by Brenda Mott
Tess’s soft laughter sent Wade’s toes curling.
“She looks so adorable,” she said. “Sleeping that easily…so innocent.” She shook her head. “I wish I could do that.”
Her comment took him by surprise. Did Tess have trouble sleeping? But before he could have time to ponder that, Macy stirred. Slowly, she blinked heavy eyelids, then sat up as though startled.
“Gosh, what happened? Where is everybody?”
Wade chuckled and offered her a hand. “You fell asleep, twinkle toes. Guess we’d best get you home to bed.”
Macy covered a yawn with one hand. “Guess so.” She rubbed her eye, smearing the mascara Tess had applied earlier.
Jason burst into a fit of laughter. “Now you look like a raccoon. A coon with one eye.”
“What?” Macy stared blankly at him, then down at her hand. “Oh, crud.” She pursed her lips threateningly and sprang toward her brother. “I’m gonna get you for that one, Jace!”
With a howl of laughter, Jason sprinted away, Macy hot on his heels.
Tess laughed, too, shaking her head, then turned toward Wade. Her smile made him want to kiss her again. She wore her feelings openly, leaving it easy to see how fond she was of his kids. Easy to forget his vow to remain alone.
A warning voice inside his head whispered caution. He couldn’t be certain of anything about her. He’d been down this road before and had nearly made the mistake of letting the wrong woman into his kids’ lives. Two years after Deidra’s death, he’d put aside the promise he’d made to focus only on taking care of Macy and Jason. He’d gone out with a woman he’d met who lived in Deer Creek, and had wasted three months with her before finally realizing she had no desire to be around his kids on a regular basis.
She’d put on a good front at first, tricking him with insincere words about Macy and Jason. He’d very nearly fallen for her act, and had sworn he’d never make the same mistake twice. Though Tess seemed sincere, he couldn’t be sure. And he needed to remember that—no matter how good she kissed or how much fun she was to be around.
Shoving his hands in his pockets, Wade rocked back on his heels. “Thanks for inviting us tonight,” he said. “I had a good time.”
She stared at him, her expression suddenly serious. “So did I.” He could see some doubt creep into her face. Was she sorry she’d kissed him, or could she simply read his thoughts by the way he looked at her? It seemed as though she wanted to say something more, but instead, she gestured over her shoulder. “Maybe I won’t walk you to your truck after all. I need to go give the foal a bottle.”
He nodded. The foal. It brought back the memory of their previous argument, reminding him all the more why he needed to tread carefully where Tess was concerned. They certainly had their differences. Besides, her statement sounded like an excuse. As though she thought he might kiss her again if she lingered.
Wade stiffened his resolve, glad to see she wasn’t the only one trying to regain some sense and composure. “That’s fine. We’ll see you at 4-H on Thursday. And have a happy birthday this week.”
“I will. Good night, Wade.” She headed for the barn, her figure silhouetted in the shadows cast by the moon.
Wade turned away, trying to forget how it had felt to hold her and kiss her.
Wanting to forget that there were nights when he felt lonely.
CHAPTER EIGHT
TESS DROVE TO THE BANK on Tuesday in her newly repaired truck, an envelope of checks tucked into her pocket. A mighty thin envelope. She sighed, trying not to dwell on the fact that donations for Western Colorado Horse Rescue hadn’t been rolling in on a very regular basis lately. But even though there often weren’t enough funds to cover her many expenses, and a great deal of the money for the sanctuary came out of her own pocket, Tess wouldn’t trade what she did for anything. The program meant a lot to her, and one day she hoped to expand it to the point of having both volunteers and paid assistants working with her to increase the number of animals WCHR could help.
The cool air from Colorado Western National’s interior washed over her as she pushed the glass doors open and stepped inside the bank. To her surprise, Bailey stood in the lobby near her assistant’s, desk. She wore a lilac, floral-patterned skirt and short-sleeved blouse, and her once-long, light-brown hair was cut in a cute layered style that barely brushed the top of her shoulders.
