Free Lone Star Legacy by Roxanne Rustand Page B

twenty dollars for pizza, then collapsed on a wrought-iron bench in the front yard, exhausted.
    When Gina’s red Tahoe pulled up a few minutes later, Beth hobbled out to the curb to get Sophie out of her car seat. As soon as she was free, Sophie flew into Beth’s arms, her face alight with joy. “I had fun, Momma! We played games and dolls, and we had lunch…and they have a waterslide!”
    “I hope you don’t mind,” Gina said with a smile. “It’s one of those long plastic things with water jets. There’s nothing more fun than getting wet on a warm day.”
    “I’m just thrilled that Sophie got to visit.” Beth bent down to peer into the empty front and back seats of the vehicle. “Did everything go all right?”
    “The girls played nonstop.” Gina’s smile faded. “I had to drop Olivia off at her dad’s place on the way over here, though. He’s got her the rest of the weekend.”
    “That’s got to be so tough.” What would it be like, going back to a house that echoed with loneliness for an entire weekend? “Would you like to come in for some tea?”
    “I can’t. I have a meeting at church….” Her eyes widened as she took in the front yard. “Holy cow—what a difference!”
    “The troops landed this morning, and they left just a few minutes ago.” Beth closed her eyes briefly. “I cannot thank those kids enough for all they did. If I hadn’t promised to go to the Lone Wolf Spring Festival tonight, I’d just sit right here and enjoy looking at my clean yard.”
    “So you’ve got a hot date?” Gina teased.
    Beth rolled her eyes. “More of a mercy date, really. On both counts.”
    “Okay, now you have to tell me.”
    “Nothing much to tell. I think Joel wanted a human shield, so some of the overeager, matchmaking mothers in town will back off. And…well, a widowed mom with scars and a limp isn’t much of a prize. I just figured it would be a chance to get out for a few hours.”
    Gina looked appalled. “You make yourself sound old as Methuselah. What are you, child, pushing thirty?”
    “Thirty-two.”
    Gina propped her fists on her hips and surveyed Beth from head to toe. “And what scars?” She leaned closer and gently touched Beth’s cheek. “You can’t mean these faint ones here.”
    “A person can hardly miss them.” Beth pushed back the sleeve of her shirt to show off the scars on her arm. “Or these. Makes the classic little black cocktail dress a challenge, don’t you think?”
    “If it’s sleeveless, maybe, but not all of them are—and that isn’t what people wear to these affairs, anyway.” Gina tapped her lips with a neatly manicured forefinger. “Nice slacks and tops. Or spring dresses. Long sleeves would be fine, or you could add a pretty cashmere pashmina.”
    Beth glanced down at her T-shirt and old jeans. “I’m afraid I left the country club life back in Chicago.”
    “That’s it? Just jeans and shirts?”
    “Mostly. With a few skirts and sweaters thrown in.”
    “Well, babe, you are in luck today. Auntie Gina gained an unfortunate amount of weight after her divorce, and she has a whole wardrobe in the wrong size.”

     
    J OEL TOOK ONE LOOK at Beth, and nearly choked on his spearmint gum.
    Even in jeans and T-shirts, she’d looked trim and attractive, but in a body-hugging, rose-colored dress that didn’t begin to reach her knees and those silvery, high-heeled shoes, she looked incredible. Sexy.
    And she was exactly what he’d been hoping to avoid.
    The good thing was that the women who’d been flirting with him would see that he was unavailable, and he wouldn’t need to flounder for tactful, distancing conversation.
    The bad thing was that somehow he needed to keep his hands off Beth and remind himself that she was simply his friend and nothing more. She’d made that clear all along, and that had suited him perfectly…until now.
    What was it about those delicate sandals that made her slender legs look even more provocative? Or that