by Ward, Alice
“Get your fucking hands off of her!” James yelled. He ripped Bradley’s right arm off me and shoved him backward. I stumbled and fell to my seat as James pushed past me.
“James!” Renee gasped.
“Bradley!” Daddy added sternly as Bradley squared off and raised his fists.
“You think I’m afraid of you?” James hissed at him. “You think those fists scare me? You’re a piece of shit scum bag who just forced himself on a woman. You’re not scary, you’re fucking pathetic.”
“James, please just drop it,” I pleaded. I stared up at him, but he completely ignored me.
“You have a lot of nerve calling me pathetic,” Bradley sneered. “And I didn’t force myself on anyone. Willow likes to play hard to get, don’t you, baby?” He winked at me and James punched him in the face. Bradley fell to the floor as James shook his fist in the air.
“James Augustus Parker! That is enough,” Renee exclaimed.
Daddy stepped into the aisle and pulled Bradley to his feet while I remained rooted to my chair. People around us had heard the commotion, and a security guard rushed into the box just as Dale and Jan returned with their winnings.
The smile on Dale’s face disappeared as he looked down at the scene before him. Bradley was sitting on a chair with his head tilted back to stop his nosebleed while James cradled his stinging hand.
“Just what the hell is going on in here?” he demanded.
“That’s what I’d like to know,” the security guard said sternly. He put his hands on his hips, the right one hovering just above his taser.
“This animal just attacked me,” Bradley said.
“This predator just forced himself on Willow,” James growled.
I cannot believe this is happening.
Bradley waved off James’s accusation. “For the last time, I didn’t force myself on Willow. We were celebrating; I got carried away. That’s all.”
The security guard looked at James. “So you admit that you hit him?”
“You’re damn right I hit him,” James spat. “And if he ever fucking touches her again, I’m going to do worse than that.”
The guard narrowed his eyes at James. “Sir, did you hit him first?”
“Yes,” Bradley answered. “He hit me first. He hit me, period. I didn’t fucking touch him.”
The guard turned to Daddy and Renee. “Can either of you corroborate that statement?”
Renee looked to the ground and Daddy took her hand. “Yes, I’m afraid so,” he said softly. “James hit Bradley… but Bradley did get a bit too aggressive with Willow.”
“I want to press charges,” Bradley insisted. “He assaulted me. Arrest him.”
The guard let out a sigh and turned to James. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to come with me. Your family can pick you up at the Louisville PD.”
Please don’t cuff him… not here… not today.
To my relief, the security guard didn’t move for his handcuffs. He took James by the arm and led him up the staircase. I watched them disappear and then turned to Bradley, my face full of rage.
“You’re a fucking monster,” I snarled.
“That’s quite enough, young lady,” Dale scolded me.
Daddy turned on him, his eyes full of anger. “You will not speak to my daughter like that. You didn’t see what your son did to her. I was about to hit him myself, but James beat me to it.”
Renee bent down and put a comforting arm on my shoulder. “Don’t worry about James right now, sweetheart. He’ll be fine, and you’re due in the winner’s circle.”
I’d completely forgotten that my horse had just won the race. I stood up, smoothed my skirt, and squeezed past Bradley and his parents in the aisle. I took Renee’s arm and we climbed the steps, with Daddy behind us. We reached the landing and Daddy turned back to the Millers.
“Dale, I’d hate for today to ruin our friendship. Both of the boys were in the wrong. I promise I will do my best to forgive Bradley, and I hope you will do the same for James. And perhaps once you’ve calmed down, you’ll consider dropping the charges.”
Bradley turned his nose up at the suggestion. “That animal needs to learn his place. And you and Willow should learn to leave your ranch trash at home when you’re socializing with normal people.”
I wanted to fly down the stairs and bloody his nose again. Daddy seemed to sense that and took me by the arm. “Come on, pumpkin. He’s not worth it, and your fans await.”
I plastered a fake smile across my face and let Daddy and Renee lead me to the winner’s circle.
