“Sounds good, thanks. See you tonight.”
* * *
Austin tried not to feel uncomfortable when all eyes locked on him when he entered the newspaper bullpen. Everyone seemed to know he was an outsider…and they all seemed curious. Or maybe it was simply the fact that everyone loved Blue, who was practically dancing on the end of his leash with love and excitement.
He was running late, so he hoped Savannah wasn’t upset. Sunrise and Savannah’s Heart were doing well, but another of the horses had decided to go off on his own. It took some time to locate him, but Austin eventually found him drinking out of a water trough by the west gate. He wrangled him in easily and was then off to town to get the evening started. Tonight he’d catch up with the guys and see if Alex had made any progress with the tuxedos. He was looking forward to his friends’ wedding. It was sure to be a memorable occasion at the ranch.
Ralph, who was on his way to his office, gave him that same stiff military acknowledgement that he always gave from one military man to another. Ralph wasn’t a big talker, but they’d traded stories about their war experiences. Even though they’d fought in different eras, the stories of what they’d sacrificed for their country were the same. Bertha, the copy editor who was also old enough to be his mother, blew him a kiss. Francie, the business manager, gave him a shy smile when he said hello. He waved at Savannah, who was on the phone, and commanded Blue to take a seat.
Wayne appeared out of nowhere. “Austin. What can I do you for?”
“Hey, Wayne. I’m here to see Savannah.”
“Well, we’re wrapping up for the night, and she’s busy with a phone call. If you’ve come here to schedule interview time with her for your story, I can take a message.”
“Actually I’m here to drop off Blue. He spent the day with me.” He gave Wayne a quizzical look. Surely he noticed the dog.
“Oh.” Wayne looked over his shoulder at the dog. “He’s a fickle one. I don’t think he likes me.”
“He’s fine with me. Maybe it’s your cologne. Dogs can smell fear and overactive hormones.”
Wayne laughed. “You are such a comedian.”
Savannah had finished her phone call and was on her way over. “Hey.”
“Hey.” He moved in to kiss her before she could back away. “Sorry, I'm late.”
He could really grow used to kissing her anytime he wanted. Wayne, however, looked like he wanted to punch him. He slammed into the water cooler as he tried to get back to his desk.
“No worries.” She smiled, seeming to ignore Wayne and the water cooler collision. “Blue looks like he had a good time.”
“He’s a great ranch dog. I fed him, and he had plenty of exercise.”
“Sounds like we’re going to have a cozy night. He sleeps good when he’s tuckered out.”
“I could join you.”
“No you don’t. You’re meeting your friends, and I have some work to catch up on, and I’m making a lasagna for the next committee meeting. I spent my afternoon watching the high school basketball game and I need to have my column in to the sports editor by morning.”
“Nice.” He scratched at his temple. “You’re on the school sports beat now?”
“I’m a jack-of-all-trades.” She moved closer. “I think Ralph is testing me to see how I cover various topics.”
“I’ve been reading your work, and I am a very satisfied reader.”
“I’ll be sure to let him know. Have a good time with your friends.” She kissed him again.
“I’ll be thinking of you.”
“Of course.” She waved her fingers at him and went back to her desk.
A few minutes later, he was parking in the lot of the Green Olive. He spotted Alex and Grayson at a table with Marco. It was a nice surprise to see the vintner here for a visit.
“Austin, I was just about to call you. I thought maybe you’d forgotten about dinner,” Alex said as he approached the table.
“I had to drop Savannah’s dog Blue off to her at the newspaper.” He took a seat. “Where’s Hutch?” Hutch was the Harper’s Grove police chief and a poker buddy.
“He said he’d be a little late, but he’ll be here,” Alex said. “Hey, do you think you could free up some time on Saturday? I finally nailed down a store for the tuxedos. They can do fittings in the morning.”
“Sure thing.”
“Great. And thanks again for helping Peyton find her wedding dress. She’s been floating on cloud nine ever since the pressure of finding a dress was alleviated.”
