“I think that’s the whole trick right there—keeping the magic in the everyday stuff,” Ellie replied. “And making sure that it really can last. Maybe Johnny and Baby drove away together and after fifteen minutes, she looked at him and said, ‘You’re not so hot when you’re not dancing,’ and they decided to call it quits.”
Kelsi looked astonished. “But of course he was still hot!” They both laughed.
Wes held up a hand. “So, if I’m following this very confusing conversation at all, what you’re saying is that I need to figure out if I really like Amber, or if it was just the atmosphere of the ranch that did it, right?”
Kelsi beamed at him. “Exactly. And also that they needed to make a sequel before Patrick Swayze died.”
“I’m not going to worry about sequels or whatever. How do I figure out if my feelings for Amber are real?”
“If you’re still feeling them after she’s been gone for a while, I’d say that’s a pretty good indication,” Will said.
The conversation soon drifted off to other things, and Wes finished off the macaroni and cheese on his plate, even though it was now cold. It sounded like he needed to give this situation some time. That felt better than just giving up on it entirely.
Chapter Fourteen
“Your Honor, the defendant said that he didn’t know where he got the weapon, but then in his next statement, he said that he borrowed it from my client. Was he lying the first time, or the second? I’m inclined to believe that he lied both times, and that he actually stole the weapon.” Amber turned and picked up a piece of paper from the table. “The defendant is a felon, and can’t legally possess a gun. I have a copy of his arrest record here, and request that it be marked Exhibit C.” She handed it to the bailiff, who passed it up to the judge. “So we have a felon in possession of a weapon which he obtained by questionable means. I believe my client is well within his rights to ask for his weapon back.”
The judge looked over the paperwork. “Agreed. So ruled.”
Amber was putting her things back in her briefcase when the bailiff approached her. “Ms. Russell, Judge Grant has asked to see you in his chambers.”
A rock immediately formed in Amber’s stomach. Oh, no. What had she done? “Of course,” she said. “I’ll be right there.” She shoved her last folder into place and followed the bailiff down the short hallway, where he knocked on the door of the judge’s chambers and then let her in.
Judge Grant was one of the youngest judges in their system, and Amber had always thought he was pretty cute. He was probably forty, with blond hair and green eyes, but she was pretty sure that it wasn’t professional to notice his eyes, so she’d always tried not to. He rose when she entered his office, and she saw that he’d taken off his robe and was wearing a cashmere sweater over his dress shirt and tie.
“Hello, Ms. Russell,” he said, motioning for her to take a seat. “Thank you for taking a moment to see me. I’m sure you have a lot to do today.”
“You’re welcome.” She swallowed. “What can I do for you, Your Honor?”
He sat back down and regarded her. “Ms. Russell, you’ve appeared in my court how many times now?”
“Oh, I don’t know. A few dozen?”
He nodded. “That sounds about right. And each time, I’ve noticed that you prepare your arguments meticulously, regardless of what they are. You act as though each case will define your career.”
She wasn’t sure where he was going with this. “I believe that each case will define my career, sir. I want an excellent track record regardless of what kind of law I’m practicing.”
He lightly thumped his desk with the side of his fist. “Exactly, and it’s that attention to detail that will take you far. I have to ask, Ms. Russell—why are you still taking these insignificant cases? You’re clearly ready to tackle something on a larger scale.”
Amber looked down at her clasped hands and then back up again. “I’m taking the cases I’m assigned, sir.”
“Didn’t I hear that you’ve recently been made a partner in your firm? Don’t you have more say over which cases you’ll represent?” He leaned back and shook his head. “I don’t generally involve myself like this, but I see a great deal of potential in you. I believe you could become a great criminal defense attorney, Ms. Russell, and do a lot of good in our community.”
“Criminal defense?” Amber blinked a few times. She’d never even considered it.
“Or some other specialty that allowed you to use those skills you’ve so carefully developed, but arguing about personal property in a small claims court is not what you’re meant to do.”
