by L. P. Dover
He sighed. “I heard about Scott. Everything about that night happened so fast; I can’t remember all of it. I’m sorry about what happened to him. He was a good guy.”
My chest tightened. “It’ll be strange going home and not having him there.”
“I know. You’ll still have me though.”
“And me,” someone yelled in the background.
Nick chuckled again and cursed. “Stop making me laugh, fuckheads,” he growled.
It was great hearing his voice. For the longest time, I thought I never would again. “Who are you talking to?”
“The guys are all here. Since the season’s over, some of them are going back home. They wanted to tell me goodbye, but I think Kip and Dawson would rather talk to you than me. Kip’s reaching for the phone, here he is.” In the background, I heard a couple of the guys say they wanted to talk to me as well. I really missed bantering back and forth with them.
“What’s up, sexy?” Kip quipped.
“Hey, Kip. How are you?”
“Good. But I should be asking how you are! The whole world thinks you’ve been locked away in a mental institution.” I heard a smack and then I had to hold the phone away from my ear when he yelled. “Dude, what the fuck?”
Tristan argued with him in the background. “She doesn’t need to know that shit. Give me the phone. You there, Hadley?”
“Yeah, I’m here. And it’s okay, I already know what people are saying about me. I don’t care. We all know I’m not suicidal.”
“I know, but it sucks ass having to deal with that shit.”
“I agree. So are you going back to Canada during off season? Nick said some of you were going home.”
“Yep, that’s why I’m here. It’s a shame we couldn’t have our annual throwdown.”
“There’s always next year,” I said.
“Got that right. Well, I guess I’ll hand you back to Nick. Be safe, wherever you’re at. Hopefully you can come home soon.”
“Thanks.” The phone shuffled between hands.
“When do you think you’ll be home?” Nick asked.
“I don’t know. They found a cigarette lighter at the back door of the house. They’re going to check it for prints. So far, I haven’t heard anything.”
“Keep us posted. Felicity left me her phone because she knew you would call. She went out to get me something to eat other than hospital food.”
“Tell her I called, would ya? I should probably go.” I could hear a heavy sigh, and then the line went silent. “Nick?”
“I’m here. I just don’t want to get off the phone. Felicity said you hated the guy you were staying with. I can’t help but worry about you.”
I chuckled. “I’ll be fine, I promise. He was only a dick at the beginning. It’s not like that anymore.”
“All right, I believe you. Just let him know I’ll kick his ass if he’s mean to you.”
I burst out laughing. “Pretty sure he would obliterate you. He’s a trained killer, genius.”
“Even so. The threat still stands.”
“Okay, superman, get your rest. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” I hung up the phone and bolted out of the bedroom. “Blake? Blake!”
I searched everywhere in the house and then headed out to the barn. When I saw Nightshade’s stall empty, I knew where he’d gone. I walked out and took up my usual spot on the fence. The sun was going down, casting a warm glow over the pasture. There were no loud noises or car horns, and the smell of the air was clean and crisp. I was going to miss it.
“He loves me, he loves me not.
Oh, how I wish I knew. We haven’t known each other long,
But when I’m with him, I feel like I belong.
He loves me, he loves me not.
My gray-eyed cowboy, I need to know.
Your heart may never be tamed, but I am not afraid.
Will you love me if I leave, will you love me if I stay.
Gray-eyed cowboy, please show me the way.”
The words flowed through my mind so easily, I completely immersed myself in them. It wasn’t until Nightshade whinnied in the distance that I was able to snap out of the haze.
Blake noticed me on the fence and guided Nightshade over, the hooves beating across the ground as they galloped to me. He had his hat so low over his eyes, I couldn’t tell if he was angry. The closer he got, the more tension I felt.
“How’s Nick?” he asked, voice clipped.
“He’s fine. Why did you leave? I would’ve ridden with you.”
He shrugged. “I needed time to think.”
“About what? You’re not mad that I talked to Nick are you? He’s my friend, Blake. That’s it.”
His jaw tensed. “That’s not why I’m pissed. I understand he’s your friend and you were worried about him. And I’m also glad to hear he’s awake, that’s great news. But you need to know, I don’t like to share. When you go back home, if you’re planning on parading around in front of the press with him, I don’t think I can do this. It wouldn’t be good for me or you.”
I nodded and lowered my head to hide my smile. He was jealous and I loved it. “Are you trying to say you want me to parade around with you?” I asked, meeting his gaze.
He huffed. “I don’t know what the fuck I’m trying to say. What I do know is, if we’re starting whatever it is between us, then we’re going to do it right. I want the whole world to know you’re mine.”
And I wanted the whole world to know he was mine. “Once all of this is over, you’ll get your wish. But right now, you owe me a shower, or two.”
He patted the saddle and reached for my hand. “Let’s go then. I owe you a lot more than that.”
Blake
Two Days Later
I didn’t like to consider myself the jealous type, but Nick was going to be a problem. Every time Hadley called, they stayed on the phone for an hour at a time. What made it worse was, she hadn’t told him about us. The guy probably thought he still had a chance with her.
“Ready for dinner?” she called out, strolling into the kitchen.
