A Moment To Love (11 page)

“Just part of it. And yeah, that’s her. She had a run-in with a scorpion and lost.”

“Cool.” A school-age boy’s eyes opened up. “Is she gonna be okay?”

“Sure, she is.” Tony spoke up before Cord could think of an appropriate answer. “Johnny, why don’t you go check out the books over there? I thought I saw one about horses.”

Johnny’s uncertain gaze moved between the two men. “Okay.”

When Johnny was across the room, looking at the bookshelf, Tony leaned back and crossed his arms. “This parenting stuff sure is tough to adjust to, especially when I’m just the uncle trying to fill the roles of both Mom and Dad.”

“You look like you’re doing a good job.” Not that Cord had any basis for his observation, since he had zero experience with little people.

“I’m trying. I just never know if I’m doing anything right.”

“I don’t know if anyone knows what they are doing. They just give it their best try. And fake the rest.”

Tony’s brows rose. “You think?”

Cord nodded.

“Hey, I just got a new stallion.” Tony smiled. “You should stop by sometime and check him out. He might be as big as that one you’ve got. What’s his name?”

“Midnight Star. I bet they’d certainly put on a fine race.”

“Is that a challenge?” Tony’s eyes lit up.

“I’ll have to see your horse first. I’ll stop by when I get a chance.” This wasn’t the first time Tony had invited him over, and Cord had always meant it when he’d said he’d stop over sometime, but sometime never seemed to roll around. Cord was stuck in a rut, so used to keeping to himself. It was hard to change.

The blare of a car horn drew his attention. He glanced out the window, finding his truck was blocking traffic. He was hesitant to leave in case he was needed, but what would they need him for? His biggest contribution would be holding Lexi’s hand, and obviously, she could do fine on her own. He shoved his Stetson on his head and strode up to the reception window.

Mrs. Willard slid open the clear glass partition. “What a horrible thing to happen to that poor girl. Don’t you worry now. Doc will get her fixed up. You’ll see.”

“I’m going to step out for a moment and move my truck. It’s blocking traffic. I’ll be right back.”

She nodded. “If anyone is looking for you, I’ll let them know.”

He thanked her and stepped outside. He was actually happy to have something to do other than get lost in his troubled thoughts. They always came back to Lexi. Her sickly complexion haunted him.

He drew his thoughts up short. What was wrong with him? He didn’t even worry like this when his favorite horse had colic. After all, this woman was a stranger to him. Well, maybe they weren’t exactly strangers any longer. They’d shared a lot during their visit to Haggerty. He’d noticed that opening up about her parents had been extremely hard for her. The fact that she’d taken him into her confidence gave him an unfamiliar sensation in his chest.

And then there’d been that kiss.

It hadn’t been just any kiss. When her sweet lips moved beneath his, he’d wanted to stay in that moment and forget the reality of their situation. She made him want to believe in rainbows and fairytales.

He drew his meandering thoughts up short. There was no room in his life to get caught up in fantasies—no matter how pretty they are. He couldn’t let her get under his skin like Susan had—he couldn’t let Lexi sweet-talk him into selling her the land.

Which sounded all fine and good, but he just couldn’t readily dismiss how nice she’d been to him—genuinely nice. Sure, she wanted his land, but she didn’t have to bother listening to him and trying to understand his deep connection to the land. And he couldn’t—wouldn’t—forget her kindness.

When he returned from moving the truck, Mrs. Willard called out, “Cord, you can go on back.”

“Thanks.” He wasted no time heading to the exam room.

The door was cracked open. Not wanting to intrude, he rapped his knuckles on the doorframe.

“Come in,” Doc called out.

Cord stepped inside to find Lexi sitting up, holding an ice pack to her hand. Her face remained a bit flushed, but her cheeks were no longer fiery red. His gaze moved from her to the doctor.

“How is she?”

“I’d like to admit her to the hospital overnight—”

“What? How bad is she?”

“Relax, Cord. If you’d let me finish, I was going to say I’d put her in for observation—as a precaution.”

“Do you really think that’s necessary?” Cord asked, hoping the doctor was just being overly cautious.

Doc Willard noted something on her chart and then turned to gaze at him over his reading glasses. “I’d feel better if someone kept an eye on her to make sure her symptoms don’t get any worse. Besides the allergic reaction, I also think she’s suffering from too much sun exposure. The New Mexico sun can be hard on people who aren’t used to it. You should know that.”

Why did Cord get the feeling that people thought there was more to their relationship than buyer and seller? Maybe because there had been that amazingly scorching-hot kiss—but, wait, no one knew about it.

“Quit talking about me like I’m not here,” Lexi interjected. “I’ll be fine. The ice is helping.”

