“Don’t. Your dad wouldn’t be pleased.”
I grunted. “He’ll never be pleased.”
“That’s not true. I begged him to reassign you so we wouldn’t have to hire anyone. I said you were the best, and he agreed.”
“You’re lying.”
“No. He really did, but he said he wasn’t switching you until after calving season because you’re doing a stellar job—better than any other hand that’s been in charge.”
“I’m damned if I do, and damned if I don’t.” I grimaced. “How’s the wanna-be cowboy from Florida working out?”
“Garret Tullis. He’s a godsend. I only had a week to train him before I went home, but he’s a fast-learner. I think he’ll be perfect.”
“Perfect?” I growled. “I don’t think so. That man was checking you out in the airport, even after I tried to discourage him. Garret’s a ferret.”
She punched my arm. “Be nice. Your father’s super impressed with him.”
“Are you?” I asked through clenched teeth.
“Yeah. The guy knows what he’s doing. He did the rodeo circuit for three years and spent the last year working on a ranch in Oklahoma. He’s a hard worker.”
“Just make sure he keeps his hands to himself and remembers you’re the boss. I know guys, and trust me, that Florida ferret wants more from you than a job.”
“You’re delusional.”
Muscles in my jaw worked overtime. Why did she insist on being so clueless? I set my mug on the counter. “Tell me I wasn’t delusional when you agreed to be my girl earlier.” I leaned in to lay feather kisses down her neck.
“No. You were in your right mind then,” she replied between breathy gasps.
As I took hold of her arms, she trembled. I gently sucked the skin beneath her chin and kissed her throat. Her hand rubbed the stubble on my jaw, throwing me into turbo mode. I moaned and leaned closer, arching her back.
“Oh dear!” someone yelped behind me.
Lizzie jerked and banged her head against the cupboard. She winced as I turned to catch Mom blushing brighter than a Christmas ornament.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know anyone was in here.” She turned to go, but I called after her.
“Don’t go, Mom.” I winked and stood beside my flustered girl. “I just made Liz some cocoa. You want some?” I pointed to the Cocomotion machine.
“I don’t want to intrude.” She blushed like she’d been caught in her undies.
“You won’t. In fact, I’d like to make an introduction.” I grabbed Lizzie’s hand. “Mom, meet my girl.”
She stared at us before breaking into a huge smile. “Really?” When Liz nodded, Mom clapped her hands. “When did this happen?”
“Tonight.” I helped Liz down from the counter and took her hand.
Mom danced over to hug her. “This makes me so happy.” She turned to me and grinned. “Good choice, son.”
I handed her a mug of frothy chocolate. “I totally agree.”
Chapter 57
Liz
“You should come with me tonight,” Garret said.
I pulled the bridle off the new bay gelding. “I don’t know.”
“You’d like it. The kids are great and it’s therapeutic to help others. Your story would change lives.”
I chewed my lip as scenes from the accident flitted through my mind. Garret had started a SADD group—Students Against Destructive Decisions—as soon as he moved to town. The first meeting would be held tonight. He was passionate about helping teenagers avoid the harmful effects of drugs, alcohol, texting while driving, and other bad decisions, and guide them to more positive outlets. I liked that about him. Not only had he worked out well as an employee, but we’d connected as friends because of similar tragedies. His aunt and niece had died in a car accident a few months ago the same as Justin had.
“I want to go, but can’t get away tonight.” I wrinkled my nose. Truthfully, I didn’t know if Rawson would approve of me driving to town with Garret. He seemed quite jealous.
Garret brushed his horse. “Promise you’ll come next time. I’d love for you to be a guest presenter.”
“Count me in.” That would give me time to run the idea past Rawson. He wouldn’t like it, but if I could mold my tragedy into purpose, I had to try.
“If you came tonight, you’d get a feel for the format of the meeting. How about it?”
A new voice joined the conversation. “How about what?”
Whipping around, I grinned. “Rawson! You’re here.”
He pulled me into his arms and spun me around. “How’s my girl?” He set me on my feet and took my hand.
