by Jessie Evans
“Sounds like my kind of person,” she said, barely resisting the urge to hook her arm through Ross’s as they started toward the entrance. The temptation to touch him was like nothing she’d ever experienced before—crazy, in the best way.
“Yeah, he’s good people. I wouldn’t have had the restaurant ready to open as fast as I did without his help with the plumbing.”
“I heard you’d opened a restaurant,” Elodie said, bouncing excitedly on her toes. “That’s so wonderful! I can’t wait to hear all about it.”
“I’ll give you a tour later,” he said, shyly. “If you’d like.”
“I’d love that!”
“Great.” His fingers closed around the door handle, but he didn’t open the heavy black door and the furrow reappeared between his eyebrows. “I hope it’s not rude, but can I ask what kind of favor you’re after before we go in? My head’s been spinning the whole way over, but I can’t figure out what kind of deal you’re hoping to work with the highway department.”
Elodie winced. “I’m sorry, I should have explained. I use animal skins in my work, but only the skins of animals that are already dead. I can’t bring myself to kill an innocent animal for the sake of art, even if it is the way I make my living. So that’s where the highway department comes in.”
Ross nodded slowly. “So you’re after the roadkill.”
“Exactly,” Elodie said, pleased that Ross didn’t seem put off by the thought. “But only the roadkill that’s in good enough shape to taxidermy. I used to go find it myself, but then I learned from a very unpleasant police officer that it’s illegal for a private citizen to collect roadkill in the state of Texas.”
Ross’s lips curved on one side. “Unpleasant, huh?”
“He kind of tried to take me to jail,” Elodie said, rocking back on the heels of her tennis shoes. “But luckily he got called away on some important business before he could arrest me for possession of an opossum.”
Ross laughed. “Not many possums around here, but lots of armadillos and jackrabbits. Come on in, and we’ll find you a hookup.”
Twenty minutes later, Elodie emerged with a smiling Ross by her side and Blake’s phone number programmed into her cell. The soft-spoken man had needed a little convincing, but had eventually agreed to give Elodie a call when he picked up animals that were in decent shape.
“Well, that went well,” Elodie said, unclipping her spare helmet from the Vespa’s handle. “At least he doesn’t seem to think I’m dangerously weird.”
“You’re not weird,” Ross said, accepting the bright blue helmet. “Your stuff is great. It’s like you’re giving dead things a shot at a bigger, more exciting life than they had before.”
Elodie beamed. “Thanks. That’s how I think of it, too. I’m so glad you liked the pictures.”
“I loved them,” he said, his words warming her from the inside out. “And I know Clementine, Tulsi’s little girl, would, too. Possums dressed up like Amelia Earhart and Joan of Arc are right up her alley.”
“Then give me your cell number,” Elodie said, pulling her phone out of her bib pocket. “I’ll text you a few pictures to show Clementine the next time you see her.”
Ross hesitated, and an ugly voice inside of Elodie’s head piped up, whispering that she was a fool and that Ross didn’t want to trust her with his phone number, let alone his heart. It was her “ugly troll voice,” the one that years of her gram’s unconditional love and Elodie’s own determination not to let the darkness of her early childhood follow her into her teen years had nearly silenced. But it was still there, ready to come out and try to crush her spirit at the most unexpected moments. A girl didn’t spend twelve years as Stinky Elodie, after all, and not come away with a few scars.
It made her wonder how long Ross had had to put up with being “Ugly Ross” before it had become obvious to anyone with eyes that he was as handsome as he was sweet.
“I’d love to give you my number,” Ross said, proving her troll voice wrong. “But I know Clem would enjoy it so much more if you showed her the pictures. And told her all the stories that go along with them. I’m going to a party her mama’s throwing the day after tomorrow. Maybe you’d want to…come with me? Show them to her yourself?”
Elodie grinned. “I’d love to go to a party with you.”
“It’s actually a wedding, and then a party,” Ross clarified. “I’d love for you to come along for both, but I understand if it feels weird to go to a wedding with a man you hardly know.”
