Now Piper’s bedroom looked like an explosion in a clothing factory. She’d changed outfits four times, not to mention the jeans, dresses and blouses she’d pulled out and discarded. This would take hours to tidy up. She didn’t even know why she was making such an issue of what to wear. This wasn’t a date. It was two people taking a breather after weeks of work.

  Lifting a hanger with a red sweater that matched white pants, she held it up to herself and looked in the full-length mirror. Shaking her head, she threw it on top of the collection of rejects on the bed.

  She didn’t want to wear pants. Cal always saw her in pants. Picking several dresses, she finally decided on a pink-and-white sundress. It floated over her head and fit snugly to her waist. Then it flared out slightly about her legs. Surveying herself in the mirror, she thought if she was going to try to look extra pretty, she may as well dress the part. Leaving her hair free, she heard Cal’s truck. Too late to change anything, she applied a little lipstick and slipped her feet into flat sandals. Taking a last check of her hair and grabbing a sweater, she skipped down the stairs, her heart racing at knowing he was here.

  At the bottom of the staircase, she stopped, taking a breath and reminding herself that she was acting like a sixteen-year-old going on her first date. Slowly, she walked to the door as the bell began its eight-note chime. Cal had his back to her when she pulled the door inward. He turned.

  “Wow,” he said.

  Piper blushed. She felt a secret thrill run through her that he liked the way she looked. Pushing down the thought that this wasn’t a date, she glanced down at herself, then back at him. Cal wore a button-down white shirt with an open collar and khaki pants.

  “I didn’t know where we were going,” she explained, indicating her clothing. “I hope this is all right.”

  “It’s good for anything except horseback riding.”

  They both laughed. It seemed to break the tension that had built within her. She let out a breath. “I’ll get my purse,” she said.

  Moments later they were in his truck. She noticed it had been cleaned inside and out and had a fresh smell. Smiling, she allowed herself to think he’d done it for her, although she couldn’t imagine when he’d had the time.

  “Where are we going?” she asked when he turned onto the road leading into Waymon Valley.

  “I thought we’d have lunch at Taurus. I’ve never been there before, but Naomi recommends it. Have you ever been there?”

  Piper shook her head.

  The restaurant wasn’t so much on her mind as the feeling that passed along her skin from his touch. Yesterday he’d slipped his arm around her as they walked. She liked the feel of it. The gesture was comforting, but more than that, she wanted to nestle into him. Wanted to move closer to Cal.

  They passed the rest of the drive in companionable silence. Entering the town limits of Waymon Valley was like seeing the black-and-white world in The Wizard of Oz change to color.

  Buildings sprang up of various heights and facades.

  Cal pulled into the last empty parking space beside the restaurant. Since the lot was full, she assumed that the dining room would be completely occupied.

  It was.

  But Cal had a reservation and they were shown directly to a table near the massive windows that looked out on a picturesque view.

  “Greetings, folks. You’ve got here just in time. About to run out of our specialty—prime rib and home-baked corn bread.” The waiter handed them menus. “Now, if you’d like something special, not on our menu, Ms. Logan, you just let me know.”

  “Do I know you?” she asked.

  “News travels fast in these parts. I’m Manuel.” His head bowed slightly. “As far as you’re concerned, your celebrity precedes you.”

  Both she and Cal glanced at the gold plate on his maroon jacket. When their drink order was taken and he retreated, they both let out a loud laugh. Cal said, “Gee, I’m with a big star. If I’d known, I’d have put on my better boots.”

  She laughed at his joke, loving how easily he could read her and what she needed. Thinking of reading, Piper wondered if she was reading more into this than what was there. She reminded herself this was not a date, despite her many changes of clothes and the way she felt when he greeted her with the one word that every woman wants to hear—Wow!

  Piper tried to calm the butterflies, but she couldn’t. People were whispering to each other and she didn’t miss the surreptitious looks sent in her direction. She was sure the story of her time in Hollywood was known by everyone there.

  “They’re not staring at you.” Cal spoke lowly as if he could read her thoughts. “They’re admiring you.”

  She glanced at him.

  “You’re the most incredible woman. You should expect stares.”

  Piper smiled, embracing the moment. Did he really think she was incredible? She looked at the menu to hide the smile on her face. Cal pulled it down.

  “Don’t hide,” he said. “You should be seen.”

  She started to smile, but just then out of the corner of her eye, she saw two women get up and start for their table. Piper gripped the menu a little harder, willing them to pass by and go toward the exit.

  No luck.

  They stopped right at her table. She looked up. One had salt-and-pepper hair and wore a pretty green suit. She looked a little embarrassed. Probably not as embarrassed as Piper would look when they asked about her plight on the set of a Hollywood movie.

  The other younger woman must be her daughter. The two looked enough alike to be related.

  “Pardon me, but aren’t you Piper Logan?”

  Caught, Piper thought. “I am.”

  “We hate to bother you,” the older one said. “But would you mind autographing this? We love seeing you as Elisabeth Grey, especially knowing you’re from Waymon Valley.”

