Jake (Men of Clifton Montana Book 1) (15 page)

Becca shivered as
she looked out the window toward the barn. Could someone be out there right
now, watching? How had someone come in with Stan and the men working around the
ranch? Apparently, whoever was watching the ranch knew when the men were gone
out to the pastures, but there had to be another person watching to see when
they were coming back to the ranch. She shook her head. It was almost a given
it was the same men that had taken Jake’s horses.

Her heart continued
to tell her it wasn’t Jake and the fact that one of the thieves shot at him
just further convinced her he wasn’t involved, but doubt still plagued her.
Once all of this was over and they could think clearly, then maybe they could
get together and see where this thing between them was going. If he still
wanted her after it was all over.

Becca was too
confused about everything. Taking a break from Jake would be the right thing to
do. The thought of not seeing him, even for a little while, made her heart
ache. Maybe she was wrong about it being about the land. Was it possible
someone didn’t want her and Jake together? She just wished she knew the truth.
She sighed.

Olivia sat at the
kitchen table playing Solitaire. She glanced up at Becca.

“Are you all
right?”

Becca shook her
head.

Olivia stood and
wrapped her arms around her.

“I don’t know what
to do.” Becca broke down.

“You can’t be with
Jake and think this way. You have to make a decision. Either you continue to
see him and trust him, or you cut it off until this is all settled and we find
out who really is behind this.” Olivia rubbed Becca’s back.

“I need to make a
phone call. I’ll be right back,” Becca told Olivia.

Becca sat in the
window seat and dialed Jake’s number. He answered right away.

“Is there something
wrong, Becca?” She heard the anxiety in his voice.

“No…Jake, I think
you and I should stop seeing each other until all of this is over.” She tried
to keep the tears at bay without much luck. There was silence on the other end.
“Jake?”

Becca heard him
clear his throat. “I heard you. Are you sure this is what you want?”

“No…but I think it’s
for the best,” she told him in a soft voice.

“All right, I’m
here if you need me, Red.” He hung up.

Becca disconnected
the call, leaned her head against the wall, and let the tears go. When Olivia
sat alongside her, wrapping her arms around her, Becca sobbed as if her heart
were breaking, because it was. She could hear Olivia murmuring to her but the
words didn’t help. Nothing would until the problems at the ranch stopped.

* * * *

The month of March
came in like the proverbial lion. Warmer winds blew through the area and kicked
dust up into miniature tornadoes along the way. There hadn’t been any more
problems at the ranch. Becca and Olivia sat together on the front porch
enjoying the nice weather. It was early evening. The sky was an array of pink,
orange and yellow, the clouds held the promise of a calm, peaceful night, and
the pale glow of the moon was beginning to show. 

“Let’s go into
town. I need some shampoo,” Olivia said.

Becca nodded her
agreement. They hadn’t left the ranch lately due to Becca being afraid of
running into Jake.

“Okay, we can call
Emma and see if she can meet us for dinner,” she suggested.

Olivia ran inside
to get their purses and the keys to the SUV. Olivia made sure to lock the door
behind her. They drove to town and met Emma at the diner. While they talked
over their meals, Becca noticed Emma’s cheeks turn pink.

“What’s that all
about, Em?” Becca smiled at her.

“Gabe’s here,” Emma
whispered.

Olivia glanced around.
“The
other
Stone
brother?
Where?”

“Last booth in the
back,” Emma whispered low.

Becca looked around
and then spun back around. “Shit. Jake’s with him, and so is Wyatt.”

“Sweet, I’d love to
lay eyes on that gorgeous specimen again,” Olivia said as she turned and looked
toward the back booth. “Which one is Jake, the one with the moustache or
without?”

“Without,” Becca
told her.

“Wow. All three of
them are to die for gorgeous.” Olivia smiled. “But there’s just something about
Wyatt.” She sighed and fanned herself. “I’d love to go over there and sit with
those sexy men.”

Becca turned to
look toward Jake again. She felt like she was dying of thirst and he was a cool
drink of water. He saw her and nodded his head at her. She smiled back at him
and then spotted Wyatt glowering at Olivia. Becca turned to look at Olivia to
find her laughing.

