by Bobbi Smith
"I can't believe she showed up with him," John snarled.
"I know. 1 heard the talk, too. Isn't the woman from Philadelphia still here?"
"Yes." John looked around the hall and caught sight of Karen standing on the opposite side of the dance floor. "1 believe that's her right over there."
"She's pretty."
"I think I'll go ask her to dance." John had expected Casey to break her engagement to Michael. Obviously, that hadn't happened. He didn't know what was going on, but he intended to find out.
Karen was furious as she watched Michael and Casey. She couldn't believe the other woman had cleaned up so well. She had come to the dance tonight expecting Casey Turner to look little better than she had when she'd seen her driving the buckboard. She was shocked by the change in her and by the fact that Michael and Casey actually looked happy together.
Fury and jealousy ate at Karen.
She had to do something, and fast.
"Would you care to dance?" John McQueen invited as he appeared by her side.
Karen had been so intent on her tumultuous feelings that she hadn't noticed his approach. She looked up at the handsome, blond-haired man and flashed him her most devastating smile. "Why, I'd love to dance with you. Thank you."
"You're new in town, aren't you?" John asked as he led her out onto the dance floor.
"That's right. I'm a friend of Michael's from Philadelphia. My name's Karen Whittington." She followed his lead and discovered quickly that he was a very good dancer.
"It's nice to meet you. I'm John McQueen. I'm a friend of Michael's, too."
"Are you a rancher?"
"Yes, I own the Royal ranch. It's north of town."
"Is it truly royal?" she asked flirtatiously.
"My goal is to make it the biggest, most successful ranch in this part of Texas," he told her with confidence.
"How close are you?"
"Close real close."
"You must be very proud of what you've accomplished," she said, playing up to him.
"I am, but enough about ranching. What about you? Are you enjoying your visit to Hard Luck?"
"It's been interesting. I've never been this far west before."
"How much longer will you be in town?"
"My mother made the trip with me, and we haven't decided yet when we'll be going back."
"So you're not staying on permanently."
"No. I came to see how Michael was doing. His father's situation is so tragic."
"Yes, it is, and the last I heard, they still don't know who shot him."
"Do the Donovans have a lot of enemies?"
"No more than anybody else in these parts, I guess. I suppose one day they might find out who did it, but right now there's nothing for anyone to go on."
As John led Karen in the dance, he deliberately kept moving toward Michael and Casey. He wanted to be near them when the tune ended. He planned to ask Casey for the next dance and turn Karen loose on Michael. He had seen how Karen was watching Michael. She might be calling herself Michael's "friend" now, but John was certain there were hard feelings.
John's plan worked perfectly. The music stopped, and he and Karen found themselves standing close to the other couple.
"Good evening, Michael Casey," John said, giving them a smile. He was feeling proud of his acting abilities.
"John," Michael returned, and then looked at Karen. "Hello, Karen. Let me introduce you to my fiancee. This is Casey."
Karen smiled tightly at Casey. "It's nice to meet you."
Casey didn't believe a word she said, but she returned the smile. "I've heard a lot about you, Karen. Hello, John."
"Evening, Casey. I was hoping to have this next dance with you, if Michael doesn't mind," he invited as the music started up again.
Before Casey could say anything, Karen took advantage of John's ploy.
"Michael? Will you dance with me?"
Michael had no desire whatsoever to dance with Karen. The farther he stayed away from her, the better, as far as he was concerned, but he'd been put on the spot. There was no graceful way out of the awkward situation.
"Of course, Karen."
Karen didn't need any further encouragement. She went straight into his arms as if she belonged there.
Casey saw how comfortable Karen seemed with Michael. She watched them together even as John danced her about the floor.
"So you managed to work everything out with Michael?" he asked. "I was worried about you after our conversation the other night. I didn't know how things were going to go for you."
"Everything is fine. Michael was never engaged to Karen. She lied about their relationship. Michael and I straightened it out."
Inwardly John was seething. Once again it seemed his plans had been ruined.
"There's only a week left until your wedding," he said. "Are you really sure you want to go through with it, after all that's happened?"
"Oh, yes. I'm sure," she replied. She knew it was up to her to convince the world that her marriage to Michael was a love match, and she would start with John.
"With all the bad blood between your families all these years and then this unexpected trouble with Karen, I never would have thought you two would end up together," he remarked.
"I know. It hasn't been easy, but Michael and I are happy, and that's all that matters."
"Are you happy, Casey? Really?" John pressed the issue. "Are you certain Michael's not just using you? Casey 1 care about you and I don't want you to be hurt."
"I appreciate your concern, John, but it's really none of your business." She deliberately made her tone a bit cool. She had no interest in him romantically, and it was time he realized it. "Michael and I love each other. I know it seemed to happen quickly, but we've known each other so long that once we recognized the truth of our feelings, it was all quite simple." The fact that she'd actually declared she loved Michael startled Casey, for she'd never said it out loud before.
