1 Year Later

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THE FIRST PHOTO THAT was left for her, she almost missed. Ev, a bull rider she had befriended on the rodeo circuit, was the one who saw it when he walked her back to her trailer after the event had drawn to a close and they had put her horses away. She hadn't even noticed it sitting on the drop step to her living quarters at the front of her horse trailer. He picked it up and read the words scrawled on the back before flipping the photo over. He jerked in surprise and spoke, "Court? The hell is this?"

She took it from him and saw a photo of herself from a couple of days before when she had been parked on the side of the road and had let her horses, Mystery and Rambler, out as she did every four to five hours while they were on the road. She was leaning against the trailer watching as Rambler grazed a few feet away from her. She hadn't even realized anyone was watching her. The road hadn't exactly been deserted. Other competitors had been part of a convoy from one rodeo to the next, but she couldn't recall feeling like she was being watched or anything. Flipping the photo over, she saw what had caused Ev to freeze. I see you...

That was strange, but she wasn't without fans, so maybe this was one of the crazy ones she had heard about from some of the others. "I have no idea. Maybe a fan?"

"Have you gotten anything like this before?"

"Nope." She shrugged and stomped her boots on the bottom step before opening the door to her trailer. "It's weird, but I haven't had any trouble, so maybe someone is just messing with me. You want a beer?"

She knew he would decline her invitation, just like he always did. He was kind to her and protective of her, but no matter how many hints she dropped or what kind of subtle manipulation she tried, he wasn't biting. He wasn't married, and he wasn't seeing anyone consistently, of that she was sure. They were a few people who stuck with the circuit and followed it cross country, but he wasn't dating anyone. She wasn't sure she was up to a relationship or that she could even have feelings for another man ever again after the way Cole had destroyed her without so much as looking back, but if there was a man she was willing to give it a shot with, it was Sean Everett. Only he wasn't interested. So, she really wasn't disappointed when his mouth quirked up into a grin and he shook his head before saying, "Nah, I gotta get back to my ride. It's time to put a call into my Ma and call it a night. I'm hitting the road about five a.m. tomorrow."

"Ev, you sure are hard on a woman's pride, but you make a good point. I'll be pulling out at about five as well."

"Tomorrow, I'll follow you and stop when you stop to let the horses out. I know you aren't worried about it, but we can take precautions anyway, just in case this is something."

Standing with the door open to her trailer, she grinned at him and caught him by surprise when she threw her arms around him in a giant hug. He didn't squeeze her back, and she didn't expect him to. She just felt overwhelmed that someone cared enough to hang back to make sure she was safe. She released him just as quickly and took the last step into her trailer before turning back and giving him a goofy smile.

"Thanks for being a friend, Ev. You have no idea how much it means to me." She shut the door behind her and balanced first on one foot and then the other to slip off her boots. It made her jump when there was a sharp rap at her door. She turned around and swung it open to see Ev standing there again.

"Court, you need to lock up. Especially now."

Jauntily, she saluted him before shutting the door again and making a point to turn the lock and slide the deadbolt home.

***

THE NEXT DAY, TRUE to his word, Ev followed her and stopped when she did to let the horses out to stretch their legs and eat. They were both hyper vigilant, and neither was aware of any lurkers. Courtney honestly felt like it was an overreaction on Ev's part, but she was loathed to say so and take the chance he wouldn't stick around. In all honesty, having him stop with her and help her with her horses was not only fun, but it made the chore easier. He was a somber guy, and she sensed that like her, a very deep and very integral part of him had been broken, but she couldn't ask, and she wouldn't share. While they had been acquaintances over the last year, he had become someone she valued in her life.

That night, they pulled into a rest area to sleep before continuing their road trip the next morning. There was nothing suspicious. Ev did a walk around the next morning while they walked the horses, but there was nothing amiss. That night, they both competed. As was their norm after, Courtney loaded her horses into the air-conditioned trailer for the night, and Ev walked her to the door.

Taped to the door was a photo of the two of them, Courtney in her socks saluting him two nights before. Instinctively, Ev pushed her behind him and muttered, "Son of a bitch." Before ripping the photo off the door and flipping it over, he turned around and held his hand out to her. "Keys."

"Ev, my door isn't locked."

"You didn't lock the door? Are you kidding me right now? Good Lord, girl, what are you thinking? Come on. I'll walk through and make sure no one is in there."

"Umm, Ev, I know you've never been in there before, but there isn't any walking through. Come on, you'll see. It's all pretty open."

He swung the door to her trailer open and stepped in. To the left, there was a stand-up shower with a shower curtain hanging from a curtain rod and a toilet tucked in the corner barely hidden from sight to give the user privacy. On the other side of the wall close to the door was a mini fridge with a microwave on the counter above it and a small sink next to that. On the other side of the room, there was a closet above where the gooseneck dropped into the bed of the truck, and against the wall was a leather couch and above it, a bunk had been built into the wall. As far as living quarters went, it was sparse space, but it was certainly a surprise to Sean, who had pictured something far more luxurious. After all, Courtney was the only woman he knew who managed to have manicured nails and wrinkle-free clothes no matter how long she was out on the road. He cleared his throat and spoke, "Well, it appears no one is here, but you need to keep this door locked from now on."

