Kitabı oku: «Cowboy Courage», sayfa 4

Chapter Four

It had taken Laurie nearly forever to fall asleep last night. Confusion reigned in her mind while desire for Cole McAdams threatened her resolve.

Blaming too much wine and soft music for last night’s magic, she decided she’d have to avoid both today, or she might do something she’d later regret. By the time she finally climbed from bed, the sun had peeked through silver-gray clouds in the east. The rain had stopped. And, her conscience reminded her, she couldn’t stay here forever.

Laurie stood in the kitchen, bare feet upon the cool, pink-and-white checkered linoleum floor, eyes taking in the dark-stained pine cabinets and pink appliances. This room wasn’t at all as modern and impressive as the rest of the house. Apparently, Cole hadn’t begun to remodel in here. She wondered what plans he had to modernize this room and make it as wide-open as the others. A large picture window, she assumed, like those he had in the rest of the house, using the outdoors as a work of art.

She reached for the light switch on the wall and gasped softly when the room lit up. The electricity worked. She glanced quickly at the black, wall-mounted telephone, quickly assuming everything was in working order.

She’d be on her way, wherever that might be. Farther east or back to the west, she hadn’t yet decided, but she needed to go. No telling what she might do if she remained in Cole McAdams’s presence, if she stepped back into his arms, allowed herself one more magical, mind-altering kiss.

Good heavens, she’d been engaged to a man whose kiss had never affected her like that, whose touch had never weakened her knees or driven her senses wild. But Laurie couldn’t stay, couldn’t pursue a relationship with a man who was little more than a stranger, a man who would be a part of her life for a brief moment. Even if he would give her a glimpse of something wonderful, something she might never experience again.

A strange twist in her heart implied she’d miss the handsome, blue-eyed cowboy she’d just met. She quickly brushed off a wave of sadness. Sleep deprivation had surely done a number on her.

She opened and closed cupboards until she found a can of ground coffee in the pantry, then began to prepare a pot in the usual way—with water from the tap and the flip of a switch on the electric coffeemaker.

While the aromatic, dark brown brew dripped into the pot, Laurie returned to the room in which she’d slept and retrieved the gym bag that held the yellow envelope addressed to Daniel. It was time she faced reality. Her days of Texas magic and dreams were coming to an end.

Sitting at the kitchen table, a cup of coffee in front of her, Laurie slowly withdrew the envelope from the canvas bag. She held it and struggled with her conscience about opening something not addressed to her.

Yet Denise’s artistic script mocked her, taunted her. Laurie grabbed a table knife, slipped it under the sealed flap and slit the envelope open. She peeked inside, then withdrew the contents.

Three canceled checks lay before her, each from Dr. Michael Harper’s business account to Daniel Walker’s campaign fund, all signed by Denise, the doctor’s wife and office manager. Something struck her as odd.

For a man who didn’t seem to have any more political interest than the norm, why would Michael contribute so much money to Daniel’s campaign? And why in three large increments? Before Laurie could find any reasonable explanation, Cole’s red vintage truck pulled into the drive.

She slipped the checks back into the envelope and braced herself for the morning after.

The morning after what? They certainly hadn’t slept together, although her mind had played and replayed the possibility all night long. They’d only danced.

But they’d held each other close, and the memory of the deep, hungry kiss they’d shared the night before had haunted her sleep. Just the thought of that kiss caused her cheeks to warm as though they’d committed an intimate act.

The knob turned, the back door swung open and a pretty blond child entered the kitchen. Round, blue-rimmed glasses framed expressive blue eyes. A splattering of freckles covered a turned-up nose.

Cole’s daughter, Laurie assumed. She smiled at the little girl.

When she spotted Laurie, she stopped in midstep. Her eyes brightened, and her mouth opened. “Who are you?”

“Hello,” Laurie said, unsure of what else to tell the child. Her eyes instantly sought Cole’s.

“This is my daughter, Beth,” Cole said to Laurie. Then he turned to the child. “This is Laurie. She’s a friend of Aunt Kerri-Leigh.”

And what am I to you? Laurie wanted to ask. Instead, she faced the child and extended her hand in greeting, offering the little girl the same respect and formality Laurie had always received when she’d been introduced to Aunt Caroline’s friends. “I’m happy to meet you, Beth.”

The child took Laurie’s hand and giggled. “I’m glad to meet you, too.”

“Why don’t you unpack your bags and put the laundry in the hamper,” Cole told Beth. “Consuela will be here tomorrow afternoon, and she’ll start the laundry.”

Consuela? Laurie couldn’t hide a grin of her own. So, Cole had a housekeeper. She’d guessed a woman had been responsible for the tidy home, but she just hadn’t known who.

