Sheri WhiteFeather - Lone Wolf

“So, are you interested in a tour of the center?” he asked.

She nodded. “Yes, but I have a busy week coming up.”

“There’s no rush.” Sooner or later he would get to know Jenny Taylor, who she really was and why she seemed so secretive.

The Lone Star Country Club spanned two thousand acres of prime Texas land. The main clubhouse, a four-story pink granite building, had French windows that overlooked the rolling lawn of the award-winning eighteen-hole golf course. Six tennis courts and three swimming pools provided the members with athletic entertainment. The Empire Room, the Men’s Grill and the Yellow Rose Café prepared meals to suit every occasion.

Jenny entered the Yellow Rose Café, where a hostess greeted her.

“May I sit in Daisy’s section?” she asked.

“Certainly.” The hostess smiled and led her to a table that offered an enchanting view of the patio.

Jenny liked the sunny decor. Yellow-gingham tablecloths added a touch of spring, as did the planter ablaze with marigolds, petunias and snapdragons. The planter separated the café from a small, bustling bar, making a pretty yet practical statement. Everything about the country club fascinated her, and she was grateful for the opportunity to continue her association with it. Her work was the one source of pride in her life, the foundation for her sanity.

She glanced at the menu and decided on some light fare. She’d just completed a meeting with the painting contractor, but she had other meetings after lunch. This wasn’t a leisurely day.

“Hello, Jenny.”

Daisy arrived at the table, pen and pad in hand. The waitress was a stunning bleached blonde, with a dark complexion and a curvaceous athletic build. But in spite of her beauty, Jenny sensed something sad about her. There was pain in her eyes, deep and unsettling, a look Jenny often recognized in the mirror.

Was Daisy Parker running away from her past, too? Hiding the way Jenny was? Keeping secrets that haunted her at night?

Daisy always had a ready smile, but that didn’t mean a thing. She still seemed nervous somehow, preoccupied and fearful.

“What can I get you today?” Daisy asked.

“The mixed greens and a glass of raspberry iced tea.”

“What kind of dressing?”

“The house will be fine.”

Why had Daisy lightened her hair? she wondered. For the same reason she herself did? Or was Daisy just a brunette who wondered if blondes really did have more fun?

Maybe it was silly to worry about Daisy, but Jenny couldn’t help it. Deep down, she wanted to befriend the woman, get close to her, ask if she needed help. But how could Jenny aid someone else? Her own emotions were still a mess. She barely had the strength to confront her own fears, let alone tackle Daisy’s problems.

The waitress sent Jenny one of those carefully controlled smiles and darted off with her order.

A short time later Jenny’s meal arrived. As she ate, the café bustled around her, members of the country club coming and going.

Just as she finished her salad, she spotted Archy Wainwright across the room heading her way. She reached for her tea and acknowledged his gaze.

Archy was a business associate, someone she respected and admired. But discovering that he was Hawk’s father put an odd spin on seeing him.

“Well, hello, Jenny,” the older man said when he reached her table. “May I?”

“Yes.” She gestured for him to join her and scanned his features with newfound interest, looking for a likeness to Hawk. She couldn’t find an overwhelming resemblance, but she had to admit that Hawk had Archy’s powerful stature and deep, gruff voice.

“I hear you’ve been doing an outstanding job,” he said. “The board is pleased with your work. And your dedication. You’ve put in some long hours.”

“Thank you. I enjoy what I do. And the overtime keeps me busy.”

“Glad to hear it.” He gestured to Daisy, and the waitress came right over. “I’d like a cup of coffee, darlin’, and bring Jenny a piece of that tasty apple pie.”

“Thanks, but—” Jenny tried to protest, but Archy cut her off, giving Daisy more instructions.

“Don’t mind her, just bring the pie. And be sure to put everything, including that rabbit food she ate for lunch, on my tab.”

Daisy obeyed his command. Within minutes Jenny had a fresh-baked dessert sitting in front of her.

“It’s delicious,” she said after she’d taken a bite.

“Nothing beats a slice of warm apple pie. Now tell me, Jenny, have you made some friends in Mission Creek? Working overtime is fine, but socializing is important, too.”

“I…” She stalled to take a much-needed breath. “I had dinner with a neighbor last night.” With your son, she added silently.

“That’s good. Now the reason I stopped by was to let you know the club is hosting a spring ball, and you’ll be receiving an invitation.” He lifted his coffee, his eyes on hers. “I can arrange an escort for you, if you’d like. Unless, of course, you’ve already made the acquaintance of an appropriate young man.”

Momentarily stunned, she stuck her fork into the pie, trying to gather her wits. A spring ball? An appropriate young man?

Like Hawk?

Jenny tried not to panic. No, not like Hawk. She couldn’t ask him to a ball his father had invited her to. Nor could she dance with him. She was barely handling the first few stages of friendship.

“This would be good business,” Archy said, sensing her apprehension. “You’ll rub elbows with all the right people.”

People who might hire her for future projects, she realized. Yes, it was good business, but she couldn’t do it.

“It’s still a month away,” he added. “So you’ve got time to buy a fancy dress and go to the beauty parlor or whatever it is you women do to make men fall at your feet.”

She managed a weak smile. “I’m flattered by the invitation, but I’m not much for parties.”

Archy shook his head. “You’re too pretty to be a wallflower.”

And she was too edgy to date. “I’m still getting settled in. New town. New people. I’m just not ready for a ball.”

“All right. But if you change your mind, the offer still stands.”

The pie hit her stomach like a rock. She had the feeling Archy wasn’t going to let this lie. He would continue prompting her for the next few weeks.

Maybe he thought it was his duty to bring her out of her shell, to introduce her to Texas society.

The older man had taken her under his wing since the day she’d arrived on the job, guiding her in a paternal fashion.

And she had been touched by his kindness, by the softness she saw in his eyes.

But things seemed complicated, now that she’d met his illegitimate son.

Jenny worked another long day. When she pulled into her driveway, dusk had fallen.

She sat in her car for a moment, then decided she wouldn’t be able to relax until she told Hawk about her association with his father.

Although she wasn’t certain that their budding friendship could take the strain, she knew it was the right thing to do.

She’d promised to form her own opinions of Hawk, not judge him on the basis of hearsay, and he owed her a similar courtesy. She’d met Archy before she even knew Hawk existed. She wasn’t betraying one for the other.

Jenny knocked on his door, expecting to hear the puppy bark. But when Hawk answered her summons, wearing nothing but a pair of jeans, she lost her composure.

His hair, long and damp, was combed away from his face, making the sharp talons in his ears stand out even more. His chest, broad and bare, exposed a knee-weakening display of muscle. She didn’t dare peek at his stomach.

“Jenny,” he said. “You look great.”