"Ev, what does it say?"

He handed Courtney the photo, and she flipped it over to read the message on the back. Do you feel safe?

"Oh, shit." She gulped.

"Yeah. You think you could take some time off and head back home for a while?"

"Ev, are you crazy? I am not going back home. I haven't been back home for a solid year. This trailer is my home."

"Do you have anyone you can call?"

"I can try to call my brother, but I don't know where he is. He could literally be anywhere in the world right now."

"While you do that and wait to hear from him, maybe I should bunk here with you. I can take the couch and stick around to make sure that whoever is screwin' with you doesn't get any closer."

She wasn't sure how she felt about sharing her space with someone, but the question circled around and around in her mind. Do you feel safe? Do you feel safe? Do you feel safe? No. The answer was no, and since that was the case, she couldn't argue with Ev about staying with her.

"Ok, maybe you should. I, ah, I can take the couch, and you can take the bunk if you'd like."

From the look on his face, she knew that was a no-go, so she changed her tune. "Or I'll take the bunk, and you can have the couch." When he cracked a small grin, she let out a sigh of relief and said, "Do you really think I should call my brother? This is definitely getting scary, and he probably has the skills and contacts to get to the bottom of all of this."

"I definitely think you should call your brother. What kind of skills does he have exactly?"

"Well, he's a government contractor. Private military. Ya know, those guys who go in but aren’t active military anymore?”

“He’s a merc. Fuckin’ hell, Court, your brother is exactly what you need. Go ahead and call him. I'll hang out with you until he can get here to take care of whatever is going on. We're going the same place anyway."

"You know, Sean Everett, you sure are hell on my self-esteem. You just started this watching-over-me gig, and you're already ready to pass it on to someone else. Ouch!"

He smiled at her. "You know I don't mean it like that. I'm just not cut out for being a companion. Nothin' against you, darlin'." To soften the blow, he added, "Why don't you get us a couple of beers, and I'll run over to my truck and get a change of clothes?"

Her smile brightened. "Now, that I can do."

He walked out, and she couldn’t help but smile when he knocked on the door seconds later and said gruffly, “Lock it.” 

She grabbed her cell, walked to the door, turned the lock, and waited to listen for his booted feet to stomp away before she dialed Devon’s number. She was unsurprised when it went straight to voicemail. Really, he could be anywhere in the world, so she left a short voicemail instead. "Dev, hey, bro. Long time no talk, I know. Listen, I, uh, may have a little problem here and need to touch base with you. Can you give me a call when you get this? Love you, bro. Be safe."

There’s another number you could call. One still programmed in your phone.

But to do that would mean opening herself up to the deepest of pain, and she wasn't sure her safety was even worth that much to her.

Sitting on the couch, she tapped the phone against her palm and thought about it. She knew that with their history, he would at least send someone to check on her. He would probably even answer the phone even though there had been absolutely no contact since the day she had driven his rental to her parents' house.

Of course, she could call Clint, too. He would come if he got the call, but chances were that he was wherever her brother was, and if he wasn't, then he would totally tell his brother, and it would end in the same scenario.

She could go home to her parents' ranch. That was a consideration, but the memories would eat away at her soul, as they had in the days following Cole's abandonment before she fled the year before. Being there again, she knew the pain would be too much. So, she was stuck. She would accept Ev's company and perhaps get to the bottom of his odd solidarity while she waited for her brother to reach out to her. Really, her choices were limited. And if things got scarier, she could always reconsider.

There was a tapping at her door that caused her to freeze in fear right before Ev spoke up and said, "Open up, Court." In relief, she set the phone to the side and got up to let him in. This was her best alternative for the time being. She unlocked the door, turned the knob, and gave the door a push before she walked the few feet to the mini fridge and grabbed two beers for them. Ev stomped his boots on the steps and climbed into her trailer while Courtney walked back over to the couch and curled up into one corner. When Ev took a seat on the opposite end, she handed him a beer.

“You call your brother?”

“Yeah, he didn’t answer, but I left him a message. I should hear back from him in a day or two."

He twisted the cap off his beer and took a long drink before responding, "Sounds good. So, what has you curled around yourself if you didn't talk to him?"

His question took her aback because their friendship was a casual one. Rarely did they touch on anything personal. "What do you mean?" she asked, feigning ignorance.

"It's not any of my business, and you can say so, but you sat down on the couch and tried to curl yourself into a ball. I watched you shrug off two threatening photos like it was nothing, so what's up?"

"I just got caught up. You ever try to outrun your heart?"

The corner of his lips tipped up sardonically, and he lifted his beer in her direction. "Every damn day, Court. That what you're doing?"

"Just as fast as I can."

"You runnin’ from a man or a heartbreak?"

