Page 62 of Tempting Fate
“I’ll talk to her and Clay,” he finally said. “But, Harper, don’t get your hopes up. When you’re with Mom and Clay, it’s their rules.”
“That’s not fair. What about when I’m with you? Can I do it on the weekends?”
He needed to know more about this Raylene woman before he signed on to anything. Emily didn’t like her, and he trusted his ex’s instincts. “We’ll see. How was school today?”
“Good. It was pizza day. Cody ate four slices and threw up on Katie Rodriguez’s backpack. It was seriously gross.”
“Sounds like it. Is he okay?”
“He’s fine. Mom gave him ginger ale when he got home and Clay still made him do his chores. Are you coming up Friday?”
He wanted to. It was hard going five days without seeing his daughter. But a lot would depend on Kristy and what she wanted to do, since it meant telecommuting for work. It was hard to know when they weren’t communicating with each other.
“I’m planning to,” he said. “Just have to check with the boss.”
“Will you talk to Mom and Clay in the meantime? I’ve got to give Raylene an answer soon or she’ll have to find someone else.”
“You bet. But, Harper, remember what I said. You’re not going to play us against each other, got it?”
“Yeah.” She dragged the word out like it was tremendously taxing to agree, which made him chuckle to himself.
“You do your homework?”
“Yes. Justin helped me with my math, and we’re dissecting a frog in science. I’m lab partners with Sam Shepard. He’s totally annoying.”
“Totally annoying, huh? I’m sorry to hear that.”
“It’s okay. He’s a good lab partner, at least.”
“That’s important. I’m looking forward to seeing you this weekend. What do you think of checking out Glory Junction? It’s a cute town, and Kristy’s never been.”
“Whatever,” she said. “Call me when you get here. I want to visit Gunner at the stable.”
“Will do. Night, sweetheart, sleep tight.”
After signing off, he texted Emily to call him when she got a chance and went to check on Kristy. It was high time they had it out.
* * * *
Gabe leaned against the stall door and watched Raylene fawn over her horse like the two were long-lost lovers. If he wasn’t so conflicted about her, he’d be jealous. After the scene with Lucky on Monday, she’d made herself scarce. He didn’t like her staying alone in the farmhouse at night, so he’d been sleeping on Logan’s couch. There’d been no invitation otherwise, and it was best to keep it that way, though he’d be lying if he said she didn’t tempt him beyond belief. The last three evenings, they’d eaten wedding leftovers together, watched a little TV, and then she’d go up to bed, leaving him to toss and turn on the sofa.
She was still looking for that goddamned gold, and it really did seem that she wasn’t leaving without it. He hadn’t asked her whether her property was in escrow yet, but the scuttlebutt around town was Moto Entertainment was moving in. According to Owen, citizens were planning to pack the next city council meeting to fight the motocross track.
“It’ll be a damned public nuisance,” Owen had said. “That land should be zoned for agricultural use only. But that Ray Rosser was a slick one. He always knew how to get around the rules.”
Gabe was trying to remain neutral. Raylene had given Lucky and the rest of them an opportunity to buy the land at fair market value, and it did seem unrealistic of them to expect her to hold out for a buyer they deemed acceptable. At the same time…a freaking racetrack?
He gazed around the barn, a new addition to Sierra Heights to appeal to potential buyers who wanted the security and convenience of a gated community and the cache of horse property. In the last year, the real estate market had boomed, and folks priced out of Glory Junction and the other Sierra ski resort towns had found Nugget. Though they were thirty minutes from the slopes, the area had rivers and lakes and enough nature to make weekend warriors happy. Griffin was finally selling houses in the white elephant subdivision he’d bought from bankrupt developers as an investment.
The barn, a traditional gambrel style with a symmetrical two-sided roof and an open center loft, had more than a dozen stalls that opened to a large corral. Everything was freshly painted gray, and there was even a bathroom for humans. Gabe didn’t know much about stables, but he thought this was a pretty nice one. Raylene seemed pleased with it. Then again, beggars couldn’t be choosers.
Unfortunately, Weezer hadn’t been able to stay for a visit. He’d dropped off the horse the day before, returned the trailer in Reno, and caught a flight out. Gabe would’ve liked time to have caught up with his old SEAL buddy.
“This gonna work?” Gabe asked.
“Are you kidding?” Raylene glanced around the barn. “It’s fantastic. I’m hoping Harper comes through.”
Raylene had seen the kid in town with her stepbrothers and had offered her the job on the spot.
