Kenny opened his mouth to tell Hugh what he could do with his room, only to have Shelby interrupt.
“No way, Your Grace. Warren and I couldn’t stand having you stay at that drafty old hotel. Luisa’s getting a room all ready for you upstairs. You’ll have your own bathroom and a pretty balcony.”
Shelby enjoyed acting like a birdbrain, but she was sharp as a tack, and Kenny tried to figure out what was going on. Was she trying to help him out by keeping Hugh away from Emma, or did she only care about having bragging rights to housing an English duke?
The last of the hors d’oeuvres disappeared into Hugh’s mouth. He blotted the corners with the napkin. “Awfully nice of you, but I really don’t believe—”
“Nobody wants to admit it,” Warren said, “but the hotel’s been having a problem with cockroaches.”
It was the first Kenny’d heard about it, and he studied his father more closely. What exactly did they have up their sleeves? It only took a moment for him to figure it out. His father wanted to keep Hugh nearby so he could leverage more money out of him and maybe put off the merger.
“Cockroaches? Oh, dear . . .”
Petie made a soft, muffled noise, and Kenny remembered that he’d just gotten up from his nap. He quickly moved forward. “You didn’t get a good look at my baby brother, and I know from Emma how fond you British are of children. Here.”
He gently, but purposefully, set Peter in Hugh’s lap. Hugh stiffened. Peter looked up at him and crumpled his forehead.
Kenny shot him a pointed look. Just do your thing, little bro.
The baby settled, but he didn’t look happy about it. Hugh looked even more unhappy. “See here . . .”
“Emma said you had some kids of your own.” Kenny gave him a genial smile while keeping an eye on Petie, who was gradually getting red in the face. “Two little girls, isn’t it?”
“Uh . . . yes . . . they’re at school now.”
Petie grunted.
“At school?” Kenny said. “They don’t have a vacation like Emma?”
Petie’s grunting grew louder and his face redder. Shelby was distracted by the maid coming into the room and didn’t notice, but Warren saw what was going on, and, to Kenny’s surprise, he didn’t say a word.
“Well, yes, but I’m quite busy, and it’s better for them to stay at their school. First-rate place. Not like St. Gertrude’s. Not that there’s anything wrong with St. Gert’s—Emma’s done an outstanding job there—but some of the girls aren’t quite the thing. We have an active scholarship program, if you understand my meaning.”
Oh, he understood plenty.
“Our scholarship students are our hardest workers,” Emma said firmly.
The room began to fill with the smell of a loaded diaper.
Way to go, bro. Kenny gave Petie a proud smile. The little boy was as regular as clockwork.
Hugh wrinkled his nose and tried to shift Peter farther away from him.
“Now, how many scholarship students do you have there?” Kenny inquired politely.
“I—uh—” Hugh moved Petie to the very end of his knee. The baby, Kenny noted, was beginning to squirm, but he still looked real pleased with himself.
“We take in fifteen each year,” Emma said.
“Well, now, isn’t that something. Tell me, Hugh, what’s it like being responsible for so many bright young people?”
Petie had dropped a good one, and the duke’s ruddy color began to pale. But he was too full of himself to mention what was, after all, a perfectly natural occurrence. “One must do one’s duty.”
“You sure are right about that.” Kenny began a long, cornpone monologue on the values of education and the joys of philanthropy. Everything was going just the way he wanted until Shelby finished talking to the maid and caught a whiff.
“Peter Traveler, what did you do, you little scamp?” Laughing, she swept up the baby. “We’ll be back in a few minutes. Kenny, Emma, there’s plenty of food, so the two of you stay for dinner, and afterward we’ll head over to the Roustabout and show His Grace just what Texas is all about.”
Hugh looked as if he’d rather eat worms.
Torie beamed at him. “What a great idea. I can’t hardly wait to teach you the two-step, Hugh. I’ll even let you wear my Stetson.”
Kenny promised himself right then that he’d buy his sister a whole truckload of emu feed whether she wanted it or not.
