by V. A. Dold
“Carol!” he yelled as loud as he could to be heard over the roar of the falls. The shape next to the rock moved! It had to be her.
He was trying to figure out how he would get to her when Lucas and Kensie joined him. He pointed to where her head was visible. “She’s clinging to a rock at the base of the falls.”
“We need to get her out of there before hypothermia sets in.” Worry colored Kensie’s voice.
Lucas frowned in concentration. “We can’t swim to her. The current will sweep us away before we get there.”
Kensie looked from the horses to Carol. “What if one of us swims toward her while she swims toward us? There’s a rope on Oreo’s saddle we could use to pull them back to shore.”
Both Lucas and Joe looked from Carol to Oreo.
“That might work,” Lucas agreed. “The rope will only reach so far. Carol would have to come over half way before we could reach her.”
“Yeah. If we miss her, the current could sweep her down river again,” Joe pointed out.
Kensie stood with her hands on her hips and looked from Oreo to Blu. “How long is your lasso, Joe?”
“About twenty feet.”
She cocked her head and asked. “If she gets past Lucas and is swept down river, do you think you could rope her and pull her to shore?”
“Yes, I could. But it would be extremely dangerous. She would have to grab the rope or pull it over her shoulders. If it lands around her neck, I’ll choke her to death.”
“If it came to that, you could tell her what to do before you throw the rope right?”
“Yeah, but I would have to be on horseback to keep up with the current. I might have a hard time staying close to the river’s edge.”
Lucas rubbed his chin and asked, “Do you have a better idea?”
Joe sighed. “No.”
“Alright then, mount up and ride to the other end and wait at the mouth of the river. I’ll go in after Carol, and Kensie can man the rope on shore. I’ll tie it off on Elvis’s saddle so all Kensie has to do is back him to pull us to shore.”
“Okay, let’s get this done before she freezes to death.” Joe turned and headed for Blu.
Lucas prepped Elvis and the rope while Kensie yelled instructions to Carol.
“Hurry. I can’t feel my feet anymore,” Carol yelled back.
Lucas stepped into the water and began to wade toward Carol. “Let go of the rock and start toward me. You will have to swim upstream and at an angle to fight the current,” he yelled as he began to plow through the current with strong strokes.
Lucas kept a close eye on Carol, her energy was low from fighting the river, and she was losing ground. He was only a quarter of the way to her when he knew she wasn’t going to make it to him.
He used his telepathic ability that every shifter has with their mate to communicate. Kensie, call Joe and alert him that Carol is coming his way. She isn’t going to make it to shore.
I’m on it.
“Carol. This isn’t going to work. The current is too strong. Joe will toss you a rope when you re-enter the river at the other end of the pond,” he yelled before he turned for shore.
Lucas pulled himself onto shore and watched as Carol gave it everything she had left to tread water and keep her head up as the current propelled her toward Joe.
“Please God, let me make it out of this,” Carol prayed aloud over and over.
She was so tired. All she wanted to do was close her eyes and rest for a few minutes. Her feet and legs were completely numb and her arms felt like lead. It was all she could do not to sink like a stone. At least she wasn’t being bashed against boulders. That pleasure was waiting for her at the other end of the pond when she was back in the river.
The current was getting stronger as she neared the mouth of the river. Just when she was about to panic she saw Joe astride his horse with a rope in his hands
“Hold on, darlin’. I’m going to toss this lasso to you. Grab it and either wrap in around your arm or pull it over your head and shoulders.”
“Okay,” she sputtered as a wave splashed into her mouth.
As best she could, she watched Joe twirl the lasso around his head a few times and let it fly. His accuracy was uncanny. The loop landed in a large circle around her. She lifted her arm out of the water and dragged the loop close. Before the river could rip it away, she wrapped it three times around her arm.
Joe twisted his end around the saddle horn and backed Blu.
“Slow down, you’re pulling me under,” she choked as the rushing water tried to drag her to the bottom of the river.
