A Home for Her Heart
Page 25
“Indeed.” Uncomfortable hearing that he and Callie shared the same opinion, Reese adjusted his stance and deflected the conversation back to the widow. “I believe you were instrumental in bringing this particular troupe of performers to Denver. What do you think of their efforts so far?”
It was the perfect question to ask. The widow set about telling him her precise opinion. In great detail.
Listening with only half an ear, he nodded at all the appropriate places. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Callie returned to the buffet table. She contemplated the offerings once again. A delicate frown of concentration spread across her brow.
She huffed out a small frustrated breath. Though it had taken her no time to decide what to pick out for her employer, she seemed at a loss when it came to filling her own plate.
Reese found himself oddly riveted.
Would she choose a soft, gooey confection? Or something with more substance? Maybe a mixture of both.
He had no idea why it would matter to him. What could her choices possibly mean in the grand scheme of the evening’s events?
“Oh, my, Mr. Bennett, that is quite the fierce expression on your face.” Mrs. Singletary’s voice cut through his thoughts. “I take it you disagree with me.”
He silently filed through the widow’s last words. “In my opinion, four duets are three too many.”
She let out a soft laugh. “You haven’t enjoyed one moment of the tonight’s production, have you?”
“No.”
His brief response seemed to amuse her further. “I see even in matters of entertainment I can count on your candor.”
It did not occur to him to be anything less than frank.
“But, truly, are you not pleased with any portion of tonight’s performance?”
“Not in the least.”
Watching Callie’s attempt to make a decision, however, enthralled him to no end.
Mrs. Singletary made a disapproving sound in her throat. “Are you considering leaving the theater early, then?”
“I am.”
“I cannot persuade you otherwise?”
He shook his head. “I’m afraid not.”
He continued watching Callie hover over the buffet table. She was being so very, very careful and working so very, very hard to pick just the right confections to put on her plate. Her scrupulous process was oddly sweet and utterly adorable and Reese couldn’t bear to watch another moment more.
“Pick one of each, Miss Mitchell.”
Her responding flinch warned him his suggestion had come out harsher than he’d meant. He softened his voice. “There is no need to be particular. There is plenty to go around.”
“I... Yes, thank you.”
She began filling her plate with more enthusiasm. Halfway through, though, she looked up and stared briefly into his gaze.
Briefly was enough.
For that single moment, Reese caught a hint of something disturbingly familiar in her eyes, a willingness to push the boundaries when no one was looking. Dangerous, dangerous territory.
He knew he had a split second to make a decision before it was too late, before he forgot who this woman was and that he’d once been engaged to her sister. He could continue staring at Callie, attempting to fight off this unwanted fascination a few seconds more. Or he could turn his back on her.
He turned his back.
There. She was no longer riveting.
Reese was no longer enthralled.
Everything was back as it should be.
Copyright © 2014 by Renee Halverson
ISBN-13: 9781460339312
A Home for Her Heart
Copyright © 2014 by Janet Lee Barton
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