Page 48 of Double Booked

“I believe you. Hopefully, he’ll back off now.” But she wasn’t so sure. Determination was one of the qualities she’d admired in him at the start. He’d doggedly pursued her when they’d first met, finally convincing her to go out with him. Thinking back on it, her reluctance must have been foretelling. There was something too smooth and practiced about him, yet she’d fallen for him, anyway. After their breakup, she vowed never to ignore her instincts again.

Hope broke into her musing. “Alex is calling me. Do you mind if I take this?”

“Not at all.”

After they hung up, Eden sat there thinking. In Cole’s note, he could have indicated that Patrick had called, yet he hadn’t. It made her question her instincts. How well did she really know Cole, and more importantly, could she trust him? There was only one way to find out. When he came home later, she’d give him a chance to confess to answering her phone. Whatever happened, it would set the course for the rest of their time together.

Please tell the truth.

Sixteen

Cole took Trail Ridge Road to one of the highest points in the park. The tree-lined road had given way to alpine tundra, providing unobstructed views in every direction. He took numerous photos of the magnificent scenery, including some of the small alpine mammals called Pika. It was much cooler and windier at this altitude, but this time, he’d packed the proper gear.

After eating lunch at the Alpine Visitor Center, he wandered around the souvenir store. He paused at a rack of women’s flannel shirts, thinking of Eden, as he’d been doing all day. He replayed what had happened last night after she’d gone to bed.

While he was cleaning up their movie snacks, her phone rang. Glancing around, he spotted it on the arm of the couch and moved toward it. The ringer wasn’t overly loud, but he didn’t want it to wake her. He looked down at the screen and scowled. He made a split-second decision and answered. “Hello.”

“Who is this?” Patrick demanded.

“Cole Turner.” He wasn’t sure why he’d provided his last name.

“Isn’t this Eden’s phone?”

“Yes, it is.” His answer was clipped.

“Is she available?”

Not to the likes of you. “She can’t come to the phone right now.” Then he hung up before he said something he might regret. Clutching the phone, he half expected Patrick to call back, but the phone was silent. Likewise, Eden hadn’t emerged from her bedroom, and he detected the sound of her soft snoring.

He let out a big breath, releasing the tension in his neck and shoulders. He didn’t even know Patrick, yet he’d evoked this reaction. He shouldn’t be this riled up, unless… He was already falling for her. Dammit. When had that happened?

He slumped down on the couch, still holding her phone, thinking about what had led to this. He’d been attracted to her from the start, and their kissing only cemented it. He recalled the first day they’d met, when she’d insisted he vacate the cabin. Even her feistiness was appealing. Then, as he’d gotten to know her, his feelings had grown.

He shook his head, unbelieving and filled with dread. Even if she reciprocated his feelings, there were too many obstacles. For one, they lived on opposite sides of the country. Plus, there was her pesky ex-boyfriend, who didn’t seem to be backing off.

Then his guilt kicked in. He probably should have let the call go to voicemail. By answering, he might have made a bad situation even worse. Would Eden be angry that he’d interfered? Should he have woken her? Maybe she’d be glad he’d done it. Maybe now, Patrick would think she’d moved on, and finally leave her alone. Was that what she wanted, though? He still wasn’t completely convinced.

Finally, he stood and placed her phone on the kitchen counter where she’d see it in the morning. Still feeling guilty, he decided to leave her a note. He’d wait and tell her about the phone call in person, but he left his phone number, in case she needed to get ahold of him.

“Can I help you with something?” a clerk asked, breaking into his thoughts.

“I’m looking for a gift, but I’m not sure of the size.”

“We have a thirty-day return policy, if that helps.”

Thirty days from now, they’d no longer be here. The thought was sobering. “Thanks. I’m going to look around some more.”

She nodded and walked away.

After rummaging through the rack, he found a blue flannel shirt that he thought would complement Eden’s eyes. He took it up to the register before he could overthink it.

“Good choice.” It was the same clerk who’d approached him. “I’ll make sure to include a gift receipt.”

“Thank you.” A few minutes later, he walked outside with the gift. It was mid-afternoon, and he had a decision to make. He could continue driving up Trail Ridge Road and taking more pictures, or he could head home. It was no contest. An hour later, he returned to the cabin.

Gift in hand, he exited the car and went inside. The living room and kitchen were empty, but there were sounds coming from her bedroom. Placing the bag on the couch, he moved closer to her bedroom door and heard music playing and her tapping on the keyboard. Not wanting to interrupt her, he turned away, thinking he’d go upstairs and upload his photos when the floorboard squeaked beneath his boots. He’d been so anxious to see her, he’d forgotten to take them off.

“Who’s there?” Eden called, sounding uneasy.