All through dinner, Kenny kept waiting for Emma to start cuddling up next to him and calling him lover, but, instead, she treated him as little more than a casual acquaintance. Unbelievable! When they hadn’t been having sex, she wanted everybody to think they were. But now that they were, she didn’t want anybody to know about it.
He tried to get annoyed, but what he felt instead was this crazy kind of warmth. There’d been a lot of women who’d exploited him over the years, but Emma sure wasn’t one of them.
He remembered what she’d said down by the river, about not wanting to tell Hugh that she and Kenny were lovers. I want this to be private. Just between us.
Still, she had to know that the only way she was ever going to get rid of the pompous bastard was to let him know she’d found herself a lover, and Kenny didn’t really mind. But in the meantime it was nice watching her try to stick to her principles. Nice to know that she thought she loved him, even though he knew she was just confused.
The Roustabout was busier than normal that night, and as they led the duke inside, he looked as if he’d just stepped into the contents of Petie’s diaper. Shelby chatted away with him as Torie led them all to a large table in the back. They’d no sooner gotten there than Emma excused herself and made a beeline for Ted Beaudine, who was sitting at the bar reading Plato’s The Last Days of Socrates and sipping a big mug of something that looked suspiciously liked Mountain Dew.
Kenny watched as she talked to him earnestly. Ted immediately accompanied her to the dance floor, then snuggled right up as she led them into the steps of a cozy little ballad. Kenny had a pretty good idea where this was headed, and he wasn’t surprised when Ted’s hand began to ease toward Emma’s bottom.
Ted shot him a slow grin over the top of her head. What am I supposed to do? She’s forcing me. Kenny glowered and made a silent vow to whip the kid’s ass good the next time he got him on the course.
Hugh was talking to Warren, so he wasn’t watching the dances, but Torie and Shelby were. They exchanged glances; then, in what was obviously a misguided attempt to protect Lady E’s reputation, Torie shot up and insisted Hugh trade seats with her right that minute, so he could have a better view of the bar, as if that were some big privilege. She managed to reposition him with his back to the dance floor so he couldn’t see Emma flirting with Ted. Poor Lady E. Try as she might, she couldn’t seem to ruin her reputation.
And it all went downhill for her from there. Hugh was so busy being condescending, he didn’t notice the way Emma held Ted’s hand as she brought him over to the table for introductions, nor did he seem to find anything wrong with her ordering tequila shooters. Kenny was the only one who noticed her turning green around the gills after the first two. She ordered the third, then the fourth. But before she could drink it, she made a quick exit to the ladies’ room.
When she returned ten minutes later, she was pale, but no longer green, so he knew where the shooters had ended up. He gave her hand a comforting squeeze under the table and wished he could help her out, but this was something she had to do for herself. He simply didn’t have it inside him to ruin her reputation.
The evening dragged on. After a few shots of the Roustabout’s best single-malt scotch, Hugh treated them to such a detailed description of his family lineage that even Shelby grew bored.
And then Sturgis and his film crew arrived.
Sturgis had mentioned he’d be hanging around until tomorrow so he could shoot some local color, and that obviously included getting footage of Kenny loafing around the Roustabout while Tiger rested up for the fi
nal round of the Masters tomorrow. Kenny’s anger simmered as he watched Sturgis move around the room to conduct a series of interviews with Kenny’s old school chums, who were dredging up every story they could recall about what a little prick he’d been. Sturgis had already nearly ruined his reputation with the golfing public, and his friends were going to finish him off.
Hugh kept trying to get Emma alone, but Torie wouldn’t let that happen, and Kenny knew his sister had taken as big a dislike to the Englishman as he had. Out of desperation, Hugh asked Emma to dance, but Torie shot up and said Emma didn’t know squat about dancing, and Torie herself was going to show Hugh how it was done.
Club soda seemed to have helped settle Emma’s stomach, and before long she decided to take another stab at upsetting Hugh by talking to Torie and Shelby about how wonderful Ted was. Didn’t they think he was the best-looking young man they’d ever seen, and didn’t his jeans look good on him, and that kind of stuff, all of which went right over Hugh’s puffed-up head.
