“He said you saved his life, Ariana,” Emma squeezed her hands. “He doesn’t seem to be in a rush to get you home. Stick around and see where it goes.”
“I like him,” Ariana said. “I just don’t think I could get into a relationship that’s doomed from the start. We aren’t suited for each other. He needs more of a granola girl.”
Emma laughed. “A granola girl?”
“You know, one who eats healthy food, lives, breathes and speaks outdoors. I didn’t even know how to put a worm on a hook.”
“But you did it today, didn’t you?” Emma asked. “Or did my brother do it for you?”
Ariana smiled. “I actually did.”
Emma’s face brightened. “See? There’s hope. And maybe, next time you fish, you can fish from the shore instead of the boat. Speaking of the boat, is it still out there upside down?”
Ariana grimaced. “Yes.”
“My brothers will retrieve it tomorrow. They’ll love the chance to play in the pond.” Emma grinned. “If Coop stays the night, we might all go in the pond to retrieve the boat tomorrow. So, you see, it’s not such a disaster.”
“I almost caught a fish,” Ariana said with a smile.
“It’s too bad you didn’t get to bring it home to show it off.” Emma walked to the door. “Don’t be too hard on yourself, Ariana. You’re new to ranches and the great outdoors. Give it a chance. You might learn to love it as much as we do.”
Ariana gave her friend a tentative smile. “Thank you, Emma. For believing in me.”
“I wouldn’t encourage you, if I didn’t think you were right for my brother. But I’ve known you for a couple years now, and I know you have a good heart and aren’t afraid to try new things. You wouldn’t have built a terrific Zen studio otherwise. I also know my brother. He wouldn’t have brought you home, if he hadn’t seen something special in you. He’s never brought home one of his other women.”
Her eyes widening, Ariana asked, “Were there many other women?”
Emma grinned. “When he was younger, the ladies would follow him everywhere, except out here to the ranch. They didn’t have the code to the electric gate, or they might have camped out in the yard, just for a chance to see Dillon. Lately, he’s been working too hard. He needs to learn how to balance work life with relaxation. I hope you can help him with that.”
“I’d love to have him attend one of my yoga classes,” Ariana said wistfully.
“Ask him,” Emma said. “He’d tell me to go to hell. With you…he’ll probably say yes.”
Ariana stepped across the hallway with her stack of clothes.
When she’d climbed out of the pond beside Dillon, she’d been sure it was the end of their date and any chance at future dates.
After he’d carried her up to the truck, and then kissed her before they’d left the pond, she wasn’t so sure the date was over.
She would wait and see if he asked her out again. What would it hurt to go out with him again, even if the computer system had made an error putting their profiles together? If nothing else, Ariana was getting a real-life adventure instead of a fictional one through the pages of a good book.
She hurried through the shower, anxious to see Dillon again. He still had to take her back to Austin. Would he try to kiss her again?
Man, oh man, she hoped he would.
Chapter 8
Dillon hurried through his shower and shaved, just because, then slapped on some aftershave. He dressed in the nice trousers and polo shirts he reserved for meetings with clients and his best pair of cowboy boots.
As soon as he stepped out of his bedroom, he knew he’d take a brutal ribbing from his brothers over trying to impress Ariana. Well, to hell with them. He liked her. He reasoned with himself that he respected her and wanted her to feel comfortable and not overdressed in her pretty skirt. He checked his reflection in the mirror. It was a far cry better than when he’d dressed for the meeting at the coffee shop.
The events of the day had gone a lot different than he’d expected. Even with tipping over in the boat, he’d enjoyed being with Ariana. She had a fresh outlook on things he’d taken for granted. He liked that she was game to try something new. She’d gone from a corporate job to turning her grief counseling suggestions into a business she was good at. And a city girl giving fishing a try…well, they’d have to work on that. Plus, he had yet to teach her how to ride a horse.
He slowed as he reached the stairs, pausing in front of Emma’s bedroom door. He wanted to knock and see if she was ready to go down but didn’t want to rush her. At the same time, he wanted her to hurry so that he could see her again.
He’d never been that anxious to see a woman again. Most dates he’d been on over the past couple of years had ended up in bed. Afterward, he hadn’t called the woman to arrange a second date. He just hadn’t been that interested.
With Ariana, he wanted the day to continue and was already planning additional dates where they could visit local wineries, ride horses on the ranch and even try fishing again…from the shore. He’d even buy her a pair of boots that fit, if she’d let him.
Dillon headed down the stairs, passed through the kitchen for a beer and walked out onto the porch where his brothers, sister and her husband Coop were drinking beer and grilling steak, corn and potatoes.
“I take it we’re going swimming tomorrow,” Colton said.
Dillon nodded, twisting the top off the bottle. “I could use some help getting the boat out of the pond. We
