“I can’t believe how many vehicles are here,” she said, looking around. “Almost all trucks, too. I guess that makes sense.”
“They have a band later tonight, I believe, so that always draws a big crowd. But it is usually pretty packed for mealtime, too,” he said.
They walked in and up to the hostess. “How long for a table?” he asked, looking around and seeing that there were none open.
“About forty-five minutes,” she said.
“You good with that?” he asked Olivia.
“Not a problem,” she said.
Then a loud, yet familiar voice called out. “Colton, Olivia, over here.”
They both saw Mal standing up and waving to them. Wade was sitting down and gave a more casual wave. She called them over.
“Well, imagine meeting you two here,” she said with a cheeky grin.
“Yeah, imagine,” Colton said.
“Why don’t you two join us? We just sat down. Haven’t even ordered yet,” Mal offered.
“We’d hate to intrude,” Colton said.
“No imposition,” Mal said.
Colton and Wade looked at each other and Colton saw that his buddy was ready to burst out laughing. Both men were smart enough to know that Mal’s insistence on certain things wasn’t worth arguing.
“You don’t mind, do you?” Olivia asked, looking at Colton.
“Not if you don’t,” he replied. “I’ll quickly go let the hostess know.”
When Colton came back, the waitress was there taking their orders. Mal and Olivia went with wine, and Colton and Wade went with a beer, saying they’d save a glass of single malt scotch for dessert.
“So, what did you two do today?” Mal asked, eagerly diving in to her questions.
“We went to Deer Run to this CAS event,” Olivia said.
“Wow, sounds like fun. Did you like it?” Mal asked.
“I loved it. I even got to compete in a little six-shooter competition myself,” she said. She looked at Colton and winked.
He shook his head and took a sip of beer, choosing to divert his attention to Wade and hopefully to start up a conversation with him. But it was the wrong moment. Wade loved CAS events and got to see plenty of them when he’d competed in the rodeo.
“What type of piece did you fire?” he asked Olivia.
“Match Champion .357 Magnum,” she said.
“Who’d you go against?” Wade asked next.
“Why, Colton here,” she said. She smiled, but offered up no more.
“Colton’s a good shot at that stuff,” Mal said. “I bet you still did great, though.”
Colton loved it that his little sister assumed he’d won, but she’d unknowingly opened the gate for Olivia to brag one more time.
“Yes, he is, of course, but I actually held my own today. Beat him by four seconds in the end.”
“You’re kidding!” Mal exclaimed.
“Nope,” Olivia said. “I must have had beginner’s luck or something.”
Colton was endeared by the fact that she’d said that, because she knew that she’d really just shot well. It was a kind thing to do. “She was pretty good. You would have been impressed, Wade.”
“I bet,” Wade said. Then he took a sip of his beer and Colton saw him grinning from ear to ear behind it. He didn’t hide it well.
“You know, I hope you don’t mind my saying,” Mal began, drawing the attention of all three of them at the table, “but you two are really interesting together.” Colton blushed, knowing that was his sister’s code word for compatible. Olivia looked and felt a bit awkward, reaching for her linen napkin to play with its edge, and she didn’t look up.
“Mal, no need to embarrass them,” Wade said. But then he leaned in and whispered to her. “Or point out the obvious.”
Both Olivia and Colton heard him.
“Thanks, Wade. You’re getting as bad as her,” Colton said. Then he turned to Olivia. “Sorry about that. They aren’t too shy to hold back what they’re thinking.”
“No problem,” she replied. She had liked what they said, although it had surprised her, but she also wished that Colton would be a little less shy and a little more outgoing with what his desires were. Unless, of course, he viewed her as nothing more than an acquaintance or friend, maybe. After all, he did believe she was just there because she wanted something from him. She still did, of course, but being with him was pretty darn amazing. He was so fun and intelligent—a breath of fresh air.
***
The remainder of the dinner was nice and filled with some good laughs, but Colton was more intent on watching Olivia than listening to his sister and brother-in-law, not that he didn’t like them, of course. He’d just hoped that the dinner would be for the two of them, a chance for him to get Olivia to open up more and not just reveal the “sunnier” side of her life. Not that he thought she had a dark side by any means, but nobody could always be so carefree, could they? Not unless you lived in Carefree, which she did not.
By the time they got outside her hotel, Olivia couldn’t hide her yawns. It was nearly midnight.
“This has been such a wonderful day,” she said. “Thank you so much, Colton. I couldn’t have asked for a better time.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” he said. He leaned in closer and saw her expectant eyes showing what she wanted in the light just outside her hotel room door. His resistance was worn down. He leaned in and slowly kissed her on the lips, savoring the taste of the wine that still lingered on them and growing excited at her passionate response.
There they stood, kissing softly and moving slowly, both completely accepting of the moment for what it was. It was a first kiss, which was always memorable, and they were each excited to take in the full experience.
After their lips parted, he said softly, “Goodnight then,” and brushed her cheek. She didn’t want him to go, but didn’t ask him to stay.
