A Jackson Hole Homecoming
Cindy Kirk
Find Love with a FREE 30-Day Trial!From the moment teenagers Adrianna Lee and Tripp Randall locked eyes, she knew they were soulmates. Now, fifteen years later, Anna’s dream is coming true. They’re holding hands. They’re going to the movies. They’re even kissing! Too bad it’s a charade that ends in thirty days.When Anna agrees to be widowed best friend Tripp’s pretend girlfriend, she knows it’s to comfort his ailing father, who yearns to see his son happily settled. But his touch is electrifying and his kisses are so…convincing. Is it possible that one month will be enough to open Tripp’s eyes to true love?
“Tripp, I’m not going to lie to your parents and make believe we have a relationship that doesn’t exist.”
His almost frantic gaze met hers. “Anna, do it for my mother. For my dad. Give them a little happiness.”
“Spell it out. Tell me exactly what you’re proposing.”
“We start dating. In a month or so, when my dad is better, I tell them we had a falling out and are no longer together.”
“We’re talking thirty days,” Adrianna repeated, wanting to make sure they were clear on this point.
“One month,” he said, his gaze never leaving hers.
Adrianna considered his proposition for a long moment. Would she be able to keep herself from falling in love when her feelings for him already ran so deep?
About the Author
CINDY KIRK has loved to read for as long as she can remember. In first grade she received an award for reading one hundred books. As she grew up, summers were her favorite time of year. Nothing beat going to the library, then coming home and curling up in front of the window air conditioner with a good book. Often the novels she read would spur ideas, and she’d make up her own story (always with a happy ending). When she’d go to bed at night, instead of counting sheep, she’d make up more stories in her head. Since selling her first story in 1999, Cindy has been forced to juggle her love of reading with her passion for creating stories of her own … but she doesn’t mind. Writing for the Mills & Boon
Cherish™ series is a dream come true. She only hopes you have as much fun reading her books as she has writing them!
Cindy invites you to visit her website, www.cindykirk.com.
A Jackson Hole Homecoming
Cindy Kirk
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
To Merf, my fabulous mother-in-law!
Chapter One
Adrianna Lee took a step back, her heart in her throat. As a nurse midwife, watching parents ooh and aah over their little one was her favorite part of the birthing process.
This time had been extra special because the baby she’d delivered was the new son of her friends Betsy and Ryan Harcourt. Seeing Ryan’s dark head pressed against Betsy’s blond strands as they carefully checked out their new son’s fingers and toes brought a quiver of longing.
When would it be her turn? When would she find a man to love and stand by her? A man eager to build a life with her? She’d imagined the scenario many times. But the man in her dreams wasn’t some faceless entity. He had a face. And a name. Tripp Randall.
There was only one little problem. Okay, one big problem. He wasn’t interested in her.
“I heard the good news.”
Adrianna turned toward the deep voice and there he stood. The man who’d captured her heart at fourteen by gallantly carrying some branches to the curb for her. At the time he’d been a hunky seventeen-year-old capable of turning her knees to mush with a single glance. As the steady boyfriend of her neighbor, he’d also been unattainable.
These days he was the CEO of the Jackson Hole Hospital, a widower and still unattainable.
Tripp stepped close, keeping his voice low, as if not wanting to disturb the sleeping baby nestled in Betsy’s arms. “How did everything go?”
“Perfect.” Adrianna couldn’t keep the pride from her voice. “He’s a healthy eight-pound-six-ounce boy and Betsy barely broke a sweat.”
“So not true,” Betsy called out from the rocker. “Trust me, there’s a good reason it’s called labor.”
Her dark-haired husband brushed a strand of hair back from his wife’s face, his eyes filled with concern. “I didn’t like seeing you in such pain. Even when Adrianna assured me everything was proceeding normally, I worried.”
Beside her, Adrianna felt Tripp stiffen. Pregnancy was a natural occurrence but not without risk. Tripp knew that better than most. He’d lost his wife, Gayle, and their unborn baby three years ago when the placenta had abruptly separated from the uterine wall. Adrianna raised her hand to touch his arm in a comforting gesture but pulled back at the last second.
Tripp rarely spoke of his loss. Adrianna remembered the moment she’d heard the news as if it were yesterday.
“I’m happy for you both,” she heard Tripp say. If there was any inner turmoil, his voice gave nothing away. “Have you decided on a name?”
“Nathan.” Betsy’s radiant smile lit up the entire room. “It means ‘he whom God has given.’”
“Nate Harcourt.” Tripp cocked his head and appeared to roll the name around on his tongue. “I like it. Great name for a bull rider.”
Ryan had been a champion bull rider before hanging up his spurs to attend law school.
Betsy’s mouth widened in a perfect O and she glanced at her husband in horror. Obviously the thought of her baby boy one day straddling the back of a big bad bull didn’t sit well with the new mom.
Ryan shot Tripp a glinting “you’ll pay for that comment” before patting his wife’s shoulder. “No need to think of that now, sweetheart. That’s a lot of years away.”
“C’mon.” This time, Adrianna let her fingers curve around Tripp’s arm. “You’ve caused enough trouble for one day. Let’s give Betsy and Ryan time alone with their son.”
Tripp managed to call out his congratulations before Adrianna pulled him into the hall and shut the door to the birthing suite behind them.
“Hey, if you wanted to get me alone all you had to do was ask.”
The devilish twinkle in his eyes brought a smile to Adrianna’s lips and made her forget the scolding words on her tongue.
The man had the soul of a mischievous imp. Not to mention he was too attractive for his own good. His collar-length hair was artfully disheveled, the blond waves practically inviting a woman’s fingers to slide through the soft strands. The patch of scruff on his chin only added to his appeal.
Whenever she saw Tripp at Wally’s Place—a popular local bar—dressed in jeans and boots with his fingers curved around a bottle of Dos Equis, it was hard to imagine he could be the CEO of a health system with a multimillion-dollar budget. But his performance spoke for itself. Even though he’d been in the position for less than a year, he’d already garnered praise for his innovative changes.
They’d barely stepped away from the door when a nurse approached Adrianna for her signature. As she scrawled her name on the prescription, Adrianna couldn’t help noticing the pretty redhead checking out Tripp.
“We don’t see you up on the Maternity floor much, Mr. Randall.” The recently divorced nurse gazed at him through lowered lashes.
The RN clearly had the CEO in her crosshairs. Adrianna understood the appeal. Not only was Tripp wearing her favorite beige Armani suit with the blue tie that matched his eyes, but he also smelled terrific. A woman could get intoxicated simply breathing in the spicy scent of his cologne.
“What brings you up here today?” The nurse shifted from one foot to the other, clearly in no hurry to get back to her patients.
“Some friends had a baby.” He slanted a smile in Adrianna’s direction. “And I have a proposition for Ms. Lee.”
A look of disappointment skittered across the nurse’s face, but Tripp didn’t appear to notice.
“Well, if I can ever be of service to you, don’t hesitate to call me.”
There was a decidedly suggestive undertone to the nurse’s words that would be hard to miss, but Tripp’s easy smile never wavered.
“I’ll keep that in mind—” he glanced at her name tag “—Lila.”
“It’s Leila,” the redhead corrected, then frowned as another nurse motioned to her from the doorway of one of the birthing suites. Still, she offered Tripp another smile before strolling off, her hips swinging from side to side.
Adrianna fought an unexpected surge of jealousy. She waited until Leila was out of earshot, then took out her irritation on him. “Proposition? Couldn’t you think of a less suggestive word? The nurse probably thinks you want to sleep with me.”
His eyes widened.
Adrianna stifled a groan. Talk about a Freudian slip.
“Nah.” Tripp finally waved a dismissive hand. “Everyone knows we’re just friends.”
The words had barely left his lips when Adrianna’s pager buzzed. She slipped it from her pocket and glanced down. A patient she’d been following had been admitted in labor.
“If you have a proposition for me, you’d better spit it out quick.” Adrianna softened her abruptness with a smile. “I’ve got to run.”
“The hospital fundraiser at the Spring Gulch Country Club is Saturday.” Tripp shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “The way I figure, it makes sense for us to go together.”
“You’re asking me to go with you? Why?” Adrianna didn’t bother to curb her bluntness. She and Tripp had been down this road many times since he’d returned to Jackson Hole.
Even though neither could deny the curious energy between them, he’d made it clear on many occasions that he had zero romantic interest in her. The last time the subject had come up she’d lied and said she felt the same way about him.
“I have to be there. You have to be there.” His tone turned persuasive. “We might as well go together.”
What he said made sense as far as it went. His was a command performance. As a member of the medical staff, her attendance at the annual fundraising dinner and dance was highly encouraged.
But there were any number of women in Jackson Hole who’d be happy to be his date.
“Why me?” she asked, puzzled. “Why not ask someone else? Someone who appeals to you?”
Merely saying the words brought a pang of regret. They could be so good together … if he’d just give her a chance.
