Page 41 of Home Tears

“Not yet.”

“Maybe. Maybe not.” She leaned forward. “It’s really none of your business. Your job is to make Julia happy. Go. Make her happy.”

“Way she’s going, she’s just going to work herself into a frenzy.”

“Well, you’ll do what you do and you’ll calm her down. That’s your role, right?” She suddenly had no idea why she was even talking to him. There was no reason. “Did you have something to say to me? I came in here to avoid talking to people.”

He didn’t answer. He just looked at her.

She nodded, moving around him. “Go find Julia, Jake.”

The talent contest was done, and others must’ve had the same idea as her. The other barns filled up, and she grew tired of trying to push her way through another to see the poultry. She surrendered and headed for the beer gardens. It wasn’t long before someone spotted her.

“Hey!” Kate waved her arms. “Dani!”

Aiden laughed, then groaned, touching her forehead. “Ooh—I shouldn’t have had those drinks in between the acts.”

“It added entertainment. I liked it.” Bubba curled an arm around his wife.

Kate already had a beer for Dani when she got there. She nudged it across the table. “Drink up! You’re behind! I have the night off. Jake’s on call, so he can’t drink. But I sure can. And after that gig, hell yeah, I’m drinking tonight.” Her gaze trailed beyond Dani’s shoulders, and she snorted.

Jonah was at the entrance, and a toned brunette rubbed against him. Jonah remained still, leaning against the wall as he watched. Her coy smile added in the seduction, but Hawk and another friend seemed to enjoy the show more.

Aiden groaned. “Where do these girls come from?”

As if by some unspoken agreement, all heads turned in Dani’s direction. She knew they were looking at her. She could tell from the corner of her eye, but she couldn’t move. She was frozen, her own eyes glued to a person who pushed his way through the crowd. Four others followed behind, and Dani felt her world shut down.

Her arms started to tremble.

Lori grabbed her hand. “Hey.” She leaned closer, lowering her voice. “You okay?”

“Dani?” Both Aiden and Kate were watching. Their smiles faded, as did everyone else’s. Kate asked, “Dani, what is it?”

Aiden followed Dani’s gaze, but turned back with a frown. “Who is it? Is it Julia again?”

“Worse.” She bit down on her lip, and her mouth dried up. “My ex-fiancé.”

Boone had just walked into her beer gardens.

It wasn’t one of those moments when a person feels the eyes. He didn’t look up like he sensed her presence. He looked up to skim the room, and his gaze passed over her. He crossed the room, heading into the parallel corner of where she sat. The room started to swim, Dani felt like she was being pulled under the surface, but her eyes fell down the length of his arm. He was holding hands with a woman, a redhead. Dani’s lips curled up in a sneer. Boone looked so happy. An empty table opened, and his group quickly nabbed it. The redhead sat beside him and caressed his arm.

Dani needed to look elsewhere. The woman slid her hand to his waist. He sat sideways to where Dani sat. She was getting the whole view. Then the woman’s hand dipped even more south, and that was enough.

Dani shot out of her chair.

Boone. He was here.

She started for them, but rational thinking clicked back in, and she took an abrupt left. She went outside instead.

He was so happy. He was—her chest felt tight—what she wasn’t.

“Hey, wait up.”

Dani ignored Jonah, almost sprinting for her car. Just as her hand grasped the door handle, Jonah grabbed her other arm. He whirled her to him, her back now against the Mustang.

“Whoa.” He caught her face. “Whoa. Whoa.”

She tried to look away. He didn’t allow it. He forced her to look up at him, and what he saw—he cursed. “Hey.” He gentled his tone. “What happened? Tell me. What’s wrong?”

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