Big Girls Don’t Cry (Dundee, Idaho #6)(54)
Author: Brenda Novak

Unless—she missed the next step and hurried to catch up—there was a chance he’d have time enough to recover before the girls returned on Sunday night.

“That grin looks mighty devilish,” Alex said.

Reenie laughed. “For a moment there, I was tempted.”

“I could be careful. Just fatten his lip a little. After what he did to you, he deserves it.”

Reenie agreed. But revenge wouldn’t solve anything. “No fighting.”

“Since he essentially did the same thing to Liz, I bet Isaac would like a piece of that action.”

“Isaac doesn’t strike me as particularly violent. Anyway, he’s not here, so it’s a moot point.”

“What are you talking about?” Alex said. They pivoted, rocked forward, then back and stomped again. “Isaac and Earl are playing pool in back.”

Reenie stopped dancing and started searching the crowd in the other room. “Where?”

Alex pointed. “Right there.”

She leaned to one side and then the other, trying to see through the crush of bodies. Sure enough, she eventually caught a glimpse of him. He stood at the side of a pool table, completely immersed in conversation.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“LET’S GO,” Reenie said the moment she returned to the table.

Beth glanced up at her in surprise. “But we just got here thirty minutes ago. And I was hoping to—”

“Hey, Beth. How ’bout you?” Alex said. “You ready to dance?”

Reenie hadn’t realized Alex was still on her heel.

Beth gave her a quick pleading look, then turned a radiant smile on the handsome cowboy. “Sure,” she said, and hopped right up.

As they disappeared into the crowd, Reenie cursed silently, immediately regretting the fact that she’d let Beth drive tonight. They should’ve come separately, she decided. Then neither would have had to wait for the other.

But how was she to know? They’d gone dancing several times already and never run into Keith or Isaac before. It was simply bad luck that both men were here tonight.

So what now? she wondered, taking a good long drink. She couldn’t sit at the table. Keith was already making his way over. She couldn’t go into the back without bumping into Isaac. And it was too cold to wait outside. The Honky Tonk was usually so crowded and so hot, she’d seen little point in bothering to bring a coat for the five-minute car ride.

She decided the restroom was her best recourse, but Keith cut her off before she could reach the hall.

“What were you doin’ dancing with Alex?” he asked, his eyes glittery, his jaw hard.

Reenie told herself to ignore him and keep walking. But he wouldn’t let her. As soon as she tried, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.

“I’ve been patient, Reenie,” he said. “It’s been months. When are you going to stop punishing me for what happened and take me back?”

Reenie’s jaw dropped. “What happened?” she echoed. “How can you say it like that? As if ‘what happened’ was out of your control?”

“It was out of my control. I wasn’t capable—never mind. I’ve already apologized. Thousands of times,” he said. “It hasn’t done any good. You wanted me to stay in Dundee, I’m here. You wanted the farm, you have it. The only thing keeping our family apart is you. When are you going to let bygones be bygones?”

“When did you become so clingy,” she said, throwing his own words back at him.

His voice dropped to a grating rumble. “I never took you for a coldhearted bitch, Reenie.”

“If I’m a bitch, you made me this way,” she retorted. “But I don’t want an argument. You and I are over, and I’m moving on. That means I can dance with any man I want.”

He paled. “Don’t say that. We’re in love.”

“Not anymore, Keith.”

“You promised me for better or worse!” he snapped.

“What about your own promises?”

“I haven’t slept with anyone since I came clean!”

“You didn’t come clean. You were caught.”

“Since I was caught, then.”

“Maybe I’ll ask Liz if that’s true,” she challenged.

He didn’t respond right away, and his momentary hesitation was enough to tell her she didn’t need to ask Liz.

“I don’t care,” she said. “Let me go.”

“No, you have to listen to me.”

“There’s nothing more to say.”

He rubbed a hand over his face. “Reenie—”

“Because You Loved Me” by Celine Dion began to play. It was an old song, but the lyrics were particularly poignant, considering what they’d once been to each together.

“Dance with me,” he said suddenly.

“I don’t want to dance with you,” she said.

“Damn it, we have three children together. You owe me that much.”

“I don’t owe you anything!”

“Especially because she’s already promised this dance to me.”

Reenie felt a man’s firm grip on her elbow and turned gratefully toward him, until she saw that it was Isaac Russell.

“Like hell,” Keith said.

Isaac’s gaze flicked over Keith’s face, as if he welcomed the possibility of a fight. “What’d you say?”

“Stay out of this, Isaac,” Keith said.

Isaac released Reenie’s elbow. “I’ll go if Reenie tells me to.”

“Reenie?” Keith said.

Reenie couldn’t let her ex-husband win this battle. He’d caused so much pain to her, Liz, Isaac, everyone who was part of either family. She wanted him to know she’d rather stand with Isaac and Liz, than with him. Then maybe he’d get it through his head that they were finished as a couple.

“Like Isaac said, I’ve already promised this dance to him,” she muttered, and let Liz’s brother lead her onto the floor.

FEELING AWKWARD and uncomfortable, Reenie looped her arms loosely around Isaac’s neck. They were scarcely touching and yet she felt as though they were dancing too close. How could that be? She danced with men all the time. No one else made her so…aware of her body in relation to his. Where her hands were. Where his hands were. Where her legs were. Where his legs were.

She bit her bottom lip to help her tolerate the contact. Why did Isaac have to rescue her at the onset of a slow song? Celine Dion seemed to be going on forever.