Tularosa Moon

by Stacey Coverstone

  “Okay, okay,” one said, throwing his hand into the air. The two men sauntered away mumbling under their breath.

  Apparently realizing Cole and Wyatt had not been the instigators of whatever had been about to take place, the manager shook his head and marched back into the store with the teenagers tagging behind.

  “Just like old times, eh, sport?” Wyatt said, slapping Cole on the back and then shaking his hand.

  Cole smiled. “We made a pretty good team last summer. Do you think we could have taken these two if it had turned into a brawl?”

  Wyatt thought a minute. “That bastard, Joe Campbell, rung my bell pretty good at the fair last summer, but it had been a sneak attack. I was prepared this time. I believe we would have prevailed.”

  “Excuse me.” Lindy edged next to Cole and handed him his bag. Her eyes were open wide with admiration, glancing between him and Wyatt. “That was quite impressive. All you’re missing to be genuine superheroes are your capes.”

  “And our tights,” Wyatt joked.

  Cole leaned into Lindy’s arm. “Wyatt, I’d like you to meet Lindy Grainger. She’s the masseuse out at the ranch. Lindy, this is my friend, Wyatt Brannigan.”

  “Pleased to meet you,” he said, removing his baseball cap and tipping his head.

  “The pleasure is mine,” Lindy said. “You’re Jordan’s fiancé.”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “I’m giving her a massage tomorrow morning.”

  “So I’ve been told.” Wyatt grinned. “I guess you heard the news, Roberts. That we’re finally tying the knot, and the shindig is going to be held at the Painted Pony.”

  “I did. Congratulations,” Cole said, shaking his hand again. “I’m building an arch in the garden for you to say your vows under.”

  “How sweet of you.” He elbowed Cole in the ribs and said, “Since it looks like we won’t be fighting anybody after all, I suppose I should get what I need in here and get home. Jordan keeps me on a short leash.”

  “Right.” Cole knew better. No one rode roughshod over Wyatt, including Jordan.

  “Nice to have met you,” Wyatt told Lindy again. “See you two at the wedding.”

  He disappeared into the building, and they walked to the pickup.

  “He seems like a nice man,” Lindy said.

  “Yeah, he’s okay.” Although Cole liked Wyatt fine, a small prideful piece of him was still envious that the older man had been able to win Jordan’s heart. Dating Rachel had taken the sting out of that defeat, until she broke his heart. What if something similar happened with Lindy? He was growing closer to her, but the funny feeling that something wasn’t right wouldn’t go away.

  “You two must be good friends,” she said, climbing into the truck.

  “Why do you say that?”

  “He was willing to help you fight those men without even knowing what the situation was.”

  “Ah, he owed me one. I stopped a man from beating the crap out of him last summer.”

  Her gasp was evidence of her surprise. Cole started the truck and drove down the street headed for Maria’s flower stand. After a few silent minutes of which it appeared Lindy was deep in thought, she spoke again.

  “You were willing to fight those white men because they were picking on an Hispanic. Are you always so chivalrous? Or did you go to his rescue to show off in front of me?”

  Her powerful gaze spoke volumes. His answer was important to her. He could see it in her eyes. If he screwed up and said the wrong thing, it might tick her off.

  Then again, she’d sworn they were starting fresh with each other. Hopefully, that included her not being so easily offended. Either way, he could only answer from the heart.

  “I went to that man’s defense because I can’t stand intolerance and prejudice. It rubs me the wrong way.”

  He must not have messed up, because when she smiled and nodded her head in satisfaction, he felt her emotional storm clouds scatter. Hopefully, the sun was here to stay.

  Eighteen

  At the edge of town, Cole pulled off the road and parked in the grass under a cottonwood tree next to Maria’s flower stand, which was not a stand at all, but a refrigerated cooler that sat in the back of her pickup truck. “Be right back,” he told Lindy as he exited the truck.

  “Hola, Maria.”

