The 15 lb. Matchmaker

by Jill Limber

  He’d tell her to go out Saturday night. Riley went to bed around seven. He’d tell her about some of the nicer bars in Billings. On the weekends they had live music and dancing.

  Then he pictured her being hit on by a bunch of guys and felt a twist in his gut. He didn’t like the image at all.

  He could use an evening out himself. One of the hands could come over and stay at the house after the baby went to bed. He’d escort her to town. That way he could keep an eye on her and be there if any of the single guys got too friendly.

  That sounded like a much better plan. He checked the fuel supply for the generator and headed back to the house.

  Jolie was in the kitchen with her head in the refrigerator when he came through the back door. She had changed into jeans and a sweatshirt.

  She looked up and smiled. She’d recovered from whatever had been bothering her, he noted with relief.

  “Where’s the baby?”

  “I put him to bed. He was exhausted from his big day. Are you hungry for supper?”

  “I could eat.”

  She turned back to the refrigerator and pulled out makings for sandwiches. He watched her graceful movements.

  “Listen, I was thinking. You haven’t had a day off since you got here.”

  She shrugged and continued to make sandwiches.

  “You could go into Billings on Saturday night.”

  She hesitated, then turned to look at him. “Thanks, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable out at night by myself. I don’t know Billings that well and—”

  “I’d drive you in.”

  “Who’d stay with Riley?”

  “We could leave after he goes to sleep. Chris or Lem could come over and watch TV.”

  “Are you thinking of going to a movie?”

  “If you want. But there’s this great bar you might like with live music, dancing and good burgers.”

  She hesitated again. “I guess so.”

  She was starting to annoy him. Usually when he asked a woman out she was glad to say yes. “You need to think about it for a while?”

  “No. I was just thinking if Riley were to wake up and…”

  “He knows Chris and Lem. He’ll be fine.”

  “It’s not a good idea to let a child wake up and find himself with strangers…”

  Annoyed, he cocked an eyebrow at her. She sure was full of excuses. “Says who? And they’re not strangers.”

  “All right. What time?”

  She made it sound as if he was offering her a ride to the dentist for a root canal.

  “Seven should be fine.” That would get them into town in enough time to eat dinner and get in some dancing. Neither of them needed a late night. He had his cows and she had to get up with the baby.

  She looked as if she was going to say more, then she put his sandwich in front of him and sat down. He shouldn’t be hungry since the huge meal he’d consumed at the Morgans, but the sandwich tasted great.

  Jolie picked her way through half her meal, then started to excuse herself.

  Something was really bothering her. Griff reached out and put his hand on her forearm to stop her from getting up. “What’s the matter?”

  “Nothing. I’m just not very hungry after that huge meal at the Morgans’.”

  “Did Vince say something to upset you?”

  She stared at him for a moment, then gave a little hoot of laughter that had an edge to it. “No.”

  She shook him off and left him sitting and wondering at the odd expression on her face when he had asked about Vince. Like he had told himself earlier, he was never going to understand women.

  Jolie spent the week keeping her distance from Griff, trying to talk herself out of being in love. If you could fall in, you could fall out, she reasoned, especially this early, before anything happened.

  He had only asked her out because he was taking pity on her for being cooped up. She’d been feeling housebound and an evening out would feel good.

  She didn’t have to let him know how she felt about him. In fact, it would be a perfect opportunity to bring up the subject of finding a permanent nanny for Riley.

  On Saturday afternoon Jolie put Riley down for his nap and then called Vince’s sister Shauna.

  “What do I wear to go into Billings and go dancing?”

  “That’s easy. Jeans. Everybody wears jeans.”

  “Out at night?”

  “You bet. You wear anything else and you’ll stick out like a sore thumb. Who are you going out with?”

  “Griff’s giving me a ride to town.”

  There was silence, then Shauna said, “Ah.”

