CHAPTER 3
She offered him a smile. “I-I’m here with CPARC, the Climate Predic–”
“I know what it means.” Axel crossed his arms and waited to see what Coop would do next. He had no idea what she was talking about, but at the moment he didn’t care. He sure as hell wasn’t going to make this easy. Not after the way she’d left without a word.
In spite of himself, he drank her in. Time had treated her well. Her black glossy hair no longer fell from a ponytail on top of her head, but was short and curved around her chin. Her lithe body had blossomed into luscious curves that even a company polo and baggy khaki shorts couldn’t hide.
For a moment time fell away, and Coop was his girl again. The young woman whose body molded perfectly against his. With the dark chocolate eyes that when you got up close, held tiny flecks of gold. And the full, wide mouth he could kiss for days.
The thrill-crazy girl who’d ride standing up in the back of a pick-up truck going break-neck, singing and laughing at the top of her lungs. And the woman he’d loved who left him high and dry.
That woman.
Cold reality hit him in the gut, putting a stop to the stirring low in his belly. Coop had quit them. She hadn’t even left a note. He’d been frantic for weeks, terrified that something had happened to her, that she was in some kind of trouble. He’d even driven to Norman, searching, just to make sure.
And then he’d seen her walk out of her neighborhood coffee shop looking like she didn’t have a care in the world. He’d been stunned, then overwhelmed with relief. By the time it occurred to him to confront her, she’d disappeared around the corner, and he was left with a broken heart and a parking ticket.
Everything he’d practiced saying to her in his mind over the last ten years flooded his brain, short circuiting his temper.
“Nice to know you didn’t die,” he bit out.
Not exactly the opener he’d imagined, but a good enough place to start. Honestly, he was too pissed to give a shit what she thought.
Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth, then shut it, dropping her head. Two pink spots bloomed on her cheeks. She’d look downright delectable if he wasn’t so angry. She might have charmed him once upon a time, but he was never falling for that again.
No. Way.
She raised her chin, eyes meeting his, and took a breath to speak. But before she’d uttered a word, his father ambled up, eyeing them suspiciously from underneath his beat-up straw cowboy hat. “Forte said he was sending a two men. What’s she doing here?” He gestured at Coop.
Great. Leave it to his dad to be an asshole from the get-go. Coop’s face went wooden. Axel recognized that face immediately. Whenever Coop had gotten steaming mad, her eyes would flash, but her face would remain perfectly neutral and impassive. He’d never figured out how she’d learned to do that.
But regardless of his feelings about Coop being back, if word got back to Forte that Dad had disrespected anyone on his team, that would be just as bad as dissing the people at K-State.
“Dad. I don’t know if you remember her, but this is Haley Cooper.”
Eddie narrowed his eyes, and looked her over. “Hmph. Thought you looked familiar. You bailed out on Axe here near about ten years ago, if I recall. What in the hell are you doing hooked up with Zack’s group?”
A muscle ticked above her cheek, but that was Coop’s only tell that her temper was being judiciously held in check. She gave him a small smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “I’ve been working with CPARC for the last year studying mesoscale disturbances in the upper atmosphere preceding and during tornado outbreaks.” She lifted a shoulder nonchalantly. “I’m sure if you’ve talked to Mr. Forte, you know that we’re working to make our research open source so we can collaborate with organizations like NASA and NCAR, and others who are struggling under the weight of significant funding cuts.”
“Well Zack didn’t warn me he was sending you,” Eddie grumbled.
Coop seemed to grow taller as she stared down Eddie. “Would it have made a difference?” Her soft drawl became clipped. “If there’s a problem, Mr. Forte can make other arrangements. I’m sure there’s another ranch nearby that would be happy for the compensation and the accolades from working with a prestigious individual like Mr. Forte.”
Axel bit the inside of this cheek to keep from smiling. He had to hand it to her. She’d never been afraid of his old man and played him like a violin. Every time. Eddie’d never been friendly to Coop, and Axel was sure it was because Coop never let anyone push her around. Eddie could be downright charming with the ladies when he wanted, but never with Coop. And it had come between them on more than one occasion when they’d dated.
