A Haunted Twist of Fate (22 page)

“I didn’t.” He shook his head again and clarified calmly.
“It was a couple of years ago, when I was still going out to bars. We were at
the same dive one night, and we sat at a booth together and she told me she’d just
broken up with some guy. After a few laughs and reminiscing about high school,
we agreed to meet for a drink the next night, as friends. A week later, she
invited me to a party. I knew the host, so I accepted. At the end of that
evening, Brenda let me know she was interested in being more than friends. But
she wasn’t my type. A relationship would have gone nowhere and I told her so. By
then, I wasn’t into dating just for the hell of it. She didn’t like my honesty,
apparently. She screamed a few choice words before storming off and then she keyed
my truck. That was the same night I gave up on dating altogether.”

After finishing his story, Shay’s shoulders sagged.
She uncrossed her arms. “So you never slept with her?” Her voice came out
small, like a child’s.

A hearty laugh erupted from deep within his belly.
She was jealous!
Thank you, God
,
for small miracles.
“Lord no,
darlin’. I swear what I’ve told you about Brenda is the truth and nothing but
the truth.” He put his hand up as if he were giving an oath in front of a
judge.

She still didn’t seem totally convinced.

“Why did you tell me she’s a nut? I expected to meet
someone who smelled of incense and chanted in tongues. She acts pretty normal
to me.”

“I shouldn’t have called her that,” he admitted. “I
was basing the term on what happened between us last time I saw her. She had no
right to key my truck. I knew she’d hit some rough times financially, and I
never heard talk in school about her being a psychic when we were growing up,
so I figured the psychic business was a hoax she’d dreamed up to dupe folks out
of their money. I don’t know if she’s had a real job in years. I didn’t want
you to get hurt or waste your money on what might turn out to be a bunch of
baloney.”

Shay let her arms drop to her sides.  When her lips
curved into a small smile, he moved forward and placed his hands upon her waist
and drew her close. He knew she’d been under a lot of stress lately. He
wouldn’t hold this little outburst against her. He was glad when she sank her
head onto his chest.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I had no right to come
here and accuse you of things—”

“You’re forgiven,” he interjected. Her eyes glistened
when he set her back. “For the record, I haven’t slept with a woman in over two
years.”

That little tidbit rocked her. “Colt, I had no idea.”

“Of course you didn’t. That’s not something a man
goes around broadcasting to the world. I don’t kiss and tell, especially when
there’s nothing to tell.” He chuckled, hoping to ease the tension.

“I’m sorry I said those things,” she apologized
again. “I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions or let my imagination run wild, especially
after what I said to you last night.”

“Are you referring to when you cut me loose?”

She nodded, and he couldn’t help but grin. “I like
that you’re jealous.”

“I’m not.”

His arms wound around her like thread on a spool. He
felt the blood in his veins heating as his heart pumped double-time. He’d been
waiting to tell her how he felt. Now seemed like the perfect time. “Shay, I
don’t mind that you’re a little jealous, because that would mean you care about
me the same way I care for you.”

She gazed at him with eyes shining brighter than the
noonday sun. He tipped her chin up with his finger, and they stared into each
other’s eyes. “I know we’ve only known each other a short time, but—”

The bell over the front door tinkled as it flung
open and his fifty-something secretary, Norma, breezed in. Obviously startled,
Shay broke from his embrace and twirled.

“Oh! Did I interrupt something?” Norma said, dumping
her purse on her desk. She flashed Colt a knowing grin.

Shay’s cheeks flushed pink, and she looked like she
wanted to crawl under the desk.

“Shay, this is my secretary, Norma Rudd. Norma, meet
Shay Brennan, the new owner of the Buckhorn.”

Norma reached out to shake Shay’s hand. “I typed up
the paperwork for the sale. It’s nice to finally meet you, Ms. Brennan.”

“Thank you. It’s a pleasure to meet you, too.”

Just then, Shay’s cell phone jangled. “Excuse me. I’ll
take this outside.” She trotted to the door like a pony ready to break into a
lope. Colt watched her hips sway as she exited the office with the phone to her
ear. Dammit. Would luck ever be with him?

“Pardon me, Norma,” he said, tromping past her to
peek out the window.

“Better hurry if you want to catch her. I don’t know
what you just said or did, but she looked ready to bolt,” Norma teased.

Shay flipped her cell phone shut just as he stepped
outside and closed the door behind him. “Good news, or bad?” He noted the
confused expression on her face.

“You decide. That was Brenda. You won’t believe what
she just told me.”

Thirty-Six

Shay started by giving Colt the
Reader’s Digest
version of the time she’d spent with Brenda, both in the saloon and in the
graveyard. She also removed the chain and old ring from her pocket and
enlightened him on how she’d found it cradled in the grass at the foot of
Everett’s tombstone while Brenda was in the trance.

He examined the ring by rolling it between the pads
of his fingers. “This is real interesting, but it sounds like I was right about
Brenda. The name Elizabeth doesn’t even come close to Callie. You have to be
disappointed.”

“I was thinking about that when she and I parted a
while ago. It crossed my mind that perhaps Brenda had seen
another
spirit
in my bedroom, one called Elizabeth, and that’s how she came up with that
name.”

“Unlikely.” Colt didn’t seem impressed.

“I confess it was a stretch, but I wanted to believe
Brenda and was hoping she could help. She
did
sense the card-playing
ghosts, and we both experienced the evil basement guy. And she led us to
Everett’s grave.”

“But you said she blanked out once you got there. Her
psychic abilities didn’t guide her to this ring either. This seems like a significant
clue she shouldn’t have missed.” He handed the gold band back.

“True. She said nothing like that blackout had ever
happened to her before, so I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt on that one.”

“So, now where do you turn if you’re done with her?”

