Escaping Reality (Hart Ranch Book 1) (7 page)

~ ~ ~

J
ared Kingsley flashed a winning smile at his beautiful dinner date across the table. “Are you enjoying your meal tonight?”

Victoria dabbed at her mouth with a cloth napkin and then placed it back on her lap. “Yes, very much. I was actually quite surprised that you asked me out tonight, so soon after your breakup with Addison.”

Jared worked up his emotions, using all the skills he learned from acting school. He needed to convince Addison’s friend that he was the one who deserved the sympathy. He looked down and traced the elegant pattern on the table cloth. “I just needed someone to talk to. Have you heard from her?”

Victoria ran her fingers through her raven hair. “No. All I know is that she booked a flight to Billings.”

“Billings? As in Montana? Why would she travel out there?”

“Well, she was so upset after what happened and wanted to get away for a while. A friend of ours owns a resort about two hours from the airport. She could have gone there. I can’t remember the name of the place though.”

He shook his head and worked up a few tears in his blue eyes. “I’m so worried about her. I made a mistake…a
horrible
mistake, but I still love her. You believe me, right?”

She put her manicured fingers over his on the table. “Oh, Jared. Of course I do. Everyone makes mistakes.”

Bingo. He had her sympathy. He wiped his cheeks, ready to begin phase two of his plan. “I wondered if you could help me. Do you remember the name and number of your friend in Montana?”

“Oh yes.” She picked up her cell phone and told him the information.

He copied it into his phone and thanked her.

“You’re welcome. Would you excuse me for a moment? I need to go to the ladies room.”

He nodded and watched her leave. A devious smile spread across his face as he spied her phone resting on the table. It was just the opportunity he’d been looking for. He lifted it and found the picture icon. Within a few seconds he had her albums up on the screen. Every few seconds he looked up to make sure she wasn’t coming back.

Finally he found an album labeled
Parties
and clicked on it. Any dirt he could dig up would help him carry out his plan.

Jared’s frustration grew with each second that passed. Every picture he found of Addison looked completely innocent. She didn’t get involved in any of the questionable activities her friends did.

He was just about to give up when he scrolled to a photo toward the end of the album. It was about two years ago but it wasn’t of Addison. No. It was of her younger sister, Brielle.

An evil grin snaked across his face. “Gotcha,” he whispered and emailed the photo to himself. Then he deleted it from Victoria’s sent folder. Now he had all the ammunition he needed to kill two birds with one stone.

~ ~ ~

A
ddison woke up early and packed her suitcase. There was no reason to delay since Gary promised someone would deliver her car to the ranch early that morning. Leaving promptly sounded even more appealing after her disastrous conversation with Logan the night before.

She grabbed his leather jacket off the chair before making her way outside. Then Addison snuck around the back of the cabins, careful to avoid the corral or barn. Logan would have probably started his day out early and those were the two most likely places he would be. She breathed a sigh of relief after sitting at her usual booth inside the diner. Logan was nowhere in sight. Good. She didn’t need any more interrogations from him.

The unique smell of leather and campfire made a lump rise in her throat and she glanced at the jacket on her lap. Her walk with Logan under the stars had started out so romantic. He was quite charming when he wanted to be, making it even harder that they would be parting on such bad terms.

Belle’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “Good morning, Addie. Did you sleep well?”

Addison smiled at her “Yeah. At first the absence of noise drove me crazy but now I’m getting used to it.”

“I bet you’re ready to get back to civilization. Am I right?”

She chuckled. “Guilty. I mean don’t get me wrong, it’s so beautiful out here but I really miss electronics.”

Belle handed Addison a cup of steaming coffee. “I’m sure I would too. I mean, all we have is snail-paced internet and I have a cheesy flip phone I take with me when I go into town.” She giggled and rolled her eyes. “I’m sheltered. You don’t have to say it.”

Addison laughed and then her eyes misted over. “Oh, Belle. I’m going to miss you.”

Her friend managed a lopsided smile. “Me too. It’s been a blessing to have another girl here to chat with now that Ava hasn’t been around. You’re like the sister I never had. Keep in touch okay?”

