The Maverick's Bride-to-Order, page 9
“It’s been very nice, Eva-Rose. I’m flattered a girl like you would even agree to go out with me.” Which was certainly true. In spite of the tons of messages and letters and gifts women were piling on him, most of the senders didn’t have the class or elegance Eva-Rose possessed.
Her quiet laugh said she found his comment hard to believe.
“You’ve been causing quite a stir in Rust Creek Falls,” she said. “Everyone is talking about your search for a bride.”
“Being a Dalton, I can’t let my cousin Travis outdo me by getting engaged and getting on The Great Roundup,” he joked, then deciding he’d better make sure she understood, he added, “I’m teasing, Eva-Rose. Travis and his TV gig have nothing to do with me seeking a wife.”
“I never thought it did.” Smiling, she gestured toward her front door. “Would you like to come in for coffee or a soda?”
This sweet, beautiful woman was offering him an opportunity to know her better, but still Zach hesitated. Something had to be terribly broken inside him, he decided. Why else would he feel like he’d been bridled and a hand kept reining him in, refusing to let him make a serious move toward any woman?
“Uh, I hope you won’t mind, Eva-Rose, but I’ll have to take a rain check on that. It’s getting late and I have lots of work facing me in the morning. Weaning time is starting on the ranch. We’re getting everything ready before the weather changes.”
“No problem,” she said. “I’ll give you that rain check.”
She rose up on her toes and kissed his cheek. Zach realized he’d look like a fool, or worse, if he didn’t take advantage of the moment and give her a proper good-night kiss.
With his hands lightly holding her shoulders, he settled his lips over hers and tried to put as much enthusiasm into the kiss as he could muster. But instead of enjoying the pleasant experience and letting the sensation carry him away, he began to think. Way too much.
With his eyes squeezed tightly shut, he continued to move his mouth over hers while desperately hoping to feel some sort of jolt. He wanted excitement to ripple through him, passion to explode inside him. Instead, his mind was stuck, going round and round in working mode.
Oh hell, what was wrong with him? Had his libido gone totally dead?
The questions pounded inside his brain, forcing him to end the kiss and lift his head. When he looked down at her, he was so frustrated it was all he could do to make himself smile.
“Good night, Eva-Rose. We’ll talk soon.”
She’d barely had time to say good-night before Zach hurried back to his truck and started the engine.
As he drove toward the Circle D, he suddenly wished he knew where Lydia lived, or at the very least, had her cell number. Even though it was getting late, talking to her right now was the very thing he needed. Hearing her voice, seeing her smile, would make him feel better about everything.
But he couldn’t run to Lydia with his problems. He was a grown man and she had her own life to lead. And from everything she’d said, she wasn’t looking to include a man in her future plans anytime soon. Besides, bubbly Lydia with her T-shirts and jeans wasn’t his type. Eva-Rose was exactly the kind of woman he wanted for a wife. Now, she would make a house into a perfect home.
So why wasn’t he back at Eva-Rose’s, having coffee and getting cozy with the woman? Why wasn’t he trying a second or third kiss?
Zach didn’t want to answer those questions. In fact, he didn’t want to think about them at all. Otherwise, he might decide his entire plan to find a wife was rapidly swirling down the drain.
* * *
The next day Lydia hung up the telephone with a weary sigh and turned her attention back to the computer screen on her desk. For the past two hours, she’d been trying to create a graphic design for a large advertisement, but between an unusual number of customers walking in and the phone’s incessant ringing, she hadn’t made much progress on the task. And the fact that her mind kept straying to one tall, dark-haired cowboy wasn’t helping matters, either.
Yesterday morning, Lydia had stopped by Daisy’s Donut Shop to splurge on a glazed apple fritter, but she’d ended up getting more than a pastry and a cup of coffee. Nanette, a young waitress working behind the counter, had been practically bursting to spread the news that her coworker Eva-Rose Armstrong was going on a date with Zach Dalton. Yes! The dreamy Zach Dalton who was searching for a wife!
