by Carrie Carr
She was still staring out the window when the door opened. Turning slightly, she studied the young man who stepped in ahead of Sergeant Roland. He’s not much bigger than Amanda is. Slight of frame, his sandy blond hair was much shorter than she remembered, only coming down to the top of his collar. He wore what appeared to be new jeans and a clean white, button-down shirt.
Lifting his head, Ronnie finally gathered enough courage to look the unknown woman in the eye. Whoa. She's a lot taller than I am. The thought intimidated him somewhat. He felt the sergeant’s hand on his shoulder as he was guided to a chair.
“Why don’t we all have a seat and get acquainted?” the heavy lawman said, waiting until Lex took the other chair at the table before sitting down on the loveseat. “Ronnie, this is Ms. Walters.”
The young man, who had been looking at the table silently ever since he had sat down, glanced up again as the woman stood and offered her hand to him.
“Ronnie?” She gave him a firm handshake, treating him like an adult. Her eyes, which looked almost violet in the odd light caught his attention immediately. Wow, she’s got beautiful eyes. Embarrassed, Ronnie blushed and swallowed.
Lex looked into the young man’s light brown eyes, which conveyed sadness and more than a little fear. Poor kid looks scared to death, she thought sadly. I wonder if it’s me, or the circumstances?
“You’re the lady from the house, aren’t you?” His eyes widened, as he scooted back in his chair. “D…don’t b…b…be mad at m…m…me. Matt made me g…g…go.” He covered his face with his hands and began to cry softly.
Guess that answers that question, doesn’t it? Lex moved away from the table, a hurt look on her face. She glanced over at the sergeant, who shook his head sadly.
Roland rose and stepped over to the table, placing his hand lightly on the boy's back. “Shh. It’s okay, son. She’s not here to hurt you.” He looked up at the rancher helplessly.
Lex sat down across from the sniffling young man. “Ronnie, look at me,” she commanded in a low voice. Waiting until he complied, she looked directly into his tear-filled eyes “Yes, that was my house you were in. But I’m not mad at you, okay?” She gave him a kind smile. “I don’t blame you for anything your brother did, do you understand?” Pausing to let her words soak in, she added, “I know how you feel, because I have an older brother, too.” She watched as the boy wiped his eyes on his sleeve, and gathered his wits about him. “Do you like it here, Ronnie?”
Ronnie cocked his head to the side, confused by the question. Looking over at the sergeant, who had resumed his place on the loveseat, he replied, “Uh, well, it’s not that bad. I have guys my own age to talk to, and they gave me these nice clothes. I miss going to school, though. We have classes here, but it’s just not the same.”
Lex stood and walked over to the window. Turning around, she crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the cold glass. “What do you want out of life, Ronnie?”
The young man seriously considered her question for several moments before speaking. “I want to finish school, then I hope to go to college.” He gave her a shy smile. “No one else in my family has ever graduated from high school. I’d kind of like to be the first.”
Lex moved back to the table and sat on its edge. “How hard are you willing to work for your goals?” She purposely sat close, so that he would have to look up at her.
“I really want to finish school. I’ll work as hard as I need to.” Ronnie’s light eyes sparkled with a strong resolution. “I’m not going to be like my brother.”
Barely suppressing a grin, Lex looked him straight in the eye. “Are you willing to come and work on the ranch for me? You’d stay in the bunkhouse with the other hands, and ride the bus to school, then work on the weekends.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Ronnie asked, shifting his gaze between the two adults. “I’d be working on a ranch?” Disbelief colored his tone.
“Yep. And you’ll get paid for the work you do. All you have to do is keep your grades up. I’ll make sure that you have clean clothes, food, and a roof over your head. What do you say?”
“Really? I can go to school and get paid?” he marveled, a smile lighting up his youthful face.
“That’s right, you sure can.” Lex stood and held out her hand. “Deal?”
Ronnie flinched when he saw her hand coming at him. Old habits died hard. “Sorry.” He slowly stood and returned her grip. “When do I start?”
