week. It was perfect, and she’d earned it all on her own.
As she pulled past the guard gate at the entrance to her neighborhood, she couldn’t quite believe that, either. Pine Valley was an ultra-upscale gated golf community, the exact opposite of the neighborhood she’d grown up in. Having had a dad in law enforcement and a mother who struggled to keep a job, Dani grew up modestly. They weren’t poor, but they weren’t well-off by any stretch. Dani still naturally gravitated toward the clearance section in a department store if that was any indication. Even now, when she had money.
The drive out to Cole’s ranch gave Dani the perfect opportunity to rehearse her speech, but every time she started it, she tripped over her words. The trouble was imagining what it was going to be like to finally face him. If he cracked his heartbreaker smile, or looked too closely at her with his piercing blue eyes, she could easily be a goner. If he touched her with his strong hands, she’d melt into a puddle. The love and passion she shared with Cole had once run so deep. Ignoring that would not be easy. Which meant she needed to give him the news in as direct a fashion as possible. “Cole, I’m here to tell you I’m back. And I don’t care if you don’t like it. If you leave me alone, I’ll promise to do the same for you.” That could work. Now she hoped that she could deliver it as smoothly as that.
Dani flipped on her blinker and turned on to the road out to the Sullivan family ranch. Just being on the outer edges of their massive property, miles and miles of some of the most gorgeous ranch land in this part of Texas, made her nervous. It was a big reminder of the deepest divide between her and Cole before he’d dumped her—his family was royalty here, with enough money to never think about it twice.
She came from next to nothing, and Cole’s parents quite frankly had never seen the appeal of Dani. His mother had even once told her that she didn’t think she was good enough for her son. Dani had kept that tidbit to herself, deciding at the time that love would conquer all and she would eventually win them over. That day never came. Cole broke up with her a mere six months later, and the memory of that interlude with his mom became fuel for Dani’s quick exodus from Royal. She knew when she wasn’t wanted and always acted accordingly.
Dani passed the opulent main gates to the Sullivan Cattle Co. property and instead drove around to the smaller access point used by the ranch hands and delivery people. She would’ve preferred to make a grander entrance, but she remembered the code for the side gate, not for the others. That was how far she’d been pulled into Cole’s life, and just how far she’d been flung out. Still, her heart was pounding when she pulled up to the keypad and pressed the square silver buttons. Knowing her luck, Cole had changed the code.
Wouldn’t you know, the iron gate creaked and rolled across the driveway. Dani decided to take this as a final sign. Today was the day she was meant to do this. The sun was still setting as she approached the house, leaving behind gorgeous wisps of red and orange set against that vast black Texas sky. Dani had always loved this house, even if it was a bit over-the-top. There were nearly a dozen peaks in the roofline, too many windows to count, and a wide porch suitable for your fifty closest friends to pull up a rocking chair and sit a spell. It wasn’t even the best view on the property, either. The vista out behind the house was even better—with a sprawling flagstone patio and pool and the perfect sight lines to enjoy the gorgeous pastoral scene.
Dani pulled up in front of the main house and parked. She checked her hair and lipstick, then flipped up the visor. She’d better get going before she chickened out. She marched straight up the porch steps and on to the front door. As nervous as she’d been to punch in the code at the gate, ringing the doorbell felt one hundred times more harrowing. The chime was so loud, she could hear it clearly right through the door. She turned away and stepped to the edge of the porch, surveying the crushed-stone drive that carved its way through the grass for a mile down to the main road. Up here on this hill, tucked away from the rest of the world, she couldn’t deny she was happy to be back in Royal. Even with everything waiting for her on the other side of that front door.
She turned back and took another try at getting someone to answer, this time jabbing the doorbell twice. She stood up on her tiptoes and looked through the glass at the top of the heavy wood door. In that instant, her eyes met Cole’s as he strode through the front hall.
Shoot.
She dropped down to her heels. Her heart was hammering like she’d just run to the house instead of driving. She pressed her hand to her heaving chest and backed up to the middle of the porch to give herself some space. Short and sweet. Keep it simple and get the heck out of Dodge.
She forced a smile as he opened the door but quickly realized just how pointless her preparations in the car had been. She was in no way ready to be in the company of tempting and towering Cole Sullivan. Not his muscular shoulders or broad chest. Not his haywire brown hair, so thick it had no choice but to stand nearly straight. And good God, it was damp. Had he just taken a shower? She was not ready for those ice-blue eyes or his tanned skin or the way his lips were slack and questioning right now. She was not yet ready to handle the way he was blinking at her, in utter shock. How could anyone make confusion so sexy?
“Well, well. If it isn’t Dani Moore. I heard you were back in town.” His voice was all swagger and ego, and that just made her mad. Of course he already knew she was back. How could she have been so stupid to have thought any less of him? Cole stepped over the threshold, leaving him a single stride away.
Instinctively, she took another step back. She could feel exactly how drawn she was to him. Her body wanted nothing more than to press against the hard planes of his body and kiss him. Her brain was well aware of how foolish that idea was, and it was prepared to do anything to protect her. “Yes. I’m back.”
“Six years and you just show up on my front porch?” He shook his head and laughed mockingly.
Dani failed to see what was so damn funny. “Hell, yes, six years and I just show up on your front porch. I was afraid that if I called, you’d lock up the whole ranch so tight no one would ever get in.” She sucked in a deep breath to quiet her thumping heart. She could do this. Even if seeing him had her ready to abandon common sense and fling herself into his arms. No wonder she’d been so hung up on him for years. Seeing Cole Sullivan was like coming home.
“So this is a permanent change?” His thick eyebrows drew together, making it hard to answer in a timely fashion.
“I’m the new executive chef at the Glass House.”
“That’s a pretty fancy gig.” Cole leaned against the door frame, crossing his arms over his broad chest. “Of course it’d have to be to pry you away from the glamour of New York.”
She pursed her lips. How dare he take that tone? “It wasn’t about the glamour. Going to New York was about putting myself on the map in the culinary world. And it was about getting as far away from you as possible.”
He smiled wide, and damn if it didn’t make the desire to kiss him that much stronger. “Gotta love that trademark honesty of yours. It’s refreshing.”
“I’m not here to entertain you. I don’t want things to be awkward or uncomfortable if we run into each other, and you know how this town is. We’ll definitely cross paths. I just don’t want any trouble.”
“If you don’t want things to be awkward, come and have a drink.” He gave a nod inside.
“This isn’t social hour, Cole. This was supposed to be a quick visit.”
He cocked an arrogant eyebrow at her. “If it’s not social, why are you wearing a dress designed for stopping traffic?” He looked her up and down,
