I giggled. “Daddy? Never!”
She nodded, walked over to my dresser, and leaned against it. “Oh, yes. Believe it. He was charming, but arrogant. All I really wanted to do was smack him upside his head. But something else started happening. When he was near me, it was as if all the air was being sucked out of the room. When he smiled at me…” She shook her head and laughed. “God, when he smiled at me, it felt as if all my troubles were gone.” She placed her fingers up to her lips. “His kiss…his kiss is like magic. It completely takes my breath away, yet fills my entire body with life. If that makes sense.”
I nodded quickly. My smile faded as I looked out the window and then back to my mother.
“Mom, how do you know if it’s…real?”
“What do you mean, Liza?”
I sucked in a deep breath. “How do you know if the love you feel for someone is real?” I felt tears building as I looked back out the window. “Keith wants to take me away from here. He wants me to give up everything I love and move to Dallas to make a life with him. I’m not sure I can do that.”
I swallowed as I felt my mother sit next to me and take my hand. “Liza, look at me.”
I met her gaze.
“How does Keith make you feel when he smiles at you? Or when he kisses you? When he tells you how beautiful you are?”
I thought back to the other day in the river with Walker. When he placed his hand on the side of my face and told me I was breathtaking, it had made my heart race. My stomach had felt like a million butterflies were dancing inside.
I felt a tear roll down my face. I knew why I was holding back with Keith. I didn’t feel the butterflies when he told me how pretty I was. His kiss didn’t fill my body with life, even though I did feel something.
My mother wiped my tear away. “Liza, if Keith makes you feel like your father makes me feel, then leaving to be with him should be the easiest decision of your life.”
I sucked in a breath.
She smiled and stood up. “Finish packing, sweetheart. Then let’s go for a walk.” I nodded as I looked down. My mother was about to round the corner when she stopped. I looked up when she said, “You might want to also ask yourself something else.”
I smiled and asked, “What’s that?”
“How do you feel when Walker smiles at you?”
My smile faded as she walked away and headed downstairs.
I SAT IN the back seat of Layton’s truck and stared at the laptop. I was trying to figure out the program Layton used to keep track of the horses information. Liza was sleeping up in the front, and her little noises were driving me insane. I couldn’t think. I closed the laptop and pulled out my phone.
I had a text from Jessica. I smiled as I opened it. I hadn’t even heard my phone go off.
Jessica: Seven tonight your time. I can sneak away. Can you Facetime me?
I stared at the text message. I started to type a response.
Me: I don’t think I can.
Jessica: Hey baby! You don’t think you can what?
Me: Facetime you. I’m driving up to Kentucky with Layton.
Jessica: What?
Me: Your last text to me. You asked me to Facetime you.
Jessica: Oh. Damn. I thought maybe we could play around.
Me: Believe me, I’d love to let off some steam.
Jessica: I’d like to see you let it off. Text me when you get to KY and check into your hotel. Maybe we can work out a phone call. I want to hear you when you come.
“We’re here,” Layton said. He reached across the center console and shook Liza.
Me: We’re pulling up now. Are you free?
Jessica: No. :( Sorry, baby. Later maybe. Gotta run. Love you!
I sighed as I adjusted my aching, hard dick. I smiled when I saw the hotel. “Mountain High Lodge and Resort” I read aloud.
“Oh, Daddy. It’s beautiful here.” Liza said.
Layton chuckled. “Yeah, this place is in the middle of nowhere, but it’s the closet place I could get us to the horse ranch. Come on, let’s go get checked in. There’s no rest for the weary. Y’all need to take showers and head out.”
“What?” Liza and I said at the same time.
Layton got out of the truck and made his way around to the passenger side. He opened Liza’s door as he talked to the doorman.
I got out of the truck and stretched. It felt like I’d been in that truck for a week.
Layton turned to me and said, “They’ll get the luggage. Let’s go check in.”
