by Lori Wilde
It took a lot of moaning and groaning, but finally Travis blurted, “In kindergarten. We met in kindergarten.”
Leigh’s mouth dropped open. “You’re kidding? But you didn’t start liking each other until much later, right? Maybe until you met again in college.” This time when Travis sighed, Leigh was the one who groaned. “You’re seriously telling me you were together with Bree from kindergarten on? When did you break up?”
“Recently,” was all Travis said, but the way he said it in such a gloomy voice pretty much spoke volumes.
Uh oh. That didn’t sound good. “Until how recently?”
“Um, you know when I moved to town last week to go to work for your brother Nathan?”
Ah, jeez, she could see where this was going. “Travis, are you telling me you just broke up with your girlfriend of twenty years last week?”
He hung his head. “She broke up with me. She didn’t want to move to Honey, but I wanted this job.”
This was much, much worse than her date with Billy Joe Tate. At least Billy had only been hung up on his car.
“You’re still in love with Bree, aren’t you?” Leigh asked, knowing full well that this date was going to be a dud before it even started.
“I thought if I went out on a date, I might feel better. I know it’s very important to get on with my life.” Travis sighed again. “I’ll admit, dating someone else actually feels kind of...bizarre. But I’m sure I’ll get over that feeling.”
Bizarre? Going out with her felt bizarre? Now wasn’t that romantic? What was wrong with the men in this town? What did it take for a reasonably attractive woman to have a little fun?
She looked at Travis, who had a sad, puppy-dog expression on his face. Drat, drat, drat. She could tell he wanted to pour his heart out about his ex-girlfriend. Somehow she’d become a shoulder to cry on rather than an object of lust.
Ah, for crying out loud. She wanted some fun. Some wildness. She’d gotten her blasted brothers married off. This was supposed to be the time of her life.
But she couldn’t just ignore Travis, so she said, “Tell you what, let’s go see something funny. Maybe that will cheer you up.”
“You’re so nice,” he said. “But really, I want to see what you want to see.” He pushed open his door. “Let’s hurry. We don’t want to be late to Buckets of Tears.”
As far as she was concerned, late was the only way to arrive at that movie. She’d rather tie her own arms into a pretzel knot than spend almost three hours watching that film.
But Travis seemed adamant, so rather than upset him, Leigh decided she could use the time to nap. “Fine. Let’s see the sad movie.”
Secretly she hoped the film might be sold out when they got to the ticket booth, but no such luck. It was a Friday night and most everything was sold out. Not only were there no seats left for the two movies she’d suggested, there were also no seats left in the next showing of the kid’s movie with a talking alligator, the ninja movie, the good cop/bad cop movie and the two foreign films. The choice became either wait around for over an hour for one of the other movies to start...or go to Buckets of Tears.
“Come on. It won’t be so bad,” Travis said, buying the tickets.
Yeah right, and waxing your legs didn’t hurt. She just knew this movie was going to be right up there with having a root canal on the enjoyment scale.
But she didn’t want to hurt Travis’s feelings. He was already so upset that she felt the least she could do was pretend to have a good time. Plus, she wasn’t about to let another of her dates end before it really started. A woman could only take so much.
After getting a big tub of popcorn, they entered the theater. Surprisingly, a lot of people were there, although Leigh didn’t miss that most of the patrons were women.
“Where would you like to sit?” she asked, still hoping he’d suggest they sit in the next theater.
“Anyplace is good.” Travis glanced around. “Hey, look over there. A crowd has formed. Someone sure is popular.”
Leigh leaned around Travis a little and studied the group. Five or six women stood clumped around one seat, all of them chattering loudly and laughing.
“Must be one of their friends,” she said, glancing toward the back of the theater. Napping would be easier if she was away from a crowd. “Why don’t we sit near the top?”
With a shrug, Travis started up the stairs. They’d only taken a couple of steps when a loud giggle made Leigh turn toward the group of women again. The one giggling moved a fraction of an inch, and Leigh caught a glimpse of the person sitting in the seat.
