by Tina Leonard
An impossible thought occurred to him, which he rejected instantly, then forced himself to consider. “I have a hunch. I’ll call you in half an hour. In the meantime, I’ll take my cell phone with me. Call me if she turns up.”
Annie wept in earnest now but she agreed to his plan. Cody jumped out of bed, pulling on the nearest pair of jeans. If Mary was where he thought she was, he was going to thrash her himself.
If she wasn’t, he didn’t know what he’d do.
“So what’s the problem?” Stormy’s boss had irritation in his voice that even this late hour couldn’t disguise. Of course, it was two hours earlier in California, so he was wide awake. She was getting tired, and extremely tired of listening to him gripe.
“I need a little more time to convince these people that making a movie here is a good idea,” Stormy explained. “Things move more…slowly in small towns, I think.”
“I just can’t take a chance on you, Stormy. If this falls through and we have to let the stars we’ve signed go on to other projects, it’s going to cost us big-time. The producer doesn’t want this movie to run over budget.”
“I know, I know. I’m working as fast as I can.” She sat up straighter and massaged the back of her neck.
“Hey, Stormy. Listen. I love you, you know that. You’re my girl. But if you get into the head candy again—”
“I’m not, damn it! I haven’t touched a pill since…then.” Last year’s winter had been long and cold. There was nothing colder than a white room in the winter where people in white coats tried to drain your brain and talk you through your own labyrinth of anxiety. She had a handle on it now.
Everything that was in the past was staying in the past. Her parents, her prescription pills. Opening the window so some of the Texas heat would blow in and counteract the hotel’s air-conditioning, she said, “I’ve got two good possibilities. Let me call you tomorrow night.”
“Okay,” he said reluctantly, “but, Stormy, this is absolutely, positively your last chance. I gotta have someone who can deliver.”
“Everything’s fine. I need to get some sleep. It’s two in the morning. These folks get up early around here.”
“Call me.”
“I will.” Slowly, she hung up, rubbing her bare arms to take away the painful memories chilling her soul. Pills had been a common thing in her home. Growing up, she’d assumed all parents downed drugs the way hers did. There were all kinds of vices, and while her teenage buddies were getting drunk and acting stupid, she was managing her teenage angst with a colorful array of little pharmaceutical friends. It was more convenient to tuck a few pills into the zippered pocket in her purse than to sneak around bottles of Strawberry Fields.
Pills had nearly ruined her life. Stormy sighed, looking out the window. She was well now. It was time to move past it, and the best thing to do was make certain she nailed down a location for the production manager. Then she could be on top again—and eventually everyone would forget about the job she’d screwed up by getting whacked out.
Sudden light knocking at her door startled her. It was two fifteen in the morning, for crying out loud! She wasn’t about to open it. “Who’s there?”
“Stormy, it’s me, Mary. Are you awake?”
“Mary!” Stormy flung the door open. “Honey, what are you doing here?” She knew Cody would have taken Mary right home after he’d dropped Stormy off at the hotel.
“I’ve run away,” she said, before bursting into tears. “Can I stay here?”
“Run away?” Stormy put her hands on Mary’s shoulders, giving her a light squeeze before pushing her into a chair. “Why?”
“Because…I don’t know why!” Tears streamed down Mary’s cheeks. Stormy turned to get her a glass of water. “Everything’s all wrong!”
“Oh, dear.” Stormy watched Mary wipe at her nose and then try to stop crying. She hiccupped once, and it was a pathetic sound.
“I just need someone to talk to,” Mary said miserably.
Well, that summed up about three-quarters of the population. Stormy reached for the phone. “I have to call your mother, hon. She’s going to be worried sick. How did you get here, anyway?”
“I walked. Then I hitched a ride.”
“Oh, my God.” Stormy’s blood ran cold. “Mary, you could have been—” She broke off her words, thinking that a lecture probably wasn’t timely right now. “Look, I’m going to call your mother, and see if you can spend the night with me, okay? But you have to promise me you won’t ever do anything like this again.”
Mary nodded. “Do you have to call my mother?”
