Read Online Cardwell Ranch Trespasser by B. J. Daniels - Free Book Online Page B

something...crazy, between the depression and the drugs. Still I shouldn’t have called him to check on him.” Like she would have ever called him, but she was grateful that Rick was quick on his feet when it came to lying.
    “You did the right thing. Just imagine how you would have felt if you hadn’t called and something had happened to him.”
    “Hmm,” she said. “You’re right. But maybe I should go back home. I hate bringing my problems to your door.”
    “Don’t be silly.” Dana reached out and squeezed her hand. “That’s what family is for.”
    She’d always wondered what family was for. A part of her felt sorry for Dana. The woman was so caring. It must be exhausting.
    “You’re tired and you’ve had such an emotional day,” her cousin said, glancing at her watch. The fact that Dana still wore a watch and didn’t always carry a cell phone told Dee how far from civilization she now was.
    “I hope Hilde is all right.” She watched Dana’s expression out of the corner of her eye, trying to calculate whether or not Dana would call her friend to patch things up or not.
    “It’s just a good thing Colt was there,” Dana said. “He’ll take care of her. I’ll give her a call later to make sure.”
    “I feel badly about what she said.”
    “Don’t let it bother you. She was just talking crazy because she was scared. Still, it wasn’t like the Hilde I know at all.”
    She could tell Dana was worried about her friend. “Almost drowning would do that to anyone. I just don’t want to come between the two of you.”
    “You won’t. I shouldn’t have insisted Hilde come on the raft trip. It really isn’t her thing. And anyone would have panicked if they’d been trapped under the raft like that.”
    “It was just such a freak accident,” she agreed.
    “I’m sure Hilde realized that, once she had a chance to calm down. I wouldn’t be surprised if she shows up tomorrow to apologize.”
    Don’t hold your breath on that one. “I hate to even ask what you have planned for tomorrow,” Dee said with a small laugh. She hoped Dana would come up with something away from the ranch with Hud and as far away as possible from Big Sky and Hilde and Rick. “You really are showing me such a great time. How will I ever be able to repay you?”
    “It’s my pleasure. I thought you’d like to ride up to Elkhorn Lake.”
    “So you’ll be able to go?” she asked.
    “No, I have to stay here. Hud is going to take you by horseback, if you’re up to it. The lake is beautiful and the trip is really wonderful.”
    Oh, yes. She couldn’t wait.
    “I think his deputy Colt is going along.”
    Dee swore silently. Colt? The man who’d saved Hilde.
    “It sounds like fun,” she said, although it had sounded much more fun when it was just going to be her and Hud. “I just wish you could go. Maybe next time?”
    Dana nodded. “You must come back every year.”
    Or never leave. “Oh, I would love that.”
    “Well, sleep tight and don’t worry about Rick.”
    Easy for Dana to say.

Chapter Six
    The next morning, Dee got up early and borrowed Dana’s pickup to drive into Meadow Village. She still didn’t get the town of Big Sky. Everything was so spread out, but it was all close enough that it didn’t take her long to find Rick’s rental car parked in front of an older motor court motel.
    Rick had always been cheap, usually out of necessity because he was broke. She could only guess that that was the case this time.
    She had to knock three times before he finally opened the door wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist.
    “I wondered when you’d show up,” he said with a grin.
    She shoved past him into the room. It was pretty much what she expected: bed, television, bathroom. A discount-store piece of so-called art of a mountain from some other state hung on the wall over the unmade bed. Rick’s clothes were strewn on the floor and there were a half-dozen empty beer cans next to the