That was a high compliment, and not one she was prepared for. To hide her sudden embarrassment, she smiled and said, “I might argue that you’re meant for greater things than sitting on the bench in a small claims court, sir.”
He laughed. “And you’ve just proven my point yet again.” He glanced at his watch. “I’m done here for the day, and I’m hungry. Would you join me for dinner?”
Yet another thing she hadn’t expected from this conversation. “I’m hungry too, and I appreciate the invitation, but you should know, though, that I’m a little confused right now. I spent last weekend out of town, and I met someone there, and . . . it’s complicated.” That hadn’t come out awkwardly at all.
He smiled. “I’m very good at complicated relationships. I practically invented them. Truth is, I’d enjoy your company purely as colleagues. What do you say?”
“I’d like that, sir. I’d like that very much.” It was certainly better than being lectured and scolded, which was what she’d thought she was in for when the bailiff summoned her.
***
Judge Grant chose a small restaurant just a few buildings down from the courthouse, so they walked rather than drove. Amber was pleasantly surprised to discover that he had a great sense of humor, and by the time their food arrived, he’d made her laugh several times—such a change from the office. She’d only been home from Idaho for two days and was already feeling hemmed in by four walls and a nondescript carpet, made all the worse by her memories of blue skies and blue eyes.
Had that whole trip to Idaho really happened? As soon as she’d walked into her apartment, it was like she’d never left. Only the necklace around her neck convinced her that it had been real, but surely Wes couldn’t have been real. He was too good-looking, too funny, too amazing—men like that didn’t really exist. She must have imagined him.
She’d never thought to give this restaurant a try. It didn’t look like much from the outside, but when she took her first bite, she was sold on the place. She’d ordered shrimp scampi, and the flavors exploded in her mouth.
“This is delicious,” she said after she swallowed. “Do you come here a lot?”
“A lot more than I should,” Judge Grant replied. “But I’m no cook, and some nights, it’s either this or frozen pizza at home.”
“Good choice,” Amber replied as she forked up her next bite.
Judge Grant was everything she’d ever thought she wanted in a man. He was even cuter up close and personal than he was up on the bench, he was intelligent and kind, he seemed genuinely interested in what she had to say, and when the check came, he wouldn’t let her pay, simply stating that colleagues were allowed to buy each other dinner. But there was no zing, like the first time she’d seen Wes. Even if he did turn out to be imaginary, Wes was very, very zingy.
Chapter Fifteen
Wes rocked back on his heels and looked around with satisfaction. The last floorboard was hammered into place in this cabin, and as soon as the wood was sanded and treated, they could start bringing in the furniture. He still didn’t know what they were calling it, but he did know that Wade had vetoed both Foxtrot and Wolf Whistle. That was almost disappointing.
He stood up and walked outside, dropping his hammer into the toolbox on the porch. It had been four days since Amber left, hardly any time at all and yet an eternity. He’d met plenty of pretty girls h
ere at the ranch, girls that he’d flirted with and even taken hiking, none of it at all serious. Not a single one of them had affected him like this. Not a single one of them had made his heart pound and his brain churn, and he didn’t have to wonder why Amber did. He knew. It was because she was special.
Those other girls had been special too, but they were special for someone else. Amber was special for him, and now he needed to figure out what to do about it.
He pulled out his cell phone and called Gwen. “Hey, do I have any appointments for climbing today? I didn’t see any, but I just want to make sure.”
“Nope, you’re free until noon tomorrow.”
“Perfect. Thanks.” He hung up and then called over to Wade, who was unloading the sander from the back of his truck. “You’ve got this, right?”
“Yeah. What’s up?”
“I need a little time away. Think I’ll go spend the night up on Sunrise Ridge, if you don’t need me.”
Wade only hesitated a second before he nodded. He understood that Wes just needed the mountains sometimes. “Okay. While you’re up there, why don’t you sketch out some plans for that cabin you want?”
