All Jacked Up (30 page)
Authors: Lorelei James
Tags: #Romance, #Contemporary, #Adult, #Western, #Red Hots!, #Contemporary Romance
“Hey, that’s not fair.”
“Nothin’ ever is. Good night, Jack.”
She jerked the covers so tightly around herself he only saw a lump on the other side of the bed.
Cocooned as she was, she wouldn’t have heard his
But I do love you
rebuttal, but he said it anyway.
“I wish you’d change your mind.”
“I’ll text you and let you know, okay?”
“Okay.” Jack scrambled her brain with a kiss with equal parts fire and sweet regret.
Keely watched the elevator doors close and returned to his condo. She spent a considerable amount of time staring out the window contemplating her options.
Wow. Big choices: Stay or go.
Her cell phone blared “One Hot Mama”. Smiling, she said, “Hey, AJ. What’s up?”
“My feet. Foster is down for his nap. Ky and Anton are helping Cord. So I have time to grill you about what the hell happened last night.”
Where to start? “Jack was too freakin’ busy being a businessman to notice I was miserable with his asshole associates’ wives. I got tired of being the lowbrow entertainment and left. Oh, and piss off for telling him where I went, AJ.”
“What was I supposed to do, K? I’ve never heard calm, cool and collected Jack Donohue that upset. I figured something major had gone down if you’d bolted. So sue me. I wanted to make sure you were all right just as much as he did. You know how we all hate it when you just take off and no one has a clue where you are.”
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All Jacked Up
Keely closed her eyes and let her head fall into the headrest. Sometimes getting away by herself was the only way she could clear her head. Her family didn’t understand, so she’d stopped trying to explain and just took off whenever she needed.
“Here’s where you tell me what happened,” AJ prompted.
“It was a fucking nightmare.”
“Still doesn’t explain anything, K.”
She struggled to put it in a context that didn’t sound hopelessly high-schoolish. “Remember when you first moved to Denver? We went to that party over at Tim’s house and you had an awful time? Back at the apartment you cried because you’d felt totally out of place, like my hick cousin who’d never been to the big city? That describes last night.
“But replace the obnoxious jocks with Jack’s colleagues. Replace the snotty sorority sisters with snooty colleagues’ wives. I wore the wrong clothes. I wore the wrong shoes. Hell, I think they sniffed to see if I had cowshit on me. Plus, the ringleader was Jack’s old flame and she made me feel small enough to fit into a thimble—before she cornered me in the can to reinforce what a total fuckin’ loser I am. It was horrendous, AJ. All I wanted was to go home.”
AJ paused thoughtfully. “So you ran?”
“Yep. And I hid.”
And I realized I’m a total idiot for falling in love with a man I can’t have because
he sees me the same way they do: A hick country girl who’d never fit in his world.
“You never run. You always stay and fight.”
Keely sighed. “I know. But I was in way over my head.”
“So next time you’re in that situation? What happens?”
It won’t happen again.
“I don’t know.”
“Keely. Listen to me. Sounds like these social events are a big part of Jack’s professional life. You can’t run every time. You have to find a way to deal with it in a way that works for both of you.”
“My way to deal? I’d tell Martine and her cronies to fuck off. But I can’t because it’d reflect badly on Jack.”
“True. But you’ve got no reason to hide and hang your head in shame for not being good enough. So what if you wore the wrong clothes? You’ve got a college degree for cripesake. You’ve worked for the PBR, the PRCA and the VA. You’re part of one of the oldest ranching families in Wyoming. You’re on your way to being a businesswoman in your own right. Plus you’re generous and funny, everyone who meets you loves you, not to mention you are beautiful inside and outside. If they can’t see that—”
“They don’t. And I don’t feel like I should have to defend my life or explain who I am to anyone.”
“Does Jack know that?”
“He does now. I don’t want to change, AJ. I’m happy with who I am.”
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Lorelei James
“Then screw ’em. What the hell do you care what some hoity-toity wives think? They don’t have any power in Jack’s career. Isn’t that why they’re called trophy wives? They’re worthless ornamentation. I say show up tonight in your hottest, most flattering western outfit and flirt shamelessly with all their husbands.”
“Great plan, AJ.”
