by Geri Foster
Ride the Storm
Geri Foster
Contents
The Storm Warning Series
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Author’s Note
Also by Geri Foster
About the Author
Copyright © 2018 Geri Foster
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, businesses, events, or locales is purely coincidental.
The Storm Warning Series
Fear the Storm
Chase the Storm
Perfect Storm
Ride the Storm
I Am the Storm
Brave the Storm
Inside the Storm
Eye of the Storm
Embrace the Storm
Chapter 1
Here she thought dieting was hard. Resisting the strong urge to stand up and greet Jeff Crawley as he strolled into the bank, Nancy Wigan remained resolutely at her desk. It wasn’t easy, no sir, far from it. Jeff was all man and it ticked all her boxes. His muscles were toned from years working on his ranch, his skin a heavenly bronze, and his jaw as strong as an ox. She wanted to get up, for sure. In fact, nothing would make her happier. Every time the man entered the bank she put on her best smile, batted her lashes, all but shouted that she was available and interested. But she feared, lately, she might have been too forward and, instead of luring him in, she’d given him a case of cold feet. If he were to look at her now and catch her practically drooling she was sure that would be the end of any chance she may have ever had with the man.
Though strong, he was skittish, and he had every right to be considering what she imagined he’d been through while a SEAL. It was no secret he’d come home ten years ago a reserved and troubled man, but that just endeared him to her more. She could understand insecurity better than anyone.
Straightening her spine and schooling her face, she reminded herself she was a successful, professional woman at work and she should act like one. She certainly didn’t want Jeff or anyone else in Rainwater to think of her as flirtatious or loose. After all, at forty, she’d long since passed on the idea of catching a man.
If she were honest with herself, all the nicknames she’d earned in her younger years didn’t help either. Even now, years later, Plain Jane, Old Maid, Wallflower, and Chunky Monkey haunted her thoughts. Yes, she’d quickly learned to keep a low profile and play it safe and that was not something that was ever going to change.
Being the newly appointed Vice President of the Bank of Rainwater made it harder to stay under everyone’s radar, but the attention was not due to her person, but rather due to her success, which was something she was comfortable with. A few years ago she was just a teller, practically invisible. No one paid her any attention and she went about her business, happy to do her job and do it well. That was, until she was fired abruptly for asking too many questions. There was some suspicious activity happening at the bank and her morals and ethics just wouldn’t let her turn a blind eye when an innocent man was accused of embezzlement, much to her own detriment as it turned out. Without a job and without a purpose, she’d found herself adrift and lost.
When the case against Jim Snyder was reopened recently, everything changed for her. Sheriff Lucas Quinn and FBI agent Austin Crawley proved his innocence and, in the process, discovered the President and Vice President of the bank had been the guilty parties all along. Since she’d played a part in bringing the men to justice, the board members had decided she deserved a reward. With the two behind bars, and her collecting unemployment, she’d been taken by complete surprise when she received a call asking her to initially take on the role of Bank Manager and, then, when she proved more adept at the task than expected, the position of VP.
Nothing had thrilled her more. Working at the bank had been her life. Well, that and caring for two elderly parents whom both passed five years ago. It was hard at first, really hard, when she came to realize just how alone she really was without them. But over time, that loneliness didn’t feel like such a burden. In fact, with only herself to consider, she was free to reach as high as she could. To this day, the idea of being in charge of the bank still tickled her beyond words. She now felt she had a real life. A better life.
Unfortunately, in the end, even with all that success she hadn’t suddenly come up with the nerve to approach a man and start a conversation. No, she couldn’t do that. Well, she hadn’t in the past. Not about anything other than work, anyway.
“Hi, Nancy,” a familiar voice called out, shaking her from her reverie. “How are you today?”
A little flustered at having been caught with her head in the clouds, she turned to find Russ Crawley, Jeff’s older brother, walking in her direction. Immediately plastering on her professional smile, she stuck out her hand. “Good morning, Russ. It’s nice to see you today. Can I help you with something?”
He shook his head of grey hair. “No, I’m here with Jeff. We’re running errands and stopping at the bank happened to be at the top of the list.”
“That’s good.” From the corner of her eye she saw Jeff approaching and her heart did a funny little dance she was becoming quite accustomed to. Licking her lips, she turned her smile on him. “Good morning.”
As a man who grumbled most of the time, she’d nonetheless had some very productive conversations with him in the past. Today was not one of those days and she tried to ignore her hurt feelings when he didn’t return the greeting. After all, she reminded herself, he’d spent two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan and no doubt had every reason to be unsociable. His evident disinterest had nothing to do with how uncomfortable she presumed she had made him of late. That’s what she told herself, at least, though she wasn’t quite sure she believed it.
