Protector - Laurel Dewey [155]
“What do you think?”
Emily stood up, smoothing her jeans. “Just make sure you don’t bump into Dan too hard when you’re dancing with him. The gun might leave a dent on him!”
The two of them strode through the park just as the sun set behind Strong’s Mesa. Jane kept Emily close at hand as they wound around the throngs of people and made their way toward the sound of the country band that was playing “We’re From the Country” inside the large center tent. After paying the entry fee, Jane lead Emily through the crowd until they found two folding chairs near the side of the makeshift, wooden dance floor. Couples of all ages two-stepped and scuffed their boots across the floor. In the far corner, Emily saw Heather and her friends doing their robotic line dancing turns and shuffles to the music. Kathy hovered nearby the girls, taking nonstop flash photographs.
Jane and Emily walked over to a long table filled with homemade brownies, cookies and tubs of red punch. The band wound up their song with a striking fiddle chord as the crowd hooted and applauded. Jane bought two glasses of punch and a brownie and retreated to a pair of folding chairs against the wall.
A road weary, middle-aged cowboy crossed over to Jane, holding out his hand. “May I have the next dance?” he asked, a wad of tobacco wedged firmly in his cheek.
“I’m not in the mood right now, thanks!” Jane replied.
“I’m the best two-stepper in town!” he said, licking his lips and blinking rapidly.
Jane was quickly tiring of the guy’s incessant advances. “No, thank you!”
The guy reluctantly moved on to his next conquest. Emily, who hadn’t missed one word or flicker of an eye, leaned over to Jane and spoke into her ear. “I don’t think he can dance as well as he said he could. Did you notice his face?”
“I certainly did!” Jane regarded Emily with a sense of pride, realizing that her protégé was quickly catching on to the veiled signs of deceit.
The band swelled into another toe-tapping country tune as Dan approached them. “Glad you two girls could make it!” he said, a broad smile filling his face. “We got ourselves a good band this year!” Dan turned to Emily. “Hey, darlin’, would you mind gettin’ me a punch?” He passed her a five dollar bill. “You keep the change!”
Emily’s eyes lit up as she raced toward the food table.
Dan turned to Jane, his voice becoming serious. “I did what you asked regardin’ Sheriff George.”
“How’d it go?”
“Okay, I guess. At least for now, I think some of the heat’s off.”
“Thank you.”
“I can’t guarantee how much time I bought you.”
“That’s okay, Dan. We’re not gonna be here forever.”
Dan’s face fell somber. “I thought you were gonna try and make a home here.”
Jane suddenly realized that Dan had feelings for her. “No. I’m sorry if I gave you that impression.”
“Where are you headed after this?”
“I don’t know.” Jane looked over at Emily standing at the beverage table. “We have family in Cheyenne,” she said, thinking quickly. “That’s probably the next stop.”
“Cheyenne, Wyoming? Aw, we got lots more to offer you right here! We got a good climate, excellent schools, small town livin’ and we’re just thirty minutes from a Super Wal-Mart!”
“You oughta work for the Peachville Chamber.”
There was an awkward moment between the two of them that was broken when Emily reappeared with the punch. “There you go!” Emily handed the cup to Dan.
“Thank you, ma’am!”
Emily looked over to the dance floor where Heather and her friends were pounding out their moves. Emily yelled above the loud music. “It’s just not right!”
“What’s not right?” Jane asked.
“You and I are ten times better than they are!”
“We’re a couple, Patty. Not a line!”
“How many does it take to make a line?” Emily asked.
“More than two!” Jane announced.
Emily looked up at Dan and tugged on his shirtsleeve. “Are you a fast learner on the dance floor?”
“Well, yes, ma’am!” Dan said proudly.
The band brought the song to a pounding end. Without missing a beat, they launched into a cover of the Dixie Chicks’ “Some Days You