Country Storm

by Cheyenne McCray

  Jane had grabbed her purse from the back room and was now walking through the bar. “You don’t have to tell me twice, boss.”

  Rae hadn’t brought a purse, had just stuffed her jeans’ pockets with her keys, driver’s license, cash, a credit card, and a tube of lipstick.

  “See you tomorrow, Mickey.” She gave him a little wave. Patty still stood near the door to the kitchen and the back room. Rae called out to her. “Night, Patty.”

  Patty gave a nod, a sour look on her face.

  “Come on, Rae.” Jane gave a nod toward the entrance. “It’s been a hell of a night.”

  “It’s been one heck of a day,” Rae said.

  The cooler evening air brushed her skin as they left the bar and stepped onto the wide porch. Bear stood to her right, his shoulder hitched up against the weathered wood post that helped hold up the roof over the porch.

  Her heart thudded a little faster when she saw him. The man was so dang good-looking, from his Stetson all the way to his cowboy boots. Every lickable inch of him was sexy.

  When their gazes met, she smiled. “Thanks for waiting, Bear.”

  Jane stopped at the edge of the porch. “How long have you two known each other?”

  Bear looked at his watch. “Nine hours, twenty-nine minutes, and eight seconds.”

  Jane burst out laughing. “Have a good night, you two.” She waved and jogged down the steps to the parking lot

  Rae’s cheeks warmed. As much as she’d like to find out what a good night was with Bear, that certainly wasn’t happening—at least not tonight, if ever.

  “I moved my truck closer to your car.” Bear gave a nod in the direction of where she’d parked.

  At first, she wondered how he’d known which car was hers, then she remembered he’d seen it when he’d taken Arthur from the passenger side. There probably weren’t many little sportscars like hers around King Creek.

  They walked side-by-side to her car. Bear stuffed his hands into his front pockets like he wasn’t sure what to do with them.

  She could think of lots of things.

  Inwardly, she groaned. She didn’t know what was getting into her. She hadn’t even looked at a man twice over the past year, since that awful night.

  She breathed in slowly, deeply, then exhaled. Another time, another world.

  “How are you doing after your first night on the job?” Bear asked.

  She glanced up at him. He was so big and tall he made her feel even more petite than she already was. His hugs would have to be the best thing ever.

  “Not bad.” She smiled. “I’m tired and looking forward to a good night’s sleep.” She cocked her head. “How do you think Arthur is doing?”

  “I went home and checked on Arthur a couple of hours ago,” Bear said. He’s doing pretty good, as well as can be expected.”

  “That’s where you went,” she said without thinking first.

  “So, you noticed?” he said with a grin.

  Rae laughed, not minding the warmth in her cheeks. After all, it was dark. “Sort of.”

  He grinned. “Good enough.”

  They reached her car and came to a stop beside the driver’s side door. “I’m looking forward to tomorrow,” he said.

  She pulled her keys out of her pocket and smiled at him. “I am, too.”

  He looked suddenly shy again, and she felt equally shy.

  She hit the unlock button on her remote and heard the sound of the door lock disengaging. Before she could reach for the door handle, Bear opened the car door for her.

  “Thanks,” she said as she got in.

  Bear closed the door behind her and waited while she buzzed down the window.

  “See you at ten,” he said.

  Rae smiled. “See you, Bear.”

  She buzzed up the window, put the car in gear, and headed toward the parking lot exit. She glanced at her rearview mirror and saw him watching her drive away.

  The range of emotions she felt was enough to make anyone crazy.

  She kept her breathing even and allowed herself to think of Bear. He was so sweet and thoughtful and a gentleman. What a great combination in a man. That and the sexy package he came with was more than enticing.

  But not only was her situation bad, she also didn’t plan on being here long.

  Now, she wished she could. But she had to make a new start, had to get away from a town where people would recognize her and question what she’d done. Even if the jury declared her innocent, the stigma would still be attached to her.

  In Albuquerque, she could get her real estate license and start all over, building up a list of clients. She could buy a nice house with a pool and make a good home of it, even more so than the one she’d sold.

