place,” she replied, her eyes on the stew she stirred. Where are you going? And with whom? she screamed inside. She hoped her expression didn’t give away her raging curiosity.
Or the unexplained hurt.
He was obviously going out with Gillian, whoever she was.
Her active imagination immediately envisioned a young sexy woman with long red hair, bright green eyes and a figure to die for. She would be scintillating and provocative. And enchant Josh all evening.
Hadn’t he just propositioned her? All but asked her to have an affair with him? Now he was going out with some other woman?
She looked up to tell him she’d decided to decline his offer but he was already gone. Sure, he had to hurry and shower to leave in time to pick Gillian up by eight. He had no time to stand around waiting for her answer.
When the men came in for dinner, Billy asked right away where the boss was. He’d noticed there’d been no place set for Josh.
“Going out,” Molly said, proud her voice sounded almost normal, that she hadn’t growled out the words with all the frustration simmering inside. She sat at her usual place, extremely aware of the vacant chair beside her.
Josh came into the kitchen, dressed in casual slacks, a cream-colored shirt and sports jacket. He looked wonderful. After one quick glance, Molly looked away and refused to look at him again. The dull ache in her breast was not because he was dating another woman. She wouldn’t let it be.
“Wowee, boss, you sure are duded up. Hot date?” Billy asked, teasing.
Josh’s face darkened. “A friend of mine asked me to escort her to a party,” Josh said shortly.
“Have a good time, Josh,” Jack said.
“Yeah, I’m going to town after dinner myself. It’s Friday night and I’ve worked hard all week,” Billy said.
“You go in when you haven’t worked hard,” Lance murmured.
Billy beamed a smile around the table. “Right. It’s party night, right, boss?”
Molly felt Josh’s gaze on her, but she kept her eyes on her plate. The stew had turned out to be delicious and she tried to be pleased about it.
But she was disappointed Josh wasn’t eating it. He only saw her less than successful attempts. She wished he'd have eaten dinner here when she had such a success.
“I won’t be late,” Josh said.
“Does that mean tonight or tomorrow morning?” Billy asked irrepressibly, his spirits high.
“Billy.” Lance’s voice held a warning the younger man couldn’t ignore. He shut up.
“Take it easy, Josh. And don’t worry,” Lance said, his eyes on Molly. “I’ll take care of things here.”
She looked up and met his gaze. Hearing the screen door slam shut, Molly knew Josh had gone. Lance smiled easily. And Molly felt marginally better.
“Want to go into town with me for a few drinks and dancing at a country-western bar?” Lance asked.
She nodded. She sure as shooting didn’t want to stay home alone and let her imagination run riot thinking about Josh and the beautiful Gillian. Ignoring Josh’s warnings to stay away from his men, and especially Lance, she smiled gratefully. “I’d like that. But I’m not sure how good I’ll be at the dancing.”
“Good enough, I’m sure.” He winked and resumed eating.
The conversation around the table turned to the plans of the others. Almost all the cowboys were going into town. Jack and Trevor had plans for a television show about honeybees.
Jack offered to do the dishes, which Molly gratefully accepted.
Before long Lance and Molly were heading for town. Determined to enjoy herself, and make the evening pleasant for Lance, she hid the hurt Josh’s date had inflicted, and set out to entertain. Lance laughed at the spots in her stories she wanted him to and asked enough questions to have her expound on everything. The ride to town flew by and before Molly realized it, they were walking into The Last Roundup.
Obviously popular by the friendly greetings called out, Lance waved and called greetings in
Or the unexplained hurt.
He was obviously going out with Gillian, whoever she was.
Her active imagination immediately envisioned a young sexy woman with long red hair, bright green eyes and a figure to die for. She would be scintillating and provocative. And enchant Josh all evening.
Hadn’t he just propositioned her? All but asked her to have an affair with him? Now he was going out with some other woman?
She looked up to tell him she’d decided to decline his offer but he was already gone. Sure, he had to hurry and shower to leave in time to pick Gillian up by eight. He had no time to stand around waiting for her answer.
When the men came in for dinner, Billy asked right away where the boss was. He’d noticed there’d been no place set for Josh.
“Going out,” Molly said, proud her voice sounded almost normal, that she hadn’t growled out the words with all the frustration simmering inside. She sat at her usual place, extremely aware of the vacant chair beside her.
Josh came into the kitchen, dressed in casual slacks, a cream-colored shirt and sports jacket. He looked wonderful. After one quick glance, Molly looked away and refused to look at him again. The dull ache in her breast was not because he was dating another woman. She wouldn’t let it be.
“Wowee, boss, you sure are duded up. Hot date?” Billy asked, teasing.
Josh’s face darkened. “A friend of mine asked me to escort her to a party,” Josh said shortly.
“Have a good time, Josh,” Jack said.
“Yeah, I’m going to town after dinner myself. It’s Friday night and I’ve worked hard all week,” Billy said.
“You go in when you haven’t worked hard,” Lance murmured.
Billy beamed a smile around the table. “Right. It’s party night, right, boss?”
Molly felt Josh’s gaze on her, but she kept her eyes on her plate. The stew had turned out to be delicious and she tried to be pleased about it.
But she was disappointed Josh wasn’t eating it. He only saw her less than successful attempts. She wished he'd have eaten dinner here when she had such a success.
“I won’t be late,” Josh said.
“Does that mean tonight or tomorrow morning?” Billy asked irrepressibly, his spirits high.
“Billy.” Lance’s voice held a warning the younger man couldn’t ignore. He shut up.
“Take it easy, Josh. And don’t worry,” Lance said, his eyes on Molly. “I’ll take care of things here.”
She looked up and met his gaze. Hearing the screen door slam shut, Molly knew Josh had gone. Lance smiled easily. And Molly felt marginally better.
“Want to go into town with me for a few drinks and dancing at a country-western bar?” Lance asked.
She nodded. She sure as shooting didn’t want to stay home alone and let her imagination run riot thinking about Josh and the beautiful Gillian. Ignoring Josh’s warnings to stay away from his men, and especially Lance, she smiled gratefully. “I’d like that. But I’m not sure how good I’ll be at the dancing.”
“Good enough, I’m sure.” He winked and resumed eating.
The conversation around the table turned to the plans of the others. Almost all the cowboys were going into town. Jack and Trevor had plans for a television show about honeybees.
Jack offered to do the dishes, which Molly gratefully accepted.
Before long Lance and Molly were heading for town. Determined to enjoy herself, and make the evening pleasant for Lance, she hid the hurt Josh’s date had inflicted, and set out to entertain. Lance laughed at the spots in her stories she wanted him to and asked enough questions to have her expound on everything. The ride to town flew by and before Molly realized it, they were walking into The Last Roundup.
Obviously popular by the friendly greetings called out, Lance waved and called greetings in
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