“That bad, huh?” He stopped and turned to face her. Shrugging out of the backpack, he set it gently on the porch step.
“You look beat to heck.”
“Well, at least I was right. You do look like an angel.” He stared down at her as if in awe. “Absolutely angelic,” he murmured.
Teal blushed and stepped back, holding the painting with both hands and away from him so he couldn’t see it. Who was Stetson? Had the roll down the ravine hurt him that badly, or had he been in a brawl? Could she really trust such an appealing man? The last handsome man she’d trusted had stolen a bunch of cash from her and then left horrid comments on all of her social media sites for weeks before finally leaving her alone.
“I’ll just … go get my keys,” she said.
“Thanks. I’ll wait out here.”
Teal relaxed a little bit. If he was going to hurt her, he wouldn’t be a gentleman and carry her backpack and then wait outside; he’d force his way into the cabin. She backed away, shifting the painting to one hand again so she could grab her backpack, and then rushed up the stairs. She unlocked the cabin door, hurried through, and then locked it behind her. She didn’t think Stetson was out to get her, but she probably shouldn’t be too trusting.
She hurried into the spare bedroom first, trying to find an empty spot to lay her painting. She really needed to drive into Denver and ship off the last ten, or store them at her parents’ house. They didn’t bother much with her or her sister, but they were happy to brag about both of them and let Teal use their mansion as a home base for her travels.
Setting the painting on a bare spot of floor, she shut the door behind her and then went to the other bedroom to grab her keys and phone off her dresser. She might as well call her sister when she got cell coverage. If it wasn’t too late after she took Stetson to who knows where. He still hadn’t answered her why he was there.
She couldn’t resist checking in the mirror. Her long, dark hair was falling out of its haphazard ponytail, and she was wearing no makeup to define her lips or her green eyes. He’d said she looked “absolutely angelic.” He had either hit his head really hard on his fall down the mountain, or he was just a shallow schmoozer. Probably just wanted to keep her happy until he got his ride home.
She hurried out of the cabin, locking the door again. He was sitting on the porch stairs, but when he spotted her, he grabbed the railing and pulled himself to his feet. He had scrapes all down his arms and legs, and his shirt and shorts were torn in places.
Stepping up to him, she said, “You are so beat up. Was that all from the fall?”
He offered her a grim smile. “Can I tell you about it while we drive? If I don’t get home soon, I could be in some deep trouble.”
Her eyebrows rose, and she wondered what his story was. He’d been pretty good at evading questions so far. She simply nodded and led the way to her Cherokee. She kept her vehicle at her parents’ house in Denver and used it when she was anywhere close by. The Colorado mountains were fantastic, so she painted them often.
Stetson got her door and ushered her into the car. She was impressed by his manners, especially when he must be feeling horrible. Watching him closely, she could see that his arms and legs were defined with lean muscle and also had their share of scrapes and cuts. She cringed. At least he wasn’t gushing blood or asking her to doctor him up.
He moved slowly around the car. She couldn’t imagine what that fall had taken out of him, but then she wondered what he’d been running from in the dark. Nothing or no one had come after them, but she felt unsettled and jumpy thinking about that, until he climbed in and offered her a charming smile.
“Thanks again,” he said. “You’re my own personal Good Samaritan.”
She couldn’t help but return his smile. “Glad to help,” she said through a thick throat. He was so handsome, she couldn’t imagine how good he’d look without all the scrapes, blood, and dirt. His face also seemed vaguely familiar; maybe she’d seen him on a magazine or television. Was he famous and hiding it? She didn’t keep up on much social media beyond sending what she needed posted to her social media expert.
She started the car with a push of a button, backed up using the backup camera, and then drove down the rutted dirt road. Now that they were in the car, Stetson emitted a nervous energy that didn’t fit with the innate confidence she’d seen in him. He stared intently out the window and drummed his fingers on his leg.
“Are you going to tell me the story?” Teal asked, navigating around the large rocks and potholes that she could see, but hitting her fair share too. Stetson grimaced a few times, but he didn’t say anything about it.
