A Cowboy Like You

by Donna Grant

  Chapter 28

  “Everything okay?”

  Skylar looked up at Abby as she put away her phone that she’d looked at constantly, waiting for Danny to reply to her text. “Yeah.”

  Abby quirked a brow. “I don’t quite believe you, but I know it’s also none of my business. Just want to make sure you don’t need to talk.”

  Skylar folded the last towel and gathered the bundle in her hands as she followed Abby to one of the bathrooms to put them away. “I just need to chill out. Danny’s working. He can’t reply the instant I send a text.”

  “Unless he’s in the middle of something, he’s normally pretty quick to respond to Clayton.”

  That didn’t make Skylar feel any better.

  Abby stepped back from putting away her towels and winced. “I didn’t make things better, did I?”

  “Not really,” Skylar admitted.

  They returned to the spare room where they’d set up to fold laundry so they didn’t have to go up and down the stairs.

  “I know Danny really likes you. In all the years Clayton and I have been together, Danny’s never stayed the night here before. But he did for you.”

  Skylar returned Abby’s smile. “I know he cares. And it’s silly, really, but I have this feeling that something more is going on.”

  “Danny is an upfront guy. If there’s an issue, he’ll talk to you about it.”

  “I’m just being paranoid.” That had to be it. Skylar began folding little Hope’s pajamas. “I’m not usually like this, by the way.”

  Abby made an indistinct sound. “You don’t need to explain yourself to me. I’ve been here through a lot of it. I know just how chaotic and trying the last week has been. It would make anyone a wreck, but you’ve done great.”

  “Have I?” Skylar wasn’t so sure.

  She didn’t normally get so worried about a guy not returning a text right away. Then again, she’d never been so head-over-heels in love with one either. Skylar stopped folding and just smiled as she stared into the distance.

  “Skylar?”

  She looked at Abby and said, “I love him.”

  “Oh, girl, we’ve known that from the first moment he brought you to the house.”

  “Really?” she asked with a laugh.

  Abby nodded her head. “It’s clear in the way the two of you look at each other.”

  Skylar sank onto the bed and sighed. “Things should be easy, then.”

  “Nothing worthwhile is ever easy all the time. There will be times when things seem to fall together nicely. And other times when you have to work for it.”

  “I want to work for it,” Skylar said. “In all my life, I’ve never wanted anything more than I want Danny. I just can’t help but feel there’s a cloud above us that has to do with Matt.”

  Abby rolled her eyes and sat beside her. “I’ve never been in your situation, so I can’t really give you an opinion. What I can tell you with certainty is that Danny won’t let anything happen to you. He’ll have every deputy who works for him on the lookout for Matt. Also, in case you didn’t know, Danny is very good friends with the chief of police here, and I’ve no doubt Danny will talk to him about Matt, as well.”

  “It doesn’t seem fair that I get such treatment.”

  “The hell it doesn’t,” Abby admonished her. “If you have that kind of connection, then you’d be a fool not to use it. Though it isn’t like Danny wouldn’t help you, no matter what you said.”

  Skylar grimaced. “That is a good point. I can’t help thinking of all the other women out there going through something similar. I’ve been very fortunate, I know this. Not only was Danny there that night, but I’ve also had somewhere to stay that kept Matt away.”

  “This is definitely something that has become a problem, but so many people don’t talk about it. I wish there was some way I could help.”

  Skylar suddenly had a thought. “I’ve done well in my life. My boss paid me well, and he taught me about investing in real estate to more than triple my money in the first two years. I’ve kept at it all this time. While I’ve enjoyed my job, I think I’ve found something else I can do.”

  “Helping others get out of abusive relationships,” Abby said with a knowing smile.

  “Is it too much?” Skylar asked hesitantly. “I want to do something, and now that I’ve been in the middle of it, I know what’s worked for me. It won’t work for everyone, but everyone has to start somewhere, right?”

  “You’re absolutely right. And I don’t think it’s too much at all. Anyone who wants to help in that kind of scenario is always great, in my opinion. And I plan on helping out, as well.”

  Skylar smiled, joy rippling through her. Not only had she found the love of her life, she’d also found the place she was supposed to be, and now, she’d found her calling. “That would be great.”

  “You’ve got great resources around you. Make use of them. And there are others who can introduce you to those you don’t know. Personally, I think it’s a great idea,” Abby said.

  Skylar got to her feet to continue the laundry, her mind racing with possibilities. As they finished folding, she and Abby talked about the locations she could set up as safe houses where women and their children could go.

  She got another ten minutes out of it before she looked at her phone again to see if Danny had replied. Still nothing. Skylar really tried not to take it to heart, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was going on.

  That afternoon, they set up in the office, where they looked at everything she needed to do to be able to become someone who could help abused women. There was a plethora of information out there, and it wasn’t long before she had been pulled down the rabbit hole of one article after another.

  She had a notepad with her, jotting down ideas and notes as she read them. Abby was in and out of the office, tending to the children, and answering calls.

  The sound of her name being called pulled Skylar from her reading on the laptop. She looked up to find Leslie in the doorway.