Sergeant Roland cleared his throat. “Well, it’ll take a few days for the paperwork to go through.” He waited for the rancher to nod her head in confirmation, then turned to Ronnie. “Do you think you can handle it in here until next week?”
“Sure. I’m supposed to go and visit Matt tomorrow anyway.
Can I tell him?”
Lex pulled a card out of her coat pocket. “It’s okay with me, Ronnie. Here’s my home number and my cell phone number. I’ve got to go out of town for a few days, but call me if you need anything, day or night, okay?”
“Thanks, Ms. Walters.” The young man beamed up at her. “I won’t let you down, I promise.”
Placing a hand on his slight shoulder, Lex felt proud for her decision. “I have complete faith in you, Ronnie. And you can call me Lex, since you’ll be working for me.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He grinned at her, then turned serious, holding out his hand again. “Thank you for giving me this chance. I won’t forget it.”
Lex returned his handshake. “You’re welcome. I can always use another good hand at the ranch.” She tried to downplay the reason for helping him, since she wasn’t completely certain why herself.
“Well, come on, Ronnie. Let’s get you back to the Clubhouse.” Sergeant Roland put one arm across the young man’s thin shoulders. He winked at Lex as he led the boy out.
Oh, God, what have I done? Lex sat down on the loveseat and placed her head in her hands. What right do I have to take care of that boy? Am I doing the right thing? What if—
Her thoughts were halted when Sergeant Roland opened the door. “You want to get those papers signed now so you can get out of here, Ms. Walters?”
Lex stood and followed him back down the long hallway. “Call me Lex, Sergeant.”
AMANDA LOOKED AT the mantle clock for the third time in as many minutes. Twelve-thirty. She had finished her packing, put her bags in the front hall, taken a shower, and played cards with her grandparents during the course of the evening. Where on earth is she? Amanda paced back and forth in the darkened den. The crackling of the logs in the fireplace was the only sound in the room, except for her occasional mutterings as she moved around.
Jacob and Anna Leigh went to bed hours before, trying to get their granddaughter to do the same. When she refused, they good-naturedly teased her about ‘letting her wayward child stay out too late’ and then wished her a good night. I know she’s a grown woman. I know she can take care of herself. I know there’s a perfectly good explanation for her not being here with me right now, she thought to herself, dropping her now exhausted body onto the sofa. “Lex, where are you?” she asked out loud.
“Right here,” a voice from behind her uttered quietly.
Amanda squealed, then vaulted over the couch, practically jumping into Lex's arms. “I’m glad you’re okay.” She wrapped her legs around Lex's waist. “I thought…when you didn’t—”
Lex carried the mumbling bundle to the sofa and sat down. “Shh, everything’s okay.” She rocked Amanda back and forth gently.
Amanda finally calmed down and then pulled away slightly to look up into Lex’s shadowed face. “I'm sorry. I guess I’m just really tired. And I’m a little nervous about tomorrow, because I’m afraid of how my family is going to treat you.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’m a big girl.” Lex gave her a tender smile, while she wiped the tears from her lover's face. “I’m sorry it took me so long tonight. I had a lot of paperwork to sign.” She kissed Amanda lightly on the nose. “I tried ca
lling a couple of times, but the line was busy. Is everything okay here?”
“Uh, yeah. Everything is just fine.” Amanda hid her face in her friend's chest, embarrassed by her earlier emotional outburst.
“Amanda? Sweetheart?” Lex waited until she had Amanda's attention before she spoke. “I’m really sorry I caused you to get so upset. Aren’t you even curious where I went?”
Amanda chewed her lip thoughtfully. “Well, I figured if it was any of my business, you’d tell me when you got ready to.”
Uh-oh. Time to soothe some ruffled feathers, I think. “It was stupid of me not to tell you earlier, but I thought that if you knew, you’d force yourself to go.” Lex looked deeply into eyes a breath away, almost drowning in their depths. “And, I knew how much you wanted to spend time with your grandparents before we left.” She cupped the beautiful face in her hands. “You have me so tightly wrapped around your little finger, I can’t tell you no. One look into your eyes, and I’ve fallen. One touch of your hand, and my heart beats wildly. I can deny you nothing, but would gladly forsake everything to see your smile.”
