Maya settled into the back passenger seat and closed her eyes, allowing her tension to drain into the floorboards. Kaitlyn was driving her, Alex and Brady to Kaitlyn’s ranch so they could pick up Truman.
The adrenaline rush from the car chase was finally ebbing, allowing Maya to breathe easier. Her mind wandered all over the place. The break-in at the store, a car trying to run them off the road and visiting the Delaney estate. So much in such a short time.
She focused her thoughts on the Delaneys. Maya had never seen anything so grand or met someone so... She wasn’t sure what word to use for Patrick Delaney. She couldn’t believe how callous he’d been regarding the treasure hunt. The sons were an interesting pair. Ian had kinetic energy about him, like a tiger on a short leash. Nick was all fun and games. She doubted the youngest Delaney took much seriously, while Ian was all business.
“Maya, we’re here.”
Maya’s eyelids popped open. Embarrassment flooded her. She must have dozed off. They were at the Lanz ranch. It was larger than Alex’s with several barns and many horses of different sizes and colors grazing in the pasture. Kaitlyn’s family ran a horse boarding and training facility, as well as a rescue.
Maya and Brady climbed out of the SUV.
“Chickens!” Brady hurried over to a large chicken coop where Mr. Lanz was working.
Maya thought about calling her brother back but then decided to let him enjoy the animals as she followed Alex to the corral. Alex whistled, and a large horse came at a gallop. The horse was a beautiful, rich chestnut color with a black mane.
“You remember Truman, here. He remembers you.” The horse made a deep rumbly sound in his throat as he attempted to nuzzle her hair, tickling her.
She laughed and stepped back. “Of course, I remember.”
“Here.” Alex handed her a bag of carrots. “He’ll be your friend for life if you give him a few.”
Tentatively, she took the bag, but stared at the horse. It had been so long since she’d interacted with an equine that she debated the best way to feed the animal. Did she hold a carrot upright and let the beast chomp on it?
Alex must have sensed her uncertainty because he took a carrot and placed it on the palm of his hand. “Keep your hand flat with your fingers straight,” he instructed and held the carrot beneath Truman’s nose and then said, “Gentle.”
The horse nibbled the carrot right off his hand without taking a finger with it.
“Your turn,” he said with a smile before striding away to prep the trailer to take Truman home.
When Alex was out of earshot, Maya murmured, “Please be nice.” And she followed Alex’s example, feeding the horse a couple of carrots. The horse barely grazed her hand taking the treats. “Good boy.”
After three carrots, she said, “I’m not sure how many I should feed you. I don’t want you to have a tummy ache.”
Cautiously, she stroked the animal’s cheek. “You’re a beautiful guy, you know that? Just like your owner.”
She glanced over her shoulder to make sure Alex couldn’t hear her. “He is really something. I don’t know that I’ve ever met anyone so competent and protective.”
Actually, she hadn’t allowed anyone close enough to know if they were kind and thoughtful in the way that Alex was. But he was just doing his job. It was not because she was his girlfriend. She didn’t want a boyfriend. She wanted... She didn’t know what she wanted anymore.
No, that wasn’t true. Her heart thumped in her chest, making her aware that deep inside she was lonely and longed for a romantic companion. But as soon as the thought came, so did the specter of fear that haunted her. It was hard enough loving Brady and not letting the fear of losing him take hold of her. How could she ever love someone like Alex?
Just the thought of letting him into her heart made her mouth go dry. He had a career that put him in danger more often than not. Granted, this was Bristle County, and as Alex already pointed out, crime here usually wasn’t more than a few unruly teens or tourists. But somebody had died—had been murdered, recently—and who knew what other kinds of horrors could come their way? Alex would be right in the middle of it. Because he was that kind of guy. The kind who ran toward danger instead of from it.
She didn’t know that she could live with the constant dread of wondering if he’d come home at night. The dilemma of everyone who loved a real-life hero.
The horse nickered, and awareness zipped along her limbs. She glanced sideways. Alex strode toward her with purpose in each step. He carried a halter in his strong, capable hands.
She moved aside to allow him access to his horse.