“What did you do to
Wyatt?”

Olivia batted her
lashes.
“Who little ol’ me?”
Becca glared at her. “All
right…I winked at him.”

Emma burst out
laughing and Becca joined in.

The patrons in the
diner turned to look at them. They all seemed to shake their heads in unison
before returning to their meals. Out of the corner of her eye, Becca saw the
brothers get up and pay their bill. Together, they walked outside without
stopping to speak with the women.

Becca was so hurt.
She felt a pang in her heart and she could see that Emma looked disappointed
too. Becca noticed the brothers stopped outside the diner to talk. What had she
expected? She’d told Jake they shouldn’t see each other anymore and now she was
upset because he didn’t speak to her. She wanted to crawl under the table and
hide.

When Olivia’s
cellphone rang, Becca jumped in reaction. She watched her friend answer and
after a brief conversation, Olivia hung up. Becca knew something was wrong.

“What is it, Liv?”

“I have to go back
to Maryland. Beth needs me at the coffee shop. She’s got pneumonia and can’t
take care of it.” Olivia sighed. “What can I do?”

“You have to go
back. I hate it, but you have to go,” Becca said not liking the news.

They finished
dinner and went outside, stopping when they saw the brothers were still
standing outside talking. The men turned to look at them. All three put their
fingers to their hats and nodded.

 
“Is there something wrong, Becca?” Jake
asked.

 
“Liv has to go back to Maryland to run
the coffee shop,” Becca told him. She noticed Olivia looking at Wyatt and
noticed he returned her stare.

“Your loss, cowboy,”
Olivia said to him.

Wyatt turned away
from her but not before Becca saw his mouth twitch with a small smile as he
shook his head.

“Will you be all right
at the ranch alone?” Jake asked.

“Honestly, I don’t
know. I’m not saying I’m not scared, because I am.”

Jake nodded. “I’m
just a phone call away, Red.” Their eyes met and held for longer than either
should’ve allowed.

She blew out a
breath. “Thank you, Jake. I may take you up on that.”

He flashed a bright
smile at her that lifted her heart for a moment.
“Any time.”

They all parted
ways.

Becca noticed that
Emma and Gabe didn’t speak to each other. She hugged Emma. “If you could stay
with me, I’d appreciate it.”

Emma nodded. “I
can. No problem.”

Becca hugged her
again when Emma said she’d be out to the ranch after she went home to pick up
some clothes.

The silence between
Olivia and Becca was disturbing. The two never ceased to have something to talk
about, but suddenly neither knew what to say. With Olivia leaving, Becca
dreaded being alone again. She was happy that Emma was coming to stay with her,
but it was Olivia she wanted there for her. Becca was terrified she’d never see
her best friend again. Olivia had no desire to move to Clifton and Becca didn’t
want to leave. It was a no win situation.

Becca pulled into
the driveway, steering the SUV toward the house when she slammed the brakes on.
Olivia looked over at her in shock.

“What was that for?”
Olivia exclaimed as she braced her hand on the dash.

“Uh, Liv, didn’t we
leave a light on?” Becca spoke in a fearful whisper.

“Yeah, we did.”
Olivia looked toward the house. “Oh, shit.”

The house sat in
total darkness. Becca had been leaving lights on any time she left home, even
for a walk or ride. “Call that sexy sheriff. We’re not moving out of this
vehicle until he gets here,” Olivia told her.

Becca didn’t argue.
She called Sam and told him what was going on. He agreed that they stay in the
vehicle and told her he’d be right there.

After arriving, Sam
went through the house but saw nothing amiss. Becca apologized for making him
run out to the ranch for nothing. He smiled at her. “I’m just doing my job.”

As was his custom,
Sam tipped his hat and left.

Still, Becca was
sure someone had been in the house. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up.
She rubbed her arms and shivered. Olivia hugged her.

“I hate leaving you
here alone.”

“Emma will be here
soon. You need to call the airport and get a flight.” Becca felt her throat
close up. Olivia opened her mouth to say something then closed it, and nodded. Becca
tuned out Olivia’s voice as she called the airline.

