Busted

by Cher Carson

  “I can’t even imagine what it must be like for her.” Charlene sighed as she poured milk and scooped cocoa into a saucepan on the stove. “But she seems so happy, so well-adjusted. I’m sure that has a lot to do with you… and her father, of course.”

  “Cole does his best with her. So do I. But it’s not the same as having a mother.”

  “No, I guess it’s not.” Charlene stirred the mixture carefully with a wooden spoon, giving the task more attention than it needed. She didn’t know where Ruth Braxton was going with this conversation, but she was pretty sure she wasn’t going to like it.

  “Have you ever thought about having children of your own someday?”

  “Sure, someday. I love kids. Being a teacher is great, but…”

  “But it’s not the same as having your own?”

  “Right.”

  “Does the thought of being a step-mother bother you?”

  Realizing Ruth wasn’t talking about her granddaughter took Charlene a minute. She was talking about Paul’s daughter. “Um, I haven’t given it a lot of thought to tell you the truth. Like I said, I love kids, so I can’t imagine it being a problem.”

  “Your mama told me that Paul Courtnall and his daughter came over to their house for Thanksgiving. Are things getting serious between you two?”

  That was so typical of Brant’s older generation. They didn’t think twice about delving right in to the personal questions. “Um, I don’t think I’d go that far. He’s a nice man. I like him.”

  “But not as much as you like my son?”

  Charlene wasn’t sure how she was supposed to respond to that question. She didn’t want to be rude, but she wasn’t ready to invite an inquisition about the nature of her relationship with the woman’s son. “Cole’s a great guy.”

  “My granddaughter tells me you two have spent a lot of time together?”

  Leave it to an innocent little girl to spill all your secrets. “At the school. We, uh, see each other when he drops Cassidy off and picks her up.”

  “Hmmm, so I’ve heard. You know I’m close friends with your principal, Mrs. Briar. She tells me Cole’s been a big help around the school lately. He’s volunteering for field trips, helping out at the pizza lunches; he even made a sizeable donation to the library, in my name, recently.”

  Charlene’s stomach took a tumble. She didn’t have a prayer of quashing her feelings for this man. “Really? Cole didn’t mention anything about the donation to me.”

  “Apparently, he’s funding the school field trips as well. He told Mrs. Briar he knows how hard some of Brant’s residents were hit by the recession. He just wants to do what he can to help, to make sure that all of the kids can go on the trips, even if their parents can’t afford it.”

  “That was nice of him.” Charlene tried to focus on keeping a steady hand as she poured the creamy liquid into three mugs. “I’m sure the kids and their parents will appreciate it.”

  “My son is a very wealthy man, Charlene. In case you didn’t know.”

  “Cole and I don’t discuss his finances, Mrs. Braxton.” She set the mugs on a tray with a small bowl of miniature marshmallows and container of whipped cream.

  “I’m not just talking about his stake in the ranch. He did very well for himself in real estate before he moved to Brant. He’s still investing. In fact, he’s built quite an impressive portfolio.”

  The time for diplomacy had passed. “Why are you telling me all this?”

  Ruth sighed as she settled back in her chair. “Just trying to gauge your reaction, I guess. Trying to figure out if you knew about it.”

  “I didn’t, but it doesn’t make a bit of difference to me. I couldn’t care less how much money Cole has.” It was everything else he had to offer that intrigued her.

  “I’m just saying… a high school teacher doesn’t make much these days. Someone in Cole’s position might look a whole lot more appealing, for all the wrong reasons.”

  Charlene set the tray down in the middle of the table, grateful she didn’t drop it when the shock of the other woman’s words settled in. “I can’t believe you would think that of me. You’ve known me my whole life, Mrs. Braxton. You’ve been my mother’s friend—”

  “Honey,” she said, patting her hand, “please don’t misunderstand. I think the world of you, and it’s obvious my son and granddaughter do, too.” She sighed when Charlene withdrew her hand. “But it’s my job to protect them, and I don’t want to see you get hurt, either. I adore your family. They’re lovely people, but…”

  “But you don’t think I’m the right woman for your precious son, is that it?”

