Arabella pulled Vivienne’s hand away from her mouth but kept it pressed between her palms. “So you and Cody Jameson?” she whispered, bringing her head closer. “That would be so cool. First Brooke and Gabe, then Zach and Kylie, then me and Jonathan, now you and Cody. That would be like the old days, all of us back here in Clayton.”
Vivienne wished she could control her cousin’s excitement. But Arabella’s enthusiasm was catching, and she found herself flushing as she let her mind slip ahead.
“We’re not a couple,” she insisted, keeping her own voice low. “It’s just…well…he’s kissed me a couple of times.”
Arabella’s golden-brown eyes positively glowed as she squeezed Vivienne’s hands tight. “I hope you kissed him back.”
Vivienne didn’t answer. Didn’t have to. Her flaming cheeks accused her.
Arabella eyes went wide. “Wow. You and Cody Jameson.”
“Trouble is, I feel like things are moving too quickly and I don’t know which way to jump. I’ve wanted to be a chef for so long. Grandpa Clayton was the one who encouraged me and so did my home-ec teacher.” She sighed. “I did so well at Cordon Bleu, and if we get Grandpa Clayton’s money I wanted to start my own restaurant, and yet…Cody…” Her voice trailed off as she spoke his name.
“You sound like you’re trying to convince yourself more than me.”
Vivienne blew out a sigh, her eyes flicking back to the girls. “I remember when I found out you were expecting,” Vivienne said, pulling her hands free from Arabella’s. “I was still in school, but I felt so far away in Paris. I felt so alone. And, I have to say, a bit jealous. I think there’s always been a part of me that wants to be married. To belong to someone. But there’s always been a part of me that wanted to be a chef.”
“Why was that? What made you have that desire to be a chef?”
Vivienne let her mind slip back. “After Dad and Uncle Vern were killed in that car accident, things fell apart at home. Then, after a month of eating sandwiches and cereal, I took over the cooking. Mom was so grateful. Zach and Brooke were happy again. We started eating together, and for a while our family was a unit.”
“Maybe you see food as a way of healing. Of bringing people together,” Arabella said, putting her hand on Vivienne’s arm. “I know for me, my baking became an escape. Thankfully, I didn’t eat too much of it,” she said with a light laugh.
A tiny spark began to smolder, a blink of revelation at Arabella’s words. “So you think my cooking is an escape, as well?”
“Or maybe a way of controlling things. Not that you’re a control freak or anything.” Arabella patted her arm. “You’ve been on your own a long time, and not just after you graduated. I know your mom kind of pulled back from you kids, too, after your father died. My mom did the same. And I think you seem to put cooking and acceptance in the same category. You need to try to figure out why you think you need to be a chef. Once you get that figured out, it might give you some insight as to what you really want.”
Arabella’s words slipped past Vivienne’s guard.
Could her cousin be right? Had she become a chef for different reasons than she had always thought? Could she let go of her plans and still be Vivienne?
“But I do think you should let Cody into your life,” Arabella continued. “Let someone else support and help you. Cody is a great guy, and I know he’ll make a fantastic husband. He was amazing with Tabitha and didn’t deserve how she treated him, but he was still so good to her. He’d be even better to you. I just know it.”
Arabella’s defense of Cody kindled warmth and tenderness deep within her, adding yet another layer to her emotions for Cody.
“He is a great guy,” she agreed, her voice quiet.
“Your cooking career is important, but not important enough to be your whole life,” Arabella said. “But don’t twist yourself into circles trying to figure out what you need to do. Just take things one day at a time. After all, when Jesus gave us the Lord’s prayer, He told us to ask for our daily bread. Not our monthly or yearly bread. Just our daily bread. I know I had to learn to live like that after Harry left me with the girls.”
Vivienne let Arabella’s words wash over her and give her comfort. She saw the wisdom in it. And yet…
“Okay. So take it one day at a time. But every time I even catch a glimpse of Cody, I’m not sure what to say. What to do.”
