Page 88 of Cowboys at Coconuts

Staring into his sad eyes, Alex said, “Sorry. I guess I’m getting back into bank mode already. I have a big presentation to give in a few days. I love New York and especially enjoyed spending time with you.”

Nodding, he asked, “But not enough fun to break up with the cop, right?” Offering his phone with a half-smile, Gage said, “Now would be a good time.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “I don’t know. I’m confused.” Alex faced Gage on the bench and placed both hands on his shoulders. Eyes glistening, she said, “I want to be honest with you. I wish breaking up with Tony were that easy. As impossible as our relationship is, we go back a few years. I just . . . I’m not . . . I don’t know.”

“You’re not ready,” Gage said.

Leaning over, Alex picked at a blade of grass. “Some days I’m more than ready, trust me.”

Taking a deep breath with hurt written all over his face, Gage said, “But you’re saying I shouldn’t put my life on hold—or should I?”

Alex couldn’t believe Gage was willing to wait. She paused before answering, her thoughts more muddled than ever.I can’t ask him to wait.Swallowing hard, she said, “You should live your life however you choose until I get my head straight.”

Gage nodded slowly. Exchanging niceties for the rest of the afternoon, they strolled around Central Park, but her indecision and fear had ruined her perfect trip.

Chapter 79

With almost no sleep due to second-guessing her conversation with Gage and wondering if she should have broken up with Tony from afar, Alex managed to strip the silky sheets and remake the bed in Cheri’s lush bedroom, complete with a while fur on the foot of the bed. Surprising herself, she had packed her belongings—all before five in the morning.

After one last walk-through to make sure she hadn’t left anything behind, Alex took the elevator to the lobby. As the doorman had promised, a car service was parked out front. Peering up and down the busy, traffic-jammed street, Alex half hoped Gage would surprise her with one last goodbye but understood why he didn’t show. After one more glimpse down the sidewalk hoping for a sign of him, she shook the doorman’s hand, tipped him, and thanked him for his help during her trip.

Stepping toward the outer door, Alex nearly ran into a handsome fifty-something man and a giggling dark-haired beauty. Alex noticed the doorman practically fell over himself as he assisted the couple with their luggage. She overheard the woman say, “Bonjour. Merci, Monsieur.”

Sighing inwardly, Alex thought,If I had a sexy accent, I might feel better about my crappy love life. Now I see how Hope feels on the daily.

After the driver loaded her luggage and expertly wove through traffic to LaGuardia Airport, Alex scanned several emails from the bank. Frowning about the upcoming board meeting presentation, she fired off an email to Hannah reminding her to prepare twenty-five identical reports for the Show-Me Bank board meeting. Once she reminded her intern yet again of the contents she wanted to cover—and the order—she realized they had arrived at LaGuardia. She paid the driver, checked her bag, and found her gate. Spotting a coffee shop near the gate, she bought a skinny vanilla latte and settled into a seat.

Once her group was called to board, Alex placed her carryon in an overhead bin and tried to read a magazine but couldn’t concentrate. Scrunched between two loud, chatty passengers, she couldn’t wait to land. She glared at a teen who continually kicked the back of her seat, had never been happier to hear the landing gear go down, albeit sad to leave Gage and New York City.

Beyond tired, she debated whether to drive to the bank or see if her girlfriends could meet at Coconuts. The thought of collapsing at home moved up to priority one as she trudged through the Crystal City Airport. Staring at the carousel luggage in a daze, Alex turned on her cell and frowned while reading several angry texts from Tony.

WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?

ALEX, JESUS.

CALL ME BACK!!

DAMMIT.

CALL ME NOW. I NEED YOU.

I’M NOT KIDDING.

Gee. Welcome back. So much for the chill part of my vacation.Almost regretting her decision to tell Gage she wasn’t ready to break up with the cop, Alex resisted responding to Tony’s irate texts.Why should I get stressed immediately upon my return? He can wait.

Retrieving her luggage, she pulled it across the parking lot and tried to remember where she had parked.Oh, yeah. The freaking back forty.Once she found her Mustang, she plunked her bags in her trunk, and rolled down the windows to let the heat escape. Before she had backed out, her phone rang. Since it was Tony, she let it go to voicemail. He called a second time and then a third in rapid succession. “What?” she hissed.

“Where the hell have you been, and why haven’t you called me back?” Tony sounded livid, yet somehow different.

Alex paused, trying to decide how to answer. “I’ve been on a much-needed retreat. Hello to you too.”

“A bank retreat?” Pausing, he said, “It doesn’t matter.” His voice rose a notch. “Alex, I need you.Right. Now.”

“Tony, stop with the vague cop crap. I’m not one of your criminals. Just tell me what’s up. I’m exhausted and want to go home. I’ve been up longer than the sun.” Exhaling, she said, “And welcome home to me.”

Her thoughts drifted to the amazing trip and a lingering hug from Gage at Central Park whose eyes—and lips—still haunted her. Alex knew she had been vague about her relationship, leaned toward breaking it off with Tony, but couldn’t do it from New York. Even for her, that would be cold, plus she didn’t want to make any promises to Gage until the breakup was a done deal. She and Tony had a lot of baggage with both good and disastrous memories.

Welcome back to the real world. Dammit. I totally unplugged for days and now this.

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