Romancing the Ranger (14 page)

Chapter Thirteen

“Seriously, Dad. Wade is a great guy. He really cares about me.” Reese cuddled the fat pug against her chest. She’d spent too long at her dad’s apartment already.

Wade was probably already back at her place.

And if he’d followed her instructions on the note, and was naked, she didn’t want to waste any more time getting back to him.

Her dad sighed. “I’m sure he is, honey. I was glad to finally get to meet him, and I told you that you made your point. He did seem like a decent enough guy.”

She arched an eyebrow at him.

“All right. He seemed like a nice guy. And I could tell he was really trying.” Robert dragged a tanned hand through his thick dark hair. “But I want my little girl to have more than just a nice guy. I want you to have everything.”

Her heart softened a little at her dad’s tone. Just like it always did. But she didn’t want this to be just like every other time. She was done bending to her dad’s will. She wanted to take control, and the only way to do that was to stand up to her dad.

She lifted her chin. “Sometimes having a nice, cute guy
is
everything.” She hefted the dog against her chest. “And that nice cute guy is waiting for me back at my apartment so I’ve got to go, Dad.”

A shocked look passed over Robert’s face. “Wait. Did you say Wade’s at your apartment now? He spent the night?”

Reese shook her head. “Dad, I’m a grown woman. I don’t need to ask your permission to have a sleepover.”

“No, of course not. It’s not that.” A questioning look crossed his face. “Are you really serious about this Wade guy?”

She took a step closer to her dad and laid a hand gently on his arm. “Dad, that’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. Not only am I serious about him, I’m in love with him.”

“Oh, shit.”

She froze. She knew the sound of that two-word phrase, and it was never good.

She squeezed her dad’s arm, and Bagel leaned in and tried to lick his face. “Oh shit, what? Dad?”

He cleared his throat. “Brock was over here this morning, and he asked me for your hand in marriage.”

Her heart slammed against her chest, and her eyes blinked. Once. Twice. “And what did you tell him?”

Her father swallowed, his eyes looking anywhere but at her. She’d never seen him nervous like this before. “Well, I guess I gave him my blessing.”

“You guess?”

“Okay. Yes. I gave him my blessing. And I might have sent him over to your apartment to surprise you.”

“What?” She stared at him in shocked disbelief. “Dad, you didn’t.”

Brock was on his way to her apartment now? And Wade was there waiting for her. Oh my Lord.

And if he had followed her instructions, he was waiting naked.

She turned and raced for the door.

It couldn’t have taken her more than five minutes to reach her apartment door.

Her breath came hard and fast as she inserted her key and opened the door. The smell of roses overpowered her as she stepped into the room, and Bagel let out a yip.

Her heart sank at the sight of the man standing at her kitchen counter, a takeout coffee in his hand and a smug look on his face.

“Brock. What are you doing here? And where’s Wade?”

“Hello, Reese. I thought you’d be a little more excited to see me. It’s been weeks.” He gestured around the room. “Aren’t you going to thank me for the flowers?”

Was he serious? “No, you can take your flowers and shove them.”

She’d never spoken to him that way, and he arched an eyebrow at her. “Now Reese, there’s no need to be rude. Obviously your time slumming it has caused a slip in your manners.”

Two maple-iced donuts lay on a white takeout bag on the counter. Had Wade bought the donuts knowing they were now her favorite?

Where was he?

Brock picked up a donut, and she wanted to smack it from his hands.

He took a bite and licked the caramel-colored frosting from his lips. “Old Wayne does have pretty good taste in donuts, though.”

A surge of adrenaline coursed through her blood.

Drawing strength from it, she straightened her shoulders and spoke through gritted teeth. “His. Name. Is. Wade.”

She marched toward him, gaining power with each step. Reaching up, she knocked the rest of the donut from his hands, and it hit the floor.

Brock stared wide-eyed at her as if he couldn’t believe she’d done that. She almost couldn’t believe it herself.

The only sound in the room was Bagel’s toenails as he raced across the floor to gobble up the fallen pastry.

Brock laughed.

But not the kind of laugh where you’re both in on the joke. This was a mean laugh, full of malice and ridicule.

“Yes, I can see you’ve picked up more than a few bad habits from hanging out with your country bumpkin. We’ll have to work on breaking you of those, but I’m sure we can get back to our regular routine during the engagement. We’ll want to get the club booked now for the wedding as I’m sure it fills up fast.”

