by Jeannie Watt
“I gotta go,” Jolie said. “But I’ll think about this.”
“Do that.”
After Dani hung up she walked to the window and stared across the field at the lone light burning in Gabe’s house. Then she turned away and snapped off her own light. “Come on, Gus. Bed.”
Did she have any qualms about leaving her childhood home? Yes. Now that she was back, it was hard to think about leaving again, but that offer, if it was legit and if the money was anywhere close to what Gabe had indicated, then...yes, she could let go. Allie could forever wash her hands of the place.
She was happy here, but she could be happy somewhere else, too. Her dad had told her that land was forever, but he didn’t say that it had to be this land.
And maybe, after furniture shopping and seeing how many things in life she couldn’t afford, she was getting a little tired of being land-rich and cash-poor.
* * *
KELLY RETURNED FROM volleyball camp the day after the great furniture expedition and Dani greeted her official babysitter with mixed feelings. Gabe no longer had a reason to spend the morning and early afternoon at her place and shortly she would no longer have an excuse to see him, since Molly’s training time was almost up.
That meant, if he was still in the area, that she was going to have to make a decision. Did she want to see him for real, or say goodbye?
She wanted to see him.
Kind of.
Part of her trusted him implicitly and another part of her still sensed secrets untold. Things she needed to know. She would not be blindsided again—not if she could help it anyway.
The next week was full not only with training, but also with the silent auction work. Dani had solicited all the businesses on the list Gina had given her and had scored pretty well. She had a large stash of items in the back of the community hall that she and Gina and any volunteers they could scare up needed to catalog and display before the official Thursday-evening kickoff of Eagle Valley Days.
“You know you’re heading this committee next year,” Gina said as she held up a flashy silver belt buckle donated by the local Western store.
“What can I say?” Dani asked. “I’m good at phone solicitation. I had lots of experience at SnowFrost.” She pointed across the room at the full-length antique mirror Gina had finagled from a furniture store. “It isn’t like you had a massive fail.”
Gina laughed. “We did well. Now, let the cataloging begin.”
Dani had worked several down days into her training schedule when she’d contracted with her clients, which was a good thing, since it took most of the day to catalog and display the silent auction booty.
“Perfect,” Gina said as she stood back and regarded the tables that bordered three sides of the conference room. “We’re going to make a lot of money!” She laughed roguishly. “I made a bet that we would make more money than the real auction.”
“That might be stretching things,” Dani said as she followed Gina out into the bright sunlight.
Gina locked the door and pocketed the key. “Do not underestimate the power of silence,” she said archly. “I gotta make tracks. My favorite man is waiting for me,” she said. “Thanks for all the help.”
“Glad to help.” Dani started for her truck, only to stop when Gina called her name.
Gina dug the key back out of her pocket. “I forgot that they need this tonight. Would you please take it to the chamber-of-commerce building so I’m not late for the sitter? I want to keep this one so I don’t have to beg my mom.”
“Sure.” Dani took the key and Gina dashed to her car, giving Dani the distinct feeling that a good babysitter was hard to find. A few minutes later she parked in front of the chamber-of-commerce building, leaving her truck running as she went inside.
“Hi. I’m returning this key for—” She felt her expression freeze as the woman behind the desk looked up and she found herself face-to-face with Megan Branson, the new Mrs. Chad Anderson.
Dani cleared her throat, raised her chin and said, “Gina wanted me to drop this key off.” She carefully set the key on the desk in front of Megan, who was still staring at her with an uncertain expression.
High road. Take the high road. Do not ask her if she got her panties back.
“I see you’re settling into the community,” Dani murmured instead of saying goodbye, as she probably should have.
“Yes. I was lucky to get this position.”
Dani smiled at her. “I’ve been lucky myself recently.”
“Oh?” Megan asked, shooting a look over at a woman who had just walked in, carrying an armload of brochures, as if hoping for rescue. They’d never met face-to-face and Dani imagined that Megan could have happily lived her life having never met her. Well, then Chad shouldn’t have brought her to Eagle Valley. “How have you been lucky?”
