Redneck Romeo (Rough Riders #15)(86)

“The director mentioned that to me. I’m hoping he’s wrong and all these applications are legit.” After she’d calmed down following the confrontation with Dalton, she wished she’d had the presence of mind to ask if his application was legit. Yes, she’d shown up at his place loaded for bear, but she stood by everything she’d said—on a professional level. On a personal level? Well, she’d have to wait and see.


She tuned back in to Dillon’s commentary. He hadn’t noticed her momentary blip in concentration. “…it’s been interesting seeing it from a different angle. Any chance this temporary position could roll over into fulltime?”


“Doubtful. This WNRC office is fully staffed. I’ll return to my previous part-time position once I’m finished.”


Dillon looked thoughtful. “Did you take this job because it’s in your hometown?”


Tempting to lie, but she admitted, “No. It was the only job available.” On such short notice.


“Except for the job you already had at the Wyoming State Parks.”


“That wasn’t a permanent position.”


“I had the pull to make it permanent,” Dillon reminded her.


Didn’t he understand that’s why she’d left? She’d be stuck there with him? At least working here part-time she had options. “It was best if we didn’t work together after…”


Silence ensued.


Dillon sighed. “You broke it off with me without really much of a reason why.”


Rory’s eyes narrowed. “Is that why you’re here? To get answers?”


“Maybe. Things were going great between us and the next thing I knew, you returned the engagement ring and left town.”


Going great. Right. “Look, this isn’t the time or the place—”


“Then have dinner with me tonight so we can discuss it.”


Crap. She’d fallen right into that one.


“You owe me that much, Rory. I also wanted to mention new career opportunities for you, but it wouldn’t be prudent to discuss them in your current place of business.”


He knew that would intrigue her.


“Is there a quiet place we can have dinner and a conversation?”


“The Twin Pines is a supper club outside of Sundance.”


“Sounds good to me. Will six o’clock work?”


“Yes, that’ll give me time to change.”


“You’d look beautiful wearing a flour sack.”


Dillon’s compliment, while sincere, didn’t affect her the same way Dalton’s compliments did. “Thank you.”


He smiled and stood. “Looking forward to seeing you at six. I’ll let you get back to work.” He left her office.


Rory didn’t take waste time dwelling on how their discussion would play out tonight. She had plenty to accomplish before then.


Three raps on her door and Glennis poked her head in. “Rory? Can I come in?”


“Sure. What do you need?”


“Just checking on whether…” She sighed. “Okay, I’m a snoopy busybody and I’m dying to know if that man really was your ex-fiancé.”


That startled her. “That’s how Dillon introduced himself?”


“He said he was Dillon Doland, assistant director for the Wyoming State Parks and he used to work with you. Then he chuckled and mentioned he’d been engaged to you.”


“I find it weird he’d say that.”


Glennis’s gaze sharpened behind her glasses. “Know what I find weird? That Dillon has more than a passing similarity to Dalton. Tall, dark-haired, blue eyes. Charming.”


“Which describes half the men in the world,” she retorted.


Glennis shook her finger. “Maybe you didn’t realize at the time you’d started something with Dillon because he reminded you of Dalton.”


“Bullshit.”


“I know you and Dalton have a history, Rory.”


“How?” she demanded.


“Because of your familiarity the first day he sauntered in here. And sweetie, I am a Sundance native. I’ve got a grasp of geography and I know you grew up practically next door to his family’s ranch.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Does Dalton have any idea that you almost married a man who looks like him?”


“No.”


“What do you think he’ll do when he finds out?”


Rory stared at the door after Glennis left. She was wrong. Her attraction to Dillon had nothing to do with his looks and that he had some of the same physical characteristics as Dalton.


Did it?


And besides, didn’t all women have a type that appealed to them? Tall, dark-haired, blue-eyed men did it for her.


Putting it out of her mind, she got back to work.


Dillon was waiting by the hostess stand at the Twin Pines when Rory arrived.


He pulled her in for a hug and brushed a kiss on her cheek. “Rory. You look beautiful.”