Cindy Kirk - A Jackson Hole Homecoming

“I had the same question,” July admitted. “The bartender said they use Coyote Gold margarita mix, which tells me absolutely nothing.”

“May I get you something to drink, miss?” A young man dressed in black and obviously part of the catering staff stopped beside her.

“I’ll have a Crazy Coyote Margarita,” Adrianna told him.

“Good choice,” July said approvingly.

Lexi took another sip, her lips twisting slightly upward. “If you want to live dangerously.”

Adrianna thought about telling Lexi she already was … by being here with Tripp.

“So, you and Tripp came together,” Lexi said as if she’d read her mind. Her friend was trying to act casual, but the spark of interest in her eyes gave her away.

“As friends only.” Adrianna’s gaze drifted to the fire pit where a hog lay skewered on a rotisserie spit, roasting as it rotated. She grimaced and quickly pulled her gaze away. “I think I’m going to become a vegetarian.”

July’s sea-green eyes lit with interest. “Seriously? Since when?”

“Since she saw the hog over there, you goof.” Lexi smiled good-naturedly, but the look in her eyes said she wasn’t fooled by the abrupt change in conversation.

July didn’t even look in the direction of the fire pit. Instead she turned her body toward Adrianna just as the young man from the catering company returned with her drink order.

“Here you go, ma’am.” He handed the chilled glass edged in salt to her with a flourish. “One Crazy Coyote Margarita.”

“Ah, thank you.” Adrianna closed her fingers around the glass. She waited until the college-aged boy was out of earshot before she turned to her friends. “Did you hear that? He called me ‘ma’am.’”

“Well, you are almost thirty.” Lexi managed to keep a remarkably straight face. “That’s when the downward slide begins. Isn’t that right, July?”

“Speak for yourself, Lex.” July offered up an impish smile. “I haven’t hit that milestone yet.”

“What milestone?”

Tripp must have sneaked up while they were talking because suddenly he stood beside her.

“The big three-zero.” July glanced pointedly in her direction. “The catering guy called Adrianna ‘ma’am.’”

Tripp looked surprised. “Did you recently turn thirty?”

He doesn’t even know my birthday . The fact illustrated just how little they were connected. A pang stabbed Adrianna’s heart and she took a sip of her drink, immediately noticing Lexi had been right. The bartender was being very generous with the tequila.

“I’ll turn thirty at the end of the month,” Adrianna informed Tripp when she realized he was waiting for a reply. “September 28. Mark it on your calendar.”

The ridiculousness of her response caused Adrianna to take another drink. Tripp didn’t care when her birthday was; he’d only asked to be polite. And she doubted he’d be keeping track.

“I’ve made a mental note of it,” he said.

“Made a mental note of what?” Winn sauntered up, a bottle of beer hanging loosely from his fingers.

“Adrianna’s birthday,” July informed him.

Winn’s eyes widened in surprise. His disbelieving gaze settled on Tripp. “You didn’t know your girlfriend’s birthday?”

“She’s not—” July began but stopped when Lexi elbowed her.

“I knew it was at the end of this month.” Tripp shrugged. “I wasn’t sure of the exact date.”

A smile tugged at Winn’s lips as he shook his head. “No excuse.”

Adrianna drained her glass like a college student on spring break. Considering she had very little in her stomach, it wasn’t a smart move. Of course, neither was falling in love with a man who didn’t want her. For some odd reason, at the moment, the thought seemed more amusing than sad. Adrianna smiled. “I agree with you, Winn.”

Surprise filled Winn’s eyes. “You do?”

“I bet you’re not the kind of man to forget a woman’s birthday.” Feeling uncharacteristically reckless, Adrianna slipped her hand around his arm and gazed up at him, batting her heavily mascaraed lashes.

“If you’re asking if I’d ever forget your birthday,” Winn said gallantly, “the answer is no.”

Adrianna let her gaze linger. Winn Ferris was a handsome man. His white shirt was the perfect foil for his dark hair. Even dressed simply in black jeans and a white shirt, he managed to look … elegant.

“Would you like another Crazy Coyote, ma’am?” The boy—er, waiter—asked, taking her empty glass.

Even though common sense told Adrianna to wait until she’d eaten before imbibing more alcohol, she wasn’t on call this weekend and Tripp was driving.

Winn glanced at her and smiled.

It was all the encouragement she needed. “I’d love another.”

“Do you think that’s wise, Anna?” Tripp’s voice sounded in her ear.

“She’s a big girl, Randall.” Winn patted her hand in a proprietary gesture. “I’m sure she can make up her own mind.”

“Anna,” Tripp said softly but with a degree of urgency.

She met his gaze. As his baby blues sucked her in she saw confusion and something that startled her. The man who didn’t know her birthday appeared to be genuinely worried. About her .

Anna wished she could tell Tripp that he needn’t be concerned. Though she’d been blinded by a handsome face in college, she was older now. And hopefully wiser.

“There’s someone I’d like you to meet.” Tripp’s gaze never left her face. “If you have a moment.”

“I think—” Winn began, but Adrianna surprised herself by closing his lips with her fingers.

“I need to go.” She slipped her hand out from around Winn’s arm and turned toward Tripp. “I love meeting new people.”

“Since when?” July muttered and Lexi shushed her.

With a relieved smile Tripp took her arm. She strolled across the patio with him, swearing she could smell a hint of fall in the warm night air. When he pulled her around the corner of the house and stopped, Adrianna glanced around. They were alone. “Who did you want me to meet?”

He gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Me.”

The tequila must have affected Adrianna more than she’d realized because what he said made no sense. “Pardon?”

“I wanted you to be with me, not Winn.” His gaze searched hers. “Are you angry?”

Adrianna pushed her hair back from her face with the back of her hand. “Not angry,” she admitted. “Confused.”

“Why confused?” He gave his head a slight shake when the waiter rounded the corner of the house, margarita in hand. The young man immediately turned on his heel.

“We both know you don’t want me.” Then because that sounded so plaintive, she added, “Of course I don’t want you either. Other than as a friend, of course.”

“Of course,” he murmured.

Now, Winn was another story. The look in his eyes said he wanted to be a whole lot more than friends.

A sudden thought hit her. “Does Jim Ferris now know that you and I are simply friends?”

That would certainly explain why Winn was being so bold, causing Tripp to overreact.

Tripp shook his head. “I haven’t had the chance to speak privately with him yet. But I will,” he hastily added.

“Make sure you do.” Adrianna wasn’t sure what kind of game Tripp was playing. She just knew it was time for it to come to an end. “Tonight.”

Tripp was surprised to see his parents walk through the door just as everyone was sitting down to eat. He’d been over to see his dad earlier in the day, but the older man hadn’t been feeling well and his mother thought they might skip the barbecue.

Even though his last round of chemo had been almost a month ago, the family was still waiting for him to bounce back. Tonight his dad actually looked … better. Certainly better than he had last week and much better than he had this morning.