Then Dex appeared, and Kenny went on full alert. It was one thing for Emma to flirt with Ted, but there was no way in hell he was going to sit here and watch her try it with Dex.
To his surprise, Torie intervened again. Before Emma could make a single move, Torie forced Dex to the dance floor. As Kenny watched her cuddle up to him, acting for all the world as if she enjoyed having a man she detested as her dance partner, he realized how much he owed his sister. They returned to the table, and she kept Dex so occupied with conversation that, if he hadn’t known she was just trying to keep him away from Emma, he would almost have thought she was enjoying his company. Kenny gave him a dirty look that sent a real strong message—Warren Traveler might have turned his back on his daughter, but her big brother was still on the job.
Lady E started looking so depressed he couldn’t stand it any longer, and he stood up. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s dance.” He emphasized the endearment and made sure his voice was loud enough to penetrate even the duke’s self-absorption.
His Royal Pain in the Ass frowned.
Kenny felt Emma’s resistance as he pulled her from her chair. She was still holding firm to her principles. What was happening between them was to remain private. “I don’t—That is . . .” An edge of desperation crept into her voice. “Ted, are you sure it won’t upset you if I dance with Kenny?”
Kenny gave the little punk a glare that promised the balls he’d be missing come next week wouldn’t have Titleist stamped on them if he opened his mouth. Ted got the message and shrugged. Kenny pulled Emma to the dance floor and, ignoring the news team that was probably going to film them, slammed her right against his chest. “Shut your mouth and put both arms around my neck. Let’s get this over with.”
She drew herself as far away from him as she could manage and looked up with desperate eyes. Seeing his tough, feisty little head mistress falling apart just about broke his heart. “I’m trying to help you out,” he said softly.
“I can’t do it, Kenny. I just can’t. He’s tarnishing every other part of my life, and I won’t let him tarnish this.” She drew a deep, shaky breath. “I—I have another plan.”
It was as clear to him as the nose on her face that she didn’t have a plan at all, but was still hoping she could come up with one.
“The guy’s a jerk, honey. Just tell him so, and you’re off the hook.”
“You’ve met him. You can see how huge his ego is. He has to be the one to break it off, or he’ll get even with me. And we both know how he’s going to do that.”
If Kenny heard one more word about that damned school, he was going to break something.
She started working away at her bottom lip, scheming to beat the band. “When we get ready to leave, I’m going to give Ted a passionate kiss. He already said it was all right.”
“I’ll just bet he did.”
“Then, as soon as I get Hugh alone, I’m going to tell him how Ted and I’ve fallen in love.”
“No, you’re not.”
She regarded him with pleading eyes. “Please, Kenny, don’t make a fuss. There isn’t any other way. I’ll make it up to Ted.”
Ted? She was going to make it up to Ted?
She gave him one of those dead-on looks that she did better than anybody else. “I’m not telling Hugh about us. I know that was my original plan, but . . . what happened is too special.” She shot him a challenging look, as if he couldn’t get an A in her class unless he read a dozen books before the end of the week. “At least it is to me.”
Something happened inside him. Something crazy. A need to laugh. A warm sensation. But then he started to feel as if he were itching all over and only jumping in the middle of a cold lake would make it stop.
She sighed and pulled away from him. He knew he’d disappointed her by not telling her it had been special for him, too. So special he didn’t want to talk about it. As he followed her back to the table, he felt crummy—mad at himself and her, both at the same time.
Right away, Lady E saw that Ted was missing, and her baby cheeks began to crumple. “Wh-where did Ted go?”
Warren nodded toward the back. “Jim Pearl’s been having trouble with his long irons, and Ted’s giving him a lesson in the alley. He said to tell you he’d be right back.”
Hugh stood up. “The trip was quite exhausting, and I’ve had quite enough for the evening.”
“Me, too.” Shelby rose along with him. “I’m starting to leak, and I need to feed Peter.”
Hugh blanched.
