The Cowboy's Bride. Carolyne Aarsen

hitch to her walk, as if she had hurt her leg.

      Joe hurried to open the door to the meeting room, but Miss Stevenson already had her hand on the door-knob. She pulled away at his touch and took a quick step backward. Only she didn’t quite make it. For some reason, she lost her balance, one arm flailing, the other still holding the manila folder.

      Joe instinctively caught her around the waist, his other hand catching hers. “Sorry about that. You okay?”

      “Let go of me,” she said through clenched teeth.

      Joe obeyed then stood back as she ran a hand over her hair and smoothed down her blazer, then steadied herself, her lips pressed tightly together.

      They stood in front of the door for an awkward moment. Then Joe took another chance and reached past her to open it.

      “Thank you,” she murmured, avoiding his eyes. She walked past him, her movements slow, her limp more obvious.

      Joe held onto the door a moment, puzzled at her reaction, then followed her into the room.

      Miss Stevenson lowered herself into a chair on one side of a long table across from him. She brushed a hand over her hair, tucking a wayward strand behind her ear, avoiding his gaze.

      Joe felt like a heel. “I’m sorry about that,” he said quickly, sensing this wasn’t the most auspicious introduction. He shrugged, feeling suddenly self-conscious. To cover up, he flashed her a grin. “I thought you were going to fall.”

      Her hand paused in midair, and her fingers curled against her palm. “I wouldn’t have,” she answered, her voice chilly.

      “Sorry.” Joe carefully pulled a chair away from the table. He had obviously stepped over some unknown line. Just needs room, he thought. Some of the more skittish colts he worked with were like that. Didn’t like being rushed.

      Miss Stevenson gave her head a shake, as if to rearrange her hair, folded her hands on the table in front of her and gave Joe a polite but cool smile. “You can sit down, Mr. Brewer. Dale will be here shortly.”

      Joe nodded absently. He wondered why she had to be here. Maybe Miss Stevenson would be helping him on the finer details of the loan.

      The door opened, and Dale stepped into the room, smiling apologetically. “Sorry about that. Just had to clear up a few things over the phone.” He shook Joe’s hand, then sat down. “Glad you could come in on such short notice. I take it you and Miss Stevenson have already met?” Dale looked at Joe, then at Miss Stevenson, his gaze lingering on her.

      “Yes, we have,” Joe said wryly, noticing the way Dale couldn’t seem to keep his eyes off Rebecca Stevenson. Not that he blamed the guy. Joe had had the same problem in church on Sunday. But if she was out of his orbit then, her first impression of him put her in another galaxy by now.

      “Okay.” Dale dragged his gaze away from Rebecca and pulled his chair close to the table. He smoothed his tie as he laid a file folder on the table.

      “I hope you don’t mind if Miss Stevenson sits in on this meeting?” Another coy glance at Rebecca.

      “She’s going to be taking over a few files for me, and I thought this would dovetail nicely into your other plans.”

      Joe shrugged, feeling like a spectator. A quick glance at Rebecca’s face revealed the same composure she had shown in church, the same expression on her face. A real professional, thought Joe, looking at Dale. She didn’t seem to mind, or if she did, she didn’t show it. “Fine by me,” Joe said.

      “We’re also waiting for your brother, Lane. He was supposed to be here, as well.”

      Joe wondered what Lane had to do with his loan. But Dale was busy, paging through some papers, and didn’t see his questioning glance. Joe didn’t want to ask Miss Rebecca Stevenson.

      Dale found the paper he seemed to be looking for and pulled it out. He smoothed it on the table and looked up, his expression suddenly serious. “What has happened here is that we were unable to secure financing for your newest venture, at least not in the amount you requested. A couple of factors have come into play. One is the lack of collateral and a dearth of up-front money. Secondly, we don’t have enough of a history of that type of business. It’s a risky one, from what we can see…”

      Dale went on, and Joe felt a clutch of panic gripping his midsection. “Unable to secure financing,” were the only words that registered in his numb brain. He forced himself to stay in his chair, forced himself to keep the casual smile curving his lips, forced himself to keep listening as his entire world slowly drifted away from him.

      Why, Lord? The words fairly shouted through his mind. Why this? Why now? It was the only thing I ever really wanted. For a frightening moment he saw himself at age sixty, slowly getting out of a truck, his stomach protruding over his belt, his back sore from sitting for hours behind the wheel, eating in some dingy truck stop café far from home. He closed his eyes as if to dispel the image and stifled a beat of anger that Dale had chosen to do this in front of a virtual stranger, and an absolutely gorgeous one, at that. It was humiliating. But Dale was still talking. Joe pulled his mind to what Dale was saying.

      “But all of that is moot, considering that you and Lane have made other plans.”

      Joe’s head snapped up at the mention of his brother’s name. “Other plans?” he asked, wondering what Dale was talking about. This was the second time he had made puzzling references to Lane.

      “Yes.” Dale held Joe’s baffled gaze, frowning.

      Someone knocked discreetly on the door, and Dale, glancing at his watch, got up. “That must be your brother now,” he said with a smile. He opened the door, and Lane walked in.

      Joe’s eyes narrowed as Lane took a seat, ignoring his brother.

      “So now that we’re here together, we can discuss your other plans, Joe.” Dale folded his hands on the file, his cheerful smile encompassing both Joe and Lane. “I’m glad you decided to go this route instead, Joe. I don’t need to tell you that your brother’s ranch has been floundering for awhile, and you offering to take over his loan would work out better for all of us in the long run.” Dale’s words finally registered, and Joe looked at him, forcing to keep his roiling emotions out of his voice.

      “What did you say?”

      “I’m talking about your offer to take over your brother’s ranch.” Dale frowned.

      “What offer?” Joe leaned forward as if to catch what Dale was saying. He didn’t understand.

      “I thought Lane talked to you about the trouble he was having with his place. I was under the understanding that you offered to take over the ranch, given the fact that you have a share in the place.” Dale raised his eyebrows in a question toward Lane, who shrugged.

      “Since when did this come out?” Joe asked, his frustration with his brother reaching critical mass. What could he say without calling his brother a liar in front of witnesses, without making himself look like a fool in front of the calm and collected Miss Stevenson? What had Lane told them to save his own skin?

      “Lane approached us yesterday, which, incidentally, was when I got final confirmation on the status of your loan application. He said you were willing to take over the loans.”

      “Lane was delusional,” Joe said flatly, glaring at his brother, who continued to stare straight ahead. “I read the letter you sent him and I saw the financial statement. You can forget it.”

      Dale looked surprised. “What did you say?”

      “If what you said was that you want me to saddle myself with Lane’s debt, then what I said was forget it.” Joe held Dale’s puzzled gaze, ignoring Miss Stevenson and Lane, who was almost squirming in the seat beside him.

      “I don’t understand,” Dale said, turning to Lane. “I understood that you and Joe had spoken. That he had offered to buy out the ranch.”

      “When