CHAPTER 6
“Willow… Willow, wake up,” I opened my eyes as Matt gently shook me awake. Soft orange light seeped in through the open barn door, and I realized it was morning.
“What time is it?” I asked with a yawn. I stretched and sat up on my cot.
“It’s a quarter to seven,” Matt said. He moved to the counter and started a pot of coffee. “What are you doing down here? Not that I’m not thrilled to see you. I’m dying to hear all about the Derby… specifically, the hot man fight I missed.”
I studied him with a raised eyebrow. “You mean you haven’t already watched it online? You must be one of the only people who haven’t,” I groaned.
Saturday afternoon, we learned that several of the Kentucky news stations had pointed cameras at our box during the race. They wanted to capture my reaction when my horses crossed the finish line. They ended up with more exciting footage than they’d bargained for; videos of the fight were viral by Saturday night. Public consensus was that Bradley deserved the beat down James gave him.
Matt rolled his eyes as he helped me up from the cot. “Of course I’ve watched the videos, but I want to hear what it was like to be there.”
“Everything happened so fast,” I said, stepping into my office. I left the door open and continued my story as I kicked off my pajama pants and stepped into a pair of overalls.
“When Mondo crossed the finish line, it felt like the world stopped and sped up at the same time. Everyone was cheering and hugging me. And then suddenly, Bradley was on top of me and I couldn’t get away. I’m glad James punched him in the face. I wish I could have gotten my hands on him after he hit the ground.”
I stepped out of the office and Matt passed me a cup of coffee. “Believe me, when I watched the video, I wanted to get a few punches in myself,” he agreed. We sat down at the small wooden table.
“I’m just glad Bradley dropped the charges,” Matt continued. “How did you manage that?”
I frowned. “Daddy and Dale sat Bradley and me down over breakfast yesterday. Dale made Bradley apologize and Daddy made it pretty clear he expected me to forgive him. All I cared about was getting James out of jail, so I played along. I told Bradley that I understood that he let his excitement get the best of him, and he called the police station and dropped the charges.”
“And then you all flew home together like one big happy family?” Matt asked. His brow rose with skepticism.
I took a long drink of my coffee and shook my head. “No… the Millers bought tickets on a commercial flight. Daddy, Renee, James, and I flew home on the jet. It was… awkward. Daddy and Renee are barely speaking.”
Matt looked confused. “Because of the fight?”
I shook my head and stared down at the table. “Not exactly,” I said, my voice full of guilt.
Concern filled Matt’s face. “Willow… what did you do?”
“I didn’t do anything,” I said quickly. “Neither did James. Renee’s high school boyfriend showed up at the Derby Eve Ball. They spent a little too much time catching up, and I think Daddy felt ignored.”
“He just showed up?” Matt asked. “You and James had nothing to do with it?”
“We knew he was going to be there,” I confessed. “That’s all. But it’s not like we were keeping some big secret. Clark’s friend had a horse running in the race. For all I know, Renee expected to run into him.”
“So that�
��s why you slept down here last night,” Matt observed. “Cole and Renee are still fighting?”
I crossed my legs and sighed. “They’re not fighting, they’re politely ignoring each other… which is just as awful to be around.”
“What about James? Did anything new happen between the two of you this weekend?”
My heart lifted a little when I thought of the hours leading up to the Derby. “James was amazing all weekend. We didn’t sleep together, we barely had a chance to be alone. But he did everything he could to make sure I had the time of my life on Saturday. He took care of me, and kind of stood back and let me shine.”
“So you still want to be with him?” Matt asked.
I nodded. “I do.”
“So you aren’t sorry that your dad and Renee aren’t doing so well right now?” There was an air of accusation in his tone and I didn’t appreciate it.
“I hate to see Daddy upset, but if he and Renee can’t survive running into an old flame, then they don’t belong together,” I said defensively. I sat up straight in my chair and folded my arms over my chest. “James and I had nothing to do with Clark being at the ball. We have nothing to be sorry for.”
