes and felt a sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach. How could she possibly send Jake away now, knowing his presence here made her son feel less afraid?
She would never forget the scared look on Andy’s face the night before, and she never, ever wanted to see it again on his beautiful face. And if that meant Jake had to stay here, then she would swallow her discomfort for the sake of her son.
As they ate breakfast, Jake teased Andy and recounted silly times in Jake’s own childhood that made Andy laugh over and over again. Eva’s heart warmed, and it continued to stay warm as the three of them headed down the lane so Andy could meet his school bus.
This had been Eva’s dream at one time...her and Jake together and taking care of their children. She’d once been so certain that it was what her future held. Unfortunately, it had only taken one threat from Justin Albright to change the path of her future.
She shoved these thoughts aside. They had no place in her head anymore. She would put up with Jake being in her personal space for the sake of her son, but that didn’t mean she was inviting Jake anywhere near her heart.
* * *
THE MINUTE THEY returned to the house, Harley knocked on the back door, and Eva let him in. He looked in surprise at Jake, who had just sunk back down in a chair at the table.
“Good morning, Mr. Albright,” he said to Jake.
“Back at you,” Jake replied. “And it’s Jake.”
“Sit, Harley,” Eva said. “I’ll pour you a cup of coffee.”
Harley sat next to Jake and looked at Eva. “Jimmy filled me in on what happened last night. I wanted to come in and see for myself that you were really okay.”
Eva set the coffee cup before him and then joined them at the table. “As you can see, I’m fine.”
“Thank God for that,” Harley replied. “According to Jimmy, you were bloody from head to toe and screaming when he found you.”
“That’s a bit of an exaggeration, although I was definitely screaming and crying. Whoever was in the barn managed to stab me in the back of my leg with a pitchfork before Jimmy showed up,” Eva explained.
Just talking about it darkened her eyes with what Jake knew was fear, and there was nothing he would like more than to have fifteen minutes alone with the attacker. He would beat the man to a bloody pulp for what he’d done to her. He would beat him and then see to it that the person spent the rest of his life in jail. What the perpetrator had done last night was attempted murder.
“Jimmy also told me the person intended on setting a fire in the barn.” Harley shook his head. “Thank God that didn’t happen. As dry and windy as it’s been, the entire barn would have gone up in flames in minutes. I’d sure like to know who the hell is behind all this. I wouldn’t mind taking him out behind the barn and beating the hell out of him.”
“That makes two of us,” Jake replied fervently.
As Harley and Eva began to talk about ranch business, Jake sat back in his chair and studied the man Eva obviously depended on not only as a ranch foreman but also as a friend.
Did Harley have some kind of a secret grudge against Eva?
Harley had access to all the cattle and the barn. After seven years of working for her, he probably knew her routine. He might have been able to guess that she would go into the barn last night.
Had he at some time or another bought one of Kincaid’s knives and paid cash for it? And if he had, did he still have that knife, or had he used it to stab a cow’s heart into Eva’s porch?
Jake frowned and stared down into his coffee cup. He didn’t trust anyone right now, and that included the two ranch hands who worked for Eva.
Eva and Harley talked for another fifteen minutes or so, and then Harley left to head out to the pastures.
“I don’t know what chores you have to do this morning, but the one thing I don’t want you to do is get on the back of a horse and ride around in the pastures,” Jake said as soon as Harley had left.
She frowned. “What harm could come from that?”
“Eva, I can’t protect you if you’re out in an open pasture. If somebody really wants you dead, then all it would take is a bullet,” he replied. “And even though I would love for you to believe I’m a superhero, I can’t stop a speeding bullet that might be aimed at your head or your heart.”
She stared
at him for a long moment and then stood and slammed her palms down on the table. “I hate this. I hate being afraid. I hate that my son is afraid, and I’m so angry that my entire life has been turned upside down because of some creep lurking in the shadows.” Her eyes blazed with anger.
