City Girl (8 page)

She stroked his face again with her long-fingered hand, and he again shook it off. “Please, darling,” she said, “don’t be angry with me anymore. I didn’t mean to hurt your little housekeeper’s feelings. I’ll be good. Just as good as gold. I promise, Kirkie.”

Liss couldn’t quite stifle her spurt of laughter. Kirkie? “Yes, do let her stay, Kirkie,” she said, leaning against the door frame. “It’s a big roast.”

He turned on her, his eyes blazing. “You keep out of this!” Wheeling back to Gina, he said, “I don’t care who invited you. You aren’t welcome and—”

“She is welcome and she’s staying. As my guest,” Mrs. Healey said, putting a protective arm around Gina. “Come along back into the living room, dear child,” she continued, looking, Liss mused, like a rotund dachshund escorting an Irish wolfhound. “We won’t let this boorish man deny us our friendship.”

Before the two went three paces, however, the front door swung open. Didn’t anybody knock in this neighborhood? Liss wondered, then blinked in surprise as Kristy Chandler strode in, brushing snow off her jeans, then shaking her blond hair loose as she snatched off her red wool cap.

“My goodness!” she exclaimed, coming erect. “What smells so good in here?”

“Roast beef,” Liss said, grinning as Kristy saw Gina and did a wonderful double take. Liss sat down on the bottom step of the staircase to watch what she was certain would be exciting fireworks. “Why don’t you stay for dinner?”

Kirk let out a strangled sound as he turned to her, signaling silently with frantic gestures of eyebrows and mouth.

Kristy gazed speculatively at Gina. “What are you doing here? I thought you were a thing of the past. “

“I,” Gina said, “am not a ‘thing.”‘ She sniffed disdainfully. “And speaking of past history, what makes you think there’s anything here for you?”

Kristy grinned. “Well, there’s dinner, for one thing.” The smile she gave Gina was so cheerfully malicious that Liss decided she liked the blonde. This situation was funny, and if both women stayed, she thought it might get even funnier. She could do with a good laugh.

“Thanks, Liss,” Kristy continued. °I accept your dinner invitation, although what I came for was to invite you to bring your children to my place for riding lessons next Saturday.”

Gina turned to Kirk, her hand on his arm. “Darling, please, why don’t you and I drive into town for dinner? If we had only a little time together, a few moments of privacy, I know I could show you how wrong you are. I know you need me now as you never did before and—”

This time, the door didn’t open without warning, but Gina broke off at the sound of something thudding against the wood panels. With an impatient sigh, Kirk broke free of Gina again and jerked the door open to admit yet another redhead. Putting a hand over his eyes, he groaned loudly and would have turned to go, but the newcomer crowded close to him, raised up on tiptoes, and kissed him on the cheek.

“Mmm, you smell delicious,” she said, oblivious of the others standing around. She carried a covered dish and thrust it at Kirk, saying “Take this, will you, hon?” before removing her glasses, which had fogged the instant she stepped into the warm house. Casually she lifted Kirk’s sweater and tugged his shirttail out of his pants to wipe the steam off her lenses. Liss watched, amazed as Kirk stood there holding the casserole and staring at the ceiling as if he wished he were anywhere else.

Clearly this woman was quite accustomed to undressing Kirk Allbright and didn’t mean to let an audience deter her.

“Hello, Gina,” the short redhead said, peering nearsightedly as she rubbed her glasses. “Fancy meeting you here, cousin. I thought you were a thing of the past.”

“I’m not a—” Gina began, but the newcomer, putting her glasses back on again, spotted Kristy. “Oh, my. Are we having a fan club reunion, ladies, or is this the play-offs?” Without waiting for a reply, she turned to Mrs. Healey and greeted her by name.

“Remember me?” she asked Mrs. Healey. “I’m Patty Fontaine, Alice and Frank’s daughter. I was probably only about thirteen the last time you saw me, so I’m sure I’ve changed, though you haven’t, not one bit. Anyway, my mom asked me to drop by with that casserole as a welcome-back offering and to tell you how happy she is to learn that you’ve returned to the valley. She says Tuesday morning quilting club hasn’t been the same without you and hopes you’ll be along this week.”

Pausing, Patty sniffed long and appreciatively. “My goodness! I think I’d forgotten how wonderfully you used to cook, Mrs. Healey. Something smells heavenly in here.” She grinned at Kirk. “Besides you.”

