LITMIR.BIZ

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chorus of hellos and ribbing that greeted Ryan’s arrival told Joel that Kate’s former boyfriend was a regular at these gatherings. Not surprising because, like so many of those congregated around the table, Ryan was a Jackson Hole native.

      The attorney glanced around, his gaze initially bypassing the empty seat next to Kate. Although Ryan’s cocky grin never wavered, Joel noticed his gaze made a second sweep as if seeking another option before commandeering the last open spot.

      “Hello, Joel. Kate.” Ryan placed the paper napkin on his lap and gestured for the waitress to bring him some coffee.

      “Decided to skip the sermon, eh, Ry?”

      Kate’s light, almost-teasing greeting surprised Joel. Because the two had recently broken up, he’d expected to see some awkwardness. If Kate felt ill-at-ease, it didn’t show.

      Ryan took a cup of steaming coffee from the waitress before turning his attention back to his ex-girlfriend, an answering gleam in his eyes.

      “I wouldn’t be so cocky if I were you.” The attorney’s gaze settled his gaze on her dress. “At least I didn’t get up late and wear a slip to church.”

      For a second she looked taken aback. Then Kate burst into laughter. “Touché.”

      Something twisted in Joel’s gut at the playful banter. Something that felt an awful lot like jealousy, which didn’t make sense. He didn’t care if she got back together with Ryan. Didn’t care at all.

      “I didn’t see your car outside, Kate,” Ryan said, shortly after the waitress brought the food. “Is the Subaru back in the shop?”

      Kate swept a strand of hair back from her face. “Actually, I rode with Joel.”

      Ryan’s eyes widened in surprise and when he spoke, his gaze was riveted on Joel. “What are you, a miracle worker? She would never come with me. No matter how many times I begged, er, invited her.”

      “Eat your omelet, Harcourt,” Kate said mildly, then promptly changed the subject. “Did I mention to either of you that I agreed to help out at the Jackson Hole rodeo in August? They wanted a doctor available in case any of the kids in the peewee division are injured.”

      Joel ate his “Hearty Man’s Breakfast” of eggs, hash browns, ham and toast and listened with half an ear to the ensuing rodeo talk all the while wondering why Kate had come today. More important, why had she agreed to ride with him? He hoped she didn’t have any, well, romantic interest in him.

      While Kate seemed to be a fine person, she was nothing like Amy. When he did jump back into the dating scene, he would look for a woman more like his wife. A woman of substance.

      Although Joel didn’t doubt Kate’s intelligence or competence as a doctor, he’d noticed that outside of work she rarely spoke of anything beyond the superficial. Personal details were kept to a minimum. Consequently he knew little of her. Even though it didn’t really matter, he was curious.

      After Ryan had finished entertaining them with stories from his bull-riding days, Joel slathered some grape jam on his toast and decided this would be an opportunity to get to know more about his daughter’s doctor. “Where did you say you went to medical school?”

      Kate took a sip of coffee before answering. “UC Irvine.”

      “Did you like it there?” Joel asked.

      “I did.”

      He waited for her to elaborate, but she simply stirred some more cream into her coffee. Joel had never pulled teeth, but he had the feeling that would be easier than getting basic information from Kate McNeal.

      Ryan doused his omelet with more Tabasco sauce before looking up. “Isn’t that in Orange County?”

      “That’s right.” Kate took a sip of coffee, obviously not intending to say more.

      Joel couldn’t help but smile remembering how excited he and Amy had been when they’d landed at the John Wayne Airport in Orange County on their first and only trip to the West Coast. “My daughter, Chloe, was born at the Women’s Hospital in Laguna Hills, which isn’t that far from Irvine.”

      Kate didn’t look up, apparently more fascinated by the granola in her yogurt parfait than the conversation.

      Ryan took a bite of his omelet, then quickly followed it with a shot of water. “I didn’t know you used to live in California.”

      “Actually, Chloe is adopted. We went there to pick her up and complete the rest of the paperwork.” Joel smiled. “When all that was done, we took her home to Montana.”

      “That’s wonderful,” Ryan said.

      “It is,” Kate echoed.

      “I remember how beautiful it was there. Are you from that area?” Joel asked Kate.

      “I grew up in Pittsburgh.”

      “Do you go home often?”

      “Kate and her family aren’t close,” Ryan said. “Her parents are still married. She has one older sister, Andrea, who is the family’s golden child. Andrea is married with three kids, a boy and two girls.”

      Kate’s brows slammed together and a warning that even Ryan couldn’t fail to recognize, flashed in her hazel eyes.

      The attorney raised both hands. “Don’t glare at me, sweetheart. It took me six months of intense effort to ferret out the basics. I’m simply helping the new guy out. Getting him up to speed.”

      “I’m not the—” Joel began.

      “Thank you, Ryan.” The sarcasm in Kate’s tone came through loud and clear. “Is there anything else you’d like to share about my life?”

      A thoughtful look crossed Ryan’s face. “Kate thinks she wants to settle down, but there’s something in her background, I never did discover what, that keeps her from—”

      “Enough.” Her voice cut like a knife. “That’s quite enough.”

      Even though her face was perfectly composed, Joel heard the anger and saw the tremble in the hands she clasped in her lap. Without thinking, he reached over and covered her hands with one of his.

      Almost immediately, she pushed it away.

      But in the second that his hand had closed over hers, he learned that her skin was soft as silk. Joel had a sudden image of his arms wrapped around her, those hands sliding down his bare chest …

      Dear God, what was happening to him? He jerked to his feet, pulled out his wallet and tossed a couple bills on the table. “I need to get back to the church. I don’t want Chloe to wait on me.”

      Only after the words left his mouth did Joel remember he hadn’t come alone. Not only had Kate barely made a dent in her yogurt parfait, but there was also plenty of time left to pick up Chloe.

      “Go ahead.” Kate waved a spoon filled with yogurt in the air. If she seemed disturbed about his impending departure, it didn’t show. In fact she appeared almost … pleased.

      “I can catch a ride with someone,” she continued when he made no move to leave. “Or I may walk. The church isn’t far.”

      Joel knew he should feel relieved, but all he felt was irritated by her cavalier attitude. “I’ll wait.”

      “Go ahead, Dennes.” Amusement danced in the attorney’s eyes. “I’ll take the lady wherever she wants to go.”

      “I’m not going anywhere with you.” Kate shifted her gaze from Ryan to Joel. “I’ll be fine.”

      Ryan heaved a melodramatic sigh and placed a hand on his chest. “Ah, Kate, you’re breaking my heart.”

      Kate rolled her eyes.

      Joel experienced a sudden urge to shove a fist in the attorney’s smirking

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