“Yes.” Stormy was resolute. “I don’t mind having you here, but it isn’t fair to scare your mother and father out of their wits.”
“They’re having a baby. They won’t care where I am.” Mary’s eyes pleaded for pity.
“That’s not what I saw when I was over there today. They care very much about you. Tell me your phone number.”
Mary did, and Stormy dialed it swiftly. Her heart was hammering; her palms felt clammy. Of all things she didn’t need right now! Surely Annie wouldn’t think Stormy somehow had instigated this situation? What if she got mad at Stormy and decided not to consider her offer?
A frantic female voice answered at the Rayez house. “Hello?”
“Annie, it’s Stormy Nixon.”
“Stormy! Why are you calling at this hour?”
She closed her eyes, fighting against the panic rising inside her. “I’ve got Mary here.”
“Whatever for? You bring her back right now!”
Stormy could feel Annie’s fear and anger crackling through the line. “She just got here, Annie. She’s been crying…and says she’s—” Running away had been on the tip of her tongue, but one look at Mary’s desperate eyes made Stormy amend the truth. “She says she’d like to stay the night with me.”
“Absolutely not. I’ll send Zach for her immediately.”
Annie’s tone brooked no argument. Stormy sighed, wishing terribly that Mary hadn’t involved her in this. “Annie, Mary told me she was running away.”
“Running away!”
“Yes. So, even though I don’t know you very well, I’m kind of glad she came to me. Maybe your husband could come get her in the morning.” As Annie hesitated, she said, “It’s only another four or five hours, anyway.”
“I’m not sure this is a good idea.” Iciness enveloped Annie’s voice. “It isn’t easy for me to completely trust someone I’ve just met. It would be better if Cody came to get her. He has his cell phone, and I can call him.”
“I think Mary’s had enough for tonight. I promise to take good care of your daughter, Annie.”
It seemed forever passed before Annie spoke again. “I will be there in the morning myself.”
“All right.” Stormy hung up, shooting a worried glance at Mary. “Your mother’s not happy, but she says you can stay.”
“Thank you.” Mary slumped in the chair. “I just need someone to talk to.”
Stormy sighed. It was going to be a long night, and she really needed sleep so she could beat the bushes for a movie location tomorrow. “Oh, heck. Why don’t we go for a dip in the pool? You’re all hot and sweaty from walking over here, and quite frankly, I feel cooped up.” Nervous was more like it, from everything closing in on her. A swim would do her good.
“That would be nice. I can just wear my shorts in the pool.”
“Okay. I only have one suit, or I’d loan you one. Let’s take a soda—” she took two from the mini-fridge, “—and grab a couple of towels.”
“This is kind of exciting.” The tears had dried up, and Mary’s eyes were shining.
At least Mary seemed to have perked up. Stormy slipped into her emerald-green one-piece and headed out the door, with Mary close behind.
They tossed the towels onto chaise lounges, and set the drinks on the ground. Stormy slid into the water gratefully. “Oh, this is heaven.”
Mary dove off the board and
swam to a place about three feet away from Stormy. “This is great!” Her eyes held gratitude. “Thanks for letting me stay with you.”
“It’s fine.” She reached to grab one of the cans and opened it. “Now, why don’t you tell me what’s on your mind?”
Mary looked away guiltily. “I really feel stupid talking about it.”
Ah. Counseling 101. She’d been here before. “Talking’s not stupid if it’ll make you feel better.”
“It won’t change anything.”
Mary looked so confused that Stormy felt sorry for her. “No. It probably won’t. But maybe it will help you put some things in perspective.”
“Okay. Well, I really want to try out for that movie part. But my folks don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“Oh.” Embarrassment flooded Stormy. If she’d stirred up trouble in the Rayez household, she’d feel responsible for Mary’s late-night visit to her. “They know what’s best for you.”
“That’s just it. They don’t know what’s best for me! Not anymore. I’m growing up, and they just don’t get it.”
“I see.” Stormy cringed, realizing the problem went far deeper than a swim could cure. “Have you talked to them about the way you feel?”