“The trailer is all set. And Brady’s already inside the cab.” He looped the lead rope over Truman’s neck, then slipped the halter over the gelding’s nose and ears before buckling the strap on the side. “Are you ready to go?”
Guessing he was talking to her, she said, “Of course. I only fed him three carrots. I didn’t know if he should have very many more.”
“That’s perfect. He’ll have his regular meal when he gets home.” He steered Truman to the gate.
She hurried past Alex to release the latch.
Alex inclined his head as he led Truman out of the corral. “Thanks.”
“Sure.” She closed the gate behind the horse.
After securing Truman in the trailer, they both climbed into the front cab of the truck. Brady was fast asleep in the small back seat. She smiled with tenderness flowing over her. He had no idea how close they’d come to harm today. She hoped he never had to experience anything bad.
“This is a nice rig,” she commented as she ran her hand over the leather seats and eyed the latest gadgets on the dashboard.
“I splurged. But I figure I’ll drive this baby into the ground. I needed something reliable to cart Truman around.” He drove them away from the Lanz ranch.
“Have you always been a horse guy?”
His mouth turned up at the corner. “No, growing up in the city there wasn’t much opportunity to be around horses.” He let out a wry laugh. “Or animals of any kind really, besides dogs and cats. But we didn’t have any of those, either.”
“Brady has always wanted a dog. After seeing him with yours, I’m thinking maybe we’ll get one.”
“Not a bad idea. He’s good with Rusty.”
She liked that he approved. Then she turned away to roll her eyes at her own silliness. “How long have you been in town?” She tried to recall the first time he’d come into the feed and hardware store.
“Three years.”
She turned to stare. Only three? She would have guessed longer. He seemed such an integral piece of the town.
“Part of what drew me to the job was I wanted to be a member of the mounted patrol,” he said. “When I asked the sheriff, he taught me how to ride. I got the hang of it pretty quickly. James said I was a natural.” Alex shrugged, his broad shoulders lifting beneath his uniform shirt. “I don’t know if that’s true so much as I was determined. And then, of course, I had to buy Truman and all the gear that went with having a horse. Including the ranch,” he laughed ruefully.
“The sheriff’s department doesn’t provide anything?”
“No. Every member of the mounted patrol, both law enforcement and civilian, has to own their horse and trailer, as well as house and feed their animals. And keep them in good health. Plus, we pay for our own training, which is extensive, and the certifications.”
“What kind of training?” She had no idea the level of commitment participating in a mounted patrol entailed.
“Everything. Personal safety, general search-and-rescue procedures, event management, map and compass navigation as well as tracking,” he laughed. “It’s a lot. The certification process is rigorous, and each rider must demonstrate that the horse and rider are able to work under a variety of potentially distracting or stressful conditions. Like the upcoming parade.”
Thinking how rowdy the crowds could get during the festivals in town, she was in awe. “But how does it work for the volunteer members?” She thought of her friend Leslie, who rode for the mounted patrol.
“The auxiliary members don’t carry weapons, so we utilize them mostly for search and rescue or pair them with a deputy if the situation warrants.”
“I’m impressed.”
His grin made her heart thump in her chest. “Being part of the mounted patrol is worth all the expense and time.”
“That’s great you can afford everything on a deputy’s salary.”
He laughed, “The pay is about average. Most people around here already owned their horses and stuff. I taught myself how to do day-trading and have built up a healthy portfolio.”
Her interest piqued, she asked, “Do you still trade?”
“I dabble. On my off time.”
“Would you be willing to show me how? The store does well, but I’d like to build up our savings account.”
He slanted her a quick glance as he turned onto his property. “Of course. I can teach you.”
She thought about Brady’s desire to go to college one day. The thought terrified her. She wasn’t sure she could handle him leaving Bristle County. She couldn’t even bring herself to let him go off to camp for a week. She’d be all alone.
Who would she be if she didn’t have Brady to take care of?
When they arrived at the house, Brady woke and hobbled out of the truck in search of Frank. Rusty yipped at his heels, but Brady didn’t seem to mind.
For a long moment, she stood there, unsure what to do with herself. Alex was seeing to Truman and she didn’t want to be in the way, so she decided to take some time with God. She sat on the porch and allowed herself a few quiet moments of prayer, thanking God for their safety.
