

Settled For The Special

Chick Lit. Romance - General Adult Light Romance

Published by Smashwords.com and Copyright 2011 CJ Hawk

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This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only and strictly fictional. All persons, places or incidences are creative endeavors of the author. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people without the author's permission. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient.
Chapter One

The pounding rain had created slick muddy roads that were not boding well for decent driving in my small commuter car. The ten-inch tires and great gas mileage worked well in my daily commutes back home but for this barren land on the drive into Hope Spring Falls, WY, it was singing a different tune. My silver four-door commuter car was all mud covered, and my tires kept sliding in the ruts. My knuckles were white and my fingers blue from the death grip I had from holding on to the steering wheel for the last hour.

To help keep a calming reserve to my mental status, I spoke aloud to myself. "Hope Forrester, how the heck do you keep getting yourself into this mess?" I took a moment to look into my rearview mirror and noticed the red rim of my cried out eyes. My brown hair appeared to be in a bit of disheveled mess in a ponytail about to fall out. I pulled out the band that had held my hair up and ran a hand quickly through it before needing to grasp the steering wheel tightly again.

I kept asking myself mentally, over and over, why I felt the need to pack up, leave my well-paid job and move to the first place that looked well, hopeful for a new beginning. On the map, it looked close to civilization but far enough away from my troubles, that I would feel safe. This four-hour drive was turning into six with all the high winds and low visibility from this unsuspecting terrible storm.

With the constant words of 'WHY?' circling my brain, my hands were suddenly forced to turn the wheel into the ditch as a resounding 'pop' exploded under my car.

"For the love of Pete!" I hollered at myself, inside my car. No amount of soothing country music on my car speakers was going to cheer me up. I was sure the pop was a flat, and I was in a ditch no bigger than a foot deep. Nevertheless, that foot might as well felt like the canyon lands with my small tires spinning in mud as I tried to ease back up on the main road to have a flat surface to change my tire.

With one hand, I shut off my car and then reached over and turned down the happy-go-lucky country songs I had been trying to listen to in hope that music would cheer me up. I reached down to my floorboard to locate my cell phone in my purse; I heard the load drum of tires from a cattleman's truck quickly blazing by my car in the ditch. By the time I sat upright, it was red taillight city. I gave a middle finger salute to the decent human being in the truck as their taillights faded fast into the drizzling rainy night. I prayed cell service to call my new landlord and ask for help, because without cell service, I would be, well, in a ditch.

Oddly enough when I located Hope Spring Falls on the map, I had no idea what to expect. Only the heart filled, cheery words of the woman, who the real estate agent put me in touch with to rent from. A home that was just about the only available home. Julie Hoffman, my new landlord, talked like a prom queen recipient and made Hope Springs Falls out to be the home of Andy Griffin and Gomer Pile, a real Mayberry experience. A white picket community with cherry pie festivals and true all American lure. I was sold on the appeal of a laid-back break from my very chaotic life that just happened. I didn't ask why the all American prom queen had her house up for rent; I was just glad it was.

Since Julie Hoffman's cell number was the only local number I had, I went ahead and dialed it hoping she was home, and could help me get a tow truck. By the fifth ring, I was about to give up knowing a message would kick in on the next ring. I started to cry inwardly with just the feel of the tears streaming down my face. I couldn't hold back the emotions as I felt so raw from everything that just recently happened to me.

The sappy sweetness of Julie's breathy voice yanked me out of my dark spiraling hole I felt like crawling into. "Hope. Honey is that you? Are you there? I couldn't find my silly phone in this cute new knock off purse I bought on the strip yesterday."

I listened to her rambling on and realized I had not even breathed a word. That Julie must have recognized me by caller I.D. on her phone, and if I did not talk quick, I might not get a word in. "Julie! I'm stuck out on the county road with a flat, and my car drove itself into a ditch!"

"Oh my! Listen I am in L.A., but I can call the local tow service, Walker Towing. Listen I don't have my phone list on this adorable new phone I just got. Call information and ask for the home number of Bob Walker, and if he isn't there, call the Walker Café. Bob and Cindy run the main local eats. Listen I gotta run, my Bob, my fiancé Bob, just walked in. I think I told you that I am engaged to be married. If not, listen, I will call tomorrow to see how you're settling in. Have any problems, call Cindy at the cafe, and she'll set you right up. Bye now!"

The click of her call was all I heard. The fast smooth talk, from the prom queen high on love and engagement, and then click, she was gone. Just like my life. Just like the moment I walked in on my lover and boss, Hugh Finley, of Morris, Parks and Finley Law Firm –my employers. Hugh was doing some type of desktop tango with non-other than his snotty, always deviant, secretary, Ms. Nelson. Little petite domestic diva, Ms. Nelson, who always seemed to forget that my personal messages needed to get to the top of the pile to Hugh. Moreover, the second I saw him pounding his secretary, in the sexual tense, over his desk it all came clear. The constant need for him to be working later hours, with new clients I never heard of, in board meetings.

His only explanation, as I laid my notice of leave on his desk, was that his secretary meant nothing to him. He just saw her as the perfect housewife to his attorney lifestyle, and I was the one he truly loved. That they could make this threesome work. Wow, that was the blow that sunk the titanic. I had to wonder what I ever saw in that man.

My tough thick skin attitude that I acquired through my life from being raised by a poor single mom did not allow the emotions to surface. I just laid my resignation on his desk and turned with my already packed suitcase and two letters of recommendation from the other partners, which were good, as long as I did not sue the company. Along with a nice year's salary pay, to hush my lips while I was at it.

I knew the drill and heard of it happening to others, but never did I think it would happen to my street-smart brain. If this is where romance and love led you, in the ditch, on a county road to a Podunk town in the middle of rancher land, then I did not need love or romance anymore. I just needed a short leave of absence to clear my head. The six-month lease I had to sign was not one I intended on staying in the full time but would pay the renter out. I was very happy to find out that my landlord left the house fully stocked with essentials and furniture, letting me leave most of my belongings in storage. That should make my temporary transition of what to do with my life next, that much easier. At this point, I didn't know if I wanted to go back or move forward and start anew somewhere else.

Just as I dialed information, the brightness of headlights illuminated my car, and it looked like a tow truck. 'Thank you guardian angel!' I spoke to myself to reassure my nerves. I wiped my eyes of any mascara runs and ran a few fingers through my messy hair.

Things were looking up, and I was bound and determined to get back on my feet.

If I had not known better, I would think that I had found the male version of the chattiest and friendliest man on the face of the earth. With only two hundred or so questions under his belt firing off like a machine gun, I had to smile.

The way he greeted me by name, I could only assume that Julie had reached Mr. Walker, proud owner of Walker Towing and Walker Café with a small cattle ranch at the end of town.

His round face and balding head matched his round body and chubby hands holding on to the steering wheel of his towing truck as we drove slowly into town.

I was not sure how many of his questions I wanted to answer but the man seemed rather inquisitive. I hoped the rest of the town was not as nosey, as I really wanted to get over my recent failure and setback as I was internally calling it. Trying to figure out the next step in my career was rather foggy as I didn't see myself moving back to Utah to live with my mom and working in Denver, in property lawsuits, might run me into Mr. Hugh Finley, the hoodwink.

Nope, pulling out the US map after drinking the two hundred bottle of wine, I snuck out of Finley's finest liquor cabinet, held only for his best paying clients, felt like the right thing to do. When I covered my hand over my eyes and used my other hand to roll circles over the map, I counted to ten with a pointed finger and landed on Hope Springs Falls, WY. After several minutes of drunken giggles, I pulled the city up on-line and found a real estate agent that lived in the next town over. Now I was miles from nowhere and renting from the local prom queen. Somehow, I felt more alive than I had in a long time.

With the rapid succession of Mr. Walker's questions, I answered as few as possible with the least amount of information. I had better spend some time getting a story together while I was here otherwise my stay might be the talk of the town.

'Newcomer to Hope Springs Falls finds her boss bopping his secretary just after he promised her partnership when he last bopped her, more at nine.' I could envision the local news now. My friggin life, for all to chat about, while I wallow in tears of pity.

I never imagined I would be in this type of predicament, but hightailing it away from Hugh was my best option. Because something about him made me feel secure and comfortable until he dropped the bombshell idea that he marries miss quite contrary, but that I stay on and make partner, and be his mistress. At some point, I even considered myself in love with that man. However, at the drop of his offer that all changed. I was just afraid that if I stayed anywhere close to him; I might actually consider committing a crime I might not want to pay for.

Three days of packing and planning and I started to see the light. How I always fell for the smooth talkers, the handsome men who could lead me astray from my independent ways. Now I was not going to make that mistake again. At the early age of thirty, I could easily rebuild my career elsewhere and think about marriage and kids much later. A lot of women my age were doing it more and more. For me, it only made sense.

I wanted kids, but I wanted a career first and having kids without a good-paying career under foot was not an option for me. I watched my mom, scrimp, save and work three jobs to make ends meet. As far as my father went, I only knew him as a man who made a mistake. It was not until my thirtieth birthday that my mother took the time to explain the rape and physical damage the man left on my mom. That what kept my mom alive all those days in the hospital recovering, was the fact that she found out she was pregnant. With that fact, my mother told me that hope had sprung within her, and that she had decided from the moment she found out, if her baby was a girl, she would name her Hope. Knowing this was a sign from an angel that sometimes good can come from the bad.

Right now, I was hoping the fact that my fancy manicured nail landed right on this Mayberry town and sharing its name meant one thing, there was hope for my future.

Now I could only put all the facts of my hard-lived life together six months ago and oddly enough, that was when my affair with my boss began. I wondered if it was a way for me to escape the horror that my biological father was a monster, or if I felt the need to create some roots of my own. In either case, I now knew that Hugh Finley was definitely not fathering material, and I was going to heal my soul and make the best of a bad situation by creating a plan to move on.

With a cheery voice breaking my thought of past mistakes, I turned and smiled at the jovial man. "Well Hope, welcome to Hope Springs Falls, WY. I'm sure you'll like it here. We all do."

I had to smile. The man was a walking, talking advertisement for this town with his robust voice and red cherry lip smile made me want to toss a white wig and beard on him followed by a red velvet hat. "Where are we?" I asked as it looked as if he had pulled in front of a café. WALKER CAFÉ. Big Roman print letters painted on the window along with the specials for $2.99.

"I figured you could use a hot meal and cup of coffee to warm you up. This here is Cindy and mines café. Owned and operated since we graduated high school together. Married thirty-five years with three kids, five grand kids and couple dogs. Any hoot, Jerry, the mechanic is on one of his drinking binges so when he sobers up tomorrow he will just unhook your car from my tow truck and fix you right on up. His shop is just across the street."

"That's alright I can change my own flat tire. If you want to just lower my car off your tow truck, I can change it." The last thing I wanted was to be without my car. Besides, all my luggage was in the backseat.

"No can do. Once I got your car out of the ditch, I noticed your axle was bent. Nope. Jerry is gonna need to straighten it out. You go on in. Cindy's expecting ya. I'll put all your belongings into our minivan over there and drive you on over to Julie's place you're renting, after you've had a good meal. No trouble at all. You just go on in."

I smiled a sincere smile and figured the man was Chris Cringle or a descendent there of. Nothing cuter than a grandparent with a minivan.

Taking a quick look up and down the street while seated in the front of the tow truck, I noticed the small-town appeal. Quaint shops and storefronts with benches and potted flowers out front, stretched up and down the street as far as I could see in the drizzling rain. No fast food drive-through or quick-stop gas stations, at least not along the strip of Main Street, I was looking at.

The rain was slowing and the wind was not blowing as hard, but if I was going to make it inside the café without getting soaked, I was going to have to make a mad dash for it in my denim skirt and white canvas tennis shoes.

Mr. Walker already pulled his minivan up next to my car and was unloading my things. I wanted to help or do it myself, but just from our short drive; I figured he was the type of man who would want to do it himself plus the fact he would have to bill me seventy dollars for the tow. He probably wouldn't have felt right taking my money if I didn't let him set about to do his job.

With a quick open of his tow truck door, I ran for the front door of the café and almost made it.

Chapter Two

I didn't get it. Shouldn't it be typical gentleman behavior to ignore a woman's mishap, or trip in the mud in my case, and ignore the obvious of my ill begotten ways.

The fact that the man in the café was eye appealing did nothing for his funny sense of humor or the fact that he knew more about me and my ill-gotten career move than I cared for anyone to know about. Now the Walkers and the few late dinner guest at Walker Café knew, which meant by weeks end most of the town knew, and that was what I was trying to avoid.

When I first was guided by Cindy Walker to sit down on a stool next to an attractive man, I didn't see the harm. He was easy on the eyes with his soft brown hair that waved with a dire need of a cut with his piercing steel blue eyes. His worn jeans and cowboy boots gave him the rustic farm boy look. His dirty denim shirt told me he worked, hard, for a living and the way that denim shirt filled out with broad shoulders that tightened in that shirt I mentally wondered what he looked like naked. So sue me. I was still a woman.

However, as soon as the man started talking, my defenses went up. It all started with comments about my fall and long skinny legs. I was defensive about my tomboyish looks all my life. I was tall and very lean; a padded bra was my best friend and with my professional legal work always came a simple professional cut. I wasn't looking to be model of the year. Then he started in with a few snip-bits about my mishap at the law firm, and I mentally cringed and wanted to crawl into a hole. Nobody else in the cafe seemed to pay much attention, but I was sure their ears were glued and by tomorrow morning, I would be the town gossip.

I wondered what I got myself into as I sat and practically ate like a starved person and listened to this man, Colton something or other, talk jokingly about how he saw me on the county road but passed me by. Lucky for him, Cindy Walker added in that he did the proper thing by calling Mr. Walker, and they always appreciate the business.

At some point in the conversation, as Cindy shoved a second piece of blueberry pie under his nose, and I watched him try to turn it away as he patted his belly, I warmed to his obvious affection that he showed to the Walkers. Then he did something mean and slid the pie to me saying I looked like I could polish it off with the way I was eating. Had the man no manners. I had not eaten anything this delicious or substantial in a forty-eight-hour period.

I stopped mid bite and left my plate to excuse myself to the restroom. It was there that I saw how I looked like a drowned rat with mud-splattered shoes and a big mud spot on my ass. I would not put me in the department of sexy more of homeless looking. I took five minutes to gather my wits and clean up as best I could. When I came out a changed man sat next to me. I got the impression that both Mr. and Mrs. Walker had reminded him to mind his manners. What I couldn't figure out was if he was done eating, why didn't he just go.

Well, that obvious question quickly was answered within the first five minutes of sitting back down. I also saw the light of my mistakes. Colton Charpel, was friends, not just casual friends, but we grew up together almost married friends with Julie Hoffman, my landlord. The woman I chose to divulge a bit too much information to as I desperately needed a shoulder to cry on. This is what I get for talking to a stranger about my life.

Colton, like me, also handled property law. And like me, was in a sabbatical. Julie told him all about me needing a break to write a book and re-evaluate my life. Some truth there. However, she told Colton about what led me to that point, and he divulged just enough info about Hugh and I, that any smart person could put two and two together, or worse. They could jump to a million and one conclusions.

My much need hiatus might come with a price of a big mouth and small town. I wasn't quite sure how I was going to handle this.

Colton tried to politely talk on, all about himself and none about me, which was a nice relief. I found out that he had moved back home to help his parents maintain their large cattle ranch on the edge of town. That he owned several private planes, one of which was large enough to fly from coast to coast. I found out he loved Cindy's cooking but could only visit here once or twice a week, or he would be 'fatter than a hog' as he put it. That put a huge smile on Cindy's face as she took that as the ultimate compliment.

I knew what I just polished off along with Colton's leftover pie had put me well over the calorie intake limit for one day let alone two. However, Julie's house had a nice garden ready for me to plant, and I had every intention of sulking my woes in her garden. Along with the fact, she had mentioned that the jog through town, down the main street that wrapped around and brought me back to the other end of town and out a bit, was about the most incredible country view of small ponds and trees. She told me it was a five-mile jog but that several folks in town jogged it every morning. That jog would have to take place of my executive gym membership I would miss.

The folks in the cafe started talk about Julie's engagement as the lull in conversation between Colton Charpel and I, had stopped talking for a few minutes. I hadn't really talked at all, mostly I ate and glared at Colton, then smiled at Mr. and Mrs. Walker as I instantly adored them. Julie was engaged to some doctor out of the California area, and Colton flew her back and forth recently until I rented the place, and now she wasn't due back until the wedding reception planned for her.

Apparently, Julie Hoffman, hometown prom queen, Miss Wyoming and beauty pageant winner was the prized jewel of the town. She was adored, copied in style, and not a person could say a bad thing about her. So why did Colton let her slip away? Perhaps she too found his manners that befitting of a pigsty. However, he was improving as my meal was finishing, and I wasn't talking.

There were a few things that Julie talked about I remembered. One being, the closeness of the town and their willingness to help. Two, that there wasn't much shopping in town. The internet and long drive to the next big town was it. Three, that I could ask just about anybody, anything, and they would steer me in the right direction. I wasn't sure on that last comment. Seeing as Cindy Walker made an obvious error in trying to steer Colton and I together.

The rain and wind had stopped as I ate the best home-cooked meal I had eaten in a long time. As I let Mr. Walker drive me to Julies place, the dark storm brewing clouds dissipated and the remnants of the evening sun shone on a hillside revealing a tree-covered town with all the makings of Mayberry. The handsome yet cocky man in the café offered to help drop me off and unload my luggage yet was sent on home with a 'you've been naughty' look from Cindy Walker.

