Chapter 4
When he came to, he was at the bottom of a small hill with pain searing through his limbs. The ground beneath him was a collection of forest growth, rocks, and tree roots.
With a deep breath, he tried to open his eyes. The slit of light he caught from between the dense stand of trees made his head throb. In his mind, he hollered for help.
Wanting to stay awake, he roused himself enough to sit against a tree and tried to remember what had happened.
—Fixing a fence on Wade Reed Road.
—Sounds of chainsaws.
—Yelling. Running. Tripping. Tumbling. A sharp pain in his shoulder.
“Okay, Donovan,” he muttered, the words clinging to his dry lips. “How are you getting out of this?”
The Middle Tennessee humidity blanketed him, but he needed to move. He felt along his belt for his phone, but the holster was empty. His firearm was also missing.
He opened his eyes enough to spy his cell phone a few feet away and stretched toward it with his boot. Yet before he could maneuver it toward him, he passed out, waking up with soft rain dripping from tree leaves onto his face.
He reached for his phone again, brushing the edge with the toe of his shoe, but not enough to pull it toward him.
Finally, he lunged forward, reaching for it, sending a searing pain down his arm.
And his left knee hurt like the dickens.
He started to dial HQ, but between the trees and the clouds, he had no service. And where was his firearm?
Not good. Few traveled Wade Reed Road. He tried to stand, hugging the tree for support. But his knees buckled.
“You got this.” He’d been here before, hurt and alone.
Peeking through the trees, he gauged the direction of the sun and decided to hobble north, if possible, and toward the road.
Ten trees later, he was exhausted. Every part of him throbbed with pain. Inching into a clearing, he sank down to the soft grass, fell back, and closed his eyes.
This seemed like as good a place to die as any.
Why wasn’t anyone sending her updates?
Finding a break in Ella’s evening rush. Elizabeth checked her phone for the millionth time. No texts. No voice messages.
Tina leaned over her shoulder. “Jeff said he’d call you when they found him.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Elizabeth tucked her phone into her pocket. “I’m waiting for an email from Wharton.”
“Come on, I know a worried-about-the-boy-I-like look over an email-from-my-college look.”
“First of all, it’s not—” Never mind. She didn’t want to tell people she was wait-listed. It felt like a negative confession. “I don’t like any boy, Tina. But if you mean I’m worried about a friend lost, possibly shot, in Cheatham WMA, then yes, I’m hoping Jeff will call.”
“Hmmm, tell me, when did you move to Denialville?” Tina carried a tray of clean glasses out to the drink station. “Hey Lucy, did you get the tables ready for the party of fifteen? They called. Said they were on their way.”
Denialville? Tina thought she was so clever.
Well, if anyone lived in Realville, it was Elizabeth Dorsey.
She understood how life could upend a person at any moment.
Therefore, nothing, nothing, not even a handsome ranger, could deter her.
If any curveballs were coming her way, she’d be in the batter’s box, bat raised, ready to swing.
She’d had enough derailment for her twenty-five years.
For a Monday night, the dinner rush started late and ended early. By eight o’clock, she let two kitchen crew members go after cleaning and shutting down one of the grills and fry vats.
At nine, she sent two servers and one busser home. Tina came out of the office with a bag of laundry and her handbag.
“I’m dropping these at the dry cleaner, then home to a luxurious hot soak in my deep, luxurious tub.”
“By way of Marty’s Garage? See what he’s up to?” Teasing Tina about Marty had become a thing between them.
“Marty’s? What are you implying?” But there was a saucy grin on her lips. “Keep it up and I’ll dock the cost of the tires from your check.”
When he sent the bill for Elizabeth’s tires, he’d charged her his cost and no labor. And there was a little tiny heart by his signature.
“Now who’s living in Denialville, Tina? Huh?” Elizabeth laughed as her boss and friend flashed her palm and walked away.
“I’d fire you if I didn’t love you so much! And I need you Fourth of July weekend.”
The Fourth was a big deal in Hearts Bend.
People came from all over to attend the celebration on Scott’s Farm—now owned by the Castle family.
Vendors applied months in advance to sell their art, craft, clothes, antiques, and, best of all, food.
Local and Nashville music acts graced a giant stage with live music.
There were games, bounce houses, and pony rides.
“Am I here or the farm?” Elizabeth said.
“I think I’ll send you to the farm. I’m getting too old to stand in the heat and grill burgers. Lucy and D’Angelo can go with you. Okay, I’m leaving. Night all.” Tina’s voice faded as the door closed behind her.
