by Lexi Post
“Make some noise. We need an exact location.”
Before she could say anything, Garrett had grabbed the spike from her and crawled back into the tunnel. “We’re here!” He banged five more times on the shovel.
“Got you. Stand back.”
Once again, he shimmied out of their tunnel. He grasped her arm and pulled her back toward their camp and answered her unspoken question at his move. “They have some kind of machine.”
The rumbling sounded louder the longer they waited. After a few minutes it stopped and with it her heart. They’d given up! Her eyes started to water. This couldn’t be happening. Despair almost dropped her to the ground.
“Hey, what’s wrong? You should be happy.” He moved his hand toward her face, but Copper licked it. He chuckled.
How could he be happy? “They’ve given up.” She tried not to break down, but the last word came out in a squeak.
He managed to get his hand past Copper and cupped her cheek. “No, they aren’t giving up. They’re probably talking things over based on what they’ve found. Just be patient a little longer. I promise, this is how it’s done. Cole’s a firefighter and he’s going to ensure that everyone is safe.”
“Cole? The forgetful, has to be his way, can’t remember shit, cowboy?”
Garrett laughed loudly. “Yes. Despite all that, as a firefighter, you wouldn’t want anyone else in charge.”
She found it hard to believe, and it must have shown on face.
“Even if you have no faith in Cole, trust me that I know they won’t give up until we’re out of here. Okay?”
At his words, her breathing became easier. She did trust him. She trusted him with her life. Setting Copper down, she nodded. “Okay.”
He grinned, then leaned in and kissed her. It wasn’t a peck either. When he was done, she had to remind herself where she was. Shit, the man could kiss.
“We’re ready.” Cole’s voice was clearer. “Give us more noise.”
Once again, Garrett climbed up to the end of their tunnel and banged on the shovel while she held the diming light. The whole procedure happened two more times. Were they really that far in? Nervous, she turned off the light in between Garrett making noise.
Suddenly, bits of sunlight filtered in through their tunnel. They were found!
Garrett let out a real cowboy whoop before picking her up and spinning her around. When he put her down, he kissed her so tenderly she almost started to cry. He grinned. “We did it.”
She wasn’t sure what they’d done, but her throat was too tight to ask.
“Hey, are you there?” Cole’s voice came from the other end of their tunnel.
Garrett moved to where he could be seen. “I never thought I’d be so glad to see your face, Hatcher.”
Cole laughed. “Same here. Is Riley with you?”
He pulled her over and set her in front of him. “Hey, Cole.”
All she could see was Cole’s head. He lifted his cowboy hat and wiped his brow. “Thank God.”
She couldn’t say anything. Her emotions felt too close to the surface. Her last escape had been a solo endeavor that had only ended after hiking back to Chora, being careful not to be seen, discovering her unit had pulled out, and eventually being picked up by helicopter by soldiers she’d never met. Cole sounded like he seriously cared about her, a simple ranch hand.
“You think you can crawl out of there?” Cole’s voice was filled with concern.
Garrett moved her to the side. “Can you dig in farther?”
“I’d rather not. It looks like there was a mudslide, but it’s all dried out and weak. We had to put up three supports just to get this far. How is it on your end?”
“The same. We’ll crawl out. I’m sending Riley first.”
“No.” She pushed in front of him. “I’m sending Copper out first. He hasn’t eaten in days and has had very little to drink. He’s going to need Dr. Jenna.”
Cole lowered his brows. “Copper?”
She turned around and scooped up Copper. “Yes. He’s my dog. Go ahead Copper. Go to Cole.”
The dog didn’t move a muscle except to look back at her.
“Really? I’m coming right behind you.”
Garrett leaned in closer. “You need to get up there with him. He won’t leave without you.”
“He won’t—crap.” Her eyes started to water again. It must have to do with finally getting out of the godforsaken mine. Crawling up on the hill behind Copper, she nudged him. “Okay, boy. Let’s go.”