Mr. Walker did some type of explaining about this man, Colton, and his ungentlemanly ways and how he also was a property lawyer and moved back home to take care of his father's faltering health and take over the family's ranch. Then I heard him explain the last time Colton acted that immature he was pining for Julie's hand just after she made prom queen. So, if I was getting this just right, the only reason, the cowboy hunk acted so immature, was that he liked me. Great. Just what I didn't want right now. An immature thirty something man, pining for my attention like we were back in high school.

Nevertheless, I had to laugh at my comment in reply to his accidental leaking of my boss's mishaps. At least, I had hoped it was accidental. 'You might fit the bill of a centerfold cowboy, but honey you are definitely a day late and a million dollars short on this gal.' He didn't seem to have too much to say after that, and I had hoped it was a mistake he made when he let slip the comment about my boss. I could damn myself for mentioning it to Julie but that was done, and they didn't know the whole story.

Trying to replay the evening experience, I really didn't even see where I set the man off. After all, I had tried to keep my pride after falling in the mud, and I really wasn't in the mood to talk property law with a handsome stranger. And I didn't feel the need to answer his twenty questions about what type of property law book was I writing and why only six months.

However, I could not ignore the fact that he was definitely handsome. His soft brown hair looked like he was growing out what was once a very nice clean professional cut. He definitely looked like he did some of the labor work on his parent's ranch that Walker mentioned about. A few natural blonde highlights streaked through his hair, but those eyes. They had a talk all their own. Their intense blue was mesmerizing, and I felt they held an earnest appeal to them. His skin was looking a bit tanned from too much sun, which only meant he wasn't off hiding in an office all day. Unlike myself who had been spending too many hours behind a desk or in a courtroom.

Now I was going to spend a few weeks of doing as I saw fit and preferably out in the fresh country air. I was definitely ready for some sun and relaxing, catching up on a pleasure book or two instead of law review update books. I couldn't wait to see this garden Julie had mentioned. It was obviously something we both loved to do, by the way we spent half an hour talking about it over the phone on just that subject as she had tried to find something cheerier to talk about after I had spent too much time crying about my recent endeavors.

Well, one thing was for sure; Julie had not lied. The small, yellow and white farmhouse inside town, just blocks off main street, was 'quaint, cute as a lady bug, and just you wait until you see the garden I started out back, I've been working on that since I was a little girl.'. She talked of white picket fence and a white arbor with purple clematis starting to fill its arch. Cobblestone paths and a nice size porch with a white porch swing were all there. Older trees filled the yard that had all the leaves shading the side yard. I caught sight of a double size rope hammock hanging between two old trees. Yes, this was definitely the type of house I needed to relax and recoup with.

Now if only the town hottie didn't strangle my mental status of recuperating, I should be refreshed and ready to move on with a new career plan in no time. However, his tall muscular build replayed in my mind as he turned to leave the café. The way his rear end filled out his Levi's had me imagining peeling them down. His large hands that looked a bit tanned, running the entire length of my body. His piercing blue eyes staring into mine as I breached an orgasm.

Why was I having these lusty visions even just days shy of catching Hugh in that compromising position and suffering through his corrupt analogy of how everyone has a place in his world, and I wasn't stay at home wife material. I was partner material. However, only if I continued to partner with him on the side in fun. Oh, the partners were not too happy when I caught that comment on my recorder.

Looking back the whole situation seemed so surreal. How it all came about wasn't clear to myself. It happened so quick and out of the blue. For two years, I worked hard at that firm. Then the news my mom finally felt she needed to share with me about my absent father seemed to come about the same time, I felt the need to be reckless. I was reckless, as I was the one that came on to Hugh. I should have known better. I considered myself a very smart, career oriented woman and this was not a move I had imagined I should make.

Neither should I make a move on one very hot and sexy Colton Charpel. From the sounds of things, he had his hands full doing this or that for everyone including Julie. I came here to relax and collect my wits not have a seduction relationship with a man that even when he was being a jerk, I was attracted to him. Maybe I needed my head examined. Perhaps I had men issues to work out about my dad. Lord knows I grew up thinking he was a soldier who died quickly after I was born and that my mom played him up to be the man he never was.

I could see why she did, but I could not see why I felt like I needed a man in my life to make up for it. I had to hold strong to my convictions that a man in my life was not what I needed. A well-deserved break after six years of college and five years of working hard at property law, with never a vacation taken, I deserved this. I did.

The rain had passed, and the air felt humid. The crickets and bullfrogs were in full force. The smell of the fresh clean air after rain was always one of my favorite smells. For some reason, here it smelled even better than back in the city.

I looked about the house and everything I could need was there but much food. There was some canned goods, but the refrigerator was empty. The house had a very cottage charm about it, and I picked the room that Julie told me had the best bed. It was done in all whites, white lace curtains, white linens, white furniture and a huge white dresser. The only color in the room was the soft yellow walls. It wasn't like my old apartment of dark colors and dark furniture. However, it was a refreshing change.

Come morning I woke with the soft yellow hue of the wall's color and the early-morning sunlight filtering in through antique lace curtains, I woke feeling if a very bright light had been flipped on. Normally, I woke before dawn to get a workout in from the confines of my dark bedroom while watching the news. I didn't think to pull the room shades down the previous night as I fell asleep from pure exhaustion from my first day in town, and my earlier weeks experience.

After I had gotten all my clothes away, the phone began ringing, and I hesitated to answer it. Once I did, I had not regretted it. Cindy Walker wanted to make sure I was settled in and knew where things in town were at and a quick apology for Colton Charpel. As far as finding things in town I figured if I walked the two miles top to bottom in town I would have a general idea where everything was at. Nonetheless, it felt good to have a female voice ask how I was doing.

As far as my mother knew, I was on assignment in Wyoming for a large property dispute. I had not wanted to talk about what had happened at work because I knew my mother's cast iron will would have convinced me to move to Utah and practice law there. She also would have lectured me on the poor ethics of dating your boss. This I knew all too well.

After taking a good look at the house in the morning light, I was pleased with my decision. I figured everything I needed was here except basic food. So donning on my jogging attire of black bike shorts and a black full tank sports bra I grabbed my credit card, slid it into the back pocket of my mp3 jogging holster, and took off down the block at a slow jog.

The other houses seem to be waking as well and there were several houses that looked similar to Julies but with different shades and landscaping. After a polite hello to two men out walking their dogs, I cut over to Main Street and began heading in the direction of what I figured was the east end of town, where Cindy had mentioned the local grocery store was located.

Some shop owners were sweeping walks and setting out sale signs on the sidewalks. Not much fancied my eye, but I did think about getting a straw cowgirl hat for gardening. Perhaps when I walked into town next time.

Not but twelve or so blocks from the rental was the café. That was a warming thought. Something about those Walkers made me want to eat my every meal there except then I would surely stack on the pounds. That was not part of my new career plan. However, one meal, once in a while, might satisfy my need for some friendly conversations and local town gossip. Hopefully, other than my own.

Jogging past the café, Cindy caught my eye. I waved a very friendly wave at her and felt my heart fill with possibility. Possibility that good people like the Walkers could help me see the humanity in people again, and this Mayberry type town would refresh my soul.

Several more blocks and I spotted the small grocery store across and down the street. I didn't think to look both ways before crossing as there seemed to be no traffic. A blare of a horn from a large tan truck and a familiar face stopped me in my tracks, just as one hand went over my heart, my other hand instinctively laid on the hood of his truck. I knew it was stupid of me to jog across the street without looking but truly, my mind was in another place.

Chapter Three

I watched him get out of his truck with a hardy slam to the door. I thought for sure he was going to cut me down to size or make some smart-ass comment about me not looking. Instead, he sauntered around to the front in large strides and leaned his hip against the front grill of his truck then crossed one booted foot over the other. He looked so incredible sexy that my defenses were immediately withdrawn, and I laid a huge sexy smile of my own across my face.

"You alright?" He looked to be asking with a genuinely sexy smile.

"Yes." My breath was wavering from a I just got the scare of my life to, I am ok because of your mesmerizing blue eyes. They had a calming effect on me, along with his slow verbal drawl in questioning my wellbeing.

"You sure?" He let his eyes travel over my morning attire and instantly could imagine how nice that would feel if I was naked. For all I knew that was what he was imagining. He was a man after all.

"I'm sure. Silly of me to cross without looking. A lot on my mind." Now I sounded a bit like a nervous woman.

So, I guess he wanted to take his game up a notch. "Your green eyes are incredible in this morning light. You look nice all natural with your hair in a ponytail and running clothes on." Then he reached out and touched my hair, and my body went on alert. Shit, this was not in my plan. This man was a distraction, and I needed to stay away.

I watched his eyes travel my body again as he complimented me, and I kept my eyes focused on his incredible blue eyes. I was afraid if I let them wander anywhere else I would get caught red handed. His eyes felt like warm sunshine sliding up and down my existence. Which was silly because I didn't think he was really that attracted to me, just perhaps being a man of inquisition.

"Hope Forrester, by the way. I don't know if I told you my last name." I held out my hand that I just now removed from the hood of the truck to keep my balance.

Leaning off the grill of his truck, he held out his hand to shake mine. "Colton Charpel. And, I must apologize for my, uh, rudeness I displayed back at the Walker Café last night. It won't happen again." His soft inquisitive glances stopped, and he looked me in the eye with a friendlier how ya doing smile versus I want to eat you alive glance. I must have read him wrong, and he was just sizing me up like a man might do without realizing he was doing it to another woman.

Just like that, I wondered if a true gentleman lay beneath that exterior of light blue denim shirt that seemed to be holding a rather muscular build. Now my mind was off in what seemed like a direction I truly had no interest. The last thing I needed was a man complicating my life. A man was not something I planned on writing into my new career plan. "Perhaps we got off on the wrong foot. I did have a terrible drive up and really the fall into the mud somewhat messed up my mood. However, those Walkers sure are nice folks, and the food was wonderful."

"Yes Bob and Cindy are a staple in this town. You heading to get some groceries? I can give you a ride back."

His offer seemed sincere, and I hadn't planned on grabbing but maybe a bag worth of groceries. Not enough to need a ride, and I still didn't like the way my body's reaction to this man was betraying my need to steer clear of all men for a while. "No that's quite alright. Thanks anyhow. Nice seeing you again." I turned and walked towards the grocery store that was only a block away.

Strolling through the aisles slowly, I noticed only a few customers with carts full of groceries. It wasn't a big store, but it held all the basics, and I wasn't one for stocking up. I grabbed a hand-held cart and figured what I could fit in; I could walk home without too much hassle. I had almost wished I had accepted Colton's ride but was sure I would fall under his handsome spell.

I hadn't felt so in different around a man like this in a long time. Hugh made me feel that way when we first worked together. He had a way with words, and his actions were so smooth that I felt under a trance. However, that trance shattered in a heartbeat as I opened that office door to see him and his secretary's vertical tango. That thought made me realize that the last thing I needed was a man. I needed hope, myself Hope, to pull up from the muck and the mess and move on. I planned to do this without a man.

Nope. I did not need a man to rescue me, like my mother didn't need a man to help with her life. I knew there were times my mother was lonely and longed for male companionship. However, she did an incredible job raising me. We did everything together and this not telling her what happened was killing me. The quicker I got my act together, the prouder she would be of me. Besides, I was young and had plenty of time for men and serious dating later. My first and only objective was getting over the pain about Hugh and my father while figuring out my next step in my career.

By the time, I turned to the produce, I saw Colton again and smiled. I looked down and away. He was sexy as hell, and each time I saw him; I felt more attracted and vulnerable by the minute. I quickly grabbed two apples and a small bag of carrots and worked my way to the checkout lanes. With two ahead and one woman behind, I pulled out my credit card and damned myself. In my rush, I grabbed my corporate card. At this moment, I hoped like hell it would work and that for once, human resources was not on the ball and had already cancelled it.

Then as my groceries rung up and a total appeared on the register, I handed over my card and held my breath. Just as I had not hoped for, it was declined. A bead of perspiration felt itself upon my upper lip, and I bit into my lower lip. I let out a breath of air to explain, but before I could offer to jog back and grab the right card, a large tanned hand held out a platinum card in front of me and spoke in that all too solid voice that attracted me to him.

"I got it Sam. Miss Hope here must have grabbed an old credit card. Miss Hope is a good friend of Julies and will be staying at Julies home while she works on a book she is writing." His voice and demeanor, just now made up for the foolish way he acted last night. I couldn't help but feel saved by him like a hero. I didn't want that. I didn't want that at all. Somehow, though, I was very grateful and realized at a time like now, a helping hand from a friend wasn't such a bad thing after all. My thoughts weren't thinking friend; they were thinking sultry again. I could do nothing to stop them but stand there and smile.

I let out a whoosh of air, and I could have reached up and kissed the man, but then I was sure I wouldn't have stopped at a peck. He was setting the town gossip for women around me with a base story of why I moved to Hope Springs Falls. So maybe, a little help from a man didn't make me weak, maybe it just made me smart.

I waited outside for Colton to pay for his groceries and wanted to thank him. The man had a way with the local women, and even the cashier Sam seemed to respect him as if he was the local mayor. He had been in there yakking it up for twenty minutes, and I could have jogged to the rental by now but wanted to thank him and repay him. Maybe I did just want to spend a few more minutes in his presence. Testing myself as to what it was about him that made things stir up my insides. Questioning my abilities to do things on my own and the longing I had for those strong arms to hold me. Perhaps washing away all the mess, I just went through. Maybe, just maybe, a rebound man who lasted six months could be written into my plan.

Colton strolled out of the store like a man who just won his first bull ride. His smile was a mile wide, and his eyes held a mischievous look to them. The blues of his eyes shown just under the brim of the straw cowboy hat he was wearing as he walked out of the store. A hat he had not been wearing as he went in. I hadn't looked at his cart when he paid for my groceries. I had softly thanked him and walked out briskly. However, here I stood leaning against his truck wondering if he saw me waiting out here and was playing some type of cat and mouse game and was making me wait. "I wanted to say thanks."

"My pleasure. You didn't have to wait out here to say it. I heard you in the store. I thought you wanted to walk home. Hometown stores can take a little longer when you're trying to get out of there." Then he cleared his voice and sounded off. "Look. I hate to admit this, but my mouth may have started up a few unnecessary rumors last night at the cafe. I was just trying to set a few of the gossipers that were in the store straight." He smiled down at me and looked apologetic.

"I can handle it. Not that I like my business spread across the local paper for everyone to read, but I have handled worse. Believe me." I looked down and pushed off his truck. I heard him say I'm sorry again and that helped, but I had a feeling, he was the type of man who truly meant it, and that was more dangerous as his sex appeal already had me thinking.

"Oh. I guess maybe I could use that ride after all. That is so I can repay you." I leaned up straighter and felt that air of electricity between us. As if we could make mad passionate love, right there, or we could don on a pair of boxing gloves and knock each other out. Whatever was building between us seemed dangerously intense. I had to get back to my frame of mind that only friendly help was all I was looking for.

"My pleasure then. Hop in." Colton opened the driver-side door, and I hopped in. He pulled the cowboy hat from his head and ran his fingers through his hair for a second. This got me to think how my fingers would feel running through his hair. I quickly dismissed my feelings and looked straight ahead at the grocery store.

As he started up the truck, a country station was talking about the unusually warm weather due in this week. I wondered how Julie cooled the house. I hadn't seen air conditioning, and I hadn't ventured out to the shed to see if there were fans or a swamp cooler. I wanted to ask Colton, but I knew I was a big girl and could handle this type of situation on my own. Besides, as soon as my car was fixed, I could drive the next town over to the supermart and get me something to help stay cool.

"Nice truck." I looked down at the cowboy hat and thought that with the gardening I was planning on doing, and the expected heat, maybe I should have gotten a hat and some sunscreen.

"Thanks. It's not mine. It's my dad's. My mom and I didn't want him driving anymore so I told him my car had to go back to the dealer in Texas, and he won't drive mom's car" He stopped talking suddenly like he just told me more information than he wanted to. I got the jest that his dad's health was failing but nobody informed me as to what or why.

"I'm sorry. To hear about your dad. Mrs. Walker mentioned you were a high-priced property lawyer who came home to take care of your dad." I felt a bit awkward. Maybe he had his own dilemma to deal with like I had mine. Perhaps that was the explanation for the cattiness last night. Although Cindy was sure to take the time and explain to me this morning why she thought it was. The thought that Colton Charpel might be attracted to me as I am to him held a dangerous tone.

The silence let me know that what I said was a very sensitive subject and Mrs. Walker hadn't elaborated, and I had not asked. Now, sitting in his truck I could only imagine what type of sickness was taking hold of his dad that a grown man had to come home to help take care of him, and not let him drive his truck. Looking down at the cowboy hat, I decided to change the subject with a bit of glee.

"Perhaps I need to get me one of those hats for the heat that is expected this week. Does the town have a local pool or does everyone do the sprinkler thing?"

"Alzheimer's." He blurted it out with a bit of pain, but as soon as he said it, I saw the pain. Then he took a deep breath, and he seemed to feel tremendously better. Something about me made him want to talk to me, to bare his soul and troubles. Something told him; I would gladly share those feelings with him. It would give me something to take my mind off things, my troubles in particular.

With a hard swallow in my throat, I searched desperately for the right words. The typical I'm sorry sounded so insincere, when really my heart just expanded tenfold. "This is a tough time?"

He shook his head yes, yet he looked ahead as he drove. He seemed lost in thought, and I wanted so badly to reach out and touch him. To tell him he could tell me anything, and I would understand. Instead, I noticed we drove right passed where the rental was. "Uh... Colton. We missed the turn."

"That we did. I guess I was lost in thought." He turned the truck and circled back to the street the rental was located on.

Thinking how I knew that lost in thought feeling all too well lately. I felt the truck stop in front of the rental while I was staring down with my hands in my lap with the straps of the grocery bag putting pressure in my palm as they were resting on the truck floor board, and I had half lifted them up to take out. I stopped mid action to relay an offer of friendship, something that I knew I needed all too well right now. "Listen, why don't you come on in for some coffee, and we can talk."

