“Funny finding you here.”
A subdued grin crossed Liz’s lips. “I don’t know if I’d call it funny...” she wiped the dirt off her butt and looked over to the little girl splashing in the pond.
“Mommy! Mommy! Did you see my cannonball?”
“Yes, very impressive, dear. You were so powerful you knocked me over!”
The little girl laughed and flopped onto her back.
Mommy... the word rang between Wyatt’s ears.
Was Liz spoken for? He suddenly didn’t feel so at ease anymore. His gut clenched and his heart sank.
Maybe he should have just stayed back at Stony Brook after all...
Chapter 5
Elizabeth
Liz held down the heavy secret thrashing deep inside of her and put on a brave face.
“Wyatt, this is Bindi,” she gestured out to the starfish lounging on the pond’s surface. “Bindi, say hi!”
Bindi’s arm rose from her side and she waved in their general direction like a reed in the wind. “Hello!” she shouted up to the sky.
Liz chuckled. God, give me strength, she thought as she slowly gathered the courage to look back at Wyatt.
The shirtless man waved at Bindi through some kind of daze. Liz caught herself biting her lip, but she quickly brought an end to that. She forced her gaze up from Wyatt’s impeccable body and onto his stunning face. He was somehow even more ruggedly handsome than she had remembered. I guess that’s what money will do for you, she thought before shaking the budding resentment from her mind.
She didn’t want to be bitter. She never wanted to be bitter, but it was hard to forget all the two had been through together when Wyatt was so close. She felt her eyes wander down to his bared body again. This time she turned herself away.
She gazed out onto the pond and held herself, suddenly insecure about her own looks. Would Wyatt think she still looked half as good as she thought he looked?
“Amazing,” Wyatt mumbled, almost to himself.
“What’s amazing?” Liz asked, not daring to look over at him again.
“You. Bindi. You’re a mom! That’s amazing.”
Liz could feel Wyatt’s eyes on her. He had turned from the water but Liz couldn’t bring herself to do the same. “Thank you. She is amazing.”
“How old is she?”
“Five.”
“And she can already swim! Must have had a good teacher.” Wyatt’s pearly whites flashed in the corner of her eye.
Liz was overwhelmed. She regretted snapping almost before she even did it. “She’s wearing floaties, Wyatt.”
That made the burly hockey player take a step back. He was making an effort and Liz was stomping all over it.
She looked down at her feet in shame. She didn’t want to fight. This was just so much to handle. Even if she had been expecting to see him again after all these years, it would have been tough, but with no preparation at all?
“Hey,” Wyatt offered, his voice filled with sympathy. “I’m sorry to invade your mother-daughter day like this. I didn’t think anyone would be here.”
“Either did I,” Liz responded. She sighed and forced her gaze back to Wyatt. His sweaty skin glistened in the sunlight. He looked like a vision. Liz felt her heart flutter.
No, not again, she thought, but it was too late.
“How have you been?” she asked.
“Not bad,” Wyatt quickly responded, before stopping himself. “Well, except for the old noggin’.” He playfully knocked on his skull and smiled wistfully. “Had a pretty bad concussion a few months ago. But it’s getting better. I ran here all the way from Stony Brook.”
A wave of sympathy broke on the shores of Liz’s troubled mind.
“A concussion! You poor thing!” she instinctively touched his arm. His wet muscles met her damp fingers and a jolt of electricity shot up her arm. She nearly jumped back at the reaction.
Bindi splashed around in the background, singing to herself, happily oblivious.
Wyatt’s wistful smile turned lighter. “Hazards of the occupation, I guess. Can’t complain.”
“You never were much of a complainer,” Liz shook her head and let a small smile slip. Memories rushed through her mind.
“Neither were you. That was always our big problem.”
That brought out a bigger grin. “It wasn’t our big problem, just one of them,” she laughed. “We could never just let each other know when we were bothered. Everything just kept piling up until our troubles became one giant rolling string ball of grievances, then we only had one option left: run.”
