Wildfire Omens (Wildwood #1)

Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty-One

Cheyenne

My heart beat wildly as I kissed Rhett in the middle of town for the whole world to see. It was more than just a kiss—it was a declaration. One more part of my life where I was being open about our relationship.

But as we broke apart, I felt a shiver run through me—a feeling that, somehow, something was wrong.

That something was coming.

I glanced around the edges of the parking lot. Daylight was fading quickly, and the shadows in the trees seemed more ominous than they should. It sent ripples of fear through me that I couldn’t explain.

“What’s wrong?” Rhett asked, frowning as he pulled me closer.

“I don’t know. Let’s … let’s go inside.”

“I agree.”

Inside the bar, I felt better—for a moment at least. Pete’s station was empty, and something felt off. I slipped my hand into Rhett’s without even thinking, needing to feel the connection.

We walked up to the bar and waited. A couple of minutes later, Pete emerged from the back. He jumped when he saw us.

“Oh, sorry,” he said, flustered. “Didn’t realize you guys had come in.”

“That’s okay,” Rhett said smoothly. “You know what you want, Chey?”

I nodded. “Same old, same old. Water to drink, please.”

Pete gave me a small smile. “Got it. What about you, Rhett?”

“I’ll take the burger I had last time—the one with the barbecue on top—and a whiskey.”

I put a hand on Rhett’s and gave him a little head shake.

“Make that water,” he ground out.

I rewarded him with a smile. I knew that Rhett could hold his liquor, but this was his first time on the motorcycle since his accident. It wasn’t a good idea to complicate things with alcohol.

Besides, I couldn’t shake this feeling. And if something was coming, we needed to be alert.

Pete didn’t seem up for conversation, so we paid quickly and excused ourselves to a booth. When Rhett slid in across from me, his brows knit together.

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t know,” I said, sighing. “When we kissed in the parking lot, I felt like someone was watching us. It freaked me out.”

His eyes narrowed. “I felt the same way.”

“It may have been my mind playing tricks on me,” I admitted. “It’s strange, you know, going public with our relationship. Everyone was so quick to judge you for leaving. So angry at you for the way it broke my heart. I feel like I’m betraying them by getting back together with you.”

“Well, that sucks.” An unhappy look settled onto his face.

I put my hand over his. “It’s my problem, and I’ll deal with it. I love you. It doesn’t really matter what anyone else thinks, does it?”

“No, it doesn’t. I’m only worried about how you feel.”

“It’s going to take some time to adjust. It was nerve-racking at first on the ranch. But everyone has been supportive and not intrusive at all.”

He snorted. “Come on. Mom practically forced us together. That’s about as intrusive as it gets.”

I smiled. “Yes, it is. But it came from a good place, and she’s been great about giving us privacy.”

“They’ve been great,” he admitted. “Maybe you’re wrong about everyone else. Honestly, people tend to think less about us than we believe. People are busy with their own drama. Who cares if we’re together?”

“You’re right,” I said—even though I didn’t believe it. I’d felt the weight of Alma’s disapproval, of Sam’s… And I could feel the tension in the bar as Pete eyed us from the cash register.

Rhett had lived away for a long time. He’d forgotten how tight-knit our little community was and how protective we all were of each other. He was an outsider now—an outsider who had scorned our town and broken my heart.

They wouldn’t forgive him so easily.

But right after Pete delivered our food, the front door swung open and I began to realize I was wrong about the source of my foreboding.

Thomas Smith stepped inside, and the look he shot us was aimed to kill.

He marched over to our table and placed his fists on it. Rhett straightened, broadening his chest.

“Back off,” Rhett said smoothly. “I don’t believe you were invited to this party.”

“Invited or not, I’ve got some things to say,” Thomas growled.

“I wouldn’t,” I warned him, pulling out my phone and hitting Claire’s number. I put it on speaker and sat it on the table.

Thomas tried to snatch the phone away, but I was quicker than him. When Claire answered, his face turned red.

“Fine. Let her hear this, too,” he snarled.

“Thomas?” Claire said, instantly alert. “Is that you?”

“Yeah, it’s me. You listen up.” He jabbed his finger toward Rhett. “I don’t know what kind of sick game you’re playing, but I wasn’t the one who attacked you. Wish I was, as every single one of you deserves a hell of a lot more than what you got. But it wasn’t me. Seems you’re intent on framing me though, so let this be a warning to you. If I’m going down for what happened to you, I’m going to make it worth it. Know what I mean?”

He glared at Rhett, then turned his eyes toward me. A sick, twisted look was in them as he dropped his gaze to my chest.

“Get your eyes off of her,” Rhett growled, tensing.

I squeezed his hand in warning. I could take care of myself, and the last thing I needed was Rhett getting into any more trouble.

“Back off, Thomas,” I warned. “Or you’ll regret it.”

“Oh, is that a threat?” His eyes glinted cold.

I shook my head. “No. You’re the one threatening me. I’m letting you know you don’t want to follow through with it. Trust me, it won’t go well for you.”

He leaned down and whispered in my ear. “I’ll be seeing you again. Soon.”