Wild Cowboy Ways (Lucky Penny Ranch #1)(56)

“Are you crazy? She can damn sure do better than you.” Nadine got right into his personal space and poked him in the chest.

“I don’t know what gave her that idea. I’m a happily married man. I dropped by because I was in town. She’s lying. I would never hit a woman.” Riley pulled himself up to his full height of five feet eight inches. “I’ll be going now. I don’t have to take abuse from either of you.”

“No, but I reckon Greta and Suzanne might have some that you’ll have to take when they both hear you’ve been down here trying to get back with your ex,” Nadine told him.

He almost made it to the door when Irene rushed inside and stopped right in front of him. She stomped one foot on the wooden floor.

“You bastard. What in the hell are you doin’ in my store?” she demanded. “I hope God strikes you graveyard dead. And God hears the prayers of little children and crazy old women, so you’d best get on out of here.”

“I’m leaving.” He turned back to give Nadine an evil smile. “You ever tell her about us?” The slamming door echoed through the store like a shotgun blast.

“Did you screw him, too?” Irene turned on Nadine.

Nadine blushed and covered her face with her hands. “I’m so sorry, Allie.”

“Before or after we were married?” Allie asked.

The sobbing started.

“I asked a question,” Allie said loudly.

“After,” Nadine sobbed. “But only two times. He said that you couldn’t keep him happy, that you hated sex and wouldn’t even sleep with him. But I wasn’t the only one, Allie.”

“Sharlene?”

Nadine dropped her hands and nodded. “But before y’all were married.”

“And Mary Jo?”

“Right before Greta,” Nadine whimpered.

Irene threw up her hands in disgust and went straight back to the office where she sat down in the office chair and turned on the television. Allie could barely think straight, but she made a quick call to her mom to let her know Granny was safe and sound before turning toward Nadine.

Nadine froze in the spot where she’d been standing when Riley was still there. “I am so sorry. I came to town to ’fess up to you. Honest, I did. I heard you were runnin’ the store for Lizzy because she’s sick, and I came in here to tell you that I won’t be flirting with Blake Dawson anymore. I didn’t know you were interested in him and I feel so guilty for what I did with Riley, I’d never do that to you again, Allie. You deserve better.”

Allie should feel something other than indifference. Four women including Greta had slept with her husband either before or after she married him. One was standing right there within slapping distance. She should hate her but the only thing she felt for Nadine was pity. “Well, thank you for that but you should be thinkin’ about your wedding instead of my feelings.”

Nadine took a step toward the counter. “You have always been too nice. We were all so jealous of you in high school and then afterwards when you married Riley. Every girl in school was in love with him and he chose you. We all hated you for that.”

Allie wasn’t in a hugging mood so she hoped to hell Nadine didn’t come around the end of the counter and expect to have a girly-type hugging fest. “Don’t look like much of a catch now, does he?”

Nadine’s chin quivered and more tears rolled down her cheeks, leaving long streaks of black mascara in their wake. “I’m bored. I want my own café, but that’s not going to happen. Bobby Ray wants me to quit my job when we get married. If I’m bored now, just think what it will be then. I’m so jealous of you. Always have been because you have something that is yours and you work for it and you are happy.”

Allie’s mind went into high gear. “Rent one of the empty buildings and put in a café. We could use one in Dry Creek. You might not make a million dollars a year, but it will give you something to do. I’ve eaten your cookin’ at the church socials and you’re good at it.”

“I’m not as smart as you. I can cook but a business requires book work and I never was real good in school,” Nadine said.

“Sharlene is good at bookkeeping. She works at a bank and could help you with that,” Allie said.

“Do you really think I could do this?” Nadine whispered.

“Yes, I do,” Allie said.

Nadine cocked her head to one side. “You reckon your mom would rent the old café building to me? It’s already set up with a kitchen. Would take a lot of cleanup but it would cut down on start-up cost.”

“Go ask her. She might even rent to own so that if you get it going good you could buy the place from her,” Allie said.

“Why didn’t I think of that rather than hating you for having what I wanted?” Nadine asked.

Allie laid a hand on Nadine’s arm. At first the woman flinched and then she grabbed the hand and brought it to her cheek. “Like I said, you’ve always been too nice.”

“I can be a real bitch. Ask my sister if you don’t believe me. Or ask Deke or Blake. But the past is gone and today is all we get. You might want to talk to Bobby Ray before you talk to Mama. He’s a lot like Riley in that he expects his little woman to stay home and raise kids.”