Jed Garland had no such problem. “Shay, you remember Tyler, don’t you?”
She nodded.
“I thought you might.”
Tyler couldn’t tear his eyes away from her. He also couldn’t miss hearing the satisfaction in the older man’s voice. What had brought that on? And why had Jed mentioned Shay’s invitation to lunch but said nothing about her condition? Of course, Jed—and everyone else at the Hitching Post—probably thought he and Shay were just passing acquaintances.
He tried for a casual smile. The one she gave him looked about as sincere as his felt.
“Tyler,” Tina said, “Abuelo says you’re staying with us for a while.”
Shay’s sweater rose, telling him she had sucked in a startled breath. She covered it with a small cough and a grab for her water glass.
The reaction made sense. Obviously, she’d met someone else since they were together last summer. Or she’d already been involved with the man when they’d had their fling. Either way, she wouldn’t want him hanging around, maybe bringing up their brief relationship in some conversation. As if he would. The boys at the ranch back in Texas always said he needed to have “Love ’em and leave ’em” tattooed across his chest. That didn’t mean he’d make a public announcement about a one-night stand. Shay couldn’t know that, but you would think she’d at least give him the benefit of the doubt.
Finally dragging his gaze away, he turned to Tina. He gave her his killer grin—to kill time, to try to pull himself together and recall what she had said... Staying with us for a while. Yeah. He sure regretted that right now. “I’ll be here at least till Cole gets back. I wouldn’t want to miss seeing him.”
“He definitely wouldn’t want to miss the opportunity, either. Meanwhile, we’ll all have the pleasure of your company.”
Not such a pleasure for Shay, considering the way she had reacted to finding him beside her and hearing he planned to stay. But that was nothing compared to the way he’d felt at seeing her.
Well...at seeing her pregnant.
While he liked a roll in the hay as well as any man, he had two rules for those occasions. First, always make sure your companion’s unattached. Two, keep the relationship no strings. Obviously, he had let the first rule go by the wayside when he met Shay, but he sure intended to hold fast to the second.
Shay’s condition now made him cross her name permanently off his interest list.
A waitress passed around several bowls filled with dinner rolls, then began serving the food. He managed to keep up his end of the conversation with Jed and Tina.
Shay apparently was making a deliberate effort to remain turned away from him as she talked to Jed’s granddaughter Jane. Fine by him. The less they had to see of each other, the better. This lunch would soon be over, and considering the short time he planned to stay on the ranch, chances were good he wouldn’t run into her again.
He passed the basket of rolls her way. As she took it from him, he glanced at her left hand. No chunky flashing diamonds, no gold band. And no surprise there. The boys he’d worked with had also filled him in about pregnant women. Namely, that toward the end of a pregnancy, they often gained too much weight to wear their wedding rings.
“Tyler?”
Abruptly, he became aware of Jed waving from the head of the table, attempting to get his attention. The man’s tone made it apparent he’d said his name more than once. Flushing and hoping no one had noticed, he nodded at Jed in acknowledgment.
“If you haven’t got any plans for the afternoon, the girls could use some help.”
The girls meant Jed’s adult granddaughters. “Sure. I’ve got nothing on my agenda.” Besides avoiding Shay. “Need a hand with some heavy lifting?”
Jed nodded. “We’re setting up for a wedding reception, and with Cole away, we’re shorthanded around here. If you wouldn’t mind going along to the banquet hall after lunch, maybe you can lend some assistance.”
“No problem.”
Jed beamed. “Thank you kindly. I appreciate it, and I know the girls and Shay all do, too.”
“Shay?” he blurted, nearly dropping his fork.
To his relief, no one seemed to notice. Jed turned to talk to one of the hotel guests at an adjacent table. Tyler gripped his fork and tried not to look at the woman beside him.
He didn’t feel comfortable being here with her. Judging by her white-knuckled grip on her water glass, she felt the same.
Things had definitely changed between them since the night they had spent together.
Copyright © 2017 by Barbara White-Rayczek
ISBN-13: 9781488010651
A Baby for the Deputy
Copyright © 2017 by Cathy McDavid
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