Lacy (The Doves of Primrose) (22 page)

“I think so.”

Lacy let her bated breath go after hearing Scarlett’s faint voice from the hole. Then, with a click, a beam of light divided the emptiness, showing the well. It wasn’t as deep as Lacy had thought but was still too far for them to reach her. Lacy didn’t know what to do next. She wasn’t sure Emmylou would be able to wait here and not break down in a panic while Lacy went for help.

She grabbed Emmylou by the shoulders and focused with all her might on being strong and calm. If she thought it, believed it, then maybe it would be true.
“Em.” Lacy locked her gaze and knew her friend was one trot away from a full-fledged panic attack. “You
have
to go for help. Get Kyle and tell him what’s happened. He’ll know what to do.”

Emmylou’s head shook in jerks
and her doe eyes fractured Lacy’s control. “I can’t!” Emmy’s voice cracked and Lacy shook her.

“We don’t have a choice. If you stay here you’ll freak Scarlett out and we don’t know how bad she’s hurt.” Lacy’s hands tigh
tened with the tiny whimper coming from the hole. “Go, Em!”

Her confidence must have soaked through a tiny bit, because
Emmylou steeled her jaw and set her shoulders before pushing on Lacy and rising from the ground.

“You can do it! You know the way!”

“Okay. I’ll be back. I promise.”

Lacy nodded
, realizing Emmylou couldn’t see that in the blackness. “Just get Kyle! It’ll be fine!” she called after her friend.

Lacy kept her eyes trained to the spot where Emmylou had gone
, trying to penetrate the night and see if she was going in the right direction. Lacy said a prayer that Emmylou would do it and that everything would be all right. She then leaned over the hole to assess things. The flashlight was lying next to Scarlett’s leg and she was reclining against the side.

“Scar?”
She held her breath, listening in vain for an answer. “Honey, Emmy’s gonna get Kyle and we’ll get you outta there.” She clamped her mouth shut against the sob and gritted her teeth. “It’s gonna be okay.” Lacy dug her fingers into the cold grass at the edge, bowing her head when only a small mumble answered back. She willed strength into her friend, wanting desperately to slide into that hole with her, to hold her, comfort her until help arrived.

Lacy did the only thing she could think of to fill the time and to keep her from breaking down into tears
: she talked. She couldn’t see her watch, she didn’t know how long Emmylou had been gone but it would be at least two hours before they got back here. The clouds had stamped out every bit of light making it more difficult for them to traverse the ground. They’d be lucky if they got Scarlett out before dawn. She only hoped Scarlett’s injuries weren’t life threatening. The flashlight was pointed away from her so Lacy could only see her legs and they looked fine. Dirty, but in one piece. The glow didn’t reach far enough for Lacy to see anything else.

Those three-for-one flashlights at the bargain store seemed like a good deal at the time,
but Lacy wished now that she had splurged for a better one. She kept up the chatter to Scarlett until a blast of wind peppered her with debris a moment before the sky flashed with bursts of lightning and thunder. Lacy looked to the angry sky and cursed. The only good thing about a storm this loud and this close was that Scarlett perked up.

“Lacy?” her voice was scared, calling for Lacy’s help.

“I know, sweetie.” She had to practically yell over the howling wind. “They’ll be here any moment. It won’t be long and we’ll have you out of that hole and back home.”

“But Missy and Jack are afraid of storms. I need to be with them.”

“Scarlett, your pets are going to have to learn to cope without you this time.”

“They won’t. Missy will get sick.”

“Scarlett, I will go to your house and clean up dog vomit if it means you’re safe and sound.” Lacy grabbed a handful of hair and twisted it around her fist as the heavy clouds let loose of their moisture in large drops. Lacy tried her best to cover the hole with her body. She was afraid Scarlett would get stuck in the mud and not be able to get out if it filled up before Kyle and Emmylou got back.
Please God, hurry!

“Scarlett!” Lacy’s worry had
jumpstarted her brain and her extended arm anchored on the opposite side of the hole was beginning to hurt. “Can you stand up?”

