Another chapter up of this FF story. Hope you enjoy it, thanks for reading and the feedback!
Matt looked up and saw the rafter come swinging down and ducked beneath it, rolling out of the way as it fell to the ground with a crash. He looked up when the dust cleared.
"That was close…"
C.J. dashed over to him and helped him up, throwing a glance at the plank of wood.
"I can't believe what just happened," she said, "Are you okay?"
He nodded.
"If it hadn't made that noise…"
He would have received a direct blow and possibly killed or at least badly injured. Bo and Lamar went over to inspect it.
"No sign of dry rot or termites," Bo noted.
In fact, the wood looked to be in fairly good shape and its edges looked clean to Matt. And then he remembered that C.J. had said something just before it happened.
"What's going on here C.J.," he asked, "I heard you say something was going to happen just before I heard the noise."
She nodded, looking distressed.
"I received an email," she said, "About something happening to you in the barn."
"This was no accident then," Matt said, rubbing his head.
"It must be Marquis," C.J. said, "It's the same person who sent me the others."
"I wonder if he's watching us," Matt said, "After all I was working in the barn."
C.J. shrugged.
"Well if they set up that beam to fall, it could have happened at any time you went in there," she said, "So maybe whoever's responsible didn't know you were there."
"Maybe…"
Lamar looked up from the wood.
"It looks like someone cut it clean boss."
Matt inspected it and agreed, as if it had been sliced almost surgically and then attached loosely back together. But that would have taken more than one man to do all that.
"I'm going to call the security men," he said, taking out his cell phone.
C.J. watched him leave the barn. She realized just how close of a call it had been for him, too damn close.
She looked at Bo and Lamar.
"You didn't see anything suspicious did you?"
Both men shook their heads.
"You know that Beulah would have raised a fuss if any strangers wandered in here."
C.J. thought quickly.
"Maybe it was done that night she escaped," she said, "You know when you thought someone scared her."
Bo nodded.
"They could have used the fuss over her running off as a diversion while they sabotaged the rafter."
That was as likely a theory as any other.
Matt had Dominic on the phone.
"I think that someone's been coming on and off the ranch," he said, "Or they found some place to hole up."
Dominic didn't seem too sure.
"We combed every inch of this ranch," he said, "Most every day, at least once though it is large."
Matt knew that their surveillance had been thorough given that there were relatively few entrance and exit points where someone could use undetected for very long. Especially with the security detail. But had someone slipped through anyway?
"We're going to have to double the patrols," Matt said, "He's getting closer if he isn't already here."
Dominic agreed.
"We'll do that boss," he said, "We just got two new guys today after they were vetted."
Matt thanked him and clicked off his phone. C.J. had left the barn and walked to the paddock to watch Cayenne inside of it, shaking her mane.
"They're going to add more men," he told her.
She nodded and rested her arms on the fence.
"I know that I'm supposed to feel safer," she said, "But all of a sudden, I don't and damn it, this is my own property."
Matt heard the vehemence in her voice and had to smile to take the edge off his own nerves. He placed his arm around her shoulder.
"You will be safe here," he said, "I promise."
She looked up at him, her eyes seeking his own.
"I'll know you'll do your best," she said, "but Marquis is nothing if not brilliant and absolutely ruthless. He won't rest until he gets his revenge."
He squeezed her slightly.
"He can try C.J. but he won't win."
She heard the determination in his voice and felt better. Not that the tension didn't go away but she knew from experience that he would do anything to protect the ones he loved. Matt had proven to be formidable at doing just that and often the promise of it deterred many of their enemies but not all of them.
And certainly not Marquis.
She watched him as he left her and walked back into the barn determined to work with Bo and Lamar to fix the broken rafter, to make his old barn that now had become hers just a bit better. He had that way about him to always lend a hand or more than that to help those in need, including many of his clients that he served as an investigator. That aspect of his personality had always attracted her even when she had been much younger and had first met him. She had fallen in love with him back then but quickly realized that Matt had a thing for young ladies, beginning in junior high and continuing up to not too long ago. They had always been close friends but had never breached that line between them that kept them from becoming more than that. So when both had lowered their guards enough to take that step, it had meant all that more to both of them. And now they were trying to figure out where these new steps they had taken would lead them towards a future together. A little bit at a time because it still felt so new but exciting at the same time.
