Wilde Ride (Love is a Cowboy Book 2), page 8
“I’ve got some bread over there we can heat up, Oliver, if you want to do that.”
Dad took the bread out of the bag and set it on a small cookie sheet before placing it in the Breville oven I’d bought for them last Christmas.
“That little oven has come in handy more than once,” she said with a wink in my direction.
“I’m glad you like it.”
The three of us worked in comfortable silence. Once I’d cleaned the island and helped my mother put away all the ingredients she’d used for the cookies, I grabbed four bowls for the roast, along with silverware.
“Are we eating in here or the dining room?”
“Let’s go to the dining room. I’ve been in this kitchen nearly all day. I’m afraid Rhett won’t ever want to help me bake or cook again, but he was a good sport about it.”
Shaking my head, I replied, “He’s loving the time he’s spending with you, Mom. Thank you for that.”
“It’s not a hardship on my part, I can tell you that right now. He’s such a kind and well-mannered young man, Levi. You’re doing great with him.”
“I had good teachers.”
Mom grinned. “Flattery will get you everywhere, son.”
Rhett came bounding into the kitchen, all cleaned up. “Can I help?”
“Why don’t you help me set the table.” I motioned for him to head to the dining room. As I placed the bowls down, Rhett followed me with the silverware. “Did you have fun today with Grammy?”
He looked at me and smiled. “Yep! We sure made a lot of cookies today. I tried not to eat a whole lots, but it was hard.”
I chuckled. “I bet it was. Rhett, I was talking to Emeline, who’s Caden’s sister. She takes care of all the horses on the ranch.”
“Have I met her before?”
With a shake of my head, I answered, “No, you haven’t met her yet. She’s a good friend of mine, just like Caden. Anyway, she also runs a summer camp on the ranch. Would you be interested in going? They do all kinds of things, like horseback riding, hiking, archery, learning how to make things, and the campers even get to help around the ranch, so they can see what being a rancher is like.”
He stopped and looked at me. “Like an overnight camp?”
Nodding, I replied, “Yes, it would be an overnight camp. But I thought it might be a good way to meet some of the kids you’ll be going to school with. You’d be grouped in the cabins by age.”
He narrowed his little blue eyes and asked, “Will girls be there?”
“I believe so, but not in your cabin. Is that a problem?”
I watched as the wheels turned in his head. “Nah, but will they be on their own side of the camp?”
Laughing, I said, “I’m not sure. We can ask Emeline more questions if you want. She said I could bring you to the ranch, and she’d give you a tour of the campgrounds. She gave one to me today. And I’ll be at the camp as well, volunteering the week you’ll be there. Actually, I think I roped myself into volunteering for each session.”
“What’s this about volunteering each session, where?” my mother asked as she walked into the dining room, followed by my father. They set the food down on the table and my stomach growled. Man, had I missed my mother’s cooking.
“When I was at the Wildes’ earlier this morning, Vivianne somehow managed to get me to agree to volunteer at the camp this summer.”
My mother laughed. “Doing what?”
“Talking about being a vet. I was going to discuss it with you first, Dad. I know you’re eager for me to start at the clinic.”
My father wasn’t wasting any time piling his bowl up with roast. “I haven’t added any additional appointments, so I don’t see a problem with you helping out. Just give me the dates you’ll be there. I figured we would start you out part time, anyway. And once you feel comfortable, move you to full time. When you’re feeling good about things, I’ll cut back my hours. I think you volunteering at the camp is a good thing, though,” he said, glancing over at me. “I wish I’d made it a higher priority to participate in more community activities. If I can offer one piece of advice, take the time to volunteer when you can.”
“First of all, you did volunteer, Dad.”
“When you were younger, yes. However, as time passed, and especially after you were gone, I focused increasingly on my work. River Falls may be small, but there are a plethora of animals to treat.”
I nodded. “Second, I think your timeline sounds like a great plan.”
“With the growth of the town, though, you might want to think about hiring a part-time vet once you get dug in.”
“I can do it!” Rhett stated.
