Suspicions of the Heart (9 page)

For an instant Joe was stunned, but he
quickly hid it and reached to shake George's hand. "Why you ole son
of a gun, that's terrific--isn't it?"

"Of course it is a little sooner than
we'd planned but nonetheless great."

"I can't wait to see Lisa. I'll bet
she's beaming," Joe mused almost to himself. Envy darted an angry
arrow into his heart for an instant, but, as always, he covered it
well. He was happy for them, and envious in the same
breath.

"You don't have to wait. Come to
dinner," George encouraged.

"Isn't that short notice for Lisa? I
mean, in her condition, shouldn't she be taking things
easy?"

"Nonsense my friend, nothing gives her
greater pleasure than having another admirer around. But, let me
warn you, she'll probably have a female guest there to join you.
Can you stand her playing Cupid, again?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"No."

"Then I guess I can stand it. Who
knows? Maybe she'll find the right girl for me. I sure haven't."
Joe didn't realize how much his heart was in that
statement.

"So, you have been looking around,
lately?" George cocked his head.

"Let's just say, thinking more along
those lines lately is more like it," Joe admitted and watched
George pour himself a cup of coffee.

"That's a good sign."

"Just don't tell your wife. She'll have
me married before I know the girl's name."

"That's true." George suddenly frowned,
then glanced at his friend. "You know, not changing the subject,
but I had to turn that Arnold girl down for a loan just now. And it
really didn't set well with me, her being so new to the community.
She needs a co-signer, though. She wouldn't put her horse up as
collateral and that's about all she had to offer." George moved to
sit behind his big desk and motioned for Joe to take a
chair.

"She was here for a loan?" Joe asked as
he pulled a straight-back chair closer to the desk.

"Yes, and I wanted to help her, too.
Her truck and car are just too old, and so is the trailer she lives
in. About the only thing she owns of any real value is that quarter
horse of hers. Even that was shaky. I mean, Doc Fenner told me all
about her inheriting her father's place, and the bad luck she ran
into at the rodeo. Her horse suffered from an injury. Besides, the
bank quit taking animals as collateral a long time ago, unless it's
a herd."

"Then you didn't give her the loan?"
Joe's brows knitted into a frown.

George studied his expression a long
moment. "I couldn't, Joe. I mean this is still a bank, you know.
She refused to put the land or horse up for collateral. We have to
draw the line somewhere. She's a bad risk. She won't last the
winter out there and we both know it. Myself, I think she's crazy
for trying to stay."

Joe listened, and despite his intention
to not get too involved in his new neighbor's business, he already
knew what he had to do. And it had nothing whatsoever to do with
the fact that he was attracted to her.

"She has absolutely no help except for
her Uncle. Can't see why she wants to stay. We all know about the
property; she could sell for a reasonable price and get it. And get
this..." George paused, eyeing Joe with a keen scrutiny, "she plans
to build an adobe house. I mean, by hand, from scratch. Some notion
her uncle has about the place. Says he can get Indian labor real
cheap from New Mexico. You know, his dead wife's relatives. Or
something like that. But still...adobe?"

"Adobe, huh?" Joe pondered the
plausibility. Something inside him smiled. They didn't have a thing
in common except for one minor detail that no one would notice. She
was an independent thinker. Like himself. And he admired her
guts.

"Now, what would a woman like that know
about building a house, especially adobe? Do you realize how much
work it would entail? Not to mention time. It's ridiculous to
contemplate."

"Is it?" Joe eyed his
friend.

"Well, of…"

"'Bout as crazy as me bringing
Longhorns back to Texas?" he ventured. "Give her the loan, George.
I'll co-sign the note."

"You? My God, man, are you crazy, too?"
George protested, running a reckless hand through his tawny hair.
Wide-set blue eyes fixed on Joe purposely as he continued to
object. "Why, do you realize if she didn't make it, you'd have to
mortgage your place? That would put you in debt for some time, my
friend. You might never recover your losses, especially since
you're taking quite a gamble on those Longhorns. I can't let you do
this. As your banker I must advise you to--"

"I'm not asking you to let me. I'm
telling you I want to do it," Joe said firmly, his jaw jutting out
in that determined angle.

"What possible reason could warrant
such an insane action?" Then, as though it dawned on him, George
reassessed the offer. "Oh, so, that's it, huh?"

Not given to histrionics, Joe replied
sanguinely, "No, that's not how it is, George. Look, her old man
gave me a break once. Let's just say I'm repaying the favor.
Besides, where would this country be if people didn't help each
other?"

George stared at him as though he'd
lost his mind. And his face screwed up when Joe finished his
statement.

"Just fix it for her, and don't tell
her how it was done."

"Don't tell her? But why not? She's
bound to wonder how?"

"Tell her you reconsidered."

"But why keep it a secret?"

Joe smiled, pleased with his decision.
"Because someone, much like yourself, once helped my
great-grandfather down the line. I'd like to think I'm repaying
that favor. Yes, sir, my grandpappy can rest assured the debt is
paid."

"You've no personal interest in this?"
George scrutinized his friend.

"I didn't say that. I just said my
personal interests are another matter. I knew her father. He didn't
like me much. Thought I was trying to steal his land. But I saw the
man a few weeks before he died and I over-heard him telling a
friend he wanted to leave her something when he died. The man was a
bum, George, but he loved his daughter. Besides," he paused with a
smile, "I'm curious to see what she does with the
place."

"And?" George smiled back.

"And, I'll keep you posted on any
further developments. I'm afraid she's got more important things to
worry about right now than me. Someone is sure trying to throw a
scare into her."

"What do you mean?"

