THE CUSTOMER’S NAME was Don Sterling. His thick brush mustache gave him a Sam-Elliott-in-handsome-middle-age look, but he spoke like an East Coast businessman. He had three plates in front of him and an expression of sublime enjoyment on his face. The first thing he did was hand Rio a business card.
“It’s nice to meet you. They tell me you’re the cook behind these dishes.”
“Yes.”
“Serendipity brought me here,” he said. “But I think you may be the person I’m looking for.” His mustache lifted and he held out his hand.
“I . . . don’t understand.” She shook it and, at his invitation, sat across from him.
“I run a ranch near Sheridan, Wyoming. The Coyote Creek. We cater to guests—a fancy of way of saying it’s a dude ranch. We’re pretty successful, but last year we suffered a devastating fire and have just rebuilt.”
Rio’s mouth went dry and her pulse nearly suffocated her. Fire? Wyoming? Was this a joke?
“My old chef and his assistant recently retired. I have a new head chef, but I need someone fresh, someone with down-home cooking skills, to work with him. I’m finishing a road trip and happened to stop here for lunch. Honestly? This is some of the best-tasting, hearty food I’ve come across. You aren’t by any chance looking for a change in jobs, are you?”
Rio looked around for hidden cameras.
“I . . . hadn’t been looking. But, Mr. Sterling, I’m not a chef. I’ve worked in diners. I have no formal training.”
“I have staff to train you. But if you developed these recipes on your own, you have the raw talent I’d love to nurture.”
THE KITCHEN FLOOR creaked beneath his pacing. David looked at the clock for the fiftieth time in half an hour. Bonnie was due home any time, and Rio wouldn’t miss that. She should have been home two hours ago, and today, of all days, he’d been counting on having the afternoon with her.
Not that he was looking forward to what he had to say. But he had to get to her before Kate or Carter did.
She entered, finally, five minutes later, laden with a bakery box and a Mylar balloon. He grinned just seeing her, but the dull question in her eyes sent his hopeful mood plummeting. He’d had his speech all planned. But she already knew.
“Good day?” he asked.
“Great day.” She set her box on the counter and tied the balloon to a drawer handle. “And I understand you’ve had a momentous day yourself.”
Too calm. She was far too calm. “Rio, forgive me. I’ve been waiting here all afternoon to tell you what’s going on. How did you find out?”
“Kate and Carter spilled the beans at The Bread Basket, and that’s all it takes. I work at Kennison Falls Gossip Central, remember.”
“Can we talk about this? It’s not what you think.”
“David. I have absolutely no say in what business decisions you make. You don’t have to talk to me about anything.”
“I think we’ve shared far too much for that to be true.” He took one of her arms and pulled her close. “I do not take us for granted. I don’t take making love with you last weekend for granted either. You’ve given me so much more than you know, and you’re invested in this place. I understand why you’re upset.”
“Thank you.” A softening in her features sent her color higher.
Lord, she was beautiful. He slipped a kiss onto her cherry lips. She even tasted like cherries, and apples, and vanilla. She kissed him back, so sweetly it shouldn’t have meant anything, but his body responded as it always did—coming to full alert, hungry for the next step. But she pulled away.
“It’s a trial is all. Six months. Just a lease. If it works, we’ll move forward.”
“It sounds well-planned and perfect for you.”
“But you don’t really think it is.”
She put a finger on his lips. “I told you. It doesn’t matter.”
“It matters to me.”
“Why?”
“Because—” He stopped, surprised at what he was going to say. “Because I’ve come to care about all your opinions. I care about you.”
That certainly hadn’t come out right. Too stiff and formal. But he didn’t know what right was. Her ideas and enthusiasm always gave him confidence. But Kate had been right, too. All the phone calls in the world wouldn’t find enough discounted hay and merchandise to make a difference. And he couldn’t give Rio any kind of life if he didn’t fix his troubles.
“I got a job offer.”
Her words jolted him out of his thoughts. “A what? What kind of offer?”
“If it’s legitimate, it’s my dream on a silver platter.”
The Cinderella story she wove after that sounded shady as hell to him. When she mentioned salary and benefits, panic hit his system. He could lose her to this nonsense.
“That’s utter madness, Rio. You can’t do something that foolish.”
