Page 91 of Mountain Rescue
“Until he figures out if what’s between us is real for him or not, there’s nothing to talk about.”
Nichole sighed. “Okay, but I’m not happy we didn’t get to spend much time together while you were here.”
“Yeah, me, too.”
“You take care of our cowboy, okay, Bella Boo?” Rachel said, her voice cracking as tears fell down her cheeks. She was sitting on the bed she’d never share with Dallas again. She wouldn’t be here to hold him when he had a nightmare.
“Promise you’ll snuggle up to him when he has a nightmare.” She smiled through her tears when Bella licked her face. “You’re such a sweet girl.” She picked up Blue and gave him a kiss on his little nose. He squirmed, trying to get away.
“I’m going to miss you both so much.” She tried not to think about how much she was going to miss Dallas, but her heart was breaking. She picked up his pillow and brought it to her face, inhaling his spicy scent.
“Oh God, Bella, I’m smelling his pillow. I’m in love with him, aren’t I?” She was a fool for thinking she could have some fun with him and then walk away unscathed. Would he miss his pillow if she took it with her? “I’m pathetic.” She put the pillow back, but when she packed her suitcase, she picked up the T-shirt he’d worn last night and brought it to her face. It smelled like him, too. She put it in her suitcase. She really was pathetic.
When she gave the dog one last hug, Bella whined as if she knew goodbyes were being said. She loaded her suitcase in the car with tears still burning her eyes, fully intending to leave right then. She opened the door of the car and tried to get in, but she couldn’t. Not without saying goodbye to him, too. She went back inside, found paper and a pen, and wrote him a note.
Now she could go.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Jack returned, and Dallas watched for Rachel to follow him out, but she didn’t come. “Where are the girls?”
“Inside.”
He stood, intending to go get her. He’d messed up, and they needed to talk.
“Sit. Rachel needs a little time, so leave them be.”
“I need to talk to her.”
“Unfortunately for you, she doesn’t want to talk to you right now.”
Was giving her time the wrong move, like too much time to think and she’d decide she didn’t need his sorry ass in her life? He should go talk to her.
“Sit the hell down,” Jack snapped.
Dallas gritted his teeth but dropped back on the seat. It was probably better he waited until they were back at the cabin anyway, where they could have a private conversation.
Jack pulled two beers from the ice bucket and handed Dallas one. “I’m not one to go around giving advice on love and stuff, but you probably need to take some time yourself to think about what you want before either one of you get any deeper. She’s hurting, Dallas, and that makes me want to put a fist in your face.”
“I don’t want to hurt her.” But he had, and it was killing him not to make it right. Why had he hesitated to answer her? He’d already admitted to himself that he was falling for her. He was, right? And there was the problem. He’d hesitated because he’d never lie to her.
“Just give it some time, both of you, while you figure out what she means to you. Now, enough of this girly talk. There’s an equine therapy place for vets in Colorado that I’ve heard great things about. I talked to the owner and arranged for you to spend a week there.”
“I can do that. It would give me a chance to check out their operation and decide if it’s something I want to do.” The more he read about equine therapy, the more it interested him.
“Good. I was thinking you could wrap up finding us the horses we need in the next day or two, then head over there.”
“It’s not a done deal though.” It pretty much was, but Dallas didn’t want to commit yet. For one thing, his family was expecting him to come home, and he needed to talk to them before making a final decision.
“Positive thinking.” Jack stood and went to the grill. “These are done.”
“I’ll go get the girls.”
“They said to eat without them.”
Dallas narrowed his eyes. “What the hell’s going on?” He strode inside the house. The girls were nowhere to be found. He marched back outside. “They’re not in there.”
“I know.”
