Against the Wind (28 page)

S
itting at the cheap pressboard desk she had purchased at the mercantile then assembled and put in her bedroom, Sarah pushed the button on her laptop, saving the article she had been writing for the newspaper, a story about Tanya Morton, last year's homecoming queen. Tanya had been chosen as a contestant on the TV show
America's Next Top Model.
Being a local girl, it was big news in Wind Canyon.

She looked out the window, saw a layer of thick smoke spreading across the mountains in the distance. She knew where the fire was—up near the lake where Jackson had taken her and Holly camping. She had seen it on the news. The air in town was smoky and miserable to breathe, and she kept worrying about Jackson, hoping the firefighters would be able to bring the blaze under control and Raintree Ranch would be safe.

She left her desk and walked over to the window on
the opposite side of the bedroom, saw Holly playing on the rope swing hanging down from the big sycamore tree out back. Rags sprawled in the grass a few feet away.

The doorbell rang as she walked out of the bedroom. Every time she heard it, a tremor of fear ran down her spine. Was it Mercer? Had he finally come to arrest her?

Relief filtered through her when she opened the door and saw Nan standing on the porch.

“Thought I'd come by and check on you,” Nan said with a smile. “See how you're doing.” She walked past Sarah into the house, carrying a baking pan covered with foil. “Half a chocolate cake. I couldn't eat it all and I thought Holly might like some.” She glanced around. “Where is she?”

“Playing out in back. There isn't much of a yard, but it's better than nothing.” Sarah took the cake and set it on the small round dining table. Nan had been to the house several times since Sarah moved in, always smiling, always cheerful. Sarah knew Nan had been worried about her moving into town from the ranch.

“So how's it going?” Nan asked. “You getting used to city life?”

Sarah laughed, thinking of the difference between Wind Canyon and Los Angeles. “I guess so. It's certainly more convenient.”

“I suppose.”

For the first time, Sarah noticed her friend's puffy, red-rimmed eyes and slightly pale complexion. She frowned. “What's wrong, Nan? You look like you've been crying.”

Nan sighed and sank down on the sofa. “Jimmy and I broke up.”

Sarah sat down beside her. “But I thought you two were really getting along.”

“I thought so, too.” She pulled a Kleenex out of her purse and dabbed at her watery eyes. “He can't get past what happened when he was with Annie. She was a terrible wife and a rotten mother. She cheated on him and abandoned him and her boys. He's scared to death it'll happen again.”

“You're nothing like Annie Baylor. She was no good when Jimmy married her.”

“I know that and you know that. I guess Jim can't see the difference.”

Sarah ignored a shot of anger. Didn't the man have enough sense to know what a good thing he had? Then again, she'd given up the best man she'd ever known. Maybe sometimes what seemed like choices weren't really choices at all.

She leaned over and hugged her friend. “I'm sorry, Nan.”

“Yeah, me, too.”

Sarah blew out a breath and fell back on the sofa. “We're a real pair, aren't we?”

Nan managed a smile. “At least we have each other.”

It was true. Nan had turned out to be a very dear friend, one of the best Sarah had ever had.

“I know this isn't the best time to ask,” Sarah said, “but there's something I've been wanting to talk to you about.”

“What is it?”

“I know how much you love children. I've seen you with Holly and I know what a wonderful mother you
would make. If something happened to me…would you…would you be willing to take care of Holly?”

“What are you talking about? Nothing's going to happen to you.”

“I know, but just say it did. My grandmother's too old to take on the job of raising a six-year-old. With my mom and dad gone, I don't have anyone I can turn to, and I trust you, Nan. You said you always wanted children. If something happened to me, would you be willing to raise Holly as your own?”

Nan reached over and caught Sarah's hand. “Of course I would. I love Holly. She's the sweetest little girl in the world.”

“You're a teacher. I don't think you'd have any trouble getting custody, but I could put something in writing—if you would be willing to agree.”

Nan's green eyes glistened with a sheen of tears. “I'm flattered you would ask. And I would be honored to raise your little girl.”