“What story?” He gave her that charming smile that she could imagine had won over many a woman. She was charmed, but cautious. What was he hiding?
“You choose.” She laughed shortly. “The story of your life, who you are, what you were running from, how you survived that fall, how you can be so tough that you didn’t even cry out …”
“I am pretty tough.” He smiled and flexed.
She hit another pothole as she gaped at the display of bulging biceps. Focusing back on the road, she asked, “Are you some kind of athlete?”
His smile disappeared. “No,” he muttered.
They reached the main road. She could turn right and head to the canyon that led out of the little valley toward Vail, or she could turn left toward the small town of Lonepeak or on to the ski resort that she’d gone to a couple of times with friends during college years. “Which way?”
“Left, please. Up to the ski resort.”
She followed his instructions and drove forty, the speed limit in this little valley.
“Can you go a little faster?” His voice was pleasant but tight.
“No. Not until you answer at least one of my questions.”
“Um … story of my life. My parents built the ski resort, Angel Falls Retreat.” He pointed ahead of them. “My oldest brother Gavin owns and runs it now. As of a year and three months ago, I’m the youngest in the family, since my youngest brother was revealed to be my nephew. I just graduated from Purdue and came home for the summer. Faster, please.”
She couldn’t resist looking at him. He certainly had an interesting story.
“Faster, please,” he said again.
“Fine,” she huffed. Was he really that anxious to be done with her? Now that she knew he was from a reputable family, she wasn’t as concerned about his past and wouldn’t mind getting to know him better. She pressed down on the gas, and the vehicle shot up to fifty-five. “If I get a ticket, you’re paying for it.”
He chuckled but then sobered. “Maybe slow down a little bit. I don’t want to see any police right now.”
Her stomach dropped. “Why not?”
He grimaced. “Forget I said anything.”
By the time she approached the resort, she was gripping the steering wheel tightly. He was running from the police, and just when she’d thought she could relax.
“Drive past the resort,” he instructed, “around to the left.”
More warning bells started clanging, and she slowed down. He hadn’t hurt her back at her cabin, but why was he directing her away from the resort?
“My parents’—” His voice caught, and he cleared it before saying, “—and brother’s homes are up another canyon.”
“The Strong family, right?”
“Yeah.” He seemed almost chagrined to admit that. Would his family be upset with him for coming home all beat up? It wasn’t his fault he’d fallen down a ravine.
They pulled up to a gated canyon. He gave her the code, and they pulled through. As they entered the canyon, his eyes darted around, but then he sighed with relief. “All clear,” he pronounced.
“What?” Her voice pitched up.
He smiled grimly. “Sorry. Forget I said that as well.”
“You are freaking me out,” she admitted to him, pulling to a stop in front of the smaller of the two houses. The larger o
ne was gorgeous, huge, and two stories of glass and light. The smaller rambler seemed cozy and welcoming. The yard was well kept with fabulous hanging baskets dripping with flowers. Light spilled from the picture window and the front porch lights.
“I’m sorry to freak you out. You really have saved me tonight.” A muscle worked in his jaw as he stared at her, and then he admitted, “I got into a bad situation tonight. That’s what I was running from when I fell and met you.”
His gaze intensified on her. She hadn’t noticed how deep brown his eyes were until this moment. A girl could get captivated by a pair of eyes like that.
He pulled open his door and said, “Thank you again.” Then he slipped out and shut the door firmly.
Teal watched him walk up to the front porch. He cut an impressive figure, tall, lean, and muscular, but he was obviously hurting by the way he moved. He swung the door wide but turned back and lifted a hand to her. The look on his face was sad, as if he regretted that their interesting, exciting interaction was a one and done.
Sighing, she dropped the vehicle into reverse and backed away. He was a bewildering mess she shouldn’t want to see again. Yet she found herself wanting it, badly.