Fifteen minutes later, I was in a room overlooking the Kentucky Appalachians. “Wow,” I whispered. My phone rang and I took it out of my pocket. It was Layton.
“Miss me already?” I asked.
“Haha. Take a shower and pack an overnight bag.”
I checked the time. It was two in the afternoon and I was ready to relax for the rest of the day. “Can I ask why?”
“You and Liza are heading out to the ranch this afternoon and staying the night. I want you to check out the horses before I get there. I want Liza there, too. She has a good eye for horses. I’ll come out first thing in the morning and see how you did.”
My jaw dropped to the ground. “You want me to go to the ranch first?”
“I do believe that’s what I said. Do you have a problem with that, Walker? You assured me you were ready to take on this side of the business.”
I swallowed. “Yes, sir. I mean, I won’t lie. I’m pretty sure I just shit my pants.”
Layton laughed. “Make me proud, son. Now get showered up. It’s a long drive out to the ranch.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll be fast.”
I quickly stripped out of my clothes, pumped my fist and jumped into the shower. I was going to make both my father and Layton proud. I was going to show them both that I’d been paying attention all those years.
LIZA STARED OUT the window of the rented truck. Layton had arranged it all ahead of time. I let out a breath as I watched the road.
“Can you please stop doing that?” Liza asked.
I gave her a quick glance. “Stop doing what?”
“Sighing. It’s annoying.”
I rolled my eyes. “Well excuse me, princess, if I’m a little nervous. It’s not every day that the man you’ve looked up to your whole life gives you the opportunity to prove that you really do know your shit.”
I could feel her eyes on me when she asked, “You really do love my dad, don’t you?”
I was dumbfounded. “Of course I do, Liza. He’s like a second father to me.”
“Fine, you’re nervous. Keep the sighing to yourself.”
“What the hell is wrong with you?” I asked.
She shook her head. “I don’t want to be here. I thought I was going to be spending time with my father. Instead, I’m driving out to some remote-ass horse ranch with you.”
It felt like a knife in my chest. “I’m not really sure what the hell I did to you, but I’m sorry I’m making your trip miserable.”
“I didn’t say that.”
I laughed, “Uh, yeah, you did.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Yes. You. Did.”
She turned and looked at me. “No. I. Didn’t. Asshole.”
I felt heat move through my body. “What’s wrong, Jessica? Missing out on phone sex with your precious fiancé, Keith?”
She had tears in her eyes. “My name is, Liza. Not Jessica, you fucker. And I believe it’s you and Jessica who like to get nasty over the phone.” She turned her whole body toward the window.
My whole body slumped in the seat. I couldn’t believe what a dick I’d just been. “Liza, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to call you Jessica. I didn’t mean any of it.”
She threw up her hand, brushing me off. “It doesn’t matter. Please don’t talk to me.”
We rode for another hour and a half in silence. I was almost positive that I was on the wrong road. Liza was asleep with her headphones on. I pulled up the GPS on my phone.
Nothing.
I checked the gas gauge and saw that I only had twenty-six miles left on this tank. I hadn’t seen a gas station in miles. I nudged Liza and she startled, pulling off her headphones.
“What? Are we there?” she asked.
“I think I missed an exit.”
“What? How did you miss the exit?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know, Liza. I just missed it. We are in the middle of nowhere, I have no signal, and we’re about out of gas.”
“What?” She picked up her phone. “Oh my God. My GPS is disconnected!”
I rolled my eyes. “Like I said, Liza, there’s no cell coverage.”
“So you just kept driving? Like an idiot?”
I slammed on the brakes and pulled to the side of the road.
“What are you doing?”
I opened the door, jumped out, and walked around the front of the truck. I pulled the passenger door open and handed the keys to Liza. “You drive.”
She laughed, but her smiled quickly faded. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah. You drive.”
She folded her arms over her chest. “I don’t want to drive.”
I shrugged. “Neither do I.”
“Well, someone’s going to have to do it,” Liza said. She unbuckled and pushed me out of the way as she jumped out of the truck.
