The Rancher's Hired Fiancée. Judy Duarte

and as she reached out in greeting, Catherine released her hold on Ray long enough to give the woman a polite shake.

      “I didn’t realize Ray was engaged,” Selena Ramirez said, “but it’s no surprise. He’s a great guy.”

      “I couldn’t agree more.” Catherine wondered if Selena had been one of the single women in town who’d been after Ray, although she certainly wasn’t giving off those kinds of vibes now.

      Even Melanie Robertson, the woman she’d met in front of the diner, had seemed a little disappointed—and maybe even envious—when she’d gotten the message that the handsome, single mayor was now taken.

      “Selena is an obstetrician,” Ray added. “She’s been actively working with the city council to support the efforts to build the NICU.”

      “As it is,” Selena explained, “our smallest preemies have to be airlifted to Houston. And I’d like to provide our mothers with the assurance that their babies are getting the best care available here at the medical center.”

      Ray nodded in agreement. “That reality really hit home for all of us when one of the councilmen’s granddaughter was born. She had some serious problems at birth and had to be transported to the nearest neonatal unit. That’s when we agreed to open our wallets and do whatever we could to help.”

      “That must have been a scary time for the councilman’s family,” Catherine said.

      “It was.” Selena’s face grew solemn. “And sadly, their baby didn’t make it.”

      Just hearing of a new mother’s loss tore at Catherine’s heart. She loved children and had hoped to have one or two of her own someday, but she’d had so many female problems in the past, including cysts on one of her ovaries and surgery to remove it, that the doctors had told her years ago that she wasn’t likely to conceive. So her chances of having a baby of her own were slim to none.

      She’d been more than a little disappointed upon learning the news, but she’d come to grips with it.

      “I’d be happy to lend my support,” Catherine said. “When Jennifer Walker’s twins were born, they were several weeks early. But thanks to their time spent in a top-notch neonatal unit, they came home healthy and were soon thriving. So I know how valuable it is to have a NICU at the medical center.”

      “Jennifer Walker’s twins? Are you talking about Kaylee and Kevin?”

      Catherine nodded. “I used to be Jenn’s roommate in New York.”

      “So that’s how you met Ray,” Selena surmised, “through Dan and Eva.”

      Uh-oh. That hadn’t been part of the story she and Ray had created last night, but it was the truth, so she nodded in agreement. “That’s how we first met, of course. But nothing came of it. Then we ran into each other again in Houston six months ago. He attended one of my performances and came to visit me backstage—just to say hello. He asked me to have a drink with him, and one thing led to another.”

      “You’re a performer?” Selena asked.

      “I sing a little and dance.” Catherine thought it might be a good idea to downplay the acting.

      “That’s wonderful. Our next benefit is a talent show, so it would be nice if you took part in it.”

      Catherine was at a loss, and she glanced at Ray, hoping he’d toss her a lifeline of some kind.

      “That’s on the second Saturday of this month,” Ray said. “Right?”

      Selena nodded. “Can we count on you to perform?”

      Good grief, Ray was leaving it up to her. But then again, she supposed that was only fair. He couldn’t very well schedule her every waking moment.

      “I’ll see what kind of act I can come up with,” Catherine said.

      “That’s great,” Selena said. “Clarissa Eubanks is in charge of the talent show. I’ll tell her to call the mayor’s office for contact information.”

      “I’ll make it easy on both of you,” Ray said. “Catherine’s staying with me.”

      They made the usual small talk for a while, then Selena saw someone else she needed to greet.

      “Congratulations on your engagement,” she said as she prepared to walk away. “I hope you’ll be very happy together.”

      “Thank you. I’m sure we will.” Catherine turned to Ray and blessed him with a lover’s smile, which he returned in full force.

      For a moment, as their gazes zeroed in on each other again, something she couldn’t quite define passed between them, something warm and filling.

      He reached to take her hand again, and as his fingers wrapped around hers, the shattered edges of her heart, which had been damaged by Erik’s deceit, melded into one another, as if beginning a much-needed healing process.

      Coming to Brighton Valley had been a good idea, she decided.

      With her hand tucked in Ray’s, reinforcing whatever tentative bond they’d forged just moments ago, her past turned a brand-new corner, revealing a future rife with promise and possibilities.

      And for one brief moment in time, she could almost imagine that future including Ray Mendez.

      Ever since Ray had agreed to take the job as the interim mayor of Brighton Valley, he’d spent more time at various benefits, ribbon-cutting ceremonies and dinner meetings than he’d imagined possible.

      In fact, just thirty-six hours ago, he’d dreaded attending this very event.

      Not that he didn’t fully support the building of a new neonatal intensive care unit. He did, but he’d been waking up each morning at four, just so he could tend to his personal business commitments, as well as the political obligations that now filled his calendar.

      Yet tonight, with lovely Catherine on his arm, the hospital benefit had not only been tolerable, but surprisingly pleasant.

      Of course, now as the evening was winding down, he and Catherine had become separated once again. Usually they’d split up due to someone wanting to speak to him privately about one matter or another. But a couple of times, someone else had whisked Catherine away to introduce her to somebody she “just had to meet.”

      However, they’d always managed to find each other in the midst of the milling crowd.

      Even from across the room, their gazes would meet. And when they did, Catherine would look at Ray with a lover’s yearning. At least, that’s the way it felt to him.

      The first time it had happened, he’d been so unbalanced by the expression on her face that his breath had caught. But after a while he’d actually come to look forward to their eye contact.

      What was with that?

      He knew that their so-called romance was all an act, but he’d gotten so caught up in their performance that he’d found himself seeking her out, just to catch her eye.

      And there she was now, standing next to a potted palm, talking to one of the doctors’ wives. And here it came—the glance his way, the look, the smile, the expression that announced she would much rather be curled up in bed with him.

      She was good. Really good. And it was all he could do to remember that they’d only just met, that she was his employee, that they hadn’t slept together—and that they would never even consider it.