It's In His Heart (A Red River Valley Novel)

by Shelly Alexander

  “But you never came back. Not even now that Bradley’s gone. You know you could visit once in a while.” Charlene coughed, probably trying to mask the continuous sniffles that flowed over the phone line.

  “Did you ever think that maybe it’s because you guys won’t stop hounding me about moving back? I have a life out here, Char. Friends, hobbies, this cabin.” Well, the cabin wouldn’t be hers much longer, but that was beside the point. “I like my life here. Why can’t y’all accept that? Maybe even show an interest in it?”

  And it dawned on Ella that she really did like her life in Red River.

  Charlene sniffed again. “Well, I suppose you have a point. But where does that leave me with my daughter? I’ve already lost you, I don’t want to lose her, too.”

  “You haven’t lost me, Charlene, and you’re not going to lose Kendra, either. But you do need to accept her choice if she wants something different than you did. Don’t nag her, and for God’s sake, don’t hound her about moving back every single time you talk to her.”

  Charlene was silent except for a small sniffle.

  “She’ll love you all the more for it, Charlene, and you’ll have a better relationship with her in the end if you respect her decisions.”

  “Well, are you ever coming back to visit?” Charlene huffed.

  “Of course I will, but my home isn’t in East Texas anymore.”

  Maybe her new home was right here in Red River. With Coop.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “We’re in Red River,” Marilyn announced several days after the accident.

  Ella nearly dropped the phone. “Wh . . . what? You’re not here.”

  “Sitting on Main Street right now outside of the Hummingbird Souvenir Shop.”

  They were totally here.

  “Why did you guys drive all the way up here?” Ella tried not to sound frantic.

  “I warned you if we didn’t hear from you, we would drive up. And we didn’t hear from you.”

  Ella’s palm went to her forehead, and she closed her eyes. She couldn’t tell them how far she’d actually fallen for Coop. They’d hog-tie her and drag her back to Albuquerque. And, oh God, she absolutely didn’t want them involved in her rather interesting situation with Coop. Because, really, she didn’t know what else to call it except a “situation.”

  They’d had the hottest sex she’d ever experienced, even with him all sore and bruised. He was pretty amazing in bed. And on the floor. And in the shower. And any number of other locations, come to think of it. Her mouth went dry just thinking about him. But she didn’t want to explain any of this to Marilyn, Carissa, and Becca, because she wasn’t even sure what it was herself. Except really, really good sex. The best. With the man she had begun to lose her heart to.

  She’d have to Google the person who invented the condom and build them a personal memorial in the backyard. Genius, really. Massage oil was a pretty brilliant invention, too.

  And her friends might expect her to be reasonable and give it up since it was Coop, for God’s sake. That’s probably why they went to the trouble of driving all the way to Red River. To tell her to give up the man she’d grown to care very deeply for. Which she didn’t want to do just yet, even though he hadn’t indicated wanting a future with her beyond the summer.

  “I spaced calling you guys, we . . . I had a lot going on the last few days.” Did she ever. A. Lot. “But, driving up here was kind of extreme, don’t you think? You should’ve called first and I could’ve told you it was unnecessary.”

  “We didn’t mind the drive, and we wanted to see you. Give me directions to your place and we’ll drive out there.”

  “No! No, I’ll meet you in town.” Her mind raced. “There’s a place around the corner from where you’re at called the Rio Grande Bistro. It’s got an outdoor patio that’s great this time of year.” And secluded from the inquiring minds of Red River’s locals with sharp ears and hearing that reached into the next county. “Give me a few minutes to get ready, and I’ll see you there.”

  Ella hung up and chewed her lip.

  “Who was that?” Coop came in from taking Atlas and Winston for a stroll along the stream, one side of his face still a fading purplish blue.

  “Um, it was my friends from Albuquerque. They just drove into Red River. Do you remember Marilyn, Carissa, and Becca?”

  He nodded. “I’m pretty sure I met them at a party or two at your house. Are they on their way to the cabin?” He refilled the dog bowl with fresh water and set it back on the floor. Atlas and Winston lapped at it like they’d been wandering the desert.

