Keely had eaten earlier, so she just had a very light meal. After she’d finished, she wondered if it was really the food that drew him here. He couldn’t take his eyes off the waitress who took their orders. And the waitress blushed prettily when he stared at her.
“Do you know her?” Keely asked softly when the waitress went to turn in their orders.
“Yes,” he said, grimacing. “I’m in love with her.”
Immediately Keely recalled Boone’s attitude toward his siblings becoming involved with someone from a lower economic class. He’d been vocal about it in the past. The look on Clark’s face was painful to see. She knew without asking that he was seeing the hopelessness of his own situation vividly.
“Is she the one you took to supper at the ranch?” she asked, remembering something she’d heard from Winnie.
He nodded. “Boone was polite to her, but later he asked me if I was out of my mind. He sees all working women as gold diggers who can’t wait to marry me and then divorce me for a big settlement.”
“Not all women want money,” she pointed out.
“Tell Boone. He doesn’t know.”
“That woman he goes out with seems to be obsessed with it,” Keely muttered.
“She doesn’t count, because she’s rich in her own right.”
“Yes. She’s beautiful, too,” she added with more bitterness than she realized.
He studied her across the white tablecloth with its fresh flowers, candles and silverware. “Think about it—would a man like Boone stick his head into the same noose he escaped once? That woman walked away from him when he was lying in a hospital with shrapnel wounds that could have killed him. She didn’t like hospitals. She thought he might be crippled, so she gave him back his ring. Now she’s in San Antonio and wants to go back to where they started. How do you think Boone feels about that?”
For the first time, she felt a glimmer of hope. “Your brother doesn’t forgive people,” she said softly. It was what she’d said once to Winnie.
“Exactly. Much less people who stick pins in his pride.”
“Then why is he taking her around with him?” Keely wanted to know.
He shrugged. “She’s beautiful and she has polished manners. Maybe he’s just lonely and he wants a showpiece on his arm. Or,” he added slowly, “maybe he has something in mind that she isn’t expecting. She wants to marry him again. But I don’t think he wants to marry her. And I think he’s got a good reason for going out with her at all.”
“God knows what it is,” Keely murmured.
“God does know. He probably doesn’t like it, either.”
“You think Boone is working on revenge?”
“Could be. He doesn’t often share his innermost thoughts with Winnie or me. Boone plays his hand close to his chest. He doesn’t give away anything.”
“What was he like before he came home wounded?” she wanted to know.
“He was less somber,” he told her. “He played practical jokes. He laughed. He enjoyed parties, and he loved to dance. Now, he’s the total opposite of the man he used to be. He’s bitter and edgy, and he won’t say why. He’s never talked to any of us about what happened to him over there.”
“You think whatever it was is what changed him so much?”
He nodded. “I miss the brother I had. I can’t get close to the man he’s become. He avoids me like the plague. More so, since I brought Nellie home with me for supper. He gave me a long lecture on the dangers of encouraging hired help. He was eloquent.”
“So you’re uneasy about taking her out on a date.”
“I’m uneasy about Boone finding out that I’m dating her,” he confessed. “Which brings me,” he added with a glance, “to the solution I need your help with.”
She gave him a wary look. “Why do I get the feeling that I shouldn’t have agreed to come here with you?”
“I can’t imagine.” He leaned toward her, smiling. “But if you’ll just cooperate in my little project, I’ll return the favor one day.”
She noticed that Nellie, waiting on another table, was sending pained looks toward Clark, who was oblivious to her interest. “This is upsetting Nellie,” she pointed out.
“Not for long. I’ll speak with her before we leave. Listen, you’re my best friend. I need you to be a friend and help me divert Boone from guessing how involved I am with Nellie. We’re going to pretend to get involved, if you’re game.”
“Involved?” Keely squeaked. “Listen here, Boone already thinks I’m sleeping with Bentley, thanks to my mother. He won’t believe I’m turning my attention to you. He hates me!” she exclaimed. “He’ll go out of his mind if he thinks you’re serious about me, and he’ll stop it any way he can. I’ll lose my job and have to stay at home, my mother will drive me crazy—”
“Your mother will be thrilled if you go out with me, because I’m rich,” Clark said sardonically. “She won’t cause trouble. And Boone will spend his time trying to think up ways to get you out of my life, unaware of what’s really going on.”
“Boone isn’t stupid,” she worried. “He’s going to wonder what you see in me. I’m poor, I work at a menial job…”
“I’ll take care of all that,” he said, smoothing it over. “All you have to do is pretend to find me fascinating.” He grinned. “Actually I am fascinating,” he added. “Not to mention highly eligible and charming.”
She made a face at him.
“But my brother can’t know it’s not for real,” Clark added seriously. “He’s got control of all my money until I turn twenty-seven. Then I can get to my trust. That’s next year. I can’t afford to tick him off just yet. But I’m not giving up Nellie.” He glanced toward the young waitress, who
