Ever After at Sweetheart Ranch by Emma Cane Page B

table.”
    â€œYou’re right, there were,” Jessica said with interest.
    â€œLet’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Lyndsay said, raising both hands. “I haven’t even asked him out yet. He could say no.”
    And then Will sauntered in from the back room, both fists raised. “Pool champ!” he called loudly.
    A general cheer rose. Kate and Jessica grinned at each other and said at the same time, “He won’t.”
    Lyndsay gave a helpless laugh. “You’re supportive friends, that’s for sure. And you don’t even need to warn me about what I’m getting into, how he’s never serious about relationships. I’m not expecting any dramatic reversals of his usual dating pattern.”
    â€œWhy not?” Kate demanded. “You might be just the woman he’s looking for.”
    Lyndsay laughed aloud, causing Will to glance with interest at their table. She felt the sizzle of awareness, like she’d gotten too close to a campfire. She definitely had to explore this attraction she felt for him—­the attraction that she’d put down in a book, she reminded herself. That sobered her up a bit. Even if they went out on a few dates, it didn’t mean she had to tell him how she’d immortalized him in fiction.
    â€œI’m glad you’re giving this a shot, Lynds,” Kate said. “Maybe you’ve been stuck in some kind of rut, doing things the same way and not being happy about it.”
    Lyndsay thought of her job but put it out of her mind—­there was nothing she could do about that right now.
    â€œYou really haven’t seemed all that happy since I got back,” Kate continued gently.
    For so many reasons, Lyndsay thought in frustration , but lately because I haven’t been able to tell you my good news. Yet a public tavern wasn’t the right place—­especially not with Will so close. “You don’t think Tony would have a problem with this, do you?”
    â€œHe did mention once that he’d told his friends not to date you in high school because it would be weird for him if you broke up.”
    Jessica’s eyes widened, and she glanced at Lyndsay expectantly.
    Lyndsay shrugged. “He said the same to me. I didn’t necessarily agree, but after he and you—­” She broke off.
    Kate gave a rueful grin. “I’m not happy that in some ways he was right. Our divorce did hurt the friendship between you and me. But we’re all adults now.”
    Lyndsay wondered for only the briefest moment if Will had taken such a warning from Tony to heart—­but he’d hardly wanted her from afar since high school.
    â€œI don’t know if I should take dating advice from you,” Lyndsay teased.
    Will appeared at her side and straddled the chair next to her. “What dating advice did you take?” he asked.
    Lyndsay gave Kate a lopsided smile. “The last guy she wanted me to date—­he and I were friends before that—­ended up breaking it off with me the night I thought he would propose.”
    â€œThat sucks,” Will said, reaching for a handful of the popcorn. “Is that the guy you dated for years in college?”
    Lyndsay eyed him with surprise. “Yeah. I can’t believe you remember that.”
    He shrugged. “I remember. And Tony told me he got his just rewards—­didn’t he date a prostitute?”
    Jessica giggled. “Oh, I heard about that story. He was named in the paper, wasn’t he?”
    Lyndsay bit her lip, knowing it was funny now, but at the time she’d felt like the heroine of a tragedy. “To be fair, I’m not sure he realized she wasn’t just a Zumba instructor.”
    â€œHe paid money at some point,” Will said, “enough to get himself arrested. Got what he deserved.”
    â€œWhy . . . thank you, Will,” Lyndsay said.
    Tony came through the door with a