“I think so, too. Jack’s grandparents started with just that center section, and then the two wings were added later. My favorite part is the porch that runs the length of the whole thing.”
“Mine, too. The rockers remind me of porches in the South.”
“People sit on porches out here, too.”
“Obviously.” Drake’s gaze took in the rest of the buildings, which included the original barn, the tractor barn, the bunkhouse and several corrals. “Quite an operation. Probably worth millions.”
“It is, but they have no plans to sell, and the overhead has to be huge. Josie says that Jack works hard to make sure the place stays in the black.”
“I can believe it.” Drake looked at Tracy. “But fascinatin’ as all that is, we have a date with the sun.” Stepping on the gas, he turned left and followed another dirt road that wound westward through ranch land and brought them closer to the mountains.
He took this road more slowly. “Keep an eye out for the rock.”
“I will.”
“It’ll be on the right. It’s supposed to be the size of a parking spot.”
“So I’ve heard. Let’s put down the windows now that dust won’t come billowing in.”
“Sure. Sorry about the wild ride. Just wanted to get here in time.” He lowered the front windows and cool morning air wafted in, along with the occasional chirp of a bird.
Tracy drew in a deep breath. The scent of dew-soaked grass and a whiff of evergreens across a meadow calmed her. “Ah. Nice.”
“I know you love it here.”
“Of course I do. Who wouldn’t?” But something in the way he’d said it told her it was more than an idle comment. “To be fair, I haven’t been out of the state, so I don’t know what other places are like. Oh, I did take one short trip to Idaho with some friends from high school, but that barely counts since it’s just across the border.”
“If you had to live in just one place, this isn’t a bad choice.”
“Probably not. Wait, slow down! It’s right up ahead! I saw something sparkle in your headlights. Everybody says it sparkles in the light. The quartz in the granite makes it do that.”
He slowed the SUV to a crawl. “Okay, I see it. Josie said I could park beside it. The ground’s packed down from all the folks who’ve parked there.”
“Can you pull in so your headlights shine on it? I want to see the sparkling effect again. This is cool. Now I wish I hadn’t been so shy about asking to come out here.”
Drake maneuvered the SUV until the headlights were focused directly on the slab of gray rock with veins of white quartz running through it. “How’s that?”
“Perfect. It’s as if teenaged girls were out here playing with glitter.”
“I’ll leave the lights on. We won’t be here that long.”
“Okay.” Tracy reached for her door handle.
“Hang on. I’ll come get you. And I’m leavin’ this.” He took off his hat and laid it on the dash.
She sat patiently and waited for him to come around. He really was cute about that. Even though she was a fully liberated woman, she enjoyed his gestures because he’d never implied that she couldn’t do those things for herself. He just liked making her feel special.
He thoroughly succeeded at that. As he helped her out of the SUV, she felt like a princess being escorted to the ball. Hand in hand, they walked up to the rock, which jutted out of the earth about two feet.
Tracy surveyed the granite. “So we just climb up on it?”
“Josie said it’s supposed to work better if you take off your shoes.”
“Then let’s do it. It would be silly to come all the way out here and not do it right.” She let go of Drake’s hand, sat on the rock and pulled off her sneakers. She hadn’t bothered with socks.
He followed suit and took off his boots and socks. “I’ll go up first.” Bracing his palm on the rock, he vaulted up.
“Nice job.”
“I was on the gymnastics team in high school.”
“There are so many things I don’t know about you.”
He held out his hand. “But you know the important things.”
She thought about that as she placed her hand in his and he pulled her up. He was right. She knew enough to love the man he was and the man he would become. Once he began devoting his time to equine rescue, he would blossom as his innate kindness was allowed to flourish. She wished that she could read the poems he would write then.
He led her over to the center of the rock. “So, what do you think?”
She paid attention to the feel of the rock under her feet. “It’s warmer than I thought it would be.” Glancing down, she smiled. “I feel as if I’m standing on the Milky Way.”
“And I feel as if...I’m standing...with the woman I’m supposed to be with...forever.”
She looked into his eyes and tried to tell herself that he was confused, but he didn’t look confused. There was no teasing in those green depths. The self-mockery was gone, too. In its place gleamed the clear certainty of a man who knew what he wanted. And he wanted her.
A burst of energy radiated from the spot where his hand clasped hers. It flowed through her body in a tingling river of sensation. She almost expected to begin sparkling like the rock at her feet.
“I love you.” His voice was as steady as his gaze. “No matter what happens between us, no matter whether you choose to be with me or not, that isn’t going to change.”
Warmth filled her, then, and with that warmth came precious knowledge. He loved her. He loved her.
He stared at her, and then he sucked in a breath. “You believe me.”
“Yes.” She couldn’t stop smiling.
“You believe me!” He scooped her up and twirled them around. “Thank God. Oh, thank God.” Setting her down again, he held her face with both hands. “Tracy Gibbons, will you marry me?”
