Romance: Luther's Property (23 page)

I looked at my hair in the rearview mirror and then rummaged
in my purse for my lip gloss.
 
The last
date I had been on was with Joe several years before. “I hope I’m doing the
right thing.”
 
I ran my hands through my
hair a few times and then shook my head.
 
I felt foolish.
 
I was a pregnant widow, and I was getting
ready to meet a cowboy in a tavern for a date.
 
How had my life changed so dramatically in a matter of months?

As I walked up the steps to Moose Creek Tavern, I felt a
wave of anticipation rise through my chest.
 
My watch read seven o’clock on the dot, and I hoped that Christopher was
already inside.
 
I didn’t want to feel
any more awkward than I already did by having to look around for him if I was
too early.
 
“Good evening, miss.”
 
A young man opened the door and let me
in.
 

“Thank you.”
 
I smiled
and then looked around.
 
The tavern was
warm and dimly lit.
 
A few men sat at the
bar sipping on brandy, and the bartender looked nonchalantly in my direction
when he saw me inching forward.
 
He slid
a drink menu in front of me, but before I could even open it I felt a strong
hand on top of my shoulder.
 

“I’m glad to see that you made it.
 
Let’s sit down.”
 
Christopher pulled out my chair and then
helped me take off my parka.
 
His
chivalrous gesture was a welcome greeting, and I batted my lashes with
approval.
 
He smiled and took off his
sheepskin coat, then loosened his blue, wool scarf.

“I’m glad that I decided to come.”
 
I tilted my head and got comfortable in my
chair.
 
We had a view of the Bridger mountains
to our left, and a quaint alpaca farm to our right.
 
I craned my neck and watched the embers shoot
up from the fireplace at the other end of the tavern.
 
Christopher opened up his drink menu and
rubbed his chin in thought.

“Are you a beer drinker, Alyssa?”
 
He smiled and then scanned the menu.
 
I shook my head.

“Not really.”
 
I
scrunched my nose and then pretended to study the menu, even though I already
knew that I’d be ordering a lemonade.

“I’ll have a Jack and Coke.”
 
Christopher handed the bartender his menu and then looked at me with a
curious smile.
 
“Alyssa.”
 
He leaned across the table and folded his
hands together.
 
“I wouldn’t care if you
ordered a hot chocolate.
 
As long as
you’re here, that’s all I need.”
 
He
winked and then sat back in his seat.
 
I
caught a whiff of his pine scented cologne and it filled me with a subtle
intoxication.

“I used to be a drinker before I was married.”
 
I smiled and thought back to some of my
earlier days with Joe.
 
We used to spend
weekends snowshoeing and hiking out in the backcountry, and part of our
adventures always ended with a drink or two in the lodge or the cabin where we
stayed.
 

“Oh.”
 
Christopher
looked intrigued.
 
“So you used to be
married?”
 
He raised his eyebrows and
then frowned.
 
“I guess I should have
known better.
 
A beautiful woman like you
probably had her pick from many men.”
 
He
took a sip of his drink and then walked his fingers across the table.
 
“But why should I worry about that now?
 
You’re here with me.”
 
His green eyes danced across my body, taking
in as much of my appearance as possible.
 
I smiled and he gently touched my hand.

“I lost my husband a few months ago.”
 
It was the first time I had spoken about the
accident without choking up.
 
Christopher
looked on with interest.
 

“I’m sorry to hear that.”
 
He gazed at me with concern, then took another sip of his drink.
 
I nodded my head solemnly and only looked up
when the bartender set my lemonade in front of me.
 

“It’s okay.
 
I
mean…”
 
I didn’t know what to say, and I
started to feel like I shouldn’t have left the house.
 
“It’s hard, but I know that I have to move on
with my life.”
 
As soon as I spoke I was
hit with a strong wave of nausea.
 
Christopher sipped on his drink, oblivious to my internal
churnings.
 
I sipped my lemonade and then
took a deep breath.
 

“You know.”
 
Christopher took a sip of his drink.
 