I could tell Matt didn’t believe me, but he didn’t push it. “Okay,” he sighed. “Let’s change the subject. How many emails have you gotten in the last twenty-four hours from people interested in stud services?” he asked with a grin.
I my face flushed with pride. “The count was at seventeen last night,” I told him. I pushed my chair away from the table. “My phone is in the office, I’ll check again now… I’m going to be really picky about who we stud Thunder out to.”
Before I could stand up, James rushed into the barn. “Good, you’re both already here,” he said. He was dressed in Wranglers, a white t-shirt, and his dirty cowboy boots. Several lassos hung from his shoulder. “Dallas said that he’d have the horses saddled and ready in five minutes. With any luck, we’ll track everyone down before lunch time.”
Matt and I stared at him and then back to each other. It was clear that he was as lost as I was.
“Track who down before lunch time?” I asked, kicking off my tennis shoes. I pulled on my boots as James explained what was happening.
“I’m sorry, I thought you already knew.” He moved to the counter and poured coffee into a thermos. “It looks like someone snuck onto the property last night. There are fences down everywhere, and half the stock is unaccounted for.”
Matt’s mouth dropped open and I reeled with anger. “What do you mean someone snuck onto the property? Who would do that?” I demanded.
“I don’t know, Willow,” James replied. “But it’s the only explanation. We can worry about who was behind it later. It looks like most of the cattle are moving up the mountain trail. Cole, Dallas, and the other guys are going after them. I’m here to help you.”
Help me? Why do I need help?
“No,” I gasped. “You don’t mean?”
Matt jumped up from the table. “I’ll go help Dallas,” he said, rushing out of the barn.
I ran to the office and grabbed my cell phone and a set of binoculars. “How many of them are missing?” I asked as I rushed back into the barn.
“Clementine, Glory, and the foals are still in the pasture,” he told me. “I guess they didn’t want to stray too far from home. Everyone else is gone.”
“Shit!” I exclaimed. I set off for the stables with James close behind me. We met Renee just outside of the barn and I didn’t slow down to greet her.
“Willow, Cole just told me what’s going on. Is there anything I can do to help you?” she called after me.
I looked over my shoulder. “Get Clementine, Glory, and the babies into stalls. Then stay there and see if anyone else comes back on their own. I’ve got my cell, we’ll keep in touch.”
We reached the stables just as Matt led Mayhem, Seven, and his mustang Sadie outside.
“We’ll start in the pasture and see if we can pick up their tracks,” I directed as I swung myself in to the saddle. “Let’s just hope they didn’t have a clear path to the mountains. If they get lost up there, we may never find them.”
I gave Mayhem a swift nudge to the flank and we set off for the thoroughbred pasture.
***
It took seven hours, but we managed to round up all of the horses. They’d split into two groups; one mingled with the remaining cattle in the large grazing pasture while the other paid a visit to a pond on the far side of the property, near the mountain land. Most of the horses were happy to follow us home, but Locomotion had to be roped and led.
“I’m so glad everyone’s back where they belong,” Renee said with a happy sigh. She fed Thunder a sugar cube and then set to work brushing briars out of his mane. Matt was prying a stone from Liberty’s hoof while I rubbed antibiotic ointment over gashes on Snowball’s belly. James was in a stall with Locomotion, patiently trying to calm him down with offerings of apples and sweet feed.
“And in one piece,” I added. “This could have been a lot worse. I still can’t believe someone did this. When James said that the horses were gone, my first thought was that someone had stolen them.”
Renee nodded. “I had the same thought. I hope you don’t mind, but I used the office computer while you were gone. Your dad called and asked me to order a new security system. He wants to put cameras up all around the ranch.”
“That’s probably not a bad idea,” Matt agreed. “If someone tries this again, we’ll catch them in the act.”
“Excuse me?” a timid voice called from the front of the barn. I looked up and saw a short, skinny woman with long brunette hair standing in the doorway. I wiped my hands on a nearby rag and walked towards her.
