No wonder the sheets were rolled up. Hell, they’d probably worn holes in them and the mattress too.
But… Had he really seen that? Why hadn’t they asked him to join in? After all, it was supposed to be a three-for-all.
No, three’s a crowd.
The bottom line was: Carter couldn’t remember and that made him an idiot and a loser.
The very bottom line? If the images were reality, not the blurred imaginings of an alcohol stupor, Jack Donohue was a dead man.
Cash had something up his sleeve.
Gemma couldn’t put her finger on it, but he was acting…nervous. Which set her on edge. Cash was the most unflappable man she’d known. Well, he was even-keeled outside of the bedroom, at any rate.
She still hadn’t seen or heard from Carter McKay. Maybe should double-check to make sure Cash hadn’t killed him for the stunt Carter pulled.
Macie hadn’t been around so Gemma knew Cash’s anxiety didn’t have anything to do with his daughter.
Trevor? Why would seeing his old rodeo pal make him nervous? Hadn’t Cash invited Trevor to stay at the Bar 9? Cash wasn’t embarrassed to be working here, was he?
No. She noticed he’d taken pride in whipping the ranch into shape.
So, that meant his edginess had something to do with her. Fear settled in her chest.
Was he leaving?
Don’t be ridiculous. His daughter is here. He doesn’t have anywhere else to go. He likes the Bar 9. He likes you.
If he liked her so much maybe he could make love to her just one time with the damn lights on?
Shit. She could mope around all afternoon. Or she could do any one of the fifty jobs waiting to be finished at the Bar 9.
*
Trevor said, “I thought I’d stop up and say hi to her first, get a bite to eat before I came back here to the ranch and…”
Cash grunted. Part of him didn’t want to think about it.
“She doesn’t know?”
“No. I told you it’s a surprise.”
“What if it’s a surprise she don’t want?”
“She does.”
“Yeah? What if she says no?”
Cash tipped his head back and studied Trevor. “Will it bother you if she sends you packin’?”
He thought about it and said, “Probably not.”
“You know this doesn’t go beyond us, right?”
Trevor sighed. “I keep more damn secrets than you can shake a stick at, Cash.”
“Good. Then you know what to do?”
“Be a sad day in my life when I don’t.”
Carter didn’t see Jack’s rental car in the parking lot of the Last Chance Diner.
So who was the dark-haired guy Macie was chatting up at the counter?
Maybe Jack had left his car at Macie’s camper. And had spent all day hanging out with her. Talking to her, doing normal couple shit he hadn’t had time for lately.
Seething, Carter stormed inside.
The place was deserted. Good. Less witnesses for the bloodshed.
The dark-haired man had his hand on Macie’s arm. She was smiling at him. Smiling.
He couldn’t wait to plow his fist into the bastard’s face.
“Get your hand off her, Jack, or I’ll break it so you never draw another goddamn thing.”
Macie looked up at him, horrified. “Carter?”
“Stay out of this, Macie. This is between Jack, and me.”
“But—”
“Turn around, coward. I won’t sucker punch you, like you sucker punched me.
"Cause I wanna see teeth fly when I belt you in the mouth for tryin’ to steal my girl.”
Jack eased the stool around slowly.
Carter braced himself and cocked his fist.
But the man facing him wasn’t Jack Donohue. It was his brother Colby’s friend, Trevor Glanzer.
“Trevor? What the hell are you doin’ here?”
“Plannin’ on kickin’ your butt as soon as I finish my pie. What is wrong with you, Carter? It ain’t like you to pick fights.”
Carter ignored the question and glanced at Macie. “Where’s Jack?”
“How should I know? He’s your friend.”
“Because last night…” Damn. Could he be wrong? Could he really be that paranoid?
Yes, when it came to Macie all rationality vanished.
Because he loved her.
Wildly.
Out-of-his-freakin’-mind-all-or-nothing-kind-of-love.
Without taking his gaze from Macie, Carter said, “Trevor. Step outside for a minute.”
Trevor mumbled something and slipped out the door.
“Please fill in the fuzzy details.”
Macie’s eyes narrowed. “After you passed out, Jack passed on the real reason you’d asked him here, and I passed on being any part of it.”
“Really?”
“No. I went Wahoo! and screwed his brains out while you were sacked out in the lawn chair.”
The feeling of relief nearly buckled his knees. “So you didn’t, I mean, you don’t want that?”
“A ménage? I was kidding about multiple cowboys, Carter.”
“You were?”
“That’s not something I’m interested in trying at this point in my life.” Those all-knowing hazel eyes clouded. “Hey. Did you just call me your girl?”
“Yes, you are my girl.” My everything.
“I am not a girl, Carter McKay.”
“Girl, woman, whatever, you’re mine and I was ready to kill my best friend for makin’ a move on you.”
“He didn’t.”
“Lucky for him.” Carter stalked her, until her back was against the cement wall.
“Kiss me and make me all better, darlin’. Your sweet, hot kisses heal my damn foolish pride.”
Macie whispered, “You are such a dumbass,” and lifted her lips to his for the sweetest kiss on the planet.
When Carter could feel his heart beating again, he picked Macie up and threw her over his shoulder. He yelled, “Velma? Macie’s takin’ a sick day. She’s feelin’ a mite poorly.”
Velma poked her head through the doorway and grinned. “That’s fine. Just make sure she’s here tomorrow.”
“She’ll be here bright and early with bells on.”
She sighed. “Definitely better than dinner theater.”
As Carter carted Macie outside, she said, “Trevor? Umm. Tell my dad I won’t be home tonight.”
“All night,” Carter added and tossed her in his truck.
Macie expected Carter to play grab-ass with her on the way to his place. But he was strangely subdued. He parked and looked at her.