At times like this he understood why his mother had moved away. She was doing her best to put his father and the place he’d held in her life behind her. She could live her life without risk of running into someone who’d known what her husband had done. She’d chosen to relocate while he’d chosen to isolate himself on the ranch. Until now.
Ever since Gabriella and her children had moved across the road from him, isolation had lost its appeal. He wanted to be around them and had a hard time picturing his life without them.
“Why are you frowning?” Rick asked. He was the most carefree of all the guys. But then, he had the perfect life. He had a beautiful wife and a great son.
“Just a passing thought. Nothing serious.”
Rick nodded. They’d been friends long enough to know when the other wasn’t in the mood to talk.
Melanie blew the whistle. “One minute.”
Carson swallowed some water and, shoving aside his troubling thoughts, jogged to center court for the jump ball.
The second half went much the same way as the first. Carson had believed he was a fairly good player, but playing against these kids disabused him of that notion. The teenagers won by a score of sixty-five to fourteen. The second and third games were as lopsided as the first two. Carson was in good shape, but after an hour of playing with these kids, he was panting as hard as the over-forties and every muscle in his body ached. As the clock wound down on the third and final game, he dropped into a chair beside his visibly exhausted teammates.
“Those kids are fierce,” he managed to say.
“Surely they weren’t too much for you under-forties with all of your stamina,” Trent said, smirking.
“That was Rick who said that, not me,” Carson corrected with a grin.
“How about one more game? We’ll spot you thirty points just to make it interesting,” Benji said before running to the other end of the gym and dunking. The other teens began shooting hoops with spare balls, never missing once.
“We’ve got reservations at Marconi’s. That is, if you still want pizza,” Lex said.
“Oh, yeah.”
The players gathered up the balls and returned them to the storage closet at the far end of the gym. Most of the spectators had gone home after the second game, so only a few parents remained. Rick and Trent assured them that they’d make sure the teens got home safely.
Once the gym was restored to order and the lights were turned out, they piled into their cars and drove to the pizza parlor. Marconi’s was a popular restaurant, and there were a few people finishing their meals or lingering over dessert. The players were quiet as they walked through the dining room and into the large party room at the back of the restaurant. Lex had called in their order ahead of time, so once they were seated, the waitresses set the food on a long table at the head of the room.
There was orderly chaos as the youth charged the table, piling slices of pizza on plates and filling glasses with soda. Once they’d sat down, the adults took their turn. There was a bowl of salad on the table, which remained pretty much untouched.
Adults and teens shared tables, and laughter quickly filled the room. There was lots of good-natured teasing and trash-talking, and Carson joined in between bites of cheese-and-sausage pizza.
Time passed, and one by one people began to leave. Rick and Trent lingered by the door while the teens they were driving home dropped the last of the pizza into paper napkins to eat later. When they were done, they waved and exited the room, leaving Lex and Carson alone.
“So, what’s going on?” Lex asked as he sat in a recently vacated chair at Carson’s table.
Carson should have prepared an answer over the past hour, but he hadn’t. Now he had no choice but to give an unrehearsed answer. “It’s Gabriella.”
He was surprised that of all the things on his mind, Gabriella’s name tumbled out of his mouth.
“Gabriella?”
“You might not know her. Her aunt, Mildred Johnson, owns the house across from my ranch.”
“Ah, the book lady.”
“Who?”
“Mrs. Johnson reads to the kids at the youth center. Joshua loves her and Joni sings her praises.”
“Yes. Well, anyway Gabriella used to visit every summer when we were kids.”
“I take it you were close.”
“Close” didn’t come near to describing their relationship back then. And it was becoming insufficient in describing their current relationship. But since Carson couldn’t find an adequate word, he nodded.
“And now?”
“Now our friendship has picked up from where we left off. To be honest, I’m thinking that our relationship could become something deeper. Something more personal.”
“So what’s the problem? Why do you sound so depressed?”
“Because. How can I bring her into the mess that is my life?”
“You lost me. What part of your life is a mess?”
“Are you kidding?”
“Not at all.”
“Every part of my life. My father was a killer. He murdered a man and got away with it for years. He threatened Donovan and made him leave town. That’s my life.”
“No. That’s your father’s life. He did those things, not you. Nobody holds you responsible for his actions.”
Carson thought about his run-ins with Rusty Danvers and his friends. The angry, hateful words. The way he’d tried to ruin Carson’s reputation. Rusty had worked for Carson’s father for a hot minute and had bounced from ranch to ranch over the past decade. And though Rusty was the only one of a handful of people who’d said anything, Carson couldn’t believe others didn’t also harbor a negative opinion of him. “Some do.”
“You can’t let what some misguided and, dare I say it, jealous people think control you. Live your life and ignore the fools. Stop hiding out on your ranch. Reclaim your life.”
“That’s easier said than done.”
