Second Chance Rancher by Patricia Thayer Page B

He’s been waiting all morning for you.”
    â€œI drew a picture for him.” Holding the paper up, the child ran off.
    After the screen door shut, Kase turned to Laurel. She was dressed in a dark slim skirt, giving him a glimpse of her long, shapely legs while the cream-colored silky blouse caressed the curve of her breasts. His thoughts wandered until he directed his attention to her face. Light makeup enhanced her eyes, and he loved that she wore her hair down. “I like your hair that way,” he said.
    She smiled shyly. “Thank you.”
    â€œIf you have some time, Gus would like to speak with you. But before you go inside, I need to discuss something with you.”
    She blinked those big green eyes at him. “Sure.”
    â€œIt’s about the phone call you got the other day. I had the number checked out. We got a location. It was from a pay phone outside a Denver restaurant. There’s no way to trace it back to Jack.”
    She sighed. “Of course, that would make it too easy to find him.”
    â€œLook, Laurel. I know it’s disappointing, but I’m more concerned that this guy might try to contact you again, or even come back to see you.”
    Laurel clenched her fists. “If Jack does, I have a few things to say to him before I call the sheriff.”
    He frowned. “Calling the sheriff is a good idea, but not confronting him. This guy might not have a police record, but he stole money from you, and he has connections with some pretty sleazy characters. And that worries me because the word is Jack owes them money, too. And if they find out about your connection to him, they might come after you for it.”
    She studied him. “How did you find this out?”
    â€œI have a great PI, Clark Johnson. I asked him to do some investigating. He talked with some of the neighbors at Aldrich’s last address. Seems there are some rough-looking characters also looking for him.”
    â€œHow much did this investigator of yours cost?”
    Kase knew she would want to pay him. “He’s on retainer with the law firm.”
    â€œBut you don’t work there anymore.”
    â€œLet’s just say he owed me a favor.”
    â€œMy dad and Trent already had Jack investigated last year. We already knew he was a gambler and needed money to pay back debts.”
    He had a feeling Jack’s problems were much more than a few debts. “Just be careful, Laurel. Aldrich might be a two-bit hustler, but he’s on the run. That makes him dangerous. So if he calls again, let me know.”
    â€œKase, I don’t want you to get involved in my mess. It was my mistake to believe Jack, and it cost my family.”
    Did she truly believe this was all her fault? “This guy deceived everyone, Laurel, including Trent and your dad.”
    She avoided his gaze. “I just feel so stupid for falling for his lies.”
    He touched her cheek and made her look at him. When those emerald eyes glistened, he found himself mesmerized by her. “When we fall in love, we aren’t always smart. You loved the guy.”
    She sighed. “Who said love had anything to do with it?” She turned and headed toward the house, leaving Kase shaking his head and wondering why the hell she had been going to marry the guy then.
    * * *
    T HIRTY MINUTES LATER , Laurel had gone to the Rawlinses’ barn to check Gus’s horses. He might have only a half dozen, but they were all quality quarter horses. Gus had asked her to exercise Romeo, and she couldn’t refuse. After she changed into a pair of jeans and boots she kept in her truck, she took the roan stallion out into the corral. She climbed into the saddle and began to ride him around the arena, and slowly the tension from her day, and the disappointing news from Kase, began to disappear on this magnificent horse.
    Not ten minutes later, Kase came out of the barn with Honor’s Promise. The big chestnut