anticipation is getting to me.”
“I’m sure they will. Hang in there.”
“Luckily, I have a number of distractions at the moment.”
“That’s right.” Melissa’s face lit up. “You have a lot going on. Seems you’re putting down roots here in Whistle Stop. Have you considered adopting that puppy Tony has?”
The thought of the adorable furball tugged at Ella’s heartstrings. And then it came to her what was missing at the cabin. She needed someone to share it with. There might be a lot of unknowns in her life, but she did know that giving a loving home to that sweet puppy was the right thing to do. Excitement fluttered in her chest.
She glanced at Melissa. “You know what? I’m going to adopt it. I’ll tell Tony tonight at our dance lesson.”
“Good. I’m so happy for you. I just know that things are going to work out for you.” Melissa sent her a reassuring smile. “Speaking of your dance partner, has he stomped your toes lately?”
“Um…well, he’s improving.” Ella’s face heated at the memory of being held so close to Tony.
“That good, huh?”
Her fear of losing her position at the school prompted her to ask, “Do you think people will take issue with me being so close to the parent of a potential student, you know, for the dance competition?”
Melissa’s eyes grew round. “Is there something they should be concerned about?”
“No. Definitely not,” Ella said a little too quickly. “I just want the permanent teaching job, and a small-town scandal could ruin that.”
Her friend’s expression grew serious. “I don’t think so. As long as you don’t give Johnny preferential treatment, and since he isn’t in your class, you have nothing to worry about. If you and Tony were to get together, people would be happy—for both of you. In fact, his mother would probably throw a party. From what I hear, she’s anxious for him to settle down.”
“But we’re not—together, that is. We’re dance partners. That’s all.”
“Uh-huh. You keep telling yourself that. But I see how your face lights up when you talk about him.”
Her face lit up? Ugh. It’s a good thing she’d never tried her hand at poker. Sure, Tony was cute—er…drop-dead gorgeous was more like it. But she had restraint. She could resist his dimpled smile and dark eyes.
But for how long?
CHAPTER EIGHT
T ony had his hands full late Friday afternoon, not only filling in for a sick ranch hand, but also trying in vain to keep Johnny from getting more attached to the puppy. It was time the ad went in the Albuquerque and Las Cruces’s papers. Hopefully there’d be a quick response. Putting it off was just going to make it worse for everyone. He’d take care of it first thing in the morning, before Johnny got out of bed.
And if that wasn’t bad enough, he had to endure another dance lesson. Ella’s comments about him not knowing his nephew well enough niggled at him. She didn’t come straight out and blame him for the boy’s dismal grades, but Tony knew it was his fault. He just didn’t know how to do this parenting thing. For a man used to having the answers when it came to ranching or fighting fires, he found not knowing the correct course of action with Johnny quite unnerving.
Still, he’d given his word to see this contest through to the end, and that’s what he’d do. He pulled up in front of the studio right on time. Ella stood on the sidewalk, waiting for him. He found himself staring at her, drawn in by her radiant smile and temporarily forgetting about his shortcomings as a parent.
Was it the anticipation of dancing with him that had her in such high spirits?
The thought drastically lightened his mood. He exited the truck, finding his steps lighter. She rushed forward. Her eyes twinkled. He fought the overwhelming urge to reach out and draw her near.
“Hi. I was waiting for you.” A happy lilt filled her voice.
This time he was the one to smile. “Looking forward to our
“I’m sure they will. Hang in there.”
“Luckily, I have a number of distractions at the moment.”
“That’s right.” Melissa’s face lit up. “You have a lot going on. Seems you’re putting down roots here in Whistle Stop. Have you considered adopting that puppy Tony has?”
The thought of the adorable furball tugged at Ella’s heartstrings. And then it came to her what was missing at the cabin. She needed someone to share it with. There might be a lot of unknowns in her life, but she did know that giving a loving home to that sweet puppy was the right thing to do. Excitement fluttered in her chest.
She glanced at Melissa. “You know what? I’m going to adopt it. I’ll tell Tony tonight at our dance lesson.”
“Good. I’m so happy for you. I just know that things are going to work out for you.” Melissa sent her a reassuring smile. “Speaking of your dance partner, has he stomped your toes lately?”
“Um…well, he’s improving.” Ella’s face heated at the memory of being held so close to Tony.
“That good, huh?”
Her fear of losing her position at the school prompted her to ask, “Do you think people will take issue with me being so close to the parent of a potential student, you know, for the dance competition?”
Melissa’s eyes grew round. “Is there something they should be concerned about?”
“No. Definitely not,” Ella said a little too quickly. “I just want the permanent teaching job, and a small-town scandal could ruin that.”
Her friend’s expression grew serious. “I don’t think so. As long as you don’t give Johnny preferential treatment, and since he isn’t in your class, you have nothing to worry about. If you and Tony were to get together, people would be happy—for both of you. In fact, his mother would probably throw a party. From what I hear, she’s anxious for him to settle down.”
“But we’re not—together, that is. We’re dance partners. That’s all.”
“Uh-huh. You keep telling yourself that. But I see how your face lights up when you talk about him.”
Her face lit up? Ugh. It’s a good thing she’d never tried her hand at poker. Sure, Tony was cute—er…drop-dead gorgeous was more like it. But she had restraint. She could resist his dimpled smile and dark eyes.
But for how long?
CHAPTER EIGHT
T ony had his hands full late Friday afternoon, not only filling in for a sick ranch hand, but also trying in vain to keep Johnny from getting more attached to the puppy. It was time the ad went in the Albuquerque and Las Cruces’s papers. Hopefully there’d be a quick response. Putting it off was just going to make it worse for everyone. He’d take care of it first thing in the morning, before Johnny got out of bed.
And if that wasn’t bad enough, he had to endure another dance lesson. Ella’s comments about him not knowing his nephew well enough niggled at him. She didn’t come straight out and blame him for the boy’s dismal grades, but Tony knew it was his fault. He just didn’t know how to do this parenting thing. For a man used to having the answers when it came to ranching or fighting fires, he found not knowing the correct course of action with Johnny quite unnerving.
Still, he’d given his word to see this contest through to the end, and that’s what he’d do. He pulled up in front of the studio right on time. Ella stood on the sidewalk, waiting for him. He found himself staring at her, drawn in by her radiant smile and temporarily forgetting about his shortcomings as a parent.
Was it the anticipation of dancing with him that had her in such high spirits?
The thought drastically lightened his mood. He exited the truck, finding his steps lighter. She rushed forward. Her eyes twinkled. He fought the overwhelming urge to reach out and draw her near.
“Hi. I was waiting for you.” A happy lilt filled her voice.
This time he was the one to smile. “Looking forward to our
Similar Books
