“Forever.I’ll let you figure out what that means later.For now, we’d better find our seats.”He deliberately shifted her baby to one side—and wrapped his arm around the beautiful woman he wanted, and pulled her closer.
Staking his claim, right there in the middle of the church.
Of course he did it deliberately.He was a man of strategy, after all.
50
She’d spentthe weekend with the girls and with Cal—but Monday, they had to get back to the routine.Gil and Sage wanted them to stay at the ranch until this thing with their father was resolved.Auggie didn’t want to stay there, but she wanted her sisters safe, period.So she’d just suck it up for as long as she had to.It did make it convenient for work—considering things were heating up with Gil’s latest merger.It was his first big project, without Vince Preston orchestrating it.No wonder her cousin was a nervous wreck.
Staying there meant no driving an hour and twenty minutes twice a week one way.The girls spent a lot of time at Gil’s already; he’d even painted one larger room with primary colors and put big letter and number decals on the wall for the younger girls.He’d filled a shelf with books for Jules in another corner.And created a desk nook just for January’s use.It was a large room and the girls loved it.
They didn’t have many positive school memories from before—Avril and Jules and January had been bullied pretty badly, mostly for being poor and dirty and small—but they were smart girls.There were some challenges, but they were finding their way through.The girls would know the adults in their lives valued what they were learning.
They made it work.
But now…it was back to routine.Somehow.
Which meant, she and Gilbert had to be in town, at the diner, within one hour.They were meeting with Aaron Masterson again.That man seemed a bit overly determined to grow his empire lately.Aaron had been a little touchy at their last meeting.She had her notes ready, but…Gil was off doing Gil kinds of things.
Sometimes, keeping him on task was definitely a full-time job.
She finally got her cousin to the diner with three minutes to spare.She hurried Gil inside, but he immediately got distracted by the beautiful pregnant sheriff’s deputy in there enjoying her own lunch.Like no one could have predicted that happening.Gil and Sage were like magnets.When in range, they attracted and clung.
They were so beyond adorable, those two.
Auggie followed Meyra, the hostess this time, to the back booth.Gil would find her eventually.
For now, she was going to get set up.It looked like Aaron was running late, as well.She needed the time to breathe.
She had just settled at the table, with her back toward the door, when a hot hand landed on her shoulder.She squeaked.Then turned.
A green-eyed wicked man was staring down at her.“Hello, dear, how was your morning?”
“Cal.”She had not expected to see him for a few days.Until the engagement party for her cousin Ben and his ever-suffering fiancée on Friday night.Cal had agreed to go as her date.Well, hers and Tobi’s and Avril’s and Markie’s and Maeya’s.Tobi had insisted.But since Tobi was mad at Jules and January, he didn’t get to be their dates, apparently.
Jules had told everyone she didn’t care—she was dating Ricky Weatherby, after all.Jules had her own boyfriend now, and didn’t need to go with Auggie’s.
Total news to Auggie.Apparently, Ricky had asked Jules to be his girlfriend at Sunday School.He’d been spending the weekend with his best buddies, Philip and Wesley, and had met Jules at church.Jules had told her all about it.
They were going to have to keep an eye on that girl.January had declared boys were far too complicated and immature and if she ever married, he’d be at least ten years older than she was and settled down, with a stable career and a plan for his life.No goofing around.January was very mad at that boy from the dance, Auggie suspected.
Em had recently declared men in Masterson County were all jerks—except for Cal, and Junie said she had no time for a man in her life.Junie had made it clear she’d rather watch Auggie’s love life right now.Because it was far, far more interesting.Well, after Jules’s apparently.
Romance could be so complicated.
Just like that, her man in question leaned down, kissed her quickly on the mouth, then grinned.“Hi.”
She heard someone snicker behind her.She turned.Bright red hair on that waitress hurrying back to the kitchen.Yep.Junie had seen.
Auggie would probably never hear the end of this.“Just what are you up to?”
The innocent look didn’t fool her at all.No.He wanted people to see them together.
The man was challenging her.
If she was going to do this, it was going to have to be now.Auggie wasn’t about to let him get the jump on her.Not him.Just…not him.She wanted to say that she met him on equal footing.Her leg twinged, almost mocking her thoughts.
Maybe it wouldn’t be physical equal footing, but it would be equal footing in everything else.She was going to make it that way.
