“I wish that was true,” Redfoot said. “But your mother does not see it that way.”
“How do you know how I see it?” Veronica asked.
“You told me,” Redfoot insisted.
“That was last week. A woman has a right to change her mind.”
“She does?” The heaviness that had taken up residence in Redfoot’s chest began to fade.
Ramon said, “We need to get out there. You two can plan your future later.” The drums had started playing, and he motioned for Matt to follow him.
Redfoot smiled at his beloved. “Yes, we can plan later.” When he moved past her, he slipped his hand into hers for a brief squeeze. A lightness filled his chest as she let him. As Veronica smiled sweetly, one thought gave him pause as he walked out: he really needed to get his pills back from Sky.
“Where are you, damn it?” Shala muttered, using her close-up camera lens to try to find Sky in the crowd. The male dancers were gathered to the side of the arena. Sky wasn’t among them. The drums were playing, and she could see Redfoot and the other elders about to walk out.
“Who are you looking for?” Sky’s deep voice fluttered against her neck.
She turned. He wore his powwow garb, minus his headdress. Her gaze swept down his hard, musclecorded body, but her gaze didn’t linger very long, because she focused on the cast on his arm.
“Is that a camera in your hands?” A teasing glint filled his eye.
“I’ve heard the rules have changed,” she replied.
“Yup.” He ran his uninjured hand down her arm, and his touch sent shivers of pain into her heart. “Some blue-eyed angel came to town and changed everything.”
She motioned to his arm. “It was broken?”
She’d gone to the hospital with Sky, but when Phillip arrived he took her back, fighting and screaming, to the police station. She suspected Sky had told him to take her because he remembered how she felt about hospitals. What Sky didn’t know was that being away from him hurt more than any memory of the past. Phillip had released her to Lucas about an hour ago, and he’d brought her here, saying Sky would show up.
“Yup, broken,” he said.
She leaned in a little. “That’s what you get for trying to act like a Hollywood cop.”
“Hey, my girl asks for Hollywood, she gets Hollywood.” He took her hand in his. “Let’s go somewhere we can talk.”
“What about taking pictures?”
“What about it?” he asked.
When he led her away, she didn’t hesitate. I love you. All afternoon she’d replayed what he said to her before running out from behind his truck. She was almost afraid she’d imagined it.
Jose studied his father, who was proudly holding his place amongst the elders, talking about the People’s culture and their beliefs. Amazement filled him. How many times had he stood here and watched his father address the crowd? Why had he never felt this pride and sense of belonging before?
He could still remember the first day he refused to be a part of the ceremonies. His father had been angry and hurt, and he had demanded Jose get dressed and do his part. It had been his mom who had stood up for him, saying Jose had to find his own way. At this moment, Jose wasn’t so sure his path had been the right one. He didn’t regret who he was or what he did or didn’t believe, but at this moment he knew he’d missed out on something important.
The tribesmen started moving away, and Jose turned to where Maria had been standing beside him. Damn it! He’d been given one lousy job tonight, and that was to ensure that Maria saw Matt dance. Now she was gone. He took off into the crowd to find her.
Maria crouched near the concession stand, talking to a prospective client on her phone. Redfoot would be angry if he knew she’d brought her cell phone to the powwow, but this was important.
“There you are!” a voice bellowed.
Maria heard Jose and then felt his arm latch around her elbow. He was suddenly pulling her through the crowd of people, who were all laughing about something. She covered her phone with one hand and said, “Stop. This is an important call.”
Jose held up his palms as if to comply, then snatched the phone right out of her hands and cut it off. “Come on!”
He dragged her through the crowd. Before she could even think to stop him, it struck her that something was different. It took her a few minutes to figure it out: the spectators’ laughter. Powwows were not famous for laughter. Nonetheless, her fury at Jose’s rude behavior was stronger than her curiosity.
“Why did you do that?” she seethed.
“I guess this pretty much proves it, huh?” He waved to the arena.
“Proves what?” she snapped.
“That white men can’t dance.” He waved again to the arena.
Maria looked up and—“What the hell is he doing?”
Matt. It was Matt. As she stared, his headdress dropped to the ground, and when he reached to pick it up, his loincloth rode high on his backside. Another howl of laughter spilled from the audience. Maria covered her mouth to hold her giggles back.
When she saw the look of embarrassment in Matt’s eyes, her laughter died. “Why did Redfoot do this?” she hissed.
“Redfoot didn’t. Matt wanted to do it. It seems he’d do anything to get his girl back.”
Right then, Matt’s gaze found hers and Maria knew Jose was telling the truth. Matt’s headdress slipped again, this time over his face. Maria’s heart wrenched for him. “Stop this,” she told Jose.
“I can’t. But you could,” he told her. “Of course, if I remember correctly, if a woman walks out and gets a man from the soul mate dance, she’s pretty much announcing their engagement to the tribal council.”
Maria looked back up at Matt and saw his headdress slip again to the ground. If he bent over for it, he’d moon the audience again.
“Oh, screw it!” She jumped over the rope, head held high, and marched right into the center of the arena. She grabbed Matt by the hand and led him away. Hoots and hollers filled the crowd, but Maria ignored it all.
