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“Ah.” Henry rose from the table. “In that case, I will leave you two alone. I’ll be late to the office if I don’t get a move on. Thank you for a wonderful breakfast, sweetheart. It’s good to have you home.”
Henry kissed his daughter on the cheek and shook Cole’s hand before he left.
“Refill?” Tess asked, the coffeepot hovering above his mug.
“Yes, please.”
“What did you want to talk to me about, or shouldn’t I ask?”
Cole sensed Tess’s trepidation. They needed to settle what happened in Las Vegas, but she clearly wasn’t ready to get into it yet. Not wanting to drive her away when he desperately needed her help, Cole pushed the subject to the backburner.
“There’s someplace I’d like to show you.” Cole rested his fork on the edge of the plate. “And someone I’d like you to meet.”
“This isn’t a trap or anything, is it?”
“What?” Cole feigned offense. “I wouldn’t think of leading you astray.”
“Hmm,” Tess said. Ricky jumped into her lap, giving him a questioning look himself. “And the croissant incident was one hundred percent innocent, I presume.”
“I plead the Fifth.” Cole munched on another piece of turkey bacon. “This stuff isn’t half-bad. I could get used to it.”
“Oh, you must really want something from me if you’re complimenting fake bacon.” Tess shook her head. “Where are we going?”
“Someplace you won’t soon forget.”
* * *
THE DRIVE WAS pleasant enough and Tess was thankful she’d brought along her camera. Between the radio and the autumn landscape, she managed to sing, talk and photograph her way around the topic she knew Cole wanted to discuss. She figured he wanted to show her the hippotherapy facility Joe had patterned his plans after. And on the way there, in a vehicle moving at seventy miles an hour, she could no longer avoid the issue looming over them.
She would have succeeded in doing just that if the DJ hadn’t started blathering on about the local rodeo champions heading to the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas next month. Instantly transported to the scene of the crime, Cole gave her no alternative.
“I never meant to hurt you,” Cole said. “But I swear to you, I didn’t cheat on you.”
“It’s in the past.” Tess clenched her teeth. “Please leave it there.”
“I didn’t have the chance to say my piece then and I think you owe me at least that much.” Cole continued without waiting for her response. “I walked out of that arena with you on my arm. It was plain as day for everyone to see I was with you. I know it looked bad when those women showed up, and yes, I had been with them in the past, but I thought you knew me better than that. I may be many things, but a cheater isn’t one of them. Our relationship was turning serious and I think you were looking for a way out. When one appeared, you ran with it.”
Tess bit back the words she almost uttered. What he said was half-true. She knew the kind of man she thought Cole was. It was the stupid grin on his face that night that told her this type of thing had happened before, and he’d enjoyed it when it did. She heard the rodeo cowboy stories and knew a man could only take so much teasing before he gave in to temptation. The absurdity of the situation was that she’d immediately started dating Tim and he wound up cheating the exact way she figured Cole had. Another lesson learned. Don’t date men you meet in an airport bar.
But looking for a way out? No, she wouldn’t admit to that—at least not completely. Tess thought she’d wanted more from Cole, but once she saw the buckle bunnies, she knew it was a mistake. Long-distance relationships didn’t last and Cole’s first love was working on his family’s ranch, not living in New York City and sitting in a stuffy office building all day long. And she wouldn’t think of asking him to change.
In the same regard, Tess loved her independence. She traveled around the country on business, came and went when she wanted and didn’t concern herself with pleasing anyone except her cat. She had no intention of moving back to Texas. It wouldn’t have worked and she was justified in leaving.
As an acquisitions analyst, Tim traveled extensively throughout the world. He’d accepted her business trips and she’d accepted his. Personal vacations were another story altogether, resulting in them never going anywhere. When Tess suggested flying home to see her family, he shot down the idea. She would have enjoyed rubbing her fiancе in Cole’s face, at least once.
“If you felt that way, why didn’t you pick up the phone and call me?” Tess asked. Cole pulled off the road and into a gas station. “What are you doing?”
“What does it look like? Getting gas,” Cole snapped. “Why should I chase after you when you didn’t stick around long enough to ask me what was going on? I had no reason to call. It’s not like we were getting married or something.”
“That’ll be the day.”
“Damn straight.” Cole hopped from the truck and slid his credit card into the pump.
“So what, I’m not good enough to marry?” Tess shouted through the cab’s open window.
How dare he think that!
Furious, Tess scampered from the truck and confronted him. Two men thinking she wasn’t matrimony material in the course of one week ticked her off. “I’d make the most amazing wife!”
