Arnie checked his watch. This day couldn’t drag any slower. He was anxious to take ownership and get into the café. His new menus were already being printed. He would take great delight in throwing away Goldie’s menus, which hadn’t been changed in years. He wanted to change everything about the place, as per the plan, he reminded himself.
Everything going on at the café would be top secret until his grand opening. Both his and Malcolm’s idea was to surprise the residents of Dry Gulch. He just had to make sure that no one saw what the crime boss was up to. Arnie couldn’t wait to get started—and neither could his wealthy benefactor.
As he walked over to the café, he saw the closed sign on the door, the for-sale sign gone from the window. Goldie had closed early, he’d been told, so she could clean out whatever personal things she had before they signed the papers.
Standing under the Goldie’s sign, all he could think about was getting it down and putting up his own sign. He’d ordered it in Billings. It should be arriving tomorrow.
Tomorrow, once the Goldie’s sign was gone, she would be gone too. He needed her gone and her former boyfriend the sheriff none the wiser about what was planned. That wasn’t his job though. He’d leave that to Malcolm and Donovan, if Donovan hadn’t disregarded Arnie’s warning and taken off.
Fortunately, the little red sports car was still parked outside the hotel. Maybe Donovan Cole was smarter than he looked.
Now all Arnie had to do was secure the purchase of the café and start his renovations. His benefactor was sending a crew to help him make the café exactly like he wanted it inside and out. Goldie’s was his ticket to what he really wanted. In the meantime, he ignored the disapproval he saw on the faces of the residents. Everything would go as planned—once he signed those papers and made Goldie’s his.
Glancing at his watch, he felt his pulse quicken in anticipation as he headed toward the hotel. It wouldn’t be long now. He’d overheard talk around town from some of the residents who were betting on Goldie backing out of the deal at the last minute.
He couldn’t let that happen. Too much was riding on this.
Including his life.
GOLDIE PULLED DOWNthe blinds at the café and checked to make sure the front door was locked one last time. By tonight, her café would no longer be hers. The thought tore her up almost as much as losing Max had done. But with Max, she’d been so sure she could get him back. Once she signed the papers, the café would be gone for good.
She no longer held out hope that Max would stop this, that things would go back to the way they’d been, that she would wake up tomorrow in Dry Gulch and never have to leave. Except she didn’t want to go back to the way things had been, she reminded herself.
“I hope you don’t mind,” said a male voice behind her. “I came in the back door.”
She turned to see Donovan standing in the kitchen doorway, looking as anxious as she felt. “There is no reason for you to stay in Dry Gulch. It’s over.”
“It’s not over. When you sign the sale agreement tonight, you’ll be a rich woman,” he said, taking a step toward her. “Are you really ready to give up on your lawman?”
Goldie let out a snort. “He’s the one who gave up on me. He’s made his feelings abundantly clear.” She could see that Donovan didn’t want to believe it. “I’m just going to get my things out of here because I won’t be coming back. Arnie plans to occupy the café before the ink has dried on the contract.”
“I’m sorry,” he said as he stepped to her. “I feel like I’ve let you down.”
She shook her head. “You didn’t. You played your part well.”
“Who said I was playing?” He grinned, mischief in his gaze. Why couldn’t she fall for this man and let Max go? She could keep the café, she could stay in Dry Gulch, she could— Was she really that big of a fool? Donovan wouldn’t want to stay here and help her run the café. Even if he would, she couldn’t bear seeing Max every day.
“I’ll pay you, but there is no reason for you to stay,” she said and moved past him deeper into the kitchen. Everywhere she looked, she saw the small touches she’d added to the café over the years. Was there anything here, though, that she wanted to take with her?
DONOVAN COULD SEEthat she’d pinned all her hopes on Max stopping her from selling Goldie’s. The café was her line in the sand. It wasn’t too late. The sheriff could come riding in on his horse and stop her from signing the contract, he thought. But Donovan didn’t think that was going to happen.
What was wrong with Max Lander? Either the man didn’t love her or he was a stubborn jackass who didn’t realize what he was throwing away. Without the café, Donovan could see that all of Goldie’s hope would be gone as well. He was going to bewithout a job, not to mention it appeared Arnie and his boss were planning on the sale going through. Whatever Malcolm had planned, this wasn’t over by a long shot, he realized. The thought sent a shudder through him.
“I’m staying. I’m not through with my job.”
Goldie looked up in surprise from where she stood in the kitchen. “It’s a waste of your time. Max doesn’t care what I do.”
“I care. Let me buy you dinner tonight at the hotel. Or if you want, we can drive to Billings and go dancing.” He felt a little guilty since he had a bad feeling about Arnie, the café and Malcolm. It made him nervous having the cook here in town, but he didn’t have enough money yet to walk away. At least that’s what he told himself. As he looked at Goldie, he knew money wasn’t the only reason he was staying.
She studied him. “Why do you care?”
He shrugged. “You deserve better.” That much was true. “Why don’t we try to have some fun while I’m here?”
Goldie looked anything but enthused about the idea.
“Who knows what could happen.”
She shook her head. “Why do I suspect that you’re more interested in all that money from the sale of my café?”
