Razzmatazz-DDL (20 page)

He sank onto the bed and buried his face in his hands; the springs squeaked in protest. He had to figure out some way to tell her the truth. If only he could change the truth first.

It was time to call Chris and tell him to draw up the papers for their partnership. It seemed as if Alex Carruthers was finally going to break down and go legit.
 

~o0o~

Kennie lugged the corrugated box from the garage into her apartment, cut the tape and lifted the flaps. A new assault of citrus and tropical fruit enveloped her. What she wouldn’t give for just a whiff of Poison or Opium or even old-fashioned Joy.

There’d be plenty of all of them at the Hunters’ party tomorrow night, she’d be willing to bet. And there’d be designer gowns, fancy jewels.... She glanced at her own wedding band and couldn’t stop the feeling of warmth that suffused her. No jewels could compare with what she had on her finger, or what it was beginning to represent.

Alex insisted he didn’t want to go to the Hunters’. But Chris seemed to think it was important. Besides, she wasn’t foolish enough to think that Alex and Chris could form any real partnership if Alex stayed in Tahoka Springs. He’d eventually have to go back to his world, a world she’d never fit into.

She was going to have to learn to live without him.

Her hands shook as she removed bottles of coconut conditioner from the box. She couldn’t keep up this pretense much longer, waiting for Alex to realize that he’d made a mistake. For he was the one who would come to his senses. He was the one who would discover he was sacrificing too much to be happy. Not her.

She, Kennie Sue Ledbetter Carruthers, had finally admitted to herself what she’d been fighting for weeks. She loved her husband. Her husband…such significant words. But they held as much meaning as the ring she wore, the bond that had formed and flourished and bloomed though she’d attempted to deny it sustenance. She’d follow him anywhere...but she wouldn’t fit in.

Kennie was on her way back for another box when she heard the familiar sound of boots crunching on gravel. She leaned against the side of the garage and waited. When Rusk rounded the corner of her mother’s house, she raised her hand. “It’s about time you showed up and put yourself to good use,” she called.

“What do you need?” he asked, approaching with a hesitant grin.

“How about grabbing the top box off the stack in the garage and bringing it in for me?”

“Your wish is my command.”

Her smile froze in place as he did as she bade. She’d barely managed to control her emotions when Rusk came back out, the heavy box hoisted to his shoulder. “Where do you want it?”

“Inside, on the floor.” She held the door open as he passed through. “What are you doing out here this time of day?”

He slipped a knife out of his boot and sliced through the tape with one clean stroke. “Been lookin’ for a chance to talk to you, baby. I was passing city hall and saw your hus—the Porsche. I figured this was as good a time as any.”

“Sit down.” She grabbed his favorite mug from the shelf above the sink and filled it with coffee. Placing it in front of him, she took the other chair. “Go ahead. Shoot.”

“He’s using you, darlin’.”

She shook her head. “I don’t expect you to understand, Rusk, but he isn’t.”

“He may think he’s fitting in, and I guess he is, in a way. But how long do you think he’s going to be happy in a place like Tahoka Springs? How long do you think it’ll be before he picks up and leaves, just like your daddy left your ma?”

“History repeating itself—is that what you’re saying?”

“I don’t want to say it at all.” Rusk rubbed his hands across his thighs nervously. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“I never knew my daddy, but I know Alex Carruthers. He’s not like that. If anything happens between us...if we don’t last together...it won’t be because of him.”

“But how could you know him, Kennie Sue?” Rusk slammed the coffee mug onto the table. “How the hell can you know him? You never laid eyes on him until you went on the damn-fool trip to Reno!”

“It was a damn-fool thing to do, wasn’t it,” she said softly.

Rusk stared at the floor forlornly. “I guess we’re all allowed a couple of damn-fool things in our lives. I just never expected you to get one up on me.”

“Rusk Delaney, I’ll never be a bigger fool than you, and don’t you forget it,” she blustered, blinking back tears. “Take it back!”

“Aw, hell.” He stood up, towering over her. “This is what I get for trying to talk sense to a woman.”

“Then get on out of here and go try to talk sense to your truck and see how far it gets you.” She rose, too, with a watery smile. “Rusk....”

“Yeah?” he said uneasily.

“If things work out between Alex and me, I’ll be leaving Tahoka Springs, I’m pretty sure.”

“I figured as much.”

