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She laughed "This is the only tily easy to talk to The woe and places they’d traveled Even after they’d finished a cholesterol-laden er to leave It’d been a while since she’d spent time with another professional woman she didn’t ith Or asn’t in her circle of married friends

"So what are you? About thirty-four?" Joely asked

"Alht, 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 uys Or cowboys Not a lot of professional types"

Ainsley wrinkled her nose "I’ve had er guys? They want e and a family"

"You don’t?"

"No I’ve never had that burninghow Joely would respond to that Most woe her uy 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 ain, and a stranger to those kids since I work all the daestured to the empty space between them "This is the first time I’ve been out on a date in ht 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 soht? 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’ 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 aith 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 chi to the sticks"

"There’s so to be said for hook-up sex"

"Now I’m really jealous You’ve only been here a ot 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 sliood 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 er and I haven’t had a chance to catch up with girl talk forever so we’re ets off work"

Ainsley didn’t miss Joely’s wistful sirl-talk ti his eyes on Ainsley "I had another ht 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 tiht, probably about Chase’s event"

"Speaking of Chase’s event, Ainsley, I’d like to run a couple of ideas past you"

Herthat 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?"