He licked the foam from his lips and sighed. Now, this was the life. He’d see how things went. Maybe—just maybe—they could stay, at least until midnight.
Chapter 25
“Our table’s this way.” Hank took hold of Veronica’s hand and headed into the interior of the nightclub.
The last time Charlotta had been to the Dancing Pony had been during spring break, her final year of college. She’d come just to sit at the bar, knock back Cokes and visit with her best friend, Camilla, who’d been working as a bartender at the time.
We’ve both come a hell of a long way in a couple of years.
Maybe it was because she had danced at the Dollhouse, but Charlotta hadn’t partied much since quitting that gig and taking her degree. She sent each of her men a sly look as hand in hand in hand, they followed Hank. She fully intended to make up for that lack tonight.
“That is one big-ass table,” Jesse said.
“There’re going to be a lot of us.” Hank grinned. Then he put his hand on Jesse’s shoulder. “I forgot to warn you. At some point tonight, there will take place, in this very building, something we men here at the Dancing Pony look forward to with equal parts excitement and dread. It’s called the Girl’s Dance.” He nodded and then looked at Barry. “Tonight, men, you will have your mettle tested more than you could ever imagine it would be. Prepare yourselves.”
Charlotta strangled on her laugh. It took all of her willpower to keep her expression poker-straight. “No amount of preparation will be enough. You testosterone makers will all be reduced to puddles of needy goo when the last beat of that song—whatever it may be—ebbs away.”
“Amen, sister. You tell them!”
Charlotta looked over and into the laughing eyes of Grace Warner, sitting beside Camilla and Quinten.
It had been a while since she’d spent any time with Grace. Her smile slid wide. Charlotta liked her, a lot. Grace got up from her seat and came over to greet them. She gave Charlotta a hug, and then, much to her men’s embarrassment, focused her attention on them. Her expression turned serious.
“I didn’t know what to think when I heard that our Charlotta had taken up with the two of you. And then you went and saved Presley Ann and Whit’s lives. They’re both very precious to me, and that means that you both are, now, too. I’m proud to call you my friends.” She hugged Jesse, and then Barry.
“You humble us, Grace. Thank you.” Jesse shook his head. “We were just grateful to be able to get to them in time.”
“Anyone would have done the same. But thank you for accepting us. You’ve been a good friend to our sister, and that really means a lot to us.”
“Reluctant heroes are the real deal,” Grace said. Then she gasped and grasped Charlotta’s left hand. “Oh my, that is a seriously beautiful ring.”
“Thank you,” Charlotta said. “It’s a Benedict family heirloom. It belonged to Jesse and Barry’s great-grandmother, Rosie O’Toole Benedict.” Thinking of the day she’d received her ring reminded her of a promise given. “I have something for you.” She hugged Grace a second time. “That’s from Grandma Kate.”
Grace’s face lit up at the mention of the nonagenarian. “Thank you. We’re going to have to head that way soon. I haven’t seen Kate since a few weeks before Christmas when we shopped together—though we do Skype at least once a week.”
Jesse swooped in and gave Charlotta a quick kiss. “What do you want to drink, baby?”
“A margarita, please. One of Ethan’s really good ones.”
Grace and Veronica chuckled and Jesse laughed. “Okay, woman, I’ll give him your order in exactly those words.”
“We’re not going to be having to learn that Joe Nichols song, are we, princess?” Barry asked.
Charlotta laughed. She hadn’t heard “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off” in ages. She dug down for her best enigmatic smile. “Maybe.”
“With our luck, it’ll happen during that girl’s dance Hank was just warning us about,” Jesse said. Hank and Travis exchanged what Charlotta would call melodramatic worried looks.
“That hasn’t been an issue. So far.” Hank gave Charlotta a focused stare. She winked at him and blew him a kiss. He shook his head and turned back to her men. “Are you two sure you know what you’re getting into with this one?”
Jesse and Barry both sent her heated looks. “Yeah,” Jesse said. “Permanent bliss, somewhere just south of heaven.”
