Black Hills Forever

by A. C. Wilson

  Tucking his phone back into his pocket, Garrett decided that he had better finish the oil. Laying back down onto the board, he rolled underneath and began where he had left off minus the angry female.

  Three hours later, Garrett hadn’t heard from Rayne. He sent off a text message, but she hadn’t answered it. Irritated that he couldn’t get ahold of her, Garrett got into his truck. He had intended to go find Rayne, but his phone chirped with an incoming text.

  @Rayne: I’m fine. In the office with Royal.

  Garrett gritted his teeth. He had a strange feeling about Rayne’s ex-husband, but he had been the one to bring the man here. He could hardly be jealous now.

  Garrett: Ok. Just checking on you.

  He didn’t expect to get a response on that and he didn’t. Maybe he shouldn’t hurry back to the ranch. He decided to head over to Matt’s instead and see if his dad was around. Some talking would get him out of his head and back onto solid ground.

  Garrett found Blake, Matt and his dad at the center. They were shooting the breeze in the stables where it was a whole lot warmer than outside. Winter in South Dakota could be brutal and the wind cut right through his heavy coat.

  “Congratulations are in order. Again.” Matt chuckled and Garrett mock punched him on the shoulder.

  “Thank you. Again.” Garrett grinned.

  “Christmas Eve, huh?” Blake asked, finishing the saddle he was cleaning.

  “It was the date she picked. I could have gone for much sooner.” Garrett smiled and sat down on a straw bale in the aisle. His dad was sitting there too.

  “I’m surprised you let her out of your sight after being alone with her for a whole week.” Blake winked as he set down his rag and can. Matt laughed in agreement.

  “She wanted to check in on Royal.” Garrett took off his hat and itched the back of his neck. Blake looked surprised.

  “I can’t believe you let her be alone around that guy.” Blake said, his eyes narrowing. It worried Garrett.

  “What do you mean? He is her ex-husband.”

  “That’s just it. I don’t think it is over for him. I think he’s still in love with her and means to win her back.” Blake had a knack for reading people. They all knew it, even in the limited time they had all spent together. Without sounding too jealous, Blake was just like their father in many ways.

  “We hashed that out a year ago. Royal Bentley knows that it is over and that Rayne isn’t his.” Garrett put his hat back on his head. “Besides that, she’s engaged to marry me.”

  The silence in the stable was astounding. Not even the horses made a sound. It turned Garrett’s stomach. Would Royal really make a play for Rayne? With all the doubts Rayne harbored, would she go back to him?

  “I hope you are right, brother.” Blake said genuinely. “But if you aren’t, let me know if you need help kicking his ass.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY TWO

  Royal was examining a couple of stray dogs that had been brought into the clinic. He smiled at her as the small terrier mix yelped and shook its head furiously.

  “It’s good to see you.” Royal said as he tried to hang onto the little fighter. Rayne took a deep breath and moved forward to help.

  “Where’s Tracey?” Tracey Lively was Rayne’s veterinarian technician and secretary rolled all into one.

  “She went out to get some syringes. We just need to vaccinate him and put him up for adoption.” Royal was having quite the time with the mutt. “After a bath and maybe some training.”

  It was Rayne’s turn to laugh. As soon as she put her hands on the dog and started talking to him, the terrier quieted. Royal removed his hands when he was sure Rayne had the dog.

  “Well might be safe to say he likes women.”

  Rayne looked into the dog’s warm brown eyes and sighed. “He was probably mistreated by a male. Better make sure he goes to a home with no men.”

  “That cuts down on his chances of being adopted.” Royal said as he wrote notes in the chart.

  “Maybe. Maybe not. There are some older women that need a spirited companion.” She petted the little head. “Isn’t that right, Ali?” She laughed.

  “Ali? Really?” Royal shook his head as if using that name for a mutt was a disgrace.

  “Yes, for Mohammad Ali. I think he had the fighting spirit.” Rayne hoped he did at least.

  The door swung open to the examination room and in breezed Tracey.

