“You’re not going back to your house on your own. You can stay with me until the floors are finished and then we’ll move your design studio upstairs. There’s no reason why you can’t start working from here straight away.”
“And in this grand plan of yours, where am I going to live if dad stays in town?”
“I own a converted barn with four bedrooms and a den.” Emily looked totally unimpressed. Alex was beyond caring. “You might as well get that stubborn look off your face because you’re coming with me. Cody can stay with us if you’re worried about anything.”
“Worried?” Emily’s voice rose to a smidgen below a screech. “I admit that seeing dad freaked me out. But I’m not some helpless female that needs a white knight to save the day. Both of you can back off and let me run my own life.”
Cody crossed his arms in front of his chest. “We’re not backing off. Why do you think dad picked on you last time? You’re a soft touch. He knew you wouldn’t question his motives.”
“Sometimes, Cody Scotson, I don’t know whether you’re insulting me or paying me a compliment.” Emily stood up. “I’ve got a meeting with Molly. There’s a perfectly good lock on my front door and my neighbor is less than thirty yards away. I’ll be fine.”
Alex wasn’t convinced and neither was Emily if the wobbly smile on her face was anything to go by.
“Make sure you keep your cell phone with you,” Cody said.
Emily walked toward her brother and kissed his cheek. “Thanks for caring. Don’t tell mom that dad’s in town. She’ll get upset.”
And then it was Alex’s turn. He half hoped that she’d give him a kiss too. He wasn’t disappointed. Her lips brushed his cheek and he felt the impact like an atomic explosion in the pit of his stomach.
“Thanks for listening. Are you sorry you took me on as a business partner?”
Alex was still getting over the aftershock of her kiss. He wasn’t sorry about anything, but he was about to be. With more speed than finesse he pulled her close and kissed her. Right there in the middle of construction chaos, with her brother looking on. And it couldn’t have felt more right.
He pulled back and looked into her eyes. “Call me if you need anything.”
Emily touched her hand to her lips, then nodded before disappearing down the stairs.
Alex glanced at Cody. “Are you going to stand there grinning or give me a hand with the sheets of plywood?”
“You two are made for each other, only you can’t see what’s in front of your noses.”
Alex handed Cody his hammer. “Front window. I’ll get a drop sheet and a crowbar.” And maybe, he thought, another brain to replace the one that had just gone to mush.
***
“Then he kissed me. On the lips. Right in front of my brother.”
Molly swung her camera toward Emily, catching her in the middle of remembering. “Lord almighty. A man who makes a woman’s toes curl needs to be held onto. Tilt your head to the right. That’s grand.”
Emily leaned against the wall of Alex’s barn. They’d come out to his ranch to take the photos for her catalog. Partly because Molly had been looking for a location that screamed Montana. Mostly because Alex hadn’t given her a choice.
“I’m sorry Alex decided to be so weird about where we ended up today.”
“You’re sorry for a lot, it seems. Now turn to face the sun. That’s right, just a little more.”
Emily turned and tried not to squint. She imagined it was Fall. Aspen trees turning a brilliant gold, a cold wind tugging at the silk swing coat floating around her body.
Molly hummed as she worked and Emily relaxed. Nicky and Gracie were inside Alex’s home, getting ready for their modeling debut. The sun was shining, the cows were mooing, and she couldn’t get Alex’s kiss out of her head. And it annoyed her…not the kiss. The man. How a two-second kiss could give her sleepless nights was beyond her. Even her dad’s unwelcome arrival hadn’t unsettled her as much as Alex.
“You’ve gone all tense. Think of that gorgeous man.” Molly grinned. “Unless it’s the gorgeous man that’s the problem?”
Gracie waddled toward them. “What gorgeous man are we talking about?”
“I believe the man would be your brother,” Molly said. “Emily’s got more on her mind than this beautiful morning in May.”
“Are you talking about the kiss?”
