As she walked back to the holding cells, her mind reeled. If she could convince her uncle to hire her then she wouldn't have to worry about leaving. That is, if he was willing to do that. He'd lied to the judiciary board on her behalf, but faced with the choice of keeping her or sending her home, would he find the risk of keeping her worthwhile? After all, she'd caused him nothing but trouble since the day she set foot on his land.
I wouldn't do it, she admitted to herself.
She thought of Brett and his teasing comment about her moving to the coast. Her smile faded a little. Perhaps she was reading too much into her relationship with him. He'd asked her to wait for him just the morning before, but that didn't necessarily mean he was ready to make her a permanent fixture in his life.
She supposed she couldn't blame him. She'd come to the Bar K in a whirlwind and stirred up not only his life, but all of the hands’ lives as well. Suddenly, her surge of hope slowed to a trudge. She might have found a way back to the ranch, but it was up to the others if she remained.
What if they agreed it was best if she didn't return? Her stomach turned to ice and plummeted to her feet at the thought. It would crush her to think they didn't want her. Brett might vote for her, but she wouldn't know for sure until Jason and the judiciary board met if her presence was truly welcome.
* * * *
Close to an hour later, Alex was ushered out of the holding cell. She flashed Sinclair a cheerful smile and waved as she passed, but the only response she received was a venomous glare. She stepped through the door and scanned the quiet lobby with apprehension before offering her wrists to the deputy. Her gaze landed on her uncle and her pulse raced as she rubbed her wrists.
Jason stood leaning against the front desk, an indiscernible expression on his face as he filled out the paperwork before him. A stream of sunlight filtered in through the blinds, revealing dark circles beneath his eyes.
She plunked into the plastic chair next to her and lowered her eyes to her lap. He hadn't slept and she was the reason why. If only she'd kept her promise to ignore Sinclair.
"We missed your pancakes this morning."
She glanced up to see a one-sided smile touching her uncle's lips. He eased himself into the chair next to her.
"How's your head feeling?"
"Sore. My chest is what I feel most,” she said with a nervous laugh. “I have her footprint on my chest from where she kicked me. I'm sorry, Uncle Jason. I didn't mean for that to happen, but she kept pushing me until I finally snapped."
Jason leaned back in his seat. “I can't say as though I blame you. Hudson told me what happened and Brett confirmed it. Trust me, darlin', I'm not upset that you stood up for yourself."
Obviously, he was upset about something or else he wouldn't look so fatigued. His lie, she surmised. He'd risked everything by telling the board he needed her even though they both knew the ranch would be better off without her.
"The circles under your eyes tell a different story. My lawyer came up with a good idea, if you want to hear it,” she offered.
"I'll take any ideas you have,” he said. “If you don't come home with me today, Brett vowed to go on strike. Our stomachs can't afford for that to happen."
Alex laughed and clasped her hands in her lap. “I suppose not.” She peered at him through the corner of her eye. “He suggested you legally hire me. The Bar K is your ranch. You own the property and if you want to hire me, that's your business."
He nodded, a twinkle shining in his eyes. “True enough,” he replied. “I can't afford to pay you much, but I think I can make it worth your while to stick around. There is one thing you'll have to keep in mind. Fraternization between employees and inmates is frowned upon."
She twisted in her seat to face him. “You're absolutely certain you want me back?” She hoped he did. It would be unbearable if he turned her away.
He stared at her in amazement. “You think I was kidding about Brett going on strike? The boy actually had the balls to say that to me and mean it! Besides,” he said with a fond smile, “I'm anxious to see what you have in store for my barn. That thing hasn't changed in over twenty years."
A blush crept into her cheeks. Actually, she had a few ideas for the old structure, but that could wait.
"Thank you, Uncle Jason. I appreciate everything you've done for me.” Tears threatened to surface, but she wiped them away before they could spill down her cheeks.
Jason draped his arm around her shoulders in a hug and watched the two board members approach. “It's all right, darlin'. You don't want these business folks seeing you cry, do you?"
"No.” She glanced at Ms. Barton's pinched face and her heart skipped a beat. The stern expression in the woman's eyes plainly stated she had her work cut out for her.
"We'll conduct this discussion in the interrogation room. If you two will follow me, we can begin,” Ms. Barton said in a brisk tone.
A whimper caught in her throat as she rose. Suddenly, she understood how Brett must have felt the day of his parole hearing. Would this woman deny her the same way the committee had denied Brett? They couldn't. Legally, they couldn't keep her from the ranch.
She entered the mirrored room and uttered a polite greeting as she sat across from the other board members.
Ms. Barton sat next to her companions and flipped through several pages in a manila-colored folder before folding her hands.
"We've given your request to remain at the Bar K careful consideration and we believe a female presence is cause for distraction to the prisoners. The idea is for Mr. Kincaid to rehabilitate as many offenders as possible by teaching them skills that will benefit them once they are released,” she said and peered at Alex from over the top of her glasses.
Alex swallowed hard and lifted her head a notch. “Do you mean to say I am a bad influence on these men?” How ironic.
