Читать книгу The Maverick's Bride-To-Order - Stella Bagwell - Страница 10
ОглавлениеA short distance down the next street, Lydia guided him to a stop in front of a redbrick building with the words Gold Rush Diner painted on the plate glass front.
“Here we are. It’s small, but good,” she promised.
“Where did the name Gold Rush come from? Was gold ever taken out of this area?”
“Not that I’m aware of. But I suppose anything might have happened back in the eighteen hundreds before the area was settled. Why do you ask? Are you thinking about prospecting for gold?” she asked impishly.
“The only thing I’m searching for is a wife,” he told her. “And hopefully, that’ll be easier than finding a vein of gold.”
Zach opened the door and above their heads the rattle of a cowbell announced their arrival.
Several of the red vinyl booths were already taken with early lunch diners, but they managed to find one in the back of the room, not far from the kitchen.
As Lydia settled herself on the bench seat and removed her coat, she could feel several sets of eyes turning in their direction. No doubt some of them had recognized Zach from the classified ad and were curious about him. Others were probably wondering what a plain Jane like her was doing with a walking dream like him.
Lydia was wondering the same thing.
When Zach had approached her on the sidewalk, the last thing she’d been expecting was for him to ask her to lunch. She wasn’t sure what to make of it. She only knew it would be foolish to think it might mean more than a friendly offer.
Zach sniffed as he removed his hat and placed it next to him on the seat. “Something smells good.”
Lydia chuckled. “I think that’s called fried food.”
He grinned and Lydia’s heart fluttered in spite of herself.
“Why is it that the things we want the most are the things that are bad for us?” he asked.
He was a prime example of one of those bad things, Lydia thought. Just sitting there with him was messing with her mind and making her heart do ridiculous acrobatics.
“I don’t know. But if I could figure it out, I might be able to stop my chocolate habit.” Resting her forearms on the edge of the table, she leaned slightly toward him. “So tell me—what did your family think about your ad?”
He shrugged. “Well, after they ribbed me about it, my brothers mostly thought it was ingenious. Unfortunately my dad didn’t see it that way. He’s rather disappointed in my strategy to find a wife. I’m hoping as time goes by he’ll quit lecturing and mellow about the idea.”
She could see that his father’s lack of support troubled him. Lydia could only wonder what it was like to have a father who even bothered to pick up the phone and say hello or drop a birthday card in the mail. At least Zach’s father cared enough to voice an opinion on his son’s future.
“I imagine he wants you to take the customary route,” she suggested.
A frown pulled his dark brows together, and as Lydia’s gaze slid over his handsome face, she figured there were already countless females who’d been sighing over his photo and plotting to become his wife. Poor guy, he was in for a bumpy ride. Unless this business of searching for a wife was just a ruse to create a dating pool for himself.
No. Lydia didn’t want to think Zach was that calculating. As far as she could tell, there didn’t seem to be a conniving bone in his body. But, according to her mother, every man had his own selfish agenda.
“Right,” Zach said with an emphatic nod. “But I’m twenty-seven. I’ve been dating ever since high school and not one woman has ever felt like she was the perfect fit for me. Frankly, I’m tired of waiting.”
Lydia was a year older than him and still single, but she wasn’t pushing the panic button. Yet.
She was about to tell him that being in a hurry might not be wise, but before she could think how to word it in a sensitive way, a young, wiggly waitress with long black hair approached their booth.
Her entire attention on Zach, the woman placed two menus onto the table. Flashing a suggestive grin at him, she said, “Hi. How’s it going?”
He smiled back at the waitress and Lydia wondered what he was thinking about all that long, straight hair. Maybe he was getting the idea that the tight apron she was wearing meant she was great in the kitchen. Or the bed. Either thought made Lydia a little sick to her stomach.
“It’ll be going great as soon as we can get our lunch,” Lydia spoke up.
The waitress shot her an annoyed look before settling a dreamy-eyed stare on Zach. “Aren’t you the guy in the newspaper? The one taking applications for a wife?”
His face a little red, Zach shifted around on the seat. “I’m the guy,” he admitted. “But the application part—I wouldn’t exactly put it that way.”
“He’s taking résumés,” Lydia said, hoping her cheery smile didn’t look as phony as it felt. “And the one that has all the right answers wins the prize.”
“Oh,” the waitress mumbled uncertainly. “I’m not good at résumés.”
Zach shot an annoyed look at Lydia, then said to the waitress, “That’s not my intention. I’m just trying to find a girl that suits me.”
“Then I think it’s awesome,” she gushed. “Like the TV show where the bachelor picks his love from a group of ladies.”
Zach and Lydia exchanged amused glances.
