The Texan's Courtship Lessons by Noelle Marchand

Author:Noelle Marchand
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2015-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Rhett barely held back a frustrated sigh as he realized that Isabelle had all but obliterated the distance he’d so carefully constructed between them. And she’d managed it in a matter of minutes. If this was some sort of test from God, he was failing miserably. Even when he wasn’t with her, she was in his thoughts. What was he to do?

Get over it and move on, that was what.

Today ought to make it somewhat easier. Seeing Chris fawn over her on the way into the house hadn’t exactly been pleasant. Rhett had done his best to focus on Sophia, who’d effusively thanked him for causing such a stir about the new section of ladies’ intimates in the mercantile. Apparently, the story Mr. Bradley had been so appalled to hear circulating around town had drummed up quite a bit of business for Sophia’s new pet project. The resulting sales had convinced her father to agree to keep the section, at least for the moment. Rhett had been glad to hear his blunder had profited someone.

Even so, it had been impossible for him to miss the puzzled expression on Isabelle’s face as he’d conversed freely with Sophia. He couldn’t blame her for being confused. However, he had no intention of explaining why talking with women was no longer a problem. If he wasn’t going to marry any of them, what was there to be nervous about?

It slowly filtered into his mind that the music around him had come to an unorganized halt. Glancing up, he was surprised to find Quinn’s blue eyes focused on him. “Rhett, that was your cue to come in.”

He grimaced. That made three times he’d messed up so far this practice. The first two had been because he’d been paying more attention to watching Isabelle sitting at the kitchen table chatting and laughing with her friends than he had the rehearsal. The women had disappeared into one of the cabin’s back rooms, so he had no excuse this time. “Oh, sorry. Start over. I’ll get it this time.”

Chris lifted his fiddle into place and tapped out the beat with his foot, but Quinn waved a hand. “That’s all right. I think we can all use a quick break. Plus, it isn’t nearly as fun without an audience. Maybe I ought to ask the women to come back in. It might make it easier for us to concentrate. Don’t you think?”

Rhett slowly narrowed his eyes at the subtle but knowing smirk Quinn sent him. “I think I’m going to get a cup of water. Can I get y’all anything while I’m up?”

Chris sank onto the settee. “I’ll take some water, too.”

“Nothing for me,” Quinn said, absently plucking a few strings of his banjo.

Rhett kept half an ear tuned to the men’s discussion about the songs they’d chosen, but his gaze strayed toward the hall at the sound of Isabelle’s giggle drifting in from the other room. He went back to the parlor and handed Chris a glass of water before settling back in the seat he’d vacated earlier.

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