Revenge on the Ranch, page 15
He’d wait until dark to make his move. Right now, he was hidden behind a bush in her backyard, waiting for nightfall. He was clad all in black, so once the night shadows fell, nobody would see him sneak across the yard and through that kitchen window.
He didn’t know if the roommate was home or not. If she wasn’t home, then it was her lucky day. If she was home, then she could become collateral damage. He had no reason to harm her, but he definitely would if she stood in his way of getting to Carrie.
He had already had to wait way too long for this. He wasn’t willing to wait any longer. A sweet anticipation swept through him. Yes, tonight was his night to finally make her pay—and he couldn’t wait.
Chapter Ten
Carrie didn’t ask any questions of Luke until they were settled in a booth at the café and had placed their orders. She was eager to hear what had happened with Caleb.
On the drive to the café, they had kept things light. She talked about her late night at the hospital, and he told her about the new ranch hand Johnny had hired.
Now, Carrie’s curiosity couldn’t wait another minute. “So, how did things go with Caleb?” she asked.
A deep frown cut across his forehead. “It was a bust. Johnny found a good facility in Kentucky, but Caleb wanted nothing to do with any of it. All we managed to do was piss Caleb off.”
“I’m sorry, Luke. I know how much you wanted to get him help,” she replied.
“Ah, well. You know the old saying—you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” He drummed his fingers on the top of the table.
“Hopefully, Caleb will get to a place where he realizes he could use some help and reaches out for it,” she replied.
“Hopefully.”
They both fell silent as the waitress appeared with their orders. She had gotten a chicken salad platter with cottage cheese and chilled grapes, while he had ordered the heartier meal of meat loaf and mashed potatoes.
As they ate, she enjoyed him talking about the horse-breeding program that his brother had encouraged him to get together.
“I’m starting to wrap my head around the potential. Not only will it bring in a brand-new revenue stream, but I’m most excited for the kind of excellent horses I know we could produce.”
“So, have you figured out how to get it all started?” she asked. She was thrilled that finally he was looking toward the future and not back into the past.
“I plan to start researching it all tomorrow,” he replied.
“I’m so glad to hear that, Luke. I know it will make Johnny happy, and I’m sure it would have made your dad happy, too.”
“Yeah, it would.” His eyes looked clearer and more at peace than she’d seen them. “Mom told me Dad always enjoyed spending time with me in the stables. I’ve always loved being in the stables among the horses.”
“Then maybe it’s time you got back to the stables,” Carrie replied with a smile.
He returned her smile with one of his own. “That’s what I’m thinking.”
“Tell me about horses... I don’t know much about the different breeds and what kind you might be interested in. All I know is there are old nags like at the Dickerson ranch and there are good horses at your ranch.”
For the remainder of the meal, Luke talked about horses. It was obvious he was very knowledgeable in the area, but what she loved more was the animation that illuminated his features as he talked about a subject he obviously loved.
He shared with her conversations he’d had with his dad about the various types of horses, their health and well-being. “At one time Dad called me his horse whisperer because I was spending so much time with the horses. The horses seemed to understand what I would say to them, and I understood them.”
“All this time and I didn’t know you had this hidden talent,” Carrie teased. “What else have you been keeping from me?”
He grinned. “I guess you’ll just have to stick around if you want to learn the rest of my secret talents.”
She laughed in return, but the truth of the matter was she wasn’t sure how long she could stick around with him with their relationship remaining static.
She was in love with him, and if he didn’t feel the same way about her, then she wasn’t sure how long she’d be willing to continue to see him. It broke her heart to think about no longer spending time with him, but in the end, she’d have to make a decision that was in her own best interest.
They lingered over coffee and dessert, and when they got up to leave, she realized this was the first time they’d spent time together and their conversation hadn’t been about his father’s murder or who might be after her.
Instead, they’d talked about things people on a date would talk about. It had been refreshing not to discuss murder or attempted murder with their meal for a change. For just a little while, she hadn’t thought about the fact that there was a man out there who wanted her dead.
The conversation continued to remain light and pleasant as he drove her back to her house. It was only when he turned off the truck engine and he was about to open his door when she stopped him.
All evening her love for him had trembled on her lips, had burned in her heart, and she’d waited for the perfect moment to tell him how she felt—and that moment was now.
“Luke, before I go in, I need to talk to you,” she said.
He settled back in the driver’s seat and looked at her. His handsome features were visible in the bright glow of her porch light. “Talk about what?” he asked curiously.
“Luke, I... I’m in love with you.” The words blurted out of her and hung in the air for several long moments.
His eyes widened. “No, you aren’t,” he finally said, obviously appalled by her words. “Carrie, we’ve been spending a lot of time together and you’re just...just confused about things.”
“It’s because we’ve spent so much time together that I know for sure I’m in love with you,” she replied. “Trust me, I’m not confused.”