“You’re a beautiful woman.” Tripp spoke quickly as she began edging her way down the hall. “Any man would be proud to have you by his side.”
Adrianna stopped and fisted her hands on her hips. “You didn’t answer my question.”
This time Tripp didn’t pretend to misunderstand. “With you there’d be no expectations. I could network without worrying I’m neglecting you. You could do the same. Don’t we have fun when we’re together?”
Adrianna reluctantly nodded. Yes, they always had fun. Yes, she enjoyed being with him, but that was no longer enough. Last week she’d looked at the calendar and realized she’d turn thirty in a few weeks. She’d hoped that by this point she’d have a husband and a couple of kids.
That wasn’t going to happen if she kept hanging around Tripp Randall. She must tell him no. After all, there were bound to be lots of single men at the event. There was no point in attending the function with Tripp, a man who’d made his feelings very clear. Unless …
“I’ll go.” Adrianna’s heart skipped a beat at the smile he shot her. “On one condition.”
He took her hand and brought it to his lips. “Whatever you want.”
She ignored the tingles shooting up her arm and met his gaze. “You have to promise to introduce me to all your single friends.”
Tripp ran a finger along the starched inside collar of his shirt and wondered why—just once—the hospital couldn’t host a fundraiser where jeans and boots were de rigueur instead of formal attire.
Pick your battles, he told himself, and refocused on the soliloquy—er, conversation—that had been going on for endless minutes. When the portly gray-haired rancher—who happened to also be one of the trustees on the hospital board—paused after finishing a rather lengthy review of his Hereford breeding program, Tripp stuck out his hand. “Stop by my office anytime, Paul. Let me know how that new bull works out.”
Even though Tripp had been away from horses and cattle for many years, the fact that he’d grown up working on his father’s land gave him an automatic “in” with many in the community, especially those involved in ranching.
But when Tripp had decided to return, it was his MBA in Healthcare Leadership at Yale and almost ten years of experience in health-care policy and economics that had made him a viable candidate for the CEO position.
“Mark my words, that bull will—”
“I think Tripp knows exactly what the bull will do. Let the boy get back to his date.” Paul’s wife pointed to some friends across the room and insisted her husband come with her to say hello.
“Nice to see you again, Marie,” Tripp called out as she took her husband’s arm in a steely grasp and they disappeared into the crowd.
Tripp snagged a glass of wine from a passing waiter and took a sip, surveying the large room. The Spring Gulch Country Club was where most hospital events were held and this year’s fundraiser for pediatric monitoring equipment was no exception.
Tables with silent-auction items filled the perimeter of a large room just off the country club’s foyer. A huge rustic stone fireplace acted as the focal point for the room. Chandeliers made out of antlers hung from the angled ceiling. Even though the beautiful hardwood floors and the tables topped with linen screamed elegance, the chandeliers added a distinctly casual touch.
Huge urns of flowers surrounded the shiny wooden dance floor. Crystal goblets and sterling-silver flatware gleamed in the candlelight. Most of those in attendance, men in tuxedos and women in cocktail dresses, were people Tripp had known his entire life.
When he caught a glimpse of his parents on the dance floor and his mother gave him a tremulous smile, Tripp realized once again how good it was to be back. Even though the man who’d once herded cattle all day was now having difficulty slow dancing with his wife, the fact that his dad was here and on his feet brought a thankful lump to Tripp’s throat.
While Tripp didn’t regret his years on the East Coast, he did regret staying away so long.
His sister had grown from a girl into a woman while he’d been away. He caught sight of her dancing with one of Travis Fisher’s younger brothers, a big smile on her face. Like him, Hailey loved to dance.
Tripp realized he hadn’t been on the dance floor yet this evening. But that could be easily remedied. Even though there were dozens of single women at tonight’s event—including the red-haired maternity nurse, Leila—he would dance first with the woman he’d brought. He glanced around the ballroom until he spotted Adrianna walking with Lexi on the edge of the dance floor.
“You’ve got a good eye.” A man’s voice sounded from Tripp’s left. “She’s the prettiest filly in the stable.”
Tripp turned. The man, standing with a glass of whiskey in one hand, was unfamiliar. Even though he had to be in his early thirties—which would make them close to the same age—he wasn’t from Jackson Hole.
Tall, with an athletic build, the stranger had the confident stance of a person used to giving orders. His dark hair was cut stylishly short and the Hublot Black Caviar on his wrist hadn’t come off the ten-dollar watch rack. But it was his steely gray eyes that defined him.
Tripp extended his hand. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Tripp Randall, the CEO of the Jackson Hole Hospital.”
The man returned Tripp’s handshake with an equally strong grasp. “Winston Ferris.” He flashed a smile showing a mouthful of perfect white teeth. “Call me Winn.”
“Are you new to Jackson Hole, Winn?”
“I am,” Winn acknowledged, his eye shifting back to the dance floor. “My father has been here a couple of years.”
Jim Ferris. One of the newer members on the hospital’s board of trustees. And, according to Tripp’s dad, the one who’d been most resistant to hiring him.
Tripp had already forgiven the man for his error in judgment. After all, like his son said, Jim was relatively new to the community.
“Are you planning to stay?” Tripp didn’t want to pry, but he was curious. Jim Ferris had recently outbid his father on the large cattle spread adjacent to their property.
“Haven’t decided yet.” Winn’s eyes took on a lust-filled glow. “But if she’d give me a tumble, I’d definitely give more thought to hanging around.”
Tripp shifted his gaze in the direction Winn stared. A group of women stood clustered together, laughing and talking. Any one of the beauties could have caught Winn’s eye. But Tripp knew instantly which “filly” stood out from the herd.
When he’d picked up Adrianna tonight, he’d taken one look at her and immediately thought of a thousand things he’d rather be doing than attending a fundraiser.
Things he shouldn’t be thinking about a woman who was only a friend. A woman who’d been his wife’s friend. Even if Tripp had been ready to date again—to get naked with a woman again—it wouldn’t be with Adrianna. It would be with someone new, not with someone so deeply linked to his past.
Yet, he couldn’t deny there was chemistry between them. Desire had hit him full force when he’d first seen her this evening. He’d had to restrain himself from pulling her into his arms and scattering kisses across her face and neck. From pulling the pins from her hair so he could run his fingers through the silky strands. From easing the dress from her shoulders and letting it fall to the floor—
“Who is she?”
Tripp jerked his thoughts back to the present. Even though he should be relieved—after all, he had no business thinking of Adrianna in that manner—he found himself irritated by the man’s persistence.
“Which one?” Tripp forced a bored tone.
Winn snorted. “The hot brunette. She’s a dead ringer for that Brazilian actress.”
Tripp took a sip of wine. “Adrianna Lee. She’s a nurse midwife.”
“Is she married?”
Tripp didn’t like the way Winn looked at Adrianna, as if she were a piece of meat and he hadn’t eaten in a week.
There was no point in lying. Winn could easily discover the truth for himself. “She’s not.”
“The night is definitely looking up.” Winn grinned. “One more question. Do you know if she’s seeing anyone?”
Tripp thought of the promise he’d made to Adrianna. But Winn was a new acquaintance, certainly not a friend. And even if he was, she deserved better than a man who’d compare her to a horse.
“Do you know if she’s seeing anyone?” Winn repeated, a determined glint in his gray eyes.
Tripp smiled. “As a matter of fact, she’s with me.”
Chapter Two
Adrianna felt Tripp’s gaze on her from clear across the ballroom. But then, being so aware of him was nothing new. She’d recently told her friend Betsy it was as if she had special “Tripp radar” hardwired into her system.
“Do you know the guy Tripp is speaking with?” she asked Lexi Delacourt, another dear friend and one of the most beautiful women in Jackson Hole.
Lexi obligingly shifted her attention across the room, missing the admiring glances sent her way by a couple of cowboy types walking past. Adrianna could see why the men were impressed. Her friend looked especially lovely this evening in an off-the-shoulder dress in crimson with her sleek dark hair hanging loosely to her shoulders.
Her husband, Nick, must have thought she looked appealing, too, because a few minutes earlier, on her way to the powder room to check her makeup, Adrianna had stumbled upon the two kissing. It hadn’t been a simple peck on the lips either.
Lexi had been embarrassed, but Adrianna had told her she hoped when she finally married that her husband would find her irresistible enough to pull her into an alcove and kiss her with such passion.
“He’s certainly handsome. But who could he be?” Lexi expelled a frustrated breath and pursed her red lips. Her friend prided herself on knowing most of the residents of Jackson Hole, but it looked as though this time she was coming up empty.
“Could he be someone’s date?”
“It appears he’s single. At least I don’t think he’s wearing a ring.” As if to confirm her guess, the social worker narrowed her gaze, refocusing on his left hand.
“Ohmigod, Lex,” Adrianna hissed. “He saw you staring and now both of them are headed this way.”
The two men had begun to wind their way across the large ballroom, Tripp as fair as the other man was dark. Even though his friend was attractive, he didn’t affect Adrianna in the slightest.
