Florentine's Hero Page 6

  She laughed. “That’s good enough for me.”

  Cole lifted Sarah up behind Florentine, and she gritted her teeth as the first tug came to her scalp. She closed her eyes and held her neck stiff, which didn’t help her shoulder.

  “The hair won’t stay down.” Sarah pushed her hand on the back of Florentine’s head.

  “Ugh.” She opened her eyes and leaned forward, away from the pressure. “That’s okay. Curls are stubborn that way.”

  “Here, Sarah, give me the comb.” Cole motioned for Sarah to hop off, and he sat beside Florentine. “Scoot sideways. I’ll do your hair.”

  “You don’t have to.” She reached out for the comb.

  The last thing she wanted him to do was touch her. It was hard enough knowing he was seeing her at her weakest and hoping she wouldn’t be tough enough to compete in the final. Besides, the way her emotions played tug-of-war whenever Cole was around, she’d probably do something stupid like curl against him and lean her head against his broad chest. The comfort of having him close outweighed the need to fight with him over the contract.

  “Do you want to make your flight?” He exhaled loudly.

  She shifted in her seat. “Fine.”

  Later today she’d be back with her sisters, and with a little rest, she’d be her usual self in no time. Cole would be out of her life, and without him trying to finagle out of the contract, she could put him out of her mind.

  Tears came, and she shut her eyes. Each stroke through her hair seemed extra harsh, although Cole took his time. She winced. Her hair always tangled and proved difficult after an event. With the dirt and sweat, the wet curls became a worthy adversary, even with a braid.

  She frowned. That didn’t make sense. When she’d entered the shower, her hair had been loose.

  “Did you take my braid out last night?”

  “Mm hm.” He continued working on a knot.

  A shiver went down her spine when the back of his knuckles skimmed across her nape. Another threatened when she thought about him trying to make her more comfortable when he put her to bed. She gasped. How could she not remember?

  “Did I hurt you?” He stopped and leaned to the side.

  She turned her face away. “N-no. I don’t think so.”

  He laughed. “Now’s not the time to keep your feelings to yourself. If I’m pulling too hard, let me know.”

  “No. You’re doing fine,” she murmured.

  Why did it bother her not to remember what he did last night? Did he sit beside her and unbraid her hair, leaving the strands draped over the pillow? A flutter grew from her lower belly and spread up into her chest. Why would he think to do that? He was a man. A successful land baron and CEO. All the tender bones in his body must have been hardened long ago by ambition and greed.

  Warmth flooded her body. When was the last time a man took care of her? She wrapped her arms around her middle and slouched. Besides her daddy when she was little? Never. Every guy she’d ever dated saw her for the rough cowgirl she wanted them to see. Sometimes, she had to admit, she wanted to feel beautiful and cherished.

  Sarah giggled. Florentine opened her eyes, and it dawned on her that Cole wasn’t going out of his way to take care of her. He did it out of a sense of responsibility. She rubbed her forehead. A dash of disappointment came over her. He’d do the same thing for Sarah. He probably thought of her as a wayward child without any help. Of course, he’d step up.

  Sarah sat on the floor and scooted in front of her. She winked, and Sarah grinned. Cole’s daughter put baby kittens to shame with her cuteness. She bet there wasn’t a shy bone in her body. Or if there was, curiosity usually got the best of her.

  “How did you get here?” she asked.

  Sarah put her hands on Florentine’s boots. “Gramps brought me.”

  “He did, huh?” Florentine squinted. “You’re not going to sign up to ride one of the bulls while you’re with your dad at the rodeo, are you?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.” The comb fell to the floor, and Cole picked it up. “Sarah bear, why don’t you step outside and see if there’s any more crackers in the bag Gramps brought. You can have another juice box too.”

  Sarah struggled with the door, and once it came unlatched, hopped out of the trailer, shutting the door behind her. Cole ran his fingers through the side of her hair. She moved away. His touch left her more uptight, but her head seemed lighter now that the knots didn’t weigh it down.

  “I think all the tangles are out.” He handed her back the comb.

