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Stacy. “Olivia is Layne’s ex. I’m sure you gathered they broke up recently.”
    Stacy nodded, wondering how recently. That would explain why Layne lied to her about her real name and why she left without so much as a goodbye. Someone was probably waiting for her at home. She turned and looked out the window, not wanting to hear anything else about Layne Stone.
    The landscape looked much like that of Louisiana, and the farther they traveled, the more wooded everything became with an interspersing of houses here and there. Stacy watched it all fly by, wondering what she should say to Ronnie. She’d missed her opportunity at the airport because she’d been floored when Ronnie pointed out her friends and Stacy’s gaze fell on a pair of startled blue eyes. And when Ronnie introduced Layne by her real name, Stacy’s shock turned to anger. She didn’t bother to examine why she felt that way because being pissed off trumped what she felt after her encounter with Layne, and she hoped it would last the entire trip.
    “Was that a joke?” Jenny said loudly. “Hey, Patty, was that sign for real? Was that a bear crossing?”
    The driver spoke up loud enough for everyone to hear. “Black bear and yes. We have quite a few around here.”
    “Layne’s tiger and bears, oh, my,” Jenny said with a laugh.
    “Layne’s tiger?” Stacy inquired, looking at Ronnie.
    “It’s what her boss calls her. She’s the makes-things-happen kind of girl, and no one gets in her way,” Ronnie said with a note of pride.
    Stacy nodded and looked back out the window as Ronnie draped an arm over her shoulders.
    “You’ll be given a map of the grounds. The rules for your safety are on the back,” Patty continued. “Pay close attention to the one that says not to leave food outside your cabins and do not feed the animals.” She looked up into the rearview mirror. “If you feed them, they will come.”
    Patty slowed and turned off the main highway onto a sandy road. Palm trees grew wild among the pines and oaks. Every so often, there’d be a break in the thick foliage, and Stacy caught glimpses of people on horseback. She noticed women fishing on the banks of a large pond. It looked like a lot of fun, and she hoped that she’d be able to enjoy it. Stacy grabbed a hold of the seat in front of her when the van came to an abrupt stop. She was the last to climb out and joined the others who stood in a circle. Layne glanced at her and quickly looked away, her expression blank.
    “We’ll go ahead and put your luggage in your cabins.” Patty pointed to a trail. “Follow that up to the main house, you can’t miss it. Someone at the front desk will check you in. I hope you enjoy your stay.” She touched the brim of her cowboy hat.
    Stacy brought up the rear when Ronnie sidled up to Layne and noted the pale skin of Layne’s legs. In Detroit, she’d noticed that Layne was fair-skinned, but in the stark light of day, those legs looked as though they’d never seen the sun. She clamped her lips tightly together as a flash of that same body naked filled her mind. It all seemed like a sexy dream that suddenly turned into an ugly nightmare.
    “Welcome to Moss Ranch,” a woman greeted them brightly as they walked into the main house. “I’m Les McGill, my partner,” she waved a hand at another woman, “is Joy Kimball. You’ve managed to arrive right at lunch. Would you ladies like to eat before we check you in?”
    “Uh, y’all go on ahead.” Layne stepped forward. “I’ll take care of this and join you.”
    “Okay, great.” Jenny tried to usher everyone to the dining room that was just off the reception area.
    “Go ahead, sweetie.” Ronnie kissed Stacy quickly on the mouth. “I’ll stay with Layne. We’ll be along in a minute.”
    Layne walked over to the counter with Les, and Ronnie joined her. When Les turned to collect the paperwork and keys, Ronnie put an arm around Layne’s waist. “I’m sorry I haven’t called you since