him in surprise. “You think I seem sad?”
“Well, different. You used to seem happier,” he said.
She thought about that for a moment. “I worry more,” she confessed as he pulled into the small parking lot for The Horseback Hollow Grill.
He cut the engine and turned to her. “No worrying for the next couple of hours,” he told her. “After all, you’re about to eat a gourmet meal with the handsomest guy in Horseback Hollow,” he joked.
Stacey smiled. The gourmet meal was a stretch, but she was beginning to think that Colton was the best man in Horseback Hollow. She wondered why she’d never noticed until now.
“Oooh, what a cute baby,” the server at The Grill said, then glanced at Stacey and Colton. “What a good-looking family. I bet you hear that all the time. I’m Maureen, and I’m new here in Horseback Hollow.” Her gaze returned to Piper. “Look at that chin,” she said, tickling it. “Just like Daddy’s. Now, what can I get for you today?”
“Burger loaded and hot chocolate,” Colton said. “What about you?” he asked Stacey.
“Grilled cheese and hot chocolate. Extra marshmallows please,” she added.
“Will do,” Maureen said and turned away.
“Sorry about that,” Stacey said.
“Sorry about what?” he asked.
“That the waitress said Piper looked like you,” she said, feeling extremely awkward. She didn’t want Colton to feel pushed into a relationship with either herself or Piper.
“She said we have the same chin,” he said, rubbing his own chin and glancing at Piper. “I just didn’t know I already had two.”
Relief raced through her, and she swatted at him. “Stop that. She clearly only has one chin, but there’s no denying those chipmunk cheeks. She looks as if she’s packing a load of acorns.” Stacey rubbed her daughter’s cheek. “But you’re gorgeous, anyway,” she said.
“She is. She looks like you. Minus the chipmunk cheeks,” he said.
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Stacey said, and Maureen returned with their hot chocolate.
“Anything else I can get you?” she asked.
Colton glanced at Stacey. “We’re good,” she said.
Their food was served just moments later, and Stacey relished her grilled cheese sandwich. Although Piper was well-fortified with cereal on her high-chair tray, she watched every bite that Stacey took.
“She’s getting more interested in food,” Stacey said. “Especially whatever I’m eating.”
“Can’t blame her. What does she get? Dry cereal? She looks as if she wants to reach right over and grab the rest of your sandwich. You’re clearly starving her.”
“Right,” Stacey said, shooting him a mock chastising look. “This is probably more than you want to know, but she’s allowed to have strained and pureed fruits, vegetables and meats.”
Colton made a face. “I didn’t hear hamburger on that list.”
“She doesn’t have any teeth. She’d have to gum it,” Stacey said.
A woman stopped by their table. “Why, Stacey Jones. I haven’t seen you in ages.”
Stacey recognized the woman as a member of her church. Stacey had missed quite a few Sundays since Piper had been born. Truth be told, she’d missed more than she’d attended since she’d gotten pregnant. “Mrs. Gordon, it’s good to see you. How is your family?” Stacey asked as she stood and gave the woman a hug.
“We’re hanging in there. My husband has had a terrible time with gout, but we keep plugging. Look at your baby. She’s just gorgeous,” Mrs. Gordon said, and glanced at Colton in confusion. “Colton Foster, right? For some reason, I thought your fiancé’s name was Joe.”
Stacey’s stomach knotted. “He was. Joe moved to Dallas. But Piper is thriving, as you can see.”
“Yes, she is. And how nice for both of you to have big, strong Colton around,” Mrs. Gordon said in a coy voice.
“Hmm,” Stacey said, so ready for the woman to move along. “Thank you for stopping by,” she said. “And please give your husband my best.”
She sank back onto her seat. “Why does everyone have to know everything about everyone around here?” she muttered and took a sip of her hot chocolate. She wondered how long she would be answering questions about Joe and why they weren’t together. At this point, it looked like forever.
After they finished their meal, Colton drove Stacey and Piper back to Stacey’s house. “You’re awfully quiet,” he said.
“I know I said that we have to expect people to talk here in Horseback Hollow because that’s what they do, but I hate having to talk about Joe. People always look at me with pity. Poor Stacey. She couldn’t keep her man,” she said.
“Joe’s leaving wasn’t your fault. He couldn’t handle the responsibility of a baby. He’s the loser in this situation, not you,” he said. “If you need another way of looking at it, aren’t you glad that you and Piper aren’t stuck with a man who doesn’t love you? You deserve better than that.”
“When he first left, I was in shock. I couldn’t believe he would abandon his own child and me. It made me wonder if I ever really knew him,” she said.
“Do you wish he would come back and the two of you could get back together?” Colton asked.
“I did for a while,” she confessed. “It sounded like the perfect ending to a fairy tale that had gotten off track. But I don’t know that I would ever be able to trust him again. I do know that I’m not the same woman who fell for him years ago. I just wish he wouldn’t have rejected Piper. That’s the worst part,” she said.
Colton pulled the car to a stop in the Joneses’ driveway. He leaned toward her. “I’m not sure this little outing cheered you up all that much.”
She blinked at him. “I didn’t know that was the purpose,” she said. “I thought we just wanted to spend some time together. We did that with no meltdowns from Piper, and I had terrific hot chocolate and company.”
“You’re some kind of woman, Stacey, and don’t you forget it,” he said as he lowered his mouth to take hers in a delicious kiss.
Stacey felt her heart race. Her body immediately responded. His kiss triggered all sorts of forbidden emotions and sensations. She slid her hands beneath his jacket to pull him closer. He responded by nearly hauling her onto his lap.
“Damn this console,” he muttered and kissed her again. He slid one of his hands from her waist upward to her breast.
Her nipples turned hard, and she felt her need for him pool in all her secret places. “Oh, Colton,” she whispered and scrubbed at his chest, wishing she could feel his naked skin.
His kiss turned hot with want and need, and she strained toward him, her body and mind recalling how good he’d felt inside her. She wanted him that way again. Now.
The sound of Piper gurgling and talking her baby language penetrated past the mist of arousal crowding her mind. Colton froze. Stacey did the same.
Frustration nicked through her. “This is hard,” she said.
“In more ways than one,” Colton said, his voice taut with forced denial. “Between you living with your parents and me living at the ranch, I feel like a randy teenager,” he said and pulled back.
Stacey felt the same sense of dissatisfaction