Summer's Indiscretion(Divine Creek Ranch 7)(43)

She just hoped they discovered the asshole behind all these attacks. After that was settled then maybe they could talk about what they really were to each other and where she went from there. Knowing how she felt about them now, she knew it would be difficult to be on her own again. Some chances had to be taken.

“Okay, I’ll do it.”





Chapter Eleven



That afternoon, Kemp’s heart went out to poor Rachel as he looked at her, bracing herself with both hands in the doorway that led to the back of the shop. She was extremely pale with a definite greenish cast to her otherwise perfectly beautiful face.

“You don’t look so hot, Rachel.”

“Whittie, I don’t feel too good, either. Oh, no.”

She groaned piteously then turned and ran for the bathroom. Again.

There were no customers in the shop at the moment, so he went down the hallway, found a washcloth in the bathroom cabinet, and wet it for her. She was bent over the bowl, heaving what little lunch she had left back up. She groaned in misery as she crouched there, holding her long, dark brown hair back in one hand.

“Sweetie, why don’t I call Eli?” he asked as he handed her the cool, wet washcloth. She accepted it and looked up at him with pitiful, red-rimmed blue eyes. Blotting her face, she nodded as he brushed the top of his hand against her very warm brow and continued, “This is the third time you’ve been back here, and each time you come out looking worse. I’m not so sure this is morning sickness, and I’m getting a little worried about you. I think you’re running a fever.”

Rachel held her stomach and whispered, “Will you call him?” No sooner were the words out of her mouth than she was violently ill again.

Kemp patted her back and held her hair for her as he put the phone to his ear after hitting Eli on the speed dial.

Eli Wolf walked in the shop fifteen minutes later, looking worried. That was saying something, considering that he towered over Kemp at six foot nine and probably tipped the scales at close to three hundred pounds. He didn’t look like he needed to worry about much of anything, but he was definitely concerned about his lovely wife, who was expecting their first child in December.

“Angel?” Eli murmured as he knelt next to her where she hovered near the toilet, and Kemp stepped out to give them a little privacy. Rachel looked completely wrung out as she put her arm around his neck.

Rachel had come in only to do the books but had offered to stay so that Margot could go home and rest after her sleepless night and Summer could go get boxes for the move with Ace. All the other girls were off. Kemp stayed at the shop, too, to keep an eye on things and to keep Rachel company. What she’d thought was mere morning sickness was looking more and more like the stomach flu.

A minute later Eli came down the hall, carrying Rachel, who had a bottle of water and a plastic bag in her hands. He said, “Kemp, thank you for calling me. She’s got a temperature and Dr. Guthrie asked us to meet her at her office.”

“You go on ahead. I’ll hold down the fort here.” Surely Ace and Summer wouldn’t be too much longer.

“You could call Margot and let her know. She’d come back up to run the shop,” Rachel said, gesturing weakly at the interior of Discretion.

Kemp waved them off and said, “It’s been quiet all day. Don’t worry about it at all, Rachel. Just feel better.”

Rachel rested her head against Eli as he cuddled her to him and said, “Thank you, Whittie. The key to open the register is under the counter on the hook.”

Kemp patted Rachel’s shoulder and said, “I’m sure Summer will be back soon. Let me know if I can do anything.”

Eli nodded, and Kemp could still see the concern in his eyes. Eli was taking EMT training, and Kemp knew she was in good hands. Rachel gave him a halfhearted smile, blew a tiny air-kiss at him, then closed her eyes. Poor, little Rachel. He hated to see her not feeling well. He held the door open as Eli carried her out and loaded her into his truck.

Kemp walked back inside and looked around at the shop. Soft music played in the background, and enticing herbal scents filled the air. This was a distinctly feminine sanctuary devoted to pleasure and sensuality, and Kemp wondered what he’d do if a customer came in before Summer got back.

As if on cue, the doorbell rang. He gave an inward cringe and turned to greet the customer who walked in. He smiled at the sweet-looking little lady, who had to be in her early seventies, as she came in the door.

Oh, what the hell. How bad could it be to help out for a few minutes?

After he greeted her, he asked if there was something he could help her with.

“Rachel told me she would save a book behind the counter for me.”