Lady Be Good (Wynette, Texas #2)(101)

“She’s enthusiastic.” He reached over and stroked her shoulder. “But she has her pride. She’s also frightened, which is understandable, although it doesn’t make any difference. She and I made a deal, and we’re getting married.”

“What kind of deal?”

“That’s private,” Dex said as Torie opened her mouth to respond. He regarded her with amusement. “Victoria, has it occurred to you that you really don’t need to reveal our private life to everyone?”

“Kenny’s not everyone.”

Dex lifted an eyebrow and caressed the corner of her mouth with his thumb.

“Oh, all right,” she grumbled. Then, trying to regain lost ground, she turned the conversation. “I couldn’t help but notice last night that the two of you weren’t exactly acting like a couple of lovebirds. What happened, Lady E? Has Kenny started beating you, too?”

Emma grabbed the sponge from the sink and dabbed at the clean counter. “It’s complicated, that’s all.”

“Not that complicated,” Kenny said. “Some people just want to make it seem that way.”

Torie looked back and forth between Emma and her brother. “I don’t know why, but I’m siding with Lady E on this one.”

Kenny slammed down his mug, sloshing coffee all over the counter. “You don’t even know what’s happening.”

“I know that Emma’s levelheaded, and you’re notoriously screwed up when it comes to women.”

“Levelheaded? She let the whole world believe that you’re her lesbian lover!”

Torie grinned at Emma. “That was sooo cool.”

Kenny grabbed his mug and headed for the door. “I’m taking a shower.” Then he stopped to regard Emma with chilly eyes. “Maybe you’d better make your big announcement before I leave. I don’t want to deprive Torie of the chance to blame me for this, too.”

He was giving her the opening she needed to tell them that she wasn’t staying at the ranch but moving to a hotel.

Kenny Traveler screwed up again. I always knew it wouldn’t work. The only thing he’s ever been good at is swinging a golf club.

She realized she couldn’t do it. Her plan to stay at the hotel had seemed sound yesterday on the plane, but now she was in Wynette, where news carried quickly, and she simply couldn’t tolerate having Kenny once again held up to public ridicule, especially when she knew he wouldn’t defend himself. “Well, the truth is that I’ve decided to get serious about learning to drive.” She turned to Torie. “And since Kenny yelled the only time he rode with me, I’m wondering if you’ll give me another lesson.”

He leaned against the doorframe and watched her, a wary expression in his eyes as if he were waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“I don’t know why you think I’d blame you because Lady E wants to learn to drive, Kenny. Sometimes I believe you have a persecution complex.” Torie smiled back at Emma. “How about driving me over to see Father Joseph this afternoon?”

Kenny’s attention shifted from Emma to his sister. “Why do you want to see Father Joseph?”

“I don’t want to see Father Joseph,” she replied, clearly exasperated. “I have to see him. Haven’t you been listening?”

“Apparently not well enough.”

“This thing with Dex, is all.” She fidgeted.

“The spanking?”

“No, not that! Weren’t you paying any attention? Or didn’t you hear what he said?” Her chest expanded as she drew a deep breath. “The sonovabitch is making me marry him.”

Dex regarded Kenny steadily. “I believe I did mention that.”

Torie gazed at her brother, an expression of entreaty on her face that made Emma want to hug her. Torie couldn’t quite swallow her pride enough to admit that she’d made a mistake about Dexter. She simply wanted Kenny to understand.

Long seconds ticked by. Torie’s hand crept toward Dexter’s. He covered it with his palm.

Kenny finally spoke. “Well, I guess you’ll have to go along with it, then.”

Emma smiled. Kenny wasn’t nearly as obtuse about other people’s hang-ups as he was about his own.

Torie snuggled a bit closer to Dex, whose serious eyes held a decidedly dreamy expression. She, on the other hand, gave a long-suffering sigh. “I don’t know why Dex had to fall in love with me. And I don’t know how I’ll ever hold up my head in this town again. He’s got something like a thirty-two handicap.”

“I’ve already apologized for that, Victoria. If you’re willing to work with me, I’m sure we can shave off a few strokes.”

“I s’pose. But even then, you’ll prob’ly never be much more than a hacker.”

“That’s true.” His lips curved. “And I’m sure I’ll spend the rest of my days listening to you complain about sacrificing your reputation to marry me.”

“Damn right I will.” She gave him a melty, un-Torielike smile. Then she seemed to remember her brother was watching and reddened in embarrassment.

Kenny was too much the older brother to let her off scot-free. “So what brought about this change of heart? Other than the spanking.”

“Nothing. Nothing, really. It’s just—Never mind.”