Three to Ride

Chapter Eleven

Rachel stood behind the counter of the diner and looked at her boss. “You’re sure you don’t need me to stay the whole shift?”

She was hoping beyond hope that the answer was no. She was anxious to get back home and check up on Max and Rye. Her heart did a little flip-flop at the word “home.” She was starting to think of Harper Stables as her home. She loved the big house and the easy way the three of them shared it. After tomorrow night, they would share everything, she promised herself. She intended to make it impossible for them to deny her or themselves any longer.

Stella looked distracted. She was in full preparation mode for the big picnic and auction tomorrow. Rachel heard the doors to the diner open. “Don’t worry about it. We’ve been slow all day.”

Rachel took off her apron and walked around the counter to get her purse. She was stopped in her tracks by two cowboys. She took in the sight of the two men walking into the place like they owned it. Jen stopped beside her. Her hands were still holding the order she was taking out.

“Damn,” Jen said under her breath. Her eyes widened as she watched the cowboys striding in.

Damn was right, Rachel thought, hiding her smile. Stefan had been correct about the Kent brothers. They were just about perfect for her purposes. They each had dark hair peeking out from their Stetsons. Their long legs looked strong in tight jeans and worn boots. They weren’t twins, but there was no question they were brothers. Rachel was taken by their startlingly deep green eyes. They were young men, but there was no doubt that they were men.

“Ma’am,” the taller one said, tipping his hat as he took a seat at the counter. His brother followed. Neither of them hid the fact that they were assessing the women in the room. Rachel rolled her eyes as the one on the right boldly stared at her chest.

“Who are they?” Jen leaned toward Rachel and kept her voice low.

“Friends of Stefan’s.” Rachel offered no other explanation. They really were friends of Stefan’s. They were also about to be the bane of Max’s and Rye’s existence. She had to carefully school her face because she wanted to laugh. The Kent brothers probably acted a whole lot like the Harper twins had when they were arrogant twenty-somethings. In her mind’s eye, she could see Rye and Max at that age, before the world had tempered them. They would have swaggered through the diner, too, checking out every available female as though it was just a question of which one to choose for the night. If Max’s head didn’t explode when he caught sight of them, it would be a miracle.

“Hello, darlin’,” the shorter one said with a confident smile. Though he was shorter than his brother, he was by no means small. He still had a foot on Rachel. He was definitely the charmer. The taller one was watching her with hooded eyes. He was the broody one.

She smiled back, knowing they were putting on a show that Max and Rye would definitely hear about. “Good evening, gentlemen.”

“My name is Shane Kent,” the charming one said with a devilish wink. He looked down at her name tag. “And you’re Rachel. I like that name, Rachel.”

Stella’s head came up from her work. She watched the exchange with avid eyes. Rachel knew she would be on the phone talking up the incident the minute she could do so without missing something.

“I’m sure it would suit you. You look like a Rachel,” Rachel said saucily. These young men might be good-looking, but they had nothing on Max and Rye. They were puppies compared to her men.

Shane Kent’s eyes flared. He looked like a man who liked a challenge. His brother cracked a smile and looked her over with renewed interest. “She’s beautiful and funny. I like her. How about you, Bay?”

A long, slow smile crossed Bay Kent’s face. “I think she’d suit us just fine, brother.”

“How about we take you out tonight, sweetheart?” Shane asked.

“Seriously?” Jen’s eyes drifted between Rachel and the brothers. “What kind of perfume are you wearing? Eau de Ménage? Where do I get it?” She shook her head and flounced off.

Rachel wanted to tell Jen that this was all a setup, but she needed the story to get around, and Jen would be very good at doing just that. Stella was already on her cell phone. Rachel bet Teeny and Marie were getting the lowdown.

“Sorry, I already have a boyfriend,” Rachel said with a little shrug.

“Only one, darlin’?” Shane asked, his voice smooth as glass. “Why settle for one when you can have two? Trust me, you haven’t lived until you’ve been between us.”

Rachel heard every person in the diner draw in a breath. There were a whole bunch of cell phones working overtime now. She had to say that when you wanted word to get out, there was no place better to be than a small town. The gossip grapevine was in full bloom in Bliss. Someone would call Callie Sheppard with the story that Rachel Swift was getting hit on by another set of boys who shared their toys. Rachel was sure Callie would be telling the entire story to Rye within ten minutes.

“I guess I’ll just have to take your word for that.” Rachel winked at the men and drew her purse over her shoulder. “Good night, boys.”

“We’ll see you around, Miss Rachel,” Bay said slowly.

She felt both of their eyes on her as she walked out of the diner.

The evening air was clean and crisp. Rachel stretched as she walked around the back of the diner to the place where she parked the old Jeep. Max was already making noise about buying her something new. Rachel didn’t see the need. Max’s car was even older than hers. He’d explained that there was a difference between their vehicles. Max drove a 1976 Ford Ranger, a classic vehicle. Her Jeep was just a piece of junk.

