Randall Riches (3 page)

“No, she’s a friend.” He needed to ask Sam about how the doctor had gotten the idea that they were engaged. But first he needed to get out of the hospital.

The nurse wheeled him outside and up to the truck. Once he was inside, Sam drove to the back of the parking lot and stopped. “Do you want to check on Bella?”

“Yeah.” Had he been that obvious? Or did she understand about cowboys and their horses? He didn’t know, but he was glad she’d stopped. He hobbled out of the cab and checked the connection between the truck and the trailer. Then he opened the trailer and tested the halter Bella was wearing.

“Everything is fine,” he pronounced to Sam. “I should have known since Gabe took care of it.”

Sam said nothing.

Once he was back inside, Sam pulled out a map. “I assume we’ll be going east on—”

He stopped her. “No, we’re going north, through Utah, into western Wyoming.” He pointed out the route he wanted to take. “Okay?”

“Whatever you say. I’d like to stop and buy you a couple of pillows. It will make the ride easier.”

“I don’t need them,” he replied.

Showing no emotion, she said, “Whatever you say,” repeating a phrase that should’ve pleased him. They settled into the truck and she started the motor.

“Where were you going to stop for pillows?”

“There’s a shopping center on the next block.”

She didn’t urge him again to consider pillows. Finally, he said, “We might as well get a couple of pillows. Thanks for thinking of it.”

“No problem.”

She pulled into the economy store’s parking lot. “Do you need anything else?” she asked, as she reached for the door handle.

“Did you get drinks?”

“Yes, they’re in the back. I’ll get a couple out when I get back.”

He watched her trot across the parking lot, wondering why she was irritating him. What she said had been perfectly polite, accommodating.

She returned with two pillows and cases to cover them. She removed the plastic and slid them into the
cases and handed them in to him. Then she grabbed a six-pack of sodas and put them on the floorboard.

After she got in the truck, she told him to undo his seat belt and move to the middle of the seat.

“Why?”

“Well, since your right leg is the one hurting, we need to put it on the seat.”

He insisted on putting the pillow against the door and putting both his feet on the seat next to her. She didn’t argue. She took the other pillow and put it under his foot. Then she got a soda and opened it, passing it to him. He assumed they were ready to go, but then she pulled the pills the doctor had given her out of her purse. “Take this,” she ordered, handing the small pill to him.

“I don’t need it,” he said.

“You’re already hurting. There’s no need to suffer.”

With a sigh he took the pill, then sipped some soda. “Fine.”

She didn’t reply.

Once she started the truck, he relaxed against the door. The pillows had been a good idea. He began to feel bad about his difficult behavior. He noticed The Hot Skillet ahead. Thinking to make up for his boorishness, he said, “We can stop at the restaurant so you can tell your friends goodbye.”

“No!” she replied sharply. “No, thanks, that’s not necessary.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t want them to know where I’m going.”

“You didn’t take anything you shouldn’t have, did
you?” He regretted the question. Her face paled and her jaw tightened.

“No.”

“I didn’t mean—” He broke off, remembering why he was still wary of her. “Hey, why did the doctor call you my fiancée?”

“You sure must be popular with the ladies,” Samantha said, not directly answering his question. “Relax and go to sleep. I promise I won’t marry you while you’re napping.” Okay, so she shouldn’t be sarcastic, but she was tired of this man accusing her of something.

“I didn’t mean to sound so suspicious,” he apologized, turning on the charm. “But a man gets alarmed when he’s told he’s engaged to a stranger. An attractive stranger, I’ll admit, but still a stranger.”

“Like I said, you don’t have to worry. I’m not looking for a husband. Just a ride. So you can save your cowboy charm for someone more susceptible.”

He chuckled, even as his eyelids began to droop. “You think I’m flirting?” His voice grew softer, a little slurred.

Sam watched him out of the corner of her eye until she was sure he was down for the count.