Jared. Jared was sitting in the middle of the theater being fawned and fussed over by all those women.
“That rat,” she muttered. “That absolute rat.”
“Who’s a rat?” Travis followed her gaze. “Look, there’s Jared. Let’s go sit by him.”
“You know Jared?”
“Not personally. But I read about his rodeo school in the Honey Times. I know a lot of the people in town talk about him, but he seems like a great guy.”
Oh, no, Jared was most certainly not a great guy. A great guy wouldn’t follow you around and drive you crazy. A great guy wouldn’t ask you to be friends and find him dates. Most importantly, a great guy would have sex with a lady when she asked him to.
Whatever else Jared was, he wasn’t a great guy.
“I’d rather sit higher up,” Leigh said, hoping against hope they could find seats before Jared noticed them. Unfortunately, good luck had deserted her long ago, because just as she tugged on Travis’s arm, Jared turned his head and caught sight of them.
Dang it all.
A slow, sexy smile crossed his face, and then he said something to the women because they eventually wandered off.
“Hey, Leigh. I didn’t know you were coming to this movie,” Jared said.
Before she could do a thing to stop him, Travis headed over to introduce himself to Jared, and then plopped down in the seat next to him. Oh, wasn’t this just peachy. First Jared had ruined her date with Billy Joe, and now he was butting into her date with Travis.
Reluctantly she came over to where the men were sitting. “What are you doing here?” she asked Jared.
He grinned, but she didn’t miss for a second the sparkle in his eyes. “I was planning on watching a movie. Isn’t that what most of the people are doing here?”
“This can’t possibly be a coincidence. Not this time. Stop following me,” she said.
Travis looked at her, obviously confused. “How can he be following you if he was here first?”
Leigh opened her mouth to respond, and then realized she didn’t have an answer to that. She might have conceded the point, but Jared looked way too pleased with himself for her to believe this wasn’t planned.
“Trust me, I’m not following you,” Jared said, although he looked like he was going to laugh at any second. “Why would I do something like that?”
She didn’t know why he was doing it, she just knew he was. She was prepared to keep discussing this, but the lights dimmed, and the previews started.
“Leigh, come on and sit,” Travis said. “You don’t want to miss the movie. Should be good.”
Suddenly, delightfully, a thought occurred to Leigh. If Jared had followed her, then he was going to have to sit through this tear-fest. She could hardly wait to watch him squirm and sigh for the next almost three hours of tragedy.
Biting back a smile, she sat next to Travis. This movie would teach Jared to stop butting into her dates.
And during the next hour, she realized this movie was indeed torture. The heroine lost her family in a flood, her best friends in a fire, her fiancé in an earthquake, and now her beloved poodle looked like he was about to be history based on the smoke puffing out of the volcano in the background.
Around her, Leigh could hear the sad sniffles of many of the other patrons. Once or twice, she’d even heard a soft sniff from Travis.
But Leigh had spent most of
the time wondering why the heroine didn’t get off her duff and prevent these problems. She was without a doubt dumber than mud, and Leigh’s eyes hurt from rolling them so much.
When the poodle started running up the hill straight toward the lava while the dimwitted heroine talked on her cell phone, Leigh decided she’d had enough.
“I’m going for a soda,” she told Travis. “Do you want anything?”
“No,” Travis said vaguely, obviously engrossed in the film.
Right as Leigh stood, Jared said, “I’d like a popcorn. I think I’ll come with you.”
As if.
“That’s okay, I’ll get it for you,” she told him, then she sprinted toward the lobby before he could argue. She didn’t want to have to talk to Jared because if she did, she knew it would end in a fight.
No, she’d simply get Jared’s popcorn. And since she didn’t know how he liked it, she’d be sure to tell the kid behind the counter to drench it in butter.
It was a silly, juvenile gesture, sure, but it was the best she could come up with at the moment.
After getting a soda and Jared’s popcorn, she headed back toward the theater. Partway back to her seat, she literally ran into Travis.