“Happy to help.” Austin turned to Marco. “Marco, good to see you. How are things at the vineyard?”
“We’re still recovering from the fires. But even though they knocked us down a little, we’re going to be back on our feet in no time!”
“That’s the spirit. How’s your momma?”
“I sent her to stay with my aunt for a while. She needed a break from worrying.”
Alex nodded. “If there’s anything we can do, let us know.”
“You’ve already been great. The Friends of Napa wine and chocolate fundraising festival was a huge success.” Marco gave him a pat on the back. “Speaking of fires, I hear you battled one yourself.”
“It was nothing.”
Grayson grinned. “And he managed to snag himself a sexy reporter to boot. Savannah is hot enough to start her own fire. If you get my drift.”
“Easy Bennett. That’s my—” He cut off before he could say another word.
The guys stayed silent waiting for him to finish, but he wouldn’t continue. What was supposed to be at the end of that sentence anyway? He’d been thinking about it all day. She wasn’t just some random woman he was attracted to; she was special, and it was becoming more apparent each day.
“Ha! I told you he was into her.” Grayson cheered.
Alex pointed a chili cheese fry at Grayson. “For the record, Peyton told me first.”
Marco laughed. “I see I’ve been away too long. What happened to Lucinda? Do tell.”
Grayson continued. “Savannah is stunning. She’s got a figure that can stop cars, hell planes too.”
“I think Marco was talking to me.” Austin’s jaw ticked. “Lucinda and I crashed and burned before anything got started. Savannah and I have been spending time together, and it’s turning into something else.”
“Ah. It sounds like she’s captured your heart,” Marco said.
“It’s safe to say,” Alex chipped in, “no woman’s held his attention for long.”
Grayson peered at the bar. “Where are the tequila nachos I ordered? Can’t the mayor get his appetizer in a timely fashion?”
“He’s cranky,” Alex explained to him. “The department head meeting went a little longer than planned. We had a session with the new residents to see how they’re doing. One of our hotshots decided to give a long-winded speech on his position on the new call system we’re trying to put in place.”
“That little snot Levi is a boot-licking nightmare,” Grayson said.
“Who?”
“The doctor who treated you at the hospital the night of the fire.” Grayson rolled his eyes. “By the way, he’s Savannah’s ex.”
“What?” Austin said.
“Yeah. I got the skinny from one of the nurses. They moved here together with the intention of getting married when he settled in at the hospital. But instead he cheated on her when he became the hot new doctor in the ER. He’s an asshole for leaving someone like that.”
So the jerky ER doctor was the same jerk who’d broken Savannah’s heart.
Marco was watching him, sipping his bourbon. “The plot thickens. I guess you two haven’t discussed previous relationships yet?”
“No, we haven’t gotten that far. I had to do a whole lot of talking to convince her my brief relationship with Lucinda wasn’t the standard modus operandi. Lucinda still trashes me on the radio every chance she gets.”
“She hasn’t lately,” Alex said. “Maybe she’s hoping you
two can get back together. You did say she stopped by the ranch to check on you when you were released.”
“Savannah seems like a nice woman. She sure didn’t deserve the crap she got from Levi.”
“I second that emotion, but I won’t lie and say I’m mad about it,” Austin replied.
“Levi’s loss is an opportunity for you,” Marco added.
They all nodded in agreement.
“Speak of the devil,” Grayson said as the waitress put the nachos on the table. “Here comes the good doctor now.”
Austin glanced over to see Levi approaching their table. Wonderful.
“Dr. Popovich. Dr, Bennett,” Levi called out. “What a coincidence. I guess great minds think alike.” Levi said as he approached the table.
“More like great stomachs,” Alex replied.
Levi glanced at Austin and snapped his fingers. “You’re the ranch hand I treated in the ER. I forget your name.”
