by L. P. Dover
As soon as I got home from Zac’s house yesterday, I ate dinner and was in bed by eight o’clock. My dad looked a lot better and he actually laughed as we watched The Three Amigos together. Even this morning, there was more color to his face. It gave me hope that maybe the chemo wasn’t going to destroy his spirit. I told him that one day soon I was going to get him out on the golf course, even if it was just to stay in the cart. Staying inside all day and every day wasn’t going to cut it. Seeing him excited about that made my morning.
On the way to Zac’s house, I quickly called Adrian since I missed his call last night after I went to bed. He didn’t answer, but at least he’d see I called back. I also called to check in on some of my clients. Trina didn’t pick up the phone, and I figured it was because she was sleeping after a long night out on the town. I hadn’t spoken to her since before the night of the auction. She had no clue what I’d been going through with Zac. All I knew was that she was going to freak when I told her.
I was almost to Zac’s house, and when I pulled down the long driveway, I could see that his truck wasn’t in the garage. I really didn’t want to go inside his house with him not there, but I didn’t have a choice. I parked and took a deep breath before walking up to his door and opening it. Everything was quiet.
I went straight to the kitchen and on the counter was a note. Knowing Zac, he probably wanted me to cook dinner for him and another woman, or maybe even to wash his bed sheets so they’d be clean for when she came over. With the way things had been going, it wouldn’t surprise me since he’s been such a giant asshat the past few days.
Groaning, I reached for the note and dreaded having to read it. But when I focused on the words, the tension in my body eased.
Clara,
I know things have been difficult between us, but I really feel like we should talk. I’m going to leave it up to you on when and where, but it needs to be soon. Also, you don’t have to work at my house anymore. The charity has my money already. You’ve done your fair share of putting up with my bullshit. However, if you want to stick around, feel free to use the pool or go on a hike. I’m sure you remember the trails out past the field. Cooper loves going up to Hidden Falls. There’s a backpack on the table with water and snacks if you want to take him for a ride.
Zac
Mouth gaping, I stared at the letter in awe, but also confused as hell. I didn’t know what to do. A part of me really wanted to take him up on his offer and go riding with Cooper, but I didn’t want Zac to think I was softening up to him, even if he was trying to be nice.
I walked over to the backpack on the kitchen table and looked inside to see what kind of snacks Zac had put in it. With the way he’s been, it wouldn’t surprise me if he put Brussel sprouts and pickled pigs feet in it. The letter sounded sincere, but I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop.
I reached into the bag and felt around. There were a couple of water bottles, bananas, and apples, but then I touched something else. I pulled it out, and it ended up being a pack of strawberry Pop•Tarts. My heart flip flopped in my chest and I couldn’t stop from smiling. Strawberry pPop•Tarts were my favorite growing up. Even though they were unhealthy, I was addicted to them. There was also a bag of cheddar popcorn.
“What are you doing, Zac?” I murmured to myself as I stuffed everything back into the bag.
Glancing out the window to the barn, I really wanted to take Cooper out for a ride. He reminded me so much of Blue. I used to ride Blue all the time and talk to him like he was just one of my girlfriends. I would tell him about my day and what was going on in my life. Zac used to make fun of me for it.
I zipped up the backpack and flung it around my shoulder. I couldn’t believe I was about to take one of Zac’s horses out for a ride, but it was probably the last chance I’d have. Once I went back to San Francisco, I would never have the opportunity.
I made my way outside to the barn and all three horses had fresh hay in their stalls. I said hello to Dirty Girl and Eagle before heading over to Cooper’s stall. There was a saddle already strapped to his back. I rubbed Cooper’s snout and shook my head. “Guess he knew I couldn’t resist you, huh?” Cooper huffed and nudged me in the shoulder. “All right, all right, we’ll go for a ride.”
Grabbing the reins, I pulled him out to the field and climbed into the saddle. It’d been so long since I rode, but it felt good to be back on a horse, especially one that looked like Blue. Smiling, I patted Cooper’s head. “You ready to show me what you got?” Cooper whinnied and I clicked my tongue. “Let’s go.”
