Protecting Kate: Dark Horse, Inc: Book 1

by Amy J. Hawthorn

  They’d joked that her aunt counted the sparse scattering of freckles across her cheeks and they’d catch hell if a single extra appeared. She hadn’t given one damn about the freckles on her face. She’d wanted to be in their corral with her father and their horses.

  She hadn’t stood up for herself. And because she hadn’t spoken up, she’d lost years with her father and she’d spent those years in misery with Preston. Yes, he’d been an utter ass, but she’d accepted it.

  No more.

  It was past time that she took control of her life and did what she wanted.

  She put her hat on, gathered a few things from her other room and headed out to the old fire pit.

  Leigh watched as Kate came back down the hallway with clothing in her arms. She grabbed her wine bottle and looked over. “Are you coming or not?” She turned on her booted heel and headed out back without another word.

  Leigh followed but was afraid to hope. She’d worried over her sweet and far too giving cousin for so long.

  She stepped out into the dark back yard just in time to see Kate fight with a match and smile when the flame caught. The smile warmed Leigh’s heart. Equal parts steel and fire, it matched the flames that flickered in her cousin’s eyes. Her face blushed with heat and her jaw set with determination. Tendrils of the gorgeous hair she’d always envied waved in the breeze.

  And that hat. She’d always loved that hat on Kate. Silly as it might sound, it looked as if it had been made for her. She was the picture of a strong, beautiful farmer ready to kick ass.

  Hot damn. Katie Marie MacDonald was back. A wicked smile spread across Leigh’s face. It was about time.

  “What are you doing, chick?” The pitch-black night hung in a heavy backdrop studded with rhinestone stars.

  Kate took another drink of her wine, set the bottle down and picked up a piece of clothing. What in the world? Had she been wrong? Had Kate cracked?

  “I’m pretty sure this dress is ruined anyway, but it’s going in the fire.” She held up the dress she’d worn yesterday and, sure enough, it had grass stains where the knees would have been.

  “You could at least try and have it cleaned. Albert, the new owner at the dry cleaners is a miracle worker.”

  Her cousin threw the dress into the flames without blinking. “I actually liked that one but Preston always gave me the look when I wore it. I think it wasn’t revealing enough for his taste. Too many bad memories.” She held up another dress, blood red and clearly made from far less material. “He picked this one out for me, and I hated it. I felt like was auditioning for a 90’s music video and I would be expected to dance on the hood of a car at any moment.” Into the fire it went with a puff of sparks.

  “I’ve wasted far too much of my life trying to make others happy. It’s fine to give, but I didn’t have to give them every single piece of myself, did I?”

  Not sure if she should answer or not, Leigh waited. When Kate looked at her from across the fire with those eyes of strength expecting an answer, she gave it.

  “No, you didn’t. You’ve always tried so hard to be the good girl.”

  “What did it get me? Years of heartache. I’m done. I just want to be me.”

  “Then be you. I’ll stand by your side and cheer you on.”

  “I know you will, and I can’t tell you how much that means to me.”

  Leigh did the only thing she could. She walked around to hug her cousin close. “Now. No more sappiness. I like the fired-up, ready to kick ass Kate, better.”

  “Me too.”

  Chapter Six

  “I’m getting another coffee? You want one?” Rick pointed a thumb at the next booth in the county outdoor market.

  “You’ve had three this morning. Your heart’s going to burst if you have another espresso.” Trent shook his head in disbelief at Rick’s caffeine consumption and scanned the weekend crowd.

  “I didn’t ask your permission. I asked if you wanted one.” Rick stopped at the window and placed his order.

  “No. I’m good.” Rick had called him late the prior night and talked Trent into coming along to Riley Creek. They’d been following Bailey for about thirty minutes. Todd Hill had called to let Rick know that the Senator was looking at office property in the area. They couldn’t tell if the grieving brother was onto something real or grasping at straws. Trent agreed that it seemed odd that an up and coming politician who had more money than God would have such a marked interest in a little known dot on the map.

