Shoulda Been a Cowboy Page 2

  “They really play that?”

  “If Keely’s in charge we do.”

  Domini beamed a totally fake smile at India. “Better?”

  “Uh-huh. Just keep it up.”

  “Who are you guys conspiring against?” Macie demanded.

  “No one. Just having a rip roarin’ good ’ol time,” India answered.

  Domini’s toothy grin widened and she gave Macie two thumbs up.

  “I don’t care what you two are up to. This is fun.” Macie downed her drink. “It’s been ages since I’ve been out with adults.”

  “In a place without placemats to color on and balloons bobbing everywhere,” Channing added.

  “Oh pooh, you guys wouldn’t have it any other way,” Keely inserted. “Am I right?” She elbowed AJ, who’d just knocked back another shot.

  “Totally. I love my guys, but I forced myself not to skip out the door because I was so looking forward to this girl’s night. Damn this is good. What is it?”

  “A cherry bomb. Blake got me hooked on them over at the Rusty Spur.”

  “Does Blake like living in Nebraska?” Doc Monroe asked Keely.

  “Yep. He’s bought into his buddy’s bar. He’s head over heels in love with Willow. She’s a real firecracker. When he returned to load up his stuff, I’ve never seen him more…content. He deserves it.”

  “Amen,” Ramona West said, lifting her glass.

  Keely ordered another round in Blake’s honor and insisted everyone but India drink up.

  Everyone bowed to Keely’s will. Keely McKay was a force to be reckoned with, a whirlwind of fun, a woman who seized life by the balls and did whatever struck her fancy. Not for the first time Domini wished she could be more like Keely. Freer. Looser. Bolder. Willing to go after what she wanted.

  Willing to go after Cam.

  Right. Like that’d ever happen. Domini had overcome many things in her life; unfortunately, shyness wasn’t one of them.

  Someone cranked the music. They all got up and danced, the booze and the laughter flowed freely as they cut loose. But even a semi-private room didn’t stop every cowboy in the place from sauntering over to flirt with Keely, who flirted right back. Easily. With complete confidence. Domini could hate her if she wasn’t so much fun.

  When Keely tucked away yet another hot cowboy’s phone number into her jeans pocket, Chassie said, “You’re so bad.”

  The bad girl batted her eyelashes. “Why, whatever do you mean?”

  “How many men do you have on a string right now?”

  “That’s rich, coming from a woman who lives with two guys,” Keely shot back.

  “Ooh. Ouch,” Ramona said with a wince.

  Chassie bumped Keely with her shoulder. “I’m living with three guys if you count my sweet baby Westin. He’s at such a cute stage right now. Trev and Ed are always—”

  “Can it, Chass. No baby talk tonight. Remember?”

  “Fine. But most of us here do have babies.”

  “What about you, Jessie?” Skylar asked. “You and Luke talked about kids?”

  Jessie shrugged. “Off and on. We’re ‘off’ right now. We’ve got some really cute baby llamas. You should bring the girls over to see them.”

  “Llamas?” Domini repeated.

  “Jessie was the saving grace for the llamas Chase won in some rodeo last fall. He dumped them off with his folks and expected Charlie and Vi to take care of them.” Libby pointed with her beer bottle. “Good thing your father-in-law didn’t get his way. Quinn said he was pissed you kept them.”

  “Casper is always pissed off at me about something I’ve done. Or not done.” She frowned, dipping her head toward her drink so her hair obscured her face.

  As the time and drinks passed, Domini couldn’t remember when she’d had such a blast. Even India, who rarely set foot in a bar/supper club, was still hanging out two hours later.

  Domini heard her name and broke her conversation with Jessie to focus on Skylar and India.

  “Even if you are my sister, and I love your offbeat sense of humor, you can be mean.”

  “When am I ever mean?” India demanded.

  “What you did to Kade was mean,” Skylar chided. “Kade actually told people that Domini was a refugee because she was kicked out of Bosnia for political persecution.”

  “But Kade embellished it, claiming she barely spoke English, so any shit he got for sharing misinformation was well deserved,” India retorted. “And people around here don’t know the difference between Bosnia, the Ukraine and Timbuktu. A foreigner is a foreigner.”