  “Rayne! I’m so glad you are back.” Tracey exclaimed, shoving off the vaccinations onto Royal.

  Rayne’s nose started to twitch and upon opening the door, Tracey must have brought in a sharp, musky smell that made Rayne’s stomach turn. She felt the blood drain from her face and her head was suddenly spinning.

  “Tracey grab the dog.” Royal commanded as he quickly circled the table to secure her arm. Rayne covered her mouth.

  “Trash. Can.” The broken alert was barely heard before Rayne found herself retching into an empty wastebasket. She was glad that it wasn’t later in the day. There was no telling what might have been in it by then. She leaned over the can, her head still heavy and her stomach mutinous.

  Royal and Tracey were directed to finish the exam of little Ali, which they did with some protestation. Once Tracey was on her way back to put Ali in his sleeping quarters, Royal closed the door so no one would hear them speaking.

  “Are you ok?” He asked, helping her to her feet and easing her into a chair. Rayne was sleepier now, but she tried to muster her thoughts.

  “I think I’m coming down with something. Garrett told me to go home and rest, but I had to stop by to see if everything was fine here.” She wiped the tiny beads of sweat off her forehead. She dried her hand off on her jeans.

  “You should have listened to him. You know I can handle it here.” Royal seemed angry and she didn’t understand why. She was ill. Wasn’t she? Her heart was beating fast. She closed her eyes trying to calm it.

  “I wanted to tell you that Garrett and I have set a wedding date for Christmas Eve.” She watched that wave of news hit him. He might have paled a bit. “I’d like you to come.”

  “I’m your ex-husband, Rayne. Wouldn’t it be bad luck?” Royal clenched his jaw when he was frustrated, which was something he and Garrett had in common. She knew she probably shouldn’t ask, but Royal had been her friend before they were married.

  “You’re my only family left. I need my family to be there.” Rayne felt tears spring into her eyes and she swiped at them with the back of her hand. Royal saw her.

  “Please don’t cry. Of course I’ll come if you want me to be there.” Royal crouched in front of her with a tissue. His fair hair and green eyes made him seem so innocent and young. They had been through so much together and in the end, they couldn’t weather the last storm.

  “I miss working with you. We used to be such a good team.” Rayne blurted out, thinking about Ali and how natural it felt to be in the same room as Royal. He nodded, his green eyes wary.

  “We did always have this in common.” He widened his hands to indicate being vets. They had been good at it. Both graduating from Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas with degrees to be veterinarians. Royal’s father had been one too. “I miss you though. I miss us.”

  Rayne’s head was spinning but it was like it had suddenly stopped on that statement. Her mouth even fell open.

  “You shouldn’t say that, Royal. I’m going to marry Garrett and I might be…” Rayne clamped her hand over her mouth as the words spilled out of her. Royal’s eyes widened. He wasn’t a stupid man.

  “Are you pregnant, Rayne? Is that why you’re sick?” His green eyes widened even as she tried to make sense of it herself. Of course she didn’t know for sure. It had been too early or so she thought.

  “I haven’t taken a test.” Her bottom lip quivered and the water works started again. Weakness aggravated her.

  “Before you know for sure, I need to know if things were different, could we have a chance? Could we start
over?”

  His hands rested on the one on her knee. Rayne felt under siege. It was something she had wanted before Garrett. After that man, nothing else would ever compare and she knew it. It would only hurt Royal to think that he ever could.

  “No, we can’t go back. I’m in love with Garrett and he’s going to be my husband.” The words made Royal look away. She pulled his chin back to her. “We hurt each other and I’m sorry for that. Royal, you will always be my family. You’ll never know how much I’ll love you for that.”

  Royal stood up and extricated their hands. She knew that he understood and wouldn’t bring it up again. She also knew how much it hurt him. Garrett may have asked Royal to come here, but Royal had come for her.

  “Maybe you should take that test, huh?” Royal turned to her and offered a small grin. Rayne put a hand flat to her stomach and wished for answers.

  “I have one in my desk drawer.” She offered a small shrug and it was Royal who made the first move. He crossed slowly to the door that led to the hallway and he looked at her once before turning the knob. She wasn’t going to stop him.

