The Cowboy and the Cougar (The Cougar Chronicles 1)

Jack understood. Holly had that effect on people. He’d only known her for a little over a week himself, unless he counted their hot one nighter. That only added ten hours, anyway.

Damn her! Her age had never made a speck of difference to him. That had to be what this was about. How could she disappear without any explanation other than "something suddenly came up?" It sounded like a bad sitcom. Luisa had said it had come out of nowhere. Holly hadn’t gotten a phone call or anything. She’d just up and said s

he needed to go home.

If she’d come to the barn to tell him what had happened, or if she’d even told Luisa, he’d have understood.

But no. She’d just left.

Now she hadn’t called.

Jack leaned down and gave his son a quick peck on the cheek. "Sleep tight, pal," he whispered. He tucked the cotton sheet around him a little tighter and left the room.

He fell on his bed, still fully clothed.

It was over.

Hell, it hadn’t even begun.

* * * *

Holly looked at her watch. Eight fourteen a.m. Not even a minute had passed since she’d last looked. Was it too early to call Mark? It was Monday, but it was a holiday. He’d given the students his cell number, but he might not appreciate such an early call on a holiday.

Frantically, she picked up her own cell and dialed. Her heart beat like a stampede of buffalo. She’d risk Mark’s wrath. She needed to talk to Jack, to tell him how she felt, and why she’d left. God, please let him understand.

Five minutes later, Jack’s number programmed into her cell, she listened to the ringing on the other end. It wasn’t ringing, actually. It was Glen Campbell singing Rhinestone Cowboy. She couldn’t help but smile. Jack hadn’t even been alive when that song was popular.

"This is Jack," came his whiskey-smooth voice.

"Jack? It’s me."

A pause. A long pause. A pause so fucking long Holly thought for sure the earth had revolved once around the sun already. Then, finally, "Holly."

She sighed. "Yeah, it’s me. Listen, I want to apologize for—"

He cut her off. "Was it an emergency, Holly?"

"Well, not exactly, but—"

"Is someone dead?"

"What?"

"You heard me."

"No. Of course not. No one’s dead."

"Anyone in the hospital?"

"No. Jack, just listen—"

"Then there isn’t any reason why you couldn’t come tell me before you left. Hell, I’d have driven you home. I’d have done anything for you."

Her heart skipped, and tears blurred her vision. "Oh, Jack. Please. I do have an explanation."

"Not one I care to hear."

"But I—"