“Hi,” she said. “Where are you off to?”
She couldn’t make out his expression in the darkened theater, but she clearly heard him sigh.
“I think you’re terrific, really. But I can’t do this. I realize that Bree is the woman for me. I love her, and I’m going to go call her.” He patted her arm. “Jared said he’d give you a ride home. Thanks for understanding, Leigh.”
Then he walked away.
Leigh blinked. Hello? Who said she understood? She most definitely didn’t understand.
She narrowed her eyes and glanced toward the middle of the theater. Jared. She knew he’d had something to do with Travis’s sudden decision to rush home and call Bree.
Determined, she headed over to Jared and slipped into the seat Travis had vacated. Even in the faint light, she could tell Jared had his eyes closed. He wasn’t watching the movie; he was dozing.
“You’re a rat. No, you’re worse than a rat. You’re whatever rats hate,” she practically hissed at him, not wanting to ruin the movie for the rest of the audience but unable to wait another second to tell him what she thought of his plotting.
He opened his eyes and grinned. “I love it when you whisper sweet nothings to me.”
Leigh snorted. “As if.”
Jared chuckled. “Seriously, I’m sorry Travis left. The second you walked away, he started talking about his ex-fiancée and how much he missed her. All I said was ‘hmmmm.’”
“Why are you doing this to me?” she asked. “You turned me down, so stop ruining my dates. You keep saying we’re friends. Why don’t you act like one for a change?”
A woman behind them said loudly, “Shhh.”
Jared leaned close to Leigh and whispered, “I didn’t set out to ruin your date. I didn’t do anything.”
Leigh sincerely doubted that, although realistically, Travis hadn’t seemed in the mood for this date. He should have never asked her out since he was in love with another woman.
Still, all that didn’t mean Jared wasn’t guilty. Of something.
“I can’t figure out why you’re doing this,” she said as much to herself as to him.
Again the woman behind them said, “Shhh.”
Leigh glanced at the screen. The poodle, which as far as she could tell was the smartest thing in the movie, was running away from the lava. But the dumb heroine’s heel had gotten stuck and now she was crying as the lava approached.
Boy, this was one stupid movie.
Jared must have agreed, because he snagged her hand and stood. “Come on. Let’s get out of here. I can’t take this anymore.”
Finally there was something they agreed on. She shoved the box of popcorn at him, grabbed her soda and purse and went with him.
“This is the worst movie I’ve ever seen,” she muttered as they headed toward the exit. “And for the record, no woman in real life is as dumb as that heroine.”
They’d reached the lobby, and she turned to face him. “I’m not as dumb as that heroine. I know you’re up to something. I know it as sure as I know my shoe size.”
She took a couple of steps closer and gave him a narrow-eyed look. “I don’t know what it is yet, but I’ll figure it out. Trust me. I’ll figure it out.”
Chapter 6
He hadn’t set out to ruin her date. He really hadn’t. But he knew he had about as much chance of convincing her of that as he had of teaching his horses to knit. All he’d wanted to do was remind Leigh that he was around.
It wasn’t his fault her dates were losers. How was he supposed to know that the second Leigh walked away Travis would go on and on about some woman he’d once planned on marrying? And then, with absolutely no encouragement, the guy had decided to go call this love of his life.
Leaving a fit-to-be-tied Leigh behind.
Leigh tossed her soda cup in the trash and headed toward the exit. “Okay, you’ve ruined my date. Again. Let’s go home.”
She was out the door and a good way across the parking lot before he knew what was happening. When he caught up with her, he pointed out, “Technically I didn’t ruin your date. Your date ruined your date. Travis was the one who decided to leave. I don’t think he even planned on telling you he was going. I think he was going to sneak out. If you ask me, that was a crummy thing to do. He should have at least offered to drive you home.”
Leigh looked at him. “That would have been better? He could have said, ‘Thanks for the wonderful date. I had a great time. I’d call you again, but being with you has convinced me I’m in love with another woman.’ Jeez, talk about flattering.”
