When Dreams Collide (10 page)

“Hot damn! I’ll get to work on it as soon as I return to the city.” The realtor headed toward his car.

“Hell, no! I’ll drive, Randy. You get started on the paperwork right now. The faster we complete it, the faster you receive your commission and I move onto my ranch.” Dusty smiled at him, silently praying he’d see the logic in his suggestion.

“You’re right!” Randy handed him the keys again and turned his attention to Susan. “Little lady, you’ve got yourself one smart fellow here. Come on, let’s go.”

Susan hooked her arm around Randy’s and walked back to the car with him. “No need to tell me what a smart guy he is. And he’s kinda handsome, too.”

“If you say so.” Dusty winked at Susan when Randy wasn’t looking.

She mouthed a silent ‘thank you’ back at him. And then she added, “Just think Dusty, this being a cash sale with only the inspection and transfer of title to be processed, you could be handed the keys in two weeks, maybe three at the most.”

“Halleluiah. I’m looking forward to the day.” Dusty beamed as he climbed behind the wheel.

The drive back to Bozeman was uneventful. Randy tapped the keys on his laptop the entire way, carrying on a constant conversation while Dusty drove them safely back to the city.

“I’ll let you know what the owner says when I present this offer tonight. I’ve got your cell number. I’ll be in touch.” Randy shook Dusty’s hand, enthusiastically, and then tipped his Stetson to Susan.

“Anytime, day or night, Randy, especially if it’s good news.” Dusty grinned, dug his checkbook out of his pocket, and wrote a check for four hundred thousand dollars, hoping the owner got the message: serious offer. Dusty handed the realtor the check. “I’m offering his asking price. You’ve stipulated this is a cash sale. I don’t see why he wouldn’t accept it.”

“Me neither. The owner is widowed and the ranch has been on the market for six months now. Nobody even put in an offer until you came along. After the falling out with his son, I think the old guy just wants to sell and move into the city.”

“I don’t much care about his reasons for selling. I’m just delighted to find this place.” Dusty beamed. He’d already figured out how he was setting up the barn, and a little paint here and there and the place would be spruced up and ready for business. He might be counting chickens, but he’d never been so excited about anything in ages.

“Glad to hear it. It troubled me some, when that ranch went on the market. Didn’t want a Hollywood type snapping it up and ruining the place. Now don’t get me wrong, lots of those California folks are excellent ranchers, but some of them...well, don’t get me started.” Randy shook his head.

“Takes all kinds, regardless of a person’s background.” Dusty stood hands on hips. “I don’t judge a man any way except through his actions.”

“Dusty, you’re a nice fellow,” beamed Randy. “It’ll be a pleasure having you for a neighbor. I moved here from Texas ten years ago when I married my second wife. Met her on one of those online dating sites. We own a ranch about ten miles from here. We should get the wives together and do us some grilling one of these evenings.”

“I’m not his wife,” blurted Susan.

“She’s my...financial advisor.” Randy glared at Susan who’d made it sound like being his wife would be the worst fate imaginable. Her expression changed which suggested she regretted the blunt outburst.

“My mistake, ma’am.” Randy touched the brim of his Stetson and turned back to Randy. “But you’re welcome over at our place any time.”

“Thank you. I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other from time to time.” Dusty hoped it wouldn’t be too frequently. He intended for his ranch to keep him too busy making a profit to be concerned with much socializing.

Randy headed toward the office, waving Dusty’s check and calling over his shoulder, “Talk to you soon, Dusty. You take care now.”

Dusty waved back and whispered to himself, “Hopefully, very soon.” He couldn’t wait to take possession of that ranch, and he couldn’t think of one reason that it shouldn’t be very soon. He glanced at his watch. “Let’s get a couple of rooms for the night. Find a fancy restaurant and enjoy a relaxing dinner. Maybe find a good country bar and have a drink or two.”

“O...kay.” Susan sounded less than enthused by his suggestion.

“Unless you need to go back to Helena.” Dusty met her eyes.

Susan shook her head.

“Let’s stick around until morning in hopes Randy comes back with news that my offer was accepted” Dusty puzzled over her reluctance. She’d brought a suitcase with her, so he’d assumed she wouldn’t object to staying over.

“Sounds like a plan,” said Susan, smiling weakly.

A strange expression crossed her face.

Dusty couldn’t imagine what she was thinking.

