“Dammit, Kevin, how I deal with my daughter is none of your business, unless, of course, you and Marianne kept fooling around after she picked me over you and there’s some question about which one of us is Abby’s daddy?”
This time his temper kicked in with a vengeance. Kevin came out from behind his desk so fast, Bobby Ray didn’t have time to get out of his way. Kevin grabbed his cousin’s fancy silk-blend shirt and lifted him off his feet.
“Don’t you ever make a lowdown, rotten comment like that again. Abby’s yours, more’s the pity. But we’re family and she’s my business when you forget all about her and leave her by herself. She’s also my business when you’re hanging onto the support money you’re supposed to be sending for her every month.” He stared deep into his cousin’s eyes. “Are we clear on that?”
“Yes,” Bobby Ray said, barely managing to choke out the word.
“Fine,” Kevin said, letting him drop.
Bobby Ray sank into a chair, rubbing his neck where his collar had cut into it.
“Damn, Kev. You’ve lost your sense of humor entirely. Maybe you ought to take a vacation.”
“I don’t find anything funny in what you suggested. Marianne wasn’t the unfaithful party in your marriage and you damned well know it.”
Bobby Ray winced guiltily. “Okay, you’re right, but not even you can deny she always had the hots for you.”
“Maybe once upon a time, way back. She chose you to marry, though.” He shook his head. “But it was never enough for you, was it? You never believed she made that choice because she loved you.” His gaze narrowed. “Or did you simply choose her to prove you could take her away from me? Was that it, Bobby Ray?”
His cousin turned red at the accusation. Kevin stared at him and wondered why he’d never guessed that before. He’d always assumed it was nothing more than Bobby Ray’s philandering that had come between him and Marianne. How could he have missed the obvious that way? Marrying Marianne had just been another form of payback aimed at Kevin. He wondered how soon after the ceremony Bobby Ray had let Marianne figure that out.
“You lousy son of a bitch,” he said quietly. “How could you do that to her? Or did you even give her a thought?”
Bobby Ray remained stonily silent, which was answer enough. It was also warning enough to Kevin not to bring Gracie’s name into the conversation. If he told his cousin to stay away from her, it would be like waving a red flag under his nose. Bobby Ray could charm the devil, if he put his mind to it. There was no telling what he’d do if he thought Kevin cared about Gracie. Kevin wouldn’t have her caught in the crossfire between them.
“Get out,” he said finally.
“Not just yet,” Bobby Ray said, facing him stubbornly. “I still need that cash.”
“You’ll get it when pigs fly.”
“Blast it, Kevin, that money’s mine.”
“And you’ll get every penny…eventually.”
Bobby Ray looked as if he might explode again, but he reined himself in. “What if I brought the paperwork by so you could check it yourself? It’s a sound business decision, Kev. You’ll see that.”
Recalling what Gracie had told him about giving Bobby Ray the benefit of the doubt once in a while, he nodded reluctantly. “Okay, bring it by.” He met his cousin’s gaze evenly. “Just tell me one thing, though. Why would you want to do business with a man who’s sleeping with your wife?”
Bobby Ray came up out of his chair like a boxer heading for the center of the ring. “Where’d you hear that? It’s a damned lie.”
His quick reaction only confirmed Helen’s report, as far as Kevin was concerned. “Where I heard it’s not important,” Kevin said. “I can see it’s true. Is she worth it?”
His cousin’s expression turned rueful. “Yeah, she is. Isn’t that a kick in the pants? I walked out on Marianne to make a point. Ginny was just a plain, old mistake. Now I’ve finally found a woman I could stay married to and it turns out she’s got a wandering eye.”
“Maybe that’s the fascination. You don’t have a hold on her. She’s a challenge.”
“Could be,” he agreed. “But it feels like love to me and I’m going to fight for her.”
“Is it love or pure cussedness?”
“Could be a little of both,” Bobby Ray conceded without rancor.
“And you think going into business with her lover will help?”
“If I can tie him up designing jewelry to meet the demand on the shopping channel, maybe he won’t have any time left for her,” Bobby Ray explained.
“An interesting strategy,” Kevin agreed. “Risky, though. What if he gets enough money to take her away to some fancy Caribbean island for a quickie divorce?”
“At least I’ll have given it my best shot.” He grinned. “And if he makes that much, then I’ll be rolling in dough myself. I’ve got the deal worked in my favor.”
Kevin actually chuckled at that. “Damn, Bobby Ray, maybe you have some business sense in that thick head of yours after all.”
“Always told you I did,” he said, as he headed for the door. “If I’d stayed in school, I’d be head of a multinational corporation by now, instead of running to you for pocket change all the time. I’ll bring the papers by later today.”
When he was gone, Kevin sighed. He didn’t envy his cousin being so hung up on a woman that he’d let her tie his life into knots. In fact, he couldn’t imagine letting anyone get under his skin like that.
Of course, Gracie MacDougal’s kiss had been mighty tempting. Downright irresistible, in fact. He could see how a thing like that might sneak up on a man. He’d have to be very, very careful how often he indulged himself.
Gracie discovered she liked digging in the dirt. After years of spending her days in prim little suits, neat as a
