Page 46 of Christmas with the Cowboy
The words rang across the grocery store parking lot as Reed got out of his truck. He hesitated, studied the doorframe for a silent second, then closed the door and resolutely headed to the store.
He heard footsteps behind him but kept going. He’d made a promise to Trenna, and he was not the same guy he’d been back in the day. Had he been, then Jay wouldn’t be heading for him now. Things would have been settled in the bar.
He walked into the grocery store, then stopped just inside as he realized that he was bringing trouble with him. He turned and headed back out of the store, the automatic door closing behind him. There was no one in the lot except for him and Jay and the elderly woman with the pinkish tinted hair who’d just gotten out of her car. By unspoken agreement, Reed and Jay waited for her to totter by before Reed lifted his chin.
“Are you following me?”
“I thought we could talk when your girlfriend wasn’t here to protect you.” The big man spoke on a note of insolence that didn’t quite ring true.
“She had nothing to do with you being fired. That was me.”
Jay laughed. A genuine laugh that told Reed his attempt to deflect had failed.
“Like Hunt is going to listen to you. He hates you. And your dad. I’m not the one you need to look out for.”
Reed tilted his head. “Are you…warning me?”
Instead of answering, Jay’s expression grew pensive. “I need to talk to Trenna about what I did in the bar. Apologize.”
“I don’t think she’d be into that.”
Jay let out a defeated breath. “I feel bad about it. It happened a couple hours after Hunt let me go. I was drunk and pissed off, and I thought she’d been the one to insist I get fired because I halfway came on to her—”
Reed’s chin jerked up before he could stop it, and Jay put up a hand.
“Easy. I took the no she gave me.” He glanced toward the door where the pink-haired lady had reemerged with a newspaper in her hand. “But I might have been a little over the top with you at the river because of it. I have a temper. I’m working on things.”
“I’ll pass your apology along. That’s all I’m going to do. If I were you, I’d keep my distance from her.”
The big man hung his head. “Here’s the thing. Having been fired from the Hunt Ranch, I’m going to have a time finding another job.”
“You want her to give you a reference?” Reed did his best to keep the note of incredulity from his voice. Fail.
“I don’t know, man. I don’t want all my bridges burned.”
Reed thought about referring the man to the Holloway Ranch, but Jay was a loose cannon and Reed didn’t feel right recommending him for a job at a place where he’d spent so many years.
“I…thought she might talk to her dad,” Jay said. “I’ve done good work for him for almost five years. I don’t know why he let me go.”
“I’m guessing because you laid hands on me and it’s on video. He wants to cut ties in case I make a complaint. He doesn’t want the ranch pulled into a lawsuit. This way he can say you…I don’t know…broke the ranch rules or something.” Reed’s legal theory sounded lame, but he had a feeling that he was correct about why Hunt had let Jay go.
Jay’s eyebrows lifted. “Then maybe you can help me? Tell him that it wasn’t that serious.”
Reed was about to say it was out of his hands, but the guy looked so bereft, he couldn’t do it. “Let me talk to a few people. Give me your number. I’ll call you.”
“Really? Thank you, man. I…my mom will be so happy.”
“Your mom?”
“Never mind.” Jay quickly read out his number, and Reed put it into his phone, wondering just how big of a headache he was getting into.
“I might not be able to help you, Jay.”
“I know. I…uh…I’m sorry for shoving you at the river. Like I said, I’m working on my temper.”
“Good to know.” Reed took a backward step. “I’ve got to get a few things before the store closes.”
“Right. Sorry to keep you. Well…night.”