  “Hola, Cole.” The elderly woman sat in a lawn chair underneath a beach umbrella. When she rose to greet him, she flashed a big smile, not at all self-conscious about the large gap between her front teeth. Her sagging breasts swung back and forth underneath her T-shirt as she approached and shook his hand. “What are you looking for today?”

  Cole stood at the back end of the truck and peered into the glass cooler. “I need two small flower arrangements. Those look nice,” he said, pointing at two blue vases filled with miniature roses and other greenery.

  Maria opened the door and took them out.

  “They’re perfect,” he said, removing his wallet from his back pocket. “How much do I owe you?”

  “Forty dollars?” It was a question, not a statement.

  Cole thumbed through his money and handed her a one hundred-dollar bill. He knew the woman could barely make ends meet since her husband died. Her grandson had found the cooler in the junkyard, got it working again, and rigged it up to sit in the back of her old pickup. Fortunately, the flowers cost her nothing but seeds, time and energy, as she grew them herself. She had one of the most beautiful gardens in Tularosa. Cole liked to patronize her and didn’t want to see her being taken advantage of.

  “You need change?” she asked.

  “No. You know, Maria, you’re never going to get rich if you don’t start charging more for your flowers.”

  She stuffed the greenback into her skirt pocket. “I’ve never been close to rich, Cole. Why start now?” She laughed and thanked him for stopping by.

  “See you next time,” he promised, waving goodbye. When he opened the door to his truck, Lindy offered to hold the vases.

  “Don’t tell me that poor lady earns her living selling flowers on the side of the road,” she said, with amazement in her gaze.

  He strapped on his seat belt and pulled onto the highway. “There aren’t many opportunities for the elderly around here. Her husband died a few months before Dad. Maria has a grandson who helps out financially, but she’s proud and wants to earn her own keep. She only wanted forty dollars for these two flower arrangements. Can you believe that?”

  “No, I can’t. In a flower shop, they’d probably cost fifty dollars each.”

  “Then I was right on the money. I’d hoped I’d figured correctly.”

  “You gave her one hundred dollars?” Lindy asked.

  “Yeah. She needs it a lot more than I do.” He slid a glance at her and saw her smile. He wasn’t trying to score points, but from the pleased look on her face, he had anyway.

  “Who are the flowers for?” she asked.

  “My dad and sister. Do you mind if we stop at the cemetery before we go back to the ranch?” He checked the clock on the dashboard and saw there was plenty of time to get her home before lunch.

  “Of course I don’t mind,” she answered.

  He drove through the cemetery gate and left the truck idling. “Would you like to go with me?” Not assuming anything, he added, “I won’t be long if you’d rather stay here. I can leave the truck going with the air conditioning on.”

  “I’ll visit their graves with you,” Lindy said.

  Cole cut the engine and came around to her side and opened the door. She handed him the vases and then let herself out.

  “It’s not a far walk,” he said, as they silently threaded their way down grassy paths and around monuments. No breeze blew, but birdsong filled the air.

  “Here they are.” Cole stopped in front of two marble headstones that sat side-by-side. He placed one vase at the base of each. Then he stepped back and shoved his hands into his pockets.

  “Today is your sister’s birthday,
” Lindy noticed.

  “Yes. I always bring her flowers on this day. It’s hard to believe she’s been gone thirty years. Jill would have been thirty-three today.”

  “My age,” Lindy said.

  Although he’d guessed her to be in her thirties, Cole hadn’t asked her age before, and she hadn’t said. Now he knew at least one thing about her.

  “It must have been very difficult to lose her so young,” Lindy said, with a far-off look in her eye.

  “At three years old, her life was only beginning. As her six-year-old big brother, her death was sad for me, of course, but it nearly devastated my folks. As you can imagine.”

  “Losing a child is a parent’s worst nightmare.”

  She said it as if she had some experience, which made Cole wonder.

  “But your mother is a strong woman,” she added.

  “She is,” Cole acknowledged. “Strong or not, this is a tough day for her. Always has been. Every year on this day she usually stays in her room.”

  “She had breakfast with us this morning, but she excused herself before her plate was empty and said she had office work to do.”

