But as she took Chase’s arm and practiced walking down the aisle to the back of the church following Sadie and Rafe she had to fight the attraction fluttering in the pit of her stomach. She was all too aware of him and that the posse was watching from the back of the church, speculation and excitement lit their expressions. She had more on her plate than worrying about being the target of their newest wedded bliss campaign but she had the feeling that was exactly what she’d become. Not that it would do them any good because her life was back in Houston.
“You two look plum cute together too,” Norma Sue said to Chase and Amber as they reached them. “Now, Norma Sue, a beautiful woman makes any couple cute,” Chase drawled.
Amber pulled her arm from the crook of his. “I may not be so cute tomorrow when I’m wearing heels and wobbling down the aisle. I don’t play well with heels all the time.” It was completely off subject but she had no intention of joining into a conversation that revolved around her and Chase as a couple. She glanced at Ty and Dalton who were standing a few feet away where they had been watching the ceremony. They would act as the ushers—really handsome ushers.
They were gorgeous cowboys but looking at them did not cause her pulse to flutter nor was her gaze drawn to them every other moment that they were in the room as she was finding was true of Chase. And why were Norma Sue, Esther Mae, and Adela not looking at them as possible matches for her if they were starting to zero in on her as their new target?
“I need to check my messages before we go in for the rehearsal dinner.” It was true but also an excuse for a time-out. Picking up her purse from the table at the back of the church she headed out onto the front steps. Space. She needed it.
And she really did need to check her messages to see if there had been any news about whether they’d been able to apprehend the man who’d been following her.
Her phone rang as she stepped onto the front lawn of the church and without checking the caller ID, she slipped it from the front pocket of her purse and answered it.
“You messed up. Messed up more than you realize,” the menacing male voice growled.
Amber gasped and her fingers tightened on the phone. She didn’t have to ask who this was. She knew. “Leave me alone,” she snapped.
“You think leaving town is going to stop me from finding you? Think again. I’ll find you and you’ll pay for taking what was mine.”
“I just told her what she needed to hear—”
“You’ll be sorry you ever meddled in my life,” he threatened and then the line went dead.
Amber’s heart raced and she felt breathless as a knot of anger and fear lodged together in her chest.
“Amber, are you all right?”
Startled, she swung around, her heart fluctuating erratically. Chase stood on the grass only a few steps away. How much of the conversation had he heard—not that it was a long conversation.
“I’m…fine.” Her words were unsteady as she fought to regain her composure.
He looked skeptical. “Well, pardon me if I contradict you but you sounded alarmed and in trouble and you’re white as a sheet right now.” He stepped closer. “Not to mention looking like you’re going to pass out any minute.”
She stared at him. “Well, I am fine. And I assure you I have no plans to faint.” The last thing she needed was Sadie finding out about this. She inhaled sharply and willed her pulse and her heart to regain its footing.
She didn’t want Chase telling Sadie what had happened.
Dusk was settling in and there were shadows everywhere as she looked around. She shook off the knowledge that Ned Talbert might be looking for her. There was no way he could find out where she was. She needed to inform the detective about this though.
“Look it was nothing. I need to get back in there.” She started around Chase, intent on halting this conversation because she suddenly had the unexplainable urge to tell him everything that was going on. Every worry she was having.
“Amber you and I both know that conversation wasn’t nothing. It’s your business though.”
She moved to go around him again and he gently grabbed her arm and stopped her.
“But I’m here if you need me for anything,” he said then dropped his hand.
“I’m fine,” she reiterated once more and forced her feet to march her back to the reception hall and the dinner that was underway. But the warmth of his hand on her arm and the thought of having his strong shoulders to lean on was overwhelmingly tempting.
It was a little after nine and Chase had gone straight to his office after the rehearsal dinner. He had some last minute paperwork to do preparing for the big pre-Thanksgiving bull and cattle sale they were having during Rafe’s honeymoon time. He welcomed the work, needing something to occupy his mind other than thoughts of Amber.
He couldn’t shake the feeling that Amber was in some kind of trouble.
“You still working?” Ty asked about an hour later. Leaning a shoulder against the office door, he stared across the room where Chase studied the computer screen.
“I’m nearly through. Then I’ll be able to take up some of the slack while Rafe runs off on his honeymoon.”
Ty grinned. “You could always tell him he can’t leave.”
“Yeah right.” Chase laughed, rubbing his eyes. “How’s that colt doing?”
“It has great promise. A colt like him doesn’t come along that often so I’m enjoying working him.”
Ty loved his horses and ran the horse operation for the ranch. CC had hired him on a few years earlier and Ty had been building a solid horse division for the ranch ever since. And he was as dependable as any man Chase had ever met. Voices came from the hall and then Rafe and Dalton entered his office. Suddenly the large room that had once been CC’s office seemed small with all the partners except Maddie stuffed into it.
“Hey,” Rafe said. “I wanted to take a moment to thank y’all for letting me go off and get married right now. I know with the cattle sale coming up next week that this isn’t the best time for one of us to be away.”
