by Kate Kisset
“I’m shocked Danny didn’t say something to defend you, or his wife for that matter. The story made her look bad too.”
“To be honest, we thought the story would blow over because it was so ridiculous, but I asked them not to say anything. After our tour Danny and Trisha took off for France to visit her parents, so the press didn’t hound them as much.”
“Well, people need to know you were being honorable by protecting the reputation of someone who was sick. Can I add this to Boone’s story?” Her heart raced as she looked down at her notes, then shook her head. “This is a story on its own, and I won’t tell a soul about this conversation if you don’t want me to—but really, I think you should.”
“Go ahead.” He shrugged, eyeing her over his coffee cup, with a slight grin. “Enough time has passed.”
“And I can write it without ever mentioning your stalker’s name. I won’t even ask for it.”
He nodded. “It feels good to get it off my chest.” He laughed. “Can you imagine me messing with Trisha? At the very least Danny would’ve left the band, and would more likely have tried to kill me. He and Trisha have been so good about it. Of course they’re still together, and tell anyone who’ll listen there wasn’t a shred of truth to the story, but no one cares. I don’t have time for that shit. Maybe you can help me turn it around.”
Chapter Eighteen
AS THE WORDS SLIPPED out Harlan’s mouth and he saw Georgia scribble down every word, he remembered she was only at the ranch for professional reasons, and wouldn’t have agreed to stay there if it wasn’t for Boone.
Once she had her story—both stories now—she’d go back to New York. The only way he’d see Georgia Monroe was if he read one of her articles. He scratched at his throat, dreading the thought.
“So, after the truth is revealed, are you going to stay out of the business? What about the songs you’re working on? Are you going to release them? You’re too talented to just let them rot in a file somewhere.”
“They’re going to go on a new album I was going to release anyway. I hadn’t planned on touring since I’m focused on Boone, so I’m hiring a company to promote my work. My manager used to take care of all that.” Harlan stroked her velvet arm, knowing he had no right to want more, but couldn’t keep his hands off her. Was she just going to vanish now he’d finally found her? “I’d love it if you could come back to interview me after I release my new album.”
Her eyes flashed an expression he couldn’t read. “Consider it an open invitation,” he clarified, holding her hand, waiting for Georgia to smile.
“Come back? But I haven’t even left yet.”
She stared blankly at him.
The knock on the front door interrupted whatever Georgia was just about to say. Who was it now? It couldn’t be Colt, because he’d just barge right in.
The doorbell rang.
“Don’t go anywhere.” He said getting to his feet. Coming around her from behind, he leaned down and kissed the sweet spot between Georgia’s neck and shoulders, one of his favorite places on earth. Well that, and— “Be right back. It’s probably the new headphones I ordered.”
When Harlan opened the door, he found his neighbor Maxine Mahoney staring up at him with puffy, bloodshot eyes.
With her brown hair matted around her face, it looked like she’d been crying for a while. “Have you seen him?”
“Colt found him in one of our pastures yesterday.” He didn’t want to worry her more by mentioning what Colt said about him being confused. Come to think of it, Harlan had a few run-ins of his own with Jeb recently where he seemed a little off. “Come in.” He waved her inside. “We’re in the kitchen,” he explained, showing her the way, afraid she might break down in tears.
“Oh, man. I’m sorry I’m interrupting you.” Maxine shrugged, holding her face in her hands. “I should go,” she said through her fingers.
“No, no,” Georgia stood up, and shot him a questioning look. She tugged at her T-shirt, trying to pull it down. “I’m the one who should leave.”
“Both of you sit.”
Georgia plunked back in her chair and Maxine took the one beside her. “Georgia, this is my neighbor Jeb’s granddaughter, Maxine.” Harlan made the introductions, keeping an eye on Maxine settling at the table. She never came by without her granddad. “Maxine, Georgia.”
Georgia smiled politely.
“Call me Max,” Maxine sniffed, wiping her tears. “Sorry.” She gave them both a sheepish shrug.
