to depend on her for support and advice. But in the past year or so she’d felt smothered by their neediness. She’d been desperate to get away and discover who she was outside of that boisterous clan.
Over the Christmas holiday she’d talked her way into teaching a six-week course in videography at Sheridan’s community college. That had justified moving her base of operations from Billings to Wyoming in January.
Through Molly Radcliffe, who worked at the college and was Cade’s cousin, she’d met Rosie and Herb. That connection had brought her business and friendship. Today it had brought her in contact with Austin. He probably had something to teach her about making bold moves toward an exciting future.
It sounded as if he had a grand plan for his decision to come back home. That put him several steps ahead of her. As of now, she was making it up as she went along.
She knew what she didn’t want—to be dragged down by so many family obligations that she lost track of her own goals and who she was besides oldest daughter and big sister. Austin had already made that journey away from his people. Maybe hanging out with him would give her the gumption she needed to do the same. And whether his spirit of adventure rubbed off or not, he was pretty to look at.
“So why is the truck a clue to your current plans?” Lexi asked.
Austin hesitated and exchanged a quick glance with Cade.
Cade flashed him a smile. “You’re the one who said it.”
Austin cleared his throat and faced Lexi. “Well, a man who’s starting out fresh needs a decent ride to...to...” He sent Cade a look that was clearly a plea for a little help with this explanation.
“A man’s truck is like his alter ego,” Cade said. “You can tell a lot by what he chooses to drive. Junior, here, is ready to project a more polished image.”
Austin let out a relieved sigh. “Exactly.”
Drew figured it was a guy thing. She didn’t care what Austin chose to drive. She just wanted to be in the passenger seat.
Drew left far sooner than Austin would have liked, but she had to get home and edit the video and he was all in favor of that. He wanted her to finish it because he had other plans for how she’d spend her evening, assuming she wasn’t seeing anyone. When he’d first slid out from under that sink, he felt as if he’d been struck by lightning.
The view from the floor had been spectacular—long, tanned legs that ended in a snug pair of jeans shorts and above that a bare, toned midriff and a white halter top that had gaped a little when she’d leaned over to shake his hand.
But he hadn’t focused on that because he was a gentleman. Instead he’d gazed into eyes that were a beautiful deep brown and gleamed with interest. Excellent. Mutual attraction.
She wore a silver pendant consisting of a freeform heart, a large pearl and several little diamonds. He’d noticed it because it had swung toward him when she’d bent down. It looked expensive, and yet she’d worn it when she was dressed very casually. That interested him, too.
He munched on chips and sipped his beer while Cade and Lexi discussed the video they’d just made and how awesome it was going to be. When he heard Drew’s truck pull away, he turned to Lexi. “Does she have a steady guy?”
Cade sighed. “Look out. Bullet train.”
“Not necessarily.” Austin sat up a little straighter. “She seemed interested in me. It might go nowhere, but what’s wrong with checking things out if she’s available?”
“I don’t think she’s with anyone,” Lexi said. “When I asked if she wanted to bring a guest to the wedding she said no.”
“That’s great.” He got up and retrieved his phone from where he’d laid it on the kitchen counter. “I’d like her number.” He settled back in his chair and clicked on his contacts page. “What’s her last name?”
“Martinelli.” Lexi took out her phone.
“That explains the big brown eyes and the Italian restaurant.” He typed in her name. “Ready when you are.”
Cade tugged his hat down over his eyes and groaned. “If you give him that number, I guarantee he’ll dial it right now.”
“So what?” Lexi scrolled through her contacts. “If she doesn’t want to go out with him she can always say no.”
Leaning both elbows on the table, Cade studied Austin. “When are you fixing to get that courtin’ truck?”
“That what?” Lexi looked up from her phone. “Is a courtin’ truck what I think it is?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Cade took a long pull on his beer.
She turned to Austin. “Are you really buying a new truck so you can impress women?”
“Not all women. Just certain ones.”
“Let me put it this way, Lexi.” Cade put down his beer. “When you attended that riding clinic in Denver last year you took cabs to get around, right?”
“Right.”
“How did you know a cab was available?”
“The roof light was on.”
“Well, Junior here has his light on.”
“I do not.” Austin glared at his brother. “That suggests I’ll take the first one who comes along, and that’s not how I—”
“Isn’t Drew the first one who’s come along?”
“Yes, but we still don’t know if she’ll go out with me.”
“What if she does?”
“Then I’ll have to go truck shopping pretty soon.”
“Wait, wait, wait.” Lexi waved her hands in the air. “You two are speaking in tongues. Could you both use your native language, which also happens to be mine? What the hell are you talking about?”
Cade reached over and covered her hand with his. “I called it his courtin’ truck because Junior is looking for a wife.”
Lexi swiveled in her seat to look at Austin. “You are?”
He hadn’t planned to lay out his plan this soon but he also couldn’t beat around the bush with Lexi. She was like a big sister to him. “Yes, ma’am.”
“See?” Cade gestured to him. “I knew he had another reason for coming back to Wyoming besides our wedding.”
“Austin.” Lexi put her hand on his arm. “Please tell me you didn’t get this idea because of our wedding invitation. There’s such a thing as wedding fever. When I was twenty-two I tried to get Cade to propose because of peer pressure. You probably don’t remember that.”
“Oh, I remember, all right. That’s when he took off for Colorado.” At seventeen, Austin had been devastated when his idol had driven away from Thunder Mountain Ranch. Lexi hadn’t been the only one with a broken heart. “It wasn’t just the invitation, although that made me realize all I was missing and I didn’t want to miss this. But I’ve been thinking about moving back and settling down for quite a while now.”
“You’re only twenty-six. You have lots of time.”
“I know. The thing is, I’m sick of getting involved with someone when it’ll never go anywhere. Every woman I dated in New Zealand told me flat out she wasn’t relocating. That made perfect sense. Their families were there and it’s a beautiful country.”
“All right.” Lexi seemed relieved. “Then ultimately you want to get married, but you don’t have a timetable or anything.” She smiled. “It’s