My Heart Lingers (A Hearts of Misty Mesa Story): BWWM Interracial Romance (7 page)

The restaurant host showed her to the table Mike reserved for them. He was already seated with two empty wine glasses and a half-eaten tray of tapas. He pressed a cell phone to his ear and talked loudly over the music. Kyra gave him a nod after the host departed for the front of the restaurant.

He waved to her with his free hand. “Hey, John, I gotta call you later.” He put the phone on the table. “Hey, girl. Glad you made it.” He got up and gave her a one-arm hug. It was subtle this time. Whether it was because they were in a crowded restaurant or Cole wasn’t there to frown on him, Kyra couldn’t tell why.

She returned his hug with a friendly pat on the shoulder. “I’m not too late, am I? I see you already ordered.”

“No, I was just hungry. I didn’t eat a big lunch. So what are you having?” He flagged down a server. “My treat.”

“You don’t have to do that, Mike.” She ordered a glass of red wine and informed the server to put her order on a separate tab.

“It’s not a problem, Kyra. Waiter, you can put it all on my tab.”

“Yes, sir.” The server nodded efficiently, not wanting to wait around while they fought over who was taking care of the check. “Anything else for the lady to start with?”

Mike interjected before Kyra could answer. “Bring her out some of those ahi tuna tostadas. Those are really good.”

“Right away.” The server hurried off to fill Kyra’s drink order and bring the tapas.

“So what do you think?” Mike asked Kyra’s opinion as she settled into her surroundings.

“I don’t know. I haven’t tried anything yet.”

“I know that.” He laughed loud enough for people at the next table to turn around and glance at him. “I meant, what do you think of the restaurant? Really hip and modern, right?”

“It is pretty nice. I love the music.”

“Latin fusion food is big in Dallas, but what am I saying? You know all about city life.”

The server brought her wine and a refill for Mike. Kyra took a sip of the smooth cabernet. “Chicago has its perks, but I’m enjoying the slower pace of Misty Mesa. I think it’s what draws the tourists here, too.”

Mike tilted his head in thought. His upper lip curled a little with disdain. “Maybe, but the people who come here are nature lovers and artsy-fartsy types. What this town needs to do is build big and pass itself off as a prime getaway spot for mainstream tourists.”

“I disagree. The small arts scene, cowboy culture, and rugged landscape are what make Misty Mesa unique. It’ll always appeal to a smaller segment of visitors than, say, Fort Worth or Austin. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Mike took a swig from his glass. “Not if Misty Mesa wants to remain an eclectic little town off the beaten trail.”

“I think you’ve found next year’s slogan for the travel brochure.”

Kyra discovered fast that Mike didn’t share her humor. His eyes hooded slightly. “But it’s boring. It’s been boring since we were kids. I’m a land developer and property investor now. When I see all this untapped opportunity, I see dollar signs. Instead of building chain stores and hotels, money’s being wasted on boutique shops and art programs.”

Kyra saw franchises and strip malls all the time around the Chicago suburbs. She much preferred to support local businesses when she could. They retained their individuality in a world of big-box chain stores and bland eateries serving dinky burger patties and overpriced chicken fingers. “I guess the residents want their money to go back into the community. Cole’s doing a good job with the youth center.”

“I wanted to talk to you about the center.” Mike downed the rest of his drink. “It’s practically sitting on a goldmine. It has access to a scenic pond, horse trails, and it’s not far from town. I could see the land being used for a modern spa resort with a country western nightclub. Now that would draw people.”

Kyra frowned. “Have you spoken to Cole about this?”

The server came with her ahi tostadas. Without asking first, Mike picked up one and crunched it between his lips. “A couple times, but you know him. Country to the core. He won’t sell a portion of the land on his beloved ranch.”

Kyra picked at one of the tostadas with a fork. Mike’s insensitive words began to get irritating. “Cole loves those kids. He built the center to educate them and honor his late parents.”

“I understand all the tearjerker reasons for why Cole did it, but what he doesn’t realize is he could bring in more money if he sold the land for commercial use. He’s got a business degree from Georgia Tech, for heaven’s sake. He knows he could rake in the dough not only for himself, but for the whole town.”

