by Hebby Roman
She groaned. “You’re gonna think it’s really stupid.”
“C’mon.” He guided Jethro close enough that his leg bumped hers. “Tell me.”
“Okay. When I was a kid and sick, I couldn’t always go to school. The chemo compromised my immune system, and my mom was scared I’d get a cold and die. I never had the heart to point out to her that I was going to die anyway.”
She realized her digression when Braden pinned her with a dark glare.
“You talk about it like it was just a normal childhood,” he said.
“Sorry. I wanted normal, but I suppose that was never in the cards for me. Anyway, I spent much of my young life obsessed by aliens.”
“Illegal aliens?”
She snorted. “No. Outer space. I read tons of books and watched documentaries and every night I scoured the night sky from my bedroom window.”
“So you are looking for little green men,” he teased.
She narrowed her eyes and sighed. She should know better. Truthfully, she never spoke about this with anyone except Brynn. “No. And before you think I’m a total crackpot, there’re plenty of credible theories about alien technology already existing on earth. My college roommate, Brynn, who’s also an archaeologist, has spent her life’s work on the Sumerian culture. It’s generally believed they had the oldest writing system and much of their mythology was later incorporated into early Christian stories. But what if their gods weren’t gods at all, but instead celestial visitors? There’re all sorts of strange references in the Sumerian tablets that have been preserved.” Audrey shrugged. “I’ve always found the idea intriguing.”
“It seems to me we’ve got an entire alien world right here in the oceans.”
Surprised by his comment, Audrey said, “That’s true. We’ve hardly scratched the surface of knowing what exists in the deepest depths. You’ll love my friend Chloe. She’s a marine biologist, and she’s trying to decipher the language of sperm whales. Chloe, Brynn, and I were roommates in college.”
“And where was that?”
“UCLA.”
“You’re a California girl.”
“For a time. Unfortunately, I get very seasick.”
“Me too.”
“It’s good to have something in common.”
“I hope we’ll have more than just that.”
Her face heated and her stomach did a backflip. She feigned skepticism and asked, “You’re still interested after learning about my E.T. infatuation?”
“We all have a cross to bear. I suppose I can tolerate it. I think it’s fate that I gave you Bowie to ride. My favorite David Bowie song is Space Oddity. It suits you.”
“I can’t tell if you’re insulting me or not.”
“Believe me, Driggs, I’m not.” His gaze held hers, revealing a brief flash of raw hunger.
She stopped breathing.
The moment passed, and she tried to pretend that his presence didn’t reach into her soul and yank her upright, as if every other relationship she’d had was nothing more than childish fascination.
What was she thinking? She didn’t need something serious, and despite deciding a fling was the way to go, she had never done those well. Brynn and Chloe had nursed her through several college romances, chiding her that she was too emotional.
Of late, she’d kept her heart guarded, but to her dismay, Braden had slipped past that barrier with little effort. She hardly knew him and already her heart was whispering that he could be the one.
Bullshit.
What was this nonsense running through her head?
Serendipity is finding things we didn’t know we were looking for.
The words unexpectedly whispered in her ear. It was something her mother had said often to her when she had been young, especially after her miraculous healing.
She sneaked a glance at Braden. The physical attraction to him was easy. Too easy by a mile. He was all brawn and male vigor and sexy beefiness, and she all but drooled at the thought of a bedside romp with him. But she was hard-pressed to believe that she was only on the hunt for sex. It wasn’t her style.
On the other hand, if that was all Braden was interested in, could she step back, say No, thanks, mister, and be on her merry way?
Nope. That much was clear to her.
She surrendered.
She’d take the fling. She was glad Brynn and Chloe weren’t here to witness how quickly she was prepared to throw herself into her lustful inclinations.
It was just as well. Her time with Braden would likely not last long; she shouldn’t waste a minute of it.
The sun had set and dusk was fast settling into blackness as they came to the outskirts of the ranch, passing under an archway of iron with the label DR overhead. Bowie seemed to sense that home was near and picked up his pace, causing Audrey to bump up and down more than she would have liked. Braden glanced back at her, but he must have been satisfied by her progress because he continued forward.
As they neared a large, sprawling house, a few men in corrals waved at Braden, then whooped and hollered when they caught sight of Blue. The dog naturally went a bit crazy with his running, jumping, and tail wagging.
“Your mama told us you found him,” one of the men yelled. “It’s a miracle.”
Braden grinned and nodded, then slowed his horse so she could catch up. “How’re you holding up?”
“Good,” Audrey lied. In truth, she was fatigued and sore from being in the saddle for so long. She didn’t dare contemplate what her inner thighs might look like tomorrow. And she’d started shivering a while back despite the fleece jacket.
“It was a long ride,” he admitted.
The horses stopped at a hitching rail and Braden dismounted, quickly coming around to help her down. For a moment, her legs faltered and she clung to his firm biceps.
Finding the energy to seduce him might be a problem, along with the fact that they needed birth control. Would it be rude to ask his mother if she had something handy?
Good grief, Audrey.
Weary, she leaned against him.
