Twice in a Lifetime by Merline Lovelace

Author:Merline Lovelace [Lovelace, Merline]
Format: mobi
Tags: Suspense
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2001-06-25T05:00:00+00:00

Tomorrow came long before Rachel either expected or wanted it to. When the alarm clock dragged her from sleep at six-thirty, she grunted, lifted her head to check the time, and hit the snooze alarm. After a second and third buzz, she crawled out of bed.

She hadn’t exaggerated when she’d told Jake mornings weren’t her favorite time of day. If she’d had any pull at all with Dale’s boss, she would have urged the senator to sponsor a bill starting the work-day at noon. Trying to keep as quiet as possible, Rachel made her way down the creaky stairs and tiptoed past her aunt’s bedroom to start the coffee. With one cup downed and one cup in hand, she felt human enough to tackle the challenge of getting dressed.

This time, she’d dress appropriately for the early morning chill. An oatmeal-colored turtleneck sweater in thin, fine wool provided a layer of warmth under her buttery soft suede jacket. Thick socks padded her hiking boots. Although she would have preferred wool slacks to jeans, she suspected the tough denim would do a better job at protecting her legs from underbrush.

She brought Alice a cup of coffee and, at her aunt’s suggestion, detoured to the garage before she left for a pair of work gloves. Shivering in the dim light of the new day, she backed her convertible down the drive.

When the sports car bumped over the cattle guard and pulled into the Bar-H yard a half hour later, Taggart was waiting for her, as was Shad.

And Jake.

With the collar of the blue flannel shirt he wore under his sheepskin vest turned up and his black felt cowboy hat pulled down low, he looked big and tough and distinctly unfriendly.

“You’re late.”

“Not by my watch.”

Her breezy reply snapped his brows together. He stared at her for several unfathomable seconds, then spun on one boot heel and strode off.

Rachel swallowed a sigh. In the growing light of the new morning, with the mountains throwing jagged shadows across the valley and her breath pearling on the frosty air, she had to admit the idea of apologizing had seemed easier last night than it did right now.

“We’re takin’ two trucks,” Shad informed her in a voice noticeably lacking its former warmth. He jerked his chin toward the pickups. Each sported two ATVs lashed side by side in the truck beds. “You can ride with me.”

“She’s riding with me.”

Jake reappeared and tossed what looked like a folded blanket into the truck bed.

“Ms. Quinn and I have a few matters to discuss.”

Apparently Rachel would get her chance to apologize sooner than later. With a nod to Taggart, she climbed into the mud-streaked pickup.

Jake idled the engine and let Shad drive out first. Dust plumed behind the first truck, causing the second to lag well behind. So far behind, in fact, that a couple bends of the road soon cut off all sight of the lead vehicle. Rachel didn’t attach any particular significance to its absence until Jake hit the brakes and brought the pickup to a halt smack in the middle of nowhere.

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