Chapter 7

Dusty checked them into adjoining rooms in a high-end hotel. He returned to the car and carried their bags in while Susan poked her head into the lounge and restaurant.

“This is a nice place, and there’s a pool somewhere. Three freckle-faced kids raced through the lobby wearing swimsuits, with towels wrapped around their necks.” Susan smiled at the memory.

She envied Amanda who would soon join the ranks of motherhood. Susan had hoped for a home and family of her own one day, but with Dusty relocating to Bozeman she couldn’t paste his face into the mental image of her children’s father any longer.

“I never thought to pack a pair of trunks,” muttered Dusty.

“I didn’t pack a bathing suit either.” Susan sighed.

They rode the elevator to the second floor.

“Here’s the key to your room, 202. I’m in 201. There’s a connecting door. Easier to talk to each other. But it’s up to you if we open it or not.” Dusty dropped his bag outside his door and carried her suitcase for her.

Susan slipped the key card into the slot and pulled it out. The light flicked and the lock clicked and disengaged. “Opening the connecting door is fine with me. We can decide which businesses we’ll check out tomorrow and what restaurant to patronize for dinner.”

“Okay, I’ll go open my side, too.”

Susan pushed down on the handle and entered the room. “This is nice.”

Dusty placed her suitcase on one of the queen-sized beds. “I wanted you to be comfortable.” He disappeared out the door closing it behind him.

Susan flopped onto the closest bed. “So much for my fantasy of spending a wild weekend with Dusty MacFarland. Separate rooms? He might as well be my brother,” she lamented.

She stuck her suitcase on the foldout luggage rack, unlocked the room’s connecting door, and pulled it open. The door on Dusty’s side stood ajar. When she peered inside his room, she discovered him talking on his cell phone and pacing in front of the window. She shamelessly eavesdropped on his conversation.

“Seven o’clock sounds perfect.”

Pause.

“For two”

Pause.

“Thank you for accommodating us on such short notice.” Dusty disconnected the call and tossed his cell phone onto the bed.

“Hi,” said Susan, warning him of her presence.

Dusty’s head whipped up and a broad smile creased his face. “Hi there. Come on in.” He waved her over.

“Our rooms are identical,” observed Susan as she crossed the two-toned beige carpet.

“Didn’t notice.” Dusty reached for her hand and drew her into his arms. “But I’ve been waiting to do this all day.”

Susan gasped as Dusty pulled her against him, buried his hands in her hair and found her mouth. The kiss lasted for several minutes, and the evidence of his attraction to her pressed against her. All brotherly thoughts flew out of her mind, and she fought to remain in control of her senses.

Finally, Dusty ended the kiss and looked deep into her eyes.

“If that kiss is any indication of where this night is headed, I think you wasted your money getting two rooms,” whispered Susan, breathlessly, still not fully recovered from the kiss.

Dusty tipped his head. “Would you have minded if I’d registered us in one room?”

Susan thought about his question for a second. “I’m a big girl.”

“Yes, you are.” Dusty grinned and his eyes roamed the entire length of her body. “I’ve got an idea. Go fetch your suitcase and your key. Lock your side of the room again, and meet me in the hallway.”

Susan complied with his request.

Back in the lobby, she stood off to the side while Dusty handed in the keys and spoke with the check-in clerk. She caught snippets of the conversation ‘changed our minds’ and ‘not suitable after all’ and ‘upgrade if you have something available’.

Her stomach flip-flopped with anticipation. Thank goodness she’d packed her little black negligee and stopped at the mall for a pedicure last night and shaved her legs and stuck that box of condoms in her suitcase. A dozen other things raced through her mind. She hadn’t been in a steady relationship for six months, hadn’t been with a man in six months either. She’d known Dusty for exactly a week, but somehow it didn’t matter. Being with him tonight just felt right.

Dusty strode toward her, smiling. “Let’s try this again.”

They rode the elevator to the top floor. Dusty opened the door to their suite and ushered her inside ahead of him.

Susan gasped when she entered. “Oh, my, God, Dusty. This is beautiful.” Her eyes gazed throughout the room, and she felt like a kid in a candy shop. She spied a king-sized bed in a separate room with an attached bathroom. A large white leather couch faced the TV in the main seating area. A four-man hot tub was situated in the far corner of the bedroom. Unlit white pillar candles surrounded the tiled ledge, accompanied by tropical plants and piles of fluffy white towels. A coffee maker, microwave, and bar fridge were located in a bar area beside the room’s entrance. “After I graduated from university, my first apartment was smaller than this hotel room.”