“Seriously. If they already dislike you, what’re you out? They smacked your pride; hit ’em back where it hurts. We both know, sista, when you’re on, you’re on. No one can top you in the charm department. No one can top you in the looks department. Let that wild child out, Keely West McKay. She’s been caged too long.”
Keely laughed. God, she loved AJ. She was the best friend in the history of the world. “That’d definitely stir things up.”
“Will this ‘in your faces beyotches’ response cause problems in your relationship with Jack?”
When she and Jack broke up, AJ could convince everyone she’d seen it coming due to their divergent philosophies. “Maybe.”
“Then what are you out?”
Nothing. Or everything.
“Just think about it. When will you be home?”
“Tomorrow.”
“Good. Come over, I’ll crack Cord’s expensive tequila for you and we’ll talk more. I love you, K.
You’re the best person ever. Don’t believe differently.”
“Love you too, and thanks.”
She hung up and stared out the window again.
Hell. Maybe AJ was right. If Keely McKay was going out, maybe she should go out with a bang instead of a whimper.
180
Keely was twenty minutes late for the pre-dinner cocktail party. Not intentionally—it’d been difficult finding a parking place big enough for her truck. She’d wound up on the bottom level of the parking garage. Again. Not a good sign.
Wrong. You’ve got no place to go but up.
True. With each step into the hotel her inner cheerleader kept up a brisk,
You can do this! You can do
this!
She was doing it; she just wasn’t sure how smart it was.
After she’d sauntered in, the banquet room hushed in a collective pause she’d seen in movies.
Fuck ’em. Let ’em stare. This is the real me. Proud to be one hundred percent pure Wyoming cowgirl.
If they didn’t like it they could take a flying fuckin’ leap. So could Jack.
Keely wore a pair of dark blue, skintight bootcut jeans with deerskin leather fringe running down the outer seam of each leg. The fringe made a cool
flap flap
noise as she walked. She’d threaded her rainbow crystal b.b. simon belt through the belt loops and tucked in her favorite baby blue camisole to showcase the horseshoe-shaped rhinestone buckle. Lastly she’d donned a vivid blue long-sleeved shirt, embroidered with cornflowers, finished off with pearl snap buttons. Her feet sported scuffed up ostrich skin Ariat boots.
Baxter Ducheyne approached her first and his piggy eyes slowly scrolled over her. She forced herself not to shudder at his leering smile. He thrust out his sausage-fingered hand. “Keely. Lovely to see you again.”
“The pleasure is all mine, Baxter,” she lied. “Have you seen Jack? I didn’t meet many people last night after I left the dinner.”
Thanks to your vomit-inducing wife.
“I’m sure Jack’s here someplace. Don’t you worry. I’d be happy to introduce you around,” Baxter assured her.
Keely oozed folksy charm. At one point, she realized a half dozen men surrounded her. A lanky man with a pronounced goiter and Fabio’s flowing hairstyle had spoken to her. “I’m sorry, sugar, what did you say?”
“I-I wondered if you’d like a glass of wine?”
“Actually, I’m more of a beer girl.”
Male chuckles.
Lorelei James
“Did the hotel provide a full service cash bar tonight?”
“Umm…no. Sorry. Just wine.”
“Snooty bastards. Nothin’ wrong with beer and we are in Coors country after all.”
More chuckles.
Keely placed her hand on Fabio-aka-Ichabod’s arm. “Thanks for asking. I’d love a glass of ice water.”
He beamed. “Be right back.”
“I disappear for a few minutes and you’ve got someone else playing fetch and carry for you?”
Jack’s sexy husky voice caused a ripple of desire. She turned; Jack’s handsome, perfect face was right there. Green eyes rapt, full mouth curved into a smile. Without preamble, he pressed his soft, warm lips to hers, kissing her soundly.
Keely melted into him.
“You’re stunning as always, cowgirl. Except I’m disappointed you’re not wearing your lasso.”
“I left it upstairs on the bed.” She winked and hip-checked him. “For later.”
More laughter. Man. She was on a roll.
“I see you’ve met some of my colleagues.”
“Baxter was thoughtful enough to provide introductions to the gentlemen I missed last night.”
“Now, Baxter, don’t you be trying to steal another woman from me,” Jack chided.
The guys in the group didn’t know whether to laugh.
Baxter finally grinned. “If I would’ve known Keely was in your future, Jack, I might’ve waited to steal her instead.”