Kyra lost her appetite. The smell of the tuna wasn’t nearly as nauseating as Mike’s words about Cole. “Not everyone’s goal is to strike it rich.”

“I know, but come on, Kyra. Maybe you can talk some sense into Cole. You’re a lawyer. You lived in the city where people had business savvy. This would be a win-win.”

“Not if you have to throw people under the bus to get your win-win.” She considered what happened to her at her previous place of employment. Her superiors treated her worse than if they had been adversaries in court. Now that she experienced what it was like to be the underdog of a powerful corporation, she couldn’t imagine treating anyone else in a cutthroat manner. “Don’t forget we’re talking about children here, too, Mike. They need a place to go to create things out of their imaginations and experience nature before life makes them jaded.”

He leaned back in his seat. Gaps appeared in his shirt where the buttons strained to keep it closed over his stomach. “Sounds like your ex has been whispering in your ear.”

Kyra pushed her drink aside. “I can make up my own mind about things, and right now, I think this dinner is over.” She reached for her purse to get her wallet.

Mike leaned forward. “Come on, girl. We’re just talking. I wasn’t trying to make you get your panties in a wad.”

“Excuse you? I see why we only went on one date in our junior year. You’re very rude.” She tossed a few bills on the table and left. On the way to the door, she passed her server who was carrying another platter of ahi tostadas to Mike’s table. He looked at her in confusion.

“Leaving already?”

“Yes, but I left something for you on the table. Consider it my way of saying how sorry I am for you having to deal with that man. Good night.”

***

Cole stared at Kyra’s shocked face the next day. Her expression was priceless. “You want me to go riding with you?” she asked.

“Why not?” He observed her as she stood in the stables with him, computer tablet in one hand and a pair of horse’s reins in the other. A gentle eight year-old mare was attached to the reins. He personally chose it for Kyra, since he guessed she hadn’t gone riding in a while. “It’s a beautiful morning.”

“It rained all day yesterday,” she pointed out.

Only two things about yesterday stood out to Cole: what happened between him and Kyra, and her subsequent dinner outing with Mike. He’d forgotten about the rain, though it wasn’t an issue, anyhow. “The sun’s out. The ground’s fairly dry. Besides, you’ll be almost six feet off the ground.”

Kyra looked warily at the mare. Her eyes then traveled to the children in the other rows as they participated in various stages of saddling their horses. “I didn’t come to the center to play. I came to finish the last of the paperwork before I file it with city hall.”

“I read the last few pages. They require you to describe several of the children’s recreational activities. How can you do it right if you don’t take part in some of them yourself? You already got your boots on.” Cole noticed, to his delight, that she wore them almost every time she came out to the ranch. He was certain she wore them for practical reasons mostly, but he still liked seeing her in them. Today she had on very fitted jeans and a red and blue plaid shirt. “Like we tell the kids, being dressed properly is the first step. The next is being willing to get on a horse. You ready?”

“No, I’m not ready. I have a tablet in my hands.”

“Oscar can take it to my office for you.” Cole nodded to one of the ranch hands in the stable to approach. “I’m not going to let you stay cooped up in the building while we’re out enjoying the fresh air, Kyra.” He gently lifted her fingers from her prized electronic possession. If she was going to depart with either the reins or the tablet, he was going to make sure it was the item that had to be charged in an electrical outlet. “You might thank me later.”

She petted the horse’s velvety muzzle. “Before or after I’m covered in mosquito bites?”

“Don’t worry. I’m bringing along insect repellant.” Cole handed the tablet off to the ranch hand and went to a nearby stall to get his favorite horse. He lifted the flap of the saddlebag to see if what he put in there ten minutes ago was still inside. Good. He was eager to show it to Kyra.

He led his horse out of the stable. He moved to go inside again to help Kyra, but she did just fine on her own leading the mare outside. She gave him a bashful smile as her eyes darted away from the instructors and the children. “I’m a little embarrassed to say this, but my skinny jeans aren’t exactly the best choice for horseback riding. Think you could give me a boost into the saddle?”

Cole praised the manufacturer of her skinny jeans. He never understood how women could pour themselves into them, but they sure looked good once they had them on, especially Kyra. Her legs created a pair of long sinuous lines. He helped her into the saddle, all the while attempting not to focus on the shape of her body or the fact he was holding onto half of it.

