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Her heartbeat jumped and filled her whole chest, especially when seemingly everyone turned toward them at the same time. Spencer’s hand in hers tightened, and he said, “I may or may not have told them you were coming,” under his breath.
“What?” she asked. “You didn’t tell them?’
“Spence,” a man bellowed, and she recognized him from the moving crew. He pulled Spencer away whether he wanted to go or not and hugged him tight. “How are things? Going okay? You can come back here any time.”
“You don’t own this ranch,” an auburn-haired woman drawled, grinning at the two men. She muscled the big bear of a man out of the way and hugged Spencer. “He’s right, though,” she said under her breath. “If they’re not treating you right over there, you come on back.”
“They’re treating me right,” he said as he stepped back. He glanced at Clarissa, and she got the message that he wanted her at his side. “In fact,” he added as she stepped into that role. “This is Clarissa Cooper.” He took her hand in his, the rest of his sentence unsaid but implied.
The woman’s eyes opened wide, and her mouth rounded.
“Clarissa,” Spencer said. “My old boss, Ginger Talbot. Mulbury. She’s Ginger Mulbury now.” He grinned at her. “Ginger and I go way back. Her husband Nate is at the grill. This oaf here is Ted.”
Ted grinned at her through this bushy, black beard. “So great to meet you,” he gushed. “My wife is around somewhere. Probably putting together the tray for s’mores.”
“Yes, she’s in the West Wing,” another woman said, this one blonde with a little boy on her hip.
“This is Jill,” Spencer said. “I went out with her a time or two.” He smiled at her easily now, but Clarissa wondered if he had gashes on his heart from the women at this ranch. “Same with Jess.” He looked around. “I’m not sure where she is.”
“They’re not here yet,” Jill said. “Slate said for you to go help him with the onions and eggs when you got here.” She looked at Spencer, and so much more was said. Clarissa didn’t know what though, as she wasn’t as well-versed in Spencer-speak as Jill obviously was.
Or maybe he was well-versed in Jill-talk. Either way, he released her hand and said, “I’ll be back in a few minutes. You’ll be okay?”
“She’ll be fine,” Ginger said, linking her arm through Clarissa’s and guiding her closer to the fire. “We’ll just be gossiping about you.”
“Ginger,” Spencer warned, but the fellow redhead just laughed. Clarissa liked her instantly then, and she grinned at Spencer as she went with Jill and Ginger.
“So,” Jill said. “Are you two dating?”
“Oh, I…don’t know,” Clarissa said, her first contribution to the conversation. She hadn’t been able to sneak a word in otherwise. She thought about the kiss she and Spencer had shared earlier that week, as well as the one he’d left her with last night after bringing those cookies.
Yes, she was most likely dating him. “Is it called dating anymore?” she asked, which only made Jill’s smile grow two sizes.
“Probably not,” she said. “He’ll probably say he’s ‘seeing you’ or ‘hanging out’ or something equally as lame.”
“Nah,” Ginger said. “Spencer doesn’t do casual.”
That made Clarissa look into her eyes, a spark of fear igniting in her belly. “He doesn’t?”
“Not usually.” Ginger shrugged and released her arm. “Do you want a hamburger or a hot dog? We’re cooking to order, since our cowboys and cowgirls work in shifts.” She smiled at her husband and bent to pick up a toddler too. He had wispy reddish-brown hair that shone in the golden evening light, and everything Clarissa wanted for herself had manifested itself in the flesh right in front of her.
This redhead had found her happily-ever-after. Maybe there was hope that Clarissa could too.
“Hamburger,” she said. “Please.”
“Are you the one who’s leaving to work in San Antonio?” Nate asked, and Clarissa’s attention flew from the mother and child to the man at the grill.
“Oh, uh, yes,” she said, though that wasn’t entirely true. According to her original plan, she’d be moving tomorrow.
Tomorrow.
The word hit her like a punch in the gut.
She still hadn’t packed a box or even done a simple search online for an apartment.
“So you’ll date Spencer long-distance,” Jill said, as if the solution to their relationship was so obvious.
“Yes,” Clarissa said, because it was easier than arguing with them or trying to explain a situation she didn’t understand herself. “Something like that.”
