“Alice!” she said as she swung open the door.
The younger woman gave her a little smile, which grew as she took in Katy’s black dress and peep-toe stilettos. Hannah had once joked that this was her dating armor, and she had a point. Katy felt most comfortable when she was like this—made up to a tee, with shoes that didn’t clomp and an outfit that was better suited to shimmying with small steps than leaping up on a horse.
Even further proof that she was out of her element here.
So then, why did it feel as if she’d come home?
“Can I—?” She gestured inside and Katy stepped aside quickly.
“Of course, come on in.”
Alice handed over a bundle of papers. “I didn’t think Dax would have given you this…”
“This” was a handful of pamphlets detailing every relatively close restaurant or catering company and the type of food and service they provided. “This is all of them,” Alice said, her tone all business despite the fact that her eyes were still taking in her date attire. “I wanted to give you an accurate assessment of the food options, though I’ve arranged them in order of preference.”
“Whose preference?” Katy asked, more out of amusement than anything. Never had anyone gone to so much trouble to sell her on a venue. Most places she visited on her clients’ behalf were so chichi they made her feel like they were doing her some massive favor by allowing her on the grounds. Only when her client showed up in person was she treated to the five-star experience.
But here at Twilight, Katy got the impression she was their most important guest by half. It was flattering, to be honest, and more than a little humbling.
Alice’s cheeks flushed and she gave her a mischievous grin. “They’re in order of my preference,” she admitted. “But I’ve lived here my whole life, aside from college, and I’ve eaten at every one of these places multiple times. Some of them probably hundreds of times.” She tilted her chin up in a way Katy knew and recognized. “I promise I have good taste.”
Not for the first time since meeting the other blonde, Katy felt a pang of recognition. Not as though they’d met before or she reminded her of a colleague.
No…Alice reminded her of herself.
Other than the blonde hair and short stature, they didn’t look much alike at all. Where Katy had wavy hair, Alice’s was straight, where Katy’s features were sharp, Alice’s were softer, rounder. She had the kind of easy smile and natural outgoing persona that Katy had always admired.
Alice oozed energy and enthusiasm in a way that made Katy realize just how tired she was. It was silly, really, it’s not like she was that much older than Alice. No more than four or five years, she’d guess. But she felt ancient next to her—world weary and jaded beside this youthful, optimistic, energetic sweetheart.
Alice chatted on about the surrounding area and the food scene, for lack of a better term. She didn’t seem to notice that Katy was only half listening while she took stock of the other woman and tried to make sense of what it was she was feeling.
Surely she wasn’t jealous…but then again, maybe she was. Alice just seemed so comfortable. At ease in her own skin. She had a natural confidence, not the kind that Katy had, which had been fought for and which she struggled to keep a hold of.
Alice had so much energy she seemed to be busting at the seams, and just listening to her ideas for wedding caterers and how she’d like to one day provide that in-house and blah, blah, blah….
Katy was impressed. That flicker of jealousy faded as she realized that she could never be jealous of someone so genuine and sweet. But she did recognize herself in the girl—in her ambition and her energy—and she could admit the fact that she envied her the support she must have had in her life that left her so sure of herself and so at ease in her own skin.
She highly doubted that Alice Deckland owned dating armor. She wouldn’t even be able to grasp the concept of trying to keep defenses up around someone for whom she might have feelings.
Katy held back a weary sigh. When had she become so defensive? At what point had she lost that eager enthusiasm and become jaded and defensive?
“Katy?” Alice said, making Katy realize that perhaps she hadn’t been terribly subtle about not paying attention.
She shook her head quickly. “I’m sorry, what?”
Alice’s lips turned up in an impish grin. “Sorry, I probably shouldn’t have bothered you while you’re getting ready for a date.”
Katy laughed. “Don’t be silly.” She looked down. “Besides, I’m ready.”
“You sure are.” Alice dropped the professional act and gave a wolf whistle that made Katy laugh. “You look amazing.”
“Thank you.” She was starting to feel self-conscious so she toyed with one of her rings. “Are you sure it’s not too much?”
Alice laughed. “For Lulu? Yes. But then, anything more than jeans is too much by our local standards.”
Katy bit her lip. “Should I change?” She’d already stuck out like a pink elephant at the roadhouse, she didn’t relish the idea of calling that sort of attention to herself again. She also didn’t want to embarrass Dax by looking out of place.
Alice’s brows shot up. “Don’t you dare. You are going to knock Dax sideways when he sees you.” Her grin turned mischievous in a way that was solely reserved for sisters, Katy decided. Alice lowered her voice and leaned forward as if letting her in on a secret. “I don’t know what you’ve done to my brother, but I have never seen him like this.”
Her eyes were wide and sincere, and Katy had no idea how to respond.
Well, that wasn’t quite true. Her body responded all on its own, her heart racing with excitement and her hands clasping together with barely concealed excitement.
She felt like a kid again, giddy and filled with joy.
He felt it too. He felt it too.
The words kept repeating themselves even as she tried to tell herself how ridiculous she was being. She knew he was attracted to her—he wouldn’t have asked her out if he didn’t find her appealing. But from what Alice said, it gave her hope that he was just as overwhelmed by these new and terrifying sensations.