Beth skipped off, long blond curls bouncing along behind her, and left Laurie and Cole alone in the kitchen.

Laurie faced him awkwardly. “I suppose I’d better think about heading back to town.”

“With or without your car?”

For a moment she’d forgotten Kerri-Leigh had the Expedition. “Can you give me a ride to the nearest bus depot? That’s where your sister said she’d park my car.”

“Sure,” Cole said. “But that’s in Clayton, twenty miles from here. I’ve got an appointment I need to take care of in Tannen. Can we make it later this evening?”

“I’m in no hurry to get my car. But if you don’t mind taking me with you to Tannen, I have a few things to do myself.” She didn’t tell him about her plan to find Carla’s Crazy Curl. Or her intent to change her hairstyle.

“Sure, you can ride with me. I’ll be a few hours, though. Do you think you can keep yourself busy in a backwoods community that long?”

Laurie hid a grin and shrugged. “I’ll think of it as an adventure.”

Cole chuckled. “I’ve got some chores to do around here. How about if we leave about noon?”

“All right.” Laurie tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and wondered what Cole would say when he saw what she planned to have done to her hair. But she supposed it really didn’t matter. It wasn’t as though she and Cole had any kind of real friendship. Besides, she wouldn’t be around much longer.

She felt a brief moment of sadness, and tried to understand why. Did she mourn leaving a life of obscurity, or did she dread returning to face the problems of her past?

“Beth!” Cole called. “Do you want to go out in the pasture with me?”

The little girl came bounding back into the kitchen. “Is the lady going, too?”

“Not into the pasture,” Cole said. “It’s muddy. But you can put on some old clothes and—”

Beth slid up next to Laurie. “I’ll stay with the lady.”

“Not without asking her permission,” he said.

Big blue eyes, appearing larger through round lenses, pleaded for permission. “Can I stay with you, Laurie?”

“Certainly.” Laurie glanced at Cole. “If it’s all right with your dad.”

“It’s okay with me,” he said.

Beth clapped her hands in excitement. “Maybe we can make cookies. I like to make cookies!”

“Beth,” Cole admonished. “She doesn’t have to entertain you.”

“Oh, on the contrary,” Laurie said with a broad smile. “I think Beth will do the entertaining.”

“All right, then.” Cole turned toward the door. “I’ll be back in the time it takes to make a dozen cookies or answer a hundred questions—whichever comes first.”

Laurie laughed. “Either option is fine with me.”

“Or we can play,” Beth suggested. “I’ll get some toys.”

Cole shook his head while reaching for the back-door knob. “I hope she doesn’t drive you crazy. She can play and talk for hours on end.”

“I don’t mind at all,” Laurie said. All she needed to do was make a quick phone call to Aunt Caroline. Then she’d be happy to do whatever Beth wanted to do: play house, bake cookies or chat away for hours. She actually looked forward to spending time with the little girl.

When Cole had gone outside, and Beth into her room for some dolls to help make cookies, Laurie picked up the telephone and dialed her aunt’s number.

The maid answered the phone. “No, Mrs. Taylor isn’t at home. May I tell her who’s calling?”

“It’s Lauren,” she said, a bit surprised the older woman hadn’t recognized her voice. “Tell her not to worry about me. I’m spending some time alone, and I’ll call her later.”

Before the woman could answer, the phone line crackled with static.

“Goodbye,” Laurie said, assuming her message had gone through. She hung up the telephone, just as Beth raced back into the room with an armload of baby dolls.

“This is Mary,” Beth said, propping a dolly on the table. “And this is Susan. She has a cold.” Beth introduced each one. “Josie, Christie. And this one is Margo. She’s my favorite because Pammy gave her to me for my birthday.”

“I’m pleased to meet you,” Laurie said, taking each small hand into hers.

“Let’s play house,” Beth said. “I’ll be the mother.” Then she paused, eyes wide and enthusiastic. “Or do you want to be the mother? I’ll let you be her, if you want. Pammy lets me be the mommy a lot, so you can have the first turn, if you want. It’s okay, as long as one of us is. All dollies need a mommy.”

“You can be the mother,” Laurie said, her voice catching. She swiped at her eye with the back of a hand. Dollies weren’t the only ones who needed a mommy.

The morning passed in record time, with Beth enchanting Laurie with her precocious wit and insights.

As they used forks to press peanut-butter-cookie dough onto a cookie sheet, Beth paused and grimaced. “My head hurts again.”

Laurie glanced up. Tears welling in the little girl’s eyes convinced her the child’s complaint was real. “Again?”

Beth nodded. “It hurts bad.”

“Did you bump it?”

Beth shook her head. “It just hurts sometimes.”

Laurie glanced out the window. Cole wasn’t around to ask, but she wanted to give the child some relief. “Does your daddy know about the headaches?”

