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  “Oh, but I do. Both of you think that what you’ve been through is a barrier to your happiness. But it’s not…” She gave Angelina a smile. “It’s a bridge. This is what has brought you together.”

  Being honest with Drew about her feelings was an intimidating prospect. She’d already reached out to him once and been rejected. But this was different, she told herself. They’d been strangers then, they were friends now. Still, Angelina didn’t know if she could be so brave. “I’m afraid, Hattie. This won’t be easy.”

  Using the age-old reason of any mother, she passed on sage advice. “Nothing worth having is ever easy.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  Meeting Aliyah was so much easier than Angelina feared. From the very first moment the beautiful Israeli stepped into the front hall of Palo Gaucho, Angelina felt like she’d found a friend. “I don’t have the words to tell you how grateful I am, Aliyah.” Angelina led the two girls into what Hattie referred to as the sitting room. “I know there were other facts like world peace and nuclear war involved, but your willingness to trade your life for mine is something I can never repay.”

  Aliyah gave her a smile and then a hug. “I will not pretend this was easy, but it was my job. I was trained to put myself into such situations. Sometimes there are things worthy of a great sacrifice. You were saved, a group committed to destroying my country was destroyed, and this chain of horrific events led me to Tyler. My path would never have crossed his otherwise.”

  Her soft-spoken words were so like Hattie’s that Angelina gasped. It was almost like there was a coordinated cosmic message being sent straight to her. Not that she believed in that kind of stuff.

  “Please sit down.” She led them to a grouping of chairs around a pretty table. Hattie had fixed her up, showing Angelina the location of a tea service she could use, one that had been in the Haley family for generations. The cookie jar by the microwave was always full, so Angelina had plenty of refreshments to offer her guests. “I’m so glad you could come visit. This has been a crazy few weeks and no one could understand that better than the two of you.”

  “We’ve all be through something no woman should ever experience,” Cooper reminded Angelina of her own experience. “Maybe we should start a survivor’s club.”

  Aliyah gave the other two a sly smile. “Tyler has introduced me to another kind of club, a BDSM club.”

  “A what?” Angelina asked, trying to make sense of the acronym as she poured tea and passed out cookies.

  Cooper giggled. “Don’t ask, Tyler and Aliyah are into kinky sex.”

  Angelina blushed. “Oh. Well, despite having endured this chemical nightmare, the only sex I’ve experienced is what I’ve read in books.”

  Aliyah’s face hardened. “I have not suffered as you, but I have seen those who have. You are very brave. If one does not know the horror of this drug, it sounds like a walk in the dark.”

  “Park, Aliyah. A walk in the park.” Cooper patted Aliyah’s knee. “She gets her idioms mixed up.”

  “Well, wherever they are walking, it doesn’t matter. This is a cruel form of punishment. It is not only painful, it steals a woman’s pride and self-respect.”

  “Exactly!” Angelina agreed. “At least I’m better now. The pain only comes periodically and isn’t really associated with the…arousal anymore.” She didn’t want to go into any boring detail. “It’s just left me unsure of my femininity. I’m not sure I can trust my feelings as a woman.”

  Cooper reached out and took Angelina’s hand. “I wish I knew more about what you’re going through. All I can tell you is to trust Drew. He has nothing but your best interest at heart.”

  Angelina bowed her head. “Talking to him is hard when he is…the object of my affection.” She knew she sounded like a Victorian maiden.

  “You are in love with Drew?” Aliyah asked.

  Angelina shook her head. “I don’t know, I’m attracted to him. During this time of turmoil, its Drew that I’ve…” God, how to say it without sounding like a complete freak. “I’ve fixated on Drew.”

  Aliyah didn’t blink an eye. “I don’t think the drug would make a leper change its spots. You know who you want, it is as simple as that.”

  “Leopard, the leopard wouldn’t change its spots,” Cooper corrected her softly, knowing Aliyah found English slang a challenge.

  Angelina pressed her lips together. “In my heart, I know you’re right. I just hope he feels the same way. I mean we’ve…kissed.”

  Both of her guests looked surprised. “Well, that’s generally the best way to start.” Cooper was enthusiastic in her approval, clapping her hands.

  “Tonight, when he comes in, just take the bull by the ears and make it happen.”

