Shine On Oklahoma Read online

  “He did?” she asked, glancing sideways at Dax.

  “I am training thoroughbreds. Quarter horses too.”

  “But not on your own place,” his mother said. “Not yet. You will in time. You’re meant to. Mothers know these things.”

  Wow. If that’s what he wanted, his dream would be shattered by inheriting his father’s racetrack and all its inherent problems—not the least of which was that the biggest heroin importer on the east coast laundered money through it.

  “Anything you want to know about me or my business, just ask,” Luis went on.

  “How old are you?” Dax blurted.

  “Dax!” Caroline punched his shoulder. “Shame on you.”

  “Out of bounds,” Kendra muttered, leaning near him and masking it with a cough.

  Luis just laughed. “Eleven years younger on paper and a hundred years older in spirit.”

  Dax seemed to take a moment to digest that. Then he said, “Been married before?”

  “Ohforheaven’s sakes!” His mother extended her hands and tipped her head up, as if invoking help from above.

  Kendra rolled her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, looking down.

  Luis said, “Seems the ladies are gonna spit roast you no matter how logical your questions, Dax. How ‘bout I give you the basics instead of making you ask?”

  Dax gave him the palms-up nod to tell him to take it away.

  “I was born and raised in Tennessee, always around horses, but nothing big. My father was a jockey. I’m the tallest in my family,” he said with a smile at Dax. “So we have that in common. Both big guys.”

  Luis was 5’9’ in boots.

  Dax laughed. It was genuine. Kendra saw him try to hold it back and fail.

  “I was married for twenty years, to a wonderful woman who died way too young. Breast cancer. Been ten years alone, and then I met your mother at your dad’s track on one of my many visits there. It felt like the sun had come out after a decade in the dark. She’s my light.”

  “Holy crap, it must be amazing to be loved like that,” Kendra said.

  Everyone looked at her and she had a distinct, did-I-say-that-out-loud moment. Then she smirked and added, “If you’re into that sort of thing.”

  Dax glanced her way, his face odd, but then he was back to the third degree. “I’m sorry you lost your wife. Did you have any kids together?”

  “No, we tried, but…. Wasn’t meant to be, I guess.”

  And then the food came, and they all stopped talking and dug in. It was too good to allow for much conversation aside from oohs and ahhs and other meal-related exclamations.

  It seemed to Kendra that the tension melted away a little bit. Dax relaxed more, his mother did too.

  Joe McIntyre came to personally offer them dessert on the house, special dessert menus in hand. Kendra was expecting Dax to say a polite no thanks and end her torture, but instead he said, “Thanks Joe. We’ll take you up on that. And we’ll have a pot of coffee, too.”

  “Make mine decaf or I’ll never sleep.” Caroline was smiling, relieved.

  Kendra didn’t blame her. If Dax wasn’t in a hurry to end the evening, it had to be a good sign as far as his mother was concerned. Kendra was pretty sure it was, unless he’d just thought of a half dozen more questions for the poor guy. But he wasn’t like that, her Dax. He was as kind-hearted as they came. Soon he started asking questions that were based on shared interest instead of suspicion, questions about Luis’s place, and his training methods, and which owners he’d worked for. Before long, the two of them were trading horse stories. Their frequent rounds of deep, male laughter filled the whole dining room. The other diners around them were smiling, because that sort of thing was contagious. Everybody in the place was just delighted right off their freaking chairs.

  Everybody but Kendra.

  She was antsy and nervous. There were too many variables at play. If Dax’s mother kept reminding him what he really wanted in life, and that it wasn’t a racetrack in eastern New York, she was going to have a much harder time convincing him to inherit it.

  She’d never known of his dream of owning a training track. It felt like she ought to be nudging him toward that dream instead of trying to get him to turn his back on it. And yet her father could die if she didn’t.

  Caroline was at considerable risk herself, and that was a new weight on Kendra’s shoulders. Dax’s mother couldn’t possibly know about the money laundering. She wasn’t a crook. But that wasn’t a legal defense. And she was dating an ex-cop!