Beth nodded, her lip quivering. “He gives me medicine, but it tastes yucky.”

“What kind of medicine?”

“The purple stuff.” Beth pointed toward the top of the refrigerator. “It’s up there.”

When Laurie reached for the half-empty bottle, she read the label. Grape-flavored children’s non-aspirin pain reliever. As Beth began to whimper, Laurie checked the dosage. What would it hurt? She hated to see the girl in such obvious pain.

Taking the small, plastic measuring cup that had been placed beside the bottle, Laurie poured the proper amount and gave it to Beth. For a moment, she worried that she might have overstepped her boundaries, but when Beth continued to whine, Laurie decided she hadn’t.

Ten minutes later, her cries had only escalated. Did kids get migraines? Laurie carried her to the bedroom and placed a cool, wet cloth upon her brow. By the time Cole entered the kitchen, the pain reliever had finally kicked in, and Beth appeared to be resting easier.

He left his muddy boots on the porch, and strode into the kitchen in his stocking feet. Mud splattered his jeans, but Laurie doubted he’d remove his pants, not in front of her. Still, thoughts of him doing just that brought back the same tingling feeling she’d experienced last night, as well as a warmth in her belly. The fantasy brought the curve of a smile to her lips.

He removed his hat and placed it upon a hook near the back door, his eyes never leaving hers. Dirty from laboring on the ranch, dark curls plastered to his head where the sweaty brim of his hat had rested, Cole McAdams appeared to be more of a cowboy than she realized—more rugged, more handsome. And far more attractive.

She recognized a glint of desire in his eyes, and wondered if he’d feel the same way when she told him what she’d done for his daughter’s headache. She was relieved to learn he approved of her treatment.

“Beth has been getting headaches a lot, lately,” Cole said. “The children’s pain reliever seems to help.”

“Have you had her checked?” Laurie asked.

“No.” Cole raked a hand through his hair, then strode to the sink and washed his hands. “I might take her to see a counselor, though. I think it’s stress-related.”

“Stress?” His assessment surprised her.

“I’m involved in a custody battle with her mother.” He sighed heavily as he dried his hands on a kitchen towel. “Nearly two years ago, the woman deserted us. I was granted full custody.”

“If her mother is gone, and you have custody—”

“That’s just it. Her mother is back and has some sorry excuse for leaving. Now, she’s determined to have joint custody or at least liberal visitation.”

“What was her reason for leaving?” Laurie asked, trying to understand why a mother would desert a husband like Cole and a precious daughter like Beth.

“She preferred a lifestyle and friends I didn’t approve of.”

“And her reason for coming back?” Laurie asked, realizing Cole was probably right about prohibiting visitation. A child needed stability in her life, not the unpredictable stress caused by the whims of a flighty mother.

“She found God, so she says. Supposedly, He forgave her for leaving, but forgiveness doesn’t come easy for me. Especially when I had to try and explain to my broken-hearted little girl why her mother left. As far as I’m concerned, my ex-wife doesn’t deserve a relationship with the child she abandoned.”

“What did you tell Beth? I wouldn’t think she’d be suffering from the stress if she wasn’t aware of things adults should keep to themselves.”

Cole leaned against the kitchen counter and crossed his arms. “Give me credit for being a responsible, caring parent. I’ve never said anything negative about her mother, not even after she left us. The only reason Beth knows about the lawsuit now is because my ex showed up at her preschool to visit. I had to file a restraining order so that wouldn’t happen again. Now, her attorney talks to mine.”

“Was Beth upset by the visit?”

Cole pulled out a chair and sat down at the kitchen table. “I’d informed the school of our situation, so they wouldn’t allow the visit.”

“Well, if Beth didn’t know her mom had come to school—”

“Pammy was in the office getting a bandage for a small cut on her finger and overheard more than she should have.” Cole placed his elbows upon the table and blew out a heavy sigh. “Pammy told Beth that her mommy had come to school but was sent away. That day, my daughter came home in tears, and I had a ton of questions to answer.”

“Is that when the headaches started?”

“I think so. At least, that’s when I started noticing her complaints.”

Laurie knew stress could cause a myriad of physical problems. Beth could be feeling badly about not being able to see her mother. Or perhaps Cole was downplaying his own role. Sometimes resentment and bias were impossible to hide. “Maybe you should have her checked by a doctor.”

“I probably will if the headaches continue to occur.”

Laurie worried her lip, but before she could comment further, the phone rang.

Cole grabbed the receiver from the wall. “Hello.”

“It’s me, Kerri-Leigh.”

“Where are you?”

“In a women’s shelter near Dallas. I called to tell you not to worry about me, yesterday, but I couldn’t get through.”

