LITMIR.BIZ

      CHAPTER TWO

      THE CALLER ID on Ryder’s cell indicated that the call was from his mother. His mother who, as far as he could remember, had never called him in the middle of a work day. “Mom! Is everything all right?”

      “I’m fine. Why would you think something is wrong?”

      “You never call me during the day.”

      “I’m on my lunch break and I wanted to catch you while you were still in cell range. I know how it is on some of those ranches—no cell tower for miles.”

      “Okay.” He relaxed a little. “So what’s up?”

      “I’ve been thinking—instead of you coming for dinner on Saturday, I’d like to come there and see you. We can go to lunch somewhere.”

      “Sure. If that’s what you’d prefer.” His mother lived in Dallas and since Ryder had relocated to Cedar Grove, she’d made it a point to have him over for a meal at least once a week. He hadn’t spent so much time with a parent since he’d graduated high school, but he had to admit, it was nice having Mom close.

      “I want to see where you live,” she said.

      “It’s nothing fancy—just a furnished rental.” He didn’t need more, since his stay here wasn’t going to be permanent.

      “Humor me. Now give me your address.”

      He rattled off the details and the main cross streets. “My new car has GPS,” she said. “I’m sure I can find it. I’ll see you about noon Saturday, then.”

      “I’ll look forward to it.”

      He pocketed the phone and added “Clean apartment” to his mental to-do list. He wondered if his mom wanted to see him so much because she was lonely. After all, she’d married Ryder’s dad right out of high school. To be on her own at this point in her life had to be tough. Of course, she’d been the one to ask for a divorce—something that still shocked Ryder. He’d thought his parents were happy in their marriage, or as happy as any couple ever was.

      He’d better pick up some soft drinks and snack stuff at the store this afternoon; his provisions were limited to coffee, a loaf of bread and some lunch meat and condiments. He ate out for most of his meals. He fully expected Mom to fuss about his lack of a proper diet, a proper home or even a steady girlfriend. She rarely pried into his personal life, but she had strongly hinted that she thought it was time for him to settle down.

      Hard to do when his job kept him on the road. His stint in Cedar Grove was likely to be one of the longest of his career, but even though plenty of women had indicated they’d be interested in getting to know him better, so far he’d kept his distance. Relationships always complicated things, especially when it came time to leave town.

      That didn’t stop people from trying to match him up with eligible females, though. Christa Montgomery was beautiful, no doubt about that, with dark brown hair that fell just to her shoulders, and clear brown eyes that had met his gaze with no hint of coyness or flirtation. That air of confidence and calm assuredness made her all the more attractive. He’d like to get to know her better.

      That wasn’t a new feeling for him; he met women all the time who might interest him, as he traveled around the state, overseeing various highway and bridge projects. But he was always careful not to start what he couldn’t finish. He’d told the truth when he’d said his job required a lot of travel. He didn’t mind, but being away from a home base so much made it tough to form relationships. He might date a woman one week, then not see her again for six or eight weeks. Texting and e-mailing couldn’t take the place of a physical connection. And he wasn’t the type to have a girl in every town, like some of the other engineers in his group.

      But he’d settle for friendship—or a summer romance. If Christa wasn’t planning to stay in Cedar Grove, maybe she’d appreciate some company for a few months. It would be nice to have someone to hang out with, to take in a movie or dinner, without the worry that she’d expect a more lasting commitment.

      He stepped back into the bank, but Christa was gone. Paul looked up from his desk. “Is there something I can help you with, Ryder?” he asked.

      Ryder remembered why he’d come to the bank in the first place. “We’re going to have a lot of workers in and out of Cedar Grove for the next couple of years as construction on the highway progresses,” he said. “I wanted to make sure there won’t be a problem cashing their checks.”

      “No problem at all.” Paul laughed. “I mean, if the state isn’t good for the money, we’re all in trouble.”

      He scanned the lobby once more, wondering if Christa had slipped out the side door—to avoid him?

      “If you’re looking for Christa, she said she had more errands to run,” Paul said. “I take it she just got back to town yesterday afternoon.”

      “I guess she’s staying at the Rocking M, with her parents?” He regretted the question as soon as he saw Paul’s eyes light up.

      “She is,” the banker said. “She’s been living in Houston since she graduated a few years ago, working at some big marketing firm. I guess the economic slump hit them the way it has almost everyone else. They laid off a bunch of people and she was one of the casualties. But I’m sure another firm will snap her up. She was always sharp.”

      “So she’s only here temporarily, until she finds a new job.”

      “I guess that’s the plan. But we all know plans can change.” He grinned. “The number at the ranch is in the local directory, if you want to give her a call.”

      He bit back the impulse to tell Paul that he didn’t need anyone else to set him up with a woman. He already had to dodge the local women who went out of their way to flirt and even outright proposition him. Something about a new, single man in town sent some females into overdrive.

      But Christa wasn’t like that. She’d been friendly, but cool. Not the kind of woman to throw herself at any man.

      Which, in the perverse nature of the human spirit, made her all that much more attractive. But he wasn’t going to let Paul know that. For some reason, the banker had made it his mission to introduce Ryder to every eligible woman in the county.

      Time to change the subject. “Are you going to be at the public forum tomorrow night?” he asked. This was the last in a series of community gatherings in the area to answer questions about the new highway project. Ryder’s job was to persuade people that the project was a good and positive thing for the people around here.

      “I wouldn’t miss it.” Worry lines formed on Paul’s forehead. “Are you concerned about the reception you’ll receive?”

      “I know some people are unhappy with me, but I’m hoping when I explain the benefits, I can sway them

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