by Jill Sanders
“A boy!” Alex repeated and sat next to her sister, hearing Chase sigh as he shut the door.
“Who?” Lauren sat up a little more, adjusting the sheet.
“Tom Blake.”
“Tommy Blake? What's she…? I thought…”
“Yeah, me too.”
“I didn’t know,” Lauren said, shaking her head.
“I know, me either. I thought…,” Alex started.
“So did I,” Lauren said.
They stopped the word game when Chase cleared his throat. “Would someone please tell me what the big deal is? Why does it matter if Haley has a boy downstairs? I happen to know Tom and he's a good guy.”
“Oh,” Lauren said, waving her hand at her husband. “It's not about who she's with; it's just that she's with someone other than Wes.”
“What?” Chase walked over and grabbed his pants and pulled them on quickly.
“Wes Tanner,” Lauren said. “Haley's one and only Prince Charming.”
“Wes is in Iraq or Afghanistan somewhere, I can't remember where just now. But I've heard that he hasn't been back in town for almost three years now.”
“We know,” Alex said, then turned back to her sister. “Do you think this means…?”
“I don't know, we'll just have to wait and see,” Lauren broke in and answered her unasked question.
“Ugh, I give up. I'm going to go get a drink of water.” Chase started heading towards the door, but both women yelled at him.
“No!”
“Honey, grab a drink from the bathroom. Let's give Haley some privacy,” Lauren said, smiling.
Chase shrugged his shoulders and walked into the adjoining bathroom.
That night Alex lay in bed thinking of Grant. Her mind flashed to what he'd been hinting at. She'd seen it in his eyes. She’d known him forever and thought she knew what he was thinking. He’d been sad about the possibility of not having kids with her.
No, she told herself. There was no way he was thinking that far ahead. She was only twenty-four, and he was just a month older. They weren't even really an official item. More like just distractions. Friends helping each other out, right? Maybe she'd forgotten to tell him that's how she saw their relationship. Maybe she should have set some boundaries before they'd gotten started. After all, she'd just gotten out of a long-term relationship and was not looking for anything permanent.
Besides, Grant wasn't her type. Well, not for the long run. He was way too nice; she'd just end up hurting him. Right? He was such an honest guy. She couldn't think of anything wrong with that other than the fact that it used to annoy her in school.
She wasn't good enough for him. She knew it and probably the whole town knew it, too. She was a waitress at a run-down diner. She had no real prospects of a future. She hadn't even changed that much over the years. She was the same old Alex.
Grant wasn't the same kid he'd been in school. He wasn't the same kid outside either. She remembered running her hands over his tight body earlier that night in his truck. How his muscles had jumped and flexed under her fingers. His skin was toned and tan thanks to the hard work he did outside in the sun. It had even lightened his hair, giving him a beach-bum-meets-rough-cowboy look.
He was smart, responsible, kind, sexy, and damn good in bed. Adding it all up, Alex started wondering why she still felt she had to talk herself out of thinking about Grant in a long-term sort of way. She still felt like there was something holding her back, she just couldn't put her finger on what it was.
Chapter Fourteen
Grant had missed her last night and knew that his bed would be lonely again tonight, since she had plans to celebrate with her family after the big fireworks show. He also had plans to spend time with his family. He had cousins coming into town later today and knew that his parents’ house would be full by nightfall.
So when he spotted Alex across the parking lot at the fairgrounds, he rushed over to talk to her.
“Alex,” he called and smiled when she stopped and turned to him. But when a slight frown appeared on her lips, he almost stopped. He jogged up next to her and looked down at her. “What's wrong?” He pulled her close, looking into her dark eyes. He could see shadows under them and wondered if something had happened.
“It's nothing.” She shook her head and tried to smile at him, but her eyes showed that she was still thinking of something else.
He pulled her aside, just outside the entry gate, and walked her into the shade where they could talk alone.
