Alexander Ranch (9 page)

“Have you noticed Jordan really seems to have a problem with me?”

She stopped chewing for a moment. Then she looked up at me, finished chewing her food, and swallowed.

“Yes, I have,” She admitted.

“Do you have any idea why?”

She took a deep breath and then let it out and sat her fork down. “It’s not really you, not really.”

“Uh, yea, I’m pretty sure it is me,” I disagreed. “And, I’m pretty sure he hates my very presence.” I hadn’t meant to say that. I’d blurted the words out before I could stop myself. She blinked with surprise.

“He doesn’t hate you,” she said slowly as if struggling for the right words. “It’s just…well, it’s complicated. The best way I could explain it is that you intimidate him.”

“Intimidate him?” I frowned in confusion. “How? That’s not possible.”

“I can’t really explain it. Jordan would have to do that. But, trust me, he doesn’t hate you. Actually, I’m fairly certain he likes you.”

“Yea, right,” I snorted. Whatever feelings he had towards me were deep in the opposite direction of like.

“So, you seem to really be enjoying working with the horses,” she said. I thought this a deliberate attempt to change the subject. That was fine. I didn’t want to talk about Jordan anymore either.

“I do. I really love it.”

“Does that mean you’ll stay with us for a while?”

“Yes, I’ll accept the temporary assignment,” I said grudgingly. But, I couldn’t help smiling a little. I’d had fun today. Heck, I’d had fun all week. And, I hadn’t had this type of carefree fun in a long time.

“Yea!” she jumped up grabbing her now empty plate. This girl could eat. “We need to have cheesecake to celebrate.”

“I’ll have to visit my job occasionally, however. I’ve kind of left them shorthanded,” I yelled at her back as she headed to the kitchen.

“Hey, anytime. You just let us know,” She
quipped, peeking her head back around the kitchen entryway. Then she disappeared again into the kitchen. I heard her moving around in the refrigerator as I finished up my considerably smaller portion of food. She returned after a few moments with two dessert plates. Though my piece was smaller than hers, it was still too big.

A
s I ate my cheesecake I decided to stick with my original plan and ignore Jordan and his dislike for me. Why should I care whether he liked me or not? I was enjoying myself. I wasn’t working with him anyway so why should I let him ruin this time?

Friday, according to plan, I was fairly successful at ignoring Jordan’s ignoring of me. Logan had come to eat lunch with us and tell me what a great job he thought I was doing. I had made rounds with Ethan earlier and tended to a few of the other animals needing minor medical attention like vaccinations or check-ups. I was actually surprised to find just how healthy and robust the animals were, not that I expected anything less. Anyone could plainly see that the Alexanders took very good care of their animals and employees. Their animals fairly glowed with a vitality I couldn’t describe. There really wasn’t much need for a vet. Caring for all of the animals was the bigger job.

Grace joined us shortly after her husband’s arrival and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. Before she even sat down in her seat, however, she announced that she would be taking a look at me after lunch.

“I’m fine, Grace, really. I don’t know what you gave me, but I barely have any aches or pains and just some minor bruises.”

“It would seem so, but I just want to do a follow-up,” She insisted.

After eating, she dragged me off to the exam room and looked over my wounds. After a quick assessment she declared I was indeed doing just fine.

Chapter 13

The weekend passed very quickly. I’d had more fun then I remembered having in years. Ethan and Daisy definitely didn’t make me feel like I was
under their protection. Though they never left my side, we didn’t stay hidden in the house. We went to the movies, to the gym, out to eat, and Ethan didn’t even object to shopping.

Daisy assured me that there was no reason to hide. Either the bad guys they were protecting me from knew who I was or they didn’t. And if they did, they would come. If they didn’t know they wouldn’t.  I wasn’t sure that this was the normal protocol for protecting someone, but reasoned that the president and celebrities had threats all the time and it never stopped them from going about their business with a security detail or a body guard. So, perhaps it wasn’t all that strange. I decided to enjoy this rare moment of socializing and fun and let the experts worry about my security.

