On the Fence (Chance City Series Book Two)

by Robin Deeter

  Daphne gave her a squeeze. “It’s perfectly understandable why you would feel that way. Don’t give up hope, Leigh. You’re young and there’s plenty of time for you to have a baby.”

  Sighing, Leigh leaned her head against Daphne’s shoulder. “I know. You’re right.”

  Daphne hugged her. “You can always talk to me, Leigh. Cy isn’t the only one who holds things inside.”

  Leigh laughed at her pointed remark and straightened again, wiping tears from her cheeks. “Maybe that’s why we get along so well. Although, he does talk to me an awful lot.”

  Daphne gave her a doubtful look. “Really? Well, he should. He’s not as bad as Sly, though. I feel so bad for him and I miss Catherine so much.”

  Leigh frowned. “I know. It was hard enough prying words out of him before her death, but now it’s twice as hard. Although, being around these guys is makin’ him talk and he even laughed a couple of times. He needs to smile more. He’s a good-looking guy, but he’s kinda scary when he doesn’t smile.”

  Daphne cracked up. “That’s a great assessment of him. Even as a kid, Sly was like that. It was one reason that not many of the boys at school ever went after him without a couple of their buddies being along. They were scared to fight him one-on-one and they should’ve been.”

  “He’s really tough. I know he’s still hurting, but I’ve been praying for the pain to start to ease. I know what that kind of loss is like and it ain’t easy to deal with,” Leigh said.

  Daphne took her hand. “I’m certainly not happy that Walt passed away, but I am glad that you’re here. I hope you know how much you’ve come to mean to me. You’re a wonderful friend and I think of you more like a sister now.”

  Leigh squeezed her hand in return. “Same here. You and I are gonna have to play peacemakers once Brock moves in here.”

  Daphne groaned and rubbed her forehead. “I know. I’m so impatient to marry Brock, but I’m dreading the two of them living under the same roof.”

  “Yeah. I expect there’ll be some fireworks, but we’ll keep them from killing each other,” Leigh said, chuckling. She released Daphne’s hand. “Thanks for the talk. I best get back to work.”

  “You’re welcome. Anytime.”

  Daphne went upstairs to work on some sewing, her mind alternately filled with thoughts of Brock and Leigh’s inability to have children. She prayed to the Great Creator to bless Leigh and Cy with a child before too long. Smiling, she sent the same prayer up for her and Brock.

  *****

  The Chowhound was fairly quiet for a Thursday night, but Sandy Hopper, the proprietor, knew that the next night would a different story. Once men—and a few women—had gotten paid, they’d come in to spend their money, so she wasn’t worried about one slow night.

  Looking down the bar, she saw Ray sitting at the end of it, nursing a beer. She knew about the rift between him and Johnny and felt badly for Ray. Although Johnny was younger, he and Ray had become almost instant friends when Johnny had moved into town.

  Ray had few good friends because of his chosen profession. He had to be careful about who knew because if word got around about what he did, he’d most likely be set upon by men wanting to know if he’d been with their wives or not.

  That thought alone made Sandy protective toward Ray. She hated double standards, no matter which way they swung. Women were expected to be pure and chaste, but it was perfectly acceptable for men to visit whores and sew their wild oats. Who did society think they were sewing those oats with?

  She shook her head at the ridiculousness of it. And then there was Ray. The man was better looking than any male had a right to be with his jet black hair and silver eyes. She’d seen him barely dressed several times and she knew that he possessed the kind of body that could literally make a woman swoon. Just as society judged women so harshly for their indiscretions, so did it judge male prostitutes. Another double standard.

  As she was about to pour a drink for a farmer she knew, Ollie swung up onto the bar and hopped over onto her shoulder.

  “Oh, God, you again,” she said, chuckling. “That must mean that your daddy is here.”

  Ollie bobbed his head a little, wrapped his arms around her neck, and kissed her.

  “No booze for you. I got in trouble last time I gave you beer,” Sandy said.

  The farmer grimaced. “I can’t believe you let that thing kiss you.”

