He went into the kitchen and fixed himself a cup of coffee. As he sat down to drink it, his thoughts returned to the evening before and the time he’d spent with Dakota. The thing that struck him most was that he didn’t feel lonely around her. She was so upbeat and friendly and sweet with Cat that he forgot about his solitary life. The fact that she was gorgeous wasn’t lost on him, either. After last night, he felt the attraction went both ways, too.

  He took a swallow of coffee and considered when he could see her next. He’d like to take her on a real date, but was it too soon? Would Dakota want to get to know him better first? He raised his mug to his lips for another drink. She’d never mentioned whether she had a sitter for Johnathan. Was it even possible for her to leave him long enough to go on a date?

  He decided to call Carson.

  When his brother answered, he said, “I thought I’d update you on my neighbor situation. The ice-cream evening went great, and last night she invited me over for a beer to celebrate my final night of freedom before I started work.”

  “Man, I was so glad to hear that you got that job, brother. Way to go,” Carson said. “Now, tell me. How are the two of you getting along? Does she like you? I mean, like like you?”

  Beau chuckled. “Yes, I think she like likes me. It’s so easy to talk to her, and she’s great with Cat. I’m considering asking her out on a real date. Do you think it’s too soon?”

  “What? Of course it’s not too soon. What kind of date are you thinking of? Dinner’s always an easy one. Don’t try to impress her with something fancy, though. Take her somewhere she’ll feel comfortable.”

  “Good point. I just need to know if she has a sitter for Johnathan. And I need to be sure that Janey can do evenings for me. I’ll bet she can, but I haven’t asked her yet.”

  “I’m so glad you’re putting yourself out there again. You’ve been sad for too long, and it’s time to cheer up.”

  “Thanks for the encouragement. I guess I’ll give it a try. Are you doing okay, by the way? Feeling any better about Jill?” Beau asked.

  “Actually, I am. I realized that I’m lucky she figured out that she didn’t want to be here before we got more serious. Imagine if we’d married and then she got itchy feet. I avoided a land mine.”

  “That’s a good way to look at it. Hang in there, bro. Talk to you soon.”

  It was time to get ready for Janey. He grabbed his mug of cooling coffee and went to the cabinet, taking down several jars of baby food and a box of rice cereal. He already had a selection of toys and books in the living room and a blanket for Cat to play on. He’d remind Janey that practicing sitting with the pillows to prop her up was important.

  He checked the box where he kept diapers, wipes, and ointment handy in the living room and made sure that it was well-stocked for the day. Finally, sure that everything was as prepared as possible, he went in to check on Cat.

  She was still sleeping peacefully on her back. He smiled down at her. Her curly, dark hair made him want to caress it. With her cheeks getting chubby, she’d lost that pinched, preemie look that she’d had for so long. If only she had some good, usable vision. He’d give anything for that. Sighing, he left the room.

  A few minutes later, Janey knocked at the door.

  He opened it and said, “I’m glad you didn’t ring the bell. Cat’s still sleeping.”

  Janey grinned. “I thought she might be.”

  “I’ve set some baby food out on the counter for the day.” He explained how to make Cat’s cereal and fruit blend, then said, “If you have any questions, just call me. I’ll have my ringer on. If my job has a problem with that, I’ll just explain that it’s your first day with Cat and I need to be available. I’m sure they’ll understand.”

  “Thanks, Beau. I’ll try not to bother you, though. Cat and I will be just fine.”

  “I’m sure you will,” he said and headed for the door. As he climbed into his truck, he glanced over at Dakota’s house. She was probably fixing breakfast by now. He imagined her bustling around her kitchen and chatting brightly with Johnathan.

  He smiled and started the engine. He’d make sure to get in touch with her when he got home this afternoon to tell her about his day. It felt good to have someone to talk to.

  As he backed out of the driveway, he took one more look at her house. He had a friend now in this new place. And who knew? Maybe someday she’d be more than a friend.