“In my eagerness to bring Blue home, I forgot that you’re not used to being on a horse.” He wrapped a strong arm around her waist and held her close as he guided her to the porch.
“I’m just a little sore, that’s all,” she said with a laugh that sounded disheartened even to her.
As they took the wooden steps, an older woman with a slim figure and gray hair clipped away from her face met them.
“Braden, where’s Blue?” she asked, her voice breathless.
At that moment, the dog in question bounded from behind Audrey and attacked the woman with as much fervor as he’d shown Braden the previous day. The dog had hidden stores of energy that were truly impressive.
Of course, he was having a reunion two months in the making.
The woman—who was clearly Braden’s mother—dropped to her knees and joyfully embraced the hyper dog. Tears streamed down her face. “I just can’t believe it. Blue Sage, you little rascal. Why did you leave us for so long?”
“Mom, I want you to meet Audrey Driggs.”
Feeling a bit self-conscious that Braden was still holding onto her, Audrey straightened up to let him know that she could stand on her own. He slid his hand from her and she immediately missed the warmth.
“Oh my, yes, of course.” Braden’s mom stood and held out her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Audrey.”
And then his mother folded Audrey into a hug.
“Braden told me he found Blue because he’d offered to help you,” the woman murmured into her ear. “It’s a blessing.” Leaning back, she smiled, still crying. “You’re a blessing in our lives, that’s what you are.”
A response jammed in Audrey’s throat, and all she could do was smile.
Braden’s mom brought a hand to Audrey’s cheek. “You’re freezing. C’mon inside and get warm.”
Audrey stepped through the front door and found the house immediately inviting. T
he dark-wooded foyer gave way to a living area filled with stuffed leather couches, pillows decorated in Native American geometric designs, and boot-shaped lamps. Paintings of cowboys and cattle and horses covered the walls. It was the Wild West.
“Your home is beautiful, Mrs. Delaney.”
“Please call me Piper.” She guided Audrey into a bedroom down the hall. “You get a hot shower. It will warm you up like nothing else. I’ll have Braden bring your things in. If you need anything, let me know. I’ve got some of Jenny and Bridget’s stuff around—they’re Braden’s sisters.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it. A hot shower sounds wonderful.”
Piper smiled and left. Audrey walked slowly to the bathroom and gazed with admiration at the tile shower, its entryway a winding roundabout, not unlike the spiral symbols she and Braden had seen in the cave.
She undressed and entered the labyrinth, turned the handle, and once she had the water temperature near scalding, she stepped into the stream.
She’d never enjoyed a shower so much.
* * *
Braden finished the bowl of chili his mother had put before him. They sat at the long oak table in the formal dining room, despite it being just the two of them. If Audrey came looking for them she’d pass through this room, which was probably why his mother had insisted they sit here while he ate and she peppered him with questions about Blue, Whisper Rock, and Audrey.
“Do you think she was sent to us?” his mother asked.
Piper Delaney had been a rancher’s wife her entire life. She was pragmatic, hard-working, and dependable, but she also possessed a dreamer’s soul. It wasn’t a side she showed many.
Braden took a big swallow of water from the glass beside his plate, then rested back into his chair. His mom knew her chili was Braden’s favorite, along with her blue cornbread, and she’d obviously whipped it up as soon as he’d called earlier and told her about Blue.
What the hell was he going to do when he lost her, too?
But that day wasn’t today.
And today, Braden would indulge his mother’s whimsical outlook on life. “Maybe she was,” he replied.
It was damned good to see a light in his mother’s eyes again, after being extinguished the moment Cam Delaney had died.
Blue wagged his tail from his position at his mom’s feet, tapping out a rapid and steady cadence. She reached down to stroke his face. “Oh, Blue, my darling, I’ve missed you so.”
It wasn’t lost on Braden that she wasn’t only speaking of the dog.
Audrey appeared from around the corner, her wet hair hanging across her shoulders. With her face scrubbed clean, she looked revived after their long day of travel. She’d changed her t-shirt and this one, lavender with black lettering, read: I found this humerus. Below it was a picture of a human humerus bone.
His mom jumped up from her seat, startling Blue from his slumber on the floor between the two of them. The dog glanced up, bleary-eyed, looking confused. Braden rubbed his hand along the side of Blue’s face to reassure him. To reassure me. He still couldn’t believe the dog had returned.
“Please sit,” his mom commanded Audrey and ushered her to the seat on Braden’s left. “I’ll get you some food.” His mom hustled to the kitchen.
“Is this the original homestead from the 1800’s?” Audrey asked.
Braden nodded. “Parts of it. This room, the living room and foyer, and the three bedrooms on the south side are all original. Where you are, on the north side, was built in the 1950’s. My parents did a huge renovation about fifteen years ago.”
Braden’s mom reentered and set a huge bowl of chili before Audrey, along with several slices of cornbread on a plate, and a large glass of milk. She moved the bottle of honey and a dish of soft butter closer.
Unsure whether Audrey would appreciate his mom’s rustic home cooking, he was pleased when her eyes widened and she audibly sighed. “This smells fantastic.” She immediately spooned a big helping into her mouth and chewed while buttering the warm cornbread.