Shay shook her head. “That’s just it. I don’t think
I should be done with her. Just now on the phone, she told me that shortly
after she left the Buckhorn, something drew her back. She turned her car around
and found herself standing on the sidewalk below my bedroom window. When she
looked up, Callie was staring down at her. Colt, that’s how Brenda referred to
the woman.
Callie
. Brenda said the young woman’s name popped into her
mind, as clearly as if the spirit had spoken to her. Brenda wanted me to know
her first name is Callie. Callie
Elizabeth
.”

She waited, hoping his reaction would be the same as
hers, which was one of excitement and renewed trust in Brenda’s abilities. Although
Colt didn’t comment negatively, he was as easy to see through as cellophane
wrapping. Doubt was written all over his face. Or was it something else?

“What is it?” she asked. “Do you still think I
shouldn’t work with Brenda anymore?”

“It’s your decision,” he assured. Snaking a
protective arm around her waist, he guided her around the corner into an alley,
where he surprised her by gently backing her against the wall. With his hands
on either side of her face, he leaned in and kissed her. It was a deep kiss
that sent a shudder thundering through her body as his lips molded to hers.

When the kiss broke, she was unable to utter a word. 
She simply stared into his emerald pools, mesmerized by her reflection in them,
and the way his touch had sent her spinning into another world.

“Shay, I’m falling in love with you,” he blurted. “I
know you probably think it’s too soon to feel that way, but it is what it is.”

“I…ah...” Her breath locked deep inside her throat.
It felt like a grenade had gone off in her stomach. Colt had such a hopeful,
eager expression on his face. “Ah…” Not knowing what to do or say, Shay wriggled
free and turned her back to him.

Although she was falling for him, too, they barely
knew each other. While her heart told her one thing, her head told her another.
It wasn’t safe to trust her heart.

As she stood wringing her hands, she could feel his
eyes boring into her back. No doubt he waited for a response. He’d just told
her he loved her and was probably hoping to hear the same thing in return. When
she swung around to face him again, he’d shoved his fists into his jeans
pockets. The eager expression on his handsome face had been replaced by
disappointed longing.

“Colt,” she murmured.

“I figured it was too soon,” he mumbled. “But I’m
honest to a fault. Remember?”

She nodded.

“The last thing I want to do is put you on the spot.
I understand you can’t make your heart feel something it doesn’t.”

“It’s not that.”

His finger touched her lips to shush her. “You don’t
have to say another word.”

“But I want to. I’ve never met anyone like you
before,” she whispered.

“You never will again.”

She wanted to believe him, but she’d trusted before
and had ended up broken-hearted.

Her mind replayed the moments she and Colt had spent
together. Neither Gary nor Tom was Colt. He was ten times the man either of
them had been. She’d come west to start fresh, and starting over was all about
risk-taking. She’d taken a risk buying the saloon and putting down roots in a
new town. Why couldn’t she acquiesce to these feral sensations and take one
more chance at love?

Without another word, Colt stepped out of the alley
and turned the corner, ripping her from her mixed-up thoughts. She followed him
back to the office wishing she had the courage to return his affection the way
he deserved.

“Call Brenda back,” he said, at the door. “I think
she may be able to help with those ghosts after all.”

“Are you sure?”

“It’s not for me to judge her, or you. It’s your
life. Do what you want.” His gaze held steady. He looked like he wanted to say
more, but he kept his mouth shut and placed his hand on the doorknob.

Her heart sank, feeling as heavy as lead. Colt was
dismissing her the way she’d dismissed him before.

He eased the door open. “I have more information on
Frank’s daughter, Alicia, if you’re interested.” His words were dry and
unemotional.

“I am.” Smiling, she hoped he’d reconsider being
friends.

“My dad gave me some insight on what happened to
her. It was a typical Romeo and Juliet story, only Alicia’s Romeo had been
quite a bit older than her and Frank disapproved. Alicia ran away with the man
after Frank threatened the guy. Frank and his wife only heard from her once
after she left. A letter came, but they had no idea where she’d gone. The
postmarked had been illegible. Next time they received any word was seven
months later, and she was dead. She’d died in a car accident.”

The shock stung Shay like a slap in the face. “That’s
terrible. Do you know who sent the letter to Frank and his wife informing them
of Alicia’s death?”

“I didn’t think to ask Dad that. He probably doesn’t
know. Could that be important?”

“Maybe. I’d like to ask Frank some specific
questions about his daughter when I see him next, if he’s up to talking about
her.”

Colt nodded. “Good luck. I need to get inside and
back to work.”

She didn’t want to say goodbye yet. “I’ll call
Brenda,” she said, stalling. “I’ll show her the ring I found and see what else
she can come up with about Callie. I’d still like to know why she asked for my
help.”

“Sure. Hope you solve your mystery, Shay.”

“Thanks.”

Colt stepped through the door to leave her standing
on the sidewalk alone, sad and confused. Walking toward the Buckhorn, she
wondered why relationships had to be so complicated. Why couldn’t she let go of
the past and trust that Colt wouldn’t hurt her? With her parents gone, she had
no one on this earth to love anymore. By some miracle, she’d come here and met
Colt, and he’d fallen in love with her. She should be ecstatic—and she was.

It had been so hard to keep her emotions in check
when he’d confessed his feelings. True love and happiness were what she yearned
for, but she wasn’t sure those things existed anymore. Colt might think he loved
her today, but love didn’t matter if their goals in life were not the same.

Was meeting Colt her destiny? Or was he another
cruel joke fate had chosen to play on her?

When she reached the saloon, Shay stopped dead in
her tracks. Sitting on the hitching post in front of the building was a
bluebird. Its beady eyes latched onto her like a laser beam. Their gazes
remained locked until he started chirping his song.