“Okay,” Jess said.
Wyatt nodded and tipping his hat, left through the back door again. Jess reminded herself, as she put the casserole dish away in the cupboard, that tonight was a business dinner, not a date! Most certainly not a date. But then why did it feel like one?
Seven PM rolled around.
By that time, Jess had gone through six different outfits ranging from hopelessly slutty to something Mother Theresa may have worn. Eventually she’d settled for her jeans, boots and a black halter neck, that she thought looked a little too much like date clothing, but not enough for her to change. Her dark hair was left loose, and she’d dragged eyeliner under her blue eyes and applied some eyeshadow. Now she looked more like “Normal Jess” and less like “Ranch Jess”, who wore no makeup at all.
This time Wyatt knocked on the front door. Jess waited a suitable time in her living room and then made herself walk, not run, to the front door and open it.
He took her breath away.
His dark brown hair was still damp from his shower, but drying with a kink in it. He wore a white T-shirt with a black waistcoat, and black jeans and boots. He smiled looking her up and down.
“Damn if you don’t clean up good,” he said.
Jess shrugged, “Well I managed to find my makeup.”
“Ma’am,” he said offering her his arm.
Jess took it and then because she really wouldn’t be herself if she didn’t, tripped on the way down the three stairs that led from her porch to the ground. Wyatt caught her.
“Did you start the party without me?” he asked.
“I’m sorry?” Jess asked momentarily confused.
“It’s more usual around here to stumble up the steps, on the way home from a night out,” he said patiently.
“Oh right! No, no, I’m just that clumsy. You really don’t want to see me after a Tequila or two,” she said as he led her down the path to where his truck was parked.
“Oh I’ll bet I do,” he said under his breath.
The drive was short and a little weird. What did you talk about to someone on a not date, work dinner? Did you wait until you got to the restaurant before broaching the subject of cattle? Jess had to admit that there was no way she wanted cattle to feature in this evening, except possibly on a plate, accompanied by veg and a sauce. But that was the point to the whole thing. They were going to discuss the ranch, and that would include its bovine occupants.
Wyatt spoke off and on as they drove heading first up a series of little hills, and then over and down the other side into a valley. Trees lined the road, tall pines and spruces that seemed to grow up out of the darkness as the headlights illuminated them.
There were no street signs. No markings at all at this point in the road that was little more than a dirt track. No wonder Wyatt had decided to fetch her. Jess was sure that Google Maps would never have found this little road. Suddenly, it dipped quite steeply and they crossed what looked like a dry riverbed.
“Don’t worry, the river changed its course ages ago,” Wyatt said seeing the look on her face.
And then they turned right at a huge boulder and there it was, a building that looked a little like a Gypsy caravan, stuck in a hedge. There were a lot of cars parked outside under fairy lights strung between the trees. Wyatt parked and they got out. Jess noticed that her palms were sweaty and, slinging her bag over her shoulder, quickly scrunched her hands on her jeans in an attempt to dry them off. It only kind of worked.
Wyatt led her up four little steps, without her tripping, and in through the brightly painted red door. There was a jingling sound as they stepped through. The room beyond was open to the sky except for an area around the edge, which had a roof of sorts over it. In the center was what looked like a fire pit piled high with wood, the ground dug out and blackened with use. But there was no fire tonight, it clearly being too warm. People sat at tables and lounged on sofas under the branches of the trees. Fairy lights hung everywhere giving the place a strange ethereal quality. Jess felt like she was entering a totally different world, like Alice down the rabbit hole.
A tall girl with those golden eyes led them to a table in the back. On their way they passed Kyle, Jesse and Tyler, all with arms around girls drinking merrily. They waved but didn’t stop their banter. Even stoic Ryan was there, sitting by himself a mug of beer in his one hand and a book in the other.
Settled at their table, Wyatt ordered a beer. Jess thought about it and then decided on a beer too.
“Well this is Honey’s,” Wyatt said. He looked around. “And that is my little sister.” He pointed to a young woman with long blonde hair. She was over at a couple’s table placing plates of what looked like spare ribs in front of the hungry customers.
“She’s pretty,” Jess said.
“Yeah,” Wyatt said. “So, here we are.”
“Here we are,” Jess said and shifted on her seat. For some reason her imagination kept wondering what it would be like to kiss Wyatt. He had such lovely lips. For some reason, she said so.
“Okay, then,” Wyatt smiled that intoxicating smile, which only served to accentuate his lips even more. “I suppose we should get business out of the way first,” Wyatt said. “Unless you want to order?”
