CHAPTER THREE
Darby
I woke up after the reunion party feeling really mad.
I was here in the middle of Wyoming, at my uncle's ranch. And Alex had talked me into doing the one thing I really didn't want to do: stay here for another week.
I went into the shower, hoping that a bit of hot water and steam would cool my temper somewhat. It didn't. I came out, dried my flossy blond hair, lamenting how dry it was getting up here in the dry mountain air, and put on jeans and a nice blue shirt. At least if I was forced to stay out in the middle of nowhere I didn't have to dress like it.
Not bad.
The mirror showed me a woman of middling height, with a narrow waist, full bust and an hourglass figure. My hair was fine and spread out around my face in a slightly wavy cloud. I liked my hair. I was glad the dryness hadn't managed to ruin it.
I'll be glad to be home again.
Home was Newton, MA. I missed the charm of the place. Green River was... well... not really charming. I guess there was a charm in the rusty windmills and rural vibe, but I wasn't feeling it. All I was feeling was the frustration of being stuck out here. And my rage was fixed on Alex.
Not to mention that guy, Jared.
“Morning, Darby,” my aunt called out as I came down to the kitchen. My cousins – Shane and Reese – were at the table. I couldn't see my brother, which was a good thing right now.
“Morning, auntie,” I said.
“Eggs for breakfast?”
“Mm. Yes, please.” I nodded. That sounded good. I was hungry. I helped myself to coffee and sat in comfortable silence looking out over the rugged land.
What was it about Jared that disturbed me?
We had, I recalled, had a perfectly ordinary, pleasant chat. We'd settled our differences about the rudeness thing, and I actually quite liked him. So why was there something in those memories that was chafing at me badly?
I think it's because I liked him.
I was mad at myself for the very idea of it. I was a twenty-seven year old junior lawyer. I didn't need to go getting interested in a guy who came from another world to me. Another world about which Alex still owed me an explanation.
“Alex!” my aunt said warmly. I looked up as my brother entered the kitchen. I really needed to talk with him.
“Alex!” I said. “Come and join me.”
He nodded. Came and took a seat beside me.
“Hey, Darbs. You look stressed. Listen, I'm sorry...” he began.
“Don't worry about it,” I cut him off sharply. It was settled now – I'd even extended my flight. There wasn't much good to be had in arguing about it in front of my family: I wasn't about to let them know I didn't really want to be here, now was I?
“Fine,” he said with some surprise.
“Listen, Alex. I wanted to ask you about...”
“Eggs, Darby. I did two. Sunny side up, right?”
“Yes. Thank you, auntie.”
“No problem,” she said with a big smile as she put a plate of delicious-looking breakfast in front of me.
“Now,” I said to Alex. “I need to ask you about Jared.”
“Later,” he said quickly. He gave a meaningful glance at the cousins and I sighed. I supposed he was right. Whatever background story the guy had, he didn't need it aired over morning coffee.
All the same, the frustration ignited in me. I needed to know. It was the least he could do.
After breakfast, I caught up with him in the back yard. He was standing drinking more coffee, watching the hills.
“Okay,” I said briskly. “There's no one around.”
He sighed. “Okay.”
“So?”
“Darby, Jared's a guy who was in tough circumstances. I met him by chance one day. I helped him out. That's the story.”
“Helped him out?” I asked, frowning. “In what way?”
“Dammit, Darby,” he snapped, surprising me utterly. “Isn't that enough?”
“Hey!” I said, feeling hurt. “You said you'd tell me. That explanation's as bad as no explanation. And why be so defensive? I haven't done anything!”
I surprised myself by feeling tears in my eyes. It wasn't just the shock of my kind, reasonable brother suddenly snapping at me, considerable though that was. It was work pressure, and my confrontation with Jared, and how much he confused me.
“Darby...” he said gently.
“No!” I said. “Dammit, Alex. You seem dedicated to messing me around this week. I knew it was a bad idea for me to go to this thing in the beginning. And I never thought you'd make it harder for me.”
“I'm sorry...” Alex started.
“I don't want to hear you're sorry,” I said hotly, blinking. “I want you to understand that I'm tense and stressed and I trusted you to get me back to work and instead you let us both get persuaded, like you always do.”
“Darby...”
I closed my eyes. When he sounded hurt I couldn't resist it. But I had enough and I wasn't going to have any more. I turned on my heel and walked away.
Luckily, I'd hired a car. All in all, it seemed the easiest way to get from the nearest airport and out to here and back again. That was another problem – I'd have to renew the lease now that I was staying for longer. Or take it back and get a new one. Or just go back with Alex, always assuming his flight and mine were close together.
In any case, the car was a blessing. I hopped in, slammed the door and sped off down the dusty road.
I had been going for about twenty minutes, letting my anger cool, when I noticed something.
A distinctly unpleasant smell. It was coming from the engine.
Moments later, I stalled in the middle of the road.
“Oh, for...”
I wanted to cry. I leaned on the steering-wheel and did a silent scream. I was here, stuck in the middle of nowhere, with an overheated engine and no visible help in sight.
I did have my phone, but what would be better? The help I might get from my uncle, or the help I certainly would get from the AA, but probably after a wait.
I dialed my aunt's number.
While I waited for her to answer the phone, I stared out of the window trying to strive for calm. Of all the places I could have broken down, I guess at least this one was picturesque. I could see the wavering outline of hills, the sun making the sky almost white above them, it was so blue. A haze clung to them, making everything magical and deterring my stress slightly.
I seemed to be stopped near a gateway of some sort, which was good. If I got desperate – if neither my aunt nor the AA was particularly helpful – I could maybe alert someone working on that farm.
I waited for a few more seconds, then hung up. I was about to call again when someone came out of the gateway.
I stared.
The someone was dressed in jeans and a denim jacket. He was on a horse. His muscly shoulders rippled in the sunlight. It was Jared.
I felt my heart jolt and then sink. He had seen me. He was coming over.
He tapped on the window.
“Hey,” he said, quite politely. “You having trouble? I can help.”
I doubt it, I thought. You're part of my trouble.
I smiled tightly.
“Maybe,” I said.
He smiled. “Engine's overheated,” he said. “I'll get some water. Refill the radiator. We'll have it going again in no time. You'll see.”