  She hated to leave behind her sister and her two nieces, but Carrie understood her need to get away and start a new life. The kids would miss her, almost as much as she would miss them. She wouldn’t be as close to Marlee, so that wasn’t so great, either.

  Hers and Carrie’s parents had passed away when they were teenagers, which was back when her family lived in Albuquerque. Their dad had owned the pet shop before he died from the complication from surgery. Their mom had been a nurse and contracted a virus that had killed her less than a year later.

  Rae and Carrie had been devastated and had become even closer, needing each other more than ever when they’d gone to live with their maternal grandmother in Lake Havasu City. Their grandmother had been a cold, hard woman, so the sisters had relied on each other for comfort and to make it in their new city.

  Almost fourteen years later, and Rae was facing a trial with the possibility of going to prison. She shuddered. She didn’t think she could survive prison.

  She glanced at the clock on her dashboard and saw that it was almost one a.m.

  When she reached Marlee’s cottage-style home in a small neighborhood on the outskirts of King Creek, Rae parked and locked up her car before going through the gate and striding up to the postage stamp-sized porch. She used the key Marlee had given her and unlocked the door. She winced at the loud squeak it made, hoping she hadn’t woken her cousin.

  Marlee was a few years older than Rae, but they’d become close over the years, getting together as often as they could with seventy-five miles separating them.

  A light was on by Marlee’s chair. Her cousin happened to be in the chair, working on one of her crazy quilts.

  Marlee looked up from her quilting. “Hi, Rae.”

  “What are you doing up so late?” Rae plopped on the chair closest to Marlee. “Aren’t you usually in bed by now?”

  Her cousin set down her hoop, stretched her arms, and yawned. “Sometimes, when I’m working on a quilt block that I’m really excited about, I can’t stop.”

  Rae craned her neck. “Can I see?”

  Marlee passed her the hoop with the portion of the crazy quilt she was working on.

  Rae traced her fingers over the embroidered square that consisted of various velvets, brocades, satin, and silk pieces with embroidered seams and lace and crystal embellishments. “It’s a work of art.” She shook her head in amazement. “I can’t imagine putting in the time it would take to do something so incredible.”

  Marlee smiled. “Thanks.”

  “Aren’t quilts something older ladies do?” Rae smiled and teased her cousin. “You know, things Red Hat ladies work on.” She pointed at her cousin. “You, on the other hand, like to dance, jog, play sports, and have a wild time with the girls. Somehow crazy quilting doesn’t fit my preconceived notions of a crazy girl like you.”

  “You just said it,” Marlee grinned. “A crazy girl who happens to like crazy quilting because it’s just plain crazy.”

  “Ahhh.” Rae laughed. “Now it makes sense.”

  “Why don’t you give it a try while you’re here?” Marlee took the hoop that Rae passed back to her. “You might enjoy it like I do.”

  Rae held up her hands. “I have zero talent for needlework.”

  “
I thought the same thing about myself at first.” Marlee smiled. “You don’t know if you don’t try.”

  “You never know.” Rae pulled her hair back away from her face. “I need to cut my hair so that I look even more different.”

  “That shade of red probably makes you look different enough.” Marlee studied her. “It’s such an odd shade, but it does look good on you. Almost as good as your normal blonde.”

  Rae thought about Bear, and wondered if he liked her hair color, or if he thought it was odd. “I saw Bear McLeod at the bar tonight. He said the dog that lady hit is doing well.”

  “That’s great.” Marlee slipped her quilting paraphernalia into a large basket and closed the lid. She focused on Rae. “He’s cute, isn’t he?”

  Rae’s face went warm. “Yes.”

  Marlee’s eyes widened. “You like him.”

  “Of course, I like him.” Rae cheeks burned. “He’s a nice guy.”

  Marlee laughed. “If you could only see how red your face is.”

  Rae groaned and buried her face in her hands. She raised her head. “I screwed up, Marlee.”

  Her cousin looked puzzled. “In what way?”

