Page 39 of Takes Two to Tango

Kate merely shrugged one shoulder."You know we like to have fun with each other. Wouldn't be aparty without a little scratching and biting."

Brandi flashed a smile as brittle as her colored hair. "So I heard Brent mentioned over here. What's new with our favorite boy toy? You playing with him, Rayne?"

"Playing with him?"Rayne asked. When had Brent become a toy?She knew what people thought of him, and maybe he'd not done a good job of dissuading them from their beliefs, but it seemed a little unfair that he be whittled down to something so insignificant as a whip-thin viper's plaything.

Brandi raised her eyebrows. "Can't say I'd blame you. I hired him to build an arbor by the pool just so I could ogle him while he worked."

Kate whistled. ''Desperate much?"

Rayne felt irritation gather inside her. Though she knew Brent was perfectly drool-worthy, she also knew he was so much more. That very afternoon, he'd patiently explained base-stealing to Henry when she knew he needed to get over to Justus Mitchell's house for some repair work. He'd also continued building bird houses for the retirement home. The trees outside the kindergarteners' windows at Oak Stand Elementary held four or five squirrel feeders he'd constructed. He gave his time to coach Little League and took a second grader on his first picnic, earning himself a citation in the process.

Why did everyone in Oak Stand have him only filling the slot of town skirt chaser? When they looked at him, was that all they saw?

Then she felt guilt flood her. Hadn't she called him a man whore recently? Hadn't she put him in that slot, too? She wasn't any better than Brandi, Stacy, or the rest of the womenclinging to the assertion that Brent Hamilton was only good for construction and seduction. Rayne felt ashamed that she’d put him in that slot because it was convenient to do so.

“Not desperate, Katie. Just like distractions. That's all." Brandi patted Kate's shoulder before sauntering off to torture someone else. Her favorite target bobbed behind her, throwing a cheery farewell wave to them.

"Bye, Stacy," Nellie said, shaking her head. "Poor woman doesn't realize Brandi isn't a true friend."

"Quite the opposite. She's a menace," Kate said, popping a cracker in her mouth. "But she's right about ol' Brent. He does look good building things."

"Stop," Rayne said, shaking her head. "Everyone treats him like he's nothing more than some hunk of meat."

"He once went through my underwear drawer," Nellie said absentmindedly.

"What?" Meg stifled a choking noise similar to the one Rayne had made earlier.

"When he was working on Tucker House several years ago.”

Stunned, Rayne actually took a step backward. "No. That's... that's-"

"Perverted?" Meg filled in. "Hey, I like a little perversion but that borders on sick."

Rayne shook her head. "No way.”

Nellie shook herself. “Well, he claimed that the drawer spilled out when he moved my chest of drawers to reach some wiring. Maybe so, but he also told me he liked the little red thong.”

Rayne didn't know what to say. This was why so many persisted in believing the worst of Brent. Surely he hadn’t pawed through Nellie’s underwear? The idea didn't sit right with her. There was no way he'd done something so bizarre. If he'd wanted to see underwear, there were plenty of women around townwilling to model theirs. “That more likely. Otherwise, why else would he do something like that?”

Nellie shrugged, offering an apology with her eyes. “He flirted with me. Asked me out. Didn’t seem too bothered that he hadn’t told me about moving my things. It was more like an opportunity to come on to me. A bit weird. But all I know is that my undies were all out of order.”

Kate snorted.

Something that felt close to pain ripped through Rayne. Here she was ready to chastise all of Oak Stand for treating Brent as less than what he was, and he'd been using Nellie’s underwear as a pick up line. Jesus. “Just doesn't seem like him. I can't believe he'd be so twisted."

Nellie gave her a gentle smile. “You're a bit biased. You've always seen him differently than the rest of us. That could be a good thing, but then again, it could be dangerous."

Rayne felt tears clog her throat. Nellie's words hurt, and once again, she found herself doubting the man who'd held her so tenderly in his arms two days ago in the town square. Had she picked up the blinders she'd always worn when it came to Brent? Was she once again building him in her mind so large that she'd be unable to see the obvious flaws from her viewpoint at his feet?

Maybe shewasthe biggest idiot in Texas. Maybe, once again, Brent had her under his spell. But then again, maybe everyone was wrong about him.

"Seeing people differently is not a bad thing. People in this town tend to put labels on others without giving them the benefit of the doubt. I never want to be that way."

“You’re right. No one likes to be stereotyped," Kate said.

Something flashed in Nellie's eyes. ''You know, I never liked being the poor little rich girl, the girl who always did the right thing. Maybe you're right, Rayne. Maybe Brent doesn't like being who he is."

Rayne looked Nellie right in the eye. “Now, that I will agree with.”

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