“If you want to think of it that way,” Zach said a bit awkwardly.
Thankfully, the waitress suddenly remembered why she was at their table and pulled an order pad out of a pocket on her uniform. “So what would you two like to drink?”
They both ordered iced tea, and after the young woman hurried away, Lydia shook her head. “I’m sorry, Zach. I shouldn’t have said that about the résumés. I wasn’t really making light of your...effort. It’s just that she was so—”
She broke off and with a sly smile Zach finished for her. “Obvious?”
Lydia expelled a long breath while wishing she could kick herself. “Yes. That’s what I was trying to say. I hope you’re not angry with me.”
His chuckle filled her with relief.
“Forget it. I’m not offended. But I am curious. Is that really the way you see my endeavor? That I’m looking at the whole thing like a job interview?”
It was all Lydia could do to keep from squirming. “Well, to be honest, it rather looks that way. But from the little time we’ve spent together, I get the impression you won’t marry a woman unless you’re wildly in love with her. And that’s all that matters.”
His lips spread in a wry smile and Lydia found her gaze focusing on the dimple carving his cheek and the way his white teeth glinted against his tanned skin.
He started to make some sort of reply, when the waitress returned with their drinks. As Lydia watched her write down their orders, she wondered how the young woman could possibly know what she was scrawling across the pad. Not with her ogling gaze never leaving Zach’s face.
“We’ll have these orders right out, Mr. Dalton.” Playfully wrinkling her nose, she let out a nervous giggle. “And if there’s anything else you need, I’ll be happy to get it for you.”
As the waitress walked away, Lydia had to stop herself from groaning and laughing. As for Zach, he seemed unaffected by the flirtatious behavior of the waitress, which made her wonder if she’d underestimated this man. Maybe he wasn’t nearly as gullible to the wiles of women as she’d first believed.
He looked across the table at Lydia and smiled. “Now, where were we?” he asked. “I believe you were saying something about me needing to be wildly in love before I picked a wife. Tell me, Lydia, have you ever been wildly in love?”
She didn’t know why, but the question brought a stinging heat to her cheeks. “Uh, no. Not that I remember. When I was about twenty years old, I had a crush on a bull rider.”
His jaw dropped. “A bull rider? You don’t seem the sort to go for that kind of guy.”
Laughing, she shrugged. “Well, he had the swagger in his walk and wore his hair a bit too long to be conventional. And guys just naturally look sexy in a pair of spurs.”
“What happened?”
This time her short laugh was brittle. “Nothing. He never knew I existed.”
“Hmm. What about high school? All girls at that age think they’re in love, don’t they?”
She shook her head. “Not me. There wasn’t really any guy I could hang my starry gaze upon. You see, back then I was a little plump and my complexion was a mess. The only thing I didn’t have was braces. But that was only because my mom couldn’t afford them.” She gave him a wide enough smile to expose her teeth. “See, my right front tooth has a tiny lap over the left one. But it doesn’t bother me. None of us are perfect, right?”
“Not at all.” He leaned closer, his eyes focused on her mouth. “And I happen to think your teeth look natural and nice.”
She was an idiot for letting his words thrill her. He was simply giving her a friend’s opinion. But it wasn’t often a man like Zach Dalton ever bothered to give her a compliment and the feeling was empowering.
“Thank you.”
He took a long drink from his glass, while she peeled a straw and jammed it into her iced tea.
“Tell me if I’m being too personal, but are you hoping to get married? Have children?”
Even though they shouldn’t have, the questions stung. Still, she mustered a casual voice. “Oh, back in those days of the bull rider—when I was twenty and everything about life looked fresh and wonderful—I dreamed of having a family. I expect most women do. But it just never happened. Now that I’m older, I suppose I’ve quit thinking so much about it. Someday I might find that perfect guy. But until then I’m content to stay busy at the Gazette.”
His gaze scanned her face and Lydia wondered what it would be like to have him look at her with love shining in his eyes. Would any man ever look at her with such devotion? He’d be faking it if he did. That was what her mother would say.
He tossed her a teasing grin. “So you’re not thinking about advertising for a husband?”
She laughed. “I think I’ll wait and see how things work out for you before I go that route.”
He rested his broad shoulders against the back of the booth. “I’m sure you’ve heard about my cousin Travis getting on reality TV.”
“Oh sure. Everyone in town has been talking about The Great Roundup! I haven’t missed an episode. It’s so fun watching people I know on TV.”
“I’ve been watching the episodes at the Ace in the Hole,” he said. “I have to admit it seems a bit surreal seeing Travis on TV. But so far he’s hanging strong with the competition.”
