Forever Thrown: Forever Bluegrass #16

by Kathleen Brooks

  “I’m fully recovered, but I went ahead with retirement,” Porter told him as he saw Callum and Cyril on their phones. They were probably looking him up after hearing Levi talk about him.

  “I saw you on Sam Winchell’s show announcing your retirement. It’s a hard decision to make.” Levi frowned as if thinking about his retirement. “But it was probably the right one.”

  “You’re Porter Davies,” Callum sputtered as he looked up from his phone. Porter glanced over at Willa to notice she was watching everyone with curiosity. “Sorry about thinking you were the groom, man.”

  Porter ignored him and turned back to Levi and Willa. “It was a tough decision. My cousin and mother talked me into it, though. Go out on top, have my health, and all that.”

  Levi nodded in understanding. “Miss it?”

  “Every damn day,” Porter answered honestly.

  “Is that why you’re doing reining?” Willa asked after being quiet most of the conversation.

  “Part of it. My cousin is my doctor and threatened to disown me if I didn’t retire. The risk of injury in reining is real low so I thought it would be a good fit.” Porter felt bad for lying, but he had to talk to Naylor to find out if he should tell Willa why he was really there or not.

  “Actually, I’m really glad you’re here. I was going to drive out to your farm to talk to you. My daughter just turned sixteen and is getting serious about her roping. I’ve heard your farm is raising the best rodeo horses around now. Do you have any roping horses for sale?”

  “For you, I wish I did. I have a three-year waitlist. I’m hoping to expand the farm so I can have more horses. However, if you find a horse, I’ll train it for you.” Porter told him.

  “This man is the best,” Levi said to Willa as he shook Porter’s hand. “I have to get going for the night. I’ll see you tomorrow and introduce you around.”

  “Thanks, Levi. ‘Night.” Porter turned to see Willa glancing behind her at Callum’s setup.

  The minions were there talking in hushed whispers. Valentina caught Porter looking and smiled flirtatiously at him. “So, cowboy, want to come to dinner with us? I want to hear all about how hard you ride.”

  “Sorry, Willa and I already have plans.” He saw Willa’s eyes go wide as he smiled mischievously at her. Her back was rigid and she dared not turn around to see the reactions. But Porter saw them. Callum frowned while Valentina and Marguerite looked pissed. “Shall we?”

  Porter took Willa’s arm in his hand as Apollo’s night groom moved to brush him down and feed him. Willa plastered on a fake smile, grabbed her things, and walked stiffly out the door with him.

  “You don’t have to take me out to dinner. I know you were just using me as an excuse,” Willa said as her three bodyguards fell into line behind her.

  “The only excuse that afforded me was the opportunity to ask you out. So, how about it? Want to taste Kentucky as only a local can show you?” Willa beamed at him and Porter felt the same heart-pounding excitement he got when he rode a bronc. “I’d love to drive you, but the choice is yours.”

  Willa’s smile faded a bit as she cast a glance at the three men behind her. “So you noticed them?”

  “They’re kind of hard to miss.” Porter said in a way she knew he wasn’t upset.

  “I’d like to ride with you,” Willa said but sounded doubtful.

  “Give me a sec,” Porter told her before turning and headed back to the group of bodyguards.

  “Can we help you?” the leader asked.

  “I’m Porter Davies. I’ve met Deshaun already.”

  “Reggie Wall,” the leader answered, as they shook hands.

  “Barry Gruen.”

  Porter turned back to Reggie since he was clearly the man in charge. “I’m taking Willa out to dinner at my cousin’s restaurant here in Lexington,” he said, rattling off the address. “I know you don’t know me, but you can trust me. You played pro football, right?” Reggie nodded. “Our really good family friends own the Lexington Thoroughbreds—Will Ashton and Mohtadi Ali Rahman. My good friends are Colt and Holt Everett. Their father is the coach and former player, Trey Everett.”

