the door, she crossed the room to admit their guests. She pushed open the screen door and smiled warmly.
âCome in. I see Linc managed to get you here safely,â she said addressing her comments to Rachel and ignoring Lincâon the surface. An inner radar was completely sensitive to his presence. âWas the traffic very heavy?â
âNo.â Even as the widow entered the cabin, her gaze was racing past Joanna.
A hint of pink appeared in the womanâs cheeks, almost a match to the pale pink dress she was wearing. Joanna stole a look over her shoulder, already guessing the cause for the widowâs faint blush.
Reece was standing near the center of the living room, waiting to greet their guests. Joannawished he would smile and get rid of that proudly courteous look.
âHello, Reece,â Rachel greeted him in a stilted fashion.
âGood evening, Rachel,â he responded in a like manner.
They both sounded so formal that Joanna wouldnât have been surprised if heâd made a stiff and courtly bow over the widowâs hand. Her mouth tightened.
âI think itâs going to be cool tonight,â Linc murmured as he paused beside her.
She flashed him a glance that said she knew exactly what he meant. Although when his hand moved to the hollow of her back to guide her into the room with the others, she felt anything but cool. She shifted away from his touch at the first opportunity.
âMake yourselves comfortable,â she urged and excused herself. âI have to check on dinner. Why donât you offer them a drink, Reece?â
âWhat would you like?â her uncle inquired of his guests while Joanna retreated to the kitchen and left them to break the iceâliterally. âA glass of sherry? Wine?â
âA glass of sherry, please,â Rachel requested because sheâd read in books thatâs what real ladies ordered.
âIâll have a beer,â Linc said.
A liquor tray was sitting on one of the tables, complete with decanters, glasses, and an ice bucket. But it included no beer, which Linc had already noted.
âFix Rachelâs drink. I know where the beer is kept.â He crossed to the kitchen archway, leaving the two of them alone in the room.
After pouring the glass of sherry, Reece handed it to Rachel. His dark gaze probed her expression, but it was locked against himâas it always was.
âYou have turned down all of my invitations to dinner. My niece must be more persuasive than I am,â he murmured.
What could she say? That she had been wrong to accept this one? That would have been too rude. âShe is a very lovely girl,â Rachel said as if that explained it and sipped at the sherry.
Its dryness seemed to cake her tongue, leaving a strong after-taste. It had been a mistake to order it. She should have asked for something she knew she would like instead of attempting to impress Reece. She watched him splash whiskey into a tumbler of ice cubes and wished she could trade with him.
âPlease sit down.â He gestured toward the seat cushion of the sofa while he chose the armchair on its left. There was an aura of worldly authority about him that seemed so natural.
Rachel tried to emulate his aloof composure as she sank gracefullyâor so she hopedâonto the couch. She couldnât help noticing how well the silk shirt fit the cut of his shoulders. He was so trim and manly that she couldnât look at him without feeling that wild fluttering in her stomach.
She had never believed such men truly existed, which was why she couldnât believe someone like Reece was really interested in her. For all intents and purposes, she had never been out of the Ozarks in her life except for that one trip to Chicago twenty years ago.
She took another sip of the sherry and almost couldnât swallow it. She tried to be very casual when she set the glass on the coffee table.
âIs the sherry too
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