“I dodged a bullet.” She smiled tightly. “Give Chad my best.”
“You two weren’t right for each other.”
Dani was amazed that Megan chose to address the situation—and a touch annoyed that her parting shot had been compromised. “Maybe so, but there are classy ways to handle such situations and trashy ways. Guess which one Chad chose? Like I said. Bullet. Dodged.” Dani gave Megan a curt nod, then headed for the door, her heart beating hard and fast. Okay. One first encounter over. One to go.
* * *
“YOU’RE GOING TO the dance.” Which was obvious, because when Gabe stopped by to see if he could nudge the sale situation forward, Dani answered the door wearing an eye-popping green silk dress.
She lifted her chin. “I am.” And he’d thought she’d been very clear about not going just a few days before.
“You’ll have friends there.”
“Of course.”
He waited, but Dani had nothing else to say on the matter. “Will Chad be there?” It wasn’t his business, but he couldn’t keep from asking the question.
“And his wife.” Dani tried to smile, but the expression ended up being more of a forced twist of her beautiful lips. She was putting on a pretty good front, but he read stress not just in her expression, but in the way she held her body.
“Would you like a date?”
Dani blinked at him in surprise. “I can do this by myself.”
“I know.” He had no doubt that she could do this alone. But he didn’t want her to.
She studied him for a moment through slightly narrowed eyes. “You’re being honest, aren’t you?”
“I believe in your abilities. I’m offering company, not moral support.”
“I like you when you lie.” The dimple showed next to her mouth. “And that’s saying a lot because I don’t like liars.”
Gabe felt something inside of him go a little cold at her words, but he rallied. “Hey, it’s just a matter of you facing your asshole ex and his wife in a crowded public venue. What’s the problem?”
She laughed wryly. “When you put it like that, everything falls into perspective.” Dani bit the corner of her full lip, then said, “Sure. Why not? Since Gina will be busy, I’ll have someone to gossip with.”
“Can you be a little late?” He opened his arms and glanced down at his black T-shirt, flannel shirt and jeans. “Or am I okay?”
Dani choked back a laugh. “I can be late.”
“Twenty minutes.”
“It takes ten minutes to get to your house.”
“Pick me up. Bring the good truck so you don’t get dirty.”
Dani rolled her eyes. “Thanks for the tip.”
Gabe put his hand behind her neck, but somehow managed to keep himself from leaning in and kissing her. “If you don’t mind, we can take my car.”
“I guess,” she said as if it was a major concession. “I’ll drive over to your place and we can leave from there.”
“See you in twenty.”
She glanced at her silver watch. “Eighteen. You’ve wasted two minutes talking.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
GABE PUT HIS hand on
the small of Dani’s back as they entered the convention hall, spreading his fingers wide over the soft green silk of her short dress. The woman wasn’t very tall, but she was all legs and, as fate would have it, he was a leg man.
As they walked into the dimly lit room, he was instantly reminded of the one prom he’d attended. Thirty or forty round tables with white tablecloths and candles burning in round glass containers filled the areas on either side of the dance floor. Strings of small white lights lit the buffet tables and twinkled from the white spray-painted trees on either side of the bandstand. The only addition, which would have been quite welcome at his prom, was a bar with two bartenders busily seeing to the needs of the people lined up in front of it.
“I’m going to check in with Gina,” Dani said, leaning close to him as she spoke. “The auction is in the side alcove there.”
“I can get us a drink, meet you over there.” He needed a drink. Neal had called him while he was changing clothes half an hour ago to let him know that Stewart had a small tumor on his lung, but it was benign. Good news and good news—first he was going to be fine, and second Gabe didn’t need to worry so much about letting down a dying man.
“Bourbon for me,” Dani said, glancing casually over at the bar. A split second later her back went stiff.