“I know, Eva, and I’m so sorry for what you’re going through.” He moved his hands to cover hers. “If I could fix this for you, I would.” Her hands were so small and tensed beneath his. “I want this to be over as soon as possible, but right now all I can do is my very best to try and keep you safe.”
He felt the tension in her hands slowly soften just before she pulled them away. “I know, and I appreciate it. Am I at least allowed a trip to the grocery store?”
He smiled at her. “I think we can manage that. I’ll help you clear up the dishes, and then we can be on our way.”
For the next few minutes, they cleaned up the kitchen in silence. He sensed that she wasn’t in the mood for idle conversation right now. She worked with a single-minded focus to load the dishwasher and then looked up at him. “I’ll go get ready to leave.”
Jake went into the living room and pulled on his holster. With his gun hanging from his hip, he felt ready for almost anything...almost.
However, he didn’t expect any trouble from just a simple trip into town. Once they arrived there, they would be surrounded by other people, and an attack on Eva where there were witnesses around would be stupid on the perp’s part. Unfortunately it was obvious the man wasn’t stupid.
His breath caught deep in his throat as she came back into the living room. She’d lengthened her already sinfully long, dark lashes with mascara, and a pink gloss covered her lips. The makeup, coupled with her bright blue blouse and tight jeans, shot his adrenaline just a little bit higher.
“I’m all ready to go,” she said.
“You look very nice.”
Her cheeks colored a dusty pink beneath his gaze. “Thanks.”
They left the house and got into his truck, and he headed toward town. “It’s a beautiful day,” he said once they’d been driving for a few miles.
“Do you really want to talk about the weather?” she asked wryly.
He flashed her a quick smile. “Not really, but I was afraid of an awkward silence building up between us.”
A small laugh escaped her. “And as I remember, you never did like any kind of silence to grow between us.”
“I always figured if you got quiet it meant you were mad at me for something,” he admitted. “And I could never stand the idea of you being angry with me for anything.”
“I fully intended to probably make you angry this morning,” she said.
“How so?” He looked at her curiously and then gazed back at the road.
“I had every intention of telling you to take your bags and go back home, that I was fine alone, but then Andy said he felt so much better with you in the house, and now I realize I’m stuck with you.”
“Eva, why would you send me home when I’m just another layer of protection for you?” He didn’t wait for her to answer. “If you had kicked me out of your house this morning, then I would have camped out in my truck outside your front door in an effort to keep you safe. I don’t intend to go away until whoever is after you is in jail.”
“Then we need to have rules while you’re in the house,” she said.
“Rules? What kind of rules?”
“First of all, you need to make sure you’re out of the bathroom when it’s time for Andy to get ready for school.”
“That’s an easy rule to follow,” he replied agreeably. “What else?”
“You don’t try to discipline Andy. If you have a problem with him, you bring it to me, and I’ll discipline him.”
“Eva, I would never overstep boundaries where Andy is concerned,” he said.
“Okay, and last, you sleep on the sofa and you don’t try to seduce me to get into my bed.”
He laughed. “I can’t help it that I’m naturally seductive.” He glanced at her in time to see her glare at him.
“I’m being serious here, Jake.”
“Okay, I agree to sleep on the sofa and not try to get into your bed. To be honest, I’d sleep on the floor in the hallway if I thought that would keep you safe.”
“Thank you, Jake. I really appreciate you doing this, especially since Andy feels so much better with you in the house,” she replied.
By that time, they had arrived at the grocery store. They were just about to go inside when they nearly bumped into a man coming out.
“Eva,” he greeted her with obvious warmth and then looked at Jake. “Hello, I’m Robert Stephenson.” He shifted the grocery bag in his arm and held out his hand to Jake.
“Jake Albright,” he replied and shook the man’s hand. So, this was Andy’s friend’s father...the man who had an interest in Eva and was also an owner of a Kincaid knife.
“I was just picking up some snacks for the boys’ overnight next Friday,” Robert said.
“You should let me contribute to the cause,” Eva replied. “It’s bad enough it seems lately they are always at your house instead of mine.”
