Cardwell Ranch Trespasser - By B. J. Daniels Page 0,22
beautiful and the trip is really wonderful.”
Oh, yes. She couldn’t wait.
“I think his deputy Colt is going along.”
Dee swore silently. Colt? The man who’d saved Hilde.
“It sounds like fun,” she said, although it had sounded much more fun when it was just going to be her and Hud. “I just wish you could go. Maybe next time?”
Dana nodded. “You must come back every year.”
Or never leave. “Oh, I would love that.”
“Well, sleep tight and don’t worry about Rick.”
Easy for Dana to say.
Chapter Six
The next morning, Dee got up early and borrowed Dana’s pickup to drive into Meadow Village. She still didn’t get the town of Big Sky. Everything was so spread out, but it was all close enough that it didn’t take her long to find Rick’s rental car parked in front of an older motor court motel.
Rick had always been cheap, usually out of necessity because he was broke. She could only guess that that was the case this time.
She had to knock three times before he finally opened the door wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist.
“I wondered when you’d show up,” he said with a grin.
She shoved past him into the room. It was pretty much what she expected: bed, television, bathroom. A discount-store piece of so-called art of a mountain from some other state hung on the wall over the unmade bed. Rick’s clothes were strewn on the floor and there were a half-dozen empty beer cans next to the bed.
“You always were a slob,” she said, turning to look at him. “You have to leave. Now.”
“I wish I could, but I spent every dime I had just to get here to see you.”
How had she known that was the case? She reached into her shoulder bag. “Here’s enough to get you back home and a little extra so you won’t starve on the way. The next flight is this afternoon. Be on it.” With that she started to leave. “And Rick. No drugs.”
“Come on, you know I’m clean. Anyway, you need my help.”
She stopped next to him. “No, I don’t. I know what I’m doing.”
“You and I used to make a pretty good team, as I recall. I’m probably the only person you can truly trust.”
“Unless you get drunk or high and shoot your mouth off.”
“I’ve kept your secrets all these years, drunk or sober. Come on, there’s a bond between us that not even you can deny.” He touched her shoulder.
She pulled away. “I mean it. Don’t buy drugs with that money.”
“Don’t try to kill that blonde woman again.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Remember when you and I were little more than kids and I almost drowned? I know you, remember?”
“Then you know to stay out of my business, don’t you.”
By the time she returned to the ranch, Hud was busy saddling horses. She drove into the yard, but didn’t get out of the truck right away. She liked watching him, watching the muscles in his arms and back, imagining being in those arms. Desire hit her like a sucker punch. She wanted him, and she’d always made a habit of getting what she wanted, any way she had to.
“Best get dressed,” Hud called to her, as she climbed out of the truck. “Dana’s put out some clothes for you to wear in your room.”
She smiled. “Thanks.” Inside she went right to her upstairs room. She could hear Dana in the kitchen with the kids. How could the woman stand that noise all the time?
She quickly dressed in the Western attire her cousin had so thoughtfully put out for her, right down to the cowboy boots. Fortunately or unfortunately they were close enough in size that all the clothes fit.
“They’re my prebaby clothes,” Dana said when Dee came downstairs in them. “I knew they would fit you.”
They did, she thought, as she caught a glimpse of herself in the front window reflection. At a glance, she could pass for Dana. A slightly skinnier version, but still...
Dana had made her a breakfast sandwich since she’d apparently missed the usual ranch breakfast. She couldn’t believe how these people ate. It was no wonder Dana hadn’t gotten back to her pretwins weight.
Breakfast often consisted of pounded and floured fried deer steaks, hash browns, milk gravy, biscuits and eggs. She’d never seen anything like it in her life. There would be changes if she were running this house.
There would have to be a lot of changes. She realized with a start that she hadn’t thought