Unrepentant Cowboy. Joanna Wayne

      “I wouldn’t count on that, and it’s the Dry Gulch Ranch.”

      “Whatever.”

      “Look, I appreciate the offer, Serena, but even if I wanted to give it a whirl, I can’t make it back to Dallas in time.”

      “You could if you left now.”

      “Sorry. No can do. This is Effie’s day, and she’s determined to spend it in the saddle. You go to the opera and reception and have a marvelous time. I’ll call you next week after Effie has flown back to California. We can get together then.”

      And when they did, he’d be honest with Serena and try to explain to her and himself why he had no enthusiasm for continuing a relationship with one of the continent’s most beautiful women.

      “After Thanksgiving I’ll be in Miami for two weeks on a photo shoot,” Serena said, sounding irritated. “And then I’ll be flying to London for a Vogue shoot. I won’t be back in Dallas until Christmas. I explained all of that to you last week. Did you forget?”

      “Of course not,” he lied. “I’ll call you in Miami.”

      “If that’s the best you can do, don’t bother.”

      “I don’t think this is the best time to discuss this.”

      “There’s nothing to discuss. It’s clear that I’m at the bottom of your list of priorities.”

      That was about the size of it. Still he hated breaking up over the phone. It was kind of like leaving a note on the pillow the morning after. Zero class.

      “We should talk, Serena, but now isn’t the time.”

      “Save your breath, Leif. There’s nothing left to talk about.” She broke the connection.

      He felt like a louse. A relieved louse. But to be fair, he’d warned her from the first he wouldn’t be putting a ring on her finger or going furniture shopping. He was not a forever-type guy.

      His phone vibrated again as he slipped it back in his pocket. Evidently, Serena had more to say.

      He took the call. “I’m sorry if I pissed you off,” he said, “but—”

      “What?”

      Damn. It was R.J. “I thought it was someone else on the phone.”

      “Must have been a woman.”

      “How’d you guess?”

      “You started the conversation with an apology.”

      “Good point,” Leif agreed. “Is the doc’s truck ready to roll?”

      “Nope. Turns out the battery’s dying in my driveway might have been a blessing. That old jalopy has a slew of problems.”

      “Like what?”

      “An oil leak. Hoses that need replacing. An engine in desperate need of a tune-up. It’s a wonder the darn thing ran at all.”

      “Sounds like Joni needs to become bosom buddies with the local mechanic.”

      “Or else buy a new truck,” R.J. said. “In the meantime, I told Abe to go ahead and take care of what needs fixing.”

      “Don’t you think you should have talked to Joni first?”

      “Nope. No use to jaw about it when something has to be done. Can’t have a sweet thing like Joni riding around in a vehicle that’s likely to leave her stranded on some dark country road. When Abe’s finished, the doc’s ride should be as safe as a banker’s wallet.”

      Leif had his doubts about that. He figured the only guarantee that truck would be safe was to replace it with a new one. “Did you get a cost estimate?”

      “Don’t matter. Abe’s fair. He’s not gonna rip off anybody. I told him to bill the repairs to me. Joni can pay me back whenever she has some spare cash lying around.”

      “That’s mighty generous of you.” And presumptuous. The same kind of controlling behavior that made R.J. think he could order his adult children around after ignoring them all their lives.

      R.J. might convince Effie this sudden concern for family was genuine. Leif wasn’t buying it.

      “Where and when do we pick up the truck?” Leif asked.

      “Abe says it won’t be ready until late—maybe not until tomorrow. Just bring Joni back here with you and she can have dinner with us. After that one of us can drive her home if the truck’s not ready.”

      There he went again. Making decisions for other people without consulting them. “Did it occur to you that Joni might have other plans for the evening?”

      “Do you always go looking for complications, Leif? Sure you do,” he muttered without waiting for a response. “You’re a damned attorney.”

      “I suppose you have a problem with that.”

      “Don’t go getting riled,” R.J. said. “Didn’t mean it as an insult.”

      Of course he had, but Leif didn’t give a damn what R.J. thought of him. “I’ll extend your invitation,” Leif said. “Whether Joni accepts or not is up to her.”

      “Tell her Adam is grilling some Dry Gulch steaks. Hadley’s cooking up her twice-baked potatoes and Mattie Mae made a couple of her famous pecan pies. If Joni has plans, she’ll break ’em. Eatin’ don’t git no better than that.”

      So Adam and presumably his wife and daughters and a woman named Mattie Mae would all be there. A family dinner; only they weren’t Leif’s family and never would be. Hopefully, Effie had come to that same conclusion after half a day with her illustrious grandfather and was ready to put the whole family togetherness scene behind her.

      “Can you put Effie on the phone?”

      “I could if she was around.”

      “Where is she?”

      “She and Hadley are riding the range. They’re liable not to show up back here before dark.”

      “I thought Hadley had young children.”

      “She does. Lacy and Lila are here with me and Mattie Mae. We got a mean game of Chutes and Ladders going.”

      A doting grandfather—now that he was dying. “I’ll give Effie a call on her cell phone.”

      “Capital idea. Let her tell you how much fun she’s having. That girl loves horses. Knows a lot about them, too. Bright as a new-mint penny and more spunk than you can hang on a barbwire fence.”

      “Effie can do most anything she sets her mind to,” Leif agreed. Her mother had made that claim about her many times over the past fifteen years, not always as a compliment.

      “Tell Joni if she has any questions about her truck to call me or Abe,” R.J. said. “Otherwise I’ll catch her up to speed at dinner.”

      “I’ll see she gets the message.” Leif ended the call and punched in Effie’s cell number. She didn’t answer until the sixth ring. When she did, she sounded breathless.

      “Dad. Guess what I’m doing?”

      “You’re out horseback riding with someone named Hadley.”

      “How did you know?”

      “Your—” He barely caught himself before the word grandfather slid off his tongue. “R.J. told me. Sounds as if you’re having fun.”

      “I am. We were galloping like the wind. I didn’t hear the phone until we stopped to let the horses drink from a creek that just appeared like a mirage.”

      “I’m sure the horses appreciate that.”

      “They do. You should see Aunt Hadley’s horse. She’s a