Country Bride. Debbie Macomber

had no claim on him, and wanted none.

      The restaurant telephone pealed, but with four plates balanced on her arms, Nellie let it ring until someone in the kitchen answered it.

      A minute later, she approached their table. “That was Devin on the phone. He says he’s going to be late and you two should go ahead and order.” She pulled a notepad from the pocket of her pink uniform. “Eat hearty since it’s on his tab,” she said, chuckling amiably.

      “The roast-beef sandwich sounds good to me,” Kate said. “With a small salad.”

      “I’ll have chicken-fried steak, just so I can taste those biscuits of yours,” Luke told the café owner, handing her the menu. “I’ll start with a salad, though.”

      “I got rhubarb pie hot from the oven.”

      “Give me a piece of that, too,” Luke said, grinning up at Nellie.

      “Kate?”

      “Sure,” she said, forcing a smile. “Why not?”

      Once Nellie had left, an awkwardness fell between Kate and Luke. To Kate it felt as though they’d become strangers, standing on uncertain ground.

      Luke ventured into conversation first. “So how’s school?”

      “Fine.”

      “That’s good.”

      She laughed nervously. “I’ve started washing down cupboards at the house, clearing out things. I’ve got two piles. What Dad’s going to take with him and what I’ll need when I move.”

      Instead of pleasing Luke, her announcement had the opposite effect. “You’re welcome to live on the ranch as long as you want,” he said, his dark eyes narrowing. “There’s no need to move.”

      “I know that, but the Circle L belongs to you—or it will soon.”

      “It’s your home.”

      “It won’t be much longer,” she felt obliged to remind him. “I’m hoping to find a place in town. In fact, I’m looking forward to the move. You know what the roads are like in the winter. I should have done this years ago.”

      “You wouldn’t have to move if you weren’t so damn stubborn,” Luke muttered from between clenched teeth. “I swear, Kate, you exasperate me. The last thing I want to do is take your home away from you.”

      “I know that.” She hadn’t considered relocating to town earlier for a number of reasons, foremost being that her father had needed her. But he didn’t anymore, and it was time to exhibit some independence.

      Nellie brought their tossed green dinner salads, lingering at the table to flirt with Luke again. He waited until she’d left before he leaned forward, speaking to Kate in a low, urgent voice. His eyes were filled with regret. “Kate, please stay on at the ranch. Let me at least do this much for you.”

      She thanked him for his concern with a warm smile, but couldn’t resist adding, “People will talk.” After all, Luke had pointed that very fact out to her when she’d made her foolish proposal. The night of Clay’s wedding...

      “Let them talk.”

      “I’m a schoolteacher, remember?” she whispered. She felt genuinely grateful for his friendship and wanted to assure him that all this worry on her behalf was unnecessary, that she was fully capable of living on her own.

      Their dinner arrived before they’d even finished the salads. Another silence fell over them as they ate. Several possible subjects of conversation fluttered in and out of Kate’s mind as the meal progressed. Her fear was that Luke would divert the discussion back to the ranch no matter what she said, so she remained silent.

      A sudden commotion came from the pavement outside the café.

      “It’s Harry Ackerman again,” Fred Garner shouted to Nellie, who was busy in the kitchen. “You want me to call the sheriff?”

      “No, let him sing,” Nellie shouted back. “He isn’t hurting anyone.”

      Harry Ackerman was the town drunk. Back in his and Nellie’s high-school days, they’d dated seriously, but then Harry went into the military and returned to Nightingale more interested in the bottle than a wife and family. Within six months, Nellie had married a mechanic who’d drifted into town. Problem was, when he drifted out again, he didn’t take Nellie or their two children with him. But Nellie hadn’t seemed to miss him much, and had supported her family by opening the café, which did a healthy business from the first.

      Fifteen years had passed, and Harry was still courting Nellie. Every time he came into town, he took it upon himself to sing love songs from the pavement outside the café. He seemed to believe that would be enough of an inducement for her to forget the past and finally marry him.

      “Actually his singing voice isn’t that bad,” Kate murmured to Luke.

      Luke chuckled. “I’ve heard better.”

      Fred Garner stood up and strolled toward the cash register. He nodded in Luke’s direction and touched the rim of his hat in greeting. “I’ve been hearing things about the two of you,” Fred said, grinning broadly.

      Kate concentrated on her sandwich, refusing to look up from her plate.

      Luke made some vague reply that had to do with the ranch and not Kate, and she was grateful.

      “Be seeing you,” Fred said as he headed toward the door. As he opened it, Harry’s latest love ballad, sung off-key, could be heard with ear-piercing clarity.

      Fred left and soon Harry Ackerman came inside. He stared longingly at Nellie, placed his hand over his heart and started singing again at the top of his lungs.

      “You get out of my restaurant,” Nellie cried, reaching for the broom. “I don’t want you in here bothering my customers.” She wielded the broom like a shotgun, and before she could say another word Harry stumbled outside. He pressed his forlorn face to the glass, content to wait until his one true love returned to his waiting arms.

      “Sorry, folks,” Nellie muttered, replacing the broom.

      “No problem,” Luke answered, and she threw him a grateful smile, then hurried over to refill their coffee cups.

      The disturbance died down when Harry wandered down the street to find a more appreciative audience. Luke sighed as he stirred his coffee. “I don’t think your father has any intention of showing up tonight,” he began. “In fact—”

      “That’s ridiculous,” Kate said, cutting him off. “Dad wouldn’t do that.”

      “He’s trying to tell you something,” Luke insisted.

      “I can’t imagine what.” She could, but decided to pretend otherwise.

      For a long moment, Luke said nothing. “You’re smart enough to figure it out, Kate.” He finished off the last bite of his pie and pushed the plate aside. “I’ve got some things to attend to, so I’d best be leaving.” The corners of his eyes crinkled with amusement as he glanced out the café window. “Who knows, you might be singing me love songs in a couple of years if you don’t come to your senses soon.”

      Kate ignored the comment. “My father will be here any minute.”

      “No, Princess,” Luke said, and the smile left his eyes. He leaned across the table to brush his hand gently against her cheek. “But his message is coming across loud and clear.”

      Kate stayed at the café another half-hour after Luke had gone and it took her that long to admit he was right. Her father had been giving her a message, this one no more subtle than the rest. Expelling her breath in disgust, Kate dredged up a smile and said goodbye to Nellie.

      * * *

      Kate didn’t see Luke again until Friday evening, when they met at the Wilkins home for her father’s wedding.