“I can’t.” Mary sighed despondently. “Mom’s about worn out picking out stuff for the new restaurant. And they’re so happy about this stupid baby and everything. They don’t have time for me right now.”
“Why is the baby stupid?”
“It just is. I mean, how mortifying! When my friends find out my mom and Zach have been—” she hesitated with a strained look at Stormy, “—well, doing it, they’re going to freak. I’ll never hear the end of it. I mean, it’s so gross!”
“What’s so gross?”
“That my mom and Zach have been doing it!”
Oh, Lord. Stormy closed her eyes wearily, wondering what she should say in this situation. “It’s pretty normal when you’re married, Mary.”
“Yeah, but not when you’re old.”
Stormy tried not to laugh at Mary’s indignant tone.
“It’s not funny, Stormy.”
She jumped at Mary’s perception of her reaction.
“It’s humiliating to have your mother get pregnant when she’s nearly forty years old. And a baby’s just going to be more work. That’s all they ever do anyway is work. And now there will be more.” Mary gazed at Stormy with rapt admiration. “I want to be like you. I want to have fun.”
“Stormy!”
She bit back a yelp at Cody’s sudden furious shout.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” He strode into the pool area, dark and tall and overwhelming.
Stormy stared up at him. “Swimming?”
He chose to ignore that for the moment. “Young lady, you are in big trouble.” He pointed at Mary. “Get out of the pool.” His anger directed his attention back to Stormy. “I had a hunch this was where she’d be, and by damn if I wasn’t right.”
Stormy hauled herself out of the pool to pit all five foot two and a half inches of herself against Cody’s wrath. “Cool off, Cowboy. You don’t talk to me like that. Maybe to some cow-eyed female who thinks you’re tough stuff here in Desperado, but not me.” She put her hands on her hips. “We’re not finished swimming.”
His jaw dropped for an instant. “Listen, Trouble, I don’t want any lip from you. I knew you’d be a bad influence around here, and sure as shooting if I’m not right.”
“Of course you are!” Stormy was building righteous anger of her own. Cody’s eyes snapped at her, but blaming her was outrageous. “You’re always right, aren’t you, because you’re the life authority. Cody Aguillar has everything figured out, down to the last curtain call.”
“I don’t do curtain calls, I don’t do damn make-believe, but you’ve got this poor kid convinced that La-La Land is someplace to look up to. Get out of the pool, Mary.”
“Not so fast.” Stormy put out a hand to keep Cody from pulling his niece out of the water. “First of all, I’d like to know what’s so damn admirable about chasing slobbery cows around a pasture, before poking them with a cattle prod to get them in a truck where they’ll shortly end up garnished by wilted lettuce and a radish.”
“Mind your own business,” he growled. “Mary, come on.”
“I am minding my own business. I don’t eat red meat, you know. So what you do for a living seems strange to me. You don’t watch movies, so what I do for a living seems worthless to you. But you keep taking potshots at me, and maligning my lifestyle, and you don’t know a damn thing about me.” Stormy took a deep breath. “All I’m asking, Cowboy, is that you slow down a minute, and don’t come rushing in here yelling at me before I even have a chance to tell you what happened.”
“I know what’s happening.” His gaze roved her swimsuit, then returned to her face. “You’ve scared the tar out of Mary’s mother with your irresponsible behavior—”
“Uncle Cody,” Mary interrupted. “Stormy didn’t know I was running away. She didn’t know I was coming over to the hotel.”
“Running away? What are you talking about?” He stared at her.
“I needed to get away for a while. I shouldn’t have done it, but I…need someone to talk to. You all treat me like a baby, like you are now. Stormy at least listens to me.” Mary met Stormy’s eyes gratefully.
Cody shot an eyeful of flame at Stormy, which she returned. “I don’t like men who bellow,” she enunciated clearly. “I don’t like men who have bad tempers.”
“I don’t have a bad temper!”
“You do!” Stormy pecked him with one finger on the chest. “Take a deep breath, count to ten, and be glad I don’t throw you in the pool to cool you off.”
