Thoroughbreds and Trailer Trash (23 page)

“Indeed, life does go on.” David raised his wine glass. “And now we have a Derby winner who’s a proven sire. What a way to make money. It doesn’t get any better than that.”

“Well, perhaps Dad and the dead horses wouldn’t agree,” Lorna said, rising and scraping back her chair. “Excuse me. Derek, can you show me where the bathroom is?”

“Certainly.” Burke rose immediately and escorted her around the corner.

David shrugged. “Guess it’s just us, Jenna. Here’s to keeping our stud healthy.” He raised his glass, his gaze following Lorna. Red drops splattered over the tablecloth as he clumsily tapped his glass against hers.

How much wine had David and Lorna consumed, Jenna wondered. Hard to judge as the waiter kept their glasses full after conferring about grapes and vintage. Beer was much simpler. However, David was clearly inebriated.

“Oops, sorry, my dear,” he said. “I spilled wine on your hand.” His eyes narrowed and he abruptly grabbed her fingers. “My goodness, what happened here?”

“Just a little burn.” She politely attempted to free her hand.

“Doesn’t look little.” His grip tightened. “Does it hurt?”

Jenna yelped at the unexpected pressure.

“Burns can be so painful,” David added, checking her expression. He twisted her palm, still gripping her hand. “Imagine how much my father hurt? Burnt to the bone with horses screaming around him. I heard them, you know. Unforgettable. The smell of flesh is like no other.

“
She
doesn’t like to talk about it.” His eyes had an faraway glitter now, and he no longer seemed to see her. She tugged at her hand, trying to free his grip but only hurt herself in the attempt.

“Are you full, Jenna?” Burke asked, materializing by the table. He sat down and David abruptly released her fingers.

She nodded and jammed her throbbing hand into her lap. She wasn’t full but her appetite had completely disappeared. She glared at David, trying to imitate Burke’s dark scowl. However, the man didn’t even notice. He cut into his barbecued salmon, stabbing at the crispy skin with renewed vigor.

“I had the trout here last week,” Burke said, glancing curiously from David to Jenna. “Delicious. Freshest fish I’ve ever had. Want to try my bass, honey?”

“No, thanks.” She shook her head, keeping her hands buried in the napkin on her lap.

“Hey,” he murmured. “You’re pale. What’s wrong?”

“Not a thing.”
But your psycho client deliberately manhandled my burn
. She knew Burke wouldn’t tolerate abuse. Not to his staff…not to her. He’d have a very strong reaction which would definitely result in David sending Nifty elsewhere. And that would hurt the Center, the employees and the town. Burke needed Nifty. They all did.

She forced a smile and picked up her water glass.

“So,” David said, dismissing Jenna and looking at Burke, “I talked to our shipper and Nifty will arrive on Wednesday. I have every confidence Three Brooks will be able to help.” David took a last bite of blackened salmon and tossed his napkin on the table, acting as though the bizarre incident with Jenna had never happened.

“Now where is my primping sister?” He twisted, peering toward the back of the room. “Women take forever in the bathroom.” He gave a condescending smirk, and even Burke had the gall to nod in agreement.

Jenna inched her chair further from the table, putting more distance between her and David. She could have been safe at home, relaxing on her swing, watching Peanut graze. Instead she was stuck with these hoity-toity people and their weird hang-ups, forced to act as though every word they uttered was golden. It would have been more fun to share beer and pepperoni with Wally and talk about horses. Even better to be playing cards with Burke and talking about…anything.

And that was the real problem. She balled her napkin in despair. Lately she hadn’t been thinking of anyone but him. Her loyal pony hadn’t had any light therapy for two days, she’d forgotten about the Ridgeman research and she’d brushed off her troubled sister who clearly needed a good heart-to-heart. She’d dropped everything and everyone for a man, just like her mom. Silly, selfish, stupid.

She wanted to lean down and bang her forehead on the luxurious tablecloth. And wouldn’t that just shock the hell out of her sophisticated dinner companions.

Although Burke would probably remain fairly cool. She peered sideways, watching as he enjoyed his bass. He was comfortable with anyone, anything, anywhere. Heck, she’d thought him a construction worker when they’d first met.