“I’ll shadow you as I pull you in to lessen the drag,” he yelled back.
Inch by inch she drew nearer the shore. They were about a quarter of a mile downriver when he pulled her into his arms.
“Praise the Lord. I thought I’d lost you, baby,” he whispered against her neck.
Carol shivered, absorbing his body heat like a sponge. “I thought I was a goner. Thank you for saving me.”
“I’ll always save you, darlin’. I’m never letting you out of my sight again.”
She smiled weakly against his chest. “Joe?”
“Yeah, sweetheart?”
“I love you. And I’m not just saying that because you saved me. I was on my way back to tell you when I was swept away in the river.”
“I love you, too. I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you about the kids.”
“I know. Can we talk about that after I get a hot shower and dry clothes?”
“Ah, hell. What am I thinking?” He walked her to Blu and pulled his bedroll from the saddle ties.
“How… d…did …y…you know to…b…bring a blanket?” she asked through chattering teeth.
“I always have a bedroll on my saddle. During calving season, I sometimes have to spend the night with a cow in labor.”
“Oh.”
“Carol! Thank God, Joe got you out,” Kensie hollered as she and Lucas rode up with Oreo in tow.
Lucas jumped from his saddle. “Are you all right, cher?”
“I’ve been better, but I’m alive.”
Kensie dismounted and pulled her from Joe’s arms. Then she ran her hands over Carol’s arms and legs. “Is anything broken?”
“Nothing’s broken, thank God,” Carol supplied before Kensie could give her a complete examination. “But I think I’m bruised from head to toe.”
“You’re pretty scratched up, too,” Kensie remarked, as she gently pressed the edges of a particularly deep cut. “I don’t think you’ll need stitches but let’s get you showered and apply antiseptic cream before infection sets in.”
“Yes, Doctor Le Beau,” Carol said with a little wince when Kensie went after another cut.
“Would you like to ride with me on Blu where I can keep you warm, or would you rather ride Oreo?” Joe asked.
She looked from Blu to Oreo. “Blu looks pretty worn out. You must have been riding hard. As much as I’d like to snuggle with you, I better ride Oreo.”
“All right. I don’t care to let you out of my arms, but you’re right. We rode hard to get to you.”
Kensie headed for Marigold and put her foot in the stirrup as she called over her shoulder, “Let’s get back home. We need to get Carol warm or she’ll find herself in the hospital.”
Back at the ranch, the men rubbed down the horses while Carol showered and then let Kensie doctor her.
“How is she?” Joe asked as he and Lucas walked in the door.
Kensie continued to pack her doctor’s bag. “She has a lot of contusions and a few pretty deep scratches, but overall she is fine. She was very lucky today. It could have been so much worse.”
Joe raked his hands through his hair and sat down hard in one of the dinette chairs. “She scared the life out of me.”
Kensie stopped packing and hugged Joe. “I know she did, hun. She’s safe now.”
Carol came from the bathroom toweling her hair. She heard him suck in a breath when he saw
she was more black and blue than flesh colored.
It was a good thing he couldn’t see the rest of her injuries. She wasn’t sure how he would react to the mess that was her legs.
“Darlin’, how are you feeling? Can I get you anything? Make you tea?” he asked in a rush as he cupped her face.
She smiled and winced when a cut on her lip broke open. “Tea would be wonderful and a handful of painkillers if you have them.”
Kensie shook her head. “I already gave you a mild painkiller. You can’t have more for four hours.”
Carol gingerly sat at the table. “Fine. Have I told you that you’re a killjoy?”
“Yes, you did. You mentioned it several times in fact.”
Lucas gathered the doctor bag and gently pushed Kensie to the door. “We should head home so she can rest. I’m very happy you’re okay, Carol.”
Carol started to get up, but Joe put a hand on her shoulder. She glanced up and then looked around him to Kensie and Lucas. “I’d walk you to the door, but a cowboy is in my way. Thank you, both, for everything.”
