Rescued by the Colton Cowboy

by Deborah Fletcher Mello

  “I don’t think it’s coincidental. And I don’t think she should go back there until we apprehend him.”

  “Do you think it was him shooting at me?”

  “You never know. There are only two or three homes close to where the murder happened. Yours happens to be one of them. He might have hedged his bet that Soledad was here. Your neighbors reported a strange man pretending to be police coming to question them about her. Did he stop here, by chance?”

  “Yeah, as a matter of fact. It was late. I was in the barn, tending to my new horse, when he drove up.”

  “And you didn’t say something?”

  “No one asked and I’ve had other things on my mind.”

  “Like buying baby clothes for an employee and his family?” There was a hint of sarcasm in Troy’s voice.

  Palmer’s gaze narrowed. The static vibrating in the air between the two brothers had become dense.

  Palmer took a deep breath. “Just cut to the chase. Should I be worried?”

  “That depends,” Troy said smugly. “Are you harboring our witness?”

  Stanton laughed, amused by the two brothers as they stared each other down.

  There was a moment of pause before Palmer responded. “And if I were?”

  Troy heaved a heavy sigh. “Then I have to trust you’ll do whatever you need to do to keep her safe. Just don’t tell Melissa,” he said, his voice dropping an octave as he tossed a look over his shoulder. “Chief Colton is not happy about all this.”

  “Melissa has a lot on her shoulders right now,” Stanton answered. “She’d probably have problems with it, but it wouldn’t be personal. I doubt she’d arrest you or anything.”

  “Oh, she’d arrest him. In a heartbeat. You know Melissa doesn’t play when it comes to the law. She’d hem you up on obstructing an investigation without even blinking,” Troy quipped.

  Palmer shook his head. He knew his brother was right about their cousin, but he wasn’t willing to put Soledad or Lyra in harm’s way. Not even for family he trusted. Maybe it was obstruction, but they’d get over it. “Then I guess if I were harboring your witness, I wouldn’t go out of my way to let you or my cousin know about it.”

  “That might be wise,” Stanton said with a hearty chuckle.

  “Excuse me for a minute,” Troy interjected. “Let me find out where they are with their search. I’ll be back as soon as I know what’s going on.”

  Palmer watched his brother walk away, seeking the officer who’d taken his initial statement.

  “So, are you harboring the witness?” Stanton questioned when it was just the two of them standing together. “Because Dominique is worried sick about her sister.”

  “I need you to do me a favor,” Palmer said, ignoring the question.

  “What’s that?”

  “Come by later today and pick up a package for me. I’ll tell you where to deliver it then.”

  “Is it important?”

  Palmer nodded. “Yeah, very important, and I don’t feel comfortable leaving the house right now. I’ll owe you one if you do this for me.”

  “I got you,” Stanton responded. “Ten o’clock too early?”

  “That’ll work. I’ll see you at ten. Thank you.”

  The two continued to chat, the conversation casual. His arms folded over his chest, Palmer thought about his brother’s question and knew his face had probably given him away. He was good, but not that good. He rarely lied and had never had much of a poker face. Any one of his siblings asking too many questions had always been his downfall. It had been that way since they were children. Keeping Soledad and Lyra’s whereabouts a secret was more for him than them, he mused. Admittedly, he didn’t want to risk losing them. He hated keeping the truth from his family, but it was well worth the repercussions he knew would come later.

  Troy returned minutes later. “They found blood on the south gate. And tire tracks. It looks like someone sped off in a hurry. We’ll send a team out at daybreak when they’re able to see more. Our forensic experts will also come by.”

  Palmer nodded. “Do you need anything else from me?”

  “No. Unless you have something you’d like to share?”

  “I don’t,” Palmer said smugly. “I can’t tell you any more than you already know.”

  The two men exchanged a look and Troy nodded. “We’ll step up our patrols at each of your entrances. I’ll order a car to sit at the main gate. Just in case. Meanwhile, they’ve already put in a call to the hospital and medical clinics to look out for anyone showing up with a gunshot wound. Or a dog bite. I spoke to Stavros personally,” Troy concluded. “If he shows up while he’s on duty, we’ll know about it instantly.” Stavros Makris was their sister Desiree’s fiancé and an emergency room physician.

  “Well, if you need anything more, you know where to find me,” Palmer said. “I’m going to go turn in. I’ve got a long day tomorrow. I need some sleep.”

  Troy gave him a nod. “You’re good. My guys will be out of here momentarily and you can get back to whatever it was you were doing.” He paused. “What were you doing?”

  Palmer smiled. “Minding my own business. You?”

  The other two men chuckled.

  “If you can think of anything else that you want to tell us, you know where I am,” Troy said, heading back to his car. “Until then, please don’t let anything happen to our witness.”

  Stanton gave Palmer a fist bump as he winked. “See you at ten, cousin.” As he turned away, Palmer called his name one last time.

  “Yeah?”

  “Tell Dominique she doesn’t have to worry. Soledad is safe.”

