Chapter 1

1

Bud ran his fingers through his already disordered hair as he set down the phone. Then he started to pick it up again to call his friend Jesse. Maybe Jesse could pull enough strings to divert some material from incoming stock for the Glenwood Lumber Yard, to help fill the gap.

Then he hesitated. Could he really count on Jesse anymore? Did he even know the guy his best friend had become? The past few weeks Jesse had morphed into someone different—and it had begun the day Jesse had met LuAnne Lockner. A new arrival in Sand Creek, Colorado, LuAnne had all the men from eighteen to eighty panting. But it looked like Jesse was leading the pack to lay claim to her.

Dad had left Bud in charge of Hart Built Construction while he and Mom went on the cruise to celebrate their twenty-fifth anniversary. The elder Hart had expressed some misgivings about Bud’s ability to handle things. If he didn’t get the materials to keep the latest big project going, he’d just confirm his dad’s worst fears. That was the last thing he wanted to do. So what if shipping was tied up all over the country with the latest round of floods and tornados. No excuse at all. He had to get his hands on some more lumber, but his thoughts kept sliding back to LuAnne.

A tall willowy blonde, she did not look like anyone’s stereotype of a lawyer, but she had her J.D. degree and had been hired by old Clayton Winslow to help with the expanding legal business Sand Creek’s recent burst of growth had sparked. She had city girl and high maintenance written all over her, but damn was she ever gorgeous. Pure sex on two mighty fine long, long legs. Bud had to envy Jesse more than a little just to date her. He’d be one lucky dude if he did win her

Burton “Bud” Hart and Jesse Glenwood had been friends since they started kindergarten, now close to eighteen years ago. They’d climbed trees and gone through Cub Scouts together, played Little League baseball and worked on their first old clunker cars side by side. They’d double dated in high school and had kept in touch even though they hadn’t managed to go to the same college.

Now, with educations completed, they were back in their home town getting ready to settle down in the businesses their fathers had started. In spite of both being popular and dating a variety of girls as they went through school, neither of them had found Ms. Right and begun a long term relationship—until now. It looked like Jesse was doing his best to convince LuAnne he was the right man for her, and so far his tactics seemed to be working.

Bud shook his head again. Hell, if she’d even look my way she’d have me eating out of her hand. I can’t say I blame Jesse, but the timing sucks. Who am I gonna get to help me fine tune the Mustang for the big race at the county fair next month? Who’s gonna go deer hunting with me in October? The rest of the guys we used to run with seem to have scattered like quail instead of coming home the way we did. I hardly know anyone our age here anymore.

His breath leaked out in a long sigh. Most of the girls they’d known in school were married now. The dateable women in Sand Creek could be counted on one hand with a finger or two left over—and not a one of the three appealed to him at all that way. Then LuAnne had shown up. But she was going to be Jesse’s lady. As much as he might dream about or lust after her, Bud didn’t poach in a friend’s territory. Maybe he’d try on-line dating or start going to Denver on weekends. He slouched in the office chair, picked up the phone and began to dial some more numbers.

* * * *

LuAnne rolled her eyes, keeping an anxious watch on the door to her small office. If Clayton got back from court, she’d better not be on the phone, especially not with her new squeeze. She was sure Clayton could read the caller’s identity off her face.

“Jesse honey, I’ve got to go. My boss will be back any minute and he’d better not catch me socializing instead of working! Yes, I know, I’m not a secretary or a clerk, but professionals have to act…well, professional. I’ll see you at six. Love you, too.”

She eased the phone down and tried to concentrate on the uninspiring case file that was the topmost in her in-box. This was so not what she’d expected to be doing once she was a real attorney. She’d had visions of defending innocent people wrongly accused, helping abused women obtain divorces and protective court orders, and maybe land a few big tort cases that would pay enough to clear her student loans in one fell swoop.