Last Stand Ranch (12 page)

Elijah felt a hint of longing for a relationship like theirs and immediately quashed it. He should be satisfied with the life he had. He'd returned from multiple tours overseas physically sound. Thanks to prayer and therapy, he was doing well spiritually and emotionally, too. Most of the time. His family loved and supported him. He had no right to ask for anything more. In fact, he still had a lot to do to earn the blessings he'd already been given.

After ruthlessly killing that selfish twinge of longing for a family of his own, he took one more glance into the darkness as everyone filed into the house.

They all wandered toward the kitchen, looking for Joe and Julie to say their good-byes. In the midst of the hubbub, Elijah pulled Jonathan aside and asked him to find Vanessa, have her pack up her tablet and drive her to Claudia's house. He wanted a few minutes to talk to Olivia alone.

Olivia insisted on spending the night at Claudia's house. She said she'd made her aunt a promise and she wanted to stay with her as much as possible. So, a short time later, they were heading down the road in his truck, the seat between them filled with plates of food his mom wanted him to bring to Claudia.

“Tell me what's up,” he said.

She turned to face him. “You have things to do besides shadow me. Your family has a ranch to run. They need you. Without your help, your dad and Jonathan and Mark and the other guys have to work twice as hard.”

“It's good for them.”

She made a scoffing noise. “After listening to Vanessa, I realized this could go on for a while. I need to get to know some of the other members in Vanquish the Darkness. Maybe some of them could help me out sometimes.” She was quiet for a moment, and then added, “Great, now I sound like a real user.”

“No. Not a user. You sound smart. And they want to help you.”

“So I'm not going to have to fight you on this?” she asked as they pulled up to Claudia's house. “You're not going to try to keep me from going tomorrow?” She blew a strand of hair from the front of her face. “That's a relief.”

“No, we don't have to fight about it. But anytime you leave Claudia's house or my house, I
will
be by your side.”

“Why? Why does it have to be you?”

“Because I'm better at the job than anybody else around here.”

Obnoxious of him to say it, maybe, but he believed it was true.

Her face shuttered. She looked away.

“It's a good reason,” he added lamely. But maybe not the entire reason. There was a small stubborn part of him that wanted to be the one with her because she added zest to his life. He fought the attraction, but it kept coming back. Since he'd met Olivia, he'd been painfully aware of how monotonous his life had become. He'd thought he liked it that way and had assumed he could live that way forever. Now the clear path to his future was starting to get a little foggy. He hated fog.

Claudia was already in the kitchen chatting with Jonathan and Vanessa when they walked in. Claudia had spent the day with friends and reported that she'd had a wonderful time.

“How are you holding up?” she asked Olivia.

“I'm fine. And I've got some great news.”

A grin spread across her face and she held up her phone. “I got a text from Larry just after dinner. I got the job!”

What? Elijah turned to stare at her. So
that
was what was behind all this? She didn't want Elijah to go to work with her every day? She thought she'd replace him with other members of Vanquish? That's why she wanted to go on the ride tomorrow and get to know them?

Well, it was a nice try and a well-executed plan.

But it wasn't going to work.

He was going to accompany her every day for as long as it took to eliminate the person who was a threat to her. After that, she could do whatever she wanted to. Maybe she would move back to Las Vegas. That would make his life a whole lot easier.

TWELVE

“I
t feels good to be doing something useful for someone,” Olivia said to Denise while peeling open a garbage bag and using it to line a plastic trash can.

Denise raised her eyebrows. “Whatever floats your boat.”

Olivia paused on the cracked asphalt parking lot in front of Tinker Time Crafts and Hobbies and looked around. Quartz Creek was a hardscrabble little town without much in it. That was probably why the store's grand reopening had attracted such a good crowd.

Stay aware of your surroundings
. Elijah's warning came back to her. It was part of the deal she'd agreed to so she could come on this road trip with Vanquish.

Colorful flag pennants tied to signs and light posts fluttered in the steady breeze. The riders from Vanquish the Darkness had lined up their bikes with perfect precision in front of the tinted glass windows with the store's name painted in metallic gold letters. Hamburgers and hot dogs sizzled on a barbecue. Popcorn popped in a small booth. Cool water and cans of iced soda were being passed around. And the man who had been introduced to Olivia as the proud owner of the shop was walking around profusely thanking everyone for being there.

Olivia was tempted to let go of fear and see only the happiness of the occasion. But she couldn't afford to do that. Not yet. Maybe someday.

Denise tucked a chunk of dark hair behind one ear.

“I can't think of the last time I saw someone so happy to change garbage bags,” Denise said. “But good for you.”

After hearing Olivia talk about the outing, Denise had offered to bake some goodies and donate them. At the last minute, she'd decided she wanted to go along and ride in the van with Olivia. Vanessa had stayed at Claudia's house to participate in a couple of conference calls for work. She still had a few more vacation days to use, but in typical workaholic fashion she couldn't stand to be out of touch with the latest developments in her cases back at the office.