  When Rayne got home that evening, Garrett was waiting for her. She saw his truck parked in its usual spot and sighed. Turning the engine off, Rayne pulled out her phone and texted Royal.

  @Rayne: Got home safely.

  Her phone dinged back quickly with an O.K. She stared at the message and knew that some things would never be the same. Royal had said what he needed to get off his chest and Rayne knew in her heart she could never go back. Besides Royal wasn’t a one woman man. He had proven that time and time again.

  Getting out of her truck, Rayne watched the porch light turn on and Garrett opened the front door. Her stomach fluttered with butterflies. One look at Garrett’s blazing blue eyes and the butterflies transformed into birds.

  “Thank you.” She said as he opened the door and stepped back for her to enter. She unzipped her coat and hung it up on the peg along with her hat.

  “I wasn’t sure when you would be home so I started dinner.” Garrett said from beside the stove. “Actually I’m heating up my mom’s chicken noodles and making some mashed potatoes.”

  Rayne took a deep breath of the aromas in the kitchen and her stomach growled. She clutched it quickly.

  “I smell fresh bread too.” She said and smiled when he nodded. “I’m starving.”

  “Good. It should be done here in a few minutes.” Garrett continued to mash the potatoes with a manual masher although they had a mixer. He had insisted that it was the way his mom taught him and that’s how he would do it. She didn’t argue from then on.

  “I’m going to go up and take a shower. I’ve been frozen all day.” She announced and only got a nod from the back of Garrett’s head. Taking a deep breath, Rayne moved from the kitchen and headed upstairs to the bathroom.

  The steam from the shower was fogging up the bathroom, but Rayne couldn’t bring herself out from underneath the spray. It felt so good and she absorbed as much heat as she could. She lathered up her hair twice with shampoo in order to get the analgesic smell from it. Then she made use of her razor and shaving cream. The lavender fragrance relaxed her to the point that she was leaning her forehead against the tiled wall when Garrett’s voice startled her.

  “Everything fine in here?” His gruffness told her something was up. She felt a pang of uneasiness.

  “Almost a raisin. I’ll be out in a minute.” Putting the stuff away and turning off the water, Rayne moved the curtain back. She was startled to see Garrett waiting across from her with a towel. Rayne pressed a hand to her chest.

  “Sorry.” He said unfolding the towel and holding it up. Rayne stepped out and let him wrap the fluffy towel around her.

  “You don’t sound sorry.” Rayne watched his eyes. They were deep and she knew he was hurting. She didn’t know why though.

  “Is something going on with you and Royal?” He blurted out before she could steady herself. This was insane. She hadn’t expected that from him, at least not now.

  “Are you kidding?” It was all she could say. She wiped a wet strand of hair out of her face. Garrett held her gaze, searching her eyes. She let him. She knew he could read her.

  “I talked to Blake today and he thinks Royal came here to get you back.”

  Rayne thought his jaw might crack.

  “Did Royal tell Blake that?” Rayne asked, wondering what to tell him. She wasn’t looking for a fight. There was no need for it and she was tired.

  “Not that I’m aware. Blake just had a feeling and he’s good at reading people.” Garrett defended his half-brother. Of course Blake was good at understanding people with little information. She knew it. She also knew the truth.

  “You asked Royal here. He didn’t come all on his own.” Rayne tightened the towel and moved toward the bathroom door. She turned down the hall without waiting to see if he would follow. He did of course. The heavy foot falls told her so.

  “I did invite him. It doesn’t mean there wasn’t an alternate motive.” Garrett watched her dry off. She felt his eyes on her naked body. Even during an interrogation, she still felt her blood stir for him.

  “No, it doesn’t. We are just friends now, Garrett. You have to understand that he is my only family.” Rayne turned and looked directly at Garrett. Defiance was in her eyes. He had to leave this alone. It wasn’t a fight she wanted to have over nothing.

  “I am your family. The Johnsons are your family, Rayne.” He moved toward her with his hands open. She considered him.