Chase put on his poker face. “We’ll expect you to do double time when you get back,”
“Whatever it takes I’ll do.” Rafe grinned. “But I figure I’ll fill in for each of you as you tie the knot.”
Ty got a wary look on his face. “On that note, I’m calling it a night.”
“Hey, I’ll go with you,” Dalton said heading after Ty, At the door he halted and with a half teasing, half serious glance at Rafe he fired back. “I’m glad for you Rafe but I am in no hurry to settle down. May not ever.”
“Boy, you do know how to clear a room,” Chase told Rafe as Dalton followed Ty out, their boots could be heard clomping up the stairs seconds later.
Rafe shrugged. “You’re still here.”“I was here first. You aren’t about to start thinking that just because you’re happy everyone has to get married are you?”“No,” Rafe scoffed. “But when a man is happy he naturally wants his friends to be in the same arena.”
“I’m doing just fine in the arena I’m in thank you very much.”
Rafe settled into the leather chair across the desk from him. “Fine. I’m not pushing. That’s your business. I came to ask you something else.”
Chase pushed back from the desk and leaned back, relaxing in the cushioned chair that had belonged to CC. “Shoot, whatever you need I’ll do. You know that.”“Yeah, I do. But after what was just said you might not like this one very much. Sadie caught me a little while ago and said she was worried about something going on with Amber. She has a job that has her dealing with abusive individuals sometimes, and sometimes it’s not safe. Sadie is worried about a case she’s working right now.”
The phone call. Chase sat up in his chair. “What’s going on?”
“She encouraged a woman to take her child and go into a safe house for abused women. That’s what she does. She’s used to dealing with these situations but this time it really must have hacked off the abusive boyfrien
d because he found out who she is and was following her before she came here. She’s been advised to take some time off while they try and locate this guy. Sadie is afraid she could be in a little danger, that maybe the man is stalking her.”
Chase leaned forward, every muscle tensing. “Did he follow her here?”
“She’s not sure.”
“Has she called the police?”
“Yes. They are working the case and they’re the ones who advised her to lay low for a while. The wedding was at the perfect time and she’s planning on staying a few weeks. But Sadie is worried that something could happen while we are gone. She’s convinced Amber isn’t telling her everything. It’s not my place to disclose this to everyone because Amber’s keeping it all to herself. But we know you’ll be discreet and wanted to ask you if you’d look out for her while we’re gone? It will help Sadie not worry if she knows you’ve got Amber’s back.”
“I’ll watch out for her. I’ve figured out she’s pretty hard-headed. Got a mind of her own.”
Rafe grinned. “Well, to hear Sadie talk, Amber can take care of herself. Sadie just has an uneasy feeling. Thanks, buddy. I’ll keep you up to date on anything more we learn.”
Later, Chase found himself not sleeping as his mind kept turning to Amber. The woman worked at a hotline center for abused women…that surprised him.
But being stalked—just how dangerous was this job of hers?
Chapter Five
Saturday arrived with a slight chill in the air. November had arrived with all of its unpredictability that always accompanied it. Thanksgiving Day was only three weeks away and having lived in Texas all her life Amber understood that November was a swing month—it swung up and it swung down on the thermometer.
Today was the wedding day and all the guys had headed into town early for breakfast at Sam’s Diner—a very nostalgic place that she was anxious to see herself one day while she was here. It had been mentioned a lot in the articles Molly Popp-Jacobs wrote for the paper. But not today, today was about Sadie.
Tugging her light sweater closer around her Amber walked across the ranch yard to the barn and the arenas. She hadn’t looked at the ranch yet and was curious about it. Plus, she didn’t want to take a chance that Sadie would overhear her talking to the detective and Amber needed to fill him in on what Ned Talbert was up to. The man had called two more times during the night but recognizing the number she hadn’t answered her phone.
The barn was actually a horse stable and she was greeted by several friendly horses as she walked down the center of the stalls toward the back exit where double doors were opened wide to an outer fenced area. Though she’d seen ranch hands milling around various areas of the other barns this area looked secluded enough. Her shoulders were tight as she dialed the number.
The detective answered on the second ring. “Crawford here. Miss. Rivers,” he barked gruffly even before she could identify herself. Amber assumed the he had looked at his phone’s ID prior to answering his direct line. “How are you faring out there? Anything to report?”
She quickly relayed what had happened and Crawford took the information in without saying much. When she was finished he asked a few precise questions for clarification.
“At this moment we have no info to suggest he knows how to locate you there at your friend’s home. We’ve dusted your apartment and found no prints. He’s covered his tracks but like you, we’re pretty certain Ned Talbert was inside your apartment. Did you have anything written down, say on a piece of paper on your desk that might leave a paper trail to you there?”
She thought about that hard. “No. I know Sadie’s number by heart and there were no invitations sent out because the wedding is on such short notice, so he wouldn’t have seen anything to tell him where I am. I’m assuming he got my phone number off the Internet?”
“Most likely that’s correct. Again, we’re looking for him and think we have a lead. Keep me posted and I’ll do the same.”
