He could imagine that most people in town were already predicting a lifelong relationship between the two of them. “Let them gossip.”
Her expression grew serious. “That reminds me—I was going to ask you about Rosie. How was she today?”
Unwilling to reveal how much he had been thinking about Rosie, he gave a shrug. “She went to her chiropractor yesterday. She’s still limping a lot, but she says her back feels better.”
Mercedes reclined to the side, facing him. “I didn’t mean her back. I meant the breakup.”
“Breakup?” He sat up a little straighter, his heart rate picking up pace.
“You haven’t heard? Tanner broke up with her.”
“Tanner broke up with her?” He took another bite, trying to mask the emotion Mercedes might read on his face. That morning when he had asked Rosie about her back, she had nervously twisted the strap of her lab goggles into a tight knot around her finger. No wonder she’d seemed so preoccupied.
“Jade told me about it,” Mercedes said. “Tanner thinks Rosie’s been seeing you behind his back.” She studied him as if she also might suspect the same thing.
He swallowed before he was ready and choked. Coughing and sputtering, he shook his head. After gulping down some water, he recovered enough to reply. “Me? That’s not true.” A few weeks ago, he would have scaled Everest during a blizzard to hold Rosie in his arms if he’d thought she would let him, and, though he would never admit it to anyone, he still wanted to.
“My grandmother would say Tanner esta como una cabra.”
Destry squinted and tried to remember his high school Spanish. “Tanner is like a rabbit?”
Mercedes laughed. “Like a goat. It means he’s off his rocker—a little crazy. They were together for—let’s see.” She paused to count on her fingers. “Three or four years. It’s hard to tell when they became more than friends. They’ve been friends forever.”
Destry set his half-eaten sandwich down on its foil wrapper. This could be his chance—unless Rosie wanted Tanner back. He needed to find out more. “So you think she’s upset about it?” He tried not to sound overly interested. Rosie and Tanner’s relationship had always seemed so ho-hum to him. It was like they were just hanging out, rather than being in love.
Mercedes nodded. “Jade said she’s devastated.”
Devastated. He was hoping to hear she seemed optimistic . . . or melancholy maybe. But devastated. He wasn’t sure he could compete with that. “I’m surprised Rosie didn’t say anything to me. I could have defended her to Tanner.”
“You still could,” Mercedes suggested, removing a plate of cheesecake from her picnic basket and placing it in front of him. “But first we need to have dessert.”
As they ate, Destry’s mind stayed on Rosie. As happy as he was to hear about the breakup, he couldn’t stand to think of her suffering. Tanner was an idiot.
Arriving back at the school with five minutes to spare, he found Rosie at her desk, grading papers. Her hair fell like a golden curtain across her face, blocking her view, so she didn’t notice him until he stood in front of her. She startled and dropped her pen on the floor. He rushed around the desk to pick it up, but she got to it first.
“Is it true Tanner thinks there’s something going on between the two of us?” he asked, pulling up a chair to sit beside her.
She let a single chuckle slip out in that adorable way she did when she was nervous. Was she afraid of being seen with him now that the rumors were flying? “Yes.”
His eyes flickered toward her left hand. No ring. A good sign. He caught the scent of her hair, which made it hard to focus on words. Good thing he had already rehearsed in his mind what he would say. “Someone told me he broke up with you because he misunderstood our relationship.”
She grew serious. “That’s true.” This was her chance. He waited for her to say something, anything to give him an idea of her feelings toward him. The silence stretched.
A student entered the room, and Destry realized he should have shut the door when he came in. Hoping to avoid becoming the subject of any more gossip, he spoke just above a whisper. “Would you mind giving me Tanner’s number? I’d like to talk to him about it. You know, defend your honor.”
She reached for a scrap of paper and wrote Tanner’s number with a shaking hand. “I’d appreciate it if you would. I’d hate for him to go on thinking I’d been stepping out on him.”
