Chapter One

A loud caterwaul rose from the backseat of Tess Dalton’s rental car as she crossed over Cooter Creek.

“We’re almost there.” The tires thumped against the wooden boards of the old steel bridge, increasing her tabby’s anxiety. “Oh! What in heaven’s name is that smell?”

Ricky’s stink bomb was the cherry on her already bountiful sundae. At least she’d had the foresight to pack a disposal kitty-litter box. Tess traveled the country over with her beloved feline and, never fail, he did it every time. She thanked the stars above it hadn’t happened on the plane. They probably would’ve declared an emergency landing due to toxic warfare if it had.

The noxious odors filling her car added one more page to Tess’s book of highlights for the week. Her swift, security-assisted escort off the aircraft the moment it touched down deserved its own chapter. Ricky’s rendition of “Cat Scratch Fever” wasn’t exactly the cabin crew’s idea of in-flight entertainment. But did they really have to applaud when she exited the plane?

No matter the hassle, Tess wouldn’t have it any other way. Ricky was the one constant in her life, and wherever she went, he went.

The fall foliage lined the narrow two-lane highway in brilliant shades of crimson and gold. The sun peeked over the corrugated roof of Slater’s Mill, gilding the honky-tonk’s parking lot in a warm glow. It always amazed Tess how beautiful the most mundane things appeared when bathed in the morning light. The luminous orb didn’t drop by her New York City apartment until almost noontime.

“Everything’s the same.” She draped her arms across the top of the steering wheel, peering through the windshield at the old brick-front buildings, decorated for Halloween with bats and scary cats.

Change was inevitable in New York. You went to sleep with a deli on the corner and woke to a dry cleaner in its place. Not in Ramblewood, the land where time stood still.

A horn startled Tess.

“Whoops! Sorry.” Tess waved to the man behind her. She drove another block and angled her car in front of the Magpie Luncheonette.

Located in the heart of town, the Magpie began as a bakery. Her mother wanted to call the place Maggie’s Buns but Tess’s father, Henry, put the kibosh on the idea the moment she uttered the words. Naming it “the Magpie” was his idea. It was appropriate, since her mother and her friends lived to chat and gossip and were downright busybodies. The townsfolk flocked to the Magpie for their coffee and quick meals while they caught up on who was involved with who and what was new in town. Henry never understood why Ramblewood still bothered to print a newspaper. You could get more information in five minutes at the Magpie than if you read the Gazette from cover to cover.

There was a chill in the fresh fall, cat-poop-free air. She grabbed her sweatshirt from the passenger seat and stretched, stepping from the car. Shrugging the buttery-yellow fleece over her head, Tess felt the muscles in her legs throb from the red-eye flight and drive in from the airport.

Removing the offending care package Ricky had thoughtfully left for her, Tess pulled the carrier into the shade of the backseat with one hand, digging into her purse for a bottle of hand sanitizer with the other.

“I’ll be right back.” She tossed the Baggie into the garbage can near the curb.

Surveying the treats on display in the luncheonette’s grand picture window made her feel like a kid again. Every day, on her way home from school, Tess played a guessing game to figure out which treat her mother had baked. Kentucky Sky-High Pie had been her favorite and still was to this day.

Maggie had started the patisserie when Tess was four, hoping to bring a little cultural flair to the town. By Tess’s tenth birthday, the bakery had grown into the luncheonette. Maggie’s little eatery was a favorite with the locals for a quick bite, but no matter how successful or busy Maggie was, she always found time for her only child.

A familiar cowbell sounded from above the door as heavenly aromas greeted Tess, causing immediate salivation. “One of these days that bell is going to fall off and clunk someone right on the head,” she grumbled.

“Isn’t that the truth?” A striking redhead stepped out from behind the counter. “Girl, it’s been way too long!”

“Bridgett!” Tess hugged her old friend. “You look amazing!”

Bridgett spun around in the middle of the restaurant with the grace of a runway model. She stopped when a bell dinged from behind the counter, letting her know her order was up. “Meet me at Slater’s tonight so I can catch up on your exciting life in New York and that cretin you almost married.”

Almost married.

Her ex-fiancé, Tim, hadn’t really given her much of a choice. While Tess was home selecting flower arrangements with their wedding planner, Tim was in Las Vegas eloping with his assistant. What was it about that city? It wasn’t the first time she’d been scorned by someone in Vegas, because despite the tourism commercial, not everything that happened there stayed there. At least Tim had had the courtesy to do it before the wedding and not leave her at the altar. The thought alone made her heart stop beating for a few seconds. Mortified would have been the understatement of the year.

“Hey, Bert,” Tess called to the chef through the kitchen window. He was her father’s best friend and an honorary member of their family. Tess even spent the first few years of her life thinking he was one of her uncles. “Give us a minute out here, will you.”

“Well, I’ll be!” Bert cried out. “Just arrived in town and already causing trouble by monopolizing my sole waitress today. Your mama’s at Bridle Dance if you’re looking for her.”

“Excuse me, ma’am.” A petite teenage girl squeezed past Tess and handed Bridgett the check. The word ma’am stung Tess like a hornet on a rampage. She was barely thirty-one, and even though she stood beside Bridgett, who was four years younger, she certainly wasn’t a ma’am in her book.

“Your mom and Kay are testing some new pastry recipes for Jesse’s wedding,” Bridgett said as she collected the girl’s money. “Maggie didn’t expect you until later today.”

“I caught an earlier flight.”

Tess dreaded going to the Bridle Dance Ranch. She loved the Langtrys—Kay and her four sons—but she didn’t want to run into Cole. Friends since the day they were born, they were practically raised side by side like siblings. Once they’d graduated high school, he’d visited Tess in New York and she’d met up with him on the rodeo circuit. After years of flirtation, they gave in to their feelings and took a chance on romance. That is until the Las Vegas National Finals Rodeo in December two years ago, when the half-naked buckle bunnies that followed him from town to town kept throwing themselves at him—correction, throwing their tops at him. He not only seemed to enjoy it, he appeared to have had intimate knowledge of more than one of his faithful followers.

Yes, her attraction to Cole had been undeniable, but Tess wouldn’t lower herself to compete with groupies for his affections. She’d had enough of that in school when every female within a twenty-mile range fought to be on the receiving end of his megawatt smile. A long-distance relationship was an impossible proposition anyway. New York City didn’t have much use for cowboys unless they were standing on the street corner with a guitar in their tighty whiteys, and she wouldn’t give up the lifestyle she worked so hard to achieve just to traipse through cow pastures in Texas.

“I’ll catch up with you both a little later.”

Tess plucked a handful of cookies from the pink linen-lined basket on the counter. Walking toward the door, she pulled her shoulders backward until she heard a crack between them. A nice hot bath in her parents’ antique claw-foot tub would ease the stiffness of the morning.

