“It’s an act.”
How could he argue with that? He knew all about putting on a brave front. “Then tell me what’s wrong. Let me help you.” He touched her shoulder, and she jumped like she’d been burned.
“I can’t do that. Not again.” She seemed to grow smaller by the second. “I’m broken because of Parker.”
Slow rage built in
his veins. Withdrawing his hand, he clenched his fists. He wanted to tear the man to pieces. He failed to keep an angry tremble from creeping into his voice. “What did he do to you?”
“It wasn’t… it wasn’t a big deal,” she said. “Nothing like you’re thinking. He didn’t hurt me or anything.”
Cord didn’t believe her. “Then how did he damage you?”
She twisted to face him, her silver gaze catching his and holding it like a pinned butterfly. “How can I open up to you, if you’re not willing to do the same?”
He wanted to be angry, but he saw the sincere look in her eyes. For what seemed like hours, he struggled with his warring emotions before answering, “I can’t do it.”
Hope vanished from her eyes like smoke in the wind. “Neither can I.”
She slid out of the truck, but he jumped out, as well, falling in step beside her as she walked up to the house. Silence loomed between them until she reached the front porch.
“Jessica?”
She froze with her hand on the doorknob. “Yes?”
“I want to tell you. But I’m not ready.”
Her head nodded. “You know where to find me.”
The door opened and swallowed her up, closing with a heavy thunk, like the lid on a casket.
11
“Good morning, Sharon.” Cord kept his eyes on the road as he answered his phone.
“I wondered if you were coming to breakfast this morning,” Sharon said. “We’ve hardly had time to talk to you all week, what with all the extra rodeo guests.”
“I do have news for you and Bucky, but it can wait until after the rodeo. Last night, I figured out what put the ranch in the red. Don’t get your hopes up, but it could be a fairly easy fix. I just need to make a few phone calls on Monday.”
All week Cord had buried himself in Bucky’s unorganized boxes of records, which seemed to contain every single bit of correspondence that had come in the mail for the past ten years, in no particular order. In contrast, the rodeo preparations had gone off without a hitch. The advertising banners were already hanging around the arena, promoting everything from The Two Step Dance Hall to the feed store. There was even a huge sign displaying a cowboy proposing to an ecstatic girl with a wide smile and eyes to match. Evidently, the local jewelry store felt a rodeo was a romantic event.
Advertising income alone had more than covered the rodeo expenses, including the paid professionals, such as two bullfighters and a couple of off-duty police officers to keep the peace. The ranch was set to make a profit from the guests who booked rooms, not to mention their take of the tickets, plus food and drink sales, and the dance. Bucky would be able to make a hefty payment on the loan balance.
Staying up late to keep up with his Phantom Enterprise work, Cord had hardly gotten any sleep. Not that he’d have slept much anyway, replaying his last conversation with Jess.
“We’ve missed you at breakfast all week,” said Sharon, disapproval in her tone.
“Didn’t Jessica tell you why I haven’t been coming?”
“As a matter of fact, she told me you two aren’t seeing each other, but she didn’t say what happened.” Sharon left her statement hanging, an open invitation for him to spill the beans.
“I don’t know if it’s my place to tell you about it.” Between the tax records and preparations for the rodeo event, he’d mostly avoided thinking about Jess, and he was surprised at the sharp pain in his chest. “How is she?” The question slipped out before he could stop it, like a wet spaghetti noodle sliding off a spoon.
“I don’t know if it’s my place to tell you about it,” Sharon parroted back.
“Ouch. I guess I deserved that.”
“I know you young folks think I should mind my own business, but sometimes I can’t keep my mouth shut. Like this morning, for instance. Jessica got a phone call, and I thought you might want to know about it.”