Chapter 1
Raindrops pattered against the window and the midday sun hid behind dark clouds. Thunder rumbled ominously, punctuated by erratic flashes of lightning. In the cluttered office, nature’s symphony was wasted on the heavyset man that sat behind the oak desk. Searching for a particular scrap, he rifled through the piles of papers that threatened to topple at any moment. His blue tie was stained, and the top two buttons on his shirt were loose. The matching jacket to his gray suit lay haphazardly across one of the visitors' chairs on the opposite side of the room. The ringing of his phone caused the man to pause in his search. Muttering curses, he finally picked up the receiver. “Yeah?”
As the voice on the other end of the line whined on, a smirk gradually formed on the pudgy man’s face. He pulled a pen from his shirt pocket and scribbled furiously on a blank appointment sheet. “Do you think it’ll work?” Nodding, he continued to write. “No kidding? I guess it couldn’t hurt. Yeah. Sure. Whatever.” He hung up the phone and tapped the top of the pen against his lips.
Rick Thompson was the manager of Sunflower Realty. He had been in charge of the real estate office since the owner, Anna Leigh Cauble, retired a few months earlier. Rick had been Somerville High School's star athlete more than ten years before, but his best years were obviously far behind him. The muscular build of his shoulders and chest had given way to a paunchy abdomen, and his dark brown hair had started to thin. Resentful that his glory days had faded, he used his current position either to solicit favors or to settle old scores. The news that he had just received was too good to ignore and he wracked his brain for the perfect way to use it. Rick smiled malevolently when he decided what to do. He stabbed a button on his phone. “Wanda, tell Amanda I’ve got something for her.”
A few moments later, the door to Rick’s office opened and a petite woman in her mid-twenties stepped into the room. She looked more like a student than a real estate agent in her black jeans, green silk top, and high-top sneakers. The young agent brushed her hair away from her face and stood by one of the visitors' chairs. “Wanda said you wanted to see me?” Amanda Cauble had very little use for the office manager, having turned down his requests for dates more times than she cared to remember. Amanda was Anna Leigh Cauble's granddaughter and her grandmother's first choice for her replacement when she retired. She had turned down her grandmother's repeated offers, and insisted that she start out as just another agent. Content to work her way up, Amanda felt that she wasn’t ready for the responsibility of managing the entire office.
“Yeah.” Rick thrust a piece of paper at her. “I got a call a few minutes ago, and they want someone to come out today.”
“In this weather?”
Mimicking her voice, he said, “Yeah, in this weather.” Amanda glared at Rick, who rolled his eyes and continued, “Look, it’s a huge ranch. Just go and meet with the owner.” When Amanda’s expression didn’t alter, Rick exhaled loudly, as if irritated, and ran his finger across the information on the appointment sheet, pretending to verify the name. “The ranch is owned by L. Walters. Guess they’re getting tired of the ranching business.”
Amanda accepted the paper hesitantly. “Why me? If you got the call, why don’t you want the client?” She didn’t like the feel of this, and didn’t trust Rick any further than she could throw him.
“Look, kid. I was just trying to do you a favor. I know we haven’t gotten along, and I’m trying to make it up to you.” Rick could see skepticism reflected in her eyes. “Honest.” Releasing a heavy sigh, the big man leaned back into his leather chair. Injecting just the right amount of grumbling into his voice, he added, “Besides, I don’t want your grandmother pissed at me. I need this job.”
Ah. Well, I guess that makes more sense. Amanda studied the paper in her hands. “From these directions, it looks like it’s going to take me all afternoon. Are you sure this couldn’t wait until the weather clears up?”
“No, it can’t. They said if we don’t come out, then they’ll go somewhere else with their business.” Rick propped his feet up on his desk and linked his hands behind his head. “Maybe you’re not ready for such a big client. I could always give it to Stacy.”
The comment stung Amanda’s pride. She had passed her Realtor's exam recently and was quite proud of the license that hung on her cubicle wall. Although she hadn't gone out more than a few times to clients' homes, she knew that she could do a much better job than her co-worker. The office gossip was that Stacy had a job only because she was sleeping with Rick. Amanda didn't know if it was true or not, but she knew she wanted a chance to prove herself. “Where else could they go? We’re the only real estate company in town.” Somerville was a small town of about ten thousand people, and Sunflower Realty was often hard-pressed for clients as it was.
“Hell if I know. Do you want the job or not?”