“Where are we going?” Matt asked as the noise decreased.
She moved him inside the women’s tent. Then, facing him, she snapped her hands onto her hips. “Why did you do this?”
He crossed his arms over his wide chest. In spite of being pale and somewhat ridiculous in the outfit, he looked sexy as hell to her. She fought that back.
“Why do you think I did it?” He took a step closer. “I love you.”
She blinked back tears and tried to think of how to ease into the conversation she needed to have. There didn’t seem to be a way, and she needed to believe he truly understood what was going on. “What if I told you that…that there’s a chance I might not be able to give you a baby?”
He stared at her, looking befuddled. “Why would you ask that?” he said.
She sighed and then just blurted everything out. She told him it all. She told him about her and Jose, about the baby, and about what the doctor had told her after the operation. She saw the look on his face, which was shock. “I’m sorry,” she said. Everything inside had told her that he would say it didn’t matter. Right now, the look on his face said different. It told her he cared very much. So she turned again and walked away.
He caught her arm, but she flung off his hand. “You don’t have to do this, Matt. I know you’re a good guy, but you deserve—”
“Stop it!” He pressed a hand to his forehead. “You…you don’t understand. Am I shocked right now? Hell, yes. But mostly I’m pissed at you for not telling me about losing a child. I’m not upset about your problem. I don’t care about your problem. But damn, Maria—you lost a child, which had to have hurt like hell. You don’t keep something like this from someone who cares about you.”
“I guess it’s like having a child, huh?” she asked, standing up to him.
Understanding filled his eyes. “I’d say it was exactly like that.” He sighed. “Is this why you pushed me away?”
She s
wallowed her fear. “No. You said you wanted us to have kids. And it wasn’t fair…”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Damn it, Maria. Do I want to have baby with you? Yes. But if for some reason we can’t, then so the hell what? We’ll adopt from the foster program. Look at you, look at how much you love Redfoot. We can do the same for some other kid out there. Heck, maybe we can do both.”
She didn’t know she was crying until he brushed the tears from her cheeks. She looked up at him as she put her other fear into words. “What if your daughter doesn’t like me?”
He scoffed. “She’s going to love you. I’m getting her next weekend, and I’d love it if you’d agree to meet her.” He leaned down and stared into her eyes. “So would you please say it?”
“Say what?”
“That you love me. I think I’ve said it three times, and you’ve yet to say it back.”
She smiled and pulled her paleface close. “I love you, Matt Goodson. I loved you from our second date, but tonight, seeing you out there…”
“Making a fool out of myself?”
She grinned. “Yeah, making a fool out of yourself. I fell in love with you all over again.”
“I guess it’s true then,” he said.
“What?” She giggled. “That white men can’t dance?”
He leaned his head back and laughed. “No, that love makes fools out of us all.”
“I don’t mind being that kind of fool,” she said, and kissed him.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Jose stood watching the powwow continue, feeling damn proud that he’d managed to do exactly what Redfoot wanted. It seemed like a first. Then, suddenly, his father was standing beside him.
“I think we did it, son.” He dropped his hand on Jose’s shoulder.
“I think we did,” Jose agreed, his gaze on the women moving center stage of the arena. “When’s the next powwow?”
“In October. Maybe you can visit then.”
“Yeah, maybe I can.”
Jose wiped his brow. The temperature felt as if it had just risen ten degrees, and the drums changed to a different rhythm. He looked up. The sun hung low in the horizon and was painting the sky a bright pink and purple. His gaze slowly shifted back to the dancers, who were again standing tall and proud.
The drum tempo increased, and the women now began to move to the sound. Golden sunlight spilled everywhere, making them seem to glow, but one woman stood out from the rest. He recognized her: Poncha Rivers. The girl he’d taken to his senior prom, and the waitress who’d been so glad to see him at the diner.
Watching her graceful movements, the way her breasts jiggled ever so lightly, the way her hips moved in little circles, he was mesmerized. His chest grew heavy, and he tried to remember if he’d gotten further than second base with her. Damn, he had a vague memory of being extremely drunk and naked, but if anything had happened, he couldn’t recall.
“Son?”
Jose tried to look away from Poncha but couldn’t. “Yeah?”
“Nothing,” his dad said and chuckled. He left Jose there to watch Poncha finish her dance.
Redfoot saw the Scrabble player standing a few feet away and went to join him. “Please tell me the bulldog has been arrested.”
“The bulldog?” Lucas repeated.
“The senator.”
“They’ve brought him and his men in for questioning. Their asses are ours.”
Redfoot nodded. “That’s good.”
Lucas reared back on his heels. “How did you know that Sky and Shala would hit it off?”
“The spirits told me when I sleep.”
“Seriously?” Lucas said.
“Seriously,” Redfoot answered. “And the other night, I saw you in a wacoi.”
“Wacoi?” Lucas laughed. “The sacred word?”
“Right.” Redfoot said. “Maybe next time you’ll let me use it.”
“I doubt it. But what is a wacoi?” Lucas asked. “Or is it still too sacred to share?”
Redfoot dropped a hand on the young man’s shoulder. “Like Sky, you too will find your way.”
