by Opal Carew
“Now, ma’am, wait just a second.” His voice sounded far away as she entered another realm.
She walked across the porch.
“Yeah, fine, please, go right ahead. Don’t mind me.” He laced the words with sarcasm.
Even focused on the entity inside, she had to smile at his tone.
She touched the screen door. Whoever was existing here on a different plane loved this door. Loved the view when they stood inside it. “A woman.” The thought went straight from her head to her mouth. Cheyenne opened the door, walked into the room then turned and looked outside. “Yes, it is beautiful.” The mountains stood dark against the inky blue evening sky.
Not only did she see pictures in her mind, but words popped into her consciousness. This was a very powerful being.
“Hold on a minute.” Thad sounded panicked as he took the steps two at a time.
“She stood here often.”
He stopped as if he’d hit a wall. “Who?” His eyes shifted around, as if he expected to see someone else besides the two of them.
Cheyenne pushed open the screen door to let him in, and stepped backward into the room. “Please, you’re needed.”
He grabbed the door and came inside, his boots loud on the blue floor. Slowly he let the screen door close. Silence dropped, heavy and expectant.
“She loved the sound of the screen door slapping shut. It told her you were home.” Cheyenne could almost see it happening over and over again, day after day.
He groaned as if in pain. “Where is this coming from? How do you know this?”
She looked around at the white appliances, the little things like the blue and white towels and the colorful magnets on the refrigerator that felt like a woman’s touch. Taking a deep breath, Cheyenne closed her eyes and opened herself to receive whatever information the spirit wanted to tell her. It took only seconds for her third eye to see.
“She’s so lovely. Petite with long black hair and hazel eyes.”
Thad grasped the top of a wooden kitchen chair. “You saw pictures of her. At Sayde’s house, right?”
Cheyenne opened her eyes.
He jerked as if struck. “Your eyes are…”
“Don’t be alarmed. It’s just something physical that happens to me when I’m reaching for another dimension.” She knew they’d turned nearly black.
“That’s a good trick, but it doesn’t prove anything.”
Cheyenne held up her hands. “I have nothing to prove.” She closed her eyes. The woman in her mind’s eye was holding something. Something small and… “A baby. She has a baby in her arms.”
“Ah Jesus.” Thad’s head dropped forward and he sucked in a breath. “Leave. Now. Please.”
She heard his words, but the woman in her vision was reaching toward Thad, crying. Wasn’t your fault. You’re my rock.
“It wasn’t your fault. She called you her rock.”
Thad pressed his hands to his temples. “Stop. You have to leave. Now.” He walked toward her, his eyes frantic, haunted. “Don’t say any more. Please.”
Cheyenne wouldn’t push him. She stepped to the screen door. The woman reached out, wanting her to stay, wanting to communicate with Thad. “I’ll be back,” Cheyenne promised her.
“No, you won’t.” He stepped around her and pushed open the screen door, his body vibrating with anger and fear.
A blast of despair washed through her, so strong it nearly made her throw up. Cheyenne rarely felt so many emotions coming from the living. Something in him touched her deeply. She walked out onto the porch and he let the screen door slam.
“I’m so sorry, Thad.” She sniffled then realized tears were pouring from her eyes. She’d connected with him on a spiritual level, and was experiencing his emotions.
He stared at her as he closed the heavy wood door. The lock clicked, shutting her out.
Tonight’s experience had been exceptional. She walked to the support post and leaned against it. To have a clairsentient connection with a living being was a level she’d never thought she’d attain. Usually her clairvoyance of the deceased was muted, and took a great deal of time to filter, but the woman in her vision was nearly three-dimensional. What did this mean?
The porch light went off, and she took the hint. Her legs shook as she walked down the steps. There was someone in this house that needed her help, and she’d find a way. “Thaddeus McCade, I promise I’ll not let you down.”
She slid into her Mercedes and headed back toward Sayde’s. She’d have to cancel her meetings tomorrow in town. Whatever was shaking the foundations of this house, she wanted to help Thad face it head-on. Whether he liked it or not.
