Brett chuckled. “Don’t be. I’m worried when they do what I say. It usually means they’re up to something.” He looked at Jon, one eyebrow up. “You two have a fight?”
“No! Not at all.”
“You just remember she’s my little girl. Okay?”
“Of course.”
The ladies had already gone into the café and Jon held the door for Brett. By the time they got to the table, a big round booth for six, Victoria was sitting between her sister and her mother, making sure Jon couldn’t sit next to her.
A WEEK LATER, Jon stopped by the accounting office again. He’d barely seen Tori. He’d offered lunch again, but he ended up with Jessica. He’d asked her questions about her sister, but she wouldn’t say much.
He wasn’t sure why Tori was avoiding him. But he had a good reason for coming this afternoon. Russ had been gone a week, and he was worried about him.
Jessica looked up when he came in. “Hi, Jon. It’s a little late for lunch.”
“Yeah, it is. Is Victoria in?”
“Yes, but she’s working.”
“So am I. Please tell her I need to see her about Russ.”
Jessica frowned but picked up the phone and punched in two numbers. She repeated his words into the phone. Then she hung up the receiver. Before she could say anything, the door on the left opened and Victoria stared at him.
“Come in, Dr. Wilson.”
His gaze swallowed her whole. Her face looked pale and she had shadows under her eyes. He wanted to wrap her in his arms and promise to take care of her.
He walked into the office. The last time he’d seen it, it had been empty. Now there was a rug on the floor, a large desk with a computer and several wing chairs in front of the desk. “You furnished the office. It’s nice. Is that why you’re so tired?”
“I thought you had questions about Russ.”
“I do. I was just making conversation first. Trying to be polite.” He could tell she wasn’t buying that excuse.
Putting the desk between them, she sat down after waving him to a wing chair. “What do you want to know?”
“Has Russ been heard from?”
She looked away. “No. He hasn’t.”
“Is someone going to go check on him?”
“Uncle Pete says no. He said he promised Russ that no one would bother him.”
“I think he’s been out there by himself long enough.”
She leaned forward with a sigh. “I know. I’m worried about him, but I’m not sure what to do.”
“Could you draw a map to this place?”
“What? Why?”
“Why? Because I want to go see him.”
“Doctors don’t make house calls. Did you forget?”
“And you didn’t even crack a smile.” He studied her face. “What’s wrong, Tori? I thought we were becoming friends last week.” He watched her closely. He’d been wanting to ask that question for a long time.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“At one time you called me Jon. Now we’re back to Dr. Wilson. Why?”
“I’m trying to keep the town from thinking there’s anything between us.” She glared at him, as if he were mentally deficient.
“Fine. You didn’t answer my question.”
“Which one?”
“Can you draw me a map?”
“Of course not. I can’t let you go out into the wilderness on your own. You’d get lost and would never be seen again.”
“Then go with me.”
“Jon, forget it. You can’t go looking for him.”
“But I’m concerned. Russ was in bad shape when he left. Without anyone to talk to, he may go off the deep end.”
“I’ll talk to Uncle Pete again. That’s the best I can do.”
She stood and opened the door to her office.
“Does that mean I’m supposed to leave?”
“Yes. I’m trying to finish up some work before I stop for the evening.”
“Want to have dinner with me later?” He couldn’t resist giving it another try. He didn’t intend to marry anyone, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy female company.
“No, thank you.”
With a sigh, he walked out, saying goodbye to Jessica as he went.
TORI THOUGHT ABOUT Jon’s words the rest of the day. It was difficult to go against any of the brothers. Her father and uncles were so dear. But she’d been wondering if it was wise to leave Russ out there all alone.
She decided tomorrow evening she’d go to the ranch and have dinner. Tomorrow morning, she’d call her mother and see if that would be all right. She had good reason. She’d invested in Russ’s business. If the business fell through, she’d lose a lot of money.
Then she shook her head. That wasn’t why she was worried. She loved Russ, as she did all her cousins. But she and Russ were close because they were both quiet. Well, she used to be. He’d been in Rich’s shadow. When he and Abby found each other, it was as if he had moved into the sunshine.
She’d lost Abby. They all had. But she wasn’t going to sit back and lose Russ, too. Her mother had once told her she’d win her battles if she fought for what she wanted. She wanted Russ safe.
By Friday night, she’d made her decision. She was going to find Russ the next morning. On Thursday, she’d expressed her concern to Uncle Pete, but he’d been adamant that he’d promised his son and he was keeping his word.
Tori was pretty sure Janie, Russ’s mother, wasn’t in agreement with her husband, but her aunt didn’t know what to do.
Well, Tori did. She was going out to the ranch and would steal a couple of horses and trek over the mountains to the cabin. The trip would take all day.
A knock on her door brought her to a halt. She checked her watch. It was almost nine o’clock. “Who is it?”
“Jon.” When she didn’t respond, he added, “I need to talk to you.”
She stood and opened the door a few inches. “Yes?”
“What are you doing in there? Sounds like you’re rearranging the furniture. Need some help?”
“No, thank you,” she said coolly, and started closing the door.
