by Delia Latham
He’d found this woman captivating from the night they’d first met, when the wind and rain dropped her into his cottage like a special blessing. Tonight she left him speechless.
She wore a dress—for the first time since he’d met her—and full-on facial artillery. Her hair was caught atop her head in a messy do that somehow looked perfect on her. Around her neck, a fine gold chain held a pendant in the shape of a pair of delicate wings. Single, matching wings hung from each ear.
Oh, yeah. She definitely already had plans.
Well, Dad always had told him to “make hay while the sun shines.” He hadn’t, and someone else had.
“Gavin!” She smiled and opened the door wider. “Come on in.”
She took him in from shiny cowboy boots to fat rodeo buckle to big, black Stetson, and then offered a wide, open grin. “You must have a hot date tonight. Lookin’ good, cowboy!” A hint of mischief he’d never seen in her before brightened her gray eyes to a stunning, translucent blue.
He chuckled. “Naw. I was hopin’ to talk you into having dinner with me, but looks like there’s a faster gun in town. Someone beat me to the draw.”
“What?” An adorable little wrinkle appeared between her eyes, and then went away when she laughed. “You mean because I’m wearing something other than jeans and a t-shirt?”
He nodded. “Not that you don’t look terrific in jeans and a t-shirt. But in that get-up…wow—” He cleared his throat. Since when had he ever been tongue-tied around women? “You’re a sight for sore cowboy eyes, neighbor. You look gorgeous.”
“I do?” She laughed again, and a hint of color pinked her cheeks. “Well, thank you, but I was just going into town—alone—to grab a bite, and decided maybe I ought to make myself somewhat presentable. It’s Friday, after all. Angel Falls is bound to be teeming with hungry people.”
“Really? You’re not waiting on some hotshot cowboy to show up and kick my rear all the way back to my own place?”
Now she laughed outright, and the sound warmed Gavin clear through.
“I don’t rightly know any cowboys in these here parts.” Her exaggerated drawl forced him to laugh along. “’Ceptin’ the one who lives down yonder in cottage six…or is it nine?” She giggled—a sweet, purely innocent gurgle that wrapped around Gavin’s heart and made itself at home there. One finger touched her cheek, and she raised her gaze to the ceiling. “Sometimes I have a little trouble tellin’ the difference, you know.”
Gavin grinned and offered her his elbow. “Well, then, please allow this cowboy to be at your service, m’lady. If it’s dinner you’re lookin’ for, I know just the place—and I won’t have any problem finding the right address.”
Dawni accepted his arm, lifted her gaze to his, and stared right into his soul. “Well, then. I hereby place my ragin’ hunger in your calloused, cowboy hands.”
She couldn’t have made him happier if she’d planted a kiss right smack on his lips. Well, maybe she could have, at that.
But Gavin had no intention of complaining. He led her down her sidewalk, under the trellised gate bursting with crimson blooms, and turned toward his own place.
When they arrived at his truck, he enacted a grand flourish before opening the door to help her inside. “M’lady. Your chariot awaits.”
That adorable, dimpled smile could bring a Texas cowboy home on time for at least a hundred years.
****
“Uhm…where are we going?”
Gavin had driven all the way through Angel Falls without stopping. With any other man—especially one she’d known for such a short time—Dawni would’ve been ready to jump out of the vehicle, no matter the consequences. But tonight, with this man, not even a twinge of discomfort clouded the giddy, natural high in which she’d been caught up since she’d opened her door to find him there. She could learn to like the feeling.
“You’ll see.” Gavin took his gaze off the road ahead just long enough to shoot her a wide grin. “We’ll be there soon.”
“I wasn’t aware there was a dining establishment out here, but then—” She returned his grin, loving the lighthearted atmosphere. “This is the first time I’ve actually seen the entire length of the town. Other than visiting the ranch, I’ve pretty much kept to my cottage ever since I moved in.”
“I noticed.” Gavin gave a single nod and shot her a high-browed glance. “I’m afraid I’ve been less hospitable than I should’ve been. I hereby swear and declare—and whatever else it takes to make myself believed—to get my lovely neighbor out of cottage nine and acquainted with the amazing folks who live around here.”
