Читать книгу The Lawman's Rebel Bride - Amanda Renee - Страница 11

Chapter Three

“Where is she?” Harlan stormed through the front door of the station after dropping Ivy off at his brother’s house. “And what did you mean she isn’t alone? Who’s with her?”

“It’s not a who. It’s a what,” Bryan said.

“Again?” Harlan’s shoulders slumped in relief. Marriage of convenience aside, the thought of Belle with another man tore his gut in two. “What are the charges?”

“Trespassing, breaking and entering, and theft.” Bryan laughed. “You sure know how to pick ’em. Did my wedding invite get lost in the mail?”

“I’ll explain that later.” Harlan headed to the back of the station, swiped his access card and walked through two sets of double doors to the prisoner holding area. There she was. Wet, muddy and clutching something tucked inside her shirt.

“Hey, sweetheart. I forgot to tell you...our marriage comes with one stipulation. You can’t get arrested while we’re together. You’ve racked up three charges within two hours. That must be a record, even for you. It’s time to aim for some new goals.”

“Get me out of here, Harlan.” Belle hurried to the bars and angled her chest toward him. “This piglet needs milk replacer and fast.”

“Oh, it’s a pig this time. That explains the mud. Tell me the story first.”

“There’s no time,” Belle pleaded.

“Tough.” Harlan gritted his teeth. He gripped the bars and lowered his face to hers. “You need to tell me what happened so I can attempt some damage control.”

“Fine.” Belle huffed. “I received a call shortly after I got home. There was an eighteen-wheeler delivering pigs to the Johnson farm way out on Back Hollow Road. This person who shall remain anonymous said they saw the pigs herded off the trailer into holding pens and the piglet tossed in after them. They said it was a life-threatening condition. I couldn’t ignore the situation. I had to do something.”

“So instead of calling me or another deputy sheriff, you put yourself in danger and stole it.”

“It’s a she and I rescued her. I couldn’t wait for you or anyone else,” Belle hissed. “It was too big of a risk. Especially out there. This pig isn’t even a week old and she’s sunburnt from being in the back of that trailer for heaven only knows how long. I don’t know the last time she ate or even if she’ll live. Harlan, either you get me out of here or you call Dr. Presley to come take her. I don’t care what happens to me, but you have to help this poor animal.”

Harlan slapped the side of his thigh, hating the position she’d put him in. Belle’s fierce stare starkly contrasted the piglet’s weak gaze. Rescuing animals had always been her greatest passion and he wouldn’t have expected anything less of her. Unfortunately, it was bound to adversely impact his job. It had been one day and he already felt powerless around her. Between his past mistakes, a terrifying prospect of a future together—however temporary—and a muddied present, second thoughts crept into his brain. Lucky for Belle, his heart controlled the moment.

“I’m not sure I can get you out of this mess tonight.” He reached through the bars and stroked the top of the piglet’s tiny head. “But, I’ll do what I can. Stay here.”

“As if I have a choice.” Belle rolled her eyes.

After promising to pay triple the price of a full-grown pig, Harlan persuaded the farm owner to drop the theft charge. She was still on the hook for the B&E and trespassing, but at least it meant he’d get her out of jail tonight.

“Where am I going to put you?” Harlan looked her up and down. “You’re not getting the front of my cruiser all dirty. Oh, I know.” He strode over and opened the back door. “Hop in. It’s not like it’s your first time.”

“So you’re going to treat me like a criminal?”

“Are you serious? Where are we right now? It’s either this or you walk.”

“You’re such a charmer.” She scowled as she climbed inside. “I already miss the man I married.”

“Speaking of that.” Harlan slid behind the wheel. “I would like to be elected sheriff one day and that means my wife can’t run around getting arrested. As long as we’re husband and wife, I implore you to stay out of trouble. I mean it, Belle. Not just for my sake. It’s for my daughter’s, too. Whatever you do now reflects on her. This isn’t the little secret wedding you and I thought it would be. Everyone knows and I can’t allow anything negative to affect Ivy. Do we have an understanding?”

“Yes. I’ll be more careful next time.”

“Oh, okay. I can see you paid close attention to that conversation.” He steered the SUV onto Belle’s street.

“Please don’t be mad. I did the right thing.”

“I’m not mad. You frustrate the hell out of me. Always have. It’s like you’re permanently under my skin. I made a commitment to you and I’ll honor it. My daughter even asked if you’d be moving in with us.” Belle’s gaze met his in the mirror. “Not because she’s scared of you. She was hoping you’d be her mom. Do you have any idea what that did to me?”