He quickly stuck his foot in the way. “You never told me what you found out about Russ. Did you ask his dad?”
“Yes, and he’s still convinced he should wait for Russ to come back.”
“And you agree?”
She said nothing.
“Tori?”
“I’m busy, Jon. Go home.”
“You’re hiding something.”
“How would you know? You don’t know me. Leave me alone. Mind your own business.”
“When are you going?”
She stared at him. He couldn’t know. “What are you talking about?”
“When are you going to find Russ?”
She licked her lips and looked away. “This is none of your business.”
“You didn’t think I should go by myself. I don’t think you should, either.”
“I live here.”
“I’m a doctor. Suppose you get there and he needs medical help? Wouldn’t it be good if I was with you?”
“There’s no reason he’d need medical help. You’re just trying to scare me.”
“Then why are you going to find him, if you don’t think he’s in trouble?”
She walked away from the door. “I think he’s sad.”
“Of course he’s sad. Look, I just want to help. Russ has been good to me. I want to do what I can for him. Let me go with you.”
“Have you ever been on a horse?”
“Yeah. I’m no expert, but I can ride.”
“You’ll have to be ready at six-thirty in the morning. Pack one change of clothes. I’ll add enough food for you. And be prepared to face Uncle Pete’s wrath. I haven’t told them I’m going.”
“You sound like a general,” he said with a grin.
But she wasn’t smiling. “You’d better believe it. I’m going to be in charge. If y
ou go, you’ll do what I say.”
Chapter Six
When Tori thought about Jon going with her, she was torn between relief and fear. She hadn’t wanted to make the trip alone. She couldn’t ask one of her male cousins to go against Pete’s wishes. But she was worried about spending more time with Jon. She was attracted to him. She didn’t want to admit it, but it was true.
After she’d spent the night on his sofa, she’d realized she had a problem. First of all, she didn’t know how she’d gotten to the sofa. And secondly, her pillow carried his scent. She’d slept like a baby, and she’d dreamed she’d been held in Jon’s arms.
Now she was taking him on an overnight trip?
But nothing would happen. Russ would be there. At least she prayed to God he was there.
She opened her door at six-thirty that morning and the sun was peeping over the horizon. If the man wasn’t ready, she was leaving him there. But he was sitting in front of his door, calmly waiting.
He stood, and Tori held her breath. This was her first time to see him in tight-fitting jeans. He always wore slacks while he worked as a doctor. Now he was dressed like a cowboy, with a jacket on his arm. He held a backpack and his doctor’s bag. “Okay?” he asked.
She checked out his footwear. He obviously didn’t have cowboy boots, but he was wearing hiking boots. “Do you have a hat?” she asked.
“I’ve got a baseball cap. That’s all.”
“Get it. I might be able to find you a hat, but I’m not sure.”
He unlocked his door and went in.
“I’m going on down,” she called, but he was out of his apartment and locking the door as she finished.
“Right.” He hurried down the stairs behind her. “Should we take my SUV?”
“No. My car is familiar to the family. They won’t think anything about me being there. I want to get away before they investigate.”
“Won’t they notice the horses missing?”
“Yes, but hopefully not until tonight when they find my note. We’re going to get to the ranch about the time they ride out. Once they’re off to work, we’ll be able to mount up without drawing any attention.”
He frowned. “Look, Tori, I don’t know if I can saddle a horse.”
“Don’t worry. I can.”
After turning into the driveway a few minutes later, Tori parked the car on the crest of the hill that looked out over the Randall spread.
“Wow, this is a big place,” Jon said, taking it all in.
“Yes, it’s home to a lot of Randalls.”
“How many still live here?” he asked.
“The four brothers, their wives, Red and Mildred, and all the kids except Rich and Sam. They live with Rich’s grandmother because he manages the ranch for her. Russ and Abby had their own house. I don’t know what will happen now.” She paused and swallowed. “And then me and Caroline.”
“Caroline?”
“My cousin. She’s in med school in Chicago.”
“Randall? Caroline Randall? And does she have the typical russet hair, like your sister?”
“Yes.”
“I think I’ve met her.”
Instead of answering, Tori eased her car down the driveway, going very slowly. “The men just rode out.” She pulled to a halt by the second barn. “Don’t slam your door.”
After she chose the horses, it was Jon who placed the saddles on the horses’ backs. And Tori who dealt with the buckles and the bridles. Then she chose a packhorse and belted a contraption that allowed her to load their needs onto its back. She added two bedrolls from a cabinet and covered everything with a waterproof tarp.
“You keep the bedrolls in the barn?” he asked in surprise.
“This is the indoor arena. We keep a lot of things in here. Wait here.” She slipped away through another door and Jon stood there, holding the reins for the three animals. What he’d do if someone caught him, he didn’t know.
When she came back, she was holding a hat. “Here, put this on.”
“But it’s not mine. I can’t—”
“It’s Dad’s. Put it on.” She glared at him. “Remember, I’m in charge.”
He put it on.
She pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and a pushpin. Then she tacked the paper to the last stall. “Now they won’t worry when they come in tonight.”
