Part 8 (2/2)

”You would actually sell?”

”I might.”

Smokey took a breath in an attempt to calm the frantic beating of her heart. ”Wouldit be presumptuous to ask if you'd contact me if you're ever really serious about selling?”

”Not at all. I would want the house to go to someone who would cherish it as I do.”

”Thank you. Jennifer Pemberton knows how to reach me, if ever you should try.”

Smokey thanked her hostess, and Greer showed her out.

The wind had picked up, so Smokey tugged her hood into place and continued on her walk. She hadn't gone ten yards, head down against the wind, when she walked straight into Dallas.

”I'm sorry,” his deep voice sounded above her, and Smokey looked up for just an instant.

”It's my fault,” she spoke quickly, but in that instant Dallas realized who she was.

”Smokey?” His voice sounded so pleased that Smokey looked up in confusion, knowing he had no idea what having his hands on her upper arms was doing to her heart.

”h.e.l.lo, Dallas,” Smokey said inanely.

”I was hoping I'd see you again.”

”You were?” Smokey knew she sounded like an idiot, but her heart had done a flip-flop on those words and she felt

70.

mesmerized by the sight of his beautiful blue eyes smiling down at her.

”Yes, are you free for lunch?”

Smokey had little experience with men, but something in his eyes and voice made her come back to earth with a thud He was interested in her, but not romantically.

”I'm not free for lunch.” Smokey kept her voice as level as possible. ”I'm meeting Buck at the hotel, and I really must be on my way.”

Dallas opened his mouth to say something, but changed his mind Knowing Buck was not interested in Smokey beyond being a friend, he'd been about to invite himself to lunch. But something in Smokey's huge gray eyes stopped him.

”How long will you be in Kennebunkport?”

”Not long,” she said evasively.

”Are you leaving today?” Dallas was not to be put off.

”No.”

”Well, I hope I'll see you before you go.”

Smokey nodded and moved on without speaking. Dallas stood still and watched her go. He realized that he didn't just hope to see her before she left, he was banking on it. He hadn't had time to see Jenny that morning, but he would be at her house tonight for supper. If that didn't work, he'd camp on her doorstep in order to put his mind to rest about the true ident.i.ty of Smoke.

The dining room of the hotel was warm and comfortably furnished. It was run by one of Kennebunkport's oldest families, and they prided themselves on good food and service.

Smokey was hungry and very pleased that she was eating just five^minutes after they had been shown to a table.

”How is your meal?”

”It's wonderful, Buck. Thank you.”

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”You seemed upset when you first came in, Smokey. Did something happen?”

Smokey took another bite of food and didn't immediately answer. ”I saw your brother on my way here,” she finally admitted ”I got the impression he wanted to talk with me, and I'm not sure I'm comfortable with what he might have in mind.”

”It'll be easier for you when the whole family knows what you do for a living, won't it?” Buck said the words gently, but Smokey was still shocked With a precise movement she laid her fork aside and stared across the table.

”How did you know, Buck?” Smokey asked, not wanting to believe that Tate or Jenny would have told ”I'm a very observant man,” Buck replied, carefully picking up her hand ”The look of your hands doesn't give you away, but the touch does. I noticed it the night we met. Your hands have worked hard for you for years. Your clothes are the next thing I observed. They're not frilly, but the cloth is of the finest quality.

”Added to these deductions is my insatiable reading habit. I receive newspapers from all over the world I believe it was just a few months ago that rumors began to circulate through England and all of Europe that Smoke was a woman.”

When Buck fell silent, Smokey nodded ruefully.

”I didn't know how to tell anyone. It was never my intent to be deceitful. I had business with Pemberton s.h.i.+pping just two weeks ago, so Tate and Jenny just found out; they were wonderful about the whole thing. And now Dallas wants to talk with me, and I don't know what he might be thinking.”

”And you do care about his opinion, don't you?”

”I would love to tell you that I don't, but I just can't lie about it. I don't even know him really, but he's--” Smokey couldn't find the words.

”It's painful for you, and I shouldn't have pressed you.”

”It's all right.” Smokey hesitated and then went on. ”I understand you have some pain of your own.”

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