Page 34 of Tangled Passion

“Hey, Boss, Landers has been trying to get ahold of you,” Daisy said.

“Did he say what for?” Trey asked.

She shook her head. “No. He just said it was important.”

“All right. Thank you.”

Trey walked into the main office he shared with Garrett, sat behind the desk, and made the call. Five minutes later, he hung up the phone. Fuck. Trey walked out of the office.

“Hey, Daisy, I have to go help Landers. Some of his cattle got out, and they’re having problems getting them back in.”

“That’s too bad,” she said.

“Where are Madelyn and my brother?”

“Madelyn is upstairs, and Garrett ran into town for some medicine that one of the horses needed.”

“Dammit,” Trey said and ran his fingers through his hair. “Tell them what’s going on, and I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“I’ll tell them, Boss,” Daisy said.

“Thanks.” Trey walked out of the lodge and toward one of the barns. He called out to a few of his guys.

“Hey, the neighbor needs help rounding up some cattle. He says he has several horses ready for us. You guys good to go?”

The three men nodded.

“Okay, let’s go,” Trey said.

They walked to one of the trucks, and Trey opened his door. Before he slid in, he glanced up at the room Madelyn had. He thought he caught sight of her for a moment. The only place he wanted to be was with her.

The sooner they got the cattle back, the sooner he’d be home.

He raced out of the driveway.

Several hours later, he walked into the lodge and found it deserted. He knew his brother wasn’t back because the truck hetook was gone, and Daisy was nowhere to be seen.

He tore up the stairs and knocked on Madelyn’s door. When no one answered, he opened the door to find it clean. He checked the closet and saw that her things were gone. A smile grew. She was finally where she was supposed to be. Garrett was going to flip. They had thought they’d have to beg her.

They’d been so busy lately they hadn’t had many chances to be together. When they were, they were making love or eating a meal. They would change in the next few days. Most of the people would leave, and the only ones left were two old couples that played cards all day.

He walked into his place and scowled. “Madelyn?”

He got nothing.

Where the hell was everyone? He’d check outside. Maybe she was with the filly they were training.

Trey walked down the stairs and stopped at the doorway to the lounge, where the people ate, sat in front of the fire, talked, or played games. All he saw were the older couples.

He turned to leave and stopped, grinning when he remembered catching Madelyn trying to learn how to knit, and when she got mad and threw the needles and cotton down.

His woman failed to find something she could do sitting down except for reading. She just couldn’t sit still for long.

An urgency started to build in him. He needed her in his arms as soon as he could. He missed her even though it had been just that morning when he kissed her after breakfast.

He’d check in the kitchen first because she liked to spend time there. It was amazing to see Pearl smile and laugh. He couldn’t remember a time before Madelyn came when she looked happy. His woman just brought out the best in people.

“Hey, Pearl, have you seen Madelyn?” he asked.

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