“Something’s wrong,” he said, running his hands up and down her arms.
She sighed and looked at him. “I think I need a break,” she said, not looking into his eyes, focusing on a button on his chest.
“A break?” he asked, feeling his heart skip a beat.
She nodded. “Yeah, I need some time to think about things. I'm thinking of going to my cousins’ for a while. I think I just need to get away for a while.” She gently pulled her hands out of his, removing all doubt in his mind of what she meant.
“Time?” he said, feeling his heart skip again. Hell, he was sure it had just broken in two. He didn't know what to say. Had he not taken the time and told her how he felt? Maybe she didn't know? And after last night! Maybe he'd done something wrong? “Listen Alex, if I've done something…”
He broke off when she started to shake her head. “No, of course not. You've been…” She sighed. “Wonderful.” Her eyes darted over his shoulder. He turned in time to see her sister walking towards them, hand in hand with Tom Blake. Alex frowned even more. “Listen, I have to go get ready.” She turned and started walking away, and he felt like his whole world was crashing down on him.
He walked to the goat section, not really seeing anything or hearing anyone. When he got there, he leaned against the gate and would have continued staring off into space if Mojo hadn't been adamant about getting in his face.
“What?” he finally asked her after she'd head-butted him for the tenth time. “I'll get you your damn breakfast.” He turned to go get some grain, when he noticed there were only two kids in the corral with her.
“Where's Buttercup?” he asked Mojo, half expecting the goat to answer him. He went down the first row, looking in every pen, searching for the lost goat. After he'd searched the whole barn, every corral, he started enlisting help. An hour later, everyone was on the lookout for Buttercup. After two hours, he'd worked himself into a frantic state; his baby was gone.
The plans were ruined. It was all over the fair grounds that she'd broken up with Grant. Panic settled in. Then a peace fell as a new scene unfolded. Grant was walking towards the large barn where Alex was. Maybe this could be a little fun after all.
Alex found it very hard to concentrate. She was up next and her eyes still burned. She'd spent most of last night going over how much better off Grant would be without her. She'd just hold him back. She was trouble. She’d known it her whole life. It was her fault that their mother had gone back inside after Haley. She'd distracted Lauren long enough that Haley had slipped away. She would be a distraction to Grant, she just knew it. His internet business and farm needed his full attention. He had a future. Plans.
She shook her head clear and prepared herself for the run. Sophie nervously jolted under her when the buzzer sounded, and she tucked her knees and held on as the horse ran its programed pattern. When they flew across the gate, she knew that she'd gained time instead of shaving it off. Closing her eyes as Sophie came to a halt, she looked over at the scoreboard and sighed. Five seconds gained.
Waiting for the other ladies to take their turns, she took her time brushing down Sophie and preparing the horse for the ride home later that night. Chase, Lauren, and Haley would all help load up Sophie and Haley's blue-ribbon steer after everyone left for the night.
As she was cooling the horse down, Travis walked up to her and leaned on the post. “Heard you broke up with Holton. Decided he wasn't man enough for you?” Travis leaned over and flipped a piece of her hair
out of her eyes.
“Something like that.” She jolted away, not wanting to give him any time. He moved closer and pinned her in the stall.
“Well, if you decide you'd like me back…” He leaned down as she pushed him away, the horse brush still gripped firmly in her hands.
“Back off,” she said under her breath.
He pulled her hips towards him and she could feel he was hard, causing a shiver to race up her spine. He smelled of booze and cigarettes, a scent that caused her stomach to turn. She pushed him even harder, wedging the sharp brush between them.
“Come on, Alex. We both know you were just toying with Mr. Goody Two-shoes.”
Before she could say anything, she looked over and saw Grant standing at the end of the stall. He'd clearly heard what Travis had just said. Grant's blue eyes looked hollow and the look on his face told her he believed it all.
Before she could yell for him, he took off, walking quickly down the lane. Travis laughed when he saw Grant walk away.