  * * *

  Minutes later, Palmer stood in his kitchen as Soledad peppered him with questions about all that had happened. She wanted every detail of what had been said and who had said it. Palmer obliged her to the best of his ability, understanding that she was feeling out of the loop with everything going on. Answering her queries also helped him to sort the pieces to make sense of it all.

  She suddenly went silent, seeming to fall into thoughts that didn’t include him. It was only when their eyes connected again that he realized maybe whatever she was thinking did, in fact, have something to do with the two of them. Then again, he mused as she looked away, maybe it was all just wishful thinking on his part.

  “Palmer, are you okay?” Soledad asked, the question shaking him from his thoughts.

  “My brother knows you’re here.”

  “Your brother the detective? You told him?”

  “He asked and I didn’t deny it. He also said you shouldn’t go home. Someone trashed your apartment. They think it was Gavin Stone.”

  “He was in my home? Going through my things?” She suddenly began to shake.

  “They’re going to find him, Soledad. You just have to be patient.”

  Soledad wrapped her arms around her torso, her head waving from side to side. She blew a soft sigh. “So, what now? Are they going to come arrest me? Or take Lyra away?”

  “No, I don’t think so.” Palmer wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her close. He fought the urge, clenching his fists tightly as they stared at one another.

  “This is such a mess,” she muttered.

  As Palmer watched her, something he didn’t recognize crossed her face. She no longer looked frightened or even angry. There was something like a quiet resolve in her eyes, determination and focus gleaming in her stare.

  “I’m exhausted,” she said. “I think I’m going to call it a night.”

  Palmer nodded. “Are you okay?” he questioned, not sure what else to ask, or if he should ask anything at all.

  Soledad shrugged. “I’m not sure what I am besides tired. I’m just ready for this to be over so Lyra and I can go home.”

  Palmer didn’t like how she was feeling but he understood it.
He was as exhausted with it all as she was, yet, deep down, he didn’t want her to go. He actually enjoyed having her around. But he couldn’t tell her that and he wasn’t sure he should even be thinking it.

  “Sleep well, Soledad,” he said instead.

  She gave him the faintest smile as she stepped past him. “You, too, Palmer.”

  * * *

  Sleep didn’t come quick enough. Soledad lay staring at the ceiling, trying to make sense out of the nonsense that had become her life. She missed her routines, her bakery and her cat. She trusted that Dominique would step in to care for the feline while she was gone, but it wasn’t enough. She just wanted to feel normal again, whatever that looked like. She just knew it didn’t look like she was a fugitive on the run, hiding out with a man she would have enjoyed getting to know more had their circumstances been different.

  There was a part of her that wanted to be angry with Palmer, but with all that he had done and continued to do to keep her safe, she couldn’t find enough energy to give him attitude. She instinctively knew that his telling his brother was all about him being honest and upstanding and nothing about him trying to hurt her. She was just bothered by him sharing a secret that was supposed to have been kept between the two of them. She knew that even that thought was irrational on her part.

  The more she thought about Palmer, the more Soledad knew he would never purposely cause her an ounce of pain. He would do everything in his power to protect her. She realized that, other than her father, there had been no man before him she could have said that about. And still, in all honesty, she didn’t have a clue if he was genuinely interested in her or was just standing by her side because it was the right thing to do. And, if he was nothing else, Palmer was honorable. She had questions for him and wondered if he had answers he was willing to give.

  * * *

  Lying to his family wasn’t something Palmer did. He didn’t always tell them everything, but he never lied outright. Troy discovering that Soledad was there had been inevitable when the two had run into each other at the department store. His cart full of baby items had been telling, and even he hadn’t believed his own explanation.

  He rolled from one side of his king-size bed to the other. Jack slept at his feet, lifting his head briefly to give Palmer a look before settling down. Palmer was finding sleep to be elusive, too much spinning around in his head.

  Palmer wished things were different and wondered if they would have been if he had asked Soledad to dinner the night of the engagement party. If they could have had a relationship had he not been a coward, given the number of times he’d gone to the bakery hoping to see her. If he’d had a great pickup line or two or three and been smoother, like his brother and cousins. He wished they’d gotten to know each other over bottles of good wine and questionable Netflix movies. He had a lengthy wish list when it came to Soledad de la Vega.

  Chapter 9

  An hour later, a knock sounded at Palmer’s bedroom door and surprised him. Startled, he jumped, thinking something might be wrong. When he snatched the door open, Soledad stood on the other side. Her eyes were wide, her expression anxious. She was wearing his T-shirt, the oversize garment draped like a dress around her petite frame. Her legs and feet were bare, her toes painted a brilliant shade of bright pink. She’d pulled her hair up into a messy bun and her skin was makeup free and flawless. She was gorgeous and he felt a wave of heat shift every muscle in his lower quadrant. She bit down against her bottom lip as she met his stare.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked, curiosity painting his expression.

  Soledad shook her head. “Nothing. I couldn’t sleep and I wanted to ask you something. Did I wake you?”

  Relief flooded Palmer’s spirit and he felt his whole body sink into the calm. He shook his head. “No. I couldn’t sleep, either. I’ve had a lot on my mind.”