“I’m excited to see how the contest unfolds. Things are getting a bit nasty with some of the contestants. I hope Travis and Brenna are on the lookout for saboteurs among the group. I wouldn’t be surprised if a few of them might go as far as to cut cinch straps on saddles or deliberately spook a contestant’s horse.”
He nodded. “My same thoughts. Last week when that big burly cowboy with the handlebar mustache got bucked off his mount, I wondered if someone might have planted a burr or something sharp beneath his saddle pad. Some folks will do anything for money. Especially the prize of a cool million dollars.”
“Sad, but true,” she said, then offered him a bright smile. “But Travis is a tough guy. He might just be the one bringing the million dollars home. And a new wife, too. I think everyone was a little shocked over his sudden proposal to Brenna O’Reilly.”
Frowning, he picked up his tea glass. “I doubt anyone was more shocked than me,” he admitted. “Proposing marriage isn’t something a guy should do on impulse. But then Travis always was the reckless sort. I only hope he hasn’t set himself up for a miserable fall.”
“Well, from what I’ve seen on The Great Roundup, I get the sense there’s a real connection between him and Brenna. That’s the important thing.”
“Lust or love. With my cousin, who knows? I’m still trying to figure out if his proposal to Brenna was real or just a spur-of-the-moment thing.”
Lydia tapped her fingers against the tabletop as she mentally weighed Zach’s comments. “So you don’t believe picking a wife from a newspaper ad is impulsive?”
Thankfully, he wasn’t offended by her question. Instead, the faint grin on his face said he found it amusing. “I haven’t proposed yet, Lydia. Whenever I do, it will be after a lot of careful consideration.”
He sounded like a man weighing the appeal of a bologna sandwich against a rib eye steak. If he was truly in love, he shouldn’t need to “consider” anything, Lydia thought. His heart would know who he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. But that wasn’t her worry.
To her relief, the waitress suddenly arrived with their meals, and the interruption allowed their conversation to move away from love and marriage.
Once the flirty waitress made certain Zach had everything he needed, she left them to enjoy their burgers and fries.
“Mmm. This tastes great,” Zach exclaimed after he’d swallowed a hefty bite of the thick burger. “I’ll have to remember this place.”
“I’m glad you approve. Being close to the Gazette makes it easy for me,” Lydia said. “I can walk here.”
“How long have you worked for the newspaper?”
“About six years. When I applied for the job, I didn’t have much experience. Actually, the only experience I had was the work I’d done on the college newspaper. But at that time, the boss of the Gazette was nice enough to take a chance on me. Since then I’ve worked my way up to assistant manager. My main job is graphic design and I also do the cartooning for the paper, along with anything else that needs to be done. Like taking classified ads, answering the phone and—”
“Fixing the plumbing,” he finished for her.
Surprised that he remembered, she chuckled. “That’s right. I do know how to handle a crescent wrench.”
His eyes sparkled. “I’ll try to remember not to make you angry. A woman that can handle a crescent wrench can be dangerous.”
Laughing softly, she dipped a french fry into a pool of ketchup. “Don’t worry. I can hardly bring myself to swat a fly.”
* * *
By the time Zach and Lydia finished the meal, her lunch hour was nearing its end. After taking care of the bill, Zach walked her back to the Gazette, then drove straight to the Circle D.
As soon as he parked his truck near the barn, he spotted his brother Cole pushing a wheelbarrow filled with horse manure and dirty shavings toward a pile of compost.
Expecting he was going to catch hell for being gone part of the morning, Zach left the vehicle and walked over to his brother.
“What’s going on? Cleaning horse stalls?”
“Where have you been?” Cole demanded. “Have you forgotten there’s work to be done around here? Yeah, I’m cleaning stalls—all by myself, I might add. Shawn and Booker took off on horseback to go round up a bull. He crashed through a fence at the back of the property. So that leaves me and you to finish the dirty chores here in the ranch yard.”
“Sorry,” Zach apologized. “I had to go into town.”
Which was partly true, he thought. He couldn’t leave personal mail lying around the newspaper office.
“To see one of your prospective brides, no doubt,” Cole said with a heavy dose of sarcasm.
“Actually, I did have lunch with a woman,” Zach admitted. “But she’s not in the running for my wife.”
Cole’s expression took on a look of exaggerated shock. “You mean she wasn’t that impressed with you? Wonder of wonders.”
Rolling up his shirtsleeves, Zach started walking toward the barn. Cole grabbed the wheelbarrow and fell in step beside him.
“If that’s the way it is, then maybe you can introduce her to me,” he suggested with a wicked grin.