In minutes, Sayde had Cheyenne sitting next to her on a leather couch in front of a crackling fire in the stone fireplace. They each held a large balloon glass of red wine.
“I won’t ask you what happened, because I know that’s personal, but did you give him any relief?”
“No.” Cheyenne sipped the dry wine. “I need to go back, but he’s not going to be happy about it.”
“Stay as long as you need. This is very important to me. Whatever is happening…” Sayde shook her head.
“It’s very strong. I hope I didn’t make things worse.” She’d made mistakes before, had said the wrong thing and had unhappy results.
“No, you just have to understand Thad. He’s a…” Her brows lifted and her head tilted. “You should get out for a ride tomorrow.”
Cheyenne lowered her brows. “He’s not going to like that.”
Sayde grinned and sipped her wine. “Well, he’s not the boss.”
****
Thad trudged toward the barn well after seven the next morning, tugging his black cowboy hat onto his wet hair. He hadn’t slept much during the night, then had overslept this morning. The house had been silent, no ghost of…whoever it was. He still couldn’t wrap his brain around it being Melissa, but damned if he hadn’t wondered about that over the years. And especially lately, so close to the anniversary of her death.
His phone rang. Sayde.
“Morning, Mizz Sayde.”
“Good morning, Thad. How’d it go yesterday?”
Hadn’t her friend Madam Ruby filled her in on all the details? “Just fine. It’s all fixed.”
Sayde’s snort came loud and clear through the phone. “Cheyenne—or Madam Ruby as you know her—was hoping to get in some riding today. I need to be in town most of the morning. Are you heading out on horseback?”
Cheyenne. He couldn’t quite picture that being her name. Not with that suit and fancy vehicle.
“Thad? Did you hear me?” Her voice came loud through the phone.
He had been heading out, but suddenly his plans changed. “I can have a hand take her riding. I’ll call you back after I—”
“I’d rather it be you, Thad. You know every square foot of this ranch, and I’d feel more comfortable if she was with you.”
Thad gritted his teeth and stormed into the barn. How could he say no to such a seemingly innocent request? “I’d be glad to take her with me.” A city girl. They’d have to travel slow, stop often, and head back before he even got to where he’d intended to go today.
“Perfect, thank you. I’ll send her right down.” She disconnected.
“Perfect.” The word blasted out of his mouth like buckshot.
“Boss?” One of the ranch hands was feeding Mazie by hand.
Thad liked being called boss, a sign of respect from his workers. He’d expected to be the big boss of his own spread by now, and would have been if his life hadn’t gone to hell that day five years ago.
The old horse chewed slowly, staring at Thad.
“Hey, girl.” He stepped into the stall. “How’s she today, Clint?”
“‘Bout the same. Didn’t drink much last night.”
Thad put his ear to her chest. Her lungs wheezed but her heart beat steady. He looked her over, keeping his hands on her gently, letting her know where he was. “You’ll let me know when…�
� He looked at Clint.
“Yes, sir. You first, then Mrs. Grant.” He ran a hand down her long nose. “Then the vet, if necessary.” Clint was a large animal vet by training, but chose to work on the High Paradise instead of running his own veterinarian practice. There was a story there, but it was none of Thad’s business.
“Good. I’m goin’ riding with Mrs. Grant’s houseguest.” He left the stall and headed toward the tack room.
“Have fun.” The guy had the balls to laugh.
“Yeah, I’m really looking forward to it.” The sarcasm in his own voice surprised him. Did he dislike her that much, or just resent the idea that he was forced to babysit…
She stood just outside the door to the tack room, her face pale under her white cowgirl hat, her hair hanging in twin braids. “If this isn’t a good time for you, I can sure wait until Sayde gets back.”
“No, ma’am.” He touched the brim of his hat and walked past her, guilt making him want to hide his face from her. Walking out with two bridles, he gestured for her to follow him. “We’ve got a few choices for you.”