As the sun began to set, she went into the house, but Brady and Frank were not inside. Through the kitchen window, she saw them in the backyard planting bulbs in planters. Brady sat on the ground with his booted foot straight out. He had dirt all over him. But he looked so happy chatting away with Mr. Trevino. Maya’s heart swelled.
Brady had missed out on so much when their parents passed away. She was thankful to the two Trevino men for taking her and her brother in for this short period of time. Yes, it was to keep them safe. But it was nice to see Brady having a good time, totally unaware that someone had broken into the store. She wished she understood what the intruder wanted.
Brady saw her and waved.
She went out the back door and hurried down the porch steps to her brother’s side.
“Maya, come look at what we’re doing. Planting flowers,” Brady said, then shook his head. “They’re not flowers now, but they will come up in the spring. Kind of like the ones you planted in our yard.”
“Wonderful.” Maya looked at the older man. “Thank you, Mr. Trevino.”
“My pleasure,” he replied with a kind smile. “Call me Frank.”
“I like gardening.” Brady held out a trowel. “Do you want to plant a bulb?”
“Not right now, sweetie.” She squatted next to him. “Did you finish today’s school assignment?” She’d forgotten to ask Brady in the excitement of the day.
“I did. I even got all my homework done after we played our game,” Brady responded proudly.
“He’s a hard worker,” Frank said. “He beat the socks off me in our board game.”
Brady looked up at Maya. “That’s a saying. His socks didn’t really come off.”
Maya ruffled his hair. “I would hope not. Then his feet would be cold.”
Brady laughed as he dug the trowel into the planter with abandon.
For a moment, Maya was content to watch until he accidentally flung dirt in her direction. She stood and moved back, brushing off the dirt from her clothes. “When you’re finished, you’re going to need a shower,” she said. “You’ve got dirt in your hair.”
Brady touched his hair. “Maybe a little flower will grow.” He laughed at his own joke. “I know that won’t happen. I’ll take a shower later.”
Her brother never failed to lift her spirits. “Okay. I’ll see you inside, then. I brought more clothes from the house.”
Maya left the two gardeners and reentered Alex’s home. She took a moment to just take a breath. The way the house was decorated appealed to her. Not overly cluttered with knickknacks or personal items but the place still had some personality with a framed oil painting of horses running wild over the mantel and books filling the bookshelves. She liked the comfy worn leather couch, wood paneling and the wagon wheel chandelier with downlights and amber shades hanging over the dining room table.
The effect was... She thought for a moment, trying to come up with the word. Rustic wasn’t quite right, and quaint didn’t accurately describe the motif, either.
Homey. Masculine. Very much like Alex.
She went to the back bedroom and unpacked the duffel bag she’d brought to the ranch house. A few minutes later, she heard Alex come inside, and she joined him in the kitchen. He took four steaks out of the freezer. “I’ll barbecue these.”
Her mouth watered. She had never mastered the art of barbecuing. “That would be wonderful. I could make a marinade?”
“Not sure what we have for ingredients but go for it,” he replied as he pulled fresh ears of corn out of a bag along with four large russet potatoes.
“Brady will be so happy. He loves corn on the cob.”
“Me, too. A little butter and salt and pepper.” He kissed his fingertips. “Yum.”
With a laugh, Maya went to work making the marinade. She found several useful ingredients in the cupboards and the refrigerator. She whipped together olive oil, balsamic vinegar and herbs, and chopped a small onion and pressed garlic. Alex set the steaks in the mixture to soak.
As they worked side by side, skirting around each other in search of supplies or ingredients, accidently bumping into each other with a laugh. Unbidden, a longing welled up inside Maya, surprising her with its intensity. She liked this, being here with Alex, acting like a couple who cooked together often. It was foreign and yet comfortable and, oh, so thrilling.
Her skin heated, not from the water boiling on the stove but from the very real desire for home and hearth. For a man to share her life with.
She stilled for a moment, then hurried to the refrigerator for a stick of butter to melt and to give herself time to push such nonsense from her mind.