Amanda frowned. Her boss seemed a little too anxious for her to handle the appointment. Although her gut instincts warned her otherwise, Amanda decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. “All right. But don’t expect me to come back to the office today.” She turned and left Rick's office and went to gather her things.
Smiling, Rick watched her leave. He was tired of looking over his shoulder, fearing that Anna Leigh would fire him and put Amanda in his place. Once she meets with Walters, the fallout will keep her off my back for a long time. The owner of the Rocking W Ranch had humiliated him twelve years earlier, when they both attended the same high school. He'd tried several different times over the years to find a way to get even and hoped that this was his chance.
After gathering up her briefcase and purse, Amanda jogged around to the side of the building in a hurry to get out of the rain. The unyielding downpour had caused the parking lot to resemble a small lake. A few steps before the young woman reached her 1967 Mustang, her left foot sank into a small pothole. Amanda staggered sideways and dropped her briefcase into another puddle before she was able to regain her balance.
Grimacing, she gingerly shook her foot, relieved that she didn't sprain her ankle. She picked up the mud-splattered briefcase and shook the excess water away before she opened the car door. Amanda sat behind the steering wheel and laid the muddy briefcase on the front passenger’s floorboard. She then proceeded to dig through her purse for her car keys. Finding them at the bottom of her bag, Amanda leaned back in her seat, grateful to be out of the rain. She patted the dashboard fondly. The classic blue car had been a graduation present from her beloved grandfather over five years ago.
She felt her heart constrict at the turn her thoughts had suddenly taken. We almost lost him. It had been six months since Jacob Cauble had been severely injured in an automobile accident. Amanda had immediately moved from her parents' house in Los Angeles to her grandparents' home in Somerville to be at her grandmother's side while Jacob was in the hospital. Now the only outward signs of the accident were a jagged scar on his forehead near his hairline and a pronounced limp that Jacob himself swore would not be permanent.
Amanda pulled the rear view mirror down to check her reflection and squinted at the hazel eyes that looked back at her. “Drowned rat.” She ran her fingers through the damp hair that almost reached her shoulders and turned her attention to the task at hand. “Sitting here feeling sorry for yourself isn’t gonna get the job done. Now get a move on and take care of business.” Amanda started the car and backed out of the parking space.
****
In a large ranch house nestled in the foothills a few miles away, someone else cursed the unrelenting rain. Lexington Walters’ long frame was sprawled comfortably on the porch swing, her muddy boots propped up on the rail that outlined the large wraparound porch. While they always needed rain, she knew that storms such as this one tended to cause problems with the fence that surrounded the ranch.
Bored, Lex stood up, raised her arms over her head, and pulled on one of the supports above her. Stretching her body out, she was gratified to hear the gentle popping as her spine slid back into place. After releasing the support beam, Lex stomped into the house and grabbed her long brown duster and black cowboy hat from their hooks in the hallway.
“Martha,” she yelled, “I’m gonna go check the fence down by the creek.” She put the weather-beaten hat onto her head and almost had the door open when a plump woman in her mid-fifties came scurrying out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dishtowel.
“Lexington Marie Walters! Don’t you be bellowing in this house. I raised you better than that.”
Lex hastily removed her hat, looking properly chastised. “I’m sorry, Martha. I didn’t know where you were; that’s why I yelled.” She put on the engaging smile that usually got her out of trouble before shoving her hat back onto her head. “It won’t happen again, I promise.”
Not fooled for a moment, Martha just shook her head. The housekeeper had raised the young woman who stood there doing her best to look contrite. Lex was four years old when Martha came to the Rocking W ranch, shortly before Victoria Walters died in childbirth, leaving Lex, an infant son, and Lex’s older brother. And for the last twenty-five years, Lexie has been using that smile on me. Maybe that’s because it always works.
At twenty-eight, Lex had been running the Rocking W Ranch since her father had left home for a life on the rodeo circuit. Rawson Walters couldn't stand the fact that his daughter looked so much like his late wife, so on Lex's eighteenth birthday he signed the ranch over to her and never returned. Martha was fiercely proud of Lex. Instead of focusing on the losses in her life, her “Lexie” had thrown all her energy into making the Rocking W a ranch to be proud of.
