Free Sunset Surrender by Charlene Sands Page A

armor,” she grumbled quietly.
    Luke threw his head back and laughed. Then she found humor in it, too, and laughed along with him. He took her arm and steered her out the front door. They strode along the length of the veranda and stood with the morning light to their backs as late spring sunshine warmed the air on a blue-sky day. Luke looked left then right, as if making sure they were alone. Whatever was on his mind today, he wanted a private conversation.
    “I have an idea,” he began. “Ruth’s official last day of work is coming up. I’d like to throw her a surprise retirement party.”
    “That’s nice of you, Luke. I’m sure she’d appreciate it.”
    “I’d like to do it at the house rather than the lodge. You know, get her out of the work environment. I was thinking out back, in our yard. Logan’s thinking it’s a good idea, too. The weather’s been really nice at night.”
    “Go on.” Sophia suspected that Luke was hinting that she be a part of his scheme, somehow.
    “The thing is, Ruth usually coordinated our parties at the lodge, and well...I can’t really ask her to do it. What I know about throwing a party can fit in my pinkie finger.” He raised a work-roughened, rodeo-injured little finger.
    So that was it. “You want my help?”
    He fixed his gaze on her and shrugged. “I would love your help.”
    Sophia didn’t have to think twice. “Of course.”
    Luke sighed with relief. “Great. You don’t know how much I appreciate it. Funny, but I trust you more than the event planner we’ve used in the past. I want to make this special for Ruth.”
    “I’ll do my best.”
    “It’s not too much for you? You did just arrive. You have a new home and new job to settle into.” Concern washed over his features as if he’d just realized what he was asking of her.
    “I’m sure I can handle it. How many guests are we talking about here?”
    “Probably sixty? We’d invite all the employees, although some will have to split shifts in order to stop by. There’s several loyal patrons who have known Ruth from the beginning, and then there’s her family. I’d like her grandkids to be invited, too.”
    “Okay. I could probably put that together. You want this to be a surprise?”
    He glanced away for a second toward the pasture. “Yeah, I think so. Ruth wouldn’t let us go to any fuss if she knew about it.”
    “I understand.”
    “Are you available tonight to go over the details? I’ll bring dinner. No spice, no chili peppers, I promise.”
    Sophia was available every night. She had no hot dates, no friends other than Luke to hang out with, and putting together a party for Ruth would help her get to know the employees better, anyway. It was win-win. “Seven o’clock?”
    “I’ll be there.”
    Luke released a sigh of relief. “Thanks, Soph.” He leaned forward to kiss her cheek chastely then smiled at her. “You’re a lifesaver.”
    * * *
    The knock came precisely at seven o’clock. Sophia’s appetite had surged back to life this afternoon, and she was ready to share a delicious bland meal with a good friend. She had the table set for two and her laptop ready for the work they’d do on the retirement party. Sophia padded barefoot to the door, dressed comfortably in black capri pants and a white tank top tied at the side of her waist.
    She opened the door with flair, eager for the company, and did an immediate double take, shaking her head and blinking.
    “You’re eyes aren’t deceiving you.” The comment spilled from Logan’s tight lips. “It’s not your pal Luke.”
    Sophia stared at the man standing on her doorstep. Her heart did a little flip. Her initial reaction to him still baffled her. Why was she so susceptible to him? He wasn’t anything special, she reasoned. But then again, Sophia couldn’t lie to herself. He was special in the ways that mattered to most women—smart, handsome, capable, kind to almost everyone else on the planet but her. And he was standing on