We took off toward the trees, and just beyond that were the majestic Grand Teton mountains. The Hidden Falls trail had always been my favorite place to go. It was about a five-mile hike one way. Zac and I used to hike it at least once a week in the spring in the summer. When winter came, there was too much snow to even attempt it.
Once we reached the tree line, I gently pulled the reins to slow Cooper down. I wanted to take my time on the trail. If there was ever a time I needed some peace and quiet, it was now.
“Okay, Cooper. It’s just you and me.”
Cooper and I made it to Hidden Falls, and I climbed up onto the large boulder I used to relax on while watching the waterfall back when I was younger. It was situated right in front of the waterfall, and I could even feel droplets of the water spraying against my skin. It felt good on this warm, summer day.
I fed Cooper one of the apples while I snacked on the Pop•Tarts. They tasted just as amazing as they did when I was younger. Pulling my phone out of the backpack, I took some pictures of the waterfall and Cooper as he walked along the edge of the water.
“Coop, you about ready to head home?” I called out. He glanced over at me and then went right back to playing in the water. “Okay, I get it. You want to stay a little longer. I do, too, but we’ve already been away from the house for five hours. We still have a two-hour trip back.”
A voice echoed in the distance behind me. “I see that nothing’s changed.”
Cooper perked up, and I froze. There was the familiar sound of Dirty Girl’s huff, and of course, the voice of her rider. Closing my eyes, I sent a silent prayer up to God and turned around. It was one thing to be at Zac’s house, but it was another to be alone in the woods with him.
Standing up on the boulder, I turned around. Zac waved and his lips pulled up in the corners in that sexy smirk of his. Damn, I hated it when he did that. Not to mention he was in his old cowboy hat that I used to love him wearing.
“Thought you had to work,” I said.
He hopped off Dirty Girl, and she slowly made her way over to Cooper. Zac walked over but stayed on the ground instead of climbing up on the boulder. “I didn’t know if you’d bring Cooper out today, but I hoped you would.”
I stared down at him. “You caught me off guard with that one. I thought you would want me to make another dinner for you and one of your dates.”
He chuckled. “Not today.” His smile faded and his expression turned serious. “I honestly just thought you’d enjoy a day with Cooper.” He nodded over at him. “He’s just like his father.”
My heart stopped and I stared over at Cooper. “What do you mean?” Zac started toward Cooper and I jumped off the boulder. “Are you saying Blue’s his dad?”
Zac stopped at Cooper and ran a hand soothingly down his coat. “Yep. Blue was a good horse. I didn’t realize Cooper was connected to Blue until after I bought him. He reminded me of you.”
Tears filled my eyes, but I chose to ignore his last comment. It made me feel things I didn’t want to. “Did you actually get to see Blue?”
He nodded. “He’s healthy and happy.” That made me smile. It broke my heart that I left him, but I knew my parents would find him a good home when I moved away. Zac turned to me, his hazel eyes boring into mine. “Are you happy, Clara?”
Am I? For the most part, yes. Did I really want to answer him? No, but it was so hard to think straight with his eyes on me the way they were. �
��I think so,” I replied, averting my gaze away from him. “I mean, I have an amazing job and I’m good at it. My family is still here and that’s all I could ask for.”
“Glad to hear you’re happy,” he murmured. “I always knew you’d be successful.”
There was nothing but sincerity in his voice. I turned back to him and smiled. “Thanks. You’re pretty successful, too. I heard you moved to North Carolina. How is that?”
His lips pulled up slightly. “Pretty good. I’m only an hour and a half from the mountains and four from the beach. How’s California?”
“San Francisco’s awesome. The food’s amazing and it’s a different lifestyle than here.” Taking a deep breath, I focused on the waterfall. “Although nothing beats this. It doesn’t matter where I live, this is where my heart’s at.”