Break her of those bad habits? Did he really just say that? Like she was an unruly dog that needed to be retrained. To obey.

Had this been how he had always seen her? As a pet that heeled to his commands?

Well, this was
not
how he was ever going to see her again.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “You know what, Brock? You’re right. For once I agree with you. I do have some bad habits that I need to break. And listening to egotistical asses like yourself is the first one on my list.”

She took a tiny bit of pleasure from the way his mouth dropped open. Using one of Miss Abigail’s favorite sayings, she told him, “Close your mouth. You’ll catch flies that way.”

He closed his mouth. This seemed to be working. For once, he was actually complying with
her
demands.

She gestured to the flowers scattered around the room. “I do not want your roses. And I do not need your condescending attitude. There’s no need to book the club because I do
not
want to marry you.”

Her voice gained strength with each pronouncement. “As a matter of fact, I don’t even want to look at you. I want you to tell me where Wade is, then get the hell out of my apartment. And don’t come back.”

He spit malice, and his eyes flashed anger as he stomped to the door. “You know you’re making a huge mistake. Women who are a lot better than you would kill to be dating a man like me.”

“Let ’em. You’re free now.” And so was she.

A weight the size of a boulder felt as if it were being lifted from her shoulders. She laughed at the pure freedom she felt the closer he got to the door.

“Don’t expect to come crawling back to me once you come to your senses.”

She shook her head, feeling lighter and calmer with each level of anger that he descended to. “There will be no crawling. And for the first time in my life, I
have
completely come to my senses. And all on my own.”

He yanked open the front door then turned for one final parting shot. “For your information, your new boyfriend already took off. He said he was done with you, and I’m sure he and his rumpled suit are halfway back to Jellystone Park by now. He looked like a bum when he was here earlier. I almost handed him a twenty when he knocked on the door.”

Oh no.
Her sense of calm came crashing down as Brock slammed the door behind him.

He’s gone?

Brock must have filled his head with a bunch of garbage. But why would he leave?

She grabbed for her phone and punched in his number. Chewing the corner of her thumbnail, she listened as it rang four colossally long rings then went to voicemail. Her heart twisted a little as she heard Wade’s easy-going voice instructing her to leave a message.

She hung up and tried again. Come on, Wade. Pick up.

Pick UP.

“Hello.”

Limp with relief, she sank into the corner of the couch. “Wade, where are you? Brock said you left town.”

“Yeah, Brock had a lot of things to say. I’m sure you two will be very happy.”

“Wade, listen, it’s not how it seems.” If he would just give her a chance to explain.

“It appears that nothing is exactly what it seems with you. And I don’t need this nonsense in my life anymore.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that I’m done. I’m out.” His voice hitched a little as if the words pained him. “Listen, I’m coming up to the tunnel, I’ve got to go. Bye, Reese.” He hung up with a definitive click.

She stared at the phone in her hand, too stunned to move.

What the heck had just happened? She woke up this morning achy and sore from a night of amazing sex with a hot ranger, and now her heart was what ached as he told her they were through.

Well, guess what, buddy? She was done with people telling her what to do.

Grabbing her purse, she told Bagel to stay, then pulled the door shut behind her as she raced to get to her car.

Wade had said he was coming up to the tunnel so she knew exactly where he was on the road, and he was less than thirty minutes away.

She’d spent the last few weeks standing up for herself and taking control of her life, but now it felt as if the one thing that mattered the most was out of her control.

Chapter Fourteen

“Women. Who needs ’em?” Wade muttered as he threw the last of his camping gear in the back of his truck.

What he needed now was a few days away. Alone. Just him and the line full of fish he planned to catch.

He’d done it. He’d made a clean break. Told her they were through. So why did he feel like shit? Like a total heel for telling her he was out over the phone?

And what did she care?

Maybe he’d just made it easier on her to go off with Brock the Cock. Jerk.

Why did he feel so bad? And why did he feel like he might just be letting the best thing that had ever happened to him slip away?

How could she be the best thing when all she brought with her was drama and pain? And heartache.

And laughter. And joy. And great, amazing, mind-blowing sex.

He shook his head and slammed the tailgate of his truck closed.

It was over.

