Free The Last Cowboy In Texas by Pat Dale Page B

to run. I think you’ll like the changes I made in it.”
    “You changed it?”
    “Yep. I ran it in Branson, too. Want to see it?”
    “Sure.” She took the copy and headed for her office with him trailing. “Have a seat while I read this.” After she scanned the text, she smiled at him. “This is more like it, though I suspect you’ve already won the battle.”
    “Really? How do you figure that?”
    “Didn’t you see the look on Aggie’s face last night? She’s in love with your country singer friend.”
    He grinned. “I hope so. JT needs a good woman to put him on the straight and narrow and keep him there. Someone other than all those flighty female singers.”
    “She’ll certainly be able to compete with them. I don’t think we’ll hear much more out of Dr. Carlson, either.”
    “I hope not. He could be trouble.”
    “Yeah. Trouble with a capital W.”
    “W?”
    “Womanizer.”
    “Oh. That’s what you used to call me.”
    “I know. I’m sorry for that.”
    They spent a few minutes working out rates and print schedules. When they were done, he took her hand in his. “Paige, I still mean what I said last night.”
    “About loving me?”
    “Yes. Have you thought about it?”
    Have I! But I’m not ready to tell you. “It’s nothing that kept me awake.” Liar!
    He said, “Oh? Can we go somewhere and talk some more?”
    “I’ve got lots to do this morning, Troy .”
    “Later, then. I really need to talk to you.”
    “Maybe. How about lunch?”
    “That’ll work. I’ll pick you up.”
    “Let’s just meet at the café, Troy . At twelve, okay?”
    “Sure. Whatever you say. See you then, sweetheart.”
     
    * * *
     
    Troy had been gone about five minutes when Steve Carlson came storming into the paper office. “I need to talk to you.”
    “You too?”
    He looked puzzled. “Yes. Have you seen Aggie?”
    “Since last night? No.”
    “She didn’t come home. I don’t know where she is.”
    “Home?” Paige had a good idea where she was but had no intention of sharing it with this jerk. “Well, I’m certainly not someone she reports to, Doctor. And she is an adult, isn’t she?”
    “Yes, she is. But I don’t know what to think.”
    “Maybe I can help with that. You’ve been two-timing your wife with Aggie. She knows it and I know it. I asked you last night whether your wife knows. You didn’t answer so I’ve decided to call her to find out. How would that go over?”
    “You wouldn’t dare!”
    “That’s what I thought. She has no idea what you’ve been up to with your students, does she? Well, Doctor, this could be a very juicy story for St. Louis County , as well as for Stone County . Should I print it and send it off to our affiliates in the city?”
    “No! I’ll do whatever you want, only don’t bring this into the public. Please?”
    She put her face squarely in front of his and said, “I think it would be good if you went back to your ivory tower and forgot about environmental issues around these parts, Dr. Carlson. Oh yes, and where Aggie is concerned, I’d leave her alone if I were you. She’s a nice woman who needs a real man, not an ego-inflated mouse such as yourself.”
    He nodded, then trudged to the door. “I’m sorry things have worked out this way.”
    “So am I. It’s been fun watching Troy on tenterhooks but there’s no way I can let a worm like you ruin his life. Now, get out of here and don’t come back.”
    She went to the window to see that he drove away without heading for Troy ’s office. When he was gone, she grabbed the phone but hesitated and put it down without dialing. This was something best kept for lunch. Better yet...
    Her thoughts were interrupted by Missy and a tall blond hunk of a man holding her hand. “Hi, Paige. Remember Tom Fairfield?”
    She didn’t remember this guy at all. His name, yes, and the fact that he had blond hair. But where were the thick glasses? And the classic nerd look. This guy was straight from