Stand-in: Take 3 of the Kanyon and Daylen Series

by K. B. Draper

  Daylen stepped to the couch and dropped down next to Ralph. “He’s beautiful.” She held out a hand and when she passed his sniff test, she stroked his head. “Unique choice of entertainment for a pet. I mean, most people take their dog for a walk, throw a ball …” Daylen chuckled.

  “Yeah. Well, he’s ahh–”

  “He’s very sweet,” Daylen finished.

  Ralph took his paw and pulled Daylen closer. “And extremely strong.” He licked up her face. “And affectionate,” she sputtered, wiping at the slobber. “So, you got a dog,” Daylen said softly, looking at Kanyon, smiling though something about Kanyon getting a dog and her not being there, not being part of the process, pulled a slow and painful ache from her heart.

  “Yeah. I guess. I don’t know exactly,” Kanyon muttered.

  Daylen looked back at the dog when it made a noise very similar to a scoff. “Did he …” No. Couldn’t have. She turned back to Kanyon. “So, you have a minute to talk then?”

  Of course. All Kanyon had been thinking about for the last eight months was seeing and talking to Daylen again. She wanted to regain her Guardian duties and something about Lexi’s visit had made it all the more imperative. She hadn’t taken the time to Sigmund Freud that little fact. And now with Daylen here, looking up at her with soft, liquid blue eyes and a sorry-filled tilt to her lips, there was definitely a whole lot more she was determined to get back.

  “Sure. Why don’t we sit over here?” Kanyon moved to the far side of the small kitchen table, needing to add a physical barrier or she just might sweep Daylen up in an embrace. Something she was finding particularly hard not to do at the moment.

  Daylen took a seat at the opposite side of the table and swallowed the millionth “I’m sorry” that wanted to surge from her mouth. “I understand that you are likely really mad at me and you have every right to be,” Daylen started, fortifying her emotions. “It wasn’t fair what I did. I have no excuse, except that I thought, at the time, I was doing the right thing.” If she was going to do this, she was going to be completely honest so when Kanyon kicked her out, she wouldn’t have to add any more to the already Mt. Everest size pile of regrets she had racked up. “And I want to tell you how very sorry I am for what happened on the roof. For what I did. I’m sorry I pushed you away …” she took a second to make sure the rest of her thoughts were processed correctly before it all just came stumbling out in a blabbery ball of rambling sorry sap, “and that I gave you no choice. We were partners. I care about you and I never wanted or meant to hurt you.”

  Kanyon searched Daylen’s face, appreciating Daylen’s comments, but she was looking for the answers to her questions in Daylen’s eyes versus her words. Kanyon found the raw pain, regret, and a glimpse of something more before Daylen glanced away. She’d been mad, furious at times, that Daylen could have so easily pushed her out of her life. Especially, after she thought their relationship was taking a significant step forward. But Daylen sitting here, in front of her … there was no anger. There was no frustration. Sure, they’d need to work through some things. Several things. They’d definitely need to talk about what happened. But right now, she couldn’t help but sense the overwhelming feeling of her world trying to right itself again and damned if she’d get in its way. And double damn if she was going to watch from the sidelines any more. She loved this woman. She was going to do all she could to protect this woman. She was going to fight the big bads of the world with this woman. And this woman would just have to freaking deal with it.

  Daylen’s resolve was cracking under Kanyon’s silence. She fought the urge to simply scream, “And I freaking miss you!” She covered the thought with an uncomfortable cough. “I understand if you can’t fo–”

  “I can. I have,” Kanyon interrupted. “More to work through and to talk about, obviously. But I’m glad you’re here. Thank you for coming and for what you said.”

  Daylen rubbed a thumb over an invisible smudge on the table. “I should’ve come sooner. I know. I needed time to get my head straight, get my thoughts put back together, and figure out what happened so it wouldn’t happen again. If you can understand that?”

  “I can. I would’ve preferred to be there. Help, if I could.”

  Daylen nodded. “I didn’t know if you would’ve helped or–”

  “Hurt?” Kanyon asked softly.

  Daylen looked up. “Not in the way that sounds. It was all just so overwhelming and I didn’t know if I’d hurt you.”

