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“I can’t believe you showed up drunk to your brother’s wedding,” Cammie whispered harshly as she and Lucky stood before the open door of Kenzie and Chance’s kitchen, waiting their cue from Betsy, the owner of Betsy’s Boutique, and Kenzie’s family friend.
The only response she got was a grunt of irritation as Lucky wavered slightly.
“Good grief,” she muttered, rolling her eyes. What a mess. She wanted to ask if sleeping with her was really so bad that the man had to keep himself in a permanent drunken stupor just to cope, but knew better than to question something like that within range of anyone. Despite having been a good friend of Kenzie’s deceased mother, and always treating both of them kindly, Betsy was still a woman from Cook County, Colorado, and every woman in Cook County, Colorado was a talented gossiper. If gossip was ever made into an Olympic sport, Cammie was sure they’d take the gold every time.
“You’re up.” Betsy gestured with her hand for them to proceed, her bright smile fading a little as she glanced at Lucky.
Cammie could read the fear in her eyes. Everyone would be holding their collective breath during the ceremony, hoping Lucky didn’t cause a scene and ruin the special day.
Lucky held out his elbow and Cammie reluctantly took it, afraid he would decide halfway down the aisle that he didn’t want her touching him and shrug her off in front of everyone. But as they walked out the kitchen door into the warm sunlight and followed the trail of scattered pink rose petals winding around the barn and toward the clearing where an arched rose trellis and several chairs had been set up, Lucky behaved himself.
Cammie smiled at Chance as he stood next to the minister, anxiously awaiting his bride’s arrival. The former unruly cowboy had turned into a mature, responsible man with a good heart and undying love for a good woman. She eyed his brother and shook her head. Lucky had the potential to be just as good, if only he would learn to put the bottle down and deal with his problems. If only he would allow someone to break down the walls he’d built around himself and help him out.
The two separated as they reached their endpoint. She joined the two other bridesmaids as Lucky took his place at his brother’s side. Chance glared at him for only a second before the sight of Kenzie coming down the aisle erased all the anger, replacing the cold fury with warm love. Despite her own heartbreak and disappointment, Cammie smiled, truly happy for her friend’s fortune.
Kenzie approached, holding a bouquet of pink and white roses as she followed the trail that bisected the wedding guests into two sides of fifty. Cammie looked around at the guests, noting the awe on their faces as they gazed upon the bride’s beauty. She felt moisture threatening to fall from her eyes as she realized she may never have a wedding ceremony of her own, but quickly blinked back the tears.
As Kenzie reached Chance and took his hand to stand before the minister, Cammie glanced over at Lucky and caught him staring at her, something sad and lonely in his eyes, before they focused on his brother and soon-to-be sister-in-law. She swallowed hard and listened as the minister began.
She would not cry for Lucky Masters today.
****
“HEY, COWBOY.”
Lucky glanced up from one of the coolers full of bottled beer that had been set up beneath a large tent. Stacy Cove, poured into a light blue spaghetti-strapped dress that showed an ample amount of leg and cleavage, neared him. “Hey, Stacy.”
“Honey, you know I’m never one to rain on a party, but I don’t think alcohol is what you need right now. Hell, you look hungover already.”
“Nothing gets by you,” he muttered as he turned away from the cooler and shoved his hands into his pockets. The cotton material felt foreign to him, and suddenly the entire suit started to itch all over. How the hell was he expected to make it through a formal ceremony without drinking if not even allowed the comfort of blue jeans and boots? He looked down at the shiny loafers on his feet and groaned. “When is it socially acceptable to change out of this crap?”
Stacy chuckled. “Aw, honey, you look kind of dashing. Why, if you weren’t plastered, you’d be absolutely flawless.”
“I’m not plastered.” Lucky ignored the compliment. “I can hold my liquor.”
“So can I,” Stacy said as she retrieved a bottle from the cooler and popped the cap before tilting it to her red lips. “However, I think I might just let you get me drunk and take advantage of me tonight. How about it, cowboy?”
