Dusty Britches (39 page)

“
See?
”
he panted.
“
Y
a
didn
’
t miss a step.
”

Dusty knew her cheeks too were glis
tening with extra moisture. Still,
she returned the smile as he took her hand and
helped her to stand
. The feel of his hand
gripping hers was so beloved—so familiar—i
t made her uncomfortable
,
and she needed to look away. Her
gaze
fell
to
Feller. She heard Becca squeal
with delight
and then throw her arms around his neck
—
as was her manner when someone pleased her. Dusty not
ed the way Feller’s face paled—
the way his hands did not linger a moment too long at her waist. Was it true
?
she wondered then
.
Could it be that Feller still saw Becca as no more than the boss
’
s little daughter? Dusty
’
s heart ached for Becca as she obviously sensed Feller
’
s discomfor
t. Her arms fell away from him;
a humiliated blush tinted her already rosy cheeks. Dusty and Becca
had each
hugged Feller enough times to know he was more than a bit uncomfortable
in
showing affection.
Yet
apparently having it flung on him in front of everyone in the county was nearly more than he could bear. Or was there some other reason
? If there was,
Dusty was unable to discern
it
just then
.

Dusty felt Ryder drop her hand. He strode past her and directly to Becca, taking her in waltz positi
on as the fiddlers began again. It was in that moment
Dusty remembered why she
’
d
decided to close herself off. W
hat was the
end result of fun and pleasure, t
he end result of falling in love? The heartache on her sister
’
s face reminded her. Yet something again plucked a chord of
gladness
in her at Ryder
’
s recognizing Becca
’
s need to be rescued. He also leaned over and
whispered something to Feller; b
oth men
’
s smiles faded.
Still,
when Ryder looked back to sweet Rebecca
,
a friendly grin spread across his face.

Dusty followed Feller toward the barn door
leading
outside. Before he
could entirely flee
, she caught
hold of
his
sleeve. He turned to face her,
his expression that of stone
.

Yet
she ventured,
“
I
’
d forgotten how fun that is.
”

“
Yep,
”
Feller mumbled. She saw his eyes glanc
e up and toward the dance floor—to
Ryder
and
Becca.
“
But I
’
m gettin
’ too old for this kind of horse sh—
manure,
”
he growled.

“
That
’
s a barrel of bull, Feller,
”
Dusty reprimanded.
“
I
’
ve known you long enough to know when you
’
re poutin
’,
and I
’
m
—”

“
I ain
’
t poutin
’
, Dusty,
”
he interrupted
, irritated
.

“
You
’
re poutin
’
!
”
Dusty stated.
“
And if you were me…you
’
d be tellin
’
me to buck up and quit feelin
’
sorry for myself.
”

Dusty could see Feller
’
s jaw clenching and unclenching with frustration.
Still,
he nodded
and simply walked a ways away. He leaned
back against one wall, watching the waltzing couples
gathered
in the center of the room.

Dusty
turned her attention to the waltzing couples
too
. She smiled at Ryder and Becca together
. Yet the
little imp of jealousy
that
resides in every female heart plucked at her brain.

“
That was simply astoundi
n’!” Miss Raynetta sang as she floated
toward Dusty
,
her brilliant purple dress
glowing in the lamplight,
a black ribbon with a cameo hanging about her throat.
“
I can
’
t believe you children still remember them dances you all used to do together!
”

“
I wasn
’
t sure I would,
”
Dusty confessed.
“
It
’
s been so long!
”

“
Hasn
’
t been all that long in the way of things, sweetheart.
”

“
Maybe not,
”
Dusty admitted.

“
And,
”
Miss Raynetta dropped her voice to a whisper,
“
you know…I
’
ve always wanted a man to throw me over his
shoulders like a sack of flour the way
Ryder done you!
”
Dusty
stared
at the woman
, her mouth again agape with
astonishment.
“
Well, it
’
s the truth of it, pumpkin!
”
Miss Raynetta affirmed.