Lucas winked and held the door for his mate. “You’re welcome, cher.”
Carol watched as Joe quietly busied himself making tea. Other than when he’d cupped her face, he hadn’t looked her in the eye. “Joe?”
Silence.
“Joe? What’s wrong?”
Finally, he turned. A tear tracked down his face, and he took a shaky breath. “You could have died,” he said in a strained voice.
She’d never seen him so intense.
Slowly she stood and limped the few feet to where he seemed rooted to the floor. “Yes, I could have. But I didn’t,” she said as she wrapped her arms around him.
She felt his warm palms on both cheeks when he lifted her face to his. He stared into her eyes as if he were saying goodbye and he’d never see her again, tears still falling. She watched a muscle work in his jaw. “I almost lost you,” he choked out and claimed her lips in a punishing, desperation filled kiss.
Carol whimpered. With a muffled groan, he released her lips and buried his face in her hair. He held her so tightly it hurt, but she wasn’t complaining. “This is all my fault,” he said, anger edging his words. “If I’d told you about the kids a week ago you wouldn’t have been near that damn river.”
She pulled from his arms enough to see his face and shook her head. “No, Joe. It was my fault. I overreacted and let my insecurities overwhelm me. I was wrong, not you.” She stepped out of his arms and tugged on his hand. “Let’s take a seat. I never let you explain why you kept them a secret, and I’m ready to hear what you wanted to say.”
“All right. Let me pour your tea, and I’ll be right there.”
He set their cups on the table and took the seat across from her. She waited several heartbeats before he took a deep breath and spoke.
“Let me assure you, I didn’t keep them secret because I didn’t trust you. I was protecting them from being disappointed and hurt. The one thing they want more than anything else is a mother. All of their friends have two parents. They go on sleepovers and come home quiet and depressed. Sometimes Tracy doesn’t speak for days. If I’d introduced you and things hadn’t worked out between us it would have devastated them.”
She covered his hand with hers and gave it a squeeze. “I’m so sorry, Joe. I should have realized that.”
“You’re not to blame. I kept the truth from you for far too long. I should have told you once I knew I was falling in love with you, but by then too many days had passed, and I didn’t know how to bring them up in conversation. I finally worked up the nerve and tried to tell you the night we spent together and again the next morning. I should have tried harder to tell you.”
She paused and thought back to a few nights ago. He had said he needed to tell her something and then the next morning he had wanted to talk but she’d rushed out the door. She could kick herself for being so foolish.
She shook her head. “You tried. I’m the one who kept you from telling me. If you still want me in your life, I would like to meet them.”
He sucked in a sharp breath. “Do you mean that? My kids haven’t scared you off?’
She forgot about her lip and tried to smile. It hurt like a mother. “Sweetheart, I adore children. I wish I could have a few of my own, but I can’t. You’re not the only one in this relationship with a secret that should have been shared. I saw a doctor in town, and she verified what I’d already been told. I can’t have children of my own.”
Nervously, she watched Joe move to the chair closer to her. She wanted to cry in relief when he wrapped her up in his arms. “Oh, baby. I’m so sorry. You would be a terrific mother.”
“Thank you.”
“The kids are at my parents for a couple more days. Would you like to come over and meet them when they get home?
“I would love to. Maybe some of these bruises will start healing and be faded by then. I would hate to scare them with the way I look.”
“Don’t worry about them. They’ve seen me in pretty rough condition a few times. Speaking of healing, let’s get you into bed. I’ll whip up a little dinner and then tuck you in for the night.”
“I’d say you don’t need to do that, but I’m not up to cooking, so I accept your generous offer.
Carol fell asleep before Joe finished washing their dinner dishes. As quietly as possible, he placed a chair next to the bed. He could go home for the night, but he couldn’t bring himself to leave her. He found a blanket in the closet and settled in.