“I’ll try.”

The storm had roused Scarlett’s strength, boosting Lacy’s hope. She dug her toes into the ground as the rain pounded her back and soaked her clothes. The flashlight beam swung as Scarlett attempted to steady herself. Lacy could make out some of her friend’s body parts and at one point her face but couldn’t put them all into one image.

“Are you okay?”

“My knee hurts pretty bad. It collapsed when I fell and I think it’s swollen.”

Scarlett hobbled and propped herself in the corner beneath Lacy using the walls for support.

Lacy pursed her lips in uncertainty but lowered her hand anyway. “Can you reach my hand?”  Droplets of rain streaked down Lacy’s face and hair, landing all over Scarlett.

Lacy clung to the
grass-covered wood along the side of the hole, praying she wouldn’t slip as Scarlett reached up, stretched further, hobbled and tried again, barely brushing her fingertips. If only Lacy’s arms were longer. If Emmylou were here she’d be able to reach. Stupid shortness. The women grunted and stretched toward each other but it was no use. With her bad knee, Scarlett couldn’t climb out and in two minutes the walls would just be slick, crumbling mud anyway. They would have to wait for help or drown, whichever came first.

Ice was flowing steadily through Lacy and
seeing the shaking flashlight beam, Lacy knew her friend was shivering. She moved to cover more of the hole but it was useless. The horizontal rain landed wherever it wanted.

“Scarlett, it’s gonna be okay.”

As she offered her weak encouragement, the pounding of hooves cutting over the slapping rain turned her attention. Two beams of bright light blinded her and relief poured over her.

“Lacy!” Kyle’s heavenly voice boomed a moment before his strong hands were pulling her off the ground and wrapping her in a hug.

“Thank God!” She squeezed him so tight she thought her arms would burst from it. “Scarlett!” She frantically tapped his wet back.

He kissed her cheek then pulled her arms away. Lacy
scrambled up, meeting Emmylou. The two of them huddled close together, both drenched and shivering. With Kyle’s lantern flashlight and the one Emmylou was holding they lit up the cavern. Emmylou was hollering support and love to Scarlett, but Lacy’s attention was on her man. So confident, so strong.

She watched as he fixed the rope to his horse’s saddle, looped the end and leaned over the well. Even the way he gave instru
ctions was sexy. He was so sure of himself, so capable. Lacy knew they were all safe. He would take care of them. He supported the rope with his own brute strength, using the horse as his anchor and directed Scarlett to lean her weight back and walk up the wall. With her injured leg and the slippery sides Kyle did most of the work. The dousing rain never affected his grip on the rope or concentration on getting Scarlett out.

In a few minutes he was assisting her out of the hole
into the embrace of tearful friends. The joyful reunion and uncontrollable babbling was interrupted by Kyle offering a set of reins to Lacy. “I’m sorry, honey, but we really need to get out of here. I don’t trust this storm and Scarlett needs to get that leg looked at.”

Lacy’s heart was bursting with pride and love. Kyle was so handsome.
Rain streaked down his face, illuminated by the flash of lightning. His dark hair was plastered to his head and the earnest look in his eyes made her heart burst. She couldn’t control it any longer and launched forward, throwing her arms around his neck to the horse’s protest. Her emotions overflowed into the kiss she landed on his inviting lips.

“Thank you,” she mumbled between lip locks.

“Any time.”

Lacy grinned against his
mouth. His flirtatious assurance zinged through her cold body.

“We
gotta go.” He captured her eyes then broke their embrace. “Emmylou, you ride with Lacy. I’ll take Scarlett with me.”

Emmylou
slipped on the grass as she walked to Lacy. Lacy wished for her pathetic flashlights instead of these nice ones so she wouldn’t be able to see the smirking pucker on Emmy’s face.

“Oh, shut up,” Lacy said as
Emmylou walked by.

The foursome arranged themselves on the horses, Kyle taking
extra care in positioning Scarlett in front of him. He yelled over the storm, “Follow me and take it easy, Lacy. The ground will be unstable in places, you don’t want to injure your horse or yourselves.”