  How true that was. Because Domini had shared a house with her friend Nadia, who’d emigrated from Bosnia, everyone assumed they were from the same country. Everyone except for Cam. Cam had pegged Domini’s accent and country of origin right away. Not that it meant anything.

  “Kade wasn’t the only one India pranked. She told Lettie from the Golden Boot that Domini was a dethroned Russian princess and to never say the word vodka in front of her or she’d burst into tears and go on a bloody rampage.”

  Domini smiled. That’d been a good one. In fact, that’s why Cam had taken to calling her princess—a nickname that’d stuck even after he’d ferreted out the truth.

  “That wasn’t as bad as what she told Dewey.” Macie leaned forward. “India swore Domini was a former Soviet spy posing as a chef. And she was in Wyoming hiding from her checkered, murderous past with the Russian mob.”

  India snorted. “Come on, can you blame me? People were gossiping about her. I just made the gossip more…colorful. I added a virtual tattoo to her, if you will.”

  Skylar groaned. “Does everybody have to be tattooed in your world?”

  “Yep. It makes the world so much more colorful.”

  “Has anybody ever guessed the truth?” Jessie asked. “Or does everyone believe you’re a deposed Russian princess who used to be a knife-wielding Soviet spy and who was kicked out of Bosnia?”

  Domini squirmed at their curious looks and being the rare center of attention. “If they ask I tell them I immigrated to the U.S. from the Ukraine with a church group when I was eighteen, which is the boring truth. So that’s why I didn’t mind when India created a more dynamic…virtual tattoo for me.”

  “At least I didn’t make up a tale about your past as a hot Ukrainian mail-order bride,” India said.

  Dr. Monroe’s pager went off and she bailed. Then Jessie turned milk pale when a group of women blustered into the restaurant and insisted on departing immediately. Skylar begged off since she had the longest drive. Libby was the next to take her leave.

  Keely sighed. “Looks like things are winding down. Maybe I should take—” she dug in her pocket for the folded piece of paper, “—Davis up on his offer of a midnight rendezvous. It really sucks goin’ home alone.”

  “Tell me about it,” Ramona said. “Although, I imagine I go home alone way more nights than you do, little cousin.”

  “You’d be surprised if you knew how untrue that statement was in the last two years,” Keely said softly. “Especially since I don’t have a place of my own to go home to when I’m in Sundance. I’m pretty sure Dad would disembowel any man he found me havin’ wild monkey sex with in my bedroom.”

  “I beat you both,” Domini said. “I haven’t gone home with any man since I moved to Sundance and I’ve never had wild monkey sex.”

  Silence.

  Shoot. Maybe she should’ve kept her mouth shut.

  Keely’s brooding expression vanished. “So nothin’s goin’ on between you and Cam? Not even a fuck buddy type thing?”

  “Keely!” Macie said.

  “Ignore her.” AJ added, “We all do.”

  “No, Domini, I’m serious. Whenever I’m in the diner with Cam, he can’t keep his eyes off you. And you do some serious staring and stammering of your own. So what gives?” She paused thoughtfully. “Does his handicap bother you?”

  “Keely!” that protest came from Channing.

  But Kee
ly ignored her sister-in-law, focusing intently on Domini. “Don’t you think he’s a little bit attractive?”

  Domini nodded.

  “So what’s the problem?”

  “Why don’t you ask him?” Domini said evenly.

  The air went still.

  “Get out. Big, bad, bold, take charge Cam…?”

  “Runs as hot and cold as the broken pie case when it comes to our comrade Domini,” Macie said wryly.

  Keely rolled her eyes. “I hoped I’d have a least one brother who wasn’t a complete bonehead when it came to women.”

  Channing, Macie, AJ and India pelted Keely with snack mix and booed her.

  “What happened with Cam that he’s shied away from you? ’Cause, honey, you’re gorgeous. And sweet. Plus, you have that sexy, mysterious accent. Hell, you can even cook. You’re like, perfect for him.”

  “Keely, leave Domini alone,” India warned.

  But Keely was undeterred. “If you’re not interested in the down and dirty details, Indy, maybe you oughta conjure an I-just-got-laid virtual tattoo for her,” Keely retorted. “However, I wanna know why she and Cam aren’t knocking combat boots.”

