Chapter 8

Chapter

Eight

Walker was ready to burst with conflicting emotions by the time dinner finished and he and Marci helped his mama and papa clean up and then they went into the security center next to the home office to wait for news from Aiden. It was almost eight p.m. their time, which meant almost ten in Florida. The instructions from the perps should be coming in and Autumn would act on them.

He wanted Marci's grandmother safe and the men apprehended. He wanted Wilhelm Frederick and Benjamin Oliver captured. He wanted Marci never to leave his side. He wanted her to be his, not Easton's.

He'd been angry at Clint when Lily stayed with his sheriff brother as a fake fiancé protection detail. Now he was getting a taste of his own medicine. Clint had felt torn apart trying to keep himself from kissing and loving Lily because of his loyalty to Walker.

Now the situation was flip flopped and Walker was the one fighting his longing for Marci because of Easton. He needed to apologize to Clint, find Easton and tell him he couldn't resist Marci for one more moment, and then kiss Marci until she had to leave him. Could they set up plans to date long distance?

He shook his head at himself. They weren't dating. At all. Easton thought Marci was his special someone. Walker felt the same. If Marci could truly be Easton's ‘one' and help him heal from ten years of heartache, Walker was being a jerk, but if Marci was truly Walker's right fit, he couldn't back down. Not this time.

She'd probably be returning to Florida tonight or in the morning. What a mess.

Marci reached over and clasped his hand.

Everything settled and there wasn't a concern or worry in Walker's mind. Of course Marci was meant to be his. Of course she wouldn't leave him. If she had to go back to her Florida home, she'd come back for him. He'd go visit the beautiful beach for her.

Walker intertwined their fingers and rubbed his thumb along the back of her soft hand. She smiled tremulously up at him. He raised their clasped hands and pressed a kiss to the back of hers. His own breathing shortened and warmth filled him. Her mouth softened, and if his dad hadn't been sitting next to them, he would've kissed her. This was hardly the time.

"Abuelita will be fine," he said softly. "Autumn is incredible. I've heard about her taking down multiple men at once."

She nodded, but her mouth wasn't soft any longer. "Is Autumn after you?"

"Pardon me?"

His dad darted a glance at him and then focused on the computer monitors that showed multiple camera angles of the ranch.

"Autumn, the female bodyguard who's impersonating me," she clarified. "Mama Millie said something about her being after her boy."

"Oh." Walker chuckled and exchanged a look with his dad. He well remembered that uncomfortable scene when Miles and Eva had been talking to Autumn and Easton started flirting with her over video chat. Mama had not been happy with Autumn's innuendos. Mama always loved and welcomed everyone, but Walker hoped for Autumn's sake she never came to the ranch.

"No, Autumn's after Easton." He studied her carefully. Would that upset her?

"Every mujer is after Easton," she said.

"For sure," he agreed, wishing he could read her. Was she after Easton? Every woman included her, correct? Dang.

Papa's phone rang.

Aiden.

"Hello." He pushed the speaker button.

"Jared." Aiden's charming lilt came over the phone. "I have some … interesting updates."

"What's happened?" Papa asked.

"Abuelita?" Marci begged to know.

"Marci, I'm afraid we have nothing on Abuelita yet. A boat came up to the dock. A man climbed out, took the suitcase from Autumn, and jumped back onto the boat without a word. The suitcase has a tracker and some of the bundles of money have trackers hidden in them. Autumn also discreetly slid a tracker into the man's pocket, more to throw him off and think that's the only tracker. We have a team on a cabin cruiser following the trackers. The one Autumn placed and the suitcase tracker got dumped in the ocean fairly quick. The other three are leading them south toward Cuba, but neither our boat nor the boat they're pursuing has enough gas to make it to Cuba. I had other boats waiting but we sent them back to add extra fuel. They're now en route, but who knows if they'll reach them in time. Sorry I don't have better news."

"At least Autumn got a tracker on him to distract him. That was quick thinking," his dad said.

"For certain, but why didn't they take her with them? If they wanted Marci. Maybe they recognized it was the wrong person?"

"Maybe."

"I'll be in touch."

Aiden hung up. They were left sitting there. What to do now? What to say?

"I'm sorry, Marci," his dad said.

"Me too," Walker said.

" Gracias ." She gave them a brave smile. "I think I'll try to get some rest."

"I'll walk you up to your room." Walker stood, keeping her hand clasped in his.

" Buenas noches ," she murmured to his dad.

"Night."