With motherly affection, Martha reached out and buttoned the duster closed. “Try not to get too wet, Lexie. You know how long it took you to get over that last bout of the flu.” She stepped back and gave her charge a stern look. “And don’t you dare be late for dinner. I’m cooking a big batch of chili, and I’m even making your favorite cornbread to go with it.” With this, the housekeeper turned around and called over her shoulder as she bustled back to the kitchen, “And don’t you be clompin’ back in here with muddy boots. You’re not too big for me to take my wooden spoon to!”
Lex looked after her fondly. “Yes, ma’am.”
Straining to see through the rain that pounded against her windshield, Amanda’s thoughts brought her back to the reason she was out in this horrible weather. “I don’t know why I continue to let that jerk get to me.” She used her hand to wipe the condensation from the inside of the window. “And I can’t believe I’m actually out in this mess.”
Without taking her eyes off of the road, Amanda searched her purse for the directions that Rick had given her. Having not actually ever lived in Somerville before now, Amanda was not very familiar with the area. She had spent a lot of summers at her grandparents’ house, but her time was spent with them, not running around with kids her own age. So, here she was, driving in the pouring rain on her way to an appointment that she didn’t make and with directions she wasn’t sure she could trust. Amanda was understandably nervous. Rick looked too smug when he handed her the appointment sheet.
After a quick glance at the paper in her hand, she peered through the windshield. Okay, that must be the small road on the left that the directions show. Amanda turned onto the road and grimaced as mud spattered along the side of the car. Sorry, baby. I’ll give you a good wash and wax when we get out of this mess. Up ahead, she could barely make out the shape of a large covered wooden bridge. “Oh, how pretty. I’d love to see this when the sun is shining.” She slowed the Mustang down until it inched across the bridge.
****
Lex filled up the hole around the last post. As she had suspected earlier, a portion of the fence had been knocked down when the raging creek had toppled a tree. After clearing away the tree with an ax, she spent the past hour rebuilding the final section of fence. Now all she had to do was finish stringing the last strand of wire and she could go back to the ranch house and get out of the foul weather.
Just then, a bright flash of lightning illuminated the creek, followed closely by a clap of thunder. “That was too close. I'm out of here.” As she picked up the remaining tools, another flash of light caught her eye. “What the…” Her eyes narrowed under her hat. “Who in the hell would be fool enough to come out on a day like this?”
When the car was halfway across the bridge, a tree that had been forced downstream by the surging waters crashed into the center support beams. A large section from the middle of the old bridge crumbled, and Lex watched in horror as the small car fell into the creek and was shoved downstream by the tree.
Cursing, Lex dropped her tools and ran to the nearby jeep. She stripped off her coat and hat and traded them for a long rope. The cold rain quickly soaked through her thin tee shirt and caused her to shiver. She looked up and saw that the car was hung up on debris about twenty yards away on the far side of the creek.
Lex tied one end of the rope around an oak tree and the other end around her waist. With a running start, she jumped feet first into the creek and allowed the violent current to take her to the half-submerged vehicle. The car was pinned by the same tree that had caused it to plunge into the raging water, and Lex wasn’t certain how long it would stay in one place. The nose of the automobile was already under water, but she was able to climb onto the trunk to get out of the swirling current. Squinting through the rain, Lex used her gloved hands to brush debris away from the rear window and saw the driver slumped over the steering wheel. Glad that she hadn't removed her boots, Lex desperately kicked the rear window, which popped inward in one piece.
While Lex was crawling through the open window, a smaller tree slammed into the car and tossed her headfirst into the floorboard. She pulled herself up, hoping that the car would stay put for just a few more minutes. Lex reached over the front seat and gently shook the driver’s shoulder. “Hey.”
There was no response. The driver remained hunched over the steering wheel, oblivious of her plight. The car lurched sideways again, and Lex saw that she was quickly running out of time. She jostled the woman a bit harder. “Hey!”
Still not receiving a response and knowing that time was running out, Lex weighed her options. She knew that it was never a good idea to move accident victims, but a quick glance through the window showed that the creek was continuing to rise. Her decision made, she carefully put her hands on the driver's shoulders and pulled her back from the steering wheel. Other than a small lump and a slow bleeding cut on her left temple, the woman seemed free from external injuries. The water level was rising inside the car and was already up to the unconscious woman's knees. Lex quickly unbuckled the seat belt, gripped the woman’s arms, and pulled her between the seats. She leaned the woman upright in the back seat, and then backed out feet first through the rear window.
