by Janet Dailey
"And this 'really cute' cowboy asked her if she was going to come to the dance tonight and made her promise to save a dance for him," Jerry teasingly carried the explanation a step further.
"I think I get the picture now," Edie laughed.
Alison looked self-conscious for only an instant before she shrugged it off. "He might change his mind and not even be there tonight. But I still think we should go to the dance. We've all worked hard lately. It's time we had a night on the town."
"I agree," Edie said. "But I don't need to buy a new dress to go to a dance."
"You haven't had a new dress in years, at least not one like that." Alison glanced again at the dress on the mannequin. "Let's go in and see if they have it in your size." She grabbed Edie's arm to pull her into the shop. "There wouldn't be any harm in trying it on. You might look terrible in it—who knows?"
When the clerk informed them they did have the dress in Edie's size, Alison took the packages from her arms and thrust them into Jerry's. Edie wasn't given a chance to resist as she and the dress were hustled into a fitting room to change.
Everything was perfect—the length, the fit, the color, everything. She wasn't able to fasten the hook above the back zipper, but it didn't alter the appearance of the dress. She emerged from the dressing room, minus any shoes since her cowboy boots had looked absurd, to view herself in the full-length mirror.
Alison was busy looking through a rack of dresses with Jerry standing patiently to one side. She didn't notice Edie when she came out of the fitting room, and Edie didn't immediately try to attract their attention, too anxious to see if the dress looked as good as it felt.
For an instant she was dazed by the image of a slim, fully curved woman with burnished brown hair. The dress enhanced a natural allure Edie hadn't realized she possessed. It was as if she was discovering all over again that she was a woman…and liking the sensation. With a three-quarter turn she looked over her shoulder into the mirror to get a back view of the dress. Standing on tiptoes, she tried to get an idea of what the dress would look like with heels. Out of the corner of her eye she glimpsed the distinctive rolled brim of a cowboy hat. Automatically Edie assumed Jerry had noticed her and had walked over for a closer look. She reached behind her back with one hand to try to reach the unfastened hook.
"I wasn't able to fasten the hook but—" It didn't detract that much from the appearance. The material above the zipper simply didn't lie as smooth against her skin as it could. "What do you think?"
"I think it's a sin that a body like that spends so much time in men's clothes." The caressingly low pitch of Maddock's voice paralyzed Edie. Her heart leaped into her throat, robbing her of even the ability to speak. There was movement as the reflection of his tall, muscled lines joined hers in the mirror. "Let me get that hook for you."
The pleasant roughness of his fingers touched the bare skin of her backbone just above the zipper. The vibrations they produced shook Edie out of her trance.
"No. It isn't necessary." She would have stepped away from him, but he already had a hold on the material of her dress. Knowing his strength and the fragility of the fabric, she didn't try to pull away and risk tearing the material.
"A man learns early in his life the mysteries of all the hooks, snaps and zippers that clutter women's clothes," he murmured in dry insinuation.
"Were you a slow learner? You seem to be having difficulty with that hook." Edie was having difficulty keeping her breathlessness out of her voice.
"The adeptness comes in undoing them. There isn't any need to hurry when a man is re-fastening a hook," Maddock informed her smoothly, as if aware of the effect his touch was having on her.
It was a combination of his touch and the task. There was something about having a man fasten a dress that made it heavy with implied intimacy. Edie's senses were reacting to that feeling. When he had finished, Maddock turned her to face the mirror. Their gazes locked in the reflecting glass. His lazy gray eyes took note of the wary and disturbed darkness of hers, while Edie tried not to be aware of the way his figure-molding clothes enhanced his attraction. The tempo of her pulse went out of control when he made a leisurely inspection of her length.
"A pair of shoes would add the finishing touch to the dress," he observed dryly. The remark pulled her gaze from his tanned features, so masculine and tough, so disturbingly attractive, to the bareness of her own feet. "Don't you agree, Felicia?"
The mention of his daughter's name jerked Edie's gaze to the side where she encountered the brunette girl's cold regard. For a fleeting second Edie was surprised to see jealousy and resentment smoldering in Felicia's expression before it was disguised with a look of boredom.