Okay, maybe she was lonely. But she’d already decided Alex wasn’t the man for her no matter what her traitorous heart decided.
Brady and Frank came noisily into the house, providing a welcome distraction. Her little brother was covered in streaks of mud from the top of his head to his feet.
“Ack!” Maya exclaimed. “Brady, your shoes!”
“It’s fine,” Alex said, laughing.
Not to Maya. She had her brother take off the one dirt-caked tennis shoe and set it on the porch while she took possession of his orthopedic boot. “Grab my good arm,” she told him. “You’ll have to hop to the shower.”
She hustled Brady down the hall for a shower.
He balked at the door to the bathroom, barring her from entering with him. “I can do it myself, Maya. I’m not a baby.”
His sharp tone surprised her. “I know you’re not. This is a strange shower for you. I just want to show you how the knobs work. Plus, you have an injured foot.”
“I can figure it out. I’m smart.” He put weight on his foot. “I can stand on it. It doesn’t hurt.”
She searched his face for a wince and saw none. “Yes, you are smart. Even if it doesn’t hurt, you shouldn’t put too much weight on it yet.” He opened his mouth to argue more, so she held up her hands in surrender. “Be careful you don’t burn yourself with the hot water.”
He rolled his eyes. “Maya.”
She chuckled. “You are such a teenager.”
“I’ll be sixteen soon.”
Time was flying by too fast. His birthday was the week before Christmas, just three months away. “I know. We’ll celebrate.”
“Can Frank and Alex join our celebration?”
Her stomach knotted. He was growing attached to the two men. But truth be told, so was she. “Of course they can. We can invite the whole town if you want.”
“I don’t need the whole town. Just Frank and Alex, and maybe Aunt Leslie and Mr. and Mrs. Johnson.”
Leslie Quinn was Maya’s childhood friend. She’d been a big part of her and Brady’s lives before Leslie left home at eighteen to pursue an art career. She’d lived in Paris and London and had sent postcards regularly. Maya had been happy for her friend but she’d also missed her.
And if Maya were honest, she’d envied Leslie. Not that Maya begrudged her friend the freedom to pursue her dreams.
Life hadn’t work out that way for Maya.
So she’d lived vicariously through Leslie’s adventures before Leslie returned to Bristle County last year to take over her mother’s dress shop while her father battled prostate cancer. He’d beat it, and Lorraine and Henry Quinn had decided to explore the world to celebrate. Leslie had remained in town, running the shop and volunteering for the mounted patrol. Now that Maya knew more about how the patrol worked, she admired her friend’s commitment even more.
“Of course, we can invite Leslie and Mr. and Mrs. Johnson.”
“Yay.”
“There are towels and a washcloth in the cupboard under the sink,” she told him. “And shampoo and conditioner on the counter.”
“Okay, I got it.”
“I’ll be out here if you need me.”
“I won’t need you.” He waved her away as he shut the door and locked it.
Shaking her head, she stood there, uncertain if she should wait or trust that he would be okay. This parenting thing was so stressful.
Alex joined her in the hall. He brought with him the scent of hickory that had her mouth watering.
“Dad cleaned up the office so you can have that room, if you like,” he said. “There’s a Murphy bed in the wall.”
He took her hand and tugged her to the office. Her fingers easily curled around his and she told herself it was no big deal that they were holding hands. Her brain was hearing the message, but the rest of her? Not so much. By the time they reached the office door, she felt as if she’d trekked across the Sahara.
The office had a dark wood desk and a beautiful armoire. Alex released her hand and moved to the armoire. “This is the Murphy bed.” He showed her how it worked.
“This will be lovely. I’ll have to see how Brady is doing. If he has another nightmare, it might be best if I’m there with him.”
Alex nodded and tucked the bed back into place. “Okay. Whatever you think is best. Just know this is an option.”
“Thank you.”
“Do you want your first investment lesson? We have time before dinner.”
“Sure.”
He moved to the desk and turned on his desktop computer. He pulled up a trunk for Maya to sit on. He sat in the desk chair.