“But...but that wasn’t part of our deal. We’re friends, Carrie. We’re good friends, but it was never supposed to be anything more,” he replied fervently. “Believe me, you’re just confused.”
“Stop saying that,” she exclaimed in frustration. “You’re right in that this wasn’t part of our deal, but my heart doesn’t care about our deal. My heart fell in love with you.” Tears welled up inside her and burned at her eyes. “I love you, Luke King, and I think if you look deep in your heart, you love me, too.”
“Carrie, I told you all along that I had no room for romance in my life. I made that clear to you time and time again. I need to solve my dad’s murder before I even think about romance,” he replied.
The tears spilled over and raced down her cheeks. She’d hoped...she’d thought...but each of his words broke her heart. It was obvious he didn’t feel what she’d believed he felt about her.
“Ah, Carrie, don’t cry. You know I can’t stand to see you crying,” he said.
His words only made the tears fall faster. “Don’t tell me not to cry. Not only is my heart broken for me, but it’s broken for you, too. Oh, Luke, if you cling to this idea that you need to solve Big John’s murder, then eventually you’ll push everyone who cares about you out of your life.”
“It’s something I have to do,” he replied inflexibly.
“No, it’s not,” she countered with a touch of anger. “At dinner this evening, you talked about breeding horses, and it was the first time I’ve seen you really happy. For God’s sake, Luke. You will always grieve for the loss of your father, but you need to move on with your life. You’re stuck in revenge mode.” She angrily swiped at her tears.
“I love you, Luke, and I was sure you felt the same way about me. If you don’t love me, then I hope you’ll open your heart to more than murder.” She looked out the front window and then back at him. She had no more words to say. She’d told him what was in her heart, and now she just felt empty and broken inside. “And now I’m ready to go home,” she finally said.
He nodded and got out of the truck. Moments later they walked silently up to her front door. When they reached it, she turned to face him once again. “Luke, I can’t do this anymore,” she said softly, wearily.
“Do what?” His voice held apprehension.
“I can’t hang out with you anymore. I can’t spend any more time with you, loving you, when you aren’t ready to move on with your life, when you apparently don’t love me. I just can’t do it anymore.”
Each word she said shot an enormous wealth of pain through her heart, but she knew in that same heart that she was making the right decision.
She couldn’t keep seeing him day after day, spending time with him and laughing with him without falling more deeply in love with him. And he didn’t love her back. She owed it to herself to get out now, no matter how painful it would be to no longer see him.
“Carrie, please don’t say that.” He reached for her hand, but she jerked hers away. Where once she had longed for his touch, she now found it too painful to bear.
“But...but I need you,” he protested, his gaze appearing frantic.
“No, you don’t, Luke. You really don’t need anyone. You’re perfectly satisfied with just you and your obsession. There’s obviously no room for anything else in your life,” she replied.
“But, Carrie...”
“Good night, Luke.” She cut him off, turned back to her door and unlocked it. “I’m sure we’ll see each other around town. Good luck with things.”
Without giving him a chance to respond, she entered her house and quickly closed the door behind her. The tears she had so desperately tried to control now unleashed, pouring from her eyes as deep sobs racked her body.
Weakly, she leaned back against the door, crying at the death of her hopes and dreams where Luke was concerned. She’d been so sure that he loved her. She could have sworn she’d felt his love in his touches and seen it shining in the depths of his eyes when he gazed at her.
She couldn’t believe she’d been so delusional. She’d been sure it was just a matter of time before he’d professed his love for her. But he didn’t love her. He’d just needed her to keep alive his fantasy that Peter would eventually confess to his father’s murder. He’d just needed a partner for his madness, and she’d been that for far too long.
With tears still streaming down her cheeks, she pulled herself off the door. She threw her purse on the sofa and then headed for the stairs. Sadness made her legs feel as if they weighed a hundred pounds as she climbed each step and headed for her bedroom.
She told herself she needed to stop crying. She’d always known that heartbreak might be in the cards with Luke. But as each day had gone by, she’d grown more confident that heartbreak wasn’t going to happen. He was her person, and she’d really believed she was his person. But she’d been wrong...so wrong.
Dammit, she’d been so certain he loved her and just hadn’t said the words to her yet. Her every instinct had told her he loved her. How could she have been so mistaken?
She reached her bedroom and continued to weep as she took off her clothes and changed into a nightshirt. Once she was changed, she sat on the edge of her bed and tried to pull herself together.
She drew in deep breaths and released them slowly. She finally stopped crying, but she wasn’t ready to go to bed just yet.
Instead, she decided a talk with Emily might help. Emily would be sympathetic and a listening ear as Carrie talked about how she’d gotten things so wrong.
She knew Emily was at home and in her bedroom, because her car had been in the driveway and Carrie could hear Emily’s television noise drifting out despite the closed bedroom door. She hesitated just outside and then knocked softly.
There was no answer. Carrie knocked again...harder this time. It wasn’t so late that Emily would be sleeping. Still, there was no response from Emily. She twisted the knob and cracked open the door. “Em?”
