I Love This Bar (31 page)

   Jewel pursed her thin lips. "Emily is back in Stillwater too. She says that New York wasn't for her and the biggest mistake she ever made was leaving you."

   "I could care less, Jewel," Jarod said. "Yes, Daisy, those are ribs and smoked chicken and pork loin. Which one looks best?"

   "All of it. Jewel, darlin', you and Stephen best load up your plates really good. There might not be anything left when I get through fixin' my plate."

   "Thank you but I'm sure I'll only be able to eat a few bites. I never eat more than a saucer will hold," Jewel said coolly.

   "Not me. I can eat a platter full and still go back for seconds. Especially when the food smells this good," Daisy said.

   "Momma ought to love you. She's always fussin' at Jewel to eat more," Stephen said.

   Jewel shot all of them a dirty look.

   After they loaded their plates, Jarod led the way to the head table where Frankie and Liam were already seated. Mitch sat on Frankie's right with Maria was beside him. Daisy could see name plates for Jewel and Stephen on the other side of them. On Liam's left a place card engraved with Jarod's name waited. The one beside that simply said "Date."

   "It's nice to know that I now have a new middle name. I'm Daisy Date O'Dell. It does have a nice ring to it though, doesn't it? Maybe I'll drop the one Jewel gave me. Daisy Date Whatever O'Dell is just too much, isn't it?" Daisy set her plate down. A waiter appeared instantly to ask them what they wanted to drink.

   "You got a longneck Coors?" Daisy asked.

   "Yes, ma'am."

   "Make that two," Jarod said.

   "You drinkin' it because you want it or to keep me from lookin' like a hick?" Daisy smarted off.

   Jarod leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "In that getup, you look like a Texas model, not a hick. Next week every woman in the place will be dressed like you and drinkin' Coors. I'm buying stock in the company tomorrow mornin'."

   She couldn't suppress the giggle. "You are rotten."

   "It's been said many times."

   "Eat your dinner and be nice."

   "I'm sorry about the name thing. I didn't tell them who

I was bringing but to leave a space. That was six weeks ago when this was all in the planning stages. Better to have a seat for my date than for her to have to sit in my lap." He grinned wickedly. "But then maybe not?"

   His mother leaned forward and waved at Jarod. She was smiling so maybe that meant Daisy had time to devour the smoked ribs and baked potato before the woman threw her off the ranch. If she could eat she might have enough energy to make it to the highway where she could thumb a ride back south.

   The waiter returned with two bottles of beer and two glasses on a tray. Daisy picked up a bottle and took a long swallow from it. "I don't need the glass. Take it back," she said.

   Jarod rose to his feet and tapped his water glass. The barn went silent.

   "I'd like to thank everyone in the barn for coming today to celebrate with us. I'd like to propose a toast to my mother and father. I'm Jarod, the youngest McElroy son, and I'd like to thank my parents for their love and support. Like one country song says, they were there to fix my bike and my heart when both were broken. They've been wonderful parents and I for one am glad to have been their son. To fifty more years, Mom and Dad."

   He picked up his beer bottle and tapped it to their wine glasses. Afterwards he gave them each a hug while everyone yelled, "To fifty more!"

   When he sat back down he leaned over and kissed Daisy on the cheek again. "Momma wants to know if you would please serve the groom's cake after we have eaten."

A photo shoot had been set up at the end of the barn. An archway had been arranged with yellow roses and twining ivy with two velvet chairs for Liam and Frankie centered under it. The photographer arranged groups and Daisy watched from a table back in a far corner. The further she could stay from Jewel, the better. She was studying Jarod, thinking that he definitely was the best looking one of the McElroy sons, when someone touched her bare arm. It startled her so badly that she jumped and came close to falling backwards, chair and all.

   "Didn't mean to scare you. You must have had your mind somewhere else," Frankie said.

   "I thought I was the only one in this corner."

   
If you knew what I was thinking about doing to your
son, you'd be the one startled out of your mind.