  “Oh, yeah, Butch? I’d sooner Ollie kiss me than you. He’s a hell of a lot better looking than your ugly puss. If you don’t like it, get out.”

  Butch glowered at her but shut his mouth.

  Ollie plopped back down onto the bar and ran down to where Ray sat. His expressive eyes roamed over Ray, who smiled at him.

  “What kind of trouble are you causing?” Ray asked, petting Ollie’s head.

  Ollie bit his wrist lightly, indicating that he wanted to play. Grinning, Ray picked him up and threw the monkey up in the air. Ollie chattered in delight as though laughing. When Ray caught him, Ollie used Ray’s arm like a tree branch, swinging from it down onto the floor, only to climb back up onto Ray’s shoulder.

  Ray laughed as Ollie started picking through his hair.

  “I don’t have any bugs, buddy,” Ray said. “I had two baths today.”

  Ollie grunted in disagreement and kept looking. A whistle cut through the noise in the place and Ollie took off, heeding Wheels’ summons. Caught up in watching Ollie swing and jump over to Wheels’ table, Ray failed to notice Johnny approach. He was surprised to find Johnny seated next to him.

  Ray arched a brow at him. “What do you want?”

  Johnny smiled tightly. “To apologize for being a jackass.”

  “Leave me alone, Johnny.”

  “Ray, just listen to me, ok?”

  “Fine.”

  Johnny took a sip of his beer before saying, “I shouldn’t have been so quick to judge you. You were right. I was hungover and I hurt so bad that I just couldn’t think straight. I also felt stupid because I’ve known you all this time and didn’t have a clue about what you did for a living.”

  “That’s nice.”

  Johnny pursed his lips. “I’m trying to make amends, Ray. Can’t you meet me halfway here?”

  Ray met his gaze. “Why should I? You were the only person outside of Sandy and Cotton that I could ever really count on, and you turned your back on me. Why should I give a damn about your apology? I’m not gonna stop doing what I’m doing, so I don’t think you want to be seen with me.”

  Johnny held up a hand. “I know that and I’m not askin’ you to quit. I don’t agree with it, but it’s not for me to judge you. Why do you do it? Can you just tell me that much?”

  Ray considered whether or not he was going to answer Johnny’s question. Would it make a difference or would Johnny judge him again? Johnny’s sincere gaze got to him and he sighed. “Not here. Come with me.”

  Johnny followed Ray from the barroom, down the hallway lined with the girls’—and Ray’s—rooms. Ray unlocked the last door on the left that was right before the back door. Johnny looked around at the rather romantically furnished room.

  “Uh, this is different,” he said, looking at the canopy bed and red silk curtains.

  Ray laughed as he shut and locked the door. “You can’t get a woman in the mood if your room looks like a typical man’s room. At least not when you’re a hustler.”

  Johnny took a seat on an overstuffed chair and Ray sat on the bed.

  “How did you get started doing this?” Johnny asked.

  “About seven years ago, when I was eighteen, I had a woman proposition me. I thought she was kidding, but she was dead serious. I told her no, but she wouldn’t let it go. She ended up offering me two hundred bucks. I was desperate for money, so I did it. She’s a beautiful woman, so it wasn’t a hardship to be with her.

  “Well, she told one of her lady friends and the next thing I knew, I had women lining up for a piece of me.” Ray grinned. “The problem was that
it was dangerous for me to be seen going to their places and renting a room at one of the hotels wasn’t much better.”

  Johnny shook his head. “So you rented a room from Sandy.”

  Ray chuckled. “She thought I was kidding at first when I said that I’d rent the room she had available. She thought that I just wanted to sleep with the girls, but I soon convinced her that I was a hustler and she let me have the room. It’s perfect because it’s right inside the back door and the ladies can slip in and out without being noticed.”

  Johnny was amazed and intensely curious. “How many customers do you have every day?”

  Ray shrugged. “Depends. I have regular appointments scheduled with a few women every week, but there are women who show up unannounced. We have a signal if they come into the barroom that lets me know that they’re here for me. A slow day is two women, but I once had five.”