“Goodnight,” she said softly. Then she watched her cowboy walk off onto the paved parking lot, and it was only then that she turned away.
Chapter Six
Lying there and staring at the white ceiling that was desperately in need of some repainting, all Olivia could do was think about Colton. That kiss had been amazing and it had sent her spiraling into a zone where she knew that it was growing more impossible for her to just think of him as a means to an end, or even as just a friend. As specific as her purpose had been for arriving in Cherish, Montana, she’d never suspected that Colton would be who he was. Everything about him seemed good and gentle, which made her feel bad for keeping the secret that she’d been keeping from him. He wanted to know and she didn’t blame him, but if she told him, could she trust him?
She rolled over and hugged her pillow, recalling the scent of Colton’s cologne, and it frustrated her greatly. They’d parted ways yesterday with no arranged plans to see each other. She hadn’t thought of it at the time, really, because her mind was drifting in a state of bliss from the way his lips felt pressed against hers. The slight taste of scotch on his breath and the intense warmth that made her tingle all over.
The phone in the hotel room rang. Olivia lazily reached over and answered, “Hello.”
“What’s going on, Sis? Were you sleeping?” It was Amelia.
“No, just lost in a thought,” she replied casually. Her finger went up to her loose hair and she began to twirl a strand, watching it through the corner of her eye as it twisted around her slender finger.
“Must be a heck of a thought. You sound out of it,” Amelia said.
“Kind of, I suppose,” Olivia said.
“How’s the project coming along?” she asked.
“Slowly,” Olivia said.
“Because you want it to drag out. I can tell. You have that sound.” Then Amelia paused. “Oh my gosh, you’re crushing, aren’t you?”
Olivia surrendered an involuntarily giggle. Yes, she was indeed “crushing,” as her younger sister liked to call it. She told her all about the previous da
y and what had happened, talking excitedly and growing happier as she relived the entire day. It had been perfect—brilliantly perfect.
“That’s all well and good, but your money is going to run out soon. If you come back empty handed that’s not going to be good. So, Sis, remember—keep your focus.”
“Look at you sounding all grown up, Amelia,” Olivia said. Her sister was known for flying by the seat of her pants all of the time, and if people thought Olivia was a bit too carefree at times, they would think her sister was even worse.
“And look at you just going day to day with no real plan in place. Looks like we’ve switched roles—our own version of Freaky Friday.”
“Well, I’d better go. I should get to work and get focused. I got to tour the ranch—part of it, anyway, but I didn’t find anything that connected the dots. Maybe I missed something. It’s worth a look.”
“Until then, dear sister, parting is such sweet sorrow,” Amelia said with an overly chipper, yet dramatic voice.
“No sorrow here,” Olivia said. Then she added, “Ciao,” and hung up.
With the maps and her notes sprawled out in front of her, Olivia began to go through everything, slowly and meticulously, hoping to connect some sort of landmark that she noticed on the ranch with what was shown on the map. She’d tried to pay attention to all the details, including trees or small groves of trees, hills, and general topography. It was her assessment of the hills that had helped her to spot that cow. Colton didn’t know that, but it had turned in to quite the adventure. That experience had been almost surreal to her, one that she never thought she’d experience in her life.
Her belly began to growl and she had to admit that she was hungry, but she didn’t want to leave her research. She’d initially hoped that Colton would call and ask her to breakfast or something, but realized that was a crazy notion. He was likely way behind on his work from giving her his entire day yesterday. She’d also considered offering her help, but she knew she was likely more of a distraction since she didn’t really know much about ranching. She was a quick study, but it still took time to teach. But wow, Colton was a great teacher.
After some deliberation, she decided to order a calzone and a side salad from the gas station down the street, which also delivered. That would be perfect. She wouldn’t have to even leave her makeshift office—the lair where her plans were being made.
There was a knock on the door and she got up and walked over. She was a mess, her hair piled up on her head and her reading glasses on. She grabbed a twenty spot and opened the door.
“Colton, hi.” She was instantly startled, thinking about her sloppy appearance and then going to what was sprawled out all over her room.
“Sorry to pop in unannounced,” he said.
“It’s no problem,” she replied. She didn’t want to show how much it freaked her out. It was on too many levels to even explain without looking like a crazy person.
“Can I come in?” he asked.
“Yes, I’m sorry about that. Come on in.”
Olivia turned around and walked right over to the bed and quickly began to pick up everything that was on it, not taking the time to roll up the maps properly or even keep her notes in the right order. She hastily opened up a dresser drawer and shoved them in. Without looking at him, she called, “Why don’t you have a seat?”
Colton sat down in the small chair in the corner of the room and watched everything she was doing with fascination. Maybe he should have called, but he just happened to be in town on his way back from the supply yard in Deer Run to get items for mending the fence. It practically went by the hotel where she was staying. Okay, it was a block or two out of the way, but close enough.
Olivia looked absolutely adorable to him with her casual, messy look. He imagined that was what she probably looked like when she woke up in the morning. It was a thought he shouldn’t put into his mind, but he couldn’t help it. Sometimes his mind had a will of its own.
