Pursued by the Rich Rancher

“I have great friends and neighbors. I told you,” she said firmly. “No pity party.”

“Fair enough,” he conceded.

She stared down into her cobbler, the silence stretching out between them. Finally she looked up. She stirred a spoon through the ice cream on the side. “Do you always deliver dessert to the campers?”

The question hung in the air between them, loaded with a deeper meaning he couldn’t answer. Sure, he was here for his grandmother, but he would have been here anyway.

He settled for answering honestly. “You’re the first.”

“Oh.” The lone syllable came out breathy, the wind lifting her hair.

He reached to catch a lock, testing the fine red threads between his fingers before stroking it behind her ear. Her eyes went wide, wary, but with a spark of interest he couldn’t miss. For a long moment that stretched, loaded with temptation and want, he considered kissing her. Just leaning in and placing his mouth over hers to see if the chemistry between them was as explosive as he expected.

But that wariness in her eyes held him back. He had limited time with her. One mistaken move and he wouldn’t have the chance to make it right before she left.

He angled back, pushing to his feet. “I should let you turn in. Morning comes early here.”

She blinked fast, standing. “Thank you for the dessert.” She stacked the containers and backed toward the door with them clutched in a white-knuckled grip. “I assume I will see you tomorrow?”

“You most definitely will.”

* * *

It was only dessert. Only a touch to her hair.

And just that fast, she was tied up in knots over a man she’d met this morning. A cowboy.

God, she felt like a cliché.

Nina stood at the sink and scraped the last bite of gooey dessert down the disposal before tossing the disposable container in the trash. And God, it would be so easy to stand here at the sink and watch Alex through the window as he walked away. She’d only known him for a day. She wished she could just call it physical attraction, but she’d enjoyed talking to him. Even liked the way he could let peace settle for moments, as well.

Maybe she was simply starved for adult interaction. Her only time with other grown-ups centered on Cody’s doctors’ appointments or therapies. Even his play group focused on children with special needs. She wanted to give Cody every opportunity possible. But she couldn’t deny her life was lonely no matter what she’d told Alex about having friends back home. The only interaction she had with others was volunteering in Cody’s preschool program. Some said she should use that time for herself, and she tried. But it was easier said than done.

This week truly was a relaxing gift for her and Cody. She dropped onto the fluffy fat sofa. The cabin was cozy, comfy. A pink and green quilt—Texas two-step pattern on a brass bed. The whole place was an advertisement for Lone Star relaxation without being hokey. A colorful rag rug was soft under her feet. The lantern-style lamps and overhead light were made to resemble a flicker flame.

She should really finish unpacking and get some sleep.

Her well-traveled luggage rested on a pinewood bench. But her mind kept swirling with all the dreams she’d once stored in that case. She’d taken that suitcase with her to college, then New York City. The stickers all over the vintage piece advertised countries she’d dreamed of visiting. Warren had bought her a new set after they married, but she couldn’t bring herself to throw the old ones out. After her divorce, she’d donated the honeymoon designer luggage to charity and reclaimed her old “dreams for the future” set. Those changes had felt like a reclaiming of her values and hopes.

Her cell phone chimed, interrupting her swirling thoughts. She leaned from the sofa to grab her purse off the coffee table. Her stomach leaped at the possibility that Alex might be calling. He had access to her number from her registration.

She glanced at the screen. Disappointment jabbed at her. Then guilt. She should be thankful her friend Reed was checking in on her. She and Reed had met at a play group for their children. A nice guy, a single father of a little girl with Down syndrome. His partner had left him over the stress of having a special-needs child. Nina understood the mark that betrayal left. They helped each other when they could, but they both had such very full plates.

“Hello, Reed.” She propped her feet on the coffee table. “You’re up late. Morning’s going to come early for you getting Wendy to the bus stop.”

Reed owned a bistro and took his daughter to work with him when she wasn’t in school. Little Wendy loved the activity and charmed the customers.

“I’m not the only one up late,” her friend teased back, his Northern accent so different from a particular cowboy drawl. “Did you lose your phone? I’ve been calling for a couple of hours. Just wanted to be sure you arrived safely.”

“I was outside on the porch talking to...” She couldn’t bring herself to tell him about Alex, not that there was much to tell. So she fibbed. “I was talking with another parent. Cody was asleep. The nights here are...idyllic.”

“How did Cody enjoy his day?”

She grasped the safer topic with both hands. “He was enthralled by everything here. We’re only a day into it, but I’m cautiously optimistic we’re going to make a breakthrough here.”

“I wish I could be there to see that.”

“You have a restaurant to run.”

“True enough. So tell me more about the camp.”

What parts should she share with him? That she suddenly understood about the cowboy appeal? Or at least the appeal of one cowboy in particular? Reed was a friend, but not the kind of friend to whom she could say anything like that. “I was nervous coming up here that the camp would just be some overpriced excuse for parents to get a break. But it really is all about the children.”

“Such as?”

“They had pony rides but let the parents lead the children around so they would feel more at ease. The menu is kid-friendly with a variety of choices so even kids with issues about texture will find something that works.” And the adult fare was delicious, especially when delivered by a hot man who looked at her with hungry eyes. She hadn’t felt like a desirable woman in so very long.

“That’s awesome, really awesome. I’m glad you’re getting this break and able to spend time with other adults. You spend too much time alone cooped up in your house.”

True enough, but she didn’t want to dwell on negative thoughts. She sagged to sit on the edge of the brass bed. “You must have called for a reason...”

“Can’t I just check on you because you should have people looking out for you?”

“Sure you can, but I also hear something in your voice that worries me.” She traced the pink and green pattern on the quilt.

“Your mother-in-law called. She’d gone by your town house and realized you’d left. She checked again this evening.”

“What did you tell her?” Her mother-in-law didn’t approve of her choice to keep Cody at home, and Nina knew she would just get blowback for choosing this camp. Her mother-in-law would come up with a million reasons why it was wrong.

“I said you went on a weeklong vacation with Cody. She wanted to know where. I told her to call you if she wanted details.”

“Thank you.” Sighing, she sagged back onto the bed, her head sinking into the pillows. “I appreciate that.”

“Stop worrying. They’re not going to get custody of Cody. There’s no reason for a judge to pass over custody to them.”

“Thank you again. I feel like I’m saying that all the time, but I mean it.” She stared up at the ceiling fan slicing lazy shadows across the room, the distant echo of a band playing at the lodge penetrated the walls like a soft lullaby. “They just want to lock him away and control his inheritance. They don’t love him. Not really.”

“I know. And so will any judge who looks at the facts. When my partner tried to get out of helping with child support, my lawyer was on me 24/7 to keep a journal,” Reed said with the unerring persistence that made him a force to be reckoned with in the courtroom. “Write a detailed accounting of your schedule and outings. Document. Document. Document. You’ll have the facts on your side.”

“Aye-aye, sir,” she teased. “I will. Now you should stop worrying and get some sleep.”

“You too. And be sure to take lots of photos of Cody.”

“I will. And give little Wendy a hug from me. Tell her I’ll bring her a present.”

“Sure will,” he said, an unmistakable affection leaking into his voice. He loved his daughter. “I’ll be checking for text message photos.”

“You’re a good friend.” And such a good man. They could have a great life together—except for the fact that they weren’t attracted to each other. At all. Not a chance ever, since she wasn’t a guy. “Good night, and thanks.”