He seemed hesitant in answering. "No that's alright. I've got to run into Cheyenne and grab a few supplies for the ranch. Julie has a repair list for this place, and I told her that I would help her with it. Seeing as she spends all her time in L.A. That, and she didn't want to spend a fortune paying someone else to fix it up. So, I will catch you around. I have a key, so if I am inside fixing something don't be scared. Besides this town is pretty safe. Everyone still leaves the back doors unlocked."

Looking into his eyes, I cocked my head with a flirtatious smile and asked. "Not the front doors?" I had to fun with him a little. He really looked like he could use a smile or some comfort.

"Nope. Not the front doors." Stopping short of a full-blown wicked smile, his eyes focused on my lips. I knew they were full and pink from the jog in the sun, and I really wanted to kiss him as well. I wasn't misreading his sign of attraction, but I got the feeling he had his own internal struggles going on. The last thing a man like him needed right now was a trouble loaded woman like myself and vice versus.

Sensing what was about to take place, I really had no reason to refuse a man who cared for his parents, rescued me in the store and fixed up houses for friends. On the other hand, were they more than friends? Shoving that thought aside I turned just right and felt I had to say something. "Well." In a voice that was short of breath as I felt. "See you around later than."

The next thing I felt were his lips covering mine in a gentle kiss while his hand smoothly wrapped itself up in my hair on the back of my neck, pulling me in closer. It was a sensual soft kiss from a man who smelled of sunshine.

Chapter Four

The final gurgling sounds of a full brewed pot of coffee woke me from the trance of thinking about the kiss. It was so sweet and gentle. It felt as if he had a load of passion to unload, but he left it with such sweetness. If I had never experienced his rudeness in the café last night, I could easily have been swept away.

A quick thought popped in my head, just like I had been swept away with Hugh. His smooth talks and pleas of desperation just before I turned and left him, made me realize that some men will say about anything to get in your pants. And my pants weren't available for getting into. If I had learned anything from Hugh, besides it's not a good idea to sleep with the boss, it was to look beyond the charming sexy disposition and really look at the person they are. A good question to myself should be, is Colton the type of man I want to write into my new plan for my career, or would he be some fun that I can walk away from?

I needed to up my resistant. Maybe just keep it friends only when I was around him. Seeing as he was going to be doing some manly repairs to the rental, and I was going to be here. Doing what? Writing a book. That was farthest from my ambitions. I didn't love property law so much I would write a book about it. I loved my job, sure, when I genuinely felt like I was helping someone, but now was the time to refresh my mind.

With all that was going on in my mind, I had come back to my real dilemma of the moment, a call to the local mechanic and then perhaps some gardening to let my mind wander in the feel of the soil.

On my third attempt, there was still no answer at the local mechanics, and I figured his hangovers lasted a bit longer. Just as I put on the gardening gloves I found in a quaint little shed filled with tools and pots, I heard a truck turn in and park in front of the garage. With my breath held, I turned. Truthfully wishing it was Colton, coming back to have that cup of coffee and talk or more, yet I was thankful it was not his truck. I didn't know if my mind could rage another war over what was right and what would feel right.

With a gloved hand over my eyes to shade my view of the early afternoon sun, I watched Cindy Walker step out of on old, orange and white Chevy pickup. Smiling inwardly at the happiness I felt from seeing her, I began walking towards her with a smile that felt so good and sincere. I really could see myself liking this woman like a grandma. Any other time I might find the smothering intrusive but for now, I realized I did need someone to help me through this, and it seemed Cindy sensed my need.

"I see you've found the gardening supplies. Amazing how you two have so much in common. Julie and you that is. She loved to garden. If something was troubling her, she would just go out and get a new pair of gloves and work them until they had shown holes in the fingers." I watched her hold out a basket of home-baked goods from her café and a carafe of something warm.

My heart ballooned for the second time today due to the kindness of new friends. How sweet of her. "Are these for me?"

"I know Julie left basic goods, but I just thought a little something to welcome you. There's some fresh coffee in the carafe spiced up a little, and those are freshly baked from this morning. I'm up every day by five in that kitchen."

"But you were there late last night?" Taking the basket, I started to walk towards the kitchen with Cindy at my side. The screen door slapped closed behind us as we walked into the kitchen, and I set the basket down on the counter.

"Last night wasn't a normal night, and I usually don't work that late. I take off during the day when it's slow. I see you got some coffee already going. I wasn't sure."

"Oh. Yes! I took a quick jog to get a few things to get me by for today until I get my car. Coffee is a morning essential for me." Reaching into the cabinet, I pulled out two clean cups and small plates. I set the cups and plates on the table next to the wicker basket of goodies. Pulling out a chair to sit, I offered for Cindy to sit and chat for a bit. "Join me for breakfast?"

"Well I can always use a second breakfast after the crazy morning I've had. I didn't see walking home?" Reaching in to the basket, Cindy pulled out a muffin then watched me pour coffee from the carafe with an inquisitive smile on her face. Something tells me she had already heard about Colton rescuing me at the grocery store. I didn't think she was here to hear about the scoop, more to get a sense of what I think we were all observing, the obvious attraction between Colton and myself.

With the smell from the coffee in the carafe of hazelnut and vanilla wafting out as I poured two cups, I let my body relax from the previous weeks stress. I eyed all the fresh-baked goodies and realized that I was going to have to work extra hard to keep off the pounds if I was going to be friends with this woman.

I knew she was waiting patiently for my reason for not jogging back by her cafe. "Colton gave me a ride. Actually, he had to bail me out and pay for my groceries. I accidentally grabbed the wrong credit card. I grabbed my old corporate card, and it had been closed. So he was kind enough to pay for my groceries and drive me back."

"Hmm, Colton is a very generous man. I know what you saw in him last night at the café wasn't normal. I think he is taken with you." Cindy eyed me with an inquisitive glance awaiting my response.

I sensed some kind of sexual attraction as well, but I also sensed that he was in a place where anything warm and soft could take his mind off things. I was in that place as well. Unfortunately, I knew I would be the type to attach myself and break my heart when he had to choose to care for his father over me. Which he should. However, I had so much I needed to get back on track, my professional career for one. I didn't want to have too long of a lapse from the working world, or it might take a lot of explaining to my next employers. For now, a month or two could easily be explained.

I felt like Cindy deserved an explanation to my hesitation with Colton. "That is the last thing I need right now. A man would only complicate my plans." I took a big bite of a cinnamon smelling muffin and groaned in pleasure. It was heavenly.

For a few minutes, we both sat in silence eating and drinking our coffee when Cindy finally seemed to want to talk about what happened to me. She was very gently in her wording and actually seemed to do more listening than asking. As we talked, it seemed as if the whole miserable mess just became a tad easier by talking to this woman. As the hour passed, Cindy assured me that her door was always open to talk, and her phone would be answered. She wished me luck on the garden and asked to come see her anytime at the café, whether it was just for a glass of tea or a cup of coffee. I assured her I would visit soon and walked Cindy to her van.

As we stopped and stood outside, I asked about the local mechanic and why he isn't answering his phone. Cindy just laughed and told me she would see how his hangover was going at his home and nudge him along to get my car done. However, a week would be a more hopeful expectation for my car to get back. Assuring me that if I needed a ride anywhere that Colton would be happy to drive. I knew he would, but would I be able to ask?

I watched her drive away, as I waved at the back of her truck, knowing she glanced in the rearview mirror. I so desperately wanted to run inside and call my mom. I wanted to tell her everything. At this moment, this incredible new stranger, I needed so desperately in my life, knew more about what was going on with me, than my own mother. It would be a first time ever, that I did not burden my mother with my troubles. However, this time, it felt like I had done and screwed up so bad, that I just couldn't face the facts and tell her.

I knew I had some healing to do over this whole ordeal. The irresponsible part of me wanted to see if Colton was up for a little forgetting time. The more mature part of me knew that digging in the soil and getting the garden ready to plant was a far better plan. Then after, I would take a long shower and lay my lazy butt in the rope hammock I had my eye on.

Chapter Five

The early morning passed quickly with all the weeds that needed to be pulled and the ground preparation for vegetables. I knew that by now whatever seeds I wanted to grow should have been planted in the ground weeks ago but figured if I bought some mature vegetables from a nursery that I might still be here to reap the rewards. Then a thought crossed my mind, that there was more than likely, no nursery within a short drive. Knowing that a long drive with Colton could wreak havoc on my personal space that I felt I should keep to my own wellbeing.

However, thoughts of wellbeing led to thoughts of how glorious the man would look with his shirt off or even naked for that fact. I quickly thought of how Hugh was leaner and his sexual needs were always first to be met before mine. I could easily see Colton being the kind of man who took care of my needs first. Simply by what Cindy had indicated, he has always helped those that needed it and put others first before himself, which explained a lot. Like why he was here taking care of his parents, instead of staying at his high-paying job back in Texas, which she talked about.

Just thinking of Colton brought a warm tingling sensation to my skin. I began thinking of all the dubious things I wouldn't mind him doing to me or in return, or would I? He could make me a mentally weak woman, and that was the last thing I needed. As much as I was sure, I could enjoy him as a distraction, I knew my mental state came first. I needed to get over the news of my father, my loss of job and my heartache of Hugh. Which oddly enough, seemed to have lessened quite dramatically since the moment, I met Colton and the Walkers. Maybe this town would be good for my soul after all. I just needed to reach out and get to know some folks to take my mind off everything else.

I reminded myself that he had been a jerk that first night, and he had more than likely started a few rumors about me with his snide comment about my boss. Then he quickly did a turnabout and apologized, which made me realize he wasn't a jerk. I couldn't see him that way, especially after that kiss. That soft, gentle sweet kiss, which left me, wanting more. So much more, I couldn't spend more than a few moments not thinking about him, which just seemed so odd, that I had already lost all feelings for Hugh so quick.

I knew before I met Colton, I was in more of a perpetual pissed-off state over Hugh's misdoings. That the kiss from Colton had me thinking only of him, allowing me the luxury to get over Hugh fast. I had to see all this in a positive light. I was good at what I did and the partners guaranteed me a high recommendation, as long as I didn't sue with sexual harassment. That was the last thing on my mind, as it would expend my energies in the wrong direction. Colton, on the other hand, seemed well worth expending a few energies. Internally, I was growling at myself for this back and forth internal banter of yes Colton, no Colton. For all I knew he just needed a soft pair of lips to take his mind off his dad, and his mind was already wandering around about ranches, cattle and fathers failing health.

I wandered into the front room of the house that had a huge bay window that overlooked the front covered porch and a beautifully large white swing hanging from the rafters. I saw rows of books tucked in a wood bookcase in the corner and went over to see if there was something I could read to take my mind off its wanderings. There were several shelves of books ranging from history and political to ones that could lead my mind astray, women's fiction with a detection of romance. Ok romance was not what I really needed then I saw a row of books that were book club sponsored and one about a pioneering woman. That was what I needed, a book of inspiration and ability to overcome odds.

With the book in hand, I went and grabbed one of the apples I bought earlier that morning, along with a tall glass of sweet tea, and headed on out to sit on the front porch swing.

Within two hours, my arm was tired from holding the book up as I sat upright. I felt it was time to work my way to that big double hammock I saw and perhaps doze for a bit.

This complete new routine of doing whatever, whenever, was rather nice. Although, I wondered if I was being missed at the office. Not so much by the office employees but a few clients, which I left hanging. One of them was a single mom, they were working pro bono for, and I really wanted to help save her house. It was a pro-bono job that Hugh looked down upon. However, I remembered after a hot steamy night of sex, I convinced him I could get the woman's property back in no time and make the law partners look good in the media while doing it. I wondered if anyone was helping that woman.

Realizing I couldn't save the world until I saved my own soul, I padded barefoot through the tall grass to the hammock and laid myself down. I hadn't asked Julie if I had to mow this large yard, and I didn't see a mower in the garden shed or single car garage. I would have to remember to ask Cindy.

Lying on the rope hammock in the shade with the cool breeze blowing all around me, I decided to rest the book on my chest and close my eyes. Often in times like these, I liked to practice positive visions. Where did I want to be in a year? What type of office? Did I want to stay in property law? I would ask myself these types of questions and try to get a positive visual then Colton would pop into my mind looking all dewy wet from a hard night of sex. The type of sex where he worked extra hard to please me. The type where I lay next to him, withered and wasted but wanting more. Before long, I was sound asleep with pleasant visions to warm my body from the cool afternoon breeze.

The sound of a perpetual banging hammer to a nail woke me with the need to stretch. However, upon opening my eyes, a shirtless and very muscular Colton was up on the roof pounding in a few shingles. Amazed that he was so tanned for an office worker and then reminded myself that perhaps, he hasn't worked in an office very much lately. Possibly, he was spending more time taking care of his parent's property, and now he was taking care of Julies. Wondering what ties bonded them together that he had to do all this. Was it in pure selflessness or did he have an ulterior motive like most the men who ever were in my life?

My breath hitched as his back muscles flexed. Enjoying the view, I could only do a little fantasying of my own. Knowing that, taking it any further than this, could complicate things in my life and my road to personal recovery. I couldn't help but feel dazed in my stare to watch him. The way his muscles flexed and his ability to work swiftly at a task. I knew that must have come from years at working on his parent's ranch, and now he was back to doing physical labor, not only for his parents, but for Julie as well.

I resettled myself to make it appear as if I was sleeping and set my head, just so I can watch out of the corner of one eye. Each rippling muscle sent a tingling sensation through my body. Each tanned muscle moved in conjunction with the next. It was like a symphony of muscles, and I really needed to get a grip. He was a man like any other, and I was a woman who just needed to get on track, not sidetracked by bulging muscles and a cute behind on a roof.

He must have suspected my watching him, or perhaps he wanted to wake me as he took the ladder steps as loud as he possibly could. I pretended I was sleeping as I let my long legs that were stretched out and crossed at the ankles seem relaxed. I felt a mosquito or bug bite me, and I longed to reach out and scratch it, but I was a possum in disguise.

I felt him stop and stand above me staring. I had the book across my belly, which was rising and falling with my deep breathing. Not deep breathing due to sleep, but deep breathing due to the way my body reacted when he was around. It was nerve racking to know that simply having him standing over me caused things to react in my body.

I was not one to be busted at anything. However, the longer I could tell he was standing there the harder my breathing was. The nearness of the man was doing crazy things to me. It was beginning to stress me out more than I realized. I needed to give. He must be better at this chicken game then I was.

With a slow smile starting to cross my face, I tried to pretend I was waking from a nap. Before I could get a word out, I heard his heavy thick voice say 'chicken'. I sat up a bit more quickly than I planned as I felt a sense of self-defense in play. I thought my act was pretty dang good. "What?" Came out meek and I was not a meek person by nature. I was a storm to be reckoned with in court but now that I was here with him; I was a weak woman. A woman that was a sappy girl infatuated with a man in such a short time.

"Chicken. I bet you win at the game, you know the one where..."

"I know the one, but I am not sure what you are implying?" I started to attempt to crawl off the large double hammock gracefully, than realized I was about to flip myself on my behind when his large hand caught my arm and helped me upright.

Standing in front of him with the book I was reading in one hand, I smiled up at him, sweet as can be. "You woke me from my nap. So what's this about you saw a chicken? Or was that, you want chicken for dinner?"

"Are you asking me to dinner?" His sexy coy smile spread across his tanned lips and his eyes sparkled with mischievousness, that I could do nothing but just melt all the way down to my toes.

"I'm simply asking why you said chicken." I tried to say it so nonchalant, but I was sure he got my flirtation.

"I thought you were asking me to dinner. I finished fixing the few missing shingles Julie asked me to replace. She also called and asked that I pick you up some vegetables to plant in the garden. I guess you two discussed you gardening while you stay on here." By now, he was shuffling his feet with a bit of anxiousness to him. He seemed to want to turn and bolt, which meant one of two things. He was shy and awkward around me, which after that kiss this morning, I truly doubted. On the other hand, he was feeling it too, and perhaps he had his own hesitation about this to deal with. I could easily see the later of the two.

"We did. I figured I would head into town once my car is fixed." Standing in front of him and feeling his excitement or nervousness was not helping me. I wanted to reach out and tell him it's ok. We're adults here. We can handle this, this thing that is transpiring between us. Instead, I strongly clamped the book I was reading between my hands.

"Yeah, about your car. I stopped at Joe's mechanic shop. The part you need will be here within the next week." He looked down at my eyes, and I was certain he could see the swirl of emotion start to surface, as if I was about to cry. My car was my independence and being here away from my normal routine wasn't helping any. That or I just was feeling the emotions I have kept bottled in from the last week.

"I can help take you somewhere if you need or arrange for a rental car to be brought out from Cheyenne. Maybe..." I felt the need to interrupt, but couldn't as he stopped on the word maybe. I didn't know if I was more moved by the fact that he bought garden vegetables for me to plant, or that he checked up on my car for me. It felt so good to have someone to look out for me for a change.

"Hey." He tilted my chin up with his fingers, and he laid a sweet kiss on my forehead to reassure what he saw were strong emotions trying to surface.

Surprised by the tender outpour and desire, I felt the desire for his kiss to be more on my lips, so I hitched my breath and looked away. Anything more at that moment and I couldn't be held responsible for my actions.

"Follow me." He took my hand and led me in the direction of the garden. We stopped where there laid trays of quart size containers of vegetable to be planted. There were varied types of tomatoes, peppers, herbs and strawberries. He had even laid the straw hat he had bought this morning for gardening on top of a bottle of sunscreen, laid on a corner post of the garden. He turned to look at me, and it was all he could take.

"You should be busy for a while. I'll swing by to mow the grass sometime in the week." Then he stopped talking. I was sure it was because of my reaction.

