Betting the Rainbow (Harmony)

by Thomas, Jodi

  To her surprise, she won the second round easily.

  After running to the bathroom in Reagan’s house, then grabbing a sandwich, she stood on the edges of the circle and watched Kieran play. He was ice, never looking at the crowd, never looking at his cards more than once. He played hand after hand. Now and then she held her breath when the pot was big or the cowboy across from him kept calling him Kieran without the Scottish accent that made his name sound so different.

  By the time Kieran won, Dusti was seriously considering bopping the cowboy on the head, but Kieran simply stood and offered his hand to the man.

  The cowboy mumbled something and turned away without shaking. No one seemed to notice but Dusti. Even Kieran dropped his hand and walked toward the table of iced tea without a backward glance.

  “I won,” she whispered behind him a few minutes later.

  He turned and smiled. “We’re down to two, lass. It’s just me and you now.”

  The evening had drifted into night without her noticing. One more round and the game would be over. She took pictures for a while during the thirty-minute break, then found him for a dance beneath the stars.

  He placed his hand on her arm as a slow song seemed to melt the tension in the night. “We’ve got a few minutes before the next round. How about we don’t talk and just dance. I like having my arms around you.”

  Dusti wished she could ask him a few more questions, but she knew it was too late. So she slid her hand around his waist and moved her body close against his.

  And they danced. For a few minutes neither focused on manipulation or analyzing their competitors. Both wanted there to be no one but the two of them and the music.

  Chapter 25

  HAWK HOUSE

  THE EVENING OF THE BIG POKER GAME AT THE TRUMAN FARM, Ronny waited until Abby’s boat left Austin’s dock before she brought dinner. She didn’t feel like sharing him with anyone. The Delaneys had taken turns keeping him company since he fell, but tonight they would all be at the poker tournament. Ronny would be alone with Austin, exactly the way she wanted it.

  Last night she’d left with the others because she saw the dark circles under Austin’s eyes. He’d endured the pain silently, but she knew he was tired and hurting. He was a man used to pushing his body to the limit, and it appeared he planned to do the same now. Most of the time he ignored the pain pills and forced himself to stand or walk more than was necessary. Maybe, if it were just the two of them, he’d let his guard down and relax.

  When she entered Hawk House without knocking, she was surprised to find Austin dressed in clean clothes, his hair still wet from the shower. He sat on the corner of his bed that faced the kitchen.

  “You took a shower?” Ronny said her thoughts. “What about the bandage?”

  He smiled up at her, and she thought he looked younger. Maybe a few years younger than she was. His actions had always made him seem older, but now, smiling, she saw the boy who had once been inside the man.

  “About time you got here. I’m starving.” The look in his eyes left no doubt that food wasn’t all he wanted. “I thought since everyone left, we might have a date. Of course, we can’t go anywhere and you’d have to cook, but still, we could pretend. You’re a lady I’d like to take out on a date. I’d show you off to the whole town if I could.”

  “I like that idea. Who knows, maybe someday we can walk the town square together, but right now, I’m worried about how you took a shower.” She set the basket on the counter and began unloading dinner into the refrigerator.

  “Abby took the bandage off and stood at the door while I showered. Then she rewrapped the wound. She dresses a wound better than most medics I’ve seen.”

  “Oh.” A new feeling battled in her mind. She was a bit jealous. Something she’d never expected. “Did you kiss her?”

  He didn’t answer for a while, just watched her. “Come over here, Ronny.”

  The frown she knew so well returned, creasing his face. She slowly walked to him, thinking her question made her sound like a teenager with her first boyfriend.

  He took both her hands in his. “We need to talk. I’m not in the habit of kissing women, any women. Up until a few months ago I was in the army, and any woman I met was usually in a bar near the fort. I sometimes went home with one for the night, but we skipped the kissing part. I stayed away from women like you because I didn’t want any ties. I didn’t plan on leaving a widow or worrying about a girl double-timing me back home. Some of my buddies went half nuts about things like that.”

  “Forget I asked about Abby. I was just being funny.” She could feel him moving away from her even though he remained on the corner of the bed.

  “It’s not about Abby. This is about me and you.” He swore and mumbled, “I’m no good at this. Maybe we should forget talking.”

  “Say what you need to say, Austin.” She braced for good-bye.

  His green eyes fired a moment as if he were preparing to fight, then he took a deep breath as if organizing his thoughts. “I’m saying I don’t think I can walk away from you, Ronny.” He smiled suddenly. “And it has nothing to do with me being shot in the leg. What’s between us can be no one-night stand. You’ve probably had a lot of lovers, but for me this will be my first try at anything besides sex. I want to do it right.”

  She knelt down beside him, knowing how hard his words came. “We’ll have to talk about things. I’ll need to know how you feel. You’re not an easy man to read.”

  “I know,” he said.

  “I want to know what you’re thinking about things . . . about me. I want to know all about you, good and bad.”