“Not a problem.” Harlan snatched one of the mugs off the counter and set it in front of Maxine. “Help yourself,” he urged, pointing out the carafe, cream and sugar. He sat beside Georgia. “What’s going on?”
“We had plans for lunch. Grandpa and I always do. Have plans, I mean, for lunch once a week.” She swallowed. “He’s not home.” She eyed Harlan, begging for answers he didn’t have and rotated to Georgia. “His truck is right there in the driveaway. Where the hell is he?”
“I’m sure he’s fine.” Georgia tossed him a quizzical look before reaching out and patting Max’s hand.
“Buster’s there. His lab,” Max added nervously. “Which is weird, because he usually takes Buster with him. I talked to him last night. I know I probably shouldn’t worry, but... wherever he is, he has his gun with him. Which isn’t unusual, but...I just have this weird feeling and didn’t know who else to come to.” She gave Georgia a once-over. “Did I come at a bad time?”
“Nope.” She patted Max’s hand again. “Hey, I get it. If I had a friend like Harlan, I’d do the same thing.”
“Let’s take a ride.” Harlan rose from the table and grabbed his keys off the counter.
“Thank you, thank you,” Maxine’s thanks were all breath as she jumped out of her chair.
“Can you use another set of eyes?” Georgia asked, following Max.
He locked eyes with Georgia and the world stopped for a second. “I wouldn’t think of leaving without you.” He didn’t need old Jeb coming around snooping for her with his gun. Besides, she belonged with him.
“Let me get some pants on.” Georgia hustled out of the kitchen. “It won’t take but a sec.”
He beamed in approval, taking in the sight of her round bottom until it disappeared around the corner.
After pulling his rifle off the hook by the front door, he donned his hat, walked Max to his truck, and waited for Georgia, who soon followed.
Heading down the driveway, Harlan tried putting the pieces together. Jeb was on foot most likely, since he didn’t keep horses anymore, so if he was riding, it meant he stole one.
Keeping one hand on the wheel, he grabbed his phone from his pocket and hit speed dial. Jack Hamilton picked up on the first ring.
“Well, look who it is,” Jack answered jovially in his rich baritone voice. “Decide to come out of hiding and grab a drink?”
“The drink will have to wait, I’m afraid. I’ve got Jeb Mahoney’s granddaughter with me. She’s worried. He’s disappeared.”
“How long has he been gone?”
“She was supposed to meet him for lunch, and she talked to him last night. So it depends on when he decided to take off. You busy?”
Jack owned the property on the other side of Jeb and was the only friend nearby with a helicopter. Harlan had more than enough cash to buy his own, but imagined he wouldn’t use it much.
“I’ve got time to take a look,” Jack replied, all business.
No matter what the bickering, Harlan and his neighbors all watched out for each other. They had to. With so much land, it would take forever for proper authorities to assist in an emergency. They were all pretty much on their own.
“I’ll start at his place and call you if I see anything.” Jack promised before hanging up.
“Jack’s going to take a look,” he commented, steeling his determination, staring straight ahead.
“Thanks,” Max replied in a small, frightened voice.
Harlan slid his hand on Georgi
a’s thigh, liking the feeling of having her next to him. “Jack’s our neighbor with a helicopter.”
“Handy.”
He glanced at her, catching her eyes, smiling for an instant, and then swung a hard right down Jeb’s driveway. “He couldn’t have gotten very far,” he commented, without adding if he didn’t stay out all night after running into Colt.
Jeb’s ranch-style house looked like it hadn’t been touched since the fifties. Harlan hopped down from the cab and opened the passenger door, helping the women out. “You should wait inside.”
Maxine dug her feet in, not moving an inch. “I’m going with you.”
“It’ll be faster without you,” he replied firmly, not about to put either of them in danger. And who knew what they would come upon, or what shape they’d find Jeb in?
Standing his ground, Harlan didn’t follow up with an explanation. Jeb having a run-in with a bear or mountain lion wasn’t completely out of the question.