  Neither girl bothered to correct the beautiful Mossad agent and tell her that you take the bull by the horns and not the ears, they fully understood her implication.

  By the time another hour had passed, the three had bonded. They discussed Aliyah’s and Angelina’s future aside from their past careers and they rejoiced over the baby Cooper was expecting. “I don’t want either one of you to go far, I’m going to need you both.” She put protective hands over her tummy.

  At the thought of a baby, Angelina felt an odd longing. She’d never considered marriage, much less a child. The feelings she’d developed for Drew brought both of those possibilities to the forefront. “I’d love to be involved, I can’t wait to hold your baby,” she confessed with wonder.

  When it was time for them to go, Aliyah and Cooper offered to help Angelina in any way they could. “And if you need anything,” Cooper said, holding Angelina tight, “all you have to do is ask.”

  After she saw them off, Angelina ran upstairs to change clothes. She wanted to go down to the barn to check on Newton and the other horses and she didn’t want to wear the nicer garment she’d put on for her guests. As she whisked off one outfit and changed into another, Angelina noticed the three vases of flowers that Drew had given her. She wandered over to them, lifting a finger to stroke the velvety petals of the wildflowers and roses. One bloom was fading and Angelina wished she could make them last forever.

  Downstairs, she found Hattie storing food in the refrigerator. “Drew isn’t coming home for lunch, he got hung up in a meeting with a pill peddler.”

  “A what?”

  Hattie chuckled. “A pharmaceutical rep, they go around to all the doctors and clinics and give them free samples of drugs, in hope they’ll buy some.”

  “I’m sure they would starve to death if they had to rely on Drew’s order.”

  “Isn’t that the truth? The boy hates to take an aspirin. Are you hungry?”

  “No, I think I’ll go out and visit with the animals, if that’s okay.” She grabbed her bag from where it was hanging off a bar chair. Going outside without her allergy medicine was just asking for trouble.

  “You’re at home, honey. You don’t need my permission.”

  Angelina liked what Hattie said, it made her feel happy and secure. “Thank you.”

  “Let me pack you a snack for later and some apples for you to share with the horses. I’m not sure how many are left on the ground down there. You can check as you go by.”

  With the basket of apples in hand, Angelina took off, admiring the big house and well-kept grounds. Everything was so peaceful. The creek was running high from the recent rains, but the sun was shining bright. She glanced out toward the road, wondering if Rafe had dismissed the man who’d been guarding them. Seeing nothing, she decided not to worry about it. Even if someone were still a threat, Palo Gaucho was so isolated, it would be hard for someone to find them.

  One by one, she greeted the animals. Snow and Sarge came running, their nose picking up the scent of fresh fruit. “You two are magnificent beggars,” Angelina cooed to them, kissing their soft noses and stroking their necks.

  Luna was a little slow, but Angelina met her halfway. “Is motherhood getting you down? I bet that baby is a handful.” After spend
ing a few moments making the mare feel special, she moved on to her main destination. “Newton! Where’s my little fig Newton?”

  A tiny whinny was her answer and soon Angelina was on her knees with her head buried in the small colt’s neck. “You are so sweet. I wish you were mine.” She kissed him. “I’m going to claim you while I’m here. Is that all right?” She hugged the little horse again. “I wish I could stay with you forever.” Angelina realized she had no desire to go home. If she didn’t intend to work at the lab, she really had nothing to go back to. Rafe was seldom at home, he stayed on the road or in a foreign country more often than not.

  Deep in thought, she let Newton chew on his apple and she climbed up on a bale of hay to drink a bottle of water Hattie had slipped into the wicker basket. As she drank, letting her gaze move over the surrounding countryside, Angelina noticed something odd. Onyx wasn’t in his pasture. She’d brought him an apple, but had been hesitant to take it to him. Remembering how Drew had cautioned her about the stallion, she intended to treat him with respect.