“I know. But what does that have to do with Gabriella?”
Carson picked up his cup and drank the remainder of his soda. The ice had melted and the flavor left something to be desired. “If I take things with her to the next level, then I risk making her a part of this. She also has two young children. I don’t want them being mistreated.”
“I don’t think anyone would do that.”
“But should I even take the risk? Gabriella and I are really good friends. We could keep on being just friends.”
Lex laughed. “You know Joni and I were good friends before we got married, right?”
Carson nodded. Everyone in town had known that they’d belonged together long before they’d gotten married.
“Well, I almost blew it with her. I wasn’t ready to face the depth of my feelings. When she got pregnant, I suggested we should get married for the sake of the baby.”
“Yikes.” Carson laughed. “You seem so much smarter than that.”
“I thought I was being smart. The way I saw it, I would get to be with Joni and our son without having to deal with my feelings.”
“I think you’re trying to tell me something, but I’m not getting the message.”
“Don’t worry about protecting your feelings.”
“It’s not my feelings I’m worried about. It’s Gabriella and her kids.”
“If you say so. But either way, my advice to you is going to be the same. Figure out how you feel. Talk to Gabriella. Be honest about everything, and let her decide what’s best for her and the kids.”
“It might be a moot point anyway.”
“How do you figure?”
“Her ex still lives in Ohio. From what she told me, he hasn’t been a part of Justin and Sophia’s lives for a while, but she doesn’t want to get in the way of them having a relationship with him in the future. She’s planning to go home at the end of summer.”
“That does complicate things, but it’s not an impossible hurdle. Figure out how you feel. Then make your move. You won’t regret it.”
They stood and walked to their vehicles. Carson pondered Lex’s words as he drove back to the ranch. Was he more concerned about his own feelings than he was about Gabriella’s safety? Was her safety simply an excuse he was using in order to protect his heart? He didn’t know. But he needed to figure that out soon. Time was running out.
Chapter Eleven
Gabriella smiled as she and the kids walked across the road to Carson’s house for their horseback riding lessons. When he’d called her last night to confirm the time, he’d told her that he wanted her to ride with them. The lesson would be thirty minutes earlier than usual because the kids were going to attend a sleepover party with their friends. When she’d told Carson that the kids would be gone for the night, he’d invited her out to dinner. She’d immediately said yes, and her mind had been swirling with excitement ever since.
She’d visualized the limited wardrobe that she’d brought with her from Ohio—jeans, shorts and casual skirts—and knew there was nothing in her closet that she could wear to the swanky restaurant Carson was taking her to. She’d have to stop by the boutique in town and buy something stylish. Something that would knock Carson’s socks off. She smiled at the thought. Who would have believed her feelings for Carson would change from friendship into something that felt suspiciously like love?
That just showed you how life could change in a minute. Of course, she’d learned that lesson when her marriage imploded. Change was so much better when it was positive.
The kids spotted Carson and as usual ran to him. When they reached him, they hugged him around his waist. Her heart squeezed at the sight. The three of them looked so good together. Almost like a family.
Seeing the kids with Carson only emphasized how much more attention they’d needed from Reggie. If he wasn’t willing to change and give them time and attention, then she needed to act. But what should she do? She couldn’t just slot Carson into the place that Reggie had vacated. They weren’t interchangeable pieces. Carson was his own man. But what if he wanted that place in her kids’ lives? Would that change things?
When she reached the happy trio, Carson smiled at her and all her worries vanished.
“We were telling Carson about the presents Aunt Mildred brought us and about lunch with her,” Sophia said.
“I’m sorry I missed it,” Carson said, leading them to the horses.
“You can come next time,” Justin pronounced.
“I’d like that.”
Gabriella trailed behind them, her eyes drawn to Carson’s firm bottom. The jeans he wore fit his body perfectly. Not too tight, not too loose. He turned around and caught her staring. Blushing, she trotted over to the fence. His laughter reached her, but she wasn’t sure whether he was laughing at her reaction or something one of the kids had said.
“I thought we could ride out to the watering hole this morning,” Carson said, coming up beside her. He was standing so close his hand brushed against hers and tingles danced down her spine.
“What’s a watering hole?” Sophia asked.
“It’s a place your mom and I used to swim when we were kids.”
“Why didn’t you just use the swimming pool?” Justin asked. “It’s right there.”
“I didn’t have a pool until I was about thirteen. I was happy when my mother had it put in, but we still liked going to the swimming hole.”
“Half of the fun was getting there,” Gabriella added. Those had been the days, racing across the seemingly endless acres of green grass and the occasional hill to reach the pool created by Mother Nature. The cool water had felt so good on her skin in the hot summer months, and they’d swum and splashed for hours.
When they’d been young, they’d lain together on a blanket, letting the sun dry their suits. When they were older, they’d swum well past sunset. They would often build a fire and sit close together on that same blanket, sharing their innermost secrets.
