“Whoa there, girl.” He pulled back on Samson’s reins, knowing that as soon as the stallion slowed, Sasha would follow suit. The mare snorted her distaste for being asked to stop running, but reluctantly came to a walk.
“Maybe you should get down for a minute,” Carsten suggested, noticing Madison’s trembling posture. Her eyes narrowed as her grip on the saddle horn tightened even further.
Carsten helped her down from the saddle. Once her feet were planted firmly in the grass, he took one of her hands in his. “You’re way too tense.” He began to massage her palms.
She slumped against his weight, eyes half shut.
Carsten directed her to the shade, where he settled her against the trunk of the tree. “I hope you still want to ride back.”
Madison leaned her head back against the bark and shut her eyes. “That’s a bridge I might not cross.” She rubbed a shaky hand over her face, smudging dirt across her nose.
Carsten reached out automatically and brushed the smear away, his hand lingering on her cheek.
Madison cleared her throat and abruptly averted her gaze. Carsten felt the pain of her rejection and dropped his hand. He deserved it, after the stolen kiss in the stables, but it still stung.
“Carsten…”
“Maddie…”
They laughed, interrupting the awkward moment.
“Ladies first.” Carsten plucked a blade of grass from the ground and rolled it between his fingers.
Madison took a deep breath. “No, you.”
Carsten studied her with an inquisitive stare until she finally looked away.
“We need to have a discussion about your current situation. There are questions that need answering, ideas that need to be formed, and arrangements that should be made. We need plans and back up options.” Carsten hesitated as he realized how official he sounded.
Madison tilted her head. “How do you know so much about this?”
Carsten fought not to give anything away in his expression. “Common sense.” He figured his degree in criminal justice and a lifetime of learning from his father, a private investigator, didn’t need to be mentioned. The truth could wait. Perhaps indefinitely.
“Do you think I’m in real danger?” Madison’s eyes widened, and she wiped her palms down her jeans.
Carsten fumbled for the right words. He wanted to be honest with Madison, but not frighten her. The fear in her eyes tugged at his heart. He wished he had never promised Teddy he would keep his services a secret. He took a deep breath. “To be honest, I have no idea what we’re dealing with. Right now, the only facts we have are that someone ransacked your apartment and tried to follow your cab to work.”
“Right.” Madison nodded. “And then it seemed like someone shot out the tires of the SUV that was chasing me.”
Carsten gulped. “That’s assumption,” he corrected. No sense in Madison knowing that it was his gun that had stopped the SUV from following her. She had no need to know that he had already been on duty protecting her before she had even called him that night. “It’s possible a tire blew on its own accord.”
Madison shrugged. “Either way, I feel that God sent my guardian angel to protect me.” She shivered.
Carsten smiled and hoped he showed no signs of his inner struggle. He believed in God, that much was certain. But in his line of work, it was a little harder to blindly trust. He had seen too much, too many times. Guardian angels didn’t always show up in time, and Carsten found it difficult to understand how God could allow such horrible things to happen to good people. It was a battle he struggled with daily, but he had no desire to begin fighting it now.
He pushed the thoughts of doubt out of his mind and focused on Madison. God had put Madison back in his life. At least part of him believed that. The other part wondered. Was she a gift?
More like a cruel joke. She was off-limits.
“I’m safe at the ranch, though, right?” Madison played with the ring on her right hand, twirling the silver band around and around on her finger.
Carsten knew what the nervous action meant. She wanted to believe this was no big deal, but her gut knew better. She was seeking answers from him, answers he couldn’t give.
“I would never let anything happen to you.” Carsten’s voice thickened with emotion, and Madison looked up.
“I know.” She smiled, holding his gaze.
The moment stretched until Madison stood. “So, on a lighter note,” she began, brushing grass off her jeans. “When should I get started on designing? We’ll need to meet together to discuss paint, wallpaper, furniture arrangements, the budget…that’s why I’m here, after all.”
Carsten stood as well. “Right.” He echoed. “That’s why you’re here.” His voice trailed off, and he turned back to the horses.
That would be the only reason Madison would ever know about—as long as he could help it.
~*~
After arriving back at the ranch house, Madison dug out her cellphone that was buried in her purse. Sure enough, she had twelve missed calls, all from her co-worker. Perched on the edge of her bed, she quickly dialed Shan’s number and bit her lip, wondering how she should explain the situation.
Shan answered breathlessly on the second ring. “All right Ms. Thang, you have a lot of explaining to do! I know you better than to think you’re on a weekend fling. What gives?”
Madison laughed. “Of course I’m not having a fling.” She pushed aside the thought and got serious. “I’m in Montana, Shan. I’m with Carsten.”
Shan squealed so loudly that Madison jerked the phone away from her ear. “I thought you just said you weren’t having a fling!”
“I’m not,” she corrected. She shook her head impatiently, as if that would help clarify the situation. “Listen, my apartment was ransacked last night. I called Carsten for help and agreed to take the design job here at his ranch. I decided it might be safer for me to leave town for a while and let things settle down.” She moved the phone to her other ear. “Shan, I think I’m in some kind of danger.”