He still smiled, but a hint of seriousness made itself felt through his natural, fun-loving persona. “And there are a lot of good people. Since I moved here to work for Dex, I’ve been blown away by the big hearts I’ve found in Angel Falls. Which reminds me…” He snapped his fingers. “Did you get your invitation to the Heart’s Haven barbecue tomorrow?”
“I did, but I probably won’t go. I don’t know anyone, and—” She broke off, bit at her lip, and shrugged one shoulder. “I’m afraid I’m not much of a socialite.”
He laughed. “You don’t have to be a socialite, but you do have to attend the barbecue. If you don’t show up, at least three people will come to your door to drag you there.” He held up one hand, palm out, and gave an emphatic nod. “No kidding. Miss Viv takes these little shindigs seriously. Word is that her late husband, old Andrew Hart, loved getting all the tenants together and making sure everyone knew everyone else. He felt strongly about neighborliness. Kinda wanted the folks in his cottages to be like family…and from what I’ve gathered, that seems to pretty much be the case.”
Dawni groaned. “Come on…really? I have to make nice with a bunch of folks I don’t know?”
“Yep.” Completely unapologetic, this one.
“Oh, dear. Well, if you’re going…”
“Of course I am. So are you.”
She laughed. “Potluck, right?”
“Yup. Miss Viv, along with her brother and his wife—have you met Lance and Madison?”
“Briefly, yes, when I stopped in at the big house to sign my contract and pay the first month’s rent.”
“They’re good people. All of them. They’ll take care of the meat. It’s usually steak or ribs.” He chuckled. “Seems to be some kind of best-Texas-ribs competition going on between a few of the guys—current tenants, as well as former ones—so sometimes one of them’ll be at the grill, but usually it’s Lance, or Old Hart’s nephew, Kevin Mitchell. Everyone else just brings a dish of their choosing.”
“Oh. What…what are you bringing?”
“M’lady, you’re going to get a taste of the best Cowboy Goulash you’ve ever eaten.”
She laughed. “What did you call it…goulash? It will definitely be the best I’ve eaten, because it’ll be the first. What’s goulash?”
Gavin’s laughter rumbled through the cab of the truck and warmed Dawni clear through.
“It’s good stuff. Goulash used to be a favorite when real cowboys rode the Wild West. It was basically a hodgepodge of ingredients—whatever they had on hand, they threw together in a pot, cooked it up and called it dinner.”
“Oh, so you’re cleaning out your refrigerator and serving all the week-old leftovers at the barbecue?”
His pleasant rumble of laughter turned into a howl. “Not exactly. Goulash has come a ways since frontier days. Now there’s kind of a recipe, using hamburger, macaroni, tomatoes and—well, stuff. I think everyone who makes it uses something a little different, but I’m tellin’ ya, ma’am—you’re gonna love my goulash. Guaranteed!”
“Well…OK. If you say so. Given your skill with a cup of cocoa, I’m inclined to believe you might actually pull it off.”
“Count on it.” He slowed and turned the truck onto a narrow road that wound into the forest. “And what about you?”
“Me? Oh!” Dawni’s heart sank to her stomach. “I don’t cook.”
&n
bsp; “Sure you do. You don’t get out much, so you must eat at home.”
“Yeah—sandwiches and salads, mostly.”
“Well, there ya go. A salad is always welcome at a potluck.”
“Oh. I—I guess I can manage that.”
“Here we are.” Gavin stopped the truck, hopped out and held out a hand. “Scoot on over here, cowgirl. I’ll help you out.”
Laughing, Dawni slid beneath the steering wheel. Gavin placed both hands around her waist, lifted her right off the seat and set her down in front of him.
Way too close. She took an instinctive step backward.
Gavin winked, and she had a feeling he knew exactly what was going on inside her head. He proved too much a gentleman to mention it, though, for which she was ridiculously grateful.