  “Hey,” Skylar said as she set aside the computer. “I didn’t know you were coming by.”

  Leslie blew out a breath and walked to sit on the sofa next to her. “I had some news that I thought would be better delivered in person rather than over the phone.”

  “That sounds ominous.”

  Leslie turned sideways and set her hands in her lap as she looked at Skylar. “You remember Cooper calling his friend Cash, who is a PI?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, about two hours ago, Cash walked into my office.”

  Skylar sat up straighter. “Did he find something?”

  “Did he ever.” Leslie looked away for a moment. “We were all right. This isn’t the first time Matt has abused a woman. There are more.”

  “How many more?”

  “Cash is still digging into that. It took him forever to locate the first woman, and she refused to talk to him at first. It wasn’t until he told her about you and showed her what the Gaudets were doing to you in the papers that she finally relented and admitted that she and Matt had dated.”

  Skylar swallowed hard. “And?”

  “He broke her collarbone and dislocated her shoulder, and that was just the first time he hit her. The next time, he went after her with a baseball bat. She was pregnant at the time, just a few weeks, but she ended up losing the baby.”

  “Oh, God.” Skylar wrapped her arms around her stomach. “How did she get away?”

  Leslie pressed her lips together. “Like you, she tried several times to leave. Matt had convinced her to quit work and said that he’d support her.”

  “That way, he would know where she was at all times.”

  “That’s my guess. After trying four different times and having Matt drag her back, beating her each time, she knew she only had one choice. She got him drunk and waited until he passed out. Then she went to the police.”

  Skylar shook her head. “Did they not do anything?”
>
  “The officer who took the statement happened to be one of Matt’s friends. He called the Gaudets and let them know what was going on. The parents arrived and took the woman away, where they bullied and threatened her to take the millions they offered and to change her name and leave the area. She had family there, so she refused to leave, but she did change her name.”

  “Did Matt not look for her?”

  “Oh, he did, but his family, with the help of others, made sure he never found her. Also, the Gaudets made her sign an NDA. If she says anything, she has to give back the money.”

  Skylar was sickened by all of it. “Please tell me the non-disclosure agreement won’t hold up in court.”

  “You’re damn straight it won’t,” Leslie stated. “I’m going to make sure of it.”

  “With you on her side, the Gaudets don’t stand a chance.”

  Leslie didn’t smile in response. “There’s more. Once Cash got her talking, she gave him another name. It was a woman Matt dated before her.”

  “That’s good, right?”

  “Yes. Cash got more information on Matt and how quickly his family covered things up. Along with the pictures from the first woman, he got more proof of abuse from the second. And he got another name from the second woman. This went on for five more until he looked into the last one.”

  When Leslie paused, Skylar frowned. Her heart was racing. She didn’t want to know the rest, but at the same time, she had to know it all. “Tell me.”

  “The timeline of this goes all the way back to his sophomore year in college. Cash went looking for the woman and discovered that she was dead. Killed, actually.”

  “By Matt?” Skylar asked in a whisper.

  Leslie lifted one shoulder. “He was the prime suspect, but he had a rock-solid alibi where over thirty people saw him while the murder was taking place.”

  “He had her killed.”

  “That’s what we all think. Even the police believed that, but they had no proof.”

  Skylar released a deep breath. “He started the beating in college then?”

  “Actually, it began in high school with his first steady girlfriend. No one did anything about it, and they went to separate colleges, so she got away.”

  Skylar looked into Leslie’s brown eyes. “You think he would have me killed?”

  “I think it’s something that isn’t just in the past, and that you should take the threat seriously. You’ve done what none of the others have. You not only got away, but he was also arrested. I don’t think Matt is the type of man to take that in stride.”

  “There was a man last night at the restaurant,” Skylar said. She went on to describe the incident.

  Leslie tucked her chin-length dark lock behind her ear. “We all hoped that with Matt leaving that he was giving up. I don’t think that’s the case now at all.”

  “Then that means he knows about me and Danny. If that man last night works for Matt, then he reported back about who I was with.”

  “Cash is filling Clayton and the others in on all of this as we speak. You’re safe here.”

  Skylar leaned back and looked at the ceiling. “I hate Matt for taking away my freedom. What right does he have to try and control me like this? Can’t he just get on with his life like other couples do when they break up?”

  “Matt’s brain isn’t right. You can try to tell him that a million times, and it’ll never sink in.”

  “Is anyone telling Danny?”

  Leslie nodded. “Cash said he would have Cooper bring him over to fill Danny in.”

  “Just when I thought I could get on with my life, Matt rears up again.”

  Leslie reached over and covered Skylar’s hand with hers. “Don’t crumble. Now is when you need to be the strongest.”

  Skylar thought about all the other women out there scared out of their minds about their abusive partners. Many got free. So many others didn’t. For whatever reason, she wasn’t done walking this path. But everything she learned would be used to help other women—because she was going to survive it.

  Chapter 29

  No matter how hard Danny tried, he couldn’t stop thinking about the text that Skylar had sent. It went against everything they’d spoken about, but he had asked her the night before if she was ready to date. Maybe she hadn’t really thought about it until he brought it up.

