Jackson Hole Valentine

by Cindy Kirk

  Though he wanted to tell her that they both knew she was the one who couldn’t be trusted, he kept his mouth shut. He remembered all too well how hard it had been for him as a child to listen to his mom bicker with her new husband.

  There was a child in the house. This meant any animosity between him and Meg had to be put to bed. At the very least while Meg was living under his roof and probably until he could sever her custody ties with Charlie.

  It wasn’t fair for the boy to be put in the middle of adult business. Besides, what happened between Meg and him had been a lifetime ago. While it was doubtful he’d ever trust her again, they were two adults. For Charlie’s sake they should be able to put the past behind them. Which meant no sniping at each other.

  “Uncle Cole.” Once again at his side, Charlie tugged on his sweater. “Aren’t you going to take Aunt Meg’s hand? She’s had it out there a long time.”

  “Worried I’ll let you fall?” she softly taunted, a smile on her lips.

  “Not in the least.” Cole closed his fingers around Meg’s, disturbed by the intensity of emotions the touch aroused.

  He met her gaze. Despite his earlier gibe, he wasn’t worried she’d let him fall. From what he’d seen, she was too much of a professional to let personal feelings influence her job performance.

  In less than a minute Cole was settled on the floor, strapped into the machine, feeling it work its magic.

  Meg, with some enthusiastic help from Charlie, had propped him up with pillows against the back of the sofa.

  “Now what?” Charlie asked.

  Cole opened his mouth to suggest they watch the basketball game on television, but stopped himself just in time. This was his son’s first night with him. He couldn’t believe he’d considered television even for a moment.

  “Can we watch TV?” Charlie asked, plopping down on the floor beside him.

  Cole swallowed a chuckle at Meg’s look of shock.

  “I thought tonight might be a good chance for the three of us to get better acquainted,” she said diplomatically.

  “What did you have in mind?” Cole tried to keep the suspicion from his voice. While he’d never been a holding-hands-around-the-campfire kind of guy, he wanted to keep an open mind.

  Charlie’s brows pulled together. “I don’t know what akwadented means.”

  “It means,” Meg said, settling into a nearby chair, “that we get to know each other better by asking and answering the same questions about each other.”

  “I dunno,” Charlie said, his expression uncertain.

  Cole glanced longingly at the fifty-two-inch television. The basketball game was looking better by the second.

  “For example,” Meg said, apparently not dissuaded by their lack of enthusiasm, “my favorite color is green. What’s yours?”

  Charlie shrugged.

  The look on Meg’s face fell. Cole knew he could squash this game with a few well-chosen words. But that would be mean. Plus he’d vowed to keep an open mind. He forced some excitement into his voice. “Mine is blue.”

  “That’s my favorite color, too,” Charlie said.

  “See, isn’t this fun?” Meg asked. The smile remained on her lips but he heard the strain in her voice, saw it on her face.

  Charlie looked at Cole.

  “It’s a lot of fun,” Cole said.

  “It’s fun,” the little boy echoed.

  Cole grinned. That was his boy.

  Meg sighed.

  “Let’s stick with the basics for a little bit,” Meg said, then proceeded over the next thirty minutes to ferret out their favorite food, their favorite pet—they all liked dogs best—even their favorite thing to do in the evening.

  When Charlie said sitting on his daddy’s lap while listening to him read The Poky Little Puppy was his “most favoritist thing in all the world,” Cole’s throat clogged up.

  “You had a nice daddy,” Meg said. “I had a nice daddy, too.”

  Unexpectedly she shifted her gaze to Cole. “How about you?”

  “He was great.”

  “Looks like we were all blessed with wonderful fathers,” Meg said softly.

  “Did your daddy read you The Poky Little Puppy?” Charlie asked Cole.

  “I don’t remember.” Okay, it wasn’t a truthful answer but if he said no, Charlie would surely ask why. There was no way Cole wanted to get into his father’s reading difficulties.

  “I think it’s time to unhook Uncle Cole from the machine.” Meg slanted a glance in Charlie’s direction. “Want to help, deputy?”

  The boy’s somber expression immediately brightened. He pumped a fist in the air.

  Cole braced himself when Charlie jumped to his feet. But he’d taken only a few steps when Meg reached out and laid a restraining hand on the boy’s arm.

  “It’s important to be gentle.” Her tone was soft but firm. “Understand?”

  Charlie nodded. “I can, I can be gentle.”

  Cole released the breath he’d been holding as Meg patiently showed the boy how to release the straps.

  “I do it,” the boy said loudly after Meg’s demonstration.

  “Show me,” Meg said.

  With his tongue between his teeth, Charlie carefully unhooked the straps one by one while Cole murmured encouragement.

  Once he was finished, Charlie threw his hands up like a wrestler who’d just pinned an opponent. “Yes.”

  Meg clapped him on the back. “Fabulous job, deputy.”

  “I did good, didn’t I, Uncle Cole?” Charlie’s voice quivered.

  Meg had made it clear she thought the boy had done a good job, yet it was Cole’s approval Charlie sought.