  They’d worried that following Bailey through the crowd unnoticed would be difficult, but it hadn’t taken them long to see differently. He appeared to have a specific destination in mind and when a small toddler wondered away from his grandfather, Bailey almost tripped over the poor little guy. He barely spared the little boy or the apologetic grandfather a glance as he continued on his path.

  What was Bailey after?

  “Nice to see the good Senator is such a caring man, huh?” Rick appeared at his side full of dry sarcasm and coffee. “Let’s go see what’s got him by the balls. Something has, that’s for sure.”

  They followed him past the tables filled with old electronics and DVDs. Another makeshift booth had used books, yet another offered baby items.

  “Any news from your new tech guy?” Trent thumbed through a crate of used DVDs and watched Bailey from the corner of his eye. When the senator rounded the corner, they followed.

  “So far all I’ve gotten from him is a bunch of grumbling and promises that if there’s dirt, he’ll find it.” Rick shielded his eyes as they turned the corner booth filled with colorful quilts.

  He arched a brow at Rick’s unusual tolerance of a delay. Typically, when the man wanted something, he demanded perfection and he expected it yesterday.

  “There’s a story there, but it’s a long one. He’s worth it.” When Rick wouldn’t meet his eyes, Trent decided to let it go for the time being.

  He immediately regretted his kindness when Rick brought up his least favorite subject. “So, I bumped into Lindsey the other day.” Rick paused to let his words sink in. “She asked about you.”

  “I bet she did. Did her latest mark run out of money?” Her money hungry ways had always disgusted Trent.

  “Ah. I think this one died before she managed to get his ring on her finger.” Rick’s amused grin made him wonder if living in the upper echelons of society made Rick more accustomed to gold diggers.

  He wished he could laugh at the story like many people would; instead, it made him nauseous with revulsion.

  He would never understand how having mountains of money to spend on things, which would only be deemed “last year” a few months after you bought them, could be so important. Was an expensive house or designer jeans so necessary that a person would scheme and even stalk others for a chance to climb the social ladder?

  When he didn’t say more, Rick asked, “Aren’t you going to ask what she said?”

  “No. I don’t want to know. If I never hear her name for the rest of my life, it will be too soon.” Trent’s revulsion ran deep, rooted in bad memories.

  “Well, I won’t go into the conversation we had, but I will warn you she’s on the prowl. I wouldn’t be surprised if she accidently bumped into you soon.” Rick browsed through a selection of used lawn equipment while they waited for Bailey to decide which direction to turn at the row’s end.

  “Why me? I don’t get it? The only thing I have that she wants is money. I don’t have expensive taste, and I’m no pushover. Batting eyelashes have zero effect on me.”

  “Even money hungry sharks have a libido. She looks really good, as you know. Do you think it’s possible that she grew up? We were all really young, man.” Rick put down a shovel and turned to follow their prey.

  He shuddered at the thought. “I’m not interested, even if she somehow miraculously grew up.” He would never, ever forget the devastation on Justin’s face as he lay in the hospital bed. Lindsey tossed out a few careless words and incine
rated what little bit of remaining fight his friend had after he’d been brought home. In a few seconds, he’d gone from a wounded but determined to live soldier to a devastated ghost of a man.

  He would never, ever have room in his life for a social climbing princess, no matter how beautiful she might be.

  They came to the market’s end where the local produce store had been set up—row after row of tables filled with handmade crafts, cherries and strawberries.

  He stopped, cursed and pulled Rick’s hat from his head and put it on his own.

  “Hey thief, I need that. Get your own hat.”

  “That’s Kate, you idiot. I’ll stay back here and watch. You go on.” Trent ducked his and turned back to them.

  “Where?” Instantly, Rick became alert and all business. Rick craned his neck in the direction he indicated with a discreet head nod.

  “The booth at the far end.”

  Sure enough, Bailey made his way directly to Kate. Her faded green pickup was backed up to a popup awning and table. Trent stopped at the last flea market table and feigned looking at some used hunting gear to watch from his periphery.

