Fourteen
Piper’s lips were pillowy soft and so smooth Tuck might have lost his head a little bit. He’d often imagined what it would be like to kiss his best friend. What he hadn’t imagined was the instant heat or how eagerly she would return his kiss.
Her arms circled around his neck and pulled him closer as he deepened the kiss. His heart pounded with every touch as time slowed and his insides sung the “Hallelujah Chorus.” Then just like that, imaginary ice water dumped over his head, and he jerked back.
They were in Piper’s hotel suite, and his thoughts were edging toward the impure. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he tried to slow his breathing and detangle himself from her.
“Why did you stop?” Piper wore a bemused expression.
At least she did in the brief second his eyes managed to meet hers before landing on her plush lips. He cleared his throat. “We’re in your hotel room.”
She looked around as if just as surprised by their surroundings.
“I should go.” He slid her off his lap and stood. Realizing she was still within reach, he took another step back.
“But shouldn’t we talk about that?” She pointed a finger toward her lips.
Her sweet, beautiful—
Tuck shook his head. “Maybe tomorrow. Outside.” He swallowed. “Where it’s safe.”
“Tucker Hale, what’s going on inside that brain of yours?”
Not much, but enough that he was hoping this was God’s neon sign of escape. Don’t miss it, Hale. If he didn’t leave now, he could guarantee they’d both come to regret what happened next.
“Tomorrow. Promise.” He whirled around and hightailed it out of her suite and into his room right next door.
Thank You for no connecting door.
Tuck slid down a wall, lowering his head between his knees.
They’d kissed. And it was a heated kiss that shook him to his core and made him want to buy a ring all in one fell swoop.
“I wish.”
Once more Piper’s response to his “That’s my girl” echoed in his mind and filled him with a heady sensation. She wanted to be his. He couldn’t have been happier to get that big of a hint.
Tuck’s phone buzzed, breaking into his sappy thoughts. He pulled it from his back pocket and clicked on the text from Piper.
Piper
Why did you leave?
Tuck
Didn’t trust myself to stay any longer.
Piper
??
Piper
So this wall between us is necessary?
Tuck
Very
Piper
That was some kiss.
Tuck
Understatement of the century. Think my boots shook.
Piper
I know mine did.
This woman!He wanted to march next door and demand she go out with him right this instant. Only he’d never been the impulsive type. Kissing her had messed with his timetable. He needed to regroup and figure out what in the world he was supposed to do next.
Any suggestion other than going over there and kissing her again.
Piper
You promise we’ll talk about it tomorrow?
Tuck
Yes
Piper
Ok
He waited for the three dots to appear, but after a few minutes, nothing. Tuck placed his cell on the floor and dropped his head into his hands. He could perfectly visualize his plan to win Piper.
1. Increase annual income by 30% and have a six-month emergency fund—??
2. Get Dream to the Derby—in progress
3. Win the Derby
4. Tell Piper how I feel
5. Marry her
Tuck had always assumed kissing the girl went along with declaring his feelings and the in between before getting to number five. But he hadn’t gotten Dream to the Kentucky Derby yet. Granted, he wasn’t doing too shabby. The Thoroughbred was winning races leading up to the big one.
Now that Tuck had jumped the gun—not that it hadn’t been better than his imagination ever conjured—there was no going back. Not the way Piper had leaned into the kiss and met him at every tempo. The way their lips had fused suggested they’d been practicing the sport for years, not seconds.
But Tuck still hadn’t figured out how to prove his worth. That was the whole point of winning the Derby. How could he convince Piper he was husband material if all he had to show was the farm and an emergency fund? Compared to Bolt Brook, Hale Tier Farms was running an ant-sized operation with two ants. Bolt Brook was more like the whole ant colony. He couldn’t see the McKinneys blessing his and Piper’s relationship unless he could call himself a Derby-winning trainer.
Lord God, my mind is spinning. I’m torn between elation and mortification at showing my hand too early. How can I explain to Piper that I need to prove my worth before I’m ready for a relationship with her? I don’t know how to go forward, but I certainly don’t want to go backward.
He just couldn’t.
Holding Piper in his arms felt so right. Kissing her with all the longing he’d been storing up had been as easy as breathing. How could he tell her he wasn’t mentally ready? Thinking about her and their relationship was all he did when his mind wasn’t focused on things equine in nature. It was horses and Piper. That was it.