Arabella chuckled. “Listen to you. It’s like you’re back in junior high, talking about your latest crush.”
Vivienne released a feeble laugh. “I know. But that’s how I feel around him. I’ve had boyfriends before, but with him it’s like I’m not sure what to do. The last time he kissed me I ran away. Except I did it on a horse.” She looked at her cousin. “I haven’t dared talk to him since and he told me he doesn’t go chasing after women and never would. But I miss him. So how do I come back from that?”
“Then make a gesture. Do something special for him. Make a move on him,” Arabella added with a mischievous grin.
Vivienne tapped her lips with her forefingers, thinking. Then it came to her. She turned to Arabella, full of excitement. “Bonnie told me his birthday is coming up. She told me because she didn’t know what to get him. But I could make him a special dinner and Bonnie could help.”
“There you go. The grand gesture.” Arabella shot her a grin. “I could make the cake if you want.”
“No. I want to take care of every part of it.” She immediately started planning. Thinking.
And getting more excited about the idea. She was about to say something more when the sun reflecting off a windshield caught her attention. A deputy sheriff’s car pulled up beside the park, and Vivienne and Arabella both got to their feet as Zach strode toward them, his hat pulled low over his face. Like he had bad news.
“What is it, Zach?” Arabella was the first to recover as he came near.
“I’ve heard from the private investigator we hired to find out about Lucas,” he said, his words delivered in a harsh monotone. “A man fitting Lucas’s description has kidnapped a child from the drug dealers we thought he was involved in down in Florida. The P.I. thinks they are after Lucas and the kid.”
Shock tingled through Vivienne. “Where is Lucas now? And the child?”
The white lines bracketing Zach’s lips weren’t encouraging. “We don’t know. I’m working with the Florida state police to form a plan that won’t jeopardize Lucas or the boy. I don’t know why Lucas hasn’t taken the kid to the police. We believe he’s hiding.”
Vivienne’s stomach flopped over. “Surely Lucas isn’t involved with these drug dealers?”
Zach held up his hand as if to stop her agitation. “I don’t believe for a second that he is. We have to trust he knows what he’s doing.”
“Does Mei know this? Surely she should be informed about her brother,” Arabella said.
“I’ll be calling her next. I just heard and was going to your place, Arabella, when I saw you girls sitting here,” Zach said, tapping his fingers on the heavy leather of his utility belt. “I needed to tell you right away.”
“Do you want me to call Mei?” Vivienne asked. “We used to be good friends. I think we had a connection.”
Arabella put her hand on Vivienne’s shoulder. “I think that would be best. She did always listen better to you than anyone else.”
Vivienne nodded and then glanced at her watch. “I’ve got to get going. I promised Delores I’d meet her in a couple of minutes.” She glanced at Zach. “I’ll call Mei as soon as possible and let you know what she says.”
Vivienne turned to Arabella. “And thanks for your advice about, well, you know. I’ll have lots to think and pray about.”
Zach’s stance relaxed as he glanced from his sister to his cousin. “Advice about what?” Zach asked in a fake aggrieved tone. “If you were having troubles, why didn’t you come to your big brother?”
Vivienne gave him a playful punch on his shoulder. “Girl stuff,” she said wit
h a wink and a quick hug for him. “You wouldn’t be interested.”
“I can be interested,” he called out. “I can be sympathetic. Kylie told me I am sensitive.”
“Bye now,” Vivienne called out, tossing out a wave. But as she left, she peeked back, pleased to see Arabella and Zach waving to her, the triplets calling out to her and waving, as well.
Family, she thought, smiling as she walked away through the rustling leaves. Such a blessing.
And on the heels of that thought came thoughts of Cody. With her cousin’s advice still echoing in her mind, she hurried her steps. Back to the ranch, where she had plans to make.
Why was he wasting his time? Again?