  Kanyon sat back in her seat. “We’re not just talking about the Seeker stuff anymore, are we?”

  Daylen shrugged. “I’m not sure.”

  Kanyon decided she’d let that sidetrack go for the moment. “Can you tell me what did happen eight months ago? I mean, there on the roof. I need to understand why you thought pushing me away was the best option.” She knew what Isadora had told her, knew what she had witnessed. But she wanted … no, needed to hear it from Daylen.

  Daylen shrugged. “I got scared.”

  Kanyon didn’t know if that was the end of Daylen’s answer or just a harsh beginning, so she waited.

  “Seeing you go over the edge of the roof and being bombarded with Bea’s emotions. I …” Daylen wiped at a tear threatening to form. “Something inside me,” she shook her head, “broke, I think. I couldn’t control,” she swirled a hand at the side of her head, in explanation. “I think I was going to hurt her. Could have hurt her. Wanted to hurt her,” Daylen admitted. “I don’t know. There was so much going on in my head. So many emotions, it was overwhelming. But, through all that, there was one thing I was able to latch onto and that was the thought of protecting you. Keeping you safe. At the time, the only way I knew how to do that was to get you away from me.” Tears were escaping now and she wiped them away.

  Kanyon could’ve told Daylen that she’d hurt her worse by pushing her away but she pocketed that little piece of intel. Daylen was beating herself up enough for both of them at the moment. Plus, she’d seen the swirling mix of fear, pain, and anger in Daylen’s face and the trance-like state Bea had been in when she tried to commit hara-kiri over the edge. Kanyon wouldn’t admit it out loud, but she’d been scared too. Not for herself, but for Daylen, when she’d suddenly realized Daylen was one big universal remote for another human’s emotions and that the first time someone inserted the batteries, she went a little Kill Bill on them. “And now?” Kanyon asked.

  “Now what?”

  “You have control or whatever?”

  “I think so. I don’t think we’ll really know until … Well, if you and I,” Daylen paused. The next confession was going to be as super fun as the first. “I mean, Ruby, Isadora, and Marcus think that when you and I are together things are ... Well–”

  “Amped up?” Kanyon offered.

  Daylen gave her a grateful grin. “Amped up. Exactly. Isadora says that our connection, our bond, acts in two ways like a–”

  “Nuclear reactor?” Kanyon asked with a playful smile.

  Daylen grinned. “That, yes. But, also a grounding wire.”

  “I think she’s right,” Kanyon said.

  “You knew?”

  “Figured. Yes. At first, the whole lightheaded thing, well, I didn’t think it was because you needed a Snickers. I noticed that when I got closer to you, touched you, it seemed to help.”

  Daylen nodded. You have no idea.

  “So now what?”

  “That’s the question of the hour, I guess,” Daylen met Kanyon’s eyes and offered a weak smile.

  Kanyon already knew her answer, but ripping the table out of its base, flinging it aside, and pulling Daylen onto her lap was probably a tad too much of an answer. For now at least. So she went with, “I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing where things go from here. Starting with the Guardian and Seeker gig. If you’re willing?”

  Daylen tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I’d like that.”

  “Me too.” Kanyon offered. “But, Daylen.” She waited for Daylen to mee
t her eyes. “Never again.” She let her words take root. “Never again. I won’t. Can’t,” she corrected, “be pushed aside like that again. Either we’re in this together or we’re not.”

  “Together,” Daylen agreed.

  “Good.” She’d figure out just how together they’d be later. “Are you working on anything now?” Kanyon asked, remembering Isadora’s earlier “she will need you soon” statement.

  “Actually, Aunt Ruby says there’s an article here, at the studio.”

  Kanyon sat back. “Here?”

  Daylen shrugged. “So she says. Or it’s a big fat ruse to make me get off my sorry ass to come here to see you.” Kanyon raised a curious eyebrow. Daylen elaborated, “I might,” she held up two pinched fingers “have been rather difficult to live with the last eight months.”

  “Yah? Any particular reason.”

  “Maybe.” Daylen laid a hand over Kanyon’s. I’ve gone this far, I might as well go all in. “I’ve missed you.”