Feeling slightly ill, Lydia had hurried out of the doughnut shop without seeing the beautiful Eva-Rose, who must have been working in the kitchen at the time. Now, a day later, the idea of Zach and Eva-Rose on a date together was still gnawing at her. Which was stupid. Everyone in town, including Lydia, knew the man had been dating a host of women. For the past week and a half, she’d been hearing all kinds of reports of Zach squiring several lovely ladies around Rust Creek Falls. Not only that, she’d heard he’d practically been attacked by a throng of excited females in front of the gas station on Sawmill Street. Yet none of that news had affected her as much as the notion of him dating Eva-Rose.
Perhaps that was because Lydia was well acquainted with Eva-Rose. And deep down, she recognized the blonde beauty was exactly what Zach was looking for: tall, willowy, young and an excellent cook. And very nice on top of all her other perfect attributes. Lydia figured it wouldn’t be long now before wedding bells would be chiming and she’d be throwing rice at Eva-Rose and Zach as they departed for their honeymoon.
“Lydia? Do you think you can beam yourself back to earth?”
Curtis’s voice suddenly broke through her dismal thoughts and she turned away from the computer screen to see her boss standing at her desk. From the annoyed look on his face, he must have called out to her more than once.
“Oh, sorry, Curtis. Were you saying something to me?” she asked blankly.
His expression full of sarcasm, he gestured to the empty room. “Do you see anyone else around here?”
Lydia gave him a cheerful smile even though she wanted to throw a paper wad straight at his head. “Not at the moment. But there’s been a steady stream of customers in here all morning.” She made a backhanded wave to her computer. “I’m trying to put the ad design together for Abbott’s Grocery. Something with an autumn theme, like falling leaves or squash. I don’t want to do pumpkins because next month is October. That’s pumpkin month. Anyway, I keep getting interrupted. Uh—sorry, Curtis—what did you need?”
“Only to tell you that I’m going to walk over to the library and talk to the head librarian about a book drive they’re planning. Roberta was supposed to do the reporting, but she just went home with a stomach virus.”
Lydia glanced toward the doorway leading to the working area behind the main lobby. Normally, she would have already been in and out of the back offices. If nothing else, just to say hello to everyone. But this morning, she’d hardly had time to take a deep breath.
“Oh. I wasn’t aware that Roberta had gone home. Gee, I hope she feels better soon. Would you like for me to do the thing at the library?” Lydia offered. “I’m not a reporter per se, but I’m sure I could get the information down.”
Curtis shook his head. “Thanks, but no. You have more than enough to handle here. When are you going to lunch?”
Lydia glanced at the large-faced watch on her wrist. “I usually go at twelve. That’s in thirty minutes. But I can wait until you get back. No problem.”
He started toward the door. “There’s no need for you to wait on me. Just make sure Jolene is here to handle the phone and be sure to tell her if my phone rings she’s not to answer it. That woman can mess up a message worse than anyone I’ve ever known. Names, dates, times—according to her, those are unimportant facts.”
Then how did Jolene ever get a job in Proofing, Lydia wanted to ask him. But she wasn’t one to speak out about an employee’s track record. Not when she was guilty of making plenty of blunders herself through the years. “She tries, Curtis. But I’ll make sure she understands to ignore your calls.”
Thankfully, he didn’t hang around to say more. As soon as the door closed behind him, Lydia turned back to the ad design and stared at the monitor.
Images of falling leaves? Decorative squash? No. That didn’t put a person in the mood to buy food or health and beauty items.
Beauty? That one word bounced around her brain until she unwittingly propped her elbows on the desk and stared off into space. What would happen, she wondered, if she drove over to Abbott’s store and shopped for a few things in the beauty department? Something to make her eyes look smoky and her lips peachy and moist. Would that make Zach look at her in a desirable way? The same way he’d probably looked at Eva-Rose last night?
