Page 11 of The Cowbears of Curvy Bear Ranch

As soon as the waitress left, he fixed his gaze on Rachel. “Why did youcomehere?”

“I likethefood.”

“I don’t mean to the bar. Why did you come out to theranch?”

She stalled by opening the tea’s wrapper. She repeatedly dunked the tea bag into the steaming cup of hot water in an attempt to buy more time. Now would be a horrible time to tell him about Jimmy. Drunk and pissed off, he’d outright refuse to have anything to do with her or Jimmy. She’d have to wait until she could catch him in a sober, rational stateofmind.

He leaned forward and grabbed her wristlightly. “Why?”

As she pulled away, her stomach flipped. The longer she tried to talk to him, the worse the conversation would go. She couldn’t risk Jimmy’s life by approaching Brady at the wrongmoment.

She slid out of thebooth.

“Where are you going?” hedemanded.

“I can’t talk to you when you’relikethis.”

“So thereissomething you want to talk to meabout?”

“Yes, but now is clearly not therighttime.”

She flipped the hood up on her coat and dropped some cash on the table. It should be enough to cover the bill and tip. She didn’t want to wait for the food. She wouldn’t be able to eat itanyway.

“Goodbye,Brady.”

A stunned expression crossed hisface. “Wait.”

“I can’t.” She turned and walked away from the only man she’d everloved.

Outside, a snowstorm raged. Furious northern winds whipped across the edges of her coat as if looking for an opening. Snowflakes pelted her face. She shoved her hands into her jacket pockets and hurried towardhercar.

After settling into the driver’s seat, she shoved the key in the ignition and turned. Nothinghappened.

“God,notnow.”

She turned the key again. The car clicked a few times then stopped. She slammed her hands against the steering wheel. Seriously? Like she didn’t have enough to deal with already? Of course her damned car had chosen tonighttodie.

She leaned her head against the freezing faux leather and fought back tears. Sometimes it seemed like the entire world was conspiring against her. When would she finally catch abreak?

She stared out the snow-crusted window. Light from a nearby lamp fractured across the glass. In another life, she’d probably be enjoying the peaceful silence of a winter night. But tonight, the music of the night included howling wind and the choking sobs of a brokenwoman.

* * *

Brady stumbledout of the bar into the lashing storm. Across the street, he recognized the form of a woman bent over the steering wheel of her car. Was she in trouble? Maybe he’d be able to help her and at least do one thing righttoday.

The closer he came to the car, the more the woman’s shoulders heaved. She appeared to be crying. He sighed. Great, just what he needed right now, a hysterical woman. Like he didn’t already have enough problems now that Rachel had blown back intohislife.

He leaned into the wind and forced one foot in front of the other. His progress wasn’t very steady, but he’d get thereeventually.

When he finally reached the car, he swiped a hand across the driver’s side window and peered in. “Oh,hell.”

Startled, Rachel stared up at him through red-rimmed eyes. She unlocked the door and opened it a crack. “What are youdoing?”

“I was checking to see if you needed any help. I didn’t know it was you.” Damn, he didn’t mean for it to come outthatway.

She wiped a tear from underneath her eye. “I don’t needyourhelp.”

“Of course you don’t. You never did, right? What’s wrong? Carproblem?”