Deep in a Texan's Heart. Sara Orwig

although I think there will still be dark leather furniture and I’m guessing the stained-glass windows will remain. That’s not our deal and frankly, I don’t care what they do with this room.” They sat at a game table in the corner of the room and Shannon spread the papers in front of Lila.

      “Here’s a list of some child centers that have been recommended to us as the best examples. You can study them and see what ideas you come up with. We want a state-of-the-art child-care center.”

      “Will the center open onto a play area outside? I don’t see a door anywhere.”

      “Great grief. No one has said a word about a playground,” Shannon said, her eyes opening wide. “We may have been so busy campaigning to get a child-care center that we didn’t stop to think about outside, but we definitely should have a playground. I’ll send Missy a text about this. That’s a necessity.” She pulled out her phone, speaking into it, dictating her text.

      “I don’t know why we didn’t think of that. We have plenty of space outside and we can have a fenced area with alarms, making it secure for the kids. We’ll always have attendants to watch and cameras. We’ve ordered a state-of-the-art alarm system for an enormous price, but it’ll be worth it and give families peace of mind.”

      “This center is going to be wonderful, Shannon.”

      “It is, but there’s a faction who really opposed it and they still don’t like it. Sometimes that makes me uneasy.”

      “These are honorable men. For all my dad’s bluster, he does have a good heart. He’s just old-fashioned but, in his own way, courteous to women and good to Mom.”

      “I’m sure you’re right. I guess this thing with Alex disappearing is disconcerting. Something isn’t right and you can’t keep from wondering if anyone is in danger.”

      “Hopefully, they’ll learn the truth soon or he’ll return. As far as I know, there’s been no demand for a ransom.”

      Shannon shivered. “One of Royal’s citizens kidnapped—that’s ghastly.” She glanced at her watch. “How about meeting here again at twelve-thirty or one on Wednesday? If you can have lunch, great. If not, that’s fine, too.”

      “Actually, one will be better.”

      “Good deal.” Shannon’s gaze ran over Lila. “Are you feeling all right?”

      “Yes. Mornings are rocky, but then I’m okay the rest of the day. This center is exciting, Shannon. Maybe I’m interested because I’m thinking about children now.”

      “I’m excited and there’s no little one on my horizon. I think it’s great. It’s almost time for my meeting. Wednesday, it is. Lunch again.”

      “Fine. I’m going to stay a few minutes here to think about this. You go ahead to your meeting.”

      “I’m going to see Abigail Price there. She’s so excited about this center.”

      “Very good. Abigail was brave—the first woman to join the club. She’ll be in their history whether this bunch of members likes it or not.”

      “Enough liked it to get her voted in,” Shannon said, laughing. “See you Wednesday.”

      She disappeared out the door. Lila looked at the room, the billiard tables, imagining how many deals had been made over these tables and what a male domain the billiard room had been. It was time for change.

      Less than five minutes later Lila walked out and saw a tall man in cowboy boots down the hall. She recognized the broad shoulders and lean frame of Sam Gordon. He stood in a doorway talking to someone and glanced her way. The minute they locked gazes, a reaction shook her. Another jump in her heartbeat accompanied a thorough awareness of him. She raised her chin as if meeting an adversary.

      As she drew close, he finished talking, stepping fully into the hall and turning to wait for her to catch up with him.

      “I haven’t seen you here in a long time. Having lunch with your dad?”

      “No, I’m not. I met with Shannon today. She asked for suggestions on planning the interior of the child-care center.” Lila caught the slight frown that was gone from Sam’s expression almost as fast as it had come.

      “I can’t imagine a child-care center in this club. What I can imagine is the reaction the founders would have had to such a thing.”

      “Sam, come into this century. The founders were a long time ago. You’re way too young to be a fossil.”

      “I don’t remember you accusing me of being a fossil when we danced or kissed,” he said, leaning closer, “but then, there are some places, Lila, where our different opinions don’t matter one whit.”

      “I walked into that one,” she said. “The child center is going to happen, so you might as well get resigned. You don’t like kids, Sam?” she asked, feeling a clash of wills with him.

      “’Course I like kids, but here in the club—that’s a different. This club wasn’t founded to babysit a bunch of kids.”

      “Who was it founded to babysit?” she asked sweetly.

      He leaned closer, placing his hand against the wall over her head and hemming her in. Too aware of his proximity and her pounding heartbeat, she drew in a deep breath. “It was founded as a male haven where men could relax and enjoy a drink or a cigar or the friendship of cronies without kids yelling and running through the halls.”

      She laughed. “Mercy me. You’re beginning to sound just like my dad. If I heard you and didn’t know you and couldn’t see you, I’d guess you were part of his generation.”

      “That’s not all bad, Lila. You go out with me tonight and we’ll see if I’m an old-fashioned fossil,” he drawled softly, his blue eyes holding fires that sparked.

      Lila tingled. She had gotten on dangerous ground with him again. “Thank you, but, Sam Gordon, you and I are generations apart in our lifestyles and ways of thinking, the places where it really counts. Lust is universal. Compatibility is not. I’ll see you around,” she said, hurrying away, trying to ignore her racing pulse and the stab of longing to go out with him.

      He was totally off-limits and she shouldn’t have even stopped to talk to him, much less spent time flirting with him. They had little in common, so how could he hold such an intense appeal to her? Worse, now he was the father of her baby. For years to come she had tied her life to Sam’s, unless he had no interest when he discovered the truth. She knew just how her daddy and some of the old-fashioned men who were his friends would have reacted to the situation, and that was exactly the way she expected Sam to react. He would want to marry her.

      She shivered. She was not marrying, settling for a life like her mother’s and living in Royal for the rest of her life. Being the “little woman” in the kitchen and his toy in the bedroom and being seen and not heard otherwise. No way was she going to become part of that scene.

      She encountered Shannon in the hall. “I thought you’d be gone now,” Shannon said.

      “I ran into Sam and talked a minute.”

      “He’s here for the meeting. I’ve never missed one since I joined the club, which irritates some of the good ol’ boys,” Shannon said, smiling broadly. “I’m sorry, your dad is one of them. If looks could kill, I’d be gone.”

      “That’s dreadful, Shannon. I don’t even know why you want to be a member and have to put up with that.”

      “There are a lot of benefits. This is the most exclusive, elegant club in this area, so it’s great for private parties. I can swim, eat here, bring Rory here—you know they have the best chef and cooks for miles around. I love the dances.”

      Lila laughed. “Shannon, when you’re here, you don’t have spare time to do anything except ranch chores.”

      “When Rory can come and my foreman