  His fingers moved into her hair and she rose to meet his lips. The kiss was gentle and soft, like a first kiss. As he kissed her lightly, he whispered against her cheek, “I can’t stop watching you move. I love the way you smell and how you come to me hungry for the feel of me. I’d like to make love to you all day and all night long.” He held her face in his hands. “Is that a good start? Is that enough about what is on my mind?”

  Pulling away, she sat back on her feet. “It’s a good start, I think,” she whispered without looking at him.

  He waited, and then his words came, more hurt than angry. “I’m moving too fast. You’re probably used to lovers taking their time. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you. Hell, I went from asking for a first date to talking about making love. There was supposed to be a middle part there somewhere.”

  She studied his face, knowing she had to start this with the truth between them. “I’ve never made love.”

  Doubt flashed in his eyes.

  “I’ve loved one man. He was in a wheelchair. He died.” She’d just boiled her entire life down to three short sentences.

  Austin pulled her up as he stood. Without a word, he lay back on the bed, taking her with him. Then he just held her close as if he needed to think about what she’d just told him.

  For no reason at all, Ronny felt tears running down her cheeks. She didn’t know if she was crying because a chapter in her life was ending or out of fear over the chapter that was beginning. All she did know was that Austin would be there to hold her through the changes.

  Brushing her hair away, he kissed each tear. “We’re going to take this slow. We’ll figure it out together. Ronny, you’re too important to me for me to get this wrong. I need to do this right.”

  His hands moved gently over her body. “And when we make love, we’re both going to know that is exactly what we’re doing. No one-night stand. No games.”

  “Just promise me one thing.” She fought back tears. “Promise me we will make love.”

  “You can bet on it, pretty lady.”

  Chapter 26

  TRUMAN FARM

  REAGAN FELT SHE WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A MERRY-GO-ROUND. For two days people had been at her farm offering to help. It seemed everyone who didn’t want
to play poker wanted to watch. With all the money going to support the library, except first prize, even people who didn’t approve of gambling saw this night as a good cause.

  Women’s groups delivered desserts, and half the businesses in town pitched in with paper goods, bottled water, and decorations. The library committee couldn’t agree on a theme for the night, so they simply went with Summertime.

  Maria, Joe’s wife, had brought her two youngest children over about noon on the day of the game and said she’d keep Utah for the rest of the evening.

  Reagan was surprised at how hard it was to let him go. The little fellow mattered to her more than she wanted to admit. Even though she’d only had him a short time, if his mother came back, it would be hard to turn him over to a woman who seemed to care so little. She’d smoked with him in the car, called him “it,” as if he were a thing, and driven away without glancing back. Just thinking about how little his mother had cared about him made Reagan want to run upstairs and hug Utah one more time today.

  Only by the time people started coming in to pay their money to play, Reagan was lost in preparations. The Friends of the Library had set up offices in her kitchen and were running everything as if the room were a command post. Players were taking their seats, food was moving into ovens, drink table were being set up.

  When Reagan had heard her front door bang open, she’d been the only one who even seemed to notice.

  “Rea.” Noah’s voice sounded loud and clear above the hum of worker bees. “Rea, are you in here?”

  For a second she almost jumped up and ran to him like she always did. The need to feel him lift her in his arms ran all the way back to their high school days when they’d said they would always be best friends.

  “Rea,” he said more calmly as he stepped into the kitchen and spotted her working with several others. “There’s my girl.” His smile was wide and open.

  Reagan thought she heard her heart breaking over the noise around her. She turned and watched the tall, lean cowboy move toward her. He’d become exactly what he said he’d be the first time they’d talked in high school. He’d said he would be one hunk of a good-looking man when his body filled out and his face cleared up. His laughing brown eyes now reflected his sharp mind and his warm brown hair was a bit too long, silently marking him as a rebel.

  Three of the women at the table jumped up to hug him. McAllens were related to half the people in town, and everyone kept up with Harmony’s favorite son, the great bull rider Noah McAllen.

  Everyone wanted to know how he’d been and how the rides were going. One said she watched him on TV last week. Another gray-haired woman said she had to have a kiss. Then they all joined the line forming. They all loved him, and he loved playing to the crowd.

  Reagan just watched. She’d realized a long time ago that part of him belonged to the town.

  Noah was the hometown hero. He’d gone higher than even his father had with the rodeo, and folks still talked about Adam McAllen.

  Looking over the gray hair, Noah winked at Reagan as if to say he was sorry, but he had to play the role.

  Ten minutes later he grabbed her hand and pulled her out the back door, with all the ladies giggling.

  Reagan shoved away from him as soon as they were out of sight of everyone.

  He just smiled that killer smile of his. “Hey, Rea, I know I’ve been gone a long time, but it’s me, remember, the guy who loves you and has since he first saw you in high school. Dear God, I’ve missed you and that wild hair of yours. Even when you were more kid than woman I spent hours thinking about what that hair would feel like in my hands.”

  When she didn’t move toward him, he grinned and held out his arms. “I’m sorry, Rea. You know I’d rather be here with you, so get over being mad at me and come closer. I’m home now.”