“I will.”

Belle enveloped her in a hug and Addison didn’t pull back. It was nice having a genuine friend. Her “friends” back home always seemed to have a secret agenda for being nice. Not Belle. She was kind and generous without expecting anything in return.

Addison sat back, wiped her moist eyes and remembered the jacket on her lap. She held it out to Belle. “I almost forgot. Would you give this back to your brother for me. He let me borrow it last night.”

Belle glanced out the window and her eyes took on a fleeting twinkle. “Why don’t you give it to him yourself? He just pulled up outside.” She winked and then walked away.

Addison looked out the window just in time to see Logan slide his lanky body out of her rental car. She chuckled to herself. He must have had to fold up his legs to fit in the driver’s seat.

She stirred her coffee and avoided looking up as he made his way into the diner and sat across from her at the table.

“Your car’s ready to go. The mechanic in town looked it over and I washed the mud off it too. It should work just fine for your trip.”

She peeked up at him, attempting to keep a neutral expression and avoid his dreamy blue eyes. “Thanks. You really didn’t have to do all that.”

“Well, I wanted to make sure your trip goes smoothly.” He pulled out a folded map and spread it out on the table. “I got you one of these too.”

She grinned, seeing that he’d marked out her route, including good rest stops along the way. “You’re quite savvy with directions, aren’t you?”

Logan shrugged her comment away. “It’s easy since I’ve lived around here for most of my life. It’s kind of second nature.”

She nodded and handed him his jacket. “I believe this belongs to you.”

Logan smiled and thanked her. After slipping the jacket on, he furrowed his brow. “About what I said last night. I never meant…”

“Don’t worry about that. It’s water under the bridge.”

“Are you sure?”

Addison nodded and allowed herself a brief glance into his eyes. If possible, they were even more captivating when he felt guilty about something. She shook her head, clearing her mind of distractions. “Yes, of course. I’d like us to be friends.”

He shook her hand. “Well, friends it is. Safe travels Addie. I hope you find the escape you were looking for.” Logan stood without another word and walked outside.

Addison watched him through the window until he got into his truck and drove away. What was it about him that unnerved her so much? His presence made her dizzy and now the thought of never seeing him again created a hollow ache in her stomach.

Addison swept the feeling away and silently reprimanded herself.
Snap out of it and pull yourself together. Don’t get sentimental now.

~ ~ ~

After an hour of traveling Addison stopped at a rest stop and checked her phone. She had several voicemail messages. Some were from Jared. Addison ignored and deleted most of them until hearing one from her little sister. The worried tone in Brie’s voice made Addison call back right away.

“Addie, where have you been?”

She grinned, happy to hear her sister’s voice again. “Out in the middle of nowhere, sis. You’ll never believe what happened to me. I got stranded on a horse ranch.”

“A horse ranch? I can’t picture you anywhere near horses.”

Addison chuckled. “Oh, they’re really not that bad, once you get used to them. I’ll have to tell you the whole story when I get back. Enough about me. How are you and Dad?”

Brie sighed. “I’m keeping busy. Dad left yesterday. He’s filming some movie in Canada.”

Addison gulped as homesickness knotted her stomach. “Don’t worry. I’ll be home next week. I just need to clear my head.”

“About that. I’d stay away for a few more weeks if I were you. There’s paparazzi camped out everywhere.”

She groaned. “I hoped things would have died down a little. Gosh, these people obviously don’t have lives if they insist on invading mine.”

Her sister chuckled on the other end of the line. “Yeah, I guess not. But you did kind of ask for trouble when you agreed to televise the wedding.”

Addison sighed. “Yeah. I hate to admit it, but you’re right.”

“Well college orientation’s about to start, sis. I’ll call again later.”

“All right. Take care of yourself.”

After getting back on the highway, Logan’s face entered Addison’s mind. Her car even smelled like him and every time she looked at his map she couldn’t help but smile. Two days wasn’t enough time to develop feelings for someone, was it?

