A lighted blowtorch placed directly against her skin wouldn’t have burned anymore than his simple peck. Memories flashed back at her. Denton chasing her around the trees in his parents’ yard. Denton’s first tentative kiss on their fifth date. His last soul-searching one the evening before he left for college. The one from a lover during his Thanksgiving break.
“Hello again, Eve.” His soft words snapped her out of her memories.
“Hello, Denton,” she managed to utter, avoiding his eyes and glancing at Max.
Max observed the interaction. The urge to mark his territory overpowered him. He took Eve’s hand in his. “You two know each other?”
He expected Eve to answer since Rose was only a passing acquaintance. When the older woman didn’t say anything, he glanced at Eve. Her face had gone from pale to rosy again, and she kept her eyes on their clasped hands. With a subtle motion, she turned the pearl side of her ring to the inside of her hand, leaving only the thin, gold band showing. What the hell?
It was obvious he was not going to get an answer from Eve or Denton. He raised an eyebrow at Rose.
“Max, Eve and Denton went to high school together. They haven’t seen each other in a long time,” Rose answered Max’s silent inquiry. “Denton, Max is a veterinarian and takes care of Eve’s animals.”
“We’re out enjoying one last quiet evening before the seasonal rush starts,” Max said, trying to cover the awkward situation while attempting to figure out all the currents flowing around them.
It was more than the way Denton looked at Eve, like a lost puppy having found his way home, or the way Rose watched Denton looking at Eve. There was so much voltage zapping between Eve and Denton, Max thought the restaurant lights should be popping and snapping.
Was this Denton an adversary? A future friend? He sure as hell wished he knew because the situation was getting more strained by the second.
An awkward silence landed on the foursome once more. Eve didn’t understand Rose’s smug smile. Max squeezed Eve’s fingers tighter and glared at Denton as the silence stretched. Denton glanced between Max and Eve’s joined hands and their faces, seeming to come to some decision. He came forward and took Eve’s other hand in his.
“Eve, I need to talk to you,” he said, pressing her fingers in his.
Max’s hold on her hand increased as he gently eased her away from Denton.
Denton grasped her hand tighter.
“Please, Eve. I need to explain.”
She tried to turn and face him, but Max’s grip forced her back to face him. She was beginning to feel like a piece of taffy, being stretched and tugged to the maker’s satisfaction. A glance at Rose’s smiling face told her she wasn’t going to get any help from Denton’s mother. Max and Denton acted like gladiators in a coliseum ready to fight for their lives. She only wanted to leave. People were starting to stare at the foursome still standing beside the table.
As she tried to extract her hands from both men, their grips became equally stronger. Her fingers began to tingle from lack of circulation. She tugged again and finally faced Denton.
“Please let go of my hand. I have nothing to say to you,” she said in a low voice.
Denton stared down at their hands, his tight grip surprising him. He placed her white fingers across his palm, resisting the temptation to kiss color back into them.
“I’m sorry, Eve. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
Eve showed him her back as she faced Rose. “Nice seeing you again, Rose. Let’s get together for lunch before the rush starts.”
Rose gave Eve a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll call you.” She stepped back and nodded at her bewildered son. “Come on, Dent. Let these two finish their evening together.”
Denton reached for Eve again. “Please, Eve. I need to talk to you. I won’t take up much of your time.”
Instead of answering, she sat down, took her napkin, placed it on her lap, and picked up her glass of wine. “I don’t think so, Denton.” She motioned to Max. “Please sit down. Our meal is here.”
How foolish could a person be? He knew a retreat was the best, but wanted to grab her, throw her over his shoulder, run out the door, toss her in his car, and kiss her until she was ready to listen. People still stared. His mother touched his arm. It was time to back off, for now. A restaurant was not the place for a confrontation. He’d think of something else.
“This isn’t over, Eve. Good night, Max. Nice meeting you.”
