Sapphires And Sagebrush (Country Brides & Cowboy Boots)

by Danni Lee Nicholls

  Spencer was pulling some feed out for the horses and didn’t see her arrive, giving Cressa the opportunity to watch him work in the overhead light. Even with his heavy coat and hat, the strength of his lean body and the ease with which he went about chores brought a smile to Cressa.

  When he looked up and saw her, the delight that came into his eyes was undeniable.

  Walking toward him, she widened her smile. “I wanted to check in with you before you leave,” she said. “How are things going?”

  Spencer threw one of the horses some alfalfa before facing her. “Well, the hall bath is about finished. Then, I’ll start on the master. That will be a bigger project.”

  Cressa’s thoughts reluctantly left Spencer and moved toward her parents. “That actually brings up my concern. My mother isn’t doing very well.”

  Spencer finished feeding the second and final horse before coming to stand in front of her. “Yeah. I can see what you mean.”

  Cressa longed to reach out and take his fingers in hers. She yearned to run her thumb along the scar she had stitched before pulling him close to feel the comfort of his strong arms enfolding her in the midst of all the decisions she faced. But she stayed rooted to her spot.

  “Would you like us to stop after we finish the hall bath? You’ll have a functioning bathroom with a wider entry and mobility options.”

  “But we still don’t have a proper shower, and they really need it.”

  “I agree.”

  “Maybe we should’ve started on the master bath first. But I wanted to give them time to get used to the work, since I felt both bathrooms needed to be refinished. Perhaps that was a mistake.” She took a step closer, her hands in front of her. “I hate to ask this, but could you maybe stay an extra hour or two every night to speed things up?”

  “I can do that,” he murmured as he stepped closer. “Why do you hate to ask?”

  Cressa’s breath stilled and her heart began to beat strong, like some untamed creature she was trying to leash. “I-I’m not very good at asking for help, but I like having you here.” She took a deep breath, fortifying herself. She needed to be close to him, needed to feel his arms around her. She’d stood so long on her own two feet that she was bone weary and somewhat lost, and resisting Spencer made her feel further adrift. She desperately longed for a safe haven that accepted her and the mess that came along with her, and Spencer offered her refuge.

  Even after knowing Owen for several years, Cressa wasn’t sure how he would respond to her lackluster life, which included aging parents, an absent sister, and a bunch of hungry cows, while Spencer showed up and stayed beyond the work that was required of him. How had Spencer put it when he and Kimber met her parents? He didn’t run, and the comfort of his presence offered her everything she’d been denying herself. “I like knowing you’re in my home. I’ve missed you these last few days.” Her voice came out as soft as the whisper of snow.

  Silence hung between them, and Cressa’s heart dashed itself wildly against her ribs. Had she said too much? Was she feeling too much?

  The touch of Spencer’s hand enveloping her cold fingers sent her pulse into her throat. She closed her eyes, and held her breath, afraid this moment would disappear into the cold, thin air of the evening, but it only deepened as Spencer cupped her cheek with his free hand. Opening her eyes, she looked up into his face as she leaned into his warm palm.

  Moving closer, she touched his jaw, his five-o’clock shadow sending shivers down her spine as she ran her thumb over his cheek and into his soft dark hair. Every sensation of skin and hair released her defenses, and they tumbled at Spencer’s feet.

  “What about your doctor in Salt Lake?” Spencer asked, his voice soft and low as he bent down to kiss her.

  “I don’t have a doctor in Salt Lake,” Cressa whispered as she reached up and placed her lips on Spencer’s. The sweet lushness of his mouth weakened her knees as he pulled her close and deepened his kiss. They fit together perfectly.

  His arms encircled her, and Cressa tightened her embrace, moving into Spencer’s body as she entwined her fingers into the soft hair at the back of his skull.

  He pulled away. “Are you sure about this?” he asked.

  Cressa found the question odd, but she brushed it aside. She’d never been so sure of anything before. “I’d bring you home to meet my parents, but that part is already taken care of,” she laughed as Spencer’s arms surrounded her in a snug embrace. Finally, she could breathe as her burden lifted.