  Annoyed, Jolie shot back, “There’s no ‘ah.’ It’s just a night out.”

  “Sure it is. You have a good time.” Shauna laughed and hung up.

  Jolie headed for her closet. She didn’t know about wearing jeans, but she didn’t want to stick out, either.

  She settled on a pair of designer jeans she had brought with her from Seattle and a white silk blouse.

  She took a shower and washed her hair while the baby was still asleep. He was so mobile now that she couldn’t manage to get that done while he was awake.

  She fixed his dinner and fed him, then brought him upstairs to her room while she dressed.

  As she stepped into her silk panties and matching bra she heard Griff come in, and the clunk of the water pipes let her know he was showering too.

  She felt all shivery with anticipation. When was the last time she had felt this way? She couldn’t remember, and that made her sad. She had to keep reminding herself Griff didn’t have feelings for her.

  She gave herself a little shake as she buttoned her shirt and pulled on her jeans. Tonight was for fun, nothing more, nothing less. And to talk about hiring her replacement.

  She glanced around the room and realized she had lost track of Riley. She found him sitting on the floor of her closet, chewing on a shoe.

  “Yuck!” She scooped him up and threw the shoe back in the closet. “We can find you something better than that to chew on.”

  She heard Griff’s footsteps go past her door. She carried Riley to his room and dressed him for bed, then took him downstairs to fix him a bottle.

  Chris knocked at the back door, and she called for him to come in.

  He stood in the door to the kitchen and gave a low whistle as he took off his hat. “You look mighty nice tonight, Miss Jolie.”

  She loved the quaint politeness all Griff’s hands showed her.

  “Thank you, Chris. Are you sure you’re okay with this? I’m sure he’ll go right to bed, but…”

  “Don’t you waste any time worrying over me and the boy, here. We’ll get along just fine.”

  But Jolie was worried. She had never left Riley with anyone else and there was so much he needed to know.

  “The doctor’s number is on the refrigerator. You have to watch him all the time because he crawls now. And he puts everything in his mouth. And he likes to explore things like the electrical outlets. And if he wakes up after you put him to bed you need to check his diaper and—”

  “Jolie, darlin’, take a breath.”

  She turned to see Griff standing in the door and forgot what else she was going to say. He’d shaved and put on a blue shirt that made his eyes even more beautiful. New-looking jeans hugged his lean hips, and fancy boots added to his already considerable height. He looked…delicious.

  Jolie remembered to breathe. “I was just giving Chris instructions.”

  “We’re going to be gone for a few hours, not years.”

  She felt herself blushing. “I know, but Chris doesn’t have any experience.”

  Chris let out a whoop of laughter. “I’m the oldest of ten kids. Riley and I will do fine.”

  Griff nodded to Chris. “I’ll leave my phone on. Call if you have a problem.”

  Jolie gave Riley a kiss and handed him off to Chris. She waited for a reaction. The baby looked at Chris and then back at her, his lip quivering. Chr
is reached into a back pocket and produced a carved wooden animal, let the baby see it, then dropped it in his shirt pocket.

  Attention diverted, Riley was absorbed with the effort of trying to remove the toy from Chris’s shirt pocket.

  Griff dropped her jacket over her shoulders and took her by the arm. “Come on, let’s go.”

  “But—”

  “Jolie.” His voice held a gentle warning.

  She sighed and turned to go. He was right. She had to start getting Riley used to the idea of being left with someone else. She just hadn’t expected it to be so hard.

  As they walked out the front door, Riley decided that Jolie leaving wasn’t such a good idea and began to wail. She tried to turn and go back to him, but Griff pulled her onto the porch and closed the door firmly behind him.

  She could still hear the baby’s cries. Griff kept his hand on her arm and drew her down the steps.

  “Keep moving. He’ll be fine.”

  “I know, but…”

  He helped her up into the truck. She wanted so badly to bolt back into the house and reassure Riley, but she knew that would only make things worse, so she sat miserably quiet and they drove away from the house.