  “You will be my family. Your family will be mine. Royal is mine as well. You have to accept that.” She stepped forward, knowing he was losing his steam and so many more possibilities were coming to mind. “I’m marrying you on Christmas Eve, Garrett. You’ve got me for better or for worse.”

  Garrett came within a few feet. He looked her up and down as brazenly as ever. She loved it. It made her smile and bite her bottom lip. Her skin begged to be touched.

  “God, you’re beautiful.” Garrett growled as his fingertips grazed her naked skin and it sent goosebumps popping up. She shivered in anticipation. Strong emotions incited passion and they had no shortage of that.

  “Thank you.” She smiled, feeling her breasts rise.

  “Can I ask you one more question?” He fairly whispered between them, one finger trailing from between her breasts to her belly button and lower. Rayne closed her eyes.

  “Yes.”

  “Can I punch him anyway?” She heard his grin even before she saw it. She didn’t get a chance to answer as Garrett made use of that questing digit. They were lost to the world of bliss and she was content to stay.

  CHAPTER THIRTY THREE

  “I’m going to offer Rayne my wedding dress.” Lacey said two weeks before the wedding while having morning coffee with Travis. He sipped first and then commented.

  “The one your mother made you wear?” He looked skeptical knowing that Lacey had hated it, but had worn it to please. It wasn’t exactly what he hoped for Rayne, especially without her own mother and feeling like it might be an obligation to Lacey.

  “No. Not that monstrosity! The dress that I wanted to wear. I kept it and hoped that someone would want to wear it.” Lacey got up to refill her cup and brought the pot over to top Travis’s cup off. He grabbed her wrist to stop her and leaned forward to place a kiss to the leaping pulse point.

  “All you can do is ask.”

  She smiled at him and put the pot away. Travis was glad that his wife was feeling more comfortable with having him home. They had talked and listened until there really wasn’t anything else to say. Fears would be fears and they wouldn’t totally go away. It was a beginning for them both to say and do what they had always wanted. That’s why he was meeting with the boys today.

  “I’m going to take it over to her this morning. Garrett won’t be there so I don’t have to worry about him seeing it. Nora told me Rayne was having a hard time finding what she wanted. The girls spent two
days in Rapid City and found nothing. I felt bad for her.”

  “Blake told me she asked Bailey to stand up with her. I was happy she did.” Travis sipped from his favorite cup. He doctored it with a bit more sugar.

  “Three on each side. I heard Garrett couldn’t pick just one best man so he has three. I assume Rayne is doing that with Andy, Nora, and Bailey.” Lacey smiled and passed the creamer.

  “It’s pretty perfect. Harper and Regan as flower girls. Drew as the ring bearer.” Travis chuckled. “I’ve even heard it mentioned that Colt is set to perform at the reception.”

  “Have they found a place for the wedding and reception?” Lacey asked, taking a bite of her scrambled eggs.

  “Matt said the community center was the largest and they could handle both. I think Rayne wanted something less formal and smaller.” Travis remembered the conversation with Matt, but was assured that everything was being handled.

  “There is still two weeks and no one else is getting married right before Christmas. A last minute switch should be fine.” Lacey took the pepper and added a dash to her eggs.

  “Will you save a dance for me? I figure I should ask early since your card might be filled.” Travis paused and then chuckled at her face. Lacey looked like she’d eaten something bad. No doubt the question had caught her off guard.

  “Oh very funny! Teasing an old woman, Travis Johnson!” She scolded and did her best to look indignant.

  “Old my foot! You’re sweeter now than when I married you.” Travis wiggled his brows up and down to send the message across. Message received! Lacey’s cheeks reddened.

  “You are an ornery man.” Lacey blustered trying to get rid of her embarrassment, but he could tell she loved the lop-sided compliment. She set her dishes in the sink and turned back to him. His coffee cup caught her eye and she watched it as if it foretold the future. Some cracks were harder to mend than others. This one would take some time.

  “But you love me anyway.” Travis said as he got up from his chair. He blocked the coffee cup from her view and Lacey looked up at him. She mustered a smile.