He got on his own horse and waited for the instructors to get the kids moving. Once they were riding several paces ahead, he nudged his horse forward. “You remember the basics?” he asked Kyra.

“A little too late to be asking me, don’t you think?” She mimicked his movement in order to make her horse go forward. She soon caught up to him.

“You remember. See? You’re a natural.”

“You’re just flattering me so I’ll leave a good description on the paperwork,” she teased.

“If I wanted to be dishonest, I’d have thrown my money at the downtown lawyers.”

She shook her head playfully. “We’ve got to work on your attitude towards attorneys.”

“Being around you helps.”

A faint plum blush appeared on the tops of her cheeks. “You can’t always rely on me. I won’t be around for much longer. The realtor comes to the house next week to put up the sign.”

Cole didn’t want to hear about the house being put up for sale. It meant she would be leaving Misty Mesa again. Even though he knew her departure was close at hand, he wanted to make the most of the time they had remaining. It was one of the reasons why he wanted her to go horseback riding with him. The other reason sat nestled within the confines of his saddlebag.

They rode for ten minutes in silence. He allowed Kyra to observe the children riding ahead of them and to watch how the instructors guided them along the trail. It was necessary for her to see how the instructors taught the kids basic riding skills.

Kyra was the one who broke the silence between them. “I came home last night and noticed the porch swing was fixed.”

“I don’t like leaving things unfinished. After I cooled down, I turned the truck around to go back to your house.”

She looked at him from the side of her eye. He could tell she felt awkward about last night. He did, too. “Thank you. You know I wouldn’t have asked you to do it.”

“That’s why I returned. You hardly ever ask for help.”

“I let you help me into the saddle, didn’t I?”

“Only because you couldn’t find a stepstool in sight.”

She put a finger over her lips to hide the curve of her smile. “You know, Cole, I’d reach over and pinch you if I wasn’t worried about falling out of my saddle.”

Cole let the group get several more paces ahead of them. “So how was dinner last night?” His question elicited a groan from Kyra. “That bad?” He couldn’t say he wasn’t a little pleased to hear things didn’t go so well. “What did Mike do wrong?”

“You might have told me he was keenly interested in buying the youth center from you. It’s all he talked about besides how bad he thought the town was because people weren’t investing in megastores and nightclubs.”

“He said all of this over dinner?”

“No, over half a glass of wine. I left before I finished my appetizer. Like my mother would say, the man was ‘too much rude’.”

Cole laughed. “I always liked your mom. She was often caught off guard when she saw me driving you home in my pickup, but she smiled and frequently asked if I wanted to stay for dinner.”

Kyra looked down at the reins in her hands. “She did like you. So did my father. I wish I left a better impression with your parents. I know how things must have looked to them, watching their son go out with a party girl every Friday night.”

“We were both rebellious teenagers.”

She lifted up her gaze and sent him a polite smile. “You don’t have to cover for my old behavior. I did a lot of things in those days I’m not proud of. If I were a parent…” her voice trailed. She cleared her throat. “Well, if I had been in your parents’ place, I’d probably feel the exact same way they did.”

“But you don’t know how they felt. I want to show you something.” He stopped his horse.

Kyra pulled on the reins to get her mare to stop walking. “We’re going to be left behind.”

“We’ll catch up. This is more important.” He reached into the saddlebag for a white envelope. The edges were slightly yellowed from age. He handed it to Kyra. “There’s a letter inside. My mother wrote it to me six months after I went off to Georgia Tech.”

Kyra removed the letter from the envelope and read it. Her eyes zipped left and right across the words in faded black ink. Then he saw her slow her pace. Her gaze rested in one spot for a while. “Your mother writes, ‘I’m sorry you and Kyra are no longer together. Your father and I knew nothing about the circumstances surrounding her recent decision to leave town. We thought she was a nice girl, and we saw her beginning to mature. You were maturing, too. Our hope was for you both to continue in that direction together. If you speak to Kyra, please ask her to accept our apologies for making her feel uncomfortable. We were wrong. We see how you two once felt about each other. We want you and her to have the best.’” Kyra blinked and read it over again silently, her lips mouthing a word or two every now and then.