She pushed the sentimental thoughts out of her mind and concentrated on driving for the remainder of the trip. After an eternity of winding turns, signs for the lake greeted Addison up ahead.

Her heart ached with a strange loneliness she’d never experienced before.

What was wrong with her? She should have been relieved. This was where she’d intended to go all along. After the adventures of the past few days, getting pampered at a spa sounded wonderful, but she already missed the ranch—or rather
the people
at the ranch.

Addison drove along the lakeside until she saw signs for her resort and pulled into the parking lot. Then she rested her head on the steering wheel for a few moments and gave herself a pep talk. “Remember who you are, Addison. This is your escape. Enjoy…relax…clear your foggy brain from foolish thoughts…”

Hearing commotion outside, she opened her eyes and blinked hard.

Paparazzi swarmed the car and cameras flashed from every angle.

So much for escaping. They’d found her.

~ ~ ~

D
ylan's eyes darted back and forth as people rushed around the busy airport terminal. For a ten-year-old boy who had spent most of his life in the mountains, all the hustle and bustle was probably overwhelming.

Logan smiled at him and signed as he spoke. “Have fun and don’t get into too much trouble, okay?”

The boy nodded and tried to put on a brave face but Logan could see the fear in his eyes.

“You’ll be back before you know it.”

He hoped Ava would tell Dylan about her private school idea while they were gone. He deserved to know and it tore Logan up inside to keep such a big secret from his nephew.

Ava came out of the check-in line and handed Dylan his ticket. “Well, it’s time to go,” she said and gave Logan an awkward side hug. “Thank you for everything.”

He let out a deep sigh and glanced at the loose fitting shawl that seemed to swallow her petite frame whole. Logan thought he knew what she was hiding now but pretended not to notice. “You’re welcome. Take care of yourself.”

“I will. See you in a few weeks.”

After hugging his nephew Logan watched them walk away with a heavy heart. Ava used to confide in him but ever since Nathan’s death she’d been so guarded. He feared this wasn’t just a vacation.

Ava had the same desperate look in her eyes as Addie had that morning. Both of them were running away from something…but what?

~ ~ ~

After returning from the airport Logan spent most of the afternoon mucking out stalls. It wasn’t his typical job but he liked the privacy of the barn. It gave him an opportunity to work through his scrambled thoughts.

His plan worked until reaching Skipper’s stall. He was just as jumpy as ever. Logan still couldn’t believe that out of all his family’s horses Addie chose to ride
him
. She had the worst luck ever. It made him chuckle but he sobered quickly. Would he ever see her again?

Logan shook his head and turned the volume up on his phone until music blared through his earpieces.
Be a robot and do your job. Don’t think about her.

Someone yanked on the cord leading to one of his earpieces, making it pop out. “Are you planning on moping around all day?”

He looked up from his work and scowled at his sister. “I’m not moping. I’m just worried about Dylan and Ava getting to Chicago safely. Staying busy keeps my mind occupied.”

“Oh come on Logan. I know this isn’t just about them. You miss Addie.”

He turned away from her and started shoveling hay into one of the stalls. “Even if that’s true, what’s the point in admitting it now? She’s gone. It’s for the best really.”

“Well it seems like you need a pick-me-up. I’ve got an hour before I have to be back to the diner. Why don’t you come riding with me? Give me my first ranching lesson while you’re at it.”

He put the shovel aside and grinned at his sister. She knew he couldn’t resist a horse ride. “All right. If you insist.”

A few minutes later they were riding side by side, following the creek. The weather was perfect and the sounds of nature relaxed him. “Thanks, sis. This is exactly what I needed.”

She smiled. “I thought so. Well, it’s the least I could do after you and mom helped convince Dad to let me hire more workers.”

“Have you found anyone that’s interested in the positions yet?”

Belle’s cheeks flushed as she nodded. “Just this morning actually. I’m meeting a girl in town for an interview tomorrow. Rob Mildred’s daughter.”

He studied the worried creases on her forehead. “Well that’s good. Are you nervous?”

She kept her gaze straight ahead as they continued along the trail by the creek. “I’ve never interviewed someone before. What if I mess it up?”