Lex struggled to keep her balance on the slippery trunk as she reached back into the car. She pulled the still form through the window and set her onto the trunk just as the front of the vehicle slipped more deeply into the water. She quickly pulled off one of her leather gloves and checked the woman's pulse, which was strong and steady. Lex wiped the wet hair out of her own eyes then replaced her glove. Untying the rope from around her waist, she pulled the unconscious woman up onto her own back and draped the loose arms around her neck. After tying the rope back around them both, Lex positioned the woman's head beside her own and slowly dropped into the racing water. Thankful that the other end of the rope remained securely tied around the oak tree, she used her gloved hands to pull them across the churning creek.
They’d made it over halfway across before Lex instinctively looked upstream and saw a large object rumbling right for them. Without conscious thought, Lex turned her body so that she could protect her passenger from what appeared to be part of a barn. Taking a direct hit to the chest, Lex nearly passed out from the pain. She managed somehow to hang onto the rope, only to feel frantic arms wrapped tightly around her neck. Loosening one hand from the rope that had become their lifeline, Lex tried to pry the convulsive limbs from her throat before she was choked to death, while keeping a tenuous hold with her other hand. Coming to her senses, the frightened woman quickly released her death grip on her savior.
Many minutes later, Lex was able to pull them both up onto the muddy creek bank. Exhausted and trembling, she untied the rope from around them and turned slightly to allow the woman to slip from her back. Her strength depleted, Lex collapsed onto the soggy ground and rested her head on her forearm. When she heard another sound mixed in with the thunder and rain, she turned and saw that the other woman was on her knees with her arms wrapped around herself, rocking back and forth and crying.
“Oh, God!” Amanda’s eyes searched desperately from side to side as she tried to get her bearings. “What happened?”
Lex tried to push herself up but the sudden pain in her chest caused her to drop back to her knees. “Damn.” She turned her head to look at the woman beside her. “Hey, are you okay?” Lex struggled into a sitting position, grunting from the pain. She laid a muddy hand upon the distraught woman’s shoulder. “Shhh. Everything’s okay now.” Bracing her right arm across her chest, Lex slowly rose to her feet and offered her other hand to the woman. “Let’s get out of this damn rain.”
Amanda glanced up and made eye contact with her rescuer. “Okay.” She was pulled to her feet and felt her head spin, which caused her to fall forward.
“Take it easy there.” Lex caught her, but the movement brought another sharp pain to her chest. She silently cursed the debris that had injured her. Lex wrapped her left arm around the other woman, while she tried to keep her own balance. The two of them trudged slowly through the mud back to the jeep.
Once they had settled in the jeep, Lex handed her brown duster to the trembling woman. “Here. This should help ward off the cold ‘til we get back to the house.”
Amanda shyly accepted the offer. “Thanks. But what about you?” She snuggled under the oversized coat, relieved to be warm. “Ah. Much better.”
“Don’t worry about me.” Lex wiped the wet hair out of her eyes again. “It’s not that far.” She leaned over and dug into one of the pockets of the coat and pulled out a dark blue bandanna. “Here, try this.” She applied a steady pressure to the bleeding wound on the woman's temple. “I promise it’s clean.”
Amanda took hold of the bandanna. “Thanks.” She tried to think of something to say. “Thank you for saving my life.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “I don’t…I just.” She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. Reaction, I guess. I want to thank you, but I don’t even know your name.”
“Lex. And you’re welcome.” Lex turned the key in the ignition, and the jeep sputtered to life. The incessant rain pounded a loud beat upon its hard top.
“My name’s Amanda.” She dabbed at her injury, wincing when she pressed a little too hard. “I can’t believe this happened. If you hadn’t come along when you did—” Amanda choked tearfully on her words as she realized how narrowly she had missed being killed.
Lex reached for the gearshift, which caused a sharp pain her chest. She tried to, but couldn't suppress a groan.
Concerned, Amanda placed her free hand on Lex’s wrist. “What is it? What’s the matter?”
“Nothing. Just a little sore.” The jeep lurched as it went down what was left of the road.
Amanda turned slightly in her seat, so she could observe the woman beside her. “Uh-huh. If you say so.”
Lex gave her a raised eyebrow in response. Diverting the subject away from herself, she posed the question that had been bothering her since she’d first spotted Amanda’s car. “What in the hell were you doing driving around country roads on a nasty day like this?” Lex braced herself as the jeep hit a deep rut in the road. “And why were you driving across my bridge?”