“I’m good. Garret leads a SADD meeting for teens and asked if I wanted to come.”
Rawson’s eyes narrowed. “Lizzie’s with me tonight.” He stepped between us and turned his back to Garret. It would’ve been funny if it wasn’t so rude. “I was thinking we could—”
I stepped to the side, determined to be polite. “Garret, I don’t think you’ve met Rawson.” Muscles worked overtime beneath Rawson’s incredible jawline. “Rawson, this is the new hand your father hired. Garret Tullis from Brooksville, Florida. Garret,” I touched Rawson’s arm, “this is Rawson Law, Bart’s oldest son.”
“And Lizzie’s boyfriend,” he added, making me roll my eyes.
“It’s nice to meet you finally.” Garret, at least, had manners. He stretched out his hand to shake Rawson’s.
Rawson’s expression mimicked a toddler eating spinach as he barely made contact. “What brought you out west?”
“Kind of the same thing as Lizzie. My aunt and niece were killed by a drunk driver not too long ago, and I needed to get away.”
I shook my head to silence him.
Noticing my wordless warning, Rawson frowned.
Garret hit his forehead. “Oh, I’m sorry. Have you not told him what happened?”
I couldn’t meet Rawson’s accusing gaze as I shook my head.
“Well, I can certainly understand that, darlin’.” I winced as he drawled the endearment. “There’s the whole trust issue for sharing sensitive subjects like that.”
My cheeks heated as I dug my boot into sawdust. Peeking up at Rawson, the rigid set of his lips and blazing eyes warned of danger. I shoved the bridle and bit into his hands and turned to Garret.
“I’m calling it a day. Can you finish putting everything away for me?”
“Anything for you, darlin’.” He grinned as he tied the new gelding to a post. “Nice meeting you, Rawson.”
Rawson sent him a nasty look before walking to the tack room. As we hung gear, he mimicked Garret. “Anything for you, darlin’.” Grabbing my hand, he practically dragged me from the room. “Please tell me you didn’t buy all his crap.”
Understanding how Garret’s insinuation must have upset him, I forgave his ranting.
Rawson’s nostrils flared. “What a ferret.”
We entered the house and dislodged our boots in the mud room. “I wish you’d stop calling him that. He’s a nice guy and just wants me to help at his SADD meeting.”
As I followed him downstairs, he snapped, “I’m certain he wants you to help him all right. Just not in the innocent way you’re thinking.”
“Simmer down. You have nothing to worry about.” I took his hand, finding the whole situation ironic. Plain, awkward moi assuring the most handsome man on earth that he didn’t need to worry about another man stealing my heart. I must have fallen into a far-fetched novel.
He sank onto the couch and heaved a weary sigh. “Sorry. It’s just when I realized you’d confided in him instead of me, I kind of wanted to tear the limbs from his scrawny body.”
I shook my head as I sat beside him. Garret wasn’t scrawny.
Rawson wrapped an arm around me. “Can you tell me now?”
“I’ve wanted to tell you for a while, but there’s never been a good moment. It’s sad and makes me cry…and all you’ve done is make me happy. Don’t feel bad I told
Garret. It doesn’t mean I trust him more as he implied.”
He traced my cheek, causing my blood to heat up like molten lava.
“When you do that,” I whispered, “it’s hard to tell you anything.”
A lazy grin crept up his face. “Do you want me to stop?”
“No.”
“He mentioned a drunk driver. What happened, babe?”
I blinked back tears. “I was engaged before I came here.” Rawson nestled me into his chest, allowing the comfort of his body to draw the sad story from me. “It was November 23rd—the day we were to marry. I was waiting at the church. I called Justin to see if he was close when I heard this terrible noise I’ll never forget and he cut out.”
Rawson massaged my head.
“My parents and I drove down Bonanza until traffic stopped. I jumped out and ran to the police barricade. That’s when I saw his car—what was left of it. A truck had run a red light. The driver was stoned and walked around while Justin was mangled inside a prison of twisted, jagged metal.” I gulped. “I tried to get to him, but the police and my dad held me back.”
