Lady Be Good (Wynette, Texas #2)(34)

She went on, telling him about her panic when Hugh threatened to sell the school and the plan she’d conceived out of desperation. “I had to agree, Kenny. I can’t let him close St. Gert’s. But I can’t marry him, either.”

Warming to her topic, she described her plan to scandalize Beddington just enough so that he would call off the engagement. When she was finally finished, Kenny stared at her for a moment, then walked over to the nearest picnic table and slumped down on the bench. “When you mentioned you haven’t had a normal sex life, exactly what did you mean?”

She couldn’t believe that was the only thing he’d picked up on. “Is that all you can say after everything I’ve told you?”

“First things first.”

The two young boys who’d been chasing each other darted into the trees. “I never said I hadn’t had a normal sex life.”

“You implied it. Now, exactly what kind of abnormality are we talking about here?”

“Nothing! We’re not talking about anything.”

“You’re not a secret dominatrix, are you?”

“Don’t be ridiculous!”

“You already said you’re not a lesbian, and I’m prone to believe you. Foot fetish?”

“No!”

“A masochist?”

“Don’t be absurd.”

“Sadist?”

“This is rubbish.”

His eyes narrowed. “You tell me right this second you’re not a pedophile.”

“Oh, for God’s sake, I’m a virgin!”

Silence.

Her cheeks grew hot. “Go on, then! Laugh! I know you want to.”

“Let me get my breath back first.” His eyes drifted to her breasts. “How does anybody get to be your age and stay a virgin?”

“It just happened, that’s all. I didn’t intend for it to turn out this way.” She shot her chin a bit higher. “I was busy, and I’m not good with men.”

“That’s because you’re too damned bossy.”

“I didn’t ask for your opinion.” A shout from the larger of the two boys distracted her. She watched him wrestle the younger one to the ground, bringing the other child’s head perilously close to the sharp corner of the concrete slab that held one of the picnic tables. “Careful, boys! If you want to wrestle, do it over there.”

The brothers stopped what they were doing and stared at her. So did their parents. Kenny rolled his eyes. “Would you mind your own business?”

She turned her back on him. “I knew you’d be difficult about this. That’s why I didn’t want to tell you.”

He came around in front of her. “Of course I’m being difficult. You climbed into bed with me two nights ago without once mentioning that particular piece of information.”

“It wasn’t relevant.”

“It sure as hell was relevant to me.”

“Why? What possible difference could it make?”

“A big difference. You were using me!”

She stared at him, feeling both anger and the beginnings of a perverse sort of amusement. “As I remember, it was the other way around. Do you always try to turn the tables like this when you know you’re in the wrong?”

He scowled.

“Do you have any idea how pathetic you are?” she said.

“Me?” His eyebrows shot up. “You’re the one who’s never been laid.”

“Life is about a lot more than sex.”

“Yeah, well, you don’t play golf, either.” He stalked off toward the car, looking far more upset than he had any right to be.

She marched after him. “You are the most selfish, self-centered, person I’ve ever known. I’ve just told you how my life’s falling apart, and all you can think about is how it affects you.”

“You’re damn straight.” He turned to confront her. “You listen to me, Emma. The only way I get back on the tour is to keep what’s left of my reputation so clean that it squeaks. Now, near as I can gather, that puts the two of us at cross purposes, because you seem hell bent on destroying yours.”

“I don’t have a choice.”

“You sure do. The answer to your problem is as clear as the nose on your face.” He jabbed his finger toward his car. “Get on that phone right this minute and tell that * duke you have no intention of marrying him!”

“Didn’t you hear anything I said? If I don’t go along with this, he’ll sell St. Gert’s.”

“That’s not your problem. You can get another job.” He unlocked the door and climbed in.

She raced around to the other side and jimmied the handle until he finally unlocked it. “You don’t know what you’re saying.” She climbed inside. “St. Gert’s is special. I’ve started a new program for scholarship students. If the school closes, they’ll be abandoned. And St. Gert’s is my home. The only one I’ve ever had.”

“It’s just a pile of old bricks.”

“Not to me. Oh, why am I even bothering? I knew you wouldn’t understand.”

“What I don’t understand is how you’ve let this whole thing get so complicated.”