  Beau spent the early part of his morning filling out HR paperwork. He’d been hired as a loan officer, but he’d also fill in as a new accounts representative, so he’d need training for both positions.

  When he’d finished the myriad of forms, he handed them in to Anna Samson, the branch manager.

  “Let me take you to meet James Kern. He’s the loan officer who’s retiring. He’ll be training you for eight weeks. You’ll shadow him for six weeks, and then the last two weeks, he’ll shadow you.”

  “I’m looking forward to it.” Beau followed her into a glass-walled office near the lobby doors.

  Before Anna could say anything, a tall, gray-haired, distinguished-looking man stood up and offered his hand. “James Kern. Pleased to meet you, Beau.”

  Beau shook his hand. “It’s great to be on board, sir. I’m looking forward to working with you.”

  “Have a seat, and we’ll chat for a bit.”

  Beau sat and glanced around at the exceptionally neat office. There were no loose papers on the desk or cabinets, and there were none of the usual items on the desk that he expected to see. No pen cup or stapler, no paperclip container or paper tray. The only things on the desk were a phone and a single manila folder. He’d bet it contained his resumé.

  James was obviously an organized man who valued minimalism. It was good to know.

  “I noticed in your resumé that you have a degree in agribusiness. Was there much in the way of business management and economics in that?”

  Beau nodded. “There was. Farming and ranching are like running a large business. Sometimes a multimillion-dollar business. You have to know how to manage money and to understand economics.”

  “So you have a pretty good head on your shoulders.”

  “I think I do, sir. I took on more of the business side of the ranch when I graduated, and my dad was more than happy to shift it over to me. He never went to college, and he understood the benefits of what I’d learned.”

  “Well, son, you’re going to put that head for figures to good use here.” James pulled out a drawer in his desk and removed a fat folder. “I put this together to help us get started. We’ll go over it in the coming days in between customers.”

  He patted the folder. “Now, let’s get you back with Anna so she can set you up with a computer and login.” He reached his hand out again. “It’s great to meet you, Beau. You’re going to do just fine.”

  Beau smiled as he shook his hand. “I’m thankful I have a pro like you to show me the ropes, sir.”

  James grinned. “Call me James. ‘Sir’ makes me feel old.”

  Beau laughed. “I will, James.”

  He was finally logged into the bank’s network just before one. Many of the other employees had gone to lunch. He figured he’d go in a little while, now that he’d made it over the login hurdle.

  His text tone sounded. Was something wrong with Cat? He pulled his phone from his shirt pocket, then smiled. It was from Dakota:

  I know I said I’d wait for you to call this afternoon, and I hope I’m not bothering you. Janey gave me your number. She was sweet. I had to prove to her that I knew you by giving her all sorts of details about our friendship. How’s it going? Everything okay? Do you like your job so far?

  How sweet of her to check in with him. He sent:

  It’s going great. I met my manager and the loan officer I’ll be training under. I’ve finally been able to log onto the computer too. How are you?

  She texted:

  I’m fine. I’m so glad that everything worked out for you today. I can’t wait to hear more tonight. Talk to you later!

  He sent:

  Thanks for reaching out.

  He ended it with a happy face emoji. He’d considered a heart, but he thought that might be too much.

  Feeling warm all the way through, he went to find Anna to let her know that he was going to lunch. Five o’clock couldn’t arrive soon enough.

  Chapter Four

  Dakota took the casserole out of the oven and went to the living room window. Beau’s truck was in the driveway. She smiled and went back to the kitchen, hoping that his day had gone well. Now that he had her number from the text she’d sent, maybe he’d call.

  She went into Johnathan’s room. “Hey, honey. Dinner’s ready. Wash your hands and come to the table, okay?”

  He used the remote on his electric recliner to rise. “Okay, Dakota.”

  She smiled. He was such a good guy. “Thanks, Johnathan. I’ll see you in a couple of minutes.”

