Hotter than Texas (Pecan Creek) - By Tina Leonard Page 0,34

played on her part, and probably true as far as she was concerned.

He wanted her next to him. But if he insisted that Averie move and Sugar retake her seat, it would look odd as hell, since everyone had switched seats a few times, depending upon whom they wanted to be able to hear best at the moment. It was an easy, friendly night, just the way it should be, except this was supposed to be undeclared-first-date night, taking it easy and working his way in slowly. That was the plan.

It was dumb. Sugar didn’t want to date him.

Forcing the seating chart would practically proclaim his interest in Sugar. Averie would not take this strategy lying down, and he was in no mood for a meltdown. Across the long table, Kel practically slobbered on Lucy, who seemed bemused by all the attention. Lucy knew Kel was married but didn’t know Debbie had filed, so she probably thought Kel was a harmless doofus flirting while the wife was at home.

Lucy had no idea the danger she was in. He’d never seen Kel act like this. Jake was a bit annoyed with Sugar for calling Lucy when he’d tried to clue her in that it was a bad idea. Lucy was young and while not necessarily tender, she had to be lonely in a one-horse town. Kel might have some appeal to a woman like Lucy.

It was a terrifying thought.

“Jesus,” Jake said to no one, and Averie said, “I thought you were going to come by last night.”

“You told someone you wanted me to come by. I run my own social calendar, Averie.”

“Don’t make it sound like I was being bossy,” Averie said, hurt clear in her blue eyes. “I made dinner for you.”

Dinner and sex, the route to his heart she’d always parlayed. Very successful combo too.

He looked at Sugar, thinking about saucy nuts and sassy nights and complicated family members, a tangle of emotions that had him fascinated for reasons he couldn’t explain to himself.

“Sorry, Averie,” he said, his gaze on Sugar, “but we’ve been over for months now. It never occurred to me you’d make me dinner.” He spoke low so no one could hear, because he genuinely didn’t want to embarrass her.

Yet he knew Sugar had to feel like she had been cut adrift, though she bravely sat and chatted to the other women. At the opposite end, Maggie seemed entranced by Lassiter, who appeared knocked to his knees by the vivacious redhead. Lucy did a good job of keeping Kel in his cage.

And then, the unthinkable happened.

Big, dark-haired, woman-loving Bobby German scooted his chair close to Sugar’s. Jake blinked, recognizing Bobby’s ploy for what it was: he had Sugar in his sights.

Bobby was single. Bobby was charismatic. Bobby’d had his back on more than one occasion in the war zone; he could count on Bobby to make sure he didn’t end up blown to bits. Bobby German was a helluva warrior, he was a good friend, he was a decent man.

Sugar seemed happy to have Bobby paying attention to her, and Jake couldn’t blame her. She was new to town; he’d left her alone among strangers. He’d turned her down for the billboard, which could boost her fledgling business. Tonight was about making up for his get-your-clothes-off crack, and now he was sitting with another woman draped over him.

There wasn’t a damn thing he could do to change the hand he’d been dealt. Maybe he was as hopeless as Kel, begging to have his heart run over. Averie put her hand on his arm again, and Jake tried to collect his wits.

Sugar made his wits fly like balls on a pool table, busted apart by a hard-hit, existential pool cue.

The night was not destined to turn out well.

Chapter Nine

It was midnight before Sugar got home. She’d ridden home with Lucy in the blue Oldsmobile because Jake and Averie had removed themselves from the gathering early. Averie had gotten a bit toasted, and Jake seemed to feel obliged to do the gentlemanly thing and remove her from the premises. At least that was what he’d told Sugar. Sugar had stayed, mainly because she was having a great time, and because Maggie seemed to be enjoying the company of good-looking Lassiter.

“I didn’t feel right leaving Maggie there, even if Lassiter said he was taking her line dancing,” Lucy said.

“Don’t you think Mom can make her own decisions? If she’d felt uncomfortable, she would have come home with us.” The