Her Gentle Giant: No Regrets (15 page)

* * * *

Rachel noticed Wesley and Evan sitting at a corner table, both of them facing the club. They made a handsome pair in their Wranglers, dress cowboy boots, and Stetsons. They didn’t look like tourist cowboys who dressed in full cowboy regalia they’d bought at Cheaver’s Western Store for an evening out at a cowboy nightclub. They looked like they might have been on the back of a horse or hefting a hay bale before getting cleaned up to go dancing and drinking. They were the real deal sitting there, looking slap-your-grandma gorgeous.

Wes was dressed in a starched white western dress shirt, unbuttoned at the neck, leaving his tanned throat visible. Evan was dressed in a jet-black dress shirt also unbuttoned so that a bit of his chest hair was visible. His usual brooding bad-boy stare was there, but the set of his shoulders and hands would lead any observer to believe that it was more than an act. Evan looked decidedly pissed off, while Wesley looked heart-broken.

She turned to watch the object of their sad perusal. Rosemary Piper and her friend Kathleen walked with Grace and Ethan to their table. Rosemary looked adorable in bright red Wranglers and a silky white shirt that barely hinted at the thin lace camisole beneath it. Her black boots were polished to a gloss, and she wore a belt that glittered brightly with rhinestones. Her long, curly coal-black hair was pulled back in a jeweled headband that echoed the sparkle in her belt. The image of a happy cowgirl out with friends having a good time would have been complete until Rachel saw her eyes. The hint of a broken heart lingered in the poignant sadness there.

Kathleen looked like her usual sophisticated self, dressed in a sleeveless black mesh sheath dress with a hint of sheerness to it and a black lace slip beneath. The neckline dipped into a deep V in the front and back, revealing her generous, ivory-toned cleavage and the curve of her spine. She wore a delicate crystal necklace that dipped between her breasts and also dangled halfway down her back, swaying with her every movement. Her stockings had seams up the back, hinting, for those astute enough to observe, at the garter belt that rested around her hips. Her high heels were a mass of glittering crisscrossing straps covering the insteps. Kathleen was tall and had stunning dark red hair. She carried her shapely curves with confidence and grace, moving across the room as though she were aware half the men in the
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club were watching her, and she didn’t mind a bit. Her elegant but not haughty air practically invited their gaze as she moved.

Rachel observed as Jack and Ace got up when the ladies arrived at the table with Ethan. Grace introduced Rosemary and Kathleen to Ace, who greeted them graciously, his appreciative gaze moving over both of them.

Ace offered Rosemary his seat, as Ethan pulled up another chair for Kathleen. Grace contentedly resumed her perch in Jack’s lap, his large hands coming to rest on her thigh and lower back.

Rachel smiled, noting that Grace always seemed to take joy in every moment she had with any of her men. She never took their presence for granted. She snuggled up to Jack and spoke quietly to him. He obviously loved having her so close and smiled at whatever she said and nodded and kissed her. The love and satisfaction on his face were obvious.

Rachel glanced again in sympathy at Wesley and Evan Garner. Wesley was having sharp but indistinguishable words with Evan as Evan slouched over his beer unhappily. He muttered a few words in Wesley’s direction, and Wes bit back a harsh reply, his big, strong hands knotting into fists.

Rachel looked back over to Ethan’s table and happened to catch Rosemary watching Wes and Evan, looking distinctly torn. She turned away to look up at Ace as he spoke to her and smiled at him. Rachel looked up at Eli.

“Would you mind if I went over to talk with those two idiots for a minute?”

“No, I’m sure they could use all the wisdom they can get their hands on. Be gentle. Or not.” Eli shrugged then smiled when she tucked her fingers in the waistband of his leathers, stroking his lower back.

“Be right back, honey.” Rachel turned to saunter over to the Garner boys. They looked up as she approached. She felt a little sad for them as they tried to put on a happy face for her visit to their table.

Wesley got up and held out a seat to her, which she took, and he asked,

“I know you’re here with Eli, but do you want a drink, sweetheart?”

