Endless Trails Page 9

  “Get up.” Dean motioned upward with the barrel of his gun.

  Ryland and Buck stood, hands in the air.

  Dean stood in the doorway, his last ranch hand standing behind him. He brandished the shotgun like a shield. “We’re done. My wife called the cops. You, sir, are not welcome in my town. You made the mistake of coming this way.” He glanced at Ryland, nodding reassuringly. “I'll deal with the rest of it.”

  “I came to get my property.” Buck lowered his hands and stepped forward.

  Dean arched an eyebrow, spitting to the side. “Take another step and let's see how much of this lead you'll call your property.”

  Blue and red lights flashed through the windows, creating a strobe light effect as the lights spun around and around. Sirens announced their arrival a moment after the lights.

  Buck moved as if to bolt out the door past Dean, but the older man held firm and thrust the gun forward. “Don’t push me, boy.”

  Shouts carried to them from outside. The sheriff burst through the door, holding his gun out. He rolled his eyes when he saw Dean. “Come on, Bess. You can't act like you’re the law around here. I can take this.”

  “I know I’m not the law. My wife called you. She’s the law.” Dean shrugged and stepped back to allow his friend into the building.

  The sheriff arrested Buck and in short time he and his deputies had rounded up the rest of the group traveling with Buck.

  Kevin’s yelling and struggling brought Ryland and Amy with Dean outside to stand by the horses to watch.

  “Why are you taking me? They were beating me up! I’m pressing charges.” Kevin yanked his arms out of the police officer’s grasp only to get brought back in control.

  “You were already told you’re being arrested for assault and kidnapping. You’ll need to deal with those charges before you can bring charges against your accomplices.” The deputy pushed the still struggling and whining man into the back of the last car.

  Dean turned to Ryland, shooting a concerned glance at Amy and her wild-eyed expression. He leaned close to Ryland and murmured, “You better get her home.” He reached forward and pulled Amy into his arms, squeezing her tight. Louder, he spoke soothingly. “You’re okay, now, Amy. Everything is going to be okay.”

  Rocking her back and forth for a minute, he patted her back. “It’s okay.” He carefully handed her off to Ryland and jerked his head west. “Get going.”

  Ryland didn’t need any further encouragement. He needed her safe and he needed to make sure Cody was okay.

  Chapter 16

  Amy

  Amy followed Ryland to the horses. “Where's Cody?” She hadn't allowed the panic to set in over worry about her son. Why was Ryland there when she had asked him to take care of Cody? Cody was the most important thing. Not her. If Buck got Cody, she would never forgive herself.

  Or Ryland.

  Ryland wrapped his arm around her as they walked. “Come on, let's get going. You can ride with me.” He swung into his saddle and helped her mount up behind him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and watched as the night passed by.

  No matter how fast Ryland went, she didn’t think it was fast enough. She just wanted to get back to her son, wherever he was. She had an inkling he was with Mary, but until she held him, it wasn't going to be enough.

  At the ranch, Ryland didn't stop at their little cabin. He went straight to the main house, pulling up at the stairs and helping her dismount.

  She couldn’t give in to the anxiety eating at the edges of her numbness. It was like she couldn’t smell or feel, if she did she would fall to the ground, screaming. The pain in her cheek and along her back where Buck had belted her weren’t in the forefront of her mind. Nothing mattered.

  Amy didn't wait for Ryland to dismount the horse. She rushed up the steps and opened the door. “Mary? Cody! Where are you?” Like an aquarium closed around her, she put her hands in the air and pressed around her. Why couldn’t she breathe? Where was her son?

  “It's okay. I've got him.” Mary came around the corner, holding a sleeping Cody.

  Why did everyone keep saying it was okay? Nothing was okay.

  Mary handed the child to Amy, who greedily clutched him to her chest. Mary patted Amy’s back.

  The bands of anxiety loosened from Amy’s chest and she dragged in a deep breath. Cuddling her little boy, she finally let the wall of numbness down. Shock had been a shield for her emotional protection, but she leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor. Her knees were drawn up toward her chest and she hung her head.

