Cowboy Kisses (11 page)

Handing her the last anchovy
-
less slice of pizza, Steve smiled at Kenzie.
“
I’m glad
I
won’t have to get along without you,
”
he said softly. Then he glanced at his watch.
“
It’s still pretty early. Unless you have another eight thirty
curfew, wan
t to do something else, go some
where when we’re done here?
”

Kenzie laughed.
“
No early curfew tonight. But how about coming to my house for a while? Adam has some computer ga
mes I think you’d like, and if I
ask him ve
r
y nicely, he just might let us play them.
”

Steve agreed that sounded like fun, and when they had finished their meal, they drove to Kenzie’s house. She was about to get out of the pickup when Steve took her hand. Pulling her close, he murmured,
“
I’m not taking any chances on your brother sabotaging our goodnight kiss when I leave.
”

“
Hmm,
”
Kenzie said when their lips finally parted.
“
I think I might be acquiring a taste for anchovies!
”

After another long, salty kiss, Steve said.
“
How about staying after work tomorrow? We could take Cheyenne and Ali for a ride, and then I’ll drive you home.
”

“
Sounds wonderful,
”
Kenzie said. And then she remembered her date with Paul.
“
Oh, Steve, I’m sorry—I really can’t.
”
She sighed.
“
I already have plans.
”

“
Couldn’t you get out of it?
”
Steve asked, nuzzling her neck.

Kenzie gently pulled away and shook her head.
“
I wish I could, but—well, I can’t, that’s all.
”
Paul was a nice guy—she couldn’t just call him on the phone, cancel their date, and then casually tell him she didn’t want to go out with him an
y
more. They’d known each other too long for that.

Steve wasn’t smiling now.
“
Got a date, huh?
”
he said. Before she could reply, he asked,
“
Anyone I know?
”

“
I told Paul I’d go to the movies with him
,”
Kenzie said quickly,
“
but—
”

“
The guy we ran into at the pizza parlor? The one with the flashy sports car?
”
Steve inter
rupted.

Kenzie tried to explain.
“
Yes, but after tomorrow night—
”

“
He’s one of your count
r
y club pals, right?
”

Kenzie was getting angry now. What was the matter with Steve? Hadn’t she showed him that she cared about him? Did he expect her to prove how much she cared by dropping all her old friends?
“
Yes, he’s a member of the club, but I’m not anymore, remember?
”
she snapped.
“
If you’ll just let me get a word in edgewise, I’ve been trying to tell you—
”

“
You don’t have to tell me anything I don’t already know,
”
Steve said.
“
I thought we had something special between us, but I guess I was wrong.
”
Leaning across Kenzie, he opened the door on her side of the truck.
“
I don’t feel l
ike playing computer games anymore—the game you’ve been playing is enough for one night. Have fun on your date, Kenzie. See you around.
”

Tears stung Kenzie’s eyes as she got out, slamming the door behind her. A moment later, Steve drove off down the street. He d
idn’t look back, not even once.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Kenzie hurried into the house, glad that neither her parents nor Adam was around to see her tears. She went into the den, closed the door, and dialed Jeanette’s number. Her friend answered right away.

“
How was your date with Deputy Ramrod?
”
Jeanette asked with a giggle.
“
Or is he Dudley Do-Right these days?
”

Kenzie fumbled in her pocket for a tissue and dabbed at her eyes.
“
Everything was perfect until he asked me to go riding with him tomorrow after work.
”

“
Sounds like a dream date,
”
Jeanette said.
“
So what’s the problem? You sound really down.
”

Kenzie sighed.
“
I’m supposed to go to the movies with Paul, remember? When I told Steve, he got really mad. He still seems to th
in
k I’m a snob, and that I want to go out with Paul because he belongs to the country club and he has a fancy car.
”

“
Not again!
”
Jeanette groaned.
“
I thought you two had that all worked out.
”

“I
thought so, too, but
I
guess we didn’t,
”
Kenzie said with a sniffle.
“
And now I’m totally miserable because I’m totally in love with Steve, and he
hates
me!
”

Jeanette snorted.
“
Oh, Kenzie, he does not. But he
is
acting like a jerk, and there are plenty of other fish in the sea—Paul, for instance.
”

“
Paul’s awfully nice, and I’m really fond of him,
”
Kenzie said,
“
but I can’t think of him as anything more than a good friend. That’s what I’m going to tell him tomorrow night.
”

“
You’re kidding!
”
Jeanette exclaimed.
“
He’ll be absolutely crushed, and you’ll wind up with no boyfriend at all! Take my advice, Kenzie. Forget about Steve and give Paul a chance.
”

“
How can I forget about Steve when I work with him at the Lucky R six days a week?
”
Kenzie moaned.
“
And that reminds me—the painting party I told you about is going to be on the Fourth of July. Do you think you and Brad could come for a while?
”

“
And watch you moping around that cowboy instead of going to the big party at the club? Doesn’t sound like much fun to me,
”
Jeanette said.