“Listen, little lady, I’ve had plenty of people wish they could—”
“Sh. You’re making me crazy,” Stormy told him. “I can’t stand men who are full of themselves. I’m no little lady, and Mary says she’s not a little girl anymore. And I called Annie and got permission from her for Mary to spend the night with me. We’re sorry you had to get out of bed, because obviously you’re a person who needs all your rest. But go away. You’re spoiling this girls’ night out we’re having.”
His mouth flattened into a grim line. “Everything was fine until you came along.”
“Obviously not!” she shot back. “You’re lucky I’m here. So stick that under your cowboy hat, and come back when it’s had a chance to soak in.”
She put her hands back on her hips and drew herself up. Once again, his eyes swept her in an assessing glare.
“Fine. I’ll be back for Mary at eight o’clock in the morning, sharp. You’d better be ready.” He looked at both of them one more time with disgust. “No wonder she thinks all you do is have fun.” He stalked off, and Stormy’s heart sank.
“Boy, I’ve never seen anyone holler at my uncle, Stormy. You’re so brave.”
“I’m not brave.” She forced herself to take deep breaths. I’m a coward, and I hate confrontation. And I need—no, I don’t. I’m just fine.
“Did you know his nickname is Crazy Cody?”
Stormy sank onto a chaise, her blood thundering as adrenaline dissipated throughout her. “Why?”
“They just say he is,” Mary said simply. “Nobody gets into it with Uncle Cody.” She dove underwater, swimming contentedly.
“I believe it.” He just happened to hit all my hot buttons, she thought unhappily. “Oh, dear,” she said out loud. Panic surged into the adrenaline edginess, making her hands shake. “I’ve gotten myself in big trouble.”
There goes one location site. And possibly two, if Annie feels I’m trouble the way Cody does.
Then she realized she hadn’t heard a vehicle leave the parking lot. Squinting toward the hotel, she saw Cody’s truck, well outlined by the street lights. Inside, she could make out his shape in the driver’s seat.
Surely he didn’t intend to sleep in his truck! The headlights flashed on low and then o
ff again, signaling that he was aware of her perusal. And that he was keeping an eye on her.
Chapter Four
Stormy turned and dove into the pool, and Cody knew he’d been dismissed. That was fine. She’d gotten his message loud and clear.
Of course, she’d gotten hers across pretty well, too. “Such a big mouth for such a little lady,” he murmured. Fire had darn near been shooting out of that purple hair of hers. She’d been plenty riled. And determined. The only other woman he’d ever faced with that kind of determination was Annie.
Cody tipped his hat down over his eyes. He couldn’t sit here for the next few hours and watch her running around in that teeny little swimsuit, that was for damn sure, or he’d be needing a dip in the pool to cool off. The silly thing had the center cut out of it, which showed her flat little belly, and it rode so high on the sides it was damn near just an excuse for a woman to parade around nude. The day he’d met her, he’d observed she was put together pretty well, but seeing her in that tight piece of material clarified his powers of concentration.
He had never been so struck by the urge to toss a woman over his shoulder and carry her off to a hidden canyon. “Damn female,” he cursed. And Mary looked up to her. Trouble was brewing, and he could only hope Stormy would finish conducting her business and head out. Otherwise, he had the feeling he might be suffering a lot of sleepless nights like this one.
Strong, hard banging on the side of his truck shot Cody upright in his seat. His hat fell into his lap. Stormy peered in at him. Their eyes locked, hers lit with saucy laughter, then she sauntered off.
“You’re falling asleep on the job, Cowboy!” she called over her shoulder.
He gulped a deep breath to ease the hammering in his chest. “Damn female,” he muttered, hearing Mary giggle as she approached the truck.
“Are you all right, Uncle Cody?”
“Never been better. You ready to go home?” he asked hopefully.
“You said eight o’clock, and I’m staying till then. Good night.” She leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, which he scowled at, though he didn’t mean it. His niece was in big trouble, and she was with Trouble, and this whole mission he was on was a big pain in the ass. He watched Mary scamper off, then glanced at the dashboard clock. Four o’clock in the morning.
