First it was cancer—he’d been worried about that, but now a bad dye job? The locals must be having a ball trying to figure out why anyone as pretty as Pansy would wear those outrageous wigs and costumes. Kade almost laughed out loud until he saw the dead serious look on Millie’s face. “Who’d you hear this from? Wanda Lu?”
“Wanda Lu wouldn’t know the truth if it bit her on that big old tush of hers.” Millie reached up and smoothed an errant curl into place then took a sip of her coffee. She sat the cup on the table with a clunk and pointed a red-tipped finger at Kade. “That woman’s the biggest gossip in town.”
“So Pansy told you?”
Millie straightened her shoulders. Indignation washed over her face. “I’d never ask so personal a question. The poor girl’s probably embarrassed as heck to have made a mistake like that.”
“Then who?”
Millie didn’t elaborate, and when Kade glanced up, she’d developed an all-encompassing interest in wiping a smudge from her glasses.
Something white flashed by his face and landed with a plop in front of him. The top of a Styrofoam container popped open exposing cold chicken-fried steak and fries topped with congealing gravy. A blob of the thick brown goo landed on the leg of his jeans.
“You forgot this the last time you were here.” Pansy slapped a receipt on the table beside the food.
Even the full, gathered skirt of the ‘50s housedress she wore couldn’t hide the enticing way her hips swayed with each step as she hurried back to the kitchen.
He’d missed watching Pansy move, and he appreciated the sight of her long legs below the hem of the dress, but put that girl in Wranglers and cowboy boots and she was a showstopper.
Millie cleared her throat, and Kade drew his attention back to his lunch partner. “I see the famous Kade Vaughn charm is at work again.” Her too familiar smirk was firmly in place.
“So, you and Clinton Barnes, huh?” Time to get the spotlight off him and back on someone else. It was good to see Pansy again, but he wasn’t going to be here that long, and he sure didn’t need to get involved with an old girlfriend. Make that the old girlfriend.
Kade cut the corner off the steak and took a bite. Even cold, it was good.
Millie’s cheeks flushed pink. She took a big swallow of coffee. After patting her lips with the napkin, she fumbled through her purse and reapplied her pale pink lipstick.
“You’re stalling.” Now was not the time to let Millie off the hook. The woman had been alone long enough. Her husband had been dead for almost ten years. He was glad to see she’d found happiness with a great guy.
Her eyes softened and a smile lit her lips. “Clinton is . . .” Millie twisted a tissue into a pile of fluffy bits. She raised her gaze to meet Kade’s. “He’s the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time. Now that’s enough about me. Have you got a girl?”
“You know better than that. I don’t have time for a girlfriend. I travel too much.” He dipped a fry into the gravy. He was hungrier than he’d thought. “Gotta win that world championship before I get too old.”
“Pffft.” She waved a hand, dismissing his opinion. “You’re a kid. You got your whole life ahead of you.”
“Not riding bulls, I don’t. I’ve only got a couple years left.” Kade’s shoulders slumped with his sigh. Since the day when he was ten and had watched Adriano Moraes ride, he’d been working toward becoming a TBC world champion.
Being a year-end winner in the Top Bulls and Cowboys Association was his life long goal. He’d been close last year until Swamp Fox had thrown him off in the tenth round of the finals, stomping his dream into the dirt.
Kade dropped the fry back into the container, his appetite gone. If he didn’t rise to the occasion in the next few years, he’d be too old. And then what would he do?
A bull rider was all he’d ever wanted to be. When he couldn’t ride any more, and that day was coming faster than he liked, who would he be? Just a plain old broken down cowboy, that’s who.
“Hey, girlie,” Millie shouted, her high voice shrill above the noise of the other patrons. “Pansy Lark!” She continued to hold her hand above her head, waving her fingers at the waitress as she looked back at Kade. “I just love that name, don’t you?”
Great, he was wallowing in self-pity, while Millie called Pansy over to watch. He sucked in a breath and straightened. The woman he’d known before would have consoled him, but this Pansy wasn’t his Pansy any more. She’d probably laugh her ass of at his misery.