She wished he
were
a construction worker.

He must have sensed her scrutiny and slanted a deep smile, the type he seemed to reserve for her, and her frustration fizzled. It wasn’t that bad being here. If she were home before eleven, she’d still have time to call Em, still have time to lead Peanut down the hill, still have time for everything she should be doing. And she was also going to dig out everything she possibly could on the Ridgemans, especially David.

A halo of perfume announced Lorna’s return. She swept around the table and settled back into her chair. Her eyes and lipstick had brightened, and she spoke animatedly about meeting an Alpha Delta Pi from university days.

“And who’s your alma mater, Derek?” she asked, briefly pausing for breath.

“Yale.”

“And yours?”

Silence. Jenna jerked her attention back to the conversation, realizing that for the first time that evening, Lorna was addressing her.

“Riverview College,” Jenna said, scrambling to remember the institution on her certificates. Or was it Riverbend? She hadn’t used the local college, afraid it would be too easy to check.

“Oh, I’ve heard of Riverview.” Lorna waved a dismissive hand. “That’s good. I suspect some people in this town barely finished high school.”

“Really?” Jenna gave an exaggerated gasp but at Burke’s warning squeeze she clamped her mouth and concentrated on her wine. The night was almost over. Thank God.

“Well, maybe not the people in
this
club.” Lorna glanced around as though suspicious of undereducated patrons. “But I must admit David and I were reassured to learn Three Brooks only hires qualified staff. Nifty is the foundation of Ridgeman. He deserves the best.”

“Of course,” Burke said, keeping a warning hand on Jenna’s knee. “That’s part of the Center’s mandate. Jenna, do you need to use the phone?”

“No.” She flashed a brittle smile. “Everything’s just peachy.”

***

Burke initialed the bill and rose. He reached down to pull out Jenna’s chair, but she’d already slid out the other side. It hadn’t been such a bad evening. She’d done her job, smiled and nodded, but at some point over dinner she’d drifted off to another place, completely shutting him out.

Her eyes suddenly sparked with genuine emotion and he glanced over his shoulder, catching the busboy’s respectful salute. She definitely loved this town. And they loved her.

“Derek!” Leo pushed past a waiter and rushed to their table. He pumped Burke’s hand, beaming his delight. “What an opportunity you created for Kathryn. Your friends in England offered her the masseuse job. When she returns from such an elite stable, she’ll be able to land a job anywhere in the country.”

He glanced curiously at Lorna and David. Burke introduced them and they immediately began gabbing like long-lost friends. Except for Jenna who edged toward the door.

Burke touched her elbow and winked. “A little patience, honey. One more minute.” He stepped back, stunned by her look of utter despair.

“Kathryn’s going to England?” she whispered brokenly. “Aren’t there better, more deserving employees you could have recommended? What is it with you people?”

He dropped his arm, fighting his annoyance. It wasn’t his habit to explain business dealings, but this arrangement had fulfilled his agreement to Wally without angering Leo. He certainly hadn’t intended to slight anyone, but frankly he didn’t much care.

He glanced at the door, his face uncomfortably hot. He hadn’t done anything wrong. At least he’d disposed of Kathryn. Jenna was simply being difficult. He swiped his warm forehead. The hell with waiting for the Ridgemans; he needed air.

He stalked to the door, paused and glanced over his shoulder just as David helpfully reached out for Jenna’s hand. She swung her arm back in a vicious elbow. Burke jerked in shock. If he hadn’t been watching, he wouldn’t have believed it but aw, hell. The Ridgeman deal would be tits up now.

But David only smiled, shrugging it off with baffling blandness.

The drive back to the hotel was weird. David chatted brightly, seemingly energized and in a far more gregarious mood than during the tour. Lorna struggled to calculate the calories in her meal while Jenna sat in rigid silence, left hand balled in a defensive fist.

Burke stopped in front of the hotel and walked Lorna and David to the lobby. “I’ll let you know when the horse arrives,” he said. “Thanks for entrusting Nifty to us.”

He slipped back into the car, studying Jenna in the darkness. “Want to tell me what that elbow was about?” he asked, with fake amiability. “I assumed you’d know how to behave with clients.”

