Thank you for the reviews! I appreciate everyone who's taking the time to read this story and let me know what they think. And an extra huge thanks to finabin for her comments in her reviews that inspired this chapter. :)

Chapter 20

"Ezra!"

Ezra closed his eyes and took a steadying breath for patience. He pasted a smile on and turned toward the woman who called to him. Next to him, Vin paused and smiled sincerely.

"Why Ms. Wells, what a pleasant surprise," he drawled, well aware his smile and tone both rang false.

"Uh-huh," she said, unimpressed, stepping out of her camper.

Well, fine, because he wasn't enjoying this little tete-a-tete any more than she was.

"I heard you took care of that smarmy little pansy of a bullrider."

Ezra may not have enjoyed Nettie's company, but he had to give her credit for her apt description of Gage Fulton.

"I had a short discussion with him," Ezra said.

One side of Nettie's mouth tipped up in a smile. "Good to know you aren't a complete failure with Kaylee."

Ezra would have had a response to that if he wasn't halfway convinced she was wrong and he was a complete and total failure with Kaylee.

"Did you have a point to this conversation?" Ezra asked.

"Ezra," Vin said, a clear warning in his voice at Ezra's harsh tone toward the older woman Ezra knew Vin had a soft spot for, though Ezra couldn't figure out what would endear the woman to anyone.
"I want to know what you're doing with her," Nettie said, fixing Ezra with a hard look.

Ezra wanted to know the same thing himself. "She has come to the conclusion that she doesn't want my company anymore."

"And?" Nettie pressed, narrowing her eyes.

"And I intend to honor her wishes," he said. Maybe. No matter what, he was going to make sure she at least knew how he felt about her.

Ezra's head snapped forward from a sharp smack to the back of his skull.

"Ow!" he said, rubbing the point of impact and glaring at Nettie. "What was that for?"

"For being an idiot," she said. "I swear, you are the dumbest mule of a man I've ever laid eyes on."

"Why thank you," Ezra said sarcastically.

Nettie moved a step closer again and Ezra jerked back a step.

Folding her arms across her chest, Nettie scowled at Ezra. "That girl doesn't have anyone. And for some reason I can't fathom, she likes you. You need to realize when you have something worth having, then shape up and make sure you deserve it. And I'm not talking about anything you win at a poker table."

"You should listen to her, Ez," Vin said.

"Listen to me, Mr. Tanner," Ezra said. "If you think I'm going to take romantic advice from this wizened old crone, you are sorely mistaken." He glanced toward Nettie and inclined his head. "No offense."

Nettie let out an unimpressed huff.

"So what are you going to do?" Nettie asked. "Mope around because you think you don't deserve her while she makes one bad decision after another?"

"I don't mope," Ezra argued.

"You kinda do," Vin said.

Ezra glared at the man who was supposed to be on his side.

"And you kinda do deserve her," Vin added.

Nettie looked like she was sucking a lemon, but didn't disagree with Vin. "I've seen the way you look at her. And I saw you heading toward that bullrider's camper last night." Finally a small smile threatened. "He pulled out first thing this morning like he was being chased."

Uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was taking, Ezra tried to leave. "Well thank you for your considerable insight—"

"Don't you dare move a foot, Ezra Standish," Nettie said. "I'm not finished. That girl needs you and you clearly need her. I don't believe for one second that your mother did such a number on you that you're beyond hope. You may be close to beyond hope. I sure know I wouldn't want to be the one tasked with trying to get you to shape up…"

"Nettie," Vin interrupted, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Right," Nettie said, getting back on track. "But I think you could shape up and be good for her."

It was the last thing Ezra expected anyone to ever say to him, least of all Nettie.

He met her eyes and was surprised by the reluctant affection he read there.

"Well, I'll consider what you've said," he said, clearing his throat and looking away.

Nettie appeared equally embarrassed. "Don't wait too long. That girl is a magnet for trouble and it's better she gets into it with you than whatever cowboy comes along next."