The smile Pansy gave Millie was filled with warmth. “What do you need? More coffee?” She reached for Millie’s cup.
Millie put her hand over the cup, shaking her head. “I forgot to tell you about Cary’s shower. I talked to Wanda Lu. Will next Wednesday at 6pm work for you?”
“Sure. Where did you decide to have it?” Pansy stood with her body angled away from Kade not bothering to look at him. “What can I bring?”
“Micah said we could use the ranch. The weather is supposed to be nice, so we’ll have it outside.” Millie scooted to the edge of the seat and stood. “Can you bring those ribs you barbequed for the Fourth of July celebration?”
“Sure. How many have you invited?”
“Just the important folks, ten women and eight men.”
“Men?” Pansy shot Kade a look. “I thought this was a baby shower for Cary.”
Millie laughed. “Well, it’s Micah’s baby too, and you know this town never passes up a party.” Millie stood and gave Pansy a quick hug. “See you two later. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” With a grin, she hurried out of the café.
Time for him to make his escape. Kade stood and pulled a twenty out of his wallet and dropped in onto the table. “Keep the change.”
Pansy stared off into space, not acknowledging him, her body tense.
He laid his hand on her arm. “You okay?”
At his touch, she jerked away, swiping her fingers across her cheek to wipe away a tear.
CHAPTER THREE
Driving less than twenty-five miles an hour put off arriving at the baby shower for a few minutes, but there was no escaping the inevitable. A bright pink and blue bag rested on the seat beside Pansy, the baby gift inside.
Three pans of her special barbequed ribs seemed like a lot, but no matter how many she made, the only thing left in the pans at the end of any function were streaks of sauce.
She’d tried on several outfits before deciding on her Marilyn Monroe wig and low-cut dress. Marilyn was one of the most determined women she’d researched, and Pansy wore the costume like a shield.
When Millie and Wanda Lu suggested giving Cary a baby shower, Pansy’d reluctantly agreed. Cary was her best friend, and this was Cary’s first pregnancy. She could buck up and get through this get-together, pretending to be happy.
Finding out Kade would be attending the party had thrown her into a tailspin. Their baby, their little girl, would have been six years old next month. The miscarriage two months before her due date didn’t make the pain of losing Maxie any less real.
After putting in an appearance and saying hi to everyone, she’d plead a headache. Less than an hour of pretending to be normal and she’d be home alone—again. Just the way she liked it.
The small pasture beside the ranch house was already filled with cars, trucks and Byron’s Harley. Folding chairs were scattered around the lawn, and beside the porch sat a big aluminum trough filled with ice and cans of pop and beer.
A long table loaded with salads and vegetables was in the center of the lawn, and a smaller round table was stacked with pink and blue cupcakes.
Pansy grabbed one pan of ribs in each hand and turned toward the house.
Kade blocked her way. With a grin, he took hold of the pans.
“I can get these.” She straightened her shoulders and reminded herself to remain calm. She tugged on the pans with care. The last thing she needed was for him to drop them.
He lifted them out of her reach.
Jumping to try to take the pans from him wasn’t an option she was willing to stoop to, so she shot him a look that should have scorched the brim of his Stetson.
His grin widened.
An hour was going to be too long if she couldn’t get away from him.
“I’ll just hold them while you get the last one then I’ll stack all three in your arms, and you can carry them to the house by yourself.” He tried to erase the humor from his expression, faking sincerity. “Nobody can say I stand in the way of a strong woman.”
Strong woman. She’d been young and so naïve when she’d been in college. She was strong now, because she hadn’t had a choice. It was toughen up or die in her world.
He didn’t seem to get the message that she didn’t want him around. He’d run before when she’d been needy, maybe he’d stay true to form.
She channeled Marilyn, turning on the charm. “Why thank you. I’d love your help.” She relinquished the pans and pulled the last one from the back of the car. Turning, she wedged the third pan beneath Kade’s arm, hoping it wouldn’t tip and run barbeque sauce down the side of his shirt. She didn’t hope very hard, though.