She shook her head as she slipped inside the Jeep. It was true. She’d bought it for $650 off some guy in New Mexico after the unfortunate San Diego incident. It was a jalopy. Sometimes the driver’s side back tire got a little low, and it felt that way now. But the ranch was only fifteen minutes outside of town. She could get Max or Rye to air it up for her when she got home. The car started, and the lights worked. That was what mattered. Without another thought about it, she pulled out onto the road and started toward home.

It had only been a week, but those nights she’d spent driving around looking for a safe place to spend the night seemed so far away. She had quickly gotten used to having a place to live and someone to cuddle up with at night while they watched TV. She loved being between the two big men. There wasn’t a better way to spend the evening than smooshed between their big bodies. Neither one of them understood the meaning of personal space when it came to her. Even Rye, who, when he thought about it, tried to put some distance between them, ended up touching her when they sat together. The night before, the three of them had sat on the couch and watched a movie. Rachel had been terribly tired. Max offered his shoulder to lean on. Rachel had fallen asleep, and when she’d awakened, her feet were in Rye’s lap, being rubbed softly, as though he couldn’t help himself. It had been a nice night.

Rachel turned off the main road and onto the little street that led to Harper Stables and some of the other houses both up the mountain and down in the little valley. The stables were down in the valley, but she had to go up to get back down. Max and Rye liked the isolation. Rachel could do without the dirt road. She preferred a nicely paved highway with guardrails. It was a winding road, so she slowed down. She still wasn’t used to driving in the mountains. It always felt like she was too close to the edge. Max drove through this stretch with the casual ease of a local, but it was going to take Rachel time to get used to it. She especially hated driving at night. Though the sun had just gone down, Rachel was already struggling to see.

Suddenly it felt like the entire back end of the car was about to go over the edge. There was a popping sound, and Rachel felt the car swerve. Her hands gripped the steering wheel. She could feel the car start to dangle over the side of the road. It was a long way down. Rachel turned the steering wheel and pressed down on the gas. The wheels spun. The car didn’t go anywhere, though. It just made a horrible grinding sound. Rachel’s hands were shaking as she cut the engine and engaged the parking brake. Though the car seemed stable, she moved cautiously toward the passenger side. She stepped gingerly out of the vehicle before breathing a sigh of relief. Despite the darkness, she could see the odd way her car was sitting. She was lucky she hadn’t gone over the edge.

Rachel pulled out the little cell phone Max insisted she carry. She’d been annoyed at the time, but now she was grateful, or she would be if she could get a signal. There were no bars to be had this high on the mountain. Once she got to the valley, she would be able to make a call. Of course, once she got to the valley, she would be home and wouldn’t need to make a call, she grumbled mentally. She pocketed the phone, grabbed her purse, and found a flashlight in the back of the Jeep.

The flashlight told the story. That back tire had finally given up the ghost. It couldn’t have picked a worse time. There was no way to change the tire here. She would have to get the Jeep towed. Once that happened, she would never see it again. She knew Max. Max would have a new car shipped in before the old one could get to the shop. She sighed and started to walk.

And really, what was wrong with that? Max wanted her to have a new car. She probably needed one. It worried him every time she drove off. If he needed one and she had the money to buy it for him, she would. Why was she fighting him?

She breathed in the slightly cool night air and knew why. She was afraid. She was afraid of depending on him and Rye. She was terrified it would all go wrong if she let go. It was easier to tell herself that she didn’t really need them. They were just fun and sexy. They didn’t really matter in the end. She could only count on herself.

The truth was people ran when the going got tough. Rachel had seen it firsthand when Tommy Lane came into her life. When it became obvious she had a crazy stalker in her life, her friends had fallen by the wayside. Some of them had tried to stick it out, but in the end, they had protected themselves. Her best friend Alison’s tires had been slashed when Rachel had stayed at her house. Alison had a baby to think about. Rachel didn’t really blame Alison for pulling away, but it had taught her a lesson. It was the real reason she hadn’t mentioned her little problem to the boys. She was afraid that once they heard about all the trouble following her they would rethink the relationship.

Rachel pointed the flashlight. In the distance she could see the turnoff to Mel’s place. There was a light from his cabin. It was so dark here, she thought with a little shiver. The darkness was a soft thing when she was at home, but now it seemed foreboding. That little light in the distance was warm and welcoming.

It was ridiculous. Home was less than half a mile away. She wasn’t going to run to the town’s craziest conspiracy theorist for protection from the dark. She would walk right past his drive and march straight home.

Rachel heard a sound behind her. She turned and looked back up the road. There was a car coming, but she couldn’t see the lights. She heard the car stop, probably taking a look at her own abandoned vehicle. Her car was taking up a lot of the road. It was only natural a local would stop to try to figure out if someone needed help. It could even be Rye coming home, she reasoned and started to turn back.