  “That’s your beauty queen? Helloooo, Miss Kentucky. She’s hot as hell, but I don’t see her as a simpering princess.” Rick’s brows rose in disbelief.

  Dressed in a snug, green T-shirt and a pair of faded jeans, she smiled at a young woman who’d walked up to her stall. Kate held her index finger up in a “one moment” gesture and turned her back on her customer. She was gone for a minute beneath the shade of her canopy before she returned carrying a large, low-edged box that held containers of strawberries. The box had to weigh at least twenty pounds, yet she smiled and acted as if it were something she did every day. Her arms looked toned as she bent to set the box down and positioned it on her table. She repeated the process with another box, just as big, this time filled with what looked like jelly jars, which had to be even heavier.

  The young woman made her selections and paid. Kate made change, looked up and froze, shocked to see Phillip Bailey standing in line as her next customer.

  She smiled again as she handed over the young woman’s change, but her smile seemed forced.

  Trent wanted nothing more than to go to her and put himself between her and Bailey, but he knew it would be unwise. “Go over there and see if you can hear anything. I don’t like this at all.”

  “Man, I can’t get too close. It’s possible that he’ll recognize me.” Rick rubbed a hand over his jaw and watched Bailey.

  “She will definitely recognize me and she’ll either figure out that something is up or she’ll think I’m stalking her. She’d never buy that me showing again to interfere with Bailey’s appearance is a coincidence. Trent clenched his fists in frustration.

  “Go, before I make an ass of myself.” Shit, with that one sentence he’d revealed to both himself and Rick what a mess his head was over this woman.

  Shockingly, Rick didn’t argue, heading over to intercept.

  There was something about watching her sweat in the sun, selling berries and jam for what probably wasn’t more than a few dollars, that tugged at something in his chest.

  He’d assumed she worked in the mall or in some fancy dress shop when she’d mentioned her sales being better on the weekend. Yet she smiled like she genuinely enjoyed herself as she worked for pennies.

  Maybe she wasn’t as stuck up as he’d thought.

  “It’s our anniversary tomorrow. I think I’m going to make chocolate covered strawberries for Jim and take the blackberry jam to my mom. It’s her favorite, but she’s not able to make her own anymore.” Jan’s smile was sad as she paid Kate for the berries and put them carefully into her large tote.

  “Yum. It’s been forever since I’ve had a good chocolate strawberry. You’ll have to tell me how your mom likes the jam. I’m just getting started this year, but I hope to add a few new flavors soon.” In fact, she needed to track down her mother’s old cookbook and look through it. It had been years since she’d seen it, but she knew her father wouldn’t have parted with it. Kate’s jam was pretty damn good, but everyone swore her mother’s had been the best.

  “I will. I’ll let you know when I come back next weekend.”

  Kate smiled as she counted out Jan’s change but when she looked up, she felt the smile fall from her face. What is Senator Bailey doing here? First the auction, then the feed store and now the farmer’s market? What did he want with her?

  She waved Jan off and, in a habit that had been all but beat into her by Aunt Jeannie, she smiled again. “Senator? How are you today?”

  “Good, very good, Katherine. How are you?” Sweat beaded on Bailey’s upper lip as he smiled a slightly crooked, plastic smile.

  “I’m fine, what brings you to Riley Creek again?” She placed emphasis on the word again, though he didn’t seem to catch her point.

  “I’m looking into buying or renting property here and setting up an office or two. I stopped by to see if you had reconsidered my offer from the other day.”

  “Offer?”

  “To go out to dinner. We have things to discuss.” He started as if baffled by her response, looking at her like she was a dimwit.

  Her basic unhappiness and confusion swelled and grew into concern. “I’m not sure what you have in mind, but I’m not looking for any kind of relationship right now. My life is in flux but I’m happy where I’m at. I’m flattered but not interested.”

