“You got it,” she said with a grin before walking toward another couple.
When they were alone again, Cal raised his bottle. “Here’s to us, Susan. Here’s to going a whole ten minutes without arguing.”
She raised her bottle, too. “I’ll drink to that. I’m really glad you called. All I was doing was sitting on the couch worrying about Hank.”
When she saw a flash of hurt appear in his eyes, she automatically reached out and grabbed his hand. “I didn’t mean that how it sounded. I’m thankful you called. And, uh, glad to be here. I promise.”
He tipped his beer her way again before taking a sip. “You know what? Right now, I think I’m going to believe you.”
The way he looked at her made her feel all girlish.
She sipped her beer, too, and scooted a little closer to him, because it was so noisy it was hard to hear.
Yes, that would have made sense…if they’d been talking, but they weren’t.
She was tempted to slide even closer.
If Betsy and her date hadn’t walked right in.
Chapter Thirteen
“Shoot,” Susan said.
With effort, Cal made himself stop staring at her—he’d never seen a woman with such soft-looking skin—and concentrate on her new tense expression. “What’s wrong?”
“That woman who just walked in is my neighbor.”
The redhead with the pixie cut looked vaguely familiar. He couldn’t quite place her. However, he definitely recognized the man she was with. Gene Howard. Ever since his girlfriend had left him for someone else, Gene had kind of fallen apart. He had a slump in his posture that made him look like a perpetual sad sack. His eyes were brown and his lips were pale enough that they kind of blended in with his skin tone. All in all, he was a mousy man with a pooch hanging over his belly and sallow skin.
“Do you know Gene?” he asked. “Are they serious?”
“I don’t know him at all. But, uh, Betsy had wanted me to double-date with her and one of Gene’s friends this evening. I told her no.”
Cal narrowed his eyes at the girl, then the name Betsy finally triggered a memory. She’d flirted outrageously with Trent a time or two last summer. When Trent hadn’t taken her bait, she’d moved on to him. Had even gone so far as to ask him out.
He’d refused her, of course. He didn’t like pushy women, and her behavior had given credence to the rumors Trent had told him about. Betsy was a woman desperate for a wedding ring and an easier life. Looking for love had very little to do with her agenda.
In his estimation, Susan didn’t seem like the type of woman to keep company with a girl like Betsy.
But just as he was about to ask Susan why she’d told Betsy no, the redhead approached, Gene in tow.
As they got closer, he compared her red hair to Susan’s. Where Betsy’s was the product of a bottle, he instinctively knew Susan’s auburn was the work of nature. That key difference seemed to suit what he knew about each woman, as well. Betsy’s pushy fakeness had grated on him. While Susan’s personality seemed to illustrate exactly who she was.
Yep, even when he hadn’t liked her all that much, Susan hadn’t tried to be someone she wasn’t.
“Hi, Betsy,” Susan said when Betsy and Gene were barely a foot away.
Her friend’s eyes flashed. “Well, now, you are about the very last person I would have ever expected to see here.” Looking Susan up and down, she added, “You know, you should’ve just told me you already had plans.” As she turned to Cal, she winked slowly. “Hey, Junior.”
“Betsy.”
Susan gripped her beer bottle. “When we talked earlier, I didn’t have plans. Cal and I just decided to go out for a little bit. It was kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing.”
“Is that right?” Betsy opened her eyes innocently and scanned the bar. “Now, where’s Hank? In the bathroom?”
“You know he’s not here.”
“How can that be? I mean, you’ve told me a dozen times that it was too hard to get a babysitter so you could go out for a night on the town with me.”
“Hank is at the movies with a friend.”
Cal bit his lip and waited for Susan to tell her friend that why she was here and what Hank was doing was really none of her business. Certainly not any of Gene’s.
But Susan seemed uncomfortable and tongue-tied. In contrast, Betsy looked triumphant, which just made him pissed. Already, he couldn’t wait to tell her goodbye.