“Bailey.” Tess walked toward her. “What on earth are you doing back to work already?” She spoke to Jenny, Bailey’s assistant. “I thought you were supposed to barricade the doors if necessary.” Bailey was a hard worker, devoted to both her family and her career. As president of Colorado Western National, she ran the bank in a way that kept her customers and employees happy.
“I couldn’t keep her out,” Jenny said. “But we’re not letting her stay long,” she added with mock sternness. “Until the twins are at least six weeks old, she’s only allowed to check in on occasion.”
Bailey chuckled. “Well, you know how we bankers are. Can’t keep away from our job for long.”
“I like your new haircut,” Tess said. “It looks great.” Almost unconsciously, she fingered one of her braids, unable to remember the last time she’d changed her hairstyle. No fuss, no muss.
“Thanks.” Bailey rolled her eyes and her lips curved. “I thought Trent was going to pass out when he first saw how short it was. But it’s a whole lot easier to care for.”
“I’m sure so.” Tess could imagine how much time it took to mother twin newborns.
Bailey folded her arms and leaned against Jenny’s desk. “So, how are things going with you, Tess? And with your sanctuary?”
Tess wrinkled her nose. “Pretty good. Though funding could be better.” She waved the envelope in her hand. “Seems I’m making more withdrawals than deposits lately.”
“Really?” Bailey’s forehead creased with genuine concern. “Macy told me about Diego, by the way. She sure is fired up over him.”
“That she is.” Tess’s thoughts bounced immediately from Macy to Wade, and for the umpteenth time, she relived the kiss they’d shared three nights ago on the porch swing. The memory had been constant in her mind ever since, and she knew she had to do something to banish it. Quick. She’d dived into her work both at the feed store and her home office, and begun kicking around plans for a way to raise money for the sanctuary, as well. That ought to keep her busy. Busy enough to stop dwelling on Wade. Or so she’d thought.
“Are you free for lunch later?” Bailey asked.
Tess snapped her attention away from thoughts of Wade’s hot, sweet lips. “Sure. What’d you have in mind?”
“I’ve got an idea that will help your situation with WCHR. We can talk about it over lunch. Are you up for seafood? There’s a new place in Glenwood Springs I’ve been dying to try.” Before Tess could answer, Bailey clapped a hand to her forehead. “What am I saying? You don’t eat seafood. Never mind. Blond moment.” She laughed good-naturedly and gave Jenny a wink.
“Hey.” Jenny grinned, pressing a hand against her long, blond hair. “I highly resemble that remark.”
“How about Rosarita’s?” Tess suggested. The place served the best vegetarian tacos.
“Wonderful. I’m always game for Mexican food. One o’clock?”
“Meet you there or here?”
“There,” Bailey said. “I’m headed home in a minute. I only dropped in to check on things, though I know I shouldn’t worry with Jenny in charge.”
“I keep trying to tell her,” Jenny confided to Tess in a stage whisper, then smiled at her boss. “Actually, Bailey, we miss you like crazy. It’ll be nice when the twins are old enough to put in the day care.” One of the changes Bailey had made when she’d taken over as president of Colorado Western National was to add an employee day care center on the ground floor of the building that housed the bank.
“If I can pry them away from their father,” Bailey said. “Trent’s determined to be Daddy, horse breeder and husband in one swoop.�
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“Lucky you,” Jenny said. “Are you sure he doesn’t have a brother?”
“Nope. He’s one of a kind.” The love and pride in Bailey’s voice was so apparent it did something strange to Tess’s stomach.
Refusing to recognize the feelings of longing that pulled at her, she bade Jenny and Bailey so long and headed for the teller window. But her mind strayed once more to Wade. Engrossed in her thoughts, Tess barely managed to respond to the teller’s greeting and small talk as she made her deposit, then exited the bank.
The short drive to the feed store did nothing to help her situation, either, especially since the first thing she heard when she walked through the door was Wade’s name. A regular customer, Mallory Baldwin, stood near the register talking to Tess’s dad. She held one of Wade’s bridles, commenting on the craftsmanship and quality he’d put into making it.
