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“Sure thing. I’m going to grab a beer.” I watched her disappear through the crowd, and as I tried to wind through it behind her, someone grabbed my waist and pulled me back.
“Hi, darling. I see your dance card is empty,” a pretty blonde said with a wink. She looked vaguely familiar to me, but I didn’t remember her name.
“Actually, I was just taking a break to get a beer.”
“Oh. That’s perfect because I could use one myself.” She gave me a sexy smile as she slid her hand in the back pocket of my jeans as we walked.
Quickly, I pulled her hand out. The last thing that I needed was for Jillian to see this woman flirting with me. Or Harry, for that matter. “I’d be happy to escort you,” I said carefully. “I need to grab one for my wife too. She’s getting us some food.”
“Your wife?” Her eyes flashed. “You’re fucking married? Since when?”
“Whoa.” Narrowing my eyes, I studied her. “I’m not sure why my marriage should upset you so much.” I knew for sure that I’d never dated or bedded this woman, so why was she so pissed? She also didn’t look like one of the women who’d been chasing after me. Why couldn’t I place her?
“Six months ago, you weren’t married, and now suddenly, you are. What kind of game are you playing, Brendan Ward?” She pressed her lips into a thin line and stalked away. Bewildered, I stared at her until I saw who she walked toward.
Dennis Blackwell. I had no idea who she was, but I certainly knew that if she’d teamed up with Dennis, it wasn’t good news.
The festival was in full swing, and the lines for beer were so much longer. I lost sight of Dennis and the mystery woman, and Jillian was nowhere to be found. It briefly occurred to me that Dennis might take this opportunity to try and take advantage of Jillian again, but I wasn’t all that worried. My jealousy was unfounded, and Jillian could take care of herself.
I ordered and paid for our beers. There was a group of women waiting behind me, and all of their eyes were glued on me. Some I had rebuffed and some I had not, but at least I recognized these women.
None of them looked very happy to see me.
“It seems, my boy, that you make an impression wherever you go,” Harry chuckled as he walked up to me. “And since you have a beer in each hand, I’m going to assume that you aren’t happy about tonight’s attention.”
“Mr. Blackwell.” I gave him a courtesy nod. Of course I would see him when Jillian was nowhere to be found. “One of these is for my wife, or it will be once I find her. She’s supposed to be getting some food, but it’s easy enough to get swallowed up in this crowd.”
“It is quite a turnout.” There was a twinkle in his eye. “I wonder what’s new this year.”
His gaze strayed to the women behind me, and I clenched my jaw. I didn’t like what he was insinuating. I wasn’t going to deny that I enjoyed women after Jillian and I split, but I never led any of them on. They all knew what I wanted from them, and they knew not to expect anything more from me.
There was no reason for them to turn Jillian and me into a spectacle.
“You’re upset,” Harry said softly.
“Jillian grew up in the city. She’s always lived there. I wanted to show her a good time, and instead, she’s being treated like a leper,” I growled. “I wanted to dance with my wife and show her that our small town still knows how to have a good time.”
“And the fact that I’m here has nothing to do with it?” Harry pointed out dryly.
Taking a deep breath, I tightened my grip on my beer. “Actually, Harry, it did have a lot to do with it. In the beginning. Making sure your land falls in the right hands is important to me. It’s important to my family and my livelihood, but Jillian is also important to me, and this transition that I’ve asked her to make isn’t easy on her. Right now, she’s my first concern.”
Harry didn’t respond, and I turned and scanned across the crowd, searching once again for my wife. When I finally found her, she was also searching the crowd, and our eyes locked. I held up the two beers, and she held up a tray full of food and gestured to an empty picnic table in the corner. Nodding, I turned my attentions back to Harry. “Will you excuse me, Mr. Blackwell? I have a party to enjoy.”
“So I see. Enjoy the evening, Brendan.”
I barely heard him as I made my way to Jillian. She was already munching on her fries.