"You were detained yesterday for fighting. According to Mr. Kincaid, there has been no prior occurrence of this before your arrival. We feel a co-ed institution that freely permits the interaction of males and females is a recipe for disaster. This fact was proven yesterday,” Ms. Barton replied coolly.
Alex exchanged the briefest of glances with her uncle and noticed the subtle warning look in his eyes.
"Understood, Ms.—” Her voice trailed off in embarrassment. Oh God, she forgot this woman's name already. This really helps my case. On top of everything else, I look like an airhead.
The woman sniffed and lifted her chin. “Barton."
"Ms. Barton, I fully understand your reasoning, but may I ask you a question?” She nodded and Alex continued, “Would the state disapprove of my presence if I were an employee? I would have to follow the same laws and regulations that he follows, plus, whatever personal rules he has as well. If I violate these rules, I would be subject to disciplinary action the same as any other government employee."
Ms. Barton shifted her gaze from Alex to Jason, her lips stretched thin in a grim expression of debate. “Are you prepared to hire and treat this woman as a fulltime employee?"
"Yes, ma'am, I am."
The board members whispered amongst themselves for several moments and in that time, Alex studied each of their facial features. There wasn't so much as a hint as to what they were thinking and her stomach flipped over in anticipation. What if they told her no? This was her only option to remain at the Bar K and if it failed, she didn't know what she would do.
"Provided Miss Kincaid can follow the rules set by the state of Texas and by your ranch, I don't see a reason why she cannot return to work,” she said.
Alex's smile froze in mid-formation as Ms. Barton continued, “An evaluation of your performance will be made every six months by Mr. Kincaid and by the Texas Department of Corrections. If there are any more mishaps on your behalf, your termination and immediate departure of the Bar K will be highly recommended. Do you have any questions, Miss Kincaid?"
Alex shook her head vigorously. She was going back. Sure, there would probab
ly be more rules for her to abide by, but at least she would get to see the boys again. And Brett. She couldn't believe he'd actually threatened to go on strike if she didn't return.
"Since you have been released and there are no further questions, you are free to go,” Ms. Barton said in a clipped tone as she gathered her papers together.
Alex rose and shook the board members hands before taking a step back. “I can assure you there will be no further disruptions on my part."
"That remains to be seen, Miss Kincaid. I will see you in six months and let's hope I like what I see the next time we meet, shall we?"
Alex bit the tip of her tongue and forced a pleasant smile. Now, was not the time to lose her temper.
"You may regret telling them you'll follow their rules explicitly,” Jason muttered as they walked to the truck.
Why would she regret it? Her speech had won her place back at the ranch, hadn't it?
"I don't see how. Nothing has changed except for the formality of the situation."
He hesitated. “That's not necessarily true. You may be working for me, but you're the Department of Corrections’ employee. Remember what I said about fraternization?"
She couldn't spend time with Brett? That couldn't be right. Her uncle had a relaxed relationship with the boys, so what made her the exception?
"You're practically a father figure to these men, so what's the difference?"
Jason climbed into the cab beside her and slammed the door. “Yes, but I'm not romantically involved with any of them. If that Barton woman finds out you and Brett are intimate, she'll make sure you're on the first flight back to Bangor,” he said. “Nobody wants that."
Alex sunk into her seat and stared blankly at the dashboard. “So what do I do? We restrict our interactions to after hours as it is. Am I to assume this time is being taken away too?"
He started the engine and shook his head. “I know you two haven't kept things completely after hours, so all I'm saying is that now more than ever you and Brett will have to keep things low-key."
This succeeded in calming her, but she still couldn't shake the feeling something else was bothering him. Something on a more personal level.
"You don't approve of our relationship, do you?"
Silence.
After several agonizing moments, he released a long breath while putting the truck in gear.
"It doesn't matter what I think. Y'all are grown adults and can make your own decisions. Just keep in mind what I said. Low-key,” he replied at last.
She didn't say anything for the rest of the trip. She had been granted her wish, but at what price? She couldn't let the corrections people find out she was involved with one of their prisoners.
Oh, she would keep things quiet all right. If she had to, she would wait the seven months until Brett was free before she told him how she felt. It would be hard, but anymore, she was used to difficult situations. One more couldn't hurt, could it?
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Twenty-One
It was close to noon when the front door opened. For the last hour, Brett had paced the kitchen, first trying to decide what to make for lunch and then promptly telling himself he wasn't cooking until Jason returned. If Alex wasn't with him, he wasn't doing it. He would undoubtedly get in trouble for rebelling, but it was a small price to pay as far as he was concerned.
"If you want to know when lunch is, don't bother,” he said without looking up.
All morning, the other hands remarked that he was insane for telling Jason he would strike, but he hadn't paid their comments any mind. He was determined to prove his point. Alex belonged here. On the ranch. With him.
"Pity. I was hoping for a snack."
His breath caught in his throat and he turned to see Alex leaning against the kitchen doorframe. He drank in her appearance and a wide grin began to form as he crossed the room to greet her. His smile faltered when he noticed the seriousness in her otherwise playful eyes.
"How did things go this morning?"
