Least Likely To Wed

“Of course it was okay. So he didn’t upset you?”

Kelly noted how closely Lindsay was watching her. “No, of course not.”

Lindsay heaved a big sigh. “Oh, good, ’cause he needs your help.”

Kelly drew a deep breath. “I don’t think I’d be very good as a cowboy. Sorry.”

“That’s okay, ’cause he doesn’t need you to round up cows. He needs you to go to the movies with him.” Lindsay smiled at her as if she’d already agreed to help Pete.

“Oh, come on, Lindsay. Pete can get a date in a minute’s time. You know how popular he is. The women in town just flock to him.” She was not going to the movies with Pete. Of that she was sure.

“You’re right,” Lindsay agreed.

Kelly released a deep sigh. “Of course I am.”

“But none of them have what you have,” Lindsay added.

“What’s that?” Kelly asked sharply.

“You don’t want to get married,” she replied, her grin triumphant.

Kelly had told her friend her feelings too many times to argue with her now. “True, but I’m not going out with him. He’s not going to use me to break some woman’s heart. He can do that by himself.”

“I know you’ll find this hard to believe, but he can’t. He warned Sheila he just wanted fun, no commitment, but she considered his words a challenge.”

“Of course,” Kelly replied matter-of-factly, understanding at once what Lindsay had had to explain to the men.

“Well, she’s been bragging about how she plans to trap him. If he doesn’t marry her, it will harm his reputation. If he does marry her, he’ll be miserable the rest of his life. The answer is to start dating a woman who doesn’t want marriage. You.”

“I don’t date.” Kelly didn’t bother to protest Lind-say’s plan. Her determined tone, she thought, would do the trick. After all, Lindsay knew her history. She understood why Kelly wanted nothing to do with a man.

“It wouldn’t really be a date,” Lindsay said. “Mostly you’d just appear in public with him. The rest of the time, you’d be watching a movie you’ve been wanting to see—and Pete would have to pay! Wouldn’t that be great? It’d only be a few times. And our entire family would be grateful.” Lindsay shuddered. “Imagine having Sheila as part of your family. How awful!”

“I don’t even know her!” Kelly exclaimed. “Do you want to come have a soda before you go home?”

“Great, but before we go upstairs, will you please help Pete—and me—out?”

Kelly glared at her best friend in the world, angry with her that she was backing Kelly into a corner. How could she refuse? Because of Lindsay, her shop was flourishing, and she and Drew no longer lived in the small trailer home. Her mother was with her and enjoying life, finally. All because of Lindsay.

But she just couldn’t say yes.

“Lindsay, I just can’t. I—it’s—”

Lindsay moved closer to Kelly. “I figured, so I worked out some incentive.”

“Lindsay—” Kelly began to protest, but Lindsay stopped her.

“It’s only fair. And it’s something you’ll love because it helps your mother, too.”

For the first time, Lindsay really had Kelly’s attention. “What are you talking about? How could Pete do something that would help my mother?”

Lindsay smiled. “Well, I thought you might refuse, so I decided you’d be more agreeable if the two of you weren’t alone. So I suggested you double-date.”

“It would certainly make it easier, but I don’t see how that would help my mother.”

Lindsay said nothing.

Kelly stared at her. “Well?”

“The other couple would be Mary…and Rafe.”

“Mother and Rafe?”

“You said you wanted her to date, to have fun. And remember those shy looks between them, when you both came to the ranch for dinner? I thought they would be perfect together. I suggested it to Rafe, without mentioning that I thought he was interested in Mary. It was so cute, Kelly. He ducked his head and said he guessed he could help Pete out, if Mary wouldn’t object.” Lindsay chuckled, pleasure on her face.

Kelly closed her eyes and swallowed.

Looks like she was wrong.

She was going to the movies with Pete Crawford.

Chapter Two

On Friday night Kelly studied herself in the mirror. She hadn’t gone out in the evening since before Drew’s birth. She was nervous.

But it had nothing to do with Pete, she assured herself. Because she wasn’t interested in Pete…or any man. She was nervous about her mother and Rafe. Especially because her mother was so excited. She didn’t want her mother to be disappointed.

“Kelly? May I come in?” her mother called.

“Of course, Mom.” Kelly stood and headed for the door as her mother entered. “Oh, you look so nice!”

“Thank you. I’m not too dressed up, am I?”

“No, that dress is perfect.” The dress was a navy print with small roses scattered around. The roses matched the color in her mother’s cheeks.

“You look beautiful, Kelly. Pete is going to be pleased.” Mary beamed at her.

“Mom,” Kelly said sharply. “You remember this date is just a pretense, don’t you? I mean, you and Rafe aren’t—but Pete and I don’t—it’s just a pretense, Mom.”

She was afraid her mother would argue with her, but Mary only smiled and said, “But we can enjoy the movie. I haven’t been to a film in ages.”

Kelly smiled. “You can even enjoy the popcorn, Mom.”

“I’d better get some money. I hadn’t thought about popcorn. Mmm, I can smell it now.”

“Mom, I think Pete can pay for your popcorn. After all, he owes us for helping him out.”

Her mother seemed impressed with that idea, reminding Kelly that her mother had been on her own since she was sixteen. Kelly kissed her mother’s cheek. “Just have fun, Mom.”