Wes grinned. “Will do.”
He headed home and grabbed his bedroll, then shoved a few things in his backpack. He never took much when he camped out alone. He did stop by the diner and get a meal—he’d prefer to take up his own food and cook it over the fire, but that meant planning, and he’d rather be on his way than stop at the store. With a box of dinner and some jerky from the general store, he was set to go.
He signed out a four-wheeler and rode it to the base of the trail, and then he began his hike. As he climbed, he remembered every moment of the morning he’d spent with Amber, her reaction when she saw the view from the first lookout point, the way she spun around in the sunshine when they reached the ridge.
By the time he’d reached his destination this time, he was sure he’d played back every moment they spent together, and he couldn’t think of a single thing he’d change except for the fact that she left.
He built a fire in the small fire ring he’d built on a previous trip up here, then spread out his bedroll and unpacked his dinner box. Bob had made him a ham and cheese on rye, pasta salad, potato chips, and three huge chocolate chip cookies. He really could have gone for a Western Wonder burger, but that would have been a lot harder to carry up here, and he didn’t like cold burgers.
Night fell while he ate, and he munched his cookies as the stars began to twinkle in the sky. Then he cleaned up his mess, shoving all the wrappers and napkins into the box and putting the box in his pack. It was Styrofoam or he’d just burn it. Then he settled down in his bedroll and watched the flames, letting his mind wander wherever it wanted to go.
Of course it went to Amber.
He’d decided on the hike up here that his feelings weren’t going to go away. He’d argued with himself that it hadn’t been that long and it would take months or even years to know for sure, but then he’d argued right back that feelings grew when they were nurtured, and he saw no reason why he shouldn’t nurture those feelings instead of trying to squash them. As he lay there, watching the dancing oranges and reds of the flames, he became even more convinced. He wanted to feed those feelings. He wanted to see where they’d take him. He wanted the chance to love her and feel that love in return.
And it would probably be a good idea to find out what she thought about that idea.
There was just one thing, one major conflict. She lived in Oklahoma, and she was happy with her life there. She had a successful career, she’d just been given an amazing car—she knew what she wanted, and it wasn’t dangling off a cliff in Idaho.
Wes, on the other hand . . .
He thought for a moment. What if he moved to Oklahoma? He was sure he could find a good job there, and he’d manage to find friends and create a new life for himself.
But even as he had the thought, his stomach churned with the absolute wrongness of it. He belonged on River’s End Ranch. He knew that down to his very soul. Leaving would tear him apart. He needed his family. He needed these mountains. He needed the air, the sky, the trees, the leaves, the very dirt beneath him. He was the land, and the land was him. If he left, he would lose what made him who he was, and then he’d have nothing of any value to offer Amber. If she wanted his heart, she wanted it because of what this place had made him. He was willing to sacrifice—he was willing to do what it took to give this relationship a chance—but if he sacrificed his soul, she’d get a lifeless man in exchange.
He didn’t add more wood when the fire began to burn low. Instead, he banked it, then settled back into his sleeping bag. He rolled onto his back and allowed himself to be caught up in the expanse of stars overhead. There were no trees to block his view. It was just him and the galaxy, and it took his breath away like it always did. He felt small and yet powerful as he gazed up at those thousands upon thousands of stars, knowing he’d never see all of them.
As he stared in wonder, a simple thought entered his mind. He knew how he felt about River’s End Ranch, but he didn’t know how Amber felt about Oklahoma.
He knew she liked her job, but he didn’t know if she loved it.
And he didn’t know if she’d consider leaving.
He smiled up at the sky as he drifted off to sleep. Well, he knew of only one way to get an answer—and that was asking a question.
***
“Thank you so much for coming with me tonight,” Judge Grant—er, Gabriel—said as he walked Amber to her door. She didn’t know if she’d ever get used to calling him by his first name. “When I realized I was supposed to bring a date to this thing, I panicked until I thought of you.”
