Between Hope & the Highway (13 page)

“Benny.”

I almost turned, but his next words sucked the wind out of my sails.

“Damon’s always had my back. Please don’t blame him.”

Every muscle in my body clenched. “I’ll always blame him.” I hobbled through the door, furious that he dared ask such a thing after what his stupid friend had done to our family.

Chapter 23

Rawson

My brother was ticked at me, and it was all Miss Ruthersford’s fault. Everything was fine and dandy until she started working here, and now nothing was right. So, she was no con-artist out to swindle my family. But she snooped where she shouldn’t and now Damon had become obsessed with her. That was worse.

When I left the old homestead with Benny yesterday, I told Damon to stay put, promising I’d send Chance out with a sack of groceries and a case of beer later. “That’ll get you by until we can rustle up some gals for the weekend.” I’d promise him anything to keep him away from the crank.

“I want Benny’s girl,” he said with a lusty grin.

Shaking my head, I cursed the girl again for showing up where she didn’t belong. “She’s a hired hand, dude. Leave her alone. We don’t need Dad catching wind you’re out here.”

The eerie smile he wore as I rode away haunted me. I knew he was thinking about that troublesome girl, which wasn’t good. She was too innocent for the likes of my screwed-up friend. And what if she ratted me out to Dad? Just another reason, on top of a mountain of others, why she needed to go.

As I entered the arena and turned toward the tack room, I spotted the object of my irritation. She glanced up from brushing her horse and wrinkled her nose.

“So you decided to show up. What gives?”

“You may dispense with the pleasantries, commander.” I paused to breathe heavy like Darth Vader. “I am here to put you back on schedule.”

She didn’t look amused. “I could’ve used your help the last two weeks, but I’m fine now. Maybe your father can utilize your on-again/off-again skills with the cattle.”

“If the work’s all done, I showed up right on time.”

Her scowl pushed onto center stage, making me fight a grin.

“Sorry I was a little hard on you yesterday.”

Her expression turned wary.

“My friend gets crude around pretty girls. I didn’t want him mouthing off and offending you. That’s why I asked you to leave.”

“You ordered me to leave and almost made me fall off my horse by swatting it.”

I gave her a half-smile, the kind that usually got me whatever I wanted from the weaker gender. “Forgive me?”

My humble act threw her off balance. She blushed and averted her eyes, making me think I’d gone about getting rid of her all wrong. Instead of fighting her, I should embrace her. After all, females tended to lose their heads around me, and she didn’t appear any different. If I threw her some crumbs, I was certain she’d gobble them up. It’d be fun to mess with her like that.

I swaggered over and grabbed the curry comb from her hand. “Let me finish brushing him. I owe you for slacking off this week.”

As her big, brown eyes met mine, I swallowed and reminded myself how Benny had acted when we rode home together. He hadn’t said one word except to lam-blast my friend. Puberty had made him stubborn, but Librarian Liz had magnified his negative traits.

“Don’t worry about it. I like brushing horses. It’s soothing.”

So was her voice. I’d never noticed.

I cleared my throat. “I’m taking Benny kayaking this Saturday for an early birthday present. He mentioned it was your birthday yesterday. Would you like to join us?”

She pursed her lips. “I don’t think so.”

“Oh, come on. Benny would love it.” He really would. I could already imagine how the day would play out. My brother would throw all his attention her way and I’d be left with nada, zip, zilch. When she still acted hesitant, I tossed out more crumbs. “We haven’t used the kayaks for over two years, and the lake is one of the most spectacular settings within two hundred miles. You haven’t really lived until you see it.”

She studied me as I brushed the mare’s glistening coat. “Are you sure I won’t rain on Benny’s parade?”

“Positive. You’ll make his day.”

“Okay. If you’re sure. I’m a sucker for beautiful places.”

And faces
, I added silently.