Taking his mother’s elbow, he turned toward a table waiting for them across the room. He seated his mother, wishing their table were situated elsewhere so he wouldn’t see the other couple.
“Well, what a pleasant surprise,” Rose said after the waiter took their drink orders.
Denton grunted. “I certainly wouldn’t call it pleasant.” He tipped his head toward their table. “Who is he, anyway? Are they an item? Are they close?”
“Let’s see. His name is Maxwell Phillip.” She stopped when Denton snorted. “What?”
“Maxwell.” He took a sip of the wine the waiter delivered. “What the hell kind of name is Maxwell? Sounds like a cup of coffee or something.”
“Well, right now, you’re behaving just like a teenager,” Rose chastised. “Better yet, you sound like a child who can’t think of any other way to put down a person, so he attacks their name.”
“Yeah, well. I don’t know the guy, so his name is all I can put down. Tell me about him so I have something else to complain about.” He’d need more ammunition so he would have a reason to tear the joker apart limb by limb.
Denton had been surprised by Max’s overpowering handshake. He’d resisted the urge to squeeze back, but something came over him and he couldn’t resist. Was there something more to Max and Eve’s friendship? Lovers or friends?
The hell with squeezing his hand harder, he wished he’d ripped the guy’s arm off. He was the one who should be holding Eve’s hand. Thanks to his stupidity years ago, he no longer had the right.
When she’d crossed the room, he’d nearly lost his teeth. His memories remained teenage ones. She had been a cute a girl who’d made him horny. Now she was a beautiful woman and he was, well, horny. He’d reminded himself to breathe when she appeared wearing an above-the-knee, loose-fitting black dress. Where a tight-fitting dress probably would have shown off her narrow waist and full breasts, this one swirled around her as she walked, making a man wonder what delights hid beneath the dress. She’d certainly matured well.
From where he sat, he had a clear view of Eve and tried futilely not to stare. His first real love was here and even prettier and sexier than he remembered. The long sleeves and scooped neckline of her dress emphasized her graceful neck. She crossed her legs and her dress rode up past her knees showing off their long, athletic length.
Over the years, he’d dreamed about those legs wrapped around him. In school, she’d usually worn her hair in a ponytail, but tonight the dark tresses hung in a loose, wavy style. He imagined lifting the thick mass and running kisses down her neck. She laughed, tossing back her head, showing brief glimpses of delicate earrings twinkling at her ears.
He was getting aroused. Not a good situation with his mother sitting across the table. Hopefully, she wouldn’t notice.
“Quite a surprise, isn’t she?”
Damn, no such luck. His mother was way too observant. He carefully avoided her gaze as he took a sip from his drink.
“Who?”
Rose arched an eyebrow and gave him a wry smile. “Please, Denton. Give me a little credit. You can’t keep your eyes off Eve.”
He resisted shooting her another glance as the waiter placed their salads on the table.
“Admit it, dear.”
Denton stabbed at the lettuce with so much force he was surprised the plate didn’t split in two. “A
ll right, I admit it. Why won’t she agree to talk to me?”
Rose gave an unladylike sniff. “For an intelligent man, you sure seem to have a few brain cells missing.” She jabbed her fork in her son’s direction. “Why on earth should she want to talk to you?”
“Well, enough years have passed you’d think she’d be over it by now.”
“Are you?”
He paused, the fork halfway to his mouth. “Point taken. I can tell by the way you’re acting you won’t be happy until I admit I made the biggest mistake of my life.” He set his fork down on the salad plate. “Hell, yes, I regret it. I regret hurting Eve. I regret hurting you and everyone else mixed up in the mess.
“I didn’t know I’d feel this way if I happened to see her again, and I don’t know how to fix it. I see her sitting with this man and I want to roar out my frustrations.” He gave up trying to eat and tossed his napkin on the table. “I’m sorry, Mom. I need to get out of here.”
Rose reached over and grabbed Denton’s hand. “If it helps any, I do understand, dear.”
