Maizy the Bear Charmer(Diving Creek Ranch 16)(8)

Cody said, “Believe me, Miss Owen—”

“Owen,” Spencer said and then smacked himself on the forehead. “You’re related to Patrick Owen, aren’t you?”

Maizy nodded and smiled. “He’s my brother.” She waited for the comment about her “odd duck” coloring in their fair-haired family.

Spencer’s eyes twinkled. “We know him. I thought there was something familiar about your eyes earlier.” She smiled. That was an astute observation, given that Patrick’s eyes were blue. She and Patrick had inherited the shape and tilt of their eyes from their mother.

Cody said, “Anyway, believe me, Miss Owen, we don’t care about the rain. We’ve been looking for you for months.”

Tension ratcheted back up a notch. They worked in security. What the hell was up? “Why? Where do you know me from?”

“We first saw you on Halloween night last year, at the Dancing Pony.”

Crap! Her heart lurched again, painfully this time.

“That was you, wasn’t it?” Spencer asked earnestly. “There was no mistaking you this morning, with the way you move.” She frowned and he hastily added, “We’re not stalking you, Maizy. Please don’t be upset. We’ve wanted to meet you since that night.”

She bit her lip in uncertainty. Intuition told her they weren’t stalkers and something about their hopeful expressions, in combination with the enormous strength each of them obviously possessed, actually made her feel quite safe.

“I could get into trouble with my employer and the school board if they knew I was belly dancing in public like that. Please don’t tell anyone.” What reason could they possibly have for bringing that night up, unless they thought she was loose or wanted to hold it over her head?

Cody frowned. “We wouldn’t tell anyone. You were—”

“I know what I was, Cody, thank you. I was told repeatedly by my ex-fiancé in no uncertain terms. Belly dancing is a hobby, not my profession.”

Cody’s lips pressed together in a frown and she had the distinct impression he didn’t like being interrupted. For some reason that thought made her want to giggle…and interrupt him again. Her ricocheting emotions were giving her whiplash.

“Your shoes are getting wet, Maizy.” He moved closer and gestured for her to climb into her car. Her pumps were getting wet, along with her lace catsuit. The reminder made her cheeks hot.

“But I still don’t understand.” She climbed into the vehicle and started it. They shut the door and she rolled down her window as they squatted down so she could still see them. Even squatting down, they were massive in their combined presence, which completely blocked the rain from coming in the window.

Cody checked his watch and smiled. “Let me try again to explain. We’ve been looking for you because we wanted to meet you, Maizy. It sounds to me like your ex didn’t care for you being the center of attention. I’m glad to hear he’s an ex. We were disappointed when we couldn’t find you after you’d finished dancing.” She glanced from one handsome face to another. They seemed sincere.

“Well…I’m pleased to meet all of you.”

“And we want to go out with you.”

She turned her key in the ignition and jumped in surprise when a horrific grinding sound erupted from the starter. Then her eyebrows rose and her jaw dropped. “I’m sorry. What?”

Spencer said, “You know about Patrick, Beck, and Lucy, right?” He was so solemn. So purposeful.

She nodded dumbly and then shook her head to clear the surprise. “Of course.”

Cody put his big hand over hers on the rolled down window. His warm touch was surprisingly reassuring, given the direction the conversation had just taken. “We want to go out with you.”

Heath grinned and his eyes took on a wicked twinkle. Oh, you’re in trouble, girl. That’s a panty-dropper of a grin. She looked at Spencer and he verified Cody’s words with a nod, but no hint of a smile. He seemed the most serious of the three.

And all three of them were squatting outside her car in the rain asking her out on a date. Me?

Cody released her hand and patted the car. “We’ll let you get on to work. You’ll call me?”

She saw the hope in his eyes, in all their eyes, and she wondered in what universe stuff like this happened because it didn’t happen to her. She recalled her thoughts from earlier, that being free of Chaz might lead her to the life she was intended to have. Yeah, sometimes a door closes and a portal to an alternate reality opens up!

She blinked her eyes again. “You want to go out with me. All…three of you? I need to be clear on this.”