  “I don’t think he’s the right man for you, dear.”

  Heat crept up Charlene’s neck when she realized where this was going. “You needn’t worry, Mrs. Braxton. Cole and I have no intention of getting involved. We know it would be a bad idea, for a number of reasons.” Actually only one reason came to mind, but Cole’s mother already knew more than she needed to.

  Ruth pressed a hand to her chest. “I’m so glad to hear you say that. I tried to talk to Cole about this last night, but he just got so defensive about it.”

  “You talked to Cole about me?” Charlene sank into a chair when she couldn’t trust her legs to support her weight any longer.

  “Yes, I told him I thought you two were all wrong for each other. You remind me of his late wife in a lot of ways. She was very sweet, innocent, maybe a little naïve. But they were so young when they met. I think she was drawn into something that…” Ruth flushed. “Well, it was a little more than she could handle.”

  Charlene felt nauseated. She knew this was only the beginning. If people found out about her relationship with Cole, her sex life would become the hottest topic of conversation at Mavis’s diner. She’d never be able to show her face again. “With all due respect, I’m not sure I’m comfortable discussing this with you. Whatever happened or didn’t happen with Cole and his late wife is none of my business, unless he chooses to discuss it with me himself.”

  Ruth smiled. “That’s sweet of you to say. I’m sure Cole would appreciate that, but I just want you to know that I think you’re making the right decision by not getting involved with him.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “Everything they say about him is true.” She exhaled noisily. “His wife told me herself when I learned about the divorce. She was a good woman. She tried to be everything he needed, but she just couldn’t. I’m afraid the same thing would happen to you, Charlene.” Ruth reached for her hand. “I don’t want to see that happen. He needs someone who understands him and this lifestyle he seems to favor. I highly doubt he’s going to find that girl here in Brant, but I know, with every fiber of my being, that girl isn’t you.” She offered a wobbly smile. “You’re a good girl, a sweet girl. I know your parents want to make sure you stay that way, and quite frankly, so do I. Which is why you need to stay away from my son, for your own good.”

  “Don’t worry,” she said quietly. “I intend to keep my distance from Cole from now on.” Even if it broke her heart.

  Cole was driving his daughter to school on Monday morning when she drew him out of his musings with a question about the object of his fixation. He hadn’t seen or heard from Charlene since Friday night. He kept his promise to her brother, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t thinking about her every other minute.

  “Daddy, do you like Miss McCoy?”

  He locked eyes with his daughter in the rear-view mirror. “Sure, I like her. She’s a very nice lady. Why do you ask, Princess?”

  “If you like her so much, why don’t you ask her out on a date? That’s what people do when they like each other, isn’t it?”

  Cole clenched the steering wheel as he approached a stop sign. “It’s a little more complicated than that, honey. Just because people like each other doesn’t mean they should date.”

  “Is it because she’s already dating Kelsey’s daddy?”

  “Um, I guess that’s part o
f the reason.” Even though it sure as hell hadn’t prevented him from taking her on the living room floor a couple of nights ago.

  “Kelsey says you’re not allowed to go out with more than one boy at a time. It’s called cheating.”

  Cole smiled in spite of his foul mood. “That’s true in some cases. If people are in a serious, committed relationship, they shouldn’t date other people, but if they’re just getting to know each other better, it’s usually okay.”

  “Are Miss McCoy and Mr. Courtnall serious, Daddy?”

  “I don’t think so, honey.” He pulled into the school parking lot, barely resisting the urge to claim his usual spot as he pulled up to the curb.

  “But Kelsey said he’s gonna ask her to marry him.”

  “That doesn’t mean she’s gonna say yes.” She’d better not say yes. Not that he could stop her.

  “If she says no, maybe you could ask her out.”

  Cole chuckled, trying to mask the pain centered around his heart. “I don’t think so, baby. Miss McCoy and I are just friends.” At least, he thought they were.