I winked at him. “I’ll hold a spot for you until you graduate, buddy.”
My parents laughed.
“I’m sure Caden was happy to see you and know you’re home for good,” Mom said, handing me the roast.
After fixing Rhett a bowl, I worked on my own. “He was. It’ll be nice, being able to just drop by to see him.”
“How’s he doing? Vivianne told me he’s never been the same after Rachel left him. He’s more…” Her words trailed off.
“Moody?” my father added with a gruff sound.
I sighed. “Yeah, she really raked him over the coals.”
“What does that mean?” Rhett asked.
“It means she didn’t treat him very well,” Mom replied.
“Every time he came to visit after the breakup, he wasn’t in the best of moods, but he put on a good show for the kids. He seemed almost like his normal self when I saw him at the ranch today.”
“Well, that’s good. He needs to get back on the horse and get out there,” my father said.
Rhett looked at me. “How come he isn’t riding his horse? Doesn’t he need it to work on the ranch?”
I grinned. “It’s just a saying, Rhett.” To my father, I added, “I think he’s okay. They were together for a long time, and it’s hard to walk away from someone whom you’ve given so much of your life to.”
My mother’s eyes turned sad as she looked at me.
Before she could say anything, I smirked. “I ran into Janet Miller today.”
Her eyes turned from sad to bewildered. “At the ranch?”
“I can do you one better. Outside Anna’s—after I finished having lunch with Emeline.”
Dad groaned, while my mother shook her head.
“The Daily Dirt will have you featured this week,” Mom said, giving me a look.
“Emeline said the same thing. She also told me that Janet, or her daughter Grace, seems to write a lot about the Wildes. Is that still happening?”
With a roll of her eyes, my mother nodded. “It is. I don’t know what that family has against the Wildes, but they certainly seem to enjoy stirring up drama for them. Don’t be surprised if you’re connected to Emeline now.”
“I just got back into town. I’m not even divorced yet.”
“Do you like Emeline?”
The three of us turned and looked at Rhett. He didn’t seem upset, but I knew my son. He could hold his emotions in like a champ, until the dam finally broke.
“Of course I do, as a friend.”
He nodded and moved his fork around his bowl. “I wouldn’t be mad if you liked her like a girlfriend. I want you happy, Daddy.”
My breath caught in my throat, and I couldn’t form words to speak. Thank goodness my mother came to my rescue.
Reaching for my son’s hand, Mom smiled. “That is so sweet of you, Rhett. I’m sure when the time comes, your daddy will find someone who’ll love both of you to the moon and back.”
Rhett smiled. “And maybe I’ll be able to have another little sister. Or a brother.”
Just when I thought I could speak again, he drops that little bombshell.
My mother looked at me and softly replied, “Baby steps, Rhett. Baby steps.”
Emeline
My phone buzzed and I picked it up to see it was Moreen, calling me again. I’d tried to avoid her calls because I knew she would have a million-and-one questions about Levi. I drew in a deep breath, let it out, then answered.
“Hey, girl, what’s up?”
“What’s. Up?” she replied. “Um, should we start with the fact that you’ve been ignoring me for the last twelve-plus hours? Let’s start there, then move on to you having lunch with Levi Tucker. Why didn’t you tell me he was back in town? He’s getting divorced from she-who-shall-not-be-named! Why were you guys in the store? How are you feeling? Have those old feelings for him come back?”
“Oh my gosh, Moreen, slow down with the questions, will you?”
“I’m sorry, Emeline, this is HUGE. The one guy you’ve been crushing on since you were fourteen is back in town, single, and having lunch with you. Excuse me for freaking the fuck out!”
I sighed and closed my eyes. “Okay, I get the freak-out, but slow down anyway.”
“Sorry, it’s just…you’ve been avoiding me, then you had plans with Lilibeth last night and…”
Her voice trailed off, and I felt terrible for avoiding her. “You know you’ll always be my very best friend, Moreen.”
“I know that, but it’s nice to hear it sometimes.”
