An uncomfortable feeling took a hold of Lexi’s gut. “We would have gotten there.”
“I know what Jack did was manipulative, but he did it because he loves you. He did it because he was scared. He spent almost a year really getting to know Aidan. Jack brought Aidan into his business. His herd is now affiliated with Barnes-Fleetwood.”
Lexi felt her mouth fall open. “He did what?”
“He’s made Aidan a partner in Barnes-Fleetwood. Junior, but a partner. Jack believes in him. I know that man. I know his heart. He would never have done that if he thought Aidan wasn’t the best thing in the world for you and Lucas. I was mad at first, but I saw you today. You were more alive than you’ve been in years. God, Lexi, I want my daughter back. I spent the afternoon realizing I would have done much worse than Jack to get you back.”
Lexi looked back and thought of all the ways her mom and her stepdads had tried to engage her in the last couple of years. Jack and Sam had moved her from Austin to Dallas. They were wealthy enough to have simply paid for the move, but they had shown up and carried out her furniture and boxes and loaded them into her rented truck. They had driven her and hauled it all out again. Jack had offered job advice. Her mother had tried to get her to come out to the ranch on weekends, and when she wouldn’t, had shown up on her doorstep claiming she needed to shop. They had tried in a thousand different ways, and then Jack had brought the sledgehammer down because he wasn’t a man to give up.
And she’d felt more in the last two days than she had in years.
It wasn’t that she didn’t love Lucas. God, she loved him so much, and he loved her. But they needed Aidan. Aidan pushed them.
Lexi could forgive Jack, but she still wasn’t sure how to handle Aidan.
“I think you need to give this time, baby girl,” her mother said.
“I have a lot of that now. Aidan quit my job for me.”
Her mother smiled. The light joy on her face made her seem years younger. “He’s a Dom all right. Such pushy men, but there’s nothing like a good one. Ask yourself something. Did you love that job?”
“No, but it was mine. What am I supposed to do now?” She knew she was being stubborn. She’d been thinking about quitting the job anyway. She had money in the bank. She could always find another crap job.
“What do you want to do, Lexi? Because it occurs to me that Aidan is offering you a chance. Between Aidan and Lucas, you don’t have to work if you don’t want to. I know that sounds unliberated of me, but given the fact that your stepfathers are multi-millionaires, it’s not like you’ll be on the streets if something happens to Aidan or Lucas. You’re in a unique position, one a lot of women would kill to be in. You can follow your dream. You don’t have to work eight hours a day and then try to get some words on a page. Don’t you see? By making you quit a job you didn’t even like, Aidan is trying to give you what you need.”
“Shouldn’t that be my choice?” Again, she knew she was stupidly stubborn, but damn it, she wasn’t ready to concede yet.
“It is,” her mom said with a sad sigh. “It’s always your choice. Once the Dawson brothers figure out what’s going on with the attempt on your life, you can go back to Dallas and take up your old life. Lucas will follow you. Lucas will do whatever you decide. Jack can get you your old job back, or you can find a new one. You don’t have to see Aidan again.”
Yes, she could always just say no. She could have said no this afternoon when he’d driven his cock inside her, and she’d felt that connection she’d been missing since the day he walked out. Something had fallen into place this afternoon, some sweet sense of peace in a world that had been chaotic for too long.
God, she didn’t want to tell him what she’d done. Was that the real reason she was holding back? When she stopped thinking about the accident, she was happy with them. Lucas was thrilled. He was happier than Lexi could remember him ever being. Was she willing to give it all up so she could pretend it never happened?
“Good lord, here comes trouble.” Her mom’s lips were pursed in a frown, and her auburn hair shook as she looked at something coming across the fair grounds.
“Hey, Lexi,” Bo said, coming up behind her. He had two bags of cotton candy. He opened his mouth, Lexi assumed to say something flirty and smart, but his eyes caught on the same thing her mother was worried about. “Damn. Come on, Lexi. I can find us cover.”