She had been in love before with men in her life. Zack had been her first love and introduced her to the headiness of romance up to the point he abandoned her. Then there were others like Carl, the man that she had let her guard down enough to fall in love with just before he had been murdered and of course, that silver tongued cad, Robert who had broken her heart when she realized that he had been a cold blooded killer underneath his debonair air. It had been Matt that had tried to set her straight on his true character but it had taken her a lost night's sleep to be able to accept it. That her best friend really had her best interests at heart and hadn't been trying to hurt her.
Not that she had believed it for that brief moment in time when the shock of Matt's accusations against Robert had slammed right into her. Just after Robert had asked her to marry him and to accompany him in his next job offer across the country. And she had been so willing to just drop everything and go with him no questions asked even as her own doubts nagged at her. Not about whether or not her fiancé to be was a sociopathic killer but whether she had been really able to open her heart to a man since her father had died when she had been a little girl. Men had come and gone in her busy life, and one had gone like her father but Matt had been the one constant in the middle of the tidal forces of relationships. During moments of relative peace, she had wondered what it would be like if they took their relationship further than just friendship but she had wondered that if they did, whether it or she would ever be enough for him. Because as she often reminded herself, Matt had been a player of the field most of his life. Not that he didn't have a serious relationship including several engagements here and there but like with her, those had never worked out. Including his most recent engagement to Elizabeth which had gone kaput just before they reached the altar.
If it hadn't been for the vengeful killer, their relationship still would have failed to take root through marriage, Matt had admitted to her one night when it had been her turn to take him out to his favorite restaurant to nurse a broken heart. And she did know that the broken engagement and Elizabeth's departure had hurt him. Just like she had been hurt when relationships in her own life hadn't worked out.
And during her first one with Zack when she thought she had been pregnant…and he had just been left without looking back. He had acted as if she were using that even lying about it to hold onto him. When he had returned to work for Matt's firm, so had the memories of how she had felt. But Matt had sent him packing without thinking too much about it.
Her stomach grumbled and she suddenly felt that the oatmeal she had eaten hadn't been enough to fill her up. So she thought about making a sandwich but had a hankering for some sardines. The kind that were crammed inside those little tins. Now that sounded really tasty right now, she thought.
Then she frowned, remembering she didn't like them. Oh whatever, she sighed as she began to think about heading to the kitchen. Suddenly Matt reappeared beside her and she looked at him. He still wore the concerned look on his face but he wrapped his arms around her and drew her close.
"So what's on your menu today?"
She smiled.
"I thought about having some sardines in a sandwich," she said, "but I'm not sure there's any in the pantry."
He looked at her puzzled.
"C.J. you don't…"
She looked at him.
"They just sound really nice right now," she said, "Maybe I should go to the store and get some."
He furrowed his brows.
"Maybe you should stay away from town after yesterday…"
She snorted.
"Houston…I'm not going to be afraid to live my life."
He placed his hands on her arms and she looked up at him.
"I'm not telling you to be afraid," he said, "But if you want…sardines for your sandwich, maybe Bo and Lamar can run to town and get them."
She softened.
"What about you," she said, "You're the one who nearly got killed in my barn."
He stroked his chin.
"I think he just meant to scare us," he said, "Else why send you the email?"
"True…"
Not that it made her feel any better. But his arms around her definitely did. She kissed him, which made her feel even better than that.
Suddenly she heard someone clear their throats. They broke and looked to see Bo.
"I'm sorry to break up the two of you," he said, "But Lamar told me that he thinks the rafter will hold."
Matt nodded and turned to C.J.
"I say that we pack up some lunch and do some riding," he said.
She looked interested.
"Where?"
He smiled and his eyes danced.
"It's a surprise..."
He reached for her hand.
They packed up some sandwiches, alas none with sardines and some beverages and after saddling up their horses, took off riding across the ranch. C.J. didn't ask any questions about where they were going because she knew it wouldn't do much good. So she rode alongside him while they chatted about how good the ranch looked, now that it had received attention again.