Elodie’s smile faded. “That’s not how I feel. I may have missed a lot of your life, but I know you. Unless you’ve changed.”
Ross’s melted chocolate eyes held hers, making her heart beat faster. “No,” he said in a husky voice. “I haven’t changed. Not in the ways that matter.”
“Me either.” Elodie leaned closer, unable to resist the pull that tightened the air between them.
Ross cupped her face in his warm hand, sending a wave of comfort and longing shooting through her. “But you seem so much happier. I’m glad, El. You deserve to be happy.”
“I am happy,” she said, tipping her head back. “But I could be even happier.”
“How’s that?” Ross asked, his gaze shifting to her lips.
“I think you know.” Her breath rushed out as her hands came to rest on his arms, feeling the strength of him through his worn jacket.
“I think I do,” he said, setting her pulse to racing as his mouth moved slowly closer to hers. “But it’s hard to believe.”
“What’s hard to believe?” Elodie asked, lips prickling with anticipation.
“That you could want to kiss me half as much as I want to kiss you.”
“I bet I want it more.” She pushed up on tiptoe, closing the distance between them, unable to wait another second to see if Ross’s lips felt as good against hers as she’d imagined they would.
The moment his warm, firm flesh met hers, she knew that dreams did come true. They came true, and they blew all the fantasies you’d had, while you were wishing for your happy ever after, out of the water. The kiss was sweet at first, but even when Ross’s tongue slipped between her lips and her pulse began to beat in secret, hungry places, there was nothing sinful about kissing this man. There was only light and happiness and the feeling that she had found the place in the world where an odd duck like her fit just right.
And that place was Ross Dyer.
By the time he pulled away, she was boneless with pleasure.
“Want to go for a ride?” he asked, his voice a low rumble she felt from her buzzing lips to her tingling toes. “My mom’s been after me to come help exercise the horses, and I’m sure she’d love to see you.”
“Yes,” Elodie said. “I’d love to. I’m yours for the day.”
And hopefully for longer, she silently added as she handed Ross the keys to the Vespa and crawled on the back of the bike behind him, relishing how good it felt to be pressed tight to the most wonderful cowboy in Texas.
She had a goofy smile on her face all the way to Ross’s parents’ farm, a smile that only got goofier when Ross’s mom remembered her from the few times she’d made it to his birthday parties when they were kids and pulled her in for a big hug.
“Look at you,” Mrs. Dyer said, eyes skimming over Elodie’s face as she pulled away from the embrace. “You look amazing, sweetheart. I’m so glad. I worried about you when you were little. You never seemed to have enough meat on your bones.” She turned to pull Ross in for a hug. “Hey, baby. Y’all hungry? You want some breakfast before you ride out?”
“I could eat,” Ross said, glancing over at her. “Hungry, El?”
Elodie smiled. “Starving.” And she was. Turns out breathless excitement and even more breath-stealing kisses made her ravenous. She took down a gigantic plate of eggs and four pieces of toast with marmalade jelly and rode out into the pasture beside Ross, feeling full, high on hope, and positively in love with the world.
“It’s so beautiful out here,” s
he said, pulling in a deep breath of crisp air. “I love Lonesome Point in the spring.”
“It is beautiful,” Ross agreed. “Especially after the winter we’ve had. We actually had snow on the ground a few times this year. People about lost their minds. From the way bottled water and canned goods were flying out of the stores, you would have thought we were facing the zombie apocalypse.”
Elodie laughed. “I know. It was the same way in Austin. I kind of enjoyed it, though. I loved seeing the city shut down and frosty. It felt like a break from real life. A chance to slow down, stay in pajamas all day, and make Snow Day Resolutions.”
“Snow Day Resolutions?”
“Oh, you know,” she said, waving a hand through the air above her horse’s gently bobbing head, “resolving to do the things you wouldn’t be doing if you could get out of the house but should be. To feed the dreams you’re not living yet, but want to.”
A smile of recognition stretched across his handsome face. “Our first snow day was the day I finally decided to open the restaurant.”
