The Patriot Girl (3 page)

“Not exactly.” MaKayla didn’t want to replace her son with another man to mother. Sooner or later she needed to learn to live alone.

Maybe she’d consider dating once she managed to make it over that hurdle. “I’ll work at the bank by day and do PR by night. No time for riding anything.” Also, there would be no time for loneliness.

“You’ve forgotten what you’re missing. It could be a new chapter in your life. Think about it.”

She had, and the answer always came out the same. Paul had been her first and last. Being with anyone else would be—uncomfortable. Her stretch marks alone would make her keep her clothes on. “Okay, I need to go eat. See you Sunday.”

Jodi made kissing sounds. “Give Alex hugs and kisses from us.”

MaKayla hung up, staring at her plateful of food. Surprisingly, she lost her appetite. What could she wear to a country nightclub? Not any of the pantsuits or skirts hanging in her closet.

“So, Mom…” Alex stood beside her. “Did your trip to the cabin clear your head?”

MaKayla nodded. “Yes, honey it did.” With this afternoon’s events upon her arrival back home, she’d forgotten to share her trip and new business idea with her son. “I’m going to start a public relations business. It’s what I studied in college.”

“Awesome. You’ll do great.” He leaned over and hugged her then reached for his girlfriend’s hand. “We’re going to the recreation center for a while before I take Tammy home.”

“Okay. Be careful.” She waved as they headed out the back door.

She stood and then scraped the food from her plate into the sink’s garbage disposal. Her mind wandered as she gazed out the window in front of her.

Would Dustin be at the club Sunday? Either way, she needed to look good in case she met the owners.

“Things happen for a reason.” Her father’s famous speech for either good or bad news echoed in her head. Maybe his words would apply to the change in venue this weekend—she might gain her first client for her new venture.

She needed to dress for success. A trip to a western shop for new clothes had to be made. Fast.

****

MaKayla pulled open the heavy wooden door of No Bulls and stepped inside. A corral of thick logs enclosed the center dance floor. The dim lighting set a relaxing atmosphere. Tables were scattered throughout, and there was a bar off to the side and out of the way. Everything a club needed. How could she present this one as different?

The same cherry tobacco scent had always permeated her Grandpa’s home. Glowing candles on the tables set a romantic touch that would encourage any woman to snuggle up to a loved one—an attribute to pique the interest of lovers.

Jodi’s waving hand from across the room snapped MaKayla back to why she was here. She would not be meeting the owner today. She needed to get her promotional ideas on paper before making a pitch. Tonight was for the celebration of her friends’ twenty-five years of marriage. Tomorrow she would worry about her future.

She walked across the carpet and up a small ramp. Several oblong tables were butted against the wood-logged corral. MaKayla stepped into Jodi’s waiting embrace. “Happy anniversary.” The matching lime-green shirts and black jeans Jodi and Duke sported made her smile. “Nice outfits.”

Sitting beside Jodi, MaKayla watched a gentleman on the dance floor spin a woman in a circle and then smiled at the couple sitting across from her.

“Isn’t this place great?” Jodi asked.

“Yes. I like the cowboy hats and things hanging on the walls.” MaKayla could do without the country music, but other than that the atmosphere was soothing. “And of course there’s the pinball machine in the corner, not surprising.”

“I love it.” Jodi smiled. “So rodeo-like. I can’t wait until your parents arrive later on to see this.” Jodi and MaKayla’s parents were into anything western. MaKayla had never taken an interest. However, she could get used to this place if she became their PR rep.

Jodi pointed to the couple sitting across the table. “Honey, this is Duke’s new partner, Sam Walker, and his wife, Nancy. They’re from Ohio. This is MaKayla, my friend’s daughter, whom Duke and I claim to have adopted.” Jodi gave MaKayla the once over. “At least I think she’s the same woman.”

MaKayla understood her friend’s shock. At home, she, too, had done a double take in the mirror. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d slipped into a pair of jeans. She stretched her arm across the table. “Nice to meet you. Welcome to Tennessee.”

“Thank you.” Nancy rubbed her mother-to-be belly.

Jodi nudged MaKayla. “Someone went shopping.”

