A Moment To Love (3 page)

The cowboy had a price. Everyone did. She just had to figure out his.

CHAPTER THREE

W
hat a beautiful morning!

Alexis stood outside the Three-Star Motel and stretched. There was no need for an alarm clock while staying here. The train whistle blew repeatedly at precisely six a.m.. With the motel being so close to the tracks, no one could sleep through that noise. Not a chance. But then again why would she want to miss such a glorious start to the day?

She gazed up at the clear blue sky and smiled. She had a good feeling that today her luck was about to turn around. Just then, a bubblegum-pink and vibrant-blue hot air balloon drifted into her line of vision.
How beautiful
. Alexis watched, fascinated, as it lazily floated over the edge of town.
What must it be like to ride in one?

She stood there watching until the balloon drifted out of view. Then she realized that she’d better get a move on. She had important business to attend to with one very sexy cowboy, but first she was going to get her morning run in. Just because she was away from home didn’t mean that she could slack off on her exercise and diet routine.

All warmed up, she set off down Ponderosa Street toward the big mountain in the distance. If her memory served her right, when she’d researched Whistle Stop there had been a brief mention of the Rocky Mountains and this was…was Roca Mountain. It certainly was very impressive in size—very impressive.

At that hour of the morning, there was a distinct chill in the air, hinting at the cooler months that would soon be here. She jogged the length of Ponderosa Street and then swung north on Silver Avenue, using Roca Mountain to keep her oriented. This road led her to a residential area with colorful adobe bungalows. Unfortunately, there were a lot of for-sale signs. She recalled reading that the population had shrunk in the past few years as people were forced to move elsewhere for jobs. Hopefully, when the resort was built, it would turn the declining economy around for the residents of Whistle Stop.

After making her way around the outskirts of Whistle Stop, she turned onto Main Street and headed for the town square. The center of the town. The epicenter of activity. The heart of Whistle Stop.

Alexis stopped in her tracks.

What in the world?

She sucked in one deep breath after the other as her body cooled down. Her eyes scanned the town square. Someone had taken the time to trim the shrubs and cut the grass, but that’s where the TLC abruptly ended. Some of the benches lining the cracked sidewalks were broken and wrapped with yellow caution tape. Her gaze moved to the gazebo that had white paint peeling from the pillars. Even some of the shingles were missing. And the tall clock that stood off to the side of the park no longer kept time.

If she looked hard, she could see the beauty beneath the years of neglect, but it didn’t negate the sadness of seeing the park in such poor condition. Why had everyone given up on it? This was the place where the townsfolk should gather and share bits of their day. It should be the glue that made the town special—picnics, carnivals, farmers’ markets, and the list went on.

A breeze rushed past her, sweeping some lose strands of hair into her face. Carried with the fresh air was the most delightful scent of cinnamon. Alexis inhaled a much deeper breath. Her empty stomach rumbled. If she were smart, she’d turn right around and head back to the motel. But she did need to seek out some coffee. The coffeemaker in her room would do in a moment of desperation, but she craved some really good java.

Her gaze moved around the town square and settled on Poppin’ Fresh Bakery. Its candy-pink and frosting-white awning rustled in the breeze. And the name was scrolled over the big picture window in teal and white paint. It looked new and cheery.

Alexis gravitated across the town square to the cute bakery. She really shouldn’t go in. It would take a lot more than her morning run to burn off the calories awaiting her. She was just about to turn away when a young man rushed out the door with a white box of goodies. The most enticing aroma of coffee mingled with baked sugary treats tempted and teased Alexis. How could she walk away now? After all, it was her duty to make sure that Whistle Stop would fit HSG’s image for the resort.

She rushed inside and immediately spotted the coffee machine. Inwardly she cheered. Morning just wasn’t right without a good cup of coffee. She promised herself that she’d stick to her diet. She’d get a large coffee and slip right back out the door. Easy peasy.

