“You can stop calling me boss. What about the air conditioning unit?”
Can’t call her boss. Can’t call her ma’am… “Tell Wade I’ll get back to him when I decide what you need.” He had an idea what she needed all right, and he sure as hell could give it to her with no strings attached. A romp in her bed wouldn’t hurt him a damn bit, and he’d promise it wouldn’t hurt her, either.
Zach’s thoughts went back to lunch, but now he wasn’t sure if he imagined the friendly conversation and sweet smiles. Or maybe, for one hour, she let her guard down and showed the real side of her instead of the hard-ass persona she hid behind. He should talk.
***
Kimber heard Zach come in, so she went outside to see if they could have a civil conversation again. By the time she got out there, he had rounded the corner at the rear of the barn. She followed. “I guess I’ll have to get it in my head small town doesn’t mean primitive.”
“Good idea. Look, I’m busy, Kimber.”
“My account is all set up now. If you need supplies, let me know first, please.”
“Of course, I will.”
“Well, okay then.” Right back to where we were. She turned to leave. “I’ll brush Honeycrisp.”
“Kimber?”
“What?” Wearing faded jeans now, she stuck her hands into her back pockets.
His gaze did a quick run-down of her body before he knelt to his haunches. “I don’t know what it is that lights the fire when you’re around, or why we butt heads all the time. I have to work here, and I don’t like the animosity in business relationships.”
“I don’t either. We’ll do best to keep to ourselves unless a business matter comes up.”
He stood, bent over, and removed the cover from the air conditioning unit. “I can’t keep fixing this because it isn’t holding here anyway. The temperature’s ungodly hot and getting worse by the day. You need a bigger one than this thing. I’ll talk to Wade about a new one. Unless you want to take the chance on this one and wait it out.”
“No, you know what’s best. Better do it now while I have the money.” She left but came to a stop, facing him. “Would you go for a ride with me?” So much for keeping it all business.
“Where we going?” Zach secured the door on the AC unit.
“On horseback. It’s almost sunset. I’d love to take some pictures. Will Major let you ride him?”
“I’ve ridden him now and then. Major is a man’s man kind of horse. He needs to be taken control of. It’s what he likes.”
Maybe Zach was the same way. She’d had a good rambunctious ride on Major.
“Remember I told you my buddy Randy Drake is a horse whisperer?” He laughed again when he said that. “You know what I mean. He has a way with horses, and that’s what he told me. Major’s the kind of horse who when going for a ride, wants to take you for a ride. He needs to know the rider can handle him.”
Kimber laughed wholeheartedly, knowing damn well she was right. Zach needed to know a woman could handle him, and his moods. He didn’t know it yet. “Good thing you didn’t see him take me for a ride the day I took him out.” No wonder Major reared up when she got on him. He wanted to run and he did.
“I saw you on your ass. Twice.” He snickered but it wasn’t in a sarcastic tone. “You used to ride. Didn’t you notice they all have different personalities?”
“Yeah, of course. I’ve seen plenty, but I was young back then.”
“Back then? What are you about thirty now?”
A damn simple statement, and he got all high and mighty on her again. “Add a year to that, at least for a couple more weeks.”
“A couple more weeks, and you’ll be thirty-two? Cool.”
Her birthdate had changed with her identity. What a dangerous slip she could’ve made. She cocked her head to the side. “Somewhere around there anyway. I don’t celebrate birthdays…” Even with that damn snark, she didn’t like what went on with her body around him. Liar. She loved what went on inside of her.
“Me neither, but I passed thirty-one a few years ago. My little brother’s thirty.”
How much past? “The ride, Zach? Want to go?”
“Yeah, I’ll give Major a run.”
Kimber smiled. “From what you said, I think he’ll be giving you a run.”
“We’ll see about that, boss.” He laughed and headed inside.
“Must I keep reminding you, cowboy? Please, you don’t have to call me boss.”
“I like the sound of it.”
I bet you do. Kimber couldn’t hide a smile and walked on. “Let me know when you’re finished.”
