Royal Trouble (40 page)

Instead of opening the back door of the crew cab, Rocky helped her sister up into the front seat, then got inside behind her and shut the door.  Happiness swelled inside of Wes as he looked Leigh Ann over to make sure she wasn't hurt.  He tried to say something, tell her how glad he was to see her, but words escaped him.  All he could do was drink her in with his eyes, and send up thanks that other than a few scrapes and scratches, it looked like she was okay.

"Go, Wes!" Rocky ordered shortly, glancing in the side view mirror, then back toward the alley.  "Don't just sit here, someone will see us."

Wes jammed the truck into gear, put his foot on the accelerator and the truck shot forward.  He kept his eyes on the road to get them headed in the right direction, but then reached down to cover Leigh Ann's hand with his own.  A tremor moved through her and he squeezed her hand, before moving it to rest on his thigh.  He felt her gaze burn the side of his face, but she didn't pull away.  He looked down into her hypnotic blue eyes which were full of questions. 

"You okay, baby?" he asked softly with a smile.

Leigh Ann nodded, but her lips wobbled before she looked away.  The sadness and fear in her eyes grabbed his heart and twisted.  After this ordeal was over, he never wanted to see those emotions in her eyes again.  He didn't want her feeling that way now.  She was safe now, and he wanted her to know that.

Wes glanced over at Rocky who was quietly looking out the window into the night.  With a final squeeze of Leigh Ann's hand, he released it to drape his arm around her shoulders and urge her to move closer to him.  She edged closer, then put her cheek to his chest and rubbed her face against him, before taking a deep shuddering breath. 

Wes dropped a kiss on top of the ugly ballcap she was wearing then said, "It's gonna be okay, sweetheart."

"I'm pretty scared," she whispered.  "Thanks for coming to get me."

Roxanne glanced over at them, did a double take, then her eyes met Wes's.  Her brows lifted and a knowing smile curved her mouth.  "Well, I'll be damned."

Wes didn't look away, he sent her a silent message to back off, before looking back at the road.  Leigh Ann snuggled closer to him and satisfaction floated through him, along with the desire he always felt when she was near him.  The scent of Pine Sol drifted up to him.  "You been mopping floors, baby?" he asked with a laugh.

"Hid in a broom closet.  I think I'm high from the fumes," she mumbled against his chest.  "It seeped into my skin, and I'll probably always smell like that."

"I kinda liked the honeysuckle, myself."  Wes loved her honeysuckle scent, and sure hoped that wasn't the case.

"That's my bath gel, and I don't have any with me."

"Too bad," Wes said giving her shoulders a squeeze.  "I'll buy you some once we get to another town."

"I stole these clothes from someone at the laundry mat.  I'll need some clothes too."

"Why you little lawbreaker,"  Roxanne said looking at her with surprise.

"We'll buy you whatever you need, baby," Wes assured her.

"Someone is trying to kill me, and I'm sure the FBI is trying to find me," Leigh Ann said with a tremble in her voice.  "I probably shouldn't go inside a store.  I don't know what I'm going to do."

"Everything will settle down, we just need to get you to Houston and hide out for a few days."  Wes hoped that was true, that the feds would finish their investigation or whatever they were doing in a few days, so they could all resume their lives.  Although the collections Leigh Ann had made would keep him afloat this month, there would always be next month to worry about.  He had appointments scheduled for next week he needed to keep.  And Trey needed him at home, he had school.  Trey was his responsibility, not his mother's.

Leigh Ann looked toward her sister.  "We're going to Grandma Nell's house?"

"That was the best place I could think of for you to lay low for awhile."

"I'd rather just go to Wes's house," she said and Wes's heart swelled. "But I don't want to put Trey in danger."

"He can stay at my mama's house.  And we could call the feds, so they can put guards on you there."  Wes thought that would be the best solution all the way around.  He and Roxanne wouldn't get in trouble with the law, they would know where Leigh Ann was, she would be protected, and he could still work.  "I think that's a great idea."  Her car and her things were already at his house, since he had her car towed there earlier in the week.

"Okay, but I'll have to let mama know where I am, or if she finds out she'll probably have the entire Press Corp out there.  I'll tell her to keep her mouth shut," Leigh Ann interjected.

