Page 53 of Kissing the Sheriff

Cassie stared at her. “Dress? I thought you were going to tell me you’d decided to stay here in Apple Blossom.”

“No, Sterling and I still need to figure a few things out.” Letty reached into the cookie jar. “Should I trim the dress in lace? I’m not sure I’ll have time.” She took a generous bite and chewed.

“Lace?” Cassie said. Good grief, she was worried about getting a broken heart and Letty was worried about lace. “No lace. There’s no time.”

“I didn’t think I should risk it, but ifyouhelped …,” Letty said with raised eyebrows.

“You want me to trim your dress?”

“You’re faster,” Letty said between bites.

Cassie squeezed her eyes shut. “Fine, I’ll put lace on your dress.”

Letty grinned. “Great. Now, what did you have to tell me?”

Cassie sat back in her chair and sighed. “I … I want to know what it’s like to be in love.”

Letty’s jaw dropped. “Cassie?”

“Don’t jump to conclusions, I’m curious, that’s all.”

Letty smiled slyly. “Mm-hmm.”

“Honest.” Cassie crossed her arms. “I couldn’t sleep last night. Conrad’s driving me plumb loco.”

“You couldn’t sleep,” Letty stated, then grinned.

“So what of it? I’m sure you had a few sleepless nights when it came to Sterling.”

“More than you know.”

Cassie straightened in her chair. “So why couldn’t you sleep?”

Letty shrugged. “I had a lot on my mind. Sterling included. The Darlings were unexpected and when he offered to help me with my ranch, I wasn’t sure what to do or think. He was a godsend, though, and I began to take what I could get. But then I started to spend more time with him, get to know him, and before I knew it I wasn’t sleeping, I wasn’t interested in food, all I could think about was him.”

Cassie gulped. “You’re serious?”

Letty shrugged. “Sometimes I still can’t sleep because I’m thinking of him. This has been like a fairy tale, and a part of me is waiting to wake up. Everything will have disappeared, my poor little ranch will be a shambles again, I’ll be penniless, and my cows will have all run away.”

Cassie’s eyes rounded to saucers. “That sounds like a nightmare.”

“It is. I was getting close to it when Sterling stepped into my life. Now I can’t imagine it without him. They’re good men, Cassie. If you’re getting sweet on Conrad, then good for you.”

“He’s leaving,” she stated. “What then?”

Letty took a sip of coffee. “Have you spoken to him?”

“What? Are you loco? I’m not telling him any of this!”

“I would.”

“Did you tell Sterling how you felt, even though he showed no interest in you?”

Letty blushed. “I did. Though I already knew he was attracted to me.”

“But did he tell you how he felt before you confessed how you did?”

“After a fashion.” Letty took another sip.