Not like Tripp. When she’d seen him in his black tux tonight, her heart rate had skyrocketed into the danger zone. It was the first time she’d seen him dressed so formally since his junior–senior prom. She’d watched him arrive in a limo to pick up Gayle. While the two were dancing and laughing in the high school gym, Adrianna had been up in her room eating a pint of Chunky Monkey ice cream.
“They’re almost here,” Lexi whispered, sounding more like a high school friend than a happily married woman and mother of two. “Stay cool. We’ll pretend we don’t see them.”
“Is book club still on for this month?” Adrianna kept her gaze focused on Lexi.
“It is and we need to tell everyone that it’s okay to come even if they haven’t read The Garden of Forking Paths.”
Heat stole across Adrianna’s cheeks. The upcoming selection had been Lexi’s choice. Most of the group preferred genre fiction, but the social worker was determined to “broaden their horizons.” She’d suggested Anna Karenina, but the members had all said they’d read it, though Adrianna suspected most of them hadn’t.
At first, the short-story spy narrative appeared to be a more palatable solution. Until Adrianna went on to Wikipedia and discovered even the plot summary confused her.
“Borge’s story is a good example of hypertext fiction,” Adrianna murmured, repeating what she’d read in reviews.
From the smile lifting Lexi’s lips, the observation must have been spot-on. “Exactly. That’s why I wish the others would simply give it a—”
“Ladies.” Tripp surprised Adrianna by not only kissing her cheek but by also slipping an arm around her shoulders. “I hope we’re not interrupting.”
Adrianna blinked, stunned by the proprietary gesture. For several seconds her voice vanished.
Lexi waved a dismissive hand. “Just book-club stuff. Nothing important.”
The dark-haired man lifted a brow. “What’s the book of the month?”
Lexi’s smile broadened. “The Garden of Forking Paths. It’s a short story by—”
“Jorge Luis Borge.” The stranger finished the sentence for her. “An excellent example of hypertext fiction.”
Lexi slanted a glance in Adrianna’s direction. “That’s what you just said.”
“So you also liked the story?” Tripp’s friend settled his steely gray eyes on Adrianna.
“It was okay.” Now that he was close up, Adrianna admitted Lexi was right. He was handsome. And he had a confidence she found appealing. But so far, not a single spark.
Don’t be hasty, she told herself. Attraction often needs time to build.
“I don’t believe we’ve met,” Lexi said politely when Tripp made no move to perform introductions. “I’m Lexi Delacourt and this is my friend Adrianna Lee.”
“Winston Ferris.” The man extended his hand. “But please call me Winn. Winston is far too formal.”
“Is your wife here with you tonight, Mr.—er, Winn?” Lexi probed, her amber eyes sparkling with curiosity.
“I’m not married.” Winn smiled. “Or dating anyone.”
At that announcement, Lexi cast a pointed glance in Adrianna’s direction, which she promptly ignored.
Thank goodness she hadn’t yet told Lexi that she was ready to start looking for Mr. Right. If she had, there was no doubt in her mind that her friend would be shoving her in Winn’s direction, despite the fact she was here tonight with Tripp.
“Ferris?” A frown furrowed Lexi’s pretty brow. “Are you any relation to Jim?”
“He’s my father.” Winn may have answered Lexi, but his gaze remained firmly fixed on Adrianna.
“My husband, Nick, has golfed with your dad a few times.” Lexi lifted her glass of wine to her lips. “I’ve heard your father has an amazing chip shot.”
Winn simply smiled and refocused on Adrianna. “What about you? Do you have a husband? Or a boyfriend?”
Adrianna hesitated. While she supposed some might be flattered by his attention, his dogged determination to capture her interest rubbed her wrong, reminding her of that bad experience with her college boyfriend.
Besides, making a move on her wasn’t particularly gentlemanly, considering she was here with someone else. Unless Tripp had told him they were only friends.
Adrianna slanted a sideways glance at Tripp, hoping for some answers.
“I thought I made it clear that Adrianna is with me.” There was an undercurrent of warning running through Tripp’s voice that surprised Adrianna.
Whatever she’d expected Tripp to say, it wasn’t that. Was he aware by phrasing it that way it sounded as if they were a real couple?
“That’s right.” Winn gave a little laugh. “Must have slipped my mind.”
Tripp’s gaze shifted to Adrianna.
“It’s past time we dance.” He slipped his arm from her shoulder and took her hand. Before his fingers laced through hers, his thumb caressed her palm.
Adrianna’s knees suddenly went weak.
Tripp smiled. There was warmth—dare she say, heat?—in his eyes that she couldn’t recall seeing there before.
“Dancing would be … lovely.” Her tongue moistened her suddenly dry lips and once again she saw a flash of heat.
“Nice to meet you, Winn,” she called over her shoulder as Tripp tugged her to the dance floor, then jerked her close.
They fit as though they were made for each other. Tripp was just enough taller that even with her heels they came together perfectly. She wondered what it would be like if they made love. Would they come together just as perfectly? She promptly banished the thought. It wasn’t as if that was ever going to happen.
Of course, she thought, resting her head against his broad chest, it wasn’t as if she thought he’d ever hold her hand either. Or kiss her cheek.
Tripp’s arms were so strong it didn’t matter if her knees had the consistency of gelatin. When the band launched into a rendition of “Embraceable You,” a special favorite of her parents, a sadness washed over Adrianna.
She’d been nineteen and away at college when her parents had passed away, victims of carbon monoxide poisoning due to a blocked fireplace flue. Adrianna lifted her head and gazed up at Tripp. “Did you know Gayle was the first person to express her condolences after my parents died?”
He shook his head, then frowned. “What made you think of that?”
“My mom and dad loved this song.” Adrianna sighed, feeling a bit wistful. “Whenever it would come on the radio, they’d drop whatever they were doing and dance.”
If she closed her eyes, she could see them now, her mother’s head on her dad’s shoulder, a dreamy smile on her lips.
“They’d been married for almost fifteen years and had given up hope of having any children when I came along,” Adrianna continued. “A child in the house had to have been a big change, but I always felt wanted and loved.”
Her troubles in college had occurred after their deaths. She’d been so lonely, so naive, so willing to believe a handsome man’s lies. Then her world had imploded and she’d had no one. But Adrianna told herself that unlike her friends, her mom and dad would have stood by her through that horrible time.
How different things might have been …
Sighing again, she placed her cheek against the starched front of Tripp’s shirt and let herself relax.
“Have you had a nice evening so far?” Tripp murmured against her hair.
“It’s been fun.” She lifted her head and realized with a start that his lips were right there. If she leaned forward ever so slightly, they would kiss. Really kiss.
Her heart stuttered.
The music disappeared.
Had she ever noticed the tiny gold flecks in his blue eyes? Or the faint smattering of freckles across the bridge of his nose? Or how good he smelled? Yes, she’d definitely noticed how good he smelled. Like soap. And sexy cologne. And that indefinable male scent that made something tighten deep in her abdomen.
Tripp’s eyes darkened. His mouth drew closer.
Anticipation skittered up Adrianna’s spine. She held her breath.
“You two look like you’re having a good time.”
Tripp stopped so abruptly that Adrianna stumbled.
“Are you okay?” he asked, after helping her regain her balance.
She nodded.
“I’m sorry. We didn’t mean to startle you.”
Adrianna turned to find Tripp’s parents staring at her.
“I’m fine. Really.” Heat rose up her neck and she wondered how much they’d seen. Of course, it wasn’t as if their son had actually kissed her.
“You look lovely this evening,” Tripp’s mother gushed. “Doesn’t Adrianna look pretty, Frank?”
“Beautiful,” Tripp’s father responded.
Pleasure slid through Adrianna’s veins like warm honey. She couldn’t believe Tripp’s mother remembered her, much less recalled her name. They’d met only once and that was months ago. “It’s a pleasure to see both of you again, Mr. and Mrs. Randall.”
“Please, call me Kathy.” The sparkle in his mother’s blue eyes reminded Adrianna of Tripp. She looked every inch a wealthy rancher’s wife with her dark blond hair cut in a stylish bob and her elegant black dress brightened by large teardrop diamond earrings and a matching necklace.
Her husband stood beside her, one hand resting lightly on her back. A tall man with salt-and-pepper hair and a weathered face, Franklin had lost a lot of weight in the past year and his tux hung loosely on his large frame.
“Was that Jim Ferris’s boy I saw you speaking with a few minutes ago?” Frank asked his son.
“His name is Winston.” Tripp cupped Adrianna’s elbow in his hand and they followed his parents off the dance floor. “From what he said, it sounds like he just got into town. He didn’t mention if he planned on staying.”
“Oh, he’s staying.” Frank gave a humorless chuckle. “He’s in bed with GPG. The word is he was involved with golf-course development in Florida. Wants to do the same here and has GPG’s backing.”
GPG had been in the local news a lot lately. It was a large investment firm with deep pockets and a mission to develop every inch of Jackson Hole. Environmental concerns were simply obstacles to be overcome.