She could feel his eyes on her as she played with the label of her unopened beer. "The man has a wife. I'm just trying not to let the pain kill me." Saying that, she twisted the top off her own beer and tipped it up. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ev nodding, but he stayed silent, so she didn't say anything further. There were a few moments of awkward silence before she spoke again, "Ok, I'm hungry. You? I don't have much, but I can make a mean grilled cheese, and I have a bag of corn chips and plenty of beer. There's even a cooler in the bed of my truck with more beer, water, and soft drinks." He did a double take when he looked back at her and had a perplexed expression on his face. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

He chuckled deeply before saying, "I guess I just don't know how to take you. Honestly, you come across as extremely high maintenance, and I know you're a sweetheart, if not a little nosy, but grilled cheese, corn chips, and beer is not a meal that I would expect you to pull out of your, ah, repertoire. It's, well, it's man food."

For the first time that night, she felt like laughing. "Ev,"—she leaned forward and slapped his shoulder in hilarity—"I was in a very long and very committed, on my part anyway, relationship with a soldier. I was raised on a ranch, and I am the only daughter. My brother, my ex, and his brother grew up together, giving me hell. My mama made sure that I had class and knew to take care of myself and always look presentable, but I can drink, cuss, and cook ‘man food' with the best of them." She stood up and walked toward her mini kitchenette area, pausing along the way to look back at Ev and laugh. "Man, we really don't know each other that well, do we?"

"I guess not."

She started pulling a griddle from a cabinet, supplies from her mini fridge, and kept talking to him, "So, what's the story with her?"

"Her?"

"Yeah,"—she plugged the power cord into the wall and the griddle and set the heat level—"her. The girl who broke your heart. What's the story? Did you meet her on the circuit?"

Ev rubbed his hand through his hair and said, "What makes you think there is a girl?"

She plopped a spoonful of butter onto the griddle and looked up at him. "Really? Ev, you don't lack female attention, yet I never see you spending any considerable time with any of them. You spend more time with me than any other female, and we both know that our friendship has been surface deep. What gives? There has to be a girl."

He was quiet for so long that Courtney assumed that was the end of it, but he surprised her when he spoke up. "It's a long story. She was my high school sweetheart. I go out when I'm lonely and get some companionship, but I sober up and take off to find the next bull."

She had frozen with that. "What the hell, Ev? You deserve more than some one-night stands with the random buckle bunny. God, you've been doing this for years, and you haven't had a real relationship since some girl in high school? Man, I thought I was hung up. I bet she's married with three kids by now, huh? We have shit for first loves, huh?"

Ev jerked up from his slouched position on the couch and nearly growled, "Katherine was not a shit first love. Fuck, that was me. I'm no better than your ex from the sound of it."

The butter on the griddle was sizzling now, so she turned down the heat and buttered a slice of bread before placing it butter side down to cook. "Oh yeah, you think so? Did you get married to someone else while you were engaged to her? You knock up some woman while you were engaged to her? No. She didn't even stick out you being on the circuit. I went through two tours overseas and a stint as a contractor, and he cheated on me." She paused to lick butter from her thumb and cringed at the taste. "You can never compare yourself to Cole."

Ev stood from the couch and started toward her, but she felt the tears burning her eyes, so she quickly bent back down to the mini fridge to grab the sliced cheese to place on the cooked sides of the bread that she quickly flipped over on the griddle. "Don't. I'm not going to fall apart. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to go there. Just don't say that, ok? Clearly, exes are too heavy of a talk for Man-food Monday." She grinned up at him and gave a half-hearted laugh. "Maybe we should try again on Whiskey Wednesday."

Seeing that she had pulled herself under control, Ev stepped around her and pulled two fresh beers from the mini fridge, then twisted both caps off before wrapping an arm around her shoulders and playfully pulling her to him before kissing her forehead. He released her, handed her a beer, and stepped around her to make his way back to the couch. "Well, here we are, a couple of heartbroken fools. We'd be the perfect couple if we weren't in love with other people."

She took a quick swig from the bottle and laughingly said, "And you kinda remind me of my brother. No offense, but that doesn't get me all hot and bothered."

Ev saluted her with his beer and watched her finish up the sandwiches with a smile on his face. Both finding solace in their simple companionship.

Ev slept on her couch for two weeks, but there wasn’t another picture. Devon called finally, halfway through the second week, but Courtney no longer felt as threatened, so she downplayed the situation. Ev went back to staying in his truck while she stayed alone, even though she tried to convince him that she had more than enough room and surprisingly, it didn't annoy her to have someone else sharing her cramped space, but he declared he liked the solitude even though Man-food Monday was now a tradition for them. She had no idea that in just a few short weeks, her whole life was going to implode, and it would land Ev a permanent spot in her life and that of her brother and the La Barrons for the rest of their lives.

Because whoever was sending her the photos had found a new target to threaten, and this one was even better connected. Hell was about to rain down on them all, and her only warning was a missed phone call while she was at a small diner in Albuquerque having breakfast with Ev before their next rodeo. By the time she finished that evening, placing third in her event, her past and present were about to collide in an epic way.