Читать книгу Wilde Horses - Jannine Gallant - Страница 8

His cell phone vibrated on the counter as Blake stepped out of the shower. He ignored it and reached for a towel. After shaking his head to send water drops flying, he rubbed the soft terrycloth across his shoulders and chest then wrapped the oversized towel around his waist as a precaution before opening the bathroom door. Wouldn’t be the first time he’d walked out naked only to find some obsessed fan had somehow gained access to his bus. Although out here in Middle-of-Nowhere, Wyoming, he felt pretty safe.

After rummaging through his drawers for briefs and socks, he dressed in a pair of faded jeans and a black T-shirt. Sitting on the edge of the queen-size bed in the back of the bus, he tied on a pair of running shoes then rose to his feet. Ready to head over to the food truck where the caterers would be serving breakfast, he paused in the bathroom doorway to scoop up his phone. He swung the door of the bus shut and took the steps to the ground in a single leap. The scent of coffee and bacon in the crisp morning air made his stomach rumble.

“Good morning, Blake.” Kara hurried up to his side and gripped his arm. Her fingers were cool against his skin. “I wanted to thank you again for sharing your insights into my character last night. I know your suggestions will make my performance stronger.”

“Sure.” He glanced over at Hayden Yarbrough, Kara’s husband and manager, and offered a brief smile. “I’m happy to help anytime.”

She flashed a bright smile. “I might take you up on that again.”

Yarbrough’s neutral expression deteriorated into a frown as he jammed his hands into the pockets of his slacks. The man was a good twenty years older than Kara and didn’t usually have a lot to say, but this morning his silence had an edge to it.

Blake pulled his arm out of her grasp and took a step away. “Go on to breakfast without me. I need to check my messages before I eat.”

Her eyes darkened. “Don’t take too long, or all the bacon will be gone.”

“That’d be a shame.” He spoke lightly to ease the sudden tension then, with a nod, headed in the opposite direction. Despite his protesting stomach, keeping his distance from Kara’s tendency to cling was probably a smart move. With a sigh, he pulled out his cell. A glance told him he had three missed calls, all from Pris. “Ah, hell.” His gut clenched, and his appetite fled. He closed his eyes as tears burned behind his lids.

She wouldn’t have called three times unless the worst had happened. He drew in a ragged breath and resisted the urge to shout out his pain. Such a tragedy. A damn waste of a beautiful soul.

When the phone vibrated in his hand, he nearly dropped it. Juggling the cell, he tamped down sadness and regret then pressed the button to confirm what he already knew in his heart. “Pris?”

“She’s gone.”

Harsh sobs hit him like a blow, and he bent double at the impact.

“It’s finally over. Josie’s at peace, but oh, it hurts. When can you come?”

Blake dropped onto the lawn chair he’d left by the pasture fence and tilted his head back to stare up at the empty sky. “Tell me what happened.”

“Her heart just quit. I found her this morning when I woke up. After that last seizure, the doctors said it wouldn’t be much longer.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose and swallowed. “Do they have to do an autopsy?” His voice broke. “Or can you plan the service?”

“The coroner told me I can go ahead and make arrangements now. Everyone knows what killed my sister.” Anger filled Pris’s voice. “Who killed her.”

Ice water streamed through his veins, and he let out a shaky breath. “I’ll be there, of course. Just tell me when.”

“I was hoping you could come now and stay a while.”

Tears slid down his cheeks, and he didn’t bother to wipe them away. “I’m in the middle of filming. I’m afraid it’ll have to be a short trip.”

“Oh.” Pris’s voice was flat.

He didn’t know what to say. There was nothing he could say.

“I need a few days to pull everything together. I was thinking Tuesday, midday, just a simple graveside service. I can’t handle anything more than that.”

“That’ll be fine, Pris. Just send all the bills to me.” He couldn’t talk anymore. Couldn’t think about Josie in terms of burial arrangements. Bile rose in his throat, and for a moment he was afraid he’d puke. Sweat broke out above his lip, and he breathed heavily through his nose.

“I guess I’ll see you then.”

“Yeah.” He forced himself to speak again. “Take care of yourself.”

“I will. I’ve got no one else to care for, not now.” She dissolved into sobs as the connection broke.