  “Five women in one day? How’s that even possible?”

  Ray laughed at Johnny’s disbelief. “Well, it took a toll on me, I won’t lie about that, but I made damn good money that day. Anymore, I don’t usually make less than two hundred a day, but it’s usually more like four. It depends on what they want.”

  Johnny shook his head. “Don’t they want the same thing?”

  Ray almost groaned at Johnny’s lack of knowledge. “Some women want the fantasy that I care about them. They’re lonely and they don’t get any attention. Some are single, some not. So I have to seduce them and convince them that they’re the most beautiful woman on Earth. Other women want it hot and fast and some like it sort of rough.”

  Johnny didn’t know how to frame his next question so he had to figure it out. “I can see how a woman can have so many men a day, but how do you …keep going?”

  Ray said, “It’s a mental trick as much as it is physical. It took me a while to be able to do it. I’d have one customer every day and be done. The problem was that another woman would show up and offer me money. I couldn’t turn it down, so I found the willpower and took care of business.”

  Johnny asked, “Do you like it?”

  Ray smiled. “Yeah. I mean, there are a couple of women I’d rather not deal with but the money is just too good to turn down.” He sobered. “The reason I’m doing this is because of Izzy.”

  Johnny frowned. “Your cousin? I thought she was going to college to be a doctor?”

  “She is. I’m putting her through school. We’ve always been more like brother and sister and there ain’t nothing I won’t do for her. She’s had her heart set on being a doctor since she was a kid and I wasn’t about to let her dreams die. So when I saw the earning potential of being a hustler, I knew that I could help make that dream come true,” Ray explained.

  A new respect for Ray grew within Johnny. What he was doing was wrong, but it was for the right reasons, for the benefit of someone he loved. It made sense now and Johnny felt guilty all over again about the way he’d treated Ray.

  “So that’s where most of my money goes. I also save a little of it, too. I’m not gonna do this for the rest of my life. She only has two more years to go, so she won’t need the money anymore. Then I’ll be able to save it all for what I really want to do,” Ray said.

  Johnny grinned. “You’re gonna open that bakery that you keep talking about.”

  Ray nodded. “That’s right. This job is just a means to an end. Do you understand now?”

  “Yeah, I do. I’m really sorry that I didn’t listen to you, Ray. Can you forgive me?”

  Smiling, Ray said, “Yeah. It’s forgotten. Sure you don’t want me to throw some customers your way to make a little extra cash towards your woodshop business. They’d eat you up.”

  Johnny blushed. “Thanks for the offer, but I couldn’t do anything like that. No offense. Besides, I wouldn’t have any idea what I’m doing.”

  Ray gave Johnny a teasing grin. “Showing you the ropes would be half the fun for them.”

  “I’m not cut out for that.”

  “Ok, but the offer still stands.”

  A knock sounded on the door and Ray looked at his alarm clock by the bed. “Crap! I didn’t realize what time it was.”

  Johnny’s heart jumped. “Is that a customer?”

  “Yeah and she can’t know you’re here. Uh, hide in the closet. I’ll keep her busy on the bed and you can sneak out,” Ray said, taking off his shirt.

  “What are you doing?” Johnny asked.

  “Distracting her.” Ray undid a couple of buttons on his pants and pulled them a little lower on his trim, muscular hips. “A little window dressing so all of her attention is focused on me.”

  “Oh. Ok.”

  Johnny got in the closet, closing it until only a thin strip of light shone into the small space.

  Once he’d made sure Johnny was out of sight, Ray opened the door, a seductive smile on his chiseled face.

  “Well, hello, Mary, Mary Quite Contrary,” he said.

  The beautiful brunette laughed as she came inside and closed the door. “You look good enough to eat, Ray.”

  “We’ll do that later.”

  He quickly undid her coat buttons and helped her off with the garment. Hauling her against him, he kissed her soundly, backing her over to the bed quickly and pushing her onto it playfully.

  Mary laughed. “Goodness! You’re in a mood.”

  “I’m in the mood for you. You’ve been on my mind all day. I hope you’re well rested, woman, because this is gonna be a long ride.”