Gabe followed her gaze, then curved his fingers possessively around the edge of her waist as he bent closer to say, “Your ex?”
“Yes.” She tilted her head, her voice casual despite the tension in her body as she said, “And I think he has just spotted me. Us.”
“I see that.” The tall athletic-looking guy standing behind the bar had indeed zeroed in on Dani before sliding his gaze over to Gabe and then back again to Dani. “Where’s the new missus?”
“Not sure.” Dani scanned the bar area. “Probably not far away.”
Gabe scrutinized Chad for a moment before saying, “He seems rather smug.”
She shook her head then put her cheek against his to say, “See how he has his hands in his pockets and is rocking back on his heels as if he’s in charge of the world? Sure sign that he’s uncomfortable. That’s his bluff stance.”
“You know him well.”
“I was going to marry him.”
“I’m glad you didn’t.”
“So am I,” Dani said in a husky voice that did things to him.
“Dani.” Dani and Gabe turned together to see Marti approaching.
“I never know whether she’s friend or foe,” Dani muttered to Gabe before saying in a louder voice, “Marti. How are you?”
“I’m doing all right. I wanted to talk to you about the bar schedule.”
“I’m not on the schedule.”
Marti sucked air in between her teeth. “That’s the problem—Gina’s baby is running a fever and she’s not coming. She just called.”
“All the more reason for me to focus on the silent auction.”
“We have volunteers to help in there, but we’re short at the bar.”
Gabe looked down at Dani and said, “I’ll do it.”
Marti looked startled at his instant response, then quickly pasted on a bright smile. “Usually we have locals help.”
“I live here,” he said matter-of-factly.
“Uh...” She shot a quick look at Dani, who merely raised her eyebrows.
“Do you want me to work with Chad?” she asked in a curious voice.
“No!” Marti sputtered and Dani actually believed her. “Chad’s shift is almost over. I need someone for the next shift.”
“We’ll do it together,” Dani said, touching Gabe’s arm.
He put his hand over hers and said, “Sounds good.”
“All right...” Marti cleared her throat. “That would be great. I’ll let them know.”
After she left, Gabe looked at Dani. “And her objective is?”
“I wish I knew.” She slipped her arm out of his. “I need to check the auction, see if there really are volunteers.”
“And I need to get us some drinks. I’ll meet you over there.”
* * *
DANI HAD NO idea what Marti was up to. The fact that Chad’s shift would end before hers began her made her think that maybe the woman really did need a bartender and not a spectacle.
It wouldn’t have really mattered, though, because Dani already felt like a spectacle—the logical result of appearing at the same event as her former fiancé, a hometown hero, who’d dumped her after a year-long engagement and then eloped with his mistress within a matter of weeks.
Of course people were looking at her. And talking.
Well, screw ’em.
She poked her head into the auction room to see two women in their late forties—one was a petite blonde and the other sported an impressive bouffant of flame-red hair—straightening the clipboards in front of the items, while a handful of attendees circled the room, contemplating the offerings.
“Hi,” she said to the redhead. “I’m Dani. I helped Gina solicit the gifts.”
“And you did a great job,” the woman replied. “I’m Elsie and this is Lydia.” The blonde woman wiggled her fingers at Dani. “Gina had to cancel, so we’re holding down the fort.”
“I heard.” Dani stood for a moment, feeling a touch awkward. “Well, I hope we make a lot of money.”
“I’m certain we will. These things start off slow, then snowball as the alcohol flows.”
Dani laughed and then turned to find Gabe standing in the doorway, a drink in each hand.
“I’m not needed,” she said to him as she came to take her drink. She held it up to eye level. “Did you order me a double?”
“I did not. The pours are generous. Although your ex was maybe too busy checking me out to keep track of how much was going into the glass.”
“He’s competitive.”
Gabe’s smile shifted. “He already lost.”
“I agree,” Dani said softly.
“It’s almost time for me to go on duty.”
