by Chloe Lang
“There really are only three rooms finished. Someone like me doesn’t need to be taking up a bed. I’m fine.” She never had liked being on the receiving end of help, always preferring to be the one who helped others instead.
Even though he loved Kaylyn’s sassiness, he wasn’t about to let her walk out of here without the all clear from Doc. He’d never been so worried about anyone in all his life. He took a deep breath, reminding himself she was okay and he would make damn sure she would stay that way.
“You need to just settle down and lean back on your pillow,” he told her firmly. “You’re not going anywhere. Besides, the other two rooms are empty. You’re Doc’s only patient at the moment, so you’re not taking anyone else’s room.”
The door opened.
“Hi, guys.” The voice was from the deputy sheriff, Nicole Coleman, former partner of Jaris. “How are you doing, Kaylyn?”
“I’m fine,” she answered. “Have you heard from the sheriff? Have they found my dogs?”
“No sign of them yet. I just talked to Jason. They found a gun casing just north of where Kaylyn’s truck was parked. They also found some tire tracks from two trucks.”
“What about the shooter?” Jaris asked.
“No news yet on that, but the team is still out on the ranch looking for clues. Jason said the bullet was a .30-06 Springfield cartridge.”
“That’s a big caliber for this time of year. I thought deer and elk season didn’t start in Colorado until fall,” Jaris said.
“That’s true.” Nicole’s tone was a little deeper than Kaylyn’s, yet still very feminine. “Even most small game licenses don’t start until later. Except for some of the year-around game like doves and grouse, hunting is off-limits now. Jason has put in a call to Brock Powers.”
“Who is he?” Chance asked.
Kaylyn answered, “He’s the game warden in this area. You and Jaris met his brother Blaine. Blaine’s the one who brought the horses so we could test how the dogs would react.”
“The rancher,” he said. “I remember him.”
Nicole continued, “The tracks Jason and the others found came together by Sycamore Pond. Seems like the men who were trespassing on Stone Ranch met up there.”
“Do you think this could be connected to Lunceford somehow?” Kaylyn asked.
Chance’s gut tightened. He wasn’t about to let anyone, let alone Destiny’s worst enemy, harm her.
“Maybe,” the deputy said. “We know for sure that Lunceford wants Belle, but we can’t figure out why he would shoot Kaylyn. We can’t find the connection.”
“The bastard has declared war on the whole town.” Jaris’s tone held an edge of rage. “We all know he would love nothing more than to burn Destiny and all its people to ashes.”
Chance knew he could count on his friend to help protect Kaylyn. “That creep is a complete psychopath. No one is safe until he’s dead and buried.”
“Or behind bars,” Nicole said.
“Nicole, don’t give the law enforcement line.” Jaris was as frustrated about what Lunceford had done to Destiny as anyone. “We all know prison was never able to hold him.”
The deputy sighed. “True. We actually don’t have a lot to go on now, but I’m sure we will find whoever is responsible for shooting Kaylyn.”
“Nicole, please call Jason and make sure he keeps looking for my dogs.” The fear in Kaylyn’s voice crushed him.
Chance understood her worry. Not having Annie by his side didn’t sit right with him but it was unavoidable. Naturally they had come straight to the clinic.
“We will keep looking for them. I promise.” Nicole was a fantastic person and law enforcement officer. She cared deeply about her job and about the people of Destiny.
Kaylyn’s cell rang. “Oh boy. It’s my mother. Hi, Mom. I’m fine.”
Her mother had gone with her cousin to Hawaii two days ago for a two-week vacation, something she’d always wanted to do.
“Don’t you dare cut your trip short, Mom. I’m fine. I swear. Yes, he is. Chance, she wants to talk to you.” Kaylyn’s voice lowered. “You better back me up, mister.”
“Sure, sweetheart.”
Kaylyn handed him the phone.
“Hi, Betty.”
“Chance, tell me the truth. Kaylyn is okay?” The woman’s voice shook.