From the way he fidgeted, she knew Russ was growing uncomfortable with the chilly reception. “You coming to the wedding in two weeks, Nancy?” he asked, clearly trying to save the situation. “We’re all dying to see Austin and Candi tie the knot.”
Pressing her hand to her chest, she let out a tiny sigh. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I’m so happy and excited for them.”
“We are too,” he said, nudging his brother. “He’s agreed to be the best man.”
She turned and looked squarely at Jeff. “That’s quite an honor. I bet you’re looking forward to that.”
“Not really,” Jeff said, softly. “But he is my only nephew.”
Heat rose up her neck and splashed her face at the sound of his smooth, deep voice. “My, I think we’re becoming the wedding capital of Texas.”
“Maybe. Lucas and Rachel’s wedding certainly had the whole town involved.” He shook his head as though the whole event had been an ordeal to live through.
“Well,” she said, “it was also a welcoming home for Jim Snyder. The town had a lot to celebrate.”
“That’s right,” Russ said. “They finally released him from prison. They never should’ve kept him there once Lucas and Austin proved he hadn’t embezzled anything from the bank.”
“That’s the law for you,” she shrugged her shoulders. “They had to wait for all the paperwork and conditions to be ironed out.” Her gaze slid back to Jeff and, unwilling to lose her chance to speak to him on a more personal level, she asked, “How’s your new place?”
“Fine.”
“I heard your cattle made it fine over the winter. Now that spring has finally sprung, your busy time of the year is about to hit.”
“Uh huh.”
Without another word, or sound, Jeff turned toward the door, nodding politely to a few of the other customers as he passed. As he walked out the door, it occurred to her that she’d never heard him utter a single word to anyone but her while in the bank. It warmed her a little to think that she was somehow special, but it also concerned her that he’d closed himself off so tightly.
“He needs help,” Russ said, his face etched with similar concern. “Being over there sure messed him up. Believe it or not, he used to be fun. Now he just mopes.”
“You know I hold the local veterans’ support group here every week, right? We have a great therapist who has helped a lot of the attendees, but I’m worried that if I openly invite Jeff it will scare him off for sure. Usually when one of the group members learns about a new veteran in town they make an attempt to see them and invite them to the meetings, but when they approached Jeff he made it clear he didn’t want anything to do with that. Still, I think it is something he needs.”
Russ blew out his breath. “Well, they tried. I’ll keep working on him, but I can only push so far before he shuts me out completely.”
She reached out and touched his arm. “Don’t do that. You and Austin are all he has. Isolation is the worst-case scenario for him at this point in his life. Better if you just keep him close and keep an eye on him.”
Placing his hand over hers on his arm, he gave it a reassuring squeeze and nodded silently. Wishing her a good day, he turned and left. Stepping over to the window, she saw Russ getting into Jeff’s pickup just as Jeff slid into the driver’s seat, hanging his elbow out the window. The rough lines in his face spoke not only of age, he was close to forty-four, but also of a man who’d seen too much, done too much, and felt too much.
Sighing, she got back to work. Being close to the first of the month, the bank nearly bulged at the seams with customers. Spring had finally come to Rainwater after a long and colder than usual winter, and so many people were out and about because it was such a lovely day.
The sun promised calmer temperatures and a chance of rain later in the week. Her mother’s roses sure could use the moisture. Maybe, just maybe, this year they wouldn’t burn up and wilt.
* * *
Letting out a deep breath, Jeff focused on the tasks before him for the day in an effort to get the alluring Miss Nancy Wigan out his mind. He didn’t want to be interested. No, there was no room in his life for that sort of nonsense, but her warm eyes and soft smile called to him every time he saw her. He could barely even open his mouth this morning for fear he’d do something stupid like ask her out. That was the last thing he needed. He had his ranch, his brother, and his nephew, and that was good enough for him.
Turning left, he headed to the feed store for a few items he needed around the ranch. Since moving to Rainwater, and into the Patrick’s old place about a year ago, he’d lost track of a lot of his tools. It being time for horse breaking, he needed to do some leather working.
Several of his saddles needed mending so badly they weren’t fit to be put on a horse. The tack room should’ve been unpacked by now and things put in order, but getting a ranch started, and right before winter to boot, was a lot of hard work. After spending all winter getting his herd and the other animals settled in, he found little time to do much of anything else.
Now, with good weather right around the corner, he had his work cut out for him. Hopefully, before the wedding, Austin could give him a couple of days on the ranch to help get things done, but he hated to ask. His nephew had his hands full with a new family and a wedding.
