AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“If you thought it was love, Fiona,” Melba said. “Why did you join the betting pool?”
“I put my money in before I saw them together. At church, Rome had that deer-caught-in-the-headlights look men get when they’ve figured out they can’t live without a woman.”
“That’s it, isn’t it?” Casey stared at Rome. “You’re running scared. You love her and you’d rather let her go than find out she doesn’t love you.”
Rome’s temper snapped. “She doesn’t love me! I heard her say so herself.”
Casey looked stunned. “She told you she didn’t love you?”
“No. She told her grandmother and I overheard.”
“Maybe she’s in denial too,” Mrs. Stokes said. “Mimi told me all about Cloe’s break up with her boyfriend. She gave the idiot six long years of her life and he screwed her over good. That can make a woman scared to declare her love again. Did you even ask her to stay?”
“I’m not going to force someone to stay when they want to leave.”
Casey snorted. “Of course you’re not. Daddy did the same thing and look how that turned out. Is that what you want for yourself? To be a bitter man all alone like Daddy? Don’t let that happen, Romy. Accept that you love Cloe.”
“Fine! I love Cloe. Is that supposed to make me feel better? Because it doesn’t.”
“It might if you tell her,” Melba said.
He shook his head. “That would be a no.”
“Then I guess I won the betting pool.” Mrs. Stokes picked up her whiskey and left.
“She didn’t win,” Melba said. “It’s not final until the ink dries on the divorce papers. That puts me in the running.” She glanced down the bar and a big smile spread over her face. “Hey! How’s Taylor Swift doing?”
Rome followed her gaze to a cowboy sitting at the other end of the bar. His Stetson was pulled too low to be able to see his features, but his voice sounded familiar when he spoke.
“I thought you said the kitten was sweet natured. I have scratches to prove otherwise.”
Melba laughed. “Tay-Tay does have a sweet nature. But just like Taylor Swift, she also has a little bit of sass.” She glanced down at the pug that had fallen asleep in her arms. “What she needs is a friend to keep her company.”
The cowboy held up his hands. “Nope. You hoodwinked me once. I’m not falling for it again.”
“Oh, come on, Corbin Whitlock,” Melba said. “Buck Owens and Taylor Swift are bound to be good friends.
It took Rome’s tequila-soaked brain a few minutes to catch up. When it did, he stiffened. “Did you say Corbin Whitlock?”
“I sure did.” Melba shifted Buck Owens to her other arm. “You remember him, don’t ya? He and his little sister lived here with their uncle, Dan Wheeler, for a short time.” She shook her head. “Poor kids. That man was a mean drunk if ever there was one. Corbin seemed to be just the opposite. Very polite and mannerly. Taylor Swift took right to him. You can always tell a good person by how animals react to them.”
“He’s not a good person.” Rome got to his feet. He’d been looking for a way to release some of his frustrations. He figured he’d just found it.
Casey must have read the anger on Rome’s face because he followed after him. “What’s going on, Rome? You know this Corbin guy?”
Corbin hadn’t been at the meeting Rome and his lawyer had with Oleander Investments’ loan manager. So when he tapped him on the shoulder and Corbin swiveled on his barstool, Rome didn’t recognize the face under the cowboy hat. But Corbin recognized him and Casey.
“Well, if it isn’t the Remingtons.” Corbin pushed back his cowboy hat and smiled a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “I guess by the look on your face that things are about to get ugly.”
“Damn right they are.” Rome drew back his fist and punched Corbin, knocking him off his barstool. He went for him again, but this time, Corbin was ready. He ducked and punched Rome in the stomach. It caused him to suck wind, but he rallied quickly and landed a right to Corbin’s face that had him falling back against the bar and knocking over his glass of beer.
The bouncers arrived and when they tried to grab Rome, Casey joined the fight. But two Remingtons were no match for six burly bouncers. Soon, they were both pinned face first to the sticky bar floor. When Decker arrived, he didn’t look happy about being called away from his bed the first night he was back in Wilder after his honeymoon. Surprisingly, Corbin didn’t press charges. And since the only damage was a broken beer glass, Bobby Jay didn’t either. But that didn’t stop Decker from being pissed.
“So let me get this straight,” he said once they were standing out in the parking lot. “You punched the owner of the investment company that holds the title to the Holiday Ranch. So pretty much any chance we had of reasoning with him and getting him to stop the foreclosure is now gone.”
Decker was right. Rome had screwed up. He had screwed up badly. “I’m sorry. When I heard his name, I just lost it.”
Decker blew out his breath. “I can’t believe he’s foreclosing on the Holiday Ranch. I had a math class with him in high school. He seemed like a nice enough guy—kept to himself and never caused trouble.”
