Boots And Booties Part 10

"I have some money saved," he said. "I can probably figure out how to get asmall place. Or I can get a job on another ranch, just like you said."

The old man swore. "This ain't right," he grumbled."You and Miss Addie aretwo healthy, young folks who could make a d.a.m.n fine couple."

"She's out of my league."

"No way. Why don't you give that little gal a break and take her out to eatsomewhere nice? She's been working herself half to death on that house, andshe's fed us some d.a.m.n fine meals, too. h.e.l.l, I'd be glad to take her outmyself."

Calgrinned. "Well, you should go right ahead, John. Just ask her."

"I think she'd rather go out with you. But I'll take care of the boys," theold man declared. "That'll be my contribution."

"I'm not interested," he lied. "She's the kind of woman who wants a ring onher finger and a husband in her bed."

"Well, of course she does!" John turned red and started to huff. "She's arespectable young woman. And you'd make a d.a.m.n fine husband,Cal. No matterwhat you say. She looks at you like you make the sun rise, you know."

He didn't know.

"And," John continued, "those little boys wors.h.i.+p the ground you walk on. Andyou can't tell me that you don't like her, cuz I've seen you watching her,too. And you carried her up to her bedroom and took care of her when she wa.s.sick."

"Anyone would do that."Calput away the medical supplies and checked on thehorses, with John still following in the dimly lit barn.

"Maybe. At least take her out somewhere nice and see how she's feeling."

"All right,"Calconceded, knowing that the old man wouldn't quit until heheard the answer he wanted:Calwould take Addie out to dinner. But maybe itwastime he left here, before things got any more complicated. He liked Addie ah.e.l.l of a lot more than he wanted to admit. There had been something about herthat night at Billy's, something that made him come out of his sh.e.l.l and carrythe woman to bed. He'd wanted to make love to her and dance with her and protect her with his life.

Now here she was, living right here with him, and all he wanted to do was run away.

"I thought we could go out,"Calrepeated Sunday afternoon, watching Addie washthe lunch dishes at the kitchen sink. "To dinner."

"When?"

"Tonight." He figured the timing was right. Mrs. Johanson had spent theweekend, as she did every weekend. But she'd driven out of the driveway twentyminutes ago, right on schedule at half past one on Sunday afternoon, and Johnwas standing by to baby-sit the boys. He'd take her out to a nice meal, showher that he could be more than a bad memory in a motel. And then he'd give herhis resignation.

"Well," he prompted, wis.h.i.+ng she'd turn away from scrubbing that metal pan.

"What do you say?"

"I don't have much of an appet.i.te these days."

"Just order soup." She rinsed the pot and set it in the drainer. He noticed that her hands were shaking.

"I might get dizzy."

"It's air-conditioned."

"But-"

"Then I'll carry you to the car and drive you home." He leaned closer and looked into her face. Her cheeks were pink enough, and she didn't look theleast bit sick. "Your mother told John you were going to see a doctor."

"Yes. Just to stop her from worrying. I might need to eat a little better."

"You can start tonight."

She smiled and tossed the dishcloth at him. "Okay. What time do you want togo out? And how fancy is this place?"

"We can leave at six, John's going to watch the boys and wear anything youwant." He turned to hurry out of the kitchen before she changed her mind. Thishad been easier than he'd imagined.

"Hey,Cal?"

d.a.m.n. He turned. "What?"

"Did my mother put you up to this?"

Now that was a question he hadn't expected. But from the look in her pretty blue eyes, he guessed Addie was serious. "What's your mother got to do with usgoing out tonight?"

"She wants me to get married." Her smile just about dropped him to his knees.And so did the word "marriage."

"I was just thinking about a couple of steaks and maybe dessert, sweetheart."

"Well, all right." She started to laugh. "But I wouldn't put it past mymother to start matchmaking."

"I'm the last person she'd toss your way,"Caldeclared, tipping his hat beforehe reached for the door once again. "See you later." He got out of there asfast as he could, before Addie could change her mind and decide that hermother wouldn't approve. Paula Johanson frightened him. She was pleasant enough, always polite and well-mannered, butCalwas always afraid he was goingto do something wrong when she was around. Like spill his coffee or knock overa chair. If Paula had ever walked in when he was spread out on a bed with herdaughter, there would have been h.e.l.l to pay.

He wasn't thinking of h.e.l.l five hours later when he saw Addie. No, she lookedlike an angel, in a floaty white skirt and a d.a.m.n fine top that hugged everyinch of her and matched her eyes. Her hair was loose and curly, and hermouth-well, he didn't need to stare at her mouth. He took her hand and tuggedher toward the door.

"You look beautiful," was about all he could manage without embarra.s.singhimself.

"You don't look too bad yourself," she said, smiling up at him as they wentdown the side steps to the driveway. He'd worn a copper silk tweed sportsjacket he'd bought inAustinlast year for a friend's wedding, but he'd decideda tie was too formal with the white s.h.i.+rt. Now he wasn't so sure.

"Thanks. I'm glad we're getting off the ranch."

"Me, too." She sounded as if she meant it, which pleased him. But the boysdanced around the newly washed truck and asked John why they couldn't goalong.

