Page 82 of The Cowboy's Country Charm

Young man? At thirty, Rusty didn’t feel all that young, but he nodded his acknowledgment.

“We need more men like you in the air force. And now you’re headed for the police academy. Admiral public service you’re putting in.”

“Thank you, sir.” How much had Kristy told him?

“Sam, please,” he said. “Do you two want to join us?”

The table looked full, but he said he’d follow Kristy’s lead, so he waited.

“No, Daddy. I’ve no time to sit and chat, and Rusty’s family has a table. Plus…” She placed her hand on Rusty’s chest and patted. He felt his chest expand. “Rusty has some very important activities to attended to.”

“I saw your poster on the Wanted wall. Anything for a good cause.” Sam gave a soft punch to Rusty’s shoulder.

The guy Rusty took for the ex-fiancé rose. He was on the other side of six feet. Slimmer, more slick looking. While Sam looked like a good-ole-boy politician, this guy looked like the slippery kind.

“Kristy, introduce us,” the guy said.

Rusty felt her body tense against his hand, so he lightly patted her back.

“Dean Landsdale, Rusty Russell,” she said.

“Rusty, is it?” Dean stuck out his hand. Rusty shook it. It was cold and soft. Guy probably spent his day at a desk. “Rusty Russell sounds like a comedian.”

The guy could have said “actor” but opted for “comedian.” Go figure. “And Dean Lansdale sounds like a college professor. Seems neither of us match the sound of our name.”

“Kristy, I want to talk to you. Make some time for me,” Dean said.

“Sorry. Too busy. We’ll catch you later, Dad.” Kristy reached around and grabbed Rusty’s hand. “I’ve got some details to attend to, and Rusty is going to help me. Aren’t you, darling?”

Darling? She’d called him “babe” but never “darling.” “Yup.” He’d play along, though he had no idea what he was helping with.”

Sam raised his hand. “Catch up with you later then.”

She tugged Rusty’s hand.

“Nice meeting you, sir.” Rusty barely got the words out before she pulled him away from the table.

Out of earshot, she finally stopped before the maze. People were streaming into the entrance as if they’d never seen a maze before. Across the floor by the saloon, two female entertainers performed the can-can.

“Well, we got that over with.”

“Introducing me to your father was an ordeal?”

She cocked her head to his shoulder. He liked the feel of that.

“No. It’s just, with my father you never know how things are going to go. He can be… Well, sometimes you end up being a backdrop to his pretentions without even knowing it. Gratefully, there were no cameras around.”

“I thought he was pretty nice for a first meet.”

“I know I make my father sound like a domineering ogre when he’s really just being a dad—who happens to be domineering.” She might have smiled, but the clenched teeth gave her away.

“I get that he likes to command attention.” He was a politician.

“He does. And so does Dean.”

“I got that too. I didn’t know you’d been engaged.” When was she planning to tell him that little fact?

She shrugged, as if it were of no importance. “Not much to tell. We dated. He asked. I accepted. He cheated. I left.”

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