Blake rested the cell on his thigh and closed his eyes. Josie had been gone for over a decade, ever since the accident that had taken her mind if not her body, kept alive by machines. In his heart, he knew her death was a blessing, a freeing of a spirit trapped by corporeal bonds. But the pain of losing her slashed him to the core all over again to leave him raw and aching.

“Blake?”

Blinking back tears, he opened his eyes. Eden stood several yards away. Discomfort shifted across her face, but she took a couple of steps closer.

“Are you sick? You don’t look so good.”

“I’m fine.” A complete lie, but what the hell was he supposed to say?

“I came to tell you I’ll be working with Apollo today if you’re still up for our bet, but maybe now isn’t a good time. You look like death warmed over.” She crossed her arms below her breasts. “From the noise level over here last night, I’d say there was quite a party going on.”

“I’m not hungover, if that’s what you’re implying. I don’t drink.” His temples throbbed. Just thinking was an effort. He didn’t have a scene scheduled until late this morning, and what the hell was he supposed to do with himself until then? Brood about how he should have been driving when the pickup hit them head on. Then he’d be the one to be buried on Tuesday instead of Josie. Might as well ride the damn horse and let it kick his ass. Focusing on physical pain would be a hell of a lot easier than the current dull ache in his chest. He let out a shuddering breath. “Sure, I’ll ride Apollo.”

Her gaze held steady for a long moment. “Fine. Meet me in the corral in an hour, if that works for you.”

He nodded. “I’ll be there.”

The blue eyes regarding him darkened. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’ve been better, but I can still ride that horse.”

She opened her mouth then shut it and shrugged. “See you in an hour.” Turning on her booted heel, she walked away.

His eyes smarted again. Eden’s slim figure and confident stride reminded him of Josie. Eighteen and brimming with enthusiasm the summer after high school graduation, she had plans to go back east to college. He’d been home from UCLA, and they’d picked up their relationship right where they’d left off. The party up in the hills behind Blue Valley had been just like old times. Since he’d been drinking, Josie had insisted on driving home.

He closed his eyes to ward off the memory of those bright headlights aimed straight toward them. The oncoming pickup had swerved to avoid a deer. The doe had survived. Josie hadn’t, even though it had taken twelve long years for her heart to stop beating. The doctors said she was braindead, but her determined spirit wouldn’t let go…

He jackknifed up out of the chair, sending it clattering to the ground. He’d go force down some food then ride that wild stallion. Anything to keep from dwelling on the past. All he could do now was focus on the future.

With no desire for company, he took a plate of pancakes back to his bus then sat at the table by the window overlooking the mountains and ate slowly while he checked flight schedules. The nearest airport to the ranch was in Cody. He’d fly into Boise, a two-hour drive from his childhood home in Blue Valley.

He stared at his phone and frowned. “Two plane changes? Are you freaking kidding me? I could drive to Eastern Oregon faster.” He stabbed another chunk of pancake then chewed while he considered his options.

The studio’s jet was his best bet if he didn’t want to spend two full days traveling, not to mention John would have a fit if he was gone for longer than overnight and dared to upset the shooting schedule. Dropping his fork, Blake reached for his cell to send off a quick text to the producer. A minute later his phone rang. By the time he’d explained he had a family emergency and needed the jet to fly to Boise, it was nearly time to meet Eden.

At least he had his emotions under control again, along with his travel plans. He dumped the last of his breakfast in the trash then left the bus. Over in the corral, Eden had placed a saddle and bridle on the big Appaloosa. With a lead rope attached, she walked the horse in slow circles. Every now and then, the low drone of her voice carried to him on the breeze. Apparently she was doing her best to calm the beast.

“He looks as docile as the old pony I had as a kid,” he called out as he approached.

Eden glanced over and smiled when he stopped beside her pair of border collies and rested his forearms on the fence rail. “Keep telling yourself that.”

Blake studied the stallion for a long moment. Was there a nefarious gleam in the horse’s eyes as the animal returned his stare, or was it just his imagination? “Maybe I should have stuffed a pillow in my jeans to make the landing a little softer.”

Her rich laugh filled some of the empty space in his chest. “That, I would like to see. It would have made a great companion photo to the one of you mucking out stalls in the barn.”

“Don’t count your chickens yet, smarty. I might just be a better rider than you think.”

