Page 28 of Lucky Cowboy

“Yes, but not for several years. My dad was with me when I did. I never noticed anything amiss, but then again—as you know—I tended to be a bit unworldly until recent events.”

“That’s not your fault.”

“Isn’t it?” she challenged him, stuck on the subject of Biggs. “At what point do I stop ignoring the fact that I stayed in an unhealthy situation for so long? I was the one who was there. I witnessed how Biggs behaved. I should have suspected that he might be guilty of worse.”

“What he’s done is on him. That you never imagined what he or anyone else with nefarious intent might be capable of isn’t an indictment against you. If anything, it means that you’re so honorable that such a thing goes outside your thinking. It’s something I appreciate about you. It’s a breath a fresh air compared to some of the people I sometimes have to deal with, if you want to know the truth.”

“Are you complimenting me, sheriff?”

“Definitely,” his voice took on this drawling quality that she adored. He was flirting with her, and she couldn’t get enough of it.

“You know what I wish right now?”

“What?”

“That I could see your eyes. That’s one of the things I remember about meeting you. Your eyes. That periwinkle color. They’re so handsome. Even spellbinding…” Val trailed off, and when she realized that he’d made no response, felt embarrassed. Had she said too much? Let him see too far into her feelings and attraction for him?

“Don’t think anyone’s ever called me spellbinding before,” Mark replied at last. “I mean, Blair’s called me irritating and a workaholic, but that’s about it.”

“You definitely don’t irritate me.”

See, this was what Val was talking about. She would’ve given anything in that instant to be with Mark, to gaze into his face and gauge his reactions, but she couldn’t. Physically couldn’t. Because they weren’t in the same location. They were almost never in the same location.

He had such a limited staff, too. Like two other people. Lately those people had been unavailable. One had gone up with a burst appendix—which sounded terrible—and one had suffered a family emergency in Hawaii. Val understood obviously, but it sure complicated their attempts at having time together.

Even as often as they communicated, and as much as she treasured every call and text as well as every sentence of every email he sent her, they felt more like pen pals than a couple in a relationship.

Something would have to change soon. They’d at least have to meet up again, even if it only lasted for a handful of hours. She needed to be reminded what it was like to breathe in his leathery cologne and to be held in those arms that were both sturdy and tender.

Should she say something now or wait? Such a confession could have some pretty awful consequences, mainly that he might break up with her. That wasn’t what she wanted. What she wanted—craved even—was the opposite. But how could this work if after fate uniting them five months ago, she could count the number of hours they’d shared on her fingers? Not days buthours?

Could she hang with this no-contact romance or not? Would there ever be a compromise or some place they could meet in-between? She didn’t think so. She knew Mark had sought out every method he could think of to unearth even the tiniest opening to spend with one another. She’d been doing the same. But they’d come across nothing. No opportunity that would enable them to share any appreciable amount of time together. Not once travel was taken into account.

It was so infuriating. And she didn’t know if that would ever get any better.

CHAPTERTHIRTEEN

Mark’s discussionwith Rusty about the viability of dating someone long distance haunted him as he continued on about his daily life. Like an echo of his warning about the viability of such thing, his friend’s words drifted to him constantly. Every time Mark ached to wrap his arms around her or even to snatch the merest whiff of her rain-like fragrance, in fact.

The odds aren’t exactly in your favor, but what else can you do?The question might as well have been written on his brain.

When he’d suggested it to Val, it’d seemed like a step forward, like sliding a placeholder into a spot on a wall to filled with a real portrait later. Only Mark didn’t know when that portrait might ever get painted. Or evenifit might be.

It was precarious place to be in a romance.

He hadn’t told her the other part Rusty had unraveled, the part where Mark had fallen in love with her. Val deserved to know, but he had his reasons for not sharing. One, such a vital piece of information should be given to the one he meant it for in person, not over the phone or even a Zoom call. Two, he didn’t know how she’d respond to such a declaration. And three, it might be jumping the gun.

How could he possibly confess to having such an intense and binding feeling toward someone when their lips hadn’t even met? Who even his hugs had been briefer and more fleeting than he would’ve liked? Those embraces had also been utterly platonic, a friend in need leaning on another friend. That was all.

But things had gone so far beyond that point since then. Or he wanted to believe that, anyway.

In spirit, he and Val might be together, but when it came to reality, they weren’t. They’d agreed upon this arrangement six weeks ago now—an anniversary of sorts—but they had no legit way of celebrating the milestone, minor as some might consider it.

He went to work, completed his various duties, visited his mom and sister, and came home. That was his routine, one that hadn’t altered much at all not only since meeting Val but in years. Maybe if that wasn’t the case, if something about their circumstances had fundamentally altered how they conducted their lives, he would’ve felt more fulfilled and less lonely, but he didn’t.

Unless he was literally speaking to Val and hearing her voice, he missed her, and there was no escaping that.

She continued performing, and as a method to ease their separation, she’d started to send him videos someone else had taken of her events, probably her assistant. Once, the videos included a ceremony where Val’s ride had been award-winning, enabling her to take home the top prize. But he never got to be there to celebrate with her. Not once so far.

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