John had hoped to rile Casey. He had wanted to get her furious enough to break off with Michael, but he re alized now in a fit of barely controlled rage that it wasn't going to happen. He had been foiled again.
"What do you plan to do about Karen?" he asked.
"Nothing. She'll be gone soon. She means nothing to Michael."
"It doesn't look that way to me," he said, nodding in the direction of the other couple.
Casey looked their way to see Karen leading Michael by the hand from the dance floor toward the main door.
Jealousy seared through Casey. She didn't know what the other woman was up to, but she wasn't going to get away with it.
Casey was tempted to go after them that very minute, but she didn't want to draw attention to the situation. As soon as the dance ended, she was going to take action.
Michael Donovan was hers.
Karen was going to learn that lesson tonight once and for all.
Nick made his way over to Anne.
"How are you this evening?" he asked cordially.
"Fine, now that you're here," Anne said with a smile. "And I love your suit."
"Some of the boys from the Circle D might argue that point with you."
"That's why I said it. I figured they were probably giving you a hard time," she laughed.
"They did, but I don't care what they think. There was only one woman I was trying to impress tonight."
"That's a wonderful line. I bet you use it on all the girls, and 1 bet they believe you."
Nick was accustomed to women falling at his feet when he turned on the charm. He'd never met anyone like Anne before, and he found himself chuckling. "You're right. I have used that line before, and it does usually work. There is one thing you need to know, though."
"What's that?" Anne's eyes were twinkling with good humor.
"I've never meant it before." He found it was the truth. Anne was different from any other woman he'd ever met.
Her eyes widened at his remark. She lifted her gaze to his. "Is that ano
ther line?"
"No," he said quietly. "Shall we dance?"
"Yes."
Anne almost felt like a princess in a fairy tale, like a heroine in one of her favorite novels, as Nick drew her out onto the dance floor. The rest of the world faded away as he whirled her about the room. There was only Nick and the music and the joy of being held in his arms.
The warning voice in her mind cautioned her that Nick belonged back East that he would be leaving after Casey's wedding and she would never see him again.
But for right now, for this moment, Anne didn't care.
She let herself be swept up in the thrill of a fantasy come true.
A handsome prince had come to save her from her dull existence.
"Karen, whatever it is you wanted to talk about, we could have discussed inside," Michael said once they'd left the hall. He was ready to go back in. He had nothing more to say to her and wanted to be with Casey.
"No, Michael. What I have to say is private just between us. I will not let our relationship be fodder for the town gossips," Karen insisted.
"We have no relationship, Karen. I'm engaged to Casey, and I'm going to be married next week. There's nothing between you and me."
"But Michael-" She looked up at him, her eyes aglow with the predatory excitement that filled her. "You can't mean that." She lowered her voice as she stepped closer to rub up against him. "I want you, Michael. I always have. That's why I made the trip all the way out here to see you. I missed you. I wanted to help you. I wanted to be with you."
She lifted one hand to caress his cheek, wanting to draw him down for a kiss, but he caught her wrist and stopped her ploy.
"Stop it, Karen. Casey and I are getting married."
"But you aren't married yet. That can all change," she insisted in an even more sultry voice. "I can please you in ways your little cowgirl can't even imagine. Let me show you."
"This little cowgirl' is about ready to forget she's being a lady tonight!" Casey snarled, interrupting them.
Her first reaction to the sight of Karen and Michael seemingly embracing, had infuriated her. Then she'd overheard a part of their conversation and knew Karen was the aggressor.
"What are you doing here?" Karen looked at Casey in disgust, but stayed physically close to Michael.
"1 came outside to see what you were doing with my fiance. The dance is inside, you know."
"Casey, I can handle this." Michael could tell she was angry, and he knew what she was capable of.
"Michael and I were just talking," Karen insisted innocently, smiling at her with smug superiority.
"Good, and I'm joining your conversation," Casey declared, coming to stand at Michael's side.
"Our conversation is private."
Karen sounded so arrogant that Casey lost her ladylike veneer. She'd dealt with rough-and-tumble ranch hands all her life and wasn't the least bit afraid of Karen.
"There's something you need to know, bitch."
Karen gasped. "Michael! Are you going to let her talk to me that way?"
Casey didn't wait for Michael to answer. "Michael is mine," she stated firmly, stepping closer to physically intimidate Karen. "We're engaged. You haven't figured that out yet, so I guess you must be real stupid. Look! Here's my engagement ring!"
Casey held her hand up in Karen's face so she could see the diamond ring that marked her as Michael's.
"Michael gave this ring to me. Nobody invited you here. You're not welcome here. So I think it's time you took a hint and went back to Philadelphia where you belong. I'm sure there's a man somewhere in a city that big who will appreciate the fact that you can please him in such `exciting' ways. Go find him. Michael's mine."
"But, Michael "Karen looked up at him, shocked.
"Good-bye, Karen." He slipped an arm around Casey.
Karen was devastated by this, his final and complete rejection. She rushed away into the night, fleeing toward the hotel. Never in her wildest imaginings had she considered the possibility that Michael would really choose Casey over her. It was complete and utter humiliation.