From this short conversation, Destry could only assume she regretted the breakup, which meant she still didn’t want him. Walking back to his classroom, he tried to shake off the discouragement. He had never fought so hard to get over a woman. Spending time with Mercedes had helped, but only a little. His thoughts constantly drifted toward Rosie.
Despite the way she had rejected him, he wanted more than anything to see her happy. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have bothered to send Tanner a message, asking if they could meet to talk.
Tanner responded to his text, and they agreed to meet on the bleachers after school, but he was so late that Destry ended up watching twenty minutes of football practice while he thought of all the things he had to do before the town hall meeting that evening. When Tanner did show up, he shook Destry’s hand and sat next to him on the bleachers.
Destry cut to the chase, speaking as they both stared in the direction of the field. “If you’re breaking up with Rosie because you think she has feelings for me, you’re a fool. That’s not to say I didn’t try.” He kept his volume low. “But she rejected me over and over and over again. She’s devoted to you. That woman has a heart big enough to love some of the least loveable animals on the planet—including you. I cannot fathom how you take her so much for granted.”
Tanner leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and shaking his head. “She rejected you, huh?” He gave a sharp, derisive chuckle.
Destry didn’t have the patience to gratify Tanner’s ego any longer. He stood. “All I want is for her to be happy.” He turned and walked down the steps.
Tanner scrambled down the bleachers to keep up with him. “And you think she’s happiest with me?”
“It’s what she thinks that matters,” Destry said, struggling to keep his words flat and emotionless. He stopped and turned to Tanner. “Do me a favor and take her someplace other than Vegas for a honeymoon—someplace with wildlife. You could at least take her to the California coast.” He wished he had an escape hatch from this situation but Tanner just kept following him down the long row of cement steps, like an abandoned dog.
“There’s just one thing that worries me,” he said.
Destry didn’t ask what that could be. He didn’t care either.
“After Rosie and I get married,” Tanner said, “you’ll be living next door.”
Bracing every muscle against the urge to punch Tanner, Destry spoke through his teeth. “You don’t have to remind me.” He rounded the corner of the school and stared across the parking lot to his car. It was a one minute sprint at most. He could leave Tanner in the dust and be done with it, but it wouldn’t look very mature, and the last thing he wanted was to seem like a coward in front of Tanner.
“Having you as a neighbor would be a threat to our marriage,” Tanner said. “You admitted yourself that you’re in love with her.”
Destry stopped. Had he used the word love? No, but he might as well have. He would have to be more careful to disguise his emotions. He cleared his throat. “First, if you have that little trust in Rosie, you don’t deserve her, and you’re a bigger idiot than I thought. Second . . . oh, it doesn’t matter. I’ve moved on with my life, Mr. Smith. I’m dating Mercedes now, and you have my word that I won’t interfere. Marriage isn’t something I take lightly.”
Tanner scrutinized Destry’s expression for a moment, his eyes squinting and his lips thin. “Good. I’ll see you at the Town meeting tonight.” He delivered his words with the force of a punch.
Destry didn’t bother to say good-bye. He stalked off, promising himself th
at this would be the last personal conversation he ever had with Tanner.
Chapter 29
Rosie sat behind the barn, milking her cow, Dolly. Now that she didn’t need to plan a wedding or record her purchases on Tanner’s spreadsheet, she didn’t have to rush from one animal to the next. Behind them, the sun sank into the West, tinting the sky orange. With her forehead resting against Dolly’s side, she listened to the pshhh, pshhh of milk streaming into the bucket. Her back felt better today, making the chore more relaxing than it had been for the last few days, and her mind drifted again to her conversation with Destry that afternoon. What were the words he had used? Defend your honor.
Smiling at the memory, she heard footsteps near the corner of the barn, and she turned to see Tanner, wearing a pair of dark jeans and a Western shirt. He removed his baseball cap. “I owe you an apology.”
