THE BEAUTIFUL WOMAN WITH THE PROBLEM DOG.

"Yeah," Bobby said, sounding a little breathless.

"We were talking about the horses. I've got a busy day ahead of me."

Francisca looked enchanted. "Can I go with you?"

"You can watch," he offered, looking over at Rose. "Good mornin'."

"Good morning." Rose sat at the kitchen table, a coffee cup in front of her. She looked gorgeous, Andrew noted. Her gold-streaked hair was tied off her face, exposing a slender neck.

Mrs Martin turned away from the stove and motioned with a spatula. "Sit down, boys, and I will cook up eggs for you."

"I ate at home, but thanks," Andrew told her, going to the counter. "I appreciate the coffee, though."

"I will show Francisca the horses while you two plan for your day," Bobby said, taking Francisca by the hand as he led her outside.

Andrew refilled his cup and started to sit down at the table across Rose. This wasn't going to be easy, but he didn't intend to let her get her way and avoid him. She'd danced with him last night, even though she'd said she didn't dance. And he'd been careful to keep her inches away from him, as if she really were some eighty-year-old auntie come to Texas to visit.

"Watch out," Rose said, leaning toward the floor.

"What?" He spilled a few drops of coffee on his hand and swore softly.

"I will have none of that language around here," Mrs Martin declared. "And don't put your chair on that dog."

"He's in his bed on the floor," Rose said, straightening.

Andrew looked down as he moved his chair. The ball of fur was curled up in a bed. Andrew couldn't tell if the thing was dead or alive, but he decided he'd better not insult her dog again. "Sorry."

"You have planned the day?" Rose asked, those green eyes gazing at him with a guarded expression. "I'm sorry i don't know much about horses."

"You don't have to. I'm leaving that job to Bobby."

"And it's about time, too," Mrs Martin said scrubbing the pan. Soap splattered on the counter beside her, but she didn't notice. "That boy needs to spend more time working and less time playing, of you ask me.

"He will put in a full day's work today," Andrew said.

"I talked to Marty and he's going to do errands in town, so if there's anything you need, give him a list." He hoped a grocery list would distract her from saying anything more about Bobby that work give Rose the wrong idea. "Ms. Marti and I are heading to Marysville."

"Marysville? Whatever for?" the housekeeper asked.

"Yes," said Rose, looking at him as if he was up to no good, which he was. "What's in Marysville?"

"Antiques stores," he replied. "Lots of them. Francisca Handel told Bobby you liked shopping for old things."

"I do, but..."

"Oh you will like it there," Mrs Martin-bless her cranky heart-declared. "Just about everyone does, though I don't know why people spend good money on that old stuff. Some of those things they try to sell you have 'rust' on them."

"Rust?" Andrew said indignantly.

"It's very popular right now," Rose explained in a soft voice.

"So, you do like shopping for this kind of stuff?" Andrew asked.

"Well, yes, but..."

"We can leave whenever you are ready," he said, cutting off any objections he figured she'd make.

"But Francisca..."

"Can take care of your, uh, pook," he said, looking down at the sleeping animal. "He could probably use the exercise."

Rose shook her head. "He's not really an outside kind of dog."

Andrew looked hopefully at the temporary house keeper. "I will keep my eye on your niece," Mrs Martin promised, swiping the counter with a damp sponge. "But I'm not babysitting that animal and am not cleaning up after him, either."

"I think I should stay here," Rose said. "Francisca and I can watch Bobby and the horses and you can do whatever it is that ranch Foremen do."

The only thing he wanted to do at the moment couldn't be accomplished without shocking Mrs Martin, so Andrew settled for drinking coffee.

"I don't want to take you away from your work," Rose continued.

"Andrew works all the time," Mrs Martin declared, her hands on her hips. "It's about time that Bobby did his share. Won't hurt him a bit too settle down and take up the reins around here.

Then maybe my Marty will do the job thing and I can get some grandchildren instead of worrying about those boys gallivanting all over the country drinking beer and doing Lord knows what with Lord knows who."

With that said, she retreated to the sink and started the dishwasher.

"So," Andrew said, turning to the beautiful woman with the problem dog and the pretty niece and asked the question he knew no woman could refuse.

"Do you want to go shopping?"

Rose frowned at him, as if she wondered if he was trying to trick her, which he was, of course.

"We won't be gone too long?"

The sound of the dishwasher kept Mrs Martin from hearing his answer. "No."

"Can you be ready in twenty minutes?" Andrew asked Rose.

She nodded, so Andrew took off. He paid Shorty twenty bucks to baby sit the dog. He promised Marty an extra day off if he promised to make sure that Bobby was never alone with his lady love. He found old Stetson for Francisca to wear and steered clear of Mrs Martin, who was vacuuming with a vengeance and muttering to herself.

And he opened the passenger door of Bobby's Cadillac for Rose and waited for her to seat herself inside. He couldn't believe his luck.

It was all going according to plan.

SHE SHOULD HAVE been stronger. But when faced with a choice between watching Francisca gaze adorably at her cowboy for the rest of the morning, sitting in her room with Pookie to avoid doing anything to upset Mrs Martin and going to a nearby town to shop for antiques, Rose made a selfish decision.

She was sure she could handle Andrew. Besides, avoiding him would only make him think that she had something to embarrassed about. That she was the woman he thought she was.

*****

CHECK OUT MY NEW STORY 'ANNIE'S PERFECT HUSBAND'

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