So far, her best information had come from meeting and talking with local folks and visiting actual sites. But she was still missing something important. She had to keep digging till she found the connecting thread that would pull her investigation together. And she had to do it soon, before another fire broke out.
She checked her sporty watch with the bright yellow band for the time. Trey would be here soon. She felt her heart rate speed up at just the thought of seeing him again. She didn’t know how he could have such a strong effect on her. Cindi Lou’s idea about love had to be the product of too many hours of reading her beloved romance novels. Despite her own denials, Misty wondered if Cindi Lou might be getting close to the truth.
For now, Misty was all dressed for her trip to Trey’s ranch. When Ruby’d learned Misty was going there, she’d gotten excited and insisted Misty borrow a green-and-white striped Western-cut shirt with pearl-snap buttons and a hand-tooled leather belt. Misty had to admit those clothes paired with her own jeans looked just right for a ranch. She only had her athletic shoes to wear, but they were better than flip-flops. She hoped Trey appreciated all the effort she and Ruby had put into Misty’s visit to his ranch.
She checked her watch again. Time to meet Trey downstairs. She saved a file, closed her laptop, and stood up. She didn’t want to take a purse with her, but she didn’t want to leave her laptop or handbag easily accessible either. Not that she expected trouble, but it never hurt to be cautious on a job. She tucked her cell and a lip gloss into her front pocket.
She walked over and pulled her smallest piece of luggage out of the closet. She slid her laptop and purse inside, and then locked the bag. She pushed it back in the closet behind the bigger piece of luggage and below the angel still under a towel. Not a perfect solution, but definitely a deterrent. Finally she slipped the luggage key and her room key into her other front pocket. A little bulky, but it was still better than toting around a handbag.
Now she was all ready to meet Trey. She closed and locked the door behind her. The house was still empty except for her. She hoped Ruby was having a good day and the Gladstones were finding lots of collectibles. She walked downstairs, then into the breezeway. She looked out the front sliding doors at the beautiful day. Trey would most likely park in front of the garages, so she’d wait for him on the swing where she could see him drive up to the house.
She sat down and heard the swing squeak as she settled down on the soft cotton cushion. She loved the idea of the indoor swing and enjoyed pushing back and forth with one foot as the swing swayed beneath her. She glanced up and saw that Ruby had twined silver tinsel with a string of silk white poinsettias through the two chains that held the swing to the ceiling. Another Christmas touch that struck Misty—for the first time in so very long—as a beautiful reminder of the season. She didn’t understand how it was possible, but Wildcat Bluff was having a healing effect on her in so many ways.
As she sat there, she looked out and saw Temple watching her from one of Big John’s long branches. Temple closed his eyes in acknowledgment, so she did the same with him. He made her think of the injured kitten again. She wondered if Slim ever sold his barn cats. If the kitty made it, she could imagine taking him back to Dallas to share her apartment. He’d be a wonderful reminder of Wildcat Bluff. And he’d be a wonderful companion, too.
A movement on the road caused her to glance in that direction. She felt a little catch in her throat at the sight of Trey’s pickup turning in and pulling up to the house. He opened the door and stepped down, looking spiffy in pressed jeans, a green shirt, and cowboy boots.
As he walked up to the house, she noticed he moved a little stiffly, as if his muscles were sore or he was controlling his actions or he was holding something back. If she hadn’t been with him so much, she doubted she would have been aware of the difference. Maybe he’d taken a spill from his horse or strained his muscles. She hoped he was okay.
She quickly stood up, opened the sliding glass doors, and beckoned him inside.
When he walked up to her, he smiled with warmth in his eyes. “Did you go shopping? You look great.”
“Thanks. Ruby loaned me the shirt and belt. I wanted to fit in at the ranch.”
He gave a low whistle. “You look good enough to put under my Christmas tree.”
She laughed, feeling happy. “Glad you approve.”
“You missed one thing.” He looked down at her shoes.
“Best I could do.”
“I think we can do a little better for the ranch.”
“Really?”
“I got you an early Christmas present.”
“You didn’t need to do that.” She felt truly surprised and not sure how to respond to a gift from him.
“Come on.” He gestured toward his truck. “I promised you a pair of boots, didn’t I?”
“I thought that was a joke about my flip-flops.”
“I keep my promises.”
“You don’t even know my size.”
He glanced down at her feet. “We’ll see if I guessed right.”