  “Bear asked me out for coffee in the morning and I said yes.”

  Marlee brightened. “That’s awesome.”

  Rae shook her head. “No, that’s terrible.”

  Now Marlee looked confused again. “Say what?”

  “I shouldn’t start a relationship with any man.” Rae’s throat constricted. “What if I end up going to prison?”

  Marlee narrowed her gaze. “You are not going to prison. The man followed you to the houseboat and tried to rape you. He even said he was going to kill you for rejecting him at the bar.”

  Tears threatened behind her eyes. “Haters on social media say I dressed like a slut and a tease and asked for it.”

  Anger churned across Marlee’s normally calm features. “Don’t listen to them. That’s why you deleted all of your social media accounts. You did, didn’t you?”

  Rae sighed. “Every last one of them. Even Pinterest.”

  “Pinterest?” Marlee raised an eyebrow. “I couldn’t live without Pinterest.”

  Rae smiled a little at her cousin’s gentle teasing. “Okay, so maybe that was going farther than I needed to. But I got rid of everything.”

  “I’m glad you took that step.” Marlee leaned forward in her chair, her forearms braced on her thighs. “You got away from Lake Havasu City, so you won’t be spotted, and you won’t see the newspapers.”

  “And you’re kind enough to not watch news while I’m around,” Rae said.

  Marlee waved away the comment. “That’s no hardship. I hate the way the newscasters sensationalize everything. I get my news from a reliable, factual source online. So, I keep up to date without getting bogged down.”

  Marlee scooted to the edge of her seat. “About Bear McLeod.”

  “Should I cancel the date?” Rae asked.

  Her cousin shook her head. “I don’t think so. But if you do pursue a relationship with him, you need to give serious consideration to staying in King Creek and not moving to New Mexico.”

  Rae churned the thought over in her mind. “I don’t know if I can do that. I need a fresh start, Marlee. I need to be able to sell a house without someone recognizing me or my name and saying, ‘Hey, aren’t you that woman who killed a man?’”

  Marlee didn’t respond for a moment. “Listen to your heart and take care not to break Bear’s in the process.”

  Rae sighed. “I should cancel the date.”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “I did.” Rae rubbed her palms on her jeans. “But then, what could it hurt meeting him for coffee? It’s not like it’s a real date.”

  “Good.” Marlee’s smile faltered a little. “You have an appointment with your attorney Monday, don’t you?”

  Rae’s stomach churned at the thought. “In the afternoon. The trial starts in less than three months.”

  With a soft smile, Marlee said. “Everything is going to be okay, Rae. I know it.”

  Rae smiled at her sweet cousin. “Thank you.”

  Marlee got up from her chair. “On a brighter note, I’m glad you’re going to get together with Bear. He’s a good man, and you can trust him.”

  Rae stood, too. “I think you’re right on both accounts.”

  “Are you up for jogging with me early in the morning?” Marlee asked. “I’m planning on going a couple of miles outside of town and back.”

  “Too early for me after a late night.” Rae groaned. “My other excuse is I’m dead on my feet after my first day of working at the bar.”

  “Great excuses—this time.” Marlee hugged Rae. “Good night, cousin.”

  “Sleep well,” Rae said and followed Marlee upstairs.

  Rae went to the guest room and took off the crazy quilt Marlee had made and set it aside before she sat on the edge of the bed. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Tomorrow was a new day and she had a coffee date with Bear. Despite everything, she smiled, looking forward to seeing the big man with the big heart.

  Chapter 4

  Bear pulled into a parking spot behind Heidi’s coffee shop. He liked to arrive early, and he wasn’t surprised he didn’t see Rae’s little red sportscar.

  He entered the coffee shop, the scent of coffee filling his senses. Nothing like the smell of coffee in the morning. He nodded to the owner, who was behind the counter. “Good morning, Heidi.”

  “’Morning, Bear.” She smiled at him as she put a plastic lid onto an iced coffee drink. “Haven’t seen you in a while.”

  He shrugged. “Thought it ’bout time I showed my face in here.”