  She tried to count things that were working in her favor, instead of the opposite, to calm herself down. The lawyers would arrive tomorrow morning, and the meeting was set for tomorrow afternoon. Nothing was likely to happen between now and then that would knock things off course. Dax was leaning toward taking her up on her plan, accepting his inheritance and putting her in as manager. And the first thing she would do was drum up some excuse to fire that outside pencil pusher he had going over the books to placate Caine until she could come up with a more permanent solution.

  The very second her father was safe, she was going to tell Dax the truth and find a way to make up for lying to him.

  Again.

  She couldn’t entertain the notion that he might never forgive her for this, because that possibility was too real, and too big, and too inexplicably painful. He had to forgive her. She didn’t have a choice here.

  Everything would be fine. She just had to get through one more day.

  Dax’s phone chirped. He pulled it out, read a text message, shook his head, and smiled across at his mother. “Looks like you might be here for Thanksgiving whether you like it or not, Mom.” And he looked truly delighted by the notion. “One of the estate lawyers had a family emergency and wants to postpone the meeting until the Monday after the holiday.”

  Kendra’s heart sank into her shoes.

  She was doomed.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Kendra had not heard from her father again. She’d received only one communication since his phone call—a text message from a blocked number on the day Dax’s meeting with the lawyers was supposed to have been.

  Is it done?

  That was all.

  She gnawed her lower lip, thought about lying, decided against it. Who knew if they had someone in their pocket who had ways of verifying? So she told the truth.

  Lawyers delayed. Meeting rescheduled.

  When?

  A week from Monday.

  It had been three days since that exchange. There had been no further replies, no phone

  calls, nothing. She’d been going slowly insane. And there was too much to do today for her to be this distracted. And yet, she was. She needed to talk to her father. And not just to make sure he was still breathing.

  Dax’s familiar voice followed his soft knock on her door, and everything that was wrought up inside her paused. That had been happening a lot lately. They’d been…hanging out. A lot. They had breakfast together at the diner or at Sunny’s Place every morning. And she was usually out at Kiley and Rob’s around lunchtime, so they could all eat together. Dinners varied. Sometimes The Long Branch, sometimes the diner. Sometimes at his place, a small, neat trailer where the biggest piece of furniture was the TV. They’d spent a lot of time with Caroline and Luis, and despite him being an ex-cop, Kendra kind of liked the guy.

  Aside from that day by the Falls, she and Dax hadn’t had sex again. She kept getting all tensed up before it went further than kissing, for reasons she couldn’t even identify. And every time, Dax picked up on it and cooled things down. He wouldn’t push her. He’d wait for her to tell him when she was ready. That was the kind of guy he was.

  She opened the door, and there he was, and in his upturned palm sat a small orange and brown package.

  “You brought me a peanut butter cup?”

  “You’ve been stressing out for three days. Thought it might help.”

  “What you mean to say is, we haven�
�t had sex again for three days.”

  “You never know. It might help that, too.” He lifted the candy bar and wiggled his eyebrows, and there was no way she could stop herself from grinning at him.

  She took the treat, tore off the wrapper, and ate one of the two confections, handing him the other. He did not argue. And when they finished their chocolates, he wrapped her up in a great big bear hug and picked her up off her feet.

  All the knots in her stomach unknotted. That warm, gooey feeling lubed them up so they just relaxed loose, like they did whenever he was nearby.

  “Is anything else wrong? Besides the stress of baby shower planning?”

  She lowered her head. “I’ve been worried about Jack. I haven’t heard from him in…a while.”

  He didn’t say anything and she looked up at him. “I know you don’t like him, I just...he’s my dad, you know.”

  “I don’t dislike him,” he said. “I don’t trust him, that’s for sure.”

  “That’s probably for the best,” said a little voice from beyond the still open door. And then a wrinkled, smiling woman with a giant flower-decked hat and crooked lipstick peered around Dax’s waist. “Hello, honey!”

  “Miss Dolly! You came!”

  Dax turned sideways, looking down as the small woman crowded past him, her hat barely fitting between him and the doorframe. Kendra had to bend down to hug her. She was a plump lady of maybe four feet ten. Her drawn-on eyebrows were a little too high and she’d colored outside the lines with bright pink lipstick that matched the roses on her wide-brimmed hat.