“The phone was out.” Cole raked a hand through his hair, glad his kid sister was safe, yet sorry he hadn’t been able to talk sense into her sooner. He’d always tried to protect her, but ever since she’d started seeing Brady, he’d felt like his hands had been tied behind his back. “I’ve been worried about you.”

“I was scared at first, hoping I’d done the right thing, but I’m okay now.” She blew out a soft sigh. “I’ve met women who’ve been in my same situation. Some in worse. They’re coping and preparing for new lives. Safer lives.”

“You saw me pull into the parking lot at the Long Shot,” Cole said. “I was coming to help you.”

“I wasn’t about to add any more turmoil to your life. Not with the custody thing going on.”

Cole appreciated her concern, especially when Kerri-Leigh didn’t agree with his decision to fight Beth’s mother for complete custody. His sister had tried to get him to reconsider the lawsuit, saying his flighty ex-wife had changed, but family loyalty wouldn’t allow her to push the issue any further. Thank goodness. Forcing the issue would have driven a wedge between them.

“I’m glad you finally left Brady,” Cole said, directing the conversation back to his sister and her problems.

“Have you heard from him?”

“No, and I don’t expect to. When push comes to shove, Brady’s afraid of me.”

“I know,” Kerri-Leigh said. “But I’m still going to stay away for a while. Make a new life for myself.”

“I’m glad. Brady doesn’t deserve you.”

“Thanks.” She sniffled and cleared her throat. “I love you, Cole.”

The phone grew heavy in his hand, and the silence on the line begged for a response. He stole a quick glance at Laurie. Love and tender feelings were hard to express, except of course, to Beth. “Yeah, Kerri-Leigh. Me, too.”

“Oh, shoot,” his sister said. “There’s a big line of women forming behind me. I’ve got to hang up, but I’ll call you later. Maybe in a week or so.”

“Hey,” Cole said. “Where’d you leave Laurie’s car?”

“At the bus depot in Clayton. If you see her, give her a hug for me.”

Cole glanced at Laurie before answering his sister. “Sure.”

When the line disconnected, he hung up the receiver and glanced at the pretty blonde who had helped his sister escape. “That was Kerri-Leigh. She called to let me know she’s in a shelter.”

“I’m glad she’s safe.”

“So am I.” Cole had been trying to talk Kerri-Leigh into leaving Brady for more than a year, but it was better this way. His sister had left on her own, and now she had other women to confide in, women who knew how she was feeling. “I appreciate what you did for her.”

“When I saw her trying to climb through a window that was too small, I had to do something,” Laurie said. She brushed a wisp of hair from her eye with the back of a hand, dusting her cheek with a streak of flour and dislodging another strand, this one larger.

Without thinking, Cole lifted his hand to help, but caught himself before he touched her. He stroked his chin instead. “We both appreciate what you did, even though it was reckless. I’m glad I walked in when I did.”

When Laurie worried her bottom lip, Cole assumed she was experiencing a brief moment of hindsight, probably realizing how dangerous her interference could have been. He wanted to take her hand, pull her close, but he knew better than to touch her. He could barely keep his libido under control as it was, especially when she stood in his kitchen, looking as though she belonged there.

“Do you think Brady would have hurt me?” she asked.

“No one has ever accused Brady of being bright. Or of taking time to think things through. He’s always been quick to react.” Cole thought of the last beating Kerri-Leigh had received, then grimaced. “Of course, he would have been sorry, after the fact.”

“You mean, if he had hurt me, he might have felt remorse?”

“That’s why Kerri-Leigh kept going back to him. He’d lose his temper, then fill her with sad-eyed apologies and promises he never kept.”

Laurie shook her head slowly, as though trying to comprehend something Cole had never been able to figure out, then gazed at him with large, luminous green eyes. She looked so darn vulnerable, he couldn’t help but want to protect her from anything or anyone who would hurt her, to take her in his arms and soothe away past hurts, fears.

She deserved an appreciative hug, but he’d promised himself he wouldn’t touch her again. She would soon be on her way. Out of town and out of his life. “I’ll try to get you to Clayton so you can pick up your car before dark.”

“There’s no rush.”

He’d enjoyed her presence in his house and was glad she was in no hurry to go. She’d leave soon enough, so he decided not to rush her departure. “You’re welcome to stay here for another night or two.”

She bit her bottom lip, as though pondering his suggestion, then looked up at him and smiled. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to stay an extra day or so.”

He nodded. Then, when he was about to excuse himself to shower, his houseguest surprised him with a hug.

And in spite of knowing he probably smelled like he’d just come home from a three-week cattle drive, Cole complied by opening his arms.

God, she smelled good, like brown sugar and cinnamon. And peanut butter.

And Cole had a wild desire to see if she tasted as good as she smelled.