As they neared town, she noticed all their cars were scattered around the parking lot of the fancy new truck stop with lights so bright Lauren was sure it could be seen from space. Years ago, the corner where two highways crossed had been only a little gas station/convenience store with a trailer park in back. Now the truck stop took over the block and never closed.
Tims old Jeep, the one he refused to trade off, was by the gas pumps. Reids Mercedes was parked on the side. Laurens old blue Explorer was near the front door. Next to Reids car was a rusty junker of a pickup with a man leaning against it, his boots propped up on Reids Mercedess fender.
Lucas! Reid jerked away from Lauren and stormed toward the lights of the truck stop. I knew this was coming. Damn it, Reyes, get your boots off my car! His order sounded hollow in the still air, with no one around to notice but the tall figure with his boots still on the Mercedes.
Lauren and Tim slowed, staying in the shadows between light circles. Whats going on? she whispered.
Tim laughed. Im not sure, but I think Lucas Reyes is about to finally beat the hell out of Reid Collins.
Thats impossible. Lucas is always reasonable. She watched Reid running toward Lucas, his swearing firing in time to his footsteps. Reid was already out of control, but Lucas looked calm, driven, deadly. Something was wrong.
Youve got to stop this. She tried to pull Tim along. With no one else at the station, Tim was her only hope.
Stop it? Hell, I plan on watching the fight, then swear I didnt see a thing. Its about time someone straightened out a lie Reids been telling for twelve years. Maybe Lucas just got tired of him building on more lies. We all know he wasnt the hero that night, L, but Reid keeps bragging like he saved us all. He even did an interview with Texas Monthly about it a few months ago.
Lauren pulled Tim along. No. This isnt about the lie he told at the Gypsy House. This is something more. Just from his stance she knew Lucas Reyes hadnt come to talk.
Before her words died in the air, Reid stormed toward Lucas and ordered him again to get his boots off the Mercedes.
When Lucas didnt move, Reid yelled names at him as if they were in high school and not in their late twenties.
Lucas, dressed in Western clothes and not the suit he wore into court, slowly stood and widened his stance as Reid reached him.
Reid pointed his finger at Lucas as cusswords flew in rapid fire.
Lucas raised a fist and swung.
Lauren and Tim froze, watching. The lawyers fist connected with the part-time ranchers face. The sound echoed off the cloudy night as sharp as gunfire, then silence as Reid crumbled.
Did you see that? she whispered.
Yep. He flattened the guy with one blow. Im tempted to go over there and kick Reid for not putting up more of a fight.
They were still ten feet away when Lucas pulled out, leaving one of the richest men in Crossroadsa city councilman, a playboy, a liarspread out on the oil-spotted concrete.
Tim reached him first and shook Reids shoulder. You all right, slugger? Tim teased.
Reid groaned and rolled onto his side in the blood and dirt of the parking lot.
Tim finally offered his hand and pulled Reid to his feet.
You two saw what that bastard just did? Reid spit blood. Damn it, I knocked my tooth loose when I hit the ground. I swear Im filing charges. He may be a big-city lawyer, but he cant assault me just because I fired his old man.
Tim let go of him and Reid fell against his car, bloodying his nose again. Tim didnt seem to care. Reyes has been foreman at your ranch for years. The place would have never been a working ranch if he hadnt been there while you and your dad were traveling all over the country. Tim made a fist. You fired him? Thats the dumbest thing youve ever done, Reid.
Lauren gripped Tims arm, fearing Reid was about to get hit again.
Reid didnt notice. He was still spitting blood. Thats why were so far behind the times. I had to get rid of all the deadwood around the place. Ive got plans.
He wiped his nose on his suit jacket. Lucas is going to be so sorry he did this to me. Ill file charges. Hell lose his license to practice law. Ive got you two as witnesses.
Tim shook his head. Sorry, Reid, I didnt see a thing. I was trying to kiss Lauren. I think I might have heard a popping sound but Im not sure.
What? Reid swore. I should have known I couldnt depend on you. He looked at Lauren. At least Lauren is honest.
