"I thought he said he was going into town?" Chance asked as they pulled up to The Big Barn. The restaurant/Honky-tonk wasn't far from the ranch.
"Nope. He comes here." Buck smiled. "I've seen his truck here a time or two on patrol."
"Besides, I don't think he really has a date." Jan shook her head. "I think he just pulled that out of his ass to get away from you."
"Gee, Jan, spare her feelings why don't ya, Honey," Buck said quietly.
"What?" Jan looked at her. "That's a good thing. If he's trying to prove he doesn't want you, then he definitely hasn't decided. Right Buck?"
"I have no clue. You're the only girl I've ever loved, and if you ever left me..." Buck looked at Jan and all humor left his face. "I'd just die."
"You are the sexiest thing alive. Did you know that?" Jan kissed him as Chance opened the door. The two were practically making out by the time she got herself straightened out and shut the door.
"Hey, hold up," Buck called as he helped Jan out of the truck. Jan wiped his face again, removing the last bit of gloss. She shrugged innocently. "We aren't going to let you go in alone. Just in case."
"In case what?" Chance asked as the couple caught up with her.
"In case he wasn't lying about the date." Buck extended an arm, and Chance looped hers through it. Like a stallion, he proudly escorted the two women to the door.
He didn't know it, but she needed the support. What if he wasn't lying about the date?
When they entered the establishment, the music hit them full blast.
"Chance!" A familiar voice cracked through the noise as they made their way farther into the place. Candice was one of her best friends in high school, but even she didn't really know her. No one did. The busty blonde headed toward her. Candace looked too thin and apparently modified her already decent bustline into a huge set of boobs.
"Candice," Chance smiled.
"Where have you been? Did you know our Jack got married? Heath's at the bar. Betty Jo is trying her best to pull him out to the dance floor." Then, she stopped, put a hand over her rose pink lips, and shook her head. "I'm sorry. I just ... seeing you ... I just forgot. You probably don't care what Heath's doing."
"I care." Chance nodded. Then, she caught sight of Buck and Jan again. They claimed a booth in sight of the bar. Buck pointed and made a face letting her know Heath was indeed there and probably not alone. "Excuse me, Candice. I've got to catch up with my family."
"If you say so. Call me. We'll grab lunch and catch up," Candace said as she went on about meeting and greeting others.
"Oh, I say so indeed," Chance said aloud to no one in particular, but she caught sight of Betty Jo and Heath. Her shoulders straightened, her heart pounded, and her fists clenched. The busty blonde with the eighties hair ran a big pink nail along Heath's ear. Chance almost lost her vision she was so mad. The music, which seemed ridiculously loud when they first entered, was barely heard over the thrumming of her heart in her ears.
Stalking up to them, Chance tried to regain her self-control.
"Excuse me." She tapped on Betty Jo's shoulder. "That's my husband you're clawing."
Betty Jo turned at the same time Heath did. "I don't see a ring on his finger."
"Well, do you see this one on mine?" She held up her left hand, and the rings were still in place.
"Well, word has it you left him." Betty Jo stroked Heath's ear again. He was watching the exchange with interest, but he hadn't said a damn thing. He also didn't stop the woman from touching him.
"All right, Heath. I get it. I get the point. But do you really want this throwback to the eighties clawing you with hot pink acrylic nails tonight?" She glared at the woman.
"What's wrong with my nails?" Betty Jo pulled her fingers in a curl toward herself to get a better look. "I like them."
"Heath?" She ignored the woman who continued to study her claws.
"How'd you get here?" he asked and swiveled around completely on the bar stool to face her. He looked her over from head to toe. He liked what he saw. She could tell because he made special effort not to look anywhere other than her face again.
"Buck and Jan brought me. What? They weren't part of your babysitting plans?" She propped a hand on her hip and waited.
"Heath, don't you like my nails?" Betty Jo asked out of the blue.
"What?" He looked at the woman with irritation clear on his face.
"My nails." Betty Jo dangled the long claws in front of him and waited impatiently for his response. Chance was waiting, too.
"Well, Heath?" Chance crossed her arms and looked at him.
He took a deep breath then let it out. "I swear I'm going to kick Buck's ass for this."
Heath didn't answer either of them. He grabbed his beer, got up, and headed over to where Buck and Jan were playing kissy-face in the booth. Betty Jo started to get up to follow.
