New Leaf

  They were about fifty miles from the Mystic Creek city limits when Barney’s cell rang. He glanced down at the screen, immediately started pulling over, and muttered under his breath that he should have paid for hands-free calling when he ordered his truck. Taffeta saw his point, but he had his cell phone for navigation and probably didn’t have to pull over to talk all that often.

  “Hi, Mom. What’s up?” he said after answering the call.

  Taffeta couldn’t hear his mother’s side of the conversation, and Barney’s made little sense.

  “I’m sorry. It’s over a five-hour drive, not counting stops, and we ran into road construction that cost us about two hours in delays. Plus, my starter fuse blew out, costing us another three hours. We didn’t get out of Reno until after nine. It took forever to get our breakfast order, and the hotel checkout line was horrific. Some kind of convention in town.” And, “You did what?” Then, “Mom, she hasn’t even met any of you yet. That’s going to be pretty overwhelming for her.”

  When Taffeta’s curiosity was piqued to almost torturous levels, Barney ended the call and pulled back out onto the highway. “That was my mother, if you didn’t already guess. She and my sisters got the harebrained idea to book Dizzy’s Roundtable Restaurant for a wedding reception this evening. It starts at four thirty. Mom has invited half of Mystic Creek, and we, of course, are the guests of honor and absolutely must show up.”

  Taffeta gulped. “Half the town will be there?”

  Barney rolled his eyes in her direction, his expression sulky. “Well, she said she invited all of her and dad’s friends, and Mom is friendly with practically everyone.” He sighed. “She means well. And, according to her, there’s no better way to launch this fake marriage thing than to do it with a bang. She and my sisters have probably worked their asses off, trying to throw a big party on such short notice. My whole family plans to be there to lend us moral support and spread our story—that we’ve been dating on the sly for months. We should be grateful. Right?”

  Taffeta had a perverse urge to laugh despite her discomfort. She had avoided crowds ever since she was found guilty of child abuse. The thought of attending a large party rattled her nerves. But Barney looked even more reluctant than she felt. “Any kind of social gathering requires a lot of work, so yes, I think we’d better be appreciative.”

  He nodded. “You’ll love my mother. Everyone loves my mother, including me. But she’s got a surplus of energy and an impulsive streak. I can never remember exactly how long she and Dad have been married, but he’s been trying to bridle her for years. She balks like a mule.”

  “I can’t believe you just likened your beloved mother to a mule.”

  “Actually there isn’t a mule alive that can compare to her.” His expression relaxed, and the ghost of a smile touched his mouth. “I can’t believe she went to all this trouble. She knows the marriage is all for show, and so do my sisters. That’s why none of them came to Reno for the nuptials. If it had been a real marriage, I would have had to beat them away with a ball bat to find any time alone with you.”

  Taffeta’s throat tightened. While in Barney’s company, she was finding it increasingly difficult to remember that this union wasn’t meant to last. She forced herself to focus on the party. Despite her weariness—which she suspected was caused more by emotional stress than anything else—she would put on a happy face and exclaim over how lovely the reception was. Barney’s family wasn’t doing this for him; they were doing it for her. Kate Sterling might be an impulsive woman and headstrong, but she definitely had a big heart.

  • • •

  Barney and Taffeta reached Mystic Creek at a little after five o’clock, allowing them no time to stop at their respective homes to change clothes and freshen up. The reception had started at four thirty, and Kate Sterling was undoubtedly fretting because the bride and groom were late.

  Barney was exhausted by the time he and Taffeta entered the Mystic Creek Menagerie, an old, cavernous, round building that had once been a lumber mill. Several years ago it had been converted into a mall with shops encircling a gigantic round table that served as a dining area for Dizzy’s. For special events, Tony Chavez, the restaurant owner, moved all the tables and chairs off to the sides to create a revolving dance floor. Barney liked Tony. Almost everyone in town did. He was a generous guy with a keen sense of humor. Along with the specials that he ran every week, he also offered a Joke of the Day, an off-color version for men who came in alone and another version suitable for mixed company.

