Melt My Heart, Cowboy (Love at the Chocolate Shop Book 1)

by CJ Carmichael

  “Thanks. Oh, and one more favor? Could I—stay overnight?”

  Despite her surprise, Rosie was quick to agree. She hadn’t had a friend for a sleepover since she was a teenager. But Portia sounded pretty anxious. Perhaps the visit from her mom hadn’t gone well.

  Thirty minutes later, when Portia arrived, her eyes were red and her skin was blotchy, confirming Rosie’s guess that there’d been some family drama.

  Rosie gave her a hug. “Are you okay? I think I better open a bottle of wine.”

  “You wouldn’t believe what the past twenty-four hours have been like.”

  Rosie carried a bottle of red and two glasses to the family room. She was relieved when Huck made the effort to come inspect their visitor. It was good to see him moving, at least. After a few exchanges of sniffs on his part, and pats on Portia’s, he went to the kitchen and chowed down his dinner.

  “So where’s your mom?” Rosie asked, as she opened the bottle and poured two glasses.

  “At Aunt Sage’s.” Portia settled cross-legged into the far corner of the sofa, then grabbed one of the plump pillows and clutched it to her middle like a life preserver. “We just had the biggest fight. I had to get out of there.”

  Rosie settled at the other end of the sofa and took a sip of the wine. “I guess she’s really angry you dropped out of college?”

  “Yes. Very. She keeps asking me why, why, why?” Portia ran a finger round the lip of her wine glass. “She won’t believe me when I say I’m burned out. Even when I promised to go back next year, she would not let it go.”

  “Maybe she senses there’s more to the story. Mothers have instincts about these things.”

  Portia looked at her, pained.

  “Don’t worry. I’m not going to nag you, too. Obviously you aren’t ready to talk about whatever happened.”

  “Thank you.” Some of the tension left Portia’s shoulders. She brought the wine glass to her lips, then set it down. “Mom and I don’t have fights very often. I really hate this.”

  “She’ll get over her anger,” Rosie predicted.

  “Maybe. But I don’t think she’ll ever stop being disappointed.” Portia sank back into the sofa and glanced around the room. “This is cozy. I like it.”

  “During the day we have a great view of the mountains.” Rosie gestured to the floor to ceiling windows on the west-facing wall.

  “Do you mind living on your own?”

  “I don’t love it,” she admitted.

  If it wasn’t for Huck, she probably wouldn’t have lasted a week after her father died.

  “I should warn you—I have an ulterior motive in asking. Since it looks like I’m going to be staying in Marietta for a while I need a place to stay. Aunt Sage’s house isn’t that big. Not to mention her kids get up really early and they’re pretty noisy. Is there any chance you’d like a roommate?”

  Rosie had never considered the idea before. But she immediately liked it. “That could be fun. Want to see the spare bedroom?”

  Portia did and immediately announced it was perfect.

  It wasn’t. It was small and the walls were painted an odd blue that had looked like a soft grey in the can.

  “Are you sure this will be okay? My parents’ room is much bigger.”

  “Oh, I wouldn’t feel right about that.”

  Rosie was relieved. Though the master bedroom was clean and ready to be occupied, it would have felt strange to have Portia sleeping in it.

  “I’m serious when I say this is perfect.” Portia sank onto the bed and the springs let out a loud, rusty squeak.

  They both laughed and Rosie almost joked that she’d know if Portia brought a boyfriend home. But Portia had already made it clear she wasn’t interested in dating. And she’d sounded serious.

  Once they’d agreed on a rent Portia insisted on writing her first check immediately.

  “I love Aunt Sage, Dawson, and the kids. But it will be a relief to get away from family. To have some space to think without anyone hovering.”

  Rosie wondered what it was Portia needed to think about. She smoothed her hand over the quilted coverlet. “You’ll have lots of peace and quiet here. Maybe too much.”

  “I doubt if that’s possible.” Portia lifted her chin and pointedly changed the subject. “Say, you went hiking today, didn’t you? Did your hot cowboy come along?”

