Once Bitten, Twice Shy

Under the circumstances, Carmen didn’t want to drive Alex’s truck, so she accepted Josh and Lori’s invitation to ride with them. At a quarter to seven they were seated at a table with Bill and Katie. The waitress approached the table.

“Are you ready to order?”

“No,” Josh answered, pointing to an empty chair beside Carmen. “We have one more guest.”

The waitress nodded and left them. Carmen frowned at Josh. “He won’t be here.”

Josh took a sip of his drink. “Sure he will. He squinted at his watch in the dim light. “He still has ten minutes.” He patted Lori’s hand. “He’s full of surprises, isn’t he?”

Lori laughed. “I still can’t believe you did that. Poor Alex. Beating his brains out trying to get that log house built and you’re suspecting him of courting me. When would he find the time? He was with Carmen almost every minute he was in the state. And then there’s his latest venture.”

The conversation was moving a little fast. Carmen stared at Lori. “What log house?”

Josh eyed Carmen skeptically. “What house? she says. As if you don’t know. Don’t play innocent with us. You’ve got to know he had that log house built.” When she continued to stare at him blankly, he shook his head in disbelief. “And I thought I was the last to know. You’ve got to be joking - the house overlooking yours.”

The log house on the hill? Why would Alex build a house there? Of course, he liked the land around her farm - but building a house was a major investment, especially that one. Apparently his relationship with Lori was mostly business. So why had he challenged Josh? And then she knew. Because he thought she and Josh were discussing their engagement, not Lori and Josh. Would he be here tonight? He said they weren’t going to get his blessing, so it was highly unlikely. They might as well get started without him. The sooner they finished, the sooner she could find him and explain. What if he had gone back to Texas? No, he had the house - and whatever he was working on now. She glanced at Lori.