A Buckhorn Summer

But a few others were women she’d grown up with. Even April and Kady, two of her uncle Gabe’s beautiful blond bombshell daughters, came in.

It was a joke in the family, how her uncle Gabe had been such a handful and a ladies’ man and now all three of his daughters were miniature, more feminine versions of him, which meant they turned heads everywhere they went.

Gray, however, treated them with the same reserved, respectful politeness he used with the rest of the women.

All except her. With her, he smiled more warmly, and more often. And she caught him constantly watching her. Each and every time their gazes met, she felt the heat and need like a growing, combustible force.

Did she dare indulge in another fling with him?

Did she have the willpower to resist?

Later that day, around suppertime, her uncle Morgan’s daughter, Amber, showed up. The opposite of Kady and April, Amber had long, sleek dark hair and amazing blue eyes. Also unlike Kady and April, Amber wore a sundress instead of a bikini. She still looked like a model, and Lisa still felt drab in comparison.

Amber spoke to Gray only for a minute, then swooped in on Lisa. “You’re really working here?”

On tiptoe, straightening the shelf of hats that had been displaced by customers, Lisa nodded. “I really am.”

“For the whole summer?”

Knowing Amber and recognizing that tone, Lisa turned to face her cousin. “That’s the plan, but Amber, seriously, do not start playing matchmaker.”

At that, Gray looked up and, frowning, put aside some receipts and headed toward them.

“But I have the perfect guy! Actually about a dozen perfect guys.”

“No.”

“Don’t be a stick in the mud. You always work and never have time, but if you’re right here anyway, you at least have to meet them.” Holding up a hand, Amber insisted, “I won’t take no for an answer. A casual meet and greet, that’s all. I know! I’ll invite them over to the Sunday family picnic.”

Nearly every Sunday her entire family gathered together. Both her uncle Sawyer and her uncle Morgan had houses near the lake. Her cousin Casey did, too, but his was smaller, not really equipped for the big crowds of her far-reaching clan.

Dreading the possibility of having some hapless guy pushed on her, Lisa turned to Gray and said, “Sorry, but I already promised Gray that I’d work on Sunday.”

Amber’s face fell.

Gray slid right in there. “It’s true. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize there was a special function.” When Amber gave him a speculative look, he shrugged. “Sundays are busy for us.”

“Hmm.” Amber didn’t look convinced. “We all get together on Sundays. That is, anyone who isn’t busy. Uncle Sawyer sometimes has patients, and Dad sometimes has business out of town that won’t wait. But around Buckhorn, most everyone closes down on Sundays.”

“Not the vacationers.”

“No, they’re always around, and they never think to get what they need before Sunday.” Amber looked from Gray to Lisa and back again. “How many days a week will Lisa work?”

Lisa said quickly, “I like to stay busy. You know that.”

“Mmm-hmm. So...five days?” Amber’s blue eyes measured them both. “Every day?”

Lisa had no idea where Amber was going with this, only that she was definitely going somewhere. How to answer? Very unsure, she said, “Um...yes?”

“Every day. Wow. You really are a workhorse.” Turning to Gray, she added silkily, “Lucky you.”

Gray frowned. “When she needs time off, I’ll do my best to accommodate her.”

“But not this Sunday,” Lisa rushed to clarify.

“No worries.” Looking smug, Amber gave her a hug, turned to pat Gray on the shoulder and on her way out, said, “I’ll see you around.”

As soon as her cousin cleared the doorway, Lisa dropped back against the shelves with a groan.

“Trouble?” Gray asked.

“If you knew Amber, you wouldn’t have to ask.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Gray, innocent and unaware, said, “What can she possibly do?”

CHAPTER THREE (#u196cbdf4-836b-541b-ace1-ffa573ae382f)

EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. For a week. An entire week!

That’s how long Gray had to suffer through seeing each eligible guy in Buckhorn County paraded through his store for Lisa’s approval.

Amber changed it up to keep them guessing, one day coming first thing, then during lunch, once toward suppertime, and so on. Lisa couldn’t plan ahead to avoid her, because she never knew when Amber might show up with the hopeful swain in tow.

Each time Lisa was unfailingly polite to the guy without offering encouragement, while also giving her cousin death stares. The guys weren’t deterred. Not that Gray blamed them.