For some reason, that was a warped relief. She wasn’t going to announce their liaison. She wasn’t going to press him, either, he hoped.
She’d been carrying that iPad at her side, just as she always did, and now she turned it on, accessing one of those images on the screen. He couldn’t help but notice that it was as if she’d sensed all his panic and she was pretending it didn’t matter.
“I need to get my schedule straight,” she said, back to business. “Jeremiah’s wedding is in a week….”
Wedding.
Last night, he’d invited her.
God, how deep was he going to get himself before things blew apart, as they definitely would? It was inevitable.
But he couldn’t rescind his offer. Besides, she’d gotten an invitation herself, and she would be there, anyway.
“The wedding weekend starts next Saturday,” he said. “I can arrange our transportation to Florence Ranch. You’ll be back at the San Antonio offices by then, right?”
“Yes.”
She seemed to notice this cooling off. Hesitating a moment, she started plugging away at that computer again.
Then she stopped, although she still stared at it.
Chet had a bad feeling about this.
“The thing is…” she said, halting as she bit her lower lip.
“What?” he asked.
She looked up at him, resolute in some way that he couldn’t explain.
“I promised my parents I’d stop by their place on Friday night since it’s on the way to your family’s ranch,” she said. “My dad’s got his birthday coming up, but he and my mom will be away on a cruise on his big day. I thought I’d give him his present and eat some cake, just to celebrate with him.”
What the hell else could Chet do—say no to her?
Half of him felt numb, the other half warmed up. He hadn’t been to a girl’s house and met her parents since…
Damn. High school. That was the last time he’d cottoned up to someone so thoroughly that he’d been summoned to meet the family.
“Feel free to make a change in plans,” Mina said. She’d obviously noted Chet’s minor freak-out, even though he’d done his best to hide it.
He gauged her expression. Casual.
Was he making too much out of this?
“Okay,” he said. “Why not?”
He’d said it casually as well, and as they began walking to the administration offices, he thought he saw a flash of an unidentifiable emotion fly over her gaze.
But it was gone before he could be certain.
Chapter Six
Nearly a week later, the limo that had picked Mina and Chet up from the Barron offices drove down a white-fenced country lane, finally stopping in front of the Ferguson family home.
It wasn’t anything fancy—just a beige, one-level ranch house set back on a couple of green acres and lined by oak trees. But as Chet stared out the window while they pulled into the long driveway, Mina wondered if he was getting the sense of stability she’d always felt when coming back here.
“So this is where you grew up,” he said.
Mina nodded. “Not too far from the city, but just far enough in the country. We even had space for a horse. Lolly passed on years ago, just after me and my sisters moved out, and my parents never did buy another.”
“Maybe you’ll get a home someday that has enough room for your own horse.”
“No one can replace Lolly.”
She smiled at Chet, so glad to see him again. It’d seemed like months instead of just about a week since they’d parted ways for business purposes.
Sure, they hadn’t had any big, romantic “nice to see you again” moment today when he’d brought her down from the office and to the waiting limo, but she was certain that was because there’d been Barron employees all around them. And during the drive, he’d been friendly enough.
Still, she kept thinking there was a little… Well, distance wasn’t really the word. Cool wasn’t a good way to describe it, either. But he sure wasn’t acting like he wanted to whisk her off to bed again.
Maybe he would come to her after they got tucked into Florence Ranch tonight…
But they had to get through this visit to her childhood home first. It was an important night, although he didn’t know it. She’d asked him here because she wanted to see how he got along with the family, if he could fit in someday.
The limo came to a stop, and Mina flattened her skirt, still grateful that her tummy hadn’t “popped” yet. If she had, her mom, with her eagle eyes, probably would’ve noticed something going on with Mina, even if she’d worn baggier clothes.
Just hold on, she thought to her little passenger. Help me out a little longer.