“You’ve got a talent for this.” Mike settled back in his seat when they finished discussing the three events he wanted her to handle. “I think I’ve found a secret weapon.” He said it in a way that was so genuine and heartfelt that it made her warm inside.
She had just taken the last bite of her half of the cannoli, chewed, and swallowed it. “That remains to be seen.” She wiped her mouth and her fingers off with a paper napkin. “I still have to prove my worth.”
He gave a low chuckle. “With your ideas and your event planning background, not to mention your professionalism, I have no doubt that you will be extraordinary.”
She tried not to think any more about her duplicity. “I appreciate your confidence in me.”
He studied her a long moment. He seemed to do that often and she found it both unnerving and somehow thrilling. Like he could see deep down into her soul and liked what he saw.
“It’s not going to be easy to beat Chad Johnson.” Mike gave a little smile. “He’s a tough and worthy opponent.”
No he’s not,
Anna thought with a viciousness that was so different from how she usually was.
He’s not worthy enough to polish your shoes.
She remembered what she’d been told, that there was bad blood between Mike and Chad. Mike was being more courteous than she imagined Chad would ever be. Should she ask what it was between them? She mentally shook her head. No, it wasn’t any of her business.
Mike gathered the plate and coffee mugs, which he returned to Ricki while Anna tossed the paper napkins. Anna took her jacket off the back of her chair and Mike helped her slip it on.
“It was great meeting you,” Anna said to Ricki, giving her a little wave as Mike opened the door.
“Come back and see me.” Ricki said. “Mike needs to get in here more often.”
He grinned and touched the brim of his Stetson as he gave her a little nod. “Take care of yourself, Ricki.”
The bells at the top of the door jangled again as it closed behind them and they started back to the campaign HQ.
Chapter 11
Angel set Anna up at the one empty desk and caught her up on the campaign. Anna set to work on the events Mike wanted her to handle.
While she worked, she couldn’t get her mind to stray far from Chad having shown up at church yesterday and his threat. A tight knot stayed in her chest that wouldn’t go away.
What could she possibly tell Chad?
From Angel, Anna got the details about the Halloween party being hosted by Mike’s great-aunt Gert, as well as Gert’s address and phone number. Anna also called Gert and introduced herself, and asked if the elder woman had any questions or preferences since it was her home. The woman was enthusiastic about having coverage of the party for her nephew’s campaign and she went on and on about how he was the best sheriff Yavapai County had ever known. Anna enjoyed talking with Gert. Afterward, Anna made the arrangements for press coverage.
It was close to two now, so she had plenty of time left to work on putting together a handshaking event or the final debate. She hadn’t decided on the handshaking opportunity just yet. She needed to see if there were any special events going on in Prescott.
Her concentration drifted and she glanced out the window at the clear sky and rested her chin on her palm, her elbow on the desk. She watched cars passing by and people walking down the sidewalks. So many people going on with their lives. She bit the end of her pen as she got lost in her thoughts.
For a moment she thought about Chandra and how much she missed her friend. The lunches, the shopping, the laughing, and sharing. There was so much she would tell Chandra if circumstances were different. Anna hoped that one day the two of them could patch things up. The mess things were in, though… She didn’t know if things could ever go back the way they were, even between her and her best friend.
Anna continued to immerse herself in the work at the office, not allowing herself to think about anything but helping Mike as much as she could. She enjoyed the challenge and she liked the fact that she was doing something that would aid his campaign. Maybe there would be nothing for her to give Chad and he’d give up.
But that was too easy. He wasn’t going to give up.
With a sigh, she closed her eyes and wished things were different. Under other circumstances, Mike was someone she could have fallen in love with easily. But she couldn’t, due to her family. And if he ever found out she’d been sent to spy on him, well, that would be the end of everything.
The nape of her neck tingled and she sensed a nearby presence. She opened her eyes, startled, and dropped the pen on the desk when she saw Mike sitting in one of the two chairs in front of her desk.
He looked delicious in his Stetson and sheriff’s uniform as he reclined in the chair. Every line of his carved features, every cut of his muscles, every bit of him radiated an intense alpha-maleness that set her hormones on fire.
