by Kate Pearce
“Gotta love a cowboy,” January breathed. “Those Morgan boys all look so good on a horse. It’s just not fair.”
Avery nodded as he came closer, slowed to a trot and then a walk as he approached the barn. He leaned in to pat the horse and then looked up directly at her. She went still as he kept on moving forward, her gaze fastened on the horse. Her back hit the side of her car, the hot metal shocking her, leaving her nowhere else to go.
She eased a hand behind her, fumbling for the door handle, but it was too late, Ry was practically alongside her now. She inhaled the sweaty, peppery musk of the horse and felt hot equine breath waft over her face.
“Avery?”
She started and forced herself to look up.
“You okay?” Ry’s golden gaze narrowed under the brim of his Stetson.
“Yeah, it’s just a bit hot out here.”
He considered her for a long moment. “I’m just going to take Dolittle back to the barn. Can you hang around?”
She licked her lips, her gaze still on the horse, which was blocking her escape. “Um, no. I have to get going pretty soon.”
“Then walk down to the barn with me, and we can talk as I work.”
She shook her head. “I . . . don’t have time. Sorry.”
She finally found the blasted door handle and managed to get herself in the car. Her hand was shaking so badly she could barely start the engine. To her relief he reined his horse back, allowing her the space to reverse her car and leave. She was breathing like she’d run a mile and black spots danced in front of her eyes. She pulled over to the side of the road before she exited the ranch, and sat there shaking quietly until she felt better.
How stupid to react like that after all this time. It wasn’t as though Ry had meant to scare her or anything.
“Get a grip, Hayes,” she muttered to herself. “Time to move on.”
* * *
Ry let Dolittle out in the field, and made his way back to the house to shower and change. When he came downstairs Ruth was sitting in the kitchen reading the local newspaper. He got a cold drink and sat opposite her, listening to the clock ticking on the wall and the thunderous hum of the ancient refrigerator.
“What’s wrong?” Ruth spoke from behind the paper.
Ry considered what to say. “Does Avery ride anymore?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t think I’ve even seen her helping out anywhere. Why?”
“Just wondering.” He sipped his lemonade. “What did she say to January?”
Ruth lowered the paper. “About being the wedding planner? That she’d have to talk to her parents.”
“Damn.”
“What did you think she was going to do?”
“I was hoping she would just go for it.”
Ruth studied him over the top of her glasses. “Why does it matter to you?”
“Because she needs a break.”
“And working up here would give her that? Maybe she’s happier where she is.”
“Where she’s comfortable?” Ry sighed. “Yeah, but she’s hiding from everything.”
“Maybe that’s all she can manage right now.”
“The accident was almost seven years ago.”
“And she spent four years having surgery after surgery, and then physical therapy to learn how to walk again.”
“We were friends. I just want the best for her.”
Ruth patted his hand. “You’re a good boy, Ry.”
He grimaced at his grandma. “Yeah, right.”
Chase came in with Blue and they both sat down at the table. Blue had a pencil stuck behind his ear and the back of his hand was covered in faded pink and blue flowery stamps, probably from his time at the school library.
What the heck was up with Avery? Ry went to get up just as Chase started speaking.
“You got a minute?”
“Sure.” He reluctantly sat down again. “Where do you want me to put the cows now, planet Mars?”
“It’s not about the cows.” Chase opened his laptop. “We just wanted to bring you up-to-date on the search for Mom and Rachel.”
Ry glanced from Chase to Blue. “I’m sure you’ve got it in hand.”
BB locked gazes with him. “Is there a problem?”
“About what?”
“You wanting to be involved in this.”
Ry held up his hands. “Fine, okay, tell me.”
“It’s okay to be worried about all this, bro. We’re all still in shock that she might still be alive and living in California.”
“Seventy miles up the road,” Chase added. “I’ve set our firm of private investigators on finding Mom’s last known address. As soon as they have a lead they’ll call me, and we can decide how we want to proceed from there.” He cleared his throat. “I want us all to be together in this. I know how important it is.”
Ry forced himself to contribute to the conversation. “When do you think you’ll hear something?”
“Hopefully, soon.” Chase shook his head. “I can’t believe we might actually get to see her again.”
“Me neither,” BB agreed. “Rachel will be an adult.”
“Do we know if she’s still with Annie?” Ry interrupted them.
“As far as we know, yes. Why?”
Ry stood up. “No reason. I’ve got to go into town and meet the bank manager. Anyone need anything?”
Chase was staring up at him way too intently.
Ry manufactured a smile and tapped his wrist. “Gotta go. I have an appointment.”
“Ry, are you okay?”
“I’m good.” Grabbing his hat, he made it out of the kitchen, put on his boots, and was on his way before anyone else could ask him about his feelings. He really did have a meeting at the bank, but talking about Annie? He could do without that. He had no idea how he’d actually feel if they did find her. His memories were fragmented, and too sharp to uncover. He remembered her long hair and the scrape of her nails against his skin . . .
