Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
The basement was more like a cellar than anything else.
There were crates of supplies to take care of animals that used to reside on the farm.
There were some old bags of feed, thankfully untouched by rodents.
There wasn’t much sign of life down here at all, which was why Tate couldn’t make sense of what Rylee must have heard.
He flicked his phone’s flashlight around the immediate area then up on the walls as he searched for the fuse box. Rylee was probably right about that being the culprit during the storm. Hopefully it was just a tripped fuse. At least then he wouldn’t have to worry about replacing one.
The metal box was on the far right of the basement. Opposite the water heater, water softener, and furnace. Normally those were out in the garage, but this house was older. It would be better if Rylee had them moved out to the garage if she planned on making this place permanent.
But that wasn’t likely, was it?
He’d heard her tell Jason that she only planned on staying for the summer. What that meant for the property, he couldn’t be certain. She might sell the place for all he knew.
Tate sighed. That was the last thing they needed right now with that developer breathing down their necks. The property adjacent to both his and Rylee’s was the one up for grabs. What would they do if they found out that Rylee was interested in selling?
Then again, Rylee had said she didn’t like the idea of a developer encroaching on their small town. Perhaps they were safe for the time being.
He stepped over a crate filled with what looked like extension cords and shined the light on the fuse box.
Tate toggled a few of the switches but nothing happened.
He groaned. It looked like this wouldn’t be so simple after all.
He didn’t know much about electrical work but there were a few guys in town who owed him a favor.
He could probably get one of them out here.
Movement caught the corner of his eye.
Something black and moving way too fast. It darted up a stack of boxes, causing the tower to topple right before it lunged straight for him.
He yelped, cursed, and stumbled back a few steps. His arms flailed and his phone clattered to the ground. Rylee called out to him and then her footsteps shuffled down the stairs.
A beam of light came from his phone, throwing a little light on the room, and he finally got the beast off his chest.
Tate glowered at the scrawny animal, holding it at arm’s length. “I think I found your intrud—” The rest of it cut off and his head came up as he whirled around. “Rylee, what in heaven’s name are you doing?”
The cat in his arms startled, yelped, and swiped at him before darting away. The sting of its claws on his hands was nothing to what happened in him at the sight of a hunting rifle pointed straight for him. “Will you lower your gat dang weapon?” he finally mustered.
She blinked, looked at the rifle, then offered him a shy smile. “Sorry. I thought you were in trouble.”
“Didn’t your father teach you never to aim that—”
Rylee glowered at him. “My father taught me never to take aim unless I’m ready to shoot.”
He gaped at her. “You were going to shoot me?”
“Not you… not exactly,” she said the second part under her breath. “Just…” She threw up a hand in the air. “Never mind.” Then her eyes darted around the room. “What was that? Please tell me I don’t have rats.”
Tate brushed himself off, muttering, “No, you don’t have rats. And the reason for that is probably due to that cat.”
Her eyes lit up. “A cat?”
“Don’t sound so excited. It’s probably feral. I’m going to have to get checked for rabies. I’m pretty sure it bit me.”
“Oh, don’t be so dramatic.” Rylee leaned the rifle up against the nearest wall and crouched down. She made several clicking sounds before murmuring, “Here, kitty, kitty, kitty.”
“I don’t think that’s going to…” His eyes widened as the black furball inched out from its hiding place.
“Why, aren’t you just the most beautiful thing…”
Tate stood there in morbid fascination while the cat approached Rylee like they knew each other.
That wasn’t possible. The cat wasn’t old by any means, but it wasn’t a kitten either.
“You probably shouldn’t—” He sighed. It was part groan, but mostly exasperation.
“I see we’re not going to be logical today. ”
Rylee giggled. “She’s purring.”
“You don’t even know if she’s a she.”
“Oh, I know.” Rylee rose to her full height then glanced over to the fuse box. “Bad news, I take it?”
He sighed again. “Yeah. But I know a couple guys. I’ll see if one of them can stop by today.”
“You don’t have to—”
His death-glare must have been plenty scary because she cut herself off before she finished her argument. Then he turned his dark look on the cat. “Please tell me you’re not going to keep that thing.”
