Austin (New Horizon Ranch Book 8) by Debra Clopton

lawman.”
    Jolene rubbed her neck, feeling tension tightening there. “Yeah, but he told me his brother-in-law died breaking a horse. That makes this personal.”
    “Oh.” Maddie grimaced. “That does bring it closer to home. I didn’t know that about him. I mean I knew that his sister is a widow but I didn’t know it was because of a horse wreck. He works as much overtime as he can get because he’s helping put his sister get her teaching degree.”
    Jolene was startled by this. “Really?”
    “Yeah, he’s a good guy, Jolene.”
    “He sounds like it. But this is just a date. Nothing more, so I hope those ladies, the posse, doesn’t get any ideas,” she warned, still uneasy about that part of the night.
    Maddie just laughed. “Oh, well, I hate to tell you but no one can ever predict what those three ladies will do. They love their town and marrying off cowboys thrills them. Austin and the other law of Mule Hollow are their heroes now, for certain. But they’ve already helped marry off Sheriff Brady and Deputy Zane Cantrell-you met his wife Rose tonight. So you can see that Austin is priority now.” She parked the truck in the ranch parking area. “I’m just warning you. Sometimes they come on strong, sometimes subtle. It depends on what they sense. So we’ll see. I mean, they were sitting there when you came back in and Riley stopped you. They saw the way he was looking at you but they never asked questions about that. So I suspect they’re hoping you and Austin are a match.”
    Jolene was confused. “Why would they have asked me anything about Riley? He just asked me a question.”
    Maddie looked less than convinced. “From where I was sitting, that cute, flirty cowboy looked more interested in you than anyone I’ve noticed since he’s worked for us.”
    “He…oh, this is ridiculous. Maddie, I had a good night, kind of an odd night in many ways, but I enjoyed meeting everyone. Now, I’m going to go get some sleep so I can ride some wild horses tomorrow.”
    “Welcome to Mule Hollow.” Maddie winked. “Really, you’re going to love it here.”
    Jolene let out a big sigh of relief as she headed to her apartment. It had been one evening filled with unexpected events.
     
     
    “You look nice.” Austin groaned at his lack of originality. But she did look nice and he was tied up in knots. Had been since leaving her at the diner on Thursday night.
    He wanted to know more about her. Felt driven to know her. And his curiosity overrode the worry about her career.
    She looked surprisingly uncertain. “Thanks. Maddie told me Western was fine.”
    He smiled. “It’s a street dance and a country band. Western is more than fine.”
    Especially when it looked so good on her. The turquoise Western plaid shirt and jeans with dress boots with sparkly brads on them looked like her. Or at least what he’d come to know of her. “You ready?”
    She nodded and stepped outside and pulled the door closed. She didn’t grab a purse, just tucked her key in her pocket. “Ready.”
    He led the way to his truck and opened the door for her.
    She looked sharply at him. “Thanks, but I could have gotten it.”
    “I know. I just wanted to do it.”
    “Okay.” She slid into the seat.
    Austin moved to stand beside her. “Jolene, I know we have some strain between us but, I’m glad you’re coming to the dance with me. I’m…interested in getting to know you.”
    She took a deep breath. “Same here.”
    He felt the tension in her and longed to caress her cheek but held back. “Good.” He smiled and closed the door.
    Dear Lord, he was flubbing this date already. He stormed around the truck, his gut in knots. He was flubbing and suddenly, for all he was worth, he knew that was the last thing he wanted to do.
     
     
    Jolene rubbed her damp palms on her jeans and watched Austin stalk around the front of the truck with a grim expression on his face. She was flubbing this date! She couldn’t get her tongue to work.