A gorgeous woman with raven-black hair tumbling to her shoulders and eyes the color of Texas bluebonnets.
When she’d opened her office door, he’d been knocked sideways in more ways than one. The contact had awakened something inside him. She was well-endowed and probably about five foot seven. The scent of her skin and hair, the breathless way she’d responded to him had made Luckey conscious of her as a living, breathing woman.
It had been eight years since his divorce. Since then he’d had relationships with other women, but none had lasted long. He’d always made it clear to the woman he was dating at the time that he wasn’t interested in a permanent commitment. Too much damage had been done for him to feel the emotions necessary for a relationship to flourish. But all that changed today. Today he’d been caught totally off guard by a rush of desire so foreign to him he was stunned.
He knew his family worried that he might stay single for good. Luckey hadn’t given it a lot of thought until now. Damn if meeting Ms. Duncan hadn’t pierced through the armor he’d built up around him to the part that had either been asleep or in a deep freeze. What if he still felt this way tomorrow after meeting with her?
Luckey didn’t want to experience these feelings again. He couldn’t take it. He was just going to meet her for breakfast and record the translation, then he’d get on with the investigation, and that would be the end of it.
Needing to get his mind off Ally ASAP, he phoned Randy. His brother was still on patrol, however, so Luckey left a message that he’d get in touch tomorrow. He thought about calling one of his best friends, but all three were Rangers and he knew they’d be busy working other cases. Restless, he fixed himself a TV dinner, then walked out to the barn and saddled his horse, Persey, who needed the exercise. A good ride would help Luckey put his feelings in perspective.
When it was dark, he came back in and turned on the TV. But he was unable to concentrate on anything. In the end, he returned to the den and pored over the information he’d gathered at the coroner’s office. Luckey worked until he couldn’t keep his eyes open anymore and then he went to bed.
* * *
TUESDAY MORNING HE woke up early to shower and shave. After dressing in a long-sleeved Western shirt and trousers, he went out to feed his horse and noticed he needed to buy more food for him. Once back in the house he remembered that his cleaning lady, Ruth, would be coming by later. She came twice a month and did odd jobs for him. Luckey left her a note to drop by the feed store as well as the grocery store for supplies, and then he took off for the Magnolia Café.
He always felt a certain excitement when he began a new case, but driving to meet with Ally, he recognized an eagerness that had nothing to do with his work.
His pulse picked up speed when he spotted her Audi in the parking lot among at least a dozen cars with license plates from other states. The place got a ton of tourists because the food was reputed to be so good.
He walked in and was greeted by a hostess. “Your party is already at your table,” she told him. “She’s over in the south corner.”
Luckey was surprised. “How did you know?”
The woman smiled. “You’re the man with the badge. Can’t miss you.”
“Thanks,” he said.
Ally Duncan stood out from every other female in the room. This morning she’d tied her glossy black hair back at her nape with a simple leather cord. Those purple-blue eyes fringed by thick black lashes met his as he approached the table. Everything about her was classy. Her nails were manicured in a soft pink shade that matched her lipstick.
“Hi.” She smiled at him.
He sat in the chair opposite her and took in the creamy blouse she wore, covered by a sleeveless crochet vest in the same color shot with gold. “Hi, yourself. You were smart to get here early. This place is hopping.” He would have suggested a quieter spot, such as a park, for their meeting, but felt a public space would make her more comfortable.
“I remember the last time I came here, with friends. We had to wait an hour to get a table. Since I knew you were in a hurry to get going on this case, I thought I’d make sure we beat the rush.”
“Well, I thank you for your consideration.”
The waitress came to the table and poured them coffee. Ally murmured, “Go ahead and give her our orders, since you already know what I want.”
He smiled. “Chocolate-chip pancakes?”
She smiled back. “Of course.”
“Would you like some juice?”
“Sure,” she said. “I’ll take apple.”
“Anything else?”
Ally shook her head.
“Two orders of chocolate-chip pancakes, one apple juice and one glass of OJ, please,” he told their waitress.
Once she had left, Luckey was free to focus on the beautiful woman sitting across from him. She wasn’t wearing a ring. How could she still be single? If she was, it had to be by choice. Had she been wounded in the past, like he had? Was she reluctant to open up her heart for fear of being burned again? The question hung in the air. Of course, she could be in a relationship right now. Either way, he would get an answer soon, so help him.
She sipped her coffee. “If you’ll show me those papers, I’ll look over the writing and translate it for you once we’ve eaten.”