Reunited With The Rancher

“I haven’t been through any more than you have,” she said, and he was silent. His jaw was set and she suspected he was frustrated and angry.

“You have been through more than I have,” he said quietly. “You lost Ryan, you lost your uncle, your dad split when you were two, your mom died when you were nine, the man who raised you and the last close member of your family died this past year and you haven’t had another child. You don’t need more anguish, much less to get hassled by a rotten coward.”

It hurt to hear Tom say that she couldn’t have more children, but everything he said was the truth. As their conversation trailed off, she was acutely aware of him so nearby. She had been doing fairly well when she didn’t see him or talk to him on a regular basis, but now to be with him, to joke around with him, even just this tiny bit, drew her to him. And the memories were tormenting her. They had been so wildly in love when they were dating and first married. Her world had crashed and would never again be the same. She had been slowly adjusting to life without Tom, and now he was coming right back into it. Would she be able to cope with living in the same house again? Could she resist the intense, scalding attraction she always felt for him? What would happen if he tried to seduce her?

The questions came at her constantly, and there were no answers.

Three (#u7d5fe519-1e89-533c-ab50-53083e3d0629)

When they got to town, Tom parked in front of the sheriff’s office and carried the CPU inside. Nathan greeted them and shook Tom’s hand. “We don’t have much in the way of good leads and I don’t expect to get anything from your computer, but I need to check it out. I hope both of you will go to the meeting Monday.”

“We plan to,” Tom said. “I’ll help in any way I can. Just let me know.”

“Thanks,” Nathan said. The sheriff was tall and had friendly brown eyes. “I’d like to talk to each of you, one at a time. Emily, want to go first?”

“Sure,” she answered, smiling at him. He was slightly older than Tom and she, but she knew him and his wife, Amanda, who owned the Royal Diner, which was a town fixture.

Emily went into his office and tried to answer his questions. She was with him only a short time and then he talked to Tom. Their session was also brief.

Soon both men came out of Nathan’s office. “If either one of you think of anything to tell me, just call, no matter what the hour is. I want this Maverick caught.”

“I think most of the people in Royal probably want him caught quickly,” Emily said.

“Sorry we weren’t more help, Nathan,” Tom said. “I’ll keep thinking about any possibilities.”

“Sure. Both of you try to make the meeting Monday. I’m shocked that Emily was a target. And it could have been to get at you, but why you? You don’t have any real enemies around these parts.”

“You never know—you can aggravate someone without even knowing it. Since there are several people now who’ve received these Maverick messages, I’d say this is a sour character who has a lot of grudges.”

“You’re right. I want to catch him—or her. I’m sure Emily’s computer will be the same as the others—we can’t trace where the messages originated. Maverick may be mean, but he’s not stupid.”

Nathan followed them outside, and the three of them stood for a moment in the late-afternoon sun. “Emily, since you’ve moved into your uncle’s house here in town, if you need us at any time, just call. I’m glad Tom is there now, because that takes away some worries.”

“We’ll keep in touch,” Tom promised as he took Emily’s arm lightly. He was saying goodbye to the sheriff, paying little attention to her, but with each of Tom’s touches, the contact was startling. How could he still do this to her when they were no longer in love and headed for divorce? They had no future together, she was annoyed he had taken charge of her life and was staying with her, yet the slightest contact was electrifying. She hoped her reaction didn’t show.

They told Nathan goodbye and walked to the car. As they drove away, Tom glanced at her. “Let’s stop at the diner and get a burger.”

“Sure,” she answered, knowing Tom was probably hungry, but suspecting he wanted people in Royal to see them together.

Everything they did reminded her of old times with him, which made her sad, but at the same time, she couldn’t keep from enjoying his company.

They drove the short distance down Main and stopped at the Royal Diner for burgers. Too many things she did with Tom reminded her of their life when everything was exciting and they were in love. The reminders hurt and made her realize how her expectations had been destroyed and there wasn’t any putting their marriage back together. They might fool Maverick, but it was going to cost her peace of mind to have Tom hovering around.

They sat down in a booth upholstered in red faux leather. “How many times have we eaten burgers or had a malt here?” she couldn’t resist asking Tom.

He smiled at her. “Too many to keep track, but my mind was never on the burgers or the malts.”

“I doubt mine was, either,” she said, remembering how exciting he was to her. “This is the first place you asked me to go with you—to get a malt.”

“I remember,” he said, focusing on her with a direct gaze that made her warm. “After you ran into my car.”

“That was one of the first times I ever took the car. I just didn’t see you when I pulled out of the school parking lot. It’s a good thing you had quick reflexes, because it would have been a worse wreck if you hadn’t put on your brakes.”

“That seems so long ago. Your uncle Woody was understanding about the whole thing. His insurance paid for my car and he had faith in you. He knew you’d learn to drive, and I guess he figured you’d be more careful after hitting my car.”

“I was definitely more careful.”

“It was worth it to get you to pick me up every morning and take me to school while my car was being fixed,” Tom said, smiling at her.

“I thought so, too,” she said, loving to see him smile. The sad times they’d experienced had taken away smiles and laughter, but before that she had always had more fun with Tom than anyone else. “I liked picking you up, except it was embarrassing, too, because everyone in school knew what I’d done.”

He leaned across the table, and his voice dropped as he spoke softly. “Remember our first kiss? I do.”

She looked into his bedroom eyes and drew a deep breath. But it felt as if all the air in the diner suddenly vanished. She couldn’t keep from glancing at Tom’s mouth, thinking about his kisses, remembering them in exacting detail and wanting to kiss him again.

“Of course I do, but I’m surprised you do.”

“I do. Why do you think I asked you out again?” he said, those hazel eyes twinkling.

“It was all exciting, Tom,” she said, full of regret.

“Then don’t cry about it now. Happy memories. Take the ones that were special and exciting and concentrate on them.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” she said lightly, smiling at him.

Their burgers came. She ate half of hers, reflecting on how she didn’t want Tom staying with her but finding no way to avoid it, especially after Nathan said it was a good arrangement.

They left and she felt certain they would never eat burgers together in the Royal Diner again. She glanced up at Tom as she walked beside him. He was still exciting to her, which was something she didn’t want to feel, because they had no future and all too soon they would officially be divorced. Why did that hurt so badly when it was what they both wanted? Now with him moving in to stay in the same house with her, was she going through another emotional upheaval that would be more difficult and painful to get over than the last time?

“Want to make a quick stop and see my studio?” she asked impulsively. “It isn’t something you have to do.”

“No, I’d like to see it.”

“Turn at the next corner.” She gave him directions and they drove just two more blocks and parked in front. She was sandwiched in between a law office and a popular bakery that had delicious bread. He paused to look at the pictures of babies and dogs and families on display in her front window.

“Very nice, Em. You’ve turned your hobby into a good business. You’re very good.”

“Thank you,” she said, feeling he was being polite.

“I think I may just stand out here and smell the bread,” Tom remarked.

“It’s fantastic. We can pick up a loaf to take with us. They have specialties. Come in. This is tiny, but big enough for me.”

He walked around the waiting room, looking at more pictures on the walls. Some of the people he recognized, a lot he didn’t, especially the children. Then he came upon a large framed picture of their son when he was two years old.

“Em, this is a wonderful picture of Ryan. I want a copy.”

“I’ll get you one. I’m glad you like it. It makes me happy to see his picture when I come to work.”