  Rosie rolled her eyes. “Yes. But his hotness was irrelevant. It wasn’t a date. He wanted me to spend time his sister. See if I could handle her, I guess.”

  “Obviously I need to ply you with wine if I want the juicy bits.” Portia refilled Rosie’s wine glass. “So. Details, please.”

  “The hike was fine. His sister really connected to Huck. I think she liked me okay as well.”

  “So you came second to the dog? Nice.”

  Rosie laughed. “Sara Maria is pretty cool, actually. Different, but cool.”

  “And the cowboy?”

  Words were inadequate to describe what Rosie thought of Brant. He’d caught her eye from the beginning, but the more she saw of him, the more she liked him.

  “Brant’s a good guy. But pretty clueless where his sister is concerned.”

  Portia let out an exasperated sigh. “I’m sure his sister is a very nice person. But can we forget about her for a moment? I want to know how you feel about the cowboy. Is there dating potential?”

  Yes. And then some. But being around Brant was like staring in the window of a fine Parisian Patisserie when she had not so much as a euro in her purse.

  In other words, torture, of the most exquisite kind.

  “You don’t need to answer,” Portia said. “Your expression says it all. Want a glass of ice water to cool off?”

  “I’ll stick with the wine, thank you. It doesn’t matter how I feel, though. He’ll never ask me out—” She put up a hand to stop Portia from interrupting. “And if he did, what’s the point? I’ll be living in L.A. soon.”

  “Not all relationships have to be permanent, Rosie. You could try dating him for the simple reason that it would be fun.”

  “Fun. Hm. Interesting concept.”

  Portia clapped her hands. “I know what we should do. We need to go online and buy you a few new outfits. So you’ll have something to wear when he asks you out.”

  Rosie didn’t bother arguing. No doubt if Portia decided she was going to date a guy, she made it happen. Life didn’t work that way for Rosie.

  But new clothes were a good idea. She’d need them when she moved.

  Chapter Seven

  Despite having exchanged contact information with him the previous day, Rosie was surprised to receive a text message from Brant the next morning.

  “Can I phone you?”

  The longer Rosie stared at the text message, the faster her heart raced. They’d settled their business last night, so why would he contact her now? Could Portia be right? Was Brant actually going to ask her out?

  She thought about the new skirt, jeans, and cute tops she’d ordered last night. Thank God, Portia had insisted on express delivery.

  “Sure.”

  She took her phone to the porch. Portia had just left to walk to her aunt’s and pack up the rest of her things, so Rosie was alone with Huck. The golden lab seemed to be in a happier space today. Not only had he eaten all his breakfast, but he’d been keen to go on a morning walk along the Marietta River.

  Now he was sleeping in a patch of sunshine on the far corner of the porch.

  Rosie settled next to him, resting her back against the porch railing. She ran her fingers along Huck’s back. His thick coat felt bristly and slightly oily.

  She wondered how long it would take for Brant to call her back.

  It seemed like an hour, but was probably only ten minutes, before the phone finally rang and the name “Brant” appeared on the screen.

  She took a deep breath and tried to sound casual. “Hey there.”

  “Hey.”

  There was an awkward pause, duri
ng which time Rosie mentally composed her response for when he asked her out. She didn’t want to sound overly eager. But not disinterested, either.

  “Um, I’m calling to ask a favor. Are you at work?”

  Rosie frowned. This wasn’t the opening she’d expected from him. “I normally would be, but I traded shifts with Dakota this week.”

  “I had a call from the care home this morning.” There was a long hesitation, then he added, “Sara Maria had an episode at breakfast.”

  “Oh, no. What set her off? Is she okay?”

  “I didn’t get the details. I gather she’s calmed down now, but the staff want someone—a family member or a friend—to check on her.”

  And to think she’d hoped he was calling to ask her out. Rosie felt like groaning. “Let me guess—you want me to go?”

  “I’ve got a hell of a lot of work lined up here, plus I’m almost an hour drive away. I know it’s not part of our agreement.”

  “No, it isn’t. Plus, Sara Maria has only known me a few days. That hardly qualifies me as her friend.”

