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He gave a nod but said nothing, still watching Sam.
The doctor turned to Sam, too, and handed her a small bottle of pills. “These are pain pills. He’s going to suffer some before things get better. Be careful with these, they’re pretty strong. Don’t overdo them.”
“No, I won’t.”
“I should be in charge of those,” Rich protested, holding out his hand.
Sam slipped the bottle into her purse. “Is there anything else, Doctor?” she asked, ignoring Rich.
“Yeah. He’ll be more comfortable if his leg is elevated. And he should see his own doctor when he gets home.”
“Of course. I’ll remind him,” she said and gave the doctor a smile that lit up her face. Rich hadn’t gotten that kind of smile.
“That’s it, then,” the doctor said. He held out a hand to Sam and, in Rich’s mind, held it too long. Then he shook Rich’s hand. “Good luck.”
Sam didn’t move until the doctor had gone. “Ready? I’ll get your jacket.”
A nurse came in with a wheelchair. “Here we are, Mr. Randall.”
“I have a walking cast,” he pointed out.
“Good for you. Get in.”
“But I—”
“Hospital rules,” the nurse said, her manner firm.
He ignored the smile Sam was giving him and sat down in the chair.
She said, “I’ll go ahead and pull the truck around to the door.”
As she hurried ahead of them, the nurse said, “Pretty girl. When are you getting married?”
“We’re not!” Rich snapped.
“The doctor said she was your fiancée.”
“No, she’s a friend.” He needed to ask Sam about how the doctor had gotten the idea that they were engaged. But first he needed to get out of the hospital.
The nurse wheeled him outside and up to the truck. Once he was inside, Sam drove to the back of the parking lot and stopped. “Do you want to check on Bella?”
“Yeah.” Had he been that obvious? Or did she understand about cowboys and their horses? He didn’t know, but he was glad she’d stopped. He hobbled out of the cab and checked the connection between the truck and the trailer. Then he opened the trailer and tested the halter Bella was wearing.
“Everything is fine,” he pronounced to Sam. “I should have known since Gabe took care of it.”
Sam said nothing.
Once he was back inside, Sam pulled out a map. “I assume we’ll be going east on—”
He stopped her. “No, we’re going north, through Utah, into western Wyoming.” He pointed out the route he wanted to take. “Okay?”
“Whatever you say. I’d like to stop and buy you a couple of pillows. It will make the ride easier.”
“I don’t need them,” he replied.
Showing no emotion, she said, “Whatever you say,” repeating a phrase that should’ve pleased him. They settled into the truck and she started the motor.
“Where were you going to stop for pillows?”
“There’s a shopping center on the next block.”
She didn’t urge him again to consider pillows. Finally, he said, “We might as well get a couple of pillows. Thanks for thinking of it.”
“No problem.”
She pulled into the economy store’s parking lot. “Do you need anything else?” she asked, as she reached for the door handle.
“Did you get drinks?”
“Yes, they’re in the back. I’ll get a couple out when I get back.”
He watched her trot across the parking lot, wondering why she was irritating him. What she said had been perfectly polite, accommodating.
She returned with two pillows and cases to cover them. She removed the plastic and slid them into the cases and handed them in to him. Then she grabbed a six-pack of sodas and put them on the floorboard.
After she got in the truck, she told him to undo his seat belt and move to the middle of the seat.
“Why?”
“Well, since your right leg is the one hurting, we need to put it on the seat.”
He insisted on putting the pillow against the door and putting both his feet on the seat next to her. She didn’t argue. She took the other pillow and put it under his foot. Then she got a soda and opened it, passing it to him. He assumed they were ready to go, but then she pulled the pills the doctor had given her out of her purse. “Take this,” she ordered, handing the small pill to him.
“I don’t need it,” he said.
“You’re already hurting. There’s no need to suffer.”
With a sigh he took the pill, then sipped some soda. “Fine.”
She didn’t reply.
Once she started the truck, he relaxed against the door. The pillows had been a good idea. He began to feel bad about his difficult behavior. He noticed The Hot Skillet ahead. Thinking to make up for his boorishness, he said, “We can stop at the restaurant so you can tell your friends goodbye.”
“No!” she replied sharply. “No, thanks, that’s not necessary.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t want them to know where I’m going.”
“You didn’t take anything you shouldn’t have, did you?” He regretted the question. Her face paled and her jaw tightened.
“No.”
“I didn’t mean—” He broke off, remembering why he was still wary of her. “Hey, why did the doctor call you my fiancée?”
Chapter Three
“You sure must be popular with the ladies,” Samantha said, not directly answering his question. “Relax and go to sleep. I promise I won’t marry you while you’re napping.” Okay, so she shouldn’t be sarcastic, but she was tired of this man accusing her of something.
“I didn’t mean to sound so suspicious,” he apologized, turning on the charm. “But a man gets alarmed when he’s told he’s engaged to a stranger. An attractive stranger, I’ll admit, but still a stranger.”
“Like I said, you don’t have to worry. I’m not looking for a husband. Just a ride. So you can save your cowboy charm for someone more susceptible.”