“Ransacked?” Shan repeated. She paused. “What on earth would you have that someone else would want?”
Madison tried not to feel insulted even though she knew Shan was right. “That’s exactly why I left. I have no idea.” She sighed and flopped down on the bed into a more comfortable position. “I just knew I didn’t want to stay at home.”
“Why didn’t you just call your father?”
Madison hesitated. “My instincts said to call Carsten, and here I am.”
“You’re not usually that impulsive.” Shan’s voice grew suspicious. “Are you sure you don’t have feelings for Mr. Hunk?”
“He’s not a hunk.” Madison’s response was automatic, and she felt her cheeks turn red at the lie.
“Right.” Shan’s sarcasm was thick. “And I’m the spittin’ image of Elvis Presley.”
Madison giggled in spite of the tension. She missed her friend already.
“I just did what I did, for lack of a better explanation. I think God led me here, Shan.”
“How long are you going to be gone?”
Madison pawed through her purse for her day planner. “I don’t know; maybe for a few more weeks. I have to finish the decorating project here, regardless of what resolves back in New York. I’m trying to forget the whole incident with the break-in, to be honest. Carsten keeps insisting on bringing it back up. It’s making me nervous.”
“When do you plan on telling your father where you are?”
Madison bristled at the question. “I’m not a kid anymore, Shan. If my dad wants to find me, he will.”
Silence once again filled the line. Madison heard her friend sigh.
“Be safe, girl. Keep me posted.”
“I will.” Madison promised. “I’ll call you. If I’m here much longer, I might need you to mail me some things from the office. I packed in a hurry.”
After saying their goodbyes, Madison hit the off button on her phone and dropp
ed it back into her purse. She pulled a pillow into her lap and hugged it tightly. She wasn’t sure if she wanted her father to find her or not. Years spent reaching for him and constantly having him push her away had taken their toll. She could only be rejected so many times. She had decided long ago that it was time to press forward. Looking back was too painful. The years she and her father spent together had been wasted. There had been too much publicity, too many parties, too much money…
And too little time.
11
Carsten watched Madison through the slit between the kitchen doors. She sat crossed legged in the chair at the oak dining table, her color-coded file folders spread around her. She absently tapped a colored pencil against her front teeth as she studied her latest sketch. He had seen enough of her sketches to know she was good. Very good. She had renovated the living room on paper, turning the balcony into a focal point and adding elaborate carvings into the banisters. According to her sketch, it really gave the room a touch of elegance while not taking away from the rustic atmosphere. He appreciated the way she tried to add without taking away.
He quietly slipped up behind her and tugged her ponytail. Madison turned with a smile as Carsten settled into the chair beside her.
“You’re late.”
“And you’ve been putting pencils in your mouth again.” Carsten grinned as he reached over to wipe a smudge of green color from the corner of her lip.
They had been at the ranch for five days now, and it had been enough time to give Carsten insight into who Madison truly was, both as a person and as an artist. She was laid back, almost sloppy with her way of conducting business, but there was an organization and detail to her chaos that left him both baffled and amused. Whatever means of a system she had, it worked. Her designs were beautiful. Carsten saw many dollar signs whenever he looked at her sketches, but he knew whatever money he spent would be well worth the final effect. There was no price too high when it came to keeping Madison safe. The intensity of the feelings he had for her made him nervous. He might be able to pay any price to keep her safe, but he knew in his heart that he could never afford to lose her.
“What do you think of the banisters?” Madison rose to a sitting position on her knees in the chair, scooting the sketch closer to him.
“I think they’re perfect.”
“I think so, too.”
“How much are they going to cost me?”
“I thought you said money was no object.”
“It’s not…so how much?”
Madison laughed. “I’m not sure yet. We’ll need to go shopping in town soon, pick out fabrics and paint. Do you trust me to go alone?”
Carsten winced. The thought of all day shopping trip was not his idea of a productive day, but guarding Madison was his job, as well as his own personal goal, so she couldn’t go alone. It wasn’t an option.
“Trust a nationally recognized artist with my ranch house? You must be crazy.” Carsten pushed back his chair and stood. “I’d be honored to accompany you.” He swept into a bow.
Madison waved her hand to dismiss him. “Very well, carry on,” she said while matching his stuffy accent. “We’ll rendezvous on the morrow.”
“I like the sound of that.” Carsten heard his voice grow husky. He dropped to his knees on the floor beside her, moving in close. This was their first close encounter since the shared moment in the stables. He had known another was inevitable. The chemistry between them was too strong. They were like magnets fighting to stick together.
Madison froze. He could tell she didn’t know how to handle it. He wasn’t sure either, for that matter. He didn’t want to lead her on. But he couldn’t ignore his heart. Maybe there was a compromise to be found.
Madison eased back a little in her chair and avoided eye contact. Carsten moved away, too, giving her space. He remained kneeling by her chair, however, and removed the colored pencil from her hand. Setting it on the table, he turned and looked deep into her eyes.
