A Cowgirl's Secret(42)
“Sit your sweet behind back down,” Luke practically growled. “Everyone in town knows Rowdy’s a two-timing lowlife out for nothing but a good time.”
“What a coincidence—so am I.” She winked before sashaying right on over to the counter bar.
With everything in him, Luke longed to toss Daisy over his shoulder, but what kind of message would that send? In no way did he have any claim to her. No use sending out signals he wanted that to change.
Even if a small part of him did.
“HONEY, YOU CAN’T BE SERIOUS?” Georgina wasn’t exactly thrilled with the news of Daisy’s anticipated purchase. “That old ruin was sagging when I had you. I can’t even imagine what it must look like now. For heaven’s sake, the yard is so overgrown, you can’t even see the house from the road.”
“I know,” Daisy said, placing the folder with her paperwork on the kitchen counter. “But that’s part of its beauty. I’ll be saving the home for future generations.”
Dallas snorted. “Ask me, you’d be better off throwing money in a fire.”
“I didn’t ask you,” Daisy snapped. “Why can’t all of you be excited for me? Not only is it a lovely historic home, but the forty acres adjoin our land. If for no other reason, Dallas, I would’ve thought you would be the first person in line with an offer.”
“I was. The family got wind of the fact that I planned to doze the place and turned me down.”
“I’m glad.”
“Both of you hush.” Georgina put the tomato she’d been cutting on top of chopped salad greens. “If I didn’t know better, I’d swear you were both back in kindergarten.”
Josie, who’d been sitting at the kitchen table writing lesson plans, cleared her throat. “Point of fact—my kindergartners are better behaved.”
“Way to stand up for the man you supposedly love.” Dallas kissed his wife.
“Oh—I love you, I just think you’re being shortsighted. Daisy, if you ever need help, please give me a call. I love painting and decorating.”
Daisy brushed Dallas out of her way to steal a hug from his wife. “Consider yourself hired.”
“When do you find out if your offer is accepted?” Georgina asked, placing the salad at the center of the kitchen table.
“Hopefully tonight, but you never know.”
“Well, regardless of the outcome,” Georgina said, “we’ll support you. Although, I’d rather do yard work than anything inside.”
Daisy hugged her mom, too. “Great. Thanks. All right, Dallas, you’re the only one without a job.”
He scoffed at her suggestion. “Count me out. Someone needs to maintain this house so when my sister loses her shirt on this deal she has somewhere to live.”
AFTER THE DINNER DISHES had been washed and put away, Kolt had come home from Jonah’s, taken his bath, brushed his teeth and gone to bed, and Daisy once again found herself dreading the empty hours remaining in the day.
Dallas and Josie were holed up in their room, watching TV. Every so often, their laughs punched through the silence.
Georgina was in her craft room, working on a Christmas quilt.
Daisy, meanwhile, sat on the foot of her bed, pouting because she hadn’t received her much-anticipated real-estate call.
When her cell chose that moment to ring, her heart leaped to her throat. Expecting Vera, hearing Luke came as a surprise.
“Did you get the house?” he asked.
“I don’t know.” Tossing back her covers, she climbed in, propping pillows behind her. “Do you think it’s a bad sign they haven’t already called?”
“Not necessarily.”
“That didn’t sound overly confident.” Nibbling her lower lip, she imagined him seated in his comfy armchair. He’d wear PJ bottoms and nothing else. Suddenly overheated, she pushed back her down comforter.
“All I’m saying is they could be out of town or working late. Maybe their phone’s broken. You never know.”
“I suppose you’re right.” Hearing his rich, country twang directly in her ear did delicious things to her insides. “Funny, but before I saw that house, I wasn’t even sure I wanted my own place. Now, it’s all I can think about. I’m ready to jump out of my skin.”
“How’d your date go?”