He strode back to the cab, passing the toolbox on the bed and taking mental inventory of the ammunition he kept stowed there.
Max followed him to the driver’s side door. Hand on hips, she stared him down, silently saying I’m going.
“C’mon,” Georgia offered, gently nudging Max’s shoulder. “Let me make you some tea.” She glanced at Harlan. “I’m sure your Grandpa has something in there we can make.”
Max let out a long sigh. “Okay,” she whispered. Her chin started trembling, but thankfully she didn’t start crying again.
Chapter Nineteen
GEORGIA ADDED SOME milk to her tea. So, this was what Harlan’s real life was like.
He was the man neighbors called for help. The good guy out on the range rescuing people. She was surprised he didn’t have a white horse. Or at least a white hat.
She considered Max, guessing they were around the same age. “Is this the first time this has happened?”
“My grandpa getting lost?”
Georgia nodded, lifting the steaming cup for a sip.
“Yeah, he’s usually right out there.” Max pointed out the window next to them toward several rows of plants. “I don’t know what I’m going to do. He hasn’t been the same since grandma died.” She shrugged, seeming to wilt in the process. “And I’m the only one he has left to look after him.”
The chop, chop, chop, chop, whoomphing sound of a helicopter flying low stole their attention. The noise got so loud it felt like the house was shaking.
Georgia locked eyes with Max, and they looked out the window at the same time.
“Should we do anything?” Max yelled above the noise.
“Let’s just stay put.” Georgia took another sip of her tea, trying to appear unworried for Max’s sake, until finally the sound began to fade. She glanced out the window again. “I’m sure they’ll find him.”
“Harlan was the first person I thought of to help me. Boone and Colt, too. The Beckett brothers are sort of the sheriffs around here.” Max turned her weary eyes to the window. “Let’s sit in the living room This is creeping me out.” Max grabbed her teacup and moved into a small beige room with chipped paint adjacent to the kitchen.
Georgia followed her and took a seat across from her on the blue couch.
“Have you known Harlan for long?”
“I just met him,” Georgia replied, wanting to add that it felt like she’d known him forever. “Of course everyone knows of him.”
“Right,” Max laughed uncomfortably.
“I’m doing a story on his brother and have found out Boone and Harlan are a package deal.” Georgia studied Max, and then took another sip.
“Trying to get to the bottom of his wife-stealing ways, are we?”
“What did you just say?” Georgia set down her cup.
“I said, everybody knows that rumor about him fucking around behind his friend’s back is really true. Not that it matters to me. I mean, he’s still the first guy I called. No judgement, right? To each his own. I assume you’re trying to dig up some dirt on him.”
“No,” Georgia seethed, swallowing hard, tamping down the urge to slap her, something she’d never done to anyone in her life. Max had a hell of a nerve talking about Harlan that way when he’d dropped everything to go out there to find her grandpa.
She lifted her chin, squarely meeting Max’s eyes. “You’ve got the story all wrong, Max. You might want to get your facts straight before you go talking out your stupid ass about something you know nothing about.”
“Whoa,” Max shot up her hand. “Didn’t mean to hit a nerve.” She leaned back on the couch. “Sorry, Mama Bear.”
“You haven’t seen me go Mama Bear yet.” Georgia considered her and thought about giving her another piece of her mind, but decided to give it a rest, surprising herself for getting so protective. But she felt a deep-seated need to defend his honor, which was so wrong on many levels, because Harlan wasn’t her mate. Harlan was the no-strings man she spent one night with. What the hell was wrong with her?
Her mind drifted to the conversation they had at the breakfast table when Harlan asked if she’d be willing to come back and interview him after his album was released. Harlan obviously didn’t need protecting. Maybe she was getting in his way? He had a full life there in Lonesome, taking care of everybody—and their grandparents.
A loud knock on the door made them both jump. Max ran to the door and opened it with Georgia hurrying behind.
