Tularosa Moon

by Stacey Coverstone

  The wrangler’s gaze snapped to Cole. His mouth opened as if to return a retort, but he obviously thought better of it and closed it with a sigh. “Yes, sir. See you tomorrow.”

  “See you tomorrow,” Cole repeated, slapping him on the back and shoving him toward the front door.

  “Good night, Mrs. Roberts,” Dalton said, punching his hat onto his head and touching the brim with his finger. “Miss Grainger.”

  “Good night,” both women answered in unison.

  “Hold the door for me, Dalton,” Luz called, swinging her purse over her shoulder and flicking off the kitchen light. “See you in the morning, ladies, Cole,” she said as she slipped past Dalton. Dalton flashed Cole an aggravated look before closing the door behind him.

  Cole smiled and stepped over to his mother and Lindy. “Son, could I see you in my office for a minute before you go?” Ella asked.

  “Sure.”

  “It’s been a long day,” Lindy said, trying but failing to suppress a yawn. “I think I’ll call it a night if you don’t need me for anything else.”

  Ella touched her arm. “I’m sure you’re exhausted. Sleep well. The sun will rise early in the morning.”

  “Thank you, Ella. Good night. Good night, Cole,” she added as an afterthought, and without smiling.

  “Miss Grainger,” he said, tipping his head. She started up the staircase, and he followed his mom to her office. Before he stepped through the door, he glanced back to glimpse Lindy’s bare ankle before she disappeared up the stairs.

  When their conversation was over, Cole kissed Ella on the cheek and waited until she reached the top of the stairs before flipping off the main lights. He switched the outside porch light on and locked the door. As he strolled to his pickup, he turned and glanced up at the second floor of the house. His mom’s light was on, but there was no light shining from the room that had been his growing up and was now Lindy’s.

  Was she already in bed, asleep? Probably, after the day she’d had. For a moment, he let his mind drift, imagining what she might wear to bed. Was she a nightgown or a sleep-shirt girl? Rachel had liked to wear his T-shirt in the morning after staying over. Jordan had never given him the chance to find out what kind of girl she was. Maybe Lindy slept in the nude.

  A soft groan tore from his chest. It wasn’t a good idea to think about her that way, especially since he hadn’t been with a woman in six months. She didn’t even seem to like him much. With long, purposeful strides, he marched to his truck, hoping to stomp out thoughts of her.

  “Damn. I meant to tell Mom about Jordan’s idea for hosting weddings here and my plan to build an arch in the garden.” While it was fresh in his mind, and knowing he’d have no time to spare tomorrow, he decided to take a quick look at the garden in order to determine the best spot for the arch and assess how large it should be. The moon was full, so he’d have plenty of light in which to draw a quick sketch and do some measurements. He grabbed a pad and pencil off the seat of his cab, and a measuring tape out of the glove compartment, and headed for the back of the house.

  His footsteps halted as soon as he turned the corner. There sitting on one of the benches in front of the fountain was Lindy. And she was looking into the sky. His gaze lifted to the milky moon, and it struck him. Shining in the sky like a beacon was a Tularosa moon. His heart began to thunder inside his chest.

  She must have sensed him, because her head turned, and her lips parted when their gazes fused. The moonlight cast a shimmering, ethereal glow on her face. If he didn’t know better, he would have thought an angel had fallen from heaven.

  Seven

  “I’m too wound up to sleep,” Lindy said as Cole moved closer. “I hope it’s all right for me to be out here.” The moonlight cast shadows on his face, hiding his true expression, but when he spoke, his tone was respectful and gentle.

  “Of course it is. But I just locked the front door. Did Mom give you the key?”

  “Yes. I promise to be quiet when I go inside.”

  Cole stepped in front of her and asked if she’d mind some company.

  How could she say no? This garden belonged to him as much as to his mother and their future guests. She nodded. He lowered his weight onto the bench and she heard him inhale deeply through his nose.

  “It’s a full moon,” he stated, glancing up.

  “Beautiful,” she replied. “You know, I think it shines brighter here in New Mexico than any other place I’ve lived or visited.”

