Read Online Her Lone Cowboy by Donna Alward - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Donna Alward
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he’d inadvertently struck a nerve. He’d gotten the impression that Lily had few faults beyond her stubborn nature. But there was something here. And it felt wonderful to turn the spotlight on someone else for a change. He got tired of being the focus of scrutiny.
“Sorry. Occupational hazard. I was feeling a little at a disadvantage. Not really fair for you to see all my dirty laundry now, is it.”
A reluctant smile tugged at her lips. “I suppose not. But my life really isn’t very interesting.”
He left the view from the door behind and went to stand near her at the center island, watching as she heated olive oil and garlic in a pan and added the tomatoes. “No one grew up in a bubble,” he said simply. “Fess up.”
She sighed, stirring the mixture with a wooden spoon. “Mymom still lives in Toronto. There was only ever the two of us, at least after my Gram died when I was small.”
“Does she visit here a lot?”
A dry laugh greeted his question. “No, she’s never been here. We sort of keep our lives…separate.”
Lily focused on the bubbling tomatoes rather than on Noah. Wasn’t he just full of inquiries today. Innocent questions, too. Only they weren’t that innocent at all. The last thing she wanted to do was get into the complicated relationship she had with her mother. Or why they didn’t see eye to eye on almost anything. They’d stopped talking mostly, just to avoid arguing.
Noah put his hand over hers on the spoon. “I haven’t seen my mom since I was seven.”
His fingers were warm and slightly rough and felt good on the smooth skin just behind her wrist. “I know.” She thought of the young boy he must have been, left with his father and a baby brother. At least Lily had grown up with a mother, for all her faults.
Still, she appreciated the confidence, and the fact that he’d shared a tiny bit of information about his childhood. His hand slid off her wrist and she avoided his eyes, instead reaching for a bunch of fresh basil and chopping it for the sauce.
“I’m sorry about your dad, too.” She scraped the basil into the sauce and put the cutting board down on the counter. “I know you didn’t make it home for the funeral.”
Noah’s face twisted and she felt guilty for causing him more pain. “Oh, Noah, I’m sorry. I didn’t think it would make you feel worse.”
Noah shook his head. “In some ways I’m just glad he doesn’t have to see me like this.”
“Noah!” Dismayed, she forgot her earlier promise to keep the evening nontactile, and she reached out, gripping hisforearm in her fingers. “Surely you don’t think he would care about your injury. That it would make a difference.”
His gaze met hers. “I don’t know. He always seemed so proud that I was a soldier. Said that if I wouldn’t be a rancher, this was the next best thing. Somehow I can’t escape the feeling that I failed him. It made going to his grave pretty difficult.”
“But you did go.”
He nodded. “Andrew drove me when I first got back. It was my duty to go. Andrew’s made his peace. I don’t think I have yet.”
“A parent loves their child, no matter what the disappointments. And I can’t imagine your father was disappointed in you. He must have been very proud.” She squeezed his arm and smiled.
And yet she knew there was a false note to her words. Jasmine had never accepted Lily’s version of life. She’d accused her of limiting her options. While the words had never been said, Lily knew her mother was disappointed in her choices.
“That was a very nice diversion, Lily, but we were talking about you.” Noah slid his arm out from beneath her touch and grabbed the wooden spoon, taking a turn at stirring the sauce. “So a job brought you to the Larch. What made you stay?”
“I’ve made my home here,” she said finally. “I love Larch Valley, I love my job, and I’ve made friends. What more could I ask for?” She stopped short of saying it was the kind of
“Sorry. Occupational hazard. I was feeling a little at a disadvantage. Not really fair for you to see all my dirty laundry now, is it.”
A reluctant smile tugged at her lips. “I suppose not. But my life really isn’t very interesting.”
He left the view from the door behind and went to stand near her at the center island, watching as she heated olive oil and garlic in a pan and added the tomatoes. “No one grew up in a bubble,” he said simply. “Fess up.”
She sighed, stirring the mixture with a wooden spoon. “Mymom still lives in Toronto. There was only ever the two of us, at least after my Gram died when I was small.”
“Does she visit here a lot?”
A dry laugh greeted his question. “No, she’s never been here. We sort of keep our lives…separate.”
Lily focused on the bubbling tomatoes rather than on Noah. Wasn’t he just full of inquiries today. Innocent questions, too. Only they weren’t that innocent at all. The last thing she wanted to do was get into the complicated relationship she had with her mother. Or why they didn’t see eye to eye on almost anything. They’d stopped talking mostly, just to avoid arguing.
Noah put his hand over hers on the spoon. “I haven’t seen my mom since I was seven.”
His fingers were warm and slightly rough and felt good on the smooth skin just behind her wrist. “I know.” She thought of the young boy he must have been, left with his father and a baby brother. At least Lily had grown up with a mother, for all her faults.
Still, she appreciated the confidence, and the fact that he’d shared a tiny bit of information about his childhood. His hand slid off her wrist and she avoided his eyes, instead reaching for a bunch of fresh basil and chopping it for the sauce.
“I’m sorry about your dad, too.” She scraped the basil into the sauce and put the cutting board down on the counter. “I know you didn’t make it home for the funeral.”
Noah’s face twisted and she felt guilty for causing him more pain. “Oh, Noah, I’m sorry. I didn’t think it would make you feel worse.”
Noah shook his head. “In some ways I’m just glad he doesn’t have to see me like this.”
“Noah!” Dismayed, she forgot her earlier promise to keep the evening nontactile, and she reached out, gripping hisforearm in her fingers. “Surely you don’t think he would care about your injury. That it would make a difference.”
His gaze met hers. “I don’t know. He always seemed so proud that I was a soldier. Said that if I wouldn’t be a rancher, this was the next best thing. Somehow I can’t escape the feeling that I failed him. It made going to his grave pretty difficult.”
“But you did go.”
He nodded. “Andrew drove me when I first got back. It was my duty to go. Andrew’s made his peace. I don’t think I have yet.”
“A parent loves their child, no matter what the disappointments. And I can’t imagine your father was disappointed in you. He must have been very proud.” She squeezed his arm and smiled.
And yet she knew there was a false note to her words. Jasmine had never accepted Lily’s version of life. She’d accused her of limiting her options. While the words had never been said, Lily knew her mother was disappointed in her choices.
“That was a very nice diversion, Lily, but we were talking about you.” Noah slid his arm out from beneath her touch and grabbed the wooden spoon, taking a turn at stirring the sauce. “So a job brought you to the Larch. What made you stay?”
“I’ve made my home here,” she said finally. “I love Larch Valley, I love my job, and I’ve made friends. What more could I ask for?” She stopped short of saying it was the kind of
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