you need to do now?”
Russ leaned back and stretched. “Scare off some cormorants.”
Carly frowned in confusion. “But we don’t usually see them until September.”
Russ shrugged. “I know. It must be a crazy flock. Either way, they can catch as many as twenty-three catfish an hour, and once they get started it only gets worse. I’ve got to move pop-up scarecrows and shoot flare pistols today.”
“Do you want some help?”
“Sure. But I’d also like to know what you think about last night.” His gaze was serious and intent.
“I’m still mad at Troy and Daniel, but I’ll get over it.”
“And about what happened before that?”
Feeling uneasy, Carly wiped the counters with a damp sponge. “I enjoyed the Goodmans. They’re great people.”
“What about my dimples?”
“You don’t have dimples.”
“What about my mouth?”
Her breath hung in her throat. The memory of his mouth on hers brought a rush of excitement that took her like a tidal wave. She fought against it. “C’mon Russ,” she said with forced lightness. “You know how it was. Just a little too much wine and curiosity.” She looked up then, begging him with her eyes not to push the subject.
Russ just raised a skeptical eyebrow. He rose and stuffed his shirt into his jeans. Carly remembered she could have had that job, and wanted to kick herself for thinking it.
“Let’s go,” Russ said.
“But the dishes—”
“—will go in the dishwasher. Let’s go.”
A few minutes later, they were riding down a bumpy dirt road surrounding large ponds. While the sun shone on the water, birds sang out their various morning calls and Russ’s hounds barked a welcome. It was warm already. She lowered the window to let in the breeze. It had been a while since she’d been out to Russ’s farm and even longer since she’d taken a ride in his old pickup truck.
Carly wasn’t sure why she’d come this morning. Part of it was that she’d felt unreasonably guilty about how her brothers had injured Russ. He’d been an innocent party. As innocent as Russ Bradford could be, she thought wryly as she glanced at him.
Part of it stemmed from her confusion over their relationship. Whatever happened between them, Carly didn’t want to lose Russ’s friendship. Last night she had blamed Russ for distracting her, when in fact, she was responsible. She knew she was unbearably attracted to him, but she also knew she needed to rein in those feelings. They would pass. She was sure of it.
“What are you going to do about Daniel and Troy?” Russ asked as he stopped the truck.
“Now, that’s a leading question. I don’t know what to do with Troy, but Daniel . . .”
“Daniel?”
“I think what Daniel needs is a good woman.” Russ grinned. “Got anyone in mind?”
“As a matter of fact, I do.” She shoved open the truck door. “My assistant Sara.”
They walked through the tall grass to where Russ began to set up a pop-up scarecrow. He held it while she hammered it into the ground.
“Do you think he’ll go for it?” Carly asked.
“He’ll fight it every inch of the way, but he’ll give in at the end. It’s time for him to settle down.”
Carly did a double take. “I’m surprised to hear that from you, the eternal rogue.”
“Why? Just about every man eventually wants to have a wife and kids.”
Carly gave the pop-up one last whack. “Not you.” She took another look at the scarecrow and shook her head at the lime-green pants and orange shirt. “His clothes don’t match.”
“We’re not trying to make a fashion statement here. They’re supposed to wear bright colors.” He pulled her along beside him. “Come on. We don’t have all day. Now, about Troy?”
Carly joined Russ in the truck. It was so nice being with him this way that she wanted to confide in him. “I don’t have anyone picked out for Troy.” Carly studied Russ. She liked the way he listened to her. He took her seriously when others didn’t.
Russ leaned back and stretched. “Scare off some cormorants.”
Carly frowned in confusion. “But we don’t usually see them until September.”
Russ shrugged. “I know. It must be a crazy flock. Either way, they can catch as many as twenty-three catfish an hour, and once they get started it only gets worse. I’ve got to move pop-up scarecrows and shoot flare pistols today.”
“Do you want some help?”
“Sure. But I’d also like to know what you think about last night.” His gaze was serious and intent.
“I’m still mad at Troy and Daniel, but I’ll get over it.”
“And about what happened before that?”
Feeling uneasy, Carly wiped the counters with a damp sponge. “I enjoyed the Goodmans. They’re great people.”
“What about my dimples?”
“You don’t have dimples.”
“What about my mouth?”
Her breath hung in her throat. The memory of his mouth on hers brought a rush of excitement that took her like a tidal wave. She fought against it. “C’mon Russ,” she said with forced lightness. “You know how it was. Just a little too much wine and curiosity.” She looked up then, begging him with her eyes not to push the subject.
Russ just raised a skeptical eyebrow. He rose and stuffed his shirt into his jeans. Carly remembered she could have had that job, and wanted to kick herself for thinking it.
“Let’s go,” Russ said.
“But the dishes—”
“—will go in the dishwasher. Let’s go.”
A few minutes later, they were riding down a bumpy dirt road surrounding large ponds. While the sun shone on the water, birds sang out their various morning calls and Russ’s hounds barked a welcome. It was warm already. She lowered the window to let in the breeze. It had been a while since she’d been out to Russ’s farm and even longer since she’d taken a ride in his old pickup truck.
Carly wasn’t sure why she’d come this morning. Part of it was that she’d felt unreasonably guilty about how her brothers had injured Russ. He’d been an innocent party. As innocent as Russ Bradford could be, she thought wryly as she glanced at him.
Part of it stemmed from her confusion over their relationship. Whatever happened between them, Carly didn’t want to lose Russ’s friendship. Last night she had blamed Russ for distracting her, when in fact, she was responsible. She knew she was unbearably attracted to him, but she also knew she needed to rein in those feelings. They would pass. She was sure of it.
“What are you going to do about Daniel and Troy?” Russ asked as he stopped the truck.
“Now, that’s a leading question. I don’t know what to do with Troy, but Daniel . . .”
“Daniel?”
“I think what Daniel needs is a good woman.” Russ grinned. “Got anyone in mind?”
“As a matter of fact, I do.” She shoved open the truck door. “My assistant Sara.”
They walked through the tall grass to where Russ began to set up a pop-up scarecrow. He held it while she hammered it into the ground.
“Do you think he’ll go for it?” Carly asked.
“He’ll fight it every inch of the way, but he’ll give in at the end. It’s time for him to settle down.”
Carly did a double take. “I’m surprised to hear that from you, the eternal rogue.”
“Why? Just about every man eventually wants to have a wife and kids.”
Carly gave the pop-up one last whack. “Not you.” She took another look at the scarecrow and shook her head at the lime-green pants and orange shirt. “His clothes don’t match.”
“We’re not trying to make a fashion statement here. They’re supposed to wear bright colors.” He pulled her along beside him. “Come on. We don’t have all day. Now, about Troy?”
Carly joined Russ in the truck. It was so nice being with him this way that she wanted to confide in him. “I don’t have anyone picked out for Troy.” Carly studied Russ. She liked the way he listened to her. He took her seriously when others didn’t.
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