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Riding fence along the upper pasture, Lexie felt the heat as the sky brightened to the glossy hue of polished turquoise. The rains had moved on, leaving days of muggy heat that parched the ground and sapped the energy from humans and animals alike.
Two days had passed since her visit to Rianne’s parents and her e-mail to Shane. She’d heard nothing back, not even an acknowledgment that he’d gotten her message. She was trying not to worry, but that was a losing battle. She’d lain awake most of last night, wondering why she hadn’t heard from him. Was he just putting her off, or had something gone wrong?
A collared lizard, sunning on a rock, flicked its tail and vanished as Lexie approached. She paused a moment, resting the mare and taking a moment to look out over the ranch. From here she could see the house and outbuildings, the pastures, and the road to Aaron’s property in the near distance. The two boys were working in the pasture with the younger bulls, giving them water and unloading feed from the four-wheeler ATV. All peaceful, she told herself, or so it appeared.
To the south, the road to the pass zigzagged up the long, steep slope. A moving vehicle had just emerged over the pass. Shading her eyes against the glare, Lexie saw that it was an older, dark blue pickup. She couldn’t see the driver, but it had to be a stranger. No one she knew owned a truck like that one.
Turning back the way she’d come, she trotted the mare back along the fence line. The truck was coming down the road now, moving a little too fast. She had yet to identify the driver.
Nudging the mare, she reached the yard and dismounted as the blue pickup pulled in and stopped. The driver’s side door opened. Shane climbed out.
Lexie couldn’t help staring at him. His unshaven face wore a haunted expression, eyes bloodshot and framed by shadows.
“What is it?” She dropped the reins and hurried toward him.
“I need to tell you something, Lexie.” The words came out low and raw. “Where can we talk?”
The sight of him and the tone of his voice terrified Lexie. But for his sake, she willed herself to stay calm. “I need to put the mare away. Come to the stable with me. We’ll have the place to ourselves right now.”
He walked beside her as she led the mare to the stable. His mouth was a thin, hard line, as if he were biting back emotion. Inside the cool shadows of the stable, she dropped the reins and turned toward him. “Tell me,” she said. “What would make you drive all this way?”
“I came to tell you in person. I didn’t want you to get this in an e-mail or hear it on the news.” He took a ragged breath. “It’s Corey. He’s dead.”
Lexie felt her legs wilt beneath her, as if someone with a bat had bludgeoned her knees from behind. She forced herself to speak. “How?”
He steadied her, his hands bracing her shoulders. “Pills, mostly Vicodin they think, although there’ll be an autopsy. He must’ve been saving them—or got his hands on some.” His voice broke. He swallowed and continued. “If I’d known what he was thinking, I’d have been right there and never left his side.”
“Was this after you told him about Rianne leaving?”
“I never got the chance to tell him. He was gone when I walked in and found him. The divorce papers were on the bed.”
“Oh, Shane!” Her arms went around him. Trembling, they held each other, giving and getting what little comfort they could.
Behind them, the mare snorted. Shane released Lexie with a broken sigh. “Let me put her away for you,” he said. “It’ll give me something to do while we talk.”
“Thanks.” Lexie opened the gate to an empty box stall where the mare was to go. Shane led her inside.
Unfastening the saddle, he lifted it off the mare’s back and laid it over the side of the stall. He did the same with the bridle. “Somebody on the medical staff called the police. They left it to me to notify his family. I finally found the number of his wife’s parents on his phone and called them. They said they’d let Rianne know and help her with arrangements. The divorce papers weren’t signed, so the marriage was still legal. But if it was suicide, I don’t know if his life i
nsurance will pay out.”
“Nobody can be sure, can they?”
“Not until the autopsy.” He took a towel that hung over the gate of the stall and began rubbing down the mare. As he worked, he fell into silence. His back was toward her, but the quivering of his shoulders told Lexie that he was overcome by shock and grief.
Impulsively she stepped close behind him and wrapped him in her arms from the back. He exhaled jerkily, on the edge of tears. “Damn it, if Corey was going to die, why couldn’t it have been in the arena? That was what he’d have wanted. He would’ve died a hero—an example for his boy to remember—” He broke off as if realizing what he’d just said and who was listening. “I’m sorry, Lexie. After what you must’ve gone through—”
“It’s all right. I know what you meant.” Her arms tightened around him. Breaking her clasp, he turned around and caught her close. His mouth covered hers in a long, hungry kiss.
Thoughts spun and swirled in Lexie’s head, like leaves blown on an autumn wind. She’d made firm rules against what was happening. But suddenly the rules didn’t matter anymore—didn’t even exist. All she wanted was to be close to this man.
Ending the kiss, she looked up at him. “Why did you really come?”
“Because I needed you,” he said. “Because I knew I couldn’t get through another day without holding you in my arms. Life can be so short, Lexie, and I’ve already wasted too much of mine. I don’t know where we’re going or what’s going to happen, but if you’re not willing to stick around and find out, let me know now, and I’ll leave.”
Her only reply was another kiss, even longer and deeper than the last one. Whatever was to come, Lexie wanted him. If this was love, she was in it all the way.
The sound of the ATV pulling up in the yard broke them apart. As Lexie spiraled back to reality, the drifting aromas of coffee and bacon reached them from the house.