Doc made another note in the file. “I gave her a shot that should help. She can have acetaminophen for the pain, but I want her to avoid ibuprofen and aspirin.”

Cord nodded. “I’ll drive her to the hospital.”

“I’m not going.” She glared at Cord. “I’ll be fine. Won’t I, Dr. Willard?”

The doc frowned. “I’d really feel better if you had some fluids and round-the-clock monitoring.”

“I promise that if I have any problems, I’ll call you,” she said.

“You’ll have to get plenty of rest and keep ice on that sting.”

“I will.” She flashed him a weak smile. “Now can I go?”

“Not so fast,” Doc said. “If you aren’t going to the hospital, I want someone with you overnight to make sure you don’t experience any complications.”

Cord swallowed hard, knowing the responsibility fell to him. She had been hurt on his land, and his promise to do his part to ensure her health haunted him. But when he’d made the promise to God, he hadn’t envisioned sharing a roof with her.

“I’ll do it, Doc,” Cord said, ignoring his reservations. “She can come home with me.”

Lexi scooted off the table and stood between them. “Would you two quit making decisions for me? I can take care of myself.”

Cord eyed up her ice pack. “We can see how well that turned out for you.”

Her eyes narrowed into a you’re-going-to-pay-for-that-one look. He didn’t care, just as long as she was safe. It was only one night. He was fairly certain they could survive each other’s company that long.

“Just let me have the care instructions,” Cord said, “and we’ll get out of your way.”

“My missus will have them up front when you check out. Make sure you’re alert for any signs of blurred vision or difficulty swallowing or breathing.”

Cord nodded while Lexi’s lips pursed together.

In the hallway, she said, “I’m not going home with you.”

“You will unless you want me to drive you directly to the hospital. Take your pick.”

“I’m going back to my motel room. Alone.” Her words lacked conviction. The bravado seemed to zap her strength as she started to slump, deflated like a leaky balloon.

Cord slipped an arm around her, liking the feel of her body against his. “We’ll see about that.”

He escorted her to the waiting area and led her to a chair, while he took care of the paperwork. Mrs. Willard handed over the patient instructions and rattled off the highlights. He gazed down at the tiny print. The letters blurred together. The muscles in his neck tightened. He folded the paper in half to read later.

After he promised to bring her back for a checkup the next day, he turned and found Lexi slouched in the chair. She reminded him of a beautiful flower that had started to droop. She definitely needed someone to watch over her until she regained her strength—no matter what she said.

He’d never played nursemaid to a human before. But there was a first time for everything. He’d hazard a guess that his horses made much better patients than this stubborn, opinionated woman. Oh boy, he was up to his Stetson in trouble.

CHAPTER TEN

T
his can’t be happening.

Alexis sat rigidly in the passenger seat of Cord’s truck. She leaned her head back, wondering how in the world she’d gained Cord as some sort of guardian. This was the same man who hadn’t been able to get away from her fast enough. Sometimes the world worked in mysterious ways. And this time the universe seemed to be having a good laugh at her expense.

Cord maneuvered the truck into traffic. “Would you like me to stop and get you something to eat? Name your craving, and I’ll do my best to get it.”

She crossed her arms. “I’m not hungry.”

“You will be, once that medicine kicks in.”

“Right now, I’d like to get some fresh clothes. Would you mind stopping at the motel?”

He pulled up to a stop sign and glanced her way. “You promise to keep your word and come home with me?”

A little voice in the back of her mind warned that it was not a good idea—in fact, it constituted an awful idea. “I’ll be fine at the motel. You don’t need to bother. I promise to call you if I have any problems—”

“That wasn’t our agreement. I gave my word to Doc Willard that I’d take care of you, and I’m not going back on my word, even if it’s uncomfortable for the both of us.”

“Is your word like some sort of cowboy code?”

“Something like that.”

The last thing in the world she wanted to do was spend time alone with him. That kiss kept haunting her. It’d been oh-so-much better than she’d ever imagined. Just the memory of it made her insides shiver with excitement. Of course, she knew that some of that came from them reaching a deeper connection as they’d strolled down the dusty main street in Haggerty. Cord had given her a glimpse of the man inside the coat of armor.

Her head started to ache. She leaned it back against the seat and refused to rub her temples, not wanting to give Cord another reason to play caregiver. But maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to have a sexy cowboy at her beck and call.

And if truth be told, she was curious to learn more about him. Not that she was interested in him—that kiss had been a one-time thing. Most likely, it had been the result of too much sun. Even the doctor had confirmed she was suffering from sun exposure. Rather, her interest was business-related. The more she learned about Cord, the easier it’d be to strike an irresistible deal.