“Yeah—not going there.” He spoke into the air, put his foot on the gas, and set off for town.
* * *
Avery looked up as there was a knock on her office door and called, “Come in.”
She straightened up as Ry came in dressed for town in jeans and a blue checked shirt slightly unbuttoned to reveal a yellow T-shirt that made his eyes look pure gold.
“Ry, I wasn’t expecting you.”
He gestured at his shirt. “I was at the bank, trying to look respectable enough to be allowed access to my own money.”
“Considering that bank once belonged to your family, you’d think they’d be pleased to see you.”
“Not anymore.” He took the seat she pointed at and sat down, long legs stretched out in front of him, boots crossed at the ankle. “I practically had to give a blood sample, DNA, and swear some kind of oath to leave my body to science or something.”
“Why do you need a bank account?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Because I work for my living. Did you think I’d be happy living off handouts from my millionaire brother?”
“That’s not what I meant.” She frowned at him. “I meant, don’t you already have a bank account?”
“Different bank. Chase wanted me to get one here to ‘support the local economy’ and make it easier for him to pay the wages from one central place. Half the hands still prefer a check, to deposit in person at the bank. So does Roy. He doesn’t trust robot internet banking.”
“I can just see him saying that.” Avery waited a beat and then asked, “So what can I do for you?”
“Take that job January offered you.”
She folded her arms across her chest. “That’s got nothing to do with you.”
“Hell, it was my idea.”
“Yours?”
“I thought you’d enjoy it.”
“I would, but—”
“You have your work here. Work you told January you could do with your eyes closed.”
“That’s not exact
ly true. I’m just very efficient.”
“I bet you are—which is why you could easily do the wedding for January and Chase.”
She eyed him suspiciously. “Have you been talking to Yvonne?”
“From the coffee shop? No, why?”
“Because she keeps pushing me to expand my business as well.”
“Smart woman.” Ry paused. “Is it because you don’t want to work up at the ranch?”
Inwardly Avery cringed. She should’ve known he would pick up on her sudden desire to flee earlier.
She tried to sound nonchalant. “I wouldn’t be working up there much, anyway. Most of the wedding planning can be done right here.”
He regarded her steadily for a long moment. “Did you talk to your parents?”
“Not yet. As I said, I’m still thinking things through.”
He sat back, his head angled to one side. “Is it me?”
“Is it you, what?”
“That you’re trying to avoid?”
She raised her eyebrows. “Conceited much?”
His mouth quirked up at one corner. “I didn’t think it was.”
“Which still confirms that you are a conceited ass, right? Just for asking the question.”
“Defensive much?”
“I’m just saying that I have no problem with seeing you anywhere, okay?”
“So if it isn’t me, and the job wouldn’t be difficult for you, what is it?”
She didn’t bother to answer, and just glared back at him. Why didn’t he take the hint and let it go?
“When did you last ride a horse?”
Her breath stuttered in her throat. “What’s that got to do with anything?”
“That’s it, isn’t it? You don’t want to come up to the ranch because of the horses.”
Silence filled her office, broken only by the cheery sound of Tucker whistling as he went past her door. Avery focused her gaze on her laptop keyboard.
“I am totally capable of being the wedding planner for January and Chase’s wedding.”
Ry slowly stood up, sauntered over, and leaned his hands down on the edge of her desk. “Then do it.”
When she looked up, his eyes were level with hers, and there was suddenly no place to hide.
“It’s not your job to tell me what to do.”
“True, but I hate to see you hiding your abilities.”
“You have no idea what I am capable of these days.”
“You’ve always been smart.” He flicked her forehead with the tip of his finger. “Breaking some bones doesn’t change that.”
She smacked his finger away. “Don’t do that.”
“This better?” He swooped in, kissed her gently on the mouth, and stepped away. “You can do this job with one hand tied behind your back, Avery.”
“You’ll have to tie me up if you try to kiss me again.”
“Really?” He winked and then turned toward the door. “That could be fun.”
“You—”
He paused at the door. “What time do you get off on Friday?”
“Seven, but why—?”
“I’ll pick you up at seven thirty. We can go to the Red Dragon. I’ll even buy you a drink with real alcohol in it.”
The door closed behind him, and Avery sat down, her mouth open.
“What just happened here?” She said the words out loud even though she was alone. “How the heck did Ry Morgan get to be so . . . so . . .” She couldn’t even think of a word to describe him.
She called Nancy, who answered immediately.
“What’s up?”
“You’ll never guess what Ry Morgan just did to me!”
“I can’t tell you right now, because my mom is staring at me and she wouldn’t appreciate my language. Hold on.” There was a rustling sound and then a door shutting. “Okay, what?”
“He . . .” Avery realized she was flapping her hand around. “He . . .” She stopped to take a much-needed breath. “He told me to take that job with January.”
“Is that all?” Nancy sounded way too disappointed.
“No, he asked me out on Friday.” She snorted. “Like I’d go after what he said.”
“Hold up—he asked you out?”
“Only to the Red Dragon.”