"Because John would be lonesome," their mother told them, which seemed to dothe trick.Calushered her into the pa.s.senger seat and shut the door before theboys could cause a scene and give the old man a hard time. Old John took bothof the boys by the hands and looked as if he knew exactly what he was doing.

"We'll be back in about three hours,"Calpromised him. "I owe you one."

"You owe me more'n that," the old man drawled, winking. "Like maybe a nice,new slow cooker or something."

"You be good," Addie said, rolling down the window to give one last order."Eight o'clockbedtime, no matter what. Earlier if you're naughty."

"Dam- Darn right," John agreed. "Now wave yer mom good-bye and go back to yersupper."

"Thanks, John."

He tipped his hat, andCalstarted up the truck and turned it around to headdown the drive. "That wasn't too hard," he said, once they'd made it a hundredyards away from the house.

"Poor John. I'm feeling guilty already."

"You have the cell phone?"

"Yes."

"We can be back here in twenty minutes if he needs us,"Calpromised.

"Why are you doing this?"

d.a.m.n. A trick question. There was no way to answer this one without gettingin trouble, and here they hadn't even had appetizers yet. "Doing what?" hestalled. He turned on the radio and hoped a little Faith Hill would help.

"Taking me out."

"John's idea. He's matchmaking." That seemed to surprise her, because Addiedidn't say any more for at least a mile or two. He looked over to see hergazing at him with those big eyes of hers. He'd give a million dollars to knowwhat she was thinking.

"We sure started out the wrong way."

"I'm sorry about that."Sort of, he amended, remembering the feel of her bodyunderneath his. It was hard to be sorry about having great s.e.x with abeautiful woman.

"Yes," she said. "So am I. When I saw you that day at the ranch, I couldn'tbelieve my bad luck."

"Thanks." He smiled at her to show he knew she was kidding.

She reached over and touched his shoulder. "I didn't mean it like that,Cal. Ijust never expected that my awful mistake was going to show up in my backyard.I don't go around having s.e.x with strangers in motels after drinking in bars."

"I didn't think you did." He almost drove off the road. What the h.e.l.l had hebeen thinking? She was a widow with kids, a pretty woman who no doubt wantedanother husband. Anyone could tell she needed a man around, especially sinceshe seemed so d.a.m.n fragile. But he was about as far away from husband materialas, well, John.

"It's not something I intend to do again," she said, after a long moment ofsilence.

"I went to Billy's the next Sat.u.r.day looking for you,"Calsaid.

"I gave up rum and c.o.kes. And nights out with Kate." She shuddered. "I don'tknow what got into me that night."

"Neither one of us was thinking straight," he pointed out, butCalknew hehadn't been the same since he'd taken her on that bed. He'd wondered how to get in touch with her. He'd worried about the broken condom. And he'd drivento Billy's on Sat.u.r.day nights for four weeks in a row, hoping to see her orher dark-haired girlfriend, so he could get her name. He'd wanted to see heragain, wanted to make love to her for hours and wipe away the tears he hopedshe wouldn't shed.

"No," she said. "That's true. In fact,there's something-" She stopped.

"What?"

"Nothing." He noticed she was gripping her hands together and her knuckleswere white. "I guess you like living in Nowhere. Have you ever thought ofliving anywhere else?"

"I've thought of getting my own place," he admitted. This was his opening. Hecould tell her that he was leaving after the summer was over, or sooner if hecould find someone to help John.

"InTexas?"

"I imagine."

"I see."

Calglanced sideways and saw that she'd gone pale. "Addie? You okay?"

"I'm fine. So do you have any family around here?"

"Not that I know of, not anymore. I guess John's the closest thing to family that I have." He smiled. "He thinks you need a husband."

"He's probably been talking to my mother. That's all she thinks about."

"And you don't?"

"No."

She sounded sure of herself,Calrealized. Which, he told himself, was a relief.

"The woman at the bar-the one in the dark-green dress-keeps staring at you."

Addie sipped her minted iced tea and watchedCals.h.i.+ft uncomfortably in hischair. He didn't so much as glance over his shoulder. "Old girlfriend, maybe?"

"Maybe."

"She's quite beautiful. A redhead. About thirty-five, I'd guess, but it'shard to tell in the dim light."

"I imagine that's Deb Stornaway,"Calreplied. "She works in real estate aroundhere and runs a small ranch north of town."

"Oh." Addie didn't like the piercing jealousy that landed in the pit of herstomach. How ridiculous.Calwas a handsome man who had spent most of his lifein Nowhere. Of course he would know a lot of women. Addie looked down at her strawberry shortcake, a dessert that was larger thanCal's Stetson, and pickedup her fork.

There hadn't been a good time to discuss having a baby, Addie realized. Notover dinner, whenCalhad shared stories about her father with her. He'dreferred to his own family twice, to explain that he barely remembered amother who ran off and a father who pretty much left his young son to fend forhimself until the social workers came to take him away.

"We dated for a while,"Calexplained. "About three years ago."

"What happened?"

"She wanted something permanent," he said, pus.h.i.+ng his half-eaten apple pie aside.

"And you didn't."

"No."

"Why not?"

He smiled. "Maybe I'm getting too old, too set in my ways. Like John."

"You're not so old."

"Almost forty."

"Yes, I know. You have a birthday coming up."