Page 32 of Bridles and Bribery

He lowered his menu to scowl at her. “For a guy who’s operating on sleep fumes? Yes. There’s only one thing keeping me awake right now.” He belligerently parked his menu back in front of Eloise, shielding his wife mostly from view as he captured her lips in a fortifying kiss that tugged at Jillian’s lonely heartstrings.

As far as she was concerned, the only thing missing from the warm and cozy setting was her own husband. The Longhorn Grill had been too pricey for her modest income as an ER receptionist, but Dave had brought her here a few times after they started dating. She cast a wistful look across the room at the booth they’d sat in during their last date at the restaurant.

Eloise, who was seated next to her, reached over to pat her hand. Her expression indicated she understood that her daughter-in-law was drowning in melancholy. “You heard what the Bible-banging reverend said this morning.” Her voice was mildly scoffing. “Wait and trust.”

“I just wish it wasn’t so hard to live out.” Jillian blew out a frustrated breath. “Thanks for coming with me, by the way. I know it wasn’t your first choice of places to spend your Sundaymorning.”

“Hobnobbing with a stuffy sheriff isn’t my idea of a hot date, either,” Eloise retorted with a twinkle in her eyes, “but you don’t hear me complaining.”

“That’s it!” Gil lowered his menu again. “You’re paying for lunch.”

They continued to trade verbal barbs after their food arrived. Jillian and Bliss pretended not to notice while they discussed nursery decorations. When it came time to pay, Gil and Eloise took their squabbling to a new low by getting into an impromptu wrestling match over who was covering the ticket.

He won, brandishing the ticket over her head like an Olympic runner with a gold medal.

“He’s always been a brat,” Eloise complained to his wife while he handed his credit card to their waitress with a gallant flourish. “I should know, after powdering his bottom and changing his diaper a few times.”

“Consider it my way of saying thanks,” Gil informed her dryly. When he thought no one was looking, he muffled a yawn.

Jillian had pity on him and faked a headache to give him a reason that Eloise wouldn’t dispute for driving them straight home.

Since none of them had gotten much sleep last night, she preferred the idea of taking a nap herself. Furniture shopping could wait. The day wore on without any further word from Dave. Jillian tried calling his burner phone midafternoon, but he didn’t pick up.

With a sigh of resignation, she dug out some yarn and a crochet hook from a bin in the closet. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d carved out time for her favorite hobby. Now that her husband was out of town andshe was jobless, however, she suddenly had more time on her hands than she knew what to do with.

I should make a baby blanket.

It would pass the time while she waited for Dave’s next call.

And waited.

And waited some more.

And kept waiting.

The afternoon faded into evening and darkness fell, but her phone remained silent.

Two days later

Gil restlessly pacedthe living room of the cozy cottage on the lake he shared with Bliss. She was in a virtual meeting in the office they shared. He could hear her chatting animatedly with her staff of the future Heart Lake Anthropology and National History Museum. They were still in the architectural planning stages of the project. However, she’d already purchased the few acres of land where the old south side high school had once stood.

A string of tornadoes had reduced it to rubble. From its ashes, however, she was determined to build a center that would celebrate the rich history of all the brave pioneers who’d settled in the Christmas Mountains surrounding Heart Lake.

Since Gil was only working part time at Lonestar Security, he was off work on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On days like today, though, he felt guilty about not having more to do. Retirement was great and all, but a guy could only do somuch fishing, boating, working out at the gym, and reading. His wife, an internationally renowned archeologist, worked longer hours than him — while pregnant with twins, no less.

It wasn’t right.

The phone in his back pocket vibrated with an incoming call, interrupting his boredom. He eagerly reached for it, hoping like crazy it was Dave.

It wasn’t, but hearing from the woman who probablyhadheard from his best friend was the next best thing.

Jillian’s anxious voice sounded across the line. “Please tell me you’ve heard from Dave!”

His heart sank. “Nope.”So much for that theory!He scrubbed a hand through his hair. “We know he made it to Dallas. That’s a good thing.”

“Is it?” She sounded as dejected as he felt. “If anything bad happens to him, Gil, this is sort of my fault, you know.”

Not even!He snorted. “How so?”

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