My eyes welled up with tears, and my mouth seemed to move but nothing came out. It was as if an emotional outpour was about to befall on him, and he realized in that moment; I was too much emotion for him to deal with at this time in his life. I was sure of it. He had so much on his plate already, and here I was an emotional mess to be had.

I was the last thing he needed. An emotionally binding woman taking up the precious time he had left with his dad. He needed to put his dad first and his sexual desires or needs last. I knew at that moment he needed to turn and walk away. Run away fast. Julie's repairs could wait, but his dad couldn't. Their time was too precious, and I had no idea why I had let myself get swept up in selfish notions that we could share some time together. Perhaps we could once I got some of this emotion out of my system, and I was more of a friend and someone fun for him to be with and not have some type of emotional additional burden for him to deal with.

I quickly closed my eyes and felt myself overtaken with emotions that had been settled way down inside. I knew I was not done crying for Hugh and my mistake. That I felt myself swept away in an emotion that I could see myself with Colton. I realized how selfish that was. To ask Colton to spend time with my emotions, when his father's precious time was dwindling away. I knew that the plants he had picked up were Julie's idea. I knew that the hat was his and the gentle kiss he laid on my forehead was a forewarning to desires being withheld. I had my own desires I wanted to fulfill with this man but knew that was asking too much from a man who was constantly giving right now.

Before a tear could fall completely down my face, I heard a truck start up, and I was sure he was leaving. I knew it was too much for him to have to deal with right now.

I knew the vegetables needed to be planted, my soul need to be sowed, watered and tenderly put in its place. Colton needed much more than an emotionally laden woman who was just getting herself back on track. He needed a friend and possibly a lover who could erase all the pain he was dealing with for having a father falling into the trap of Alzheimer's. It was a long road ahead for him and his mom, and I needed to be more of a help then a hindrance or emotional burden. I knew how to be a good friend; it was that line of sexuality that I felt I needed to cross with him, which I had a hard time struggling with.

I lifted the straw cowboy hat off the post and set it on my head with a smile. Just the fact, that Colton bought this thinking of me, made me feel a warm fuzzy friendship building. I saw the sunscreen and let out a small laugh. The man was truly thoughtful, and he had a load of burden someone needed to help him with but first I had to get myself in order.

I wagered if calling my mom and hashing out the emotions I was feeling about my biological father, and his new identity would do me any good right now. I knew I had to do it and soon, in order to get over the harsh emotions I was feeling. Hugh was now a distance mistake in my mind. My father was what I was really all bent out of shape about.

First things first, I wanted to plant these vegetables. Then maybe I would head into town to Walker's café for some type of chicken for dinner. That brought a big smile to my soul.

Chapter Six

Upon planting of the last quart of vegetables, I had worn one hole into the finger of the gardening glove. I thought of what Cindy had said about Julie and I, being one in the same of sorts, and I would be sure to tell her tonight when I saw her at the diner.

First, I needed a refreshing shower to clean up all the dirt I had planted on myself and then a walk into town, seeing as I had no car. I was not about to call Colton. Not that I could. I didn't have his number. I could try calling information or checking the phone book. However, I stopped myself short and figured there must be an umbrella in the hall closet in case a return of last night's rainstorm decided to descend itself upon Hope Springs Falls again.

After my shower, I felt renewed. I dressed in my denim Capri's and a light-colored denim shirt over a tank top. The evening looked to hold another storm, but it was only in the beginning stages of it. The early summer breeze was warm, but I could feel the humidity in it as well. I knew enough about these parts that early summer storms could be a bit crazy. The denim shirt would just keep me warm, and the umbrella would keep me dry.

The diner was packed with folks of all kinds. The crowd was mostly retired folks that looked like farmers or hard laborers. I caught a glimpse of the specials on a chalkboard and what do ya know, chicken and dumplings. I let my face light up with a smile, and that caught Cindy's eye. I had to wonder if the woman ever took a break.

"Well hello there pretty lady. Folks, this here is Hope Forrester. She's renting out Julie's place for a few months. She's a lawyer like our Colton. Big city lawyer." As her voice held a note of appreciation for me, I smiled. Yet, I had only just met her, and I felt a closeness. It felt nice to have someone think so highly of you, especially at a time like this.

I did a small hand way. "Howdy folks." Then I settled myself up at the counter seat as I heard a few folks say a howdy back.

"What cha have doll?" Her attitude was awfully cheery for a woman who was here early in the morning baking.

"Tell me you have not been here all day working?" Although I was known myself to work an easy twelve-hour day when engrossed in a case. This was why my social life was stagnant and my mom always had to visit me instead of me taking time to visit her.

"Just today. I'm off the next two days. Bob has a surprise for me. Can't wait to see where he takes me. Looking forward to the time off. Agnes will be in, so don't let that stop you from coming by. Now what'll you have?"

"Well, I think I'll settle for the special."

"Special it is. And you, my darling won't regret it. I make the best dang chicken and dumplings this town has ever seen."

"Well if it's anything like your muffins and last night's dinner, I'm in trouble. I might have to start jogging around town for hours to burn off your scrumptious food."

That put a huge smile on her face as she set out to handle my order. I took a quick peek around, and some folks were engaged in their own conversations while a few others were talking and looking my way. I could feel my ear's burning, but I knew they meant no harm. In fact, I was sure Colton had felt bad about slipping up some information, and if it wasn't him then Julie seemed to know her fair share of folks. She might have put a buzz out there in a genuine need to help me out.

Therefore, I guessed at that particular moment, I could just let the whole Hugh incident go. If anybody asked, I would simple reply in kind that I had a bad ending to a relationship and was looking forward to altering my career path. However, my mother would hear the truth, and I would allow her words of advice to guide me through. In the meantime, I was going to enjoy this Mayberry style town and the people that came with it.

The dumplings came on a plate in a plentiful size along with steam billowing from the top. It smelled delicious and I had Cindy give me a diet coke to go with all this food. As I dug in, each precious bite filled my mouth with an array of wonderful down home feeling.

Within only ten minutes of eating, the place was clearing out quick. I was accustomed to late dinners, and I was sure a lot of these folks were up at the crack of dawn working on their farms. I smiled at each set of people that left with my mouth full of dumplings. Sitting right next to the register was a very talkative spot. Each time I took a bite; someone walked up and asked me a question.

I was only half way through and getting full. I got up and excused myself to visit the ladies room. I noticed in the mirror that my green eyes had a bit of a sparkle to them. A sparkle they hadn't had in a long time. My brown hair seemed shinier, and I was sure that was from the natural sun highlights starting to show in my hair. My cheeks had a slight burn to them, as did my nose. Overall, I had the look of a healthy happy woman. As that, was what I was aiming for. A renewed me.

I walked out towards my seat and the muscular back of a familiar man who made my heart rush, my pulse quicken and my stomach do a little flip-flop was sitting right next to my plate. I sat down and acted as polite as could be. "Evening Colton. Fine night we are having. What brings you in?"

He turned and smiled at me. I noticed he had seen me in the diner mirror behind the counter. His devilish smile told me he was up to something. He patted my seat where I was about to sit. "Evening Hope. Cindy. I'll have the special too. Hope here says she wants to buy me a chicken dinner."

That last comment brought up laughter in me that I had not felt in a long time. It started deep within and I let on for a bit, trying to catch my breath between chuckles. Cindy just smiled at both of us. Colton did a light laughter of his own. I sat down and pushed my plate aside.

As soon Cindy was out of earshot, I whispered in Colton's ear. "I'm so full. We could have shared. Mind if I sit for a bit with you and let my meal settle?"

His smile turned coy with dimples that barely showed on the edges of his smile. He whispered back into my ear. "Don't let Cindy know you're done; she might try to convince you to keep eating until you're so full you can't walk out of here. She also is going to try to get you to eat some pie. Tonight's cherry. It's her specialty."

I smiled and sat facing more towards him then my plate. I would be a fool to think that there wasn't something there. There was. I could feel it. Question was, did Colton feel it too.

"Well if I eat too much, mind rolling me on home. Although it looks like it's going to rain. Glad I brought the umbrella."

Just then on cue, Cindy walked up with Colton's plate and a to-go box for me along with a nice slice of cherry pie. She pulled out a can of real dairy whipped cream and had that questioning smile.

"Hit me Cindy. Load her up. Lots of whipped cream."

"That's my girl. I was afraid you'd say no."

Colton decided to chime up and give Cindy a hard time. "So why does Hope get a to-go box, and I usually have to clean my plate and eat pie?" His sense of teasing got a huge smile out of Cindy. She was in a good mood.

"Colton, darling, as long as I've known you and that was before you could see over this here counter, you have always cleaned your plate and had desert. Skinny Minnie over here probably ate as much as she did, just to be polite." Which was true.

"I see. So, now that I can see over the counter, can I maybe, sometimes, not finish my plate?" His eyes pleaded sympathy, but Cindy was a tough nut to crack.

"Colton, darling..." She drew out the darling long and sweet. "You're old enough to do whatever you want." With that, she turned and grabbed a plate to the sounds of 'order up'.

I had to tease. "Yeah, Colton, darling... you're a grown man and can do whatever you want." I started to laugh until his voice vibrated off my neck by my ear. His timber soft voice held a note of sex to it. "And you darling... are old enough to do whatever you want."

My slight stomach flip-flop was turning fast; my rapid heartbeat was speeding, and my skin felt a sensation from his breath on my neck as I can only describe as sensual.

He slowly pulled back and let a sly smile cross his face. He picked up his fork and took a hearty bite of his food. I watched him thinking to myself that this was the kind of man, I could spend a lifetime staring at. That thought scared me to my core, yet it made me feel so alive with possibilities.

I turned away after a few seconds, and lifted my fork to eat my cherry pie, loaded with whip cream. Each bite drew a light moan from my lips. It was the most heavenly pie I had ever eaten. Cindy approached me with an approving smile to my utter happiness I was displaying while eating her pie. She started up a one-way conversation while Colton and I ate. Mostly talked about Colton and his whereabouts as he was growing up. He wasn't always such a helpful gentleman. But to not let that fool me. In fact, he caused more chaos then this town could handle from time to time.

I couldn't finish all the pie, and Cindy didn't seem to mind. Colton pushed his plate away with just a little left on his plate, and he took a bite of my pie. Cindy tried to hand him his own piece, and he waved it off. As we stood to leave I grabbed the bills to pay, and Colton looked around at the half-empty restaurant and simply took them from my hand. "I insist." He smiled at me, and I understood. A man like him has a hard time letting a woman pay the bill.

As we walked out, we both stalled just outside the door. The roll of thunder was far off in the distance. However, the sky right above us was a clear as I had seen in a long time.

"Care to take a short stroll down Main to let our meal settle?" He asked it like he needed it, which I did in a way. I was feeling up for company and had to be quite honest with myself. I wasn't ready for Colton to leave me just yet.

We walked, up and down part of Main Street, looking out at the stars starting to appear so bright in a sky, which was not inhibited by the bright lights of a city. Leading my mind into a thought of how nice this is, being able to see the stars and breathe fresh air, walk along the streets and smile and say hello to strangers yet feel safe.

We weren't too far from the cafe when Colton grabbed my hand and smiled at me. I didn't say anything. We just walked hand in hand and breathed in the fresh air, letting the sounds of the night crickets be our music. Letting our frustrations from the world, seep away.

Only a half hour passed as we made our way back to his truck. "Can I offer you a lift?"

"Why, certainly." I smiled at him as he looked like our walk relieved a whole bundle of stress he had been carrying. I watched him open the door for me and close it after I climbed in. The drive to my rental wasn't but a few blocks, but it was nice to continue spending the time with Colton. We hadn't talked much on the walk, but I missed the feel of his hand in mine. Almost as if just the feel of his strength gave me the encouragement, I needed to move on. I knew right then and there; I would be calling my mom right away.

Chapter Seven

We stood on my rental porch for a moment after he walked me to the door. With our bodies so close without touching, it took every ounce of discipline I had. I watched his gaze meet mine, and we would have to utterly deny that something was there. It could be a passing or a distraction for what we both needed right now. Alternatively, it could be something much more. I couldn't stand the silence much longer.

"Want to sit on the swing for a bit? Night's young. I don't have anything pressing." I offered for him to stay then I watched his intent gaze into my eyes switch to a light laughter. At that moment, he chose to tease me.

"No pressing book to write." The laughter trickled out of him in a nice teasing way, not a condescending way.

"Nope." I reached for the key in my pocket and started to unlock the door. "Let's get a sweet tea first. Air's humid." Before I could finish my thought, he did.

"Storms coming. It should be a dandy. Nothing is more peaceful than sitting on a porch and watching the rainfall."

I knew he wasn't ready to go home and face his reality. I also knew I didn't want him to leave, simply because I enjoyed his company and felt this strong desire to be around him. This wasn't about Hugh. I was over him and felt I would soon be ready to move on with my career. This wasn't about my dad. I knew I had a lot to work out about him, but I also understood why my mom chose to protect me while I was growing up with the fabricated stories about him. This was about the growing attraction between two adults who were at a time in their lives where a human connection mattered fiercely, to take away any pain they might have.

One thing was for sure. We both wanted to enjoy each other's company, no matter what the reason was behind it.

As he followed me inside, I talked with him to with my backside. "Well then, sweet tea it is, and a porch and rainstorm for entertainment. I couldn't ask for a better vacation than this. It's been ages since I've done any sort of relaxing like this. I'm getting spoiled. A girl like me is always work, work, work. Straight out the shoot from college. So I guess sometimes things work out for the better." Once I got to the kitchen and turned to Colton, I got the impression he hadn't paid too much attention to my one-sided conversation but more attention to my backside.

I watched his eyes slowly graze the length of my body and then when our eyes met he took a step closer and pushed my hair behind my ear. He touched me as if he had the right.

I felt a funny little flutter in the pit of my stomach as his lips curved up into an amused smile. I watched his head tilt to one side as he began to study my reaction to his touch. My breathing was hitched, and my pulse was racing. My mouth slowly opened as he gently pulled me up against him and caressed my skin on my neck with his hand. I watched his mouth lower next to my ear. I felt the heat of his breath warming my neck, and if I turned my head just a little.

I did. His lips lowered to mine as the warmth of his lips touched mine, I felt so alive. The start of his kiss was slow and sensual, but I was the one that needed more. Much more. I turned my body into his and positioned myself within every possible angle of his body. I opened my mouth and let my tongue dip inside his mouth. He tasted of cherry pie and real whipped cream. He felt warm and soft yet his mouth was taking over, and he was displaying every ounce of passion I was feeling at that moment.

He was the first to pull away. He didn't apologize. He shouldn't. He looked at me like he could look at me for the rest of his life. That look left me thinking about much more than my career or moving back to Denver. It left me thinking about marrying Colton and having babies and running his dad's ranch. A far cry from anything I could ever have imagined.

He pulled back first. "I think we need to have that sweet tea now."

I couldn't agree more. I had Mason jars filled with sweet tea in our hands and led us back out to the safety of the publicly viewed porch in no time. Nothing kills a passionate kiss as to have neighbors walking by on this quiet night. This town had more people out walking together, walking their dogs, walking as couples, walking with kids, then I saw in Denver. It was comforting to know that somebody was always out and about. It was also hard to get back into the passionate place we were just moments ago. Which was probably best.

Just as we sat, the rumble of thunder drew closer. A flash of lightning lit up the sky and Colton put his arm around me while we swung on the porch swing. I felt so safe and secure in his arms. I took a sip of tea and just as the sky opened up with rain in thick heavy drops, so did Colton's conversation about his father.

I encouraged him on to talk every time he had a slight lull of conversation. You could tell he wasn't a man for many words. However, he had a huge burden on his shoulders, and I wondered if like me, had he not talked to anyone about it. I chose Cindy as my confident. I felt she was one that would not judge. Not to mention the moment of wine induced blabber, which I went on for hours on the phone with Julie, when I should have just been worrying about renting her place. So, I had two women whom I released some of my frustrations to. I knew I would have my mom on the phone soon, and that would be the world of recovery that I needed. For now, Colton needed me.

He went on talking about his dads failing health to Alzheimer's. His mother's original denial and his brother's choice to take a navy position across the country. His younger brother had always counted on him to handle the tough stuff in the house. He talked about his dad's strength and courage growing up and the way he built a small cattle ranch into something so much more. He talked about his college and job back in Texas and his love of flying.

He even talked about Julie and how they were engaged to be married. They had been best friends growing up and by the time high school came around, they were always a couple. However, Colton broke off the engagement with Julies blessing. They both agreed they liked each other better as friends. I almost envied the friendship they had but understood, in what is now a small town, must have felt even smaller as a child, and sometimes seeing all the best options isn't visible.

After an hour of talk, Colton finally quieted as did the rain. It was just light rain hitting the puddles, and it was mesmerizing to watch. Colton's arm came around from behind me, and he stood up from the swing. He offered my hand to stand and insisted he had to go.

"Alright then." I took his empty sweet tea glass and mine and turned to the door. I walked inside to put them in the sink, and he followed quietly.

As I turned, I saw the delight in his eyes. I took a step forward and smiled as I wrapped my arms around him. "Thanks for sharing with me tonight. You are quite a man Colton Charpel."

He let out a soft laughter. "No Hope. You are an incredible woman. Maybe you can take an extended vacation here in Hope Springs Falls." He seemed to have more to that thought as his lips lowered to mine.

Within seconds, I let my hands grab the hem of his shirt and lifted it over his head. The decisive moment I had been yearning for since I saw his bare tanned muscular back working on the roof of Julie's house. The muscles I had assumed were under that cotton tee shirt were not only there, but with just a touch of my fingers, he tensed his stomach muscles showing a very nice set of abs. I let my hands wander across his chest causing his a flinching. I smiled up at him and let a soft kiss fall on his lips.

