Matt staredat her for a long time. Then he nodded. Apparently, there was more afoot here than was clear, which was no surprise, considering the way things had been going lately. After dinner, he walked her back to The Duchess, left her in Callie Mae’s care and went on home. There was work to do on the farm, and these women were beginning to get on his nerves with their innuendos and false smiles. It seemed they could have what appeared to be a perfectly normal conversation, when all the time they were saying something else. Hell’s, bells. He preferred to work with the livestock. At least they were predictable, most of the time.
Cara had beenat The Duchess three days before Mead recognized her. The place was booming, and it was the first time she’d been behind the bar. Most often, she’d been flitting from one table to another, keeping in the background whenever he or Morgan were around. Tonight, he must have caught her in the right light.
“Cara!” he gasped out in shock.
“Shh,” she warned, looking around. “Be quiet. Morgan hasn’t noticed, and I prefer it that way.”
“What are you doing here? Is Micah with you?” he asked anxiously.
“Are you kidding me? Right now, he’d probably like to kill me,” she hissed.
“So, why have you come?”
“Because you and your brother can’t seem to do anything right,” she hissed again before moving down the bar to serve another drink to an impatient cowpoke. “I have to make sure the man I love isn’t stolen away from me.”
“And you have a plan for that,” he snorted in disbelief.
“I do, at least I think I do. I won’t know for sure until I get that snooty Laurie Dixon to be my friend.”
“Laurie won’t be your friend? That’s ridiculous. She’s kind to everyone.”
“Not to me,” Cara replied shortly. “She thinks I’ve got my eye on Matt, which is exactly what I want her to think.”
“I don’t understand,” Mead breathed out.
“No, probably not, but I do. Just let me be, Mead. And whatever you do, don’t reveal me to Morgan. I’m dealing with enough already.”
“Lady, can I get another drink, or do I need to come over the bar and get it myself? That fella is already engaged,” a rugged man shouted out. “Whereas I’m free as a bird,” he snickered. “Why not come down here and whisper to me?”
“I have to work, Mead. Please keep this to yourself. I’ll explain everything in time. Hold your horses’ mister. I’m coming.”
Mead downed his drink and shook his head. She guessed that was as close to a promise as she was going to get.
Mead madehis way to Marilee and tapped the cowboy she was dancing with on the shoulder.
“Mind if I cut in?” he asked, although his tone didn’t leave the young man much choice.
“I guess not. But I don’t see why you can’t wait your turn.”
“Because this lady is going to be my wife,” Mead replied, nearly elbowing the stranger away. “I figure that gives me some benefits.”
“Then why is she working at a saloon? If I were fixin’ to marry up with her, she’d be home where she belongs,” he stated.
“And that’s exactly where she will be in a week or so. Isn’t that right, darling?”
“Why yes, I guess so, but you know how I feel about leaving Callie Mae,” Marilee answered as Mead took her in her arms.
“It appears Callie Mae has found a replacement,” Mead drawled as he whirled her around the small dance floor. “I see no reason to postpone our wedding, and to be perfectly honest, I won’t allow you to put me off any longer.
“You agreed to become my wife, and I’m going to hold you to it. Besides, you know I adore you,” he continued with a penetrating smile. He enjoyed seeing her blush and loved the way her gaze dropped demurely. He could hardly wait to have her in his arms and in his bed.
Marilee kept quiet. Typically, she was not one to argue, a blessed relief compared to Lillian Piersal. Mead gave an involuntary shiver just thinking about her.
“The new girl, Caroline, I believe, seems to be catching on quickly,” he remarked casually.
“Yes, she is, but there’s more at play there than meets the eye,” Marilee informed him with a sad sigh.
“What do you mean?”
