Heartbreak's Reward (Double Dutch Ranch Series: Love at First Sight Book 2) (2 page)

***

Once they rolled into the neighborhood, Tristan checked the number on Jase’s phone. “It should be right up here, according to the GPS.” He checked each address as they passed. “There,” he said, pointing to the left.

“There’s no curtains on the windows, Trist.”

“Sonofabitch.” Tristan flung his seatbelt off and hit his palm against the dashboard.

“She doesn’t even live here?” He released the clutch and jumped out, ran up to the windows, and peered inside. “There’s nothing in here. Not a damn thing.”

Tristan followed him to the house, shaking his head. “She either moved before court, or lied to her lawyer again. You sure you got the right address?”

“I got the right address.” He went back to the truck for his phone. “I have to call Tom.” He paced in front of his truck, and said to Tristan, “She lied about everything, and has no intention of bringing the kids back.”

Jase left a message for his lawyer and hung up. A neighbor walked from across the street. “You all looking for somebody?”

“Yeah, the woman who lived here.” Jase sauntered up to the man, pointing back at the house. Either a nosy neighbor or someone who might be able to help.

“Ah, she’s gone. Packed up last weekend and moved out. Can’t say I was sorry to see them go.” The man pointed across the street to another house. “I stood right there and watched.”

“A woman with two kids?” asked Jase, his voice already quivering.

“That’s right.” The neighbor turned to go.

Tristan called after the man. “Wait. How many people lived here? I mean…did the woman have a man with her.”

“A couple guys. Well…” The man hesitated.

Jase took a step forward. “They’re
my
kids and that was my wife.”

The neighbor folded his arms and stared at the ground. “Well, she lived there with her husband…or so I thought. The other guy was just…well, just living there.”

“I was her husband,” said Jase, “until today. What about the kids? Two of them…a boy and a girl.” He held his palm flat to indicate their height.

“Nope, they all moved out. Cute kids, too. Well-behaved. Their dad—sorry. The guy watched them sometimes.”

Tristan asked the man, “You don’t happen to have any photos, do you? Maybe of the asshole pretending to be their dad?”

The man shook his head. “No, nothing like that.”

Jase weakened. Shook his head. Diverted his eyes. “Thanks, man.” He headed for the truck, and got in the passenger side. He waited for his brother and handed him the keys. He slouched down in the seat and lowered his hat over his eyes.

Tristan backed out of the driveway in Tucson, and headed back home toward Canyon Junction. Most of the trip was spent in silence until they stopped to eat. He turned to Tristan. “Some asshole I don’t know watched my kids. I’ll find them…and
him
. I swear I will. Not even God can help him if he hurts my babies.”

Brenna Page stopped on the side of the road, scanning the map. It’d make more sense if she had a clue where she was. She peered at the GPS, comparing it to the map. No comparison. Apparently, it quit working in Phoenix when she left the shipping yard after picking up her car. “Canyon Junction should be right ahead.” She didn’t see anything but a big mountain to her left.

Brenna looked around before glancing back at the map. Superstition Mountains. Sounded spooky. She missed a turn somewhere and it would be dark before long. She didn’t know if she’d ever seen a sky so melon-orange in color before, except maybe from a box of crayons. It was true what she’d heard about an Arizona sunset—awe-inspiring.

Pulling out onto the road again, she drove a few more miles. What a surprise she had when the road ended, making a sharp right turn onto a dirt road not much more than a path. “How does a road this size end just like that?”

She thought to follow it around the curve, but changed her mind.
Maybe it went to some junkyard or something.
When she took the job, she knew it was a small town, but right now it didn’t seem so little.

She turned around to backtrack. At the next road she made a left, thinking she’d have better luck, but no way did luck lead her to the highway. She made one more right turn. Brenna gasped and took a double take at the building ahead. About five hundred feet down the road, she turned left into a parking lot. Leaning forward, she read the sign with the name of the elementary school she’d work at.

She scanned the area—behind her and toward the front straight down the road. But, how did she get here?
The damn big mountain distracted me!
She got out of her car, walked to the front and leaned against the hood. Maybe luck was on her side.