“Like Indiana Jones when he runs from that boulder,” chuckled Wyatt.
“Oh, don’t bring up that movie. I still get nauseous just thinking about it!”
“You loved it,” smiled Wyatt.
Liz was looking right into his eyes now. They sparkled blue. She felt like he had never left. They were good arguers.
“I loved you. That movie was just in the way. We must have watched it a thousand times.”
Bindi climbed out of the pool and Liz reached out for her arm. She pulled her daughter in close and held her lightly at her side.
Wyatt bent down to the little girl’s level. His sparkling blue eyes fell on Bindi. “Have you ever seen any Indiana Jones movies?” he asked. His smile was playfully mischievous. Liz knew what was coming.
“Don’t you dare!” she cheerfully chided.
Bindi looked up at her mom and then back to Wyatt. She shook her head. “No. What’s it about?”
“A cool archeologist who goes on crazy adventures!” Wyatt spread out his hands and Bindi followed his every word with wonder.
“Cool,” she whispered with awe. “Mom, I want to see Indiana Jones!”
Liz rolled her eyes. “You’re still a little too young for that, I think.”
Bindi huffed and tried to cross her arms but her floaties got in the way. The squeaking sound made both Wyatt and Liz burst out into laughter.
“I’m almost 6!” Bindi tried to cut through the noise. “I’m starting grade 1 next year!” It was no use. The adults were caught in a fit. It didn’t take long for a smile to crack through Bindi’s frown. Soon enough, all three of them were laughing together.
The reflection of the turquoise pond sparkled over them and when their stomachs had had enough of a workout, Wyatt stood up. Liz watched as he wiped his forehead with his shirt and gave her his most charming smile.
“You know, they made a kid’s cartoon out of Indy’s adventures. The ranch theatre has a few seasons worth of DVDs...”
“I love cartoons!” interrupted Bindi, threatening to restart the laugh train.
“Me too,” Wyatt nodded like he was impressed by the kid’s taste. “You’re mommy’s a whole different story though.” He pointed up playfully at Liz.
Bindi sighed and planted her foot in the dirt like the perfect picture of sassiness. “I know,” she commiserated, drawing out that last word into three syllables.
“Cartoons are only for after all homework is done,” Liz pointed out. She felt a warmth growing inside of her that was different than the usual happiness she felt when she was alone with Bindi. It wasn’t better or worse, just different—it felt good; it felt right.
“But it’s summer. I don’t have any homework to finish!” Bindi argued. It didn’t matter that her ‘homework’ so far in life had only ever consisted of fun daycare drawing games and word associations, the little girl wanted to watch cartoons now, and that was that.
Liz raised her eyebrows and thought about it for a moment. Her finger touched her lip as she looked around at the gorgeous little cove.
“Then I guess we’ll have to wait until school starts before we watch anymore cartoons!”
Bindi’s eyes went wide at her mother’s twisted logic. Liz looked at Wyatt and their eyes locked. Wyatt seemed genuinely happy. Liz couldn’t help but feel it too. Uncontrollable cheekbone-filled smiles came over the both of them.
“Not fair!”
stomped Bindi. She wasn’t too upset. Liz knew better than anyone how much her daughter liked a good argument. She, of course, took after her mother.
It was all too familiar to Wyatt. “She’s just like you,” he mentioned.
“Almost too much,” replied Liz.
Wyatt’s eyes twinkled. “Impossible.”
And just like that she was back into it all—back into him.
Chapter 6
Wyatt
The three of them went for a quick dip together before discussing plans for the evening.
The cool water of Lizzie’s pond was nice, but it just couldn’t compete with the look the real thing was giving him.
Wyatt had felt his heart break when he realized Liz was a mother, but the more they talked the more he just enjoyed being around the two of them. He didn’t bring up the subject of who and where the father was because Liz never did. He just wanted to be respectful. He might not ever feel whole without her by his side, but they could still be friends and he wouldn’t be completely empty.
