Page 90 of The Cowboy Who Came Home

“Great to meet you,” Link said, feeling too big and too broad to be sitting here with them. “Do y’all work together?” He met Misty’s eyes again, and Link did not imagine the sparks and flames and fireworks between them. She had to feel that, right?

“Restoration, right? No.” He paused, feeling like he had sparklers fizzing in his bloodstream. “Conservationist.”

“Yep,” Misty said, leaning into her elbows on the table. “Ralf is our project manager, and Janie just got to town to work on the ceiling at City Hall. She’s an expert with art restoration.”

“Wow,” Link said with a smile. “That’s great.” He looked around at everyone, the moment turning awkward. Thankfully, his number got called and he swiped up his receipt. “I’ll be right back.”

He didn’t dare turn around as he walked away, but he was sure the three of them would be huddled and whispering. He picked up his coffee and moved over to the table by the front of the trailer to get napkins and a spoon.

Turning back to the table, he found Ralf and Janie cleaning up to leave. His chest collapsed in on itself, because he was going to have to sit alone after all. He forced himself back to the table and set down his coffee. “You guys leaving?”

“We’ve got to go over some plans,” Janie said smoothly, her smile hitched in place. “Enjoy your cookies and coffee.” With that, she and Ralf turned and left.

Link pulled out the chair again, trying to control the shaking in his hands. He sighed as he sat. “You don’t have to go over the plans?”

“No, sir,” Misty said. She leaned into the table again. “I asked them to go, so I could talk to you alone.”

Link looked at her, her gaze hooking him and holding on. She smiled prettily at him, and he swallowed. “So…I’d love your number. Then we can talk some more, and maybe we can figure out a time to go out.”

Misty practically glowed. “I’d like that.”

“Would you?”

Her face fell slightly, and Link managed to tear his gaze away and focus on opening his box of cookies. “Have you had these?” he asked. “You can only get them here, and they’re my absolute favorite.”

He pulled out a handful of cookies and offered her one. “They’re crispy and crunchy, and when you dip them in the coffee, the chocolate sort of melts off into it. It’s fantastic.”

Misty took a cookie, and Link nudged his coffee closer to her, as if they’d share. “You think I don’t want to go out with you?”

“You didn’t seem super keen at the summer dance,” he said honestly. “Or, I thought you liked Mitch more than me. And then maybe not cowboys at all.” He forced himself to stop talking. He dunked a cookie into his coffee and lifted it to his lips.

He realized then what a mistake this was. Now his fingers dripped with coffee and melting chocolate, and he barely got the cookie in his mouth. Something dropped onto his chin and he’d dribbled all over the table too.

Embarrassed, he reached for a napkin, thinking he should’ve gotten more, and as he wiped his face, he looked at Misty. “They’re kind of messy.”

“I can see that.” She dunked her cookie too, and she lifted the dripping, melting mess to her mouth too. She let everything fall all over, and then she grinned at Link as she chewed.

He laughed, because she was so sweet to show him she didn’t care about his awkward eating. He picked up a clean napkin and reached to wipe her face for her. “You’ve just got a little something…here.”

The moment sobered, and Link saw all the lights in the heavens in her eyes. “I’m free tomorrow for dinner.” He wasn’t actually sure if he was or not, but he’d beg Daddy for the night off if he had to.

“I liked you and Mitch,” she said. “At the summer dance. I just…you know what? I’m going to be really honest with you.”

“Okay.” Link dunked the other half of his cookie and ate it in a more elegant way this time.

“I don’t live here,” she said. “I mean, I do right now, but this is a short-term project. Well, I mean, it’s a long-term project, because it’s a couple of years, but I’m not looking to live here. Settle down here. Be here for longer than it takes to do this restoration.”

Link started nodding about halfway through her little talk. “You don’t want anything serious.”

Misty simply ate the other half of her cookie, no dunking involved. “I don’t normally date at all.”

“Really?” Link wasn’t sure he believed that, but Misty shook her head soberly, and he detected no dishonesty in her. “That’s surprising to me,” he said. “You’re so pretty and so personable. I’d think you’d have men lined up to take you out.”

“Mm, I don’t.” She smiled at him. “But thank you for saying so.”

Link didn’t know what to say next, so he dunked another cookie and took another bite.

“If you’re willing to be more…casual, I’d go out with you.”

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