Mindy Obenhaus - Rescuing the Texan's Heart

“Climbing is in my blood. Though it wasn’t until I came back to Ouray that I realized how important it was to me.”

“Came back from where?”

“Texas.”

“Really? Whereabouts?”

“I spent some time at UNT.”

“University of North Texas. I know it well. Matter of fact, my brother-in-law went to school there. What was your major?”

“I wasn’t there long enough to think about a major.”

“So why’d you leave?” If she could apply the pressure, so could he.

“People change.” For a moment, her expression clouded. Then she cleared her throat. “Besides, I missed the mountains.”

“You ever thought about coming back to Texas? Maybe for a visit?”

Her exhaled breath clouded in the chilly night air. “Nope. Ouray is where I belong. It’s a part of me, like climbing. Tackling a mountain or a massive slab of ice changes my perspective. I look back and see the path I took. A path that wasn’t perfect. One that was steep and maybe a little slippery. But I made it.” She looked at him now. “That empowers me.”

He couldn’t help wondering if she was talking more about climbing or life. But the passion that sparkled in her eyes drew him like the stars to the night. Had he ever been that passionate about anything?

“You certainly sold me.”

In the glow of someone’s porch light, her cheeks, already pink from the cold, deepened in color. “Then perhaps you should give it a try.”

* * *

Taryn saw the excitement that brightened Cash’s green eyes. Then fade just as quick. And despite telling herself repeatedly she was going to keep her distance, curiosity only drew her closer.

The heels of Cash’s cowboy boots clipped along the sidewalk as they made their way down Fourth Street, their breath visible in the cool air.

“Did your grandfather ever take you climbing?”

Scout darted back and forth in front of them, searching for who knows what.

“Just hiking. I was always in awe of his connection to these mountains.” Cash’s gaze lifted. “He seemed to know everything about them. And never hesitated to share his passion. That man taught me geological, biological and theological lessons no one’s ever heard in a classroom.”

She laughed, having been on the receiving end of the old miner’s passion a time or two herself. “Ever thought about giving ice climbing a try?”

“No. And I’m not sure I could.” Resignation laced his tone.

“Why?”

“Bum knee. Tore a ligament my sophomore year of college.”

“ACL?”

“You guessed it.”

She grimaced. “What happened?”

“Me and some college buddies were goofing around on ATVs and I managed to flip mine.”

“Did you have surgery?”

“Yeah. But the knee still bothers me every now and then.”

“I see.” Though glancing at his even stride, she didn’t really. There were plenty of people with that same type of injury and they didn’t seem to have any problems climbing. Just to be sure, though, she’d check with her friend Blakely’s fiancé who also happened to be a doctor. “Do you work out?” As if she had to ask. She’d noticed the way his muscles strained the fabric of his shirt.

“I try to stay in shape.”

“How’s your core strength?”

“Not bad.” The corners of his mouth twitched and she felt foolish for asking. “Why?”

“Climbing involves a lot of core strength.”

He slowed. “I didn’t know that.”

“Well, now you do.”

“Looks like it stopped snowing.” Cash scanned the night sky and she wondered if he was trying to change the subject.

Still, she hadn’t missed the disappointment in his voice. “For now.”

He shivered. No wonder with that lightweight jacket. They’d best keep moving.

She picked up speed. “So what do you do in Dallas?”

He kicked at a rock as they walked. “I thought we discussed that already.”

“I don’t mean work. What do you do for fun?”

He shrugged, his hands still buried in his pockets. “I don’t know. Hang out with friends. Watch football. I used to like taking my dog to the park, but since I don’t have a dog anymore, well...seems kind of pointless.”

She’d known he was a dog person from the moment he won Scout over. Brian had hated dogs. Not that it mattered.

“What kind of dog?”

“Siberian husky.”

“Oooh...they’re gorgeous.”

“They are. And Mickey was a beaut. He could play fetch for hours. So much so that I usually wore out before he did.”

She laughed. “So what happened to him?”

“Cancer. I had to have him put down last year.” His excitement gone, he cleared his throat as though it had clogged with emotion.

She couldn’t help it. She laid a hand on his arm, stopping him. “I’m sure that was very difficult.”

“It was for the best.” He hesitated to look at her.

“That doesn’t make it any easier.”

His gaze went to her hand first, then trailed to her face. Even in the dark, she saw a man who was struggling. He looked...like a caged animal. Trapped somewhere he didn’t want to be. Perhaps in a life he didn’t want. From what she could gather, everything about Cash revolved around work. That wasn’t living.

He started walking again, winding onto Fifth Avenue.

“Mickey would have loved Ouray.” His focus was on the darkened mountaintops, but the wistfulness in his voice only added to her sense that Cash Coble was one unhappy man.

“And how does Mickey’s owner feel about Ouray?”

“I used to dream of living here.”

“So what happened?” She shortened Scout’s leash to keep her close. “What kept you away for so long?”

“Obligations.”

“What kind of obligations?” She knew she was being pushy but pressed anyway.

“Work. Family.” He sounded winded. No doubt the altitude was getting to him, regardless of how fit he might be. After all, he started today at what, five hundred feet above sea level. Ouray sat at seventy-eight hundred.

“You have family here, too. Or does your grandfather fall in the obligation category?”

He jerked his head to look at her. “Are you trying to make me feel guilty?” His pained expression told her he did feel guilty.

Lord, I want to help him. Not make it worse.

“Not at all. Just curious what made you give up your dream.” And why he was so sad.

“My father got sick.” He kept walking, defensiveness lacing his tone. “I had to step in and run his company.”

“But he’s better now.” Shut up, Taryn. Let the poor man be.

He stopped and glared at her. “My father built a business from the ground up. He poured his heart and soul into making it a success. Provided for us. Gave me, my sister and my mom the kind of life he never had. It means the world to him. You may not understand this, but I can’t let him down.”

Not understand? Boy, was that an understatement. And the reason no one but Blakely knew about David, the baby Taryn had given up for adoption.

She studied the man before her. The set of his jaw, the resigned slump of his shoulders told her this was something he had to do. No matter what it cost him.

“That’s very admirable, Cash. But there’s more to life than just work.”

“Not in my father’s world.” He strode away.

She didn’t know when she’d seen a person so miserable. Like Cash’s only satisfaction in life, his identity, revolved around a job. A job he felt obligated to because he couldn’t face the disapproval of his father. He may not have said the words, but she recognized the signs. And she couldn’t ignore them.

God, Cash needs help. And I’m going to need Yours.

Because even if she had to endure the rest of the weekend with a good-looking, smooth-talking Texan, she was going to show Cash what it was like to truly live.