“Yes, no! What? Sorry…” Jess said. “I was just absorbing the atmosphere.”
“Okay,” Wyatt said uncertainly.
Well done, Jess berated herself, now your hired hand thinks you’re absolutely insane.
“I was saying should we get that work discussion out of the way first? Then we can relax and enjoy the evening.” Wyatt leaned forward placing his elbows on the table. “It gets really loud in here later on.”
“Why? What happens?” Jess asked.
“You’ll see,” Wyatt said with a naughty smile.
So they ordered their food, Wyatt a steak and French fries, Jess a chicken pie with veg. What followed was a conversation that Jess only understood part of, the money part of anyway. To get the ranch working properly was going to take more money than she had. She told Wyatt this, who then adjusted his estimate and came up with the bargain basement version of how to save a cattle ranch from liquidation.
“What if we ran the place as a sort of resort? You know, come to our ranch and learn to do things with cattle,” Jess said vaguely, not sure where she was going with this. “I could always set the house up as a B&B, and then people could come and you could teach them about roping cattle and how to be a cowboy. Or something like that.”
“Sounds interesting,” he said. The food arrived then and they spoke more about Jess’s idea as they ate.
“It might bring in some cash for now,” Jess said. “The house is in pretty good repair, I could cash in another investment and see what else could be done.”
“Okay, before you go doing anything let’s speak to Old Charlie. He’s been at the ranch forever, and he always has his ear to the ground.” Wyatt suggested.
And that was it. The work talk ended as Wyatt and Jess pushed their plates away.
Wyatt ordered another beer and Jess switched to the house red which turned out to be a fine shiraz. Suddenly there was a commotion as all the patrons of Honey’s stood up as one and began to move the tables, chairs and sofas out from the grass patch under the sky. The moon was rising, an almost full moon, Jess realized.
“What’s happening?” she asked.
Wyatt smiled as a group of musicians walked in a kind of parade around the central fire pit. They carried their instruments, all except the drummer who tapped his sticks together in a rhythm. The musicians were speaking a language that Jess couldn’t understand. It sounded like a poem though, or perhaps the lyrics of a song. They went round and round the fire pit until the leader struck a match and the wood piled in it caught and flames shot up into the air.
Everyone cheered then, Jess too, though she had no idea why. Then the musicians moved to a corner that had the drum kit in it, and next moment they were playing music. It was good country music. It did
n’t surprise Jess at all to see that Jesse and his date, along with Ryan and his, were the first on the dance floor, moving around the fire pit with grace and purpose.
“Does this always happen?” she asked Wyatt, leaning towards him to be heard.
“Pretty much,” he said. Then he stood up and offered her his hand. “Would you care to dance?”
“Oh, why not?” Jess said and they joined the others.
It was a line dance, and Jess had never done anything like it before, so she trod on a few toes, and felt silly, but it was a lot of fun. And then the song ended. Breathless, she stood panting waiting for another song to begin. It did in the way that these things do, and it was a slow song. People paired off into couples. Wyatt took her gently in his arms and steered her around the floor. He was way too close now. There was no getting a clear thought in her head. Not when she could smell him, and feel his hands very chastely on her back and in her hair. Jess bit her lip, swallowing the urge to reach up and pull Wyatt’s lips to meet hers.
He looked down at her, his lips parted slightly, his golden eyes shining in the moon light. He inclined his head to her, his brown hair falling across his eyes. She reached up without thinking and brushed it aside. As she did he caught her small hand in his huge one and held it to his chest.
“Jess I…” he began. But then stopped.
Dimly Jess became aware of something going on at the door. A group of men had entered Honey’s. They were standing in a knot and a big, burly man with grey hair was clearly trying to get them to leave.
Wyatt let go of her and before striding to the door he barked, “Stay here!”
Jess never listened to anyone unless she meant to, so she marched after him. Anyway one of the men looked horribly, terribly familiar. As she approached the door she became more and more convinced. Then she heard his voice and there was no more doubt in her mind. It was Conrad.
“What the hell are you doing here!?” she yelled, pushing through the throng until she was inches from Conrad’s smug face.
Being this close to Conrad again filled Jess with rage. How dare he come and pollute her corner of the world? Wasn’t it bad enough that he had taken New York from her, but now he had to invade her patch of Colorado too!
“What are you doing here?” she demanded again.
Conrad smiled at her. It was that infuriating, self-satisfied grin, that Jess had wanted to slap off his face every day during the divorce discussions.