She plunked into the chair closest to her and leaned her elbow on the table before dropping her chin onto her hand.
"All in all, it went well. Uncle Jason is going to hire me, which means I can stay at the Bar K. The downside? I'm obligated to follow the same rules and regulations he has to follow,” she said in a muffled voice.
That didn't sound so bad. At least she could stay.
"It can't be that bad, can it?"
She drummed the fingers of her free hand and sighed. “Fraternization between DOC employees and prisoners is forbidden,” she grumbled and dropped her hand from her mouth. “Meaning, if Ms. Barton ever finds out about you and I, she will see to it I'm escorted off the premises permanently."
Brett eased into the seat in front of her. Okay, so there was an obstacle in their way. Albeit, a rather large obstacle, but it wasn't anything he couldn't deal with.
"I never made love to anyone who worked for the DOC before,” he mused in hopes of lightening the mood. “It sounds pretty kinky."
Her lips parted in awe and she smacked his hand. He caught her fingers before she could withdraw and gently covered her hand with his.
"Be serious, will you?” she asked in amusement before examining their hands. “Uncle Jason isn't going to enforce the rule, but I know it would put his mind at ease if we didn't look so obvious, especially in six months when I have my performance evaluation. How would they report that anyway?"
An irritated pout curled her lower lip and he gave her hand an affectionate squeeze. What he wouldn't give to kiss her right then. She was right, however. They needed to keep their affections quiet in front of the others.
"Gets along well with the inmates?"
Alex withdrew and with a bit of effort, pulled herself to her feet. Her attempt at a smile was half-hearted at best, as she trailed her fingers over his shoulder while passing his seat.
"A little too well.” She plucked the clean silverware from the drainer and opened the drawer. “I think this means you can't tuck me in anymore."
He twisted in his seat to watch her put away the dishes and chewed the inside of his lower lip. “At least while I'm still incarcerated,” he said and rose. “Once I'm free, the DOC won't give a rat's ass what we do."
Alex huffed without looking at him and he crossed the room to the refrigerator. Now that he knew Alex was back, he needed to think of something to make for lunch.
"That's not what bothers me.” She peered back at him. Upon seeing the armful of fresh vegetables, she reached into the drawer next to her for a knife. “These people are forcing me to look at you boys as prisoners and I hate that."
He placed a large tomato on the cutting board in front of her, his expression softening.
"Think of it this way. Charlie's probably my best friend in the whole world and he's a DOC employee. Imagine what those people would think if they knew that?"
She looked up at him with a glimmer of admiration. “Ms. Barton's head would spin,” she admitted and then pointed at him. “You know, I think I now understand how you felt when you had to face that Ripley lady. This woman had me terrified."
He let out a chuckle while running several leaves of lettuce beneath the cold water. After shaking out one of the larger leaves and setting it in a colander, he glanced at her.
"I think they're taught to be terrifying when they're hired.” He grinned. “I'm pretty sure you're safe from their clutches, however. Danny was pretty reluctant to get in the pigpen with you yesterday."
Alex gaped at him in a mixture of amusement and disbelief.
"I don't recall you getting in there either, cowboy,” she said, her voice cracking with the threat of a laugh.
Brett shook his head. Actually, if it weren't for the fact the DOC could have sent her away for her actions, he would have cheered her on.
"Nope. Getting your knee dislocated teaches you when to interfere and when to stay out of the way.” He winked. “I opted for the latter."
"So you're saying I'm scary enough on my own?"
He set another leaf of lettuce into the strainer and grinned. Scary wasn't the word he would use to describe Alex. There really weren't any words to describe her. She had an untapped reservoir of strength she kept hidden beneath a blanket of insecurity. He hoped to one day uncover this inner strength and with any luck, shed his past in the process.
"No, I just know where my boundaries are,” he said at last. “Nothing more."
* * * *
"I'm going into town this afternoon if you want to come along."
Brett looked up from grooming Bella and wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.
A knowing smile played at the edges of Jason's lips as he continued, “Alex received her bank draft today and she's anxious to get started on the rest of the house."
Setting the brush down, Brett rose and dusted his hands on his jeans. “You don't want to load the supplies into the truck yourself, do you?"
Jason rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish expression. “Not especially. I know if I tell her that, she'll insist on doing it herself and she'll end up throwing her back out,” he replied. “Besides, I figured you two could use a couple hours of alone time."
Brett's neck grew warm and he shifted uneasily. He appreciated the gesture, but wasn't sure how to respond. Despite everything, Alex was still Jason's niece.
"I thought we couldn't fraternize now that she's on the DOC's payroll?"
Jason paused next to Bella's stall and stroked the mare's velvety soft nose before twisting his face in a skeptical expression.
"Being on their payroll hasn't stopped Charlie from wrestling with you or made me quit worrying about you boys. It's a technicality, but one Alex needed to be aware of before you two proceeded with whatever it is you two do at night."
Brett's blush deepened until his entire face flamed with embarrassment. He couldn't have this discussion with Jason. Hell, he couldn't even bring himself to tell Charlie about the night he had Alex on the couch and he told his best friend everything.
Alex Page 20