When he pulled back, I felt a bit of loneliness enter the room. "Hope? I don't have protection, and I have to get home to watch my dad and give my mom a break. Don't take this as a lack of desire because where your hand is resting its quite evident."

I didn't want to think about protection and responsibility. I wanted to think about passion, and how incredible Colton felt at this moment. I reined in my personal feelings for the man and answered in kind. "Thank you for an incredible evening."

Before I could continue he laid a kiss on me that was loaded with the desire of pent-up sex. He pulled away and put a hushing motion with his fingers to my lips. Then he turned and walked right out of my rental, slipping his shirt over his head before he hit the front door. I stood there with my own fingers covering my lips wondering, was it the fact that we were in Julie's house, or the fact that things moved really fast, too quick. Then it dawned on me, how hard it must be for him to have everyone so dependent on him. He was smart to pull away. The last thing he might need to deal with is a pregnant woman or a woman whom he knew had her own emotional issues to tend with.

I could think of the one thing I could do for Colton and myself at this moment. It was to call my mom and let her know exactly what was going on.

Chapter Eight

I sat on the swing with the warmth of the humid air surrounding me and watched the last of the rain slip off the roof, down the gutters and down the sidewalks and streets. I picked up my cell and dialed my mom.

"Mom. It's Hope." I knew she knew it was me, but it was always the way I started when I wanted her to know it was a serious conversation. We talked for hours. We talked about my biological dad. Why she did what she did while I was growing up. Why she had to tell me about him as he was being charged for a cold case rape that happened years ago, and she felt I needed to know these things now.

I told her about my job and Hugh, and she was silent as I talked. She never judged or ranted. Instead, she let me talk and tell her about everything that happened that led me to tonight.

She seemed more interested in Colton than my entire ordeal with Hugh. She asked about my feelings and my attraction to Colton. What Hope Springs Falls was like and was I finally taking a relaxing break that I deserved.

I told her I was. I told her about Julie and renting. About Cindy and Bob Walker and I told her that as of a few days ago, I thought I would take a few weeks and then get right back to finding a new job. Now I was thinking about taking the full six months and trying to find something I could do from this sleepy quaint town.

All she could do was offer encouragement about my decisions, advice about pursuing Colton and nurse information regarding Colton's father. It was all I could do not to cry at the sound of her voice. It would have been happy tears as I missed my mom tremendously and my recent distant behavior had done neither of us any good.

When I hung up, I felt emotionally free to make my own decisions. I thought about Colton's voice against my neck, warming it up and telling me I was a big girl and could make my own decisions.

I fell asleep soundly that night while replaying every single moment with Colton over and over in my head. I felt like a digital player hit the pause button at times and then rewind to replay the parts that dug deep to my soul. I would be a fool to leave a man right now that made me feel things so quick and thoroughly. I came to terms with Hugh and the loss of my job. I came to terms about my father, and knew in time, the loss of thinking who he was and knowing who he is, would pass. However, I knew I would be a fool to walk away from Colton. Right now, he needed a friend, and I needed to see where the relationship went.

I woke the next morning feeling so alive and ready for the day. I spent the early-morning hours in the garden and then showered and headed into town. I felt a huge desire to have a pedicure done and join in on a little town gossip. No place better than an old-fashioned beauty parlor.

The day was warm, but a cool breeze from the north kept it feeling comfortable. I walked without purpose or fast paced ambition, which was how I normally walked. Now I walked in observation. Stopping occasionally to greet a stranger and introduce myself as Julie's renter and Colton's friend. By the time I wandered down Main Street to the local beauty parlor, I felt more alive than I had in a long time.

I walked in, and the door chimed with a cowbell. I looked around to see three women getting their hair done. Two older with the weekly curls happening, one with a cut and one young girl was getting her nails done. I told the counter gal what I was looking for, and she sat me down in a pedicure chair. It wasn't long the conversation started. And, it all was geared around me.

I could have lied and easily made up a story, but I wanted to connect with these people. Therefore, I told the entire beauty parlor all. And I do mean all. I had them laughing at the entire situation about Hugh and talking about Julie's caring mannerisms, Colton's desire to rescue and help and my own need to want to connect with the town. When I told them about the two hundred bottle of wine and my finger landing on Hope Springs Falls, they all chimed in about the lord and his ways, fate and karma and well wouldn't you know. I felt not judged, but connected.

Now I was no dummy. These women were going to have coffee with their friends, who would tell their friends and so on. However, I didn't really do anything wrong. I actually felt like I was just a normal gal with a funny story. I was looking at it from the angle of divulge everything now and have to hide nothing later. That thought came with the plan that there would be a later to Colton and me.

As my toenails had been done long after me staying there, so were the lady's in the chairs and the gal with the new set of acrylic nails. Then along came new clients and my story continued. At some point, I feigned hunger and wanted to check out the other shops in town. Each person told me about this or that, and the summer festival was only weeks away. They told me what to wear, what to bake or bring, and how much fun it was. I left Betty's Beauty Parlor looking forward to a lot of things.

I stopped into Cindy's cafe and had a summer salad. Agnes was there, and we chatted like old friends. She was in her sixties and knew everything there was to know about this town. She told me the cattle ranching history and the bottling plant just on the edge of town. They were the two things that really kept the town alive. The local train route still stopped here for folks on their way to the east coast. However, that was usually only a weekend stop.

I ate fast and told her I needed to head on out. As much as I enjoyed her conversation, I felt a strong desire to go in search of something. I didn't know quite what, but I was not one to ignore my intuition. I thanked her for her delightful conversation and said good-bye to the two other customers in the cafe.

I decided the cool crisp summer day deserved a walk about town and perhaps a personal visit to the local mechanic. Cindy had called, and he had promised he would take a look at my car first thing today. Although, for some reason, I wasn't in a hurry anymore and thought, I wouldn't bother the man twice. Cindy seemed to want to handle the status of my car, and I knew sometimes it made a woman feel good to help and feel needed. This was such a small thing now, not to have my car, which was really a big improvement over how I felt the day driving in to Hope Springs Falls.

I passed an old-fashioned candy store, quilting store, an ice cream parlor and stopped in front of a craft store. I peered inside and saw an elder couple looking at photo albums in a scrap booking section by the window that caught my eye.

If I had any doubts about who the couple was, I left them at the door as I walked in and saw the older man dead on. He was in his late fifties and rather handsome but with a lost look on his face. It had to be Colton's father, and I felt drawn to the man. As I casually approached the aisle next to the couple, I couldn't keep myself from staring. The woman was fit but hardy looking. She had short brown hair with gray's sprouting in the front as if she was overdue for a color touch up.

The older woman, Colton's mom, looked worn out as she kept holding up albums and asking her husband's opinion yet each time he would look at her lost and confused. Then he turned and stared at me. His stare was more of a look of remembrance while his wife obviously was back to looking at albums.

I watched him as he began approaching me. He started out conversing by saying he knew me from somewhere. I informed him he must be mistaken. That I just came to town and would only be staying here a short while. I felt quick to explain that I was renting Julie's house. As I was talking to Colton's dad, his mother quickly approached with a warm smile and an offer of introduction.

I was right. We started up a quick conversation about my visiting, and she asked how I liked Hope Springs Falls. I fell instantly in love with the woman. Our conversation turned to a love of photography we both shared, as Mrs. Charpel asked for my opinion about albums. I told her that I had a first love of taking pictures of flowers and animals and a lot of albums of my mom. She told me she had over thirty years of photos stored away that she wanted to put in albums in order and asked my opinions. I was quick to gather that she had never put a single picture in an album. That now that Mr. Charpel's mind was failing, she wanted to let him look at the last thirty years as a reminder.

Remembering the conversation I had with my mom, I knew that it would be more of mental release for Mrs. Charpel then a reminder for Mr. Charpel. It seemed quite evident that his mind was a lot further along than either wanted to admit to.

I was an organized die-hard and gave my tips on photo sorting and the best way to put into albums for safekeeping. I wasn't into the creative scrap booking so many women were into expressing themselves, but I did have boxes of leather albums full of photos. Mostly, of my mom and the many pets I had growing up. However, quite of few of gardens I grew, prize winning size vegetables and flowers. I loved to photograph flowers.

Our conversation ended quickly as we both noticed Mr. Charpel had wandered outside with a blank look on his face. Mrs. Charpel quickly set down the album she had in hand and ran out of the store. However, by the look of their conversation, Mr. Charpel had reentered the here and now, and I could only say a silent prayer for Colton's parents.

I envied the love they expressed for each other at that moment and by what Colton had talked about last night. However, I knew from what my mother had said about Alzheimer's, that it had a path of its own in each patient. Some had a slow slide and others slide quickly away into a world they never lived forgetting about the life they led or the people closest to them in it. How a perfect stranger could be mentally fresh in their minds, but their own wife and kids seem like distant strangers.

I watched them walk away hand in hand, and I stood at the window smiling, thinking of their love for each other at this moment was keeping them bonded as a family. I also felt a tinge of pain thinking of Colton and his long road ahead. At that moment, I decided that my coming here and meeting Colton wasn't about hot and heavy rebound sex, but perhaps just being there for a man who needed a helping hand for a change instead of always being the one to help. That if I could lessen their burden in any way it would make my burden even lighter.

My thoughts were broken by a teenage sales clerk asking me if I was planning on buying something. I picked out two storage boxes with sorters and two albums with acid-free pages and four packages acid free photo corners. I handed them to the clerk and then turned back down the aisle for a photo tape runner and grabbed two. I had a plan to make a personal visit to the Chapel's and offer my organizing expertise. If anything, I would at least offer it as a gift to Mrs. Charpel.

I wouldn't deny the fact that a part of me wanted to see where Colton grew up and intertwine myself into his family. However, the softhearted part of me just wanted to help a woman who was now walking her husband up and down Main Street and his lost look on his face was back. I didn't want to approach them now with my gift and offering. I would wait until I talked with Colton first.

Chapter Nine

A few more chapters of the latest new release romance book I was reading, a tall glass of lemonade later, and I set it against my chest. I bought a few books at the small bookstore at the end of town. Thinking back about my morning and afternoon I felt compelled to order a new camera on-line and realized that my old hobby was going to be front and center soon.

I closed my eyes and listened to the sound of the trees leaves blowing in the wind, the sound of no traffic, ambulances or police sirens... the sounds of silence. My closed eyes with the peaceful sounds of rustling leaves and birds chirping slowly drifted me into a daydream of sorts. I was dreaming of picking my vegetables in the late summer and giving them to Cindy for her diner. I was dreaming of getting weekly pedicures or manicures and a haircut and style or two. The parlor visit today was a hoot. I was dreaming of the way Colton's arms felt around me, his lips on mine and the way his gaze ate me up like a was a super model. I dreamt of him taking me on a flight in his plane and us making love in the back passenger seats. As my dream got steamier, a timber voice caught my attention over the leaves and the birds.

"So is that what chick lawyers read on their time off?"

My eyes popped open wide, and I sat up straight too fast, which caused me to flip off the hammock. However, before I could fall to the ground a very strong hand, that felt warm and comforting, supported my arm. I smiled, stood up on my feet, and felt the ground move beneath me. This man had a way of affecting my plans of him being a listening ear and sympathetic shoulder. Those plans melted away with visions of his lips on mine and how well he kissed, and how much I wanted to be kissed again by this man. Held by him. I couldn't deny the fact that I had already imagined what making love to the man would be like.

"So you didn't answer my question? Is that what girlie, girl lawyers read on their..."

I was quick to interrupt. I felt I needed to defend my reading choice. "Yes. I mean no. I mean..." With a puff of air, I realized his hand was still on my arm, and I liked it there. "It's what I have wanted to read for the last seven years but didn't have time to. It's what the BookNook corner book store on Main tempted me to buy and after so many law review books, sometimes a woman wants fantasy."

With a voice solid yet sexy. "Is that what you want Hope? Some fantasy?"

With a huge gulp of accumulative salvia that I was about to drool down my face, from staring at the sexy man in front of me in nothing but a pair of worn levis and an even more worn cotton shirt and a tool belt around his waist. I could think of nothing more than taking the tool belt off and playing out my dream fantasy earlier. I already knew the feel of his skin, the warmth of his breath, and the way he kissed was far more enticing.

"What I want..." In a soft voice, that I was sure he had not heard so I began to speak up louder. "What I want, is some well-deserved time off to do some things I haven't had time for and maybe find some adventure along the way." Ok the last part I had to admit came out of nowhere. It was a flirtatious remark I had thrown in without thinking and those kinds of comments could get me in hot and deep. By the way, his gaze was traveling across my body in nothing more than a braless tank top, old worn denim shorts and bare feet, he was eating me alive with his look. I was beginning to think his fixing Julie's house could just be an excuse to come see me and possible seduce me.

"What type of adventure is Hope looking for?" He asked in a slow drawl that only a true cowboy knows how to speak.

There was that voice. A sex-laden voice that filled my ears and made my body think of hot sultry sexual positions that I was sure he would oblige.

I dropped the book on the hammock, turned, and motioned Colton towards the house. He followed accordingly, and we headed through the back door into the kitchen. The sound of the screen door slapping behind us made the reality of this situation seem all too real. Were we going to just drop his tool belt and make love?

"So Hope. My mom says she met you today."

I guess not. He had his mind on other things. That or he was making his mind reel on other things to keep his own passion sated. I wanted so badly to strip that tool belt. Instead, I realized that if things heated up too fast they could cool down just as fast. That Colton and I needed to work on the basics of this friendship and where it was going. I also knew I needed to not be so selfish and should realize he needed a break from the insanity of it all from time to time, and maybe the way he kisses me gave him that break. Maybe, as things progressed, I would get a chance one day to strip that tool belt along with other things I wanted to strip off his body. I heard him clear his voice, as he wanted an answer.

"Yes! Your parents are adorable. I actually picked up some album supplies to help your mom with organizing and doing albums for her. I mean I didn't ask her. I just thought. Maybe I should have asked. Maybe by your expression I should just give them to you and let you say they are from you... why are you looking at me like that?"

His butt leaned up against the counter, and his arms crossed his chest. His eyes narrowed in deep thought and disconcert. "Why would you want to organize my mom's photos?"

I felt lost and perhaps had overstepped my boundaries by jumping to any conclusions. Colton didn't know all that I knew, other than what he told me. He didn't know about the beauty parlor or the conversations there and at the cafe.

I had only wanted to help, and now it seemed to Colton that I was being an aggressive female, getting my digs in on his family only after a simple kiss. When, in reality, all I had thought of was how precious the time was that he had left with his dad and how maybe I could help with that a little. However, how did I convey all that to Colton so quickly, as he looked as if he was a pit bull about to attack.

Going into a full lawyer argument mode, my stance changed, and I began to make myself appear larger by puffing out my chest, broadening my shoulders and tilting my chin up just a tad. "Don't take it as if I am moving in on your family. I just happened by the store. I am an avid photographer, and I happened to meet your parents in the store. Your mother started the conversation and then after your father disappeared out of the store, we both got caught off guard."

With a harsh tone of interruption, his voice cracked. "My father disappeared?"

"What I meant was, well within a blink of an eye he was on the outside of the store, on the other side of the window, in front of us, and well, he looked lost in thought or lost. Your mom rushed out, and I thought of picking up the supplies she had talked about getting for herself. Maybe offering to help organize and help her put the pictures in the album. Seeing as I have all this time on my hands, and well, your mom seems to have her hands full."

Silence fell upon us, and I waited for Colton to say something. Anything. His arms dropped to his sides, and his face softened and then his hands came up to his face and rubbed it roughly then he ran his hands through his hair and pulled at the ends as he let out what seemed like a lot of pent-up air. "Sorry."

I let my guard down, went next to him, and laid my hand on his shoulder. "About what?"

"My defensiveness. My..." His voice sounded etched with pain.

I silenced him with a finger on his lips. I turned to face in front of him and lifted his downward face up so his eyes met mine. "I don't know what you thought my intentions were, but I want you to know that I can only imagine what your mother is going through. What you are going through, and I just thought or didn't think, and wanted to do something. Something right, or nice or helpful. Something that would make someone else feel good and then maybe my pain would feel much less." With tears beginning to fill up in my eyes and a hitch in my breath, I knew I was on the verge of a lot of pent-up emotion myself, and I didn't know if I could stop it. Yet, I didn't want to lay any burden on the man in front of me who had a world of heavy burden already.

"Don't cry Hope. Don't cry." He grabbed me quickly and put his arms around me with a tight hold as he let my face bury into his neck. I felt so right there. So perfect. Yet, he felt my tears fall silently against his neck as it began to get wet. "I shouldn't have assumed. Julie said you were about the nicest city girl she has talked to in a long time. Don't cry Hope."

We stood there for what felt like hours but was more likely minutes and then the short intake of breaths could be heard from my lips. "Hope, I want to kiss you. It can just be a make you feel better kiss, but I won't deny when I hold you the whole world seems better."

I was mush. How could his strong arms hold me and say these things, and I have a sane bone left in my body? What started with a desire to strip him of his tool belt went to a defensive manner that was right back to that strong sexual desire.

I wiped away the last of my tears with my fingertips and moved an arm's length away from him. "Colton. I don't think it is a good idea for me to get involved with anyone right now. And well. You have your hands full. I mean a meaningless kiss would feel nice, but I don't know if my kiss back would be meaningless. And I don't know what I would be feeling afterwards."

He laid a quick peck on my forehead. "I have a few shingles left to pound and some flashing to install by the chimney. I'll be up on the roof for an hour or so. Want to swing by the house later for dinner with my mom? You know so you can offer you're photo organizing."

I was not sure what to think. One minute he wanted to kiss me and the next he was all about production and helping his mom. "Ok. I mean I would love to offer help to your mom. That is if you think she won't find it offensive."

