Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE
M aria could tell that Harry was hurting, and not just physically. His whole life was inside out, and here he was alone among strangers. And then it hit her so hard she snapped her fingers and blurted it aloud. “Your dad and sister should come down! We can boot out a couple of the relations to clear a room. Baxter’s parents’ place is within shoutin’ distance.”
He lifted his head, meeting her eyes while her cousins all shouted hell, yeahs. “You don’t think it would put them in danger?”
Bubba said, “This ranch is the safest place on earth right now.”
“There’s a deputy in your bunkhouse,” Willow added, “and a sheriff and his chief deputy in the main house.”
Maria said, “And two triple black belts sitting among us.”
“But it’s your mom they’d have to worry about,” Drew said. “Aunt Jessi doesn’t suffer fools.” Beside her, Orrin nodded emphatically.
Trevor said, “Remember when that guy in town told my mom to go back where she came from?”
“I was there,” Maria said. “We were picking up supplies for Sunday barbecue— you’re gonna love Sunday barbecue, Harry. Anyway, it was me, my mom, and Aunt Esmeralda, coming out of the market, and this guy yells at her.”
Trevor said, “My mom just froze. She didn’t know what to say. And then Aunt Jessi, she turns to Maria and says, ‘Hold my groceries, baby girl.’ Then to my mom, ‘Call 911. This guy just… I don’t know, grabbed my ass, I guess. The rest was self-defense.’”
“The guy heard every word of it,” Maria said, picking up the story. “He put his thumbs in his waistband and grinned, and he said something like, ‘ooh, looks like I’m in trouble now.’”
“He wasn’t a local,” Trevor put in with a sad shake of his head.
“They never are,” Willow added.
“My mom walked up to him,” Maria said. “He was still runnin’ his mouth about Aunt Esmeralda when Mom kicked him right in the cojones. When he doubled over, she kneed him in the chin. By the time the police car came screaming into the parking lot, he was flat on his back, hands coverin’ his face, and my mom was standin’ over him ready to do more damage. There was some blood.”
Trevor was laughing at this point. “So, the deputy gets out of the car and walks over to the guy. ‘You all right, sir?’ He helps the guy to his feet, and the dude starts yellin’, ‘That woman— right there, that woman, she assaulted me!’ And then he’s standin’ there, and Aunt Jessi’s only a few feet away, and a crowd has gathered, and they’re lookin’ at him, six-two and cut, and then at her, all petite and pretty. And they start laughin’. And the guy looks around all upset, and the deputy, Uncle Lash, walks over to Aunt Jess and says, ‘Hi, hon.’ She hugs him and gives him a kiss hello and he asked what happened.
“‘Guy grabbed my ass,’ Aunt Jessi says. And the guy starts blusterin’ that he did not grab her ass, and my mom, Esmeralda, in case you’re lost, says she saw the whole thing. He grabbed her ass hard . And Uncle Lash asks Aunt Jessi if she wants to press charges, and she says not as long as the guy’s out of Quinn by sundown.”
Harry smiled throughout the tale. Trevor was so good at that, Maria thought. Anyone needed cheering up, he was the go-to guy. Everyone laughed at the tale, even though they’d all heard it a hundred times.
“How about some music, Bubba?” Drew called out.
“Can a guy eat first?” Bubba asked, but his guitar case was leaning against his folding chair.
“Bubba’s a country singer,” Maria explained. “Had a big hit last year.”
Harrison frowned and looked Bubba’s way, and the big guy said, “You won’t recognize that name. My given name is Garrett Ethan Brand, but I’ve been Bubba since my mamma left me on that doorstep. Professionally, I go by?—”
“Ethan Brand,” Harry said. “I have heard of you. Country Kind of Love must be my sister’s favorite song.”
“That’s nice, she likes my one and only hit. Huh, maybe she should come down for a visit. A fan would boost my ego.”
Harry looked around at the others. “What do the rest of you do with your time?”
Drew said, “Youngest first! I just finished college because my parents insisted, but I intend to be a private investigator like Mom.”
“Her parents are my uncle Ben and aunt Penny,” Maria whispered.
“I take the licensing exam next month,” Drew said.
“I could have guessed that for you,” Harry said. “Is there a lot of call for that in such a small town?”
