Love’s Sweet Revenge(73)

“That it is.” Jake glanced at a confused-looking Katie. “Go dance with your wife,” he told Lloyd. “She looks kind of lost and scared.”

Lloyd nodded to Gretta. “Nice to meet you, ma’am. Thanks for stepping in when you did.” He glanced at Jake again and just shook his head before taking Katie’s arm and urging her away from the table and back to the dance floor.

“Lloyd, I thought that man was going to try to arrest your father,” Katie told him.

“Well, he didn’t.”

“Who’s that woman?”

“I’ll tell you later.”

“Is she—”

“Yes.” Lloyd put his hand to her waist and began turning to the music.

“Kind of hard to stay out of trouble when you’re Jake Harkner, isn’t it?” Gretta asked Jake.

Jake nodded. “Sometimes.” He turned to Randy. “Randy, this is the woman I told you about.”

Randy got up from her chair and touched Gretta’s arm. “Thanks for smoothing things over.”

“Well, Harley Wicks can be a real sonofabitch,” Gretta answered, glancing over to see Wicks talking with the local sheriff. “He likes to act important, but I have a few things on him that I can use sometimes to knock him down a notch or two, know what I mean?”

Randy grinned. “I believe I do.” She grasped Jake’s arm. “And you must be the one who told my husband he reeks of sex.”

Gretta paused and sobered. “He told you?”

“Jake tells me everything.”

“And you aren’t upset?”

“I know Jake all too well. And thank you for helping him pick the right size ring.” She held out her hand, and Gretta studied the ring. She met Randy’s eyes then in a mutual understanding between two women leading very different lives.

“Ma’am, you should know that Jake picked out that ring. He just wanted me to try it on to see how it fit. You shouldn’t think that someone like me chose something so special. It was all Jake.” She glanced up at Jake, who just smiled.

“I told you she was quite a woman, Gretta.”

Gretta met Randy’s eyes again. “Mrs. Harkner, most women in this room turn their backs when I get anywhere near them. They are probably all gossiping about you right now because you’re talking to me.”

“Why shouldn’t I? You warned Jake about Mike Holt, and I appreciate that. And Jake has always had friends among women of your…profession.”

Gretta threw her head back and laughed, turning to grasp the arm of the man who’d accompanied her to the dance. “Sam, meet Mr. and Mrs. Jake Harkner.”

The man nodded to both of them. “It’s a privilege.” He put out his hand, and Jake shook it.

“Sam here kind of manages my place. Kicks out the no-goods.”

Jake studied the huge, burly man. “Well, Sam, you look like someone who could kick out a grizzly if he had to.”

“I do my best to protect the lovely ladies,” Sam answered with a grin that showed a missing eye tooth.

“And Gretta pays you well?” Jake asked.

“Very well,” Sam answered enthusiastically.

Both men laughed, and Jake turned to Gretta. “I’d better take Randy and do some visiting with some of the other cattlemen here.”

“You go right ahead.” Gretta took Sam’s arm. “Let’s dance, Sam. The other women here need something to talk about behind their fancy fans and gloved hands.”

The next hour was spent mixing and mingling. While Jake and Lloyd talked business with other cattlemen, their wives and daughters nearly swarmed around Randy and Katie. Randy ached for Evie, who avoided the gatherings and stayed near Brian. She knew Evie feared how some of them would look at her and wonder what it was like to suffer what she’d suffered.

“Oh, my dear, the things you have been through,” Olivia Draper soothed Randy. Mrs. Draper was the woman who had a flirtatious eye for Jake. “I can’t imagine what it’s like to be married to a man like Jake Harkner.”

“Actually, it’s quite wonderful,” Randy answered proudly. “Jake is a good husband and father, very loving and caring. Oh, and look at the new wedding ring he bought for me!” Randy eagerly showed the ring, enjoying the chagrined look on Olivia’s face.

“Oh my, it’s quite beautiful.”

Several of the other women gathered around to look. “How long have you been married to the man?” one of them asked.

“Thirty years. Actually, this dance is part of our anniversary celebration.”

“Well, you both look so young!” another put in. “You have a beautiful family, Mrs. Harkner. With your newfound fame, you should move to Denver. There are so many social societies you could join, and some feel your husband would make the perfect sheriff for our county. I’ve heard some of the other men say so.”