“If we’re riding, I’m finished. I’ll take care of it when we get back.”
She picked up a curry comb and waited at Honey’s stall. Kimber patted her neck when she came closer. “You can show me what you feed them. I’d like to help, Zach.”
He put the tools in his toolbox. “Want me to saddle your horse after you brush her?”
“Thanks, but I’ll get it. Before I forget, let me go get my camera from the house.”
He caught up with her. She got a better whiff of his cologne. It brought a peacefulness over her. This one smelled subtle, like what she’d smelled in his bathroom. “You know, there’s a book in my library called Major’s Secret Command, and it looked well-read. I wonder if the old guy named his horse after the book.”
“Did it have a weird cover like a two-faced man?”
“Yep, like a sketch.”
“I’ve read the book. It’s a military yarn. Get Wade to take you to Rob’s Place, a sport’s bar in town. Bet’cha someone there knows the story.”
She grumbled at his dry humor. “I wouldn’t ask him to take me to the bar. When I make some friends around here, I’ll take you up on that.”
“You won’t make friends by hiding on the ranch all day.”
Kimber froze in her spot on the way up the steps. Hiding is exactly what she did here. Still unsure, she didn’t know how to go on with a normal life. It would take time and self-assurance before she knew the full scope of what being Kimber entailed.
Zach came up behind her and laid his hand on her shoulder. “That was uncalled for. My apologies.”
“Uh huh. You know, I don’t feel like taking a ride after all. The sunset will still be there tomorrow.” She continued up the steps.
He snorted. “Not if we have a monsoon thunderstorm. Well, I’ll brush Major and take him out anyway. You already put the idea in my head. I hope you find what you’re searching for one day.” He strode away.
Kimber rushed inside. She searched for Kimber, and so far, she didn’t like who she saw in the mirror every day. This isn’t who she was. Pacing through the house, she was sorry she backed down from the ride, but when he mentioned hiding away here, it brought it all back. All of it. The reason she was here. Her mom and dad. Her sister. Oh, her sister. She dropped to the couch and lifted her hands to her face. I miss you all. A sound caused her to remove her hands and look up. Zach? He walked in without knocking? She wiped the tears from her face. “What do you want?”
“I knocked, but you didn’t hear.” He moved more into the room. “Are you all right?”
She bounced up. “Stop asking if I’m all right. No, I’m not, and I don’t know if I ever will be. I miss my family. My sister. They’re all gone. I’ll never see them again.” Zach strode to her side and placed his hand on her shoulder. His palm was as warm now as it had been earlier in the restaurant. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said all that.”
“You’re in mourning. I didn’t know. I thought maybe the couple with you on the plane were your family.”
“No, but close to my family. Well, Jerry is.” Sniffling, she swiped at her tears. “I didn’t mean for you to see me this way.”
Zach sighed, drawing her into an embrace. “It’s okay.”
“No,” she said, trying to pull away. “It’s not.”
“You need somebody to hold you. Relax. It doesn’t mean anyt
hing other than a supportive hug. Shh.”
Yeah, you think so, buddy? It meant a lot to her. His body was hot, and she fell into his hay and vanilla scented embrace. His strength and height shielded her. She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him closer. A marvelous, unexpected feeling of comfort covered her physically and mentally. She cried. She cried as if a faucet had broken. Another person’s touch was what she’d needed, longed for. His touch. Badly. And often.
“Kimber…” He stroked her hair. “I know you’re going through something awful. You need to let yourself mourn instead of fighting it. Regardless of what you think. I care, and I’m here for you.”
A knock on the door interrupted them. From where they stood, Wade could see them. She pulled out of his arms. “I’m sorry, Zach. Will you see what he wants?”
“Yeah.” He lumbered to the door and went outside.
Kimber rushed into the bathroom to get a tissue or five. What had she done? She needed to do it again. She wanted to be in his arms. Oh, no, she couldn’t. She couldn’t trust another man right now, but she reflected on his words. He cares. Had that been hard for him to say? Kimber took a couple deep breaths and straightened her clothes. Finally getting herself together, she went out, but Wade was gone. “What did he want?” she asked Zach candidly.