Karen Wilcox led a small group of young women. They were all small town princesses in tight jeans and tops that looked like someone had taken a Bedazzler to them. There wasn’t a natural hair color among them, but damn they knew how to tease that hair. Lexi had to smile because she was sure one of those women had added almost a half a foot to her height with her hair.
“That is so awesome,” Lexi breathed.
They slunk toward her like a bejeweled pack of hyenas. This was the way she used to view the world. Each and every incident was a wild thing, something she could use down the line. The world used to be a surreal carnival. There had been sadness, yes, but even that had lit something inside her. She’d felt with her every breath. Now she could really see just how shut down she’d been.
“I’m going to go get Aidan,” Bo said, backing off a little.
“Don’t you dare,” her mother said with a little laugh. “My girl can handle this. There are only four of them. I got your back.”
“Mother, we are not starting a fight. Jack told you to stop that.” Her mom was famous for taking down younger women in bar fights. There had only been the one, but it was legendary. And Lexi had no intention of fighting with Karen. She greatly preferred the pen to the sword.
There was Karen. She was Blonde Number One. Lexi quickly named them in her head. Blonde Number Two was short with enormous boobs. She named the third Talon because she had the longest, reddest fingernails Lexi had ever seen. And the last was Mouse, a little redhead who looked like she would rather be someplace else. Lexi couldn’t help but notice how Mouse looked at Bo through over-mascaraed eyes.
“Well, well, lookie here. These are the women I told you about. These city slickers have come to grace our little town.” Karen stopped in front of her. She smiled maliciously down at Lexi. She was wearing four-inch heels to a carnival.
Her mother opened her mouth to say something, but Lexi put out a hand, silencing her. “Don’t correct her, Momma. Willow Fork has three whole stop lights. Deer Run makes Willow Fork look positively cosmopolitan.”
“Is she insulting us?” Talon cocked a hip as she looked Lexi over. “She shouldn’t be. I have no idea what Aidan sees in her.”
Bo took a step forward. “That’s Aidan’s fiancée. You need to treat her with some respect.”
“Technically, he hasn’t asked me to marry him again,” Lexi pointed out. She opened the bag of cotton candy. This looked to be an interesting argument. She might need the sugar.
“See, I told you he wouldn’t marry her.” Karen smirked as she slapped Blonde Number Two’s shoulder. “He’s trying to make me jealous. He’s making me pay for marrying someone else.”
Lexi gave her a thumbs-up. “Damn, you figured it out. I told him you were smarter than he thought you were.”
“When did you get to be so mean, baby girl?” But there was a little smile on her mother’s face.
Lexi chose to avoid confrontations when she simply didn’t give a shit about the person confronting her. Oh, she would rail and fight Lucas and Aidan all day. They would find her very stubborn indeed, but if Karen needed this to feel decent about herself, then Lexi didn’t care. If these girls wanted to think she’d been used to make Karen jealous, Lexi was okay with it. The night was nice. She had a little bag of cotton candy. Her body still hummed because the boys had been serious about those multiple orgasms. It was all good.
“Come along,” Lexi said. “We should go join the rest of them. Maybe a ride on the Ferris wheel will fix my broken heart.” Actually, it did sound like fun. And so did those bumper cars. Lexi bet Olivia would be a hell of
a driver.
They all turned to go, even Bo, who seemed to feel a need to defend her but gave up when she smiled at him.
“You’re just a big city whore,” Karen taunted. “Aidan was never going to marry you. You’re just willing to do all kinds of things a lady wouldn’t do.”
Lexi stopped and turned. That was utterly unforgivable.
“Lexi,” Bo said calmly, as though trying to figure out just how to handle a dangerous animal.
“It’s all right,” she replied. “I need to make a few things clear to Karen.”
“Are we going to fight now?” her mother asked.
Lexi almost snorted. “No, Momma. Relax.”
“You got something else to say?” Karen seemed ready to throw down. She probably watched way too much reality TV.
“I do. I am entirely insulted.”
Talon’s lips curled up. “I think that was the point. Karen told us all about what you were letting those men do to you in that barn. What a whore.”
