All Summer Long (Fool's Gold #9)

“Exactly.”


Charlie wondered if Annabelle knew the words were just cheap talk. When it came to Clay, she found herself both hopeful and terrified. Being around him was amazing. From what she could tell, he was everything she wanted. But he was also a man who had already had one great love and wasn’t looking for another. Clay had said love was a lightning bolt and so far there hadn’t been a single flash in the sky.

She planned to enjoy everything about her experience with him, all the while protecting her heart as best she could. If she got hurt, she would recover. She would move on. Whatever the cost, it was worth it. He’d made her whole and no matter what happened, she was better for having known him.

* * *

CLAY LED KHATAR out of the corral. The white Arabian stallion playfully nuzzled Clay’s neck.

“I’m not Annabelle,” Clay grumbled, pushing him away. “She’ll be by later. In the meantime, behave.”

The majestic animal snorted, as if amused. Despite his massive size and the strength that went with it, he was one of the gentlest horses Shane owned. Good news for his brother, Clay thought. Shane had gotten the million-dollar horse for a discount due to his difficult and potentially killer nature. Which had turned out to be the result of bad training and some abuse.

Since arriving in Fool’s Gold, the once-mean-tempered horse had turned into an equine kitten. Last week Khatar had escaped from the corral to join one of Shane’s riding classes. He’d decided that next to Annabelle, he adored a little girl named Kalinda best. She had suffered life-threatening burns the previous summer and was still going through various surgeries as she healed. She’d started riding a small pony but Khatar had made it clear that when she was ready for a horse, he planned to be the guy.

While the class circled the ring, Khatar had kept pace with Kalinda and her pony. He’d stayed close when she’d dismounted, stepping between her and the other horses.

“You’re kind of a sap, you know that?” Clay patted the horse. “Ready for a good long ride?”

Khatar’s ears perked up at the mention of riding. When Shane had mentioned he’d had to spend the afternoon signing the final paperwork on his house, Clay had offered to exercise the horses. With his alfalfa crop in the ground and no firefighter training scheduled, he had the time.

He’d just finished saddling Khatar when an unfamiliar Taurus pulled in next to the house. Clay watched a guy climb out. He was in his mid-to-late thirties and had on a shirt that said “Gil” and the name of the local hardware store.

Clay made sure Khatar was secure and went to greet the man.

“Can I help you?” he asked.

“I’m looking for Nate.”

Gil was an average kind of guy. Not too tall, with more paunch than muscles. But there was rage in his light brown eyes. Seconds later a teenage girl climbed out of the passenger seat. Her eyes were red and her mouth trembled.

“Daddy, no,” she cried.

It didn’t take Clay long to figure out what this was about. His stomach tightened as he realized his farm manager had continued to play the game Clay had warned him against.

“Your daughter?” he asked, motioning to the sobbing girl.

Gil jerked his head in agreement. “Do you know where he is?”

Clay reached for his phone and pushed a button. “Nate, would you come out by the house, please?”

“Sure, boss.”

Gil’s gaze settled on Clay. “You brought him here?”

“Yes. I’m sorry.”

“Like that’s gonna help.”

Nate appeared at the doorway to the barn and surveyed the situation. Clay watched the indecision cloud his gaze.

“Don’t make it worse by running,” Clay told him. “Come face what you’ve done.”

Nate nodded slowly and approached.

Clay was willing to let this play out. If Gil wanted a piece of Nate, Clay didn’t have a problem with that. If the girl was under eighteen, Clay would be the first one to call the police. He hadn’t decided if he was going to beat the shit out of Nate or not. He supposed that was up to Gil.

Nate closed about half the distance and then raised both hands, palms out.

“It’s not what you think,” he began, his weasel eyes darting left and right. “She’s over eighteen.”

“She’s seventeen,” Gil said with a growl. “And she’s my baby girl. What the hell were you thinking?”

Clay felt the other man’s rage and knew he couldn’t begin to imagine what this father must be feeling. He thought of Charlie and what had happened to her, then knew he couldn’t touch Nate. Once he started, he wouldn’t stop.

“Daddy, no!” The girl grabbed her father’s arm, tears pouring down her cheeks. “Nothing happened. I’ve told you and told you.”

“Get in the car,” Gil told her, starting toward Nate.

“Daddy, stop! Daddy, we didn’t—” She sucked in a breath. “Daddy, I’m still a virgin. We never did that.”