Elodie snapped her fingers. “See there, a Snow Day Resolution.”
“So what was yours?” he asked, guiding his horse closer.
Elodie’s heart stuttered nervously in her chest, but she supposed now was as good a time as any to make her confession. “Well, it was sort of about you.”
His brows lifted beneath the brim of his hat. “Me?”
“I know we were just kids, but like I said, you meant a lot to me. You were the first person who made me feel like I was interesting and fun and just…good enough, exactly the way I was.”
“I felt the same way,” he said, reining in his horse, pulling the bay to a stop near a willow tree and a narrow creek that trickled across the pasture.
Elodie stopped her horse beside his, her pulse speeding as she looked up into his soft brown eyes. “Really?”
He nodded. “To be honest, I had a terrible crush on you.”
Elodie’s goofy smile returned. “Me too.”
“Really?” he asked, grinning back at her.
“Really,” she said, warmth spreading through her chest. “So I just had to come back and see what would happen. I hope that’s not too crazy-sounding.”
“I like crazy,” he said, taking her hand, the feel of his fingers wrapping around hers enough to make her heart feel lighter. “And I like you even more.”
“Well good,” Elodie said, blushing. “But I’m kind of glad we didn’t have our first kiss when we were twelve. I’m much better at it now than I would have been back then.”
“You’re the best,” Ross said with a seriousness that made her giggle. “If you were any better I might have passed out on the asphalt beside your bike.”
“You’re pretty amazing yourself,” she said, her smile taking a turn for the naughty. “But I’m going to need to conduct further research to be certain you’re the best ever. Think you might be up for helping me with that later?”
“Jesus, woman. Do you really have to ask?” he said, making her laugh again. “My lips are at your service, El. Whenever, wherever. You just say the word.”
“All right, I will,” she said, giving his hand one last squeeze before she let go. “But first I want to hear all your news. Starting from the moment I left and stopping a few minutes before I arrived at Armadillo Day.”
“Well, let’s see,” he said, guiding his horse down the shallow bank toward the creek. “The day you left, I got suspended for three days for fighting in school, but I didn’t get in trouble at home because my mom and dad understood I was doing what I had to do for a friend.”
Elodie sighed happily and urged her horse after Ross’s, not wanting to miss a word of his story. So far, everything was working out even better than she’d hoped, but she wasn’t truly surprised. Elodie, for one, believed there were some things a person just knew. She knew that she’d never hurt another living creature on purpose, she’d never fit in with the small-minded people of the world, and she’d never love anyone the way she loved Ross Dyer.
CHAPTER THREE
Ross
Ross closed the door to the restaurant behind Elodie and held out a hand, motioning toward the empty dining room. “This is it. I’m closed on Mondays and Tuesdays until tourist season starts in a few weeks, but, hopefully by then, I’ll be open six nights a week.”
He studied her expression as her eyes drifted over the cozy space. He wasn’t much of an interior decorator—he preferred to focus on the food he was putting on the plate rather than the color of the tablecloths—but he was pleased with the way the simple decorations had turned out. Vintage, black and white photos of Lonesome Point in its first heyday hung on the burnt orange walls and bright yellow tablecloths gave the dining room a festive feel.
“I love it,” Elodie said, crossing to a photo of the ghost town hung between two booths. “These pictures are amazing.”
“Thanks.” Ross watched her lean in to take a closer look, still unable to believe this beautiful, amazing person had come back to Lonesome Point for him. It blew his mind and made him determined not to blow his chances with the fascinating woman Elodie had become. “Mia let me borrow the negatives from the historic society and I had them blown up. Some of the photos date back to the eighteen nineties.”
“They’re perfect. If your food tastes half as good as this place looks, you’re going to be wildly successful.”
Ross laughed. “I’m not sure it will be that easy, but my food is way better than the decorations. I’m going to make your belly a happy place tonight.”
Elodie turned back to him with a smile he felt in places he’d never felt a smile before. “Confident, aren’t you? That’s pretty sexy.”