Deciding she could move past the kiss, just like he’d obviously done, she said, “Fine. I’ll go to the ranch with you. But first I’d like to stop at the motel.”

“That’s doable. I just have to get us turned around.” He slowed the truck and checked traffic.

In no time, he parked in front of her motel room. Without a word, he leaped out and rushed to open her door. He was forever the gentleman, which made her wonder about his offer to care for her. Was it out of concern? Or was it some sort of obligation?

He stood there, blocking her exit. “I can get whatever you need if you’ll just tell me where it is.”

She shook her head, chasing away the thought of him sorting through her lacy undies. “Thanks. But I’m not helpless.”

He shrugged before offering her a hand to help her out of the truck. He didn’t say anything, but his brows were knitted together in a definite frown.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”

He followed her to the motel door when her cell phone began playing
Beethoven’s Fifth
. She stopped and turned to Cord. “It’s my father, and I really need to make sure he’s okay. Would you mind waiting in the truck for me?”

“Don’t take long. And let me know if you need any help.” Surprisingly, he didn’t put up a fight and quietly turned back toward the truck.

She grabbed the phone and pressed it to her ear. “Hi, Father. I didn’t expect to hear from you again so soon. Is something wrong?”

“Yes.”

Her hand tightened around the phone at the sound of his clipped tone. “What is it? Do you need to call the doctor?”

“No. I told you the ticker is just fine. It’s the land deal. I don’t understand what’s taking you so long to get those papers signed. We’ve received the surveyor’s report and the geological reports. In fact, we’ve gotten all of the paperwork except for a signed sales agreement.”

Alexis unlocked the motel door. “I told you I’m working on it—”

“Don’t feed me any more lines. I’m not some flunky. I’m your father—your boss.”

“Yes, sir.” Her body tensed.

“Now, out with it.” Agitation laced every syllable. “What’s the problem? Is the seller holding out for more money?”

She bit down on her lower lip. What in the world was she supposed to tell him? What had she been doing? The steamy kiss beneath the desert sun came to mind. Just as quickly as the memory came to her, she dismissed it.

“Spit out the truth, girl,” he said, as though he were privy to her thoughts. “Lies won’t help either of us.”

She glanced up, finding Cord standing next to the pickup, speaking with Mrs. Sanchez. Glad he was distracted, she stepped into her room. She left the door open so there wouldn’t be any need for Cord to come checking on her, thinking she’d changed her mind about going to the ranch with him. The last thing she needed was for him to overhear her conversation with her father. Or for her father to overhear Cord fussing over her. She had enough problems already.

“I don’t have the papers signed because the seller has a deep sentimental attachment to the ghost town.”

“Why should we care? Are you going soft? Or does this Mr. Lawson have you thinking about things other than work—”

“Father,” she said indignantly. Her cheeks flamed with heat as her father’s words hit far too close to the truth. “I can’t twist his arm to sign.”

Not feeling too swift, Alexis sat down on the edge of the bed. The throbbing in her temples increased. She didn’t know if it was due to her run-in with the scorpion or the stress of dealing with her father. But if he would just back off and let her handle things, she’d finalize the deal and save the company. One way or another.

“Alexis, I don’t understand. If Mr. Lawson is so gung ho about keeping his land, why’d he go and put it up for sale?”

“It was a mistake by the realty office.” Her voice grew softer as the fight went out of her. All she wanted now was some peace and quiet. “The ghost town was never supposed to be listed.”

“Alexis, are you all right?”

No way was she telling her father about her encounter with a scorpion, or the fact she was spending the night with Cord—erm…staying at his house.

“Yes, I’m fine. I just got distracted.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes.” She hoped her voice sounded reassuring.

Her father hesitated, as though trying to decide if he believed her. “Okay. Now how are you going to convince this sentimental cowboy to sell?”

“I overheard him say that he doesn’t have the money to make the balloon payment on his mortgage. If he doesn’t sell, the bank will foreclose on his entire ranch.”

“So what’s your next step?”

“Convince Cord that retaining part of the Brazen H is better than none of it.”

“And if that doesn’t work?”

“I got a phone call from the Realtor in Albuquerque. He’s located a ghost town in Arizona that’s about to hit the market. I should know more soon.”

“That isn’t going to work. We’d have to start back at the beginning with this project.”

He had a point. It would take longer to move their plans for the resort to Arizona, but it’d be worth it if she could find a way to help Cord. “I’m doing what I can.”

“I’ve heard from the investors, and they’re getting nervous. We have to move on this before we lose their support. Give me the name of the Realtor.”

“Why?” She didn’t trust her father to take care of himself. He always had to be involved—even when he was under doctor’s orders to rest.

