“Gotta go to work.” He turned and looked back twice on his way to the stage, returning her little wave the second time. He forced himself not to look a third.
Up on stage, Jessa was raising Cain, her bad mood obvious in her snippy comments to the crowd.
Ty stopped in front of Zack. “What’s wrong with her?”
Zack studied him a minute before replying. “Dunno. Just being pregnant, I guess.”
“Think I’m gonna let Zack sing a while,” Jessa announced.
“Oh, shit,” Zack mouthed, wincing.
“I’ll sing,” Ty offered, shocking himself as much as his brother.
“You haven’t sung in months.” Zack frowned up at him, then Jessa appeared at his elbow.
He hadn’t sung in forever. Hadn’t felt like it. And suddenly hoped like hell he’d remember how. “I wanna sing.”
“What’s going on? Everything okay?” She looked from Zack to him.
“Ty’s gonna sing.”
“Fine with me.” With a shrug, she walked over to her mike and started up again. “Hey, hey, y’all want a treat?”
As if they’d say no?
Zack chuckled and patted him on the shoulder. Ty got situated behind his drums, checked to make sure his mike was on and wished he’d kept his big mouth shut.
“Ty wants to sing. What’cha gonna sing, Ty?”
If anything, they got louder ... right about the time the bottom fell out of his stomach.
“Hey, hey, hey y’all settle down now! You’ll scare the baby.” Jessa rubbed her belly and Rowdy, who stood on her far side, shook his head with laughter.
“Where’s Bo Foster?” Ty asked.
Bo stepped up on Rowdy’s side of the stage and spent a few minutes fine-tuning his fiddle. Despite his baby-faced appearance he knew his way around a fiddle, and he didn’t let the rowdy crowd get to him.
He mouthed, “I’m Gonna Be Somebody,” by Travis Tritt to Zack, who let the others know, and counted off the beat. He played and sang with his eyes closed, or looked at the ceiling, never his drums and damn sure not his brother or the crowd.
But the more he sang, the lighter he felt, as if he might float off of his stool. He smiled to himself at the thought of Bettina out there listening to him. And he didn’t mind the crowd’s cheering either.
Next Ty and Zack did a duet of “Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof.” Which they did screw up and easily laughed off. It had been a long time. Too long.
Afterward, Jessa reappeared on stage. And just when he’d gotten warmed up. He and Zack shrugged at each other.
What the hell.
He stood up, tucking his sticks in his back pocket, and stepped out from behind his drums. At Jessa’s stool, he paused. “Go sit, woman.” He chuckled at the shocked look on her face. With a frown, she waddled over to Zack’s piano bench and sat.
Ty studied her a minute, then quickly conferred with the guys. Rowdy and Zack traded their electrics for acoustics and the four of them had an old fashioned acoustic jam session.
He’d wanted to sing something for Bee, but he couldn’t think of anything. And was afraid that if he did sing to her in public he’d do something stupid. Like get all choked up.
In between songs he traded insults with Rowdy then turned to find Bettina standing at the edge of the dance floor. She smiled and blew him a little kiss.
* * * *
“How come you didn’t tell me you could sing like that?” she gently scolded as they crossed the parking lot to her Mustang.
“I don’t sing much. I used to...” He shrugged. Before life with Rhea got so bad. He shivered under his heavy Carhartt.
“I had no idea.”
“Momma put us all in the church choir.”
They both chuckled at that.
“You didn’t have to walk me out here. It’s so cold!”
He wrapped an arm around her, wanting to protect her from more than the elements. “I’m not gonna let you wander in a dark parking lot all by yourself.” And he was pretty sure he’d seen Rhea skulking around the bar while he was singing. Aunt Susie would come unglued if she caught her there.
One run-in a day with her was plenty.
“So, does this mean you’ll be the one singing lullabies to the baby?” She dug in her purse for her keys, doing a poor job of smothering her giggles.
He hadn’t even thought of that. “No, you have to help.”
“What if I said I was tone deaf?”
