“So,” I say, loud enough to be heard at nearby tables. “I was thinking we could go away this weekend. Just the two of us. Maybe drive up to that bed-and-breakfast I heard you talking to Lennon about.”
Her eyes widen slightly at my uncharacteristic volume, but she catches on quickly. “The one in Black Hills? With the hot tubs in each room? You heard me talking to her about that?”
“Yeah, I did. That’s the one,” I say, letting my voice drop to a suggestive tone as I run my thumb across her knuckles. “Thought we could use some alone time.”
She blushes, but plays along, leaning forward slightly. “I’d like that.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Noah being seated a few tables away, directly in my line of sight. Perfect. I keep my focus on Atlee, but I know he’s watching us, his disapproval practically radiating across the room.
I feed Atlee a chili fry, making her laugh when I deliberately miss her mouth and smear sauce on her chin. As I reach over with a napkin to wipe it off, I let my gaze lock with Noah’s across the room. The challenge in my stare is clear—she’s with me, and there’s nothing you can do about it. He might want to warn her away again, but it’s not going to matter. Atlee trusts me more than she’s ever trusted anyone else, and I’m not letting that go.
His jaw tightens, but he looks away first. Small victories.
By the time we finish eating, half the town has seen us together, laughing and touching and looking every bit the happy couple.
As we’re waiting for the check, my phone buzzes with a text from Carson.
Carson
Heading back to the ranch. Got what we need.
I feel a mixture of relief and tension. On one hand, it’s good that he’s managed to get whatever information he was after. On the other, now we’ll know exactly what we’re facing with Noah.
“We should get you back,” I tell Atlee, leaving cash on the table to cover our meal. “Don’t want you to be late.”
She nods, sliding out of the booth. As we pass Noah’s table, I place my hand on the small of Atlee’s back again, a clear signal of possession. She doesn’t seem to mind, leaning into me slightly.
Noah doesn’t look up, but his knuckles are white around his fork.
Outside, I help Atlee into the truck, using the opportunity to steal a quick kiss. “Thanks for lunch,” she says, smiling up at me. “It was a nice surprise.”
“Anytime,” I say, and mean it. Despite the ulterior motives for today’s visit, being with her is never a hardship.
I drive her back to the pharmacy, keeping an eye on the rearview mirror for any sign of a patrol car following us. Nothing yet, but I wouldn’t put it past Noah to try to tail me after I drop her off.
“See you at home?” she asks as I pull up in front of Murphy’s.
I love that she’s started to call the cabin home. At some point, I’m going to need to talk to her about letting her apartment go. I’m thinking of her being there as being my home too, and I don’t want to ever let it go.
“Count on it,” I say, giving her one more kiss before she slides out of the truck.
I wait until she’s safely inside before pulling away. Instead of heading straight back to the ranch, I take a roundabout route, watching for any cars that might be following me. When I’m satisfied I’m alone, I head toward the edge of town where I last saw Carson.
Sure enough, his truck is just pulling out from the side street near the warehouse. I hang back, letting him get a good head start before following at a distance. The last thing we need is for Noah to catch us together, especially coming from that particular location.
Carson seems oblivious to my presence behind him, driving at his usual reckless speed back toward the ranch. I keep a safe distance, scanning both the road ahead and my mirrors regularly. About halfway back, I spot a flash of white and blue in my rearview, a patrol car, too far back to make out the driver, but heading in our direction.
Shit. I slow down, letting Carson pull further ahead while I watch the patrol car gain ground behind me. If it’s Noah, I can’t let him see me following Carson. I need to create some distance, so he can’t even see Carson.
There’s a turnoff coming up that leads to a scenic overlook. At the last second, I signal and pull off, like I’ve decided on a whim to take in the view. The patrol car zooms past without slowing. Through the window, I catch a glimpse of the driver. It’s not Noah, but his partner, Deputy Michaels. Still, better safe than sorry.
I wait a full five minutes before pulling back onto the main road. By now, Carson should be close to the ranch. The rest of the drive is uneventful, my thoughts split between what Carson might have discovered and the memory of Atlee’s smile across the lunch table.
When I finally pull up to the ranch house, Jesse is waiting on the porch, arms crossed over his chest.
“You’re late,” he says as I climb out of my truck. “Fence isn’t going to fix itself.”
“Had to take a detour,” I explain, nodding toward the barn. “Carson back yet?”
