Lost Memories (Honky Tonk Hearts) (15 page)

Chapter Eleven

Darcy scurried up in the bed, pulling the sheets with her, not quite sure what to say to the youngest Matthews who glared then turned his back.

“Guess so.”

“Chris, what the hell are you doing here?” Nick kicked the sheet off, and stood buck naked. “You can’t just barge into someone’s bedroom.”

“The guests arrived early. I’ll get them settled in the cabins and tell ’em to be ready to hit the trails in a couple of hours.” His slender form advanced out of sight to the front door. “Sam drove the chuck wagon to the camp site,” he hollered back, the screen slamming shut behind him.

“Damn.” The distressed cowboy rubbed the back of his neck.

Darcy went up on her knees and kissed his bare shoulder, her belly brushing his naked backside. “Do you think he’ll be okay? I don’t want any of your brothers to hate me.”

Nicked turned to face her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “They could never hate you. Trent and Sam will be okay. Chris is probably only in shock at finding us together. I’ll talk with him.” Resting his chin on her head, he continued. “How did he get in anyway?”

“I don’t think we locked the door last night. Guess I had more important things on my mind.”

A kiss touched her forehead. “We should head to the barn and meet with the guests.”

Trailing her hand down his back to his buttocks, she squeezed.

“I guess they can wait a few more minutes for us,” he growled.

“Us? You mean I can keep my job? I wasn’t sure.”

He held her away from him, his eyes narrowed as he studied her for a long moment. “Is that what this was about?”

She pulled out of his hold. The blunt words inflicted more hurt than if he’d slapped her. “How could you think such a thing?” She grabbed the T-shirt off the foot of the bed and pulled the cotton over her head.
Damn the stupid man
. Did he not see how much she cared for him?

“If you stopped and looked at it from my side you’d understand.”

“What I understand is you aren’t the man I thought you were.” A horrible pang of hurt seized her. It was as if he plunged a knife into her heart while the shadows swallowed her lonely soul.

“Forget I said anything.” A hand clasped her arm, drawing her into him.

Yanking her arm away, she sidestepped. “No. I can’t believe you think I’d stoop so low. I’m going to take a shower then I’ll come down to the barn. You can let me know the status of my employment when I get there.”

“Darc...” His big, imposing form stepped toward her.

“No.” She held up a hand. “I need time to myself, and I think you should figure out what you want. I know how I feel for you. I know I kept my amnesia from you, but if you believe I’d stoop to such levels to keep a job, you
don’t
know me at all.”

Tears pricked the corner of her eyes. Refusing to allow him to see how much he hurt her, she hurried to the shower and slammed the door. A second later, his boots clunked on the wooden floor, then the screen banged shut.

Stepping under the warm spray, she released the tears she held at bay and let the water wash her heartache away. This past month, she’d made things happen. She had taken control, left her past behind her, and embraced her new life. The best part was feeling her love for Nick grow every day. No, the greatest part was having his strong arms around her, feeling his love back.

What I thought was his love.

She sank to her knees in the porcelain tub. If he turned her away now, her life was over—again.

I’ve pulled myself up out of the dark before, I can do it again.

For the next two hours, she mulled over the past month, causing more and more heartache until she threw herself into cleaning up her cabin in order to keep occupied. She wiped off already clean counters, stripped the sheets from her bed, anything to prolong the time facing Nick. By the time she was sure other people would be at the barn, she almost had her emotions in check.

“Figured you’d be down sooner or later. The guests are getting acquainted with the horses and picking out their mounts.” Chris stood at the entrance, cocking his head to the side, he touched her shoulder. “Hey, you okay?”

“Perfect.” But her gaze drifted to where the eldest Matthews talked with a female guest.

A tender hand pressed to her back. “Want me to knock him out?”

Touched by Chris’s concern, and thankful he wasn’t mad at her, Darcy grinned. “I’ll be okay.”

“That’s what I like to see.” He pulled her close to his side. “You really fell for him, huh?”

She nodded and bit her lip.
Not here. Not now. No more tears, damn it.

“You’re sure you don’t want me to punch him in the jaw?”