After throwing some money on the table, shooting one last glance at the woman who’d haunted his dreams for too many years, Denton guided his mother around the tables. Rose stopped just as they were leaving the dining area and looked pointedly at Eve.
“And if it’ll help, even though he’d like to be, Max is not Eve’s sweetheart.”
With a slightly lighter heart, Denton took his mother’s elbow and left the restaurant.
From the corner of her eye, Eve watched Rose and Denton leave their table. She resisted the urge to let out a sigh of relief when they were out of sight as the tension in her body eased. Max took her hand.
“Eve?”
With difficulty, she drew her thoughts back to Max, having listened to only half of his conversation. She laughed when she thought the timing fit and responded with, hopefully, appropriate comments.
“Eve. Will you please tell me what the hell is going on?”
Evidently she hadn’t been successful. “What do you mean? I’m fine.”
Max tossed his napkin on the table. “Oh, come on, Eve. I’m not blind. There was so much tension in the air I’m surprised the waiters weren’t walking into it and knocking themselves out.”
She didn’t answer, but stared at her plate of untouched food.
“Eve, I’d like to think I’m your friend, so talk to me.”
The look of compassion on his face surprised her. Would he offer only friendship or something more?
“Please.” Max leaned back in his chair and toyed with his wineglass. “I hoped you understood I’ve wanted more than friendship with you.”
Eve leaned across the table and stopped his hand. “Max, I’m sorry.”
He moved his hand away from hers. “After seeing your reaction to Denton tonight, I now know he’s the reason. Talk to me.”
“Ah, Max,” Eve said sadly. “It’s an old story, one I hate to delve into.”
Max played with his glass again. “Even an old story can cause a lot of pain. Talking may help you find closure and we can move on as a couple.”
Her mouth curved. “As friends, Max? I need you as a friend. Right now, nothing more.”
“Okay, if that’s what you need.”
Heart heavy, Eve relayed the events from ten years ago and her mood improved as she unburdened herself. Her parents never cared to listen to her problems, and even though Rose became a friend, by unspoken agreement, the subject never came up.
Throughout the narration, Max watched her twist the pearl ring around and around. He thought if he took it off and set it on the table, the ring would spin in circles trying to unwind. Eve’s eyes welled with tears. At the end of the tale, he wanted to beat Denton up for hurting her.
“Is he the one who gave you the ring?”
Eve nodded.
“You’ve worn it all these years?”
“Yes.”
“Eve, have you ever heard his side?”
“No. He never called or wrote or anything. Just up and moved to California. Until the other day, I haven’t seen hide or hair of the man.”
Max reached across the table and tipped her chin up. “Seems like you’ve been living in emotional limbo for too long.” For the second time in a week someone said, “Well, my dear, maybe it’s time you find out his side of the story and get on with your life.”
Even while telling her to find out the truth from Denton, Max hoped Eve wouldn’t get beyond her anger and take up with the man again. In more ways than one, he needed Eve, and he intended to get her.
Chapter 4
A week later, Eve threw her pencil across the massive oak desk sitting in the middle of her main-floor office, bouncing it off a ledger piled haphazardly on a stack of unpaid bills. Lord, she hated bookwork. She’d rather muck out every one of the ten horse stalls with a garden trowel than sit for hours entering deposits and checks into her accounts book. Even Tom, who thought a computer chip was some newfangled way of playing cards, kept trying to get her to computerize, which said something about the state of her books.
She slid the pile of bills out from under the ledger and methodically slipped her letter opener through the top of each one, removing the bills and placing them in a neat pile. She glared at the stack, and her black, up-to-date, state-of-the art, top-notched computer system now sitting on the corner of her desk gathering dust.
