“I think you advised me once to get a life.”
“I was joking.Surely you have ties to New York, people you don’t want to leave.”
He nodded.“Two couples Linda and I spent time with, and a good friend who works in commodities with me.I just talked to him.You heard me invite him and his family out here, and I’ll go back there from time to time.It’s not as if I have to spend weeks on a stagecoach to keep in touch.”
“But life out here is sodifferent.”
“Which is why I like it.I’ve discovered I’d rather ride Red Devil than play handball with the guys at the gym.”
She swallowed the nervousness rising in her throat.“What about… girlfriends?”
“Why do you want to know?”he asked with a smile.
Heat rose to her cheeks.“Never mind.I don’t want to know.”
“Yes, you do.I’ve dated in the past few years, but nothing’s ever clicked.In other words, I don’t have a lover waiting for me back home, Freddy.”The warmth of his gaze made her look away in confusion.
“We have a limited number of guest rooms,” she said, studying the pattern of the Indian rug.“I’m not sure where you will be able to stay.We already have several weekends booked solid for the winter season.”
Ry appeared unfazed by her objection.“Then I’ll sleep in the bunkhouse.I noticed not every bed is in use down there.If necessary, I’ll set up a cot in the tack shed.Don’t worry.I won’t take up much space.”
“The bunkhouse?”She glanced up.“That doesn’t seem like the right place for one of the owners.”
“Don’t worry about it.Besides, I can’t very well make you or Leigh sleep there, although the hands would think it was a fine idea.According to Duane, most of them get up every morning with a song of happiness on their lips because they work for those good-looking Singleton sisters.”
Freddy examined a worn spot on the knee of her jeans.“Duane talks too much.”
“He talks a lot more than I would have given him credit for when he picked me up at the airport.I guess he really hates big cities.”
Freddy chuckled and looked up.“He sure does.He says if we ever give him his walking papers, we might as well shoot him and get it over with.He needs to stay near Tucson because his ex-wife and two kids are here, and there aren’t a lot of ranching jobs in the area, so he’d be stuck looking for a job in town.Can you imagine Duane flipping burgers?”
“No.”He paused.“Duane’s not too happy with me at the moment.I guess you told him I wasn’t in favor of reinstating the rodeo.”
“I didn’t think it was a secret.”
“It isn’t.”A corner of his mouth turned up.“But now he’s threatening to put my saddle in the greenhorn tack shed.”
“I’m not surprised.There are two people you don’t want to get on the wrong side of around here.Duane’s one, and Belinda’s the other.”
“Belinda?”He raised his eyebrows.“She’s the sweetest lady I’ve ever met.”
“Cross her and see how sweet she is.She’d do anything to protect those near and dear to her.So would Duane, for that matter.”
“Then it looks as if I’d better find a way to pacify Duane.”
“By having a rodeo?”she asked.
“No.”
“But you love riding broncs!”
“And I can’t very well sue myself, can I?”
Freddy knew she was stalling, putting off the moment she’d have to apologize for making an issue of the calendar page.Facing this subject was much tougher than rising with dignity out of the horse trough.She looked down at her hands and laced her fingers together as she tried to remember how she’d planned to word her statement.
“What is it, Freddy?”
Startled by the nearness of his voice, she lifted her head and discovered he’d left the bed and crossed the room to stand in front of her.“I owe you an apology,” she said softly.
