Jackson Hole Valentine. Cindy Kirk

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СКАЧАТЬ good we came when we did.” Ryan glanced around the bar. Dressed like Cole in a flannel shirt, jeans and cowboy boots, the successful attorney appeared ready to kick back and relax. “A couple of hours, we’d be lucky to find a place to stand, much less a table.”

      By the time Cole had reached his late twenties, he’d grown tired of the bar scene. But Wally’s Place, a popular Jackson sports bar, had it all: pool, darts, karaoke and, according to Ryan, the best burgers in town.

      There was a basket of peanuts on every table and if the rough floor was any indication, tossing the empty shells down was not only acceptable behavior, but encouraged. Their waitress was pretty and more than a little flirtatious, but Cole wasn’t interested. He had more important things on his mind tonight.

      “What do you think the odds are she’ll walk away?” Cole took a bite of his burger then washed it down with club soda.

      “I don’t know Margaret well.” Ryan took a sip of his Guinness. “In fact, I had to have someone at the funeral point her out to me.”

      “I feel badly about missing the service,” Cole said. Margaret’s zinger had hit its target and stuck. “I did everything I could to get here.”

      “We were supposed to get a dusting.” Ryan chuckled. “Instead it was a monster storm. But that’s the way this winter has been. Of course, I don’t think the weather is any different than it was when you lived here.”

      A sharp pain shot through Cole’s leg. He winced and took another sip of club soda. The way his leg was hurting, he knew he’d have to ice it and pop some pain pills once he got to his hotel room, making alcohol off-limits.

      “Of course, give it five minutes and it will change,” Ryan said with a good-natured chuckle.

      Cole couldn’t believe they were discussing the changeable Jackson Hole climate when there were more important issues on the table. He forced a casual tone. “So what do you think of Margaret?”

      “‘Wow’ was the first word that came to my mind, followed quickly by ‘hot.’” Ryan shook his head, a tiny smile playing at the corners of his lips. “I can’t believe I didn’t notice her back in high school.”

      Cole experienced a twinge of something that felt an awful lot like jealousy—but couldn’t have been—at the look in his friend’s eyes.

      “There were a hundred and fifty kids in our class,” Cole reminded him. “She wasn’t part of our group.”

      “But you knew her.” Ryan returned the smiles of the two young women in tight blue jeans walking past their table, before leveling his gaze back on Cole. “Meg? Isn’t that what you called her?”

      It had been a slip. He’d been so startled to see her he hadn’t been thinking straight. “We may have talked a couple times.”

      Actually, he and Meg had done a lot more than talk. Until he’d discovered that he couldn’t trust her. In a heartbeat she’d gone from being his whole world to being out of his life for good. “What of it?”

      “Just that you’d know better than me if she’ll back down.” Ryan cracked open a peanut and tossed the shell to the floor, all the while keeping his gaze focused on Cole. “What do you think? Will she walk away?”

      Cole sat back in his seat. He pushed the basket of peanuts closer to Ryan, no longer hungry. “Not a chance in hell.”

      Two days later, Meg pulled up to the house Cole had rented just outside of Wilson. According to Ryan, Cole had gotten the mountain home fully furnished at a “great deal.”

      She turned off the ignition of her rental car and took a moment to survey the large two-story stone-and-log structure. Cole must have done well for himself over the years. The “great deals” she’d been looking at in Jackson Hole were a tenth this size, barely inhabitable and a fortune to rent.

      Her brother and sister-in-law had told her she and Charlie were welcome to stay with them. It was a generous offer, but Meg worried Charlie would get swallowed up in the chaos of five children under the age of seven. Still, it might be her only option if—

      A light tap on the car window pulled Meg from her reverie.

      Ryan stood outside the car, wearing a ski cap and parka. Coupled with his jeans and waterproof hiker boots, he looked more like a college-age ski bum than a successful Jackson Hole attorney. He clapped his gloved hands together as if trying to keep warm, his breath clearly visible in the frigid air.

      Meg smiled. Last night Jackson Hole had been blessed with more snow. The ski resort operators were cheering, and having a thick blanket of the white stuff on the ground made her feel like she was truly home.

      Ryan motioned with one hand for her to get out of the car.

      Slipping her fur-trimmed hood up, Meg pushed the door open and cautiously stepped out. The road to the mountain home had held a hint of a glaze and she wanted to be certain of her footing.

      She glanced around but the attorney appeared to be alone.

      “You didn’t bring Charlie with you?” She couldn’t keep the disappointment from her tone.

      “We can talk inside.” Ryan took her arm as they approached the house, giving her additional stability on the slick sidewalk. “It’s freezing out here.”

      “Wuss,” Meg teased until a blast of extra-frigid air hit her face. She picked up her pace and this time it was Ryan’s turn to laugh.

      “I was looking forward to seeing Charlie.” Meg had thought about him often the past couple of days. She’d even considered having Travis invite Rachel and Derek over. In the end she’d decided against the plan, not wanting to do anything that might jeopardize her chance for custody.

      “I thought it’d be best if the boy wasn’t around when we hashed out the details.” Ryan tightened his grip on her arm as they navigated the steps to the front porch.

      “You didn’t want him traumatized by the yelling and screaming?” Meg said with a wry smile.

      “I’m not anticipating any of that.” Ryan reached around her to press the doorbell. “You and Cole are rational adults who want only what’s best for Charlie. Having you two at each other’s throats would only increase the child’s stress.”

      Meg had to grudgingly agree. Although the image of being at Cole’s throat did hold a certain appeal.

      Meg pressed her hand against her thigh as the wind whipped at her wool skirt. Thankfully she had tights and boots on today as well as a heavy sweater. “I’ve been looking for an apartment.”

      Ryan’s finger jabbed the doorbell again before casting a curious glance her way. “How’s that going?”

      “Could be better.” Meg wrapped her arms around herself for extra warmth. “Even the dumps are expensive.”

      The attorney punched the doorbell and chuckled. “Welcome to Jackson Hole.”

      A brisk breeze slapped Meg in the face. She shivered. “Are you sure Cole is home?”

      “I called СКАЧАТЬ