The Cowboy's Summer Love (10 page)

“Something like that,” Tess said, using one of Travis’ favorite noncommittal phrases while offering a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. Patting his cheek, Tess climbed in the car and shut her door. Rolling down the window, she mustered up a real smile for him. “I’m really happy you won, Trav. Enjoy your day. It doesn’t look like you’ll be spending it alone.”

With that, Tess pointed behind him and drove off. Travis turned to see a couple of his unwanted groupies walking his direction.

Great. Just great.

If he didn’t have enough problems, now he had a bunch of college girls following his every move.

Plastering on a fake smile, Travis draped his arms around the two closest girls and walked back to the gathered crowd. Maybe he could get Ben and Brice to take his fan club off his hands.

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Tess was ready to chew up nails and spit out staples, she was so mad at Travis. She watched him gather the giggling college girls to him in her rearview mirror.

She was done wasting her time, thoughts and energy on Travis Thompson. If he wanted to be friends, that was fine. But from this moment on, she was done having any silly romantic notions about the infuriating man.

When she got to Portland, she was buying a new dress, talking Jenny into going out for dinner and see about meeting someone who would take her mind of that good-looking cowboy who invaded her dreams with disturbing regularity.

Hours later, Tess remembered how much fun it could be to spend an afternoon trying on clothes, getting a manicure and just being a girl. She and Jenny tried on shoes, shorts, blouses and dresses. Tess found a bright blue dress that, like her swimsuit, featured a ruched waist and played up all her assets in a most flattering manner. She had no idea when or where she’d ever wear it, but she knew she had to have it. Jenny found a pair of high black heels that worked well with the dress and Tess added them to her growing pile of new clothes.

Loaded down with purchases, they returned to Jenny’s apartment, showered and changed then went out for a nice dinner. They chose a restaurant with open patio seating around a man-made lake that was gorgeous. Try as she might, Tess couldn’t get the thought of dining there with Travis out of her head. She kept envisioning the two of them strolling around the lake hand in hand. Annoyed with the direction of her thoughts, she wondered why she couldn’t just forget about him and move on.

Now that her mom’s wrist was healed, maybe she should think about moving into The Dalles. She’d miss commuting with Brice, but at least if she stayed in The Dalles, the opportunity to run into Travis was pretty slim.

She was musing over her options when a very handsome man dressed in a navy pin-striped suit approached their table. Tess looked up at his chiseled jaw, bright green eyes and wavy blond hair and caught her breath. She’d have to be comatose not to notice a gorgeous man standing a foot away from her, smiling warmly.

“Tess? Tess Morgan?” he asked, extending a tan hand with long tapered fingers her direction. “I’m Rick Martin. Remember, from college?”

“Rick!” Tess said, getting up and giving the man a hug. He was a good friend to her during her first year of college, even though he was in his second year of medical school while she was a lowly freshman. When he transferred to a school in California, she lost track of him. “You look fantastic. Are you living here in Portland, now? Did you get your medical degree?”

“Yes, I just recently moved back. I’m an orthopedic surgeon, actually, and just started working at Oregon Health and Science University,” Rick said, pulling out a chair when Tess motioned him to join them.

“That’s impressive,” Tess said, turning to Jenny. “Jenny, this is an old friend, Rick Martin. Rick, Jenny Jacobs.”

Rick offered the proper words of greeting to Jenny then turned his attention back to Tess. “So what are you ladies doing out tonight? Enjoying the lovely summer weather?”

“Tess needed a break from the sticks and came into town for the weekend. We’ve had a fun afternoon of shopping and decided to finish off the day with a nice dinner,” Jenny said.

“The sticks? Don’t tell me you moved back to Petticoat Junction,” Rick said with a teasing smile.

“Grass Valley,” Tess corrected him with a playful swat to his arm. “I moved back temporarily. My mom needed therapy for a wrist injury and some help at home so I’m staying there until she is back at one hundred percent.”

“So you’re a physical therapist?” Rick asked, flagging down the waiter to bring him a drink.

“Yes, I am. I work in The Dalles and really enjoy it,” Tess said, sipping her iced tea.

“But isn’t that quite a drive for you?” Rick asked, trying to remember how far out in the middle of no-where Tess grew up.

“About an hour, but my brother Brice and I drive together most days. He works in construction in The Dalles.”

“What about your other brother?” Rick asked, trying to remember Tess’ family history.

“Ben? Oh, he works here in Portland for a barge company. I’m not sure how much he likes it, but it keeps him out of trouble, mostly. What about you, Rick? I know your family moved away years ago. What brought you back to Portland?” Tess asked, noting Rick didn’t wear a gold band on his left ring finger. Maybe he was still unattached.

“I always liked it here and the opportunity to work at OHSU was one I couldn’t pass up. My parents and sister still live in San Diego. I’ve got three little nieces now, can you believe that? Susie keeps telling me I’m missing out by not starting my own family, but I guess I haven’t met the right girl, yet,” Rick said, giving Tess a pointed look.

Tess couldn’t believe the implication Rick left on the table.

“Well, maybe you’ll find her here in Portland,” Tess said with warm smile.

“Or the sticks,” Jenny added under her breath, earning a kick beneath the table from Tess.

Rick smiled and pulled a card from his pocket, jotting something on the back before handing it to Tess.

“I don’t want to further intrude on your evening together, lovely ladies, but Tess, I would love to get together and catch up sometime. Please give me a call. You’ve grown up even more beautifully than I imagined.”

Tess blushed, but stood when Rick did and gave him a hug. Digging in her purse, she fished out her business card and wrote her cell phone number on the back.

“I’d like to catch up, too. Call me anytime,” Tess said then sat back down when Rick gave her a heart-stopping grin and walked off.