"It would be an improvement," Felicia agreed with marked indifference.
"Mother! You look stunning!" Alison declared in a breathy exclamation when she noticed Edie standing in front of the mirror and moved away from the dress rack for a closer look. "Doesn't she, Jerry?"
"It's beautiful, Edie." His agreement was restrained but no less sincere as his attention was drawn to Felicia Maddock.
"I thought you were in such a hurry to get back to the ranch," the brunette accused with an attempt at hauteur.
"I don't recall saying that," Jerry denied quietly but firmly.
With a sidelong look through her lashes, Edie glanced at Maddock to see if he was observing this duel of wills between her stepson and his daughter. He was watching them, all right, but the instant she looked at him his gaze dropped to meet hers. She glimpsed the light of challenge in his gray depths, but didn't understand its cause.
"I had a skirt that was being altered. Daddy and I stopped by to pick it up," Felicia explained quickly, as if she didn't want Jerry to think she had followed him into the store.
"It fits you perfectly, mom. You don't have to do a thing to it." Alison shook her head in amazement. "It's even the right length. Turn around so I can see the back."
Edie pivoted self-consciously, aware that her daughter wasn't the only one showing a lot of interest in the way the dress fit her. She was shaken by the sensation that she was modeling it for Maddock's benefit, seeking his approval. His gaze seemed to mock her with the knowledge when she unwillingly met it.
"You've got to buy it and wear it to the dance tonight," Alison insisted.
She felt the faint narrowing of interest in Maddock's look. Her throat became tight, nerves tensing. "No," Edie said, and raised a hand in a shielding gesture to lift the curtain of hair near her ear. "What I mean is…I don't think I'll go to the dance, so I don't need this dress. You and Jerry can go, but I'll stay home."
"You will not," Alison protested with an irritated frown, and turned to her half-brother for help. "Jerry, talk to her."
"We've all been working hard, Edie. You need to go out tonight and have fun as much as we do," he insisted quietly.
"We'll talk about it later." Edie moved away from the mirror…and Maddock. She tried to sound light and uncaring as if it was all unimportant.
"Miss?" Jerry motioned to the sales clerk for her attention. "We'll buy this dress."
"Jerry—" Her voice was low and vibrating with impatience.
But he was too old to be silenced by the angry sparks in her eyes. The faint smile in his maturing face told her so.
"When was the last time you went dancing, Edie?" Jerry questioned and immediately provided an answer. "It had to be before you married dad, because he had two left feet and nobody could drag him onto the dance floor. We all had to gang up on him just to persuade him to take us out to dinner."
Again she glanced at Maddock, who was listening without any qualms. Jerry's statement made Joe sound as if he hadn't been a very loving husband. She felt duty bound to defend him.
"I didn't mind," she reminded Jerry.
"I know you didn't mind. That was dad. We all loved him for what he was, not what he did or didn't do. I'm only saying it's time you had fun," Jerry replied. "And don't say you don't know how to dance, because you are the one who taug
ht me."
"I just don't feel like going." It was a weak excuse no matter how stiffly she issued it.
"Okay." Jerry shrugged an acceptance. "If you are going to stay home, Alison and I will, too."
"Jerry," Alison wailed in protest.
"You are both old enough to do what you want. You don't need me along." Edie felt she was being unfairly pressured.
"If you don't go, we don't go," Jerry repeated, and glanced at his half-sister. "Agreed?"
A long, defeated sigh came from Alison as she nodded a reluctant, "Agreed."
"That is blackmail, Jerry Gibbs," Edie accused. "Emotional blackmail."
"I think that's what it is," he agreed with an impudent grin.
"Does that mean we're going?" Holding her breath, Alison glanced eagerly from one to the other.
"Yes." Edie grudgingly gave in to the pressure.
"Oh, good! I found this darling yellow pantsuit, mom. Let me show it to you," Alison dashed back to the rack. "I thought I'd treat myself to a new outfit, too."