“That’s ‘rancher,’ Leroy, not ‘ranch hand.’” It wasn’t his imagination. Dr. Levi was deliberately trying to piss him off.
“It’s Levi.” Levi squared his shoulders. “Ranch hand, rancher. What’s the difference?”
“Several million dollars,” Grayson huffed. “Austin Holbrook’s one of our biggest hospital donors.”
“You should read the donor dedication wall more closely in the hospital’s pavilion. His name is on one of those plaques,” Alex said in an authoritative tone. “My friend Marco here is a donor too. He’s the owner of Paloma Vineyards in Napa Valley.”
Levi’s eyes widened as he just realized he’d made a big mistake.
“So what brings you to the Green Olive?” Grayson said. “Other than insulting our hospital’s donors?”
“I’m on a date.” Levi cleared his throat. “Listen, we didn’t get a chance to talk after the meeting.”
Alex tapped his fork on the table. “You’re signing up to do a shift at the free health care clinic? We can use all the help we can get.”
“Uh no. I’m a bit short on time at the moment.” Levi cleared his throat again. “I have a few suggestions for the ER rotation. Do you think we could grab lunch next week?”
“Check with Stella,” Alex said. “But I have to warn you. I’m a bit short on time at the moment…”
“I better get back to my date. Any time you can give me would be greatly appreciated,” Levi said.
Alex’s jaw ticked. “Ditto on the help at the clinic.”
“Think of it as a character building experience, Levi,” Grayson added. “Good doctoring is about far more than seeing wealthy patients.”
“Right. Because you went into plastic surgery for all the poor people you could help get facelifts and breast augmentation.”
Austin popped a nacho in his mouth. This was getting interesting quickly.
Grayson sipped on his drink before replying. “I do it because I’m the best at what I do. I work at the clinic because it’s the right thing to do, and it’s a boost to the community morale and health awareness. You know, the kind of thing that gets you into heaven and into the paper.” He grinned. “Speaking of which, you may be asked for a sound bite from the local paper. The newspaper is doing an article on Austin’s daring rescue during a dangerous fire.” Grayson snapped his fingers. “Come to think of it, you two may have something in common.”
Levi looked dubious. “What’s that?”
Austin shot Grayson a look. He knew where this was going.
“Savannah Brewster.” Grayson turned to Austin with a wicked grin on his face. “Savannah’s been interviewing you, right?”
Austin looked Levi in the eyes. “Yep. She’s a great reporter.”
“She is, she is.” Grayson glanced at Levi and raised his eyebrows. “Hey, Levi, weren’t you and Savannah once an item?”
“We are. Were. It’s complicated.”
“Savannah isn’t the kind of woman who does complicated,” Austin drawled.
“How do you know what she likes?” Levi fired back.
“You’re not together anymore. I don’t think that’s any of your business.”
Alex pointed at a table across the restaurant. “I think your date is trying to get your attention.”
Levi locked eyes with Austin again before he finally retreated.
“Well, that was interesting.” Marco mused. “I think you just poked the bear.”
“That was some soap opera level tension,” Grayson said. He grinned at Austin. “Looks like you have a rival.”
“I can assure you all that I’m more than up to the challenge,” Austin said.
One thing was for sure, he was happy Levi was out of Savannah’s life. And he felt fortunate to have her in his life. He was looking forward to their first date. It was time to open his heart again after so many years of being closed off.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Savannah put the necklace around her neck and fastened the clasp. Tonight was the big night. She and Austin were going out to dinner on their first date. She’d picked out a sexy red dress and a fabulous pair of heels. She’d even crimped her hair to give it a playful but sexy look and spritzed on the perfume she only used for romantic occasions.
A lot had changed since the night they’d spent together at the stables. She’d gotten busier planning the fundraising event for Angela, and Austin had been busy on the ranch. Still, they kept in touch every day. It was nice to get a call from him and hear his voice.
The doorbell rang. She opened the door to find Austin dressed elegantly tan tweed sports coat, baby blue dress shirt, jeans, and a fancy pair of brown cowboy boots. He was holding a beautiful bouquet of flowers.