Lacy shook her head and rolled her
eyes. Stardom couldn’t filter the cowboy out of Kyle. And she was glad for it. She couldn’t have rescued Scarlett without him.

Chapter 20

Kyle wished he would have left
The Dove House earlier tonight. He panicked when he spotted the growing clouds charging in from the west and saddled up two horses to go searching. He knew where they were headed; what he didn’t know was which way they took, if they had already gotten lost or if they had run into trouble. Three women out for a lark on the prairie in the middle of the night was a formula for disaster. He knew they wouldn’t be paying attention to the weather or their location. They were more concerned about Emmylou’s love life than their safety.  And he also knew women in a group, especially cocky country women who think they know it all, wouldn’t use good sense. They would be too busy chatting and laughing to pay attention to their surroundings.

His conscience stabbed him when he heard Scarlett grunt as the horse picked up speed to traverse the incline. He held her cold body closer to him, trying to relieve the pain, knowing it wouldn’t help
. “I’m sorry, Scarlett. I’ll try to take it easy.”

“It’s okay. I’m just thankful you found us.”

The rain had completely drenched them to the point of convulsive shivering. The only slightly warm spots were where their bodies touched. He looked over to try and see Lacy, but the night was too black and the lightning not bright enough to make out more than her silhouette. That wasn’t enough for him; he needed to hold her, to look at every inch of her before he would be satisfied. Emmylou had been frantic when he found her attempting to stomp through some tall brush and he learned that Scarlett was hurt. Lacy had been on the verge of hysterics when they arrived at the accident. His only relief was knowing she was determined and independent, and those traits would keep her strong.

The trek back to the house was exhausting. Kyle felt as
though he had been shoved in a pillowcase, tossed in the river and beaten with sticks. Every muscle, every bone protested his dismount from the saddle. Not even a hot shower would soothe these aches.

Lacy climbed the steps and held the door while Kyle carried Scarlett inside the
dimly lit house and into the sitting room opposite the dining room. A lone lamp warmly welcomed them and Kyle strode to where he had been sitting when he heard the first rumble of thunder. He was desperate to lay eyes on Lacy in the light, but he knew Scarlett was in need of care. Cautious relief bloomed in his chest when Lacy stepped around the chair next to the lamp, picked up a discarded novel and set it on the shelf behind her.

“Oh, Kyle, don’t put me on that! Lacy will skin me alive if I ruin the fabric.” Scarlett slapped his shoulder and wiggled to keep off the chair. He had to grip her hip and back to keep from dropping her.

“Scarlett, nobody cares about the chair.” Kyle moved to set her down.

“It’s a chaise and yes
, they do. It’s from the nineteen hundreds. Lacy’s great-grandma Anne bought it in Chicago and had it shipped back on the train with her.” She was still struggling against Kyle.

He heaved a sigh and rolled his eyes to Lacy who was already spreading the blanket from the back of the sofa over her antique chair with
a bemused look in her eyes. Kyle laid her down gently and settled his hands on his hips. “We’ve tracked mud all through the house and are right at this very moment soaking the rug with it, but by all means, worry about the couch.”

The three women glanced at each other with growing smirks. He was right. A few giggles escaped while he shook his head. Bending down he placed a hand on Scarlett’s bare knee and i
nspected it. His large hands moved delicately, his fingers danced over her injury, probing for tenderness, only stopping when she jerked.

“Does that hurt?” His blue eyes flashed to Scarlett’s.

“Of course it does.” Lacy bent down to grasp her friend’s hand and brush the wet hair from her face. Kyle took the scolding and waited as Scarlett tilted her head to look at her knee. “A little. But really, it’s not as bad as I thought. The ride back hurt worse than you pushing on it.”

Kyle nodded. “Can you stand?”

“I probably could’ve walked into the house if you didn’t insist on carrying me.” She moved to the edge of the chair while throwing him a wounded look.

“Yeah, Scar. That would’ve happened.” Kyle offered her both hands and helped her stand up. He steadied her as she wobbled. “You better ice it and I would see a doctor.”