Michael stood with Casey watching Karen hurry off. When Casey would have moved away from him, he tightened his grip and drew her with him into the shadows.
"Casey"
"What?" She looked up at him, her expression guarded and a bit defensive.
"I didn't know you cared."
"I care about the ranch," she retorted, feeling suddenly very vulnerable before him. He was warm and strong and so devastatingly handsome, and he had just sent Karen on her way forever.
"Are you sure you're doing this just for the ranch?" he asked, his voice gentling as he drew her even closer.
Casey didn't respond as Michael bent down and claimed her lips in a passionate kiss.
Casey stood still for a moment as Michael kissed her, and then, unable to help herself, she looped her arms around his neck and drew him down to her. At her encouragement, Michael deepened the kiss, wrapping his arms around her and bringing her fully against him.
"Casey?" John called her name. He'd seen her leave the hall to look for Michael and Karen the moment their dance had ended. He'd followed after her to find out what was going on, under the pretense of concern for her.
At the sound of John's call, Casey and Michael broke apart. They stood there for a moment in the moonlight, staring at each other, overpowered by what had just transpired between them.
John found them and came up to speak to them.
"I take it you're all right," John said. He had witnessed their heated embrace.
"Casey's fine," Michael answered curtly, irritated that John had interrupted them.
John ignored Michael and looked at Gasey. "Casey?"
"Everything is wonderful. Karen definitely won't be causing us any more trouble."
"Good." The fury burning within John was powerful. He didn't know what he had expected to find when he'd followed them outside, but it hadn't been the two of them in a clinch. He'd hoped for a nasty confrontation with Karen, but it hadn't happened. He could do nothing more for the time being than play his role of concerned friend. "I'm glad everything worked out."
"Let's go back in to the dance," Michael said, taking Casey's arm. He wanted to get away from McQueen. He didn't like the man meddling in their affairs and paying so much attention to her.
They started back inside, leaving John behind to follow.
But he didn't.
His anger was too red-hot.
John stood there staring after Casey and Michael, hating them for thwarting his grandiose scheme. Somehow, he vowed to himself, he would get even.
Right now, though, he needed a drink bad.
John headed for the Sundown.
"Did you see Karen and Michael go outside? And then Casey follow them?" Anne was saying to Nick as they stood by the refreshment table sipping punch.
"It's going to be interesting to see what happens."
"Aren't you worried? Do you think we should go check on them?"
"No. Michael is perfectly capable of handling this himself."
"But I don't want Casey to be hurt," she said, worried about her friend.
Nick appreciated her kindness and concern, but wanted to calm her. "Karen is a smart, sophisticated woman, but she's no match for Casey."
"You really think so?"
"If Michael had wanted Karen, he would never have agreed to marry Casey."
"So they'll be fine?"
"Do you want to check and make sure?"
"Would you go with me?"
They put their cups aside, and Nick led her through the crowd. They reached the door just as Michael and Casey returned.
"Where's Karen?" Nick asked.
"With any luck, she's back at the hotel, packing her bags and getting ready to head back to Philadelphia right now," Casey said with confidence.
"What happened?" Anne asked.
"Casey helped me convince Karen that we really are getting married next week," Michael answered.
"Good. Now, as long as neither one of you decides to back out, there will definitely be a wedding."
"I'm not backing out," Michael said without hesitation, his gaze lingering on Casey.
She looked up at him and smiled softly, remembering his kiss. "Neither am I."
Nick and Anne watched the exchange and knew something had definitely changed between them, and it was all for the better.
Across the hall, Dorothea had been watching all that was going on. She'd seen Karen and Michael go outside, to be followed shortly by Casey. When Michael and Casey returned together and there was no sign of Karen, she knew things were not good. As quickly as she could, she left the dance and hurried back to the hotel to check on Karen. She hoped that they would be on a stage coach bound for home tomorrow. That thought and that thought alone made her smile as she went to face what she knew was a painful moment for her daughter.
Rosalie saw John come into the saloon and go straight to stand at the bar. She excused herself from the men she'd been talking with and went to wait on him.
"Evening, darlin'," she said in a husky voice. "The usual?"
"Yeah and bring the bottle."
"You intend to have some fun tonight?" she asked flirtatiously as she poured him a straight whiskey and set it before him with the bottle alongside.
He only snorted derisively in answer to her question as he downed the whiskey in one swallow, then poured himself another.
Rosalie had seen his darker moods before, and she knew better than to press him to talk when he was like this. She went about her business, keeping an eye on John in case he needed anything else. She hoped before the night was over to entice him upstairs, but she knew she had to let him drink for a while before she even suggested it.
John's frustration and anger did not abate as he continued to drink. He was a man who was not used to being denied. He always got what he wanted.
He took another deep swallow of liquor as he thought about Casey.
How dare she treat him this way?
How dare she pick Donovan over him?
His plans were ruined.
Women!
He hated them.