So, Elizabeth would finally get to see the Fourth of July celebration. As a teen, she’d worked the diner while Tina and her sons manned the food truck at the farm. She, Lucy, and D’Angelo would make a good team. Even if those two were googly-eyed in love.
Look, she wasn’t opposed to love. She was a red-blooded woman, after all.
She believed relationships and commitment were an important part of being human.
But she was three years off her planned goals, and if she didn’t achieve them, she’d be a failure.
Like she’d let Epstein–Barr win. The very idea made her anxious and out of sorts.
She was about to run the final evening tickets when there was a commotion from the dining room.
Will and Jeff were moving toward the counter with a banged-up Ryder between them.
He walked with a limp, and his arm was in a sling.
Cuts and bruises marked his august face, and his hands were scratched and swollen, like he’d rolled through a briar patch.
“You found him.” Elizabeth set aside the receipts and pushed through the kitchen door. “Thank goodness. Ryder, are you all right?”
“He ran into a tree chasing a couple of loggers,” Jeff said, easing Ryder down on one of the counter stools.
“I didn’t run into a tree.” Ryder leaned over the counter until his forehead rested on the vintage Formica. “Food.”
“We found him way out on Wade Reed Road. If he hadn’t managed to get in a clearing, we’d still be looking.” Jeff sat at the counter. “Can we get three burger platters?”
“Yes, of course.” Elizabeth glanced at Will’s somber expression. “Why isn’t he at the hospital?”
“Just got back from there,” Ryder said, his forehead still on the counter.
“He’s got a slight concussion, banged-up knee and arm, bruises, and cuts. Nothing too serious. He’s lucky.”
“What happened?” Elizabeth said, punching in the order.
“Ryder’s a bit fuzzy,” Jeff said, “but remembers coming up on a couple of guys cutting down trees while mending a fence. He went after them but—”
“I did not run into a tree. There’s a ravine. I went down it. Then I ran into a tree. Many trees. Lost my phone and sidearm.” Ryder slowly sat up. The accident hadn’t damaged his humor. “Where are we at on those burgers?”
“Coming up.” Elizabeth poured tall glasses of sweet tea and water. “Are you sure you want a burger?”
“I’ve been dreaming of one all afternoon.”
In the kitchen, she slapped the burgers on the grill and dropped a large basket of fries.
Ryder was hurt. Then she dished out coleslaw and garnished the plates with spear pickles, lettuce, tomato, and onion.
Ryder was hurt. She’d been more worried than she’d realized.
Which she’d never confess to Tina. Ryder was hurt.
And he lived alone. Who would take care of him?
When she came around the kitchen door with their platters, Ryder whispered, “Thank you.”
“How long were you out there? They said you were shot.”
“I don’t remember any gunfire. Too busy rolling down the ravine,” he said, draining his glass in one long gulp. “I was out there about eight hours, and my ego is more damaged than my body.”
“Someone was out there trying to illegally log trees,” Jeff said, ending a call and setting down his phone with a nod of thanks to Elizabeth.
“They’ll blame me,” Ryder said. “My boss thinks I let loggers in without a contract. But I never talked to any loggers.” He bit into his burger and slowly chewed. “My teeth hurt.”
“An investigation will uncover the truth,” Jeff said, then leaned toward Elizabeth. “Will told me he offered you the CFO job.”
Ryder looked her way. “What? Another permanent Dorsey in town? Aren’t we over our allotment?”
Will laughed. “She didn’t say yes. Yet.”
“I’m flattered, but that offer is outside my plan.” She motioned to Ryder. “You guys should get him home. He’s going to fall off his stool.”
After the first bite, he never took another. She boxed up his dinner along with a dessert while Jeff cashed out with Lucy. Then she wiped down the counter and watched them go.
“You’ve got it bad for him,” Lucy said as she collected the condiment bottles.
“I’m concerned for him. He was hurt.”
“I think Tina’s right. You’ve moved to Denialville.”
“How can I deny something that’s not true?” What was with small-town people who liked to be in everyone’s business?
At ten, she locked the front door and turned off the lights. In the office, she tallied the receipts and worked up the deposit slip for Tina. She liked doing the extra things for a boss she admired.
“Everything’s done. Cade is dumping out the mop water.
” Lucy leaned against the door. “Hey, Elizabeth, about Ryder. I’m just teasing.
I really do admire your drive and determination.
I wish I had it in me to go to a fancy college and get an MBA.
” She smiled softly. “But I’m a country girl.
I’m okay with attending UT and working here in the summers. ”