“Does that mean you don’t want me?”
Sweet holy Hannah. Where had that come from?
His body tightened, on high alert. Though he was almost certain Mellie Winslow hadn’t intended anything suggestive by her question, there was enough of a spark in the air to make him react with a man’s natural response to a beautiful available woman.
Case hadn’t expected the punch of sexual interest. Truth be told, it reinforced his reservations about hiring any housekeeper, much less one who looked like Mellie. He was a sucker for redheads, especially the kind with skin the color of cream and wide emerald eyes reflecting a certain wariness...as if she had been disappointed one too many times in life.
Though she was clearly accustomed to hard physical labor, she was thin but not skinny. The shade of her red curls, spilling from a ponytail that fell past her shoulders, was a combination of fire and sunshine.
He should tell her to go. Right now.
“Are you saying I make you nervous, Ms. Winslow?”
She wrinkled her nose, as if smelling a refrigerator full of rotten eggs. “A little. I suppose. But I’ll get over it.”
That last sentence was served with a side of feminine defiance designed to put him in his place. She reminded him of a fluffy chicken warning the rooster away from the henhouse.
“Duly noted.” He tapped a stack of envelopes. “The trial period works both ways. You may find me such a slob that you’ll run screaming for the hills.”
Mellie’s smile was open and natural. “I doubt that. I’ve reformed worse offenders than you, believe me.”
At that precise moment, he knew he wasn’t imagining the sizzle of physical awareness between them. Maybe Mellie didn’t notice, but he did. At thirty-six, he surely had more experience than this young woman, who was on the dewy-skinned right side of thirty.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He glanced at his watch, ruefully aware that he had to put an end to this provocative interview. “I’m afraid I have another appointment in town. So we’ll have to wrap this up. Why don’t you plan to start Thursday morning? I’ll put some thoughts on paper in regard to what I want you to tackle and we can go from there. Does that work for you?”
Mellie stood, smiling. “Absolutely. Thank you, Mr. Baxter. I’ll see you soon.”
“Call me Case,” he said.
“And I’m Mellie.”
* * *
Case stood at the window, his hand on the lace curtain as he watched his new housekeeper drive away. He knew the time had come to put his house in order—literally—but he had a sinking feeling that he might be making a bad mistake.
The fact that he found Mellie Winslow so appealing should have put an end to things. He’d fallen for an employee once before and ended up with a broken marriage and a bank account that had taken a severe hit. His track record with long-term relationships was virtually nonexistent.
He’d never had sisters. With his mother gone, the only female relatives he had were two cousins in California whom he saw maybe once a decade. He wasn’t a good judge of what made women tick. He enjoyed their company in bed. He was even willing to concede that women and men could be friends under certain circumstances.
But as one of the wealthiest ranchers in Maverick County, he’d learned the hard way that a man was not always judged on his own merits. He might marry again one day...maybe. But only if he was damn sure that his prospective bride cared more about his character than his financial bottom line.
As he drove into town, he noted, almost unconsciously, the signs that Royal was flourishing after last fall’s F4 tornado. He took in the new storefronts, fresh landscaping and a few empty lots where damaged buildings had been razed in preparation for upcoming construction.
The town had rebounded well, despite tragedy and hardship. Case knew there were still problems to be addressed. Insurance woes remained an issue. Slow payments. Court battles over settlements. The Texas Cattleman’s Club had a history of benevolence and community service. Case was determined to use his new position to keep the organization headed in the right direction, particularly in regard to the ongoing tornado cleanup.
For Royal to rebound from tragedy and prosper in the twenty-first century, it would be important to keep all sectors of the local economy alive. Which meant looking out for small businesses. Like the Keep N Clean.
When he pulled up on the side street adjoining the Royal Diner, he saw that the sheriff’s squad car was already there. He found Nathan Battle inside, sipping a cup of coffee and flirting with his wife, Amanda, who owned and operated the diner.
Case took off his cowboy hat and tucked it under his left arm. “Sheriff. Amanda. Good to see you both.” He shook Nathan’s hand and slid into the booth opposite the tall uniformed man he’d come to meet.
Amanda smiled at him. “Congratulations on the election. I just heard the news.”
“Thanks.” Nathan and Amanda had been high school sweethearts. After a tough breakup as kids, they’d eventually reconnected, fallen in love all over again and married. Case envied the almost palpable intimacy between them. Two people who had known each other for so long didn’t have to worry about secrets or betrayals.
Amanda kissed her husband on the cheek. “You boys have fun. I’ve got to go track down a missing shipment of flour, so Helen will be your waitress today. I’ll catch you later.”
The server took their order for coffee and dessert, and Case sat back with a sigh. He worked long hours. His daddy had taught him the ranching business from the ground up and drilled into him the notion that in order to be the boss, a man required more than money in the bank. He needed the respect and loyalty of his employees.
Nathan drained his coffee cup and raised a hand for more.
Case shook his head. “Do you live on that stuff?” Nathan was tall and lean and beloved by most of the town. But he rarely had time for leisure.
The sheriff shrugged. “There are worse vices.” He smiled at Helen as she gave him a refill, and then he eyed Case with curiosity. “What’s up, Case? You sounded mysterious on the phone.”
Case leaned forward. “No mystery. I’m hoping you’ll be available to look over the club’s security procedures and disaster plans. Last year’s tornado taught us all we need to stay on top of emergency preparedness.”
“Not a bad idea. I’d be happy to...just email me some dates and times, and I’ll block it off on my calendar.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.”
They chatted for half an hour, and then almost as an afterthought, Case asked Nathan the question that had been on his mind. “What do you know about Keep N Clean?”
“Mellie Winslow’s business?”
“Yes.”
“They’re a solid outfit. Amanda has used them here at the diner, and I know a lot of people around town who sing their praises. Why?”
“My housekeeper retired eight months ago. Took her pension and headed to Florida. I need help around the house. Especially now that I’m taking on leadership at the club. But I’m out on the ranch a lot of the time, and I don’t like the idea of having strangers invade my personal space.”
“I’m sure Mellie vets her employees thoroughly. I’ve never heard a single complaint about anyone on her staff, and I would know if there had been a problem.”
“And Mellie herself? She says her staffing situation is stretched to the max, so she would be the one working for me.”
The other