I turned and walked to the back of the truck. I pulled the tailgate down and jumped up to sit there. I could hear Liza mumbling something. I watched her as she tried to find a cell signal. After ten minutes of walking around with her phone in the air, Liza leaned against the passenger side door. I lay back in the truck bed.
“I’m not driving!” She yelled.
“Neither am I!” I yelled back.
I SAT UP when I heard a car horn. I looked at my watch. We’d been sitting on the side of the road for over an hour. Neither one of us had budged when it came to driving. Liza was sitting inside the truck when an older lady got out of her truck and approached us.
Liza got out of the truck and said, “Thank goodness you came by.”
The older lady looked at Liza and then me. “Are y’all broken down?”
I shook my head. I was a little dizzy from the sun. “No, ma’am. Just lost.”
She laughed. “I see. Well, where are you trying to get to?”
“McMurphy Ranch.” Liza and I said at the same time. We both slowly turned and looked at each other.
“McMurphy Ranch? You’re about an hour from there.”
“What?” I blurted.
“No,” Liza said. “Please don’t say that. We’ve been driving for hours. I mean, we just drove up from Texas, and my father made us head straight for the ranch. I fell asleep and we lost the GPS signal and this idiot just kept driving. Probably dreaming about Jessica.”
“Hey, you’re the one who’s always lost in thought. At least I’m not walking around pretending to be—”
“Stop. Both of you.” The older lady had her fingers on her temples. “My God. I haven’t heard this kind of arguing since my Harold died five years ago.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Liza said.
I took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. We’re tired and hungry.”
“I have cabins that I rent. I’m afraid they’re all full, but I do have a room that you’re more than welcome to stay in for the night. I’ll get you on the right road in the morning.”
I closed my eyes and turned around. Great. Just fucking great.
“Oh, that would be wonderful. Thank you so very much. Walker, isn’t that nice of…”
The older woman smiled. “Mrs. Jenkins.”
“Isn’t that nice of Mrs. Jenkins, Walker? To let us stay at her place?”
I glared at Liza. “No, Liza, it isn’t wonderful. I’m supposed to be at the McMurphy Ranch, looking at horses. I’m not supposed to be here.” I kicked a rock and yelled out. “I’m not supposed to be here! Motherfucker!”
Mrs. Jenkins gave me a polite smile. “I have a phone at my place. You’re more than welcome to use it. If you’d like to head to the ranch, I can show you the way, but you’ll be getting there after sundown. You can’t really look at horses in the dark.”
Liza stepped in between Mrs. Jenkins and me. “How far is your place? We’re very low on gas.”
She smiled at Liza. “I’m about three miles down the road. I have gas, so we can get you topped off enough to get you to the gas station. Now let’s get you off the side of the road. Can you follow me?”
Liza glared at me. “If you don’t mind, may I ride with you Mrs. Jenkins?”
I grabbed Liza’s arm. “Your dad would be pissed if I let you go off with a stranger.”
Her eyes searched my entire face before she looked me in the eye. “I’ve been with one for the last hour.”
I dropped her arm and she walked over to Mrs. Jenkins’ trucks and got in. I got in the truck, started it, and pulled out behind Mrs. Jenkins. I followed her almost exactly two miles to a long, paved driveway. The driveway itself must have been three miles long. As we drove, we passed dirt roads that branched off. Those must have led to the cabins Mrs. Jenkins had mentioned. Finally, we pulled up to a large house. There were two couples sitting on the front porch—one sitting on a swing and the other in rocking chairs. I put the truck in park and grabbed my bag and Liza’s from the backseat. As I made my way to the porch, Mrs. Jenkins was already introducing Liza to the two couples.
“We’re here for our honeymoon,” The lady on the swing said as she looked at the guy sitting next to her.
“Ten year anniversary for us,” The guy in the rocking chair said.
Liza smiled and reached her hand out. Mrs. Jenkins introduced me and after a few minutes of small talk we followed her into the house.