The dim light from the moon washed the room in a silvery glow. Joe gazed at Carol and smiled. The bruises did nothing to detract from her beauty. He shivered as he thought over the day. It was a miracle she hadn’t been badly injured. She could have died today. Another woman he loved could have been taken by a storm. The thought was a physical blow to his heart.
He had watched her sleep for some time when he heard scuffling outside her door. He glanced through the window overlooking the porch to see a shadowy figure skulking off in the darkness. What the devil?
Whoever her midnight visitor was he managed to disappear before Joe could make it to the door. He flicked on the porch light and searched the area. A trail of muddy boot prints came up the stairs to the door where a sticky note pinned to the door by a large knife fluttered and caught his eye. He grabbed it before the wind blew it away and read the cryptic words. Stay away from the cowboy or he dies.
Joe stared at the note and read it again. The handwriting matched the note he’d gotten several days ago. What the hell was going on? He searched for footprints near the porch, hoping to find a trail to follow. After three steps, the prints turned and he lost them in the thick grass. There was nothing to do but wait until daylight and search again.
*****
Carol woke to a sleeping Joe awkwardly slumped in a chair next to her bed. She felt terrible. He looked so uncomfortable, and it was her fault he’d slept in a chair. Her bladder was about to burst. Aching everywhere, she rolled out of bed. As she passed his sleeping form, she touched his shoulder and softly said, “Joe? Sweetheart? You should stretch out on the bed before you hurt your back.”
She returned to find him stretched out with his arms behind his head. In the early morning light, she could clearly see love, mixed with concern in his eyes. He pulled one arm from behind his head and held it out to her. “I need to hold you.”
Careful of her injuries she climbed in next to him and snuggled close. He felt so good and made her feel cared for and cherished.
She felt him carefully adjust her position to tuck her head under his chin. “I could wake up to your beautiful face every morning.”
“Mm, me too,” she mumbled as she fell back to sleep.
Carol’s nose twitched. Coffee. God bless the man. She smelled coffee. Sore from yesterday’s death-defying experience, she carefully negotiated her body into a sitting position.
Joe turned from the kitchen counter where he stirred creamer into a c
up. “Good morning, beautiful. I was just about to wake you.” He handed her the cup along with a napkin laden with hot buttered toast.
“Wow, I could get used to this. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I wanted to talk to you before I head out for the day.” He grabbed his cup of coffee and took the chair he’d slept in.
“Okay, what about?”
“Have you been getting threatening messages?”
Careful not to spill her coffee, she sat it on the nightstand. “Yes, as a matter of fact, I have been getting strange notes. At first they were harmless, but they gradually got weird.”
“You got another one last night. I almost caught the guy as he snuck away in the dark. I checked around the exterior of the cabin this morning, but I couldn’t pick up his trail. Have you told Kensie or called the sheriff about the notes?”
She shook her head, shock settling in. “Until recently, the notes were harmless. What was I going to tell the sheriff? I think I have an admirer. Please arrest him?”
Joe handed a folded yellow slip of paper to her. “Good point. Up until last night anyway. It’s time to call the police.”
Carol was so worried by Joe’s words; she had to read the note three times before the message sank in. “He threatened you? Why would this guy do that?”
“It’s apparent from that note, and another that was left on my truck a few days ago, this guy thinks he has a claim on you. I’m a threat to that claim, and he wants to be rid of me.”
She sighed but nodded. “Since we’ve both gotten notes, I think we should report this together.”
“Okay. I think this is all about you, but you’re right, I need to report it as well. Take your time and enjoy your coffee. I’ll call the sheriff and let him know we are coming in to file a report and let Lucas know I need the morning off.”
While Joe stepped out to the porch to make his calls, Carol sipped at her morning caffeine fix. She narrowed her eyes at the coffee pot considering a refill when Joe returned.
“Are you ready for another?” he asked as he reached for her cup.
“I would love one.” She grinned as she watched him bend to reach into her tiny refrigerator for the cream. “You’re creating a terrible situation for yourself. You know that right?”