The sales clerk passed in front of Edie to hand a package to Felicia Maddock. "I'm sorry you had to wait so long, Miss Maddock," the clerk apologized. "The alterations to your skirt took a little longer than we anticipated."
"That's quite all right." There was a briskness of dismissal in the reply as Felicia glanced over her shoulder. "Are you ready, daddy?"
"Whenever you are," he agreed blandly, but Edie thought she noticed a flicker of irritation in his expression.
His daughter paused to flash an aloof smile at Jerry. "Maybe we'll see you at the dance tonight. Daddy and I have been talking about going. He doesn't like me to go alone because sometimes it gets a little rough in places like that. You could ride in with us if you like. It wouldn't be out of our way to stop by your place," she offered.
Jerry was already shaking his head in refusal. Before he could voice it, Maddock was at his daughter's side, taking her arm. "I haven't decided that we're going tonight, Felicia," he stated.
Relief trembled through Edie. The prospect of Maddock attending the dance had filled her with all sorts of misgivings. Now it seemed likely he wouldn't be there, or he wouldn't have corrected his daughter. Edge wondered whether he was refusing because he didn't want his daughter chasing Jerry, or if it was because he wasn't interested in running into her.
Felicia appeared unperturbed by his statement, although she surrendered to the pressure of his guiding hand. She smiled over her shoulder at Jerry. "We'll see you tonight," she said confidently.
As Maddock escorted her out of the shop, Jerry murmured, "He should make her stay home on general principles."
"I pity your kids, Jerry," Alison declared. "You are going to be a strict father." She held up the pantsuit for Edie's inspection. "What do you think of it, mom?"
"It looks great on the hanger. Why don't you try it on while I change out of this dress?" Edie suggested.
"Do you like it, mean Daddy Jerry?" Alison teased him again about his sternness.
"Yes, I like it," he agreed absently while sending her a sharp look. "And I'm not being too strict. I just know our kids aren't going to turn out like Felicia—pampered and spoiled."
"Our kids?" Edie raised an eyebrow in curious surprise.
It had been years since she'd seen Jerry blush—not since his early teenage years. But a scarlet red was now spreading up from his neck to flame his face.
"I meant…when Alison has kids, and I have kids—our kids—we won't spoil them," he tried to bluff his way out of that slip.
But Edie knew that wasn't what he'd meant at all. When he had said "our" he had been referring to Felicia and himself. She felt a quiet rage searing through her. What was it about these Maddocks that could make you criticize them, find fault with them, dislike them even, and yet be so inexplicably drawn to them.
But all this escaped Alison's notice. "You're right, Jerry. If any kid of mine started acting like that brat, I'd make sure they didn't sit down for a week." She hugged the pantsuit to her. "I'm going to go try this on."
Edie followed her to the dressing room to change back into her slacks and top and put her boots on. She pretended to accept Jerry's explanation for the time being. After all, who was she to give advice when she couldn't control her own wayward thoughts?
The only thing that needed to be done to Alison's pantsuit was shorten the legs the width of the hem. The shop wasn't able to make the alteration in time for Alison to wear it to the dance that night, so Edie agreed to do it when they got home.
By the time they had lunch, did their grocery shopping and drove to the ranch, it was time to start choring. Chaos set in as they tried to fix supper, eat it, shorten the pantsuit, take baths and get ready.
Edie was taking the last stitch in the hem of the slacks when Alison rushed into the room in her bathrobe. "Mom, help me! I washed my hair and now I can't do a thing with it!" The styling dryer was in one hand, a brush and curling wand in the other.
"How long is this going to take?" Jerry asked with a sigh. Already dressed in a casual forest-green suit, he was sitting on the couch, twirling his hat in his hand in an attempt at patience.
"You can't expect me to go looking like this," Alison defended.
"It wouldn't make a very good impression on that cute cowboy, Rob, would it?" he grinned. She wrinkled her nose at him then laughed. "Edie still has to get dressed and you still have to put your makeup on. I'm going to go to sleep waiting for you guys." He straightened. "If it's okay, I'm going into town now. You guys can drive the car. I'll take the truck."
"Go on ahead," Edie agreed and knotted the hem thread. "It may take us a while."