“Your bridge?” Amanda was silent for a long moment. Then she giggled.
“What?”
Amanda laughed harder. “Sorry, but I just got the funniest picture in my head.”
Lex just glowered at her. “C’mon, let’s hear it.”
“No, really, it’s not important.” Amanda shifted her position and tried to look as if she had completely dismissed the thought that she had found so funny, until another giggle pried its way out of her mouth.
That earned her another glare from the driver of the jeep.
“Okay.” Amanda wiped the tears from her eyes. “I just had this mental picture of you as a troll, waiting for the Three Billy Goats Gruff,” she wheezed, trying unsuccessfully to contain her laughter.
“Cute, real cute.” But part of her was relieved. The head injury couldn’t be too bad if the woman beside her was able to make jokes.
They drove along the muddy road in silence. Amanda had worn herself down with the giggling fit, and was now quietly curled up in the passenger’s seat. The thunderstorm still raged, making the darkened sky appear like late evening instead of late afternoon.
While Lex maneuvered the jeep along the slippery road, Amanda took the opportunity to study her rescuer. The glow of the dash lights flickered across Lex’s face, highlighting her features. Amanda could clearly see the pain and exhaustion on her rescuer’s face. Her own head was still aching, and she was feeling a little bit sick to her stomach. Before she could open her mouth to speak, Lex turned the steering wheel sharply to the right.
“Hang on!” The jeep slid sideways in the mud as Lex desperately tried to avoid a tree that had fallen across the road. The front left tire hit a large branch, causing the jeep to tilt dangerously to the right as it skidded to a stop.
“Dammit!” Lex shoved the jeep into a lower gear. A high-pitched whine answered her, as the tires spun helplessly in the mixture of mud and leaves. She laid her head against the steering wheel and closed her eyes. “Some days it just doesn’t pay to get out of bed.” Lex raised her head and looked over at Amanda who had one hand braced on the dash and the other with a death grip on the door. “Sorry. I guess I’m not real good at this rescue business.” She looked out through the rain-spattered windshield. “Look, the house isn’t that much farther, maybe a mile or so at the most. Hard to tell how long it will take in this weather, though. Feel up to a little walk?”
“Sure.” Amanda looked down at the muddy black sneakers on her feet. “Don’t think my shoes could get any wetter, anyway.” She silently thanked her grandmother for insisting that she dress casually for work, instead of wearing the dress and heels she had originally picked out.
Lex ran her hand through her hair as she thought about what to do next. “We’ll cut through the woods. It’ll shave some distance off the trip. Not to mention that this road is obviously too much of a mess to get very far.” She reached into the back seat to grab a large flashlight and her battered cowboy hat. After Lex crammed the hat on her head, she reached for her door. “Let me go around and make sure your side is clear before you try to get out.” She pocketed the keys and opened the door, easing herself out.
Thunder and lightning continued their way across the sky. Lex slipped in the mud several times on her way around the rear of the jeep. Every slip brought renewed agony to her chest. Once she reached the passenger side of the jeep, she was thankful to see it relatively clear of debris. She opened the door and offered her hand to Amanda. “Careful, it's kinda slippery out here.”
Amanda accepted the proffered hand and joined Lex on the side of the road. “Thanks.” She tried to hand the coat to Lex. “Here. You’re only wearing a tee shirt, at least I’ve got a long-sleeved shirt on.”
Lex studied how the other woman was dressed. Her black jeans were pasted to her body by the rain and mud, and her long-sleeved silk shirt didn’t look very warm. She shook her head and pushed the coat back into Amanda’s hands. “No, you wear it. I have a pretty warm nature, anyway.” Lex waited until Amanda had the coat back on and then led her away from the dark road. As they walked into a copse of trees, she asked how Amanda’s head was.
Amanda pulled the coat tighter around her body and considered the question seriously. “Not too bad. Aches a little.” She peered through the rain and gloom, and without realizing what she was doing, gripped Lex's hand. “Is this safe? Walking through all these trees during a thunderstorm?”
“Safer than the road. There’s probably a lot of washed out places, and it would be nearly impossible to walk on all the mud there.” Another flash of lightning and rumble of thunder interrupted her. She felt the grip on her hand tighten. “Hey, it’s okay. We should be back to the house before long. It’s just a little rain.”
Amanda sheepishly loosened her grip on the other woman’s hand, but made no move to let go. “Sorry. I’ve never really liked storms.” She felt the hand holding hers tighten.