  Ella chewed her lip harder. “No, I’m meeting them in town for lunch.”

  “I’ll drive you.” Coop pulled two large dog bones from a box in the pantry. Atlas spun in a circle, and Winston barked.

  “No! No, you don’t need to do that. You’re still mending. I could just borrow your truck.”

  He shrugged, passing out the canine treats. “I could stand to get out of the cabin for a little while.” He walked to her and slid an arm around her waist. “You’ve kept me occupied for days now. I’ve barely seen the sunshine.” He nipped at her neck.

  She sighed, melting into his hard chest. This wasn’t going well. He placed a gentle kiss in the hollow of her neck, making her skin pebble against his hot, breathy mouth. Yes, actually it was going really well. It just wasn’t going as she planned.

  “I could go by the pharmacy while you’re having lunch with your friends.” He chuckled. “You know, stock up and all, since you’re so insatiable.”

  “Me?” She swatted his shoulder.

  “I didn’t say I minded.” Coop brushed a gentle kiss against her forehead and rested his chin on top of her head.

  “You definitely don’t mind. It’s been kind of hard not to notice how much you don’t mind.”

  “Let’s get ready then. Your friends are waiting.”

  “Park here,” Ella commanded him, two blocks from the Rio Grande Bistro.

  “I can bring you all the way to the restaurant.”

  “That’s not necessary. This is a good distance from both the pharmacy and the Rio Grande. I can walk. It’s a nice day. I’ll call you later when I’m done. It might be a while.” She blathered on, her rattled nerves showing.

  WTF? Coop looked at her.

  “Sure.” He pecked her on the lips, trying not to smudge her lip gloss. She fidgeted with the strap of her yellow sundress, and her breasts bounced a little. He really wanted to pull the clip from her hair and mess up that perfect upswept twist that rested at the back of her head, but she’d put a lot of effort into getting ready to see her girlfriends. A few stray curls had escaped and cascaded around her face. He plucked one that lay against her neck and twisted it around his finger. “You look pretty.”

  Her lips parted, and he had a sudden desire to see those lips wrapped around his—

  “Thanks,” she whispered, and he could see a spark of desire in her eyes, too. Yeah, she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

  “So, I was wondering if you wanted to do something later?” he asked.

  Her mouth twitched into a wicked smile. “Seriously?”

  He laughed. “Besides that. Do you want to do something before that?”

  “You mean like a date?” She looked a little surprised, like the idea hadn’t crossed her mind. When it sank in, a smile spread across her lips.

  “Isn’t that what people do when they want to spend time together?”

  She nodded. “Yeah. That’d be nice.”

  “I’ll see you in a few hours.” With a quick peck, Ella slid out of the passenger seat and shut the door. She walked down the street in a summery yellow sundress that made her look like a lemon drop. Delicious enough to eat.

  She wore a very high pair of spiked heels with all kinds of straps going in every direction, and her p
olished toes peeked out the front. Oh, yeah. He’d love to see her in nothing but those.

  Her outfit may have been a tad overdressed for Red River, but he guessed she wanted to look nice for her friends.

  His gaze followed her down the street, his jaw tensing. Her friends. That must be the problem. She didn’t want her friends to see them together, the same way she hadn’t wanted his dad to see them holding hands.

  His gaze didn’t leave her until she disappeared around the corner wearing those bedroom heels. Then he tried to rub out the muscle spasm that had locked his jaw.

  Ella pulled the tissue paper out of the bag and squealed. “Becca! I can’t believe you got me this.” She jumped from her wicker patio chair, nearly knocking over the umbrella that shaded the four women from the early afternoon sun, and gave Becca a hug. Ella held up the leopard-print handbag, covered in an assortment of bling, for everyone to see, and sat back down. “I’ve been admiring this for months, but I was too chicken to buy something this edgy.” She tossed it over one shoulder and struck a Marilyn Monroe pose. “What do you think?”