“I’m sorry Molly turned out to be such a jerk. I never expected that of her.” Her voice softened. “I never expected a lot of the things she did. And I don’t wish abandonment on anyone. Child or adult.”

Message received loud and clear. First Belle’s mom had abandoned her, and then he had, too. If any man ever treated Ivy that way, Harlen would probably be behind bars and Belle would be the one bailing him out.

Harlan parked beside her truck, shut the engine and opened the back door for her to exit.

“How did my truck get here?” Belle asked as they walked past her red Chevy.

“I had it towed here instead of the impound lot. Consider it and the piglet a wedding present.”

“Honey, you shouldn’t have.” She reached up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He wasn’t sure if she meant to be sarcastic or sincere, but he wasn’t about to turn her away.

Belle glanced at her front door. “What’s that?”

Harlan recognized the fluorescent orange notice without even having to read it. “You’ve been served your walking papers.”

“They can’t evict me. I pay rent.” Belle ignored the paper and unlocked the door.

Harlan reached above her head and tore it off. “This is from the board of health.”

“Whatever. Stand back when I open the door. Sometimes Olive gets a little aggressive when I come home.”

Harlan followed her in. “It says you’re harboring livestock?” Before he had a chance to look up, a tiny goat hurled into him, almost taking out his shin in the process.

“I warned you.” Belle stepped over a baby gate and flicked on the kitchen light.

Now he understood the livestock. “Belle, please tell me you didn’t steal these animals.”

“First, I’m not a thief.” She set a spoon and a bowl on the counter next to a large container of instant milk replacer before disappearing into the other room and returning with a towel. “I’m a rescuer. When people call me, I go. And second, I’m fostering these guys until I can find a home for them. It was one thing when I lived at my grandmother’s house. We had room in that big yard of hers. I don’t have that luxury anymore.”

He had to give her this much—between the small kiddie pool of hay the goat happily lay in, the tiny black lamb standing on his hind legs in a playpen, a duck waddling around the entryway and now a piglet, the rest of the apartment was relatively clean.

“I need you to take her while I mix the formula.”

Harlan joined Belle in the kitchen. She lifted her shirt up so he could take the piglet tucked between her breasts. He froze, not knowing how to handle the animal without touching her.

“Hey, don’t judge. It was the safest and warmest place I could hold her.”

“It’s not that.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, Harlan. They’re just boobs. I have a bra on.”

He lifted the piglet into his arms and Belle immediately wrapped the towel around the little girl. She mixed the formula before withdrawing an oral syringe from the drawer. She tore open the package and pulled the plunger until it filled halfway with the off-white liquid.

“Here you go, sweetie.” The piglet hesitated at first, then readily took the mixture. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Belle repeated under her breath. “I don’t know what I’ll do with you.” She nuzzled the little critter, then looked around the room. “Or any of you, but I’m glad you’re safe.”

“Oh, Belle.” Harlan looked to the ceiling and prayed for strength. “You know exactly what you’re going to do. You and your menagerie are coming back to the ranch with me.”

* * *

AFTER A SHOWER and a change of clothes, Belle and Harlan packed up what they could from her apartment, crated the animals and drove to his ranch. She always thought you had at least thirty days to vacate once you received an eviction notice. Turned out it was only three days in certain cases—livestock being one of them. She pulled in behind him, still trying to wrap her brain around the day. This morning she was single and independent. Tonight, she was married and relying on her worst enemy to put a roof over her head. Maybe worst was a little harsh. He had earned significant brownie points during the past twenty-four hours. That still didn’t mean she forgave him for what he’d done. She doubted that would ever be possible.

Harlan leaned in her passenger window. “Are you coming?”

“In a minute.” Belle glanced up at the white farmhouse. It should have been her house. They had picked it out together and Harlan’s uncle Jax had fronted them the down payment until they could afford to pay it back. She loved the house. Had envisioned exactly how she would decorate it. Only she never had the chance to spend a single night in it. Molly had had that honor.

She needed to get it together. The ranch was a much better place for her wards. The previous owner had rebuilt the stables, along with the apartment above it. At least there had been an apartment eight years ago.

“Come on, let’s get them settled, and then we’ll get you situated in the house.”

“I don’t think so, Harlan.” Belle looked up at the main house again. “Where’s your daughter?”

“She’s staying with Dylan and my uncle Jax at the Silver Bells Ranch. I’ll pick her up tomorrow.”

“Is there still an apartment over the stalls?” Belle dug the tip of her boot into the hard dirt drive. “I’d rather be near the animals. Lillie needs constant care.”

“Lillie?” Harlan furrowed his brows. “Ah, you named the pig already.”

