Rocky Mountain Heart

by Dawson, Kay P.

  Three

  She touched up her lip gloss, and shook her hair out around her shoulders, moving her fingers through the knots as she looked at the reflection in the mirror.

  What was she doing?

  Just because Cooper Levine had mentioned possibly coming in for a coffee tonight, didn’t mean she needed to be standing here primping like a school girl trying to impress a boy.

  And yet, that’s almost how she felt.

  Irritated with herself, she grabbed her hair and pulled it back into a tight ponytail, wrapping the elastic around it until it wouldn’t twist anymore. The last thing she wanted to do was give him any wrong impression that he had a chance she’d say yes to a date with him.

  As she made her way back down the stairs to her shop, her mind wandered to the first time she’d seen Cooper Levine as he’d ridden into town.

  She’d probably been around sixteen-years-old. During the summer, she worked at an ice cream shop where all the teenagers hung out. Her best friend, Erin, had just started dating her brother, and it was lining up to be the perfect summer.

  Then a boy rode into town on a motorbike, and it seemed like every girl in town spent the rest of the summer fighting over his attention. He’d hung out at the ice cream shop a lot, often with a different girl riding behind him.

  Every time he saw Emma, he’d ask her to go for a ride with him. And every time, she refused. She was young, but she also knew a boy to stay away from when she saw him. People talked, and she’d heard his parents were “bad,” and that he pretty much already lived on his own.

  Her mother had warned her to stay away from him, sure he was no good. And Emma hadn’t ever seen anything to prove her mom wrong.

  Now that she thought back, she realized she’d never seen anything to prove her mom right either. But she knew boys like him were bad news. Emma didn’t want to become one of those girls throwing themselves at him.

  But at night, when she’d lie in bed, her dreams did often stray to that mysterious dark-haired boy. Her head spent many hours fighting against the urges her heart kept throwing at her.

  She’d never told anyone she’d had a crush on him, and had played the part of not wanting anything to do with him perfectly. But inside, every time he asked her to go for just one ride with him, it took everything she had to say no.

  The image she’d created for Emma Roberts, the straitlaced and levelheaded straight-A student, couldn’t be tarnished by hopping on the back of the motorcycle with a boy who came from a “questionable” background.

  He’d come back the following summer, and had picked up where he’d left off, leaving a trail of drooling girls in his wake. That summer, though, Emma had a boyfriend, so he’d kept his distance most of the time. But now and then, she’d catch him staring at her, and if Steve wasn’t hanging around, Cooper would ask her to go for a ride with him.

  Over the years, Emma had to admit to her mind wandering back to him, and wondering what had ever happened to him. It was rumored around town that his mother had overdosed, leaving Cooper and a sister with his dad. By then, Cooper would have been eighteen, and Emma had heard he’d run away with his sister shortly afterward.

  It was far from the sheltered and safe life she’d lived here with her family.

  She’d been surprised when she’d heard him on the radio for the first time when she’d gone to visit Erin in Denver one time. She’d moved there after breaking up with Jack the year they graduated. Cooper had actually managed to make a good name for himself in the radio world. He did the morning show with another man, and they were well-known for their hilarious antics.

  “I’ll take a large of whatever you recommend I should try.”

  The voice belonging to the man she’d been thinking about broke through her thoughts, making her jump and drop the glass she’d been holding. It fell to the ground with a loud shatter.

  Her hand flew up to her chest, as she tried to get her breathing under control.

  Cooper had already stepped behind the counter, and was bending down to start picking up the shards of glass that lay at her feet. “I’m sorry, Emma. I thought you heard me come in.”

  He was looking down as he picked up the pieces, and she still stood above him. His dark hair was cut shorter now than he used to wear it, and his shoulders nicely filled out the leather jacket he wore.

  She knelt down beside him, finally getting her composure back. “It’s fine, Cooper. You don’t need to clean this up. I’ll just get a broom.” As she spoke, she quickly tried to grab some of the bigger pieces, wanting to get him back on the other side of the counter and not so close.