Shelby’s mouth widened in a huge smile. “Just wait till you see how comfy that guest room mattress is. Isn’t it, Warren?”
His father smiled and gave her a look that made the old man seem about eighteen.
“But—I really—I need to—” Emma looked desperately around, hoping Ted would magically reappear so she could lay a big one on him. Kenny had to practically drag her to the door, and, as they reached the parking lot, he felt her growing more agitated. Since he’d already witnessed the havoc she could wreck when she got desperate, he knew he had to get her away quickly.
“My car’s over there,” Dex said to Torie. “I’ll drive you home.”
Instead of making up an excuse, his sister nodded.
Shelby waved. “We’ll see y’all in the morning.”
“Good night, Emma.” Hugh gave her a frosty nod, as if this were all her fault, and Kenny knew he was storing up some big sonovabitchin’ lecture to slam her with as soon as he got her alone. Which wasn’t going to happen. The only person allowed to criticize Lady E was himself.
Hugh began to follow Warren and Shelby toward their car. Emma was vibrating with tension, and a prickle of uneasiness came over Kenny.
“Wait!” Emma’s screech was so loud that everybody in the parking lot heard.
Kenny didn’t know what was coming, but he had a good idea that he wasn’t going to like it. He hesitated just as Emma thrust herself forward and pressed her palms to her chest.
“I can’t live a lie any longer!”
Oh, shit.
“I’ve been trying to keep this to myself, but it’s no use!”
He felt exactly like a bystander watching a car accident about to happen and being helpless to stop it.
“The truth will set me free!” Emma sucked in a great big gulp of air. “And the truth is . . .” She sucked in another gulp. “I’m in love with Torie!”
“You’re what?” Torie’s eyebrows shot halfway up her forehead, and she took an automatic step backward.
But Lady Emma was on a roll, and nothing was going to stop her now. With a great lunge, she threw open her arms and planted a passionate kiss right on his sister’s lips.
Chapter 19
Emma’s cheeks flamed. But she locked one arm around Torie’s waist and faced them all down. His sister had boots on, so she stood a good six inches taller than Emma, and she looked like someone who’d been cybernetically frozen. Dex’s expression was faintly bemused, Shelby’s lips had grown slack,
Warren’s ruddy complexion had paled.
A wheezing sound came from Hugh’s mouth, and his eyeballs protruded so that he looked like a giant guppy gulping for air.
“I was afraid to tell you,” Emma said lamely.
Torie was beginning to come out of her stupor. She gazed down at Emma. “I didn’t know you cared.”
Kenny was so furious he could barely contain himself. That hardheaded, know-it-all, blindsided stubborn female had just thrown her lifetime career of teaching little girls right out the window.
Emma worked away at her bottom lip as she finally let go of Torie. Hugh’s face had taken on a purplish hue. “You degenerate!”
And then everything happened at once.
Hugh shot forward, drew back his arm, and cracked Emma hard across her cheek with his open palm.
The camera crew emerged from the Roustabout too late to see Hugh’s attack, but just in time to watch Kenny throw himself through the air and catch the duke in the midsection.
Hugh was more solid than he looked, but he was no match for Kenny, and he stumbled backward. Before he could hit the blacktop, Kenny grabbed him and slammed a fist into his gut.
The camera whirred away, brutally recording the sight of a tall, muscular athlete cravenly attacking a short, plump, middle-aged man.
Hugh crumpled, made another wheezing sound, and tried to butt his head into Kenny’s stomach. Kenny brought up his knee and caught him in the chin. Hugh gave a grunt of pain and collapsed onto the asphalt.
Hugh was still conscious, but his face was a mask of fear as he gazed up at Kenny. Kenny bent down to jerk him back to his feet only to have his father catch one of his arms and Dex catch the other. The two men held him back.
Through the red haze of his anger, Kenny saw the camera crew and realized they were recording everything. Hugh stumbled back to his feet, gasping for air as blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
Kenny watched the red mark on Emma’s cheek grow livid, and he didn’t give a damn about the camera crew. All he cared about was destroying the man who had struck her.
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