  In the kitchen, she dished up some of the chicken casserole into one of his suction bowls and then added salad to another one. Then she stuck them firmly to the table in front of his chair. When he walked into the room, she asked, “Would you like milk or juice with dinner?”

  “Milk, please.”

  “Coming right up!” She filled his adult sippy cup from the gallon jug in the fridge.

  After serving herself some food, she sat down opposite him and led them in a brief prayer. Opening her eyes, she said, “I hope you like dinner. It’s a new recipe.”

  Johnathan scooped up a bite and carefully aimed for his mouth. After chewing and swallowing, he said, “It’s good, Dakota.”

  She smiled. “You like it?”

  He nodded and went for another bite.

  She grinned. You’d think she never fed the guy. At meals, he always acted like he was starving. “Beau went to his first day at work today,” she told him. “He’s going to let us know if his job went well. I’m looking forward to hearing from him.”

  “Yeah?” Johnathan said with a full mouth.

  “Uh-huh. I like Beau. Don’t you?”

  Johnathan swallowed and then nodded. “I like Beau, Dakota.”

  “Did you know he’s a cowboy?” she asked.

  “I like his hat.” He scooped up another bite.

  She drew her brows together. Beau hadn’t been wearing a hat. Then she smiled. That first day when she’d seen him in the yard, he’d been wearing a Western hat. Johnathan had seen him then too. “Wow, buddy. You remember that? I’d forgotten.”

  After dinner, she helped Johnathan with his shower and then cleaned up the kitchen. She kept glancing at the clock on the wall. Was Beau feeding Cat dinner now? Would he bathe her before calling? She shook her head at the ridiculous anticipation she felt. She’d hear from him when he had time to talk.

  After hanging the dish towel on the oven handle, she went in to check on Johnathan. “I’m going out on the back porch,” she told him.

  “Okay,” he replied without taking his eyes from the TV screen. He was deep into Beauty and the Beast.

  She smiled and went into the kitchen to pour herself a glass of wine.

  She sat in the swing and pushed it into motion, remembering sharing it with Beau. He was such an easy person to be around. Sometimes she was uncomfortable with men, especially handsome ones. She wondered what they were thinking. Did they see the real her? Did they desire her, or were they just not interested at all? But with Beau, none of that had bothered her. She was so interested in finding out more about him that it hadn’t occurred to her to wonder what he thought of her.

  Her phone rang, and she glanced at the screen. It was him. Her heart sped up. “Hi, Beau. Tell me all about your day.”

  He chuckled. “Am I really all that interesting? You sound like you’re on pins and needles.”

  She laughed. “I’ve been excited to hear how your first day went. And, yes, you’re all that interesting. I’m out on my porch swing drinking wine, so tell me everything.”

  He told her the details. “It wasn’t a very exciting day, but everyone was friendly, and I think it’s going to be a nice work environment. I think the fact that it’s a small bank with only four branches makes it seem like family for the employees. I’ll be getting together quarterly with the other loan officers, and I’m looking forward to meeting them.”

  She heard Cat making sounds in the background. “What’s Cat doing?”

  “She’s playing on the floor on her tummy. She scoots around really well now and tries to crawl. I put toys in different spots on the blanket so she’ll have to work to get them.”

  “That’s smart.”

  “I think she likes the game.” He paused.

  She wondered if he was drinking a beer. Probably.

  “So, how was your day?” he asked.

  “Uneventful. I cleaned house, which is not my favorite thing to do. And I made a new casserole for dinner. It turned out pretty well. Johnathan said he liked it.”

  “I detest housework,” he said. “Thank goodness Cat and I aren’t very messy.”

  “I’ll bet a baby generates a lot of laundry, though.”

  He sighed. “You’ve got that right. I’m always changing her clothes. I told Janey to change her as often as she needed to to keep her clean. By the way,” he added, “do you have a sitter for Johnathan?”

  A sitter for Johnathan? That was a strange question, unless... “Yeah, I do. I have a young guy that can come stay with him. He works a rotating schedule, so I need to check ahead of time to see when he’s available.”

