Lady Be Good (Wynette, Texas #2)(83)

Hugh kept trying to get Emma alone, but Torie wouldn’t let that happen, and Kenny knew his sister had taken as big a dislike to the Englishman as he had. Out of desperation, Hugh asked Emma to dance, but Torie shot up and said Emma didn’t know squat about dancing, and Torie herself was going to show Hugh how it was done.

Club soda seemed to have helped settle Emma’s stomach, and before long she decided to take another stab at upsetting Hugh by talking to Torie and Shelby about how wonderful Ted was. Didn’t they think he was the best-looking young man they’d ever seen, and didn’t his jeans look good on him, and that kind of stuff, all of which went right over Hugh’s puffed-up head.

Then Dex appeared, and Kenny went on full alert. It was one thing for Emma to flirt with Ted, but there was no way in hell he was going to sit here and watch her try it with Dex.

To his surprise, Torie intervened again. Before Emma could make a single move, Torie forced Dex to the dance floor. As Kenny watched her cuddle up to him, acting for all the world as if she enjoyed having a man she detested as her dance partner, he realized how much he owed his sister. They returned to the table, and she kept Dex so occupied with conversation that, if he hadn’t known she was just trying to keep him away from Emma, he would almost have thought she was enjoying his company. Kenny gave him a dirty look that sent a real strong message—Warren Traveler might have turned his back on his daughter, but her big brother was still on the job.

Lady E started looking so depressed he couldn’t stand it any longer, and he stood up. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s dance.” He emphasized the endearment and made sure his voice was loud enough to penetrate even the duke’s self-absorption.

His Royal Pain in the Ass frowned.

Kenny felt Emma’s resistance as he pulled her from her chair. She was still holding firm to her principles. What was happening between them was to remain private. “I don’t—That is . . .” An edge of desperation crept into her voice. “Ted, are you sure it won’t upset you if I dance with Kenny?”

Kenny gave the little punk a glare that promised the balls he’d be missing come next week wouldn’t have Titleist stamped on them if he opened his mouth. Ted got the message and shrugged. Kenny pulled Emma to the dance floor and, ignoring the news team that was probably going to film them, slammed her right against his chest. “Shut your mouth and put both arms around my neck. Let’s get this over with.”

She drew herself as far away from him as she could manage and looked up with desperate eyes. Seeing his tough, feisty little head mistress falling apart just about broke his heart. “I’m trying to help you out,” he said softly.

“I can’t do it, Kenny. I just can’t. He’s tarnishing every other part of my life, and I won’t let him tarnish this.” She drew a deep, shaky breath. “I—I have another plan.”

It was as clear to him as the nose on her face that she didn’t have a plan at all, but was still hoping she could come up with one.

“The guy’s a jerk, honey. Just tell him so, and you’re off the hook.”

“You’ve met him. You can see how huge his ego is. He has to be the one to break it off, or he’ll get even with me. And we both know how he’s going to do that.”

If Kenny heard one more word about that damned school, he was going to break something.

She started working away at her bottom lip, scheming to beat the band. “When we get ready to leave, I’m going to give Ted a passionate kiss. He already said it was all right.”

“I’ll just bet he did.”

“Then, as soon as I get Hugh alone, I’m going to tell him how Ted and I’ve fallen in love.”

“No, you’re not.”

She regarded him with pleading eyes. “Please, Kenny, don’t make a fuss. There isn’t any other way. I’ll make it up to Ted.”

Ted? She was going to make it up to Ted?

She gave him one of those dead-on looks that she did better than anybody else. “I’m not telling Hugh about us. I know that was my original plan, but . . . what happened is too special.” She shot him a challenging look, as if he couldn’t get an A in her class unless he read a dozen books before the end of the week. “At least it is to me.”

Something happened inside him. Something crazy. A need to laugh. A warm sensation. But then he started to feel as if he were itching all over and only jumping in the middle of a cold lake would make it stop.

She sighed and pulled away from him. He knew he’d disappointed her by not telling her it had been special for him, too. So special he didn’t want to talk about it. As he followed her back to the table, he felt crummy—mad at himself and her, both at the same time.

Right away, Lady E saw that Ted was missing, and her baby cheeks began to crumple. “Wh-where did Ted go?”

Warren nodded toward the back. “Jim Pearl’s been having trouble with his long irons, and Ted’s giving him a lesson in the alley. He said to tell you he’d be right back.”

Hugh stood up. “The trip was quite exhausting, and I’ve had quite enough for the evening.”

“Me, too.” Shelby rose along with him. “I’m starting to leak, and I need to feed Peter.”

Hugh blanched.

Shelby’s mouth widened in a huge smile. “Just wait till you see how comfy that guest room mattress is. Isn’t it, Warren?”