A Cowboy for the CEO

Chapter 33: Truly, Madly, Deeply

Ali really shouldn't have opened that email. She also shouldn't have checked the online market reports or read any of the national news. Diving back into reality created information overload and gave her too much to think about after weeks of keeping the outside world away.

Although the offer of a promotion first excited her, the feeling soon turned into doubt and then fear. Leading a new office would give her autonomy and would be a logical step in her professional life, but it would also be a huge change. And change was something she wasn't sure she needed—or could handle.

She'd always been an East Coast girl, and her whole existence—her family, friends, and career—was tied to the greater New York City area. Sure, she was a competent adult open to new experiences, but moving cross-country and leaving the familiar behind was still daunting.

The internal struggle between these conflicting emotions would have nagged away at her for the rest of the day had it not been for the distraction provided by one of the lodge's latest guests. Having arrived just a day earlier, Reese was an intellectual property lawyer from San Francisco whose frankness about everything—even the eating disorder that landed her at Pebble Creek—had already put off most people around her. Ali found her candor refreshing, and after she showed the perky redhead around, they ended up people-watching on the rear patio under the warm glow of the setting sun.

While she'd given the newcomer a heads-up about some of the more colorful characters to avoid—a certain Southeast Asian nemesis's name may have come up—Reese was more intrigued by the opposite sex.

"Aw, he's kind of cute," she said, leaning back in an Adirondack chair and nodding toward a guy across the patio in a beanie and horn-rimmed glasses.

Ali pulled her feet under her. "Sorry, but he's batting for the other team."

"Crap. How about him?" Reese moved on to a man sipping beer at a nearby table.

"Married," Ali lamented.

Reese frowned. "That one?" she asked again.

Ali shook her head. "Bad breath."

"Ew." Reese scanned the crowd. "Him then?"

Ali remembered a prior conversation with the guy in the plaid shorts. "Totally self-absorbed."

Reese sighed. "How did you ever survive three weeks in this place?"

"I don't know. Kept busy, I guess." Ali smiled, but as soon as the words left her lips, she thought of Hank and the sting of his absence returned.

"Well, lucky you. One more." Reese tapped her fingers together while doing a final sweep of the diminishing selection. "How about that guy?"

"Boring." Ali glanced at the muscle-head and feigned a yawn. "Unless you enjoy stories about how cheese was made in the Middle Ages. Because if you do, then he's your winner."

Reese laughed. "Point taken. But they all can't be bad. Come on. I have an idea." Grabbing Ali by the arm, she ran toward the lawn and picked up a discarded soccer ball. It didn't take a lot of effort to put together two teams, and soon they were in the middle of a heated match.

Ali had played in high school, but it took her a bit to get back into the game. She didn't have much to do with her side leading five to three, but when a midfielder passed her the ball, she took off for the goal. With her head down, she zigzagged to dodge the opposition before dribbling down the field at full speed. Concentrating more on keeping control than looking ahead, she came to an abrupt stop when a pair of jeans and two cowboy boots blocked her path and kicked the ball away.

She looked up and immediately jumped into Hank's arms. "You're back!" she squealed in delight.

He smiled as she clung to his neck. "That's quite a welcome. Does it also mean I can kiss you here?"