The women oohed and aahed over his quick comeback, and Charlotta felt her heart melt just a little bit more. Talk about a puddle of goo.
“I never knew my brother had such a silver tongue.” Veronica sounded downright baffled.
Charlotta grinned. “I keep threatening to start calling him ‘slick.’” She finally made her way over to her best friend, who’d been sitting near Grace but had gotten to her feet when they’d arrived. They hugged, turning their hug into a rocking marathon. Finally Camilla stepped back. “Now let me see it, up close and in person.”
Charlotta held up her hand, and Camilla traced a finger over the opal. “Skype didn’t do it justice. Grace is right. That is seriously beautiful.”
Before Charlotta could sit down, two more people arrived.
Grace introduced her to Seth Carter—Lucy’s brother—and his wife Jayne. Of course, Charlotta had heard of Patrick and Beck, Lucy’s husbands, during the gab-fests she’d enjoyed with Ari and Carrie and Carrie’s sister, Chloe. Seth seemed surprised his sister and her husbands weren’t there yet. Charlotta was looking forward to meeting the men who’d married Lucy Carter.
She greeted the Carters and promptly delivered Kate’s hugs. Just the mention of Grandma Kate put a whole different look on Seth’s face.
“She’s a trip,” Seth said.
“Who are we talking about?”
The tall brunette who’d just come up to the table was strikingly beautiful. Her sparkling eyes met Charlotta’s. Charlotta had met the woman while she’d still been a dancer, and had helped her learn some special moves to charm her husband. Of course she knew him as well. Eli Wolf’s bachelor party had been at the Dollhouse. Charlotta nodded to her. “We were talking about Grandma Kate. It’s good to see you again, Rachel.”
“Charlotta, I heard you were joining us tonight!” Rachel Wolf gave her a hug. “I’m so happy you’re here. It’s good to have a woman my own height in the crowd. When Lucy gets here, that will make three of us Amazons.”
“I hear you. It can be lonely up here at the top.”
That cheesy comment elicited groans all around.
“Where are your fiancés?” Rachel asked. “I want to meet them.” Then she laughed. “The connections between Divine and Lusty become more and more complicated, since I know they’re Veronica’s brothers—and they live there, now, too.”
Charlotta nodded toward the bar. “They’re over there, introducing themselves to Eli.” Then she turned back to Rachel. “How’s your son?”
“Levi is wonderful. He’s the spitting image of his daddy. He’s with my folks overnight tonight.”
Chairs were shuffled about, and then Charlotta sat between two empty ones, close to Camilla. She sighed, sat back, and looked around the club. People were still arriving, greeting friends, laughing, moving tables, and just generally getting ready to get their party on. Usually, the club featured a rockin’ DJ and all the current hits—with some special requests tossed in for good measure.
Tonight, apparently, the music was going to be live, as a band was setting up on stage.
“All right, I’m going to be the one to venture forth,” Rachel said. “Since I may not get another chance with all of our men over at the bar, doing their male bonding thing.” She turned her attention to Charlotta. “What the hell happened to you, and do we have to go beat up anyone on your behalf?”
No one had even acted as if they’d noticed her bruise until now. Thinking about it, she guessed that Camilla had told Grace, who’d spread the word. But maybe Rachel hadn’t gotten the m
emo. In fact, until Rachel mentioned it just now, Charlotta had forgotten all about the damn thing.
She waved away the worried look on Camilla’s face. “It’s all right, girlfriend. I can talk about it, and no, Rachel, there’s no one running around loose to beat up. He’s in jail. But thanks for the offer.” She gave them the abridged version of events, because she wanted it told and done.
“Bastard,” Rachel spat. “What is it with some guys, they think if a woman dresses a certain way or dances for a living, it means she’s a slut and they can do what they want?”
Charlotta shrugged. “I could give you the psychological reasons, tied in with historical precedents. But the short answer to that question is, assholes abound.”
