Page 114 of Boston
“Yeah,” Boston said slowly, as if he didn’t get it.
“Well, you told me that boyfriends and girlfriends weren’t allowed, that that was just a one-time thing that Adam and Joey did.”
“I don’t know what Cole arranged with Cash,” Boston said, and he sounded like he didn’t have time or patience for this conversation.
“Well, I could have come tonight,” she said. “I arranged to get out of the office, and I’m up at Little Brown Bear Stream right now.”
Boston sat on the line for a moment that filled full of judgment. “You went up to the stream without me?”
“You had cousin night,” she said. “I just feel bad. I would have come to?—”
“Well, how could I have possibly known that, Cora?” he asked. “You didn’ttellme you’d arranged to have free time tonight. If I would have known, maybe I would have asked Cash if you could have come.”
She swallowed, because she didn’t want to force herself on to Boston. She wanted him to go to Cash and beg him to allow Cora to attend cousin night with him, and then she wanted Boston tocome to her and beg her to clear her schedule. Neither scenario was fair, even if it was how she felt.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “We just haven’t had much time for each other in the past couple of weeks, and it didn’t even occur to me that you might be able to come.”
He didn’t sound super sorry, and that irritated Cora too. In fact, he almost made it sound like this situation was her fault.Maybe it is, she thought.
“I can’t believe you went to Little Brown Bear Stream without me,” he said.
“I’m sorry,” she said in the same flat tone he’d given her. “I’m drowning at Silver Sage, and I needed an escape.”
“You should have told me,” he said. “I might?—”
“I hate it when people start sentences with ‘you should have.’” She spoke over the top of him, effectively silencing him. “Youshould have said something too.”
Nothing came through the line, and that only made Cora’s cells buzz even more. “Maybe now is not the right time for us,” she said. “With the babies and the lodge. I mean, I knew I’d be busy when I came here, and of course, I didn’t expect to meet you.” She blew out her breath, not quite sure what she was saying. Her eyes filled with tears.
“You’re probably right. We probably shouldn’t be in a relationship when we can’t make time for each other.” His words sliced through her chest, because he made it sound like she was the only one who’d gotten busy, and that she’d deliberately chosen anything and everything over him. She hadn’t done that. Had she?
Something scuffed on his end of the line, and then he said, “Yeah, I’m coming,” in a quiet voice. “Listen, Cora,” he said, obviously talking to her again. “I gotta go, okay? I guess I’ll…see you around the lodge.”
“See you around the lodge, yep,” she clipped out, her voice too high, and definitely not her own.
“All right. Bye.” He ended the call, and Cora let the phone drop to her lap. She’d known she and Boston were not on the same page at the moment, but she’d never thought she’d have to close the book completely.
Tears filled her eyes and escaped out of the corner of her left one. She brushed angrily at it and put the car in gear to get back to the lodge.
“Don’t be stupid, Cora,” she muttered to herself. “He’s just some cowboy that you dated for a few weeks to ease your transition back to Coral Canyon.”
Cora heard the lies inside her own voice. Boston was notsome cowboy, and she had not used him for anything.
No, she’d been steadily falling in love with him, and it hurt to know that now he sat completely out of her reach.
CHAPTER
THIRTY-THREE
Cash stood several paces away from Boston, who’d parked himself on the steps out front. Meanwhile, the cousin barbecue bash continued in the backyard. He’d seen Boston leave several minutes ago, lifting his phone to his ear, and he’d just wanted to make sure that his cousin was okay.
One look at Boston’s face, and Cash had his answer.
“You can come over now,” Boston said, and Cash turned and headed in his direction.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt.” He climbed the steps and sat next to Boston.
“It’s fine,” Boston said. “Doesn’t matter anyway.” He shook his head, a terribly unhappy look on his face as he stared out across the front lawn. The sun had gone down behind the Tetons at least a half-hour ago, but plenty of light continued to blanket the land, just in a more subdued way, with a navy-gray film over everything.
