by SJ McCoy
She wanted to ask him which circumstances, but she didn’t. “I think it does, too. And if our start date is right now, then I’d like to start.” She sunk her fingers into his hair and pulled him down into a kiss. All this talking felt awkward, wrong somehow, but the kissing felt so right.
When they eventually came up for air again, Chance smiled. He seemed to have recovered from the way she’d sprung her proposal on him.
“What?” she asked. “What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking that we can have a lot of fun together.”
Something about the way he said it made her worry. She waited for him to say more.
He met her gaze. “I’m thinking that maybe I can help you prove to yourself that you’re not cold at all. And I’m thinking that maybe—since we know this is just a fling and next weekend we’ll say goodbye and go back to our lives—maybe I can relax, too.”
She nodded, wondering why she didn’t like the way that sounded. She knew that once they left here they’d never see each other again. But part of her felt sad knowing that he was only entertaining the idea because of that. She made herself smile. “I hope so. I hope we can be a helpful, happy interlude in each other’s lives.”
He nodded. “I think we will. So, where do you want to start? I’m here, it’s still early. We have the day ahead of us. What would you like to do?”
She looked at her ankle which wasn’t as swollen as it had been, but was starting to turn all kinds of ugly colors. “I don’t know how much I can do. It’s not as though we can go for long walks on the beach, is it?”
“No, but we don’t need to either. Do you want to go out for breakfast?”
She shook her head rapidly.
“Oh.” Chance frowned. “You’re worried about being recognized?”
“Yeah, I’m afraid so. The press doesn’t know I’m here, but all it would take would be for one person to recognize me and soon the whole media circus would descend on the place. I don’t need that. Especially now.” She looked up at him, wondering if that might be enough to put him off. Dealing with the press was bad enough for her, and she was used to it. The possibility of being hounded by them could hardly be an enticing prospect for him.
“No. I don’t need that either. So, I guess we’re staying put?”
She nodded. “It looks that way.”
“Okay. So, am I on chef duties again?” He smiled and she was relieved that he didn’t seem put out by the situation at all.
“No. I can do it.”
Chance laughed. “Dr. Johnny wasn’t joking when he called you Miss Independent, was he?”
“When did he say that?” And why? She had to wonder.
“I forgot to tell you. I screwed up when I saw him at the clinic yesterday. I told him your ankle wasn’t all that bad.”
“Ah. I didn’t want him to worry.”
“He understood that, and he knew that you wouldn’t want him doing anything to help either—you being so independent and all.”
She nodded. “He knows me too well.”
“Are you close?”
She smiled. “Yes. Uncle Johnny’s so easy going, he’s such a sweetheart. He’s so much easier than my dad.”
She had to wonder what Chance was thinking. He was staring at her with a puzzled look on his face as if he was trying to figure something out. “Your dad is Johnny’s brother?”
She nodded.
“Seymour Davenport?”
She nodded again.
“Wow. I suppose that’s an added reason the press would be so interested in you.”
“It doesn’t help.” She shook her head sadly. “Although, even if I wanted to court the press and give the inside scoop on him, I wouldn’t have much to say.”
“You’re not close?”
“I guess I’m closer to him than anyone else in the world, but that’s not saying much.” She didn’t want to talk about her dad. It never led anywhere good. “What about you? You’re here with your dad. Are you close?”
She could tell they were by the way he smiled. “Yeah. We are now.” His smile faded. “We lost a lot of years through me being bullheaded, but we’re past that now.”
“I’m glad. And do you have brothers and sisters?”
“Just one little sister.” His smile was back. “Missy. She’s a piece of work.”
The way he said it almost made Hope wish she were his little sister. He obviously adored her, no matter what he said. She laughed. “I’m guessing that means she knows how to keep you in line?”
He shrugged. “Not really. No one’s ever figured out how to do that, but Missy’s come as close as anyone ever has. She speaks her mind, she gets things done, she sticks her nose in everyone’s business, but in the best possible way. She’s only a half-pint, but she’s got the biggest heart I’ve ever known.”
“She sounds awesome.” Hope sighed. She was already seeing that this was going to be weird. Spending time together, getting to know each other was great, but it wasn’t real. She liked the sound of his sister. She’d like to meet her, but that wasn’t going to happen. Whatever he told her about his life, she’d never see him in it. That was as it should be, but it still made her sad.
“She is.” Chance held her gaze for a moment and she had to wonder if he was thinking the same thing. She doubted it.
“Anyway. Should I see about some breakfast for us?”
“Yes, please.” She didn’t want him to get up from the couch. She was enjoying sitting here in his lap like this, but they couldn’t sit here all day.
Chapter Ten
After they’d eaten and he’d cleaned up the kitchen, Chance returned to the sofa where Hope was sitting. He sat down on the floor beside her and looked up into her eyes.
“Are you okay?” she asked. “Are you regretting this already?”
