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“Maybe it’s just not the same,” Sam ventured. “He could care for this new woman but, in his heart, he might not feel everything that he felt for your mom—his wife and the mother of his children.”
She nodded, understanding his point. Then she asked, “Were you in love with Charlotte?”
He groaned. “Who brought her up?”
“Reese. But don’t worry, I’m not the jealous type. Just curious.”
“Nothing to be jealous about. I was young and didn’t do a good job of making things work with her and my family.”
“How so?”
Sam sighed. “They can be challenging. Selfish, even, in that they need to know everything that’s going on with their sons so there aren’t any surprises—particularly in front of others. You don’t catch my parents off guard, that’s a cardinal rule. Charlotte was a surprise. Big time. I literally sprung her on them after two years of being with her. I suppose I’d known all along that she wasn’t going to be able to hold her own with them, and that’s why I kept our relationship a secret.”
“Did you love her?” she asked again.
“In that first-time sort of way,” he said. “But in the end, I had to accept the fact that I’d known in the back of my head she wasn’t the right woman for me. I sensed from the beginning that it wasn’t going to work out. Maybe that’s another reason I kept her from my family for so long. I didn’t want to break the illusion so quickly.”
Sky asked, “What about me?”
He grinned. “Things are different now. I don’t subscribe to the family criticism or drama. But as a matter of tradition and principle, you will have to meet them someday.”
She laughed. “Does that mean we’re officially dating?”
“Think it goes without saying.”
“Nice to know.” The song ended and Sky said, “Why don’t you take me back to your cottage, cowboy?”
Chapter Eight
They said their goodbyes and headed out of the saloon. Sam gave her another spin in the parking lot and she laughed as she ducked under his raised arm. But the flash of blue in the moonlight and the flicker of familiar taillights made her pull away.
She stared out into the dark night, the sight vanishing so quickly she didn’t know if her paranoia had caused a hallucination. Or if she’d really just seen the ass end of Mac’s ’57 Cadillac convertible peeling out of the parking lot and disappearing down the road.
“What is it, darlin’?” Sam stood beside her, his gaze following hers.
Her pulse raced, and not in a good way. She absently wrung her hands and said, “I’m not sure. I might’ve just imagined it.”
“Imagined what?”
She shook her head. “I could be totally wrong. But I thought I saw the ex’s car.”
Sam stared down at her. “You think he’s here in Wilder?”
“I can’t fathom why he would be. I mean, he wouldn’t see me around town. My SUV is out at the ranch all day. He wouldn’t know where to find me. Unless he started asking around. Of course, I don’t know how many people know I’m working at the inn.”
Sam took her by the hand and led her to the truck. “Well, he’s not going to get close to you at the cottage. The first thing Caleb and I did when he bought the property was to secure the fencing that surrounds it and install video surveillance. We’ve got cameras everywhere. And the gates are monitored after five o’clock, but you know that already.”
“And you have guards who patrol the grounds on ATVs and keep an eye on all the outbuildings and horses. I do feel safe there. I just wouldn’t want him to try to breach your security.”
“Not a chance.” He helped her into the cab, then leaned against the door panel and asked, “Why won’t you tell me his name?”
“I don’t want you getting any ideas in your head about going to the sheriff on my behalf.”
Sam grimaced. “As much as I’d like to—and the thought has crossed my mind, I’ll admit—I wouldn’t betray you that way.”
“I didn’t think you would. I just didn’t want there to be any sort of temptation.”
His head dipped and he kissed her. Then he said, “Oh there’s plenty of temptation.”
