Well, her future hadn’t turned out the way she’d hoped it would. Still, one good thing had resulted from her divorce. Her kids would get to enjoy a carefree summer in North Carolina just like she had growing up. Of course, most of the ranch was gone, Aunt Mildred having sold the bulk of her land to her neighbor a few years ago. But there was still plenty of space for the kids to run around.
As Gabriella regaled them with tales of her childhood, she realized just how many of her stories included Carson. They’d had the best times together. She wondered if he’d be interested in making more memories with her this summer.
She didn’t know much about his life now. She hadn’t noticed a ring and he hadn’t mentioned a wife. There hadn’t been any evidence of a Mrs. Carson Rivers when she’d been at the ranch. But even if he wasn’t married, that didn’t mean there wasn’t a special woman in his life. Carson was a great catch. He was kind, honest, loyal and gorgeous. Surely the women in town and on the nearby ranches had noticed that. He probably had women chasing after him day and night like it was their job.
A strange emotion that felt suspiciously like jealousy churned her stomach, and she quickly squashed it. She wasn’t looking for romance, or even a short-time affair, which was all they could have since she and the kids were returning to Ohio at summer’s end. There was no sense in starting something that had an expiration date. If she decided to fall in love again, and that was a big if, it would have to be with someone who lived in Ohio, where she and the kids had made their lives. Justin and Sophia had already endured too much upheaval and she wouldn’t add to it. This was simply a break from reality. A much-needed vacation.
After dinner, the kids put their dishes in the sink, then went upstairs to take their baths. When they were done, they snuggled together in Sophia’s bed and Gabriella read them a story. Story time was something she’d started when the children were little, and they all enjoyed it. Every once in a while Justin tried to back out saying he was too big, but tonight he joined in happily. Sophia conked out just as Gabriella read the last word, and Justin’s head was bobbing.
Gabriella tried to pick him up and carry him to his bed, but he pulled away.
“I’m a big boy. I can walk.” He pushed to his feet and wobbled.
“Okay.” She stood beside him, steadying him, and then steered him to his bedroom and into his bed. He was snoring softly as she covered him with the thin blanket. She watched him sleep for a moment before heading back to the kitchen, where she mopped the floor. When that was done, she went and sat on the front porch.
The night was country dark. With no streetlights, the only illumination came from the moon and stars overhead and the sliver of light from the lamp in the front room that peeked through the sheer curtains.
“Hey. I’m surprised you’re still awake.” Gabriella smiled at the sound of Carson’s voice. She’d been drifting away on dreams and hadn’t noticed him crossing the darkened road and walking up the driveway. Now, though, she made out his muscular body. He jogged the rest of the way to the house and stood at the bottom of the steps, his hand on the rail. “You want some company?”
She smiled. “I’d love some.”
He climbed the stairs and then sat beside her on the porch swing, setting it into motion. “I thought I’d have to throw rocks at your window, but I didn’t know which room you were sleeping in.”
“I’m using the same one.”
“That’s good to know. I wouldn’t want to wake up one of the kids by mistake.”
“I appreciate that. But I’m the adult now, so I don’t need to sneak outside any longer.”
“Also good to know.”
They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes, the only sound the chirping of the crickets and the occasional hoot of an owl. A feeling of rightness swept through Gabriella. She didn’t poke and probe it to try to figure out why she felt that way; rather, she simply accepted it.
It was as if the years hadn’t passed and they were picking up where they’d left off. That wasn’t true, of course. Fifteen years had passed. Fifteen years of living. If they were going to be friends, she needed to know a few basic things about his life, such as his marital status. “You know I’m divorced. What about you? Is there a Mrs. Carson Rivers? Or someone hoping to gain the title?”
“Nope.”
Though it was only one quietly spoken word, it created conflicting emotions inside Gabriella. On the one hand, she felt bad that her friend hadn’t found love. On the other, she was glad that his heart was still free. But that seemed selfish and guilt churned her stomach. She should want Carson to find true love. And she did. She was just glad that he was available to spend time with her this summer.
That is, if he was interested in renewing their friendship. Only time would tell that.
Chapter Four
“Hurry up, Mom,” Justin said, urging Gabriella to walk faster. He and Sophia had been awake since six o’clock, something that was nothing short of a miracle. During the school year, Gabriella had needed to be Mean Mom in order to get them up on time. Even then, they’d dragged through breakfast and hadn’t perked up until they were sitting in the parent drop-off line at their private school. But when she’d stepped into the living room this morning, the kids had looked at her with bright smiles and eager eyes.
They’d wanted to go over to Carson’s ranch the minute they swallowed their bacon, eggs and grits, but she made them cool their heels until seven thirty. Carson might be an early riser, but he couldn’t possibly want to deal with two boisterous children this early in the day.
“I’m coming.” She couldn’t help but smile. The kids looked so cute. Dressed in their new jeans, boots and hats, they could have passed for miniature ranchers. She made them hold still while she took several pictures of them. She’d email copies to her aunt and her parents later. Although Reggie didn’t deserve them, she’d send him copies, too. After all, he was their father, and she knew how valuable that relationship was even if he’d temporarily forgotten.
