Tempting Janey

“I just finished taking care of the creek in the upper pasture,” Mike said, wiping sweat off his brow with the back of one hand.

“What was wrong?”

“Debris and leaves had the flow blocked.” Mike led his horse to the drinking trough.

Dillon noticed immediately that Mike seemed to be dragging his leg more than usual. Thanks to the injury he’d gotten while on the oil rig, Mike now walked with a strong limp. However, that didn’t usually slow him down. He was always on the move, looking for new projects to keep the farm in tiptop shape. Dillon prized his work and couldn’t have maintained the place without Mike.

Another plus was that Mike loved the outdoors, and so did Allie. With someone living on the property, Dillon never had to worry about anything, especially his horses.

Mike faced him again. “Anything in particular you want me to do? I have several things going, but nothing I can’t put on the back burner if need be.”

“Not right offhand,” Dillon said. “It looks like you’re pretty well caught up.”

“How did Dandi do today?”

“Fairly well, though she seemed to be moving slower than usual, now that I think about it.”

“I sorta noticed that, too. I’ll check her over.”

“For sure,” Dillon said, trying not to push the alarm button. Nothing could happen to Dandi. She was the one he was counting on to jump-start his business.

“Are you coming to the house for lunch?”

“Speaking of lunch, how’s your better half? Last time I saw her, she was feeling a bit under the weather.”

Mike rubbed his slightly grizzled chin. “Still is, as a matter of fact.”

“Has she been to the doctor?” Dillon asked.

Mike snorted. “You know better than that. She’d have to be dying before she’d take off from work and tend to herself.”

“She might not have any choice,” Dillon said sharply.

“Well, you try and tell her. She’s not happy if she’s not burning the candle at both ends.”

Dillon slapped Mike on the back. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Good luck.”

“Thanks for the lunch invite,” Dillon added, “but I had a late breakfast. Anyway, I’m headed back to town. I’ll see y’all after a while.”

Later Dillon couldn’t say what wild hair had made him head to the candy shop instead of home. He wanted to think his motive was nothing more than to purchase a box of candy for his sister in hopes of making her feel better. However, he couldn’t be sure why he’d done something so out of character for him. Maybe it was to clear the air between Janey and him, using Robin as an excuse.

When he opened the shop door, disappointment socked him in the gut. Someone else, an older woman, was behind the counter. But then Janey walked out of the back room. She saw him and pulled up short.

“Hello,” he said, then cursed silently because his voice sounded unnatural, even to him.

She looked as good or better than he’d ever seen her, dressed in a pair of print leggings that called attention to her slender legs, and a long pink summer sweater that left no doubt as to the swell of her breasts.

He swallowed hard as he jerked his eyes off that part of her anatomy before he got caught. When he was drawn back to her, he concentrated on her red hair, pulled back in a ponytail with some loose tendrils at the neck.

She looked young enough to be Robin’s sister instead of her mother.

“Hi,” she finally said, clearly as uncomfortable with him now as she had been before.

The elderly lady’s eyes were pinging back and forth between them as if she could feel the heightened tension in the room. Janey was the first to break the awkward silence by introducing her helper. Because Hazel was behind the counter, Dillon didn’t extend his hand. Instead, he nodded and smiled.

“What can I get for you today?” Janey asked pointedly.

Though her tone irritated him, he kept his cool. “I’d like something new and different for Allie. She’s not feeling so hot.”

A slight frown marred Janey’s forehead. “I’m sorry.”

Is that the best you can do? Dillon wanted to ask. Especially when it comes to someone you used to consider a friend? But he didn’t. He kept his mouth shut.

“I think we can help you with that,” Janey responded in an even tone, though she refused to meet his eye.

That riled him even more. “Whatever you suggest will be fine with me.”

Once the purchase was made, Dillon knew he should have turned and walked out, but he didn’t. Instead he said, “How ’bout going for a cup of coffee?”

Janey looked startled. “With you?”

He cocked his head and gave her a sardonic smile. “Yeah, with me.”

She flushed, then looked quickly over at Hazel, who said, “It’s fine with me, honey. I’ll watch the store. You take all the time you want.”

No doubt Janey was at a loss. The warring expressions on her face told him that. But he wasn’t about to back down now. He’d already opened his mouth and inserted his foot. He would have to take whatever came next, then choke on it, if need be.

“I won’t be gone long,” Janey said to Hazel, her tone tense, as if she were barely hanging on to her temper.

Thank goodness they didn’t have to go far, Dillon thought. There was a place that sold doughnuts and coffee a couple of streets over. During the drive there, neither said a word. Had he lost his mind or what?

It was the “or what” that worried him the most.

Once they were inside and the coffee was served, Dillon’s lips stretched into a smile.

“What’s so damn funny?” Janey snapped.

“Your expression,” he responded. “You’re pissed.”

“I wouldn’t have used that word, but it works.”

Dillon let out a deep sigh. “This is ridiculous, you know.”

“What?”

“Don’t put on the innocent act with me. You know what. Us scratching at each other like two cats tied in a sack.”