Free Bet On Love by Barbara Witek Page B

the back of the truck with me on his heels.
    “She’s a great girl, Cole.”
    “What I’m trying to say is, thank you.” He stretched his arms to grip both sides of the tailgate over his head, his face only inches from my own.
    “For what?” I blinked several times in a feeble attempt at clearing the fantasies already forming in my head.
    “For being a good sport and for coming along when I know you’d rather be on your way.”
    “Cole, I--” but I never finished because Abbey and Maria barreled through the bushes. Cole beamed at the sight of his daughter, as if he was seeing her for the first time in days. It hadn’t even been twenty minutes. To know that kind of love existed brought a fullness to my heart I had never known. The man was amazing.
    “Wait ‘til you see how Aunt Kelly decorated the camp! There are signs everywhere, she has tons of food for tomorrow and Uncle Rob wants to know if you guys are fishing later.”
    “What do you say, GT? You up for a little fishing after dinner?”
    “How about you fish and I watch?”
    “I can see California hasn’t toughened you up any.”
    “Sure it has. I just don’t have to touch a slimy fish to prove it.”
    “Oooh! She got you, Dad,” Abbey chimed in after getting a drink from the cooler.
    “Hey, whose side are you on?”
    “Nobody’s,” Abbey tweeted and both girls smiled as wide as the sky above. “Well, Maria and I are going for a walk.” She took Maria by the arm and pulled her from the campsite. The whispers and giggles floated on the gentle breeze.
    “What do you think that was all about?” Cole handed me a beer, and I couldn’t help but notice it was my favorite lager.
    “Curiosity, probably. You know, see what happens when we have some alone time.” Ugh, again I spoke too much information, as Cole froze with the beer to his lips and his eyes filled with a crazy combination of mischief and desire.
    “How much time do you think they’ll give us?”
    “For real?” I set my drink on the well-used picnic table. “Let’s get camp set up first.” First? What was I saying?
    Cole appeared behind me in a flash and wrapped his arms around my waist. I allowed myself to lean into him and sighed. Being in his arms had never felt so good.
    “So I’ve still got a chance?” he said against my ear.
    Good grief, I was doing it again! I couldn’t give in totally. Goodbye would be hard enough. Reminding myself to keep it light and that I was only here for Abbey, I leaned forward and spun around to face him.
    “Focus, cowboy. We have work to do. Unload the rest of the truck, and I’ll start laying out the sleeping bags.” I caught the playful gleam once more and cut him off before he could speak the thought I knew darn well he was thinking because it had briefly crossed my own mind. “You just stay out. I don’t need any help.”
    “Shot down again. I guess you are pretty tough.”
    “Sorry,” I replied all innocent like and shrugged before ducking into the tent and zipping it closed.
    “So what’s a guy gotta do to get through to you?”
    Just stand there and look yummy, was what I wanted to say. Thank goodness I didn’t slip up. That would have led to more than I could handle, judging by the sudden rise in my body temperature and a sweet ache which always occurred whenever I thought of Cole Martin.
    In this case, silence was a good thing.
    ***
    Once we’d made quick work of the camp, we grabbed the fishing gear and headed toward his brother’s site. I had to admit the place was peaceful. Other campers waved greetings as we walked by on the pine needle covered gravel road. They obviously presumed we were a couple. Yeah, hate to disappoint them and their friendly smiles would surely change if they only knew the details. We could hear Abbey’s tinkling laugher as we approached a screen tent strung with plastic lanterns. White lights wrapped around a couple trees surrounding the site and the beginnings of a fire could be seen from