Judging by the frown on Vin's face, his friend wasn't any more reassured by Nettie's prediction than he was.

Ezra exchanged a look with Vin and gave Nettie a nod of thanks before they strode off to find Kaylee.

#

The announcer's booth was empty. Kaylee slipped inside and closed the door. She sank down on the floor, not wanting to look out the windows that would give her a bird's eye view of the rodeo grounds. She dropped her head into her hands and squeezed her eyes shut. Her head still ached, her stomach wasn't entirely settled, and her heart hurt.

Ezra pushing her away had been bad enough, but coming to the realization that she was no good for him, that she would be dragging him into the situation she found herself in, hurt a million times more.

A scratching at the door had her opening it and looking out. Barney whined and she let him in with her, falling to her knees and hugging the big dog. She buried her face in his fur. She had found him as a puppy in Nebraska. Her mom had been in rehab, another failed attempt at sobriety, and she had been alone at 16. Finding Barney on the side of the road had been the only comfort that year.

Kaylee sat back again, Barney settling awkwardly across her lap and giving her face a lick.

"You're a good friend, Barney," she said. One she didn't have to worry about finding out how far in over her head she was. And one she didn't have to worry about being threatened if she missed coming up with the money she owed.

She squeezed her eyes closed, clamping her trembling lips together. Walking away from Ezra was going to be the hardest thing she had ever done.

There was the sound of light footsteps at the door and Kaylee looked up, feeling Barney tense at the sound. The door was already open and Mary Travis appeared at the top of the steps.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't realize anyone was here." Mary put a hand to her chest in surprise.

Kaylee started to rise. "I'm sorry. The booth was unlocked and quiet and—"

Mary shook her head, holding up a hand to stop Kaylee's apologies. "It's just fine." She smiled. "The door was open and I was just coming up to check everything was ok." Her smile faded. "Is everything ok?"

Kaylee curled her fingers into Barney's short fur.

The other woman moved to the announcer's folding chair and sat. "I heard about last night."

Kaylee felt her cheeks burn with shame. The rodeo producer was impeccably put together, blond hair smoothed back into a neat knot at the back of her neck, tasteful diamonds at her ears. She was willing to bet Mary Travis had never found herself hungover, hiding from everyone in an announcer's booth with only a dog for company.

"If I've learned anything in the three years that I've known Ezra Standish," Mary began, "it's that he could drive anyone to drink." She smiled without judgment.

Kaylee swallowed hard, risking a look up at Mary.

"I just wanted to forget about everything for a night."

Mary nodded, and Kaylee found the compassion in her blue eyes encouraging her to continue.

"Do you think…" she started, then caught herself. Mary didn't prod and Kaylee took a breath. "Do you think if you really love someone, it's best to keep them away from trouble?"

Mary didn't answer immediately and Kaylee waited, appreciating that Mary didn't jump right to platitudes.

"I think that in order to really love someone, you have to trust them," she finally answered. "And that means letting them decide for themself if they can handle the trouble."

Kaylee shifted on the wood floor and Barney let out a sigh at the movement, giving her a look that made her think the dog was tired of being the only one she opened up to. But the thought of telling Ezra everything was terrifying.

"You know, I'm old friends with Hunter Terrence," Mary said.

The seemingly abrupt change of subject had Kaylee looking up at Mary in confusion. Then she froze. Kaylee recognized the name of the man who had produced a lot of the rodeos in the Nebraska and the Dakotas where Kaylee had competed before moving farther west to join up with the bigger rodeos Double T Productions put on. Bigger rodeos and farther from Nebraska.

Mary spoke without any threat in her words, speaking quietly as if not wanting to embarrass Kaylee should anyone overhear, not that there was much risk of anyone coming up to the announcer's booth. "He mentioned some trouble that had followed you to a couple towns."

Was Mary going to tell her she wasn't allowed to compete anymore? That Double T didn't want the kind of trouble she brought to Terrence's rodeos?

