Call Me Irresistible (Wynette, Texas #5)(42)

"I'm not that bad," Ted said.

"Bad enough."

Kenny addressed Spence. "My sister is the only woman in Wynette-probably the entire universe-who's ever told Ted the truth about his lack of ballroom skills. The rest of them bat their eyes and pretend he's Justin Timberlake. Funnier'n hell."

Ted's eyes grazed Meg's, just for an instant, before he turned away and pulled Torie toward the jukebox.

Spence watched them. "Your sister's an unusual woman."

"Tell me about it."

"Her and Ted seem real close."

"Torie's been Ted's best female friend since he was a kid," Kenny said. "I swear, she's the only woman under sixty who's never been in love with him."

"Her husband doesn't mind their friendship?"

"Dex?" Kenny smiled. "No. Dex is pretty self-confident."

Ted seemed to be doing more lecturing than dancing, and when he and Torie returned to the table, he made a point of grabbing an empty chair and seating her as far away from Spence as he could manage. That didn't stop Torie from touting the advantages of Wynette as the perfect location for a golf resort, trying to figure out how much Spence was worth, inviting him to her stepmother's Fourth of July party on Monday, and coercing him into a Saturday afternoon golf match.

Ted looked pained and quickly announced that he and Kenny would join them. Torie glanced at Meg, and the mischievous glimmer in her eyes explained why Ted wanted to keep her far away from Skipjack. "Meg's going to caddy for Ted again, right?"

Ted and Meg both spoke up. "No!"

But Kenny, for some unfathomable reason, decided that was a great idea, and with Spence saying the match wouldn't be half as much fun without Meg, the handwriting was blood-spattered all over the wall.

When Spence disappeared to the men's room, the conversation grew more sober. "Here's what I can't figure out," Torie said to Ted. "Spence's people made it clear last spring that he'd eliminated Wynette and decided on San Antone. Then a month ago, without any warning, he pops up again and says Wynette's back in the running. I'd like to know what happened to change his mind."



       
         
       
        

"The folks in San Antone are as surprised as we are," Ted said. "They thought they had it sewn up."

"Too bad for them." Torie waved at someone across the room. "We need this more than they do."

When it was time to leave, Dallie insisted on dropping Spence off at the inn, which was how Meg ended up alone in Ted's Benz. She waited until they reached the highway before she broke the silence. "You're not having an affair with Kenny's sister."

"I'd better tell her that."

"And you never screwed around on Luce."

"Whatever you say."

"And"- she studied the easy way his hands curled over the steering wheel and wondered if anything ever came hard to this charmed creature-"if you want my continued cooperation with Spence-which I assure you that you do-we need to come to an understanding."

"Who says I need your cooperation?"

"Oh, you need it, all right." She slipped her fingers into her hair. "It's fascinating, isn't it, how impressed Spence is with my father and, by extension, with me? Insulting to my mother, of course, considering how powerful she is in the industry, not to mention being one of the most beautiful women in the world. Still, Spence did mention that he had her poster on his bedroom wall, and he's definitely smitten with me, for whatever twisted reason. That means I've gone from a liability to an asset, and you, my friend, need to work a little harder to please me, starting with those cheapskate tips. Spence gave Mark a hundred dollars today."

"Mark didn't cost Spence three holes and I don't know how many bad shots. But fine. Tomorrow I'll tip you a hundred. Minus fifty dollars for every hole you cost me."

"Minus ten dollars for every hole I cost you, and it's a deal. By the way, I'm not big on diamonds and roses, but an open account at the grocery wouldn't go unappreciated."

He slanted her one of his saintly looks. "I thought you were too proud to take my money."

"Take it, yes. Earn it? Definitely not."

"Spence didn't get where he is by being stupid. I doubt he bought that cockamamie story of your unrequited passion for me."

"He'd better have bought it because I won't let that man paw me again, not for all the golf resorts in the world, and irresistible you is my excuse."

He lifted an eyebrow at her, then turned into the dark, narrow lane that led to her temporary home. "Maybe you should reconsider. He's a decent-looking guy, and he's rich. Frankly, he could be the answer to your prayers."