So Tough to Tame (Jackson Hole 3)

She almost told him what she’

d seen, but before she even opened her mouth, she felt stupid. I think Keith is sleeping with another man’s wife. A man you may know! Yeah. Call the National Guard.

“No. It’s nothing.”

“Come on, Charlie.”

“Dawn’s just making me miserable, that’s all. She seems to be suspicious about something her husband is up to.”

“Well, I don’t want to piss you off again, but...”

“She’s a woman?” Charlie said archly.

He shrugged as he handed his ticket to the valet. “You want a ride?”

“No, thanks. I’m good.”

That was a better ending than last time, but she didn’t have the consolation of a big box of salad to carry home. The price of civility, she supposed.

She should have pressed him harder, asked him about the land deal, but her instincts were screaming not to put all her cards on the table. She was also trying to make peace with him, so she gave him a hug and set off for home.

It was almost ten by the time she got to the Stud Farm, and Walker’s windows were dark.

“Damn.” She’d played this all wrong. Now she didn’t know whether she should feel guilty for the way she’d left that morning or pissed that he hadn’t bothered getting in touch. She’d play it cool either way, she supposed, but she’d really like to know how he was feeling about the whole thing.

A stupid worry. He most likely wasn’t feeling anything at all about it.

She kicked off her heels and collapsed onto her couch with her laptop. While she was reading an email from an old friend in Vegas, her in-box chimed again. When she saw Keith’s name, she gasped in surprise, thinking her brother had already called to tell Keith that she’d been asking about him.

But no, the email was only work related and had gone to every manager. He wanted to know if any of them were aware of local charities that might be looking for sponsorship. Every public relations opportunity is worth exploring as Meridian Resort starts its first year as a part of the Jackson Hole community.

An immediate, exciting thought popped into her head: Ability Ranch. This could be her chance, her reason to press the issue with Walker one last time.

She pulled up the website for the Ability Ranch and frantically read through every page, paying special attention to the page about donations and sponsorship, then she wrote back to Keith with the idea.

A few minutes later, her in-box dinged again. That sounds promising. Go ahead with contacting them since you already have a connection. Or if you’re not comfortable with that, I can forward this to Public Relations.

She immediately wrote back that she’d be thrilled to take on the responsibility of contacting the Ability Ranch about sponsorship opportunities. In fact, it would probably be best to visit in person, get a feel for the place.

Charlie looked up at her door, wishing she and Walker were close enough that she could just barge into his apartment and jump on his bed and wake him up. Was he really asleep? Was he just watching a movie?

She grabbed her cell and pulled up his name, hesitating before she hit Text.

She squirmed. She shook her head. Then finally, grimacing, she texted Are you awake?

Nothing happened. She waited. She drew a breath and then another. Five minutes later, heart still pounding with excitement, she forced herself to relax. Okay. Text me in the morning? I need to ask a favor. Night, Walker.

If she could just talk him into going out to the ranch with her, at least she’d know he’d seen it. She would’ve done her very best to point him in the direction of somewhere he belonged.

And if he wouldn’t go, she’d go herself. She’d talk to the staff, and gather up a stack of brochures and flyers, and she’d very subtly shove them all under his door.

It wasn’t right that he thought of himself as “just” a cowboy. It simply wasn’t okay. She was the one who’d started off bright and then burned out too young. Shit, it had been her destiny. But Walker...he’d gotten a slow start, sure, but he would build to something great. She could see it in him every time they met.

For the first time in a long while, Charlie felt like things were going well. She was slowly puzzling things out at work, Dawn had backed off, Charlie was on better ground with her brother and her life was going well. And soon? Soon she was going to be sure that Walker’s life was even better.

Tomorrow couldn’t come quickly enough.

CHAPTER NINETEEN