Their Child?. Karen Rose Smith

and gents. I’d like to say a few words about how much this special day means to Enid and me…”

      Brody sat patiently through several rounds of toasting. But all that sitting was a lot to ask of a ten-year-old boy. By then, the other kids in the room were either fiddling around in the doorways or disappearing into the main foyer, just like Tucker and Tate used to do at similar events when they were kids.

      Brody leaned close to Lori and whispered, “Mom. Can I go play with the other kids now?”

      She let him go, after getting a promise that he’d stay in the main entrance area or in the ballroom, where she could find him. “No wandering off outside. I mean it.”

      “I won’t, Mom. I promise.” And Brody was out of there before Dirk’s father could rise to offer yet another toast.

      A half an hour later, after everybody and his brother had taken a turn at raising a glass, Heck stood and announced that the band would be moving to the ballroom. Outside, thunder rolled and lightning blazed down from the dark belly of the clouds.

      Heck let out his booming laugh. “This here’s Texas, ladies and gentlemen. No puny thunderstorm is going to spoil our good time.”

      Answering laughter rippled through the crowd. Everyone applauded.

      Tucker pushed back his chair and offered Lori his hand. “The first dance is mine.”

      She laid her soft hand in his.

       Chapter Six

      Tell him, Lori thought, for the hundredth time that evening. Tell him, tonight…

      It was well after eight and outside, though daylight still lingered somewhere above the thick, black clouds, it seemed like it was already nighttime. The rain had started, a hard rain, pouring down. Through the row of windows that looked out on the ballroom’s long veranda and the wide, curving driveway at the front of the clubhouse, lightning flared in sudden, bright flashes. Lori whirled in Tucker’s arms. She looked up into his gleaming eyes as she swayed in her pink gown and she shivered at the seductive thought that somehow, time had spun backward. Somehow, that long-ago prom night was happening all over again.

      It was that night again…

      Only better.

      This time, there was no masquerade. This time, Tucker wasn’t calling her Lena. This time, he knew which twin he whirled across the floor. This time, the magic was real.

      And when this song ended, she promised herself, she would lead him to some quiet corner and tell him the secret she’d kept from him for so long.

      Yes, it would probably go badly.

      But she couldn’t lie to him—or herself—any longer. Tucker might be furious with her when he learned the truth, and rightfully so. But he wouldn’t take it out on Lena and Dirk. He wouldn’t ruin the party. He wasn’t that kind of man and she knew he wasn’t.

      Yes, word would be bound to get around town eventually. But by the time that happened, Lena would at least be off on her honeymoon.

      The song ended.

      Lori swayed closer to Tucker. “I wonder…”

      His arm tightened at her waist. He breathed in her ear, “What? Anything. Name it…”

      “A few minutes. Alone…”

      He chuckled. She felt the happy sound vibrate all through her. “My thoughts exactly.” He let go of her waist, but not of her hand.

      The next number started up as he turned. Pulling her along, he wove through the crush of dancing couples, guiding her from the floor.

      They tried the main foyer first. But most of the kids were in there, fooling around on the stairs, chasing each other in and out of the seating areas. She caught sight of Brody, playing with a couple of other boys near the front desk. His little tie had come undone and his jacket was nowhere to be seen. She opened her mouth to ask him where the jacket went, but Tucker tugged her along and all she had time for was a quick wave. Brody sent her a wide, happy grin and went back to his game.

      They passed through an arch into a hallway—a nice, dim one. But not empty. People strolled up and down it, going to and from the Cottonwood Room at the far end.

      Courtly old Dr. Flannigan, who’d been the Billingsworth family physician for years, came striding down the hallway toward them. He smiled his crinkly warm smile at the sight of them. “Tucker. Hello. And Lori. My, my. Aren’t you a vision? You and the lovely Lena, both.”

      “Why, thank you, Doc.” She gave him a smile.

      “Believe me, the pleasure is all mine.”

      “Hi, Doc,” Tucker said—and kept going. He muttered something—probably a swear word—under his breath and turned a corner to another hallway, the one that led to the powder room and the men’s room. But two women, bridesmaids, emerged from the powder room. They both called greetings.

      “Hey, Lori. Tucker…”

      “Great party, huh?”

      “Darlene, Louisa…” Tucker saluted the two pretty women in celery-green and turned to lead Lori back the way they had come.

      They tried the dining room. No go. The serving staff was still busy in there with the big job of cleaning up after the wedding banquet.

      One of the waiters asked, “May I help you, Mr. Bravo.”

      Tucker chuckled, a wry sound. “Not unless you can all clear out of here on the double.”

      The waiter frowned in bewilderment. “Clear out, Mr. Bravo?”

      Tucker clapped him on the arm. “Never mind. Just a joke…”

      The waiter forced a laugh. “A joke. Oh. I see…”

      Tucker took pity on the poor guy. “Go ahead. Keep at it. Sorry to interrupt.”

      The waiter nodded and went back to loading dirty dishes into plastic crates. From the ballroom, Lori could hear her father’s voice, amplified over the club’s PA system. He must have taken the microphone from the wedding singer.

      “And now for the big moment. Time to cut the cake…”

      Tucker headed back to the ballroom, pulling Lori with him. With so many guests everywhere, private corners were in short supply.

      So all right, she thought. Now’s not the right moment…

      But she wasn’t giving up. She would tell him that night—later that night. She’d send Brody home with her parents and she’d go with Tucker, out to the Double T, or wherever. It didn’t matter. Just as long as they went someplace where they wouldn’t be disturbed.

      Yes. That would be better than trying to explain everything right now, in the middle of the wedding party, anyway. Much better with just the two of them, truly alone together, somewhere there’d be no possibility of an interruption. That was how it should be, she saw that now: the two of them, alone.

      Plus, she couldn’t help thinking, if she waited until the party was over, she’d have another few hours of this magic with him, another few hours until the awful moment of truth…

      And okay, she was only proving to herself, once again, that she was a coward in every last, sniveling sense of the word. But what could she do if there was no place for them to talk?

      Nothing. Until later.

      When she would do it. Absolutely. No backing out.

      Just as she was getting used to the idea that she was off the hook for a little bit longer, they reached the ballroom.

      And Tucker kept going.

      He pulled her along near the back wall as the guests gathered around the stage