“What do you think you’re doing?” she fired back.
“Lookin’ out for you that’s what. I’m here to escort you back to the ranch.” He was so close and looking down at her. Amber yanked her shoulders back and stuffed her hands on her hips as she glared up into his incredible blazing green eyes.
“I told you last night I didn’t think I could keep letting this guy run my life. I’m not afraid of him and I’m not ready to go to the ranch.”
“You’re going if I have to throw you over my shoulder and haul you back.”
“Ha, in your dreams, buddy.”
He stepped toward her.
“Oh, my you two might want to talk this over,” Esther Mae gushed. “And who is “he”. Why does Amber need to be afraid?”
“There is no talking to this woman. She knows she’s not supposed to leave the ranch without me.”
“I—” Amber started to retort but Esther Mae beat her to it.
“Why does she have to stay at the ranch? You two are throwing off sparks enough to burn this town up,” she said, her eyes sparkling like she’d just spotted gold nuggets or something. Then they dimmed. “But why does she need to be scared?” Worry amped her pitch up a notch.
“Because she’s not safe—”
“Why?” Esther Mae gasped.
Amber glared at Chase. “It’s nothing, Esther Mae. The man is overreacting.”
“He looks concerned but sounds like he needs to be. What’s going on?”
She’d show Chase Hartley some trouble. Oh yes she would. “I am fine. I had a little problem with a mad, abusive boyfriend of one of the women I helped get to a shelter that’s all.”
Esther Mae’s hand came to her throat and alarm tightened her expression. “Oh, Amber. I hadn’t thought about your job being dangerous. Did the man try to hurt you?”
“He’s following her,” the obnoxious cowboy droned and Amber wanted to kick him in the shins.
“You have a stalker! Is he here—in town?” Esther Mae asked looking from side to side as if she’d spot the man lurking not too far away.
“No, he’s not here and he doesn’t know where I am. So I’m safe and Chase is overreacting. Now, would you pul-ease leave,” she said to Chase.
“No. I told you. You’re coming with me.”
“Maybe you should do as he says.”
Amber glared at the redhead now. “No, I refuse to be afraid especially when I know I have nothing to be afraid of at the moment. So please don’t worry and I’d rather everyone not know about this.” It only took a glance to know that she was having a false hope thinking that Esther Mae wouldn’t spread this around.
“This is ridiculous,” she grumbled, and started down the sidewalk. No one was telling her what to do—
“Wait!” Chase grabbed her arm just above the elbow.
It happened quickly as she reacted to his touch. She spun grabbed his wrist with her free hand and bent forward twisting just right and in less than four seconds she’d brought him over her shoulder. He sailed through the air and landed on his back with a thud and lay there dazed and looking up at her.
Esther Mae’s exclamation of shock reverberated as loud as Chase’s grunt upon hitting the planks…
Chapter Twelve
Did that really just happen?
The question reverberated through Chase as he stared up at Amber from flat on his back on the rough, wooden sidewalk. She stared down at him a stunned horror.
It had happened faster than being tossed from the saddle by an angry horse.
“What’d you go and do that for?” he growled scrambling to a sitting position and rubbing the back of his head and feeling a lump. He had to shake the cobwebs out.
Amber was as pink as the beauty shop. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” he growled again. His pride was bruised as was his backside but he kept his mouth shut about that.
“How did you do that?” Esther Mae gushed.
Amber stood straight. “I am very well trained. Despite what people believe I can take care of myself.” She glared at him. “You shouldn’t have grabbed my arm.”
He pushed up from the ground and stood. “You shouldn’t have overreacted,” he snapped.
“And you shouldn’t have grabbed me. What were you thinking?”
He scowled and could feel heat rising from under his collar. “Woman, you’re flirting with danger and too stubborn to care.” She’d also put him on the ground like a pro but that was because he’d been completely caught off guard. “I was trying to protect you, that’s what I was thinking. Now stop being bullheaded and come back to the ranch.”“I’ll come when I’m ready, Chase, and not a minute before.” She turned and started walking again but glanced over her shoulder. “Don’t touch me.”
“Fine. No problem.” He crossed his arms and watched her go. Then he stepped off the sidewalk and leaned against her car to wait. She was in Mule Hollow. If anyone bothered her he’d know it within minutes.
“Wow, she sure is something,” Esther Mae said. He’d forgotten she was standing there.
“Something else,” he muttered and heard Esther Mae chuckle.
“Well I’ve got to run. But I think you’re doing a great job. I can’t believe someone is stalking her and we certainly don’t want anything happening to her. She might be able to protect herself and then again it’s always good to have someone who’s got your back. Like my Hank…he doesn’t have the muscles like you do now but he sure used to. Hang in there.”
Chase was relieved when Esther Mae decided to head out. No offense but at the moment he wasn’t in any mood to hear about Hank Wilcox’s attributes.
He was watching Amber sashay angrily down the street and her attributes, no matter how aggravating she was, were a whole lot more interesting to him than Hank’s.
By the time Amber reached Heavenly Inspirations, Esther Mae had hustled up beside her and entered the salon right behind her. Lacy looked up from where she was shampooing someone. Sheri her co-owner and nail tech came out of the back of the salon.