  Cole nodded. “Dad always knew to leave her be. He struggled with his own demons with regard to my sister’s death. But it was the anniversary of Jill’s passing each year that hit him the hardest.”

  Lindy wrapped her arm around Cole’s waist and laid her head on his shoulder, causing his heart to beat faster. “I’m sorry, Cole. Now you and Ella have lost your dad, too. Life is so unfair.”

  His arm snaked around her waist and they stood that way, holding each other, for a few minutes. As each second ticked by, his body grew warmer and his heartbeat pounded harder. It wasn’t appropriate to want to kiss her, but he couldn’t help the desire that pulsed through him with their hips pressed together that way.

  When she finally unraveled herself from him, her misty eyes glittered with emotion. Perhaps coming here had triggered a memory. What had happened in her life that allowed her to empathize so deeply? He hoped she hadn’t lost a child of her own.

  Taking a chance that she might reveal more of herself, Cole said, “I’d like to be a father someday. What about you? Do you want to have children?”

  From the way her jaw slackened, the question seemed to have caught her off guard. “I don’t think that will be possible.”

  Did she have some medical condition that would prevent her from having children?

  Sensing her discomfort, he quickly switched the subject off children. “Do you have any siblings?”

  Lindy’s gaze flew to the ground, and she visibly stiffened under his scrutiny. When her mouth pursed and it was obvious she wasn’t going to answer, he inhaled deeply and pondered why getting her to open up was such a struggle. After their close encounter last night, it maddened him that she could clam up so quickly and refused to share anything about herself. Maintaining his cool, he tried another approach. “Are both your parents still alive?”

  Her head jerked up and she gnawed her lower lip. Then said, “Please stop asking me questions.”

  That did it. Her anxious behavior indicated there was more involved than her simply being a private person. He had to refrain from cursing out loud. Dammit! Why won’t she talk to me? What is she hiding? He placed his hands on her arms. “Lindy, I don’t understand you. There are moments when I think you’d like to cut out my gizzard. But sometimes you act as if you like me.”

  Her gaze widened. “I do like you.”

  “Then why won’t you tell me anything about yourself? I thought we were starting to grow close. I feel something for you. I thought you felt something for me, too.”

  She gulped and seemed to be squeezing back tears.

  “How can we develop a friendship, let alone anything more, if you refuse to share anything from your life with me?” His voice grew serious and the pressure of his hands on her arms increased in strength. “I know you’re keeping a secret, and I’m determined to find out what it is. Whatever it is, it can’t be that bad.”

  Surprise mixed with outrage flashed in her eyes. “Don’t threaten me, Cole.” She wrenched free of him and heavily breathed in and out.

  “It’s not a threat, Lindy.” Realizing he’d been rude and shouldn’t have blurted out his suspicion that way, he looked to the sky and silently prayed for the right words to come out of his mouth this time. “Look,” he said calmly, “if you’re in some kind of trouble, maybe I can help you.”

  She closed her eyes and shook her head. “Stop.”

  Was she in trouble? She won’t talk about family or her past. She doesn’t carry a cell phone, and she wanted nothing to do with police or insurance adjustors. Was she running from the law?

  His ire rose at her stubbornness, and his gut began to churn with turmoil. It didn’t matter if he was attracted to her. He knew nothing about her or where she came from. Lindy’s closed-mouthed ways had him imagining the worst about her.

  “I’m not going to let you hurt my mother or ruin our ranch. Do you understand?”

  Her eyes flew open. “I’m not going to hurt your mother!” she exclaimed. “Ella is one of the kindest people I’ve ever known. She treats me like family. And just how would I go about ruining the ranch?” Her hands fisted on her hips, and her gaze pierced him, daring him to come up with a reasonable retort.

  “I don’t know,” he admitted. “Maybe you’re a scammer and plan to embezzle my mother’s funds. Or maybe your scheme is to fake an accident and sue us for all we have. How do I know?” He tossed both arms into the air in frustration. “I don’t know a damn thing about you, except that you’re thirty-three, you’re a masseuse, and you may or may not have lived in Wyoming at some point. What am I supposed to think? Why should I trust you?”