“Hi, can I help you?” A young woman with a friendly smile stood ready to fill her order.

“Just a tall coffee with cream.”

“No problem.” The woman, whose dark hair was pulled back in a braid that trailed midway down her back, turned to grab a cup. “Are you new to Whistle Stop?”

“Um…yes. I just got in last night.”

The young woman lifted one of the coffee pots and steam billowed from it. “You’ll like it here. Lots of great people.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what happened to the town square?”

“The economy. Young people are moving away for work, and with less money coming in, the town council voted to cut back on the upkeep.”

“That’s a shame.” Her research into the town hadn’t turned up anything about the neglect of the town square. She’d make sure to mention in her presentation to the town council how revenue from the resort would help with its upkeep. “It looks like it was really quite a beautiful park in its day.”

“It was.”

“I also noticed the old train depot on my way into town. How long ago did the train stop servicing the area?”

“They did away with stopping here years ago when the town started to die off.” The young woman reached into the fridge behind the counter and pulled out the creamer. “By the way, I’m Piper. I own this place.”

Alexis made a mental note to add the train depot to her growing list projects. “Hi. I’m Alexis. I’m from New York.”

“Oh, so you’re the lady everyone’s talking about.” Piper smiled broadly.

“They’re talking about me?” Somehow, that did not sound good, not good at all.

“Don’t worry. The gossip mill is always talking about something or someone. I wouldn’t worry. By this afternoon, they’ll be on to something new.” Piper placed the hot coffee on the counter. Her diamond ring sparkled beneath the bright lights. “What else can I get you?”

Alexis’s gaze strayed to the glass display case that held cinnamon rolls. “Uh…nothing.”

“Are you sure? I just frosted those cinnamon rolls. They’re poppin’ fresh.”

Alexis’s mouth watered. She really shouldn’t. It would cost her a ton of calories for the day. But they looked so good. And it’d been ages since she’d indulged in a cinnamon roll.
Oh, what the heck?
“Okay, I’ll take one.”

“A girl after my own tastes.” Piper smiled. “I think this is the beginning of a wonderful friendship.”

“I’d like that.” Alexis smiled back. “By the way, your engagement ring is beautiful.”

“Thanks. The big day isn’t until next year.” Piper chatted a bit more about her wedding plans to a councilman’s son.

It was nice to have a friend in this new town. She wasn’t sure how long she’d be here, but after what she’d overheard the day before, Cord Lawson was going to take some serious persuading to get him to sell his ghost town.

When more people strolled through the door, Alexis paid her bill and moved to a table near the window. Piper hadn’t been exaggerating. The cinnamon roll was still warm and soft. It practically melted in Alexis’s mouth. A moan swelled in the back of her throat. This treat was definitely worth cheating on her diet.

While she enjoyed her treat, she gave some more thought to the train depot. She did know a top executive with the railroad. They’d worked well together on another HSG project. He had said if she ever needed anything to give him a call. Something told her that helping to revitalize a small town hadn’t been what he’d meant, but it wouldn’t hurt to run her idea past him.

After savoring the last bite of the roll, Alexis got to her feet. It was time to get to work. She’d grab a shower and then head to the Brazen H, the home of the handsome but stubborn cowboy who stood between her and building the resort. But what he didn’t know yet was that he’d met his match. She wasn’t about to jet back to New York until they hammered out a deal.

♥♥♥

Cord slammed the phone down on the desk in his study. He jumped to his feet, sending the leather chair careening back into the credenza that rested beneath the window. Unable to stand still, he started to pace.

He’d wasted more than an hour getting the royal runaround from the Internet bank holding his mortgage. Normally, he would have done business with Whistle Stop’s Save-A-Penny Bank, where he could do business one-on-one, but his ex-wife had made sure to turn the bank president against him.

Cord’s foreman, Manny, had been playing pool at Cactus Mike’s Saloon when he’d witnessed Susan, half-drunk and rambling, telling the banker that Cord wouldn’t let her leave the ranch and that she’d had to sneak around to make it into town. Nothing could have been further from the truth.