“I’d call you a liar,” he replied, pinning her against the car. She moaned low in her throat and smiled, pressing her hips tight against his. God she made him so hot, so needy. He didn’t understand what it was about her that turned him into a walking hard-on. “Get some rest,” he whispered against her lips. She’d need it.
“Wake me when you get home?” She slowly flicked her tongue against his lips.
He caught it with his teeth and suckled before kissing her again. This one a long, provocative play of lips, teeth and tongue that had him grinding his hips against hers, harder this time so there no way she’d miss his erection. His chest heaving, he dragged his lips from hers. “Count on it.”
It was going to be a long night.
He waited until she’d climbed in and started the car before heading back toward the building. From a spot under the eaves he watched as she pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward the ranch. Then went to hunt down Jessa.
Back inside, Ty cornered her in the empty waitresses' break room where he practically choked on the smell of cigarettes and perfume. She sat on the old green couch, her feet propped up on a wobbly coffee table that had once been his mother’s.
“What was that between you and Bettina earlier?”
“What do you mean?”
“Why were you so bitchy to her, Jessa? That’s not like you at all. And don’t think I missed the looks you and Zack have been giving the both of us all night.”
“I heard you telling Zack about Betti and that guy. The one whose hair she was cuttin’.”
Scowling, he threw himself in an old plastic chair. “What the hell gives you the right to eavesdrop on a private conversation? And publicly embarrass my wife? How could you do that when she obviously made a special trip up here to see me?”
“I just don’t want her thinkin’ she can get away with murder.”
The words hung in the air between them. Everything always came back to Rhea. Fuck!
“So you think I can’t take care of myself? Is that it? Is that what everyone thinks? ‘Poor Ty, he’s such a freakin’ nitwit’!” His voice rose with every word.
“Ty, it’s not like that at all. We’re just worried...”
“Did the family elect you my bodyguard?” he demanded, standing and pacing around the tiny room.
“That’s enough,” Zack snapped from his spot at the door. “Your wife’s not the only one pregnant.”
He glanced at Zack then back at Jessa. “Why’d she call you a bitch?”
“Lay off!” Zack slammed the door, settling on the edge of the couch.
“No! Why did she call you a bitch?” He stopped in front of her, hands planted on his hips. The second ticked by as she glanced from him to Zack.
“I went to see her the other day.” She rubbed her lips together, a worried frown on her face.
Now it all made sense. Wednesday. His temper jumped to a simmer as he turned to his brother. “Did you know about this?”
“Only that she heard us talking. That’s when I found out she went to see Betti.” Zack grimaced, the fire gone from his eyes.
“What did you say to her, Jessa?” he softly demanded.
“Ty...” Zack began.
“Butt out! What did you say to her?” he ground out, struggling against the urge to holler--after all, she was pregnant, too.
Eyes down, Jessa whispered, “I told her, if she hurt you, I’d kick her ass.”
“On Wednesday, right? You told her that on Wednesday?”
Jessa slowly nodded as Z
ack sighed and sank down on the couch beside her.
“Great, just great.” Ty kicked the orange chair as hard as he could, no longer caring if the whole bar heard him. “You know how I knew?” he roared. Jessa flinched but didn’t respond. “Because I found her on our bed bawling! You left my wife in tears, and she skipped work. She’s not Rhea! Get used to it! I am.”
* * * *
Ty returned to the bench he and Bettina had sat on earlier, willing his temper to cool in the chilly night air. Dammit, how could Jessa have done that?
He hadn’t been this het up in ages; was wound so tight he shook with anger.
Bettina’s house was for sale, and suddenly, moving didn’t seem like such a bad idea. Away from his family’s well-meaning interference and Rhea’s type of complications.
“Hello, Ty, honey.” Rhea appeared on the path, but she’d picked the wrong night to hunt him down.
“I’m not your honey.” Ty shoved his hands in his coat pockets, forcing himself to keep his breathing slow and steady.
Her heavily made up face looked clownish in the moonlight--and not like a nice clown either. Shades of his dream. What would she look like with no makeup? As ghoulish and scary as in his nightmares?
“You know, that was awful rude of you to just leave me standing there like that earlier.”
