Wrangling the Redhead - By Sherryl Woods Page 0,40
have to get there under your own steam.”
“Too bad. I kind of liked your way.”
“Me, too, but my way was likely to land us in a heap of trouble,” he said with regret. “I’m pretty certain neither of us wants Grady and Karen to wonder what’s taking us so long and come looking, especially if they’re likely to find us making love in a pile of hay.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” she said, giving him a wink over her shoulder as she sashayed past. “At least it would put an end to all that wild speculating they’re doing up at the house right now.”
Two nights later, Lauren sat at a table at Stella’s and endured a whole host of speculative looks from the Calamity Janes. Apparently Karen had been busy sharing information with the others about the budding romance out at the Blackhawk ranch.
“But what do we really know about this guy?” Emma demanded. “I think we need to look into his background.”
Lauren frowned. “He’s a wrangler. Grady interviewed him. He’s excellent at what he does. Isn’t that enough? You met him. Does he strike you as anything other than a decent, hardworking cowboy?”
Emma waved off the question. “First impressions don’t count. I’d feel better if we knew more. For all we know he could be after your money.”
“He doesn’t know I have any,” Lauren said quietly.
The others stared at her.
“How can that be?” Gina asked. “He has to know you’re a Hollywood superstar.”
Lauren shook her head. Karen chimed in to confirm it. “He doesn’t even know her last name. We sort of made sure it never came up.”
“That’s what you think,” Emma insisted. “It’s entirely possible he’s known all along. Even out here in the wilds of Wyoming, Lauren has made a name for herself. Surely he’s seen her face on a supermarket tabloid or on some TV talk show.”
Again, Lauren shook her head. “I don’t think so. He has issues with rich people. If he knew who I am and what my net worth is, he’d run the other way.”
“Not likely,” Cassie scoffed. “What man would turn his back on that? I’m with Emma. I think we need to be sure he’s not a golddigger.”
Lauren frowned. “Did I put your men on the spot like that?”
“Yes,” they replied in a chorus.
“I did not,” she insisted, then shrugged. “Okay, maybe I gave some of them a rough time to make sure they weren’t out to hurt you, but I didn’t go snooping around trying to get dirt on them.”
“Gee, that wasn’t how it seemed to Rafe when you confronted him with his society page mentions from the New York papers,” Gina teased. “The ones you researched on the Internet within ten minutes of meeting him.”
“I was just being protective,” Lauren said, undaunted.
“And that’s what we’re being now,” Emma told her. “I can call an investigator and have him do a quick check just to be sure there are no major skeletons rattling around in Wade’s closet.”
“Absolutely not,” Lauren said, horrified by the idea. “I will never speak to you again if you do that. I know everything I need to know about Wade Owens.”
“Sweetie, I have just two words for you,” Emma said. “Two divorces.”
Lauren groaned. “Okay, my judgment was impaired, but I’ve learned my lesson. Besides, I have Grady and Karen to back me up. They like Wade.” She turned to Karen. “Right?”
Karen nodded. “I don’t think Grady would have him working at the ranch—much less be encouraging a relationship with Lauren—if he didn’t have total faith in Wade’s honesty.”
“Maybe so,” Emma began.
“That’s it,” Lauren said, cutting her off. “No investigator.”
Emma sighed. “Okay, I’ll agree to that on one condition.”
Lauren regarded her with suspicion. “Which is?”
“We all get to spend time with him,” she replied. “Check him out. See how he fits in with the Calamity Janes and our guys.”
Cassie’s eyes lit up. “Perfect. A party is just what we need. We can have it at our place. Cole needs to learn how to fire up that humongous gas grill he insisted he had to have.”
“He can cook the steaks, but I’m bringing everything else,” Gina said, jumping on the bandwagon. “Everybody have their calendars? I want to be sure Rafe’s going to be in town. We never get to do anything fun together.” As soon as the words left her mouth, she blushed furiously. “Well, nothing in public anyway.”
Lauren laughed. “Then this will definitely be good practice for your social skills.”
Only Karen looked worried by the plan. “Are