Fiance Wanted. Ruth Dale Jean

knew she shouldn’t ask, but she did anyway. “What’s kind of a shame?”

      “That a good-lookin’ woman like you can’t find some guy willing to tame you into something approaching a woman. Because—”

      “Out of here!” Laura surged to her feet. “If you two want to go at it hammer and tongs, don’t do it in my kitchen!” She pointed toward the door with a quivering finger.

      “Sorry.” Dylan jumped up. “We wouldn’t want to upset the pregnant lady. Thanks for a great meal, Laura. And thanks for trying.”

      “Ditto.” Katy rose, too. “I’m sorry about all that. Old habits die hard, I guess.”

      “Maybe, but they can die—if either of you really wanted that to happen.”

      “I suppose. As he said, dinner was great and your intentions were even better.” Katy hesitated. “Sure I can’t help you with the dishes?”

      “You run along.” Laura, equilibrium restored, smiled. “And think about how much easier life would be for all of us if you and Dylan could just get along.”

      “I’ll do that,” Katy promised, adding a silent when hell freezes over.

      She kept that state of mind all the way home to her little house on the edge of town. Complete with white picket fence, it was her pride and joy.

      The phone was ringing when she unlocked the door. It was her mother, Liz, who lived in Denver with the rest of the Andrewses, including Katy’s “little” brothers: Mack, twenty-six, and Josh, twenty-seven; and her grandmother, Edna. Katy’s father had died nearly five years ago.

      “What’s up, Ma?” she asked, tossing her shoulder bag on the sofa. “Everybody all right?”

      “Everybody’s wonderful,” Liz said in her usual upbeat manner. “I’ve got some good news, Katy.”

      “I can use some of that.”

      “We’re having a family reunion October fourth. Everybody’s coming—Uncle Tom and the kids from Omaha, Aunt Gertrude and her family from Tulsa, all of ’em.”

      “Sounds great,” Katy said cautiously. Not that she didn’t love her family, and the big reunions were always fun, but she sensed a hidden minefield here someplace. “I’ll bet Grandma’s excited.”

      “Oh, she is! But…there’s this little problem….”

      “Uh-oh.”

      Liz’s tone changed, became cajoling. “Katy, you know how concerned your grandmother is that you’re not married, or even seeing anyone special. And with her health the way it is…well, I know you’ll understand.”

      Katy’s heart stood still. “Understand what?”

      “Why I’ve taken the liberty of getting you a date for the reunion, dear. He’s a very nice boy, a friend of your brothers’, and he’s really looking forward to meeting you. He’s a lawyer with one of the best firms in town and he—”

      “Stop!” Katy’s mind raced. A friend of her brothers’? She’d rather die an old maid.

      “But Katy, dear, your grandmother…”

      “Grandma doesn’t have a thing to worry about,” Katy lied through her teeth, “because…” Say it! “Because…because I’ll have my own date, thank you very much. As a matter of fact, I have been seeing someone and—and it’s getting serious.”

      So there!

      The negotiating dinner at Laura’s had been even worse than Dylan expected and he hadn’t expected much. Disgusted, he decided to stop at the Painted Pony Saloon on his way home and have a beer with his buddies, some of whom were sure to be there.

      Sure enough, he found a couple of friends holding up one end of the bar and joined them. He got his beer and kept his mouth shut except when he was drinking it.

      Until one of the guys leaned over and whispered, “Guess who just walked in, good buddy?”

      Dylan knew who it was by the cold chill that shot down his spine. Slowly he turned to find Brandee smiling and waving from the other side of the room, where she stood with a couple of other women he knew—single women eyeing the cowboys at the bar with interest.

      He didn’t wave her over, but she came just the same, swinging her hips in tight jeans and grinning broadly.

      “Hi, sugar.” Rising on tiptoe, she planted a firm kiss on his stiff lips. “Fancy meeting you here.”

      “Yeah. Fancy that.”

      “Wanna buy me a drink?”

      “Love to, but I can’t stay to watch you drink it.” Draining his glass, he motioned to the bartender. “Bring the lady whatever she wants and then clear my tab,” he instructed.

      Brandee frowned. “What’s the hurry?” she complained. “I hardly ever see you here.”

      “Well, I just came from—”

      “Hang around and you can take me home.” She looped an arm around his waist and squeezed meaningfully.

      Dylan felt the breath of doom on the back of his neck. “I’d like to, Brandee, but I can’t.”

      “Why can’t you?” Her blue eyes challenged him.

      “Uhh…because…ahh…” He thought fast, or rather his thoughts tumbled fast. “Because…I’m taken.”

      That stopped her, at least momentarily. “Taken?”

      “You know, I’ve got a girl.”

      “You’re kidding!”

      “Would I kid you?”

      She laughed. “If you thought you could get away with it. Who is this mysterious ‘girl’ you say you’ve got?”

      He strove to look hurt. “Are you saying you don’t believe me?”

      She considered, then nodded. “Exactly. I’ve known you too long to fall for your line. I’ll have to see her for myself.”

      Dylan sucked in a deep breath. His back to the wall, he grasped at straws. “Drop by here Friday night and you’ll see her, all right.”

      And even after you do, he added silently, you may not believe it.

      I sure as hell don’t.

      CHAPTER TWO

      KATY PUT THE FINAL POLISH on an advance story for a city planning commission meeting, pushed the “send” button on her computer, and leaned back in her chair with a sigh. Now she’d have time to think about what she’d been putting off since the phone call from her mother last night.

      Which was, how to maneuver Dylan into thinking it was his idea to give their “engagement” another shot. Because no way did she want to grovel to get him to give it another try. On the other hand, she couldn’t bear to face another of her mother’s ill-conceived matchmaking attempts. In the past, she’d been “fixed up with” an aspiring professional wrestler, an accountant, and a college professor.

      To say none of these efforts had worked out was an understatement. At least with Dylan, she knew what she’d be getting into. As her father used to say, “The devil you know is better than the devil you don’t know.”

      So how was she going to get Dylan to do her bidding? She called Laura and explained her dilemma.

      Laura didn’t mince words. “Couldn’t you just level with him? I don’t see what’s wrong with telling the truth.”

      “Easy for you to say, now that you’re married and above the fray,” Katy said indignantly. “I’ve got to get him to play along with this but