She stopped. Rye wouldn’t be driving without his headlights on. Why would anyone be driving on a dangerous road with their headlights off? Rachel’s stomach turned as panic started to take over. Shouldn’t the person have called out by now? Whoever was looking over her car was doing it very quietly. She clicked off the flashlight, not wanting to give away her position. In the moonlight she could see the vague outline of a body moving around her car. She would bet it was a man. He was stocky, but then it could be a solidly built woman. There were a whole lot of those around here.

Everything instinct she had told her to run. If he’d found her, there would be no time to rethink her decision. It wouldn’t be the first time Tommy had caught up to her. Barely breathing, Rachel started to move off the road onto the grass. She would be quieter there, and she needed to get to Mel’s. Mel had a phone, a landline. He thought it was monitored by the alien invasion force, but it worked. She would hole up and call Rye. Her heart was pounding as she watched to see if the shadowy figure was following. All of the terror of the last few years of her life was suddenly riding her hard. She was a mass of survival instincts. Every one of them was focused on one thing, the road in front of her. If everything was all right, then the car would either drive by or someone would call out her name looking for her. Everyone in town knew she drove that Jeep. If everything was all right, she would hear someone yelling for “Rachel,” and she would recognize the voice.

Rachel moved behind the tree line as it became clear everything was not all right. There was almost no sound except the dirt crunching as someone walked down the road. Around the corner, a light suddenly came into view. Someone had a flashlight, and he was looking for her.

Without another thought, Rachel ran. She dropped her own flashlight. She simply ran toward the cabin in the distance. She tried to be as quiet as she could, but she was running on adrenaline and panic. Her feet sounded through the woods. She would have sworn she could feel the moment he caught sight of her and began his pursuit.

Rachel turned her head as she ran, trying to catch a glimpse of the man chasing her. She knew who it was. There was no question. He’d found her, and he was going to do what he had always promised. He was going to gut her. He was going to bathe in her blood. Tears were streaming down her face as she prayed to anyone who would listen.

She saw something in the distance, but it was vague and blurry. It didn’t matter. She could feel him watching her. She knew he was hunting her. Tree limbs slapped her in the face, but she ignored them. She was wearing a short skirt and sneakers. The brush felt like it was cutting her legs. She kept running. When she stumbled, she popped up as fast as she could, completely ignoring the ache in her knee. None of it would matter if he caught her.

She could hear him moving. He was silent, but in her panic it was as though the very trees were calling her name.

“Liz,” she heard them whisper.

But she wasn’t Liz anymore, she thought savagely as she ran. She was Rachel. She was stronger than she had been before. He might have her on the run now, but she would get away. She would survive.

She ran into something solid and fell back on her butt. There was a moment of complete terror until she looked up and saw Mel standing over her. He was a slender man, but now he seemed really solid to her in his army fatigues. He held a huge gun in his hands. His eyes were searching the woods. He might be a freaky man, but he was competent with a gun.

“Is it time?” Mel asked, reaching down and hauling her up.

She stood beside him. He pressed something into her hand. It was cold and made of metal. It was a handgun. She immediately flicked the safety off and took a protective stance. She’d learned to use a gun when she realized the cops couldn’t protect her. She remembered the day like it was yesterday. She’d been sitting down to lunch when Tommy joined her. He’d told her all the things he intended to do to her if she didn’t come back to him. She’d threatened to call the police. He’d simply laughed and told her to prove it. He’d killed her dog the next day, and Rachel had applied for a gun permit.

“Has the invasion started?”

Her voice was shaky as she replied. “No, Mel, I think it’s just a man.”

“That’s what they want you to think,” Mel said sensibly. “I just want to know if it’s the good guys or the bad guys.”

“There are good guys?” Rachel had only heard about the bad ones.

“Oh, sure.” Mel was calm and collected as though they were talking about the weather instead of standing at attention with firearms ready to kill anything that moved. “There are some good ones out there. They get lost, or they’re on the run from the bad guys. There’s always good guys and bad guys, Miss Rachel. That’s how the world works.” He listened for a moment. “But whoever was out there is gone now.”

In the distance, a car drove past. Its lights were on now. She couldn’t be sure if it was the same car. Now she felt a little foolish. She hadn’t really seen anything except someone checking out a car left on the road. It had probably been spooked campers.

“Why don’t you come up to the house?” Mel offered. “I’ve got some soup, and we can call your men to come get you.”

Rachel nodded and started to follow him. She looked back into the woods, but all was silent now.

“And Miss Rachel, I think you should stay away from those Kent boys,” Mel said seriously, proving the grapevine worked. “Those two seem like nothing but trouble. I don’t think old Max will take kindly to it, and Rye will probably throw them in jail.”

The door to Mel’s cabin opened. Rachel shook off her panic. She was safe here in Bliss.