Chapter 3
Pippa couldn’t keep still.She needed to get to the restaurant to approve the Friday night menu, but she couldn’t focus. She’d taken the long way to town so she could drive past Brent’s ranch.
She still had an hour before she had to be there—it was just that her people always expected her to arrive with an hour to spare.
Not today.
Today, she would give herself a few minutes and visit with Rob. They were friends. She was allowed to visit a friend she hadn’t seen in ages. She was feeling this deep-seated regret about not letting him kiss her, but that didn’t mean she was here for a second chance.
Besides, a small part of her was grateful she hadn’t kissed him. They’d been flirting on the phone for years without actually seeing each other. They’d told one another about all their dates and the people who had come and gone from their lives. It almost felt too weird to let herself fall back into a fling mentality—because he wasn’t going anywhere.
Rob was here to stay for the undetermined future. He would be at her brother’s house, probably joining them for family get-togethers. She didn’t want to make this any more awkward than it had to be.
Those and many other excuses were probably why she hadn’t gotten out of her car. If anyone caught sight of her sitting in her car while she tried to build up the courage to go find him, they’d think she’d finally snapped.
Pippa took a deep breath, but it did nothing for her nerves. She couldn’t stay in the safety of the car much longer. She was here to see Rob. Nothing scary. Just regular old, sweet Rob who she’d apparently developed a crush on.
A groan rumbled from her throat and she leaned into the door to push it open. As long as he didn’t bring up the fact she’d avoided the kiss, she’d be fine.
Pippa leaned against the door until it clicked.
Around here, people didn’t do Black Friday shopping. A few folks made the trip to the closest city for some of the bigger deals, but in their sleepy town, there weren’t many options. The day after Thanksgiving wasn’t much of a holiday for anyone around here. Usually, folks used the day to start putting up their Christmas decorations.
“Pippa?”
She jumped. Rob’s voice was very close. How had he managed to sneak up on her? Those boots alone sounded like he walked around with rocks strapped to his feet.
She spun around to find Rob standing on the other side of her car. He had a rope slung over his shoulder and carried a saddle under the other arm. He wore a beat-up leather jacket he hadn’t bothered to zip up, his jeans already dusted with a thick layer of dirt.
Her heart stumbled and her pulse shot up. There was something about seeing the aftermath of a cowboy hard at work that made her knees go weak. This cowboy in particular affected her in a profound way. Her mouth felt dry and she forgot if he’d asked her a question.
Rob tilted his head and his smile flashed across his face. “What are you doing here?”
She shuffled around the front of her car, arms folded tightly across her chest. “Can’t I come visit my friend at the place he works?”
He lifted a brow, an indication he didn’t believe her one second.
Great. This was where he would point out she hadn’t let him kiss her and since they’d seen each other the day before, there was no reason for her to be here.
For all she knew, he had a couple girls he was ‘seeing.’ If she was playing hard to get, he wouldn’t need to spend time trying to chase her. Pippa’s stomach caved in on itself and a slithering snake of jealousy wrapped itself around her. She didn’t have any reason to be jealous, and yet that was exactly what she felt in this moment.
Dang it!
“Okay…” Rob drawled as he adjusted the saddle. “Well, this is getting heavy. I’m going to put it away. You can come along, or you can stay here staring out at nothing and contemplating your life’s choices.”
She snickered. “Perhaps that wouldn’t be such a bad idea. I’ve had my share of bad decisions—like the time I agreed to go on a date with a guy who was only interested in making out with me.”
There was a split second where his expression caught her off guard. It was serious, bordering on thoughtful. She got the distinct feeling she’d said something offensive or hurtful.
But then it was gone and he smirked at her. “You underestimate my interest in your intellect.”
The comment was said in that flippant way they teased one another, but what he’d said didn’t sound like the typical Rob she was used to. Pippa had expected him to make some snarky comment about her looks being the best part of her—a compliment and a diss at the same time. He’d done so several times before.
She stared at him, unsure of what he was doing, but he only laughed and shook his head as he headed toward the barn. Pippa chased after him, fleetingly grateful he hadn’t brought up her dodging that kiss.
“So, I wanted to ask you something,” she said as she fell into step beside him. “I was thinking about what we talked about yesterday.”
Rob tossed her a side-eyed look. She fought the blush that threatened to crawl up her neck.
“About you coming and checking out the restaurant. I really meant it.”
They reached the interior of the barn and he lifted the saddle onto its stand. Then he shrugged the rope from his shoulder and caught it with a gloved hand.