“She’s fine.” The door opened and he heard the footsteps he knew came from Doc. “The doctor is here now. Would you like to talk to him?”
“Dammit, Chance. Give me the phone back.”
He grinned, knowing he’d pulled a fast one on Kaylyn.
“Yes,” Kaylyn’s mother said. “Please let me talk to Dr. Ryder.”
“Doc, I have Betty on the phone. She wants to know that her little girl is okay.”
Doc took the cell. “Hi, Mrs. Anderson. Kaylyn is going to be fine. It was only a flesh wound but deep enough that I want her to stay off her legs for a few days. Paris is bringing in a wheelchair and some crutches for her to take home with her. Yes, ma’am. I will. I promise. Chance she wants to talk to you again.”
“I think you are all going overboard about this. I’m fine.” Kaylyn’s frustration was clear. “I need to get back to work. I need to find my dogs.”
Ignoring her, he took the cell from Doc. “Hi again.”
“Do you think I should come back, Chance?”
“No. Kaylyn is fine.”
“I believe you, but you need to promise me something.”
“Of course.”
“Make sure Kaylyn does what the doctor says, Chance.”
“Jaris and I will make sure she follows his orders. I swear. Nothing is going to happen to her.”
“Promise me you’ll call me if I’m needed for any reason.”
“I promise, but don’t you worry. You’ve wanted this trip for as far back as I can remember. So please just enjoy yourself. It would make Kaylyn very upset if she did anything to ruin your vacation.”
“Thank you, Chance,” Kaylyn whispered.
“I trust you, young man,” her mother said. “But I will be calling every day.”
“And we will be looking forward to hearing from you, Betty.”
“I’d like to talk to my daughter again, if you don’t mind.”
He handed the phone back to Kaylyn.
“Hi, Mom.”
The door opened again.
“Here’s Kaylyn’s ride,” Paris said.
“A wheelchair? Oh brother. Yes, Mom. I promise to do what Doc, Chance, and Jaris say.”
As Kaylyn and her mother continued talking, he vowed silently to himself to not only make sure Kaylyn followed every one of Doc’s orders but also to make sure she remained safe.
Chapter Five
Being rolled out of the clinic in a wheelchair didn’t sit right with Kaylyn, but what choice did she have? Everyone was bent on her staying off that leg. This whole thing was being blown out of proportion. Chance and Jaris were the worst offenders, though in truth she liked the attention she was receiving from the gorgeous men.
Each of them held on to one of the handles of her wheelchair, while Mick directed them to Paris’s car. She was so thankful for Jaris and Chance’s help.
She knew they wanted and needed Sugar and Annie back by their sides. Thankfully, Emmett had called to say he was bringing their dogs from the ranch and would meet them at her house.
Paris was up ahead by her car, opening all the doors.
“Guys, move her a little to the left,” Mick told them. “Perfect. Ten more feet and we’re there.”
“Thanks, Paris, for being such a good friend.” Kaylyn cared deeply for her. The two of them had gotten really close. “I appreciate you driving us to my house.”
“No problem, Kaylyn.” Paris turned to Mick. “Let’s put our patient in the backseat.”
“Jaris and I will help her into your car.” Chance locked the brakes of the chair.
She loved how caring he and Jaris were being with her.
&nbs
p; “Hold on, buddy. Let me get in first so I can help get her settled.” Jaris placed his hands on the car, moving to the other side of the vehicle. He entered the backseat and slid over. “Ready, Chance?”
“Ready.” Chance lifted her off the wheelchair and into his muscled chest, taking her breath away for a moment. “You okay, Kaylyn?”
“I’m fine.” More than fine.
Chance stepped forward and lowered her down into Jaris’s arms.
“Guys, I can slide over to the middle on my own.”
“Maybe so, but we’re not going to let you put pressure on your leg. You seem to forget how deep your flesh wound is, Kaylyn.” Jaris slid over, keeping hold of her until she was in the very center of the backseat.
Chance sat down on the other side of her and pulled the door closed.
