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“Fine, I guess,” Blake said, sighing again. “She’s never here anymore, so…fine, I guess.”
Which meant that Blake wasn’t fine. Todd had seen the shift in him since the Fourth of July, but once again, he didn’t know how to help Blake with this particular ailment. “You’re still dating, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” Blake said.
“Maybe you load up some pizza and drive in to see her.”
“I don’t have time for that,” Blake said. “Kyle cut his forearm, and Daddy took him in to the clinic, so I have to introduce the band tonight.”
Todd heard all of the stress and frustration in his brother’s voice, and an idea sprang into his mind. “Okay,” he said. “I’ll get the pizza from the lodge and bring it to your house. You sound like you’re out of the spotlight for now, so get out of there while you can.”
“I can’t—”
“Yes, you can,” Todd said firmly. “I’m on my way in, and I’ll get the food and see you at your house in half an hour.” He didn’t leave any room for argument, and thankfully, Blake didn’t try to give one for a second time.
“Good,” Todd said. “I’ll see you in thirty minutes.” He made it back to the stable, brushed down Bronco and put the horse away, and then started toward his office. He could spare a couple of minutes to change his boots and wash his hands.
He entered his office and forgot everything he had yet to do that night at the mere sight of Laura standing behind his desk. His pulse boomed in his ears as he asked, “Laura?” He scanned the desk in front of her, but nothing seemed out of place. “Is everything all right?”
“We have a handful of chickens with fowl pox,” she said. “I wanted you to know. I also checked all the dairy cows today, and they look great.”
“Okay,” he said, not sure how to talk to this woman. She’d been at the ranch for a couple of months now, and Todd’s attraction to her hadn’t lessened at all.
“I was just sitting here for a minute,” she said, offering him a weary smile. “It’s been—I haven’t been sleeping super well, and my feet hurt.”
He started toward her, and she edged out from behind the desk. “I know the feeling.” He gave her a warm smile. “Sit. I don’t care. I’m going to change my boots and wash my hands. Then I’m going to get dinner at the lodge. It’s pizza night. Blake meant to text everyone.”
Laura sat back down in his desk chair, and he wondered if her perfume would linger in the leather after she left. He gave himself a mental shake, because she didn’t wear perfume to come to work on a ranch. If she did, it would be long gone by now.
“Do you stay for dinner here?” he asked, taking a seat on the bench against the wall. He pulled off his dirty boots, his toes getting instant relief. “I don’t see you.”
“Not usually,” she said. “I’ve been nursing a couple of sick kittens for the past couple of weeks.”
“No wonder you aren’t sleeping,” he said with a smile.
She returned the gesture. “I took them back to the vet this morning,” she said. “So I’m planning to take something to help me sleep tonight since I don’t have to be here until afternoon tomorrow.”
“You’re still good to run the milking demo?” He reached under his bench and pulled out a fresh pair of boots.
“Yes, sir.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “Don’t call me sir.”
“Sorry, sir.” She laughed too, and Todd dared to sneak a peek at her. She sure seemed like she was flirting with him, but he wasn’t entirely sure.
“If you don’t have the kittens tonight,” he said, his throat dry as cotton by the end of that sentence, and he still had more to say. He cleared his throat and busied himself with pulling on his boots. “I’ll get you a whole mess of pizza too, and you can join me for dinner.”
Todd got to his feet but couldn’t look at Laura. He stepped over to the tiny sink in the corner of his office, his back to her now. “I’m takin’ dinner to Blake too. You’re welcome to join us.”
“The two of you?”
“Yep.” He washed his hands, really soaping up and scrubbing up to his elbow before rinsing the day’s work from his skin. He turned, and Laura stood only an arm’s length from him, holding a towel.
She extended it toward him, and transfixed by those beautiful eyes, Todd took it. “Thanks,” he murmured.
Laura’s eyes fired emotion at him, but Todd wasn’t sure which one. “I’d like to eat with you,” she said, taking a step closer. “Is Gina going to be at Blake’s?”
“I doubt it,” Todd said. “She’s been heading back to town to help with her momma.”