  “Dax, this is Miss Dolly. Miss Dolly, Dax Russell.”

  “Pleasure to meet you, sir.” Dolly swept off her hat, held it to her chest and made a bow. “Wait, that’s not right,” she said. “Men bow. Women…curtsy!” She plunked the big hat back on her head and sketched a wobbly curtsy.

  “Pleasure’s all mine,” Dax said, and returned her curtsy with a bow to play along. He was such a good sport. “Dolly. That’s an unusual name.”

  “Nickname,” she said. “My actual name is Clara Bethany.”

  “Clara Bethany what?”

  She waved a small hand. “You couldn’t pronounce it.” Then she looked him up and down, and wiggled her eyebrows. “Did I interrupt anything?”

  “No, Miss Dolly,” Kendra said. “Stop being naughty. We were just getting ready to head downstairs for some breakfast before I get started decorating for Kiley’s shower. You want to join us?”

  “But it’s already decorated, dear. That hot young bartender with the adorable little girl showed me.” Then she frowned and looked way up at Dax. “I didn’t imagine that, did I?”

  “No,” Dax said, “you didn’t.”

  Kendra sent him a look. “What does she mean, the place is all decorated?”

  “Me and the boys got up early and decked the place to the rafters. Ned’s on top of the food. Sunny’s got the cake—”

  “Cupcakes,” Kendra corrected.

  “Rob’s gonna see to it that Kiley remains clueless and gets here on time.”

  “Rob’s not supposed to know about this, either.”

  “He thinks it’s a lunch date with the two of us. I told him I needed a wingman.”

  “Ha!” Miss Dolly said, clapping him on the shoulder. “A big gorgeous hunk like you needs a wingman like I need birth control!” Then she clapped a hand over her mouth and made her eyes big. “Was that inappropriate?”

  Kendra just shook her head at Dolly, then returned her gaze to Dax. “You’re amazing. I just…thank you. I don’t deserve you.”

  “You seem like you’ve got a little too much on your shoulders. I thought I could take a little off. Enjoy your reunion with the enchanting Miss Dolly and have fun at your sister’s shower. I’ve got your back. Okay?”

  “Yes. Very okay.”

  “I could help with other things too, you know. If you’d let me.” He looked into her eyes, and for the first time Kendra got the feeling he knew everything.

  But he couldn’t. He couldn’t know. He was still being kind to her, he couldn’t possibly know.

  He turned, and tucked Miss Dolly’s arm around his on one side, Kendra’s on the other, and walked through the hall, and down the staircase. At the bottom, he pulled back the red velvet curtain to reveal the dining room, and said, “Ta-da!”

  Pink, purple, and white streamers were draped around the room from a high point in the center, giving it the feel of a castle spire. A mock disco globe spun from the center, throwing shapes within its glimmers, holographic teddy bears and unicorns.

  “Emily said you picked that out?” Dax said, one brow higher than the other.

  “Yeah. I sold out to my sister’s penchant for rainbows and unicorns. I’d have preferred gambling and strippers, but it’s not my shower.”

  “It’s very nice, dear,” Miss Dolly said. “I happen to like unicorns.”

  Dax’s mother stood in the center of the room, pointing and making suggestions, while Joe and Jason McIntyre moved a table. She glanced at them and smiled. “How do you like it?” she asked.

  “It’s beautiful. Thank you for helping.”

  “Thank you for letting me. I’m having an absolute ball. You know, moos like me, relish opportunities like this.”

  “Moos?”

  “Moms of only sons.”

  “That’s a hoot!” Miss Dolly said, clapping her hands.

  “Miss Dolly,” Dax said as if remembering her, “this is my mother, Caroline Russell.”

  “Oh, it’s so nice to meet you,” Caroline all but sang.

  “Okay, I’m needed outside. Deliveries to unload.” Dax leaned down and kissed his mother on the forehead, and then just as automatically, kissed Kendra on the mouth.

  Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing. Oh, they started right up again, but they couldn’t hide the fact that they noticed Dax’s PDA. He let the curtain fall closed, but Kendra still felt all those eyes on her. Her sister’s family-in-law, the brothers McIntyre and Dax’s mom.

