Page 20 of Fatal Deception
He wanted to laugh. What aliarshe was. She’d just tried to kick him out a few minutes ago. He wondered what made this woman so determined to reject help. He understood fromhim. But her own friends? Family? What the hell was that about?
“Be safe, Audra,” Mrs. Kirk said, hugging Audra close to her, and giving Copeland a look like “you better take care of her.”
And, because he didn’t know what the hell else to do, he nodded like he would.
Mrs. Kirk stepped back, gave Audra a wave and left. Audra closed the door, but didn’t move. Didn’t turn to face him. She just stood there, back to him.
He could have let it go. Heshouldhave let it go. But he couldn’t deny he was shocked that she’d let Mrs. Kirk think anything was happening between them. He’d have thought her pride would be too big to handle the weight of such an outright lie.
“You let her think we’re sleeping together.”
Her shoulders slumped a bit as she turned and leaned back against the door. He watched with more fascination than he should have as her cheeks turned a deep shade of pink. “She won’t worry so much if she thinks you’re hanging around for…personal reasons,” Audra muttered.
“And heaven forbid anyone worry about you?”
Her chin came up. “I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time.”
Yeah, he didn’t doubt it. And it was certainly none of his concern, not his responsibility to swoop in and take some of those weights.
But he washere. “Put me to work, Audra.”
Chapter Seven
Audra didn’t want Copeland underfoot. She was convinced he’d be more hindrance than help.
She should have known better. Everything she told him to do—mostly grunt work that required little more than muscle and following directions—he did. Easily. Efficiently. Without complaint. Quite the improvement on Rosalie, who helped when she had time, but didn’tenjoyranch work and liked to be verbal about that.
Except when she was feeling guilty about how much Audra did. Then she’d try to keep her mouth shut, and that was always worse. Because Rosalie’s guilt made Audra feel guilty, and like she had to prove just how much more she could handle it all on her own.
She was too exhausted today to even convince herself this wasn’t easier. If she didn’t have Copeland helping, she would have spentweeksrecovering from how far behind she’d be. She likely would havehadto ask Norman for some help.
And then Duncan and Rosalie would have tried to convince hertheyshould hire some help, becausetheyhad the money to spare, and it was afamilyranch.
Except she was the only one who cared about the ranch. So why should she accept their pity money? She could do this on her own. Shewasdoing this on her own. This was just a blip because…
Someone…wanted to scare her for some reason.
She just wished she had any inclination aboutwhowould want to scare her and make her life harder. The fact that she couldn’t think of anyone left her feeling…stupid. Was she that naive? Thinking most people she dealt with liked her or didn’t think of her at all?
She glanced at Copeland as they walked back to the house. It was early yet, but the sun was setting and he’d made some complaints about her wandering around after dark. Complaints she couldn’t quite argue with.
Especially since he hadn’t complained about working through lunch. Hadn’t asked for a break or said he had to go do his own work. He’d actually been…the perfect help today.
How annoying. “I guess you’re a natural,” she told him. “For a city boy.”
He grinned at her, and that wasn’t fair. The way that grin crinkled his eyes and softened the harshness of the sharp angles of his face. The way it seemed to dance inside of her, far too close to attraction for her to accept.
“Actually, I grew up in the suburbs,” he said. “Moved to Denver when I got a job with the PD.”
“You know, to us folks out here, city and suburbs is essentially all the same.”
He looked around, and she didn’t know what he felt when he took in the mountains, the pastures, the vast, never-ending landscape. “Guess that’s fair, all in all.”
He stopped abruptly, and when he did, she heard the faint putter of an engine coming up the drive. Copeland put an arm in front of her to stop her forward movement, and she noted his other hand went to the weapon she hadn’t fully realized he’d kept on his hip, because it was hidden under her father’s coat.
When the car came into view though, Audra recognized it. “It’s just Thomas and Vi.” But Audra didn’t move forward as a terrible thought took hold. “You told them,” she accused.
He shook his head, expression grim. “No, I didn’t. But there was no keeping it on the down-low at Bent County, Audra. It might be a growing department, but everyone knows everyone. And people love to gossip. If Hart was in the office today, he heard about it.”