Cindy Kirk - A Jackson Hole Homecoming

“Tripp, I don’t want to argue with you tonight.” A self-conscious-sounding laugh escaped her lips.

His heart stumbled over itself at the worry reflected in the depths of her green eyes. “I don’t want to argue with you either.”

Determined to make this a wonderful evening for her, Tripp spent the rest of the dance and the ones that followed making sure Winn’s name didn’t come up. The conversation flowed effortlessly and Tripp was once again struck by how much he and Adrianna had in common.

After a fast-paced salsa that saw the older crowd exit the dance floor in droves, Adrianna mentioned she was thirsty. Taking her arm, he led them to one of the bars scattered around the large ballroom.

Because Adrianna was on call and couldn’t drink, he got her a club soda and ordered himself a beer. After they’d gotten their drinks, they circled the ballroom. They were pushing their way through the densely packed crowd to say hello to some friends when they ran into Merle Bach, one of the trustees who’d been at their table for dinner.

Unfortunately, this time it wasn’t Merle’s wife at his side, but Jim Ferris.

“Good to see you both again.” Merle favored them with a bright smile. With his snow-white hair, midsection paunch and jolly laugh, Merle had always reminded Tripp of Santa Claus … with cowboy boots. “I was telling Jim how much Helen and I enjoyed visiting with you and Adrianna. It’s good to see you settling into the community.”

“I grew up here, Merle.” Tripp kept his tone light even as he tightened his hold on the bottle of beer. “It didn’t take much for me to settle back in.”

Tripp saw Merle and Jim exchange a quick, significant glance. It was common knowledge that when the previous hospital CEO had retired, Jim had liked another man for the position. The rumor was that while Jim conceded Tripp had the experience they needed, he hadn’t liked the fact that Tripp was young and single.

“You know what I mean.” Merle slapped him on the back and turned to Adrianna. “We couldn’t be happier about the woman who’s putting an end to your bachelor ways.”

“You’re a lucky man,” Jim added.

Even though she stiffened beside him, Adrianna didn’t say a word. Obviously she was leaving the delicate response to him.

Diplomacy and tact, Tripp told himself. He scrambled for the right words that wouldn’t make Merle feel awkward for misunderstanding and also wouldn’t be disrespectful to Adrianna.

“I’ve decided to have a barbecue at my place next Saturday,” Jim announced before Tripp could respond. “A party to welcome my boy to Jackson Hole. I’ll be inviting board members and many of the medical staff. I’m sure your parents will be there, Tripp. I hope we can also count on you and Adrianna.”

Tripp hesitated. If he didn’t take Adrianna, he knew who would. That would be tantamount to throwing her to the wolves.

He cared about her too much—er, she was too close a friend—for him to allow that to happen.

“I don’t think I have anything on my calendar.” Tripp slanted a sideways glance at Adrianna. “Do you remember if we had any plans?”

“No—” she cleared her throat “—I’m available.”

“Well, I’m delighted you can make it,” Jim said in a gravelly voice. “I know my son is disappointed that this lovely young woman is already taken, but I’m happy for you both.”

Even though a polite smile remained on her lips, Adrianna gave Tripp a quick thrust of her elbow.

She was right. He needed to respond to Jim’s statement, to make the limits of their “relationship” clear.

The words were poised on Tripp’s lips when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Winn approaching.

With an unsteady hand, Tripp slipped an arm around Adrianna’s shoulders and smiled. “I feel lucky to have her in my life.”

Adrianna rocked slowly back and forth, smiling down at the baby cuddled in her arms. It was warm for early September, so she and Betsy had decided to sit outside on the front porch. The cottage in Jackson that Betsy and Ryan now called home had originally belonged to Betsy’s great-aunt. After much renovation, it had a warm, homey feel that Adrianna’s recently built condo could never hope to emulate.

She stared into baby Nathan’s dark blue eyes and shared her most recent dilemma. “You remember Tripp. Yes, he’s a nice guy. But we both know I was crazy for saying I’d go to the barbecue with him.”

“I hate to tell you, but Nate’s more concerned about his next meal than your social life.” Betsy spoke through the screen door. She pushed it open and placed a tray filled with glasses of iced tea and a plate of snickerdoodle cookies on the small table. “You like Tripp. Why not go to a party with him?”

Betsy settled herself into a matching rocker, apparently content to leave the baby in Adrianna’s arms.

“I want what you have, Bets.” Adrianna lifted the crystal tumbler with one hand, careful not to disturb the infant in her arms. “But how am I going to find Mr. Right if I keep hanging out with Tripp?”

Instead of tossing out some platitude, her friend’s expression turned thoughtful. “I understand. I really do. But it’s obvious Tripp likes you. Perhaps, given time—”

“He’s not going to come around.” Adrianna spoke so loudly the baby stirred in her arms. She softened her tone. “Tripp has made it perfectly clear that he thinks of me only as a friend.”

“But at the country club he was being so attentive—”

“A dog with his bone. Nothing more.” Although the realization hurt, Adrianna refused to sugarcoat the truth. “Winn was showing interest. Tripp reacted.”

“If you’re so convinced there’s no hope, why are you going with him to the party?”

Exactly the question Adrianna had been asking herself.

“Well, Winn will be there.” Adrianna settled back against the rocker and tried to picture the dark-haired man. Unfortunately, the only male image that sprang to mind had blond hair and chin scruff. She determinedly blinked it away. “It’ll give me the opportunity to get to know him without going on an actual date.”

“I guess that could occur.” Betsy chewed on her lower lip, her gaze thoughtful. “Unless Tripp continues to play the possessive-boyfriend card.”

That was definitely a possibility. Adrianna sighed. Perhaps she should cancel. Of course, with the party scheduled for tomorrow night, if she was going to bail on Tripp, she had to tell him soon. She rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Maybe I should forget about men, get a couple cats and save myself all this stress.”

“Yeah, right,” Betsy said with a laugh.

Adrianna had done so much thinking about her situation that her head felt ready to explode. “Enough about me. What’s new with you? Other than having a wonderful husband and this fabulous baby boy.”

“Well …” Betsy stared at the tea in her hands. She cleared her throat, then lifted her gaze. “Keenan may be getting a new trial.”

Adrianna had known Betsy’s older brother since childhood. Keenan McGregor had been a fearless risk taker, brilliant but angry. Angry at his mother for being a drunk, angry at watching his little sister go without food, angry at the lousy cards he’d been dealt in life.

Still, as volatile as Keenan had been, Adrianna believed—as Betsy did—that he was innocent of the crime that had sent him to the penitentiary in Rawlins two years ago.

“That’s wonderful news,” Adrianna said cautiously, knowing that it would be an uphill battle for someone already convicted to get a new trial. “Is his public defender spearheading the effort?”

“As if that would ever happen,” Betsy snorted, a look of disgust on her face. “No, Keenan has finally agreed to let Cole and Ryan help him. You know how resistant my brother has been about accepting assistance from family or friends.”