Cabotâs willpower had been forged through crisis and disaster.
In the years since his wife walked out, heâd learned when to take someone on and when to walk away. It was all about survival. And right now his head was telling him to hit the road as fast as he could. The problem was other parts of him were telling him something else.
His self-control couldnât stand up to the force that was Kate. It felt as if he would burn up and blow away if he didnât kiss her. So he did the only thing he could.
He pulled her against him and lowered his mouth to hers.
* * *
The Bachelors of Blackwater Lake: They wonât be single for long!
Chapter One
It wasnât often a woman walked into the Grizzly Bear Diner wearing a strapless wedding dress and four-inch satin heels.
If Cabot Dixon wasnât seeing it for himself, heâd have heard pretty quick because people in Blackwater Lake, Montana, talked and this was something to talk about. The bride had parked a beat-up truck out front and she was a looker. The woman, not the truck. From his seat at the diner counter he had a view of Main Street and had watched her lift the floor-length cream satin skirt in one hand, probably to avoid tripping because it was way too late to keep it from getting dirty. Then she marched inside, as opposed to down the aisle.
He was sitting on a swivel stool, and she slid between the two beside him to talk with Michelle Crawford, the dinerâs owner, who was openly staring.
âIâm here about the Help Wanted sign in your window.â
The bride was even prettier up close, with light brown, blond-streaked hair and a figure that could back up traffic for miles. And that wasnât all. Her voice had the barest hint of huskiness that could stop a manâs beating heart for a second or two.
There were a few customers in the diner and everyone continued to stare when the newcomer added, âI could use a job.â
âOkay.â Michelle slipped him a help-me-out expression, obviously wondering if he would jump in, considering he was the one looking to hire.
When heâd put the Help Wanted sign in the diner window, sheâd promised to run interference and weed out the applicants who werenât really serious so he didnât have to come all the way into town from the ranch every five minutes. Frankly, he was looking forward to seeing Michelle handle this one on her own. Because there was no groom in sight, the lady clearly was a runner. It would appear that, unlike his ex-wife, sheâd cut out before taking vows and getting pregnant.
Cabot glanced at her flat belly in the tight, unforgiving, dropped-waist gown that wouldnât hide even an extra ounce of fat, let alone a bump. He couldnât swear there was no baby on board, but it didnât look likely. Her bare arms were super toned and she had great shoulders, slender but strong. She was a little lacking in the chest department, but her cute nose and even better mouth made up for it.
The bride rested her palms on the red Formica counter. âIâve never waitressed before, but Iâm a fast learner and a hard workerââ
Michelle held up a hand. âLet me stop you right there. Iâm not hiring, just handling the interviews for the rancher who is.â She glanced at him. âThe ranch is about ten miles outside Blackwater Lake.â
âI see.â The woman looked momentarily thrown, and then she nodded. âI admit I didnât read anything on the poster after the help wanted part and that doesnât speak well about my attention to detail. But Iâm a bit distracted just now.â
Cabot figured that was the truth. The wedding dress was a big clue.
âWellââ Michelle gave him another jump-in-anytime look. âThe job is for a summer camp counselor. The owner runs a program for kids at his ranch, and duties include activities, sports and whatever else comes up. General pitching in as needed.â
âI can handle that,â the bride said. âI love kids.â
âIâm not sure youâre what he had in mind.â
âWho?â
âThe rancher whoâs looking to hire,â Michelle responded. âYouâre probably overqualified.â
âI just want to work.â Cabot saw something vulnerable and fragile in her expression. âThese days a lot of people are taking jobs theyâre overqualified for and happy to have them.â
She was right about that, he thought. Although the job he needed to fill was more suited to a young college kid or recent graduate, heâd posted the sign in the diner window later than he usually did. Camp was starting soon and most people who wanted summer work had already lined something up. That meant he couldnât afford to be as picky as usual.