He shook his head. “Not one bit. I think it’s a great idea. I guess I’m more of a doer than a thinker though and I’m wondering what it is that we can do.” He looked at her ankle. “We’ve got some pretty unique restraints on us for two people who are out to have a fling. I mean, you can barely walk, and there aren’t many places we can go for fear of you being recognized.”
She nodded sadly. “It’s not ideal, is it?”
“Nothing ever is. You can waste your life wishing for ideal or you can get on and make the most of what is. That’s what I’m trying to do.”
“And are you coming up with anything?”
He smiled. He was. “Well, one of the things I wanted to do while I’m here is take a drive down through the Redwoods. What do you think? We’ll be in the car, so no one will see you, and you won’t have to get out and walk on that ankle.” It was the best he could come up with for now. His plan had been to hike amongst the huge old trees, but he was willing to forego that so Hope could get out and see them, too.
She smiled back at him. “I’d love to. It’s a step down from what I’d like to do, which is go walking in the Redwoods. I love to do that. There’s something unreal about being out there, surrounded by two-thousand-year-old trees.” She shrugged. “But since we can’t have ideal, we’ll take the next best thing.”
“Great. How long will it take you to get ready?”
She gave him a puzzled look then looked down at herself. “Am I not presentable enough like this?”
He laughed. “Of course, you are. I just didn’t want to rush you if you need to do things.” He didn’t like to say that in his experience, women always took forever to get ready.
“Nope, I’m ready to go right now, if you are?”
“I am. I’ll run back down to the cottage for the car and be back in ten minutes, okay?”
“Okay. I’ll be here waiting.”
As he walked back down the path to the cottage, Chance let his mind run over the events of the last couple of hours. What was he getting into? Was this a dumb idea? He shook his head. It seemed like a pretty smart idea to him. Serendipity, that’s what it was. On Saturday, he’d visited Chloe’
s grave to tell her—to tell himself—that he was ready to move on with his life. He’d never gotten close to a woman since she’d died. Having seen all his friends find love and get married over the last couple of years, something inside him was longing to do the same, or at least to open himself up to the possibility. On Monday morning, he’d met a woman who made him feel—two days after he’d decided he was ready start living again. Now, two days after that, she’d proposed that they should have a fling and had even admitted that they could maybe each be what the other needed at this very point in their lives. He blew out a sigh as he reached the gate of the cottage and let himself through. The only downside to all of this was too far-fetched to even consider, but one part of his mind couldn’t help turning it over and over. That part of his mind wanted this—wanted Hope—to be something more than a catalyst who helped him move on to the next stage of his life. That part wanted her to be central to the next stage of his life. He shook his head as he opened the front door and let himself inside. That was nuts. He needed to shut that part of his mind down. There was no way their lives could ever come together, even if they wanted to. He smiled as he picked up the keys from the kitchen counter. They probably wouldn’t even want to after spending the next ten days together. He needed to reel it in. Enjoy this for what it was—what had she called it? A happy little interlude. That was it, and that was all.
~ ~ ~
Hope got to her feet when she heard the car pull up outside. It hadn’t taken him long. She’d had time to freshen her makeup and to text Toby about her plans for the day. She’d been pleasantly surprised by his reply. Instead of questioning her about going out for a day with Chance, like she’d expected, he’d said, Good for you. Have fun. She planned to.
She leaned against the wall in the hall when Chance opened the front door and came in. It wasn’t that her ankle hurt or that she needed to rest; no, it was the sight of him that made her knees go weak. He was so damned sexy! He was wearing what she now considered to be his trademark cowboy hat and boots, but for once, he wasn’t dressed all in black. He wore blue jeans that clung to his muscular thighs and a green sweatshirt that seemed to emphasize his broad shoulders and narrow hips.
He came toward her, looking concerned. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, I just needed to catch my balance and the wall offered to help.”
He laughed. “Well, tell the wall thanks, but I’ll take over from here.”
She laughed with him and slid her arms around his neck as he scooped her up. “I could get used to this. You’ll have to be careful, though. I don’t want you putting your back out.”
His eyes twinkled when he smiled at her. “I’m not worried. You’re lighter than a calf and a hell of a lot easier to handle.”
“Oh, I didn’t think about that. You must be used to doing a lot more physical work than just hefting me around.”
He nodded. “I am. You’re worried about me overdoing it, but this is just light duties for me.”
She wondered what his life was like on the ranch. And she wondered again what had taken him to Montana from California. She wanted to ask, but given his reaction last time—that he didn’t want to bore her with his sad story—she decided against it, for now, at least.
He carried her outside to the car and stopped when he reached it. “We have two choices here, and you have to decide. I can put you in the front seat, but then we’ll have to keep an eye on your ankle. Or you can go in the back and sit sideways with your leg up.”
She knew sitting in the back would be the wiser move, but she didn’t want to. She wanted to sit up front with him, where she could see him and talk to him. She was afraid that, if she sat in the back, it would feel like he was simply her driver. She didn’t like that idea at all. “I’ll take the front, please.”
He smiled. “You don’t have to.”
“I know, but I want to.”