They crossed the road together and started down Carson’s driveway. When they spotted him in the distance, Sophia and Tucker took off running. Gabriella chose to follow at a more leisurely pace, taking her time to study Carson. Dressed in jeans that fit his muscular butt just perfectly, and a pine-green T-shirt advertising the local feed and grain that hugged his barrel chest and six-pack abs, he looked better than a man had the right to look.
When Gabriella had been married to Reggie, her social obligations had included countless white-tie and black-tie events. She had become accustomed to seeing men dressed in tailored tuxedoes. None of them had looked anywhere near as good as Carson did in his casual clothes. He didn’t have an inch of fat on his over-six-foot frame. He was all sexy, lean muscle. Deciding there was nothing wrong with looking as long as she didn’t take it any further, she let herself enjoy the view.
The kids were chattering a mile a minute and Carson laughed at something Justin said. The sound of his deep baritone voice reached inside her and her heart skipped a beat. Her skin tingled and goosebumps popped out on her arms. Oh, that was trouble. Friendship was good and desirable. Even admiring his sexy body and gorgeous face was acceptable. But she wasn’t supposed to be attracted to him. That could lead down a very dangerous road. At least for her. Unrestrained attraction could easily turn into desire and, if she wasn’t careful, love. She wasn’t willing to risk having her heart broken yet again.
“Good morning,” Carson said as she closed the distance between them. He touched the brim of his ever-present black hat and smiled. A deep dimple flashed in his left cheek, and his dark brown eyes sparkled with mischief, sending blood racing through her veins. Apparently, her good sense had sailed up to the sky and was hiding behind one of the puffy white clouds scattered across the mostly blue sky. He was just too charming and sexy for her to resist.
“Good morning,” she replied, pleased that
she sounded natural. If her common sense and body were conspiring against her, it was comforting to know her voice was still on her side. “I hope we’re not too early.”
“You’re right on time.”
“See, we told you. Mom was trying to make us wait even longer,” Justin complained.
“We’ve been ready for hours,” Sophia added.
“Well, I won’t make you wait a minute longer,” Carson said. “Let’s meet the horses.”
Sophia and Justin skipped along beside Carson, leaving Gabriella to trail behind them. When they reached the corral she noticed that four horses were inside. Each had been saddled, and they were now standing around nibbling on the green grass.
“I want to ride the big black one,” Justin said.
Carson laughed. “Sorry. Excalibur is my horse. I’m the only one who gets to ride him.”
“Okay. Which horse can I ride?”
“You’ll be riding Peanut Butter. Can you guess which one that is?”
Justin laughed. “The kind of brown one?”
“Yep.”
“He is the same color as peanut butter.”
“I thought so when I named him,” Carson agreed.
“Which one will I be riding?” Sophia asked.
“You’ll be riding Angel. That should suit you since you have an angel face.”
Sophia beamed at the compliment, ignoring her brother’s groan. “What’s Mommy’s horse’s name?”
“I’m not dressed for riding,” Gabriella said quickly. “I’m just going to watch.”
“We told you to wear your boots and jeans,” Sophia said, slipping into little mama mode.
“You look fine to me,” Carson said, his eyes sweeping from her toes to her head. She was wearing a pair of cutoff denim shorts and a cropped T-shirt she’d bought in a moment of rebellion. As a member of the upper-class Tucker family and wife of the oldest son, it had been incumbent upon her to be dressed appropriately at all times. Cutoffs and other revealing clothes had been forbidden. Of course she’d been unceremoniously dumped, and the role of Mrs. Reginald Tucker was now being played by Natalie Carter-Tucker, so Gabriella was free to wear whatever she chose.
“I’m not dressed to sit on a horse.” That wasn’t entirely true. She’d worn shorts many times when she and Carson had gone riding, especially when they’d ridden to the swimming hole. It had been too hard to pull her jeans over her damp skin after a day spent in the water, so she’d worn her bikini under her cutoffs and T-shirt.
“Well, if you change your mind, Beauty will be waiting for you.”
“Is Beauty the name of Mommy’s horse?” Sophia asked.
Carson nodded and his eyes bored into Gabriella’s. “It fits. Don’t you think?”
Gabriella’s cheeks warmed under Carson’s stare, and her toes curled in her gym shoes. Did he think she was beautiful?
Sophia nodded. “Mommy’s the most beautiful mom in the whole wide world.”
“Can we get on now?” Justin asked, clearly bored by the conversation.
Carson broke eye contact with Gabriella and turned his attention to her son. “In a minute. We’ll meet the horses first and go over a few safety guidelines. Riding won’t be fun if you get hurt.”
“We’ll be real careful,” Justin promised, and Sophia nodded in agreement.
“I’m sure you will. Now the first thing we have to do is take off those hats and put on helmets.”
“What?” Justin squawked. “But I want to be a real cowboy like you.”
“Well, being a cowboy is more than wearing a hat. It’s more a code of behavior.”
“A what?”
Carson grinned and Gabriella’s heart lurched. He was so magnetic. She couldn’t believe a woman hadn’t already swooped in and claimed him. There had to be something wrong with the women in this town.
