gone, replaced by a new pair of jeans, boots and a chocolate-brown shirt. He held a new tan Stetson in his right hand. She’d seen him in similar outfits hundreds of times, but the increase in her heart rate made her feel as if she were looking at him for the first time. Her friend had grown ridiculously handsome without her noticing. And it felt really weird to even think that.
She forced herself to act normally, which was way harder than it ought to be. “Hit the ShopMart?”
“Yeah. Not likely I’m going to find my old clothes.”
“You probably wouldn’t want them anymore if you did.”
“True.”
When Elissa met Pete’s eyes, she had the distinct impression he, too, was remembering their awkward run-in at the bathroom door that morning. She hated how her easy camaraderie with Pete felt as if it was slipping away, but she was determined to get it back and put this odd bobble out of her mind.
“Well, if I’m going dancing, I better clean up. I’m wearing about an inch of dirt. Doubt I’ll get many dance partners like that.”
As she moved past Pete, she pictured herself dancing with him. She mentally cursed. She’d danced with Pete a zillion times, and it had never been anything other than two friends goofing off and having a good time. As she stepped into the bathroom, she wondered how in the world she was going to avoid dancing with him until the image of his naked torso didn’t taunt her every time she looked at him.
* * *
AN HOUR LATER, Pete followed Elissa into the music hall. Even for her, she was walking faster than normal, as if she wanted to get away from him. He couldn’t help wondering if it had anything to do with him startling her that morning. But that shouldn’t have bothered her. It wasn’t as if he’d strolled out into the hall buck-naked.
But something was definitely up because as soon as they stepped inside she scanned the crowd and headed straight for India and Skyler. Fellow deputy Connor Murphy had to do a quick sidestep with his beer to keep from getting mowed down by her.
“What’s up with Elissa tonight?” Connor asked as he approached Pete. “She’s moving like she’s on her way to a fire.”
Pete shrugged. “Who knows? Pressing girl talk, I guess.”
Connor shook his head. “Women.”
Exactly. Just when you thought you had one figured out, she up and started acting strange.
“You been cleaning up your place yet?”
“Haven’t had time. Got to get a truck first, but haven’t gotten around to that, either. Had to go buy a new life today. It’s bad when you’ve got one pair of underwear to your name.”
“Ask Greg. He probably knows someone who has a truck for sale.”
Pete nodded. “Good idea.” In fact, he saw Greg over by the bar, not too far from where Elissa stood. “I need a drink.”
“Later.”
Pete made his way around the edge of the dance floor, crowded as usual with locals and tourists. His gaze connected with that of a pretty blonde who smiled at him. He gave her a small smile back but continued on his way to the bar instead of asking her to dance.
“Hey, Pete,” India called to him over the sound of the crowd and the band.
He waved, but she motioned for him to come over. As he drew closer, Elissa slipped onto the stool behind her. There it was again, the subtle moving away from him. Or maybe he was imagining it. But why would he be? Shaking off the questions, he directed his attention at India.
“Liam’s organizing another rodeo to benefit the tornado victims. Do you think you could get us a list of those affected?”
“Sure.”
“And include yourself, okay?” Skyler said.
“I’m fine. I’ve got insurance.”
Elissa shifted forward on the stool. “You know better than to argue with Skyler, even before she was pregnant and grumpy.”
“Someday when you get pregnant, I hope you have triplets. And that they’re hell on wheels.”
Elissa shot Skyler a look of horror. “Bite your tongue, woman.”
India laughed, and Pete found himself smiling at the familiar banter between Elissa and Skyler. Whatever weirdness had taken up residence in Elissa seemed to have disappeared, thank goodness. It was bad enough he was forced to invade her home, but he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable while he was at it.
Someone touched his arm. When he turned, the pretty blonde stood there.
“Would you like to dance?”
The crazy urge to look at Elissa gripped him, but he resisted. Trying not to read anything into his reaction, he instead smiled and offered his arm to the blonde. “Lead the way.”
As his dance partner told him her name was Candace and she was in town for a wedding the next day, he tried to pay attention. He was beginning to wonder if he’d been knocked on the head during the tornado because it was hard to pay attention to her. But he made the effort, even pulling her a little closer.
Before he even thought about what he was doing, he turned his gaze toward where Elissa had been sitting, fully expecting she’d found her own dance partner. Instead, she still sat on the stool, staring right at him.
Chapter Four
Elissa jerked her gaze away the moment Pete looked in her direction. What was up with her? She was beginning to think she’d taken leave of her senses.
“Are you okay?” Skyler asked.
Elissa shoved away her sudden, brain-addled interest in Pete and slipped off the stool. “No. I didn’t come here to sit on my butt. This place is for dancing.”
“Then go dance.”
Elissa made a vague gesture around the room. “Slim pickings tonight. You won’t mind if I steal your man, will you?”
Before Skyler could answer, Elissa grabbed Logan’s hand and dragged him toward the dance floor. He laughed in her wake.
As they found a spot on the dance floor just as an upbeat tune started, Logan twirled her into the crowd. “One of these days, if you’re not careful, Skyler is going to sock you one.”
“I’m quicker than her on a normal day, and she’s only going to get bigger.”
Logan winced. “Be glad she didn’t hear that.”
“Already touchy about her figure?”
“You have no idea. We had a Chernobyl-style meltdown this morning when she couldn’t fasten her pants.”
Elissa glanced through the crowd toward Skyler. “Maybe I should lay off for a while, though that’s a little like asking everyone in the world to stop posting their cat pictures online.”
Still, maybe Skyler and India both could use a little pampering. If she got a bit further along in her cleanup and rebuild of the nursery, maybe she’d suggest a spa day for the three of them. She could even get into shopping for baby things. Being a mom might not be on her radar, but by golly she was going to be the best honorary auntie the world had ever seen. She was going to spoil those kids so rotten their mothers would never forgive her. She smiled at that thought.
“That smile is never good.”
Elissa looked up at Logan. “What, this?” She pointed toward her mouth. “I’m as innocent as innocent can be.”
“Yeah, right.”
Elissa laughed and for a few minutes let go of all the things she could be worrying about if she let herself. She wasn’t a natural worrywart as her friends could be, so the past few days had