Tears welled in Sarah's eyes, too. “Thank you.”

“But nothing's going to happen.”

She just nodded, thinking of Ed Mercer and praying it was true.

 

Jackson listened to the hum of a big borate bomber flying overhead. The cattle had all been moved out of the upper pasture, down to a safer meadow to graze, and though three thousand forest acres had burned in the week since the blaze had started, the fire crews were making progress. The winds were cooperating and three choppers and two C-130s had been working to retard the flames.

There was a very good chance that this time the
firefighters were going to be able to whip this thing before it got too far out of control.

Sitting behind the desk in his study, Jackson almost smiled. He'd been right about Red DeSalvo and his crew. They'd been logging during the hottest part of the day. A catalytic converter on one of the trucks had been the cause of the blaze.

It was the third infraction the Bannock Brothers had committed, and it looked like the company was going to lose its logging contract, at least in the national forest.

Couldn't happen to a bunch of more deserving guys.

Jackson leaned back in his chair, wishing he could muster the energy to do something productive. Instead, he reached over and poured himself a whiskey.

He rarely drank, but lately…well, it seemed like the only time the ache went away. He wouldn't let it get out of control. He wasn't the type. Still, he tipped the glass back and downed a hefty swallow. A warm numbness spread through him and the feeling of grief that seemed to haunt him faded away a little.

He was holding the glass up to the light, studying the rich amber color and contemplating a second swallow, when a familiar, sexy blonde walked into the study. Interested, dark brown eyes ran over him.

“Livvy said I'd find you in here.”

Jackson set the whiskey glass down on the desk and came to his feet. “Hello, Maddie.”

He hadn't seen her since the Memorial Day celebration in the park, but in her skintight jeans and a tank that showed her impressive cleavage, Maddie Gallagher was as tall and svelte as she had always been, with miles of gleaming blond hair and legs that went on forever.

Jackson waited for the familiar stirring but it never came. “What can I do for you, Maddie?”

She crossed the room, rounded the corner of the desk and sat down right in front of him. “Jimmy called. He says you've been lonely. He thought maybe I could cheer you up.”

She usually could. Leave it to Jimmy to give it a try. Maddie was sexy as hell and he was a man with a strong sexual appetite. She ran a long, manicured finger along his cheek. He hadn't shaved, he realized, thinking it must have been at least a couple of days.

“I appreciate the invitation, Maddie, I really do, but—”

She slid her arms around his neck and pulled him toward her, covered his mouth with her soft, full lips. He tried to enjoy it, should have, but all it made him feel was sad.

He eased her arms from around his neck. “Thanks for trying, Maddie. I guess I'm just not in the mood.”

She shrugged her lightly suntanned shoulders. “Things change. I'm willing to wait.” She slid off his desk, her breasts spilling toward him. He should take what she offered. Maybe it would help.

“Thanks for thinking of me, Maddie. Maybe next time.”

“I think of you too much, Jackson.” She flashed him a seductive smile as she headed toward the door of the study. “Next time I won't take no for an answer.”

He didn't argue. Sooner or later, he'd have to come back to life again.

And sooner or later, he would.

Just not now, not today.

The image of another woman rose into his mind,
beautiful blue eyes and thick dark hair, a body that fit perfectly with his. The memory made him hot and hard in an instant. Clearly he wasn't dead yet.

Determined not to think of Sarah, Jackson tossed back the rest of his whiskey and sat back down in his chair.

 

Gabriel Raines pulled the throttle back on his twin Aerostar and lined up for touchdown on the airstrip. He set down gently, heard the familiar rub of the tires on the asphalt, taxied to the hangar and turned off the engines.

Half an hour later, he was sitting behind the wheel of the brown Jeep Cherokee he had rented and was on his way down the highway. He wasn't headed for the ranch. Instead he was on the road to Sheep River.

He turned off the road at the outskirts of Wind Canyon, pulled down a narrow paved lane and stopped in front of one of three small houses in a cul-de-sac at the end.