Just as Garrett had said, Copper walked forward checking behind him every couple steps. His loyalty to her was making it hard to keep it together. When Cole pulled Copper out, she let out a breath, not even realizing how nervous she was. The tunnel was narrow and as she brushed the side, loose dirt fell.
When she got to the opening, two men she didn’t know, pulled her whole body out until she could stand. But the sunlight was so bright, she felt dizzy and covered her eyes. In the next moment she was whisked off her feet and carried to a waiting ambulance a hundred yards away. What the hell? “Put me down.”
Luckily, whoever carried her, set her on the back of the ambulance. “I can walk, it’s just too freaking bright.”
“Get this lady some sunglasses! I need to grab Walker.”
Walker? She watched the very large firefighter stride back to what looked like a mouse hole in the middle of a debris field. Someone handed her sunglasses, and she quickly put them on, even as they wrapped her in a blanket. Really? It had to be over a hundred and ten. Shrugging it off, she kept her hand over the sunglasses to watch the hole for Garrett.
Cole moved in front of the hole and spoke. She couldn’t hear what he said, but he didn’t move aside until the big firefighter joined him. Right. Now Garrett could come out.
“Miss, I’m Lieutenant Alvarez. Can I take a look at your arm?”
She gave the dark-haired firefighter a cursory look. “Sure.” She held out her left arm and returned her gaze to the hole. Come on Garrett. What are you waiting for?
The man at her left arm called to someone behind her, but she didn’t pay any attention. Every one of her muscles was tense with waiting. What the hell was taking so long? Did she take that long?
Suddenly, Cole and the big fire fighter jumped back and the hole disappeared.
Garrett!
Chapter Twelve
Riley jumped up and took a step forward before a hand clamped down on her. “Miss, we have to get you to the hospital. You’re dehydrated and have an infected arm.”
She glanced down at her arm to see the red puffiness, but quickly found the man holding her. She glared. “Take your hand off me.”
“Do you understand? You need to go to the hospital.” He spoke as if she was in first grade, but didn’t release her.
She stepped up to him. “I’m not going anywhere until Garrett is out of that cave. Do you understand me, soldier?”
The firefighter gave her an odd look. “I do understand what you want, but we have to make sure you’re treated first.”
Beyond exasperated, she swore. “Get your fucking hand off me or choose which one of your balls you want to lose.”
His eyes widened and his grip lessened.
She ripped her arm from him and ran back toward the hole. Before she could get close, a large meaty arm wrapped around her. “Whoa, there. Do you want to be buried too?”
At his words, her heart constricted. Buried? No, he couldn’t be. Not again. She couldn’t lose another person. She’d been so careful.
“Hey, don’t cry. Walker’s tougher than a little cave-in.”
She looked up at the man that had carried her out of the hole. “Is he alive?”
He smirked. “I’d bet a million on it. He’s cheated death more than once.”
That was true, but what if his luck had run out?
“Want to take my bet?”
“What?” She couldn’t stop staring at the wall of dirt.
“I bet he’ll come out
of there riding a pink unicorn, too.”
Cole yelled something to the driver of the bucket loader. He wouldn’t be doing that if Garrett were dead, would he?”
“Maybe even have a pair of blue bunnies on his lap.”
Blue bunnies? She finally turned to look at the man who continued to keep her away. “What are you talking about?”
He blinked innocently. “About Walker getting out of that mine.”
She raised her brows in doubt. “Who are you?”
“I’m Scott Mason. Best firefighter this side of the Alamo and rescuer of damsels in distress.”
Seriously? Without warning she jammed her cowboy boot onto the arch of his foot.
“Ow, now why’d you do that. Here I thought we were getting along so well.”
Frustrated she hadn’t done more damage to the football firefighter holding her, she yelled. “Cole!”
Cole strode to where she stood, “Mason, let her go.”
