Picture This #2
The movement stopped, and then another tree moved further away. Boomer hadn’t lost the scent and kept angling himself so he remained between Amber and whatever threat was out there.
“Amber!”
A man’s shout came from the direction of the inn. Boomer didn’t flinch, instead turning in the other direction and barking again as Amber called out, “We’re here.”
Gray raced into sight, relief obvious in his expression as his gaze roved over Amber. Then he joined Boomer in protecting them, gun out.
Esme hadn’t seen a gun in real life before. The sight sent fear rippling through her. The biggest threat she’d faced had been paparazzi and whoever had attacked her.
Her stomach dropped at the thought. Was this disturbance from one of them? Was this her fault? Had she brought danger to this magical farm?
If she had, she’d need to move on to keep them safe.
Her heart ached.
Wyatt was almost to the farmhouse when his phone beeped. A notification from the Apple Gang Chat. It included everyone living on the farm, and they used the chat to let the entire group in on something. The name made him smile, but that disappeared as he read the message from Gray.
Boomer’s alerting. Amber and Esme at the water lily pond in the garden.
Wyatt shoved his phone in his pocket and ran.
Were the women in danger? Was someone trying to hurt them?
Boomer, Amber’s German shepherd, was a trained protection dog. He’d saved Amber when some thugs had tried to kidnap her. Like the K-9 officers Wyatt had worked with overseas, the dog wouldn’t alert without a reason. There was a threat to Esme and Amber.
Thankful he hadn’t let his fitness lapse since leaving the military, Wyatt poured on all the speed he could as he raced to the garden. Terror for Esme gave him extra power.
He wouldn’t waste time detouring to his room to grab his weapon. His rage would have to do.
All the men on the farm were former military. They were trained to protect and contain situations, with and without weapons. Whoever was trying to hurt the women wouldn’t stand a chance, even if they were armed and the men here weren’t.
He didn’t know the garden well enough to find the water lily pond quickly. Cursing himself for not paying enough attention to know his surroundings better, he took the first path he saw.
He spotted Seth entering the garden from the far side. That would eliminate another exit for the jackass.
Wyatt raced along the path, heading straight to the far end whenever he had a choice.
Finally, he spotted Gray standing ahead, facing away from him. He called like a partridge, alerting his friend to his presence. Gray held up a fist in response as Wyatt heard another partridge call from Seth’s position.
Relief shot through him when he rounded a stand of cedar bushes to spot Esme standing in front of where Amber sat on a bench. Neither appeared injured.
Seth appeared from the other side. “Knox and Ford are right behind. Go.”
An IED had ripped apart Seth’s leg on his last mission. He wouldn’t be as fast as either Gray or Wyatt, but his ability to protect the women was unmatched.
Wyatt slowed down only long enough to make eye contact with Esme. She was nervous, but not terrified. Guessing no one had hurt her, he followed Gray, who ordered Boomer to hunt.
The command alone would be enough to send most criminals running for safety. Boomer’s barks and growls were intimidating as hell.
The dog leapt into action, leaving Gray and Wyatt to follow.
Boomer followed the paths when the foliage was dense, but when it was light enough, he charged through. They followed without a word.
The path led them out of the garden area, past the far end of the farmhouse, past Chick Inn Time, then angled toward the road.
The trees were thicker here, wilder, with no easy paths. It barely slowed any of them down, although Boomer was the fastest.
They heard a car fire up before they could see the road. Cursing, he and Gray pushed harder, but Boomer left them behind.
Once they reached the fence, they hopped over and up the ditch to the road.
Boomer stood, staring toward the north, growling fiercely at the empty road.
They’d been too slow; the vehicle was long gone.
Gray patted Boomer’s head. “Good job, Boomer. You kept her safe. Good job.”
Gray called Amber with an update, and they returned the way they’d come, searching the ground for any evidence the person might have dropped in their rush to get away from Boomer.
When they were in the thick trees, Boomer barked, but this sound wasn’t angry like the earlier alerts.
Gray moved in Boomer’s direction. “What did you find?”
Boomer nosed the ground. Wyatt and Gray squatted beside him, searching through the bush they’d crashed through earlier.
Wyatt spotted it first. “Good find, Boomer. Got any gloves, Gray?”
Gray shook his head, but pulled out a small notebook. “Take some pictures of it in place first.”
When Wyatt had taken pictures from a few distances and angles, Gray used a couple of pages from the notebook to pick up a black object they’d never have found without the dog.
Gray lifted it and they exchanged a glance. It was a camera lens cap. Someone had been taking pictures of the women.
Was this connected to the thugs who had tried to kidnap Amber? Or was it connected to Esme?
Wyatt took more pictures of the lens and the surrounding area while Gray called another military buddy, Marcus Ramirez, who was the police chief of Phail. Arrow had been one of the best military men Wyatt had known. Phail was lucky to have him as their top cop.
Gray relayed the situation to Marcus as they returned through the woods, letting Boomer lead the way. They didn’t find anything else.
When they reached the clearing, they found Knox, Ford, and Seth standing around the women.
Again, Wyatt’s gaze locked on Esme. She was safe. Whole and uninjured as far as he could see. Protected by his friends.
Relief nearly knocked him on his ass.
Gray knelt in front of Amber and pulled her into a tight hug, with Boomer wedged between them.
Wyatt wanted to do the same with Esme, but he didn’t have the right, especially after being such an ass earlier.
Still, he couldn’t stop himself from approaching her. “Are you okay?”
Eyes wide, lips trembling, she nodded. He offered her his hand and smiled in relief when she took it. He pulled her up from the bench and into a gentle hug.
She didn’t resist.
“I’m sorry for being an ass earlier. It had nothing to do with you. I’ll explain later, for now, I’m just glad you’re okay.”
She nodded into his chest and squeezed him around the waist.
Seth touched his shoulder. “Let’s get everyone inside and wait for Marcus to arrive. Mara has cider, tea, and fritters ready.”
Nodding, Wyatt released Esme, but couldn’t stop himself from running his hand down her arms to assure himself she was fine.
She nodded at him, rolled her lips together, and didn’t resist when he took her hand in his as they walked with the group to the inn.
Boomer remained on alert at Amber’s side. Gray kept his arm around her, while the others ranged themselves around the group to ensure the women were protected from all sides.
Relieved that Esme hadn’t pushed him away, Wyatt kept his senses alert for trouble.
The only trouble he sensed was his heart wobbling. The fear had made him realize the impact Esme had already had on him.
He was falling for another model. And this one might be leaving him any day.