Yeah, she had a point there.
“Well, don’t take it personally,” Jared told her, turning her in the direction of his truck. “Travis was one confused guy. It sounds like he never should have broken up with this woman in the first place.”
Leigh sighed. “I guess you’re right. But I seem to have the worst luck when it comes to picking dates. And I’m not doing such a hot job picking friends, either.”
Jared laughed. “Hey!”
She put her hands on her hips. “Seriously, you’re not helping any by showing up.”
“Fine. Here’s an idea, why don’t I help you pick better dates, and then I won’t have to show up?”
Leigh frowned. “What?”
“I know, let me pick your next date. And I promise, I won’t ruin it.”
He could tell Leigh was debating with herself, so he upped his offer. “It’s only fair since I’m letting you pick my next date. And remember, we already agreed—no senior citizens, okay?”
For a second he thought she’d tell him no way, but suddenly, she relented. “Fine. I guess it can’t be any worse that what I’ve been picking on my own.”
They’d reached his new black truck, and he unlocked the passenger door and held it open for her.
“Where’s your motor scooter?” she asked as she climbed in the truck. “Amanda said you drove a motor scooter.”
“Ha, ha. My motorcycle is home. I decided to drive my truck instead.”
She studied the truck slowly. “You know, this looks like the Batmobile.”
“Hardeharhar,” he said, using one of her favorite lines. After she got in, he closed her door and walked around to the driver’s side. Okay, so maybe his truck was a little on the seriously black side, but it was hardly the Batmobile.
When he opened his door, Leigh asked, “What do all these buttons on the ceiling do?”
“Well, the one you’re pushing opens my garage door,” he said dryly.
“Oooh. The entrance to the Bat Cave. Got it.” Jared climbed in and tossed his leather jacket on the seat between them. “It’s just a truck, Leigh.”
She rolled her eyes. “Excuse me. Have you looked at this thing? It has more gizmos and gadgets t
han the space shuttle.”
He chuckled and started the engine. “You’re easily impressed.”
She gave him a look that spoke volumes. “Hardly.”
“Okay. So if this is the Batmobile, does that make you Catwoman? ’Cause if you’re interested in putting on that skintight black outfit, I’m on board with the whole concept.”
Leigh snorted. “Dream on.”
Yeah, no doubt he would tonight.
“I like this truck,” he said, turning on the CD player and heading back to Honey. “I needed a truck because of the rodeo school, but I also wanted something comfortable. So I bought this.”
Of course, that had been in the days when he’d been making good money. Still, he liked his truck and planned on keeping it. “I think it’s practical, and yet, decadent.”
She laughed. “Yes, that’s you all right.”
He loved the sound of her laughter. So beautiful. So sexy. So free.
“I’m not sure whether that’s a compliment or an insult,” he said.
“Oh, you’re sure all right. You always are, Jared.”
Yeah, he usually was sure of himself. But Leigh confused the hell out of him. He knew what he wanted. What he wanted her to feel for him. What he wanted them to be together.
But for the first time in his life, he was unsure how to get what he wanted. Sure, his plan seemed to be working so far, but it was like walking through a minefield. One wrong step and kapow! That would be that.
For the rest of the drive, he and Leigh discussed the parade. Despite a bumpy start, things were coming along.
“Thanks for letting us use your barn to keep the floats in,” Leigh said.
“No problem. I’m sure my horses will find it entertaining. And it will give them a break from trying to learn to dance.”
“Any luck with that whole ‘Hokey Pokey’ thing? Are they taking to it?” she asked with a giggle.
“Oddly enough, no.” They reached Honey, so he headed toward Leigh’s house. “And they didn’t like the whole potty-training idea, either. Sorry.”
Leigh giggled again. “Oh well. At least you tried.”
He slowly turned his truck into the driveway of Leigh’s house, very reluctant to see the evening end. After shutting off the engine, he glanced at her and felt compelled to say, “I want you to know, I didn’t mean to ruin your date. It just happened.”