Emily’s mouth dropped open. “You know?”
“Half of Montana knows you kissed Alex.”
“I didn’t kiss him. He kissed me, and it wasn’t even a real kiss.”
Nicky joined them, her sapphire blue chiffon dress billowing in the breeze behind her. Molly lifted her camera and started shooting.
“Alex didn’t say anything.” Nicky pulled a white fur-lined shawl around her shoulders, smiling at the scowl on Emily’s face. “It was Cody. You can’t keep secrets from our brother.”
Gracie walked across to Molly, standing beside her as she shot image after image of Nicky and Emily.
“It’s all in the light,” she said softly to Gracie as the conversation in front of her turned into laughter. “The colors and the angles. But mostly it’s in the heart.”
Gracie sighed. “If you’re still here when my baby is born would you take some photos for me?”
“Sure, I would. Now stand in front of that pile of hay. Spin in a slow circle with your arms open wide. I want to capture your glorious red hair in the sunshine.” Molly lifted her camera and made some adjustments to the settings. “You look beautiful.”
A soft blush touched Gracie’s cheeks. “It’s not easy feeling pretty when you’re the size of a whale, but today’s special.”
“That it is. New beginnings for everyone, Gracie.”
Emily nudged Nicky as they watched Gracie lift her hands in the air and twirl like a princess.
“We’re doing more than taking photos for your catalog,” Nicky whispered. “We’re creating memories. Look how beautiful Gracie is. All baby and love. We rush around trying to do everything and miss making moments like this.”
Emily thought about her friends, her family, and Alex. She hadn’t trusted him two years ago and she hadn’t wanted to now. But he’d helped her build her dream, create something more than she could have achieved on her own. He’d wanted to be her knight in shining armor. He’d kissed her.
And maybe one day, when the time was right, she might kiss him back.
***
Alex had never liked hospitals. He liked them even less now. It didn’t matter how many vases of flowers he saw, or how many brightly lit rooms he walked past, he could still smell the disinfectant, almost taste the sharp tang of sick people.
He’d come to see Doc Johnson, get the results of his last specialist appointment. The one that would tell him whether he could go back to riding.
He stopped outside an office, took a deep breath and opened the door. Mrs. Gibbs had been Doc Johnson’s receptionist for as long as Alex had been alive. She greeted him like a long-lost relative, or someone that needed preferential treatment because of the news he was about to hear.
“We’re running about fifteen minutes late, Alex. Take a seat and I’ll let you know when you can go in.”
Alex did as he was told, choosing a chair under an open window, hoping the smell of the outside world would calm his nerves. He picked up a magazine, flipped through the pages and found an article on land irrigation techniques.
As he settled in to be inspired, a little kid opposite him nudged his older brother. The older kid glared at his sibling, but nudged his dad all the same. The little kid looked as though he was fit to burst with something he couldn’t hold in any longer.
Before Alex had finished reading the first paragraph, the two boys made their way across the room, stopping in front of him.
“Are you Alex Green?” the youngest asked.
Alex nodded.
The little kid bounced on his feet. “A real live World Bull Riding Champion.” Anyone he
aring the kid’s excited voice could have been forgiven for thinking Alex was the equivalent to Santa Claus. His older brother didn’t look nearly as impressed and that made Alex feel better.
“Can I have your autograph?” the little kid asked.
“Sure.” Alex fished around inside his pockets, wondering where he’d get a pen from. Mrs. Gibbs came to his rescue with not only a pen, but a piece of paper. “What’s your name?”
“David. David James McFadden. I’m seven years old and I live at 295 Cobble Creek Drive.”
“He doesn’t want your life history,” the older boy grumbled.
Alex glanced at the second kid. He had a plaster cast on his right leg. The scowl on his face outdid anything Alex could have managed. “What did you do to your leg?”
The kid looked at him, then down at the cast. “I fell out of a tree. Doc Johnson put two steel pins in my leg.”
