“Is Mama always so outspoken?” Jesse asked Vinnie, with a smile aimed at Mama.
Vinnie raised his hands, palms up, and shrugged, “We’re Italian, what can I say?”
Jesse held open the door to his truck as Rachel crawled into the back seat and Genie climbed into the front. Closing the door, he walked around to the driver’s seat. Vinnie was already sitting in the back. Jesse slid into the driver’s seat and set the truck in motion.
“Jesse, aren’t you going to tell us where we’re going for our entertainment?” Genie asked.
“Nope, the entertainment was up to me, and I want it to be a surprise.”
They had driven for nearly thirty minutes, and Rachel still had no idea where he was taking them or where she was. Jesse had said it was a surprise, and Rachel had never liked surprises. They had a tendency to make her feel off balance and out of control.
After a half hour of listening to Jesse’s casual southern charm aimed at Genie, Rachel was ready to head home. For some reason, Jesse’s open flirtation with her best friend was getting on her nerves. She gave up all attempts at engaging Vinnie in a conversation. He seemed to be just as intent on eavesdropping on Jesse and Genie’s dialogue. Rachel didn’t mind his interest. She felt no spark of attraction for the handsome Italian. Her tastes ran in the direction of blue-eyed blonds.
All through dinner at the deli, Rachel had felt like the odd woman out. Genie and Jesse fit right in, sharing the banter and conversation as if they were already part of the extended family. Having been an only child, Rachel wasn’t familiar with the way everyone picked on each other. She had a hard time telling whether they were serious or just poking fun.
Dinner at her house, growing up, had been an entirely different affair. Her parents talked quietly about their work and asked her questions about her day at school. Since her school days were anything but exciting, the conversation was short, and she quickly excused herself from the table. She preferred to find the latest book she was reading to escape into a fantasy much more interesting than her life.
Her love of books and learning kept her going through school. But looking back, she realized how much she’d missed by not establishing relationships with her schoolmates. Now, she lacked the ability to socialize naturally.
She could see how Jesse would be more attracted to Genie. With her ability to talk about everything or nothing and make it all sound interesting, Genie was much more lively. She had lived and done exciting things, whereas Rachel had only read about them. She had lived her young life vicariously through experiences she had only read about. How could she share those experiences when they weren’t even hers to share?
Rachel sat back against her seat and stared out the window, watching the sides of the road illuminated by the headlights. Maybe Genie was right. Maybe she should get a life. Maybe the baby idea was only part of it. Thinking back on her upbringing, Rachel wondered whether she really had what it took to raise a child. It wasn’t just the loving and caring, it was sharing experiences and spreading your wings, willing yourself to take a chance and encouraging that in your child.
Finally, the pickup slowed and turned off the country highway and into a gravel parking lot in front of what looked like a large old barn. If there had ever been paint on the barn, it was long gone, and the boards were gray and weathered. The roof was rusting tin, with a patchwork of shinier pieces here and there, from past repairs. On the side of the barn facing the road, was a large faded sign announcing KENDALIA DANCE HALL.
Jesse climbed out of the pickup and came around to open the passenger doors to let the ladies out. As he handed Genie then Rachel out of the truck, Rachel heard the loud and lively music blasting from inside the barn.
Genie looked at him questioningly. “How on earth did you find this place?”
He laughed and draped an arm around her shoulders. “Let’s just say I stumbled onto this place in my wilder days.”
Rachel hesitated as the group moved toward the door. Vinnie grabbed her elbow and started to usher her toward the entrance, past a long line of Harley Davidson Motorcycles.
“Jesse, are you sure it’s safe?” Rachel hesitated to move around the bikes as if the inanimate objects were poised to attack.
Pulling the screen door open, he smiled back at her reassuringly. “Yes, I’m sure it is. The folks that come here even bring their families.”
As soon as she stepped through the door, she felt like she’d stepped onto another planet. A very loud and lively planet.
What appeared to be a biker sat at a small, wobbly table next to the door.
As Jesse paid the cover charge, Rachel eyed the man curiously.
He wore black leather from the neck down, including a spiked collar around his massive neck. A Grateful Dead T-shirt peeked out from beneath his leather jacket, and his long stringy gray hair curled below the red bandana tied around the top of his head. The lower half of his face was covered in a grizzled gray beard
The biker’s beard parted in a smile revealing a bright gold tooth. “Hey, Jesse, long time no see, dude.”
Rachel frowned.
The biker knew Jesse.
Just how much did she know about this man who owned his own chain of ranch supply stores? Determined to keep him at a professional distance, she’d refused to satisfy her curiosity. Yeah, he was sexy as hell, but beyond that, what else did she know about the man?
Since the evening began, she’d learned more about him than she wanted to know. And what she’d learned wasn’t helping in her effort to keep the man at arm’s length.
He was from a big family—something Rachel had only ever dreamed of. He knew where to go for a casual night out with friends, and he was more chivalrous than any man she’d ever met.
Rachel glanced at Jesse’s hand on Genie’s arm as he leaned into her in a protective way.
Vinnie cupped Rachel’s elbow and stood beside her as Jesse greeted his biker friend.
Despite her vow to keep her clients on a professional level, Rachel had the odd feeling she was with the wrong man.
7
Jesse and the biker clasped hands in what Rachel assumed was a friendly greeting. As the handshake continued, both men strained and leaned into their clasped hands, their smiles turning into grimaces.
“Nice to see you too, Bubba,” Jesse gritted out the words, and finally yanked his hand from the big man’s clutches.
Bubba laughed and pounded Jesse on the back.
Wincing, Rachel backed up a step, afraid he would pound her with equal force and send her sprawling across the room.
“Who’ve you got with you?” Bubba asked.
“Bubba, this is Genie O’Connor, and my friends Rachel Taylor and Vinnie Fetachelli,” Jesse shouted over the music. “Everyone, this is Hubert Rausch, but everybody calls him Bubba.”
Bubba shook Vinnie’s hand then Genie’s.
Rachel waited for them to grimace or cry out in pain. When it came her turn, she timidly offered her hand in greeting, fearing the bone-crunching squeeze she’d witnessed a moment before when he’d shaken hands with Jesse. The big man’s hand engulfed her own, and he shook it gently.
Relieved, Rachel raised her voice over the music, “It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. Rausch.”
“The pleasure’s mine, ma’am. Hey, y’all are in for some foot-stomping entertainment tonight. We got the Swamp Rats, all the way from the Louisiana bayous.”