Damn it! There she went again! Letting her mind drift off in left field instead of concentrating on the job right in front of her eyes.
Determinedly, she reined in her wandering thoughts. After several minutes of doodling, drawing and arranging all sorts of banners, designs and images, she pumped her fist triumphantly in the air.
Finally! She had it! Green dollar signs mixed with orange and yellow falling leaves. All together it would represent tumbling autumn prices. Mr. Abbott would have to like it and so would Curtis, she decided.
She quickly went to work creating the design on the screen and was so engrossed in the task that she barely heard the bell over the door ring. When she eventually looked away from her work, she was beyond thrilled to see Zach strolling toward her.
“Hello, Lydia. How’s it going?”
She swiveled her chair in his direction and let her eyes feast on the sight of him. He was always as sexy as heck, she thought, but today he was a wicked dream in a black Western shirt and dark blue jeans. His black hat rode low on his forehead, while the tiger eye bolo tie dangled against his broad chest. As her gaze continued to sweep over him, she decided everything about the man oozed sensuality, but today it was the playful grin on his face that was making her heart do silly somersaults.
“Hi, Zach. Everything is great with me. How about you?” Assuming he was there to pick up his mail, she rose from her chair and walked over to a closet where she’d hidden most of the boxes from Curtis’s critical eye. “Your mail is still piling up. I’m beginning to think you need a secretary to help you deal with all this stuff. Ever think about picking a woman from one of these letters and hiring her to help?”
“It is beginning to be a job,” he agreed. “I fall asleep every night just trying to read through most of it. Tell me, Lydia, are there really that many single women out there who want to get married?”
She tried to laugh, even though the question held little mirth for her. Maybe that was because it was becoming painfully clear she was one of those many single women without any hope of marriage or a family on the horizon.
“From the looks of this mail, it appears that way.” She stacked the boxes on the corner of her desk. “Just a minute and I’ll print out your email messages. Those seemed to have slowed down. I suppose the majority of women must be thinking a handwritten note will get more attention from you.”
Lydia directed her computer to the mail server and the inbox filled with messages. As the printer began to work, she turned her attention back to Zach.
“You haven’t been by in a few days,” she said. “Is everything okay out at the Circle D?”
“Busy. Very busy. In fact, I should be there right now. We’re gathering cows and calves. Getting ready for weaning. But supplies were needed from the farm and ranch store, so I was the one Uncle Charles chose to come after them.”
“Lucky you. Gave you a chance to get your mail at the same time.” She gathered all the messages from the printer and stuffed them into a manila envelope, which she placed atop the boxes. “There. That’s it for now. Uh—I’ve been wondering, Zach, do you still want to keep the ad running?”
He looked at her with surprise and for some reason Lydia felt a little embarrassed for asking the question. But taking care of the classified ads was one of her jobs here at the Gazette. It was necessary for her to know a customer’s intentions.
“Well, sure. Why wouldn’t I want to keep it running? I haven’t found a wife yet.”
Not even after last night’s date with Eva-Rose? She wanted to shout with joy and do a pair of exuberant backflips.
“Oh. Well, I just didn’t want you to have to pay for something that’s unnecessary. I mean—you have stacks and stacks of applicants already. And all the women around here are aware of your search.”
He shook his head. “You’re right about all of that. But I’d still like to keep it running a bit longer. Someone new might come to town and see it for the first time. And that someone could just be the one I’m looking for. I’d hate to think I missed the chance because I didn’t want to pay for the cost of the ad.”
She gave him a cheery smile. “Then the ad will definitely stay. Maybe I should outline the whole thing with linked hearts shot with cupid arrows. That might get your ad even more attention.”
He let out a good-natured groan. “Oh no! I’m already catching plenty of flak from my brothers over the ad. They’d never let me live that sort of thing down. They’d probably hang the nickname Mr. Valentine on me, or worse!”