By Sunday night I was exhausted and had to go to bed early. I thought of all of the physical activity I’d gotten this weekend. No wonder I was worn out. Working out with Ethan and Daisy was exhausting. Daisy and Ethan both had seemingly inexhaustible energy. I’d thought I was in pretty good shape. However, after being blown away on the elliptical yesterday at the gym, I realized they were in much superior shape than I. And, after they swam laps around me in every stroke today, I realized they were military fit. Then we’d gone out shopping and eating after our workout. And, to top it off, we’d gone out dancing last night. After working out with the robo twins, going to eat and dancing, the only thing I wanted was my bed. Daisy and Ethan, however, seemed to be quite refreshed. They continued to have competitions of endurance and strength long after I’d wilted. I just watched in amazement. No wonder Daisy could put away so much food and remain so slender. I would have to work up to that level of fitness. I literally crawled into bed, wondering if I should take a painkiller for my aching body and promptly fell asleep.

I had no idea how long I’d been sleeping
, or what time it was, when I was startled awake by something. I sat straight up only to be forced back down with a large hand covering my mouth and a heavy body holding me down. Even before my sleepy mind could assess what was happening I began frantically fighting and struggling in earnest.

“Sshh, it’s me, Jordan,” I voice hissed in my ear. It took me a few moments to understand the words or recognize the hushed voice I was so busy struggling. I’d gotten in a couple of good kicks and hits before he neatly pinned me down.
Waking up this way would have catapulted me into a panic if he hadn’t continually repeated his previous statement in my ear until I stopped struggling. Finally understanding his words, I stopped struggling and froze. I looked into my mistaken attackers face and, even in the darkened room, I could make out the familiar features with the little light glowing in from the window. My eyes were wide open now, I could see his eyes shining down into mine. What the hell was he doing here, and why was he covering my mouth and pinning me down? Surprisingly, my panic piped down instead of ratcheting up.

“You have to be quiet. There’s someone outside,” his breath tickled my cheek as he whispered the words in my ear. “I’ve called for backup. Are you ok, now? You won’t scream if I remove my hand will you?”

I shook my head ignoring a new sensation that was beginning to make itself known from the feel of his weight upon me. He stared down at me for a moment and then slowly removed his hand from my mouth as if prepared to re-cover it again quickly if I tried to yell out. When I stayed quiet and still, he looked down at our joined bodies and hastily removed himself from me and the bed.

“I’m, uh, sorry,” he whispered. “I didn’t mean to startle you or, uh, hurt you.”

“I’m not hurt,” I managed to mumble. My pulse was racing. Adrenaline was coursing through me. The manor with which I’d been awakened so abruptly had me wanting to jump up and pace the floor, but I didn’t dare. I remained there unmoving on the bed. After, I moment I sat up slowly. We sat there in silence, Jordan alternately staring off intently as if he were listening for something and then returning his gaze to me. Then, his hand lit up, and I realized he was holding something. His phone. It didn’t vibrate or make any noise. It simply lit up and he jerked his hand up to look at it. After a moment he let out a pent up breath and put the phone to his head and listened.

“Do you know who it was? Ok. No, we’re fine here,” he spoke quietly into the phone and then hung up.

“What’s going on?” I let out my own pent up breath seeing his posture relax.

“There was someone prowling around outside,” he stated calmly, looking directly at me with the oddest expression. “They’re gone now. You’re safe.”

“Oh.”

He looked so odd, upset maybe, I didn’t know what to say. I opened my senses just a bit to see what I could feel from him. Concern. I got the feeling of concern from him. But, concern for what? Himself? Me? Did I dare try to probe more?

“I’m sorry you have to waste your time protecting me,” I blurted out not knowing what else to say. I knew he’d wanted to be doing other things. Maybe something else important to him was being neglected because he was here protecting me, and he’d be that much grumpier, irritated or whatever he was towards me tomorrow.

