Along Came a Ranger

by Debra Holt

  Stacy held a two-hour workshop for aspiring writers at one of the local colleges, had lunch with a ladies’ writing group, and an interview on a radio talk show. By four in the afternoon, she was seated behind a display table filled with her latest release, Cade’s Quest, and, with pen in hand, she smiled and exchanged pleasantries with a long line of her avid readers. With ten minutes left on the schedule, she signed her name in the next book slid in front of her by the bookstore manager.

  “Would you like this personalized?” Stacy spoke before looking up.

  “Yes, I believe I would,” the voice replied.

  Her pen stilled on the page as her gaze flew up to the tall person in front of her. To say she was shocked would have been a vast understatement. Davis McKenna, replete in his usual ranger outfit, was the last person she had ever expected to see at one of her book signings. Yet, there he was… the cobalt blue eyes and devastating smile aimed directly at her heart.

  “Inscribe it, ‘Davis, thanks for the research’.”

  Stacy was aware of two things… actually three. First of all, the blood was rising quite nicely along her cheeks due to his remark; second, the women in line behind him were beginning to whisper and point… from the cover of the book to him and back; and third, her heart was pounding so fast, she was sure she would pass out if she had to stand.

  “You’re a lot like the character in her book.” That remark was voiced by one of the women who had gathered closer to the table. “Even the photo on the cover… that’s you standing on the hill looking into the sunset, isn’t it? Were you the model for the cover?” Now other women began to take up the chatter.

  That brought Stacy back into the reality of the moment. Gripping the pen, she scribbled something, and slammed the book shut. She practically shoved it into his hands, keeping her gaze anyplace but on him. “Thank you. Have a nice evening. Who is next?” Stacy turned her attention to the next person in line.

  Thankfully, when she looked up again, he was gone. She wondered if she had hallucinated the whole event, but something told her it had been very real. Her scattered pulses verified it. What on earth had he been doing there? And why?

  To make matters worse, he had definitely known about the book and his part in it. She probably had Darcy to thank for that one. Maybe he just made the signing to rattle her. But why? Because he didn’t like the fact that she had captured him for her novel? She hadn’t done anything wrong. Her character was a composite and fiction. Right.

  What was she thinking? He had to have a reason to be there at that moment. And she had behaved like… a fool. She needed answers. Leaving the table, she excused herself, and walked quickly through the store and out the front doors. She looked first in one direction and then the other. She saw the hat and ran in that direction. She caught up to him fairly quickly.

  “Wait a minute. I need to talk to you.” She had to take a couple moments to catch her breath.

  He turned and waited, his eyes concealed behind the tinted lenses of his sunglasses.

  She was totally winging the whole scenario. His appearance had caught her off guard. Now, after all the conversations she had in her head with him over the past weeks, she was coming up blank. “Why did you come to my signing? I thought you were on a case… that’s what Darcy mentioned.”

  “I finished it. I also heard from my sister that you were in town today. I heard about the book so thought I’d see what all the fuss was about.”

  “That’s the only reason? You wanted to buy a book?”

  “Why else does a person go to a bookstore? Besides, I sort of had a personal investment in the book. I hoped the information I provided for it had helped you out.”

  He wasn’t making anything easy. She couldn’t tell if he was behaving that way on purpose or what. It was like he was toying with her, being obtuse on purpose.

  “It did. Thank you.”

  “Don’t let me keep you from your fans. Thanks for the autograph.”

  Stacy didn’t know what else to say. He gave no indication that he had any inclination to stay. There was nothing left to say. She was both angry and hurt. But she wasn’t going to let him see it. Stacy turned away first, because she didn’t want to see him walk away from her again. That would be too upsetting. She had to hold things together and finish her event.

  If she harbored any hope that he was still in the area at the conclusion of the signing, she shouldn’t have. There was no sign of him as she left the building and slid into the backseat of the car. Nor did she see him when she crossed the lobby of her hotel. He wouldn’t seek her out again, she was being ridiculous.

  Just a few more minutes and she would be back in her hotel suite and then she could let the anger and the pain and the tears flow. Stacy didn’t pause as she entered the hotel. She went straight to the bank of elevators, keyed her card into the elevator control panel, and then punched in the number of her floor. No one would be able to access her floor without the same card. The doors whispered closed and she drew in a breath, trying to maintain her composure that was fragile at best.

  The car rose a floor or two… then it lurched to a halt. Her eyes flew to the numbers above the door. The car was stopped. Please, no! From now on, she would stay on the ground floor of any hotel. She punched at the number again and again.

  “That doesn’t do any good, you know.”

  She whirled around and there was an apparition. Only he wasn’t an apparition. He was quite genuine and very close. Davis McKenna had evidently slid into the car and stood at the far corner while her back was turned and her attention on the key pad. Now they were stuck together… again. How could it happen twice? What were the odds?

  “We’re stuck.” The words came out quickly. Brilliant, Stacy, way to go stating the obvious.

  “Seems that way.”

