Redneck Romeo (Rough Riders 15)

“I figured maybe you and me oughta talk beforehand.”

It appeared she might slam the door in his face, but she grudgingly said, “You’re probably right.”

“Thanks.” He stepped inside. As in most ranch houses, the door opened into the living room. He paused and wiped his boots.

“I’m in the kitchen putting everything together for tonight,” she tossed over her shoulder and disappeared around the corner.

Once he’d settled at the kitchen table, he got his first solid look at Addie. She didn’t look much different except for her pregnancy. He smiled. “Smells wonderful in here.”

“Nothin’ fancy, I assure you. I’m too tired lately to do more than throw food together.”

“You look great, Addie. When’s the baby due?”

“Two months. We’re having a little boy.” She rubbed her belly, as so many pregnant women did. “Would you like something to drink?”

“A glass of water would be great.”

Addie filled a glass and sat across from him.

“Thanks.” He wet his dry throat.

An uncomfortable pause lingered.

There was no way to ease into this, so he jumped in. “I’m truly sorry for the crap you had to deal with after I didn’t go through with the wedding.”

She folded her arms over her chest, her brown eyes unreadable. “I had no choice but to deal with it since you skipped town.”

“Skipped town, chased out of town…big difference. Although I was a brawler back then, my body couldn’t take any more punishment from people who beat the shit outta me on your behalf.”

Her face paled. “What happened?”

“Your family, your coworkers, your current husband,” he said dryly, “all took turns whaling on me.”

“Dalton. Are you serious?”

He gave her a suspicious look. “No one bragged about it? No one told you they had your back and they’d taken care of me?”

“No! My god. I had no idea.”

“I admit I didn’t fight back because I probably deserved it. Except for the scuffle with Truman. I hobbled around for two days after he finished with me.”

“Is that why you left Sundance?”

“Partially. I knew it’d be a while before I wasn’t the object of scorn. But there was other stuff goin’ on that pushed me that direction.” He slid his glass back and forth on the quilted placemat. “There was a lot of stuff that we never discussed, Addie.”

“I know that now. At the time, I didn’t wanna sweat those small details. I thought we’d deal with them after the wedding. For about two months after you left, my mind kept going back to those months we were engaged. Trying to find warning signs I missed.”

Dalton met her gaze. “What did you think you missed? Because I had every intention of marrying you that day. Up until the…” Moment I looked across the altar and really saw Rory.

“Moment you realized you were about to say vows that were a lie,” she said softly.

He nodded.

“The signs were there. You had no interest in wedding planning—I chalked it up to being a guy thing. You hadn’t moved a single item from your trailer into my house. In fact, you never brought up the difficulties of living in town when all your family members live and work on the ranch.”

His brothers hadn’t brought it up either, another reminder how out of touch they’d all been.

“Why were we both eager to pledge ourselves to each other?” Addie shifted in her seat. “When I think back to our engagement? I didn’t know you at all.”

“I had a moment of doubt at our rehearsal dinner when the minister started askin’ me that list of your favorites. I got one right, your favorite movie, only because we spent a lot of time watching TV.”

“I was equally shocked when I got so many of your favorites wrong.”

Dalton would never admit Addie had gotten most of his favorite things right, but because he’d sucked at naming her favorites, he’d lied just so she looked as clueless as him.

You were some prize.

“It’s not like we had any excuses not to know each other better. We dated for three months and were engaged for six.” She fiddled with the ruffled placement edging. “What I can’t figure out? Why did you propose to me in the first place?”

“Because you said you loved me.”

Her mouth dropped open.

“And you were sincere. You were too good for me, Addie.” That had appealed to him. Marrying Addie might make him a better man. He’d known for months prior to their engagement things in his life needed to change. He believed Addie was the catalyst. And she had been—just not in the way either of them expected.

“Is that why you suggested we wait until our wedding night to have sex?”

Dalton blushed. “Most likely. Although I’d convinced myself that’s what you wanted. In hindsight, I attributed a lot of feelings and ideas to you that weren’t there.”

“You got that right.” She leaned forward. “A little secret between you and me? I didn’t tell Truman that you and I never had sex. In fact…” She laughed. “Exactly the opposite. I told him you were an animal in bed and no man could ever compare.”

Now his jaw nearly hit the table. “Addie! Why in the hell would you do that?”

“What? You owed me that lie, given your reputation as a McKay stud that I didn’t get to experience.” She smirked. “Besides, Truman got it in his head that he needed to be a lover to me that’d make me forget all others and whoo-ee. It’s worked. I’m always walking around with a big ol’ smile on my face.” She shook her finger at him. “So don’t you ruin my sweet gig and offer some kind of confession to my husband tonight, got it?”

“Got it.”

“That said, I cursed your name for months after you left, Dalton McKay. But as time marched on, I realized you were right to call off the wedding. I wish you’d done it before the ceremony. Getting left at the altar ranks as one of the worst things that’s happened to me, yet it also led to the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” She smiled. “Truman.”

“I’m glad that you’re so happy, Addie. I really am. Although, I gotta admit I never would’ve put you and Truman together.”

“He’s no McKay bad boy, that’s for sure. Then again, neither were you when we were together.”