Lauren straightened and did something she never did. She lied. I was fighting off Tim. Hes been trying to kiss me since we were six. Im sorry, I didnt see anything but you lying by your car. I figured you were drunk again. I could swear to that if you want me to. Ive seen you drunk enough times to know.
Reid opened his car door, ignoring the blood dripping all over his white upholstery. You two will be sorry. I cant believe I ever thought of you as friends. The sooner I get out of this town, the better.
They watched him drive away, and then Tim whispered, You sorry, L?
Nope. How about you?
Im sorry I didnt see a thing. I would have really liked to help Reid out, Tim said in mock-seriousness. Hes been such a good friend of mine. Lies dripped out of Tims mouth faster than blood dripped out of Reids.
Yeah, me too. She laughed as she tugged him toward her car. How about we go check on Lucas.
You have any idea where he is?
I have an idea.
* * *
LAUREN APPROACHED THE grassland of the Double K Ranch by the watery light of the midnight sky. She was on Kirkland land now. This was the first ranch established in this part of the country and still the biggest spread for a hundred miles around.
Staten Kirkland knew that years ago she and Lucas used to come out here to watch the stars. He probably wouldnt be surprised that they still did. The Collins ranch, where Lucass dad had been foreman, bordered Kirklands. Lucas had grown up near here and hed spent his college years cowboying for the Double K on weekends. Hed ridden both spreads when hed been growing up and knew them well.
Lauren knew that if she had a chance of finding Lucas anywhere, it would be at this lonely spot where no lights from any town or ranch house could reach.
Parking her car on the county road, she pulled on her raincoat and climbed through the fence. As she neared the windmill, she didnt see his car but she saw the outline of the old pickup hed been driving in town.
She smiled. He might have been dumb enough to hit Reid Collins, but Lucas had enough sense not to drive his low BMW over dirt trails that didnt even qualify to be called roads.
Slowly she walked toward the silhouette. She knew the moment he spotted her. He straightened and faced her. Lucas Reyes might be a lawyer now, but he fit here. He was a man who came from the land. He was as much a part of it as it was of him.
Wheres that new BMW your mother told me you bought last month?
I traded it for the pickup. Told my dad to take it out for a spin. Lucass voice was clear but his face was lost in the night. Mom suggested a vacation might be nice. My father hasnt taken more than a long weekend off in years.
Wheres Tim? the shadow asked when she was ten feet away.
Wheres Tim? the shadow asked when she was ten feet away.
He didnt believe youd be out here. Tim said hed bet you were at one of the bars. Theres only two but he said it would take until closing time for him to make a complete sweep of the places.
Lucas huffed but didnt comment.
She moved closer, not knowing what to say to a man she hadnt seen in over a year but had been in her thoughts almost every day. Theyd been close once, but now she felt she barely knew him. Maybe she never had. His dark good looks were still there, but the favoring of his Hispanic heritage was almost gone from his voice.
Reid will probably sue me for hitting him, but Im not sorry.
He might, if he had a witness.
Lucas raised his head. You two were standing right there. You must have seen it.
I wasnt looking, she answered. Tim didnt see anything, either.
Lucas relaxed. If Im asked in court, I wont lie. I did hit him.
There it was, she thought, that bone-deep kind of honesty that she loved about Lucas. Since shed known him, Lucas had always done the right thing for his family, his career, his parents. The only one hed left out had been her. There wasnt room for her in his life, not in high school or college or now.
Reid wouldnt ask. Hed figure you would just lie as he would.
Youre right. Gambling on people to be honest is a fools bet most of the time. I learned that in court.
She pushed away thoughts of a love that had long ago died of starvation and tried to keep her mind on Lucass problem. You didnt tell anyone that Reid ran and didnt save us that night at the Gypsy House. He convinced the whole town that he was a hero. Remember, they even had an assembly to honor him? Id been too shy to speak up and Tim was home recovering, but you could have said something.
No one asked me what happened. Lucas put his hands on her waist and lifted her onto the pickups open tailgate. Everyone was listening to him. I didnt lie. I just didnt say anything. He moved a foot away and leaned on the side of the truck.
Lauren smiled, liking being at eye level to him and sensing they were still as comfortable around each other as ever. In the darkness it almost seemed like they were teenagers again and not a big-city lawyer and a small-town newspaper editor. Never argue with a lawyer, right?