“Who? Nightmare?”
He wrinkled his nose. “Nightmare?”
She laughed again when the creature rubbed its head into her chin. “Yeah, Nightmare. Only something that scary could make you scream like a little girl.”
Tate narrowed his eyes at her. “I didn’t scream like a little girl.”
Rylee shrugged as she turned. She reached for her rifle and headed for the stairs, leaving him alone.
He snatched his phone from the ground and followed her up. “Where did you get that rifle anyway?”
“It was my dad’s. He had it in the barn.”
It was how nonchalant she was after everything that threw him off guard.
He shook his head as he followed her outside.
He couldn’t stay a second longer in her presence or he might go insane.
“Right, well, now that everything seems sorted, I’m going to head out.
” Tate ignored the look of surprise on her face.
This was for the best. He needed to ground himself.
At the rate his heart was pumping and the thoughts that swirled in his head, he could tell he was losing his sense of control.
Rylee had gone from snarky and hard-headed to Rambo and then to a fairytale princess and back again.
Just like she’d been as a kid.
He’d never admitted it to anyone, but back then? He’d liked it.
He’d liked her.
A lot.
“Tate?”
He stopped walking and turned toward her. “Yeah?”
“Thank you.”
A curt nod was all he had in him to offer then he turned on his heel and headed home.
Tate avoided Rylee and her place. She didn’t stop by, which meant the guy he sent her way must have figured out the electrical problem.
Avoiding her didn’t mean that he was any good at stopping his thoughts from turning to her, though.
He’d never been interested in a serious relationship.
Not really. His first priority had always been his family.
The business needed the both of them pulling in the same direction.
His sisters needed him to take care of them while they figured out what they wanted to do with their lives.
His parents needed him to hold down the fort as they went on their travels as a retired couple.
Everyone needed him for something, and he was more than happy to oblige.
But then everyone in his social circles paired off. His friends out at Sagebrush Ranch. His friends in the rodeo circuit. Heck, even his sister had found someone who treated her like the queen she was.
Maybe that was the cause of his confusion.
Was it possible he’d come around to the benefit of finding someone who could love him and care for him?
Boy, that sounded selfish.
He had enough on his plate already. What did he have to offer anyone?
Especially someone like Rylee.
She had everything she could want. She’d mentioned how well off her aunt was when she’d caught up with Jason. It wasn’t something she was hiding. And that explained how they’d kept the property all these years. It also explained why she carried herself like she could rule the world one day.
Gone was the raggedy tomboy he’d been fascinated with as a child. She’d morphed into something different altogether.
And he was already a goner for her.
He cursed as the hammer came down and skimmed the side of his thumb.
He was repairing a piece of equipment they used to train the younger boys proper seating in the saddle.
A part had come loose and he should have known better than to fix it when his head wasn’t clear.
He wasn’t like Jason. His brother could clear his mind when he had a task at hand while Tate’s head stayed jumbled, especially when everything was changing at once.
“You go over to see her?”
He startled and glanced over his shoulder at Jason, who stood with his hands in his pockets and gave nothing away. “Who?”
“Rylee. You go see her since that night?”
Tate scoffed. “Why would I? We barely know each other anymore.” He turned back to his thumb and shook out his hand. At least he wasn’t bleeding.
“You’ve been distracted,” Jason said.
Tate made a face at the wall, where his brother couldn’t see it. “I’m busy.”
“No, it’s more than that.” This was Jason. The quiet, annoyingly observant twin who knew Tate better than Tate did. But that came with the territory. They were twins, after all.
“I don’t know what you’re trying to get at. But I’m fine.” He lifted his hammer, prepared to take another swing when Jason’s words had him nearly hitting himself. Again.
“I think Rylee is making you distracted.”
Tate threw back his head with a groan. “Rylee has nothing to do with anything. We’re dealing with a lot right now. If that developer—”
Jason shook his head again. “Ever since you saw her at that meeting you’ve been different.”
“Will you just drop it?” Tate tossed the hammer aside.
He didn’t need his brother pointing out that he’d been off.