  “Is that so? Where all have you lived?”

  She knew he was staring at her, but she refused to make eye contact. If she wasn’t careful Cole would coax information out of her she didn’t wish anyone to know. “Here and there,” she answered.

  Closing her eyes, she listened to the buzzing of the night insects and the bubbling of the water flowing from the top of the fountain. The sensation of peace washing over her was profound.

  Was this all a dream? Right now at this moment, it seemed she had no worries, no concerns whatsoever, except for the man sitting beside her and the feelings he stirred in her. With the hint of a breeze came the combined scent of cologne and male essence wafting into her nostrils. She breathed him in and felt light-headed.

  Cole shifted his weight and cleared his throat. A tingle moved across her shoulders, and she opened her eyes. His closeness unnerved her. For the past three years, she’d allowed no intimacy into her life. No women friends and especially no romances with men.

  Because of the need to become as near to invisible as possible, she’d learned to make herself unapproachable, but it hadn’t been easy. Before the nightmare began, she’d been a friendly, caring person, with a satisfying occupation and dreams of love, marriage and a family like anyone else. But for the last few years, many she met considered her stuck up. She’d endured being called every name in the book, from bitch to lesbian, by men who felt she was rejecting them when she turned down dates. But shielding herself in stone had been a necessary evil in order to protect her secret and remain safe.

  Only one other time since she’d been on the run had she allowed herself to become close to someone. It was early on, and the man had ended up in the hospital with a concussion and a broken arm and leg after being hit by a car. No one had been charged with the crime, but Lindy knew who’d been behind the accident.

  One call to Griffin and she’d left town without saying goodbye and filled with regret.

  She felt Cole watching her again, and her heart picked up its pace. She’d gotten used to living alone. It was the loneliness that was finally starting to get to her. But she’d sworn back then that she’d never put another innocent person in harm’s way—and that included this handsome man, Cole.

  “I could refer you to someone who can fix your bumper and replace that broken taillight,” he said, snatching her from her thoughts. “You don’t want to get a ticket for your light not working.”

  “Thanks, but I can’t afford to fix the bumper at this time. I’ll take care of the taillight.”

  “Okay. Let me know if you change your mind.”

  “I will.” She glanced at the tape measure in his hand. “Doing some late-night work?”

  He looked at the tape measure and notebook in his lap as if he’d forgotten they were there. “Oh, yeah. I came back here to take some measurements and sketch a drawing of an arch I’ve decided to build. One of my friends suggested Mom host weddings here in this garden. I thought a canopy or an arch would be a nice touch. What do you think?”

  Lindy could picture a couple standing in this beautiful garden making promises to love each other through thick and thin. “It’s a wonderful idea.”

  “Canopy or arch?” he asked.

  There was no hesitation on her part. “An arch. It would make for a more intimate and romantic setting under which to say vows.”

  He grinned. “Are you a romantic?”

  “I used to be. What about you?”

  “Most definitely. I’m a flowers and candy kind of guy.
I like to spoil the woman I’m with.”

  Ella had mentioned Cole had recently lost his girlfriend. She wondered if he was thinking about her now as he peered up at the moon.

  “Have you been married?” he asked, bringing his gaze back to her. “Or close to it?”

  Lindy lowered her gaze and stared at her hands. This was not territory she wanted to get into. “No, to both questions,” she answered calmly. She thought to ask him the same question to switch the subject off her, but what was the point? The rule was, don’t ask and don’t tell. She smiled and stood up, knowing the less time she spent in his presence, the better. With his movie star looks, confident swagger, and easygoing smile, Cole meant danger, in more ways than one. She feigned a yawn.

  “I suppose I should try to get some sleep, although I expect it’s going to be impossible. I’m excited about my first full day tomorrow. Did Ella tell you I’m giving her a massage? She wants to know what her guests will be experiencing.”

  His surprised look answered her question. “No, she didn’t. That lucky duck.” He stood and rolled his shoulders. “I’ve been working like a slave for months now. I could use a massage myself.” His eyebrow arched.