“He wanted you, I think. I told him he didn’t see what he thought he saw, but I doubt he believed it.”
Why should Wade believe it when she didn’t. “Thank you for talking to him and for…for comforting me. You weren’t supposed to see my breakdown.”
He nudged her shoulder. “Come on. Go for a ride. The sunset isn’t far off. It’ll do you good.”
She peered into his warm eyes. “Yeah, it will. Let me get my camera and lock up.”
“You don’t need to lock up around here.”
“I do.” She headed back inside for her small camera that took fantastic pictures. Ironically, it had been a gift from Melinda.
After brushing them, Zach brought the horses out and cinched the saddle on Major. She hurried to the tack room to get the tack, and saddled Honeycrisp as quickly as she could. There was a problem with the cinch and she struggled with it. Zach came up behind and reached around her to correct the fasten. Body heat!
His body nearly touched hers, then it did for a brief moment when he leaned in, and it made her want to keep him against her. This attraction shouldn’t happen between them, but it couldn’t be denied. He fixed the problem, then he set his hands on her shoulders. She nearly leaned back against his chest but caught herself. What would he have done?
“There you go.” Zach took the bridle and put it on Honey, handed Kimber the reins, and mounted Major. “Let’s go before you miss the best part.”
Kimber stuck her foot into the stirrup and swung her leg over. She’d experienced the best part moments ago. She rode west beside him, neither saying anything. He slowed until they rode side by side. Had he felt it too or was it her loneliness making her imagine the impossible? She peered at him and gulped. The attraction grew stronger with each glance. “Thanks for making me go on the ride with you.”
Zach adjusted his hat. “Ah, Kimber, I have a feeling nobody can make you do anything you don’t want to do.”
Hmm. Now she wanted to get to know everything there was to know about Zachary Bryson. She gently tapped Honey to go faster. Zach passed her, but Major soon went into a gallop then a run and was far ahead of them. She laughed. Really laughed. Zach had full control of Major.
What a beautiful sight it was to see the two of them, horse and man, silhouetted in the apricot radiance and darkened cacti far in the distance. “Come on, Honey. Let’s go get them.” Honeycrisp went into a gallop. They’d soon be part of their silhouette. If only someone was here to take a picture of them. If only they could linger in the beautiful fantasy of romance while bathed in the fiery glow of fading sunlight.
***
The ride had left her warm inside. Tonight, on the slow ride back, they hadn’t gotten at each other’s throats, and Zach genuinely smiled a few times. Oh, what a magnificent smile. For the first time, she saw a future in sight.
At home, she sat in her living room in a chair doing nothing but staring at the couch while focusing on their time together. Down the road of time, how could she continue to pay for repairs and upkeep? Zach’s salary? Sure, extra lingered in her savings account but she wanted it to grow instead of dwindle. Her college education allowed for a great job with top pay and benefits. Had allowed.
Then Sam had come to work at the credit union as System Administrator, where he had total access to pertinent information, records, and security. Who better could hide what he’d done then the one who had complete control?
Then she learned of his schemes when she stumbled upon his records by accident during an audit, and what she read certainly didn’t match the credit union’s financial reports. That was the first red flag she chose to ignore, but the curious side of her mixed with dedication to her job, wouldn’t let it rest. Her gut-feeling forced her to do more investigations into what she’d found. Too late, she’d realized all of her keystrokes had been discovered.
Sam and Pino had worked together to extort money from the credit union, but Sam had blackmailed Pino, wanting it all for himself. As soon as Sam grabbed the suitcase with the money that night, he’d killed Pino. He threatened to shoot her in the back before she got to the door when she’d run from the scene. Sam disappeared, and Kimber had called the police.
They’d handcuffed her, took her in, and threw her into an interview room for hours, where she thought she’d die of fear. The detectives had explained that she could be charged with murder.
