Part 13 (2/2)
Instead of taking offense, Ted nodded. ”That's so.”
”He's just finished his bachelor's and master's degrees at the same time.” Kenny's pride was visible, and Emma could see there was something special about the relations.h.i.+p between these two men. ”Playing varsity golf slowed down his academic career or he'd have finished up a lot earlier.”
”Didn't see any need to hurry.”
”Exactly what I told you,” Kenny said with satisfaction.
Emma pretended to sip from her drink as the three of them chatted with the ease of people who'd known each other for a long time. It was Torie who introduced the subject of Kenny's suspension. ”It's so unfair,” she said. ”Anybody who knows Kenny knows he wouldn't hit a woman on purpose. He'll drive 'em crazy and screw around on 'em, but he won't hit them.”
Kenny looked aggravated. ”That's not why I was originally suspended, and I never screwed around on a woman I cared about in my life, at least not since I was sixteen.” He glanced over at Ted. ”I swear, somebody needs to swat her.”
”Don't look at me. I'm scared of her.”
Torie leaned over and kissed Ted's cheek. ”If you were just a couple years older, sonny boy, I'd show you the time of your life.”
”I doubt I'd survive it.”
”You ask me,” Kenny said, ”the Antichrist is going through some kind of midlife crisis. Sonovab.i.t.c.h turns fifty this year. I think it's twisted his mind.”
Ted tilted his chair back and stretched out his legs. ”He's just p.i.s.sed off at you is all.”
”Abuse of power,” Kenny grumbled. ”Thinks he's the d.a.m.ned President of the United States.”
Ted smiled.
”I'm serious,” Kenny went on. ”Everybody who belongs to the PGA expects the commissioner to be fair. Even though he only has the job temporarily, he should at least pretend to be impartial.”
At that moment, Emma spotted the man in the floral s.h.i.+rt who'd followed them into the bar and realized he was watching her quite closely from across the room. A rush of excitement went through her. He really was Beddington's watchdog!
She knew she had to make the most of the moment, but all she could think to do was grab her gin and tonic and take a healthy slug. As a scandalous act, it was fairly pathetic, but she couldn't think of anything else. And then another idea occurred to her, although she didn't want to do it. Still, she wanted to be married to Hugh even less.
Steeling herself, she rose out of her chair, looped her arm around Kenny's neck, and planted herself in his lap.
He lifted an eyebrow. ”Have I missed something?”
She curled her mouth into what she hoped was a seductive smile and tried to speak without moving her lips. ”Kiss me at once.”
”No,” he said indignantly.
”Why not?”
”Because I don't like your att.i.tude.”
She had been a bit bossy, but that was only because she was nervous. ”I apologize.”
His eyes settled on her mouth. ”Okay, I'll kiss you.”
The burly man turned away, and she immediately ejected from Kenny's lap.
He frowned at her as she grabbed for her gin and tonic. ”Are you drunk again?”
”Certainly not.”
”Good. Because Wynette doesn't have even a halfway decent tattoo parlor.”
The burly man had moved over near the jukebox, but he was still watching her. He was balding, with straw-colored hair and prominent jowls. Thinking hard, she looked over at Ted. ”Would you mind very much dancing with me?” Beddington definitely wouldn't like her dancing with anyone, let alone an obviously younger man.
”I wouldn't mind at all,” Ted replied.
”He's a terrible dancer,” Torie said. ”You want somebody good, you get out on the floor with Kenny.”
Ted looked injured. ”She asked me me to dance, not John Travolta here.” to dance, not John Travolta here.”
Torie shrugged. ”It's your feet, Lady Emma.”
Although Emma didn't look at Kenny, she sensed his eyes on her as she got up from the table. Ted took her hand and led her toward the floor, where a ballad was playing. As they began to dance, she experienced the unusual sensation of being led around a dance floor by a s.e.xy young man. Very Very young, she reminded herself. young, she reminded herself.
And very s.e.xy.
He smiled down at her and asked how she liked Texas.
She smiled back and said she loved it. He wanted to know if she'd enjoyed the ride in from Dallas and what she thought of the United States. They chatted easily.
The song ended, and a fast tune began to play. The crowd reshuffled and started performing a line dance. ”Maybe I'd better sit this one out.”
”I'll show you the steps,” Ted said. ”Torie's right. I'm not much of a dancer, but this one's pretty easy.” He led her to the side, and she caught on quickly as he demonstrated.
As soon as they were back on the dance floor, she spotted Kenny and Torie dancing together. With their gleaming dark hair and easy grace, they moved like mirror images of each other. Kenny laughed at something one of the women pa.s.sing by said to him. Torie flirted with an older man wearing a cowboy hat. They looked beautiful, rich, and a little jaded. Emma thought of Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan transplanted to a Texas honky-tonk.
The music slowed. Emma turned to go back to the table only to have Ted tug on her hand. ”One more, Lady Emma. I like dancing with you. I always appreciate it when the lady leads.”
She laughed and slid back into his arms. It was nice being with someone who enjoyed her company. But they'd barely begun to dance before Kenny tapped Ted on the shoulder. ”I'm taking over, little boy, so you go on back to the table and let Torie fight with you.”
”I don't want to fight with Torie,” Ted said mildly. ”I'm enjoying myself with Lady Emma.”
”And I'm real sure she's enjoying herself with you, but right now, I'm suggesting you move aside.”
Emma felt a p.r.i.c.kle of alarm as Ted gave Kenny a long hard a.s.sessment that suddenly made him look much older than his twenty-two years. ”You and I are overdue for a reckoning.”
”Just name the time.”
”Seven o'clock tomorrow morning.”
”You're on.”
Emma held up her hands. ”Stop this at once!”
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