  She didn't care who saw her in such a weakened state. The sobs broke free and she let herself acknowledge her fear. She'd been so scared, for so long.

  Running from Buck had been one of the riskier things she’d ever done. Now, he was arrested. Hopefully, she didn't have to be afraid anymore. Would she ever drop her paranoia? Would she ever be able to be happy?

  After an indeterminable time, her tears subsided.

  Ryland reached out and helped her up. He wrapped an arm around her, careful not to budge Cody in her arms. “Come on. Let's go home.”

  She didn't remember the walk back, only that she was holding Cody and that's what she needed.

  ~~~

  Stretching in her bed, Amy glanced down at Cody sleeping beside her. He'd only woken up once during the night to eat. She’d been so grateful for the time with him, to be back with him, to wake up a new day without Buck hanging over her head.

  Or her heart.

  She could let herself feel again. The interest she’d had in Ryland could grow and she didn’t have to worry that Buck would come after him. The only thing she had to worry about was Ryland’s desire to stay. After the events from the night before, why would he want to stay? Drama had followed him since she’d joined him. What man wanted that around?

  Ryland rapped quietly on her bedroom door. He was careful not to wake Cody with the soft knocking. The sound startled Amy and she carefully unwound from her position around Cody.

  Throwing back the covers, Amy climbed from the bed. She approached the door and glanced down quickly at her T-shirt and sweatpants to make sure she was at least dressed. She wasn’t presentable but dressed would work.

  Joining Ryland in the hall, Amy reached up to pull her curls back into a tight bun. She pulled the door half-shut and crossed her arms. “Good morning.”

  Ryland searched her face and pointed toward the kitchen. “Good morning. I made some breakfast, if you're ready. I didn’t want to wake you up, but I wanted you to eat it while it’s hot.” He was fully dressed and even had his boots on.

  Amy followed him into the kitchen. Why was he dressed? It couldn’t be later than seven.

  Mr. Bess had ordered a later morning for the ranch hands that had chosen the longer shift, at least for the men that had gone and helped rescue Amy the night before.

  Amy sat at the table and Ryland placed a plate in front of her filled with eggs, sausage, and hashbrowns.

  She couldn't focus on the food. So she watched him, waiting for his news to drop.

  He didn’t say anything as he claimed his own seat across from her. His blue gaze traced her face as if he tried memorizing its lines.

  Foreboding shortened her breathing and she pushed her fists into her lap. “What aren't you telling me?”

  Looking down at his plate, Ryland picked up his fork and pushed at his scrambled eggs. He came to a decision and finally looked at her, his eyes guarded. “I'm going on. I need to get Nate.”

  There it was. She’d been waiting for it, but hadn’t really thought it would hurt so badly. “You won't stay?” Don’t cry. Don’t whisper. Use a normal voice.

  He’d left his hat off and a collection of curls framed his face. “Why would I stay? What's here for me?” Was he asking her? Or was he saying it rhetorically?

  Finally, he looked down and claimed a bite. After he swallowed, he spoke again as if he might be trying to convince himself. “I don't belong here. I ha
ve a home.”

  Amy nodded shortly. She picked up her cup of juice and sipped it, wildly trying to figure out just what was going on. “Okay.” Even as she agreed, her heart seemed to be splitting in two. She swallowed. “When?” Why did he have to leave?

  “Later this morning. Are you going to stay?” He watched her, as if all the secrets of the universe hid in her face.

  Why would he ask that? Amy lifted her chin. “I have nowhere else to go.” Did he want to take her? Was he asking her to go with him? Nothing was set in stone, and she needed to ask him. She thought they were going somewhere. She thought that he cared for her. They were going to figure things out the night before, but now he was running away.

  She opened her mouth to ask just what exactly was going on between them but Cody cried, breaking the moment.

  “I’ll be right back.” Amy shook her head and went back to tend to her son. She unwrapped him and changed his diaper, getting him clean and ready for the morning. She made him a bottle and fed him in a small chair Mary had delivered. Mary had kept all of her daughter’s things and she’d been so excited that Amy would be able to use them.