“Hey, hey, hey, Amber,” Lacy chimed. “It’s good to see you—Whoa—you’re redder than Esther Mae’s hair. What’s happened to you?”
“Girls, listen up,” Esther Mae blurted. “Amber has a stalker.”
Oh brother! Really? Amber whirled toward the redhead. “Esther Mae—”
“What do you mean?” Sheri asked first and the others echoed her.
“Nothing. Everyone is overreacting. First Sadie, then Chase and now Esther Mae.”
“A stalker is nothing to take lightly,” Lacy said. “Isn’t that right, Molly?”
“She’s right,” the woman in the shampoo bowl agreed. “I write for Houston Tribune and stalking makes some sad headlines too many times to disallow.”
Great a reporter—the reporter who’d put Mule Hollow on the map with those columns about the matchmakers escapades. “I’m not disallowing or ignoring it. I’m just not in danger here. He didn’t follow me to Mule Hollow. He has no idea where I am.”
“Are you certain?” Sheri asked. “Have you told Sheriff Brady?”
“I’m certain. And no I haven’t had a reason to talk to the local sheriff.”
“Chase knows,” Esther Mae blurted from her position by the window. “He’s one hot cowboy out there waiting on her till she heads back to the ranch.”
Anger shot through Amber toasting her ears. “He’s still out there?”
“Oh yes,” Esther Mae grinned.
“Well I think that’s sweet,” Lacy said. “You might not think this crazy person followed you but it never hurts to have a hunky cowboy looking out for you. You’ve got us too. Right, girls.”
“Right,” Sheri said, stuffing her hands on her hips, her expression calculating. “You give us a description and you’ll have the best look-outs around watching for this dude. He won’t stand a chance of getting close to you.”
“That’s right,” Esther Mae harrumphed. “I’ll have Norma Sue and
Adela in on this in a jiffy and that man better watch out is all I’ve got to say.”
Amber’s anger eased in view of their kindness. It actually felt wonderful knowing these women were looking out for her. They hardly knew her. All these years she’d been driven to look out for other women’s welfare and now suddenly she had her own little posse to surround her and help her. Tears nearly ambushed her.
“Y’all really know how to steal a girl’s thunder,” she said. “I can’t be mad now…even if I don’t believe he’s coming here to stalk me or harm me, knowing y’all want to look out for me is like nothing I’ve ever felt before.”
“Don’t forget about that cowboy out there you flipped over your shoulder. He’s wanting to look out for you too,” Esther Mae added. “Y’all should have seen her toss Chase to the ground.”
“You really did that?” Lacy asked.
“It was just a reflex.”
“Some reflex.” Sheri grinned and so did the other three.
“Give us his description,” Molly said. “We’re ready to enlist everyone’s help in this.”
Amber’s mind started working as an idea started forming in her mind. “If the cops can’t do something with him then maybe we could lure him here and deal with this ourselves.” She was only half teasing as she grinned wide and her eyes sparkled with mischief.
“I love that idea!” Lacy exclaimed. “Let’s do it.”
“Now hold on,” she said. “I was just teasing…” But was she really?
Chase had had too much time on his hands to think while he waited for Amber to decide to go back to the ranch. He had to admit that he admired her spunk despite the fact that she was being entirely pigheaded. A pretty pig head but still the woman needed to realize that just because she thought this guy hadn't followed her didn't mean he hadn't. Just the thought of something happening to Amber twisted him up inside. He’d known her for less than a week but she meant something to him and he knew it. Amber got to him with her bravery and willingness to help others. She had a strength about her and yet he’d seen a vulnerability in her eyes...she needed someone to be there for her. That dug into him and made him want to protect her and stand by her even when she was pushing him away.
Sadie had asked him to look out for Amber, but even if she hadn’t asked him he’d be right here doing it anyway. There was something special about Amber and he wouldn’t let any harm come to her.
He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Brady's number. The sheriff was a good friend and also had a real problem with men trying to abuse a woman in any form and that included stalking. A stalker was unpredictable and dangerous. They were not just onlookers from afar and Amber needed to understand that.
"Sheriff here."
"Hey, Brady," he said not wasting any time. "I've got a situation," he said and explained what was going on.
"I’m going to need to talk to her?"
"That's what I was thinking. Maybe if she hears it from you she'll think more about running off by herself."
"Maybe, but she sounds like she's not going to let this creep define her. And that's both good and bad."
"Tell me about it."
He'd just put his phone back in his pocket when Amber came out of the hair salon and stalked toward him—or her car since he was leaning against her driver’s door.
"Okay, I'm heading back to the ranch. Does that make you happy?"
He moved away from the car, startled that she was doing like he'd asked. It was almost too easy. He grabbed the door handle and pulled it open for her.
"I can be a gentleman," he said when she looked startled by his actions. "I'm not the bad guy here, Amber. I'm trying to look out for you."
She looked flustered but she softened. "I get that, Chase. It's just frustrating that I have to be in this spot."
