Long Hard Road (Crestwood Valley)

4. Madison

Iwas already feeling like a regular at Amelia’s when she knew my order before I could say anything. I asked her to add a second hot coffee to the order and then took everything to the table by the front window.

While I waited for Nate, I dared to check my phone. I stared blankly at over thirty texts that I hadn’t read and a dozen voicemails I’d been ignoring. Most of them were from my mother. Holly Moore was nothing if not persistent. My successful career was proof enough of that.

I read through the texts as quickly as possible just to make sure I wasn’t missing anything important. Everyone texting me always declared that their requests were urgent, but that wasn’t the same as them being important. That had been a difficult lesson for me to learn. People had been placing a lot of responsibility on my shoulders since I was a child. I used to think I had to do everything people asked me to do, but I didn’t feel that way anymore.

Before leaving my car with Nate, I’d grabbed one of my new books to read while I waited for him. Harper’s bookstore had been wonderful. It had every possible genre and such a variety. As a kid, I’d devoured books in the town library. It was just down the street from my childhood home, so I was able to walk there while my parents were at work. The librarians had always set aside books that they thought I would like.

I hadn’t had a lot of time for reading in recent years. Once my career took off, that had consumed most of my waking hours. It was nice to return to my roots, to the words on the page in front of me. I loved getting lost in someone’s fictional drama while blocking out my own very real problems.

“What are you reading?” When Nate dropped into the chair across from mine, I jumped. “Let me guess… a romance?”

“Horror.” I looked up.

“Kind of the same thing in my experience.” His gray eyes actually twinkled and a dimple appeared. “I haven’t met a lot of girls who read horror.”

“I read all genres, but I kind of like being scared. I like scary movies, too.”

Nate grimaced. “We are not the same in that regard. Life is scary enough. I don’t need to turn my fears into entertainment.” It sounded like he was only partially kidding.

“How’s my car?”

“Good news and bad news. The good news is that there is nothing wrong with your car.” He reached for his coffee and took a long sip, creating a dramatic effect. “The bad news is a little more complicated.”

“Just tell me.”

“Is there any reason that someone might have put a tracking device on your car?” He slipped a hand into his front pocket and when he pulled it out, he was holding a small square piece of plastic. “This was taped under your car. Part of the tape had come loose and when the car was turned on, the vibrations caused this to tap against your muffler.”

“A tracking device?” I held out my hand.

Nate placed the device in my palm, his fingers grazing my skin and making my entire hand tingle in an alarmingly pleasant way. No man’s touch had ever done that to me.

The device looked innocuous enough. Nothing more than a square inch of plastic on the outside. “How did you know what this is?”

“I constantly lose my keys. Last year, Harper gave me one of those for Christmas to slip on the keychain. Haven’t lost my keys since.” He frowned and took another sip of coffee. “I take it you didn’t know that was there.”

“No. I didn’t.” Even worse, I had no idea how long it had been there. The noise had only started a couple of days ago, but the device could’ve been taped to my car for weeks.

“I know this maybe isn’t my place to say anything, but…” Nate wrapped both hands around his mug and slowly lifted his eyes to meet mine. “This is serious, Madison. Someone put that tracker there and it’s highly unlikely they did it for any good reason. Is it possible that you have a stalker?”

More than one, actually. The number fluctuated but always hovered in the ten to twenty range. And those were just the stalkers who had tried to make physical contact with me. I had thousands of digital stalkers. My head of security, Ellison, would know the official number. I needed to give him a call. He was going to be irate with me for leaving town and not bringing a single bodyguard with me.

“I don’t know. Maybe my ex-boyfriend,” I lied, unwilling to tell this man I barely knew all the sordid details of my life.

“That’s not normal, Madison. You should report this to the police.” Nate tried to pluck the device from my hand, but I yanked it away.

“I’m sure it’s nothing. I, um, need to go.” I shoved the tracker into my coat pocket and stood. “Thanks for looking at my car. That was really kind of you.”

“Madison– ” He reached out like he was thinking of grabbing my hand, but he let his arm fall instead. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, yeah. Everything is great.” I forced the fakest smile of my life. “I just forgot that I need to…” I was a terrible liar. “I have some stuff I need to take care of before it starts snowing again.”