  Amy couldn’t leave there. She’d become close with Mary and couldn’t imagine not seeing her often. She would have to tell Ryland and maybe she could convince him to stay. What if all he wanted was to hear that she wanted him to stay? It was so simple but so huge. She just had to put aside her pride and ask him to stay.

  She returned to the living room, carrying Cody, prepared to all but beg Ryland to stay. But he was already walking outside.

  She didn't want to be there when he drove away. A different type of panic welled inside her.

  Watching him head toward the barn, she stopped herself from calling out to him.

  Amy didn't want to cry. She needed to get to the main house. She needed someone who could look at her with practicality and still be optimistic. Mary would be there for her. The best thing for Amy was not to be alone.

  A slight frost tipped the pine needles and the grasses on the trail. Her breath puffed in white clouds as she walked toward the big house. Winter was coming and in no time the Tamaracks would drop their orange and red needles.

  Amy cast side glances at the barn as she walked to the house, hoping to catch a glimpse of Ryland. Just one more.

  Knocking on the door, she waited for Mary to answer. There’d been too much drama in her life. She missed the idea of family and belonging. Mary and Dean had slipped into that role almost effortlessly. Amy was ready for boring, ready for her heart to be healed already. At least Ryland had spared her the pain of falling for him even more before leaving and saved her that pain.

  Mary opened the door and reached out to wrap her arms around Amy. She tugged on the scarf she’d knotted at her neck. “I was headed down to check on you. I'm so glad you're okay. Now you know you’re safe. I have some great news, too.” She drew Amy into the warm house and peeked at Cody. “Look at your bright eyes, baby boy.” She tickled his cheek and cooed.

  Gathering herself, Amy wrinkled her nose as she gave in to her emotions. “Yeah. I'm safe, but my heart is broken.” Tears streamed down Amy's cheeks in hot paths of regret and loneliness.

  “Why? Where's Ryland now? He’ll fix it for you.” Mary led the way up a short flight of stairs to claim a seat on the couch in front of the large living room windows.

  “He can’t fix it. He’s the one who broke it.” Amy shook her head, swiping her fingertips under her eyes. “He's leaving. He said there's nothing for him here and he's got to go after Nate.”

  Mary covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide. “No!” She slapped the couch cushion beside her. “Dean wants to offer him the foreman position. Dean went into the Sheriff's office to make his statement.” She rolled her eyes. “All the excitement and Dean had to go in and talk with all the other ranchers over coffee.”

  She watched Amy and pursed her lips. “This will never do. Dean really wants to hire Ryland. He wasn't sure he would ever be able to find someone like Nate. And when Nate said he had to move on, Dean was devastated. This could destroy him.”

  The sound of an engine starting up captured their attention. They turned and watched out the window as Ryland drove away in his truck.

  Amy turned into Mary's suddenly open arms and sobbed into her shoulder. Why would he leave after going to so much trouble to save her?

  Chapter 17

  Ryland

  Driving away from Bess Ranch was one of the hardest things Ryland had ever done. Every mile he put between him and Amy and Cody felt like hot lead pouring on his skin. He didn't even want to think about the pain it was doing to his heart. He’d probably lost a few years off his life.

  He ran over his plan in his head for the hundredth time. He’d go get Nate and not take no for an answer. After he returned Nate to Bella Acres, Ryland would return to Godfrey and beg Amy to consider being with him. While he had the guilt of an incomplete goal for his family eating at him, he’d never be happy with Amy. She deserved so much better.

  About an hour out from the ranch, he finally picked up the phone and called Damon. “I'm on my way to get him, brother.”

  Damon’s indifference reached the miles between them. “What held you up? You should've done that when he left.”

  Ryland jutted his jaw to the side. “Yeah, I don't need you to give me a hard time about it. There's this woman... And I can see what the big fuss is about from all of you lovesick idiots.” Ryland shook his head, taking the next turn and watching for any animals that early in the morning.