“As you wish, Cap.” And just like that she was released. She glared at the big man before turning on Cole. She studied him. He didn’t look nervous at all. He looked like he was in his element. “Is Garrett alive?”
“Yes. He yelled from inside that he’s okay. If he was hurt, he’d let us know. He knows how important it is to our operation.”
Operation? For the first time she scanned the area outside the mine. There was one fire engine, one ambulance, a front loader, and a bunch of ATVs. Her gaze moved back to the fire engine where a firefighter was giving Copper some water. Domino? She scanned what looked like a town instead of the empty desert she’d ridden to. “My horse?”
Cole shook his head. “She’s the strangest horse I think we have had on Last Chance.”
“But is she okay?” Why couldn’t these men just answer a question?
“She’s fine. From what we can tell, she used my barn for shelter and water. When I came home, she wouldn’t let us near her. She kept running out into the desert, so I hopped on Samson and followed her. It wasn’t until she came to this spot that she let me close. It wasn’t hard to put two and two together.”
The driver of the front loader yelled to Cole who held up his hand. “I need to get Garrett out now. Can I trust you to stay here and out of the way?”
She nodded. Copper and Domino were going to be fine. Now she just needed Garrett.
As Cole strode to the wall of dirt, she held her hand over the sunglasses. The light still hurt her eyes, and she wanted to see the minute Garrett was free. Only then could she relax. Only then could she leave.
It took another set of bracing before they were able to dig far enough into the mountain to expose the hole again. She held her breath as Cole approached it and yelled inside. Then he signaled Mason and the two of them stood on either side.
It took a few minutes, but finally Garrett’s head could be seen. As soon as Cole and Mason pulled him out to stand, she turned and went back to the ambulance. “I’m ready to leave now.”
Alvarez helped her into the back and had her lie down. “Don’t worry. Cole will make sure Garrett makes it to the hospital.”
“My dog?”
“Clark will check him over, give him so electrolytes, and leave him with Cole, if that’s okay.”
She nodded, too worn out to speak. It wasn’t the mine or the physical hardship that had exhausted her. It was Garrett. She’d thought she’d been very careful not to make any connections with anyone, but when the hole disappeared, she knew that sickening feeling of losing someone all over again.
She’d felt it when they received word her dad had die and again when her mother passed. Though she never understood her mother, the woman was her family. She hadn’t been able to help her mom or her own sister. Then it had been her unit members. She knew then it was too much. She couldn’t lose anyone else. If Garrett had died after coming so close to escaping…
She closed her eyes. Never again.
*****
Garrett pulled his truck to a stop in front of the Last Chance Ranch main house. He needed to talk to Riley. By the time he’d made it to the hospital to be checked out, she’d been released and then his family had descended upon him.
He didn’t blame Cole for alerting them that he was missing, and he was happy to see them. He had hoped to see Riley for himself since Mason had told him that she had an infection in her arm. He’d been afraid of that, but it had been over twenty-four hours since they’d escaped from the mine.
Striding to the front porch and up the steps, he almost collided with the man coming outside. “Hello, Wyatt.”
The black-haired, tanned cowboy halted. “Garrett. I heard yours and Riley’s rescue. You okay?”
“I’m fine. I understand we have you to thank for taking care of all the horses.”
The man looked away. “There was no one else here, and to be honest, I thought this was the worst run ranch in Arizona.” He finally met his gaze. “But I’m glad I was here, especially since that monsoon came through.”
He clapped the man on the shoulder. “I am too. When Riley started to worry about the horses, I assured her you’d take care of them.”
Wyatt rubbed the back of his neck. “I just wish I hadn’t fallen asleep on the couch Friday night. I would have called Cole sooner. It wasn’t until I woke up Saturday morning that I realized things were serious.”
Garrett stepped back. “You didn’t think something was wrong when Black Jack came back to the ranch riderless?”