Finally she noticed that they were heading towards the lake and her interest perked. Mostly because it was beautiful, one of her favorite spots and some interesting things had happened there. But her eyes lit up almost immediately because resting there moored next to the recently repaired dock was Matt's sailboat. The one they had taken out on the lake many times when they had a few hours and wanted to get away from it all.
"I can't believe you got it all the way out here," she said, turning to him.
"I had help," he said, "It wasn't that difficult and then you…we could do some sailing on beautiful days like this one."
They got off their horses to get a closer look. It appeared as if Matt had been working on his boat where it had been housed in a small shed near the barn. It had been painted and its trim polished, and now it sat waiting for them to take it out for a spin.
She looked at him.
"Do you have any time now," she said, "Seeing how it is a beautiful day."
And shortly after, they had taken the boat out and it glided effortlessly across the smooth lake. The wind had kicked up and aided them, so they could spend most of their time looking out at the shore line where a small village resided including their favorite spot for eating freshly caught and cooked fish. Today, when they found a quiet cove, he helped her out of the boat and they set up a spot where Matt had produced a spread to sit on while they enjoyed their lunch. She found that the sandwich satisfied her appetite and as they sat back on the shore, beneath a tree enjoying some iced tea, she grew reflective.
"It does look different on this side, doesn't it?"
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him.
"Everything looks just fine right here."
She nodded.
"It's been a hard month or so getting the ranch ready," she said, "but I've enjoyed nearly every minute especially since this cowboy I know decided to crash my renovation effort."
A smile curved over his mouth.
"Oh he did, did he?"
"Not that he's not a hard worker and great to look at," she said, "especially in a pair of chaps."
He grew thoughtful.
"I missed those chaps."
She chuckled.
"I'll bet…"
He started kissing her on her neck.
"Houston…"
"What?"
"I think we're technically in a public place."
He flashed a glance around them where everything looked perfectly still, like a photograph snapped of time.
"I don't see anyone around."
She moved in his arms.
"Falling in love is great…"
Matt couldn't disagree with that or its fringe benefits.
"It certainly is," he said, "especially in such beautiful surroundings."
She sighed.
"I mean I was thinking about what it's been like in my life when I've felt that way."
He stroked her arm.
"We've both been there before in our lives."
He felt her nod against him.
"It's a little scary too."
The tone in her voice got his attention.
"It doesn't have to be."
"I just remember back to when I was younger and so sure that it was love," she said.
"You mean with Zack?"
"But when I thought I was pregnant…I felt it even more keenly," she said, "Only it turned out he wasn't ready for that anymore than I was."
Matt didn't quite agree.
"Zach was a self-centered jerk," he said, "Still is. I don't know why I didn't see it earlier."
She shrugged.
"I could have told you what happened, but I didn't," she said, "I think I was too embarrassed…like I failed to hold onto him. I was very young and not very mature myself."
He stroked her hair back.
"If he were a man worth his salt, he never would have turned his back on you when you needed him."
She digested that.
"But we were both young and a pregnancy would have altered our lives…"
"It will always do that I think for any couple," Matt reasoned, "but they learn to get through it."
She remained silent for a moment.
"If the test hadn't been negative, it would have changed my whole life," she said, "But sometimes I wonder what it would have been like…but I would have been raising him or her on my own."
He shook his head.
"C.J. you had friends that would have been there with you," he said, "I would have been there. You wouldn't have been alone."
She smiled at him and kissed him for that. Because she knew he meant his words.
"I know…"
"You'd have made a great mother," he said.
"You think so," she said, "With me being so married to my career and what we've built together…I don't know if I would have enough room for a family right now."
"Sounds like you've been thinking about it," he noted.
"Well yeah," she said, "It's what I want someday with the right person of course."
He nodded.
"That part's very important," he agreed, "how's the search
She chuckled.
"I don't know," she said, "I'm having too much fun right now. You see I've met this guy…"
He stopped her by kissing her, and after a couple of seconds, she had forgotten what she had planned to say anyway while in his embrace.
Not too far away, a man sat in a diner eating a meal that a waitress had just served to him. He picked up his phone and punched in some numbers. After someone picked it up, he smiled.
"We're ready to launch boss."