Elijah and Mark had ridden their motorcycles behind the van, making sure no stranger followed them from Painted Rock. Everyone in Vanquish knew about Olivia's situation, and they were all keeping an eye out for her. Especially Elijah, who never wandered far away and oftentimes was already looking at her when she looked at him. Each time her gaze met his, she felt her face turn warm.

The sound of a child's squealing laughter caught her attention, and she looked toward a play area set up in the strip of grass beside the craft store. Kids chased each other through an inflatable castle, took turns at lawn bowling or fished for plastic goldfish in a wading pool. Members of Vanquish, decked out in their jeans, leather vests and heavy biker boots, wandered around and helped.

Olivia's gaze snagged on Elijah standing in a shaded, out-of-the-way spot at the end of the building. He was praying with a man and woman. The three of them stood holding hands, heads bowed. The woman's shoulders shook, as if she might be crying. The man's shoulders rose and fell as though he sighed deeply.

Olivia turned away, feeling like an intruder in an intimate moment. It was a stark reminder she wasn't the only person in the world facing trouble and fear.

“It's really great that you came to visit your aunt,” Denise said as they walked to the next trash can overflowing with popcorn bags and hot dog wrappers.

“I shouldn't have taken so long.” Olivia picked up some cups and papers from the ground, tossed them into the bag and pulled the drawstring tight.

“Claudia is getting up there in years,” Denise said. “She takes some vitamin supplements to help with her memory, but I'm not sure they're working.”

“Her memory?” Olivia stopped and turned her full attention to Denise. “Something's wrong with her memory?”

Denise shrugged. “If you're around her very much, you'll notice.”

“Has she been to a doctor?”

“She doesn't go to the doctor. And if I mention it to anyone, they act like I'm insulting her. Maybe I am overstepping my boundaries.” Denise crossed her arms and looked at the ground. “Her medical situation isn't really my business. But all these changes in her routine have made things harder for her.”

“I'm disrupting her whole life, aren't I,” Olivia asked with a sinking feeling as they started to walk back to the front of the store.

“I know you don't mean to,” Denise said. “Your visit has brought her joy, too.”

They reached the section of the parking lot where Vanquish motorcycles were lined up in a row, chrome winking in the bright sunlight. Linda stood nearby.

“I should probably get back to the bake-sale table.” Denise nodded a greeting at Linda and left.

A girl maybe nine years old walked up and stared at Linda's motorcycle. Along with lots of shiny chrome and an edgy, customized design, the bike also had a fascinating paint job. Among the airbrushed tree branches and leafy designs, were the hidden faces of Mark and Linda's four house cats.

“Do you see the cats?” Linda asked.

The girl nodded excitedly.

“This one's Loretta.” Linda pointed to a tortoiseshell. “And this fluffy white one is Bubba.”

“They're cute,” the girl said shyly.

“Do you want to sit on the bike?” Linda glanced up. “If it's okay with your parents.”

A man and woman had walked up behind the girl. The woman nodded. “Sure.”

“I want to get on it, too.” A rambunctious boy shoved past his parents and sister to get a better look at the bike.

“Hey, little man, I've got a ride you might want to have a look at.” The voice belonged to Elijah, who'd walked over and stood grinning at the little guy.

The boy jumped up and down, landing on his mom's foot. “Cool!”

Elijah gestured toward his gleaming black chopper at the very end of the row of bikes. “I'd kinda like to see that one, myself,” the dad said.

His wife kissed him on the cheek. “Go.”

After the guys left, Linda held on to her motorcycle while the mom helped her daughter climb on.

“I want one of these,” the girl declared almost immediately.

Her mother smiled broadly. “We'll see.”

Olivia glanced over at Elijah. It looked as if he had his hands full with the rambunctious boy climbing all over him and his motorcycle, but Elijah was a natural—roughhousing with the boy just enough to help him burn some energy and give his exhausted-looking parents a break.

He would make a good dad. Olivia's heart ached sweetly at the thought. Underneath that lone-wolf biker image he liked to project was a man who loved family. She'd seen it for herself at the Morales household. And yet he was so determined to keep his distance.

It made no sense, but who was she to tell him how to live his life? Maybe he was just waiting for the right woman. One who wasn't a liar. He probably thought she was even more deceitful after the way she sprang the news that Larry had texted her a job offer. Maybe she shouldn't have surprised him that way, but she'd really wanted Claudia to know about it first.

In front of her, the little girl was ready to get off the motorcycle and Linda helped her down. Her dad was there a minute or two later, with the little boy and Elijah right behind him.

“Everything okay?” the dad asked.

The mom nodded. “Might be time for a break.” They all expressed their thanks and headed over to sit in the grass.

Mark walked up and slid an arm around Linda's shoulders. “Having fun?” He kissed the top of her head.

“I am.”

Olivia took a deep breath. The more she thought about the way she'd surprised Elijah with Larry's job offer, the more it bugged her. “Want to get something to eat?” she asked him. “I need to talk to you.”

“Sure.”

They said their goodbyes to Mark and Linda, and then walked over to the grill for burgers and chips. Elijah grabbed two sodas from an ice chest and they wandered over to the grass to sit.