“Rusk, I really want to.”

“I know that, too.”

“Rusk....”

He smiled down at her.

She continued. “You’re not going to be easy to replace. Best friends are hard to come by.”

“Hell, Kennie. Best friends are a dime a dozen. It’s good husbands that are scarce. If you really think you’ve got one….”

“I do.”

“Then, for Pete’s sake, hold on to this one for a few weeks longer. You do have the damnedest habit of running the poor buzzards off.”

She grabbed a pillow and hauled back ready to fling it, but the door was already banging shut. She sank back onto the chair, clutching the pillow to her chest. Leave it to Rusk to find a way to get out of her clutches without a tearful scene or an embarrassing hug. Leave it to Rusk to be the only person who could show her how much she was willing to give up for Alex Carruthers. Leave it to Rusk to make her ready to fight to keep Alex.

When Alex came in, an hour later, she had her bag packed and had started on his.

“Well, you can be real proud of yourself,” she said. “You’ve totally won over my mother. Not only is she letting you use her cream, but she also picked up some fifteen-dollar-a-pound coffee in Odessa.”

“What are you doing?” Alex asked as his leather shaving kit disappeared into his bag.

“If we leave in an hour, we can get to Odessa in time to catch the next flight to Dallas. We’ll be in Big D by suppertime.”

“Kennie,” he said slowly. “We aren’t going to Dallas. I thought we’d settled that.”

“Of course we are. Please, Alex. It’s important. I want you to go. Chris will be there, and you can discuss your partnership.”

“I can do that on the telephone.”

She blinked back tears and didn’t say anything.

“Kennie Sue, what is it?” He wrapped his arms around her. “Darling, what’s wrong?”

“What’s the real reason you...you don’t want to go?”

“Real reason? What are you getting at?”

“Look, you have to go. Leave me here, if you must, but get things straight with Chris. See your friends. Then when you come back, if you come back—”

“Is that it? You think I won’t want to come back?”

A tear slid down her cheek, and she brushed it angrily away. “I’m not stupid, all right? I know I won’t fit in with your high-rolling friends, and I know you’re too much a gentleman to tell me, even if it means missing something important. So just go on and handle whatever business Chris and you handle, and I’ll wait for you here.”

“You think—you think I’m ashamed of you?”

She glared at him through her tears. “Those weren’t exactly my words, were they? But it’s amazing how fast they came to mind, isn’t it?”

“You’re out of your mind,” he said flatly.

“Am I?”

“Look at yourself! Ten minutes in Neiman-Marcus, and you’d outshine any of them. Hell, you don’t even need Neiman-Marcus.”

“Then...then what’s keeping you from going to Dallas?”

“Is it so hard to believe I really don’t want to go? It’ll be a dead bore. I just don’t have any desire to....” He stopped and shook his head. “All right. We’ll go to Dallas. You’ll love Emmaline. She’s just ‘home-folks,’ or so she likes to claim. Anyway, she’ll love you.”

“This isn’t what I wanted. I didn’t want to twist your arm into taking me.”

“No, you’re right. Chris is right. I need to go. I happen to like your real world, Kennie, but not to live in forever. I guess the acid test is how you like mine.”

“What if I don’t?”

“There are always options.”

“Name them.”

“One step at a time,” he said, curling his fingers into her hair and bending his head to hers.

There were options, all right, she thought suddenly. But none that had a happy ending. What the devil had she done? Why had she forced him?

And why did she suddenly remember that their court date was only five days away?

CHAPTER TWELVE

DESPITE ALEX’S ASSURANCES, Kennie needed more than
ten minutes in Neiman-Marcus to fortify her confidence enough for the banquet at the Hyatt Regency.

In the beauty salon her hair was swept on top of her head into a cascade of blond curls, and her nails, always her pride and joy, were lacquered to a glossy, dark red perfection. She selected a black silk dress with beaded bodice and handkerchief-hemmed skirt. But it was the deep scarlet bow accenting her slender waist that tipped the balance of her feelings from cautious to secure. With that flash of red satin, she felt like the same old familiar, flamboyant Kennie Sue, instead of a staid, sophisticated stranger. With fluttering stomach and bubbling spirits, she realized she was as ready as she would ever be.

The banquet at the hotel went smoothly. Her nerves eased a bit, and she actually began to enjoy herself, especially when she realized that she and Alex were only one couple in a glittering gathering of a hundred others.