   Frankie touched her arm. "I snuck up on your blind side. I haven't had formal pictures of my boys in years."

   "Good looking bunch of men. I'm sure you are very proud of them," Daisy said. And that younges
t
one can sure make my body sing a country song about
getting lucky.

   "I wanted a minute with you alone. I'm glad Jarod brought you to the party today. I owe you an apology," Frankie said.

   Daisy was glad she didn't have beer in her mouth. She would have spewed it all over the woman.

   Frankie went on. "I judged you by those other three and it wasn't fair."

   "Apology accepted, then."

   The floodgates were opened and Frankie couldn't stop talking. "Jarod came along after I thought I was all through with having babies. Mitch and Stephen were born a year apart right after we married and fifteen years later I had Jarod. I spoiled the hell out of him. When he brought Sasha home I thought she was the one who'd complete his life. That fell through and we helped Jarod pick up the pieces. A few years later he brought Mallory to meet us and she and I became friends. I wanted to string her up with a worn out rope when she left him. Then there was Emily wanting a rancher to move to New York City. Three times I was nice and three times he got burned. It's not easy to be nice again," Frankie said.

   "You don't have to be nice. I was dead serious when I told the whole bunch of you that I love my bar. I like my job. I like the people. I like the hours. It's my life and I have no desire to change it," Daisy said.

   "We'll see." Frankie smiled.

   Liam crossed the room and held his hand out to Frankie. "May I have this dance, pretty lady?"

   She smiled brightly up at him, put her hand in his, and walked beside him to the middle of the dance floor. The band struck up the first chords to an old Faron Young song, "Slowly."

   Jarod sat down beside Daisy and draped an arm loosely around the back of her chair. "I'm glad that's over. I've smiled enough for six years. Do you have that song on your old jukebox? It's the first song they ever danced to. Daddy used to bring out Faron's album and play it on the record player on their anniversary and they'd dance around the living room floor."

   It wasn't hard to believe they'd danced more than fifty years together. They were as smooth as Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire.

   "That is so sweet," Daisy said.

   "Takes a lot of practice to get that good. Think we'll ever match them?"

   "Only if we spent the next few weeks dancing every minute of the day," she laughed.

   During the instrumental in the middle of the song, the singer spoke into the microphone. "Liam says this is the song that was playing the first time he asked Frankie to dance with him. Now they're inviting their three sons to join them in the dance."

   Mitch and Maria were on the floor first.

   Then Jewel and Stephen.

   Jarod held out his hand to Daisy.

   She looked across the floor at Frankie who slyly winked.

   Daisy put both her arms around Jarod's neck. He looped his around her waist, pulled her close, and sang the words to the rest of the song softly in her ear as they moved gracefully around the floor.

   The song ended and the singer said, "And now the golden couple have asked that their grandchildren come on out to the dance floor for the next one. After we finish this song, everyone is invited to dance. A light supper buffet will be served at six and Miz Frankie says the party will be over at seven thirty. So grandkids, come on and honor your grandparents as we sing 'Rockin' Years.'"

   Jarod wrapped his arms around Daisy's waist again. She fit like she had been molded especially for him.

   "We aren't grandchildren," she said.

   "It's a whole family dance and today you are part of it," he said.

   
Today.
That word stuck in her head. Today she was part of the family. Today she could win the catfight with the abominable Jewel. Today she could serve groom's cake with the real daughters-in-law. Today she could pretend to be Jarod's woman. That part wasn't so difficult; she'd already been his wife.

   Tomorrow she'd be the bartender. Tomorrow she'd take care of Rack's hairballs and check on Tommy's goat, Runt. Tomorrow she'd be plain old Daisy O'Dell.

   Today was fantasy. Tomorrow was reality.

   After the final notes of the song, the McElroy sons led their women to the cake table. Jewel cut the white bride's cake topped with the same bride and groom figurine that had been used on Frankie and Liam's original wedding cake. Maria poured punch from a brass punch bowl into crystal cups. Daisy took her place behind the three-tiered chocolate cake topped with fresh dipped strawberries.

