“I haven’t had much time to meet many people or soak in the local color.”
She popped to her feet. “You have to eat, right? I’ll take you to a local favorite hot spot where we can chow down a juicy hamburger, split a plate of onion rings and sip a martini.”
“A martini? In Sundance?”
She smirked. “Lettie at the Golden Boot makes a mean lemon drop.”
“I’m in. Let me grab my coat and tell my vice president to close up. I’ll meet you there.”
It wasn’t like she had plans tonight anyway. Ben acted shocked that she’d gotten a little huffy with him. Probably not smart to compare herself to an old saddle—broken in and ready to be used when he wanted it, out of sight and out of mind when he didn’t.
There’s gonna be hell to pay for that crack, sub.
Ainsley whirled around like Bennett had whispered that in her ear. But she only saw Turton giving her the stink eye. She had to find a way to deal with that prickly man, but not tonight.
Ten minutes later, Ainsley slid into the booth across from her newest customer. Before she sipped the yummy looking martini, she confessed, “I have no idea what to call you. Doc? Doc Monroe? Joely?”
“Call me Joely. As proud as I am of my medical degree and my practice, it’s good to be reminded I’m more than just my occupation.” She raised her glass. “To faulty credit card machines.”
She laughed. “This is the only time I’m drinking to that.”
Joely was surprisingly easy to talk to. The woman definitely had opinions. They talked about college and places they’d traveled. Even after they’d finished a cholesterol-laden meal and switched to soda, neither was eager to leave. It’d been a while since she’d spent time with another professional woman she didn’t work with. Or who wasn’t in her circle of married friends.
“So what are you? About thirty-four?” Joely asked.
“Almost thirty-eight, and thanks for that, by the way.”
“No red-hot love affair you left behind in Colorado?”
“I was hoping maybe I’d find one of those here.” Ben’s face swam into her mind’s eye, and she shook her head to erase it.
Joely stared into her soda as she stirred the ice cubes. “There are a few single men. If you don’t mind younger guys. Or cowboys. Not a lot of professional types.”
Ainsley wrinkled her nose. “I’ve had my fill of those types. The problem I discovered with younger guys? They want marriage and a family.”
“You don’t?”
“No. I’ve never had that burning maternal urge.” She looked up, not knowing how Joely would respond to that. Most women didn’t understand. They always claimed she’d change her mind when she met the right guy. But she knew she wouldn’t. She’d accepted that about herself. Why couldn’t everyone else?
“I hear you. I’ve lived in this area for twelve years. So if I’d taken up with the first yahoo that asked me, I’d probably have kids by now. Probably be divorced again, and a stranger to those kids since I work all the damn time.” Joely gestured to the empty space between them. “This is the first time I’ve been out on a date in months.”
Now that Ainsley thought about it, it was pretty bizarre, Joely just asking her out for…holy crap. Had she said date? Was the doc…gay?
“You stiffened up, Ainsley, did I say something wrong?”
“You called this a date. It isn’t, right? Because you should know I don’t swing that way.”
Amusement danced in her eyes. “No, it’s not a date. Freudian slip, maybe. I’m not a lesbian. If I had to classify my sexuality, I’d say…celibate. And I’m damn tired of it. You know what bites about being the only doctor in a rural area?”
“No, what?”
“That I have to at least pretend to have a moral code. If I worked in a suburban hospital or practice, I could get away with having a different man or two in my bed every week. Heck, I could have that every day. But here? I have to be Dr. Sexless and Upstanding.” She cocked her head. “I haven’t heard you chiming in about forced celibacy since moving to the sticks.”
“There’s something to be said for hook-up sex.”
“Now I’m really jealous. You’ve only been here a month and you’ve already got a local hook-up whenever you want?”
“Joely?”
They both looked at the dark-haired woman at the end of the booth.
“Libby! What’s up?” Joely said, “Ainsley Hamilton, meet my friend, Libby McKay. Ainsley is the president of the new bank.”
Of course this woman had to be a McKay. “Nice to meet you, Libby.”
“Likewise. Are you the one who’s responsible for Chase’s event this weekend?”
“I sure am. We hammered out the final details today with Settler’s First. How are you related to Chase?”
“He’s my brother-in-law.”
Ainsley went very still. That meant this woman was Ben’s sister-in-law. Why that freaked her out was totally stupid, because chances were very slim Ben was anywhere around.
“Hey, Doc, good to see you.”
Then that deep voice that fueled her fantasies was right behind her.
“Ben. Fancy seeing you here,” Joely said.
“Poor Ben was roped into bringing me into town. Ginger and I haven’t had a chance to catch up with girl talk forever so we’re meeting when she gets off work.”
Ainsley didn’t miss Joely’s wistful smile that she hadn’t been included in Libby’s girl-talk time.
“It was no bother,” Bennett said keeping his eyes on Ainsley. “I had another matter I needed to tend to tonight anyway.”
Her heart raced. She’d probably be tending to her own burning butt cheeks before the night was over, if the hard look in his eye was any indication of his mood.
And didn’t that just thrill her?
“Ben, do you know Ainsley?” Joely asked.
“Yes, Ainsley and I have crossed paths a few times,” Bennett drawled.
“Right, probably about Chase’s event.”
“Speaking of Chase’s event, Ainsley, I’d like to run a couple of ideas past you.”
Her mouth and brain were frozen.
“I’m gonna snag that table in the back,” Libby said. “Nice seeing you, Joely. Nice to meet you, Ainsley.”
Bennett said, “Either of you ladies need a drink while I grab a beer?”