Nate didn’t believe a word I said, but he nodded and placed my keys on the table. “You’ll let me know if you need anything, right? I mean, with the snow coming you shouldn’t be driving around in that car of yours. Or walking around outside like you did last night.”

“Thanks for your input, Dad.” I rolled my eyes and grabbed my coffee and my keys, leaving behind the cinnamon roll. “I’ll see you around.”

“Only if you’re lucky.” He slid me a wink that had no business making my body warm more effectively than if I put on several layers of clothes. Unfortunately, that body temperature increase didn’t last more than a few seconds after I stepped outside.

According to the weather app on my phone, we were supposed to get six inches of snow starting this evening with freezing temperatures in the morning. I had packed some winter clothes, but nowhere close to what I would need for that kind of weather. With Crestwood’s close proximity to the mountains and a couple of ski resorts, there was a surprisingly well-stocked clothing section at the Outdoor Adventure store.

I dropped a couple of hundred dollars on winter gear, including a puffy coat that resembled a sleeping bag, and then headed back to the market to grab a couple of things I’d forgotten on my first trip there. My culinary skills were limited, but I trusted myself to heat up cans of soup and put frozen pizzas into the oven. If I was feeling a little adventurous, I might even make myself a sandwich.

As I was waiting at the register to pay, I avoided looking at the rack of magazines next to the tempting candy bars. There was a good chance I might see myself on one of the covers and I was not in the mood for that. I was enjoying my break from reality in Crestwood. I knew I wouldn’t be able to maintain my anonymity forever, but I was able to pay for my groceries and make it back to the cabin without anyone recognizing me.

It seemed unlikely that I was going to make it the full month without someone seeing through my mediocre disguise. The longer I could avoid teenage girls and women in their early twenties, the better my chances.

“That’s really scary, Madi,” Kaylie said after I finished updating her on the car tracker situation. “Want me to call Eli and have him send someone?”

“No.” That was the last thing I wanted.

“What if it was put there by one of the men on Eli’s list?”

“It wasn’t.” I didn’t know who had left that tracker on my car, but it had to be someone who had access to my home. I’d only had the car for less than a month and since I almost always used a driver, the car had barely left the garage. “I’ll call Eli. I think maybe his team put it on my car.”

“He would’ve told you. Eli always keeps you updated on any new security measures. Besides, he’s got GPS tracking on your car. He wouldn’t need to tape anything to your muffler.” Kaylie was making far too much sense.

I put a carton of milk in the fridge and sighed. “Kales, I don’t have the mental capacity to worry about this, okay? Can we just pretend that the device was put there by my security team?”

“You can’t bury your head in the sand with something as serious as this. Leaving town without taking any security with you was already risky enough, but… this seems really dangerous, Madi.” The worry was etched in every syllable that Kaylie spoke.

“Fine. If it will make you feel better, I’ll call Ellison right after I hang up with you.” It was an obvious lie and we both knew it.

“I don’t want anything bad to happen to you,” Kaylie said softly.

She had been my personal assistant for a while, but she’d been my friend for just as long and she had perfected the art of worrying about me. “Nothing is going to happen to me, Kales. I barely get a phone signal out here, so it’s highly doubtful that the tracker even worked.” Just to be safe, I’d shut it inside my freezer as soon as I walked into the cabin. “Stop worrying.”

“But worrying is what I do best.” Kaylie’s voice became distant as she held the phone away to speak with someone in her office. “Shit. I’m late for a meeting with Drake.”

“Go. And don’t let him take his anger at me out on you.”

Drake had been managing my career for the last five years. He was good at his job, but he could also be a total asshole if he didn’t get what he wanted. Right now, he wanted me to sign the paperwork for my next gig. A worldwide tour that would keep me on the road for the next eighteen months. I had no interest in the tour, but Drake had a huge interest in the revenue it would generate.

“Love you, Madi. Please be safe.”

She hung up before I could respond. It was strange to know that my friend spent her days working on every aspect of my career while I was sitting around doing nothing. Sure, I had worked every day of my life for the last ten years, but now I was literally hiding from my responsibilities while people like Kaylie and Drake handled the fallout.