“No problem. I think the worst is over for now. That last blast sounded pretty far away.”
They reached the top of a slight rise, and Amanda could see the trees give way to open fields. “Is your home much farther?”
“Not too much. In no time at all, we’ll be in front of a nice warm fire.” She met the slightly foggy eyes that were looking at her. “Unless you’d rather take a break for a few minutes. You’re not looking too good.”
Amanda thought about waving off her rescuer's concern, but then noticed that Lex was becoming increasingly pale and drawn herself. “The thought of getting out of this rain is tempting, but I’m afraid if I don’t rest for a few minutes I’ll fall flat on my face.” She didn’t miss the fleeting look of relief that passed over the other woman’s features.
“Yeah, you’re probably right. We might as well take advantage of these trees for a short break. The rest of our walk will be out in the open, and the rain doesn’t seem like it’ll be slowing down any time soon.” Lex released Amanda's hand and dropped to the ground, then leaned her back up against an old oak tree.
Amanda sank down beside her and leaned up against the same tree. “I never knew how wonderful sitting in the mud could be.” She flicked a blob of mud off her knee. “I know this stuff is supposed to be good for your complexion, but I think I’ll just take my chances without it.” She tightly wrapped the oversized overcoat around herself. “Are you sure you’re warm enough? I feel really bad that I’m hogging your coat.”
Lex waved off her concern. “No, really. I’m fine. I only had it with me because Martha threatens to whack me with a wooden spoon when I leave it at home.” She also didn’t want to try and slip her arms into the coat, dreading the pain that it would bring to her chest.
Amanda was about to continue this line of questioning when she heard what Lex had said. “A spoon? Who’s Martha?” She hazarded a guess. “Your mother?”
“Nah, more like my nanny.” Lex looked pensive for a moment. “She’s actually our housekeeper, but she’s just about the only mother I’ve ever known. And believe me, she can sure swing a mean spoon.” She playfully added, “I learned not to get on her wrong side when I was just a kid, something that I still can appreciate all these years later.”
“Remind me to be on my best behavior then.” Amanda patted Lex's knee. “Maybe I should give you this coat back. I’d hate to get you into trouble.”
“I’d probably get into more trouble if I brought you home without it. ’Sides, I think she’ll be okay. Just be prepared to be clucked over big time.”
Amanda nodded and quietly studied her companion’s condition. The longer they sat there, the worse Lex looked, her pain evident in her voice. “Hey, maybe we should get started again.” The temperature felt as if it was beginning to drop even lower, and she noticed Lex try to unsuccessfully repress a shudder.
Lex was grateful when Amanda rose and offered her a hand. I can’t stay out here too much longer. I’m going to pass out from the pain if I start shivering again. With Amanda’s assistance, she slowly and carefully climbed back to her feet.
As the afternoon wore on, the duo slogged through the mud in silence, each lost in her thoughts. Lex was moving slower in deference to the sharp stabbing pain in her chest, and it was getting harder for her to breathe normally. She spared a glance at her companion. Amanda was moving fairly well, although she kept tripping over the heavy coat she had wrapped around her body.
Amanda was keeping a close eye on Lex also. She could see that the other woman’s breathing was more ragged with every step she took, and that her pace continued to slow by the minute. Afraid that Lex was becoming too weak to continue, Amanda purposely stumbled and then stopped.
Lex stopped as well. Looking at her with concern, she asked, “What’s the matter? Is your headache getting worse?”
Amanda looked up innocently. “Look. I hate to bother you, but do you think I could hold onto you? It seems like I’m having a bit of a balance problem.”
Not fooled at all, Lex was too tired and hurting too badly to call her on it. “Sure.” She carefully raised one arm and draped it around Amanda’s shoulders.
Amanda eased her body under Lex’s arm, wrapping one arm around her waist. She couldn’t restrain her amusement at the difference in their heights.
“What?” Lex couldn't see anything particularly funny about their situation.
Amanda peeked up from her position under Lex’s arm. “You’re quite a bit taller than me. I feel like a little kid next to you.”
“Well,” Lex drawled, “in that coat, you kinda look like one too.” She leaned even more on Amanda.
Feeling the pressure, Amanda congratulated herself. There’s more than one way to skin a cat. Amanda could tell that Lex’s voice was weakening, and it had an exhausted, raspy quality to it. That doesn’t sound good at all. I hope we have some way to get her to a doctor once we’re back to her house.