  “Holy hell,” Barney muttered when he saw the size of the crowd.

  Everyone seemed to be dressed in ultracasual clothing. Barney suspected that was his mother’s doing. She hadn’t wanted Taffeta, still rumpled from a road trip, to feel out of place. Not that Taffeta looked rumpled in snug jeans and a long-sleeved red T-shirt, but she would have felt conspicuous if everyone else had been dressed up.

  After they shed their jackets and hung them on wall hooks just inside the door, Barney curled an arm around Taffeta’s shoulders. Her soft curves molded against his harder angles. She glanced up at him, her expression one of barely suppressed panic.

  “It’s going to be fine,” he assured her.

  “Not if someone recognizes me,” she reminded him. “My trial was big news, and my face was plastered on the front pages of newspapers all over the state.”

  Fear shadowed her eyes, and seeing it made Barney’s heart catch. For appearances’ sake, he forced himself to grin. “If anyone recognizes you, just say you’re innocent and that you’ve filed for an appeal to prove it.”

  She pasted a smile on her face. “People are staring at me.”

  “Only because you’re so beautiful, Taffy, not because they recognize you from old newspaper stories.”

  She took a deep breath and released it. “Oh, Barney, would you just look at all that food?”

  Barney took stock of the laden tables on the left side of the mall. From the corner of his eye, he saw people glance their way and then do double takes when they noticed how different Taffeta looked. Music streamed through the building from ceiling speakers. Some guests had already sat down at the empty tables to eat. Others stood in small groups, nibbling from white plates and sipping wine or beer.

  Off to his left, Barney saw Garrett Jones and Sheriff Adams chatting with each other. Marietta Adams stood beside her husband, her plate heaped with a variety of appetizers that she was probably sharing with Blake.

  To Taffeta, Barney said, “I wonder how much of the cooking my mom and sisters did. A spread like this would cost a small fortune if Tony did all the preparation.”

  Just then, Barney saw his mother slipping through the throngs of people to reach them. Kate’s dark hair, loose around her shoulders, shone like satin in the overhead lighting. She normally dressed up for parties, but tonight she wore a blue blouse, faded jeans, and well-used riding boots. Barney made a mental note to thank her later for being so thoughtful of Taffeta’s feelings.

  Trailing behind his petite wife, Jeremiah took one step for every two of Kate’s. He grinned at Barney over the top of her head.

  “You’re late!” Kate exclaimed when she reached them. “Everyone else has already started eating appetizers.”

  “It’s a long drive, Mom, and we ran into delays. We got here as fast as we could.”

  Acting as if they were good friends, Kate hugged Taffeta. In a voice that Barney could barely hear, she said, “I’m Kate, Barney’s mother.” Clasping Taffeta’s shoulders, she stepped back, gave her a measuring look, and added, “You’re absolutely lovely.”

  Barney embraced his mom. Jeremiah curled an arm around Taffeta, giving her a friendly jostle as he quietly introduced himself. Without taking his eyes off her, he said, “See that long center table with all the food? Barney’s brothers and sisters are standing there. The girls are Sarah and Adriel. The boys are named Jeb, B
en, and Jonas. You’ll get them sorted out when you actually meet them.”

  Barney could tell that Taffeta felt overwhelmed, but he doubted anyone else would notice. She was doing a pretty good job of appearing to be relaxed and smiled up at her father-in-law as if what he said was amusing.

  Barney had always appreciated the loyalty of his family, but never more so than now. His mom and dad acted as if Taffeta were actually their new daughter-in-law, not a temporary stand-in, and they did such a good job of carrying it off that Barney was half convinced of it himself.

  “Come on,” Jeremiah said as he drew Taffeta into a walk. “I want to show off my new daughter.”

  Barney tensed. He wanted to stay close to his wife in case she needed moral support. But Jeremiah was having none of that.

  “Quit frowning,” Kate scolded. “Your dad will take good care of her, and this is supposed to be one of the happiest moments of your life.”

