would have expected to receive that advice from. Yet there it was.
I knew the words he’d said didn’t mean he wouldn’t check into Anne’s background eventually. But the fact that he wasn’t concerned... Pierce was always concerned. This was a good sign.
Somehow.
My brain was starting to hurt, and for very different reasons than Preston’s currently did.
I decided to shower, deal with things around the ranch, and then... I would drive to Corydon and get my girl.
I kinda wished the damn bells didn’t jangle as loudly as they did when I entered Kate’s Supplies. There was certainly no sneaking up on anybody here.
It was the afternoon, so I congratulated myself on not jumping in my truck and speeding off to find Anne earlier in the morning. I’d attempted to be mature. Level-headed. Easy going.
All of the things that I normally was before Anne.
Her facial expression when we locked eyes wasn’t exactly encouraging. No smile. No dimple. Just a blank stare.
“Hey,” I greeted, walking straight to the counter. I could beat around the bush, but that seemed ridiculous now.
We knew each other – intimately. Things were different now.
“Hey,” Anne returned, completely neutral. Her green eyes were incredibly guarded.
“You left, and I know why. I know Preston spoke with you,” I spoke directly, but quietly. I had no idea if anyone else was present in the store – shoppers, Murphy, Kate...
“Preston didn’t make me leave.” Anne shook her head severely.
“I didn’t say he did. I said he spoke with you, and I know what he said to you. You gotta understand that Preston says anything and everything that flits across his brain in any given two-second period. He’s always saying something.” I watched her face carefully, begging my words to penetrate that damn cold stare she was attempting to hold onto.
She grinned – but just barely. “Preston is fine. He didn’t offend me. I had a really good time, Penn.” She hesitated, and I knew whatever she was going to say next was something she was forcing herself to say. “I just think it’s better if you and I are friends.”
She looked me boldly in the face while she said it. But she didn’t mean it.
“I’m pretty sure we’re more than that now, whether you want to admit it or not, Anne.” I held her gaze, refusing to simply give up.
Suddenly Murphy came bounding out of the back room. “Penn! Penn’s hewe!” He ran straight to me and I swung him up in my arms.
“Hey buddy. Why don’t you tell your mom how we were supposed to go meet the horses today?” I smiled at him, and noticed Anne was smiling widely too now. She couldn’t be stern when Murphy was involved.
His huge green eyes turned quickly to hers. “Howsee? We see howsees, Mommy?”
Anne shot me a look of defeat. She couldn’t even begin to protest against Murphy. “Sure, honey. Of course.” Then she focused her eyes solely on me. “Not fair, Penn. Totally not fair.”
A tall, trim woman with short brown hair entered from the back the same way Murphy had. She was grinning widely.
“Penn,” she said, giving me a nod.
“Kate,” I returned, doing the same.
We were both smiling, and I instantly knew Kate was on my side with this.
“Well, I do believe I’ll be letting you off early today, Anne.” She grinned at Anne devilishly, and Anne rolled her eyes.
Three against one wasn’t fair, but it sure as hell worked for me.
10
Valerie
“Don’t know why everybody’s so damn impressed with the fuckin’ mountains. Bunch’a damn rocks and deathtraps is all they are.” Randall took a giant swig of his beer, and I studied him while he swallowed it.
I had expertly managed to pour the Ex-Lax into his can without him even realizing. I’d put it in a saltshaker, knowing I couldn’t exactly just bring the damn bottle with us.
I’d hoped and prayed and begged to whatever universal power there could possibly be that he wouldn’t notice the taste or consistency change. There really hadn’t been a way for me to test those out without also giving myself some major issues that really wouldn’t fit well into my escape plan.
“I think they’re pretty. The trees are beautiful.” I’d spaced out slightly, gazing around at the now-familiar surroundings. I’d been spending a lot of time here. If these woods bought me my freedom, then they were the most exquisite creations of nature, as far as I was concerned.
“You remember, don’t matter if you like ‘em. I don’t like ‘em. End of story.” Randall sounded