"I'd like to tell Chris and the others about it, so they could be on the lookout for anyone who might try to hurt you."

Kaylee started shaking her head quickly. "That's in the past. It's no one's business."

Mary frowned, concern evident. "If you're sure it's all in the past. I know none of us want to see you hurt."

Kaylee thought of the phone calls, the threats, the demands for money. As long as they didn't find her, it would be in the past.

Mary sighed, but finally relented. "Alright. I won't interfere." She stood to go, but paused and looked like she was debating her next words. She rested a hand on the doorframe and looked at Kaylee. "Hunter also said he knew you by a different name. Kaitlin Lee Rollins."

Everything in Kaylee lurched at the sound of her name. Her real name. She was going to be sick again. No, she was going to pass out.

Mary was at her side, kneeling down next to her. "Take a breath," she encouraged gently.

Kaylee tried to get a breath. She tried to fight back the panic that was gripping her.

"I'm assuming you have a reason you don't want to go by that name?"

Kaylee managed a nod before she dropped her head down to rest her forehead on her knees with a groan.

"I can imagine, based on the men Hunter said showed up at the rodeos looking for you."

Another groan.

Mary rested a hand on Kaylee's arm until Kaylee got her breathing under control. She rolled her head to the side to look at Mary and wait for the woman to tell her she was going to let everyone know about every single one of Kaylee's lies and deceit.

"You should tell Ezra."

Kaylee hadn't been expecting Mary's gentle tone, or her lack of censure.

Mary's light blue silk blouse whispered softly as she shifted to meet Kaylee's eyes better. "He's not going to care you've been going by an alias, but if he finds out from someone besides you, it will damage that trust. Remember what I said about love and trust going hand in hand?"

Kaylee nodded, everything in her fighting against what Mary was telling her.

"Ezra's been through a lot with his mother and his past. He won't take kindly to being lied to, even if you're not lying directly to him."

Kaylee's hands curled into fists. She couldn't. She couldn't tell Ezra anything. She just needed to finish dealing with everything that had happened in Nebraska and Ezra would never need to know.

"Will you tell anyone about this?" Kaylee asked, hearing the desperation pulling at her voice.

Mary hesitated and Kaylee's heart thudded in her throat while she waited for the other woman's answer.

"Please?" Kaylee begged. "Promise you won't tell anyone? About any of this?"

Mary had a pained look on her face.

"Please, Miss Travis. It's—it's almost taken care of. It's practically in the past. I've got it under control and it's almost done."

A small sigh escaped Mary and she finally gave a slight nod. Kaylee's eyes fell shut in relief and she fought against the tears that threatened at the slight reprieve.

Mary started to rise, but stopped, meeting Kaylee's eyes. "If you do need anything, let me know."

Kaylee knew she would never ask the lady who known and respected by everyone in the rodeo business, and most everyone she met, for help with her failures, but she nodded.

Mary did stand then and start to go.

"One last thing about yesterday," Mary said, turning back to Kaylee and Kaylee braced herself, not sure what more the clearly too-observant woman could have to say. She thought to herself that Mary should have worked for a newspaper, her investigative instincts were clearly wasted at the rodeo. "I heard you faced off with Chris."

Kaylee had almost forgotten the tense words with the older bullrider that had riled her and been what set her off determined to prove she could make her own decisions and take care of herself. She winced at the realization of how miserably she had failed at that. She opened her mouth to apologize to Mary for how she had reacted to Chris, but Mary spoke first.

"Good for you," she said with a grin. "Chris Larabee needs to be taken down once in awhile." With that, she finally left the booth.

Barney whined, looking up at Kaylee. Kaylee dragged in a deep breath. She just needed to find Vin and get out of Long Branch, Texas. She couldn't figure out what to do with Ezra when her head was still so fuzzy and her emotions were a muddled mess after her conversation with Mary.

