Shelley Galloway - Austin - Second Chance Cowboy

Feeling vaguely like the pot calling the kettle black, she realized that the reports listed a lot of the same stuff she’d done during her junior year in high school. Only she might have been worse.

With a wince, she hoped Principal Marks didn’t bring it up during their scheduled meeting. Carol Marks had been a new teacher when Dinah graduated high school.

Dinah remembered her being slightly shocked at Dinah’s way of dressing and her behavior. Hopefully, though, Mrs. Marks would remember just how hard Dinah had worked her senior year to turn things around.

* * *

SHE WAS STUCK IN THE GROCERY store line behind a woman with way too many coupons when she spied Austin in the next checkout lane. As she was attempting to figure out how to say hi to him without making a big deal of it, he looked up and caught her eye.

While the lady’s grocery bill continued to slide, fifty cents at a time, she smiled his way.

He came over, a paper sack in his left arm. “Hey,” he said. “What’s shaking?”

She laughed that he’d used the same expression as Duke. “Just waiting my turn. What about you? This is the last place I’d expect to see you on a Saturday night.”

“I eat, too.” He tapped his bag. “I’ve got a chicken and some potatoes just calling my name.” Eyeing her groceries, displayed for all to see on the conveyor belt, he laughed. “If you eat any more of those diet dinners, you’re going to float away, Dinah.”

She felt her face heat. “Unlike you, I’m not much of a cook. And eating at the Number 1 all the time can get expensive.”

Finally the woman in front of her paid her bill and it was Dinah’s turn to check out. As the clerk started scanning and bagging, she turned to Austin again. “Hope you have a good evening.”

“You, too.” He turned, took two steps, then came back over to her side. “Want to come over?”

“For dinner?”

“Don’t act like I’m wining and dining you, D. It’s just chicken and potatoes.”

His idea sounded a whole lot better than a diet frozen dinner. And there was something brewing between them that was hard to deny. “I’ve got a salad in a bag. I could bring that.” Gosh, did she sound as lame as she felt?

“We’ll have three food groups covered right there. After you take your groceries home, come over.”

“All right. I will.”

After presenting her with a pleased-looking smile, he turned and walked away. Dinah’s eyes followed him, noticing that his jeans today were still awfully snug…and were faded and worn in all the right places.

“Thirty-eight twenty-five,” the cashier said.

As Dinah handed her two twenties, the cashier winked. “I thought I was going to have to bop you on the head, Sheriff.”

“And why’s that?”

“Austin Wright is just about the finest-looking man in these parts. Only a fool would turn down the chance for him to make her dinner.”

There was a flurry of replies on the tip of her tongue. But only one right answer. “I was kind of thinking the same thing,” she admitted.

And with that, she grabbed her bags and hurried out to her car, anxious to spend some time with Austin, just to see if her instincts had been right.

Chapter Five

Sitting across from her, Austin had to admit that spending the evening with Dinah Hart had been one of the most pleasant experiences he’d had in months. He’d asked her over partly to get a rise out of her—sure she’d come to his store for more reasons than to ask him about saddles.

Her saying yes had been a nice surprise, their camaraderie even more so. Dinah had set the table while he’d grilled the chicken. Then she’d opened her bag of lettuce while he microwaved potatoes.

And though she looked at him curiously when he pulled out a pitcher of iced tea, she poured them two glasses. She’d even looked relieved, saying she couldn’t drink anyway since Duke was away for the weekend and she was essentially running a one-woman show in the sheriff’s office.

They’d talked about Leah and Colt, and Flynn and Ace. He’d told her about Cheyenne, and how she was living with their dad and slowly pulling out of her grief from losing her husband way too young. She grinned with him when he spoke about her twin girls, Sadie and Sammie.

Next they talked about Duke and Beau, and Beau’s chances in the latest bull-riding competitions.

From there, it was only natural to talk about Tuf Hart, Dinah’s younger brother. Austin’s heart had gone out to her when she’d talked about how Tuf still hadn’t shown up after getting out of the marines.

Family talk had eased into work, and she’d seemed genuinely interested in his shop. That worked out real nice, because he was genuinely interested in pretty much everything about her.

All too soon, it was almost midnight and she was getting to her feet. “Thanks, Austin. I…I really enjoyed myself.”

“You’re welcome. I liked having you here.” For a moment, he let himself stare at her lips, remembering with sudden clarity what kissing her had been like.

Those lips parted, just as if she had read his mind.

Right there and then, he knew if he leaned forward she wouldn’t be offended if he kissed her.

And he wanted to.

But it wasn’t the right time. He was an emotionally toxic mess. Especially since he hadn’t had the nerve to go to an AA meeting yet. Lord, he was needier than a newborn foal.

“So…good night, Dinah.”

She blinked. “Oh. Sure. Good night.” She looked a little hurt, as though he’d rejected her. Obviously she’d thought he was going to shorten that space between them and finally renew what had been floating between them for months.

He was still reluctant to see her go. “Any chance you going to church tomorrow?”

“I don’t know. I don’t go all that often. Why?”

“I’ll be there. Thought if you were going to be there, too, maybe we could have lunch together after.”

“You want to share another meal?”

She’d spouted the question as if he’d just asked to get in her pants. He bit the inside of his lip so he wouldn’t smile. “Don’t worry, I’m not trying to ruin your stash of Lean Cuisine dinners. I was thinking maybe we could get lunch at the Number 1 after. My treat.”

After a fresh burst of interest, she looked more than a little hesitant. One of her hands flew to her hair, curling one of the wayward locks around her ear. “Maybe. I’ll see what’s going on in the office tomorrow.”

“Fair enough. If I see you in church, I’ll see you. Night, Dinah.”

He stood at the door and watched her walk to her car, unlock it and finally drive away. He told himself he was just being a gentleman. After all, the sheriff probably didn’t need a man looking after her.

He couldn’t help but think maybe Dinah needed a man looking out for her. It was a real shame he wasn’t the best candidate for the job.

* * *

DINAH HADN’T INTENDED to go to church. But when she called her mom, she sounded beyond pleased at the thought of Dinah sitting in the pew beside her. “We’ve had so many changes going on with the family lately, Dinah. It’s good to take some time to give thanks, don’t you think?”

There had only been one right answer. “Yes, ma’am.”

So that was how she ended up sitting in church on Sunday, and in a dress, no less. She fingered the cotton fabric of her loose-fitting chambray blue dress. She’d paired it with boots and a concho belt. As dresses went, it was fairly casual. But it was a whole different look from her usual jeans and tan sheriff’s shirt.

“You look so pretty, Dinah. So feminine! You should wear dresses more often, honey.”

Her mother’s voice had carried. A few seats over, Flynn chuckled. Ace winked. And then there was Austin, looking way too fine in pressed jeans and a white shirt so starched and bright it looked almost blinding.