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“Who’s that tall cool drink of water?” Michelle says, eyeing the front of the steak house. We all turn to see what she’s looking at.
“Shit!” I whisper. “That’s Jason!”
“That’s your ex-fiancé?” Trisha asks still eying him as if a young Samuel Elliot had just walked into the restaurant.
“Maribeth…” Cindy touches my shoulder. “I thought you said you were sending him packing?”
I shake my head with a huge sigh, “Yeah, I thought so, too.”
Chapter Five?
Jason is dressed like a million-dollar ranch owner. From his luxury Lucchese cowboy boots; skin-on-a-grape, butt accentuating wranglers; triple starched, pressed into submission, long-sleeve western shirt; and turquoise bola tie hanging from under his collar, he is head-to-toe a luscious cowboy.
Even his belt looks like fine leather with an oval Navajo silver turquoise bear claw belt buckle. If Bill Hickok’s ghost has walked in he wouldn’t have turned as many heads as Jason drew now. Standing there, feet set apart, hands on hips, poised as if cameras will start clicking at any moment, he looks as though he anticipates paparazzis to come out of the walls.
I notice Michelle discretely lift her phone and snap a quick pic. Grrr. If only they knew what a heartless, egg-sucking snake this guy really is. How can these women be fooled by such a faker?
Not me! I’m not fooled one bit. I grit my teeth. Everything he is wearing that makes him look like a scrumptious drink ofcool water was probably bought from the money he acquired in our separation settlement.
What in the hell did he think he was doing showing up here? And how did he know this was where I would be?
I stand so abruptly I knock my chair to the floor with a loud succession of bangs as it bounces behind me. Closing my eyes, to mask my embarrassment, I step away from the chair legs, and march to where Jason stands talking— I should say,flirting—with the hostess.
“Excuse me!” I bellow, shoving my body protectively between the young girl and Jason as if she needed to be shielded from his venomous advances. “What do you think you are doing?”
He laughs. “You think it so hard to figure out the only place with karaoke night in this one-horse town? I knew exactly where you would be, if you aren’t at home of an evening.”
His audacity cranked up the flames under my kettle of emotional infuriation. “Go home, Jason!”
His eyes settled into mine. Recently whitened teeth glistened as his lips parted wider with a snake-oil-salesman smile. “Maribeth. I have every right to go where I want, when I want. Should you happen to be in the same place is inconsequential to me.”
I squint at him, doing my best to summon daggers to fling at his arrogant face. If only I had x-ray vision, I could see through his skull and learn what is really going on inside that scheming head of his. “What are you up to?”
“Nothing. I want to hear you sing, that’s all.”
“Bull!” I spat the word as if I were actually spitting in his face.
“Is there a problem here?” Dell Griffin, Buffalo Bodega’s owner comes out of nowhere.
I turn to the man, whom I consider a friend after all the times I’ve come here to eat and told him how much I loved his restaurant. I’m so ashamed for acting like this in his place of business.
“No, Dell. I’m sorry.” I hang my head, truly sorry for making such a scene.
Mr. DJ seems to let my outburst be his cue to announce, “Kate Kroger is our first singer tonight withDelta Dawn.” He holds out the last syllable like a reverberating amplifier would do.
The restaurant bursts into a welcoming applause. Kate stands, looking at me as if I have abandoned her. I rush to our table and applaud for her, too. I smile apologetically as she makes her way to the karaoke stage and takes the microphone from Mr. DJ with a little head bob of appreciation.
Jason and his antics will just have to wait for a more appropriate time. I am here to forget about our fighting, not continue with it in public. Besides, I invited Kate to join us and now she needs my support. I focus on her as she sings.
She’s amazing. Who knew? When we sang a-cappella in the bronco, I had no idea she could really sing so well. With the background harmony accompanying her, she sounds like a polished star. And she looks so happy while she sings. Like this fed her soul. I could understand that. The restaurant explodes in applause when she finishes. She bows with a blush and walks in her lanky way back to our table.
“That was amazing!” I blurt out as she sits. An appreciative smile lingers on her lips.
She turns to me as if to correct me. “I told you, I have three favorite songs. As long as I stick to those, I can do alright.”
“Yes, you did. And we sang in your car together that one time,” I agree. “But I didn’t realize you could sing so good!”
We all laugh. It’s so good to see Kate happy again. The other girls comment on how good Kate sang, making me happy because before when I mentioned Kate they seemed to think I was out of my mind associating with her. Tonight, they make her feel like one of us. No more of this “Crazy Kate” labeling. She is my friend and now she is their friend, too. I love these girls.