“Everyone buckled up?” Paris started the car.
Mick turned around from the passenger’s seat and inspected all of them. “All set. We’re ready to roll.”
Chance and Jaris both grabbed one of her hands. Did their feelings for her go beyond just friendship? Am I just fooling myself once again? She didn’t have a clue.
Mick put his arm around Paris’s shoulder and Kaylyn saw her shiver.
It was clear to her that Paris wanted the same kind of attention with Doc and Mick that she was currently enjoying from Chance and Jaris. The two brothers treated Paris more like a good friend most of the time, but Kaylyn knew better. She’d caught Doc and Mick, when they thought no one was looking, gazing at Paris in ways that made it obvious they saw her as more than just a friend. They saw her as a woman. How long before those three figured out they were meant for each other?
Why am I able to see clearly what those around me feel about each other but I can’t figure out what Chance and Jaris really feel for me?
* * * *
Jaris had been to Kaylyn and her mother’s house many times, helping them make dinner, which made things easier for him.
Three steps to the refrigerator. Two steps left to the stove. Turn around and one step to the sink.
He opened the cabinet to the left of the oven and pulled out a spice bottle. He took off the cap and sniffed. Celery salt. That’s not what I need for my spaghetti sauce. After a couple of attempts he found the garlic and other spices he wanted.
“Sugar, you think Kaylyn will want red or white wine?”
He heard his sweet companion bark, remaining on the floor by his feet.
He laughed. “I agree, girl. Red will be perfect.”
Kaylyn kept her whites in the refrigerator and her reds in the cabinet. He pulled out a red and opened it to let it breathe. He got three wine glasses out and set them by the bottle.
“Damn it. Kaylyn can’t have wine. She’s on medication.” He thought about putting the cork back into the bottle, but decided not to. Chance could have some and so could he. “Guess she’ll have to settle for soda, Sugar.”
Chance was with Kaylyn in her bedroom, where they’d gotten her settled after Paris and Mick dropped them off.
Stirring the sauce, his mind drifted back to earlier this morning. Kaylyn had been shot. He could’ve lost her.
His fingers tightened on the spoon. “Sugar, what would we do without her? Thank God, we don’t have to know.”
The shooter was still on the loose. He and Chance weren’t going to leave Kaylyn’s side until the fucker was found.
Keeping Kaylyn off her feet was going to be difficult because she wanted to start in the morning looking for the missing dogs. No way were he and Chance going to let her out until Doc released her to walk.
“Kaylyn is amazing, isn’t she, Sugar?” Talking to his dog was easy for him. He could trust Sugar with his life, and he knew not to trust anyone who didn’t like animals. “Kaylyn is the perfect woman in every way. She is loyal to her friends, her family, and even to precious dogs like you. Sugar, don’t you think Kaylyn will make a wonderful mother someday?” Unlike my own mother.
He heard Chance and Annie heading toward the kitchen.
“Whatever you’re cooking sure smells good.”
“Spaghetti. How’s our patient, buddy?”
Chance laughed. “Not so patient, if you know what I mean. When she hears you’re preparing spaghetti, she’s going to want to eat in the dining room instead of the bedroom.”
“Damn, I hadn’t thought of that. She is a neat freak, isn’t she?”
“She sure is,” Chance said.
“She’s not going to have any choice. You and I both know she can’t be on that leg too much.”
“I agree.”
“Here’s a bottle of red, a soda, and two glasses for both of you.”
“Wine for me and soda for her because of her medications, right?”
“Right.”
Chance took the beverages. “What about you, Jaris? What are you drinking?”
“I’ll bring my own glass and share the wine with you after I’m finished. I’ll have this ready in about five minutes. Go try to soften her up about the meal. Tell her that I’ll make sure it’s all cleaned up afterward. There won’t be a crumb left behind.”
“You got a deal.” Chance took Annie back to Kaylyn’s bedroom.