  If he expected her to offer her services, he’d have a long wait, because she wasn’t going to. Touching his body and feeling his rigid muscles beneath her fingers would send her to a place she couldn’t afford to go. But more importantly, she didn’t care for his choice of words. It caused the hair on her neck to bristle.

  “Why did you use that term, working like a slave?” she asked, unable to stop from impaling him with a sharp tone.

  His broad shoulders shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s just a saying.”

  “Well, that saying offends me. In my opinion, it borders on racism.”

  “Racism?” His blue eyes opened wide and his jaw dropped. Obviously, he was taken aback, and she immediately wondered if she’d made a mistake in judging him so hastily. “I’m not a bigot,” he stated, “and I take issue in being called one.”

  “I didn’t call you one,” she clarified, suddenly feeling naked under the scrutiny of his piercing gaze. “But talking about working like a slave does make you sound prejudiced.”

  “Prejudiced? What the hell?” Looking both dismayed and perplexed, he shook his head and began to walk away. “I didn’t mean anything by it, but I sure don’t have to try to convince you one way or the other. It’s time for me to go.”

  Perhaps she had made an error. Deep inside, she knew Cole wasn’t a racist and that he’d made the offhanded remark without thought. With an apology lodged in her throat, Lindy watched him stride out of the garden without so much as a backward glance. She squeezed her eyes shut, hissing against the need for tears. Her super-sensitivity to anything remotely related to racial bigotry and intolerance had grown to unrealistic proportions since the night of the murders. It was an issue that continued to require self-restraint and censorship on her part.

  “Cole, wait!” she called, running across the lawn and to the gravel where his truck was parked. The driver’s door was open and his boot was hiked on the running board. Her hand shot out and landed on his arm.

  “Cole, please accept my apology for going off like that. I had no right to bark at you that way, or to accuse you of anything. We don’t even know each other. I feel foolish and ashamed.”

  For a moment, she didn’t know if he was going to forgive her or not. She felt her face burning with mortification as his gaze raked her up and down. Then, in a heart-stopping moment, he leaned forward, palmed her cheek and kissed her softly. The touch of his lips was dizzying and electrifying.

  When they parted, she felt faint. It’d been so long since she’d been kissed. “Why’d you do that?” she asked quietly.

  “Because you’re right. We don’t know each other. You judged me just now. But what you don’t know is that I’ve been judging you since the moment we met in town this afternoon. I’d be a hypocrite if I didn’t admit it.”

  She angled her head, puzzled, but refreshed by his honesty.

  “I figure we’re even now,” he said.

  Lindy smiled. “That doesn’t answer my question. Why did you kiss me?”

  He stepped into the cab of his truck and she moved aside so he could close the door. Then he jammed the key into the ignition and started the engine. The headlights made two spotlight beams on the front lawn. Their gazes met and he finally responded.

  “I thought it was something we should get out of the way. You know, sexual tension and all that.” He moved the gearshift into reverse and winked. “Now we have. Sleep tight, Lindy.” Then he backed up and drove away.

  She stood in a daze watching the pickup until it traveled around a bend and the taillights disappeared. She didn’t understand his reasoning, but that seemed secondary as she stood under the pale of the moon savoring the taste of his lingering kiss.

  When an owl hooted from somewhere in the not-so-far-off distance, she jumped and made a mad dash to the front stoop. The porch lamp afforded light enough to unlock the door. Once inside, she gently closed it behind her so as not to wake Ella. She flipped the deadbolt to lock them in and quickly made her way up the stairs in the dark.

  After washing off her makeup, brushing her teeth, and changing into an oversized sleep shirt, Lindy crawled between cool sheets and sighed when her head sunk into the feather pillow.

  Her head turned to gaze at the full moon that seemed to be dangling by a thread outside the window. With a finger tracing her lips, Cole’s face flashed before her, and she replayed in her mind the touch of his hand on her cheek, and the warmth of his sweet kiss.

  Just as fast, she slammed her mind shut like a trap door and blocked him out. She wasn’t a teenager and this wasn’t summer camp. Even a fling was impossible. Both of their lives depended on her remembering that.

