CHAPTER FOUR
HENRY TOOK HER to the local steak house, not that there was that much to choose from in Gilt Edge. “The food won’t be as good as yours,” he whispered. “I’m hoping the company will make up for it.”
She’d breathed in the night, feeling free, and given him a smile. “I intend to enjoy all of it.”
“Good—me, too.” He led her to a table on which sat a vase with a single red rose in it. She noticed it was the only table with one. Henry’s doing? A candle burned in a pretty blue demitasse cup at the center of the table. They were seated in a back corner, making it feel intimate—and really like a date.
“My sons gave me a hard time before I left the house,” he said after he’d ordered a bottle of wine and several appetizers for them, saying they should probably check out the competition. “I caught them off guard since I haven’t dated since... Well,” he said with a laugh. “Since long before they were born.”
“Were they upset with you?”
“They wanted to give me a curfew.”
The waitress brought out the bottle of wine, opened it and poured. Billie Dee studied Henry in the candlelight. He really was a handsome cowboy and so sweet and thoughtful. She felt as if she should pinch herself. But at the same time, she couldn’t help but wonder at her luck. Why was this happening now?
After the waitress left, he raised his glass. “To you, Billie Dee Rhodes.”
She clinked her glass with his. “Thank you. This is...marvelous.” It surprised her how comfortable she felt with him. All those mornings together over cups of coffee...it wasn’t as if they’d really talked about themselves or their pasts. Maybe knowing she could be dead in a day or two had taken away the normal stress of a first date.
“My son Tom says I don’t know anything about you.”
Billie Dee took a sip of her wine, her pulse pounding a little harder. “What did you tell him?”
“That I knew enough.” He raised his glass and took a sip before putting it down again. “I’m more interested in the future than the past. Also, I’ve found that people usually aren’t what they appear, even if you think you know them well.”
She felt her heart sink. What was he trying to tell her?
“For instance, you look at me and all you see is a widower rancher with a lot of time on his hands.”
Billie Dee shook her head. “I see a lot more than that.”
He smiled, his blue eyes lighting. “Well, it’s the same with you. I see a woman who makes me smile. When I’m around you, I feel young and wonderfully foolish. I love that we don’t know each other well. Yet.”
The waitress brought out their appetizers and Billie Dee was relieved when he changed the subject as they nibbled before their salads came out. As they ate, they talked about food they loved, restaurants they wanted to try down in Billings, the largest city in Montana, and taking the dinner train when it reopened in the spring.
Over medium-rare steaks, baked potatoes as large as their heads and grilled zucchini, they laughed about movies they loved and hated.
Billie Dee couldn’t remember a meal that she’d enjoyed more and told him as much.
“I hope we can do this again.”
“Me, too,” she said, meaning it more than he could know.
He pointed toward the front window. She turned to see that it had started to snow. “Have you ever had snow ice cream?” he asked, sounding excited. When she shook her head, he said, “Then we definitely have to make it. I think you should come up to the ranch soon. We can have dinner or go on a picnic up to our cabin in the mountains, you can meet my sons—”
“Henry.”
“Moving too fast?” he asked and she nodded. “Sorry. I’ve never thrown caution to the wind. You make me want to because I might be slow making a decision, but once I do...” He sighed. “The truth is, before I met you I was feeling as if the best part of my life was over. But now...” He laughed. “I feel like I’ve been given a second chance. I want to have some fun and I feel like the sky is the limit for the two of us. Are you up for some fun?”
She laughed, amazed at this man. He’d always been so shy around her. She hadn’t expected him to even get up the courage to ask her out. So what had changed? He’d sensed something wrong with her this morning and now this?
Why now? she wondered again, but instead she said, “I don’t know what to say.” She met his blue gaze and held it. What was he proposing? Whatever it was, she wanted to see it through more than she had ever wanted anything.
There was just that one problem. A killer was out there who would be coming for her. Barnes could already be in Gilt Edge.
“Who knows what the future holds?” she said. “But nothing sounds better than spending it having fun with you.”
He raised his water glass since their wineglasses were empty. “To many adventures.” She clinked her water glass to his and tried not to cry.
They had dessert and coffee. “When you say adventure, tell me you aren’t talking bungee jumping off some high bridge.”
He smiled. “No, but if you felt the need, I’d be right there beside you.”
On the way back to her house, Henry drove slowly through the falling snow. “I’ve never asked you how you feel about horses.”
He’d never asked her about a lot of things. Like her past. “I love horses. I used to ride when I was younger.”
He nodded and smiled. “Good to hear.”
She’d thought he’d ask something more personal, but he didn’t. He seemed content to take that part slow. Or maybe he didn’t care about her past—or her present, given he’d definitely seen the man who’d been watching her house from across the street.
As he pulled in front of her house, she looked toward the grove of trees across the street. She didn’t see anyone. Not that she could see far through the whirling snow.
Henry walked her to her door. She thought he might ask to come in since he was “throwing caution to the wind.” But he didn’t even try to kiss her. Instead he said, “I had a wonderful time.”
“Me, too.”
“Good—we’ll do it again. Billie Dee, we can take this as slow as you want.”
She nodded, feeling tears well in her eyes. She’d never wanted more time than she did at that moment.
He touched her arm and started to turn toward his car, but hesitated and leaned back in her direction. She thought he’d changed his mind. But he hadn’t turned back to kiss her.
“I know you’re struggling with something,” he said. “You might be surprised that I am more than capable of helping you. Should you ever decide to trust me.” He tipped the brim of his Stetson. “You have my number.”
* * *
“HOW WAS YOUR DATE?” C.J. asked as Henry came in through the mudroom.
“Very nice, thank you.” He took off his coat and hung it up along with his hat before pulling off his shoes. Laurie had insisted that no shoes be worn in the house.
“This is a ranch,” he used to argue.
“Exactly.”
He realized that C.J. was studying him.
“Just nice?” his son asked.
“I had a wonderful time. Better?”
“You’re home awfully early,” Tom said, coming into the kitchen to pour himself a glass of milk.
Henry saw that Anna from the ranch next door must have stopped by because there was a plate of chocolate-chip cookies on the counter. He should never have told Anna that they were his favorite.
“I’m going to see Billie Dee again,” he told his sons. “If she’ll go out with me, I’m going to see her as much as I can.”
“Okay.” C.J. looked to his brother.
“So you like her,” Tom said.
Henry nodded and smiled. “I like her a lot. Now, if that’s all, I think I’ll go read before bed. Unless there’s something either of you want to discuss?” C.J. shook his head. Tom frowned, but finally shook his head, as well. “Then good night.”
“Was he just humming on his way up to bed?” he heard C.J. say. “You think he’s serious about this woman?” Henry stopped at the top of the stairs and looked back down at them over the open railing.
“For the record, I’m very serious about Billie Dee. But don’t get your undershorts in a bunch just yet. I’m not sure she feels the same way about me.” He thought about the man he’d seen watching her across the street from her house. There was still a whole lot up in the air.