COLLEEN: A Sweet Western Historical Romance by Ashley Merrick Page B

best option was working as a saloon girl.
     
     

 
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER ELEVEN
     
    Colleen was a little nervous as she and Ricky walked into his friend’s house. They lived near Ricky in the center of town. In addition to being on the town council, Steven was a banker, and his wife, Mary, was busy with their three small children. There was one other couple already there that Ricky introduced her to—Peter, who lived a few doors down from Ricky and his wife, Lynn. Peter worked as an attorney and Lynn volunteered at the town library.
    "Come in, come in and make yourselves comfortable," Steven said, after all the introductions were made. "Now, for the really important question. What would you like to drink? Can I pour you a glass of wine?"
    "We just opened it and it's lovely," Mary added.
    "Okay, thank you." Colleen accepted the small glass of red wine that Steven handed to her and took a sip. It was fortified wine, Mary explained as she poured it, and it had a strange taste as far as Colleen was concerned. It was nothing like the wine she had shared with Ricky. The men were drinking something brown—whiskey, she guessed. After a short time, dinner was served. Mary sat a platter of sliced roast beef on the dining room table, along with potatoes, buttered squash and bread and they all sat down.
    The women were mostly quiet as the men chatted excitedly about the town goings on and Ricky's odds of becoming mayor.
    "We just need to convince everyone that you're ready for this. I don't think anyone doubts you can do it, just if the timing is right," Peter said.
    "The timing couldn't be better, in my opinion," Steven said. "If we get you in now, you can feed business to both of us, and we can send it your way as well. Not that we don't already, of course. But this will just help even more."
    Colleen listened intently as she ate her roast beef.
    "Being mayor will help when you go on the road, too. You'll be able to steer people and projects this way."
    "To helping people," Ricky said and lifted his glass in a toast. The other two tapped their glasses lightly against his. All three of them chuckled.
    "You're going to make a heck of a major," Peter said.
    "I'm planning on it." Ricky smiled as he reached for another slice of roast beef.
    They turned the conversation to specific business they were working on and Colleen lost interest. She snapped back to attention when Mary asked her a question. "How are you liking Bozeman so far?" 
    "Oh, I'm liking it. A lot."
    "I imagine it's very different from Boston?" Lynn commented.
    Colleen laughed. "So different. I'd never seen any place like this before. I'd never even been on a farm before."
    "Really?" Mary was surprised.
    "I lived in the city. Boston is a large city, but everything is close together and I could walk to work. Walk just about everywhere, actually."
    "If you marry Ricky, you'll be able to live in town, at least. We love living here," Lynn said.
    "Lynn, they're not engaged yet!" Mary said.
    "Well, she could be, if she wanted to. Ricky is obviously planning to ask her or he wouldn't have brought her here to meet us."
    Colleen shifted a bit uncomfortably in her seat.
    "I don't think she's made her mind up yet," Mary said, and added, "David Donovan is courting you as well, I hear?"
    "Yes, he is. I've been getting to know them both."
    "I wouldn't have to think twice about that. David's nice enough, but Ricky is going places. You could be married to the mayor—and live right in town. Not stuck out in the middle of nowhere...on a farm." Lynn made a face as if she'd smelled something terrible and Mary shot her a stern look.
    "Lynn!" she scolded her.
    "Sorry. I just can't imagine that there's much to think about," she said as she stabbed a piece of rare roast beef and popped it in her mouth.
    Colleen said nothing. What could she possibly say in response to that?
    After dinner was cleared, Mary set out a chocolate frosted cake and made tea for the women. The men continued on with