Summer Nights (Fool's Gold #8)

“You mentioned that.”


Shane studied the other man. He was probably in his early forties. He dressed like he had money and he’d paid plenty for the car. Shane wondered if Annabelle had been impressed by either. He would have said she was more interested in character, but he’d been wrong before.

“Divorce is tough,” Shane said. “Mine was ugly.”

Lewis seemed to relax. “Ours was very civilized, but unnecessary. I see that now. Perhaps I could have been more attentive, although it’s difficult when I’m working. Writing demands everything. Annabelle was always there for me. Taking care of things. She handled my schedule, kept up the house. When she was gone, there was no one.”

Like when the staff quits, Shane thought, but didn’t say.

Lewis stared past him, as if seeing something Shane couldn’t. “She’s so beautiful. I’d forgotten that part. I have pictures, of course, but they don’t capture the life in her. I always admired that about her.”

“She’s a librarian here,” Shane told him.

“Yes, Annabelle did always want to keep her little job. This time, I’ll make her understand her work gets in the way.”

“You’re expecting her to come back to you?”

“Yes. That’s why I’m here. We’re still married. Her place is with me.”

He wanted to point out that Annabelle had ties to the town, that she was eager to raise money for her bookmobile. But what if he was wrong? What if she was having second thoughts about her marriage?

Lewis glanced around. “If she’s not here, then I won’t take up any more of your time.”

“No problem.”

He wanted to say more, to announce that there was no way that Annabelle was going anywhere with that guy, but he wasn’t sure. And not knowing left a gnawing sensation in his gut.

He waited until the other man had left, then walked Khatar over to the fenced acre and let him loose. Then Shane got in his truck and drove to town. He had a few questions of his own and he knew the best place to get them answered.

* * *

“HAVEN’T SEEN YOU AROUND for a while.”

Annabelle looked up from her computer to find Shane standing in the doorway of her small office. As always, the sight of him in worn jeans and a long-sleeved shirt set her heart racing.

She motioned to the chair on the other side of her desk and saved her work. “I’ve been dealing with a few personal issues,” she said. “You might have heard. My ex-husband isn’t as much an ex as I would like.”

“I have heard.” He stayed where he was, as if waiting for something. Obviously whatever it was had to be more than an invitation to take a seat.

She drew in a breath. “At the risk of falling into the ‘too much information’ column, I would like to state for the record that I thought the divorce was final, I wanted it to be final then and I still want it to be final. Lewis was a mistake and I’m glad our sad marriage is behind me.”

For a second, nothing happened. Then Shane gave her a slow, sexy smile. “I was wondering,” he admitted as he walked into the room and took the chair she had offered.

She smiled back, trying not to sigh with relief. “His arrival was a shock and not a welcome one. I like things to go according to plan. Sign divorce papers, get divorced. Surprises are highly overrated. I’ve talked to an attorney here,” she continued. “The last of the paperwork has been filed with the courts. The divorce will be final in a matter of days.”

“Lewis will be disappointed.”

“How do you know?”

“He came to the ranch this morning. Looking for you.”

She groaned. “Tell me you’re lying.”

“Sorry. The car is nice.”

“If you’re into cars.”

“You’re not.”

She managed a smile. “You’ve seen what I drive. Not exactly fancy. Some of it is my budget, but most of it is I’ve never been much of a car person.”

“I’m a truck guy, myself.”

“I noticed. It’s the horse thing. Not that Khatar wouldn’t look great in a BMW.”

“It would have to be a convertible,” he said with a wink.

She laughed. “I can see him now, flirting with all the ladies.” She leaned forward, resting her hands on her desk. “Lewis really came by?”

“Yup. He thought you were out at the ranch.”

“He doesn’t know about the horseback riding lessons.”

“He thought you lived there. He seemed surprised when I mentioned you were riding Khatar. Said you weren’t one for the outdoors.”

“I have my moments. The horseback riding is fun.” She hesitated, not sure how to delicately ask the obvious. “How obnoxious was he?”

“Not too bad. He’s, ah, confident.”

“That’s one way of putting it.” She thought about the man she’d been married to. “I was younger, obviously, when we met. Less sure of myself. Just out of college. My parents weren’t exactly warm and fuzzy and I never felt as if I belonged anywhere. When I met Lewis…” She paused, not sure how to explain.