Her Kind of Hero - Cindy Kirk Page 0,17
continued, a tiny smile tugging at her lips, “he’s not harassing you—he’s flirting.”
“You’re wrong.”
“C’mon, Mitzi, you’re not that clueless.”
“I’ve got someone else in mind.”
“Tim Duggan?”
Mitzi shook her head. “I thought about it. You were right. I’m not ready to be an instant mommy.”
Her expression giving nothing away, Kate took a sip of mango iced tea. “So who’s moved to the top of the leader board?”
“Winn Ferris.” Mitzi set aside her reservations. Although he didn’t make her blood surge like Keenan, there was no denying Winn was an attractive man. And he met all her criteria. “I’m certain the better I get to know him, the more I’ll like him.”
Kate cocked her head. “Really?”
“Some men have to grow on you.”
“Others hit you square in the heart.” Kate’s lips curved up.
Mitzi felt a stab of envy, knowing her friend was thinking about her reaction to Joel when she’d first met him. Though Kate’s journey to love and happiness had been jolted by more than a few potholes, her friend had a marriage Mitzi envied.
But Mitzi had learned long ago that everyone traveled a different course in life. Hers had never been easy. So why should her quest for love and a husband be any different?
“I’ve got to figure out a way to spend time with Winn.” Mitzi caught her lip between her teeth. “I could simply tell him I’m interested, but honesty tends to scare men off.”
Kate looked as if she was trying very hard not to laugh. “I agree. Coming out and telling him he’s at the top of your husband list might be a trifle disconcerting.”
Mitzi shot her friend a glance. “I wish there was a party coming up. A reason to bring us together without being obvious.”
“How about book club?”
Mitzi had attended the monthly book club in the past when she’d had nothing better to do or was in the mood for gourmet food. It was a given that Lexi Delacourt would supply the entrée consumed prior to the discussion. In addition to being a fine social worker, Lexi was a gourmet cook. Though husbands often showed up with their wives, it wasn’t really a party.
“The book club is all women,” Mitzi said pointedly. “Winn is a guy.”
“During the book club meeting—which happens to be at our house this month—Joel plans to get the guys together for a pickup game of baseball.”
A slow smile spread across Mitzi’s face. “He could invite Winn.”
“He could.” Kate handed the waiter her credit card. “I’m sure your Mr. Ferris would attend. Especially considering that many of those who’d be there are the movers and shakers in Jackson Hole, including our new mayor, Tripp Randall.”
“Yeah, he’d come.” Mitzi brought a finger to her lip. “Unless he has other plans.”
“You’ll know one way or the other,” Kate spoke in a matter-of-fact tone. “You might want to come anyway. Lexi is bringing her fabulous Southern-style fried chicken and we’ll be discussing Catcher in the Rye, so it should be an enjoyable evening.”
“It’s next Tuesday, right?” Mitzi scrolled through the calendar in her head.
“Seven o’clock,” Kate confirmed.
“I’ll be there,” Mitzi promised.
This would be a perfect chance to spend some quality time with Winn, perhaps charm him a little. Mitzi wondered why she didn’t feel more excited at the prospect.
The second Keenan stepped into the lobby of the Red Sands Hotel, he wondered what madness had prompted him to come. The monthly Jackson After-Hours events gave young professionals in the Jackson Hole area the opportunity to mingle and network.
As Keenan wasn’t a professional and at thirty-four didn’t feel particularly young, it didn’t seem like an event for him. But Gabe and Joel made the event sound mandatory.
Much of the growth Stone Craft Builders had experienced could be traced to contacts made at such events. In Keenan’s mind, the only upside was that the complimentary hot hors d’oeuvres would save him from buying or making dinner.
In deference to the event, he’d taken off a half hour early to shower, pull on a pair of khakis and a green polo with the company logo.
When he arrived, the private dining room adjacent to the bar already teemed with people. He recognized many of them, including his brother-in-law.
After getting a glass of club soda from one of the bars, Keenan forced himself to mingle. As he walked through the crowd, he heard a shriek and found himself wrapped in a bear hug.
“Someone told me you were back.”
Keenan had a momentary glimpse of bright copper hair tipped with fuchsia and dancing blue eyes