  Porter then turned to Deshaun. “You were military. My father and uncles own the Keeneston Training Center. My unofficial uncle is Ahmed.” Porter paused and let that sink in. Every soldier learned about Ahmed. “Yes, that Ahmed. My cousin was Delta Force, my cousin-in-law was DEVGRU, another cousin is Ryan Parker, who is the special agent in charge of Lexington’s FBI office, and my brother-in-law is the sheriff of Keeneston. I am very connected to this area. I am not a threat to Willa.”

  Porter turned to Barry and shrugged. “Sorry, I don’t have any MMA connections.”

  Barry smirked while Reggie and Deshaun looked shell-shocked.

  “So, I’m asking that you trust me and follow us to the restaurant so I can take Willa on a date. She wants to ride with me. Can you all allow that?” Porter finally asked, getting around to the point of the conversation.

  “You really know Ahmed?” Deshaun asked finally.

  Porter pulled up his phone and hit the call button. “Good evening, Porter. What can I do for you?”

  “What are you up to, Ahmed?” Porter asked as he held the phone up for everyone to see.

  “I am walking Nemi. She was a good girl and ripped the balls off a dummy at the training center today. I have to keep her trained in case your cousin hurts my daughter.”

  “You love Dylan,” Porter reminded him.

  “What do you and the three men around you need?” Ahmed asked instead of admitting he loved his son-in-law, even though it was obvious to everyone around they both loved each other very much.

  “How did you know there were three of us?” Deshaun asked.

  “I am Ahmed.”

  Porter pressed his lips together to stop from laughing. “These three are bodyguards for Willa Aldridge. I want to take her to Landon’s restaurant and they need to know they can trust me. Deshaun is former military,” Porter said as if that explained everything, which, for Ahmed, it did.

  “You can trust Porter. You can trust any Davies from Keeneston.”

  “Thanks, Ahmed,” Porter said, looking to the bodyguards who were whispering to each other.

  “So, a date?” Ahmed asked.

  “Crrrr. Sorry, you’re breaking crrrrshhhhh up. I can’t hear crrrrshhh.” Porter hung up and seconds later his phone pinged with a notification a bet had been made on the Blossom Café Betting App.

  The three elderly Rose sisters had always taken bets at their café. Then when their very much younger cousins came to help them out, they convinced the old bookies to switch to an app. Bets were placed and winners won part of the pot. The Rose sisters doled the rest of the pot out to the town or people in need at the end of the year.

  “Okay, we’ll follow you. Don’t try to lose us,” Reggie warned.

  Porter walked back to Willa and reached for her hand. He laced his fingers through hers and smiled down at her. “Shall we?”

  Porter almost laughed at Willa’s surprised glance back to the bodyguards as they got into their own SUV. However, he was too consumed with the feel of her soft, small hand in his to laugh.

  9

  “The bet makes so much sense now,” Landon Davies whispered to Porter as he showed them to the table in the back.

  “Shut up,” Porter hissed back to his cousin. Landon only smirked in return.

  Porter had texted Landon that he needed a private table and that he’d be at the new restaurant in twenty minutes. Landon had apparently told his staff to notify him when Porter arrived, because two seconds after Porter walked in, Landon came out of the kitchen to greet him.

  “Is this table okay?” Landon asked Willa who smiled at him.

  “It’s great. I had no idea it was Porter’s cousin who was the head chef. A rodeo rider, a US marshal, a chef . . . what an interesting family you all have. And big!” Willa said, looking like she actually wanted to know more about them.
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  “You have no idea,” Landon muttered.

  “There are three guys out front in an SUV,” Porter said, ignoring his cousin’s muttering. “Could you send some dinner out to them?”

  “Of course,” Landon told Porter before turning back to Willa. “So, how did you meet this guy?”

  “His reining horse accidentally got put in the stall next to my show jumper at the Lexington Equestrian Event. Then he literally fell into my lap.” Willa laughed as she told Landon the story of him falling off the ladder. The quick look Landon sent Porter said he didn’t believe a word of it.

  “How funny. The family can’t wait to see Porter in his event. Porter starts his competition tomorrow, but when do you jump?” Landon asked.

