Page 25 of Stuff My Turkey
The look he gave me confirmed my suspicion.
"Heath, that's ridiculous. Knox and I have been over for ages. Well before he and Bitsy got together."
"You didn't answer when she asked you to be a bridesmaid," he pointed out, his voice low.
"Because I was blindsided! Not because I'm pining for your brother." I shook my head in disbelief. "After what happened between us this morning, how could you think—"
The doorbell interrupted my question. Heath brushed past me to answer it.
From the kitchen, I heard Buck Jessup's booming voice. "Evening, McGraw! Thought I'd stop by to check on those investors of yours. Heard they were shopping around."
Great. Just what we needed to complete this disaster of a day.
I wiped my hands and went to the door, where Buck stood with his perpetual smirk. His gaze traveled over me like he was assessing livestock at auction.
"Well, hello there, city girl. Looking mighty fine today." Buck tipped his hat. "Heath, you didn't tell me your lady was helping with dinner. Hope I'm not interrupting."
"Actually—" Heath began.
"Not at all," I interjected with false sweetness. "We were just about to eat. Would you like to join us?" The words left my mouth before my brain could stop them. Heath shot me a look that could have melted steel.
"Don't mind if I do," Buck grinned, stepping inside uninvited.
Heath squeezed my arm. "Can I talk to you for a minute? In the kitchen?"
Once we were alone, he turned on me. "What were you thinking, inviting him to dinner?"
"I was being polite! Isn't that what you country folk do?"
"Not to Buck Jessup," Heath hissed. "The man's been trying to sabotage my business for years."
"Well excuse me for not knowing the intricacies of your rural feuds," I whispered back. "I'll go tell him to leave."
"No, the damage is done." He ran a hand through his hair. "Just... keep an eye on him. He's not here for friendly conversation."
When I returned to the living room, Buck had made himself comfortable, deep in conversation with the Vickerys. Knox was showing Bitsy something on his phone, both of them giggling.
"Honey," Buck called, "come tell me about this boyfriend of yours. Must be quite a fella to have snagged the likes of you."
"Heath is wonderful," I said automatically, the rehearsed line feeling hollow after our kitchen argument.
Buck patted the seat beside him. "Tell me more. Like how you two got together, for starters."
I reluctantly sat, maintaining as much distance as the couch allowed.
"It's not that interesting a story," I deflected.
"Oh, I think it is." Buck leaned closer, his cologne overwhelming—a mixture of leather and something chemical that reminded me of furniture polish. "Quite the unlikely match. Makes a man wonder what exactly you see in ol' Heath when there are other ranchers around these parts."
"That's exactly what I said!" Bitsy chimed in from across the room. "It's like a rom-com waiting to happen!"
"Dinner's ready," Heath announced from the doorway, his expression stony.
Everyone filed into the dining room, where Heath had set out the main spaghetti, my separate vegetarian portion, salad, and bread. Buck maneuvered to sit beside me, leaving Heath at the opposite end of the table. Throughout the meal, Buck's knee kept "accidentally" brushing against mine, his hand finding excuses to touch my arm or shoulder.
"So, Honey," he said, voice pitched low as the others chatted, "if things don't work out with Heath, I could show you what real hospitality looks like. My place isn't as fancy as McGraw's, but I guarantee the view from my bedroom window would interest you."
I shifted away. "I'm quite happy, thanks."