  “Thanks,” she mumbled.

  “Let’s get something straight.” He leaned forward and braced his elbows on his knees. “You promised you’d refrain from encouraging Sarah. The subject of bull riding is off limits, along with any other dangerous ideas you want to share with her. She’s a young child. She’s already got a wild imagination, and I don’t need you encouraging her to get into trouble.”

  No wonder he was uptight all the time. It must be hard to go around every day worried about something small enough as an imagination. She couldn’t help picturing him insulted by the very thought that she would be a bad influence on his daughter. She laughed.

  “You have no idea what you’re talking about.” She shook her head, and regretted it instantly. “I want to inspire kids like Sarah, not make gangsters out of them. She’s a child, Cole. What I was doing is called opening the lines of communication. I connected with her.”

  “Flashing your ass this morning wasn’t very motivational,” he said.

  “No?” She grinned, challenging him to deny he enjoyed the view.

  “It’s not funny.” His jaw muscle ticked.

  She pressed her hand to her forehead. God, it hurt to laugh, but he was killing her. “It’s probably the most hilarious thing you’ve ever said, not that you’ve had a lot of jokes to tell. You’re too busy scowling and trying to find ways to dump me.”

  Cole opened the curtain and peeked outside. “I’ll ignore you, since you’re obviously still suffering from being knocked loopy.”

  “Yeah, good idea.” She walked over to the fridge and removed two bottles of water, setting one of them on the counter. “I’ll try to keep my mouth shut, so I don’t corrupt Sarah with my bad, bad self. Here’s some water for you both. There’s food in the cabinets. Feel free to feed yourself before you head out. The food won’t last while I’m gone, anyway.”

  “Florentine, I—”

  She held up her hand. “Take it for what it is. I don’t have the energy to fight with you. I need to go put on some makeup and do something with my hair, so I don’t freak my family out when they see me.”

  “You’re positive you want to go home?” He opened the door and let Sarah back inside.

  “It’s three days until the Fourth of July and Margot’s wedding. There’s no way I’d miss her wedding.” She walked into the bathroom.

  Having Cole here showed her how fast things could change. Yesterday, she’d planned to finish her ride and head back to Pike. She’d had no idea she’d end up with a concussion. It didn’t make any sense why he came to the hospital, but a small part of her was glad he did. If he hadn’t been there… No one knew how hospitals scared her senseless.

  Everyone had their own fears, and hers were about losing everyone in her family. Hospitals exacerbated that fear.

  She plugged in the hair dryer and flipped the power switch on. While the hot air blew over her head, she sat on the two-foot square tub and closed her eyes. She wasn’t the only one with problems. Cole had a major case of daddy syndrome.

  She understood overprotective fathers, or at least thought she did having been raised by her daddy, but couldn’t he tell she was teasing Sarah? She propped her arm on the sink to blow the top of her hair. Maybe he had no sense of humor and hated people who tried to make others laugh.

  She shut off the dryer, fingered the top of her hair. The rest could dry on its own.

  When she stepped out of the bathroom, Cole and Sarah sat at the t
able, Cole on his phone and Sarah eating potato chips. She slipped on a pair of boots lined up along the side of the hallway. She paused and studied her trailer, really seeing it for the first time since she woke up. What had happened in here? There were stacked piles of her things sitting in neat rows and no dishes in the sink. Maybe having a man around to tidy the place wasn’t such a bad idea.

  She reached for her hat and hit her knuckles against the wall beneath a bare nail. Her heart galloped.

  “Where’s my lucky hat?” She hurried back in her room, searched every available space, and then rushed to the front of the trailer when she couldn’t find it. She opened the cabinet above the table where she usually threw her purse and all the extra keys for her rig. “Cole? My hat? Where is it?”

  He disconnected the call, stood, grabbed her hips, and squeezed past her. “I hung it in the closet, along with your chaps.”

  She laid her hand on her chest, willing herself to calm down. “Thanks. I guess I have a lot to thank you for…bringing me home, staying with me, cleaning the whole place.”

