Cowboy Kisses (8 page)

“
Because she really likes him a lot, but she’s very shy.
”

Shaking his head, Steve said,
“
I don’t think matchmaking is such a hot idea.
”

“
It wouldn’t hurt to give it a try,
”
Kenzie urged.
“
What do you say? Will you do it?
”

Steve thought for a moment, then grinned.
“
Guess you’ve got yourself another deal.
”
He headed toward the
barn
, calling,
“
Greg! Wait up a minute. There’s something I want to talk to you about.
”

By quitting time, Kenzie was almost as tired as she’d been the day before, but not as smelly, which would make Adam happy on the ride home. She was on her way out of the
barn
when Steve stopped her.
“
Sarah said I could bring my ‘cousin’ Saturday night,
”
he whis
pered in her ear.

“
How does your ‘cousin’ feel about it?
”
Ken
zie whispered back.

Shaking his head sorrowfully, Steve said,
“
He’s afraid he can’t make it, so I asked Greg instead. I think he kind of liked the idea.
”

Kenzie saw Adam’s truck coming down the road.
“
Did you tell him not to say anything to Sarah?
”
she asked.

“
Yeah. I said it was supposed to be a surprise.
”

“
Terrific!
”
Kenzie beamed at him.
“
See you tomorrow.
”

As she ran down the lane to the road, Kenzie thought that it was as though the kiss had never happene
d.
Obviously it didn't mean any
thing to Steve, so I might
as well f
orget it
, she told herself. But she couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed.

That night, after Adam’s dinner of hot dogs and sauerkraut, Kenzie spent two hours on her father’s computer designing Sunshine Club certificates and ribbons. She also made a short list of club rules.

Her nightl
y call to Jeanette was brief be
cause Brad was there and they were watching a movie on TV.
“
Mom and I are going to visit Aunt Rachael until Thursday,
”
Jeanette told her.
“
What time will you be at the club on Friday?
”

“
We’re short a car these days,
”
Kenzie said with a sigh. Her parents had traded in their vehicles for one economy model that they shared.
“
Can you pick me up?
”

“I’ll
be there at ten,
”
Jeanette promised.

When Kenzie got
to the Lucky R the next morning,
Hank greeted her as she entered the
barn
.

“
Steve told me about your Sunshine Club idea,
”
he said, smiling broadly.

Kenzie nodded and handed him the folder she had brought with her.
“
I made these last
night.
”

She held her breath while Hank looked at her work. Maybe she should have asked his permission before she went ahead. After all, she was a new employee. What if Hank thought she was being pushy?

“
Steve said I’d be impressed, and he was right,
”
Hank said as he gave the folder back.
“
You can explain the club to the new group arriving this afternoon. Good work, Kenzie.
”

“
Thanks, Hank.
”
Kenzie glowed at his compliment. She could hardly wait to tell the new kids about Project Sunshine.

But when she saw that afternoon’s students Kenzie got a shock. Instead of another group of children, these were disabled adults.

Would the Sunshine Club appeal to them, or would it seem too babyish? Uncertain, Kenzie glanced over at Hank, who smiled and nodded. Beside him, Steve flashed a heart-stopping grin. Their approval gave Kenzie the confidence to speak to the group. She finished with her latest idea, one
that Nora had agreed to partici
pate in after checking with the Handicapped Center.
“
At the end of every three weeks, each Sunshine Club member will get some special Lucky R cookies.
”
Kenzie reached into the paper bag she was holding and pulled out a horse-shaped cookie decorated with icing. As she passed a sample to everyone, the riders’ enthusiasm warmed her heart.

Steve captured a cookie and inspected it carefully, frowning.

“
What’s the matter?
”
Kenzie asked.
“
Don’t you like my idea?
”

“
There’s no Lucky R brand,
”
he said sol
emnly.
“
Without a brand they’re not authentic Lucky R cookies.
”

Kenzie laughed. “
You’ll have to complain to Nora about that—she baked and decorated them. But you’ll be on baking duty next time, so you can take care of it then.
”

“
Baking duty?
”
Steve echoed.

“
I told Nora we’d all take turns making the cookies,
”
Kenzie said, smiling.
“
Just think of it as ranch-hand day in the kitchen, Steve!
”

On Thursday, when Emily’s group returned, they loved the idea of the Sunshine Club and the Lucky R cookies. The young riders did so
well that, at the end of the ri
ding lesson, Kenzie awarded Sunshine Club ribbons to each child.

Beaming, Emily clutched her paper treas
ure. “I
like my horse now,
”
she said.

“
Nugget likes you, too, Emily,
”
Kenzie as
sured her.
“
You rode like a champ today.
”

As Emily allowed the volunteer taking her to the van a quick peek at her prized ribbon, Steve came over to Kenzie.
“
You’d better bring a big box of sugar cubes next week. I have a feeling lots of our riders will get a second ribbon.
”

Smiling, Kenzie said.
“
I think I can handle that.
”

After a brief pause, Steve asked,
“
Still going to Sarah’s party?
”

“
Sure.
”
His question puzzled Kenzie.
“
Why would I change my mind?
”

Steve shrugged his broad shoulders.
“
I don’t know. Maybe you got a better offer from one of your count
r
y club friends. Sarah would be real disappointed if you decided not to go at the last minute.
”

Kenzie’s smile faded abruptly.
“
I said I’d be there, and I will!
”
Angry now, she put her hands on her hips.
“
You know what your prob
lem is, Steve Calvert? You’re a
reverse
snob!
”

“
Huh?
”
He stared at her, openmouthed.