Not knowing what else to ask him she said goodbye and disconnected. She felt more discontent now than she had prior to the call. Her shoulders hurt they were so tight with tension.
“Are you alright?”
She jumped and spun around at the sound of Chase’s deep voice. He was standing a few steps behind her. His Stetson shaded his eyes but she could still see and feel the intensity of his gaze as they bore into hers.
“I, I’m fine.” The strain in her voice was evident and she saw in his expression that he heard it too.
“Why are you so skittish?”
“I’m not—”
“Yes you are. Even Sadie has noticed it. She asked Rafe to ask me to look out for you while they are gone.”
“No she didn’t?” she gasped. But it sounded just like something Sadie would do. Amber would have done it for Sadie. Despite not wanting to worry Sadie she had because she’d figured out that Amber was downplaying the situation. Her friend knew her too well.
“That woman is too perceptive. I didn’t want to worry her while I was here. And I don’t need you to look out for me.”
“Well, she is worrying and I don’t want Sadie worrying about you while she’s on her honeymoon so I’m going to do as she asked. Rafe told me that your job could be stressful and dangerous sometimes.”
Frustration clawed at Amber—how much had Sadie revealed to this cowboy? “I work at a crisis call center. I work with abused women. We get them help and get them out of a bad situation and into hiding if need be.”
“Is that what you’ve done? Helped a woman hide?”
She nodded, not sure how much she wanted to share with him.
“Did you make an abusive husband angry? And don’t look so shocked. I figure that’s where the danger has to come from if the boyfriend or husband finds out who helped their woman disappear.”
She nodded, giving in she sighed. “I helped a woman on Monday. It had been the third time she’d called in and something told me that this time she really needed out and she might not call back. I assured her that she and her little girl would be safe if she just trusted me. And she did... Sadly, in a moment of weakness she later called him after she was in hiding and told him what she’d done—”
“She called the guy?”
“It happens all the time. I don’t understand it, but it is not uncommon. Thankfully she regretted it immediately and knew she couldn’t take her child back into that situation and they were able to relocate her once more but—”
“But that didn’t help you. She told him where she’d gotten help and who had helped her.”
Amber nodded. “Yes, we just didn’t realize she’d exposed that info until he showed up in the shrubs at my condo and then followed me later and threatened me.”
“So, he is stalking you?” His brows crunched and his jaw tensed as anger flashed like quicksilver in his gorgeous eyes.
“A little.”
“Stalking is stalking once or twenty times. Especially if he’s got a reason to hate or hurt you.”
There was something in his voice that set her on alert. “You sound like you know what you’re talking about.”
He shook his head. “Just concerned for you. What are the police doing?”
She didn’t believe him. The way he’d grown white beneath his tan told her something wasn’t right.
“I have a restraining order on him. They weren’t able to match his prints inside my apartment but feel certain the break-in was him. I made sure I wasn’t being followed here. They will find him by the time I get home and everything will be fine.”
“And what if they don’t?”
“I can’t live my life afraid. I can take care of myself. I teach other women how to defend themselves I can do what I teach.”
“You wouldn’t stand a chance against this guy if he really wanted to get at you.”
“That’s pretty presumptuous of you.” She pinned him with a direct challenge.
He held up his hands. “Whatever you say. But I’m jus
t going to tell you that Sadie is asking me to watch you and I don’t want her worrying while she’s on her honeymoon. I’ve promised her and promise you, that nothing is going to happen to you on my watch.”
The idea of being watched over by Chase had its appeal.
The truth was—it was too appealing.
That appeal was even stronger when Chase had walked into the church with Rafe and Cliff the hour before the wedding started. Amber’s mouth had gone dry seeing him dressed in the pristine white shirt and western cut tux. All through the wedding her attention kept straying to him instead of being riveted to the happiness of Sadie and Rafe exchanging vows.
Each time their gazes locked her heart tumbled and her stomach dipped…it was the most intense feeling Amber had ever experienced. It didn’t make sense.
And yet it was there between them. Undeniable.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. Rafe you may kiss your bride.”
Amber was startled by the words of Pastor Chance Turner.
Over. Already.
Amber focused. It had been a beautiful wedding and exactly what Sadie deserved. Amber just had been too distracted by the best man. Now, she riveted her attention to the happiness on Sadie’s face as Rafe gazed down at her sweet friend. Peace for her friend filled her. Looking at Rafe’s expression of love as he leaned in and kissed his wife for the first time. Tears sprang to Amber’s eyes. This was the look of love her friend deserved.
All women deserved that look, deserved the kind of man who would cherish her in sickness and in health. Who would take care of her and protect her…Amber worked with so many women who didn’t realize they deserved this.
Amber sighed softly as Rafe continued the kiss and hoots and good wishes were shouted out. Rafe kissed Sadie like he never wanted to let her go.
Wiping a tear from the corner of her eye she caught Chase watching her. He smiled and her heart fluttered in response.
Chase: (Contemporary Western Romance) (New Horizon Ranch Mule Hollow Book 3) Page 3