“I tell you, I’m truly glad to see him starting up this new leather business,” Mallory said. “I heard he was thinking of selling his cows, which would be a good thing. Lord knows those kids of his could use more quality parenting time, what with their mother being long gone.”
Immediately, Tess bristled. Wade was a good dad, and she had half a mind to tell Mallory exactly that. With five kids of her own, the woman seemed to think it her business to mind everyone else’s when it came to anything that had to do with child rearing. In Mallory’s eyes, being the mother of five qualified her as an expert. While Tess found nothing particularly wrong with that reasoning, she did take exception to the not-so-subtle put-down of Wade’s parenting abilities.
Reminding herself that she, too, had thought pretty much the same thing about him until she’d learned better, Tess bit her tongue.
With her back to Tess, Mallory didn’t notice her, and continued her conversation with Lloyd, who appeared pained by the subject matter. “Of course, I’m sure a lot of the situation has to do with Deidra having been so much older than Wade. Why, she was practically a mother figure to him. He doesn’t have the best of relationships with his own mother, you know.”
Lloyd sighed. “Nine years’ age difference isn’t quite that much, Mallory.” He cast a look over the woman’s shoulder at Tess, widening his eyes in a plea for rescue.
“Mallory.” Tess spoke from behind her, causing the woman to start and nearly drop the bridle. Reminding herself that two of the Baldwin kids were in her 4-H group, and that nosy or not Mallory was still a paying customer, Tess pasted a smile on her face. “How are you?”
Mallory blushed as though realizing she’d said a little too much in Tess’s presence. Not that she could possibly have any idea of Tess’s feelings for Wade. It was enough that Mallory knew that Tess, as 4-H leader, was friends with many of the parents in town.
“Fine, Tess, thank you. I was just telling your dad how much I admire Wade’s leatherwork.” She laid the bridle on the counter. “I’ll take this, and see if you can get him to make a match for it, will you?” She smiled at Tess, still a bit red-faced. “They’re for Shelly’s and Kelly’s graduations,” she explained. “They’ll have a fit over them.” Again, she fingered the intricate tooling.
Tess sighed inwardly, aware that the eighteen-year-old twins had always been treated as one, right down to their identical haircuts, clothes and birthday presents. She admired Bailey’s determination to see her boys as individuals, beginning with nonrhyming names.
Deciding that her own mood this morning had more to do with Wade than with Mallory, and that talking to the woman obviously wasn’t helping her state of mind, Tess excused herself and went outside to the yard where fencing supplies and stock tanks were stored. A delivery truck was due to arrive shortly, and she grabbed her clipboard in preparation for taking count of the goods. Yet all the while she was deep in thought.
The kisses she and Wade shared had shaken her from the tips of her toes to the very ends of her hair. Being with him that way had been like nothing Tess had ever felt. Still, she was perfectly happy with her life the way it was. Why complicate things? But something had come over her the night of her party that had caused her to abandon all resolve.
At first she’d written it off as part of the highly emotional state she’d been in. Upset and frustrated by the situation involving her mother and Zach, angry beyond measure at her brother, she’d let her defenses down. Her good sense had fled, and she’d ended up acting like a flirt, kissing Wade, wanting him more than ever. He’d set her on fire with his yummy-smelling cologne and his thick, dark hair. And those hazel eyes, flecked with bits of green and gold, that put all sorts of crazy, romantic notions in her mind. She told herself her reaction was normal. Any healthy, red-blooded woman would have done the same.
But what she’d felt went beyond Wade’s good looks and beyond her own emotional state. Wade wasn’t just eye candy. He was funny, though at times annoying, and he was a great father. Tess had to admit that her fondness for Macy, and Jason, too, made it all the more easy to like Wade, in spite of their differences. But how to explain the strong attraction? Beyond the physical, that is. He so often drove her nuts with those differences. What was it about that that had her coming back to spar with him time and again? Apparently, she enjoyed it, or she’d avoid him, Macy or no.