“Very little,” she said. “So there’s some drivin’ involved. But you’d be surprised how much of the work is remote. Internet-based. It’s all tech these days.”
“Makes sense.” Harry nodded at Orrin. “You too?”
Orrin lowered his head a little. “I help out, but it’s not my forever thing. I haven’t found my forever thing yet.”
“Who’s next youngest?” Harry asked, then he pointed at Trevor, and raised his brows.
“Good guess,” Trevor said. “You could work at the fair!”
“And you are… a stand-up comedian?” Harry asked.
Everyone burst out laughing, especially Trevor. He said, “Everyone says I’m funny. You want to see funny, hang out with my dad. But no, I teach English as a second language to immigrant kids in nearby border towns.”
“Wow. That’s amazing work.”
“Thank you.”
“Thank you ,” Harry said.
“I’m next,” Willow said. “But you already know my gig.”
“The newest deputy in town,” Bubba said. “And the youngest. It’s a record.”
All eyes turned to Baxter, and Maria couldn’t wait. Baxter’s hair was dark blond and shaggy. He wore black-rimmed eyeglasses, and whatever clothes he was most comfortable in. Tonight, that was a pair of dark blue warmup pants with loose legs and deep pockets, and a gray T-shirt.
“I’m the oldest. My mom is Jasmine, adopted dad is Luke, a cousin of the elder Brands. I?—”
“Wait. Harry has to guess first.” Maria was holding her hands up between them, like she was preventing a fight. Then she looked at Harry and nodded.
She watched Harry look Baxter over. Baxter leaned back in his lawn chair, long legs outstretched, using a basketball sized rock as a footstool, smirking and sipping his beer.
“I don’t know what kind, but he’s some sort of scientist,” Harry said, and Baxter choked on his beer and almost tipped his chair over. Beside him, Bubba clapped his back. “Easy, there, old man.”
Harry was looking at everyone. “What? Did I get it?”
Bax wiped his mouth. “Biophysicist. How the heck did you?—?”
“Takes one to know one, I guess. What are you working on?”
“Growing food in the desert. You?”
“Making a one-inch-square solar panel that does the work of one sixteen square feet.”
“ That’s what they stole?” Baxter asked. “The folks kept saying solar tile, I was thinking much larger, though. But that’s… that’s a paradigm shift.”
Harry nodded. “And it will be, no matter who takes the credit for it,” he said. “That’s what really matters.”
“I keep tellin’ you,” Maria said, “this isn’t about takin’ credit. Only a scientist would think that way. And how many scientists do you know, goin’ around killin’ people?”
Harry frowned and so did Baxter. They exchanged a look and then a shrug. Around them, everyone was nodding in agreement with Maria’s theory, which was, she thought, obvious.
“That’s too heavy a topic for a campfire, though,” Bubba said, sliding his guitar strap over his head. He began strumming. Everyone sat, or stood, rocking or tapping in time, or just relaxing with their beers. Maria could see Harry beginning to relax.
“I’m beat,” Harry said after another hour. “Don’t let it break up the party. I could listen to you all night, Ethan, but I think I need to turn in.” He got up, then added, “Thank you guys. You’ve been amazing.”
“ He’s thankin’ us, ” Ethan said with an eye roll. “We owe you, Harrison.”
“The guy driving that truck was after me,” Harry replied. “That makes it my fault.”
“Well, it’s my fault you’re here in the first place,” Maria said, “so…” Then she turned to the others. “I’m gonna get him set up in the bunkhouse.”
“Third bunk, bottom,” Drew said. “In deference to you bein’ beat up twice in a row, second time by a truck.” She winked at Maria and said, “You’re on top.”
They started toward the bunkhouse, which was far enough away to keep it safe from any stray campfire sparks. They were nearly there when Willow said, “Hold up.” She’d come after them.
They waited where they were, and she joined them, phone in hand. “Just got a text from Ithaca PD. Preliminary exam shows your friend Solomon died of a heart attack.”
“A heart attack,” Harry repeated.
She nodded. “It’s definite.”
“But his place—” he began.
“Was ransacked, yes,” Willow said, “and there were signs of a physical struggle, but that’s not what killed him. He had a heart defect he probably didn’t even know about.”