“It means treating everyone fairly. You know, like not taking advantage of a younger kid. It means helping people who are in need. Being honest and keeping your word. That’s the cowboy code.”
“Is it the cowgirl code, too?” Sophia asked.
“Absolutely.” Carson gestured to the hat on Justin’s head.
Justin sighed, reluctantly removed his hat and handed it to Gabriella for safekeeping. Sophia did the same. Carson grabbed two black helmets from the top rail of the fence surrounding the corral and handed one to each of them. After they’d strapped them beneath their chins, Carson checked to be sure that they’d fastened them securely before nodding in approval.
He opened the gate, stepped inside and held it for them. After the children had stepped inside, Carson glanced at Gabriella. “Last chance.”
She smiled and shook her head. “I’m the keeper of the hats.”
“Okay. Feel free to set them anywhere and join us if you like.”
“No, thanks. I’ll just watch.”
“Suit yourself.”
Carson led the kids to the horses, his long-legged stride loose and relaxed. He looked just as good from behind as he had from the front. The wind carried his baritone to her, but he wasn’t talking loudly enough for her to make out his words. Gabriella climbed on the fence and sat on the top rail. She’d spent many summer days on this ranch, sitting beside Carson and watching as his father trained horses. Back then, they’d sit for hours without speaking, barely moving, awed by the power of the beautiful animals and his father’s skill. Now she found herself once more in awe, this time of Carson.
He instructed each child on how to tighten the girth, guiding their hands as he made slight adjustments to be sure it had been done correctly. Next, he helped Justin mount his horse, then measured the stirrups to his ankles.
Fascinated by what she was seeing but wanting to listen as well, Gabriella jumped down and circled the fence until she was close enough to hear. She didn’t climb on again, choosing instead to lean against the rail, her arms stretched across the top, her chin on her forearms.
“Lean over and touch your left foot with your right hand,” Carson said. Laughing, Justin did. “Good. Now stretch out your right foot.” When her son complied, Carson made slight adjustments to the right stirrup.
Once Justin was set, Carson went through the same procedure with Sophia, who followed his instructions to the letter. Carson then had them lean forward in the proper riding form.
“You guys are naturals,” Carson said, earning broad smiles from them. Gabriella found herself smiling as well. “Grab hold of the reins. Not too tight.”
The kids picked up the leather straps and then sat there, eagerly awaiting their next instructions.
Carson picked up the leads and held out one to Gabriella. “Since you’re not going to ride, you might as well make yourself useful.”
Gabriella pushed away from fence and climbed over. Carson’s eyes never left her, and she wondered what had possessed her to wear this outfit. It hadn’t felt too revealing in the privacy of her bedroom. Now, though, she wanted to tug the denim shorts lower and cover her thighs. Since she couldn’t change clothes and pulling on her shorts would only draw attention to her, she simply lifted her chin and strutted over to where Carson awaited.
As she took the lead to Sophia’s horse, her hand brushed Carson’s and she felt a jolt of electricity. He must have felt the same shock because he sucked in a breath. He released his hold on the lead and turned his focus to the space in front of them. “Take it slow.”
That sounded like good advice for her unruly emotions. Unsure if she would be able to speak normally, Gabriella only nodded. Carson made a clicking sound and tugged on the lead. Justin let out a whoop as his horse began to walk. Gabriella pulled on Sophia’s horse and Angel began walking, too.
Sophia giggled. “I’m riding a horse, Mommy.”
“Yes, you are. Are you having fun?”
“Yes. You should be riding, too. Then you
could be having fun.”
“I’m having a great time,” Gabriella replied honestly. As a mother, if her kids were happy, she was happy. But the pleasure filling her was more than a result of knowing her children were having the time of their lives. It was being outside on such a beautiful day. It was the sunshine warming her skin, managing to touch her soul. It was the breeze that stirred the trees and grass, perfuming the air with a sweet summer fragrance.
But mostly, it was Carson. Being close to him revived feelings she’d believed died with Reggie’s betrayal. There was something so calming about Carson. So comforting. It came from knowing that he truly lived by the cowboy code. He didn’t lie or cheat. Didn’t deceive or mislead. He treated everyone fairly and with kindness. As a woman who’d been lied to and cheated on, betrayed by the one person she should have been able to trust, she appreciated those qualities now more than ever.
“How are you two feeling?” Carson asked after they’d walked around the corral once, his voice breaking into her musings. And not a moment too soon. She didn’t need to start thinking of him as some perfect man. He had his flaws. Everyone did.
“Great,” Justin said.
“Me, too,” Sophia replied.
“Good. Let’s walk a little bit faster.” He picked up the pace, but not so much that Gabriella had difficulty matching his stride.
They walked around the corral twice more before coming to a stop. “Okay. That’s enough for today.”
“Can’t we ride a little longer?” Justin asked. “I’m not tired.”
“Trust me, forty-five minutes is plenty of time. You don’t want to end up sore.”
“Okay. When can we ride again?”
“Maybe in a couple of days. We’ll see how you feel tomorrow.”
Redemption on Rivers Ranch Page 5