Even as he appeared relaxed in his seat, there was a feeling of motion that she couldn’t explain. Like he was always thinking, always analyzing, always planning his next move and mentally working over any problems that might need to be addressed. Yet somehow he managed to be completely present in the moment.
Right now, however, he studied her with an intensity that made her feel as if he could read right through her. She hoped that he couldn’t tell what she’d been thinking about from her expressions. He was a lawman after all, and it was his job to read people.
She straightened in her seat. “You startled me,” she finally said.
The corner of his mouth quirked into a smile. “You looked so pretty sitting there that I didn’t want to disturb you.”
Heat rose to her cheeks. She didn’t know how to respond to his compliment so she said, “I just finished setting up press coverage for the Halloween party and I was about to see if I could set a date for the debate with Chad’s office.”
“Why don’t you save that for tomorrow?” Mike leaned forward and braced his arms on his thighs as he focused on her. “I have other plans for you.”
She looked at him in surprise. “Oh?”
He gave a nod and got to his feet. “I’m going to steal you away from here. But first we need to stop by your place so you can change into jeans and sturdy shoes that you don’t mind getting a little dirty.”
She raised her brows. “What in the world do you have planned?”
He grinned. “A surprise, if you’re game.”
His grin was infections and she pushed back her chair. “Sure. I’m game.”
Mike went to the restroom to change out of his uniform and into jeans and a western shirt. When he returned, she slipped on her blazer and grabbed her purse. They said goodbye to Megan, who was the only other person currently in the office.
It was brisk outside, the cool air chilling Anna’s cheeks as they headed toward his SUV. He put his uniform onto the back seat and then helped her into the vehicle. He walked around the SUV, got in on the driver’s side, and moments later they were headed toward her home.
She saw the babysitter, Carmen’s, car parked out front when she reached the house. Anna knew her aunt and uncle would be at work, so she wasn’t worried about running into them. She didn’t know how they would react if they saw the sheriff in their home, and she didn’t want to make them nervous. Not to mention her own tension would ratchet even higher.
Anna unlocked the front door with her key and opened it. The babysitter was the first person Anna saw and she said, “Hi, Carmen.”
“Hello, Miss Anna.” Carmen spoke with a strong Hispanic accent.
Josie came running in from the direction of the kitchen, Pablo following at a more reserved pace. “Anna!” Josie said and hugged her.
Anna smiled at Pablo who smiled back. He wanted so badly to be a little man that it was hard for him to be the boy he was.
Carmen nodded to Mike. “How are you, Sheriff McBride?”
While Mike greeted Carmen and the kids, Anna hurried to her room and changed into jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt along with sturdy shoes. She put her wallet and keys into a smaller purse then grabbed a jacket that would be warmer for the evening.
When she was ready, she headed out to the living room. In moments they’d all said their goodbyes and Mike and Anna were outside, headed toward his SUV.
As he helped her into the vehicle, she thought about how easily she agreed to him taking her somewhere. She kept telling herself she needed to keep her distance and then she turned around and was off with him again.
“Are you going to let me in on where we’re going now?” she asked him once they were headed out of town.
He flashed her a grin. “We’re going riding.”
“Horses?” She straightened in her seat and she couldn’t help a burst of childlike excitement. “You’re taking me horseback riding?”
He gave a nod. “Yep.”
“Wow.” She grinned. “I’ve always wanted to do that.” She looked out at the highway as they started to leave Prescott. “And I get to see your ranch. Double bonus.”
Their conversation was animated, just as it had been on their way to the pumpkin festival. He made her laugh with his teasing and a few jokes. He was so enjoyable to be around that it was easy to forget anything negative that was going on in her life.
Not much later, they reached the ranch. “This is fantastic.” She looked at the home, the barn and other outbuildings, and the corrals. She saw some cattle in one field and two horses in a corral.
She turned to Mike. “Are those the horses we’ll be riding?”
“One of them.” He nodded in the direction of a barn. “I just bought a mare, Dancer, from a cousin of mine.” He glanced at Anna. “You met Jayson that night at Nectars.”