They were silent for a moment, but only a moment, before Miss Raynetta
led Dusty closer to the barn door—and privacy. There she
continued with her pr
edictable yet charming chatter
.

“
Mind a little advice from a voice of experience?
”
Miss Raynetta asked.

Dusty sighed
. Still, she
smiled at th
e woman. “I suppose you’re gonna
give it to me no matter what. Right, Miss Raynetta?
”

“
Don
’
t waste your life. I seen your eyes light up when that Ryder Maddox walks through a door.
”

“
What? That
’
s the most ridiculous thing I ever
—”
Dusty began to argue.

“
Now, don
’
t give me that. I can see it
. T
hat don
’
t mean everybody can. What I
’
m tryin
’
to say is don
’
t let havin
’
your pride hurt and your heart broken strip y
a
of your life
’
s ha
ppiness with a good, lovin’ man,
babies runnin
’
around
,
and all the joy they bring y
a
.
”
Miss Raynetta smiled with an expression of incredible understanding
. Dusty w
as
astonished as she continued, “
Believe me, honey…you
’
re talkin
’
to somebody who knows what a waste it is.
”

Dusty stood silent
—simply stared
at the woman in wonder.
S
he looked to the dance floor where Ryder and Becca had finished their waltz and now stood applauding the musicians.

“
And wipe that thinkin
’
out of your mind.
There ain’t n
othin
’
to be jealous of where your sister is concerned.
”

“I wasn’t thinkin’
that at all
,”
Dusty began to argue.
“
I was
—”

“
Oh, yes, y
a
were. Any excuse to harden your heart against that cowboy. You
’
re lookin
’
for any reason y
a
can to convince yourself
ya
don
’
t want him,
”
Miss Raynetta
said
.

“
I don
’
t want him! I…
”
Dusty
insisted
.

“
Yes, y
a
do.
”
Miss Raynetta
’
s eyes misted
. H
er expression fought the natural frown
accompanying
tears as her chin quivered.
“
And don
’
t give up. Once you
’
re able to draw yourself outta that hole you
’
ve dug…don
’
t let him go.
”

Dusty cast her
gaze down for a moment, greatly
unsettled by the normally jolly woman
’
s obvious despair.

“
I loved a cowboy once myself, Angelina,
”
Miss Raynetta whispered. Dusty
saw
tears trickling down
Miss Raynetta’s lovely face—
accompanied by a sad, sentimental smile.
The sweet woman
daintily brushed at the tears.
“
I was young…too young for him, I thought. I figured if I confessed to him how I felt
,
I
’
d just have to listen to him tell me what I already knew. But now…I
’
ve lived twenty years of my life wonderin
’
what would
’
ve happened if I
’d have
told him how I felt. He was a kind man. He wouldn
’
t have made fun of me
—
I know it. Though I know it probably wouldn
’
t have changed anything
,
because he really loved the
girl he married, still…I should
a tried.
”

Dusty felt tears escap
e
her
own eyes. She
quickly brushed them
from
her cheeks
as the woman continued,
“
So…I never married.
I c
ouldn
’
t get that man outta my soul. Because, y
a
see
,
Dusty…whether or not he loved the girl he married…I never found anybody that I could love like I loved him.
”
Miss Raynetta
discreetly
pulled a handkerchief from inside the bosom of her dress and wiped th
e tears from her cheeks. S
niffling and forcing a smile, she continued,
“
So you tell that boy how you feel.
’
Cause y
a
ain
’
t a little girl no more. You can love him legal and all you want. Don
’
t drive him away and ruin your life.
”
She paused and embraced Dusty warmly for a long moment.
“
You hang onto that man come hell or high water. You hear me?
”

Dusty could only fight her tears. Her heart was pounding furiously. How could she? How could she overcome what even Miss Raynetta McCarthy hadn
’
t bee
n able to overcome? How could she co
nfess her feelings to the man she
so desperately loved?