Double the Trouble (Texas Trouble 3)

by Becky McGraw

  When she hung up, the phone rang again, and she picked it up. When she heard Gabe's voice asking for her, she hung up in his face, then went outside and straight to the barn. Wade was there with Titan in the cross-ties grooming him. When he saw her walk in, he looked up with a smile, and she forced herself to smile back. "Hey, how's our beautiful boy today?" she asked then walked up and scratched Titan on the nose, then he nuzzled her hand, then licked it.

  Wade stood up and threw the brush in the grooming kit, then pulled a hoof pick out of his back pocket. "Thought you were going to be gone this week?" he asked her with a raised brow, then added, "Man your face looks bad, sugar...your ex do that?"

  With a fake laugh, she winked at him and said, "Yeah, he thought he'd add a little color to my cheeks, mainly blue and green."

  Wade didn't laugh, he put the pick back in his pocket then walked over and pulled her against his chest. "I'm sorry, honey...that bastard needs his ass whipped."

  Her arms went around his waist and she absorbed the comfort he was trying to offer, then she didn't know why, but the dam suddenly burst and she was crying like a lawn sprinkler against the front of his shirt. His body stiffened like he didn't know what to do with a bawling woman, but he didn't let her go, he just rocked her against his chest and whispered comforting things in her hair.

  Finally, when she was able to pull herself together, she pulled back a little and looked up at him then said, "Thanks, I'm sorry I got you all wet...so damned much has happened lately, I guess I just finally couldn't hold it in anymore."

  He put his hand on the side of her face and said sincerely, "Anytime you need a shoulder, sugar, I'm here."

  A roar sounded behind them, and Karlie tried to turn around to see what was going on, but she was knocked to the side, then looked down to see Gabe on top of Wade about to put his fist in his face. Karlie roared herself and dove at Gabe knocking him off of Wade, then she landed on top of him.

  Wade scrambled to his feet and stood over them, and helped Karlie to her feet. "What the fuck, Kelley!"

  "You keep your fucking hands off of her, Wade!" Gabe said in a loud tortured voice that rang off the rafters of the barn, then stood up and took a step toward Wade again.

  Karlie stepped between them and put her finger in Gabe's chest, then grated, "We're done, Gabe Kelley, I told you that. It's none of your business who has their fucking hands on me anymore...it sure as hell won't be yours. Now, get the hell out of here and leave me alone."

  She saw Gabe swallow hard and his eyes filled with emotion, then he nodded and walked out of the barn. She glanced out the door and saw Cole's SUV parked at the house. Hopefully, they wouldn't be hanging around long. She didn't want to see him again...ever again.

  "Let me get my saddle, you want to ride out with me? I'll ride one of the mares, and you can ride Titan?" Karlie asked then looked back at Wade who was standing there with sympathy in his eyes. God, that's all she needed, Wade Roberts pitying her, she thought, then told him, "Get that look off your face, I'm okay...he's an asshole."

  "Yes ma'am," Wade said then gave her a wide grin and tipped his black hat, "Get your tack and let's hit the trail, darlin'."

  Exercising all the horses, took a lot less time than usual, with Wade helping her. She knew he wasn't going to be able to do that every day, but today she counted it as a blessing, as she did his company. They'd talked while they rode, and after they finished riding, they worked together to get the horses rotated and fed, then they cleaned the stalls and put down fresh bedding.

  "Thanks for your help today," she told him with a smile when they were putting up their tack in the tack room.

  "It was fun...glad to help. You sure helped me the other night when all those cattle got loose, just returning the favor," he told her in his deep rich voice.

  "Let me know if you ever need help with the cattle, I'd be glad to help you again," she said then grinned, and told him, "Wouldn't want my roping skills to get rusty."

  "Even rusty, yours would be better than mine," he hooted, then offered, "But I sure as hell could help you break the new colts when they're born."

  "That would be great, Wade...thanks," she said then wondered why she'd ever thought this guy was an asshole...he was a good guy. "Hey, you want to go get something to eat in town, then go dance a little at the bar? Have a few beers?"

  "People are gonna think I did that to your face...you have a t-shirt that says 'My ex did it?' I don't want to get my ass kicked," he told her with a laugh.

  "No, but I have a white t-shirt and a magic marker...I'll wear it if you'll go," she said with a chuckle.

  Wade raised his hands and took a couple of steps back. "I don't want to get within fifteen feet of you and that magic marker of yours," he told her with mock fright on his face.

  Karlie burst out laughing and it felt damned good, she laughed until she was bent over with it. Snorting a couple of times trying to get control, she made Wade started laughing too. The snorting made her think of Gabe, and how much he liked her snort too, and her laugh dried up and the tears in her eyes turned misty.

  Wade noticed then dropped an arm around her shoulder and gave her a squeeze, "Let's just make it beers and dancing, you look like you need a little Bud therapy....but you do have to wear that t-shirt," he told her and she sniffled, then chuckled. God, she was an emotional mess.

  She nodded then said, "It's a deal...but we at least need to let Imelda feed us, so we don't get sloppy."