And it started a lot earlier than Rylee’s arrival.
He’d been off his game since he’d tried to have a serious relationship.
That hadn’t worked out. But that was par for the course.
Rylee would be no different. She wasn’t here permanently.
And they couldn’t even be considered friends.
Whatever Jason was trying to do wasn’t going to work.
“You fix that, will you? I’m heading to Sagebrush. ”
Jason turned as he passed. “Why?”
“Because I want updates on the zoning situation,” Tate hollered back. But mostly, he didn’t want his brother poking at the weak shield he’d erected around himself when it came to wanting something he couldn’t have.
When Tate arrived at the Sagebrush property, he was pleasantly surprised to find a few of the people he wanted to speak to lounging around.
It was getting close to supper time so perhaps he’d timed it just right.
He wandered over toward Brent and Tripp’s home—or rather the home where their parents lived.
Both Brent and Tripp now had places of their own.
The Reese family land was large enough that they’d given each of their extended family a parcel to build on.
Tate would have been jealous if he didn’t already have to look after his parents’ property.
It was still in their name. He was just the one responsible for keeping everyone together.
Brent and Tripp sat with their wives and parents on the porch.
Their cousin, Hallie, had lived next door before she got married this spring.
Right now, she and her husband were out of town for a rodeo event down in Texas.
The other cousins were around here somewhere, but Tripp would have information for him.
His wife worked in town and was privy to more gossip than most.
Tate smiled as he approached. He nodded to Brent. “You coming out to work tomorrow? We missed you today.”
Brent nodded. “I was hoping to bring my cousin’s kid along. Bo’s son wants to learn a thing or two.”
“That’s not necessary. If your family wants lessons, I’m sure Jason and I could set aside some time to come here and give a few lessons,” Tate offered.
Faith gave him a knowing smile. Family first. And since she’d married into this family, Tate couldn’t help but feel a connection to them as if they were his own.
“That’d be great, thanks. I’ll let him know.”
Then Tate turned to Tripp and his wife. “You guys hear anything about that developer? Any news on the zoning being approved?”
Tripp shook his head, but Wendy nodded. “The gals down at Salon 406 said they heard the purchase agreement is already in the works. The mayor’s son is trying to push it through without a vote to the public.
Something about this being an issue that the city council needs to handle—not civilians.
” The look of disgust on her face said it all.
“Does he have that much pull?” Tate asked, and didn’t like waiting for the answer.
“He’s on the council so he might have more sway than we realize.”
Tripp grumbled something. His parents didn’t look all that pleased either.
His mother was the next to speak up. “I went to that meeting. That woman who spoke did ruffle some feathers. Did anyone catch her name? I heard she’s a city girl.”
“She’s not a city girl,” Tate spoke before anyone had a chance to share gossip about Rylee. “I grew up with her. She moved away when she was a kid.”
Tripp chuckled. “Wouldn’t that make her a city girl then? She hasn’t exactly been raised around here.”
Tate’s jaw flexed. Rylee might have been raised in the city for her teenage years, but the way she held that rifle at him said she was still country through and through.
“Her father owned the farm next to mine. She values this place just as much or more than you. Let’s not forget you didn’t grow up here either.
Summers at Sagebrush is hardly being born and bred in the country. ”
Tripp’s amusement faltered. Tate had hit the nail on the head. If only he’d done so literally earlier today.
“What’s she doing here?” Tripp’s mother asked, ignoring the tension that had built between them.
“Don’t know,” Tate murmured. That wasn’t exactly true.
She was here for the summer which meant she might not be here long enough to fight this battle.
“All I do know is that she loved this place as a kid and she doesn’t want to see it go to some man or company who would turn it into something unrecognizable. She’s not the enemy.”
His sister and Wendy exchanged glances at his last comment, but he didn’t dare ask what they were thinking. He knew better than to allow himself to be drawn into whatever mess they wanted to take part in.
After getting a few updates about Jacob and Hallie and making some plans to teach the kids at Sagebrush how to handle a horse in competition, Tate took his leave. It had been a nice reprieve from the constant thoughts of the girl next door.