Too dark to read the map outside, she got in, locked the doors, and turned on the interior light. She took another look and programmed her GPS from this school to the hotel, but it didn’t work.
This shouldn’t be so hard.
After a long day of traveling, all she wanted to do was get a shower and hit the bed.

Starting her car to leave didn’t happen. She laid her head against the headrest. Now what? Taking a big breath, she lowered her gaze to the dashboard. “How did this happen? No gasoline. Empty!” She had a full tank when she shipped the car. She clenched the steering wheel and attempted to shake an immovable object like it was the cars fault.

What a freaking bad way it had been to start off in this godforsaken town. Godforsaken or not, she’d taken the job by choice. It’d be a great place for her and her little sister to start over. Brenna hated leaving her sister to come here, but Chloe remained back home in Iowa City with her best friend’s family, while she found a place for them to live in Canyon Junction. Not that Chloe was happy about moving here. Brenna knew it was the only choice right now.

A deep sigh slipped out at the same time her stomach grumbled. Hungry. She hadn’t eaten since… It was too long ago to remember. Pretzels on the plane? Coffee at the layover in Denver?

Lights appeared behind her. Bright lights right in her mirror as a matter of fact. “Whoever you are, turn the lights off!” She flipped her rear-view mirror up. Brenna pounded the steering wheel again. Nothing went right. Now, she was almost blinded. When the driver turned off the headlights, only the parking lights remained and she could see again. “How rude.”

She double checked the lock button. In her side mirror she watched a tall man jump down from the high truck. He stuck a cowboy hat on his head. “Oh, great, a good old boy.” When he came up beside her car, she lowered the window enough to hear what he had to say.

He leaned down, his hands on his knees. “Hello there, ma’am. Do you need help or something?” He removed his hat, stuck it under his arm, and ran his fingers through his dark, long and tousled hair. He motioned for her to roll the window down.

“Ah, I’m…out of gasoline.”
That sounded so lame
. “Don’t ask me how.”

“Roll the window down. I’m not gonna hurt you.”

Brenna rolled her eyes. She blinked a couple times after turning to really look at him.
He’s to-die-for-handsome.
Even in the dim twilight she made out his gorgeous blue eyes. A real cowboy? Then the lights in the parking lot began to flicker and came on at a slow rate. She perused the area.

Houses sat across the street, traffic drove by, and he continued to tap on the window. She unlocked the door and he took a step back.
Wow, he’s a tall one
, she thought as she ran her gaze up the length of him. She stepped out and didn’t come close to his shoulder. She immediately moved to the open space in front of her car.

“So, ma’am, you saying you need some gasoline? With a car like this, I’m surprised a little voice didn’t tell you your gas was low.”

“Well, if it did, I was distracted and didn’t notice. I had my car shipped to Phoenix with a full tank of gas. I drove
here
from Phoenix. There’s a mountain in my view, the likes of what I’ve never seen so close.” She lifted her hands in front of her. “I don’t know where I am. GPS is a bunch of bull crap. The map don’t help me if I’m lost.”

He stood there with his hands in his back pockets, listening to her rant. She leaned against her car. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to ramble, but I want to get to my hotel, eat, and go to bed.”

“What hotel are you staying at? I can help you get gasoline and direct you there.”

“Are you a real cowboy?”
Good gawd, why did I ask the man a question like that
? She diverted her eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m tired and must sound like an idiot.”

“You’re not from around here and are lost, but, you don’t sound like an idiot, ma’am. Frustrated doesn’t mean idiot.” He removed his hat again and stuck out his hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Jase Carlson from the Double Dutch Ranch—a horse ranch, here in Canyon Junction.” He still held his hand out.

She reluctantly took his hand, and his tight grip shook both of theirs. “I’m Brenna. Thank you for stopping.”

“Did you say you drove from Phoenix? That’s not much more than forty-five minutes away. How’d you get lost coming from Phoenix?”

She pulled her hand out of his. “Obviously, I missed a turn… That’s how I got lost.”
Calm down, girl.

He put his hat back on and nodded. “For the record, I am a real cowboy. I’ll get you that gasoline, but you have to ride with me. I won’t leave you here alone.”