  Letting out a small yelp, she quickly brought her finger to her mouth as a piece of the sharp edge sliced through her skin.

  She stood up quickly, afraid to pull her finger back to assess the damage. She could taste blood in her mouth, so she knew it was bleeding. His eyes were furrowed together as he stood and met her gaze. He reached out and pulled her wrist, making her hold her finger out for him to see.

  “How did you manage to cut your finger that badly on a few pieces of glass?” He sounded genuinely confused as he stared at the blood that was now dripping onto the ground.

  She pushed past him, going for the first aid kit stashed in the back. “I’ll just grab a Band-Aid. It’ll be fine.”

  He was following her, but she wasn’t in the mood to remind him this was for staff only. “You need more than a Band-Aid, Emma. Let me take you in so you can get it stitched up.”

  “I don’t need stitches.” As a volunteer firefighter in the small community, she’d seen her share of wounds that needed stitches. And she admitted to herself that hers probably did fit that criteria. But she was too embarrassed to go in to have her finger stitched up over something so ridiculous.

  “You do need stitches, and I’m taking you.”

  Emma stopped rummaging in the cupboard for the kit and lifted her eyes to his. His voice left no doubt that he wasn’t going anywhere until she let him take her to the hospital.

  Emma Roberts—coffee maker extraordinaire, master baker, and Books N’ Beans shop owner—a grown woman who’d washed over a million glasses without incident. And now she was going to have to face the humiliation of needing stitches over a simple broken glass.

  She blamed the man in front of her. She’d always been in control, except when he was around. Somehow, she needed to get back in charge of the situation. Pushing herself past him, she walked back toward the counter.

  “Fine, but we’re taking my vehicle. You’re crazy if you think I’m ever getting on that motorbike with you.”

  Four

  “This is so humiliating,” Emma grumbled as her best friend and now sister-in-law finished securing the bandage. The doctor had been in to give her three stitches, and thankfully Erin was working the ER tonight, so she’d been assigned to finish up her dressing.

  “Well, it’s better than bleeding all over the fresh baked cookies, or in someone’s coffee.” Emma could tell Erin was trying hard not to smile as she kept her head down while she worked.

  “It’s not funny, Erin. I’m just lucky Katie was there to keep the shop open and cover for me. The customers must think I’m a complete klutz. Great PR. I can see the headlines now…Clumsy Barista Needs Medical Attention, While New Starbucks Serves Coffee Without Extra Blood.” She rolled her eyes as she shook her head in disgust at herself.

  Erin raised her head, still holding Emma’s hand as she put the last bit of tape on the bandage. Her eyebrow went all the way up to her hairline as she smirked at Emma. “I think that’s a bit long for a headline, don’t you?”

  They both burst out laughing as they stared at each other. Erin pushed her stool back and stood to set her supplies down on the tray by the bed Emma sat on.

  “So, are my eyes just starting to see things due to working a double shift, or did Divine Levine come in with you?” Erin turned back to face her, leaning against the counter and crossing her arms in front of her.

&nb
sp; Her friend was the only one who suspected Emma’s crush on Cooper all those years ago. And of course she’d recognize him, because everyone in town who grew up the same time they did knew who he was.

  Sighing deeply, she hoped Erin would take the hint. “Yes, he did. But only because he’s the one who caused this to happen in the first place.”

  “What…he threw a glass at you and you caught it, making it break and slice your finger open? That’s terrible!”

  Emma scowled at Erin, who stood there grinning at her. “Very funny. No, he didn’t throw the glass. But he did sneak up on me and make me drop it. I was trying to clean up the mess while he insisted on doing it himself, and because I was trying to hurry, I wasn’t being careful.”

