During the course of the morning, Gwen found herself looking next door to the Cook Ranch, hoping for a glimpse of either Julián or Chris. One time she did see them and her heart lurched when they waved at her first. Maybe they were looking for her too?
Gwen had laughed and shook her head. They know you’re over here alone and they’re just watching out for you like they said they would. She’d considered inviting them over for lunch each day but thought better of it. She was taking them away from their home base often enough. She didn’t want to wear out her welcome with the Cooks by distracting their ranch hands too much.
With all the pertinent, but not necessarily pleasant chores done, Gwen went out to Tutti about midmorning and tied her lead rope off while she saddled her. She noticed when the mare shifted and her ears perked up. Trusting Tutti’s excellent hearing, Gwen patted her and went to see who her visitor was.
Her heart gave a lurch of the uncomfortable sort as she stopped in the barn doorway. The visitor was Hatch Dunlap and he’d brought his two buddies with him. Two thoughts occurred to her simultaneously.
Three against one. She stood a good chance of defending herself against one, possibly two men. But three? Not likely.
My handgun is still in the gun safe at Angel and Joaquin’s ranch. She’d just as soon shoot this rattlesnake of a man as spend time conversing with him as though he were a welcome guest.
During the weekend she’d spent with him in Laramie five years before, she’d realized she would look back on him someday as one of her big mistakes. He’d started out charming and complimentary but she’d found out firsthand that he was a jackass.
When he’d discovered that she actually had a brain in her head and could think for herself, he’d gotten angry and told her to shut up and look pretty. He’d wanted someone on his arm for the socializing after the rodeo, wanted to get laid, and wanted her to act like he hung the moon. The sex had been a no-go, for which she’d been grateful. He’d been so drunk that he’d fumbled around and ejaculated before they’d even gotten started and then had fallen asleep.
She’d counted her blessings and taken a long, hot shower while he’d snored away in her hotel room. Once her final event of the weekend was over, which she won, she’d returned to the hotel room, packed her stuff, and gotten the hell out of there without even saying good-bye. There was no good reason for him to come to Wilbur’s ranch.
“Why are you here, Hatch?” she asked, mentally inventorying the implements she could use for self-defense hanging on the wall inside the barn door. The only problem with any of the tools was that they could just as easily take them from her and use them on her. Wish I had my Taurus .38 Special. They wouldn’t be so quick to approach if she had it pointed at them.
Hatch leaned against his truck, taking in his surroundings with his beady eyes as his friends flanked him, arms crossed over their chests.
“Well, I thought my eyes were deceiving me when me and my buddies were out having a good time at that nightclub in Divine and I saw you. Then yesterday I saw you at the feed store in Divine. I asked the cashier and she was kind enough to fill me in on your whereabouts and what you’ve been up to, you naughty little cowgirl. Sounds like you’ve loosened up some since the last time we saw each other.”
“What exactly do you want, Hatch? I have a busy day ahead of me.” Gwen was beyond pissed and planned to call Mr. Cunningham and let him know that his employees were gossiping and sharing private information about his customers. Hell, who am I kidding? In a small town, everyone knows everyone else’s business.
“I just came around to say hello. I’ve learned a thing or two in the time that I’ve been here visiting. Divine’s a very…interesting town. I’m looking forward to hanging around and seeing just how interesting things can get.” He glanced at one of his friends and they shared a grin. They didn’t even bother hiding their erections, and real fear clawed in her belly, which she fought not to show.
“Where’s your girlfriend, Judith?”
Hatch made a disgusted sound and waved a hand like he was brushing away a pesky fly. “She’s around somewhere. Like a bad penny, she keeps showing up but she does have her uses.”
“Damned uncooperative is what she is,” one of the other men grumbled under his breath.
“That’s the other reason we stopped by, besides just bein’ friendly, Gwen. We were hoping that since it sounds like you’ve embraced the Divine mindset that we might get together and have a little fun sometime, since we’ll be neighbors soon.”