He stopped at the first stall. “She’s well broke, won’t spook on you.”
“Raindrop.” Cheyenne held her hand to the horse’s nose then scratched around her ear.
“Unless there’s thunder. Then she’s a little unpredictable.” Thad took a moment to appreciate the tight jeans Cheyenne wore on her endlessly long legs, the long-sleeved cotton shirt and suede vest that hugged her curves just right.
When he finally finished staring at her breasts and looked up a few more inches, her gaze met his. “I’d like a horse with a little more…fire.” Her eyes darkened just a bit as a zipline of awareness ran between them.
Now he could see how the name Cheyenne fit her perfectly. “Fire, huh?” The words came out of him like a challenge.
She squared off and dipped her chin an inch. “Yeah, fire. I’ve been riding since I was a girl. I can handle a spirited mount.” She lifted one eyebrow.
Down low in his belly, heat raced toward a spot behind his fly. Did she realize what she’d just said? “Fine, Madam Ruby. Let’s get you on top of something that’ll challenge you some.”
Her cocky look dropped away as color raced to her cheeks.
Yeah, now she knew she’d stirred the rattler’s nest.
“Look who wants to take a walk?” Clint held Mazie’s halter, trying to catch up to the horse and attach a lead rope to it.
“Oh, she’s so beautiful.” Cheyenne greeted the horse and stroked her as she plodded by. “She’s walking funny.” Her gaze shot to Thad’s.
“She’s been with Sayde for over thirty years. It’s…close to her time.”
The woman let out a long breath. “Sayde didn’t say anything.”
“A little bit of denial going on, there.”
She turned to him. “Sound familiar?”
With just those two words, Thad’s warm, fuzzy, sexy feeling for this woman disappeared. He spun on his heel, walked down three stalls, and in seconds, led Righteous through the barn. The gelding tossed his head and pranced a bit. He wasn’t one of their wildest horses, but he’d be a little bit of a handful for Miss Ghostbuster.
“He’s lively.” Her voice came out quiet.
He turned to look at her.
She smiled at him, almost apologetically.
Thad stepped in a fresh, steaming pile of horse apples. This was going to be one hell of a long ride.
Chapter Three
Cheyenne stared at the back of the cowboy in front of her. During their ride, Thad had replied to her questions about the ranch with monosyllabic answers as he plodded along a well-worn path on top of Gator.
She hadn’t bothered to ask where Gator got his name. The horse’s spots resembled alligator skin, except not green. Or slimy. She shivered. Any kind of water creatures freaked her out a little.
Under her, Righteous shook with the desire to break free into a run. She was feeling the need for speed, too. With a quick kick, the horse trotted up beside Gator.
Thad looked at her. “Tired? Want to go back?”
“More like bored.” Cheyenne hadn’t noticed it last night; the crooked angle in the middle of his strong nose. It looked like it had been broken at one time. It gave him a wild look, somehow, and it stirred something a little untamed inside her. If circumstances were different, she’d be flirting the shit out of this cowboy. “Can I run him?” A field opened to their left, gently sloping downward.
He rubbed the back of his neck. “If you’re sure you can—”
She didn’t waste another second. Kicking Righteous into a gallop then a run, Cheyenne wrapped the reins around her wrist and leaned down over his neck, hanging on with one hand on the pommel, one tight in his mane. The pasture whizzed by in a blur beneath them, the thudding of hooves and the horse’s loud breaths the only sounds she heard. She laughed, loud and free. She hadn’t done this in months, and it felt like a recharge to her soul.
They ran, muscles straining, wind strong on her face, until they nearly ran out of pasture.
From somewhere behind them, Thad’s voice reached her.
She risked a look.
He was running Gator, charging after her.
“Woo-hoo!” She squeezed her legs tighter around Righteous, encouraging him to win this race.
Hooves pounded behind her. “Slow down, damn it!” His voice came from much closer this time.