“I’m glad I could help you out.” It really hadn’t been much of a sacrifice on her part, though. The charity event he’d taken her to had been lavish and fun—they’d brought in performers from Cirque de Soleil and served platter after platter of lobster. She couldn’t even imagine how much he’d paid for the evening. “And my ice cream and movie will still be waiting for me. Those were the only plans I had for tonight.”
“Amber . . .” He paused. “You were very straightforward with me, telling me about last weekend and the man you met. Have you had a chance to talk to him or decide if your relationship is going to continue?”
“No, not yet,” she replied. That would be nice, though . . .
“I know you’re still sorting all that out, but I just want you to know that I’d very much like to call you again. Not at the last minute, and not just as colleagues. I’d like to date you, Amber. I have more fun with you than I’ve had with anyone in a long time, and we understand each other’s work and can appreciate the stresses we’re each under. Not to mention that you’re incredibly smart and beautiful.”
She smiled and looked away. “I bet you say that to all the small claims court lawyers you hang out with.”
“You’re actually the only small claims court lawyer I’ve ever hung out with.”
“Really?”
“Really.” He smiled. “Most of them are men.”
Again, he’d really surprised her. She was instantly flattered—it felt good to be wanted, especially by a man like Gabriel who was successful and respected. Just as quickly, though, she knew she’d only be dating him halfheartedly, and that wasn’t genuine. “I’m sorry, Gabriel,” she said, touching his arm. “I’m just not ready to make any sort of decision right now. Complicated, remember? But I very much want to be friends. You make me laugh, and I need that.”
He patted her hand where it lay on his sleeve. “I understand. Thank you again for tonight.”
“No, thank you.”
He turned to go, and she paused, her hand on the doorknob. He had been kind about it, but he did look dejected. “I wonder . . . would you like to come in? Just as friends? I don’t know if you like superhero movies, but it’s Ben and Jerry’s ice cream.”
He smiled. “I’d love to.”
She c
hanged into some yoga pants and a T-shirt and he took off his jacket and tie, and they settled in on her leather couch. It was already midnight, but she wasn’t tired, and when the opening credits began to roll, her adrenaline really got pumping. She loved superhero movies.
They ate their ice cream and put their empty bowls on the coffee table, and then she grabbed them each a throw blanket. It was nice to have a friend.
Chapter Sixteen
Kelsi’s jaw dropped. “You’re kidding. You’re kidding, right?”
“Nope.”
She let out a squeal and practically danced around the counter to give him a hug. “This is the most amazing news ever.”
“How long are you going to be gone?” Will asked. “I mean, I’ve got this wedding coming up, see, and I’d sort of like you to be there.”
Wes laughed. “I’m not going to be gone long at all. Just enough to ask Amber to come home with me. I’ll be here for your wedding, little brother. I wouldn’t miss it.” He glanced around at his family, who had all come to the diner when he’d asked them to meet him there. “I just need to know if you can do without me for a few days.”
“I, for one, will shrivel up and die without you,” Kelsi said. “But if you bring me a new sister, I’ll forgive you.”
“Just that wedding thing,” Will replied.
Wyatt shook his head, and Wade thought for a minute before replying, “If the others will help me finish up the second cabin, we’ll be fine.”
Dani shook her head. “I’m not running the sander. I hate that thing.”
“I’ll do it,” Wyatt said. “Go get your woman, Wes.”
Wes grinned. “Thank you. I think I will.”
***
Amber hadn’t been able to get what Gabriel said out of her mind—not about having a relationship, but about her career. When she looked down the road and made her plans for the future, she didn’t see herself doing small claims forever. She saw herself doing something more fulfilling, something that would make a real difference. She wasn’t ruling out criminal law entirely, but she still wanted to work with families. That’s what brought her the most excitement when she thought about it.
Rugged Rockclimber (River's End Ranch Book 8) Page 9