“I remember,” she said.
“I’d like to get better acquainted with Dancer.” Mike drove the SUV over a cattle guard, and the vehicle vibrated. “So I’ll be riding her.”
“The one I’ll be riding is gentle, right?” Anna asked hesitantly.
“Very gentle.” Mike drove the truck up to the house and parked in front of it. “I’ll show you around before we take a little ride.”
“All right.” Anna started to open the passenger door but Mike was there to open it for her before she had a chance to.
When she was out of the truck, they headed toward the house that had a rustic feel to it. It was a sprawling single-level ranch-style slump block home surrounded by mature cottonwood and oak trees. Bushes bordered the outside of the enclosed front porch that shaded a couple of large wood rocking chairs beside the front door.
They walked up a rock path that led to the porch and Mike unlocked and opened the screen door that was made from iron scrollwork in a western design. The screen door opened smoothly and silently. He held it for her as she stepped past him and she walked through the front door.
Once they were in the house and he had closed the door behind them, Anna paused a moment to take in his home. It was bright and sunny with big windows and open wood blinds. The floor was done in large tiles and throw rugs were scattered throughout the room. The place looked spotless, without dust on the surfaces of the entryway, coffee, and end tables, not to mention the cubbies in the entertainment center.
“I love your home.” Anna moved across the large living room to examine some of the artwork. Western scenes done in watercolors or pencil hung on the walls. On many of the rooms surfaces were bronze sculptures that reminded her of Remingtons but were clearly by a different artist.
Mike came up from behind Anna. “My cousin, Clint’s, wife is a sculptor.”
“They’re wonderful.” Anna smiled up at him. “She’s incredibly talented.”
“She sure is.” Mike nodded in the direction of an archway. “We need to take water with us and a snack if you’re hungry.”
“A snack sounds good.” Through the archway she could see a kitchen done in stainless steel and beautiful black and brown mottled granite. “I forgot to eat lunch. When I get busy, I lose track of time.”
“Can’t have that.” He looked at her and shook his head. “We’ll eat lunch now. You don’t need to be lightheaded while riding. Do you like egg salad sandwiches?”
“Love them.” She followed him into the spacious kitchen.
He opened the refrigerator door. “One or two?”
She leaned up against the kitchen island. “One is more than enough for me.”
He proceeded to make three egg salad sandwiches from eggs he’d already boiled. He cut the sandwiches in half and put them on a big plate. In the meantime, after he pointed out where everything was, Anna put a couple of luncheon plates and napkins on the table, along with two glasses of iced tea. He grabbed a big bag of barbeque chips and carried the bag and the plate of sandwiches to the table.
They sat and Anna thought they were the best egg salad sandwiches she’d ever had. They chatted as they ate, much like they had in the truck when they’d been on the way to his ranch.
She faltered a little when the thought of Chad crossed her mind, but she managed to recover without Mike suspecting anything.
When they finished their sandwiches, Mike took a package of pecan shortbread cookies out of the pantry and offered some to Anna. She ate three before she told Mike that she was more than full.
“I’m ready to ride,” she said as she cleared the table and he helped.
When they finished, he grabbed two large water bottles from the fridge and they headed outside toward the barn.
Chapter 12
Mike brought the horse Anna was supposed to ride from the corral, and her insides gave a little twist. The horse was so big and she’d never been around horses before now.
“Anna, meet Zinnia.” He held the horse’s halter while stroking her forehead with his free hand as he spoke to her. “Zinnia, this is Anna.” He smiled at Anna as he moved his hand from the horse and dug into his pocket. He brought out some large green pellets. “Why don’t you feed her these? I promise she won’t bite.”
Anna held out her palm and Mike dropped a few pellets onto it. She tentatively held out her hand to Zinnia and almost jerked it back when the mare lowered her head and her nose touched Anna’s palm. At first Anna stiffened but then she relaxed as the horse snuffled over her hand. Zinnia’s nose felt like velvet. When the horse raised her head, the pellets were gone.