Rosie and Herb Padgett had been a godsend for many boys caught between a rock and a hard place. But these days, instead of taking in foster kids, they’d opened a residential equine academy for older teens. Much as he wanted to go home, showing up when classes were in session was inconsiderate, especially now that he was a hot item in the scandal sheets.
He used to wonder if he’d ever be famous enough to appear on the cover of the magazines in racks at the grocery store. Thanks to Briana, now he was. They’d plastered that picture everywhere, and one tabloid had dredged up a stock photo of Cliff looking outraged. It’d implied that had been Cliff’s reaction. Probably had been, and Matt hated that.
If he could hide out at the ranch for a few days, he wouldn’t have to keep seeing those tabloids. A quick check of the Thunder Mountain Academy site on his phone brought good news. The spring session had ended two days ago and summer classes wouldn’t start for another week. That meant everyone would be busy preparing the cabins and the rec hall for the next batch of kids.
He could help with that, but first he had to get on a plane. He hadn’t paid attention to what bus he’d used to escape the reporters, but this one wouldn’t take him to the airport. A few transfers would confuse his pursuers if he still had any, and he could make plane reservations on the way.
His tickets, one to Denver and a separate one on a commuter to the Sheridan County Airport, cost a ridiculous amount. Then again, he was making a ridiculous amount, enough for first class on the LA to Denver leg. He’d considered that briefly, because he didn’t fit comfortably in coach, but flying up front would only draw more attention.
Besides, he hated spending money on something so transitory as a bigger seat on the plane. He preferred investing in more permanent pleasures. He’d sunk a good portion of his earnings into a fixer-upper ranch not far from Thunder Mountain. He’d bought it sight unseen as a sanctuary from the craziness of LA, not knowing just how crazy things could get.
Rosie and Herb had checked out the place before he’d signed the papers and they’d assured him it would be beautiful once he gave it some TLC. Although he wouldn’t have much time to do that on this trip, he couldn’t wait to see it.
Too bad he had to be back in LA so soon, but some publicity gigs for Preston’s Revenge were scheduled next week, and after that he’d start shooting the new movie. He hoped to God Briana had settled down by the time they had to make a joint appearance. If not, those events would be awkward as hell.
After the relative tranquility of the bus ride, he stepped into the chaos of LAX with trepidation. He scanned the crowd for reporters and then decided he was being paranoid. He wasn’t a big enough deal for them to stake out the airport. No one paid attention to him until he had to hand over his driver’s license going through security.
The woman’s eyes widened. “Aren’t you—”
“Yes, ma’am. Please don’t react.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it, honey.” She gave him a smile and stamped his boarding pass.
Okay, so maybe not everyone in the world thought he was a scumbag who’d tried to steal Cliff Wallace’s wife. In the gate area he spotted several people reading the tabloid that had caused the most commotion because the headline screamed HOME WRECKER in large type. He kept his head down and hoped for the best. A couple of teenage girls snapped some pictures, but he could certainly live with that. Even if they posted them online, the paparazzi couldn’t get to him here.
He checked his phone and saw several texts from Geena, although she hadn’t tried to call him. He appreciated that. He texted back that he was on his way to Sheridan and would be out of touch for a week or so.
Then it occurred to him he should let Rosie know he was coming. In all the chaos he’d forgotten to do that. She was somewhat psychic, but figuring out he was flying home today might be beyond her powers. He sought out an area that was slightly less noisy and called her.
She answered immediately. “You’ve been on my mind all morning. How are you, son?”
Her caring voice almost made him lose it. No scolding, no exclamations of horror, no tears. She only wanted to know that he was okay. “I’m fine, Mom. I’m coming home for a few days, if that’s okay.”
“Of course it’s okay! When will you be here?”
He checked his arrival time. “I have a long layover in Denver so I won’t make it for dinner. Looks like I’ll land about nine or so tonight.”
“Cade and Lexi will pick you up.”
“Great. Can’t wait to see them.” His foster brother Cade Gallagher had moved back from Colorado two years ago and reunited with his high school sweetheart, Lexi Simmons. They’d both worked hard to make Thunder Mountain Academy a reality.
“The truck’s new, so look for the academy logo on the door. Oh, Matt, I’m so glad you’re coming home. I feel the need to see you.”
“I feel the need to see you, too.” He swallowed a sudden lump in his throat. “Gotta go. We’re about to load.”
He disconnected and stared at the floor while he pulled himself together. Six months ago he’d called Rosie with the life-changing news that he’d been given the male lead in his first big-budget film. She’d whooped and hollered for a good five minutes before she’d been able to speak rationally.
What a beautiful moment that had been. He’d cherished the idea that she could brag to her friends about her son the movie star. He’d loved giving her something special to celebrate after all she and Herb had done for him. And now that shiny moment had been tarnished.
At least his folks were in Wyoming, far from the ugliness. He never wanted it to touch them. Their privacy meant everything to him and he’d protect it at all costs.
