When Roses Collide

Chapter Fifty-Four

"Oh aye," Addie nodded. "I donna recall how long, but I believe yer momma might have been there a wee bit longer than yer daddy." She shook her head and sighed. "I couldn'a believe such a nice man like yer daddy, bless his soul, would work for such a horrid man as Rafferty." A smile pulled her rosy cheeks up, but sadness tinged her bright green eyes as she turned to Harley. "But, it all worked out in the end. It was fated to be. We all breathed a sigh of relief when we learned they had run off together." Addie patted her hand, and gave it a gentle squeeze before releasing it. "Ye look just like her lass, right down to those beautiful eyes."

With a slight grunt, Addie slipped off the bed, and busily tucked the quilt covering her until Harley could barely breathe. By the time she was done, she felt like a mummy.

"Now, that's enough of traveling down memory lane," she huffed, shaking a finger at her. "I can see I have upset ye, and we can't be having none of that. Ye sit here and rest, I'm going to pop down to the kitchen, and get ye something to eat. We have to put some meat on yer bones so you can get all healed up right quick." With a little wink, the spritely woman hustled out of the bedroom.

Harley was too dumbstruck to say anything. Her dad? Working for that...that egotistical pompous windbag Rafferty? When? Why? Her head spun making her woozy, and it had nothing to do with her injury. Questions were bashing into her skull with more force than whatever it was the guy had struck her with as she tried to grasp the idea her dad would have worked for somebody so incredibly vile. And her mom had worked for him as well?

A hard shudder ran through her body. Doing what, she wondered. As far as she knew, her mother never touched a horse or knew a thing about ranching. It just couldn't be possible. Why hadn't anyone ever told her this? Why keep everything pertaining to their life in Montana a big secret? It had been shocking enough to find the title to the property, but now this? It had been glaringly clear to Harley when she went through her father's private things, that he had loved this land. But why didn't he ever go back? Why did he stay in Colorado when his heart was clearly in Montana? For a while, she thought maybe it had been because he didn't want to uproot her life and bring her here...but now...she wasn't so sure.

The slamming of a car door followed by the squealing of tires, jerked Harley out of her thoughts. Wrestling to get free of the quilt, she managed to toss it off her, and make it to the window in time to see the pink convertible hightail it down the driveway. Shit! Either that woman drove like a crazed maniac, or she was one pissed off puppy. Seeing no sign of Travis, she let the drapes fall from her hands before she got busted. Unable to lay back down, she started to pace the room, keeping her ears open for anyone approaching. As sweet as Addie was, she didn't want to cross her by disobeying her orders. She had a feeling the little woman could be hell on wheels when she wanted to be, and thought it best to stay on her good side.

But, though she knew she should be in bed, she just couldn't settle. Her mind was wound up too tight. Since she had pulled into Wolf Springs, it had been one wild scenario after another, and she was feeling as if she had stepped into some kind of Angela Lansbury mystery. First, Rafferty shows up on her doorstep, beating down her door, and trying to intimidate her into selling her father's ranch to him before she'd even unpacked a box. Then, Travis showed up not long after accusing her of being basically nothing more than a squatter, and questioning her claim to being Jake's daughter. A small grin tugged at her lips at the memory of how she had met the cowboy Adonis. Leaning against the wall next to the window, she recalled their boisterous bickering which ultimately ended in a pantie melting kiss before they jumped back at each other's throats, snapping and snarling at each other. She had to admit, though it was an unconventional meeting, it was her favorite part in the list of events since arriving to this backwards little town.