  “You’re welcome.” He handed the hat to her.

  She hung her most prized possession on the nail. The relief came swift and hard. Her dad gave the hat to her when she broke into the semi-pros, and she wore it every time she rode. In a small way, it meant she had a small part of her dad still with her. She supposed she owed Cole for taking care of her things too.

  She glanced over at him. He sat patiently enthralled with Sarah. The quiet acceptance from him this morning made her wary.

  Why was he hanging around? He had nothing to do here, and she didn’t need him. She sighed and her insides warmed. He hadn’t needed to do that, or to help her escape from the hospital, but he did.

  She owed him.

  Cole and Sarah snuggled on the couch. She stood in the kitchen, letting them have their space even though they’d barged into her trailer. Cole looked up and put a finger to his lips. She leaned over the counter and glanced down. Sarah had curled up with her head on his thigh. Florentine bit her lip, not a little suspicious. Would he have brought his daughter to try to soften her up on the contract?

  No. He was too protective. Heck, it’d shock her if he even talked about the contract in Sarah’s presence.

  “I’ll open the door, and you can carry her out to your truck,” she whispered. “I’m sure you’re ready to be on your way.”

  He scooted out from under Sarah and laid her gently on the couch. Florentine tilted her head to gaze up at him, and her neck spasmed. She couldn’t help herself—she dropped her chin and rubbed the tight muscle.

  “We agreed in the hospital that I was flying you home, and you’d tell your family about your injuries. Don’t you remember?”

  Did she? She frowned. They’d talked about Cole taking care of her, and…Oh, hell. “You were serious?”

  “Once I have you back in Pike, safe and sound, we’ll leave. It’s simple. I’ve already made plans with Sarah to spend a few days in Wyoming on the town before heading back to the ranch.” He kept his voice low and continued, “Per our contract, I’m responsible for you. Unless you’re willing to sign the paperwork letting me walk away.”

  She stared. “Are you kidding me?”

  “Keep your voice down.” He glanced over his shoulder. “I don’t want to argue. Either you sign my paperwork, or we get the truck packed and head to the airport.”

  “My family loves me. Why would you think they wouldn’t take care of me?” She gaped. “You’ve got a lot of balls insulting the McDougals.”

  “You wouldn’t even call to let any of your sisters know you were injured.” He cocked his head. “You didn’t ask them to come and take care of you. You asked me.”

  “I take it back.” She poked him in the chest. “I don’t want your help.”

  “Great. I’ll get the papers out of my truck.” He stepped away.

  She grabbed his shirtsleeve. “Over my dead body.”

  “The path you’re going, that’s a huge possibility.”

  She shook her head. “You’re only saying that because you want out of the contract. I don’t get it. You benefit from our partnership as much as I do.”

  “No, I don’t. And you’re right. I want out of the contract.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t condone people risking their lives for sport or other people’s entertainment. Besides, I’m a dad. It’s my responsibility to set a good example for Sarah. I think sponsoring you is irresponsible when I’m asking her to be careful and think before she does something she’ll regret,” he said.

  “I don’t regret any moment of my career.” She crossed her arms.

  “I don’t believe you.” He raised his brows. “You regretted landing in the hospital. You regret the doctor’s orders. You regret–”

  She scoffed. “That has nothing to do with anything.”

  She pinched the bridge of her nose. What was she going to do with him in Pike? How ridiculous. He’d only distract her.

  “Is this really necessary?”

  “You’re my responsibility.”

  She dropped her hand and gazed at him. “What are you, a boy scout?”

  “Nah. I didn’t have any desire once I found out girls like bad boys better.” He grinned.

  She backed up. The change in him shocked her. Humor crinkled his eyes, and his mouth—she blinked—why hadn’t she noticed how full his lips were before?

  “Once I know you’ll be okay and someone will take care of you, Sarah and I will fly back to Wyoming.” He rocked back on the heels of his boots.

  She leaned her head against the wall. Her sisters would panic. They’d had too many scary times this year for her to let some stranger inform her family that she’d ended up in the hospital. Margot didn’t need anyone ruining her wedding.

