Going Cowboy Crazy (14 page)

“It wasn’t dangerous until you showed up,” he said as he swiped twice over his forehead. “And how else am I going to get to school when my mom refuses to buy me a car?”

She snapped the lid closed on the wipes and put them back. “Oh, so you’re headed to school?”

“Unfortunately,” he grumbled.

“You don’t like school?”

“Hate.”

She glanced up at him. “Hate is a pretty strong word.”

He shrugged his bony shoulders. “So is this your truck? I thought it belonged to some guy named Bubba.” He stuffed the wipes into the front pocket of his jeans.

Bubba? Who was this Bubba? She might’ve questioned him if it hadn’t just dawned on her what was so different about the young man—he didn’t talk with a twang or drop his
g
s.

“Where are you from?”

“Iowa.”

She smiled and held out a hand. “Then we’re neighbors—Faith Aldridge from Chicago.”

His large hand engulfed hers as he gave it a quick shake. “Austin Reeves.”

“Austin?”

“Yeah, I know; it’s real funny that I should be named after a city in a place I hate. But that’s what happens when you don’t get a say in your name.” Austin grabbed his cap off the seat where she’d placed it and tugged it down over his wavy brown hair. “I wish I could say it’s been a pleasure meeting you, but almost getting killed ranks right up there with moving to this hellhole.” He lifted a hand as he turned. “See ya around, Faith Aldridge.”

He had only taken a few steps when she stopped him. “Wait. Why don’t you let me give you a ride to school? It’s the least I can do.”

He hesitated. “That thing got seat belts?”

Faith laughed. “Yes. But I promise I’ll be more careful.”

It was easier said than done. As soon as they were back on the road, she fought to keep the big truck from straddling the yellow lines.

“So do you play sports, Austin?” she asked, trying to make conversation.

“Some.”

“Basketball?” It seemed likely given his height.

“No, football. At least, I played football in Iowa where they didn’t let buttholes coach.” He shot a glance over at her. “Sorry. Like everyone else in this town, you probably love Coach Calhoun.”

Love?

Her hands tightened on the steering wheel. “Not hardly.”

Austin shot her a startled look before a smile spread across his face. A smile that transformed him from a gangly kid to a handsome young man. “So I guess you and I are the only people in Bramble who aren’t members of The Slate Calhoun Fan Club.”

“I guess so.” She glanced over at him. “So why don’t you like him?”

“Because he’s a jerk.”

She lifted an eyebrow.

“Well, he is!” He crossed his arms. “He bumped a darned good quarterback off his team just because I told him his rules sucked. He said I had an attitude problem.”

“And do you?”

“Hell, yes, I have an attitude problem! Who wouldn’t have an attitude problem when their parents get a divorce and their mother drags them halfway across the country,
away from all their friends and family, to some lame town with a bunch of redneck hillbillies?” He slouched down in the seat, his ball cap sitting low.

His words sounded so much like her thoughts, she couldn’t help but agree.

“Parents can be real buttholes.”

He peeked out from beneath the brim of his ball cap and grinned. “I like you, Faith Aldridge, even if you did try to run me over.”

She grinned back at him. “I like you, too, Austin. Even if you have a bad attitude.”

He tipped up his hat. “So are you headed into town?”

“Yes. It seems Sheriff Winslow forgot where he put my car.”

“So you’re the woman everyone’s talking about—the one going back to Hollywood.”

Rather than explain, she only nodded.

“Lucky,” he grumbled, then a second later perked up. “You wouldn’t want a traveling companion, would you?”

She shook her head. “I don’t think taking a kid across the state line is a good idea.”

“I’m not a kid. I’m almost seventeen.”

“Fine. I don’t think taking a minor across the state line is a good idea.”

“Bummer.” He slouched back down in the seat.

Funny, but suddenly Faith didn’t feel as upset and angry as she had earlier. In fact, Austin had made her realize she didn’t have it so bad. She wasn’t stuck in this lame town. In fact, in a couple of hours, she’d be on her way to California, and Bramble would be nothing more than a bad memory.

Or more like a nightmare.

The high school was on the outskirts of town, the parking lot filled with beat-up trucks as teenagers arrived for school. Afraid of taking out one, or two, on her way into the narrow driveway, Faith pulled off to the side of the road to let Austin out.

“Hey, thanks for the lift,” he said as he scrambled down from the truck. “Sure you won’t change your mind about taking me with you?”

“I’m sure.”

He went to slam the door, but stopped and pulled it back open. “Listen, I probably shouldn’t say anything because I don’t always understand what these crazy Texans are talking about. But from what I overheard, I don’t think Sheriff Winslow forgot where he put your car.”

Faith’s brows drew together. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, I think he hid it. All some grand scheme to keep you here. Although I thought the girl they were talking about was named Hope.”

Words escaped her. All she could do was stare back at the kid until he shrugged and slammed the door. The jarring sound snapped her out of her daze, and her eyes narrowed as she gunned the truck and bounced back out on the highway.

Josephine’s Diner wasn’t as crowded as it had been on Sunday. Which was a good thing, since Faith barreled into the parking lot without paying too much attention to things like cars. She parked by the Dumpsters and jumped down, without giving one thought to her purse and unlocked doors. The front door banged against the wire newspaper rack as she threw it open and marched in.

Just like Sunday, every eye turned to her. But this time, she couldn’t have cared less. Her narrowed gaze swept
around the room until it lit on the man with the taupe felt hat and shiny badge.

“Where’s my car?”

The man stood up, and hooked his thumbs in his loaded-down black belt. “Now, Hope, darlin’.”

“The name is Faith.” She pointed a finger in his face. “And if one more person calls me darlin’…” Her voice trailed off, because, having never threatened anyone before, she couldn’t think of one good threat. But that didn’t stop her from continuing. “So where’s my car?”