“Nobody takes advantage of you, Stacy. Your heart is never in it.” Which was why she would be the perfect woman for him, he thought as he exited the shade of the tent to lose himself in the crowd of people dancing to the country tunes blaring from a stereo that had been set outside.
Others were eating at picnic tables scattered about or talking to each other in small clusters. Roughly one-hundred people had shown up for the wedding, and he swore all of them had looked at him with thinly veiled disgust at least twice during the day. Hell, maybe he deserved it. He was by no means plastered, but he definitely had a buzz going on. He needed it just to keep from bailing out. Walking down the aisle with Cammie May after what he’d done to her was the hardest thing he’d ever had to do. Never had he wanted to run away so much in his life. He should have stuck to women like Stacy Cove, women who knew he was only good for a night and didn’t ask for more. Women who didn’t stir things inside him that were better left alone.
“Really? By the beer tent? You didn’t get enough already before showing up here?”
Lucky looked over to see his brother standing at his side, his anger and disappointment on clear display in his dark eyes. “Hey, bro. Nice wedding. Congrats.”
Chance made a sound in his throat that was a mixture of a scoff and a sarcastic laugh as he shook his head. “At least you didn’t puke on my shoes or pass out during the ceremony.”
“Glad I didn’t totally ruin your day.” Lucky looked past the throng of people before them to where Kenzie hugged an older couple wishing her well. “Is Kenzie pissed at me?”
“She’s worried about you. We both are. You have to pull yourself out of this funk, man. Talk to Cammie.”
“It’s best I leave her alone. I’ve hurt her enough.” Lucky rubbed his sore, grainy eyes. “Look, bro, I’m happy for you, I really am, but this life you have... it’s never going to be for me. I’m not going to be the prince who saves the day and sweeps the princess off her feet. I’m just a cowboy. Plain and simple.”
“I used to think like that, and I almost let Kenzie go because of those thoughts, but you talked sense into me. Dammit, Lucky, why can’t you do the same for yourself?”
“I’m not you, and Cammie’s not Kenzie.”
“Do you care about her? She’s a good woman. You deserve a good woman.”
Lucky laughed. “A good woman deserves a hell of a lot better than me.”
“I reckon you’re right. Cammie deserves someone who’ll at least try instead of tucking his tail between his legs like a whipped mutt when things get tough.”
Lucky watched as Chance walked away, crossing the yard to greet his new wife with a long kiss. “Good for you, bro,” he murmured as he banked down the brief flare of anger his brother’s words had evoked. The man was only telling the truth. He’d spent a long time in his trailer thinking about the incident with Cammie May. In no way was he good for her.
He went back into the tent, glad to see Stacy was no longer there, and grabbed two bottles out of one of the coolers. He’d done his job. He’d arrived on time and walked the maid of honor down the aisle where he’d stood in front of a hundred or so people, all of them judging him. He’d even worn a freaking suit. Duty performed, he was free to go home and be alone with just his thoughts to torment him and the alcohol to serve as a Band-Aid.
He avoided eye contact as he made his way through the throng of wedding guests, knowing the judgmental looks cast at him would make him angry, and an angry Lucky was not a good party guest. He’d held it together during the ceremony; he was not about to ruin his brother’s day now. He definitely wouldn’t do that to Kenzie. He’d reached his quota on hurting sweet women for the month already when he’d taken Cammie to his bed and gave her the worst first time ever. He’d even snapped at her after like a complete jackass.
Delia Mayberry approached him as he cleared the last of the people between him and where he’d parked his truck. A low growl issued at her sent the woman shrinking back. He tugged at his collar as he passed vehicles parked along the gravel road leading to the ranch, cursing women for forcing men to dress up for weddings.
He heard raised voices as he neared his truck and groaned. The voices were female. To his knowledge, there had yet to be a wedding in Cook County that hadn’t resulted in a catfight between two or more of the guests. Usually, the throwing of the bouquet started it, which was why Kenzie had forgone that tradition. Apparently, she needn’t have bothered to skip it.