  Cassidy took her seat belt off and leaned forward, resting her chin on the seat. “I wish she could be my new mommy. I love her, Daddy.”

  Cole felt the longing in his daughter’s voice squeeze his heart. Had his selfish impulses cost her the mother she needed? If not for his reputation in this town, he could try his hand at being normal, for Charlene and Cassidy’s sakes. He would do anything for them. If he had to change to make them happy, he was willing to try, but he knew Brant County’s residents would always see him as some kind of sexual deviant. “I know you’re fond of her, Cass. She feels the same way about you.”

  “Aren’t you gonna walk me in today?”

  “No, Carl broke his leg, remember? I have to pick up some of the slack at the ranch until he’s back on his feet. That means you need to come straight out to the truck after school. No time to waste.”

  Cassidy’s bottom lip quivered. “But what about Henry, and…”

  Cole shifted in his seat and turned around to frame her face in his big hands. “I need you to do what I say, okay?” He kissed the tip of her nose. “No arguments.”

  She heaved a dramatic sigh as she reached for her little pink backpack. “Fine, but Henry’s not gonna be too happy about this, and neither am I!”

  Chapter Seven

  The weeks leading up to the Christmas holidays passed quickly, especially since Charlene threw herself into coordinating the holiday play for the primary kids. She had to commit to after school rehearsals, and her weekends were occupied building sets and sewing costumes. She had very little time to think about the void Cole had left since he took to dropping Cassidy off and picking her up at the front door again.

  She should feel relieved she didn’t have to see him anymore, but her reprieve came at a high price. She was miserable without him in her life. She missed their afternoon chats, and even more, she missed the promise of more passionate nights in front of a roaring fire. Every time she built a fire, she saw the reflection of their hunger for each other in the blaze, a bitter reminder that she may have turned away the best thing that ever happened to her because she was worried about what others may think.

  Charlene tried to save herself and her family embarrassment, but at what price? Was sacrificing her own happiness worth it?

  “There you are,” Paul said, slipping an arm around her waist. “I was beginning to think you were hiding from me.”

  Another benefit to working on the holiday play was she hadn’t had to face the unpleasant task of officially ending her relationship with Paul. She knew she was being a coward, but she told herself the holidays seemed like the worst possible time to let someone down gently. In the new year she would force herself to face the inevitable.

  “I’m sorry we haven’t seen much of each other lately.” She forced a smile. They hadn’t been out on a date since the night Cole paid her a visit. “I’ve been so busy with work and the play. Not to mention decorating and shopping for the holidays.”

  “I’ve done a little holiday shopping of my own,” he said, with a wink. “I hope I can come by this weekend and give you your present.”

  She hated leading him on, but the school gymnasium wasn’t the place to tell him how she felt. “Um, Mama and Daddy are havin’ a little get together at their house this weekend.” The awkward silence stretched on, as though he was waiting for an invitation to join in the festivities. “But why don’t you give me a call? We’ll see if we can work something out.” She couldn’t go on this way. Holidays or not, it was time to tell him that it was over.

  “That’s great.” He brushed a kiss across her cheek. “I can’t wait to spend some time alone with you. We need to talk… about the future.”

  “I didn’t mean to intrude.”

  Charlene felt his deep voice eradicate the ever-present chill she’d struggled to evade since her brother threw him out of her house and told him not to come back. She hadn’t been in his presence in so long, she almost allowed herself to forget the physical effect he had on her. Almost.

  After taking a deep breath to steel her courage, she turned to face Cole. No matter how prepared she’d pretended to be going into tonight, nothing could equip her to deal with the force of her feelings for this man. No doubt about it, she was in love with him. The question was, what the hell was she going to do about it?

  Stepping out of Paul’s embrace, she looked up at Cole and felt the agony of confronting the pain she had caused him. She was so caught up in her own turmoil that she hadn’t considered what this did to him.

  “How are you, Cole?”

