Courting Trouble (The Texas Two-Step Series, Book 3) by Kathy Carmichael Page A

when he and Diedra had been—
    Alec grinned. "Thanks for the tip. We'll watch the radio. It's a rental and I'll pass it onto them."
    The friendly trucker returned to his semi, with only a trace of a wicked grin on his face.
    Alec walked around a bit more while Diedra visited the ladies room.
    Had she been right? He'd never been around her without all sorts of things going haywire. Could anyone really be a jinx?
    When she left the restroom, he followed her back to the car. As he climbed in, he noted she was looking damp but less self-conscious now that she was fully dressed.
    She reached her hand over to his and said, "Thanks, Alec."
    "Thank you." He leaned forward and gave her a swift kiss.
    Diedra sighed contentedly. She adored his kisses. Within minutes, they pulled back onto the highway. Alec switched to another radio station and a few seconds later it erupted in static. "I wish you'd turn off your jinx for a while."
    "I already have enough self-blame. I don't need you to join in. Trust me, if I could turn it off I would." She pushed a button on the radio and another station came in clear. "While I admit machinery often goes haywire around me, radio stations do go out of range when you're traveling in a car."
    "I'm sorry, Diedra. I'm just trying to figure things out."
    "Once you have things figured out, Counsel, you just let me know." She felt very defensive. How could she not? This was something she had to deal with every waking moment. Did he think she wouldn't choose normal if she could?
    Her headache came crashing back. She was tired, wet and miserable. She shouldn't take it out on him. After all, she had chosen to make love with him, whatever the consequences. Had she really been hoping for more?
    Although Alec was a wonderful man, she couldn't expect him to accept her like he'd accept any other woman. It wasn't fair to hold him to standards no man she'd ever known had been able to meet. No, she wouldn't allow herself to hope.
    She shivered with cold. Now it was time to accept the inevitable. "I'm sorry I'm so cranky. Maybe if you turn on the heater, we'll dry off faster."
    He gave her a charming smile. Damn.

 
     
     
    Chapter 11

     
    When Heather arrived at Healthy Herbs that morning, she thought it would be a piece of cake. Running a small shop should be easy compared with corralling one hundred and thirty preteen campers.
    That was before the onslaught.
    The first customer arrived almost as soon as the store opened. The friendly young mother, with a toddler in tow, carried a newspaper. The headline read Top Ten Herbs for Improving Your Love Life .
    "Can you tell me where to find these herbs?" The woman pointed at the article.
    Heather quickly scanned it, but she didn't recognize the herbs listed, although she had at least heard of ginseng root. "I'm sure we have them, but the only vegetation I recognize is the three p's: poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac. I'll help you look, though. Everything is labeled, so we should be able to find what you're looking for."
    By the time she found the herbs and returned to the counter, three more customers had come into the store, each carrying the newspaper article. More and more customers arrived throughout the morning.
    Still, Heather was able to cope—until the cash register tape ran out and a customer said the arginine supplements were all gone and wanted to know whether more could be found in the back.
    By then, ten customers were browsing the store and she had no clue how to change the register tape. Maybe Bert would know. She picked up the phone and dialed his flower shop. When he answered, she said, "S.O.S. Help!"
    "What's wrong?"
    "The cash register tape ran out and the store is overrun with customers. Today's paper had an article about herbs."
    "I saw that article. Should have realized it would mean you'd be busier than usual. My floral designer, Carrie, is working today, so I'll leave her in charge here and come over to help."
    "Thanks so much." Heather