Page 38 of Unforgettable Cowboy
He took his time studying the barn, which was listing to one side and obviously not capable of holding an animal safely, then the chicken house and finally the broken corrals.If there was a place that didn’t have a horse, this was it.
“Can I help you with something?”
“Yes.”He took a few steps toward her, but Bailey—nerves buzzing like a bee caught in a jar—held her ground.“You can tell me where the mare is.”
“Jenna’s mare?”
“Our mare.Community property.”
“That’s none of my business, Chance.”
He tipped his hat back, fixing her with a cold look.“I think it is.”
“How so?”It was all she could do not to take a step back, but if she did, she instinctively knew that he’d keep her backing up.
“Cut the crap.You know where the horse is.”
She rolled her eyes.“Really?That’s why you’re here?Look around you.Would you keep a horse here?”
“Why areyouhere?”
“I grew up here, as I’m sure the good townspeople of Marietta told you.I was looking for a quiet rent-free place where I could focus on my silver this summer.I have some big shows coming up this fall.Important ones.”
Total truth.
He set his hands on his hips as he looked past her at the trailer Bailey had bought from his soon-to-be ex-wife.Then he turned his hard gaze back to her.Charming Chance was long gone, and Bailey was getting a strong hint of what her friend had been dealing with.
“I know nothing about your horses, Chance.Jenna and I haven’t been in contact in months.Not since you guys split.”
“Isn’t that odd?”he said.“That she’s not crying on your shoulder about this?”
They’d covered this in Big Z’s, but apparently Chance had not been convinced.
“Jenna’s not a crier,” Bailey said in a low voice.An odd sensation went through her when Chance gave her a want-to-bet look.
“I know you guys cooked something up.”
“And I know you’d better get off my property before I call the sheriff.”She was getting a very bad vibe from the guy and despite her attempt at bravado, Chance seemed to be reading her.
“Bailey, Bailey.We never really got to know one another.”He started forward, closing the space between them with a slow, insolent gait.Bailey lifted her chin as he approached, trying to breathe evenly to counteract her hammering heart.It was all she could do to stand her ground when he entered her personal bubble but stand ground she did.Right up until he reached out to lightly run his knuckles down the side of her face in a mocking caress.“But know this about me.I don’t like being fucked with.”
“Chance.”She said his name as a warning.
“Bailey.Tell me where the horse is.”
He stepped even closer, showing her who had the power in the situation.Bailey inhaled sharply, then instinct took over.She reached for the front of his shirt, yanked the surprised man forward, then kneed him as hard as she could.A satisfyingoofescaped his lips as she let go of his shirt and he doubled over.Take that, asshole.
While Chance was fighting the pain and gasping for air, she dashed for her truck, jumped inside and hit the door locks before fumbling with the keys she’d left on the seat.She had no phone, and all she could think of was to get out of there.To get to a phone and call Hayes.
The truck started despite her shaking fingers having trouble getting the key into the ignition and she watched in the rearview mirror as Chance struggled to his feet.He’d be right behind her, so she couldn’t turn in the direction of the Tree Fork Ranch.Instead, she turned the opposite way, heading for Jim Reed’s place, fully expecting the red Chevy to appear in her rearview mirror at any moment.
Did she want to lead an angry man to Jim’s place?
Did she have other options?
But the Chevy didn’t appear in her mirror and when she slowed at Jim’s mailbox, she realized that she had the road to herself.Well at least she wasn’t going to be responsible for Chance taking his anger out on her mom’s farming partner.Taking one last look behind her, she turned down the drive.
There was no one at home at Jim’s place, but like most rural homes, the door was unlocked.Feeling like a thief, even though she had a very good reason for breaking and entering, she stepped into the kitchen.There was a yellow landline mounted to the wall, old as the hills, but it had a dial tone.Hayes’s number was in her phone, which was back at the homestead, so she flipped through the phone book, found Wade’s number and dialed.Hayes answered and Bailey felt like melting into a puddle on the floor as relief swamped her.
