The Arizona Lawman. Stella Bagwell

said, “but before I go, I’d like to ask you to join us for dinner tomorrow night, Tessa. We’ll be eating around seven, but come sooner. We’ll have a drink and a nice talk. And you come, too, Sam. The kids would all love to see you.”

      He said, “I don’t—”

      Before he could decline the invitation, Tessa turned and clasped his crusty hand between her two. “Oh, please, Sam. It would be extra special for me if you’d come.”

      Maureen must have sensed Tessa had already developed an emotional connection to the old ranch hand because she suddenly spoke up in a persuasive voice.

      “You don’t have to dress up, Sam. You can come just as you are. And Reeva is cooking brisket, so you don’t have to worry about being fed bean sprouts.”

      “Well, I guess I can’t fight two women at the same time,” he said.

      “Great!” Maureen said with a happy smile. “So I’ll see you two tomorrow tonight.”

      As Maureen hurried away, Tessa tugged Sam back over to the table.

      “Come on,” she urged, “let’s finish our coffee.”

      “I didn’t plan to stay this long,” he protested. “I really need to be going, too.”

      “A few more minutes won’t hurt,” Tessa argued. “Anyway, there’s still lots of coffee left in the thermos. I don’t want it to go to waste.”

      “You’re hard to say no to, Tessa.” Grinning, he sat back down and motioned to his cup. “Okay. Fill it up again.”

      Tessa returned to her seat and poured his coffee. “Thanks, Sam. I realize I’m being a nuisance. But—”

      “Now that Maureen has stopped by, you want me to tell you about the Hollisters,” he finished.

      The sly look in his narrow eyes had Tessa smiling sheepishly. “I don’t want you to gossip, Sam. But I’m a stranger around here. It would be helpful to know a little about the Hollister family before I have dinner with them.”

      He picked up his coffee cup. “Okay. Three Rivers is one of the biggest ranches in Arizona and the family has plenty of money. Maureen and her husband, Joel, had six kids together. Four boys and two girls. The last I heard all the kids were still living at home. Joe, the one you met yesterday, is second from the youngest.”

      Joe. He might be just plain Joe to everyone else, but to her he would always be Joseph, she thought. “He seemed like a very intense young man.”

      Sam sipped his coffee and stared off at the jagged rock cliffs in the distance. “He has reason to be that way.”

      The subtle insinuation had Tessa curiously eyeing the old cowboy. “Why do you say that?”

      He shook his head. “You need to let Joe tell you that.”

      Joseph Hollister would hardly be sharing personal facts about himself with her. And that was probably a good thing, Tessa decided. The less she knew about him, the less she’d have to forget once she was back in Nevada.

      But when will that be, Tessa? You’re telling yourself you’re going to remain here on the Bar X until you learn the reason for your inheritance. But aren’t you really more interested in getting to know Joseph?

      Not wanting to answer the question sounding off in her head, Tessa grabbed up her coffee cup and promised herself she wasn’t going to give the sexy deputy another thought. At least, not until tomorrow night and she stepped into the Hollister home.