Loving Lauren

by Jill Sanders

Alex was tired of being treated like she was a trophy. Maybe Lauren was right about Travis. After their fight last night at the ball, she just didn't want anyone else to tell her what to do or how to act again. To top it all off, she was having serious doubts that his relationship with Savannah had been a one-time thing.

  Alex and Travis had broken it off several times in the past, but nothing as long as the whole month they’d been apart last winter. He'd told her immediately when they'd gotten back together about the one night he'd gotten drunk and stayed with Savannah. But after the way he'd hung on her last night at the ball, she worried that it went beyond a one-time thing.

  It was bad enough that Alex couldn't stand the woman, but to be slapped in the face with the knowledge that her fiancé had slept with the viper had almost been too much to bear.

  Then her mind turned to Lauren and the hurt tripled. How could her sister have kept such a huge secret from them? Finding out that her sister had gotten married without telling her was hard, and the fact that she'd kept it from her for seven years made it harder.

  It wasn't as if she and Haley didn't do their fair share around the ranch. Alex only worked three or four days a week at the diner, and even then she gave up half her pay to her sister to help pay for the bills. She helped out plenty with the animals and was always there to herd the cattle at auction time.

  Haley did her part, as well. The girl had missed a great opportunity to go to college down south. Instead, she'd chosen to stay here and help out with the ranch, giving up her dream of becoming a veterinarian altogether so the financial burden wouldn't be too much for her sisters.

  Maybe she should leave town? Now that she knew Lauren and Chase were married, she could break off her engagement to Travis, head into the city and...what?

  She leaned back on the front porch and sighed as she watched the sun setting. Just then she saw Chase's truck turn into the driveway. She smiled and waved as he pulled to a stop in front of the house.

  “Hey, is your sister around?” He stepped onto the porch.

  “You mean your wife?” She crossed her arms and did her best pouting face.

  “Yeah, well...” He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at his boots.

  “I'm not mad at you. After all, you were gone for the last seven years. It's my sister who should shoulder most of the guilt, not you.”

  “Yeah, well, I still should have told you when I came back into town.”

  “Chase…” She waited until he looked at her. “It wasn't your place.” She sighed and shook her head. “Lauren decided to head to the cabin for the rest of the weekend. I guess she's still having a hard time facing us after what she did.” She shook her head. “It's not like waiting two more days is going to change how Haley and I feel.”

  “She went there all by herself again?” Alex saw the worried look cross his face.

  “Yes, why? What is it you're not telling me?” She stood slowly, seeing his fear intensify.

  “Damn.” He walked off the porch and started walking towards the barn.

  She caught up with him as he opened the doors. “What?” She yanked on his shoulders and turned him towards her.

  “Last time we were up there, someone had broken in and been squatting at the place. Poachers, most likely, but there have been rumors about illegals hiding out and some narcotics passing through the woods. I told her I didn't want her going up there alone until we could get things checked out.” He turned and started getting Buster ready.

  “I'm going with you.” She walked over to Haley's saddle and started getting Olivia ready.

  “Does she at least have her cell phone on her?”

  Alex shook her head. “She left it and Dingo here.”

  “Damn. You stay here. I have my cell phone and I'll call you when I know that she's safe. No use in both of us trying to make it up the hills in the dark.”

  Just then they heard a noise and turned to watch Tanner gallop into the barn. Chase reached out and gathered the horse’s reins.

  “Where's Lauren?” Alex didn't mean for it to come out as a squeal, but fear shot through her so quickly.

  “I don't know.” Chase reached up and touched a dark spot on the horse’s mane. His hand came away covered in blood.

  “Is that his blood or Lauren’s?” Alex grabbed Tanner's reins, trying to get a better look.

  “His, it looks like.” He turned and started saddling Buster faster.

  “Hang on. Don't leave just yet.” She walked Tanner to his stall, then rushed into the house. Quickly gathering what he would need, she ran back with her arms full. “Here.” She handed him the small box.

  “What is it?” He looked down at the box.

  “They're night-vision goggles.” She smiled a little. “Haley got them one year. She had the strangest idea to...Well, never mind. They might come in handy. This too.” She handed him a gun.

  “I grabbed the shot gun from the case.” He nodded towards the locked case that housed two more shotguns. He'd broken the door to get a gun and a box full of shells. “Sorry.”

  “This is a flare gun.” She opened it and showed him the larger cartridge. “Just point and shoot. You know, in case you get into trouble and you don't have service. I'll be sitting on the porch, waiting.”

  “Thanks.” He leaned down and placed a quick kiss on her check. “She'll be fine. Maybe she just got tossed off Tanner.” Then he jumped onto Buster's back and was gone.

  She watched him ride off into the dark and then the worry started taking over. Running to the house, she yelled for Haley. When her sister walked out to the porch, she filled her in on what was happening. They decided a call to the sheriff’s office wouldn't hurt, and half an hour later had to explain everything again to the sheriff and two of his deputies.

  Since there were no roads up to the cabin, all they could promise was to send someone tomorrow during daylight on a horse or dirt bike. That was if they had proof of a crime.

  Alex and Haley watched Sheriff Stephen Miller and his deputies leave and felt disgusted at their lack of effort. If it had been Travis, the mayor’s son up there, they would have no doubt called the cavalry to ensure his safety.

  Well, Lauren was more important to Alex then Travis was. She stood there looking into the darkness and praying that she wasn't too late in telling her sister how she felt.

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