The Lies Uncovered Trilogy (Books 4, 5, and 6 of The Dancing Moon Ranch Series) by Patricia Watters Page A
Authors: Patricia Watters
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diatribe about how Emily had been in an on-and-off relationship with a guy in Adam's high school class for years, with Adam always there to pick up the pieces in Emily's life during the off times, but figured he wouldn't see the parallel between that and what was happening with Rick and herself, so she said nothing.
She was relieved when the trail leveled off into a mountain meadow, and the cabin came into view. "You can turn around here," she said. "If Rick knows you're with me he'll expect you to wait and take me back, and I want to spend some time with him."
Adam pulled his horse to a halt, but his face was troubled.
"I know what I'm doing," Sophie said, "and it has nothing to do with me. Rick has things on his mind he needs to talk about and I can't tell you what they are. Maybe he'll tell you himself in time, but right now he needs me as a sounding board."
Adam seemed to take that to heart, and Sophie wondered if Rick might have confided in him about his mother, or maybe Adam overheard Sam and Jayne talking, but he looked less angry, like what she was doing might be okay. But before Adam turned away, Sophie said, "Thank you for riding with me."
Adam didn't smile, but the scowl she'd seen earlier was gone. "I suppose it's good you're here," he conceded. "No one at the ranch much liked his mother and he knows it."
"Which is why he's here by himself, and why I should be with him," Sophie said. "During the two days I spent with his mother she did some nice things for me and I liked her. He'll know that and won't feel so alone."
Sophie waited until Adam was well down the trail before she guided her horse across the meadow in front of the cabin to a loafing shed connected to a peeled pole corral, and tied her horse to the hitching rail. As she started untying her sleeping bag and duffle bag, she glanced toward the cabin and saw no sign of Rick, either looking out the window or standing in the doorway, and was a little concerned that he hadn't seen her ride by, or heard his own horse whinny as she was approaching.
After removing the saddle and blanket, she stowed them in a room in the shed that housed racks for saddles and hooks for bridles, then turned her horse into the corral, grabbed her sleeping bag and duffle bag off the ground, and started toward the cabin, all the while feeling apprehensive that Rick hadn't seen or heard her coming, or at least stepped onto the porch to find out why his horse whinnied when she arrived, and when she knocked and he didn't answer, she felt a stab of panic.
She was about to rush inside when the door opened and Rick stood looking at her. He had a day-old beard, his hair was mussed like he'd been sleeping, and his face was drawn. Then his expression darkened, and his mouth held a scowl. Eyeing her with irritation, he said, "What is it you don't understand about needing to keep some distance between us?"
Sophie was surprised he'd brought it up again. When they were on the bridge the night before, she'd thought things were a little better between them, although afterwards, when he'd learned about his mother, Rick made it clear to everyone that he wanted to be alone. But that's not the way it was going to be. More than being alone, he needed someone to talk to. He was holding far too much inside.
"I understand why you told me that, and I don't plan to cross the line again," Sophie said, "but we've been friends for years, and right now you need a friend. And you look terrible." Without giving him a chance to send her away, she swept past him and walked into the cabin.
"Then there's no one with you?" Rick asked, in a morose voice.
"No," Sophie replied. "I plan to stay overnight. On the couch. Uncle Jack approves."
Rick stood in the doorway looking out, his face tipped up as if scanning the sky, which was already darkening with dusk, but while he was deliberating whether to send her back in the dark or let her stay, Sophie looked around the cabin and saw no dirty pans or dishes or
She was relieved when the trail leveled off into a mountain meadow, and the cabin came into view. "You can turn around here," she said. "If Rick knows you're with me he'll expect you to wait and take me back, and I want to spend some time with him."
Adam pulled his horse to a halt, but his face was troubled.
"I know what I'm doing," Sophie said, "and it has nothing to do with me. Rick has things on his mind he needs to talk about and I can't tell you what they are. Maybe he'll tell you himself in time, but right now he needs me as a sounding board."
Adam seemed to take that to heart, and Sophie wondered if Rick might have confided in him about his mother, or maybe Adam overheard Sam and Jayne talking, but he looked less angry, like what she was doing might be okay. But before Adam turned away, Sophie said, "Thank you for riding with me."
Adam didn't smile, but the scowl she'd seen earlier was gone. "I suppose it's good you're here," he conceded. "No one at the ranch much liked his mother and he knows it."
"Which is why he's here by himself, and why I should be with him," Sophie said. "During the two days I spent with his mother she did some nice things for me and I liked her. He'll know that and won't feel so alone."
Sophie waited until Adam was well down the trail before she guided her horse across the meadow in front of the cabin to a loafing shed connected to a peeled pole corral, and tied her horse to the hitching rail. As she started untying her sleeping bag and duffle bag, she glanced toward the cabin and saw no sign of Rick, either looking out the window or standing in the doorway, and was a little concerned that he hadn't seen her ride by, or heard his own horse whinny as she was approaching.
After removing the saddle and blanket, she stowed them in a room in the shed that housed racks for saddles and hooks for bridles, then turned her horse into the corral, grabbed her sleeping bag and duffle bag off the ground, and started toward the cabin, all the while feeling apprehensive that Rick hadn't seen or heard her coming, or at least stepped onto the porch to find out why his horse whinnied when she arrived, and when she knocked and he didn't answer, she felt a stab of panic.
She was about to rush inside when the door opened and Rick stood looking at her. He had a day-old beard, his hair was mussed like he'd been sleeping, and his face was drawn. Then his expression darkened, and his mouth held a scowl. Eyeing her with irritation, he said, "What is it you don't understand about needing to keep some distance between us?"
Sophie was surprised he'd brought it up again. When they were on the bridge the night before, she'd thought things were a little better between them, although afterwards, when he'd learned about his mother, Rick made it clear to everyone that he wanted to be alone. But that's not the way it was going to be. More than being alone, he needed someone to talk to. He was holding far too much inside.
"I understand why you told me that, and I don't plan to cross the line again," Sophie said, "but we've been friends for years, and right now you need a friend. And you look terrible." Without giving him a chance to send her away, she swept past him and walked into the cabin.
"Then there's no one with you?" Rick asked, in a morose voice.
"No," Sophie replied. "I plan to stay overnight. On the couch. Uncle Jack approves."
Rick stood in the doorway looking out, his face tipped up as if scanning the sky, which was already darkening with dusk, but while he was deliberating whether to send her back in the dark or let her stay, Sophie looked around the cabin and saw no dirty pans or dishes or
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