Was he supposed to feel sorry for her?
“What? Wouldn’t Billy come and get you?” Still wound up over his run-in with Jessa, Ty’s voice was harsher than he’d intended, and he cursed the show of emotion. He swallowed hard and took a deep breath, reminding himself that she and Billy were fucking her best friend over.
“We broke up.”
Ahaa. Well, that explained her suddenly sweet disposition.
“You mean Melyn found out about you two, don’t’cha?” He hadn’t heard a hint of remorse in her voice. And God help him, he smirked. Not that she noticed.
Rhea laughed and sat next to him, pressing her breasts against his arm. “I missed you, so I dumped him.”
Lying bitch! He snorted with laughter and deliberately leaned away, elbows propped on his knees, to escape the smell of her heavy perfume and her touch. At one time he’da given his left nut for a show of affection from her. But compared to her, being married to Bettina was a cakewalk--with extra icing. With another laugh, he plowed ahead. “You missed me? What the fuck did you miss, Rhea? Throwing dishes at me, braining me with an iron skillet or nagging and me and screaming like a banshee every time you didn’t get your damned way?”
“Please, Ty. Just gimme one more chance.” She leaned against him again, her hands on his back and a pout on her face. “It’ll be so good. Just like when we were first married. I promise.”
“Ha! You’re fuckin’ crazy...” he stood and turned to face her, happy to be far enough away she couldn’t touch him, “--and I married Bettina Blanchard a week ago.”
“So, divorce her.” Rhea scowled, her voice shrill.
“She’s having my baby.” He smiled down at her in victory as those four words warmed his heart.
* * * *
After a long hot shower, Ty crawled into bed next to Bettina, who looked so peaceful he didn’t have the heart to wake her up. His mind wandered back to both confrontations with Rhea. His dream about the cottonwood nagged at him. Why had he told her about the baby? He didn’t know whether to be angry or laugh ... or worry over the feeling of impending doom that tortured him. He finally resorted to deep breathing exercises to wind down, drifting off after 4:00 a.m.
Ty was dreaming again. He was dreaming, but he couldn’t stop it. Couldn’t wake himself up.
Fighting for oxygen, he ran through a shrinking tunnel toward a pinprick of light. Then came to a screeching halt in a field of flowers. It was warm and the sun was shining. In the distance he could see the cottonwood. Staring up at the cloudless blue sky, he spun around in a circle.
“Hello!” he shouted, but didn’t hear anything. Not birds or the wind, just his own heartbeat in his ears. The absence of sound was almost painful.
Now he was lying on a blanket. He couldn’t move. The weight of the world had settled in the middle of his chest. Then he felt it. Panicked at the feel of something soft and wet on his stomach. His heart picking up speed again as he fought for air. The urgency, the sense of danger slowly left him. A warm fire spread outward from his stomach. The sun was licking his skin. His cock.
Ty moaned, his fear completely evaporating as that soft heat engulfed him. Fingers gently kneaded his sac. Rhea had never done this before.
“Oh honey.” His cock swelled as the speed and pressure increased. Her gentle mouth suddenly hungrier. She’d have to stop soon. Ty was afraid she’d never forgive him if he... Oh God! Her teeth lightly grazed the tip.
“Baby ... Rhea.” He reached for her. She had to stop before it was too late. His fingers got tangled in the mass of sunshine buried in his lap but something was wrong. What? He couldn’t focus long enough to figure it out.
Jesus, it felt so damn good. Maybe just another ... few...
The pressure built and his sac drew up tight. It was almost too late. His head rolled back as he thrust his hips toward her tender mouth and liquid tongue. Liquid ... sunshine.
He was so turned on. Rhea had actually gone down on him. The heartbeat in his ears reached a deafening peak then stopped as his hips thrust into her mouth as he came. The clouds above his head sped up.
“Rhea ... Rhea ... Oh Ree.”
The fan. Ty could hear the fan. And his own heavy breathing. He was wide awake, and if he could feel her, she must be here. The last few years had been a horrible nightmare. He and Rhea were still married. Things would get better. They had to.
Then reality crashed in on him.