It wasn’t that she didn’t know how to use one. She simply hated the darn thing. It seemed she managed to mess things up the second her fingers hit the keys. Her brain wanted one thing and her fingers another. If she wanted to indent, she got paragraph symbols. Lines appeared out of nowhere and spell check came up with words she’d never heard of. Her roommate in college said she was technologically challenged. So whenever she thought about turning it on, the hair on her arms rose and her skin prickled with frustration. Adding numbers to the equation didn’t help.
Then there was her cell phone. Another fancy item she could answer and make calls with, but she ignored the texting, games, and music her friends were so involved in.
Eve stared out the picture window. A warm spring breeze flowed through one of the side windows, flipping the edges of her perfect pile of bills. Laughter from her employees drifted into the room. She’d give anything to be with them, getting ready for the first customers. Somehow she didn’t think she would be able to convince any of them to switch places with her. They loved working outside as much as she did.
Right now, it didn’t make sense to hire someone to do work she should be able to do herself. Even though doing fairly well, the business was at the point with too much work for her current employees, but not enough money to hire any more. At least one more summer and winter season would get them over the hump.
All the wishing in the world wasn’t going to magically pay bills. She sighed and picked up the first one for new fencing, another unexpected expense eating into her dwindling savings. Eve wrote the check, clipped it to the bill, and set it aside for the envelope she’d write out later. She took the next one, paused, then put her head on her desk.
What the hell was going on around here? Nothing drastic, but little things kept happening. A broken fence, a perfectly good bridle needing to be replaced because of a torn strap, a branch crashing through a cabin window on a calm day, and two of the cabin’s hot water heaters having the same problems. The latest, salt blocks in water tanks, could have harmed the horses. Was someone trying to ruin her business?
Eve sat up and tapped out the beat to the music playing outside. Before all these incidents, she hoped for time to create some sort of social life. She snorted. Unlikely. She stopped tapping when a red compact convertible parked in front of the porch.
“Yes! Company!” She threw down her pen and jumped up, her chair hitting the wall b
ehind the desk. She pushed open the back porch screened door.
“Josie, you savior, you.”
A tall, plump, blonde climbed out of the car. She smiled and held up a bottle of wine. “Bookwork?”
Eve held open the screen door. “How’d you guess?”
“It’s about the only thing that would keep you indoors on a gorgeous spring day like today.” Josie set the bottle on the kitchen counter and pulled her into a hug. “It’s been too long.”
“I know, but at this time of the year . . .” She picked up the bottle of Moscato. “Ooo, my favorite, but—”
Josie dug in a drawer for the corkscrew. “No buts, friend. We are going to fill our glasses, kick off our shoes, sit on the porch, and catch up. I have two more bottles where this came from, plus lots of snacks in the car.”
“Have I told you lately I love you?” Eve laughed, taking wine glasses from the cupboard.
“No, and you probably won’t come morning, if we drink all this wine.” She removed the cork from the bottle, filled the glasses, and tapped hers to Eve’s. “To breaks, friend. You do still have your spare bedroom, don’t you?”
Once settled on the white wicker chairs on the back porch, the women sat quietly sipping their wine. The low, matching table nestled between them held chips, crackers, chocolate, and other snacks destined to add padding to their hips.
Guilt washed over Eve for taking the afternoon off. George and Macy, her cooks, cleaned windows on the main lodge. Beyond the large building, several college students hauled furniture out of the six cabins in preparation of scrubbing, painting, and carpet cleaning. Each cabin would receive a fresh coat of red paint designed to replicate miniature barns, complete with hitching posts.
“You know this is entirely wrong, don’t you, Josie? I should be helping get ready for the first customers coming next week. They’re a group of executives from a Milwaukee advertising firm looking for a place to rejuvenate their creative juices. Can you believe it? They booked all six cabins for the entire week. If they enjoy themselves hiking and riding horses and using the lodge for meetings, I can market to other corporations for retreats.” Eve leaned her head back on the chair and grinned at her friend. “Not that I mind your company, but what brings you out here?”
Riding for Love (A Western Romance) Page 4