Jackson Hole Valentine (9 page)

A hesitant knock sounded at the door. Cole flung a sheet over himself. “Come in.”

A second later, Charlie slipped inside the room. “Are you awake? Aunt Meg said I wasn’t supposed to wake you.”

“I’m awake.” Cole motioned the boy closer, noticing he was already dressed for the day in jeans, boots and a long-sleeved cowboy shirt. “Looks like you’ve been up awhile.”

Charlie nodded, stopping when he reached the end of the bed. “I’m going to a birthday party. We’re going to have cake ’n’ ice cream and go on a ride in a sleigh and everything.”

“Sounds like a fun party,” Cole said, amazed by the boy’s enthusiasm. “Who’s having the birthday?”

“My friend Jake. He’s in my grade at school. He’s seven.”

Cole hid a smile at the awe in Charlie’s voice. “Getting old.”

“I’m six,” Charlie said. “I’ll be seven at my next birthday.”

“Charlie.” Meg’s voice sounded from the hall. “I thought I told you not to wake him up.”

“I was already awake,” Cole said. “I’d even done my exercises.”

Meg pushed the door fully open and stepped inside. Like Charlie, she wore jeans and boots. But that was where any similarity ended. Her green sweater brought out the color in her eyes and the lushness of her figure.

Back in high school she’d worn loose sweaters to conceal her rather sizable…assets. When they’d made love, he’d been shocked—and pleased—to discover what she’d been hiding under those baggy shirts.

“Cole.”

He jerked his gaze up from her chest to find her staring. “Do you want to ride along when I take Charlie into Jackson for his party?”

“Sure,” he said, surprised at the invitation. Perhaps he wasn’t the only one who’d resolved to be civil. “What are we going to do while he’s at the party?”

“Grocery shopping,” she said in a matter-of-fact tone. “I checked out the kitchen and the cupboards are bare.”

Cole couldn’t argue with that assessment. He’d planned to stock up on food before Charlie and Meg arrived but had run out of time. “Sure. It’ll be good to get out of the house.”

Meg hesitated, as if suddenly struck with second thoughts. “If you’re sure you have the stamina?”

Cole wondered if she really was concerned about his stamina or if she hated to spend that much time with him. He hoped it was the former because over the next few weeks they were going to be together constantly.

“I’m up for it.” He sniffed the air and his stomach growled. “I assume we’ll be eating before we leave?”

“The bacon got to you, huh?” Her lips lifted in a friendly smile. “I swear my brothers could smell bacon from a block away.”

“Do you have any left?” he asked, trying not to sound too eager.

“You bet.” She shifted her gaze to the little boy, who now sat on the edge of the bed swinging his legs. “Actually I was looking for Charlie to tell him that breakfast was ready when I heard your voices.”

Charlie raised his hand as if he was in school but didn’t wait to be recognized. “We’re havin’ bacon ’n’ eggs and milk and juice and—”

Meg placed a hand on Charlie’s shoulder. “Honey, why don’t you wash your hands and then you can help me set the table.”

“’Kay.” The boy hopped off the bed and galloped from the room.

“Cole?” His name sounded strangled coming from her lips.

“Yes?”

“Put some clothes on, please.”

He wasn’t sure why she’d mentioned it until he glanced down. The sheet he’d tossed over his bare body rode low on his abdomen. Another couple of inches and he’d have given her quite a show.

Cole smiled, recalling a time when that wouldn’t have been an issue. “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours,” had been said more than once as things had heated up between them. Until one night, she’d unbuttoned her shirt. And he’d unzipped his pants.

He looked up at the sound of the door clicking shut behind her. Cole expelled a harsh breath and reached for the brace beside the bed. Those days of playful banter and lustful thoughts were long gone.

All he cared about now was getting stronger so he could take care of Charlie on his own.

He glanced down. Too bad his body hadn’t gotten that message yet.