  Davis was unnerving her with his steady cobalt gaze and cool composure, both of which were as unwavering as polished steel. He lounged against the back corner of the small car as if he hadn’t a care in the world, arms folded across his chest, one booted foot crossed over the other. His expression gave nothing away… she couldn’t read it. But she had just about had it with his attitude. He seemed to be playing with her.

  “Do you think there’s anything you could do about this situation?” She could feel a film of moisture begin at her hairline. He was really getting on her nerves now with his infuriatingly calm behavior. Not to mention the unanswered question of why he was there at all.

  “I’m sure it’ll be resolved… sooner or later.”

  “Why are you here?” She cut to the heart of the matter. Her patience had just about been exhausted.

  “Maybe I’m staying at this hotel. Lots of people do that.” Was he getting some perverse enjoyment from all this? Was that a hint of sarcastic smile?

  “Some help you are. I thought rangers were supposed to be helpful in crises.” She crossed her arms and leaned back against the opposite wall.

  “This isn’t a crisis.”

  “Then what would you call it?”

  “Convenient.” Yes, he had a smile at the corner of his mouth as he still stood so nonchalantly watching her.

  “Why convenient?” Her gaze narrowed on him.

  “We need to talk. What better place?”

  “So, you just hoped to find an elevator that would get stuck in a hotel that—” Her eyes widened as her voice trailed off. Bingo.

  He said nothing.

  “Surely, you didn’t have anything to do with this? It just wasn’t random coincidence, was it?” It wasn’t so much a question as a statement of what she already knew to be the case.

  “Could be coincidence, but I don’t usually like to take gambles like that. Sometimes a ranger’s badge can go a lot further than coincidence can.”

  He had planned this all out. The next question was obvious.

  “Why go to this length to speak with me? You had the opportunity earlier in front of the book store. You didn’t seem too concerned about needing to
talk to me then.”

  “It was a little too public for the talk we need to have. And I think it’s time we did talk. Don’t you? This way, we can agree to take a walk together or we can stay right here and talk. The choice is yours.”

  “This is blackmail and it’s cruel. You know I don’t like elevators.”

  “Say the word and the doors will open.”

  “Yes! I will take a walk… just let me out of here.”

  He stood impervious to the daggers she sent his way with her eyes. Davis calmly reached over and punched in two numbers and there was a low rumble as the elevator began a slow descent.

  Davis didn’t give her much opportunity to change her mind when the doors opened on the lobby level. He fell into step right beside her, his hand lightly at her elbow. A few heads turned as they crossed the lobby… mostly female. And if Stacy had her way, she would have traded places with them in an instant. She had a feeling that the walk would turn into a talk that could easily end up with her heart shattered again and she really didn’t relish that thought.

  They turned left after they exited the hotel. Thousands of twinkling white lights had just come on in the trees overhead along the river. A soft breeze carried different aromas on the air from dozens of cafes and bistros lining the walkway. Distant sounds of mariachi music could be heard from one of the cafes on the banks. That gave way to soft jazz music as they passed outside a jazz bar. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Stacy realized that only last evening she had sat on her balcony envying the couples walking arm in arm below her. This wasn’t quite the same thing.

  Their steps slowed as they reached a bend in the river and there was a bench set back on the grassy area, soft landscape lights glowed here and there among the plants and trees. It was away from the traffic of the main walkway.

  “This should be quiet enough,” he said and then waited for her to take a seat first.

  Removing his hat, he took a seat next to her. His fingers slowly ran over the brim he held in his hands; Davis was taking his time. Stacy waited and tried to concentrate on keeping her breathing as normal as possible given the way her pulses were hammering through her. She had no idea what was coming.

  “Congratulations on your latest success.”

  “Thank you. Is that what you wanted to talk about… my book?”

  “Not the only thing. Darcy told me you came to Lizzie’s party. I’m sorry I wasn’t there.”

  “I’m sure Lizzie would have liked to have seen you there. She did have a great party. Hopefully, you can make her next one.”

  “Clarification… I was sorry I missed you… not the party itself.” Davis made the simple statement.

  It only made her heart go into overdrive. She wished he didn’t have such an effect on her, but he did. It was best to not comment as her nerves were all over the map at that moment.

  “Darcy also let me read your new book. It was most interesting. And I have had more than one person remark on the fact that there are definitely some similarities between one of your characters and myself. But how could that be, I asked myself? Stacy Smith… excuse me… Sabrina Noelle, would never write a book about a cowboy. I remember you stated that the first day we met.”

  He had her. And she made a mental note to strangle Darcy for letting him see the book in the first place. If she thought she would help the situation between her brother and Stacy, she hadn’t. There was certainly no smile on his face. She couldn’t read his eyes even though he had deposited his shades into his jacket pocket after they left the hotel lobby… he kept them on the hat in his hands.

  “I’m a female. I can change my mind anytime. Besides, my agent was right. It’s very lucrative to write books with those types of characters in them.” That was the best she could latch on to in the moment.

  “I see. It was a financial move.” Did he sound disappointed?

  “What else would it be?”

