After the Storm: Clean Historical Western Cowboy Romance Novel (Dawson Chronicles Book 2) (4 page)

              When Tim pulled up to the Keller house in his Model T, Renee was waiting outside for him.  Randy had sat in back so that Renee could sit next to Tim.

              “Hi, fellas,” she said, her expression bright.  “I’m ready for a good time.  How about you?”

              “Yeah,” Randy agreed.  “I’m ready to make some money at pool.”

              Tim said, “Me, too.  You can be our lady luck.”

              “I will certainly do that,” she said as Tim pulled out.

              Tim said, “I hope you weren’t waiting long.”

              “Only a few minutes,” Renee replied.

              “Everything ok?  I was a little worried after you called me,” Tim said.

              “Well, I had a pleasant argument with Pa, which is usually the way we fight, so I’m not sure if you can call it fighting.  However, I had quite the row with Ma.  Anyway, the windup is that I’m moving out.”

              Tim gave her a sharp look.  “Moving out?  It was that bad?”

              “Yes, but I’d rather not talk about it, if that’s ok?” she asked.

              “Uh, sure, I guess,” Randy said.  “That’s a pretty big deal, though, Renee.”

              She tossed her head a little.  “Yes, it is, but this way people won’t be able to stick their noses where they don’t belong.”

              Tim was even more curious about what had happened, but her tense expression told him that she was very upset and he didn’t want to keep asking her questions.  Instead, he sought to ease her agitation by making her laugh.

              “Guess what?”

              “What?” she asked.

              “Jasmine grounded Daddy and Joey,” he said.

              Randy laughed.  “It was so funny.”

              “What happened?” Renee asked.

              “Well, they were arguing because Joey jumped the fence with Fern, that new Thoroughbred we bought.  Daddy saw him and about had a heart attack.  So he was swearing a blue streak at Joey and Joey was yellin’ back like he does.  Jasmine walks right up to them and shouts, ‘Hey!  Shut up!’  Well, they did.  She points at Joey and says, ‘You’re grounded for a week for jumpin’ that fence like that.  You should have checked her a little sooner than you did before going over.  No dessert at supper.’  Then she points at Daddy and says, ‘And no whiskey for you for a week for swearin’ like that.  I have spoken!’”

              They all laughed for several minutes.  “I have spoken” was a phrase that Black Fox often used when he was done reprimanding someone or giving them an order that he expected to be followed.  Sometimes he meant it jokingly and other times he was dead serious.  Jasmine, Tim’s niece, had picked up the phrase from him.

              “She’s too much,” Renee said.  “Did they listen to her?”

              Tim said, “Well, Jr. didn’t have any pineapple upside-down cake at supper and Daddy didn’t have his usual drink after supper, so I guess they did.”

              He and Randy kept talking about humorous subjects the whole way to Wolf Point and Renee was grateful to them for it.  The Howler was crowded and Tim shouldered a path ahead of Renee to the bar.

              Jinxy Jenkins, a petite blonde, smiled at them.  “Well, there’s one of those handsome Dwyer boys.  Oh!  And Randy, you sweet thing.  Where’s my kiss?”

              Randy leaned over the bar and planted a big kiss on her cheek.  “Don’t let your man see that or he’ll kill me,” he said, grinning.

              “Well, if I had a man, I wouldn’t, but since I don’t, there’s nothing to worry about,” she said, flashing her dimples at him.

              “Yeah, but your pa won’t like it,” he said, moving back.

              “He’s not here tonight.”

              Randy frowned.  “Who’s helping you tonight?  You can’t keep up with all of this on your own.”

              “How would you like a job for the night?  I pay real good,” she replied.

              Randy grinned.  “I’d be honored to assist you, madam,” he said, imitating his father, Chester’s, English accent.

              “Ooh!  You keep talking like that and I might have to steal you away from the Sweet Spot,” Jinxy said.

              “Sorry, Tim,” Randy said.  “I can’t turn down the kind of money I’ll make tonight.”

              “Go ahead.  Have fun,” Tim said with a wink.  “And pour us a couple of beers.”

              Randy trotted around behind the bar and put on an apron.  “You got it.  I better get a big tip, too.”

              Tim laughed and pulled out a twenty from his wallet.  “Now, come here.  If I’m gonna play Daddy, I have to do this right.”

              Randy set the beer on the bar for them and leaned closer.

              Tim imitated his father’s Texan accent.  “Thanks for the beer, Randy,” he said, tucking the money in Randy’s shirt pocket.  He patted it.  “Keep up the good work.”

              Randy said, “Yes, sir.  I will, sir.”

              Renee laughed at their clowning around and then she and Tim went to the back of the bar where the pool tables were located.  Tim took her coat and hung it up with his on a peg on the wall.  Then he sat down with her to wait until the current game of pool ended. 

              “Are you gonna play with me?” he asked her.

              “Me?  No.  I don’t play,” she said.

              “You don’t?  Wanna learn?”

              She shook her head a little.  “Don’t you want a more challenging opponent?”

              “I think teaching you would be fun.”

              “Why not?  I’ll try anything once,” she said.

              When it came their turn, Tim showed her how to rack the balls and break the triangle of orbs with the cue ball. 

              “Do you want the odd or even numbered balls?” Tim asked.

              “Odd.”

              “Ok,” he said and began to show her the proper cue stick techniques for whatever shot she was trying to accomplish. 

              “I’m never going to remember all of this,” she said.