Kristy laughed. Gina made an angry sound. “It’s roast beef,” Liss said, getting to her feet. She introduced herself, then added, “Won’t you stay for dinner? We seem to be collecting a party here.” Before Patty had a chance to accept or decline, yet another knock sounded, this one at the back door. Liss, with a questioning glance at Kirk, went to answer it.

“Hello,” said the middle-aged lady who stood there, her glasses fogging as quickly as Patty’s had. “I’m Daisy Crandall, rector of St. John’s Church.” She peered at Liss through the fog. “Are you Olga Healey?”

“No,” Liss said, “but she’s here. Please, come in.” She steered the half-blind minister through the kitchen and into the front hall where the others remained. Kirk’s head was swinging back and forth as he monitored a lively argument between Gina and Kristy.

“Mrs. Healey,” Liss announced, “this is the Reverend Daisy Crandall. “

“My dear Olga.” Reverend Daisy mistakenly grabbed Kristy’s hand and pumped it vigorously. °I am delighted to meet you.” Deftly, Kristy turned the minister in the right direction. “I am rector of the church Ambrose attended the last few years of his life, and when I heard after the service today that you had arrived, I knew I must come and welcome you, and invite you to our Wednesday night prayer meeting and the ladies’ guild on Thursday morning.” While Daisy talked, Patty lifted the minister’s glasses from her face, wiped them on Kirk’s shirttail, then replaced them without the cleric’s missing a beat. “Ambrose told me so much about you. Welcome to the valley. My, my, something smells wonderful in here. Ambrose mentioned that you are a superb cook. What are you having for dinner?”

“The whole damned community,” Kirk muttered.

“It’s roast beef, “ Liss said, smiling mischievously at him. “We’d be delighted to have you join us.”

“Good God,” Kirk said, sotto voce. “Do you want me to go and slaughter another steer before I slaughter you?”

Liss laughed, enjoying herself more than she had in a long time. This would teach him to spread his kisses around indiscriminately. Talk about chickens coming home to roost! “There’s no need to slaughter anything. As I said, it’s a big roast.”

Just then, Jason came stumbling down the stairs rubbing his eyes. “Mommy,” he said. “I had a dream.”

“So did I,” Kirk said, shoving the casserole into Liss’s hands. “A dream of peace. A dream of quiet. A dream of a winter’s solitude.” He jammed one hand through his thick hair. “Where did it go?” he asked of no one. “What happened to it’?”

“Hi, Mom,” Ryan said, bounding down the stairs. “Mmm. What smells so good?”

“Roast beef,” said several people.

“And chocolate cake,” Jason said. “’Member? Mom promised.”

Kirk, poised in the doorway between the hall and the kitchen, braced his hands on the door frame as if to hold himself back. “Chocolate cake? Chocolate cake? No!” he said firmly as if someone were begging him to stay. “No damn way! I’m out of here!” He strode through the doorway and a few seconds later the back door slammed. Hard.

* * * *

Everyone had just sat down at the table, a strange and hardly compatible group, Liss thought, when Kirk returned. He stood at the threshold of the big, warm kitchen, his gaze sweeping over the group before settling on Liss.

She raised her brows. °I thought you were leaving. “

He shoved his hat back. “I left,” he said, scowling at her. Then, when no one spoke, he added, “I came back.” He sounded as if he couldn’t quite believe it himself.

“Sweetie,” Gina said, getting up and going to him. She lifted his hat off and patted his cheek. “I’m glad you did. Just as soon as dinner is over, you and I are going to have that little chat.”

He grasped her wrist, pulled her hand away, and dropped it as he might a wet towel. After politely escorting her back to her chair, he removed his jacket and boots while Liss collected a place setting for him. “Thanks, Liss,” he said, as she set a plate and cutlery at the head of the table. He helped himself to roast beef, potatoes, gravy, and vegetables. °Mmm. This is what I came back for,” he added, smiling wickedly at her as she resumed her seat between her sons. Holding her gaze with his, he ran his tongue over his lips and said softly, “This, and the taste of chocolate.”

Deep inside Liss a throbbing began, and she looked quickly down at her plate. Dammit, she thought, she was not going to become number four on his list, or ten or twenty or anything, and he was not going to use her to keep the unwanted ones at bay.

* * * *

When the last crumbs of chocolate cake had been scraped off plates, Kirk leaned back, looking satisfied.

“Wonderful,” he said. “Thank you, Liss.”

 “You’re welcome. Would anyone like more coffee?”

“Kirk and I will have some,” Gina said, pushing back her chair. “You can bring it into the living room for us.”

