“No one has a leash around your neck or your balls, least of all me. So quit giving me the wounded man routine and get to the real issue.”
“The real issue is you approached all my cousins’ wives about buying sponsorships for the rodeo program. Actin’ like we’re a couple to guarantee a sale.”
“That’s crap, Tell.”
“Is it? So you haven’t been asking members of my family for money?”
“I have, but it’s—”
“It’s complete and total bullshit that you used me to get to them. I’m beyond pissed off about this, Georgia.”
So am I. She stared at him, biting her tongue, attempting to remain civilized.
“Don’t got anything to say?”
“Yes, I have something to say. I don’t know if you’ve noticed a quirky little thing about the greater Sundance, Moorcroft and Hulett metro area, but quite a few of the businesses are owned by someone in the McKay family. So yes, I approached AJ, India, Skylar, Domini, Ginger, Keely and Ainsley.
“I also approached the owners of all the bars, restaurants, retail stores, the dentist, the doctor and the sheriff’s department. So I didn’t single out the McKay family for my nefarious plan of promoting a rodeo that will benefit all the business owners in the area. FYI: I didn’t drop your name. Your family members brought up our intimate involvement, not me. And I’ll remind you the see and be seen strategy of convincing everyone in town of our couplehood before the reunion was your idea. Now you’re pissed off it worked? Or were you just hoping people would believe it long enough so you could brag to your McKay cousins that you finally nailed the prom queen?”
That retort caused the vein in his temple to pulse. “Don’t you twist this—”
“Don’t you act like this is a personal assault on you. It had nothing to do with you until you made it about you. I sure as hell don’t need your permission to do my job. Get your facts straight before you start tossing out accusations.”
Her heart raced. Her body vibrated with anger and outrage. And hurt. God, it hurt that Tell thought so lowly of her. The man who’d talked so boldly about people changing…believed she hadn’t.
His eyes flashed a warning, but no guilt. “This is not the time nor the place to have this discussion.”
“You started it!” Take it down a notch. Act cool. “Besides.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder in complete dismissal. “There’s nothing to discuss.”
“Bullshit. I will be at your house as soon as this thing is over, so you’d better be ready.”
“This thing is already over.” Georgia turned and walked away, ignoring his attempts to get her attention, fighting her impulse to flip him off.
Call her contrary, but she didn’t trot home to wait for Mr. Accusatory. She headed straight for the Golden Boot.
She slipped into a booth and ordered a vodka tonic and a grilled ham and cheese sandwich.
Tell’s anger surprised her because she hadn’t seen him angry. He was so easygoing at times she wondered if anything made him mad. She’d seen his intense side. His bossy side. But neither of those could be mistaken for anger.
He had no right to be angry. And she was so f**king pathetic for wondering what angry sex would be like with him that she didn’t notice she’d drained her entire drink in about one minute.
“Georgia?”
Startled out of her glum mood, she glanced up to see Leah and Roxanne standing at the table edge. “Hey ladies, what’s up?”
“Are you waiting for Tell or something?”
“No. I helped out at the community center and stopped in—” to avoid Tell, actually, “—for a bite to eat.”
“Mind if we join you?”
She managed to hide her surprise. “That would be great.”
Roxanne and Leah already had drinks. Pink ones. “What are you drinking?”
“Cosmos. Ned teases me endlessly about my love of girly drinks. But if I drink beer, I feel like shit the next day.”
“Bull, Rox. You feel like shit because you’re usually doing tequila shooters and drinking beer.”
“True. So let’s order a cosmo for Georgia so we don’t look like lushes.”
After they toasted, Leah blurted, “You are so different from what I remember.”
“Is that why you’ve had the big change of heart? Did I pass some secret test?”
Leah looked thoughtful. “Well, we did take a hard look at our small-town, bitchy selves after what you said in the parking lot that night.”
“And we’ve gotta respect you called us out on it. Plus, it took a lot of balls to show up at the reunion. Not only because Deck is now your ex, but also because you lost RJ.” Roxanne patted her arm. “I can’t imagine losing my sister. Sometimes she annoys the piss outta me, but she’s my best friend.”
“That’s probably why I didn’t have many close girlfriends in high school—because I had RJ.”
“Well, you’ve got us now, and we’re making up for lost time.” Roxanne smiled. “Now that we’re pals and all, I gotta ask you something. And be warned, it’s personal.”
“Geez, Rox, way to put her on the spot,” Leah grumbled.
“You can ask, but that doesn’t mean I have to answer,” Georgia said coyly.
“Were you really a virgin throughout high school?” Roxanne leaned forward. “I mean, you proudly wore a purity ring. And Ned said Deck got pissed whenever someone asked him if you two were doin’ it. But I’ll bet you were doin’ the nasty and lying about it.”
“Technically, yes, I was virgin.”
“Technically?” Rox repeated.
“Deck and I didn’t have intercourse until we were married.”
“So in other words, you messed around.”
“A lot. I had broad knowledge of certain non-penetration acts involving my hands and mouth.” She smirked and pinned Leah with a look. “How about you and Warner?”
Leah laughed. “We didn’t save it for marriage. But you probably got the better end of the deal by holding Deck off for a few years.”
“How so?”
“The benefit of lots of foreplay because that’s all you could do. Once you start screwing…that groping, grinding and crazy-kissing part of sex becomes less important.”
“I never thought about it that way.”