  “Fine. One condition.” She crossed her arms.

  He jutted his jaw and waited.

  “I break the news of my injuries to my family, my way, and you keep your mouth shut. Don’t say a word about my fall, or why you’re with me. You’re my sponsor, and all they need to know is I invited you to come see where I live. I’ll show you around, I’ll talk to my family, and then I want you out of Montana. Agree?” She stuck out her hand.

  “Of course. That’s what we agreed to last night.” He reached out, and they shook on it.

  When he turned around to take Sarah to the truck, she let out her breath. She had a hunch that Cole thought their problems were almost over, but she knew differently. Her sisters were going to chew him up and fertilize the pasture.

  Chapter Eight

  Florentine worked her way to the exit of the plane and hurried down the jetway with the hope of finding a familiar face waiting for her. She wasn’t sure which family member had come to pick her up, but right now, she’d take any one of them. A smiling face and a big ol’ McDougal hug would do wonders to forget the last couple of months of being away from everyone she loved.

  After exiting the terminal, she stopped and searched the area. The almost vacant commuter terminal should make it easy for her family member to find her if Cole stopped standing in her way. A squeal came from her left. She dropped her bag and launched herself into Chantilly’s embrace. She squeezed her twin sister tight to her chest. A lump the size of Montana clogged her throat, and she blinked moisture out of her eyes.

  “I’ve missed you so much.” She let Chantilly rock her from side to side, gritting against the pain the movement caused her.

  Chantilly pulled back and held Florentine out in front of her. “What’s wrong with you?”

  “Nothing. I’m fine.” She changed her pained sob into laughter. “How is everyone? Is Margot ready for the wedding? Did she get all the tables and chairs? I hope she remembered to get Momma’s linens from the attic.”

  “Holy sugar! You’re lying to me.” Chantilly wiped Florentine’s cheek with the back of her hand. “The only time you start stuttering and getting emotional is when you’re hiding something or te
lling me a bald-faced lie. What happened?”

  “I told you. I’m fine. I’ve been away too long. I’m excited to finally be back, even if it’s only for a short stay.” She moved over to pick up her bag, and Cole beat her to it. “I want to hear about Jack and Craig. Has Craig arrived yet?”

  “Not yet. He’ll be here for the wedding.” Chantilly glanced between Florentine and Cole.

  “Excuse me, Mrs. Grady. I’m Cole Reardon.” He pulled Sarah closer. “This is my daughter, Sarah.”

  Sarah tucked her chin to her chest, and stepped closer to her dad’s leg. “Hi.”

  “Nice to meet you both.” Chantilly smiled and turned to Florentine. “Now explain why it sounds like you’ve got something to tell me.”

  “Um. Well, you see…”

  Chantilly’s gaze never wavered. “In this lifetime, Sis.”

  “It’s the darnedest thing.” Florentine forced out a laugh. “Cole recently bought out Turner Grain. You remember, Mr. Bormin, the previous owner, right? I brought him to the ranch to talk to Daddy about buying our feed from his company. Well, I was telling Cole how happy you and Jack were with the quality of grain. One thing led to another, and I invited him over to take a look at the ranch…and meet you. He was nice enough to fly me home on his private plane.”

  Chantilly frowned. “Spill it.”

  “There’s nothing else to say,” she said.

  Cole cleared his throat. “You won’t even know we’re there. The last thing I want to do is interrupt any wedding plans. My main concern is getting Florentine home and—”

  “See?” Florentine shrugged. “No big deal.”

  “You know the McDougal ranch welcomes everyone.” Chantilly lifted her chin and smiled. “We can set you up in the foreman’s cabin.”

  “They’re not staying.” Florentine rolled her eyes. Her headache came back full force. “They’ll only be here for an hour. Two at tops. Let’s get outta here. I’m anxious to see everyone.”

  “Daddy? Those ladies look the same.” Sarah tilted her head and stared up at Florentine, pointing her finger. “That’s Florentine, ‘cause her hair is still messy like it was this morning.”