He held up his hands. “Now Ho—Faith, don’t go getting all fussied up. I didn’t hurt your car. I just put it somewhere for safekeeping.”

“Safekeeping?”

He nodded. “Just long enough for you to see the error of your ways.”

Over the last two days, she’d figured out that the people of Bramble were two cards short of a full deck. Now she realized it was closer to fifty.

“What do you mean, the error of my ways?”

“Why, leaving poor Slate for five long years with only a few measly visits,” the sheriff said.

“And thinkin’ you’d ever find happiness in a sin-filled city like Hollywood,” Harley joined in.

“But I’m not Hope!” She screamed louder than she ever had in her life.

“Why, of course you are, honey.” Rachel Dean stepped out from behind the counter. “That proves it. Nobody yells like our little Hope.”

Completely stunned, Faith stood there for a moment before she turned and headed back out the door. She wasn’t a violent person. But desperate times called for desperate
measures. The gun was a lot heavier than it looked. Once she had it off the rack, it nearly toppled her into the seat. But her anger gave her strength; that and her determination to get her car back and find her sister.

Besides, it was worth the effort when the sheriff’s eyes bugged out.

“Now, Ho—Faith, don’t go and do anything stupid.” He backed toward the kitchen.

“I want my car back.” She waved the long end of the gun around, but kept her finger completely away from the trigger. She was desperate, not delusional. “Now.”

“Fine.” The sheriff held up his hands. “Hand me the gun, and I’ll see what I can do.”

“No. Tell me where—”

Two muscular arms reached over her head and pulled the gun out of her hands. She whirled around to dark greenish-brown eyes. Slate no longer looked like the easygoing cowboy.

“That’s enough, Faith. I know you’re mad, but you can’t be threatening people with guns.”

“Fuck—”

He slapped a hand over her mouth and pulled her toward the door as she struggled against his chest. “If you folks would excuse us, Faith and I need to have a little talk.”

“You mean Hope,” Harley said.

“Of course he means Hope.” Rachel Dean waved one man hand. “But he can’t say that when Hope’s packin’ a gun and has her heart set on being called Faith.”

“Well, I kinda like Faith, myself,” a woman spoke up. “It has a nice ring to—”

The door slammed closed behind them just as Faith bit down on one of Slate’s fingers.

“Sonofabitch!” He released her, shaking his hand.

“You sure she ain’t Hope, Slate?” Kenny stood by his SUV, still looking confused.

Slate ignored him and reached for her again. “Now, Faith, just listen to me.”

“Don’t touch me!” she screamed. “Don’t you ever touch me again!”

“Fine!” He glared back at her. “I won’t!”

“Good!” Faith whirled and headed back to the truck.

“And just where in the hell do you think you’re going?”

“To California!”

“Without a car?” He stepped in front of her. “Because you’re sure not taking this truck.” He pointed a finger. “Hell, you can’t even park the damn thing.”

“Go to hell.” She tried to march around him, but he grabbed her arm.

“I realize this morning couldn’t have been one of your better days. But if you would just settle down a minute, we could get some things worked out.”

“Really?” She stopped struggling. “Like maybe why you failed to mention that you and my sister are…” She couldn’t even bring herself to say the word.

“Friends,” he finished for her. “Just friends.”

“Friends?” She felt her temper rise, and she pulled from his grasp. “Is that why her mother wasn’t surprised to find us in bed together? And why the entire town is holding me hostage? Because you and Hope are just friends?”

Slate’s gaze flickered. “Now I can see where you might be confused, darlin’. It’s a pretty complicated situation.”

“Well, let me uncomplicate it for you.” She shoved her way around him and jerked open the door of the truck.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m leaving.” She pulled her purse out and hooked it over her shoulder.

“Haven’t you figured out by now that the crazy people of this town aren’t going to give your car back?” He ran a hand over the back of his neck. “Damned fools.”

“Which means you fit right in.” She turned and headed for the street.

“Just where do you think you’re going?”

“To find a hotel, and then to find a lawyer who will sue the hell out of this town.” Faith tossed the words over her shoulder as she marched across the dirt parking lot. When she reached the strip of asphalt that ran through the center of Bramble, it took her a moment to figure out what direction to head in—a moment that gave Slate a chance to climb in the monster truck and pull it up next to her.

“Damn it, Faith, get in the truck.” He leaned down and spoke through the open window.

“When hell freezes over.” She adjusted her purse strap and headed toward the
WELCOME TO BRAMBLE
sign.

“Would you stop walking and listen to me? The closest hotel is a good fifty miles away.”

Fifty miles?

She hesitated.

“And that one fills up with roughnecks at night. Not a good situation for a pretty single woman. So stop being stubborn and get in the truck. You can stay with me until I find your car.”

“I’m not staying with you.”

“Fine. You can go stay with Jenna and Burl.”

If his plan was to tick her off, he’d achieved it. “I’d rather sleep with a hundred sex-starved roughnecks.”

He banged the steering wheel with his fist. “Then what the hell do you want me to do, Faith? Leave you here on the side of the road?”

She opened her mouth to tell him that was exactly what she wanted him to do, except the words refused to come out. Probably because as angry as she was with him, she really didn’t want him to leave her. He was the only semi-friend she had in this town, and the thought of him driving away didn’t exactly make her feel good.

Things would’ve been so much easier if Jenna and Burl hadn’t shown up, and she had remained Blissfully Ignorant Faith. Instead of standing on the side of the road, she would still be snuggled up against Slate’s hard, warm chest. Unfortunately, Jenna and Burl had arrived and with them the knowledge that this man wasn’t hers to snuggle up against.