of genuine grief.
“Your mood is dark.”
Colby turned slowly, preparing himself to see Tessa Madison’s gray eyes. How could he have missed her? he thought. She wore a white dress with small pink-and-green flowers. Sleeveless, it brushed her ankles and scooped to a V above the shadow of her breasts, just enough to tempt his imagination. On her feet were white sandals with half a dozen straps. He eyed her pink toenails and the thin ring, a silver band, on one toe. “My mood’s okay.”
“Purple aura,” she teased.
He found himself grinning. “Not green anymore?”
“Oh, no. Definitely purple.”
Staring at her lips, not for the first time, he wondered about her taste. “Not a good sign?”
Slowly her smile spread to her eyes. “Certain auras reflect a person’s mood or future.”
Colby couldn’t stop himself. He released a snort of disbelief.
“You don’t believe that?”
He could do his own kind of taunting. “I believe in what I can see—” He paused, looked away from the gold triangle dangling from her left earlobe and fingered her necklace and the amulet, a dime-size letter X. “Touch.” Deliberately he let his skin brush hers above the scooped neckline. “Feel.” With satisfaction, he heard her suck in a breath as his knuckle caressed her skin. “What’s this?”
“It’s the runic letter for good luck.” Her gaze remained on him as she stepped back, forcing the chain to slip from his fingers. “Are you here to buy something?”
“Browsing.” Admiration whipped through him. She wouldn’t intimidate easily. “What about you?”
“I bought something.” When she gestured toward a cherrywood rolltop desk, a pleased smile lit her face. “Look. Isn’t this beautiful?” Lovingly she ran a hand over the top of the desk.
“Nice.” He had no real knowledge about what was a genuine antique, but he liked her choice. Not perfect, its top bore a few scratches. It had been more than a fine antique. It had been useful. Sturdy, long-lasting, it was also too heavy for her to move around. Colby viewed the moment as the perfect opportunity. “Do you need help getting it home?”
In a slow, measuring way, she cast a sidelong look at him.
He laughed, guessing her thought. “No strings.”
“I couldn’t ask you….”
“I volunteered.”
“I have a van. I’ll go home and get it.”
“Do you have good muscles, too?” She looked like a good wind would knock her down. He watched her eyes slice to his arms, sinewy after years of pitting his strength against a broncing animal.
“Colby.” Henry’s slap on the shoulder forced him to look away. “I heard news.” Henry spoke low, as if his news was confidential. “Diana’s back.”
Colby hadn’t seen Diana in a year, not since the day she’d placed his engagement ring on the bedside table and announced she wanted something he wouldn’t give her.
“I heard she’s staying in town for a while, might even settle down here again.”
“That so?”
Henry grinned wider. “Want me to tell her hi for you if I see her?”
“No, Henry.” Colby chose a surefire way to get Henry to leave. “Give me a hand with this desk, will you?”
Henry looked so dumbfounded at the request that Colby nearly laughed.
“You don’t have to,” Tessa protested.
“It’s yours?” Henry snuck a look to his left and then his right as if checking to see who was watching him. Uh, sorry, Colby. Got to go. Lester needs me,” he said about his brother.
Lester was nowhere in sight. “That’s okay. I can manage by myself,” Colby said.
“You shouldn’t have asked him to help me,” Tessa said once they were alone. “Most people aren’t comfort able around me.”
Because she made them believe she was weird. But was she? He stared at the desk. A sturdy, serviceable choice, the kind a practical person would favor. “This isn’t about you. It’s about his laziness.”
“He mentioned your ex-fiancée, didn’t he?”
“Diana Lynscot. She married another. Did you learn that, too?”
“Yes. I heard, too, that she’s a widow now.” Empathy filled her voice. “That’s so terrible. To be a widow and not even be thirty.”
“He was fifty-nine. And rich.” He withdrew his truck keys from a pocket. “I’ll get my truck and take this desk to your place, if you’re ready to leave.”
“I am. Thank you for playing good neighbor Sam.” He watched long, soot-black lashes flutter before she raised her eyes to him. Enough. He needed to stop noticing every little thing about her. He had enough on his mind. Like his ranch. And a prize mare.
“The mare—” She started, then paused and looked past him.
The mare. His mare? What about her? He waited for her to say more, but she was smiling at someone.
Curious, Colby looked over his shoulder.
Slim, with chin-length dark hair, his mother strolled toward them with a bright smile. “Is he being difficult, Tessa?”
“No, he isn’t, Louise,” Tessa answered.
Colby slipped an arm around his mother’s shoulder. Quit talking about me as if I took a walk.”
Her smile waned despite his humor. “Did you see him?”
“I saw him,” he answered, well aware she was discussing Parrish. “Try to ignore him, Mom.”
“I plan to.” She craned her neck. “Your father is around here somewhere. He’s thinking of buying one of those electric beer signs.” She rolled her eyes. “I do hope I can talk him out of it.” Lightly she touched Tessa’s hand. “Nice to see you again, Tessa.”
“You, too.”
“I’ll be by the store soon,” she assured with a backhand wave.
Tessa looked in another direction. “That man.” With a nod of her head, she indicated Parrish. “Is he the one who was casting gloom around you?”
“Casting gloom around me?” She had a cute way about her.
“That’s what he was doing,” she said, deadly serious.
“Yeah, that’s Parrish.” Temptation slithered through him to reach out, thread his fingers through silky-looking black hair.