And never believe a storyteller, right? he added. Ive been reading your Legends of the Plains articles online. I doubt all our ancestors were as brave as you painted them.
They both laughed.
He raised his hand and brushed her cheek. Ive missed you, Lauren. I think of you often.
When he leaned in to kiss her, she backed away. Were friends, Lucas, nothing more. Thats all it can be between us. She almost added that her heart wouldnt take another disappointment. Theyd almost connected a dozen times over the years and it always ended with him walking away.
Then why are you here? His words came fast and cold. I thought you came out to see me, but youre looking for a story?
Maybe shed hurt his pride or maybe shed simply reminded him that nothing more than friendship ever worked between them. The easy way theyd had with one another a moment ago was gone. She wanted it back, but she wasnt brave enough to deal with him stepping closer again.
Im worried about you, thats all, she answered. Did Reid really fire your father? Hes the best ranch foreman around.
Lucas hesitated and she feared that he wouldnt talk about it. Ranch folks usually kept their business close to the vest. Finally, his words came low. Yes. Fired him yesterday morning and told him to be moved out before dawn tomorrow. After thirty years, my parents had forty-eight hours to load up. His voice was dull, all emotion spent. He also fired most of the hands. Told them to have their belongings out of the bunkhouse by dark. My folks had everything crammed in one of the cattle trucks by the time I drove in from Houston. Theyre sleeping in town tonight with friends.
What about your brothers and sisters?
The youngest two are away at college. I dont think Dads even told them yet. My two sisters are married and farm down by Brownfield. One brother joined the army last year. The girls drove in to help yesterday. All the cowhands on the place pitched in to help, but it was chaos. I heard Mom cried all day. I finally got them settled after dark and went looking for Reid. He laughed without humor in his tone. To tell the truth I didnt think Id find him. When I saw his car at the truck stop I didnt have a plan.
Why did he do this all at once? What was the hurry?
Theyve been selling off pieces of the ranch for years. My dad wasnt surprised. I think he saw it coming. Lucas plowed his fingers through dark straight hair. He said last Christmas that if they sold any more land there wouldnt be enough pasture to switch cattle into.
I dont think the people in town were aware of it shrinking. Ranch folks might not talk, but town people did.
One of the hands told me today that Reid hired a manager out of Fort Worth to come in and close the ranch down while he rushed over to Austin to go to a party. The manager brought in a crew, men who look like hired thugs, not cowhands. Hes selling off the cattle left on the place, and word is the horses are going tomorrow.
Do you think Reids father knows what hes doing?
I dont think he cares. Most of the good pastureland is already gone and who will want a big house in the middle of nowhere? But once the lands gone, its gone. If I had the money, Id be tempted to buy it and show Reid what a ranch like that could be. If profits were poured back into the operation it would really be something, but theyve been bleeding it dry for years.
This Lucas, Lauren understood. The planner. The kid who was born on a horse and loved the land. If he ever got the chance, hed build a ranch just like he built a career in law.
Only ranches like the big ones in Texas were inherited, not bought.
She brushed Lucass hand. Youre losing the place where you grew up.
Yeah, but it was never mine. My folks moved into the foremans house not long after they married, but it wasnt theirs. The place where they raised their kids vanished in forty-eight hours.
Lauren understood but didnt know how to help. The memories will be with you, Lucas. The love in that house lives on.
Right, he answered quickly. But I swear before I ever bring a child into this world, Ill have a place thats mine.
Another hurdle, she thought. Lucas had to have everything right, everything in place before hed allow himself to think about living his life. There would never be enough time for all his dreams...enough time for her in his life.
A light began to glow from the north, almost like the sun had decided to come up early in a new location.
They turned and watched it for a few heartbeats, then Lucas whispered, Fire! as if saying the word too loud would make it real. Its on the Bar W. Dad and the cowhands arent there to deal with it.
Lauren stood watching in disbelief. The Bar W, Collins land. She knew little about ranches, but she knew fire in this open country could be deadly.
He grabbed her hand and they started running toward the front of the pickup.