Cord drew his thoughts up short. There was no point in dwelling on the past. It wouldn’t change a thing. What was done was done. He just had to deal with the cards he’d drawn.

He stormed out of the room, grabbed his hat from the round table in the entryway, and headed for the front door. It’d been five years since his ex-wife had strode out of the same doorway, and yet he was still working to piece his life back together. By letting his heart overrule his mind, he’d put the only way of life he’d ever known at risk.

Maybe if he hadn’t been in such a rush—maybe if he had concentrated harder on reading the fine print on the mortgage—maybe then he wouldn’t be in this mess. Or maybe he’d created this fiasco by marrying a girl with big dreams. He’d hoped the Brazen H would be enough for Susan, but he’d been so wrong. And when she’d found out that he wouldn’t sell the ranch and move, she’d gone ballistic. If only he’d listened to his gut and not been rushed to the altar out of sympathy for Susan living in poverty. He’d wanted only to help her. Somehow, his good intentions had gotten all turned around. And now he might pay for it with his ranch.

Why did hindsight have to be so damned enlightening?

He jerked the front door closed with a loud
thwack
, followed by the
bang-bang
of the screen door. He’d started down the stairs when the crunch of gravel drew his attention. An unfamiliar tan SUV blazed up the lane, sweeping up a cloud of dust behind it. They certainly were in a mighty hurry.

Cord paused on the bottom step and waited until the vehicle skidded to a stop, throwing up a spray of dirt. He did a double take when he caught the sheen of honey-blond hair. The chocolate fiend. What was she doing here?

The woman smiled as she stepped out into the sunshine. He found himself smiling back. It was as though she’d sensed his thoughts—his loneliness—and shown up. In that instance, he realized he was being ridiculous. First of all, she was a stranger. And secondly, there was no such thing as intuition, or whatever you wanted to call it.

Could she be the interested buyer? His muscles bunched up. He recalled Mr. Forbes saying the person was female. If so, he’d have to start thinking a lot more clearly. No sexy smile or sweet talk was going to sway him—not ever again. Susan had taught him that lesson—the hard way.

Ms. Business Suit lifted her sunglasses and rested them on top of her golden hair. Good. He wanted to be able to look in her blue eyes when he talked with her. They were so expressive—so captivating.

“I didn’t expect to see you this morning. If you’re here for more chocolate…”

“No.” Amusement reflected in her eyes. “You must think I’m some sort of crazed chocoholic.”

“That wasn’t exactly the description I had in mind.” When she responded with warm laughter, the melodious tone eased the tension in his body. Drawn in by her good mood and not wanting it to end, he asked, “Are you sure you didn’t stop by for directions to the next candy store?”

Her laughter faded into a friendly smile. “No need. A generous cowboy sacrificed his chocolate bar to satisfy my craving.”

“Nice guy.”

“Definitely.”

Cord approached her, checking out the tailored business suit that hinted at her curves.
Wait a sec. Is that the same outfit she wore yesterday? Sure looks like it
. He expected a woman like her, with her perfectly styled hair and her long, polished nails, to be finicky about wearing an outfit two days in a row. Still, he found himself contemplating the curves lurking somewhere beneath the folds of her clothes.

“I’m surprised to see you’re still in the area. From the looks of it, I’d say your luggage has yet to catch up with you.”

Her smile faded. Color poured into her cheeks, causing him to regret his thoughtless remark. He stifled a frustrated sigh. He was completely out of practice when it came to making casual conversation with women—with anyone. He kept to himself on his ranch. It was better that way. It kept the gossip to a minimum.

The woman glanced down and moved a stone back and forth with the toe of one high heel. “The airline promised it would be here by this morning, but it isn’t. All I had in my carry-on was some casual clothes. I plan to go shopping after my meeting.”