“Yep. Which is why I already started it. I got tired of waiting on you.”
She snorted. “I know what you mean. Nick could talk for hours if I let him.”
I finished chopping the potatoes and tossed them in the boiling water. “So when are you going to tell him about us? You’re leading him on.”
Sighing, she grabbed the lettuce and washed it off. “I’m not purposely leading him on. I just don’t want to tell him over the phone. I feel guilty because he’s in the hospital over me. Not to mention, my agent is adamant on me not getting involved with you.”
“Why, because she wants you with her brother?” I snapped.
She shrugged. “Could be. But she also knows what happens to couples in our situation. The media will try to rip us apart.”
“Only if we let them.”
“Which is why we’re going to be fine,” she said, stuffing a strawberry into her mouth. “But I’m warning you, you have no clue what you’re getting into.”
I leaned over and kissed her lips. “I’m a big boy.”
She giggled. “That you are.”
My phone rang and since Hadley was closest, she snatched it up. “It’s Robert,” she said, handing it to me.
“What’s going on, my man?” I answered. Putting him on speaker, I placed the phone on the counter and sat down. Hadley sat across from me.
“We identified the prints on the lighter. We’re searching for the guy now. It looks like he skipped town a couple of weeks ago.”
“Who is he?” I asked. Hadley perked up, chewing her nails as she listened.
“His name is Dane Privette.”
Hadley gasped. “Oh my God, I know a Dane. He works at the coffee shop I go to every morning. He’s always so nice. Every day, he’d have my order ready when I walked in. Do you think that’s him?”
“Yes, he works at the coffee shop off of fourth street. I’m sorry, Hadley.
Sometimes you can never tell with people,” Robert added. “And judging by the surveillance tapes, he fits the build and description. I don’t know what he was doing at your house, but I’d have to say, it probably wasn’t the first time he’d been there.”
“Do you have any leads on where he went?” I asked.
“Yeah, his roommate said he was going to New York. We have people searching for him now. Don’t worry, we’re on his ass. He’ll be found soon.”
“Thanks, Robert,” Hadley replied. “What happens when you get him? Do I go home?”
“Hell no,” I cut in. “You’re not going anywhere, until I look at the case. Trust me, the wrong people have been accused before.”
“Which is why I’ll send you the files,” Robert offered. “I haven’t forgotten the day you were arrested for attempted murder. I knew someone had to fuck up big time to bring you in.”
Hadley gasped, but I shook my head. It was a long story. “Call me when you find him.”
“Will do.”
I hung up and blew out a sigh. “Go ahead. I know you want to.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it. “Have to say, it was a shock to hear you were arrested. But for murder?”
“Attempted murder. And believe me, it pissed me off when they brought me in. I was accused of shooting someone because the evidence had been planted in the trunk of my car. It’s a good thing I had video surveillance around my house.”
Her eyes went wide. “Wow, that’s crazy. Who did it?”
That was the worst part. “Someone I used to work with. He deceived us all. Ever since then, I’ve learned to be very careful on who I trust. You need to be the same way as well.”
“Does that mean I can trust you?” she asked.
As much as I wanted to say yes, I couldn’t. “That’s a decision you have to make for yourself.”
Hadley
A waiting game; that’s all it was. It’d been two weeks since they’d identified the owner of the lighter, yet they hadn’t found him. He was supposedly near New York, which was good because that meant he was nowhere near me.
Now that Dane was the prime suspect and the police knew who they were looking for, Felicity wanted me back home. However, I wasn’t ready to go back, not until they found him. Besides, Blake had been making sure to keep me busy . . .
“Your riding has gotten better,” he noted. We were nearing the barn from an afternoon spent on horseback. Snowflake was almost ready to be given back to her owners, which made Blake sad. He tried not to show it but I knew he’d grown attached to her, and her to him.
Smiling, I scratched behind Nightshade’s ear. “I’ve had a good teacher. I feel more comfortable than before. Maybe it’s this big guy here who makes it fun.” Nightshade snorted and I laughed. For the past two weeks, Blake had been showing me the proper way to ride. I didn’t realize how fun it actually was.
“What do you want to do tonight?” he asked, sliding out of his saddle.
I climbed off of Nightshade and walked him into the barn. Before I could answer, a car came down the driveway. I pointed to the cloud of dirt. “Expecting someone?” When I got a good look at the vehicle, I burst out laughing. “Oh my God, I know what’s coming.”
Blake focused on the large truck and groaned. “Fuck, I was hoping they’d get lost in the mail.”
Rubbing my hands together, I raced toward the driveway and he reluctantly followed. “I know what we’re doing tonight,” I announced excitedly.
When the driver got out, he waved at Blake. His nametag said he was Grady. “How’s the horse training going, son?”
Blake waved back. “Pretty good. It’s hard to let ‘em go once you’ve got ‘em all nice and trained in.”
“I hear ya, I hear ya. Say, got a large package for you today.” He slipped into the back of the truck and brought out a large, rectangular box. I slapped a hand over my mouth to keep from laughing.
“How big are those fucking things?” Blake growled in my ear.