Stepping a little closer, she smiled. “Junior, it really is so good to see you again. Do you know Gene Howard?”
“I do. How you doing, Gene?”
“Fair enough, thanks.”
When Betsy didn’t introduce Susan to him, Cal did the honors. “Susan, this here is Gene Howard. We’ve known each other forever.”
Smiling weakly, she held out a hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Cal waited, sure the Susan he’d met at the hospital was about to appear. That Susan would’ve torn into Betsy’s know-it-all attitude and asked her to leave them alone.
But instead of doing any of that, Susan slumped in her seat.
So Betsy took charge. “We had a real nice dinner at the Golden Dove. Have you been there, Cal?”
He and Jarred had gotten takeout from there for a good two weeks for their father when he’d had his first episode with his heart. “I have,” he said shortly. It irked him that Betsy was now pointedly directing all her attention toward him.
“How’s Trent doing? Still raising eyebrows on the circuit?”
“Some.” He didn’t feel the need to share Trent’s recent misfortune. It wasn’t as if Gene—or Betsy—was going to have a reason to give Trent a call anyway.
Betsy crossed her arms in front of her chest as Gene smiled. “Hey, how about I try to find us another pair of chairs? We could make it a foursome.”
Confused by Susan’s behavior, and in no mood for either Betsy’s or Gene’s company, Cal decided to put an end to things. “That would be real nice, if we’d wanted company,” Cal finally said. “However, we do not.”
After tossing Cal a glacial glare, Betsy allowed Gene to guide her out of the way and to a table near the back.
The moment they were out of sight, Susan exhaled and relaxed against him. “I’m sorry I just sat here like a statue,” she whispered. “Seeing her really shocked me.”
He couldn’t deny that he didn’t mind her sidled up against him at all. In fact, he almost welcomed Betsy’s interruption. For the first time, Susan was able to let down her guard. As if he did it all the time, he carefully slipped an arm around her shoulders and held her close. “If you don’t mind me saying so, she didn’t look all that happy to see you, either.”
She chuckled but didn’t move away. “Oh, she wasn’t.”
Behind them, the band was setting up. Pretty soon the noise was going to be so loud that no one was going to be able to say much at all. Because Susan looked so upset, he asked quickly, “Want to tell me what that was all about?”
“Betsy’s mad that I didn’t want to double-date with her tonight. But back when she asked, I honestly couldn’t go. And, well, I didn’t want to, either.”
Because they were close enough to kiss, he noticed little flecks of gold and violet around the edges of her green eyes.
“Because?” he murmured.
“Because I don’t date, Cal. You know that by now, right? I can’t afford it, and I can’t afford to leave Hank in someone else’s hands for very long. His diabetes is too new to me to trust him with a teenager. It’s only because he’s with his buddy’s family that I said yes to you.”
“So you told her all that and she understood?”
“I told her all that and she didn’t understand even a little bit,” she corrected. “This guy’s important to her.”
“So is his bank account,” he said drily. “Susan, I know she’s your friend and all, but I should probably warn you that she doesn’t have the best reputation. About a year ago,
she tried hard to get her claws into Trent. Luckily, he wasn’t looking for anything long-term.”
With a sigh, she moved away from him. “I don’t agree with her motives, but other than that, I really have liked her a lot.” Susan bit her lip. “She’s come over and we’ve sipped wine and laughed. She looked so mad at me, I wonder if she’ll even talk to me tomorrow.”
“She will. When she wants something from you she will.”
“That’s not fair.”
“Lots of things aren’t fair.” He felt for her. He knew she’d taken on a lot, and now that he was getting to know her better, he knew how hard she worked. Just for a moment, he’d been anxious to see the lines around her eyes relax. Lessen. And, of course, he’d been enjoying having his arm around her. Dressed in that violet tank top, her skin was as supple and smooth as he’d imagined.
He’d enjoyed feeling as if she needed him, needed his support. Just for a little while.