It wasn’t the first time she’d been falsely accused, though no one had ever suggested she was trying to trick a man into marriage. She’d discovered the newest person on the job had to walk a straight line or all kinds
of sins would be heaped on her head. She kept her gaze on the road and he remained silent also.

A couple of minutes later, he gave a little snore. She gradually relaxed. It took energy to resist that charm she’d accused him of using.

At least she didn’t have to worry about Brad anymore. He had no idea where she was now. Thanks to Rich Randall. She looked at him once again noting how handsome he was. Frowning, she turned back to the road. He looked familiar, but she knew she hadn’t met him before.

With a shrug, she shoved that thought away. The less she looked at him or talked to him, the better off she’d be.

R
ICH SLEPT
all morning. He awoke a couple of minutes around two when she stopped to fill up. She’d grabbed herself a hot dog while she was paying the bill. As she started to leave the station, she thought she ought to buy one for Rich, too. If he didn’t want it, she’d eat it. Breakfast seemed a long time ago.

When she got in the truck cab, he was awake, frowning.

“Is your ankle hurting?”

“My ankle and my head. Where are we?”

“We’re in Utah. Want a hog dog?”

Still frowning, he sat up a little bit, reached for the hot dog with a thanks, and ate it quickly.

When Sam held out another pill, he intended to refuse it, but the annoying pain had him reaching for it. Two minutes later, he was sleeping again.

Samantha waited until he’d nodded off to eat her own hot dog. Then she nursed her soda, making it last as she headed down the road again. She’d checked Bella’s water while the truck filled, and the horse had seemed to be all right.

She decided she’d need to watch for a horse motel when it got time to halt for the night. Rich hadn’t mentioned any place, even though he’d obviously driven this route before.

But she was pleased. Flagstaff was behind her. And a new life was ahead of her.

J
UST THEN
, the phone rang at the Randall home in Rawhide, Wyoming.

“Jake, is that you?” a voice asked when Jake Randall picked up the phone.

Jake knew he should recognize the voice of the caller, but he couldn’t quite place it. “Yeah, who’s this?”

“It’s your cousin, Gabe.”

“Gabe. How are you? Rich said you were in the hunt for the Nationals.”

“I’m doing okay. Listen, is Pete there? I need to speak with him.”

Jake waved to his brother, sitting at the table, a cup of coffee in front of him. “Here’s Pete.”

Pete took the phone. “Gabe? How are you? Are you coming our way?”

“No, sorry. I’m heading for California. I just wanted to check on Rich. He has called you, hasn’t he?”

Pete felt his heart clutch. “What are you talking about?”

“Ah. He didn’t call. Well, I hope I did the right thing. A young lady stopped by the rodeo grounds yesterday, she was driving Rich’s truck. She asked me to show her what needed to be done to load up Bella. Seems Rich had a bad fall Sunday. He was in the hospital, she said. A broken ankle.”

“A broken ankle?” Pete exclaimed, catching the attention of everyone sitting at the kitchen table. Especially Janie, his wife.

“Yeah. I tried to call him at the hospital afterward. I was a little worried, but there was no answer. That’s why I thought I’d check with you.”

“Well, thanks for the heads-up, Gabe. I’ll check things out. Good luck this week. And come see us when you can.”

“Will do. Hope everything’s all right with Rich.”

Pete hung up the phone. His wife, Janie, was beside him, her eyes big. “Now, honey, don’t worry. I’m sure everything is fine,” he said at once, as if he weren’t worried.

Pete’s three brothers and their wives were all there when the call came and all started firing questions.

Holding up his hand to stop their questions, Pete returned to the table and sat down beside Janie. “Now, a broken ankle is nothing. I mean, it will stop Rich’s career for a while, but I’m sure he’ll be all right.”

“But why hasn’t he called?” Janie demanded.

“Because he’s a man and he can take care of himself,” Pete assured her.

“But he won’t be able to drive home,” Jake pointed out.

“I know. But he’s got a friend with him.” Everyone relaxed as he added, “I’m sure she’ll drive him home.”