   "I'm surprised Momma Frankie asked you to do that job," Jewel said.

   "I promised her I wouldn't lick my fingers or pick my nose between bites," Daisy said.

   Maria giggled. "Jewel, be nice. She's not Emily or Mallory or even Sasha. You aren't going to intimidate her."

   "What's your problem with me anyway, Jewel?" Daisy asked.

   "You are a gold digger. You know he's rich and you're nothing but a bartender," Jewel said.

   "I didn't know he was rich and it wouldn't matter to me if he had nothing or owned Fort Knox. But I do know that you are a bitch," Daisy said.

   "How can you say something like that?" Jewel snapped sharply.

   "I know as much about you as you do me and you made a judgment on me without knowing me so I can make one about you," Daisy said.

   "Touché, Daisy," Maria said.

   "Whose side are you on anyway?" Jewel asked.

   "I'm not on either side, Jewel McElroy. You know me better than that after twenty-five years of marriage for both of us. But you are doing the same thing Momma Frankie did. You're judging her by those other three and it's not fair. We didn't judge you by Stephen's former lovers and we damn sure didn't judge you for yours, did we?" Maria said.

   Jewel's mouth gaped like a fish out of water for a couple of seconds. "That was all in the past."

   "So are Jarod's former relationships. Don't be so narrow-minded," Maria said.

   An elderly lady with blue hair stopped and picked up a piece of groom's cake. "How did you and Jarod meet? Don't remember ever seein' you around these parts. You a Texan?"

   "Arkansas is my home state, but I've been in Texas eight years. We met in a beer joint," Daisy answered.

   She gasped and hurried back to her table of friends so fast that Daisy feared she'd fall forward and land with her face in the chocolate cake. She hoped the strawberry didn't poke her in the eye. She delivered the news in whispers behind her veined and diamond ring–decorated hand.

   She'd barely finished talking when another of the gossip squad decided she needed groom's cake also.

   "So are you a rancher like Jarod or maybe into the oil business like the McElroys?" she asked when Daisy handed her the cake.

   "No, ma'am, I'm the owner and bartender at the Honky Tonk beer joint in Mingus, Texas," she said.

   "I see. Well. Okay, then. I—" She rushed back to the table.

   When the third one headed in her direction, Daisy sighed.

   "I'm Inez Perkins. Don't believe I've seen you around before."

   "Pleased to meet you, ma'am. I'm Daisy O'Dell from Mingus, Texas. I knew Jarod's Uncle Emmett and Aunt Mavis," she said.

   "Oh, that side of the family. So what is it you do, darlin'? Got to give it to you, you got a good sense of humor. When you told Wanda you were a bartender she about stroked out. That can't be true. You're just jerking them around, aren't you?"

   "Yes, ma'am, it surely is true. I own a beer joint called the Honky Tonk. I'm a bartender most of the time. If you are ever down in my area, stop by and I'll make you a margarita that'll knock your socks off," Daisy said.

   Inez barely took the time to nod and hurried back to the table where eight women put their heads together.

   "What'd you do that for?" Jewel asked.

   "It's the truth. Cover it with cow shit or chocolate and it's still the same underneath," Daisy repeated Chigger's saying.

   "It's a wonder Inez didn't have a heart attack and ruin the party. You could have said you were a business woman or even a vet tech," Jewel said.

   "I could have but I didn't. I'm not ashamed of the Honky Tonk or being a bartender. It's good honest work. The rest of the cake is cut and ready. See you two around," Daisy said.

   She made a beeline for the door. No one had better get in her way or ask a million and two questions either. She'd had all she could stand of Jewel and nosy neighbors. Luckily she made it to the pickup truck where she crawled inside the steaming hot vehicle, left the passenger door open, and leaned the seat as far back as it would go. She'd rather have a root canal with no Novocaine than go on another cowboy date. She shut her eyes against the hot sunlight and hoped that when she opened them it would all be a crazy nightmare.