He'd flown all the way to Wyoming to talk to Sarah Allen.

Gabe clenched his jaw. He had ignored the first call he had received. Livvy had been crying when he picked up the phone, but she was a woman and he knew from experience the female gender often went overboard on emotion. It was clear she was worried about Jackson, but Gabe assured her that in time his brother would be just fine. It was only a broken heart, after all. Nothing too serious.

When Jimmy had called, he'd begun to rethink the situation. Jackson had always been the calm one, the voice of reason among the brothers. Liv and Jim were
calling Gabe, not Dev, the hothead of the three. Gabe had a temper, too, but mostly he controlled it.

“I don't know what to do,” Jim had said. “Livvy and me…we were hoping you might be able to talk to him, help him figure things out.”

And with those words, Gabe had gotten mad.

What the hell had Sarah done to his brother? Jackson was no fool. He'd been with a dozen different women. He rarely got involved, always made it clear from the start that he wasn't looking for a serious relationship, and he was always careful no one got hurt.

That he had fallen so hard for Sarah was frightening.

As Gabe turned off the motor, a fresh shot of anger slid through him. He hadn't forgotten that day in the high school cafeteria. Jackson had been stashing his money for weeks, saving a little bit here and there out of the money he earned to feed the family.

When he'd finally saved enough to go to the prom, he had worked up his courage and asked Sarah to go with him.

Sarah had ridiculed him, laughed at him in front of every kid in the cafeteria. Sarah had hurt him badly that day, but according to Livvy and Jim, not nearly as bad as she had hurt him this time.

Gabe got out of the Jeep, slamming the car door harder than he meant to. As he climbed the front porch steps, he shoved his wraparound sunglasses up on his head, took a deep breath and told himself to go easy.

He had seen the way Sarah looked at Jackson that day up in Alpine Meadow when they had gone after her little girl.

Like his brother was her storybook hero.

Like he was her man and for her there would never be anyone else.

What had gone wrong?

What could possibly have happened to change things so drastically?

Whatever it was, he meant to find out—today.

The door swung open just then and Sarah's blue eyes widened at the sight of him. Or maybe it was the way his jaw tightened when he saw her. He forced himself to relax, told himself to take things slow and easy, one step at a time.

“I need to talk to you, Sarah.”

“Of course.” She stepped back. “Come on in.”

He started through the door and Sarah must have suddenly realized how odd it was for him to be there.

She grabbed hold of his arm. “Oh, my God—you aren't here because of Jackson! Something hasn't happened to him! There hasn't been an accident or…or…”

Some of his anger lessened at the fear in her face. “No accident. It's nothing like that.”

A breath of relief seeped out of her. She swallowed, inhaled deeply, managed to compose herself.

“It's nice to see you, Gabriel.” But she looked more wary than pleased. “Would you like something to drink? A glass of iced tea or a beer, maybe?”

He didn't want a goddamn beer. His jaw tightened. “I want to know what you've done to my brother.”

Her head shot up. “Wh-what do you mean?”

“I mean that since the two of you broke up, he hasn't been himself. He barely eats. He can't sleep. Livvy is terrified he's going to get sick.” He took a step closer, just because he felt like a little intimidation. “My brother's
in love with you, Sarah. I want to know why you led him on the way you did. Why you let him believe there was a future for the two of you. He wants to marry you. He wants to be a father to your little girl. Doesn't that mean anything to you?”

Her pretty blue eyes welled with tears he hadn't expected to see. There was a softness in Sarah he had rarely seen in a woman. He thought that must be one of the things that had drawn his brother to her.

“I didn't mean for any of this to happen,” she said.

“Couldn't you tell he was falling in love with you? How could you let it go so far?”

She tried to turn away, but Gabe caught her shoulders, forcing her to face him. There was something in her expression, something so sad his chest squeezed.

“There's more going on here, isn't there? Something you're not saying, something you haven't told Jackson.”

She tried to turn away, but he wouldn't let her. “Tell me what it is.”