“One more than me,” Alex said as he scribbled his name on the paper.
“How long’s yours?”
Alex smiled, remembering the locker room conversations he’d had at school. “Runs from the top of my thigh to just above the knee.” He put the pen down and held his hands a foot apart. “About this big.”
The kid nodded, looking more impressed. “Doc Johnson’s taking my cast off today.”
“Must be a relief.”
“It gets itchy when I get hot.” He looked down at his cast, then at the pen beside Alex. “If you wanted, you could write your name on my cast.”
“Where do you want my signature?”
The kid pointed to a spot half way down his leg. “My name’s Andrew.”
Alex wrote a message for Andrew, then handed the pen to the youngest brother. “If you could give this back to Mrs. Gibbs, I’d appreciate it.”
The little kid scooted off with a wide smile on his face.
“Thanks for the autograph,” Andrew said. “I hope your leg gets better soon.”
“Me too.” Alex watched both kids settle beside their father. Their dad made all the appropriate noises when they showed him the cast, then smiled his thanks to Alex.
“You can go through, Alex. Doc Johnson will be with you in a minute.”
He rose from his seat and left the magazine where he’d found it. Three pairs of eyes followed his progress as he walked across the room.
He sat in the seat closest to the wooden desk, nervous as hell. He wiggled back, then sat forward, trying to get comfortable.
Doc Johnson strode into the room. “How’s the leg?”
“I haven’t used the crutch in weeks. Gets a bit stiff in the mornings, but other than that it’s fine.”
Doc Johnson nodded, then looked over the top of his reading glasses. “Ridden any bulls lately?”
Alex felt like he was being interrogated. Doc’s laser beam stare could spot a lie from a mile away and he wasn’t in any position to mess with the grand inquisitor. “I’ve been tempted, but I haven’t ridden anything other than my horse. I’ve been helping to remodel the old library building. We started at the ceiling and worked our way down.” He should have shut up after the horse, but if it earned him extra credit toward a full medical clearance, he’d take it.
“I walked past the other day. You’ve done a fine job. When’s the boutique opening?”
“The middle of next month.” Alex glanced at the computer on the desk beside him. His leg might still be healing, but there was nothing wrong with his vision. His medical file was there, right in front of him, waiting for Doc Johnson’s verdict.
Alex leaned forward, hoping to read what it said, but he had a feeling he’d go cross-eyed trying. “I don’t mean to be rude, but I’d really like to hear whether I’m okay to ride again.”
“I expect you do. Your grandfather would probably roll over in his grave at what I’m about to say. But I’m going to say it anyway.”
Alex felt sick. This was it. Doc Johnson was going to tell him he couldn’t ride again. Couldn’t do what he’d been born to do.
“You’re not getting any younger, Alex. Over the last twenty years you’ve broken most major bones in your body and had more concussions than are good for your brain. You can’t ride bulls for the rest of your life.”
His heart thumped hard in his chest and a cold sweat broke out across his forehead. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that I want you to think about your future.”
“You’re as clear as mud, Doc. Can I ride bulls again or not?”
“There’s no permanent damage that says you can’t. You’ve made a full recovery, give or take a few pieces of steel.”
Alex dropped his head to his chest. The relief washing through his body left him lightheaded and needing air. He could ride, register for any competition. Continue what his grandfather had started.
“I usually tell my patients that I want to see them in six months time, but I’ve got a feeling I’ll be seeing you sooner. Are you okay?”
Alex looked at Doc Johnson and nodded. “I was sure you were going to tell me it was all over.”
“You know what they say,” Doc Johnson said. “Be careful what you wish for. Give me a call if you need me, otherwise I’ll see you after you’ve fallen off your next bull.”
“Thanks, Doc. For everything.” Alex left the office, nodded at the two kids in the waiting room and headed toward the parking lot. His mind started sorting through the rodeos that were coming up, the deadlines for registration and the paperwork he’d need to complete.