Settled in the front seat of her car, Tess looked at her reflection in the rearview mirror. A wild mass of auburn layers framed her face. Her one attempt at a trendy chin-length hairstyle earlier in the year was still in its growing-out phase. Pushing a few strands behind her ears and her face devoid of makeup, she braved another glance and pressed on the bags under her eyes, willing them to go away.

“Heard you were coming to town.”

“Cole Langtry!” Tess fumbled for her sunglasses, trying in vain to cover the signs of her fatigue. “You scared me half to death.”

“You sure are a sight for sore eyes.” Cole tilted back his black Stetson, resting one arm on the open window.

“Aren’t you as sweet as a slop jar?” Tess hissed.

“Don’t go getting yourself worked into a lather.” He gave her a mischievous wink. “Step on out of there and give me a proper hello.”

Before Tess could respond, Cole opened her door and took her hand in his, leading her from the sedan.

“Ford Focus, huh? I figured you more the convertible or sports car type.” He tapped on the side window. “Hey, Rickster. It’s been a long time.”

Tess released herself from his grasp. “Listen, I’m really sorry about your dad. How is your mom doing?”

“Better than she was.” Cole jammed his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “It was a shock to everyone and you knew my dad—stubborn as all get-out. At the first sign of chest pains he should have gone to the hospital, but he ignored it and thought a good night’s sleep would cure everything.”

“I should have come sooner.” Tess braved meeting his gaze.

“Yep, you should have.” Cole pursed his lips, moving away from her. “Everyone thought you’d come to the funeral, especially me. But you’re here now, so maybe we can talk about what happened in Vegas.”

“What did my mother do, tell the entire town Tim married that floozy?” Tess shook her head in disgust. She prided herself on being a private person, not the subject du jour at the Magpie.

“I meant when you ran out on me two years ago.” Cole removed his hat so she clearly saw his face. “Not how your boyfriend cheated on you.”

“Fiancé—we were engaged, and I didn’t run out on you. I’m surprised you noticed, considering your hands were pretty full.”

“Ouch!” Cole placed his hand over his heart in a mock attempt to appear wounded. “If I meant that much, you wouldn’t have hightailed it back to the big city at the first sign of a couple of rodeo honeys. Jealousy never did look good on you.”

If it were only that simple.

Cole was known for his penchant for the female persuasion, going through women like he changed underwear. If he wore any. Despite his string of trophy girls, it hadn’t stopped Tess from thinking they’d had a chance at a meaningful and monogamous relationship.

The main reason she’d flown out to Vegas that week was to tell him how much he meant to her. The signs they were moving forward were there, or so she thought. In the end, Tess realized it was more than the buckle bunnies. It was the reality that neither one of them was willing to uproot themselves for the other. His groupies merely opened her eyes a bit wider.

“Let’s agree to disagree and leave Vegas in the past.”

Cole leaned against his truck and looked at her. “What happened to you?”

“What?” Tess glanced across the street toward the Curl Up and Dye Salon. A facial and a haircut were in order before the day was through. “I’m fine, Cole.”

“I fully expected ten minutes of banter, five at the very least. Did New York suck out your soul? The Tess I knew wouldn’t give up so easily.”

“I’m sure I don’t understand what you mean.” She didn’t have to look up at him to know he was still scrutinizing her.

“Since we’re getting things out in the open, yes I heard about your ex-fiancé, and if you don’t mind me saying, you’re better off without him.”

“I do mind because it’s none of your business, or anyone else’s for that matter.”

“Come on, Tess, this is Ramblewood. Everyone’s in everybody else’s business.”

So much for reassurance that she’d survive the next few weeks with her dignity intact. Small-town gossip was something she’d learned to live without when she moved to New York. In a city that big, it was easy to become another face in the crowd. Everyone was so wrapped up in their own lives they didn’t care what was going on in yours.

“I miss New York already.” Tess slid into the ice-blue rental and started the engine. “Again, Cole, I’m really sorry. Your dad was an incredible man. I’m sure I’ll see you around.”

“I guarantee it.” Cole stood firm at the window. “But I hope, when I do, you’ll have found some of that old feistiness we love.”

Tess saw an impish glint in his bourbon-colored eyes before he stepped aside. It wouldn’t take much persuading to get caught up in them for a lifetime. Had he always looked this good?

“I, uh—I need to get going.” Shaking her head of the salacious thoughts that churned in her mind, she scrambled for an escape. “It was a long flight and I’m anxious to unwind a bit.”

“Your mom’s out at my place.” Cole slapped his hand down on the hood of the Ford. “You know you’re always welcome there and we have a few things to catch up on.”

He tipped his hat, nodded and turned to walk into the Magpie. Tess peered over the top of her Ray-Bans. No man could possibly compete with the way Cole’s jeans fit across his backside.

With the center of town and Cole behind her, Tess pulled into her parents’ gravel driveway. A wisteria-covered arbor stood at the entrance of the slate walk leading to the two-story cream-colored farmhouse. The purple blooms were breathtaking in the spring, but this time of year, the vines had a more mysterious charm, which her mother enhanced with artificial Halloween cobwebs and festive scarecrows.

Spanish moss danced in the breeze as it swung from the gnarled boughs of the majestic live oak in the front yard. Throughout the sweltering Texas summers, the tree shaded the impeccable front yard. Tess never figured out how her mother found the energy to run the luncheonette and still accomplish the countless gardening projects she did every year.

Ricky caterwauled once again.

“Okay, little guy.” She hauled the carrier out of the car along with the rest of her luggage. “Let’s get you inside.”

Tess climbed the pumpkin-lined porch stairs, reaching into her handbag for the key she’d carried since the day she left for college. She knew she should have taken it off her key ring years ago, but there was comfort in realizing she could always go home again. Stopping short of trying the lock, Tess turned the knob and the door opened.

Four dead bolts on Tess’s New York apartment door gave her a sense of security. Her parents, on the other hand, had never locked a door in their lives.

The spacious living room and kitchen combination always reminded Tess of The Waltons. The stairs to the left displayed old-fashioned milk bottles on each step. When dairies began to phase out glass bottles in favor of wax cartons and plastic jugs, Maggie had started saving every one she found.

Tess ascended the old staircase, relishing the familiar squeaks and groans of the wood. Stark white linen walls replaced the tiny pale wild-rose print wallpaper in her former bedroom. A lone oil painting of yellow roses hung on the wall opposite the door. A rough, unstained pine bed now stood where her four-poster once had. Her mother had changed the room shortly after she went to college, but Tess still missed the one place of comfort she’d always retreated to when she was younger. That room was probably the only thing that had changed in this town during the past thirteen years.

She opened the wire door of the carrier. Ricky hesitated and then strolled out, arching his back and stretching his legs one by one.

“I know how you feel, little man.” The cat looked up at Tess and let out a soft meow. He padded over, rubbed alongside her leg and purred loudly. “I hear your motor running.”