This exact line of thinking always had me acquiescing to anything my team asked of me. I didn’t want to disappoint them or make their lives harder. But that was how I’d gotten to this point. Burnt out and depressed. Too anxious to think about taking on a tour or even agreeing to one of the photoshoots that Drake had lined up weeks ago.

I finished putting away the groceries and then stacked my new books neatly on the table next to the couch. Hopefully, I could start a fire and then spend the next couple of hours sitting in front of it, lost in my books. That optimistic feeling didn’t last when it quickly became apparent that I had no idea how to start a fire.

“Damnit,” I growled after nearly catching my hair on fire. The loud knock on my door was a welcome distraction from my frustration. But then I remembered the tracker and relief was replaced by fear.

“Madison? It’s Nate.”

His voice was faint behind the thick wood door, but it was still just as potent as if he was standing in front of me. I had never thought I would be so attracted to a voice.

“Coming!” I shouted way too eagerly. “You wish you were coming,” I muttered to myself as I smoothed down my hair and rushed to the door.

“Hey.” Nate smiled warmly when I opened the door. “I didn’t interrupt anything, did I? I thought I heard you talking to someone.”

“Oh no! Just questioning my life choices out loud.” I noticed that he was holding a box tied with string in one hand. “Christmas was a couple of months ago, Santa.”

“Does this mean you won’t be sitting on my lap?”

I shrugged. “Seems pointless. I’m not on the nice list.”

“So you’re on the naughty list? Just the way I like my women.” His eyes trailed along the curve of my neck and down to the hint of cleavage grazing the top of my shirt. Until that moment, I’d forgotten that I had stripped off my sweater so it wouldn’t smell like smoke from the fireplace. I hadn’t gotten around to putting anything else on, so I was wearing just a skimpy tank top. The heat of his gaze was enough to pebble my nipples, but I chose to blame it on the cold.

“Um, did you need something?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

His eyes darted up. “You ordered a cinnamon roll at Amelia’s and then didn’t eat it. In Crestwood, that constitutes a crime.”

“Are you here to arrest me?”

“Nah. I left my handcuffs at home.” He held up the box. “I suppose I could tie you up with this twine.”

My face must’ve turned a brilliant shade of red because he laughed uncomfortably. “I’d prefer if you didn’t.”

“Okay then.” Nate cleared his throat. “I asked Amelia to throw together an assortment of her pastries. Think of this as a welcome to the neighborhood gift.”

“I still don’t even know the name of my neighbor back home.” I glanced over my shoulder to make sure I hadn’t left anything embarrassing lying around. “Do you want to come in?”

“No, that’s alright.” He shifted awkwardly on his feet. “I just wanted to drop these off and see if you need anything.”

“Oh my.” I put a hand over my heart. “Did I just meet my first real-life gentleman?”

“I sure hope not.” His eyebrows drew together. “Surely a man has been nice to you?”

“Not without wanting something in return.” I tilted my head and pretended to be suspicious. “What about you? What do you want from me?”

“I want to know what you did to make the naughty list.” He frowned when he noticed that I was shaking from the cold. “Sorry. I should let you get back inside and warm up by the fire.”

“Actually… any chance you used to be a Boy Scout?”

“Where do you think gentlemen get their start?” Nate shoved the white box into my hands. “You take this and I’ll dust off my fire-making skills.”

“Thank you. There was a good chance I was going to hurt myself or burn the cabin down if left to my own devices.” While Nate removed his coat and hung it on the hook by the door, I untied the twine on the box. “I’ll even reward you for your service with the pastry of your choosing. Oh! And I found a bottle of bourbon left by the cabin’s last tenant. It looks very old and disgusting, but I’ll pour you as much as you want.”

Nate finished shucking off his boots and straightened to his full more-than-a-couple-of-inches-over six feet. “That’s probably Freddy’s booze. Maggie’s dad always drank good bourbon, he just drank too much of it. Probably why his liver gave out on him.”

“Oh. Is that why this cabin was available to rent? Her dad died?” I looked around the cozy cabin and felt a wave of sadness. The décor was undeniably masculine, but it was a comforting aesthetic. I had felt at home instantly. It was weird to think of the cabin as being someone else’s home.