  There was no way Domini was avoiding this conversation. Maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing. Despite her embarrassment, she told them how Cam had backtracked after he’d kissed her, apologized and never approached her again.

  Another bout of silence lasted a minute and then they all chattered at once.

  “Cam’s got it bad for sure,” Chassie said.

  “Uh-huh. No wonder he’s always working out. Working off all that sexual frustration,” AJ said.

  Ginger Paulson cocked her head. “Is that why Cam passed off the cooking lessons he won from you to Buck and Hayden? Because he—”

  “—cringes at the thought of being alone with me?”

  “Or a better explanation is he’s scared he won’t be able to keep his hands off you if you’re alone together,” Ginger countered.

  Keely squinted at India. “Has Cam said anything to Colt about this thing with Domini?”

  “Are you kidding? Guy talk is sacred. Colt wouldn’t tell me anything, especially when it comes to divulging details about his precious little wounded hero brother, Cameron.”

  AJ nodded. “Cam isn’t talking to Cord about anything either.”

  “Or to Colby,” Channing added.

  Wow. Maybe Cam’s rejection had nothing to do with her. Sounds like he steered clear of his family too, which made no sense because his family was great.

  “Put Carter on the ‘no talking’ list. However, I’m impressed you’ve managed to stay professional around him at the diner, Domini,” Macie said.

  “Real professional. I want to jump that man every single time he walks through the door,” Domini muttered.

  Ramona grinned. “So do it. Grab him by the hand, drag him upstairs and force him to finish what he started.”

  “You know, that’s not a bad idea,” Keely mused. “You’re a modern woman. Take control.”

  Domini understood what these helpful, experienced ladies were saying…in theory. But the truth was, she needed Cam to take charge. That’s what had attracted her to him from the start. His bold, bossy nature.

  Advice was bantered about. Keely angled forward and spoke very softly just to Domini. “I’ll bet a million bucks you both want the same thing. Cam is staying away from you in some misguided attempt to protect you—probably from himself. Tell him what you need, Domini, and he’ll move heaven and earth to give it to you.”

  “And if he doesn’t believe me?” Or want me?

  “That’s where actions speak louder than words. Never ever underestimate the power of getting naked. Get him alone, strip to nothin’ but skin, and I guarantee he won’t look away, let alone walk away.” Keely scowled at someone over Domini’s shoulder. “Is Cam on duty tonight?”

  “Uh-huh. Why?”

  “No reason.” Keely pointed to Domini’s empty glass. “You ready for another drink? Something with more kick to it?”

  Bizarre conversational change, but then again, it was typical Keely behavior, so Domini went with it. “Umm. Sure.”

  “Cool. What the hell happened to our waitress?”

  “I wondered the same thing, K,” Ramona said.

  “No worries. I’ll be right back.” Keely popped up and exited into the main part of the bar.

  While she was gone, the ladies dispensed more detailed advice on how to handle Cam. Some of the raunchier suggestions made Domini blush, but were very intriguing. Mostly because these seemingly mild-mannered mothers were obviously very sexually satisfied with their McKay men. Hard not to be even more jealous of them.

  Keely returned with a pack of unfriendly women on her bootheels. She slid the tray on the table and faced the gatecrashers.

  Ramona hopped up in a show of support. “What the fuck are they doing here?”

  “Grazing,” Keely said.

  “So this is where the skank meeting is,” a chubby blonde sneered.

  “We saved a seat for you, Amanda, but damn, I don’t think your fat ass will fit in the chair,” Keely shot back.

  India coughed to cover a laugh.

  “You could always get on your knees,” Ramona suggested, “since we all know that’s a natural position for you.”

  “Fuck you, Ramona. Your mouth has always been bigger than your brain,” another woman snapped.

  “You think I’m all talk, Margo? Try me.”

  Holy cow. Domini had never seen a real live bar fight, let alone seen women in a bar fight.

  The sneering blonde—Amanda—crossed her arms over her chest. “I’d still break you like a twig. I’ll spare you the pain and humiliation in front of your friends.”

