Rodeo Rancher. Mary Sullivan

the power goes out and we have to conserve diesel, how will we heat this up? How will we cook the pasta?”

      “Camping equipment on the fireplace. I have a kerosene camp stove I can use on the back porch as well as a barbecue I can cook just about anything on.”

      Samantha looked curious and engaged, as though the details truly interested her. “How about if I make things easier by boiling the spaghetti now and mixing it with the sauce? Then we can reheat in one pot.”

      Opening the door of the refrigerator, she said, “I saw some Monterey Jack in here. I can add cheese to the pot to make it tasty.”

      “Sure. Lily will like that. She loves that cheese.”

      She stopped what she was doing and became pensive. Seemed out of character for the woman. “Oh. It’s Lily’s cheese. Okay, let’s leave it for her.”

      She put it back into the fridge almost reverently.

      “She won’t mind if you use it,” Michael insisted.

      Her smile looked a little sad. “I’d like it to be hers.”

      Weird. What was wrong with the woman? Lily wasn’t going to die if she couldn’t have a piece of cheese.

      She seemed adamant, so Michael reached past her for the cheese, calling, “Lily, come here.”

      Samantha’s perfume floated around him like a soft cloud. He held his breath, grabbed the cheese and backed away from her.

      Lily ran into the kitchen, cheeks flushed.

      “What, Daddy? Hurry. I have to play.”

      “Your Monterey Jack cheese. You okay if we use it in some spaghetti sauce or should we leave it for you to eat?”

      “S’ghetti sauce!” She turned and ran to the back of the house.

      “You have permission. Use it,” he ordered, dropping it into Samantha’s hands.

      “Okay.”

      “You like children? Especially girls?”

      Her lips twisted, her smile rueful. “Oh, I do. I really do. I wish I’d had one. Don’t get me wrong,” she rushed on. “I love my boys to heaven and back. I wouldn’t trade them for anything. They are my heart. I do like little girls, though. I guess I just relate to them.”

      What had that sadness been about with the cheese and Lily? Somehow he didn’t think she would have reacted in the same way had it been Mick’s cheese.

      He didn’t want that kind of curiosity about her. The less he knew about the woman, the better.

      Samantha started to chatter about everything and nothing and he wondered what the heck was going on. Something had made her nervous.

      When she paused for a breath of air, he said, “You going to quit talking any time soon?”

      She caught her breath and stared at him.

      He hadn’t meant to sound harsh. It was meant to be a joke. He might not want her here, but he didn’t willingly hurt others. He was about to open his mouth to apologize when she burst out laughing.

      “Travis says that exact same thing to me all the time. He says I’m long on air and short on content.”

      Her smile, like sunshine bursting through heavy clouds, turned his guts to pudding.