Now I could hear the smile in her voice. “It was a business meeting about the camp. Lilibeth is going to teach the kids how to make candles, perfume, and cologne. You know that. We were working out times and days she’d be able to make it work.”
“I think the kids will love that. Now that we got that out of the way—Levi?”
Laughing, I leaned back in my chair and looked at my office door, which was closed. “I had no idea Levi was back in town until yesterday when he arrived at the ranch and met with Caden. He wanted him to check on one of the horses. Then the next thing I knew, he was asking me to lunch to talk about his son, Rhett, coming to camp. My mother may have also roped him into volunteering at the sessions before he gets too busy at the vet clinic.”
“Go, Mrs. Wilde.”
Sighing, I dropped my head back against the chair. “God, Moreen, I thought I’d gotten over this stupid crush on him.”
“No such luck, huh?”
I stared up at the ceiling. “Nope. The moment I saw him, all those feelings came rushing back. I felt like I was in high school again. It’s like my body woke up from a slumber I hadn’t even realized it was taking for years. It was like…something supernatural. Like I could drag in a full breath for the first time in ages, just the strangest feeling. And it’s all for naught because Levi Tucker will never see me as anything other than his best friend’s little sister. And what kind of person lusts after a man who’s going through a divorce and has lost a child? A monster! That’s who.”
“You are not a monster, Emeline. Don’t be so dramatic. You’re a girl who likes a boy who happens to be married.”
“Ugh, Moreen. You can’t say that anymore. He’s definitely not a boy, and I’m not a girl. Plus, he’s almost divorced.”
“He’s home for good, then?”
“Yes,” I said on a sigh. “My heart breaks for him and Rhett. I can’t even imagine. I tried so hard not to look at him as anything other than a friend, but those eyes. That mouth. His body! I had dreams last night, and let’s just say they were R-rated. I woke up panting. Panting, Moreen. How am I going to be around him on a regular basis?”
“You’ll be fine,” she said. “You did it before, you’ll do it again. Just remind yourself that he’s off limits.”
“Is he, though?”
She paused for a moment. “Okay, so he may be separated from his wife. But like you said, he isn’t divorced yet, Emeline. He’s had a traumatic loss, and if I had to guess, the last thing he’s looking for is a relationship.”
“Especially with his best friend’s little sister, who’s younger than him by seven years.”
“What are you going to do?”
I thought about it for a moment. “There isn’t anything I can do except be his friend. I need to push the idea of being with Levi Tucker out of my mind for good. Maybe now that he’s back, I’ll see how different our lives are. I mean, he’s a father, and we have nothing in common. Right?”
“Um, I don’t know about that,” Moreen replied. “Okay, here’s one! You’re not ready to be a mother.”
I bit my lip. That was something my best friend was wrong about. Why did she think I loved our summer camps so much? I adored kids, and I couldn’t wait to have my own someday.
A light knock on my door had me sitting up. “Got to go, someone’s here.”
“Dinner tonight?” Moreen asked.
“Come in!” I called out. “Not sure yet, I’ll text you later.”
The door opened, and I expected to see my mother. Instead, the man I’d just vowed to move on from stood there with a brilliant smile on his face—and standing next to him, a mini version of Levi.
Yeah, there was no way I could push these feelings away.
“Okay, talk soon!” Moreen said as I hit the end button and stood.
“Levi, I wasn’t expecting you until later this afternoon.”
“Rhett was dying to come and see Aurora, and I thought I’d check in on her.”
Rounding my desk, I smiled, then crouched to greet Rhett. I held out my hand. “Hi, Rhett. We haven’t met yet. I’m Emeline Wilde.”
Rhett’s deep blue eyes sparkled as he smiled. “I’m Rhett Tucker, and it’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am. Are you dating anyone?”
Surprised, I jerked my head up to glance at Levi, who closed his eyes for a moment, clearly in exasperation. “I’m so sorry, Emeline. Rhett here knows better than to ask things like that.”
“I wasn’t asking for you, Dad. I was asking for me.”
That time, I laughed. “For you, huh?”
He tipped his little black cowboy hat, and Levi let out a groan. This young man didn’t act like a six-year-old. More like a sixteen-year-old.
