Country Courtship (The Texas Two-Step Series, Book 2) (18 page)

His gaze shot to Kelli. If things worked out as he hoped, perhaps one day they, too, would be celebrating multiple years of marriage.

She must have noticed him watching her, because he could make out a small blaze of embarrassment climbing her cheeks, and her right hand shook a little as it held the menu. Her fingers were long, narrow and graceful, the kind of hands you'd imagine on a pianist rather than someone who worked with animals. But he knew her touch was tender and sweet, thanks in part to those slender fingers.

She acted busy reading the entrees, but she also wet her pink lips nervously with the tip of her tongue.

Her profile was turned to him, allowing a good view of her attractive nose, which tilted toward the sky in such an interesting way when she was mad at him—or at least pretending to be. He loved the way her eyelashes swept down across her eyes, shading her emotions, but soon she gave in and glanced his way. Her eyes sparkled mysteriously in the glow from the candles and he couldn't wait to tell her how he felt about her.

He whispered, "I can't get you out of my mind."

Kelli's eyes widened and he heard her quick, soft, indrawn breath.

He could tell she was still unsure about him—about them—but she didn't lean away or tell him to stop. He took her hand and she didn't resist, giving him the courage to whisper, "After dinner, there's a question I want—"

Suddenly she glanced up and away from the table. An odd expression appeared on her face, hushing him. Was that revulsion? Fear?

Approaching were Monty Joe and Ed Juarez. Why did Kelli look so upset? She yanked back her hand and covered her face with her palms as if she were hiding from something—or someone.

Ed's face suddenly lit up. "Dr. Palmer! Kelli! Princess!"

He came forward and enveloped Kelli in a hug where she was seated at the table. Between all the bowing and scraping, she couldn't have escaped if she wanted to—and it looked as if she desperately wanted to.

In an effort to calm down the man and save Kelli's nerves, Bobby Gray stood and shook his hand. "Have a seat, Ed."

Ed took the chair next to hers and Bobby Gray said to Kelli, "The tall cowboy's my brother, Monty Joe—and—you already know Ed?"

He wanted to ask how she knew the banker, but Ed monopolized her attention. She kept shooting Bobby Gray looks of pure female fury and he couldn't figure out why.

Was it because this wasn't a simple family dinner? If that was the case, he reasoned, she'd get over it when he handed her the donation check.

"Bobby Gray," said Monty Joe, drawing Bobby Gray's attention."Seems I need to apologize."

Bobby Gray didn't know how to respond since he completely agreed his brother should apologize, but when he noticed the sly smile on his sister's face, he had some suspicions about why his brother was bringing it up.

"I had a long talk with Charlie," continued Monty Joe, "about your diversification ideas, and they have merit. I talked them over with Ed and he agrees."

"I thought our discussion was in confidence, Charlie." Bobby Gray frowned at her.

Charlie flipped her hair. "You were right and the two of us overrule Big Bro. It didn't take long to convince him of the error of his ways, though, and get his agreement."

"I should have listened to you." Monty Joe extended his hand to shake. "Are we good?"

"We're good." Bobby Gray took his brother's hand. This was what he wanted, wasn't it? He should be elated, but Kelli sat beside him like a marble pillar. He couldn't drum up more than a mild smile.

Throughout the meal Kelli refused to speak more than single syllables to him, even when he tried asking her direct questions. It grew so annoying that he pulled out the donation check he'd written and slid it across the white linen tablecloth to Kelli.

She took an angry look at the check, opened her mouth as if to argue with him, then seemed to make up her mind otherwise and quickly stuck the check in her pocketbook. However, her mood grew even worse and she pointedly ignored him.

"You okay?" Why hadn't the check cheered her up?

"Just fine," she spat out. She pushed her chair back from the table. "Please excuse me while I visit the ladies' room."

Bobby Gray tried to help with her chair, and Ed tried to beat him to it. Kelli waved them both off.

* * *

How could Bobby Gray have brought Ed to dinner? What was she, some sacrificial lamb? The only reason Ed had ever dated her was because of her mother's title and the fact her dad was a billionaire.

Now Bobby Gray was trying to capitalize on her background in the same way. He'd bowled her over and overruled her common sense and she was so disappointed that he turned out to be another man who just wanted to use her for his own ends.

She weaved through the tables between her and the restrooms, the food odors adding to her stress-induced nausea.

If she were the violent sort, she'd punch Bobby Gray for making her believe he'd wooed her for himself, when all along he'd planned on setting her up with the crazy banker.

He'd delivered her into the hands of the man who had haunted not only her, but her entire family as well as any celebrity or royal visitor who ever set foot in the state of Texas.

Ed was one of the reasons why visitors to Kelli's family home were few and why security had been stepped up. At one time her father had demanded she not leave home without a bodyguard.

She'd immediately nixed that idea. It simply wasn't practical unless she was willing to give up being a normal person.

She was a veterinarian and had every intention of going about the business of healing animals without interference from some crazed banker who thought his right to interact with the famous was more important than their right to privacy. And she wasn't even famous! It was her parents.

When Kelli had stomped away from the table, she'd overheard Ed say, "Bobby Gray, I really like your ideas. I knew we'd be making this deal, but seeing Kelli again made it all the sweeter."