She took the reins from his hands and led the animals outside. “Mount up,” she ordered, handing him the reins to the larger of the three animals. “He’s well trained.”
Jon swung into the saddle, not with the grace of her uncles or cousins, but he managed a credible mount.
With ease she mounted and wrapped the reins of the packhorse around her pommel. “We’re going to go slow for a few minutes, until we get some distance from the house, like we’re on a casual ride. Then we’ll pick up speed until we get to rough country.”
After that, she didn’t have to worry about making conversation. She kept checking to be sure he was managing, but he was an acceptable rider, at least on level ground.
THREE HOURS LATER, Tori called a halt. They were starting to climb and she thought it was a good time for a break. Jon hadn’t slowed her down, which had surprised her.
“What’s wrong?” he asked as he pulled up beside her.
“Nothing. We’re taking a break.”
“I can go on,” he assured her, frowning.
“And you will. Right now we’re taking a break. There’s water here for the horses, and some grass, too. You have to take care of your ride.”
“Oh. Right.”
She led the horses to the edge of a small creek. As they drank their fill, she took out a thermos, a plastic cup, and a pack of oatmeal-raisin cookies. She handed all that to Jon and led the horses over to a grassy area. She dropped the reins to the ground and came back toward Jon.
“Aren’t you going to tie them up?”
“No. They’re fine.”
She sat down on the grass and stretched her arms up for the things she’d handed him. He gave them to her but remained standing.
“Aren’t you going to sit down?”
He gave her a rueful grin. “I’m afraid if I do, I won’t be able to get up again. It’s been a while since I’ve ridden.”
She admired his honesty. A lot of men refused to admit a weakness. “I’ll help you up. I promise I won’t leave you behind. And if you stretch out a little, it will hurt less this evening.
“Okay, I’ll give it a try.” With a few moans, he managed to get down.
Tori handed him the plastic cup filled with steaming coffee.
“What are you going to use?”
“The top of the thermos.” Then she opened the pack of cookies. “These are as close to breakfast as I could figure out. They’re oatmeal-raisin cookies. Think of it as oatmeal.”
“Thanks. I didn’t eat much breakfast.” He ate several cookies before he spoke again. “The cookies are great.”
“Eat as many as you want. I’ve got more for the morning.”
“When we start back?”
She nodded.
“Okay.”
She grinned. “You don’t sound as enthusiastic as you were earlier.”
“I know. But I won’t quit.”
“Good. Now stand up, if you’re through eating cookies.”
He grabbed a couple more in his hands and struggled to stand. He made it and sighed. “We mount up again?”
“Not yet. Stretch your legs. It will help.”
He followed her instructions, then asked, “You got a pillow for my saddle?”
“Nope. You’re on your own, there, cowboy.”
JON FOLLOWED in the tracks of his own personal cow-girl. He’d thought she looked so cute this morning in her jeans, boots and cowboy hat. Like a little girl playing dress-up. But she was comfortable in her clothes, and she’d demonstrated her skills all morning.
The way she swung back into the saddle showed her endurance, too. He clambered on like the greenest d
ude in the world. Damn, he was sore! She’d said it was a nine- or ten-hour ride, so he only had six or seven more hours.
He shifted in the saddle. He focused on Victoria’s trim behind. Maybe her sexy appearance could distract him from his woes. It didn’t take long for him to discover that an arousal in tight jeans on the back of a horse was a big mistake.
As they rode upward on narrow trails, he appreciated his horse even more than when they started. He was a surefooted animal. “Hey, what’s this horse’s name?”
She looked over her shoulder. “I didn’t think I should tell you until you’d spent some time on his back.”
“Why?” he asked suspiciously.
“His name is Devil.”
Jon stared at her in confusion. “Why? He’s well behaved.” He feared the horse had a trick he hadn’t played yet, like throwing him off on the steepest trail.
“Don’t worry. Casey, my youngest cousin, got to name him and he thought he looked like Red’s devil’s food cake. But if I’d told you that this morning, you probably wouldn’t have believed me.”
“You’re right. What’s your horse’s name?”
“Snowflake. The packhorse is Snoopy. Now we’re all introduced.”
“Yeah.”
“We’re going to stop for lunch when we get to the top of this ridge. Can you hang on that long?”
His cheeks flushed. She must have seen how desperate he was for a distraction. “You bet,” he returned, trying to sound enthusiastic. Then he ground his teeth and closed his eyes, trusting Devil to follow Snowflake and Snoopy to the top. Sounded as if he was in a damn fairy tale instead of a torture chamber.
TORI LEANED against a tree and watched Jon sleeping. They’d stopped for lunch. After he wolfed down the roast beef sandwiches, she’d suggested he lie down for a few minutes. She’d told him to use his jacket as a pillow. After he’d done so, she spread her jacket over his chest.
Riding all day required seasoning, just as a runner didn’t start with a marathon. This was going to be a hard trip for the doctor. He was going way beyond the care most doctors offered. She didn’t want to admire the man…but she did. And if they got there to find Russ in trouble, she’d be even more grateful.
Randall Honor Page 6