"No, Honey. You need to understand this. That..." Chance pointed at the big ox walking away from them. "Is my man. Not yours. Find someone else to put your claws on because I am not afraid to go to jail tonight, okay?"
Betty Jo gave her a "who the hell do you think you are look" then looked at the talon like nails on her fingers. "Well, I sure don't want to break one of these. I just got 'em put on."
"Smart choice," Chance agreed. She headed over to the table where her belligerent husband and his family sat. "Scoot over."
Heath scooted an inch. She squeezed in next to him. He huffed as he moved farther into the booth. "You're ruining my date tonight."
"With Betty Jo?" Chance didn't get a chance to ask. Jan beat her to it. "Gross Heath. Tell me you never..."
"No dammit. Not her." He shook his head then looked around the bar as if seeking out his mystery date. "Right there. Her."
A petite blonde with slim features waved at them. He smiled a warm smile and waved back. Chance looked at the young lady and burned with jealousy. "What is she like twelve?"
"Twenty-five." Heath motioned for the girl to come over.
"And you want her to die tonight?" Chance literally shook with anger. He was calling the woman over to meet them. Was he nuts?
"Hey, Lori, this is Chance, my soon to be ex-wife, my sister Jan, and her husband, Buck." Heath smiled. Lori blushed and waved.
"Hi," she said as though it wasn't the weirdest introduction in history. "Heath, you promised me a dance."
"I sure did, Sugar." He nudged Chance. "Watch out so I can go dance with her."
"Are you serious?" She looked at him. He nodded. She looked at Jan and Buck and watched their expressions drop. They were all stunned.
"Yes, now scoot before I shove you out and mess up your nice blouse." Heath nodded.
She slid out. He noticed the outfit, and he commented on it. He wasn't immune after all. "Lori, right?"
"Yes." The woman nodded.
"You do realize that when he gets home, he will be sleeping with me?" That wasn't a lie. He didn't want to let her out of his sight or at least off his property until the divorce papers were drawn.
"Well then, I'll make sure to return him thoroughly worn out." Lori waved as Heath led her out to the dance floor.
"Sit!" Buck commanded before she could snatch that little blonde by the hair of her head! Disgruntled and hurt, she sat back down. She looked at the young couple in the booth across from her. "He's really got it bad. I don't think I have ever seen him like this."
"What are you talking about? Look at him. He's dancing with her. And grabbing her..." She began to stand, and Jan reached over and grabbed her arm.
"No, you're playing right into it. Don't you recognize your own games?" Jan laughed. "Wow. He really is going all out tonight."
"To hurt me." It was a statement, not a question.
"I'm sorry, Chance." Buck sighed. "We didn't expect him to really be on a date."
"Maybe you should dance with someone." Jan looked around the bar as if looking for someone to pair her off with.
"No. I can't try to make him jealous. That's what got me into this mess to begin with. I was a stupid, stupid woman to play games with him. I won't make the same mistake twice." With a great deal of restraint and effort, she sat there. "You two go on out and dance, have fun. I'm going to sit right here and wait."
"Wait for what?" Buck tilted his head and studied her.
"Wait for him to realize that I'm not playing games this time. I mean it. I love Heath, and I want to be the woman he needs me to be. I want to be the woman I always wanted to be. The person I felt like I could be when I was around him." She didn't bother to wipe away the tear falling from her eye. "It was so scary to me then. I didn't feel like I was good enough, but I know I am now. I know it wasn't the power he took from me. It was the love he gave me that scared me so much."
Jan nodded as her eyes glistened with unshed tears. "Okay. We'll dance a while, but if you need us to come back over, just nod or wave or something okay?"
"Okay," Chance said. As a waitress passed, she held up her hand. "Sweet tea please."
"Anything else?" the woman quirked her brow. "Wait, are you Star's sister?"
"Yes." She nodded. "And I'm the designated driver, so regular sweet tea would be great."
"Sure thing, Honey. I'm glad to see you back in town. Your sister sure is proud of you." The woman winked and walked on.
Chance sat there stunned. Star was proud of her? Geesh, did she know anything about anyone anymore? Aside from occasional phone calls, mainly about her niece, Star didn't make the effort to keep in touch with her. Chance always called to check on them; she was always the family shepherd.
Turning to watch Heath slow dance with the little blonde-haired woman, she played with a coaster and decided she needed to make a real effort to pay more attention to the people around her.
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