“My mind was on other things and by time I got here, the horse was standing next to the lean-to by the barn, so I thought someone had saddled him and then got called away and forgot. There was nothing on him to say he’d thrown anyone or wandered off on someone. Like I said, I wasn’t thinking clearly. I’ve been on edge ever since Gramps died. Nothing’s right now. Not even me.”
He studied the man. There was more to this, but he didn’t have the time now to figure it out. “Well, I’m glad you did call Cole. Another day in that mine and we would have been in tough shape. So thanks. Is Riley home?”
“She is for now. I’m going to take Guinness for a ride.”
Garrett nodded and moved past the man to open the screen door. He knocked.
Wyatt yelled over his shoulder. “Cole’s in the kitchen. Go ahead in.”
Opening the door, he strode inside and found Cole.
“I thought I heard a truck. I can’t tell you how glad I am to see you.” Cole’s welcome seemed a bit over the top. He’d been the one to get them out of the mine after all.
“It’s good to see you. Is Riley here?”
Cole moved to the fridge and pulled out a beer, silently offering him one.
He shook his head.
“She just quit on me.” Cole opened the bottle and sat at the table.
“Quit? I thought she liked working here.”
Cole’s shoulders fell. “She wouldn’t give me a reason, but I think she blames me for the mine cave-in. I should have boarded that place up years ago. I kept meaning to.” He took a gulp of beer and looked at him. “Any chance you’ve thought about that job I offered you.”
“No, I haven’t.” That wasn’t the Riley he knew. He had to talk to her. Find out what was going on.
“Then think about it. As of today. I have no fulltime ranch hands and no ranch manager. I need both.”
“Where is she?”
Cole gave him a shrewd look. “Upstairs. While you’re talking, see if you can’t talk her into staying.”
“Believe me, I will.” He spun on his heel and walked down the hall, but he took the stairs two at a time, his heart going into double time. Remembering his quick run through the house less than a week ago, he turned left at the top of the staircase.
Her door was open, and he could hear her on the phone. “I can come down on Thursday. I appreciate it.”
He walked to the open door and leaned against the jamb. She sat on one of the two twin beds, her back to him and a large Army duffle bag lay open on the floor, a few
things already in it. “Going somewhere?”
She stood, spinning around to face him, her phone dropping to the bed. “Shit, Garrett. What are you doing here?”
“I came to see if you’re okay. That’s what teammates do after going through a tough experience. Surely you know that.” He couldn’t keep the sarcasm out of his voice. Everything in the room screamed she was running away, but he tried to tamp down his rising anger. There may be a logical explanation.
She looked down at her phone and picked it up, putting it in her back pocket. “Cole told me you were okay.” She shrugged. “I don’t know where you live, so I figured you’d be by eventually. I know you have family in town.”
He strode forward, needing to be near her, but suddenly unsure of her. After the mine, he thought she had feelings for him, maybe felt as strongly as he did. “But you’re packing. Cole says you quit.”
“I’ve got a new job. This was only supposed to be temporary anyway.” She flung her arm out to encompass the room, as if that explained everything.
Ire rose, but he clamped down hard. Maybe someone nearby had offered her a job. “Where?”
She picked up her utility knife and dropped it in the duffle bag. “Yuma.”
“Yuma?” His mind was processing a lot faster than his heart was. “Why, Yuma?”
She shrugged. “Why not? Home is wherever I drop my bag. I told you that.”
She turned back to the nightstand, but he grabbed her by the shoulders and made her face him. “So why not Wickenburg?”
She frowned. “Wickenburg? There’s a job available there?”
“No, but it’s where I live. If you have to leave here then come live with me. It’s a big house. I could give you your own space.”
Her gaze left his. “I can’t.”
“Why not? I thought we got along pretty well in the mine.”
She shrugged off his hands. “That was different. Luckily, life isn’t like being buried alive.”
He fisted his hands at his side. “It’s also not meant to run away from. I know you felt something.” He held up his hand as she opened her mouth, “and don’t try to tell me it was just the situation that made us seem close.”