  The saloon end of the place was empty, but way in the back, a single table was set for two. “I’m gonna let you two ladies enjoy your breakfast,” Dax said. “Text if you need me. I won’t be far.” Then he ducked through the curtain and let it fall behind him.

  The kitchen door at the far back of the saloon side, swung opened, and Ned, the chef, stuck his steel gray brush cut out and said, “Ah, perfect timing. Have a seat and prepare yourselves for ecstasy!”

  “Ohhh, I like the sounds of that.” Miss Dolly scurried to her place at the table so fast, Kendra couldn’t even keep up. Ned vanished back into the kitchen, the door swinging in and out behind him. Dolly leaned across the table. “The big guy’s falling at your feet. Nicely done, Kendra.”

  “It’s not what you think.” Then she lowered her eyes. “It is, actually, but I don’t have a choice. Vester Caine and a couple of his thugs are holding Jack somewhere.”

  Her brows would have arched higher, if they could’ve. “What do they want?”

  “It’s a long story.”

  “Don’t you worry, we’ll fix this.” Then she smiled slowly. “We haven’t collaborated in forever. It’ll be just like old times!”

  “Well, right now, I think I have a handle on it, but I’ll let you know if I need you.” A little of the old thrill tickled at her chest. She said, “Just one thing I need you to remember while you’re here, Miss Dolly. This is Kiley’s home now.”

  Dolly pursed up her lips like she’d just sucked a lemon. “Is it true? She’s gone straight?”

  “Straight as politicians pretend to be.” Dolly gave a gentle shudder. “But this is her town, her people, her rules. We can’t poach. Not here.”

  The kitchen door opened, and Miss Dolly looked at Ned as he carried a tray to their table. “Not even a little bit?”

  Frowning, Kendra glanced at Ned. He had pronounced cheekbones, where they showed through gray mutton chops that joined up with his mustache. He’d been in the
Navy, and looked every bit the salty sea-dog. Turned out he was handsome under all that fluff, if you looked closely enough to see it. Strong jawline. Nice cheekbones. Who knew?

  Dolly kicked her softly under the table. “Ow. I mean, oh um, Miss Dolly, this is Ned, the chef here at the Long Branch,” Kendra said. “Ned, Miss Dolly, a long-time friend. More than a friend really. She’s family.”

  “Absolutely enchanted,” he said, locking eyes with Dolly for an extended moment. She blushed and fanned herself when he turned away to put the tray on a nearby table. Then he unloaded it onto theirs, whisking off domed covers and setting overflowing plates in front of them with a flourish. French toast dripping with melting butter, scrambled eggs, tiny sausages.

  “Oh my,” Miss Dolly said again.

  “I don’t get it,” Kendra said. “How am I rating all this special treatment?”

  “Boss’s orders,” Ned said.

  “Joey?”

  “Oh, is that the hottie with the adorable little girl?” Miss Dolly asked.

  “Are you trying to make me jealous, Miss Dolly?” Ned asked.

  She lowered her head and giggled. “There’s no need to be jealous. I prefer my hotties with a little more experience.”

  “Good to know. Good to know.” He was smiling. Kendra didn’t think she’d seen crusty old Ned smile in the entire week she’d been staying here.

  She cleared her throat to break the flirty smiles they were exchanging, and said, “Dax asked Joe to ask you to do this, didn’t he?”

  “That is my understanding, yes. He’s a good man, Dax is.” He turned and got the silver coffee pot off his tray, filled their cups, and set a fresh pitcher of cream on their table. “If there’s anything you need…” he began.

  “I’ll call you,” Miss Dolly replied.

  “I hope you do, pretty lady.” He dipped his head, and then took the tray and returned to the kitchen.

  Miss Dolly actually watched his backside as he walked away, and when the kitchen door swung behind him, shook her head and went, “Mm, mm, mm.”

  “Dolly!”

  “What? I’m old, I’m not dead.” She fluttered her lashes. She had the kind of perfectly round, baby blue, heavily lashed eyes that always looked vaguely confused. And she used them. Let people think she was a few spots past dotty. Truth was, she was sharp as a tac. She said, “Now tell me what Vester Caine wants.” She glanced around. “Digest version. Quietly.”