It killed me to confide in him, but I couldn’t deny how natural it felt to talk to him. I’d never had that kind of connection with anyone, not even Adrian.
Zac sighed. “I know what you mean. Some days I think about moving back. My boss is actually flying in today to give me some news. I have no clue what it is. With the way M&M is growing, he might need me up in Canada for all I know.”
“And you would go?” I asked.
He shrugged. “Why not? I don’t have anything tying me down anywhere. I have my friends and family, but they’ll visit me no matter where I’m at.” He laughed. “Drew uses it as an excuse to take vacations.”
The mention of Drew brought back memories. He used to be part of our inner circle. Guess you could say it was more like a square. It was me, Zac, Drew, and Trina. I always thought he and Trina would end up together, but she wanted out of Wyoming. Drew had plans to stay in Wyoming and that wasn’t part of her plan.
“How is Drew?” I wondered. “Did he ever take over his father’s tree cutting business?”
Zac nodded. “He owns the company now, and is married to a girl we went to school with. Her name’s Lena. She graduated two years below us.”
It’d been so long ago I couldn’t picture her face, but I recognized her name. “Good for him,” I added. “I’m glad he got over his crush for Trina. I love her to death, but he’s too kind hearted for her.”
He snorted. “Trina was really self-absorbed, always thinking about herself. Has she changed at all?”
That made me laugh. “Not at all. She’s still the same. I took her on as one of my clients. Out of all the people I deal with, she’s the most difficult.” I shrugged. “She’s my best friend though. We balance each other out.”
Zac smiled down at me. “You used to say the same thing about us.”
I swallowed hard. “I know.”
The moment seemed to last forever, but it was interrupted by my ringing phone. Zac cleared his throat and stepped back. “I’ll let you get that. I should probably head back anyway. My boss will be arriving soon.”
Looking down at my phone, I saw it was Adrian. It was a sign that I needed to stay away from Zac. I let him past my walls today and that wasn’t a good idea at all.
Zac climbed up onto Dirty Girl and tipped his hat at me. “Be careful riding back.”
I nodded. “I will.” My phone stopped ringing, but as soon as Zac and Dirty Girl were out of sight, I called Adrian back.
“Hey, baby,” he answered. “What are you doing?”
I glanced over at the waterfall. “Staring at one of the prettiest waterfalls in Wyoming. You?”
“Sounds awesome. You going to take me to see it when I come out there?”
I’d never come to Hidden Falls with anyone other than Zac. It was our sacred place. “We’ll see,” was all I could say. “It’s kind of a long hike. You’re not exactly an outdoorsy type.”
He chuckled. “Okay, I get it. Looks like I’ll have to prove you wrong when I get out there. Speaking of which, I’m going to rent a cabin. That way, you can stay with me if you want. We can have some alone time.”
Inside, I groaned. “Sounds good.”
The other day, I thought it’d be amusing to have him around to make Zac jealous, but now it didn’t seem like such a great idea. I didn’t know what to tell him, but I needed to figure it out fast.
14
Zac
By the look on Clara’s face, I knew it was Adrian on the phone. I didn’t have any right to get mad, but dammit to hell, I hated that he was in her life. He may be a Hollywood A-lister but I was just as successful as he was. I’d seen him in his movies and listened to his interviews, and let me tell you, he wouldn’t survive a night in the Wyoming wilderness. I could sense a limp-wristed pussy from a mile away. The man probably had people employed to wipe his ass. What Clara saw in him, I had no idea.
Once back at the house, I put Dirty Girl back in her stall and went inside to take a shower. As soon as I got dressed, the doorbell rang. I hurried to the door and opened it wide to see my boss standing there. Galen Matthews was only in his mid-thirties and one of the richest men in the country. His eyes widened when he walked in.
“This is impressive, Zac. You have a gift.”
“Thanks,” I said.
He strolled into the living room and glanced up at the ceiling beams. “Out of all the people working for me, you’re one of the best.” That wasn’t a compliment he gave to just anyone.
