by Nina Crespo
In some ways, it felt as if they’d wasted time not being together, and now they were playing catch-up, trying to fit in all they’d missed. But it was impossible to fit it all in the time they had left before she was heading back to California. That was something he was trying not to think about too hard, and instead, just do what Mace had suggested. Enjoy as much of now with Chloe as he could. Which was a good reason to finish work so he could get to her.
He refocused on Jumping Jett’s report on his wide computer screen. Wes had recently stopped by and he was pleased with Jett’s progress.
Tristan’s phone buzzed with a text. It was Chloe.
Still on for dinner at six?
He tapped in a response.
Yes. See u soon.
Ninety more minutes. How long until he’d see Chloe again just naturally calculated in his mind. He couldn’t stop doing it, along with the grin that also took over his face at the same time.
“You haven’t heard a word I said,” Gloria interjected, pulling him out of his thoughts.
“Sorry, I got caught up reading Jett’s progress report. Everything looks really good. We’re on the right supplement track with him.”
“Uh-huh.” She gave him her patented stare over her glasses, but there was also an amused knowing look in her eyes. “Considering how long you’ve been staring at it, you should have the report memorized. You might as well leave now and enjoy your plans for the weekend.”
Plans. She meant Chloe, didn’t she? But he hadn’t talked about the change in their relationship with anyone, not even Mace. He and Chloe hadn’t discussed it, but they hadn’t put their new status on blast either.
Although he never shared about his private life with the staff, Gloria was more like family. “So you know about me and Chloe?”
“Of course I do. You switching from being Thunder’s evil twin around her to staring into space with a sappy grin on your face wasn’t exactly a small clue. It’s about time you stopped being a hermit.”
“I’m not a hermit. I’ve taken a few women out this year.”
“Notice I said a hermit not a monk.” She focused back on her computer screen, tapping on the keyboard. “You’ve had your diversions, but Chloe is different. She’s right here at Tillbridge. You’ll be seeing a lot of each other. At least until she leaves. When does she have to go back to California?”
“In about three weeks.” Saying it aloud shaved off a layer of happiness.
“That’s not a lot of time. Sounds a lot like an eight-second bull ride to me. You know how it goes. Staying focused on what’s important. Maximizing your time before it ends.”
He could read between the lines of what she wasn’t saying. It sounded like she and Mace were using the same relationship handbook. But if she was telling him he should leave to be with Chloe, he’d gladly take Gloria’s advice. Tristan closed the file he’d been scanning. He’d finish reading through the reports on Monday.
“I’m heading out.” He stood. “Don’t work too long. Go home and enjoy your grandbabies.” Gloria and her husband loved to spoil the toddler-aged girl and boy and usually spent weekends with their daughter and son-in-law who lived near them.
As he headed out the door, Gloria called, “Tristan.”
“Yes, ma’am.” His response was lighthearted but it also came with a dose of respect.
She looked up at him. “Don’t forget, when it comes to you and Chloe, the clock doesn’t have to stop. Unless you want it to.”
Chapter Twenty
Chloe glanced over at Tristan as he pulled into the full parking lot of the Montecito Steakhouse.
It was another busy night. A crowd mingled on the front porch area of the dark wood and brick restaurant where she and Tristan had shared their first kiss.
He’d been quiet the entire drive there. When she’d asked him if something had happened at the stable or guesthouse, he’d said everything was fine. But he was clearly distracted. Did it have something to do with the two of them not staying in for another night at his place as they’d originally planned? She’d been the one to suggest going out to dinner. When she’d picked the Montecito, she’d forgotten it was a popular local spot. Maybe he wasn’t comfortable with them going there.
During their few days together, they hadn’t ventured into the “what are we” conversation or if they were making whatever it was public or not.
Tristan backed in a corner space. As he shut off the engine of his SUV, he glanced over at her and smiled. “Ready?”
“Sure.” She was probably making something out of nothing. It was just dinner, not a big deal.
As they walked toward the entrance, the casual clothes everyone had on caught her attention.
Suddenly the burgundy halter dress that would have fit in as casual in LA felt too fashionable, too short and too warm all at once. But he looked a little more dressed up than usual, too, in his dark jeans and black Henley.
The stiletto heel of her strappy burgundy sandal raked over a crack in the pavement, and she took a slightly uneven step.
Tristan rested his hand on her lower back and curled his fingers into her waist. His gaze dropped to her feet, then rose to her eyes. “You look great.”
The male appreciation she saw in his gaze erased any doubts about whether or not she’d chosen the right dress.
But as soon as they walked into the corridor between the bar and the dining area of the Montecito, the more than a few curious stares made her self-conscious again.
From the way they were dressed, they should have also worn signs proclaiming “we’re on a date.” But they weren’t really dating, just temporarily spending time together.
Chloe was used to people gawking at her, usually because she looked familiar, but she wasn’t famous enough for them to realize they’d watched her on television or saw her for a brief moment in a movie. But tracking her and Tristan’s progress, as they walked through the tables and past booths in the space with chocolate-brown walls trimmed with beige brick, seemed to be more interesting to people than the food on the menu.