His dad watched them go. Walker didn't know what Easton may have told their dad before he left. Did his dad think Walker was overstepping bounds by holding Marci's hand? She needed comfort. And he needed her.

Shoot. He was in a mess.

They walked quietly out of the security office into the entry and up the stairs. Marci clung to his hand. She didn't say anything. They reached her room and Marci turned to him. Her dark eyes glittered with moisture.

"Oh, Marci." He squeezed her hand, at a loss. "I'm so sorry. Aiden's people are following those trackers. They'll find Abuelita."

"What if she gets shot in the crossfire? Or maybe they've already killed her." She sniffled. "If they haven't, they'll probably dump her in the ocean now that they have their money."

"I'm sorry," he offered lamely. "If it is Wilhelm Frederick, he wanted you first and foremost for the information he thinks you have about the spy. He'll keep Abuelita alive."

"There is no spy." She shook her head and pulled her hand free, wrapping her arms around herself and leaning against the wall. "Wilhelm and King Frederick are obsessive idiots. My inspiration comes from heaven, not from some spy."

It was incredible to get the insight about her inspiration. He wanted to read one of her books. He also wanted to hug her and have her lean against him. Did he dare ask her to go on a nighttime horseback ride to get her mind off the stress she was going through? It sounded amazing to him, but probably not what she needed right now.

"What's your Abuelita like?" he asked.

"Ah." She smiled tremulously. "Bless you for asking. Abuelita is an interesting contrast of classy and spicy. She has loads of money and loves to spend it on all her favorite charities. She's full of jokes and sass and sometimes spit and vinegar as my dad would say. We used to joke that if someone kidnapped Abuelita, they'd bring her right back." She paused, her smile slipping. "But now I'm afraid she's mouthing off to them and they'll hurt her. These are awful men."

"They are," he agreed. "I'll be praying for Abuelita."

"Thank you."

There was a pause, then he said, "You just mentioned your dad. I thought you said yesterday that you didn't have any family besides Abuelita."

"I don't." She bit her lip. A few beats passed, and Walker didn't think she'd share any more with him. "Mi Papito, Abuelita's husband, died of a heart attack two years ago. I never knew my dad's parents. His side of the family lives in Italy and disowned him when he married a Christian from Cuba when my mother was on a study abroad in Milan. They married quick and moved to America."

"That's awful," he said. "That he was disowned, not that they married."

"It was more about the religion than the culture," she said, her dark eyes sad.

One family had disowned her, and on her mom's side she had only her grandmother left. His grandma and grandpa Coleville had passed, but he still had his Papa and Nana Trupp.

A mix of Italian and Cuban heritage explained her beautiful coloring and her grandmother's nickname.

"Marci Richards doesn't seem Italian or Cuban," he said when she didn't say anything for a few moments.

"My dad changed his last name from Ricardo to Richards when he moved to America. He seemed almost averse to his family's culture. We didn't talk about it. Ever. I thought about changing my last name to Bravo—Papito and Abuelita's last name—but …" She swallowed. "I already had a substantial following of readers and on social media with my name, so …"

What was she hesitating to tell him? She studied him as if debating something. He waited, hoping she trusted him enough to share.

"My parents and little brother, Jace, were killed in a head-on collision ten years ago." She rushed out the words as if saying them quickly would make it less painful.

"Oh, Marci." His stomach lurched.

Her Abuelita was truly all she had left, and she wasn't wrong in worrying that those men could've already killed her or would kill her now they had the money.

Walker stepped close and opened his arms, hoping he didn't look like a cheeseball and hoping she needed and wanted comfort.

She let out a cry and flung herself against him.

Walker wrapped her up tight and held her cradled against his chest. Her head fit perfectly in the crook of his neck. She wrapped her arms around his lower back and clung to him. She smelled of sweet, intoxicating coconut.

Holding her felt better than she smelled. Was it helping her?

After a few quiet minutes, she glanced up at him. Her eyes were still bright but a little more settled. " Gracias ," she said softly.

"Anytime." He meant it.

She smiled, and a ray of sunshine burst through the dark night. "I'm sorry to be a downer. Stressing about Abuelita, telling you about my parents and brother's deaths."

"You're not a downer. You're as positive as anyone I've ever been around, with more reason to be a downer. You're incredible, Marci."

"Thank you."

They stood close, but then she stepped back and released him. He studied her for a moment. "That's why you frowned when I hugged Mama in the kitchen."

"Pardon me?"

"You lost your parents. Did it make you feel sad to see me hugging my mama?"

