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Now and then she ran into Jen and they exchanged greetings, but every time her friend was in the arms of the same blond cowboy, and from the smitten look on her face, Hailey figured Jen thought she’d found what she’d come for.
It was getting late, and her feet were getting tired. The wig was itchy and she was ready to go home. The dancing had been fun, but she’d had enough now, and she slipped away from the crowd and looked around the room for Mitch.
He’d disappeared. She wandered the edges of the group, then looked in the pool table room and the card room, but she didn’t see him. Disappointed, she made one last try and peeked into the bar area. There he was at the end of the counter, nursing a shot glass full of something dark and evil looking. Her spirits brightened immediately, and she headed straight for him.
Mitch was having his first and last drink of the night, and he wasn’t sure why he’d felt he needed it. But when he saw her coming across the room, he was glad he’d fortified himself. Something told him she wasn’t just going to say goodbye and head out the door. Chances were, he was in for another session with this bewildering woman.
He didn’t know what he was still doing here. He should have left long ago. At first he’d told himself he was watching Hailey in case Pauly came back. But as time went by, that had worn thin, and he’d had to admit it was more than that. He had to watch her because he couldn’t stop watching her. Not a good sign.
But he was surprised that she’d searched him out this way. After all, it had been obvious from the beginning that she was very anxious that he not realize who she was. The more contact they had, the more chance that he would put two and two together. Still she’d come looking for him. He wondered why that was.
“Hi,” she said, plopping down on the bar stool beside his. “Wow, I’m about danced out.”
He gave her a long, slow stare. He was getting used to the short, cropped look. She would be beautiful shaved bald, but he hoped he’d never have to see it. “Hey, pretty lady,” he said softly. “May I buy you a drink?”
“I’d love one,” she responded without hesitation. “I would be forever in your debt.”
An intriguing prospect. He raised an eyebrow. “What would you like?” he asked her.
“A tall, frosty glass of iced tea,” she said promptly. “That would hit the spot.”
He made a gesture to the bartender and in no time, she had exactly what she’d ordered. Taking a long sip, she sighed happily and sat back, looking at him. It was the first time she’d seen him without the hat. His hair was thick and black and curling around the edges, badly in need of a cut. She liked the way it framed his face. In fact, to her surprise, she liked a lot of things about him.
He watched her curiously, wondering what she was thinking. After all, she knew exactly who he was. Or, at least, she knew him as an employee at the ranch. But she could pretend she didn’t know that, just like he was pretending not to realize she was Hailey Kingston. There was a strange sort of logic at work here, but he wasn’t sure if it could hold up much longer.
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