  “Oh, that’s good.” He was quiet for a moment, and she wondered if she’d been wrong. Then he said, “I’d like to ask you out. Do you think this guy can cover you for that?”

  Yes! She shot her fist into the air. “I’m sure he could if we worked it around his schedule, like I said.”

  “Will you go out to dinner with me? I’d like to spend some grown-up time with you.” He chuckled. “It’d be nice to be alone together for an evening.”

  “I’d love that.”

  “Great. Why don’t you get with your sitter and give me a couple of dates. Then I’ll check with Janey and see if that works for her, okay?”

  “I will. And Beau? Thanks for the invite. I’m looking forward to a grown-up night with you.”

  She could hear him smiling when he said, “Me too.”

  She finished her glass of wine, swinging slowly back and forth and feeling warm and alive for the first time in ages. Her breakup with her ex had been a long, lonely time coming, and now she had something new and special to look forward to.

  Beau glanced across the dinner table at Dakota and smiled. He’d taken her to La Fogata, a restaurant known for its authentic Mexican food. He was especially fond of their fire-roasted salsa and margaritas.

  “I haven’t been here in forever,” Dakota said as she looked around at the lush tropical plants, which were a famous part of the La Fogata ambiance.

  “I eat here whenever I come to San Antonio—which hasn’t been often, I’ll admit. But I love this place.”

  “What brought you to San Antonio in the past?” she asked.

  “Occasionally I’d come to the stockyards, and our ranch attorney is here. He and our accountant work closely together, and they’re both in San Antonio.”

  “Really? Why don’t you use someone local?”

  He shrugged. “Ranching’s big business, and it’s complicated. It’s important that the business side is run right. Do you have any idea of the number of state and federal programs we use? Keeping all of that money straight on our books is a nightmare. I help Dad file all the right forms, and we have to account for the crops and land we use the funding on. We own a lot of land, but we lease a lot too. Our accountant and lawyer help us make sure we’re doing everything right. We don’t want to have to give any of that money back.”

  Dakota took a sip of her margarita. “Wow, I had no idea. I thought it was all roping and riding and feeding cows.”

  He laughed. “I wish.” She was beautiful when she smiled. She had a dimple in her left cheek that he’d never noticed before. “Does Johnathan like the young man who stays with him?”

  “Michael? Sure he does. Michael’s kind and treats Johnathan like an equal. He spends time watching Disney movies with him, and they eat popcorn together in his room. I’m really lucky to have someone like Michael to depend on. It’s hard to find people who’re comfortable staying with an adult with disabilities.”

  “He sounds amazing. I’m so glad you were able to get away this evening.” He met her gaze and let the warmth he felt for her show in his eyes.

  “So am I.” She reached across the table and clasped his hand. “I’m glad you invited me. It feels wonderful to be here, free of responsibilities and with the whole evening ahead of us.”

  “It does feel great. I can’t remember the last time I had an evening away from Cat. Mom and Dad were always offering to care for her overnight, but I really didn’t see the point. She was my responsibility. They shouldn’t miss sleep for my daughter. Mom kept her during the day so I could work on the ranch, and I felt that that was enough.”

  “You’ve really had a rough go of it,” she said.

  “Things are better now, though.” He took a swallow of his margarita. “She sleeps much better, and I’m a lot more relaxed since she’s outgrown most of the complications she had at birth. I’ve been really lucky. Cat’s a healthy baby now except for her vision problems.”

  Their waitress arrived and set their plates in front of them. Beau inhaled the rich, savory aromas of their steak and chicken entrées. The spicy scent of the Mexican rice made his mouth water.

  Dakota reached for the tortilla warmer. She took out a hot flour tortilla and spread butter on it, then rolled it up and took a bite. “Oh, yum. These homemade tortillas are to die for.”

  He took a spoonful of his beans and groaned. “God, these are fabulous. I wish I knew how they made them.”

 

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