Rawson cradled my head into his neck. “That must’ve been awful.”
“It was. I never got to say goodbye. His body was too…” I stopped, too upset to describe the nightmare.
As I emptied grief into his silky shirt, I realized that he shook with silent sobs as well. His compassion surprised me…and healed me. In sermons, I’d heard about mourning with those who mourn, but until Rawson cried with me, I’d never realized the power that action unleashed. Another part of my heart became his right then, and I wondered if I might actually love him.
“Thank you.” I touched his face and considered telling him he could kiss me. But before I could open my mouth, a tromping of feet on the stairs made me sit up and swipe at my tears.
Ben entered. “Rawson! You’re home.”
“Yep. Want to pick out a movie?”
He gave us a weird look since we were sitting in the dark. The poor kid probably thought we’d been sharing saliva, but we’d shared hearts instead. During the movie, I breathed in Rawson’s heavenly cologne and savored his touches. Talking of Justin had brought me full circle as I considered the love we’d shared and compared it to what I felt for Rawson now. Justin had been incredible, and I believe we would have been happy together; but sitting beside Rawson, I felt my confidence and ability to love had grown. I’d never felt this comfortable with Justin.
Minty breath wafted over me as Rawson’s lips touched my ear. “Dad’s sending me on a purchasing trip tomorrow.”
“That’s good, right?”
He grinned like a boy who’d just caught his first lizard. “It’s huge. He’s sent me a few times in the past, but always with Abe in charge. But it’s just me this time.”
I rested my head on his shoulder. “You’ll do great.”
“I love your faith in me.” We watched the next scene before he spoke again. “The only negative is I’ll be away from you for the next two, possibly three, weeks.”
“We have lots of practice being apart.”
“I wish we didn’t,” he grumped. “I hate leaving you with ferret.”
I nudged him. “Stop calling him that. He really is a nice guy.”
Rawson’s gaze turned intense, the green in his blue eyes sparking like flames. “I don’t care how nice he is. All I care about is that he stays away from what’s mine.”
“Stop worrying.”
He huffed. “It’s just that ferrets steal anything shiny, and you practically glow.”
I snuggled into his muscular chest. “Sorry. I can’t help my nasty, fair skin.”
He lifted me onto his lap, making my body spark as a tingling sensation spread through my limbs. “What am I going to do about you, my deficiency-listing princess?” His lips were so close I could almost taste the air he released with his words.
“Benny’s in the room.”
He kissed the skin right next to my mouth.
“Stop,” I gasped.
Everything Rawson did tantalized and terrorized. His kisses blown from several feet away practically sent me to my knees; and when his lips actually made contact with my face or neck, it felt like an out of body experience.
“Big Ben,” Rawson raised his voice, “ignore us for a bit so Liz isn’t embarrassed by our PDA.”
As his brother groaned, I jabbed Rawson’s side. “Too late. I’m already embarrassed.”
His oceanic eyes sparkled. “You’re amazing.”
“And you’re full of crap.”
I tried to slide off his lap, but he pulled me against his chest. “I’m full of nothing but honesty.” His voice was firm, not playful. “Now we have to play the Love Triangle game to shore up your self-esteem. I’ll start.” He played with a loose strand of my hair. “I love your kind heart. You always see the good in people…and ferrets.”
I snorted.
“Seriously, I’ve never met someone as kind as you. You love my brother and sister, you have a good relationship with Mom and Susa. You’re nice to all the hands, even the awkward ones. You even get along with Dad, and that’s a difficult thing to do. You were kind to me from the start, even though I deserved a smack in the face.”
“I did smack you.”
He chuckled. “I think I fell in love with you the day you left me in your dust on the side of the road.”
“Liar.”
“It was short-lived. Then I cursed you to hell and back.”
I laughed. “That sounds more truthful.”
His expression sobered. “I love how blind you are to your beauty.”
My eyebrows dipped sharply.
“You’re extremely beautiful,” he whispered so Benny wouldn’t overhear. “And you have no idea.”
