Chapter Eleven
The weekend had gone better than Rachel could have imagined.
By Sunday night, she was truly enjoying herself.
She’d watched rodeo events from the special boxes reserved for Oakley’s employees.
With her all-access pass, she’d even made her way into the participant areas.
She’d spoken to Cody once or twice, but mostly in passing as they were both busy, and he was concentrating on the competition.
Olivia had also taken her under her wing.
Rachel had met so many people that by the time the awards ceremony banquet and dance rolled around, she felt she knew almost everyone.
As she’d been doing each evening, Rachel sat next to Oakley during the awards dinner.
Tonight the ten people at their banquet table were lively.
The evening’s host sat with them, and he was a comedian who would do a short opening set before announcing the results Oscar-style.
The competitors knew their times and places, so receiving their buckles and prize money was mostly ceremonial.
Rachel discovered that the hour-long presentation was a fun tradition everyone in the grand ballroom enjoyed.
Once the awards were over, someone commanded Oakley’s and Clark’s attention, so Olivia snagged Rachel and drew her out onto the dance floor. “I don’t get to do this much since Clark and I had kids. Dancing to ‘Old MacDonald Had a Farm’ is not the same. I plan to dance until my feet hurt.”
“I’m surprised my feet don’t already hurt,” Rachel said.
She scanned the room for Oakley but didn’t see him.
When she spotted him a short time later, he was speaking with a beautiful redhead who Rachel didn’t recognize.
The band ended one number and as the singer spoke to the crowd, Olivia followed Rachel’s gaze.
“Oh, her. You have nothing to worry about. Can’t you see how this weekend he’s only had eyes for you? ”
Had he? He’d been warm and friendly, but he’d been that way with everyone. When they’d reached the penthouse, he’d gone into his room and she into hers like the professional work colleagues they were.
“I wasn’t worrying, and I think you’re imagining things. I was seeing if he needed rescue. I promised I’d do that.”
Olivia snorted. “Believe me, Oakley can rescue himself. He’s not been this invested in someone until he…” Olivia stopped. “Sorry. Listen to me ramble.”
Rachel saw the telltale, guilty flush. “Until what? What are you insinuating? That Oakley wants something from me?”
“No, that’s not what I meant.”
“Did he tell you what happened?” Rachel demanded.
Olivia wouldn’t meet her eyes. “He said the two of you were keeping things professional.”
So, he had told his friends about the kiss.
“Clark and I met at work,” Olivia added helpfully. “And we only want to see Oakley happy. He’s a great guy, Rachel. He likes you—I know it. Give him a chance.”
“He is a great guy,” Rachel agreed, “which is why we have to keep things simple and work-related.” That meant that she shouldn’t be feeling this flare of jealousy as Oakley laughed at something the redhead said. “I have too much to lose if we don’t.”
“I know. I understand…and I won’t bring it up again.” Olivia winked. “Oh, and FYI… Cody Fallsworth is walking this way and that movie star smile is just for you.”
He greeted her with a dimpled grin that had the power to render women speechless, as proved by the one attendant fanning herself nearby after he passed through her group of friends. “Miss Evers.”
“Mr. Fallsworth.” Adrenaline couldn’t help but pulse through her.
“As my number one cheerleader, would you do me the honor of the next dance?”
Rachel was highly aware of Olivia’s avid interest. “Seeing as you did win the grand prize during tonight’s ceremony, how could I say no?”
“I’d say the real prize tonight is you. You are stunning in that dress. Silver is another color that suits you.” Cody’s appreciative gaze stayed above her neckline, which made her respect him even more.
“And you, Mr. Fallsworth, are a flatterer.”
“You deserve to be flattered.” He reached for her hands, which she let him take. Touching him didn’t create an electric sensation, not like when she touched Oakley. He led her deeper into the crowd on the dance floor. Rachel glanced over her shoulder, but Olivia was nowhere to be seen.
Cody was a great dancer, so she couldn’t help but have fun. One song led into two, then three, and when they left the dance floor, she discovered his drink of choice to be club soda with lime. “I had some champagne earlier. One’s always my limit, and that was my one.”
“I rarely drink, unless I’m out with people.
” She still had most of the bottle of wine Jenny had brought over the day she’d first quit working for Oakley.
“I have a nine-month-old, and while I’m no longer nursing, when I was I didn’t drink at all.
Or for the nine months I was pregnant either.
