Man From Montana. Brenda Mott

with ol’ Fart-Bart earlier had stared at him when he’d tipped his chair. God, he’d wanted to die right then and there, humiliated. And that made him furious. It seemed to be the only way girls ever looked at him—with pity or morbid curiosity.

      Nope. He’d never be like his dad.

      And he’d be damned if he’d ever let anyone know how much that bothered him.

      CHAPTER FOUR

      DERRICK FINISHED his first set and announced a break to the audience. He shrugged out of his guitar strap, and carefully leaned the Gibson on a stand. He hadn’t missed the way Kara had focused on him as he sang.

      With a cloth, he wiped the sweat from his forehead. Two women were sitting at the table with her and Connor. The blonde looked familiar, and he’d possibly seen the dark-haired one here once or twice as well. Hannah Williamson had arrived earlier but must’ve left already.

      Feeling a natural high that stemmed from his music, Derrick headed their way, bottled water in hand. The atmosphere of the Silver Spur surrounded him like an old friend.

      “Still here, I see.” He grinned and pulled out a chair between Kara and Connor.

      “Of course,” she said. “Your band’s great.”

      “So we didn’t run you off, then?”

      “Are you kidding?” said the blond woman. “You guys ought to be in Nashville.”

      Derrick laughed. “I don’t know about that.” He took a swig of water just as Dr. Williamson rejoined the group, coming from the direction of the ladies room. She was his vet’s partner and sometimes took care of Taz.

      “Well, hello, Derrick,” she said.

      “How’s it going?”

      “Ah, you know Hannah,” Kara said, over the noise of the jukebox. “This is Danita Sanchez and Beth Murphy.”

      “Looks like you’re in good company, son,” Derrick said, after nodding a greeting to the others.

      Connor blushed.

      “I’d say we’re the ones in good company,” Kara said. “As a matter of fact, I was just about to ask Connor to dance.”

      “Yeah, right,” the boy muttered.

      “Come on. Please?”

      Connor started to protest more, but Kara overrode him. “No excuses. I’m dying to take a spin on the floor, but I’m sort of rusty.” She stood and held out her hand. “You’ll have to go slow.”

      “Like that’ll be a problem.” Connor wheeled his chair onto the dance floor with as much enthusiasm as an acrophobic who’d been invited to go base jumping.

      Fascinated, Derrick kept his gaze locked on Kara. A Lee Ann Womack song about choosing to dance through life played on the jukebox, and Kara leaned over Connor’s wheelchair, one hand on his right shoulder, and whispered in his ear. With the other, she took hold of the chair’s armrest. Looking sheepish, Connor laced one arm through hers in a way that enabled him to still maneuver the wheelchair.

      Kara stepped and twisted slowly to the music, helping Connor spin the chair, guiding it in a circle. Moving with the beat, she stepped forward, then back, keeping Connor beside her at all times in their own modified version of a two-step. To Derrick’s delight, Connor said something that made her laugh.

      I’ll be damned.

      It was the first time in—how long?—since he’d seen Connor enjoying himself.

      “Pretty good, huh?” Danita said into Derrick’s ear.

      “Yeah.” He wasn’t sure if she meant Kara or Connor. Either way, he was impressed.

      “Come on,” Hannah said. “Let’s join them.” She grabbed Derrick’s hand and tugged him out onto the floor.

      He slipped one hand into hers and put the other on her waist, taking the lead. He made sure to keep enough distance from Kara and Connor so as not to embarrass his son. God forbid.

      But he was so proud of Connor. Thank you, Kara.

      As the song ended, a rancher he knew cut in. Derrick handed Hannah over and tipped his hat, before going to sit down again. Beth and Danita had ordered another round of soft drinks.

      A moment later, Kara accompanied Connor back to the table. She gave him a quick bow.

      “Thanks, kiddo. You’re the best dance partner I’ve had in a long time.”

      “Yeah, sure,” Connor said. He took a sip of his Coke, hiding his pleasure. “Hey, how about you, Dad?”

      “Naw, I don’t want to dance with you.”

      Connor threw a straw at him. “Dork.”

      “Excuse me, ma’am.” A tall, blond cowboy wearing a pair of tight Wranglers and a belt buckle big enough to kill two ducks with one swing tipped his hat to Kara. “Would you care to dance?”

      Derrick glared at the guy. To his surprise, Kara shook her head.

      “Thanks, anyway,” she said. “But I’m taking a breather.”

      “No problem.” The guy turned to Beth. “How about you, pretty lady?”

      “Sloppy seconds, huh?”

      The man’s face reddened. “No, ma’am, I—”

      “I’m kidding,” Beth said, standing. “Let’s go, cowboy.”

      The guy whirled her out onto the floor. Derrick wished he could have a few minutes alone with Kara, to thank her. “You’re a mighty fine dancer,” he said, hoping his eyes communicated his gratitude.

      “Why, thank you.” Her smile said she got it.

      Derrick glanced at his watch. Less than ten minutes left of his break. Before he could ask her to dance, the jukebox rang out a popular line dancing song, and Danita grabbed Kara by the hand.

      “Come on. You’re not sitting this one out. You, too, Hannah.”

      Kara gave him a “What’s a girl to do?” shrug.

      “You can join us, Derrick,” Danita said.

      “Naw, thanks. I’ve gotta get ready to go back on stage shortly.”

      He watched as Kara moved out onto the floor, her hands tucked against her trim waist. He couldn’t take his eyes off her as she wriggled her cute butt in time to the music. He’d never much cared for line dancing, but maybe there was something to it after all. Kara looked sexy in her jeans, western-cut blouse and boots. With her hair in a French braid, she looked young enough to be carded.

      Derrick still had a hard time grasping the fact she was a widow. Widows were supposed to be gray-haired senior citizens. He wondered what her husband had been like. Was he the reason Kara didn’t seem interested in dancing with any of the cowboys in the bar? The skinny guy in the spray-on jeans hadn’t been the first to ask her.

      The line dance ended, and he stood. “You doing all right, son?”

      “Yeah.”

      “Need any more money?”

      “I’m good.”

      “See you next break, then.” Derrick paused beside Kara just before she reached the table.

      He spoke into her ear. “Thanks for dancing with Connor.”

      “Are you kidding? He’s a great kid.”

      “Yeah, he is.” Derrick fought the urge to stall for time. His band was waiting. “See you in a bit.”

      “Will do.”

      Her smile stayed with him the rest of the night.

      DERRICK