“Evening,” he said, running his eyes over his father’s face. He was pale, but not as white as before.
“Evening.” Stephen stood up and shook Nick’s hand. “It looks like we’ll get more of the white stuff tonight.”
“Yes,” Nick answered and motioned to the table. “What’s all this?”
“Well,” Stephen started.
“I’m updating my will,” his father broke in.
“I didn’t know you had one,” Nick said, walking over and pouring himself a hot cup of coffee. Then he leaned on the counter and waited, knowing his father had something he wanted to say. A point he was making by this show.
“Course I do.” His father coughed.
They both waited until his father settled down again.
“Are you sure about these changes?” Stephen asked his dad.
“Sure am.” His father glanced over to him. “Go ahead and file it. I think it’s what’s needed at this point.”
Stephen nodded and then stood up again to gather the paperwork. “I’ll file it first thing in the morning.”
Nick waited until Stephen left before sitting down across from his father.
“You’ve made your point,” he said, looking into his coffee.
“Have I?” his father asked, coughing. “Tell me you’ve at least asked the girl out.”
Nick thought about the bet and realized that if Lady Di lost tomorrow, he’d not only lose his chance to go out with her, but he’d also have to stop going over to the ranch as an excuse each day.
“See.” His father thumped the table. “That is exactly why I’m forced to make the next move for you.” He pointed towards the door where Stephen had just left.
“How did you know Mom was the one?” he asked, deciding to change tactics.
His father softened, then let out a loud breath. “The moment I first saw your ma, I knew,” he answered. “My heart jumped in my chest, my palms got so sweaty I swore I was going to drop my tools.” He smiled. “Then she looked up at me and our eyes met.” His father closed his eyes and Nick watched a tear slide down his cheek. “I waited too damn long to ask her out. Too damn long before I asked her to marry me. And too damn long to have you.” He opened his eyes and pointed at him. “Don’t make the same mistakes I made.” His father started to stand up and Nick moved to help, but his father held up his hand. “Stay. I’m going to lie down for a bit before supper. Think about what I’ve said. I’d sure hate for Wilbert and his boy to get their grubby hands on this place.”
“Then don’t change your will.”
A strange look crossed his father’s eyes just before he turned around and walked out of the room without saying anything further.
Nick sat at the table and nursed the coffee before getting up to make them dinner.
He went to bed that night thinking over what he would do if Lady Di lost. By morning, he’d come up with a backup plan. If his goat lost, he’d have to beg Kara to go out on a date with him.
Chapter Seven
Kara leaned on the edge of the paddock and watched in amazement as the pure white goat navigated the snow-covered grassy area and obeyed each and every one of Nick’s commands.
First, Lady Di bowed to Nick, then moved around him to the left in a full circle before turning and going around him to the right. She jumped up on her hind legs and danced around before bowing again. Then Nick had the goat standing on her hind legs and doing twirls. Kara watched as Lady Di jumped over his legs and even through a hoop he had.
There were even obstacles set up in the paddock that the goat easily maneuvered around when prompted, jumping between overturned barrels to an old tire. Someone, probably Nick, had built a wooden bridge between a stack of pallets and an old picnic table. The goat happily walked across it when motioned to do so.
They ended the show-off session when Nick bent over and Lady Di jumped onto his back and shoulders. Then she actually kissed him on the chin, making them both laugh.
“Well?” he asked when the goat was back down on the ground. “What’d you think?”
She smiled as Lady Di walked over to her to get attention.
“I think,” she looked up at Nick, “that I just lost a bet.”
He laughed as he leaned on the fence. “James doesn’t know how to jump through hoops?”
She shook her head. “James can bow and dance. That’s about it.”
“That’s a pretty neat trick. For a dumb horse,” he joked, and she smiled again.
She stood up when Lady Di walked over to get some water. Nick was standing so close to her, she lost her breath for a few seconds. Even though the fence separated them, she could smell his aftershave, a rich musky scent that had her knees going weak.
She leaned heavier on the rail of the fence.
“So…” He smiled. “How about tomorrow night?”
She blinked a few times, trying to clear her foggy mind. “Tomorrow?”
“You lost the bet. You aren’t going to chicken out, are you?” he teased.
“Chicken…” She thought. The date. She’d lost the bet. He’d wagered a date with her. He’d won. “Oh,” she said and swallowed hard. What would it be like, being seen in town with Nick? Would everyone assume they were an item or just two friends casually eating dinner together? She knew how little towns were. She’d gone to lunch with a high school friend once and word had spread so fast that they were an item, the guy had purposely made fun of her in front of his friends so that he wouldn’t be associated with her in a romantic sense.
“I was thinking, since I need to stick close to the ranch because of my dad’s health, that you could come over here tomorrow night for dinner,” Nick said.
“Oh,” she said again. “Sure.” She bit her bottom lip.
Did that mean he didn’t want to be seen in public with her? Maybe he too was questioning being seen with her?
That couldn’t be it. They’d just had breakfast at the diner yesterday morning. Then again, everyone in town knew that his father was in the hospital. They would assume that she was just being a good—
“You’re overthinking it,” Nick said, breaking into her thoughts. “I can see your brain working overtime.” He laid his hand over hers. “Kara, I want to go out with you,” he said softly. “But I need to stick close to my dad.” He shook his head and took a deep breath. “When we can, I’d like to take you out somewhere nice.”
She felt her heart kick in her chest and smiled back at him. “I’d like that.” And the truth was, she meant it.
“Good,” he said, and then he surprised her by leaning over the fence a little more. “Then you won’t mind if I…” He dropped off as he brushed his lips across hers.
The kiss was so soft, so smooth, so… damn sexy that she wanted more. She needed more.
He leaned back just a couple inches, and his eyes searched hers. Had his eyes always been the color of coffee just the way she liked it? Dark and rich, but with a swirl of caramel.
As if in slow motion, his hand came up and cupped her face, drawing her closer until her eyes slid closed as he pressed his lips against hers again, this time a little more firmly.