  When his diatribe was over, Lindy quietly replied, “I’m just a woman who is looking for some peace. I never asked for anything else. I was beginning to think I’d found that peace at the Painted Pony Ranch, but now I believe I was wrong. I don’t want to disappoint Ella or put her in a bind, but it’s probably better if I leave.” She turned and began weaving like a power walker around headstones on her way to the truck.

  Cole plowed a hand through his hair and watched her retreating back. “Lindy, wait!” Jogging, he caught up to her as she was opening the truck door. He put his hand on the door to close it and turned her to face him. Her eyes were wet with tears. He gently pushed her against the door and straddled her legs.

  “I’m sorry,” he panted. “Mom would kill me if she thought I’d done something to make you leave. Please say you’ll stay.” He searched her face, and despite the exasperation he felt, the urge to kiss away the moisture that dampened her eyelashes was so strong he had to bite the inside of his mouth.

  Lindy swiped away the tears that trickled down her cheek and squared her jaw. “Is that the only reason you want me to stay? Because Ella might kill you?”

  His heart skated to a stop. She had to know he didn’t want her go. When her lips spread in silent summons, he pressed the length of his body to hers and covered her mouth with his—gentle at first and then more demanding as she met his passion.

  When at last they broke apart, he slid his hand through her tresses and said, “Does that answer your question?”

  Nineteen

  Lindy’s mind wandered as she gave a massage to Sheryl that afternoon. Cole was foremost in her thoughts. His passionate kisses spoke of a sexual prowess that sent jolts of desire racing through her. Her body hummed every time he was near. But there was so much more to the man than his physical attributes.

  Stepping up to champion that Hispanic gentleman outside of Lowe’s showed courage and character. Giving Maria the extra money without batting an eye indicated compassion. His resolve to not allow Dalton to pressure her into shooting this morning was gallant. And his affection and concern for his mother was obvious. Even the old lady who had bumped into her car at the grocery store had been the recipient of Cole’s chivalry.

  In eve
ry situation since they’d met, he’d been nothing but charming, brave, and steadfast. Except for those times when she emotionally shut down and blocked him out. That’s when sweet Cole became frustrated Cole.

  Lindy couldn’t blame him—and didn’t. The same thing had happened before when people tried to get close to her. The distant attitude she was always forced to take was not only for her protection, but also for the safety of those around her. Others hadn’t understood her silence, and neither did Cole. Would he understand if she were to confide in him?

  Sheryl’s sighs of relief interrupted Lindy’s musings. Lindy applied warm oil to Sheryl’s skin and used her knuckles to work the knots out of her shoulders. As soon as Sheryl quieted, Lindy’s thoughts returned to Cole and the fantasy of sharing her innermost secrets with him.

  She did trust him. It was a strange revelation since they’d known each other only a short time, and she was so mistrusting in general. Without a doubt, he was the only person, besides Griffin, she felt would have her back, no matter what.

  But Cole already felt torn between wanting her and sensing she was a risk to his heart. Last night parked outside his house was evidence of that emotional struggle, as well as today at the cemetery. Would telling him the truth about her situation hurt him more than her continuing to be uncommunicative? Or would her silence cause him more pain?

  The truth meant she’d be moving on someday—probably sooner rather than later. And when that happened, she’d once again change her name, her hair color and her job. And she wouldn’t leave a forwarding address. She and Cole would never speak to or see each other again.

  While a thrill spiraled down her spine at the thought of divulging her secret to him, Lindy sensed it would be kinder to leave things as they were. She’d be selfish to put him through more angst.

  Jordan had chosen another man over Cole, and Rachel had preferred a job in Africa to a life with him. Both had bruised his heart. When Lindy left, it would be in the dead of night, with no warning and no explanation, causing him another hurt he’d have to heal on his own. The weight of responsibility for his wellbeing seemed to settle firmly between her shoulder blades. Her only consolation was that when the inevitable happened, Cole would be too angry with her to feel instant heartbreak.