Cody looked up from the his plate, unable to keep from watching Vivienne as she brought in another plate of French toast. Of course she’d added her own twist to the breakfast. Cody couldn’t figure out what she’d put in it, but he’d had two helpings already, it tasted so good.
Might have had more if he wasn’t feeling so out of sorts.
She wore her hair up again today, in some kind of fancy twist. She had dangly earrings on, a silky white blouse and a skirt.
And those silly high heels she kept insisting on wearing. Obviously her foot was better.
Almost like she was trying to remind him of who she was. A city girl who didn’t really belong here. A city girl who, as soon as she got her grandpa’s money, was leaving.
She laughed at something Ted said, teased Dover about almost falling off his horse the day of the gather, then she straightened and caught his gaze.
Just as quickly, she looked away.
“You’re looking grumpy, boss.” Bryce nudged Cody in the side as he finished off the last off his coffee.
Cody shot the young man an irritated glance, other grievances slipping into his mind. “Where were you yesterday? It wasn’t your day off.”
Bryce gave a laconic shrug but didn’t hold his gaze. “Had to do some stuff in town.”
“Stuff that was more important than helping Grady haul bales to the cows?”
“He said he didn’t need my help.”
“You certainly came in late enough,” Cody groused. And the only reason he knew that was because he couldn’t sleep last night himself. He’d heard Bryce come back, and when he got up to check, he saw lights still on in Vivienne’s cabin yet. At midnight?
Cody heard Vivienne’s laughter ring out again, and his head spun in her direction.
This morning, Vivienne had greeted everyone with a smile and a joke. Everyone except him.
Bonnie wanted to sleep in this morning, so he’d come to the cookhouse to eat rather than sit in a quiet house on his own.
At least that had been his reason when he’d stepped out the door this morning.
Two days ago, after he had kissed Vivienne at the gather, it seemed his entire world had slipped end over teakettle. He didn’t know which way was up.
Shortly after that, she’d ridden away and virtually ignored him the rest of the day and evening. Which didn’t help his confusion any.
Yesterday was her day off, and she left for town as soon as she’d finished making breakfast. Bonnie had been serving it up when he and Ted came into the bunkhouse.
When Vivienne came back from town she disappeared into her cabin. She came out to make supper, and then vamoosed again.
You could make the first move.
I don’t chase after women, he reminded himself.
And he certainly wasn’t chasing after Vivienne Clayton again.
The fact that she’d talked to everyone this morning except him made him channel his irritation onto Bryce. “Last I checked, Ted and I are your bosses. Not Grady. You could have helped sort the cows. You know this time of the year there’s always lots to do.”
Bryce forked a piece of toast off the heaping plate in front of him and shrugged. “Guess I should have been around.”
His insincere apology rankled, but Cody’s attention was drawn, once again, by the sound of Vivienne’s laughter. He glanced her way, surprised to see her looking directly at him.
He wanted to smile at her. He wanted to get up, grab her, pull her into the kitchen and kiss her again.
Or at least ask her why she’d been avoiding him the past couple of days.
I don’t chase after women.
But his little refrain sounded hollow, because he knew that in the past few days he’d done exactly that.
And where has that gotten you? She’s ignoring you.
He was done making the first move.
Bryce elbowed him in the side. “She’s pretty, ain’t she?” he said.
Cody gave him a brusque nod.
“Too bad she’s a Clayton.”
Cody frowned, glancing toward his hired hand. “What do you mean by that?”
Bryce shrugged. “They’re all just sticking around long enough to get their money. They ain’t innersted in Clayton. Or the people. Just money hungry. Like their old man and like his old man.” The last words came out in a spurt of anger.
“Why do say that? You don’t know anything about Vivienne.”
Bryce ducked his head and finished the last of his breakfast. “I know what Billy Dean told me. And Les.”
Cody knew he shouldn’t ask, but he couldn’t stop himself. “What did they tell you?”
