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“Same. Piper is going home with her mom. They’re taking that friend of hers—Leslie—back to the city,” I said. “What do you say after we have some cake in the stands, you and I have a little evening in?”

“If that evening involves nothing but kissing, I’m down, but my leg hurts like a bitch, Cole.”

“Shit, I forgot,” I said. “We don’t… I don’t want you to think that’s all I want. It’s not.”

Chloe kissed me. “Okay. We could just get stoned and hang out?”

“That sounds perfect,” I chuckled.

“I like us… this,” Chloe said. “We’re a decent team, aren’t we? An unlikely one?”

“Yeah,” I agreed. “I think so.”

“Well, we should get back. People will talk,” Chloe said. “And I want a piece of your mom’s cake. It looks so good.”

“Okay. I’m just going to wrap up here.”

“Don’t,” Chloe said. “I’ll pack it up. Take care of your kid. Go spend time with Piper.”

I kissed her forehead. “Thanks.”

Leaving the trailer, I realized no matter what I did, I’d compare any potential person to Chloe. I wanted more with Chloe Markham. I longed for the least likely paramour—the one I knew was too messy to have. She was my landlord and my client. I wasn’t ready to force Piper to watch her dad date a woman she idolized. Now that I’d felt something, I couldn’t just walk away uninvested.

28. CAMPFIRE SECRETS

COLE

I sat by the campfire at the barn’s annual end-of-season camping trip. Though, I wasn’t much for sleeping under the stars but couldn’t deny Piper the chance to hang out with her friends. Riley and Jerry were at their campsite making hot cocoa. Chloe ran out for some essentials. I could hear the kids giggling over by the lines where the horses remained.

The trip had been mostly fun, but proximity to Chloe wasn’t easy to swallow. I wanted to climb into bed next to her—to snuggle up cozy in the cold. I’d still not slept over at her place. That felt like a luxury we couldn’t afford. If we’d been alone, I would have risked it. Before she left early, she looked so tired. I could have at least rubbed her back. I suspected the combination of running an equestrian center and having a book tour wore her down.

I heard footsteps, and snapped back into dad mode at the arrival of Piper, Leslie, and Fernando’s daughter, Emma.

“Dad, I have an announcement!” Piper declared. “Where is Chloe?”

“She’s out grabbing some essentials,” I answered.

“Oh, yeah. Well, I guess I will tell her later.”

“Go on,” I said. “You can catch her up, but I’m curious.”

I had no idea what this was about.

“Um... I’m going to Germany in three weeks! Mom says she will pay for it, so I’m going. I haven’t told her I got in yet. I wanted to get the official letter, but I will tell her.”

“Oh my God, honey! That’s amazing!” I stood to give her a big hug. “Congratulations!”

She rattled on, talking about all she wanted to do in Germany. Piper’s dreams were coming to fruition. Now, I’d have to put my precious baby on a plane. I couldn’t imagine it.

“I need to book a trip over Christmas,” I said. “I’ll come out and visit you. I'm sure Mom will come for New Years.”

“Dad, you don’t have to!”

“I’ve never been to Germany, kiddo. I want to go there and have you speak for me.”

“Most people speak English,” Leslie said. “I went to camp in Austria last year.”

Of course you did. I liked Leslie. She seemed nice enough, but her parents were loaded and I struggled to make friends with them or to feel less like the poor single dad in the mix. The more the homestead drama droned on, I couldn’t see Piper leaving the north burbs without a fight. It would cost a fortune to rent another place, but Piper loved her friends and her school. And while Chloe would probably offer to host us, I didn’t know how I could go another year denying my feelings for her and living only across the pool deck.