But maybe it wasn’t too late? “Hey, want to get out of here?”
Her eyes lit up. “Can we?” Then just as quickly, she caught herself. “Oh, I mean, it’s okay. I don’t want to make you leave.”
He laughed. “We can do whatever we want. So, answer me, would you? Do you want to leave?”
“I’d love to, if you don’t mind.” Worry appeared in her eyes. His heart softened. Susan didn’t want to disappoint him. She was putting his needs first. Right then and there, he realized that she would sit at their table at Bob’s for as long as he wanted, if it was going to make him happy.
Even if her neighbor was shooting arrows at her from her perch on Gene Howard’s lap.
Who else had ever put him first? He couldn’t think of a situation recently where his preferences had even been acknowledged. Susan’s thoughtfulness made him wistful for things that he’d given up on. And it humbled him, too.
“Let me settle up and then we’ll go,” he said softly.
“You really don’t mind?”
“Not at all, sweetheart.”
Surprise at his endearment made her eyes widen. Well, that made two of them. He didn’t call women sweet little names.
But what struck him as even more surprising was her reaction.
She obviously wasn’t used to hearing sweet things. Why not? he wondered. Had no one ever cared enough to treat her sweetly?
BY MUTUAL AGREEMENT, they left her car in the parking lot at Bob’s and headed out in his truck.
“Where we’re going is close,” he murmured. “Not more than ten minutes away.”
“I’m learning ten minutes is close in Texas.”
He chuckled. “Well, darlin’, everything is big here,” he said in an exaggerated drawl.
As he’d hoped, it earned a chuckle from her. And a smile when he reached for her hand.
As promised, he was parking in no time at all. “This ain’t the honky-tonk,” he said as they started down the sidewalk. “But I always thought our town square had a certain charm,” he murmured as he held out his arm for her to take.
“I would agree.” Susan realized, to her amazement, that she hadn’t been out in Electra much at night. The Lodge was on the outskirts, in between the hospital and her condo. Because of that, she hadn’t had the opportunity to experience the true prettiness of Electra in the moonlight.
The town leaders had strung lights through most of the trees in the center square. The surrounding buildings, while looking old and in need of a serious paint job in the daylight, looked adorable festooned with tiny white lights. Still more tiny lights dotted potted plants and shrubs along the walkway. It all looked magical.
“I had no idea everything was lit up like this,” she murmured. “I’m glad you brought me here.”
“That’s good.”
And because she was starting to get the idea that Cal did thoughtful things all the time, with no expectation of ever receiving thanks, she added, “I’m glad you called me up, too, Cal. Thank you.”
His hand tightened around hers for a split second before he answered, “Watch out, Sue. If you’re not careful, you’re going to stop being irritated with me. Next thing you know, you’ll be sitting at home, waiting by the phone, hoping I’ll call.”
“I better be extra careful, then,” she joked. “I’ll hardly know what to do with myself then.”
“Would that be so terrible?” There was the faintest hitch in his voice. In the dim light she wasn’t sure if he was still teasing her…or if he’d become more serious.
“If I was reduced to sitting by the phone?”
“If we started getting along?”
“Of course not.” As Susan looked up at Cal, gazed into his eyes, she smelled his soap and cologne. A stab of dismay coursed through her.
Because right then and there, she knew that she did want to get along with him. She was even forgetting why she had never got along with him in the first place. Now all she seemed to do was think about how handsome he was. Admire that slow, sexy drawl.
And wonder if he was ever going to kiss her.
But stewing on all that wouldn’t do. So she kept things as light as she dared. “For the record, I haven’t been trying not to get along with you. I don’t know what happened….”
“Maybe we were just at our worst at the hospital.”
Cal was giving her an easy way out. It would be so easy to take it. To not accept any blame for her actions. But could she really do that? “Maybe it was the hospital environment,” she said slowly. “Or, maybe it’s just the time of my life. Things are complicated with me right now. I get stressed and forget that the rest of the world isn’t that way, too.”
