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“I’ve got you all loaded up,” Riley said, gesturing toward the door. He’d put the rest of her supplies in the bed of her truck, and she couldn’t have been more grateful. It was hot as hell out and her back was already sore from all the chores she’d done earlier at the ranch.

She gave Riley a firm pat on the shoulder and pushed out the door. It jingled shut behind her as she glanced up at the darkening sky. Thunder rolled softly in the distance, due north. If she was right, and she usually was when it came to summer monsoons, her place would be getting hit soon. She piled her remaining supplies into the extended cab and crawled in behind the wheel. She mulled over what all she needed to do when she got home as she drove back toward the ranch. The chores seemed never-ending as of late and she was plain old exhausted. Add to that the fact that the ranch was in financial trouble, two of her best broodmares had run off that morning, which she had yet to locate, and she was damn near ready to collapse she was so overwhelmed. And she wondered, not for the first time, if Ricky and Pedro had anything to do with the missing mares. If they did, there would be hell to pay. Not showing up for work was one thing, but stealing from her was a whole other thing completely.

“What a day,” she said with a sigh. And what was she going to do about Ricky and Pedro if they showed back up for work tomorrow? It had happened before. A guy named Zane she’d had working for her would no-show for a day or two and then miraculously reappear as if nothing had happened. She let it carry on for as long as she could tolerate before she finally let him go. She’d hurt for help after that for a good while until she’d found somebody new. Now she was in a similar quandary with what to do. Should she really fire their sorry asses if they returned and refused the drug test? Or give them a stern warning and allow them to continue to work? She was rubbing her tired eyes as she drove down the private road toward her ranch when she saw it.

She leaned forward in her seat, trying for better focus. But it was what she’d originally thought. Smoke. She slowed as she grew closer, panicked that it was the beginnings of a wild fire. But it wasn’t a wildfire. It was a small yellow car parked off the side of the road, facing her. She crept alongside it, not expecting to see anyone, not out in this heat, and not with such heavy smoke billowing out of the vehicle. But there she was. A woman. A lone woman sitting behind the wheel crying.

Vaughn braked and reversed. She pulled off the road and killed her engine.

“What in the hell are you doing out here?” Vaughn whispered, hesitating to ask her that directly. After a short inner debate though, she eventually decided to climb out of her truck and cross the road to do just that. Her boots kicked up dust as she walked, and the woman hurriedly wiped at her face as she saw Vaughn approach.

“I’m fine,” the woman let out, startling Vaughn. “I’m okay, really. No need to bother.”

Vaughn stopped next to the car, grimacing at the irritating pungency of the smoke. “You aren’t a bother,” she said, searching her face for clues as to who she was and why she was on her private road. But none seemed to be forthcoming, leaving Vaughn with nothing to do but take in her short, raven-black hair and captivating green eyes. She was a beauty.

“Really,” the woman said. “I’m okay.”

Vaughn forced herself to focus, and as the woman turned to look at her again, Vaughn noticed what looked like bruising on her neck. Vaughn wondered what it was from, or rather, who it was from. “It doesn’t look it,” she said, shifting her gaze back to the smoking hood. The woman followed her line of sight.

“Oh, it’ll be fine.”

The woman was being ridiculous. “I don’t think so.”

“It will,” the woman insisted. “I’m just going to wait it out.”

Vaughn checked the surrounding desert, concerned that maybe whoever had left those marks was hiding somewhere nearby. But she saw no one. “Really?”

“Sure.”

Thunder cracked loudly overhead. Vaughn looked up just as fat drops of rain began to fall and slap the dry earth. Vaughn held out her palms, enjoying the feel of the cold droplets but worrying about her mares. She needed to get home; she didn’t have time to wait on this beautiful but battered stranger. Still, something told her to stay, that the woman needed help even though she wasn’t directly asking for it.

“Yeah, well, just so you know, no one else is likely to come by here this evening.” She leveled her gaze at her. “No one besides me.”

The woman seemed to think that over and, for a second, Vaughn thought she’d caused her enough concern to concede that help was needed. But then she put on the plastic smile again. “That’s okay.”

Vaughn glanced back at the engine. Orange flames were now tickling the edges of the hood. She reached for the door handle.

“Enough small talk,” Vaughn said. “It’s time to get out of the car.”

“What?” She appeared alarmed. “No.”

“Ma’am, the car is on fire. It’s dangerous to remain inside.”

“On fire?” She looked through the windshield, trying to see. “I don’t—”

“Come on, you’ve got to get out now.” Vaughn opened the door and reached for her arm, but the woman pulled away from her.

“I can do it,” she said.

Vaughn held up her hands. “Okay.”

The woman reached into the passenger seat to grab her purse and some grocery bags. Vaughn eyed the burning engine, worried she wasn’t moving fast enough.

“Come on, now,” she said. “You’ve got to hurry.”

The woman stood with the bags in tow. Vaughn tried to help her, but the woman pointed at the hatchback instead. “My bag,” she said. “And my laptop. They’re in the back.”

Vaughn hurried to the back, popped the door, and retrieved the bags. And just as they began to walk away from the car, there was an enormous bang and the woman smashed into Vaughn in sheer fright, careening them both onto their backs on the dirt road. Heavy drops of rain pelted Vaughn as she blinked for focus. Once up on her elbows, Vaughn could see that the hood had blown and the entire front end of the car was now engulfed in flames. She secured her hat and crawled to her feet, already able to feel the pressing heat from the fire, and helped the woman stand.