Dead Man's Bluff (9 page)

Megan shifted in the kitchen chair, taking a
refreshing swallow from her own glass of tea. Conner had received a phone call
from the hospital, an emergency that only he could handle. Her fiancé never
really took a day off. She loved his devotion to everything he cared about, one
of those things being her. His absence left her and Birdie some time alone for
catching up. She said, “Thank you. I am happy. How are you all managing since…”
her gaze flitted to the empty chair, the empty chair where he would have sat.
She could still see Tink rubbing his round belly with that sneaky grin he had
right before he stirred up some trouble. She missed him, and hadn’t realized
how much until she’d come back.

Birdie stared into her tea. “You mean since Tink?
I’m not going to lie, the ranch is not the same without that rascal bellowing
for a warm meal, but it’s been two years and we’ve somehow managed. I think his
death affected Griffin the most.” She chuckled at the remembrance of time
passed. “After Drew left…Griff was the only male in the house. Heaven help him.
It wasn’t long before we all discovered he’d been lying about not being able to
talk…of course Emma had already known long before the rest of us.”

Megan choked on her tea, sputtering and coughing.
“Why would he lie about something like that?” She thought about all the times
the guy had allowed her to make a fool of herself. How he’d not said one word
the night of the fire. What would possess a person to shut himself off from
conversations, from relationships, to stay an outsider?

Birdie leaned back, settling more comfortably into
the rickety kitchen chair. She swept up a clump of gray hair that had sprung
loose from the neat bun in the back and tucked it back where it belonged. “I
reckon this ranch draws in wounded souls is all I can figure. We all have a
story. Griffin doesn’t seem ready to share his.” She allowed her watery gaze to
sweep the room. “Point is, I think this is the only place most of us has ever
found any peace. It sure is the only place I’ve ever felt like I belong.”
Offering Megan a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, Birdie slid back her
chair and went to stand by the kitchen sink and covered her eyes with a hand.
“Where will I go? I’m too old to start over someplace new.”

Oh Goodness. Megan felt awkward and unsure of what
to say as she went to stand next to the old woman. She placed a comforting hand
on Birdie’s rounded shoulders. “Shh…you’re not going anywhere. That’s why I’m
here. It’s not the same as last time; You, Emma, Griffin, Ms. Susan…you all
come first.” She realized she had purposely left him out.  He was no longer a
part of it. Was he? “No one is getting this place without accepting that it
comes with a built-in family. The right person is out there…I promise. Then you
all can stop living in fear that tomorrow might be the day.”

As soon as she saw some resemblance of hope on
Birdie’s face, Megan sagged against the counter top. Her voice came out low, “I
have to ask…how is he? Has he tried to talk about any of it with you? Has he
mentioned Tink?”

Birdie cut her gaze out the window, towards the barn
knowing exactly who Megan was referring to. “No. You know he’s not a big
talker, Meg. But I don’t think he would have come home if he wasn’t ready to
face it.”

Home.

Home’s
a place where you feel safe, a place where the people there love you
unconditionally.

Birdie
was right. The ranch did pull in wounded souls, wounded souls who had no home.
Megan had always thought that was her: lost and drifting. But getting to know
people who truly had nowhere else to go, she’d realized she was lucky to have
her mother and even Stratford. ♠

Ten

“So, where’s the happy couple?” Drew sneered swiping
a can of soda from the refrigerator. The soda hissed as he popped the top and
sank down in the kitchen chair across from Emma.

“I don’t know. Think I overheard something about you
being a jackass and them getting the hell out of dodge.” Emma settled her five
perfectly painted pink toes on the floor, wiggled them so she could admire her
work, then pulled the opposite foot up into the seat of the chair. She leaned; chin
resting on her knee as she touched the pink tip of the wet brush to her
unpainted toenail. Her blonde hair cascaded over one shoulder and her snotty
attitude reminded Drew of someone else.

He took a chug. “Funny. Now where are they?”

She dipped the brush in the bottle. “In your room.”

“My room?”

“Well, what used to be your room. You’ve been
relocated to Tink’s old bedroom.”

His stomach clenched. “They’ve lost their freaking minds
if they think I’m sleeping in there.”

All finished, Emma twisted the lid on the bottle of
polish and swiped the soda from his hand. She took a sip. “Don’t tell me this,
tell them, but I think it’s pretty much settled.” Her lips twitched as she
fought hard not to smile. “It seems like you don’t get a vote. And are we
trying to cut down on using our favorite F-word? Because honestly Drew… ’freaking’
sounds kind of weird coming out of your mouth. What’s next? Cigarettes?” Her
gaze narrowed on his stony expression. “Oh my God! I just now noticed! I
haven’t seen you smoke since you’ve been back! WoW! Next it’ll be kids and a
minivan.”

In the two years Drew was gone, Emma had grown up.
He wasn’t the only one who noticed, Griffin had noticed it too, but poor Griff
was in way over his head with this one and luckily the guy knew it. He’d seen
Griff do his best to fight going there. Drew swiped the soda out of her hands
and smiled, taking back control of what was his, like he was going to take back
control of his room. “Emma, have I told you how much of a bitch you’ve become?”

She turned in the kitchen chair to face him and
drummed her nails on the table top, studying him. “Drew, why did you come back
here?”

It wasn’t like him to be short on words, but
honestly he didn’t like where this conversation was going.  

She continued, “I’m assuming you came here for a
fresh start? Am I right?”

He took another swallow, his throat suddenly dry.
Ugh oh, this couldn’t be headed in a comfortable direction. “Your point?”