Afterward, as the limousine pulled to a smooth stop in front of the Hunters’ sprawling Tudor-style estate, Kennie’s qualms returned. This smaller after-dinner party with one of the wealthiest oil families in Texas presented a whole new set of trepidations for Kennie.

But not Alex. Beside her, he seemed confident, as always. His touch on her bare shoulder was reassuring, his smile brilliant...too brilliant. She stumbled on the flagstone walk, and he closed his hand around her elbow solicitously, lovingly. But why was his posture so rigid, and why were his eyes so cool behind his amiable smile? Each passing moment, he seemed to grow more remote behind his polished veneer.

As they entered the Hunters’ home, the magnificent Emmaline herself, an ebony-haired woman in her mid-forties, swooped toward them.

“Alex dear, why didn’t you send wedding invitations, or announcements at least?”

“It was a very small, very private ceremony three weeks ago,” he explained, his manner almost courtly, his voice tinged with genuine warmth.

“Well, it’s about time we met her, you rascal. Budd, sugar,” she called over her shoulder to her husband. “Come meet Alex’s new wife.”

A tall, rangy man, his face lined and bronzed, joined them. He smiled and clasped Kennie’s hands in his. “And where did you find this pretty little thing, Alex?”

“Tahoka Springs,” Alex said, tactfully omitting Reno, to Kennie’s vast relief.

“A Texan! Well, how about that.”

“Do you know the Grangers in Midland?” Emmaline asked.

“As a matter of fact,” Kennie said, shooting Alex a desperate glance, “I worked for Granger Oil until...well, until....”

“Wasn’t that the goldurnedest shame?” Budd huffed. “When Granger went under, he took a lot of good people with him. Well, if you need a job, just say the word. I’ll be glad to—”

“Of course she doesn’t need a job,” Emmaline exclaimed. “She’s married to Alex. And a more generous man never set foot on this earth, I do declare.”

“Baby doll, I give every time you say the word,” Budd Hunter complained.

“Yes, and exactly as much as your accountants tell you is necessary.” Emmaline turned and placed a pudgy hand against Alex’s cheek. “But dear Alex gives from the heart as well as the back pocket. And speaking of generosity, I see Christopher has finally graced us with his presence.”

Chris greeted his hosts cordially, then gave Kennie the full benefit of his teasing smile. Simultaneously she felt Alex’s hand grip her waist more tightly. “Ever the radiant bride,” Chris oozed, his eyes twinkling.

“What have you two rascals been up to?” Emmaline’s beaming smile encompassed them both. “Chris told us y’all would be makin’ an announcement, Alex.” “Announcement?” Alex seemed startled.

Chris grinned. “There’s no time like the present to start lining up business.”

Alex’s lips compressed into a tight line. “Of course. I suppose you’ve already ordered the stationery and begun interviewing receptionists.”

“Now, that’s a thought!” Chris cocked his head in gleeful consideration. “Brunette or redhead? Demure or effervescent, sexy or friendly? The possibilities are endless.”

“You young people, carry on. Excuse us, but we must circulate, you know.” Emmaline took Budd firmly by the arm.

“Alex,” Chris said, corralling Alex and Kennie toward the hallway. “I need to talk to you about a certain situation.”

“Does it by any chance have anything to do with Florida oranges?” Alex asked, his shoulders squared and tense. Kennie placed a hand on his arm. What was wrong?

“Perhaps, perhaps. Does Kennie have any idea what a boring evening is in store for her?” Chris asked. “Unless, of course, she appreciates a good hand of bridge.”

“I don’t play bridge,” she said, and felt Alex’s forearm flex beneath her hand. “Alex, maybe we should—”

“Don’t worry,” Chris said with a conspiratorial wink. “I’ll keep you company while Alex plays. It’s a good thing you showed up tonight, friend. Especially since you have a wife to support now.”

Kennie felt a cold thump in her stomach and forced a laugh. “What are you talking about?” She swung her gaze from one man to the other.

Chris stared at his friend. Alex said nothing, but his eyes shot daggers and his jaw tightened. He took a step away from Kennie, averting his eyes in an apparent attempt to control his anger.

“I—I was just teasing,” Chris stammered, then managed to laugh. “You know me.”

“Alex, what’s wrong?” Kennie reached for him, but her hand hovered uncertainly, then fell limply to her side.