Our eyes held, and I added, “But I shouldgo.”
Before I did something stupid and blew up her life.
“I insist,” she pressed a hundred-dollar bill into my hand, a nervous edge to her voice.
Then she crossed her arms over her chest, pressing her breasts higher against the wet blouse, which only made things worse.
But her next words took my mind right off the view I was trying to avoid. “You have afamilyto support, Zane.”
I cocked my head. “Family? You mean my mom?”
“No, I mean… Tina.” She hesitated, then added in a soft, careful voice, “And you must have kids by now.”
I stared at her blankly. She thought I was still married.
“Tina and I were married for less than a year. It’s been more than a decade. She’s on husband number three now.”
“Oh,” Mallory’s lips parted. “So you’re not… you’re…”
“Single.” I held her gaze and didn’t look away, letting the word land between us with the full weight of what it meant. “Have been for a long time.”
I watched the information move through her.
The air in the kitchen felt charged, and I took a half step closer because I couldn’t help it.
Twelve years was a long time to keep my distance, and I was so damn tired of trying.
“What about you?” I asked, my eyes locked onto hers. “Where’syourhusband tonight, Mallory?”
Her eyes glistened.
“There’s no husband. We, I… divorced. I’m divorced. It’s new.”
From the look of it, the damage seemed to be fresh.
It made me feel like an asshole for sneaking a few glances at her tits.
“Sorry to hear that.”
“No, don’t be. He was an asshole. I’m glad to be done with him. But it was a rough ending.”
That explained her shaky disposition today.
“So, uh, you think I’ll get to see you again while I’m in town?” She looked so vulnerable standing there, a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
And even though I knew I should get in my truck and drive away, I found myself rumbling out, “You said your folks are bringing back some cattle?”
“Yeah. They’re planning on eight.”
“Some of the fencing is down at the back of the property.”
“Yeah, I noticed that too.”
“Guess I better come back over to fix it.”
She gave me a shy smile. The same kind of smile she’d given me the first time she ever waited on my table all those years ago.
“Are you inviting me to a fence-fixing date on my parents’ property?”