She picked up her favorite male companion and gave him a gentle squeeze before setting him on the bed. Leaning beside the window, Tess looked out across the yard, which was enclosed by a picket fence. As if it were yesterday, she remembered her father pushing her on the old tire swing that still hung from the hickory tree.

The frenzied way her mother chased her prized Silkie chickens around the coop provided comic relief for the neighbors within earshot. The coop remained, but the chickens were long gone.

Tess inhaled sharply when the image of Tim’s face interrupted her trip down memory lane. She’d come here to forget the two-timing rat of a man. Sorting through the entire secretary elopement situation wasn’t easy. Tim had his flaws like everyone else, but running off to marry Rachel was the last thing she’d expected. Hell, the woman was in the wedding party, at Tim’s insistence, of course. Why hadn’t she seen the signs sooner?

Tim’s deceit had sent Tess into a tailspin. Why had she wasted almost two years on that poor excuse of a human being? She’d cried all night on her roommate Cheryl-Leigh’s shoulder. And when she’d thought things couldn’t get any worse, she had gone to work the next day and found out the recent corporate merger had left her jobless.

Executive management told her they were “trimming the fat.” She must have been a little chubby, because she was one of the first to go. Cheryl-Leigh remained employed at the web design company where they’d both worked, and Tess harbored a little resentment toward her best friend because of it. They were supposed to be a team.

Jesse Langtry’s wedding had come at just the right time. It was the break she needed to put some distance between her and the pain. Unable to take a real vacation over the past few years, Tess welcomed the chance to come home for more than a long weekend. Although she wasn’t quite sure what to do with herself during the day, since everyone she knew in town had a job.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket. Another text message from one of her friends asking if she’d found Mr. Right at the airport. Clichéd as it sounded, she’d met Tim in an airport bar and her friends had yet to let her live it down.

Tess headed downstairs and crossed the wide-planked hardwood floor. She remembered her grandfather’s weekend visits to help lay the flooring and lend an extra hand with the renovations. She had been barely five when her parents bought the old house, but she recalled how much work it had needed when they first moved in. She loved New York, but there was something about the familiarity of home that tugged at her heart.

Her grade school photos were arranged on the table next to the couch. Riding trophies lined the top of the fireplace mantel. Trophies she had won thanks to Cole’s father, Joe, and his countless hours of lessons. And how did she thank the man? She missed his funeral.

In the kitchen, Tess ran her hand down the front of the refrigerator over the magnets she’d sent home from her travels abroad. Anyone entering the house felt the love the Daltons had for their daughter and one another. Sometimes Tess felt guilty for not visiting more often.

It was still a few hours before her father came home for lunch. Pouring herself a glass of sweet tea, Tess sat on the front porch swing. She rocked back and forth, the worn cedar boards creaking beneath her. Ricky jumped up and lay down beside her, his tail swishing, enjoying the freedom from his earlier confinement.

“I had my first kiss on this swing.” Tess scratched the cat behind his ears while he purred contently. “Cole Langtry.” She whispered his name for fear if she said it aloud he would suddenly appear.

They were in the sixth grade and inseparable. One afternoon, when they were swinging, he’d grabbed and kissed her. Tess was so angry she hauled off and punched him. It was their first and last kiss until they were adults. They were close throughout junior and senior high school and even attended prom together when Travis Gardner stood Tess up at the last minute so he could compete in a rodeo. Scheduled for the same event, Cole chose to escort Tess instead, telling her he would do anything to stop her tears. They were crowned king and queen of the prom, and even though the night was magical, he didn’t try to kiss her again and they didn’t pursue anything more than friendship until a few years ago.

Tess stared at the empty glass she held. She didn’t remember drinking a single sip of the cool liquid. She jumped off the swing, causing it to bang the porch railing and launch her cat through the air. “Whoops! At least you landed on your feet.”

She scooped the angry tabby up in one arm and stormed into the house. Why couldn’t she get that blasted man out of her head? The screen door slammed behind her. One day her father would finally fix that broken spring. She picked up the phone to call the ranch and then hesitated, placing it on the kitchen counter.

Outside, Tess unloaded the rest of her belongings from the trunk of the rental and began carrying them into the house while she debated what to do next. Take a nice hot bath or unpack? The heels of her boots dug deep into the ground.

Come on, eat your crow and get it over with. Tess knew she owed Kay Langtry a personal apology for missing her husband’s funeral. Repeated excuses via her mother only went so far and the woman deserved more respect than that. Guilt weighed heavily on Tess’s mind and the sooner she made amends, the sooner her conscience would stop haunting her.

Gravel flew as she jammed the key into the ignition and stepped on the gas. Without warning, the car jolted when the rear tire drove over something hard.

“What the—” Tess opened the door to see half of her luggage wedged under the car. Preoccupied with thoughts of the Langtrys, she’d forgotten about the rest of her bags. She grabbed the suitcase handle and yanked hard. It broke off in her hand, hurling her backward onto the ground. Tess sat in disbelief, staring at her expensive designer luggage.

“The perfect way to end a perfect week!” Losing all self-control, she started to laugh and felt the stress begin to leave her body. It was either laugh or cry, and at this very moment, laughter did truly feel like the best medicine.

“Are you all right, dear?” Her parent’s neighbor, Janie Anderson, stood at the end of the driveway, her Yorkie pulling toward Tess on a retractable leash. The giant pink polka-dotted bow on the top of the dog’s head seemed to make the situation even more humorous.

“Hey, Mrs. Anderson! Good to see you again!” Tess waved hello, then collapsed into another fit of laughter. Janie shook her head and continued with her walk. Still lying in the driveway, she propped herself up on her elbows and looked at the suitcases. “Let’s try this again.”

Tess stood, dusting off her jeans, and proceeded to struggle, kick and swear until she managed to free her suitcases and set them in the house. Then she took a deep breath and headed out to the Langtry ranch to apologize.

* * *

COLE HAD KNOWN for a few weeks that Tess was flying into town today and had been psyching himself up to meet her fiancé. When Maggie informed him the wedding was off, he’d chastised himself for the slight elation he’d felt at the news Tess was single again.

No, he’d rather drive his pickup over one of his championship belt buckles than give that woman an ounce of his heart again.

Tess had always seen him as a trusting, reliable friend, but the feelings Cole had had for her in high school grew stronger each time they visited one another after graduation. Tired of wondering what might be, two years ago Cole grabbed the bull by the horns and told Tess how he really felt. He’d been relieved to hear she had the same feelings for him, but annoyed he’d wasted so much energy on women who had meant nothing to him. The two of them made things official and started dating, but the long distance was difficult.

Although they made the relationship work with frequent trips, it grew harder to say goodbye and Cole was set to show Tess how much she meant to him by proposing. Always one to take a ride on the wild side, he knew how much she loved spontaneity and adventure. The night was meticulously arranged with his brother Shane’s assistance. A private roller-coaster ride high above the Stratosphere, followed by a four-course chef’s tasting menu at the Top of the World restaurant, would lead to a proposal as they overlooked one of the world’s most exciting cities.