The men came back en masse, delivering drinks and stealing kisses. Camilla picked up her glass. “That sounds like a good toast to kick things off. Assholes abound.”
Charlotta chuckled, but dutifully picked up her glass and, with the rest of the women, repeated the toast.
The men all looked at each other with varying degrees of apprehension on their faces. Charlotta checked her watch. “Barely a half hour in, and we already have them nervous.”
Rachel nodded. “Are we good, or what?”
The band saved the men from getting themselves in trouble by daring to answer that.
“Hello Divine! Happy New Year! Now, let’s get this party started with a little Florida Georgia Line.”
The band began to play and Charlotta recognized the opening guitar chords of “Dayum, Baby.” Jesse picked up her hand and kissed it. “Come dance with me, baby.”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
The rest of the club disappeared as Jesse stopped in the middle of the dance floor and turned her to face him. The familiar song’s sexy rhythm encouraged sexy dancing, and after a couple of steps, Jesse took her hand and drew her against him.
“That’s better.” He gave her his devil’s grin. “I love feeling those sexy moves of yours happening against my cock.”
She tilted her head to one side. “Does it bother you?”
“Does what bother me, baby?”
“That a lot of those men you were just chatting with a few minutes ago saw me dance at the Dollhouse.”
“No, of course not. They might have seen a good part of your body, but they never saw your heart. They never held you close, like this. And they never had the privilege of seeing your eyes first thing in the morning.”
Tears stung as her heart completely melted. Goo? It was more like heated honey. Every day, she fell a little more in love with this man. “Thank you.” She stretched up and placed a sweet kiss on his lips.
“Being here tonight…does it bother you? I mean, more than usual?”
It shouldn’t surprise her that he knew she’d been struggling with her past. Jesse and Barry both saw her clearly and understood her completely.
“I thought it would, and I was kind of nervous about that. But the men at our table, they’re all such complete gentlemen. I know that not a one of them would ever say anything to embarrass me.”
“Of course they wouldn’t. Baby? What can Barry and I do to help you get over this last hurdle of yours?”
Charlotta sighed and laid her head on Jesse’s chest. The song was winding down, and the night was young.
“Just be patient with me, please. I know it’s all on me.”
“I’ll be patient if you stop beating yourself up about it. Your feelings are legitimate, Charlotta. You just have to work through them at your own pace—and do so knowing that nothing will ever change our love for you.”
Charlotta raised her head and looked at him as the song ended. “Hey, which one of us is the psychologist here, anyway?”
“You are, no question about it. But maybe it’s rubbing off on me? You know, sort of a reverse-injection kind of thing.”
Charlotta laughed and gave him a playful swat. “You are bad.”
“But you love me anyway.”
“Yes, I do.”
They got back to the table in time to see three more people greeting everyone. The brunette didn’t look familiar to Charlotta in the least, even though she was giving Barry a very enthusiastic hug. Charlotta guessed the men were with her, and they didn’t seem bothered by the fact their woman had her arms around Barry. In fact, if she had to label their expressions, it would be indulgent.
Then the woman release Barry and spotted them. She wasted no time, but made a bee line toward them.
“Are you Jesse?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Charlotta heard the caution in his response and she prepared to bring out her claws.
“Hi, I’m Leah—Presley Ann’s sister. Thank you.” She threw her arms around Jesse and gave him the same kind of emotional squish she’d given Barry.
Jesse looked like he really didn’t want any more attention for an incident where he’d simply done the right thing.
“Um…you’re welcome.”
When Leah pulled back, her eyes glistened. “Sorry. You have no idea. We lost someone very dear to us last year…and then to learn that my sister and nephew nearly met with disaster…”
It was the presence of Leah’s tears that relaxed Jesse. Where most men got uncomfortable in the face of them, he seemed to find his center when a woman cried.
“My Grandma Kate always says that things generally work out the way they’re meant to be. So you’re welcome. May I introduce you to our fiancée, Charlotta?”