  She gestured toward the paper and pen she held in hand.

  “I’d be happy to,” Piper said.

  Both women smiled and handed her the paper.

  “What are your names?”

  Piper made out the autographs to them and watched as they returned to their table all smiles.

  She looked at Cal, who was smirking.

  “What?” she asked.

  “Baby steps,” he replied.

  * * *

  THE FOOD COULDN’T have been better, Cal thought as they finished the meal and headed out. He pulled the door of the truck open. Piper slid inside.

  “Now, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” Cal asked, shifting gears and pulling onto the county road. Instead of heading back toward town, Cal turned the truck in the opposite direction and went farther down the county road.

  “I agree, it wasn’t bad.”

  The two women had set the mood and Piper had seemed to finally relax enough to enjoy the meal. Cal was happy about that and was ready for the next part of his plan, hoping Piper was up for it, too.

  “Where are we going?” Piper asked when they crossed the city limits but didn’t turn back toward either his ranch or hers.

  “It’s a surprise,” Cal said.

  “I’m not—”

  “I know you’re not used to that,” Cal interrupted. “But for a few minutes, let someone else have control.”

  “You think I’m a control freak?”

  “In a good way,” he answered. “You pay close attention to detail and organize every aspect of, well, everything. It’s an admirable attribute.”

  “Thank you. I’ve never been described in such a positive way and negative way at the same time,” Piper said.

  “It’s not negative.”

  She put her hand up to stop him. “I appreciate it. I even agree with it.”

  Cal drove on. The wide-open space and the rise and fall of the land allowed them to see for miles. In the distance, there was one place that rose like a mirage.

  “An amusement park!” Piper exclaimed.

  Cal smiled but didn’t say anything. He continued to negotiate the twists and turns until they reached the entry gate.

  “I haven’t been to an amusement park in...” She stopped. “I can’t remember the last time I was at one.”

  “It’s been years for me, too,” he said.

  “I wonder if they still have funnel cake.”

  “Cake? You just finished eating.”

  “You don’t have cake because you’re hungry. It’s pure delight and I didn’t have dessert.”

  “I thought you were too full.”

  “No one is ever too full for funnel cake,” she said.

  He parked and she practically pulled him along, she walked so fast.

  “Have you ever had funnel cake?” Piper asked.

  “Once or twice.”

  Cal was enjoying this new Piper Logan. He’d seen the efficient woman, the expert horsewoman, even the sad troubled woman, but this playful, wide-eyed, young woman was richly different and as multidimensional as all the others. He’d like to get to know this one, too.

  “What would you like to do first?” Cal asked.

  “Everything,” she shouted, spreading her arms and spinning around in a full circle, her dress flaring out.

  They couldn’t do everything at once. Cal decided to start slow. He headed toward the merry-go-round. Piper’s fingers curled around his upper arm and rushed him to the roller coaster instead.

  “You’re not afraid of falling, are you?” she asked.

  “From that?” He indicated the giant orange complex of metal and lights. “With its sharp drop, dips and loops, countered by squeals of laughter and fright. Am I afraid of that? You bet your life.”

  “Good, let’s go. We can start with the small one,” Piper suggested.

  The small one had a ninety-degree drop, three full 360-degree loops and multiple tilt-angle turns. The line was short for such a beautiful summer afternoon. It was Wednesday and should be more crowded, since schoolkids were out for vacation.

  The roller coaster climbed slowly. Cal could count the gears as they locked into and out of each one. The car crawled upward like a tortoise until it reached the zenith. For the space of five seconds, it tethered on the crest. Heightening both anticipation and fear, the car moved inch by inch until it completed the summit, then plunged headlong down the tracks.

  Screams went up, Piper’s along with everyone else’s. She grabbed Cal and held on. Her hair obscured his vision. Slipping his arm around her shoulders, he pulled her as close as the safety rail allowed. The jerking car pushed and pulled them, but he held her as tight as he could. He didn’t want to let her go. Finally, the car arrived back at the beginning, slowing on a cushion of air. Reluctantly, Cal eased his arms and pushed back.

  “Wasn’t that amazing?” Piper said. “I haven’t done that in a long time.”

  “The last time I was at an amusement park, I was in college. Right after graduation, I got my first job and there was no time for anything else,” Cal said as they left the ride.

  They walked along the main strip leading to another ride.

  “Where was that?” Piper asked.

  “My first job?”

  She nodded.

  “An offshore oil rig. I was one of the junior engineers. We lived on it once it was floated.”

  “Wow!”

  Cal thought she was impressed with his job, but as she rushed away, he saw she was interested in one of the food stations.

  “French fried apples. Have you ever had them?”

  “Not that I can remember.”

  For the next several hours, they rushed from one ride to another, eating in between, everything from cotton candy to cheese on a stick and, of course, funnel cake. Hours rushed by without them even thinking about time. Finally, they sat in the food tent eating their cake.

  “One more ride before we need to head back,” Cal said, watching Piper drop a torn-off piece of cake into her mouth.