“I’ll get some,” Emmylou offered, already on her way to the kitchen.

Kyle helped Scarlett back onto the seat as Lacy stuffed pillows under her injured leg.

“I’m so sorry, Scar.” Lacy knelt beside the chaise.

“It’s not your fault.” Scarlett winced when she moved and Lacy’s face crumpled with worry and regret.

“What were you guys doing out there? Didn’t you see the weather?” Kyle looked down at a pair of scowling faces.

Lacy looked away. “By the time we saw it we were almost to the spring
, I figured we could make it back before it got bad.” She straightened her shoulders and placed her hand on Scarlett’s shoulder.

“What do you think now?” He crossed his arms and met her glare with a challenge of his own.

She systematically placed her hands on the chaise and rose from the floor. “I think what I thought before. That you are an overbearing ass.”

“Is that really what you think of the guy who saved yours?” He cocked his jaw.

“Yes. It is.” She mocked his stance by copying it.

“Well, next time I won’t bother.”

“Fine.” Lacy narrowed her eyes to slits.

“Fine.”
Not the most clever comeback he’d ever used.

“We didn’t need you. I would’ve figured something out. I a
lways do.”

“No
, we couldn’t.” Emmylou came sweeping into the room holding a bag. She looked from Lacy to Kyle, never cowering beneath the daggers Lacy was shooting at her. “You’re the one who told me to get Kyle, Lacy.”

He puffed his chest out and watched the exchange between the friends. Emmylou shrugged when Lacy gave her the shut-up-or-die look.

Lacy’s outrage at being outed was comical. Kyle enjoyed watching her face redden and anger grow. She finally zeroed in on him since Emmylou was placing the ice bag on Scarlett’s knee. “I must’ve been delirious with panic when I suggested that.” She quelled Emmy’s attempted contradiction with a snap of her head.

She was backing herself further in a corner and Kyle
was loving every minute of it. “No doubt you were.” He met her surprised gape. “Admit it.” He lifted a corner of his mouth. “You need me.”

“Never
.” Her sass knew no defeat and his grin broadened.

“I’ll take that as an admission.”

She clamped her mouth shut and turned her back on him to attend to Scarlett. Pride and triumph filled him, just like jumping from a bronc after a championship ride.

“Kyle, I never thanked you for rescuing me.” Emmylou stood and walked around the chaise. “I would still be out there
wandering in this storm if you hadn’t stumbled upon me in the brush.”

Kyle glanced at Lacy a moment before Emmylou wrapped him in a warm hug
. He saw her sharp eyes flash and comprehension hit her brain in a jolt. She shot to her feet, pivoted around Scarlett and grabbed his arm, pulling him away. “Excuse us for a moment. Kyle and I need to have a little chat.”

She kept walking with a gator grip on his
arm and he willingly followed. “I’ll be back to check on you in a few,” he managed to say before Lacy had dragged him through the doorway across the hall and into the room with the huge portrait. She stopped, jerked him past her and pinned him against the bookcase by the door.

“What was all that?” She
gestured toward the doorway. “How the hell can you give me grief about needing you when you had already come out in search of us?”

“I was worried about you.” He loved how her brown eyes flickered when she was really mad.

She pressed her palm into his chest. He had to refrain from snatching it and sucking on her fingers, anything to make use of all that fiery energy. “I can’t believe it, you raked me over the coals, pressing every hot button I have, made me feel like garbage for getting my friend hurt and calling on you to play the hero without telling me you already had that notion.” She looked away with a scowl and shook her head. “And to think, I was going to apologize to you for how I acted earlier tonight. I felt bad that I told you to shut up and all the awful things I said to Lauren. But now I see you like me riled up. You like it when I lose my temper because then I’m at a disadvantage. It gives you the upper hand.”

