He’d done so, but now that he was back in her presence, he found it difficult to keep memories from surfacing and wished he could take her out again, dance with her and kiss her, because it had been an exciting, fun night.
Her long slender fingers thumbed through the notebook she held as she turned to a page of figures. He recalled her soft hands trailing across his bare chest, and looked up to meet her blue-eyed gaze.
She drew a deep breath and her cheeks flushed as she looked down and bent over her open binder. Startled, he realized she had memories, too. The idea that she had been recalling that night stirred him and ignited desire. He wondered how many men paid no attention to her because of her buttoned-up blouses and austere appearance. Her actions that night hadn’t been austere. Aware he should get his thinking elsewhere, he tried to focus on what Cole was saying.
At half past three Cole leaned back in his chair. “Sorry to have to break this up. You two can continue and, Aaron, you can fill me in later. I’m going out to a long-time friend Henry Markham’s ranch to stay five or six days. He invited me out. He also lost his brother in the storm and he’s had a lot of damage, so I’m going to help him. I’ll see you both next week and we can continue this.”
“Don’t forget,” Stella said, “I have to leave town for part of the day tomorrow. I’ll be back in the afternoon.” As Cole nodded, she looked at Aaron. “I’m flying to Austin where my sister lives.”
“If you need to stay longer, you should,” Cole said.
“I don’t think I’ll need to stay. Just a short time with her and then I’ll be back.”
Cole glanced at Aaron. “I’m glad you’re here, Aaron. We’ve got good people running the place in Dallas while we’re gone, so everything should be all right.”
“It’ll be fine. George Wandle is in charge. And if anything comes up he promised he would call one of us.”
“Good deal.” Cole stood, pulled on a black Western-cut jacket and picked up his broad-brimmed Resistol hat. “Thanks, Stella, for meeting with me.”
“All the thanks go to you and Aaron for the help you and your company are giving to Royal. You’ve been terrific.”
“We’re glad to help where we can. Aaron, if you need me for anything, I have my phone with me.”
“Sure, Cole.”
Aaron watched his partner walk through the restaurant and then he turned back to Stella. “It’s nice to see you again.”
“Thank you. It’s nice to see you, too. I really mean it. Your company has done so much to help.”
“There’s still so much more to do. How’s the mayor?”
A slight frown creased her brow as she shook her head at him. “Since the mayor was in the town hall when it sustained a direct hit, he was hurt badly. He was on the critical list a very long time. He’s hurt badly with broken bones, internal ruptures and complications after several surgeries. He was in the ICU for so long. With all the problems he’s had, he’s still a long way from healed.”
“That’s tough. Tough for him, for you, for all who work for him and for the town. The deputy mayor’s death complicated things even more. No one’s really in charge. You’ve sort of stepped into that void, Stella.”
“I’m just doing what I can. There are so many things—from destroyed buildings to lost records and displaced pets. Megan Maguire, the animal shelter director, has worked around the clock a lot of the time. It just takes everybody pulling together and it’s nice you’re back to help.”