Page 6 of A Cowboy to Call Her Own

Asher considered her.

“Trust us. Kelley is way better off without him,” Laura-Beth continued, certainty in her words.

There was a time Kelley had not been quite so certain. But that was in the months following her separation from her husband and the fallout of owning a restaurant together. Back when she had lost both her professional and personal futures in one fell swoop. Her words were soft yet resolute. “I’m fine.”And you should know, I’m even better on my own, cowboy.

Asher nodded, yet concern lingered in his gaze.

Nice that, but entirely unnecessary. Kelley squeezed Asher’s fingers and said, “Really. I’m good. The divorce was finalized earlier this year and that is all officially behind me as they say.”

Asher searched her face for another beat then said, “I’m sorry you had to go through all that.”

It was not the sincerity in his words that got to Kelley. But rather the almost imperceptible change in his hold around her waist. It was suddenly somehow tender yet protective as if he held something precious. She wanted to sigh all the way down to her sore toes. Or she would have if she wanted to feel special to a cowboy. But after her split from her husband, she decided romance was a luxury she could no longer afford.

“Asher, you should take Kelley to dinner,” Frannie called out. “Then maybe you can find out if my big sis is as good a catch as we claim.”

Kelley shook her head.

“But don’t take her to dinner here at the diner,” Laura-Beth added. “It’s too hard to keep her focused on you when she is here.”

Funny. Kelley was having no problems focusing on Asher. “Don’t pay my sisters any mind.”

One corner of his mouth lifted.

And all Kelley suddenly wanted was his full smile. Aimed at her. Talk about a misstep.

“Pay me every mind.” Laura-Beth stomped her boot. “This is a wedding party celebration, not a condolence gathering. We are supposed to be blissful and excited and so very delighted.”

“Cheerful and oh so very hopeful,” Frannie chimed in.

“Absolutely. That, too.” Laura-Beth motioned toward Kelley, and Asher then ordered, “Now, get happy.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Asher twirled Kelley away then spun her back into his embrace, turned them in a tight circle and twirled her out again. That move he repeated flawlessly until Kelley’s laughter floated around the dining area like so much homespun sugar.

“Yes. Exactly like that. Now, take it from the beginning.” Laura-Beth started the song again, turned up the volume and called out, “Frannie, make a note. We need to add that spinning move to the dance.”

Three more twirls and Kelley released her hold on Asher then lifted her hands to call a stop to catch her breath.

“No. You have to see it through to the end.” Her sister was suddenly beside them. Laura-Beth continued, “There are no breaks in wedding bliss.”

Kelley inhaled and stepped back into Asher’s arms.

“From the top,” Laura-Beth announced and restarted the music.

The dance came to a close with no interruptions and Asher completed it with a perfectly executed dip. Kelley couldn’t remember ever being a part of a movie-style ending.Be still my heart. Her eyes locked on Asher’s and that awareness fired all over again.

There was a high-pitched happy whistle from the direction of the kitchen. Hayes Stroud, the diner’s longtime cook, had clearly arrived. Outside, applause and cheers filled the parking lot. Asher shifted and drew Kelley slowly back up to standing. His gaze never left hers.

“That was perfect.” Satisfaction streamed across Laura-Beth’s face then she added, “I’ve got a final dress fitting to get to and a meeting with the wedding coordinator. But first, coffee and a blackberry pastry.” With that, Laura-Beth breezed through the swinging doors into the kitchen.

Kelley ran her palm over Asher’s chest as if searching to see if his heart was beating as rapidly as her own.How about an encore, cowboy?Kelley snatched her arm away and blurted, “Grab a seat. Breakfast and coffee are on me for all your assistance this morning.”

Kelley didn’t stick around to hear Asher’s reply. Instead, she boot-scooted to the diner entrance and finally greeted her early-bird regulars clamoring to get inside. The sign flipped back to Open, Kelley turned around only to pull back to avoid bumping into Lynette Arber.

The older widow fluffed her silver bangs and said, “Breakfast and a show should be the way we start every morning here.”

Beatrice, Lynette’s sister and a widow, too, beelined for her stool at the counter and called out, “I’ll take my usual, Kelley, and a turn on the dance floor with your cowboy.”

“He’s not mine,” Kelley said quickly and watched Asher slip through the swinging doors into the kitchen.