“Not as sexy as my braised lamb with mint jelly and a side of roasted sweet potatoes,” Ross said, pulse leaping as he crossed the room, unable to stand being more than a few feet away from her for too long. “Take a seat and I’ll prove it.”
Elodie’s tongue slipped out to dampen her lips, making him hope she was thinking about things she’d rather be tasting other than lamb. He, for one, couldn’t wait to kiss her again. She was the most delicious thing he’d ever tasted, and for a man who considered food one of the greatest gifts bestowed upon mankind, that was saying something.
“I’m sorry,” she said, gaze lingering on his mouth, “but I’ll have to take your word for it. I don’t eat meat.”
“Then how about creamy vegetarian polenta with a mild curry sauce?” he asked, fighting the urge to draw her back into his arms.
He wanted to kiss Elodie again, but first he wanted to make her dinner and watch the candlelight flicker across her face while they talked. The conversation hadn’t lagged a moment in the nine hours they’d spent together so far—riding horses and helping his dad unload the truck after a trip to the feed store—but there was still so much he didn’t know, so much he wanted to catch up on. He felt like he’d never get enough of Elodie. Her stories, her smile, the way she looked at him like she’d found what she was looking for, making him so grateful he’d had the guts to man up and be himself.
He was glad he hadn’t wasted time pretending to be something he wasn’t, or, God forbid, scared Elodie away. He didn’t want to scare Elodie away; he wanted to keep her—and her sweet smile—as close as he could get them.
“That sounds delicious,” she said, slipping her arms around his waist. “But are you sure I can’t help you in the kitchen? I can’t cook to save my life, but I chop a mean vegetable.”
“How about I get you a glass of wine and you can keep me company while I cook,” he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead, knowing it was dangerous to taste her mouth again. At least not if he wanted to make sure she was fed before they started that kissing research she’d said she was interested in.
“That sounds nice, too,” she said. “But how about sweet tea? I don’t drink, either. I’m very boring.”
Ross laughed. “You couldn’t be boring if you tried. And I’ve got a fresh
gallon of sweet tea in the fridge. Just made it yesterday.”
“Perfect,” she said, taking his hand.
“So have you found a meeting in town?” Ross asked, leading the way into the kitchen. “If you’re still looking, I have a couple of friends who go to the one at the Catholic church. It’s all women and they seem to really like that.”
“You’re sweet, but I’m not an alcoholic.” Elodie squeezed his hand and a rush of warmth surged from his hand to his heart in response. “At least, I don’t think I am. My parents were so messed up when I was a kid I’ve never wanted to touch drugs or alcohol. Not even a glass of champagne on New Year’s Eve.”
Ross returned the hand squeeze, wishing he could erase the darkness from her past. “I’m sorry. I know you had it rough growing up.”
“The hardest part was trying to pretend that everything was all right,” she said, crossing her arms as he reached into the industrial fridge to grab the tea. “My mama had me convinced I’d have to go live with a monster if I was taken away. Back then, I was too stupid to realize I was already living with monsters at home.”
“You weren’t stupid.” Ross frowned as he pulled down a glass from the neatly ordered shelves above the order up window. “You were a kid. And I would imagine it’s scary to think of being taken away from your home, even if it isn’t the best one.”
Elodie nodded and a smile teased at the edges of her lips.
“What?” he asked, handing over her tea. “Did I say something funny by accident again?”
She shook her head. “No. I was just thinking about when we were kids. I used to daydream about what it would be like to have your parents or Mia’s or Tulsi’s. I wish I’d been brave enough to get to know your friends better back then. They seemed nice.”
“You’ll get to know them now, and they’ll love you. I have no doubt.” He watched her sip her tea, amazed that she could make something so innocent so sexy. “Tulsi was excited to hear you’d be at the wedding on Wednesday.”
“She seemed different than I remember.” Elodie hopped up to sit on the counter as he pulled vegetables from the fridge. “I guess I’m not the only shy person to come out of her shell since elementary school.”