  When they got to the main road, Griff stopped the truck and handed her his phone.

  She looked up at him in surprise.

  “Go ahead and call Chris. You’re going to be miserable if you don’t.”

  She quickly punched in the number and waited as the phone in the kitchen rang. Chris picked it up on the third ring.

  “Price Ranch.”

  She didn’t hear any crying in the background. “Chris, it’s Jolie. Is Riley okay?”

  “Sure is. He stopped crying before your taillights disappeared. Stop worrying and have fun.”

  “Thanks.” She blew out a breath of relief and disconnected the call.

  “Feel better?” Griff smiled at her.

  “Yes. Thanks.”

  They drove into Billings in companionable silence and parked in front of a shingled building with a neon sign announcing the name Rounders.

  Griff came around and helped her from the truck. She enjoyed the courtesy. It made her feel special.

  He opened the door for her and she was hit by a wall of noise and music, the smell of grilled meat and beer. Bodies crowded on and around a large dance floor in the huge room.

  Neon signs cast colored lights over the people standing at the bar and an old-fashioned mirrored disco ball tagged the dancers with moving squares of light. Griff put his hand on the small of her back and guided her around the dance floor toward an empty table along the far wall.

  He helped her out of her jacket. “Things are really hopping tonight, and it’s still early.”

  Jolie was dazzled by the noise and lights and music. Everyone seemed to be having fun and laughing. Usually the social gatherings she attended were much more sedate and quiet.

  “You okay?” Griff asked, looking down at her.

  “Oh, yes. It’s wonderful, all the energy. I like this place.”

  He grinned at her as he pulled out her chair. “Just wait until things start to heat up.”

  She settled into the big wooden chair and tried to imagine things getting more lively than they were right now.

  Griff took the seat across from her. “Hungry?”

  She had skipped lunch while she tried to figure out what to wear. “I’m starving!”

  He handed her a slightly sticky menu from the stack propped between the ketchup and mustard bottles on the end of the table.

  “Aren’t you going to eat?” she asked when he didn’t take a menu for himself.

  “I know what I want. They make the best burgers here you’ve ever tasted.”

  She handed the menu back to him without looking at it. “Then that’s what I’ll have.”

  A cute little brunette waitress arrived and greeted Griff by name. “You haven’t been in for a while, sugar.” She looked over at Jolie and smiled.

  “Hey, Marla. How are you?”

  “Fine, just fine. What can I get you?”

  “We’ll both have the house special, and I’d like a beer.” He looked at Jolie. “What would you like to drink?”

  She had seen nothing but beer mugs on the tables as they came in. Not a wineglass in sight. “I’ll have a beer, too.”

  “Okay. Two burgers and two beers. Be up right quick.” Marla bestowed another smile on Griff and turned away.

  Jolie watched Marla leave and wondered if she and Griff had dated, or if Marla would like to. She had definitely sensed some female interest on Marla’s part, and felt a little sting of jealousy.

  “Come on, we have time for a dance before the food arrives.”

  He pulled out her chair and folded her hand into his big, warm one. She could feel the calluses against her skin. It felt like an honest hand, the hand of a man who made his living by really working.

  He pulled her toward the dance floor, and she realized that people were doing some kind of synchronized dance.

  Jolie stopped and tugged on Griff’s hand. “I don’t know how to dance like that.”

  “Don’t worry. It’s easy to catch on. We’ll stand behind everyone and I’ll show you.” He pulled on her hand and towed her to the back of the dance floor.

  She eyed the dancers and thought he might be a little optimistic. It looked complicated to her.

  The music was louder out on the floor and he had to lean down to talk to her. She liked the feel of his breath on her face. In fact, she thought with a sigh, she liked everything about him.

  “Every dance is just a series of repetitions of a few basic steps.” He stood on her left, still holding her hand and did a series of steps to the right and the left.

