Taking Charge (Lone Star Burn #4)(46)

Sarah gurgled and bit her knuckle. “Anything you say, sweetie.”

Chelle clapped her hands. “That reminds me. I donated baskets to the church raffle, and that brought in some business. I can help you with ideas like that if you want.”

Sarah burst out laughing. “Sorry, I’m picturing everyone’s face if you donated a basket at church.”

Lucy threw a piece of crust at Sarah and stood. “Thanks for the support, Sarah.”

Sarah instantly stopped laughing. She stood and made a grab for her friend’s arm. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

Lucy pulled her arm away from Sarah. “No, you weren’t.”

Frantically, Sarah waved at their friends. “They don’t know anything. I didn’t tell anyone, I swear. Not even Tony.”

Tony frowned.

David knew exactly how he felt. He didn’t like being on the outside either.

Lucy was shaking her head angrily. “No, but now they want to know. It didn’t have to be an issue.”

Mason raised both hands. “I don’t need to know.”

Tony nodded in agreement. “I heard nothing.”

Chelle went to stand with the other two women. “We love you, Lucy. As long as it’s legal, does it matter what you’re selling?”

Lucy threw her hands up in the air. “It’s sex toys. Okay? Satisfied? That’s how I plan to save my ranch—by selling high-tech vibrators.”

A man at a nearby table said, “No wonder he likes her so much.”

David rose to his feet, and the man meekly went back to eating. “Lucy—” David didn’t know what to say, but moved to stand beside her in support.

Mason said, “We’ll still take ten.”

Chelle swatted at him and shook her head. “This is no time to joke.”

Mason shrugged, with big innocent eyes. “Who’s kidding?”

Lucy moved to walk away, and David stepped in front of her. “There’s no need to leave. No one will judge you here.”

She waved her hand at everyone in the restaurant and tears filled her eyes. “You don’t think so?”

David looked pointedly at the nearest man to him. “Will you?”

The man shook his head.

He scanned the nearby tables of people who were watching them. “Does anyone here have a problem with what Lucy is doing?”

Tony stood, as did Mason. David didn’t need their help. He was more than ready to take on the first person who said anything.

From across the room, one man called out, “My wife wants to know if you have a catalogue.”

Laughter erupted, and the tension in the room eased.

Lucy looked fragile, but hopeful. He felt like an ass for letting her friends push her into sharing something before she was ready to, but she had a choice to make. She could hide or be proud of who she was.

She raised her chin and answered, “Not yet, but I’ll have some for my next visit.”

Two young men at a corner table said something, but David didn’t hear exactly what it was. He turned toward them. “If you’ve got something to say, be man enough to say it to my face or smart enough to keep your mouth shut.”

An older man from another table walked over and slapped one of the young men in the back of the head. “Sorry, David. That one is mine. I’ll talk to him.”

David nodded at the old man. “Thanks, Pete.”

Mason whooped and clapped a hand on Tony’s back. “I always thought this town was afraid of you, but I think it’s David they’re afraid of.”

Clara, the waitress, chirped in, “That’s not fear, Mr. Thorne, that’s respect. There ain’t a person in here David hasn’t helped one way or ’nother. When my daddy lost his retirement, David helped him find a fancy lawyer in Dallas who got it back for him.” She looked at Lucy. “A smart woman doesn’t walk away from a man like that.”

David’s cheeks warmed. “Your family has been just as kind to me.”

Tony grumbled, “Life was a whole lot less complicated before we all started sharing so much. Are we staying or going?”

Not caring who was watching, Sarah said, “Lucy, I really am sorry.”

Lucy gave her a quick nod, but her attention remained on David. She searched his face. “I didn’t mean for it to come out like this. The last thing I wanted to do was embarrass you.”

“You didn’t. Now, what do you want to do—stay or go?”

Lucy looked at Clara, then back and said, “I want to stay.”

“Then let’s have another round of beers. In fact, how about a round for everyone—on Mason. Vote Thorne for president!” David smiled.

Mason called out, “I’m not announcing anything, but I will buy all of you a drink.”

General applause filled the room while David, Lucy, and their party sat back down. Once everyone was settled, David took Lucy’s hand in his. He spoke softly into her ear. “You could have told me.”

“I was working my way toward it.”

“Is there anything else I should know?” Now is the time to tell me if there is someone else.

“No, that’s the only secret I had.”

Thank God.





Chapter Thirteen