Chapter Three
Stetson eased through the quiet house, grateful that Mama was asleep. He took the stairs down to the room he was staying in while he visited. Sadly, he didn’t know what he’d do when he wasn’t visiting. The Titans’ rejection still sat heavily in his mind, especially because he had no clue what to do with his future now. He’d always wanted to coach at a high school or small college after he played in the NFL, but most of that hiring took place in the spring. He was too late, and who would want a failed NFL prospect anyway?
Once he made it to the bedroom, he carefully peeled off his T-shirt and shorts. He was hurting, everywhere. He was fairly sure that nothing was broken—maybe a couple of ribs, but he’d had them broken before and they’d healed.
Walking down the hall, he stopped at the bathroom door. It was closed, and light shone from the crack underneath. Frowning, he waited.
The door popped open, and Will walked out. “Uncle Stetson?” His voice squeaked as only a fourteen-year-old’s voice could squeak. Will had grown a lot in the past year and a half since Jed and Cassie adopted him. He was a responsible, nice kid who took the happiness of his younger sister, Izzy, as his duty. “You look … beat to death.”
Stetson looked down. He was a bloody, scratched-up mess. He gave an uneasy chuckle, hating himself for lying, but what could he do? If the kid knew his uncle was a fighter and tried to follow his footsteps, Stetson would never forgive himself. “I went to the mountains with some buddies, and I fell down a ravine.”
Will’s dark eyes widened. “You’re lucky you’re alive.” He whistled quietly. “Dang. Mama Strong would’ve been a mess if something would’ve happened to you on Papa’s funeral day.”
“Yeah.” Guilt rushed through him. What had he been thinking? Going with Judd and Tyler to a stupid fight on his dad’s burial day. Selfish. Stupid. Immature. Story of his life lately. For most of his life, he’d assumed that his nephew, Austin, was his younger brother. The news last year that Austin was really the son of Stetson’s oldest brother, Gavin, had been shocking and exciting. For some reason, Stetson hadn’t liked the abrupt change in the status quo. He’d determined to prove he wasn’t the pampered baby of the Strong family. He was failing.
“Can I get you anything?” Will asked.
Stetson rumpled his hair. This kid took after his philanthropic mother, Cassie. She’d been bent on saving the world until she met Jed and adopted Will and Izzy. “Naw. Thanks, though, bud. You’re a great guy.”
Will’s skinny chest puffed up. “I just want to be like you some day, Uncle Stetson.”
Stetson’s tongue was suddenly too thick for his mouth. “No. Not like me. Be like your dad, Gavin, Heath, Nick, Trey—anybody but me.”
Will stared up at him. His brow wrinkled in confusion. “But you’re the coolest. You’re the best defensive end in the nation. My mom and dad are so proud of you. They brag about you everywhere.”
Stetson couldn’t hold the kid’s gaze. It wasn’t bad enough that he was a selfish loser. His family thought he was some kind of hero and bragged about him? He supposed he wouldn’t blame them when he’d been excelling at football. Not now, though. How was he supposed to respond? “I’d better shower and get some rest.”
“Okay. Night.”
“Night, bud.” Stetson escaped into the bathroom. Hot tears mingled with the warm water from the shower. He’d thought his family would be so disappointed that he’d failed at football, but they were still proud of him? No. That was just a young kid who didn’t understand that Stetson’s hopes and dreams had been slammed into a brick wall.
He rested his arm against the shower wall, blood and dirt washing down the drain, his cuts stinging. What he wouldn’t give for some ibuprofen, but he figured he deserved this pain. His siblings and Mama had all told him that he’d done his best with football and that even though he didn’t know the path the Lord had for him, he’d do great things. If only they knew about his double life in high school and that he’d gone back to his old ways the second night he’d been home … He couldn’t stand to think of meeting his mama’s gaze then.
Eventually, Stetson shut off the water and went to his room. Sliding into clean boxers and between the sheets, he stretched out on the bed. He might leave some blood on the sheets that he’d have to scrub off tomorrow, but he’d be all right. Just some bruises, and he’d have to be careful with the ribs. It wasn’t like he was playing football right now anyway. Sadness rushed through him. Football was his life. What was he going to do without it?