MaKayla tugged at the collar on her new red, white, and blue shirt. “I went to the country store in town.” She lifted her foot. “Cowboy boots
and
blue jeans. Who would have thought?” The comfort of the jeans and leather boots made her want to reconsider her wardrobe. But she would only wear this shirt occasionally. She could never get used to seeing cleavage every time she looked down.

“Honey, your body was made to wear jeans. And that shirt shows off your tits wonderfully.” Jodi pointed at MaKayla’s breasts. “It’s high time you start slapping some cheeks with those things.”

MaKayla’s face warmed, her heart and her stomach twisted. It wasn’t because of Jodi’s comment—she was used to hearing advice from her best friend about what she should and shouldn’t be doing with her personal body parts—but because she saw Dustin standing in front of a couple just beyond Nancy’s shoulder.

If she’d ever have the urge to slap anyone with her anatomy, he would have to excite her as Dustin had. Standing with his hands in his jeans pockets, he now sported a black cowboy hat. His fitted black shirt emphasized his broad shoulders and solid chest.

In the past three years, Jodi had tried to fix MaKayla up with several men. None had been of any interest. What was it about this cowboy that made her unable to focus on enjoying the company of her friends?

She rested an elbow on the log beside her and then picked up the longneck bottle Duke had placed in front of her. The familiar container opening brought back memories of when she and Paul used to go out with friends. The bitter taste became tolerable after a few sips.

She handed the celebrants a white envelope from her purse. The gift was only a small token of her appreciation for this couple that had become a third set of grandparents to Alex. “Happy Anniversary.”

Jodi gasped as she and Duke read the contents inside. “MaKayla! This is a cruise to the Bahamas. You shouldn’t have.”

MaKayla smiled. Yes, she should have. They’d been taking care of the cabin in Kentucky she and Paul had planned to give Alex after his college graduation. This trip would be a nice change for them.

“Alex and I wanted to show our appreciation for everything you two have done for us. He knows you won’t be here next Saturday when he leaves for college, but we agreed you could use some new scenery.” She accepted Jodi’s embrace. “I don’t know what we would have done without both of you.” MaKayla accepted a kiss on the forehead from Duke before informing them, “I’ll be taking you to and from the airport.”

After another “thank you” hug, a couple that MaKayla recognized as another police officer and his wife approached the table, and stole her best friends’ attention.

She sipped her drink and watched the dancers beside her. Line dancing looked fun, but it was the kind of fun she would never attempt.

Disappointment washed through her when Dustin was nowhere to be found.

Her mind filled with questions. Was he here alone? Was he married? Did he have children? Those questions only came to mind when a person was interested in knowing the answers. Did she really care to learn more about him?

She heard her name being called over the sound of the singer’s raspy voice. She turned. “What?”

“Jodi told me you lost your husband.” Nancy tilted her head. “I’m so sorry.”

“Thank you.”

In her peripheral vision, she spotted Dustin on the dance floor. She turned her head slightly to get a better view of the tight-leather-panted, motorcycle-jacketed woman pressed against him.

She knew she shouldn’t compare herself to the brunette’s flowing curls, or her model-like facial features. And she couldn’t compete against the woman’s thin figure with breasts most had to pay top dollar to flaunt.

Being in the same room, it was hard to ignore this man who made her heart flutter for the first time in years, but she had to. The man was a distraction—and taken.

Looking for a focus to take her mind away from the man she shouldn’t be wanting, her eyes zoomed to Nancy’s large belly. At least a baby conversation wouldn’t send her mind reeling with a thousand questions. “When are you due?”

“In six weeks.” The proud mother-to-be caressed her stomach. “Sam’s predicting I’ll deliver on Halloween.”

MaKayla smiled at Nancy’s eye roll. The woman appeared too young to make love, let alone have a delivery date. Her long red curls, blue eyes, and oval features made her look younger than MaKayla’s son.

Jodi’s attention returned to the two. “So are you having a Tarzan or a Jane?”

A boy.
MaKayla held back her guess. Nancy looked as if she’d swallowed a basketball and had a glow. That’s how she’d carried Alex. With her daughters, she had been round all over and looked dragged down.

Nancy shrugged. “Don’t know. We want to be surprised.”

The father-to-be touched Nancy’s belly. “The way it’s kicking, I’m predicting a future Cincinnati Bengals player.”