“I’ll have to take her to work with me.” Belle began unloading the truck. If she kept moving and talking, she wouldn’t have a chance to change her mind. “She needs to be fed every couple of hours and that will wake up you and Ivy. So if that apartment is available, I think it’s best if I stay out here. I’ll pay rent until I can find another place. I don’t want to upset your routine, or raise Ivy’s hopes.”

Harlan closed the short distance between them and gripped both of her shoulders. “Breathe, Belle, breathe.”

She didn’t want to look up at him and see the pity he must feel for her. “I’m breathing.” She turned away and grabbed the pet carrier from the front seat and held it up. “Isn’t that right, Lillie? We’re both breathing.”

“The apartment’s yours. It’s been a few weeks since I last cleaned up there, so there might be a few cobwebs. Ivy likes to use it as a playhouse.”

They finished unloading both vehicles and set the animals up in two of the stalls. Olive bounced around like an overexcited child, and Samson, the two-week-old black lamb, settled right in.

“This will work out well. Olive will be able to go outside to graze and I need to introduce Samson to grass soon to activate his rumen. I prefer grazing to only giving them hay.”

“Rumen?”

“It’s a large fermentation vat where bacteria and other microorganisms live. Sheep and goats are ruminant animals. Like cows. They have a four-chamber stomach.”

“Okay, what’s with the duck?” Harlan sat on a hay bale and watched the large white bird waddle down the stable corridor, squawking at the horses as she passed. “She seems old enough to be on her own. Why do you have her?”

“Imogene can’t fly, so she’s a—”

“Sitting duck. I get it now.” Harlan smiled. “She can’t defend herself.”

“Lydia—Dr. Presley—is working with me to help create a nonprofit animal rescue center for injured and abandoned animals.” Belle picked up Imogene and sat next to Harlan on the hay bale. “The main goal is to foster them until they find their forever homes. Finding and affording the land is the biggest obstacle. I’m hoping I can convince one of the larger ranches to donate some acreage, but I need to file for my nonprofit first. My, um, police record doesn’t help matters.”

“Then why do you continue to put yourself in that situation?” Harlan asked.

“When you work for a large-animal vet, you amass an extensive network of animal hospitals, foster homes and volunteers willing to help give animals a second chance. I’m sure you experience the same thing on a human level. For each success story, there are many that never make it. When someone calls me, or Lydia, we go. We’d love to navigate through the proper channels every time. And sometimes we can. Other times it’s an emergency. If Lydia gets arrested, she can lose her veterinary license. I have nothing for them to take.”

Harlan reached out and petted the top of the duck’s head. “Everyone has their passion.”

“Yours is law enforcement. Mine’s animal rescue. Sometimes that means we butt heads.” Belle stood and placed Imogene inside the stall with Olive. “These two love to snuggle together at night. Care to show me upstairs?”

Harlan led Belle to the studio apartment. It was larger than the one-bedroom she’d just been evicted from. It was nicer than she remembered. Little frilly touches here and there. She wondered if they had been Molly’s doing or possibly his mom’s or Ivy’s.

She’d never met his daughter before, only seen her from afar around town. It had surprised her when Harlan had told her Ivy wanted her to move in. It was one more reason not to stay in the main house. She didn’t want to involve Ivy in their fake marriage drama any more than she already was.

“I think I’m going to turn in. It’s been a long, interesting day.” Belle smiled up at him, not sure what the proper protocol was for saying good-night. They may be husband and wife, but there was no way they’d ever consummate the marriage.

Harlan jammed his hands in the front pockets of his jeans, eliminating the awkward hug she wanted to avoid. “There’s plenty of room in the barn behind the stables. We can pick up the rest of your things tomorrow and store them in there for the time being. If you need anything, just ask.”

“Thank you. I think I’ve gone above and beyond my favor quota for the week.”

Harlan laughed. “It’s okay. I’ve always said your heart is in the right place. How you go about doing certain things is a little more questionable. I know you mean well. Please promise me something.”

“Yeah, yeah. Stay out of trouble.” Belle smiled. “I promise to try.”

Harlan nodded. “That’s all I ask. I’ll leave you and Lillie to it. Good night, Belle.”

“Good night, Harlan.”

Belle watched him shut the door behind him as he left the room. He hadn’t even tried to hug or kiss her. It was exactly what she wanted. Any chance of a future they had together had shattered into a million shards of glass long ago.

Belle ran to the door, threw it open and bounded down the stairs, hoping to catch him. By the time she made it to the stable entrance, he was already halfway up the porch steps. As he reached the top, he hesitated. Belle held her breath and willed him to turn around, but he continued into the house.