“GPG or no GPG, getting approval will be a problem.” Tripp appeared pleased at the prospect. “Any golf-course development will have to meet the environmentally sensitive guidelines the county implemented last year.”
“Golf.” Adrianna wrinkled her nose. “I’ve never understood the point of hitting a little white ball.”
Frank’s eyes widened. He opened his mouth, then clamped it shut without responding.
Kathy looked amused.
Tripp chuckled.
“Considering my father used to practically live on the golf course, a statement like that is tantamount to waving a red flag in front of a bull,” Tripp whispered in a tone loud enough for all of them to hear.
Warmth crept up Adrianna’s neck but she lifted her chin. “It’s just my opinion.”
“And mine.” Kathy shot Adrianna a wink.
Before much more could be said, an announcement sent them to their assigned seats for dinner.
Adrianna recognized two of the men and one of the women already at their table as being current board members. Although they were seniors, Adrianna wasn’t worried. Because of her parents being older, she’d always felt comfortable with that generation. She chatted easily throughout a delicious meal of chicken, asparagus and wild rice. The dessert she left untouched.
“Is something wrong with the cheesecake?” Tripp leaned close, the question meant for her ears only.
Adrianna lifted one shoulder in a slight shrug and tried to pretend his nearness didn’t affect her. “Simply too much food.”
“No wine. No dessert. You’re a cheap date,” Tripp teased.
Her heart twisted. If only this was a real date….
“What are you thinking?” Tripp asked.
“That I’m having a nice time tonight.”
“You sound surprised.”
“In a way I am,” she answered honestly. “For me, these events are normally just something to endure.”
He brushed a stray tendril of hair back from her cheek with one finger. “You’re having a good time tonight because you’re with me.”
Adrianna rolled her eyes while inwardly agreeing.
The band started up again and Adrianna found herself swaying with the music.
Tripp pushed back his chair.
When she stood and he took her hand, electricity shot up Adrianna’s arm.
“I love the songs they’re playing tonight—” she began, then stopped when Winn stepped in front of her.
The man smiled at Adrianna and ignored Tripp. “May I have the pleasure of this dance, Ms. Lee?”
Even though outwardly Winn appeared self-assured, something in his eyes told Adrianna he wasn’t as confident as he appeared. She knew all about faking confidence in social settings. The knowledge that they had that in common made her offer him an extra-warm smile.
“Actually, the lady isn’t available. She’s dancing every dance with me.” Tripp’s blue eyes were positively frosty.
“Let her go with him, son.” Jim Ferris seemed to appear out of nowhere. “There are several things I’ve been meaning to discuss with you. This will be a good opportunity for us to talk.”
Adrianna fought a surge of disappointment. But to be anything other than gracious about the change in plans would put Tripp—and Winn—in an awkward position.
“I’d love to dance with you.” Adrianna smiled at Winn, then shifted her gaze to Tripp. “The one after that is yours.”
Tripp leaned close and for one crazy second Adrianna thought he was going to kiss her. Instead he squeezed both her hands.
“The next and all the ones after that.” Tripp gazed into her eyes, his tone brooking no argument.
“Absolutely.” Adrianna felt as if she was floating. She wasn’t sure what had happened to Tripp’s normal hands-off behavior, but she was enjoying the change.
As Winn took her arm and led her to the dance floor, Adrianna felt Tripp’s eyes on her. Hiding a smile, she added a little sway to her hips.
Chapter Three
Tripp stood on the edge of the dance floor, schmoozing with a couple of donors, doing his best to ignore the music filling the ballroom. The romantic melody was almost as irritating as the cloying sweetness emanating from the large urn of fresh flowers positioned next to him.
He murmured words of agreement or occasionally nodded, enough to make the two men across from him believe they had his full attention. The truth was, conversing with them was merely a cover. It allowed Tripp to surreptitiously watch Adrianna while she danced with Winn.
The “important meeting” with Jim Ferris had taken just long enough for Winn to lead Adrianna to the dance floor. Tripp suspected the trustee’s urgent need to talk had been merely a ploy to aid his son in getting what he wanted. Now, seeing the smirk on Winn’s face as he held the brunette, Tripp was sure of it.
He wasn’t surprised. Adrianna was a beautiful woman with a killer body, sculpted screen-goddess features and incredible green eyes.
The lithesome beauty seemed unaware of her appeal. She always insisted she’d spent her childhood as somewhat of an ugly duckling and hadn’t begun to blossom until college.
But Tripp had noticed her latent beauty back in high school. He’d made the mistake of mentioning his observation to Gayle. She’d gone ballistic.
That had been the first of many fights they’d had stemming from her irrational jealousy.
Even now, the simple act of appreciating the way Adrianna’s dress emphasized her large breasts made him feel guilty. He lifted his gaze … and found her staring.
Not at Winn.
At him.
Tripp smiled back before refocusing his attention back on the donors.
Now, with his eyes elsewhere, he found himself thinking how much Adrianna’s friendship had meant to him. Her supportive texts and emails following his wife’s death had been a bright light during that dark period.
A comfortable closeness had developed over cyberspace. Even after the initial shock and grief had begun to subside, they’d continued to correspond, sharing thoughts and feelings they never would have shared in person.
It wasn’t until Tripp returned to Jackson Hole that things turned awkward. He and Adrianna shared many of the same friends. Friends who’d recently begun marrying at alarming rates and who seemed to think they’d make a perfect match.
Now that he was home, the closeness they’d built somehow felt wrong now. He could almost hear Gayle sneering and telling him, “See, I was right. You were attracted to her.” Which he knew wasn’t the truth back then, but definitely was true now.
When Tripp had told his friends he was too busy to date, some assumed he was still grieving the loss of his wife and unborn daughter. Actually, Tripp was ready to move on. The irony was, now that he was ready, the one woman he was interested in was the one he couldn’t bring himself to pursue. So he stuck with his original story that he didn’t have time.
It was mostly the truth.
With declining Medicare reimbursement and pressure from insurance companies to accept deeper discounts, Tripp had to bring his A-game to work every day. If that weren’t enough, his dad had been diagnosed with malignant melanoma.
See? Too busy.
Yet, he was grateful Adrianna had agreed to accompany him tonight. Especially because he and the beautiful brunette had achieved an understanding. They were simply friends with no expectations of more.
Tripp inhaled sharply as Winn slid his hand slowly up Adrianna’s back. He narrowed his gaze. Anger surged. He’d made it clear to Winn that Adrianna was his date for the evening.
Actually, he’d taken it a step further. He’d let Winn believe Adrianna was his girlfriend. But that was something he’d clear up later.
Once he pried Winn’s hands off Adrianna’s body.
The crowded dance floor could have explained why Winn held her so tightly, although Adrianna doubted that was the only reason. She guessed it had more to do with Tripp’s unyielding gaze fixed on them and Winn’s desire to jerk his chain.
She was certain Winn was aware of Tripp’s scrutiny. Her “Tripp radar” had kicked in almost immediately upon reaching the dance floor. She’d waited until she was facing the right direction before slanting a quick glance where she’d last seen Tripp. Just as she’d thought, he was staring. Their eyes met and one look from his baby blues was all it took to send her pulse into overdrive.
Telling herself that it was supremely tacky to stare at one man while dancing with another, Adrianna pulled her gaze back to Winn.
“Being a midwife, I’m guessing you could find work anywhere.” Halfway through the sentence his gaze dropped to her cleavage.
Adrianna waited, determined not to speak until he stopped conversing with her breasts.
Winn finally looked up. “With so many choices I’m surprised you ended up here.”
It wasn’t the first time she’d heard the ridiculous statement, but the sentiment always caught Adrianna off guard. As far as she was concerned, there wasn’t a better place to live than surrounded by the majestic Tetons.
She gave a throaty laugh. “What’s wrong with Jackson Hole?”
Winn’s lips lifted in a lazy smile. “Well, for starters, it’s a bit on the small side.”
“That’s part of its appeal.” Adrianna loved seeing the babies she’d delivered when she went to the grocery store or stopped for a latte at Hill of Beans. “Besides, I grew up here. This is home.”
A speculative look crossed Winn’s face as he guided her across the dance floor, his movements fluid but not showy. “So you and Tripp go way back.”
Actually, not as far back as Winn probably thought, but Adrianna wasn’t about to admit that Tripp hadn’t known she was alive back in high school. “We do.”
“My father told me Tripp was married once but his wife died.” The sympathy in Winn’s eyes appeared sincere. While he came on a little strong, Adrianna had the feeling that deep down Winn was a good guy. Too bad there was no spark.
“Gayle was a dear friend of mine.” A familiar ache wrapped itself around Adrianna’s heart. “A wonderful woman.”
“I didn’t realize you and she were friends.” Winn lifted a brow. “Doesn’t that make things awkward?”
“How do you mean?”
“Your friend was the one Tripp Randall chose to marry. Now she’s gone and he turns to you.” Winn’s gaze fixed on her, gauging her reaction. “You don’t deserve to be second best.”
