Lizzy's cheeks burned as she remembered those moments of being held in his arms, of his hard masculine body so close to hers. She'd wanted to stand in his strong, warm embrace forever.
"I'll admit that I have a crazy attraction to him," Lizzy replied.
"He didn't exactly look completely immune to you, either," Courtney replied. She tucked a strand of her long dark brown hair behind one ear. "I think everyone was shocked to see him with you today. He's been totally shut off from everything and everyone for a long time."
"It's just a friendship kind of thing," Lizzy replied, although the jump in her heart whenever she thought of him or said his name aloud told her otherwise. "Besides, it doesn't matter that he was there for me today. I'm leaving town soon, and he's still hung up on his wife. That's a festering wound, and who knows if it will ever heal."
"Even so, it's nice to see him coming alive again. He's never been the same since the car accident." Once again Courtney's gaze went to Garrett. "Nothing has been the same since then."
"I know Garrett's dad isn't in your life, but is he in the area? A homegrown boy?" Lizzy desperately wanted to talk about something other than murder, and she didn't want to think about Daniel because thoughts of him pulled forth a deep yearning inside her that was almost scary.
"He's a homegrown guy," Courtney replied after a long moment of hesitation. "But, he doesn't know about Garrett. He left town before he even knew I was pregnant."
"So, he doesn't know he's a daddy? Don't you know where he is? Can't you get in contact with him to let him know?" Lizzy knew that Courtney was estranged from her parents. The young woman had nobody to help her, either financially or emotionally.
Courtney's pretty features hardened. "Even if I could call him to tell him right now, I don't think I would." She sighed and her eyes filled with pain. "Daniel's life wasn't the only one that changed with that damned car accident. Garrett's father is Nick Benson, but you have to promise you won't tell anyone that. Nobody knows this."
Lizzy looked at her in surprise. "Nobody knew you and Nick had something going on?"
Courtney shook her head. "It's a long story and I don't want to go into it now, but no, nobody knew Nick and I were dating, and then he left town on the day of Cherry's funeral and I've never heard from him since."
There was no disguising the bitterness that laced Courtney's voice as she said his name. "And he broke your heart," Lizzy said softly.
Courtney nodded and then lifted her chin. "But, I'm so over it. I'm so over him. I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted."
An hour later Lizzy was still awake in the darkened room. She could hear the sound of Courtney's breathing, soft and rhythmic in sleep, but no matter how hard Lizzy tried to fall asleep, it just wasn't happening.
Her mind was still too filled with the day's events, with thoughts of Candy and murder, and Mary trying to hold everyone together. She stared up at the dark ceiling as she thought of what Courtney had told her about Garrett's father.
It was amazing how a single incident in a life could have such a rippling effect for so many people. The accident that had claimed Daniel's wife and her best friend had not only broken Daniel but had also apparently affected Courtney, as well. And it would continue on with Garrett, who might never know his father unless something happened to change that.
Every action had a reaction and people touched other people's lives in unexpected and unforeseen ways. When she left Grady Gulch she would take a piece of the handsome, sad cowboy named Daniel with her, and she wondered if her brief sojourn into his life would leave them better or worse than they'd been before she'd arrived in town.
It was almost ten when Lizzy awoke the next morning, surprised to find herself alone in the cabin. A note next to her on the bed let her know that Courtney had gotten up early and she and her son had gone to their own cabin and she'd be back later to get the playpen when she was sure Lizzy was awake.
Lizzy got out of the sofa bed and headed for the bathroom, eager to get showered and dressed and head into the café. She wanted to know the latest on Candy's murder. Hopefully the news was that the murderer was behind bars.
Half an hour later as she made the walk from the cabin to the back door of the café, she wondered if she'd see Daniel today. There was really no reason to believe that she would. The only reason he'd come in the day before was because he hadn't known who the victim had been. There was no reason to believe she'd see him before tomorrow night when he made his usual Friday night trip.
As she walked into the kitchen she saw Rusty Albright manning the grill. He cast her a quick, sympathetic glance. "Morning, Lizzy."
"Good morning, Rusty. What's the news?" Lizzy asked.
"There isn't much," he replied. He flipped a couple of pancakes over and then turned to look at her. "Sheriff hasn't been in this morning, although I heard from the grapevine that the only suspect on his list at the moment is Candy's boyfriend." His blue eyes grew dark. "I just wish I would have heard something, could have somehow helped Candy. I was right there in that cabin and slept through that poor girl's death." He shook his head and turned back to face the grill.
It was the longest conversation Lizzy had ever had with the man, but she knew exactly how he felt. She felt the same way. "I'll talk to you later, Rusty," she said just before she left the kitchen and stepped into the dining area.
She slid onto a stool at the counter and smiled at her boss, who set a cup in front of Lizzy and then filled it with coffee. "Thanks," Lizzy said. "Any news?"
Mary shook her head. "Nothing worth reporting." Mary looked around the buzzing café. "We've been busier than usual this morning and there's been a lot of rumors flying around, but that's all they are."
"You need me to suit up now instead of waiting until two?" Lizzy asked. "I don't have any plans for the day."
Mary gave her a grateful smile. "If you don't mind, that would be great, and then maybe I can let you off early this evening."
As Lizzy went back to her cabin to change into her Cowboy Café T-shirt to work, she told herself that the only reason she was sticking around for a while longer in Grady Gulch was because Mary needed her. It had nothing to do with Daniel Jefferson, nothing to do with him at all.
For the next several hours Lizzy had no time to think of anything or anyone but serving the customers who came in for the lunch rush.
It was just after four in the afternoon when the Benson brothers came in and slid into a booth in the section where Lizzy was working.
"Hi, Sam … Adam." She greeted the two handsome men with a smile and tried not to think about the fact that the brothers had a little nephew they didn't even know existed.
"Hey, Lizzy," Sam replied with a smile. "I hope you're doing better today than yesterday."
"A little," she replied. "Although I'd be doing better if I knew somebody was in jail for Candy's murder."
"We'd all feel better if that was the case," Adam said.
"What can I get for the two of you?" Lizzy asked.
She'd just finished taking their orders when she looked up and saw that Daniel had entered the café. Instantly Lizzy's heart stepped up its rhythm.
She placed the order at the pass window and then walked back to where Daniel had slid into one of the booths in her section. "You're making this place quite a habit," she said in greeting.
He smiled at her. "I could have worse habits."
The warmth that his smile sent through her gave her both a thrill and a warning. She couldn't get mired in the warmth of that smile, in the very charm of him and the growing feelings she had for him. "What can I get for you?"
"Pot roast the special tonight?" he asked. "And do you have time to take a break and eat some with me?"
Currently there was a small lull in the café traffic, and Lizzy had a feeling if she was going to get a break in before the dinner rush it had better be soon. "I'll check with Mary. Anything to drink?"
"Iced tea."
Fifteen minutes later, with the rest of her customers momentarily taken care of and with two pot roast specials in her hands, she went back to his booth. She served him and then slid into the booth, across from him.