“I own a business,” he explained. “I have competent managers, which frees me up to be away for extended periods of time.” Then he grimaced. “But this is the first time I’ve been away so long without making contact. Telegrams aren’t going to cut it.”
Moonwalker stared back at him. “Which means?”
“Which means I’m going to have to leave soon. As soon as Blake gets back I’ll be packing up.”
“Oh, no. Just when we’re getting to know you. What a shame.” Carmela looked genuinely disappointed. “Blake’s going to be upset when she hears that you’re leaving.”
“Going back to your business, huh? What kind of business is that?” Moonwalker wasn’t paying attention to his wife or her lament. Eyes narrowed, he was staring at Ryder, looking skeptical as ever.
“The dairy business,” Ryder told him. He might as well come clean. Moonwalker would not believe him otherwise. “Ever heard of the Cozy Cow brand?”
“Sure have. It’s all over Texas. All across the country, it’s so big. What’s that got to do with you?”
“Let’s just say, I’ve got a stake in the business.”
It was only then that a new light shone in Moonwalker’s eyes and this time they were glowing with respect. “So you’re a shareholder, huh? Not bad for such a young fella. It looks like you’re making some wise decisions in your youth. Not bad.” By the time he said the last word he was grinning broadly.
“You’re just the kind of man Blake needs around here. Are you sure you have to head back so soon?” Carmela’s look was so beseeching that Ryder was tempted to change his mind. But then, who was he kidding? He couldn’t disappear in this wilderness forever. He had a business to run. Not to mention, he had to go check on his parents. Outside of a postcard he’d mailed them two days after he got to Pequoia they hadn’t heard a word from him in days.
“Yes, ma’am, it’s time for me to go.” His tone was brisk, leaving no leeway for counter argument. “I’ve been gone too long already. I’ll tell Blake as soon as she gets back.”
“She sent me a telegram,” Moonwalker said as he patted the left pocket of his shirt then pulled out a cigar. “She’ll be back tomorrow.”
And as crazy as it was, at the man’s words Ryder felt his heart jerk in anticipation. He was looking forward to seeing his ‘boss’ again.
CHAPTER EIGHT
It was good to be back. Blake couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief as she pulled into the gravelly front yard of Beaumont’s. This place had been her escape, her refuge for so many months and now it was even more than that. As ancient as the building was and as tiny and remote the town, this was the place that, for her, felt like home.
And here, far from Dallas and the city life, there was no Jerome Slater to contend with.
Heaving another sigh, a heavier one this time, Blake climbed out of her truck, pulled the back passenger door open and dragged her duffle bag off the seat. The second sigh had nothing to do with being home. It had everything to do with Jerome Slater and the fact that her issues with him were far from resolved.
She slammed the back door shut and was just turning to face the building when she heard his voice. Ryder Kent, the man who had become the other source of worry in her life.
Not that he had any idea about that. How could he know that when she hadn’t been stressed out by thoughts of the slimy snake she'd left back in Dallas, he’d been the one on her mind? And if ever there was a cause for worry, that was it. The last thing she needed right now was to start having feelings for a man, especially one who would probably be gone soon.
Now, though, as she heard him call her name her heart gave an involuntary skip. As strange as it was, she’d missed Ryder and now that she was here she had to admit it – he was a big part of the reason she was so glad to be home.
“Hello, stranger. Welcome back.” He’d just stepped out of the front door and was down the steps and halfway to the truck in seconds, his long legs making short work of the distance between them. And he was looking as delicious as ever, the muscles of his shoulders and abs rippling beneath the thin cotton of his white T-shirt. “How was your trip?”
He was standing right in front of her now, so close that Blake could reach out and touch him. And she was tempted to do it. So tempted.
But she didn’t.
“It was…all right,” she said and tried her best to return his smile with a bright and cheerful one of her own. She failed. Miserably. The smile she gave Ryder was too shaky to fool anybody.
Even as he took the duffle bag from her hand and slung it over his shoulder Ryder was frowning down at her. “Are you okay?”
She tried harder and this time she managed to draw her lips into a smile. “Fine,” she said, the word sounding tight and strained. An actress, she was not. She’d always been terrible at faking her feelings.
Ryder tilted his head toward the front door. "Come on. Let’s get you inside. We’ve got to talk.”
Blake didn’t even bother to object. What was the use? She’d had a terrible time in Dallas and Ryder could see it all over her face. She’d gone there thinking she could bully Jerome into retracting his statements, only to find out that she’d fallen for his ploy. Everything he’d said had been designed to bring her back to Dallas and the devious devil’s plan had worked. Except that she hadn’t stuck around for him to dig his claws any deeper into her. She got out of there fast and she made sure he had no idea where she'd disappeared to. Pequoia was the one place she could go and feel safe.
But still, it was so depressing, knowing that Jerome had won this round. From here on she would be careful. He would never get a second chance to get the better of her.
“What’s on your mind?” They were inside now and Ryder was watching her, his dark eyes skimming her face. “There’s something troubling you. Want to talk about it?” He was pulling out a chair for her even as he let the duffle bag slide off his shoulder and onto the floor.
Blake grimaced. She didn’t feel much like talking but from the look in Ryder’s eyes she could tell he wasn’t going to take that for an answer. He knew something was up and she could see he wasn’t going to let her go without some kind of explanation. She drew in her breath then slid onto the seat he was offering her. She waited while he took the chair across from her. It was while she was waiting for him that she looked up and noticed something. The place looked different…in a good sort of way.