  “Generous of you. But you’re a fucking idiot if you think I’m scared of you now. I no longer play nice because God and Mommy say I have to.”

  Domini swallowed a laugh. Man. She’d lived that statement.

  Amanda shuffled closer. “Bring it. I owe you serious payback anyway.”

  “Payback for what?” Ramona asked innocently.

  “Don’t pretend you’ve forgotten, after you rubbed it in my face for months afterward.”

  Ramona shrugged. “It’s pretty sad that you haven’t gotten over it by now. Old news, Amanda.”

  “Gotten over what?” Ginger asked.

  “Me and Ramona banged their boyfriends a couple years back,” Keely said. “Some people hold a grudge.”

  “Ryan and me were practically engaged!” Margo shrieked.

  “Not according to him. Besides, it’s not my problem your lover boy couldn’t keep his little winky in his pants,” Ramona cooed.

  Amanda’s upper lip curled with disgust. “Sluts.”

  Keely and Ramona exchanged a look and laughed. “Was that supposed to be an insult?”

  “Only a McKay would take that as a compliment,” Margo said. “Everyone in the entire state knows a McKay or West will fuck anything that walks.”

  “Except for you, apparently,” Keely retorted. “How many of my brothers and cousins have you propositioned? And how many turned you down flat? All of them.”

  “Not all.” Margo smiled nastily. “Apparently you haven’t been talking to Luke lately. Where is sweet little Jessie? Did she run on home? Does she even know where her husband is?”

  The group of women behind the two in the front guffawed.

  Keely’s stance changed, as did her demeanor—to absolute fury. “Get the fuck out of my sight, Margo, or I will beat you bloody.”

  “Oh, I don’t know. The odds look pretty good.” Margo’s gaze swept the women seated around the table. “None of your other ‘friends’ have jumped in to save your smart mouth from getting your dumb butt kicked.”

  “That’s because Keely knows we have her back,” AJ said, and stood up on the other side of Keely.

  Amanda’s eyes widened with recognition. “Amy Jo Foster. Still a McKay hanger-on I see. How pathetic.”

/>   Chassie pushed to her feet. “No one here gives a shit about your opinions, so crawl back to the swamp you slithered out of.”

  “So the little squaw is allowed to speak?” Margo tsk-tsked. “But I see they’re still makin’ you sit at the back of the table.”

  Domini caught Chassie as she lunged at Margo.

  More laughter.

  “Why don’t you load up your freakshow friends—” Margo jerked her head toward India, “—and get the hell out of here.”

  Keely didn’t budge. “Make me.”

  “Remember you said that when you’re cryin’ for your mama, McKay.”

  No one moved.

  This was going to get ugly.

  “Afraid to take the first swing?” Margo taunted.

  Casually, Ginger said, “Keely? Can I offer a suggestion?”

  “Sure.”

  “Kick her ass. I’ll bail you out.”

  All hell broke loose.

  Keely lunged for Margo; Ramona charged Amanda. Chairs were kicked aside. Tables fell over. Drink glasses and beer bottles crashed to the floor. Shrieks, grunts, sounds of flesh hitting flesh, cries and curses bounced off the concrete walls.

  AJ, Chassie, and India yelled encouragement to Keely, while Domini, Channing, and Macie closed off the circle, keeping Margo’s friends from joining the fray.

  Someone pushed Domini from behind. She turned and got a fist to the jaw. Rather than turning the other cheek, she slammed her hands on the woman’s shoulders and sent her flying with a terse, “Don’t touch me.”

  Macie said, “Whoa. You okay?”

  “Yeah.” Domini touched the spot and winced. “Maybe.”

  The fight didn’t last long. The noise brought staff running from the restaurant to break it up.

  But not before Keely McKay beat the living crap out of Margo. Margo’s hair stuck up every which way. Her shirt was ripped. Her mouth was bleeding. She’d curled into a ball on the floor. And she was crying, not Keely.

  Ramona had pinned Amanda’s arms behind her back. Some man separated them and immediately herded Ramona through the wall of people between the two warring groups.

  When Keely wobbled backward, her head smacked into Domini’s jaw and Domini sucked in a surprised breath. Holy crap that hurt.