“That sounds great,” Stacy agreed. She gave his arm a playful jab. “Then you can catch me up on what the great doctor’s been doing in Midland, Texas … besides working. I won’t keep you. See you tomorrow,” she said, then with a wave and with another flashing smile, she was gone.
Dillon’s gaze returned to Erika’s. “I do have a commitment tonight, don’t I?”
Were he and Stacy simply childhood friends? Or did he date more than one woman at a time?
One meal. She could see if he really was a regular guy. Or if he was a player like Scott had turned out to be.
“Yes,” she answered, rolling her chair away from her desk. “I’ll gather my things and meet you at the Hitching Post.”
Straightening, he nodded. “See you there.”
Erika hoped to high heaven she wouldn’t regret getting to know Dr. Dillon Traub just a little better.
Erika opened the door to the Hitching Post and stepped inside, troubled by her phone conversation with her mom. When Erika had told her she was having a bite to eat with Dr. Traub, the cold silence had reminded Erika of too many things she’d like to forget.
Erika had assured her, “It’s just a bite to eat,” and explained about the emergency with Jeff. Still, her mom’s attitude had been more than a little concerned and Erika knew why. After all, her romance with Scott had put them both through the wringer.
At twenty-three, she’d been working as a receptionist in a real-estate office in town. Scott had bought one of the condos at Thunder Canyon Resort and intended to spend his spare time there. She’d spent spare time there with him, believing she was totally in love. He’d been handsome and polished, and she’d fallen for him hook, line and sinker. She should have had a clue when he didn’t particularly want to be seen in public with her. But red flags hadn’t been on her mind—only the bliss she’d felt in his arms.
She’d never forget the expression on his face when she’d told him …
She sighed, wishing the past could stay in the past. He’d used her and discarded her, and her mother had helped pick up the pieces. Erika would never forget any of it, nor the whispers that she’d been looking for a way up in life … that Scott was her ticket and she was a gold digger.
Since then, she’d made sure her behavior had been impeccable.
But now here she was, having dinner with eligible—and rich—Dillon Traub. Maybe her mother was right to be concerned. Maybe a simple dinner could cause more gossip she didn’t want to deal with.
The Hitching Post’s flavor hit Erika as soon as she stepped inside. There was a beautiful walnut bar to her right, packed with diners jockeying for tables or finishing their happy-hour conversations. When she’d suggested the place to Dillon, she’d forgotten about that painting of Lily Devine above the bar. She’d been painted almost nude, except for a bit of diaphanous cloth. What had Erika been thinking?
She’d been thinking that maybe the beer, peanuts and honky-tonk music would distract her from the chemistry she felt between them.
When she spotted him at a back table, her heartbeats tripped over each other. In his suit, he stood out. Most everyone here was dressed casually. But something about his appearance was different and she suddenly realized what it was. He’d discarded his bolo tie and opened the collar of his shirt. Hot enough in his fine suit, that open collar made him look worldly and, oh, so sexy. Hello. She’d already known she was attracted to him, but now attraction took on a whole new meaning.
She’d have something to eat and be gone.
When she reached the table, he smiled and she couldn’t help but smile back. Although formality was left at the door at the Hitching Post, she was momentarily charmed when Dillon pulled out her chair for her. As he bent to push it in, she caught the scent of his cologne and her heart skipped a beat.
Don’t fall for good manners, she chided herself. Or chemistry.
After they were both seated, the table for two seeming much too intimate despite the other patrons around them, Dillon said, “The waitress came around but I didn’t know what you wanted.” He raised his hand and caught a server’s attention.
A redhead with a long ponytail hurried over. “Ready now?” she asked enthusiastically, eyeing Dillon.
Dillon motioned for Erika to go first and she ordered cola with a twist of lime. She needed caffeine for the long night ahead. Dillon ordered soda, too, instead of something with liquor. Then she remembered that he was on call. So much for the see-if-he-likes-beer test.
Country music blared from the jukebox and a few of the patrons had started a line dance. Dillon smiled again. “I never could get the hang of that. I think I have two left feet.”
“But you’ve tried it?”
“Oh, sure. Country’s big in Texas, too.”
She blushed. She should have realized that. “Do you like country?”
“Some. I like jazz, Nickelback and Paul McCartney, too.”
And so the conversation went as they ordered, waited a short time and then enjoyed their meals. Knowing a big meal would make her sleepy and that was the last thing she needed, she ordered a taco salad. But Dillon dug into his ribs and coleslaw like an enthusiast. His plate was empty before she’d finished.
He wiped his mouth with his napkin and tossed it down beside his plate. “I’ve got to admit, the ribs here are good, but D.J.’s are better.”
Dillon’s cousin D.J. Traub owned the Rib Shack, located near the lodge. Actually, he not only owned the Rib Shack at the resort, but other Rib Shacks across the U.S. From what she knew of D.J. and his brother, Dax, they hadn’t come from wealth. They’d both found their niche and made the most of it. She wasn’t going to hide the fact that she knew Dillon was indeed more than a doctor.
“Tell me why you went into medicine,” she requested. “From the rumors I’ve heard, you could have been CEO of the company your father started.”
He arched a brow, but didn’t look upset or annoyed at her question. “There are a ton of reasons why I wasn’t the one to manage Traub Oil Industries. My mother took over the business after Dad died. My brother Ethan is the CFO now and he fits the part.”
There was obviously a story there, but Dillon didn’t seem about to confide in her. Of course, they didn’t know each other all that well, so why would he?
However, he surprised her when he added, “My father died on an oil rig when I was twelve. He took a fall and his injuries were serious. Even as a twelve-year-old, I wondered if I had been a doctor, could I have saved him? That’s the reason I went into medicine.”
She was remembering more details she’d heard about Dax and D.J. Traub and didn’t know if she was stepping into dangerous territory. But Dillon had opened the door.
“Your cousins—didn’t their mom die when they were kids?”
“How I forget the gossip mill in Thunder Canyon,” Dillon remarked with a rueful smile. “No one’s history is private. To answer your question—yes. I think that was one of the reasons we were close, even though I only saw them summers when we were growing up. We shared a difficult experience, and I guess it created a bond between us.”
A country ballad began playing on the jukebox. Dillon nodded to the familiar melody. “I think this conversation’s gotten a little serious. Would you like to dance? I can slow dance much better than I can line dance.”
She hesitated, knowing she should say no. But the urge to feel like a desirable woman again was strong. “Yes, I would,” she replied.
Before she could rise to her feet, he was behind her chair, helping her up. He