“I have a flight
out tomorrow morning at nine,” Olivia said in a soft tone when she returned.

“So
soon?”
Becca was hoping it would be a few days, at least. When Olivia
nodded, Becca sat down on the couch and put her hands over her face. She felt
Olivia sit down beside her. Olivia took her hands in hers.

“I’m going to miss
you, Becs.”

“Same
here, Liv.
I have an awful feeling this will be the last time we’ll see
each other.”

Olivia leaned back
and grinned. “That’s bullshit, girl,” she told her.

Becca looked at her
with tears in her eyes. “It’s true. You don’t want to stay here and I don’t
want to leave.” She shook her head. “And I’m in love with Jake…” She burst into
tears.

Olivia tried to
laugh, but it came out choked. “I know that. It’s about time you admitted it to
yourself, and to him. Tell him how you feel.”

Becca laughed and
cried at the same time. “No way, I’m not telling him. If he doesn’t love me, I’m
not going to embarrass myself by baring my soul.” She tried to smile through
her tears.

Olivia grunted. “That
man has it bad for you. I can see it when he looks at you.”

“I wish I could see
what you see,” Becca grumbled.

Olivia laughed. “Look
at you with a sexy, hot cowboy.”

Becca laughed in
spite of herself.

That night after
Emma joined them, the three women slept on the floor in the living room. Becca
woke up several times during the night. Unsure of what woke her, she’d jerk awake
and gaze around the room. The light in the foyer was on and it sent shadows
playing over the walls, which forced her to pull the blanket over her head
before she was able to get any rest at all.

The next morning
Becca and Olivia drove to the airport in silence. Emma had stayed behind. Becca
parked the vehicle and together they walked to the terminal. Once inside, they
sat and waited for the flight announcement. Anxious, Becca stood and started
pacing. She stopped dead in her tracks when she heard Olivia’s flight announced.
Turning, she faced her best friend. Olivia stood and hugged her. They held each
other tight, neither wishing to let go. Olivia pulled away from her first, and
without a single word because words weren’t necessary, she walked away, leaving
Becca staring after her.

Her heart ached and
tears rolled down her face as Becca drove home.
Home.
She was going home to the
ranch. It was what the ranch was to her now. She’d never been a big city girl
but she also never imagined herself falling in love with the country life
either. If someone had told Becca a year ago she’d be living on a horse ranch
in Montana, she’d have told him he was crazy. Yet here she was, living on a
ranch and totally in love with a rugged cowboy.

Becca ran her hand
over her cheeks but the tears kept coming. Finally, the driveway came into view
and minutes later, she was pulling around to the back door. Becca smiled when
she stepped up to the door and saw Emma standing in the kitchen whisking batter
in a large bowl. As she entered the warm room, the aromas radiating throughout
the kitchen could rival a bakery. Finished cupcakes sitting on the counter
beckoned to her.

Becca smiled at
Emma as her nose identified the delicious scent that filled the air. It was a
delectable chocolate. She walked to the counter and picked up one of the round,
moist cakes covered in strawberry frosting. Taking a bite, she let out a groan.

“Oh, Emma, these
are heavenly. You
can
cook, woman,”
Becca said with a deep sigh before she took another tempting bite. The rich
chocolate cake melted on her tongue. It was decadent. Nothing had ever tasted
so good, except perhaps Jake.

Emma laughed. “Maybe
I should use these on Gabe.”

Becca giggled and
then exclaimed, “Honey, you’d have him on his knees in no time.”

Emma’s smile faded.
“Did Olivia’s plane take off on time?”

Becca nodded. “I
don’t know what to do without her. She’s been there for me since we were
thirteen, and now I’m terrified I’ll never see her again.” Just then, the phone
rang.

“I’ll get it,” Emma
told her as she reached for the ringing phone.
“Daniels’
residence.”

Becca watched as
Emma’s face went pale. She moved toward her. “Emma? What is it?”

Emma shook her head
and hung the phone up, her eyes filled with terror as she turned.

Becca gently shook
her. “Emma.”

“He said…” She
shook her head and swallowed hard. “He said, ‘tell the bitch to go back to
Maryland’.” Emma pulled out a chair and sat down.