Cowboy cover up, p.6
Cowboy Cover-up, page 6
The day he’d told his father about his plans to work the ranch instead of accept one of many offers on the table, he’d asked her to be waiting for him in case he needed moral support.
They’d stayed out past curfew that night and she’d gotten busted by her mom, who’d come home halfway through her shift when she couldn’t reach Alexis. Getting grounded had been worth it, though.
It had been one of the best nights of her young life. Alexis had no idea how much her life was about to change or how much she was about to lose. She shook off the revelry before it held her under water until she could no longer breathe.
Pulling back, she said, “It’s really good to see you again, Miss Penny.”
The older woman’s gaze bounced from Alexis to Ryan and back. “Same to you, Alexis. Have you eaten anything today?”
“No, ma’am.” Before she could protest, Miss Penny was on her way to the fridge.
“I’ll grab a change of clothes,” Ryan said after helping Alexis to the large hand-carved table that took up one side of the room. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as Ryan fed Rogue before disappearing down the hallway.
She’d been in this house so many times and not much had changed. It was still as big and still as beautiful as she remembered. The place had a pull up a chair and talk for a while feeling.
“Can I get you some water or coffee?” Miss Penny asked.
“Both if it’s no trouble but I can get them. I remember where they are.” Her last two cups of coffee had gone cold before she’d had a chance to finish them.
Miss Penny waved her off and made a pfff sound. “You sit there and put that ankle up.”
Actually, that was a great idea. It would probably help with the swelling.
Miss Penny padded over to the coffee maker and poured a cup. “Do you still take milk?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“All right then.” Miss Penny fixed up the coffee and brought over a glass of water.
By the time Alexis took the first sip, Ryan returned with a stack of folded clothes. She noticed that he’d already changed and was carrying clothes in a trash bag. The reality that her friends were dead struck with the force of a bullet.
With Ryan’s help, she made it to the downstairs bathroom. He pulled a folded up paper bag from his pocket, and set it on the counter for her clothes, which would now be classified as evidence.
“Will you wait for me?” she asked.
“Yes.” Something that looked a lot like need darkened behind his eyes as he took a step back, crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall. They’d never been romantically involved as teens despite feeling a draw toward Ryan that was so much more than friends. No friend she’d ever known made her skin sizzle wherever they touched.
Getting out of her pajamas made her start to feel human again. She picked up the clothing that Ryan left on the counter and smiled. Her old yoga pants and workout bra with her favorite tank. The clothes were from high school and fit a little snug, but she managed.
She’d just about worn the lotus flower tank to threads and it was as soft as she remembered it to be. She opened the door and leaned on the sink to stabilize herself.
One look at her and Ryan cleared his throat. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth—a mouth she had no business staring at. He took the evidence bag from her.
“You became exactly what you wanted, Ryan. I’m really proud of you,” she said.
“Yeah,” was all he said. She wanted to know more about what he’d been up to for the past dozen years but figured she had no right to ask. He was down to one-word answers and she wondered if he regretted helping her.
Then, she remembered about his father and wondered how much of the storm brewing behind Ryan’s eyes had to do with his dad’s situation.
She leaned on him on the way back to the kitchen and neither spoke. Her stomach growled despite thinking there was no way she could eat a bite.
“I’ll be right back. Tuck will be by for this.” Ryan held up the bag before disappearing into the hallway leading to the front room . He returned, joining her at the table where a fresh cup of coffee waited for him. He thanked Miss Penny and updated her on the no-news about his father.
“I’m planning to head over to the hospital. Hawk was going to take me this morning but…” She flashed apologetic eyes at Alexis on her way to bring a pair of full plates over. She sat them down in front of Alexis and Ryan. But there was something in her voice that was different when she mentioned Hawk. The two went way back and it was probably mutual concern for their friend and employer.
“Thank you,” they both echoed and it was a blast from the past.
Miss Penny had made the works. Eggs, bacon, hash browns. And despite feeling nauseated, Alexis cleaned her plate. Painkillers always made her a little bit sick to her stomach and she probably needed the food to absorb the pill she’d taken last night.
Last night suddenly felt like a lifetime ago. Yesterday seemed like an alternate universe. At least Alexis was out of those clothes she’d had on. She felt a little bit more like her old self in her outfit. She remembered the rubber band she always kept around her wrist and pulled her hair off her face, tying it up.
“Are you guys all right here?” Miss Penny asked.
Alexis bit back a yawn as she nodded. She took a sip of coffee to shake off the tiredness trying to take over. She realized she’d gotten to bed last night after midnight and was awake before the sun.
“The food was amazing. Thank you.” She also remembered how amazing Miss Penny’s cooking was.
“It’s no trouble.” Miss Penny waved the compliment off like it was nothing. After living on her own and not being so great in the kitchen, Alexis could really appreciate a good meal. She’d gotten the no-cooking gene from her mother, who could barely boil water without catching something on fire.