Emily was usually a light sleeper. Carrie opened the door all the way and realized the bed was empty. Apparently, Emily wasn’t home. Maybe Craig, Emily’s boyfriend, had picked her up and she’d just forgotten to turn off her television before she left the house.
Carrie was about to leave the room when she saw the pair of legs protruding out from the opposite side of the bed. “Emily,” she cried, her tears about Luke instantly gone as worry about her friend welled up inside her.
She raced around the side of the bed and found Emily unconscious on the floor. “Oh God, Em.” Carrie fell to the floor next to her, her gaze immediately going over the length of Emily’s body as she sought any obvious injuries.
She saw nothing obvious. Had Emily fallen out of bed and hit her head? Had she suffered some sort of a heart issue? At least she seemed to be breathing, although her breaths sounded weak and shallow.
Carrie needed to call for an ambulance. Frantically she looked around for Emily’s cell phone, but it was nowhere in sight.
Realizing her own cell was in her purse on the sofa in the living room, she left the room and raced down the stairs. She flipped on lights as she went. She’d just reached the sofa when a noise from the kitchen drew her attention.
Three footsteps, and then he appeared in the threshold between the kitchen and the living room. She froze at the sight of him. He was clad all in black and wore a ski mask over his head. He held a wicked-looking knife in each hand.
“Hello, Carrie.”
* * *
LUKE DROVE SEVERAL blocks away from Carrie’s place and then pulled over to the curb in front of somebody else’s house. He shut off his engine and then unfastened his seat belt. He couldn’t drive anymore. A tight pressure filled his chest, and a range of emotions flew through his head.
He felt sick to his stomach, and a band of tension wrapped around his head, squeezing tightly. He couldn’t believe how the night had ended. He couldn’t believe that Carrie really intended to not be in his life anymore. How could she just cut him out of her life?
She loved him. Her words thundered in his head. He tried to tell himself she was mistaken, that they were just really close friends. But she’d been clear she wasn’t confused or mistaken about her feelings for him.
He hadn’t seen it coming. But now that he thought back on things, maybe he should have. Maybe he should have recognized that her touches were filled with love, that her heart was all in on him when she gazed at him. He’d obviously been obtuse in not recognizing what was happening emotionally with her.
After they had made love, he’d never had the talk he’d intended to have with her telling her that it had been a mistake. Now he wished he would have had that conversation with her the very next moment.
Dear God, what was he going to do without her? Who would he have long, deep conversations with? Who would make him laugh? She was the best friend he’d ever had, and he couldn’t imagine his life without her.
He couldn’t believe she had made the choice not to spend time with him anymore. His feeling of grief was profound. His heart was emptier than it had ever been.
What in God’s name was happening to him? He’d stopped seeing women he’d dated before in the past, but nothing had prepared him for the kind of utter loss he felt at never being with Carrie again.
Whom would he think about first thing in the morning? Whom would he think about just before he fell asleep at night? Who was going to keep her safe from the madman who was after her?
His heart clenched with fear for her. If necessary, he’d be her bodyguard from afar. He knew her daily schedule, and he could follow her to and from her work. She’d never have to know that he was around, watching out for her.
Still, it didn’t solve the problem with his heart. He was nowhere near ready to be without Carrie in his life. And it hurt so badly that she didn’t want to be in his life anymore.
With a deep sigh, he started his truck once again and pulled the seat belt back around him. As he pulled away from the curb, his heartache rode with him.
Chapter Eleven
Carrie stared at the man as a million thoughts raced through her head all at the same time. Fear kept her momentarily frozen in place. Who was he? Oh God, what had he done to Emily? What was he doing here...in her house? This wasn’t supposed to happen. She was all alone in a house with a man who wanted to kill her and a roommate who was unconscious.
Her gaze darted around, seeking something she could use as a weapon, but there was nothing. “Who are you and what do you want?” she asked.
Maybe she could get him talking and she could slowly get herself closer to the front door. It would only take her a second or two to unlock it and run. At least he wasn’t advancing on her yet.
“I’ll tell you who I am,” he said. “I’m the man who is going to kill you.”
“What did you do to my roommate?” She tried to keep the terror out of her voice, even though it screamed inside her.
“Ah, I was hoping the poor girl would be out of the house tonight, but she wasn’t. Unfortunately, I had to give her a rather hard love tap on the back of her head to make sure she didn’t interfere with my plans.”
“So, who are you?” Carrie asked again, hoping and praying that Emily would be okay. His voice still sounded familiar, but she couldn’t place it.
“I’m the man who you lied to over and over again.” His voice raised a bit.
“Lied about what?” She took a small step to her left, moving closer to the front door.
“You told me she’d get better and she didn’t. She didn’t get better,” he yelled.
“Who? Who are you talking about?” she cried frantically. “This has got to be some kind of a mistake.”
