“Darts?” A spark of interest chased some of the worry from Kieran’s eyes.
Marybeth clapped a hand to her forehead. “I can’t believe I didn’t think of that.” She gazed up at him. “I assume you play.”
A faint smile lifted the corners of his mouth. “I’ve been known to, yeah.”
“Translated, he’s amazing at it. Watch out for sandbagging.”
“Hey, Sara.” Desiree motioned to her. “Let’s take Kieran to Rowdy Roost and see if he thinks it’ll work.”
“I think he’ll like it.”
“If it has a dart board, that’s a good start.” He glanced toward the dog bed where Sam lay, head up and ears pricked. “Sam looks like he’d like to come along.”
“By all means. Okay, Sam.” Desiree patted her thigh. “You’re invited, too.” She glanced up at Kieran. “He’s taken a shine to you.”
“The feeling’s mutual. Looks like he knows where he’s going.”
“Sam likes Rowdy Roost. Reminds him of all the parties there, which are his favorites. He’ll be a good icebreaker for this meeting.” Desiree followed the collie through the dining room.
“Dogs are good for that.” Kieran waited for Sara to start after Desiree and then he fell in step beside her. His hand brushed hers and he linked their pinky fingers.
Cute. She glanced over and smiled.
“I know this first day will be kinda tough for you and Lucky,” Desiree said, “but in the end, what a gift you’ll be to each other.”
“I’ve thought of that. This has already been the most important day of my life. And it’s not even over.” He looked over at her.
She caught her breath. Maybe he was only thinking of her role in getting him to Desiree. But the warmth in his gaze sent a far more intimate message.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
When Desiree flipped a switch, old-fashioned lanterns with red shades lit up a space that looked more like a film set than a family game room. An antique wooden bar only slightly smaller than the one at the Buffalo stretched across the wall to Kieran’s left. On his right, stairs led to a narrow balcony across a wall painted to look as if a second story contained hotel rooms.
Round wooden tables and chairs scattered around the room were the type where gamblers in fancy vests might hang out, luring in local cowboys to bet their week’s pay. The room was big enough to accommodate a full-sized pool table with a shamrock green felt surface.
He'd played on smaller tables in his favorite pub back home. He wouldn’t hold his own against Lucky or any of the McLintocks if this was the setup where they honed their skills.
The dartboard, though, held promise. He’d spent many nights, probably too many, at that game. His mates were good, but he was better. Competing with a fella at darts was a good way to assess his character. Might come in handy this afternoon.
Desiree swept a hand around the room. “Think this’ll work?”
“It’s a grand place you have here. Never seen anything like it except Miss Kitty’s saloon inGunsmoke.”
Desiree’s eyebrows lifted. “That’s a great compliment.”
He glanced at Sara. “I don’t suppose you watched that.”
She shook her head. “But the more time I spend here, the more I want to catch up on those old shows. This ranch is great. To think I was scared to come for a visit.”
That surprised him. “You? Scared?”
“I’m a city girl. Growing up I lived in a neighborhood where the houses were close together and the wildlife consisted of birds and the occasional squirrel.”
“To be honest, that’s mostly what I see in our wee village, too. But for some reason I’m not scared of the wildlife here.”
“You probably don’t have sadistic friends like mine. They’ve kept me supplied with a stream of news reports about someone mauled by a grizzly, trampled by a moose, bitten by a rattler, eaten by a mountain lion.” She ticked off the options on her fingers.
“The same person?”