He felt for her and had the sudden urge to put his arms around her. He had a feeling there was fear driving her to act so strongly against having help. Maybe even some denial. "I'll follow you.” He’d tell her about Brady coming out later.
She nodded and climbed into her car and a few minutes later they were heading home. Ty was at the grill when they walked up the path.
"You two are just in time for my special BBQ chicken."
"Thanks, Ty," Amber said. "I'll be out in a few minutes."
Chase watched her disappear into the house. He normally attacked a problem head on and he didn't seem to be handling this one very well.
"What's going on?" Ty asked.
"I'm not sure. I'm trying to understand her but coming up short."
"Well I'd be coming up shorter than you I can tell you that for certain. I can back you up or whatever you need but understanding the female brain is not a gift the Lord saw fit to give me. Now horses I get, but women I only make a mess of things."
Chase knew his friend had been a bit of a loner since he'd joined the ranch about four years ago. He kept to himself and yet he was always the one who could be counted on to help any time of the day or night. That was one reason he was also one of the ranch hands that CC had entrusted this ranch too. Hard work and dedication had been prerequisites for the honor.
"You and me both," Chase grumbled.
Chapter Thirteen
Brady showed up the next morning when they were all at the breakfast table. Today there was a lot going on at the ranch. Ty and Dalton had a horse auction to get to and Chase had planned on going too, but instead he was sticking close to the ranch and Amber despite her not wanting him around.
“Has Ned Talbert had any contact with you since you’ve been here at the ranch?”
“Once,” Amber admitted. “He tried calling a few other times but I didn’t answer.”
“What did he say?”
“That he was going to make me pay for what I’d done.”“That’s a threat.”
She nodded. “But I hadn’t reported it to you yet because I’d hoped…well I guess I was just thinking he would go away until I got this last call. I’ve been worrying since I got it, but with the wedding and being here I haven’t taken this step. And I should have.” She told him about her apartment and that they were already looking for him and then she told him about how he kept calling the hotline center trying to get information.
“He’s not giving up. I’m glad we know now. I’ll contact the detective in charge and find out if there’s any new developments. Are you going to press charges when they pick him up?”
So this was it. The man hadn’t had his girlfriend press charges and he’d been lucky for that. Now it was in her hands… and she didn’t hesitate. “I’ll press charges,” she said, determination hardening her tone.
Chase nodded at her, his gaze serious. “Good. Brady, what are the odds he comes after her here?”
“Pretty high if he finds out where she is. I’d advise you stay low until this is over.”
“I’ve already been advised to stay out of the way until they pick him up so I’ll be here.” Her stomach felt a little queasy. The stubborn part of her wanted to say no way. That she was going back and refused to be scared. But the saner part of her knew there was no sense pushing buttons that didn’t need to be pushed.
“Good. I’ll stay in touch. I just want to tell you that I appreciate all you do for these ladies. They need people to champion them and your willingness to put yourself at risk is heartening. Dottie will want to meet you and I’m sure the ladies will want to meet you too.”
“I’m planning to go over there and check it out.”
“Great. There’s about three families right now who’ve been with us for several months. One of the women is about ready to go out on her own and she’s doing great but the other two ladies are struggling some. They’ve been through some pretty terrible stuff and it’ll just take a while for them to feel confident enough to be out on their own.”
“I am so thankful for safe homes like No Place Like Home. It’s really a blessing to the women and their children to have a place to turn to in a nearly hopeless situation.�
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The sheriff nodded. He was a tall, broad shouldered man, reminded her of Matt Dillon from Gunsmoke. He looked to be at least six foot three or maybe four and he looked like he could take on the world or a few abusive husbands at a time if need be. Chase stood beside him and was just a little shorter at about six foot one but he looked just as capable of protecting a woman. The thought of his arms wrapped snuggly around her flashed into her mind and she realized she’d been giving him a really hard time over trying to protect her. The man barely knew her and yet he was determined to keep her safe from this jerk who was bothering her. She would talk to him about that after the sheriff left.
A few minutes later with the assurance that he would let her know what he found out or if any new factors came about the sheriff tipped his Stetson at her and left. She immediately turned to Chase.
“I believe I owe you an apology.”
“For what?” he asked.
She had to smile. “For being a bit of a jerk about you following me around. You were only doing what you promised Sadie you would do. I’m sorry you’ve had to do that.”
His gaze turned serious. “I might have started out doing it for Sadie but I’d be wanting you safe no matter what,” his gaze narrowed then he added quickly. “You or any other woman shouldn’t have to be worried about this guy.”
His sincerity got her. Of course he hadn’t said he was doing it because he cared what happened to her specifically. She barely knew him so why was she thinking something like that? Still, something twisted behind her ribs as a lump lodged there. The ache was nearly more than she could take. She didn’t need someone looking out for her.
She did the looking out for others.
She’d learned a long time ago not to count on someone looking out for her. It was dangerous. And that was one kind of danger she didn’t do any more. That was too risky.
And yet looking at him…she wished… “You’re a nice guy, Chase Hartley.”
He gave a slight hike of his lip. “You think?”
Chase: (Contemporary Western Romance) (New Horizon Ranch Mule Hollow Book 3) Page 8