The women gasped, looking both outraged and defiant, but Shane noticed that they moved away and didn’t look in Easy’s direction again.
“Rayleen,” Shane murmured under his breath, “you finally staking a claim on that old cowboy?”
“I’m considering it,” she snapped. “If he don’t piss me off first.”
He decided to drop the subject. She didn’t seem to have much patience or good humor when it came to Easy, not even with the man himself. Shane edged away, but not before he noticed the way she scowled when Easy asked her to dance. Still, she said yes. Good Lord, that woman and her niece weren’t very different.
And neither was anything like Merry who was laughing as Walker swung her out of the group of dancers and over to the refreshment table. That was Shane’s cue to cut in.
“Hey, sweetheart,” he murmured in her ear then watched her shiver a little at the feel of his breath on her skin.
“Hey,” she said, her voice noticeably husky.
He smiled even as Walker turned around and offered her a glass of champagne. “Beat it, Walker,” he said.
Walker smirked and offered his own glass to Shane. “Enjoy,” he said, tipping his hat in farewell.
Shane forgot about him and leaned close to Merry. “You look like you’re having a good time.”
“I am. It’s all so exciting. Everyone seems excited, right?”
He glanced around. Everyone seemed happy, but the majority of the excitement was all Merry. But he didn’t tell her that. Instead he snuck a quick kiss then tugged her out into the street when he heard the band slide into a slow song.
An hour later, the party was winding down. Shane said goodbye to Cole and Grace as Merry walked the board members to their cars. “Are you sure we shouldn’t stay and help?” Grace asked.
“No, we’re going to get it shut down, and then the party folks will come clean up the lights and chairs and generator tomorrow. I’ll have Merry home in a few.”
“Don’t forget her curfew,” Grace said, flashing a grin. He’d finally started to win her over, but it was slow going. She wasn’t quite as quick to forgive as Merry was. But Cole tugged her away.
“Come on, darlin’. Let’s leave the kids to their fun.”
Fun, indeed. By the time Merry came back, the band had packed and left and the last few guests were heading out. He finally had her alone. As if she’d read his mind, she jumped into his arms and he spun her until she squealed. “Are you a little drunk?” he asked.
“No. Just happy. The new parking area looks great. And the road!”
He shook his head at the way she went dreamy-eyed over the road grading of a wide dirt lane that connected one end of a ghost town to the other. But he had to admit it had transformed the place. With the sagebrush and weeds gone from the center of town, Providence looked poised to spring back to life. As if it had just been sleeping for the past century and Merry was going to wake it up.
“I wish you’d invited your mom,” she said quietly as he kissed her nose and set her on her feet.
“No, she’s getting better, but we’re still just as likely to argue as not. I didn’t want to fight at your party.”
“She’s trying,” Merry insisted.
“Yeah, she’s trying to make him into a saint. I won’t have it. He was a man, and he’s dead, and she has to move on. Or at least keep her thoughts to herself.”
Merry took his hand and squeezed. “Come on. I already tied up all the trash bags. I just need you to turn off the generator for me. I noticed a few spiderwebs near it earlier.”
“If that’s all it takes to be your hero, I’ll save you any day of the week, Merry Kade.”
He found the generator controls while Merry watched from a safe distance away. When he hit the switch, they were plunged into darkness and a silence he hadn’t realized had been missing.
“Oh,” Merry whispered. “I should’ve brought a flashlight.”
“There’s a half-moon tonight. Just give your eyes a minute to adjust.”
But it only took a few seconds for her to look up and gasp. “My God, Shane. Look at the stars.”
He’d seen the stars out here a thousand times. He didn’t need to look up. He’d rather stare at the pale wonder of her smiling in the dark. “Yeah. It’s beautiful.”