“Serves him right. Now he knows what it's like to have your woman taken away from you.” He tried to pull her closer.
“You idiot,” she screamed. “I am not your woman. You're the one that cheated on me, you son of a bitch!” She kicked out and caught him in the chin, hurting him enough that he loosened his vice-like hold on her. Shoving the wire brush between them, she kicked out again.
By the time she finally freed herself from Travis' hold, Grant was nowhere to be found. She ran out of the barn and started searching for him.
It was midday and everyone was outside trying to find someplace to eat. The booths and tents that lined the food court were packed. She could hardly wade through the growing crowd of hungry people. She searched everywhere for Grant. She swung by the goat barn. He wasn't there, but she saw a sign posted to the gate about Buttercup. Her heart skipped. Buttercup was missing. He'd probably come to ask her for help looking for the lost goat.
Finally, she headed towards his truck to leave him a note. She was walking through the parking lot packed with trucks and trailers when she heard bleating. She approached the trailer and looked in the dark windows, but couldn’t see anything. Getting up on the wheel well, she looked inside the bigger window and saw Buttercup butting the door.
Jumping down, she rushed over to the door and yanked it opened. The young goat looked at her like she was thinking it was about time she got there. A shadow fell over them, and when Alex turned to see what it was, a light exploded on the left side of her head followed quickly by darkness.
Chapter Fifteen
Grant rushed out of the building, not really seeing where he was going. When he ran into someone, he apologized quickly and continued walking until he ended up at the lake under the tall oak tree where he and Alex had picnicked the day before. He sat down in the shade and thought about the turn of events.
Where had he gone wrong? He folded his knees up and placed his elbows on them, watching two young boys throw rocks into the water.
“Hey.” He jumped at the voice behind him. When he looked, Haley stood looking down at him. “Can I sit with you?”
He nodded, and she sat next to him, crossing her legs and watching the kids.
“I heard about what happened between you and Alex,” she said, not looking in his direction.
He turned to her, and the scene that he'd just witnessed of Alex in Travis' arms as they’d laughed at him played over in his head.
“That she'd broken it off with you this morning,” she said, letting him know what she'd been talking about.
He nodded and looked down at his hands.
“My sister can be stupid.” She smiled at him and placed a gentle hand on his arm. “Listen, I know her and can tell you without question that you're the best thing that has ever happened to her.”
He laughed, harshly. “I doubt that.” He shook his head, looking back at the water. To think he'd been thinking about settling down with her. Raising a family.
“I know it can be hard to understand”—she pulled his arm until he looked at her again—“but she needs you. Travis broke her. Not physically, but emotionally. She was so rundown, she didn't think she knew what she wanted. In the last few months since she's been seeing you, for the first time in a long time she has a purpose. She's been focused. She was hurt when Travis cheated on her, but because of you, she forgot about him. Forgot about any other man that had come before.”
“Apparently not enough. I just caught them together.”
“What?” Haley's hand jerked on his arm. “Alex and Travis?”
He nodded.
“You idiot!” Haley stood up and looked towards the barn. She looked down at him with a scowl. “I suppose you just left her there to defend herself.”
He stood and thought about it. Closing his eyes, he remembered how they'd been standing in the stall and the truth hit him full force. Travis had had Alex cornered. Her arms had been up against his chest in defense, trying to push him away. Anger and fear had been written on her face.
Haley was right; he'd been such an idiot.
Opening his eyes, he looked down at Haley. “You know, you're pretty smart.” He pulled her braid and rushed off towards the barn, hoping he wasn't too late for an apology.
When he didn't find Alex in Sophie's stall, he rushed to the goat corral and asked around. She'd been there five minutes before he had. Following directions from a few people, he rushed out to the parking lot to look for her.
He was just about to give up when he spotted the wire horse brush. It had been crunched under a tire, but he knew it was hers. It was the same bright pink one she'd been holding against Travis' chest.