They were nearing a stand of trees, and the pasture gradually gave way to rockier ground. She eased the horse to a slow, loping run.
He reined up next to her. “This isn’t where you want to be running your horse. It’s rocky, there are tree roots.”
She could tell he was keeping his anger under control. Or was it something else? He looked pale. “Thanks, I saw the trees coming.”
They slowed their horses and he pulled off his hat and wiped his brow with his shirtsleeve.
How had he broken a sweat? It wasn’t that warm today. When she caught his gaze, her instinct told her it was anxiety. He was…afraid? For her? It seemed a bit of overkill, but maybe he was just a control freak.
The shine of sun bouncing off something to the left blinded her for a second. “Is that a river?”
“Yes.” He didn’t seem to be turning in that direction, and instead was guiding her in a wide circle heading back toward the ranch.
“Can we get to it?”
Heaving a long sigh, he turned his horse, slowing to a walk, and they wandered down a path toward the river.
They tied their horses to a tree where the animals could drink as much water as they needed and munch on the sweet grass growing between the rocks.
Cheyenne walked along the rocky bank. The trickle of the water almost made her want to peel off her boots and socks and stick her feet in. Almost.
Thad’s booted feet clomped somewhere behind her.
She came to a log lying parallel to the bank and sat on one end of it.
Thad stopped, then a few seconds later, sat on the other end.
Cheyenne stared at his profile. His jaw was tight, his lips pressed together, but that shaggy hair flipping out from under his hat was so damn sexy. His hand, braced on the log beside him, looked strong and tanned, scarred a bit, and she could almost feel how his callouses would scrape along her skin, just rough enough to excite her, fire up the need for hot, stormy sex. Low in her belly, an ache started to grow, need as unexpected as a lightning bolt from a blue sky filled her nerve endings.
She shook her head. It’d just been too long since she’d been with a man. It couldn’t be that she was actually attracted to Thad, could it? Closing her eyes, she could see him shoving her against a wall, lifting her leg and touching…
“You okay?” His voice rumbled, like he’d be pissed if she weren’t.
“Yes.” She let out a breath. “No.” The words she’d sliced him with in the barn niggled at her conscience. “I need to apologize for my comment in the barn.” When the words slid
right from her head and out her mouth, she’d been pissed at the nasty tone in his response to the ranch hand. Like she was some terrible burden he’d been forced to bear.
He sat staring at the river for long minutes. “Yeah. No problem.”
Now it was her turn to sit silently. She wasn’t going to push him, but she could sense he had something on his mind, too.
“I expected someone different.” The words seemed almost dragged out of him.
“I’m sure. You figured I’d have a tie-dyed dress, shawls, ankle bells.”
A small snort accompanied a barely-there smile. “Something like that.”
Cheyenne stretched her legs out and crossed one ankle over the other.
His eyes ran the length of her legs then stopped at her boots. He squinted. “You must make good money at this…job?”
She bit back a smile. He was looking at the stamp on the inside arch of her boots. Yes, they were custom-made by the best bootmaker in the US. “I make good money at my job, but ghost chasing isn’t my job, it’s a hobby. I’m an attorney. That’s where the suits and boots and car come from.”
His head swung toward her so fast, she expected him to lose his balance. “An attorney?”
“Uh-huh. I work in my mother’s firm. We do real estate law, and I handle the west half of Montana.”
“You’re serious.” His brows drew downward.
“Yes, I’m serious.” She leaned to one side and pulled out a business card from her back pocket.
His gaze followed her hand but stayed on her ass.
Something inside her heated and softened. He could look at her like that any day. Or night.
“Habit.” She handed the card to him. “Always carry a business card. My mother’s slogan.”
He took it, glanced at it, and slid it into his shirt pocket. “So why the…” He made spirit fingers with his hands, the way she had done in cheerleading.
“I found out I had strong psychic abilities when I was in college.” She smiled. “Old dorm building, lots of wandering spirits.”
“That’s…” He just shook his head and watched the water flow past.