“Because of the move?” He glanced at her with a soft smile, then moved them off to the side as a pair of teenage girls darted by, the two of them giggling while one texted on her cell phone. For a brief moment, Susan’s side was flush up against his, her breast pressing into his biceps, her hip against his.
Without notice, a new pulse of awareness zipped between them. With effort, she concentrated on his question. “Yes, I’ve been feeling at loose ends because of the move. And the job. And Hank’s diabetes. He’s had so much trouble getting adjusted, I sometimes wonder if I should go back.”
“You’d do that?”
“Maybe. It’s been a tough adjustment in a lot of ways.” She lowered her voice, dismayed that she could still feel as if Hank’s illness was somehow her fault. “But that’s not the whole reason I’ve felt so confused.”
“Most people would say it was enough.”
Susan liked how Cal didn’t rush, didn’t push her into admitting more than she wanted to. “Most people would be right,” she said. Then, slowly, she took the plunge. “But, well, I think the problem was you.”
He looked taken aback. “Me?”
She tightened her hand on his arm when he threatened to pull it away. “Yes—but not in the way you’re thinking,” she said. “Cal, you’re the first man since Hank’s father who’s had any interest for me.”
“Why do you think that is?”
“Because before you, I was too afraid. Greg, he hurt me deeply. I can’t tell you what that felt like, knowing he not only was rejecting me, but rejecting our baby, too.”
“That was his fault, Susan.” His voice matched his glare. Both were harsh.
“I know. And I can’t say I’m upset about him not being in my life. But it also made me think that the only way to be safe was to push everyone else away. That’s what I hate most about what Greg did to me. He made me afraid to ever let anyone get close.”
“But with me you’re starting to think differently?”
“Yes. I don’t know why.”
“You don’t know. Hmm…” In the reflection of the twinkling lights, his eyes glowed. “Is that a fact?”
His accent had thickened. She was starting to learn that his voice thickened, became almost more Texan in times of deep emotion. When he was at the hospital. When he discussed getting his father into the Lodge.
And now. When
he was about to kiss her.
With sure steps, he led them to the shadow of the bank. Where it was dark, out of the way.
And then, before she knew what to say, he lowered his mouth, cupped her jaw in his hand and kissed her.
Deliberately. Slowly. The same way he seemed to do everything else. With thought and extreme care. A probe of his tongue opened her lips. Then, still holding her face tenderly in his hands, he explored her mouth.
It was the most passionate, heartfelt kiss she’d ever had. His touch, his scent, his taste grabbed her senses and held on tight, making her aware of only him.
Making her hope things would never end.
Slowly, Susan raised her hands and flattened her palms on his chest, felt his heartbeat and kissed him back.
Only after an eternity did he step back.
Only after they gazed at each other in wonder, panting, attempting to get their breath back, did she realize that they were still in the shadows of the building.
And that anyone could have been watching them.
But even more surprising, Susan realized she didn’t care.
No, far from worrying about what people thought, only Cal Riddell occupied her mind. Her palms still flat against his cotton shirt, she felt the heat radiate from his skin. As the beat of his heart thumped under her hand, she imagined what he’d feel like without that shirt on.
Okay. Without a stitch of clothing on. She wondered what he’d be like in bed. Would he still kiss her so deliberately?
Would his hands be as methodical and deliberate?
Would he say her name, all soft and slow, emphasizing the first syllable, letting the second drift off into almost nothing?
Even thinking about him, over her, his body naked, his skin bronzed, those grayish-blue eyes of his flashing passion, made her toes curl.
“Maybe…maybe we should walk on,” she said softly.
Taking her hand again, he nodded. “Which way do you want to go?”
They were at the street corner. Electra, being the small town that it was, had ended abruptly, with the one stop-light, and was now twinkling in its glory behind them. “What are the choices?”
My True Cowboy Page 12
