Page 42 of A Texas Hero

“Hmm. Well, the train comes off that dress, but…wise words.”

“I had no idea they made dresses with moving parts.”

Zoey snorted. “Well, not exactly moving, but, yes.”

“The thing is I have sisters, as you know. They’re all married now, so I’ve been through the wedding thing a few times.”

“Always the groomsman, never the groom?”

Archer shrugged. “Yes, I suppose.”

“I wish I’d had a sister,” Zoey said dreamily.

While he hated doing this, he would have to pop that bubble. Hard.

“No, you don’t.”

“Excuse me?” She honestly looked confused.

“Sisters,” Archer explained, “are like cats. They like you one day, hate you the next. And God forbid you get drunk at their wedding.”

“Ha ha,” Zoey said, chuckling. “But I always wanted a sister, because that way we’d both have memories of our mother that we could share. Maybe she’d do something that reminded me of our mother, or I would, and then we’d say, ‘Remember when she used to…’ That kind of thing.”

Shit. The words hit him with a punch. Poor Zoey. She was still grieving her mother. Maybe she always would.

“Tell me again, how long has it been since you lost her?”

“I don’t think I told you,” she said. “It’s been four years.”

“Not long at all.”

“No,” she said, biting her lower lip. “And sometimes it feels like yesterday.”

* * *

Archer logged in to his call with the agency early Monday morning and listened to the varied and interesting reports from all over the world. When it came time for him to report on his assignment, his boss’s tone grew serious.

“Any luck getting that party canceled?”

“Not yet, sir,” Archer said. “It would help if I could tell her the truth. She’s not falling for the obsessive boyfriend angle. He’s backed off.”

“Then we’re going to have to think of some other reason to cancel it, because the threat level has increased.”

“Here? I have not seen any sign of danger.”

“Not in Charming, but her father’s security team reported receiving a package with contents that were disturbing. We don’t have all the details, only that they might now finally have enough to get this person arrested.”

“Does that mean my assignment is over?”

“Not yet—or not until this man is officially in custody. If anything, her father wants her security level increased. Let’s just say this package has him worried the guy has escalated his game.”

“Got it,” Archer said. “I will make sure this party gets canceled, one way or another. You can count on me.”

He disconnected the call, and almost the next moment, heard a splash from the pool. She was swimming again, which was a form of torture for him.

He’d had a difficult time winding down after Zoey had asked him to go swimming yesterday morning. He’d been forced to face the facts: he would have gone, if not for his foot. It was humiliating for a man who’d always believed he didn’t need anyone. But there was just something about Zoey. She was so beautiful and funny and sweet. Then there was the fact that, at times, he almost felt like she knew—about his leg, that is—although he realized she couldn’t. She hadn’t said anything to him directly, but then she was always so kind. Not just to him, but to everyone.

She hadn’t been direct enough with her ex, and the guy obviously clung to the hope that she’d change her mind. Archer couldn’t blame him on some level. If it were him, he’d want to keep trying, too. Zoey was truly a prize. But Scott wasn’t the problem anyway, and with every passing day he had the feeling Zoey knew something else was going on. He couldn’t keep this ruse going without making stuff up, and he didn’t want to lie to Zoey. But now he had to.