On Her Father's Grave (Rogue River #1)(25)

“Say, did you come across Dad’s journals yet?” James asked quietly, glancing at his mother.

Is he hiding from Patsy that he wants them or that they’re missing?

“I haven’t had time to look,” Zane answered as quietly. If Patsy thought her husband’s last few months of journals were missing, she’d be devastated. He promised himself that he’d skim through them faster. In his mind it was the best way to see what private concerns Bill had had about the town and its people.

“If you’ll excuse me, James, I’m going to ask one of my patrol officers to dance.”



Stevie was breathless with a giddy happiness. She’d been dancing nonstop for the last half hour with men she hadn’t seen in years. She’d hit a country dance bar a time or two in LA, but until now she’d forgotten how different it was to enjoy the music when you knew most of the people in the crowd. Nothing was better than small town celebrations.

Eric had grabbed her hand after she’d danced with an old friend of her father’s. He’d pulled her directly into a simple two-step that’d required him to have a hand on her the entire time. He’d smiled and flirted, and she’d returned every nuance, pleased to see that he hadn’t given up on her when she hadn’t immediately jumped at his offer of a date last night.

She could do a lot worse than Eric.

But right now she didn’t need to complicate her life with a man. She hadn’t unpacked 80 percent of the boxes in her tiny apartment. Its bare walls had stared at her as she’d hunted through the avalanche of boxes for her cowboy boots. Someday she’d hang up some pictures. She currently enjoyed the carefree feeling of no concerns. No commitment to her walls, no commitment to a man. She could do whatever and dance with whomever she pleased.

The music stopped and Eric hugged her. “You look gorgeous,” he said close to her ear.

She felt unstoppable. The dancing had sent endorphins racing through her system, and she felt she could dance all night. She smiled at him, enjoying the open admiration in his green eyes. Oh, yeah. He made her feel beautiful.

A couple she didn’t know stopped to talk to Eric, and he turned his attention away from her for a moment. She glanced at the band. It hadn’t announced it was taking a break, so hopefully they were just discussing what to play next. Her feet wanted to keep going. Eric introduced her to the couple, and she nodded, shook hands, and exchanged the usual pleasantries. She smiled, not really listening to the conversation about an ordering issue with Eric’s hardware store when a warm hand touched the back of her arm.

Turning, she looked into Zane’s blue eyes. Her boss wasn’t in uniform, and he looked like he was ready for an evening walk along the beach in LA. All attractive male casualness. But those eyes weren’t casual. Their intensity was focused directly on her.

Hello.

“Can I have the next dance?”

Surprised at her sudden light-headedness, she nodded and stepped closer. The band played a few opening notes, and Stevie dimly noticed it was a slow song. As Zane looked over her shoulder and nodded, she realized she’d blindly stepped away from her current partner without saying a word. Glancing back, she saw Eric nod in response to Zane. A split second later Zane swept her away and the poignant lyrics of Sugarland’s “Stay” filled the evening.

“I’m so tired of being lonely. Don’t I give you what you need?”

The female singer in the band nailed the plaintive soulfulness of the words, and Stevie felt her heart lump in her throat. Zane’s brows narrowed. “What’s wrong?”

How had she gone from dancing on top of the world to being on the verge of tears in under a minute?

“This song. Gets me every time. I love it, though.”

The heat from his hand and arm burned through her shirt as he gently pulled her closer. “I bet you could sing it better,” he answered.

She laughed. “I don’t know.”

“Your voice is incredible. I had to pick my jaw up from the floor last night.”

His praise pleased her. “Genetics. It’s all my mother’s doing, but she can sing me under the table. I suppose you know she recorded an album?” At his nod, she continued, “My dad used to play it over and over. She passed up the chance to be a star to stay with him and raise a family in Solitude. She said she’d rather sing with her kids than in front of a bunch of strangers, which is why we all have a bit of talent. It’s thanks to her dedication.”

“Your parents are special people.” His gaze didn’t leave hers.

“I agree.” Her mouth felt dry.

“Few couples will ever find something as good as they have.”

He spoke of them in the present tense, and she felt that tightness in her throat again. The song ended and the band’s tempo picked up as it started the next number. She pulled out of his arms, but he took her hand and led her off the dance floor and away from the pavilion.

He stopped in a secluded spot and turned to take both her hands. He squeezed them and seemed to fumble for words. Stevie couldn’t think. She could read the look on his face and clearly he was struggling with an attraction to her.

As she’d been with him.

Panic shot through her brain.

This shouldn’t be happening. He’s my boss. I just ended a relationship. I haven’t unpacked yet . . .