“Okay,” Harry said, and then he said it again and met Maria’s eyes. “That’s good news, right? Whoever did this, didn’t kill Solomon.”
“Oh yes, he did,” Maria said. “Just maybe didn’t intend to.”
“Maybe he doesn’t intend to kill Carrie, either.” He closed his eyes. “Thanks, Willow.”
“You’re welcome.” Harry went on inside.
Maria hung back, since Bubba was on his way over. He reached past her, pulled the bunkhouse door closed, and said, real soft, “Seriously, if you want us to clear out of here?—”
“What kind of a woman do you think I am? I’m a few days out from my would-be-weddin’. What’s the matter with you?”
She shoved her way past him into the bunkhouse, and right before she slammed the door, heard Drew say, “Whoa. She’s got it worse than I thought.”
She wondered if Harry had heard it, too, and was almost afraid to look, but then she did. He’d wandered to the back of the bunkhouse where the beds were stacked and had found his bunk.
Maria went to the bedding closet and took two fresh, ribbon-entwined stacks of crisp white bedding, pillow and all, and set them both on the top bunk. Then she took a fitted sheet from the pile, and said, “I’ll make your bed, if your shoulder?—”
“No, I can do it. Actually, I should make yours, too. I have better reach. He leaned over the upper bunk and easily slipped the fitted sheet onto the mattress, a task that would have required Maria to climb up there. Then he held out a hand and said, “Top sheet, please.”
She put it into his hand. In no time, he’d made the beds. She helped with the bottom bunk and then sat on its edge. “Bathroom’s through there.”
“Mm-hm.” He sat down beside her. “They think we’re in here making out, don’t they?”
“They won’t, if I go right back outside. But if I stay, yeah, that’s what they’ll think.”
“Do you want to stay?” he asked.
“I really do,” she said.
“Even knowing it can’t go anywhere with us?”
She tipped her head to one side and searched his blue eyes in the dim room. “I think you’re wrong about that. But yes, even knowin’ you believe it can’t go anywhere, I’d still like to stay. But I’m leavin’ anyway.”
He nodded slowly.
“See, I think it could go somewhere. And that means our first time together will be somethin’ we remember for the rest of our lives. So, I sure as heck don’t want it to happen in a bunkhouse with all my cousins a few dozen yards away.”
He tilted his head like a dog hearing a new word for the first time. Like he was trying to figure her out. And then she said, “They won’t think much at all if I’m only in here for ten minutes though.”
“It’s already been five,” he said.
“Then we should be doin’ more kissin’ and less talkin’, don’t you think?”
All that puzzling left his brow, and he pulled her close and they kissed. His mouth moved over hers, all soft and hungry. She needed more of Harry than she was ever going to be able to have in this bunkhouse. Or in her aunt and uncle’s place, either. She needed to get this man alone.
He moved his lips to her jaw, to her neck, below the ear, which made her want to tear his clothes off. Her breathing had sped up, and she put her hands on his chest to slow him down.
“I know,” he said. “I know.” He stopped kissing her, but his arms were still around her so when she rose from the bed, he did, too. He looked into her eyes like he was already in love and just didn’t know it yet. God, his eyes were amazing. Sky blue. She wondered if it was logical to feel as much for him as she did.
But what she’d said outside was true. She’d been engaged to Billy Bob so recently it could be measured in hours. Was she just reacting to the break-up by falling for the first man she saw afterward? Was this some kind of rebound fling?
Maybe it was a rebound fling. Maybe she should treat it as such.
“Maria?”
She was standing there face-to-face with him. His arms were around her waist and hers were around his neck, and she’d been staring into his eyes for what suddenly felt like a long time. She leaned up on tiptoe and kissed him again, a long, slow, tender kiss. And when she stood flat-footed again, she blinked slowly.
Oh, yeah, she thought. This was definitely going somewhere.
There was no way to oversleep in a bunkhouse full of early risers. Four of them had showered the night before, leaving four of them to take turns in the morning. There were two bathrooms, but Drew and Orrin got them first, leaving Harrison and Maria to trail behind.
He’d learned a lot last night. He didn’t know what he’d expected of Maria’s cousins, but he hadn’t figured he’d find a celebrity and a scientist among them. He’d also learned why Bubba was the only one who called him Harrison instead of Harry. He was sensitive to the subject because he wanted to be addressed as Ethan. Harrison would make sure to call him that from now on. Not that he would likely be around much longer.