Then it simply became unnecessary except on rare occasions. ”
“I find it dulls my nervous system. I practice and work out every day, so I’d rather be sharp. It’s dangerous being on the back of the bull.”
He’d drawn one of the toughest animals. “You made it look easy.”
“Eight seconds can seem like an eternity when the ride goes bad. My dad taught me that. The key is doing everything in your power to ensure the ride doesn’t go bad.”
“That’s a good philosophy. Your dad sounds wise.”
“He is.” With that, they talked about their families, and Cody shared how his niece was around Allie’s age. The more they talked, the more Rachel relaxed.
She knew nothing would come from her time with Cody, but for the night, until they parted ways, it was wonderful to bask in Cody’s attention.
He was fun and flirty, and handsome, and she saw the envious looks of other women.
Despite traveling nonstop, he should be the kind of guy she should fall for.
But she’d met Oakley first. His kiss had set a new standard, and she wasn’t yet in the place where she wanted to kiss anyone else and have it fail to reach expectations.
Of course, Cody might be able to shatter that record like he’d done others this weekend, but as much as he was sexy and attentive, if she were honest with herself, she wanted Oakley.
Having joined Cody in sipping a club soda, Rachel took a drink so Cody couldn’t tell her attention had wandered to another man.
“Another dance?” The band had started a slow number, which the singer announced was their second to last song of the night.
Rachel followed Cody to the dance floor, where he placed his hands in the appropriate places on her lower back.
They swayed to the music and held whispered conversations until, when the music ended, Cody drew back as someone tapped his shoulder. Rachel saw Oakley standing there.
“Mind if I cut in?” he asked. “Rachel promised to save me one dance, and it’s the last song.”
If Cody minded, he ceded gracefully. He touched the brim of his Stetson. “Rachel. Nice meeting you. You have my number. Feel free to use it.”
She watched as he melted into the crowd. “Do you mind my cutting in?” Oakley ventured. “Cody assumed I was speaking to him when it was also your call. I didn’t realize you too had gotten so close. I can let you go after him if you’d like—”
“No,” Rachel said honestly. The difference in the way Oakley’s hands settled onto her waist spoke volumes.
Cody was an attractive, gorgeous man, but his touch hadn’t stirred the same passionate responses that Oakley’s did.
With Oakley, she wanted to close the gap, to press herself against him and inhale the woodsy aphrodisiac that was his aftershave.
Aware they were in public, she did neither.
“You and Cody seemed to hit it off,” Oakley muttered, and if the band wasn’t playing, Rachel swore she might have heard a hint of jealousy. It shouldn’t thrill her, but it did.
“He’s a nice guy. I heard some people calling him a player, but I didn’t see any of that. He was perfectly respectable. Do you know he has one drink and that’s it? Can’t say that about some of the other rodeo guys.”
“No, you can’t.” Oakley shifted his hands so they didn’t drift lower. “We had a few overindulge, but it ended up okay. They’re upstairs in their rooms sleeping it off.”
“I’m sure this is like a big wedding reception where people let loose and let down their hair, especially after competing as hard as they do.”
Upon hearing the word hair, Oakley tucked some of her loose strands behind her ear, the gesture intimate. “I like when you wear yours down.”
Rachel swallowed hard. The singer crooned the last words as the band played the final notes. After a thank you, piped music came through the hotel speakers. Rachel stepped out of Oakley’s arms. “Thank you for the dance.”
“You’re welcome.” The lights slowly brightened. “Unlike Thursday night, I usually stay until the end of the gala, but you can escape if you want.”
“No, I’ll stay. I want to see how things unfold.
” While she meant she wanted to see how an event such as his wrapped, her words definitely came out with a double meaning.
What would happen between them if she stayed by his side?
Despite her resolve, she’d developed feelings for him and was falling for him.
She warned herself to be careful. It would be too easy to lose the rest of her heart.
Maybe the seeds had been planted all along, but they’d truly sprouted when he’d defended her to his father. Add in the dinners and meetings, and the lines between them had blurred.
She glanced around but there was no sign of Cody.
Just as well, she thought. She didn’t want to explain that nothing would happen between them.
Olivia approached. “I wanted to tell you both that Clark and I are making our escape. It was so wonderful to meet you, and I hope we get to see much, much more of you.”
“It was nice to meet you, too,” Rachel said, accepting Olivia’s hug.