Guessing that meant he had talked to Destry, she put her forehead back on Dolly and returned to milking. “You’ve got that right.” Out of the corner of her eye, she could see his dusty, unpolished boots approaching. MooDonna, the other cow, moaned beside them, waiting her turn.
“I was wrong to call off the wedding. I should have trusted you. Can you forgive me?” His words hung in the air, waiting for a reply.
“I forgive you,” she said without looking up.
“I want to give things another chance.” His boots stepped closer, and she felt him run a hand through her ponytail. “The town hall meeting starts in a few minutes. I was thinking we could go together.”
She kept her face toward Dolly. “This is sooo not romantic, Tanner.”
“You want romance, huh? That’s a change.” He moved his hand to her cheek, attempting to turn her face toward his. “How about this? I can’t stand to live my life without you.”
It was a nice try, but after what he had said on Saturday, it wasn’t enough. She’d had too much time to think, and things weren’t the same anymore. She kept her head down and stared at the dust beneath her feet. “Do you really love me, Tanner? Or is it a matter of convenience . . . that we’ve dated so long, it would be too much effort to find someone else?”
“I love you.” Tanner checked his watch. “Will you please give me another chance?”
“I’m thinking,” she said. She made him wait while she finished milking Dolly and went on to milk MooDonna. She had felt relieved to be single again. That couldn’t be a good sign. A bride shouldn’t feel burned out on love before she even made it to the altar.
Tanner leaned against the side of the barn and put his baseball cap back on. “Don’t tell me you’re still mad about that line in my note.”
Trying not to hurt his feelings, she spoke in soft tones. “It’s more than that.”
“You were right,” he said, ignoring Rosie’s comment. “I was lazy to copy that line, but you know how it is being a teacher—it’s hard to find time to think.”
She stopped milking to look at him. “That’s the thing, Tanner. People in love don’t need to find time to think about each other. They can’t help thinking about each other.” The way she couldn’t stop thinking of Destry.
Tanner took her hand. “And I haven’t stopped thinking about you for the past four days. I miss the sound of your voice, and I worry about you doing all the chores with your back hurt. In fact, why don’t you let me finish up the milking?”
She stood and gestured for him to take her place. “Be my guest.”
Only he didn’t take her place. He reached for her other hand and pulled her toward him. “Destry said I was a fool to think there was anything going on between you two. Sorry for jumping to the wrong conclusion.”
She caught a whiff of his spearmint gum and stepped back. “He called you a fool?” Tanner was smart to be jealous. She did have feelings for Destry. She had even acted on them once, and as if that kiss wasn’t enough of a betrayal, she had replayed it hundreds of times in her mind.
He stepped closer, taking her into his arms. “He also told me I should take you someplace other than Vegas for our honeymoon, someplace with wildlife.”
She giggled. Destry knew her so well.
Tanner went on, explaining. “He said you’re completely loyal to me, and that he’s loyal to Mercedes.”
Loyal to Mercedes? She swirled around to face him and then tried to hide her disappointment. In her state of distraction, she didn’t realize Tanner was moving in for a kiss. His lips pressed against hers, strong and minty—typical for Tanner, but it didn’t force her feelings back in line with his. “Will you take me back?” he asked. “Please?”
It would have been the practical thing for Rosie to accept his offer. He was pre-approved to buy the ranch, and she knew he would make a respectable husband. But since the breakup, she had spent most of her time thinking of someone else. “I think it’s better if we go back to being friends,” she said.
He searched her eyes in disbelief, his mouth working, his eyebrows pulled down into a frown. He’d obviously expected a different answer. After a few seconds he bowed his head in defeat. “Okay.” Then, with a forced smile, he said. “But I’m not giving up yet.”
He sat down on the stool and went to work milking MooDonna. It seemed to Rosie that he milked with too much coercion, and it took longer than usual to fill the bucket. MooDonna preferred a gentle touch.
After they poured the milk into jugs that Grandpa saved for families in need, she agreed to drive with Tanner to the town hall meeting, not so much because she had something to say, but more out of curiosity to see what Destry would say.