They had been so innocent back then. There hadn’t been a hint of anything sexual between them. Now, though, the thought of lying beside Carson aroused her, and she struggled to control her imagination.
“We aren’t going to swim now, are we? The party is today and I don’t want to mess up my hair,” Sophia said.
“No, we’re just going to ride there and come back,” Carson confirmed. They mounted their horses and Carson approached Gabriella, who was astride Beauty. “Sophia is pretty excited about that party.”
“They both are. That’s all they’ve been talking about for days. They’re supposed to be there around three o’clock. Apparently there’s going to be a magician and a bounce house. But naturally the highlight of the event is sleeping on someone else’s living room floor.” She shook her head. “Go figure.”
Carson laughed. “Come on. Surely you remember how much fun we had at our sleepovers as kids.”
“Yeah. I admit there was something magical about spending the night under the stars in your backyard. Of course I was so much younger then, and the ground didn’t feel quite as hard.”
“You’re forgetting my stellar company.”
“That goes without saying. Still, I can’t imagine willingly doing so today no matter how wonderful the company.”
“So you’re saying I need to provide you with a comfortable bed if I expect to enjoy your company overnight.”
Gabriella choked, and Carson’s eyes widened as he realized what he’d just said. Obviously he hadn’t meant to be provocative, but the idea did hold appeal. And just like that, she pictured herself lying in his bed. But truth be told, the way she felt right now, she wouldn’t complain about making a bed on the ground, as long as he was beside her, his arms holding her close.
“Are you and Mommy having a sleepover?” Sophia asked, riding up beside them. Gabriella had been so involved in her daydream that she’d forgotten that little kids had big ears.
“Not tonight,” Gabriella said, avoiding Carson’s eyes.
“Too bad,” Sophia answered.
“Are you guys ready yet?” Justin asked.
“Yep.” Gabriella didn’t wait for Carson to assign riding order. Instead, she turned and headed toward the watering hole at a pretty steady clip. Beauty had a smooth gait and liked the quicker pace. The kids had no trouble keeping up with her, and she was pleased that they were becoming such good riders. Carson was an excellent teacher.
As she rode, her mind replayed the earlier conversation. Did he want to have a sleepover? Or was she making too much out of an innocent comment? There was no sense in denying that she wanted one. Heck, she was beginning to want more than just one night of shared passion. She enjoyed his company. She was happier with him than she’d been in years. The more time she spent with him, the more time she wanted to spend with him.
She wondered just how much of this newfound attraction was based on happy memories of times they’d spent together and how much was based on the man he was now. Was she falling for him because she was tired of being alone, or did she actually care for him? Was she trying to prove that she was still a desirable woman, despite the fact that her husband had dumped her?
She stopped that thought in its tracks. Reggie had nothing to do with her feelings for Carson. She might not know everything, but of that she was certain. And in that moment, she knew her feelings were not based on the past, either. At least not entirely. It was impossible to separate her current emotions from what she’d felt all those years ago. But, back then, they’d been friends. Only friends. When she’d returned to Sweet Briar, all she’d felt for him had been friendship, and barely that. But it hadn’t taken long for them to renew their friendship.
The relationship had grown over these past weeks and turned into something deeper. Something that touched her heart, awakening stron
g emotions. Did he feel the same shift in their relationship? That was the crucial question. And one she intended to get an answer to.
If her divorce had taught her one thing, it was the importance of honesty. She could have avoided so much pain and disappointment if she had known the score with Reggie from the beginning. Time had made her wiser and bolder. She wasn’t going to wait to find out how Carson felt. Nor would she try to interpret his actions or decipher the meaning of his every word. No more wondering. She was going to be direct and ask him. Tonight. She inhaled a peaceful breath. By the end of the night she would have her answer.
She reached the watering hole and dismounted, then waited as the others did the same.
The kids took one look around and then ran to the water as Gabriella had known they would. She’d reacted the same way the first time she’d come here.
“It has a waterfall,” Sophia exclaimed. “It looks like a big shower.”
“Why didn’t we go on that side?” Justin asked, scrambling atop a boulder.
“Because this is the side we always came to,” Gabriella said, and then laughed. There really hadn’t been a reason. Only habit. “We usually just got in over here and swam to the waterfall.”
“It’s really big,” Justin said. “It’s even bigger than your pool.”
Sophia giggled. “I thought it was going to be a big puddle. Or just water in a hole.”
“Well, we did call it a watering hole, so I can see how you thought that,” Carson said.
“We should come out here to swim one day,” Justin said.
“And bring lunch, too. Like a picnic,” Sophia said, warming to the idea.
Gabriella didn’t bother telling the kids yet again that it was impolite to invite themselves over to Carson’s ranch and make big plans. They were just so comfortable with him and felt at home. She felt the same way.
Redemption on Rivers Ranch Page 15