She led the horse toward the fence, and it shied away with a snort. “You can still back out of the bet. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

He grimaced. “Far too late for that.”

Her brows lowered beneath a tan cowboy hat. “Excuse me?”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll ride the horse. Fighting a battle I at least stand a chance of winning will be a refreshing change.”

She gave him another look but didn’t respond until he lifted the latch on the gate and entered the corral. “I’ll hold Apollo until you get in the saddle. After you land on the ground, Cookie and Cracker will herd him away to make sure he doesn’t kick you in the head.”

Blake rolled his eyes. “Gee, thanks.”

When the side door to the barn opened, he glanced over as one of the younger hands he’d seen around the ranch strolled out then stopped a short distance away. A grin spread across his face as he studied Blake.

“Need any help, Eden?”

Her eyes sparkled. “Hey, Roman. Blake plans to ride Apollo. You can time him for me, if you don’t mind. Once he hits the dirt, I’ll be too busy to check my watch.”

“Will do.”

Blake gritted his teeth as a couple of the set grips along with one of the bit part actors hurried over from the food truck. On the other side of the corral, Eden’s grandpa limped down the slope from his cabin.

Great, now he had an audience. “Let’s get this over with.”

“Whenever you’re ready.” She held tight to the bit as the horse shifted. “I’ve been on him a few times, but he’s nowhere near saddle-broken yet.”

Without responding, he slipped one foot into the stirrup and swung his leg over the Appaloosa’s broad back. The horse snorted as he gripped the reins. The second Eden released her hold and jumped away, the big horse reared. Clamping his legs around the stallion’s heaving sides, Blake held on just as tightly as he’d cradled Josie the night she’d slipped away from him. Blood had matted her hair and soaked into his shirt, but he hadn’t been able to get her to open her eyes…

Apollo spun and ran, kicking out as he galloped across the corral. Blake clung like a T-shirt shrunk in the wash, moving with the big animal as he tried to bring him under control. The Appaloosa was having none of it. He reared again and aimed toward the fence to brush him off. When Blake hit the wooden rail, his grip loosened, and a mighty kick sent him flying through the air. He hit the ground with enough force to knock the breath out of him.

The dogs’ excited barking rang in his ears as he fought to drag air into his lungs. When he opened his eyes, Eden bent over him.

She reached out to touch the side of his face. “You okay?”

“Yep. Give me a moment.” He took a couple more jagged breaths then struggled to sit up. “Still alive and kicking, though maybe not as hard as that damn horse.”

She smiled. “Nothing’s broken, I hope?”

“I don’t think so. Wow, I haven’t taken a fall that hard since I tumbled out of a tree when I was ten, and I’ve gotten some serious bruises doing my own stunts.”

“I warned you. Do you need help getting to your feet?”

“Maybe. Talk about role reversal. Didn’t we just do this, but you were the one lying in the dirt?”

She put an arm around him to help him up off the rock-hard ground. “You should have been smart enough to learn from my experience.”

“You’d think.” Not that he minded his current position with one of her soft breasts tucked against his side. When she stepped away, almost every inch of his body began to throb…and not in a good way. He groaned. “God, I really am an idiot.”

Blue eyes flashed with concern. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

He nodded. “Bruised but not broken. How long did I last on Apollo?”

“I’m not sure.” She turned with him to head back toward the barn. “Hey, Roman, what was his time?”

The young hand pushed longish blond hair out of his eyes and smiled. “Sixteen seconds. Not bad at all.”

Blake straightened. “Seriously? Hey, I won the bet.”

“I guess you did.”

Jasper Wilde strolled over to meet them at the gate. “I told you he was playing you, Eden. Nice job up on that horse, young man.”

“Thanks. I’m amazed I lasted as long as I did. I felt like a rag doll being tossed around in that saddle.”

“Keeping loose helps you move with your mount. The last thing you want is to stiffen up.” She gave him a quick smile. “You let me know when you want that ranch tour, but right now I have to catch Apollo and get the saddle off him.”

“I’ll help you.” The young hand, Roman, rested his fists on his hips. “I owe you one.”

Eden’s brows shot up. “You do?”

“Yep, you turned Zane down yesterday, so he’s letting me have his spare ticket to the Kent McCord concert tomorrow night.” Roman’s blue eyes narrowed. “I was pretty surprised when he told me. I thought you were a huge country music fan.”

