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“Pickup for Lassiter,” the bartender called loudly as he came out from the kitchen.
Dodge had been watching Maisie and saw her head whip in his direction as she must have heard the bartender call out his name. He ducked his head, grabbed the food, thankful he’d already paid, and hurried from the bar.
He’d hoped she hadn’t seen him, but then remembered he’d parked by the patio, not realizing she was sitting out there when he’d pulled up. He kept his head down as he strode toward his truck and got in as quickly as he could. He tossed the food into the seat next to him and started the engine but couldn’t help glancing toward the patio one more time.
Maisie was staring right at him. She raised a hand to wave and started to stand from her chair.
Ignoring her, and the sharp stab of pain that sliced through his chest, he wrenched the truck into gear and pulled out of the parking lot.
What the hell?Maisie fumed as Dodge sped away. Clearly, he’d seen her.Andignored her feeble attempt at a wave.
What was he doing here? Was he spying on her?
The phone had been on speaker when she’d made the date, so Dodge knew she was meeting Pete tonight at this restaurant at six o’clock. He had to have known they’d still be here. It couldn’t have been a coincidence that he was here at the same time.
A small frisson of hope bloomed in her chest. Was he jealous? Did he say she should be with Pete, but still wish she were with him?
She didn’t know, but she was going to get some answers.
Just as soon as this date ended.
She declined dessert and tried to call Dodge from the bathroom while Pete settled the bill but got no answer.
She’d gotten her Subaru back from the shop the day before and was a little nervous as Pete walked her to her car. What if he tried to kiss her goodnight? It felt wrong letting another guy kiss her when all she could think about was Dodge.
But Dodge wasn’t thinking about her. This date had been his idea.
She made up her mind that if he tried to kiss her, she would let him. Maybe there would be a spark, even a tiny glimmer of attraction or desire that might make her want to go on another date with the handsome rancher. That might help her to forget the only man she’d ever really loved.
“I had a really good time tonight,” Pete told her as they approached her car.
“Me, too,” she said, turning to look up at him. “Thanks for dinner. It was nice.” She meant it. Dinner with Pete had been nice. But he still wasn’t Dodge.
Pete leaned in. “I’d really like to kiss you. Is that okay?”
She liked that he asked for her consent and didn’t just assault her with his mouth and jam his tongue down her throat. She’d almost gagged when one of her past dates had tried that.
She nodded up at Pete, determined to at least give him a chance. He reached up and cupped her neck with his hand. Drawing her closer, he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her lips.
It was a nice kiss. Sweet. But didn’t cause any fireworks or surges of heat to race through her veins. That’s how everything about the date with Pete had been. Nice, but no fireworks or surges of heat.
Pete looked a little shaken as he pulled away.
“You okay?” she asked, resting her hand on his arm.
He nodded. “Yeah. I just haven’t dated, or kissed, many women since my wife died. In fact, I’ve only gone out with one other person, and she kissed me at the end of the night.”
Maisie squeezed his arm, feeling compassion for him as well as friendship. She did like him. “Thank you for everything, Pete. I’ll see you next week.”
She got into her car and pulled out of the driveway. As she approached the one stoplight in town, she pondered her decision. Go right and head home, take a bath, read a book, and forget about Dodge Lassiter. Or go left, toward the Lassiter Ranch, and try to talk to the man who she’d just be thinking about anyway. Why had he come to the restaurant? Did he still want her?
She lifted her blinker and turned left.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Maisie pulled up to the ranch but was disappointed not to see Dodge’s truck. Maybe she’d gotten it all wrong, and he’d been on a date himself and was just picking up burgers to go.
This was a dumb idea. He had told her that he didn’t want a future with her. Why was she out here? And still pining after the same man she’d been fantasizing about for the last decade of her life?