  Cressa leaned against the soft denim of Spencer’s jacket. Even through the extra layers, his heart beat strong and steady. Its rhythm invited her to relax into the warmth they were just beginning to share.

  “I have Kimber, you know,” Spencer said.

  With her head on his chest, Cressa heard Spencer’s soft, clear voice come from the deepest part of his soul.

  “I know,” she whispered. She pulled away from him. “I think that means we’ll need to take things slow.”

  “Yeah. Slow.” Spencer bent down to kiss her again.

  Cressa eagerly accepted his mouth on hers. Warm passion touched every cell within her body as she responded to the luxurious tenderness of his lips.

  In spite of the chill and the need to see to her parents, Cressa didn’t want to leave Spencer’s protective and snug embrace. His arms offered her a cocoon of safety where she could share her burden with someone who understood and was willing to take a portion of that load.

  Reluctantly, she stepped away from him. “I wish …”

  Spencer nodded. “I know. You need to get inside and get dinner started.”

  “Yeah. Have you finished in here?”

  “Just fed the last horse.”

  “Well, then, why don’t you let me feed you?” She smiled up at him.

  “Oh, I think I’ve already had the first course,” Spencer replied.

  Reaching her arm around his waist, Cressa leaned against him as they began walking toward the house together. “Well, the second course isn’t near as fancy,” Cressa laughed.

  Walking into the house, Cressa was greeted with the warmth and coziness she’d witnessed while sitting in car.

  “There you are,” her mother said. Then her eyes went past Cressa and found Spencer. “Are you that young man who bangs around here all day?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Spencer said. “I’m really sorry. Why don’t I show you what I’ve been doing?”

  “Well, all right,” Janean replied as she got up from the couch. She placed her arm through the crook of Spencer’s elbow, and the two made their way down the hall while Cressa pulled out the flour to make biscuits.

  Several minutes later, she had homemade soup from the slow cooker and warm biscuits on the table. Spencer returned with her mother.

  “He showed me his plans for the master bathroom,” Janean said. “It’ll be nice once it’s all finished.”

  “I’ll try to get it done as soon as I can,” Spencer replied as he grinned at Cressa. “Because it looks as if I’ll be sticking around even when this project is done.”

  Cressa caught her mother’s eyes as they darted from Spencer to Cressa, but her mother said nothing, leaving her a little deflated.

  “I’m glad to hear it,” Cressa’s father replied. “Agnes and I could use all the company we can get.”

  Cressa smiled at her father’s declaration. It helped soothe the rough spot brought on by her mother’s silence, wrapping her in a blanket of warm comfort. Spencer belonged here. His companionship offered support and the gift of a restorative balm that soothed her. But more importantly, his presence and affection somehow made her feel complete. Like sunlight finding the crevice in the rock of a cave, a beam of happiness shed light into the darker shadows of her soul. For the first time in years, real feeling had a toehold in the dim and murky recesses of Cressa’s heart, chasing away the numbing anesthetic that had ruled her for so long.

  Sixteen

  Spencer quickly showered and dressed after
working around the house. It was Lyla’s weekend with Kimber, giving him unfettered time with Cressa and the opportunity to figure out how to introduce his new relationship with Cressa to his daughter.

  Even though his planned time with Cressa was going to be simple, he had spent several hours thinking about the date. They would stop at the Jumpin’ Bean to grab some coffee and biscotti before heading to the east side of Sunrise Lake park. Now that winter was leaving the land for good, spring moved in with greening hills and the cold, clear lake water that mirrored the glorious sky. He looked forward to spending time outdoors with Cressa.

  Driving to her house, Spencer’s anticipation rose with his pulse. Since their first kiss in the barn four nights ago, Spencer had spent every evening with her and her parents. They didn’t do much. Most nights they watched TV or played a board game. But he loved the togetherness of family, even if Cressa sometimes appeared distant or aloof.

  When her mother couldn’t remember something, or her behavior was a little erratic, Cressa blanked out for a minute before making a decision about how to handle it. Most of the time, she let her mother’s loss of memory slide, like the time her mother placed the dirty napkins in the dishwasher, fitting them nicely in between the prongs.

