Ever After at Sweetheart Ranch by Emma Cane Page B

speaking up.”
    He glanced at Kate, who was pointedly eating the last of her carrot cake as if she didn’t want to disturb them. That was unusual. One dance with a woman seemed to be giving the whole town ideas—­him, too.
    Lyndsay abruptly rose to her feet. “Thanks for accepting my apology. I’ve got to get back to school. See you later, Kate, Will.”
    He watched her nod to his sisters and leave, walking quickly. Then he glanced at Kate. “Does my breath smell bad?”
    She smiled. “Nope. She really does have to get back to school.” And with only the slightest pause, she added, “And I have to get back to the office. See you later!”
    When she’d gone, he returned to the counter, ignoring the grins Emily and Steph exchanged. “Guess I’ll take this to Tony before heading back to the ranch.”
    â€œYou do that!” Steph called cheerfully as he walked away.
    Because of the pies and the rain, Will drove the half mile to Tony’s Tavern. The lunch rush had passed, and the bar was settling down to its usual few guys and their sports on TV.
    Tony was behind the bar, hanging up the last of the clean wineglasses. When he saw Will and the pies, he gestured with his head to the kitchen, and Will delivered them. Chef Baranski glanced up with a scowl on his unshaven face, tattooed arms bare above his sanitary gloves. His dark ponytail was shot through with gray beneath a faded ball cap. When he saw Will, he only grumbled, then nodded to the stainless steel counter.
    â€œPut ’em there,” he said in a gruff voice, then “Thanks,” as if it were torn from his flesh.
    Will went back to the bar and took a seat on a stool. “I don’t know if I’d want to accidentally run into Chef out back at two a.m.”
    Tony nodded. “He’d kick your ass.”
    â€œBut he makes a mean shepherd’s pie.”
    â€œIs that what you want for lunch?”
    â€œYou bet.”
    Tony punched the order into the computer, then went back to refilling beer in the reach-­in coolers beneath the bar.
    Will thought about Lyndsay, and how apparently he’d caused gossip by dancing with her and walking her home. Should he apologize to Tony? He’d probably be apologizing more for his recent thoughts than his actions . . .
    â€œOh, I meant to tell you.” Tony straightened up and leaned forward on the bar. “I hear the middle school 4-­H project leader had to drop out because of a badly broken leg.”
    â€œYou mean Gonzalez?”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œWorks for the Circle F. Nasty break. He’ll be out for a while.”
    â€œYeah, well, now Lyndsay tells me they need another cowboy. She’s the school advisor for the club. It’s a monthlong unit, once a week, about caring for horses, riding them, whatever.” Tony eyed him, wearing the faintest smile. “Know someone who’d be interested?”
    Will didn’t say anything for a moment, trying to decide if the gossip had gotten to Tony or not. And then Tony’s daytime server, Rhonda, brought him his salad. He forked it around a bit and made his decision. If it was selfish, tough. “Yeah, if she needs help, I can do it.”
    Tony arched a dark brow and said nothing.
    â€œWhat’s that expression for?” Will asked.
    â€œYou’re defensive.”
    â€œDo I need to be?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œOkay, then. I’ll help the 4-­H.” But he’d be helping Lyndsay, and he knew that was the main reason he was going to do it.
    â€œYou’re good with Ethan,” Tony said. “Guess you can handle a group his age.”
    â€œNo problem.”
    â€œIt’s almost time for the hay harvest. Lynds was concerned she’d be interfering with a cowboy’s work.”
    â€œIt’s just a ­couple hours once a week. I can handle it.”
    â€œOkay, then. Want me to tell her I found a