"Not my mom. She's pretty straight forward. That and I think she would know that this would be about the only way she might get the albums of their life done in time for them to relive. That is because things are progressing faster than we thought." He cleared his throat, turned, and went out the back door. I watched him head to his truck and remove a ladder. I thought I saw him wipe his face with his shirt, and the weather was too cool for sweat. I was sure he had just shed a tear or two. That would be why he turned and left so fast.

I busied myself in the kitchen making fresh squeezed lemonade and made up two plates of sandwiches with some of Claire's home-baked muffins buttered up and sliced. I went out just as Colton was climbing down the ladder.

"I made us lunch. Would you like to eat on the front porch or in the kitchen?" I didn't want to give him too many choices to say no.

"The front porch would be nice. Julie and I used to sit out there all the time and eat." That gave me caution to his and Julie's relationship. I knew Julie was engaged, but it just seemed like an odd comment.

We sat quietly on the porch, settling in the white wicker chairs and began to eat our lunch together. A few neighbors walking by stopped with short conversations, which mostly Colton participated in. My thoughts were back to how I had let a man take a hold of me emotionally so fast and why did I feel the need to jump to the conclusion that this was leading somewhere. Even taking it as far as dreaming about marriage and kids. I was acting the fool, and I knew it. Colton had so much on his mind, and I just needed a well deserve break. I decided that I needed to enjoy this break for what it could offer, and if in a month, things were no further along than they were now, it was definitely time to move on.

Although, deep down, I knew that there was physical attraction there. That I could enjoy our relationship and the sexual tension that was building. I could even enjoy it if it went beyond the physical touch of kissing, and if I was lucky, we could share a night of passionate sex that could leave me with incredible memories of Hope Springs Falls when I returned to Denver.

"Hope to earth. I lost you there. I was talking to Julie's neighbor, and you went off into space." I looked around, and the neighbor was back in their yard working on her roses, and I smiled.

"Sorry. A lot on my mind. Hey, did I tell you I talked with my mom. I told her everything. I feel so much better." I didn't feel the need to divulge that everything meant him, my feelings or his dad's health.

"I see." It was his turn to get quiet. I set my uneaten food off to the white wicker side table and leaned back into a relaxed position in the chair.

"So what should I bring to dinner tonight? Ralph's bringing my car by today, so I'll just drive myself. Draw me a map unless it's not that hard to find."

"Not hard. Just take your first right on the west end of town when it splits, then the first left and next right. I was within bike riding distance to town as a kid. It might have saved my folks a lot of trouble if they had bought a ranch much, much farther away." He laughed at his own memory and that filled my heart.

"Well, troublemaker. I've got a few things I need to do on-line. I had a call from a headhunter with a few job prospects I want to check out." I stood and grabbed my plate, and his hand reached out and stopped me.

He cleared his throat as he swallowed his last bite. "Hope. Don't leave real quick. I mean. What I mean to say is I know I act one-way one second and indifferent the next. This is about the worst possible time for me to be attracted to you, but I am. Look. Don't bring anything tonight. I will leave my cell number on Julie's kitchen bulletin board. If you change your mind and don't come tonight I understand. However, if you do come, can you and I take off shortly after dinner. I've got somewhere I want to show you."

He sounded so serious and confused in one swift conversation. "Alright." I didn't have much more to offer. This whole thing was just as confusing to me.

"Alright you'll come or alright you'll call."

I bent down, laid a soft kiss on his lips, leaned back, and whispered. "Alright. I'll come. Alright I'll let you show me that place." I said it very seductively then stood and noticed the neighbor staring, and she quickly went back to tend to her roses.

I turned and walked away looking coyly over my shoulder and taunting him. "I hope it's someplace good." Then I let the front screen door slap closed behind me.

Not but two seconds went by, and I felt Colton's arms wrap around from behind me. His solid body lean into my body and his breath on the back of my neck laying sweet kisses there. His hand was wrapped up in my hair that he had brushed aside, and before I knew it, the tool belt hit the floor along with other articles of clothing.

Needless to say, Julies' roof didn't get finished. I didn't get research done on-line and Colton had been kind enough to bring a condom this time instead of leaving me hanging around with sultry thoughts in my head.

Chapter Ten

My car never made it; Ralph had to order another part. At least, he left a message on my phone for a change. I showered quick and put on a light yellow summer dress, a white cardigan sweater and a pair of white canvas tennis shoes. I grabbed my purchase from the craft store and handed the bag off to Colton, who had just freshly showered and was redressed in his working attire in under five minutes. We kissed and smiled at each other a lot. However, we didn't express undying love for each other. Instead, we had both agreed that was the best damn sex either one had in a long time. Our sweaty bodies knocked over kitchen chairs and messed up the front room couch slipcover, which was proof we were like two teenagers in heat.

Replaying every second in my head left a permanent smile on my face. Yup, coming to Hope Springs Falls was a refreshing break from my old reality.

Colton drove fast as dinner at his moms was always at five pm. When he was a kid if he was late, he got left overs or bread and butter. As an adult, he just had to heat his own leftovers up. However, since he wanted so badly for me to meet his mom and offer her help, he made a ten-minute drive more like five. Holding my left hand the entire way.

As soon as we pulled up, I could see what a very high-end ranch this place once was, now slowly falling apart and in need of repair. It showed enough work that needed to be done, and I had to wonder why he spent all his time on Julie's place when those repairs really didn't seem that much in need. Then it dawned on me like a smack upside the head. It wasn't Julie's house he was working on; it was seeing me and taking a break from reality. That made me even more conscious of my decision to take all the time we needed to get this attraction right.

I wasn't in their house two seconds, and I was sure Colton's mom became aware for the first time what was going on between Colton and I. She snagged me up and rushed me off to the overly large ranch kitchen that had windows that sprawled the length of it and exposed all their land. Out the windows, I could see rolling hills of grain and trees, with cattle off in the distance and several barns and a lot of large cattle equipment.

She handed me a glass of wine and refilled her own. Then she gulped half of it down and seemed so relieved to have adult interaction. Something told me it had been a tough day with Mr. Charpel. She started out by telling me to call her Mabel. That I was all Mr. Charpel talked about today. That it had indeed, been a rough day with patches of Mr. Charpel talking about time and places as if they were back to being young adults.

I felt sad for her. However, I wanted to laugh every time Mr. Charpel peeked in the kitchen and was immediately drawn to me like I was an old friend of his. We would talk and then Colton would pop in with a 'there you are' and then would lead him back outside. In less than an hour and several more pop-ins, Colton looked exhausted like a new parent looks after a day with a toddler.

Dinner wasn't ready until six. Which was partially because I talked Mabel's ear off to keep her mind off Mr. Charpel and partly because she had not had a chance to get into the kitchen until we got there.

Conversations sway to the fact that the only thing soothing Colton's dad was either flying or staring at old pictures. They talked about Colton and his wayward bad boyisms that got him into a lot of trouble growing up in this town. Mr. Charpel kept insisting I called him George, and that he knew me from somewhere. Each time he said it, a note of sadness was detected out of both Colton and Mabel. I didn't want to press, but I was sure there was a story there.

By the time dinner was done, Mr. Charpel expired to a reading room and was asleep in a leather lazy boy reclining chair before the three of us had the plates and food in the kitchen. I offered to clean up as Colton pulled his mom aside to the front room to talk to her. By the time they made it back, she practically ran up and hugged me. I hugged her back, as I looked at Colton over her shoulder.

She thanked me for the help I was offering to do with the photos. She already had the first twenty years marked in a box and told me that I was more than welcome to take them with me to work on. She had to take Mr. Charpel into Denver to see a specialist and have tests run, and they were just going to stay the night there. The mention of my town where I lived for the last seven years, sent a sharp reminder that I was just on a vacation and had choices to make. Instead of worrying about it now, I let the thrill at the prospect, that for a change, someone needed my help. Colton quickly snuck me out of there, claiming he wanted to take me on a late-night flight. His plane was gassed and ready for takeoff, and he wanted to show me somewhere before a storm was due in around midnight.

Mabel and I hugged good-bye, and I would have done the same with George, but he was snoring in his chair.

The airstrip where two of Colton's planes were stored along with several others in the county were only twenty-minute drive from his folk's house. Colton told me about hanging out here as a kid and getting into trouble, then working there as a teen until he went off to college to study law. His stories filled my ears with a lifetime of love for where he grew up and his parents. I knew all of this ending the way it was, grew harder each day as his dad's illness progress.

I wanted to help more, other than doing photo albums. I knew what happened today took both our minds off a lot. However, I knew that wasn't a cure-all for what he was emotionally going through. Let alone, with each passing moment I grew emotionally closer to Colton then I thought was safe.

As we arrived at the airport, everyone said hello. Colton set about his pre-flight checklist with professionalism, and I just followed around watching. As soon as we were in the plan and about to buckle up he reached over and let his hand wander unto the back of my neck as he pulled me in for a kiss. It was a soft sensual kiss on the lips, but it felt good. It brought back memories of the way we kissed after we had sex earlier today. Which brought back memories of me wanting to have sex with him on his plane.

"Your smile tells me you're thinking about something." He asked coyly.

"Just wondering what this something is that you want me to see."

"Well if we timed this just right we should hit the crest of these rolling hills as the sun sets and the lake beyond and the incredible sunset on the lake, and you will thank me later claiming it was a religious experience."

I smiled and teased. "Is this a religious experience you've taken other dates out on, claiming they will 'thank you later'?" I laughed at the inclination.

"You're my first date I've taken up in my plane for this experience. My mom and dad have taken it several times with me. Lately, it has been all that seems to calm my dad down after a hard day. That and if I take my dad flying in the evening it gives my mom the break she needs."

His thoughts turned to the memories of the recent months of coming home and taking care of his dad. I was certain that was where he was at, since he hadn't said a word for several minutes. I felt heart heavy for him and his situation. However, I also felt like I was special since I was his first date on his plane to see this place.

I was only a tad nervous at the start of the flight. I had never been in a plane this small or with only two people in a plane, but I had flown all over the country at the start of my career.

As soon as the plane hit its altitude, it seemed effortless as Colton flew the plane. We shared idle chitchat and plenty of teasing flirtatious smiles back and forth. I was pretty darn sure my fantasy of seducing Colton in the back of his plane could very well happen tonight, once we were landed safely on the ground.

Chapter Eleven

Reliving the sunset while catching our breath with sweaty bodies in the back of his plane, was the best religious experience I could ever have hoped for. This time it meant more. I was sure that for both of us; it meant more. However, for me, I was in too deep now to just pack up, move back to Denver and work on my career. I needed to take the time I committed to originally and stay on here until things got better for Colton.

On the drive home, we forgot about all the ugly in our lives and joked about our childhood, what it was like to take law in college and how many lives our job affected on a daily basis.

We talked of cases in law that went wrong and ones that went right. We talked about Colton's love of flying and my love of photography that I had decided to rekindle.

Instead of driving super-fast, he drove ultra-slow. Occasionally pulling off a dirt road to point out something and when I would say 'where, I don't see that' he would lean in super close and point to nothing then he would start kissing me. By the third or fourth time, it was evident that is was just a kissing game to take our minds off reality. I loved his lighthearted sense of humor when we weren't burdened with the troubles of the world. I loved the way his smile had dimples and his eyes joined along in every smile he gave me.

This time when we made love, we did it in Julie's room of yellow and white. We took our time and made it last. The emotional level was serious now, and we fell asleep shortly after in each other's arms.

Just as I was about to nod off to sleep for good, he whispered in my ear that he has to go with his mom tomorrow, which I sensed he might want to. I had wanted to get the first album done for her as soon as possible so that she could have something to look through with George.

When my breathing was heavy, and I think he thought I was in complete sleep, he whispered into my ear a soft gesture that was full of emotional overload at the moment. He whispered he loves me. I didn't respond. I just drifted into that final stage of sleep, with his arms wrapped around me tight and his body against mine. I was too emotionally raw to answer him.

In the morning, he was gone. A sweet note on the fridge said he would call. I felt so full of life and energy that I had to go for a jog. By the time I made it around town and back to shower, I was bursting with energy.

With my hair dried quickly and up in a twist, I slipped on a sports bra and bike shorts and sat comfortably at the kitchen table with all my photo arranging supplies in place. I worked fast and effortlessly as each photo had a remark and date on the back. With each black-and-white photo and then eventually color, I was drawn into Colton's life more and more. Falling in love with his family and seeing the bond of friendship, he had with Julie. You could see it in the pictures of them as kids.

Luckily, there were only a few pictures of each moment in their lives from each year, instead of hundreds of photos. It looked like Mabel had selected just the ones to put into an album that had significant meaning in their lives. I knew how much care and time she must have put into organizing these photos. So I took the care to make sure each picture was arranged perfectly straight and wiped clean with a cloth so that no fingerprints remained.

By the time hours passed, and I kept getting up to stretch, I knew I had to take a break. I tossed on my shoes and a large tee shirt and headed into town to eat at the cafe.

Cindy was there and so was Ralph, my mechanic. I sat next to the man who held my car captive, and we talked idly. Ralph left shortly before I was done, and as soon as he did, Cindy informed me that my bill was paid by Ralph. He was heading back to work on my car now. We both laughed about it as she told me he often got into fixing several cars at once but never completed a job too quickly. If someone really needed their car fixed fast, Bob would tow it into Cheyenne for them.

Cindy commented on my glow, and I told her that things were really great with me. I told her about my mom, the beauty parlor and the photo albums I was doing for Mabel. She turned to work on a few customers and came back. Then she couldn't hold it any longer. "And Colton?"

I had to laugh. "We're really good. I think I've fallen in love with a man so big in heart that it's been an unusual experience."

"That he is. So, did you hear Julie's marriage is official. She's coming back for a short visit in a month or two, but in the meantime she sends her best."

I listened to her talk on for another half hour about Julie this or that, then she geared back up to the Colton factor. When I got up to leave, I winked. "Cindy, you will be the first to know."

Then I walked to the Beauty Parlor, bought some hair product and asked to make an appointment for next week. The few women there talked about on-goings in the town to me as if I knew and I walked home feeling a part of this town in my soul now, no matter how things worked out.

The following day, Colton drove his mom and dad back from Denver, but things seemed to have gotten worse for his dad. He called to say he was emotionally exhausted and wanted to know how I was. I told him terrific, and I had an album done for his mom and was ready for more pictures. He told me he would be by in the morning.

Instead, I woke in the middle of the night to a naked man crawling in bed next to me. "Do you mind?" He whispered as I stirred from him coming in the house.

"Not at all." I slipped my sleep shirt off over my head and pulled him into my arms. It was I, this time, that held him in my arms and listened to him drift off to sleep. It was me, this time, that whispered 'I love you' into his ear as his heavy breathing filled the room. Only this time he rolled over and kissed me, replying back. "Hope Forrester, I am in love with you." Moments later, we were both fast asleep from the exhaustion of the day.

The next morning he was gone again with only another sweet note on the fridge. The album was gone as well, and I got up and got dressed for a jog. My car sat out front with the keys in it.

When I got back, there was another box of pictures in my kitchen and a basket of gourmet goodies from Cindy, along with some tasty gourmet coffee that smelled like strawberry shortcake. I laughed and thought, only could she come up with this kind of flavor.

I showered first then sat down with my hair dried and in a twist again, along with another pair of comfortable shorts and tee shirt. I started out working feverishly when the sound of my cell phone ringing jarred me from the trance I was in. I got up and ran to my cell phone, hoping it was Colton. Instead, it was my mom, which I was equally glad but wondered what Colton was up to at this very moment.

"Hi Hope, It's your mother." I laughed lightly. She always seemed to forget about caller ID.

"Hi, mom I know it's you. What's going on?" It felt so good to hear her voice, and it reminded me how much I missed her.

"Well, you're not going to believe this. I'm about twenty minutes from Hope Springs Falls, and my car hit this rut, and I'm in this ditch just shy of mile marker two eighty five. It's hotter than blazes out today, and my radiator is leaking something fierce. Mind calling me a tow truck?"

"Not at all mom. I'll call Walker towing, but I know exactly where you are at. I'm on the way."

I was so excited about my mom being here. I was not happy that she had not called to tell me she was coming so I could know when to expect her. However, as safe as she was, I was sure she told her work.

By the time I stopped at the proverbial rut that got my car that night, just shy at mile marker two eighty five, my mom looked hot as the day was warm and the air was not blowing. We did our hugs and kisses, and she climbed into my air-conditioned car. We sat there until Bob Walker showed up, and he would have talked our ear off outside if it weren't for the fact the heat was so hot.

He headed off to Ralph's garage with a message my mom was only here for two weeks. She had to have her car to drive back then.

We stopped at Cindy's cafe, as soon as we were in town and of course, I knew Cindy and my mom would hit it off. "Cindy. This is my mom Kate Forrester. Mom, this is Cindy Walker. Bob's her husband. This is the Cindy and Bob I told you about." And like magic, they became great friends.

My mom finished her early lunch, and the lunch rush cafe got Cindy looking crazy as she only had one helper back in the kitchen. My mom offered to help clear and serve, while I went back to work on the albums.

By the time, lunch rush was over, Colton had popped his head in through the back door of the kitchen with a look of exhaustion.

"Hey babe." I got up to give him a kiss and was excited to tell him about my mom. However, I sensed he wasn't really listening and his mind was elsewhere.

"That's really nice of your mom to drive up here. Listen. I have to drive my dad back to Denver for some more tests. My mom is exhausted and is going to stay here. I just wanted to stop by and tell you I miss you already and I love you."

He said it so effortlessly I didn't doubt it, but he also had a note of frustration in his voice. I could only imagine what his mom and him were dealing with at this moment.

We gave each other a lingering kiss, and he was gone. I tried to get back into the album, but Colton's life and stress was nagging at me. I wanted to do more than just a photo album.

