Page 46 of A Cameo for a Cowgirl

“Did the wedding go well?”

She nodded. Swallowed. Found enough moisture to say, “I don’t know if it makes me a bad sister or friend to say I’m glad it’s over, but I was really relieved when it was all done.”

“And everything went smoothly?”

Another nod.

“But of course it did. You worked so hard, I’m not surprised.”

Huh. No criticism of her work ethic? Her defensiveness dropped a little more. “And you? Did you enjoy your weekend?”

“It was okay.”

Only okay? “Where did you stay?”

“Fairmont Lake Louise.”

“Fancy.”

“It was nice, but not the same as here.”

“I bet.” Deserts could form by her tone. “Once you stay at the barber’s, well, it’s all downhill from there, right?”

His lips curved. “I missed you, Cassie.”

Her breath hitched. He couldn’t mean that to sound quite like that. “Well, lucky for you, here I am again.”

“Lucky for me.” His voice held a rasp.

She stepped back. If she didn’t know better, she’d be almost inclined to think the man liked her or something. Which was ridiculous. Why would he like her when he could have his pick of Hollywood?

Besides, just because a man might say smooth things didn’t mean a girl needed to believe them. And this girl couldn’t afford to believe them, or allow her heart to get involved. She’d gone that way before, and it hadn’t ended well. Besides, he wasn’t a Christian. Was he?

“Why are you looking like that?” he asked.

She needed to go. But also felt a weird prompting to introduce some element of God into the conversation. Because Poppy was right. How could any non-believer ever know about God if Christians always kept their mouths shut? But what do I say Lord?

“Cassie?”

“I, um, I don’t know. Uh, what do I look like?”

His smile twisted. “Like you’re trying to figure me out. Which I’m cool with by the way. And I could help you out with that if you let me take you to dinner sometime.”

Her breath suspended. “You said you wanted to be friends.”

“And don’t friends do dinner together sometimes?”

“Not male and female friends who are both single. At least, I’ve never done that.”

“Maybe you should.”

Part of her yearned to take him up on his offer, to know what it would be like to live in this man’s world for a moment, to be the pretty thing on a handsome man’s arm. But another part urged caution, and because she was trying to listen to the Holy Spirit more these days, she knew she had to obey that prompting more than anything that tugged at her heart. And she had to make something very clear.

“I don’t think I could have dinner alone with a man unless he was a Christian.”

His face shadowed for a moment. Then he tilted his head. “Who said anything about being alone?”

Ouch. Had she just misread that and embarrassed herself some more?

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