Chapter Two
Matt had no trouble spotting the ranch truck as he stood in the cool night air outside the Sheridan airport waiting for his ride. Cade drove up in a tan, four-door long bed with the Thunder Mountain Academy logo on the door. Lexi wasn’t with him, after all, so Matt climbed into the front seat and grasped Cade’s outstretched hand.
“Hey, Matt.” A straw cowboy hat shadowed Cade’s face, but his subdued greeting telegraphed his concern. “No luggage?”
“Nope.” Matt closed the door and fastened his seat belt.
“At least you stayed ahead of the peasants with the pitchforks.” Cade put the truck in gear and pulled out.
“Barely. Nice truck.”
“Mom likes me to drive it whenever I come to town. She thinks it’s good for the academy’s image.”
Matt leaned back against the seat. “Yeah, until some derelict gets in.”
“Now that you mention it, you do look a little rough around the edges, bro. Is the scruff for your next role?”
“The scruff is for lack of a razor, although I figured it also might keep people from recognizing me.”
“Oh.”
“So, where’s Lexi?”
“She thought we might need some brotherhood moments so she’s waiting at the ranch with Mom and Dad.”
“Wow.” Lexi’s understanding touched him. “That’s...really nice of her.”
“That’s my lady. She has it all going on.”
“You’re a lucky guy.”
“Yes, yes, I am.” Cade stopped at a red light and took a deep breath. “And since she’s given us the chance to talk, let me say this whole thing bites. I mean, one damn kiss. It’s not like you were boinking that woman in the middle of Sunset Boulevard. And wouldn’t you know some jackass would be there with a camera.”
“Of course he was.” In spite of his exhaustion, Matt’s anger flared to life. “She hired him to be there.”
“What?”
“She set me up.” Matt’s stomach clenched as he said it out loud for the first time. “I can’t prove it yet, but the long layover in Denver allowed me to think through all that’
s happened and I’ve put the pieces together. I realize everything started on the last day of shooting when she propositioned me.”
“Aw, hell. Seriously?”
“Afraid so. I’ve never told anyone about it, though, so keep it to yourself.”
“Goes without saying.”
“Anyway, she was a little drunk, but not that drunk. She said Cliff wasn’t man enough for her anymore.”
“Anymore? They’ve been married for like three years, tops!”
Matt shrugged. “Who knows what their relationship is like? She promised we’d be discreet and no one would ever have to know. I turned her down as nicely as I could, but—”
“Now she hates you with the heat of a thousand branding irons.”
“Sure looks that way. She invited me to lunch yesterday, supposedly to apologize for her inappropriate behavior. Instead, she kissed me in front of witnesses and then told the media I was the aggressor.”
“Holy shit on a swizzle stick.”
“Yeah.” He glanced over at Cade. “But now that I’m out of paparazzi range it should die down. Without me to harass they’ll focus on some other poor slob. At least, that’s my plan. And I’d like to forget Briana Danvers while I’m here, so let’s talk about something else. You still have that gray tabby cat?”
“You remember Ringo?”
“Absolutely. He was one of the highlights from that quick visit last year.”
Cade chuckled. “Ringo’s living the life. Ever since Lexi moved into my cabin he prefers staying there with us instead of patrolling the barn looking for mice. He’s turned into a feline couch potato.”
“Smart cat.”
“Smarter than we are, that’s for sure. Listen, you may want to forget about Briana, but I’m just getting started thinking about her and I want justice.” Cade smacked the steering wheel. “Here’s an idea! We’ll call a press conference so you can tell your side. We can’t let her get away with this crap.”
His brother had his back. The heaviness lifted from Matt’s shoulders and he smiled for the first time in twenty-four hours. A press conference in Sheridan, Wyoming. That would be a first, especially if they could get any members of the press to show up, which wasn’t likely.
“I don’t know how to organize a press conference,” Cade continued, “but I’ll bet you do. Or you know people who know people. We can make it happen.”
“Look, it’s a good impulse and I appreciate the moral support, but a press conference won’t work for a lot of reasons.”
“What she’s done is wrong, damn it! It’s character assassination and you need to defend yourself.”
“I doubt I can. She’s a very good actress who knows her camera angles. She orchestrated that kiss so I’d look guilty as charged. Even if I try to tell my side, hardly anyone will believe me.”
“They might if you tell them about the proposition.”
“Not doing that.”
Cade groaned. “I should have known you wouldn’t. You’re too noble for your own good, buddy. She doesn’t deserve your overdeveloped sense of chivalry.”
“It’s not her I’m thinking about. It’s Cliff Wallace. I respect the hell out of the guy. He has lousy instincts when it comes to women, but like I said, Briana’s a very good actress. He may eventually find out the truth about her, but not because of me.”
“You had some love scenes with her, right?”
“Oh, yeah.”
“Hot?”
“Yep.”
Cade was silent for a while. Then he cleared his throat. “Let me just say I respect the hell out of you, cowboy. A lot of guys would have taken her up on that offer.”
“Not if they were members of the Thunder Mountain Brotherhood.” Matt took great pride in being a part of the group Cade had started years ago with Damon Harrison and Finn O’Roarke, the first three foster boys. Now every guy who’d lived at the ranch was included.
“True.”