Jaris tasted the sauce, and then added a bit more garlic. As he stirred the pot, he thought about how gone Chance was for Kaylyn. They’d known each other for years. He had a pretty good idea that Kaylyn had feelings for Chance, too. They belonged together. Not him. He was the new man in her life. She and Chance had history, and it was time for them to move forward. Just a little push was all that was needed, and he was ready to make that happen tonight.
He took another taste of the sauce. “Just right, Sugar.”
Relationships required the right kind of ingredients to work, just like his sauce. As much as he loved imagining himself with Kaylyn, he knew she and Chance would make the perfect couple.
He reached down and patted Sugar on the head. “You’re my girl, aren’t you?”
She rubbed against his leg.
The words of his father swirled in his mind. “We Simmons men don’t have good luck with women, son.”
As he plated up the three dishes for Kaylyn, Chance, and him, Jaris mentally buried his feelings for her down deep in his core. It was for the best.
* * * *
Kaylyn leaned back on the pile of pillows Chance and Jaris had placed on her bed. Besides the two fluffy ones she already had, the guys had pulled out four more from the hall closet. Their bedside manner was to the extreme, though she still enjoyed all the attention.
Chance walked back into the bedroom with Annie. He was carrying several items tucked under his arm. “Dinner should be here any second. We thought it would be fun to eat in your room.”
Fun? I know better. They didn’t want her to walk to the dining room.
“This should keep your bed clean.” Chance spread a tablecloth out over her bedspread.
She laughed, seeing he’d brought out one with Christmas images on it.
“What’s so funny, Kaylyn?”
“The tablecloth has Santa and reindeer on it. Wrong time of year.”
“Is it?” He laughed. “I think we should sing Christmas carols until Jaris comes in with our food.”
“I would but I need to save my voice for the band. We perform for the opening ceremony of Dragon Week tomorrow night.”
“Come on, Kaylyn.” Chance hummed a few bars of her favorite Christmas song, and then began singing aloud, “…had a very shiny nose. Join me.”
“You’re a mess, Chance Reynolds.” She loved his humor. Always had. Actually, she loved everything about him. Always had. “And if you ever saw it—”
“Christmas carols in March?” Jaris came in with Sugar, carrying their dinner.
She and Chance burst into laughter. When she was finally able to compose herself, she explained to Jaris about the tablecloth.
He grinned.
God, I can’t get over his grin. “Smells delicious, Jaris. I love your
spaghetti.”
“I remember you did. I also made us some garlic bread to go with it.”
They ate the meal together, humming other carols between bites. After they finished, Jaris and Chance gathered up the dishes and placed the tray by the door.
“My mom taught me not to sing during dinner but this is so much fun.”
“We promise not to tell. Besides, I love hearing you sing. You have the most beautiful voice I’ve ever heard.” Jaris shook his head. “I’m getting off track.”
“Off track from what?” she asked.
“Nothing. Sorry. We just all have a lot on our minds. I would like to know how you two met.” Jaris’s sudden subject change seemed odd to her. He folded his arms over his chest. “Details. When? Where? That kind of thing.”
She looked over at Chance. “I’m not sure where to begin. Are you?”
“Not really. It’s seems like we’ve always known each other.”
Jaris laughed. “Okay. I didn’t want to do this but it looks like I must.”
“Do what?”
“I was one of Chicago PD’s best interrogators. I know how to get people talking, and clearly you two need my expertise. How old were you when you met Chance?”
“I’d just turned nineteen.” She closed her eyes and the memory of that day appeared in her mind. “Chance was twenty-two.”
“That’s right.” Chance grabbed her hand and squeezed it, sending a spark up her arm and into her heart. “I was still grieving the loss of my first companion and friend, Sarge.”
Jaris sighed. “I didn’t know you ever had another service dog besides Annie.”
“I did. I got Sarge when I was seven. I had him for fifteen years. I knew I needed another dog and did a search on the web. That’s how I discovered Kaylyn.”
“The weird thing is, Jaris, though mom and I had been raising service dogs for some time, I’d only put up our website the very day Chance contacted me. What are the odds?”
