Maizy the Bear Charmer(Diving Creek Ranch 16)(101)

They were busy watching the floor dancers when Camilla’s friend waded into the group in his black spandex bikini underwear and announced, “Hello, ladies! I’m Jacob! I heard there’s a bride-to-be among you tonight! Where is she?” He gleefully rubbed his hands together.

Lucy practically erupted from her seat. “Me! Me! Me! She’s me! All me!”

The girls burst into laughter at her eagerness and the dancer laughed with them and drew her out and led her up to the stage. The intro to Maroon 5’s “Harder To Breathe” began and he seated her in a straight-back chair on the stage.

Lucy played along with him as he danced for her, responding to his gyrations with moves of her own. Rather than just sitting there, she engaged with him until he laughed along with her and pulled her out of the chair to groove with him, allowing her to make use of Camilla’s striptease lessons.

Lucy bit her lip when Jacob took her hands and put them on his hips and ripped off his black spandex undies to reveal a white G-string that glowed against his deeply tanned skin. He did indeed have a certifiably gorgeous ass.

Lucy called out to the girls, “I’m ordering some of those undies for Patrick and Beck!”

Maizy was horrified at the mental image of her brother dressed—and undressed—like that. Camilla burst into laughter when she told her as much.

Camilla cheered along with the other girls until the song ended and Jacob returned Lucy to the group. To Camilla, he said, “One of your students, I presume?”

Camilla giggled and nodded. “Almost all of these ladies are. They’ll give you and the guys a run for your money tonight if you let them.”

“How are the bears doing? I’m surprised that they aren’t here guarding you tonight.”

Camilla grinned at Maizy and pulled her close. “Ben and Quinten wanted the bears to come with us but I threatened them with bodily harm if they tried it. They’re at the grooms’ bachelor party tonight at the other club. But this is their girlfriend, Maizy. You remember hearing them talk about their belly dancer, right?”

Jacob’s eyes went round and he said, “Hell, yeah! This is her?” When Camilla nodded, he turned to her and gave her a friendly smile and reached out to take her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Maizy. I’m glad they found you.”

“Uh…” she said, suddenly at a loss for words. She couldn’t believe Camilla had said that. If it got back to the guys…Damn it. “I’m…happy to meet you too, Jacob.”

He gave Camilla a kiss on the top of her head and then winked cheekily at Maizy and kissed her temple before moving through the group and paying attention to all of the girls. Some of the women were shy, barely able to even look at him while others were downright brazen and got up out of their chairs to grind with him. All of it was in good fun.

She wasn’t with the men she wanted, but she was with her friends, and tonight she could smile for a change. It felt good. Tomorrow was soon enough to dwell on what Camilla had told her. Was she willing to give up one dream if it meant gaining the men she loved?





Chapter Twenty-Two




Sunday morning, Spencer pulled up in his truck and parked next to Gertrude the VW Bug in the short row of parking spaces near the entrance to the Memorial Rose Garden. He knew Maizy might be surprised to see him, given that his promise to come today had been made before they’d broken up. If he hadn’t showed, he doubted she’d hold it against him.

He agreed with Heath’s assertion that things were far from over. Regardless of the eventual outcome, he didn’t want what had been growing between them to end. Cody had felt justified, not wanting her to sacrifice a career she’d worked for years to achieve, but Cody could be wrong sometimes. He had acted without giving her a choice, to protect her.

Spencer saw movement down the walkway which was lined with rosebushes and led down to the Divine Creek. After cutting the ignition, he jumped down from the big truck, opened his tailgate, and removed his garden tool bucket. The afternoon heat and humidity hung in the air, which was sweet with the scent of roses. He grinned as he passed under the gigantic yellow Lady Banks rose that was trained on to the wrought iron arched entry and headed in the direction of the workers.

His last foster mother, Jean Goodman, had taught him what he knew about plants and landscaping, and the first antique rosebush she’d helped him grow from a cutting had been a yellow Lady Banks. It was now dominating the side of her little house on the south side of San Antonio.

“Are you here to volunteer, sir?” a softly accented voice asked.

He put down his bucket as he turned to greet the pretty dark-skinned woman who had spoken to him. She smiled at him as he put his hand out to shake hers and he said, “Yes, I’d like to help. Maizy Owen invited me to come today. I’m Spencer Ketchum.”