Placing her hand on his other elbow, she moved him toward the farmhouse. The look on his face was priceless, and if she hadn’t been set on playing a role, she’d have laughed.
As they approached the porch, Cary waved from one of the white wooden Adirondack chairs, her other hand resting on her extended belly. “You’ll have to come up here. I’m not standing again until it’s time to open the presents.”
“Let me get these ribs on the table, and I’ll be back.” Pansy took the pan from beneath Kade’s arm. “Follow me, and you can put those big muscles to some good use.”
“Me and my big muscles are right behind you, boss.” Kade followed her into the kitchen where Cary had left several platters on the counter.
Pansy emptied the first pan of ribs onto one. She pushed another toward Kade. “Put those on this plate. We’ll leave the last one covered to keep it warm.” She licked sauce off her fingers then looked up to see him watching her.
“What?”
He shook his head and busied himself with the task of plating the ribs. “You’re just mighty pretty in that outfit.”
“Jeez, you sound like a character from an old time western.”
“How about if I say you’re a knock-out? Or you’re hot?”
She handed him one of the platters and picked up the other. “How about if we go to the party and stop talking about me?” Damn that man! She couldn’t quite contain the smile that broke out on her face. She’d almost made it to the porch when she heard his voice.
“You look great as a blonde.”
She whirled, almost dropping the ribs. “What does that mean?”
Kade caught up to her at the door. “I like you as Lucy better than Cleopatra. Not that I don’t appreciate Cleo.” He pushed the screen door open with his hip and held it for her to pass through. “But Marilyn is my all time favorite.”
As she walked away, she called back to him. “You haven’t seen Cat Woman yet.”
~*~
“Ho-ly shit!” The words slipped out as visions of Pansy, her curves encased in a skin-tight, black vinyl catsuit pummeled his brain.
“Holy shit, what?” Micah’s voice broke into his imaginings with a jolt.
Oh, yeah. He was a class act, lusting after Pansy at a baby shower. He managed to pull himself back to the present and turned to his friend. “Nothing, nothing at all.”
Micah looked to where Pansy was dishing out ribs then back to Kade. “Sure, buddy. I believe you.”
Kade made his way as casually as he could to the food table. Not an easy task with visions of Pansy in black running through his mind. Moving the condiments to the side, he made room for the platter of ribs.
He looked for Pansy, and found her talking to Byron Garrett, one of Micah’s long time cowhands. The big man had come to Oregon from Texas several years ago and claimed he’d found a home. When Byron laughed at something Pansy said jealousy raw and rank rushed through his body.
Pansy laid her hand on Byron’s arm and smiled up at him.
Nobody was going to flirt with Kade Vaughn’s Cat Woman while he stood back and watched. He’d only taken one step toward the two before he felt a hand on his arm.
Cheney Mills stood beside him, his tobacco-stained smile firmly in place. “Saw you gazin’ at that pretty Pansy. She’s a looker all right.” The rumpled old man patted Kade’s arm with his boney fingers, nodding his head as he spoke. “Mighty fine one for sure.”
The rumor mill of East Hope was alive and well, and if he weren’t careful, he’d be their main grist. “She seems nice. I don’t know her very well.” Kade took a step away from the little man, but Cheney followed like he was attached with a chain.
“Too bad about her hair, though.” Cheney ran his fingers through his shock of white hair then gave his head another sympathy-filled shake.
Kade didn’t want to get involved with any more speculation on Pansy’s wigs, but call him shallow, he was curious as to what the town would come up with this time. “I heard she was sick, and I heard she used bad hair dye. Which is it?”
Cheney wrinkled his nose and waved a hand at his young friend’s ignorance. “Who’s passing those unfounded rumors? That’s not what happened at all.”
“And you know the truth?” he asked. He should stop this conversation right now. He had every intention until he looked up to see Pansy laughing with cowboy.
Byron pulled her into a hug.
