With several people watching her every move, Julie paced the floor of Bruce’s home, anxiously waiting for Clint to return. Alyx Winston and Deputy Scott Royal, Bruce and Cyn, were all gathered in the kitchen, waiting with her.
She’d sent Clint on a very difficult mission, and because he loved her, he’d agreed to give it a try.
It was Jamie’s fault, Julie decided. He’d made himself scarce, staying up on his mountain and not coming down no matter how Julie wished it. Everyone wanted to see him again. The women all felt indebted to him. The men had learned to respect him. But no one had seen him since that awful day at Robert’s house—when Jamie had claimed to be no one.
So Julie had sent Clint to find him. And once Clint managed that, he was to invite Jamie to their wedding. Julie had given him strict instructions to not take no for an answer.
But Clint had left hours ago, and since then a summer thunderstorm had exploded with fury. Lightning slashed across the black sky and crashing thunder shook the ground.
Bruce pulled out a chair. “Sit down, Julie. You’ll wear a hole in my floor.”
Alyx sipped a cup of cocoa. “Jamie will come again when he’s ready.”
“No.” Julie shook her head. “Something’s wrong. I feel it.”
Cyn frowned. “Now you’re starting to sound like Jamie.”
“You feel it, too,” Julie accused. “I can see it in your face.” Everyone knew that Cyn and Jamie had a special bond. More than anyone else, Jamie had connected with Cyn.
Groaning, Cyn propped her elbows on the table and dropped her face into her hands. “I do. Blast the man, why does he have to be so stubborn.”
Bruce, being a preacher and therefore practiced in patience, put his hand on his wife’s shoulder. “Jamie has his reasons. We just don’t know what they are.”
Scott tapped his fingers on the tabletop. “Maybe I should go look for Clint. That damn mountain can be treacherous.”
“I’ll go, too,” Alyx offered, which earned her a reproachful look from Scott.
“No way.”
“But I can help.”
“Believe it or not, Alyx, I can manage without your assistance.”
Cyn made a sound of exasperation. “Don’t you two start.”
Suddenly the door crashed open. Soaked to the skin, with mud up to his knees, Clint rushed in. He was followed by blustering rain and howling wind, and he had to put his shoulder to the door to force it shut.
Eyes enhanced by spiked wet lashes, he turned to Julie. “You won’t believe this.” His gaze moved around the room, touching on Bruce and Cyn, Alyx and Scott, before returning to Julie. “I found Jamie.”
Her heart in her throat, Julie slowly pushed to her feet. “And? Is he okay?”
“He’s got a woman.”
Everyone blinked in shock.
Wincing, Clint ran a hand through his drenched hair, and clarified, “That is, he had a woman. In his arms.”
Cyn stared at him. Bruce frowned in incomprehension.
“He was carrying her?” Scott asked.
“Yeah.”
“I don’t understand,” Julie said.
“Neither do I.” Clint lifted his shoulders, as lost as they looked. “One minute he was there, holding a woman who looked to be dead to the world.”
“Dead!”
Clint made a face. “Passed out. Maybe fainted or something. I barely saw him, so I couldn’t be sure. I tried to get a better look, but I lost him. He went around a corner and just disappeared. I tried calling out to him, but the damn rain made it impossible and I kept slipping in the mud and finally—when I couldn’t find his cabin, I just gave up and came back.”
Julie turned to Cyn. “Was Jamie seeing anyone?”
“Not that I’m aware of.”
Alyx said, “No, he wasn’t.”
Bruce cleared his throat. “Maybe she’s a…friend?”
Clint worked his jaw, hesitated, and finally gave up. “Probably not a friend.”
“No?”
He shook his head. “The thing is…she was, well, naked.”
Julie half laughed—then realized Clint wasn’t joking. “But that’s absurd. She’d freeze in this storm.”
Bruce paced to the door and back. “This doesn’t sound right. Jamie might be in trouble. I think we should go see him.”
“I already told you, I couldn’t find his cabin.”
Alyx heaved a sigh. “All right, already.” She flipped back her long dark hair in a show of exasperation, then pushed back her chair. Arms wide in a show of benevolence, she said, “I’ll show you where it is.”
Slowly, Scott turned his head to glare at her. “How do you know where it is?”
Alyx picked at a fingernail, pretending a nonchalance that wouldn’t fool an idiot. “I’ve been there.”
Scott shook his head. “No.”
“’Fraid so.” She shook her head. “But Jamie didn’t want me to tell anyone. I promised him. Only now, if you really think he might be in trouble—”
Teeth clenched, Scott demanded, “When?”
Alyx bit her lip. “More than once.”
Bruce didn’t give Scott a chance to blow up. “All right, then. We’ll pay Jamie a visit. If he needs our help, we’ll give it. And if not, we’ll leave the man in peace.”
“We should probably get hold of the others first,” Cyn suggested. “Joe and Bryan and Luna and Shay. They all care for Jamie, too.”
Scott pushed back his chair. “This is starting to sound like an old-fashioned posse.”
Bruce held up his hands. “As soon as the rain lets up, we’ll go. Agreed?”
Everyone nodded, and a unanimous “Agreed” rang out, filling the small kitchen with good intentions.
Julie smiled to herself as she fetched a towel for Clint. It seemed Jamie had friends after all.
Whether he wanted them or not.