Page 57 of Our Sweet Destiny
Chapter Thirty
JADE DIDN’T CONSIDER herself a jealous person, but watching every woman between the ages of eighteen and forty-five ogle her boyfriend was starting to rouse the green-eyed monster. He was irritatingly nice to them all, too. He smiled that killer smile of his, and when he ran his hand through his hair—just one of his habits Jade had come to love—it made her warm all over. Surely it had the same effect on other women.
The horse show was in full swing. The loudspeaker chimed, announcing the children’s halter classes. Smells of barbeque, popcorn, and hay flittered through the air. Children wearing their cutest Western shirts, boots, and show pants giggled as they ran toward the small petting area, while mothers trailed behind with shouts to stay out of the dirt. Jade loved the feel of community horse shows. Somehow, the dress pants and hats amped up the women’s sexiness, prompting them to swing their hips a little wider and throw their shoulders back, all dolled up and feeling special. The men looked so handsome in their best Western wear. She especially loved the vests that many of the men wore, and the string ties and bandannas were an added flair. But the sexiest thing Jade had seen, and what she couldn’t help but envision Rex in, were leather chaps. She looked at him now, handing a ticket to a heavyset man in a gray Chevy truck, and she imagined his bare chest easing down to that dip below his hips that she loved to touch—the one that drew an instant shiver from him—and soft, worn leather covering his—
A honk pulled her from her fantasy.
“Sorry,” she said quickly, taking the woman’s money and waving her on to Rex.
A little while later, there was a lull in the incoming traffic. Rex looked over and blew her a kiss. She snagged it from the air and slapped it on her cheek with a grin. They sauntered toward each other. She could tell he was taunting her as much as she was him.
“How’s the prettiest girl in all of Weston?” he asked.
“I don’t know, there were some pretty hot women strolling by you.” She hated herself for saying it aloud, but she was powerless to stop it.
“Really? Huh, I didn’t notice. I’ll pay better attention next time.”
She punched his arm, and he started to pull her into a kiss. Her heart roared to life. Then he looked around, and with a disappointing frown, he released her and took a step back, leaving her wanting him even more.
“I have eyes for only one woman. You’re pretty well stuck with me, so get used to it. Women can look all they want, just like the men who have been eyeing you all day. None of it matters. It just makes me proud to be with you.”
“There you go again, Mr. Smooth.”
“I’ll show you Mr. Smooth.” He stepped closer, narrowing his dark eyes and looking as if he might take her right there and then.
She could feel the heat of him; every breath ratcheted up her pulse a little more.
“I need to check on Hope when things slow down more,” he said. “She wasn’t herself this morning.”
She wasn’t sure if he was saying he had to check on Hope to dissipate the rising sexual tension, or because something was really going on with Hope. She erred on the side of caution. “Is there something I can do? Maybe I should check her out?” Jade knew she couldn’t check on Hope. Rex’s father would never allow it. He’d have to call Dr. Baker. Her mind switched to veterinarian mode, and instead of thinking of the pulse of Rex’s heart, her mind was wrapped around Hope’s health.
“Dad thinks she was just a little out of sorts. I’ll check her out and let you know if she’s doing any better.” His face grew serious and he reached for her hand, then drew back again. “Everything okay at home?”
“Yeah, no one said anything, if that’s what you mean.” She hated their inability to touch in public. Rex was a salacious person, comfortable and demonstrative in his love. It was one of the things she loved most about him. Every time he pulled back from her, her anger at their families multiplied.
“Good,” he said.
Jade noticed that he had a sharp edge to him, and she wondered what he wasn’t telling her. Another grouping of cars came through the gate, and Jade took their money while Rex handed out tickets, but she couldn’t stop worrying about Hope. A horse’s health could go downhill fairly quickly if they were dealing with something serious. When the cars slowed, she asked Rex to go check on Hope.
REX HURRIED TOWARD the ring, where he saw his father having a difficult time walking Hope, while Hannah, wearing an adorable pink Western shirt with black and white embellishments and black jeans, her blond curls surrounding her fair cheeks beneath her felt hat, watched on.
“How’re you doing, Hannah?” Rex asked with a smile.
“I’m fine, but I’m not so sure about Hope. She keeps pacing and pawing, like she’s really nervous.” Hannah still had the soft, innocent face of a child, and the makeup she’d worn for the show made her look a little like a Kewpie doll.
Rex saw a strain on his father’s face as Hope arched her neck back, like she was looking for something. His boots thudded against the dirt with each determined step toward his father.
“What are you thinking? Colic?” Rex asked.
“She’s got plenty of gut sounds, but let’s get the vet over here and have her checked out.” His father looked sadly at Hannah. “Son, tell Hannah we’re gonna have Hope checked out. The poor girl. She’s been looking forward to this for so long.”
“I’ll tell her, and track down Dr. Baker.”
By the time Rex reached Hannah, she’d figured things out on her own.
“She’s not doing well, huh?” she asked in a disappointed tone.
“We don’t really know. She might just be nervous. I’m going to get the vet and have her checked out. Do you think you can hold on a bit? Maybe notify the judges for us and ask her to be called up last?” Rex knew just how difficult it was for kids not to be able to lead a horse after practicing and getting all psyched up to be in front of a crowd. He watched her head toward the judges, and for the first time ever, the thought of having his own children rolled through his mind. He asked himself what he would do if Hannah were his daughter. He didn’t have an answer, but it was another first for him to even have such a thought, and he chalked it up to Jade.
