sleeping together.”
“We’re not.” Not that it was any of Dakota’s business.
“Then seems like there might be some pressure. You haven’t even set a firm wedding date!”
“Maybe early June. We’d talked about later, but Mrs. McDiarmid says the church is booked every Saturday from mid-June through July. They’ve got some big outreach rally going on next summer.”
“Oh, I heard about that. An eight-week geocaching hunt. They’re calling it Pot of Gold.” Dakota shook her head. “They think locals will participate and even tourists will flock in. Bummer it interferes with your wedding plans, though.”
“Kathryn suggested if the wedding were small enough, we could have it in her garden instead of the church.”
“That would barely hold the Cavanaghs, let alone your side of the family. I mean, it’s nice, the few glimpses I’ve seen of it through the gate. Kathryn’s never invited me in.”
Shouldn’t surprise Riley. Travis showed his contempt of the Anderson side of the family as much as Adam felt it for his stepbrothers and stepfather. And Dakota was even further removed since she and Travis weren’t actually dating at the moment.
Riley pushed her cowboy hat back a little. “Where’s Toby?”
“Emma met us at the car when I drove in and offered to watch him until Travis came in from the range. What are the guys doing today?”
“Fencing on the northern perimeter, I think.” She’d learned to note their duties on Fridays, since Dakota never failed to ask.
“Are you going home for Thanksgiving? I asked Travis if I could keep Toby that weekend for my family’s sake, but of course he refused.” Dakota made a face.
“No, I’m staying here.” Truth be told, Riley hadn’t even thought about the upcoming holiday. She talked to her mom for a few minutes most Sundays between church and lunch at the Golden Grill. Creekside Park by the church had decent cell coverage except for being a little spotty where the creek tumbled through a small canyon. Riley had learned to wander that direction so cell service would be disrupted, and she could beg off from the call.
She hadn’t even told her parents about Adam or her engagement, fake or otherwise. Dad would immediately talk to Raul, who’d try again to contact her. Best leave him completely in the past.
“Aw, your parents will be disappointed, I’m sure. Where do they live again?”
Riley eyed Dakota. There was no again about it. She’d never told the other woman anything personal. “Too far for a casual visit, sadly.” Or not so sadly.
“Somewhere south of Wyoming, I’m guessing.” Dakota chuckled.
Right, she was Scotty’s sister. Scotty knew that much.
Riley checked her watch. “Wow, I’d better get going here. The guys will soon be back, and I’ve still got one more stall to clean.”
“You work too hard.”
“It’s what they pay me the big bucks for.” Riley laughed. Okay, the big bucks were for acting, but at least the pay for cleaning stalls was steady and sufficient. Maybe after she and Adam broke up, she could find work on another ranch. There was a guest ranch not too far away. Sweet River might be hiring come spring. She’d done more riding lately, and she’d begun feeling more confident in her abilities.
“Sometime when you come into Jewel Lake, we should hang out. Go for a movie or something.”
Define ‘or something.’
Riley shook her head. “I don’t have my own wheels, so I don’t really go anywhere without Adam.”
“I could pick you up when I drop off Toby some Friday afternoon.”
An actual overture of friendship? Or was there more to Dakota’s offer? Maybe she figured if Riley had too much to drink she’d start spilling her secrets. Nope. Not happening. “Thanks for the thought, but I don’t think that will work. You’d have to give me a ride both ways, or Adam would need to come get me. That’s a lot to ask of anyone.”
“Maybe sometime.”
“Maybe.” She didn’t want to alienate Dakota, but a heart-to-heart? Nope. She wasn’t seeing it.
“Anyway, I’d like us to be friends, since we’re both tied in with the Cavanagh family.”
How could Riley reject that out of hand? She couldn’t, so she offered a smile. “Sounds good. I can always use another friend.”
What she really needed was a friend who wouldn’t stab her in the back, and she wasn’t completely convinced Dakota Erickson was capable of that.
Time would tell.
Chapter Thirteen
“Adam, would you ask the blessing?”
Adam’s gaze snapped to his stepfather’s. Eyebrows raised, Declan stood at the head of the table with the golden turkey in front of him, ready to be