things differently than how they were.” Sarcasm dripped from Laciee’s lips. Then she gave a jab of her own. “But given how you spent most of your time stoned or high, I can see how small details like that would slip your mind. And yes, I wanted to find my father… in the hopes of getting away from you.” She whirled around and marched back to her car, ramrod straight and bypassing a man who had been one of her high school teachers. He looked pretty much the same, just older. “Mr. Jackson,” she said, bypassing him. Some things never changed. Her mother still slept with anyone, and it didn’t matter to her so long as they fed her addiction.
Seated in her rental, Laciee took deep shuddering breaths as she glanced one final time to the house on the corner lot. Lola stared in her direction before undoing her robe and walking away into the darkened interior and closing the door behind her. Hands shaking, Laciee started the car and began to drive. She just had to get away and managed to hold herself together until she reached the outskirts of town. Pulling over, she climbed out and threw up in the ditch before continuing on her way.
Drained, she didn’t recognize her surroundings until she looked up and the drive for the Flying T came into view. Everything within her screamed for her to head up, grab her things, and hightail it out of there. She blew out a nervous breath and began the trek up to the main house. No, she wouldn’t run anymore. She’d not only promised Karis but she was no longer the young woman who’d left Branchwater all those years before. She wasn’t a quitter. She’d given her word, and she’d stay and not go back on it.
Frank spied her after she climbed out of the car and hollered for her. Despite the raging need within her to be alone, she paused and waited for him to arrive at her side.
“Afternoon, Ms. Dupree,” he said with a smile.
“Hello, Frank.” Such a shame she hadn’t had time to rinse out her mouth or at least eat a mint.
“Everything all right?”
She gave a small shake of her head. “Just been one of those kind of days.” Her voice flat and emotionless.
“I can saddle a horse for you if you’d like to go riding. Get your mind off the bad and focus on something else. Or I have some books if you’d like.”
Riding. There was a tempting offer. “I think I’d just better go for a walk. I’m not that good of a rider.”
The man assessed her with eyes that saw too much. “If you head off that way, you’ll be away from where the cattle are now, just have to watch out for the snakes.”
She shuddered. Snakes . “Thank you, Frank.”
He reached out a hand and hesitated right before actually making contact with her arm. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“No,” the honest answer slipped out. “But I will be. Thank you for asking.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She gave him a wobbly smile. Before walking off in the direction he suggested, she ducked into the house to rinse her mouth. Hands in pockets, she didn’t really pay any attention to her surroundings. Except to watch out for snakes. Going over a small rise, she paused as she gazed out at a scene that looked like it should have come out of a movie—lush green grass, trees, and a sparkling river snaked its way through her view.
“I don’t remember land like this when I was growing up around here.” She made her way down below one of the large trees and sank gratefully into the shade it offered. A light breeze blew around and she began to relax as she drew her knees up, resting her chin on them.
Moments passed and her mind blissfully began going blank, erasing the all-too-fresh memories which had been called back to the surface after her confrontation this morning.
* * * *
“Laciee?”
The voice combined with the shadow cast over her had her coming awake. The sun had been blocked by a large figure on horseback. All she could see were the rays emanating around him, and she still squinted, unable to
Seated in her rental, Laciee took deep shuddering breaths as she glanced one final time to the house on the corner lot. Lola stared in her direction before undoing her robe and walking away into the darkened interior and closing the door behind her. Hands shaking, Laciee started the car and began to drive. She just had to get away and managed to hold herself together until she reached the outskirts of town. Pulling over, she climbed out and threw up in the ditch before continuing on her way.
Drained, she didn’t recognize her surroundings until she looked up and the drive for the Flying T came into view. Everything within her screamed for her to head up, grab her things, and hightail it out of there. She blew out a nervous breath and began the trek up to the main house. No, she wouldn’t run anymore. She’d not only promised Karis but she was no longer the young woman who’d left Branchwater all those years before. She wasn’t a quitter. She’d given her word, and she’d stay and not go back on it.
Frank spied her after she climbed out of the car and hollered for her. Despite the raging need within her to be alone, she paused and waited for him to arrive at her side.
“Afternoon, Ms. Dupree,” he said with a smile.
“Hello, Frank.” Such a shame she hadn’t had time to rinse out her mouth or at least eat a mint.
“Everything all right?”
She gave a small shake of her head. “Just been one of those kind of days.” Her voice flat and emotionless.
“I can saddle a horse for you if you’d like to go riding. Get your mind off the bad and focus on something else. Or I have some books if you’d like.”
Riding. There was a tempting offer. “I think I’d just better go for a walk. I’m not that good of a rider.”
The man assessed her with eyes that saw too much. “If you head off that way, you’ll be away from where the cattle are now, just have to watch out for the snakes.”
She shuddered. Snakes . “Thank you, Frank.”
He reached out a hand and hesitated right before actually making contact with her arm. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“No,” the honest answer slipped out. “But I will be. Thank you for asking.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She gave him a wobbly smile. Before walking off in the direction he suggested, she ducked into the house to rinse her mouth. Hands in pockets, she didn’t really pay any attention to her surroundings. Except to watch out for snakes. Going over a small rise, she paused as she gazed out at a scene that looked like it should have come out of a movie—lush green grass, trees, and a sparkling river snaked its way through her view.
“I don’t remember land like this when I was growing up around here.” She made her way down below one of the large trees and sank gratefully into the shade it offered. A light breeze blew around and she began to relax as she drew her knees up, resting her chin on them.
Moments passed and her mind blissfully began going blank, erasing the all-too-fresh memories which had been called back to the surface after her confrontation this morning.
* * * *
“Laciee?”
The voice combined with the shadow cast over her had her coming awake. The sun had been blocked by a large figure on horseback. All she could see were the rays emanating around him, and she still squinted, unable to
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