“Who are the others?” I asked, smirking slyly. Even though Galen was my boss, he was also a friend.
Galen chuckled. “There’s only one other. Brett Walker.”
Brett was one of Galen’s partners; he was the manager over all the West Coast accounts of M&M Architectural Design. It was a huge accomplishment to be lumped with him.
“I appreciate that,” I said, feeling honored.
Galen smiled. “Come on, let’s get out of here and get something to eat.”
We walked outside at the same time Clara came out of the barn. Galen noticed her and turned a curious brow my way. “Friend of yours?”
“A long time ago,” I said low.
Clara hadn’t seen us yet, and when she did, she slowed her pace. Galen narrowed his gaze at her and then he smiled. “I thought she looked familiar. You didn’t tell me you knew Clara Berkeley.”
“How do you know who she is?” I asked.
He snorted. “The better question is … what is she doing here?”
Clara drew closer, and he held out his hand. “Good afternoon, Ms. Berkeley. I’m Galen Matthews. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Her lips pulled back in a smile and she glanced quickly over at me before shaking his hand. “Likewise,” she responded. “And you can call me, Clara. You own M&M Architectural Design, right?”
Galen nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
Her smile brightened. “One of my clients hired your company to design her a home out in California. She loves it. If memory serves, I think the architect’s last name was Walker and the interior designer’s name was Korinne. She was amazing.”
“I know,” Galen replied, beaming. “She’s the best. She also happens to be my wife. I still remember how excited she was that she went out to dinner with you and Sophia Richardson. Sophia’s one of her favorite actresses.” Sophia was also one of Clara’s most famous clients.
Clara gasped. “I remember that. Korinne and I talked for like two hours on decorating. We video chatted a couple of days after that so she could help me with my apartment in San Francisco.”
It was a small world. I had no clue Clara knew my boss’ wife.
Chuckling, Galen shook his head. “Korinne’s never going to believe this.” He glanced at us both curiously. “So how do you two know each other?”
Clara stared at me, and I could feel the tension. Galen noticed it, too. “We’re old friends,” she ended up saying. “I’m in Wyoming for the summer to spend it with my family.”
Galen held his hand out again and smiled. “Well, it was nice meeting you, Clara. I’m sure Korinne will be excited to know I met you.”
Clara shook his hand. “Please tell her I said hello.” Sh
e let his hand go and looked over at me. “Have fun at your dinner meeting.”
I nodded at her, and she smiled one last time at Galen before getting in her car and driving away.
Laughing, Galen nudged me in the arm. “Something tells me you two weren’t just friends.”
I sighed. “It’s a long story.”
He smiled and waved a hand toward his rental car which happened to be a black Lincoln Navigator. “I’d love to hear it.”
“Be prepared then. It’s still going on.”
We got in the car and headed on our way to the restaurant. I decided to start at the very beginning, at a time when nothing else in the world mattered but me and Clara.
Galen was impressed by mine and Clara’s story, and even thought it was pretty hilarious how I paid twenty grand just to get revenge, especially the part where Clara fell in the manure. However, he also thought I was in over my head. Hell, I knew I was. Being around Clara was like a time bomb waiting to go off. There was so much that needed to be said, but there was always something or someone getting in the way.
“Are you done talking about Clara yet?” I asked, tossing back the rest of my beer. “We’re already done with dinner and you haven’t even told me the news you came out here to tell me.”
Galen held up his hands. “Okay, fine. I’m done. I seriously think you should really talk to her though. By the way she looked at you, there’s still something there.”
I scoffed. “Yeah, she hates me.”
Galen shook his head. “Not what I could tell, but I’ll let you figure that out for yourself.” He glanced down at his watch and sighed. “Guess we probably should get down to business. I got a little sidetracked.”
Since dinner was over, I sat back in my chair. “I’m all ears.”
Galen drank the rest of his gin and tonic and set his glass down. “You’re an amazing architect, Zac. You know that, right?”