“Yes.”
“We can live anywhere you want. You love this place, and I want you to be happy, so I—”
“Don’t be silly.” She wrapped her arms around his waist. “We’re moving to Virginia, and we’re starting an equine-rescue facility, and I’m going to get my psychology degree, and we are going to have a fabulous life.”
“Wow. But I’ll give you plenty of time to rethink that when you’re not standing on a magic rock.”
“It’s not the rock. It’s you. I told you that you are magic. Drake, I don’t care where we live! That wasn’t my problem at all! I was just afraid you had deluded yourself that you loved me because I was the person who helped you figure out some things. In psychology they call that transference, and I—”
“Good grief.” He smiled and shook his head. “I had no idea that’s what you thought. I’ve heard of transference. I took an introductory psych class as a freshman.”
“It’s a legitimate concern!”
His gaze warmed. “It is if you love someone so much that you want to keep them from makin’ a big mistake, even if you’ll suffer the consequences.”
She basked in the love glowing in his expression. “That would be me,” she said softly, “loving you that much.”
“I know.” And he kissed her.
It was an easy, gentle kiss, but he packed plenty of love into it. Then he added just enough sizzle to remind her of the heat they shared.
With a soft groan, he lifted his mouth from hers. “I wish we didn’t have to leave.”
“But we do. The critters.”
“One more and we’ll go.” He started to kiss her again, but then he stopped abruptly. “Oh, Tracy. Open your eyes.”
She did and was surprised at how well she could see him. Then she realized why. “The sun’s coming up.”
“It surely is. Let’s watch it.”
�
�Absolutely, after you drove like a maniac to get here in time.”
“A maniac? Is that any way to talk to the love of your life?”
“It was kind of exciting. You were being all manly and intense.”
“That’s better. Manly and intense, huh?”
“Yes, but don’t let it go to your head.”
“That’s exactly where it’s going, sweetheart. I may need to buy me a bigger hat.”
She was happy to discover that the silly side of him hadn’t disappeared. Feeling her world click into place, she nestled against his side as a rim of gold slid over the horizon. “It’s a new day.”
“It’s the best day of my life.”
“Mine, too.” Then she smiled to herself. So far.
Epilogue
JEANNETTE TRENTON PACED the living room of Drake’s small cabin, across from the boundary of the Last Chance Ranch. Regan, her ex-fiancé, had wanted to honeymoon at the ranch, but she’d convinced him they should fly to Paris. Instead, they’d had no wedding and no honeymoon because she’d cheated with Regan’s best friend. Her parents’ nonrefundable deposits on the expensive venue, gourmet food and top-notch entertainment had gone down the drain.
Seven months later her folks were still angry, although they claimed to have gotten past it. Jeannette couldn’t tell which they’d hated more, being embarrassed in front of their high-society friends or losing all that money. She’d also shocked them to their toes. Their perfect daughter, who’d never given them a moment’s worry, had made a public and very humiliating mistake.
Jeannette regretted causing them pain, which couldn’t be helped now. She had offered to pay back the money, but they’d refused to take it, as if they didn’t want to give her a chance to redeem herself. Apparently she wouldn’t be forgiven for a long, long time.
She had a little more hope that Regan might forgive her, though. Four days ago she’d flown to Jackson Hole at Drake’s invitation, and wow, it had felt great to see him and find out they hadn’t ruined their friendship, after all. The first hour or so had been pretty damned awkward, but then Drake had cracked a joke and just like that, the tension had evaporated.
In a few minutes she’d face her second big challenge, seeing Regan for the first time since he’d moved out of their condo seven months ago. He and Drake were coming over for what Drake had insisted on calling a reunion. She’d love to believe it could be that, but oh, God, was she a nervous wreck.
It helped that Drake and Regan had each found someone. Drake had moved into Tracy’s apartment above Spirits and Spurs, leaving this little cabin available for her. The location was good, if remote and a tiny bit scary. She wasn’t used to hearing wolves howl at night or raccoons rattling the garbage cans.
Tracy and Lily weren’t coming along for this initial encounter, and Jeannette thought that was just as well. No telling how the meeting would go.
Still, Regan and Drake had patched up their friendship, and she’d almost achieved normalcy with Drake. She had her moments of embarrassment and regret, and she’d bet he did, too, but mostly they’d returned to the easy banter they used to enjoy.
That left Regan, the injured party. Seven months ago he hadn’t given her the chance to apologize, or even to talk about what had happened. He’d left Virginia as if his tail had caught fire. She couldn’t blame him.
But Drake said Regan was no longer bitter or angry, and she hoped to hell that was true. She was about to find out. She heard Drake’s SUV pulling up, and she took a deep breath.
The sound of their laughter as they joked with each other outside made her smile. She used to love listening to them kid around. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed that until now.