Shoving back the cuffs of his shirt, he glanced at his watch. “It’s getting close to lunch. When do you get off?”
“At twelve.”
“That’s fifteen minutes away.” Using one arm, he scooped up the boxes from the corner of her desk. “I have one more chore to do. If you’d like some company, I’ll stop by again and pick you up.”
Why was he bothering with her? All he had to do to get a lunch date would be to walk down the street or into any restaurant in town. In a matter of moments, he’d have more than one woman trying to hang on to his arm. But why question his motives, she scolded herself. All she needed to do was enjoy his company.
“That would be great, Zach. Fifteen minutes. I’ll be ready.”
* * *
Zach wasn’t going to waste time overanalyzing his motive for having lunch with Lydia. The reason was simple, anyway. It was the middle of the day. A time when people generally stopped to eat. He was in town and so was she. There was nothing more to it than that.
Except that after he’d gotten home last night from his date with Eva-Rose, he’d spent hours tossing and turning, choking the life out of his pillow, and wondering why he couldn’t get Lydia’s sweet face out of his mind.
But now in the light of day, with the late summer sun shining down on the little town of Rust Creek Falls, he decided life was too good to worry about anything. Even that little matter of finding a wife.
Twenty minutes later, with Lydia safely buckled into the passenger seat of his truck and a sack of fast food balanced on the console between them, Zach drove west toward the city park.
“I hope you don’t mind,” he told her, “but I’ve already bought us lunch to-go from the Gold Rush. I thought it might be nice to eat in the park today. The weather is perfect and the fresh air is good for you.”
Lydia chuckled. “I especially need the fresh air today. I’ve had a very hectic morning.”
“Lots of news to write about? Or just crabby customers like Mr., uh, what was his name? Tuttle?”
She laughed again and Zach was amazed by how much better the sound made him feel. Her laughter always made him smile, always reminded him of the special joys of life.
“Thankfully, Mr. Tuttle didn’t come in this morning. Actually, all the customers were nice, but there were so many and the phone has been ringing and ringing. As for the news, I actually don’t write news pieces. Roberta collects the news and Artemis—we call him Artie—does most of the writing. Along with Colette. She’s very young and has only been out of college a short time, but she’s doing a super job so far. She’s been writing about Travis and Brenna’s progress on The Great Roundup. So if I miss seeing an episode, she can always catch me up on what’s happened.”
She leaned over and sniffed at the sack of food. “Do I smell chili in there?”
He nodded. “Chili dogs and fries. If you don’t like them, I’m going to be in big trouble.”
“Oh, Zach, I love chili dogs! How did you guess?”
Her reaction made him feel like he’d just stumbled onto the end of a rainbow. “Oh, you just look like a chili-dog girl to me.”
“Sure,” she said with a wide grin. “It’s easy to imagine me with chili smeared all over my mouth. I’m a messy girl.”
She might picture herself in that way, but Zach was beginning to think of her as a girl who was full of life, who wasn’t so self-absorbed she worried about having every fingernail perfect and every hair in its proper place. God help him, but he was beginning to think of her as perky and pretty and adorable.
Zach, as soon as you finish lunch, you need to see a doctor. Because something has caused your thinking to tilt way off base. From the time you were old enough to get your driver’s license and take a girl on a real date, you haven’t picked one that looked or behaved like Lydia Grant. You’ve always wanted your lady companions to be delicate, refined and ultra-feminine. You’ve never been interested in a gal who could step up and play first base on the baseball team!
Thankfully, by the time Zach turned onto Buckskin Road, the admonishing voice in his head had faded to little more than a distant echo and he was determined to keep it there.
Rust Creek Falls Park was a large grassy area surrounded by a split rail fence and dotted with clusters of tall spruce trees. Zach stopped the truck in the dirt parking lot, and after helping Lydia to the ground, he grabbed their lunch.
