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“She’s just been through hell!”
“And come out of it fine. I want to come, Joe. Need to keep busy.”
“Be reasonable here, Bailey. You have no idea how to do search and rescue, and haven’t been in those mountains for years. We’ve been doing it, winter and summer. You’re a city girl; this is not for you. It’ll be rough going and dirty out there—”
“And I’m too soft to handle it?” She hadn’t raised her voice, but he wasn’t fooled, and neither was Jack, because he winced.
“Yes... no, I mean,shit.This is for people who have experience, Bailey. People who have competence....”
Jack groaned as Joe struggled to come up with the right words.
“And because I’m smaller than the strapping Trainers, I’m weak?”
“You’re misunderstanding what I’m trying to say. We know how strong you are, you’ve proved it continually since you arrived, but—”
“I don’t need your permission to do this, Joe. And while I do understand what is motivating your words, they’re pissing me off. I’m not weak!”
“Goddammit, I don’t think you’re weak—”
“Nor do I need you, a big strong male, looking out for me.”
That entire conversation had come out wrong, Joe knew it, Jack knew it, because he rolled his eyes, and Bailey definitely knew it, because hers narrowed. He was rattled, no other word for it, or he never would have spoken that way.
“Be reasonable, Bailey. I’m just trying to watch out for you, and we don’t need to do that up there.”
“Dear God, brother, shut up,” Jack whispered.
“Oh yes, and we all know how reasonable you can be, don’t we, Joe Trainer. I’m going,” Bailey said. “And you don’t need to look out for me.”
“Shit, shit, shit,” Joe gritted out as she walked away.
“How the hell have I missed all this?” Luke said, shaking his head. He’d obviously been listening to the conversation too. “Seriously, I do a week of lates and suddenly all the good stuff happens.”
“It’s not good, believe me,” Joe said, watching Bailey stalk away from him.
“Part of it must have been good, surely. Because I’m guessing the fireworks between you and sweet little Bailey Jones came to a head, then you sabotaged it like you usually do?”
“Shouldn’t you be on my side?” Joe said. “And I don’t deliberately sabotage relationships.”
“Joe, Joe, Joe.” Jack tsked. “I may love you like a brother, because you are, but you have the emotional maturity of a Twinkie.”
“The hell you say,” Joe said, walking to the tack room with his brothers flanking him.
“Okay, I have to go to the house and change out of my uniform,” Luke said. “But before I do, here’s two pieces of advice. And only use these if you really want to have a thing with Bailey.”
“What’s a thing?”
“Aww, son, have we not had the talk yet?” Luke punched him in the shoulder. “Beg for forgiveness, and grovel,” he said before heading out the door.
“Fuck off,” Joe growled.
He saddled Beccy, the horse Pip brought in for him, and rode out to join the others. Bailey, he noted, was mounted on Jack’s horse, Sandy, back rigid. She had a cap pulled low, and wore a windbreaker tied around her waist. She threw him a cool look, then turned away.
“Buzz, let’s go,” Joe called to his dog. He then rode out of the stables. The others fell silently in behind.
Chapter 28
Bailey was tired, she just hadn’t wanted to say that to Joe when he’d been so intent on her not going on the search for Elijah Neil. Pride, it seemed, was something she had supply of after all. Her head could still not get around the fact that someone had tried to burn down the barn with her in it. But she was okay, and the water damage to the stables minimal, plus the animals were unhurt. That was all that mattered. That, and finding Elijah.