  During those family moments, Chris’s expression would change, and within minutes, he looked as if he’d aged years while Cressa seemed to get lost in a vast emptiness. She didn’t comfort or even look at her father, who would seek to connect with his daughter. Instead, Cressa focused on dealing with the problem, which usually required some task. On that particular night, she simply removed the napkins and hurried them to the laundry room once her mother settled to watch television.

  Her reaction surprised Spencer. After all, she was a doctor who understood both the physical and the emotional toll of dementia, but so far, she’d refused to tackle her emotions. She skirted around the edges of her feelings, like a dancer who went through the motions but never let the music move through her.

  His observations only created a deeper personal interest for Cressa. He admired her desire and ability to take care of her parents and wanted to offer support. He worked hard at finishing the remodel in order to alleviate the stress caused by his saws and hammers.

  The late afternoon was setting up beautifully as it stretched into evening. The winter sun was losing its harshness, turning into the golden hues of an early April spring as it filtered through the pines, creating soft shadows over greening meadows.

  Arriving at Cressa’s home, he killed the engine as a text came across his phone. It was from Lyla, informing him that he was invited to his nephew’s birthday party in two weeks. Sam was Lindsey’s and Jordan’s child, and he was turning five.

  Spencer appreciated the invitation. It would allow him to spend time with Kimber on Lyla’s weekend. Plus, he’d get to enjoy her cousins. He wouldn’t enjoy seeing Lindsey particularly, but it would be worth the extra few hours with Kimber. He sent a brief return text accepting the invitation and thanking Lyla for thinking of him before pushing the phone in his pocket and setting aside thoughts of his ex-wife.

  Gripping the steering wheel, he sat back against the seat as his nerves ran like fire under his skin. He didn’t remember this level of anxiety when he and Lyla had begun dating, but then he didn’t question his ability to be a good husband or a good man back then.

  He shook that thought away. He did not want to bring the memory of Lyla on this date.

  Walking to the front door, he knocked and was greeted by Cressa. She was dressed in jeans and a plaid blue-and-gray flannel shirt thrown over baby-blue Henley T. A gray scarf rounded out her look. Her glossy brown hair danced around her shoulders in loose curls, and when she smiled up at him, her green eyes brightened. She was beautiful with the low-slung sun warming her skin and highlighting the golden strands within her dark hair.

  Spencer’s mind froze, and the image before him etched every detail in his heart. No matter what happened, he would always remember this moment.

  “You look … amazing!” Spencer offered.

  “Thanks!” Her smile enhanced her beauty. “Do you want to come in for a minute and say hello to the folks?”

  Spencer’s desires didn’t include Cressa’s parents. He wanted to pull this woman close and let the warmth of her body seep into him while he pressed his mouth to hers and felt the silky strands of her hair threaded through his fingers.

  Instead, he nodded and smiled. “Sure.” He stepped inside and followed Cressa to the family room. The faint smell of dust hung in the air. Spencer never noticed the aroma of construction when he was working, but now he sniffed at it. There was a fine covering of construction grime on every piece of furniture. He would suggest professional cleaners once his work was finished.

  “Hey!” Chris hailed Spencer with a raised hand and a smile. “I hear you’re taking our girl out this afternoon.”

  “Just for a couple of hours, if that’s all right with you,” Spencer said.

  “Oh my, yes,” Janean responded. “Cressa doesn’t get out near as often as she should. Don’t worry about us. We’ll be just fine. We’ve got the remote.” She held it high and laughed. “Have a great time!”

  Cressa’s parents waved off the couple, and with Spencer’s hand in the small of Cressa’s back, he guided her toward the door and his truck.

  “I’ll take care of the cows when we get back, if that’s all right,” he said as he helped Cressa into the passenger side of the truck.

  “Of course,” Cressa replied.

  Spencer shut her door before hurrying to the driver’s side and climbing inside the cab.