He had turned towards the window but looked
back at me now. I kept talking, “I know you weren’t happy being assigned to protect me. And, I’d thought that Logan had changed his mind and assigned only Daisy and Ethan to protect me, but I guess tonight you got the short straw since Ethan is gone.”

I closed my mouth. He was just staring at me with a look I couldn’t read. I was sitting up in my bed now and after a moment I looked away.

“I’ve been here every night protecting you,” he finally uttered quietly still looking at me quizzically.

My head jerked up and my mouth opened in surprise but no words came out. I couldn’t think of anything to say so I closed it. Now I was staring.

“Oh, well, I am sorry,” I said finally finding my voice.

“Why are you sorry?” he seemed slightly amused.

“I heard you, well, complaining to Daisy. And, I know you don’t want to be assigned to protect me. And, well I can tell how much my presence irritates you. So…, I’m sorry. I could talk to Logan if you think it would help?”

“It most certainly wouldn’t help,” he snorted. “What do you mean you know how much your presence irritates me?”

I just looked at him for a moment. He had a piercing stare. I don’t think I’d noticed that before. Maybe because he’d never really stared at me. I wished I hadn’t opened my mouth at this point. I felt like I was digging myself into a hole I couldn’t get out of.

“Nothing,” I mumbled, shaking my head.

“Please explain,” he dipped his head down trying to see my face.

“I just thought, from hearing you tell Daisy how you didn’t want to protect me, you had better things to do,” I shrugged and tried for a cheery smile.

“And?”

“And, what?”

“Why did you assume my not wanting to be assigned to protecting you meant I was irritated by your presence?”

“Well, it’s pretty obvious, Jordan,” I said, irritation at his coyness giving me some courage. “You avoid and ignore me whenever we are near each other. You are very friendly to everyone else on the ranch but only speak to me if you have to. I mean, it’s not rocket science and I’m not stupid. Like I said, it’s pretty obvious and it’s ok.”

“Is it now?” He smirked.

“Yes, it really is. I get it. You don’t know me and then all of a sudden I am thrust upon you. I understand,” I said, trying to end this. If he didn’t like me much because I was an unwanted burden forced upon him, I could understand that. He didn’t really know me as a person so I wasn’t going to take it personal, well, not too personal.

“What if I said, I have no problem protecting you and it was more the way I was originally ordered to do so that bothered me?”

I shrugged. I didn’t really believe that and wasn’t in the mood for semantics. And, I was growing more and more uncomfortable with this line of conversation. Suddenly he looked at his phone and then raised it to his head.

“Yes…ok.” He hung up.

“Is everything ok?”

“Yes, that was Daisy. They pursued your visitor but he got away. But, you are safe.”

“Where is Daisy?”

“She and Ethan are outside guarding the perimeter.”

“
Ethan? I thought Ethan was gone?”

“He was earlier and will be again tomorrow.”

Oh. Why are they outside? They should come inside.”

“No, it’s my turn to be inside,” he smiled. “Unless, you’d rather have me outside.”

“Why is anyone outside?”

“Well, each night we rotate. One or two of us is outside guarding the perimeter and the other or others are inside,” he explained and stood now, walking to my door and then turning to me. “You should sleep now.”

I obediently I lay down, knowing I wouldn’t sleep.

“And, Lela,” Jordan continued, “I’m sorry if I made you feel like I resented protecting you
, or that I didn’t welcome you to the ranch.”

“No apology necessary, Jordan,” I mumbled. Moments later I heard his light footsteps fading back into the living room. So, Jordan had been guarding me all along? No wonder he was so irritated still. I didn’t believe for a minute that he didn’t resent being assigned to me. As a matter of fact
, it made more since now knowing that he
hadn’t
been released from having me as a responsibility. He probably just didn’t want me to mention to Daisy or anyone that I felt like he didn’t like me much. He was probably worried that, if it got back to Logan, he’d be assigned to me during the day too. If he had to be assigned to me, certainly carrying out his duties while I was sleeping would be easier since he didn’t have to interact with me. Sheesh, how was I supposed to sleep now?