“Has he gone into Bozeman for the day?” he asked when she didn’t answer.
“Uhh, no, he left.”
“He left?” he yelled.
He was aware of his assistant staring at him, wide-eyed. He gave her a wave to let her know everything was fine. Then he tuned her out.
“Love, what do you mean, he’s left?” he asked, forcing himself to speak calmly.
“I, uhh, Archer, you yelled.” She sounded completely shocked.
“Sorry, Caley, did I scare you?” He turned and saw his assistant still gaping at him. He gave her a small frown and she quickly turned and left.
“Umm, I just…I’ve never heard you yell.”
Why did he leave her? What the hell was he thinking? Had they had a fight? Why hadn’t he called Archer? He’d have…
Swooped in to save her.
Hero complex, much?
“He, umm, he got called into work.”
“Called into work? Someone on the ranch is ill?”
“Sort of,” she hedged.
“Caley,” he growled, not impressed at her half-answers.
“I’m not sure how much to say.”
“All of it,” he told her firmly. Damn it, why hadn’t Isaac called him?
“But Da—I mean Issy might get angry with me.” There was a lost note in her voice.
Poor baby.
“He won’t get angry with you,” he said soothingly. “If he gets angry at anyone, it will be me.”
“But I don’t want the two of you to argue again. I don’t like it when you argue.”
“You won’t know, because we aren’t going to argue in front of you again. Tell me, Caley.”
His voice was pure Dom now.
“He had to go to Colorado to help one of the guys who he works with. He got shot!”
Colorado? But the ranch was in Montana. And why would he have to go to help this guy? “Why didn’t he go to the hospital?”
“Apparently he doesn’t trust them. He doesn’t trust anyone to help him except Issy. That’s why he had to go.”
“And he just left you alone?” What was he thinking?
“I’ve lived by myself for years, Archer. A few days is fine. He’s coming back.” There was a note of uncertainty in her voice.
Damn it, Isaac! Didn’t he realize how vulnerable she was right now? If he left her too long, she could well convince herself that he wasn’t going to return. That he didn’t care about her as much as she did him. She could well decide that she was betraying her love for Dave by falling for Isaac.
He could lose her.