“
You heard me! Ever since you decided I was a ‘country club girl,’ you’ve been waiting for me to foul up, hoping I couldn’t cut it here at the Lucky R. Well
,
I’ve got a news flash for you. I’m just like anybody else, and when I say I’m going to do something,
I do it!
Give me a break, okay?
”

Instead of pulling his Deputy
Ramrod rou
tine, Steve began to smile. Then, to Kenzie’s astonishment, he bent down and kissed the tip of her nose.
“
Sarah’s party ought to be fun,
”
he said, and strode off to help Dennis lead more horses to the
barn
.

Kenzie touched her nose in wonderment. Steve was the most unpredictable boy she had ever met!

CHAPTER NINE

O
n Friday, Kenzie’s day off, she vowed she wouldn’t think about Steve for a second, and she kept her word. She didn’t think about him for a second—it was more like hours. Each time she closed her eyes, enjoying the sun by the pool at Silver Hills, Steve’s image floated through her mind.

“
I wish you could be here every day, Kenz,
”
Jeanette said,
changing stations on the porta
ble radio between their lounge chairs.
“
I really miss you. And riding isn’t nearly as much fun without you and Ali.
”

Kenzie propped herself up on one elbow.
“
If you moved Zenith to the Lucky R, we could ride after I get off work. And sometimes I have an hour and a half for lunch. We could ride
then.
”

Jeanette didn’t look thrilled.
“
I’ll think about it,
”
she said, but Kenzie could tell she wouldn’t think very hard.

“
If you volunteered to help with the Sunshine Club
riders, you and I could ride to
gether later,
”
Kenzie went on. Then she made a face.
“
Unless it’s my night to cook, that is.
”

Jeanette rolled over onto her stomach and sighed.
“
I can’t believe how much your life has changed, Kenzie.
”

Glancing at the Guest Pass pinned to her beach bag, Kenzie sighed, too.
“
Tell me about it.
”

Just then Brad and Paul joined them.

“
Are you two sun worshipers up for a game of tennis?
”
Paul asked, pretending to serve a ball into the crowded pool.

Jeanette groaned.
“
You guys must be des
perate for doubles partners.
”

“
We are,
”
Brad said, dodging the punch Jeanette aimed at him.

“
The court’s reserved for one thirty,
”
Paul said, smiling down at Kenzie.

She’d almost forgotten how handsome he was.
“
Sounds like fun,
”
she said.

Jeanette grimaced.
“
I wanted to spend the day relaxing and talking to Kenzie
,
not sweating.
”

“
We’ll all go for a swim after the match,
”
Brad promised. “
Paul and I are going to the weight room. Meet you at the courts, okay?
”

Before they left, Paul turned to Kenzie.
“
The gang’s coming to my hous
e tomorrow night for a barbecue,
Kenz. You’ll come, won’t you?
”

“
Oh, yes! I’ll give you a ride,
”
Jeanette said eagerly. “
We’ll have a ball. It’ll be just like old times.
”

Kenz
ie smiled and shook her head. “
Sorry. I’m busy tomorrow night. But th
anks for invit
ing me.
”

“
Busy doing what?
”
Jeanette wanted to know.

“
I’m going to a party.
”

“
Really? Whose party?
”
Jeanette asked.

Kenzie avoided giving a straight answer.
“
It’s a birthday party for someone at work.
”

Jeanette wouldn’t give up.
“
Who? Come on, Kenzie, tell.
”

Pretending to search for something at the bottom of her tote bag, Kenzie mumbled,
“
Sarah Whitman.
”

“
Silent Sarah!
”
Brad hooted.
“
You’re going to
Silent Sarah's
birthday party?
”

Flushing with embarrassment, Kenzie said apologetically,
“
She’s not bad when you get to know her.
”

“
I don’t
want
to get to know her,
”
Brad said.
“Thanks anyway.”

Paul looked uncomfortable.
“
Sorry you can’t make it, Kenzie. Well, see you girls at one thirty.
”
He and Brad left without another word.

“
I can’t believe you’d rather go to Sarah Whitman’s party,
”
Jeanette exclaimed as soon as the boys were gone.

“
It’s not that I’d
rather
go to her party,
”
Kenzie explained.
“
She asked me first, that’s all.
”

“
So make up some excuse.
”

Kenzie shook her head.
“
I can’t do that, Jeanette. She’s really a nice person.
”

Jeanette rolled her eyes.
“
Okay, okay. If you say Silent Sarah’s nice, then I guess she is. But I think you should know that Lisa Gray will probably be at Paul’s party. If you want to keep his interest, you really ought to come.
”

“
I just can’t,
”
Kenzie said.
“
Let’s drop the subject, okay?
”

For the rest of the afternoon, no one said a word about the
party or Sarah. After their ten
nis game and
swim, Paul walked Kenzie to Jea
nette’s car.
“
If you can’t make it tomorrow
night, how about a movie next week?
”
he asked.

“
Any night but Tuesday
,
”
Kenzie told him.
That was the night she’d collect on her pizza bet from Steve.

“
Wednesday?
”

“
Perfect,
”
she said, flashing him a smile.

Paul brushed a soft kiss on her cheek.
“
I’ll
call you.
”