“You’re pretty,” Sarah said.“Just wait until tomorrow when we get you into one of those dresses and heels.Somepeople here are going to take notice.”She emphasized the word some.
“You think so?”Milly looked encouraged, and Sarah smiled her reassurance.
“No doubt about it,” she said.
Ben took off his hat and laid it over his heart.“Miss Milly, why if I wasn’t already attached, I’d be proud to ask you out to supper.”
Milly blushed, waved him away.“Oh, you.”
He didn’t budge.“You are one fine lookin’ woman.Any man worth his hay can see it.”
Sarah grinned at Ben.He’d known the right thing to say, just when to emphasize his Texas accent.“Okay, Milly, we’ll take you back to the diner now.I need to get home.In a couple of hours, four hungry men are going to be expecting me to serve them dinner.”
“I’m already hungry,” Ben said.
Sarah hugged the other woman.“We’ll be back in town early tomorrow.I’m so excited about the festival.And about your new appearance.It’s going to be a great day.”
Ben glanced uneasily down the street.Things were quiet.To his way of thinking, too quiet.But he was a suspicious bastard.The attitude came from years of unpleasant surprises on the battlefield, and later, from private jobs gone to hell.He’d learned to distrust a calm landscape.
Calm landscapes could hide snakes.
Chapter Thirty-Two
The morning of theRhubarb Festival dawned bright, with a crisp snap that would soon surrender to early summer’s balmy temperatures.In the kitchen by dawn, Sarah fed the dogs early and prepared a huge breakfast for the men.As a group, they were unusually quiet, their demeanors sober.They were in Montana to work and each took his job seriously.
She knew that Ben was particularly tense about having her in a crowd, but she couldn’t work herself up to his level of concern.It was certainly possible she was still in danger.Maybe after all, Ridley Kemper hadn’t been the one making trouble.Nobody knew.
Ben was right to be careful.She supposed it was his nature to be suspicious.All she knew was that for months she’d been looking forward to this day and she meant to enjoy it.This was why she’d come home—for family and neighbors and community.His mood couldn’t affect her.It was Festival Day!Maybe he’d be able to loosen up later.
After making sure that Willie had fed the chicks and horses before he headed to town for the day off, Sarah put on a floral sundress that swung around her knees.She slipped on sandals and arranged her hair into her customary braid that swung to her hips.On her head, she added a huge white sun hat probably more appropriate for the Kentucky Derby, but she didn’t care.
In her handbag, she tucked the knife Ben had given her, still sheathed, and left her pistol inside her nightstand.As heavily guarded as she was, she’d have no need of it.
“What are you doing?”Ben asked, coming into the bedroom.Frowning, he stood rooted in the doorway, a sturdy oak.
“You want me to take a weapon everywhere,” she said.“So, I am.”