Charlie came out of the bathroom, hands still dripping water, eager to set the table.

Meg took the Fiesta dinnerware from the cupboard and placed it on the counter where Charlie could easily reach it.

“Your face is red.” The little boy picked up a bright orange plate and stared into it as if trying to see his reflection. “Are you hot?”

“A little.” Actually, Meg found herself in the uncomfortable position of fighting off a surge of lust. You’d think it had been decades instead of a little over a year since she’d seen a man naked.

Granted, Cole hadn’t been completely uncovered but that sheet had dipped precariously low. His muscular chest and washboard abs told her he hadn’t been sitting around eating Cheetos and watching television all his life.

“I’m not hot.” Charlie laid the plate carefully on the table. “And I’m not cold. I’m just right.”

The way he changed the pitch of his voice reminded Meg of Goldilocks at the home of the three bears. But his face was serious so she bit back her laughter.

She knew there would be times when Charlie would be sad, but the way he’d begun to adjust told her that moving in with her and Cole had been the best thing for the boy.

So, if being here meant putting up with the man who’d once broken her heart, it was a small price to pay.

The grocery store parking lot seemed surprisingly empty for the Saturday before Christmas. Meg glanced at the clock on the dash of Cole’s SUV. “We have an hour before we need to pick up Charlie.”

Cole slanted a sideways glance in her direction. “He seemed happy this morning.”

“I thought so, too.” Unbuckling her seat belt, Meg pushed open the door then turned back to him. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay without your crutches?”

When they’d left the house, Cole had insisted on leaving his walking aids behind, asserting it had been two weeks now and it was time to move on.

“I’m good.” He turned toward the door, his brow pulled together in concentration as he eased himself out of the passenger side.

The grocery store parking lot had been bladed, but snow still crunched under Meg’s boots when she stepped onto the pavement. She put on her physical therapist’s hat and her experienced gaze turned sharp and assessing.

The slippery path to the brightly lit store entrance was an accident waiting to happen. One fall would undo all the work the surgeon had done to reconstruct Cole’s ACL.

Meg hurried around the front of the truck and took his arm just as he shut his door.

He glanced down at the arm which now held him tight then lifted his gaze back to her face, a smirk on his lips. “Why, Meg, darlin’, I didn’t know you cared.”

“I don’t, Cole, sweetheart,” she said in the same phony Southern drawl. “But if you fall on your as—ah, backside, it will impact not only Charlie’s quality of life, but mine, as well. I’m simply making sure that doesn’t happen.”

She swore he chuckled. All she cared was that he didn’t protest as they made their way across the lot. Strangely, while holding on to the arm of a man she didn’t care about—at all—she felt like part of a couple. Which was crazy for so many reasons, but most of all she couldn’t recall ever feeling this close to him, not even when they’d been seeing each other.

“Do you realize,” she said when the treacherous trek ended and the automatic doors slid open in welcome, “that even when we were dating, I never held your hand or took your arm?”

“That’s because,” he said, “you wouldn’t allow it. You didn’t want anyone to know you were dating me. Especially not any of your Honor Society pals.”

For a second Meg was struck dumb by the hint of bitterness underscoring his words. “That’s not how it was at all,” she protested when she finally found her voice. “You—”

“Meg. Cole. What a nice surprise.”

Meg whirled.

Lexi Delacourt, social worker extraordinaire, looking absolutely lovely in navy leggings and a bulky navy-and-white cable-knit sweater, stood next to a cart filled with sacks of groceries, her husband, Nick, at her side. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

The curious look in both their eyes told Meg it wasn’t seeing her that was such a surprise, but seeing her holding on to Cole.

“There was no food in the house.” Meg released her grip on his arm as if it were a hot potato.

“It was either brave the grocery store aisles or starve.” Cole’s curious gaze settled on Nick.

“Where are my manners?” Lexi said with a little laugh. “Meg has met my husband, but you haven’t.”

