Another Chance

by Michelle Beattie

  "I know," Silver acknowledged, though her eyes remained troubled.

  Shane rested his hands on his hips. Though the mood couldn't be more serious, Jillian had to fight a smile when the movement drew Silver's undivided attention.

  "I don't want to scare you, Jillian, but I can't stay awake all night and neither can you."

  "Truthfully, I'm more concerned about Hope and the other animals than I am about the house and my belongings. Until this stops, I've already decided to sleep in the barn."

  "I hate to see you do that, but I agree." Shane turned to Silver. "Ready?"

  Side by side, both astride black horses, Shane dark and handsome and Silver fair and beautiful, Jillian could easily picture them together. If only Shane could see it and Silver wasn't so afraid.

  ***

  The thick blanket of grey clouds blocked the sun and the gusty wind tugged at his hat. Wade ducked his head to keep his Stetson in place and the dust from his eyes. A small whirlwind spiraled across the yard. His shirt flapped against his chest and he put his weight into the gate to close it. He slipped the rope over the post and sighed.

  He'd spent the better part of the afternoon working with Chancy, a two year old gelding whose name fit him perfectly. He was a fast horse but had to be kept under firm rein. He tended to ignore Wade's commands and followed his own whims, which seemed to take him when its rider least suspected it. It would take a miracle to get him to Whiskey's level but he trusted Scott and his opinion that although Chancy couldn't help Wade's dream of a horse farm, he could be an excellent cow pony.

  Taking the saddle off the fence, Wade spit out the dust the wind was determined he eat and headed for the barn. He nearly bumped into Shane on the way out.

  "Twice in one day. You must be lonely," Wade chided.

  "Anyone else in there?" Shane nodded toward the barn.

  "No, why?"

  "Good. I'm tired of eating dirt." Shane brushed past Wade, then made himself at home on a bench.

  "Did Steven give you more trouble?" Wade asked, taking a seat next to Shane.

  "Not yet. But he is out. I let him go just before dinner."

  "You worried he might come after me?"

  Shane shook his head. "Not you, so much, but I do recommend you keep an eye open. He's not real pleased with you at the moment. Also wouldn't hurt to carry a weapon."

  Wade scowled. "He threatened me, didn't he?"

  "No. Actually when I spoke to him he was almost cooperative." He took a deep breath, let it out. "It's Jillian I'm worried about."

  It took everything Wade had to sit and listen as Shane recounted the trouble Jillian had been having. By the time Shane was done, Wade's jaw throbbed from clenching it.

  It hadn't occurred to Wade, when the bull deal had gone bad, that Steven was also hurting Jillian. Goddammit, it should have.

  "Look, I'm not telling you this for you to go tear into Steven. I'm just warning you. Who knows? Maybe now that I'm involved, things will settle down."

  "Or get worse. Whoever wants her gone bad enough to do this isn't going to be happy the sheriff's on her side."

  Shane nodded. Wade figured it was just habit for him to set his palm on the gun that rode in the holster. "We all need to be careful. Silver was at Jillian's this afternoon. She's in with your ma now, but I'll be riding with her back to town.

  "Wade, don't make this worse. Stay away from Garvey and his cohorts." The men came to their feet. They were about the same height and they stood eye to eye. "I have a real bad feeling about this, that it's going to get ugly. But in case I'm wrong, you going after Steven or anyone else that associates with him just might push things further than anybody wants."

  The thought of Jillian hurt was turning Wade's blood to ice. "What if we do nothing and he takes it further anyway? What if he goes after her next time, instead of her possessions?"

  "I'm going to do everything I can so that doesn't happen."

  "But you can't guarantee it, can you?"

  Shane held up his hands. "Wade, I-"

  "You can't, can you?"

  "No," Shane admitted, looking about as happy about that as Wade felt. "I can't."

  EIGHTEEN

  Jillian picked at the food on her plate, created a pile of mashed potatoes, and then flattened it down again. She'd cut the ham into bite-sized pieces but after stacking them until they toppled over, gave up on her supper. She hadn't been hungry to begin with but she'd prepared her small meal because she'd needed to do something.