  “I had hoped it meant you had changed your mind about some things.” His eyes sought out hers then.

  If she thought she was anywhere close to getting past what had happened between them that was soon shot to pieces. One look from him and her heart wanted to leap from her chest. He had her tied up in knots in nothing flat.

  “Maybe I did that too. What is this really about?”

  “Perhaps I was in the neighborhood?”

  “In the romance section of a book store, the same bookstore where I just happen to be signing copies of my book? Sorry, but I’m not buying that.”

  “Maybe I came to get my collaborative fee.”

  “Now I think you have lost your mind. Exactly what did you collaborate on?”

  “Well, I did aid in your research.” The look he swept over her at that moment picked up her heart and flipped it over a few times. “There’s a certain scene in your book… oddly familiar. You know the one I mean… the couple sitting in the porch swing?”

  The heat rose in her cheeks to just below a full blown blaze of mortification. “A porch swing was in my book. Big deal. I certainly didn’t write anything about what we… did or did not do.” Stacy tried to make sense but he had her flustered. “I do have an imagination you know and that is what I use in my writing.”

  “Imagination? That’s interesting. Maybe we should explore that imagination of yours more thoroughly… see what else you can imagine.” His low voice with its sexy tones sent goose bumps along her arms.

  Was he here just to play with her? She didn’t think so. No matter what brought him, she needed to seize possibly the only opportunity she might have to say something that needed to be said.

  “Look,” she began, taking a deep breath and hoping to find the right words, “I owe you an apology. Since we probably won’t have paths that cross after today, this may be the last chance I have to say this. I would appreciate it if you would just listen and let me talk.”

  His silence was his response. Now or never. She took a deep breath and began.

  “I said some things that were wrong on a couple of occasions we were together. I accused you wrongly about the case involving the Harringtons. I have no excuse other than it was a mix of my temper, stubbornness, and the old issue of you being a cowboy. But there are things that I did learn about you and one of them is that you aren’t a man to lie. And another and the most important one is that you were right about me. I took all the hurt and anger from my past and made a pretty high wall around myself. I blamed every bad thing that happened on cowboys… period. When that was just me being ridiculous. I guess I figured if I had something tangible to hang my hurt on, then I wouldn’t think it might have been me that was the reason those men didn’t stay around very long.”

  She could tell he was about to take exception to her words at that moment and she needed to finish. She shook her head and kept on while she had the courage.

  “What man wants to take on a woman and a child that isn’t even theirs? So I made certain that when I did begin to succeed in my life that I wasn’t going to ever go back to those things from my past that could in any way bring all those hurts back again. I projected a lot of anger and a lot of my insecurities on others… and you, in particular. And you are the one person who certainly did not deserve any of it. Yet, you didn’t preach to me or try to shove your opinions onto me… you simply allowed me to visit your world and the people in it and then that just made things worse in a way.”

  “Worse? How?”

  Stacy allowed him the two questions. “Because you showed me the reality of the kind of world I used to dream about in those dark days. Where people really do care about each other and keep their word and there’s peace and beauty in the simplest of things… like front porch conversations, checker games, people greeting each other with smiles and genuine pleasure in welcoming a newcomer to join in. The simplest of gestures but the greatest of treasures. And that was my long-winded and rambling way of apologizing for all the things I said to you. You are the last person I ever wanted to hurt and that seems to be all I did.” />
  There was silence that lengthened for a several long moments. Stacy was afraid he might never respond. And then she feared what his response might be when he did. She had bared more of herself than she ever had before.

  “Apology accepted.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Now, if I might respond to one or two of your points?” His gaze turned on her and he waited.

  She nodded, her hands clasped tighter in her lap. He had every right to tell her just what he thought.

  “I realize how difficult it was for you to share these feelings you have about your past. I also want you to know how honored I am that you felt you could do that with me. In my experience, I have learned when to tell someone has something they are guarding and we all have tendency sometime to put up walls around those areas that have the ability to have the most pain inflicted upon them. And I knew from the beginning that you had some mighty high ones around that heart of yours. But I always believed that there was a way of helping you find the way to open that door again. I just needed a whole lot of patience. Because I thought from the moment we met that you were worth that effort. And you asked why I am here today. It’s because of some of the same things you mentioned.

  “Your book brought me. It was the first indication that maybe part of that wall and defense about cowboys had lowered. And then the fact you went to Lizzie’s party. I’m thinking maybe McKenna Springs might have grown on you more than you were willing to acknowledge in the beginning. I know you made some impressions on more than a few of the people there. I had reason to hope on that score… if only a little bit. And if it could grow on you, maybe I could, too.”

  A spark of hope dared to flare inside her. “You really would want that to happen? After the things I said to you and the way I behaved? I thought you were done with me when you left the ball.” Was she holding her breath waiting to hear his answer?

  They might as well be sitting in the middle of nowhere because everything else fell away. The sights, sounds, other people on the walkway… everything ceased to exist. Their lives were at one of those crucial turning points and that realization hit her with its starkness.