Tears stung her eyes, but she fought them back. She refused to allow him the satisfaction of seeing her cry. Cole took her face in his hands and drew her closer to him. She closed her eyes in anticipation of the kiss that was about to come. A kiss she didn’t think she’d wanted until this very moment.
The warmth of Cole’s breath on her lips heightened her unexpected desire. “I know, and don’t let anyone say otherwise.”
He released her, without even a peck on the cheek. Unprepared for the disappointment she felt, Tess retreated to the passenger’s side of the truck. Why was it so easy for men to walk away from her? Slowly, she opened the door, uncertain if it was the gas fumes or anger that made her light-headed. Certainly, it couldn’t be his rejection.
Cole finished filling the tank and slid into the seat beside her. With his hand on the ignition, he opened his mouth to speak then checked himself before the first words left his lips.
“If you have something to say to me, I’d appreciate you getting it over with so we can reach this place before lunch,” Tess said.
“I promised myself I wasn’t going to bring any of this up today,” Cole said.
“This was your plan all along.” Tess leaned against the headrest. “Confine and confront me.”
Cole inhaled and exhaled slowly. Tess rolled her head to the side, expecting to see cockiness in need of an attitude adjustment. But when he shifted in his seat to face her, his pained expression puzzled her.
“You deserve better than this.”
“And what this are you referring to? Because from where I sit, the list is getting pretty long.”
“Better than a kiss in a gas station parking lot to show you how I still feel about you,” Cole whispered.
“What kiss?” Tess asked.
“This one.” Cole leaned across the seat and tugged her to him. The slight firmness of his lips on hers sent a little tremble through her body, down to her toes. Warmth radiated from his mouth as the kiss deepened until she opened for him, their tongues lightly touching in unison. Cole’s hand rested gently at the base of her throat while she draped her arms around his neck, urging him closer.
Thoughts swirled around each caress as she lost more of herself to him with each passing moment. Almost two years later, the familiarity of his touch and their last kiss in Vegas returned.
Dammit! That blasted city ruined everything.
Tess pushed Cole away, straightened her spine and reached for the seat belt, clicking it across her chest.
“That can’t happen again.” Her lips still tingled and she fought the urge to run her tongue over them. “It definitely can never happen again.”
“At least you didn’t haul off and hit me.” Cole laughed.
He started the engine and headed onto the highway without further conversation. Tess dug into her bag for her sunglasses, allowing a quick glance at him. There it was—that arrogant I got one over on her smirk. She’d give him this one. Well, actually, she’d love to give him another one and another after that.
What are you thinking?
This wasn’t going to happen. Tess refused to allow herself to fall in love with Cole again. Not that she’d been in love with him to begin with. She’d had feelings for him at one point, but she was certain those were in the past. If she knew Cole Langtry, she’d bet he was testing her with that kiss, and in that case, she wouldn’t let him win.
“We’re here.” Cole broke into her thoughts when he turned off the highway. A small green sign with white painted letters read Monkey Junction.
“Seriously?” Tess giggled. “This place is called Monkey Junction?”
“Sure is.” Cole laughed. “Since it caters mostly to children, the name suits it. You’ll understand in a minute.”
There it was, larger than life, the head of a giant two-story sock monkey painted on the side of a hunter-green barn.
“Oh, my stars!” Tess jumped from the truck the moment it stopped, the shutter of her camera snapping away furiously. “I love it!”
“Morning, Cole.” A man nodded as he walked past pushing a hand truck full of boxes. He was wearing a green T-shirt with a full-length sock monkey design across the front.
“Morning, Jeff,” Cole said. “Is Eileen around?”
“I saw her near the office a minute or two ago.”
Across the parking lot, they walked past a truck with what had to be a thousand sock monkeys stenciled on it. They really took this monkey thing to heart.
“There she is.” Cole grabbed Tess’s hand and pulled her in his direction. “Eileen, I want you to meet Tess, longtime friend and the web designer for our facility.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Eileen was an attractive woman, in her late fifties with short-cropped dark hair. “Please, feel free to look around if you’d like and don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions.”
“Thank you,” Tess said. “Do you mind if I take some photos of your place? Oh—hello there.”
A black Lab mix with short legs nudged her calf, taking her off guard.
“This is Shorty. He comes and goes around here. Pay no mind to him and feel free to take all the photos you’d like, and Cole, if you happen to see Bingo, tell him I’m looking for him. He took off on that golf cart an hour ago and I haven’t seen him since.”
“Will do,” Cole said.