Lucky rounded an SUV and came to an abrupt stop as he took in the scene before him. Cammie and Stacy were in each other’s faces next to his truck hurling insults at each other.
“Call me a slut if it makes you feel better, but at least I knew how to please your man,” Stacy snapped vehemently. “Can you still smell me on your sheets?”
A hardness Lucky had never seen in Cammie settled in her eyes before she unleashed a powerful growl and shoved Stacy to the ground. A second later she straddled the blonde, one fist drawn back, prepared to strike.
“Whoa!” Lucky rushed forward and grabbed Cammie around the waist, hoisting her off the other woman. “What the hell is going on between you two?”
“I’m teaching this skank a lesson!” Cammie hollered as she swung her fists like a windmill, so caught up in the act of swinging she didn’t seem to pay any notice to the fact she was hitting nothing but air.
“Too bad nobody taught you any lessons in bed,” Stacy retorted as she struggled to her feet and adjusted her dress. “Maybe you could have kept Tom, and you wouldn’t be out here fighting over someone who’ll never want you.”
The feisty blonde lunged forward to attack Cammie, who was still in Lucky’s arms, helpless to defend herself. Lucky swung her to the side with one arm and used his other hand to hold Stacy back by her forehead, a maneuver Chance had done to him several times during their youth. The woman couldn’t gain any ground that way, but it didn’t stop her from swinging in the same manner as Cammie.
“What in the hell?”
Lucky looked up to see Nash Landry, the new sheriff, stepping out from between two cars, his deputy, Kyle Lincoln, close behind.
“Hey, Nash,” he greeted the dark-headed man. “Think you could give me a hand here?”
“I don’t know.” Nash folded his arms and took in the scene as a grin spread across his face. “This might just be the saddest yet funniest catfight I’ve ever seen.”
Lucky rolled his eyes as the sheriff shared a chuckle with his deputy before stepping forward to intervene.
“Stacy Cove, we’ve had a chat about this type of behavior before,” he chided the blonde as he gripped her arm and pushed her back into the waiting deputy’s hold. “Put her in my back seat, Kyle. Party’s over for this one.”
“That bitch started it!” Stacy squalled. “Lock her ass up!”
“First of all, I’m being generous and letting you off,” Nash said, a warning tone in his voice, “and second, I highly doubt Miss May started anything.”
“Oh, that’s bullshit!”
“That’s enough, Miss Cove. I can easily put you in a cell instead of taking you home.”
The wind taken out of Stacy’s sails, she quit resisting the deputy and allowed him to lead her away. Sheriff Landry turned around, shaking his head as he observed Cammie still struggling in Lucky’s hold.
“Fight’s over, Cammie. Now would be the time to stop swinging before you pull a muscle.”
Cammie stopped the windmill action, her head jerking up as if coming out of a trance. Feeling the fight drain out of her, Lucky loosened his hold and lowered her to her feet, keeping an arm loose around her waist in case she needed the support. The pretty brunette’s cheeks bloomed with color as she ran her hands down the front of her silky pink dress and patted her hair.
“I’m... I’m sorry. I don’t know what got into me.”
Nash nodded. “It’s all right. I don’t know what it is about you Cook County women, but get you in the vicinity of a wedding and you all turn into hellcats.” He shook his head again and nodded toward Lucky. “Thanks for keeping these two from shedding blood. I see no reason Kenzie has to know this happened. From her maid of honor, no less,” he muttered as he walked off in the same direction Kyle had taken Stacy.
Lucky folded his arms, leaned back against the door of his truck and waited for the moment Cammie would turn toward him and explain what in the hell he’d walked into. He’d been prepared for a crazy explanation, maybe even the blame given some of the words he’d overheard exchanged between the two and the location of the fight, but he wasn’t prepared for the silent tears streaming down Cammie’s cheeks as she faced him.
“Don’t tell Kenzie I ruined her wedding.”
“Aw hell.” Lucky pulled her into an embrace, smelling her sweet, strawberry-scented hair as she wept against his chest. “I’m perfectly content to remain the one who ruined it.”
