Page 13 of The Soldier and the Cowboy

“Ten thousand,” she said.

He bit down on his tongue, swallowing the reaction she wanted from him. She was spoiling for a fight, he could tell. Her cavalier attitude about Bailey was covering a mound of jealousy and possessiveness. “I’ll think about it,” he managed.

“Think hard, Cal, because the more I sit out there alone in my little corner of the world, the more I begin to wonder what I need you for. I could totally run this place.”

“You’d run it to the ground in three months,” he said, gritting his teeth hard against his growing anger and frustration. Had he ever loved her? It was hard to remember.

“Totally worth it to see you suffer. And then I’d sell the land, bit by bit, take all that money, and go somewhere tropical. Or maybe European. I haven’t decided yet.”

“Go away, Isabel,” he said. “And I don’t mean just now. Go far away, leave this place, and forget it ever existed.”

She smiled and tapped his wedding band. “Not sure you actually mean that. But when you do, it’ll be a fun conversation with my lawyer. All that football money, just languishing in an account somewhere. My, my, won’t that be fun.”

He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing, the vein in his temple throbbing. Isabel was the only woman he had ever been tempted to hit. He had never done it, would never do it, but the temptation always left him feeling shaken. What kind of man even thought about hitting a woman? No kind he had ever wanted to be, and yet here he was.

“Do it,” Isabel whispered, reading his thoughts. “And then I’ll have you arrested and take you for even more.”

“I would never hit you, and you know it. But even if I did, you’d be hard pressed to find someone to arrest me around here. You’re nobody’s favorite.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” she said with a taunting little smile.

“Is there anything I can do to help with supper?” Bailey asked, and it was as if somebody pulled the plug on his frustration. He took a deep breath, one that reached all the way to the bottom of his lungs this time, and turned his back on Isabel.

“I’m sure it’s already done. Estralita always leaves us in good shape. Isabel, you can see yourself out, I take it.”

“Sure you don’t want to count the silver?” she asked.

Cal didn’t reply. It wasn’t the silver he cared about, and she knew it. If a few trinkets would appease her, he’d gladly hand them over. But Isabel wanted to hit him where it would hurtthe most; she wanted the ranch. And she’d get it over his dead body. When she failed to get a reply from him, she turned her attention to Bailey.

“Well, it was such a pleasure to meet you, you little cutie. Take good care of Cal here, but not too much. He’s still a married man, after all, and judges don’t take a shine to infidelity.”

“Seems like you’d know all about that,” Bailey replied evenly and Isabel blinked at her, surprised.

“Well, then. Consider the gauntlet tossed, I suppose.”

“I’m here for a job. I don’t concern myself with trivialities and nonessentials,” Bailey said.

“Kudos on picking one who can hold her own. This ought to be fun,” Isabel said. “You two have a pleasant meal getting your taste buds burned off by yet another one of Estralita’s stews.” She wheeled and floated out of the kitchen, actually floated as if her heel-clad feet didn’t touch the floor. Bailey had never been capable of floating like that, but neither did she want to. And she had certainly never worn heels. Floating and combat boots were incompatible.

They waited to speak until the front door opened and closed. “Sorry about that,” Cal said. He sounded exhausted.

“You doing all right there, boss?” she asked.

He nodded and then changed his mind and shook his head.

“Want to talk about it?” she offered. He sat and she dished stew and bread for each of them, pouring them both a generous glass of sweet tea.

“No, but I suppose there are a few things you need to know to protect yourself.”

“It’s all right, I’m aces at self-defense,” she said, and he smiled.

“I’m afraid you might need more than that with her. It’sprobably not a surprise to you we’re separated, considering she no longer lives here.”

“How long?” Bailey asked.

“Two years. As you correctly guessed, she cheated on me and moved out soon after. But even before that things weren’t good. I honestly can’t remember if they ever were. And I’m part of it, part of the reason she acts like that. It seems like the two of us bring out the worst in each other, and it’s been all out war from the beginning.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Bailey said sincerely.

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