Chapter 28

Ryder

“Damn boy you look rough.” Nelson chuckles when I walk through the barn doors at four in the morning.

“Thanks, you look like one big freakin’ ray of sunshine yourself.”

“Hey. You should be in a good mood if you’re tired for the reasons I’m guessing you are tired from.”

I laugh. “Thanks Nelson.” If he only knew that I got about two hours of sleep because we couldn’t seem to get enough of each other and when my alarm went off I really could’ve went another round with her, but I didn’t have time.

I spend the morning going around with Nelson to our different farms. We are checking the feed shipments to see if any are from the same group that caused the cows at home to get sick.

Which I can’t stop worrying about Scarlet and whoever is threatening her.

We pull into a small café to grab some lunch. Once we sit down he looks at me. “So are you going to tell me what’s goin’ on in that head of yours? I see the worry all over your face. Your daddy gets the same look.”

“That obvious huh?”

“Yeah. Look I know Judd is who you normally talk to. I know that you don’t trust many people and truthfully son I can’t blame you. But why don’t you give me a shot at the job until Judd gets back home.”

I nod. “Okay.” While we eat our blue plate special I explain to him all that’s happened to Scarlet.

“I agree son. We need to figure out some way to get to the bottom of it.” He looks at me curiously. “I do have one question. Do you think whoever is doing this might be involved in the cows getting sick?”

I shake my head. “No it seems like that was narrowed to the one shipment of feed, plus you know there is so much security footage of the farm I think we’d have caught something.”

He nods. “I get your point. So what are you going to do about Scarlet?”

“Well, we are going to change her phone number and I’m going by to talk to that asshole she used to work for.”

“Don’t get yourself in trouble Ryder. The judge may not be so lenient next time.”

“Yeah I know. She said the same thing.”

“Well listen to her. I tell you a secret son. When it comes to common sense, women are mostly right. After twenty-five years of marriage I’ll admit that.”

I laugh and shake my head. “Thanks Nelson. For the record, you listen and give out advice like Judd.”

“Huh, I taught him everything he knows.”

~*~*~

I pull into the parking lot of Silver Moon. It’s still kinda early so I know there won’t be many people in the bar. As I walk in I see the older lady working that was worked with Scarlet. “Hey is Danny in?”

Lana looks up. “Yeah he’s in the back we aren’t open yet though.”

“Well I need to speak with him. It’s a private matter.”

She tosses the bar towel on the counter and takes off toward the back. “Fine.”

A few minutes later Danny comes out from the back looking pissed. “So what can I do for you?”

“Well it seems my girlfriend Scarlet was ran off the road after she left work here one night. Also she’s been getting some very harassing phone calls and texts. You or maybe your “clients” know anything about that?”

“What exactly are you getting at boy?”

I lean onto the bar. “I think you know exactly what the fuck I’m getting at.”

“I think you might want to get the fuck out of here before you have to be carried or the ambulance needs to be called.”

Lana steps in. “Hey look here Danny might be a dickhead, but he’d never hurt that girl.”

“What about that asshole who groped the shit out of her one night and then she saw him cutting lines with Danny here? What about him?”

Danny braces himself on the bar. “Look you tell her to forget she saw that and I’ll check with that guy to make sure he leaves her alone. Another piece of advice son. Don’t waltz up into a place like this with that attitude or they may have to search to find your body. You get me?”

I flip him off as I’m walking out the door. “Yeah. Yeah. I fucking get you, I’m just not scared.”

I storm out to my jeep never looking back at the bar. I tear out of the parking lot throwing gravel everywhere.

I decide to stop at a small jewelry store on the way home. The lady behind the counter stops me. “Sir Can I help you find something?”

“I don’t really know what I’m looking for yet. I want to get my girl something special for Christmas.”

“Like perhaps an engagement ring?”

“Ugh no, we aren’t quite there yet. Don’t get me wrong we will get there but I don’t want to scare her off.”

“Well. Have you thought about maybe an open heart necklace or a promise ring?”

“What exactly is a promise ring?”

“Well it’s kinda like a pre-engagement ring. It’s basically saying that you want to commit yourself to her and her alone, but that you guys aren’t quite at the engagement stage yet.”

“That sounds perfect. Let me look at those.”

I look around at some small rings. I pick one finally that is a simple infinity band with our initials inside of it.

I’m so pumped from ordering her ring that I decide to stop by a small local florist and grab her some flowers. I know she’s gonna be pissed with me when she finds out that I showed my ass like that. So call it a little extra

I walk in looking at the small bouquets of spring flowers. She’s not a rose’s kinda girl.

As I reach in the cooler to grab another bouquet to look at I hear someone snicker behind me. “Well well well if it isn’t Ryder Abbott boyfriend of the year.”

I turn around to see Kelsie. “I’ll take that title.”

She puts her hand on her hip and sneers. “So how exactly does a guy go from being one of the biggest whores I know to being head over heels in love?”

“I guess it’s all about finding the right girl.”

“Yeah well Scarlet certainly seems to find the right guys with the right amount of money every time.”

“She doesn’t care about my money.”

“Yeah well trust me I think she’s killing time with you until Dustin gives her a chance again.”

“I don’t think she’d give him the time of day.”

“Hmm I guess you never know.”

I grab the bunch of flowers and turn for the counter. “Here’s the thing I think I do.”

After paying I go out to my jeep and make my way across town to the small campus she is at today.

I find a spot close by her car and wait for her to come out of class. I spot her walking with a guy. A guy that just happens to be Dustin. I almost explode when I see them hug and he kisses her on the cheek.

They smile and wave to each other as they are parting ways and I’m at my boiling point by the time she makes her way to me.

She walks up smiling and I can’t help it. This whole situation just pisses me off.

“What the fuck was that about Scarlet?”