“You didn’t ruin anything,” she said, her voice muffled against his fancy jacket. “You seem to function surprisingly well as a drunk.”
He laughed despite the insult. “Well, thanks, darlin’. I suppose I deserve that. Now, let’s get you out of here, you little hell-raiser.”
“I’m driving.”
He arched an eyebrow as he backed up to look down into Cammie’s pink face. “I’m really not that drunk.”
“Yes you are,” she said, her voice firmer. “And you seriously underestimate me if you think I’m going to allow you to drive out of here.” She held her hand out, palm up. “Give me.”
He had never taken an order from a woman in his life, but he found himself handing over the keys to his beloved truck as if there were no other option. He opened the driver’s side door and made a sweeping motion with his arm. “Ladies first.”
Cammie’s red-rimmed eyes opened wide. “I was going to drive you home in my car. You’re actually going to let me drive your truck?”
Lucky frowned as her words rolled around in his head, and he realized the implication. “I never let anyone drive my truck. Hell, maybe I am wasted.” He shrugged, failing to find the matter important enough to ponder another moment. “Hop on in, Shorty.”
Cammie looked between him and the truck, then slowly moved toward the open door as if afraid he’d yell, “April Fools!” at any moment. Lucky helped her in and closed the door behind her. As he rounded the truck, he shrugged out of his fancy rented jacket and flung the offending garment inside before joining her in the cab.
“Get me the hell out of here,” he muttered as he fought with the blasted bowtie Kenzie had forced him to wear. Thank heavens it was black and not pink. The pink rose tacked onto his lapel was bad enough. “If I don’t get into a pair of jeans and boots soon, I’m going to lose my mind.”
Cammie chuckled as she fastened her seatbelt and turned the key in the ignition. “Just don’t throw up. I’ve never been good around that.”
“Deal,” Lucky agreed. He rolled down his window enough to let the breeze in as they inched along the dirt road leading them away from the Calhoun Ranch to connect them to the main road. “If you tell me what that fight was about. You’re not a fighter, Cammie.”
“Sleeping with me one time doesn’t make you an expert on who I am,” she quickly snapped before her lips set into a thin line.
“Ouch,” he replied. “I heard enough to figure what it was about and can just deduce my own ideas if you’d like. That part about you fighting over a man who’ll never want you... was that about me?”
A little line formed along Cammie’s cheek, showing she’d clenched her teeth. Lucky waited a couple of minutes, but no answer emerged.
“You know it wasn’t true.”
“I wasn’t fighting over you,” Cammie protested as they reached the main road. She turned right, headed in the direction of the trailer park. “I’m not pathetic enough to fight over a man. I attacked her because she deserved it.”
“Oh, well then, that changes everything.”
“Don’t act like you’re so disappointed in me. You get into fights all the time. You’re the last person who should give me crap about this.”
“You’re a better person than me, Cam. You’re above the things I’ve done.”
She sighed. “You’re not as bad as you think you are, Lucky. You just haven’t had the best people in your life.”
“Yeah, maybe.” He started to tip one of the bottles he’d grabbed from the cooler to his lips, but realized he’d lost them during the women’s scuffle. “I know this much. The fool that chose Stacy Cove over you was one stupid bastard.”
Cammie snorted in disgust. “I guess you’d know. I found Stacy sitting in your truck when I went to it to ensure you didn’t leave the wedding intoxicated.”
“She offered her company, and I refused,” Lucky quickly defended himself. “Hell, I didn’t even refuse. I just walked away. I won’t lie to you and say I’ve never been with her before, but she’s not even comparable to a woman like you. And there was no chance she was going home with me tonight, no matter what she might have said to you.”
“Why should it matter to me, anyway?” Cammie threw back. “You don’t want me. I’ve accepted it. I was just doing Kenzie a favor by offering you a ride home. Her wedding would have been ruined if you got killed.”
“Well, I’m so glad you care so much about Kenzie’s well-being. She’s fortunate to have you in her life.”