“And not if they’d been raised by Herb and Rosie.”
Cade grinned. “Also true. And for the record, Mom’s been informing everyone that the tabloids got it wrong. You never would have behaved that way.”
“God, I love that woman.”
“Don’t we all.” He looked over at Matt. “Are you planning to tell her everything you just told me?”
“Probably not.”
“I wouldn’t, either, unless you want her to buy a ticket to LA and open up a can of whoop-ass on Briana. She’s already put a couple of DVDs in the trash compactor.”
Matt chuckled at the image of Rosie listening to the crunch as the DVDs bit the dust. “That’s why I had to come home, so I could hear stuff like this. Mom’s destroying DVDs and you’re ready to call a press conference. It’s a far better reaction than what I got from my PR rep this morning.”
“Which was?”
“She wanted me to publicly show remorse for my behavior.”
Cade met that comment with several choice swear words. “So, did you fire her?”
“Not yet. She doesn’t know me that well and the photo convinced her I’d forced myself on Briana.”
“Did you tell her you hadn’t?”
“Yeah, I said it was the other way around—that Briana kissed me—but Geena didn’t think it mattered who kissed who. I’m supposed to suck it up and be apologetic.”
“That’s her name? Geena?”
“Geena Lysander.”
“Well, this Geena person should have believed you. She should have taken your side. Apologize, my ass.”
“In a way, she was trying to take my side. She kept telling me it would be okay and we’d fix this.” He thought of the earnest light in her eyes as she’d laid out her plan. She had pretty eyes, and when they took on that special gleam, he had the urge to kiss her. Like that would ever happen.
“Well, you’re not apologizing.”
“Nope. I’ll just hide out for the next few days. My phone’s been off for hours and I’m growing fond of that mode. I might leave it off.”
“But you’re a big-deal actor now. Don’t you have to stay in touch with your peeps?”
“My peeps are all right here in Sheridan. You, Lexi, Rosie and Herb. Plus Damon and Philomena. How’s their baby doing, by the way?”
“Sophie’s cute as hell, bright red hair just like her mother’s. And Jake Ramsey moved back to town. He’s working at the fire station and engaged to Amethyst Ferguson. Remember her?”
Matt laughed. “Doesn’t everybody? I can’t hear ‘Santa Baby’ without remembering her sexy performance back in high school. I thought she’d be giving Taylor Swift a run for her money by now.”
“Turns out she’d rather stick to performing locally.”
“You know, after what just happened, I get that.”
“Please don’t tell me you’re hanging it up because of this nonsense.”
“No, I’m not. I’m starting a new movie next month.”
“Awesome! I don’t think I heard about that.”
“It came up pretty fast, and I kept meaning to call Mom but then this thing hit.” Matt let out a weary sigh. “But I’ll hang in there. I love acting. Always have.”
“The ultimate escape.” Cade glanced at him. “Do you remember telling me that?”
“I do, actually. School plays were great when I was a kid, but this...you can completely disappear into the role. You don’t have to worry about what to say because they hand you a script. You don’t have to wonder how everything will turn out, either. It’s all written out.”
“Sounds damned appealing. It’s a wonder more of us didn’t get into that line of work. Perfect way to forget about things you’d rather not remember.”
“Sure is. But I need a break. I’m ready to unplug, at least for the next week
or so. Let’s talk about your wedding. Third weekend in August, right?”
“Yep.”
“I want all the deets, bridegroom.”
“You won’t be bored?”
“Not a chance.” He settled back, ready to hear about something positive for a change.
Once Cade got started on the subject of his upcoming nuptials, he barely stopped for breath. Matt got a kick out of his excitement. By the time they turned down the dirt road leading to the ranch, the humiliation of the past twenty-four hours seemed unimportant compared to Cade’s obvious joy in marrying the love of his life.
The tabloid blitz had loomed large back in LA, but moonlight shining on the massive bulk of the Bighorns put everything in perspective. Cade parked in the circular gravel drive in front of the low-slung ranch house and Matt swung down from the cab. Lamplight coming through the windows allowed him to see Rosie, Herb and Lexi sitting in the Adirondack chairs lined up on the long porch.
They called out a greeting as they started down the steps. Matt hadn’t shaved or showered in two days, but nobody seemed to care. Arms outstretched, they gathered him close. Coming home had been the right thing to do.
* * *
As the crow flew, Sheridan didn’t seem that far from LA. Geena wished she could get there by crow, because clearly traveling by passenger plane would take all flipping day. The layover in Denver was ridiculous, but it gave her plenty of time to think about where she’d gone wrong with Matt Forrest.
And she’d gone very wrong with him. She’d also underestimated Briana Danvers’s thirst for publicity. Somehow the woman had learned that Matt had left town and she’d made a huge deal of it, calling his departure an admission of guilt.
That was exactly why Geena had wanted him to stick around, but she’d handled the situation poorly. Because she’d dealt with her fair share of clients caught in compromising situations off the set, she’d assumed Matt fell into that category. She’d expected him to agree with her plan to contain the damage. Instead, he’d stormed out of her office.
In the Cowboy's Arms Page 2