the words.
She swallowed hard. “How did you know, Clay? I’m her mother and I believed she was dead. Why didn’t you give up too?”
“I can’t explain it.”
It had been an intuition deep inside. She thought he had no feelings. The truth was, he had more than he could handle most times. The older he got, the harder it became to maintain his tough-guy, careless facade. He’d accused her of hiding behind a mask. Wasn’t he just as bad?
He turned her toward the house. “Let’s get chow. My belly is gnawing on my backbone.”
When they reached the kitchen, Rita turned with her smile increasing in wattage. “Clay, I kept some pancakes warm for you.”
He blinked at the way she batted her lashes. Like she was a Southern belle. Who did she remind him of? That gal who played Heidi maybe. Beside him, he felt Eden tense. She’d always thought friendly women were coming on to him. He wasn’t sure where her insecurity came from.
Putting his hand on Eden’s shoulder, he guided her to the table. “I could eat a horse.”
“I could make you some bacon too,” Rita said. She set the stack in front of him, then turned toward the refrigerator.
“No need. These pancakes are plenty.”
Rita pulled out a chair across from him and Eden. “Allie said you are a photojournalist. How romantic.”
He glanced away from her sappy smile. “Don’t let us interrupt your work,” he told Rita.
“I can take a break. So you’ve been to lots of other countries?”
“A few.” He shoveled in the food and passed the syrup to Eden.
Allie’s voice came from the living room. “Rita, could you come here a moment?”
Rita heaved a sigh and got up. “Call if you want anything more to eat. I’ll be happy to fix it.” She directed one last smile his way, then stepped out of the kitchen.
“Before you say anything, she’s just being friendly,” Clay said.
“A little too friendly,” Eden said. “But I think maybe it’s just her way. She was friendly to me too.”
He relaxed. “Glad you could see that.”
“Besides, we’re here only to find Brianna. I have no real hold on you.”
That wasn’t what he wanted to hear. As far as he was concerned, she could grab hold with both hands and never let go.
8
Y OU SHOULDN’T HAVE BROUGHT HER HERE . E DEN HAD BEEN PUZZLING OVER THE CRYPTIC message all day. What possible reason could the kidnapper—or anyone—have for not wanting her here? Was it possible someone intended to harm Clay but didn’t want to hurt her? If that was the case, then could that person be someone she knew? Someone who cared about her? The police said a kidnapper was often someone known to the family. In fact, Clay and Eden were suspected for a time of harming Brianna. But detectives interrogated all their acquaintances at great length and filed charges against no one.
The bunkhouse held the scent of the baby powder she’d put on the girls after their baths last night. She settled onto the sofa and grabbed the landline. Daniel should be at home now. They’d grown up together in the same foster home, and he was a true friend and brother. Hearing his voice would calm her jitters. And he’d be happy to hear that her engagement to Kent didn’t happen. Her heart hurt when she thought about Kent. She prayed he’d be able to get past the hurt she’d caused him. He deserved to find a woman with a whole heart.
But the phone rang until she was dumped into his voice mail. She left a message with the ranch number and hung up frowning. Would he really still be mad at her about Kent after all this time?
Glancing at her watch, she saw it was time to take the girls on a hike. The mountains were stark and forbidding. Cacti and who-knew-what creepy crawlies would be waiting at every turn. But by the time she retrieved the girls, found Clay, and started up the trail, she was enjoying herself.
India skipped along beside her. “Look, Miss Eden, a yucca. Did you know you can eat the flowers? Buzz told me. Can I
She swallowed hard. “How did you know, Clay? I’m her mother and I believed she was dead. Why didn’t you give up too?”
“I can’t explain it.”
It had been an intuition deep inside. She thought he had no feelings. The truth was, he had more than he could handle most times. The older he got, the harder it became to maintain his tough-guy, careless facade. He’d accused her of hiding behind a mask. Wasn’t he just as bad?
He turned her toward the house. “Let’s get chow. My belly is gnawing on my backbone.”
When they reached the kitchen, Rita turned with her smile increasing in wattage. “Clay, I kept some pancakes warm for you.”
He blinked at the way she batted her lashes. Like she was a Southern belle. Who did she remind him of? That gal who played Heidi maybe. Beside him, he felt Eden tense. She’d always thought friendly women were coming on to him. He wasn’t sure where her insecurity came from.
Putting his hand on Eden’s shoulder, he guided her to the table. “I could eat a horse.”
“I could make you some bacon too,” Rita said. She set the stack in front of him, then turned toward the refrigerator.
“No need. These pancakes are plenty.”
Rita pulled out a chair across from him and Eden. “Allie said you are a photojournalist. How romantic.”
He glanced away from her sappy smile. “Don’t let us interrupt your work,” he told Rita.
“I can take a break. So you’ve been to lots of other countries?”
“A few.” He shoveled in the food and passed the syrup to Eden.
Allie’s voice came from the living room. “Rita, could you come here a moment?”
Rita heaved a sigh and got up. “Call if you want anything more to eat. I’ll be happy to fix it.” She directed one last smile his way, then stepped out of the kitchen.
“Before you say anything, she’s just being friendly,” Clay said.
“A little too friendly,” Eden said. “But I think maybe it’s just her way. She was friendly to me too.”
He relaxed. “Glad you could see that.”
“Besides, we’re here only to find Brianna. I have no real hold on you.”
That wasn’t what he wanted to hear. As far as he was concerned, she could grab hold with both hands and never let go.
8
Y OU SHOULDN’T HAVE BROUGHT HER HERE . E DEN HAD BEEN PUZZLING OVER THE CRYPTIC message all day. What possible reason could the kidnapper—or anyone—have for not wanting her here? Was it possible someone intended to harm Clay but didn’t want to hurt her? If that was the case, then could that person be someone she knew? Someone who cared about her? The police said a kidnapper was often someone known to the family. In fact, Clay and Eden were suspected for a time of harming Brianna. But detectives interrogated all their acquaintances at great length and filed charges against no one.
The bunkhouse held the scent of the baby powder she’d put on the girls after their baths last night. She settled onto the sofa and grabbed the landline. Daniel should be at home now. They’d grown up together in the same foster home, and he was a true friend and brother. Hearing his voice would calm her jitters. And he’d be happy to hear that her engagement to Kent didn’t happen. Her heart hurt when she thought about Kent. She prayed he’d be able to get past the hurt she’d caused him. He deserved to find a woman with a whole heart.
But the phone rang until she was dumped into his voice mail. She left a message with the ranch number and hung up frowning. Would he really still be mad at her about Kent after all this time?
Glancing at her watch, she saw it was time to take the girls on a hike. The mountains were stark and forbidding. Cacti and who-knew-what creepy crawlies would be waiting at every turn. But by the time she retrieved the girls, found Clay, and started up the trail, she was enjoying herself.
India skipped along beside her. “Look, Miss Eden, a yucca. Did you know you can eat the flowers? Buzz told me. Can I
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