Mercy, she hoped so. She definitely did not want to be the only one whose world was spinning out of control because of a simple kiss.
Simple…ha! There had been nothing simple about it. It had been spectacular, breathtaking.
It had changed her world.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” Alice asked. Her smile faltered at whatever she’d seen in Katy’s expression.
She forced a smile but when she spoke, she found herself unable to prevaricate with this woman. Alice might be younger but she seemed to have figured life out in a way Katy had never been able to. Despite her innocence, or maybe because of it, Alice suddenly seemed older than her years. Or at the very least—wiser.
Katy supposed that was why the honest truth came tumbling out of her mouth. “I don’t know,” she said. She let out a short laugh that sounded a bit desperate even to her own ears. “I honestly don’t know up from down right now.”
Alice tilted her head to the side and smiled. But she wasn’t laughing at Katy. If anything her smile was understanding. Empathetic, even. “I don’t have much firsthand knowledge myself, but from what I can tell, that’s a good sign.”
Katy blinked at the younger woman, feeling an odd surge of affection for her—the girl who was so similar to her in ambition and determination, yet so very different in such crucial ways. “Is it?”
Alice nodded and some of her confidence rubbed off on her. After all, she seemed so certain. “You know what my mama used to say?” Alice asked.
“What?”
Alice lowered her voice to a near whisper. “It ain’t love if you’re not knocked on your keister.”
Katy stared at her for a second before letting out a sharp laugh. Everything about that was laughable, from the downhome saying to the thought that this was love. Of course it wasn’t. It couldn’t be.
Alice was grinning at her, her smile knowing.
Could it?
Another sharp knock on the door jolted her once again. Oh man, she needed a moment to breathe before she faced him. Alice’s little pep talk had made her even more confused. But he was waiting. There was no time for more agonizing.
She hurried over to the door, Alice right behind her. All the while she told herself to ignore the other woman’s comment about love. Alice was clearly an optimist at best, and a romantic at worst.
Neither of which were terms anyone would use for Katy.
She took a deep breath as she reached the door. That was it. She’d merely gone to the wrong person for wisdom. She might as well have asked Cinderella for dating advice. She’d be left with a head full of nonsense about prince charming and fairy godmothers.
That thought helped her regain some semblance of reason so that when she opened the door and saw Dax standing there, she could manage a somewhat normal smile.
For about two seconds.
Then she registered the sight before her and all hope was lost.
Wow, he looked good. Strong and handsome, well-dressed, and perfectly groomed. He cleaned up good. For a second her bratty brain took up an inner debate on who was the most appealing—Dax the cowboy or Dax the gentleman.
Either way, Dax won hands down.
There was no one else. No one could compare.
What nonsense. She forced the faltering smile back into place to hide the inner turmoil, though she had a feeling the attempt was fruitless.
His gaze narrowed on her, his eyes taking in everything—her dress, the heels, the jewelry and makeup, and her forced smile.
Concern filled his gaze but Alice’s sudden arrival at her elbow stopped him from speaking.
“Hey there, big brother. You’re looking nice tonight.”
Now that was an understatement. But Dax didn’t even seem to hear his little sister. His gaze had never shifted from Katy. For the first time in her life, Katy understood what people meant when they said that the rest of the world disappeared. She had the unnerving sense that she and Dax were alone in a little bubble of their own.
She was vaguely aware of Alice’s voice in the distance, making her excuses as she sidled past Katy and then past Dax.
Neither she nor Dax spoke until she was gone. Did he feel this too?
“You look beautiful.”
Oh. Oh wow. His voice was all low and gravelly, and his gaze was intimate and all-seeing. The moment felt laden with so much subtext and deeper meaning, she didn’t know how to make sense of it.
This was a date. A simple date with a nice guy she would never see again after this holiday weekend.
“You look nice too,” she said. She could feel the heat creeping into her cheeks. What was it about this man that made her blush like a schoolgirl? What was it about him made her feel exposed? Laid open. Like she had no secrets from him.
It ain’t love unless it’s knocked you on your keister.
She shook her head to rid herself of Alice’s words. It was a silly saying invented by a now-deceased woman who was also clearly an optimist, and no doubt a romantic.
Dax offered his arm as he nodded toward the door. “Shall we?”
“Where are we headed?” she asked as she let him lead her to his truck. Normally she might eschew that kind of chivalry but the ground was rocky and uneven—not exactly great terrain for her heels—and besides, she liked the feel of his arm beneath hers.
She liked being able to feel his warmth and his solidness. Was solidness a word? It was now. Because that’s what Dax was—solid. He was the kind of guy she hadn’t known existed anymore. What you see is what you get, wasn’t that the saying?
She glanced up at him and he smiled down at her.
With effort she stifled a sappy, mooning sigh. When it came to Dax, she definitely liked what she saw.
“There’s really only one decent restaurant in town,” Dax said as he opened her door and helped her inside. “It’s a steakhouse, but they have other dishes as well. If you don’t like meat or—”
“I love it,” she said. It was hard to keep her grin under control and laughter threatened to bubble up. He was nervous. The most laid-back cowboy on the planet was nervous.