“Alexis, don’t be difficult. I just have a few questions for him.” He expelled a resigned sigh. “I promise not to interfere with your deal.”

What could it hurt? Maybe if her father felt included, he’d quit worrying so much. She read off the Realtor’s information.

“With Arizona being a long shot, I expect you to push Mr. Lawson,” her father said. “Make sure he understands our offer is his only viable option.”

“I’m working on it, but I don’t think strong-arming Cord is the right approach.”

“Sounds like you’ve gotten close to this man. I’ve never known you to get personally invested in a project. Is there something going on between you two?”

Did the outlandish desire to follow up that most amazing kiss with another one—a far more intense one—constitute a relationship? Not that she’d ever let that happen. Once her business in Whistle Stop was concluded, she’d be on the first plane back to New York. “Nothing’s going on.”

“You’re sure about that?”

“I’ve been here long enough to get to know some of the town’s people, including Cord, and I’ve come to understand how much the land means to him.”

Her father grunted. “While you’re getting all friendly with that cowboy, don’t forget that our project is on the line.”

She stifled a groan. She realized the severity of the situation more than he did, but she also believed Cord deserved to keep his family’s land intact. She didn’t bother trying to explain any of this to her father. He wouldn’t understand.

“Quit stressing,” she said. “I have everything under control.”

“I can fly out—”

“No. Stay there and go to your physical therapy.”

“I still think there’s something you’re not telling me. What is it?”

She ignored his question. “There is one more thing. After we complete this deal, how about you sell HSG and retire? There are a couple of companies interested in acquiring it.”

“This isn’t the time to discuss such things. You have more important matters to attend to,” he grumbled.

More stalling tactics. “Father—”

“Fine.” He sighed. “I don’t want to argue about this over the phone. We’ll discuss me cutting back on my hours after you’ve returned to New York.”

“I’ll take that as a promise.”

New York hadn’t crossed her mind until now. Other than her adoring father, she hadn’t left behind anyone to miss her, not even so much as a cat or a dog. The fact her parent would be the only one to notice if she didn’t return to the city was a sad commentary on her life. She’d have to change that when she returned, but she wasn’t quite sure how to go about it.

With high hopes for the Arizona property, she grabbed her laptop, hoping Cord had Internet access at the ranch. She wanted to go back over the information the Realtor had e-mailed her about the prospective property’s specifics. She yawned. She was anxious to find an alternative site, but she wasn’t foolish enough to rush in without checking the specs. Another yawn soon followed. Still, she couldn’t douse the rising hope that this would be the answer to their problems. And maybe she’d consider all of it after she closed her eyes for a bit.

The ride to the Brazen H was quiet and short. She wondered if Cord was starting to regret his insistence that she stay with him. It’d serve him right for being so stubborn. She could have taken care of herself, but it was nice to have someone worry about her—even if it was out of some sense of obligation.

Now, as Alexis stood in Cord’s living room, she immediately noticed how everything was in its place. Interesting. For some reason, she’d thought a bachelor would be messy and his house would be chaotic. Cord surprised her—and not for the first time.

While he was still outside having a word with his foreman, Alexis glanced around at the cream paint covering the walls and the tan draperies that hung on either side of the large bay window. She noticed how the room lacked any books. Upon closer inspection, she found it devoid of magazines or even a newspaper.
How strange.
She’d always found that she could tell so much by a person’s reading habits, but Cord still remained an intriguing mystery.

A small collection of antique black-and-white photos drew her interest. She couldn’t resist walking over to have a closer look. A tall, light-skinned man posed in front of a rustic wood building. She squinted to read the name on the post office. Haggerty, New Mexico. In the picture, the man’s hand rested above his gun belt as he leaned casually against a rough-hewn pillar near the open doorway. His eyes gleamed with pride while a full beard partially obscured his smug smile. Everything about his appearance said he’d conquered the world.

Just then Cord strolled into the house. “Sorry about that. We were discussing moving the herd to a new field.”

“No problem. I was just looking at your photos. Is this the man who founded the ghost town?” She glanced over at Cord, who took a seat on the couch.

“Yes, that’s James Haggerty.” Pride rang out in Cord’s voice. “The boy in the photo is my great-grandfather.”

Another photo of the same man hung to the left. This time a beautiful Hispanic woman dressed formally in a hat and fancy dress accompanied him. A little boy stood between them. Their smiles reflected in their eyes. What had they sacrificed to settle this land? Between what she’d learned from Cord about Haggerty’s history and now putting a face to the land made Alexis begin to regret her plans, but it was too late to back out now. She’d already put her plan in motion to rally the town’s support for the resort. And it would help so many residents of Whistle Stop—it’d also help Cord.