The three amigos splashed around until the bottom tip of the sun hit the top rock at the far end of the cove. By then, Liz had agreed to let Bindi ruffle through the bin of DVDs they kept at the ranch’s theatre. That had made Wyatt happy. Maybe she doesn’t want to be done with me so quickly, he thought.
Was he willing to test his luck? He knew Liz and him hadn’t ended on the best of terms last time they saw each other, but he could hardly help himself from wanting to get closer. It was like he could resist her—if only barely—from afar, but the moment he happened into her gravitational pull, it was game over.
He had to have more. He needed to see more of her.
“What are you two doing for dinner?” he asked as they exited the pond for the final time that evening.
Liz wiped Bindi off with a towel and thought about it.
“I guess we’re just going to go home and cook something up,” she said.
Wyatt pursed his lips and shook his head. “Nonsense. That’s no way to end such a wonderful reunion. Let me take the two of you out.”
Now it was Liz’s turn to purse her lips. Wyatt could tell she was hesitant. “Please?” he asked softly. “Let me do this for you.”
He didn’t want to think about the past, but he also knew they wouldn’t get anywhere unless they both made an effort. He understood full well that if they left things like they were right now—no matter how pleasant—they might never see each other again. It wasn’t anything personal, it was just the way they were. They were good at running from their problems—from each other—they had plenty of experience at that. It took a real effort to keep them together and Wyatt finally felt like he was mature enough to make that effort.
He was willing to put his best foot forward; he could only hope that Liz would be too.
“What do you say, darling?” Liz asked her daughter. “Do you want to have dinner at the ranch?”
Bindi looked pooped but she was clearly game. She nodded and held her towel around her shoulders like a cape. “Sanderella’s,” she whispered, her voice a hilarious mixture of exhaustion and excitement.
Liz laughed. “We went to Sanderella’s for lunch. Maybe we should try something else?”
“I know just the place,” said Wyatt. He wasn’t sure if he could get away with it but he did have a personal chef on call at his cabin. Maybe he could get the two of them to come over?
He didn’t know why, but the thought of cuddling up with Liz on the couch, watching cartoons, while Bindi dozed off nearby filled him with warmth.
This time was different, Wyatt convinced himself. Maybe it was just the lingering effects of the concussion, but he felt a whole new love for Liz—had it always been like this?
He wasn’t sure.
Suddenly, the thought of Bindi’s father crossed his mind and an arrow shot straight through his heart. He could have the two girls over, but there’d be no cuddling with Liz.
Wyatt heaved a heavy sigh and turn from the pond. He held up the hanging leaves of the bent tree so Liz and Bindi could pass through unscathed.
“Such a gentleman,” Liz teased as she passed by. Bindi was wobbling at her side. The little girl clearly needed a nap.
Wyatt followed the two of them onto the untrodden path that led back down the hill to the prairie. He had no change of clothes and he was still wet. The sun descended in the sky and a lonely chill fell upon his shoulders. He hadn’t brought any spare clothes. He had expected to be alone at Lizzy’s pond—if he had been, he probably would have gone skinny dipping while his sweaty clothes dried in the sun.
Instead, he was in the same damp gear he had run in with. The late evening breeze cooled and Wyatt felt alone. He just wanted to wrap his arm around Liz like he had so many times before. He couldn’t remember a time they had left her pond without touching each other. They had always either exited alone or completely together. This weird space of being ‘in-between’ was uncomfortable, but Wyatt was determined to play it out. He wasn’t going to let her slip out of his life so easily again.
Bindi was lilting against Liz’s leg, giving her a limp. The little girl reached up to her mother in a plea to be carried.
“You’re too big, baby. I can’t carry you anymore,” Liz sighed.
Wyatt could tell Liz wasn’t doing this as some sort of lesson. She just physically couldn’t lift her daughter up into her arms anymore. He wanted to help. The poor little girl looked completely spent.
Wyatt stepped forward.
“I could carry her,” he offered softly.
Liz looked over at him with uncertain eyes.
