Faithful (Whiskey Run 1)

He smiles when he notices me and bypasses Mike without another glance. “Hey, can we talk for a minute?”

“Uh, sure, come on in.” I gesture to the seat in front of my desk and walk around to the other side. I need to put some distance—and my desk—between us. My mind is going a million miles a minute, wondering what he wants with me.

“I’m Austin, Austin Yates. I saw you at Red’s.”

I know I’m blushing, and I know it’s not pretty. Some people blush, and it brings out their complexion and makes them even prettier. I’m not that kind of woman. I blush and it looks like I just ran five miles and overexerted myself. “Yeah, I saw you.” I stutter the words and clear my throat, hoping he doesn’t notice how he’s affecting me. Obviously I was wrong. I need more than a desk between us because even now the room feels ten degrees hotter.

He opens the bag he’s carrying and sets a small carton in front of me. “Well, I brought you this.”

With a lump in my throat, I ask, “You brought this for me?”

“Yeah, I wanted you to have it.”

I almost giggle, but I hold it in. This man with the handsome face, kind eyes and big smile brought me something. But just as soon as my excitement starts to rise, my delight fades in an instant. “Why?”

He shakes his head as if he’s confused by the question. I mean, it’s understandable. I don’t know this man. Why would he bring me something? “Yeah, why would you bring me something? You don’t know me.”

He scoots the chair up to the desk and leans his elbows on it. “Maybe because I want to get to know you.”

I don’t know what to say to that. I’m not the girl that most people flirt with. Actually, I have zero experience with flirting. So instead of answering him, I open the carton, and my stomach drops. It’s the apple cinnamon Blaze cake. The one that Violet and I were talking about. The one where I told her I couldn’t eat it because I was on a diet. My weight has always been an issue, and there’s no doubt the man heard the whole conversation.

I close the box and try to give him my best smile. “Thank you.”

He shakes his head. “I thought you liked that kind of cake.”

“I do. Thank you, really. I appreciate it.” I see Mike’s head as he keeps popping up in my doorway and the window, no doubt wondering what the man wants with me that he couldn’t help him with. He looks as if he’s biting at the bit to get in here.

I’m about to get up and show Austin to the door when he interrupts me. “I know this is awkward, but this is me. I don’t know any other way to be. I saw you at Red’s. I think you’re pretty and man, if you bring out the protective side of Violet like you do, you have to be a good person. I want to get to know you. Would you have dinner with me?”

I almost laugh because I can just imagine the conversation he had to have with Violet in order to get any information about me. But even though he’s handsome, I can’t just go out with a stranger. “I normally don’t go out with men I just met.”

His eyes darken. “That’s good. I wouldn’t want you to.” He looks almost possessive, as if the thought of me going out with someone else bothers him. I don’t have time to dwell on it before he continues. “So what do you want to know about me? I own the Yates ranch, it’s out on the edge of town right before you get to Jasper. It’s been in my family for fifty years. I have a camp in the summer to help inner city teens. I donate to the children’s wing of the hospital in Jasper. I’m kind to animals.” His smile deepens as he stares into my eyes. “And I just found out today that I’m a sucker for a woman with long black hair, brown eyes, and a pretty smile.”

My mouth falls open. It’s on the very tip of my tongue to say yes. Gosh, whatever he wants I would give in this moment. He’s definitely charming. But something stops me. “So what are you doing in Whiskey Run today?”

“I’m here to meet with your dad, Rusty. I actually am late for our appointment, but I had to stop and see you first.”

As soon as he says my dad’s name, I freeze. The smile stiffens on my face, my arms lock on my chest, and I’m pretty sure a corner of my heart just froze over too. “Wait, you have an appointment with my dad? That’s why you’re here?”