“Hello, can I help you?” I asked. The woman looked familiar, but I couldn’t place her.
“I hope so,” she blushed. “My name is Marci Brewer. I’m sorry to bother you, but I’m looking for Cole Rogers? I’m an old friend of his. We knew each other in college. I just moved to the area, and I wanted to talk to him about buying a couple of trail horses.”
Marci Brewer! I think she’s the one Daddy dated in college! What in the world is she doing here? I never gave James her name; I couldn’t remember it. Did he find her on his own? God, I’m being rude…
“I’m Willow Rogers. Cole is my father,” I said, offering her my hand. She shook it and smiled.
“Of course, Willow. It’s so nice to meet you. So is your dad around?”
“Cole is out in the pasture,” Renee said. I turned and saw her approaching us. “We had a bit of a catastrophe here today, over half of our livestock got out. I’m Renee Parker. It’s nice to meet you.”
Marci’s eyes shot back and forth as she shook Renee’s hand. “Half of your livestock… so you’re…”
“I’m Cole’s fiancé,” Renee finished. Marci blushed and it was obvious that she’d come to the ranch for more than trail horses.
“Why don’t you come up to the house?” Renee suggested, ignoring the woman’s embarrassment. “I need to check on dinner and Cole should be back soon. He can show you the horses, and then you can stay and eat with us.”
Marci rocked back and forth on her feet and nervously pulled at the hem of her shirt. “I don’t want to impose…”
“Nonsense,” Renee interrupted. “Kids, I’ll see you for dinner in about an hour?”
I felt trapped and was about to agree when James spoke up. “We have plans tonight, Mom,” he told her. He climbed over Locomotion’s stall.
“Plans?” Renee asked. “This is the first I’m hearing of it.”
I looked over at James and cocked my eyebrow, waiting for his explanation.
“We’re all meeting Lucas for dinner,” James said with a casual shrug. “In fact, we should really get going if we’re going to be on time. I’m sorry. I’d have mentioned it sooner, but I didn’t realize it was such a big deal.”
Renee waved off the apology, but it was clear she wasn’t thrilled
about being alone with Marci. “It’s fine. You kids have fun,” she told us. “Marci, let’s go to the house and I’ll put on a pot of coffee.”
Renee walked out of the barn and Marci reluctantly followed. James turned to Matt.
“So, do you mind if Willow and I tag along on your date tonight?” he asked. “We’ll take our own car so you won’t be stuck with us the whole time.”
“Of course not,” he agreed. “And you were right, we should get going. Who was that lady, anyway?”
“I have no idea,” I lied. “I guess she and Daddy knew each other a long time ago.”
“Uh huh,” Matt said. “If you say so.” His tone was doubtful and I knew he suspected that James and I were up to something. He walked to the back of the barn and started putting away the horse brushes and ointments.
James turned to me. “So what do you say? Feel like going to town for dinner?”
I looked down at my dirty overalls. “Not exactly… do I have time to shower and change?”
He lowered his voice and leaned in to me. “Do you really want to go to the house right now? Besides, you look beautiful. There’s nothing sexier than a woman who’s not afraid to get dirty,” he said with a wink.
I looked up at the house and wondered what might be going on behind the walls. James was right. The last thing I wanted to do was step foot through the door. “Okay, I’ll go,” I agreed. I grabbed my Stetson from its wall peg and covered my unruly hair.
“If you’re following me, it’s time to go,” Matt told us as he walked to the front of the barn. We followed him outside and he climbed into his truck. “I’ll see you at O’Brian’s,” he said before shutting his door.
James and I climbed into the cab of his truck and fastened our seatbelts.
“So how pissed at me are you?” James asked as he turned the key in the ignition. The truck growled to life and James steered it down the driveway.
“So you did have something to do with Marci showing up,” I frowned. “I wasn’t sure about that until just now. How did you find her?”
