Page 41 of Untamed Heart
‘It’s fine,’ I replied, my voice suddenly robotic. Maybe I’d read this whole situation wrong? Maybe Lil did have feelings for Cole, but was just unwilling to admit them to me or even herself? What if me and Cole kissing last night had forced it all to the surface?’
‘Lottie,’ Cole began, but I shook my head.
‘I just wanted to tell you that I picked up a message from someone wanting to make a booking in July,’ I said, keeping my eyes fixed on Lil. ‘She noticed Jesse at the rodeo, took a look at the website and booked out all three cabins for a week in July.’
Lil’s eyes widened and she glanced at Cole for a moment. He remained fixed on my face, but I didn’t look back.
‘Well, that’s . . . Wow, really? All three of them?’ she asked, her voice clearing.
I nodded. ‘I’ve had an idea. If you’ll let me, I’ll set up some social media stuff for you. I just thought . . .’ I paused, a lump threatening to rise in my throat. ‘I thought I might be able to extend my trip to help get it off the ground for you. Maybe. I think the key to making this place a success is letting people really see it, get to know the people behind the business, see it the way that we do.’
I couldn’t help a glance at Cole. His jaw was clenched tight, but his eyes were soft. Pleading.
‘Oh honey, I’d love you to stay,’ Lil said, striding over, giving me an all-encompassing hug. ‘You really think the social media stuff would help? Isn’t it a lot of work? I thought you had some interviews in London?’
I returned her embrace, relief at seeing her happy, temporarily overcoming my anxiety about the truth of whatever was between her and Cole. We squeezed each other hard and I focused on the plan of action I’d had before coming down here.
‘Yeah, I do. They’re both online, though, so I can do them from here. And I can do the social stuff, no problem.’
She studied my face, frowning.
‘If you’re sure,’ she said slowly. ‘You feeling okay? You look kinda pale?’
I nodded, risking a glance at Cole. The tension between us was instant, our gazes connecting in the way they always seemed to, like magnets pulling towards each other. Desperate to touch, to lock together.
‘Just hungover,’ I reassured her, smiling, forcing myself to concentrate on her relief. ‘If you’re okay with it, then, I need to find Jesse. He’ll be my first victim, given he’s proven himself already.’
Lil rolled her eyes, wiping underneath them one last time, but still leaving a small smudge.
‘He’ll love that,’ she said, waiting as I reached out to finish the job, taking off the last bit from her cheek. ‘Thank you for this, sweetie. It means the world.’
I nodded, looking down to prevent myself from catching Cole’s eye again. If Lil did have feelings for him, whatever was between us would have to stop. Not that it’d really had a chance to start. But I couldn’t hurt her. The way Cole made me feel was unlike anything else, but my loyalty, my family, was Lil.
Squeezing her arm, I turned.
‘How long you gonna stay?’ Cole’s voice was steady, but I could hear the undertone. The same as last night, underlaid with need and thick with implication.
‘However long this takes.’ I shrugged. ‘Or until I have to go. Whichever comes first.’
I smiled at Lil as I left, watched her trying to read Cole’s expression. Out of the stalls I let out a jagged breath, heading back up towards the ranch house. I resolved to leave my feelings for Cole back in the bar in Jackson. I refused to become another source of worry for Lil, and I needed all my brain cells firing to make this marketing idea for the ranch work.
Thankfully, Jesse was still humming along to the radio up by the wood store, just as he had been when I left.
‘Heyyyy, Jesse,’ I said tentatively, watching as he leant over a makeshift workbench, a measuring tape in one hand and a pencil held in his teeth as he shifted things around.
‘Oh hey, Princess,’ he replied, glancing up with his trademark open smile. ‘How can I help the new talk of the town?’
Startled, I came to an abrupt stop.
‘The what?’
He chuckled, tilting his head to one side.
‘It don’t take long for word to travel. Turning down Eli in the bar and then showing him what he was missing was a bit of a statement in a gossipy town like this.’
‘I . . . Oh, well, I just didn’t want Cole getting into a fight. It seemed like a more, umm . . . peaceful option.’
He laughed, setting down his tools and leaning on the bench, turning to face me.