  He glanced at Paul as he stuck his hands in the pockets of his leather bomber jacket. “I’ve been better. Keepin’ busy at the ranch. How ‘bout you?”

  She wanted to reach up and hug him, to tell him she was sorry for being so stubborn. She wanted to tell him of all the nights she’d laid awake thinking about him, wishing he was curled up beside her, loving her. Most importantly, she wanted him to know that he wasn’t the only one hurting.

  “I’ve been busy too.” She gestured to the excited kids running around them. “You know how it is with kids, never a dull moment.”

  “Yeah, I know.” He looked around. “My mama was supposed to bring Cassidy. I got tied up at the ranch. Are they here yet?”

  “Yes, I saw them…” She looked around and pointed when she saw them walking toward their group. “There they are now.”

  Cole grinned when he saw Cassidy in full costume. “Wow, look at you,” he said, tugging on her stocking cap. “Nana did a great job on your costume, didn’t she?”

  Cassidy bobbed her head enthusiastically. “Nana can make anything.”

  Mrs. Braxton smiled as she stroked her granddaughter’s back. “I don’t know about that. This costume wasn’t so hard.” She winked at Charlene. “We have Miss McCoy to thank for that.”

  “Daddy, can I go and check out everyone else’s costume now?” Cassidy asked, looking up at him with big blue eyes that would have melted a weaker man.

  “I don’t know how much time you have before y’all need to get started, Princess. You’ll have to ask Miss McCoy.”

  Charlene glanced at her watch. “We have about five minutes, honey. Then we’re gonna meet by that table, okay?”

  “Okay,” she said, running off before the adults could issue any more warnings to slow her down.

  Paul laughed at her enthusiasm. “I guess I’d better go and find my little one, too. Make sure she doesn’t have any last minute stage fright.” He extended his hand to Cole. “Nice to see you again, Cole. Happy holidays.”

  “Same to you.” Cole accepted his hand, but withdrew as soon as he could without drawing attention to the slight.

  “Mrs. Braxton,” Paul said, taking her hand in both of his. “Happy holidays to you as well.”

  “Thank you, Paul. Same to you.”

  Charlene waited for him to walk away before she said, “Well, I g
uess it’s just about time to rally the troops. I hope y’all enjoy the show.”

  Cole watched her walk away and felt his mother’s hand gently brush his back, trying to comfort him. “Not now, Mama,” he said, quietly. He would give anything to be able to scoop his daughter up and hightail it out of there. He needed to put as much distance as possible between himself and the woman haunting him. Knowing that they lived in the same town, yet he had to keep his distance from her killed him.

  Charlene was the first person he thought about when his eyes opened in the morning, and no matter how hard he tried to push her image aside throughout the day, it continued to resurface, taunting and teasing him.

  “I’m sorry you’re going through this, honey,” Ruth whispered. “I had no idea how much she meant to you. Had I known, I never would have…”

  Cole turned to face her and cursed softly when he saw the guilty expression on her face. “What did you do?”

  “I just talked to her about…” She shrugged. “You know, things.”

  “No, I don’t know.” He clenched his teeth. “That’s why you’re gonna tell me. What kind of things did you talk about and when?”

  Ruth winced as she looked at the crowd milling about behind the stage area. “Now’s not the time to get into all that, son.”

  He took his mother’s upper arm and led her through the throngs of people crowding the gymnasium. He didn’t stop until they were down the hall, in front of the primary classes. “I want the whole truth, and I want it now.”

  She pressed a hand to his chest as a tear slid down her cheek. “You know how much I love you. I want you to be happy, and I want you to find a suitable mother for my granddaughter, but I’m just afraid that you’re gonna make the wrong choice again and everyone’s going to get hurt.”

  Cole tried hard to hold on to his patience. He knew his mother’s heart was in the right place, but lack of sleep and compulsive thoughts about a certain woman were driving him over the edge. He didn’t know how much more he could take. “Just tell me what happened. Now.”