#

Vin saw Kaylee making her way toward his truck, Barney faithfully at her side. She slowed when she noticed Ezra leaning against the truck with Vin.

She avoided looking at Ezra and spoke to Vin. "Are we heading out soon?"

Vin nodded. "Whenever you want. Just have to load the horses."

Ezra pushed off the truck and stood near Kaylee. "We should talk."

Kaylee's mouth pressed into a thin line and she glanced at Ezra before looking away. "I can't," she said.

Vin started to step away, thinking to give them a chance to talk, but Kaylee grabbed at his sleeve, desperation in her eyes. She held onto Vin like a lifeline.

"What you said," Ezra started.

Kaylee's grip on Vin tightened and her voice wavered. "I can't," she repeated. "Not now. I just…I need some time," she said.

Vin saw Buck headed their way.

"Kaylee," Buck grinned. "Just who I was looking for."

If Kaylee hadn't been so distracted by Ezra's presence, Vin figured she would have known to be suspicious by Buck's tone. Ezra definitely should have been able to read the look on Buck's face, and when he didn't it was testament to how much Kaylee had really upset him earlier.

Vin, though, wasn't distracted and looked questioningly at Buck.

Buck jerked his head toward Kaylee and Ezra, shooting Vin a meaningful look.

Vin shook his head, not sure what Buck was aiming for.

Buck raised his eyebrows, motioning toward Kaylee and Ezra and mouthed something that Vin couldn't even begin to figure out.

Buck nodded like Vin was now on board with whatever he was trying to communicate and put an arm around Kaylee, pulling her toward his camper.

"Come take a look at this," he said to her. "You too, Ezra," he called over his shoulder.

Vin figured Ezra followed just because he had it in his head he was going to tell Kaylee just where she had gone wrong in the things she had told him about herself earlier, but no matter his motivation, he followed Buck with a frown.

"Why are your boots all wet?" Kaylee was asking Buck, looking down at his feet as he propelled her along toward the camper.

Buck paused outside the door and his grin widened. "Consider this my thank you for giving me cause to wash up my boots."

"Your thank you?"

Buck motioned toward the door, for Ezra to go first.

With a resigned air that he was putting in his time with Buck to get this over with and get back to Kaylee, Ezra went through the door.

Buck gave Kaylee a little one harmed hug with the arm he had around her then a shove through the door, slamming the door closed behind her and leaning back against it to hold it shut.

Vin had trailed along after them and raised his eyebrow at Buck's maneuver. "What're ya doin', Bucklin?" he asked.

He could hear Kaylee shout from inside the camper and hear her bang against the door, yelling at Buck.

"I'll let you out when you two talk!" Buck yelled through the door, then turned back to Vin. "I'm givin' them the opportunity to work through their differences."

Vin listened to Kaylee threaten to gut Buck with a dull knife. "You think it'll work?" he asked, not making any move to get Buck away from the door.

Buck rocked a little as the door jolted against him. "I'm not lettin' 'em out until it does."

Vin found the chair Buck kept under the awning outside his camper and dragged it closer to the door, settling into it.

"She doesn't seem to be in the mood to talk to Ezra."

Buck smiled, unconcerned. "Well good thing Ezra's got enough charm to talk a snake out of its scales." He angled his head toward the open window of the camper and raised his voice. "You hear that, Ezra?" he shouted. "Use your charm!"

"You want Ezra to con Kaylee?" Vin asked.

"Of course not." Buck looked indignant. "I've seen how he looks at her. His feelin's aren't a con."

There was one final thud at the door, then silence as Kaylee seemed to give up breaking down the door.

Buck settled against the door more comfortably, clearly not giving up his post any time soon. "See? She's done threatenin' me and trying to get as far away from Ezra as possible. Progress."

Vin wasn't sure he agreed with Buck's logic, but also wasn't sure he could handle another night of looking for Kaylee when she went off trying to prove she didn't care about Ezra. He stretched his long legs out in front of him, crossing his ankles. "If you say so, Buck."

#