For the second half of Tess’s surprise, Cole prebooked the Stratosphere wedding chapel for Valentine’s Day in hopes she’d love the idea of a destination wedding. But the chance to slip a ring on her finger never came.

When he and Tess walked out of the Thomas & Mack Center that evening after his victorious ride, he was blindsided by a couple of topless groupies. That in itself wouldn’t have been so bad, but when one of the women asked when they were going to spend another night together, Tess flew out of the parking lot before he had an opportunity to explain. The truth was he had been with each of them before, on more than one occasion but never at the same time, and he couldn’t blame Tess for assuming the worst of him. Before he was able to tell her he’d slept with them before he and Tess started dating, Tess had checked out of the hotel. He knew his ladies’ man reputation was bad, but after their past few months together, he’d thought she understood where his heart was, even though he hadn’t actually said the words.

Hopping mad, Cole took his anger out on the rodeo and overrode every event, making one careless mistake after another and destroying any chance he had of winning. He still blamed Tess for that loss, although she wouldn’t know it, considering he hadn’t heard from her again with the exception of a brief voice mail when his father died. When she didn’t show up for the funeral, he didn’t bother to return her call. Now she was in town for his brother Jesse’s wedding and there was no avoiding her, especially since both of their mothers were handling the reception.

The Bridle Dance Ranch, one of the state’s largest paint and quarter cutting horse ranches, left Cole with little time on his hands. The newly added sod farm division was still in its infancy and had probably been one of his father’s better concepts, but Cole and his brothers’ lack of knowledge in the field added to Cole’s daily stress. Refusing to give Tess a second thought, he had successfully blocked her out of his mind until his father’s death. Although he’d been surrounded by friends and family, she was the one person he wanted around, and she had kept her distance.

“I heard Tess is in town.” Jesse sat on the stool beside Cole at the Magpie counter. “How are you holding up?”

“How the hell did you hear that? I just saw her a few minutes ago myself.”

“Ferris was behind her and said she was parked in the middle of the street, looking around. Had to toot the horn to get her to move.”

“It’s been two years,” Cole growled. “Maybe she forgot what the place looked like.”

“Still a sore subject, even after seeing her, huh?” Jesse asked.

“I told her we need to talk, but who knows? I used to be able to predict how she’d react to any given situation, but not anymore. She seems different.”

“She got dumped and lost her job,” Jesse stated. “What do you expect?”

“It’s more than that.” Cole stood, placing his hat on his head. “The fire that always got her in so much trouble is gone.”

“She’ll come around.” Jesse motioned for his usual breakfast order. “Call me later so we can go over the plans for the ranch.”

Cole slapped his brother on the shoulder and headed out the door. He knew Jesse still carried guilt from not resolving the decade-and-a-half-long falling-out he’d had with their father. When the will was read, everyone was surprised to hear Jesse’s name included with his brothers as one of the ranch’s stockholders. Although Jesse in no way wanted anything to do with Bridle Dance, his father had respected him for working to create a legacy of his own training horses at the Double Trouble Ranch without any of the family’s financial resources.

Nonetheless, Bridle Dance was Jesse’s birthright and he wanted to memorialize their father, with Cole and their mother’s help, by fulfilling Joe’s dream of converting part of Bridle Dance into a hippotherapy center. Joe had visited a similar facility and had seen how a horse’s movements were used to treat people with injuries and physical disabilities. Cole was overjoyed when Jesse voted for opening their own facility and pledged his share of the profits from the rest of the ranch to the project.

Due to the size of the Langtrys’ business, Joe had the foresight to name Cole’s mother, Kay, and attorney Henry Dalton, Tess’s father, as coexecutors of the estate. Joe’s will bequeathed the house, the land and their small winery to Kay, and the business side of the ranch was to be split evenly between the four brothers. The land itself was leased back to the Bridle Dance Ranch Corporation, providing Kay with a lifetime income.

The corporate bylaws stated every major financial decision involving the ranch required a majority vote, and without a say in the business, Kay was at the mercy of her children where Dance of Hope, the hippotherapy facility, was concerned. And since each sibling held a twenty-five-percent stake in the company, the brothers were at a standoff.

Cole and Jesse were determined to honor their father and bring the nonprofit to fruition, but Shane and Chase didn’t share that vision. They went along with it when Joe was alive because they didn’t have any other choice. They wanted to build an over-the-top, world-class rodeo school instead.

Cole had to find a way to change his brothers’ minds and he’d stop at nothing to see the project through. He needed to focus his attention on the ranch, not Tess, yet somehow, she kept popping into his head. Memories of her scent, the touch of her hand in his, even her tousled hair were singeing the outer shell of his heart.

But that book was closed and he refused to reopen it.

Chapter Two

The words Bridle Dance balanced between two rearing bronze horses located on either side of the dirt road. Despite the Langtrys’ wealth, Tess loved that they’d never paved the entrance, preserving the ranch’s historic appeal. Rows of pecan trees heavy with fruit formed thick canopies above her. She hoped they’d be harvested while she was in town.

Through the fretwork of tree branches, she could see the sprawling three-story main house. If there was such a thing as a log manor, this was it. A porch produced from the same golden timbers spanned the front of the home, welcoming family and friends to relax and enjoy the sprawling landscape.

She caught a glimpse of Cole in the distance, mounted on a sleek black horse. He removed his Stetson and ran his hand through his thick brown hair before turning to eye her warily.

Gripping the steering wheel, she revved the car hard. With a wave of his hat, Cole signaled his horse into a full gallop. Tess floored the gas pedal, her tires spinning. Clouds of dirt encircled the car before it shot forward.

Machine versus beast took them back in time to when they were teenagers. Tess would try to best one of Cole’s prized quarter horses with a ranch rig. The horse always won.

History repeated, Cole reined his mount beside the front porch. Tess jerked the wheel to the left, braked hard and fishtailed to a stop on the other side.

Cole nudged his gelding to the driver’s side door. Before Tess placed one booted foot out of the vehicle, he was off his mount and blocking her path.

“Pretty impressive for a rental, but I win again.” He placed both hands on the door frame to prevent her escape, motioning with his head to the horse behind him. “But Blackjack here is the real winner. Although I’m afraid I might have to spend the next month unlearning this race toward home trick we just taught him. Remember how Captain Chaos threw riders when he charged the stables after he came off the trails?”

“Do I ever.” Tess ducked under his arms. “Your dad was furious with us for racing.”

Cole grabbed her by the waist before she had a chance to flee.

“What’s your rush?” He guided her back toward the car. “We have a lot of talking to do.”

She inhaled the scent of sweat, dirt and horse. Home. This is what home smells like. This was also what one hundred percent man felt like. At that sudden realization, she pulled away from him.

A rough, callused hand lifted her chin. “What’s the matter, sweetheart?” he challenged. “Have you forgotten what a real man is?”