“I’m not insulted that you question my ability to attract two unbelievably hot men. I’m really not, but I won’t allow you to call me a whore. A whore accepts money in exchange for her favors. I just accept orgasms. I’m a slut. Seriously, get your lingo down.”
Karen finally looked confused. “What?”
“And while we’re at it, whore is really overused. So is slut. If you’re going to insult your sisters, please expand your vocabulary.”
Lexi was well aware that she was gathering a crowd. Several families stood watching, covering their little one’s ears, but obviously unwilling to miss the showdown between the queen bee and the city girl. She noticed Aidan and Lucas looking in. Aidan started to step forward, but Lucas stopped him, a bemused smile on his face. Lexi took it as permission to go all out.
“Let me give you some examples. First, whore isn’t exactly modern. Ho-bag, hookerbop, boom-boom girl, DPF—that stands for dirty penis face—chlamyidiot, hozo, slank…I like that one because it’s a great combo of slut and skank. You could go with dumpster if you’re really dirty. Now, that last one is a little more urbane way of saying cum dumpster, but if you’re trying to be insulting, it really works.”
There was silence from the crowd and then snickers. One very properly dressed white-haired lady in a green polyester suit actually clapped.
“Nicely done, dear. I used to be an English teacher. That girl always needed a thesaurus.”
“You’re just a crazy bitch,” Karen said, her face flushed. She looked around as though realizing just how stupid she looked.
The crowd moved fast, hauling their children away as Lexi opened her mouth to give Karen a stern lecture on how common the word bitch was.
“You’re good, baby,” Lucas said, covering her mouth with his hand.
She was quiet long enough that he took it away. “You do that a lot.”
Aidan answered for him. “Well, angel, you have quite a mouth on you.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Not that I don’t love it.”
“Aidan, you can’t mean to do this,” Karen protested. “I’m done being put through hoops. I’m sorry I picked Carl over you, but he’s dead now, and we can be together. All you’re doing by running around with this…woman is causing a scandal. Can’t you see that?”
An unholy gleam lit Aidan’s eyes. “You think I’m causing a scandal now? How about this one?”
He reached out and dragged Lucas toward him, planting his lips on Lucas’s and kissing him for all he was worth. Lexi watched as everyone stopped and stared. Well, Aidan had certainly declared his intentions. For better or worse, he was out in the open.
“Well, at least the church ladies will stop talking about my beer drinking now.” Bo’s face was red, but he held his ground.
Her mother shook her head and put her arm around Bo. “Yes, I think Aidan has given them plenty to pray about.”
Aidan came up for air. “I’m not apologizing for loving someone. Not ever again.”
Karen huffed and hurried away as fast as her heels would carry her. Karen’s little pack turned and trailed after her.
“Well, you could have warned me I was coming out,” Lucas said with a frown. “I would have thrown a party.”
The retired English teacher made her way to the front. “I am so glad about this, boys. I have been waiting for years. This town is so dreary. We need your kind to spice it up. I loved Will & Grace. I was not as happy about Queer as Folk, but that Will & Grace was so funny. Could the two of you do something about town hall? It’s so dingy. I’ve been trying for years to find a good designer.”
“I will get right on that, ma’am.” Lucas stifled a laugh.
Jack walked up to the group carrying Olivia under her arms and as far from his body as possible. Lexi stared at her little sister, who seemed to be wet from head to toe.”
“She fell into the trough at the petting zoo,” Jack explained.
“That’s not giving her enough credit.” Sam jogged behind them toting a giggling Josh. “She dove in.”
“I went swimming, Momma.”
Her mother’s face fell, and she took her youngest daughter. “Let’s get her back to the motel.” She shook her head as she looked at Lexi. “I hope your first baby is as easy on you as you were on me. The second is hell on wheels.”
Lexi knew her mother meant well, but the whole night dimmed. She’d already had her first baby. And she’d lost him.
And now she had to tell his father that she’d failed.
