Cash blinked. “Are you serious?”
“As a heart attack.” She shifted her weight. “Ihavebeen following him, but not to get him to pay bills. I just want him to sign these so Carolyn can move on and we can put this all behind us.”
He scratched his cheek. Darn beard. Darn Trent. Darn turned into a few stronger words. “Trent tells a much different story.”
Unfortunately, the story she told sounded a lot like the Trent he’d known and kept his distance from in high school. People changed, didn’t they? Cash reached for the papers. Some things were better left in the past, and he didn’t want to dredge up a guilt-filled memory. “I’ll make sure he gets these.”
She snatched them back. “No offense, but I’ve heard that line before.”
“I’ll bet you’ve heard a lot of lines,” he said with a grin.
“Excuse me?”
Cash’s face grew warm. He hadn’t meant to say that out loud. “I just meant that you’re real pretty, so I bet lots of guys try to—” He stopped, knowing he was making a fool of himself. “You know what? Never mind. I was just trying to lighten the mood.”
She huffed. “I forgot who I was talking to.” She waved her hand, indicating he was exactly like her low opinion of Trent. “Birds of a feather and all that.”
“I don’t have to take this.” He went up the steps and through the front door, which he rarely locked.
She grabbed the screen door before it slammed shut in her face. “We aren’t done.”
“I am.” He paused for a moment, not exactly comfortable changing in front of her—especially with the way she tripped up his thoughts with her California curls and electric eyes.
“Hey!” she stomped that foot again.
To heck with it—this was his house. He stripped off his T-shirt and headed to the bedroom to find his dress boots and something suitable for the long evening ahead.
“What are you doing?” she demanded, moistening her lips as she stole glances at his bare arms and stomach.
“Honey, I’ve got a date tonight. If you want to leave the papers on the table there, I’ll see that Trent gets them.” He nodded to the small breakfast nook and grabbed a button-up shirt, quickly reinstating boundaries between them.
“Don’thoneyme, Mr.—” She stopped. One baby wrinkle appeared over her left eyebrow. “Um—who are you?”
“Major Cash Lowell. My friends call me Cash.”
“Mr. Lowell.” She folded her arms and glared. “You are the last person to know Trent’s whereabouts, and I’m sorry, but until I see Trent with my own eyes, I am not lettingyouout of my sight.”
He clamped his jaw shut and glared. What a pain in the— “Suit yourself, but I ain’t giving you a ride.” He moved past her. The sound of the screen door slamming was mighty satisfying. He wasn’t worried about locking up. His dad would be there to use the computer in a little while. He did the accounting for Cash’s business but didn’t want to take work home with him, seein’ as how he had retired five years ago and built his dream cabin not far from Cash’s.
He pulled out of the driveway in his silver truck, which looked like it could use a paint job after seeing what real silver looked like inhereyes. Little Miss Busybody glared at him from the front porch, her delicate fingers planted on her tiny hip. His mama would love to get some fried chicken into that lady.
A sly grin lifted his cheek. She looked mighty cute on his front porch. Like the cabin was her perfect accessory.
Shaking his head, he thanked the Lord for normal females like Cheri. Cheri wasn’t all spitfire and crazy talk. Cheri was levelheaded. He could use that tonight. Leaving a trail of dust behind, he hit the main road and headed into town.
CHAPTER THREE
Rubi drove a discreet distance behind Cash Lowell’s gray pickup as he maneuvered through traffic. Her cherry-red convertible wasn’t going to hide, but she could at least make an effort to hang back instead of doing something that would land her in jail ... like stalking a perfectly normal, and somewhat attractive, guy. She hated stalkers, and hated Trent even more for turning her into one. This whole cat and mouse game was beyond her understanding. If he didn’t want Carolyn, why not sign the papers?
Her purpose in following Cash was to get to Trent. Although, now that she’d met the roommate, who owned a house like a grown-up and smelled all manly, shewasthe tiniest bit interested in what type of woman he’d asked out. She’d have to have a thick skin to put up with his attitude.
“Freddy?” she asked the voice recognition assistant in the vehicle.
“What can I help you with, Rubi?” it replied.
“Play ‘Come with Me Now’ by Kongo.”
“Here you go,” Freddy said before the notes pounded through the speakers.
