Well, most of them. The Matchmakers weren’t quite as good about staying out of a man’s life. But he’d found them amusing. The four women had gotten their sons married, with children on the way. Then they had started looking for fresh bait. But lately they’d left him alone.
“Yes, ma’am? Talk to me about what?” He didn’t budge. She could come to him. Maybe there was another dance and the ladies had sent her over to lure him to it.
His left eyebrow was raised as he recognized distress on her face. Those blue eyes of hers appeared wary and she was nibbling on her full bottom lip.
She took one step toward him, and stopped. “It’s…it’s personal.”
He dipped his head down so she wouldn’t see his grin. He wondered which matchmaker had put her up to approaching him. He’d have to tell them that she didn’t know much about flirting.
Looking up, he said, “Can’t be too personal. We just met.”
“Could I buy you a cup of coffee?”
Now she was tempting him. He’d never learned to make good coffee. The instant kind he made each morning was only a mockery of the fragrant coffee he loved. “Where?”
His question seemed to throw her. She should’ve planned better. He could give her pointers, from his past experiences, but why help the enemy?
“At the drugstore?”
He deliberately looked at his watch. No point in letting her think she’d roped him in. “I’ve got five minutes to spare.”
Her chin rose. “Then we’d better walk fast,” she retorted and turned on her heel to head down the sidewalk in the direction of Brockmeier’s Drugstore.
Rick chuckled under his breath. At least she had some spirit. She’d been so hesitant at first, he’d thought she was timid.
He strolled after her, not hurrying, but his long legs caught up with her a few storefronts away. Not that she had short legs. Her denim skirt ended above her knees, catching his eye.
No doubt she was good-looking. Half the single men in town should be after her. He didn’t understand why she was chasing him. Unless she knew his secret.
She stopped outside the drugstore and turned to make sure he’d followed. He’d admired her restraint in not looking before. He reached around her and held open the door.
Sweeping past him with her chin raised, in the fashion of a grand duchess, she headed for the side of the drugstore where several empty booths awaited customers.
“Howdy, Rick,” Lucy, the waitress, called out. Then she noticed the young woman standing beside him. “Megan, right? You’re Faith’s daughter. Welcome to town.”
“Thank you. May we sit anywhere?”
Lucy waved them toward the booths. “You bet, hon. Take your pick. It’s not like we’re busy.”
Rick followed Megan’s determined march and slid into the booth she chose, opposite her.
“What can I get you folks?” Lucy asked.
“A cup of coffee for the gentleman and iced tea for me. Would you care for anything else, Mr. Astin? I believe the pie is supposed to be good.”
“Best in town,” Lucy declared, staring at Rick, waiting for his decision.
He deliberately took his time, watching Megan’s antsy movements across from him. “What kind do you have?”
“Apple, coconut cream and chocolate.”
“I’ll have apple, with a scoop of ice cream,” he said, smiling at Lucy.
“Coming right up.”
“For someone who only has five minutes, you’re certainly taking your time,” Megan muttered as Lucy hurried away from their table.
“Pie’s worth the extra time,” he assured her, adding a wink. He thought she seemed a little tense, but it was silly to get her tail in such a twist over a dance.
She glared at him.
“Look, honey, don’t act so uptight. If going to a dance is that important, I’ll take you.” This time he might even enjoy himself.
Her blue eyes widened and she blinked several times. “I beg your pardon?”
“That’s what you wanted, isn’t it? To ask me to take you to a dance? I’ll have to admit, buying me pie and coffee is a new approach. I like it.”
Her mouth dropped open. A tasty little mouth, too. Full lips, slightly pink, no lipstick. In fact, she didn’t have on hardly any makeup at all. Most of the women who’d come after him usually loaded up on the war paint.
Smart lady. Her dark lashes framed her blue eyes and her cheeks were soft pink over ivory. She didn’t need any fake enhancements.
“Why, you conceited…conceited oaf!” she exclaimed.
He gave her a lopsided grin. “Did I get it wrong? Okay, what do you want? We don’t know each other. I doubt you’d want to buy cows. I can’t think of any other business we’d have.”
She suddenly retreated, her gaze becoming secretive, her openness disappearing. Looking away, she said nothing.
Lucy arrived at their table with their drinks and the pie and ice cream. “How’s your mother, Megan? Tell her to come in and visit. I haven’t talked to her since y’all came back.”
“Thank you, I will.”
After Lucy left the table, Rick leaned forward. “You just recently came to town?”
“A month ago.”
Her clipped tones didn’t invite conversation.
He frowned. The lady was presenting a puzzle. He assumed she’d been told to approach him by one of the matchmakers. Maybe he was wrong. “Look, I’m sorry I jumped to conclusions. I figured Mabel or Florence or—” He stopped as her cheeks flooded with color. Guilt if he ever saw it.
“How did you know?” she asked with gasp.
He didn’t answer at once. The pie and ice cream, already melting, demanded his attention. After he’d digested a tasty bite, he grinned. “Everyone in town knows those ladies are determined to marry off every single man in the county.” He shook his head, still grinning. “Not that I’m accusing you of trying to marry me. They usually start off with a date to one of the barn dances they have around here.”
He thought she’d be even more embarrassed, maybe even back out of asking him. Too bad. He might have enjoyed dancing with Miss Megan Ford.
Taking another bite, he was enjoying the combination of warm fruit pie and cold ice cream, when she spoke.
“You’re wrong, Mr. Astin. We’re skipping the date part and going straight to
