Texas Proud and Circle of Gold (Long, Tall Texans #52) - Diana Palmer Page 0,78

this jeweled barracuda, who would go back to the office Monday and tell Bernie all about this date, probably with some embroidering. He took a big sip of his Chianti and cursed himself silently through the rest of the meal.

* * *

“Oh, it was the most wonderful date!” Jessie enthused to the other women, including Bernie, the following Monday. “Mikey made me feel like a princess! And we went to this apartment a friend loans me...” She stopped when Bernie’s face went white. “I’m so sorry, that was cruel,” she added in a conciliatory tone. “But you know how he feels about you, honey.”

“She knows what you told her,” Olivia replied, her eyes narrow and suspicious.

“Odd, how you knew something so personal,” Sari added her own comment to the discussion. “I mean, Mikey isn’t the sort to discuss personal things with Paul, even in private, and Paul’s the only person he’s really close to.”

Jessie looked uncomfortable. “It was just a comment he made—he didn’t seem to think it was very personal.”

Mr. Kemp’s door flew open and he looked livid. “Miss Tennison!”

Jessie actually jumped. “Yes, sir?”

“Come into my office, please,” he said icily.

Jessie collected herself quickly and forced a smile. “Yes, sir, at once.” She jumped up and headed toward him without looking back.

“Don’t you believe her,” Sari told Bernie firmly. “Mikey never told Paul anything about you, not ever, in private. He would never blurt out something like that in a public place.”

Bernie wasn’t comforted. She forced a smile. “I could never keep up with him, don’t you see?” she asked softly. “He lives in the fast lane. Some days, I can’t even get out of bed. He’d get tired of it. I don’t like bars and flashy places. I’ve never even owned an evening gown.” She cocked her head and smiled at Sari. “The people in his circle would think he’d lost his mind if they ever got a look at me, and you know it.”

Sari wasn’t convinced. “Bernie, if somebody loves you, things like disabilities and things they’ve done in the past—none of it matters at all.”

Bernie’s green eyes were sad. “I believed that, once. But he took her out on the town,” she added, indicating the door behind which Jessie was closeted with Mr. Kemp. “And he slept with her. It’s over. I’m going to get on with my life. It’s obvious that he’s gotten on with his.”

And she went back to work.

* * *

Jessie came out of Mr. Kemp’s office with an absolute snarl on her face. “I’m fired,” she said icily. “Just because I told that old man on the phone that Mr. Kemp didn’t want to talk to him and not to go to court because I thought it was canceled that day!”

“What old man?” Olivia asked.

“Oh, some rancher named Regan.”

Olivia’s eyebrows arched. “Ted Regan?”

“Yes, I think that was it,” Jessie muttered. She started pulling things out of desk drawers.

“Old man Regan,” Sari told her, “is worth millions. He owns the second biggest ranch in Jacobs County, and properties all over the country. He’s also a prime witness in a case we’re prosecuting.” She pursed her lips. “Or he was. I’m assuming Mr. Kemp lost the case, if you told Ted not to show up. Judge Drew was presiding and he didn’t want to try the case to begin with.”

Jessie just ground her teeth. “Well, it doesn’t matter now, I’m fired,” she muttered. She looked up and noted the pleased expressions on all the faces except Bernie’s. Bernie wouldn’t even look at her. “It’s just as well,” she commented. “I’ve done what I came to do. Aren’t you the gullible bunch? I put on an act and all of you bought it. You pitiful little small-town people, you’ll never know what life is all about.”

“It’s about family,” Glory Ramirez said.

“It’s all about family,” Sari agreed. “Something you’ll never understand.”

“The only family I care about is the one I take orders from,” Jessie muttered absently, and then looked up and flushed as she realized what she’d said. “My dad, I mean,” she corrected, “and he’s not from some little Texas town!”

But Sari picked up on what she’d said at once and hid her suspicions. She went back to work, ignoring Jessie.

“Well, so long,” Jessie said as she carried the cardboard box with her things in it to the door. She turned and stared at Bernie. “I’ll tell Mikey you said hello, Bernie,” she purred. “After all, we’re going to be seeing a lot of each