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“How about you dry?” she said. “I’m sure you’re beat and want to get to bed.” Her gaze flitted away, and she filled one side of the sink with soapy water.
“It always takes me a while to fall asleep after a rodeo,” he said. “But a full stomach will certainly help.”
She nodded as she handed him the newly scrubbed frying pan. “So I’ve been wondering something about you, too.”
“Oh, what’s that, sweetheart?”
“What are you going to do after bull-riding?”
He looked over at her. “You thinking my days are numbered?”
“No,” she said quickly. “I mean, bull-riding is what, five, ten years? Then what?”
“I don’t rightly know, because Holt’s running the ranch for my dad, so that kind of cancels me out,” he said. “Maybe, I’ll go to college.”
Jana scoffed. “You’re kidding.”
“What?” He laughed. “You don’t think I can pass the classes?”
She finished up the last dish and handed it over, then drained the water from the sink. “I think you could pass any class you set your mind to, but I just can’t picture you mixing with college people.” She grabbed another dish towel and dried her hands.
“Yeah, you’re probably right,” he said, drying the final dish. “I’ve been thinking about making jam.”
Jana snapped a dish towel at him, and he dodged out of the way with a laugh.
“Careful with that,” he said. “You’re gonna make me drop this plate.”
She backed away, a smile on her face. “I need some sort of defense being around you.”
He set the plate in the cupboard, then walked toward her. She continued to move around the table, keeping the distance even between them.
“What about you, ma’am?” he asked. “Are you going to work for your parents the rest of your life?”
“No… I have plans.”
“Your column? Taking it big? You never did tell me what your column is about.”
“It’s a dating advice column,” she said, looking a bit wary of how he’d react.
“I should probably read that,” he said with a wink, moving closer. “You know, get some tips.”
Jana shrugged. “You never know. But I’m also writing a novel—hoping to get it published someday. In fact, it’s my third book. I just need to find the right publisher.”
Knox stopped in his tracks. “Wow, that’s amazing. Why am I not surprised? You always were the smartest girl I knew.”
She folded her arms and bit the edge of her lip. “You mean my sister was. She’s the one with the law degree.”
“Yeah, but I don’t know her.”
Jana’s smile was slow and beautiful. Like the rest of her. She moved toward the hallway. “Well, good night, Knox. Help yourself to whatever you need, but turn the lights out when you go to bed.”
With that, she disappeared down the hallway.
Knox could have talked to her all night, but it seemed that Jana was the wiser out of the two.
He had been right about one thing. It took him a long time to fall asleep.
