Page 34 of The Cowboy's Promise

Though he couldn’t hear what was being said, Blake had seen the exchange and it was obvious Heather had somehow turned the tables. As he picked up his beer to take a swallow, he saw her walking towards him carrying a plate of appetizers.

“This is our sample platter,” she said happily, placing it in front of him.

“Thanks, darlin’. I know you probably don’t have time to stop, but tell me briefly, what just happened between you and Joe Meyer?”

“I caught him staring at me so I went over and asked him what he wanted.”

“Heather…” he muttered, shaking his head.

“What? He deserved to be confronted, and you’re always telling me to go for it.”

“Poking the bear is not what I had in mind,” he said, shooting her a disapproving look.

“I’m not sorry. He turned positively pink, and you know what? I’m not scared of him. He actually looked…timid. Yes, that’s the word. Timid. In fact, I’m wondering if we got this wrong. Maybe it was just coincidence that he was behind me.”

“Was it coincidence that he was parked under a tree down from the ranch?”

“But are we sure it was him? Think about it!”

“Yes ma’am,” he quipped with a grin.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean it to sound like an order.”

“It’s okay. I kind of like this side of you, though it does make me want to bend you over the bar and—”

“Stop it!”

“And there she goes again.”

“You’re impossible,” she retorted. “Now you’ll have to excuse me, I have to check on my customers.”

Glancing across at Joe Meyer, and seeing his eyes fixated on Heather as she walked into the kitchen, Blake lifted out his phone and called Doug.

“Hey, Blake, what’s up?”

“Can you stick around a while? I have a problem. There’s a creep here at the Moonshine Restaurant eyeing Heather and I don’t want to leave.”

“I can certainly understand that. Sure, Blake, no problem.”

“Go into the house and make yourself at home. Grab a beer, watch TV, whatever. And there’s some leftover lasagna in the fridge if you want to zap it in the microwave.”

“Damn, I love lasagna.”

“It’s yours, and help yourself to anything else in there that catches your eye. I really appreciate this.”

“Any time. I’d rather be here with Butch and the horses than sittin’ around at my place.”

“Hey, I get that. I’ll see you when we get back, and thanks again.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Joe was mortified and his head was spinning.

Heather had caught him staring, and had the moxie to confront him, even it was in guise of pretending she thought he was trying to get her attention.

The girl was tougher than she looked.

Her cowboy was at the bar, which probably gave her a confidence boost, but even so…!

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