Free The Reluctant Cowboy by Cherie Ullman Page A

going to happen….” 
    “Probably?” Sierra caught that word. 
    “At that time, we were both single and Vanessa had just started dating Mark.  She told me about him while we were there, but you have to understand that I didn’t know then that they were going to be married.  Vanessa was one of my best friends and of course I love her.  At that moment in time, I would have married her if it would have made everyone happy.” 
    “Holy crap.  That’s too much information for my brain to comprehend.”  Sierra placed the other picture she was holding back on the dresser and tried to focus on the other large picture.  “This must be Grandma?” she asked, pointing to the picture. “She was stunning.”  It was one of the close up pictures in black and white done back in the 20’s or 30’s. 
    “She was.  She was more of a mother to me than my own mother ever was.  I loved both of them very much.”  Sierra misted up at the gentle tone in his voice. 
    “Did she pass away too?” 
    “Just last year.  She went quickly and I wasn’t there for her.”
    “Oh Cole, I’m so sorry.”  She turned and put her arms around his waist.  He returned her hug. 
    “It’s okay.  I took care of everything and have wonderful memories.” 
    “Was she your mother’s mother or your father’s?” 
    “My father’s.  You know they only came for the funeral and then left.  I haven’t seen them since.” 
    Sierra couldn’t fathom that.  She was so close to her own parents.  She looked at the picture again and studied it more closely.  She could see a slight resemblance.  “You have her eyes.” 
    “She thought so, too.  She told me she loved my father dearly, but he wasn’t half the man I was becoming. She blamed my mother for the change in him.  She said he used to be a warm, caring, driven man, but when he met her, he changed.  She told me that he became materialistic and calculating.  He lived only to please her.  He stopped coming around and became distant. 
    “She was devastated until she heard I was born,” he continued to share, baring his soul to her.  “She reached out to let them know that she wanted to be a part of my life.  When my parents heard that, they were more than happy to let her raise me, while they traveled the world.  I don’t think I was part of their plan, so I attended boarding schools here and then flew to Italy for any school breaks and summers.” 
    Sierra had tears sliding down her cheeks now.  She was still holding him and squeezed a little tighter, comforting him.  “That sounds so sad.  I’m sorry you had to feel that way.”  She released him to wipe at her eyes.  She watched him as he went into his closet to pick out something to wear for the day.  She was seeing him in a completely different light and it frightened her. 

Chapter 6
    Cole needed to step away from Sierra to get some distance.  He had just confided in her more about himself in a few minutes, than he did with most people he knew for years.  It was easy to be himself around her, something he wasn’t used to.  He didn’t want her sympathy. 
    He had understood from an early age that his family dynamics were not the norm.  His grandmother had shared her memories of a wonderful marriage to his grandfather for over thirty years, until he died suddenly of a heart attack.  She had never remarried and Cole only knew his grandfather from her memories and shared photographs. 
    She had shown him plenty of love, affection and, at times, discipline that molded the man he was still becoming today.  He also was fortunate to have Vanessa’s siblings and parents’ influence growing up.  Even time spent apart as they grew older, they found ways to keep in contact and occasionally see one another. 
    Now that Sierra had heard about his childhood, he found himself drawn into wanting to know more about hers.  He changed into a light blue polo and blue jeans and grabbed his favorite loafers