"If you don't come with Alison, I'll drive back out here for you," Jerry warned.
"I'll be there," she promised.
"Save us a table," Alison called after him as he walked to the door.
"If you aren't there by midnight, the table is liable to turn into a pumpkin." Then the door was slamming behind him.
It was nearly an hour later before they left the ranch. The late-setting summer sun was just dipping below the horizon when they reached the outskirts of Custer. There wasn't any place to park near the bar, but they finally found a spot more than a block away.
The bar was typically dimly lighted and crowded with people. Amplifiers, positioned strategically throughout the room, blared with the country music being played by the band on the small stage. Jerry saw them before they even noticed him in the multitude of people. As Edie wound her way through the maze of tables and chairs ahead of Alison to the one near the dance floor, she realized there was another man with Jerry. Alison was quick to identify him as Rob Lydell, her cowboy.
"We were just about to send out a search party for you two," Jerry shouted above the din of music and voices, then managed an introduction to the young but sun-aged cowboy who possessed an engaging smile.
The waitress stopped at their table. Jerry and Rob ordered two more beers, but Edie elected to have a Coke, as did Alison. At first it was difficult to hear the conversation, but she gradually learned to siphon out the other sounds and listen only to those at her table. They laughed and talked, then Rob asked Alison to dance.
"He seems nice," Edie observed as she watched the pair circling the crowded dance floor.
"I like him—which is more than I could say for some of Alison's choices," Jerry agreed with a rueful smile. "Like lover boy Craig."
"I try not to remember him," Edie murmured.
When the band finished the ballad they went immediately into an up-tempo tune. The couple stayed on the floor to dance to it. After that song was over the band took a twenty-minute break. Edie tried not to notice that Rob's chair had slid closer to Alison's when they came back to sit at the table.
Some of Rob's friends stopped by to talk as a jukebox took over for the band. Edie was glad that they had come to the dance. Jerry and Alison were meeting more people in this one night than they had met since they had moved here. They should have begun
socializing sooner, except there had been so much work to do.
As the band returned to the small stage after their break, Edie leaned forward to mention her thought to Jerry. His attention was focused on the dance floor when he suddenly looked very tense. He appeared to force himself to relax. Curious, Edie followed the direction of his gaze and saw Felicia Maddock dancing with some cowboy. At that moment the brunette glanced toward their table and feigned a look of surprise.
"Hi, Jerry!" She waved and smiled a greeting that was much too casual. "I told you I would see you tonight." Then she was being whirled into the center of the floor by her partner.
"Little Miss Nose-in-the-air can't even say hello to me," Alison grumbled in irritation.
"She's like that sometimes," Rob admitted, "but she isn't really a bad kid." As if he realized his opinion didn't exactly please Alison, he let the subject drop.
Jerry made no comment, although Edie noticed his gaze kept straying to the dance floor, keeping track of the young brunette. But he wasn't nearly as talkative as he had been before. For that matter, neither was she. If Felicia was here, so was Maddock. Unconsciously, Edie kept searching for him until she saw him standing at the counter bar.
There was an understated simplicity to his clothes—a white shirt unbuttoned at the throat and a buckskin vest hanging open. The western cut of his brown slacks fitted closely to his hips and legs, flaring slightly over his boots with their underslung rider's heels. He was engaged in conversation with a cowboy standing beside him. When his head turned in the direction of the dance floor, Edie looked immediately away, not wanting to be caught looking at him.
Aware of his presence, it was impossible to keep her gaze from straying to him. Yet Maddock didn't seem to notice her at all. She did a poor job of convincing herself that she was glad.
Alison was in high spirits as she returned to the table hand in hand with her cowboy. Her face was aglow. To Edie her daughter seemed to be floating on air. She felt a tad bit envious when Alison drifted to the chair beside her.
Rob didn't immediately sit down. "Want another beer, Jerry?"
Jerry seemed to have a hard time assimilating the question, not answering until he had torn his gaze from the couples leaving the dance floor. "Yeah, I'll have another," he agreed while drawing a deep breath.