  “I start next week. Although I got some practice in today and I’ll get some more in here and there. I could have flown in later, but I like to get a feel for the area. It makes Apollo more comfortable. So for these huge events, you’ll usually see us jumpers here up to a week early.”

  “How many days do you compete?” Landon asked as the waitress filled the water glasses.

  “There’re three separate jumping competitions before an overall champion is named. Tuesday is the official practice day in the main arena. Wednesday is the Speed Competition. It’s all about completing the course the cleanest and the fastest.

  “Thursday is the start of the Team Competition that runs for two days. There’s no clock, it’s all about cleanest runs. I’ll get scored on the number of penalties I receive, and at the end of the Team Competition, the three team members with the lowest penalties will use those scores to count as the team’s total. The team with the lowest penalties wins. Also, the thirty best individual scores will move on to the Individual Competition. Hopefully, I wrap up on the following Sunday.” Willa laughed at Landon’s expression after finishing her schedule. “I know. It’s a lot.”

  “I’m sure the family will figure it out and be there cheering you on,” Landon said kindly. As much as Porter dreaded the family interrogation that was sure to follow, he would be glad to have backup there if needed.

  “You would come to watch me?” Willa asked, sounding surprised.

  “Well, sure,” Porter answered. “My family is—”

  “Invested in marrying us all off,” Landon said with a laugh. “I’ve received no fewer than six texts from the family, asking about Porter’s date already.”

  Willa’s eyes widened in surprise and both Landon and Porter watched carefully as she processed that.

  “She didn’t run. That’s a good sign. Now how about dinner?” Landon asked.

  “Porter mentioned Kentucky favorites?” Willa asked.

  Landon nodded. “I know exactly what to make you then. It was great meeting you, Willa.”

  “You too,” Willa smiled up at him. After Landon walked back into the kitchen, she turned her eyes to Porter. “He was kidding about your family, right?”

  Porter groaned as he slumped back in his chair. “Normally, first dates evolve into second, third, and then there might be months before you meet the family. I’m sorry. You’ll probably meet a lot of them tomorrow. It’s a big family. My grandparents have six kids who all have kids and even some of my cousins now have kids of their own. I can take you home right now. You won’t hurt my feelings.”

  Willa shook her head. “No, it’s nice. It will be a pleasure if they’re anything like your cousin. I was an only child. I loved it, but I’d always wondered what it would be like to have a big family.”

  “You won’t have to wonder much longer,” Porter laughed.

  Kentucky Burgoo was served first. As they ate the stew filled with meat and vegetables, Porter asked her about her job. She was vague. She worked for her father’s company. She was the face of it since she’d been into business and marketing.

  She didn’t say who her father was and Porter didn’t push. After all, he was hiding the real reason he had asked her out. However, as the date went on, Porter was forgetting the real reason he was with her. Willa had a dry sense of humor, was crazy smart, and loved horses. It was the girlfriend trifecta for Porter.

  The waitress brought out Landon’s signature hot brown. In Kentucky, hot browns were a classic. They were served in diners, five-star restaurants, and every place in between. Landon had wanted to take the staples of Southern cooking and elevate them. Traditionally, this open-faced sandwich was made with a piece of bread, turkey, a slice of ham, smothered in a cheesy Mornay sauce, and topped with bacon and tomato. Landon used two truffle rolls topped with shaved turkey and ham. Then he used a Mornay sauce with smoked gouda, gruyere, and provolone cheese before topping it off with a slice of tomato and applewood-smoked bacon.

  Porter laughed as Willa looked at it with curiosity. “What is it?”

  “Just try it,” Porter urged.

  Willa cut into it and moaned the second she tasted it. Porter was lost. His mind went straight to his pants. “This is divine,” Willa said before digging in with enthusiasm.

  The conversation never faltered until they realized they were the last two in the restaurant. Porter reached across the table and held out his hand. He smiled when she placed hers in his while they talked about horses. The empty dessert plate with two spoons was the only thing left on the table as the restaurant began to shut down.

