Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Zara
Cormac hung out with me while I took care of the horses, pitching in when I asked. He was being nice, just like he’d been during dinner at his parents’ house.
It made me sad.
Not that being nice wasn’t a good thing. This…stiff formality was another reminder we were strangers now, and that sucked.
Forcing myself to stop caring about him had been a lot easier when he was states away. With him so close, his smooth, easygoing voice melting like warm wax in my ears, long legs pitched out in front of him, no troubles in the world…playing it cool was a lot more difficult.
If he kept this up, I might get mad. And then…and then, and then, and then I might say something I’d regret.
Or maybe I wouldn’t regret it. Maybe biting my tongue was what had gotten me here in the first place. Maybe post-divorce Zara was going to say what she thought, and everyone would have to deal with it.
Since that was probably not the best attitude to have at my job, I clamped down hard on my tongue to refrain from screaming, “What did I ever do to make you hate me so much?”
After shutting the last stall, I swiped my hands on my jeans and whirled to face Cormac. He’d stood up and moved to the door, leaning his shoulder against the frame, waiting for me. The sky behind him was bright blue, beams of sunshine radiating around him.
It was sick. Absolutely gross and disgusting how handsome he looked doing nothing special at all. The audacity of this man.
“I’m all done.” I breezed toward him, intending to barrel right through him if he didn’t move. “I need to go check in with Javier, so…”
He shifted aside at the last second, falling into step with me. “I’m headed in the same direction. I’ll walk with you.”
“You’re actually going to your office today?”
He chuckled. “I am. Spending time with guests is part of my job, but not the majority. I’m sure I have a hundred emails waiting in my inbox.”
“You didn’t have to hang around after the ride.”
“I know. I wanted to, though.” His arm brushed mine. “I didn’t know what having you on the ranch again would be like. It’s not like old times.”
We were going there. Cormac had always been one to say what was on his mind. In the early days, at least. When we got to college, it seemed like he’d forgotten how to talk to me at all.
I guessed I had too.
“No, it’s not,” I agreed. “We’re all grown up now.”
“We are. It’s been a long time since we spent our summers together. Things have changed.”
“A lot has changed.”
“A lot. Yeah. But not everything.” He kicked a rock off the path, dirt billowing in its absence. “History doesn’t go away because we stop thinking about it, though. It’s still there. It happened. Our names are still carved under the table at Gray’s.”
“Are they?” I peered at him in my periphery. “Have you checked recently?”
“No,” he admitted, his shoulders slumping slightly. “But they never replace anything at the diner, so I’m assuming…hoping.”
“You’ve made me curious. I’m going to have to go to Gray’s and check.”
His gaze slid over the side of my face. “Maybe you’ll stay and eat this time.”
I turned sharply toward him, my lips parting.
His cheek twitched, and the corner of his mouth rose.
A laugh sputtered out of me. “Are you calling me out, Cormac Kelly?”
“Maybe.” That corner kept rising and rising. “When you saw me, you hotfooted it out of there. Might’ve given a less secure man a complex.”
“Oh, shut up.” I gave his arm a shove, but he didn’t go anywhere. “I’d just driven a thousand miles all by myself. I was not prepared for a reunion scene. Plus, you were on a date with your girlfriend. Me interrupting was the last thing you needed.”
“Ah. You ran away for my sake.”
“Yep. You should be thanking me.” I folded my arms and did my best to frown at him. My efforts were thwarted by his stupidly sweet smirk. “Don’t look at me like that. I’m trying to be serious.”
He huffed a laugh. “Why would you want to go and do that?”
Something light and long-lost filled my chest, bubbling up to my throat. My heart quickened, and my scalp tingled. What was this?
I couldn’t put a name to it, except that it was familiar in the same way as catching the scent of childhood out in the wild. Instant nostalgia and floods of memories of laughter, skinned knees, and reckless days so strong and out of place, it was disorienting.
It didn’t last any longer than it took to reach the resort, but that was okay. Knowing I could have it, even if only for a little while, made it worth it. It meant I might have it again one day soon.
Cormac held the door for me, laughing at something I’d said about Javier’s color-coded clipboard system. The lobby was relatively empty, only a pair of guests sitting together on one of the plush leather couches.
Cormac placed his hand on the center of my back, guiding me toward reception. We drew near the desk, and his pace stuttered.
Melanie, a pretty young brunette, stood, her chin tipped up as she leaned toward the blond woman perched on a stool beside her.
Wait a minute. I recognized this woman from Gray’s Diner. This was Cormac’s girlfriend—and wow, was she gorgeous. Her blond curls were as perfect as her makeup, and her black suit was tailored within an inch of its life. Elena had mentioned her name.
Victoria.
Cormac drew in a breath, his hand falling from my back.
Victoria straightened when she saw us, her eyes flicking to his face before sliding to me. Any trace of warmth vanished, replaced with something sharp and assessing. Melanie’s expression followed suit, her smile going tight at the corners as she took me in, from my dusty boots to sun-warmed cheeks.
What was that about? I’d met Melanie once, and she’d seemed cool. I was rethinking that now. Maybe there was some line between the guides and the inside staff I wasn’t aware of. I’d have to ask Henrik about that.
Cormac cleared his throat. “Hello, Melanie. Victoria.”
Victoria hopped off the stool. “Hey.” Her voice went honey-sweet as she stepped around the desk, moving into his space. She brushed her hand over his chest, settling on his arm. “Can I talk to you for a second?”
“Right now?”
Her lips pursed. “Yes, please.”
“Sure. I don’t have much time, but I can spare a minute.” He took a retreating step and rubbed his nape as he turned to me. “I’ll see you later, all right?”
“Of course.” I smiled, not sure what was going on. “Thanks for all your help today. I really appreciate it.”
Melanie’s eyes flicked to my smile, and her hard gaze sharpened. Her gaze slid back to Victoria, and a silent exchange passed between them. I couldn’t read it, but it didn’t seem particularly kind.
Without looking at me again, Victoria hooked a finger into the belt loop at Cormac’s hip and nodded toward the hallway leading to the management offices. “It won’t take long.”
“All right.” He tapped on the desk, pinning Melanie with a look. “Visits with friends need to happen during breaks. Even if guests aren’t around, there’s always something to do.”
She nodded. “Sorry. I—”
He waved her off. “No need to be sorry. Just keep that in mind.”
Cormac’s eyes darted to me, like he wanted to say something to me too. Then he shook his head, following Victoria without another word.
I watched them go, the familiar line of his shoulders disappearing down the hall with a woman who looked perfect at his side, while I stood there smelling like hay and horses, feeling like I’d wandered somewhere I didn’t belong.
Melanie cleared her throat.
“Can I help you with something?” she asked, her tone clipped enough to sting.
I blinked, thrown. The shift was so abrupt, it took me a second to catch up. There must have been an invisible line on the floor I’d missed and crossed without realizing.
“No,” I said slowly, searching her face for a clue I wasn’t finding. “I’m all set.”
I turned and headed for Javier’s office, my boots echoing too loudly against the wood floor, my thoughts tangling over themselves. No matter which way I looked at it, I couldn’t figure out what any of that interaction had been about.
Deciding it didn’t concern me, I shoved it out of my mind.