  “My dear—”

  A large man in a baseball hat, camouflage jacket and matching backpack jostled Bailey, nearly knocking him over. She caught a flash of dark blond hair at the man’s collar. The temperature had to be at least eighty degrees in the midday sun. Before she could give the odd clothing choices any more thought, a second man drew her attention with his silly smile.

  “Hello, there. You have the most beautiful berries I have ever seen. May I have a taste?”

  What? What kind of cheesy pickup line is that? Tall, leanly muscled with coal black hair, he’d stop traffic.

  “Sure.” Long used to politely thwarting advances, she picked an enormous strawberry and stuck the entire thing in his mouth. She was more interested in catching another glimpse of the man with the backpack than whether or not he actually liked it or if Bailey stuck around to finish his sentence.

  “My dear, we need to—” Bailey attempted to enter the conversation, but couldn’t keep up.

  “So, gorgeous...” The new guy, with his dark hair and mirrored glasses finished choking on the berry and again interrupted Bailey. “That’s definitely the best berry I’ve ever tasted. How much?”

  Annoyed that the man in the hat had disappeared, she pointed to the old chalkboard where she’d written her prices.

  “Katherine, we’ll talk again.” Bailey left in a huff, apparently giving up at the continued interruptions.

  She proceeded to sell a ton of berries and six jars of jam to the guy in the glasses. She wasn’t above taking advantage of a man’s lust-addled senses when it came to business.

  Unable to shake the image from her mind, she kept watch for the rest of the day for the man she’d seen in the heavy coat, but he’d disappeared.

  A few hours later, back at home, she’d just finished unloading her little bit of unsold stock when Pudgy’s tail wagged and his ears twitched. His telltale signal alerted her to someone coming up the driveway. She looked out the window and saw a black Mercedes crawling up the gravel lane. Preston. He’d be terrified his precious vehicle might not only get dirty, but somehow tainted by the “white trash world she lived in.”

  Crap. She’d had a good day and hated to have it tainted by his general assholishness.

  What does he want now?

  She walked out the door, crossed the yard and waited at the driveway’s edge. She wanted to tell him that no matter what he did, the gravel dust would coat his car but he’d only turn his nose down at her. It was the only thing he’d ever done. No matter how perfect she’d tried to be, he’
d always found her lacking.

  There was not a damn thing wrong with her. After years of marriage to a man who drilled insecurity into her psyche, the hard won truth finally settled into place. Her only regret was that it took her so long to figure it out.

  He parked and opened his door. He probably expected her to come around to the driver side, so he wouldn’t have to get out.

  He’d be wrong again.

  After a pause, he stepped out as if she’d burdened him. The golden boy walked around his car, watching the yard as if it were covered in land mines of the canine variety. The sun glinted in his salon-highlighted hair and his suit was immaculate, as always. No matter how perfect the image he created might be, his appeal to her had long since died.

  “What do you want? Whatever it is, I can tell you now, you’ve wasted your time and gas coming out here.” She put her hands on her hips and let her disgust fly. She didn’t have to take his shit any longer.

  “Potter County is a pretty enough place. It’s no hardship to drive out here.” The derision on his pretty boy face belied his words.

  “Cut the crap, Preston. You’ve never in your life been interested in scenic drives. Tell me what you want, so I can say no and then you can be on your way. I have animals to feed.” She could see him fighting to contain the curl of disgust at her mention of animals.

  “Kate.” She absolutely hated the patronizing tone he so frequently used and today was no exception. “I came all the way out here to offer you an opportunity that any woman would be thrilled to receive. The least you could do is act civil.”

  She didn’t bother wasting her breath with a verbal response. She crossed her arms and waited for whatever “favor” he was trying to con her into.

  His gusty sigh proved she wearied him with her lack of enthusiasm, a bid for pity she wasn’t willing to acknowledge. “I swear, Kate, I don’t know why I even bother. I’m starting a new charity, and I think it would be a good fit for you. It would give you something productive to do. I worry about you wasting yourself out here with nothing but a bunch of animals to talk to.”