  “I don’t want to hug you, Noah, until you answer a few questions.” Her words cut their way along the inside of her throat. She didn’t want to say what had to be said.

  He almost pulled off looking serious. “Go ahead, play hard to get, Rea. We both know where this is going to end up. I busted my butt getting home in time to help with this little party you’re throwing. I know you haven’t got time for me right now. I’m here to help. But tonight when everyone finally leaves, it’ll be just you and me.”

  She folded her arms to keep from touching him. “You were due three weeks ago.”

  “I know, but I had a chance to ride up north and I couldn’t turn it down. If I’m ever going to walk away with enough money to fix up my old place, I’ve got to keep going.”

  She wasn’t even sure if the ranch was his dream anymore. It was more likely just something that he said when he was home. They’d had the same conversation for three years and he was no closer to coming back to Harmony to stay than he was then.

  “Noah, you don’t have to ‘bust your butt’ coming back to Harmony any more, or to me. You can stay on the road as long as you want. I’m finished waiting for you.”

  He opened his mouth to say something, then stopped. Her words finally registered in his mind. “Rea, don’t kid me. I haven’t had any sleep in two days. You almost sound as if you’re breaking up with me, and we both know that’ll never happen.” His gaze narrowed on her face and for a blink she saw the flash of doubt across his handsome face.

  “Noah, I am breaking up with you. ‘Never’ has happened.”

  “No.” He shook his head. “You can’t, not like this. Not because I didn’t make it in as soon as I said I would. If it’s that important, I’ll promise I’ll be in next time I say I’m coming.”

  She wanted to run as far away as she could from him, from them. The hurt in his eyes shattered her heart, but she’d made up her mind. “You’d promise that the way you promised not to sleep with anyone else while you were on the road.”

  “I haven’t . . .” he started, but she saw the lie in his hesitation.

  Reagan knew she had to get it all out. If they were going to have even a polite friendship left when this was over, she had to be honest now.

  “A woman came by several days ago. She left something for you. She said she’d had sex with you like ‘sleeping with a bull rider’ had been on her bucket list. She handed me one of the wooden boxes I ship apples in. Said it was what you store your gear in on the road. Inside was a three-week-old baby. Your baby.”

  Noah was shaking his head, but she didn’t give him time to talk.

  “She said you were drunk and you called her by my name.” Almost in a whisper she added, “You called her my name, Noah. How could you do that?”

  Noah closed his eyes.

  “She named the baby Utah. Said you’d know why.”

  The name had been the last blow. Noah looked like he’d been stomped on by a herd of bulls. It took him a few minutes to find words.

  Reagan waited as if silently facing a firing squad.

  “I was drunk that night in Salt Lake. I swear, Rea, I don’t even know how she got in my room. She was just there. I knew it was wrong from the start, but I was so lonely that night. I thought that it wouldn’t matter. It meant nothing to me.”

  Reagan raised her head. “Thank you for being honest. The baby has your eyes. I see you in him every time I look at him.”

  He took each word like a silent blow.

  Reagan stood, a soldier determined to deliver the entire report no matter how much it hurt. “I couldn’t believe she just left him here. She said she had other kids at home and a husband who wouldn’t be happy about her bringing home a bastard. She said she wouldn’t claim him even if you found her.”

  “Where is he now?”

  “He’s upstairs with Maria.”

  Noah tossed his hat aside and dug his fingers through his hair. “I don’t know if I can handle this, Rea. A baby. I don’t even remember what the woman looked like, or her name.” He faced Reagan. “I
don’t guess there’s a chance in hell of you believing me when I say that was the only time it happened. Sure, women hang on me all the time, but I never took any to bed. Not before or after that one. That night I was so drunk when I woke up I wasn’t sure if it happened or I dreamed it.”

  “It doesn’t matter. Utah is here now. You can have a test to make sure, but the woman didn’t have any reason to lie. If she’d been after money, I wouldn’t have believed her. She seemed to want this kept quiet as much as you probably do. She said she’d never, ever come back.”

  He sat down on the back step. The great bull rider had just taken the tumble of his life, and Reagan had no idea how he’d handle it. Because this time she wouldn’t be there by his side.

  She knew she had to get back to the preparations, but things had to be said between them. “One thing, Noah. If you decide you can’t keep the baby, I can. I’ll not keep him for you. If I take him he’ll be mine legally, but you can still see him. Whether you tell him you’re his father is up to you. But from now on there is no us.”

  She walked back into the house trying her best not to shatter into a million pieces. Before she could think about what had just happened, people began calling her, first from one direction, then another. They needed help. The biggest fund-raiser of the year was under way and Reagan had to turn her mind to all that had to be done and close away her breaking heart.

  An hour passed before she had time to glance out the back door.

  Noah was gone.

  Reagan climbed the stairs and took a sleeping Utah into her arms. For a while she just rocked him, wishing she could talk to him. Silently promising him that if she had her way he’d never be tossed around from home to home.

  A child no one wanted.

  A kid like she’d been.

  Closing her eyes, she could still see the hurt in Noah’s face. Her words had crushed him far more than any bull ever would or could.