She’d made her choice. He didn’t need to talk it to death. That’s why he’d ignored the next twelve times she’d tried to call him.

And maybe because a small part of him knew if he answered, he’d take her back.

No. He was done.

He didn’t need to drag it out any longer. No use beating a dead horse. It was easier to not answer the phone. Hell, maybe he’d leave the damn thing here for the next few days.

He didn’t know what he’d say to her if he answered the phone anyway.

…

Reese screeched to a stop in front of Wade’s truck. Thank goodness she’d caught him. She’d called up to the bed and breakfast and spoken to Wade’s grandmother.

Miss Abigail had said Wade was stomping around, filling his truck with what looked like enough camping supplies for a month.

Reese had told her about the misunderstanding with Brock and that she wanted to at least have the chance to talk to Wade.

Ever the co-conspirator, Miss Abigail promised to do her best to keep Wade on the property until she could get there. Knowing Wade’s grandmother, she’d concocted a distraction that could be anything from faking a heart attack to a stove-top fire.

Hopefully Reese would make it there before she had to resort to anything too crazy or that might involve burning the house down.

Wade’s grandmother wasn’t the only call she’d made on her way up the mountain. She’d also called her father.

After a quick explanation about kicking Brock out of her apartment and her impromptu trip into the mountains to find Wade, she asked him to go pick up Bagel from her apartment.

And before she lost her nerve, she’d also informed him that she was quitting her job.

“Just like that? Come on, Reese. You need to think about this.” Her dad was using his
let’s all just calm down
voice.

But it wasn’t working. Not this time. “I have thought about it, Dad. This is not a decision that I’m making on a whim. I’ve wanted to quit this job for years, but just never had the guts to tell you.”

Robert Hudson had cleared his throat. “Well, it seems like you’re making quite a few gutsy decisions today.”

She’d grinned into the phone. “Yes, I am. And it’s about damn time. Don’t forget to get Bagel. Bye, Dad.”

She’d made one more call before pulling into the bed and breakfast.

A call that could change her life.

Change both of their lives.

The call had gone better than expected, but all of her bravado slipped away as she turned off the car and faced the angry man who stood by his truck.

She stepped from the car, suddenly self-conscious of her sweatshirt and yoga pants.

Running a hand through her hair, she wished she’d taken a few minutes to fix her hair or throw on a dab of mascara. Thank goodness she’d taken the time to brush her teeth before heading to her dad’s.

He’d changed clothes, and her heart ached at how staggeringly good-looking he was. Trademark jeans, cowboy boots, and a faded blue T-shirt—just the way she liked him.

A memory of her wearing that same T-shirt and nothing else had her catching her breath. She could almost feel the soft cotton against her bare skin and Wade’s hands skimming along under the hem of the shirt to caress her hip.

What would she do if he really didn’t want her back?

How could she accept never kissing him again? Touching him? Laughing with him?

She just wouldn’t accept it. She couldn’t. It would break her heart.

She approached him slowly, gauging his reaction to her being here.

His reaction did not look good.

No happy greeting or welcoming embrace. Just the dark scowl reminiscent of the first time they’d met. She’d hoped she was done seeing that face.

Her voice was soft, tentative, as she gave him a little wave. “Hi.”

He sighed and ran a hand across his whisker-stubbled chin. “What are you doing here? I told you we were through.”

A shot of pain, like a physical punch to the stomach, ran through her, and she swallowed back the tears that threatened to fall. She would not cry.

She was the new and improved Reese. The one who took control and made decisions. And went after what she wanted. “I don’t accept that.”

He laughed. A harsh dry sound that was not amused at all. “Well, darlin’, I hate to tell you, but you don’t get a choice in the matter.”

She stood her ground. Would not fumble.

Pushing back her shoulders, she took a step closer.

Now standing within inches of him, she could smell the light scent of detergent on his freshly washed shirt. She could see the fine blond hairs on his arms and the jagged white line of a small scar on his wrist.

All she wanted to do was reach out—touch him. Fall into his arms and laugh about how this had all been a mistake.

But Wade’s expression held no amusement. His eyes held only pain and disappointment.

Pain that she had put there. Whether it was intentional or not.

“Listen, I don’t know what Brock told you, but I am
not
marrying him. The idea is preposterous. I kicked him out of the house and told him to take his flowers and his ring and shove them.”