He chuckled, even as his eyelids began to droop. “You think I’m flirting?” His voice grew softer, a little slurred.
Sam watched him out of the corner of her eye until she was sure he was down for the count.
It wasn’t the first time she’d been falsely accused, though no one had ever suggested she was trying to trick a man into marriage. She’d discovered the newest person on the job had to walk a straight line or all kinds of sins would be heaped on her head. She kept her gaze on the road and he remained silent also.
A couple of minutes later, he gave a little snore. She gradually relaxed. It took energy to resist that charm she’d accused him of using.
At least she didn’t have to worry about Brad anymore. He had no idea where she was now. Thanks to Rich Randall. She looked at him once again noting how handsome he was. Frowning, she turned back to the road. He looked familiar, but she knew she hadn’t met him before.
With a shrug, she shoved that thought away. The less she looked at him or talked to him, the better off she’d be.
RICH SLEPT all morning. He awoke a couple of minutes around two when she stopped to fill up. She’d grabbed herself a hot dog while she was paying the bill. As she started to leave the station, she thought she ought to buy one for Rich, too. If he didn’t want it, she’d eat it. Breakfast seemed a long time ago.
When she got in the truck cab, he was awake, frowning.
“Is your ankle hurting?”
“My ankle and my head. Where are we?”
“We’re in Utah. Want a hog dog?”
Still frowning, he sat up a little bit, reached for the hot dog with a thanks, and ate it quickly.
When Sam held out another pill, he intended to refuse it, but the annoying pain had him reaching for it. Two minutes later, he was sleeping again.
Samantha waited until he’d nodded off to eat her own hot dog. Then she nursed her soda, making it last as she headed down the road again. She’d checked Bella’s water while the truck filled, and the horse had seemed to be all right.
She decided she’d need to watch for a horse motel when it got time to halt for the night. Rich hadn’t mentioned any place, even though he’d obviously driven this route before.
But she was pleased. Flagstaff was behind her. And a new life was ahead of her.
JUST THEN, the phone rang at the Randall home in Rawhide, Wyoming.
“Jake, is that you?” a voice asked when Jake Randall picked up the phone.
Jake knew he should recognize the voice of the caller, but he couldn’t quite place it. “Yeah, who’s this?”
“It’s your cousin, Gabe.”
“Gabe. How are you? Rich said you were in the hunt for the Nationals.”
“I’m doing okay. Listen, is Pete there? I need to speak with him.”
Jake waved to his brother, sitting at the table, a cup of coffee in front of him. “Here’s Pete.”
Pete took the phone. “Gabe? How are you? Are you coming our way?”
“No, sorry. I’m heading for California. I just wanted to check on Rich. He has called you, hasn’t he?”
Pete felt his heart clutch. “What are you talking about?”
“Ah. He didn’t call. Well, I hope I did the right thing. A young lady stopped by the rodeo grounds yesterday, she was driving Rich’s truck. She asked me to show her what needed to be done to load up Bella. Seems Rich had a bad fall Sunday. He was in the hospital, she said. A broken ankle.”
“A broken ankle?” Pete exclaimed, catching the attention of everyone sitting at the kitchen table. Especially Janie, his wife.
“Yeah. I tried to call him at the hospital afterward. I was a little worried, but there was no answer. That’s why I thought I’d check with you.”
“Well, thanks for the heads-up, Gabe. I’ll check things out. Good luck this week. And come see us when you can.”
“Will do. Hope everything’s all right with Rich.”
Pete hung up the phone. His wife, Janie, was beside him, her eyes big. “Now, honey, don’t worry. I’m sure everything is fine,” he said at once, as if he weren’t worried.
Pete’s three brothers and their wives were all there when the call came and all started firing questions.
Holding up his hand to stop their questions, Pete returned to the table and sat down beside Janie. “Now, a broken ankle is nothing. I mean, it will stop Rich’s career for a while, but I’m sure he’ll be all right.”
“But why hasn’t he called?” Janie demanded.
“Because he’s a man and he can take care of himself,” Pete assured her.
“But he won’t be able to drive home,” Jake pointed out.
“I know. But he’s got a friend with him.” Everyone relaxed as he added, “I’m sure she’ll drive him home.”
Janie stiffened. “She? His friend is a woman?” B.J., Jake’s wife, chuckled. “Are you surprised? Rich has always attracted the ladies.”
“Yes, but I—I want him to marry someone from around here, not some—some rodeo floozie!”
“Now, Janie,” Pete said soothingly, “Gabe said she was a friend. He would’ve said something if the woman was, uh, something else.”
Jake leaned forward. “Yeah, you can trust Gabe, Janie. He’s family.”
They hadn’t really known Gabe long, but he’d clicked with the men in the family at once. His father, a cousin of their father, had lived in Kansas City. Gabe’s father and his wife had been to visit after their honeymoon. They’d planned another trip, but he’d been in an automobile accident and had died. Their father had gone to the funeral and offered the widow a home with him and his boys. But she was pregnant with Gabe. She’d chosen to remain in Kansas City.