  Fearing something was wrong, Angelina rose to see if she could see him. Taking her basket, she sat it on a downed stump and took off through the field. First, she inspected the fence and found a place where a post was down. “Oh, no, he’s out.” Hurrying a little, she headed farther behind Drew’s house, past the pecan groves, and down toward the thick stand of pine trees. An odd noise met her ears. She stopped to listen better and recognized what she was hearing was a horse making frantic, fearful noises. “Oh, God, no.” Angelina broke into a run. When she found the stallion, he was tangled in barb wire. The more he struggled, the worse his situation became. “Shhh, Onyx, let me help.” Knowing he was being cut to ribbons, Angelina forgot about herself and moved in to do what she could to free him. “Oh, please, please, be still,” she begged him. Grabbing on to the sharp wire, she tried to pull. The razorlike pieces of metal sliced her arms and her legs as she tugged on it and slowly removed it from the horse’s poor flesh. “I’m just trying to help,” she cried, her tears flowing due to panic as well as pain. No matter her pleas, the big horse kept rearing, jerking the wire from her hands. Part of Angelina wanted to give up, but she couldn’t. Drew had worked to save this horse and she couldn’t stand to abandon him when he needed her the most. Working frantically, she finally removed the last bit of wire, freeing the stallion. Confused, he bolted, desperate to get away from what was causing him pain. In the close quarters, surrounded by loops of the dangerous wire, Onyx had nowhere to go and no way to escape but over Angelina. Lunging forward, he knocked her down, his sharp, hard hooves striking her in the head.

  * * *

  When Drew pulled in to the driveway of Palo Gaucho, he was dog tired. He’d put in a rough day at the clinic. Between the regular appointments for check-ups and prescription refills, there’d been a horrible accident out on the main highway. A semi had jackknifed and two cars behind the truck had been unable to stop. The three-vehicle pile-up had claimed four lives. Three people had been dead at the scene, but he’d worked frantically to save the third. He’d rushed the woman into emergency surgery, but his efforts had been in vain. The victims were from out-of-state, they’d just been passing through. He’d worked with the DPS to help contact the families. No matter how long he spent in the medical profession, Drew didn’t think he’d ever become hardened to death. The loss of every human life was precious. Even though his soft heart made for some pain filled days, he would hate to think of being a physician without it.

  Since his father passed, Drew dreaded coming home. Many days Hattie left his meal warming in the oven and the big house was so quiet he thought he might go deaf from the harsh booming sound of silence. He loved women and he craved sex, but being a small-town doctor meant that his intimate encounters were few and far between. If he chose to date someone seriously, or serious enough for them to be sleeping over at one another’s homes, the whole county would have them engaged and be checking at McNally’s Fine China within a week for bridal registry information. No, he couldn’t be rash about dating the local women. There’d even been some questions about Angelina’s presence in his home. He’d countered them by reminding the busybodies about Hattie being under the same roof and the fact that Angelina was under his care. Now that Virginia might be in the picture, he wouldn’t have the physician card to play. Of course, Angelina might not be with him much longer anyway. He’d already started checking out private airports near San Antonio. If Ms. Montoya gave him an ounce of encouragement, he’d be on her doorstep every weekend.

  Knowing Angelina waited inside changed everything. He found himself looking forward to coming in the door at the end of his day. Several times over the last few days, he even tried to think up excuses to leave early, or run home quickly in the middle of the day just to see her for even a few minutes.

  “Honey! I’m home!”

  “In the kitchen, sweetheart,” Hattie called back, laughter in her voice.

  Drew’s heart fell, he’d been hoping for a different response. In his fantasy, Angelina would come bounding out of the kitchen, so excited to see him that she’d jump into his arms and cover his face with kisses.

  “Dang, you’re losing it, Haley.”

  “What were you muttering about out there?” Hattie wanted to know when he walked in behind her. She stood at the oven, dropping carrots and celery into a pot for a stew they’d be having for dinner.

  Drew gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before fetching a can of Shiner beer from the fridge.

  Knowing he seldom drank, she took notice of his choice of beverage. “Tough day?”

  He popped the top and took a long drink from the can. “Bad wreck out on the highway, I lost a patient in surgery. Four fatalities in total.”

  “Damn, I’m sorry. I know you take everything to heart. You work too hard.” She knew he only knew one way to operate.

  Taking a seat at the table, Drew asked about her day and they spoke of the rising price of cattle feed, putting in some more roses in the back beds, and the mayor’s plan to raise taxes to pay for a city park. “Where’s Angelina?” he asked when he finally could stand the suspense no longer.