“Yes, well, some people realize what they have in their life and respect it, cherish it. They don’t just cast aside good things for whatever happens to be new and shiny at the moment.”
Lucky clenched his teeth together as he gazed out the window. She was baiting him and doing a good job of it. His anger rose as fast as his guilt. “That’s not what happened with us, Cammie. I didn’t cast you aside for another woman and you know it.”
“No, you didn’t even need another woman on deck in order to throw me away.”
“That’s not fair.” He let out an exasperated sigh as he leaned his head against the back of the seat and rubbed the sore spot forming in the center of his forehead. “I never threw you away. You threw yourself at me and didn’t even tell me it was your first time. And you weren’t mine. We were never in a relationship.”
“Well, excuse me. I’m sorry if I don’t know the proper verbiage to use in these situations, but I’m new to the whole hook-up scene.” Cammie’s breath hitched.
“Which is exactly why it shouldn’t have happened,” Lucky explained, wishing he had alcohol to chase away the guilt slowly suffocating him. “You’re not one-night-stand material. You’re better than that. You have actual relationships. You go to church. I’d probably burst into flames if I ever stepped foot into the chapel. You’re too good to sink to my level.”
Cammie’s foot came down hard on the brake. The truck swerved before screeching to a stop along the side of the road.
“What the hell?” Lucky surveyed the road. They were the only ones on it. No animal had shot out before them. Nothing had spooked her.
“Stop it.” Cammie took off her seatbelt and turned to face him dead-on. “Stop acting like you’re so bad that no woman could ever love you. Stop poisoning yourself with alcohol and bad choices just because you want to wallow in self-pity.”
“Now, wait a minute,” Lucky quickly interjected as his temperature rose. “I’m not some whiny cry—”
“Well, you’ve certainly been sounding like one. Everyone deserves to be loved and cared for. Quit denying yourself the chance to have something really great.”
“I ruin everything I touch!” Lucky shouted. “What part of that do you not get?”
“The part where you believe in that foolishness,” Cammie answered. “You touched me, Lucky, and you didn’t ruin me.”
He shook his head. “Yes, I did. You were a virgin and when a woman who looks like you makes it twenty-eight years untouched, it’s by choice. You were saving yourself for something a whole lot better than you got. That shouldn’t have been wasted with a guy like me. That should have been with a guy you were in a genuine relationship with.”
“But you aren’t that guy because you don’t think I’m good enough for you.”
“What?” Lucky felt his jaw drop as he stared at her. “Why would you think that? You’re smart, beautiful, and a good woman. Any man would be honored to have you.”
Water filled her eyes, but she blinked it back. “Then why did you throw me away after I gave myself to you? I wasn’t expecting you to fall in love with me, but I at least expected a chance.”
He swallowed hard as regret stuck in his throat. “I didn’t deserve the honor. I don’t want to hurt you, Cam.”
“Don’t you see that all you’ve been doing by staying away is hurting me? I chose you, Lucky. You!” She grabbed his face with both hands and captured his eyes. “You are a good person despite all the hurdles life has thrown you. Let me show you.”
Lucky stared into her hazel eyes and felt his heart hammering so hard he feared it would burst right out of his chest. Fear and excitement mixed together until his head rushed with dizziness. He prayed there really was something good in him that this woman could find, but feared she was in for a major disappointment. Images of Sylvie Case and his mother flashed through his mind, and he imagined Cammie’s brownish-green eyes, so full of life, staring back at him with the same glaze of death those women had worn the last time he’d seen them. Those women were weak, and he had been useless in helping them.
“My own mother didn’t want me, Cammie. No woman has really loved me. I’m just a one-nighter. It’s all I know how to do. I don’t know how to give you what you’re asking for.”
A hesitant smile spread across her pretty pink lips. “I’ll teach you,” she whispered as she leaned in and covered his mouth with her own.
She took her time, and he savored the taste of her before she pulled back.
“Your first lesson will be tomorrow night. A real first date. That is, if you want to try.” She bit her lip, searching his eyes as she awaited his response.