It wasn’t long before they were out of town and headed down the highway. Hope glanced out the window at glimpses of the ocean as they headed south. It was hard to believe how relaxed and comfortable she felt with a man she’d only known a couple of days. She smiled, remembering that the last time she’d visited the Redwoods had been with Drew and he had been a complete pain in the ass. He hadn’t wanted to leave LA for the weekend. She’d mistakenly thought he’d love the area as much as she did once he saw it. Instead, he’d spent the whole weekend either complaining or glued to his cell phone.
Chance looked across at her. “Something funny?” he asked.
She shook her head. “Not really. I was just thinking how much more enjoyable this visit to the Redwoods is than the last one I made.”
He raised an eyebrow, but didn’t ask for an explanation. She was glad. She didn’t want to give one. She didn’t want to talk about Drew. She’d rather learn more about Chance. “Is this the first time you’ve been here?”
He shook his head. “I love this coastline. For a few years, I used to make a huge detour when I was traveling from the ranch to the lake, just so I could drive along here and walk in the forest for a while.”
“The lake?”
“Yeah. I told you, I’m from California originally. My dad and my sister still live there. Summer Lake. Do you know it?”
She shook her head. “I’ve never heard of it before.”
He smiled. “I don’t suppose you would have. It’s just a sleepy, little town. Not fancy enough for you.”
She frowned. For some reason, that hurt her feelings. “You think I’m fancy?”
He turned and gave her an apologetic smile. “Sorry, that came out wrong. I suppose, if anything, I was just thinking about how different we are. How different our lives are. That’s all. You’d never have any reason to go to a small town in the hills, any more than you’d have reason to go to the valley in Montana where I live now.”
She smiled at that; she couldn’t help it. “Oh, no? I’ll have you know, I grew up in that valley.”
He turned to stare at her for a moment before returning his attention to the road. “You did?”
She laughed. “Yes, I did. I’m the native Montanan, Mr. California transplant.” She was glad that he laughed at that. “I was born and raised in the valley. And why does that surprise you so much? You know Uncle Johnny, you know he lives there.”
Chance shook his head. “He doesn’t exactly live there, though, does he? I mean, he has a house there, but he’s not there too often. He’s always at the clinic here or traveling somewhere.”
“That’s true, but he thinks of Paradise Valley as home. He grew up there. So did my dad.”
Chance frowned. “Your dad’s there even less than Johnny. I always kind of thought of him as one of those people who had a big fancy house there just to vacation in for two weeks in the summer.”
She shook her head. “We grew up there. We lived there full time until I was twelve.”
Chance’s lips quirked up in a smile. “Did you go to school there? Do you know the Remingtons?”
She felt as though she should know them. Uncle Johnny had mentioned that name, too. “Not that I remember, but we didn’t go to school in the valley, we were homeschooled.”
“I see.” Hope had to wonder if he did. She didn’t know how to explain her childhood to him, so she decided not to try. “You keep saying we. Do you have brothers and sisters? I told you about Missy, but you never told me about yours.”
She shook her head. “I don’t. I’m an only child, but I have three cousins. Uncle Johnny’s sons. Oscar, TJ, and Reid. We were all very close when we were kids. I didn’t get to see them as much after we left Montana, but I still feel as though I have three brothers.” She smiled, realizing it had been a while since she’d seen any of them.
“I didn’t even know Johnny had kids.”
She laughed. “They’ve all made their way in the world. I don’t think any of them have been back to Montana for years, so you wouldn’t have seen them there.”
Chance pointed through the
windshield to a sign up ahead. “Here’s our turn. I usually park at one of the campgrounds and walk up into the forest, but I know there’s one of those scenic routes you can drive farther up. I was thinking we could take that.”
“Thanks. I’m sorry I can’t walk anywhere.”
“It’s okay. We’ll make the most of what we can do.”
“As long as we don’t have to join a line of tourists to drive through the middle of a tree trunk,” she said with a smile. She liked to come here to enjoy the natural beauty of the place, not to get caught in the tourist traps that had sprung up.
Chance laughed. “What’s the matter, is that beneath you?”
“No! I just … I …” She’d thought he would feel the same way she did. “We can if you want to.”
He laughed again. “I wouldn’t normally, I like to stay as far away from humans as I can for the most part, but sometimes you just have to say what the fuck, you know?” He grinned at her. “We shouldn’t take ourselves, or anything, too seriously. We can drive through a tree trunk, take photos, eat ice cream. Why not? You never know, you might even have some fun. When was the last time you did that?”
She stared at him. She had to admit, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d had any fun—let alone done anything silly. She smiled and nodded. “You’re right. Let’s do the full tourist experience.”
He laughed. “We don’t have to go that far, but we can have some fun with it all.”
They drove on in silence for a while. Hope rolled down her window as they entered an avenue of huge, majestic trees. She breathed in the air and was pleased that being amongst the giants of the forest felt just as good sitting here in the car as it did when she was walking.
Chance smiled over at her. “There’s just something about them, isn’t there?”