Being back in Cattle Cove made Alexis feel closer to her mother. She stared at the rim of her coffee cup. Had she blocked out the good memories of her along with the overwhelming sense of loss?
“Are you heading to the hospital?” Ryan asked Miss Penny.
“Ensley said she’d swing by the house and pick me up.” She twisted her hands together.
“Ensley Cartier?” Alexis asked under her breath. “She’s back in town?”
“Back and married to Levi,” Ryan said before finishing his conversation with Miss Penny.
Alexis was shocked. She remembered the tragic deaths of Ensley’s younger brother and his best friend from years ago. She made a mental note to ask Ryan later how Ensley ended up back in Cattle Cove and married to his older brother no less.
“I’ll go wait outside. I’d like to get to the hospital and check on your father.” Miss Penny pulled her purse out of a drawer and started toward the back door. “It’s good to see you again, Alexis. I hope you’ll be here when I get home tonight. I’d like to hear all about your life in Houston.”
Alexis got choked up as she nodded. It had been a very long time since anyone had cared about her the way Ryan’s family did. She’d forgotten how it felt. Or maybe she’d blocked it out for survival’s sake. Living in Cattle Cove after high school hadn’t been an option. She’d known she was going to have to leave sooner rather than later. Moving to Houston had been her attempt to rip the Band-Aid off.
And now, she realized how many good memories she’d denied herself in the process of shutting out her pain.
Miss Penny disappeared out the back door, letting Rogue out with her. He was back a couple of minutes later, scratching at the back door. Ryan got up to let his dog back inside.
“Uncle Donny was a big part of the reason Levi stopped coming to the barn and the big house. But he also took on an ex-military dog named, Karma, that needed isolation. The animal was intense, but Levi has been rehabbing him. He’s been making good progress.”
“Sounds like something a McGannon would do.” She smiled. She’d never met a tougher bunch of guys with bigger hearts, especially when it came to animals.
Ryan excused himself after getting an ice pack for her ankle. After a warm meal, exhaustion took hold. No amount of coffee could keep her from leaning her head on her arm and closing her eyes.
It was probably being back here with Ryan that made her feel safe enough to dose off right there at the kitchen table.
Ryan went into his father’s home office to print out the pictures from his phone. He’d barely been gone fifteen minutes when he returned to the sounds of soft snoring in the kitchen.
Seeing Alexis with her head on the table and her eyes closed stirred his heart. She had to be exhausted to fall asleep in that position. He remembered that she’d told Tuck about taking a painkiller last night before bed. It was the reason she’d skipped a glass of wine. And that she’d gone to sleep after midnight, which meant she had less than six hours of sleep after being in the sun all day.
Looking at her, he didn’t want to disturb her. The bed in the guest room would be a helluva lot more comfortable. There was one down the hall on the first floor that he figured he could get her to without much protest.
He smiled at the empty cup of coffee. Not even a fresh cup of caffeine could keep her eyes open.
He moved beside her and placed his hand on her shoulder. She tensed and shot up ramrod straight.
“It’s okay, Alexis. It’s me.” He hadn’t meant to scare her. After setting the printout down, he helped her to standing before walking her the short distance to the guest bedroom. The place was always made up because Miss Penny liked to be prepared.
He pulled the comforter down and helped her climb inside the sheets. The way she looked up at him with those sleepy eyes tugged at his heart.
“Lay down with me until I go back to sleep?” she said on a yawn.
It was probably a bad idea but, hell, he was all-in at this point. He climbed in next to her, and she curled her warm body against him. She pulled off the rubber band holding her hair in a ponytail, and her silky blond threads spilled out over his arm and across the pillow.
Damned if his heart didn’t take another hit.
Rogue hopped up onto the foot of the bed and made himself comfortable. Despite only planning to stay in the guest room for a few minutes, Ryan closed his eyes and fell asleep.
He woke an hour later thinking that Alexis felt a little too right in his arms. Her soft skin and curvy body was curled around him, molding perfectly to him. He couldn’t help but notice how perfectly the two of them fit.
At some point in the last hour, Rogue had repositioned so that he was right in the mix.
Ryan leaned over, pressing a kiss to Alexis’s cheek. She released a little moan of pleasure as she stretched out her body beside him. His arm was still around her neck. His body reminded him how beautiful she was by his blood flooding south and giving him a painfully stiff erection.
As far as playing it cool went, he was losing big time.
8
Alexis woke with a start. She felt around the bed, searching for Ryan but found cold sheets where he used to be. She tried to move, and her body screamed. Her ankle wasn’t having any of it.
She sat up, trying to get her bearings. Rogue was curled up at her feet on the bed. It was dark inside the room thanks to blinds and heavy curtains but the clock on the nightstand read three-thirty in the afternoon. This time of year, the sun would be up for hours.
