Page 49 of Texas Temptation

It was obvious he didn’t plan to join them for dinner, either. Jordan tried to ignore the empty place, tried to focus on what Amelia was saying, but in her mind she felt sadness for the man. If there was only something she could do to ease the pain of his loss.

The next morning, Jordan dressed in her usual jeans and pullover top. She had work to do. She refused to dwell on fantasies that remained out of reach.

When she entered the office, she stopped in surprise. An immaculately groomed woman sat behind her desk. She looked up when Jordan entered.

“You must be Jordan Carhart.”

“And you’re Penny.”

Jordan’s heart dropped. There had been no warning. Penny had returned as unexpectedly as she’d left.

“Cade rode out early this morning. I arrived just before he left,” Penny said.

She glanced around the desk.

“You have done adequately in my absence. Of course, he told me you weren’t trained in secretarial work, which explains a lot.”

Jordan flushed with embarrassment. She’d done her best. Cade had no complaints once she mastered the computer and phone. But she knew she’d never achieve all his paragons of a personal assistant had. And now Penny had returned.

“I hope things are all right here. And that your mother has recovered,” Jordan said.

“The filing’s up to date and the correspondence logged. I’ll find my way around. My mother’s recovering. Her sister is going to stay with her. So I’ve returned.”

It was a dismissal, loud and clear.

“I’ll be at the house. Let me know if you can’t find anything,” Jordan said, turning around abruptly and retracing her steps head held high.

There was no reason to remain on the ranch or in Texas beyond tomorrow when Caleb had the bandages removed. Their doctor in Florida could well take care of him over the next few months. Thanks to Cade’s generosity, Jordan still had most of her surgery funds, which should cover medical follow-up expenses.

Of course, there was still the matter of owing him for the operation, but she’d deal with that once she was back home and sure about a job. Maybe she could work out a repayment plan. It’d only take two or three lifetimes at her wages. Still, something might turn up.

After Penny’s comments, however, she might reevaluate her desire for office work. Maybe she wasn’t cut out for that after all.

She entered the house and went up to her room. The lilac room, not the rose room, which might have made her look flushed. She smiled sadly, remembering Amelia’s convoluted conversation that first day. She’d miss her so much.

Drawing her suitcase from the back of the closet, she began to pack. She’d take care of Caleb’s clothes next and they could drive to Dallas in the morning, have the surgeon check him and then head for Florida. With any luck, her old car wouldn’t break down on the return trip and they’d be home within a few days.

She’d have to call Joe and see if she still had a job. Once home, she planned to look into community college courses in business. She enjoyed working in an office. If she could find the time, she’d like to learn more.

Gently folding her business suit, she brushed her fingers over the soft material. It’d be perfect for interviews once she had some skills. Every time she wore it, she’d remember Cade and their whirlwind trip to Los Angeles.

Would Cade give her a reference?

“What are you doing?”

Cade stood in the doorway, holding a Stetson in one hand. His jeans were dusty, his boots muddy. Jordan could smell horses and cattle from where she stood. And her heart flipped over.

“Packing. Penny’s back.”

“I saw her before I went out to check on the bore that’s giving us trouble. She said you had come to the office, but she hadn’t needed help.”

He looked at the opened suitcase. “Leaving?”

“I thought it best. You don’t need me anymore now that Penny’s here. I’ll take Caleb into Dallas tomorrow for the follow-up visit to the surgeon, then head for home.”

He stared at her for a long moment.

Jordan wanted to fidget under his gaze, but held onto her composure. Unable to meet his eyes, however, she resumed folding and packing.

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