Roxanne snorted.  "Like that's gonna happen.  If you tell her, you may as well shout it from the highest mountain."

"I think telling her is the right thing to do.  I know you and her don't get along Annie, but she has done a lot for me, and I don't want to worry her," Leigh Ann insisted and Wes glanced at her.  Leigh Ann was always thinking about every one else.  That was something he loved about her, but it frustrated him at the same time. 

She needed to worry about protecting herself more.  Her mother was manipulative like his ex-wife had been.  He knew her type, had recognized it in her from the first moment he met her at the R & R.  She was using Leigh Ann, her own daughter, had probably been doing that Leigh Ann's whole life.  Why that didn't piss Leigh Ann off enough to cut her off like her sister had done, Wes couldn't figure out. 

If he spent a lifetime with her though, Wes still wouldn't know all there was to know about Leigh Ann Baker.  But he would have a helluva good time trying to figure her out.  That is exactly what he planned to do when this was all over.  When things settled down he was going to tell her he was wrong, and that he definitely wanted to explore a relationship with her.  Forever. When they were both ready, he would ask her to marry him.  Until then, he could keep her close and love her, get to know her better. 

That would make Wes very happy, and it would make Trey ecstatic.  He hoped it would make Leigh Ann happy too.  That's all he wanted now, for her to be happy, cared for and protected.  Wes would bide his time and not pressure her.  Leigh Ann had been through a lot lately, would be through a lot more before this was all done.  She didn't need him adding to her worry.  The right time would come, and he would know it.

Until then he would tell her without words how he felt about her.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Soaking in the big tub in Wes's bathroom, Leigh Ann slid farther down into the bubbles and sighed.  If she had be held in captivity, this was the way to go.  She had Wes nearby, her sister could visit when she pleased and the two burly guys in the black sedan at the end of the driveway, and their partners who were staked out in the woods watching the house, would make sure she was safe. 

Yeah, she couldn't go anywhere in public, or let anyone know she was here, but she had everything in the world she needed here.  Except Trey.  She missed him, his jokes and his toothless smile, more with every passing day.  Maybe Wes could sneak him in so she could get the hug she so desperately needed from him.  She would have to ask when she saw Wes tonight.

Hopefully, the feds would hurry up and finish whatever they were doing at the Diamond Bar ranch very soon.  She heard from her sister the feds had put out a press release, and several media spots saying she was missing and presumed to be dead for added security, and to get the bad guys at the Diamond Bar to focus on their dirty dealings.  This was dragging on entirely too long for her liking. 

The authorities assured her they were going to make arrests soon, and that Senator Rooks would probably be arrested too.  The only person, other than Wes, her sister and Terri, who knew she was alive and well, and staying at Wes's house was her mother.  So far, Trudy Baker hadn't told anyone else, and she hadn't bothered Leigh Ann, which was a relief.

One thing was for sure, Leland Rooks wouldn't be bothering her, even if he wasn't arrested.  Allison shut her soon-to-be-ex-husband up by telling him if he didn't back off and leave Leigh Ann alone, not only would she take everything he owned in the divorce, she would also sing like a bird to the feds about his activities.  And according to her, she knew a lot about it, and the feds couldn't make her talk, but she could choose to testify. 

All in all things were working out well, but Leigh Ann wanted her life back.  She had a fabulous job waiting for her at the R & R Ranch.  Terri assured her it would be waiting for her once the situation was resolved.  And she could help Wes and Trey with the idea she had been formulating all week.  It was the perfect plan to fix his finances, if she could pull it off.

From her pageant days, Leigh Ann had a lot of contacts in the animal protection community.  Those people were the most staunch supporters of animals you could find, and they contributed to all kinds of animal protection funds.  If she helped set up a non-profit fund for veterinary treatment of animals owned by low income rural farm families, that would mean Wes could still treat those animals, but he wouldn't have to do it for free anymore.  Farmers in need would get the help for their animals, and Wes would get paid from the fund.  He could pay his bills and take care of Trey.  Eventually Wes could also sign on more vets to help him, and expand the program to other rural areas. 