  “Why do the rest of us bother?” Marilyn nudged Carissa. “Now our gifts are chopped liver.”

  “Oh, baloney,” said Ella. “You guys shouldn’t have brought gifts anyway.”

  “Well, your birthday is right around the corner, isn’t it?” said Becca.

  “Oh my gosh, you’re right. I forgot,” Ella gasped.

  “You forgot your own birthday?” Carissa raised a brow.

  “Jeez, the sex is that good?” Becca said, a little awed.

  “See, what would you do without us?” Marilyn said. “You wouldn’t even remember your own age.”

  Ella missed them so much. Since she arrived in Red River, Coop had kept her busy, her mind so boggled. First with trying to avoid him and his foul mood, and now with no ability to keep her hands off him; she hadn’t realized how much she’d missed her friends until she rounded the back corner of the bistro and found them sitting on the patio.

  “I really don’t know what I’m going to do without you three,” she said, her voice a little shaky.

  “Then come on back to Albuquerque. You can start over there just as easy as anywhere else,” said Marilyn.

  Ella shook her head. “I wish it were that simple. But, I can’t get over Bradley if I stay there. It was just too hard, too painful. That’s why I had to sell the house. It was so awful seeing him in that bed day after day.”

  “Leave her alone,” Carissa scolded them. “I want you back in Albuquerque as much as anyone, but I understand your need for space.”

  Ella sipped her iced tea and studied her friends. She loved these women. They were each so different, like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Together, they made each other whole. Except now she felt another piece was missing. And that piece was shaped like a five-foot-eleven chiropractor by the name of Cooper Wells.

  “What?” Marilyn’s brows knitted together as she shot the question at Ella. Becca stopped talking in midsentence.

  Ella snapped out of her daydream about how well some parts of Coop fit together with some of her parts. A jigsaw puzzle, indeed. “What, what?” She lifted a shoulder.

  “Okay, spill it,” said Carissa. “We want details.” Her persistence was what made her such a good attorney. It’s also what made her annoying sometimes.

  Ella shrugged. “It all happened so fast.” She was still stunned by how much she cared about Coop. How different the real Coop was from the playboy persona he’d always hidden behind. “I’m not sure what it means or if it means anything at all. It’s hard to tell right now.” Right. The way they were going at it every night, it was pretty easy to tell how much they liked each other physically. But beyond that, Ella wasn’t sure what Coop wanted.

  Coop was nothing like Bradley. But Bradley was gone and Coop wasn’t. He was very, very much alive.

  “This is probably a stupid question, but I have to ask it anyway. Are you in over your head with Coop?” Marilyn asked.

  Ella cringed. It was only a matter of time before these mother hens started to worry over her, and she really, really didn’t want to talk about it yet. Because, heck yeah, she was in over her head, and they’d probably spend the rest of the day scolding her for letting it happen. For putting herself and her heart at risk after what she’d gone through with Bradley’s illness, especially with a man whose life was currently turned upside down.

  Ella sighed and rubbed the back of her neck.

  “Oh no,” Marilyn said, and Ella’s three friends exchanged worried looks. “You’re in love with him.”

  Ella started to protest. Deny it. But what good would that do? She gave her friends a half smile and lifted a shoulder in surrender.

  She tensed. Felt Coop’s presence before she saw him. His soapy scent spurred her pulse into a gallop just as a masculine arm encircled her shoulders and gave her arm a firm squeeze.

  “Hello, sweetheart.” Coop’s voice oozed charisma and sensuality.

  Ella looked up into Coop’s oh-so-innocent eyes, which twinkled with wickedness. He leaned down and planted a sultry kiss square on her parted lips. She bit back the “what the hell are you doing here” accusation that teetered on the tip of her tongue. He pulled away just enough so his warm breath caressed her face, locked his eyes with hers, then dropped his gaze to her lips.

  “These are for you.” He handed her a large bouquet of bright yellow lilies. “They match your dress, so I had to get them for you.”