“But he asked you?”
“No! He told me he’s picking me up at seven thirty, and then he just walked out without waiting for my answer!”
Nancy chuckled. “Boy, he knows you well, doesn’t he?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“The only way I ever get you to do anything is by telling you it’s going to happen whether you like it or not.”
“This isn’t the same.”
“Sure it is, although you’ll probably have much more fun doing it with Ry Morgan.”
Avery sank back into her chair. “You make it sound like I’m going.”
“Doesn’t seem as if you have much choice, does it?” Nancy sounded way too cheerful. “I’ve got to go, Ave. Mom’s waiting for me.”
“But—”
Avery stared at her cell. What was wrong with everyone? She felt like she was living in some alternate universe where everyone was trying to push her out of her comfort zone.
There was one quick and easy solution to that.
Getting up, she went next door to her parents’ office, where they were going over the bookings for the upcoming week.
“Everything all right, Avery?” her dad asked as he looked up.
She gave them her best concerned, professional, I’m-doing-this-for-the-family smile. “I just wanted to run something by you both. I know this isn’t a good time for any of us to not be putting one hundred percent of our efforts into the hotel, but I had an offer from January to take over as her wedding planner. Paid and everything.” She managed to take a breath. “I know it’s not going to work for you, but I just wanted to put it out there.”
Her dad looked at her mom, who smiled.
“Actually I think it’s a great idea.”
“Wh-what?” Avery stuttered. Okay, she was officially still asleep and dreaming.
“You can widen your skill set, and we can start Marley off learning your job.”
“My sister Marley?”
Mom blinked at her. “Who else? She’s just finished her catering and management degree, so this will be perfect training for her.”
“So you wouldn’t mind?”
“No, not at all, you go ahead.” Dad nodded. “This works out really well for all of us. We were wondering how we were going to broach the subject of Marley’s return with you. She’s going to have some great new ideas for the hotel.”
“So why doesn’t Marley do the wedding instead?” Avery suspected she was pouting, and was that just the hint of a whine in her voice?
“Because January wants and trusts you, love.” Her parents exchanged a glance. “She called this morning, and had such great things to say about you, we couldn’t possibly stand in your way.”
“Okay, then.” Avery nodded. “I’ll tell her I can do it. Thanks for being so understanding.”
She managed to get back to her own office, where she locked the door and put her head down on her desk. Maybe if she banged it hard enough she’d wake up.
Chapter Six
Ry frowned down at his phone and checked his messages. There were six silent messages, all from HW’s number, and a seventh with just a muttered curse word. Either HW was butt dialing him, or butt drunk. It was Friday morning. Two weeks since he’d left Sacramento, and two weeks since he’d heard a thing from his twin. He’d checked the rodeo standings the previous night. HW was almost certain to qualify for nationals if he could just keep it together.
That wasn’t a given with his brother, and it wasn’t the kind of sport where you could ever count on your luck. You might draw a series of lousy horses, or get injured, or a million other things that stopped you in your tracks. He’d seen it all before. Just thinking about what had happened to a talen
ted barrel racer like Avery made him shudder. He’d searched online, but there was no record of her accident. He felt like a heel for even looking.
She was still spooked around horses, which was a real shame. He remembered her riding the herd with him and his brothers. She’d been an excellent rider, as were most of her family. Living out in the sticks meant all the ranching families and townspeople helped each other out with spring branding, cattle drives, and all the other backbreaking tasks a rancher had to accomplish every year. The Hayes family had always pitched in.
Ry put his cell away and urged Dolittle into a lope. The sooner he reported to Roy, the quicker he could get back to the house and clean up for his approaching date with Avery. If she was at the hotel waiting for him, which wasn’t a sure thing.
As he approached Roy’s place, he noticed the truck was gone, but someone was out there feeding the pigs.
“Hey.” His dad, Billy, waved at him as he dismounted. “Roy had to go and check in with one of the ranch hands, who got in the way of an uncooperative yearling.”
“Is he all right?”
“I think so. Just bruised ribs from what Roy could tell, but he’s taking him down to Dr. Mendez at the clinic for a proper checkup.”
Billy finished with the pigs, his silver gray hair and beard catching sparks from the sun. The harsh lines bracketing his mouth hinted at his troubled past, and didn’t reflect the man he’d somehow managed to become.
“You okay, son?”
“I finished repairing the fencing on the Lymond side of the property.”
“That wasn’t what I meant.” Billy turned toward him. His bright blue gaze, so much like Chase’s, was careful. “You doing okay out here without your brother?”
Ry rested his forearms against the high back wall of the sty and looked out toward the mountains. Chase and BB had difficulty dealing with Billy, who had walked out just after Annie’s disappearance, but Ry had always found him easy company. They were the quieter members of the family. Neither of them ever had a lot to say for themselves.
“It’s still . . . weird. Not having him around, you know?” He risked a quick glance at his dad, who was leaning on the wall beside him. “In some ways I feel like I’m free, and in others . . .”