  Kanyon glanced down at their hands then back up to Daylen. “I think I might just like this new communicate with each other thing we have going on.” Kanyon turned her hand over, taking Daylen’s in hers. “I’ve missed you too.”

  Chapter 7

  A pound came on the trailer door interrupting their reunion. “Ten minutes, Ms. McKane!”

  Kanyon released Daylen’s hand, sighing as she stood. “Crap. I’m sorry, but I need to get ready.”

  “No problem. I can go.”

  “What about the article?” Kanyon asked.

  “Right, um,” Daylen looked around as if the article was going to be lying around Kanyon’s trailer.

  “You could stay. Look around,” Kanyon suggested. “I just need to do a quick change.” She headed to the small room behind her. “Tell me about what you know so far.”

  “Okay, but I don’t really know anything,” she said loud enough for Kanyon to hear from the next room. “Aunt Ruby just said it was here. I don’t have any more hints or clues other than that.”

  “I might have one. Hold on.” Kanyon finished changing then returned. She stepped past Daylen and slid the small curtain back from the window over the kitchen table, which allowed them a clear view of the movie lot. She gave a small jerk of her head to the goings on outside. “Check that out.”

  Daylen moved closer. “What?” She examined the scene. “Oh.” Her eyes stopping on a very attractive woman rubbing a flirtatious hand up and down the chest of the guy she had ran into the night before with an arm full of cables. “Maybe he’s just a really nice guy?” Daylen asked, unconvinced.

  “That’s Cody and he is a really nice guy. But as you know, that’s not exactly what most women in this industry go for.”

  “So, you think maybe–”

  “Two minutes!” Someone yelled as they slapped their hand on the side of Kanyon’s trailer.

  “I don’t know what I think just yet.” Kanyon let the curtain go. “I think something’s odd and he’s not the only chick magnet around here. It may be nothing. Maybe nothing supernatural anyway.” Kanyon pushed off the table. “I need to get on set. Do you want to look around or hang out here? I have two short scenes, then I can check back in.”

  “I can nose around a bit until you’re done.”

  Kanyon grabbed the gun belt and leather jacket she needed for her next scene and took another glance around. “I think that’s it. So, okay, then.”

  “Okay, then,” Daylen repeated, looking around to double check if Kanyon had missed anything, not that she knew what Kanyon might need. “The dog?” Daylen pointed.

  “Ralph.”

  “Ralph? You named your dog Ralph?”

  “He kind of named himself. And I’m not sure if he’s really my dog.” She got an eyebrow raise from Daylen. “He just kind of showed up and won’t go away.” Ralph lifted his head from the small couch pillow, scoffed, and then dropped it again.

  Daylen looked at Kanyon. “Okay, seriously, did he just scoff?”

  “Yep. That’s just one of his delightful little tricks.”

  “Do you have a leash for him? I’ll take him out if you want.”

  Kanyon opened the door. “No leash. He has alpha male issues. He’ll stay with you if you ask nicely and have a deli sandwich in your pocket.” Kanyon gave her a half smile then shut the door, immediately reopening it to add, “And by the way, don’t think we’re not going to deal with the other part of this relationship later.”

  Kanyon was gone again before Daylen could respond. She looked at Ralph who raised a shaggy eyebrow at her. “So, you like deli sandwiches, huh?”

  Ralph barked once in response.

  Daylen dropped down on the couch next to him. “Holy crap,” she let out on an exhale. “I … Holy crap,” she repeated, laying a hand on Ralph’s back absently. “That went better than I expected.” She wasn’t so naïve that she thought all was right in the world between her and Kanyon after just this one conversation, they’d still have their challenges. Okay, potentially a lot of challenges. She thought of Kanyon’s parting words and smiled. Challenges with the possibility of more than just Guardian and Seeker mixed in. Works for me. Ralph gave Daylen’s hand a nudge derailing that fun train of thought. “Okay. You need to go outside, buddy?”

  After their detour to the catering table, they wandered through the back lots looking for anything or anyone suspicious while also finding a place for Ralph to relieve himself. They stopped at a fake lagoon that had played backdrop to many horror movies. Daylen stared out over the water while Ralph did his business. He returned, nudging his head under her hand. “You’re a very good dog.” She gave his ears a rub. “Ready to head back?” Daylen asked, already heading back toward Kanyon’s movie set. She took a few steps and stopped when she realized Ralph wasn’t following her.