Instead of dwelling on the vast black hole that was his future, he pictured the dark-haired beauty who’d rescued him. She’d been a sweetheart, and touching her had lit him up from the inside out. He wanted to go find her again, get another look at those green eyes and see if she was as kind and exotically beautiful as he remembered.
A quick tap-tap on his window pulled him up to a seated position. He gasped. The pain in his ribs might need to be bound up. He might have to sneak down to Doc Mullen’s and at least get checked out.
He looked to his window. A flash of light appeared and illuminated Judd’s face. Stetson pushed out a breath and stood. He’d dodged a huge bullet tonight, and Judd was the last person he wanted to see.
Opening the window, he bit out, “You okay?”
“Yeah, man.” Judd squatted next to the window. “Cops let us go. Except for the ones with hard drugs or holding a pile of cash. You okay?”
“I fell down a ravine, got pretty beat up. Caught a ride home.”
“Sheesh.” Judd handed over Stetson’s jacket. “Glad you got home okay. You need a doc?”
“No. Thanks,” he said as he accepted the jacket. Stetson felt around in the pockets and was relieved his phone was still in there. “You think the cops will come after me for fighting?”
“Naw, but someone else is after you.”
“Who?”
“Ike.” Judd let that sink in, but Stetson wasn’t afraid of Ike. He would’ve beat him if the police hadn’t shown up. “Dude sent a message.”
“Okay.”
“He doesn’t care that you’re a football star, or about your richie family and brother from the military. If you don’t meet him to fight tomorrow night and finish what you started … He’ll find you and slit your throat.”
Stetson rolled his eyes. He hated dramatic guys. “Really? I’m done fighting. He can threaten all he wants.”
Judd raised his eyebrows and his shoulders. “I just delivered the message so he didn’t kill me. He’s one scary dude.”
“Does he live in the valley?”
“Naw. We met him at a bar down in Vail. He played against us in football back in high school. Played against him in the state championship game. Eagle Valley High.” Judd stood and lifted a hand. “Good to see you, man.�
�
Stetson couldn’t say the same. He’d regressed to a stupid teenager tonight. He was twenty-three years old, he had a double bachelor’s degree in math and physical education from a prestigious university, and it was time he acted like an adult. Now if only he knew how to do that. He’d thought playing in the NFL would be a sign that he’d grown up, that he was finally as impressive as the rest of his family. He’d failed at that, so he’d somehow have to act like a Strong and forge another path.
“Bye,” he finally muttered, sliding the window shut.
Lying back down on the bed, he squeezed his eyes shut and said a prayer of gratitude that Teal had found him and that he was home safe. Teal. She was an uncommon beauty with her liquid green eyes and pale pink lips. He’d been hit on by many a woman in his college days, and he could fully appreciate a lady who could look that good without a stitch of makeup on. If only he was in a different spot in his life.
He fell asleep thinking of her soft touch and the warm fire it had ignited in him, despite how beat up he felt. He also resolved that in the morning, he was going to do something with his life. What exactly he’d do, he wasn’t sure, but something.
Stetson felt a thousand times worse in the morning. Everything had stiffened up, and his entire body felt like it was bruised or broken. Someone pounded on the door, and he realized that the sound was what had awoken him in the first place.
The door swung open and Austin and Will were standing there, grinning at him. “Come on, Uncle Stetson,” Austin said. “We’re going to lift weights, have a big breakfast, then hike up to the lake and swim, and then …” His dark eyes lit up. “Dad’s gonna take us on rides in the Razor. Have you seen it? It rocks!”
Stetson nodded. He had indeed seen the Razor, a side-by-side racing vehicle. Gavin and Kari had bought it as a “family gift” for Christmas. Gavin had told him how overwhelmed they were with blessings, so they’d decided to give all their Christmas presents to charity and just buy one large family gift they could enjoy together.
The Strong Family Romance Collection Page 91