  She leaned over and peeked around the curtain. Cooper was still sitting across the waiting room, thumbing through a magazine. There was no way he was actually reading any of the words though at the speed he was turning the pages. Even as he turned them, he’d lift his head and glance around. His legs were doing subtle up and down movements, indicating his discomfort at sitting inside a hospital.

  “It was nice of him to come with you. He didn’t have to do that.” Erin watched her intently.

  “Ugh, he insisted on driving my vehicle after I told him there was no way I was getting on his bike. I tried to tell him I was fine and he didn’t need to come, but he really doesn’t seem to listen well.”

  “Hmmm…much like a few other people I know.” Erin was now writing something down on her chart, not even looking up as she spoke.

  “You know, he actually had the gall to try asking me out today, after not even seeing me in years. How does he know I’m not married already, or seeing someone? He’s still got that attitude of thinking he can get any woman he wants just by throwing a little attention their way.”

  Emma stood up, pretending not to see the hopeful look on Erin’s face.

  “He asked you out? Let me guess…you said no.” Erin was shaking her head. “Seriously, Emma, you never fooled any of us. We all knew you had a crush on him, but for some reason, you didn’t want anything to do with him. I never understood it.”

  Emma flinched. “Erin, we all know what a player he was. I didn’t have time for anyone like that. I may have thought he was cute—like every other girl who was hanging around him. But I would never have let myself get involved with someone who was just leaving a trail of girls in his wake. He wasn’t the kind of guy to get serious with, and I wasn’t prepared to be another girl he tossed to the side.”

  “He never dated any of those girls. It wasn’t his fault all of them were throwing themselves at his feet. He was the mysterious, cool guy who showed up in town now and then. That’s all it was. Of course the girls around here were swept away by the thought of him. It’s not like there were a whole lot of other guys around here to choose from.” Erin pushed the curtain back, and started toward the desk.

  As soon as Cooper saw them, he stood up and hurried over. “So, what’s her prognosis?” He smiled widely at Erin, then turned to look at Emma.

  Erin pursed her lips together as she fought back a grin. “She will live. It was touch and go there for a bit.”

  “Funny, guys. I’m standing right here.” She faced Cooper. “I told you, it was nothing serious if you remember. But you insisted on coming here with me. And now, thanks to you, I’m the proud owner of three stitches in my finger that I know will be throbbing as soon as the freezing starts to wear off.” She moved her gaze to Erin’s. “So, am I done?”

  Erin nodded. “You’re free to go.”

  Cooper followed her out to the car, beeping the key to unlock the doors as they made their way across the parking lot. She didn’t understand why she was so annoyed, because the truth was, it was kind of nice to have someone insist on making sure she was all right. He could have just let her come on her own, but he hadn’t.

  She guessed she could try to be a little more civil to him. It really wasn’t his fault she’d ended up needing stitches.

  He sprinted ahead and opened the door for her, making a grand sweeping motion with his hand as he waited for her to get inside. Slamming the door behind her, he ran over and hopped into the driver’s seat. She fought a smile as she noticed how big he looked in her car. She’d never seen him on anything but a motorcycle, but she knew he must have another vehicle to drive during the winter.

  He looked over at her and shrugged. “I didn’t want to bother you on the way here, since I knew you were preoccupied with the whole keeping blood from oozing all over your upholstery situation. But how do I get this seat to go back? I felt like a clown riding on one of those small tricycles driving over here.”

  She burst out laughing as she took in the sight of him sitting with his elbows bent and his knees poking out from the sides of the steering wheel. He’d been so concerned about her on the way here, he hadn’t wasted time trying to make himself comfortable for driving. He was lucky that Emma was a fairly tall woman, or he’d have never been able to fit behind the wheel at all.

  Maybe she should give the guy a chance. After all, it’s not like they were still teenagers. And she had to admit, he had a certain charm that went beyond his looks.

  What could it hurt to go on one date?