  He forced his lips into a smile. “She’s scared, Mom. This is the first time she’s been seen in public looking like her real self. What if someone recognizes her? It could get ugly, and I’d like to be with her, just in case.” Barney gazed after Taffeta. “Besides, isn’t it customary for the bride and groom to stay together at a wedding reception?”

  “We aren’t following any particular protocol,” Kate replied. “For one thing, we didn’t have time to plan anything. And there was no wedding here in town, which would have given us a starting point.” She saw Barney glance at Taffeta again. “Sweetheart, relax. Your dad will take good care of her, and if someone recognizes her, he’ll handle the situation.” She took Barney’s arm. “Let’s circulate, and then we’ll join your father and Taffeta to eat. The way I see it, announcing your marriage at a huge party will help circumvent any gossip. Jeremiah will act as if he knows Taffeta quite well, and people will be more likely to believe that the two of you have been dating for a while.”

  Barney couldn’t argue with that. “Did you and the girls make all the food?”

  “A lot of it. Tony supplied the rest without any markup on price. It’s his wedding gift to you guys.”

  Barney winced. “Damn, Mom. I hate that he did that. We may be getting a divorce before the ink is dry on our marriage certificate.”

  “Hush. Someone may hear you.”

  Kate led him toward Garrett and Sheriff Adams. “Marietta,” she cried. “I’m so glad you got home in time for the party!”

  Marietta tipped her blond head and offered a bright smile. “I headed back the moment Blake called me. I wouldn’t have missed this for the world.”

  “You sneaky son of a gun,” Sheriff Adams said, clamping a beefy hand over Barney’s shoulder. “When you asked for the weekend off, you didn’t so much as hint that you were going off to get married.”

  Barney laughed. “Taffeta took some convincing. I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it and have her get cold feet.”

  Blake glanced across the room to where Taffeta stood with Jeremiah, talking to Crystal Malloy, a woman in her late twenties who owned and operated Silver Beach, Mystic Creek’s version of a high-end salon. The woman’s long hair was bright red with neon blue streaks today. Tomorrow, it might be apple green. Crystal enjoyed advertising her hair products. “Apparently you’re good for Taffeta, Barney. I barely recognized her when she walked in.”

  Barney had no idea how to explain Taffeta’s change in appearance, so he let Blake’s comment pass.

  Garrett broke in with “I didn’t recognize her, either. When I went into her shop, she never looked that hot.”

  Blake gave his deputy a warning look. “Careful, Garrett. That’s Barney’s wife you’re talking about.”

  When Barney and Kate moved away to circulate, Barney said, “Taffeta needs to eat, Mom. All she’s had since breakfast were a few snacks. I intended to stop somewhere this afternoon, but we got held up by roadwork and a blown starter fuse, and then you called, so there wasn’t time.”

  “Oh my. I had no idea. Let’s round her and your father up. Tony designated one of the larger tables for our family. She can meet the rest of us while we eat.”

  Minutes later, Barney’s brothers were ribbing him and stealing kisses from his bride. His sisters flanked Taffeta, pretending that the three of them were good friends. Townspeople came and went, all of them hearing the story of how Barney and Taffeta had been dating on the sly for several months. To Barney’s relief, everyone had the story down pat.

  Jeremiah worked the crowd, playing the part of a proud father-in-law as the family filled their plates and went to sit together at a table. Taffeta leaned in close to Barney and said, “Your family is incredible.”

  Barney swallowed a bite of pulled barbecue pork. “Aren’t they just?” He bent his head to kiss her on the cheek. “And you’re pretty amazing, too. I know this has to be even more overwhelming for you than it is for me.”

  “It was hard at first, but I’m starting to relax now. Your dad didn’t give me a chance to get the jitters.”

  “Man, this food is fabulous,” he said. “Talk about a perfectly orchestrated reception! We need to thank Tony. He supplied a lot of the food with no markup on the price. It’s his wedding gift to us.”

  Much as Barney had, Taffeta winced. He knew exactly how she felt, but before he could commiserate aloud with her, Chris and Kim Peck, the owners of Peck’s Red Rooster Restaurant, appeared at the table. Barney wasn’t sure how old they were, but he’d heard that Chris was around thirty, Kim a couple of years his junior. They were young to be so successful. Their restaurant offered fine dining, a novelty in Mystic Creek. Most of the eating establishments were less formal or downright casual.

