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Barb grinned.
He wasn’t a bad-looking guy, though he wasn’t much of a standout either. His belly was a bit paunchy, but his eyes were friendly.
“What brings y’all out tonight?” George continued, his gaze moving from one woman to the next.
“We’re here to take a break from our woes,” Barb said with a wink.
George laughed. “Well, I think I can help y’all with that.” His gaze landed on Macie, and his brows raised. “I don’t believe we’ve met, sugar.”
Sugar.It was what Knox had used to call her. Macie tried to not let it bother her.
“This here’s Macie,” Barb filled in. “She’s Knox Prosper’s ex-wife.”
George’s mouth fell open, then he snapped it shut. “Well, I’ll be.” He stuck his hand out. “I heard the guy got married, but found it hard to believe.”
The women all smiled in agreement.
Their conspiratorial smiles did nothing to ease the nerves humming through Macie. What did she expect? People around here didn’t seem to have a favorable view of Knox, not that she was surprised.
George’s gaze did a slow perusal of Macie. “But here’s the living proof. I think that calls for a round of drinks for Macie and her friends. On me.” He lifted the beer he was already holding.
The women gushed their thanks, and Macie might have mumbled something. She’d made a mistake coming. Barb would introduce her to everyone as Knox Prosper’s ex-wife, and she’d have to listen to returning comments all night. She was more than someone’s ex-wife.
She felt a tap on her shoulder, and she turned. A cowboy about her height stood there. He swept the hat off his head to reveal cropped red hair. “If this dance isn’t spoken for, ma’am, may I speak for it?”
His breath was minty, almost too strong, like medicine.
“Jonny boy!” George said.
The redhead glanced at George and gave a stiff nod, then he turned his attention back to Macie. “Well?”
Macie had two choices: stay with the ladies and drink, or . . . dance. Her third choice to leave wasn’t really an option right now. “Okay.”
Barb nudged her forward and said something about one bet already won.
Jonny grasped her hand, and at first, Macie was going to pull away, but then she was glad she didn’t, or they would have been separated more than once.
The dance changed from a fast-paced country song to a slow-paced song by the time they reached the edge of the dance floor.
Jonny stopped and turned to her. It appeared they were going to dance right there and then.
“What’s your name?” he asked, his minty breath assailing her again.
“Macie,” she said. “And you’re Jonny?”
“I am.”
She nodded, and he said nothing else as they continued to rotate in the circles he was leading her in. Maybe this wouldn’t be too bad. Jonny wasn’t trying to crowd her space. He wasn’t asking her a bunch of questions.
Then she glanced toward the bar entrance just in time to see a tall man walk in. Holt Prosper.