“Well, Rhett. To answer your question, no, I’m not dating anyone. I’m afraid you’re just a little too young for me, though.”
“You could wait a few years.”
I bit my lip so I wouldn’t laugh again. Nodding, I gave him a thoughtful look, but before I could say anything else, Levi spoke.
“Rhett Tucker, I know you did not just say that.”
Rhett shrugged his shoulders. “You always tell me it never hurts to ask. The worst that can happen is you’re told no. So I took a chance.”
I stood and covered my mouth with my hand and stared at Levi, who was also trying hard not to laugh.
“I did say that, but this is different. You’re a little boy, and Ms. Emeline is a grown woman.”
Why did it heat my body to hear Levi say those words?
Rhett kicked at nothing on the ground, then looked up at me and flashed a smile. “You don’t have to wait for me, Ms. Emeline. But if you’re not married in…” He closed his eyes and started counting on his fingers before looking at me and saying, “Twelve years, maybe we can talk then.”
“Dear God,” Levi said, scrubbing his hands down his face.
Smiling, I held out my hand again. As we shook, I said, “It’s a deal.”
Rhett grinned, then added, “And if you and my dad fall in love and get married, I’d be okay with that, too.”
My eyes shot back to Levi. He simply shook his head and gave me a look that said, Let it go.
Clearing my throat, I said, “Shall we go see Aurora?”
Rhett fist pumped. “Yes!”
I motioned for Rhett to head back out of my office, where we ran into my mother.
“Mom!” I said, a little too eager. “Levi brought Rhett to see Aurora.”
My mother bent down to say hi to Rhett. “My goodness, you’ve grown since the last time I saw you.”
The little boy looked slightly concerned. “I don’t remember you. I’m sorry.”
Laughing, Mom said, “You were pretty young when your daddy brought you to visit, when your sister was just a baby, so I’m not surprised you don’t remember.”
I looked at Levi to see if my mother’s mention of Brooke caused any pain, and it didn’t appear that it did. As if he could feel my eyes on him, he returned my gaze.
I forced a casual smile, then looked back at my mother and asked, “Have you seen Aurora this morning?”
“I was here early enough to see you’d slept in her stall last night, Emeline Wilde.”
I felt my cheeks heat.
“You slept in her stall?” Levi asked.
“I think she’s close, and I wanted to make sure she was okay. Marshall took the first half of the night, and I came in around one in the morning to take over. He’s back out there with her now.”
Levi nodded. “Is she showing signs?”
I rolled my eyes. “She’s a horse, and a stubborn one. She’ll drop that baby while she’s eating her oats, most likely.”
We all laughed, and a second later, Rhett joined in, having no idea why we were laughing.
My mother took the boy’s hand. “Come on, Rhett, let’s go see how she’s doing.”
They started down the aisle of the barn. Levi took hold of my hand to keep me in place, and I ignored the flutter in my stomach at the contact.
“If we could hold back for just a moment,” he said. His brown eyes were filled with worry.
“Sure, what’s up?” I hoped my voice sounded void of any jitters, but if he didn’t let go of my hand soon, I’d be swooning at any moment.
Seeming to realize he was still holding my hand, Levi dropped it like it was a hot potato. “I’m sorry about what Rhett said, about you and me.”
I waved off his concern. “Don’t even worry about it.”
“I haven’t talked to him at all about moving on with anyone, let alone you.”
Don’t let your feelings show on your face, Emeline.
“Of course not me. What a crazy idea,” I managed to say, but even I could hear the hurt in my voice.
He frowned slightly, then went on. “I think he’s in a weird place right now, with Caroline giving him up and us moving here. I think he feels like if we start over with a new family, everything will be better. I tried to tell him on the way over here that I wouldn’t be dating anyone anytime soon, but my mother said he’s worried about me and thinks I’m sad.” He started walking, so I followed suit. With a soft laugh, he said, “I guess he thinks I need to be dating to be happy. I’d like to show him that I’m happy with it just being the two of us.”