Wrong words again. She stiffened and backed away. “Why would you say that? I’ve told you more about my dreams than anyone.”
“But a bloke appearing out of nowhere with a ranch, and a cooking job, and an arse-load of money? Can’t you see the stranger with the candy here? Maybe he goes around the country spinning this little fable and enticing unsuspecting women to some completely different kind of ranch.”
“For crying out loud. I’m not brainless. I’m not packing up and striking out tomorrow. I wasn’t even promised a job. I’d have to apply. It’s just something to look into.” She let the words simmer momentarily. “Hmmm. Where have I heard that speech before?”
“Rio. Don’t. Stay with me. Let’s see where this goes. Us.”
He could see the conflict in her eyes just as Bonnie burst into the room with Dawson right behind her.
“Hey! Welcome home.” Rio’s brightness returned, but David saw it for the cover-up it was. “How was Day One?”
“Fantastic!” Bonnie hopped to the kitchen island and gave her sister a quick hug. Then she surprised David by giving him the same. “Would you believe a school without metal detectors? And they let you go outside for lunch. And my precalc teacher is a hunk.”
“Nice,” Dawson said, ogling the box Rio had brought home. “I’m right here.”
“You’re hot,” Bonnie said. “There’s a difference.”
“All right, you two. Happy first day of school. Have some cake. Where’s Kim?” Rio nodded for Dawson to open the box.
“Already in the barn,” Bonnie said.
“Chocolate,” Dawson murmured, obviously in love.
“Look who I found!”
Everyone turned, wide-eyed, when Stella entered from the living room with Chief Hewett behind her.
“Can a cop with news join the party?” he asked.
David had never seen the man with a full smile. He stuck out his hand. “You look like a cop with good news.”
“Most of it is.”
Before the chief could start, David’s father and Carter rushed through the back door. “We saw a police car,” Carter began, and stopped at the sight of Hewett holding court in the kitchen.
“Is everything quite all right?” his father asked.
“Good. Everyone’s here,” Hewett said. “This affects the entire household. Minneapolis police picked up a Mr. Jeffrey Iverson this morning in his science classroom at a suburban high school north of Minneapolis. Mr. Iverson was, in fact, Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year four years ago.”
“Iverson,” Rio said, setting a hand over her heart. “The money clip.”
“Yes, ma’am.” The chief grinned. “He also has an alleged alias.”
“Boyfriend,” she whispered.
“I thought you’d all want to know. Bonnie, you’ll be contacted soon now about making your official identification.”
“Okay!”
“This is wonderful, thank you,” Rio said. “What about Hector and Paul?”
“Well, that’s my bad news. We have evidence Mr. Black left the city, perhaps the state. Your brother hasn’t been seen.”
“Could I try to call him?”
David didn’t want her anywhere near her brother, nor did he want Bonnie to find any reason to help or forgive Hector, so his heart fell when Hewett agreed.
“It might be good for him to know Iverson’s been taken into custody. Perhaps Paul still knows how to contact Mr. Black.”
“I’ll call him now and put it on speaker phone in case he says something you need.”
She dialed Paul’s number with visibly trembling hands and closed her eyes as if in prayer.
“Hello—” The voice David had only heard a handful of times answered.
“Paul! Paul, is—”
“—my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die if you don’t leave a message, man.”
Everybody groaned while Rio waited for the beep. “Paul? Call me. If you haven’t heard, the police have Boyfriend in custody. It’s true. Tell Hector. Please? And please call.”
When she hung up Tanner Hewett smiled at her. “He’ll call you back, I’m sure of it. Just let me know when he does. We’ll find him and get him some help.”
“Will he go to prison?”
“Honestly? He’s an accessory to arson. But much will depend on his testimony and what he’s willing to do to break ties with the gang. I can’t promise anything. But I’ll help.”
“I don’t know how to thank you,” Rio said.
SHE WAS WORTHLESS the rest of the day, every nerve frayed waiting and praying for Paul to call. She’d gone so far as to open a novel in her room when her cell phone finally buzzed in her pocket. Digging it out, she went limp with relief at the number.
“Paul!”
“Rio. That was the truth? They got the asshole?”
“The police talked to me in person.”
“You aren’t just setting me up with the cops again?”
Her heart went out to him despite herself. “I can’t promise you’re done with the police, but it won’t be me who turns you in. Hector, though? I’d hang him from the nearest lynching tree.”
