If You Believe

"I thought you liked Mariah. "

"I do . . . a hell of a lot actually. Whats that got to do with it?"

"Well . . . I thought youd sort of like to stay. After all, youre still here. "

"You havent paid me yet. "

Rass eyed Mad Dog speculatively. The young man was trying like hell to appear disinterested, but he couldnt mask his emotions completely. Deep in his eyes, Rass saw what he wanted—needed—to see.

Mad Dog wasnt as detached as he tried to appear.

Rass fished through the baggy, lint-softened interior of his pants pocket for his wallet. Flipping it open, he pulled out a crisp ten-dollar bill and handed it to Mad Dog. "Here you go. Im paying you—more than I owe you for the week. You going to leave now?"

Mad Dog stared down at the paper money for a long, silent moment, then slowly he looked up and met Rasss gaze. "No. "

"Why not?"

Mad Dog flinched. "Im not ready to move on, I guess. "

"And that has nothing to do with my daughter?"

He sighed quietly and ran a hand through his shaggy hair. "I wish it didnt, Professor. "

Rass did his best not to smile. "But it does. "

Mad Dog squeezed his eyes shut. "Yeah, it does. " He looked up suddenly, his gaze sharp on Rasss face.

"Dont make too much of it, Rass. Im not the kind of man who stays anywhere too long. "

"Maybe this timell be different. "

A grim smile pulled at Mad Dogs mouth. "Ive had plenty of women say that, but somehow it never is. "

Rass thought about saying more, but knew it wasnt the time. There were certain discoveries a man had to make for himself. "Well, Im just going into town for a few hours. I thought Id take Jake out to that Chinese restaurant for supper. But I dont like to leave Mariah alone on the farm. You know, in case theres trouble. "

Mad Dog smiled. "Sure thing, Rass. Ill keep an eye on her for you. "

Rass thumped him on the back. "I knew I could count on you. "

Mad Dog laughed. "Now, theres a first. "

"What?"

"No one counts on me, Professor. "

He looked up at the younger mans face. "Like I told you, maybe this time is different. "

Rass let the sentence sink in, with all its possibilities, then he turned and walked away.

Chapter Fifteen Mad Dog yelled for Mariah, but there was no answer. She was probably hiding someplace, trying to keep out of his way now that they were alone on the farm.

He couldnt say he blamed her.

Grabbing his towel and soap from the bunkhouse, he headed to the house for his nightly shower.

He bounded up the sagging porch steps and rapped hard on the door. He didnt expect an answer, but he knocked just the same. Mariah always made a point of not being around when he took his regularly scheduled shower.

No one answered.