“No, thank you, Wesley. I appreciate it. I want to talk to you.”

She looked back and forth between the two of them, struck yet again by the contrast in these two brothers. Wes was tall and lean, at least six feet three inches, hard-muscled, and tanned. His hands were big and hardened from his line of work as a custom furniture craftsman. His wavy, sandy-136

blond hair peeked out from the back of his white Stetson, curling slightly at the nape.

Evan was stockier and had a shorter, thicker build, at five ten. Despite being shorter than his brother, he was no less powerful. His dark brown hair was barely visible under his hat, and he grew a soul patch beneath his bottom lip, which Rachel secretly thought was sexy as hell on him. She wasn’t normally much for facial hair, but that little patch of hair was almost lickable on him. His shoulders were broad and thickly muscled as were his arms and legs. His hands were also work roughened and callused.

The shapes of their faces were unique to each of them, as well, taking after different sides of the family. Where Wes’s features were lean and angular with round, deep-set green eyes, Evan’s features were broader, his jaw square, and his cheeks dimpled. She hadn’t seen the dimples make much of an appearance lately because he smiled so rarely. His eyes were more of an almond shape and chocolaty brown. They were warm and inviting when he was happy, changing to dark and unreadable when he wasn’t, like right now.

“What’s on your mind?” Wesley asked, glancing beyond her in Rosemary’s direction again. His green eyes were filled with soulful longing.

“We’ve been good friends a long time, right, guys?” Rachel’s voice grew husky as an aching lump formed in her throat for the pain she saw in their eyes.

Wes smiled. “Ever since we beat Bobby Joe Booker up for pushing you off your bicycle when we were all six years old.”

“You were my heroes that day. You helped put the chain back on my bike and cleaned up my skinned knee, too.”

“I’m not sure spit counts as cleaning, sweetheart,” Wes said with a halfhearted chuckle.

“My knee healed up fine, and Bobby Joe finally left me alone after that.

You fixed all that for me because you cared.”

“What are you trying to say, baby?” Evan looked sadder than an old hound dog.

“You’re friends with Grace, right?”

“Sure! Good friends with all four of them. Why?”

She knew she had their full attention. “If the two of you have unresolved issues or questions, you should get together with them
soon
. When you look
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back, are you going to be proud of causing her all this pain before you let her down for good? Or will you thank your lucky stars that you wised up and grabbed hold of the best woman to ever come your sorry way. I don’t know what happened with her, but I’m willing to bet
someone’s
alligator mouth wrote a check their hummingbird ass couldn’t cash.” She placed a soothing handover Evan’s. “Sorry, honey, but you know it’s the truth. You both tend to let your mouths get the better of you. Either forgive her and start over, or let her go. Remember this is about Wesley, too.”

“I know, Rachel, but he’s asking
too much
,” Evan replied, his voice husky with emotion.

“What? Asking for you to get over yourself is too much?” Rachel said softly. “You told me once a long time ago, you don’t have it in you to hold a grudge against someone you love so much. I don’t understand what’s holding you back.”

“She’ll only pull the same shit again. Not
all
women are manipulators, I know that. And Grace seems to make her men very happy—”

“
Seems to
?” Wesley asked incredulously. “Talking to any of the three of them is like conversing with a man who has died and woken up in heaven. We deserve a chance to be happy, too.”

“Yeah, see, that’s just it. I’m not going to be able to make her happy,”

Evan muttered.

“You don’t know that, Evan,” Rachel replied for Wesley. “But you’ll never know if you don’t give her a chance. She’s all grown up, in case you haven’t noticed, and she’s
nothing
like your ex-wife, Evan. Boy, Rita worked you over good.”

“You got that right,” Wes muttered. To his brother, Wes said, “Rachel’s right. If we don’t work things out soon, Rosemary’s going to give up, and I can’t have that. I
love
her. I’ve
always
loved her, and this is what she
wants
.” Wes’s voice was soft but full of emotion. They’d been in business together since the beginning, and it would be a tragedy if Evan left Divine.