  Three simultaneous “awws” sounded from her friends. The very same friends that wanted to find a tree and a rope and make them a wardrobe accessory for Coop just a few weeks ago, and Ella wasn’t even sleeping with him then.

  She just stared at him, unsure how to respond. One of Coop’s caramel-colored brows rose high, coaxing her, provoking her. Their silent battle of wills raged on until Marilyn cleared her throat.

  “Hi, Cooper. You may not remember us, but I think we met you once or twice.”

  “Oh, I remember you ladies. Good to see you again.” He greeted each one. Becca’s and Carissa’s mouths hung open. When he grabbed each one’s hand, they almost cooed. Ella suppressed the urge to kick them under the table. Too bad they didn’t bring their kids. Ella would buy them double scoops of Blue Bell ice cream and a Red Bull as payback. It would make an interesting ride home.

  “And, please, call me Coop. All my friends do,” he said smoothly. He beamed a dazzling smile at Marilyn, who looked like she might melt.

  So much for Mrs. Hardass. And so much for not wanting to talk about Coop, because here he was in the flesh, making a show of his near supernatural ability to charm intelligent women into slobbering fools.

  “Coop, pull up a chair and join us,” Marilyn said, all breathy.

  “He can’t, can you, Coop. Aren’t you meeting your dad or something?”

  He shook his head. “Nope. No plans at all for the next few hours.” He gave Ella another dazzling smile. The kind that had most women eating out of his hand and sucking on his fingertips. The kind that charmed the spandex high-compression pants right off her. Ella licked her lips and tried to refocus.

  “Then by all means.” Becca motioned to an empty chair at the next table. “Have a seat.”

  “Well, if I’m not interrupting and if Ella’s not embarrassed to be seen with me.”

  Ella ground her teeth. “No, of course not.”

  “Don’t be silly, Coop, of course you’re not interrupting. We’re finished eating anyway,” Becca said.

  When Coop turned to retrieve the chair, Marilyn mouthed a “tsk, tsk” at Ella, who glared and grabbed her iced tea glass off the table. Before she said something she’d regret, she took a long drink.

  “So tell us what you two have been up to here in Red River?” Marilyn asked, looking at them intently.

  Coop circled her shoulder aga
in and caressed the top of it with his fingertips. “Oh, a little rafting, a little dancing, a little fishing.” He gave Ella a sly smile, mischief flickering in his hazel eyes. “Lots of physical activity.” He turned a wondrous smile on Marilyn. “Gotta stay fit, ya know?”

  Ella choked on her iced tea. Taking her glass, Coop handed her a napkin and rubbed the bare skin between her shoulder blades.

  “Are you okay, love?” he asked her affectionately.

  Love? Really?

  Her three buddies exchanged envious glances, and Ella’s face burned so hot her makeup might’ve melted a little.

  “Butch, Coop, and a few others are redoing my bathroom,” Ella interjected, and they all looked at her like she was interrupting. Seriously? These ballbusters were just lecturing her on the phone about how unwise it was to get involved with him. With just a few smiles, they were already wrapped around his very capable finger.

  And, oh, what he could do with those fingers. Her entire body flushed from head to toe.

  “What happened, Coop?” Becca asked, gesturing at the colorful bruises on the side of his face.

  Ella gave him a pleading look. If he told them about Lumberjack Guy, they’d never leave her alone. Or they’d go after the culprits themselves, vigilante style. These ladies looked out for their own.

  He touched the spot with his fingertips. “Oh, I had a little fender bender. Nothing to worry about.”

  “Sorry to spoil the party, but I have to ask, how’s your legal situation?” Carissa said, leaning forward on her elbows. “You know, I’m an attorney. I might be able to help.”

  “My attorney said there’s been a break in the case. The plaintiff just changed her story, which looks bad for her.”

  Ella’s head whipped around to study his profile. That was important news that he’d failed to share with her. Maybe he didn’t see a reason to share it with her.

  Precisely why she didn’t feel comfortable going public with their . . . their . . . their arrangement yet.