Wyatt wasn’t sure if she was worried that he might get too close to Bindi, and thus make it harder to ever truly rid him from her life, or if she was just ashamed that she couldn’t do it herself. Maybe she was just tired... either way, there was enough hesitation in Liz’s look to make Wyatt step back.
“Would you like Wyatt to carry you?” she finally asked her daughter.
Bindi nodded sleepily and nearly collapsed towards Wyatt. He quickly bent down and picked the little girl up under her arms.
“Give me a hand, Liz,” he mumbled as he lifted Bindi up onto his shoulders. With Liz’s help, he let her gently slide down his back until she clung to him like a baby monkey. He put his arms under her legs and felt her chubby cheeks rest in between his shoulder blades.
It was the most useful he had felt since his injury.
They made the rest of the trip in silence. When they got back to Liz’s car, Wyatt gently placed Bindi in the backseat to let her get a few more Zs before dinner.
“Where were you planning on taking us?” Liz asked, as she rummaged around in her trunk.
Wyatt leaned against her back window and looked off into the distance. The glow from the main building was starting to build on the horizon. It looked like dawn. He missed this place.
“Well...” he hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. “There’s this great chef on the west end of the ranch.”
“What’s the place called?” Liz asked. She raised her eyebrow with playful suspicion—even after all these years, Wyatt could tell he was no mystery to her.
“Chez Wyatt’s,” he admitted with a grin.
That drew a laugh from Liz. God, Wyatt had missed that laugh.
“You want to take us home, huh?” she teased.
Wyatt could feel his cheeks blush. His head was swimming. Maybe he wasn’t completely over his concussion. He wasn’t used to being so frazzled, not even by Liz.
“I mean, if that’s okay with you and Bindi... and Bindi’s father.”
That caused Liz to pause. She looked Wyatt deep in the eyes. Her lips parted for a moment, but then she quickly turned away and leaned against the back of the car.
“Bindi’s dad isn’t in the picture,” she sighed.
Wyatt’s heart skipped a beat. He felt a twinkle in his toes. His head stopped swimming. He scooted up the side of the car until he was beside Liz at the back.
/> He quickly felt ashamed for being so happy to hear such awful news.
“I’m sorry,” he said, placing his hand near Liz’s on the bumper. “It must be tough... How long have you and Bindi been on your own?”
“All her life,” Liz sighed. Her eyes were fixed on the growing glow on the horizon.
Wyatt wasn’t sure what to say to that, so he just sunk down a little further against the trunk and silently watched Gold River Ranch come alive in the distance alongside his long-lost love.
Chapter 7
Elizabeth
Liz heard her little girl stir in the backseat. A quiet little snore made its way to her ears. Bindi was out cold.
The parking lot was nearly empty. The southwestern part of the ranch was primarily for daytime activities. Most of the people having dinner or staying overnight would be on the east end.
It was dark out now. The faded blue sky above twinkled with a blanket of dazzling stars. Liz felt the warmth of Wyatt’s hand just inches away from hers. She wanted to reach out and grab it—intertwine their fingers, just like the old days—but a guilt crept into her gut.
What was she still doing out so late? Bindi was exhausted. She needed to get her daughter home. They had spent way more time at the pond than expected. She felt selfish for drawing things out just because she wanted to see more of Wyatt.
“We should go,” she finally managed to say.
Wyatt didn’t seem to understand. “Yeah, I’m starving. You drive, I’ll point out the way.”
Liz smiled and blew air from her nose. “I know how to get to your place, Wyatt. I don’t need directions.”
“Yeah...” he said, hopping off the bumper. Liz’s car bounced at the release of his weight. “You lead the way then; I could use a quick nap anyway—Bindi’s got the right idea.”
The smile faded from Liz’s lips. “I meant Bindi and I should go home.”
The air was cooler now and Liz still had on her swimsuit. Wyatt stepped back and she felt cold and alone. She just wanted him closer again, but she knew she couldn’t rely on him, not for body heat, not for love, not for Bindi...
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