She smiled. “Well, hello there.”
“Hello, gorgeous.” Austin kissed her. “These are for you.”
“Thank you.” She took the bouquet and waved him inside. “They’re beautiful.”
“But they pale in comparison to you.” He looked around. “Where’s Blue?”
“He’s at the dog sitter’s.” She continued on to the kitchen in search of a vase.
“Does that mean I have you all to myself tonight?”
“Perhaps.” She gave him her best sultry look. “Do you have another sick horse that needs attention?”
“No, but I am starved for the good company of a beautiful, intelligent, vivacious woman. If I play my cards right, maybe I can persuade her to take a midnight tour of my ranch.” He pulled her into his arms.
“What kind of girl do you take me for?”
“The kind I’ve been looking for all of my life.” Austin kissed her again.
She parted her lips as he swept his tongue in and began that slow, rhythmic move.
Finally when they broke apart, she was breathless and pretty sure she’d have to touch up her makeup before they left.
“If you keep that up we won’t make it to dinner.”
“I don’t mind.” He nuzzled her neck.
“Well, I had watercress and a glass of water for lunch. I need sustenance. You need to feed me.”
“Yes ma’am.” He tugged on her hand and headed for the door.
But his words before he’d kissed her still lingered in her mind. She was thankful for a moment to gather her thoughts. There was his directness again. It was as refreshing as it was scary. He knew what he wanted. She, on the other hand, was still processing their attraction. She didn’t want to get hurt again. She’d been so happy after she’d finally picked up the pieces after her split with Levi. She didn’t know if she had it in her to rebuild her life if she lost someone like Austin. She wouldn’t make the same mistakes twice. She needed to take it slow with Austin. It was crucial she didn’t make another mistake like making a man her whole world, no matter how great he was.
She was surprised when she saw a blue sports car parked in front of the house. “This is something new.”
“I figured you wouldn’t want to climb in and out of a truck. So I thought we’d travel in something a little more elegant tonight.”
/> “And another facet of your personality emerges. A thoughtful cowboy.”
A short ride later, they arrived at the Bear Creek Steakhouse, a restaurant in the neighboring town of Palo Verde. She liked the fact that their first time out wouldn’t be in Harper’s Grove. She knew once word spread that they were seeing each other, a whole new pressure would present itself. Part of taking things slow meant she didn’t have to endure the curious looks of people who wanted to know the secret of wrangling Austin. His reputation for perpetual single-dom was practically part of the town’s bylaws.
They were soon seated at an intimate table. Everything on the menu seemed so enticing, and it was no surprise Austin wanted to order a porterhouse. She settled on the braised beef short ribs with polenta, which sounded delicious, so she went for it. She sipped on her white wine and he sipped his bourbon while she chatted about her day at the newspaper. He was an attentive person. He wanted to know what made her want to be a journalist. She confessed she’d always had a penchant for telling stories, mostly to pass the time because she was alone a lot as a child.
Austin also had plenty of questions about Angela’s fundraiser. She was happy to report the progress she was making planning the event. She also told him that she was becoming friends with Peyton, and that seemed to please him. Peyton was a nice person, and they had a lot in common. They were also a unified front against Lucinda, the occasional thorn in their side. It was nice to have someone in her corner to combat the bullish diva behavior of the radio star. She couldn’t help but notice how he smiled when she talked about her budding relationship with Peyton.
It felt good to have Austin’s arm around her. The way he caressed her arm sent shivers up her spine. He had a soft touch for a man who worked with his hands all day. He wasn’t shy about showing affection either. Suddenly her taking-it-slow approach seemed boring.
The evening was perfect…until a nightmare come to life approached the table. Suddenly a cameraman came up to their table and began filming them.
“What are you doing?” Austin held up his hand to shield his eyes from the camera light. “Get that damn light out of our faces.”
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