“I’ve been intrigued by you ever since I saw you step foot inside
Avalanche.”
 
He smiled, his hand still on
top of mine.
 
“I think you’re beautiful,
and I’d like you to come visit my ranch one day soon.”
 
His dark hair and green eyes still had me
captivated, even though I’d been looking at his face for the last hour.

“Thanks.
 
I’ll have to
think about it.”
 
I took another sip of
my lemonade and then swung my feet back and forth under my bar stool.
 
So far, it was a smooth date.
 
We definitely had chemistry between each
other but as soon as I thought about the possibility of a kiss, I immediately
saw Joey’s face in my mind, and it filled me with sadness.

Christopher ordered another Jack and Coke as I sipped slowly
on my lemonade.
 
I looked at my watch and
decided to get home since I had to be up early for a breakfast shift at
Avalanche.
 
“Thanks for the nice
date.”
 
I got up and wrapped my scarf
around my neck, then offered to pay for my lemonade.
 
Christopher chuckled and then pulled out a
wad of twenties from his pocket.

“I’m more than happy to pay for your lemonade, Alyssa.”
 
He grinned and then stood up from his
seat.
 
We walked out of Moose Creek
Tavern together, gazing up at the moon that had just poked out from beyond the
horizon.
 
I was eager to get home, so I
picked up the pace as we walked toward my truck.
 

“Let me know when we can get together again.”
 
Christopher leaned forward, and placed his
lips on mine.
 
He kissed me in what felt
like a whirlwind of a moment, and I backed away in surprise.
 
He grinned and then turned to walk away as I
climbed into the cab of the truck.
 
I
started the ignition and watched as he walked away.

I had no sooner pulled out of the lot when I heard a
rumbling noise underneath the truck.
 
I
slowed down and the sound continued.
 
Then the steering got difficult and a loud thud resounded from the
passenger side.
 
A flat tire?At night and
with no spare?
 
I rolled my eyes and then
did my best to pull over next to a snow bank.
 
I threw down the lights and climbed out to check.
 
Sure enough, the passenger side tire in the
front was completely flat.

I stood there for a few minutes trying to decide what to
do.
 
Walking to Avalanche was out of the
question because it was at least fifteen miles away.
 
I thought about calling Rebecca but
remembered that she had a class at nights, and my neighbor was probably out in
the barn getting his horses fed for the night.
 
I mulled over as many other options as I could, and then folded my arms
across my chest.
 
I had nobody to help
me, and once again I realized how much I missed Joe.

Just as I was about to fish around in my purse for
Christopher’s phone number, a pair of headlights landed on my face.
 
They got bigger and brighter, then
disappeared completely.
 
The engine from
their vehicle shut off, and a man climbed out from behind the wheel.
 
He was tall, with broad shoulders and a deep
voice.
 
He wore a checkered flannel coat
a pair of black wading boots.

“Got a flat, huh?”
 
He
approached me slowly and looked at the tire.
 

“It sure looks like it.”
 
I placed my hands on my hips and stared at the flattened rubber.

“You’re Alyssa, right?”
 
He looked at me, then looked back at the tire.

“Yes.
 
Have we
met?”
 
I studied his face for a second,
trying to decide if I knew him.

“No.
 
But I come into
Avalanche a lot, and I’ve seen you a lot waiting tables.
 
I was there one night when you were chatting
with Christopher.”
 
He nodded his head
and continued to stare at the tire.

“I see.”
 
I smiled and
then looked at him to see if he had any suggestions for fixing the flat.
 

“In fact, I was there the night he asked you out, because I
heard him talking to a few of our buddies afterward.”
 
He walked around to the back of the truck and
then frowned.
 
“No spare, huh?”
 
He pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his
nose and then ran his hands through his hair.
 

“No.
 
I don’t have a
spare.”
 
I shook my head.
 
“Are you friends with Christopher?”
 
the conversation had piqued my interest.
 

“Oh yeah.Me and him go way back.
 
Both of us are from ranching families.”
 
He looked at me with curiosity and then
thrust out his hand.
 
