For the Love of Sin(25)
“You know many of these people well?” Troy asked.
“Not really,” she hedged. “Since I used to live in the area, I might end up seeing someone I knew from back then. But San Pedro’s one of those towns that kids leave as soon as they graduate from high school.”
He shrugged. “I guess Beulah County’s the same way.”
She smiled up at him. “But you stayed.”
“And you came back to San Pedro.”
“True.” Senada sighed. “Not one of my most rational decisions,” she murmured in a low voice. Her gaze swept past the tables of food and the band to the crowd of people. Her stomach knotted.
“Here comes your friend,” Troy said, gesturing toward Chris Grant as he walked in their direction.
“Hello, beautiful,” Chris said, taking Senada’s hands in his. “How come you never dress like this at the bar?”
Senada laughed and shook her head. “Can’t wear heels at work,” she said, completely missing the point. “My feet would declare a mutiny.”
Troy took a slow, careful breath. There was, after all, no rational reason for him to feel possessive. Holding on to a woman like Senada would be like trying to catch the wind.
Chris grinned and swept a half glance over Troy. “You should have told me you needed a ride. I would have been glad to come and get you.”
I’ll just bet.
She backed up a step. “Troy didn’t mind, did you?”
He slipped his arm around her waist. “Not at all. I love taking Senada for a ride.”
Sin rolled her eyes. “You’ve got a lot of guests here tonight. Is the boss going to show?”
Chris’s dispirited gaze clung to Troy’s hand on Senada’s hip. Troy decided it would take an act of God for him to remove it.
Chris adjusted his hat and shrugged. “I think Calhoun’s supposed to make some kind of announcement.”
Calhoun. Troy’s attention snagged on Senada’s last name.
“Is that so?” she asked. “Business or personal?”
“I dunno. He’s being secretive. Listen, you help yourself to the food, and if you need anything, anything at all, you let me know.”
“Thanks,” Troy said, even though he knew Chris hadn’t been talking to him. “We’ll do that.”
As soon as Chris left, he turned to Senada. “Who’s this Calhoun guy?”
“His name’s Rex. Rex Calhoun. I think I’d like to get some food,” she said, and moved toward the tables.
“Any relation to you?” Troy continued, matching his stride to hers.
“Yes.” Her face tightened and she walked faster, clearly unsettled by his questions.
Troy already knew the answers, but he wanted her to tell him. Silly, but there it was.
“You gonna tell me what this is all about?”
Senada stopped midstride, staring toward the house where a middle-aged man and much younger blonde woman walked down the steps together.
Troy narrowed his eyes and repeated the question. “You gonna tell me what this is all about?”
In that split second, her expression went from confident woman to vulnerable little girl and back again. “I think you’ll find out soon enough.”
Chapter Seven
Senada drank in the sight of her father. She was unprepared for the way her heart jerked. Rex looked older, but just as hard as ever. Still big and lean, he walked with the same arrogantly determined stride. Right now, however, he deferred to the woman by his side.
A flood of memories raced through her mind and deeper. As a little girl, she remembered running to hug him when he came home. He would scoop her up in his strong arms and tell her she had the softest cheek in Texas.
She absently touched her cheek with her hand.
He’d always liked teasing her, pretending he’d stolen her nose, making a scary face when she interrupted him while he read the paper. She’d thought he was the strongest, best man in the world. She’d worshipped him.
Until the year her mother died.
A chill passed over her.
“Sin,” Troy said gently, “you want something to eat or drink?”
She blinked and looked at him. “I should get something. Let’s go. The barbecue looks good, doesn’t it?” Automatically filling her plate, she watched her father from the corner of her eye. His arm was around— She took a careful breath because she still couldn’t believe it. His wife. He’d finally remarried. She’d always believed he wouldn’t.
She took one bite of barbecue and drank water. Rex was making the rounds. She wondered what he would say when he saw her. He would recognize her, she thought, and she buried herself in the crowd like a coward. Suddenly she wasn’t sure she was ready for this. Her head started to pound.