Janie stiffened. “She? His friend is a woman?” B.J., Jake’s wife, chuckled. “Are you surprised? Rich has always attracted the ladies.”

“Yes, but I—I want him to marry someone from around here, not some—some rodeo floozie!”

“Now, Janie,” Pete said soothingly, “Gabe said she was a friend. He would’ve said something if the woman was, uh, something else.”

Jake leaned forward. “Yeah, you can trust Gabe, Janie. He’s family.”

They hadn’t really known Gabe long, but he’d clicked with the men in the family at once. His father, a cousin of their father, had lived in Kansas City. Gabe’s father and his wife had been to visit after their honeymoon. They’d planned another trip, but he’d been in an automobile accident and had died. Their father had gone to the funeral and offered the widow a home with him and his boys. But she was pregnant with Gabe. She’d chosen to remain in Kansas City.

She came to see them one more time, when Gabe was six, but she’d been a sad woman. She remarried when Gabe was eight. Then she’d died when Gabe was twelve.

They’d lost track of Gabe until Toby, Jake’s oldest, went on the rodeo circuit. Since then Gabe had visited several times. He’d even discussed the possibility of making Rawhide his permanent home.

“What can we do?” Janie asked, drawing Pete’s attention back to his son.

“I don’t know. He’s not carrying a cell phone. I’ll call the hospital and make sure he was there.”

He returned to the phone with everyone watching. When he finished the call, he told Janie that Rich had been released that morning with a walking cast. “The nurse said his fiancée was there to drive him home.”

“Oh, no!” Janie exclaimed, covering her face with her hands.

R
ICH STRUGGLED
awake, something nagging at him. When he opened his eyes and saw Sam driving, he tried to sit up and groaned with the effort.

She glanced over at him. “You’re awake.”

“Sort of,” he said, shaking his head, hoping to rid himself of the grogginess he felt.

“How are you doing?”

“I don’t know. Where are we?”

“Right at the border of Wyoming. I’m looking for a horse motel for Bella, but so far I haven’t found one.”

He pulled himself up to look out the window. “There’s one about two more miles, next to a hotel. Nothing fancy but clean.”

“Good.”

When she didn’t say anything else, he asked, “How’s the trip going?”

“Fine.”

“You want to add any details to that answer?” he asked, exasperated.

“I’ve filled the truck up twice. I’ve checked Bella each time. I’m tired. Want to know anything else?”

He shook his head and sighed. “Sorry I slept so long.”

“There wasn’t anything for you to do.”

“I could’ve kept you company,” he pointed out.

“I’m not much of a conversationalist.”

No kidding.
“Hey, you never answered my question about why the doctor thought you were my fiancée,” he suddenly remembered. This time he was getting an answer.

“I was afraid they’d toss me out of the room when the doctor asked me if I was family. I didn’t think I’d pass for your sister. It seemed the best thing to say.”

A simple enough explanation. He should’ve figured it out himself, but he’d been jolted by the doctor’s statement.

“I see.”

“You’re paranoid about women, aren’t you?”

He shrugged. That wasn’t a subject he wanted to discuss with her. “Hey, where are you from? You got family somewhere?”

“No.”

He stared at her. “You don’t have family?”

“Not that I know of. But it doesn’t affect my driving.”

“Cute,” he drawled. “I didn’t say it did. I was just surprised. So where are you from?”

“My birth certificate says Dallas, Texas.”

He shifted his weight and winced.

“You in pain? Need another pill?” she asked.

“No, I don’t need another pill. Do you hate conversation that much?”

“I was concerned,” she muttered and turned on her blinker. “I assume this is the horse motel you were talking about?”

“Yeah. I bet Bella will be glad to get out of the trailer.”

“Probably. You go make the arrangements and I’ll get her out.”

He frowned. “You’d better let me. She’s not used to you.”

“Why not? I put her in there this morning.”

“I thought Gabe put her in?” he asked in surprise.

