Page 66 of Her Cadillac Cowboy
“Yeah, in the meantime, how will you feel if Will goes to Tim’s instead of staying for dinner?”
“I don’t mind at all. Kids’ friendships are important. We can have dinner another time.”
“I don’t want to wait for another time, Sara.”
“I don’t know if I can handle dinner alone with you, especially on your territory.”
“Will would be offended if we didn’t eat his spaghetti. I promise we won’t do anything you don’t want.”
Sara hesitated, wrung her hands.
“We can just talk. A little food, some conversation, what can it hurt?”
She dropped her hands, squared her shoulders, and shook back her hair. “I suppose we’d better talk, and now’s as good a time as any.”
“Good.”
“I’ll wait for you in the dining room.”
As she left, he watched the sway of her hips. He felt raw and wild, barely leashed. His body hardened. Only one woman had ever made him feel this way. He stared at the place where she’d disappeared. He had to be ten kinds of a fool to promise he’d just talk with her.
“You got it bad, doncha?” Will leaned in the doorway.
When had he come back? “I thought you wanted to discuss sleeping over at Tim’s house?”
Josh watched Will’s stance harden. His hands formed fists, his mouth thinned, and a glower filled his gaze. A second later he’d relaxed, as if the signs of rebellion never existed.
“It’s real important to me.”
“I can see that. But you invited Sara to dinner, you have a commitment to her that comes before your own wishes.”
“She’ll understand.”
“She might. How would you feel, though, if Tim called you back and asked if you’d come over another time because someone he felt was more important just asked him to go to the movies tonight?”
“But Ms. Carson isn’t Tim.”
“That’s true. The point is that you should treat everyone with the same kind of respect that you want, regardless of the differences in who they are.”
“I get it. How about if I have dinner here and go to Tim’s house afterward.”
“I think that might be acceptable. Go ask Ms. Carson to come to the table. Give me your phone. I’ll call Mrs. Whittaker and join you as soon as I’m through.”
“Too sweet.” Will turned and dashed off.
Josh figured he just might be able to get control over himself by the time dinner was finished.