“I didn’t think you didn’t mean it.”
“Right. Well, I figured that with it being Thanksgiving weekend, you might have more availability. I don’t know what Brent’s got you doing, but maybe you’d be able to come by tomorrow?”
She prayed she didn’t sound like a simpering, love-sick fool. For some reason, this felt like new territory. They weren’t kids anymore. There was no promise of parting ways in a few weeks. And she felt more unbalanced than ever.
“Tomorrow?” He took off his hat and ran a hand over his wavy hair. “I think I can manage that. What time?”
Excitement, relief, and a monstrous exhilaration crashed into her like a tsunami. “Really? You could come by anytime. I don’t think we’ll be any busier than we usually are. A lot of the local cowboys like to show up at the end of the week and get a drink at the bar. It might be a good way to meet some of the locals.”
The corners of his mouth quirked upward. “You might be right.”
She flashed a smile at him. “I know I am.”
They stared at one another for a few moments and the strange tension returned. It was like a thick fog hung in the air. She sensed something was going on between them, but she couldn’t quite figure out what was so off.
Pippa crossed her arms again and let out a nervous laugh. “So, what are your plans while you’re here?”
His smirk widened. “You mean besides work?”
She lifted a shoulder. It was the only thing she could think of to ask. They knew each other so well that the only thing she hadn’t heard about was why he’d come here in the first place. Pippa knew better than to ask him if there were problems with his family back home. She also knew it wasn’t a good idea to bring up the future—at least not far into the future.
Rob had never been a planner. He didn’t like thinking about what came next. That was where they were complete opposites. When they’d met, she’d had a five-year plan, a ten-year plan, and a twenty-year plan. She knew she was going to open the restaurant when she was a teenager. She knew what she wanted to serve and how she was going to make it happen.
Yep, she was a nerd.
But not Rob. He flew by the seat of his pants, and it worked for him.
Pippa shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “You’re here for a while to work. But you haven’t really told me why you decided to come out this way.”
That question was dangerously close to territory she should be avoiding. If it didn’t get him to open up, she’d know to steer clear.
Rob’s brows pulled together and he placed his hat back on his head. “You know me. I needed a change. Don’t like being still for too long.”
The way he said it only added to her belief he was keeping something from her. This wasn’t her Rob. This Rob was different.
She couldn’t tell if he was changing for the better or if he needed some more guidance, like when she’d eventually convinced him to go to college. The problem was she could almost literally see the drawbridge being pulled up. He was shutting her out once again. She might share everything with him—except the truth about her feelings—but he wasn’t willing to do the same.
Pippa heaved a sigh. “I suppose you’re gonna go with the flow, then.”
“That’s what I’m good at.” He grinned at her and reached for her hand.
It was those small gestures that made her wonder about his intentions. He was in a new town. Maybe he wanted companionship. Maybe he was trying to rebuild the friendship they’d had when she’d been in Montana.
Rob’s eyes drilled into her, serious and full of something she couldn’t read. But his smile told a different story. He quite possibly could be teasing her. He tilted his head with a wink.
“When do I get to take you out on an official date like the ones we used to have?”
“Like the ones we used to have,” she mumbled, staring at their hands. Her eyes flitted up to meet his. “You mean the nights when we wanted to have some fun and forget about the world?”
“Yeah,” he said. “Those.”
She nearly asked him if he thought they might be getting too old for their pact. She wasn’t above teasing him about it or bringing it up, but it had been two years. She’d changed—and she wanted more out of her relationships.
Unfortunately, she chickened out. Pippa couldn’t tell him any of her thoughts. The Rob she knew would completely shut down. He didn’t want attachments. Heck, he might have moved here to get away from a girl who was getting too clingy. And who wouldn’t be? Rob was a catch—if he would only find someone who could make him happy and settle down.
One more date for posterity wouldn’t hurt. They could take a walk down memory lane.
She nodded. “I think that sounds fun. Maybe we can plan something in December.” Her eyes brightened. “All the decorations in the town square will be up this weekend. And they’re setting up a skating rink. It”s always so much fun.”
“It’s a date,” Rob said. He still held her hand, and it took all her willpower to step back to put distance between them.
“Well, I gotta get to work. I’ve got some great employees, but some of them wouldn’t peel a potato right if I wasn’t there.”
Rob chuckled and Pippa joined in. Then, on a whim, she moved forward and pulled him in for a hug. His arms lingered at her waist, and for a second, she was transported back to high school.
Pippa was the first to pull back. She waved and slipped away before she did something she might really regret.