Amanda opened her mouth, closed it, and then shook her head in disbelief. “You know, for being the strong, silent type,” she ran her hand lovingly across Lex’s jaw, “you can bring me to my knees with just a few words.” She looked down, smiling at the proof of her statement. She was on her knees, straddled across Lex's legs. She stood and brought her lover up beside her. Bringing Lex’s head down for a kiss, Amanda murmured, “Let’s go to bed. We can talk tomorrow.” And she led a willing Lex down the dark hallway and up the stairs.
Chapter Eight
LEX WAS UNDERSTANDABLY nervous as she and Amanda walked through the terminal. Were they just trying to be funny when they named it a terminal? I’m feeling pretty terminal myself right now. She followed her lover down the crowded walkway, feeling her stomach cramp with every step. I don’t know if I can do this. Lex looked around frantically for the nearest restroom as she felt her breakfast begin to rebel.
“This way, Lex.” Amanda tossed the words over her shoulder, not bothering to look back. By unspoken agreement, she led the way, since she was more familiar with the airport. “We’ve still got to pick up our boarding passes. According to the monitor, our flight leaves in a little over an hour.”
Lex was torn between following her heart and emptying her stomach, and then another painful cramp made her gasp and almost drop to her knees, which made the decision for her. “Amanda,” she moaned, trying to get her companion’s attention. Aw, hell. Lex made a mad dash for the ladies’ room, dropping the bags inside the door to the lavatory.
Amanda turned to point out something to her partner and saw that she was nowhere to be seen. “Lex?” She stopped and looked around slowly. Now where is she?
An elderly man sitting on a nearby bench waved to her, beckoning Amanda over. “Miss? Are you looking for that rather tall young lady who was behind you?” he asked kindly, patting the empty spot beside him.
“Yes, the one with the dark hair. Did you happen to see where she went?” Amanda sat down next to him.
“Oh, yes.” He patted her hand. “Poor thing. She doesn’t fly much, does she?”
Amanda tried to control her anxiety. “No, I’m afraid she doesn’t. You said you saw her?” She kept scanning the people milling around them, hoping to spot Lex.
He scratched his stubbled chin. “I could tell, you know. She looked like a fish out of water, that one did. I like to try and figure out where people are from, and where they’re going. Why, just the other day—”
“I don’t mean to sound rude, sir,” Amanda butted in gently, “but I’m a little concerned about my friend. Where did you see her go?” She wouldn’t change her mind and leave, would she? No, not without telling me.
Realizing that he was going to lose his audience no matter whether he told or not, the old man pointed in the direction of the ladies’ room across the walkway. “I figured she was feeling a mite ill, 'cause she grabbed her stomach, turned about three shades of pale, and high-tailed it over there.” He was about to tell the pretty young woman more, but she absently thanked him, patted his shoulder and took off running across the concourse.
“Excuse me…sorry…” Amanda carefully battled her way through a large group of people who had just disembarked from an arriving flight. Once inside the restroom, she dropped her bags next to Lex’s and shouldered through several women who were standing next to the sinks, complaining about the airline food. “Lex?” she called out, trying to find out which stall held her friend.
“Over here,” a weak voice muttered, from the sink on the end. Lex was frighteningly pale, leaning up against the wall with a wet paper towel over her eyes.
Amanda’s heart ached at the sight. I really wasn’t taking her fear of flying seriously, she berated herself, noticing how the hand holding the paper towel trembled. She stood beside the slumped form and placed a hand on Lex’s arm. “Oh, Lex.”
“Sorry.” Lex took a deep breath and removed the damp towel from her eyes. When she saw the sympathetic look on her lover’s face, she forced a smile to her lips. “I didn’t mean to take off on you like that.”
Fighting the urge to pull Lex into her arms, Amanda settled for squeezing the arm her hand rested upon. “Are you going to be okay?”