“I turned the house into a bed and breakfast after my husband died.” Mrs. Jenkins said as we entered the house. She walked around a counter and pulled down a key, which she handed to us. “Breakfast will be served at seven sharp. You have your own private bathroom, so you can clean up and get some sleep.”
I looked down at the key. “Do you have two rooms? I mean, we’ll pay of course.”
She frowned. “No, I only have the one. But there is a queen bed in there.” She winked and turned as she headed to the stairs. “Now follow me. I’ll show you to your room.”
As I followed Mrs. Jenkins and Liza—who looked like she was about to be sick—up the stairs, I couldn’t decide who was going to be more pissed about Liza and me sharing a room: Layton or Jessica.
MRS. JENKINS SHUT THE door as she smiled at Walker and me. We stood there staring at the door for way too long before we finally accepted our fate.
Walker seemed to be evaluating the room, same as me. There was no sofa, no other chairs. Nothing but a bed.
“I’ll just sleep on the floor.” He dropped the bags and walked through the bathroom door. “Do you mind if I take a shower first?”
I shook my head “no” as I sat down on the bed. I was tired. Hungry. Angry. Upset. And, most of all, confused. A part of me was happy that Walker and I were stuck here alone together. The other part was feeling guilty about this happiness.
I pulled out my phone and found that we still had no signal, so I used the landline to call my father’s cell. When he picked up, I took a deep breath.
“Daddy, it’s me, Liza.”
“Liza! Where the hell are y’all? I’ve been calling both of your phones and getting nothing.”
“I’m so sorry, Daddy. I must have put the wrong address in the GPS. We got so lost. We’re about an hour from the ranch. Walker is just torn up inside, Daddy, and it’s all my fault.”
“It’s okay, sweetheart. As long as you’re both okay. Where are you?”
“We’re at a little bed and breakfast out in the middle of nowhere. The owner, Mrs. Jenkins, was nice enough to put us up for the night. She’s going to get us back on the right path tomorrow. Do you think you could give Walker a few hours tomorrow morning? You k
now, to look over the horses before you get there?”
“Yes, of course. I know how much this trip meant to him. Just make sure you eat and get some sleep darlin’. I love you.”
I smiled. “I will, Daddy. I’m sorry I messed this up for Walker.”
My father chuckled. “It’s okay honey. I know he’s going to do great tomorrow. Sleep well. I’ll see you tomorrow. Late morning or early afternoon.”
I smiled. “Thank you, Daddy. Night. Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
I hung up the phone and let out a sigh.
“Why did you do that?”
I jumped and spun around to see Walker …in a towel. In only a towel. Oh for the love of God.
I looked away and said, “Why did I do what?”
I heard Walker rummaging through his bag as he walked back to the bathroom. “Tell your father it was your fault. It was my fault.”
I slowly turned around and looked him in the eye. “Because I know how much this means to you. And, well, I want you to succeed. I mean, I know you will, because you’re, well, I mean… you’re good at everything. You um, everything you touch…or…uh…” I shook my head and turned away. “Walker, can you please get dressed?”
“Oh, yeah. Sorry.” The bathroom door shut and I let out a breath. I kicked off my sneakers. I couldn’t wait to strip out of my clothes and get into something comfortable.
When I heard the bathroom door open again, I was scared to death to see what in the world Walker might be wearing. When Walker put his hands on my shoulders, I held my breath. It was like I’d been hit by lighting. He turned me around and looked into my eyes. I took in his body from top to bottom. He had put on a pair of cotton pants that barely hung onto his hips. The tight tank top he wore made his chest seem even bigger. I wanted to grab his muscular arms and just feel them. When Walker took hold of my shirt, I sucked in a breath. He gently lifted it, pulling it over my head. His eyes grew big as they landed on my chest. I was wearing a tan lace bra that I’d just bought a few days ago. I was internally fist pumping, thankful that I’d put this on rather than a sports bra.