They drove in Tanner’s truck with his laptop on the seat between them. Tanner left the radio off this time, so they drove to the sound of his smacking gum. As annoying as it was, Rosie said nothing until they reached the overcrowded high school parking lot. “What’s with all the cars? Is there a game tonight?”
Tanner shrugged. “You ought to know. You’re the one who works here.”
She had never been to a town meeting, and, once they parked and went inside, it surprised her to see so many people crowded into the auditorium. The place was so full that she and Tanner had to stand, and it didn’t take long for her back to start aching.
She counted many of her neighbors and students in attendance. Surely, these people had better things to do than attend a town meeting. What did they think Destry was going to do? Start his own drug cartel?
At the front of the auditorium, Destry stood alone, wearing a suit and tie. “My lawyer tells me I don’t need the citizens of Lone Spur to approve of my plans.” His voice reverberated through the hall. “I disagree. If I’m going to be successful, I need your approval. A retreat is a place to get away from negative emotions.”
Rosie cringed. Where was the fight in Destry’s speech? He needed fire to win over this crowd. She recalled something he had said while they were baling hay—that if it hadn’t been for her, he would have resigned from teaching. Anxious to show her support, she maneuvered her way along the side of the auditorium until she stood left of the stage. From there, she could see Farrah and Mercedes sitting on the front row, an empty seat between them. Farrah had dressed in something black that almost looked like a business suit while Mercedes wore a soft pink chiffon blouse with white slacks.
Tanner caught up to Rosie after a minute. “With all this opposition, we’re not going to have to worry about having drug addicts next door,” he whispered, grinning.
She shushed him, straining to hear Destry as he assured the audience that his guests would already have completed a rehabilitation program and pledged to remain drug-free during their stay. He also promised that the in-house psychiatrist and counselor would be available for the townspeople to schedule appointments. Some in the audience nodded, seeming pleased. Others shook their heads.
“I don’t foresee my guests needing any more community services than a normal tourist,” Destry said. “In fact, with the completion of my center, we’ll have additional medical support in emergencies. My guests will shop in your
stores and eat at your restaurants. The town will receive tax income from the guests who are able to pay, and I’ll be hiring most of my employees locally. Overall, it should bring great financial benefits to the community.”
He looked around at those in the crowd. “The people I’m bringing here aren’t dangerous. They’re normal people who acknowledge they have a problem. All they need is a break from their usual friends and their usual habits. From what I know of this town, I believe you have what it takes to be new friends, better friends, to those who need you the most. Thank you.” With that, he left the podium. Rosie clapped her hands, stirring up a smattering of applause that died out as he sat down. Rosie watched Mercedes wrap an arm around his back and lean her head over to whisper in his ear.
Betty McFerrin stood to announce the next few speakers. One by one, they got up to speak. And one by one they spoke against Destry’s plan, many of them referencing news articles about his past and statistics about drug-abuse recovery. Rosie waited for Destry to notice her, but he never glanced her way. Little by little, his smile faded and his head drooped. It was as if each speaker turned a dimmer switch on his hopes.
Then Betty announced Tanner as the next speaker, and Destry finally raised his eyes from the floor to look Rosie’s way. She shrugged and reached a shaky hand for the wall. No wonder Tanner brought his laptop.
As the former state champion in debate, Tanner came prepared with a multi-media presentation. Using pictures and videos of local landscapes and people, he presented Lone Spur as a place of innocence, an unspoiled piece of America that needed to be preserved in the same way Americans preserve other national treasures. He reached an arm in Rosie’s direction. “We want to keep Lone Spur as it is for our children and our children’s children.”
She felt every eye in the room—especially Destry’s—turn her way. Tanner had no right to include her in that statement. He knew she wasn’t planning to have children with him anymore, but he chose to lie for his own convenience. He had used her for rhetorical effect, a nice little visual aid in the corner.
Chemistry Lessons Page 24