“Oh, God.” She covered her face and bawled thinking about that awful time. Reflecting back, after her dad had called Jerry, he’d explained how he could help her fade away if she talked and saved herself. She came to the conclusion, that yes, she’d talk if Jerry could promise to keep her family safe. It took nearly a full day of their questioning and her blabbing before she was free to leave without being charged.
Learning of what Jerry’s plan entailed, frightened her for both him and her. Jerry’s people, and to this day she didn’t know who they were, nor did she want to, made it look like she’d left the country. In reality, Jerry and Melinda kept her in Boise, Idaho, a state away from home until the trial. Without all the information she’d collected, she’d be the one in prison for Pino’s murder.
Kimber got up and strolled room to room, stopping to peer out each window in her home. The lonesome outside stared back. Instead of wallowing, she sat at her laptop to see if it took longer than five minutes to learn about this town.
She looked up the Chamber of Commerce again and searched their list of “Things to Do.” Turned out, Canyon Junction had a lot to offer as far as socializing. One day in the distant future the activities might be fun, especially exploring the little old-fashioned ghost town in the mountains.
Then her thoughts went to Zach again. Hugging herself, she stared out of a dark bedroom to an eerie, darker outside. Venturing to the kitchen where she’d left the lights off, she slid open the patio door, going out to get a sense of what she had to look forward to each night in this solitary place.
The view went on for as far as her eye could see beneath a star-filled night sky. It was almost unearthly—isolated…like her heart. A warmth lingered in the air. Back home in the Willamette Valley in Oregon, her sister refused to accept seasonal changes, but now she saw her in black. The death was fake but the mourning would be real. Dare she check social media? Her gut said no, and she heard Jerry’s instruction. Tears streamed over Kimber’s cheeks, but she swiped them away and blinked to dry her eyes.
A vehicle on the drive drew her out of her thoughts. She scuttled back inside, locked the door, and hurried through the great room to stand in the dark near the window facing the driveway. Zach? She received a text from him:
In case you’re awake, I’m letting you know I’m dropping off
supplies for tomorrow. Randy needs his truck.
Kimber couldn’t explain why she texted: If you aren’t in a hurry, how about a glass of wine?
No reply. She pictured him out there staring at his phone wondering what to say, but then cracks of lumber being stacked got her attention. She opened the back door and went out. “Zach?”
He wore the same snug fitting t-shirt from earlier, and gray work gloves, which made him look more manly and rugged than he already was. Damn him for daring to do this to her senses. “Sorry to come by so late, but I didn’t have much of a choice. Randy told me thirty minutes ago he’d need his truck.”
“It’s okay. I’m a light sleeper these days, but I was up. The quiet is creepy.”
He grabbed a hold of a few two by fours. “It isn’t quiet if you listen. Well, inside it might be.”
Kimber paid attention to the environment around them. There were sounds. Out here it certainly wasn’t quiet. She lived in a western movie now.
Zach finished then hopped into his truck. “C’ya tomorrow.” He picked up his phone before shifting. Peering at her out the window, he held his phone up. “Are you sure about this?”
Kimber nodded. “It’s so lonely here. It’d be nice to have someone to talk to. You.”
He peeked at his clock. “Don’t you have friends you can call from back home? I suppose I could do one glass.”
She ignored his question. “Maybe you’d prefer beer?”
“That’d be better.” He turned off the ignition and exited the truck. She stepped back when he stood close. Close was the last thing she needed, but she wanted him close.
“We’ll sit on the patio.” She walked ahead of him and into the house. Something told her that if she wanted to start anything with him, it’d be up to her to make the first move.
Zach did a quick glance around the interior on the way to the kitchen. “It’s kinda dark in here. I thought you were sleeping.”
“Well…I was looking out the windows and it’s easier to see when my background is dark. I was on the patio when you pulled in.” It had felt right to sit in the dark tonight.
Finding Kimber (Canyon Junction; Hearts In Love Book 2) Page 12
