Read Online The Sheriff Catches a Bride by Cora Seton - Free Book Online
Authors: Cora Seton
Ads: Link
didn’t they? That’s what she wanted. It’s what Emory wanted for them, too.
Was that what had caused Jason to go sour on her? Had he thought she’d aligned herself with Emory against him? It wasn’t the case; she simply loved Chance Creek and had no desire to move away. This was her home. The inspiration for all her paintings. This was where she wanted to raise her family.
But Cab was right—Jason probably didn’t want to come back. Why would he want to leave North Dakota? He loved making money and he loved the work. Jason thrived in the heady mix of testosterone, sweat and danger. What would he do in Chance Creek?
Sell jewelry?
Suddenly all the missing pieces clicked into place. Jason had avoided her for the same reason he avoided his father. She must seem just as controlling, just as likely to hold him back with all her talk of settling down here, buying a house and putting down roots. Did he think she wanted him to take over his father’s store?
“Rose?” Cab prompted.
“What?”
“I asked how your work is going.”
“Fine,” she said faintly, as the realization overtook her. Jason didn’t want to marry her any more than she wanted to marry him. He’d been using his actions to show her that for months. She didn’t have to worry about breaking his heart. All that was left was to return his ring.
Cab held the door for Rose and Mia, then hesitated as the women said their good-byes.
“Could we have dinner again soon?” Mia asked Rose.
“Sure—how’s Friday?” Rose said. “Same time, same place?”
“Sounds good. Bye, Cab!” Mia headed for her ancient Chevy Impala, and Rose turned to him.
“Thanks for joining us,” she said, putting her hand out.
Cab took it, shook, and tried not to hold on for an extra moment. Her hand was so small, his big one swallowed it up. It was soft, too. Womanly.
He let go. “Thanks for having me,” he said. “Must get lonely sometimes with Jason gone so much.”
She smiled a little, but it wasn’t a happy smile. Trouble in paradise? His earlier question about North Dakota seemed to throw her off.
“Yeah, well. You have to do what you have to do, right? I keep busy.”
“Walk you to your car?”
She glanced up at him and his heartbeat sped up. Did she know he was hitting on her? He was trying not to, but somehow he couldn’t stop himself. Jason was a damn fool to leave her alone so long.
“Sure. It’s over here.” They walked through the shadows of the parking lot to Rose’s truck. He couldn’t help noticing the pile of lumber in the back.
“What are you building?” he said, peeking over the side.
“Just fixing something at the carriage house,” she said and bit her lip. Cab narrowed his eyes. That was a tell if he ever saw one. Most people had a tell; a little quirk that broadcast they were lying. Why would Rose lie about a building project?
“Oh, yeah? A big project?” he pressed.
“Medium-sized.”
She wasn’t going to give up anything, was she? Rose didn’t seem the type to get into trouble, but you never knew with women. Men he could usually peg pretty quickly. Women?
Absolutely inscrutable.
They didn’t make logical decisions for one thing. Men put two and two together and got four. They bought exactly the right tools to get the job done and they did what was necessary and then stopped. Women, on the other hand, put two and two together and came up with a reason to buy two hundred Hummel angels and store them in a fancy cabinet for the next fifty years. They got in stranger’s cars and ended up dead.
Rose might be lying because she planned to build a catapult. Or she might simply lie because she didn’t want his interference. Women were like that, too.
“Got all the tools you need? I’ve got a bunch kicking around if you need to borrow any.”
“Thanks, but I think I’m all set.” She fumbled in her purse for her keys. “Good to see you again, Cab. Good night.”
He thought about her driving home alone,
Was that what had caused Jason to go sour on her? Had he thought she’d aligned herself with Emory against him? It wasn’t the case; she simply loved Chance Creek and had no desire to move away. This was her home. The inspiration for all her paintings. This was where she wanted to raise her family.
But Cab was right—Jason probably didn’t want to come back. Why would he want to leave North Dakota? He loved making money and he loved the work. Jason thrived in the heady mix of testosterone, sweat and danger. What would he do in Chance Creek?
Sell jewelry?
Suddenly all the missing pieces clicked into place. Jason had avoided her for the same reason he avoided his father. She must seem just as controlling, just as likely to hold him back with all her talk of settling down here, buying a house and putting down roots. Did he think she wanted him to take over his father’s store?
“Rose?” Cab prompted.
“What?”
“I asked how your work is going.”
“Fine,” she said faintly, as the realization overtook her. Jason didn’t want to marry her any more than she wanted to marry him. He’d been using his actions to show her that for months. She didn’t have to worry about breaking his heart. All that was left was to return his ring.
Cab held the door for Rose and Mia, then hesitated as the women said their good-byes.
“Could we have dinner again soon?” Mia asked Rose.
“Sure—how’s Friday?” Rose said. “Same time, same place?”
“Sounds good. Bye, Cab!” Mia headed for her ancient Chevy Impala, and Rose turned to him.
“Thanks for joining us,” she said, putting her hand out.
Cab took it, shook, and tried not to hold on for an extra moment. Her hand was so small, his big one swallowed it up. It was soft, too. Womanly.
He let go. “Thanks for having me,” he said. “Must get lonely sometimes with Jason gone so much.”
She smiled a little, but it wasn’t a happy smile. Trouble in paradise? His earlier question about North Dakota seemed to throw her off.
“Yeah, well. You have to do what you have to do, right? I keep busy.”
“Walk you to your car?”
She glanced up at him and his heartbeat sped up. Did she know he was hitting on her? He was trying not to, but somehow he couldn’t stop himself. Jason was a damn fool to leave her alone so long.
“Sure. It’s over here.” They walked through the shadows of the parking lot to Rose’s truck. He couldn’t help noticing the pile of lumber in the back.
“What are you building?” he said, peeking over the side.
“Just fixing something at the carriage house,” she said and bit her lip. Cab narrowed his eyes. That was a tell if he ever saw one. Most people had a tell; a little quirk that broadcast they were lying. Why would Rose lie about a building project?
“Oh, yeah? A big project?” he pressed.
“Medium-sized.”
She wasn’t going to give up anything, was she? Rose didn’t seem the type to get into trouble, but you never knew with women. Men he could usually peg pretty quickly. Women?
Absolutely inscrutable.
They didn’t make logical decisions for one thing. Men put two and two together and got four. They bought exactly the right tools to get the job done and they did what was necessary and then stopped. Women, on the other hand, put two and two together and came up with a reason to buy two hundred Hummel angels and store them in a fancy cabinet for the next fifty years. They got in stranger’s cars and ended up dead.
Rose might be lying because she planned to build a catapult. Or she might simply lie because she didn’t want his interference. Women were like that, too.
“Got all the tools you need? I’ve got a bunch kicking around if you need to borrow any.”
“Thanks, but I think I’m all set.” She fumbled in her purse for her keys. “Good to see you again, Cab. Good night.”
He thought about her driving home alone,
Similar Books
