Chapter 28
Quite the View
By the time the sun sets, Hazel, Codie and I have migrated to the front of the wraparound porch, sitting with our legs swinging off the edge.
August haze adds an orange hue to the already warm sky.
The gray, jagged peaks of the Tetons jut up out of the ground, rays of the setting sun cutting up through the sky around them like a halo.
Everything about the environment surrounding the ranch is all harsh angles and unforgiving terrain. The contrast of the soft alfalfa fields and rolling hills of Lone Pine feel like a hug. A warm blanket in the midst of a cold winter’s day.
“So, what’s left to do, Kate? When are you heading home?” Hazel asks, taking a sip of her drink.
“I was going to stay until the listing for the cabin is up, but honestly, I’m thinking about just driving home after I drop you at the airport tomorrow.
” Hazel flew here from an event in Texas she went to for new ideas for her family’s dude ranch, so she’ll be taking the short flight from Jackson Hole to Salt Lake City to meet up with her parents before heading back to her ranch.
“Are you sure? You can come stay at my place for a few days before you leave if you’d like to,” Codie pleads.
“I’m sure,” I say. “If I don’t leave now I won’t ever want to go. I need some time to myself to think.”
Hazel hums, looking out towards the mountains. “I can see why you’d have a hard time leaving. You’ve got quite the view.” She nods towards the window into the living room, instead of the picturesque sunset surrounding us. My gaze instinctively snaps around to look inside.
Miles is sitting on the hearth of the fireplace, swirling an amber liquid around in a glass.
His forearms flex as he moves the cup around, focusing on the movement of the whiskey.
Tiny fireworks go off in my chest at the sight of him.
I just want to go over there and tackle him onto the ground.
The guys from the ranch all stand around him talking to each other, but he looks lost in thought. And a little sad.
“Ha. Very funny,” I deadpan, looking back at Hazel.
She smirks. “All I’m saying is if a big, handsome cowboy was looking that sad over me, I wouldn’t be out on the porch with y’all.”
Codie and I both descend into a fit of giggles as Hazel bounces her eyebrows up and down. When I look back over at Miles through the window pane, this time he’s already staring back at me.
For a second, he looks pained. His eyes scrunched at the sides, lips pursed together. When he realizes I’m looking back at him, his expression softens in the blink of an eye.
Miles nods at me, holding my gaze as he takes a sip of his drink. His eyes don’t leave me for a second as he lifts the cold glass to his lips. My eyes dart down to his throat as he swallows the drink.
Slowly, he sets the glass down on the fireplace next to him, resting his elbows on his knees. I can’t take my eyes off of him. It’s like I’m glued to this spot.
We stare at each other longer than should be comfortable, until Hazel clears her throat, startling me out of my trance.
“Everything okay there?” She teases.
“Peachy.” I shoot her a smile over my cup as I take another sip. “I’m going to go check on the drinks, I’ll be right back.”
I hop off the porch and head up the steps around the front. The cabin isn’t as crowded as it was earlier in the night. People started to file out as the sun went down. I have a feeling that the ranch boys will be here a while into the night, though.
The kitchen is empty of people, but full of extra drinks and snacks that people brought. Leave it to Codie to somehow get everyone to bring the party to us, and get some future business for the rental while we’re at it. This night couldn’t have gone better.
I start to collect some stray plastic cups and throw them into a garbage bag. Cleaning up clears my head. I love having something to do with my hands while I think. Especially when I can be alone with my thoughts.
I’m not alone for very long, though. Boot steps clunk on the hardwood floor until I look up to see a familiar cowboy leaning against the kitchen entryway with one elbow.
Ugh. He even looks sexy leaning on doorways.
“Hey,” Miles says.
“Hi,” I reply. Apparently our only option for conversation tonight is saying hello back and forth to each other.
“Need any help cleaning up?” He offers.
I shake my head. “No, I just wanted to get away from the chatter for a minute. Nothing needs to be cleaned up right this second.”
He nods, considering this, then slowly steps towards me. Grabbing the trash bag from me, he picks up some empty chip bags and cans, then sets the bag down next to the counter.
“Let someone else clean things up. This is your night. If you want to be alone, that’s fine. But you shouldn’t be the one working,” he decides.
“I knew those Lone Pine Ranch cowboys were good for something,” I joke.
