Page 7 of Disarming The Rancher

“You were at her funeral?” She wasn’t sure why she was so shocked. His mother was a dear friend of Nana’s and it would make sense her sons would attend.

“Of course,” was all he said.

“I was too,” she admitted. “But, I had a concert that night in Houston I couldn’t miss. I kept a low profile at the service.”

“Sorry I missed you. I would have offered my condolences in person,” he said.

“I appreciate the thought, Brax.” She couldn’t look away despite the twinge of guilt trying to gnaw at her insides for not sticking around that day. “Keeping busy is good for grief.”

He nodded like he had personal knowledge of the fact.

“Everyone here okay?” she asked.

“The Marshall passed away at the end of last month.” He shook his head.

“I’m so sorry, Brax.” The Marshall kept everyone at arm’s length according to her memory, but the Firebrands were a tight-knit bunch. Losing the patriarch of the family would be hard on them all.

“It’s only been a couple of weeks and the fighting has already begun,” Brax admitted.

“Your dad and uncle have never gotten along.” She remembered there being a clear division amongst the two sides. Shame, she thought, because having a big family sure would be nice after growing up an only child.

“Strange for a pair of brothers to do nothing but argue,” he said.

“No offense to the Marshall, but that seemed to be the way he liked it,” she admitted.

“True.” He didn’t argue. The way he tilted his head to the right meant he was thinking hard. “I didn’t realize you noticed those things, but I shouldn’t be surprised. There were plenty of times I caught you sitting in a quiet corner while taking in the whole scene. My family comes with a lot of moving parts. We were a handful running around the house the way we did, but you’d be at the kitchen table soaking it all in.”

“My first manager said that’s what makes me a good song writer.” She wasn’t sure why she was sharing so much, except it felt good to be with Brax, to be home. Of course, she couldn’t afford to get too used to the feeling considering she’d be back on the road soon enough. Leaving Lone Star Pass never got any easier and she had a feeling it was about to get a whole lot worse.

Raleigh stood up, needing some distance, some space from this old friend who evoked so much emotion in her. “I should get back to Nana…my place.” She issued a sharp sigh. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to saying those words.”

“It sure has been good seeing you, Raleigh,” he said, and her chest squeezed. He was being polite. Why did she wish he’d ask her to stay instead?

She chalked it up to being homesick and walked right past him with a nod. Halfway out the door, she paused.

“Stop by tomorrow if you want. Meet the band,” she said.

“I have work to do. Thanks, though.”

“No problem. The offer stands for you and any of your family.” She added the last part on a whim. And then she realized what she’d done. “On second thought. We’re trying to stay under the radar. Do you mind if you keep running into me between us?”

He held up two fingers.

“Just us,” he said with a masculine voice that traveled all over her. Her traitorous heart leapt again as she canceled the thought she was going to regret walking out the door. Would she though?

3

Hardy stood at the back door as Raleigh walked up and Jake sat on the steps. It was dark. She’d ditched him earlier and the look on his face told her exactly how upset he was about her antics. Jake’s face twisted with concern. He didn’t even bother to speak to her. He pushed to standing and circled around toward the front of the house.

“My bad.” She put her hands in the air to show surrender to Hardy.

“I can’t do my job if you split off like that,” he warned. He was a tank of a man who would intimidate most folks. Precisely the reason he’d been hired for the tour.

“You’re right. I’m sorry.” She hated the thought of being in her hometown and under twenty-four seven supervision, but she’d hired him to do a job and she needed to let him do it. “I won’t pull another stunt like that again.”

Hardy took a step back to allow her passage, but he gave her the death stare she probably deserved as she passed by. To be fair, there was plenty of security on the Firebrand property. Of course, she knew how to get around it, but most folks didn’t, and Hardy knew nothing of it either way.

News would get out that she was in town soon enough and it wouldn’t be safe for her to step outside. She hated the thought of being imprisoned on Nana’s property and those few precious hours stolen at the barn would have to be enough to get her through this rough patch.