“Not a chance,” Kirk said. “If you want more coffee, you’ll have it while you clear the table.”

Gina lifted her imperious nose. “While I do what?”

 “You heard me,” he said pleasantly.

Gina turned to Liss and gave her a sweeping, appraising stare that, after the assessment was complete, became dismissive. Facing Kirk again, she said, “I beg your pardon, but what would she be doing if I were to clear the table?”

“Taking a well-deserved break. Who do you think cooked all that food you pigged out on?”

“I,” Gina said, “did not `pig out’ on anything.”

Patty stood and rubbed her stomach. “Well, I certainly did. That was a great meal, Liss, and even if Kirk hadn’t suggested it, I was prepared to clean up by way of saying thanks. I’ll scrape and rinse if you’ll load the dishwasher, Kristy. Come on, cousin, dear,” she said to Gina. “It won’t break your pretty nails to clear a table for once in your useless life.” She shook her head. “And to think you imagined yourself as a rancher’s wife.”

“But I’d make a won—Kirk! Where are you going?”

He smiled as he tugged on his jacket. “I’m going to milk.”

“Then I’ll join you,” Gina said.

“Can I come, too, Kirk?” Ryan asked.

“Sure,” he said with almost laughable eagerness as Gina, with a petulant huff, subsided back into her chair. Kirk gave Liss a guilty look. “Unless your mother objects?” His eyes begged her not to.

“It’s okay,” Liss said to her son, far more because she knew he loved “helping” adults than because she wanted to let Kirk hide behind him. “But come in as soon as the milking is done. You’re going to follow your brother right into the tub.”

Gina and Kristy were gone by the time Liss had Jason bathed and came downstairs looking for Ryan. Patty was just finishing up in the kitchen, and Liss suspected she’d gotten stuck with the entire job. “Thanks,” she said with sincere gratitude. “The kitchen looks great.”

“My pleasure.” She gave Liss a friendly smile. “But I have to be getting on home now. It’s snowing heavily again.” She picked up the dish she’d brought, emptied now of its delicious zucchini-tomato casserole, which they’d enjoyed with dinner. “I like your children, Liss,” she added. “Are you interested in putting either or both of them in preschool? I teach first and second grades at the local elementary, but there’s a nursery group as well, and joining it would be a good way for your kids to make friends in the area. There are none their age living very near this ranch.”

As Liss walked the younger woman to the front door, she considered that there were no people of any age living what she would call “very near” the ranch. All she said, though, was “Thanks. I’ll give it some thought.”

It really was snowing hard, she saw as Patty left. So much for the bright sunshine she’d enjoyed that day and anticipated for tomorrow. As she shut the door, she glanced at her watch. It was long past time Ryan should have been in bed. She’d have to go out and get him. To the barn. To where Kirk was. She forcibly calmed the butterflies in her stomach, put on her coat and boots, drew in a deep breath, and stepped outside.

“You hold it like this,” Kirk was saying as he and Ryan bent over something. They were sitting on a bench in a snug little room between the milking parlor and the vast remainder of the calving barn. Their backs were to the doorway, and she heard Kirk continue, “Then ease it ahead, always away from you, never toward you, and turn your wrist a little bit. Yes, that’s it! Good boy!”

“Will I be able to make things like you do?” Ryan asked, and Liss’s heart ached at the adoring look in his eyes as he gazed at the man.

“Sure you will.”

“Will you teach me other stuff, too, so I can look after the ranch when I’m big?”

“You bet, buddy. If you’re going to grow up to be a rancher, you’ll need to learn lots of things.” Kirk’s smile was nothing short of tender as he brushed Ryan’s hair back from his brow, and for a moment Liss felt like an intruder into something very special, very masculine. A male bonding maybe, which she, as a woman, shouldn’t witness.

“When will I be able to do it like you do?” Ryan asked. “Soon?”

“Well, maybe not right away,” Kirk said, “but in a year or two you’ll be making lots of different things. I didn’t start till I was older than you, so you’ll probably learn faster than I did.”

“Learn what?” Liss asked, stepping into the room.

“Whittlin’,” Ryan said, turning to beam at her. An enormous knife was clenched in one very small fist, a piece of wood in the other. “Look, Mom!” He waved both stick and knife. The blade gleamed in the light shining down from overhead. “Kirk said I could.”

Liss closed her eyes for a second and shuddered. If this was what male bonding was all about, she was glad she’d interrupted! “I . . . see. Ryan, give the knife back to Kirk, very, very carefully.”