Twenty minutes later, Maya’s head was spinning with all the information Alex had given her about investments, market shares and the difference between day-trading and long-term trading. He knew his stuff. Her admiration of the handsome deputy tripled.
“Dinner’s ready.”
Brady’s call drew them out of the office and into the dining area, where Frank was bringing in the steaks and Brady setting the table. Brady’s hair was still damp, but he looked clean and had put on fresh sweat bottoms and a T-shirt. His ankle was purple and swollen but he didn’t seem to be in discomfort as he hobbled about. Maya was proud of him. He was growing up so fast.
“Look, Maya, corn on the cob!” Brady clapped his hands.
“I see that.” Maya took a seat. “Sit down, buddy. Let’s put your boot back on.” She’d wiped the mud off it.
Brady plopped down on Maya’s right. He held out his foot for her to slip it over his injured appendage. Once done, he picked up his fork. “I’m hungry.”
Frank laughed, “That’s good to hear.”
Alex took the seat on Maya’s left. “Do you mind if I say grace?”
“Please do.”
He held out his hand. She slipped her hand into his and then took her brother’s. Alex and Brady both held on to Frank’s. Tears bubbled to the surface and Maya squeezed her eyes tight as Alex asked God to bless their food. She missed family dinners. For so long it had only been her and Brady. She’d forgotten how nice it was to be a part of a unit of more than two. Best not to get used to it. Come Monday, she and Brady would go home and this would be a wonderful memory.
After dinner, Alex touched her arm as she cleared the table. “I need to talk to Brady in the living room.”
“What about?”
He slipped the photo of the deceased hiker from his pocket. Her stomach knotted. She wanted to protect Brady. It was her first instinct. Always was, always would be. “Do you have to?”
“Yes.”
She sighed. Brady and Frank were washing and drying the dishes. “Can it wait a bit?”
Alex watched Brady and his father for a moment, a muscle working in his jaw, then nodded.
When the dishes were put away, Maya tucked her arm through Brady’s. “Come into the living room with me.”
She led Brady to the couch and gathered his hands in hers. Alex sat on the couch next to Maya.
“Alex has a picture he wants to show you.”
“Have you seen this person?” Alex held up the photo of the dentist, Ned Weber.
Brady stiffened. He squeezed Maya’s hands and his breathing became rapid. He shook his head but he didn’t say anything.
“Brady, have you seen this man?” Maya pressed, concerned by his behavior.
He continued to vigorously shake his head.
Alex and Maya exchanged glances. She wasn’t buying his denial. He was scared. “Brady, this man took a tumble down the side of the mountain.”
Brady’s gaze shot to hers. But his lips were pressed tight together.
Heart hammering in her chest, she said, “Did you see him fall?”
“No. No, I didn’t see that man. No, no, no.” Brady jumped to his feet. “I’m going to go find Frank.” He hobbled out the back door as fast as his booted foot would allow.
Anxious, Maya hurried after him.
Alex stalled her with a hand on her arm before she could leave the house. “Let me go talk to him.”
“Not without me,” she said. “He’s my brother.”
“He might open up to me if you’re not there. Maybe he’s afraid of getting in trouble. I could talk to him, guy to guy.”
She gestured toward his uniform. “Really? You think he’s afraid of getting in trouble with me? You’re the cop. He knows what you do.”
Alex’s lips firmed. “Then we talk to him together.”
“Fine.” She shook off his hand and hurried after her brother.
Brady had made it to the corral and he was standing at the railing. Truman had come over and he had one hand on the animal, scratching his nose. Animals always seem to like Brady. She guessed it was because animals didn’t see him as a threat.
Truman nickered as she and Alex approached.
“Brady, talk to us.”
He shook his head and wouldn’t look at her.
“You’re not to going to get in trouble if you tell me the truth. You know that.”
He glanced at her. “I know you won’t be mad at me. But—”
“But?” she prompted.
Brady lifted his gaze. Worry radiated off him in waves. She wanted to take him into her arms and chase away whatever had him so scared.
“You’re safe, Brady,” Alex said softly. “I’m not going to let anyone hurt you or Maya.”
Grateful for Alex’s steady presence, she said, “Let’s go back inside, Brady, and you can tell us what’s going on.”