  “Congratulations to both of you!” Kim beamed a smile. A natural blonde with gray eyes, she looked tiny beside Chris, a tall, slender guy with wavy black hair, a friendly blue gaze, and a neatly trimmed mustache. “What a wonderful surprise.”

  Chris grinned. “We didn’t have enough warning to get you a wedding gift, so Kim and I want to wine and dine you at the restaurant instead.”

  “You don’t need to do that,” Barney replied. “Having you here at the party is all the gift we need.”

  “For once, it was easy for Kim and me to take a night off. All of our regular customers are feasting over here.”

  Kate glanced at the milling crowd. “Oh dear. We didn’t mean to lure all your business away.”

  Chris chuckled. “Hey, we’re enjoying the night off. I cranked out a limited menu, and Darina is holding down the fort. She’s turning out to be a pretty good cook, not to mention the best waitress we’ve ever had.”

  Darina Penny was a single parent who worked as many shifts as she could and rode herd on Devon, her teenage son. Barney respected the woman. Raising a kid alone had to be difficult.

  When the Pecks drifted away, Barney and Taffeta finished their meals and then went to find their host, Tony Chavez. He was in the kitchen, positioned at the rear of the restaurant behind the cashier’s stand. Black hair gleaming in the overhead lights, he was busy washing off counters.

  “Hey, Tony!” Barney called out. “Taffeta and I want to thank you for the great food. What a wonderful wedding present!”

  Tony tossed down a white towel and turned to greet them with a smile. His teeth looked whiter than white in contrast to his dark skin. He wore a chef’s coat that was spotted with the ingredients of the dishes that he had prepared. “It is my pleasure.” He winked at Taffeta. “I have selected special music for the two of you.” His brown eyes twinkled with good humor when he locked gazes with Barney. “It’s time for you to dance with your bride.”

  “Dance?” Barney repeated.

  “It’s customary for a newly married couple to start off the dancing with a solo performance.” Tony laughed. “It will be your first dance as a married couple! You can’t chicken out on me. Everyone is waiting.”

 
The next thing Barney knew, he was leading Taffeta onto the revolving dance floor. As he took her into his arms, he said, “This could be tricky. I’ve never waltzed on a moving surface. Have you?”

  Taffeta grinned up at him. “We’ll manage well enough as long as you don’t step on my toes.”

  Just then Garth Brooks’s voice resounded through the building, singing “If Tomorrow Never Comes.” It was one of Barney’s favorites. Tightening his arm around his wife, he executed the first step. He expected her to be nervous, stiff, and halting in her movements, but instead she flowed with him in perfect harmony. It was as if they had danced together countless times. Her full breasts grazed his lower chest. He tucked her in close as he executed the swirls, acutely aware that his thigh pressed against the apex of hers. Gazing down into her lovely blue eyes, Barney wondered if they’d move together this well in bed.

  Shit. I’m in trouble here. He had to be a man of his word. No sex, not even if it kills me. He was doing this to hopefully help a little girl, no paybacks expected.

  When the song ended, everyone applauded, and then Jeremiah came onto the round table to dance with his new daughter-in-law. Barney started to leave the floor, but his mother mounted the steps just as Tony got the regular music going again, all romantic songs suitable for a wedding party. Kate held out her hand, Barney took hold of it, and they moved into another waltz.

  He had no idea how long he danced. Both of his sisters got their turns, and a couple of women from town cut in. Then, of course, Barney danced several times with Taffeta again, which was physically torturous for him. Weary from the long drive, Barney just wanted to go home. But all the guests seemed to be having fun, and he hated to slip out with Taffeta for fear it would seem rude. Besides, his bride was still dancing, and she seemed to be enjoying herself.

  Barney finally escaped into the crowd and found his brothers. Ben, dressed casually in jeans and a western shirt, handed him a beer. Jonas laughed when Barney took a swig and moaned in appreciation.