“No, he left yesterday. I just barely caught him.”

She stopped the truck and opened her door.

“Wait a minute. Why did you load her? I thought you were going to hire someone. Why didn’t you?”

“I hired a couple of guys to help me hook up the trailer. But Bella is beautifully mannered. I didn’t need any help for that.”

“But I—”

“If you’re worried about the money, I have it.” She slipped out of the truck and dug into one of her jeans pockets. “Here it is. I used some to buy the pillows, too. And the gas.”

He looked at the bills she handed him. Two one-hundred-dollar bills were there.

“What did you pay the guys for hitching up?”

“Fifty to split. Too much?”

He shook his head. “Nope. A bargain.”

She said nothing, heading to the back of the trailer.

He got out and started toward the office, but he looked back to see if she could manage Bella okay. She
was right about Bella’s manners…if she liked the person. If not, she could be difficult. But she was on her best behavior today.

No wonder. Sam was petting and stroking her, using that sexy voice.
He recognized envy in his thoughts. Ridiculous! All he was interested in was getting home.

Inside, he paid for Bella’s stay and then went out to help Sam put her in a corral and toss her some hay.

“We can get rooms next door,” he pointed out as they left Bella.

“She’ll be safe?”

“Yeah. There’s someone on duty all night.”

She got behind the wheel of the truck and drove the few yards to the hotel. There was a café attached that had decent food. After dinner, Rich was looking forward to stretching out on a soft bed that didn’t move.

“After we get the rooms, we can eat in the café.” He was sure she was tired, too. She’d driven over ten hours without many breaks.

“I don’t need a room.”

He frowned. “Of course you need a room.”

“I don’t want to spend my money on a room.”

“It’s my money you’ll be spending,” he pointed out.

“No, I won’t. I pay my own way.”

“Consider it pay for doing your job,” he said, sure that would settle the matter.

“No.”

“What’s wrong with you, woman? You expect to camp out?”

“No. I’ll sleep in the cab of the truck.”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” He was becoming perturbed. “You’ll be uncomfortable.”

“I wasn’t the past two nights.” She slung her shoulder bag onto her shoulder and got out of the truck. “I’ll save you a seat in the café.” Then she closed the truck door and walked toward the restaurant.

He sat there with his mouth open. The last two nights? He’d assumed she had an apartment somewhere. Why hadn’t she used it? When he realized he was wasting time, he marched inside the hotel and got a room. He checked to be sure they had more rooms in case Miss Hardhead changed her mind.

Then he strode toward the café next door. He was glad it was close. Even though he had a walking cast, his ankle still hurt every time he put weight on his right side. But he walked quickly.

Sam was sitting in a booth, the hair around her face damp. When he appeared at the table, she asked. “Is decaf coffee all right?”

“Yeah, fine. I’m going to wash up.”

When he got back, the waitress was chatting with Sam. He slid in the booth.

“Do you need some time, honey, to check the menu?” she asked.

“Nope. I’ll take a cheeseburger with fries, and a big piece of apple pie afterward. They have good pie, Sam.”

“I’ve already ordered,” she said calmly.

“Did you order pie?”

“No.”

“Bring her a piece of pie, too,” he said to the wait
ress. The woman looked at Sam, and she shook her head, still smiling.

Then she looked at Rich. “I can order for myself, thank you.”

He considered fighting that battle. Then he decided she was right. She had the right to order for herself. Besides, he wanted some answers to his questions.

When the waitress left, he asked, “What do you mean you slept in the truck the last two nights? Why? Didn’t you have your own place in Flagstaff?”

“Yes.”

“Then why didn’t you sleep in your own bed.”

She took a drink of water. He noticed she hadn’t ordered a soda or coffee. “I couldn’t.”

“Why not?”

“Brad was there.”

His stomach clinched. She had a boyfriend? Or a husband? “Who’s Brad?”

“The owner of The Hot Skillet.”

“The one who fired you?” he asked, frowning. “You lived with him?”

“No.”