Adrianna instantly realized Winn had misconstrued her and Tripp’s relationship. A little matter she could clear up with a few simple words. But it felt as though something more was going on here, something she couldn’t put her finger on, something just beyond her reach.
She lifted her chin and gazed at him through lowered lashes. “If you knew me better, you’d know I’m not second best to anyone.”
Winn’s eyes turned hot and dark.
“I find confidence very sexy,” he responded with a glittering smile. “I’m also a man who likes a challenge.”
Adrianna cocked her head. “A challenge?”
“The way I see it, unless a woman has a wedding ring on her finger, she’s available.” While he spoke Winn slid one hand up her back.
Adrianna experienced a strange ticklish aversion to his touch. She was seized with a sudden urge to squirm … or slap his hand away.
“How close are you and Tripp Randall?” Winn asked in a low tone, his breath hot against her ear. “Is there the slightest possibility that another man—”
“I believe this is my dance.”
Adrianna couldn’t believe it when Tripp gently disengaged her from Winn’s arms.
Strangely, Winn didn’t protest.
“Thank you for the dance.” Adrianna offered him a polite smile.
“It was a good beginning,” Winn said, a twinkle in his eye. “I look forward to seeing you again and getting even better acquainted.”
“What was that about?” Tripp took her in his arms. His shoulder was hard beneath her hand, his arms steady as they began to dance.
“What do you mean?”
“Are you going to go out with him?” he asked, eyeing her.
Something about his tone rubbed Adrianna the wrong way. As much as she’d dreamed of more, she’d finally, reluctantly accepted that she and Tripp were just friends. After all, he’d made it clear friendship was all he wanted from her. So why was he acting as if she’d done something wrong by simply allowing another man to flirt with her?
You can’t have it both ways, Tripp Randall.
“I may.” She lifted a shoulder in a slight shrug. “If he asks.”
Tripp’s blue eyes darkened to black and his lips pressed together. “I don’t trust him.”
“You don’t know him,” Adrianna said mildly.
“You don’t either,” he shot back.
“Isn’t that what dating is about … getting better acquainted?” Adrianna responded, instead of telling him that she had no interest in dating Winn Ferris.
“Doesn’t it bother you that even though Winn believes we’re dating, he continued to put some serious moves on you?” he murmured, twining a strand of her hair loosely around his fingers.
“Winn told me he considers any woman available as long as there’s no wedding ring on her finger.” Adrianna cursed herself for sounding breathless. But darn it, when the back of his knuckles brushed her cheek, it took everything she had not to close her eyes and sigh in ecstasy.
“Is that what you believe?” His voice gentled to a husky caress.
“No. Yes. I’m not sure.” Adrianna found it hard to think clearly with him so near. “But you and I aren’t dating, so I don’t see that it’s any of your business who I see or don’t see.”
“I care about you, Anna.” Tripp caught her hand in his, lifted it to his mouth and pressed a kiss in the palm. Time seemed to stretch and extend as he looked deep into her eyes. “I’ll find you a good man.”
Her spine stiffened. She could feel it go hard vertebra by vertebra. She pushed away from him, irritation fueling her movements. The only problem she had in the man department was her attraction to Tripp, a man who didn’t want to date her but apparently wanted to run her social life. “I don’t mind your introducing me to your friends, but I’m more than capable of taking it from there.”
Tripp made a scoffing sound. “You haven’t been on a real date in months.”
“That’s not the point. I decided only last week to be more proactive on that front,” Adrianna said with a studied nonchalance. “My dateless status will be changing soon.”
Tripp’s brows furrowed. “It’s important not to move too fast.”
The genuine concern in his voice and the protective look in his eyes whittled away at her irritation.
“I’m going to be thirty in less than a month.” Adrianna experienced a pang at the thought. “If I want a husband and children, I need to get busy. Who knows—perhaps Winston Ferris will end up being my destiny.”
Tripp’s arms tightened around her, bringing her closer. “He won’t.”
“I guess we’re just going to have to see which one of us is right,” she answered with a breezy sigh.
A soft expletive slipped past his lips. Tripp couldn’t believe they were having this conversation. Winston Ferris was not Adrianna’s destiny. Tripp knew that as well as he knew his own name.
As the sultry scent of Adrianna’s perfume teased his nostrils and his gaze was drawn downward to her voluptuous breasts, he realized why he was so concerned.
Adrianna might give the appearance of being a woman of the world, but it was all for show. He knew her secret. She was very much an innocent in the ways of men. Winn wasn’t pursuing Adrianna with marriage in mind. The wealthy bachelor had a much simpler goal: get her into his bed.
“Tripp, I don’t want to argue with you tonight.” A self-conscious-sounding laugh escaped her lips.
His heart stumbled over itself at the worry reflected in the depths of her green eyes. “I don’t want to argue with you either.”
Determined to make this a wonderful evening for her, Tripp spent the rest of the dance and the ones that followed making sure Winn’s name didn’t come up. The conversation flowed effortlessly and Tripp was once again struck by how much he and Adrianna had in common.
After a fast-paced salsa that saw the older crowd exit the dance floor in droves, Adrianna mentioned she was thirsty. Taking her arm, he led them to one of the bars scattered around the large ballroom.
Because Adrianna was on call and couldn’t drink, he got her a club soda and ordered himself a beer. After they’d gotten their drinks, they circled the ballroom. They were pushing their way through the densely packed crowd to say hello to some friends when they ran into Merle Bach, one of the trustees who’d been at their table for dinner.
Unfortunately, this time it wasn’t Merle’s wife at his side, but Jim Ferris.
“Good to see you both again.” Merle favored them with a bright smile. With his snow-white hair, midsection paunch and jolly laugh, Merle had always reminded Tripp of Santa Claus … with cowboy boots. “I was telling Jim how much Helen and I enjoyed visiting with you and Adrianna. It’s good to see you settling into the community.”
“I grew up here, Merle.” Tripp kept his tone light even as he tightened his hold on the bottle of beer. “It didn’t take much for me to settle back in.”
Tripp saw Merle and Jim exchange a quick, significant glance. It was common knowledge that when the previous hospital CEO had retired, Jim had liked another man for the position. The rumor was that while Jim conceded Tripp had the experience they needed, he hadn’t liked the fact that Tripp was young and single.
“You know what I mean.” Merle slapped him on the back and turned to Adrianna. “We couldn’t be happier about the woman who’s putting an end to your bachelor ways.”
“You’re a lucky man,” Jim added.
Even though she stiffened beside him, Adrianna didn’t say a word. Obviously she was leaving the delicate response to him.
Diplomacy and tact, Tripp told himself. He scrambled for the right words that wouldn’t make Merle feel awkward for misunderstanding and also wouldn’t be disrespectful to Adrianna.
“I’ve decided to have a barbecue at my place next Saturday,” Jim announced before Tripp could respond. “A party to welcome my boy to Jackson Hole. I’ll be inviting board members and many of the medical staff. I’m sure your parents will be there, Tripp. I hope we can also count on you and Adrianna.”
Tripp hesitated. If he didn’t take Adrianna, he knew who would. That would be tantamount to throwing her to the wolves.
He cared about her too much—er, she was too close a friend—for him to allow that to happen.
“I don’t think I have anything on my calendar.” Tripp slanted a sideways glance at Adrianna. “Do you remember if we had any plans?”
“No—” she cleared her throat “—I’m available.”
“Well, I’m delighted you can make it,” Jim said in a gravelly voice. “I know my son is disappointed that this lovely young woman is already taken, but I’m happy for you both.”
Even though a polite smile remained on her lips, Adrianna gave Tripp a quick thrust of her elbow.
She was right. He needed to respond to Jim’s statement, to make the limits of their “relationship” clear.
The words were poised on Tripp’s lips when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Winn approaching.
With an unsteady hand, Tripp slipped an arm around Adrianna’s shoulders and smiled. “I feel lucky to have her in my life.”
Chapter Four
Adrianna rocked slowly back and forth, smiling down at the baby cuddled in her arms. It was warm for early September, so she and Betsy had decided to sit outside on the front porch. The cottage in Jackson that Betsy and Ryan now called home had originally belonged to Betsy’s great-aunt. After much renovation, it had a warm, homey feel that Adrianna’s recently built condo could never hope to emulate.
She stared into baby Nathan’s dark blue eyes and shared her most recent dilemma. “You remember Tripp. Yes, he’s a nice guy. But we both know I was crazy for saying I’d go to the barbecue with him.”
“I hate to tell you, but Nate’s more concerned about his next meal than your social life.” Betsy spoke through the screen door. She pushed it open and placed a tray filled with glasses of iced tea and a plate of snickerdoodle cookies on the small table. “You like Tripp. Why not go to a party with him?”
Betsy settled herself into a matching rocker, apparently content to leave the baby in Adrianna’s arms.
“I want what you have, Bets.” Adrianna lifted the crystal tumbler with one hand, careful not to disturb the infant in her arms. “But how am I going to find Mr. Right if I keep hanging out with Tripp?”