He should have stuck to his plan. After all, that’s what made him a good trainer. He knew how to get a horse to offer more and show the horse when to go and when to conserve energy. Because Tuck planned it. This thing with Piper ... well, he’d jumped out of the gate early like an overeager two-year-old colt.
His phone rang. If that was Piper...
But relief—and disappointment—filled him at the sight of Lamont’s name.
“Hey, Lamont. What’s up?”
“I don’t know. You tell me.”
“What does that mean?” Tuck forced a laugh.
“Had a feeling something was wrong, so I thought I’d check on you. You okay? Training all right?”
“Yeah, training is going well. You know how it is.” It was funny to say that to an A-list actor, but coaching Lamont on training horses had been Tuck’s job for a while. The actor really did get it.
“I’m glad to hear it. Nevaeh and I are coming out for the Derby. I think Chris is going to try to come as well.”
“What if we don’t make it?”
“You will. I know it.”
How? Even with Dream winning stakes in the past, Tuck still had doubts. “Appreciate the faith, man.”
“So now that we’ve made small talk, you going to tell me what’s really up?”
“I kissed Piper.”
“’Bout time.”
Tuck laughed, which quickly turned into groaning. “Bro, it was too soon. I saw her crying, and next thing I know, I’m kissing her before the thought that I was a few steps ahead of my plan entered my mind.”
“You know, Tuck, I think it’s great that you plan ahead. God definitely gave you a talent for that. But tell me, are you leaving room for God to act?”
Tuck gripped the phone. “What are you saying?”
“If you’re always planning every step and coming up with contingency plans, are you really trusting in the Lord? Maybe kissing her now was the right moment and not a misstep in some grand plan orchestrated by you, not God.”
Ouch.Tuck rubbed his chest, where conviction pricked. “I trust the Lord.”
“Do you?” Lamont paused. “Then if He asked you to throw away every to-do list, every plan, every schedule, and lean on Him for guidance, you wouldn’t break out in a cold sweat?”
No, because Tuck already was. Just imagining that scenario had his sweat glands working overtime. “That’s a cruel question.”
“Maybe because you know I’m right.”
“I’ll never admit it.”
Lamont laughed. “You don’t have to. I know I am.”
“There’s that Hollywood ego.” Tuck smirked.
“On the real, let go of your plans, and let God order your steps.”
“I hate when you’re right.”
He didn’t want to admit he was terrified at the idea of scrapping his plans and letting the Lord direct His steps. What if God’s steps took him away from Piper? Then what would he do? Or what if the steps required more than he could give?
As much as he hated the idea of losing control, Tuck hated the idea of disappointing God more. Ever since he’d proclaimed Jesus as his Savior, he’d tried to live for God. But now he was starting to realize his plans had become his idol.
“I don’t know how to let go,” he murmured.
“Then ask God to show you. I had to wrestle with the fact that I had no control over my mom’s health. Hiring the best doctors, nutritionists, and even yoga instructors was all designed to prevent her from getting sick again. Then I realized I actually had no control over that. She would either get cancer again or she wouldn’t. Once I accepted that, it was easier to lean on God for wisdom, strength, and guidance. Trust me, I’m not throwing shade, only trying to give you a leg up based on personal experience.”
“Thanks, man.”
“Of course. We wouldn’t be friends if neither one of us offered the truth even when it hurt.”
Good point. Tuck remembered offering advice to Lamont when he entered into a fake relationship with Nevaeh. And again when he entered into a real relationship with her.
“How’s Nevaeh doing?”
“She’s great. She’s excited to see Piper again in person.”
“Is y’all’s visit a surprise, or should I tell Piper?”
“Let’s keep it a surprise. That way we can see the look of shock on her face when we show up and cheer her on in person.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Tuck paused. “Hey, I gotta go.”
“Gonna tear up those plans?”
“Something like that.”
“Good on you.”
Tuck rose to his feet and walked over to his planner. He was probably the only guy he knew who owned one. At least it didn’t come with stickers or any coloring pages. It was just a no-nonsense black planner with black-and-gray styling inside. He opened it to the page that held his plan to win Piper and ripped it out.
He winced at the sound, at the meaning behind the action.
Lord, this is me showing that I trust You. I trust that Your plans are good. ThatYou are good. I trust that You want the best for me, and by ripping up this plan, I’m allowing Your will to be done.
Whew.
His skin prickled at the offering. It was huge to just trust God’s will. It felt like standing on a ledge, then jumping off. But if that’s what God wanted from him, Tuck would use blind faith. Faith guaranteed by Christ.