  “What are you doing back here?” Landon’s raised voice caught Porter’s attention a moment before the door from the kitchen to the dining area was shoved open.

  The man Porter had scared off was back.

  Willa froze in fear. She’d had the best first date she could have ever imagined. There was no talk about money, power, what her father was doing next, or what her family could do for him. Willa and Porter talked about growing up, family, funny stories, what she was interested in, and horses. Porter listened and asked questions. She never felt as if they were boring each other or, worse, that it was a job interview. Quite the opposite. Neither wanted the date to end.

  But now Dickerson was there and he’d ruin everything. Not only was the threat to her and her father very real, she knew Porter would take one look at the danger her life was in and run for the hills. Not that she could blame him.

  “Tick-tock, Miss Aldridge. My boss needs your answer now,” Dickerson said as he stepped up to the table.

  Willa’s eyes shot to Porter, who looked rather calm, and then back to Landon who stood by the kitchen door watching with interest.

  Willa shook her head, not knowing what to do or say. She couldn’t hand over the skeleton key. Every undercover CIA agent around the globe would be in danger if she did. It was an impossible decision. She had thought she’d be safe with her protection detail—a detail that was apparently no longer parked in front of the restaurant. The question was, did she protect her father or protect thousands of strangers? Willa had been trying to find a way to do both. Now her time was up and an answer hadn’t appeared to her yet.

  “Work thing?” Porter asked casually as he glanced up at the man who had threatened her numerous times now.

  “I just need something from Miss Aldridge and then I’ll be out of your hair and you can enjoy the rest of your date,” Dickerson said to Porter while never taking his eyes off Willa.

  Think. She needed to think. She needed to buy herself more time. She needed her guards to come rushing in and save her. She needed to protect everyone.

  “Gosh,” Porter said with more of a country accent than she’d ever heard him use. “Your boss must be real hardcore sending you out at night to jes’ to pick sum’thin’ up. It must be real important like. I don’t understand half of what she talks about.”

  Willa blinked at Porter. Why was he sounding so different?

  “You wouldn’t,” Dickerson muttered before turning back to Willa. “The key, now.”

  “That almost sounds like one of them”—Porter paused and looked as if he were thinking of the right word— “ultimatums.”

  The man looked irritatingly at Porter. “You kno
w, that’s a good idea. The key, Miss Aldridge, or I shoot him right here over dessert.”

  Willa’s eyes went big at the sight of a gun suddenly pressed to Porter’s head. Porter didn’t look nearly as panicked as she was feeling. He glanced over to Landon, but gave him a very small shake of his head. It was so small she thought maybe she imagined it.

  “I’m sorry.” The words tumbled from her mouth as she begged Porter to forgive her. “I can’t give it to you. Who wants it? Why?”

  “All you need to know is my boss wants it, and if you don’t give me the key right now, I’ll kill your date. Three,” he said as he began to countdown.

  Willa glanced desperately around looking for a weapon. She couldn’t let him kill Porter, but the only thing near her was a single spoon.

  “Two.”

  “I’m so sorry. Thousands would die if I give it to him,” Willa said as tears began to stream down her face.

  She watched in horror as the man flicked off the safety and stared at her, giving her one last chance to hand over the skeleton key. Her heart broke. She thought she was going to throw up. Her whole body was shaking to the point there looked to be two Porters.

  “Last chance,” the man warned.

  Porter moved so suddenly Willa couldn’t even make a squeak of surprise. One minute, he’d been seated in his chair with a gun pointed to his head and then the next second the gun had been knocked from the man’s hand and a spoon was sticking out the side of the man’s throat. Willa opened her mouth to scream as Dickerson grabbed at the spoon in surprise a second before a giant cast-iron skillet slammed into the back of his head. The man was flung forward over the table where he lay motionless.

  Willa stared down at the body as blood dripped onto the floor. Her mouth was open, but nothing was coming out.

  “Willa, sweetheart, answer me. Willa?”

  It took a moment for Porter’s voice to reach her through the shock. When she finally looked up, she found Porter by her side trying to get her attention.