had this opportunity. You’ve given me something to think about where the job is concerned. I can see that doing this sort of outreach might be effective for our team.”
She dropped him off at his hotel with the promise to stay in touch, and Colt watched her car pull away from the curb. After checking with the bellman for the address he needed, Colt decided to walk. It was a great evening weatherwise, with mild temperatures and only a gentle breeze. Strings of white lights hung in the trees lining the streets, and an active nightlife gave Fort Worth an appealing downtown. He’d always liked visiting here as a boy. It’s a shame he didn’t get here more often.
He arrived at his destination in under ten minutes, and he was pleased to discover a restaurant next door with outside seating. Colt ordered a beer and sat down to enjoy the evening and await Sage Anderson.
“You were a rousing success, darling,” Steve Montgomery said as he pulled his car to a stop on the side street next to Sage’s hotel. “Are you absolutely certain I can’t take you to dinner to celebrate?”
“I’m certain. I’d probably fall asleep in my salad.” Sage leaned across the seat and kissed his cheek. “Thank you again for everything, Steve. You are my hero.”
“I love you, too, dear. Have a safe trip home and I’ll talk to you next week.”
Sage waved good-bye as he drove off, then turned the corner to enter her hotel. She hadn’t lied about being exhausted, but she was always exhausted. Mainly she’d skipped dinner because after two days away from Eternity Springs, the walls of the city were closing in on her. And this was only Fort Worth, Texas. Imagine what she’d feel in New York. As nice as the reception had been—well, except for that one not-so-nice surprise—she’dhad her fill of people. Right now all she wanted was to hole up, order room service, and find her quiet.
Then a voice intruded. “Well, now. Isn’t this an amazing coincidence?”
Sage froze in her tracks. Colt Rafferty stood on the other side of a short iron fence marking a bar’s sidewalk seating. “No. I can’t be this unlucky. I can’t!”
He tossed cash onto his table, then easily swung his long legs over the fence. “Now that hurts my feelings.”
“Good. We’re even, then.” She started to brush past him and into the hotel lobby, but he caught her arm.
“Let me buy you dinner?”
“No, thank you.”
“C’mon. I want to ask you about your art.”
She gaped up at him in amazement. “I’m tired. I want peace and quiet. Why in the world would I let you browbeat me about my work?”
“I don’t intend to browbeat. I have honest, serious questions. This is your opportunity to show me what an idiot I am.”
“Now that has some appeal,” she admitted.
He grinned. “If you want peace and quiet, then walk with me down to the Water Gardens. It’s only a couple of blocks and it makes you forget you’re in the middle of a city. It’s a shame not to enjoy weather like this. Why don’t you go up and change and I’ll get the restaurant here to make us sandwiches?”
She hesitated, wondering why she even considered it, but finally agreed to go. “Give me ten minutes.”
“You won’t stand me up, will you?”
“While the idea amuses me, no. I’m not rude.”
Upstairs, she pulled on jeans, a knit shirt, and sneakers. The casual clothes immediately relaxed her, and she decided she was glad she’d accepted his offer. She’d intended to visit the Water Gardens on previous trips to Fort Worth, but she’d never followed through, mainlybecause she seldom had free time during the day and she wouldn’t go into any park—no matter how closely patrolled—by herself after dark.
Sage took the stairs down and spied Colt waiting for her by the elevator. The man truly was hot. He’d been fine to look at wearing jeans. In a suit, he was GQ- cover-model pretty.
Seeing her, he grinned, and she decided that the wink of a dimple at the
She dropped him off at his hotel with the promise to stay in touch, and Colt watched her car pull away from the curb. After checking with the bellman for the address he needed, Colt decided to walk. It was a great evening weatherwise, with mild temperatures and only a gentle breeze. Strings of white lights hung in the trees lining the streets, and an active nightlife gave Fort Worth an appealing downtown. He’d always liked visiting here as a boy. It’s a shame he didn’t get here more often.
He arrived at his destination in under ten minutes, and he was pleased to discover a restaurant next door with outside seating. Colt ordered a beer and sat down to enjoy the evening and await Sage Anderson.
“You were a rousing success, darling,” Steve Montgomery said as he pulled his car to a stop on the side street next to Sage’s hotel. “Are you absolutely certain I can’t take you to dinner to celebrate?”
“I’m certain. I’d probably fall asleep in my salad.” Sage leaned across the seat and kissed his cheek. “Thank you again for everything, Steve. You are my hero.”
“I love you, too, dear. Have a safe trip home and I’ll talk to you next week.”
Sage waved good-bye as he drove off, then turned the corner to enter her hotel. She hadn’t lied about being exhausted, but she was always exhausted. Mainly she’d skipped dinner because after two days away from Eternity Springs, the walls of the city were closing in on her. And this was only Fort Worth, Texas. Imagine what she’d feel in New York. As nice as the reception had been—well, except for that one not-so-nice surprise—she’dhad her fill of people. Right now all she wanted was to hole up, order room service, and find her quiet.
Then a voice intruded. “Well, now. Isn’t this an amazing coincidence?”
Sage froze in her tracks. Colt Rafferty stood on the other side of a short iron fence marking a bar’s sidewalk seating. “No. I can’t be this unlucky. I can’t!”
He tossed cash onto his table, then easily swung his long legs over the fence. “Now that hurts my feelings.”
“Good. We’re even, then.” She started to brush past him and into the hotel lobby, but he caught her arm.
“Let me buy you dinner?”
“No, thank you.”
“C’mon. I want to ask you about your art.”
She gaped up at him in amazement. “I’m tired. I want peace and quiet. Why in the world would I let you browbeat me about my work?”
“I don’t intend to browbeat. I have honest, serious questions. This is your opportunity to show me what an idiot I am.”
“Now that has some appeal,” she admitted.
He grinned. “If you want peace and quiet, then walk with me down to the Water Gardens. It’s only a couple of blocks and it makes you forget you’re in the middle of a city. It’s a shame not to enjoy weather like this. Why don’t you go up and change and I’ll get the restaurant here to make us sandwiches?”
She hesitated, wondering why she even considered it, but finally agreed to go. “Give me ten minutes.”
“You won’t stand me up, will you?”
“While the idea amuses me, no. I’m not rude.”
Upstairs, she pulled on jeans, a knit shirt, and sneakers. The casual clothes immediately relaxed her, and she decided she was glad she’d accepted his offer. She’d intended to visit the Water Gardens on previous trips to Fort Worth, but she’d never followed through, mainlybecause she seldom had free time during the day and she wouldn’t go into any park—no matter how closely patrolled—by herself after dark.
Sage took the stairs down and spied Colt waiting for her by the elevator. The man truly was hot. He’d been fine to look at wearing jeans. In a suit, he was GQ- cover-model pretty.
Seeing her, he grinned, and she decided that the wink of a dimple at the
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