It sounded to Rachel like he might have been thinking about that.

“Maybe it’d be easier if I left.”

“For who? She loves you, too. If you do that you’ll just hurt her some more? You love her, too. You’re too damn stubborn and unwilling to trust her or anyone else. She doesn’t like it when you try to control her. You
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backed her into a corner today, and she reacted the only way she knew how.”

This debate had raged on since their college days. Leaving Divine to go to school may have broadened their horizons, but it had been devastating for their relationship.

Rachel sighed at their back and forth bickering and finally broke in. “A word from someone who knows, guys. That man she’s currently talking with is rather charismatic and charming, not to mention totally gorgeous.

He’s also persistent. If he’s interested in her,
he
won’t waste any time letting her know. Fortunately, he is also a gentleman. He’s talking to Kathleen now, but he was speaking very solicitously to Rosemary earlier and gave her his chair. I’m telling you this because I love you guys like you were my brothers. That’s
your
chance at happiness right there, and she’s fixing to slip away.” She patted their shoulders before she slipped from the tall chair.

“Just thought I would encourage you.”

“Thanks, sweetheart, we appreciate it,” Wesley replied.

“Thanks, Rachel.” Evan looked even more miserable. He slipped off his hat and raked his fingers through his thick hair, looking as though he wanted to yank some out in the process.

Rachel walked away, having done what she could. The rest was up to them. She groaned to herself when “Cowboys Like Us” by George Strait began to play. Looking over at Grace’s table again, Rachel watched as Rosemary rose from Ace’s chair. Ace led Rosemary by the hand to the dance floor and began to waltz gracefully with her. Rosemary
loved
to waltz. She looked over at Wesley and saw he had risen from his seat, his spine ramrod straight. She returned to Eli, stepped between his knees, and leaned against his chest as he sat in his tall chair at the door.

“It’s like a car wreck,” she said softly. “I can’t look, and I can’t
not
look. Tell me what’s happening.” She closed her eyes and pressed her cheek against his chest. She enjoyed listening to his steady heartbeat and the deep vibration there as he chuckled and gave her a play-by-play description of the events as they unfolded. She sighed happily as he took advantage of the opportunity to gently stroke her back.

“Wesley’s headed to the dance floor. Later, Evan!” he called. “Evan just walked out the door, but he doesn’t look unhappy. Wesley asked to cut in.”

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“Did she let him?”

He paused and sighed. “She told him no. He took off his hat. He’s asking again. Man, she said no again, but now she looks upset. Ace is talkin’

to her. Now he’s talkin’ to Wesley. They’re off the dance floor. Ace’s talking to her some more. She’s shaking—no, she’s nodding her head.

Wesley’s shaking hands with Ace. Ace is walking away. Damn, I’ll bet he’s had his fill of being the Good Samaritan and deferring to other men. Oh, now Kathleen is pulling him on the dance floor. Good, she seems more like his type.”

“I can’t stand it. I have to look.” She watched as Wesley slid his hands up Rosemary’s arms. She pulled away from him and spoke indignantly to him, poking him in the chest with her index finger, then turned to walk away in a huff. Wes snagged her arm, pulling her gently, but firmly, to his chest.

She glared up at him angrily but also like she wanted to cry. She didn’t say anything else. He leaned down to her and said something to her very gently.

She nodded and looked up at him like she was about to break down.

Rosemary left Wesley’s side and went to her girlfriends’ table and got her purse. She stopped at Grace’s table, hugged her and spoke quickly to them, then returned to Wesley. She looked up at him, and he took her hand and led her to the front door. She gave a little wave to Rachel and Eli as she trailed behind Wesley then mouthed, “Thank you” to Rachel.

“Wow. Everyone has a story, don’t they?” Eli chuckled as they watched them leave.

“Yeah. I hope those two don’t blow their chance.”

“Me, too.”

A waitress delivered a shot of Crown and another of Cuervo 1800 to their table. “The gentleman in the leather jacket sent these over for you with his compliments. Ethan said this is what you’d like.”