Free Last Stand Ranch by Jenna Night

from the hospital combined with the pain and the terror she’d been through were mixing her up.
    â€œAt the senior living facility. Golden Sands.”
    Elijah turned to Claudia and she nodded.
    â€œAunt Claudia knows the guy that runs the place,” Olivia added. “They need somebody to help with their arts-and-crafts program. It’s just part-time, but it’s something.”
    She was beginning to sniffle, as if she might cry. Her reddish-blond hair had fallen in front of her eyes and Elijah was so tempted to reach out and brush it away that he made himself take a step back. He needed to keep his eyes and ears open. Stay objective. Avoid getting emotionally involved. She’d be safer that way.
    â€œYou should reschedule the interview,” he said.
    â€œNo!” This time she did look at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. But her expression wasn’t sad. Or pleading. She was clearly determined.
    She sniffed loudly and sat up straighter. “I lost my job in Las Vegas and I’ve had a hard time finding another one. This wouldn’t be the same kind of work that I was doing, but it would be meaningful. Aunt Claudia lined up the opportunity for me and I intend to make the best of it.”
    She turned to Elijah. “So, no. I won’t reschedule. I’m going.”
    â€œOkay,” Elijah said. “I’ll take you.”
    â€œThank you.” Olivia used her good arm to push herself up off the couch. “I’m going back to the house with you,” she said to Claudia. “After everything that’s happened, I don’t think you should go back alone.”
    â€œShe won’t,” Linda said brightly, also standing up. “Mark and I are going with her.” She beamed at Claudia. “I love that cute little office with the day bed you have downstairs by the kitchen. And Mark’s never met a couch that didn’t double as the perfect bed for him. He’ll sleep in the living room.”
    Olivia’s jaw dropped slightly as she looked around the room. Her gaze finally settled on Elijah.
    â€œWell, you’ve certainly got all this planned, don’t you?” she said.
    â€œIt’s what we do.”
    She turned to Claudia “After everything that’s happened, you and I should stick together. I could go back to your house with you. Elijah could come, too. We’d have three people protecting us.”
    â€œYou and I can move into Claudia’s house tomorrow,” Elijah said.
    â€œWhy wait?”
    â€œBecause nobody’s out to kill your eighty-year-old aunt. They’re after you. If Kurtz is that determined, he may try something tonight, when he knows you’re already injured and vulnerable. I would think you wouldn’t want Aunt Claudia in the same house with you. I don’t want her in the same house with you. We’ll have time tomorrow to make her house more secure before you move back in.”
    â€œOh. That makes sense.” The fire went out of her eyes.
    Elijah turned to Mark and Linda. “Now that we’ve got that settled, why don’t you take Aunt Claudia home. We can take care of things here.” His gaze shifted back to Olivia. His first impression of her was right. Trouble was hot on her heels. He just hoped he could keep that trouble from taking over his town.

SEVEN
    O livia rolled over in bed and was instantly jarred awake by a sharp pain jabbing into her shoulder. She groaned and glanced at the small clock beside her. This was the third or fourth time she’d woken up since going to bed. At least this time she could take another pain pill.
    She sat up and flicked on the bedside lamp. The guest room in the Morales house was comfortable and beautiful, with the same relaxed, rustic, Southwest feel as the main rooms downstairs. But it wasn’t home. Who knew when she’d be able to get her furniture out of storage and settle down in one place again? She