“I don’t know where he is. He split after the last run-in. He don’t want to get caught.”
“Can you at least get him a message to say Boyfriend can’t hurt him?”
“I can try. Where are you? Where’s Bonnie?”
She looked around the bare bones space that had been her sanctuary for five weeks. “I’m not telling you until Hector is caught. But if he’s really disappeared, I’ll meet you somewhere. I’ve been worried.”
“You don’t hafta worry.” A hint of the old Paul came through his exhaustion.
“Where are you?” she asked.
“A friend of Juan’s cousin has a place out on the other side of Lake Calhoun. I haven’t seen nobody in the Browns and Whites in two weeks. I’m a freakin’ upstanding citizen. I really want to see Bonnie.”
“Inigo, you big dumb jerk. You’d better be dang sure you’re telling me the truth if you want to see her. She’s truly safe for the first time in her life.”
Silence and then, “That’s good. That’s real good. I’ll call you in a couple of days.”
“It better be you who does the calling.”
A soft chuckle filled the space between them. “Bye, Mamacita.”
Rio slumped into the chair next to the small table that held her laptop. She didn’t use the computer for much. News. Gathering information about cheap hay . . . She wriggled the mouse and stared absently at the wallpaper—a running, gold-and-flaxen palomino.
She wondered if her little filly would ever look like this. She had a fighting chance now, but Rio might never know.
Or did she really have to leave?
The phone call with Paul had shaken everything back up. Her life in Minneapolis wasn’t truly finished. Perhaps Paul wouldn’t be able to travel to Wyoming. She didn’t exactly have the job. There were so many things she’d miss if she left Bridge Creek. Glory. Andy. Thirty-one . . . David. Oh David.
She moved the mouse again, and her eyes lit on the mail icon. The number four stared back at her. Curiously, she opened her inbox, and her stomach lurched. The top three e-mails were from Coyote Creek Ranch. She hovered over the first message, and clicked.
Dear Rio. We were extremely impressed with your résumé and your letter. I hope you’ve had time to explore our website and learn a little about our facility. We’d like to offer you . . .
Her hand flew to her mouth.
Well. Damn.
“NO! THERE’S NO discussion.” Bonnie shot laser-hot fury across the kitchen from her narrowed black eyes. “You said it yourself. We lost that dream. We have to start new. Well, I’ve started new. I love this school. I love Dawson. I’m not going anywhere.”
“It’s the answer to all our problems.”
“I don’t have problems, Rio. You didn’t either. What happened to make you so unhappy again?”
“I’m not unhappy.”
Rio had expected anger, but this was not the petulant foot-stomping of an immature teen. This was an angry young woman making valid arguments.
“We have the perfect setup here. This could be our answer, you know.”
“We cannot stay here forever. One way or another, we need to stand on our own. Give us a chance, Bons.”
“You take this chance.” She turned. “I’m not going with you.”
“Bonnie!”
She ignored the call, stalked out of the room, and seconds later banged out her anger on the stair treads heading for her room. Rio rested her elbows on the island and buried her face in her hands.
“She needs a firmer hand you know.” Kate rested a perfect hip against the kitchen door and folded her arms.
“Excuse me? You were eavesdropping?”
“It seems to happen a lot around here,” she countered.
“Well, this is none of your business.”
“She’s always allowed to do exactly as she pleases,” Kate continued. “And nobody likes that she’s still got potential contact with gang members, or that you’re talking with your brother, who could bring them all to the doorstep.”
“Are you blaming my sister for our situation?”
“I’m saying she’s had way too much exposure to violence and she talks to you like a bratty child. If I were in charge, she’d be going to a private school for extremely bright girls.”
“Thank God you’re not in charge.”
“I’m not alone in this. We’ve talked about it.”
“We?”
“Stella. Colin. David.”
“I don’t believe you.”
And she didn’t. This was Kate. Still spoiled, still flirting with David, still Bonnie’s ideal. Kate would like nothing better than for Rio to leave. She’d say anything.
“What’s going on?” David entered clad in the tight gray T-shirt Rio liked best on him, his breeches, and his chaps. She went weak in the knees before she steeled herself. “I just saw your sister do the oddest thing,” he said. “She climbed out her window and ran off down the road.”