Chapter 24

Liz

Darkness still blanketed the ranch as I approached Rawson’s massive black beast. Benny had told me his brother purchased the decked out truck as a welcome home present for himself. Though I thought the man had more money than brains, I had to admit he struck a powerful image in the vehicle.

“Morning, Miss Ruthersford.” He leaned out his window on a muscled arm.

Though his greeting sounded condescending, I tried to imbue mine with cheer. “Good morning.” I hoped to overcome our earlier enmity and become friends…or at least non-fighting acquaintances. I’d be content with that.

“Did you get the mucking done?”

I smiled, even though I sensed subtle mockery. “The arena’s done. Chance will finish the rest after breakfast.”

“I wish I could bat my eyelashes and get someone else to do my work.” He said it with a mischievous twinkle in his gorgeous eyes.

“You don’t have to bat your eyelashes, Mr. Law. All you have to do is get in your truck and drive off to who knows where to get out of work.”

He raised a brow. “Touché.”

I rolled my eyes and hopped into the backseat.

“Hey, Lizzie.” Benny hobbled toward us.

“Hurry up, slowpoke,” Rawson called.

I thought Ben would get in front with his brother, but he climbed in the back with me.

“Am I the damn chauffeur?” Rawson quipped. “There’s plenty of room up here.”

“You can sit up with your brother,” I said to Benny.

“I’m comfortable here.” He made a goofy face that made me laugh.

Rawson bristled as he pulled away from the house. My first experience with him in the driver’s seat had been awful. This wasn’t much better. Even hauling two kayaks, the speedometer needle rested above seventy on the dirt road. To take my mind off my teeth jarring into my nasal cavity, I made small talk.

“So you love
Star Wars
like Benny?”

“More,” Rawson replied.

“No way,” Benny objected.

“Yes way. I’ve had longer to like it than you.”

The brothers squabbled back and forth. When they ended without a victor, I threw out another question.

“How far is this lake?”

Rawson shrugged. “Maybe forty miles as the crow flies.”

Benny grinned. “It’ll take us a couple hours to drive there. The last twenty miles aren’t much more than a game trail.”

My stomach flip-flopped. Maybe I should have found out those details before I agreed to come.

“It’s my favorite spot,” Benny gushed. “The lake’s surrounded by snow-covered mountains and a rocky cliff. It’s crystal blue and beyond beautiful. Isn’t that right, Rawson?”

“Sure, kid.”

“Is it very big?”

“Depends on your definition of big,” Rawson answered.

“It’s decent size.” Benny was more helpful.

“How long will it take to kayak across it?”

“As long as it does.”

I controlled the urge to roll my eyes again. Rawson was a pain.

“It’s been a few years, but if I remember right, it took us an hour. Isn’t that so, Rawson?”

“I guess.” Mr. Vague didn’t seem interested in conversing, so I focused my attention outside. Montana falls were gorgeous. With the temperatures dropping at night, leaves had started changing color. I couldn’t help but smile as I compared this autumn to the monochromatic Vegas ones I knew.

Since I’d been up since four, I dozed until we got there. When I looked out my window, I sighed. Benny hadn’t been lying
.

Rawson hopped out to unlash the kayaks. His contagious grin energized me as I gazed out at the serene lake. Benny and I took the double kayak and Rawson followed in the smaller one. It took us over an hour to paddle to a distant island. When we reached our destination, Rawson beached his kayak and helped pull us in; he even helped me out so I didn’t get wet. Maybe he wasn’t the arrogant jerk I’d judged him to be.

The brothers traded jokes while we picnicked. After we finished eating, Rawson unfastened his watch and set it on the blanket next to some sort of pocket toolkit. When both brothers started stripping, I found it hard not to stare. Rawson looked delicious without a shirt. His toned arm muscles and chiseled abs did weird things to my core.

“Want to jump in with us, Miss Ruthersford? There’s nothing more refreshing than a dip in a mountain lake.” He waggled dark brows.

