“I know what you need right now.”
Richard turned to him and lifted his chin in a typical mute inquiry.
* * * *
Wednesday after lunch, Kendall and Maya sat at the kitchen table and talked about moving her to Divine permanently.
“I don’t think you should list the house with Frank Reeves, Maya, especially not after all the e-mails he sent you.”
Maya shook her head. “I have several friends who can handle selling the house for me. We don’t have to involve him at all. Morgan had left me detailed instructions of what to do if something ever happened to him.”
“Morgan was always good at seeing the big picture and planning ahead.”
Maya was relieved when the memory evoked no pain or melancholy, merely a welling of gratitude to her deceased husband. “There was a key to a safe-deposit box in last week’s letter.” Had it only been last week that she’d received the letter?
“Any idea what’s inside of it?”
“No idea. I didn’t even know he had one. We had a big safe at home.”
They decided to return to her house that Saturday morning and pack her essentials and hire a moving company to handle everything else. Maya wondered if her men would be shocked by what she called necessities.
* * * *
That evening, Maya smiled at Kendall as he pulled open the massive inlaid wood door and escorted her in gentlemanly fashion into the entry of O’Reilley’s Restaurant. The luscious aroma of grilled steaks and other cuisine assaulted her senses and made her mouth water. The interior of the waiting area was decorated in typical Texas Hill Country style, with dark red-tiled floors, and long wooden benches along two walls. Large mirrors hung on the walls, and windows looked out onto a walled terrace festooned with foxtail ferns and other greenery.
Kendall nodded at several others who waited in the entryway after giving his name to the hostess. Maya spotted several lingering looks directed Kendall’s way from women in the room, but he didn’t appear to notice. He smiled down at her and kissed her tenderly before greeting another rancher and his wife who’d just come in the door.
Within minutes the entry was filled with a number of couples and groups waiting for tables, and Maya recognized several of them from the assembly she’d encountered outside of Batson’s a few days before. One of the women who had stood staring into the window of Batson’s Grocery Store was with one of the groups. Maya didn’t have to wonder what she was thinking, because it was obvious in the superior, judgmental gaze she cast coolly in Maya’s direction.
She did a mental cringe as she realized she’d forgotten about the note tucked in her purse. It was still there. Not wanting to ruin their evening out, Maya resolved to give it to him later. She took a lesson from Kendall and ignored the others in the room and focused her attention on him and the conversation he was having with the older couple that had walked up.
“Warner!” the hostess called out.
Kendall placed his hand at her lower back and turned to say his good-byes to the couple as a woman behind her whispered loud enough for Maya to hear, “Which one?”
Maya turned to her, noting her self-righteous posture, and said simply, “All of them, of course.”
The woman gasped and sharply elbowed her companion, who giggled and murmured, “Lucky girl.” Maya winked at her and allowed Kendall to lead her forward from the waiting area into the dining room. He quirked an eyebrow at her in inquiry but she shook her head, determined to not let anything ruin their evening.
She was glad she’d brought a dressier outfit, otherwise she would’ve felt out of place. Sometimes she envied her men the simplicity of their clothing choices. The only difference for them between daytime wear and nighttime wear was a little bit of starch in the shirt, a crease in the blue jeans, and a different pair of boots.
Not that she’d minded dressing up for him. She’d felt sexy as she’d slipped into the ass-hugging black skirt with the slit up the side, and the silky, ultrafeminine top that went over it. High, black wedge heels and diamonds at her wrist, throat, and ears set the outfit off perfectly. Kendall’s eyes had been full of admiration when she’d come from the bedroom.
The hostess seated them at their table in the main dining room, and a waitress immediately appeared to take their drink orders. Kendall stroked her hand on the tabletop as they shared a quiet moment looking at their menus.
Maya glanced up at a noise and looked directly into the eyes of a dark-haired woman two tables away. She was seated with her husband and toddler son. The husband followed the woman’s gaze and seemed embarrassed when he glanced back at his wife.