Chapter Five #3
Why? I didn’t seek her out. She could leave at any time.
Being out in the desert alone with people she didn’t know, even if they looked harmless, might have her feeling uneasy.
I took a deep breath, told myself to chill out, and hoped I could lessen her concerns with a little family drama.
“My family has a vacation home in a small town in New Hampshire. My father’s business archrival, someone he’s been feuding with for decades, also has a summer home there and hating each other up close is how they choose to spend their spare time. ”
Her eyes narrowed as if she were evaluating the likelihood of the story being fiction. “That sounds like an unproductive expenditure of time and effort.”
“I’m in complete agreement with that assessment.”
She gave me another long look. “How does the man you’re looking for tie into this?”
“They knew each other. Or at least I think they did. He’s difficult to track down, though.
So far, all I’ve been able to determine is that he works in cyber security.
Rumor has it he’s a big deal in that industry, but also very private about it.
So, at this point I’m following leads and seeing where they take me.
I heard he might have settled in this area. ”
“Sounds like someone who doesn’t want to be found.”
“Oh, I’ll find him.”
“Isn’t that potentially dangerous?”
“Maybe.” My smile was easy. “But I’m no threat to him. I only want to ask him a few questions.” I looked out toward the chain-link fence. Razor wire catching the sun. A low jet cut across the sky. Fast. Loud. Gone just as quickly.
“About what he’s working on?”
“About my father.”
“What makes you think he’ll want to talk to you?” Her tone wasn’t rude so I didn’t take offense to her question.
“I have no idea if he will. All I can do is hope . . . and try.”
“That’s your plan? To hope and try?”
It was the type of question Bella would ask me, but not with the intention of demeaning me.
It’d be easy to believe I was deposited in my family by aliens because I saw the world so differently than they did.
Bella didn’t trust anything to go well unless every part of it was planned and protected.
I viewed everything as interconnected and tending to default to how things were meant to work out.
Life, to me, was more like a riptide. One could tire themselves out and drown if they chose to fight it, but if they allowed it to carry them out, they would land in a calmer place where swimming freely was once again possible.
That didn’t mean I couldn’t or wouldn’t fight for what I believed in or to protect the ones I loved, but I didn’t feel that absolute control guaranteed the best results.
My family had a farm in Firebrook Valley and we’d all learned to ride as soon as we could sit in saddles.
Bella found no pleasure or sense in riding an animal in circles.
Evan thundered off on Rogue, full speed, escaping onto the paths for a few hours.
I lived in the paddocks and fields, following our barn manager around, learning how to read a horse’s mood and get them to want to be with me. Laurent taught me to whistle for a herd, choose the most willing that day, hop on bareback, hold onto the mane, and fly.
It required a level of mutual trust that could only be acquired by spending time together.
The horses trusted me because I was there, day after day, listening, learning, and respecting them.
And I trusted them because they were honest with their feelings.
A horse who doesn’t like you won’t pretend to.
And a horse that does will sacrifice itself before allowing you to come to harm.
Laurent often said it was a bond many people said they wanted, but few were willing to put the time into earning.
“Okay, last round!” Bruce called out.
I blinked, realizing I’d gotten lost in Elise’s eyes and my memories long enough to forget what she’d just asked me.
Groans echoed across the slope.
We brushed dust from our hands.
“Coming back with us, Brady?” Bruce asked.
I searched Elise’s expression for a hint.
Nothing.
“I think so,” I said.
“I need to finish my run,” she replied.
“Of course.”
She hesitated, then met my gaze again. “I’ll probably see you in town.”
“I wouldn’t hate that.”
She looked like she might say more. Then she turned and jogged away.
Josh, one of the boys, came to stand beside me. “That your girlfriend?”
“No.”
“You want her to be?”
I laughed. “Maybe.”
“Maybes are for wimps. Yes or no.”
“Yes.”
“Did you ask her out?”
“Sure did.”
“She turned you down?”
“Yep.”
He grinned. “Dad and Pete thought so. Mom said it wasn’t our business. They paid me five dollars to ask.”
I met the gaze of a guilty-looking father standing beside his laughing wife.
“Give me ten and I’ll tell them you said nothing,” Stevie said.
I barked out a laugh. “What if I treat your family to ice cream on the way back instead?”
“Deal!” A second later, he yelled, “Dad! I scored ice cream for all of us!”
Sally smacked her husband’s arm. “Brady, please pretend none of that just happened.”
“None of what?” I asked, deadpan.
“Exactly,” Josh said with a smirk.
Sally glanced toward where Elise had run off. “A woman doesn’t show up in the middle of nowhere and spend a few hours rock hunting with a man unless she wants something.”
I looked down at the rare turquoise in my hand.
Did Elise want something?
And was it me?
Only time would tell.