Payback by Kim Brogan Page A

was another door. Marie opened it and almost gagged.  It was worse than a gas station bathroom.  “Oh, God,” she groaned. There was only a toilet, which looked as if it hadn’t been replaced in forty years and a tiny sink with a roll of paper towels.  In the corner was a six-pack of toilet paper.
    “Keeping it clean hasn’t been a big priority.  We all use it when we’re out here, and, frankly, we tend to pee in the woods, so you can imagine its primary purpose.”
    “Maybe I can room with my friend in Whitefish.”
    “It’s a long way to and from Whitefish, and you don’t have a car.”
    “That’s true.”
    “Let’s go back to the tack room. It’s even colder in here.” They went back upstairs.  “I could give you a hand cleaning up.”
    She shook her head. “Don’t bother.  I could use the diversion.”
    There were footsteps on the stairs outside, and then the door flew open. His cowboy hat now back in the house, Marie could see Caden’s handsome face and large eyes, only now they were a cold blue, not the happy, loving blue from when they met years ago.
    “Here.” Caden pushed a set of sheets into her arms , along with a couple of wool blankets. “And you can use this to keep you warm.”
    It was a small , portable heater, something a secretary would plug in under her desk to keep her legs warm in an air-conditioned office.  She doubted it was going to help much, but maybe if it was close enough to the bed, it might keep her from freezing.
    “Thank you,” Marie said.
    The sound of her voice, the kindness in it despite the crap she was being dealt, was too much. Caden couldn’t look at her. He hadn’t been in the room for several years and it was more ramshackled than he remembered.  It definitely needed a lot of work and a fumigation. It was freezing, and a piercing cold draft was whistling through the room from the poorly sealed, lonely window which had no blinds. Caden finally looked up at her and the memory of Los Angeles hit him, including the pain of what she put him through. It helped steel him against her charms.
    “I expect my dinner on the table at six , unless I say otherwise, and breakfast at six-thirty.  Lunch is flexible because I won’t always know when I’m coming in, so just have something like a sandwich or something we can throw in the microwave made for us.  Sometimes you’ll be making lunch for Jason and me, sometimes for more workers. I’ll let you know that morning. You will not be eating with me in my home. You can eat before or after I do, but I don’t want you at my table while I’m eating—”
    “Caden! That’s just rude,” Jason exclaimed.
    “No, he’s right. It’s best if we have as little time together as possible,” Marie explained.
    “When you’re done cleaning, cooking and doing the laundry, I expect you to be helping us out on the ranch. Just ask Jason or me what chores need to be done.”
    She cocked her head, bewildered, and exclaimed, “I don’t know anything about cattle!”
    “It doesn’t matter. We’ll give you grunt work or show you how to do it,” Caden said, his face expressionless.
    “So when do I start?”
    “I want dinner on the table in an hour.”
    “No! She’s been in a serious accident and has head injuries.  She’s going to take it easy today and tomorrow and start Sunday,” Jason insisted.
    Marie nodded.  Her head was pounding and she could feel her whole body giving out. “I do think I need to rest a—” her eyes rolled in her head as she fell back.
    “Marie!” Jason yelled as he grabbed her arm.
    She screamed out from the sharp pain splintering through her from where Jason had grabbed her. Marie’s left arm came up to knock his hand off of her.
    Caden put an arm under hers and helped her back to the bed, gently lowering her to it. “What’s wrong?”
    “I’m dizzy and my upper arm hurts like hell.  Sorry, Jason, I didn’t mean to snap.”
    “Let’s see what’s going on.” Jason stepped