both playing our parts here. All that matters is that I find
Vivi and get her away from Goat safe and sound. I don’t care if you screwed
Mother Theresa in another life; as long as you keep your promise to help me find
my sister, we’re good.”
“I’l do everything in my power to help find her, but your opinion matters to
me.”
She frowned, “Why? You don’t know me from Adam. I’m a stranger you’ve
barely spoken to since we met three days ago.”
“I’ve been trying to get clues to your sister’s whereabouts. I’m sorry if that
means I’m not available for socializing.” He grumbled under his breath.
“What I mean is that you’re not beholden to me as though we’re in a real
relationship. Don’t take things so seriously. That woman clearly likes you, so if
you need to go soothe her ruffed feathers because I upset your life, I’ll
understand.”
Roman’s confusion spilled out. “You’re just full of mixed signals aren’t you?”
“Excuse me?”
“Tell me, what did you feel when we kissed? Anything? Nothing?”
“Um, I ah…”
“Exactly. What I felt when I kissed you was unlike anything I’ve ever
experienced. It was magic. So I’ll be damned if I don’t take this seriously. You
need me, and it’s been over a year since someone needed me. I can’t fail again. I
won’t.”
Images were fashing through his brain as fast as the words fell from his lips.
Abe pale and still as stone on the hospital bed where they pronounced him dead.
Dead of a heart attack because Roman wasn’t there to get him help. Drannon
nodding to the nurse to confirm that it was indeed Abraham Crawley’s body.
Hawke pale and shadowed as he helped carry the casket out of the church. Vin
quietly crying on the front porch steps as the last of their friends drove away from
the ranch taking the chaos of the funeral with them. None of it would have
happened if he’d been where he was supposed to be.
“Roman…”
“I need to get back to the ranch. Are you coming or staying in town?” he
said sharply, dropping his napkin on the table and shoving his way to his feet.
Franki’s mouth hung open for a moment before it snapped close and fire lit her
eyes.
“Fine.” Her petite body moved fast, and before he knew it she’d pushed past
him and out of the diner without a backward glance. Hurrying after, he was
already regretting taking his temper out on her.
“Franki, wait a second.” He called out as she marched down the sidewalk in
the opposite direction of his truck. When she didn’t respond he jogged after her,
“The truck is the other way.”
“Then why are you going this way?” she snapped.
“Seriously, Franki. I’m sorry I bit your head off. But damn it woman, you’ve
got my brain all scrambled.” Still she stomped forward refusing to even look his
direction. With a huff of irritation he grabbed her wrist and planted his feet
bringing their forward movement to a standstill. In retrospect he should have seen
her hand moving, but somehow the slap caught him off guard and he dropped
her wrist instinctively lifting his hand to his stinging cheek. “Holy hell! What was
that for?”
“You’re a Grade A asshole Roman Freemont.”
“You...I...we...what?”
“All I want is to find my sister and get the hell out of here. What part of that
don’t you understand?” She was furious, and Roman was stunned. He couldn’t
remember a time when a woman didn’t want to be with him, and it sure as hell
seemed like Franki didn’t want him.
“What about us? What happens when you find her?”
“Us? See, that’s where you’re confused. There is no us. We’re not in a real
relationship. We’re not going to be in a relationship—no matter what you felt
when we kissed. Does that clear up all those mixed signals for you?”
“Morning Miss Scott. Looks like things haven’t much changed since we first
met.”
Roman groaned at the sound of Bran’s voice and stared
Vivi and get her away from Goat safe and sound. I don’t care if you screwed
Mother Theresa in another life; as long as you keep your promise to help me find
my sister, we’re good.”
“I’l do everything in my power to help find her, but your opinion matters to
me.”
She frowned, “Why? You don’t know me from Adam. I’m a stranger you’ve
barely spoken to since we met three days ago.”
“I’ve been trying to get clues to your sister’s whereabouts. I’m sorry if that
means I’m not available for socializing.” He grumbled under his breath.
“What I mean is that you’re not beholden to me as though we’re in a real
relationship. Don’t take things so seriously. That woman clearly likes you, so if
you need to go soothe her ruffed feathers because I upset your life, I’ll
understand.”
Roman’s confusion spilled out. “You’re just full of mixed signals aren’t you?”
“Excuse me?”
“Tell me, what did you feel when we kissed? Anything? Nothing?”
“Um, I ah…”
“Exactly. What I felt when I kissed you was unlike anything I’ve ever
experienced. It was magic. So I’ll be damned if I don’t take this seriously. You
need me, and it’s been over a year since someone needed me. I can’t fail again. I
won’t.”
Images were fashing through his brain as fast as the words fell from his lips.
Abe pale and still as stone on the hospital bed where they pronounced him dead.
Dead of a heart attack because Roman wasn’t there to get him help. Drannon
nodding to the nurse to confirm that it was indeed Abraham Crawley’s body.
Hawke pale and shadowed as he helped carry the casket out of the church. Vin
quietly crying on the front porch steps as the last of their friends drove away from
the ranch taking the chaos of the funeral with them. None of it would have
happened if he’d been where he was supposed to be.
“Roman…”
“I need to get back to the ranch. Are you coming or staying in town?” he
said sharply, dropping his napkin on the table and shoving his way to his feet.
Franki’s mouth hung open for a moment before it snapped close and fire lit her
eyes.
“Fine.” Her petite body moved fast, and before he knew it she’d pushed past
him and out of the diner without a backward glance. Hurrying after, he was
already regretting taking his temper out on her.
“Franki, wait a second.” He called out as she marched down the sidewalk in
the opposite direction of his truck. When she didn’t respond he jogged after her,
“The truck is the other way.”
“Then why are you going this way?” she snapped.
“Seriously, Franki. I’m sorry I bit your head off. But damn it woman, you’ve
got my brain all scrambled.” Still she stomped forward refusing to even look his
direction. With a huff of irritation he grabbed her wrist and planted his feet
bringing their forward movement to a standstill. In retrospect he should have seen
her hand moving, but somehow the slap caught him off guard and he dropped
her wrist instinctively lifting his hand to his stinging cheek. “Holy hell! What was
that for?”
“You’re a Grade A asshole Roman Freemont.”
“You...I...we...what?”
“All I want is to find my sister and get the hell out of here. What part of that
don’t you understand?” She was furious, and Roman was stunned. He couldn’t
remember a time when a woman didn’t want to be with him, and it sure as hell
seemed like Franki didn’t want him.
“What about us? What happens when you find her?”
“Us? See, that’s where you’re confused. There is no us. We’re not in a real
relationship. We’re not going to be in a relationship—no matter what you felt
when we kissed. Does that clear up all those mixed signals for you?”
“Morning Miss Scott. Looks like things haven’t much changed since we first
met.”
Roman groaned at the sound of Bran’s voice and stared
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