  Jolie tried to follow him, but got tangled up. Griff moved behind Jolie and put his hands on her waist and leaned down to murmur the directions in her ear. The feel of his big warm body behind her and the weight of his hands on her waist made her feel as if she were melting.

  She struggled to pay attention to his directions as she watched the people in front of her. By the time the music ended, she was catching on.

  Marla skirted the dance floor with a huge tray on her shoulder and signaled to Griff. They returned to the table. Marla had put down two platters heaped with food and two giant mugs of beer.

  Jolie eyed the meal in dismay. A huge hamburger smothered in cheese and grilled onions sat in the middle of the plate surrounded by french fries, onion rings and a large mound of coleslaw. It looked like more than she could eat in a week.

  She glanced up and caught Griff grinning at her. “Bit off more than you can chew?”

  “You forgot to mention the size of the house special.” She cut the burger in half and still had to hold it with both hands.

  She took a sip of her beer and liked the yeasty taste of it. She made it through half the burger before she had to stop or risk maximum discomfort. Griff had polished off his meal so she offered him the other half of hers. He finished that off, too.

  “I think maybe I’m still not feeding you enough.” To her surprise he looked a little sheepish. “What?”

  “Well, sometimes after we eat I go down and have a bowl of chili at the cookshack.”

  She thought of the large meals he consumed in the kitchen. “Why didn’t you say something?”

  He squirmed a little in his seat. “That first night when you fixed the salad you looked like you were going to cry when I asked for more.”

  She smiled at him. “I did not!”

  He shrugged. She realized he used that response when he didn’t want to talk about something. She tucked that little tidbit away.

  “Come on, let’s dance.” He came around and held her chair.

  On the way to the back of the dance floor he greeted several people he knew but didn’t stop to talk. Jolie was aware of the assessing glances coming her way.

  He coached her as he had before, and by the third number she caught on. She liked the feel
of his hands at her waist and on her shoulder as he took her through the steps. The music and the noise and friendly people around her blended together into a pleasant, warm atmosphere.

  There were more and more things she was going to miss about Montana when she left.

  Griff cupped her chin and tilted her face up. “What’s the matter, darlin’?”

  She managed a smile for him. She wanted to have the courage to tell him she loved him. Instead she said, “Nothing. I guess I’m getting a little tired.”

  He glanced at the clock over the bar surrounded by neon announcing Miller Time. “Well, it is after ten.”

  “So late?” The evening had flown by, and she’d barely thought of Riley. And she hadn’t brought up the subject of a new nanny.

  Jolie stifled a yawn. Days on the ranch started early, and she hadn’t been up this late since she had arrived.

  “Ready to go?”

  “I suppose we should.” She felt a little like Cinderella approaching midnight.

  They went back to the table and he paid the bill, grabbed their jackets and headed for the door. As they stepped out into the frigid evening, the contrast to the hot noisy bar was extreme.

  Stars glittered with a cold bright light that took her breath away. A full moon coated the buildings in a silvery glow.

  “Oh,” she breathed, “what a beautiful night.” She turned to thank him for the fun evening.

  His arm came around her waist and before she could think, he had his mouth on hers and she was sinking into the kiss.

  He stepped back, leaving her dazed. “I’ve been wanting to do that all evening.”

  He opened the door to the truck for her, and all her befuddled mind could come up with was, Well why didn’t you?

  “Are you going to get in?” He grinned at her.

  “Oh, of course.” Head spinning, she stepped up onto the seat and he closed the door.

  They drove back in silence, Jolie lost in thoughts of the evening. Perhaps he was beginning to care for her. A little bubble of hope welled up inside her.

  She glanced over at Griff several times but could read nothing from his expression. He always managed to keep what he was feeling off his face, while Jolie was afraid everything showed on hers.

  They parked the truck and went into the house. Chris was sprawled, sound asleep, on the couch in front of the television.