She shook her head and stepped away in time to see the one who stole her heart move in her direction.

No. Not now. Not yet.
Her heart pounded in her chest. Refusing to engage in a confrontation with him in front of everyone, she started in the opposite direction, but stumbled when his voice sounded directly behind her.

“Okay, everyone.”

His hand circled her arm, halting her escape and sending a jolt of heat up her arm.

“Time to get this show on the road. Lead your horse out of the barn. Once we check everyone’s tack, we’ll be off,” Nick continued to the group. “I’m not real good with names, but I promise to try my best. In case anyone forgot, my name is Nick. That’s Trent.” He nodded to his brother in front of him. “He was your guide the last time y’all were here. Chris and Sam will be staying behind to tend the ranch while we’re gone.” He pulled Darcy closer. “And this is Darcy.”

He squeezed her shoulder, and she made a project of repositioning her hat.

“She’ll be going with us.”

Her gaze flew to his face, noting the grin on his lips as his eyes caressed her.

Nick hoped the lift of Darcy’s lips indicated her forgiveness. He wanted nothing more than the day’s activities to get underway so he could find a second to be alone with her.

Reluctantly letting her go in order to accomplish the task, he crossed to Sam as his brother finished checking one of the horses.

“I want to know every detail of the meeting,” Nick informed him, keeping his voice low. “Text me.”

“I know.” Sam stepped back, shaking his head.

“Better yet, I should stay here. You go camping. Or send Chris.” But then what about Darcy? Wishing he could take back his accusations of why she had made love with him, he glanced her way.

“No. For once, you’re going to quit taking this ranch on yourself.” A beefy hand landed on his shoulder. “You need to trust us, trust your gut, and trust your feelings for Darcy.”

Nick backed up. His brother’s newfound superior tone left little room for argument.

“Don’t you think I blame myself for not seeing the trouble before it struck?” Sam continued. “You aren’t the only one who feels guilty. Just thank God Dad has avoided any further heart problems, and I didn’t lose my hand, and Trent wasn’t killed.”

“
You
felt guilty.”

A hand rose. “Let me finish. April had a chemical imbalance. She was severely bipolar and refused to take her medicine. Dad let stress get to him instead of talking and letting Mom or us help lessen the burden. Do you want to be like him? Hell, at this rate, you’re going to end up having the heart attack Mom’s trying to help Dad prevent.”

All these years, he’d focused on how
he
failed everyone, not once considering anyone else shouldered the blame.

“Think about it. Besides, that woman needs you, and for some unknown reason wants you.” A finger jabbed him in the chest. “And I hope to hell you know what you’re doin’ with her.”

He gave a contorted chuckle and rubbed the back of his neck. “That makes two of us.”

“Because if you screw this up, I’m gonna kick
your
ass.”

Nick turned to face the reason for his heartache. A thrill ran through him at the prospect of holding her again. No other woman’s kisses made his toes curl with want nor had he possessed the desire to stick to a female’s side through thick and thin, the good and the bad. He’d help her through this. Be there for her at every turn. She was now the reason he breathed. She was his life.

“Everyone’s ready,” Trent confirmed, approaching with his horse.

Nick moved to his mount, adjusted the girth, and made sure his tack was in order. He glanced up to see that everyone was ready when he spotted Sam approaching the group by the barn, a dark-haired man close behind.

His brother’s serious expression brought Chris and Trent across the dirt.

What now?

Nick ambled over to Darcy and reached for her ice-cold hand as his brother neared.

“Something wrong?”

“Guys, this is Lance Brooks. He...” Sam shifted his weight. “He says he’s Darcy’s husband.”

A cold wave of anguish swept over Nick as the words echoed through his being. Pressing his lips together, he glanced to Darcy, and released her fingers.

Her face turned ashen. “My...my husband?”

“Hi, baby. I’ve missed you.” Lance pulled her into his arms. “Took me
forever
to find you.”

Nausea rose in the pit of Nick’s stomach.

“Thanks for taking care of her.” The guy addressed him with a smug smirk before turning back to Darcy. “I’m glad you’re okay.” He tilted her head up and placed a full open mouth kiss on her lips, his eyes open, watching Nick.

