Page 104 of My UnTrue Love
“Well, not in the sense where you talk a lot or make friends easily, but --you know-- outgoing in the way your eyes are always so bright and interested in things. You see a lot happening in the world, even if you don’t talk about it. You’re just kind of quietly filing information away.”
His lips quirked, like he knew she was right, but he wasn’t going to admit it. “Well, my outgoing self has already got a line on another place to work. With horses, too. Buffalo Roam, that big ranch outside of town, is hiring. I’ll go out there tomorrow.”
“You have to play at The Kitchen tomorrow.” It was why she didn’t drag him around to any more saloons for auditions. He’d already landed the best venue in Red River Valley.
“I don’t go on stage ‘til evening. I can do both.”
“You’ll exhaust yourself, going all the way to Buffalo Roam every morning and then back here to perform at night. I’ve made up a budget that will get us through the New Year, just on your musician’s salary and savings. We’re going to befine. Trust me. I’m your manager. Let me worry about the bills and you worry about playing guitar. Once more people hear you, you’ll have plenty of money coming in.”
He wasn’t convinced. “A music career is nothing I’d bet my saddle on. I want you to feel secure with me. Not stressed.”
“Bill, Idofeel secure. You’re the one who doesn’t realize your own potential. There is not a doubt in my mind that you’ll get me whatever I need.”
“Yeah, I will.” He said simply.
“And I’ll do the same for you. We’re partners.” Clem hesitated, because there was a much bigger elephant in the room than Bill’s doomed job hunt. “And I’m going to try to be a better partner to you. I swear.”
“Darlin’, you don’t have to change a thing, on my account. Why, I’m happy as can be. Our first date was real fun.”
“Youthinkyou’re happy, because you don’t understand how I’ve been shamelessly chasing you.”
That got him grinning. “Well, that news just makes me happier.”
“It’s not a joke! Even if you’re not mad at me about the whole racetrack fiasco… I’dfor sureunderstand if you were mad about the wedding.”
His lips tugged up at one corner and he glanced towards their wedding picture on the wall. He’d used honest-to-God tools to hang the frame, which had done nothing to cool her ardor for him. Her husband owned tools. It was so hot.
“We both decided that we liked being married.” He reminded her.
“That was before I got you into a fight with a bear. Down deep you’re probably feeling a little resentful. It’s only natural.”
“Down deep, I’m feelin’ happy. I’m a man in tune with my emotions, so you can take my word on it.” He turned his head her way. “Howyoufeelin’ down deep?”
“Guilty. You hired me to manage things for you, but I just made it all more complicated. I don’t want you to worry though, because I’m going to fix it.”
Pale blue eyes watched her. “We’re not getting unmarried.” The words were certain.
“Well, no.” She agreed. “An annulment would be terrible for your career.” Also, she didn’t want one and would do her best to talk him out of it. “But eventually we can maybe…”
“I don’t give a damn about my career.” He interrupted.
“It’s sweet of you to say that, but…”
“And we’resurenot gettin’ an annulment.” He went on, talking right over her protest. “Don’t think we’d qualify, seeing as how I’m gonna be consummating our marriage every day for the next fifty years.”
Clem stared at him, her heart pounding and her panties growing damp beneath her oversized nightshirt. This one was decorated with baby jub-jub birds, because somehow that t-shirt of Johnny’s had vanished. She had the sneaking suspicion a certain mischievous husband was to blame for its disappearance. “It wouldn’t be right for us to have sex.”
He paused for a beat. “Because I’m not your True Love?”
She rolled her eyes at that craziness. “No! Finding True Love is nice, I’m sure. But it doesn’t really matter to me.”
It made sense that it weighed on Bill’s mind, though. Coyotes were cursed to not have True Loves, so he was hyperaware of the deprivation. As an artist, he felt everything so intensely. Obviously, he’d long for a destined, soul-deep connection.
“Does it feel wrong to you to have a wife who isn’t your True Love?”
“No, it feels wrong thatyoumight have a True Love out there who isn’t me.” He leaned closer to her, one long finger tracing along her leg. “It feels like I should stake my claim, before he gets here.”
“There’s no one else for me.” Her words sounded breathless, even to her ears. “True Love is some outside force acting on people. You’remypick. That’s what matters. I made a choice to marry you, Bill. And it’s important you have a choice, as well. I know youthinkyou’ve plumbed the recesses of your feelings, but it takes time.”