He did, however, place a hand on each of her shoulders and turn her to face away from him. “The best eatin’-out spot in Texas, right here at your fingertips, Miss Dawni.”
“Oh!”
Her heart had been roaring so loudly in her ears that she hadn’t noticed the roar of the waterfall. Not huge, but far more than a trickle. Falling from a good distance down the rocks and boulders surrounding a busy brook, the rush and burst of water created a mist Dawni felt even from this distance.
“It’s gorgeous!”
“Angel Falls. Could be where the town got its name…you think?”
She nodded, unable to take her gaze from the beautiful sight. The last glow of sunset reflected against the sparkling downpour, giving it a brilliant, orange-red hue of color. Water on fire. Was that even possible? Dawni had never heard of such a thing, but if it could happen, this is what it would look like.
Gavin handed her a soft quilt, and lifted a picnic basket out of the pickup bed, then offered her his arm. “Come, my lady. Dinner is served.”
7
She took his breath away. Completely robbed him of air and stole any sensible thought from his mind.
Dawni glowed, from the inside out.
Gavin recalled saying something about her having a face like an angel that first night when she’d stumbled out of the rain into his cottage. Maybe he’d been closer to the truth than he realized. Surely no heavenly creature could be more glorious than the woman sitting on his quilt, those stunning gray eyes reflecting the majesty of Angel Falls.
Even in the waning daylight, beautiful color stained her cheeks. Caught up in the relaxed atmosphere he’d tried so hard to create—and apparently succeeded—she made the natural splendor around them pale in comparison.
Gavin had often thought nothing on Earth could be more beautiful than this cozy spot tucked into the Angelina National Forest.
But Dawni made the place look almost drab.
“What are you thinking, cowboy?” Her smile nearly stopped his heart. “Lost you there for a moment.”
He reached out to brush a tiny crumb from the corner of her mouth, and couldn’t resist running his thumb over her lips. Her eyes widened like a frightened fawn, and he pulled his hand away.
“I was thinking that you are far and away the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen.” His voice didn’t sound quite right—more like a sick frog than a smooth cowboy.
“Oh!” She swallowed hard, and her gaze settled on his face.
He refused to look away, somehow understanding she needed him to be up front. No tricks. No secret agenda. It worked.
Her shoulders relaxed, and her lips curved upward…but he didn’t miss their slight tremble.
“I’m pretty sure you’re exaggerating.”
“No.” He refused to concede. “Not even a little.”
“Well…thank you.” She reached for a chip, dipped it into a can of bean dip and held it to his lips. “A compliment that nice earns you a treat. I’d make it a sweet treat, but—” She grinned and nodded toward the unopened box of doughnuts on his side of the quilt. “I can’t quite reach the box.”
She wasn’t ready to take him seriously. But she would.
He didn’t intend to give her a choice. She had no idea how stubborn this cowboy could be when he set out to get something he wanted. And he wanted Dawni. Forever and always. He’d never been so sure of anything in his entire life. He would move the entire Earth, one pebble at a time if necessary, to win her over.
Still holding her gaze, he lifted the box and set the doughnuts between them.
“I like sweet treats. Wanna try again?”
****
After they’d packed the remains of their simple dinner back into the basket, Dawni stretched out on the quilt, propped on one elbow, to watch the waterfall in the glow of Gavin’s headlights.
He’d backed up to the tall tree under which they’d eaten, where he leaned against the trunk with his hands folded behind his head. His long legs were crossed at the ankles.
They both faced the water, with Gavin behind her. She couldn’t see him, but she felt him there.
“When Garrett and I were kids, our parents used to take us to a place a little like this one.”
She had no problem hearing his low-pitched voice. Nor did she miss the depth of feeling when he brought up the memory.
“We’d rent a cabin up in the mountains…Davis Mountains, I think.” He chuckled. “Weird that I can’t really remember where, isn’t it? But I do remember how much fun we always had there. Those were special times.”
