Rodeo Blues (22 page)

"No, don't." She slapped his hand away.
"You're staying in town. Got that big fancy house being built so
you can lord it over us how successful you are." She chuckled
without humor. "You're going to live here. At least, that much of
what you told me was true. Only it's not for us, but to destroy
Jhett Reeves. Jhett hadn't been lying when he told me you were
after him. You may not like the man, but his company keeps this
town running. Families' lives rely on Reeves Construction. You told
me you wanted to invest in it."

"Reeves Construction isn't the only thing
keeping this town running," he said in defense, not liking how she
made it sound as if the Reeves Family were saints, giving to the
community, all selfless and sacrificing... He shook his head. "From
May to September, the town draws in money from the rodeo and the
summer vacation spots down by the lake." That's why he made the
arrangement with the Mayor to have the arena redone, put in new
lights, make a snack bar, and improve the seating.

"Heck, I know folks who coveted those cabins
by the pond," he told her. "They travel far and wide for a chance
at them. Most of the time they're booked a year in advance, and so
are the camping grounds." He'd done his homework. He wasn't so
lovesick for Jolie that he didn't look into a sound business
venture once he decided to settle down here. If he wanted to start
a family, he needed a way to support them after he quit the rodeo
circuit. Good hard honest work. He wasn't one to sit around and
draw a paycheck from what the oil drill brought in. That money he
planned to put away for his children's college funds. He'd planned
on sharing this all with Jolie, but darn it all, he hadn't had the
chance.

"And come October," she continued her point
of this discussion, "the town is quiet as if hibernating until
winter works its way into spring again. Like it or not, we rely on
Reeves Construction for the majority of the jobs – anything from
construction to office work, and everything in between. It all
trickles down too. The small ma and pa businesses, restaurants, and
even my place will suffer. If we lose our main income, folks will
travel to the bigger cities. The commute is unbearable. It can
prove a two-hour commute in traffic – both ways. How long do you
think it would take before folks abandon Skeeter Blue. We'll become
one of those dusty old worn out towns, where every Halloween they
hold ghost walks."

He lifted a brow. "You're being a bit
dramatic, don't you think?" Again, he should have kept his mouth
shut.

Her glare nearly set him on fire, but then
she looked away and shook her head, as if she'd given up on him. A
sinking feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. Her
disappointment in him hurt more than her words ever would.

How could she believe he would destroy the
families in Skeeter Blue? Despite Jhett and his goons saying
otherwise, this was his home, but what did he expect? They hadn't
spoken to each other in years before he strolled into town a few
days ago. As far as she knew, he'd changed so much he didn't give a
damn about anyone or anything. "Let me explain."

"Explain?" She whirled on him and he
flinched. "Those papers told me plenty." She pointed to the
envelope. "It's in black and white. You lied to me yesterday, and I
was stupid enough to believe you. I wanted so much to believe
you."

"Those papers were a rough draft, 'cause if
you had the final ones, you wouldn't be looking at me as if I
planned on torching Skeeter Blue. And the Reeves Family may have at
one time contributed big time to this town, but not anymore.
They've laid off twenty percent of their employees in the last
year. And believe me you; Jhett is no innocent either in all this
mess. He might even deserve being brought down a notch. Did you
ever think of that?"

"Putting the blame on Jhett for what you're
doing is lower than low."

"Lordy, lordy! Jhett's got you seein'
rainbows and unicorns when the truth is only dark clouds ahead with
an old nag grazing in the field. If'n you'd stop kissing and
dancing with the man, maybe you'd see the truth."

Her hand whipped out lightning quick in a
square slap across his face, the sound so loud it silenced them
both.

Her chest rose and fell as she glared at him.
Her eyes, those beautiful gray eyes were stormier than he'd ever
seen them. "Get out," she said in a low tone, but with meaning.
When he didn't snap to it, she pointed to the door. "Get out,
now!"

He wanted to refuse, but she was spitting mad
and wouldn't listen to reason now that he went and insulted
her.

Tye headed toward the door and grabbed his
hat off the coat rack. "No matter what you think, Jolie, I came
back for you. Everything I've done has been for you." He glanced at
her standing in the archway of the kitchen. "You might not want to
believe it, but I've become a better man because of you, and that's
the God's honest truth." He placed his hat on his head.

Seeing her standing there so hurt and angry
made his gut twist in knots. He'd made a real muck of this coming
home and sweeping the girl off her feet business, but he could at
least give her something she truly wanted. "I'll sign the annulment
papers. I'll have the Mayor deliver them to you in the morning." He
strode out the door without looking back. He couldn't. His eyes
stung and he'd be damned if he let her see how much walking away
from her hurt.

Once in his truck, he knew where he would
head next. Reeves Construction. His meeting wasn't until tomorrow,
but heck, if Jhett wanted to step up the game, so be it.

Chapter Thirty

Tye didn't slam the door on the way out.
Though Jolie wished he would have. It would make this so much
easier if his temper had pushed the limits. After Tye's accusation
about Jhett and her, and then her slapping him, all the fight had
gone out of him. The calm and cool man who'd left had given up. He
was granting her the annulment she'd been fighting for from the
beginning. She folded her arms across her chest and her brows
furrowed. Isn't that what she'd wanted? If so, then why did her
heart ache?

She pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling
the start of a headache coming on. She didn't know what she wanted
anymore. A dry sob burned her throat. Heck, she wanted to cry. She
wanted to scream. And, damn it to hell and back, she wanted Tye
Casper to be the man she spent her life with. He was breaking her
heart all over again, and she didn't like it one iota. She strode
over to the front door and locked it with a quick flick of her
wrist, as if barring Tye entrance into her house would solve all
her problems.

