the man.” Amy wanted to stamp her foot. “You were wrong, big brother. Dead wrong.”
“I should have figured Hannigan would get hold of this.” Matt’s voice was laced with disgust. “I’ll deal with him myself.”
“Matt, no,” Amy protested. “You’ll just make things worse.”
“If I don’t teach him a lesson or two, there’s no telling how much more damage he’ll decide to do. Buck doesn’t deserve it and neither do you. But the bigger issue is what do you want to do now?”
Yes, that was indeed the question. She couldn’t deny what she felt for him. But did she have the courage to go to him? Admit she’d acted hastily? See if they really had a future together?
She stood up, raked her fingers through her hair and tucked it behind her ears.
“I’m going to drive over to his ranch,” she announced. “If he’s not there, I’ll look until I find him. I’ll make him listen to my apology and see where it goes from there.”
“Want me to come with you?” Matt asked.
Reenie gave a small laugh. “I think if she and Buck work things out, you’ll be an unnecessary addition to the group.”
“That’s okay then. I think I’ll round up Cade Hannigan and have a little chat with him.”
“Don’t get arrested for brawling,” Amy teased.
“It won’t be a brawl. It comes under the heading of taking care of the trash.” Matt hugged her and kissed her cheek. “Good luck. Take your cell. I’m only a phone call away.”
As soon as he watched the Starks drive away from the hotel, Buck had gotten into his own truck and headed for home. Rage and pain mingled inside him and twisted his gut.
I should have known I couldn’t outrun the past. I should have tried to figure out a way to tell her in the beginning.
But, cowardly, he’d secretly hoped Matt would do it and ease her over the hump.
Well, it was all shot to shit now. Maybe he should just sell the ranch, pull up stakes and look for another place to hide. And stay the hell away from women. But he didn’t want another place, and he sure as hell wanted this woman.
Fat chance now.
He made one stop on the way home. When he got inside his house, he pulled off his jacket and tie, plunked down his purchase on the kitchen table and sat down to tug off his boots.. Then he sat staring at the bottle of bourbon he’d just spent money on and tried to decide if he really wanted to go there again.
Don’t do it. Don’t fall into that familiar trap. You’ve got a new life started.
He snorted. Some new life. He still couldn’t get away from the old one.
He was still staring at it, wondering what the hell to do, when he heard his doorbell ring. Then someone pounded on the front door. He didn’t move, deliberately ignoring whoever it was. Waiting for them to go away. But the banging and ringing didn’t stop, and in a minute he heard Amy’s voice shouting through the door.
“Buck? I know you’re in there. Open the damn door before I get someone to break it down.” There was more loud pounding.
Great. Just great.
Finally realizing she wasn’t giving up, he padded to the front hall and yanked the door open.
“Go away. We have nothing to say to each other.”
He tried to close the door, but she managed to squeeze by his solid body into the house. “Not true. We have plenty to say.”
“I can’t imagine what,” he told her as he followed her into the kitchen. “It’s all been said already, hasn’t it? At least that’s the impression you gave me.”
He nearly mowed her down when she stopped short at the sight of the bourbon on the table.
“Oh, Buck.” She shook her head “Please don’t do this to yourself.”
“Seems like I’ve already done it.” He couldn’t keep the bitter edge from his voice.
She turned and stared up at him. “No, I think I’m the one who did it.” She twisted her hands together, but he could still see they trembled.
“What’s going on here, Amy? Why are you here? You couldn’t get away
“I should have figured Hannigan would get hold of this.” Matt’s voice was laced with disgust. “I’ll deal with him myself.”
“Matt, no,” Amy protested. “You’ll just make things worse.”
“If I don’t teach him a lesson or two, there’s no telling how much more damage he’ll decide to do. Buck doesn’t deserve it and neither do you. But the bigger issue is what do you want to do now?”
Yes, that was indeed the question. She couldn’t deny what she felt for him. But did she have the courage to go to him? Admit she’d acted hastily? See if they really had a future together?
She stood up, raked her fingers through her hair and tucked it behind her ears.
“I’m going to drive over to his ranch,” she announced. “If he’s not there, I’ll look until I find him. I’ll make him listen to my apology and see where it goes from there.”
“Want me to come with you?” Matt asked.
Reenie gave a small laugh. “I think if she and Buck work things out, you’ll be an unnecessary addition to the group.”
“That’s okay then. I think I’ll round up Cade Hannigan and have a little chat with him.”
“Don’t get arrested for brawling,” Amy teased.
“It won’t be a brawl. It comes under the heading of taking care of the trash.” Matt hugged her and kissed her cheek. “Good luck. Take your cell. I’m only a phone call away.”
As soon as he watched the Starks drive away from the hotel, Buck had gotten into his own truck and headed for home. Rage and pain mingled inside him and twisted his gut.
I should have known I couldn’t outrun the past. I should have tried to figure out a way to tell her in the beginning.
But, cowardly, he’d secretly hoped Matt would do it and ease her over the hump.
Well, it was all shot to shit now. Maybe he should just sell the ranch, pull up stakes and look for another place to hide. And stay the hell away from women. But he didn’t want another place, and he sure as hell wanted this woman.
Fat chance now.
He made one stop on the way home. When he got inside his house, he pulled off his jacket and tie, plunked down his purchase on the kitchen table and sat down to tug off his boots.. Then he sat staring at the bottle of bourbon he’d just spent money on and tried to decide if he really wanted to go there again.
Don’t do it. Don’t fall into that familiar trap. You’ve got a new life started.
He snorted. Some new life. He still couldn’t get away from the old one.
He was still staring at it, wondering what the hell to do, when he heard his doorbell ring. Then someone pounded on the front door. He didn’t move, deliberately ignoring whoever it was. Waiting for them to go away. But the banging and ringing didn’t stop, and in a minute he heard Amy’s voice shouting through the door.
“Buck? I know you’re in there. Open the damn door before I get someone to break it down.” There was more loud pounding.
Great. Just great.
Finally realizing she wasn’t giving up, he padded to the front hall and yanked the door open.
“Go away. We have nothing to say to each other.”
He tried to close the door, but she managed to squeeze by his solid body into the house. “Not true. We have plenty to say.”
“I can’t imagine what,” he told her as he followed her into the kitchen. “It’s all been said already, hasn’t it? At least that’s the impression you gave me.”
He nearly mowed her down when she stopped short at the sight of the bourbon on the table.
“Oh, Buck.” She shook her head “Please don’t do this to yourself.”
“Seems like I’ve already done it.” He couldn’t keep the bitter edge from his voice.
She turned and stared up at him. “No, I think I’m the one who did it.” She twisted her hands together, but he could still see they trembled.
“What’s going on here, Amy? Why are you here? You couldn’t get away
Similar Books