  "Maybe I should get a dog," she thought, looking at her plate of uneaten food.

  She'd said it in jest, thinking of being able to give her leftovers to a dog rather than throw them away, but now that she'd thought it, the idea took hold. It wasn't a bad idea. She was alone; she couldn't stay awake indefinitely. A dog would alert her if someone or something came into her yard.

  For the first time all day, excitement filled her. A dog! She smiled, threw her leftovers in a pail she'd toss outside later when she did her evening chores. Tomorrow, she'd go into town. Surely Letty, as the owner of the mercantile, would know if anyone had puppies to give away.

  Until she found a dog, though, she was sleeping in the barn. With her rifle. Nobody was going to kill another of her animals. Jillian dug into the chest at the foot of her bed for extra blankets.

  The sound of hoof beats approaching carried through the bedroom window she'd left open for just that purpose. Jillian flung the blankets on the bed and ran to grab her gun. Once it was firmly in hand, she braced herself and looked out the kitchen window.

  She wilted like a flower in the heat of July. It was only Annabelle. Not wanting to scare the girl, Jillian placed the weapon behind the door.

  "Miss Matthews!" Annabelle called the moment Jillian stepped outside.

  Jillian waved, but waited for the girl and her horse to get closer before talking. Annabelle's shadow was taller than she was when she jumped from the saddle. Either the wind or her ride over had tugged strands of her dark hair free of her braids. As always the little girl's eyes glittered with life and energy.

  "Hello, Annabelle. What a nice surprise." Jillian looked down the road and beyond. Her stomach jittered thinking Wade may be coming along. Though she'd had a busy day, she'd secretly been hoping he'd come see her. To talk. To...

  But other than gently rolling green-covered hills there was nothing. "You didn't come alone, did you?" The thought left Jillian cold. She didn't know Steven well enough to truly know what the man was capable of, but Annabelle was Wade's daughter and if he was mad enough at Wade...

  The little girl clutched her horse's reins. "I heard Papa talking to Uncle Shane today. Uncle Shane says you might be in danger."

  Jillian scowled. She may not be a mother but she knew enough not to say such things around a child. Why scare the poor child for something she couldn't control?

  "I'm not, really. Your Uncle Shane just wants me to be careful."

  "Is this because of me? Because of what I said to Papa last night?"

  Jillian held her hand out for the horse to smell, and then patted the warm hide along its neck. "Let's get your horse some water, then we'll talk."

  They walked to Hope's enclosure where Hope came to make her introductions. The horses snuffled each other over the fence rail while Jillian let herself in and brought Hope's water bucket out. With Annabelle's horse tied and drinking, Jillian turned her attention back to the little girl.

  "Why would you think this is your fault?"

  "Because after I told Papa what I heard Mr. Garvey say about you, he got into a fight. I've never seen Papa in a fight before."

  It was clear the girl was both frightened and awed by what she'd seen.

  "Adults can do stupid things sometimes, Annabelle. And it's of their own doing. You're not to blame."

  The little girl slipped her hand in Jillian's as she fixed trusting eyes on her. Warmth spread through Jillian's chest and she squeezed Annabelle's hand.

  "Now, you haven't answere
d my question. Does your father, or anyone else, know where you are?"

  She looked down, shuffled dirt with her boot. "No, ma'am," she answered.

  Clearly she expected to be sent right back. Though the sun was sliding toward the horizon, dusk wouldn't be upon them for at least another hour. There'd be plenty of time to get Annabelle home before then.

  "I have a goat and a raccoon in the barn; would you like to see them?"

  Annabelle's gaze flew to Jillian's. Her excitement was tangible. "Yes'm, I would!"

  Before Jillian could say anything else she found herself being tugged toward the barn.

  ***

  Wade's heart pounded in his throat as he ripped up the stairs, flung the door open.

  "Annabelle!"

  He smelled his own sweat, his own fear. His voice echoed off the empty walls. He'd already checked the house once, when he'd come to fetch her to go fishing. She hadn't been there. But he'd checked the barns too, and by the creek. She hadn't been at either place. He'd thought maybe they'd somehow missed each other and tried her room again but it was as empty as it had been the first time.