“We found him. He’s fine,” Harlan announced, coming into the house, taking over the foyer with his size, and looking like the ruggedly handsome hero he was, making her heart flutter.
“Oh, thank God!” Max exclaimed, thankfully not hugging him. Although when it came down to it, Georgia wouldn’t have blamed Max if she had, but that didn’t mean she wanted to see her do it. She still wanted to smack her for dragging his name in the mud.
How was she going to manage to say goodbye to him herself? How many times did she have to remind herself—Harlan wasn’t hers?
Harlan removed his hat, placing it on a console by the door, his hand on Georgia’s shoulder, sending heated sparks ripping down her spine.
“Do you save the day often?”
Harlan laughed, flashing his dimples. “Only when I need to.”
AFTER THE REUNION, Harlan drove her straight back to his ranch. “Poor Jeb,” Georgia commented, admiring the pretty terrain out the passenger window. “It’s a good thing he has Max to keep an eye on him.”
Harlan ran a hand along her leg. “I’m glad he’s safe and wish him the best, but now it’s back to you and me, Peach,” he said, the huskiness lingering in his tone. “We made a pretty good team back there, didn’t we?”
“How do you mean?”
“When Max wanted to come with me to look for Jeb, you picked up on what I needed without me saying a word and brought her into the house for tea.”
Georgia brightened. She hadn’t realized how much the small gesture meant to him. “Yeah, I guess we do make a good team.”
“And I couldn’t wait to get back to you.”
“I missed you too,” she admitted, running her fingers down his arm and holding his hand.
“We’re running out of time.” He sighed. “Do you have everything you need from Boone for his story?”
“Pretty much, other than his show tonight.” Her heart sank. “We made arrangements to talk again when I get home. I might still have some questions, and Boone gave me Colt’s number. I can call you too, right?”
“Ha.” He laughed, tossing his head back. “You’ve definitely got my number.” He hesitated, side-eyeing her. “It isn’t going to be easy, saying goodbye to you.”
“I know.” Georgia shuddered inwardly at the thought.
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye. Why did they have to talk about it? They were just getting started.
They pulled into the driveaway and he shut off the ignition.
“Enough of the interview and sad talk.” Harlan shifted, leaning over the console. Cup
ping her cheeks between his large hands, a place where Georgia felt sure she could happily live out her days, Harlan kissed her upper lip, and then her lower, parting her lips with his tongue. She let out a moan against his mouth, feeling her nipples harden.
“Do you know what you do to me?” he asked, his voice edgy with restraint. “Let’s get out of this damn truck.”
They made it as far as the living room before they had their shirts off and Harlan was lying on top of her on the couch. With the late afternoon sun streaming into the living room window illuminating his face, it was almost as if the universe was trying to tell her Harlan was real and this wasn’t a dream.
This was the Harlan she wanted scorched into her memory. Harlan raw and wild, holding her face in his big hands, tunneling his fingers through her hair. “Baby, baby, baby,” he rasped, devouring her with every kiss as he crept down from her lips to kiss her neck, her collarbone, to her breasts, while he effortlessly reached around and unhooked her bra.
After three hours of lovemaking, they pried themselves away from each other.
Harlan kissed her belly, inching up between her breasts. "It’s time for me to show you off,” he whispered, planting a kiss in the notch at the base of her throat.
Georgia propped herself up on the armrest and gazed down at his beautiful face and slow, lazy grin. “I'm not sure I can move.”
He rested his head against her chest. “If you feel like barbeque, The Owl makes the best chicken in town.”
“That could be fun,” she cooed, lazily playing with his hair. She shifted, lifting herself up on her elbows and straightening. “And thanks to you, I have just the thing to wear.”
Harlan chuckled with a little gleam in his eyes. “The cowboy hat, for sure.”
Chapter Twenty
HARLAN FELT GEORGIA’S pace slowing. With her small hand tucked in his, she came to a full stop when they reached the building. She raised her eyebrows, peeking up at him from under the brim of her hat, as if to ask are you sure this is the right place?