“I guess if you’re on duty, then we can’t slip away early.” His free hand was once again at her back, his touch firm and warm.
“You wanted to slip away early? We barely got here.” The pressure of his fingers increased slightly.
“The thought had crossed my mind,” Dani said. She gave him a long look, acting on pure instinct and for once not thinking of six or seven different consequences of her actions. “I’ve achieved my purpose. I showed up at an event where I would see Chad. The worst is over. Now I can slip away into the night...and so can you—or rather, you could have.”
It was rather gratifying to see the dawning understanding in his eyes, followed by an appreciative lift of his lips. “I’d say this time Marti turned out to be a foe.”
Dani smiled up at him, then sipped her drink.
“Dani!” She turned to see a tall auburn-haired woman pushing through the crowd, drink held high.
“Jessie?”
Jessie Greenway squealed and gave Dani a big hug before stepping back and chanting, “Who’s a Spartan? I’m a Spartan, you’re a Spartan, too!” Her drink sloshed in time to the chant, slopping over at the very end.
Gabe’s forehead wrinkled as he glanced down at his damp shoes, then back up at Jessie. “It’s our cult greeting,” Dani explained with a wry smile.
“Cult?”
“Cheer cult,” Jessie said, leaning closer to Gabe and waggling her eyebrows. Jessie had obviously been taking advantage of the generous pours the bar offered. Her head suddenly went up and she vigorously waved her hand at someone across the room. “I’ll be back! I want to catch Marco before he gets away.”
With a jangle of bracelets she was gone, leaving only a faint hint of Shalimar behind.
Gabe shifted his jaw sideways. “Cheer cult, eh?”
“Three years of rah-rah. Jolie did four. We wanted to be on the rodeo team, but couldn’t afford it, so...” She shook imaginary pom-poms.
“Were you good?”
Dani ran her
fingers over the thin gold chains she wore. “I was great. And I almost married the school quarterback.”
Gabe jerked his head toward the bar. “That quarterback there?”
“That’s the one.”
Gabe looked down at his watch. “Our shift starts soon, but I was thinking that maybe we could be a few minutes late showing up.”
Dani considered for a moment. “Or maybe I can stop pussyfooting around and just go and say hello.”
“Is that all you’re going to say?” he asked on a wry note, but she caught the protective gleam in his eye. She had backup.
She held his gaze for a moment, then slowly smiled. “I have no idea.”
* * *
GABE FOLLOWED DANI across the room, glad he was there to have her back and hoping at the same time that there would be no blood. Chad seemed to have disappeared, but Dani did not slow down as she wound her way through the crowd. She strode up to the bar, which was at the moment clear of customers, and stopped directly in front of an older man with a thick head of silver hair.
“Hello, Burt. I’m supposed to work this shift.”
“Well,” Burt said briskly, folding the towel he held and knocking over a glass, which he quickly righted, “I’ll just get out of your way, Dani.” He spoke her name in a louder tone, giving a quick glance toward the partially closed closet door.
“Is Chad in there?” Dani asked with a frown.
“Chad? No. He’s not.” Burt shook his head as he set the towel down. Then he let out a breath. “But I wish he was. Megan is in there. She’s working the next shift.”
“Really? Huh.” She cocked her head at Burt. “This is someone’s idea of a joke, I guess.”
“Or cheap entertainment,” Burt agreed in a low voice.
Dani pressed her fingers to her forehead. “I have to live in this community. And apparently so do they.” She looked up at Burt then back at Gabe.
“Burt—” All three of them looked around as Chad strode around the end of the bar, coming from the kitchen. He stopped short at the sight of his former fiancée. Gabe started to put a hand on her shoulder, then thought better of it and dropped it back to his side.
“Hello, Chad,” Dani said with a dignified nod. He nodded back without speaking, probably half-afraid of what was going to happen next, then his gaze slid over to Gabe as if gauging his worthiness as an opponent. “Someone has set things up so that Megan and I work the next shift together.”