The pretty social worker made quick work of the introductions.

“A family-law attorney,” Cole said after he and Nick had shaken hands. He cast a quick glance at Meg before returning his attention to Nick. “I bet you found the provisions of Joy and Ty’s will very interesting.”

Meg’s heart sank to the tips of her boots.
He knew.
Somehow without her saying a word, Cole
knew
Nick was the attorney she’d consulted about the will.

“My wife doesn’t discuss her cases with me,” Nick said, an easy smile on his lips.

“Lexi may not, but I did.” Meg lifted her chin. She had nothing to hide. “Nick verified the provisions were completely enforceable.”

Instead of offering up his normal remark to the tune of “we’ll see about that,” Cole simply smiled.

“Mary Karen tells me the two of you are living together.” Lexi’s eyes were bright with interest.

“Living in the same house,” Cole clarified.

“Not together, together.” Meg’s cheeks burned as Cole’s lips twitched.

“What Meg is trying to say is—” he paused to place a hand on her shoulder “—we’re not sleeping together.”

“Not yet anyway,” Lexi said with a devilish gleam in her eyes.

Nick chuckled. “You’ll have to excuse my wife. She has the soul of a matchmaker.”

For a second Meg was tempted to make it clear that Cole Lassiter would be the last man on earth she’d ever sleep with, or—she shuddered—to marry, but she stopped the words before they made it past her lips.

How many times had she told her younger siblings that there was no excuse for mean-spiritedness? Besides, she’d learned long ago there was danger in protesting too much.

Meg gestured to Lexi’s shopping cart. “Looks like you’re getting ready to do it up big for Christmas.”

“We’re not always in Jackson Hole for the holidays, so we’re going all out and having everyone over next Saturday night,” Nick said.

“Nick and Lexi live part of the year in Dallas,” Meg explained to Cole.

“Although I grew up here, I’ve spent the past fourteen years in Texas,” Cole said to Nick. “My business holdings are based out of Austin.”

“Great town.” Nick nodded approvingly. “The live music scene is awesome.”

While the two men launched into a discussion of all things Texas, Lexi pulled Meg aside.

“How’s it going? And be honest. I was stunned when I heard the news—”

“It’s okay,” Meg said, realizing it was true. Yes, considering their past, being thrust into such close proximity was a bit awkward, but so far Cole had been a gentleman. He’d praised her cooking, had encouraged Charlie to help her carry bags inside and had even supported her “getting to know you” game last night. “We’re figuring it out.”

“Lex, not to break this up, but we did tell Coraline we’d pick up the children—” Nick held up his smart phone so his wife could see the time “—in five minutes.”

“Yikes, I didn’t realize it was this late.” The look Lexi shot Meg was filled with regret. “Coraline runs a B and B and does all the cooking, so she’ll need to get supper started. Addie, our oldest, is a good little helper, but Grace is a toddler and into everything.”

“We need to rush, too,” Meg said. “Charlie is at a birthday party and we’ll have to pick him up before long.”

“Do you have any plans for the holidays?” Lexi asked, her gaze widening to include Cole.

“I haven’t even thought about it,” Cole said. “Right now I’ve been just taking it day by day.”

“Well—” Lexi glanced at her husband, who gave her a barely perceptible nod “—we’d love it if you’d celebrate with us next Saturday. It’s always a good time when everyone gets together. Travis and Mary Karen will be there, and David and July. Derek and Rachel are in town, so they’ll come. As well as a few single friends. And all the children, of course. We’re planning on eating at six.”

This must be the party Travis had mentioned. Of course, he’d offered to cancel, saying he’d love to spend more time with her.

At the time, things had been in such an upheaval, making plans for the Saturday prior to Christmas had been the furthest thing from her mind. Unfortunately, now the holiday was less than a week away.

“If you plan to settle in Jackson Hole, it would be a good way to get acquainted,” Nick said with a warm smile.