After his turn in the shower, Harrison went in search of Maria. He found her, fresh as a daisy, her mop of dark-red curls damp-dried and piled on top of her head. She was holding a coffee mug and standing in the open door, gazing outside, her back to him.
The place looked empty other than her. “Did they abandon us?”
“Left us a four-wheeler,” she said. “But we’d best hurry. They’re like vultures at breakfast.”
“I bet.” He came up to her in the doorway, seeing a steaming mug on the table as he passed and picking it up. “This for me?”
“Sure is. Bubba made it before he headed back.” She shrugged. “I think they’re tryin’ to give us some alone time.”
“Considerate of them.” He sidled up beside her.
“Presumptive of them,” she said. “I ought to line ’em up and smack ’em upside their heads.”
“Oh,” he said, and he heard his own tone. Confused, surprised maybe.
She left the bunkhouse, coffee mug in hand, and started walking toward the main house, ignoring the perfectly good four-wheeler sitting a few yards away, so he fell into step beside her.
After a few slow steps, without looking up at him, she said, “I been thinkin’ about it all night.”
“About… what?” He thought he knew.
“Us. This.” She indicated the two of them with her hand.
“Oh,” he said. “Me, too.”
“My feelings are… well, I don’t want to scare you, but they feel kind of…” She paused, tilted her head. “Different from past experience.”
“Different, how?” He didn’t mean to ask the question, but he’d been thinking something similar, and he wanted to know. Not that there had been many past experiences for him. But none of them had been like this. He didn’t know what this was.
She sipped her coffee and kept on walking. Her steps were slow and easy, her jeans brushing through purple clover blossoms. They walked along a fence line, with horses grazing in the sprawling, wildflower-strewn pasture to the left of it.
“I don’t know, exactly,” she said. “Bigger maybe. No, that’s not quite right. Deeper. That’s closer.”
“Deeper,” he repeated, nodding, considering it.
“And I ain’t fixin’ to get my heart broke.”
He hesitated to reply again. Words came into his mind, but he played them to himself first, then revised, and played them again.
“It’s not that I don’t want to… you know. I’m no blushin’ virgin.”
Her eyes and long pause told him a reply was required at this juncture, so he blurted, “Neither am I.”
She grinned. “The way you talk about your life being all work, I gotta admit, I wondered if I was gonna be your first.”
And then he was even more confused. “I thought you just said we’re not going to… you know.”
“Well, not yet, ” she said. “ Ob viously.”
“Obviously,” he repeated. He had no idea what she was talking about. She might as well have lapsed into Aramaic.
“It might not even be real,” she said at length. “I did just ditch my own weddin’ on Saturday. This could be some kind of… rebound reaction.”
He nodded. “Did he break your heart?”
She snort-laughed, shaking her head. Some of her coffee sloshed over the rim of her mug. “I was disappointed about that beautiful weddin’ goin’ to waste, and not havin’ the reception, and havin’ to return all the gifts— which my mom and aunts have already taken care of for me.” She ran her open palm over the fluffy tops of the tallest grasses alongside the well-worn path from bunkhouse to main. “I have a great family.”
“Can’t argue with you, there.”
“I was disappointed about not marryin’, I suppose. But not marryin’ Billy Bob specifically? Not so much. When I could take stock, it felt more like relief. I didn’t realize how much I wanted to call it off until I called it off, you know?”
“I do.”
She raised her eyebrows high. “That’s four times.”
They’d stopped walking. They’d crossed more than half the distance to the main house. It was something to see, the Texas Brand, wide green meadows and pastures interspersed with brown patches and scrubby brush lots, stretching all the way to the sky in every direction. Cattle grazing as far as the eye could see.
And yet, she was way prettier. She fit this place as if it had been created around her, as her backdrop.
He took a deep breath, and said, “Just so we’re on the same page, can you be more specific about what you mean by ‘not yet’?”
“Well, aren’t you eager?” She smiled at him like sunbeams, her cheeks blushing pink. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It was,” he said. “Is.”
She sighed, and reaching over, clasped his hand in hers. “I don’t know, exactly. Maybe… maybe when you decide to stay.”