Dawni’s mouth went dry. Did he have any idea how fortunate he was? But of course he did. She’d heard it in his voice. “I’m glad you have that kind of memories with your family.” She could have kicked herself. Sounding pathetic hadn’t been her intention. “I remember watching movies where families would go off on trips like that, and wanting that kind of life so badly I could almost…taste it. I’d dream about it, then wake up and be disappointed that it wasn’t real.”
Gavin was beside her before she realized he’d moved. He made no effort to touch her, and she was glad. She’d enjoyed the evening so far, and desperately wanted it to be perfect—all the way through.
Most guys would’ve tried to hold her, because she’d sounded so close to tears. Gavin didn’t. He seemed to somehow understand her need to keep herself apart, at least in this moment. And he respected her wishes. This cowboy might be a little too cocky and self-assured, but he didn’t lack sensitivity.
“I take it you didn’t have much of a family life, then.”
She bit at her lip. She should stop talking. Now. “None at all. I, uh…I grew up in an orphanage. My mother left me there when I was just a few days old. I was told, later, that she wasn’t married. Folks who knew them believe her father insisted she—” She broke off. Looked away. Why was she doing this? “That she do what she did.”
“I’m so sorry, Dawni.” Gavin cleared his throat. Had she made him uncomfortable? “Was that in San Antonio?”
She nodded. “Most babies are adopted out when they enter the system that young, but for some reason, I never was. My life was a kaleidoscope of foster homes—some decent, some—” She broke off and hauled in a deep breath. “Well, not even close.”
“I can only imagine. So you were in the system until you were eighteen?”
“No.” She turned toward him. He had to see that she wasn’t still allowing her wretched childhood to sour her life. “I wanted out more than anything in the world. So I worked hard—really, really hard—in school, and managed to graduate a year early. Then I set out on a quest to obtain legal emancipation, which I did six months later.”
Gavin sucked in a breath. “You’ve been on your own since you were—what? Sixteen?”
“Yeah.” She managed a low chuckle. “I worked two and three jobs at a time for the first few years, while I took a number of online courses—graphic design and business management-related. A year after I was ‘freed’ from the system, I started taking on contract jobs. That’s how I got Designing Woman going.”
“Wow.” Gavin looked directly into her eyes, and she released a tense breath.
If he was f
eeling sorry for her, he hid it well. Unless he’d fooled her completely, his green gaze held only deep, sincere admiration.
“That’s quite an accomplishment—for any young woman, and especially under those circumstances. You should be proud of yourself.”
“Thanks.” She pulled in a deep breath and gave him a crooked half-grin. “Guess I could’ve done worse.”
He didn’t grin back. “A lot worse. You’re kind of a walkin’ miracle.” He hesitated, but then made a fairly clear decision to plow ahead. “Now I understand a little better why you’re so wrapped up in little Guy.”
“Yeah.” She swallowed a large lump that lodged itself in her throat. “I can’t stand to think of him going through life like that.”
“He won’t.” Now he did touch her—just a light, feathery touch of his fingers to the top of her hand. “Count on it. God will work something out for our baby.”
She held his gaze for a moment, and then dropped hers. Did this kind, gentle cowboy have any idea how desperately she wanted to believe God cared enough to watch out for a helpless child?
Gavin stood and held out a hand to help her up. “You ready to go?”
No. “Yeah, we should get back. I still need to finish one little project tonight.”
At her gate a little later, Dawni squeezed his hand as they said good night.
“Thank you, Gavin. This has been the most enjoyable evening out I’ve ever experienced.”
“Me, too. Thank you for coming with me—and I apologize for the late invitation.” He tugged gently on a strand of her hair. “Next time, I promise to take you to a real restaurant.”
“You couldn’t have taken me anywhere I’d have loved more than Angel Fall. Truly. I want to go there again.”
“Then we will.” He lifted her hand and touched his lips to her palm, and then turned it over and kissed the tip of each finger, sending shivers all the way up her arm and straight to her heart. “Thank you for sharing some of your past with me, Dawni. I’m truly honored.”
Her heart stuttered. Why had she done that? She wasn’t prone to making her previous, sad life a topic of conversation. But something about Gavin…she’d been telling him things she’d never shared with anyone before she even realized she was talking.