know. Isn’t it terrific?” She walked over and patted his shoulder. “I love this guy. He is the ultimate male weapon against women. One look and they go weak in the knees.”
He rolled the dice and moved three places. Mandy rolled and won the game. She laughed with delight, then leaned forward and gave him a big hug. He held her close. Funny how both Abbott women got to him. Elizabeth made him want dangerous things, while Mandy made him feel a fierce need to protect her. And a longing to be more. He would give his soul to be a decent father to some kid. She planted a wet kiss on his cheek. Deep in his chest, he felt a sharp stab of pain piercing his heart.
“You’re the best, Travis,” Mandy said.
“I rest my case.” Rebecca headed for the kitchen.
Mandy scrambled off his lap and followed “Becca,” as she called the other woman. He glanced up at Elizabeth still sitting in her seat watching him.
“I took each of the nurses out once,” he said, wondering why he was defending himself. She wouldn’t believe him. No one ever did. “I don’t think I even kissed the second one good-night.”
“Sure.” She smiled.
“The trick roper was an old friend. I’d known her in college. You know people make up a lot of stories about me and my brothers. They think we get a lot more—” He hesitated, searching for a polite word.
“Action?” she offered helpfully.
“It wouldn’t have been my choice.”
God, she was beautiful. The skinny straps of her rose sundress showed off her tanned shoulders. The long line of her neck made him remember how she’d tasted when he’d kissed her there. Her mouth was perfect, pulling into a wide smile. It was her eyes that always got to him, though. There was a wariness in her expression that seemed out of place. Was it that Sam guy who had made her cautious? What had happened in her life? What was the big secret? Hell, a man could go crazy thinking about it.
He rose to his feet and took the chair next to hers. “A lot of people assume my brothers and I get a lot more action than we do. Part reputation, part circumstances.”
She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her small ear. “Are you trying to make me feel sorry for you?”
“No, I’m trying to make sure we’re still friends.”
“I would think you have so many women in your life that one more wouldn’t matter.”
He leaned close to her, stopping only when their arms brushed. He was pleased that she didn’t move away. “I’m not talking about women in general. I’m talking about you. Friends?”
She glanced at the tablecloth. He couldn’t see her expression, so he sweated it out. He hated that it mattered what she thought.
“I’m not a jerk, Elizabeth. I’m not what everybody says.”
“I know.” She bit her lower lip. “You’re a nice guy.”
He winced.
“You are!”
“Great.”
“You want to shake on it again?”
He’d rather kiss on it, but hey, he would take what he could. Her hand felt small and delicate in his, but it was her smile that just about knocked him from his chair. She grinned up at him then leaned forward.
“So tell me the real story about the trick roper.”
* * *
They had barely sat down to dinner when the doorbell rang. Travis threw his napkin on the table. “I’ll get it,” he said, rising to his feet.
He walked to the front door and pulled it open. He grinned. “Austin, come in.”
Austin Lucas strolled into the hallway and paused. He sniffed the air. “I smell dinner.”
“You hungry? Louise left plenty.”
His friend shrugged. “I wouldn’t say—”
“Travis, who is it?” Rebecca called.
Austin raised his dark eyebrows. “Sorry. I didn’t know you had company.”
“It’s not what you think.” Travis grabbed his friend’s arm and steered him toward the dining room. Austin let himself be pulled along, but Travis knew his heart wasn’t in it. Austin didn’t go out of his way to be sociable.
“Look who I found on the doorstep,” he said. Elizabeth and Mandy both looked up expectantly. Rebecca rose to her feet and smiled, even though she couldn’t see who was behind Travis. He stepped to one side and let Austin precede him into the room.
He raised his arm to Austin’s shoulder, as much to show affection as to keep the other man from bolting. Austin didn’t do crowds.
“Austin Lucas, this is Elizabeth Abbott and her daughter, Mandy. They’re staying here while Elizabeth recovers from a bout with appendicitis. Next to my brothers, Austin is my oldest friend in Glenwood.”
Elizabeth stood up and held out her hand. Travis watched her sharply, waiting for the inevitable reaction. She said hello and smiled at him, but that was it. Interesting, he thought.
“And you’ve already met Rebecca,” he said.
Rebecca nodded several times. “The committee meeting on town support for the home. You were there.” She paused. Her brown eyes widened. “I mean, everyone was there, weren’t they? All the people in the town.” She paused. “Not all of them, of course, but a good many. Not just you.” Color flared on her cheeks. She smiled tightly. “Good to see you. Again. Here, that is.” She reached for her water glass. Her fingers slipped and she knocked it over on the table. “Oh, no. I’ll just—” She motioned helplessly toward the rapidly spreading pool of water. “I’ll get a cloth.”
“I’ll help,” Elizabeth said and followed her into the kitchen.
“What’s gotten into her?” Travis asked no one in particular; then he glanced at his friend.
“Don’t look at me. This is only the second time I’ve met the lady. She was a lot like this at the meeting, too. She must have dropped her pen a hundred times.” He shrugged.
Elizabeth came back alone with a couple of dishcloths. She mopped up the spill. Travis waited, but Rebecca never reappeared.
“Have a seat,” Travis said.
Austin shook his head. “I just came by to tell you that I’ll be here for the football game.”
“Great. But really, there’s plenty of food.”
“You’re having dinner with two beautiful women. I don’t want to get in the way.”
“You wouldn’t be.” Travis meant it. In the past several minutes, Elizabeth hadn’t even given Austin a second glance. Good news because his friend’s reputation with women rivaled