Tess tried to squirm past Cole but only succeeded in wedging herself tighter between car and cowboy. The length of him pressed against her made Tess all too aware of the danger that lurked behind his mischievous grin. She’d wind up in a whole mess of trouble if she remained in this position much longer.

“Is my mother here?” Struggling to avoid his eyes, she stared instead at his chest. The corded muscles were unmistakably visible through his taut fawn-colored thermal shirt. She felt the urge to run her hands underneath it and trace each ripple with her fingers.

“In the house, but I didn’t tell her you were here. Figured you’d like to do the honors.”

He ran his hands leisurely down her sides and tightly gripped her waist.

Shock registered the moment Tess realized what he was about to do.

“Cole, please don’t.” She grabbed at his hands, trying in vain to pry them away. “Not that!”

Cole’s powerful fingers dug into her sides, tickling her. She twisted in his arms, her knees buckling.

“Okay, okay—you win!” she said in between shallow breaths. “We’ll talk, but later, all right? Let me go see my mom.”

Tess looked up at Cole. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d laughed. When had life become so serious and complicated?

The noonday sun upon his face contrasted the shadow of the previous night’s beard. Tess reached out to stroke his cheek but withdrew before making contact. She refused to fall into that trap again. She hated to admit it, but being here with him felt good, although she knew Cole probably would never forgive her for missing his dad’s funeral. The most she could hope for was to put the past to rest and start over again.

Would Kay Langtry accept her apology? Tess didn’t know where to begin without sounding selfish. The problem was her reasons were selfish. She’d wanted to avoid Cole, even though she had seriously considered flying home. She’d also wanted to avoid a major blowup with Tim. He didn’t want her going back home without him and he wouldn’t miss work to attend the funeral of someone he’d never met. Tim wasn’t interested in seeing where she came from, no matter how hard Tess tried to convince him. How could she love a man like that? The signs were there, but she’d been oblivious to them day after day.

“It’ll work itself out.” Years might have passed, but Cole could still read her emotions.

“I hate it when you do that. I was never able to put anything past you.” Tess faced her old friend. “I truly am sorry.”

Cole turned her toward the porch stairs, placing his hands on her shoulders, and gave her a push.

“It’s not me you have to apologize to.”

Tess sighed and hesitantly clambered up the porch stairs and entered the house. Rustic log walls reached up toward a bevy of skylights in the Langtrys’ great room. Hand-hewn wood beams led to a large open loft. Intricate beaded artwork from the Native American Kickapoo tribe decorated the far wall leading to the kitchen. Plush, cognac leather sofas formed a horseshoe before a monumental, floor-to-ceiling river-rock fireplace.

The house was indulgent, yet it swathed you in warmth and comfort the moment you stepped within its depths. Tess headed for the dining room, stopping when she overheard her mother and Kay’s voices.

“I’m so glad Tess is still coming to the wedding,” Kay, her mother’s best friend, said from beyond the kitchen wall. “It hurts me to think of her staying in New York by herself.”

“It hasn’t been easy for her” came Maggie’s reply. “She still has her roommate, but I think that relationship’s a little strained since Tess was laid off.”

“This vacation will do her some good,” Kay said. “Maybe she’ll move home. You can set those in the other room to cool. I’m afraid we’ve run out of counter space in here.”

Maggie placed a tray of honey-drizzled croissants on the dining table a few yards away from Tess, who flattened herself against a large sideboard, almost gouging her ribs on a deer antler lamp in the process. Her mother would tan her hide if she caught her eavesdropping. A ravenous belly grumble almost betrayed her location. Maggie turned and walked into the kitchen as Tess let out a sigh of relief.

“Shh,” Tess whispered. She placed a hand to her abdomen and tried to concentrate on the conversation, not the sweet aroma that beckoned her.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when the screen door creaked behind her. Cole stood in the doorway, the light behind him shadowing his face.

“Lose your way?” Cole placed his hat on the hat rack beside the door.

Tess crept closer to the kitchen to hear more, motioning to him to keep quiet.

“Tess, it’s so wonderful to see you!” Cole bellowed. A wide grin spread across his face when he sauntered into the room and grabbed a croissant from the table. Admiring the flaky crust, he broke off a piece and motioned for her to taste it. “These are amazing. Try this before it cools off much more.”

Tess shot him a look that would have killed most men on the spot. How dare he give her away! Even worse, he was distracting her with food. Unable to resist a moment longer, she reached for one of her own.

“Here.” Cole offered her the other half.

Tess opened her mouth and took the piece from him, almost nipping his fingers.

“Holy hot!” She danced around the dining room, Cole chortling at her pain. “You set me up, you idiot!”

“I thought you were going to take it from me.” Cole laughed. “Not bite it right out of my hand.”

Maggie and Kay emerged from the kitchen in time to see Tess fanning her face. Caught with her hand in the proverbial cookie jar, Tess fumbled for an excuse to explain her silent entrance into the house.

“Look who’s calling who an idiot.” Cole jumped up and down flailing his arms, mocking Tess.

“Colburn Joseph Langtry!” Kay threatened. “Put a cork in your pistol.”

“Oh—” Tess giggled. “You’re in trouble.”

“Tessa May Dalton,” Maggie howled. “How old are you? Two?”

“Ha-ha!” Cole shouted.

Kay snapped a towel at him, hitting his elbow with a resounding thwack. He held his arm like a wounded child while Tess did her best not to burst out laughing. Nope, life in Ramblewood hadn’t changed. At least Cole’s antics eased the tension in a potentially strained greeting.

Maggie rushed over and gave her daughter a body-engulfing hug, then held Tess at arm’s length to get a better look. Pleased, she drew her in for another clinch.

“We weren’t expecting you until tonight,” Maggie squealed. “You should have called.”

“I took the chance of waiting on standby and got an earlier flight,” Tess said. “I hate flying later in the day. It’s a waste of valuable hours.”

She turned to Cole’s mother, who was standing next to her son. “Hello, Kay. How are you?”

Maggie released her daughter as Kay enveloped Tess in a warm embrace.

“Were your ears burning?” Kay asked. “We were talking about you this very minute. My, it sure has been a long time.”

Tess knew a subtle reprimand when she heard one. “I’m so sorry for your loss and I sincerely apologize for not being here.”

“I’m sure you had your reasons, dear.” Kay was polite, but the underlying criticism was clear. “When you’re settled, I need your expertise.”

“Mom,” Cole warned. “What are you up to?”

“Go make yourself useful and check the humidistat in the wine cellar,” Kay said. “It felt too damp down there this morning.”

Cole’s booted feet stomped loudly out of the room. What was his issue? Tess wondered. Maggie wet her fingertip and tried to smooth Tess’s hair from her face.

“Eww, Mom, stop! I’m aware it looks bad.” Before the day was through, Tess needed to do something with her hair. Once her mom started in with the spit styling, she knew she was long overdue for a trim.