He laughs, sending a shiver down my spine. “They’re pretty good at making the messes in the first place, too.”
“Oh I know,” I say. “I heard they set a field on fire with fireworks not once, but twice.”
“Yeah I think I heard something about that too.”
We’ve migrated towards each other absentmindedly. It’s not until now that I notice we are only a foot apart. I can see the twinkle in his eyes up close, the curl of his lips as he smirks at me. I have to tilt my head up just slightly to look at him.
Piano notes ring throughout the kitchen, startling us both. We jump apart slightly, looking to see where the music is coming from. My eyes land on the old record player, sitting on an end table at the opposite end of the room.
A glossy black record spins, playing “Dancing in the Moonlight” loudly enough I can no longer hear the muffled voices through the kitchen door.
No one else is in the room. No one is around to have started the record player. But the needle moves its way towards the center all on its own.
“What just happened,” I whisper.
“No idea,” Miles follows my gaze until he notices the source of the song.
“I don’t even remember plugging that thing in when I put it there. Much less putting a record in it. Someone must have started it.”
“Odd,” Miles agrees. He holds out a hand towards me. “Would you like to dance with me?”
“You dance?” I feign shock. “They added that to your programming?”
“Figured it out myself. You can find anything on the internet,” he winks.
Miles takes my hand, pulling me close to his chest. I sink into him, not meaning to, enveloped by his contact warmth.
“Has anyone ever told you that you always feel like you’re running a fever?”
He chuckles, the sound of it vibrating right into my chest. “Just you, Katie.”
My heart does a flip when he calls me by my first name. I shouldn’t like it so much, but I’m secretly glad he still feels comfortable around me enough to use it. Maybe we can do this whole ‘friend’ thing.
“You look beautiful tonight.”
Or maybe not.
“You can’t say stuff like that to me, Miles,” I whisper.
“Why?” He says, voice low. His breath skirts right across my ear and into my hair.
“You know why.”
We spend the rest of the dance in silence, listening to the music and swaying together. Both guilty of taking as much as we can from this moment while we are in it, knowing we won’t get this chance again.
I lean my head against his chest and listen to the steady beat of his heart. I can feel myself getting pulled in. Losing all of my inhibitions to the closeness of Miles. He’s like a drug, I can’t seem to stop once I’ve started.
“Katie, I—“
A cheer from the living room interrupts him. I pullout of his grasp, suddenly remembering myself. Right, there are other people here. A lot of them. Including my friends, who I just told every reason why Miles and I can’t happen to.
“I should go spend some time with Hazel before she leaves in the morning,” I stumble over my words, backing towards the door.
The music switches off, reaching the end of the song. Miles stands in the same spot, arms still outstretched slightly as if I’ll come back at any moment. It’s too much to take.
The guilt, the wanting, the feeling deep in my gut that I can’t have this.
“Of course. I’ll see you later on.”
I nod, turning around and heading back out to the porch. As I walk down the dark hallway, a couple of tears escape my eyes. I blink rapidly, wiping them off of my cheeks.
I can fall apart later. Right now, it’s time to have my last fun night in Wyoming.
“Katherine, where are you?” A voice comes from outside. It’s so out of place here, I almost don’t recognize it. I stop dead in my tracks as all of my muscles freeze up. It can’t be.
“There you are. As a host, you should receive your guests in the entryway so one doesn’t have to invite oneself in. Honestly, didn’t your aunt teach you anything?” My mother’s voice drips with venom as her and my father step into the warm lamplight of the Old Cabin.
They’re here. In Jackson Hole.
At my cabin. Well, I guess, technically their cabin. Their money paid for it, their company owns it. I put my blood, sweat and tears into it, but at the end of the day it’s not mine.
Florence MacPherson’s gaze penetrates into my soul as she stands expectantly in front of me in a deep red silk blouse and matching heels. My father stands at her side, stoic as always, but at least he has the decency to give a small nod and hint of a smile as our gazes lock.
I swallow a lump in my throat, searching for words but none come. This can’t be happening. Not with all of my friends here. Not with half of Jackson Hole celebrating my accomplishment. I can’t let them ruin this.
But I can’t move. After what feels like a lifetime, a warm chest brushes the back of my arm. “You must be the MacPherson’s. Pleasure to meet you. I’m Miles Autry.”