Joe pushed himself back in the chair
and went into detail about the accident at the Rodeo. "I've got a
gut feeling she thinks I'm the culprit."

"You?" George's outburst had Joe
laughing inwardly. The man was a friend. "Then she doesn't know you
very well, does she, my friend?"

Joe chuckled aloud. "She's just a
skittish filly that needs to be gentled."

"By someone like you?" George
snickered.

"Maybe, maybe not." Joe suddenly got to
his feet. "Now, what time is dinner?"

George Driscoll stood up. "Make it
seven or so. I'll have to stay late for the auditors."

"Want me to bring anything?" Joe
offered as he paused in the doorway.

"Just yourself."

Joe nodded. "Okay, I'll be there," he
called, and then strolled out of the bank and back into the bright
sunlight.

~*~

"Okay, so who is this Candy Arnold?"
Lisa asked that evening.

Joe shot her a quick smile and went to
hug her tightly to him. Gazing down into her gorgeous blue-eyes he
answered, "Just a neighbor."

But something had drastically changed
between himself and Lisa. Perhaps it was the announcement of the
baby. Perhaps that's what made him detach himself from this lovely
woman he'd loved forever.

He smiled to himself. She was still
petite, blonde and beautiful, but holding her wasn't affecting him
any longer. Those male urges that used to drive him insane whenever
he came close to her were gone.

"Just a neighbor," she repeated with
disbelief. "You've been talking about her for nearly an hour and
she's just a neighbor?"

George moved to comfort his wife.
"Sorry, honey, we weren't deliberately neglecting you. Miss
Arnold's land has the whole community in a stir. They found water
there last month, and everyone in the Panhandle wants to buy it out
from under her."

"And I'm afraid that puts Miss Arnold
in a bad situation right now," Joe explained, moving away from
Lisa.

"Water?" Lisa persisted trying to make
sense of all the conversation.

"Yes, darling, it seems her land
contains the only real natural water rights that haven't been used,
and she owns all the mineral rights to it. She's sitting on a gold
mine and doesn't know it," George explained, his arm going
affectionately around his wife's waist as he pulled her against
him.

"They finally found water, here in
Channing?" Lisa shrieked. "That's unbelievable."

"Yes, but there's a problem, it's very
deep. We'd have to drill with heavier equipment than we've seen in
this area to get it up. Besides, Candy Arnold isn't about to sell
us those rights, once she finds out what she has," Joe informed
them.

"Maybe we could persuade
her."

"Well, don't look at me, friend. She
doesn't trust me." Joe sat down at the table and glanced up at
them. "So, are we going to eat or let all this food get
cold?"

"Well, yes, but…someone else is coming.
She should be here any minute," Lisa fussed, and then ran into the
kitchen to check the biscuits.

"She?" the men chimed with a knowing
laugh.

"Yes, and both of you be nice. She's a
new member of our church and she doesn't know many people here,"
Lisa defended.

But Debbie Fletcher was more than a
local stranger in town. She was definitely a woman on the prowl for
a husband. Joe had a second sense about these things and instantly
shied away from them. Something about a female on the make just
turned him totally off.

What on earth was wrong with him
tonight? First Lisa looked different to him. Then, there was this
gorgeous brunette with a body that wouldn't quit. And he didn't
want either of them.

Lisa tried her best to throw them
together at every opportunity. After supper she put them to work
cleaning the dishes, which George instantly fussed at her for. Joe
spotted her ploy and decided not to say anything.

Alone, Debbie was quite different than
at the table. Joe felt no urge to advance on her. He didn't have
to. Debbie pretended helplessness, asking him to tie her apron. Joe
tied it and moved away. He deliberately thwarted her every attempt
to flirt. However, as he drove her home, she caught his attention.
"Want to tell me about her?"

Something about the resigned voice had
him talking once more. "Her? Her who?"

"No man totally ignores a woman unless
he has someone else on his mind. Who is she?'

"Oh, it's not a woman, Debbie. I've
just been caught up in my work lately. 'Fraid I've forgotten a lot
of my social graces."

When he reached her small house on the
outskirts of town she purred sweetly, her full red lips pouting.
"Want to come in for a drink?"

He cleared his throat as he eyed her.
"I better not tonight Debbie. But maybe I'll take a
rain-check."

"Am I doing something wrong? Or don't
you like me, Joe?"

Joe squirmed. He didn't want to go
there. Sure, she was sexy as hell, but there wasn't anything there
for him except the basic urge to explore. "No, you aren't doing
anything wrong, Debbie. You are a very attractive woman."
Attractive didn't cover it; she was a bombshell and, any other
time, he wouldn't hesitate to take what she so generously offered.
"But--" what could he say. "I guess I just don't like being set
up."

Debbie grinned. "Yes, Lisa wasn't very
subtle, was she? I'm afraid I didn't help much either. I don't
always go around throwing myself at men. But I've been so lonely
since I moved out here from Canton. I mean, I knew everyone there.
Here, it's so different. If you weren't born here, they sort of
treat you like an outsider. But I do like you, Joe."

"Thanks. I like you, too."

"Maybe if we get to know each other a
little better maybe then..."

"I'm sure we will in time," he agreed.
He pulled her unresisting body into his arms. She strained to be
closer. Her lips parted as his head bent to take the kiss she
offered.

She was everything any red-blooded man
could ask for; warm, soft, inviting, and he was totally not into
it. He groaned as he pulled away. He must have given her the wrong
impression because she was pulling his head down for another
kiss.

Joe pushed her gently away. He opened
his eyes and saw a Pontiac passing by. He recognized the old car
and the driver. It was Candy Arnold, he growled inwardly.
Deliberately, he put space between himself and the willing
woman.