The open field they came upon was carpeted with a thick winter rye. It was too dark for Amanda to see much, but it was still more pleasant than the mud they had waded through earlier. She estimated that close to two hours had passed since she had fallen into the creek, and if the sun had been shining it would be close to dusk by now. Her head still ached, although it was more like a dull throb at the moment. She continued to support Lex's weight, amazed that neither one of them had collapsed. Through the infrequent flashes of lightning, Amanda was able to see just how exhausted her companion had become. Something was nagging her at the back of her mind, though. What was she doing out in this weather? And just how did she get hurt? Guess I could just ask. Amanda cleared her throat. “Lex?”
Lex flinched slightly. Damn. Almost dozed off there. “Yeah?”
Amanda tightened her grip. “You haven’t told me why you were out in this nasty weather. Or do you usually hang around raging creeks waiting to rescue women who happen to float by?” She felt Lex attempting to stifle a laugh.
“No, not usually.” Lex was thankful for the distraction. “I was repairing a break in the fence when I saw that tree smash into the bridge.” She gave a slight shrug. “Then, when I saw your car fall in, I really didn’t even think.” She looked down at the woman snuggled close to her side and smiled. “Right place, right time, I guess.”
Amanda looked up in surprise. “You jumped into a creek feeling the way you do?”
“No. I was okay then. A little tired from chopping up a tree and digging a few post holes, but okay.”
“All right. Then what happened? And don’t try and tell me you’re fine.” Amanda tightened her grip. “You’re about to fall over, I can tell.” The look that she gave the rancher dared Lex to argue with her. Amanda wasn’t real sure where this sudden protective streak for a virtual stranger came from, but at this point, she really didn’t give a damn. Lex has risked her life for her, and she was determined to get her back home safely.
Lex looked down at the grass they were walking through. “Ah, well. When I was pulling us back across the creek, right before you came to, I sort of got hit by some debris.” She suddenly stopped, because the arm that was wrapped around her pulled her back.
“Debris? What kind of debris? Where did it hit you?”
Lightning flashed, giving Lex a clear view of the deep concern etched on the face across from her. Although it deeply touched her, she didn’t want to go into any more detail at the moment. So, Lex turned to start walking again. She twisted wrong and collapsed to her knees in pain, black spots swimming in her vision. “Damn.”
Amanda followed her to the ground, landing beside Lex on her knees. “What’s wrong?” She put her arms around the woman and tried to offer her some comfort.
Lex leaned forward with her left arm wrapped tightly around her chest and her face hidden by her hat. Amanda pulled the battered hat away and allowed Lex to rest her forehead on her shoulder. “Just give me a minute,” Lex gasped, trying to remain conscious.
“Rest for a few minutes, okay?” Amanda eased herself down and pulled Lex onto her back so that she lay against her. She repositioned her arms around Lex and offered the exhausted woman her strength.
“No, I’m all right. We’re almost to the house.” Lex tried in vain to get back up, but she couldn’t seem to gather the energy needed. It felt so good to be held that the thought raced through her head that she wouldn’t mind being hit with the broad side of a barn everyday, if Amanda would be there to hold her afterwards.
Amanda tightened her hold on the rancher and tried another tactic. “Well, if we’re that close, then a short break can’t hurt now, can it?” She looked up and tried to see the house in the distance. Unfortunately, between the oncoming darkness and the driving rain, she could barely see a few feet ahead. “Look, if you’ll just point me in the right direction, I’ll go and get some help.” She glanced back down at Lex, whose eyes were closed. “Lex?” Amanda used her hand to brush the rain from Lex's face, and was relieved to see the woman’s eyes finally open.
“Sorry. Guess I must've moved the wrong way.” Lex inhaled cautiously. The shallow breath wasn’t too painful, so she breathed more deeply.
Worried about the pale woman in her arms, Amanda implored, “Please, let me go and get some help.” She brushed the damp hair off of Lex’s face and smoothed it back.
“It won’t do any good. Only person at the house is Martha. My brother doesn’t live there anymore, and the ranch hands are gone to the big livestock show this weekend. Thought I could handle things until they got back on Sunday.”
“I’m sure you could have, if I hadn’t needed you to rescue me.”
“I’m sure it was worth it.” Lex reached up with her right hand. “Wanna give me a hand up? I’m really getting tired of this damn rain.”
