emerald-blue lake shimmered with reflections of the frosty white-tipped mountains.
“Worrying about Nona?” he guessed.
“Yeah.”
Dominic’s expression softened. “Me, too.”
“I appreciate all you’ve been doing for her.”
“It’s my job.”
“You’ve gone far beyond your job description.”
“I care about Nona, and I care about—” He shot me a sideways look.
“What?” I held my breath.
“Sure you want to know?”
“I asked, didn’t I?”
Red lights flashed ahead and the truck slowed to a crawl. Dominic hesitated, studying my face as if searching for something.
“You,” he finally said. “I care about you.”
Fast breath, dizzy head, soaring heart. I couldn’t think—only feel an insane rush of joy. There was so much I wanted to say, but I couldn’t betray Josh like this. No matter how much I wanted to. That meant hurting Dominic instead … and myself.
He frowned and pulled away. “Sorry. I was out of line.”
I shook my head.
“You’re with Josh. I respect that.”
“Well … that’s … um … ” Sinking into his clear blue eyes, I couldn’t speak.
“I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“It’s … It’s okay.”
“I’ve been a total ass. Once Nona is well, I’ll move on.”
“NO! You can’t!”
“I never planned to stay this long.”
“But you’re such a huge help to Nona.” I dug my nails into the armrest. “You love working for her and she thinks of you like family.”
“I have no family.”
The traffic moved back to posted speeds and Dominic slipped in a country CD, shutting himself off. He disappeared while sitting inches away, humming softly to a sad song. We didn’t talk again; as if words, powerful or casual, would expand and steal the oxygen in the truck. There was too much to say and so much that could never be said.
I care about you , he’d told me.
Over and over I replayed these words, proving to myself they were real. I hadn’t been imagining the vibes between us. He liked me! I wanted to shout and laugh and sing and tell him I felt the same way. But how could I?
Ohmygod! What was I doing? I was committed to Josh—“committed” like being strangled in a straight jacket. I couldn’t believe that within twenty-four hours two guys had confessed to liking me. Be careful what you wish for, I thought miserably, because it might come true and mess up everything.
If only Dominic had told me how he felt before I’d vowed to work things out with Josh. If only I hadn’t promised to go on the horseback camping trip with Josh.
If only … damn.
My romantic timing totally sucked.
A short distance later, a sign announced we were entering Nevada.
I opened the glove box and pulled out Dominic’s map. It wasn’t an actual map but a computer printout. I studied the paper, trailing my finger along red highway lines until the lines disappeared into high desert and only a tiny black X hinted at our destination.
We passed Boomtown and Reno, where casinos and hotels beckoned with bright lights and gambling tables. Snow capped nearby mountains and prickly weeds rolled across vast, rugged hills. Wild horses still roamed Nevada’s rugged hills, although I suspected urban sprawl would eventually corral them. Freedom was defined by landscape and society. Wild horses were restricted by roads and fences; I was restricted by duty and expectations. I imagined myself galloping off, shaking away the have-tos of life, and jumping over tall fences …
Dominic spoke my name.
“Huh?” I looked up, startled to realize we’d missed our turn-off.
Oops. I apologized for my lapse in navigating. We doubled back to find Gopher Hole Road, which wasn’t much of a road; two lanes that climbed like a creeping snake up sage-brush-covered hills. Almost there, I thought, and I crossed my fingers for luck.
A faded arrow on a fence pointed two miles to Shrub Flats, and we left the paved road for a bumpy dirt road bordered by barbed fencing for cow pastures.
“Worrying about Nona?” he guessed.
“Yeah.”
Dominic’s expression softened. “Me, too.”
“I appreciate all you’ve been doing for her.”
“It’s my job.”
“You’ve gone far beyond your job description.”
“I care about Nona, and I care about—” He shot me a sideways look.
“What?” I held my breath.
“Sure you want to know?”
“I asked, didn’t I?”
Red lights flashed ahead and the truck slowed to a crawl. Dominic hesitated, studying my face as if searching for something.
“You,” he finally said. “I care about you.”
Fast breath, dizzy head, soaring heart. I couldn’t think—only feel an insane rush of joy. There was so much I wanted to say, but I couldn’t betray Josh like this. No matter how much I wanted to. That meant hurting Dominic instead … and myself.
He frowned and pulled away. “Sorry. I was out of line.”
I shook my head.
“You’re with Josh. I respect that.”
“Well … that’s … um … ” Sinking into his clear blue eyes, I couldn’t speak.
“I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“It’s … It’s okay.”
“I’ve been a total ass. Once Nona is well, I’ll move on.”
“NO! You can’t!”
“I never planned to stay this long.”
“But you’re such a huge help to Nona.” I dug my nails into the armrest. “You love working for her and she thinks of you like family.”
“I have no family.”
The traffic moved back to posted speeds and Dominic slipped in a country CD, shutting himself off. He disappeared while sitting inches away, humming softly to a sad song. We didn’t talk again; as if words, powerful or casual, would expand and steal the oxygen in the truck. There was too much to say and so much that could never be said.
I care about you , he’d told me.
Over and over I replayed these words, proving to myself they were real. I hadn’t been imagining the vibes between us. He liked me! I wanted to shout and laugh and sing and tell him I felt the same way. But how could I?
Ohmygod! What was I doing? I was committed to Josh—“committed” like being strangled in a straight jacket. I couldn’t believe that within twenty-four hours two guys had confessed to liking me. Be careful what you wish for, I thought miserably, because it might come true and mess up everything.
If only Dominic had told me how he felt before I’d vowed to work things out with Josh. If only I hadn’t promised to go on the horseback camping trip with Josh.
If only … damn.
My romantic timing totally sucked.
A short distance later, a sign announced we were entering Nevada.
I opened the glove box and pulled out Dominic’s map. It wasn’t an actual map but a computer printout. I studied the paper, trailing my finger along red highway lines until the lines disappeared into high desert and only a tiny black X hinted at our destination.
We passed Boomtown and Reno, where casinos and hotels beckoned with bright lights and gambling tables. Snow capped nearby mountains and prickly weeds rolled across vast, rugged hills. Wild horses still roamed Nevada’s rugged hills, although I suspected urban sprawl would eventually corral them. Freedom was defined by landscape and society. Wild horses were restricted by roads and fences; I was restricted by duty and expectations. I imagined myself galloping off, shaking away the have-tos of life, and jumping over tall fences …
Dominic spoke my name.
“Huh?” I looked up, startled to realize we’d missed our turn-off.
Oops. I apologized for my lapse in navigating. We doubled back to find Gopher Hole Road, which wasn’t much of a road; two lanes that climbed like a creeping snake up sage-brush-covered hills. Almost there, I thought, and I crossed my fingers for luck.
A faded arrow on a fence pointed two miles to Shrub Flats, and we left the paved road for a bumpy dirt road bordered by barbed fencing for cow pastures.
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