  “Maybe not to the average person. But Sara Maria really likes you, Rosie. She flat out told me. And she doesn’t like many people.”

  Rosie couldn’t help but feel moved by that. Remembering the intense sadness she’d sensed in the other woman, her conscience wouldn’t let her say no now, even though her head told her she’d be smart to stick to the rules they’d set out the previous night.

  “I’m not that busy.” A lie, since Daniel wanted her script changes before noon. “I suppose I could go check on her.”

  “I’ll make it up to you. I’ve asked my boss for some time off so I can work on your house. I promise when I’m finished with the repairs and painting, buyers will be lined up to make an offer.”

  It always came down to commercial transactions with Brant. She wondered if he’d even registered the fact that she was a woman, around his age, and possibly someone he might date.

  “I don’t have a clue what I’m going to say to your sister.”

  “You’ll do better than I would.”

  Rosie didn’t doubt that.

  *

  The care home was only four blocks away and Rosie was halfway there when she remembered how Sara Maria had connected with Huck. Deciding she needed all the help she could get, she retraced her steps home and leashed up her dog.

  “I know you’ve already had one walk today, but you won’t mind another, will you, boy? Sara Maria needs you.”

  Huck cocked his head, conveying his confusion, but he followed her good-naturedly.

  Sara Maria was sitting on a bench by the main door to the care home when they arrived. One of the nurses was seated beside her, talking in a soothing tone.

  Sara Maria’s expression was impassive, but the moment she spied Huck, she came alive, smiling and bounding up from the bench.

  “Huck! That’s a good boy. Did you come to see me?” Totally ignoring Rosie, Sara Maria bent down and hugged the old dog.

  This left Rosie free to approach the nurse. Up close, she could read the name pinned to her blouse. “Hi, Nadia, I’m Rosie Linn.”

  “Nice to meet you.” The nurse offered her hand. “Sara Maria’s brother explained that you’d be coming by occasionally to spend time with his sister. I’m glad you could make it today. She had a rough morning.”

  Rosie glanced over her shoulder. Sara Maria had buried her face in Huck’s neck, and the cheerful lab seemed perfectly fine with it.

  She turned back to Nadia. “What happened?”

  “We had a new aide start today. She didn’t read the charts before she served breakfast. As soon as Sara Maria saw the bacon on her plate, she went ballistic.”

  Rosie shivered. “Did she hurt anyone?”

  “No. She just crumpled onto the floor, covered her ears with her hands and started moaning. She stayed like that for almost half an hour. Sara Maria has had some previous episodes during her adjustment phase, but we’ve never seen her this distraught before.”

  “Poor thing,” Rosie murmured, her gaze trained on the young woman, hugging Huck now like she would never let him go.

  “We tried to comfort her but she wouldn’t let any of us touch her. Finally she calmed down enough to listen to me and when I suggested we sit outside for a while, she agreed. We’d just settled on the bench when you arrived.”

  Rosie swallowed nervously at the expectant look Nadia gave her.

  “I’m not sure how to handle her either,” she admitted. “But as you can see, she really likes my dog.”

  “So many of our guests love animals. Unfortunately there are others with allergies so it isn’t feasible to allow pets in the building.”

  “We’ll stay outside.” Rosie assured her. “Maybe go for a short walk if Sara Maria is up for it.”

  “I am,” Sara Maria said.

  She was a lot more aware of what was going on around her than she let on.

  “Fresh air and exercise will be just the thing,” Nadia agreed. “Will you be back for lunch?”

  “We will,” Rosie said at the same time that Sara Maria gave a vehement shake of her head.

  “A vegetarian lunch.” Nadia elaborated.

  “Promise?” Sara Maria asked.

  “Definitely. That poor aide has certainly learned her lesson where your diet is concerned.”

  The slight smile on Sara Maria’s face was the only sign Rosie had seen so far that she did actually have a sense of humor. Once Nadia was gone, Rosie suggested a walk along the river path to the rodeo grounds.

  “Okay. Can I hold Huck’s leash?”