He started yelling for her. He couldn't explain the urgency he felt to find her, other than the fact that he wanted to apologize for being a fool and to see if she was okay after being left alone to deal with Travis. He'd called her a few more times when Haley, Lauren, and Chase all rushed out to the parking lot.
“Did you find her yet?” Lauren asked, looking around.
“No. Someone said she came out here about ten minutes ago. I found this.” He held it out.
“That's Alex's,” Haley said, then called out to her sister. They spread out, calling her name until Chase finally yelled, “Over here. She's over here.”
Everyone rushed over. Grant was breathless when he arrived at the trailer. His trailer. He saw her in an unconscious ball with Buttercup snuggled next to her. He would have thought the scene was endearing if it hadn’t been for the large bump growing on her forehead. A bruise was forming there and there was a trickle of blood dripping slowly down her forehead.
He rushed to her side. Chase was there checking her vitals. He swatted him aside and pulled her into his lap, calling her name over and over again. Her eyelids slowly opened as he watched her. He saw her try to focus on his fingers as he pushed a strand of her hair aside.
Looking up he realized they had an audience, now. The sheriff, the mayor, and the mayor’s family stood just outside his trailer, looking in on the scene.
“What's going on here?” The sheriff jumped up in the back of the trailer and looked down at Alex.
“It looks like someone knocked her over the head,” Grant said, then noticed the tire iron lying next to him. “Probably with that.” He nodded.
“Has someone called an ambulance?” the sheriff asked.
“I did,” Lauren said with a shaky voice. Haley and Lauren were sitting on the other side of their sister, as Alex focused on them.
“What?” she asked, trying to sit up.
“Don't,” Chase said, holding her still. “Hold still, sweetie. Where does it hurt?”
“I feel like I've been bucked off a bronco and landed on my head. What happened?” She grabbed her head with her hands and moaned.
“We were hoping you could tell us.” Lauren leaned over her sister.
“I don't really remember. I came out here to find Grant and heard Buttercup crying.” She pulled the goat into her lap a
gain where it snuggled up to her. “Then I don't remember.”
“Well, isn't it obvious?” It was Travis that spoke. Everyone turned to look at him. Grant hadn't even noticed that he'd been standing right there with his family. He looked around and shrugged his shoulders and nodded towards them. “Everyone knows they had a fight earlier today and broke up. Plus, he caught us in the barn just a while ago. It's obvious Grant couldn't take it and he followed her out here, hitting her over the head. She is in his trailer. It is his tire iron.”
“You've got to be kidding me!” It was Haley who spoke this time. She slowly stood up. “First of all, we all know you've been stalking Alex since your break up four months ago. Not to mention all the terrible things you've done to Grant here. Second of all, Grant was with me fifteen minutes ago, across the fairgrounds by the lake. He was a minute ahead of us walking into the parking lot.” She looked to Lauren and Chase for confirmation, and they both nodded in agreement.
“Well, I'm not taking the blame for this one. Not this time. I was in line to get some barbeque just a few minutes ago. My dad and the sheriff here pulled me out, saying we were heading to Mama's with the sheriff instead.”
“He's right,” the sheriff piped in. “We all saw him standing in line. He was second in line to be served out of around ten. He'd been there a while.” The sheriff looked down at Grant. “Well, for now, let's get Alex checked out and we can debate who took part in what later.” They all looked up as the ambulance drove up.
Grant rode with Lauren and Chase in their truck, while Haley road with Alex in the ambulance. The entire drive to the clinic, everyone sat in silence, the same question running through everyone's mind. Who had done this?
It took almost an hour for Alex to come back out front after seeing the doctor. Grant had sat in the small waiting room with Chase since the doctor's room was too small and only family members were allowed back with the patients.
When they wheeled her out, she had small white bandages over her forehead. Her eyes were closed, but when Grant said her name, she opened them and frowned a little.
