Stunned, heart pounding, she lurched from her seat, pacing the room. With trembling fingers, she dialed him back.
It rolled to his voicemail.
Shaking and cold, she stumbled to the couch and called him again.
He didn’t answer.
Frantic, she phoned Sarah. As soon as her friend answered, Dallas, sobbing, spilled the whole story.
When Dallas ran out of words, Sarah said, “Honey, I know you’re heartbroken.”
She wiped her nose with the back of her hand. “I had to be truthful to him. I’m not sorry.” Cash deserved to know.
“No, you did right.”
“Oh, Sarah, what am I going to do?” The devastation reminded her of when Piper’s father walked out on her.
“I don’t have the answer, hon. You have to figure this one out for yourself.”
The fact was there was nothing to figure out. Cash had turned his back on her.
Chapter Fourteen
Cash took his beer and change and stepped away from the bar. The band rocked the house as the bass player riffed madly, nearly piercing Cash’s eardrum. Jesse and Boone had brought him to The Longhorn Saloon in Wichita Falls, hoping to take his mind off his breakup with Dallas. So far, it wasn’t working.
Jesse met him as he approached their table and slung his arm across Cash’s shoulders. “Come on, bud, don’t be a light weight. That’s only your third beer. We’re here to get drunk! At least you and Boone are. I’m driving.”
His friend was right. Cash threw his head back and chugged his entire bottle.
Jesse laughed. “Now that’s more like it. Come on, I have someone I want you to meet.”
Jesse walked ahead of him to the table, calling out, “He needs another beer, Boone,” as they got close.
Boone grinned and slapped Cash’s back on the way to the bar. “I’m on it.”
Jesse looked around. “I’ll be right back.”
Cash shook his head in resignation. Between his two best friends, he had no chance of staying sober tonight. But what the hell? He’d be miserable, sober or drunk, so he may as well drink. He missed Dallas so bad he found it hard to eat or sleep. And work? That was a joke. Seemed all he did was mess things up.
Just then, Jesse showed up, pulling a good-looking, dark-haired woman in his wake. With a flourish, he said, “Tanya, this is my friend, Cash.” He winked. “I’m dating her best friend, so you’d better take good care of her.”
Tanya raised her eyebrows and grinned. “Nice to meet you, Cash. Don’t listen to him. I can take care of myself.”
Damn. Though partying and dancing with other women was part of the plan for the night, now that the time had come, he had no heart for it.
The band started up a two-step. Jesse grabbed a girl and slapped Cash on the back. “Come on, bro, get out there.”
Tanya looked at him with a grin, waiting for him to ask her out on the floor.
Dallas was lost to him. He had to get used to the fact. This was as good a way as any to start. Holding out his hand, he said, “Would you do me the honor, Tanya?”
She was a great dancer. No matter what he asked of her, she spun, turned, and scooted at his bidding. If she were Dallas, he’d have loved dancing with her. As it was, he couldn’t wait for the song to end. It didn’t feel right having another woman in his arms when all he wanted was to hold Dallas tight and kiss her until he drove all thoughts of the other man from her mind.
The music stopped, and he led Tanya from the floor. When they got to the table, he held her hand for a moment longer. “I need to tell you something. Being here tonight is what Boone and Jesse cooked up because I’ve been in a funk lately. I’m sorry, but I don’t feel much like talking or dancing. I don’t want to keep you from having fun. Will you excuse me?”
Her gaze softened. “It’s okay, Cash. I understand.” She headed off down the row of tables.
Jesse and his girl walked by a few seconds later, and he asked, “Where’s Tanya?”
Cash held up his finger. “No more dancing partners. I’m sitting here and drinking in peace, buddy.”
Jesse frowned. “But—”
“No buts. Quit fixing me up.”
Jesse nodded and studied him for a bit. “You got it, bro. Holler when you want another beer.”
Half of his buddies’ solution worked. By the time they headed home, he wasn’t thinking of Dallas. He wasn’t thinking of anything. The next morning, he couldn’t remember leaving the bar, arriving home, or getting into bed. His buddies took care of those things for him.
THE GENTLE CLIP-CLOP of the horse’s hooves lulled Dallas’s jangled senses—a case of nerves caused by this three-day trip with Ethan when her heart ached for Cash. For their first night in New York, Ethan had suggested a carriage ride through Central Park and made dinner reservations at a restaurant in Tribeca.
On the ride to the airport this morning, she told Ethan that Cash broke up with her. Ethan was obviously pleased though sympathetic for her loss. She had to get over it—forget about Cash. Ethan was all she had now. So why wasn’t she ecstatic over this trip to the Big Apple? She just wasn’t trying hard enough. “This is beautiful. I didn’t know the park was so big.”
Pulling her tighter against his side, he said, “The best way to see Central Park is by carriage ride.”
Leaning her head on his shoulder, she reached for that peaceful, secure sensation he always gave her.
He kissed her forehead, resting his cheek against her.
Her chest eased a little as she watched the horse’s rump sway side-to-side in rhythm with the sound of its hooves. Mesmerized, her
