Redneck Romeo (Rough Riders #15)(38)

“And you were sincere. You were too good for me, Addie.” That had appealed to him. Marrying Addie might make him a better man. He’d known for months prior to their engagement things in his life needed to change. He believed Addie was the catalyst. And she had been—just not in the way either of them expected.


“Is that why you suggested we wait until our wedding night to have sex?”


Dalton blushed. “Most likely. Although I’d convinced myself that’s what you wanted. In hindsight, I attributed a lot of feelings and ideas to you that weren’t there.”


“You got that right.” She leaned forward. “A little secret between you and me? I didn’t tell Truman that you and I never had sex. In fact…” She laughed. “Exactly the opposite. I told him you were an animal in bed and no man could ever compare.”


Now his jaw nearly hit the table. “Addie! Why in the hell would you do that?”


“What? You owed me that lie, given your reputation as a McKay stud that I didn’t get to experience.” She smirked. “Besides, Truman got it in his head that he needed to be a lover to me that’d make me forget all others and whoo-ee. It’s worked. I’m always walking around with a big ol’ smile on my face.” She shook her finger at him. “So don’t you ruin my sweet gig and offer some kind of confession to my husband tonight, got it?”


“Got it.”


“That said, I cursed your name for months after you left, Dalton McKay. But as time marched on, I realized you were right to call off the wedding. I wish you’d done it before the ceremony. Getting left at the altar ranks as one of the worst things that’s happened to me, yet it also led to the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” She smiled. “Truman.”


“I’m glad that you’re so happy, Addie. I really am. Although, I gotta admit I never would’ve put you and Truman together.”


“He’s no McKay bad boy, that’s for sure. Then again, neither were you when we were together.”


“Was that why you agreed to date me? Because I was the last supposedly wild McKay?”


“That was part of it. I wasn’t the type guys panted over. Not like Rory.”


Like Dalton needed the reminder that guys had lusted after Rory. She’d been sort of sweetly clueless about it. Or hostile about it, depending on the day.



“It was fun being the one who hooked the last McKay man. Might sound stupid, but people around here looked at me differently.”


“Did they look at you differently after I bailed?”


She shrugged. “Not with pity, if that’s what you mean. More like the, we all should’ve known he wouldn’t follow through with it kind of looks.”


“I’m sorry. Jesus. I can’t seem to say that enough.”


Addie patted his arm. “I’m over it. I won’t ever forget it, but the fact I’m fine with you in my kitchen talking about it says a lot.”


“Thank you.”


“So I feel entitled to ask you something.”


His stomach tightened, but he said, “All right.”


“What’s goin’ on between you and Rory?”


Should he toss off a breezy, I’m trying to convince her that I’m a great guy, a changed guy and she oughta spend the rest of her life with me? Nah. Addie would see it as him being flip, and he wasn’t joking. “We’re spending time together.”


“While you’re in town visiting your father? Or are you back for good?”


“There are a few factors that’ll determine where I end up, so it’s a day by day thing.”


“Well, as long as you don’t mind bein’ the rebound guy.”


Dalton frowned.


“You knew she was engaged, right?”


He nodded.


“Rory’s been hiding here since she broke it off with him. She won’t talk about what happened, but I suspect she was pretty broken up about it since she hasn’t dated at all.” Addie pushed up from the table and offered him a sad smile. “Until you. But face it, Dalton, she knows you’re not the settling-down type. Which is why this will be fun for both of you for the short term. Just don’t expect too much from her.”


Addie was wrong about him. She was wrong about Rory, too. Wasn’t she?


“I need to do a few things so why don’t you head into the living room. Truman will be home soon. I’m sure you’ve got things to say to him too.”


Dalton stood. “I hope we can talk with our mouths instead of our fists this time.” He wandered through the room, looking at pictures and knickknacks. Wondering why he didn’t see a TV. He’d bent down to check out the sheet music on the piano when the front door opened.


Truman stared at him for a second from the entryway before he removed his outerwear. Then he said, “McKay. Want a beer?”


“Sure.”


“Gotta check on my wife and then I’ll be back.” Emphasis on my wife. “The beer’s in the den. Room at the end of the hallway. Can’t miss it.”