  Ralph’s ears were laid back, his head lowered, and he was emitting a low growl.

  Daylen took a quick scan of the area, not seeing anything but a couple of crewmen moving props from one set to another. Ralph’s growl deepened. “Ralph? What’s wrong?” She held out a tentative hand. Not because she was scared of him, but to give him comfort. “It’s okay, boy. Nothing’s out there.” She stepped closer, giving his head a pat. “It’s okay.”

  Ralph growled again before nudging her forward and corralling her back to a more populated area as he took a protective stride next to her.

  Lexi stepped out from behind a lagoon tree once Daylen and the dog were out of sight. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t Miss Pollyanna Perfect and her mangy mutt here to mess up my plans.” She expressed her best put-out sigh. “I guess I’m just going to have to get rid of you … again.” She fingered the pendant around her neck. “This time it just might have to be in a more permanent manner.”

  Daylen and Ralph made a winding trip back through the set then back toward Kanyon’s trailer after one more deli sandwich run. Besides Ralph’s odd actions at the lagoon, she hadn’t seen or felt anything unusual.

  “Hey,” Kanyon said from behind them as they hit the trailer steps. “You guys find anything besides a six-inch sub?”

  Daylen spun at the sound of Kanyon’s voice, a smile already gracing her lips. “No, sadly. We got nothing. I didn’t find or sense anything. I didn’t even see the kid you showed me out the window.”

  “Cody?” Kanyon asked as she passed them, opening the door and motioning Ralph to go inside. “The production assistant was looking for him as well. He didn’t show for his afternoon assignment. Neither did Ellie, the makeup girl.”

  “Maybe they just got caught up in the moment and lost track of time?”

  Kanyon smiled, following Daylen into the trailer. “Maybe. I don’t know Ellie all that well, but that doesn’t really seem like Cody.”

  “He’s what, twenty-five? I think he’s probably like most twenty-five year olds. An attractive girl …” Daylen lifted her hands up and down in a swaying scale motion, “work? Attractive girl, work …”

  “You’re probably righ
t,” Kanyon said absently as she dropped the jacket and gun belt on a chair. “Their disappearance set us back a bit, so I still have another shoot. I’ll probably be here for a few more hours,” Kanyon stated as she moved to the small bedroom area.

  “Okay. I should probably get going anyway.” Daylen moved to stand by the door, suddenly feeling anxious about being closed up in the trailer with Kanyon. Things had gone well earlier and she didn’t want something coming along to screw it up now.

  “You don’t need to go.” Kanyon stepped out of the back room in her all-leather suit and long leather duster.

  Daylen swallowed hard. Yep, I definitely need to go.

  “Daylen?” Kanyon asked when Daylen simply stared at her. She looked down, self-consciously making sure she got all the zippers zipped. “It’s kind of ridiculous, isn’t it?”

  “Ridiculous wouldn’t be a word I’d chose to describe it, no.” Sexy, lust-worthy, heart-stopping would be more accurate adjectives. “Hot,” her mouth blurted before the word could be filtered by her brain. “I mean, temperature. Temperature hot. It looks like it could be hot to wear,” she stumbled.

  “Yeah,” Kanyon glanced down, straightening a wrinkle that was interrupting the perfectly flat tone of her body, “it’s not too bad.” She shrugged then stepped toward Daylen. “Anyway, I still have a few minutes before I need to go back out there. I was hoping we could–” Daylen stumbled down the short step that led to the door. When she regained her composure, she brushed at nonexistent dust before looking up at Kanyon, “–chat more,” Kanyon finished with a smirk, then reached out a hand to help Daylen back up the stair. “Stay?”

  Daylen took Kanyon’s hand and let her lead them to the two chairs positioned outside the bedroom. “You second guessing earlier?” Daylen asked, hoping Kanyon hadn’t changed her mind.

  “No. Not at all. Quite the opposite, actually.” Kanyon leaned forward, still holding Daylen’s hand. “I’ll be honest, at first I was mad. Hurt. Probably still am a little.”

  “I’m sorry,” Daylen interrupted.