I rode away from the bed and breakfast and the ranch house, letting the mare guide me more than I guided her. I figured she knew this place better than I did, knew the rolling hills and the meadows out here, the groves of aspen trees that clustered like little oases in the desert. Except that this was the opposite of desert, all lush and green, even in late summer. It was as far removed from Hollywood as you could get, from the smog and dust of Los Angeles.
Riding out here like this, I couldn’t understand why Elias would hate to come back here. But I guess it was the same kind of relationship I had with my hometown.
Out here by myself, I could see how someone might never want to leave. Like June and her husband. It was idyllic. This was the kind of place I could feel like was a home.
Home wasn’t something I had felt in a long time, maybe ever.
I pulled the saddle and the blankets from the back of the mare and brushed her down. As I left the barn, Cade was walking toward me. “How was the ride?” he asked.
“Great,” I said. “I've never ridden anywhere like this.”
Cade nodded. “Yep. West Bend isn’t like any other place.”
“No,” I agreed. “I can see why it’s special, for sure. It’s gorgeous out here.”
“What I said earlier, about the Saint brothers -” Cade started.
“It’s okay,” I said. “June explained. It’s complicated.”
“Nah,” he said. “Not that complicated. I was out of line. June called my ass on it, said I was being too protective. Don’t tell her I said she was right, but she was. What all happened was a long time ago, and the other brothers, they were only kids. I spoke out of turn, not knowing anything about Elias.”
“June is your family,” I said. “Makes sense, you protecting her like that.”
Cade nodded toward the ranch house. “June’s inside putting little Stan down to sleep,” he said. “You want to come up for a beer? I know she’d love to have you over.”
“Sure,” I said. "Just let me get cleaned up and I'll be over in a few."
After I'd showered and changed, I walked over to Cade and June's place. The sun was low on the horizon by the time I walked over, the sky all lit up like a watercolor painting, all pinks and purples and reds. I breathed in deeply, the smell of the evening air like a soothing balm.
“June won’t say so, but she’s the biggest fan of yours,” Cade said. “She’s pretty much tickled shitty that you’re staying here. I mean, I don’t watch your movies - no offense.”
I laughed. “None taken,” I said. “I haven’t exactly branched out beyond chick flicks.” I paused for a moment, trying to consider how to say what I wanted to say. “I’m here on the down low, though - you understand that, right?”
Cade opened the front door to the house and motioned me inside. “Yeah, I gathered that,” he said. “You’re not the first person I’ve hid in West Bend.”
He opened the refrigerator and withdrew a beer, popping the top and handing it to me. “Local brew,” he said.
I took a sip. “It’s nice. So you’ve hid other celebs out here? You and June running some celebrity witness protection program?”
Cade smiled, but the expression was drawn. “That would be something, huh? No, just have some experience with helping people lay low, that’s all.”
“I appreciate it,” I said. “I won’t be here too long anyway. I imagine it’s not going to take all that long for someone to figure out how I’m here, all on their own.”
Cade nodded, taking a drag on his beer. “You checked the internet or anything?” he asked.
I shook my head. “I was avoiding it. Why?”
“June said it’s on the web.” He rolled his eyes. “I don’t pay attention to all that gossip shit, but she checked it today, said she wanted to make sure no one was pointing to you being out here. Said you were in a rough spot.”
I laughed. “Yeah, that’s one way of putting it. I walked in on the fiancé and my sister going at it.”
“I can take him out if you want,” Cade said. He paused. “Just kidding. Sniper joke, sorry.”
“You were a sniper?”
“Marines, yeah,” he said. “A long time ago.”
“Elias was in the Navy,” I said.
Cade nodded. “Explains the leg,” he said. That was the extent of what he said out loud, but I could tell his mind was churning. It was written all over his face. I wanted to know what he was thinking about Elias, but I didn’t ask.
“You know, I’m actually not mad about it,” I said, leaning against the kitchen counter.
“About what?”
“Viper and my sister,” I said. “I was, when it happened, but I’m actually not upset about it now. Is that weird?”
“Shit,” Cade said. “I say, fuck ‘em. But I’m the last person to tell you what’s normal fucking behavior.”