Fist clenched, breathing became difficult over the raging boil of his blood. He spun on his heel before he released his frustrations on her husband’s face.

Husband? Darcy’s married?
The earth shifted under his feet, and his stomach dropped. No, this wasn’t right. He glance back to where Lance caressed Darcy’s face. She didn’t look like she was happy to see him.

Lance glared at Nick then drew back, both hands now in her hair, and went in for another kiss.

Bile rose in his throat, and he stepped toward them. No way was he going to stand there and let the man paw all over
his
woman.

“He’s her husband, Nick.” Trent grabbed his arm, his voice only loud enough for Nick to hear.

A sharp pain ripped through his chest at the apparent truth. He yanked his arm away, unable to stand around and watch the reunion.

“Come on, let’s get this show on the road,” he snapped. “The guests are getting antsy.”

“W-what about me?” Darcy called, running to join them.

Nick glanced to his brothers and noted the sympathy in their faces before they lowered their heads.

A thin, cool hand touched him, and he turned. Confusion, hurt, and fear crossed Darcy’s features. Unable to help himself, he wrapped her in his arms one last time and wished for everything to go away, for
Lance
to go away.

“You stay and get reacquainted with your hus...husband
.
” Acid ate at his insides.

He kissed her forehead and placed her away from him. Forcing himself to walk away, he mounted his horse.

“Please, wait.”

She started his way, but Lance grabbed her roughly by the arm. “Come on, sweetheart, let the cowboy do his ranch thing. We have lots of lost time to make up for.” He pulled her to him, knocking her hat to the ground. “I can’t wait to get you to the hotel.”

Her distressed voice cried out, and Nick was off his horse in an instant. His blood pressure reached the boiling point. Husband or not, the man needed a few lessons on how to treat a woman.
Especially
Darcy.

“Let go.” Darcy attempted to pull her arm away and stomped on the man’s foot with the heel of her boot.

“We don’t treat women like that around here,” Nick growled from behind the slimeball holding his girl.

His brothers came up behind him.

“Nothing to concern yourself with. I’m sure once we have time alone, Darcy’ll remember how it is between us.” He snarled. “We have a long,
long
history. Don’t we, baby?” His hand roamed down her backside.

“Get your hands off her,
now
.” Never before did he think himself capable of choking the life out of someone with his bare hands.

“I don’t think this is any of your business,
cowboy
.” Lance released her abruptly and stepped toward him.

Darcy stumbled, but he saw Chris catch her arm and steady her.

“Darcy is on my ranch, and I won’t have anyone manhandle her.”

“No one but
you
right?” He laughed, then spit. “Oh yeah, I’ve been scoping the place out from the day she started here. I’ve seen you two together, dancing, riding.” He glared at Nick. “Pawing at each other on her couch.”

“You son of a—”

“You...you watched me.”

The panic in Darcy’s faint voice provoked Nick to move between her and this lunatic.

“You don’t have to go with this guy, ya know,” Chris told her, and put his arm around her shoulders. “You can stay here with us.”

Lance stepped up to Nick. “Yes, she does. You think I’m going to leave her here for
him
to screw some more?” The husband pointed in Nick’s face.

Darcy couldn’t believe what was happening. Instinctively, she went to Nick and touched his arm. He flinched, and she withdrew her hand. Did he think this man was telling the truth? All those times she imagined someone watching her, it was this man? Lance? Her
husband
?

Her skin crawled...and a bright light flashed.

A man and woman standing in front of the barn, hugging her as she approached.

“You’re a natural. You were born to ride. Isn’t that right, Lance?”

She turned and smiled at the boy. A younger version of the man standing before her.

Her vision swam. Darcy swayed as the standoff continued.

“I think this has gone on long enough.” Sam moved between the two men. “I think it’s time you leave. Trent, see to the guests. Chris and I will talk with Darcy and see what she wants to do. If she doesn’t want to leave with you, she’s not.”

Nick didn’t move, neither did his gaze waver from the man.

“I’m not leaving without her.” Lance stepped in her direction.

Nick stepped to block Lance. “We’ll just see about that.”