But it did seem that the one thing she and Wade had most in common was their mutual concern for Macy’s welfare. They disagreed on pretty much everything else. His way of thinking about animals. Her ideas about what Macy needed. Even though he’d supported his little girl’s love for animals by rescuing Diego and letting her have the horse, there was still the fact that Wade raised cattle, at least for the time being. Mallory’s comment had taken her by surprise. She’d had no idea Wade planned to sell his herd. Still, his leatherwork involved animal products.
Tess sighed. She was not a die-hard animal activist or vegan. She ate eggs and cheese and drank milk, and she rode a leather saddle. But the rest of her tack was made of nylon, and her ovo-lacto approach to food consumption contrasted sharply with Wade’s meat-eating ways. Of course, her dad and brothers were like him in that respect. Meat-and-potato-loving cowboys who worked hard and liked a good hearty meal on the table each night—one that did not involve soy and tofu. Tess had learned to live with their choices. After all, her family had as much right to theirs as she did to hers.
She sighed again. None of this should really matter in regard to Wade. She reminded herself she was merely thinking about dating him, not marrying the guy.
Marriage. The thought made her laugh. Now, she was getting way too far ahead of herself in her musings. Who needed such a headache when so many marriages ended in divorce? But her thoughts kept coming full circle, and Mallory’s words echoed in her mind: I’m sure a lot of the situation has to do with Deidra having been so much older than Wade. Why, she was practically a mother figure to him.
Tess’s stomach whirled. Not because of the nine-year age difference. She hadn’t realized Deidra had been older than Wade, nor did she care. The thing that had her belly in knots was that if what Mallory said was true—if Wade had married Deidra because he looked up to her as being a little older and wiser—then that would go a long way in explaining why he appeared to resent her own efforts in mentoring Macy.
Tess was pretty sure Wade was older than she was. Maybe that added to his opinion that she had no business trying to tell him what to do with his kids. Immediately, she rejected the idea. More likely, the simple reason behind his resentment was that Wade couldn’t see anyone taking over Deidra’s role, no matter what her age, viewpoint or shoe size.
Likely, no one would ever be able to fill Deidra’s cowboy boots to Wade’s satisfaction. Tess included.
The thought should have left her bitter, yet somehow Tess could relate to it. She’d seen women try to step in and take over when her mother had gone to live at the County Care Facility. And she’d resented the hell out of their sometimes-not-so-subtle attempts at wooing her father—a married man. They seemed to think that her mother’s illness automat
ically put Lloyd up for grabs. He had quickly set them straight, but still, the situation had angered Tess beyond belief. And while Wade’s situation wasn’t the same, since he actually was a widower, she supposed she could still understand in part where he was coming from.
Which only made her all the more curious about what made him tick. Try as she might, she couldn’t back away from him. She knew she was playing with the proverbial fire, but the temptation to get closer and see what would happen pulled strongly at her. If he’d wanted to be left alone, he would have said so. He didn’t mince words any more than she did. Wade fascinated her, and she wanted to get to know him better, even if things went nowhere beyond the flirtatious, if at times tenuous, relationship they now shared.
Tess closed her eyes for a moment and let the memory of Wade’s kisses wash over her once more.
Relationship. Or was it more like a friendship that had gotten a little out of hand? No. She didn’t believe that at all. It went beyond that. Whether either one of them truly cared to admit it or not.
The question was, what on earth did they plan to do about it?
WADE GATHERED an armful of bridles and laid them carefully in a box. He still couldn’t get over how well his leather business was doing, not just in Lloyd’s feed store but on the Cowboy Up Web site, as well. He’d had more hits over the weekend than he ever could have imagined, and nearly a dozen orders to show for it. With all that, a person would think he’d have no room in his mind to think about anything else. Instead, his thoughts were full of Tess.
He wondered how far things might have gone had Jason not interrupted Tess and him the other night. Not that anything truly intimate would have happened out there in the open on her daddy’s porch. Still, he had to admit he’d come damn close to giving in to the temptation to undo the buttons on Tess’s blouse as their kisses had grown more and more heated. And then, thankfully, he’d heard Jason calling him. He knew it was just as well his son had done so, especially under the circumstances.