Logan chuckled to himself. “Well don’t worry. I’m sure she doesn’t bite. I’ve never noticed any members of the Mildred family having fangs.”

Belle gave a half-hearted chuckle. “It’s not really the interview. It’s just that so much is riding on this. I need to show Dad that I can handle being in charge. If I mess it up he’s not going to trust me a second time.”

“Oh, just relax. Leaders aren’t supposed to be perfect. You’ll make mistakes but that’s okay. Learning from them makes you stronger. I have faith in you, Belle and with time Dad will too.”

Her face glowed in the afternoon sun. “Well you’ve turned into quite the motivational speaker, Logan. What did I do to deserve such a wise older brother?” Her voice held just a hint of sarcasm.

He lifted an eyebrow. “Oh, you mean the brother that’s going to beat you back to the barn?”

She scoffed and turned her horse around. “In your dreams. Eat my dust!”

They took off together and barreled across the flat part of the valley. In no time Belle’s joyous laughter filled his eardrums as she passed him. The wind blew her hat off and it dangled by its cord against her back. “You’ll have to do better than that,” she taunted.

He chuckled and swallowed a lump in his throat, watching her chocolate brown curls blow untamed and free in the breeze. His sister belonged here. She was born to own this land and run the ranch. The wild landscape flowed like blood through her veins. How did their father fail to recognize that?

He let Belle win the race and she rewarded him with a victorious smile when he caught up with her by the barn. “Well there you are, slow poke,” she teased as she hoped off her horse and disappeared inside.

Logan chuckled and started to follow but the sound of crunching gravel stopped him. A cherry red compact car caught his attention, looking foreign in comparison to the rugged landscape. His heart galloped in his chest. Was she really back? The car parked and he held his breath as Addison emerged out of the driver’s side door.

She shrugged and pushed her movie star glasses onto the top of her head, revealing those amazing jade eyes. “Hey, stranger. It looks like your map didn’t work so well after all. It led me right back here.”

~ ~ ~

Addison’s pulse accelerated as Logan approached. For a second she reconsidered her decision to return.

He stopped in front of her with a range of emotions playing out on his face. “Addie, what’s wrong? Did you forget something?”

She managed a nervous chuckle and made up a quick fib. “Yes, I think I must have forgotten my brain…um apparently I should have called the resort before going all the way out there. When I didn’t show up two days ago they cancelled my reservation.” In truth, she’d panicked and hightailed out of town when the paparazzi ambushed her at the resort. Someone must have tipped them off, but who?

Logan furrowed his brow. “Well that’s too bad. What are you going to do?”

Addison shrugged. “Well, I’d hate to cut my vacation short. Are there any cabins available here for about three weeks?”

Logan’s eyes widened. “Three weeks? I thought you couldn’t wait to get away from here.”

A smile played on her lips. “What can I say? I guess the ranch has grown on me.”

Belle came out of the barn and her face lit up. “Addie!” She rushed over and enveloped her in a hug. “What are you doing back here?”

She chuckled, genuinely happy to see her friend again. “Well, it turns out I might need to stay here for a little bit longer than I planned, if you have the space.”

“
Three weeks
longer,” Logan added.

“Really?” Belle squeaked and released her.

Addison nodded with a smile.

“Oh, I’m sure your cabin is still open.” She clasped her hands together. “Oh, this is going to be so much fun. I’ll go make your reservation right away.” With a flip of her brown curls, she darted inside the ranch store.

Addison caught Logan’s eye roll after his exuberant sister left but noticed he sported an amused grin on his face. “Well I think you just made someone’s day.”

She nodded. “Yeah, I can see that.”

Logan motioned toward her car. “Can I help you with your bag?”

Addison agreed and watched him lift her suitcase out of the trunk. He wasn’t wearing his usual flannel overshirt today and his white t-shirt showed off his muscular arms.

She blushed and looked away. Addison must have gone crazy to come back—even crazier to be attracted to a rugged cowboy she’d just met two days ago. However, at the moment,
crazy
seemed to make her happy. Now she had three weeks to figure out why.