Rough Wrangler, Tender Kisses by Jill Gregory

Author:Jill Gregory
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction
ISBN: 9780307423252
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2007-12-18T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

The first person Caitlin spotted in town was Jake Young. He was in front of the feed store, loading bulging brown sacks into the wagon.

“Howdy, there, Miss Summers.”

“Jake.” She gave him a warm smile. “If I’d known you were going to town today, I’d have come with you.” She paused beside him and he blushed, wiping the sweat from his square-jawed face with his neckerchief.

“That would’ve been my pleasure, ma’am. You didn’t ride here all alone, did you?”

“No. Not today. Wade accompanied me.” She waved a hand vaguely in the direction of the blacksmith’s shop. Wade had caught up to her easily before she’d ridden a quarter of a mile, but they’d barely spoken during the remainder of the ride to town. He’d tethered their horses outside of the blacksmith’s and she’d left him there conversing with Jethro Plum while she headed straight toward Hicks Mercantile.

“If you’re too tired to ride all the way back, we could hitch Star to the wagon, and you could come with me,” Jake offered eagerly.

“Oh, how kind. But I’m not tired at all, Jake—I love to ride. Thank you for the offer, though.”

But as she smiled and walked on, another male voice called out to her.

“Caitlin!”

Drew Raleigh had just emerged from the saloon, looking tall, fit, and prosperous. His neat suit was as immaculate as his center-parted, handsome head of hair. He strode toward her and she paused once more, but the smile she gave him was cooler than the one she’d offered Jake Young.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Raleigh.”

“Drew,” he reminded her. The charming smile that seemed somehow familiar flashed and stayed in place. “I’ve been meaning to come calling. Unfortunately, my business has kept me pretty occupied.”

“Oh? Have you found a property to invest in then?”

“Not yet, but I’m an optimist, Caitlin. I think the right opportunity is bound to come along and I can afford to wait. Matter of fact I’d like to talk to you about just that. Would you allow me the pleasure of treating you to a glass of lemonade and some cherry pie at the diner?”

His smile deepened, exhibiting smooth confidence she would concur. In that instant, something clicked inside her head. Something about that confident smile—yes, she had definitely seen Drew Raleigh somewhere before. For some reason she thought of the lobby of the Opera House . . .

“Caitlin?”

She blinked and realized she’d never answered his question. “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I don’t have the time today. I must get to Hicks, you see, and . . .”

Her voice trailed off as her gaze fell on Luanne Porter in front of the library, right across from the Walsh Boardinghouse. Luanne had just emerged with an armload of books and collided directly with Wade, who had inadvertently knocked all the books from her arms. As Caitlin stared, he stooped to retrieve them and so did Luanne, and they were laughing as they gathered them up together. Wade held the pile of books for her—it was obvious he was offering to carry them to Luanne’s buckboard.

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