“Hey, Hannah!” Owen called out. “Running away?”
She shot him a look over her shoulder before lengthening her strides. Oh, he was hideous. Until Will’s mention, she hadn’t really thought about Owen being Cooper’s uncle. She was glad Ben kept the boy away from him. When she caught up with Ben’s father and Cooper, she fixed a big smile on her face. “Mind if I walk back with you?”
“Do you dislike my uncle Owen too?” Cooper asked, his mouth twisting as he kicked at a rock. “He’s not a very nice man.”
She glanced at Mr. McAllister, whose mouth twisted in agreement.
“No, he’s not,” she agreed. “Hey! How about you come with me and see what space Charlie has rustled up for me to dry plants?”
“Grandpa, can I go?”
“Sure thing, Cooper. I need to get back to the house.”
Ben’s father would never admit he needed to sit a spell, but he looked overheated to her.
They paused as Owen drove by with his truck, smirking at her as he leaned out the window. Of course, he tipped his hat, but he wouldn’t know good manners if a cougar jumped on his back.
“Will must have decided to have him unload the lumber with the rest in the shed,” Mr. Montgomery commented. “I’ll go on and make sure Owen finds it.”
She and Cooper were headed up the steps of Will’s house when she heard, “You bitch!”
She stilled for a second, hearing Amber’s angry voice. Swinging around, she spotted her old foe striding up from Owen’s truck, where he’d stopped in front of Ben’s house,wearing a red cowboy hat and boots along with a short jean dress that looked more appropriate for a bar on a Friday night. She braced herself. Then she realized Cooper stood frozen beside her, gazing yearningly at his mother, who was charging up the road toward them. Protectiveness kicked in.
“Cooper, you go on inside now.” She opened the door and started to call for Neil, but he was already rushing toward the entryway, his mouth grim. “Can you see that Cooper’s out of earshot?”
What was about to transpire wasn’t something he needed to see or hear.
Neil’s face held a moment of indecision before he nodded. Plucking the boy off the ground, he headed back inside the house. She stayed on the steps and waited for Amber to reach her.
Ranch hands were rushing out around them, so Hannah wouldn’t have thought she was in danger, but as she studied Amber, she wasn’t so sure. The woman’s pale eyes were wild, and she looked strung out. She’d become rail thin, probably because of all her drug and alcohol use. Her dark blond hair was still long, but it didn’t shine like it used to. Hard living was stamped all over her furious face, and Hannah found she had no sympathy.
Stopping at the bottom of the steps, Amber raised her fists. “You! How dare you come back and take my place? I’m the kid’s mom! Not you. Now where’s the boy? Cooper!”
She screamed his name. Hannah set her weight in front of the door. “Amber, go home. This isn’t the time to see him.”
Her smirk was frightening as she put her hands on her hips. “So little Hannah’s back in town, sucking Ben Montgomery’s cock and tellingmewhat to do. Bitch, get out of my way. I’m his mother. I can see him whenever I want to.”
She shook her head. “Not like this. Now, I’m telling you. Get in Owen’s truck and leave. Right now.”
Amber started up the steps, and Hannah planted her feetwider to block her. There was no way in hell she was letting Amber get to Cooper.
Her wild eyes turned rattlesnake mean. “Get out of my way. I’m seeing him.”
Mr. Montgomery was running up the way, and when Amber had made the third step, he pulled her off it from behind.
She struggled in his arms, kicking and flailing, screaming, “Let go of me! I’ll have you arrested. How dare you put your hands on me? Rape! Rape!”
Ben’s father held her in place with her arms at her sides. “Stop this, Amber! You’re totally out of line.”
Other hands came running as she managed to break free, with Hudson arriving to throw a rope over her and cinch it like he was lassoing a cow.
She screamed, “Let me go!”
“The sheriff’s going to come,” Mr. Montgomery bit out, picking up his cowboy hat from the ground where she’d dislodged it. “Amber, look at me. Is that what you want? Cut it out. Right now. Or I swear we’ll have you thrown in jail for threatening Cooper.”
She continued to kick, yelling, “He’s mine! I won’t let that bitch take my place. I’ll kill her before I let her.”
She shuddered.Holy shit. She’s certifiable.