  “Wait a minute, you found someone?” Damon's disbelief struck a chord in Ryland and he laughed bitterly. Filling Damon in on everything that had happened since their call on the highway and picking up Amy, Ryland fought an even stronger melancholic sting.

  Damon cut him off after Ryland said he’d left. “Go back.”

  Ryland furrowed his brow and scratched his face. “What? I gotta go get Nate. Don’t mess around, Damon. I’m serious. I’m hurting and I don’t need you makin’ it worse.” He ended on a growl. If Damon hadn’t demanded he chase after Nate, Ryland wouldn’t have felt so guilty about sticking around with Amy.

  Damon sighed with regret. “I didn’t know what you had going on was a woman. Nate’s a big boy. We’ll be fine here. You’re not going to miss out on something because of me or the Trails. Let me tell you, love is worth it.” He paused, probably debating just how much more needed to be said. “Go back for her.”

  Confused further, Ryland gave in and spilled what was bugging him. “I'm not even sure if I do love her. I'm just telling you what happened and why it hurts. If I’m not in love with her, I don’t want to lead her on.”

  Damon laughed. “If you even think you might be in love with her – if you think there might be a chance – it's worth going back and finding out. Plus, you don’t ever let yourself get attached even to this point. There’s something more here. Give it a chance.”

  Ryland pulled over to the side of the road, parking the truck and leaning forward on the steering wheel. He closed his eyes. “What if she doesn't want me?” His fear was out there. He hadn’t had a chance to talk things out with her the night before and with all the suspense, he hadn’t considered the conversation a priority. Not compared to getting her back to her son or getting her away from her dangerous ex.

  “Did you ask her?” Damon’s logical question drew Ryland up short.

  He sat up and stared at the trees along the side of the road without really seeing them. “Well, no.”

  “Go ask, little brother. Be brave. This is the biggest thing you'll ever do. Even if nothing works out between the two of you, at least you can say you tried. You won’t look back later and ask if you’d done everything you could have. I would hate to have you come back to the family, with Nate in tow, and have nothing else to show for the rest of your life.” The change in Damon's tone was telling. “We don’t need two depressed Trails at the ranch.”

  “Okay, I'll do it
. I don't know what else to do about Nate.” He felt like a crushing disappointment to his family. “I’m sorry I failed.”

  “Hey, Nate is not your responsibility. Emma isn’t your fault. It's okay that he's gone. I was hoping you would have something to do, a purpose, feel like you were more than just a ranch hand by having you go after him. Because you are, you are so much more than any one thing.

  “You need to understand each of us has something we’re supposed to be doing. I’ve learned, and Rachiah will probably take credit for this one, usually what we have to do is find someone to love. But that's pretty much all it is. Rachiah has definitely taught me that. If you asked Jareth or anyone else, they’d probably say the same thing.”

  “Nate wouldn't.” Ryland's bitterness and sadness at Emma's passing still stung.

  “Once Nate has grieved over Emma for longer than just a month or so, he might be able to look back and see what they had together and be grateful for it. After that happens, Nate will say the same thing as the rest of us. There is no way he would trade what he's feeling right now for never knowing her. He loved her too much for that. If you give yourself a chance, you can love this girl just as much as Nate did. It’s possible. Nate is not the only one to find complete happiness.” Damon waited a minute and as if he sensed Ryland's hesitance, he pushed again. “Don't be a baby, get after her. Be the man I know you are.”

  As if waiting for something to break free and it finally did, Ryland took a deep breath. A huge weight had been lifted and he couldn’t wait to chase after Amy. “Okay, thanks, brother.”

  They hung up, and Ryland turned the truck around. Instead of doubt or worry as he drove closer to the Bess Ranch, excitement crowded out any insecurities or uncertainties he might have had. He couldn't wait to see Amy and Cody.

  What was he thinking in leaving? He’d never wanted to stay somewhere so bad and there he’d been driving away!

  When he'd rushed to the barn to grab some of his tools, he’d caught a glimpse of Amy’s gold hair as she made her way to the main house. She was probably visiting Mary.