AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“A bad boy, Belle.” Sally wagged her finger good-naturedly, her brown eyes twinkling in her dark face. “You better watch out for this one. He’s a heartbreaker.”
“I figured that one out for myself, Sally.” Sabella laughed as she looked around the nearly full dining room. “Do you have room for us tonight?”
“If you’re willing to sit out on the patio, we have tables out there. Nice candlelight.” She leaned forward and whispered, “A few less eyes bugging out at you.”
Sabella’s grin widened. “That sounds perfect.”
“Come on then.” Sally grabbed two menus and silverware and led them across the room. “I have the perfect table for you.”
Sabella could feel the stares. Noah, with his long, shaggy black hair falling to his shoulders and framing his savage, bearded face. His hard, corded body, snug jeans, T-shirt and chaps. He was dangerous, exuded danger. Screamed it and owned it. And she loved every minute of it.
There wasn’t a man or a woman in the room that would ever mistake him for her husband. He was safe from that, if that safety was what he needed.
Sally led them to the open glass doors onto a wood patio. The lighting was low here. Umbrella tables with candle lanterns hanging beneath the umbrellas. It set a romantic, charming mood.
There were fewer guests outside. The music was lower, the sense of intimacy thicker, while inside, there was a feeling of togetherness.
“Here’s your menus, and I’ll send Katy out to get your drinks and your order. You two enjoy.” Sally leaned to Sabella. “And dinner is on the house, sugar. A welcome back present, how’s that?”
Sabella blinked at the offer. “I haven’t been gone, Sally,” she teased, though moisture filled her eyes.
“Yeah, sugar, you left us the same time our boy Nathan did, no matter how many times you were seen with that Sykes boy.” Sally hugged her, hard. “At least you’re still with us. And bringin’ in some damned fine eye candy.” She winked at Noah.
She moved away then and Sabella stared down at the tablecloth and swallowed tightly. She hadn’t realized she had been missed. She had been here, in Alpine, but she hadn’t been. She had been immersed in the past, in her loss, in rebuilding the business her husband had been so proud of. It was as though she hadn’t lived at all while he had been gone and that had been frightening.
“Sorry about that,” she whispered, opening her menu as she glanced at the patio doors. “Sally and her husband Tom were good friends of my husband’s.”
“Not a problem.” Noah leaned back in his chair and stared around the patio as she glanced back at him.
“Sabella Malone. I thought that was you.” The rough, masculine voice had Sabella tensing as she looked up.
Gaylen Patrick, one of the larger ranch owners in Alpine was waddling from the doorway. At forty-five, Gaylen was still a powerful-looking man, though much of the power was the paunch of his stomach, and wide thighs. He waddled, almost like a duck. But she had seen him wrestling steers, she knew there was power in those heavy arms despite the decadence beginning to show in his lined face.
He was bald, with hazel eyes and bushy dark brows. He talked too loud and laughed too hard. And for some reason he had thought Sabella should be willing to sleep with him no more than weeks after Nathan’s death.
“Yes, it appears it’s me,” she answered as he stopped at the table and stared hard at Noah.
“And who’s your friend? Stranger in town, ain’t he?” He shoved his hand out to Noah. “Gaylen Patrick. I hear you’re saving Malone’s garage. That’s right good of you, son.”
“Noah Blake.” Noah took his handshake, but his gaze was cool, his expression closed. “And there was no saving needed. Sabella had it all under control.”
“That Rory, he was helpin’ her some.” Gaylen nodded. “Poor little thing. Bein’ a widow and all, we’ve worried about her.”
Sabella bit her tongue. Worried so much that the son of a bitch had pulled his gas account from the station the minute she had thrown him out of her house after his ridiculous proposal. He’d wanted the business, and as he had stated, he wouldn’t mind marrying the widow to get it. And for some reason, he’d thought she should be willing to consider it. That nothing but the money should matter.
“She was doing fine,” Noah said. “She just needed a few more mechanics willing to do their job.”
Sabella almost winced. Timmy, the mechanic Rory had fired, was a distant cousin to Gaylen’s ranch foreman.
“Of course she did,” Gaylen boomed, gazing down at Sabella with barely veiled malice. “Too bad about her husband dyin’ on her. Nathan was a hell of a boy. Everyone loved him. Why, Belle almost up and died on us when he did.”
Sabella’s lips tightened. Gaylen was striking where he thought it would hurt the most.
“She looks very much alive to me, Mr. Patrick,” Noah drawled in that gravelly voice of his. “It’s been six years since her husband’s death. I don’t think you need to worry any longer.”
“How long did you say you were stayin’ in these parts?” Gaylen hitched the band of his jeans over his girth and glared down at Noah in a pale mimicry of friendliness.
“I didn’t.” Noah smiled. “I haven’t decided yet.” He glanced at Sabella. “Leaving isn’t exactly on my mind right now.”
