Once Bitten, Twice Shy

She sighed. It was ridiculous. The only reason Alex was here right now was to help Katie run the farm - and maybe convince her to go back to Houston with him. Yet according to Katie, she had told him she would never move back to Houston; that she intended to marry Bill.

A brisk step in the hallway brought her attention sharply back to the present. Her heart did a flip-flop as Alex came through the door, dressed in a blue western shirt and denim jeans. He was so elegant in a suit and so masculine in western attire. Which was the real Alex? His dark eyes lit up when he saw her and he smiled warmly.

"I see you're ready to go. They were dispatching a wheelchair for you when I came in."

Her heart was pounding for a man who didn't think of her as anything more than a little sister.

"I don't need a wheel chair," she grumbled.

He chuckled. "I told them they'd have to strap you down to get you into it. They weren't impressed. In fact, I think they were looking forward to it." He sat on the edge of the bed. "It's hospital policy. Humor them. Otherwise, I'll have to carry you down to the car."

She smiled reluctantly. "In the interest of safety," she answered dryly, "I think I'll take the wheel chair."

This light banter was one of the things she had missed most about him - that and his confidence. Was it merely a facade, or did he always have a clear view of where he was headed and the confidence to get him there? Again she wondered why he had never married. He must have loved her deeply - that girl who had walked all over his heart. Could the footprints ever be removed?

They talked all the way to the car and all the way home. Yet she couldn't remember anything of importance that they had discussed. It was simply idle conversation about everything from the weather to politics. He certainly was a good conversationalist.

Carmen had barely settled in at home before Lori drove up and whisked Alex away. Reminding herself that Alex had made no commitment, she still couldn't put the picture of him opening the car door for Lori out of her mind. Lori was so tall and sophisticated - the kind of woman he would want to marry. She tried to feel happy for them, but all she could feel was animosity toward Lori. It wasn't as if Lori would know how she felt. Everyone still thought she was going to marry Josh.