  Johnny gaped at Ray’s statement and was surprised when Mary giggled.

  “Oh, don’t worry, honey. I’ll keep up with you. Now get me naked.”

  Ray crawled on the bed and captured her mouth. He waved a hand towards the door, signaling for Johnny to make his escape. As quietly as he could, Johnny made his way out of the room, closing the door softly behind him.

  In just those few minutes, Johnny had received a slight education about what might go on between men and women in the bedroom. Women liked playfulness and wanted to be wanted. He tucked that information away for future reference.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  As December continued, the temperatures rose back up into the fifties during the day, which was normal for that time of year in Oklahoma. It helped Johnny’s group finish the water tank quicker and the Saturday before Christmas, they were ready to test it out. Johnny was as nervous as if he was giving birth.

  “Ok, Sly, go ahead and open the chute!” he shouted.

  Sly waved a hand to let him know he’d heard Johnny. He smiled as he watched Johnny pace. Truth be told, he was just as excited to see how it all was going to work. He bore down on the lever that was affixed to the chute door, lifting the barrier upward. Water flooded perfectly into the pipe, rushing through it to the tank.

  “Here it comes!” Johnny grinned as he followed the water’s progress.

  Vern stood on the ladder attached to the side of the tank, looking through the door in the roof of it to make sure the water entered the tank properly. When clear creek water burst from the pipe, rushing down into the tank, he let out a yell of victory and threw a fist in the air.

  “We got water, y’all!”

  The group gathered cheered and clapped. They all took turns climbing up to watch the water spill into the tank. Ollie had climbed into the closest tree and his screeches of approval made them all laugh.

  Daphne hugged Johnny tight. “I’m so proud of you! Proud of all of you!”

  Johnny hugged her back. “Thanks. Now the real test comes. Let’s go make sure it works inside before we start the boiler up.”

  “Ok.”

  Sly shut the water chute since the water level had reached the proper level and they all trooped inside to the bathhouse.

  Johnny blew out a breath and rubbed his hands together nervously. “Well, here goes nothing.”

  He turned the handle on the newly installed spigot and stood back a little. Water spurted and sputtered from the faucet before settling into a strong, st
eady stream. Johnny shouted in joy and everyone joined him. Then he and Wheels watched the water go down the drain to make sure the tub emptied properly.

  “We did it, fellas,” Johnny said. “It took a lot of hard work, but we did it. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”

  Vern said, “Oh, don’t worry, son. Wheels and I will think of something.”

  Johnny turned off the spigot. “You just name it. I guess we can fire up that boiler and make sure it works right.”

  While they waited for the water to heat, they had a celebratory toast, even though it was only late morning. Daphne and Leigh served brunch and a party atmosphere ensued throughout the meal. Johnny kept running outside to make sure the boiler was still working properly, thrilled that there were no complications.

  When brunch was over, they went back to the bathhouse. Johnny turned the tub faucet on again and hesitantly passed his fingers through the water. Elation flowed through him as he felt the lukewarm temperature.

  “It’ll be hot enough for a bath in a couple of hours,” he announced.

  Cy clapped him on the back. “You get to take the first one since this was your invention.”

  Johnny grinned. “I can’t believe it worked.”

  Cy said, “I can and I’m really glad it did because when our house is finished, you can build us one, too.” He gave Brock a toothy grin. “Until then, we can still come use this one.”

  Brock rolled his eyes and laughed. “I can’t get rid of you no-how.”

  Daphne watched them banter and was happy that the two men were coming to terms with each other. Cy hadn’t complained much about Brock lately and vice versa. It made her less nervous about the two of them living under the same roof, even if it would be temporary. She and Leigh exchanged conspiratorial smiles as the party broke up and people left.

  *****

  Christmas Day united Brock and Daphne’s families for the first time and the couple was anxious over it. It was tense at first as everyone greeted each other when the Guthries arrived at Sundance Ranch, but Cotton, a master at putting people at ease, acted as a buffer. He cracked jokes and traded friendly insults with everyone, lightening the mood.