Instead of tossing out some platitude, her friend’s expression turned thoughtful. “I understand. I really do. But it’s obvious Tripp likes you. Perhaps, given time—”
“He’s not going to come around.” Adrianna spoke so loudly the baby stirred in her arms. She softened her tone. “Tripp has made it perfectly clear that he thinks of me only as a friend.”
“But at the country club he was being so attentive—”
“A dog with his bone. Nothing more.” Although the realization hurt, Adrianna refused to sugarcoat the truth. “Winn was showing interest. Tripp reacted.”
“If you’re so convinced there’s no hope, why are you going with him to the party?”
Exactly the question Adrianna had been asking herself.
“Well, Winn will be there.” Adrianna settled back against the rocker and tried to picture the dark-haired man. Unfortunately, the only male image that sprang to mind had blond hair and chin scruff. She determinedly blinked it away. “It’ll give me the opportunity to get to know him without going on an actual date.”
“I guess that could occur.” Betsy chewed on her lower lip, her gaze thoughtful. “Unless Tripp continues to play the possessive-boyfriend card.”
That was definitely a possibility. Adrianna sighed. Perhaps she should cancel. Of course, with the party scheduled for tomorrow night, if she was going to bail on Tripp, she had to tell him soon. She rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Maybe I should forget about men, get a couple cats and save myself all this stress.”
“Yeah, right,” Betsy said with a laugh.
Adrianna had done so much thinking about her situation that her head felt ready to explode. “Enough about me. What’s new with you? Other than having a wonderful husband and this fabulous baby boy.”
“Well …” Betsy stared at the tea in her hands. She cleared her throat, then lifted her gaze. “Keenan may be getting a new trial.”
Adrianna had known Betsy’s older brother since childhood. Keenan McGregor had been a fearless risk taker, brilliant but angry. Angry at his mother for being a drunk, angry at watching his little sister go without food, angry at the lousy cards he’d been dealt in life.
Still, as volatile as Keenan had been, Adrianna believed—as Betsy did—that he was innocent of the crime that had sent him to the penitentiary in Rawlins two years ago.
“That’s wonderful news,” Adrianna said cautiously, knowing that it would be an uphill battle for someone already convicted to get a new trial. “Is his public defender spearheading the effort?”
“As if that would ever happen,” Betsy snorted, a look of disgust on her face. “No, Keenan has finally agreed to let Cole and Ryan help him. You know how resistant my brother has been about accepting assistance from family or friends.”
“I remember.” Betsy had been devastated when Keenan had refused to take her savings to hire a better attorney when he was originally brought up on charges. “What changed?”
“I don’t want to say he found religion—that’s a bit too clichéd.” Betsy’s lips twisted in a wry smile. “But one of the prison chaplains somehow convinced him there’s no shame in accepting assistance.”
“I’m so glad.” Adrianna reached over and squeezed her friend’s hand.
“Ryan is now in charge of the legal team. Cole insisted on hiring—and paying for—a private investigator.”
Cole Lassiter had also been Keenan’s friend growing up. He’d come from a similar home situation as Betsy and Keenan, but had turned his frustration into determination and now was the head of Hill of Beans, with over twenty-five coffee shops west of the Mississippi, including one in Jackson Hole.
“Have they unearthed any new evidence?” Adrianna asked.
“It’s looking that way,” Betsy said cautiously. “I’m trying not to get my hopes up.”
“I’ll say a little prayer for him.”
“I’d appreciate it.” A truck turned the corner and Betsy gave Adrianna a curious look. “Have you decided what you’re going to do about Tripp?”
“You mean since we last spoke about him a minute ago?” Adrianna’s lips twisted upward. “I still have time to make up my mind.”
The barbecue wasn’t until tomorrow night. Once she left Betsy’s house, Adrianna had a full schedule of appointments at the clinic where she practiced with two female ob-gyns. After her last appointment, she planned to do a pro–con list and then make her decision. If she decided to opt out, that would still give Tripp twenty-four hours to find someone else.
Even though she told herself she didn’t care, the thought of Tripp attending the party with another woman made Adrianna reach for a cookie. And she didn’t even like snickerdoodles.
“I’d say you have about sixty seconds.”
Confused, Adrianna followed her friend’s gaze to the street where two men were getting out of a pickup.
Her traitorous heart skipped a beat. When Tripp saw her and lifted a hand, she had little choice but to smile and wave.
“What’s he doing here?” she asked Betsy, keeping the smile firmly on her lips.
“No idea.” Betsy rose to her feet. “Ryan called earlier and said he’d be stopping by to pick up the laptop he’d forgotten. He didn’t mention bringing Tripp with him.”
Of course he didn’t, Adrianna thought with a sigh.
She glanced down at her stylish paisley dress and heels. At least she looked presentable. Not that it mattered. After all, Tripp was just a friend.
Betsy greeted her husband on the steps to the porch, wrapping her arms around his neck and ardently kissing him.
Inside the house, a Pomeranian barked a welcome.
“Maybe we should have someone around to hold the baby more often.” Ryan stepped back with obvious reluctance, keeping his arm around his wife’s shoulders.
“Looking good, Betsy.” Tripp’s words made the new mom blush.
Adrianna knew the compliment was sincere. Even though Betsy often referred to herself as a “Plain Jane,” nothing could be further from the truth. Her friend looked adorable in a flirty blue print skirt and cotton sweater.
Tripp shifted his gaze to Adrianna. “You look lovely, too, Ms. Lee.”
“As do you, Mr. Randall.” Actually, Tripp looked positively yummy in a dark suit and gray shirt. And as he stepped close, Adrianna discovered he smelled just as good as he looked. A thousand times more appetizing than the cookie in her hand. Adrianna dropped it to her plate and cocked her head. “Isn’t this a workday for you?”
“I might ask you the same question,” he responded with a raised brow.
“It’s my morning off,” she informed him. “I have clinic this afternoon.”
“I’m taking an early lunch,” Tripp explained.
She smiled. “Pays to be the boss.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Adrianna saw that Ryan had pulled Betsy close once again. They were speaking so softly she couldn’t hear what they were saying.
“He seems to be a good baby.” Tripp crouched down beside Adrianna, a curved finger caressing the baby’s soft cheek.
His gaze took on a distant look and Adrianna wondered if he was thinking of the baby he’d lost. Her heart clenched. Sometimes life simply wasn’t fair.
“I confirmed the barbecue tomorrow night starts at seven.” Tripp’s blue eyes met hers. “I thought I’d pick you up around six-thirty?”
Something has come up and I’m not able to make it after all. The words, poised on the tip of her tongue, morphed as they hit her lips.
“Sounds good,” she heard herself say. Nonono. “I mean—”
“Tripp—” Ryan motioned to him “—do you have a second to look at the notes on Keenan’s case?”
“You’re in on the effort to get Keenan released?” Adrianna didn’t know why she was so surprised. Tripp had been part of that close-knit group of athletes and friends.
“Not yet.” Tripp pulled to his feet. “But when I heard what was going on, I told Ryan I wanted to help.”
Tell him you can’t go with him to the party, Adrianna’s inner voice nagged. Tell him now.
“I—”
Before she could get another word out, Tripp smiled at her. “I’m really looking forward to tomorrow night.”
“You are?” Sounding like a frog was definitely not Adrianna’s style. She cleared her throat, prepared to try again.
“Tripp,” Ryan called out, “I have a client coming at two, so I don’t have long.”
“Coming.” But before Tripp headed into the house, he surprised Adrianna by reaching over and squeezing her shoulder. “See you tomorrow.”
“I’ll be ready,” Adrianna murmured.
The flash of his smile sent desire coursing through her veins like honey and red flags popping up.
When the screen door closed behind the two men, Betsy turned to Adrianna. “Sounds like you made your decision.”
“It appears so.”
Yes, she’d made a decision. The trouble was, Adrianna was gripped with the sinking feeling it was the wrong one.
When Adrianna opened her front door the next day and saw Tripp wearing jeans and a twill shirt that made his eyes look extra blue, her heart skipped a beat. She tried to ignore the flutter as she motioned him inside.
Although Adrianna rarely wore denim, for a Jackson Hole outdoor barbecue she’d made an exception. She’d coupled her skinny jeans with a double V-neck lattice-back top in a rich emerald-green.
After glancing longingly at the stilettos in her closet, she’d settled for a pointy-toed pair of kitten heels. Walking over uneven terrain made anything over an inch impractical.
“I’ve never seen someone look so pretty in denim,” Tripp said, his gaze lingering on the tight-fitting jeans.
Adrianna couldn’t help herself. A shiver raced up her spine. “I could say the same about you.”
“Pretty? Good Gawd, I hope not.” Tripp laughed aloud, then grinned. “I can never predict what’s going to come out of your mouth, Ms. Lee.”
“It’d be boring if you could,” she said with a wink.
They walked to Tripp’s truck side by side but not touching. Which was exactly what she wanted, Adrianna told herself.
