Page 14 of The Rancher's Heart

Julieann was waiting for her on the sidewalk. Unless a person was interested in fixing vehicles, there wasn’t much to see in the garage. She locked up. “I’m ready.”

They ordered their coffee before Sloane found a table in a corner where they could have a semblance of privacy. “How do you know Jonas?”

“We dated for a while.”

“I see.” She frowned at the other woman. She figured Jonas dated, but he wasn’t a date-and-tell kind of guy, and she wasn’t curious enough to ask. She just figured it was none of her business. Julieann must be pretty determined if she’d driven all the way from Denver for a chat with his best friend.

Julieann turned her cup in slow circles before glancing up at Sloane. “I’m hoping you’ll do me a favor. You know, girl-to-girl? I thought if we talked and you got to know me, then you wouldn’t mind—”

Julieann’s chin went up. She didn’t like asking for favors, Sloane guessed. Probably with her chic style and obvious bravery in coming all this way, she’d never had to before this.

“I can’t promise anything,” Sloane said cautiously. Especially since it was clear this had something to do with Jonas.

“I know this sounds a little strange, and you have every right to turn me down, but well...” Julieann took a dainty sip of her coffee. Sloane waited. “It’s just my brother, Charlie, and me. Charlie is Jonas’s law partner until the sale of Jonas’s half of the practice to my brother goes through. I’m in marketing. Our parents live in Switzerland...” She leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs. “The thing is... I’m in love with Jonas and I want to marry him, but he says he’s not interested in getting married. Someday, I think he could even be the Governor of Colorado.”

The Governor of Colorado? Jonas? Of course he could. And he would need the kind of wife who could keep up with his status if that was his ambition, though Sloane wasn’t convinced it was.

“I’m not sure how I can help you. He’s telling you the truth. He’s not looking to get married that I know of.” Sloane was done with it now, but she had spent a lot of time wishing he would ask her to walk with him down the aisle.

Julieann tapped her manicured nails on the table. “You’re his best friend. You could put in a good word for me. He would listen to you.”

“I don’t think he would.” Sloane wouldn’t do that to Jonas. For a lot of reasons, but primarily because he deserved to pursue whoever he wanted, if he wanted a romance that went beyond friendship, not someone she took up the banner for. “You talked to Jonas about this?”

“Yes, but—”

Sloane’s cell rang. Surprised at the number on the screen, she said, “I need to take this. I’ll be right back.”

“Sure.” Julieann nodded, frowning as if unsure how to finish her sentence. It was that “but” that had Sloane worried.

Outside, keeping her eyes on the other woman, Sloane picked up the call. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Ken said. “I thought I’d call and see how you’re doing.”

Julieann began tapping her fingers again.

“I’m doing fine.” Shocked was a better word and confused that a girl who had dated Jonas was asking for her to approach him on her behalf. What a pickle, as her dad would say.

“Good.” Ken sounded unreasonably pleased. “I wondered if you want to go on another date.”

“Um...”Huh.This was getting weirder by the minute. “I’m kind of in the middle of something. Can I call you back?”

“Of course. No worries. I was thinking. Maybe we could go on a picnic.” Pans banged in the background. “I’d better go. The dinner rush is starting.”

“Okay. I’ll call you later.” She disconnected. Maybe the dating app was paying off after all, though she wasn’t sure Ken Williams, chef extraordinaire, was the guy for her. Still, she wouldn’t mind another date to find out.

Heading back to Julieann, her footsteps slowed. Maybe a second chance for Ken or Julieann wasn’t such a good idea. She sat before she could make her excuses and run as fast as she could in the opposite direction.

“What do you think?” Julieann gave her a practiced smile.

Sloane countered, “What did Jonas say when you talked to him?”

“He said he liked me”—she huffed—“but he doesn’t love me. Or something like that.”

“I think you have your answer, then.” Sloane rested on her elbows. She wasn’t the only woman who had feelings for her best friend. “I don’t know what I would say that would change his mind.”

“Won’t you at least try? I’d be good for him. I’m easy on the senses, I think, and could help him get more of the right clients. I will support him in whatever he wants to do with his career.”

“Even if he wants to move his law practice to Strawberry Ridge?”

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