No One But You by Leigh Greenwood Page B

It could be that she was tense because she was on strange ground. Perhaps she was simply exhausted and would feel much more like herself tomorrow. More likely she was worried because she didn’t know how her children were going to react when she told them what she had done. In some ways, her choice would have more impact on them than her.
    Giving up all hope of figuring out what was bothering her, she was about to get up when she heard a knock on the door and Salty came in.
    â€œI saw Walter leave. Do you want to join the rest of us?”
    She would have preferred to be alone so she could clear away some of the fog in her mind. “Are you sure the men wouldn’t prefer their own company?”
    Salty smiled in a way that caused a flutter in her chest. “We have more than enough of our own company. Visitors are always welcome, especially when they’re as pretty as you. Since we’ve never had a visitor like you, that makes you really special.”
    No one had ever told Sarah she was special. It was a concept she had difficulty absorbing. Was she special only because she was a female and reasonably attractive? Probably, but she intended to enjoy the feeling. It wouldn’t last long.
    â€œWhat do you do in the evening?” Sarah asked Salty.
    â€œSometimes we talk about things we did during the day or ranch business in general, but mostly we listen to the twins tease Zac. It’ll be a real treat to listen to someone else.”
    Sarah felt something akin to panic. She had nothing to say that could interest a man like George Randolph. Zac and Tyler probably knew more about running a ranch than she did. Neither her father nor her husband had ever wanted her opinion. Everything she knew had been learned by trial and error or by picking the brains of hired men who made no attempt to hide their disgust at her ignorance.
    â€œI’m sure they don’t want to listen to me.”
    â€œThat’s where you’re wrong. Ellen and Jared have made everyone curious to know more about you.”
    What could her children have been saying? She’d always cautioned them to be careful what they said around strangers, but they had virtually no experience with strangers, especially not a woman like Rose who treated both of them as normal children and fed them doughnuts. They’d never been around a spirited child like Zac, a charming boy who was bubbling over with enjoyment of life. He made everyone laugh and want to join in the fun. You wanted to throw off all restraints because Zac had none and was having more fun than you had ever thought was possible.
    â€œThere’s nothing interesting about me,” she said.
    â€œHow often do you have women showing up at your ranch wanting to hire a man to marry her?”
    She wouldn’t have put it quite that way, but she could see his point. “That makes me unusual, not interesting.”
    â€œMa’am, anything unusual is interesting. Now are you going to join us?”
    More than ever she wanted to be by herself, but apparently she was to be the night’s entertainment. “Only if you promise not to expose my ignorance.”
    She couldn’t quite make up her mind what she thought of Salty’s expression. It could have been a mixture of surprise, amusement, and disappointment that she would think so badly of him. Deciphering the expressions of people she didn’t know was a guessing game that was liable to put her in the wrong more often than not.
    â€œIf we don’t hurry, Rose is going to send somebody after us. If we’re lucky, it will be Tyler. He hardly ever talks. If we aren’t, it will be Monty. He makes up stuff just for the fun of it.”
    â€œCome sit by me,” Rose said when Sarah entered the room. “Everybody has joined forces against me.”
    â€œShe says she hates cows and doesn’t think much of horses,” Ellen said to her mother. “And she has a whole ranch full of