She was too, of course, but knowing that he was nervous helped her own anxiety abate.
On the short drive into town, Dax gave her a rundown of the kinds of places one could find in Lulu. It seemed Hannah’s friend Claire ran the saloon, along with her mother, and his brother was part owner of the local garage. Aside from that, it was an eclectic mix of small shops—a hardware store, a store that sold trinkets to tourists passing through on the way to the ski resorts. That sort of thing.
When they hit the edge of town, Dax flashed her a grin. “Don’t blink.”
She arched her brows in question. “Pardon me?”
He let out a soft laugh. “Don’t blink or you might miss it.”
Approximately two minutes later she was laughing too as they reached the end of “downtown” Lulu, which was approximately three blocks long.
“So that was the grand tour, huh?” she teased.
“Yes, ma’am,” he drawled. “If you think those shoes are up for it, we may even be able to take in all the sights on foot.”
She glanced down at her heels. This man had no idea how many miles she’d walked in Manhattan in heels higher than this. “Oh, I think I’ll manage.”
Dax had parked close to the steakhouse but she insisted on walking a bit first before they entered. The sun was starting to go down and it would be set by the time they finished. She wanted to see this town properly before she lost the light.
“I’m telling you,” he said, “there’s not much to see.”
She smiled up at him. “Humor me.” Without thinking, she slipped her hand into his. She gave a startled gasp at her own actions. Maybe it wasn’t an over-the-top gesture but what was shocking wasn’t her forwardness, it was how natural it seemed.
Taking his hand had felt like the most natural thing in the world. When his fingers closed around hers, holding her tight, it had felt like coming home.
Every time he touched her it felt like that. When he’d kissed her it had been like the homecoming she’d never known she’d needed. She hadn’t known she’d been lost until she’d been found.
The thought brought tears to her eyes even as she told herself she had lost her mind.
Maybe there was a serious lack of oxygen at this altitude. They were in the mountains, after all. That had to be it.
His hand squeezed hers. “Are you all right?”
Yes, of course. She tried to say that but found herself stumbling over the words. Something about Dax’s earnest, honest, inquisitive gaze made it impossible to tell him anything less than the truth. “I’m just a little out of sorts, I guess.”
She was conscious of his eyes on her as they strolled along the sidewalk.
Then she was conscious of other eyes on her.
Actually, all eyes were on her.
“Um, Dax?”
“Yes?”
“Is it my imagination or are people staring at me?”
She waited for him to say something reassuring in that low, calming voice of his. When he didn’t she looked up and saw that he was laughing silently. “What’s so funny?”
He shook his head and his look was so infinitely tender it made her want to curl up against him and sigh with delight. “It’s nothing, just…” He came to a stop and tugged on her hand so she stopped beside him. When she did, he leaned down slightly so none of the curious passersby could hear. “I’m pretty sure no one in Lulu has ever seen someone so beautiful and glamorous.”
Oh mercy. Now her cheeks were on fire. “You’re teasing.”
He shook his head, his eyes wide with sincerity. “I’m not. You’re spectacular.”
She glanced around at the couple across the street who weren’t even attempting to hide their stares. But it was
n’t just her they were looking at. “I’m pretty sure they’re more fascinated by the fact that I’m here with you,” she pointed out.
But she couldn’t help but laugh at his kind take on the situation. As if she was so very beautiful that no one could look away.
The man was a charmer through and through.
When she looked back at him his gaze had darkened and he was watching her with such intensity that it was hard to breathe.
“If they’re not dumbstruck by the sight before them, then they must be blind.”
She tugged on his hand so they could start walking again. She couldn’t take any more of his kind words or his meaningful looks, not without bursting into flames. “You’re too kind.” She said it with a bit of a drawl so it came out teasing, laughing off his over-the-top compliment.
“Just speaking the truth, ma’am.”
She laughed as he joined in with the teasing. “Personally, I think they’re all just shocked that their favorite cowboy is holding hands with a stranger.”
Before he could respond, they both heard his name shouted out behind them.
When they spun around they saw a willowy brunette and a dark-haired man heading toward them. The brunette wore a big smile and the guy beside her had a lazy grin that reminded her of Dax.
She wasn’t entirely surprised when they drew near and Dax introduced him as his brother, Cole. While they didn’t look exactly alike, they were close enough that the family resemblance was clear. Cole had darker hair and a rougher look about him, compared to Dax’s clean-cut appearance. And Dax had the sun-streaked thing going on from time spent working outside. But they were both handsome and they both had that easy grin that made their eyes crinkle at the corners.
Cole gave her a nod and smile as Dax introduced them, then he turned to introduce the woman but she beat him to it, stepping forward and pulling Katy into a hug. “I feel like I know you already,” the woman said.
Katy laughed. “Claire, I take it?”
Claire took a step back and gave her a rueful grin. “Sorry, I’ve been back in Lulu for a while and it seems I’ve forgotten how to play it cool.”
Katy laughed harder at the other woman’s self-deprecating humor.
Steel Toes & Stilettos (Sweet & Rugged in Montana Book 2) Page 9