  “Me, too,” she said as she pushed past him. She moved to the king-size bed and took a seat, folding her legs beneath her. She carried the baby monitor in her hand. “Do you mind?” she asked, gesturing with her free hand as she set the monitor on the nightstand.

  Palmer shrugged. “If you’re comfortable, I’m fine.” He moved to the other side of the bed and took his own seat, leaning against the multitude of pillows. Extending his legs, he pulled a pillow into his lap. “What’s bothering you?”

  “At the engagement party, I felt like there might have been a connection between us, but then you wouldn’t speak to me. In fact, I thought you were avoiding me. What was going on? I really need to know.”

  She was staring at him intently, and Palmer’s cheeks warmed with color. The temperature in the room had suddenly risen tenfold.

  Palmer was a pro at deflection. He changed the conversation. “Do you know you are the only woman who has ever been in my bedroom and my bed?” He shot her a quick look, then dropped his eyes to the bedclothes.

  The words had slipped past his lips before he could catch them. It had not been his intention to share that tidbit of information. No matter how true it was. He hadn’t planned to explain that his home and that bedroom had been built with his future wife in mind. Even though he no longer considered marriage to be on the table, the space was sacred, never intended for any random woman he’d been inclined to bed.

  Soledad blinked, her lengthy lashes fluttering. It looked as if the comment had surprised her, totally unexpected, and the faintest hint of amusement flickered in her eyes. “I find that very difficult to believe.”

  He laughed. “Why?”

  “You’re handsome, intelligent, kind, generous...” She paused. “You’re what most people consider a good catch,” she concluded. “I find it difficult to believe that not one woman has been able to capture your attention and hold it long enough to make it into your bed.”

  He hesitated, reflecting on her words. Finally, he said, “One woman has.”

  Soledad’s brows lifted. “This woman must be pretty special.”

  “I think so. It’s why she’s sitting on my bed in the middle of the night interrogating me.”

  Soledad’s lips rose in the sweetest smile, spreading full and wide across her face. She laughed. “I asked a question. One question is hardly an interrogation.”

  “It feels like an interrogation.”

  “That’s because I still can’t believe there haven’t been many women in your life or your bed.”

  “I’ve had to be protective of my personal space. That’s why I rarely bring any woman to my home. My home is my sanctuary, and I haven’t wanted that to be disrupted. And I’ve been selfish. I like my peace, and when there’s someone else in your space, you have to be considerate of their wants and needs.”

  “Then along came me and Lyra.”

  He smiled. “You two have actually been a very pleasant disruption. Of sorts.”

  “And other women haven’t?”

  He shrugged. “Too many I’ve known have wanted a long-term relationship. I don’t do long-term. I’m always clear about that. I let anyone I date know up front what will and what won’t happen, and I typically don’t do any relationship longer than a week. It keeps a woman from becoming too attached and then wanting to move in and be married.”

  “Just to be clear, they call that a one-night stand. And, instead of being a good catch, that kind of makes you a jerk.”

  “Maybe, but I’m honest,” he replied. “You know what you’ll get with me from jump.”

  “And a woman won’t get marriage and children?”

  “She’ll get friendship, companionship and appreciation. I’ve never been able to promise anything else.”

  * * *

  Soledad heaved a deep sigh. She lay back against the mattress, pulling her arms up and over her head. She realized there was still so much about Palmer that she didn’t know, but what she was certain of was believing what he told her. She’d dated more than her fair share of men who
said what they meant and meant what they said, and she hadn’t wanted to believe them. Not believing them, or thinking she could change their minds, had only gotten her heart broken. She wasn’t interested in Palmer Colton breaking her heart.

  “So, tell me again why you ignored me at the party?” she persisted.

  Palmer crossed his legs at the ankles, shifting in his seat. “Because I overheard a conversation you were having with your sister about being thirty and your biological clock starting to tick. It was clear you wanted the dream—the husband, kids, dog and house with the picket fence. I knew I couldn’t give that to you, so there was no point in me wasting your time.”

  The quiet in the room was suddenly stifling. Soledad was trying to reconcile how a man could have convictions so severe that they would potentially leave him alone and unhappy in his old age. Her heart suddenly hurt for Palmer. That he would want that for himself was devastating. Because, she thought, he was a man who deserved so much more.

  Rolling onto her stomach, Soledad lifted herself onto her elbows. She stared at him, searching for the words that would make sense of it all, but she had none. The hurt in Palmer’s heart had to be unfathomable. She reached for one of his pillows and pulled it beneath her head instead.

  * * *

  Palmer shifted onto his side to face her. He reached out his hand to brush her hair from her face. She was hauntingly beautiful, and he imagined many men had fallen head over heels in love with her. He knew that if he wasn’t careful, falling for her would be easy to do. He snatched his hand back, clutching his fingers as if he’d been burned.

  “What was your first happy memory as a child?” Soledad asked.

  The question was unexpected. He paused to consider his answer before he spoke. “It was my first birthday after my adoption was finalized,” he said finally. “I had riding lessons, and it was the best time. There was ice cream and chocolate cake and all my friends. That was a good day.”

  “Sounds like someone wanted you to feel very special that day.”