Love and Secrets - Kit Morgan Page 0,9
any diet?” Holly followed her into the kitchen.
“Bottom shelf.”
Holly helped herself as Katie checked whatever she had in the oven. “Wow, that smells good.”
“Roast chicken. It’s my grandma’s recipe. She got it from her grandma and so on.”
“An old Turner family classic?” Holly teased and popped the can open. She took a swig and made a face. “It’s always the first sip that’s best.”
“True,” Katie said and shut the oven door. “So, have you thought of what you’re going to do?”
Holly took another sip. “About what?”
“Zane, what else?”
Holly went to the table and sat. “No.”
“No?” Katie joined her at the table.
She shook her head. “There’s nothing to do. He’s just visiting.”
“You don’t know that,” Katie pointed out.
“He didn’t say he was staying.” Even though I asked him.
“You mean you didn’t ask?” Katie blurted.
Holly closed her eyes. “He’s not staying.”
“They why do you have your eyes shut?”
She looked at her. “Why bother? I mean, it’s not like we’re going to pick up where we left off. We’re not Crystal and your brother.”
Katie sighed. “No, you’re not. I guess John got lucky getting Crystal back then getting married.”
“Ya think?” Holly downed more soda and fought against a belch. The result was a grimace. “Besides, Zane’s probably changed so much by now I wouldn’t know the first thing about him.”
Katie gave her a sly smile. “Other than you’re still into him?”
“I am not into him.”
Katie laughed. “You so are.”
“Not!”
She laughed again. “Just keep telling yourself that.” Katie gave her a somber look. “But I guess you’re right. There’s no sense in getting re-acquainted if he’s just going to leave in a couple of weeks.”
Holly gave her a curt nod. “My thoughts exactly. What’s the point?”
Katie nodded too. “Fine, well, what shall we do before dinner’s ready? Want to play a game of Gin Rummy?”
“Sure. Anything.” She hoped she didn’t sound desperate to get off the subject, but Katie could get things in her head and wouldn’t rest until she saw something through. Including reunited her and Zane.
Katie disappeared into the living room, said something to the kids then returned with a deck of cards. She shuffled then started to deal. “We could have him for dinner one night …”
“No!”
Katie’s eyes popped wide. “What’s the matter with you? It’s just dinner.”
Holly shook a finger at her. “Don’t give me that. It’s never just an anything when you’re involved.”
Katie giggled. “Can I help it if I’m a hopeless romantic?”
“Like the way you tried to get Crystal and John back together?”
“It worked, didn’t it?”
“Not the way you think. I had to do a lot of damage control between them.”
“You?”
“Yes, me. You can ask your brother all about it when they get back from their honeymoon.”
“Hmm,” Katie mused and looked over her cards.
Holly looked at her own hand and fought the combined sense of panic and elation at the thought of having dinner with Zane. But it was senseless. Why torture herself? He’d blow through Clear Creek on occasion and that’s as good as it was going to get. New York was his home now. There was no reason to come back. If she’d been the one to move to the big city, would she want to return to Clear Creek? Probably not. So why would Zane?
They played until the oven timer went off, then made a salad. Katie behaved herself for the rest of the evening — thank goodness — and made no more mention of Zane. Good. Holly had had enough talk of getting back together with the hunky cowboy.
She smiled. How did he live his life in New York City? Before he ran off to go to college he worked part time at the Triple-C as a cowhand.
Holly tried to picture him riding through Central Park on horseback and bit her lip to keep from laughing. She didn’t want Katie to know she was having such thoughts. It would only push her friend into playing matchmaker. And that was her job.
Chapter Four
Holly got home, tossed her purse onto a chair, then flopped on the couch. She stared at her happy apartment. Even though it was growing dark, the pinks, light greens and yellows still made the place cheery. What didn’t was Katie’s insistence on bringing Zane up all night.
Holly groaned and buried her face in her hands. “Katie!”
It wouldn’t have been so bad if she hadn’t painted such a pretty picture. But the facts said otherwise. There was a good 2700 miles between Clear Creek and New York. She didn’t have time to fly