“Nancy sure looked pretty today,” his brother said, hinting around for a reaction from him. “Looks like she might’ve done something different with her hair.”
He clenched his jaw and tightened his hands on the wheel. He loved his brother but, sometimes, the guy just didn’t know when to quit. He’d been hounding him about Nancy for months now, completely ignoring him every time he told him he wasn’t interested. That was an out and out lie, but his brother didn’t need to know that.
Groaning, he admitted to himself he had noticed Nancy’s haircut three weeks ago. No matter how determined he was to not pay attention to the woman he couldn’t help it. Then, when alone, all the details he’d collected traipsed through his muddled mind.
“Yeah, I think that hairdresser, Kendall, did something to it.”
“It’s kind of pretty. Don’t you think?”
He looked over at Russ and stared hard. He didn’t talk about personal things and that included Nancy Wigan. He knew, in a round-about way, Russ had been trying to push him and Nancy together from day one. But he knew him too well to expect anything to come from that. He shouldn’t waste his time. It hadn’t worked so far and, after a few weeks of nothing from Russ, he’d hoped he’d given up on the idea. No such luck.
“I guess so,” he eventually responded, trying for indifference.
“She sure is nice,” Russ continued. “And such a thoughtful person.”
“I’ve heard nothing but good things about her.”
“You hear she’s on the City Council now?”
He couldn’t quite hide the shock that flit across his features. He hadn’t heard that, and gossip like that usually made its rounds to even him. Sometimes Austin filled him in on the town’s business and the latest antics of the notorious three grandmas, but even they’d been quiet lately.
“You don’t say.”
“It’s about time someone new come along and shut up J.T. Davenport. He’s nothing but trouble.”
“Can’t say I even know who you’re talking about. I stay out of politics.”
“He’s the one who tried to keep the town from decorating for Christmas last year. Claimed it offended too many people. He was just being an ass. Couldn’t give a single name of anyone who protested.”
He had to admit he liked Rainwater during the holidays. The colorful decorations sure had the kids excited. And all those at the Senior Center sure enjoyed putting everything up. Even the shopkeepers got involved by decorating their windows.
“It appears he didn’t win that fight.”
“No, but he has others he’s gearing up for.”
“I didn’t think Nancy was the type to stick her nose in the town’s business. I figured the bank kept her pretty busy.”
“The townspeople practically dragged her to City Hall and insisted she run. That girl didn’t have to campaign one time and still won by a landslide.”
“Good for her.”
“I’d say.”
Thankfully they reached the feed store and Russ no longer had him trapped in the cab of his pickup talking about Nancy Wigan. The relief softened his whole body and eased the dull ache in his wounded leg.
Since being shot in Afghanistan, during times of bad weather or high stress his right leg acted up, tempting him to reach for the pill bottle. He usually resisted, not wanting to become another poor soul addicted to the meds, but today the pain just might win out.
Looking at his older brother, the irony of the situation caused him to chuckle. Here he was, twenty years younger, and it was he with the bad joints and bum leg. Because he and Russ were so many years apart in age, they hadn’t been close growing up or at any other time. Not until the past decade, really. Once he’d been not so politely asked to leave the military and Russ had gone t
hrough the loss of his wife and the troubles with his son, they’d both made an effort to make up for lost time.
Walking into the country feed store and smelling the familiar scents put him at ease after a trying morning. This was his comfort zone and a place he felt he belonged. Grabbing a cart, he greeted the owner. “Hey, Phil, how’s it going.”
“Pretty good. Can’t say I ain’t glad spring is on its way. I had enough of freezing my butt off.”
He chuckled. “Same here. Not much to do on a ranch come wintertime.” He picked up several items stacked in front of the counter. “I need to get my tack room in order. Half my stuff is either lost or broken.”
Phil pointed to the far side of the large building. “Start at that far wall. You can’t find what you need, give a holler.”
Nodding his thanks, he gripped the plastic bar of the cart and shoved it toward the opposite side.
Russ fell in beside him. “I should get a bag of bird seed.”
He glared at his brother. They were closer than they ever had been, but they still enjoyed giving each other a hard time. “Bird seed? Since when did you become a naturist?”
“This winter, when I looked out and saw all those tiny birds shivering on my back patio. Poor things couldn’t find a thing to eat.”
“Sure, they could. How do you think they survived before?”
Russ clouded up like a rain storm. “You feed those crazy geese. They aren’t good for nothing.”
“Best watch dogs around. Nothing enters my property they don’t let me know about.”
“You have Rosco for that.”
“Rosco’s good too, but he likes the comfort of the living room rug and a warm fireplace more than anything else these days.”
