She was still too ruffled to answer, but Cal had no problem replying. “I think that one might be a little difficult to steal, sir.”
Otis turned to them, and his bushy red eyebrows lowered. “My apologies. I didn’t realize we had company.”
Cal walked across the room and held out a hand. “Hello, Mr. Applegate.” He gave her father’s hand a brief shake. “Nice to see you, sir.”
Her father continued to scowl. “What are you doing here, Mr. Daily?”
“I stopped by to talk with your daughter.”
Her father’s eyes narrowed. “Business should be conducted at the bank. Not at our personal home.”
“You’re absolutely right, sir.” He glanced at Jolene. “My apologies, Miss Applegate. I’llcontact you at the bank to finish our discussion.” He nodded at her father. “Mr. Applegate.” He turned to the door and walked out.
When he was gone, Jolene sagged back on the ladder while her father stared at the doorway Cal had disappeared through.
“That boy is much too arrogant for my taste. Which is ridiculous since he has nothing to be arrogant about. He came from trailer trash and he’ll remain trailer trash.” He turned to her and pointed a finger. “And you’d better not have let him talk you into giving him a loan.”
It was too late for that. Jolene had already given him a loan . . . and now she was seriously thinking about giving him something more.
Chapter Five
“Hey, Cheyenne. How’s it goin’?”Joey Mac gave Cheyenne a wink that made her knees feel like cooked ramen noodles. She wanted to reply with something witty and confident, but just looking into Joey’s beautiful blue eyes had her cheeks heating and her words jumbling up in her head. When she just stood there like a speechless idiot, Joey shrugged. “So what can I get you? The same as usual?”
She came in every Saturday to get lunch for herself, Emma, and Boone. And every Saturday the conversation went the same way. Joey would ask if she wanted the usual and she’d say yes. Then she’d wait for her order and say thank you and leave like the nitwit she was.
Say something different, stupid! Anything.
“I don’t want any cheese!”
Her abrupt response had Joey’s eyebrows lifting beneath the blond strand of hair that always hung over his forehead so perfectly. He laughed. “Okay, then. No cheese on your burger.” He went to tap it into the register and her mouth blurted again.
“Or onions!” She wanted to crawl under thecounter and die.
“No onions it is.” He tapped the register, then sent her a sly smile. “So you got a hot date tonight?”
“No!” She shook her head. “I don’t date.” She felt her cheeks burn even hotter. “I mean . . . I do date. If the right boy asked me.”
His smile got bigger and she almost fainted right then and there from its brilliance. “And who’s the right boy?” He leaned closer and spoke in a low voice that sent little shivers through her body. “Come on, you can tell me. Maybe I can give him a little nudge.”
She swallowed hard.Tell him. Just tell him.But all she could do was stand there like a complete idiot until Joey got tired of waiting.
“Okay then. It’s your secret.” He rang up the total and gave it to her. While she was paying him, she tried to think of something else to say. Before she could, he handed her receipt. “Take a seat. I’ll get this right out.” He turned and headed to the soda machine to fill her drink order.
Cheyenne wanted to sit down at the counter and make another effort at conversation, but all the barstools were taken. It was probably for the best. She’d just end up saying something else stupid and ruin her chances with Joey Mac forever. Not that she had any chance of getting with him. He was way out of her league.
Feeling completely devastated, she turned and headed to the booths by the window.
She stopped short when she spotted Nathan Riddell sitting with his family at one booth. Hewas staring right at her. Since he’d started working for her father, she ran into him often. It was always awkward. He wasn’t nearly as personable as Joey Mac. In fact, he was a lot like her father: quiet and kind of brooding. At times, like now, he seemed to be watching her with disapproval. Since she didn’t care in the least what he thought of her, she looked away without greeting him and headed to the empty booth in the corner.
Except as she drew closer, she realized the booth wasn’t empty. Miss Applegate sat there. The woman held an open book in her hand, but she didn’t appear to be reading it. Instead, she was staring out the window as if lost in thought. She looked different. The drab clothes and tight bun were the same, but there was something about her face . . .
“You have makeup on!”
Miss Applegate startled and turned away from the window, making Cheyenne realize how abrupt and rude her comment had been.
“Sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to blurt that out. My daddy always says I have no impulse control. It’s just that you look so pretty—not that you don’t always look pretty. It’s just that you look much prettier than you normally—” She cut off and mentally chastised herself.Way to compliment someone, Cheyenne. Just shut up before you really hurt her feelings.
But Miss Applegate didn’t seem to be hurt. She smiled. For a woman who didn’t use it a lot, she had a really nice smile—soft and warm and friendly. “Thank you, Cheyenne. I was terrifiedthat I looked like a clown.”