She felt like a goldfish in a bowl as they slid into the padded pleather booth halfway down the sidewall.
Tristan made a quick glance around the room and nodded at a few people. From the way his brows slightly pulled together, as he scanned the menu, he’d noticed the overabundance of glances coming their way, too. “What’s catching your attention?”
Aside from Wes and an older woman leaning out of the booth farther down to stare at them? “The petite filet and shrimp looks good.”
“I think I’ll have the rib eye.”
Ten minutes after they ordered, Wes came over to their booth with the thin woman who he introduced as his wife, Nora.
From the strength of her handshake, Nora definitely wasn’t as fragile as she looked. Gentle creases formed in the golden-brown-skinned woman’s face with her pleasant smile. “You two look nice. Special occasion?” Her raised brow practically spelled “fishing expedition.”
Tristan glanced at Chloe before he answered. “We’re just enjoying a night out.”
“Oh, that’s nice.” She kept smiling at them as if she expected them to say more.
“Well, we just wanted to say hello.” Wes reached for Nora’s arm, and the way she jabbed him in the stomach with her bony elbow made Chloe wince.
Nora leaned in as she looked to Chloe. “So I hear you’re visiting from Los Angeles. Bolan must be a big change for you.”
“It’s nice. I like it here.”
“Nice enough to come back for another visit?” Her gaze slid over to Tristan for a moment.
“Uh...maybe?” Chloe hadn’t really thought about it.
“Okay, Nora. Time to stop playing twenty questions and let them enjoy themselves.” Wes nodded and smiled at them as he grasped Nora firmly by the shoulders and moved her along.
&n
bsp; After Wes left, more people associated with the stable, as well as local people she didn’t know, but who were acquainted with Tristan, stopped by their table. Although none of them were bold enough to outright ask if they were seeing each other, just like with Wes and his wife, their curiosity was obvious. Not to mention the hushed conversations the people had as they walked away.
Their food finally arrived, but with all of the interruptions between bites, it grew cold. Chloe slid her half-full plate away and so did Tristan. They skipped dessert.
As he asked for the check, Tristan didn’t look pleased, but it couldn’t have been about the service or the food, both had been great.
Chloe made a trip to the ladies’ room. As she reached the end of the hall leading back out to the restaurant, she ran into Mace, most likely headed for the men’s room.
He smiled as he greeted her, but he gave off an official and capable vibe in his uniform. “You plan on kicking Tristan’s tail again in a dart game tonight?”
“No, we just came for dinner, nothing special.” She scooted to the side so a woman could pass them. “What are you doing here?”
“Meal break.” Mace glanced at another officer in a booth down from the one where Tristan waited for her. “How’s the food? Sometimes when we stop by here, and it’s this busy, the quality is a little iffy.”
“The steak and shrimp I had was good.”
“I’ll give it a try. I’m surprised Tristan didn’t take you to Baltimore. The restaurants at the harbor are really good.”
“This was a last-minute thing.” She almost added that it wasn’t a date.
“I see.” He studied her for a beat and his smile widened. “I’m glad you got him away from Tillbridge. You’re the first person to get him to relax and enjoy himself in a long time.” Mace touched her arm, an innocent friendly gesture. “I’ll let you get back to him.”
Mace had mentioned Tristan relaxing and enjoying himself, but he’d been mistaken. Tristan seemed anything but relaxed as he ushered her out of the restaurant.
Once they were in the car, Tristan released a breath as if he’d been holding it.
Her choice of going out had ruined their night.
“I’m sorry.” They both blurted it out at the same time.
Her surprise mirrored what she saw on his face. “Why are you apologizing?”
He reached over and took her hand. “You didn’t get a chance to enjoy dinner because everyone kept bothering us. I knew people might be curious, but I didn’t expect them to stare like that and keep coming to our table.”
“But I was the one who suggested coming here. It was my fault for picking a place that would put you on the spot about us being together.”
“On the spot? You think I didn’t want people to know about us?”
Uncertainty made her shrug. “I guess. I don’t know. I mean no PDA around the stable or guesthouse seemed like a no-brainer. As far as telling people anything...”
“I agree that we shouldn’t be all over each other while we’re working, beyond that, I say we do whatever we want. I’m happy that we’re together.”
“You are? Really?”
“Really.” He grinned.
Giddiness sparked in her chest. But she was being silly. It wasn’t like he’d asked her to be his girlfriend.
“But we only have a few more weeks, and I want us to make the best of the time we have left together.” He stared out the windshield at the Montecito. “Not having to contend with people bothering us.”
“But it wasn’t all bad.” As she thought about dinner, something stood out. “I could tell that a lot of those people care about you. Like Wes and his wife. When they left, she was beaming at us like a proud parent. And everyone else just seemed happy to see you. Even Mace mentioned how it was good to see you taking time to enjoy yourself. You’re lucky to have people who care about you like that.”
“I guess you’re right.”