Jolie took a ragged breath and turned away,
but paused when she caught sight of the DVD Mayor Dirkly had given
her, peeking out of her purse hung on one of the pegs. Tye asked if
she'd watched it. Mayor Dirkly must have mentioned he'd given it to
her. How else would he have known she had it?

What
had
she said at their wedding?
Obviously, Tye remembered. The night was a blurry mess and she
wasn't sure what she said or what was a dream and wishful thinking.
She strode over to her purse and lifted the DVD case. Then she
headed for the DVD player in the living room.

Once the machine took what she offered like a
greedy animal at feeding time, she picked up the remote and turned
on the television. She'd been so preoccupied with the papers and
the truth behind Tye's motives for coming back to Skeeter Blue,
watching the DVD had slipped her mind until he'd mentioned it.

"Why am I torturing myself?" she murmured.
She should just toss the thing in the trash and call it a day. Her
thumb seemed to think otherwise and pressed the play button.

The picture filled the TV screen with a scene
from the poolroom in Big Bob's Saloon, where all this mess had
begun. Whisper, Buddy, and Mayor Dirkly were there too, along with
Sonny, Jimmy, and Mike in the background. Jimmy had his violin in
his hand as if he planned to play a tune. She wore a veil of some
sort on her head. On closer inspection, she realized it was a lacey
tablecloth, ones used for special events booked at the saloon –
like wedding receptions. She pursed her lips. Of course, what else
would she wear for a poolroom wedding?

"Wait, wait," herself on the DVD announced
and waved her hands in the air for silence.

She turned up the volume on the television
set so she wouldn't miss her profound words of wisdom on what
should have been the most special day of her life.

"I just want to say a few words," herself
said.

"Go on, honey," Whisper encouraged. "We're
all listening." Buddy had his arm around Whisper and was grinning
as if auditioning for a toothpaste commercial.

She rolled her eyes and turned her attention
on herself again. She stood surprisingly tall, and she
looked...happy. "Of course, you're happy," she reprimanded. "You
drank yourself stupid." Only she didn't think she could have drank
enough to gaze at Tye in such an adoring manner. He had removed his
hat sometime in the night and his hair appeared combed. He sported
a bowtie made from a cloth napkin.
Boy, weren't they a
fashionable couple?

"I love you, Tye," herself on the TV
began.

She couldn't help but snort in disgust, but
she continued to watch as she backed up until the back of her knees
hit the sofa and she sat down.

"I've loved you when you were all but a boy,
with scraped knees and elbows, and with feet too big for your
body."

"Nice picture you've painted of me," Tye
said, but his oh, so kissable mouth slid into a smile.

She placed a finger on his lips. "Shush now.
I'm not finished."

He nodded. "Go on, darlin'."

"Good. Now, where was I— Oh, yes. Then I
loved you more when you were there for me that night my mama died.
You weren't my crutch, but my strength, my support…my friend," she
said the last in a deeper voice, with meaning.

Tye brushed a tear from her cheek with the
pad of his thumb.

"I thought we'd have a dozen babies by now,"
she told him as she caressed his cheek.

His brows lifted and he chuckled. "A dozen?
My, oh my, Jolie, that's a lot of pressure."

Buddy whistled and Whisper nudged him with
her elbow to keep quiet.

"Okay, maybe two or three," she amended with
a shrug.

"We can still have a family," Tye said. "I
would love that. I would really, really love that." He moved
closer, so close…

"Me too," she said and her breath
hitched.

He leaned in to kiss her, but she must have
come to her senses and placed a hand firmly on his chest. "Now
don't you get carried away. I don't mean I want to start that
family this minute, Tye Casper. Wait for the honeymoon."

This made Buddy chuckle and Whisper couldn't
help but join in, but then she sobered and made Buddy behave
too.

"As much as I want all of this," her gaze
swept over Tye, "and more." She cleared her throat. "How do I know
you won't leave me again?"

"Aw darlin', you don't, but I'll do all I can
to make sure you never doubt me. Of this, you have my word. I love
you, Jolie Lockhart. Loved you since the first time I saw you. I've
never stopped loving you."

"It's true," Buddy piped up. "Boy's been
dreaming about you. You should have heard some of those dreams.
Why, there—"

Whisper elbowed him in the ribs and Buddy
grunted. "Shush," she told him.

Tye and Jolie smiled, their foreheads
touching.

"Are we going to get on with the ceremony?"
Mayor Dirkly asked.

"Yes, yes," Tye said. "Marry us proper, so I
can take my bride to bed."

Jimmy played the wedding march with his
violin and Mayor Dirkly married them
proper
, as Tye requested. She was about to turn off the
DVD once the cherry stem rings were exchanged, but then she
realized there was more. Whoever was filming had turned off the
camera, but now it was on again. Tye's face came into view after
some adjustment to the camcorder was made.

"Jolie, it's your husband," Tye said and his
lips slid into a big grin. "Guess, you would know that." He was
happy. No doubt about it. His eyes radiated with happiness before
he became somber. "Come tomorrow, you probably won't remember we
did this." He held up his ring finger and wiggled it, "But if you
happen to see this here video, I want you to know… I want you to
believe me. I'll do good by you. It's an absolute promise." He
looked directly into the camcorder, directly at her – or so it
seemed. She shifted uncomfortably on the couch as if this recorded
version of Tye could actually see her.

The video ended then, went to black, and the
silence seemed to loom at her, mocking her for claiming the wedding
had been a sham when the proof of it was right there on the DVD –
it hadn't been.