Tripp pulled the door open for her and Adrianna climbed into the vehicle without assistance. The way he made her feel, the less they touched the better.
“Do you know who’s going to be at this event?” she asked after he’d slid behind the wheel and the truck pulled away from the curb. “Will there be anyone we know?”
We know. Sheesh. Adrianna flushed. Anyone hearing her would think they were a couple. Which was not how she meant it at all. Thankfully, Tripp’s lack of reaction told her he hadn’t noticed her faux pas.
His brow furrowed in thought. “I believe Nick Delacourt told me he and Lexi were coming. If I had to guess, I’d say David and July Wahl will be there, too.”
Nick was a prominent family law attorney, who divided his time between his Dallas practice and the one he’d started in Jackson Hole. He’d met and married popular social worker Lexi several years ago after he was forced to remain in Jackson Hole while recovering from a serious skiing accident.
Hospital Chief of Staff Dr. David Wahl and his photographer wife, July, were also part of the wide circle of friends that Adrianna and Tripp shared. Of course, even after only a year of being back in Jackson Hole, Tripp was more firmly ensconced in the group than she would ever be. As Adrianna often told her good friend Betsy, she didn’t do groups well. Actually, she wasn’t that great one-on-one either.
“I wonder if Winn will be here tonight,” Adrianna mused when they turned off the highway onto the long, black-topped lane leading to the house.
Tripp slanted a sideways glance in her direction. “Do you want him to be?”
Adrianna lifted one shoulder in a slight shrug and answered honestly. “I’m not sure. I don’t feel any particular chemistry with him, but then, we just met.”
Tripp’s lips tightened. “I take it you’re still on your manhunt?”
The tone of his voice made it clear he didn’t approve. She told herself she didn’t care. What she did wasn’t any of his business.
“I wouldn’t put it quite that way, but yes, I’m hoping to find someone special.” Adrianna refused to apologize for wanting a special man in her life. “Do you like coming home to an empty house?”
“Not particularly,” he said quietly. “But my life is so busy right now I don’t have time for a relationship.”
We make time for what’s important. The words were on the tip of her tongue but Adrianna pulled them back. It was obvious to her—and to other friends—that Tripp and Gayle’s relationship had been a special one and that he was having difficulty moving on.
Strangely, knowing that no woman would likely ever measure up to what Tripp had shared with Gayle made his disinterest in her slightly more palatable.
“I’m sure it’s hard,” Adrianna acknowledged. “When you’ve had the best, it’d be hard to settle for less.”
Tripp acted as if he hadn’t heard her, opening his door and rounding the front of the truck to reach her. When she stepped out, he was waiting.
“Jim Ferris thinks you and I are together,” he said in a conversational tone as they started up the walk.
“You mean he knows you’re bringing me to party.”
“No,” Tripp continued in the same nonchalant tone as they approached the sprawling log structure, “Jim thinks you’re my girlfriend.”
Confused, Adrianna turned to him. “Because we danced together at the country club?”
“That, and the fact that we’d come to that event together.” Tripp raked a hand through his hair. “I should have said something then, cleared up the misunderstanding.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“I don’t know. Maybe I didn’t want to make him look like a fool for making such an assumption. Maybe I didn’t want to piss him off.” Tripp paused at the foot of the wooden steps leading to the home’s front porch. “Did you know that Jim tried to block my appointment? He didn’t like it that I was single. He wanted a family guy for the position.”
“But you have fabulous credentials,” Adrianna sputtered. “I read all the bios when the Jackson Hole News reported on the candidates. You were far and away the most qualified.”
Tripp smiled at her vehemence. “Remember, they did pick me.”
“They would have been stupid if they hadn’t,” Adrianna retorted, then paused. “But because you were selected, why does it matter what Ferris thinks about your single status?”
“It doesn’t. I’ll make sure he understands tonight that you and I are simply friends,” Tripp said apologetically. “If you’d like, I’ll also make it clear to Winn that you’re available.”
Adrianna waved a dismissive hand. “Not necessary.”
Tripp’s gaze searched her face. “Are you sure?”
Adrianna offered him a reassuring smile. “I believe that for Winn my perceived unavailability is part of my appeal.”
“But if he thinks you’re with me, he won’t—”
“I’m sure his father will eventually tell him the news.”
“That might not be right away.”
Even though part of her reason for coming was to check out Winn as a potential future date, Adrianna found this sudden need of Tripp to matchmake extremely irritating. She fisted her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes. “Were you hoping to pawn me off on Winn tonight?”
“Absolutely not,” he said, looking properly horrified.
“Well, then, you’re stuck with me,” she said, somewhat mollified. “At least for tonight.”
“Excellent.” Tripp flashed a wolfish grin and rang the bell.
Adrianna was still mulling over that response when Jim Ferris opened the door. The older man’s broad smile included them both.
“Welcome.” He motioned them inside. “Everyone is out back. Let me show you the way.”
Tripp and Jim engaged in small talk while Adrianna was content to walk beside them and admire the interior of the ranch home with its open-beamed ceilings and elegant understated casualness.
“Adrianna.” She heard Lexi’s voice ring out a welcome the second they stepped onto the back patio.
She turned and saw the pretty brunette and another good friend, July Wahl, standing next to a large urn of multicolored mums.
Adrianna lightly touched Tripp’s arm, distracting him from his conversation with Jim.
“If you need me, I’ll be over chatting with July and Lexi.” She gestured with her head toward the two women.
“Jim wants to introduce me to a couple of guys, then I’ll join you,” Tripp assured her.
“No worries.” Adrianna smiled up at him. “I’ll be fine.”
As she walked away she heard Jim murmur something about how lucky he was to be with someone so understanding. She didn’t hear Tripp’s reply but it scarcely mattered.
Adrianna wasn’t with Tripp.
He knew it.
She knew it.
And as soon as Tripp had a chance to tell him, Jim Ferris would know it, too.
Chapter Five
“I love your shirt,” July gushed when Adrianna drew close. “The color makes your eyes look incredibly green.”
“I like yours, too.” Adrianna recognized the striped Galao pullover from the Anthropologie catalog. She shifted her gaze to Lexi. As expected, the social worker known for her fashion acumen had eschewed denim and worn khakis, pairing the tan-colored pants with a black scalloped lace top. “And you look gorgeous as ever, Mrs. Delacourt.”
Lexi rolled her eyes. “Thank you, Ms. Lee. Actually, I think we all look pretty hot this evening.”
“I’d say we’re easily the sexiest women here,” July drawled.
“That’s because we’re the only women here under sixty,” Adrianna said with a little laugh.
“True.” Lexi grinned and took a sip of what looked like a margarita on the rocks, salt encircling the rim of the glass.
Adrianna gazed at the drink. “What is that?”
“A Crazy Coyote Margarita,” July answered first. “I just finished one. Very tasty.”
“They’re certainly not skimping on the alcohol.” Lexi made a face. “Oh, my, this could go straight to my head.”
“Lightweight,” July teased. “Seemed fine to me.”
“What’s the difference between that and a regular margarita?” Adrianna asked, willing to admit her ignorance. She’d never been much of a drinker.
“I had the same question,” July admitted. “The bartender said they use Coyote Gold margarita mix, which tells me absolutely nothing.”
“May I get you something to drink, miss?” A young man dressed in black and obviously part of the catering staff stopped beside her.
“I’ll have a Crazy Coyote Margarita,” Adrianna told him.
“Good choice,” July said approvingly.
Lexi took another sip, her lips twisting slightly upward. “If you want to live dangerously.”
Adrianna thought about telling Lexi she already was … by being here with Tripp.
“So, you and Tripp came together,” Lexi said as if she’d read her mind. Her friend was trying to act casual, but the spark of interest in her eyes gave her away.
“As friends only.” Adrianna’s gaze drifted to the fire pit where a hog lay skewered on a rotisserie spit, roasting as it rotated. She grimaced and quickly pulled her gaze away. “I think I’m going to become a vegetarian.”
July’s sea-green eyes lit with interest. “Seriously? Since when?”
“Since she saw the hog over there, you goof.” Lexi smiled good-naturedly, but the look in her eyes said she wasn’t fooled by the abrupt change in conversation.
July didn’t even look in the direction of the fire pit. Instead she turned her body toward Adrianna just as the young man from the catering company returned with her drink order.
“Here you go, ma’am.” He handed the chilled glass edged in salt to her with a flourish. “One Crazy Coyote Margarita.”
“Ah, thank you.” Adrianna closed her fingers around the glass. She waited until the college-aged boy was out of earshot before she turned to her friends. “Did you hear that? He called me ‘ma’am.’”
“Well, you are almost thirty.” Lexi managed to keep a remarkably straight face. “That’s when the downward slide begins. Isn’t that right, July?”
“Speak for yourself, Lex.” July offered up an impish smile. “I haven’t hit that milestone yet.”
“What milestone?”
Tripp must have sneaked up while they were talking because suddenly he stood beside her.