“
Be
lieve me, I
won’t mope,
”
Kenzie declared. “
As of half an hour ago
,
Steve and I are nothing more than coworkers, and I’ll just have to accept that. So what do you say? Will you help out on the Fourth for a few hours? You could still make the club barbecue—it doesn’t start until late afternoon. And I could really use some moral support.
”

“
Well, when you put it that way, I guess I can’t refuse,
”
Jeanette said reluctantly.
“
I’ll have to talk to Brad, and I’ll let you know one way or the other.
”

“
Thanks, Jeanette,
”
Kenzie said.
“
You’re a real pal.
”
Just then the door opened and her mother came into the room, pointing at the telephone.
“
Listen, I have to go.
”
Kenzie told her friend.
“
Mom needs the phone.
”

“
Okay, but I wish you’d reconsider about breaking Paul’s heart,
”
Jeanette said. “
I think you’re making a big mistake.
”

Kenzie replaced the receiver and stood up.
“
Your turn,
”
she said to her mother. As Mrs. Sullivan sat down at the desk, Kenzie noticed that she looked preoccupied.
“
What’s wrong
,
Mom?
”
she asked anxiously.
“
Dad’s deal with Mr. Ellis didn’t fall through, did it?
”

Mrs. Sullivan shook her head.
“
No, honey, nothing like that. The caterer that usually handles the Yarborough Insurance open house can’t do it this year, and I’m still trying to find a replacement. Everyone I’ve called so far is booked solid, and the party’s in two weeks.
”

Momentarily distracted from her own problems, Kenzie had an idea.
“
Hank’s wife, Nora, just started a catering business,
”
she said.
“
I’ve tasted some of her food. Nora’s a super cook, and I bet she’d be available. I have her number—why don’t you give her a call?
”

Her mother hesitated for a moment, then smiled.
“
I guess it wouldn’t hurt to take a c
hance on someone new. After all,
Hank took a chance on you, so I’ll be returning the favor.
”
As Kenzie wrote down the phone number of the Lucky R, Mrs. Sullivan added.
“I’ll
tell Nora she comes highly recommended!
”

Kenzie gave her a hug.
“
I hope it works out for both of you.
”
If only her own problems could be solved so easily!

Wednesday at the Lucky R was difficult for Kenzie. For the first time since she had started working there, she didn’t enjoy her job. Steve avoided Kenzie as much as possible, and when it was necessary for them to speak during the therapeutic riding session, he said very little. His eyes held no hint of the tender moments they had shared, moments that Kenzie still treasured. If Sarah or Greg sensed the tension between them, they didn’t say anything. But they were so absorbed in each other these days that Kenzie d
oubted if they’d notice the Con
corde landing in one of the corrals.

The day seemed to go on forever, and when evening finally came, Kenzie prepared to face yet another hurdle—her date with Paul. When he picked her up, Kenzie was glad that he suggested going to the Ice Cream Factory in the mall instead of to a movie. Being honest with him about her feelings might be easier with a hot fudge sundae to bolster her courage.

As they walked into the ice cream parlor and found a table, Kenzie noticed how many girls gave Paul admiring
glances. He was definitely gor
geous, but Paul wasn’t the one who made her heart do flip-flops every time she saw him. And he wasn’t the one whose kisses she would never
forget.

“
I must be nuts,
”
Kenzie muttered under her
breath.

“
Nuts?
”
Paul repeated, putting their sundaes on the table.
“
I thought you didn’t want nuts.
”

“
I don’t,
”
Kenzie said.
“
Just talking to myself, that’s all.
”

They began to eat their ice cream, and Kenzie tried to come up with some casual way to bring up the subject that was on her mind. Glancing at Paul, she noticed that he seemed to be deep in thought, too. Was it her imagination, or was he as nervous as she was?

Finally Paul spoke.
“
Brad said you can’t make the Fourth of July party at Silver Hills.
”

“
That’s right,
”
Kenzie replied.
“
I promised to help paint the
barn
at the Lucky R for the own
ers’ anniversary present, and the Fourth is the only day we all have off.
”

Paul nodded. “
Brad told me that, too. In fact, Jeanette’s trying to convince him to help. I told him it
sounded like fun, and he said I was in
vited. Do you want me to come, Kenzie?
”

He’d given her the opening she needed, and Kenzie took a deep breath.
“
Paul, I have some
thing to tell you.
”
She swallowed hard.
“
There’s no easy way to say this. I really like you—I’ve always liked you a lot. But—well, I don’t think we ought to keep on da
ting. What I’m trying to say is
...
”
Her courage failed and her voice trailed off.

Paul leaned against the back of the booth, folding his arms across his chest.
“
You’re
try
ing to say you’re not in love with me, but you want us to stay friends, right?
”

Kenzie nodded, hoping he wouldn’t be too upset.

His sudden burst of laughter startled her.
“
I don’t believe this!
”
Paul reached across the table and took her hand.
“
I was about to tell you the same thing!
”

Kenzie just stared at him. This certainly wasn’t the reaction she’d expected.