              He put more chalk on the cue stick and handed it to her.  She bent down, narrowing her eyes as she lined up her shot.  “Five ball, side pocket,” she said before sinking it in one shot. 

              Tim watched in amazement as she proceeded to make the next four shots in rapid succession.  “You little minx!  You know how to play.”

              “Oh, maybe just a little,” she said, batting her eyelashes at him.

              He laughed with delight, putting an arm around her shoulders.  “You wanna have some real fun?”

              “What did you have in mind?”

              “See those two guys at the next table?”

              “Mmm hmm.”

              Tim grinned.  “I think it’s time for them to lose some money.”

              Renee giggled.  “I like the way you think, Timmy.”

*****

              Three hours later, the three friends left the Howler, with Renee at the wheel since neither man was quite sober enough to drive.  Although she loved having fun, Renee wasn’t a big drinker and she was in complete control of her faculties. 

              Tim said, “Congratulations, Miss Keller, you made quite the haul tonight.  Those boys won’t forget you anytime soon.”

              “
We
made quite the haul, future Congressman Dwyer.  I know exactly what I’m going to do with my share,” she said.

              “What’s that?” Randy asked.

              “Use it towards my new place,” she said.  “Wherever that will be.  I’ll have enough for my first month’s rent and then some.”

              Tim said, “Will you let me donate to the cause?  God knows I don’t need the money.”

              “You’re very sweet, Tim, but no.  I need to do this on my own,” she said.  “Donate it to the Red Cross or the church if you don’t want it.”

              “I’d rather donate it to you, but ok,” Tim said, rolling down the window.  “Lord, it was hot in there.”

              “Randy, how come you didn’t ask Jinxy out?” Renee asked.

              “Have you ever seen her father?”

              “No.”

              “Picture a guy about the size of Raven who wears a gun and looks meaner than a snake.  He’s why I don’t.”

              “So he’s sexist, too,” she said.

              Tim heard the note of anger in her voice.  “What do you mean?”

              Her hands gripped the steering wheel tighter.  “Why is it all right for fathers to tell their daughters who they can see, when they can see them, and expect them to stay virgins until they’re married?  Hmm?  But why is it ok for boys to do whatever they please?  Be with as many women as they want?  Answer me that, boys.”

              Silence.

              “You can’t, can you?  There’s no good reason, is there?  Just that it’s the way it’s always been.  Well, you mark my words, gentlemen, that’s gonna change and I’m gonna help it change,” she said.  “Maybe not this decade or the next, but someday, womankind’s day will come and we’ll be able to do whatever we want.”

              The fire in her eyes when she looked over at Tim was exhilarating and he wanted her to keep talking.  “Like what?”

              “Well, for starters, women will be able to go to college if they want to without a big fight.  You told me just today that women have a brain in their heads and they should use them,” Renee said.

              “And I meant it, too.”

              “We need more men who think like you do, Timmy.  Why are men so threatened by women?”

              Randy laughed.  “That’s easy to answer.  Because you’re smarter than us.  Other than brute strength and making babies, there’s not much you need us for when you think about it.”

              Renee’s pretty laughter filled the vehicle.  “Oh, I love you, Randy.  I don’t know if we’re smarter or not.  Some people are smarter in general than others.”

              Randy shook his head.  “No, you’re smarter.”  He leaned into the front seat with them.  “Ok, who usually ends up apologizing when a couple has a fight?  The man.  Why is that?  Because unless a man is a lawyer, he can’t think up a good way to prove he’s right.  And once a woman starts cryin’, that’s it.  The guy loses automatically.  That’s not sexist, that’s just the truth.  A lot of guys can’t stand seeing women cry.”

              He continued his observations, making them laugh.  Their conversation remained lively the entire way home.  Tim had Renee take him and Randy home since he wasn’t sure either he or Randy were sobered up enough to drive.  He would pick up his car from her the next day. 

              When they pulled up to the mansion, Tim said, “Go ahead, Randy.  I’ll be in.”

              “Goodnight, Renee.  We’ll have to do this again,” Randy said.

              “Goodnight,” she said.  “We sure will.”

              When Randy got out, Tim said, “Put on the parking brake.”

              She did, giving him a questioning look. 

              “Now, how about you tell me what happened tonight?”

              Renee pursed her lips a moment.  “Are there rumors going around town about me?”

              Tim blew out a breath.  “I’ve heard a couple, but you know how gossipy people are.”

              “Who have you heard them from?”

              Tim didn’t want to hurt her feelings, but he felt that she deserved the truth.  “A couple of fellas were talking about you the one night at the Watering Hole.”

              Renee couldn’t look at him.  “And what did they say?”

              “Renee, I don’t want—”

              “Please, Tim.  Just tell me.  I’m much stronger than you might think.”

              Tim said, “They didn’t go into details; they just said that you’re a little wild.  Tell me what happened.”

              She looked straight ahead into the darkness beyond the windshield.  “Pa has been warning men to stay away from me, telling them that I’m not interested in seeing anyone.  That’s why Brody won’t ask me out.  Pa told him to stay away from me, and Brody doesn’t want to ruin his friendship with Pa.”

              Tim grimaced.  “Ouch.”  Secretly he cheered Switch on, but he understood why Renee was upset.

              “Yes.  A big ouch.  I don’t want people interfering in my business like that.  I know he meant well, but I’m old enough to make my own decisions.  Brody said that he’s interested in me, but he won’t go against Pa.”

             
Yes!
Tim shouted internally.  “Well, it seems to me that if a man is really interested, he’d figure out a way to court you and get along with your pa.”