“Well, why don’t you try doing that? As it stands
you’re right back where you started…being the same ol’ dick to the girl you’re
dying to have. I don’t know why but, I think you believe this is honestly
working for you. Do you? Think it’s working?”

“Why do I suddenly feel like a small child being
slapped across the wrist with a ruler?”

“Answer the question?”

He planted his elbows on the table and glared at
her. “She’s better off without me.”

“Oh come off of it! I know you Drew Mackenzie, and
you’re not that selfless. Answer please, do you think what you’re doing is
working?”

“No. My irresistible charm doesn’t seem to be
working its usual magic.”

“Okay, we’re making progress. At least you’re being
honest with yourself. Do you love her?”

WTF. “Pushy, Emma, guys don’t find it attractive.”

Her forehead thumped on the table top as she
collapsed forward in frustration. “I’m beginning to think you’re hopeless.”

He frowned, spinning the empty can on the table top.
“Gee thanks.”

She sat back up, pushed the blonde hair from her
eyes. “Break the cycle of destructive behavior. Start fresh! Do you love her?”

He remembered Jill’s words. “Do you really love this
girl that much?”

“How screwed up would it be if I said yes,” he
finally muttered.

“Is it an honest answer?”

“What do you think?”

Chair legs squealed over the floor as she pushed
back from the table and came around to his side. She leaned in leveling him
with a serious look. “Well, you better do something about it before you lose
her for good?”

His gaze met hers and good grief, this new, grown-up
version of Emma was a little bit intimidating. He asked, “Are you suggesting I
buy her flowers? Write her a poem?”

Laughter filled the kitchen, Emma’s laughter. “God
no, I can’t picture you doing any of those things, just stop trying to convince
everyone that you hate her.”

“Nice nail polish, princess!” he called as her bare
feet padded out of the room.

Break
the cycle of destructive behavior.

Start
fresh.

How
the hell was he supposed to do that? ♠

Megan grabbed a quick shower, threw on a pair of
sweat pants with a bagging T-shirt and was hugging her dirty towel and clothes
to her chest when she stepped out of the bathroom crashing into Drew. “Sorry,”
she said, little red blotches breaking out along the column of her throat.

I was just coming to your room,” he said continuing
on in that direction.

“Why?” With everything she had she attempted to push
past him, to beat him there. “I swear… I’ll stab you in your sleep if you try
to start another fight with him!”

“Have you thought of doing me bodily harm often,
Filly?” He chuckled beating her to the door of the bedroom. They scuffled, both
reaching for the knob at the same time, but ultimately, since her arms were
full, Drew made it inside first. A sharp pain shot through his chest at the
sight of the guy rising up on an elbow; already settled under the sheets of
what used to be his bed. The guy reached for a pair of glasses on the bedside
table and slid them on.

Break
the cycle of destructive behavior.

Start
fresh.

This
was going to be more difficult than he thought.

Breathe.
Control your anger.

He
opened his mouth, but Megan cut him off. “Drew, don’t…”

So
she didn’t think he could play nice, that was all the nudge he needed to step
closer to the bed and extend his hand. “I was a dick earlier. Can we start
over?”

Conner
eyed the hand with suspicion, but eventually reached out accepting Drew’s offer
of a fresh start. Seeing Megan’s mouth fall open was a sweet victory, which
made a huge smile appear on Drew’s face.

Drew
shoved his hands into his pockets. “Good. I see you two are already settled in.
Do you need anything? Extra blankets?  More pillows?” His questioning gaze
locked with hers. “Megan, I think Birdie moved all the extra linens. They’re
out in the cedar chest now.” He stepped towards her reaching for the dirty pile
in her arms. “Here, let me take those…”

She
took a step back, shook her head, and snapped, “No! Thanks, but I don’t need
your help!”

Mission
accomplished. She was staring at him as if he’d lost his mind.

“Well,
goodnight you two.”

He
walked out, pulled the bedroom door closed; exhaling the breath he’d been
holding. Now, how the hell was he going to sleep with her right down the hall
in bed with another man? His bed!

He
wasn’t. ♠

“What
was that?” Megan said once the door closed. She finally dropped the dirty
clothes on the floor by the bed, her insides trembling. If he would have
insisted on taking the clothes from her, she would have been forced to knee him
in the nuts. “Can you believe he just came in here like that? What was he
thinking?”

“Obviously
he realized how immature he has been behaving and wanted to set things
straight. Blows the whole image I already formed of him from earlier.” Conner
removed the glasses, placed them on the table and settled his head back on the
pillow, “It certainly makes me feel more comfortable about leaving you here.”

“Whys
that?” Megan asked, easing down on the edge of the bed.

“Apparently
he has moved past whatever happened between the two of you. Earlier I could
have sworn he was jealous, but…Meg, would you stop stalling and get into bed. I
have to get up at 5:30Am to head home,” A corner of his mouth curled, “…and its
cold in this bed alone.”

She
wanted to scream finish what you were about to say! I could have sworn he was
jealous, but…” BUT WHAT? Good grief, was she really worried about that when she
was about to get into bed with a man she still hadn’t even had sex with? Would
he try? Of course he would. So what if he did? They were about to be married,
it would be natural for him to at least try, wouldn’t it? Drew Mackenzie sure wouldn’t
let an opportunity to get laid slide.

Conner
exhaled an impatient breath and stretched an arm for the lamp on the bedside
table. He killed the light. Megan’s heart raced as she slipped her feet under
the covers and settled in on her back. He was facing her on his side, which
made the likeliness of him attempting something even that more likely. Why did
she suddenly feel nauseated? She shouldn’t feel nauseated at the thought of
having sex with her soon to be husband.
It’s nerves. That’s all. Relax.