“Jewel Lucas.”
The slice of pizza hovered an inch from Cassidy’s lips as an image of the dark-haired woman with the vivid green eyes came into focus. “I thought she worked for the paper?”
“She does special features, but it’s not anywhere near full-time.” Tim relaxed against the back of the wooden booth. “I ran into her at the grocery store last week and she mentioned she was looking for another part-time job. Kids are expensive. And she’s a single parent.”
Jewel had given birth shortly after high school graduation. Supposedly the father could have been any one of a number of guys. The pretty brunette had always marched to the beat of her own drummer. Something she and Cassidy had in common. “What makes you think she’s qualified?”
“Caro used to say Jewel had a way with makeup.” He looked sheepish. “Forget I said anything.”
“No. No. Thank you.” Cassidy paused. “How old is her son now?”
“I believe Cullen is in middle school.”
Another positive, Cassidy thought. “I’ll definitely keep her in mind.”
The subject switched again and Tim found himself telling Cassidy little anecdotes about his daughters. To his surprise, her eyes didn’t glaze over and she seemed genuinely interested, especially when he got to the part about their fascination with the kittens.
“I always wanted a pet when I was growing up.” A shadow passed across Cassidy’s pretty face. “There were some feral strays around the neighborhood. I’d feed them when I could. Still, they rarely got tame enough to pet. It’s hard to trust when you’ve been burned.”
Silence hung between them for several moments.
“My mother still has an available kitten.”
“You should take it,” she urged, which wasn’t at all the point he’d been trying to make.
He shook his head. “Pets are a lot of work.”
Tim couldn’t help recalling Caro’s long-ago response when he’d once mentioned the possibility of getting a dog or a cat.
“And messy,” he added. “I know my mother is always sweeping up hair.”
“A little hair on the floor isn’t such a big thing.” She flashed a smile. “Speaking of hair, you’re due for a trim.”
“I’ll give you a call next week and set something up.” Tim hesitated, realizing he wanted to see her again and not just for a haircut.
He wanted to chat with her over dinner about her job and his practice, about kids and pets and mutual friends. He felt comfortable with her. And, as he’d discovered this evening, if he didn’t want to talk, she was more than willing to take the conversational ball and run with it.
Should he ask her out for real? The moment the thought crossed his mind he remembered his daughters and the responsibility he carried. There was no way he could toss dating into the mix when his free time was already so limited.
For now, he would enjoy this evening.
Tomorrow was soon enough to return to the real world.
“If I get on the bull, you have to get on it, too.” Cassidy pinned Tim with her gaze and he heard the challenge in her tone.
After sending their saturated-fat levels into the stratosphere with the Philly steak pizza, Cassidy suggested they stop at Wally’s Place, a popular local saloon, for an after-dinner drink and dessert.
For Caro, the perfect after-dinner drink and dessert had always been a glass of Sauternes and crème brûlée.
For Cassidy, the drink of choice appeared to be Corona straight from the bottle and one of Wally’s famous “salted peanut chews.” She popped the last bite of the bar into her mouth and slanted another glance in the bull’s direction.
A red-faced tourist was slowly pulling himself up from the padded floor next to the mechanical bull.
“There’s no line.” Cassidy’s tone held an excited edge. In one fluid motion she stood and shoved back her chair. “This is our chance.”
Seeing no good way out, Tim slowly rose to his feet. “You really want to do this?”
“Do leopards have spots?”
Though he was pretty sure they didn’t, he took the response as confirmation. The appealing way her tight-fitting jeans hugged her backside kept his mind occupied as he followed her to the other side of the bar.
“Do you want to go first?” She paused by the bull, slapping one hand on the side, as if staking a claim. “Or can I?”
Can I? She spoke as if being first up was something to be prized.
Tim gazed at the mechanical contraption. He’d been in Wally’s many times over the years, but had paid little attention to the ride. Right now, the doctor in him couldn’t help but think of all the ways Cassidy could get hurt.
If she was determined to do this—and it appeared she was—he would go first. That way she could witness the danger up front and close.
From the time he’d been small, Tim had been a thinker. Unlike his two sisters, he’d never been impulsive. Normally his caution served him well. But this time he hesitated too long. While he was pondering the situation, Cassidy scrambled onto the bull. She now sat, listening intently as the man in charge gave her pointers.
When the operator paused to take a breath, Cassidy slanted a glance in his direction and winked. The impact of the flirtatious gaze had him sucking in a quick breath. For whatever reason, her smile did the craziest things to his insides.
Refocusing on the bull, Cassidy wrapped the reins tightly around one hand. In a surprisingly graceful gesture, she lifted the other hand high in the air.
The operator, a bald guy with a Fu Manchu mustache and an easy smile, dropped a cowboy hat onto her head. “Ready to ride?”
This was wrong. Reckless. Crazy.
Fear sluiced through him. She could be seriously hurt.
“Cassidy, don’t—”
“Let ’er rip,” she called out and immediately the bull began to move slowly up and down.
She made an engaging sight in her tight jeans and the green tee that showed off her curves to full advantage. The cowboy hat perched on her blond curls only added to her charm. Though he recalled vividly how soft she’d felt against him when they’d kissed, Tim saw muscle definition in the arm holding the reins and in the long legs gripping the bull as it picked up speed and began to buck.
A whistle from between the teeth of a gangly cowboy split the air. Within seconds a slew of men gathered around, cheering her on.
Tim was powerless to do anything but watch and admire. The look of pure joy on her face as she and the bull moved as one held him transfixed.
Finally the ride ended. Cassidy emitted a loud whoop and hopped off. After handing the hat back to Fu Manchu, she waved cheerily to her “fans” then sidled up to Tim.
“It’s a real kick.” Her breath came in excited puffs and her cheeks were an enticing pink. “You’re going to love it.”
Though Tim seriously doubted that, he wouldn’t back out. A deal was a deal.
He strode over to the bull with a confidence he didn’t feel, secured the reins and wished—for the first time—he’d at least tried rodeo club in high school.
“Don’t force it,” Cassidy murmured in a low undertone meant for his ears only. “Relax and move with the bull.”
Moving