“Cincinnati, my ass, buddy.” Duke’s finger repetitively poked the table. “You’re in Tennessee now. It’s the Titans.” His overgrown midsection jiggled as he laughed, and he gave Sam a high five.

“You don’t want to go against the Titans. Duke used to harass my husband to no end when he rooted for another team.”

Nancy’s head tilted sideways. “What happened to your husband?”

MaKayla stiffened. With the lawsuit still hanging over her head, she feared talking about the accident would jinx the outcome. If the driver of the other car wanted more than the insurance company was willing to pay, she could lose what little she had.

“I’m sorry. Open mouth, insert entire body.” Nancy lifted her hand in the air and opened a palm. “Forget I asked.”

“It’s okay.” Another swig of beer might help MaKayla to get the words out a little smoother. “It was a traffic collision. He was killed instantly. My son had a broken arm and a few bruises.”
And was now fatherless
, she wanted to add. Instead, she washed down the words with another gulp of beer.

“Oh, gosh. I’m so sorry.”

MaKayla forced a smile.

“Who are they blaming?”

Jodi touched MaKayla’s arm. “There’s no one to blame.”

Yeah, right.
No one could convince MaKayla that the other driver had not seen Paul coming. Okay, she knew she should give him the benefit of the doubt. But if she couldn’t blame him, then she had to blame herself. If she hadn’t asked Paul to go to the cabin for the weekend, her family never would have been out in the storm on their way to close up the office. Someone had to take the blame. These past few years, life had been easier blaming the other driver.

MaKayla lowered her head, swallowed the lump in her throat, and began to peel the curling beer label off the moist bottle. How could she put the past behind her if the subject always came up? Obviously, moving on wasn’t as easy as she’d hoped. And ignoring what happened wasn’t going to make the past go away.

Jodi rubbed MaKayla’s back. “There’s no one to blame for what happened. Paul slid through a red light. The oncoming car had the green light. And if Paul wanted to go out into a storm to take care of business, you can’t keep blaming yourself for his actions.” Jodi tucked MaKayla’s hair behind her ear. “It was an accident. And it needs to be put to rest.”

MaKayla rolled her eyes and looked at Jodi. “Yeah, well, maybe when the case settles I’ll feel some closure.”

“Why isn’t the other driver settling?” Nancy leaned forward. “They know who it is, don’t they?”

Oh no, Nancy. Don’t go there.
MaKayla smiled and looked across the table. “You had to ask.”

Jodi burst into laughter. “We know his name’s Harry.”

MaKayla shook her head and handed Jodi a napkin to wipe her eyes with. “Let her get this out of her system. She thinks it’s funny this person has the same name she calls her husband’s you-know-what.” She handed Jodi another napkin.

“His name is Harold,
not
Harry.” Nancy failed miserably at holding back her laughter. “He’s a lawyer. And we have no idea why he hasn’t settled yet.”

“I’m sorry, honey.” Jodi took a deep breath. “You need a ‘Harry’ of your own.”

“Oh, stop it!” MaKayla looked at Nancy to explain. “She can’t go twelve hours without making love. She thinks everyone should be that way.”

Jodi shrugged. “If you don’t use it, you lose it.”

The laughter blew the dark cloud away that always hovered above MaKayla during discussions of her husband’s accident.

“Well, I don’t need a Harry. I need a business, remember?”

When Nancy asked for details, MaKayla shared happily. She could sit and talk about her proposed business all night. And more came out of the conversation than she had expected. Nancy handed her the phone number to her cousin’s small restaurant that was in need of some publicity.

They ordered another round of beers and bottled water for the mother-to-be. MaKayla took a deep breath and tried to let go of the past—a little.

“MaKayla do you have kids, or grandkids?”

She smiled at Nancy. “My son leaves for college next Saturday.”

Jodi nudged her. “He’s sweet on his girl, Tammy. They’re probably having sex. Have you talked to him about condoms and—”

“Jodi!” MaKayla shook her head. “He’s only been with Tammy for a few weeks.”

“I’ll talk to him for you, if you’d like.”

“No, thank you. I want to
discourage
him about making love. You’ll only
encourage
him.” Drinking her warming beer gave MaKayla time to catch her breath. She would rather go back to the accident conversation than discuss her baby growing up.