He sat in the truck and leaned his elbows on the steering wheel. After months of waiting he was finally able to ride, show everyone his career wasn’t over. He calculated the prize money still on offer, worked out that he was still in with a chance to take away another world title. He could go back to touring, living out of a suitcase. Leaving behind his friends and family. Emily.
He dropped his hat onto the seat beside him and looked across the parking lot. If he left, they’d be no turning back. It was difficult at the best of times to have any kind of relationship on the circuit. Near on impossible if you were determined to fit in every rodeo you could find to sharpen your skills. He wanted to be better than the next bull out of the chute, better than other riders. But it came at a price.
Emily wouldn’t wait for him. She had a business to run, a life that didn’t involve a cowboy who was never home. He didn’t know what was worse; walking away from Emily or walking away from bull riding.
He took his cell phone out of his pocket and hit speed dial. “Jacob? It’s Alex. Doc Johnson said I can ride again.”
His brother didn’t say anything for a few minutes. “You don’t sound too happy. It’s what you wanted to hear, isn’t it?”
Alex stared at the people waiting to be picked up at the entrance of the hospital, the people walking through the parking lot to their vehicles. He wiped his hand along the leg of his jeans and frowned at the steering wheel. “I don’t know what I want. I need to work through a few things.”
And an hour later, he still wasn’t any closer to knowing whether Doc Johnson’s news was good or not.
***
Emily sat in her living room, sewing the hem of a dress she’d made for a client in New York. The bright green dress would look wonderful with her client’s blond hair and blue eyes. And the red silk poppies, stitched around the collar, lifted the whole outfit into an entirely different stratosphere.
The doorbell rang and Emily lifted the dress of her legs. She walked across to her front door and looked through the peephole. Her heart leaped at the man standing on her front porch. It had been four days since she’d seen her father. Four days of wondering whether he’d find her. Find the boutique.
Taking a deep breath she opened her door. “You can’t come here, dad. I told you that I don’t want to see you.”
“I want to apologize. I never meant to hurt you.”
Her dad hadn’t changed. She would have almost believed him except he’d said he was sorry last time. Just before he�
��d given her a check for more money than she’d ever seen.
“Well, you did hurt me. You hurt your business partner and his family and everyone else you stole money from.”
Her dad hung his head. “I won’t be coming back this way for a while. I thought we could talk. I don’t expect you to forgive me. What I did was wrong, but I’d like to spend some time with you.”
This was the dangerous part. The part where all her resolve dissolved and left her raw and vulnerable. In spite of all the disappointment, the anger, the betrayal, she still loved him. Still wanted what she’d never had. What she’d never get from her father.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Too much has happened. I need to go now. I’ve got work to do.”
Her dad stepped forward, planting his hand in the middle of the door. Emily’s gaze darted between his hand and his face. She should have kept the door closed, left him standing outside, away from her life. “You need to go.”
“I’ll be here for a few days. If you change your mind, I’ll be at Angel Wings Café at ten o’clock tomorrow morning.” He moved his hand and she started to close the door. “I do love you, Emmy.”
Before she could change her mind, she closed the door.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Alex glanced at Emily. “You’re here early.” He looked down at the punch-out list in his hands. He was determined to ignore the way Emily filled out her skin tight jeans, or the way her smile hit him in the chest.
“I want to help put the shelves together.” She took her sneakers off, heading across the room in her socks.
“You can leave your shoes on. The floor’s okay to walk on.”
Emily picked up a cordless drill from his tool box and looked around the room. “I can’t believe what a difference varnishing the floor has made. You did a great job.”
Alex didn’t let her compliment distract him. He wasn’t fooled by the smile on her face or the makeup she’d applied. No amount of camouflage could disguise the black rings under her eyes. “How was the photo shoot?”
Forever Cowboy (Montana Brides, Book 5) Page 10