Little Cowgirl Needs a Mom (14 page)

 

At five o'clock, Jenny was about to close up for the weekend, but before she could bolt the front door, a dark figure came out of nowhere and pushed it open. Startled, she gasped as Todd forced his way inside.

“Get out!”

He ignored her and locked the door. “I'll leave when I'm ready.” He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her away from the windows. “We need to have a little talk first.”

She refused to let him bully her. There was a security guard out back. Surely he would check on her. “We have nothing to say.”

“I'll decide that.” He tightened his grip and jerked her toward the back.

“Stop it, you're hurting me.”

“It will only get worse if you don't tell me what I need to know. Who's been following me?”

It was probably the authorities. “I don't know,” she said.

“It's your boyfriend and his brother. They've been hanging out at the bar every night. Get them to back off or my boss will make them go away. Permanently.”

Evan had been at the Roadhouse? What were they trying to do? Whatever it was, it was too dangerous. “I have no control over what they do. We broke up.”

“Well, he hasn't got the message. So let him know I mean business.”

“You brought this on yourself when you broke into the shop.”

He glanced toward the windows. “Serves you right after you wouldn't help me.”

“You did break in.”

He shrugged. “What's the big deal? Your rich friend replaced everything.”

“What about the pawn shop? The owner can't afford the loss.”

“Too bad. Now I need you to help me get out of town. Where's the money from today?” He tried to open the register.

She refused to give him anything more. “It's been deposited already.”

He came back to her. She refused to show fear. “Why don't I believe you?”

“I don't care.” She worked to keep the quiver out of her voice. “I'm not going to let you walk out of here with anything else.”

“You'll do whatever I tell you to do if you want to get rid of me.” His grip tightened. “Hand over the money.”

He twisted her arm until she cried out. “Okay, I'll give you the money.” She pulled away and bent down under the counter to grab the canvas bag. That was when she saw the panic button that Alex had installed last week. She pushed it and grabbed the depository bag.

“Here.” She tossed it at him. “I just want you to go far away. Pretend I never knew you or your brothers.”

He grabbed a bunch of her hair. “You're an uppity bitch. You think you can talk to me like that?” He threw her up against the counter. “You never gave me any respect. You always thought you were too good for me.”

“I was a kid.” She braced her hands on the countertop. She had to fight him. “You always were a bully.” She realized she needed to keep him here. “Always knocking women around.”

He pressed his body against hers. “Yeah, and you like it a little rough, don't you? It adds that extra excitement.”

She could barely breathe.
Dear God. Please, someone come and help me.
“Let me go.”

“Come on, you can ask me nicer than that.” He pulled her head back farther, so that she was nearly flat on the counter.

When he raised his hand she was ready and jammed her knee into his groin. With a cry, he released his hold on her and doubled over.

She had her chance and rolled away, putting the counter between them. “Get out. Now!”

He tried to straighten, wincing in pain. “You're not getting away with this.” He caught up with her as she ran for the back door.

“Just leave. You got your money.”

He pulled her arm behind her back and pushed her down on the fabric-cutting table. Then the first hit came, and she groaned with the pain. Stars appeared with the second strike and she worked to hold on to consciousness. She felt around and found the pair of scissors on the counter. The last thing she remembered was raising her arm and jamming them as hard as she could into her attacker. As Todd let out a cry, everything faded to black.

E
VAN
parked his truck in the alley. He wasn't going to wait any longer to see Jenny. He'd just finished up his meeting with Alex, and they'd tentatively agreed on a partnership for the vineyard. It was a big step and he wanted to talk it over with Jenny. More importantly, he needed to tell her of his true feelings—that he loved her.

He climbed out of the cab and was greeted by the security guard. With a nod to the off-duty officer, Jerry Regan, he headed for the back door.

“Jenny still working?” he asked.

“As far as I know.” The guard's radio went off. “Regan here.”

The dispatcher reported, “A code 7 in progress at your location. Repeat, code 7. Backup en route.”

Evan worked to stay calm. “What does that mean?”

“The panic alarm went off.”

Even rushed to the door, but it was locked. He pulled out the key he still had from the other night and opened it. Before the guard caught up, he was inside the shop where he saw Newsome leaning over Jenny on the table, his fist raised. Before Evan got to them, Todd slumped and fell on her.

With a throaty growl, Evan grabbed Todd's shirt and jerked him off her. That was when he saw the blood.
Everywhere. The assailant groaned and was barely conscious as he slid to the floor.

Evan gasped for air as he looked down at Jenny, searching for any puncture wounds on her. There were none. Then he saw the rise and fall of her chest. She was alive.

“Oh, God, Jenny. I'm sorry.” Tears flooded his eyes. He should have been with her. “Come back to me, honey. Open those beautiful brown eyes.”

She finally stirred. With a moan, she blinked up at him. Her jaw was already starting to swell and one eye was red. “Evan…”

He gathered her gently into his arms. “I'm here, Jenny. I'm here. I'll always be here, so you'd better get used to it.”

 

It had been two hours since the paramedics had worked on Jenny and brought her the hospital. Evan was still pacing the waiting room, desperate for news. He wouldn't be able to calm down until he heard that Jenny was okay.