By the time Cindy brought my mom around, you would have thought they were old best friends. With both women in my kitchen, Cindy's gourmet coffee reheated, and my mom and I nibbling on goodies from the basket Cindy sneaked in through the kitchen with earlier when I was on a jog, you would have thought we three were lifelong friends.

I talked about Colton and myself, and how things were progressing to serious relationship. I got the same parental reaction from both Cindy and my mom. They were happy for us but worried for George and Mabel, and the stress it was causing Colton. My mom told me to watch out for Colton's behavior. He might lash out when he least means it. Cindy added to that, apparently there was some financial stress with the ranch and cattle that was buzzing around town.

I let all that ponder in my brain as my mom and Cindy looked at the album for Mabel and some of the pictures in the box. I worked slowly thinking about Colton and how my love for him had grown in such a short time. I thought of my strong desire to help him was due to the fact that my mom was always that type of person.

Shortly later, Cindy left to get back to the cafe. Agnes was sick, and she had to get back to work. My mom offered to help, but Cindy told her that today was plenty of help. She had to make a few calls and there were some teenagers that would love the extra money. She wished us a wonderful visit and asked that we swing by whenever we could.

As my mom and I sat outside on the porch swing to get out from the heat in the house, we talked in length about Colton's and mine relationship. She offered up incredible advice that wasn't far from my own thoughts. Sometimes destiny and fate play a role in our future. If it feels right, you have to give it a chance.

Then the conversation turned to the fact there was only one fan in the house. I ran inside and grabbed a notepad, and we made a list of things we needed from the local grocer. A fan for the kitchen and bedroom were top on the list. I knew my mom loved to cook so we planned on her buying food to make a few of her favorites to run by Colton's place. It was something my mom always did when someone was ill or needed a break from cooking.

By the time we got back from the store, we had a trunk load of groceries, and my mom had made a few new friends at the store. She was always very flirtatious and friendly by nature. She knew how to make people smile and that always got her smiling in return.

With the fan in place in our rooms and the windows open, we had a cross breeze going. I didn't want the fan to blow pictures around, so I figured I would just deal with the heat and set myself up in a corner. My mom was chomping at the bit to cook, but knew the additional heat would be too much. So she prepped everything and had ready to bake in Julie's glass pan wear and we took a much needed break to walk around the neighborhood.

As we walked under large trees shading our walk, we breathed in the fresh air and took thanks for the cooler breeze that finally kicked up. We stopped and talked to neighbors whom I had met in such a short time as I introduced my mom. Then we walked on to a park and sat ourselves on a swing set that was empty of all kids. We swung back and forth talking about her visit and what she would like to do. Then she surprised me.

"Well, Hope. I drove all the way up here to see you. That first. However, after talking to you the last few times I wondered if there was anything I could do to help Colton and his family. I'm sure this is a close nit community, and folks are helping. However, from the sounds of it, Colton and Mabel have much more on their hands, then they are willing to admit to their neighbors. I'm different. I'm a nurse, and I know what it takes to take care of a person in that position. Sometimes, it simply making sure they get their meds and other times it's making sure they don't wander off. I had some vacation time built up and planned on visiting you in Denver."

"Mom, you have a heart of gold." We swung in silence for a moment, enjoying the cool breeze. Then I decided it couldn't hurt. "Listen. Colton's took his dad back to Denver for tests today. I think he'll be back late tonight. As far as meds, this whole thing came on fast and there was some denial. In such a short time, it's taken a turn for the worse and I think that is why they are getting testing done."

"It does happen that way, more often than folks want to admit."

"So how about when the weather cools tonight we cook those meals you prepped and then take them over tomorrow morning. I should be done with this next album by then, and I can see that I am only up to Mabel's two boys being in high school. She must have at least one more album worth of pictures. When we drop off the food, we can suggest it. Sound good?"

"Sound's great!"

Chapter Twelve

The next morning I woke for my jog tired as I had fallen asleep late the previous night after I had finished the next album. I went to bed with my mom still cooking away while reading one of Julie's books, off her bookshelf.

I peeked my head into my mom's room. "I'm going for a jog. I'll see you in about an hour." I heard a mumble, and she rolled over and put the pillow over her head.

I headed out for my jog and enjoyed the freshness of the morning air from the middle of the night rain we received.

I was almost to the bend of the road that led me back into town when a familiar truck approached me and stopped. I slowed my jog to a pace that let me jog in place as I watched a very tired and worn-out Colton, far different from the man the first night I met him. I watched him get out and walk towards me wearing the very same clothes, I saw him in the morning before.

"Hey stranger." I tried to smile seductively as I continued to jog in place.

"Hey. Mind not jogging in place like that. You're up and down pace is... sorry. I didn't sleep at all last night. I'm a bit snappy. My dad took off for a walk without telling us, and I was up half the night looking for him."

I immediately stopped and approached him. I put my arms around him, and he didn't seem receptive but more like he couldn't stand the feel of my touch. "Colton. It's alright." I gave him a quick peck and took a step back. "Hey my mom baked up a storm last night. It's her way of helping. We were going to swing by some precooked food if that's alright?"

I got the sense that he wasn't alright with it. "Look Hope. I've got to tell you that things are worse than we thought. Each day is worse. I wouldn't blame you if you just took back off for Denver. Hell, I probably would if I could. Go back to Texas that is. Listen. I saw you jogging and thought I better stop instead of driving on by. The next two weeks there's going to be a lot going on for us. I won't have a lot of time to spend with you. I know what we had been building up was special, but I don't expect you to settle right now." I looked into his pained eyes that showed a hurt beyond belief. The rims of his steel blue eyes were red, and the bags under eyes showed the lack of sleep. His hair looked dirty and his clothes all wrinkled.

The tears stung the backs of my eyelids as I looked at a man I fell in love with. I knew he was in pain, and I wanted to help. However, when he flinched at the touch of my arm reaching out to him; I felt anger build within me. "I'm not settling for the special, Colton. I am in this to make it work out. I know you've got your hands full. I can only imagine what you're dealing with. I want to help; I want to share your pain and make it all go away. If all you need from me is a warm bed and naked body at night, then I'm completely ok with that. I know it has to make you feel better." I knew it had made me feel better.

I watched a light chuckle come out from him. It wasn't a mean laughter more of a nervous one. "Thing is Hope. I can't even leave the house at night anymore. I need to stay up and watch my dad in shifts with my mom. She can't sleep half the time because the ranch is falling apart, and the bills are piling up. She's dug into their retirement, and now she has to sell the ranch soon. Crawling in next to you naked isn't solving my problems. I respect you too much to use you like that. I think it be best if we just call it like it is."

I crossed my arms in front of me. "And what is it Colton? All I see here are two people that fell in love quick. We both had some issues but yours are far worse than mine are, and I was willing to share my strength with you. However, all I see is a coward in front of me, pushing me away, telling me one second he loves me and the next second, not enough to share his pain. Which is it?" By the end of my rendition of all that, the tears were falling.

"Damn it Hope. Don't cry. Your tears will make me an even weaker man than I feel right now. Look. I just need a break. That's all. I need to take a break from us."

"If that's what you need, then fine. I, however, am not running back to Denver. I will be here when you need me. My mom wants to meet your mom and bring the food by. I have another album done for your mom, and I'm sure she has at least another album to be done." I reached out again and watched him step back and punch the truck. His fist pounded the hood and left a dent in it. His hand looked red, and his eyes were red rimmed with tears.

"Don't. If you touch me, I might crumble. Go Hope. I have some things I have to get from the store for my mom. Then I have to get back to help her. Just please, don't beg me to be with you or cry in front of me. It's killing me ending it like this."

I stepped back, looked at a man in pain, and thought about what my mom said. I wiped my eyes and quit crying. I raised my chin and looked him squarely in his eyes. "I love you Colton. I'm here if you need me, and I'm not running away. You can push me away all you want, thinking that will help, but it won't. Go do what is it is you need to do. I'm bringing my mom by later to your moms. I suspect you'll avoid me for a bit, and that's alright. Whatever makes it easier for you. My mom is here two weeks. You know where to find me if you want me. I won't turn you away."

He stood there and didn't say anything. I could tell he didn't have it in him to talk or discuss or fight. Then as if he couldn't get out there fast enough he climbed into his truck and drove away fast. I took off jogging as soon as his truck drove away, then I found a quiet spot off the side of the road and cried my eyes out for a few minutes. Eventually, I took a few deep breaths and felt more determined than ever to help Colton and his mom out.

It didn't take but two-seconds home, and my mom knew something was wrong. By the time I replayed the conversation she had me in her arms, comforting me. "Listen, baby girl. I told you this might happen. So let's get you cleaned up and fed, then head on over and see what we can do to help. Sound good?"

"Sounds good."

I kissed my mom on the cheek and headed off to take a shower. By the time, I was out and dressed with dried hair and some makeup I felt the fight come back to me. We grabbed all the cooked food from the refrigerator and the finished album and set out to see Colton's mom.

Along the way, my mom asked if I minded if she offered her help to Colton's mom. I told her no, that I knew it would help everyone.

As soon as we showed up, George came out and treated me like a long-lost friend. My mom and Mabel took the meals inside to set back in the freezer, except my mom's lasagna. My mom kept that one in the refrigerator and insisted with the bottle of wine we brought, that we eat it tonight along with a tall glass of wine.

Mabel seemed more than happy to have other adults around as I asked George to walk me around the place and show me the ranch. As he did, he talked about his pride of owning and building the ranch, but when I asked him about Colton and his brother Dalton, he seemed confused, so I quickly changed the subject. An hour later, we were back in the driveway, just as Colton was pulling up. We didn't say anything to each other, and he kissed his dad who acted put off and confused then started unloading things from the truck.

It was apparent he was now fixing the things on the ranch that would have to be fixed in order to sell. I decided I would entertain George. "Hey George, do you play chess?"

"Do I ever young lady. I can beat you in fewer moves..." I interrupted with laughter, and I bet you can statement. We headed inside to find a chessboard, and I caught Mabel crying to my mom. She covered up her tears as we entered the kitchen looking for the chessboard. I informed the two moms, I would take George out to the sunroom to play a few rounds. The relief on Mabel's face was all the thanks I needed.

By the time dinner rolled around, Colton had popped in twice but didn't say much to me, mostly to his mom. He grabbed a sandwich and apologized that he couldn't join us. That got raised eyebrows from everyone except George. As soon as Colton was gone, he asked how come the help always ate dinner with them. That caused a burst of tears from Mabel, and I took George back out to the sunroom.

George and I ate alone while my mom helped Mabel around the house. After they ate their dinner, they moved around the place together in a very efficient nature. Two moms getting things done. It was in my mother's nature to just step up and do what was needed. Mabel seemed thrilled for the help.

By the time we drove away, rather late that night, I didn't see Colton until my car was pulling away. He waved from the driveway, and I waved back. Just a few minutes down the road, I had to pull over to cry. If I was going to lose it again, I was glad to have my mom there.

By the time my mom drove me the rest of the way home she told me that Mabel was very receptive to her help. That she hadn't asked for any help from neighbors and when they tried, Colton just pushed them all away saying he could handle it.

"But he can't handle it mom. And you saw the way George reacts to me. I remind him of someone long ago and when he's mentally back at that time I'm someone he relates to. Colton wants to push me away, yet I just want to help."

Between sniffles and tears, I tried to grasp at what I needed to do. Then my mom made it all clear. "Listen. I talked a bit with Cindy. Mabel's receptive. I think I will talk with Cindy tomorrow morning. You've got one last album to complete. I think Cindy will be able to gather up enough town's folk to help Colton and Mabel. In the meantime, Mabel said just having another adult female who is a nurse and understands the disease is a godsend. Add to the fact I cook and clean identical to the way she does, we make a great team. You get the album done and offer to visit George every day for a while to play chess and give them a break. I think Colton might be upset at first, but eventually he will come around. Sound good?"

"Sounds great mom. Mom?"

"Yes baby girl?"

"Thanks a million and I love you."

"I love you too Hope."

We drove the rest of the way chatting about the town and my hair appointment. My mom asked if I could get her one as well, as she was long overdue. We joked about the Hugh incident and how it seemed years behind us. We talked about the weather as a downpour of rain bestowed itself upon us.

It didn't take long for us to settle into a routine within the next week. Each time I saw Colton, he had no words of affection. Only once did he try to bite my head off about muddling in his business then George walked back in from going to the bathroom and told him the help was not allowed to talk to his friend that way. The pain I saw in Colton's eyes broke my heart ten times over. He stormed off and didn't return until long after I was gone.

Time was fast approaching for my mom to leave. Her car was fixed, and I covered the cost. With only two days left, I was sad but we both agreed it would be best if I just hung on a while longer until George was settled into the nursing home they found for him. Colton was fighting his mom every step of the way. However, the outburst between Colton and his mom were almost daily. She was exhausted, and George didn't seem to recognize either of them. Colton was mad that she was giving up. Mabel was mad he was fighting her and forcing me out of his life. I tried to convince Mabel that I understood and was there for Colton, but she had it set in her mind that I was only there because of George.

With one day to go, a group of us met at Cindy's cafe. Several townsfolk thanked my mom with gifts of homemade items. Cindy had a huge cooler of food packed for our road trip back. I convinced my mom to let me drive back with her, and I would catch a flight back here. Bob would pick me up at the Cheyenne airport and maybe by then; Colton would be in less of a fighting mood.

As we gathered around drinking coffee and eating Cindy's cherry pie, I felt a connection to the people and the town. I knew my purpose was to come back and help Colton through this. Even if, it meant dealing with his anger being tossed more my way than anything. However, I had so much hurt for him and what he was dealing with that even if he didn't want me now, I knew there was still hope for the future.

Cindy had passed out a schedule to folks that volunteered to help fix the ranch and cook meals. Three of the retired women offered to visit Mabel daily to see what they could do to help. Two of George's old friends, who he sometimes would recognize said they would offer to play chess with him.

The whole night felt like a community coming together to offer their hope and prayers. Something I knew the Charpel's needed.

Chapter Thirteen

Later, that afternoon, my mom and Mabel said their final good-byes; I wandered off to find Colton in the back shed looking for a tool. I was almost sure he had been crying when I walked in.

"Colton." I laid my hand on his shoulder and felt tension in his muscles. "My mom is inside saying bye to your mom. I wish you would have gotten a chance to meet her. You would have liked her. Your mom and she have bonded. I think your mom is much better these last two weeks since my mom came. I know George has been easier. Listen I'm driving back with my mom."

He turned with tears running down his face. He barely choked out. "Don't go Hope. Stay. Stay here with me until I work through this. I need you. God, I need you more now than ever."

I wrapped my arms around him and spoke looking up into his piercing blue eyes. "I'm not leaving you Colton. I'm still here for you. I love you."

"But you just said..."

"I said I'm driving back with my mom. I don't want her driving alone all the way back to Utah. I'm catching a flight back. Bob's picking me up. Cindy's got help arranged until I get back and by then, your mom and I are driving George to the nursing home in Denver."

He had fought his mom for the last two weeks over all of her decisions. He told her they could handle it, but we all watched how well he was handling the stress and how much it tore up Mabel to watch the husband she had been married to for over thirty years forget who she was. She couldn't be a babysitter anymore to a man who didn't love her back. She was ready to love him from the sidelines as she moved on with her life.

"Hope. I missed you." His lips touched mine with a gently kiss that tasted salty from his tears. When we pulled back, I had to tell him the rest. The part that Mabel didn't have it in her to tell him.

"Colton. Cindy and Bob are coming to pack your mom's stuff up while we take George to Denver. When we drive back, I have already arranged a moving truck to take your mom's things to a new rental in Denver just minutes from the Alzheimer home. She wanted to tell you herself but lately all you do is yell at her."

By now, his arms had dropped away from hugging me, and he was stepping back looking at me like I had told him I just killed his favorite dog. The look of disgust on his face was more than I could handle.

"It's for the best Colton. This way, she can be close to your dad. I think it will be best for you two not to fight every day. Your mom is exhausted. You should have gotten help long ago, when the signs were first there. You, being stoic, helped no one. Not even yourself." I tried to sound calm, but it came across rather harsh to my ears. I was placing the blame of all this back on Colton, and that was wrong. His mom had made decisions early on, not to accept help when she should.

"Look. I'm sorry." I took a step forward, and he glared at me and took a step back. "That day you pushed me away, I was even more determined to help you and your mom. I'm pretty darn sure we did that, the last two weeks. However, you just got uglier towards me. I get your anger, and I'm not taking it personally. Although my voice right now might indicate I am mad at you, I'm not. I still love you. I loved what we started, and I see a world of potential in our relationship. I adore your mom. My mom and your mom are the best of friends the last two weeks. Let's just take this time away to gather our thoughts. I love you Colton. I'll miss you when I'm gone like I've missed you deeply the last two weeks. I hope when I get back things are different for us."

He stood there glaring at me and said nothing. His tears were long gone, but his anger lingered in the air. "I love you Colton." I took a step forward, and he turned his back to me.

I took that as a cue. I turned and walked out, not looking back. I couldn't. Because if he turned and looked at me with regret, it would feel like a knife to the heart. I knew he had anger to work through over all this and I was the easiest target along with his mom to take it out on. Now I had to take care of my mom.

We were to head out first thing in the morning. However, when we left so late from Colton's house, spending all the time I could with George, to give Mabel a break while she talked with my mom, we ended up home so late that I told my mom first thing might not happen. "Let's just play it by ear in the morning and see how it goes. Sound good?"

"I agree. I'm going to take a shower and head to bed. See you in the morning baby girl." She kissed my cheek and was off to the shower.

I checked my cell phone as it bleeped with a text message. It was from Colton. 'Sorry.' Then another one came in. 'I love you'. My heart felt alive. He was coming around. Maybe he couldn't say it in person, but he was saying it now the best way he could how and I was ok with that. Then it beeped 'forgive me?" Which of course, I did. I knew this was more than a man could handle on his own. That he hadn't been thinking clearly all along.