Well, to hell with saving Pansy’s hair styling reputation. When he returned his attention to Cheney, the wizened old man was practically levitating with excitement. Kade rested one hand on Cheney’s shoulder to keep him grounded. Wouldn’t want the old man to lift off before he got this load of hot air off his chest.
Cheney held his hand up to the side of his mouth. “Miss Pansy used to be fat, poor girl. A year ago, just before she came to East Hope, she went on a diet where all she ate was grapefruit and diet soda. She dropped the pounds, all right, but she lost her hair in the process. Improper diet will do that, you know.”
He stared at the old man, his skinny chest wheezing with delight at having the very latest in gossip. Like this man knew anything about nutrition.
The grin dropped off Cheney’s face, and Kade realized he’d tightened his grip. If he squeezed the old guy’s shoulder any tighter, he’d break off a piece of the fragile bone. Relaxing, he dropped his arms to his sides.
Cheney ducked his head. “It’s the truth. Got it from a reliable source.”
“Maybe we should keep this story to ourselves.”
“Hey, I ain’t no Flibbertigibbet.” Cheney snorted in disgust and turned to walk away. He took several steps before turning back to Kade. “I just thought you liking her and all, you should know. I won’t make that mistake again.”
What the hell? Every small town had its share of characters, but East Hope seemed to be the gathering place for misfits. He turned his attention back to Pansy, only to see her still standing too close to Byron for his liking. Time to put a stop to this.
In three long strides, he crossed the yard. “Hey, buddy.” He grabbed Byron’s hand and shook, squeezing more than necessary.
Confusion flitted across the big ranch hand’s face followed by irritation. Byron squeezed back and with hands the size of dinner plates he nearly crushed Kade’s fingers.
Good thing I don’t have to get on a bull for a while.
With as much finesse as he could manage, he pulled his hand from Byron’s and slapped the big man on the shoulder. “How’s things going?”
“Fine.” Byron’s brows drew together. He shrugged, stepped out of Kade’s reach then turned to Pansy. “Y’all have a nice day now.”
As the cowboy walked away, Pansy snickered. “You showed him.”
Kade realized he was flexing the fingers of his right hand and dropped his arm to his
side. “Thank god he didn’t want to arm wrestle. I’m a better lover than a fighter, especially with someone the size of an Angus bull.”
Before Pansy could make him feel lower, a clanging noise got everyone’s attention. Millie stood on the porch holding the triangle used to call the ranch hands to eat. She gave it one more bang before moving to the top of the steps.
“I see some of you aren’t done eating, so go ahead and finish. We’re going to have Cary and Micah start opening their baby’s presents.”
Micah’s eight-year-old daughter scampered down the porch steps, jumping off the last two to land next to Kade. She looked up and her freckled face was filled with excitement. “Oh, boy, presents for my little brother or sister. You think maybe there’s one for me?”
“There might just be one, Willa.”
The little girl’s pale red brows pulled together, and she put her tiny hands on her hips. “You haven’t been here for a while, so I’ll remind you. My name is Willa Wild. You wouldn’t like it if I called you Ka.”
Kade pursed his lips as if in thought then nodded. “You’re right. A name is important. I’m sorry.”
Cary grasped the handrail and waddled down the steps. Byron carried one of the Adirondack chairs to the lawn, and Cary sank into it. “This was supposed to be an opportunity for you all to meet our baby, but since the little bugger is two weeks late, we decided to go ahead. Willa Wild, will you bring me one of those?”
One by one, Cary and Micah opened the presents. The wrappings ranged from frothy pastel papers and curly bows to several brown paper bags. When Cary opened Pansy’s gift, she grasped it to her chest, her eyes filling with tears. Pansy had looked for months before finding the vintage Moulin Roty children’s baking set online.
“This is perfect,” Cary said as she struggled to stand. “Boy or girl, my kid is going to learn how to bake.”
“And me,” Willa Wild chirped.
Cary reached out and pulled the redheaded little girl into her arms. “Willa Wild, you’re already a master baker. We’ll teach the baby together.”
Sweet Cowboy Kisses (Sugar Coated Cowboys Book 2) Page 4