“Oh, hello. Sorry, that whole display is so not like me. It’s nice to meet you, Charlotta. I’ve heard good things about you from Camilla.”
“It’s nice to meet you, too, Leah.” She looked around the table that already seemed larger than when they’d arrived. “I think we’re going to need more chairs.”
The band began to play their cover of “Shotgun Rider” by Tim McGraw. Barry got up and came over to her, taking Charlotta’s hand in his. “Do you need to drink and a rest, Shar, or what?”
Charlotta giggled. Barry had a way of lifting her spirits with just a look. “Definitely the what, cowboy. I need to dance with you.”
It didn’t matter that the club was filling up or that the dance floor didn’t afford much room for fancy moves. Charlotta was held, secure in the arms of one of her men. No one else existed for her.
“Sorry about that, princess. Leah was on me before I could think of a way to avoid her.”
“Well, I will admit that I could feel my temper start to rev,” Charlotta said. “But I think even then I knew why she was feeling you up.”
Barry’s laughter exploded out of him. “You’re wicked. She wasn’t feeling me up and you know it. That kind of female attention would only have one response from me, and it wouldn’t be a cordial one.”
“I know. Hold me closer please.”
“What the words of this song say? That’s how I feel about you, Charlotta. I don’t want anyone else in my life, ever, but you. You’re everything, and you’re it for me.”
“I feel the same way about you and Jesse.” She let her gaze travel to the table where so many friends—some old, some new—sat, having a good time. So many women who are only made complete by the love of two or more husbands.
She fully understood everything her best friend had been trying to tell her since the day she’d called and told her that she’d fallen in love with and was going to marry two men.
The song came to an end and Barry kissed her forehead. “Let’s go sit and have a drink. It might just get my mind off the wild impulse I’m having to throw you over my shoulder, signal Jesse, and get us somewhere very private.”
“You can have your way with me when we call it a night,” Charlotta said. “And I’ll have my way with you, too. But for right now? I really want to party.”
* * * *
Jesse wasn’t surprised that Ethan Grant ran a classy place. They’d only chatted sporadically, as the man was spending the evening—except for a brief dance with his lovely wife—tending
bar.
He liked these people—the friends of his sister, and the woman he loved. What a small world it really is. He never could have imagined that he and his twin, his brothers and his youngest sister would all leave home, live in another state several way from their own, and end up, through marriage, traveling the same social circle.
Everyone took turns getting up to dance, and the conversation flowed as liberally as the drinks. No one seemed to be getting drunk, which Jesse appreciated. These days, he hated being around anyone who got piss-faced. Barry felt the same way. He didn’t have to wonder too long to understand that feeling.
Most of the time they’d spent with Phil and Gord Maxwell in the months leading up to Christmas of last year had been with a couple trays of draft or a couple of bottles of whiskey between them.
Jesse dismissed thoughts of those two idiots. He headed to the bathroom, and then washed his hands when he was done. Barry came into the men’s room and headed toward the urinals. Another guy who’d just taken care of business dried his hands and left, and for a moment they were alone in the room.
“Our Shar’s having a good time,” Barry said. “I think she was nervous at first, worried that there might be men here tonight who recognized her from her dancing days. But no one has, and she’s relaxed.”
“Yeah. We probably need to put our heads together, the two of us, and see if we can think of a way to help her with this last hurdle of hers.”
“Do you think Ben and Quinten can help us with that? Give us some pointers? Maybe they had the same path to travel with Camilla.”
“It couldn’t hurt to ask, could it?”
He waited for his brother to wash, and then they stepped back into the party together. As they got their table in sight, he noticed three very large men, with a diminutive woman, had just walked up to it.
Their woman screamed, jumped to her feet, and threw herself at the men—obviously confident that they would catch her.
“Fuck. Now I know how Shar must have felt earlier when Leah hugged me.”
Love Under Two Outcasts [The Lusty, Texas Collection] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 24