"Oh, no. No, not at all. I loved that. I wanted to melt into a puddle of gooey emotion. I thought about how my cowboy hero in my new book is going to hug his mama, bend low and kiss her cheek, just like you did. It was perfect."

He wanted to be her cowboy hero. Was that how she saw him? "Why did you frown, then?"

"Oh … um … Well, look at the time. Let's get some rest. Buenas noches ."

He moved closer, not ready to say goodnight. "Why did you frown?"

"Just focused on that hero."

"Are you always focused on your writing?"

"Yes, always." Her smile was tight. "I'd better get in my room and type away. I've got all the great material from the horseback ride." Her gaze on his suddenly made him warm and made him think he did have a chance to steal her heart before Easton returned. What kind of awful brother was he turning out to be? Instead of keeping her safe for Easton, he wanted to steal her away.

"And then all the horrific emotions about Abuelita and why they took the money but didn't touch Autumn." Marci swallowed and then said, "Hmm. I'll have to riddle out what I would have happen in a novel with the villain." She pushed her door open and walked inside. "Goodnight. Thank you."

" De nada ." He tried the little bit of Spanish he remembered, hoping for a smile. She rewarded him with one. "Do you want to work out in the morning again?"

"Yes, please. I'll try to go to bed earlier."

"We can lift at seven instead of six." He'd do all the chores first so he could focus on her for the rest of the day.

"Wonderful. That'll help. Thank you for everything."

He tipped his head to her, and she shut the door. He studied it for a minute, wondering what he'd done wrong. Was it remembering her parents' and brother's deaths, worrying about her grandma, or something else that had pulled her out of that hug? He should be grateful as she was helping him keep his word to Easton, but he felt sick inside instead.

Pulling his phone out, he typed in her name on a Google search. A smiling photo of her came up along with her website and different reviews and links to find her books. He looked over her website, noting how professional it was. She was an acclaimed success. Did a cowboy from Montana stand a chance with her?

Downloading a few of her suspense novels, he planned to start one after he got settled in the room next door. He'd have to go home and grab a few things. Striding to the stairs, he came up short halfway down as he saw Mama waiting in the foyer.

"Mama? Everything okay?" He hurried down to her.

She peered up at him. "What's going on with you and Marci?"

Mama was never one to waste words.

He pushed out a heavy breath. "I'm protecting her."

"You're doing a whole heck of a lot more than that with her." Mama gave him a challenging look. "Are you over Lily already?"

"I believe I am, but …" He pushed a hand through his hair. "It's not about me, Mama. Easton thinks Marci is the woman he's been looking for, the one to help him get over Cassie."

Mama's eyes widened. "Oh! Well, my goodness." She put a hand to her heart. "You think he'd finally settle down and stop chasing every girl?"

"That's what he said." He shrugged. He hoped Marci could help Easton. No. He really didn't. Should he tell Mama the connection and draw he felt to the mesmerizing author? What would she say?

"Hmm." She looked him over perceptively. "She seems to be obsessed with you."

He swallowed even as his blood ran hotter. He wished. "She's … whimsical." It was as good a word as any, but nothing to describe his dream woman. "She's using me as the inspiration for the cowboy in her next book. That's why she looks at me so deeply." It hurt to say the words even as he realized they were probably true. He was material for a book, not boyfriend material.

"Ah. That makes sense." Her eyes lit up. "Wouldn't that be something if Easton's heart healed and he settled down?"

"It would," he agreed. Just not with Marci.

Please not with Marci , he begged heaven above. Send another special angel for Easton and quick. Please.

"And you have no feelings for Marci?" Mama zoned in on him with that perceptive gaze of hers.

"She's an incredible lady." He chose his words carefully. "I told Easton I'd watch over her for him."

"It would be miraculous if Easton could find love with someone like Marci." Mama sighed. "But we saw what happened with Lily and Clint. Sometimes love sneaks up on you when you least expect it. Walker, you sweet boy, you are always willing to sacrifice your happiness for others. Maybe it's your turn to find love and joy."

Walker's heart leapt and warmth filled his chest. Was Mama giving her approval for him to swoop in and steal Easton's girl?

The warmth fled. He couldn't do that. Not to his brother.

She studied him. "Come on into the kitchen, love. Let's share some cookies before you go feed those horses one more time."

Walker walked with Mama into the kitchen and enjoyed her delicious cookies, but his mind kept riddling out that sentence. Was love sneaking up on him? How could he let that happen if Marci was the right one for his brother?