“What's up?” Elijah asked before taking a bite of his burger.

“First, I want to thank you for everything you've done for me,” she said.

He continued to chew, but his dark eyes suddenly locked onto her. He swallowed and took a sip of soda. “Where's this going?”

He was an intense man. It was easy to forget once you saw how kind and loving he was. But her first impression of him, as a man of strength behind a calm, measured exterior, was spot-on.

“I'm sorry I surprised you with Larry's job offer. I wasn't trying to be sneaky about it.”

“Maybe you should put the job on hold and stay around the house until we find the shooter.”

She had a feeling he was going to say something like that. She needed to explain again why this job was so important to her. Why she couldn't take a chance on losing it. “I blew it big-time in Vegas,” she said. “When I left, I was afraid I'd never be able to work in the helping professions again. But now I have a chance to get back in. I want a job doing something meaningful.”

He looked pointedly at the untouched burger on her plate. “Aren't you eating?”

She took a bite and chewed it. “The job at Golden Sands might be my only shot at a second chance.”

“What are the hours?”

“It's only Mondays and Wednesdays to start.” The next part was going to be hard to say, but she had to make herself say it. “I know they need your help at the ranch. And I think maybe you and I are spending too much time together.” She looked away, suddenly feeling shy. He had to know exactly what she meant. “We should probably take a step back.” She glanced at him, anxious for his reaction.

He nodded and kept eating.

Really? That was it? She put her heart out there a little and that was his response?

“I've made a point of getting to know people in Vanquish today,” she said crisply. She needed to step back from him all right. Right now she couldn't step back fast enough. “Either the cops or Vanessa will figure out who's trying to kill me, and they'll send him to jail. I just need someone to ride with me to and from work, and keep an eye on things until they catch him. Anyone in Vanquish can do that, so you're off the hook.”

He'd finished his hamburger and he wiped his hands on a paper napkin. “I see.”

“I've already talked to Raymond. He's driving me Monday.”

“Is he?” Elijah cocked an eyebrow.

“Yes.”

“Does your shoulder still hurt?”

“Huh?”

“The one where you got shot. Does it hurt?”

“A little bit. Why?”

“I just thought you might have forgotten about it. You don't seem to realize that right now the shooter's setting the rules. He could take another shot at you anytime, any place.” He glanced around. “Even here.”

She stuck her legs out in front of her on the grass and studied the toes of her shoes. “That's not very comforting.”

“It's not meant to be.” He chomped on a potato chip. “Nothing's changed. Whoever's after you wants you to let your guard down. He wants you to believe you can go back to normal. You can't.”

* * *

Two days later, bright and early on Monday morning, Olivia walked downstairs in Claudia's house. When she pushed open the swinging door to the kitchen, she found Elijah waiting for her. Her jaw dropped and she stopped dead in her tracks. The expression on her face was priceless.

Elijah fought back a grin.

She looked nice in a longish tan skirt made out of something that looked like suede but wasn't. Black boots. A blouse made out of light denim and lace. There were a few retired cowboys and cowgirls up at Golden Sands. Olivia would fit right in with them.

She'd been humming something when she first pushed open the swinging door. Elijah thought it might be one of the praise songs from the church service she, Claudia and Vanessa had attended with his family yesterday. But the humming stopped the second she saw him. Her gaze darted around the kitchen.

“Raymond's mucking out the stables,” Elijah said. “I'm your ride.”

The long, thoughtful look she gave him was a warning she was going to protest.

“You're not the only veteran in Vanquish,” she finally said.

He'd seen her chatting with Vanquish members at church. She must have made some new friends.

“There are other riders who could go with me,” she continued. “People with military or law-enforcement experience. People who know how to defend themselves and me.”

“Raymond's not one of them—he wouldn't know what to do if something serious happened.”

She sighed loudly. “Okay, you're right. I guess I still feel a little shy about asking someone in Vanquish. But I'll get over that. Give me the name of someone who doesn't work in the morning and I'll call them right now.”

Fat chance.
He
wanted to be the one to see her in the morning.

It made no sense. It didn't fit into his life plans. He'd learned to push away hunger and fatigue and thirst in battle. Ignored physical pain. Why couldn't he push away this craving, too?

“Why don't you want me to go with you?” he finally asked. “Am I not charming company?”

She stared at him for a while as if she was waiting for him to say something more. Once again, he had the feeling she could see through him.

Finally, he pulled his keys out of his pocket. “You're going to be late for your first day.”

The ride to Golden Sands was short and quiet. Olivia was only working a three-hour shift, so Elijah walked the grounds, made a few calls, then took his tablet and sat outside her classroom and got to work. The best part of being a cowboy was the riding and the roping. But there were still spreadsheets to keep updated, invoices to review, budgets to balance.

At eleven Olivia stepped outside her classroom. Arthur rolled out in his motorized wheelchair behind her.

“Glad to see we made it through the morning and you didn't have to shoot anybody,” Arthur said to Elijah.