“Guess you assumed wrong.” Her voice sounded weary. “Is that why you won’t give me a reference for a job in England?”

He jabbed at the ignition button, his jaw clamping. The engine roared to life. “Someone like you wouldn’t want to go to England,” he said.

“You’re right. People like me should stay and work the rest of their life in a little West Virginia town. I’ve never even been on a plane.”

He’d only meant it was apparent she loved her home but the raw yearning in her voice yanked at him, and his annoyance dissipated like smoke. “I’ll take you to England whenever you want,” he said quietly. He turned the car in the opposite direction of Three Brooks and headed toward the highway.

“Where are we going?” She shot him a suspicious look.

“Just for a drive, some cleansing air.” He swallowed, his breath escaping in a ragged sigh. “I didn’t intend to slight you. I really thought you’d be happy if the Winfield girl were far away.”

“But she’ll come back in six months, maybe a year. With her new credentials, she’ll land a job at the Center and make everyone miserable. And Colin will be lonely again. Poor Colin.”

Burke groaned. Gravel rattled against the underside of the car as he swerved onto the shoulder of the road and dropped his forehead against the steering wheel. It was impossible to look after a woman who worried about half the people in town, and it was wearing him down. “I’ve never met a lady so hard to please,” he muttered.
Or for whom I’ve tried half as hard
. But he didn’t want her to know that.

“I wanted to pound my head on the table earlier tonight,” she whispered.

At least she sounded amused now and not filled with that aching hurt that twisted the very center of his chest. “Then let’s console each other,” he said. He unclipped her seatbelt and tugged her close.

She resisted but only for a moment then rested her head against his shoulder in that trusting way that always turned him to butter. She smelled of flowers and freshness and suddenly everything was simple again. It was much easier to talk like this, when she couldn’t get all remote and huffy.

“I didn’t think it went all that bad tonight,” he said cautiously. “Getting the Ridgeman horse is exactly what the Center needs…but, honey, we can’t be jabbing owners in the stomach. No matter how irritating they are.”

She’d stiffened but really couldn’t move. He had her arms wrapped beneath his, her head tucked against his chest. Yeah, it was a pretty good position.

“You think I’d just elbow him for no reason?”

She sounded wounded but he’d seen her leap over the reception desk at Frances in defense of her sister, and the incident with David had to be addressed. “I just think you might do things a little differently around here…and I don’t want it to happen again.”

He tilted her chin and tried to kiss her—to prove how understanding and forgiving he really was—but she jerked her head away. “Please take me home now,” she said, sliding to the far side of the car.

She hardly spoke the rest of the way home but pain emanated from her in waves, and he realized that somehow he’d offended her. Again.

He parked in the driveway but she opened her door before he’d even turned off the engine. “Good night,” she said, and ran lightly up the steps.

He sighed, lingering long after she was safely inside and the porch light clicked off. She fought when mad but ran away when hurt, and it was damn frustrating. He always believed in knowing when it was best to throw down your cards and cut your losses. She wasn’t exactly high maintenance, but she was unlike any woman he’d ever slept with.

And he hadn’t even slept with her.

He gave an indignant grunt and backed from the driveway. The closest they’d come to making love was the day he shingled her roof. He should have done things differently then and perhaps slipped past all this prickliness.

Of course, she had a couple more roofs that needed repair. He brightened and grabbed his phone, keen now to check tomorrow’s weather forecast.

Chapter Twenty

The sound of a hammer jerked Jenna from a deep sleep. Rubbing her eyes, she peered out the bedroom window. Early morning and Burke was pounding again, this time on top of the kennel. Poor Peanut would likely have a heart attack.

She pulled on a T-shirt and shorts and rushed out, the screen door slamming behind her. Peanut lifted his head, gave a welcoming nicker and shoved his nose back into the dewy grass. Okay, so Burke had let Peanut out first. That was good…rather thoughtful actually.

She hadn’t expected him to really fix the old kennel, but only a fool would turn down a helping hand. She slipped back inside and made a cup of tea and a big pot of coffee.

Ten minutes later, she walked over with two steaming cups and stared up suspiciously. “What is it you want today, Burke?” Luckily he had his shirt on, although those brawny arms were probably enough to quicken any woman’s pulse.