Bryce wiped his mouth and tossed his napkin on the plate. “Said that when Vivienne dropped her car off, she said she got the boss of the Circle C wrapped around her little finger. That she’s outta this hick town faster than you can say quarter of a million dollars.” Bryce pushed himself away from the table. “I think she’s trouble, boss. I think you should fire her.”
“Thanks for your input,” Cody said dryly.
“Yeah, well, she might not get her money anyway. I hear her cousin Lucas, the last one, ain’t coming back. So she might be leaving sooner than later.”
Bryce grabbed his plate and left, his words leaving a trail of suspicion and nastiness.
Cody wished he hadn’t asked Bryce’s opinion. Yet, in spite of his knowing better, the boy’s insidious words seeped into his brain, feeding the uncertainty he struggled with.
He chased the last of his breakfast with the dregs of his lukewarm coffee and pushed himself away from the table. But just as he did, Vivienne came by with a pot of coffee.
“Did…did you want some more?” she asked.
She sounded breathless.
“No. I gotta head out.” He didn’t have to, but at the same time, he felt suddenly uncomfortable around her.
“I see.” Her smile faded and he regretted his brusque tone.
“But I could take it with me.” He held out his mug.
“Um…sure. Don’t you want like a travel mug, or insulated mug or something like that? I have one I could get you.” She waved a fluttery hand in the direction of the kitchen.
“Um. Sure. Yeah.” He almost rolled his eyes. What was going on? Why couldn’t he string together any kind of coherent sentence around this girl? He should just leave.
He tried to dismiss Bryce’s words as he followed her to the kitchen, but he couldn’t ignore the snickers trailing behind them.
Did his other workers think the same way Bryce did?
“You take sugar, right?” she asked, still carrying the coffeepot as she reached up to pull a mug out of the cupboard. She got her hands around it, but then it clattered to the floor.
Cody bent over to pick it up, just as she did, and then their faces were inches away.
She smelled like roses and some other peculiar scent that he guessed was one of her fancy perfumes. Her eyelashes were dark, framing her soft eyes.
Her lips glistened.
And in spite of her avoiding him, all he wanted to do was kiss her.
Please, Lord, he prayed, help me from making another stupid mistake.
He had too much at stake. Bonnie depended on him. His hands and his partner needed him to make good choices and to keep his head on straight. It took h
im too long to recuperate from Tabitha. And Vivienne seemed to be blowing hot and cold. As if she were toying with him.
Got the boss of the Circle C wrapped around her finger.
He couldn’t do this again.
And yet, as their eyes met, he couldn’t stop himself from reaching up and touching her face, letting his fingers trail down her soft cheek.
She caught his hand, and a smile softened her features.
Then, to his amazement, she leaned forward and brushed her lips over his cheek. Her lips were warm, soft, and their touch was like velvet. Then she straightened and spun away, not looking at him as she poured the coffee.
She spilled a bit, wiped it up and then handed it to him with an apologetic smile. “Here you go.”
He nodded his thanks as he took the cup, feeling foolish. He felt like she was spinning him in circles, and he wasn’t sure what to think of it all. He took a step backward to leave when she opened her mouth as if to speak again. Then she shook her head as she twisted the towel she was holding.
“You wanted to say something?” he asked.
“I was hoping I could ask you for tomorrow and the day after off,” she said, not meeting his eyes.
He frowned. “But you went to town yesterday.”
She nervously fiddled with a strand of hair that had come loose from her ponytail. “I know. But I need to go away for a couple of days. And I was hoping I could borrow a truck. I just need to get to the auto shop to pick up my car. I can leave the truck at Krueger’s if that’s okay.”
He wanted to ask why she wanted to leave but figured he didn’t need to know. Maybe didn’t want to know. “Sure. If you really need to. I think we can manage the cooking. And you can take my truck.” He kept his eyes on her, but she still didn’t look his way. Just kept twirling her hair around her finger.
“That’s not necessary. I can take the ranch truck.”
Cody waved off her suggestion. “You don’t want do that. It’s too dirty for you.”
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