 “Girl, that man is smokin’ hot and he’s got those gorgeous green eyes on you!” Jenny fanned her napkin Tess’ direction and giggled.

Tess grabbed her hand and smiled. “I don’t know about that, but he has certainly grown up since I last saw him.”

“Mercy,” Jenny said, taking a drink of her lemonade. “Grown up, grown out, whatever you want to call it, he is one fine looking man. Now you better spill the beans on how you know him. And while you’re at it, I want to hear about all the hunky cowboys out in the sticks. I’ve seen pictures of you with some of Ben and Brice’s friends.”

Tess and Jenny laughed and visited for a while longer before starting the short walk back to Jenny’s apartment. They were nearly there when a convertible drove by and two guys in the back turned around and whistled at them, making them both erupt in a fit of giggles and hurry in the door.

“Aren’t you glad I made you buy that dress, too?” Jenny asked as they waited for the elevator. In addition to the blue dress, Jenny talked Tess into buying a red dress with black stripes down the side that came just below her knees. With cap sleeves and a square neckline, the figure-hugging dress exaggerated Tess’s curves while the stripes seemed to make her look two sizes smaller. She loved the way it made her feel and the high black heels she purchased that day matched it perfectly.

“Yes, I am,” Tess said, stepping into the elevator. “What would I do without your fashion consulting?”

“Run around in boots and jeans and that oversized shirt you had on. Seriously, Tess, you need to show off that amazing figure, not hide it all the time. You get enough of that wearing your scrubs.”

“I know,” Tess said, realizing she could dress a little more on-trend than she currently did.

Tess went with Jenny to church Sunday morning then they enjoyed lunch with Jenny’s mom and sister before Tess decided to head for home. She was just turning off the freeway at Biggs when her cell phone rang. Pulling into the gas station, she didn’t recognize the number but answered the phone anyway.

“This is Tess. May I help you?”

“Hey, Tess. This is Rick.”

Tess felt a little shiver of excitement race up her spine. She thought it was a very good sign Rick was calling her already. His deep voice reached out over the phone line and wrapped around her soothingly.

“Hi, Rick. What’s up?” Tess said, forcing herself to sound casual and friendly.

“I just wanted to call and say how grateful I am I ran into you and your friend last night. I was hoping to eventually find you and it seems like fate that our paths crossed my first weekend back in town. I was wondering if you weren’t busy next weekend if you’d like to do something together,” Rick said. Tess thought he even sounded handsome and debonair over the phone.

“I’d love to, but I’m on call next weekend. If you don’t mind driving to The Dalles, we could spend Saturday together, unless there is an emergency, of course.” Drat. Of all the weekends to be on call, it would be the one Rick wanted to go out on a date.

“That would be perfect, and believe me, I understand being on call,” Rick laughed. “Where should I meet you and what time?”

“Do you like museums and history?” Tess asked, trying to think of what they could do for entertainment.

“Not particularly,” Rick said.

“Oh, I remember. You like art,” Tess said with enthusiasm, glad she remembered that detail. “I know just the place to take you. Meet me at ten Saturday morning at this address.”

Tess rattled off the address of Denni Thompson’s home, where she stayed when she was on call. She had always gotten along well with Denni and the wonderful woman enjoyed having Tess in her home every few weekends when she was on call.

“It’s a date. I can’t wait to see you Tess. Have a great week,” Rick said, then disconnected the call.

Tess drove the rest of the way home on cloud nine. She couldn’t believe her good fortune in running into Rick. Although they’d never gone out on a date before, she had appreciated his friendship when she was learning the ropes of college. She never did understand why he would be interested in hanging out with a lowly freshman, but they had a lot of fun together.

Next Saturday couldn’t come fast enough to suit Tess. Rick would be the diversion she needed to finally get over Travis Thompson.

Chapter Seven

Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired.

Robert Frost

“She what?” Travis asked incredulously, staring at his mother. “I don’t think I heard you correctly, Mama.”

“You heard me just fine, baby,” Denni said, rubbing her hand on her son’s back as they sat in church together. “Now hush up and we’ll talk after the service.”

Travis couldn’t believe what his mother was saying. Tess had a boyfriend. Not just any boyfriend but a handsome, suave, doctor boyfriend who used to be a friend of hers from college.

Five minutes into the service, Travis gave up trying to pay attention to what their pastor was saying and instead let the green monster of jealousy devour his thoughts. When the congregation stood for the closing hymn, Cass had to tug on his hand to pull him back to the present. Standing up, he sang the words from memory, not from any effort at joining in the singing.

Hustling his mother through their neighbors and friends out to her car, he helped her in and took her keys, driving off before Cass got any ideas to go along on the ride with them to the ranch.

“Well, I didn’t realize I was in such a hurry to leave this morning,” Denni said with a teasing laugh as they turned off the highway onto the road leading to the Triple T. “What was that all about young man?”

“Tell me about Tess and her boyfriend,” Travis growled, trying to keep his temper in check.

“Well, he is just the nicest man. I’d guess him to be about Trey’s age, early thirties. He was very polite and mannerly and so handsome.  He only had eyes for our sweet little Tess. She came back from her date with the dreamiest smile on her face. I’m so excited to finally see her dating someone. She spent way too much time alone as a young girl when she should have been dating and now she just works too hard. I think he’s good for her,” Denni said, ignoring the impending storm brewing in her son. “She’s been staying at my house because it is an easy meeting point for them. They’ve gone out three times in the last week although yesterday was supposed to be their first date. I think she said next weekend she’s going to Portland so the two of them can go to a concert. You should see how happy she looks, Travis. I think our Tess has finally blossomed. She just needed the right man to notice her.”