“I’m Rick.”
 
He smiled and I placed my hand in his.
 
“Nice to finally meet you.”
 
He stared at me for a few minutes and then
looked away.
 

“I don’t suppose you’ve got a free hand to help me with this
do you?”
 
I looked at Rick with
hope.
 
“And possibly a free tire?”
 
I laughed at myself for not being prepared to
handle a flat.
 
What was I thinking
driving around in Montana with no spare tire?
 
Most of the roads were gravel, stone, or a combination of the two.
 
Flats were common.
 

“I actually have a spare in the back of my truck.
 
I can help you out.
 
Don’t worry.”
 
Rick pushed his glasses back up the bride of his nose and then left to
get the tire and the tools.
 
I stared up
at the moon, wondering how I could have been such a fool to travel in such an
unprepared fashion.
 
Rick came back with
a tire and a toolbox, then sat down on the passenger side and got to work.
 

“Thanks for your help.”
 
I wasn’t an overly religious person, but I did find it peculiar that
Rick had appeared out of thin air during my time of need.

“You’re welcome.”
 
Rick positioned his wrench so that he could get the tire in, then
paused.
 
“You know, I hate to say this,
Alyssa, but…”
 
His voice trailed off and
I frowned.
 
What was he about to tell me?
 
“A flat tire is the least of your
worries.”
 
He pushed his glasses up his
nose again.
 
I stared at him with
suspicion.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”
 
I put my hands on my hips and inched a little
closer.

“It means…”
 
He
tightened the lug nuts and then leaned forward to make eye contact.
 
“…that you’re asking for trouble with
Christopher Marlow.”
 
He raised his
eyebrows, tightened the nut, then slapped his hands on his pants.
 
“You’re all set here.”
 
He got up from his crouching position and
then started to walk away.

“Hey, wait.”
 
I looked
at him with confusion.
 
“What are you
telling me this for?
 
Why is Christopher
trouble?”
 
I couldn’t let Rick leave
without filling me in on whatever he knew.
 
It was as if he had just dropped off a treasure chest, but not the key
to unlock its bounty.
 

“Let’s just say that he’s got a reputation.”
 
Rick nodded his head and thoughtfully ran his
hands through his beard.
 
I bit my lower
lip, not happy with the sounds of this.

“What kind of reputation?
 
Please tell me what you know, Rick.”
 
I could hear the subtle desperation in my voice.

“Alyssa.
 
I don’t want
to get you upset, and I know that we just met, but…”
 
He looked away, and I could tell that he was
uncomfortable telling me much more than what he already had.
 
“Christopher is not such a nice guy, that’s
all.
 
You should just be careful.”
 
He pursed his lips and then turned around to
walk away.
 
I grabbed him by the shoulder
and he stopped.

“Look.
 
I only went on
one date with him.
 
Tell me what you know
about him so I can decide if he’s worth it.
 
Please.
 
What do you have to
lose?”
 
I shrugged and then adjusted my
scarf to keep the chill away from my neck.

“Meet me for a coffee tomorrow and I’ll tell you whatever
you want.”
 
He cocked his head to the
side and I paused.
 
Coffee?
 
Was this another date?
 
I didn’t know what Rick’s intentions were,
but I did know that I wanted more information about Christopher.

“When and where?”
 
I
placed my hands on my hips and tossed my hair over my shoulder.
 
The air had gotten so bitterly cold that I
could see my breath when I spoke.
 

“Three o’clock at Bozeman Café down on Glacier Avenue.”
 
Rick spoke matter-of-factly and I nodded my
head.
 

“You got it.”
 
I
smiled and then sighed.
 
“This better be
good.”
 
I gave him a playful wink and
then fished around for my keys.
 
Rick
turned to leave and I opened the door to my truck.
 
“Hey, Rick.”
 
I called out and he stopped.
 
“Thanks for fixing my tire.
 
I
appreciate it.”
 
I smiled and then hopped
into the cab and started the ignition.
 
Rick just smiled and walked away.