I texted back. 'Forgiven. I love you.' Not one for abbreviation or texting I dialed his cell phone number and heard it ringing out on the front porch of the rental. I unlocked the front door and flipped on the porch light and there sat Colton, looking sad and lonely, swinging on the swing. I hollered back inside to my mom. "Mom, I'm on the porch with Colton. Good night." She hollered a good night in kind, and I closed the front door behind me to keep the bugs out. The screen door slammed as I missed catching it with my hand and we both giggled. "Way to wake up the neighbors in the middle of the night." He teased. We watched a few front porch lights flick on and a glance out a window or two.

I sat down on the swing next to him, and we slowly swung back and forth. He started talking first. Very calm and somber at first then the emotions surfaced, and he had tears in his voice. We talked about his anger and his dad. How sad he was and mad at himself for pushing me away. We talked about support groups for people like his mother and him to attend to, once she was settled in Denver. Then when he let me have a turn, I knew exactly what I was going to say.

"I love you Colton. The first minute I laid I eyes on you, there was a spark. Our friendship built so fast because we are two special people. Our love blossomed at the first kiss, and I fell in love with you because of who you are. I knew that pushing me away was just a way to try to save me from the pain and sorrow you have going on. Now I told you that I'm not one to walk away and give up. Instead, I chose to fight and fight fair, I may have not done that, but I felt I was doing what was best. I love you."

He chose that moment to kiss me senseless. I think that kiss was an emotional release to the last two weeks of missing each other and his dad's disease. If it weren't for the fact that over an hour had passed, and we were both exhausted, that I had to drive with my mom in the morning, and he had to go back and relieve his mom to sit his dad. We would have crawled into my bed and made love.

Instead, I promised to let him be the one to pick me up at the airport in three days. I promised that when I got back things would be different, and he needed to drive with his mom and me to take George to Denver. He promised me he would and that once his mom was settled in, we would be back on track.

With one more intense kiss filled with emotion we left each other that night knowing things would be better in the future for us.

Chapter Fourteen

By the time I arrived to the airport, Cindy was there to pick me up. Mr. Charpel had gone missing, and the whole town was out looking for him. I tried calling Colton as Cindy drove, but he did not answer. Cindy explained his phone was probably dead as this was over several hours he has been gone. We talked about anything to distract us as she drove me back to Hope Springs Falls.

Once we arrived, there was no news about George's whereabouts. I told Cindy to drop me at the rental, and I would get in my car and drive around to any place that George might have mentioned to me in the last two weeks. Seeing as I was about the only person, he opened up to anymore, and he was always talking about visiting places he'd been as a kid around town.

I watched Cindy drive away from the back porch. I turned the key in the lock and noticed it was opened. I figured Colton had been by to water the neglected vegetables or work on something in the house. When I flipped on the light, I was shocked to see George there.

"George. How are you?" I was cautious as my mom warned me a person with Alzheimer's could have a mental flare up if they felt threatened.

"Hope. Your home. I heard Julie was coming home." Which she was but not for several more weeks, but that could explain why he came here.

"I had to drive my mom back. Do you remember my mom? She came out to help Mabel."

"Of course I remember your mom. Sweet lady. Although I fired that helper Mabel. What kind of help needs a helper. Goodness beans."

Ok. I was now torn for Mabel and Colton. That could not have been a pretty sight.

"I decided to come here until that Mabel gets her stuff out of my house. Her son Colton is a hard worker though. Say. How about you and I play a game of chess?"

"Sounds delightful George. First, I need to use the powder room and put my luggage away. There's a chess game set out front by the bay window. I suppose you and Julie use to play chess all the time?" It was the thing, which made me realize, that George found so familiar with me. Besides the fact, I had a slight resemblance to Mabel in her younger days. I was a bit taller and skinnier, but I could see it. As soon as George was heading to the front bay room, I dialed in Cindy's number on my phone.

I kept my eye out around the corner on George; to make sure he didn't wander off while I whispered into the phone. "Cindy. George is here. He was here when you dropped me off."

"Well golly Hope. That's reassuring. Let me get word out and somebody will find Colton and tell him. I think he's got his mom's phone now. Let me try there first."

"Hope, you coming?" George hollered out from the front room.

"Be right there." I hollered back. Then I whispered back to Cindy. "Cindy I'm going to start a game of chess with him. I don't think Colton or Mabel can do anything. He said he fired Mabel and her son is good on the ranch, but that they're moving out tonight. Tell Colton to plan to stay here tonight. I've got a plan."

As soon as I hung up, I knew exactly what was going to happen. I was going to have to be George's babysitter, and we were going to have to convince him to get in my car with me tomorrow so I could drive him to Denver. I quickly texted my mom as to what transpired and asked her to call Mabel and tell her what type of sedative would be safe for George on the long trip to Denver. That I would be leaving tomorrow.

The first thought crossed my mind. No rest for the weary. Then it dawned on me the internal strength I knew I had. I pulled from the love of my mom and my newfound love for Colton and his mom and realized that I could pull this through in the next twenty-four hours.

I flushed the toilet with the door slightly ajar and hollered back out. "I need just another moment, George." Then I texted Colton as briefly as I could with my plan. It was time for George to be safe and sound in the comfort of the Alzheimer home.

As soon as I came down to sit across from George at the small antique gaming table in front of the bay window, I knew that this would be a happy memory he had.

"Would you care for some music little lady?" He stood up and unbeknownst to me, there was a small radio on the shelf, I had not noticed.

"That would be great." I smiled at him warmly. This man could be my father in-law one day, and he wouldn't even remember my husband or mother in-law. It was a sad thought, but I pushed it aside.

"Let's see what we can find here." He spent a few minutes fiddling around with the radio and the antenna but couldn't seem to get it to work. I stood up and went over and saw it wasn't plugged in. I held up the plug and we both began to laugh profusely.

"Hey. Can I make you some tea? I have this lovely tea I like to drink every night." I offered up.

"That would be grand. A dose of honey if you please."

I went into the kitchen. Thankful my mother had recently bought me sleepy time tea. I made one for George, and a caffeine loaded tea for myself. I put a spoon in his and a fork in mine as to not get ours confused.

"Here ya go." I offered him the tea.

With the soft country music filling the living room and just the glow of two table lamps, we sat down with our tea and began a game of chess. This time I didn't try to challenge him. I played each step with extreme thought. The longer I drew out the game, the better I felt about George not wanting to walk out and leave.

Half way through the game, the doorbell rang. I peeked out and saw it was Colton. I was ready for an answer if George didn't recognize him.

As soon as Colton walked in, looking more exhausted and stressed than I had ever seen him so far, George acknowledged him as his son.

"Hey boy. What's got you around this neck of the woods?" Confused and tired Colton just glared at his father. I think he couldn't handle the push and pull of his dad not recognizing him half the time, so I spoke up.

"George. I told you that Colton and I are dating. Remember?" He looked confused for a moment than like a flash of recognition he smiled. Deep down, I was sure he was thinking of me as Julie and back to the time that Julie and Colton dated. I tried not to let that sting, the thought of them together once, but a small part did. I was only human.

"Listen, George. The rain washed out the bridge to your house. Colton was already in town. I would be happy to put you two up here for the night.

"Why thank you Hope. That would be wonderful. Mighty kind of her isn't it son?"

I felt the pinch in Colton's heart as he smiled and replied to his dad. "Yes. Dad. That is mighty nice of her to do so. Hope can I see you for a second in the kitchen?"

"Why sure. George? Can I make you another cup of tea?" I offered up as innocent as could be.

"That would be lovely dear." Then he went back to ponder his next move on the chest board.

Colton spoke up super-fast and soft. "I've got a few neighbors watching the front of the house tonight. A good friend of mine from high school is parked out front. I got the sedatives your mom suggested, but they only last eight hours. I need sleep more than anything right now. Just a few hours and we could go. Let's slip this in his next tea and hope for the best."

I laid a quick gentle kiss on his lips. "Hi, by the way."

His look softened back. "Hi. Sorry."

"Eh. Don't be. This is life Colton. We don't always get what we ask for or expect. However, it's interesting all the same. Hold on." I peeked my head around the corner to check on George.

"George did you want honey with that tea or two spoonful's of sugar?"

"Honey." He smiled at me affectionately, and my heart sank with what we were about to do.

"Coming right up. Water's boiling." I didn't have a kettle on, but I would just nuke the water in the microwave and work fast.

"Colton. I am totally refreshed and ready to drive. I could drive all night if you want."

We stood there staring at each other, letting that idea sink in, and he looked down at the pharmacy bag with the sedatives. "Let me call my mom. If she's ok, then we need one more driver. Bob used to be a truck driver. He's used to driving nights. If he could go with us, I would feel better having two alert drivers behind the wheel and not one."

"Sounds good." I replied then I laid a much more affection kiss on him, and he groaned with delight.

I worked fast to boil the water in the microwave and make the tea while Colton huddled in the corner talking to his mom. His tone was far different than I had heard in the past few weeks. It was back to the loving more affectionate Colton, I had fallen in love with. As soon as he hung up with Mabel, he gave the thumbs up. I crushed one of the tablets and stirred it into his cup. I didn't make myself a second cup to be on the safe side.

As George drank his second cup of tea, I could tell the sedative was working quickly. I offered up the guest bedroom, and he gladly accepted. I walked him down the hall, turned on the end table light, and grabbed a blanket and pillow out of the closet for him.

"Good night George. We'll see you in the morning."

As soon as I came out Colton whisked me up in his arms and gave me the tightest hug and sensual kiss. "I needed that." He smiled down at me.

"So did I. So what's the plan? Bob on his way?"

"Mom called the care center. They are expecting George, as soon as we get there. Let's make sure that he is out cold before Mike and I move him to your car. I'll sit in back with him and try to sleep. Bob will sit up front with you. Unless you want Bob to drive?"

"I think in case George wakes I can have a story or two ready about why I am driving with everyone in the car. I'll drive. Who's Mike?"

"That's my old friend sitting out front ready to help out. Hey, I'm sorry I didn't trust you or the townsfolk to help out earlier. I just felt like I was a weaker man for asking for it. Now I see what a difference it has made. Not only to my mom and I, but to all those people who love my dad and knew him growing up. They all seem to understand this illness far better than I did. However, I understand it now, and I'm ready to take care of my dad the right way."

"Colton, you're a man with a bigger heart than you realize. Now. I need to pack a fresh bag. You want to grab some shut eye or wait until we are in the car and moving?"

"I can think of a lot of things I would rather be grabbing right now. You, being one of them. However, I'm going to find something to eat, make a pot of coffee for the road and grab a few pillows and blankets to put in the car, so we can position my dad and make him as comfortable as possible. In the meantime, you come here and give another one of those kisses to get me moving."

This kiss held more emotion than all of them before. This time we were together on this, and I didn't see things going any differently then what I wanted. I wanted Colton, and I was happy to be back in his arms.

Chapter Fifteen

Getting to the Alzheimer home was uneventful. Dropping him off as he woke got a little hairy. George was screaming and shouting and I stood by his side, as he wanted to know why I did this to him. I tried to make the story as convincible as possible. I told him that he had doctor's orders to come stay at this special clinic and that as soon as the tests were done, we would take him home.

However, we all knew this was his final place. There was no going home for a man in his stage of Alzheimer's. That this was the place we would all visit him. Unfortunately, only a few of us would he remember.

I tried to calm him down by telling him I would be back. An orderly had a needle in him with a sedative that was almost instant. I turned to see Colton, and the look of pain and exhaustion was on his face. As for Bob, he looked like he seen a horror movie.

I walked up to the two men and put my arms around them then led them out of there. "Breakfast is on me boys." Then we walked silently out to my car.

By the time we made it back to town later that day, we were all exhausted. Bob headed home to Cindy, and Colton checked in with his mom. I headed to bed.

I stripped myself of all my clothes and climbed into my warm bed. The air in the house was hot, since I didn't have a chance to open windows and run fans. However, I plainly did not care. Moments later, Colton climbed his naked butt right in next to mine. The next thing I knew we were out cold.

By the following week, we had Mabel set up in her place just minutes from the Alzheimer home. However, Colton had a lot of work to do around the ranch in preparation for it being sold. His mom got an offer but with a long list of repairs to be made before the contract would be signed.

I told Colton to focus on that and swing by when he could see me. I spent my days, working in the garden on the vegetables that seem to be flourishing all on their own. I really neglected them in the beginning. I spent one day a week hanging out at the Beauty Parlor talking gossip, getting my nails done with a manicure and pedicure. I spent several meals at Cindy's cafe. I bought a few more books to read, and I got my new camera. So, I ventured out and about everyday taking snapshots of the town. Trying to capture all the places George talked about. Then I had black-and-white prints made and put them in an album for Mabel and shipped it to her overnight to share with George.

Then one very quiet unsuspecting night, while sitting practically by myself at the cafe, I ordered the special. From behind came a deep timber voice of sex-laden tease. "Settling for the special are we?" I turned and looked into the steel blue eyes of the man I missed so much that it hurt everyday he wasn't able to see me. I looked at a man who came to terms with his dad's health and his mom's desires to sell the ranch and move close to where his dad would live from here on out. I stood and looked at the man who stole my heart, filled my heart with love and admiration for all that he went through, and I took the first step forward.

Before I knew it, his arms were wrapped tight around me and his breath filled my ear. "Don't leave me Hope. I love you and need you now more than ever. Marry me and I will live with you wherever you want. Marry me and let's make babies. Hell, let's just practice making babies until you're ready." He wouldn't release me to look at my reaction, so I just whispered up into his ear.

"Alright."

He took a second to pull back and looked deep into my eyes with emotion. "Alright?"

"Alright. I'll marry you. I'll practice making babies, and I'll even have your children. As far as living somewhere, I'm happy to live wherever you are. However, not too far from my mom. Although I guess, we have a plane or two to fly in and see her whenever we want. So I would say someplace close to your mom would be best for all."

He didn't answer to that. He simple laid a huge emotional kiss on my lips with tongue and all. Forcing the few patrons who were in there, to take a step outside to gather their wits.

By weeks end the news had traveled across through the grapevine that Colton and I were officially engaged. His mom's ranch was sold, and we found a nice ranch on the edge of the outskirts of Denver, only half hours' drive from the Alzheimer housing for his father and fifteen minutes from his mom's condo.

Within two months, we were officially married, and I was practicing law part-time. We spent most of our time practicing making babies and the other part of our free time, visiting his dad. Some days I saw the sadness on Mabel and Colton's face when he only recognized me as his daughter in law, but with Alzheimer support groups, we all knew that at least one familiar face was comforting him in the late stages of the disease.

By the time our first son arrived, we named him George Colton Charpel after his deceased grandfather. We all flew in Colton's plane with his father's ashes and caught the most spectacular sunset over that beautiful lake that caused a religious experience within me. Mabel let the ashes out of a small window, and we all said a pray of thanks that he rested in peace.

Every year on the anniversary of his death, we took a few days to visit the town of Hope Springs Falls. We'd go around talking to everyone and spend some time catching up with Bob and Cindy. Then we'd take a flight path at just the right time, on the best weather day of the week we were there and fly out to our sunset ridge with the lake beyond. Every year, it got easier and easier for Colton to deal with the fact that his dad was gone. Every year, I settled into my life with not a regret in my choice to work part-time law.

By the time, our second son came around, Colton and I realized we still loved practicing the making of babies. With Mabel as a huge interaction in our lives along with my mom moving to Denver and getting a job and condo close to where we lived, we got all the extra weekend time we needed. I would not exactly call that settling on the special, but it was our inside joke for a lot of things.

The End

The Author

CJ Hawk

Adult Romance - Chick Lit. - Women's Fiction \- Mystery

Ah, if only life were like frosted cupcakes. Gooey sweet frosting with satisfying cake, bite after bite, day after day, maybe a center filled with creamy goodness. Life is meant to be magical or laughed at. Yes, life is a lesson, blah...blah... blah...but magical makes more mojo.

I am a stay at home mom of two boys - preteen and teen - ugh! During my time home, I've tried on and off to work a normal job but to no avail.

I put in my time in the corporate world before having kids and have really enjoyed being able to stay home and raise my boys. OK! Who am I kidding? If I had it to do all over again, I'd make awesome money, have me a nanny, a maid and bomb squad diffuser.

It kills me to admit this but with each book published there are several empty cupcake wrappers, achy fingers from hitting the delete button WAY.... too many times then going back to hit Control Z to undo every delete I just made. Yet, once a book has been published and the sales and positive - not negative - reviews come in, I feel a sense of satisfaction in my job. Writing has its ups and downs like a new relationship. The plot starts to build is equivalent to seeing a handsome man for the first time, and your heart starts pounding. The plot is laid out, and the characters are developing just like a new relationship with that handsome man. Then comes the editing and refining part which is equivalent to finding out he snores, farts way too much, and leaves the toilet seat up. Get my drift. In the end though, it's all worth it and nothing beats a rock-solid relationship that can handle the ups and downs nor does it beat the smile I leave on a reader's face or the feeling that they got a moment away from the everyday hectic life. And that, is why I do this.

hhtp://www.cjhawk.com

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Legal mumbo jumbo: This is a fictional story with no reference to real people or places. Any similar names are strictly coincidental and have been created in the author's mind purely for fun or reference. Every character created is from the author's imagination; every place created or name to a place it to give the reader a mental image of where the story takes place. If the story lists an actual city or state, all information in the story is purely reference or to give the reader a mental idea about the location but does not in any way dictate the true nature of that area. Any reference in a story by this author that could be seen as prejudice is not a true semblance of the author's ideals, it is strictly to create a character in the story and allows the reader an idea of how that character might think or feel. Basically \- it's fiction folks so let's not get too serious.

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