a way it’s very similar.’’ Alex pressed her lips together. ‘‘I spoke to my parents this morning. I haven’t done that since moving here.’’
Betty nodded sympathetically. ‘‘Did they accept your story about taking some time to relax at a private ranch resort?’’
Alex nodded. She’d had to come up with a way to explain a different area code and phone number to her parents. Betty had been the one to suggest saying she’d gone away to unwind for a couple of weeks. ‘‘It was horrible. They were both pleased I was taking time for myself.’’
‘‘What’s wrong with that? They sound like lovely people.’’
‘‘Oh, they are, but I’m not used to lying to them. It’s not something I do often or well. I just felt uncomfortable.’’ She took another sip of coffee, then sampled one of the chocolate chip cookies on the tray. ‘‘But I reminded myself it was for a greater good. If we find James, they’ll understand. If we don’t, better that they aren’t troubled by what we’re doing.’’
Betty leaned forward. ‘‘I think it’s very exciting that you’re searching for your long-lost brother. I hope it turns out to be John.’’
‘‘That would be convenient,’’ Alex admitted. ‘‘But there’s only a one-in-three chance of it being him. I want to get over to The Sunshine Home and go through their records. I finally have permission from the current owner. Although, she warned me that nothing that old has been put on computer, so it’s going to have to be a manual search. We’re going to have to find the other two boys who arrived around the same time as John.’’
Alex paused and took another bite of the sweet cookie. ‘‘There’s so much to coordinate. And as if searching for my long-lost brother isn’t enough, I worry about my sisters, especially Serena.’’
‘‘She’s the youngest?’’ Betty asked.
‘‘Yes. She has a wild streak that is going to get her into trouble. And there’s something wrong with Elizabeth, although I can’t figure out what.’’ Alex thought about the conversation she’d had with Elizabeth just that morning. Her sister had seemed distracted again. ‘‘Right now the only one I can count on is Katherine.’’
‘‘I’ve seen their pictures in the paper. They’re all very pretty young women. I’m surprised you all aren’t married.’’
‘‘Sometimes we are, too,’’ Alex admitted. She glanced around the homey room. The decorations had a woman’s touch. ‘‘Did you and Mitch’s mother decorate the house?’’
‘‘Most of it. Now that she’s moved away, I don’t change things as much as I used to. Mitch’s study is off-limits, of course, as is his bedroom. That man is incredibly stubborn about certain things.’’
He might be stubborn, Alex thought, but he was also a man of his word. He’d told her that they should stay out of each other’s way, and so far that was exactly what he’d done. She’d barely seen him since Sunday, and when she had sought him out to ask him a question, he grunted rather than answered. Telling herself it was silly didn’t make the faint sensation of disappointment go away. Foolishly she’d thought they could be friends.
She glanced at Betty. The housekeeper had known Mitch since he was a boy. Alex had thought about asking her about him, but hadn’t quite worked up the nerve or the right question. Impulsively she decided she might as well plunge in with both feet.
‘‘I’m surprised Mitch isn’t married.’’
Betty snorted. ‘‘I keep telling him he needs a woman around here, but he doesn’t listen. Of course, there aren’t that many to choose from in the area, and city girls don’t usually take to ranch life.’’ Her gaze turned speculative. ‘‘You’re different enough from…’’ She shook her head. ‘‘Never mind. I won’t discuss his personal business.’’
Alex brushed her hand self-consciously against her wool skirt, then touched the cuff of her silk blouse. What personal business? she wanted to ask, but didn’t.
‘‘No. It wouldn’t work at all.’’ Betty set her cup on the tray and started to laugh. ‘‘I had a moment of being crazy. Oil and water. A fancy woman and a simple man.’’ Betty chuckled again. ‘‘I mean simple in his ways, not in his head. Mitch is about as smart as they come.’’
Alex realized that Betty had wondered about her and Mitch. ‘‘You’re right, it wouldn’t work. You should have seen the look he gave me when I asked him about covered parking for my car.’’
‘‘You’ve changed things for him, and he doesn’t much like that. But give him time. Sometimes the grumpy old bear can be sweet as pie.’’
‘‘I’d settle for an actual conversation,’’ Alex said.
Betty smiled and rose to her feet. ‘‘I have some fresh salmon. Would you like that for lunch?’’
‘‘How nice. Thank you.’’
‘‘I’ll see you in a few hours,’’ Betty said, then left.
Alex stood up, but instead of returning to her desk, she crossed to the window. From there she could see out to the paddocks by the barn. Mitch stood there, talking with two other men. She couldn’t hear what he was saying, but she could see the gestures he made as he spoke. The other two listened with obvious respect.
She told herself it didn’t matter what he thought of her. She was here because she had to find out the truth about her brother. But even though she believed the words, she didn’t like them. She didn’t want Mitch to resent her presence on his ranch. Unfortunately, she didn’t know how to change things. She was great at large-party small talk and giving speeches about needy children, but one-on-one with a man was a mystery.
To make matters worse, she didn’t even think Mitch liked her. At first she’d thought he had, but something had changed and she didn’t know what. If she didn’t know what was wrong, she couldn’t know how to fix it.
‘‘It doesn’t matter,’’ she told herself, speaking aloud. ‘‘I have work to do.’’
So she returned to her desk, but it was a long time before she could forget the handsome cowboy outside and focus on the details of the report in front of her.
Mitch held out his coffee mug but didn’t say anything as Betty filled the cup. The bad mood that hovered over him like a cloud had him seeing no point in inflicting himself on his housekeeper. This despite the fact that she was going out of her way to bait him.
‘‘You know she has the most beautiful jewelry,’’ Betty was saying. ‘‘She showed me several pieces. There are some diamonds and pearls and even this tiara that’s been in her family for nearly four hundred years. Can you imagine?’’
‘‘Not really,’’ Mitch grumbled. ‘‘Can we talk about something else?’’
‘‘Like what?’’ Betty’s expression was all innocence, but he knew her better than that. She’d figured