The double doors opened and Alex and Allison rushed in. “How is she?”

“No word yet.” Evan cursed under his breath. “It's a good thing that Newsome is hospitalized or I'd make sure he was.”

Allison put her hand on Evan's arm. “The authorities will handle this.” She offered him a smile. “I'm so proud of Jenny. She defended herself against that maniac.”

Evan shook his head. “She wouldn't have had to if I hadn't left her by herself.”

“You couldn't be with her every minute,” Allison said. “She wouldn't have allowed that. And we all know how stubborn she can be.”

“Too stubborn for her own good.”

“Yeah, that's one of the reasons you love her.”

Before he could respond, his father, brother and Gracie came bursting through the doors. His daughter was carrying flowers. He was suddenly glad they were all there.

“Daddy, Jenny's not going to die, is she?”

He didn't miss the panic in his little girl's eyes. She had to remember her mother being here. He gathered her into his arms. “No, sweetheart. She was awake when she was brought in. The doctor just wants to check her out to make sure everything is okay.”

Gracie looked up at him. “Did they put that mean man in jail?”

Newsome's wound was pretty deep but not life-threatening and it wouldn't stop him from going to jail. “They will, and he's not going to hurt anyone ever again. We're going to make sure of that,” Evan said, then walked away from the group, but his father followed him.

“Son, you can't blame yourself for any of this.”

“I should have been there. She made me go away so we'd all be safe, but no one was there for Jenny. No one has ever been there for Jenny.”

Tears filled Sean Rafferty's eyes. “You're here now.”

That gave Evan little consolation as the doctor came down the hall toward him. “Are you Evan Rafferty?”

“Yes, I am. How's Jenny?”

The older man nodded. “She's doing fine. We did a scan and everything looks good. She has a slight concussion, and some facial bruising that will look worse by tomorrow, but no permanent damage or scarring.”

Evan sighed with relief. “Can I see her?”

“She asked me to tell you she isn't up to seeing anyone right now.”

He felt the hurt deep in his chest. “We won't stay long,” he promised.

“I'm sorry,” the doctor said. “I think she's self-conscious about the bruises.”

“I don't care about the damn bruises,” Evan hissed. “I just need to see that she's okay.”

Allison came up behind him. “Evan, Jenny's been through a lot, she needs rest.” She looked at the doctor. “Are you keeping her overnight?”

“We'd like to, especially since she doesn't have any family to look after her.”

Evan raised his head, scared that he wouldn't be able to let Jenny know how he felt about her. “You're wrong. We're her family.”

 

Evan had given Jenny three days. He still called, but she'd refused to talk to him. If he'd learned one thing from his first marriage, it was that he needed to let Jenny know his feelings. And dammit, one way or another he was going to talk to her today.

He glanced across the truck cab to where Matt sat. “You didn't have to come with me.” He had no clue as to where Jenny had disappeared to, so he was going to start with Alex and Allison.

“Are you kidding?” Matt said. “When she turns you down, I'm going to make my pitch to her.”

Gracie poked her head over the seat. “We all want to see Jenny. She can't go away, Daddy. Please, you've got to make her stay so she can be my mommy.”

“I'm going to do my best.”

“We all will,” Sean added from the back seat.

Evan drove through the A Bar A gate. “Great. This is all she needs, the whole Rafferty clan.”

“That's right,” his dad called. “Jenny needs all of us. She needs her family.”

“You love Jenny, don't you, Daddy?” Gracie asked.

His chest tightened. “Yes, sweetie. I love her.” That brought a smile to his little girl's face. “And I'm going to do everything I can to make her stay here with us.”

He parked at the Casalis' back door. He shut off the engine and climbed out as Alex came out and down the porch steps.

Evan walked closer. “Look, Alex, I know your wife and Jenny are best friends. I also know you have your loyalties, but if I have to search every damn inch of this ranch to find her, I will.”

A smile tugged at the corners of Casali's mouth. “It's about damn time you showed up.”

 

Jenny was still a little sore, but was feeling better, physically anyway, with each passing day. It had been three days since her release from the hospital. She'd been staying out at one of the A Bar A cabins at Cherry's Camp for disabled kids. The summer season hadn't opened yet so Jenny had all the quiet and solitude she would ever need.

It was totally overrated. She missed everyone.

At least she didn't have Todd to worry about any longer. She'd had an early-morning visit from the deputy sheriff. They'd let her know the feds had raided the Roadhouse and busted the credit-card ring. She'd also learned that when Todd couldn't get hired on at a ranch, he went out to the Roadhouse for a drink, and had found another opportunity. They'd liked his…potential.

Within a few weeks her stepbrother was running the scam like an expert. When Todd suspected someone was following him, he'd come to her for money to get out of town and across the border to Mexico.

After his arrest, Todd wasn't volunteering any information to the authorities. The one thing she did know was that with her testimony, her stepbrother was definitely going
back to prison. By the looks of the charges, he could be out of her life for good.