“It’s nice to see you and Cole made some progress with this mysterious rift between you two,” Kay said, once Cole was out of earshot.

“Rift? There’s no rift.” Tess wasn’t surprised to hear Kay didn’t know why she and Cole were no longer together. How did a son explain to his mother that his libido had ruined a relationship? “What do you need my expertise on?”

“I don’t even know where to begin when it comes to marketing a hippotherapy facility. Since you’re here, I’d like to hire you to get us headed in the right direction and really showcase Dance of Hope.”

“But I thought that was on hold. Mom told me Shane and Chase are blocking the project from going further.”

“Eh!” Kay dismissed the thought. “They’ll come to their senses soon enough. I don’t want to waste any more time.”

“I’m not sure I can help.” Working so close to Cole would completely negate the peace and relaxation she’d anticipated for this trip. “I’ll be here for a few short weeks, and then I’m heading home.”

“Tess, outside.” Annoyance registered on Maggie’s face.

“Uh, okay, I—”

“Tessa May!”

Use of her full name twice in one day meant her mom was serious even though Tess wasn’t sure what she’d done wrong.

“Kay is offering you a paying job and you’re second-guessing her?” Maggie chastised her daughter on the porch. “After the crap you pulled this summer, you owe this to her.”

“What?” Tess didn’t believe her ears. “I have other things going on, Mom.”

“And what are they, Miss Big Shot? You don’t even have a job.”

Tess spun around, “Yes, and thanks for bringing that to all of Ramblewood’s attention. I also hear everyone knows Tim ditched me.”

“Oh, dear.” Maggie furrowed her brow. “I told people the truth. What’s the big deal?”

“Mom, it’s none of their business.” Tess wouldn’t allow her mother to twist the situation. Truth or not, no one needed the details of what was going on in her life. “Second, I can get a job in New York in a heartbeat. What’s the harm in my taking a little break to regroup?”

Maggie reached for her daughter’s hand and held it in her own. Tess noticed the deep laugh lines in her mother’s face, but there was no laughter there now. She watched her mother anxiously push a strand of chestnut hair out of her eyes as she attempted a smile, looking thinner than she had in recent memory.

“Kay is putting aside whatever this...this thing is between you and Cole and offering you an olive branch for not making it to Joe’s funeral. The least you can do is take it. You’ve put a major strain on your father and my relationship with the Langtrys and you need to set things right.”

If anyone knew how to shame Tess into doing something, it was Maggie. Tess couldn’t blame her mother for being upset when Tess hadn’t exactly been the greatest friend to the family that had treated her like one of their own all her life.

* * *

“YOU DID WHAT?” Cole was blown away by his mother’s revelation after Tess and Maggie left. “How could you hire Tess without consulting with me?”

“Now you know how it feels.” Shane stormed through the kitchen door. “You’re such a pro at doing things yourself, I guess you came by it honestly.”

“Shane, don’t—”

“Don’t what, Cole?” Shane shrugged. “Stand up for my share in Bridle Dance?”

“Stand up all you want but don’t talk about Mom like that.” Cole sat at the table next to Kay. “Why did you bring Tess into this?”

“We need her.” Kay folded her hands around Cole’s. “Look at the corporate websites she’s created. She’s good at what she does and she knows this family. No one can put the personal touches on our marketing campaign like she can.”

“Chase and I won’t agree to this.” Shane strode across the room. “You’re setting yourself up for a big disappointment and then everyone will blame me. Why are you doing this, Mom?”

“Because I’m hoping, by the grace of God, you boys will honor your father’s wishes. This was his dream.”

“A waste of a dream if you ask me.” Shane removed a white porcelain mug off the shagbark hickory cup holder he’d made in Cub Scouts. “Of course, no one gives a hoot what I think.”

“Knock it off, Shane,” Cole said. “Mom’s been through enough and she doesn’t need any more.”

Shane slammed the mug on the counter with such force, Cole was amazed it didn’t shatter.

“We’ve all been through a lot!” Shane was dangerously close to the table. Cole rose to confront him, a breath separating the two men. “I find it laughable that you and our hypocritical, wayward brother, who never cared one iota about this place, are trying to take control. It’s throwing good money after bad and I’ll block you at every turn. I’ve already informed Henry about your continued plans, and as coexecutor of the estate, he’ll make sure the corporate bylaws are enforced.”

“You called Tess’s father?” Kay pushed her way between her sons. “There was no reason to put him in the middle of this, Shane. This is a family dispute and I don’t appreciate you involving him.”

“He has every right to be involved, Mom. Dad made both of you coexecutors so Henry could handle the business side of Bridle Dance and you wouldn’t have to. All I’m doing is keeping him in the loop so he can legally watch out for the ranch’s best interest.” Shane’s expression turned smug. “This is what happens when you continue to move forward with these plans without a majority vote.”

“I really wish the two of you would keep the Daltons away from here.” Cole threw his arms up in defeat.

“Listen, I have no idea what’s been going on with you and Tess, but the Daltons are always welcome in this house,” Kay said. “And whether either of you approves of my hiring Tess, you’ll just have to deal with it, because she’ll be working here with me. You boys may own the ranch, but I own this house and the land, and you’d be wise not to forget it. The Lord’s not the only one who can giveth and taketh away around here.”

Cole shook his head. “Mom, I don’t mean to imply they aren’t welcome. But I don’t think they need to be involved in this—this battle.”

Kay left the room, dismissing her sons with a wave of her hand.

Shane snickered. “Under normal circumstances, I’d pity you for having to tolerate being in the same town as Tess after that stunt in Vegas. But, considering you, Mom and Jesse are trying to force my hand with the ranch, I’m okay with Mom forcing yours with Tess. Payback’s a bitch.”

Cole had had more than enough of the constant bickering over the ranch’s future. It had started the day they elected officers based solely on age and Cole, being the eldest, assumed the role of president. Trying to convince Shane it was nothing more than a title was next to impossible and the power struggle began from that moment forward.

Neither Shane nor Chase appreciated the fact that when Cole retired from the rodeo to take the reins of the expansive ranch, he’d allowed them the extra time to remain active on the circuit.

Cole did have to agree with Shane, however, about their mother hiring Tess without consulting them, even if Tess was the best person for the job. Hopefully she would work remotely, because her close proximity might push him over the edge in more than one way. Just knowing she was back in town was occupying more of his thoughts than he’d believed possible. The woman might be a blessing to his mother, but she was a curse to him.

Chapter Three

The following morning Cole parked his truck in front of the Daltons’ house, debating whether to go inside. Why was he so nervous? He felt like a teenager on his first date. An unannounced visit first thing in the morning might not sit well with them, especially since his mom and Shane had thrust Tess and Henry on opposite ends of the Langtry spectrum. That could easily pit father against daughter if Henry blocked Kay from continuing with the hippotherapy facility and pushed Tess out of another job.