  ****

  The next morning, Cole was on the cabin roof finishing nailing down the metal while Tony and Bobby were inside putting up drywall. He’d wanted to get an early start this morning, so he’d picked up coffee and donuts in town for his breakfast instead of eating at the house. There was a lot more work to do before this cabin would be ready for guests, and Mom had him under the gun. Last night she’d asked if he thought she could start taking reservations for the cabin for three weeks from now. That timeline seemed reasonable as long as nothing went wrong.

  Once he was done with this cabin, he’d finally be able to start on the jobs he’d put on the back burner for other clients. That meant spending less time here at the ranch—which was a good thing. His thoughts drifted back to last night and the kiss he’d shared with Lindy.

  What on earth had gotten into him? Why had he kissed her? A perfect stranger? Those questions had kept him tossing and turning in bed all night. Waking up knowing the kiss had been a big mistake, he was determined to apologize to her today and promise nothing like that would ever happen again.

  He wasn’t ready for another relationship. Besides, Lindy seemed too uptight and reserved. And flying off the handle the way she had meant drama. His lifestyle had no room for drama. The type of woman he’d always been attracted to was outgoing and friendly, and fun. Lindy was definitely sexy and beautiful, but he wondered if she even knew the definition of fun.

  There was something tight-lipped about her that didn’t set right with him. But whatever her problem was, it wasn’t his business—as long as she didn’t take advantage of his mother. Unquestionably, he’d keep his eye on her for the next three weeks. But that didn’t mean he had to enjoy it.

  A cheerful voice sang out from below, drawing him from his musings. Cole glanced over the edge of the roof to see Lindy talking to Bobby and Tony. Speak of the devil, he thought.

  “Look who’s here, boss,” Tony called out, smiling broadly.

  Lindy’s gaze flew up to meet Cole’s. “Good morning.”

  “Mornin’.” He wiped perspiration from his face with the back of his hand. He noticed a bucket of cleaning supplies
at her feet. She lifted her hand to shade her eyes from the bright sun that was already hot at eight o’clock.

  “Ella asked me to bring you the names of the guests coming in tomorrow.” She waved a paper in the air. “There will be a husband and wife in cabin 1A, a father and son in 1B, two ladies in 2A, one woman in 2B, and a family of four in the little red schoolhouse.”

  Cole nodded, wondering why his mom had sent Lindy out with that list. It didn’t matter to Cole what the guests’ names were or which cabins they were staying in. “You can leave the paper with Tony,” he called down. “On second thought, why don’t you give the list to Dalton? He’s going to need it. We don’t.”

  “Dalton gets a list, too,” Lindy said pleasantly. Acting like nothing had happened between them, she handed the paper to Tony, and Cole heard her say, “Have a good day. I’m off to make sure these cabins are spotless inside.”

  “Have a good day,” Bobby and Tony echoed.

  Cole noted she didn’t wish him a good day, but just picked up the bucket of supplies and strolled to cabin 1. Looking cute in denim capris, a white tank top and sneakers, he had to remind himself that she was trouble. He jerked his head away from her and to his men below.

  Noticing they were gawking after her, he hollered, “Get back to work!” and shifted his weight from his sore knees to his backside for a moment. “The last thing I need is a woman in my life,” he mumbled, fighting to forget how sweet her lips had tasted.

  He rolled onto his knees again and set a nail. Just as he lifted the hammer, Lindy’s face flashed into his mind, distracting him, and he banged his thumb. “Dammit!” Within seconds, the thumb began to throb and his fingernail started turning blue.

  “You okay, boss?” Bobby shouted from below.

  “Yeah,” Cole grumbled, sucking on his thumb. His gaze narrowed at the cabin two doors down. “That woman is trouble with a capital T.”

  Eight

  After the cabins and the schoolhouse had been prepped, towels and drinks stocked, and the porches swept, Lindy walked to the field to visit the donkeys before heading back to headquarters. She and Ella had agreed to meet at eleven o’clock for her massage.