I snickered. “I just hope you can walk in them.”
“Here you go,” Grady said, passing the box to him.
Plastering on a fake smile, Blake nodded at him and then grimaced at me. “One hour downtown, that’s it.” He tried to walk past me, but I stepped in his way.
“That’s not our deal. But if you want to cut it down, you have to do something else in return.”
“What?” He sighed in defeat.
He wasn’t about to get away with just an hour of wearing those boots. Not after he’d made my life hell. “You have to go into one of the bars and dance to a song, that’s it.”
“By myself?”
I nodded. “Yep. I want to see if you know how to have some fun.”
His lips tilted up in a smirk. “I think you know the answer to that. You’ve been with me for a month now.”
It was strange to think I’d been gone that long. The past two weeks of it had flown by. “We have lots of fun together and I love it, but I want to see you dance. You owe me, after being such a dick.”
He ran a hand through his hair. “Fuck, I’m going to look like a goddamn moron. I hope you enjoy this.”
Giggling, I skipped to the door and held it open for him. “Oh, I will, and I’ll have your camera nice and ready for it too.”
He carried the box inside and disappeared to his room, cursing the entire way.
It was going to be a memorable night.
“This is fucked up,” Blake grumbled as we got out of the car. There were a couple of girls who walked by pointing and laughing; it was epic. His boots were so long he couldn’t even drive. It was the first time I’d driven in a month.
Taking out the camera, I snapped a photo of him just as another woman walked behind him trying to hide her smile. “Get to steppin’,” I told him. “The sooner you start, the sooner the hour will be over.”
“You’re walking with me, aren’t you?”
Laughing, I shook my head. “Nope. This is all you. I’ll be a safe twenty feet away. I don’t want anyone knowing I’m with you.”
He brushed off his shoulders and started walking. “All right. Just don’t get pissed when I score a couple of dates.”
“Do that and I’ll cook you dog food for dinner.”
I had no doubt he could attract the ladies, even looking as ridiculous as he did in his red and black plaid shirt, tight jeans, and bright red Mexican pointy boots. All the ladies would have to do is look at those gray eyes of his underneath the rim of that cowboy hat and they’d melt.
Over the next hour, I took picture after picture of people hiding their laughs. There were even some who wanted their picture taken with him; most of them looked like tourists. His picture would probably end up in their vacation photo albums, a keepsake of their time in Wyoming. I had about a dozen photo albums already with all the pictures I took.
“I think your camera’s full,” I called out.
He glanced at me over his shoulder and turned around with a smug smile on his face. “Does that mean you’re done watching me with all the ladies? I saw you getting jealous back there.”
I rolled my eyes. “Whatever, Evans. I’m not the jealous type.” It was a complete lie, but I wasn’t going to tell him that. There were several women whose hands slid a little lower than his waist when they were getting their picture taken with him. I bit my tongue and let it slide, even if I did want to break their hands. “You still have one task left, then we can go home.”
Groaning, he took his hat off and ran a hand through his hair. “Fine, let’s get this shit done.”
He took off toward the bar and I laughed the entire time. When we walked inside, there weren’t too many people in there, but the whole place fell silent as he stopped in the middle of the dance floor. There was an old juke box in the corner and I wasn’t surprised to see the song I wanted on the list . . . Cotton Eye Joe.
“Dude, what the fuck ya doing?” someone shouted with a laugh.
Giggling, I slipp
ed in the money and pressed the button. The second the song came on, Blake sighed and then moved across the dance floor, kicking his feet up and holding onto the huge belt buckle at his waist—true Cotton Eye Joe style. The crowd cheered and clapped for him and so did I. I was able to get a few more pictures of him before the camera died. Those were definitely going home with me.
I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around. It was Blake’s friend, Liam. “Did he lose a bet or something?” he asked, chuckling as he watched Blake on the dance floor.
I laughed. “Yep. Just make sure to give him grief about it every time you see him.”
“Hell yeah. I can promise you that.”
I looked down at his green scrubs. “You’re a doctor?”
He finished his beer and nodded. “Going on ten years now. Is it hard to believe a guy like me could be one?”
I held up my hands. “No, not at all. I guess I just figured you’d be in the ranching business, like Blake.”
He burst out laughing. “Someone has to take care of these idiot cowboys when they get hurt. Evans was one of my most frequent patients when he first moved out here. Those horses loved to buck him off.”
Blake finished dancing and headed straight over. “Telling lies about me, doc?”
Liam shook his hand. “Nope, just enjoying the show. Thanks for the entertainment. Now I need to get home to the wife before she starts to wonder where I’m at.”
Blake put his arm around me. “I hear ya. I need to get this one home to dole out a little payback for making me look like a fucking idiot.”
Liam snorted. “You do that all on your own, so don’t pass blame onto her.” Blake slapped him on the back and they both laughed. “Have a good night you two,” Liam said before strolling away.
I moved out from under Blake’s arm. “Payback, huh? You lost the bet, fair and square. I don’t think I deserve retaliation of any kind.”
He leaned closer and whispered in my ear. “Not that kind of payback, princess. I’m pretty sure you’ll like what I have in mind.”