At least Bobby Gray had the sense to look ashamed. He'd definitely set her up. While Ed wasn't dangerous, she wanted nothing to do with him. Bobby Gray had no right to spring him on her in this manner. To use her.

When Kelli reached the dimly lit hallway leading to the restrooms, the lighted EXIT sign shined at her like a beacon. That's what she wanted, to leave.

After a quick stop in the restroom, she headed outside. She couldn't get away from Bobby Gray too quickly. All she wanted was to get back to Dallas and bury her head under a pillow.

As she emerged from the restaurant's back door, she pulled out her cell phone to call for a cab, but then she recognized the limo that had brought them from the private airport. It was parked just up the street.

She rapped on the window.

The middle-aged driver quickly got out, darted around the vehicle and opened the rear door for her. "Dinner over already?"

"It is for me. The others aren't finished yet. Can you do me a favor, please?"

He must have recognized her agitation, because he gave her a reassuring and fatherly pat on the back. "Sure thing."

"Could you drive me to the nearest commercial airport, please? I need to return to Dallas."

"I was supposed to drive you and Mr. Nelson back to Dallas."

"You were?"

The jerk, Bobby Gray, had probably planned for Ed to join them. There was no way she would share a vehicle with either one of them.

She pulled out her wallet and removed all of the bills. "Is this enough to convince you that your maximum capacity is one passenger and it's time to leave now?"

"Now don't you worry about a thing." He observed the tears on her face and waved away the money she offered. "I'd be happy to drive you to the airport in College Station, ma'am."

* * *

"Maybe I'd better go check on her," said Charlie when the waiter delivered their dessert.

"She does seem to have been gone awhile." Bobby Gray didn't want to mention how angry she had appeared to be when she left because he didn't understand what had made her mad in the first place. Maybe it wasn't anger? Maybe it was indigestion?

It was a little hard convincing himself of that one, but it was vaguely possible.

"I hope she's not sick," said Ed. "I wanted to hear more about how her mother is doing. You know she's actually in line for the Valrovian throne?"

"I had no idea," said Bobby Gray. What was with this guy and royalty? When he'd learned that Ed was into all things royal, Bobby Gray hadn't realized how deeply the obsession ran. But all evening the guy hadn't stopped chattering about
this prince and that duchess and oh, yeah, the Duke of Marlboro really loved his pinstriped suit
and on and on ad nauseam.

Bobby Gray just hoped Kelli wasn't ill and that she would forgive him for putting her through this ridiculous rigmarole. Listening to Ed made him long for a nap.

At that moment Charlie returned—alone—from the ladies' room. Bobby Gray searched her eyes and saw her brows were drawn together in confusion. She said, "Kelli's not in there, but I found this note with your name on it."

Bobby Gray took the note, which intriguingly had been sealed in a small envelope—who carries envelopes with them?—and quickly unsealed it.

The note read:

Bobby Gray a.k.a. Master Manipulator,

I can't believe you set me up. I had thought you were sincerely interested in me. Shame on me for thinking you were legit. Next time you want a patsy, look elsewhere.

Your ex-friend, Kelli

P.S. I'm warning Lori.

Chapter 14

Some situations only go downhill.

Some weeks go from bad to worse.

And some days dawn merely to drive a man crazy.

When Bobby Gray went to pick up his new horse and new dog from Kelli's veterinary clinic, she wasn't there. He'd been trying to call her for days without success, so he'd held out hopes of talking to her at the clinic.

And to top it all off, his sister told him he'd about worn out his welcome.

He threw his new boots against the closet door. "I thought you said I was always welcome here?"

"That was before you relied on only one mood—pout."

He hadn't been pouting so much as moping. Okay, she was right. He was pouting.

Charlie threw up her hands in disgust, then marched from the room mumbling something about him being a total mess.

He rose from the foot of the guestroom bed. He meandered over to the mirror to examine himself. His sister had a point—he
was
in a sad state.

Bobby Gray had been right about Monty Joe looking at him as an equal partner after dinner with the banker. Bobby Gray had gotten exactly what he'd originally wanted.

But it wasn't enough. It would never be enough. Attaining his goal of respect from his brother wasn't worth the cost of losing Kelli.

It was obviously time for action—any action.

Well, not just any old action. Action designed to get him back in Kelli's good graces. As Charlie had nagged, he was a total mess without Kelli.

Where had his good sense gone?

Why had his sense of humor deserted him?

And why did he want only to mope?

Kelli had invaded his very being and he didn't want to be without her. Ever again.

He would find a way to woo her back. He looked at his image in the mirror and said, "I'm gonna need some help."

His reflection seemed to agree.

"And a very, very good plan."

* * *

Two days later, he hitched the horse trailer to Davis's truck and went on his way.

The sky was cloudless, the temperature was in the seventies and the roads didn't have much traffic, which was a rarity.

He had some company today: Bluebonnet, Grrr, Dick and Vladimir.

They were his aces in the hole. Kelli was clearly capable of refusing him, but he didn't think she could resist such adorable animals. Each of them had very large, sad eyes that could be turned on her at a moment's notice.