“Nonsense,” Robert replied, his gaze lingering on her. Jake wanted to tell the man to stop looking at her like she was a tasty treat he’d like to enjoy.
“I never have any trouble with Andy,” the man continued. “In fact, I consider him a good influence on my son.”
Eva laughed. “That’s nice to hear. And I feel the same way about Bobby.”
Robert’s smile turned into a frown of concern. “Sheriff Black came to my office and spoke to me yesterday. Why didn’t you tell me about all the problems you’ve been having at your ranch?”
“Did Wayne talk to you about a knife?” Jake asked, consciously interjecting himself into the conversation.
“He did, and I showed him my knives. I have a whole collection of Kincaid knives. The handles are so intricately carved, I find them real works of art.”
“How many of them do you own?” Jake wanted to know anything that might further the investigation.
“I believe right now I have a dozen.”
“How did you pay for the knives you own?” Jake asked.
Robert shot him a cool look. “I explained all that to Wayne. And now I need to get these groceries home. Eva, it’s always a pleasure, and it was nice meeting you, Jake.”
“I want to talk to Wayne about him,” Jake said once Robert was gone and he and Eva were inside the store. “What I’m concerned about is, whoever left that knife in your porch, there’s nothing stopping them from buying a replacement to show Wayne.”
“Jeez, thanks. You just gave me something else to worry about,” Eva said dryly.
“I’m just trying to look at this from all angles,” he replied. “And now, let’s go buy a cake or some ice cream. I’m in the mood for something sweet.”
Their moods lightened as they shopped. It was funny to him that even food brought back memories of the time when they’d been together and he’d eaten most of his evening meals with her and her father.
“Remember that time when you tried to make that soufflé?” he asked as they went up the baking aisle.
She nodded, and her eyes filled with merriment. “I’d been watching a cooking show on television and decided I wanted to start cooking more sophisticated foods.”
“And when the soufflé fell flat, you cried like a baby,” he replied. She’d cried in his arms, devastated by the cooking failure. “But you’ve always been an amazing cook.”
“That’s because my father was a good cook and taught me everything I know,” she replied. She released a deep sigh. “I still miss him.”
“I don’t think grief ever really goes away. If you’re lucky and well adjusted, you eventually find a small space in your heart to tuck it away into so you can keep
moving forward in your life.”
She smiled up at him. “Sometimes, Jake Albright, you can be a very wise man.”
He laughed. “I try.”
They finished buying the groceries, packed them in the truck bed and then headed for home. Jake had just left the outskirts of town when he glanced in his rearview mirror and saw a pickup truck coming up fast behind him.
Adrenaline fired through him, and he tightened his hands on the steering wheel. “Hold on to your seat. There’s a pickup coming up fast on us.”
Eva shot a glance out the back window and then looked at Jake. “Do you think whoever is driving it is after me?”
“I don’t know,” he replied tersely, his gaze divided between the rearview mirror and the road ahead. The suspicious truck kept coming way too fast, and it drew up right on Jake’s bumper.
Was it going to try to ram Jake’s bumper? Would the driver try to wreck Jake in an effort to get to Eva? Would somebody fire a gun at them? Certainly it was possible somebody could shoot him in order to get to Eva. He could become collateral damage. His stomach clenched tightly as he tried to anticipate what might happen.
Then the offending truck zoomed around them and kept on going.
Both of them expelled sighs of relief as the back of the truck disappeared ahead of them. “I can’t believe I got so scared about a truck that was only guilty of speeding,” she said.
“Me, too,” he admitted. He continued to grip the steering wheel tight. The problem was there was no way for them to guess from what direction danger might come. All he knew for sure was it was coming, and he could only hope that when it came he could stop it before Eva paid a terrible price.
Chapter Ten
Eva, Jake and Andy fell into a routine that Eva found slightly threatening, because it felt so right having Jake in the house.
They ate breakfast together and walked Andy to the bus stop, and then Jake helped her with any chores she had to accomplish. Jake spoke on the phone to his brother and to the foreman of Albright ranching most afternoons while Eva did chores around the inside of the house.
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