The bed was soft. She propped up a couple of pillows behind her back and head to make herself more comfortable. She’d slept in this room a handful of times over the years when her mother was going to visit her fiancé for the weekend. She still remembered the look on her mother’s face the first time she asked if she could sleep over at her best friend’s house. Her mother had responded that she thought Ryan was Alexis’s best friend. Alexis had smiled and said that he was, and he was. There’d been a few times when they’d looked at each other back then and she could’ve sworn there was something more going on between them. But she hadn’t wanted to ruin their friendship.
Her mother got onboard with the sleepovers after meeting Miss Penny. Nothing got past her.
The McGannon ranch had been like a second home. She glanced over at the nightstand again and it took a second to register that her phone was with the sheriff. She usually kept it plugged in next to the bed.
Leaning her head back, she tried to force the memory of her attacker’s face and came up short. If only she could have gotten a better look at him. She fisted her hands. Rogue stood up, like he sensed her mood shift.
“Sorry, buddy. I’m just frustrated.” Having him around gave her a sense of security. Maybe it was time to get a dog of her own. She leaned forward and scratched behind his ears. “You’re a good dog.”
She highly doubted Ryan would give up his near-constant companion to make her feel comforted. But maybe he could hook her up with a pet like Rogue.
Alexis peeled back the covers and took a look at her ankle. It was still a little swollen and bruised but it was healing. She wanted to circle back with Sheriff Justice to see if there were any leads.
As much as she loved being back at the ranch, she also needed to think about heading home at some point. Her car. More of that frustration surfaced. A shudder rocked her body at the fact that the murderer had been trying to ensure no one got away.
His words came back to mind and the chilling sound of his voice. You aren’t supposed to be here.
At first, she’d taken the comment at face value like she’d surprised him by being downstairs when she was supposed to be asleep in the loft. What if it meant something else? What if it meant that he was surprised by a third person being at the cabin?
That led her to believe his actions were premeditated and that he was possibly someone who had access to the reservations system at the ranch. Who would that be? Definitely not a McGannon.
Another possibility was Darcy’s ex. The sheriff would be able to get a description of him from Darcy’s parents. With her being a college student in Austin at a major university it might be difficult to track down her friends without phone numbers. Alexis could look at Darcy’s social media accounts but people her age usually had hundreds if not thousands of online followers or friends. Darcy didn’t work, so going to her job wasn’t an option. There was no way Alexis would show up at the Pruitt family home. Law enforcement would do that and deliver the horrific news. There was no reason to add to their pain.
There was also a possibility this was a random attack and had nothing to do with anyone they were acquainted with. Although the attacker’s chilling words, words that she couldn’t quite shake, made her think otherwise.
Would a random person watch the place and then wait for an opportunity? Come back at night after gathering intel? If so, then wouldn’t he know there were three people in the cabin?
There’d been two vehicles parked outside. She guessed it was possible he believed each person inside drove themselves. But a person who’d been watching them would have seen all three of them together on the back porch that overlooked the lake.
Again, the thought of being watched creeped her out. Alexis hoped they’d get answers soon. The thought that this bastard could hurt someone else sent anger shooting through her as she climbed off the side of the bed and tested her ankle. It screamed pretty hard at her but she could make it to the bathroom on her own.
She hop-walked into the adjoining room with Rogue a step behind. Time might have passed but very little had changed in the guest room area. Other than updating the comforter and curtains in the bedroom, little had changed there, as well.
The bathroom was large and stocked. She moved to the sink and found all the supplies she’d hoped would be there. After washing her face and brushing her teeth she felt a little bit more human. She grabbed the rubber band from her wrist and pulled her hair back from her face in a ponytail.
Rogue sat next to her leg. If he kept this up, she was going to have some hard negotiating ahead of her to take him away from Ryan. It was easy to see how much the two adored each other. Her work would be cut out for her to say the least.
Her new friend followed her as she made her way down the hallway and into the kitchen. She half expected Ryan to be there and was surprised when he wasn’t.
Voices drifted from down the hall and she realized someone was with him in the living room. A quick glance down at her outfit and she figured this was as good as it was going to get today. Everything was covered, even if the yoga pants were a little more snug now than they had been in high school.
She hobbled her way toward the sound of the voices and recognized Tuck’s along with Ryan’s.
On the coffee table in front of them, Ryan had several pieces of paper fanned out. Elbows on his thighs, he was bent forward and pointing at one of the papers. She cleared her throat so they would know she was there.
Both men immediately stood.
“I woke up a few minutes ago and decided to see where you went.” Her gaze was intent on Ryan. There was something about his calm presence that kept her stress levels below panic. She’d chalk it up to their history, and that was probably partly true, but there was just something about how grounded he was that centered her in a way she’d never known with anyone else.
A long friendship had a way of doing that, she figured. She regretted denying herself that for so long. In Houston, she’d always worked long hours or studied. She’d told herself that was the reason she didn’t have a long list of friends.
A truth hit her square in the chest. She’d closed herself off to the world. It had been a really long time since she’d let anyone get close to her.