“Sorry I’m such a mess,” she said. “Give me a minute to go freshen up.”
“If you want, but I think you look just fine. It was me that came over unannounced. Don’t worry,” he said.
“Well, okay,” she said. She looked at Colton and felt the desire to kiss him, but it was quickly smothered when she saw where his eyes were looking. He was staring at the dresser drawer. Thankfully he was okay with her as she was. What if he snooped around when she went into the bathroom?
“So, do you take Sundays off from work?” she asked.
“I try to, but it seldom works out that way. Horses, cattle, and other things don’t tend to care what day it is,” he said. He watched her in a way that was unsettling to her.
“No, I suppose not,” she said. She sat down on the edge of the bed and faced him. Her palms were pressed against her thighs and she rubbed them back and forth slowly. She was so nervous.
“What do you have planned for today?” he asked.
“Not much, I was just doing some … studying.” That was the word she decided to use.
“Oh, going to grad school or something?” he asked.
She knew that he knew she was not being truthful, and that was stressful. “I like to learn a little something every day. Don’t you?”
“I suppose. I haven’t learned anything yet today. Have anything to teach me?” he asked. His voice was friendly, but it held a suspicious tone.
Olivia got Colton’s drift and she thought quickly, imploring her wit to surface so she could think of something clever to say. And like always, when summoned, her wit took a vacation. Finally she said, “The gas station delivers pizzas and such. That’s kind of crazy.”
“Yes, I did know that,” he said. He leaned forward and rested his chin on his hand. His elbow was propped underneath it, planted on his right thigh. He just looked at her with a piercing intensity that only brown eyes like his could deliver.
Her insides were melting and she felt that she might just break down and tell Colton what was happening. His presence was driving her bonkers, and she halfway wanted him to leave and halfway wanted to kiss him. It was like he had some sort of spell over her that forced her to defy her logic and common sense. How he’d managed to stay single for twenty-seven years was beyond her comprehension. Every eligible woman within a hundred miles must have tried to lasso him in.
“Yesterday was a really great time. Thanks again. I had so much fun. And Mal and Wade, they’re great.”
“It was a good day,” he said. He was looking at her and thinking about the kiss, but it had suddenly lost some of its luster after he had observed her behavior that morning. The scene he’d walked into looked like it was someone coordinating a bank heist or something like that. He didn’t think that Olivia was a bank robber, of course, but he did wonder what she was out to get exactly. In that instant, he grew sick of the games and eager for some answers. He felt his temperature rising as the anger in him started to beg to surface.
“Well, I’d just stopped by to say hello. I think I’ve bugged you long enough,” he said, standing up. “I think I’ll take my departure now.”
Olivia looked relieved and he wondered if it was because of what she was hiding, or if she’d had regrets about the kiss last night. Maybe it had been a stupid thing to do, but it had felt so good and it had definitely impacted him.
“Okay then. I hope you’re good. If you don’t mind, could I come by the ranch tomorrow to see the newborn calf?”
“Sure,” he said. Her desire to see the calf seemed sincere.
Olivia was relieved that he didn’t mind. Remembering the calf was quick thinking on her part. Whew!
“Well, until then. Does 10:00 sound okay?” she asked.
“That’ll be just fine,” he said. He looked at the dresser drawer once again. More than anything, this was to drive home a not-so-subtle message that he was on to her and that his suspicions were up.
***
Colton sat in his truck and pressed his head on the steering wheel. What ha
d just happened in that hotel room? He didn’t understand it, but everything that he was feeling at that moment was unpleasant. The fact that Olivia Jaspers was under his skin in a way that made him think of her differently than any other woman was frustrating. Knowing that she was playing some type of game with him was maddening. He could handle women doing odd things for love, but when they were doing it for some other means it was harder to process. His mind just didn’t know how to think in terms of someone’s wants, especially some mysterious thing on his ranch.
Maybe he should call his parents when he got home and see if they knew anything about Chester Akers and anything that might be found on the land. It was a long shot, but if it gave him even a few minutes’ peace of mind, he was willing to take the chance.
When Colton looked up he saw that the curtain to Olivia’s hotel room was cracked open. He could see her silhouette standing there, looking out. He wasn’t sure if she was watching him or lost in thought. But he couldn’t take his eyes off her.
Then he saw the small Rav4 of the pizza guy pull up in front of her room. In a protective way he felt compelled to remain parked there until the driver left. Of course, he’d known the kid for a great while, as Mal had babysat him when he was younger, but something about making sure that Olivia was okay was really important to Colton. Even if she was determined to drive him crazy, he wanted to make sure she was safe and sound before she did it.
Chapter Seven
The anger that Colton felt didn’t sit well with him. He wasn’t used to it and no matter how hard he worked, it didn’t go away. Olivia had irritated him completely, both with her insistence on keeping a secret from him and with how she’d managed to draw his attention. He felt like he was being played for a fool, and that was not acceptable.
Cherished Moments (Cherish Cowboys Book 2) Page 6