  “Why? I’m not tired,” Piper said.

  “This was supposed to be a relaxing day. We don’t want to be wiped out tomorrow,” he said.

  “It’s been so much fun.” She grinned. “I’m glad you thought of it.”

  “We can always come back again,” he told her. In fact, he’d like to come back with her. But he knew they were working together toward a goal, and once that was complete, they would go their separate ways. He’d probably choose another job that took him out of the country. And depending on the success or failure of her project, she would return to her world or embark on another career.

  If her project failed, she’d need time to come to terms with what to do with the rest of her life. They both had decisions to make. But not now. Now, they needed to go on their last amusement ride.

  “What one do you want to go on?” Piper asked.

  “We’ve been on practically all of them. Since we started with a bang, why don’t we end with something less frightening—the Ferris wheel?”

  “Some people are terribly frightened of being that high off the ground. Especially with nothing around them, like an airplane,” Piper said.

  “But you’re not one of them,” Cal stated.

  “Nope.” She stood up and the two of them hurried like kids to the big wheel.

  * * *

  LOCKED IN, the Ferris wheel seat began to swing. The sun was long from setting, but it had moved across the sky. As they reached the top, Piper looked around at the vast area they could see. The mountains were the best feature, she thought.

  “I love those mountains. In Los Angeles, you never see the mountains, only hills and they are filled with houses. Here, the place is so open. Inviting.”

  “That was one of the selling points for me to buy the Christensen ranch. I loved it that the sky was so close and full of stars at night.” He looked up to emphasize the point. There would be stars later. Now the setting sun was painting the sky dark blues and reds.

  The seat swung faster, and Piper jumped slightly. She wasn’t afraid of heights, but the movement was a little unsettling, especially after all the food she’d consumed.

  “I once saw a movie, an old one.” Cal smiled. “About two kids on a Ferris wheel.”

  “Remembering a scene like this one?” she asked.

  “Sort of.” He tightened his arm around her shoulders. She leaned into it.

  “So what happened in the movie?” she asked.

  “I don’t remember the name of it, but there were two awkward kids—about ten or eleven years old.”

  “Boy meets girl?” She smiled.

  “You guessed it.” He shifted in the swinging seat.

  “So what did this awkward eleven-year-old do on the Ferris wheel?” Piper prompted.

  “He kissed the girl.”

  Piper was speechless. She had nothing to say. The instance took her back to Meghan asking if Cal had kissed her good-night. Emotions overtook her, holding her still.

  “It was the first kiss, for each of them,” he continued, unaware of the corkscrew of awareness that spiraled through her.

  “I see,” she whispered, still looking at him. Piper wanted to pull her gaze away, but she couldn’t. For long moments neither of them moved or spoke. Not even when his face began to move closer to hers did she retreat. He was going to kiss her. She wanted it. She’d known that she had wanted him to kiss her good-night after their dinner. And she knew that she wanted it now.

  Suddenly the seat jerked, and instead of a kiss, they bumped heads. “Ouch,” Piper said, her hand going to the point of impact. The car stopped. They were back at the beginning of the ride. The wheel attendant unclasped the locked bar to let them out.

  “Are you all right?” Cal asked.

  Piper smiled. “More embarrassed than hurt.”

  “Let me see.”

  He didn’t wait for her to approve. Pushing her hair aside, he checked her forehead.

  “No bruises,” he announced.

  She felt Cal’s hand on her brow. It slid down her cheek. A sound behind them had Cal standing and guiding her toward the exit.

  “The timing wasn’t right anyway,” he said.

  When Piper smiled, Cal did, too.

  Following their fellow riders, they walked down the ramp and exited the area.

  “With that, I guess it is time we returned to the ranches,” Piper said.

  Cal reached for her hand. Piper put hers in his before she even thought about it. They started walking. The crowd had increased since they arrived. Piper understood it was a good idea with such a large group of people around them—holding hands was the best way to keep from losing each other. And she thought Cal was making sure her head injury wasn’t serious. That was the logical reason for him to keep her near. Piper preferred the nonlogical one—that he just wanted to hold her hand.

  * * *

  CAL COULDN’T HELP smiling as he glanced at Piper. She insisted she wasn’t tired, yet ten minutes into the drive back to the ranch, she’d fallen asleep. Her head bobbed until he reached across and settled her against his shoulder. He liked the way she felt. He liked that she felt comfortable enough with him to let go of her need to control everything. She’d been working hard, and even though the day was fun, it was tiring, too. But it was the good kind of tired.

  It wasn’t long before Cal turned into the driveway leading to Piper’s ranch. She didn’t open her eyes when he stopped the truck. For a long moment, Cal let her lie against him. Releasing both their seat belts, she slumped farther, this time moving her arm across his waist. Cal took in a long breath and held it. His eyes closed and he rested his head against hers. He would only do it for a moment or two.

  Almost a half hour later, he was still holding her and on his own way to falling asleep. Piper moved and jolted him awake. She opened her eyes and they sat up together, pulling back as if they were surprised to find themselves in each other’s arms.