  "I'll get cleaned up then meet you at the house," he told her then kissed her cheek.

  "Thanks for being a friend, Wade...I need one, badly," she told him and smiled then walked out of the barn toward the house.

  She didn't see the SUV there anymore, and breathed a sigh of relief, as she stepped up on the porch and opened the door. Walking through the house, she went up the stairs to her room, then grabbed a robe and underwear then went to the shower. She scrubbed herself with honeysuckle shower gel, then shampooed her hair trying to wipe away any trace of Gabe from her body. Now, if it was just that easy to get him out of her heart, she'd be good. Emotion shoved up from her chest to her throat and she pushed it back down, then got out of the shower and dried off, and blow dried her hair.

  Karlie cringed when she looked in the mirror and saw the purple bruises were turning green now, but the swelling had gone down some. Maybe she could mask most of it with some concealer, she hoped so anyway...she really didn't want Wade to get his ass kicked, she thought with a chuckle.

  She didn't use it often, so she had to dig around a while in her makeup bag before she found some and applied it liberally to the bruises, then covered that with a light layer of foundation, which made her pale, so before she finished, she had a full face of makeup on, including mascara and lipstick. It wasn't often she went this heavy with her makeup, so it felt kind of odd, but it did the job to hide what Jake had done to her...on the outside at least.

  Tightening her robe around her, Karlie walked to the bedroom, then dug around in her things and found a low-cut clingy black shirt that accentuated her cleavage, and bared part of her stomach. She was surprised that Jake hadn't cut it to shreds, he had forbidden her from wearing it, which made her all the more determined to wear it now. Karlie was done hiding and running.

  She put it on with a pair of hemmed and bedazzled jean shorts that were pretty brief, adding her black dress boots and a black Stetson. The hat kind of shaded the bruises on her face, making them less visible, so that was good. She put a rhinestone clip in her hair making a loose ponytail, then clipped on some dangly rhinestone earrings. She looked good, and didn't give a damned who didn't like what she had on. This was her fresh start, her new life, and she wasn't going to let any man run it anymore.

  Karlie shoved her cell phone in her pocket and grabbed her credit card from her purse, then walked down the stairs to the kitchen, where she smelled something good cooking. Cassie,
Luke and Wade were already at the table and looked up when she walked in.

  Wade and Luke shoved their chairs back and stood up, and Cassie smiled at her then said, "Holy shit girl, you trying to set the town on fire tonight? Wade said ya'll were going out dancing, but wow...you look great!"

  Karlie grinned at her and told her friend, "Not trying to set anything on fire...maybe put something out though."

  Wade choked and beat his chest with a fist, and Luke didn't look happy about her statement, but Cassie belly laughed, "I'm sure there'll be plenty of cowboys signing up for the bucket brigade."

  "I'm just kidding...the last thing I want right now is another man...I want some beer and dancing with this handsome cowboy here, then some uninterrupted sleep," she said with a nod at Wade, who really was looking smoking hot tonight in his dark wranglers, and red and black flame western shirt. He didn't have his hat on, because he was at the table, but she knew it was around his chair somewhere. She would probably be the one having to beat the cowgirls off of him tonight.

  "Let's eat so we can get going," he told her then came around and pulled out a chair for her. God, she loved southern manners, and southern men...most of them knew how to treat a woman. She thanked him, then sat down and dug in, jumping in the conversation when she could about the ranch, and Titan and how things were going. When they finished, Cassie and Luke shooed them out of the kitchen and told them they'd clean up.

  They walked outside and the sun had just set, so the air was a little cooler than it had been, and there were lightning bugs dancing across the pasture. She pointed and said, "Is there anything more beautiful than that show?"

  He looked over at the field, then back at her and he said with his brown eyes filled with warmth, "Yeah there sure is..." He held her gaze for a second, then opened her door and helped her into the truck, then shut it and walked around the truck.

  Oh, Lord, she hoped Wade wasn't getting the wrong idea here...she really wasn't ready for anything romantic, and wouldn't be for a while. She didn't want to hurt him...he was being a good friend...and that is what she needed right now.

  "So...what did Gabe do to get on your shit list?" Wade asked as he pulled down the long driveway of the ranch.

  "Accused me of trying to trap him into marriage, by getting pregnant," she said bluntly.

  Wade coughed and beat his chest then said, "Come again?"

  "He said I was refusing to move in with him, because I was holding out for a ring...and I was trying to get pregnant to trap him."

  Wade shook his head then slammed his hand on the steering wheel, "Wow, that guy really is stupid, huh?"

  Karlie snorted then said, "Yeah, since he was the one with the dry-rotted condoms...and with that attitude why the hell would I want to move in with him?"

  "Holy shit!! Dry-rotted condoms? Are you pregnant, Karlie?" he asked incredulously, and stomped on the brakes. If she was, he would probably turn them around and head right back home.

  "Nope, dodged that bullet, then got on the pill...he just didn't bother to ask, just jumped off the deep end when he forgot to use one last time."

  Wade whistled and shook his head again, "Dumbass for sure...."

