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“And broke all the rules.”
She grinned at the pile of suds in the sink. “Maybe not all of them, but more than your share.”
He finished his coffee and set his empty cup on the counter. “I’ve got to run,” he said. “Can’t keep Caleb waiting too long.”
Dani grimaced but didn’t argue. She needed time to think. Alone. Before Cody returned. Chase had upset her life more than she would have ever thought possible.
She watched from the porch as he drove away, his Jeep leaving a plume of dust in its wake. Wrapping her arms around the post supporting the porch roof and leaning against it wearily, she closed her eyes to the obvious fact that she loved him with all of her heart.
“Loving Chase is crazy,” she told herself. “He’ll only cause you heartache because no matter what he says, he still works for Caleb Johnson.”
The Jeep turned left at the end of the drive and Dani watched sadly as it climbed the hill leading to Caleb Johnson’s rolling acres of Montana farmland.
She felt like crying but instead clenched her teeth with renewed determination. No matter how much it hurt, she would never let Chase know how she felt about him. Their lovemaking of the night before would never be repeated!
* * *
Cody returned from Shane’s five dollars richer.
“Let me get this straight,” Dani said, trying to remain calm and watching her son smooth the crumpled dollar bills on the kitchen table. “You were gambling for baskets?”
“Yeah, and Shane and I beat these two other guys.”
“Who were they?”
Cody shrugged. “Beats me, just a couple of kids that Shane knew. Don and Mark, I think.”
“Slow down, will you?” she begged. “How could you bet? I didn’t think you had any money on you.”
“Fifty cents.”
“And you bet it and came out with five dollars?” Dani asked, astounded.
Cody opened the refrigerator and pulled out the pitcher of lemonade. “Don’t you understand about betting, Mom? Shane and I were ahead and the other guys kept pressing their bets.”
“What does that mean?”
“Double or nothing.” He poured himself a tall glass of lemonade and polished it off in three long swallows.
“What if you would have lost?”
He shrugged and poured another glass. “I would have owed the other guys.”
The headache Dani had been fighting all morning began to throb. “How would you have paid them back?”
“From my allowance for the chores.”
“But that’s for college.”
“Not all of it.” Cody scowled at his mother.
“I just don’t like you gambling.”
“Aw, Mom, lighten up. Okay? It was just a bet on a ball game, not the end of the world!” He walked into the living room, switched on the television, kicked off his shoes and flopped onto the couch.
“I think we need to talk about attitude.”
“Again?”