“The big three-zero.” July glanced pointedly in her direction. “The catering guy called Adrianna ‘ma’am.’”
Tripp looked surprised. “Did you recently turn thirty?”
He doesn’t even know my birthday. The fact illustrated just how little they were connected. A pang stabbed Adrianna’s heart and she took a sip of her drink, immediately noticing Lexi had been right. The bartender was being very generous with the tequila.
“I’ll turn thirty at the end of the month,” Adrianna informed Tripp when she realized he was waiting for a reply. “September 28. Mark it on your calendar.”
The ridiculousness of her response caused Adrianna to take another drink. Tripp didn’t care when her birthday was; he’d only asked to be polite. And she doubted he’d be keeping track.
“I’ve made a mental note of it,” he said.
“Made a mental note of what?” Winn sauntered up, a bottle of beer hanging loosely from his fingers.
“Adrianna’s birthday,” July informed him.
Winn’s eyes widened in surprise. His disbelieving gaze settled on Tripp. “You didn’t know your girlfriend’s birthday?”
“She’s not—” July began but stopped when Lexi elbowed her.
“I knew it was at the end of this month.” Tripp shrugged. “I wasn’t sure of the exact date.”
A smile tugged at Winn’s lips as he shook his head. “No excuse.”
Adrianna drained her glass like a college student on spring break. Considering she had very little in her stomach, it wasn’t a smart move. Of course, neither was falling in love with a man who didn’t want her. For some odd reason, at the moment, the thought seemed more amusing than sad. Adrianna smiled. “I agree with you, Winn.”
Surprise filled Winn’s eyes. “You do?”
“I bet you’re not the kind of man to forget a woman’s birthday.” Feeling uncharacteristically reckless, Adrianna slipped her hand around his arm and gazed up at him, batting her heavily mascaraed lashes.
“If you’re asking if I’d ever forget your birthday,” Winn said gallantly, “the answer is no.”
Adrianna let her gaze linger. Winn Ferris was a handsome man. His white shirt was the perfect foil for his dark hair. Even dressed simply in black jeans and a white shirt, he managed to look … elegant.
“Would you like another Crazy Coyote, ma’am?” The boy—er, waiter—asked, taking her empty glass.
Even though common sense told Adrianna to wait until she’d eaten before imbibing more alcohol, she wasn’t on call this weekend and Tripp was driving.
Winn glanced at her and smiled.
It was all the encouragement she needed. “I’d love another.”
“Do you think that’s wise, Anna?” Tripp’s voice sounded in her ear.
“She’s a big girl, Randall.” Winn patted her hand in a proprietary gesture. “I’m sure she can make up her own mind.”
“Anna,” Tripp said softly but with a degree of urgency.
She met his gaze. As his baby blues sucked her in she saw confusion and something that startled her. The man who didn’t know her birthday appeared to be genuinely worried. About her.
Anna wished she could tell Tripp that he needn’t be concerned. Though she’d been blinded by a handsome face in college, she was older now. And hopefully wiser.
“There’s someone I’d like you to meet.” Tripp’s gaze never left her face. “If you have a moment.”
“I think—” Winn began, but Adrianna surprised herself by closing his lips with her fingers.
“I need to go.” She slipped her hand out from around Winn’s arm and turned toward Tripp. “I love meeting new people.”
“Since when?” July muttered and Lexi shushed her.
With a relieved smile Tripp took her arm. She strolled across the patio with him, swearing she could smell a hint of fall in the warm night air. When he pulled her around the corner of the house and stopped, Adrianna glanced around. They were alone. “Who did you want me to meet?”
He gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Me.”
The tequila must have affected Adrianna more than she’d realized because what he said made no sense. “Pardon?”
“I wanted you to be with me, not Winn.” His gaze searched hers. “Are you angry?”
Adrianna pushed her hair back from her face with the back of her hand. “Not angry,” she admitted. “Confused.”
“Why confused?” He gave his head a slight shake when the waiter rounded the corner of the house, margarita in hand. The young man immediately turned on his heel.
“We both know you don’t want me.” Then because that sounded so plaintive, she added, “Of course I don’t want you either. Other than as a friend, of course.”
“Of course,” he murmured.
Now, Winn was another story. The look in his eyes said he wanted to be a whole lot more than friends.
A sudden thought hit her. “Does Jim Ferris now know that you and I are simply friends?”
That would certainly explain why Winn was being so bold, causing Tripp to overreact.
Tripp shook his head. “I haven’t had the chance to speak privately with him yet. But I will,” he hastily added.
“Make sure you do.” Adrianna wasn’t sure what kind of game Tripp was playing. She just knew it was time for it to come to an end. “Tonight.”
Tripp was surprised to see his parents walk through the door just as everyone was sitting down to eat. He’d been over to see his dad earlier in the day, but the older man hadn’t been feeling well and his mother thought they might skip the barbecue.
Even though his last round of chemo had been almost a month ago, the family was still waiting for him to bounce back. Tonight his dad actually looked … better. Certainly better than he had last week and much better than he had this morning.
He and Adrianna had been about to join their friends at one of the many tables set up for the event. But when Tripp saw his parents, he touched Adrianna’s arm. “My parents just arrived.”
“Oh.” She inclined her head. “Shall we sit with them?”
Tripp searched her eyes to make sure the offer was sincere. Because he’d come with Adrianna, his first loyalty was to her. But he knew how much it would mean for his parents to share the meal with them. “You don’t mind?”
“Not at all.” Adrianna turned toward their friends. “Tripp’s folks decided to come after all, and we promised to sit with them.”
As expected, their friends understood.
Tripp’s mother’s face lit up when she saw them approach. His father’s lips lifted in a slow smile.
“You look pretty this evening,” his dad said to Adrianna.
“Thank you, Mr. Randall,” Adrianna said, blushing prettily.
Frank lifted a brow. “Are we going to have to go through this each time we see each other?”
“Frank,” Adrianna said, gazing at his father through lowered lashes. “How nice to see you again.”
Was Anna flirting with his dad?
His father chuckled.
Yep, and his dad was loving every minute of it.
Tripp cast a sideways glance at his mother and found her watching the exchange, a tremulous smile on her lips.
“I wasn’t sure you’d be here,” his mother said to him. “I know Jim Ferris isn’t one of your favorite people—”
“Kathy.” His father spoke sharply, though in an equally low tone. “Jim is our host.”
His mother’s cheeks turned a bright pink and an uncomfortable silence descended over the foursome.
“I see a table for four over there,” Adrianna said.
“Are you inviting us to eat with you?” his mother asked, obviously not wanting to read anything into her comment.
“Only if you want to,” Adrianna said quickly.
“Yes, Mother,” Tripp said, almost at the same time. “We’d like you and Dad to eat with us.”
“Offer accepted.” His father sounded almost jovial. “It’ll give me a chance to get to know this little lady better.”
His dad smiled warmly at Adrianna and Tripp realized he must make it clear to his parents that he and the pretty midwife were just friends. But not now.
He wanted them to enjoy the evening. And he didn’t feel like answering their questions as to why he wasn’t interested in Adrianna.
Conversation flowed easily over dinner and for a normally shy person, Adrianna talked a great deal. Although his parents were very adept in social settings, his suspicions were that Anna’s talkativeness had more to do with a second Crazy Coyote Margarita that the waiter brought her than his parents’ natural friendliness.
His mother continued to smile warmly at Adrianna, which worried Tripp. But she’d been doing that all through dinner. The two women had bonded over their inability to eat anything cooked with an intact face.
Then she’d asked Adrianna about her work. His mother’s eyes shone when Adrianna had gushed about how much she loved delivering babies.
But when his mother lifted a brow and a gleam filled her eye, Tripp shifted uneasily in his seat.
“I assume you want children of your own?” his mother asked.
“I do,” Adrianna said without hesitation. “But I need to find a husband first.”
When his mother’s gaze slid pointedly to him, Tripp realized he should have seen it coming.
He ignored the look she shot him and stabbed the last piece of pork on his plate. “Did I tell you that our emergency department received another honor?”
“Honey—” his mom’s tone turned chiding “—can’t you forget about work for one evening?”
He resisted the urge to point out that she and Adrianna had been talking about her “work” for the past ten minutes.
“Your mother is right.”
Tripp couldn’t believe his father was agreeing with his mom. Frank had been a businessman as well as a rancher for most of his life. He understood that events such as tonight’s barbecue were as much about business as socializing.
“We appreciate the fact that you’re encouraging Tripp to get out more,” Frank said to Adrianna.
Whoa, what had his father said? Tripp had been the one to invite Adrianna to this event, not the other way around.
“He can be somewhat of a workaholic.” Adrianna cast him a teasing glance and motioned for the server to bring her another Crazy Coyote.
“Are those good?” his mother asked.
“Delicious,” Adrianna pronounced.
“I’ll have one, too,” his mother told the server.
Tripp resisted the urge to groan.
His father settled back in his chair, looking amused. “So you enjoy being with my son.”
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