  “You did indeed.” Cole reached up and ruffled the child’s hair, pride flowing through his veins like an awakened river.

  Still, when it came time for the brace to go back on his knee, Cole wasn’t sorry that it was Meg’s competent hands that helped him put it on and held out a steadying hand as he rose to his feet.

  “That was fun, Aunt Meg.” Charlie leaned in close. “Can I help again?”

  “Absolutely,” she said.

  Cole glanced at Charlie’s beaming face. He thought of all he’d learned tonight about his son. And all that Charlie had learned about him. That never would have happened if they’d been watching a basketball game.

  “Thank you,” he said to Meg when Charlie ran to the bathroom.

  “For helping you up?”

  “No,” he said. “For making the evening…nice.”

  A look of shock flickered in her eyes before she shrugged. “It was important to me that he had a good first night here.”

  “Well, I appreciate it,” he said, surprised by the admiration flowing through his veins. Cole didn’t want to have these feelings for her, didn’t want to feel the bar between them lower by even the slightest inch.

  But he told himself there was no need to worry. He’d let down his guard once before with her and had gotten burned. He wouldn’t be making that mistake again.

  Chapter Six

  The ringing of her cell phone woke Meg from a sound sleep. She fumbled with the bedcovers, reaching blindly for the phone charging on the bedside stand.

  “Margaret.”

  “Zac?” Meg jerked upright, instantly wide-awake at hearing her brother’s voice. “What time is it?”

  “Two.”

  “Two o’clock in the morning?” She squeaked, tightening her fingers around the phone. “Is something wrong?”

  “Nothing is wrong.” He chuckled. “Can’t a guy call his sister to see how she’s doing without it being some problem?”

  But not in the middle of the night.

  The words never made it to Meg’s lips. Zac called so rarely that she’d gladly take his calls no matter what the time of the day or night. She smiled into the phone. “It’s good to hear your voice, bro.”

  “I heard that you’re back in Jackson, playing house with some guy. True? Or false?”

  Sheesh. She’d ju
st moved in today. “Did Trav tell you that?”

  “I haven’t spoken with him,” Zac said in a tone that gave nothing away. “Is it true? Are you shacking up?”

  “You tell me your secrets and I’ll tell you mine.” Meg wasn’t sure why she was toying with him. She certainly didn’t want him thinking she and Cole meant anything to each other.

  “What do you want to know?” he asked, sounding amused.

  “Where you are would be a good place to start.”

  “Wichita.”

  “Kansas?” Meg couldn’t hide her surprise. Her youngest brother had always been more of a big-city guy.

  “I met a girl,” he said.

  A girl. With his dark hair and gray eyes, Zac attracted women in droves. “Is it serious?”

  “More complicated than serious.”

  “Will you be staying in Wichita?”

  “I can work anywhere,” he said, not really answering her question. Meg had never been sure what her brother did for a living, other than it involved welding.

  “Enough about me.” His tone made it clear he’d tolerate no more questions. “Let’s talk about you.”

  “What do you want to know?”

  “I hear you’ve got a kid now.”

  “Your sources are correct.” With one hand, Meg propped some pillows behind her and settled back against the fluffy softness. “You remember my friend Joy? Well, she and her husband were killed on that same stretch of road where Mom and Dad died. Their wish was that Cole Lassiter and I would share joint custody of their son, Charlie. He’s six.”

  “Since you three are together, I take it you agreed.”

  “He’s a child, Zac.” Meg found herself softening her tone, just thinking of the boy. “He needs me.”

  “Raising a kid is a big commitment,” he said in a subdued tone. “A lot of people would walk away.”

  “Who, Zac? Who would do that? Not me. Certainly not you.”

  Growing up, her youngest brother—now twenty-six years old—may have been hell on wheels, but he had a good heart.

  “I suppose you’re right.”

  Meg heard something in the background. A cat crying? Or was it a baby? “What’s that noise?”

  “Look, I gotta go. I’ll be in touch.”

  Before Meg could say another word, he’d hung up.

  Meg stared at the phone for several seconds then put the phone back on the charger.

  First Cole saying thank-you. Now her baby brother calling out of the blue.

  She snuggled back against the pillow, eager to see what tomorrow would bring. Because everyone knew that good things came in threes…

  Cole opened his eyes to sunlight streaming in through the windows and the smell of bacon in the air. Instead of immediately getting up and investigating, he took a few minutes to do some of the exercises he’d been given back in Austin.

  Hearing the excitement in Charlie’s voice when he’d talked about them skiing and fishing made Cole eager to get back to full speed sooner rather than later. Though the exercises weren’t pleasant, he knew he was making progress. That meant someday soon he’d be able to take care of his son all by himself.

  His son.

  The kit for checking his and Charlie’s DNA should arrive in the mail any day. If the tests showed that he was the child’s biological father, obtaining sole custody would be that much easier. But even if the tests showed it wasn’t his blood flowing through the little boy’s veins, Cole would love him just as much and be proud to call him son.

  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 dinn
erware 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.