Lex swallowed several times. The dry, cotton feeling probably wouldn’t go away until she was on the ground in California, so she knew it was no use in complaining about it. “Yeah, I’ll be fine.” She pushed away from the wall and made her way to the door, picking up her bags before going outside. “Let’s go.” The ladies’ room was getting more and more crowded by the moment, which wasn’t helping her queasiness any. Where in the hell did all these damn people come from, anyway?
Once they were safely out of the restroom, Lex was tempted to turn back around and hide in one of the stalls. Two flights had just unloaded their passengers, and the roaring throng of people was nearly more than she could stand. Now I know why I hide away on a ranch. She leaned up against the wall, trying to gather up what was left of her nerves. I can do this. When she felt a light touch on her side, Lex looked down into the concerned eyes of her partner. “Lead the way, my friend. I’ll be right behind you.”
Amanda started to say something, then stopped. Maybe it’ll be less crowded by our gate. We can get our passes and she can sit and let her stomach settle. She slid the strap of her carryon over her shoulder. “Okay. Stick close, and give my bag a tug if you need to make another side trip.” She almost reached up to caress Lex’s unusually pale cheek, but quickly reminded herself where they were.
Lex gave Amanda’s bag a test pull. “Gotcha.”
Politely maneuvering them through the crowd, Amanda turned back every few steps to check on the condition of her companion. Over halfway to their gate, she noticed a fine sheen of perspiration covering Lex’s brow. Stopping in the middle of the concourse, she asked, “Are you going to make it? We can stop for a moment, if you need to.”
“No, I’m okay,” Lex assured her, although her legs were shaking from the strain. “We’re almost there.”
Not able to stand it any longer, Amanda took a firm grip on Lex’s arm. “You don’t look okay.” She looked around for someplace to sit. Amanda pulled her lover over to a group of chairs by the window, and saw Lex collapse gracelessly onto the nearest one. “Let’s take a little break. Why don’t you sit here with our bags, and I’ll go get our boarding passes?” When the pale woman tried to argue, Amanda dropped to her knees beside Lex. “I think my shoulder is about to fall off from dragging this darn bag around. Humor me, please?”
Lex lifted her hand to touch Amanda’s cheek. “You are so transparent, sweetheart.” The smile on her face took the sting out of her words. “Okay, you win. I’ll wait for you right here.”
“All right.” Amanda gave the thigh under her hand a squeeze. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.” She winked at Lex and then stood, hoisting her purse to her sh
oulder as she hurried away.
She watched Amanda’s form move through the crowd with ease, until she finally disappeared from sight. Lex closed her eyes for a moment, only to have them pop back open when the plane parked next to her window started its engines. Shit. Just what I need. Come on, Lexington, don’t be such a damn baby. Her stomach spasms became more painful. Lex moved to stand, but dropped back to her chair as another cramp hit her. I am not going to throw up again, she thought to herself angrily. Inhaling through her nose to combat her nausea, Lex wrapped her arms around her waist, bent over, and laid her head on her knees. Maybe I should have taken a tranquilizer, she thought as she fought to ease her rebellious stomach.
Calm. I need to stay calm, focus on something else. Breathing deeply, Lex let her thoughts drift to her gentle lover. In her mind, she pictured the hazel eyes, the small perfect nose, and the petite, but well-built body. She imagined holding Amanda in her arms and burying her face in her silky, shoulder length hair. I can almost smell her perfume. This self-hypnosis stuff really works.
“Lex?” A light touch to the top of her head brought Lex out of her musings.
“Hmm?” She raised her head slowly and focused on the eyes she had just been thinking of. “Hi.”
Amanda sat down next to the perspiring woman. “Honey, you’re really pale.” She wiped the damp hair out of Lex’s eyes. “Is there anything I can do for you?” Ignoring the disgusted stare from the woman sitting two chairs away from Lex, Amanda pushed her lover back in the chair and twined their fingers together.
“Nah. I think I’ll live. And you’re doing more by just being here than any medication can do.” She brought their linked hands to her lips, and kissed Amanda’s knuckles. “Thanks.”
“Hrumpph. Disgusting!” The middle-aged woman nearby glared at them, gathered her collection of shopping bags and luggage, and then stormed off.