“I’ll pass.”

To resist gawking, I stretched out on the blanket and listened to them scream, splash, and play like little boys. When I heard them getting out, I took towels over to them.

“How was the water?”

“Fr-fr-freezing,” Benny said with a blue-lipped grin.

As I turned to Rawson, he puffed out his chest. “You should’ve joined us.”

I studied the wildflowers by my feet. “I don’t do freezing.”

“What about hot?” When I glanced back at him, he gave me a salacious wink and flexed his biceps.

“Uh, no. I like things just right.”

“Like Goldilocks?” He tugged a frizzy curl loose from my ponytail.

“Stop.” I batted his hand away. “I don’t have a brush.”

He smiled at me, and dang…just dang!…my insides melted like butter on toast. His expression was adorable, sexy, and mischievous all at once.

“Do you mind taking the single back?” he asked. “I’d like to spend time with my brother since you got him on the way here.”

It sounded fair. “Sure.”

Within minutes, he had Benny in the double kayak and pushed off into the lake. I allowed myself the luxury of watching for a few seconds since his back was turned. His wide, muscular shoulders reminded me of a Greek god.

Snapping out of my trance, I grabbed the blanket to go. Rawson’s watch and toolkit tumbled to the ground. He must have forgotten them. I chucked them into the hatch and positioned my kayak so the end rested on land. Crawling into the opening, I dug my paddle into earth, but might as well have pushed Mount Everest as to move my kayak off the embankment.

With a growl, I crawled out and moved the boat into deeper water. Jumping, as I’d seen Rawson do, sent me toppling over the other side.
Fr-fr-freezing
, as Benny had put it, didn’t come close to describing the needling pain that wracked me. When I surfaced, I sputtered and floundered against the steep bank for a foothold.

As I pulled myself up onto the grass with the grace of a beached whale, I heard Rawson’s bellowing laughter in the distance. That’s when I knew the no-good cowboy had planned this and wouldn’t return to my aid. How naive I’d been to think he had changed. The man had embraced the DRK-SID, like his personalized license plate attested. I recalled his excitement as he pulled the kayaks off his truck this morning. He hadn’t been thrilled about the alpine scenery or spending quality time with his brother as I assumed. He hadn’t been anxious to use his muscles in sport either. And he most certainly hadn’t been eager to spend time with me. Why had I even considered that a possibility? No. He’d only been waiting for the right moment to exact revenge…and like a poor, tired driver on a curvy mountain road at night, I never saw the semi coming around the curve until it was too late.

Jumping back into the frigid lake, I doggy paddled after my kayak and dragged it back to the island. It took two more attempts before I managed to stay inside. Sadly, I left my paddle behind and had to hand-propel the boat back to try again. On my last jump, I managed to stay in the kayak and keep my paddle. I thought I was home free, but discovered my error again. Benny must have done all the steering as we navigated to the island, because with me at the helm or paddle or whatever one called the steering mechanism of a kayak, I traveled in circles. When I managed forward progress, the kayak moved in inefficient zigzagging lines.

As the other kayak disappeared around a bend, I jabbed my oar into the water and renewed my efforts. I feared Rawson might leave if I didn’t catch up. I wouldn’t put it past the sneaky toad. My mind conjured up crazy scenarios of bears swimming out to eat me or capsizing and drowning. There was no way I could doggy paddle to shore if that happened. I hated Rawson Law for putting my life at risk, but I was even more furious that I’d been gullible enough to make this moment possible for him.

Eventually I rounded the bend, but almost cried when I saw how far I still had to go. The shore where we’d parked looked miles away. And now I had to fight a headwind. Maybe Rawson had summoned it with his evil powers. Waves made the earlier lake of glass a choppy assembly line of death. I tried to steer into them, but kept getting turned sideways and wobbling as each crest took my kayak up and threw me down into a trough of icy terror. When rain began pelting my face, I knew the man must certainly control the elements.