Your Ranch Or Mine?. Cindy Kirk

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СКАЧАТЬ like a bullet from Anna’s lips.

      Mrs. Barbee took a step back and brought a hand to her chest as if she’d felt the impact. But instead of pain, her eyes gleamed with curiosity.

      The screen door of The Coffee Pot swung open and Anna jumped. Two cowboys she recognized as acquaintances of Seth’s strode out of the café. When they shot a curious glance her way, Anna realized that unless she wanted her reunion with Mitch to occur under Mrs. Barbee’s watchful eyes, it was time to get moving. She looped her arm through Mrs. Barbee’s and propelled the woman around the corner.

      “I’m so happy I ran into you,” Anna chattered, before the minister’s wife had a chance to speak. “I promised Stacie I’d ask Pastor Barbee if he could mention something in his community announcements this Sunday about the Young Professionals group having their first meeting Tuesday night.”

      Anna almost ran out of breath before she got it all out. But the string of nonstop words had the desired effect. The suspicious glitter in Mrs. Barbee’s eyes dimmed.

      “Lloyd should be at the church.” A thoughtful look crossed the matron’s finely lined face. “I’m headed there now. Would you like to come with me and ask him yourself?”

      “What a good suggestion.” Even as she spoke, Anna started down the sidewalk. The way she saw it, each step toward the church was one more step away from the café. “I stopped by The Coffee Pot this morning hoping business would be slow so Stacie and I could have a cup of coffee. But when I saw all the customers, I knew she was too busy to talk.”

      “Once your roommate decided to settle here, she certainly embraced our little community.” Mrs. Barbee slanted a sideways glance at Anna. “Buying the café. Resurrecting the Young Professionals group.”

      “Stacie likes to keep busy.” Anna kept her response simple, knowing whatever she said would be analyzed and repeated.

      “Yes, well.” Mrs. Barbee’s lips pursed together. “Hopefully you can convince her to use some of that boundless energy for projects that benefit the Lord, as well.”

      “I’m sure she will, once the wedding is out of the way.” The wedding, or rather the bachelorette party, had been the main reason for Anna’s trip to the café this morning.

      A smile lifted her lips at the realization that in only four short weeks, Stacie would marry local rancher Josh Collins. When she’d brought her two friends to Sweet River for a brief stay, she’d never expected one of them to fall in love, buy a diner and decide to make this small town in southern Montana her permanent home.

      Of course, Anna had never expected to see Mitch, either. Still feeling the shock, Anna let her gaze linger on the active senior next to her, arms churning as she power-walked her way toward the church. Everyone knew this petite dynamo had her finger on the pulse of the small community. Anna experienced an overwhelming urge to ask her what she knew. Why was Mitch back in Sweet River? Was he here to stay? Or just visiting?

      Thankfully she came to her senses before the questions made their way past her lips. Satisfying her curiosity wouldn’t be worth the price she’d pay for the information. One simple question and by nightfall, it would be all over town that Anna Anderssen had been asking after Mitch Donavan.

      So, instead of treading on dangerous ground, Anna kept the conversation light. By the time she concluded her business at the church, she’d had a chance to recover from her shock and plot a course of action.

      The next time she saw Mitch Donavan she wouldn’t run. She’d walk over and very politely say hello. After all, she wasn’t a spineless wuss. She was a mature, confident woman. It was time she started acting like one.

      

      Anna stared at the picture and wondered if Mercury was in retrograde.

      When she’d gotten home from her visit with Pastor Barbee, her roommate, Lauren Van Meveren, had been waiting. The psychologist had announced she had a surprise, then asked Anna to meet her on the porch for some lemonade. Anna had barely sat down when Lauren had pressed a photo of Mitch into her hand.

      “Meet Mr. Right.” Lauren flashed a bright smile. “Survey says…the two of you are perfect for each other.”

      A distant clap of thunder punctuated the comment. Anna dropped the picture to the table like a hot potato. “Is this a joke?”

      Lauren looked up from the lemonade she was pouring and chuckled. “I know. You are so lucky. The guy is superhot.”

      There wasn’t a woman alive who’d argue with that. From the time Mitch had been a small boy in Sweet River, Montana, the black-haired child with brilliant blue eyes had turned female heads. His rugged good looks coupled with a standoffish attitude had certainly caught her eye. And with the confidence of a seventeen-year-old beauty queen used to getting her way, Anna had been determined to make him hers. There had been several months of exciting secret trysts before the fun had come to an abrupt end.

      Lauren’s blond brows pulled together when Anna didn’t comment. “Do you know him?”

      “I do.” Anna kept her voice offhand, but when she picked up the crystal tumbler filled with lemonade, her hand trembled. If Mitch had been any other ex-boyfriend, Lauren would have already known all about him. But Anna had kept secret her long-ago relationship with Mitch. From the community. From her family. From even her closest friends.

      Staring into the pale yellow liquid in the glass, Anna marveled at the change a few hours could make. When she’d hopped out of bed this morning, her life had been sunny-side up. Now the yolk had busted.

      “Is something wrong with him?” Lauren pressed. “Should I drop him from the study?”

      Anna heard the concern in her friend’s voice and realized her silence was giving Lauren a skewed picture of her former lover.

      “Mitch’s family didn’t have the best reputation but he’s a good guy.” A gust of wind off the Crazy Mountains ruffled the napkins on the table but, consumed by her own storm of emotions, Anna barely noticed. “He and Seth were best friends in high school.”

      Anna let the words hang in the air, knowing the fact that Mitch was Seth’s friend would go far to soothe Lauren’s concerns.

      “I hope you’re not hesitating because you think your brother had something to do with the match,” Lauren said finally. “I’d never compromise my research data…not even for Seth.”

      Though Lauren’s words were matter-of-fact, Anna could hear the underlying hurt. She leaned across the table and gave her friend’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “I know you wouldn’t.”

      Lauren was the most ethical person Anna knew, not only personally but professionally. It was Lauren’s research for her dissertation that had brought the three Denver roommates to Montana.

      In order to gather the necessary data, Lauren needed immediate access to lots of single males. Anna’s hometown fit the bill. From the moment they’d arrived in Sweet River four months ago, the research project had been the talk of the town. Though what Lauren regarded as pure science, the locals saw as plain old matchmaking.

      “Even without your participation, I should have an adequate sampling.” Lauren’s lips curved in satisfaction. “Thanks to Seth.”

      Anna СКАЧАТЬ