Zach glanced at his good-looking brother. Lydia with Cole? No. Zach didn’t like that idea. Not at all.
“Forget it,” he repeated in a blunt tone. “She’s too old for you.”
“Really? How old is she?”
“Twenty-eight.”
Cole’s laugh was more of a loud whoop than anything. “Guess you’ve forgotten I’m twenty-eight, too.”
Zach frowned at him. “No. I’ve not forgotten. And you like younger women. Remember?”
Cole chuckled knowingly. “Wow! This ad thing worked a damned sight quicker than I expected! Zach has found the woman he’s been searching for! When’s the wedding, little brother?”
“Don’t be stupid.”
“I’m not. I can see it all over your face.”
Cole couldn’t see anything on his face. There was nothing to see. Lydia was a friend. Just because he wanted to shield her from Cole’s clutches didn’t mean he was falling for the woman.
“The only thing you need to be seeing is that wheelbarrow full of manure,” Zach told him. “Let’s get to work.”
* * *
That evening Zach was too tired to contribute much to the conversation around the dinner table. But he was all ears when his father brought up the subject of purchasing a piece of property. Something Zach and the rest of his brothers had been praying to happen.
“It doesn’t look like anyone lives there now,” Phil said as everyone around the table enjoyed bowls of dewberry cobbler topped with ice cream. “The house is empty and the fences look like they’re about to collapse. There’s a big yellow barn on the property. From what I could see from the road, it could use some repairs, but it looked usable.”
Angled to Phil’s left elbow, his brother Charles nodded. “Yes, I know the property you’re talking about. That’s the Stockton place. It’s been vacant for a few years now. Ever since Rob and Lauren Stockton were killed in a car accident. That was a real tragedy.”
Rita spoke up somberly, “Especially with the couple having seven children. The way I remember it, after the accident the children split up. Some even left town. I think two of the younger girls were adopted.”
“Jamie and his sister Bella are still in Rust Creek Falls,” his cousin Eli spoke up. “I’ve not heard about the rest of the siblings.”
“Who owns the Stockton place now?” Zach asked. “The siblings?”
Uncle Charles answered, “That’s a good question. You’d think if the brothers and sisters owned it, they’d be trying to keep the place from falling into ruin.” He looked at Phil. “If you’re interested in the property, we could ask around.”
“Maybe old Grandpa Stockton owns the place,” Eli suggested.
Aunt Rita grimly shook her head. “That would certainly be a travesty. The old man didn’t seem to care what happened to his grandchildren. He didn’t deserve the property.”
“Well, the place looks like it has potential. But we’ll see. Some other nice place might come up for sale,” Phil said.
In the chair next to his, Cole tilted his head close to Zach’s and muttered under his breath, “Let’s hope it’s soon. Six extra men in this house are way too many.”
The house was definitely crowded, but Zach wasn’t going to complain. He wanted their father to heal from the grief of losing his wife. And being with his brother Charles seemed to be working wonders for Phil’s spirit. As for Zach and his brothers, they each had to deal with the loss of their mother in their own private way.
“Hush and eat your cobbler,” Zach mumbled. “We’ll survive.”
* * *
Later that night, after Zach had retired to the bedroom he shared with Booker, he finally had a chance to look at the mail he’d collected from the Gazette.
Stretched out on the single bed, with his head propped on a pair of pillows, he began to sift through the emails and a few letters in envelopes that had been hand delivered to the newspaper office. Some of the women chose the short and sweet method to garner his attention, while others had gone into great detail about their cooking, cleaning and, last but not least, bedroom qualifications.
Just reading the erotic promises was enough to turn Zach’s face beet red and he was glad the explicit letters had been in sealed envelopes. Just thinking of Lydia reading this sort of stuff in an email message made him cringe.
Lydia. Lydia.
He looked across the room to where the open curtains gave him a view of a bright, full moon rising over the trees. Was Lydia out strolling beneath the moonlight tonight with a favorite guy? he wondered. Or was she alone in her apartment or house, watching TV?
Hell, Zach, what is the matter with you? You have dozens and dozens of prospective brides lying right here in your lap and you’re thinking about a woman who is so far from your ideal it’s not even funny. Sure, Lydia is easy to talk to, but that’s where it ends. And there’s damn sure more to marriage than just talk. So get your mind off Lydia Grant and back on the business at hand.
Grimacing at the pestering voice in his head, he picked up another envelope and slid a letter opener beneath the flap. When he pulled out a single piece of paper, a photo fell to the side.
Picking it up, he read the brief information scrawled across the back of the glossy paper. Twenty-two years old. College graduate. Blonde with the word natural to the side in parenthesis. Blue eyes. Five foot nine.