Sadness washed over her. Could she ever get over the shame of her stepbrother's actions in this town, and what he had tried to do to her friends? That was the reason for her latest decision to leave Kerry Springs. She drew a breath and released it, thinking of all the people she would miss. Especially the Raffertys. Soon Evan would move on and find someone else.

There was a knock on the door and for a moment she felt a surge of hope. Was it Evan?

She opened to door to find Allison. “How long are you planning on hiding out here?” her friend asked as she stepped into the large living area designed for family members to stay during the camp.

“Are you throwing me out?”

Allison glanced at the open suitcase. “It doesn't look like I need to.” Her eyes widened. “You're leaving?”

“It seems to be the best answer for everyone. Evan doesn't need this mess in his life. He has Gracie and a new business to think about.”

“And I bet right now you're the only thing on his mind.” Allison raised her hand to stop Jenny's protest. “I see how that man looks at you. I've only seen that once before. Correct that, I see it every day when Alex looks at me. For heaven's sake, Jenny, the man loves you.”

Jenny couldn't say anything. She wanted to believe that. Tears filled her eyes; she knew she'd made a mess of things.

“We both need to move on with our lives. Once I testify against Todd, I can think about my future.” Teaching kids had always been what she'd wanted to do. She sure hoped it still was, because it had to fill a lot of empty places in her heart.

“Great speech, Jen,” Allison said. “I just hope it makes you happy on those long, lonely days and nights to come.” She hugged her friend, then walked to the door. “Please stop by the house to say goodbye to the kids.”

Once Allison was gone, Jenny wiped away the tears. She wanted nothing more than to stay here, but if she didn't leave now, she wouldn't be able to.

She closed her suitcase and wheeled it across the hardwood floors. With one last glance around, she opened the cabin door, nearly running into the man she'd been trying to avoid.

“Evan!” Her gaze ate him up. His powerful presence. His handsome face and those killer blue eyes that she would see in her dreams for a lifetime. Her chest tightened and she had to look away for a second. “I didn't expect you.”

He nodded at her suitcase, a grim look on his face. “Sneaking out of town without even a goodbye. What, no guts, Collins?”

She opened her mouth but couldn't lie. Not to this man. She loved him too much.

“I'm sorry, Evan, I thought it would be better to send you a note. I mean, after everything that happened. It would be easier for both of us.”

“Are you talking about the jerk that beat you up? Or is this about us—you and me? Those nights I made love to you? Those times I shared my heart, my soul with you? I thought they meant something to you, too.”

Tears welled in her eyes. “They did. I've never felt this way about anyone else.”

He moved toward her. “Then please tell me why in God's name you're running away.”

She opened her mouth and couldn't speak, then suddenly it all gushed out. “Because I love you, Rafferty,
darn it. And I don't want any of this ugliness to touch you or your family. Are you happy now?”

A slow, easy grin appeared as he drew her close. “How about you leave out the ‘darn it,' and just say ‘I love you, Evan.'”

She stopped fighting her feelings. “I love you, Evan,” she breathed.

“And I love you, too, Jenny,” he whispered against her mouth, right before he kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on, enjoying the rush of feelings. Evan loved her. If she was dreaming it was the most wonderful of all dreams.

She broke off the kiss. “No, Evan, think about this, about your family. It's not over with Todd. I have to testify, probably next year. Everything will come out, all the ugliness.”

“You honestly think that bothers me? I've survived worse. The Rafferty family has survived much worse. My mother taking off. Me having to marry because I got a girl pregnant.”

“This is so much worse. Todd stole from this town.”

“And
he's
going to pay for it. Not you. You're not going to pay for anything. He's out of our lives, Jenny. Don't let him hurt us anymore.”

“I don't want him to.”

“This time you won't be alone. I'll be there. All the Raffertys will be. Families stick together.” He turned her around and pointed to Matt, Sean and Gracie in the distance, standing beside the truck. They waved at her.

She waved back. “Oh, Evan. They should come over.”

“Not yet, because they promised I'd get first dibs to convince you to stay here and marry me. If I blow it, Matt gets second shot.” He glared. “Yeah, like I'd let him near you.”

Marry him? Evan wanted her to marry him? She started to giggle, unable to control her emotions, then the tears came.

Evan wiped them away as he searched her face. Had he pushed her too far, too fast? “I'm sorry, Jenny, I've upset you. It's too soon, I understand. We can wait awhile so you can be sure.”

She shook her head. “Oh, Evan. You want to marry me?”

He pulled back to see her face. “I love you, Jenny Collins. God, I never realized how much until I thought I might lose you. When I found you at the shop and saw the blood…”

She touched his jaw. “Ssshhh, it's okay, Evan. I'm safe now.”

“I'll never forgive myself for not being there with you, protecting you.”

She smiled. “You're here now.”

“And if you let me, I'm going to make sure that I will always be here.” He released a long breath. “I know my husband skills are a little rough, but I can change. I have changed since you've come into my life.” He stared into her incredible brown eyes. “I don't want to live without you, Jenny. I need you. You're the perfect mother for Gracie. She loves you, too. Besides, you need to be around to help her finish her quilt.” He pulled her closer. “And there's our future children that I want to have with you. Only you.”