“Nice to know I’m that expendable,” Martine said drolly behind them.
“Martine. Sweetheart. You know we were joking,” Baxter said, drawing her into the circle.
The others in the group scattered, leaving the four of them alone together.
Martine ignored Baxter, granting Keely a head to toe inspection. “How sad you thought this was a costume party, Kelly.”
“It’s
Keely
, not Kelly, but I’m sure at your age it’s hard to keep names straight.” Keely flashed her teeth. “And thank you for noticing my outfit, although these are my everyday clothes. No point in wearing my best duds when there’s
no one
here I need to impress.”
“I’m most impressed with you when you’re wearing nothing at all,” Jack mock-whispered.
She half-shoved him. “You are insatiable, Jack Donohue. Behave in public.”
“Always, but never in private. If you’ll excuse us, I need a minute alone with my beautiful bride-to-be.” Jack steered her to an alcove that wasn’t private in the least.
Keely smiled. “Surprised to see me?”
“Very.” He curled his hand around her neck, stroking his thumb along her jawline before smooching her lips with softness and sweetness. “I’m very happy to see you.”
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“Yeah? What is on the agenda tonight?”
“Dinner, followed by a long, boring annual meeting. Then I take you up to the room and fuck you until you scream my name.”
“Feeling confident?”
Jack frowned. “Never when it comes to you, buttercup.”
Whoa. Not a response she’d anticipated.
“Let’s mingle so we can get the hell out of here as soon as possible when it’s over,” Jack said.
During dinner they sat with a couple from Chicago, as well as Jack’s other colleagues who’d ragged on him for his hermetic state in the last few years. Keely enjoyed herself more than she’d expected. Jack was attentive, not overtly obvious, but acting as if he genuinely cared for her.
She and Gina slipped out when the business meeting started, intending to hit a downtown toy store.
Since Gina had forgotten her purse in her room, Keely waited in a quiet reception area around the corner from the main bank of elevators.
The quiet didn’t last long.
“Well, if it isn’t the wannabe queen of the rodeo.”
Keely counted to ten before she deigned to glance up from her cell phone. “Well, if it isn’t Mrs.
Ducheyne.”
More like Mrs. Douchebag
.
“You think you’re brave and cool showing up dressed like that?” A dismissive gaze flickered over her.
“Wow. You really have nothin’ better to do than to try and harass me? Why do you care what I wear if I’m so inconsequential to you?”
“I couldn’t care less. You’re embarrassing yourself again.”
“Sort of like your little pep talk in the bathroom was supposed to embarrass me? Did you believe your lies had the power to send me packing? Wrong. Wyoming women are made of sterner stuff.”
“Tackier stuff for certain,” she sniffed.
“Ooh, and it was so classy to have your jealous rant about Jack…in the crapper?”
“Jealous? I don’t—”
“I don’t know which we laughed about more, your ridiculous yarn about Jack bringing bimbos to this conference, or your bizarre belief Jack’s still carrying a torch for you. Talk about being embarrassed for you, lady. Jack was over you three years ago.”
“And how do you know that?” Martine snapped.
“Because Jack and I ended up together at my brother’s wedding reception in Wyoming a month
before
you ‘left’ him for Baxter.”
“You’re lying.”
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Lorelei James
Yep. But it served Martine right. “I’ve known Jack since I was sixteen, Mrs. Ducheyne. I found it…enlightening at our engagement party last month that his mother and brother knew zilch about you. If Jack couldn’t be bothered to tell his family about your relationship, really, how important could you have been to him?”
Martine glared but she didn’t storm off. Probably trying to formulate a snarky comment about Keely’s hair or clothes, since that was the extent of her insult repertoire.
“The truth is: it bugs the living shit out of you that you made a mistake dumping him. You can’t help but compare sexy as hell Jack Donohue, to the stodgy, pudgy old timer you settled for. Especially when you see Jack is happy and successful without Baxter.”
“Successful?” she sneered. “That’s a stretch.”
“Wrong. I’d bet your matronly purse Jack gets the Milford restoration project because I was there when he pitched it. They love him and they loved his ideas.”
Her eyes turned shrewd. “You were there?”
“Yes. And besides that project, Jack is contracted for my historic building, a courthouse in Montana and two projects in Iowa. That’s just through the end of this year.”