“I know what you must be thinking.”
Madison’s eyes rounded.
“I know you’re confused. I hope I haven’t hurt you. I want you to know up front that I think about that night in Germany all the time. You’ve never been far from my mind ever since. You remained with me, Maddie.”
Madison inhaled sharply. “Is that why you asked me to be your designer?”
Carsten hesitated. “Partly.”
Madison raised an eyebrow in a silent question.
“And also because I believe God led us back to each other.” He watched for a reaction, emotion welling up in his chest. It was true. If he believed God was involved in the good and the bad of life, he’d rather focus on the good. Like winning Maddie’s heart so that once the danger was past, she might consider him.
Madison swallowed hard. “I’m glad,” she finally whispered. She leaned forward to rest her forehead against his. “So where does that leave us?”
Carsten raised a finger to her lips to silence her question.
“We will wait and see, mein engel..”
~*~
Madison closed her eyes and reveled in the moment. Is this your will, Lord? Is he the one for me? The only answer her heart received was the repeat of Carsten’s advice. Wait.
“We’ll go shopping in the morning.” Carsten rose to his feet and smiled down at her. “I might even buy you breakfast first.” He winked and then slipped from the room.
Madison watched through the window as Carsten made his way back down to the stables. She smiled, thinking how well he fit in at the Running R. During the past few days, he had spent almost as much time with Samson as he did sleeping. He really loved that horse. She wondered if his new inheritance would bring him to the United States more often. Her heartbeat quickened at the thought.
She was staring into space, absently entertaining dreams of moving her lucrative business to Montana when Mitch appeared suddenly.
“I’ve been looking for you.” He stood posed in the doorway, resting one elbow casually against the frame.
Madison began gathering her things, trying to act casual. “I’m usually anywhere that’s air conditioned.” She faked a smile and stuffed a bunch of file folders into her tote bag. The foreman still made her uneasy, ever since that first day on the ranch during lunch. He was too brash, too bold, and something about his demeanor made Madison think he was used to getting everything he wanted. She had no intentions of becoming another check mark on his list.
“No need to run off.” Mitch ambled into the room, settling into the chair beside her.
“I’m busy,” Madison stated firmly. She finished filling her bag and started to stand up.
“But we haven’t had a chance to get to know one another.” He grabbed her chair before she could rise and pulled it closer toward him. Madison fell down hard in the seat and gasped in surprise.
She gathered her wits, fueled by anger and a touch of fear. “I have to go.” She pushed her chair back firmly. It squeaked in protest.
“I don’t think you understand.” Mitch’s voice lowered and he grabbed her wrist. ”I just want to talk.” The look in his eyes suggested otherwise.
Madison gave in to the surge of adrenaline and yanked her hand free. “Stay away from me!”
The front door slammed shut, and Mitch backed away.
“Madison, I forgot to tell you—“ Carsten’s voice trailed off as he took in the scene before him. “Is there a problem here?” His eyes darkened. Did he realize his accent grew stronger when he was upset? Madison watched his fist clench into a ball and knew she had to intervene. She cast a look at the foreman, who had pasted on an easy smile and was standing relaxed, hands in his pockets.
“No problem,” she answered. She didn’t want to cause drama on the ranch. The workers shouldn’t have to deal with that kind of tension, and Carsten didn’t need any more on his plate than he already had.
Mitch continued to smile. Carsten fixed him with a hard gaze and nodded. “I think you’re
needed in the stables.” His tone left no room for arguing.
“Yes sir, boss.” Mitch tipped his hat, just on the edge of sarcasm, and left the room.
Carsten focused on Madison. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
“I’m sure.” Madison felt her muscles relaxing. “He was just talking to me. No big deal.”
“If you say so.” Carsten still didn’t look happy about the situation.
“I’m going to go call Shan back. I realized there are some things from the office I need shipped over for your project.” Madison slung her tote on her shoulder and gave a quick wave as she passed him.
It wasn’t until she was halfway up the stairs that she realized Carsten had never finished what he was saying when he had come back into the dining room.
12
The next morning, Madison rode into town with Carsten in the rental Jeep, the incident with Mitch forgotten. The tote bag at her feet was full of ideas and lists, and her stomach was full of pancakes with extra syrup from Molly’s Diner.
Life was good.
“I know I’m going to gain at least ten pounds before I go back home.” She grinned as she pushed a hand against her flat stomach.
“I doubt that.” Carsten shot her an accessing glance before turning his attention back to the road. “If you do, it’ll hardly hurt you.”
Madison warmed at the compliment, ignoring the shame that came with having somewhat fished for it. Deciding it would be safer to shift into her work mode, she leaned forward and grabbed a three-ring binder from her bag.
“I think we should go to a paint store first.” She opened the notebook and began flipping through the pages. “If you don’t see anything you like for sure, then we’ll bring home some samples and go from there.”
“I told you, whatever you like is fine with me. I trust your professional opinion. I hired you, remember?” He grinned at her.
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