Eddie frowned and coughed. “Fine, fine. Bunkhouse is ready. Don’t expect much, and make sure you stay out of the way. I don’t want you scarin’ the horses.”
Coop smiled placidly, but her eyes still gave away her aggravation. “I don’t need anything but a good internet connection.”
“Whaddoyou think this is, the Marriott? I don’t got that in the bunkhouse,” Eddie hedged, his frown turning into a glare.
Haley’s brows creased, and her hand tightened on the folder she held.
“She can take our bunkhouse, Dad. We’re wired.” The words left his mouth before Axel could grab them back in.
Awesome. Just. Awesome.
It made absolutely no sense, but he didn’t want Coop to go somewhere else. Gunnar would have a shit fit when Axel told him they were moving across the way. But he sure as hell wasn’t going to let Gunn stay in the bunkhouse with her alone. Hell, no. Gunn could move out too.
Eddie leveled a glare at him. “So long as your work gets done. You don’t need no distractions.”
Axel’s neck prickled with heat. He wasn’t fucking sixteen. He worked plenty hard around here, and to have his dad make a comment like that – especially in front of Coop – grated.
“Work’s always gotten done, Pops,” he said evenly, clenching his jaw to avoid saying anything he’d regret later.
Eddie waved a hand in Coop’s direction. “See she gets settled then.” He adjusted his hat and ambled off to the farmhouse.
Haley shot Axel a grateful smile once his dad was out of earshot, although her eyes were still wary. “That was very sweet of you, but there’s no need. I can get a hotel in town.”
Her offer set off a cascade of bitterness that came out in a harsh laugh. “You’ve been in the big city too long, darlin’. We don’t have hotels in West Podunk.”
She flinched. “Axe–”
He raised a hand. “Save it. And I wasn’t bein’ sweet either. Just doing my job.” He could manage to keep his shit together if she maintained her distance, but he was not getting into a conversation with her. Not when his emotions were as jumpy as a penned-in mustang.
He pointed in the direction of a pair of bunkhouses that peeked through the trees beyond the stables. “Far left is yours. Give me an hour to tell Gunn and get my things moved next door. My bedroom is on the left. And in case you didn’t remember, Warren’s house is on the other side of the arena toward the river.”
“Axel, please?” Coop’s husky sweet plea slid under his skin, burning him. She’d never been the type to ask for much. Or share much, for that matter.
They might have been college sweethearts, and they certainly burned up the sheets, but how close had they been, really? Over the years, late at night, when he was alone with only thoughts of her and regret for company, he’d realized they’d never had a true heart to heart. She’d never let him get too close.
And he’d been happy to go along. He’d never pressed her about her childhood or asked about her dreams. Never volunteered what it was like living in Gunnar’s shadow or shared his own deepest desires. He’d been more concerned with having fun and getting her alone. Sure, they’d talked about the future, and in his mind, she was always in it. He’d foolishly assumed she had the same picture.
And now she was here, resurrecting all this crap that he’d purged from his system… supposedly. It was all too much. She was too much.
Axel shook himself, bristling. “I don’t wanna hear your excuses right now, Coop,” he bit out. “I may not be able to do anything about the fact that you’re here for the next two months–”
“Know where I can hire a driver?”
Something in her tone of voice caught Axel’s attention. His head snapped up, and he narrowed his eyes, studying her. A breeze ruffled the edge of her glossy black hair, flicking it against her cheek. But it was the light of challenge in her eye that sucked him back into another memory.
She’d been up for a week after finals and she’d talked him into driving out after a storm. She’d egged him to drive faster and faster, her voice intense with excitement. They’d had to pull over when the hail hit, and the car had rocked in the wind. Then they’d spotted a funnel cloud crossing the road about a mile in front of them.
Every now and then, when the sirens blew, Axel felt the same rush of adrenaline he’d had in that moment, clutching the steering wheel half in awe, half in terror. And what had Coop done? She’d hopped out and run down the road, toward the twister. He’d had to drag her back to the truck.
Yes.
The word formed in his mouth, but stayed stuck there. He had a ranch to run. Responsibilities.
Yes.
He shook his head firmly. “Not interested.” Spinning on his heel, he left her standing by her screwball looking vehicle. There was no way he was going to let himself get pulled into her crazy orbit again.