crazy longing for a girl he’d loved when he was not much more than a boy.
“So, tired of your small-town life yet? Ready to come back and help me take the Denver courts by storm?”
He admired her persistence. She even managed not to sound needy or clingy when asking him to come back.
“Afraid not. I guess I’m just a country boy at heart.”
“Pity that.”
He could imagine her little pout and it had probably gotten her everything she’d ever wanted in her life.
Except him.
But, really, she probably didn’t want him as much as she thought she did. If he had to bet, he’d say that it wouldn’t take long for her to attract another man who’d make her forget him, a guy who’d be more than happy to live his life alongside her in Denver.
One whose heart didn’t still belong to someone else.
“How are things going at work?” he asked.
“Great. We just landed a big mineral rights case.”
He was sure it was a lucrative case, but it held no appeal for him whatsoever.
“Sounds like you’ll be busy.”
“Probably. But if you wanted to come visit, I’d make the time for you.”
He had to smile a little. She was going to earn a reputation as one of the most dogged attorneys in Denver. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Will noticed Delia glance in his open office door as she walked toward the fax machine. “I hate to run, but duty calls.”
“Okay, if you must.” She paused for a moment. “I really hope it’s going well. You deserve it.”
“Thanks, Kate. Good luck with your case.”
He hung up and ran his hand over his face. Just what he didn’t need today—reminders of yet something else Elly didn’t know about and the fact that he still might not be worthy of her. He’d be a much wealthier man if he practiced in the city, but then he wouldn’t be with her. Elly might want to travel, but he couldn’t imagine her ever being a city dweller. This land was too much a part of her, and she of it.
By the time lunch came around, he could barely sit still. He had to get outside, walk off some of his excess energy. As he grabbed his coat, a destination came to mind—Blooms and Petals for Elly’s flowers.
And he knew exactly what he wanted to get.
E LLY STOMPED IN THE BACK door after her worst practice in months. From the look on Jesse’s face when she’d passed him outside, his hadn’t gone much better. They both had to pull themselves together, or they were going to lose their chance to win national titles this year.
She chugged a huge cup of coffee and went to the office to work. But as the day wore on, she kept thinking about how many barrels she’d knocked over, how the single-mindedness she shared with Pepper had taken an ill-timed hiatus. Elly’s mind was just too cluttered with other things.
The hours continued to tick away, and still no call from Will. Had her father made good on his threat and contacted him? Had he scared Will away somehow?
Didn’t matter. She should cancel their date anyway. As much as it chapped her to admit it, maybe Jesse was right. Maybe she didn’t have the capacity to focus on romance and racing at the same time.
The ringing of the phone invaded her thoughts, and she knew who it would be before answering. She took a deep breath and prepared herself for what had to be done.
“Cottonwood Ranch.”
“Hey.” Oh, how good his voice sounded, as decadent as a chocolate fountain.
“Hey.”
“What’s wrong?” he asked, surprising her.
“How do you know something is wrong?”
“Your tone of voice. You sound like a different person this morning.”
She closed her eyes and leaned back in the chair, making it squeak. “I bet you’re good in the courtroom.”
“I hope to hold my own. Now, what’s bothering you?”
Instead of breaking off their date, she launched into the details of her altercation with Jesse and then the argument involving her father. It relieved some of the pressure in her chest to let it all flow out. She wasn’t used
“So, tired of your small-town life yet? Ready to come back and help me take the Denver courts by storm?”
He admired her persistence. She even managed not to sound needy or clingy when asking him to come back.
“Afraid not. I guess I’m just a country boy at heart.”
“Pity that.”
He could imagine her little pout and it had probably gotten her everything she’d ever wanted in her life.
Except him.
But, really, she probably didn’t want him as much as she thought she did. If he had to bet, he’d say that it wouldn’t take long for her to attract another man who’d make her forget him, a guy who’d be more than happy to live his life alongside her in Denver.
One whose heart didn’t still belong to someone else.
“How are things going at work?” he asked.
“Great. We just landed a big mineral rights case.”
He was sure it was a lucrative case, but it held no appeal for him whatsoever.
“Sounds like you’ll be busy.”
“Probably. But if you wanted to come visit, I’d make the time for you.”
He had to smile a little. She was going to earn a reputation as one of the most dogged attorneys in Denver. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Will noticed Delia glance in his open office door as she walked toward the fax machine. “I hate to run, but duty calls.”
“Okay, if you must.” She paused for a moment. “I really hope it’s going well. You deserve it.”
“Thanks, Kate. Good luck with your case.”
He hung up and ran his hand over his face. Just what he didn’t need today—reminders of yet something else Elly didn’t know about and the fact that he still might not be worthy of her. He’d be a much wealthier man if he practiced in the city, but then he wouldn’t be with her. Elly might want to travel, but he couldn’t imagine her ever being a city dweller. This land was too much a part of her, and she of it.
By the time lunch came around, he could barely sit still. He had to get outside, walk off some of his excess energy. As he grabbed his coat, a destination came to mind—Blooms and Petals for Elly’s flowers.
And he knew exactly what he wanted to get.
E LLY STOMPED IN THE BACK door after her worst practice in months. From the look on Jesse’s face when she’d passed him outside, his hadn’t gone much better. They both had to pull themselves together, or they were going to lose their chance to win national titles this year.
She chugged a huge cup of coffee and went to the office to work. But as the day wore on, she kept thinking about how many barrels she’d knocked over, how the single-mindedness she shared with Pepper had taken an ill-timed hiatus. Elly’s mind was just too cluttered with other things.
The hours continued to tick away, and still no call from Will. Had her father made good on his threat and contacted him? Had he scared Will away somehow?
Didn’t matter. She should cancel their date anyway. As much as it chapped her to admit it, maybe Jesse was right. Maybe she didn’t have the capacity to focus on romance and racing at the same time.
The ringing of the phone invaded her thoughts, and she knew who it would be before answering. She took a deep breath and prepared herself for what had to be done.
“Cottonwood Ranch.”
“Hey.” Oh, how good his voice sounded, as decadent as a chocolate fountain.
“Hey.”
“What’s wrong?” he asked, surprising her.
“How do you know something is wrong?”
“Your tone of voice. You sound like a different person this morning.”
She closed her eyes and leaned back in the chair, making it squeak. “I bet you’re good in the courtroom.”
“I hope to hold my own. Now, what’s bothering you?”
Instead of breaking off their date, she launched into the details of her altercation with Jesse and then the argument involving her father. It relieved some of the pressure in her chest to let it all flow out. She wasn’t used
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