  Five

  “Well, a huge thank you to Ally and Melinda from Alinda’s Antiques for coming in and visiting with us this morning. Silver Springs might be a small town, but it has a lot of great finds if you know where to find them. So make sure you support these small businesses that bring so much to the community.”

  “Thanks for having us today, Cooper.”

  Emma ignored the quickening of her pulse as she heard his voice on the radio playing in the background. She always had it playing the town’s radio station, even though the music had become stale under Chuck’s ownership. But since Cooper had stepped in, she had to admit she actually enjoyed listening to the station again.

  She was wrapping muffins to replace the ones people had picked up as they’d stopped in to grab their morning coffee, while the young girl she’d hired handled the front counter. The regulars were in enjoying their morning visit. Emma loved the warm feeling of the small shop as people laughed and talked all around her. The smell of fresh baking wafted from the back, and the sound of the coffee machines working to fill the next order filled the room created a great atmosphere.

  Books N’ Beans was everything she’d ever dreamed of having for herself.

  “But before you go, Ally, I have a question about your cousin Emma.” This time, she was sure her heart had completely stopped as she cringed, waiting to see what he was about to say.

  Ally’s light laughter could be heard. “Sure, what do you need to know?”

  Emma was going to kill her the next time she saw her.

  “I’m sure everyone in town knows Emma Roberts. She owns Books N’ Beans, the wonderful little coffee shop next door. Unfortunately, I haven’t had the honor of having a cup of her famous coffee since being in town.”

  Ally interrupted. “Oh, you definitely need to try it, Cooper. Once you do, you’ll be hooked. Everyone in town is.”

  While she appreciated the free advertising Ally was giving her, she was still going to kill her. Okay, maybe she’d just kick her really hard.

  “I did try. However, Emma decided she needed to leave just as I got there to attend to another matter, so I never got to enjoy a cup. So I’ll just have to take your word on that.”

  What kind of morning show was this anyway? Who sat talking about other people for fun on a radio station? Emma’s head was starting to hurt.

  “Did you know I knew your cousin way back when we were teenagers?”

  “I think I do remember her talking about you, now that you mention it. I was a bit older than her, but I remember when you’d come to town in the summer.”

  Emma could feel the heat from her cheeks, and she was sure everyone in the coffee shop had stopped talking as they listened. She wished a hole would open in the floor
and suck her in.

  “Ah, so she did talk about me. That’s good to know. Well, I’d asked her out a few times back then, and since I’ve been back I thought maybe she’d agree to go out with me now. But she’s still holding out. So I’m going to put up a poll and ask the listeners what they think… Who thinks Emma Roberts should agree to go out with me? Send in your votes on our Facebook page. And Ally, maybe you could put in a good word for me to help sway things in my favor.”

  As she heard Ally’s laughter, Emma imagined her cousin standing in front of her with her hands wrapped tightly around the woman’s neck.

  Her eyes moved slowly around the room to the grins on the faces of the regulars who were now watching her. Clark James, an older man who was in every morning for coffee called over to her, “Emma, now why aren’t you agreeing to go out with that nice young man? Any relation to Chuck Levine has to be a good person. And you aren’t getting any younger you know.”

  His friend, Mickey, who sat across the table nodded his head. “Besides, look at all the rest of the Roberts family. All those kids are finding themselves getting hitched this year it seems. You don’t want to be the only one left without a partner.”

  The man was in his seventies at least, so he still referred to the Roberts cousins as “kids.”

  Someone else at the table was pulling his phone out and looking down at it. “If I knew how to work this blasted thing, I’d be casting my vote on that Facebook page.”

  In horror, Emma watched as Katie, the young girl she had working today, went over and took the man’s phone. “Here. All you have to do is log in to Facebook. Do you have an account?”

  “No, but my wife has one. She set it up on this thing.”

  Emma turned to slowly walk back into the kitchen, still in a daze over what had just happened. She wasn’t about to stay out there while everyone went to get their votes in for her date with Cooper.