“Last year. After he died, Maggie’s brother decided to pack up an RV and drive around the country. Maggie has been renting both cabins for the last few months. We get decent tourists in the winter. People looking for cheaper accommodations than if they stay up on the mountain resorts.” Nate went right to work on the fire.

I took a seat on the sofa and broke off a piece of chocolate croissant to savor while I enjoyed the view. Nate crouched in front of the fireplace, strategically arranging the logs. He started to explain what he was doing and why, something I found charming. He wasn’t just showing off – he wanted me to know how to start a fire so I wouldn’t need someone to do it for me in the future.

“And then just tuck the kindling in here,” he said, shoving a ball of old newspaper into the teepee he’d formed. “That’s about it. There are a couple of other techniques that work, but this one is the easiest.” A few touches of flame and the kindling began to burn, bright embers beginning on the logs. “I’ll bring more firewood tomorrow.”

“You don’t have to… do all this.” I gestured to the fire. “It’s not your job to take care of me, Nate.”

“I don’t mind. Harper calls me every other day for help with something. It’s nice to feel needed sometimes.” He sat back on his heels and regarded me with open curiosity. “You’re used to taking care of yourself?”

“Not exactly.” In some ways, yes. My lack of parental guidance when I was a kid had forced me to learn the basics of raising myself. I woke myself up every morning to get ready for school and walked six blocks to the bus stop. I made my own meals, did my own laundry. All of that before I was even eight years old. But once I got my first legitimate acting gig at fourteen, I’d been able to pay someone to do those things for me. Except for school. I switched to doing that online and got my high school diploma at sixteen.

“You don’t like to talk about yourself,” Nate observed.

“I don’t.” No reason to lie to him. “I have good reasons for keeping my personal life to myself.”

“I suppose you do.” When he stood, his tall frame loomed over me. “I should go.”

“I still owe you a drink.” I hadn’t expected to hear myself fighting for him to stay. “Unless you have to get to work?”

He shook his head. “I’m keeping the bar closed. The weather is getting too dangerous for people to be out driving around and serving alcohol on top of that would be reckless.”

“Okay, so you can stay.” I jumped up, anxious to bring my eye-line higher than his crotch. “I would offer to make you something to eat, but I’m not sure heating up a can of soup counts as cooking.”

“Probably not.” He clapped his hands. “Actually, I’ve got a better idea. I need to run home quickly. You pour the drinks and I will be right back.”

“Are you sure? You don’t have to come back.” I was worried that I had forced him into spending time with me when he had other things he would rather do.

Nate chuckled. “I’m coming back, Madison. Having dinner and drinks with you is the best offer I’ve gotten in a long time.”

“Okay.” I wished I was one of those women who could play it cool when a guy said something like that to her but instead, I smiled like a dork. “Your life must be kind of pathetic.”

“Thanks?” He laughed loudly. “You really don’t have a filter, do you?”

“I’ve been told it keeps things interesting.”

Nate held my gaze for a moment, his expression unreadable before he smiled faintly. “I think interesting is a good word to describe you, Madison.”

“That’s boring.”

“I didn’t day it was the word I would use to describe you.” He reached over and caught a thick strand of my hand, tugging it gently.

“What word would you use?” I asked in an embarrassingly breathless voice.

“Charming.” He tugged the hair again. “Funny. Smart. And at the moment– the most prominent word in my head– sexy.”

It was clear that Nate’s thoughts had gone somewhere flirty and I reacted in the most typical Madison way ever. “You have terrible taste in women if you think I’m sexy.”

“Forget I said anything.” Nate rolled his eyes and headed toward the door where he shoved his feet into his boots. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

I wasn’t sure why he’d reacted so angrily to my stupid comment, but I felt guilty anyway. Nate had done nothing but be nice to me and I couldn’t stop myself from reacting to him in the worst possible way. When I prepared our drinks, I poured mine first and swallowed it down in one gulp before refilling it. It didn’t burn as much on the way down as I expected. I thought about chugging a second drink and just barely decided against it. Being drunk around Nate wasn’t going to lead me anywhere good.