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Watching her in bemusement, Shep lifted the folding table over the side of the truck and laid it flat on the bed. He tossed his lawn chair and backpack on top of it. Then he lowered the tailgate to load his dogs into their crates.
“Okay, I have to ask.” Firmly shutting the tailgate, he pivoted around to face her. “I know we’re not dating, but what in the world could your mom possibly have against me if we ever decided to?”
If we ever decided to?
She stared at him, wondering if she’d heard him right. “May we please change the subject?” What her mother did for a living had become a sore topic lately, considering her own persistent state of singleness. The fact that she’d brought it up at all was proof of just how comfortable she’d gotten around Shep. Too comfortable.
“Not a chance.” He gave her an incredulous look. “According to her, we’re wrong for each other. I think I deserve to know why.”
“Oh, we’re not just wrong for each other. We’re very, very, very wrong,” she stressed with a shudder. “Additionalveryswere implied, but she was in a hurry to take another call, so she limited herself to threeverys. Don’t worry.” She caught sight of his frown. “It’s not personal. It’s what she has assured me is the data-driven conclusion of some compatibility test, combined with her personal list of Dating Don’ts.”
“This I’ve got to hear.” His voice was dry.
“You’re not going to like it,” she warned.
“I sorta gathered that.” He leaned back against his truck, watching her expectantly.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” she sighed, “since, you know, I did try.”
“I won’t hold it against you.” He folded his arms over his broad chest, making his biceps bulge beneath his flannel shirt sleeves.
“Okay. First and foremost, she’s not a fan of dating on the job.” Not that Prim was at risk of that happening. Her last medical assistant, Chayton Dunraven, had been as lazy as all get out and a criminal to boot. He was currently in prison for a number of illegal activities he’d been running on the side.Ugh!
Shep nodded in approval. “I’ve never been a big fan of dating on the job, either. It’s hard to keep things professional with your coworkers if you’re swapping spit with ‘em.”
Way to make kissing sound completely gross!
“And cowboys.” She drawled with a teasing glance down at his boots. “She doesn’t think I should date them, either.”
He gave her an are-you-kidding-me look. “What does she have against hardworking cowboys?”
“Nothing against what they do for a living. She just doesn’t want me kissing any of them.”
He sniffed, looking a little put out. “Okay.”
“Unless they have a college education, which often isn’t the case.”
“Ah.” A glint of understanding appeared in his eyes. “Only the best for her daughter. Though I’ve never met your mom, I like her already.”
There was a wistful note to his voice that tugged on her heartstrings. He’d been raised without a mother. Technically, he’d been raised without a father, too, though his Uncle Caleb had tried really hard to fill both spots in his life.
Unfortunately, Shep was pretty high on Mrs. Summer Midraven’s list of men for her daughternotto date, so none of that maternal acceptance he might crave would be forthcoming from her. She’d gone as far as to mention the cowboy cop by name.
“What?” His dark gaze grew more intense when she fell silent. “Did I say something wrong?”
Prim felt like squirming beneath his perusal. “You’re doing it again.”
“Doing what?”
“Looking at me like you can see straight through me.”
“Clearly, I can’t, since I asked you what I said wrong.” His voice grew even lower and more rumbly.
“Nothing you’ll want to hear,” she mumbled, feeling more exposed than before.
“Baloney! If it involves you, I want to hear it.” His voice was flat.
Wow! Okay.