  "Annabelle!"

  He raced down the steps and out the front door.

  "Annabelle!"

  Scott came running from his bunkhouse. Shirtless, with boots hastily yanked over his pants, and a rifle in his left hand, he sped around the corrals toward Wade.

  "What's happened?"

  "When was the last time you saw Annabelle?"

  "At supper. No, wait! I came back in about an hour ago, had a piece of cake. She was heading outside. You said you two were going fishing so I figured she was going to meet you."

  Wade's mouth was so dry it made talking difficult. "No. I told her I had a few things to finish first. I can't find her anywhere."

  "Could she be with your ma and James? If they went on a walk maybe she went along? She's done it before."

  His ma. Wade heaved a breath, wiped the sweat off his upper lip with the sleeve of his shirt. He hadn't thought of that and yet he should have, since he hadn't seen either James or his ma as he'd searched for his daughter.

  "Yeah, that makes sense," Wade took another breath. "It's this business with Steven. I thought maybe..."

  Scott placed a reassuring hand on Wade's shoulder. "I'm no friend of Steven's, either. I barely know the man, but I can't see him going after little girls to settle a score he has with you."

  "I'm sure you're right." Well, pretty sure. Still Wade wouldn't breathe easy until he saw his daughter. "I'll saddle Whiskey. It'll be faster to catch up to them that way."

  His hands were steady as he tacked his horse. He'd panicked, but now reason took over. His daughter was fine; she was with her grandma. He'd assumed the worst because his talk with Shane was still fresh in his mind. The more he thought about it, the better he felt.

  That didn't mean, however, that she wasn't going to be scolded for scaring ten years off her father's life.

  The air outside the barn was beginning to dampen. He could hear the frogs singing in the long grass as he led Whiskey out. The corral pen slammed to his left. Scott had his horse--the only thing he had come with five years ago other than a bag over his shoulder--by the halter. He'd put on a shirt, though he hadn't bothered tucking it into his pants.

  "Forget your saddle?"

  "Don't have time." He gestured over Wade's shoulder.

  Wade knew even before he looked, before Scott's words confirmed it. James and his ma had indeed gone for a walk and hand in hand were walking into the yard.

  Annabelle wasn't with them. The bottom fell out of Wade's stomach.

  "Peanut's gone as well," Scott said of Annabelle's pony.

  How had he not noticed the pony was gone? Because, he thought with a shake of his head, he'd been blinded by panic. And because they had a rule about her riding: she could ride alone if she told someone where she was going. Which, clearly, she hadn't done.

  "Maybe they saw her," Wade said, leaping into the saddle.

  His mother looked as scared as he felt when he told her Annabelle wasn't to be found. "We didn't see her."

  "When was the last time you did?"

  "She helped me with the supper dishes and then she went upstairs."

  Wade's heart was pounding. He stood in the stirrups, looked around. Nothing moved but his cattle and the few horses in the corral.

  "Scott saw her about an hour ago."

  "She's on Peanut," Scott said. He was riding bareback, the only one of them who could do it and still retain absolute control of his horse.

  "I was around the yard the whole time. I don't know how she could have slipped past me."

  "You did it all the time," his ma said, placing her hand on his leg. "It's amazing how fast you could disappear when you had a place in mind."

  "Yeah, but where would Annabelle want to-Jillian!" Wade exclaimed though the thought of possibly knowing his daughter's whereabouts didn't ease his fear. Not with what Shane had told him earlier.

  "Stay here in case we're wrong, Scott and I will go to Jillian's."

  "Take this," James said, handing over his Colt.

  Wade still hadn't come to terms with the idea of needing to carry a weapon everywhere he went but in this case he didn't argue. If his daughter were in danger he knew he wouldn't hesitate to use it. Besides, there were rifles in the house so James wouldn't be unarmed. Wade jammed the revolver in his waistband and tore out of the yard.

