Men to Trust: Boss Man / The Last Good Man in Texas / Lonetree Ranchers: Brant. Diana Palmer
are we,” Violet replied. “But we don’t get to choose our obstacles, do we?”
“How true,” Mrs. Hardy murmured. She looked toward Blake. “Would you like to come to dinner?”
Violet flushed. She knew her mother was trying to play matchmaker, but she wished she hadn’t. She was uneasy around Blake. She didn’t know what he expected of her. She didn’t know how she should behave.
Blake saw her indecision and averted his gaze to Mrs. Hardy. “Thanks,” he said, “but I’ve got a lot of work to get through tonight for a client.” The client was Libby Collins, but he wasn’t going to discuss that with the women.
“Another time,” Mrs. Hardy suggested.
“Another time,” he agreed pleasantly. “I’d better get on the road. If you need me, call,” he told Violet firmly.
“Of course, we will,” she said without looking directly at him, and with a forced smile.
“My interim secretary is getting married,” he remarked. “You might consider coming back to work. Libby and Mabel miss you.”
Violet was surprised, because he hadn’t been in touch with her since their dinner. She didn’t even know that he’d hired an interim secretary. He sounded as if he wanted Violet to come back. But he didn’t look desperate.
On the other hand, she missed seeing him every day. It was a wrench to work for Duke Wright. It guaranteed that she wouldn’t see Blake on a regular basis at all. Today had been a rare event.
“Think about it, at least,” Blake added quietly.
“Yes,” she replied. “I certainly will.”
He studied her for a few seconds too long, his eyes narrow and intent. She might mistake his invitation for something romantic, but that wasn’t the case at all. He felt guilty for what he’d let happen at his house. Violet could be pregnant. He didn’t dare keep his distance until he knew for sure. The woman hadn’t a clue about relationships, and she’d be in a hell of a fix if she really had become pregnant.
He had to keep her close so that he’d know, whatever her condition turned out to be. If there was going to be a child…
He stopped the thought dead. He wouldn’t think about that consequence. He had to look on the bright side. He wasn’t ready for marriage and a family. He might never be. Certainly, Violet was hardly the sort of woman he envisioned marrying. She was sweet and kind, but she wasn’t assertive. There were divisions between them that she didn’t understand. He couldn’t hurt her by pointing them out.
He had to bide his time until he knew for sure if there was going to be a child. That wasn’t her fault, either. He’d seduced her, out of loneliness and aching hunger. He still felt the need for her. It was why he’d avoided her for the past couple of days. He’d hoped to get it under control.
But it wasn’t. He looked at her and he wanted her. His body was already as taut as drawn rope, just from looking at her. He knew instinctively that if he touched her, he wasn’t going to be able to pull away. The pleasure she’d given him was exquisite. He wanted it again. And he didn’t dare have it.
“Violet, why don’t you walk Blake out?” Mrs. Hardy suggested when there was a brief silence.
“I can find my way out,” Blake said without making a big thing of Violet’s hesitation. He even smiled. “Think about the job,” he suggested. “We make a good team…you and me and Libby and Mabel,” he added just when she thought he was talking about the two of them.
She nodded. “I will think about it,” she promised.
“I’ll be in touch,” he replied. He didn’t say goodbye. He simply left.
“See, dear, he misses you!” Mrs. Hardy exclaimed when they heard his car start up outside. “He wants you back! You’ll do it, won’t you?”
“I have to change clothes and get supper started,” she interrupted to halt her mother’s speculation. “What would you like? How about pancakes?”
“Pancakes? For supper?” the older woman exclaimed.
“Why not? We love pancakes!”
Mrs. Hardy smiled. “Then pancakes it is. And coffee.”
Coffee reminded Violet of Blake and made her sad. She’d lost her job over coffee. But she didn’t let it show. “Decaf for you,” she teased, and went to change her clothes.
Chapter Seven
Blake spent the weekend working, trying to keep his mind off Violet. Monday morning, his private investigator called with some good news for Libby and Curt Collins. Their father’s priceless coin collection had been located at a dealer’s shop in San Antonio. There were bankbooks. There was also a copy of a new will, about which Blake had some suspicions. Blake phoned the dealer and arranged to drive up the following morning early and collect the coins and the documents. He told the dealer that he’d have Libby phone him as soon as she came to work—she could vouch for the fact that Blake was her attorney and authorized to handle her inheritance.
He didn’t know if Janet Collins was aware of the coin collection’s whereabouts and he considered that he might need backup.
He phoned the chief of police’s office and talked to Cash Grier, who agreed to drive up with him. Grier would intimidate most people with evil intentions, Blake thought humorously, even without a firearm.
He told Libby about the trip and also asked her to go by Violet’s house that afternoon with a pizza and cheer the women up. He also suggested that it wouldn’t hurt for Libby to mention how badly they missed her in the office, and how short-handed they were since the interim secretary, Jessie, had given notice and quit. Libby laughingly agreed.
Libby was surprised at Violet’s new look and her nervousness when she stopped by Violet’s house after work. She’d known Violet for a long time. She’d never known her to be anything except calm and collected.
“Mr. Kemp asked me to tell you how much we’re missing you,” Libby said, tongue-in-cheek.
Violet laughed softly. “Are you really, or are you just short-handed because Jessie quit without finishing out her notice?”
Libby’s eyes widened. “How in the world did you know that?”
Violet chuckled. “Mrs. Landers who works at the newspaper office,” she replied. “She’s the best gossip we have, and she thought I’d like to know that poor Mr. Blake was short a secretary. She saw the baby shower announcement that Jessie brought in and Jessie mentioned that she was leaving the job early because Mr. Kemp was hopeful that his old secretary might come back if she knew how hard-pressed he was for help.”
“Well!” Libby exclaimed on a laugh, showing her the box of hot pizza. “It’s all true, of course. I brought you and Mrs. Hardy a pizza.”
“You can have some, too, Libby, since you were nice enough to bring it,” Violet said, hugging the other woman. “It was sweet of you. Mama and I have had a bad day.”
“Mr. Kemp told me about it,” Libby replied. “I’m so sorry.”
Violet shrugged. “We all have hard times. We’ll get through ours. It’s just that it’s brought back so many terrible memories.”
“All my stepmother’s fault,” Libby said coldly. “Curt and I would love to get our hands on her!”
“Take a number and get in line,” Violet mused with morbid humor.
“I see your point.”
“Come on into the kitchen, and I’ll find some plates. Mama, Libby’s here, and she brought a pizza,” she called to her mother in the living room.
“Hello, Libby,” Mrs. Hardy called back. “That