Page 40 of Taking Charge (Lone Star Burn 4)
“I’d love to see them.” Lucy stood and squared her shoulders. “Okay, I’m off to pack. I’ll see you this afternoon, I guess.”
After hanging up, Lucy went back to the window of her office. David was no longer outside. She didn’t know what to say to him before she left or what his response would be. Would he beg her to stay? Would he ask to come with her? Or, worst case, would he be happy she was leaving?
He didn’t even attempt to apologize last night. Is that it? He’s done? We’re done?
Stop. Sarah needs me. First, pack.
Her stomach did a nervous, nauseated flip.
Then, David.
David watched Wyatt carry Lucy’s bag to her truck and knew the moment of reckoning had come. A part of him wanted to confess everything and beg her to forgive him until she welcomed him back into her bedroom and her life. He didn’t judge himself for that weakness. Any man watching the woman he loved walk away from him would have felt the same. He wouldn’t give in to that weakness, though. If he told Lucy the truth, she would stay. She wouldn’t believe the real danger she was in. Or she’d want to face it head-on, and he couldn’t risk her getting hurt—even if it meant he might lose her over that decision.
One certain way to not win back the heart of a woman who was angry because you lied to her was to lie to her again, and this time pull her friends into it. When he’d called Sarah and Tony that morning, he started by explaining the situation to them, then he asked them to come up with a story that would lure Lucy away to stay with them. Sarah had been opposed to the idea. Her suggestion had been to all sit down with Lucy and explain the situation to her.
David had asked, “What if it’s not enough to get her to leave? We’ve already faced attempted arson. What’s next? Wyatt sent his family away because he fears for their safety. If you can think of a better way to get Lucy to go there and stay, share it.”
“If she’s already angry with you for lying to her, this will only upset her more,” Sarah had said unhappily.
“If it keeps her safe, I don’t care.”
It was only then that Tony had spoken up. “If it were you, Sarah, I would do whatever it took to protect you. Even if I knew you’d hate me for it.”
“I would do the same for you.” Sarah sighed. “But I’m a terrible liar.”
Tony then said, “Although I love that about you, this time you need to be a good one.”
“What would I even say?”
“Keep it simple,” David suggested.
Before hanging up, Sarah said, “I hate to mention the baby. I don’t want to jinx anything, but I can’t imagine what else would be enough to get her here.”
Tony cut in a moment later. “If it’s as bad as you say, why stay there?”
David said, “I have to stay. This isn’t just about Lucy. There’s a whole town that has been terrorized by one man who thought a little money gave him the right to do whatever he wanted. Right now, York’s anger is directed at me. If I leave, he wins. I can’t walk away and let him choose another target.”
“If you stay, you could get yourself killed.”
“I’m counting on York being angrier than he is smart. All he has to do is come for me, and I’ll make him regret every last thing he’s done to this town.”
“I’ll be there by tomorrow night,” Tony said harshly.
Sarah’s voice rose with emotion. “No. Please.”
Tony said something to his wife out of earshot, then said, “I won’t be heading down alone. I’ll talk to Dean and some of the men here. Charles might even have ideas on how to take York down. That bastard might rule his town, but he’s about to get an ass-kicking—Fort Mavis–style.”
It would have been funny, if the situation hadn’t been so dire.
Sarah proved to be a better liar than she’d thought, because Lucy had called Wyatt a short time later and asked him to drive her to the airport. Now she was standing beside her truck, looking as if she were telling Wyatt she’d be right back.
David’s heart began to pound wildly when Lucy looked up and met his eyes while walking toward him. He walked out of the barn to meet her halfway.
She stopped a few feet from him, and it was all he could do not to close the distance between them and kiss her until all of this faded away. He held his ground instead. “Wyatt said you’re going to stay with Sarah and Tony for a while.”
Lucy clasped her hands in front of her so hard, her knuckles were white. “I am. Sarah asked me to, and it’s probably a good idea for you and me to have some time away from each other.”
Her words ripped at David’s core. He didn’t want that at all, but it was what he knew had to happen. “Tell her I said hello.”
A range of emotions passed over Lucy’s face—shock, disappointment, disbelief. “I don’t know how long I’ll be gone.”
Keep it simple. “I’ll watch over everything here.”
Lucy blinked a few times quickly. “When I come back, you should look for another place to train your horses.”
“If that’s what you want.”
Her eyes welled up with tears. “That’s all you have to say?”
He wanted to tell her he loved her. He wanted to explain that he wasn’t leaving her as she feared, but actually doing this to ensure they had a future together. The words were on the tip of his tongue, but what then? No, this was the only way. He arched an eyebrow as if to say, What else is there?
Lucy spun on her heel and stormed to the passenger side of her truck. If the force she used to slam the door behind her after she climbed in was anything to go by, she was wishing him bodily harm. He told himself that was a good thing, at least for now. The angrier she was with him, the easier it would be to keep her away from the ranch.
Ron surprised David by coming to stand beside him. “Where’s Lucy going?”
David considered not telling him, but the thing about giving a person a chance to prove themselves was it had to be all or nothing. “To stay with friends until things calm down around here.”
“Good idea.”
David glanced at Ron’s profile, then turned back to watch Lucy’s truck pull away. “If York comes looking for trouble, will it be hard for you to choose a side?”
Ron was quiet a moment. “I called Michelle today and told her what I almost done yesterday. She started crying. She told me she didn’t want me around her or the babies.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Normally, something like that would have sent me to the nearest bar. My wife and kids aren’t at a bar, though. I can?
??t drink my way back to them. I told her I’ll never work for York again, and that I took a job here. We’ve got six months before the new baby comes, and I asked her to take that much time to make up her mind. I’m taking her out to dinner on Thursday. It might sound silly to take your own wife on a date, but I want to start over with her.” His voice constricted with emotion. “I don’t actually care much how it sounds. All I care is that she said yes.” Ron cleared his throat. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to see how you work with a horse who has tried to kill people. I’m thinking there might be something I can learn there.”
David nodded and turned to walk with Ron toward Tia’s paddock. He told himself he was in the right place, doing what needed to be done.
Life was all about making choices, though.
He hoped lying to Lucy had been the right one.
Chapter Twenty-One
Three days later, Lucy was helping Sarah clean up the breakfast plates. She kept telling Sarah to let her do everything, but Sarah refused to sit still. Lucy had worried at first, but Sarah looked healthy and maybe moving around was good for her condition.
Whatever that condition was. Sarah hadn’t been specific.
Sarah seemed edgy, and that had Lucy concerned. Lucy was keeping up with e-mails at night, but for now she was devoting her days to keeping Sarah happy and relaxed. “There’s a new movie playing in town. Looks like a good one. Would you like to go to a matinee?”
Sarah closed the dishwasher door. “I’d rather lie down.”
“Are you feeling okay? Should I call Tony?”
Sarah placed her hand over her stomach. “I’m fine. Just missing him, I guess.”
Lucy walked over and gave Sarah a hug. She wanted to say she knew exactly how it felt to miss someone, but at least Sarah was missing someone who loved her and who would return. Lucy hadn’t gotten over how eager David had seemed to see her go. “He’ll be back before you know it. He’s training a horse in—what town did you say?”
Sarah tensed. “In Van Horn, I think.”
“I thought you said Sanderson.”