The last few years had been real. The hair he had his hands buried in wasn’t Rhea’s, but soft curls that wound around his fingers like ivy. Gently, he untangled his hands and placed them on either side of his head.
What the hell had he done? Ty’s heart raced, but for a different reason now. His stomach rolled over as a wave of nausea hit him. How much had he said? God, had he actually said Rhea’s name out loud? Bettina would kill him. Come up swinging any second now. Eyes still closed he lay there, heart pounding so hard it hurt. He flinched, tensing up more when she moved. “Bettina.”
Her voice was a low harsh whisper. “Don’t speak. Don’t you dare say a fucking word.”
He reached for the lamp on his other side, blinking as his vision cleared and the demons he thought he’d banished scurried to darker pastures--for the time being.
Bettina. The pained expression on her face hurt worse than the iron skillet Rhea had once brained him with. “Oh my God, Bee. Oh God, are you okay?”
She laid down on the far side of the bed and turned her back on him with a sob that cut through him like a knife.
“Bee, I didn’t mean it. Please Bee. I’m sooo sorry.”
She only cried harder. Scooting closer, he smoothed her hair away from her face. “Baby, please answer me.”
“How could you? How could I be so stupid ... fucking biggest mistake of my life!”
“I’m sorry.” He was practically choking on his own tears. Ty cradled her, smoothed back her hair and kissed her neck. One became three as he firmly planted himself against her soft backside. An elbow in his ribs caused him to grunt in pain, then Bettina kicked and flailed her way out of his arms.
“Forgive me if I’m not feeling frisky, Ty!” She climbed out of bed and snatched up her favorite pillow. His.
“Where you goin’, Bee?”
“The couch!” Her green eyes could have cut diamonds.
“Bee, please! Don’t leave.”
“Quit calling me Bee, Dammit!” The door slammed so the windows rattled.
Shit! Shit! Shit! Ty sank back against the pillow and stared at the ceiling. He’d fucked up. Again. Worse yet, there was only one way to fix this, and he didn’t know how he could tell Bee--Bettina--everything.
&nbs
p; How could he tell her about Rhea? What would he say? What would she say?
He went to check on her but stopped at the bedroom door. She was crying. And there weren’t enough apologies in the world that he could give her. All he wanted to do was go pick her up and put her back in their bed. Instead, he silently closed the door and sat back down on the edge of the bed. He couldn’t talk to her until he figured out what to say.
What the hell was he going to do? Frustrated, he scrubbed at his head with the palms of both hands then checked the clock through eyes that burned from lack of sleep.
Almost five-thirty. Tim would be up. Ty quickly dressed and slipped out of the house, shivering in the cold early-morning air. Ty trudged across the road to Tim’s, quietly closing the back door so he didn’t wake Rene.
“What the hell are you doing up so early?” Tim frowned at him, and then reached in the cabinet above his head for a cup.
Ty sat in the old-fashioned wooden chair, eyes on the linoleum. The place had begun to look worn and uncared for. Neither Tim nor Rene were much for housekeeping and it showed. Ty accepted the coffee and dumped sugar in.
“It’s a wonder you still have teeth putting that much coffee in your sugar,” Tim teased.
Ty laughed. Coffee in his sugar. Very old joke. But it felt good to laugh and the joke fit like a broken-in boot.
“Ty,” Tim sighed. “Last night your wife called Jessa a bitch in front of half the town. And I know it was close to three when you got home. It’s not even six now, so what’s up?”
Ty sipped his coffee, his mind racing. “How do you ... think she’d take hearing ... about Rhea and the abuse?”
“You haven’t told her?” Tim frowned.
“I didn’t want her to know--or anyone else for that matter! I still don’t want her to know! I ... have nightmares,” he quietly confessed, pausing for another sip.
“Before, it was just about her and I, but lately it’s been about her hurting the baby.” He looked up at his brother. “I saw her yesterday. Twice ... when I went to get something to eat, then later at the bar... She was there and I had one ... another nightmare a while ago.”
“And,” his brother prompted.
Once In A Blue Moon Page 16