A small glimmer of surprise crossed his face, then was replaced again with the scowl. “That was a pretty big rock to just toss away. You sure you want to do that?”

“Of course I’m sure.” His comment rankled something in her and sparked a sudden flare of anger. “You’d have known that if you’d waited to talk to me instead of running off.”

His eyes widened. “You’re seriously mad at
me
now?”

“Yeah, I guess so. I’m trying to make this work, Wade. I care about you. I just spent the last two hours chasing you up this damn mountain to tell you that. And I spent those two hours making some serious changes in my life. Changes that affect us.”

“What kind of changes?”

“For starters, I called my dad and quit my job.”

“You what? Why? And how does that affect
us
?”

“I quit the job that’s made me miserable the last five years, and I accepted a job here. In Cotton Creek.”

“Here?”

“Yep. I had an interview with Harry Langston, Miss Abigail’s friend, before I left. He’s been mentoring me with my writing, and he offered me a job at his newspaper. I told him I’d think about it, and I called him on my way up to tell him I’d accept the job. And I’ve spent the last few weeks working on how to get moved up here.”

“Hold on there. You’re moving up here?”

She couldn’t tell if his voice sounded happy or horrified. Or both.

“Yes. I rented that big blue house on Main Street. It’s only two blocks from the paper. Harry said I would be writing articles and helping with some of the clerical work, and if I had free time, I was welcome to work on my novel. Which, by the way, he’s been helping me edit, and he said my story is quite good and holds a lot of promise.”

“Well, didn’t this all work out conveniently? And how will a job at a small-town paper support you? Or is your dad paying for this little experiment?”

All the air left her lungs, as if he had physically slapped her. “For your information, I have plenty of savings, and I can support myself. And none of this was
convenient
. Harry and I talked at the dance and he told me he’d take a look at my book and that I could try writing some articles for him. I stopped by the paper that week and got to talking to his main reporter who was close to having a baby and thinking of quitting her job. I got the idea then and for once in my life, went after something I wanted. I started doing research and submitting articles to him. I found a house to rent on my own and found a friend to sublet my place in the city. I’ve been working my ass off to make this happen. My dad has nothing to do with this—so screw you, Wade.”

Her breath was coming hard as she spat out the words, talking too fast and too loud. “I did this because I want something different. I want to try something new. Something that I picked for myself. And because I want a life with you.”

He ran a hand through his hair and let out a weary sigh. “That’s just it, Reese. I
don’t
want a life with you. This is too hard. Too much drama. I just want a simple life. And our lives are too different.” He shook his head. “Plus, your dad will never accept me.”

“Who cares?”

“You do. Or you will. Whether he’s too protective or not, you’re his only daughter, and you two have a bond. I don’t want to be the one to stand in the way of that. And I know he’ll probably let you try this little experiment, then he’ll start pressuring you to leave me and go back to Denver, and you’ll go.”

She was stunned. Hadn’t she just been telling him how she was breaking away from her dad’s control? “You’re wrong.”

“Am I? This is a different world than you’re used to. There’s no theater or elegant restaurants for me to take you to. Your fancy little car is always gonna be covered in dust, and there’s no shopping malls or department stores. You think you want this, but you’ll eventually want back that wealth and luxury you’re used to. You’ll get tired of small-town life, and you’ll get tired of me. I’m just saving us both the heartache by leaving you first.”

“You’re not saving me any heartache. You’re breaking my heart right now. Please don’t do this.”

“I’m sorry, Reese.” He climbed into the truck, his own eyes filled with the same pain she felt. “It’s not worth it. It’s over.” He slammed the truck door, as if emphasizing the closing of their relationship.

Why was he doing this?

She knew he cared about her. He had to.

How could the last few weeks mean nothing to him? Maybe she hadn’t really meant anything to him at all.

Maybe she’d just been a distraction, something to pass the time. She had to know.

She clung to the open window of the truck, desperate to hear the truth. “Wade, please, if you don’t want me in your life, I guess I have to accept that. But I just need to know that these last few weeks meant something to you. That
I
meant something to you. Just tell me that I mattered. Give me one small sign that shows that you cared about me.”

His voice broke as he quietly said, “I can’t.” He started the engine and threw the truck in reverse.

She lifted her hands from the window of the truck, her last connection to him broken.

Gravel flew as he put the truck in gear and sped down the driveway.