She grimaced. “I am. I’d kill to see Kent McCord, but going to Billings with Zane…” She let out a sigh. “Well, it wouldn’t have worked out.”

“Your loss is my gain.” Roman stepped back. “I’ll go round up Apollo for you.”

“Thanks.”

When Eden turned, Blake laid a hand on her arm. “Kent is a friend of mine. If you want to see him perform, I could probably set something up. He has a lot of stops on this tour.”

Her eyes widened. “Really?”

“Sure. I’ll give him a call.”

“Wow, thanks. Billings is probably the nearest city he’ll play, but I have to double for Kara in a scene tomorrow afternoon, and Zane…” She broke off. “Maybe if I didn’t have to travel too far I could manage to get away.”

“I’ll see where he’s scheduled to go next.”

“That’s really nice of you.”

Blake glanced at his watch. “Thanks to your horse, I’m filthy. I’d better go shower again and change or I’ll be late for my call. See you later, Eden.” With a nod to her grandpa, he headed back toward the encampment of buses and motorhomes.

Blake had cleaned up and dressed in his costume before it occurred to him he’d sloughed off the morning’s depression along with the dirt. Though he’d always miss Josie and regret her senseless loss, he couldn’t let himself sink back into melancholy and guilt. He’d put those emotions behind him long ago, and Josie wouldn’t want him to wallow in despair a second time.

Armed with more positive thoughts, he headed toward Jasper’s small cabin, which would be the backdrop for the scene they were filming. While he waited for his first big, on-screen kiss with Kara, he pulled out his phone and scrolled through his contacts to call Kent. He’d met the country star years ago at a charity event in Hollywood, and the two had found they had a lot in common. A friendship formed, despite the fact they rarely ran into each other. Theirs wasn’t the only relationship he’d neglected because of work. It’d been nearly a year since he’d visited his sister and nephews. As for dating, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen the same woman for longer than a few weeks. Maybe he needed to slow down the pace of his career and enjoy life more.

With a sigh, he tapped the screen to call Kent’s cell and was amazed when the man actually answered.

“Hey, buddy. How’s life been treating you?”

Blake thought about telling the truth for two whole seconds before giving the traditional response. “Just fine. Actually, I’m not too far from you right now. I’m on location in Wyoming and heard you have a show in Montana tomorrow night.”

“In Billings. Can you come? Do you want tickets?”

“I can’t make it tomorrow, but I was wondering where else you’ll be performing. I met a woman who’s a big fan, and—”

Kent’s deep chuckle filled his ear. “You must be losing your touch if you have to use me to get a date.”

“It’s not like that.” He paused to run a hand over the back of his neck as a vision of Eden’s bright blue eyes flashed through his mind. “Actually, I wouldn’t mind taking this lady out. She has a lot of spirit, but I get the impression she’s not interested. Still…”

“We head down to Cheyenne on Sunday, and then I have a show in Boise, Idaho Tuesday night before flying up to Seattle. Will any of those stops work for you?”

Blake turned away from the activity as the director shouted instructions to the crew setting up the scene. “You’re in Boise on Tuesday? I’ll be in Eastern Oregon for…family business that afternoon. I was planning to fly out of Boise Tuesday night, but I could change my plans to leave the next morning. If Eden wants to come with me, we could see your concert.”

“I’ll leave front row will call tickets and backstage passes for you at the door.”

He smiled. “What woman could turn down an offer like that? Thanks, Kent. It’ll be good to catch up.”

“Happy to do it.”

Blake glanced over his shoulder as John yelled his name. “I’ve got to go. They’re ready for me on set.”

“No problem. I’ll see you and your lady Tuesday night.”

“Thanks, again. I appreciate it.” Blake turned off his phone then shoved it in the pocket of his dungarees. Mentally changing gears, he rolled up the sleeves of his loose, homespun shirt and adjusted his hat. Ready as he’d ever be.

He wasn’t much in the mood to film a passionate embrace with Kara. Now if Eden were doubling for her in the scene, he’d be a lot more interested. Still, he could fake enthusiasm with the best of them. He straightened his shoulders and pasted on the smile that entranced female movie-goers across the world—or so he’d been told. No one who watched the film would ever guess a piece of his heart had died today.