Dusty laughed. “An online buddy of mine described his weekend getaway with his girlfriend on Facebook. Thought I’d try out a King Suite for myself.”

“This works for me. We can wear our underwear in the hot tub, since we didn’t pack bathing suits.”

“Or not,” added Dusty, bobbing his eyebrows.  He reached for her suitcase and set the bag on the floor.

“You are a naughty boy, Mr. MacFarland,” teased Susan.

“You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.” Dusty laughed, slipped his arms around her waist and stole her breath with another steamy kiss.

Seconds before the clothes started coming off, Dusty pushed her away. “Okay, we have exactly ten minutes to drive over to the steakhouse, or we’ll miss our reservation for dinner.”

Susan adjusted her clothes. “Do I have to change out of my jeans?”

“No, it’s not high-class fancy, just good food and casual dress.” Dusty tucked his shirt back into his pants. He couldn’t recall when she’d pulled it out, but she must have.

“Let me fix my lipstick and we’re out of here.” Susan raced to the bathroom and closed the door.

“I brought a bottle of wine,” called Dusty. “I’ll stick it in the refrigerator while we’re gone.”

“Sounds good,” she called back through the door.

Dusty and Susan were only five minutes late arriving for dinner. Susan watched Dusty eat with gusto, while she nibbled at her meal, nervously anticipating their evening together.

“Aren’t you hungry?” inquired Dusty. “If you don’t like that steak, order something else.”

“No, it’s fine. Good, really, good.” Susan smiled and stuffed another bite into her mouth.

Dusty leaned forward, took her hand, kissed her fingers, and whispered. “If you’re having second thoughts. Don’t worry. Nothing is going to happen in that room tonight that you don’t want to happen. Okay?”

Susan nodded her head, unable to get a word past the lump in her throat. Dusty had tuned into her sudden trepidations so easily. “I’m fine,” she whispered.

“Relax and enjoy your meal. We’ll head back to the hotel, and stop by the lounge for a couple of drinks. The worst they can do is ticket us for impaired walking when we decide to head up to our room.” Dusty grinned, mischievously.

“They’d have to ticket half the hotel patrons if the lounge is popular on a Saturday night.” Susan stuck her fork into another piece of steak. “I wonder if they have any entertainment, even some guy with a guitar or a piano player or something.”

“Maybe karaoke,” suggested Dusty, looking hopeful.

“Forget it. You won’t get me up singing for less than a million bucks.” Susan sipped her water.

“A million bucks, eh? I’d do it, if I wasn’t committed to buying a ranch,” he teased.

Susan choked on her drink, spluttered and coughed. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“You’ve got no idea what I might dare,” he said, winking.

Susan gazed into his brown eyes, and several possibilities popped into her mind. “That goes both ways, Mr. MacFarland,” she drawled, sweetly. His playful teasing erased her nerves and she looked forward to spending a pleasant evening with him. The entire evening.

After dinner, they drove back to the hotel. But one drink later, they walked hand-in-hand up to their room. “No entertainment in the lounge, one other patron who left shortly after we arrived, and a bartender who couldn’t mix his way out of a wet paper bag,” muttered Dusty, disgustedly.

“I recall Bozeman nightlife used to be a lot more fun. Or maybe it was the college crowd I hung with. One thing for sure, that lounge isn’t the hot spot in town.” Susan tossed her jacket onto an upholstered chair by the window. “Let’s have some wine.”

“Hear, hear. A glass of wine and then into that hot tub.” Dusty grabbed the corkscrew and went to work on the bottle of Chardonnay.

Susan kicked off her shoes and parked her feet on the corner of the sofa adjacent to her chair. “We did, however, accomplish a lot today. That ranch is almost perfect. A bit of fixing up and it’ll be wonderful.”

“Can’t help thinking maybe the whole thing turned out to be too easy. Second ranch I view and I think it’s a winner.” Dusty handed her a glass of wine. “No. No buyer’s remorse allowed.”

“Cheers!” Susan took a sip. “Mmm, that’s good.”

Susan contemplated Dusty’s observation for a minute. The identical thought had crossed her mind, niggled her during the ride back into Bozeman. Some people search for months until the right property comes along, but Dusty had lucked out so early in the search. His good fortune would prove either a blessing or a curse.