Chapter Nine
“You sure havebeen gone a lot lately,” Jasper Fletcher said to his son the following day.
Riley looked up from grooming his stallion.He’d taken Meteor for a ride, cooled him off, and was now brushing his coat.Both he and the horse enjoyed the grooming.“I know.Is that a problem?”He felt a little guilty even though he knew there were plenty of people around to help take care of the ranch, and his father didn’t need to do any more than he wanted.As for the horse business, it had been slow as molasses lately.He hoped it would pick up after the holidays.
“No.”He rubbed his nose.“But I don’t remember you being gone so much before.Not even when you were going out with those other girls.It’s this new girl you’ve been seeing, isn’t it?Must be pretty serious.”
A couple of Riley’s dogs, Salt and Pepper, came to him demanding to be petted.At the moment he had seven dogs, all of them rescues of some sort.He stopped messing with Meteor for a moment to pet them.
“If you want to know who it is, just ask.”
Jasper stuck his hands in his jeans and rocked on his boots.“Dang it, Riley.What do you think I’m doing?”
“You’re not usually this subtle.”
“I told Lorraine this wouldn’t work.Women,” he added, disgusted.
He might as well tell him.In fact, he was a little shocked his parents hadn’t already heard.“It’s Letty.”
Jasper stared at him blankly.“Letty?Our Letty?”
“Yep.Letty.”
“But she’s—”
“Watch it.She’s not, and never has been, my sister.”
“I wasn’t gonna say that.I’m surprised is all.Are you in love with her?Because if you’re just messing around and you hurt her—”
“I’m not messing around and I’m not planning on hurting her.”As for being in love with her, he wasn’t there yet.Probably.But he knew he wanted their fling, for want of a better word, to last beyond New Year’s.
First, of course, it had to get started.
“Well, good.How does Letty feel about you?”
This was one of the longest conversations he could remember having with his father.Frankly, it was weird.Jasper was usually a man of few words.“Jury’s still out on that.Tell Mom not to worry.I’ll tell you if there’s something you need to know.”
“You’d better talk to your mother yourself.”
True.She’d be pissed and worse, hurt, if he didn’t talk to her.“I’ll be up to the house after I finish with Meteor.”
Shaking his head, Jasper walked off muttering, “Letty.Now there’s a surprise.”
*
Letty had goneto the Garden of Lights at Crawford Park at Christmastime for the last couple of years.But she hadn’t been to it with a man.She wouldn’t have thought the experience would be completely different than going alone or with girlfriends, but it was.Why did it surprise her that Riley was fun and attentive?Maybe because she wasn’t accustomed to being with him on a date?
The man had brought her flowers.She’d been so shocked when he’d showed up at her door with a beautiful bouquet of red roses and amaryllis she’d simply stared at him.
“You might want to find a vase and put them in water.”
“Come in.”She took the arrangement from him.“It’s beautiful.Thank you.”
“Why do you look so surprised?Haven’t other men you’ve dated given you flowers?”
She started to lie but decided that was stupid.Besides, she didn’t want to lie to Riley.“No.Not any time in recent history.”
“So you’ve only dated dumbasses?”