  “Of course. I think he likes you better anyway.” And it was true. When Sara Maria was around, Huck only had eyes for her. As they strolled, Sara Maria seemed so normal and calm. Rosie couldn’t reconcile the woman before her with the sort of behavior Nadia had described.

  Rosie decided to broach the subject in a straight forward manner.

  “This morning, when the new aide brought you your breakfast—did you consider simply telling her she’d made a mistake? You could have asked her to take it away and bring you something else.”

  Sara Maria thought about this for a few moments. “I didn’t plan on going all crazy, Rosie. It just… happened. I wish it wouldn’t. I hate being weird.”

  “How do the breakdowns come on? Do you have any warning, or does it just come over you in a rush?”

  “It happens fast. First my head and my chest feel tight, and it’s hard to breathe. The next second it’s like a black cloud is swirling around me and every noise hits my head like a blow from a hammer. It’s worse if someone tries to touch me.” She shuddered.

  “That sounds awful.”

  “It is.”

  “What would your mother do when this happened to you? How was she able to help you?”

  “It was something about her voice. And she would hold me in a way that felt right.”

  “So your Mom could talk to you and touch you?”

  Sara Maria nodded. Her green eyes—a paler version of her brother’s—filled with tears. Rosie longed to hug her. But what felt natural and right to her, wouldn’t be perceived that way by Sara Maria.

  How was she ever going to help this woman? Was it even possible?

  *

  Rosie had just emailed her script revisions to her brother, when she heard a vehicle pull up in front of her house. She ran out to the porch. Sage was helping Portia unload two suitcases and several bags of groceries from the back of her SUV. Rosie called out hello, then went to peek in on baby Braden, fast asleep in his car seat. Gosh, he was the cutest thing.

  “So nice of you to let Portia move in for a while,” Sage said.

  Her red hair was in a messy updo and she was wearing skinny jeans and a grey t-shirt. Even in such simple attire, she glowed with health and a natural beauty Rosie envied.

  “It’ll be nice for me to have some company.”

  Sage laughed. “I think Portia was getting too much company at my place. I
love my kids, but they do make the place chaotic. And speaking of kids, I need to pick up Savannah from school now.”

  “Thanks for everything, Aunt Sage.” Portia gave her a hug before she drove off. Then she turned to her new roommate. “Here I am. And I brought food. I hope you like taco salad?”

  “Love it.” Rosie helped her cart in her belongings and the bags of groceries. “Sage seems okay with you moving out of her place.”

  “She said all the polite stuff about me being welcome to stay with her as long as I wanted. But honestly, she looked relieved when I told her I’d already given you my first month’s rent.” Portia popped a carton of almond milk into the fridge. “I guess I wasn’t the only one feeling a little crowded.”

  “Did she decide on your work schedule?”

  Portia nodded. “It’s somewhat flexible but I’ll work most weekday afternoons from two until closing, as well as a few evenings. Sage wants to start hosting after-hour events at her store. Chocolate tastings, truffle-making courses, that sort of thing.”

  “Really?” Rosie had been trying to talk her boss into doing this for almost a year.

  “Aunt Sage told me this was all your idea. I guess with getting married, and then having a baby, she was too overwhelmed to tackle it. But now that I’m here she’d like to give it a try—as long as she doesn’t have to do any of the work. What do you say, Rosie—will you help me plan the first event?”

  “Seriously? Absolutely yes! How exciting!”

  “I’m glad you think so. I feel overwhelmed to be honest. I’m so new to the business. I’m not sure where to start.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ve got lots of ideas. What do you think about a wine and chocolate pairing event?”

  “Ohhh… I love the sound of that!”

  “We can partner with our local wine store. Events like this will put Copper Mountain Chocolates on the map. So many tourists drive by Marietta on their way to Yellowstone National Park. I can imagine a day when they stop into Marietta just to shop at our store.”

  “Look at you, you’re practically vibrating with energy,” Portia teased. “Now I see why Aunt Sage is so worried about losing you.”

  “She is?” Sage had been nothing but supportive of Rosie’s plans to move to her brother’s and start a new career in L.A.