“Jess what’s going on?” Wyatt asked trying to grab her wrist and pull her back. She shook him off.
She opened her mouth to speak but Conrad brushed passed her and stood in front of Wyatt. He was much smaller and it would have been comical if Jess hadn’t known what strength lay in that small frame.
“I’m Conrad,” he said extending his hand, “Her husband, and you are?”
“Ex! Conrad, you are my EX!” Jess roared at him, “And this is none of your business.”
Conrad looked from Jess to Wyatt. Then he leaned over to the big man and said in a not too soft whisper, “Well at least she’s playing to her strengths, she was always a good lay.”
“What are you trying to say little man?” Wyatt asked looming over Conrad.
“Oh just that I hope you’re paying her for her company properly. A girl like this is worth…”
Wyatt punched him.
It seemed that everyone had simply been waiting for an excuse to rip into each other, and Jess found herself in a world of brawling men. She tried to make her way out of it, but suddenly someone grabbed her by the arm and rammed her against the wall. Pain shot up her back and for a moment she wondered what was happening. Conrad held her firmly. He must escaped Wyatt somehow. His lip was bleeding but he didn’t seem to notice.
Jess struggled and writhed trying to get free, while inside fear built, the same fear that had made her leave him.
He’s going to kill me.
Then Conrad hit her. This wasn’t the first time but it was still a shock. The stinging, ringing in her ears made her eyes roll and water. She felt something trickle over her lip. He hit her again, and again, this time in the stomach and she bent over vomiting up her wine and dinner.
“Why can’t you leave me alone?” she gasped and sagged to the floor.
Conrad lifted her chin as he hunkered down in front of her. “You don’t deserve happiness Jess. You left me and no one does that! You hear me? No one! I will hunt you down wherever you go! I will find you and I will take everything from you!”
Suddenly hands gripped Conrad’s shoulders and pulled him off her. It was one of his pack.
“We gotta go Conrad,” the pack member said hurriedly. “We’re in deep for this,” and he pulled Conrad back again.
“I’m not finished!” Conrad roared but a wall of big burly men was closing around Conrad and his friends, pushing them out of the door.
“This isn’t over Jess!” Conrad yelled at her. “It will never be over!”
Suddenly Wyatt was by her side. He looked so worried that Jess tried to smile to tell him it was okay, but all she could do was cry. Jess realized that she would never be free of Conrad. Never. He would haunt her steps for the rest of her days, sucking the life out her slowly, painfully. She would always be looking over her shoulder, and he would always be there, forever.
Wyatt drove her home. He didn’t speak, only put his arm around her shoulders and drew her to him. The heat off his body melted her frozen, aching muscles and Jess felt herself turn into a limp rag doll. She was so tired. Conrad had sapped the life out of her.
When they reached the ranch, Wyatt got out and opened the door for her. Then he picked her up in his strong arms.
“I can walk,” she said softly.
He ignored her and carried her inside. Then he took her up to her bedroom, and laid her on her bed and helped her get her boots off. Jess was aching all over. Wyatt examined her face and her stomach. Then he produced a tub of ointment and began to rub it on her bruises. He was so gentle she could hardly feel his fingers on her skin.
“It’s a special mixture,” he said, “Works like a charm for bruises. I keep it in my truck just in case you know? You just get some sleep and you’ll see, tomorrow will be better.” He kissed her forehead gently, brushed a strand of dark hair from her face and left.
Jess slept in fits and bursts. She woke often and at one point in the night thought she heard an animal howl. She hoped it was just a wolf, a normal wolf, but her gut told her not to be naïve. Conrad was here. Her footsteps would be hounded by wolves until he made her crazy or she died.
By morning Jess was a more composed person. She looked in the mirror at her bloodshot blue eyes and pale cheeks, but apart from a slight swelling under one eye, she looked perfectly normal. What was in that crème?
Throwing on jeans and a blue Tee she went out into the yard as Wyatt’s truck pulled up, brimming with workers. He had organized extra help for the day, including as it turned out, his sister, Donna.
Donna was lovely in daylight too. She bounced into Jess’s house, and in no time at all, was elbows deep in boxes pulling things out and finding places for them.
“Wyatt told me about your ex,” she said.
Jess didn’t say anything.
“Sounds like a right turd to me,” Donna said. “But you know what? I believe that nasty people get their payback in the end. Just you wait and see, this Conrad will get his. Especially if my brother has any say in it.”
Winston (BBW Bear Shifter Wedding Romance) (Grizzly Groomsmen Book 3) Page 124