“What?” Rio turned reflexively toward the door.
“Did you just see Bonnie climb down the side of the house, or am I mad as a March hare?” Stella popped in, confused and laughing.
“What did I tell you?” Kate asked. “She’s out of control.”
“For cripes’ sake, Kate. I’m not sending Bonnie to a private girl’s school. Didn’t you ever sneak out a window when you were a kid?”
“Certainly not.”
Rio threw up her hands. “Well, that shouldn’t surprise me, I guess. You ought to try it. Might loosen you up a little.”
“David, haven’t we all said that Bonnie needs some time in a good private school?”
“Private schools are wonderful, nurturing places, pet,” Stella said.
David frowned. “I agreed that Bonnie is worth putting anywhere she’ll be safe and protected. If that’s a private school, I’m all for it.”
“All for it!” Rio glared at him. “Are you serious?”
“Aren’t you serious about protecting her?”
Rio couldn’t even get angry. Things had gone from bad to out-of-control in this house. She was outmaneuvered, outplanned, outgunned. She’d promised to let David deal with his family as he needed to, but they’d brainwashed him and that would last long after they were gone. Furiously, she grabbed the letter from Coyote Creek off the counter where Bonnie had left it and shoved it in David’s hands.
“This is where she’ll be safe, David. No need to worry about a private school, which I damn well can’t afford anyway. I’m going to accept the job. I’m giving Bud two weeks’ notice tomorrow. Bonnie and her dangerous criminal groupies will be safely out of your hair soon enough.”
DAVID TURNED IN utter confusion to Kate and his mother once Rio had gone. “What did you say to her?” he asked.
“The truth,” Kate replied. “Her sister is out of control. David, you said yourself that you didn’t like her being in touch with the old gang members. She’s fighting to stay with them.”
He looked at his mother beseechingly.
“Love,” she said. “Bonnie’s a sweet girl. She deserves better than her sister can give her.”
“That’s enough,” he commanded. He’d never seen this side of his mother. He’d never paid any attention to the way she manipulated him or anyone else. But Kate was his mother on steroids. And suddenly, he knew he didn’t have to pamper either of them anymore. Nor did he have to be mean to be firm. He almost laughed as he took his mother by the shoulders. “Stella Pitts-Matherson, you evil old blouse. You are not welcome to speak that way of a girl I’ve become very close to. Rio is an amazing woman, and she’s raised Bonnie to be that sweet girl you talk of.
“Katherine. You’ve become hard since I knew you. I’m sorry if I ever gave you reason to think you could win me back, but you cannot. Ever. I moved on long ago. Now, I would love to have you stay for your full time here, another two weeks, is it? Or, and I say this with all firmness, the decorating budget is exhausted, the parties are over. If you feel like you could get more done back in England, I’ll dip into the scholarship budget to help pay for a ticket switch. I love you both—do whatever makes the most sense. Now I’m going to find Rio and, I hope, Bonnie, before they run away from home.”
HE WAS TOO late. The trust he’d built had been breached—Rio’s family had been violated. He couldn’t explain away to Rio’s satisfaction what he’d said about Bonnie. Although his mother and Kate elected to leave early and seemed relieved to do so, David couldn’t convince Rio to stay.
Ten days after his mother flew out, Rio stood by her car beside her furious sister, two small suitcases, and Thirty-one. There was no sense in leaving the cat. She’d captured Rio’s heart, and vice versa, in a way David had failed to do.
“I will miss the hell out of you,” he said, checking to where Bonnie sobbed in Dawson’s embrace.
“I wouldn’t have survived this without you,” she said. “You know that’s true.”
“Don’t go,” he said, for the thousandth time.
“We have different visions,” she replied for the thousandth and first. “I need this. God knows it’ll be good for Bonnie, too. She’ll figure it out.”
She reached up on tiptoes then and kissed him before he could do it. She made it aching and hot and deep. She choked on her tears when she pulled away.
“I hope it’s what you want it to be,” he made himself say.
“It will be. I hope the same for your partnership.”
He didn’t reply.
She hugged Andy. She hugged Dawson. She hugged Kim. And watching her drive away was like having a thousand tears to the edges of his heart—not lethal but permanently crippling and excruciatingly painful. When he finally turned away, his father was watching the dust tail with pensive eyes.