“Even grown-ups have to follow orders.”
“Not my dad.” She heard pride in his voice. “He gives ’em.”
“I guess you can do that when you’re the boss,” she agreed. “I appreciate the welcome. Thanks.”
Thin shoulders lifted in a shrug. “My dad would say that’s just the way it is here in Blackwater Lake.”
For a second Kate felt as if she’d ridden a twister to the land of Oz. This was a place where folks made a person feel welcome because it was just a small town’s way. That was unbelievably refreshing.
“Well, a stranger like me thinks it’s pretty cool to get a friendly welcome.”
“Where are you from?” He looked up, and a ray of sunshine slicing through the tree leaves made him squint one eye closed.
“I’ve been all over.”
That was vague but still the truth. She trained wherever there were facilities for skeet shooting. Then there were competitions all over the country, all over the world, not to mention the Olympics. Winning had opened the door to lucrative product-endorsement deals, and fitting in those location shoots with everything else was stressful and challenging.
Ted, her too-good-looking-for-his-own-good manager and weasel-dog ex-fiancé, had pushed hard to get it all in and now she knew why. Marrying her would have punched his meal ticket for life. The sleazy jerk had been using her. She’d been stupid to accept his proposal and move forward with wedding plans, but at least her instinctive judgment about the man had been right on target. She’d never once been swept off her feet when she kissed him.
“My dad said you’re pretty.” The kid was staring at her, obviously trying to decide for himself if it was true.
“He did?”
Ty nodded uncertainly. “Caroline asked if you were as pretty as Michelle said. That’s Mrs. Crawford. She owns the Grizzly Bear Diner.”
“I met her.” And obviously word about the weirdo in the wedding dress was spreading. “Your dad said I’m pretty?”
He thought about that. “He just said ‘yes’ when Caroline asked if you were as pretty as Mrs. Crawford said.”
That was something, anyway. Kate would have figured if he thought anything at all, it was mostly questioning her sanity for asking for a job while dressed for her own wedding.
“That was very nice of your dad. Thank you for telling me, Ty.”
“It’s the truth. My dad says you should always tell the truth. People get hurt when you don’t.”
She was curious about the moral and personal lesson that was in there somewhere. Maybe she’d find out, and maybe she wouldn’t. And maybe she was better off not wondering about it at all.
“Here comes my dad and Caroline.” He pointed, then raced back down the road to meet them.
Kate watched the man stoop down to his son’s level and put a big hand on the small, thin shoulder. He smiled and affectionately ruffled the boy’s dark hair before Ty continued running toward the house. One picture was worth a thousand words, and the one she’d just seen said Cabot Dixon loved his boy a lot.
She waited and watched the two adults walk toward her. Now that she’d seen the ranch, something about it pulled at her, and she wanted very much to stay for a little while. It wasn’t hiding out, she assured herself. Just taking a much-needed break.
Kate had always thought she was different from other women, so it was surprising to realize that she was having a clichéd reaction as Cabot approached. She found something inherently sexy about a tall, well-built man in worn jeans, white long-sleeved cotton shirt, boots and a black cowboy hat. What was it about a cowboy? He stopped in front of her and again she could feel adrenaline obliterating her exhaustion.
A quirk turned up one corner of his mouth. “I sort of miss the dress.”
“It’s carefully packed away.”
“I thought you were going to burn it.”
“Something to look forward to.” Kate glanced down at the new sneakers, jeans and red scoop-necked T-shirt she’d purchased at the big discount retail store in Blackwater Lake. “This is more practical. And comfortable.”
“Amen to that.” Caroline looked to be somewhere in her fifties. She was tall with stylishly cut and discreetly streaked blond hair.
“Kate, this is Caroline Daly.” Cabot looked from her to the other woman. “Caroline, meet Kate Scott, Blackwater Lake’s own runaway bride.”
“It’s a pleasure.” Caroline held out her hand.
Kate gave it a firm squeeze. “Very nice to meet you. And, just so you know, I had my reasons for leaving that toad at the altar.”
“Cabot told me.” Sympathy brimmed in her blue eyes. “He also said you need a job.”
That wasn’t technically accurate, but she did need to keep busy. She didn’t know any other way to be. “I could use work.”
“Have you ever been involved with kids?”
She’d mentored some of the girls in her sport and roomed at the Olympics with a younger archery competitor, but she had never coached. Then Ty’s words echoed in her mind. My dad says you should always tell the truth. People get hurt when you don’t.
“I’ve never worked with kids. But I was one once,” she said hopefully.
“Funny how that happens,” Cabot said wryly. “I don’t know what I’d do without Caroline. Not only is she a good cook and outstanding camp manager, she’s great with kids. Probably has something to do with being Blackwater Lake High School’s favorite English teacher and girls’ basketball coach.”
“Wow. That must keep you busy.” Kate had had tutors in high school and had never attended traditional classes with other kids. Sacrifices were required at the level she competed and she’d never regretted it. Not until she found Ted kissing another woman on the day of their wedding and realized he’d been playing her for a fool.
Caroline waved a hand as if it was nothing. “I like to be busy. I like to cook. Mostly I like the kids, and being around them keeps a person young.”
“So that’s your secret to looking so youthful,” Cabot teased.
Kate tapped her lip and studied the older woman. “Not a secret so much as embracing an attitude. In addition, I think you just have some good genes, the kind of DNA that makes forty the new thirty.”
Caroline grinned. “You’re just saying that so I’ll give Cabot the okay to hire you.”
“Busted.” Kate shrugged. “But seriously, you look timeless.”
Caroline seemed pleased at the compliment. “If I were you, Cabot, I’d hire this young woman. Now I’ve got to get home and fix dinner for my husband. We own