She was right. The one thing she enjoyed about Tillbridge was that the staff was tight-knit like a close family. Sure, there were a few employees who were mainly out for themselves, but overall, the caring spirit they shared was genuine. She’d miss that back in LA.
“Still, I’d like to go out with you and have a little privacy.” Tristan intertwined their fingers. As he stared down at them a long moment, the same pensive expression that had been on his face during the drive to the restaurant returned. “I was wondering. What do you think about us going away somewhere? Maybe next weekend. We can relax and have time together without the interruptions.”
A weekend away from Tillbridge. A chance to have some uninterrupted quality time with him. That sounded nice. “Are you sure you can take the time off?”
“I can make it work. What about you?”
She did have one minor task she couldn’t ignore. “I just have a massive amount of laundry to get done sometime during the week. I’m almost out of clean clothes. Rina said I could do it at her place.”
“Or you could do it at mine...” Tristan leaned across the console between the seats. “Starting tonight.”
He pressed his lips to hers.
When they broke apart. She rested her forehead on his and closed her eyes, waiting for her heart to slow. “If I go home with you now, the only thing I’ll be doing with clothes is not wearing them.”
Tristan tipped up her chin. “I definitely don’t see a problem with that.”
One long, slow, mesmerizing kiss later...neither did she.
Chapter Twenty-One
The Saturday of her and Tristan’s big weekend, Chloe pressed in the code Tristan had given her to open the back door of his cottage, juggling her purse, a purple overnight bag...and a net bag with her dirty clothes.
She had just enough time to do laundry before he came home from the stable. He had to put in a few hours of work before they could leave.
During the past week, her laundry plans had fallen through. One, from pure laziness. Two, she’d gotten the opportunity to travel around with Wes and the local large animal vet as they tended to not only horses but other livestock in the area. And three, anytime she’d had left, usually at night, she’d spent with Tristan where the priority for clothes really had been about not wearing them as soon as she arrived.
As she walked inside, and unburdened herself of the net bag in the laundry room on the right, she smiled as she reminisced about their nights together. Not the entire night, though. He woke up at four every morning. If she’d stayed, she would have been awake right along with him, wishing for more sleep. Being able to sleep in a little longer, in the same bed, was one of the things that would make this weekend even more wonderful.
Chloe carried her purse and mostly empty purple bag to the bedroom. She laid her things next to his medium-sized black duffel bag sitting on the gray comforter just below the slate-colored pillows covering the neatly made bed. It was unzipped but packed. A clear bag on top held his razor and shaving soap.
He still wouldn’t give her any clues about where they were going. He’d said pack for a casual weekend, but in her experience, a guy’s version of casual was usually different from hers. She was not only bringing a pair of cute tennis shoes and her cowboy boots but also a pair of pink stilettoes and a cream linen shirt she could throw on with a pair of jeans if she needed an outfit with a little more “oomph.”
They couldn’t go too far away if they had only the weekend. Baltimore, maybe? Too bad they didn’t have time for a longer getaway to someplace sunny and secluded with all the right amenities. If only they had more than a few days.
The sadness that came over her lately when she thought about leaving returned. She sat on the bed, absorbing the memories of his black Stetson and photos on the dresser. The soft light coming through the side window. The feel of the comforter as she glided her palm over it, and the clean scent of his soap.
A part of her hated that she had to return to California. But what had Tristan said to her last night? That he wanted them to enjoy the time they had left. She was projecting ahead and missing out on the best part of now. Now was about spending a wonderful, carefree weekend with Tristan.
* * *
Tristan pulled his 4Runner into the driveway at the back of the cottage and parked behind Chloe’s rental.
She was already there, which meant they could leave right away...if she was done with her laundry. She’d claimed to have a massive amount of it. Too bad she couldn’t do it where they were going instead. He couldn’t wait to take her there. Happiness and an impatient need to hit the road grew inside of him.
He hadn’t told her where they were going because up until that morning, he wasn’t sure, so he’d picked two places. If she didn’t like the first, he had a backup, but he really hoped she liked his first choice.
Just as he went to get out of the SUV, his phone rang. It was Gloria. He’d left her in charge along with Blake and Philippa. As he’d walked out of his office a short time ago, she’d said they wouldn’t contact him unless something was really wrong.
Dread sank inside of him as he answered. “Hi, Gloria.”
“Zurie just called. She told me to hunt you down because she hasn’t been able to reach you.”
When Zurie had phoned earlier, he’d been at the arena with Blake, who was working with Jett, going over the schedule for the rest of the weekend and Monday morning. He and Chloe weren’t planning to return until the afternoon.
“Did she say what she wanted?”
“Other than to talk to you, no. I told her to try calling you in five minutes.”
His phone buzzed in with a call. It was Zurie.
“She’s calling me now.” Tristan released a long breath and shut his eyes. Maybe he could let the call go to voice mail, then send her a text telling her that he was busy, and that he’d call her late tomorrow or early Monday.
“If you want any peace, don’t skip the phone call,” Gloria interjected, as if she’d read his mind. How did she always do that? “Talk to her before you leave. And Tristan.”