Because it wasn’t true.
“Your beauty radiates from inside and makes you stand out from all other women I’ve known. When I said you glow, I wasn’t talking about your skin. I was referring to how you light up a room when you enter because cheer and happiness follow in your wake. I can’t help but smile when I see you. ”
“Not when I wear a ponytail. I know you hate those.” And I’d worn one every day since he told me. I wasn’t about to change for some man, especially this handsome, irritating one holding me.
He chuckled. “Hate’s a strong word.” My core temperature rose as his aquamarine eyes drifted back and forth, searching my face. “Annoyed might be more accurate. Your ponytail annoys me because it holds back all your beautiful hair.” He reached up and yanked another curl loose. “It’s a credit to your beauty that you can wear one at all and still turn heads.”
“The only heads I turn are horses, and that’s because they have a bit in their mouth.”
“You’re blind, woman.”
“You don’t have to do this, Rawson. I don’t want to be charmed.”
“You think I’m trying to charm you?” he growled. “I’m telling you what I love about you. You might be the only woman on earth who refuses to believe anything good about herself. Now tell me three things you love.”
“Good grief. You’re more annoying than my ponytail.”
“I just hate how negative you are with yourself. You’re not that way with anyone else, so why are you so mean to Numero Uno?”
His question made me squirm. “I’m not mean. I like who I am.”
“What do you like?”
I grimaced, having stepped right into his trap. Fingering the gold chain he’d given me on the fifth day of Christmas, I said, “I love your necklace.”
He made a buzzer sound. “It can’t be something you wear. Although it does look amazing on you.”
I pursed my lips. “I guess I like my teeth. They’re straight.”
Rawson tilted my head. “Smile.”
“No.”
“I check the horses’ teeth. Let me see yours.”
“I’m not a dang horse.”
Heat filled his gaze as his eyes lowered and raised bac
k up again, causing my stupid heart to gallop like a wild stallion. “No. You’re definitely all woman.”
Pushing out of his arms, I folded my arms. “Watch the movie.”
“Don’t think you’re getting out of telling me two more loves. I might even make it three. You only said you liked your teeth. I want to know what you love.”
I kept my eyes glued to the television. “I love my teeth.”
“Fine.”
“I love…” I drew the word out to make him laugh, “…my toes.”
“Why?”
“Because they wiggle better than yours.”
“Let me see.”
“No.”
He sighed. “Now I’m going to dream of your toes all night. I bet they’re sexy as he—” He paused. “Heck.”
“They are,” I agreed to make him laugh again. I adored his laughter.
We cuddled for the remainder of the movie. When the credits rolled up the screen, Ben trudged upstairs, leaving us alone.
“Uh…” I jumped to my feet, “…we should go to bed too.”
He grabbed my hand, making my heart stutter. “I probably won’t see you in the morning since I’m leaving at four.”
I made a face. “If I’d known you were going so early, I wouldn’t have made you watch a movie with me.”
He backed me up against the wall, trapping me between his muscular arms. “Made me watch a movie with you. That’s a good one.”
My heart thudded as I caught a whiff of his cologne.
“You never told me your third love.” His husky whisper almost made my knees buckle.
“I hoped you’d forgotten.”
“Never.”
I licked my lips. “I guess I love my height because I can get on a horse easier than short girls.”
“Ummm.” His hands moved down my long sleeves. “I love your height because it’s perfect to do this.”
The next thing I knew, his lips were closing in on mine. I ducked instinctively, and his lips landed on the bridge of my nose.
My heart pounded as I looked sheepishly into his eyes. He had every reason to be upset. I’d never been this stubborn with other guys. Even Mackay, who I hadn’t liked, had kissed me many times. I wasn’t one of those Puritan girls who placed such reverential value on their kisses that only a husband would receive them. But Rawson was different. I liked him—probably more than I should—but deep down, I believed this couldn’t last. One day he’d wake up and the blinders would fall from his eyes. He’d see just plain me. No one special. Then he’d leave.
Between Hope & the Highway Page 24