  As silence fell between them, a new shyness overcame Spencer, filling the air in the truck with an awkward tension. He chided himself. He’d been going into the Marshall home for four weeks without a hint of awkwardness. Now, everything was different and his old insecurities crept up from the pit of his stomach.

  What if he was deficient somehow? If he couldn’t satisfy Lyla, a woman who’d married him and professed to love him, how could he ever make anyone else happy? What made him think Cressa would ever have a serious interest in him? Perhaps it was just the fact that single men in Sunrise Creek were pretty thin on the ground.

  His thoughts screamed in his head, but he did his best to appear unperturbed as they drove to the Jumpin’ Bean. At the window of the coffee shack, Ruby’s infectious smile helped ease the tension for Spencer.

  “How are you two?” Ruby asked. She looked genuinely happy to see them.

  Spencer relaxed. “We’re good! Heading to the lake for a late afternoon sunset.”

  Ruby looked up at the sky. “It’s shaping up to be a beauty tonight. I’m glad you caught me. I was about to close. What can I get you?”

  Spencer ordered a latte, and Cressa asked for a hot chocolate. Once Ruby delivered their drinks, they waved goodbye, heading toward the park.

  “This cocoa is amazing!” Cressa stated. She handed her cup to Spencer. “You’ve got to try this.”

  Spencer took a sip. The warm, smooth chocolate slid down his throat. “You’re right. I’m ordering that next time.” He handed his latte to Cressa. “Have a sip. It’s good, but that chocolate is out of this world.”

  Cressa took a sip of Spencer’s drink. “You’re right. The latte is good, but the chocolate is addicting.”

  Spencer parked the truck and took in the colors of the sky reflected in the frigid, clear water. The cold spring evening made the new blush of grass and budding leaves pop with hope and expectation.

  He had brought Kimber here a few times to enjoy the snow and look for animal tracks. Animal footprints, she called them. But here, with Cressa, the stillness settled in as a soft spring breath lovingly caressed the water.

  “Do you want to go for a walk?” he asked.

  Cressa agreed. “Yes. It’s beautiful, and I’d love to get outside.”

  Leaving the cab, they came to stand on the edge of the lake, the water gently lapping at tender green
shores. The rhythmic sound of water settled Spencer’s insecurities, and he reached for Cressa’s hand. A sweet rush of happiness blew through him like the fragile evening breeze when Cressa curled her fingers against his.

  “What brought you to Sunrise Creek?” Cressa asked.

  “Kimber,” Spencer replied as he took a sip of his latte. “Lyla—that’s my ex—was raised here, and within ten minutes of everything being settled with the courts, she packed her bags and left Las Vegas to move home. I knew I’d never see Kimber if I didn’t move too, so here I am.”

  “Did you have to give up a lot to make this move?”

  “Yeah. I owned a construction company. The money was good, and I loved the work. But it didn’t mean anything without my daughter.”

  “And what about Lyla?” Cressa gently probed.

  “We get along well, and we make great co-parents, but …” His voice trailed off.

  “But what?”

  Spencer hadn’t planned on talking about his past family life. So much of it was buried underneath the hurt of Lyla’s indiscretions and cheating that he rarely examined it. Now, standing on the shores of Sunrise Lake, the shame of what happened burned all the way to his belly.

  “What happened?” Cressa asked softly

  Tears sprang to his eyes, stinging and hot, surprising Spencer. He began to shake, and he steadied his latte by using both hands to hold his cup. “She cheated on me multiple times.” His voice broke as he hurriedly wiped away the tears, horrified at the rise of emotion that chose this moment to surface. “I’m so sorry.” Shame slapped at him again. “I can’t believe I’m so emotional about this. It happened years ago.”

  “No,” Cressa said. “Don’t be sorry. Of course you have deep feelings around such a terrible betrayal.”

  The desire to spill all of his insecurities ran through Spencer’s chest, but they stuck in his throat. This was their first date, and it should be fun and lighthearted. Confusion and humiliation coursed through him. He was right to harbor doubts about his ability to be with a woman. He couldn’t even walk down the shores of a lake without ruining everything by crying! What man cries on a first date?