  Beside him, with his hands in the horse's mane as he bent over it, Scott kept pace. Now that the wind had died, dust hung in the air behind them. The road to Jillian's wasn't completely flat and they rode over several small knolls. It was as they crested the third that they saw two riders approaching. And one was on a pony.

  Wade eased on the reins and slowed Whiskey to a walk. The horse's heavy breathing matched his own. As they approached his daughter had the good sense to look contrite.

  "Annabelle, what were you thinking riding away like that without telling anyone?" he asked. Though he didn't yell, there was no masking his irritation either. "You scared us all."

  Annabelle wouldn't meet her father's eyes. "I'm sorry, Papa. Everyone was busy and I just wanted to talk to Miss Matthews for a bit."

  "You could have asked, Annabelle, and if we were busy it could have waited until tomorrow."

  She nodded, keeping her head down.

  "Scott, do you mind taking her home? I won't be long."

  "No problem. Come on, Button. Nice to see you again, Jillian."

  "And you," Jillian replied.

  "Annabelle." Wade caught her reins as she moved by. He waited until his daughter finally met his gaze. "After you take care of Peanut, clean up and get ready for bed. I'll be home soon."

  Her shoulders sagged. "We're not going fishing, are we?"

  He leaned over, kissed her forehead. "Not tonight. We'll talk about what you did and how you scared everyone when I get back."

  She sighed, turned to Jillian. "Thanks Miss Matthews. Goodnight."

  "Goodnight, Annabelle," Jillian answered.

  Wade waited until Scott and Annabelle had disappeared behind the hill. He hadn't planned on anything but finding his daughter. Now that he had, however, and he knew she was safe, his mind shifted to the woman before him.

  She wore no bonnet to protect her face and Wade had come to realize he liked that about her. He liked seeing her hair. His loins swelled as he thought about what it had felt like to touch that hair, to have it draped over him as she kissed him. Before he truly realized his intent, he'd swung off Whiskey and was at Hope's side.

  Jillian's cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink that had nothing to do with the sun's setting rays. She leaned into him. His hands clasped her around the waist. He deliberately eased her slowly down the length of his body, feeling her breasts slide down his chest. She smelled of fresh air and her own subtle scent that wrapped around him the same way it had last night.

  Her green eyes searched his, her soft hands rested on his sho
ulders.

  "I'm sorry you were worried."

  He'd been terrified, but it was over and knowing his daughter was safe and having Jillian in his arms, his attention was easily diverted. Since walking away last night he'd relived every touch, every kiss.

  Her mouth lifted to his. The moment those soft lips opened under his, his grip tightened and he pulled her hard against him. The same satisfied moan he'd heard several times last night escaped her as their tongues danced, explored. Set him on fire until he either had to step away or he'd take her right there on the road. The thought wasn't without merit, but the location was all wrong. And he'd meant what he'd said last night; he couldn't make her promises.

  With a last gentle nip on her mouth, he ended the kiss.

  "I didn't plan that."

  She smiled, wound her arms around his neck. "Nor was last night planned. Doesn't mean I regret either."

  "Neither do I," he said. Then before he gave into temptation again he gently pulled her hands from his neck and stepped back.

  "It would be easy, Jillian," he said when he saw the disappointment on her face, "to kiss you again. To make love with you. But-"

  "But you can't make promises. I remember."

  "I think we both have enough complications in our lives, don't you?"

  She crossed her arms. "Shane told you about Steven?"

  "This afternoon."

  "I know what he wants. He's trying to scare me out of town." Her chin rose defiantly. "He won't succeed."

  "It's not you personally he has a problem with, it's what you do."

  Jillian threw up her hands. "Why is what I do so hard to accept? I'm not a whore! I don't steal. I help animals, not hurt them or kill them and for that I'm being punished? Why?"

  Here was his chance, Wade thought. Here was a chance to try to explain where folks were coming from, why they thought the way they did. Why he thought the way he did. If he could get her to understand, if he could get her to reconsider being a vet then maybe...

  "It's a man's job to take care of his family, Jillian. From the beginning of time that's the way it's been. Men worked, the women were home, tending the home and the children."