Leigh Ann would help him by doing television spots to promote the program.  Her face was already associated with the cause, so that should help.  The television stations were required to donate airtime to non-profit causes, so they would do the spots for free.

It was an ideal solution.  Leigh Ann planned on talking to him tonight about her idea.  She couldn't think of any reason he wouldn't love it.

Excitement filled her as she got out of the now cool tub and yanked a fluffy towel from the towel bar to wrap it around herself.  Wes would be home any time, so she had to hurry.  Supper would be the perfect time to bring it up. 

If one good thing had come of this whole situation, she had gotten to spend more time with Wes, and he had gotten to know her.  The more she knew of Wesley Jepson though, the more she loved him.  And he still didn't feel the same way about her.  He was a lot nicer to her, treated her like he cared about her, but it was friendly.  He hadn't even tried to kiss her again, since they'd been back at the house. 

Leigh Ann had given up hope that he would change his mind, and accepted the friendship he offered.  Although Leigh Ann appreciated Wes's apologies about misjudging her, and his gratitude for what she had done at his office to help him, she had hoped for more.  His version of friendship seemed to be a helluva lot better than the wooing her four fiancés had used to try and win her over though.

The man hadn't bought her expensive gifts or taken her to fancy restaurants, but last night when he came home, he had brought her a bundle of yellow daisies mixed with honeysuckles from near his fence line.  Wes had personally picked them for her.  Her heart had swelled so big in her chest it hurt.  It was all she could do not to burst out in tears when he gave them to her.  Wes had done a lot of sweet things for her, like the flowers, cooking her dinner, playing Scrabble with her at night, but he kept his distance.  It was like he wanted to make sure she didn't get the wrong idea. 

That was something he didn't need to worry about.  Leigh Ann got it.  The messages he sent were being received loud and clear.  He wanted them to be friends, but nothing more.  She didn't like it, she was frustrated, but if friendship was the best she could get from him, that would just have to do.  What choice did she have?  She couldn't make someone want to be with her, and she couldn't make them love her.

But when she left here, Leigh Ann would be leaving her heart behind.  All of it, every single piece of it.  She was not looking forward to that day, but knew it was coming soon.  Wes and Trey would live here alone.  She would be at the R & R Ranch as their new image consultant.  She would only see him when he made vet calls at the ranch, and maybe not even then.  There was no way she could come back out here to see him. 

It would be too hard.

"Baby, you up there?" Wes yelled from downstairs.  Leigh Ann hurried into the bedroom, then put on the dress she had laid out on the bed to wear tonight.  It felt darned good to have her clothes back again.  Wes had her car towed to the house, and he had brought in her suitcases.

Leigh Ann walked to the door and opened it.  "I'll be down in a second," she yelled then shut it again to strap on the high-heeled gold sandals that went with her dress.  Hurrying to the mirror above the dresser, she clipped her hair up on top of her head.  The ends were still wet, so it looked kind of limp, but she wasn't going to stop to dry it.

Wes was home.  Excitement shot through her, and anticipation too.  She had cooked spaghetti for them earlier and had it on simmer on the stove.  He would be surprised, because culinary skills were not her strong suit.  The last time she had tried to cook for him, she had almost burned down his house.  But anybody could brown ground meat and throw in a jar of store-bought sauce though. 

She hadn't burned the noodles she cooked to go with it either.  Only because she had stood there and watched them boil.  It seemed to take forever, but the pasta was perfect by the time she poured it into the colander in the sink.  Or at least she thought it was perfect.  She had used her mother's old trick of sticking a noodle to the ceiling to test it.   The noodle had stuck, so she figured it was done. 

All she could hope was that her mother hadn't just been joking when she did that.  Trudy Baker did tend to drink while she cooked, so it could have been that too.

Leigh Ann hurried out of the bedroom and down the hall.  At the top of the stairs, she took a deep breath, adjusted her breasts so the yellow dress fit her right, then went slowly down the stairs.  When she reached the foot of the stairs, she saw Wes standing at the stove, stirring the sauce.  She walked toward him, but stopped to hold her breath as he stuck the wooden spoon in the pot then brought it to his lips.