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“Oh, Mom, give me a break!” But Cody laughed and offered Runt a piece of popped corn, which the anxious dog swallowed as if he had been starved for days.
One glance at the dog’s bowl near the back door indicated to Dani that Runt had been fed recently. As she straightened the kitchen, cleaning the counters that Cody had missed, Dani called over her shoulder, “I think it’s about time you went to bed, don’t you?”
“It’s still light out!”
Dani glanced out the window over the sink. The only illumination over the land was from the silvery half moon. “It’s not light and it’s nearly ten,” she pointed out as she finished wiping the counters.
“Just a little longer,” the boy begged.
“All right. When the show’s over, then you can read in bed for a while, but I think you’d better hit the hay soon; my friend. Big day tomorrow.”
“Doing what?”
“Guess.”
Cody groaned. “Hauling hay again.”
“You got it.”
“So why are you all dressed up? Is someone coming over?” the boy asked with a frown as he stared at his mother.
“Hardly. It’s too late for company.” Dani laughed and shook her head. The damp strands of her long hair brushed the back of her blouse. “And, for your information, I’m not dressed up. You’re just used to seeing me in my work clothes.”
Cody eyed her clean jeans and crisp cotton blouse. “So why didn’t you put on your pajamas?”
“Too hot and I thought I’d drink some lemonade on the back porch.” She turned to face her son, an affectionate grin spreading across her tanned face when she recognized the concern in his eyes. “Hey, just because I changed from dirty work clothes doesn’t mean you have to give me the third degree. But thanks for the compliment.”
A few minutes later, Runt pricked up his black ears and growled just as the sound of an approaching engine caught Dani’s attention.
“Hey, Mom. I think somebody’s here,” Cody said, looking over his shoulder and silently accusing her of lying. “You said you weren’t expecting anyone!”
“I wasn’t . . . I mean, I’m not.” Dani was drying her hands on a dishtowel just as there was a knock on the door. She glanced through the window and recognized Chase McEnroe, who was standing on the porch. Now what, she wondered, inwardly bracing herself for another confrontation with Caleb Johnson’s most recent acquisition.
Opening the door, she pursed her lips and stared into his eyes. “Obviously you don’t know how to take a hint, Mr. McEnroe.”
“I was in the neighborhood,” he commented dryly.
“Hey, Mom. Who is it?” Cody asked, dragging himself off the couch and sauntering to the door.
“This is Mr. McEnroe—”
“Chase,” he corrected, smiling at the boy and offering his hand.
“And this is my son, Cody,” Dani said, introducing the boy as Cody took Chase’s hand and looked at the man suspiciously.
“Chase works for Caleb Johnson,” Dani continued, and Cody immediately withdrew his hand. “I think maybe you should go upstairs to bed,” Dani said. “Obviously Mr. McEnroe has business to discuss with me.”
“You sure?” Cody asked.
“Positive.” Dani’s eyes left her son’s to stare into Chase’s enigmatic blue gaze.
“Okay.” Cody went to the bottom of the stairs, looked over his shoulder, whistled to Runt, and then ran up the stairs, the black dog following eagerly. A few seconds later Dani heard the door to Cody’s room close.
Crossing her arms under her breasts, she leaned a hip against an antique sideboard near the door. “What do you want?”
“To talk with you.”
“So talk.”