  “I’ve been back from the market for over an hour and haven’t seen her. I assume she’s upstairs in her room or in the den.”

  The fact that she hadn’t come to say hello to him upset Drew a little. Maybe he’d read more into that kiss last night than he should have. Maybe Angelina had decided to put a little distance between them.

  “Cooper was by today.” Hattie mentioned, stirring her stew with a long, wooden spoon. “She brought Aliyah to meet Angelina. They had tea in the sitting room.”

  Drew turned to regard the woman. “Angelina wasn’t upset?”

  “No. Aliyah seems like a nice girl. Ty is a lucky fella.”

  Meeting with Aliyah must’ve been stressful for Angelina. “Stew smells great, Hattie. I’m gonna go try to find our elusive guest.” He wanted to make sure Angelina was okay.

  Upstairs, Drew found Angelina’s door slightly ajar. He knocked lightly. “Angelina? It’s Drew.” He spoke in a low voice, not wanting to wake her if she was asleep. “I heard Cooper and Aliyah were here today. Everything okay?” Silence. “I’m sure that was tough for you. Meeting Aliyah. I’m going to go do some work in my office before dinner. If you want to talk, feel free.”

  He stood there for a moment longer, listening. Even if she didn’t respond, he felt like he would’ve heard her stir in the bed or at least breathe. Pushing the door halfway open, he peeped in. The bed was empty. “Must be in the den. Oh, well.”

  Going to his office, Drew sat down at his desk. He had some paperwork to do before he went to bed, but he couldn’t concentrate, he wanted to see Angelina. Pushing everything aside, he rose to continue the search. After glancing in several rooms, he determined she was nowhere to be found on the upper floor, so Drew moved down the steps and headed toward the den. Sliding the door open, he was again met with an empty room. Granted, he d
idn’t own her, Angelina wasn’t a hostage at Palo Gaucho Ranch, she was free to come and go as she pleased, but he’d wanted her to stay close to the house for the most part.

  “When was the last time you saw her?” Drew asked when he joined Hattie again in the kitchen.

  “I packed a little basket for her before I went to the market. She said she wanted to go down and see the horses, but that was hours ago.” Checking all the counters, she muttered, “I don’t see the basket anywhere.” Hattie went to the pantry to see if Angelina had put it back in its place. “Not in here.” She saw a look of concern wash over Drew’s face. “I’m sure she just took a long walk, probably fell asleep under a pecan tree or something.”

  What Hattie said made sense. Lord knew, he’d dropped into a slumber out on the peaceful grounds of the ranch. It was easy to just lie down and get lost in the beauty of the land, or fall asleep on your back, staring up at the clouds. Still…he had this uneasy feeling. “I’m gonna run down to the barn. See if I can find her.”

  “I’m sure she’s just fine, Drew. I see that look on your face. Don’t you be fretting yourself before you know there’s something to fret about.”

  Drew wasn’t sure he had enough energy to get a good fret going. He was beyond tired. He’d considered crawling into bed and skipping dinner altogether, but he knew his day wouldn’t be complete without seeing Angelina before calling it a night.

  Upon arriving at the barn, it seemed quiet, void of any life save the horses. “Angelina!” he called just to be sure. He felt at any moment, he’d hear Angelina’s laugh coming from Newton’s stall. Going all the way to the back, he gazed out into the open field and saw something that made his blood run cold.

  The door from the barn to the field was open and he could see a picnic basket resting on the stump of a tree he’d recently cut down. Going to it, Drew flipped open the top. A sandwich and some other goodies Hattie had packed were still in the basket. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. With his heart in his throat, he ran toward the back of the property. “Angelina! Where are you?” The girl had him all twisted up in knots since he’d first laid eyes on her and Drew prayed to God he was overreacting. But as he moved further back onto the property, past the pecan groves, he caught sight of something that didn’t look quite right. Instead of being in his lot, Onyx was out in the middle of the field. He stood, staring at Drew with his ears cocked up. He bent and plucked a mouthful of grass, then broke into a trot toward the only man he trusted. As he came, Drew could see something was wrong, the big stallion was favoring his right side and when he came closer, Drew could see why. There were bloody gouges and deep scratches on his flank and legs. “What the hell?” The horse was bleeding, he could see drops of blood fall to the ground as he walked.