  “Way to go, Oldman,” he chastised himself.

  If only he’d kept his mouth shut.

  But he’d known that she would eventually realize that she needed more time. It was better that it happened now rather than months later when they were more serious. Still, it stung.

  Badly.

  Danny needed to remember that this wasn’t about him. It was about Skylar and everything she’d endured for three months, as well as what she was going through now with Matt and the Gaudets coming after her. He shouldn’t be upset that she was putting their relationship on hold, but he couldn’t help it. He’d fallen hard for her years ago and had tried to forget her for many more years after.

  Then she’d walked back into his life. As soon as he’d seen her, he’d known what had been missing from his world—her. She was perfect for him in so many ways. He was glad she had come back to town, but he hated that it had been under such circumstances.

  He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that it was impossible for him to get any work done. He did all he could, then he called it a day early. With all the extra hours he’d put in over the last month, he could afford to leave two hours early.

  Danny let the front desk know that he was leaving and made his way to his vehicle. He got behind the wheel and sighed. He didn’t want to be at work, but he didn’t want to go home, either. And he couldn’t go see Skylar. So, where did that leave him?

  Needing something to do, Danny drove out to the horse rescue he’d gotten involved in after meeting Audrey months earlier. Everyone who volunteered came whenever they could and worked for free. Danny often bought feed or had hay brought in to help offset some of the costs.

  He was glad that he didn’t see Audrey. He wasn’t in the mood to talk. Instead, he grabbed a brush and went to the stables to find the dapple-gray gelding that had caught his eye from the first visit.

  The horse had been abused and neglected in a dried-up field, left to starve to death, but Danny had been working with him to gain his trust. Thankfully, the horse had taken to Danny almost instantly. In fact, Danny was one of the few people the gelding would allow near him.

  “Hey, boy,” Danny said as he walked into the stall and held out his hand.

  The gelding turned back his ears and lifted his head in agitation.

  “I know. I’m sorry. I’ve not been around as much as usual. It’s been a busy week. And, if I’m honest, I met someone. Actually, I’ve known her for years, but she recently returned to town. Can you believe that she actually wanted to be with me?”

  As he talked, the horse perked his ears forward. Then he moved to Danny, giving Danny permission to pet him. For the next thirty minutes, Danny brushed the horse and continued to speak softly, all about Skylar.

  Oddly enough, it helped. The horse might not understand the words or be able to issue advice, but sometimes, the simple act of talking about what was bothering him helped Danny. And today was no different.

  He scratched the gray’s ears. “I can’t wait until the day I get to ride you.”

  It had taken a great amount of patience just to get the gelding used to having a saddle where he could see it. The last time Danny had brought it out, he’d set it on the stall door, and the horse hadn’t batted an eye. That had been a couple of weeks ago, though, and Danny didn’t want to test it this time.

  “You forgive me for being away?” he asked the gelding.

  The horse turned his large head to Danny and looked at him with soulful eyes.

  “I’ve missed you. I won’t stay away this long again.”

  Feeling better, Danny decided to head home. Maybe he’d stop off at the groc
ery store and buy a few things and then do some laundry. He might even watch a movie.

  He was on the way to his SUV when he saw the rescue office. Before he knew it, he was standing inside and offering to buy the gelding.

  The woman behind the desk didn’t seem surprised at all. She smiled and gave a price. Danny didn’t even try to negotiate. Few of the horses were ever bought and given another home. Once at the rescue, most remained until their deaths because no matter how much rehabilitation they got, they would never be ridable again.

  Few people wanted such an expensive pet just to have them put out to pasture. But Danny and the gelding had a bond. It was time he did something about it instead of just coming by to see him.

  “I’m happy you decided to take Gray,” the woman said.

  Danny blinked. He’d been unaware that the horse had a name. Or maybe he did know and hadn’t paid attention to it. Not something a cop usually did.

  “I’ll be by tomorrow to pick him up,” Danny told her.

  He walked out into the sunshine and looked up at the cloudy sky. He had no place for a horse. Nor did he have a horse trailer. While he hated to ask it, he would need to use either Brice and Caleb’s place or Clayton’s. Since Caleb was such an expert at training horses, that would be the best place for Gray until Danny found a proper home for him.

  His decision made, Danny got into his patrol vehicle and started the engine. He’d wait to get home before he called Caleb because he still wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone. No doubt Caleb would ask about Skylar, and Danny didn’t want to answer any inquiries that might make anyone curious and ask more questions.

  Danny headed back to town to get groceries to stock his refrigerator and pantry. Every station had Christmas music playing, and it reminded him of Skylar and all the things she wanted to do to her new place for the season. He’d thought to be a part of that, but that wasn’t going to happen now.

  As he passed the wooded drive to the house Skylar had bought, he saw a suspicious-looking black SUV stopped a little ways off the driveway. After the altercation Skylar had had with the man at the restaurant, Danny wasn’t about to let anything out of the ordinary go without investigation. Danny turned his vehicle around and parked behind the SUV. He went to call in the stop to alert the station. It was protocol in case something went wrong for the police.