* * * *
Dwight tried to put on a calm face, but his stomach had been in knots since this afternoon. He’d thought when he’d managed to get Aidan home that he would be in control again. He was Aidan’s best friend, after all. He was the one who had stood beside Aidan in the hospital. Now he was the one Aidan ignored in favor of a couple of people he fucked.
Dwight stood by the popcorn stand and wondered what the hell he was going to do now. He’d thought if Aidan just came back, he would get into his routine, which included taking his sleeping pills. It was only when he dreamed that he started to remember that day—the worst day of Dwight’s life. If Aidan remembered, Dwight’s whole life would be over.
He should have smothered that dumb cowboy while he was in his hospital bed. Better yet, he should have made damn sure the bastard was dead that day in Fallujah.
Dwight had lived with the guilt long enough that it had turned into a strange form of entitlement. He’d made a mistake. Everyone made mistakes. It wasn’t his fault. It was the goddamn US Army’s fault for putting him in the position. He’d had a few weeks training and then he’d been shoved into combat. Was it his fault he’d panicked?
The gun had gone off on its own. It was a piece-of-shit gun anyway.
What the hell was he going to do?
Karen Wilcox stomped through the fairgrounds, making a beeline for the parking lot, her face screwed up in a mask of rage. What had put that look on her face? Karen caught sight of him and turned on her heels. Dwight had the sudden urge to flee but held his ground.
“How could you? You told me he wanted me.”
Ah, so Aidan had finally had it out with the bitch. He’d been a pussy about it. It had been easy for Dwight to convince her that Aidan was just mad that she’d chosen someone else. Karen was thirty and there weren’t a lot of prospects in a town as small as this. Dwight had fucked her a couple of times, but she wouldn’t consider him. Though Aidan might not have a ton of cash, he had land and that made him wealthy to these people. Aidan was the catch.
“Well, who wouldn’t want you, darlin’?” Dwight had found that she was very susceptible to flattery. All he had to do was tell her she was hot, and she suddenly was willing to listen to anything he said.
Karen face was bright red with rage. “And you didn’t mention that he’d gone queer. It was one thing when he was fucking that whore to get back at me, but I can’t sleep with him now. He’s kissed another man. I can’t believe it. He humiliated me in front of the whole
town. Everyone’s going to say I made him gay.”
Dwight’s mind raced with the possibilities. And if everyone had seen that little drama play out, then maybe he could use it to his advantage.
“He’s insane. You could make a gay man straight with that body. Come on, darlin’, you deserve a drink. Let’s take your car.”
He walked with her, nodding at the people they passed. Everyone they walked by looked at the blonde with sympathy. They talked about her behind their hands. Dwight could tell she was getting more and more worked up with every pitying glance. Her shoulders got tight and her fists clenched. By the time he got her to her SUV, she was practically vibrating with rage.
He opened her door. He had a plan in mind, and it just might work. Dwight had talked to Aidan just moments before Karen had found him. He’d intended to gently introduce the idea of taking his sleeping pills, but Aidan hadn’t had time to talk. He’d told Dwight not to wait up. He, Lucas, and Lexi planned to stay for a while. That was just fine with Dwight. It gave him a little time to do what he needed to do.
“Why don’t we get you a drink, darlin’?”
Karen nodded. “Yes, I think I could use one.”
Or five. Once he had her drunk, she would talk and then everyone would know how mad she really was. She was the perfect scapegoat.
Dwight pulled out of the parking lot and aimed toward the bar. If he had a bit of luck, maybe his problems would all go away.
Chapter Fourteen
Two hours later, Aidan opened the door of his truck and handed Lexi up, wishing he could go back to that moment when she’d been triumphantly happy. After the smackdown with Karen, she’d practically glowed. She was Lexi, sweet and brutally sarcastic. Something had happened to shut her down again, and for the life of him he couldn’t figure out what. Had it been him kissing Lucas in public? He doubted it. Lexi had never been afraid of what other people thought.
The cab was quiet as Lucas got in and shut the door. Aidan shuffled around, putting off that moment when he had to sit beside her, when her hand didn’t find his thigh the way it used to.