He didn’t answer, and Winnie looked out the sliding glass door. Ty loved to sit on her back deck, and he was brave enough to let the cats out with him. She found the three of them out there—Salmon prowling around the top of the stairs that led down into the yard and Rocky sitting right on Ty’s lap, the cowboy using his big, capable hands to give the cat a rub.
Winnie had never been jealous of one of her cats until that moment, because she knew what luxury it was to have Ty’s hands touch her. She slid open the door a foot or two and said, “I’m home. I’m just going to change and then we can go.”
Ty turned toward her, and she caught a glimmer of joy in his eyes. “All right,” he said. “No rush.”
“Oh, there’s a rush. I’m starving.”
He gifted her with her favorite lopsided smile and turned back to the river. “We’ll go when you’re ready, then, sweetheart.”
Winnie got ready quickly, chastised Salmon for taking so long to come in off the deck, and before she knew it, they had arrived at the Mexican restaurant she’d requested.
They seated themselves on this Thursday evening, and a waitress approached with a basket of chips and a bowl of salsa. “It’s open taco-bar night,” she said. “Or I can bring menus.”
“I don’t need a menu,” Winnie said. “But I also don’t want open taco bar.”
“I do,” Ty said. “That sounds amazing.”
The woman grinned at him and then focused on Winnie. “What can I get you, hon?”
“I want the chicken tortilla soup, the guacamole sampler, and the beef enchiladas.”
“You got it.” She nodded to Ty. “Taco bar is open. You grab a plate and eat as many tacos as you want in one night, cowboy.”
Ty clapped his hands together, his smile wide and glorious. “Someone’s speaking my language.”
They laughed together, and she left, promising to bring water and a drink menu.
Ty did not immediately jump to his feet and head for the buffet, and Winnie was actually surprised he’d ordered that, as he hated buffets and having to carry a plate while he walked.
“So tell me about this place,” she said. “You’ve been mysteriously quiet about it since you called.”
“Yeah.” Ty took off his cowboy hat and set it on the seat next to him. He ran his fingers through his hair, and Winnie couldn’t help the way her hormones fired at his handsomeness. She liked him in the black cowboy hat, but she liked it when he took it off too. The man had a great head of hair—one she’d had the opportunity to run her fingers through a time or two when he kissed her.
She blinked, trying to focus on the conversation. “I actually feelreally good about it,” he said. “I’ve been trying to sit with it instead of just pouring everything out. And it’s not much when you first pull up to it, but it’s got two houses.”
“Yeah, you said that.”
“I don’t know, I just think it’s kind of perfect. The smaller one is more move-in ready, and I could live there while I fix up the bigger one.”
“That’s the two-story one, right?”
The waitress returned with ice water, and Winnie reached for the glass. “Can I have the virgin tequila sunrise?”
“Yep. Anything for you, cowboy?”
“You know what? I want a really big Diet Coke tonight.”
“You got it.” She set down the platter of guacamole and added, “You can have as many chips as you want, hon. Just let me know when you need a refill.”
“Thank you,” Winnie said, and the waitress moved away again.
“What did your parents think of it?” Winnie asked, reaching for a chip. She swiped it through the guacamole that had corn and pico de gallo in it—her favorite variety—and put the whole thing in her mouth.
“I think my daddy was more impressed than he let on,” Ty said. He dunked his chip into the salsa. “And Momma kept asking so many questions.”
“Oh, boy,” Winnie said, smiling. “Did that drive you nuts?”
“At first,” he admitted. “But then I realized they were good questions I should be asking. So it turned out all right.”