She pushed away from him and walked further into the room, pulling at her bottom lip, and a snag of worry caught in his chest. “Wow
, Lace. Did you take some psychology classes or something? You just decoded all my actions and motives, Lace?” He saw right away that teasing her was the wrong move. “Lacy?” He reached out to grab her wrist but she jerked her arm away. “C’mon, honey. I’m not that deep.” He tried to hold her again but she pulled back. He stalked her to the desk. “I like your temper. Yes, I admit it. I was pushing your buttons in there. I was scared out of my mind that you were out there in the middle of that storm. Every single bad thing -- and even some impossible things -- that could happen flashed in front of me. The thought of you getting hurt was tearing me up, so I came out after you.”

He could see she was beginning to soften, but not ready to forgive yet. He hated that ex-husband of hers and every other man
who had hurt her in the past, including himself; it was making this so much harder. “I’m sorry. Okay? I do stupid things when I’m in love.”

Silence weighted the air until it was a suffocating blanket. He could feel the blood pushing through his veins with every passing second that he stared in hope at Lacy. His words had shocked her to say the least. She stared at him with a half-terrified, half-bemused daze in her pretty brown eyes. She seemed to be frozen in time and he knew he had screwed up and said it too soon. He had scared her off and ruined a good thing by pushing too hard, too fast.

“What did you say?” Her voice was a mere whisper.

He rubbed his jaw with his hand,
scratched at the stubble and closed his eyes. “I said I’m in love with you, Lacy.” He exhaled the slicing pain in his lungs. “I always have been. I just never had the guts to admit it.”

He kept his gaze trained on her
, trying with all he had to read her wide-eyed expression. Her forehead wrinkled and her eyes shifted down his face. His muscles were contracting so tightly he thought his ribs might snap from the effort it took to keep his heart from ripping from his chest and his hands from reaching for her. The waiting was excruciating; he wished she would tell him to go to hell, to get out, that she didn’t love him back. Anything was better than watching her mind racing behind her pretty brown eyes trying to come up with a way to let him down gently.

F
inally, she turned and he couldn’t hold her gaze or read her mind. He couldn’t feel any worse at this moment. He was so stupid! Why had he said that? Just blurted it out, after what she went through tonight. Her slow walk to the desk broke the lock on his tongue. “Lacy, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said it. I wouldn’t have if I knew it was going to do this to you.” He followed her, pleading with his outstretched hand for her to forgive him, to ignore what he had done and go back to where they were, wherever in the hell that was.

She spun and leaned against the desk
, bracing herself with both hands and looked at him with her head tilted to the side. He straightened, dropped his hands to his side and prepared himself to take the crushing heartache that was about to come. His fists clenched and released, his brows knitted to keep the emotion inside. She shook her head slightly.

“Just tell me what you’re thinking, Lace. I can take it.”

A wry smile split her lips and her eyes twinkled. “Oh, you can, can you? Well, maybe I can’t.”

He swallowed
, trying to compute the difference between her words and her expression. “Lacy, you’re killing me here. I just told you what I was feeling and you acted like I said your horse was dead. What the hell is going on in that head of yours?”

Her mouth hung open for several seconds before answering, “I was just replaying the last eight years in my head. I was sick to my stomach knowing they could’ve been different if one of us had said that back then. I was looking at my life, at the mistakes, the pain.” She licked her lips and tucked the bottom one beneath the top. “There are so many things that went wrong in my life
after that day I lied to you.”

Her eyes focused on him
, making him swallow hard. He wanted to wrap her in his arms and take away every bit of pain she had suffered, to stamp it out and replace it with happiness. But he remained still, knowing that if he did she would turn from him. She had to come to him.

“So we messed up.” He cautiously stepped closer
, never breaking eye contact. “We were eighteen years old. What the hell did we know? I was trying to play it cool. I thought if you knew I loved you you’d laugh in my face and I’d never see you again. Admit it, Lacy, you were such a little rebel, with your big hair streaked blonde and that damn leather jacket with the studs all over it. You drove me crazy strutting around with your nose in the air, not caring what anyone thought of you or said about you. You were such a badass.” He chuckled when he thought about her as a teenager, and now as an adult. She still had that edge, that attitude of bring it on, I’ll take everything you can throw at me and flip it right back.