One of them rapped on the door, and she hurried over to open it. For one awful moment, they all stood and stared at each other. Then Regan stepped forward and gathered her into his arms. “It’s good to see you.” His voice was gruff with emotion as he gave her a tight hug.
“Same here.” Relief brought tears to her eyes, but she blinked them away. Crying would make them all uncomfortable. As she and Regan moved apart, she took a quick survey of her ex and smiled. “You look good. Happy.”
“I am.”
She could see the joy shining in his eyes. “I’m so glad, Regan. So glad for you.”
“Yeah, yeah, we’re all glad,” Drake said. “Life’s a bowl of cherries, but let’s don’t be standin’ in the door and lettin’ in flies.” He shooed them both inside. “We need to pop the top on some beers and get this party started.”
She laughed. “I found some Cheetos at the Shoshone General Store.” Back in college that had been their favorite snack food.
“Perfect.” Regan grinned at her. “Can’t beat Cheetos and beer.”
And good friends. But she didn’t say that. Back in the day, they never would have indulged in sentimentality. She wasn’t about to screw up their reunion with embarrassing sappiness. Yet this was her chance to apologize, and she wasn’t going to chicken out on that. “Regan, please let me say that I am so—”
“I know you are.” His gaze was filled with warmth and understanding. “Me, too. I wasn’t the right guy for you.”
Her smile trembled. “I don’t know if there is one.”
“Sure there is. Just keep looking.”
“And we’ll help scout him out for you.” Drake passed around the beer as Jeannette dumped Cheetos into a bowl. “In the meantime, here’s to the Awesome Three from U of V.”
Bottles clinked and they took hefty swallows of their beer, and then spread out in the tiny living room, like old times. They talked about movies and politics, about what books were worth reading and what TV shows should be canceled for their sheer stupidity.
Jeannette soaked up the atmosphere of good cheer and knew that yes, everything would be okay. Their friendship would survive. As for her love life, she didn’t much care about that right now. She had her friends back, and that was more than enough.
* * * * *
Can the Last Chance Ranch work its magic
for Jeannette, too?
Read on for a sneak peek of RIDING HOME,
the next SONS OF CHANCE book by
Vicki Lewis Thompson coming August 2014
from Harlequin Blaze!
SO THIS WAS the woman at the heart of the controversy. He had no trouble picturing that, because she was stunning. Apparently she’d known that he’d been staring. Maybe she was used to men looking at her, because if she’d been attractive in profile, she was breathtaking full-on. Those green eyes were show-stoppers, not to mention the full lips of her kissable mouth.
He cleared his throat. “Um, I didn’t mean to bother you. I heard you come in, and I thought maybe...” What? His mind went blank. Pretty embarrassing for someone who used to make his living as an entertainment lawyer, someone who’d dealt with A-list actors, directors and producers every day. She didn’t have to know that, though. He wasn’t that guy anymore.
“I was tryin’ to help with the food for Regan and Lily’s engagement party, but...” She gestured to her blouse. “As you can see, kitchen duty is not my talent.”
He walked closer. Yeah, now he noticed flecks of something that could be meringue or white frosting on the front of her blouse. “It sort of matches your pants.”
That brought out a sad little smile. “You know, I told them that very thing, but they were all worried about the blouse, which I surely appreciated, but they don’t have time to mess around with a klutz like me. I’d already dropped a bowl of chocolate chips. I thought I could f
rost that danged cake. I swear, how hard can that be? Turns out it’s harder than it looks on TV.”
He couldn’t help smiling back. “Everything’s harder than it looks on TV.”
“Isn’t that the God’s truth? Anyway, I decided to make myself scarce and just naturally gravitated to the barn.”
“I completely understand. You obviously know your way around horses.”
“My folks raise them.” She turned back to the horse. “Who is this, by the way?”
“Ink Spot. He’s nursing a sprain, so he didn’t get to go out.”
“His bad luck, but my good luck. I wasn’t thinkin’ the horses would be out in the pasture, but of course they would be on a fine day like this. Back home they tend to bring them into the air conditioning in the heat of the day.” She stroked the gelding’s neck. “And who would you be?”
Keep reading for an excerpt from DOUBLE EXPOSURE by Erin McCarthy.
Saddle up for a wild ride!
Catch these three titles in Vicki Lewis Thompson’s New York Times bestselling Sons of Chance series—featuring Riding High (June 2014), Riding Hard (July 2014) and Riding Home (August 2014). Available now in ebook format.
Looking for more Vicki Lewis Thompson? Be sure to catch all the titles in the popular Sons of Chance series, including:
Riding Home
Riding Hard
Riding High
Cowboys & Angels
The Heart Won’t Lie
Wild at Heart
I Cross My Heart
Feels Like Home
Lead Me Home
Long Road Home
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Ten years ago one devastating night changed everything for Austin, Hunter and Alex. Now they must each play their part in the revenge against the one man who ruined it all.
Riding Hard Page 17