A horse rancher. Of course. A cowboy horse rancher to her rescue. At least he hadn’t ridden up on a horse. She sighed loudly. “I’m sure I’ll be perfectly fine.” She nodded toward the building. “This is where I’ll be working. It must be safe around here.”

“You’re a teacher?”

“Yes, I am. First grade.” Brenna perused the area again. Darkness settled in and the parking lot lights weren’t that bright. Standing here with a strange man made her uncomfortable. Handsome, but…still strange, or she meant a stranger. Maybe he
was
strange, which put her on guard.

“My daughter’s going into kindergarten, my son’s in second.”

“Oh, maybe I’ll get to meet them.” Now small talk was getting her nowhere.

“No, ma’am, you won’t, but that’s a story away.”

Brenna tilted her head, full of questions, but this wasn’t the time, and he
was
a stranger. “You can get me gasoline? I don’t know how to thank you for your kindness. How do you propose to do that if you don’t think I should stay here alone?”

“Hop in my truck.” He grinned and that smile almost knocked her from her feet. “Take a ride into town with me.”

Yeah, okay. Bold cowboy with a nice smile. “Um, not a chance.”

“I’ll make a phone call. Wait here.” He headed for his truck—turned back. He smiled and dimples on the side made her gulp. “I guess you
have
to wait here,” he said, chuckling. “Not to be sarcastic, but…you know…since you ran out of gas and all.” He turned again. “I’ll make that phone call.”

Hallelujah.
Hmm, I bet this town’s full of handsome cowboys looking like that one.
Brenna turned toward his truck. He sat half on the seat, one long leg leaning on the step bar. His gaze traveled over her. Kind of creepy—not creepy like. He closed the door and came toward her, not minding the way he looked in those jeans and boots
at
all.
Somebody slap me now.

“You didn’t give me the name of that hotel you’re staying at. Want me to call them? Make sure everything’s good?”

“I’ll give them a call. Let me get my phone.” She opened her door but turned back. “About gas? Was it successful?”

“Hey, my mom’s bringing some up. We keep extra on the ranch.”

“You live with your mom?” That shouldn’t have popped out. He’d live with his wife. “I mean…well…thanks.” Brenna took her phone and still didn’t have a signal. She waved it back and forth. “I’m not able to make a call yet.”

“Give me the name.” He removed a phone from his pocket. “I’ll give them a call for you.”

She stomped against the pavement. “I’m not giving you the name of where I’m staying.”

He straightened his back and shoved a hand into his pocket. “Oh, of course not. That makes sense. I’m a badass criminal and robber who is nice enough to come to your rescue and get you gasoline.”

Brenna didn’t think that was funny even if it was supposed to be. She narrowed her eyes. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to
offend
you, but look at it from my prospective.”

“Yeah, I suppose you’re right. After all, my mom could be in it with me.” He lifted a nicely trimmed brow. “You never know, right?”

Brenna got into her car. “I’ll sit here and wait, thank you. Maybe you can go back to your big old truck.” She watched in her mirror as he jumped on the hood of his truck, and sat there talking on the phone. Did he have to look so good doing it?

His mom pulled up fifteen minutes later.

Jase took the gas can from the back of his mom’s 4x4. She and another man got out and came up to Brenna, introducing herself and the man.

“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Carlson.” She nodded to the older gentleman. “Mr. Banes. Thank you both so much for helping.”

“We’re not the ones who did much. My son called and said you needed help. Nothing else we could do. We’ll get you on your way.”

As Jase poured gasoline into the gas tank, he spoke to his mother. “Brenna is a teacher. She’ll be working at this school.”

“Is that right? Well I do have a granddaughter coming here this year. Maybe you’ll meet her. We’re homeschooling her for kindergarten. What grade?”

“I’ll be teaching first grade. Your son said his kids were in this school too.”

“No, ma’am, I told you what grade my kids were in.” He peered at her with a furrowed brow.

“Jase,” said his mom, turning toward him. “Mind your manners.”

Brenna diverted her eyes. He was a touchy kind of man with an attitude. “I’m sorry. With my frustration, I guess I
heard
what I wanted to hear.” She glared back at Jase. “Forgive me.” Turning to Mrs. Carlson, she said it’d be nice to meet her granddaughter.

“Where are you staying, dear? I see you have out of state plates on your car.”