What am I doing? Cole didn’t care if Tess was employed or not and he certainly wasn’t about to let Shane or Chase kill this project. He simply didn’t want outsiders involved in their personal dispute.

Cole laughed to himself. This had gone way past a dispute. It had become an all-out family feud and now the Daltons were smack-dab in the middle of it.

Henry Dalton was the Langtry family’s attorney, although Joe had kept a bevy of legal representatives for a myriad of reasons. The most recent addition was Cole’s old classmate, Jonathan Reese.

Jon had become an unfortunate victim of Joe’s machinations when he inadvertently came between Cole’s brother Jesse and their father before they had a chance to make peace. Good ol’ dad was well-intentioned when he set Jon in motion to block Jesse from buying Double Trouble after the owners died. His plan was meant to force Jesse home to Bridle Dance.

Joe didn’t count on his son taking off in the other direction and accepting a cutting horse trainer position in Abilene. Fortunately, that plan changed when he fell in love with Miranda, Double Trouble’s new owner. And even though Jesse was only a few miles away, Joe wanted his boys home, on family land. But that was their father—a man who stopped at nothing to keep his family together. Ironically, his death had now torn the family in half.

Cole hated the situation his brothers had forced him into, but at the time he’d figured if they wanted to play, he’d toss his Stetson in the ring. He’d immediately retained Jon as his attorney. Since he moved back to town, Jon was a worthy adversary for Henry Dalton, thanks to his involvement in Joe’s constant scheming to keep Jesse on Langtry land and the resulting intimate knowledge he’d gained of Joe’s future plans for the ranch. Through the Daltons’ leaded-glass door, Cole saw Tess and her father eating breakfast at the kitchen table. Maggie’s car wasn’t in the driveway, which he assumed meant she was already at the luncheonette. After a slight hesitation, he rapped on the mahogany frame, not wanting to presumptuously walk in.

“Cole.” Henry wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Since when do you knock around here? Come on in, sit and have something to eat. Tess rustled up a mess of food.”

“Morning, Henry,” Cole said. “I didn’t want to barge in not knowing where things stood with us, especially since my brother has you fighting his battles against me.”

“Nonsense, business is business and this is breakfast. No shoptalk here.”

“You heard my dad,” Tess said. “Sit.”

Tess laid an extra place setting before him and filled a mug with fresh coffee. Her hair was slightly shorter and more tamed than it was yesterday. The length suited her, even though he was used to the long waves she’d had since grade school. The auburn locks graced the nape of her neck, leaving the delicate skin exposed above the edge of her heather-gray sweater.

Shift focus, Cole. She’s the enemy. The enemy in matters of the heart, that is. Even though he hated the thought of his mother hiring Tess, she might prove to be one of his strongest allies. She was a webmistress genius and a master at convincing people to see things her way through her designs. He needed her on his side, no matter how much of his own peace of mind he had to sacrifice.

“Thank you.” Cole helped himself to a spoonful of scrambled eggs, pancakes and some odd-looking baconlike strips. “Everything looks great.”

“It’s low-sodium turkey bacon.” Henry leaned over and whispered to Cole, “Maggie has me on a restricted diet since—well, since the summer.”

“It’s all right, Henry.” Cole understood his meaning. “Since my father died my mom blames herself every day, wondering if her cooking contributed to his heart attack.”

Tess stood beside the table, listening intently while Ricky walked between her ankles in a figure-eight pattern. “I’m sorry, Cole.”

“Stop apologizing.” Cole placed his hand over hers, immediately wishing he hadn’t when he felt the silkiness of her skin. “We’ve asked ourselves the same question. Jesse blames himself for the stress he caused Dad over the years. I wonder if I’d been around more, maybe he would’ve had less of a workload. Then I tell myself Dad had enough money to hire more help if things became too much for him to handle. It’s speculation and we’ll never know. We just have to move on from it.”

Guilt was a hard pill to swallow. Cole talked until he was blue in the face, trying to reassure everyone in his family that his father’s death wasn’t their fault. He wasn’t so sure he believed it himself. Many things should have been handled differently, but regardless of how he felt, he was damn certain he’d finish what his father started. He owed the man that much.

“What brings you by?” Henry asked, breaking the heavy silence.

“I’m afraid you’ll consider it shoptalk.” Cole nervously laughed and leaned down to rub Ricky between the ears.

“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 fiancé 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.

“It allows the rider to feel the muscular movements of the horse better so they can engage the right muscles. The two separate handles are easier to grip and don’t interfere with her sense of balance.”

“Why does she call you CC?” Tess asked.

“It’s short for Cowboy Cole. She’s called me that from the moment my dad brought us here last year.”

Tess watched the girl ride closer to the fence rail. Her pink top matched the tint of her cheeks. An assistant led the horse, and her therapist and another staff member flanked both sides. Cole waved his hat in the air when she passed, cheering her on. Looking around, Tess tried to find the girl’s mother. A parent testimonial would be a great addition to the website.

“I don’t see her mom. Did she leave?”

“Ever’s in foster care,” Cole said. “Has been since the day she was born.”

“She’s an orphan?” Tess’s voice was louder than she had intended.

“Some people can’t cope with raising a special-needs child,” Cole said. “Ever was abandoned as part of the Texas Safe Haven Law. Since it’s anonymous, her parents’ identity will remain a mystery.”

“What?” Tess shook her head, unable to fathom the thought of deserting a child. How could anyone hand their child over to a stranger and not care what happened to it? “They gave her away because she has cerebral palsy?”

“Most likely, and it’s not as uncommon as you might think.”

If she was lucky enough to be blessed with a child, and that child was born with a disability, Tess was certain she wouldn’t be able to give it away. How could you live with yourself afterward?

“People are sick.” Tess spit out the words.

“Don’t be too judgmental,” Cole said. “We don’t know the circumstances. Maybe it was a selfish socialite that didn’t want the stigma of a special-needs child, but it also might have been an abused single mother, without any means to care for a child. She may have felt someone else would give her a better life. We’ll never know the truth and, unfortunately, it’s something Ever will always question.”

“So she’s a ward of the state?” Tess asked.

“Pretty much, although my family is her benefactor.”

“Her benefactor?” Tess tried to process the fact that this tiny girl in front of her was treated like an object instead of a human being.

“This past spring, Ever needed new leg braces. She had outgrown her old ones and I’m sure she’ll outgrow these soon. Without new braces she can’t walk, but since she’s in foster care, sometimes there’s red tape involved in getting what she needs.”

“I don’t understand. You said she can’t walk without them.”

“She can’t,” Cole explained. “They not only support her, they stretch her overflexed muscles, allowing her more mobility. Without them, she’s confined to a wheelchair.”

“How can anyone deny her something she needs?” Tess grew more flustered by the moment. “What kind of quality of life does she have without them?”