  "Yeah and that's something I've had more than enough of in my life, thank you," she told Wade then folded her arms under her breasts. When she saw his gaze go there and linger, she unfolded her arms and crossed her legs.

  "Might want to watch the road, sugar," she told him when she saw his eyes traveling down her legs now.

  He chuckled then looked back at the road and drove them to town. They found a celebrity parking spot on the side of the street right down from the bar, and Wade shoehorned his truck in there and shut off the engine. After slamming his hat down on his head, he opened the door and came around to her side and helped her out. There were a couple of cowboys loitering on the sidewalk across the street and they all wolf-whistled when she stuck her legs out to slide down. Wade turned around and gave them a hot look, and they turned away.

  Putting his arm around her waist, he put his thumb through her belt loop and rested his hand on her hip, as they walked to the door. Wade held the door open, and walked inside the dark, smoky bar beside her. It took a minute for her eyes to adjust from the street lights outside, and when they did she saw the bar was really packed tonight. It was Friday, so there was a live band, the music was loud, and the dancers plentiful.

  Multi-colored cowboy shirts lined the bar shoulder to shoulder, and Wade led her over there, then leaned between them near the bartender and ordered them beer. Someone nudged her shoulder and she turned around and saw one of the guys she'd danced with the last time she was here, and he smiled at her and asked her to dance.

  She turned him down, then tipped her head toward Wade who had just stood back up with two longnecks in his hand. He raised an eyebrow at the guy then handed her a beer, and the cowboy faded off into the crowd.

  "That's a talent you know...that eyebrow thing," she told him with a giggle trying to do it, but only managing a waggle.

  "Comes in handy when someone's trying to steal your girl," he said then kissed her cheek. Karlie started to correct him, but let it go, because pretending to be his girl tonight kept other men from hitting on her. Smiling up at Wade, she said, "I like that song, Let's take our beers and go dance, we can juggle, right?"

  "Anything for you, sugar," he said, his eyes glittering. He grabbed her hand in his then led her to the dance floor and pulled her to the middle, then into his arms. It was a two-step song, but they'd have to wing it until they finished their beer. A jitterbug worked, she thought, as he took her free hand and spun her under his arm, then rolled her up into his body, before pushing her back out. They clinked bottles when he spun her forward to him, and laughed.

  Wade really was a good dancer, he had great rhythm and led her perfectly. It took two songs for them to finish their beers, then he led her to the side and they put their empty bottles down, then he grabbed her and spun her into a two step around the edge of the floor. The song ended and she stopped him and said, "I need to go to the ladies room, sugar...I'll be right back."

  He grinned then kissed her lightly on the lips and said, "I'll go get us another beer, you're not nearly deep enough in your therapy yet."

  With a laugh, she pushed herself away from him, she really did need some space. She liked Wade, but he was crowding her a little. She put her hand on his cheek, then told him with a chuckle, "Okay--you get the beer, and I'll go get rid of some," then turned and pushed through the crowd toward the restrooms.

  When she stepped into the hallway where she had a little elbow room, she leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes to breathe for a second. A deep, familiar, but very slurred voice said near her ear, "You trying to hurt me, sugar?" She heard a cough that sounded more like a sob then he said, "If so, you're doing a damned fine job of it..."

  Karlie opened her eyes and turned her had toward Gabe, who was leaning a shoulder against the wall, it looked like that might be all that was holding him upright. His eyes held so much misery and hurt, she almost felt it in her own chest. "I'm not trying to hurt you, Gabe...what are you doing here?"

  "Cole and I have been here, since we left the Double B...well mostly," he said then lifted his beer and finished it, smacking his lips. "Time for another one...maybe if I have enough, I'll be able to sleep," he told her then pushed off the wall, and almost did a facer into the other wall.

  She ran over there and grabbed his arm, then told him, "You need to go home, Gabe."

  "Nothing to go home to, baby," he said morosely, and his throat worked a couple of times, then he sucked in a breath and jerked his arm from hers, and walked back to the bar. She saw Cole grab his arm and help him onto a barstool, then he leaned over and whispered something in his ear. Gabe shook his head then raised a finger to the bartender to order another beer.

  It was obvious he was way past
intoxicated, and she knew he hadn't slept in god knew how long. He needed to go home, and if Cole was any kind of friend, he'd get him the hell out of here, and she was going to tell him that. Stomping across the floor to the bar, she grabbed Cole's arm and told him through gritted teeth, "I need to talk to you, now."

  Cole looked down into her eyes with his serious green ones, his jaw tight, and just held her gaze for a second, then nodded and took her arm to lead her back into the hallway by the bathroom. Before she could say anything, he said through gritted teeth, "What the hell are you trying to do here, Karlie, gut the man?"

  Karlie shook her head, not quite sure she was hearing right, then she figured she had, when she looked at his face again. Anger ratcheted through her system and her heart rate kicked up, then she took a step toward him and put a finger in his chest, "Let me tell you about gutting, butthead...that man who's acting so pitiful out there accused me of trying to trap him into marriage, so I don't have an ounce of sympathy for that asshole."

  Cole's eyebrows shot toward his hairline, and he shouted, "He did what?"