  “I agree.” Heidi yelled out, “Amy, your caramel latte is up.”

  Amy Baker wove her way through the tables, and she smiled at Bear. “Morning, Bear,” she said in passing.

  Bear replied in kind and saw the couch and chairs in the back corner were free. He took a seat in one of the cushioned armchairs, where he had a good view of the front door. He set his Stetson on another armchair to reserve it for Rae.

  A few minutes before ten, Rae came through the door. She was so darn pretty with her long red hair, cute figure, and the beautiful smile she gave him when she spotted him. He tried not to stare at the way her snug blue jeans fit her, or the way her blue T-shirt hugged her, but it was real hard not to look.

  He got to his feet and waited for her. It seemed the most natural thing in the world to give her a hug. She returned it and smiled when they separated. He picked up his Stetson and gestured to the chair he’d saved for her.

  “How’d you manage to get the best seats in the house?” She plopped down on the cushioned chair. “Ooh, this is comfortable.”

  He took his own chair and rested his hat on one knee. “Got lucky.”

  She leaned back and crossed her legs. “This chair is so big it’s a wonder my feet reach the floor. I feel like a kid.”

  Bear chuckled. She sure didn’t look like one.

  He gave a nod in the direction of the front counter. “What would you like to drink?”

  She scrunched her nose as she looked up at the menu. “An iced vanilla latte sounds good.”

  “You’ve got it.” He left his hat on his chair and worked his way through the tables to the counter.

  He ordered Rae’s iced latte and a black coffee for himself. “You make the best coffee west of the Mississippi,” he told Heidi when she gave him the drinks.

  Her eyes twinkled. “And here I thought it was west of the East coast.”

  He grinned. “My mistake.” He dropped a good tip in her tip jar and returned to the corner.

  Yeah, it was pretty tough not staring at Rae’s body. He hadn’t liked how Bill had leered at her, and he was sure she hadn’t either. So, staring at anything but her face might make him a hypocrite.

  Colt would probably say there was nothing wrong with it, as long as you weren’t an ass and treated th
e lady with respect. He might have something there.

  He handed Rae her latte. “Heidi makes the best coffee. I’m sure it carries over to her other beverages.”

  Rae accepted it and brought the straw to her mouth as he sat. She lowered the cup with a satisfied expression. “This latte is amazing.”

  He moved his hat off the chair to the small table between his chair and Rae’s. He sat and relaxed, wishing he could stretch out his long legs. “Rested up after your first day on the job?”

  “I woke up sore as heck.” Rae groaned. “It’s been a long time since I’ve tended bar.”

  “I’m not surprised. You worked hard last night.” He cocked his head. “When was the last time you worked in a bar?”

  “It’s been almost ten years.” She smiled. “Took it as a part-time job to make extra money when I started an entry-level position as an office assistant after college.”

  “What made you quit the part-time job?” he asked.

  “I got my real estate license and began selling properties.” She looked a little sad when she said it.

  He studied her. “You decided to get out of real estate?”

  “Something like that.” On a dime she turned the questions onto him. “What’s it like growing up in a small town like King Creek?”

  “You’re raised with everyone knowing everything about you, and you know everything about everyone else.” He grinned. “That’s how it was when I was young. The town has grown a lot since then, but the gossipy part hasn’t changed much.”

  She shifted in the big chair, bending one knee and putting her ankle under her opposite thigh. He didn’t think he’d ever be that flexible.

  “I bet you hear all kinds of things, being the town vet,” she said.

  “I hear my share.” He gave a nod. “A lot of it goes in one ear and out the next. I’m not much for gossip.”

  Rae pushed her fingers through her long hair. “My sister and I got enough of it in high school to last a lifetime.”

  “How many siblings do you have?

  “Just Carrie.” Rae sipped her latte. “She’s married and has two toddler girls, so I have a couple of cute rug rat nieces to spoil.”

  “My oldest brother, Carter, and his wife have twins. My brother, Justin, and his wife have a teenager,” Bear said. “It’s fun spoiling the kids.”