Page 60 of Rocky Mountain Devil

Even taking the time to make the call didn’t help—she got no answer. But there was noise coming from the barn, so she made her way inside, looking around with confusion at the broken stalls and what seemed to be abandoned machinery.

“Hello?”

Sound echoed from an upstairs corner, and she picked a path cautiously to the ladder leading into the loft. She wasn’t dressed for crawling around, but her curiosity got the better of her. Fingers wrapped tightly around each of the ladder rungs, she made the climb.

The thumping noises stopped as she reached the upper floor, stepping to one side and staring into the dimly lit space, one hand clinging to the long length of rungs that extended above the loft floor.

“Hello? Rafe?”

“What’re you doing?”

Laurel tightened her grip, shocked by how close Rafe’s dad stood. “Mr. Coleman. Hi. I’m looking for Rafe.”

He spat out a laugh. “He’s not here. Don’t know why you’d want to find him, anyway.”

“Because he’s my friend,” Laurel answered instantly only to be interrupted.

“Bullshit.”

She snorted before realizing he was serious. “We’ve been friends for years, Mr. Coleman.”

“Girls like you don’t make friends with someone like my boy.”

“No, of course not.” She’d had too much to deal with that day already. Holding her tongue was impossible. “I’m lying because it’s entertaining to drive into the country, wander into a strange barn and start conversations that have no purpose. I’m actually here selling cookies.”

The man stepped back half a pace, blinking hard. He seemed stunned. “Are you sassing me?”

“Probably. Although you could pretend I’m looking for Rafe like I said in the first place.”

His eyes narrowed.

Her give-a-damn was well and truly broken. She planted her fists on her hips, raising one brow as she stared back.

“Get the hell out of here,” he snapped.

She waited a beat or two to prove she wasn’t scared, then turned to the ladder and made her way down, muttering evil things under her breath as she went.

How on earth Rafe had grown up around that man and not given in to the urge to badmouth him every chance he got—

Rafe wasfarmore of an angel than he gave himself credit for. He was worried about losing his temper? It was a good thingshedidn’t spend more time around his old man, or she’d be the one committing murder.

She made it outside just as Dana Coleman pulled into the yard, and she hurried over to help open the door.

Mrs. Coleman examined her with curiosity. “Did I forget something at church?”

“I’m trying to track down Rafe. Mr. Coleman didn’t seem to know where he was.”

The other woman’s eyes widened for a moment as she glanced toward the barn. “I see.”

Yeah, she probably did at that. Laurel took pity on her, pulling the basket from her hands and walking them toward the house. “Did you have a good morning at service?”

“Yes, thank you.” Mrs. Coleman tilted her head. “Will you come in for a cup of tea?”

Laurel was torn. “I’d love to, but I really need to get in touch with Rafe. You have any idea where he is?”

Mrs. Coleman took the basket from her and placed it on a table just inside the door. “I’m not sure, but Gabriel and Allison would probably know. If you head over to their place, I’m sure they can help you.”

“Thank you.”