“Why is she so nice if you’re going to be the competition?” Tess asked.
“When it comes to helping people with disabilities, you can’t have too many facilities, especially since we’re going for our PATH International certifications. Not every place you come across is accredited. Plus it’s a hundred miles between here and Bridle Dance and Eileen and Bingo are more than happy to support us and offer their expertise. They’re good people.”
“What’s PATH International?” Tess asked.
“PATH stands for Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship and the Premier Accredited Center certification will allow us to provide the best equine-assisted therapy we possibly can.”
Tires crunched on the dry dirt parking lot as a faded powder-blue minivan drove up to the wheelchair accessible ramp. Cole left Tess’s side, a huge smile splayed across his face. He strode to the van and slid the door open, revealing a raven-haired beauty of a child with two ponytails tied with pink bows.
“CC!” Small arms stretched out toward him while Cole bent down to unfasten her seat belt. “I can walk, CC! Watch me!”
The girl reached beside her seat and pulled out two tiny crutches with forearm supports. When she swung herself around, Tess could see that braces encased her legs up to her knees.
“Slow down, Ever.” A woman came around to the van door. “All this child’s been able to prattle on about is showing you she can walk.”
“Hello, Lorraine.” Cole moved aside, allowing the woman to seat the girl on the floor of the minivan so her legs dangled over the edge.
“Look, CC!” With calculated precision, the child focused on Cole, who knelt down on the ground a few feet in front of her. She took one precarious step, followed by a much steadier one.
Tess covered her mouth to keep from gasping at the child’s determination and pride with each small movement. The entire staff watched the girl walk toward Cole. When she finally reached him, he wrapped his arms around her, lifting her up and swinging her around.
“I’m so proud of you, sweetie.” Cole hugged the girl, his eyes glassy, making Tess think a tear would spill over at any moment. “So proud.”
“I wanted to call and tell you, but I was told to wait and maybe you’d be here this week so I could show you.”
“Lorraine, you know you can call me anytime,” Cole said. Tess figured the woman must be Ever’s mother. “You still have my number, right?”
The woman nodded. “We didn’t want to bother you.”
Cole’s eyes narrowed, and Tess guessed he held his tongue due to the child’s presence. The conversation didn’t seem new, but rather a familiar one.
“I want you to meet a friend of mine,” Cole said. “Ever, this is Tess. Tess, meet Ever, my little cowgirl in the making.”
“Hi, Tess.” Ever’s twilight-blue eyes sparkled when she spoke. “CC has a girlfriend.”
Tess felt the heat rise to her cheeks at Ever’s reference. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m just a friend of Cole’s, though.”
“And you’re a girl.” Ever pulled at Cole’s hat until it came off his head, and placed it on top of hers, covering most of her face. “She’s pretty.”
“I can’t argue with you there.” Cole winked at Tess.
“Put me down, CC, I want to walk.”
“Well, look at you, Super Girl.” A woman with the name Caitlin embroidered on her shirt pocket approached. “Are you ready for your therapy?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Ever replied. “Will you watch me?”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Cole said.
Tess had never seen Cole so intently fixated on someone as he was this moment with Ever. Bracing his arms on the round pen’s fence rail, Cole watched the slip of a girl astride a light bay-colored mare. Ever sat absolutely straight, holding on to the two side handles on the royal blue clothlike saddle.
“This is what it’s about, right here,” Cole said. “This was my father’s dream.”
Tess saw Cole swipe at his eyes with the back of his hand, trying hard to hide his emotions. In the lifetime she’d known Cole, she couldn’t remember him shedding a single tear. She wouldn’t have guessed this side of him existed. The same went for his father.
“What’s wrong with her?” Tess hoped her question wasn’t callous.
“Ever has cerebral palsy. Up until I last saw her a little over a week ago, she was still in a wheelchair. Today is the first I’ve seen her walk more than a few feet without anyone supporting her.”
“I didn’t realize hippotherapy was that powerful.” Tess had heard of the therapy but hadn’t paid too much attention to it. “How can a horse teach her to walk?”
“It allows her to walk.” Cole turned to face Tess with his arms out, palms facedown. “The horse’s gait very closely mimics a human’s walk.”
He moved his hands up and down. “If you walk with your hands on your hips, you will feel a steady rhythm. A horse’s movements are almost identical to ours. In Ever’s case, she needed to strengthen her core muscles and improve her balance. Hippotherapy builds up her core and allows her to have the ability to walk with the aid of crutches. The day may come when she won’t need them anymore.”
“Interesting saddle.” Tess noted its thinness and lack of leather.
