“Huh! What’s not to like? You’re a total sweet-heart.”

“Thanks, but Jake—”

“Jake’s gonna get an earful,” Candy declared.

“Don’t,” Taylor said, but Candy wasn’t listening. She took the plates of food from the service shelf and sashayed off.

Taylor stood glued to the floor as Candy dropped her two plates in front of a couple of customers and approached Jake’s booth. She couldn’t hear what Candy said, but from the way the woman stood with her hands on her hips, she guessed it wasn’t friendly.

A minute later Candy came back over.

“What did he say?” Taylor demanded.

Candy shrugged. “Nothing much. I told him you were a great girl and he’d been a fool to leave you. He told me, very politely, that it was none of my business.” She popped her gum. “Not exactly the type to unburden his soul to a total stranger, is he?”

“No.” That was an understatement. Jake was a typical cowboy—stoic and silent when it came to matters of the heart. Even when that matter of the heart was a marriage gone bad.

“He wants to talk with you.”

“I know.”

“He wouldn’t tell me what it was about, but it sounds important.”

“I’m sure it is, but I’m not interested.”

Candy chewed her gum. “Talk to the man, Taylor.”

She started to say, “I’m too busy,” but Candy cut her off.

“I’ll cover your section,” the other woman said.

Taylor glanced around the busy restaurant. “Thanks, Candy, but—”

“No buts. The guy’s your husband. At least go hear what he has to say.”

“Steve’s going to kill me if I take an early break.”

“I’ll handle it.”

As if on cue, Sleazy Steve slammed a plate of pancakes down on the service counter. It was Jake’s order.

“Take it over,” Candy said. “I’ll bring you something in a minute. Eggs and toast okay?”

Resigned to her fate, Taylor reached for the order. “Sure, Candy. And thanks. I think.”

Jake watched his wife cross the room, a plate of food in her strong, slender hands. He’d always enjoyed watching her—the unconscious rhythm of her steps, the sway of her hips, the way she carried her head high and proud.

She put the plate down in front of him and then, to his surprise, slid onto the opposite bench.

He watched as she settled herself, her back straight against the cushion. She didn’t look happy to be there.

“Hello, Taylor,” he said.

“Jake.”

“Thanks for coming over.”

She shrugged. “No problem.”

Jake glanced down at his plate, then up at Taylor. He didn’t pick up his fork. A lot was riding on the next half hour. The future of the Cassidy Ranch was in his hands, and in hers.

Taylor looked so different from how she had the summer before. Her expression was wary and uncertain, not at all like the composed, self-possessed woman he’d married. She was too thin, and her skin had a pallor to it, instead of the healthy glow of before.

For a moment he felt almost sorry for her. If the past five months had been hard on him, they’d obviously been harder on her. He’d only lost his heart. She’d lost her whole life-style—the clothes, the fast cars, the parties.

As soon as his mind formed the thought, his pity vanished.

Taylor glared at him from across the table. “How did you find me?”

“I called your father a couple of days ago.” He paused, then added, “I didn’t know, Taylor.” He wondered whether that would make any difference to her. He’d spent the past five months assuming she was living her carefree life in Boston, never imagining the truth.

Hell, he was still her husband. He still had responsibilities toward her that wouldn’t end until the divorce papers were signed.

Divorce papers. Despite his dislike of Taylor’s behavior on the ranch last summer, despite their differences, the thought of signing divorce papers still left him with a hollow feeling in his gut. Since the day she’d stormed off the ranch, he’d been waiting for the papers to show up in the mail, dreading the moment. But they never had.

After talking to her father, though, he thought he knew the reason. Taylor probably hadn’t had the time or the money to find an attorney to file the papers. A nasty job in a dirty restaurant wouldn’t leave her a lot of extra money. Certainly not as much spare cash as she’d used to have.

He planned to use that to his advantage.

“Tell me why you’re here, Jake.”

He took a deep breath. “I need your help.” God, but he hated having to ask her for a favor. He’d much rather have her in his debt than the other way around.