Blue came completely awake and moved to Audrey’s side, his tongue hanging. He gazed at Audrey, and while Braden attributed it to the food she now possessed, there was clear adoration in the dog’s eyes. Blue had become besotted with the pretty archaeologist.
Join the club.
Braden noticed his mother also watching the animal, her expression thoughtful.
“Is it just me,” she said, “or does Blue seem peppier?”
Audrey’s eyes met his. She no doubt wondered whether they should tell his mom about Audrey’s theory on why Blue was doing so well.
Instead, Audrey asked, “Is he normally energetic?”
“No. In fact, he was really struggling before Cam—my husband—passed. He would sleep a lot and sometimes he was so stiff he could hardly stand. The vet said it was arthritis, so we had him on pain medication. But there were still some mornings I could hardly rouse him to go outside. The steps on the porch gave him a lot of trouble. It got to where I’d carry him down and then back up after he’d done his business.” His mother shook her head, her brows furrowed. “When he disappeared, none of us held out much hope that he’d survive long. How did he make it? And how is it that he appears so much healthier than when he left us?”
Braden looked at Audrey. “Can I tell her?”
Audrey nodded.
As Braden told his mother of Audrey’s childhood illness and remarkable recovery, Audrey offered bits of cornbread to Blue, and he eagerly ate from her palm. Braden concluded with the flock of ravens, Blue’s friendship with them, and Audrey’s theory about Whisper Rock and its healing properties.
Once he’d finished, his mother sat in thoughtful silence for a moment, then said, “Makes perfect sense to me.”
But what if all of this was simply an incredible run of coincidence and wishful thinking? He really didn’t want to drag his mother into something that might only end up hurting her more in the end. Maybe he should have been more skeptical of Audrey.
Shit, it was too late. He’d already fallen for her.
He exhaled a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. “What do you know of Thaddeus Marsh?” he asked his mother.
“Well, Marcus Delaney—who established this ranch—was married to a woman named Elise Marsh. I think Thaddeus was her brother. It’s been a while since I studied the family history, but there’re a few boxes in the attic. One of them might be from that time, and maybe we can discover a clue. After we’re done here, let’s get them down and have a look.”
“Did you know there was a cave at Whisper Rock?” Audrey asked.
His mom shook her head. “I never really went out there, and Cam never mentioned it.”
“We think that’s where Blue stayed,” Braden said.
The dog had moved back to his mom’s side, and she flicked a besotted look at him. “Then it must be a very special cave.”
Chapter Nine
After dinner, Braden accompanied his mother into the attic and under her direction brought down one very heavy box and one wooden container with a latched lid. He deposited both in the living room, then started a fire while his mother and Audrey began sifting through the contents of the box, filled with logbooks and papers.
“Braden, would you mind making some tea?” his mother asked.
“Sure.”
Audrey lifted her head and watched him with a look of amusement on her face.
“I suppose you want tea as well,” he said to her.
“That would be nice.”
As he headed to the kitchen, he heard Audrey say, “You’ve trained him well.”
“He’s a good boy.”
Braden shook his head. No matter how old a man got, he’d always be a little boy to his mother, he supposed.
Braden filled the kettle with water and set it atop a gas flame on the stove, then pulled three mugs from the cupboard and went to work placing a tea bag in each. He might as well have a cup, too.
Memories of doing this
very thing for his dad surfaced, and he paused. Damn. Grief was like a moody woman—striking with no warning and knocking the wind clean from a man.
Braden braced his hands on the countertop edge and waited until the pain—savage and still shocking in its rawness—passed.
The kettle whistled. Braden grabbed a potholder and poured steaming water into each cup, trying to keep the stinging loss of his father from surfacing again. He found a small wooden tray in the cupboard and moved the mugs to it, then added three spoons and an empty bowl for the spent teabags. The simple actions helped to ground him, and he carried the beverages back to the living room.
Audrey was immersed in an old book, carefully turning pages and reading the contents, and his mother was removing more books and papers from the box and setting them on the floor.
Braden placed the tray on an end table between the two women. He grabbed his mug and took up residence on the sofa beside Audrey.
Absorbed in the book on her lap, she tucked her long, loose hair behind her ear, then glanced up at him. “You run the ranch and cook.” She grinned. “Do you clean too?”
He laughed. “Not if I can help it, but that hasn’t stopped my mother from assigning me chores from time to time.”
“Braden has been staying with me,” his mother said. “I never wanted to be a burden to my kids, but the truth is, I just didn’t want to be alone. The nights are the worst.”
“I can imagine how difficult it’s been for you all.” Audrey’s soft voice resonated with compassion. “What was your husband like?”
“Cam?” His mom released a breath and her body seemed to melt from some unseen tension. “He was the most stubborn man I ever met. I was bumming around one summer, a poor college girl headed to the Grand Canyon, when he picked me and a friend up because we didn’t have a ride. We’d gotten caught on the highway in a torrential downpour.”
“I still can’t believe you were a hitchhiker,” Braden said under his breath.
“Well, it was fate, of course. Or God’s hand. Whatever you believe. Within ten minutes of talking to him, I knew he was the one.”