“Calm down, Tess.” Cole motioned for her to move farther away from the pen so Ever wouldn’t hear their conversation when she came around. “She’d have gotten them eventually, but there was no telling if it would take a week or a month. My father wanted to take control of the situation and speed the process up, so he stepped in and became her benefactor.”

“Why didn’t your parents adopt her?”

“Because they’re over the age limit. Honestly, I thought of it myself, but a single male can send up some warning flags. Ever is one of thousands of children with disabilities available for adoption. Those big blue eyes are the sole reason my father wanted to build the hippotherapy facility.”

“So children like her can be provided for.” Tess narrowed her gaze. “I’m going to bust your brothers right in the nose.”

“Whoa.” Cole laughed. “Easy there, slugger.”

“Have Chase and Shane been out here?” Tess waved when Ever rode by on her horse. “You’re doing great!”

“That’s my rodeo princess!” Cole strode back to the fence. “Yes, and they have no problem being her benefactor, but they feel there are enough hippotherapy centers in the state and don’t want to build another one.”

“But you said there isn’t one for a hundred miles.” The realization of the situation suddenly hit Tess. “It comes down to money, doesn’t it?”

“There isn’t another PATH International facility around for a hundred miles and yes, their decision’s money propelled. You earn more with a rodeo school than you do with a nonprofit. They only see the bottom line, not who it benefits.”

“We have to change their minds, Cole.”

“That’s exactly what I was hoping you’d say.”

Chapter Four

Tess didn’t hear her mother leave the house, but she’d bet Maggie was up and out shortly after Tess called it a night. The sun peeked over the horizon, gently waking the songbirds from their slumber. After a few hours of sleep, she enjoyed the brief walk into town, even in the briskness of the fall air, strolling past a few cemetery-filled front lawns all ready for Halloween. No matter the time of day, or spooky decorations, Ramblewood felt safe and secure. A foreign concept in her five-story New York City walk-up.

Light spilled onto Main Street through the luncheonette’s picture window, casting shadows of magpies on the sidewalk. Outside, Tess watched her mother and Bridgett bustle through their morning routines. The casual gestures her mother made toward Bridgett made Tess yearn for the same closeness. A stranger would assume Bridgett was Maggie’s daughter by their ease and camaraderie.

“Tess, this is a surprise.” Maggie hefted a tray of pies onto her shoulder, carrying them to the display case near the front window. “You got in so late, I figured you’d sleep through to afternoon. Did you and Cole have a good time yesterday?”

“Cole, huh?” Bridgett peered through the kitchen opening. “Do tell! Especially since you never showed at Slater’s.”

“I don’t want to hear any dirty details,” Bert said. “You leave those parts out, you hear?”

“Put your tongues back in your mouths.” Tess fixed herself a cup of coffee. “I was out at the ranch working with Kay on some marketing ideas and Cole wasn’t even around. One of the mares was foaling and he was in the barn. I hate to break it to you, but there was nothing salacious going on.”

Bridgett’s shoulders visibly slumped. “And here I thought I could live vicariously through you.”

“Not when it comes to Cole Langtry, you won’t,” Tess said. Unless you counted the impromptu kiss in the gas station parking lot.

Tess considered herself the good Girl Scout and was prepared for most things in life. But for some reason, Cole’s kisses managed to take her off guard. It was one thing when they were kids, but as an adult, he shouldn’t have this much of an effect on her. If she closed her eyes she could still feel the heat of his body inside the truck’s cab. “Oh, this is ridiculous!”

“You look like a snake bit you on the toe.” Bridgett whispered through the kitchen pass-through, “What are you hiding?”

“Nothing you need to concern yourself with.” Bert’s head popped out. “Stop gossiping and finish slicing those lemons or else we won’t be ready in time to open.”

Bridgett mouthed, Tell me later, to Tess before she returned to work.

“Mom, I met the most amazing—”

“One second, dear.” Maggie pushed through the swinging door of the kitchen, returning immediately with another tray. She motioned around the room with her free arm. “Can you straighten out those chairs, please? We’ll have a full house in a few.”

Tess aligned the vinyl-covered stainless steel chairs while her mother ducked behind the counter for a rag and made one more pass over the Formica surface for good measure.

“Bridgett, add tomato bisque to the Specials Board. I’m going to start a batch in a minute.” Maggie didn’t bother to look up. “I’m sorry, Tess, what was it you were saying?”

“It can wait.”

For some reason she felt a conversation that involved Ever deserved more of her mother’s attention. Tess had hoped to make the best of this trip, visit with family, catch up with a few friends, attend the wedding and head home to New York. Already her plans were shifting since Kay had asked her to help market Dance of Hope.

Despite what happened with Cole a few years ago, he didn’t seem to hold much of a grudge, although she wouldn’t blame him if he never spoke to her again after being a no-show at his father’s funeral.

Why did he have to kiss me and confuse the issue?

“I should have come home for the funeral,” Tess said, louder than she anticipated.

“Yes, you should have.” Maggie stopped long enough to lay a hand over her daughter’s. “But what’s done is done. You can’t go back.”

“No, I can’t.” The words had more than one meaning, but luckily her mother didn’t catch on. Tess wasn’t ready to admit she was contemplating a move back home for fear everyone, especially her parents, would think she’d failed in the big city.

Tess was tired of running through the million what-ifs that had plagued her since her tidy little world came crashing down. What if she’d taken on more accounts at work, even though her workload was almost unbearable? What if she’d been more of a team player, although she always worked well with Cheryl-Leigh? So why was her roommate still there and Tess out of a job?

Cheryl-Leigh knew Tess was vying for a promotion and even supported her bid by offering to help in any way she could. While Tess was grateful for her friend’s support, she couldn’t help but wonder if her help was Tess’s downfall. There was no question about Tess’s ability to get the job done, but from an outsider’s perspective, Cheryl-Leigh was the one always lending a helping hand, which made it look like Tess was unable to manage on her own. Was it intentional on Cheryl-Leigh’s part or was she reading too much into it?

“Mom, where are all the napkin dispensers?” Tess looked around the luncheonette.

“I completely forgot I polished them last night. They’re behind the counter at the end. Don’t get them all smudgy with your fingerprints, though.”

“Am I supposed to wear gloves?” Tess teased, causing Bridgett to snicker.

“Here.” Maggie thrust a pair of disposable latex gloves at Tess as she walked past.

“I guess so.” Pulling them on, Tess began to set out a dispenser on each table.

Seeing her reflection in the side of the shiny chrome, Tess considered herself reasonably attractive. Which left her once again questioning what went wrong with Tim? If she’d gone on that last business trip with him he wouldn’t have returned married, although the logical side of her brain reasoned that since he did, he must have been having an affair for a while.

Tess glanced around. She’d missed the unpretentious and homey surroundings of the luncheonette. Trophies and photographs from Maggie’s Silkie Chicken competition days sat on a shelf above the kitchen pass-through window. It was a quirky little eatery, and her mother took pride in every square foot of it.

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