“What way?” Lucas asked. “Wait a damn minute. If you’ve seen me with a soul mate in some weird-ass dream, then I know you are batty as shit.”
Redfoot just laughed. When he saw Veronica, he left the Scrabble player to his stupidity. Like Jose, this man would know his fate soon enough.
“Where are we going?” Shala asked Sky when he finally got off the phone with the mayor.
“To the only air-conditioned spot around here. The ticket booth.”
She saw the sweat rolling off his brow. “Are you sure you should be out here after all you’ve been through?”
“I’m fine,” he grunted.
“I’ll bet you were told to go home and go to bed, weren’t you?” she asked.
“Maybe.”
“That’s it, I’m taking you home! Where’s your truck?”
“I didn’t drive. Phillip dropped me off.” He opened the door to the ticket booth and motioned her inside.
She frowned. “I’ll go find Lucas.”
“Shala, please step inside and let’s talk.”
Seeing the determined way he looked at her, she walked inside. The booth was no bigger than a concession stand, but it was cool from the air conditioner humming in the corner. “Here.” She pulled out a chair and motioned for him to sit.
He did so, and then motioned to a chair at the side. “You sit down, too.”
“Why?” she asked. “Do you have more bad news? Is there another hit man out for me?”
“No. It’s about us.”
She sighed. “Can’t we worry about that when you’re better?” She was beginning to get worried about Sky walking around at the powwow after just leaving the hospital.
“No. Sit down,” he ordered.
“Fine, but it’s not fair to do this right now.”
“Why not?” he asked.
“Because I’m feeling sorry for you and grateful that you played Hollywood cop to save my life, and it will be hard for me to be objective.”
“Then this is definitely is the right time,” he said. “Because I need all the ammunition I can get. Now, please sit, before I stand up.”
She dropped into the chair. He met her gaze, and she saw something in Sky Gomez she’d never seen. Fear.
“I screwed up, Shala. I know that. I accused you of jabbering and said that I didn’t believe—”
“I do jabber,” she interrupted.
“I know, but it was mean of me to say it. And here’s the thing. I didn’t think I believed in love, I didn’t think I’d find anyone who made me feel…whole, right, complete. I—”
She held up her hand. “Are you on pain medicine?”
“Yes, why?” He sounded annoyed that she’d stopped him.
“Then maybe you should wait until you’re clearheaded to—”
He shook his head. “I’m very clearheaded about what I’m about to say. So just listen.” When she nodded, and he continued. “I was saying…that I don’t know if it’s because you lost your parents the way I did, or if…hell, maybe there’s something to this whole soul-mate thing. The first time I saw your picture, I think I fell for you. Then, the day you arrived in Precious and I followed you, I fell harder. When I kissed you and we made love…well, I just keep falling for you harder and harder. I know I told you that I didn’t think it would last, but I was lying. Lying to you, lying to myself. Hell, I was lying to Sundance and Butch—who, by the way, miss you something terrible.”
“Sky—”
“No, let me finish. I know you live in Houston. And I don’t like the idea of moving, but if Precious isn’t your type of town, then I’ll do it. I’ll follow you anywhere, because Precious hasn’t been so precious since you left. I love you and—”
“Sky—”
“I’m not finished,” he growled. “I need—”
She leaned in and put a finger over his lips. “Sky, I love Precious. I
love you. Now would you please…just shut up and kiss me?”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I tip my hat to the best critique group in the world; honest, kind, supportive, and pushy broads whose attempts to keep me sane are to be commended, even if they fail: Faye Hughes, Jody Payne, Teri Thackston, and Suzan Harden. To my editor Chris Keeslar, who is probably sweating bullets but doesn’t show it when I tell him things like, “Oh, yeah, there’s a skunk and a naked man in a bathtub filled with tomato juice and women’s douche in this book.” To my agent Kim Lionetti, who gives me just enough rope to hang myself, but also keeps a pair of scissors within reach. And finally, to my sister-in-law and fan, Jackie Mathews, who tells me, “Your book made me laugh so hard, even the cows were looking at me funny.”
RAVE REVIEWS FOR CHRISTIE CRAIG!
DIVORCED, DESPERATE AND DECEIVED
“The fun—and action—never stops in the enchanting Divorced, Desperate and Deceived. Christie Craig’s prose practically sparkles with liveliness and charm in the exciting conclusion to her stunning Divorced, Desperate and Delicious Club trilogy.”
—Joyfully Reviewed
GOTCHA!
“The mystery and romance plots fit seamlessly into a witty and fast-paced novel that’s easy to read and satisfying to the heart.”
—Publishers Weekly
DIVORCED, DESPERATE AND DATING
“I was simply delighted by this breezy, snappy, good-time story… This book is sure to brighten your day.”
—Beyond Her Book Blog, Publishers Weekly
WEDDINGS CAN BE MURDER
“A story that twines emotions and feelings with sizzle and steam, all wrapped around bits of humor…Weddings Can Be Murder combines passionate and intense characters with a plot that’s well-balanced and fast-moving. It’s edgy and fun.”
—Once Upon a Romance
Shut Up and Kiss Me Page 31