“Let’s hope.”Duane tilted his head toward Ry.“He wants to go to the Buckle Barn, git him some clothes.Should I gas up the van for him?”
Freddy looked at Ry with raised eyebrows.“You want some Western clothes to take back to New York?”
So, she remembered that his plane left tomorrow.She was obviously eager for him to be on it.“Something like that.”
“I promised Dexter we’d take him to La Osa this afternoon for an ice-cream sundae,” she said.“It’s a ritual we have once a week, so I can’t loan you the van, but you can ride along.”
It wasn’t the most gracious invitation he’d ever had, but he’d decided he needed to see La Osa.Anything that might impact on the True Love was important, and he hadn’t even known of the existence of a little town near the ranch.If it was quaint enough, it might be a selling point for developers.“Sure, that would be great.”
“If you’re going, you should know a few things about Dexter,” she said.“Because of his stroke, he has aphasia.He understands everything you say to him perfectly, but he can’t always find the right word to respond.Some people make the mistake of thinking they can talk in front of him as if he weren’t there.But he picks up on everything.”
“Boy, ain’t that the truth,” Duane said.“I think he’s sharper now than ever.He can hear better than I can.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Ry said.
“Meet you out front in fifteen minutes, then,” Freddy said, turning.
“Freddy?”
She glanced back at him.
“The pillow was a nice touch.”
Her gaze challenged his.“I didn’t want you to be uncomfortable today.”
“I feel as if I’ve been cradled in the lap of luxury.In fact, I feel so much better, I’d like you to take me on another ride this evening and show me more of the spread.”God, he was doing it again, looking for excuses to be alone with her.He couldn’t seem to stop himself.
“I wouldn’t advise that,” she said in a superior tone that maddened him.“You’ll just stiffen up again.If Duane fixes Leigh’s truck, we can drive.”
“I’d rather ride.”
She shrugged.“If you insist.You’re the boss.”
“Not yet.”
“No, but I’m certain you will be.”
“Until then, you’re still free to tell me to go to hell.”
“Only a foolish woman would do that, Mr.McGuinnes.”She turned on her heel and left.
Duane gazed after her.“Seems like she’s still a little upset ‘bout that horse-trough dunkin’.”
Ry didn’t think it was that at all, but he couldn’t very well confide in Duane about the kisses in the pool.“You could be right,” he said.
But Duane wasn’t right, Ry thought when he climbed into the van fifteen minutes later.Freddy was all smiles for Dexter, who was ensconced in the seat next to her.With Ry, she was coldly polite.It should have been a turnoff, but instead he found her frosty behavior challenging.
“We’ll drop you off at the Buckle Barn,” she said over her shoulder as she pulled away from the ranch house.“It takes us about thirty minutes to finish our ice cream.Then we’ll come back for you.”
“Okay.”
“What’s he want?”Dexter asked Freddy in a surprisingly deep voice for someone so frail.
Ry leaned forward to answer, but Freddy beat him to it.
“Everything, I guess,” she said.“You know these Easterners.”
“Yeah,” Dexter agreed with a chuckle.Then he glanced at Freddy and made a kissing sound.“Last night.In the pool.”
