Page 31 of Shine On Oklahoma

“Not at the moment. Busy guy.”

“Jack, come on!”

“Coming, Ace. I’ve gotta go,” he said. “Thistime tomorrow?”

“If you can talk ‘em into it again,” shesaid.

“Who you think you’re talkin’ to, girl?”

She smiled. He was right. “This timetomorrow. Listen, I um…” She cleared her throat. “…love you.”

She could almost see the dimple in herfather’s cheek appear, see his smile, and the sparkle in his blueblue eyes that could make women forget their own names. “Me,too.”

She disconnected, leaned back in a chair, andreleased all her breath in a heavy, heavy sigh, as she prepared tosit and contemplate everything he’d said, and everything she had,and try to figure a way out of this mess.

But then there was a heavy knock on her door,and Dax called, “Kendra?” and he sounded off. Just…off.

She got up and opened the door. He stoodthere, looking like someone had just kicked his puppy, if he hadone.

Dax frowned and said, “Mendoza. She says hisname is Mendoza.”

“Whose name is Mendoza?”

“The guy my mother’s been seeing. They’redriving in from the airport right now.” He paced the room anddropped heavily into the easy chair where she’d been sitting. “Ican’t believe it. It’s been going on for like a year. How could shenot tell me?”

Kendra’s heart filled with something thatfelt like warm honey. She moved over in front of him, knelt, andclasped his big hands in hers. “Is she happy?”

He frowned at her. “I don’t know.”

“Yes, you do. You know your mother betterthan anyone else on the planet. What did her voice sound like whenshe told you about this Mendoza?”

She watched him stop the runaway train in hishead. She saw him searching his memory, and she saw the moment whenhe found it, because his gaze softened, and his mouth relaxed intoan almost smile. “Yeah,” he said. “I think she’s pretty happy.”

“She’ll probably be even happier if you tellher you’re okay with it.”

“What if I’m not okay with it?”

“Dax, come on. You don’t honestly think youget to have an opinion on this, do you?”

He lowered his head. “You’re right.” Then hefinally looked up again. “I’m gonna need you to keep reminding meover and over again, though.”

“What’s he do, this Mendosa?”

“He’s a retired cop.” He sighed. “Also, we’rehaving dinner with them.”

#

Look at that handsome sonofabitch.

That’s how well Dax’s control of his ownthoughts was working when he greeted his mother’s boyfriend outsideThe Long Branch, where they’d gathered for dinner. He’d toldhimself to look for things to like about Luis Mendoza. He’d toldhimself his mother was happy and in love and so the guy had to beall right. But hisselfwasn’t listening.

He must be ten years younger than she is.What the hell is he after?

“Good to meet you, Dax,” he said, extending ahand.

Dax shook, and Luis clasped with both hands,looked him right in the eyes and said, “I’ve been waitin’ a longtime to meet you.” His accent was smooth Tennessee whiskey. And hehad skin the color of burnt gold, and brown eyes surrounded bythick black lashes.

At least he’s short.

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